Tuesday, April 26, 2011        Edition: #4492
Here’s More Bull Roar!

BS SHOW BIZ BUZZ:
Tonight those who made it onto “TIME” magazine’s annual list of the ‘100 Most Influential People’ are honored at the “TIME 100 Gala” in NYC (among them: Bruno Mars, Justin Bieber, Rain, Sting) . . . In a new ranking, “Rolling Stone” magazine picks Nashville as having the best music scene of any US city (thanks in part to all those honky-tonks) . . . 74-year-old actor Jack Nicholson has listed his 70-acre Malibu CA property for $4.25 million, but will retain his nearby Mullholland Drive estate (not quite ready for the seniors’ home yet) . . . “Jersey Shore” star DJ Pauly D reportedly makes $40,000 per DJing gig, and he’s now doing 3-to-6 of them a week (you do the math) . . . Nintendo has confirmed it’s developing a new console to upgrade or perhaps replace the Wii (expect the launch in 2012) . . . He may make a lousy Academy Awards host, but smarty-pants actor James Franco is looking to get a second PhD degree next year, this one from  the University of Houston in Literature & Creative Writing (he’s currently finishing a PhD in English at Yale) . . . Jim Carrey is the latest guest star to be signed for the season finalé of NBC-TV’s “The Office” (the hour-long episode airs May 19th) . . . Actor-turned-stage flop Charlie Sheen is apparently down one ‘goddess’ as Bree Olsen has dumped him – via text message (“the party’s over, turn out the lights …”) . . . The guest list for Friday’s royal wedding of Wills & Kate has been revealed and on it is none other than comic actor Rowan Atkinson, who gained fame as klutzy ‘Mr Bean’ (maybe he can liven up this shindig!) . . . Angelina Jolie has just signed on to be the face of Louis Vuitton – for $10 million (who needs movies?) . . . After calling off their engagement last year, on-and-off acting couple Rachel Bilson & Hayden Christensen have been spotted vacationing together in Barbados (nothing cures a relationship like a Bajan flying fish dinner followed by 14 shots of Mount Gay Rum) . . . And although actor Bradley Cooper has been back in contact with Jennifer Aniston since breaking up with Renee Zellweger last month pals say it’s not a love connection, they’re just ‘looking at projects to work on together’ (uh huh … between the sheets).

TODAY’S SHOW BIZ SKED:
• “Conan” (TBS/CTV) – The Black Keys (“Brothers”); Justin Bieber (“Never Say Never – The Remixes”).
• “Dancing With the Stars” (ABC/CTV) – New Kids On the Block and Backstreet Boys perform; another couple is eliminated.
• “Ellen DeGeneres Show” (syndicated/A Channel) – Christina Aguilera (“The Voice”); David Cook (“This Loud Morning”).
• “Gayle King” (OWN) – Child prodigy Jackie Evancho (“Dream With Me”).
• “Glee” (FOX/Global) – Special 90-minute episode features a tribute to Lady Gaga’s “Born This Way” after ‘Will’ sees the gang struggling with self-esteem and body issues.
• “Jimmy Kimmel Live” (ABC/CHCH) – Robbie Robertson (“How to Become Clairvoyant”).
• “Late Night With Jimmy Fallon” (NBC/A Channel) – 1970s-80s metal band Twisted Sister.
• “Late Show With David Letterman” (CBS/NTV/Omni) – The Twilight Singers perform “On the Corner” (“Dynamite Steps”).
• “Tonight Show With Jay Leno” (NBC/A Channel) – Airborne Toxic Event (“All at Once”).
• “The View” (ABC/CTV) – Bette Midler (“Jackpot: The Best Bette”).
• “The Voice” (NBC) – Carson Daly hosts the 2-hour debut of this new singing competition from reality TV producer Mark Burnett (“Survivor”, “Celebrity Apprentice”). Country star Blake Shelton, Cee Lo Green, Adam Levine (Maroon 5), and Christina Aguilera make up the coaching panel that will bring in their personal songwriters, producers, and high-powered friends to help their teams evolve. The winner of a recording contract and $100,000 will be decided by viewers.

BS MUSIC NOTES:
• David Bowie – The bootleg live album “Birthday Celebration – Live in NYC 1997” is out today, featuring guest spots from Billy Corgan, Foo Fighters, Lou Reed, and The Cure’s Robert Smith. It was recorded during Bowie’s 50th birthday bash at NYC’s Madison Square Garden.
• Kanye West – The ‘Kanye West Foundation’, founded by his late mother Donda West to help prevent teens from dropping out of high school, has closed its doors after 4 years in operation.
• Motely Crue – Nikki Sixx’s new book, “This Is Gonna Hurt: Photography & Life Through the Distorted Lens Of Nikki Sixx”, has debuted at #4 on the “New York Times” ‘Best Sellers’ list.
• Rihanna – She’s set a new record for the shortest span between a solo artist’s 1st and 10th #1 hits … just 4 years, 11 months, and 2 weeks between “SOS” (2006) and “S&M” (2011).
• Tim McGraw – He tells AP his signature black cowboy hat is ‘sort of like a cape’. Quote: “I just don’t feel the same without it when I’m talking about music. It just sort of goes hand in hand.”

