Thursday, January 16, 2020 – Edition: #6613
It’s Your Daily Constitutional Sheet!
BS SHOW BIZ BUZZ:
★ Stan Kirsch, best known for playing ‘Richie Ryan’ on the television show “Highlander”, has died of an apparent suicide. He starred in the Highlander series for six seasons, but had tons of other acting credits like “JAG” and “General Hospital,” plus a memorable cameo on “Friends” where he played one of Courtney Cox’s character Monica’s boyfriends, in which the two lied about their age to each other. For the last few years, Kirsch was known as a renowned acting coach. According to reports, the 51-year old was found hanging in his bathroom at his family’s home in Los Angeles.
-TheBlast
★ Quentin Tarantino says that his guest appearance on “The Golden Girls” allowed him to fund his now-iconic film “Reservoir Dogs”. Prior to developing the breakthrough 1992 crime drama, the filmmaker struggled to find work as an actor, but scored a brief role on The Golden Girls as an Elvis Presley impersonator. The quick job earned him enough money to put his acclaimed project into production. According to Tarantino: “It became a two-part Golden Girls (episode), so I got paid residuals for both parts. And it was so popular they put it on a Best of The Golden Girls (compilation) and I got residuals every time that showed.”
(You didn’t know that Betty White was to blame for Mr. Pink, did you?)
-Canoe
★ Daredevil Nik Wallenda will risk his life on live television yet again, this time with a highwire walk over an active volcano in Nicaragua. The walk will be 1,800 feet long and is described as his highest and longest walk ever. He’d also be the first person to ever walk across the volcano. The two-hour TV special will air on Wednesday, March 4.
-TheWrap
★ Comedy Central wants a whole lot more of Daniel Tosh. The network announced Tuesday that it has signed the comedian to a first-look deal that includes a four-season renewal for “Tosh.0.” His thoughts on the announcement? Tosh said: “I just wish my parents got to see me reach this level of success. They’re both still alive, but they only have Netflix, Hulu, Amazon, Apple TV, and Quibi.”
-TheWrap
TODAY’S SHOW BIZ SKED:
• “Jimmy Kimmel Live” (ABC/Global): Al Pacino, Florence Pugh, Nicky Jam featuring Daddy Yankee
• “The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon” (NBC/CTV): The cast of “Schitt’s Creek”, Finn Wolfhard, Justin Willman
• “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” (CBS/Global): Josh Gad, Tamron Hall
• “Late Night with Seth Meyers” (NBC/CTV): Robert De Niro, Guy Pearce, Joe Pera (R)
• “Lights Out with David Spade” (COMEDY): Lizzy Cooperman, Guy Branum, Joel McHale
• “Conan” (TBS): Ilana Glazer
• “Watch What Happens Live” (Bravo): Karlie Kloss, Martha Stewart
• “The View” (ABC/CTV): Josh Gad
• “The Talk” (CBS): Guest co-host Brigitte Nielsen
• “Live with Kelly and Ryan” (ABC/CTV): Jerry O’Connell
• “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” (NBC/CTV): Aubrey Plaza
• “The Kelly Clarkson Show” (CHECK LOCAL LISTINGS): Abigail Spencer, Nico Santos
• “Supernatural” (CW): Season 15 returns
• “Legacies” (CW): Season 2 returns
• “The Last Days of Richard Pryor” (ABC): The comic’s complicated childhood, career and groundbreaking work that showcased the world of black America through the lens of stand-up; interviews with his widow, Jennifer Pryor, and comics and actors who worked with him.
BS MUSIC NOTES:
• Billie Eilish – has become the youngest artist ever to record a “James Bond” movie theme. Eilish, who just turned 18, co-wrote the theme for the upcoming 25th Bond film “No Time to Die” with her 22-year-old producer brother, Finneas O’Connell. The previous record was held by Sheena Easton, who was 22 when she released her theme for 1982’s “For Your Eyes Only”.
