Tuesday, April 6, 2021 — Edition: #6959
It’s Another Running of The Bull!
BS SHOW BIZ BUZZ:
★ Benedict Cumberbatch thinks he may have been a COVID-19 super-spreader after falling ill during a trip to South America, months before the pandemic shut down the planet. And he even says that he might have been “patient zero” before the coronavirus started making headlines at the end of 2019. He told an interviewer: “I was incredibly ill, to the point that when all this COVID stuff suddenly broke in the new year, I was thinking, ‘Oh my God, was I actually patient zero?’” Cumberbatch says he felt “so ill. It was borderline pneumonia.” Since his recovery, he has donated over $16,000 to fund hospital scrubs for medical workers.
-Canoe
★ While Pepe Le Pew’s behavior was apparently too problematic to include him in the “Space Jam” sequel, a group of actual onscreen rapists is set to cameo. The new teaser features greats from the cinematic universe sprinkled throughout, including “Batman” characters, “Mad Max” characters, “Scooby Doo” characters, “GOT” characters … and strangely, “A Clockwork Orange” characters too. Yup, we’re talking about ‘Alex’ and his gang of Droogs — famous for their all-white outfits and their bowler hats. And, even more famous (or infamous) is their brutal rape scene in the 1971 Kubrick film, which is depicted in graphic detail … and definitely NOT family-friendly by any stretch.
-TMZ
★ Lauryn “Pumpkin” Shannon, the daughter of reality TV star Mama June, is considering leaving reality TV behind. Pumpkin says that the drama surrounding her mother had a negative impact on her marriage. June has struggled with addiction, and her rehab journey has been the focus of the show “Mama June: Road to Redemption”. Pumpkin’s role as caretaker for her younger sister Alana “Honey Boo Boo” Thompson made it even more difficult for her and her husband to start their lives as a married couple. June has been estranged from Pumpkin and Honey Boo Boo, but their reunion is expected to be featured in this week’s episode of the WEtv series.
-PopCulture
★ Salma Hayek has joined the amazing ensemble of Ridley Scott’s upcoming movie “House of Gucci”, about the flamboyant and tragic lifestyle of the Gucci family. Hayek will be joining the star-studded cast which already includes big names like Jared Leto, Adam Driver, Lady Gaga and Al Pacino. House of Gucci’s plot narrates the role of Lady Gaga’s character ‘Patrizia Reggiani’, whose successful attempt at orchestrating the death of her husband, former head of Gucci fashion house, Maurizio Gucci, led to her conviction and 26-year prison sentence.
-Leftoye
TODAY’S SHOW BIZ SKED:
• “Jimmy Kimmel Live” (ABC/Global): Ray Romano, Romany Malco, Nessa Barrett and jxdn featuring Travis Barker
• “The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon” (NBC/CTV): Pete Davidson, Gaten Matarazzo, Glass Animals
• “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” (CBS/Global): Ronan Farrow, Brandi Carlile
• “Late Night with Seth Meyers” (NBC/CTV): Joel McHale, Yara Shahidi, Mark Harris (R)
• “The Late Late Show with James Corden” (CBS/CTV): Neil deGrasse Tyson, Arlo Parks
• “Conan” (TBS): Nikki Glaser
• “Watch What Happens Live” (Bravo): Leslie Jordan, Niecy Nash
• “The View” (ABC/CTV): Sen. Tammy Duckworth
• “The Talk” (CBS): Jesse L. Martin, Jet Tila
• “Live with Kelly and Ryan” (ABC/CTV): Russell Brand, Danny Seo
• “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” (NBC/CTV): Lupita Nyong’o, Jeremy Lin, Duncan Laurence & Fletcher
• “The Kelly Clarkson Show” (CHECK LOCAL LISTINGS): Lester Holt, Nasim Pedrad, Camila Alves McConaughey, the Fratellis
• “The Drew Barrymore Show” (CHECK LOCAL LISTINGS): Allison Janney, Nate Berkus, Mikel Welch
• “Soul of a Nation” (ABC): Season 1 finale
• “Chad” (TBS): Premiere. Eager to make his mark on the first day of high school, Chad tells a tale about his summer that quickly gets out of hand.
BS MUSIC NOTES:
• Bruno Mars — is bringing his dance moves to the battle royale game “Fortnite”. He’ll get his very own emote, available through the game’s shop. The dance is set to his recent single ‘Leave the Door Open’, which was released as part of his ‘Silk Sonic’ group with Anderson .Paak.
