Friday, December 12, 2008        Edition: #3921
Here’s More Bull Roar!

BS SHOW BIZ BUZZ:
Summit Entertainment has tentatively slated November 20, 2009 as the release date for the “Twilight” sequel, “New Moon”, which means the director who signs on to replace axed Catherine Hardwicke has to be in Vancouver by December 15th to begin 12 weeks of pre-production before a mid-March start date (there goes the holidays!) . . . With 5 apiece, “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” and “Frost/Nixon” lead the movie nominations for the “Golden Globe Awards”, to be handed out January 11th (gee, nothing for “The Hottie & The Nottie“?) . . . Meantime, bio-pic “Milk” has been awarded ‘Best Picture’ by the New York Film Critics Circle, as well as ‘Best Actor’ for its star Sean Penn (amazing what a little kiss can do) . . . Some 3 years after they exchanged heated words on-camera, actor Tom Cruise will again sit down with Matt Lauer for a live interview on Monday’s “Today Show” on NBC-TV (Cruise is seemingly everywhere these days, which makes you wonder – just how bad is “Valkyrie?) . . . Chace Crawford, the 23-year-old pretty boy who plays ‘Nate Archibald’ on “Gossip Girl” (CW) has reportedly been spotted sneaking off with underage castmate Taylor Momsen, age 15 (as usual, the behind-the-scenes stuff is steamier than the show) . . . Fantasia Barrino, the Season 3 winner of “American Idol”, is apparently having money problems and her North Carolina house is facing foreclosure (hard to believe after she had that big hit tune … er … um) . . . Don’t feel too bad about Brooke Smith (‘Dr Erica Hahn‘) getting sliced out of “Grey’s Anatomy”, she’s now writing a new show with “Deadwood” creator David Milch (lesbian doctors in the Old West – cool!) . . . And TR Knight (‘Dr George O’Malley‘, may indeed be next to go from “Grey’s” despite network denials, “Entertainment Weekly” reporting that he’s formally requested producer Shonda Rhimes release him from his contract, a request she’s close to granting.

WEEKEND SHOW BIZ SLED:
• “The Nutcracker” – Saturday one of the annual favorites put on by the National Ballet of Canada dances across cinema screens nationwide. The matinee will be captured by 6 hi-def cameras at Toronto’s Four Seasons Centre For the Performing Arts and simulcast via satellite to some 79 theaters. Tickets are $9.95 for kids/$19.95 for adults, with a special family price.
• Race of Champions (Wembley Stadium, London UK) – Sunday the main event in this racing exhibition is supposed to be retired Formula One champ Michael Schumacher vs French rally driver Sebastian Loeb. But the warm-up race seems more intriguing: British F1 champion Lewis Hamilton vs Olympic gold medal-winning Chris Hoy … a cyclist.
• “Saturday Night Live” (NBC/Global) – “House” star Hugh Laurie hosts; Kanye West is the musical guest.

BS MUSIC NOTES:
• Ashlee Simpson-Wentz – Word has it she & Fall Out Boy hubby Pete Wentz are struggling to find a celeb magazine willing to buy the first photos of newborn Bronx Mowgli. (She would have put her tactless daddy on the case but was worried he’d sell the kid instead.)
• Avril Lavigne – It’s been confirmed her ties with Vancouver-based Nettwerk management have been severed, no reason given. Some say she fired her management company in a bid to revive her flagging career, but neither side will comment. (The word ‘unmanageable’ comes to mind.)
• Brad Paisley – The country star’s asking fans to create a music video for “Start a Band” using green-screen technology. He’s already filmed his portion but users can change the backdrop and add themselves or others to the video. (The new way to run lean and mean.)
• Kiss – They’ve reversed course and decided to hit the studio next year to record their 1st new album since 1998’s “Psycho Circus”. Guitarist Paul Stanley will produce. (Short of cash, are we?)
• Pearl Jam – “Ten”, their 1991 debut album that sold 12 million copies, will be reissued in 4 new and expanded editions on March 24th. (So many bands seem to be going green by recycling.)
• Toni Braxton – She reveals she had a benign tumor removed from her breast shortly after leaving the “Dancing With the Stars” competition (ABC). (Getting the boot may have saved her life!)

TODAY’S MOVIE OPENINGS:
• “The Day the Earth Stood Still” ( PG-13 Sci-fi Thriller ): Keanu Reeves stars in this big-budget remake of the classic 1951 sci-fi movie about alien visitation. Jennifer Connelly & Kathy Bates co-star. The original film’s electronic score has been rejigged and updated to be used for this film. Shot in Vancouver.
NET: http://www.thedaytheearthstoodstillmovie.com
• “Delgo” ( PG Animated Adventure ): A troubled teen (voiced by Freddie Prinze Jr) gets involved in stopping a war orchestrated by a power-hungry villain. Produced in 2003. Voice cast includes (Jennifer Low Hewitt, Val Kilmer & Anne Bancroft (in her final film; she died in 2005).
NET: http://www.delgo.com
• “Nothing Like the Holidays” ( PG-13 Romantic Comedy ):  John Leguizamo & Debra Messing star in this story of a scattered Puerto Rican family that reunites in Chicago to celebrate the holidays. But as usual at these gatherings, old tensions surface and family unity is challenged.
NET: http://www.nothingliketheholidays.com

