Wednesday, April 30, 2025 — Edition: #7942
The Bull is Back!
BS SUBSCRIBER NOTE:
The Bull is back to work (and slightly sunburned)! All subscribers have received account credits for non-service days during the Bull Sheet staff’s Spring Break.
BS SHOW BIZ BUZZ:
★ Nicole Kidman will be celebrated at the Cannes Film Festival, where she’ll receive the Woman in Motion Award. Launched in 2015 by Kering, an official partner of the Cannes Film Festival, the Women in Motion program highlights the creativity and contribution made by women, both on and off screen, in the world of culture and the arts. Previous winners include NBCUniversal Studio Group chair and CEO Donna Langley, Jane Fonda, Geena Davis and Susan Sarandon.
-IMDB
★ Christie Brinkley was reluctant to mention ex-husband Billy Joel’s snacking blackout in her new memoir. The model recalled in “Uptown Girl”, which was released yesterday, that the singer once drunkenly ate spaghetti from a pan on the stove, before accusing his family of eating his pasta — and kicking them out of the house. She told the LA Times: “I hesitated to put that scene in the book. But at the same time, it demonstrates what I was up against.” Brinkley said she “was 100% dedicated to Billy”, but never told anyone about their issues, including her friends. Why? She told the paper: “We had a child together, and I was trying to protect the family.”
-PageSix
★ Warner Bros. is leaning into “Minecraft Movie” mayhem by announcing “Block Party Edition” screenings, which encourage the audience to sing and talk along with the hit film. As the video game adaptation starring Jack Black enters its second month in theaters, it is hoped the screening stunt will spark another round of repeat viewing this weekend. Block Party Edition screenings will be held on Friday in North America and select international markets.
-HollywoodReporter
★ The cousin of “Top Gun: Maverick” screenwriter Eric Singer is suing Paramount Pictures, claiming he wrote key action scenes in the film without credit or compensation. Shaun Gray, who has worked primarily as a visual effects artist, alleges that he helped his cousin director develop the script for 5 months, and kept “meticulous, time-stamped files” documenting his contributions.
-Variety
★ George Lucas has explained why Yoda has such an odd speaking pattern. While at the 2025 TCM Classic Film Festival for a 45th anniversary screening of “The Empire Strikes Back”, the question was put to the filmmaker: “Why does Yoda speak backwards?” This was his response: “Because if you speak regular English, people won’t listen that much.” The Star Wars creator elaborated, saying that he “had to figure out a way to get people to actually listen” to the character’s words – “especially 12-year-olds.”
-LADBible
TODAY’S SHOW BIZ SKED:
• “Jimmy Kimmel Live” (ABC/Global): Allison Janney, Smokey Robinson
• “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” (NBC/CTV): Adam Devine, Chase Sui Wonders, Zach Top
• “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” (CBS/Global): Jen Psaki, d4vd
• “Late Night with Seth Meyers” (NBC/CTV): Florence Pugh
• “After Midnight” (CBS/Global): Tim Baltz, Chris Fleming, Lennon Parham
• “Watch What Happens Live” (Bravo): Madeline Brewer, Ciara Miller
• “The Daily Show” (COM): Jon Meacham, host Desi Lydic
• “The View” (ABC/CTV): Amber Ruffin, Geena Davis
• “Today” (NBC): Dennis Quaid, Mike Epps, Wanda Sykes co-hosts
• “GMA3” (ABC): Sebastian Stan
• “Live with Kelly and Mark” (ABC/CTV): Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, John Morgan
• “The Kelly Clarkson Show” (Check local listings): Aimee Carrero, Cleft Rescue, Opry Dan
• “The Drew Barrymore Show” (Check local listings): Ke Huy Quan, JoAnna Garcia Swisher
• “Jennifer Hudson Show” (Check local listings): Joel Kim Booster
• “Celebrity Wheel of Fortune” (ABC): Joe Manganiello, Tiffany Haddish, Matt Walsh
• “Survivor” (CBS): A rice negotiation with Jeff is completed in almost record time; 2 players begin to target each other.
