BS SHOW BIZ BUZZ:
Keith Urban & Nicki Minaj have finally been officially confirmed as new judges on the new season of FOX-TV’s “American Idol” (delay likely caused by money demands) . . . A new Musicmetric study finds that more than twice as many music albums are downloaded illegally as on legal sites like iTunes, and the USA leads the world in illegal music followed by the UK (time for a new business model) . . . Famous felon Lindsay Lohan has been whining on her Twitter account that she was jailed for driving offences while Amanda Bynes (facing DUI and hit-and-run charges) has had ‘no punishment so far’ (it’s because she’s less annoying – slightly) . . . British actress/model-turned designer Elizabeth Hurley has sparked controversy with her new bikini line for 8-to-13 year-olds, touted as ‘great for girls who want to look grown up’ (is a leopard-print ‘Mini Cha Cha Bikini’ really appropriate?) . . . “Glee” star Lea Michele has reportedly undergone laser treatment to remove 1 of her 14 tattoos, a small red heart etched on her left middle finger (seems she gave some guy the finger, but now she’s taking it back) . . . With 36% of the vote, actor George Clooney leads a new “Parade” poll on which celeb should run for political office, followed by Oprah Winfrey (27%), and actor Matt Damon (12%) . . . Meantime, Matt Damon is set to show off his culinary skills tonight as he takes part in Food Network’s “Cooking Live!”, on which he’ll serve as Chef Ming Tsai’s sous chef in a charity competition at NYC’s Ritz-Carlton hotel (it’s ‘Good Will Cooking’) . . . And despite legal attempts to stop it, Italian magazine “Chi” has gone ahead and published a 26-page special edition featuring 50 ‘intimate’ photos of Kate Middleton, Duchess of Cambridge taken while she was recently on vacation with Prince William in France (so, the other shoe has dropped – er, bikini top).

TODAY’S SHOW BIZ SKED:
• “Ellen DeGeneres Show” (syndicated/CTV2) – Carly Rae Jepsen (“Kiss”).
• “Last Call With Carson Daly” (NBC) – Band of Skulls (“Sweet Sour”). Rerun.
• “Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson” (CBS) – Melissa Etheridge (“4th Street Feeling”).
• “Late Night With Jimmy Fallon” (NBC/CTV2) – Nelly Furtado (“The Spirit Indestructible”, out today, her 1st English-language studio album since 2006’s double-platinum “Loose”).
• “Late Show With David Letterman” (CBS/NTV/Omni1) – P!nk (“The Truth About Love”, out today, which she says was culled from 35 tracks she wrote and recorded).
• “Rick Mercer Report” (CBC) – 10th season premiere. (Time to shake up the format?)
• “So You Think You Can Dance” (FOX/CTV) – The top dancers are chosen.
• “Today Show” (NBC) – P!nk (“The Truth About Love”, which features collaborations with Eminem, Lily Allen, and fun.’s Nate Ruess).
• “Tonight Show With Jay Leno” (NBC/CTV2) – Ryan Bingham (“Tomorrowland”, out today).
• “The Voice” (NBC/CTV) – Blind auditions continue.

BS MUSIC NOTES:
• Dwight Yoakam – Today he releases his 1st album of new songs in 7 years, “3 Pears”. The 12-track release, his 26th, features a collaboration that was co-produced with Beck.
• Easton Corbin – His 2nd album, “All Over The Road”, is out today. The 11-song set includes the single “Lovin’ You Is Fun”.
• Jay-Z – Tonight he & Beyoncé host a fundraiser for Barack Obama at his 40/40 Club in NYC. The event is being capped at 100 guests … who will each pay $40,000 a pop.
• Justin Bieber – Today his mother, Pattie Mallette, publishes the memoir “Nowhere But Up: The Story of Justin Bieber’s Mom”, which details her traumatic upbringing and how she turned her life around after she found herself single and pregnant with Justin.
• Kanye West – Today the much delayed collaborative album “Kanye West Presents Good Music Cruel Summer” is finally out. The collection features Kanye on 7 of the 12 tracks, plus Big Sean, Common, The-Dream, Ghostface Killah, John Legend, Jadakiss, Kid Cudi, Pusha T, R Kelly, Raekwon and more.
• The Killers – Their new album “Battle Born” is out today. To celebrate, they’re performing a webcast concert, live-streamed on VEVO and YouTube from the Paradise Theater in the Bronx NY. The “American Express Unstaged” event is being directed by German moviemaker Werner Herzog.
• Michael Jackson – To honor its 25th anniversary, his “Bad” album is being re-released today with additional tracks, a DVD, and other bonus material. The 35-dollar “Bad 25th Anniversary Deluxe Edition” includes 3 CDs and 1 DVD.
• Sean Paul – Today his 5th studio album, “Tomahawk Technique”, is finally getting a North American release after being available for months overseas.

