BS SHOW BIZ BUZZ:
★ Today the uniform sports icon Michael Jordan wore in the cult basketball movie “Space Jam” is going up for auction. The former Chicago Bulls great made his film debut in the 1996 live-action/animated comedy, playing a basketball star who agrees to help a group of Looney Toons characters win a basketball match against aliens. Los Angeles-based auction house Profiles in History expects the #23 jersey and matching shorts to fetch $10,000-to-$15,000.
– ContactMusic.com
★ Lady Gaga has been named ‘Woman Of the Year’ by “Billboard” and cable TV network Lifetime. Gaga has sold 28 million albums worldwide and won 6 Grammy Awards previously, but has spent most of 2015 working as an actress in the FX series “American Horror Story: Hotel” (debuting October 7th). Lifetime will televise the “Billboard” special award ceremony in December. Lady Gaga is expected to release her 5th studio album next year.
– Bang Showbiz
★ And “Harry Potter” fans are in for a magical treat this Christmas as ‘Hogwarts’ opens its doors to host an unforgettable festive feast. Lucky fans will be able to enjoy a meal in the iconic Great Hall at Warner Bros Studio in London. The event will take place on Thursday, December 3rd. ‘Dinner In the Great Hall’ is only open to fans 18 and over. Tickets aren’t cheap, priced at £230 apiece (about $350). But that hasn’t seemed to deter anyone … a last minute check shows the big do is already SRO.
NET: https://www.wbstudiotour.co.uk/dinner
– Yahoo! News

TODAY’S SHOW BIZ SKED:
• “Conan” (TBS/CTV) – Watkins Family Hour (“Watkins Family Hour”).
• “Daily Show” (Comedy Central/CTV) – Ryan Adams (“1989”, a track-by-track cover of Taylor Swift’s hit album).
• “Ellen DeGeneres Show” (syndicated/CTV2) – Don Henley (“Cass County”).
• IMBA Awards (Raleigh NC) – The Gibson Bros host the annual awards from the International Bluegrass Music Association. They, alongside Balsam Range, Del McCoury Band, Earls of Leicester, and Hot Rize are up for ‘Entertainer Of the Year’. Banjoist Steve Martin receives a ‘Distinguished Achievement Award’.
• “Jimmy Kimmel Live” (ABC/CityTV) – Andra Day (“Cheers To the Fall”).
• “Last Call With Carson Daly” (NBC) – Kimya Dawson (“Thunder Thighs”).
• “Late Late Show With James Corden” (CBS/M3) – Grace (“Made For Change”).
• “Tavis Smiley” (PBS) – Ringo Starr (“Postcards From Paradise”).
• “Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” (NBC/CTV2) – Disclosure (“Caracal”); Miley Cyrus (“Miley Cyrus & Her Dead Petz”).
• “Wendy Williams” (syndicated) – Tamar Braxton (“Calling All Lovers”).

BS MUSIC NOTES:
• Bill Withers – In honor of his recent induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, there’s a charity tribute concert tonight at NYC’s Carnegie Hall. Performers Aloe Blacc, D’Angelo, Ed Sheeran, Michael McDonald, Sheryl Crow and others cover Withers’ 1973 “Live at Carnegie Hall” album in its entirety. Proceeds go to SAY (‘The Stuttering Association for the Young’)-
• Gavin DeGraw – Tonight he performs at the NAB Marconi Radio Awards Dinner & Show in Atlanta GA. The event is part of the 2015 Radio Show, running through Friday.
• Korn – They’re capping off their 20th anniversary celebrations with a tour that runs from tonight in Chicago IL through October 30th in Oakland CA. They’re performing their 1994 self-titled debut album in its entirety at each date. Suicide Silence and Islander are opening.
• Michael Bublé – He’s among those to be awarded a star on Canada’s Walk of Fame in Toronto during this year’s induction ceremony on November 7th.
• Nick Jonas – He & actress Kate Hudson have reportedly enjoyed a string of secret dates, most recently spotted ”acting like a couple” at Florida’s Fillmore Miami Beach. At 22, Nick is 13 years her junior.
• Vance Joy – The Australian singer/songwriter has announced his return to North America in 2016 with the “Fire & The Flood” tour. The headline run will start in Vancouver BC on January 13th and wrap in Boston MA on April 1st.

