Tuesday, November 29, 2011 Edition: #4640
BS Monthly Planning Calendar in Tomorrow’s Edition!
BS SHOW BIZ BUZZ:
Today a series of special-edition stamps released by PETA pay tribute to 20 of the most famous vegetarians, including Bryan Adams, Ellen DeGeneres, Natalie Portman, Pamela Anderson, Paul McCartney, and Woody Harrelson (hope they have animal-free glue!) . . . Today an auction at the Atlantis Casino in Reno, Nevada features an autographed sketch by Walt Disney from circa 1920, before he hit the bigtime with ‘Micky Mouse’ (the cigar-smoking man in a derby hat will likely go for at least $35,000) . . . British royal-in-law Pippa Middleton has signed on to write a book about entertaining and how to throw the perfect party, for which she’ll reportedly receive an advance close to $600,000 (need help researching?) . . . Stunning Oscar-winning actress Charlize Theron tells “People” she was bullied at school by female classmates and ignored by boys because of her ‘nerdy glasses’ (success is the best revenge) . . . 48-year-old Brit pop star George Michael has developed Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome, a lung condition often caused by pneumonia, and is strapped into a ‘kinetic therapy bed’ at a hospital in Vienna, Austria (one doc says the $150,000 self-tilting bed has ‘probably saved his life’) . . . The graphic birthing scene in “Breaking Dawn: Part One” has apparently triggered seizures in several theaters, experts suggesting it may be because it features red, black, and white light flashes which can trigger photosensitive epilepsy (yep, seems it’s more than just nausea) . . . A new court filing shows that 58-year-old one-time wrestling superstar Hulk Hogan suffered a financial smackdown in his divorce a couple years back, his 52-year-old ex, Linda Bollea, getting over 70% of their liquid assets, a 40% share in his various companies, plus a $3-million property settlement (dude, get up off the mat!) . . . And 31-year-old actress Michelle Williams (“My Week With Marilyn”) says she’s onboard with an idea of shooting a 10-year a reunion movie based on her former TV show “Dawson’s Creek”, which aired 1998-to-2003 (well James Van Der Beek sure isn’t too busy, but they might have to de-program Katie Holmes in order to bring her back).
TODAY’S SHOW BIZ SKED:
• “Colbert Report” (Comedy Central/CTV) – Tinariwen (“Tassili”).
• “Conan” (TBS/CTV) – Morrissey (“Very Best Of”).
• “Ellen DeGeneres Show” (syndicated/CTV2) – David Guetta f/Usher (“Without You”).
• “George Stroumboulopoulos Tonight” (CBC) – Matthew Good (“Lights Of Endangered Species”).
• “Jimmy Kimmel Live” (ABC/CHCH) – David Guetta f/Usher (“Without You”).
• “Last Call With Carson Daly” (NBC) – Trentemoller (“Reworked/Remixed”). Rerun.
• “Late Night With Jimmy Fallon” (NBC/CTV2) – The Dodos (“No Color”).
• “Late Show With David Letterman” (CBS/NTV/Omni1) – Foster The People (“Torches”). Rerun.
• “Live With Kelly” (syndicated/CTV) – Cobra Starship f/Sabi (“Night Shades”).
• “Tonight Show With Jay Leno” (NBC/CTV2) – Switchfoot (“Vice Verses”).
• “Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show” (CBS/Global) – The annual spectacle in which supermodels prance in fancy underpants includes performances by Kanye West, Maroon 5, and Nicki Minaj.
• “The View” (ABC/CTV) – Mary J Blige (“My Life II … The Journey Continues – Act 1”).
• “Wendy Williams” (syndicated) – Cyndi Lauper (“Memphis Blues”).
BS MUSIC NOTES:
• Adele – Even though she’s not performing in concert for a while due to vocal chord issues, fans can still pick up her new live CD/DVD, “Live At the Royal Albert Hall” today. It contains an entire 90-minute London performance, along with behind-the-scenes footage.
• Amy Winehouse – Today the chiffon-print dress she wore on the cover of her 2006 “Back to Black” album is expected to raise between £10,000-and-£20,000 for the Amy Winehouse Foundation at a charity auction in London.
• Beady Eye – Liam Gallagher’s new band has returned to North America for another round of touring beginning tonight in Vancouver, British Columbia and winding up December 9th in NYC.
• Gorillaz – Today a new best-of set, “The Singles Collection: 2001-11”, is out via Virgin Records. The collection is also available as a CD/DVD set, and on vinyl with an import-only box set of 7” singles.
• Kid Rock – So far his club tour has raised more than $375,000 over the course of its 12-date run for local charities and there are still another 5 dates to come, including one tonight in Kansas City, Missouri.
• Lady Gaga – She lost the chance to make her bigscreen debut after her cameo was cut from “The Muppets” movie. Nothing to do with her performance, it’s just that director James Bobin was struggling to get the running time down to 98 minutes from 3 hours.
• Michael Jackson – Global Events LLP, the company behind last month’s tribute concert in Cardiff, Wales, has gone into receivership as it struggles to pay off massive debts. Rumors of financial woes began a few weeks back when reports suggested that crew members who worked the gig had not been paid.