• Sia — has revealed she has adopted a son. No more details have been given, but last May, she indicated she would like to adopt a 16-year-old rapper after seeing him on the HBO documentary “Foster”, which explored foster care in Los Angeles.
• The Pussycat Dolls — are filming the video for their comeback single ‘React’ in Los Angeles this week. The ‘Don’t Cha’ hitmakers have reunited after 10 years apart for a tour and new music. Excitement around the group’s comeback single is increasing as a demo of ‘React’ has leaked online.
• The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame — The Class of 2020 will consist of the Doobie Brothers, T-Rex, Nine Inch Nails, Depeche Mode, Whitney Houston and the Notorious B.I.G. The induction ceremony will be held May 2 in Cleveland.
• Meat Loaf – is suing Hyatt Regency at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, claiming he took a tumble during a May 2019 appearance at the hotel, which resulted in him being hospitalized for 42 days. He says he sustained injuries to his neck, collar bone and shoulder.
• Nirvana – have four songs on Nielsen Music’s list of the 10 most-played songs on American active rock radio over the past 10 years. The quartet of singles from their 1991 album “Nevermind” — ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’ (No. 1), ‘Come As You Are’ (No. 3), ‘In Bloom’ (No. 7) and ‘Lithium’ (No. 10) — tallied more than 500,000 spins combined.
• Jann Arden — will be inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame at this year’s JUNO Awards in Saskatoon. She’ll also perform during the JUNO Awards broadcast on March 15.
• Chrissy Metz – The ‘This Is Us’ star has signed a record deal with Universal Music Group Nashville after her song ‘I’m Standing With You’ was nominated for an Oscar. She says her ”lifelong dream” is coming true as she prepares to record her debut country album.
• Brooks & Dunn – will hit the road for the first time in 10 years later this year, on their “Brooks & Dunn Reboot 2020 Tour”. It will kick off on May 15 in St. Louis, and wrap up on Sept. 19 in Chicago.
MIND YOUR PLEASE AND THANK YOUS:
As children, we’re taught to always say “please” and “thank you”. And those are definitely good habits to carry into adulthood. But according to a study featured in the “Royal Society Journal”, we thank people less than we think. The study examined everyday language used around the world and found that people said “thank you” in approximately one out of 20 instances of someone fulfilling a request or service in an informal setting. Showing gratitude has been proven to not only improve our own well-being, but also let others know that they are valued and appreciated. It also encourages them to continue being helpful.
(Do I really have to thank my kids for doing something that I’m going to end up paying them for on allowance day?)
-TheDailyMeal
COFFEE PERK:
Hey! Another study on the health effects of coffee! I wonder if it’ll be good or bad for us this time. Let’s see…it’s GOOD! A new study suggests that drinking caffeinated beverages, including coffee and tea, could help you to keep off the pounds. Scientists at the University of Illinois found that consuming caffeine can limit weight gain and cholesterol production, even when ingested as part of a diet that contains high levels of fat and sugar.
(If you drink enough of it, it DOES force you to run…)
(Now THERE’S a study that I wouldn’t mind volunteering for!)
(I’ve seen kids load up their latte at Starbucks. I’m pretty sure they’ve never had a coffee that didn’t have high levels of fat and sugar!)
-VinePair
PIZZA ROUND-UP:
➢ Domino’s Pizza is reportedly planning a major expansion in Italy, with plans to open 880 locations there by 2030. What do Italians think of this? Pretty much what you would guess. Some Twitter reactions: “Domino’s in Italy? Is like, selling ice to eskimos…”; “Why would you ever order a Domino’s Pizza (in the birthplace of Pizza) over the real thing?”; “2021 Headlines, Dominos to close 880 pizza shops in Italy.”; “WHY? THIS IS THE HOME OF REAL PIZZA!”
(I’ll tell you why – 30 minutes or it’s free!)