COMING ATTRACTIONS:
A BS selection of movies in the making …
• “The Circle” – Ellar Coltrane, who starred in last year’s Oscar-winning drama “Boyhood”, is joining Tom Hanks & Emma Watson in this adaptation of the Dave Eggers novel. The 2013 book tackled privacy in the digital age and tells the story of a young woman (played by Watson) who is rising through the ranks of a tech conglomerate that believes privacy is an outdated idea.
• “Hammerspace” – Warner Bros has picked up this sci-fi spec that’s described as being in the vein of “Tron”, “A Monster Calls” and “Space Jam” … but without the basketball. The story follows a terminally ill teen who, while searching for answers about his missing father, finds a mysterious key that unlocks a portal to an alternate dimension that’s animated.
• “I Am Pilgrim” – “Kingsman: The Secret Service” director Matthew Vaughn is set to produce and direct this terrorism thriller based on Terry Hayes’ 2014 best-selling novel of the same name. ‘Pilgrim’ is the code name for a retired espionage agent who’s called back into service.  MGM is envisioning the film as the start of a franchise. Filming is scheduled to begin next year.
• “Road House” – UFC fighter Ronda Rousey is stepping into the role Patrick Swayze made famous in a remake of the 1980s cult classic. Released in 1989, the original film starred Swayze as a bouncer hired to clean up one of the rowdiest, loudest bars in Missouri. Production on the redo is set to begin in 2016.

BS SOCIAL STUDIES:
A few happy facts to make your day …
✓ A study from New Jersey’s Rutgers University finds that wearing perfume/cologne (especially floral scents) will increase your social interaction and help you get good vibes even if you’re not surrounded by pleasant company.
✓ A study of volunteering in Germany has explored how volunteers are negatively affected when their opportunities to help others is taken away. The study shows that helping others without expecting anything back makes you happier than money.
✓ By making plans for your future you improve your happiness even if you don’t follow through on them . A study has found that the highest spike in happiness occurs, for example, during the planning stage of a vacation as we enjoy the anticipation.
✓ If you are one of those people who hide their old photos you might want to dig them out for a change. According to researchers at UK’s Open University, flipping through personal photos can boost your mood more than eating a chunk of chocolate or drinking a glass of wine!
– Adapted from List25.com

SUPER-TWEET:
Twitter is said to be rethinking its 140-character limit and a new product for longer tweets is in the works. Twitter.com has declined to comment on the rumor, but interim Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey has previously stated that the company is questioning its fundamentals in order to make the product easier and more accessible to more users. According to a report by tech website Re/code, the social network is developing a product that would enable Twitter users to publish long-form content. It’s not yet clear exactly what that product might look like. (Just what we need … even longer dumb tweets from Kardashians.)
– BuzzFeed News

BS SNOBBY MYTHS ABOUT WINE:
✗ Professional Wine Tasters Know What They’re Doing – A study shows that only 10% of ‘experts’ are consistent in their choices. Many are swayed by labels and pricing.
✗ Boxed Wine Is Tacky – Boxed wine is portable, durable, and cheap. But any costs that are saved come from shipping and packaging, not from cuts made to the quality of the wine.
✗ Always Serve Reds with Meat; Whites with Fish – A fatty, meaty fish like tuna, salmon, or swordfish pairs much better with a medium-bodied red. A robust white can complement beef.
✗ All Wine Gets Better with Age – 90% of all wine produced in the world is meant to be consumed within a year or two from when it’s made.
✗ Never Put Ice Cubes in Your Wine – Ice can be used to temper wine that’s especially alcoholic. Chilling your wine also helps to bring out its subtle flavors and nuances.
✗ Bottles with Corks Are Better than Those with Twist-Off Caps – The reality is that screw-caps have been proven to perform better than corks in protecting wine from harmful oxidation.
✗ More Expensive Wines Taste Better – It’s an illusion. A study shows that people enjoy what they’re told are expensive wines more than cheap wines, even when there’s no price difference.
✗ Blended Wines Are Inferior – A skilled blender is capable of combining two inexpensive varieties of grapes to develop big flavors. Some of them can fool even top-class experts.
– Sourced from “Mental Floss”

BEAM MY BEARD, SCOTTY:
Tired of shaving? Now you can zap your skin smooth with a laser razor. ‘Skarp’ works by targeting chromophores, molecules that absorb light in hair. Chromophores break when hit with a particular wavelength of light, severing the hair. Because it’s not a sharp piece of metal, there’s no danger of cutting yourself with the laser, and according to the inventors, it doesn’t cause any irritation. While the environmentally friendly razor can be used in the shower, it doesn’t actually require any water, and doesn’t need to be replaced regularly like a rusty, dull blade. The ‘Skarp’ razor is currently selling for $189 on fundraising website Kickstarter. (Do not point it at your eye!)
– “Business Insider”

BACK TO SQUARE ONE:
We should pay attention to the overall quality of our diet instead of just focusing on saturated fats or other individual nutrients, the Heart & Stroke Foundation now recommends. A few tips on getting back to basics …
• Cook from scratch at home as much as possible with whole ingredients.
• Teach kids and young people to cook, including through home economics classes in school.
• Pay attention to portion sizes.
• Eat a healthy, balanced diet with a variety of natural and whole foods.
• Eat fewer highly processed foods such as sugary drinks; sweets; salty snacks; and processed meats with additives and preservatives.
(Are there still home ec classes in schools?)
– CBC.ca

