BS SHOW BIZ BUZZ:
★ Online streaming service Amazon Prime has announced a multi-year deal with HBO to host several of its former TV series, including “Deadwood”, “The Sopranos”, and “The Wire”. Earlier seasons of current shows such as “Girls”, “True Blood”, and “Veep” will also be included but not HBO’s biggest hit, “Game of Thrones”. The first HBO programs will become available to US subscribers only on Prime Instant Video beginning May 21st.
– BBC News
★ Sony Pictures and toymaker Mattel are partnering to create a live-action movie focused on the iconic ‘Barbie’ doll. The comedy will be written by Jenny Bicks (“What a Girl Wants”). Sony sees the film as a global franchise and plans to go into production by the end of the year. It’s the 2nd collaboration for Mattel and Sony. “Masters Of the Universe” was based on Mattel action figures.
– AP
★ And today’s edition of “People” magazine features actress Lupita Nyong’o atop its annual ‘World’s Most Beautiful’ listing. Nyong’o won an Oscar for her work in “12 Years a Slave” and recently landed a contract with Lancome Paris. She takes over the crown from last year’s title-holder, Gwyneth Paltrow. When making the announcement Wednesday, a magazine rep said there was really no contest this year; Lupita seemed like the only choice.
– “Daily Dish”

WEEKEND SHOW BIZ SKED:
• “Jimmy Kimmel Live” (ABC/CityTV) – Tonight Sam Smith f/Drake (“In the Lonely Hour”). Rerun.
• “Last Call With Carson Daly” (NBC) – Tonight Capital Cities (“In a Tidal Wave Of Mystery”). Rerun.
• “Last Week Tonight” (HBO) – Sunday former “Daily Show” correspondent John Oliver (37) debuts his new weekly series that’s part of a 2-year commitment to the comedian. 35 episodes are planned this year, airing on the network’s most high-profile night of programming.
NET: http://www.hbo.com/last-week-tonight-with-john-oliver
• “Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson” (CBS) – Tonight St Paul & The Broken Bones (“Half the City”).
• “Late Night With Seth Meyers” (NBC/CTV2) – Tonight Fitz & The Tantrums (“More Than Just a Dream”). Rerun.
• “Late Show With David Letterman” (CBS/Omni1) – Tonight Naughty Boy f/Sam Smith (“Hotel Cabana”).
• “Nashville” Concert Tour – Tonight in Chicago IL the TV series goes on-the-road for its 1st-ever tour, with Charles Esten, Chris Carmack, Clare Bowen, Jonathan Jackson, and Sam Palladio performing. Dates in Washington DC and NYC are also planned. Hayden Panettieere is not participating. The mini-tour is in support of the show’s 4th soundtrack, out May 6th.
• New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival (New Orleans LA) – Tonight the 1st weekend of 2 gets underway. The lineup for the 45th edition includes Arcade Fire, Bruce Springsteen, Christina Aguilera, Eric Clapton, Foster the People, Robin Thicke, and Vampire Weekend. This is jazz?
NET: http://www.nojazzfest.com
• Stagecoach Country Music Festival (Indio CA) – Eric Church, Jason Aldean, and Luke Bryan are headlining the 3-day 2014 edition. Florida Georgia Line, Hunter Hayes, Lee Brice, and Shelby Lynne are also on the bill.
NET: http://www.stagecoachfestival.com
• “Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” (NBC/CTV2) – Tonight Alicia Keys & Kendrick Lamar (“The Amazing Spider-Man 2”).

