BS SHOW BIZ BUZZ:
★ This week in Berkeley CA Universal Studios has begun shooting the “Steve Jobs” bio-pic that it took over from Sony Pictures after a slew of actors and directors walked away from the project. Michael Fassbender is starring as the late Apple CEO; Seth Rogen co-stars as Steve Wozniak; Kate Winslet plays former Mac marketing boss Joanna Hoffman; and Jeff Daniels portrays former Apple CEO John Sculley. Written by Aaron Sorkin, the movie is based on Water Isaacson’s bestselling biography of Jobs. The pic’s due in theaters in 2016.
– ContactMusic.com
★ Hit TV show “Downton Abbey” is set to end later this year in the UK after 6 seasons, according to a new report. The period drama, which first aired in 2010, will apparently draw to a close so that creator/writer Julian Fellowes can work on a new project. An inside source says it’s an ‘open secret’ that the show is winding down and some cast members are letting it be known they’ll be available for other work after this Summer. Some have recently been in Los Angeles for awards shows and reportedly attended meetings about future TV and film roles.
– “Daily Mirror”
★ 53-year-old actor Sean Penn is convinced walking down the aisle for a 3rd time would give him a fresh start after previous failed marriages to pop star Madonna and actress Robin Wright (“House of Cards”). He’s now rumored to be planning another wedding after proposing to fellow Hollywood star Charlize Theron last year. In a new interview with “Esquire” he says that – if he weds again – he’ll treat his 3rd wife as if she is his 1st. Quote: “I’m surprised to be in love.”
– WENN.com
★ And Netflix’s upcoming series “Wet Hot American Summer” is quietly accumulating one of the finest comedy casts of the year. Chris Pine, Jon Hamm, Kristen Wiig, and Jason Schwartzmann have been added to the 8-episode series, joining returning cast members from the 2008 movie it’s based on, including Amy Poehler, Elizabeth Banks, Bradley Cooper, David Hyde Pierce, Paul Rudd, and Molly Shannon. The original movie was set on the last day of a fictional Jewish Summer camp in 1981. It’s thought the Netflix series will be a prequel.
– Deadline.com

WEEKEND SHOW BIZ SKED:
• “Ellen DeGeneres Show” (syndicated/CTV2) – Today Sia (“1,000 Forms of Fear”).
• “Jimmy Kimmel Live” (ABC/CityTV) – Tonight Steel Panther (“All You Can Eat”). Rerun.
• “Last Call With Carson Daly” (NBC) – Tonight Alt-J (“This Is All Yours”). Rerun.
• “Late Late Show” (CBS/Omni 1) – Tonight Death Cab For Cutie performs new single “Black Sun”.
• “Late Show With David Letterman” (CBS/Omni1) – Tonight Ben Howard (“I Forget Where We Are”).
• “The Real” (syndicated) – Today Nelly (“The Best of Nelly”).
• “Saturday Night Live” (NBC/Global) – Host JK Simmons (“Whiplash”), with musical guest D’Angelo & The Vanguard (“Black Messiah”).
• “Super Bowl Blitz: A Concert For the Troops” (VH1) – Tonight from Luke Air Force Base in Glendale AZ, performers include Fall Out Boy and Charlie XCX.
• “Super Bowl 49” (NBC/CTV) – Sunday its New England Patriots vs Seattle Seahawks at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale AZ. Idina Menzel sings the pregame anthem; John Legend performs “America the Beautiful”; Katy Perry headlines the halftime show, with special guest Lenny Kravitz.
• “Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” (NBC/CTV2) – Tonight Lecrae (“Gravity”). Rerun.
• “Wendy Williams” (syndicated) – Today The Whispers (“Love is Where You Find It”).

BS MUSIC NOTES:
• Dierks Bentley – The country star has gone home to Phoenix AZ this Super Bowl weekend. Among a variety of appearances, he’s hosting a pre-Super Bowl bash at his bar “Whiskey Row” tonight.
• E Street Band – Steven Van Zandt is facing a lawsuit over a book he commissioned about 1960s group The Rascals. After backing the band’s reunion tour and co-producing their Broadway show “The Rascals: Once Upon a Dream”, he also commissioned a commemorative photo book. Joseph Russo, the man he hired to spearhead that project, is claiming he’s yet to receive payment for his work or any share of profits.
• Fall Out Boy – “American Beauty/American Psycho” has become their 3rd #1 album, according to the new ‘Billboard 200’ chart. They previously topped out with 2007’s “Infinity on High” and 2013’s “Save Rock and Roll”.
• Kanye West – British charity organization Scope is urging him to avoid using the word ‘spaz’ in any future raps, as many disabled people find the word offensive. West uses the word – as a verb – during “Four Five Seconds”, his new track with Rihanna and Paul McCartney.
• Lil Wayne – The 32-year-old rapper’s lawsuit against Cash Money is now demanding $51 million, claiming the record company is withholding funds for his new album “Tha Carter V”. Weezy is looking to leave the label but retain joint copyright for everything released on his Young Money imprint, which includes Nicki Minaj and Drake recordings.
• My Morning Jacket – Their 2nd One Big Holiday Festival runs Saturday through February 4th at the Hard Rock Hotel Riviera Maya in Mexico. MMJ will play 3 sets during the event; Band Of Horses, Dawes, Dr Dog, and The War On Drugs are also on the bill.

