BS SHOWBIZ BUZZ:
★ This morning actor John Krasinski (“13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi”, out Friday);  director Ang Lee (“Life of Pi”); and writer/director Guillermo Del Toro (“Pan’s Labyrinth”) have had to set their alarms bright and early. They join Academy president Cheryl Boone Isaacs to announce the nominees for the 88th Academy Awards beginning at 5:30 am PT. Think “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” will get a ‘Best Pic’ nom? The Oscars air February 28th on ABC-TV.
– EW.com
★ 68-year-old actor Ted Danson is retiring his forensics expert TV character ‘DB Russell’ after just one season on the crime investigation show “CSI: Cyber”. Danson first portrayed ‘Russell’ in 2013 and appeared as the character on “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation” until the show’s final episode last year. He then jumped to new show “CSI: Cyber”. Danson is returning to his comedy roots (he appeared on “Cheers” 1982-93), teaming up with Kristen Bell on the new NBC-TV sitcom “Good Place”.
– WENN.com
★ And actor Sean Penn is sitting down with journalist Charlie Rose to discuss his meeting with drug lord Joaquin Guzman for the first time. Penn interviewed the Mexican crime boss for “Rolling Stone” last year, just months before ‘El Chapo’ was recaptured. Penn, who insists he has nothing to hide, has agreed to speak with Rose but it’s unclear when the interview will take place and when it will air on TV. Rose, who appears on “60 Minutes” as well as his own PBS show, says he’s prepared to do it whenever I get the greenlight from Penn and his lawyers.
– LATimes.com

TODAY’S SHOW BIZ SKED:
• “American Idol” (FOX) – The search for the most talented vocalists continues as auditions move to Denver CO and Little Rock AR.
• “Daily Show” (Comedy Central/CTV) – Ice Cube (“War & Peace Vol 2”, out Friday).
• “Jimmy Kimmel Live” (ABC/CityTV) – Charlie Puth (“Nine Track Mind”).
• “Late Show With Stephen Colbert” (CBS/Global) – Father John Misty (“I Love You, Honeybear”).
• “Tavis Smiley” (PBS) – Blues musician Taj Mahal (“Live Catch”).
• “Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” (NBC/CTV2) – Flo Rida (“Wild Ones”).
• “Wendy Williams” (syndicated) – Ice Cube again.
• “The World Dog Awards” (CW) – Celebrating dogs for their work in the military, health services, and entertainment.

BS MUSIC NOTES:
• Mariah Carey – She’s reportedly stepping behind the camera again to direct and executive produce 3 movies for Lifetime Network. She made her directorial debut in December with the Hallmark-TV movie “A Christmas Melody”, which was met with mixed reviews.
• Reba McEntire – She’s cast alongside Damon Wayans Jr in the animated film “The Land Before Time: Journey Of the Brave”. Reba voices the part of a pre-historic, winged dinosaur and sings “Look For the Light” in the film. It’s being released digitally and on DVD February 2nd.
• Willie Nelson – He was feted at a star-studded gala in November in Washington DC as the 1st country singer to receive the Gershwin Prize for Popular Song. Now he’s announced he’s releasing a tribute to songwriters George & Ira Gershwin. “Summertime: Willie Nelson Sings Gershwin” is being released February 26th.

COMING ATTRACTIONS:
A BS selection of movies in the making …
• “All Eyez on Me” – Actress Danai Gurira has been cast as Afeni Shakur, mother of the late Tupac Shakur, in the upcoming biopic about the rapper. Gurira, a Zimbabwean-American actress best known for playing the sword-wielding warrior ‘Michonne’ on AMC’s “The Walking Dead”, joins a cast led by Demetrius Shipp Jr as Tupac. Production is underway in Atlanta GA.
• “Chopin & Beyond” – Filmmaker Martin Scorsese is developing this biopic about pianist Byron Janis. “The Wolf of Wall Street” director will produce the film, based on Janis’ book, “Chopin and Beyond: My Extraordinary Life in Music & The Paranormal”. It’s as yet unclear who will direct the movie, and casting details have yet to be revealed.
• “Creed 2” – MGM could be back in the ring with a “Creed” sequel as early as next year. The studio is targeting a November 2017 release date for a follow-up to Ryan Coogler’s “Rocky” spinoff that stars Michael B Jordan. “Creed” has earned excellent reviews (and a Golden Globe for Sylvester Stallone); and grossed about $120 million in worldwide box office.
• “Molly’s Game” – Screenwriter Aaron Sorkin (Golden Globe for “Steve Jobs”) is making his directorial debut with a bigscreen adaptation of this poker memoir that centers on Molly Bloom, who hosted illegal poker games in LA. They were attended by the likes of Ben Affleck, Leo DiCaprio, and Tobey Maguire until she was arrested and sentenced to a year of probation.
• “Robin Hood: Origins” – Actor Jamie Foxx is joining this new adventure as the outlaw’s sidekick ‘Little John’. He’ll appear alongside “Kingsman: The Secret Service” stars Taron Egerton & Eve Hewson, who will play ‘Robin Hood’ and ‘Maid Marian’ respectively. The film about the early days of ‘Robin Hood’ in Sherwood Forest begins shooting later this year.