• Rush – Singer/bassist Geddy Lee, a longtime board member of the charitable foundation Grapes For Humanity, is getting a scholarship named in his honor. The Geddy Lee Fund will present an annual award to a student of winemaking at Niagara College in Ontario.
• Smashing Pumpkins – Today their first 2 albums, “Gish” and “Siamese Dream”, receive deluxe re-issues, each packaged with a bonus disc of rarities and a live DVD. Both albums are also being re-issued on their own via CD, vinyl, and digital.
TODAY’S VIDEO RELEASES:
• “One Day” ( PG-13 Drama-Romance ): Jim Sturgess & Anne Hathaway play friends who spend one night together upon their graduation from college, then have a now-and-again relationship over the course of 2 decades. An adaptation of the David Nicholls bestseller.
• “Our Idiot Brother” ( R-Rated Comedy ): In this indie comedy, Paul Rudd plays a homeless and unemployed free spirit who divides his time by couch-surfing at the homes of his 3 sisters (Elizabeth Banks, Emily Mortimer, Zooey Deschanel).
• “30 Minutes or Less” ( R-Rated Action Comedy ): Jesse Eisenberg (“Social Network”) plays a pizza delivery driver who is forced to rob a bank … or else! That’s the ultimatum he faces after 2 fledgling criminals kidnap him. Co-stars Danny McBride, Nick Swardson.
• Also released today: “Becoming Chaz” (Documentary); “The Girls Next Door: The Complete Series” (Reality TV); “Hot in Cleveland: Season 2” (TV); “Mission: Impossible: The ‘88 TV Season” (Vintage TV); “The Six Million Dollar Man: Season 1” (Vintage TV); “Smallville: The Complete Series” (TV); “30 Rock: Season 5” (TV); and “Vietnam in HD” (Documentary).
EVERYDAY THINGS YOU NEVER KNEW HAD NAMES:
• ‘Brannock Device’ – That thingy used to measure your feet at the shoe store.
• ‘Dysania’ – The state of finding it hard to get out of the bed in the morning.
• ‘Feat’ – A dangling piece of curly hair.
• ‘Ferrule’ – The metal part on a pencil.
• ‘Gynecomastia’ – Man-boobs.
• ‘Lunule’ – The white, crescent shaped part at the top of a fingernail.
• ‘Mondegreen’ – Misheard song lyrics.
• ‘Morton’s Toe’ – When your 2nd toe is bigger than your big toe.
• ‘Paresthesia’ – The pins & needles feeling you get when part of your body falls asleep.
• ‘Semantic Satiation’ – When you say a word over-and-over for so long it loses its meaning.
– Condensed from Buzzfeed.com
TAKING THE LEAP:
The LeapPad, the first tablet for kids, has become the breakout toy for this holiday season, selling out in stores and online, and listing on eBay for as much as $300 … about 3 times the MSRP. It’s use of educational games and apps has helped win parents over, plus a lot of them just want to get their iPads back from their children. The LeapPad is built to withstand what kids dish out with a tough case built around the screen. Even if you manage to purchase one, you won’t be finished paying – apps start at $5 and games at $30. One critic says the iPad is absolutely a better learning tool … except it’s breakable. (Our advice: Crayons … about $1.99)
– Excerpted from TheStar.com
FROM THE BS POLL VAULT:
A look at who we are and the things we do …
• 65% of households have access to videogames.
• 40% of moms admit they use their kids to get out of a social situation at least once a month.
• 33% of adults agree that Santa’s ‘sexiest attribute’ is his laugh.
• 21% of us will purchase a piece of jewelry for someone during the holidays.
• 12% of cellphone users have accidentally dropped their phone in water.
• 10% of women admit they can’t keep a secret.
BS QUICKIES:
• A website that tracks lyrics to thousands of hip-hop songs has found 184 mentioning ‘Obama’, 55 mentioning ‘Barack’, and 24 with the exact phrase ‘black president’. However, like Obama’s approval rating, rap mentions of the prez have tailed off dramatically since 2008.
– RapGenius.com
• A recent poll finds that more people choose blue over any other color, dogs over any other pet, ice cream over any other treat, cotton over any other fabric, and football over any other TV sport.
– “Business Week”
• Increasing numbers of cellphone users are reporting ‘sleep-texting’ … text-messaging friends while asleep. Sleep experts say the phenomenon is a natural extension of the younger generation’s preoccupation with technology.
– “Daily Telegraph”
• Since 1960, the average American adult has gained 26 lbs. According to research estimates, that’s the direct cause of over 2 billion extra gallons of gasoline and jet fuel being consumed.
– TheDailyBeast.com
• Fines levied by the National Football League go to programs for retired players and other charitable causes. The money comes directly out of the fined player’s salary. Total fines have reached $3 million-to-$4 million over the past few seasons.
– TheToiletPaper.com
BS CHRONOMETER 11.29.11
TODAY’S CELEBIRTHDAYS . . .