#1 WINOS:
After an extremely good Summer, Italy will produce more wine this year than rival France for the first time in a decade, making it the world’s biggest winemaker. An Italian farmer’s association predicts 4.7 billion liters of wine will be produced, an increase of 8% over last year, which surpasses France’s 4.4 billion liter production. It is not just production that’s booming, but also demand, led by Amarone, Brunello di Montalcino, Chianti and also Prosecco, which is priced lower than champagne and gets more attractive in tough economic times. (95 bottles for every Italian … not THAT is a good year.)
– “The Guardian”

WAYS TO AVOID GERMS WHILE TRAVELING:
• Sit toward the front of aircraft where ventilation systems provide better air flow.
• Don’t drink coffee or tea on an airliners as water in airplane tanks isn’t always the cleanest.
• Sanitize your hands after leaving a washroom, after getting off an escalator, or after using an ATM.
– CNN

READ THIS TO IMPRESS WOMEN:
According to a survey commissioned by the National Year of Reading, the best book for a guy to read in order to impress a woman is Nelson Mandela’s autobiography, “Long Walk to Freedom”. Ladies also go weak at the knees if you read Shakespeare, poetry, and/or cooking books. Men, on the other hand, are most impressed by women who read news websites, song lyrics, and Shakespeare. The poll also reveals that 1-in-5 adults admits to deliberately choosing material to read while waiting for a date in order to make a good impression when they arrive.
– “GQ”

WORST MOVIES OF 2008:
A new ranking of the foulest films of the year …
10. “Alien vs Predator: Requiem”
9. “Righteous Kill”
8. “Love In the Time of Cholera”
7. “Semi-Pro”
6. “88 Minutes”
5. “Star Wars: The Clone Wars”
4. “First Sunday”
3. “Never Back Down”
2. “Meet the Spartans”
1. “Disaster Movie”
– TimesOnline

WIDE WORLD OF BS:
• A Chinese farmer with only basic education has built himself an army of robot servants over the past 30 years. Wu Yulu has built 26 robots out of scrap material since the age of 11, many with highly developed skills such as serving drinks, lighting cigarettes, playing musical instruments, and writing calligraphy. His favorite is the rickshaw-hauling robot which pulls him around town for his daily tour. Unfortunately, he’s now having to sell some of his toys as his obsession with ‘bots has plunged his family into debt. (Put ‘em to work, dummy!)
– Ananova News
• 19-year-old Italian death metal singer Cristina Balzano has been arrested for stabbing the guitarist in her band Soul Cry after he fluffed a guitar riff. Balzano allegedly stabbed the 16-year-old guitarist for playing the wrong notes during a rehearsal session after accusing him of ‘sounding evil’. (Uh, isn’t that the point?)
– The Guestlist
• Australian astronomers who’ve charted the night sky of 2,000 years ago now claim that Jesus Christ was actually born on June 17th and that the ‘Star of Bethlehem’ was actually a conjunction of 2 planets. “Sky & Space” magazine editor Dave Reneke arrived at these conclusions after leading a team of astronomers in recreating the exact positions of celestial bodies over the Holy Land in 2 BC. (Does this mean we get 6 more months to shop?)
– AHN

BS AMAZING FACT:
On average, redheads have 90,000 hairs. People with black hair have about 110,000 hairs .
– GreatFacts.com

BS CHRONOMETER 12.12.08
TODAY’S CELEBIRTHDAYS . . .
1970 [38] Jennifer Connelly, Catskill Mountains NY, movie actress (“The Day the Earth Stood Still”, “A Beautiful Mind”)

1977 [31] Bridget Hall, Springdale AR, fashion model (“Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show”) who’s appeared on more than 200 fashion magazine covers

SATURDAY –
Stage/movie actor Christopher Plummer (“Caesar & Cleopatra”) is 79; Movie/TV actor Steve Buscemi (“Fargo”) is 51; Movie actor/singer Jamie Foxx (“Ray”) is 41; Rock singer/guitarist Tom Delonge (Angels & Airwaves) is 33; TV actor James Kyson Lee (“Heroes”) is 33; Rock singer Amy Lee (Evanescence) is 27; Country singer Taylor Swift (“White Horse”) is 19.

SUNDAY –
Rock bassist Cliff Williams (AC/DC) is 59; TV/movie actress Vanessa Hudgens (“High School Musical”) is 20.

