BS SHOW BIZ BUZZ:
★ “Game Of Thrones” producers have confirmed they are almost halfway through the cult fantasy series, saying they will end the show after a 7th season. The drama adaptation of writer George RR Martin’s book series will return for its 4th season next month, and the show’s co-creator David Benioff says upcoming episodes will be used to steer storylines toward the end of the series. Quote: “Seven gods, seven kingdoms, seven seasons. It feels right to us.”
– “Vanity Fair”
★ While she may have retired ‘Harry Potter’ and his friends, author JK Rowling never seems to wander far from Hogwarts. She’s just released the first chapter in a new, 2,400-word story about the “Quidditch World Cup”. Although Quidditch has been part of the Potter series from the beginning, and ‘Harry’ and ‘Ron’ attended the massive World Cup in “Harry Potter & The Goblet of Fire” (2000), Rowling’s new story seems to take direct inspiration from the logistical struggles of the Sochi Olympics and the upcoming FIFA World Cup in Brazil.
– Reuters.com
★ And you won’t be hearing a peep out of former “Breaking Bad” star Bryan Cranston today. He’s been keeping mum one day a week in a bid to save his voice for the Broadway play “All the Way”. He’s portraying former US president Lyndon B Johnson onstage and reveals he found himself losing his voice during an advance run in Boston. But a veteran Broadway actress told him her ear, nose & throat specialist once advised her to simply quit talking for an entire day weekly, so Cranston has begun observing ‘silent Mondays’… and it’s really helped.
– WENN.com

TODAY’S SHOW BIZ SKED:
• “Conan” (TBS/CTV) – John Legend (“Love In the Future”).
• “Dancing With the Stars” (ABC) – Tom Bergeron returns with new co-host Erin Andrews for the 18th season premiere. The new set of ‘stars’ include Aussie pop singer Cody Simpson; Big Time Rush singer James Maslow; Former “Wonder Years” actress Danica McKellar; former “Full House” actress Candace Cameron Bure; TV host/comedian Drew Carey; and movie actor Billy Dee Williams. Jason Derulo performs.
NET: http://abc.go.com/shows/dancing-with-the-stars
• “George Stroumboulopoulos Tonight” (CBC) – Michael Bublé (“To Be Loved”).
• “Jimmy Kimmel Live” (ABC/CityTV) – Amos Lee (“Mountains of Sorrow, Rivers of Song”).
• “Late Night With Seth Meyers” (NBC/CTV2) – Iggy Azalea (“Change Your Life”).
• “Late Show With David Letterman” (CBS/Omni1) – Young the Giant (“Mind Over Matter”). Rerun.
• “Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” (NBC/CTV2) – Black 47 (“Larry Kirwan’s Celtic Invasion”).
• “The Voice” (NBC/CTV) – The vocalists compete against one another.

BS MUSIC NOTES:
• Alicia Keys / Kendrick Lamar – They’ve teamed up for the lead track on the upcoming “Spider-Man 2” soundtrack. The song, “It’s On Again”, was co-written by Pharrell Williams and film scorer Hans Zimmer. The soundtrack is due out on April 22nd.
• Brantley Gilbert – He’s atop the ‘Hot Country Songs’ chart for the 2nd straight week with “Bottoms Up”, according to Billboard.com.
• Chris Brown – He was arrested Friday for a probation violation, according to the LA County Sheriff’s Department. After 4 months in a Malibu rehab facility, he was reportedly kicked out for ‘violating internal rules’. He’s being held without bail at LA County jail.
• Led Zeppelin – The much-anticipated deluxe reissuing of the classic rockers’ catalogue begins June 3rd, with the release of their first 3 albums: “Led Zeppelin”, “Led Zeppelin II”, and “Led Zeppelin III”. Each has been remastered by guitarist and producer Jimmy Page.
• Lil Wayne – In a new interview with MTV News he insists that his upcoming album, “Tha Carter V”, which is expected to drop in May, will be his final solo project. Of course, Weezy will still treat fans to guest appearances and other collaborations.

