BS SHOW BIZ BUZZ:
★ Former “Gilmore Girl” Alexis Bledel and “Mad Men” actor Vincent Kartheiser are married … since June. A rep has confirmed the acting couple snuck the wedding past everyone 2 months ago. Seems they wed in a private ceremony and managed to keep it that way. They met on the “Mad Men” set when Kartheiser’s ‘Pete Campbell’ character had an affair with guest-star Bledel’s character (‘Beth Dawes’) during the 2012 season. The love affair continued in real life and Kartheiser proposed a year later.
– ABC News
★ Actor James Van Der Beek has been tapped to join the upcoming “CSI” spin-off series, “CSI: Cyber”. The former “Dawson’s Creek” star is returning to the small-screen in a major role opposite Patricia Arquette. Inspired by the work of a real-life cyberpsychologist, the series centers on ‘Special Agent Avery Ryan’ (Arquette), who heads the Cyber Crime Division of the FBI. Van Der Beek plays an expert in battlefield forensics. “CSI: Cyber” premieres Sundays midseason on CBS-TV.
– “Hollywood Reporter”
★ And actor George Clooney is one step closer to being a married man as he & fiancée Amal Alamuddin have obtained a marriage licence this week in London. The “Ocean’s Eleven” star and the British lawyer visited the Chelsea Register Office, where they signed a legal notice of their intent to marry. It was then posted outside of the Chelsea Town Hall, a requirement in the UK. The announcement also lists the location of the wedding as Italy, but a specific date is not revealed. Reports suggest they’re planning to exchange vows next month at Clooney’s Lake Como villa.
– E! Online

WEEKEND SHOW BIZ SKED:
• “Good Morning America” (ABC) – This morning Luke Bryan (“Crash My Party”).
• Heavy Montréal (Montréal QC) – Saturday-Sunday this metal music meet-up is headlined by Metallica at Parc Jean-Drapeau. Also appearing: Anthrax, Offspring, Slayer, Three Days Grace and others.
NET: http://heavymontreal.com
• “Jimmy Kimmel Live” (ABC/CityTV) – Tonight Tom Petty (“Hypnotic Eye”). Rerun.
• “The Knick” (Cinemax) – Tonight the debut of a new medical drama that revolves around the personal lives and professional struggles of ‘Dr John Thackery’ (Clive Owen) and the staff of NYC’s Knickerbocker Hospital at the turn of the 20th century. The period drama has already been renewed for a 2nd season before the 1st show airs. Directed by Steven Soderbergh.
• Outside Lands Festival (San Francisco CA) – Tonight the 7th annual 3-day fest in Golden Gate Park begins. On the bill for the weekend: Arctic Monkeys, Capital Cities, Kanye West, The Killers, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, Spoon, Tegan & Sara and many more.
NET: http://www.sfoutsidelands.com/home
• “Shark Week” (Discovery Channel) – Sunday the 27th annual begins, a week of documentaries and exploration features about sharks that’s become a ratings winner..
• “Teen Choice Awards” (FOX) – Sunday Sarah Hyland (“Modern Family”) & Tyler Posey (“Teen Wolf”) host the annual fan-voted awards. “Pretty Little Liars” and “The Vampire Diaries” dominate the ‘Choice TV’ category. Ariana Grande, Beyoncé, Iggy Azalea, and Taylor Swift lead music nominees. “Dawn Of the Planet Of the Apes” and “22 Jump Street” are among films up for ‘Choice Summer Movie’.
NET: http://teenchoiceawards.com

