BS SHOW BIZ BUZZ:
★ Filmmaker Steven Spielberg, singer-songwriter singer James Taylor, and singer-actress-director Barbara Streisand are among a list of 17 people to receive the ‘Presidential Medal of Freedom’ today, the highest civilian honor in the US. Barack Obama is presenting the awards during a ceremony at the White House. Also on the list: Broadway songwriter Stephen Sondheim, singer Gloria Estefan, her music producer husband Emilio Estefan, and baseball great Willie Mays.
– WENN.com
★ Netflix is reportedly set to bring back the cult TV series “Lost in Space”, which originally aired for 83 episodes from 1965-68. The sci-fi series was set in 1997, 35 years in the future for viewers at the time. In 1998, it was unsuccessfully adapted for the bigscreen with Matt LeBlanc and Heather Graham. The new version is being produced by Neil Marshall (“Game of Thrones”), who’s also said to be in line to direct. “Lost in Space” follows the ‘Robinson’ family who are left stranded after their space mission is sabotaged by the evil ‘Dr Smith’.
– “Entertainment Weekly”
★ And if you buy Michael Jordan’s house, they’ll throw in some shoes. Former NBA superstar Michael Jordan has never had a problem selling anything bearing his name or likeness … except for his home. The lavish property in the Chicago IL suburb of Highland Park was first listed at $29 million in 2012, and it’s still on the market. So the real estate agency handling the sale is hoping that sneakers will help sell the house that sneakers built. The home’s buyer will now get a pair of every edition of signature Air Jordans ever made. Oh, and the asking price is now down to a paltry $14.9 million.
– “Maxim”

TODAY’S SHOW BIZ SKED:
• “Conan” (TBS/CTV) – Jason Isbell (“Something More Than Free”). Rerun.
• “Daily Show” (Comedy Central/CTV) – Pras (ex-The Fugees). Rerun.
• “Dancing With the Stars” (ABC) – 21st season finalé. All 13 couples return to perform; musical performances; the winner is announced.
• “Ellen DeGeneres Show” (syndicated/CTV2) – Ellie Goulding (“Delirium”).
• “Jimmy Kimmel Live” (ABC/CityTV) – Fall Out Boy (“American Beauty/American Psycho”).
• “Late Show With Stephen Colbert” (CBS/Global) – Carly Simon (“Boys In the Trees”); Justin Bieber (“Purpose”).
• “Live With Kelly & Michael” (syndicated/CTV) – Josh Groban (“Stages”).
• “Marilyn Denis Show” (CTV/CTV2) – Wes Mack (“Edge Of the Storm”).
• “Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” (NBC/CTV2) – Jennifer Nettles (“That Girl”).
• “The Voice” (NBC/CTV2) – Competitors face elimination; Brad Paisley performs.

BS MUSIC NOTES:
• Carly Simon – Today her long-awaited autobiography, “Boys In the Trees”, is finally published. Originally due in 2012, it’s been held up by a series of delays. The singer-songwriter has promised to reveal a lot of untold stories from her life that she’s previously kept secret.
• Coldplay – A brief clip of Barack Obama singing “Amazing Grace” at the funeral of a Charleston SC shooting victim is being used on one track of their new album “A Head Full Of Dreams”, out December 4th.
• Enya – Her new album, “Dark Sky Island”, is her first release in 7 years.
THINGS YOU MAY NOT KNOW ABOUT HER:
– Began singing professionally in 1980 in her family group Clannad who are still going strong.
– She’s Ireland’s best-selling solo artist with worldwide career sales of 75 million units.
– Has never been married or had children.
– Can sing in 10 different languages including a fictional one called ‘Loxian’ made up by her lyricist Roma Ryan.
• Jason Derulo – He’s said to be dating 50 Cent’s ex. The “Talk Dirty” singer reportedly met model Daphne Joy during a visit to the UK a few weeks ago and now they’ve become a thing.
• Justin Bieber – He’s atop the new ‘Billboard 200’ album chart with “Purpose”. It’s the best opening for an album by a male artist since Eminem’s “The Marshall Mathers LP 2”.
• Rihanna – Her spokesperson has now trashed reports that she is fronting a new line of cannabis products dubbed ‘MaRihanna by Rihanna’. The source tells “New York Magazine” the story is completely untrue.
• Tori Kelly – She will be honored as ‘Billboard’ magazine’s ‘Breakthrough Artist’ at the 2015 ‘Women in Music’ event on December 11th in NYC.
• 2 Chainz – Capitalizing on a popular fad, he’s unveiled a new line of ‘Ugly Christmas Sweaters’. The duds are decorated with a variety of marijuana leaf and dancing Santa designs; many featuring his trademark gold chains around the neckline. They retail from $30 at 2chainzshop.com.