• “Jeopardy! Masters” (ABC): Season 3 premiere
• “In the Kitchen with Harry Hamlin” (AMC+): Season 2 premiere
BS MUSIC NOTES:
• Kendrick Lamar and SZA – Their smash ‘Luther’ has now been at the top of the Billboard Hot 100 for 10 weeks. Just 4% of all Hot 100 #1s, dating to the chart’s 1958 debut have ruled for that long.
• Travis Scott – His Cactus Jack-themed headlining Coachella performance has resulted in the festival’s organizer being fined $20,000 for running overtime. City of Indio officials established the fines as part of its contract with Goldenvoice, which specifies a penalty of $20K for the first 5 minutes past curfew, and $1,000 for every minute after.
• Metallica – gave $40,000 to Toronto’s Daily Bread Food Bank, following 2 sold-out shows at Rogers Centre last week. The donation was made on behalf of Metallica’s All Within My Hands Foundation. In 2016, the group gave all ticket proceeds from their surprise Opera House show to the Food Bank.
• Oasis – Noel and Liam Gallagher have officially performed together for the time in 16 years. In preparation for their reunion tour this summer, the brothers secretly took to the stage at a London working men’s club, and their set was filmed for a promotional video. The Sun reports that locals in Stoke Newington complained about the noise.
• Red Hot Chili Peppers – Anthony Kiedis says the band is planning to release a collection of 40 years’ worth of B-sides, outtakes and rarities. In an interview, he revealed he’s particularly fond of a “Californication” outtake called ‘Gong Li’. Kiedis quote: “Ooh, you feel that all up in your bowels, I swear to god.”
• Dustin Lynch and Scotty McCreery — are joining forces for their co-headlining “Two for the Road Tour”. They have announced a dozen shows this fall. Walker Montgomery and Sons of Habit, who will appear on select dates, open the shows. Presale begins today. LINK: https://tinyurl.com/5ysysups
• Shaboozey – After taking the stage at both Coachella and Stagecoach, he has announced his “Great American Roadshow” tour. It kicks off Sept. 22 in Indianapolis. Last week, he released the complete edition of his breakthrough 2024 album “Where I’ve Been, Isn’t Where I’m Going”, with 6 new songs and a visualizer for his Jelly Roll collab ‘Amen’.
• Toby Keith – His daughter Krystal is celebrating the fulfillment of a dream he worked toward for much of his life. One of Keith’s horses, Render Judgment, has qualified to race in the 2025 Kentucky Derby. A post on his IG account says: “Toby will have the best seat in the house” as he cheers on his horse from Heaven. LINK: https://tinyurl.com/437974aj
SHOOTING THE BULL
HOUND LOVE IS SOUND LOVE:
We don’t call them “man’s best friend” for nothing. But it turns out they can be best friends with pretty much anyone. A new research study found that dogs outrank most human relationships when it comes to satisfaction and support. Dog owners reported higher emotional fulfillment, greater companionship, and fewer conflicts with their pooches than with relatives, partners, or friends. Only the bond between parents and their children saw comparable benefits. The Hungarian researchers found that like a parent-child relationship, the dog-owner bond combines strong affection and nurturing with minimal conflict, and doesn’t include the emotional baggage often found between humans. They also determined that people don’t necessarily use doggos to replace human relationships, but to complement them. People with strong human connections also tend to have strong bonds with their dogs, suggesting our canine companions enhance, rather than provide a substitute for our social lives.
(It’s true: When my dog looks at me, it’s with love. When humans look at me, it’s usually because I just said something weird…)
(Not wrong: My dog listens better, judges less, and only ghosts me when there’s a squirrel!)
-StudyFinds
HANDS-FREE, MOUTH FULL?
Today’s young drivers are driving distracted – but it’s not technology that’s the problem. A new survey of 2,000 American drivers, split evenly among generations, found that despite the stereotype of younger generations always having their phones in their hands, Gen Z is using tech in smarter ways while driving. But 54% admitted to eating while driving in the past year, compared to 53% of millennials, 47% of Gen X and 32% of baby boomers. The survey, conducted for Distracted Driving Awareness Month in April, also found that Gen Z drivers were also more likely to drive while tired (32%), and to have a heated argument with someone else in the car (15% for Gen Z and millennials). Need more? They were also found most likely to let a pet sit in their lap while driving (13%). On a more positive note, young drivers were found most likely to utilize car-specific settings like DriveMode, CarPlay and Android Auto while driving, and are more likely to make hands-free phone calls, send hands-free texts, and have their phone read text messages to them while driving. That’s a clear sign that younger drivers are using tech to drive smarter.