• Lady Gaga — is the new face of Dom Pérignon. She announced her collaboration with the vintage champagne maker last week, with an image showing her holding a deep purple 2006 vintage sparkling rosé. She wrote: “Dom Pérignon and I are both driven by the need for creative freedom…”
• The Weeknd – is donating a million dollars to provide food for people who need it in Ethiopia. The Weeknd, who is of Ethiopian descent, has partnered with World Food Program USA to provide aid to the country, which has been mired with bloodshed and chaos for months.
• John Lennon – His estate has released a music video for the ultimate mix of ‘Look at Me’, featuring never-before-seen footage of Lennon and Yoko Ono from 1968 at their home in Surrey. The song appears John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band’s “The Ultimate Collection,” out April 23.
• Tina Turner – Her new HBO documentary “Tina” has revved up fans who can’t believe she’s not in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as a solo artist. Fans can still vote for her to be among the Class of 2021 at the RRHOF website. She is currently in the Hall as part of the duo “Ike & Tina Turner”.
• Snoop Dogg — has announced his next studio album will be called “From Tha Streets 2 Tha Suites”. He dropped the single ‘Roaches In My Ashtray’ on Friday. No album release date has been announced.
• Madonna — “Juno” screenwriter Diablo Cody has finished the script for her self-directed biopic. It is said to “take fans on a journey through Madonna’s incredible five-decade career so far.”
• Darius Rucker – In a video posted to thank fans for their support of his new single ‘My Masterpiece’, he said that it’s still a thrill for him to hear his songs on the radio. Quote: “Still the same joy, and still the same disbelief that, that’s my voice on the radio…I love it.”
• Vince Gill — has partnered with Nashville’s Gruhn Guitars to sell several of his guitars. The collection includes electrics, lap steels, a mandolin, and more, including a Takamine Steve Wariner model guitar, gifted to Gill by Wariner, and priced at $2,000. To see the full lineup of guitars available, visit www.guitars.com.
SHOOTING THE BULL
A SUPER (SPREADER) SUMMER:
The city of Liverpool in the UK plans to hold a number of “test events” this summer where attendees are not required to have been vaccinated for COVID-19 as a way to determine to the impact of larger events and clubbing on the spread of coronavirus. A business event, outdoor cinema, club night and comedy gig will all be used to test out the risks of each type of event. The Government will work with the University of Liverpool and Culture Liverpool on the project, that will see events go ahead without “vaccine passports.” The pilots will explore how different approaches to social distancing, ventilation and testing on entry could ease opening and maximize participation. Residents from the area will soon be able to apply for tickets to the events. And if an event doesn’t take place, ticket-holders will be given a full refund.
(AND given a vaccine? Just a thought…)
(If these events end up being cancelled due to the pandemic, then we’ll KNOW the experiment is a failure!)
(Maybe they should just wait a bit and see what happens at Texas Rangers home games…)
-Echo
YES, AS A MATTER OF FACT, I DO HAVE WI-FI:
For the first time ever, scientists have connected a human brain to a computer – wirelessly. This comes months after Elon Musk unveiled his Neuralink brain chip, which was implanted in a pig named Gertrude. Now, researchers at Brown University in Rhode Island have created a connection between a human brain and a computer, capable of transmitting signals ‘in full broadband fidelity.’ The study saw 2 trial participants with paralysis due to spinal chord injuries, use a wireless transmitter to point, click and type on a standard tablet computer. The transmitter weighs just 40g. Instead of cables, a unit is placed on top of a user’s head where it ‘connects to an electrode array within the brain’s motor cortex using the same port used by wired systems.’ They hope to use the tech to analyze brain activity over long periods, and someday facilitate “reliable restoration of communication and mobility for people with paralysis.”
(This is a double-shocker for me. Not only did I just find out that scientists have connected a human brain to a computer wirelessly, I also learned that scientists have connected a human brain to a computer USING WIRES!)
(I can’t see all of this ever becoming a horror movie, can you?)
(I’m living in 2021 and these guys are living in The Matrix!)
-UniLad
FOR THE RECORD(S):
➢ A 54-year-old Croatian man managed to set a new world record for holding breath for the longest time underwater, after spending 24 minutes and 33 seconds submerged without coming up for air. Budimir Buda Šobat’s incredible feat was achieved in a swimming pool, under the supervision of doctors, reporters and supporters, and occurred after he spent a few minutes hyperventilating on pure oxygen, to increase body oxygenation. (If I was trying this, I’d just open up TikTok. Every time I do that, next thing I know, BOOM! Another half-hour has gone by!)