DID YOU KNOW?
Bill Cosby was first choice to play ‘Sam Malone’ on NBC-TV’s “Cheers”, ahead of Ted Danson.
– “Hollywood Reporter”

BS CHRONOMETER 10.01.15

TODAY’S CELEBIRTHDAYS . . .
1935 [80] [Dame] Julie Andrews (Wells), Walton-on-Thames UK, movie actress (“The Princess Diaries”, “The Sound of Music”)/Broadway actress (“Victor/Victoria”, “My Fair Lady”)

1950 [65] Randy Quaid, Houston TX, movie actor (“Brokeback Mountain”, “Independence Day”)/actor Dennis Quaid’s loony brother

1969 [46] Zach Galifianakis, Wilkesboro NC, movie actor (“The Hangover” films, “The Muppets”)

1980 [35] Sarah Drew, Charlottesville VA, TV actress (‘Dr April Kepner’ on “Grey’s Anatomy” since 2009)

BS REASONS TO PARTY . . .
• “Homemade Cookies Day”. Nummers! What’s the absolute best kind? Chocolate chip? Oatmeal & raisin? Peanut butter? Shortbread? Dirt balls?
NET: http://www.mahalo.com/national-homemade-cookies-day

• “International Day of Older Persons”, an annual observance begun by the UN to recognize the contributions of older persons and to examine issues that affect their lives.

• “International Music Day”, initiated in 1975 by Lord Yehudi Menuhin to encourage the promotion of musical art among all sections of society.

• “National Day Of the People’s Republic of China”, honoring the PRC’s founding on October 1, 1949 with a ceremony at Tiananmen Square. It’s celebrated throughout mainland China, Hong Kong, and Macau with a variety of festivities, including fireworks and concerts.

• “October”, which actually means ‘8th month’ but has been the 10th month ever since New Year’s Day was moved from March to January. At other times in history October has been called Germanicus, Herculeus, and Faustinus. So, happy First of Faustinus!

• “Walk Your Dog Day”, kicking off “Walk Your Dog Week”. Hey ‘Tubby’ could use the exercise.
NET: http://www.walkyourdogweek.com

• “World Vegetarian Day”, the 38th annual designed to create awareness of the ethical, environmental, health, and humanitarian benefits of a vegetarian lifestyle.
NET: http://www.worldvegetarianday.org

THIS DAY IN SHOW BIZ . . .
2003 [12] In the wake of controversial comments he made about Philadelphia Eagles QB Donovan McNabb, radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh resigns his analyst duties on ESPN

2009 [06] David Letterman reveals on “Late Show” that he’s the target of an attempted extortion scheme that threatened to expose his sexual relationships with a number of his female staffers (CBS producer Robert Joel Halderman is eventually arrested for grand larceny)

2012 [03] “Family Guy” creator Seth MacFarlane is named host for the 2013 Academy Awards (well, that turned out to be a fine idea didn’t it?)

TODAY’S MUSIC EVENT . . .
2007 [08] A California judge orders Britney Spears to hand over her 2 children to their father, Kevin Federline, “until further notice” after complaints about her erratic behavior

TODAY’S FIRST . . .
1982 [33] The first music ‘CD’ is released, Billy Joel’s “52nd Street”

TODAY’S RECORD . . .
1997 [18] Gul Mohammed, world’s shortest man at 22.1 inches (56 cm), dies

COMING UP . . .
[Fri] “Freeheld”; “The Martian” open in movie theaters
[Fri] Austin City Limits begins (Austin TX)
[Fri] World Farm Animals Day
[Sat] “Saturday Night Live” season debut (NBC)
[Sat] Vodka Day
This Week Is … Universal Children’s Week
This Month Is … Bat Appreciation Month

BULL’S BITS

BS WHYZITS:
• Whyzit ‘medium’ is the only size that doesn’t come in ‘extra’?
• Whyzit people look up when they think?
• Whyzit the road signs that say ‘SLOW CHILDREN’ have a picture of a running child?
• Whyzit the severity of an itch is proportional to your inability to reach it?
• Whyzit you never find something you’ve lost until you replace it?

BS PHONE STARTER:
☎ What’s the most embarrassing thing you’ve ever done at the gym?

BS RANDOM JOKE:
There are a lot of foreign students in this country. They’re easy to spot. They’re the ones going to class.

BS WATER COOLER QUESTION:
Question: About half of us say we do not want our significant other to do THIS for us in bed.
Answer: Serve us breakfast.

BS TRIVIA:
Which was the first country to use paper money?
a. America.
b. Britain.
c. China. [CORRECT]
– “Trivia World”

BS DEEP THOUGHT:
The qualities that first attract you to your partner are often the same ones you can’t stand years later.