THIS WEEK’S VIDEO RELEASES:
Out today on DVD, Netflix, Google Play and/or other video providers …
• “American Ultra” ( R-Rated Action Comedy ): A stoner (who is in fact a sleeper CIA agent) is marked as a liability and targeted for extermination. But he’s too well-trained – not to mention too high – for his handlers to get the drop on him. Stars Jesse Eisenberg, Kristen Stewart, Topher Grace, Connie Britton, John Leguizamo. Shot in New Orleans LA.
• “Ricki & The Flash” ( PG-13 Musical Dramedy ): 66-year-old Meryl Streep plays an aging rock queen (think Melissa Etheridge) who gave up everything for her dream of stardom. The story follows her return home looking to reconnect with family. Co-stars Kevin Kline, Mamie Gummer (Streep’s real-life daughter), Rick Springfield. Streep took a guitar lesson from Neil Young.
• “Shaun the Sheep Movie” ( PG Animated Adventure): When ‘Shaun’ decides to take the day off and have some fun, he gets a little more action than he bargained for. He and his pals end up in the ‘Big City’ and it’s up to the flock to figure out how to return home safely. Voice cast features Justin Fletcher, John Sparkes, Omid Djalili, Richard Webber.
• Also released today: “Don’t Look Back” (1967 Bob Dylan Music Documentary); “Inside Amy Schumer: Season 3” (TV Comedy); and “The Square” (Egyptian Revolution Documentary).

TURKEY MYTHS DEBUNKED:
✗ The amino acid tryptophan in turkey meat makes you sleep. It is present in turkey, yes. But to get enough of it in your system to lull you to sleep, you’d have to consume nothing but pure tryptophan on an empty stomach.
✗ Turkeys have colorful plumage. Nearly all of the turkeys raised for consumption today don’t. These birds are ‘Broad Breasted Whites’, a breed developed to convert feed to flesh in the most efficient manner.
✗ Turkeys can’t fly. Sure they can! They’re just not great at it. Turkeys evolved to spend the majority of their lives on their legs, pecking about for food. Wild turkeys can fly up to 100 yards, but they don’t very often.
✗ White meat is better for you. Boneless, skinless white meat does contain fewer calories and fat than boneless, skinless dark meat, but the nutritional differences between the two are small. Dark meat actually offers a greater density of nutrients like B vitamins and iron.
✗ Turkeys are so stupid that they drown in the rain. While turkeys do in fact sometimes look skyward for no apparent reason, cases of them drowning while doing so are rare. As for stupidity, turkeys can be both intelligent and personable.
✗ All turkeys gobble. Actually, it’s only the males who gobble. Turkeys have a whole range of sounds: hens make high-pitched yelps, and strutting toms produce a non-vocal thump like a bass drum. Check them out here …
NET: http://www.soundboard.com/sb/Turkey_sounds
– Adapted from MentalFloss.com

DIRECTORS’ CUTS:
A few interesting tidbits about famous movie directors …
• 13 of the 100 top-grossing films of all-time have been made by either Steven Spielberg or George Lucas.
• In 1968, Steven Spielberg and George Lucas took a directing class taught by veteran comic actor Jerry Lewis.
• The youngest-ever movie director is thought to be Kishan Shrikanth of India, who directed a full-length feature film at age 9.
• Only one person has won Emmy Awards for acting, writing, and directing: Alan Alda, for “M*A*S*H” (1972-83).
• Supposedly, director Wes Craven named his horrifying “Nightmare on Elm Street” character, ‘Freddy Krueger’, after a kid who used to bully him in school.
• The sketch that ‘Jack’ drew of ‘Rose’ in “Titanic” (1997) was actually drawn by director James Cameron.
• Woody Allen disliked his film “Manhattan” (1979) so much that he offered to direct another movie for United Artists for free if they shelved it. The studio refused.
– Condensed from Neatorama.com

THE LATEST THING?
People are now covering their beards in glitter for the ultimate Christmas look. You might have previously seen people painting the roots of their hair with glitter, but this new fad seems to trump that. Guys (and some girls) are getting into the Yuletide swing of things by decorating their facial hair (or chins) with a glittery sparkle. There is one problem – glitter is the bane of the craft world, creeping into every human crevice, and still lingering 20 showers later. So a glittery beard could be problematic at a party, sneaking into your drink and inevitably slipping into your mouth with every bite. But if you’re happy to keep your mouth firmly closed, or don’t mind ingesting chunks of glitter, it does look kind of epic. Just picture this under the mistletoe …
NET: http://tinyurl.com/oeb9q7u
– Metro.co.uk