BS MUSIC NOTES:
• Beyoncé – Her 63-year-old father and former manager Mathew Knowles is running a training course called “The Entertainment Industry: How Do I Get In?” at Houston Community College beginning in September. Seminars cost $300; $150 extra for a meet-and-greet with the man.
• Chevelle – Saturday the 3rd leg of their North American Summer tour gets underway in Rochester NY. The tour in support of their latest album “La Gargola” winds up in Sacramento CA on September 13th.
• Drake / Lil Wayne – Tonight they embark on a 31-city co-headlining North American tour at the Darien Lake Performing Arts Center near Buffalo NY. The trek wraps September 27th in The Woodlands TX.
• Jeff Beck / ZZ Top – The classic rockers team up for a 5-week joint tour starting tonight in Missoula MT and running through September 12th in The Woodlands TX. The shows will offer full sets from both artists before they end each concert with a collaborative performance.
• Grouplove / Portugal the Man – Sunday in Seattle WA they open up the 2014 Honda Civic Tour. This year the event is being split into 3 tours with 3 genres of music. American Authors will headline the 2nd round; 3BallMTY the 3rd.
• Kacey Musgraves – Seemingly out of left field she’s joining Katy Perry on select dates of her “Prismatic World Tour”, starting Sunday in Grand Rapids MI and winding up in Edmonton AB on August 31st. Musgraves and Perry formed a friendship last year while writing together.
• Kanye West – He’s convinced he’s under constant surveillance by drones which could drop out of the sky and injure his baby daughter North. He expressed his fears during a deposition as part of a legal battle with the photographer who’s suing him over a scuffle at LAX last year.
• Linkin Park / 30 Seconds to Mars – Tonight in West Palm Beach FL they kick off their 25-city co-headlining “Carnivores Tour”, with special guest AFI. The tour runs through September 19th in Concord CA.
• Weird Al Yankovic – Fans have launched a petition calling for him to perform at next year’s Super Bowl. Oddly, the petition (with circa 20,000 signatures) is addressed to the White House, as if the president can influence the NFL’s half-time entertainment choice.

TODAY’S MOVIE OPENINGS:
• “The Hundred-Foot Journey” ( PG Drama ): Helen Mirren stars as the proprietress of a celebrated French restaurant who clashes with an Indian family when they open their own eatery nearby, until undeniable chemistry causes her to take the young chef under her wing. Co-stars Om Puri, Manish Dayal. Produced by Oprah Winfrey and Steven Spielberg.
NET: http://www.dreamworksstudios.com/films/the-hundred-foot-journey
• “Into the Storm” ( PG-13 Action Thriller ): In the span of a single day, the fictional town of ‘Silverton’ is ravaged by an unprecedented onslaught of tornadoes, even as storm trackers predict the worst is yet to come. Stars Richard Armitage (“The Hobbit”), Sarah Wayne Callies (“The Walking Dead”), Matt Walsh, Max Deacon.
NET: http://intothestormmovie.com
• “Step Up All In” ( PG-13 Musical Romance ): All-stars from the previous “Step Up” installments (2006, ’08, ’10, ’12) come together in glittering Las Vegas, battling for a victory that could define their dreams and careers. Stars Ryan Guzman, Briana Evigan, Adam G Sevani, Misha Gabriel Hamilton.
NET: http://stepupmovie.com
• “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” ( PG-13 Action Adventure ): The future of NYC looks grim until 4 outcast brothers rise from the sewers and discover their destiny. Stars Megan Fox, Will Arnett, William Fichtner, Noel Fisher. The latest incarnation of the comic-book franchise that 1st surfaced as a TV show in 1987 and in a string of films beginning in 1990.
NET: http://www.teenagemutantninjaturtlesmovie.com
• Opening in limited release: “About Alex” (Drama); “Deepsea Challenge 3D” (Documentary); “The Dog” (Documentary); and “What If” (Romantic Comedy).

