BS SHOW BIZ BUZZ:
★ Adam Lambert has edged out Carrie Underwood to become the highest-earning former “American Idol” star over the past year. Lambert banked $10 million, thanks mostly to his stint as guest frontman for legendary rock band Queen. Underwood slips to #2 with $8 million after topping the poll in 2013 and ’14. Daughtry singer Chris Daughtry is #3 with $6 million; followed by Phillip Phillips ($5 million); and Scotty McCreery and Kelly Clarkson at $4 million apiece.
– Forbes.com
★ 39-year-old actress Keri Russell is reportedly 4-months pregnant via her boyfriend and co-star of “The Americans”, Matthew Rhys (41). The couple began dating when they met on the set of the spy drama in 2013. Russell already has 2 children from her 7-year marriage to ex-husband Shane Deary, which (coincidentally?) ended in 2013. Russell & Rhys play married Russian spies in 1980s Washington DC on the FX show. Season 4 is now filming in Brooklyn NY.
– UsWeekly.com
★ The first-ever Grand Ole Opry feature-length concert movie, “American Saturday Night: Live From the Grand Ole Opry”, will play at more than 200 select movie theaters in February. Brad Paisley, Blake Shelton, and Darius Rucker as well as The Band Perry and Brett Eldredge appear in the concert film, which was shot August 31st, 2015. “American Saturday Night” will expand to additional North American theaters later in the year.
– CountryStandardTime.com
★ Former UFC champ and “Furious 7” femme fatale Ronda Rousey looks set to get naked for the upcoming “Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue”. A rear shot on Instagram of the magazine’s mystery model wearing nothing but a painted-on swimsuit does provide a clue … a tattoo on the wrist that matches one on Rousey’s. The new issue, featuring some of the world’s most beautiful models posing in exotic locations, hits shelves in February.
– HollywoodLife.com
★ And this weekend “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” opens in China. The new sequel has officially become North America’s biggest box office hit of all-time, surpassing $760 million earlier in the week to eclipse “Avatar”. Internationally, “The Force Awakens” has pulled in over $800 million since it opened December 18th, racking up a worldwide total of well over $1.5 billion, becoming the fastest movie in history to hit that number. It currently ranks as the 4th-biggest movie of all-time. You can bet Chinese fans will supercharge all of those figures.
– ContactMusic.com

WEEKEND SHOW BIZ SKED:
• “Golden Globe Awards” (NBC/CTV) – Sunday the 73rd annual screen honors from the Hollywood Foreign Press Association. Brit actor/comedian Ricky Gervais returns to host for a 4th time. Highlights …
– “Carol”, “Mad Max: Fury Road”, “The Revenant”, “Room”, and “Spotlight” are nominated fro ‘Best Motion Picture Drama’; “The Big Short”, “Joy”, “The Martian”, “Spy”, and “Trainwreck” vie for ‘Best Motion Picture Musical or Comedy’.
– ‘Best Original Movie Song’ nominees are Ellie Goulding’s “Love Me Like You Do” (“50 Shades of Grey”); Brian Wilson’s “One Kind of Love” from his biopic “Love & Mercy”; Wiz Khalifa & Charlie Puth’s “See You Again” (“Furious 7”); “Simple Song #3” (“Youth”); and Sam Smith’s “Writing’s On the Wall” (“Spectre”).
– On the TV side “Empire”, “Game of Thrones”, “Mr Robot”, “Narcos”, and “Outlander” are nominated for ‘Best TV Drama’, while “Casual”, “Mozart In the Jungle”, “Orange Is the New Black”, “Silicon Valley”, “Transparent”, and “Veep” are in the running for ‘Best TV Comedy’.
– Denzel Washington receives the ‘Cecil B DeMille Award’ for career achievement.
• “Last Call With Carson Daly” (NBC) – Tonight Houndmouth (“Little Neon Limelight). Rerun.
• “Late Late Show With James Corden” (CBS/M3) – Tonight Cage the Elephant (“Tell Me I’m Pretty”). Rerun.
• “Late Night With Seth Meyers” (NBC/CTV) – Tonight Dead Sara (“Pleasure to Meet You”). Rerun.
• “Late Show With Stephen Colbert” (CBS/Global) – Tonight Kacey Musgraves (“Pageant Material”).
• “Tavis Smiley” (PBS) – Tonight James Taylor (“Before This World”).