TODAY’S VIDEO RELEASES:
No major movies are being released on video today. Other material includes: “Growing Pains: The Complete 2nd Season” (Vintage TV); “Human Planet” (Documentary); “The Lucy Show: The Official 4th Season” (Classic TV); “Moguls & Movie Stars: A History of Hollywood” (Documentary); “The President’s Book of Secrets” (Documentary); “South Park: The Complete 14th Season” (TV); “The Universe: The Mega Collection” (Documentary); and “Upstairs Downstairs” (Vintage TV).

HOW TO GET YOUR DOG TO SLEEP BETTER:
• Dogs sleep when they’re bored. If you keep them awake during the day, they’re more likely to sleep at night.
• English bulldogs, pugs, and other dogs with short faces often have sleep apnea, which can cause them to snore extremely loudly. To cure this a veterinarian can do surgery to reduce the amount of tissue in their throats. That can help them breathe better too.
• A lot of dogs are very sensitive to noises outside, like other dogs barking or neighbors coming home late. A ‘White Noise Machine’ or electric fan will drown out the noises that are keeping your pet up, which will keep your pet from waking you.
– Condensed from “Reader’s Digest Magazine”

GOOFY GROUPS:
Some real but really weird organizations you might want to consider joining (or not) …
• ‘The Ghost Research Society’, Oak Lawn, Illinois.
• ‘Girth & Mirth’, a club for overweight gay men in Chicago.
• ‘The Flying Funeral Directors of America’, Eureka, Illinois.
• ‘Toothpick Holder Collectors Society’, Eureka, Illinois (they must get really bored in Eureka).
• ‘Amateur Tug of War Association’, Madison, Wisconsin.
• ‘Mistresses Anonymous’, Islip, New York.
• ‘Loners of America’, Ellsinore, Missouri (how can ‘loners’ be in a group?).
– “The Encyclopedia of Associations”

JUST SAY YES:
Brown University researchers have discovered that some of us have what’s called a DARPP-32 genetic variation that makes us more likely to do what we’re told to do, even when it is contradicted by experience. The study suggests that many decisions involve listening to 2 parts of the brain – one that relies on taking advice and the other on experience. Our genetic makeup seems to determine which side we listen to. So a so-called ‘yes man’, who is flexible to a fault, may be a product of genetics rather than weak will. (Feel less wimpy now? you’re welcome.)
– TheGlobeandMail.com

TAMING CLAUSTROPHOBIA:
If a confined area is your idea of hell, the University of Pennsylvania’s Center for the Treatment & Study of Anxiety recommends a few simple ways to reduce the effects of your phobia …
• Make a list of places that trigger a reaction. Rank tight areas in order from least frightening to scariest (ie: 1. crowded movie theater 2. elevators 3. a closet).
• Put yourself in the environment. Spend at least 30 minutes in the area that makes you anxious, starting with the one you’re least afraid of. The more times you do this, the more likely you will feel less anxious.
• When you notice yourself starting to panic, breathe from your diaphragm. Taking long, deep breaths calms your fight or flight response.
– “Men’s Health”

FOR THE RECORD:
• The world’s smallest house-trailer measures just 6 ft-7 in (2 m) by 2 ft-6 in (75 cm) but still manages to cram in a full-sized bed, TV, and bar. The ‘QTvan’ is designed to be pulled by a mobility scooter.
– “Daily Telegraph”
• A rare recording of “God Save the Queen” by the Sex Pistols is now ranked the most valuable vinyl disc of all-time. The group was dropped by A&M Records before the single was released and most of the copies were destroyed. Got one? It’s worth circa $12,500.
– “Record Collector Magazine”

BS AMAZING FACTS:
• Just as with their 140-character musings, Twitter users seem to end up in relationships that are bite-size. According to a new OkCupid survey, Twitter users have shorter relationships, and the difference is measurable and consistent.
– TheDailyBeast.com
• Humpback whales not only sing, they imitate the singing of other whales. And some of their tunes turn into worldwide hits, with whales all over the Pacific Ocean picking them up.
– “New York Times”
• The New York state tax per pack of cigarettes in is a whopping $4.35. That’s why in some stores on the Upper East Side of NYC a pack of smokes can cost $13.
– TTP

BS CHRONOMETER 04.26.11

TODAY’S CELEBIRTHDAYS . . .
1960 [51] Roger Taylor, Birmingham UK, classic rock drummer (Duran Duran-“All You Need is Now”, “The Reflex”)

1963 [48] Jet Li, Beijing, China, movie actor (“The Expendables”, “Cradle 2 the Grave”)