➢ If you think pineapple on pizza is bad, sit down. Because you’re not going to like this. Kiwizza. That’s right. Kiwi on pizza. A viral photo was uploaded on Sunday with the caption “Kiwi pizza from a Danish pizzeria, an unholy abomination.” And as the photo shows, the standard tomato-and-cheese base is decked out with bizarro pepperoni-style kiwi slices, plus ham. Reaction, as you would imagine, was swift, with one Twitter user writing: “Scandinavian food is the best argument for the existence of Satan I have ever seen.” (I’m pretty sure we already had that with black olives…)
(Pizza round-up? Pardon the pun…)
(***See “BS Phone Starter”, below***)
-NYPost
MOST TRUSTED BRANDS:
According to a new study, Americans trust Amazon and Google more than they trust teachers. Or science. Or Tom Hanks, for goodness sakes! Market research firm Morning Consult reports that the two tech giants are among the most trustworthy brands in the US, coming in third behind only a person’s doctor and the US military. The data comes from online surveys on approximately 2,000 brands. Here are the most trusted “actual brands” in the US:
1. US Postal Service: 42% trust rating
2. Amazon: 39%
3. Google: 38%
4. PayPal: 37%
5. The Weather Channel: 36.5%
6. Chick-Fil-A: 36.2%
7. Hershey (tied): 36.1%
7. UPS (tied): 36.1%
9. Cheerios: 35.9%
10. M&M’s: 34.8%
-MorningConsult, FOX
DID YOU KNOW?
The reason you snore so much? Maybe you have a fat tongue. Loud snoring from sleep apnea may be caused by exactly that. Scientists have long known that losing weight can help the condition, but now Pennsylvania University researchers say they can explain why losing weight reduces the risk of obstructive sleep apnea: losing weight also trims fat from the tongue.
-Mirror
BS CHRONOMETER 01.16.20
TODAY’S CELEBIRTHDAYS . . .
1948 [72] John Carpenter, Catharge NY, movie director (“Halloween”, “Escape from New York”)
1959 [61] Sade (Helen Folasade Adu), Ibadan Nigeria, R&B singer (‘Smooth Operator’, ‘The Sweetest Taboo’)
1974 [46] Kate Moss, Addiscomb UK, fashion model who’s appeared on over 300 magazine covers
1980 [40] Lin-Manuel Miranda, New York City, Broadway actor/composer/playwright (“Hamilton”, “In the Heights”)/actor (“Mary Poppins Returns”)
1982 [38] Max Joseph, New York City, reality star (Co-star of the MTV series “Catfish” 2012-16)
1981 [39] Nick Valensi, NYC, rock guitarist (The Strokes-‘Last Nite’, ‘Juicebox’)
1985 [35] Renée Felice Smith, Long Island NY, TV actress (‘Nell Jones’ on “NCIS: Los Angeles” since 2010)
TODAY’S BS REASONS TO PARTY . . .
• “Appreciate a Dragon Day”, celebrating fictional dragons as memorable characters. (Let’s see, there is “Puff”, “Pete’s”, The “How to Train Your Dragon” dragon, “Smaug” from “The Hobbit”, the “Game of Thrones” dragons, the “Harry Potter” one…and the dragon tattoo. That’s about it!)
• “Fig Newton Day”, celebrating the cookie with figs in the middle … the only figs many people ever eat.
• “International Hot & Spicy Food Day”, encouraging us to spice up our lives in order to add some zest to a Winter’s day. What’s the absolute hottest thing you’ve ever put in your mouth?
• “Religious Freedom Day”, when everyone has the right to believe the same stuff I do.
• “Nothing Day”, quite simply… a day for nothing…or as my boring neighbor Norman the accountant calls it, “Thursday”.
• “Prohibition Remembrance Day”, load up on brown bags and travel incognito with a flask strapped to your hip or tucked into your boot — that’s what many illegal drinkers did between Jan. 16, 1920 and Dec. 5, 1933, when the 18th amendment made it illegal to manufacture, transport or sell alcoholic beverages in the U.S.
• “National Without a Scalpel Day”, What do heart disease, stroke, aneurysms, and uterine fibroids have in common? They’re just a handful of conditions that can now be treated without surgery. In honor of this progress, The Interventional Initiative made today annual National Without a Scalpel Day.