ST PATRICK’S DAY TRADITIONS EXPLAINED:
• St Patrick – brace yourself – was not actually Irish. He was a British nobleman born about 400 AD who was kidnapped by Irish pirates at the age of 16. After 17 years as a slave, he escaped and found his way home, but returned to Ireland as a missionary. March 17 is widely believed to be the day of his death.
• St Patrick’s Day began as a religious holiday in Ireland but became more of a celebration due to Irish ex-pats, who first celebrated with banquets at clubs in America. NYC hosted the first St Patrick’s Day parade in 1762, and by the mid-19th century parades were common. The first celebration in Canada took place in Québec City in 1765.
• Today’s leprechauns, usually rosy-cheeked, boozy little men in green attire, come from Irish folklore. The first recorded mention of a leprechaun goes back to the 8th century, coming from the word luchorpán, meaning ‘little body’, which described water-dwelling spirits.
• Although a classic St Patrick’s Day meal, corned beef and cabbage is more American than Irish. Irish-Americans in the 19th century were mostly poor. The most affordable meat available was corned beef, and cabbage was a Spring vegetable that was also cheap.
• Planning on drinking a pint of Irish stout today? Tips from Guinness on the perfect pour: Tilt the glass at 45 degrees when pouring until it’s 3-quarters full, then let the beer settle before filling the glass completely to the top.
– @JolieLeeDC

IRISH SLANG JUST IN TIME FOR ST PATRICK’S DAY:
✓ Baltic – Freezing. (“Wrap a scarf around your gullet, it’s Baltic out there today.”)
✓ Craic (pronounced Crack) – Banter. (As related to a joyous or uplifting conversation.)
✓ Goo – When you crave an extra beer. (“I’ve got the goo for another Guinness.”)
✓ Gurrier (pronounced Courier) – A troublemaker. (“Don’t be a gurrier, pay the tab!”)
✓ Head-the-Ball – A crazy person. (“London’s a town full of head-the-balls.”)
✓ Rock Up – To arrive at a really cool place. (“We rocked up at the pub around 11 pm.”)
✓ Savage – Something that is fantastic. (“We had a savage time at the all-nighter.”)
✓ Segotia (pronounced Shay-go-shia) – A Gaelic term for a dear friend or pal.
✓ Shifting – Irish slang for smooching. (“How ‘bout a little shift and cuddle in the dark?”)
✓ Sucking Diesel – Things are going well after a bad start. (“I hated my job until the boss got fired; now we’re sucking diesel.”)
– Adapted from BuzzFeed.com

GAME UPDATE ON THE WAY:
After nearly a decade, Hasbro has announced that the “Official Scrabble Players Dictionary” is getting an U-P-D-A-T-E and that one of the new words will be chosen by fans. Nominations on Hasbro’s Facebook page close March 28th. On April 2nd, 16 finalists will be chosen in a March Madness bracket-style March showdown. The new word will be one of thousands going into a new edition which will go on sale this August. (So what new word do you think should be added to Scrabble? S-E-L-F-I-E?)
– USAToday.com

PRACTISING SAFE PRODUCE:
There’s been another incident of listeria in bagged salads. So here are a few tips from food-safety experts on preparing produce for consumption …
• Almost all fruits & vegetables need to be washed to remove dirt, germs and pesticide residue.
• Even items with thick skins and/or rinds that are not eaten should be washed.
• Wash produce just before it is eaten. Doing it in advance can reduce shelf life and promote bacterial growth.
• Don’t clean produce with soap. Use running water and keep it submerged for 20 seconds.
• If you use a scrubber, wash it after each use to kill bacteria. Tossing it in the dishwasher is the easiest and most effective way.
Why all the fuss over something as simple as eating a banana? One expert notes that as many as 100 people handle that banana before you do. (Including that pimply kid with the runny nose that works in produce at your supermarket.)
– Associated Press