(So – to review, today’s young drivers are generally “hands-free”, but not “cheeseburger-free”?)
(I didn’t even know my car COULD read texts to me while I’m driving. It’s getting so you can’t ignore a message anywhere but in the shower!)
-Talker
HEAR’S THE LATEST:
You know the routine. You’re at a crowded social function when someone speaks to you, amid the drone of the crowd, the music, and the clinking of drinks and silverware. You ask them to repeat themselves, but you still can’t make out what they’re saying, so you try to fake-laugh it off, or simply say “yeah” – having no idea what you just agreement with. This trick might help. French scientists are saying that you can simply tap your finger before someone speaks in order to hear better in a noisy environment. The team asked people to listen to long sentences. Those who tapped their fingers on a table rhythmically beforehand were found to be better able to identify key words and sentences, despite the background noise. Apparently, it works thanks to the brain responding to the finger rhythm, which imitates the regular pace of spoken words. The researchers wrote that their “experiments underscore the interwoven relationship between action and perception, expanding our understanding of the motor system’s involvement in language comprehension.”
(Great! Now I just need to work on understanding what the heck it was that I just said!)
(…and, as usual, I’ll look like I’m guest-DJing every conversation!)
-CTVNews
ONCE-NORMAL THINGS THAT “NEVER ACTUALLY CAME BACK” AFTER THE PANDEMIC:
According to a Reddit thread (and omitting the inevitable negative ones about manners, etiquette, and general civility being a thing of the past), here are some of the best responses…
⇒ “24-hour stores. Getting off at 1:30am was a little better when I could stop at the store on the way home and get dinner.”
⇒ “Affordable housing/rentals. Affordable goods and services. Affordable foods. Affordable shipping costs.”
⇒ “Paper, sort of. My job went 100% digital during the lockdown, and will remain digital for the foreseeable future.”
⇒ “McDonald’s breakfast all day.”
⇒ “My willingness to wear a bra.”
(What else should be added to the list? I’m still waiting for my sense of smell to return!)
-BuzzFeed
WEIRDEST ICE CREAM TOPPINGS:
According to a poll…
► Avocado
► Bacon bits (Hey – don’t knock ‘em ‘til you try ‘em!)
► Green beans
► Sweet pickles
► Ketchup
► Mayonnaise
► Squid ink
(What’s the oddest thing you’ve ever heard of as an ice cream topping? And why is it ketchup?)
-StudyFinds
DID YOU KNOW?
While it’s been said that manners maketh a man, it turns out they also maketh AI a lot less environmentally friendly. According to OpenAI’s CEO Sam Altman, when we use polite terms like “please” and “thank you” when communicating with ChatGPT, it is forced to perform extra computations before coming up with a response. Factor in ChatGPT’s billion queries per day, spread across its 350 million weekly active users, and you can see there’s a lot of excess energy and expenditure seemingly going to waste. In addition, Altman says the monetary figure of that extra processing could stretch as far as “Tens of millions of dollars.” On the other hand, more than one report has concluded that being kind to ChatGPT and other bots may result in better – and more polite responses. (Well, there you go: Next time you catch me yelling at my computer, just know—I’m being eco-friendly!)
-LapTop
BS CHRONOMETER 04.30.25
BS REASONS TO PARTY . . .
• “Adopt a Shelter Pet Day”, an annual event encouraging the adoption of strays. On a sadder note, the SPCA observes a moment of silence today, for the thousands of dogs and cats euthanized each year because they are unable to find homes.