ANOTHER CYBER WARNING!
With news that as many as 1.2 billion user names and password combinations had been stolen, computer security experts are again urging consumers to be more vigilant online. Some of the latest tips for more secure online conduct …
• MIX IT UP: Create passwords that are 10 characters or longer and include uppercase letters, lowercase letters, symbols, and numbers.
• BE MORE CREATIVE: Use a unique password for each account and vary the email addresses you use for accounts.
• SPLIT SOCIAL MEDIA & MONEY: Do not use the same password for credit cards and bank accounts that you use for social media or websites.
• REVISE RECORD-KEEPING: Don’t store your account information in an unsecured document on your computer or network.
• KEEP DATA CLOSE: Don’t share your passwords, even with friends and family.
• STAY INFORMED: Keep up on emerging details of this latest breach, then determine how they might affect you.
– “USA Now”

PUMP IT UP:
Northwestern University researchers have found that music subconsciously makes us feel powerful, giving us perceptions of dominance and confidence. 30-second clips of over 30 pieces of music from various genres were tested to see how powerful they made study participants feel. At the top of the scale, Queen’s “We Will Rock You” and 2 Unlimited’s “Get Ready for This” made participants feel most powerful. Songs rated low in power included Fatboy Slim’s “Because We Can” and Baha Men’s “Who Let the Dogs Out”. After researchers ruled out lyrics as the cause of the effect, they finally found what generates feelings of power … booming bass. (Which you can easily verify next time you’re waiting at a traffic light.)
– DailyMail.co.uk

FOR THE RECORD:
Today wellness guru Deepak Chopra, famous for promoting alternative medicine and self-reflection, is hoping to set a Guinness World Record for ‘Largest-Ever Meditation Gathering’. Currently in Toronto for his biannual week-long ‘Seduction of Sprit Retreat’, he hopes to combine the 300 people attending with some 40,000 who’ve registered to participate online. Here’s how it works: In-person participants get their Zen flowing while others stream the event remotely online. Singer-songwriter India.Arie performs during the meditation.
– CTVNews.ca

DID YOU KNOW?
The Marianas Trench in the Pacific Ocean is so deep that a coin dropped into it would take more than an hour to reach the bottom.
– “1,339 QI Facts to Make Your Jaw Drop”

BS CHRONOMETER 08.08.14

TODAY’S CELEBIRTHDAYS . . .
1937 [77] Dustin Hoffman, LA CA, 5′-5″ movie actor (2 Oscars-“Rain Man”, “Kramer vs Kramer”)

1961 [53] The Edge (David Evans), Barking UK, rock guitarist (U2-“Vertigo”, “Beautiful Day”)/Rock & Roll Hall of Fame (2005)

1973 [41] Mark Wills (Williams), Cleveland TN, country singer (“19 Somethin'”, “Wish You Were Here”)

1973 [41] Scott Stapp, Goldsboro NC, rock singer (Creed-“My Sacrifice”, “With Arms Wide Open”)

1975 [39] Tom Linton, Mesa AZ, rock guitarist (Jimmy Eat World-“Pain”, “The Middle”)

1981 [33] Roger Federer, Basel, Switzerland, top-rank men’s pro tennis player

SATURDAY –
TV co-host Hoda Kotb (“Today”) is 50; Movie actor Eric Bana (“Star Trek”) is 46; Rock drummer Sam Fogarino (Interpol) is 46; Alt-rock bassist Arion Salazar (Third Eye Blind) is 44; TV actress Jessica Capshaw (“Grey’s Anatomy”) is 38; Movie actress Audrey Tautou (“Da Vinci Code”) is 38; Movie actress Anna Kendrick (“The Twilight Saga”) is 29.

SUNDAY –
Movie actress Rosanna Arquette (“Pulp Fiction”) is 55; Movie actor Antonio Banderas (“Shrek”) is 54.

TODAY’S BS REASONS TO PARTY . . .
• “The Date to Create”, a day to brainstorm with family members and/or co-workers on ways to be more creative.
• “Happiness Happens Day”, the 14th annual day to pay someone’s toll, bus or subway fare, or to donate to a charity. It’s all a conspiracy of the ‘Secret Society of Happy People’.
NET: http://www.sohp.com
• “Kool-Aid Days”, the annual weekend celebration of the soft drink mix originally made in Hastings, Nebraska. Edwin E Perkins first marketed the stuff in 1927 in 6 flavors (raspberry, cherry, grape, lemon, orange, and root-beer).
NET: http://www.kool-aiddays.com
• “Sneak Some Zucchini Onto Your Neighbor’s Porch Night”, a day to share the wealth of your vegetable garden with friends and neighbors. Uh, could you make it tomatoes instead?