TODAY’S MOVIE OPENINGS:
• “Backstreet Boys: Show ‘Em What You’re Made Of” ( NR Musical Documentary ): A new doc about the biggest-selling boy-band of all-time premieres in select theaters, and also on iTunes and VOD. Shot over a 2-year period, it paints a revealing picture of AJ, Howie, Nick, Brian, and Kevin’s lives onstage and off, as they reminisce and prep for their 2013 reunion tour.
NET: http://backstreetboys.com/news/236193
• “Black or White” ( PG-13 Drama ): Kevin Costner stars as a grieving widower who is drawn into a custody battle over his granddaughter, whom he helped raise her entire life. When her paternal grandmother (Octavia Spencer) seeks custody with the help of her brother (Anthony Mackie), the little girl is torn between two families who love her deeply. Co-stars Gillian Jacobs.
NET: http://blackorwhitefilm.com
• “The Loft” ( R-Rated Thriller ): 5 married guys conspire to secretly share a penthouse loft, a place where they can carry out hidden affairs. But the fantasy becomes a nightmare when they discover the dead body of an unknown woman in the loft, and they realize one of the group must be involved. Stars Karl Urban, James Marsden, Wentworth Miller, Eric Stonestreet.
NET: http://theloftthemovie.com
• “Project Almanac” ( PG-13 Sci-Fi Thriller ): A group of teens discovers the secret plans for a time machine, and manage to construct one. However, things rapidly get out of control and they’re ultimately faced with the responsibility of trying to stitch history back together properly. Stars Amy Landecker, Sofia Black-D’Elia, Virginia Gardner, Jonny Weston.
NET: http://www.projectalmanac.com
• Opening in limited release: “Amira & Sam” (Romantic Comedy); “Girlhood” (Drama); “Timbuktu” (Drama); and “Wild Card” (Crime Thriller).

MONEY FOR MONIKERS:
Want a ‘unique’ baby name? That’ll be $32,000. For that steep stipend a new Swiss company called Erfolgswelle offers to create a list of globally unique baby names and pare them down with clients until they pick one. The firm claims the process takes around 100 hours as copywriters cook up names, historians ensure their uniqueness, translators check they won’t offend in any language, and lawyers make sure that they aren’t trademarked. Then, presto, you get a list from which to choose 5 favorites, all of which are guaranteed to ‘roll off the tongue’. Once a finalist is picked, the company writes up a history of the name’s genesis. (Pardon us for being skeptical but the company is named … Erfolgswelle. Does not exactly roll off any tongue.)
– Newser.com

BEST SUPER BOWL HALFTIME SHOWS EVER:
Here’s one newspaper’s ranking, which makes for a good argument-starter if nothing else …
5. Bruno Mars, Red Hot Chili Peppers (Super Bowl 48, 2014)
4. ‘N Sync, Aerosmith, Britney Spears, Mary J Blige, Nelly (Super Bowl 35, 2001)
3. Beyoncé, Destiny’s Child (Super Bowl 47, 2013)
2. Prince (Super Bowl 41, 2007)
1. U2 (Super Bowl 36, 2002)
– Condensed from USAToday.com

BS AMAZING GEOGRAPHY FACTS:
• Edwards County, Texas has roughly 1 person per square mile … and 22 goats.
– “Smithsonian Magazine”
• Russia has a larger surface area than Pluto.
– List25.com

BS CHRONOMETER 01.30.15

TODAY’S CELEBIRTHDAYS . . .
1951 [64] Phil Collins, London UK, 5′-5″ classic rocker (“Another Day in Paradise”, “Genesis-“Invisible Touch”)

1974 [41] Christian Bale, Haverfordwest, Wales, movie actor (“American Hustle”, Oscar-“The Fighter”)

1980 [35] Josh Kelley, Augusta GA, pop-country singer (“Only You”, “Amazing”)/brother of Lady Antebellum singer Charles Kelley/wed to actress Katherine Heigl since 2006

1984 [31] Kid Cudi (Scott Mescudi), Cleveland OH, rapper (w/Kanye West-“All Of the Lights”, w/David Guetta-“Memories”)

SATURDAY –
TV/movie actress Minnie Driver (“About a Boy”) is 45; TV actress Portia de Rossi (“Arrested Development”) is 42; TV actress Kerry Washington (“Scandal”) is 38; Pop singer Justin Timberlake (“Suit & Tie”) is 34; Country singer Tyler Hubbard (Florida Georgia Line) is 28; Folk-rock singer Marcus Mumford (Mumford & Sons) is 28.