BS MUSIC NOTES:
• Alice In Chains – Tonight in Tulsa OK they embark on a 21-date Spring tour that runs through May 24th in Council Bluffs IA. The band is still touring in support of its 2013 album, “The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here”.
• Avril Lavigne – She has defended the Japanese-themed music video for her new song “Hello Kitty” after being accused by some of racism. On Twitter she says she’s baffled by the allegations, quote: “Racist? LOL! I love Japanese culture and I spend half of my time in Japan.”
• Coldplay – A handful of intimate live shows in support of their upcoming album “Ghost Stories” get underway tonight in Cologne, Germany. They’ll next play NYC May 5th; then Los Angeles on May 19th, the day “Ghost Stories” is released.
• “Frozen” – The Disney soundtrack continues to dominate the album sales chart, now racking up its 11th week at #1, according to Nielsen SoundScan.
• Justin Timberlake – The staff at Crystal Cologne nightclub in Cologne, Germany were thrilled when he dropped a tip equivalent to $3,920 after a night out. Understandable, considering the drinks for his entire crew were on the house. He’s in town as part of his ongoing European tour.
• MIA – Sunday in Washington DC she begins a string of North America tour dates that culminate in an appearance at the Sasquatch! Music Festival in Washington state on May 24th. The tour comes in support of her latest album, “Matangi”.
• One Direction – Tonight their 2014 “Where We Are” stadium tour starts off in Bogota, Colombia, followed by a series of gigs elsewhere in South America, as well as the UK, Ireland, and western Europe. North American dates begin August 1st in Toronto ON.

TODAY’S MOVIE OPENINGS:
• “Brick Mansions” ( PG-13 Crime Drama ): In his 2nd-to-last movie, the late Paul Walker plays an undercover Detroit cop who navigates a dangerous neighborhood with the help of an ex-con in order to bring down a crime lord. Co-stars David Belle, RZA, Gouchy Boy. A remake of the 2004 French film “District B13”.
NET: http://brickmansions.tumblr.com
• “Locke” ( R-Rated Thriller ): Tom Hardy plays ‘Ivan Locke’, a dedicated family man and successful construction manager who receives a phone call on the eve of the biggest challenge of his career that sets in motion a series of events that threaten his carefully cultivated existence. Co-stars Olivia Colman, Ruth Wilson, Andrew Scott.
NET: http://locke-movie.com
• “The Other Woman” ( PG-13 Romantic Comedy ): Cameron Diaz, Leslie Mann, and model-turned-actress Kate Upton star in this comedy about a woman who, after discovering her boyfriend is married, befriends his wife. Then another mistress comes forward, and together they all plot revenge. Sort of “The First Wives Club” (1996) reworked for present-day.
NET: http://theotherwomanmovie.com
• “The Quiet Ones” ( PG-13 Horror ): A university professor and a team of his students conduct an experiment on a young woman and in the process uncover terrifyingly dark, unexpected forces. Said to be inspired by actual events. Stars Jared Harris, Sam Claflin, Olivia Cooke, Erin Richards. Shot on location in Oxford, England.
NET: http://www.thequietonesmovie.com
• Opening in limited release: “Blue Ruin” (Thriller); “For No Good Reason” (Documentary); “The German Doctor” (Historical Drama); “Walking With the Enemy” (War Drama); and “Young & Beautiful” (Drama).

YOU CAN’T LICK BEER … OR CAN YOU?
Lollyphile, the outside-the-lines company that created ‘Bleu Cheese’, ‘Sriracha Bacon’, and ‘Breast Milk’ lollipops, has now developed not one but 3 different suckers that taste like … beer. The hoppy candy is available in ‘India Pale Ale’, ‘Stout’ and ‘Lager’ flavors. The company is touting its new creation as “The King of Lollipops! A real banquet lollipop! An All-American slam-dunk barbecue apple pie bada-lollipop!” (A lot of people suck at driving but will it be legal to suck one of these and drive?)
NET: http://www.lollyphile.com
– “New York Daily News”

WHICH AIRLINE HAS THE RUDEST FLIGHT ATTENDANTS?
According to assessments compiled from a new poll of 3,400 frequent fliers, the losers are …
5. Allegiant Air … 8%
4. Virgin America … 9%
3. Frontier Airlines … 11%
2. Air Canada … 14%
1. Bare-bones budget carrier Spirit … 26%
– AirfareWatchdog.com