FACETIME:
The selfie craze may be driving up the demand for facial plastic surgery. The American Academy of Facial Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery (AAFPRS) reports a 10% increase in nose jobs, a 7% rise in hair transplants, and a 6% jump in eyelid surgery over the past year, and the organization attributes the trend to the popularity of photo-based social media platforms like Instagram and Snapchat. 33% of surveyed surgeons say they’ve seen a rise in requests because patients aren’t satisfied with the way they look in selfies and other pics posted on social media. (Wacky people! What do you think Photoshop is for?)
– @NYDailyNews.com

BS AMAZING FACT:
New ‘smart’ crosswalks in London, England will know how many people are waiting and adjust crossing time accordingly.
– Mashable.com

BS CHRONOMETER 03.17.14

TODAY’S CELEBIRTHDAYS . . .
1951 [63] Kurt Russell, Springfield MA, movie actor (“Grindhouse”, “Escape From LA”)/actress Goldie Hawn’s partner since 1983/actress Kate Hudson’s stepfather

1955 [59] Gary Sinise, Blue Island IL, TV actor (“CSI: NY” 2004-13)/movie actor (“Forrest Gump”)

1964 [50] Rob Lowe, Charlottesville VA, TV actor (“Parks & Recreation” 2010-14, “Brothers & Sisters” 2006-10, “The West Wing” 1999-2003)/movie actor (“Austin Powers” movies)  UP NEXT: Plays a former tennis player in the upcoming NBC sitcom “The Pro”, debuting this Fall.

1967 [47] Billy Corgan, Chicago IL, rock singer-guitarist (Smashing Pumpkins-“Tarantula”, “1979”)

1973 [41] Keifer Thompson, Miami OK, country singer (Thompson Square-“Everything I Shouldn’t Be Thinking About”, “Are You Gonna Kiss Me or Not?”)

1987 [27] Rob Kardashian Jr, LA CA, reality TV personality (“Keeping Up With the Kardashians” since 2007, “The Choice” 2012, “Dancing With the Stars” 2011)/sometime model

BS REASONS TO PARTY . . .
• “Clean Your Closet Day”. After all, would once-a-year kill ya? Sort it by junk, charity donations, giveaways to family & friends, and stuff that’s too small to wear anymore. More tips here …
NET: http://www.enjoy-your-style.com/clean-out-your-closet.html

• “Holi”, the 2-day Hindu Spring festival also known as the “Festival of Colors”. On the 1st day, bonfires are lit at night; on the 2nd day, celebrants toss colored powder & water on one other.

• “St Patrick’s Day”, the Irish national holiday that began as a ‘solemn religious observance’ to honor St Patrick (389-461 AD), patron saint of Ireland.
– NYC’s is still the world’s largest “St Patrick’s Parade”, with over a million spectators & 100,000 participants expected each year. The 2-mile parade lasts about 6 hours.
– Since 1965, the Chicago River has been dyed green for the “Chicago St Patrick’s Parade”, an idea conceived when a plumber was observed using green dye to trace leaks from a building.
– Green is associated with “St Patrick’s Day” because it’s the color of Spring, Ireland, and the shamrock.

• “Submarine Day”, celebrating the sandwich also known as a ‘hoagie’ or a ‘hero’.

• “Wellderly” or “Well-Elderly Day”, an annual observance on the 3rd Monday of March focusing on the health and welfare of seniors.