SUNDAY –
Rock drummer Patrick Wilson (Weezer) is 46; TV actor Michael C Hall (“Dexter”) is 44; Rapper Big Boi (Outkast) is 40; Rock singer Andrew VanWyngarden (MGMT) is 32; TV actress-singer Heather Morris (“Glee”) is 28; Pop singer Harry Styles (One Direction) is 21.

BS REASONS TO PARTY . . .
• “Carnaval de Québec”, the 60th edition of Canada’s largest outdoor Winter carnival through February 15th, includes night parades, concerts, and snow sculptures. The official drink is a ‘Caribou’ (brandy, vodka, sherry, and port). The mascot is snowman ‘Bonhomme Carnaval’.
NET: http://www.carnaval.qc.ca/en
• “Croissant Day”, the first step of which is being able to say the French-derived word ‘croissant’. It’s not ‘CROY-sent’, it’s ‘cwah-SAHN’.
NET: http://www.punchbowl.com/holidays/national-croissant-day
• “Inane Voicemail Message Day”, a time to change, shorten, replace, or delete that annoying voicemail message … which you likely recorded on Day One and then never altered.
NET: http://www.wellcat.com/january/national_inane_answering_message.htm
• “Preschool Fitness Day”, observed on the last Friday in January to underline the importance of physical fitness for preschool children.
• “Winterlude” through February 16th, the 37th annual celebrating the season outdoors in Canada’s capital region of Ottawa-Gatineau. Highlights include ice sculptures, a playground made of snow, and best of all, the Rideau Canal, touted as the world’s longest skating rink.
NET: http://www.canadascapital.gc.ca/celebrate/winterlude

SATURDAY –
• “Inspire Your Heart with Art Day”, a day to encourage your child to draw or paint a picture with no direction, suggestion, or correction from you. Even better … create along with them.

SUNDAY –
• “Change Your Password Day”, an annual reminder to update your online security.
• “Girls & Women in Sports Day”, the 29th celebration of women who ‘Stay Strong, Play On’.
• “International Face & Body Art Day”, a great excuse to drill another nose hole.
• “Popcorn Day 2015”, an annual observance on Super Bowl Sunday. Make popcorn in a pan instead of the microwave for a change. Using the fireplace would be even better!
• “Solo Diners Eat Out Week” begins, a time to enjoy a solitary meal in a restaurant or at home. After all, sooner or later, everyone faces the challenge of eating alone.
NET: http://www.solodining.com
• “Spunky Old Broads Day”, dedicated to the saying ‘old girls just wanna have fun’. Spunky old broads are positive, fun, butt-kicking mature women over the age of 50 who refuse to sit back quietly and get old. Who’s the spunkiest famous old broad? Betty White?
• “Working Naked Day” … naw, it’s not what you think. It refers to those who work at home, ‘stripped of all of the support of the corporate workplace’. So much for that mental picture.
NET: http://bit.ly/dCg5Wp

TODAY’S MUSIC EVENT . . .
1969 [46] The Beatles make their last public appearance together, an impromptu performance on the roof of Apple Records in London

TODAY’S FIRST . . .
2010 [05] “Avatar” becomes the 1st movie to gross over $2 billion worldwide (eventually amasses $2.8 billion)

TODAY’S RECORD . . .
1994 [21] Buffalo Bills lose a 4th consecutive Super Bowl and a 2nd consecutive to Dallas Cowboys (30-13) in Super Bowl 28 (Atlanta GA)