1954 [57] Joel Coen, Minneapolis MN, movie producer/director/screenwriter (“True Grit”, “No Country for Old Men”)/brother of filmmaking partner Ethan Coen/married to actress Frances McDormand since 1984
1955 [56] Howie Mandel, Toronto ON, TV personality (“America’s Got Talent” since 2010, “Deal or No Deal” 2005-09)/TV actor (“St Elsewhere” 1982-88)/stand-up comedian
1961 [50] Kim Delaney, Philadelphia PA, TV actress (‘Claudia Joy Holden’ on “Army Wives” since 2007, “CSI: Miami” 2002, “NYPD Blue” 1995-2003)
1961 [50] Tom Sizemore, Detroit MI, movie actor (“Black Hawk Down”, “Saving Private Ryan”)/drug rehab vet/convicted of domestic violence against Heidi Fleiss (1993)
1964 [47] Don Cheadle, Kansas City MO, movie actor (“Hotel Rwanda”, “Ocean’s Eleven” movies)/UN Environment Program Goodwill Ambassador
1968 [43] Jonathan Knight, Dorchester MA, pop singer (New Kids On the Block-“Step by Step”, “Hangin’ Tough”)
1970 [41] Frank Delgado, LA CA, alt-rock keyboardist (Deftones-“Diamond Eyes”, “Change”)
1972 [39] Brian Baumgartner, Atlanta GA, TV actor (‘Kevin Malone’ on “The Office” since 2005)
1976 [35] Anna Faris, Baltimore MD, movie actress (“The House Bunny”, “Scary Movie” films)
1979 [32] Game (Jayceon Taylor), LA CA, rapper (f/Lil Wayne-“My Life”, f/50 Cent-“Hate It or Love It”)
1983 [28] Tanner Glass, Regina SK, NHL winger (Winnipeg Jets)
TODAY’S BS REASONS TO PARTY . . .
• “Electronic Greetings Day”, another excuse to junk up other people’s Facebook wall, email, texts, voicemail, etc with useless chaff you’d never think of writing down on a piece of paper.
• “International Day of Solidarity With the Palestinian People”, sponsored by the United Nations.
• “Square Dance Day”, a chance to get out and ‘dosey-doe’ with your partner.
THIS DAY IN SHOW BIZ . . .
1981 [30] Movie star Natalie Wood (“West Side Story”) drowns in a boating accident off Santa Catalina Island, California at age 43 (the case has recently been re-opened to determine if there was hanky-panky involved)
1996 [15] Animal advocates in Britain warn parents not to impulsively buy puppies for their children after the Disney film “101 Dalmatians” sparks a wave of abandoned dogs in America
TODAY’S MUSIC EVENT . . .
2001 [10] George Harrison of The Beatles dies in LA of cancer at age 58 BS FACTOID: A pair of free concerts are being staged tonight in his hometown of Liverpool to mark the death anniversary, one at St George’s Hall and the other at the legendary Cavern Club.
TODAY’S FIRST . . .
1975 [36] The name ‘Micro-soft’ (a conjunction of ‘microcomputer software’) is 1st used in a letter from Bill Gates to Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen
TODAY’S RECORD . . .
1965 [46] 21-year-old University of Georgia senior Dale Cummings begins a record 14,118 consecutive sit-ups (beating my old record of 8-and-a-half … oh alright … 6 … er 2)
COMING UP . . .
[Wed] “Grammy Nominations Concert Live” (CBS/Global)
[Wed] “I Hate My Teenage Daughter” series debut (FOX)
[Wed] Computer Security Day
[Wed] Meth Awareness Day
[Wed] Stay Home Because You’re Well Day
This Week Is … Better Conversation Week
This Month Is … Gluten-Free Diet Awareness Month
BULL’S BITS
BS THINGS YOUR GIRLFRIEND SAYS AND WHAT THEY ACTUALLY MEAN:
• “I have to get up super early.” (No sex tonight.)
• “So, who was at the party?” (Was your high school crush there?)
• “Dave from work was acting all weird today.” (Dave is a threat to you. I’m a hot commodity and you’re gonna have to work to keep me.)
• “I want you to meet my best friend Jillian.” (Jillian knows all the details of our sex life and about that time you cried and told me about your grandma.)
• “Are you watching this program?” (I’m turning the channel to “America’s Next Top Model”.)
• “What was your ex-girlfriend’s name again?” (I wanna Facebook stalk her.)
• “Let’s cuddle.” (No sex tonight.)
– Adapted from CollegeHumor.com
BS PHONE STARTER:
Which aspect of aging worries you the most? (In a “Redbook” poll, 43% say face lines, 31% worry about sagging skin, and 26% are obsessed with grey hair.)
BS U-PICK TRIVIA:
In Turkey, it is an old tradition for a house guest to be met at the front door and given something to put on. What?
a. Slippers.
b. Cologne. [CORRECT]
c. Clean Underwear.
– TurkishCulture.org
BS RANDOM JOKE:
This year I’m buying all my Christmas presents early … so I’ll have a chance to wear them before wrapping them up.
BS WATER COOLER QUESTION:
Question: You typically get a boost of energy within a minute after doing THIS.
Answer: Eating a pickle.
BS DEEP THOUGHT:
Your temper improves the more you don’t use it.