• “International Jazz Day”, initiated in 2001 by UNESCO to celebrate appreciation of the music form and its influence in promoting peace and intercultural dialogue. This year’s All-Star Global Concert from host city Abu Dhabi, UAE will be broadcast via YouTube, Facebook, the UN and UNESCO to millions of viewers worldwide, and was organized by Herbie Hancock. LINK: http://jazzday.com
• “Honesty Day”, created by author M. Hirsh Goldberg in the early 1990s after spending 4 years researching & writing “The Book of Lies”. Goldberg thought that April, which begins with a big day of lying (April Fool’s Day), should end on a higher moral note. (***See “BS Signs You’re too Honest”, below***)
• “Spank Out Day”, initiated in 1998 to give widespread attention to the need to end corporal punishment of children, and to promote non-violent ways of teaching appropriate behavior to kids.
• “Bugs Bunny Day”. Bugs made his debut in a cartoon called “Porky’s Hare Hunt” on this date in 1938. Perhaps the reason people don’t recognize Bugs from that early cartoon is that he was credited as ‘Happy Rabbit’. (***Bugs soundbites: https://tinyurl.com/r7ak972d ***)
• “Oatmeal Cookie Day”. They’ve been around since the 1800s. In the early the 1900s, a recipe for the delicious treats appeared on containers of Quaker Oats. Oatmeal cookies are considered health food because they’re an excellent source of iron and fiber. Just another reason to have one today!
• “Denim Day”. Millions of people will wear jeans with a purpose today: to support survivors, and educate themselves and others about all forms of sexual violence. (I tend to avoid skinny jeans. They’re getting more and more difficult to ‘pull off’!)
AND REMEMBER . . .
[Thurs] May Day
[Thurs] Lei Day
[Fri] Brothers and Sisters Day
[Sat] Chocolate Custard Day
This Week is…Preservation Week
This Month is…Soft Pretzel Month
TODAY’S CELEBIRTHDAYS . . .
1959 [66] Stephen Harper, Toronto ON, politician (Canada’s 22nd Prime Minister 2006-15)/Chair of the International Democrat Union since 2018
1971 [54] Chris Henderson, Escatawpa MS, rock guitarist (3 Doors Down-‘Kryptonite’, ‘Here Without You’)
1975 [50] Johnny Galecki, Bree Belgium, TV actor (‘Leonard Hofstadter’ on “The Big Bang Theory” 2007-19, ‘David Healy’ on “Roseanne” 1992-97, “The Conners” 2018-19)/movie actor (“National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation”)
1980 [45] Sam Heughan, New Galloway Scotland, TV actor (“Outlander” since 2014)
1981 [44] Kunal Nayyar, London England, TV actor (‘Raj Koothrappali’ on “The Big Bang Theory” 2007-19)
1981 [44] Justin Vernon, Eau Claire WI, indie-folk singer/multi-instrumentalist (Bon Iver-‘Blood Bank’, ‘Speyside’)
1982 [43] Kirsten Dunst, Point Pleasant NJ, TV actress (“Fargo” 2015)/movie actress (“Interview with the Vampire”, “Spider-Man” films) COMING UP…”Roofman”, 2025
1985 [40] Gal Gadot, Petah Tikva Israel, movie actress (“Wonder Woman” franchise, “Snow White”) COMING UP…”The Runner”
1986 [39] Dianna Agron, Savannah GA, TV actress (‘Quinn Fabray’ on “Glee” 2009-15)
1988 [37] Ana De Armas, Havana Cuba, TV actress (“Knives Out”); movie actress (“Blade Runner 2049”)
1991 [34] Travis Scott (Jacques Webster II), Houston TX, rapper-singer-songwriter (‘Highest in the Room’)/father of Stormi and Aire Webster with Kylie Jenner
THIS DAY IN SHOW BIZ . . .
1988 [37] Tom Hanks marries actress Rita Wilson.
1997 [28] 42 million people watch as Ellen DeGeneres publicly declares she is gay, during an appearance on “The Oprah Winfrey Show”.
2018 [07] A new species of water beetle from Malaysia, the ‘Grouvellinus leonardodicaprioi’, is named after Leonardo DiCaprio.
TODAY’S MUSIC EVENTS . . .