BS MONTHLY PLANNING CALENDAR . . .
[Feb 2] Groundhog Day / Candelmas / Crêpe Day (La Chandeleur) / Sled Dog Day / World Play Your Ukulele Day / World Wetlands Day
[Feb 3] Full ‘Snow’ Moon
[Feb 4] Digital Learning Day / Facebook Birthday / Quacker Day / USO Day / World Cancer Day
[Feb 5] 17th Grammy Foundation Legacy Concert (LA) / Weather Forecasters Day / World Nutella Day
[Feb 6] “Jupiter Ascending”; “Love, Rosie”; “Outcast”; “The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water” open in movie theaters / 2015 MusiCares Person Of the Year (LA) / Canadian Maple Syrup Day / Doodle Day / Bubble Gum Day / Girl Scout Cookie Day / Give Kids a Smile Day / Wear Red Day / Working Naked Day
[Feb 7] 67th DGA Awards (LA) / Dump Your Significant Jerk Day / Ice Cream for Breakfast Day / Ballet Day / Take Your Child To the Library Day / Wave All Your Fingers at Your Neighbors Day
[Feb 8] “57th Grammy Awards” (CBS) / BAFTA Film Awards (London) / Autism Sunday / Laugh & Get Rich Day / Opera Day / World Marriage Day / Man Day
[Feb 9] Stop Bullying Day / Read In the Bathtub Day / Toothache Day
[Feb 10] Extraterrestrial Visitor Day
[Feb 11] Don’t Cry Over Spilled Milk Day / Get Out Your Guitar Day / Make a Friend’s Day / Pro Sports Wives Day / Shut-in Visitation Day / Satisfied Staying Single Day / World Day Of the Sick
[Feb 12] Darwin Day
[Feb 13] “Fifty Shades of Grey”; “Kingsman: The Secret Service”; “Shaun the Sheep Movie” open in movie theaters / Blame Someone Else Day / Friday the 13th / Employee Legal Awareness Day / Get a Different Name Day / World Radio Day
[Feb 14] Valentines Day / 2015 NBA All-Star Game (NYC) / 2015 Writers Guild Awards (NYC/LA) / Ferris Wheel Day / Pet Theft Awareness Day / Library Lovers Day / Condom Day / Heart Defect Awareness Day / Singles Appreciation Day / Donor Day / Quirky Alone Day / World Marriage Day / World Whale Day
[Feb 15] Gum Drop Day / Hippo Day
[Feb 16] “Songs In the Key Of Life – An All-Star Grammy Salute” (CBS) / 139th Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show begins (NYC) / Almond Day / Presidents Day (USA)
[Feb 17] Pancake Day / Mardi Gras / PTA Founders Day / World Human Spirit Day
[Feb 18] NME Awards (London) / Drink Wine Day
[Feb 19] “‘Two-And-a-Half Men” series finalé (CBS) / Chocolate Mint Day / Chinese New Year
[Feb 20] “Elephant Song” opens in movie theaters / Northern Hemisphere Hoodie Hoo Day / World Day for Social Justice / Women in Blue Jeans Day
[Feb 21] 35th Golden Raspberry Awards (LA) / International Mother Language Day
[Feb 22] “87th Academy Awards” (ABC) / Daytona 500 / Margarita Day / World Thinking Day
[Feb 23] “BET Honors” (BET) / “The Voice” season premiere (NBC) / Curling is Cool Day / Diesel Engine Day / Dog Biscuit Day / Museum Advocacy Day
[Feb 24] Cupcake Day (Canada) / Spay Day USA / Single Tasking Day / World Bartender Day
[Feb 25] “Survivor” 30th season debut (CBS) / 2015 BRIT Awards (London) / Inconvenience Yourself Day
[Feb 26] “Aerosmith Rocks Donington 2014” in movie theaters / Chili Day / Personal Chefs Day / For Pete’s Sake Day / Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day / Bacon Day / World Pistachio Day
[Feb 27] “After the Ball ” opens in movie theaters / International Polar Bear Day
[Feb 28] Floral Design Day / International Sword Swallowers Day / Tooth Fairy Day / Open That Bottle Night / Rare Disease Day
[Mar 1] “2015 Canadian Screen Awards” (CBC)

BULL’S BITS

BS WAYS TO REALLY ANNOY YOUR PARTNER:
(aka ‘The Quick Road to Divorce’) …
• Learn a musical instrument. For the best effect, make it drums.
• Take her to a karaoke bar and sing Paul Simon’s “50 Ways to Leave Your Lover” … in German. Just don’t get the giggles over “Fahrt mit dem Bus, Gus”.
• During grocery shopping together, backward bunny-hop around the supermarket like Taylor Swift in “Shake It Off”.
• Sign her up for the daily newsletter from Scientology.
• Read Proust in French. Aloud. Ideally, while together on public transit.
• Take him out for dinner then spontaneously perform the Heimlich manoeuver on him … before the meal arrives.
• After she’s spent a year and several hundred dollars going blond, ask if she’d consider becoming a redhead.
– Inspired by TheGuardian.com

BS RANDOM JOKE:
When life seems like an uphill climb, take comfort in the fact that you’re mooning everyone behind you.

BS PHONE STARTER:
☎ What would you put in the ‘ultimate breakfast sandwich’? (London UK restaurant Bird has introduced the ‘Doughnut Bacon Buttie’, a mashup doughnut filled with thick-cut bacon and a drizzle of maple syrup. America’s Dunkin’ Donuts sells a breakfast sandwich that combines a sugar-glazed doughnut, pepper-fried eggs, and cherrywood-smoked bacon.)

BS WATER COOLER QUESTION:
Question: Studies show that your co-workers are 30% more likely to do THIS on Fridays.
Answer: Flirt.

BS DEEP THOUGHT:
Sex appeal is 50% what you’ve got and 50% what people think you’ve got.