➢ After being forgotten in a desk drawer for almost 35 years, a sealed copy of the Nintendo video game “Super Mario Bros.” sold at auction on Friday for a whopping US$660,000. It’s the most ever paid for a video game, according to Heritage Auctions, which ran the sale. The NES cartridge was purchased as a Christmas gift in 1986, and was untouched until the seller found it earlier this year. The game was professionally graded, and determined to be “the finest copy known to have been professionally graded for auction.” (I just hope the new owner blows on it before he tries to use it!)
-OddityCentral, CTV
EFFECTIVE PSYCHOLOGICAL LIFE HACKS:
(From Buzzfeed readers…)
⇒ “To avoid workplace drama and be liked, compliment people behind their back.”
⇒ “Put headphones in and play the music that fits your hoped-for mood…It really helps when I need to calm down or when I need to feel happier.”
⇒ “If you’re trying to decide on dinner with your partner, rather than ask, ‘What do you want?’ and getting the typical ‘I don’t know, anything’ answer, then having your suggestions shot down, start with, ‘What do you NOT want?’
⇒ “Thank someone for a trait you want them to have. Instead of telling a customer you’re sorry for the wait, tell them, ‘Thank you for your patience or understanding.’”
⇒ “If you look happy to see someone every time you see them, they will eventually be happy to see you.”
⇒ “Saying ‘You’re right!’ instead of ‘I know’ makes you look less like a (you-know-what) and doesn’t diminish something someone else may have just found out.”
⇒ “On an airplane, if my seatmate is hogging the armrest or being too chatty, I grab the barf bag. Works every time.”
-BuzzFeed
DID YOU KNOW?
A 22-year-old entrepreneur has created a business that he feels serves an important purpose during these times of COVID-driven disarray. Cameron Banville started The Bong Cleaners, his mobile bong-cleaning business, in Ottawa, ON, last July. He decided to launch it after learning to clean his own bongs, then being asked by friends to do the same to theirs. He charges $15 per bong and says he caters to people who like to smoke, but find cleaning their equipment “dirty and nasty” work. According to Banville, when he turns their blackened bongs into glistening glass, “people say, ‘Wow, that’s crazy.’ ”
(They were probably going to say that anyway…)
-CBC
BS CHRONOMETER 04.06.21
TODAY’S CELEBIRTHDAYS . . .
1937 [84] Billy Dee Williams, New York City NY, movie actor (‘Lando Calrissian’ in “The Empire Strikes Back” and “Return of the Jedi”)
1947 [74] John Ratzenberger, Bridgeport CT, TV actor (“Cheers” 1982-1993)/movie actor (voice of ‘Hamm’ and others in “Toy Story” films)
1969 [52] Paul Rudd, Passaic NJ, movie actor (“Ant-Man”, “The 40-Year-Old Virgin”) COMING UP… “Ghostbusters: Afterlife”, 2021
1975 [46] Zach Braff, South Orange NJ, TV actor (“Scrubs” 2001-10, “Alex, Inc” 2018)
1976 [45] Candace Cameron-Bure, Los Angeles CA, actress (‘Donna Jo Tanner’ on “Full House” 1987-95, “Fuller House”2016-20)
1990 [31] Charlie McDermott, West Chester PA, TV actor (‘Axl Heck’ on “The Middle” 2009-18)
TODAY’S BS REASONS TO PARTY . . .
• “Drowsy Driver Awareness Day”, an annual initiative to encourage motorists to take notice when they’re too sleepy to steer. According to a poll, more than 10% of drivers admit to having fallen asleep at the wheel; and over 20% say they’ve momentarily dozed while driving. (The rest of us slept through it…)
• “Twinkie Day”, originally filled with banana cream, the oldest existing Twinkie is over 45. (Bet you can find an older one at your corner grocery store…)
• “Tartan Day”, the anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Arbroath in 1320, a day set aside for the celebration of Scottish influence. More practically, it’s now the day that officially kicks off the annual Scottish tourism season (usually…)
• “Teflon Day”, commemorating the accidental 1938 discovery of the coating used to create non-stick surfaces by Du Pont researcher Roy Plunkett. (How do they get it to stick to a pan?)