THREE WOMEN & A BABY:
Brynn, Doll, and Kitten Young, who claim to be the world’s only ‘throuple’, are expecting a baby daughter this July. The married lesbian trio from Massachusetts, who tied the knot last August, have decided to expand their family through in vitro fertilization. Doll (30) and Brynn (32) had been together for 2-and-a-half years when they decided to spice up their relationship with an additional partner; that brought in Kitten (27). Their union is not quite official; while same-sex marriage is legal in Massachusetts, polygamy is not. It’s Doll who is carrying their 1st child but the world’s only wedded female threesome say they’re hoping to have more children … 3 in total, one for each. (Modern life is getting so complicated.)
– GlobalNews.ca

DID YOU KNOW?
Tea is more popular in France than coffee is in Britain.
– “The Economist”

BS CHRONOMETER 04.25.14

TODAY’S CELEBIRTHDAYS . . .
1940 [74] Al Pacino, NYC, 5’-6” movie actor (1992 Oscar-“Scent Of a Woman”, “The Godfather Part II”)/TV actor (“You Don’t Know Jack”, “Angels in America”)

1964 [50] Hank Azaria, Queens NY, TV voice actor (‘Moe Szyslak’/’Chief Wiggum’/’Apu’/’Comic Book Guy’/’Cletus’/’Professor Frink’ and others on “The Simpsons” since 1989)

1969 [45] Joe Buck, St Petersburg FL, sportscaster (FOX-TV’s lead play-by-play guy)/son of late Hall of Fame sportscaster Jack Buck

1969 [45] Renée Zellweger, Katy TX, movie actress (“Bridget Jones” films, 2003 Oscar-“Cold Mountain”)/briefly Mrs Kenny Chesney (2005)

SATURDAY –
TV actor Giancarlo Esposito (“Revolution”) is 56; Movie actor Jet Li (“The Expendables”) is 51; Pop-rock guitarist Jimmy Stafford (Train) is 50; Movie actor-comedian Kevin James (“Grown Ups”) is 49; Country musician Jay DeMarcus (Rascal Flatts) is 43; Alt-rock drummer Jose Pasillas (Incubus) is 38; Movie actor Channing Tatum (“Magic Mike”) is 34.

SUNDAY –
Rock singer-guitarist Jim James (My Morning Jacket) is 36; Indie rock drummer Patrick Hallahan (My Morning Jacket) is 36; Pop-rock singer-guitarist Patrick Stump (Fall Out Boy) is 30; Pop singer Nick Noonan (Karmin) is 28.

TODAY’S BS REASONS TO PARTY . . .
• “ANZAC Day”, a public holiday in Australia & New Zealand commemorating the 1915 landing at Gallipoli, Turkey by the Australian & New Zealand Army Corps during World War I. The holiday salutes their incredible bravery in the face of overwhelming odds.
NET: http://www.koalanet.com.au/australian-slang.html
• “Hairball Awareness Day”. Any cat owner who’s ever stepped on a fresh wet one is already well aware! The usual cat hairball isn’t round but tubular, approximately 1 cm (a half-inch) in diameter and about 4 cm (1.5 in) long.
NET: http://bit.ly/14OK6x
• “Hairstylist Appreciation Day”, honoring the ‘great contribution snippers & coiffeurs make to our self-esteem’. So don’t forget to say thanks for the good hair day!
• “Plumbers Day”. OK, let’s all do the plumbers’ salute … drop your pants 2 inches!
• “Red Hat Day”, an annual celebration of the ‘Red Hat Society’, begun in 1997 as a social organization for women over 50 and to reshape the way they’re viewed. There are now millions of mature women who attend various ‘RHS’ events worldwide.
NET: http://www.redhatsociety.com
• “Malaria Awareness Day”, the 7th annual observance with the ultimate goal of eradicating malaria on the African continent. Step 1 is providing mosquito nets for prevention.
NET: http://www.worldmalariaday.org/home_en.cfm