2008 [17] During his headlining set at Coachella, Roger Waters’ giant inflatable pig escapes, roams the countryside — and eventually deflates.
2015 [10] Ben E. King, the singer and songwriter of ‘Stand by Me’, dies at age 76.
2022 [03] Naomi Judd dies by suicide at 76, one day before she’s inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame with The Judds, the duo she formed with daughter Wynonna.
TODAY’S FIRSTS . . .
1952 [73] “Mr. Potato Head” becomes the first toy advertised on television.
1989 [36] The World Wide Web (WWW) is first launched in the public domain by European research organization CERN scientist Tim Berners-Lee.
2009 [16] Chrysler files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. (After a government bailout, Chrysler Group is now owned by “Stellantis”, which also includes brands such as Alfa Romeo, Citroën, Fiat, Maserati, and Peugeot.)
BULL’S BITS
BS WHACK FACTS:
✓ The human body gives off enough heat in 30 minutes to bring a gallon of water to a boil.
✓ A static electricity shock that zaps your finger when you touch a doorknob is usually between 10,000 and 30,000 volts, but the current is small, making it generally harmless.
✓ Blue-eyed people tend to have a higher tolerance to alcohol than those with darker eyes.
✓ Pineapples take 2 to 3 years to grow.
✓ A May fly generally only lives for one day.
✓ Nick Castle, who played the masked ‘Michael Myers’ in the original “Halloween” movie, has a cat named ‘Michael Meowers’.
-RandomFactGenerator, Factinate
Best of BS . . .
In honor of “Honesty Day”, we present the…
BS SIGNS YOU’RE TOO HONEST:
• When everyone in the elevator starts to wince, you proudly announce, “It was me!”
• When someone asks why you’re selling an item at your garage sale, you say: “Because it’s a piece of crap that I don’t want anymore, but rather than toss it out I thought some idiot might give me money for it.”
• When you call your ex at 3am, you start the conversation by saying: “I’m hammered and I’m desperate.”
• When you’re late for work and the boss asks, “Heavy traffic?” you say, “No. I hate you, I hate this job and I wait until the last possible minute to leave the house each morning.”
• Every time your wife asks you if you think she needs to lose some weight, you end up sleeping on the couch.
-First published in BS 2002
TODAY’S SCOOP OF BS:
➠ The conclave to elect the 267th Pope will begin May 7th. (Experts say that when thick black smoke is seen pouring out of the Vatican, it’ll indicate one of 2 things: Either the first ballot was a deadlock, or Willie Nelson has arrived!)
➠ May 7, the cardinals will go into seclusion in St. Peter’s Basilica until they choose a new Pope – and at that time, they don’t have access to the internet. (This is to keep them from being exposed to any press rumors . . . or any “White Lotus” spoilers!)
➠ A study shows that people who vent their anger live longer. (This just in: My wife will live forever!)
➠ There’s a bracelet that reminds you to drink water. (That should go perfectly with my belt that reminds me that I’ve been eating way too much…!)
➠ Thought of the Day: You’re not truly comfortable with someone until you can sit with them in silence, and it’s not awkward. (Exactly how I felt at my mother in law’s funeral!)
BS WEB GOODIE:
He won the internet – but is he REALLY a winner? https://tinyurl.com/43t379xy
BS RANDOM JOKE:
Sure, vacations are expensive. But you can’t put a price tag on arguing with your family in a different place!
BS THREEZER:
(Give contestant the clues, they tell you what all 3 have in common…)
• A lure, an actor, a broken leg
Answer: They are all cast (or casted)
• Your voice, your children, your hand
Answer: Things you raise
• An actor, a crowded amusement park, a football field
Answer: They all have lines
-TriBond
☎ BS PHONE STARTER:
Your rap name is “Lil”, then the last thing you spent money on. Go! (I’m not sure how much street cred this’ll give me, but mine is ‘Lil Credit Card Bill’…)
BS WATER COOLER QUESTION:
In a survey asking about the most satisfying do-it-yourself projects, planting things came in at #1. What came in fourth?
Answer: Pulling weeds
BS DEEP THOUGHT:
You don’t have to be great to get started, but you have to get started to be great.