TODAY’S VIDEO RELEASES:
• “The Babymakers” ( NR Comedy ): Terrified that his marriage may fall apart after he fails to get his wife pregnant, a guy recruits his pals to rob a sperm bank where he made a deposit years before. Stars Paul Schneider, Olivia Munn, Kevin Heffernan.
• “The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel” ( PG-13 Dramedy ): British retirees travel to India to take up residence in what they believe is a newly-restored hotel … but obviously is not. Stars Bill Nighy, Judi Dench, Maggie Smith, Tom Wilkinson. Sort of a date movie for prime-timers.
• “The Cabin In the Woods” ( R-Rated Horror Thriller ): 5 friends go for a break at a remote cabin, where they get more than they bargained for. Stars Richard Jenkins, Bradley Whitford, Chris Hemsworth, Kristen Connolly. Shot in Vancouver … way back in 2009.
• “Hysteria” ( R-Rated Romantic Comedy ): Based on the surprising truth of how Mortimer Granville came up with the world’s first electro-mechanical vibrator in the name of medical science. Stars Maggie Gyllenhaal, Hugh Dancy, Jonathan Pryce, Rupert Everett.
• “Katy Perry: Part of Me” ( PG Music Documentary ): A look at the pop singer’s life both on- and off-stage during her “California Dreams Tour”. Available in several different configurations on Blu-ray, DVD, On Demand, and Digital Download. Includes never-before-seen footage.
• Also released today: “2012 London Olympics Highlights” (Sports Documentary); “America’s Book of Secrets: Season 1” (TV); “Army Wives: Season 6” (TV); “Body of Proof: The Complete 2nd Season” (TV); “Fenway Park: 100 Years As the Heart Of Red Sox Nation” (Sports Documentary); “Hawaii Five-O: The 2nd Season” (TV); “James Bond Gadgets” (Documentary); “The Mentalist: The Complete 4th Season” (TV); “Modern Family: The Complete 3rd Season” (TV); “New York Mets 50th Anniversary Collector’s DVD Set” (Sports); “Something From Nothing: The Art of Rap” (Music Documentary); “Steve Martin: The Television Stuff” (Compilation); and “Supernatural: The Complete 7th Season” (TV).

ONLY THE SHY SURVIVE:
Some 15-to-20% of us are born shy, about the same percentage that’s found in other species of animals. That’s likely because shyness is an evolutionary tactic. Someone within a society must be shy for that society to survive. If every member of a population was gregarious and rushed into vulnerable positions, that population would be less likely to persist. In other words, it’s natural and necessary for species to have shy members. Shyness is actually good of our species, no matter how aggressively we try to medicate it away. (How to tell if a shy person likes you … they’re staring at your shoes instead of theirs.)
– Motherboard.vice.com

IN THE LAND OF NOD:
A few interesting truths about sleep …
✓ Artificial lights have changed our natural sleeping patterns. Without them, we would sleep in 2 blocks each night. We would fall asleep around 10 pm and wake up a few hours later, going back to sleep after an hour. Psychologists have found that people revert to sleeping this way if isolated from artificial lights for more than a few weeks.
✓ Children around-the-world have vastly different sleep patterns. Joint research by Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and Tel Aviv University has discovered that 95% of babies in Vietnam sleep in their parents’ bed, compared to just 15% in Australia. And in New Zealand, the average bedtime for an infant is 7.30 pm; while in Hong Kong, it’s 10.30 pm.
✓ Female sleep is the key to a happy marriage. A recent University of Pittsburgh study has found that a woman’s ability to fall – and stay – asleep has a greater impact on marital satisfaction than daily interactions with her husband. Interestingly, the same effect has not been found for men in relationships.
– “Focus”

CSI AMSTERDAM:
Researchers in the Netherlands working with photographs of individuals and MRI scans of their heads have identified genetic factors that contribute to facial appearance. This technique could one day give police the capacity to reconstruct the faces of suspects and distribute them nationwide. This significant advance in forensic investigation has been brought a step closer by scientists who believe they can produce portraits of suspects from a scrap of their DNA. Ideally, detectives tracking criminals may soon be able to reconstruct their faces from a speck of blood left at the crime scene. The development would mean inaccurate photo-fits and unreliable eyewitness testimony would be consigned to history. (The tough part … getting criminals to leave a speck of blood behind.)
– “The Independent”

ALL-TIME BEST MOVIE CATCHPHRASES:
According to a new Now TV poll, these are the best-ever famous lines from films …
5. “Life is like a box of chocolates …” – Tom Hanks in “Forrest Gump” (1994).
4. “May the Force be with you.” – Harrison Ford in “Star Wars” (1977).
3. “Houston, we have a problem.” – Tom Hanks in “Apollo 13” (1995).
2. “Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn.” – Clark Gable in “Gone With the Wind” (1939).
1. “I’ll be back!” – Arnold Schwarzenegger in “The Terminator” (1984).
– WENN.com

BS AMAZING FACT:
You can use coffee beans and/or grounds to freshen your refrigerator … and your hands. To get rid of stubborn smells like garlic, onions, or fish, just rub a few coffee beans in your hands. When the unwanted odor is gone, wash with soap and water.
– TheKitchn.com