OFFICE PARTY ETIQUETTE:
‘Tis the season for the annual office party. A few dos and don’ts …
• RSVP – Let them know you’re coming ASAP after receiving your invitation so the planners know the numbers they’ll be dealing with.
• What to Wear – Consider where the party is being held before choosing your outfit. Avoid anything that shows too much skin. You don’t want your managers to think you lack discretion.
• Alcohol – If you drink alcohol, do so in moderation. Otherwise you might say or do something you will later regret. This can get you into trouble or alter someone’s favorable opinion of you.
• Food – Enjoy the food at the party but avoid looking like a glutton. The size of the hors d’oeuvre plates will give you an indication of how much you are expected to eat.
• What to Say – Speak to everyone at the party in a positive, friendly tone. This is not the place to say something negative that may get you into trouble later.
• Gifts – Some parties involve a gift exchange. Stay in the price range recommended. Avoid purchasing anything risqué or personal.
• Photos – Before snapping candid shots of co-workers having fun, get their permission. Avoid poses that can embarrass them later. Never post anything on social media without asking first.
• When to Arrive/Leave – Don’t be the first to arrive, but don’t wait until the party is almost over either. As soon as you see the event starting to wind down, it is time to make an exit.
• As You Leave – On the way out the door don’t forget to thank the host or hostess. If it’s a supervisor, you’ll stand out as someone who is gracious and has good manners.
– Etiquette.About.com

BS AMAZING FACTS:
• Vampire bats vomit up blood they’ve eaten and share it with their friends.
– “National Geographic”
• ‘Floccinaucinihilipilification’, the declaration of an item being useless, is the longest non-medical term in the English language.
– List25.com

BS CHRONOMETER 11.24.15

TODAY’S CELEBIRTHDAYS . . .
1964 [51] Conleth Hall, Ballycastle, Northern Ireland, TV actor (‘Lord Varys’ on “Game of Thrones” since 2011)

1977 [38] Colin Hanks, Sacramento CA, movie actor (“All Things Must Pass: The Rise & Fall of Tower Records”, “Vacation”)/TV actor (“Life in Pieces” 2015)/son of actor Tom Hanks

1978 [37] Katherine Heigl, Washington DC, TV actress (‘Charlie Tucker’ on “State of Affairs” since 2014, Grey’s Anatomy” 2005-10)/movie actress (“Knocked Up”, “27 Dresses”)

1990 [25] Sarah Hyland, NYC, TV actress (‘Haley Dunphy’ on “Modern Family” since 2009)

TODAY’S BS REASONS TO PARTY . . .
• “Celebrate Your Unique Talent Day”, saluting the individual abilities each of us has. Okay, so what is it that you can do that no one else can? Whistle through your nose? Play both armpits simultaneously? Recite the alphabet backwards? Talk out of both sides of your mouth at the same time?

• “Strange Names Day”, observed annually on the last Tuesday of November to honor anyone who’s been tagged with a ‘unique’ name. The motivation for this observance came in 2005 when movie star Julia Roberts named her new baby twins ‘Hazel’ and ‘Finneas’.

THIS DAY IN SHOW BIZ . . .
2013 [02] At the “American Music Awards” in Los Angeles, Taylor Swift is named ‘Artist Of the Year’; Rihanna is presented with the first ‘AMA Icon Award’

TODAY’S MUSIC EVENT . . .
2003 [12] 67-year-old Glen Campbell is busted on DUI and hit-and-run charges in Phoenix AZ after crashing his BMW into another car, then allegedly kneeing the arresting officer in the groin

TODAY’S FIRST . . .
2013 [02] Pope Francis displays what are believed to be the bones of St Peter at a mass in St Peter’s Square, the first time the relics have ever been displayed in public

AND REMEMBER . . .
[Wed] “Creed”; “The Good Dinosaur”; “Victor Frankenstein” open in movie theaters
[Wed] Full ‘Beaver’ Moon
[Thurs] Thanksgiving Day (USA)
[Thurs] Australian Record Industry Association (ARIA) Awards (Sydney, Australia)
[Sat] Small Business Saturday
[Sun] 103rd Grey Cup (Winnipeg MB)
This Week Is … Better Conversation Week’
This Month Is … Pomegranate Month

BULL’S BITS

BS THINGS OVERHEARD IN LINE 3 DAYS BEFORE BLACK FRIDAY:
• “Black Friday has become so commercialized.”
• “I do hate missing my kid’s birthday.”
• “Someday, there’ll be a way to shop from home.”
• “This isn’t the line to vote?”
• “I’m just waiting to return something.”
• “Just 3 more days and boom! … 10 whole dollars off a giant-screen TV!”
• “Sale? I’m avoiding my family.”
• “So, where did YOUR life go wrong?”

BS RANDOM JOKE:
“Incontinence Hotline, can you hold please?”

BS U-PICK TRIVIA:
• What form of precipitation generally falls only from cumulonimbus clouds?
a. Hail [CORRECT. Cumulonimbus clouds are those heavy, swelling, vertically developed clouds.]
b. Snow
c. Locusts

• Which creature produces sperm that’s 2/3 of an inch long, the longest in the world?
a. Sperm whale.
b. Fruit fly. [CORRECT. Fruit flies of the genus ‘drosophila’. Their sperm is 300 times longer than human sperm and 6 times longer than the fly itself, but hair-thin and all balled up.]
c. Rock star.

BS PHONE STARTER:
☎ How do you get rid of guests that just won’t leave when the party’s over?

BS WATER COOLER QUESTION:
Question: If you’re average, you and your family will use 250 of THESE today.
Answer: Gallons of water.

BS DEEP THOUGHT:
Life is anything that dies when you stomp on it.