SATURDAY –
• “Book Lovers Day”. No matter where you are, you’re never alone … as long as you have a book. Is reading as good when using a Kindle or iPad?
• “Garage Sale Day”, saluting a North American institution on what’s likely to be a popular day for garage/yard sales. For argument’s sake, if you put a dollar-value on all your time taken to  prepare and then clean-up after a sale … would it really be worthwhile?
• “International Day of Indigenous People”, as declared by the UN. But is there really such a thing? Weren’t all people originally wanderers?

SUNDAY –
• “Elvis Week 2014” begins with his Memphis TN mansion Graceland offering a raft of events to perpetuate the legend. Activities include a tribute artist contest and memorial service.
NET: http://www.elvis.com/elvisweek/
• “Skyscraper Appreciation Day”, an annual day of appreciation of big buildings observed on  the birth date of architect William Can Alen, designer of NYC’s iconic Chrysler Building.
• “Smithsonian Day”, celebrating the series of Washington DC museums that form the Smithsonian Institution, basically ‘America’s Attic’. It was created on this date in 1846.
• “S’Mores Day” celebrating one of our favorite campfire treats. Here’s the complicated directions – toast marshmallows over campfire, then place them on graham cracker with piece of chocolate. Take second graham cracker and smush it on top. Inhale.
• “Sturgeon Moon”, the Full Moon of August variously known as ‘Full Red Moon’, ‘Green Corn Moon’ or ‘Grain Moon’.

THIS DAY IN SHOW BIZ . . .
2008 [06] Circa 1 billion TV viewers worldwide watch the opening ceremonies of the “Beijing Summer Olympic Games”, highlighted by a massive (partially faked) fireworks display

TODAY’S MUSIC EVENT . . .
2005 [09] 2 jurors from the Michael Jackson molestation case tell NBC-TV’s “Today” that they have come to regret their ruling of ‘not guilty’

TODAY’S FIRST . . .
1988 [26] 39,012 fans attend the 1st-ever night baseball game at Chicago’s Wrigley Field

TODAY’S RECORDS . . .
1988 [26] The temperature hits a high of 88 F on 8/8/88 in NYC

2001 [13] 78-year-old Egyptian Mustafa Semeda claims he has been married 203 times, the first time in 1947

COMING UP . . .
[Mon] Perseids Meteor Shower begins
[Mon] Play In the Sand Day
[Mon] Son & Daughter Day
[Tues] Middle Child Day
[Tues] Vinyl Record Day
[Tues] World Elephant Day
This Week Is … Farmers Market Week
This Month Is … Water Quality Month

BULL’S BITS

COMMERCIAL CASKET MODELS:
Pre-planning your own funeral? Some helpful BS style selections …
‘The Slim Reaper’
‘Cap’n Crypt’
‘The Cardboard Warrior’
‘La-Z-Boy Eterna-Lounger’
‘The Dirt Master’
‘The 19th Hole’
‘The Comfort-King Velvetliner’

BS RANDOM JOKE:
Having children is like having a bowling alley installed in your brain.

BS PHONE STARTER:
☎ What words that are only ever used to describe women do you find offensive? How about: Bewitching, bossy, bubbly, catty, ditzy, exotic, feisty, frumpy, haughty, high-maintenance, high-strung, hormonal, or loose? What would be more acceptable alternatives?

BS WATER COOLER QUESTION:
Question: There are more of THESE in Japan than anywhere else.
Answer: 7-Eleven convenience stores.

BS DEEP THOUGHT:
Money will not make you happy; and happy will not make you money.