TODAY’S BS REASONS TO PARTY . . .
• “Cold Moon”, the Full Moon of December, sometimes called the “Moon Before Yule” or the “Long Night Moon”.
• “Day of Our Lady of Guadalupe”, one of Mexico’s major celebrations. The holiday has been observed since 1746 to honor the country’s patron saint, the ‘Dark Virgin of Guadalupe’ (also patron saint of Corona-with-lime). An estimated 10 million visit her basilica in Mexico City annually.
• “Poinsettia Day”, honoring Dr Joel Roberts Poinsett (1799-1851), the American diplomat who introduced us to the Central American plant named for him in 1828. It’s now a favorite decoration during the holiday season. In fact, close to 60 million poinsettias are now grown in North America each year.
NET: http://www.ecke.com/html/h_corp/corp_pntday.html

SATURDAY –
• “Geminid Meteor Shower”, which NASA’s Meteoroid Environment Office calls the ‘best meteor show of the year’, peaks this evening when those who live in dark, rural areas may be able to see as many as 75 bright meteors per hour streaking across the sky.
• “St Lucy’s Day”, honoring her 304 AD birth. Legend has it that, in order to follow a life of religious devotion, she cut out her eyes and sent them on a plate to a persistent lover who was haunted by them (especially afterward!). On this day hotels in Sweden each feature their own ‘Lucia’, a young blond girl in white gown who serves guests coffee and ‘lussekatter’ (saffron buns) to celebrate.
• “Violins Day”, for some unknown reason. Don’t forget your G-string!

SUNDAY –
• “Bouillabaisse Day”, a day to throw some shellfish in a pot with some finely-chopped onion, celery & tomato, a little white wine, a little more white wine, and – BAM!! – a whole mess of garlic. Nummers, instant heaven!
• “International Shareware Day”, either something to do with public domain software or wearing your wife’s jeans.

THIS DAY IN SHOW BIZ . . .
2002 [06] Movie actor Nick Nolte pleads no contest to drugs DUI in Malibu CA and is sentenced to 3 years’ probation (his wild-haired mug shot has become an online classic)

TODAY’S MUSIC EVENT . . .
2003 [05] Rolling Stones’ frontman (Sir) Mick Jagger is knighted at Buckingham Palace

TODAY’S FIRST . . .
1899 [109] 1st ‘Golf Tee’ patented by George Grant of Boston (1st time he uses it, he forgets to pick it up and loses it)

1925 [83] 1st ‘Motel’ opens, the Milestone Mo-Tel in San Luis Obispo CA (‘Mr & Mrs John Smith’ are 1st to check in)

1946 [62] ‘Tide’ detergent is 1st marketed (why does it cost so much more?)

2000 [08] US Supreme Court stops Florida vote recount, giving George W Bush the presidency over Al Gore

TODAY’S RECORDS . . .
1919 [89] Record ‘cold snap’ in Vancouver as temperature drops to -23 C and Fraser River freezes completely over so cars are able to drive across

1976 [32] Last NFL team to go ‘winless’ for an entire season as Tampa Bay Buccaneers go 0-14 (c’mon Lions, you can tie the record this weekend!)

1981 [27] Wayne Gretzky scores NHL’s quickest 50 goals (in just 39 games)

AND REMEMBER . . .
[Mon] US Bill of Rights Day
[Tues] Chocolate Covered Anything Day
[Tues] Las Posadas begins (Mexico)
[Wed] Maple Syrup Day
[Wed] Underdog Day
[Thurs] Bake Cookies Day
This Week Is … Human Rights Week
This Month Is … Safe Toys & Gifts Month

BULL’S BITS
BS SIGNS SANTA CLAUS IS A WOMAN:
• Santa actually remembers it’s Christmas. ‘Nuf said.
• Reads children’s letters in office instead of in the bathroom.
• A guy simply would not care if you were naughty or nice.
• Matching shoes and belt? Only a woman would accessorize a pantsuit like that.
• No guy would ever name his animals ‘Dancer’ and ‘Prancer’.
• With the way they build chimneys these days you’d *have* to be Nicole freakin’ Richie just to get in.
–TopFive.com

WHAT WOMEN ARE READING THIS MONTH:
• ‘Sexy Ideas for Winter Love’ (“Redbook”)
• ‘20-Minute Fat-Blasting Workout’ (“Ladies’ Home Journal”)
• ‘Worried About Bad Breath? Here’s How to Tell if You Have It‘ (“Glamour”)
• ‘15 Ways to Look Sexy All Night Long’ (“Cosmopolitan”)
• ‘How Do I Clean That?’ (“Woman’s Day”)

WHAT MEN ARE READING THIS MONTH:
• ‘Guinness-Based Recipes’ (AskMen.com)
• ‘What She Really Thinks About Your Size’ (“Men’s Fitness”)
• ‘Should You Get a Sex Coach?’ (“Details”)
• ‘The Secret Evil Inside Eli Manning’ (“Esquire”)
• ‘Dudes We Would Do If We Were Into Doing Dudes’ (“Maxim”)

BS RANDOM JOKE:
The only one who ever got anything done by Friday was Robinson Crusoe.

BS U-PICK TRIVIA:
How many ‘pipers piping’ in “The 12 Days of Christmas”?
a. 3
b. 8
c. 11 [CORRECT]

BS PHONE STARTER:
If you could remove a single word from the dictionary, what would it be?

BS WATER COOLER QUESTION:
Today’s Question: Experts say just thinking of THIS will give you an instant energy boost.
Answer to Give Out Next Show: Your favorite song.

BS DEEP THOUGHT:
If you live by the calendar, your days are numbered.