• “Caramel Popcorn Day”, the buttery sugar goodness of caramel with the light airy nature of popcorn that creates an amazing flavor combination you can’t stop eating. This culinary delight has accents added to it in the form of peanuts, almonds, cashews, or even pecan (plus lint and cat hair, because it makes your hands so sticky…)
• “Plan Your Epitaph Day”, one of 2 days annually dedicated to the proposition that a forgettable gravestone is a fate worse than death. So, what would you like yours to say?
ACTUAL FUNNY GRAVESTONE EPITAPHS:
☞ Raised four beautiful daughters with only one bathroom and still there was love
☞ Now I know something you don’t
☞ We finally found a place to park in Georgetown
☞ I was hoping for a pyramid
☞ If you can read this, you are standing on my boobs
AND REMEMBER . . .
[Wed] International Beaver Day
[Wed] Beer Day
[Thurs] Zoo Lovers Day
[Thurs] Dog Farting Awareness Day
THIS DAY IN SHOW BIZ . . .
2012 [09] Actress and model Heidi Klum divorces singer Seal due to irreconcilable differences after almost 7 years of marriage
2017 [04] Legendary comedian/actor Don Rickles dies at 90 (“Kelly’s Heroes”, voice of ‘Mr. Potato Head’ in “Toy Story” movies)
TODAY’S MUSIC EVENTS . . .
1974 [47] ABBA become European stars overnight when their composition ‘Waterloo’ wins the annual Eurovision Song Contest
2016 [05] On his 79th birthday, Merle Haggard dies at his ranch in Northern California. He had 71 Country Top 10 hits during his lifetime
TODAY’S FIRSTS . . .
1980 [41] ‘Post It Notes’ are introduced by the 3M company
2000 [21] A private company mapping the human genetic blueprint announces it has decoded all of the DNA pieces that make up the genetic pattern of a single human being
TODAY’S RECORD . . .
2003 [18] Brit adventurer David Hempleman-Adams becomes the first person to walk alone and unaided to the geomagnetic North Pole
BULL’S BITS
BS WHACK FACTS:
✓ Babies are born with tastebuds on the insides of their cheeks.
✓ The inner skin of a banana peel can be used to whiten teeth.
✓ Because the English language is so complex, the average person will create a sentence that has never been said before, every day.
✓ “Super hero”, (two words) is a trademarked phrase, owned jointly by DC and Marvel comics.
✓ “20,000 leagues” equals about 69,000 miles. The deepest spot in any ocean on earth is about 6 miles.
✓ If you commit any crime at sea, you are, by definition, a pirate.
-WOWFactsofLife, BathroomReadersInstitute
Best of BS . . .
BS SIGNS YOU PICKED THE WRONG MOVER:
• They loaded up your entire house-full of furniture 7 weeks ago and never asked for your new address.
• They keep flicking ashes in Grandma’s urn.
• They don’t use peanuts to pack your fine crystal, they use peanut butter.
• Nothing gets broken during the loading and unloading, but you see more ‘crack’ than a narc.
• Before moving the furniture, they remove all the drawers … their drawers.
• Your collection of “private home videos” shows up several weeks after the move … online.
• An hour after the truck pulls away, all your stuff is listed on eBay.
• The box marked ‘knickknacks’ seems to be barking.
-First published in BS 2011
TODAY’S SCOOP OF BS:
➠ A study found that smoking’s popularity has fallen to an all-time low. Smoking used to be REALLY popular, but over time, faded to the point where now most people want to get rid of it. (Kinda like “American Idol”…)
➠ MLB has kicked off the 2021 season. ([My team] is bad! The only time they make it on “SportsCenter” is when they’re showing bloopers!)
➠ A series of small earthquakes rattled residents of Louisiana. (And if you’ve seen the average resident of Louisiana, you realize that’s no small feat…)
➠ Fact of the Day: More than 70% of all apologies are meaningless. (Man, it makes me feel so sorry to hear this. Really it does.)
➠ Fact of the Day: You’ve never seen your real face, only pictures and reflections. (Upon hearing the news, all the Kardashians broke down in tears…)
BS WEB GOODIE:
Best possible use of one’s time: https://tinyurl.com/w39944fw
BS RANDOM JOKE:
I wrote a book on penguins, but in retrospect, I realize that paper would have been easier.
BS PHONE STARTER:
Where’s the strangest place you have ever fallen asleep?
BS WATER COOLER QUESTION:
Question: In a poll asking people what would immediately put them in a good mood, THIS was the #1 answer. What was it?
Answer: Finding money in a pocket
BS DEEP THOUGHT:
Know your worth. Then add tax.