1964 [47] Jimmy Stafford, Morris IL, pop guitarist (Train-“Hey, Soul Sister”, “Drops of Jupiter”)

1965 [46] Kevin James, Stony Brook NY, movie actor (“Paul Blart: Mall Cop”, “I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry”)/TV sitcom actor (“The King of Queens” 1998-2007)

1971 [40] Jay DeMarcus, Columbus OH, country musician (Rascal Flatts-“Why Wait”, “What Hurts the Most”)

1976 [35] Jose Pasillas, Calabasas CA, alt-rock drummer (Incubus-“Love Hurts”, “Anna Molly”)

1977 [34] Tom Welling, NYC, TV actor (‘Clark Kent’ on “Smallville” 2001-11)

1980 [31] Channing Tatum, Cullman AL, movie actor (“Step Up” movies, “GI Joe: The Rise of Cobra”)

TODAY’S BS REASONS TO PARTY . . .
• “Confederate Memorial Day” in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and Mississippi.

• “Kids & Pets Day”, an annual celebration of the magical connection between children and animals.
NET: http://www.kidsandpetsday.com

• “Pretzel Day”, honoring the world’s oldest snack food. Pretzels were made as early as 610 AD by monks in France and Italy using scraps of dough formed into strips to represent a child’s arms folded in prayer.

• “Richter Scale Day”, saluting the open-ended earthquake scale invented by American seismologist Charles Richter, born 111 years ago today (1900). Technically an earthquake could be a ‘10′, though none has ever been measured.

• “World Intellectual Property Day”, established by WIPO in 2000 to celebrate creativity and the contribution made by creators and innovators, and to raise awareness of how patents, copyright, trademarks, and designs impact our daily lives.

THIS DAY IN SHOW BIZ . . .
1986 [25] CBS-TV journalist Maria Shriver marries action-movie actor Arnold Schwarzenegger

TODAY’S FIRSTS . . .
1921 [90] 1st ‘Weather Reports’ on radio (WEW, St Louis MO)

1941 [70] Chicago Cubs use 1st organ in a baseball park (duh duh duh duh da duh … charge!)

TODAY’S RECORD . . .
1986 [25] ‘Worst Nuclear Power Plant Accident in History’ as an explosion and fire at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in the Ukraine releases large quantities of radioactive contamination into the atmosphere (only ‘level 7’ event recorded until this year’s Fukushima I nuclear incident)

AND REMEMBER . . .
[Wed] Administrative Professionals Day
[Wed] International Guide Dog Day
[Wed] International Noise Awareness Day
[Thurs] Take Our Daughters & Sons to Work Day
[Fri] Britain’s Royal Wedding (London)
[Fri] “Fast Five”; “Hoodwinked Too! Hood vs Evil”; “Prom” open in movie theaters
This Week Is … Safe Kids Week
This Month Is … Landscape Architecture Month

BULL’S BITS

SUGGESTED CAVEATS FOR STANDARD WEDDING VOWS:
Word has it, Wills & Kate wrote some of their own vows. A few suggested amendments you might want to include at your upcoming wedding …
• “Assuming we decay at approximately the same rate.”
• “Even if you become a religious freak, except if you adopt a program of abstinence.”
• “Provided you delete Mannheim Steamroller from your iPod.”
• “Except in cases of abuse, assault, or scrapbooking.”
• “Not including weekends apart that involve 2 or more of the following: a hotel room in Chicago, premium vodka, nostalgia, karaoke, that guy I made out with in the stairwell freshman year, and eggs benedict.”
• “Even if you take Viagra, but not if you take it to the gym.”
• “Void where prohibited.”
– Thanks to Rachel Bachman

BS PHONE STARTER:
‘Slut Walks’ are springing up in cities across North America as women take to the streets in risque outfits, demanding the right to protection no matter how they dress. The first protest was a backlash to a suggestion by a Toronto Police Department rep that women should avoid ‘dressing like sluts’ in order not to be victimized in sexual assaults. So does the guy have a point or do the protesting women have a valid beef?
NET: http://www.slutwalktoronto.com

BS RANDOM JOKE:
A cat’s purr is the sound of it generating cute.

BS U-PICK TRIVIA:
• You’re in Germany. What should you never do with your left hand while shaking hands with your right?
a. Clasp it overtop of the other person’s.
b. Keep it in a pocket. [CORRECT. Germans consider it impolite and bad etiquette.]
c. Scratch yourself.
– eDiplomat.com

• You’ve just heard a ‘scroop’. What did you hear?
a. The rustle of silk. [CORRECT]
b. A phlegm-filled cough.
c. The mating call of a moose.
– “Book of Lists”

BS WATER COOLER QUESTION:
Today’s Question: Men say their favorite compliment is ‘you’re funny’; women say their favorite compliment is THIS.
Answer to Give Out Next Show: ‘You have a nice smile’.

BS DEEP THOUGHT:
You know your lifestyle is boring when your parents approve of it.