BS MUSIC NOTES:
• Amy Winehouse – In a new memoir titled “Loving Amy”, her mother Janis Winehouse says she believes her daughter suffered from Tourette Syndrome, which could explain the troubled singer’s various outbursts and tics.
• Chris Stapleton – His dizzying success since winning 3 CMA Awards in November continues as he’ll be the musical guest on “Saturday Night Live” on January 16th. His album “Traveller” remains at #1 on the new ‘Billboard Top Country Albums’ chart.
• Janet Jackson – She’s reportedly been given the all-clear to resume her “Unbreakable World Tour” in Europe in March after a necessary surgery forced her to postpone shows at the end of 2015. She hasn’t revealed the problem, but it’s since been reported that a growth was discovered on the 49-year-old’s vocal cords.
• Miranda Lambert – Her new boyfriend Anderson East is reportedly nursing a nasty injury after a fall on the ski slopes while the twosome were vacationing in Aspen, Colorado. A source tells “Us Weekly” the 27-year-old broke his collarbone.
• Motorhead – Rock legend Lemmy’s memorial service on Saturday is a private affair, with fans being asked to to stay away from the Kilmister family-only tribute at LA’s Forest Lawn Memorial Park. However, the entire memorial is streaming live on Motorhead’s official YouTube channel.
Lemmy lost his battle with cancer on December 28th, 4 days after celebrating his 70th birthday.
• Thomas Rhett – He continues to dominate the ‘Billboard Hot Country Songs’ chart, as he”l be #1 again next week with “Die a Happy Man”.
• Tool – Saturday they kick off a string of North American tour dates beginning in San Diego CA and running through January 26th in Charlotte NC. Primus is the opening act.

TODAY’S MOVIE OPENINGS:
• “The Forest” ( PG-13 Horror ): A young woman searches for her twin sister in Japan’s so-called ‘Suicide Forest’ at the foot of Mount Fuji, only to find herself surrounded by paranormal forces. Stars Natalie Dormer (“Game of Thrones”, “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Parts 1 and 2”, “The Tudors”). Co-stars “Chicago Fire’s” Taylor Kinney (Lady Gaga’s fiancé).
NET: http://theforestisreal.com
• Also this weekend: “Anesthesia” (Limited Release Drama); “Anomalisa” expands to more screens; “The Revenant” opens wide; “Wazir” (Limited Release Crime Thriller); and  “Yosemite” (Limited Release Drama).

TO AVOID A COLD, EAT THESE FOODS:
Instead of ‘feeding a cold and starving a fever’ as the saying goes, try feeding yourself well to ward off colds. Nutritionists recommend the following …
✓ Chicken Soup – It really does aid in curing and warding off colds.
✓ Elderberry – With antiviral and anti-inflammatory properties, the extract can be added to tea.
✓ Fruits & Veggies – Especially those high in Vitamin C, ie: strawberries, kiwi, red peppers, and all citrus fruits.
✓ Garlic – Terrific immune-boosting properties. To avoid bad breath, swallow small pieces without chewing.
✓ Ginger – It too can be steeped in boiling water to make tea and has antioxidants.
✓ Probiotics – Found in a wide variety of foods (such as yogurt, sauerkraut, and kimchi), they put healthy bacteria in the stomach.
✓ Zinc-Rich Foods – Oysters and animal protein all contain zinc, a big boost to the immune system.
– Condensed from “New York Daily News”

CUTE & COATLESS:
Safety experts are recommending that parents take off their children’s winter coats before buckling them into car seats. Why? When children wear puffy jackets, the straps in the safety harness are not tight enough, meaning the kids can move around too much and hit their heads in a crash. OK, so how do we keep the little tykes warm? Make sure children are dressed in thin, tight layers. For the bottom, fleece leggings and then warm pants are suggested. For the top, there should be 4 layers: a long-sleeved onesie or undershirt, a long-sleeved shirt, a tight-fitting hoodie or zip-up, and then a tight-fitting fleece. (Be sure to begin dressing them 4 hours before you want to leave.)
– TheCarSeatLady.com

BS AMAZING FACT:
While he was the USA’s president, Bill Clinton sent just 2 emails.
– BBC News

BS CHRONOMETER 01.08.16

TODAY’S CELEBIRTHDAYS . . .
1947 [69] David Bowie (Jones), London UK, classic rock singer (“Fame”)/Rock & Roll Hall of Fame (1996)/Hollywood Walk of Fame (1997)

1967 [49] R (Robert) Kelly, Chicago IL, R&B singer (“I Believe I Can Fly’)

1973 [43] Sean Paul (Henriques), Kingston, Jamaica, pop-dancehall-reggae singer (“Baby Boy”)

1979 [37] Sarah Polley, Toronto ON, movie director (“Away From Her”)/TV actress (“John Adams”)/Canada’s Walk of Fame (2010)  UP NEXT: Writes & directs “Alias Grace”, a movie adaptation of the Margaret Atwood novel.

1983 [33] Disashi Lumumbo-Kasongo, Geneva NY, hip hop-rock guitarist (Gym Class Heroes-“Cupid’s Chokehold”)

SATURDAY –
Rock guitarist Jimmy Page (Led Zeppelin) is 72; Movie actor JK Simmons (“Whiplash”) is 61; Rocksinger Dave Matthews (Dave Matthews Band) is 49; Pop singer AJ McLean (Backstreet Boys) is 38; Kate Middleton (Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge) is 34; Pop-rock guitarist Drew Brown (OneRepublic) is 32; TV actress Nina Dobrev (“Vampire Diaries”) is 27.