BS CHRONOMETER 09.18.12

TODAY’S CELEBIRTHDAYS . . .
1961 [51] James Gandolfini, Westwood NJ, TV actor (“The Sopranos” 1999-2007)/movie actor (“The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3”, “Get Shorty”)

1971 [41] Jada Pinkett Smith, Baltimore MD, movie actress (“Madagascar” movies, “The Matrix” films)/Mrs Will Smith since 1997 (he’s 6’-2”, she’s 5’)

1971 [41] Lance Armstrong, Plano TX, cyclist recently stripped of 7 consecutive Tour De France titles due to suspicion of doping/dumped fiancée Sheryl Crow in 2005

1973 [39] James Marsden, Stillwater OK, movie actor (“27 Dresses”, “X-Men” films)

1975 [37] Jason Sudeikis, Fairfax VA, comedian/comedy writer (“The Cleveland Show” since 2009, “Saturday Night Live” 2005-12)/movie actor (“Hall Pass”, “Horrible Bosses”)

1977 [35] Barrett Foa, NYC, TV actor (‘Eric Beale’ on “NCIS: Los Angeles” since 2009)

TODAY’S BS REASONS TO PARTY . . .
• “ADHD Awareness Day”, drawing attention to the neuro-behavioral disorder which causes symptoms of hyperactivity, inattention, and impulsiveness. An estimated 8-to-10% of school-aged children have ADHD. Boys are 3 times more likely to be diagnosed with it than girls.

• “Cheeseburger Day”, celebrating the best way to get 2 kinds of cattle fat into your system simultaneously. According to the book “Hamburger Heaven: The Illustrated History Of the Hamburger”, the first person to ever slap cheese on a burg’ was grill chef Lionel Sternberger at the Rite Spot restaurant in Pasadena CA 86 years ago in 1926.

• “Hug a Greeting Card Writer Day”, saluting the anonymous and often under-appreciated wordsmiths who say the things we have trouble expressing. (Thanks for saving our bacon on numerous occasions!)
NET: http://www.greetingcardwriting.com/GC&V1.htm

• “Mushroom Picking Day”, celebrating the fungi that are related to molds and yeasts. There are some 38,000 varieties but only a few hundred we can eat; all the rest are toxic. So if you’re not an expert on what’s what, best to perform your picking … at the grocery store.

• “World Water Monitoring Day”, an international effort to encourage involvement in protecting water resources around-the-world by encouraging the public to conduct basic monitoring of their local bodies of water. (So how’s the pond scum looking today?)
NET: http://www.worldwatermonitoringday.org

THIS DAY IN SHOW BIZ . . .
1985 [27] First-ever ‘Top 10 List’ on “Late Night With David Letterman” is titled ‘Top 10 Things That Almost Rhyme With Peas’ (#1 is ‘Meats’. Um, maybe it’s in the delivery?)

TODAY’S MUSIC EVENTS . . .
1970 [42] Guitar legend Jimi Hendrix dies in London at age 27 after taking 9 sleeping pills

2004 [08] Britney Spears weds Kevin Federline in a low-key ceremony at a private home in Studio City CA, her 2nd wedding in 9 months (they divorce in 2007)

TODAY’S FIRST . . .
1999 [13] 1st husband & wife to swap genders, each undergoing a sex-change operation in Hungary (“I couldn’t stand my husband so now she’s my wife”)

TODAY’S RECORDS . . .
1981 [31] “Guinness Book of World Records” confirms the ‘Largest Parking Lot In the World’ is the 20,000-car lot at West Edmonton Mall in Edmonton, Alberta

2009 [03] The 72-year run of radio-turned-TV soap opera “The Guiding Light” ends as its final episode airs (CBS)

AND REMEMBER . . .
[Wed] Talk Like a Pirate Day
[Wed] Butterscotch Pudding Day
[Thurs] Gibberish Day
[Fri] “Dredd 3-D”; “End of Watch”; “House At the End Of the Street”; “Trouble With the Curve” open in movie theaters
[Fri] Car-Free Day
This Week Is … Balance Awareness Week
This Month Is … Childhood Obesity Awareness Month

BULL’S BITS

PHYSICAL AILMENT OR FLORIDA PLACENAME?
• Sepsis [Ailment]
• Mossy Head [Florida]
• Bloody Bluff [Florida]
• Roseola [Ailment]
• Sandalfoot [Florida]
• Socrum [Florida]
• Occulta [Ailment]
• Toxo [Ailment]
• Nutall Rise [Florida]
• Arthritis [Both]
– Thanks to Mike Zuckerman

BS RANDOM JOKE:
Today is Monday, cleverly disguised as Tuesday.

BS U-PICK TRIVIA:
Were is more money spent annually in America?
a. Music concerts.
b. Casinos. [CORRECT, more than on movies, sporting events, and concerts combined.]
c. Sporting events.
– “USA Weekend”

BS PHONE STARTER:
☎ What are the things you miss most about no longer being single?

BS WATER COOLER QUESTION:
Question: According to “First for Women” magazine, only 1-in-5 husbands notices when his wife isn’t doing THIS.
Answer: Wearing perfume.

BS DEEP THOUGHT:
Life is too short to drink cheap beer.