COMING UP . . .
[Fri] Ben Franklin Day
[Fri] Hot-Buttered Rum Day
[Sat] National Use Your Gift Card Day
[Sat] Winnie the Pooh Day
THIS DAY IN SHOW BIZ . . .
2011 [09] “The Social Network” is the big winner at the 68th Golden Globes, picking up awards for ‘Best Drama’, ‘Best Director’, ‘Best Screenplay’, and ‘Best Original Score’
TODAY’S MUSIC EVENTS . . .
2009 [11] Boy George (Culture Club) is sentenced to 15 months in prison after being convicted of falsely imprisoning a male escort (word has it he handcuffed him to a radiator)
1996 [24] Jamaican police mistake Jimmy Buffett for a drug smuggler and shoot at his seaplane after it lands in the water. U2’s Bono is also on board with his family
TODAY’S FIRSTS . . .
2006 [14] Africa’s first female elected head-of-state, Liberia’s new president Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, is sworn in
2016 [04] First ever flower grown in space – a zinnia aboard the International Space Station, using NASA Veggie system
TODAY’S RECORD . . .
2005 [15] Romanian university lecturer & novelist Adriana Iliescu gives birth at age 66 to a daughter, Eliza, breaking the record for “World’s Oldest Birth Mother” (Has since been narrowly exceeded)
BULL’S BITS
BS WHACK FACTS:
✓ People with long commutes tend to have higher blood pressure and take more sick days.
✓ All dogs are descended from gray wolves that were first domesticated in China.
✓ More than half of the London Underground (public transportation system) runs aboveground.
✓ The word “bless” originally meant “sprinkle with blood”.
✓ In 2007, Canada issued a $1 million coin. It weighed 220 pounds and was made of solid gold.
✓ In the U.S., prison inmates can’t vote, but they can run for office.
-BathroomReadersInstitute
Best of BS . . .
BS WEIRD TIMES TO APOLOGIZE:
• When someone tells you they are getting married.
• When seeing someone naked for the first time.
• When called by a telemarketer.
• While looking in the mirror.
• When someone tells you to stop apologizing.
• After apologizing for apologizing too much.
• After Taylor Swift has already written a song about you.
• After winning first place.
• After sex.
• Before sex.
-Twitter, first published in BS in 2018
BS SIGNS YOU’RE ON A BAD CRUISE:
• As you board, a personal injury attorney hands you his business card.
• The Carnival Cruise crew turns out to be actual carnival workers.
• Puerto Vallarta looks a lot more like Newark NJ than in the brochure.
• During a light breeze, the captain issues the order to abandon ship.
• Every time you see the crew, they’re wearing life preservers.
• The navigation chart seems to be a placemat from Red Lobster.
• It’s day 3 and you’re still docked.
• You keep finding barnacles in your pants.
BS WEB GOODIE:
The struggle is real: https://tinyurl.com/u3velbw
BS U-PICK TRIVIA:
Name the not-so-classic sequel to the classic book:
1. “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory”:
a. Charlie and the Wonkas
b. Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator [CORRECT]
c. Charlie’s Chocolate Empire
d. Wonka’s World
2. “Rosemary’s Baby”:
a. Rosemary’s Second Baby
b. Daughter of Rosemary
c. Son of Rosemary [CORRECT]
d. Rosemary’s Sequel
3. “Forrest Gump”:
a. Bubba Gump Shrimp Company
b. Gump & Co. [CORRECT]
c. Gump’s Revenge
d. The Gumps
-MentalFloss
BS PHONE STARTER:
What weird topping have you had on a pizza? People will put pretty much anything them…but what ones have you actually tried?
BS RANDOM JOKE:
If we shouldn’t eat at night, why is there a light in the fridge?
BS WATER COOLER QUESTION:
Question: According to research, about 50% of school children have at least one of THESE. What is it?
Answer: A cavity
BS DEEP THOUGHT:
Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another, “What! You too? I thought I was the only one.”