SUNDAY –
Oldies singer Rod Stewart (“Tonight’s the Night”) is 71; Oldies singer-keyboardist Donald Fagen (Steely Dan) is 68; Oldies singer Pat Benatar (“Hit Me With Your Best Shot”) is 63; Rock singer-songwriter Brent Smith (Shinedown) is 38.

TODAY’S BS REASONS TO PARTY . . .
• “Bubble Bath Day”, a day to take the time to luxuriate in a super-foamy tubful of bubbles.
• “Eat Something Raw Day”, designed to stimulate our interest in consuming uncooked fruits and vegetables. Spud, anyone?
• “English Toffee Day”, celebrating the ooey-gooey treat that rips the fillings right out of your teeth.
• “Show & Tell Day at Work”, when adults can partake in the kindergarten ritual with co-workers. A good day to have your crew each bring in something that makes a unique sound.
NET: http://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/show-tell-day-at-work-day/
• “Women’s Day” (or “Midwives Day”) in Greece, when women spend the day in cafés while men do housework and look after children. Traditionally, men caught outside are stripped and doused with cold water.

SATURDAY –
• “Cassoulet Day”, an annual food holiday dedicated to the traditional French dish. The rich, slow-cooked casserole originated in the south of France and typically contains meat (pork sausages, goose, duck, sometimes mutton), pork skin (couennes), and white beans.
• “Static Electricity Day”. Guess you can count on this being a bad-hair day.
• “Step-Fathers Day”, a day to honor ‘all step-fathers everywhere who come into our lives and hold a special place in our hearts’. You know … that boyfriend that Mommy left Daddy for.

SUNDAY –
• “Bittersweet Chocolate Day”, the kind you can eat with less guilt because it has less sugar. And unlike milk chocolate or white chocolate, it does not contain any milk solids.
NET: http://www.punchbowl.com/holidays/bittersweet-chocolate-day
• “Cut Your Energy Costs Day”, a day to help both the environment and your bottom line. So what’s your best tip?
• “Global No Pants Subway Ride”, the 15th annual public participation event that began in NYC, then spread to subway systems worldwide. This year pranksters are expected to drop trou in over 50 cities, including Chicago, London, Sydney, Toronto, Washington, and Vancouver. What’s the point? Fun!
NET: http://tinyurl.com/nzjd9wj
• “Houseplant Appreciation Day”, a day to salute their therapeutic value in lifting your mood and outlook. And if you’re a gardener, they give you an opportunity to play in the dirt until Spring arrives in the seemingly far, far distant future.
• “Peculiar People Day”, a good day to have listeners call in stories about the extraordinary, unusual, strange, odd, uncommon, intriguing, different, abnormal, and quirky people they know.
NET: http://www.altiusdirectory.com/Society/peculiar-people-day.php

TODAY’S MUSIC EVENTS . . .
2010 [06] Jimmy Page helps launch a new set of UK postage stamps featuring classic album covers, including “Led Zeppelin IV”, Coldplay’s “A Rush Of Blood To the Head”, Pink Floyd’s “The Division Bell”; and David Bowie’s “The Rise & Fall Of Ziggy Stardust”

2014 [02] Nielsen SoundScan reports that vinyl record sales increased 32% in 2013 while CD sales declined 15%

TODAY’S FIRST . . .
2004 [12] Donald Trump-hosted reality TV series “The Apprentice” makes its debut on NBC

TODAY’S RECORD . . .
2004 [12] Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II christens the largest and most expensive passenger ship built to date, the billion-dollar ‘Queen Mary 2’ (Southampton, England)

AND REMEMBER . . .
[Mon] Cigarettes are Hazardous to Your Health Day
[Mon] Clean Off Your Desk Day
[Mon] Human Trafficking Awareness Day
[Tues] Kiss a Ginger Day
[Tues] Poetry at Work Day
This Week Is … Home Office Safety & Security Week
This Month Is … Volunteer Blood Donor Month

BULL’S BITS

MARTIAL ARTS FILM CHARACTER/TECH FIRM JOB TITLE/OR BOTH?
• Sensei [Martial Arts Film]
• Cub [Tech Position]
• Ninja [Both]
• Guru [Both]
• Sage [Tech Position]
• Master [Both]
• Padwan [Tech Position]
• Apprentice [Both]
• Grasshopper [Both]
• Teacher [Martial Arts Film]
– Thanks to Priya Patel

BS RANDOM JOKE:
It is not an optical illusion … it just looks like one.

BS PHONE STARTER:
☎ Which movie is so much better the 2nd time you see it?

BS U-PICK TRIVIA:
In 1932 the new king of ‘Hejaz’ renamed his country. Which name did he come up with?
a. Malaysia.
b. Jordan.
c. Saudi Arabia. [Abdul-Aziz ibn Sa’ud named it after his family. The literal translation is the ‘Arab Saudi Kingdom’.]
– Wikipedia.org

BS WATER COOLER QUESTION:
Question: A poll finds that over half of us had THIS New Year’s resolution. Nope, not lose weight.
Answer: Get a new job.

BS DEEP THOUGHT:
Anything worth fighting for is worth fighting dirty for.