UNDER MY UMBRELLA ELLA ELLA:
Finally, an umbrella you won’t leave behind. A Bluetooth-based ‘proximity chip’ makes the big difference, letting you know when you stray beyond 30 feet away from it. The ‘Davek Alert Umbrella’ syncs to your smartphone and sounds an alert if you accidently leave it somewhere. It’s the company’s first umbrella that uses advanced beacon location technology. The tech-savvy accessory, created with help from a Kickstarter campaign, is retailing for about $125. (For which you could buy about 10 regular umbrellas.)
– CNET.com

CELEB COUPLES WITH BIG AGE DIFFERENCES:
People are doing the math since news broke that perennial blonde Jerry Hall (59) will wed media mogul Rupert Murdoch (84). The 25-year age difference may raise eyebrows but it’s nowhere near a record in the celebrity world …
• Hugh Hefner, who turns 90 in April, is 60 years older than wife Crystal, who will be 30 in April.
• Mel Gibson (60) has a girlfriend named Rosalind Ross (24) … 36 years younger.
• William Shatner ( 84) is 27 years older than his 4th wife, Elizabeth.
• Alec  & Hilaria Baldwin are 26 years apart in age.
• Donald Trump (69) is 23 years older than long-suffering wife Melania Trump (46).
• At 66, Billy Joel is 32 years older than current wife, Alexis Roderick.
• Woody Allen (80) is 35 years older than wife/stepdaughter, Soon-Yi Previn, who is 45.
• The Stones’ Ron Wood will be 68 when wife Sally (37) gives birth to their twins this Summer.
(And Mick Jagger is 112 years older than his current girlfriend. Just kidding. Maybe.)
– Adapted from @LizBraunSun

UNCARING FOR THE SICK:
If you’re a Boomer parent and hope your Millennial kid will take care of you when you’re ill, you might want to think again. Millennials are terrible at taking care of sick relatives, a new survey suggests. In fact, they’re actually the least likely to help out a family member needing care, 47% admitting they would prefer not to have that responsibility. And 21% of those between 18-and-24 say they would avoid it “as often as I can”. By comparison, only 1% of those 65-plus answer that way and only 2% of those 55-to-65. (Your caring about healthcare is related to your proximity to needing it.)
– NYDailyNews.com

LIFE HACKS TO GET YOU THROUGH WINTER:
✓ If your car ends up getting stuck in snow, cat litter provides enough friction to help your tires get moving again. Keep a box in your trunk to save yourself a lot of hassle.
✓ Have lip balm on hand to ease cracked knuckles. The cold weather will make your skin dry and sore, and sometimes not even hand cream is up to the task.
✓ Use a disposable razor to gently shave along the surface of your sweaters to get rid of balled-up bits.
✓ Make your own throat-soothing remedy by mixing some powdered ginger with honey and a squeeze of lemon in a mug of hot water.
✓ Don’t skip the hat because you’re worried about looking tousled when you reach work. Take some dry shampoo with you to battle ‘hat hair’ when you arrive.
✓ Make hot chocolate in your slow cooker. Because who doesn’t want a massive vat of hot chocolate on the go when it’s chilly outside? Slow-cooking gives it a deeper, toasty flavor.
✓ Wash your face with an oil-based cleanser. Fend off the discomfort of dry skin using hydrating skincare products … or make your own using a mixture of olive oil and sugar.
✓ Mix 2 parts vinegar with 1 part water, then spray onto your car’s windshield to prevent it icing over. You’ll save yourself scraping time the next day.
✓ Invest in an electric blanket. Turn it on while you get ready for bed, then prepare for peak snuggling.
✓ Knit yourself some mittens. Gloves might be easier for texting, but mittens are proven to keep your hands warmer. They’re also loads easier to make.
– Condensed from Metro.co.uk

BS AMAZING FACT:
Recent statistical analysis shows that Canadians are more polite than Americans on Twitter.
– Vox.com

BS CHRONOMETER 01.14.16

TODAY’S CELEBIRTHDAYS . . .
1963 [53] Steven Soderbergh, Atlanta GA, movie director (“Magic Mike”, “Traffic”)/film producer (“Magic Mike XXL”, “Good Night, and Good Luck”)

1968 [48] LL Cool J (James Todd Smith), Bay Shore NY, Grammy Awards host since 2012/TV actor (‘Sam Hanna’ on “NCIS: LA” since 2009)/former rap artist (“Luv U Better”)

1969 [47] Dave Grohl, Warren OH, rock singer-guitarist (Foo Fighters-“The Pretender”, Nirvana-“Smells Like Teen Spirit”)

1969 [47] Jason Bateman, Rye NY, movie actor (“Horrible Bosses 2”, “Juno”)/TV actor (“Arrested Development” 2003-06, 2013)

1982 [34] Caleb Followill, Mount Juliet TN, rock singer-guitarist (Kings of Leon-“Use Somebody”, “Sex on Fire”)

1990 [26] Grant Gustin, Norfolk VA, TV actor (‘Barry Allen/Flash’ on “The Flash” since 2014)

BS REASONS TO PARTY . . .
• “Assembly Line Workers Day”, observed on the anniversary of the 1st ‘Automobile Assembly Line’, created by Henry Ford 102 years ago today (1914).