SATURDAY –
• “Bulldogs Are Beautiful Day”, the 8th annual celebration on the last Saturday of April of the droopy-cheeked dog that’s a symbol of Britain. (Is there an uglier beast on Earth?)
• “Hug an Australian Day”, to show our appreciation for all the friendliness, humor, and support Aussies have given us over the years.
• “Go Birding Day”, celebrating birdwatching as a fascinating pastime. (“Oh look Trevor, a rose-bellied sapsucker!”)
• “Kids & Pets Day”, an annual celebration of the magical connection between children and animals.
• “Pretzel Day”, honoring the world’s oldest snack food. They were made as early as 610 AD by monks in France & Italy using dough scraps formed to represent a child’s arms folded in prayer.
• “Save the Frogs Day”, the 6th annual observance of the world’s largest day of amphibian education and conservation action. (What, is there a shortage of flies?)
NET: http://www.savethefrogs.com/day
• “Sense of Smell Day”, an annual event sponsored by the Sense of Smell Institute on the last Saturday of April. Many children’s museums and science centers focus on how the sense of smell plays an important role in daily life.
• “World Intellectual Property Day”, established by WIPO in 2000 to celebrate content creators, and to raise awareness of how patents, copyright, and trademarks impact our daily lives.
• “World Penguin Day”, an annual excuse to salute one of the few natives of Antarctica by wearing penguin colors … black & white.
• “World Tai Chi Day”, saluting the martial art that’s performed in slo-mo.
• “World Veterinary Day”, celebrated annually on the last Saturday of April to honor the medical professionals who work to maintain animal health.

SUNDAY –
• “Freedom Day”, a South African public holiday celebrating the country’s first post-apartheid elections held 20 years ago on this day (1994). This year’s public holiday is on Monday.
• “Pet Parents Day”, honoring those who consider pets a part of their family. For all the treats you’ve given, for all the poop you’ve scooped, on this day we honor you!

THIS DAY IN SHOW BIZ . . .
2009 [05] TV actress Bea Arthur (“Maude”, “The Golden Girls”) dies in Los Angeles at age 86

TODAY’S MUSIC EVENTS . . .
1994 [20] A judge finds that Michael Bolton’s 1991 hit “Love Is A Wonderful Thing” plagiarizes the Isley Bros’ 1966 song of the same name, despite Bolton’s protests he’s never even heard it

2004 [10] Billy Joel is involved in a traffic accident – for the 3rd time in 2 years – this time crashing his car into a house on Long Island NY (fortunately no one is injured)

TODAY’S RECORD . . .
1964 [50] NHL’s Toronto Maple Leafs defeat Detroit Red Wings 4-0 to win their 3rd Stanley Cup championship in-a-row (their last one … 1967)

AND REMEMBER . . .
[Mon] Biological Clock Day
[Mon] World Day For Safety & Health at Work
[Tues] International Dance Day
[Wed] CRA Income Tax due (Canada)
[Wed] Adopt a Shelter Pet Day
This Week Is … Playground Safety Week
This Month Is … Month Of the Military Child

BULL’S BITS

BS THINGS YOU DON’T WANNA OVERHEAR FROM YOUR KIDS PLAYING DOWNSTAIRS:
“Look at this. It’s really bright and hot.”
“I think you use it like lotion or something.”
“Touch it to your eyeball.”
“Wait, I’ll go get a razor.”
“Cool, look guys. This door is usually locked but now it isn’t.”
“We can use the cat litter scoop!”
“That’s weird. It doesn’t smell like apple juice.”
“I give really good haircuts.”
“Put the trampoline at the bottom of the stairs.”
“I don’t know. Just eat it.”
(And the worst: Prolonged silence. Nothing good happens when kids are too quiet.)
– Adapted from JasonGood.net

BS PHONE STARTER:
☎ How many items have you checked off your bucket list? Share.

BS RANDOM JOKE:
Generally speaking, you aren’t learning much when your lips are moving.

BS WATER COOLER QUESTION:
Question: While doing THIS, you are likely to consume 25% more food than you intended.
Answer: Snacking in a movie theater.

BS DEEP THOUGHT:
If it were easy, everyone would do it.