THIS DAY IN SHOW BIZ . . .
2008 [06] New York State Governor Eliot Spitzer officially resigns after a scandal involving $1,000-an-hour call girl Ashley Dupré (goes on to host CNN talk show “In the Arena” 2011, and Current-TV’s “Viewpoint with Eliot Spitzer” 2012-13)

TODAY’S MUSIC EVENTS . . .
2006 [08] Beset by financial and legal woes, Michael Jackson closes his Neverland Ranch in California

2008 [06] 8 years to the day after their romance became public, former model Heather Mills is awarded $48.6 million in her divorce settlement from Paul McCartney

TODAY’S FIRST . . .
2000 [14] Julia Roberts becomes the 1st actress ever to command $20 million for a movie, with the release of “Erin Brockovich”

TODAY’S RECORD . . .
1908 [106] ‘Fastest Heavyweight Title Fight’ as Canadian Tommy Burns K-Os Jem Roche in just 88 seconds for the World Boxing Championship

AND REMEMBER . . .
[Tues] Forgive Mom & Dad Day
[Tues] Biodiesel Day
[Wed] Kick Butts Day
[Thurs] Spring arrives (Northern Hemisphere)
[Thurs] Atheist Pride Day

THIS WEEK IS . . .
Act Happy Week / Animal Poison Prevention Week / Flood Safety Awareness Week / Health Information Professionals Week / Termite Awareness Week / Wildlife Week / World Folk Tales & Fables Week

BULL’S BITS

BEST OF BS:
Highlight bits culled from 20 years of “Bull Sheet” back issues …
BS ST PATRICK’S DAY TOASTS:
• “May your 18 children learn to use contraceptives.”
• “May you never remember the night before.”
• “May the wind at your back not be the result of the corned beef & cabbage you had for lunch.”
• “Here’s to getting shille-laid!”
• “Here’s green beer in your eye!”
• “Hey! You! Wake up and drink this!”
• “Awww … not on my shoes!”
– First published in “BS” 2004.

IRISH OR NOT?
Are the following celebs Irish [as in born in Ireland] or not? A timely BS St Paddy’s Day quiz …
• Oscar-winning actress Tilda Swinton. [Not. Born in England; lives in Scotland.]
• Former ‘James Bond’ actor Pierce Brosnan. [Irish. Born in County Louth.]
• “300“ actor Gerard Butler. [Not. He’s a Scotsman.]
• “Conan” TV host Conan O’Brien. [Not. Born in Brookline, Massachusetts.]
• “Late Late Show” host Craig Ferguson. [Not. Another Scot.]
• “Taken” movie actor Liam Neeson. [Irish, born in Ballymena, Northern Ireland.]
• U2’s Bono. [Irish, born in Dublin.]
• U2’s The Edge. [Not. Born in Barking, England.]
• Hell-raising “Total Recall” movie actor Colin Farrell. [Irish, born in Dublin.]
• St Patrick [Not. Born in Wales]
– First published in “BS” 2008.
NET: http://www.FreeRadioPrep.com

BS RANDOM JOKES:
• Why did the leprechaun buy TWO lottery tickets? Dublin his odds!
• Why would you never iron a 4-leaf clover? Because you shouldn’t press your luck.
• Why are leprechauns always asking for money? They’re always a little short before payday.
– Thanks to BennyDesk.com

BS PHONE STARTER:
☎ What do you wish you could write off on your tax return? (In a Forbes.com survey, the #1 answer is ‘Starbucks coffee’.)

BS WATER COOLER QUESTION:
Question: In today’s real estate market, a home without THIS can lose 20% of its value.
Answer: Access to high-speed Internet.

BS DEEP THOUGHT:
Yesterday I was clever and tried to change the world. Today I am wise and try to change myself.

NOW ON OUR SHEET LIST:
Rich Switzer @ Legends 100.3 [WLML] Palm Beach County FL; DJ Flex @ Cool 94.9 [WXBJ] Salisbury MA; Anne Mroczkowski @ The Jewel 88.5 [CKDX] Newmarket ON; Trina Cruz @ 105.1 The KAT [KGUM] Hagatna, Guam; Avtar @ 1458 Sunrise Radio, London UK; Ken Paradise @ K101.7 [WFLK] Geneva NY; and Jeff Branch @ 102.3 The Wolf [WMOS] New London CT.