• “Caesarean Section Day”, commemorating the 1st successful procedure of the kind, performed in 1794 by Dr Jesse Bennet in Edom VA on his wife. (To celebrate, leave your house this morning by going out through a window.)

• “Dress Up Your Pet Day”, a day to assert our dominance over the dumb creatures of the animal kingdom by humiliating them in human attire … then laughing at them. Don’t forget to Photoshop a monkey’s head on, then post it online so the entire world can mock them.

• “Makar Sankranti”, the mid-Winter festival of India & Nepal that marks the transition of the Sun beginning it’s northward journey, what’s called the ‘Uttarayan’. The event is marked by flying kites. Hey, if it means Spring is getting a bit closer … we’re all for it!

• “Organize Your Home Day”, a day make sure there’s a place for everything and to then put everything in its place. The first step to organizing is to unclutter. (Or get a Home & Garden Channel TV show to do it for you.)

• “Work at Home With Your Spouse Day”, to encourage couples to make the most of their relationship and skills by starting a business together. Are there ways to do it without killing each other?

THIS DAY IN SHOW BIZ . . .
2013 [03] In a taped interview with Oprah Winfrey, 7-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong admits to taking performance-enhancing drugs to improve his cycling performance

TODAY’S MUSIC EVENTS . . .
2006 [05] Actor-singer Jamie Foxx begins a 2-week run at #1 on the album chart with his 2nd album, “Unpredictable”

2014 [02] Justin Bieber is questioned by police over the egging of his neighbor’s house in Calabasas, California

TODAY’S FIRSTS . . .
2009 [06] Citing health concerns, Apple Computer CEO Steve Jobs announces his plan to step aside from the day-to-day operations at the computer giant, appointing Tim Cook to take over

2015 [01] After 19 days, American rock climbers Tommy Caldwell & Kevin Jorgeson become the 1st to successfully free-climb the 3,000-ft Dawn Wall face of El Capitan in California’s Yosemite National Park

TODAY’S RECORD . . .
1973 [43] Last ‘Perfect NFL Season’ as Miami Dolphins beat Washington Redskins 14-7 at Super Bowl VII in Los Angeles to finish with a 17-0 record (members of that Dolphin team still celebrate when the last undefeated NFL team finally loses each season)

AND REMEMBER . . .
[Fri] Humanitarian Day
[Fri] International Fetish Day
[Sat] Civil Service Day
[Sat] Fig Newton Day
[Sun] Kid Inventors Day
This Week Is … Freshly Squeezed Juice Week
This Month Is … International Child-Centered Divorce Awareness Month

BULL’S BITS

BS QUESTIONS EVERY CAT OWNER HAS ASKED THEMSELVES:
✓ How can a cat possibly shed this much?
✓ Why am I out of lint rollers now? Why now?
✓ When will I ever be able to eat in peace again?
✓ Is there any logic to what this cat is doing? Any at all?
✓ Is it weird that I talk to my cat like they’re a person who understands me?
✓ If I pet this cat now, will it purr and be cute? Or will it maul me?
✓ What invisible enemy is it always chasing?
✓ How come it only wants to play when I am about to fall asleep?
✓ Should I take fewer cat photos or should I just get a phone with more space?
✓ What is catnip to cats? Is it like sugar? Weed? A mix of both? Why don’t humans have that?
✓ How can it eat just one kind of cat food all the time?
✓ Will I ever be able to train this cat to do anything? No? Cool.
– BuzzFeed.com

BS RANDOM JOKE:
We’re making progress. Things are getting worse at a slower rate.

BS U-PICK ANIMAL TRIVIA:
• Which of the following animals is the Giant Panda most closely related to?
a. Raccoon
b. Polar Bear [CORRECT]
c. Skunk

• Pacing, in which the legs on one side are advanced together, is natural to only a few animals, including the camel, the cat, and which of the following?
a. Antelope
b. Giraffe [CORRECT]
C. Yak
– TriviaPark.com

BS PHONE STARTER:
☎ What’s the funniest thing you’ve heard someone say in their sleep?

BS WATER COOLER QUESTION:
Question: The reason the numbers ‘8-0-6-8’ are special is THIS.
Answer: It’s the least-used number combination selected for a 4-digit PIN.

BS DEEP THOUGHT:
You are never too old to learn … and never too young to know it all.