Thursday, December 14, 2006 Edition: #3430
Jingle Bull … Jingle Bull …
BS SHOW BIZ BUZZ:
TODAY & tomorrow a Profiles in History Hollywood memorabilia auction in Beverly Hills CA is highlighted by the special effects dorsal fin from the great white shark in the movie “Jaws”; Elvis Presley’s diamond & platinum wedding band from his marriage to Priscilla Presley (expected to go for over $100,000); ‘R2-D2’s dome-head used in both “Star Wars: Return of the Jedi” and “The Phantom Menace” (circa $150,000); and Bert Lahr’s ‘Cowardly Lion’ costume from “The Wizard of Oz” which could fetch a half-million or more (NET: http://profilesinhistory.com/) . . . “Rolling Stone” magazine has named Bob Dylan’s “Modern Times” the ‘Best Album’ of 2006 and Gnarls Barkley’s “Crazy” the ‘Best Single’ . . . Hoping to further solidify their monopoly on the concert ticket biz, Ticketmaster has launched a website where consumers can report incidents of ticket fraud (NET: http://www.ticketmaster.com/stopthescammers) . . . YESTERDAY tickets to the just announced “Concert for Diana” (JULY 1st) at London’s Wembley Stadium sold out within hours of going on sale (‘extra tickets’ will be offered in the new year) . . . No surprise here – Kevin Federline is now threatening to write a tell-all book revealing details of estranged wife Britney Spears’ alleged drug use, wild partying and lesbian tendencies (the slimeball is hoping either a publisher will pay him big money – or Britney will) . . . Model/actress Rebecca Romijn (“X-Men“) is joining the cast of “Ugly Betty” (ABC/CityTV) as a series regular, playing the mystery woman underneath all the bandages . . . And THIS WEEK the Netherlands has become the first country to turn off all analog TV transmitters, switching all transmissions to digital (you better think twice about that sales job selling ‘rabbit ears’ in Europe).
BS MUSIC NOTES:
• Beck – TONIGHT he performs on “Jimmy Kimmel Live” (ABC).
• Billy Talent – TODAY they do “MuchOnDemand” (MuchMusic).
• Evanescence – TONIGHT they’re on “Late Show With David Letterman” (CBS).
• 50 Cent – TONIGHT he appears on “Late Night With Conan O’ Brien” (NBC).
• Goo Goo Dolls – TONIGHT they perform on the “Tonight Show With Jay Leno” (NBC).
• Jewel – TONIGHT she guests on “Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson (CBS).
• Kellie Pickler — TONIGHT she appears on the “Tonight Show With Jay Leno” as a ‘special correspondent’ in NYC, visiting Chinatown, Rockefeller Center, and taking her first subway ride.
• Natalie Cole – TODAY she’s a guest on the “Ellen DeGeneres Show” (syndicated/CityTV).
• Pearl Jam – They’ve recorded a cover of The Who’s “Love, Reign O’er Me” for the upcoming Adam Sandler-Don Cheadle movie “Reign Over Me” (opening MARCH 9th).
• Shakira – She’s joined with fellow Colombian and Nobel Literature Prize laureate Gabriel Garcia Marquez to launch ‘ALAS’ (Latin America in Solidarity Action), a foundation to fight child poverty in Latin America.
• Trick Pony – LAST NIGHT the “On A Night Like This“ country act recorded their final album together on stage at the Wildhorse Saloon in Nashville TN. Vocalist Heidi Newfield has already announced plans to make her solo debut NEXT YEAR.
COMING ATTRACTIONS:
A selection of movies in the making …
• “One of the Guys” – Contrary to recent rumors, 42-year-old Sandra Bullock says she is not pregnant and is working on next project, producing and starring in this romantic comedy about a tomboy type who surprises her male pals by suddenly getting in touch with her frilly feminine side. The flick’s not scheduled to hit the bigscreen until 2009.
• “Semi-Pro” – Outkast’s Andre Benjamin is set to plays a ladies’ man and star player on the ‘Flint Michigan Tropics’, a fictional American Basketball Association team owned and coached by Will Ferrell’s character. Woody Harrelson will also co-star. The sports comedy is due in theaters sometime in 2008.
• “Sin City 2” – Angelina Jolie has been in talks with director Robert Rodriguez about playing that dame to kill for, ‘Ava Lord’, in the upcoming sequel to the 2005 crime thriller. The movie would re-team her with her “Beyond Borders” co-star Clive Owen, who would again play her on-again/off-again love interest.
• “Star Trek XI” – Though he’s yet to be asked, actor Matt Damon says if producer/director JJ Abrams approaches him about playing ‘Captain Kirk’ in the planned new prequel, he’ll definitely say ‘yes’. The original ‘Kirk’, actor William Shatner, has already given his blessing to the idea. But it may not be a done deal yet – Damon’s pal Ben Affleck is also said to be in the running. Production is still believed to be going ahead in 2007 for a 2008 release.
TOP BABY NAMES OF 2006:
Girl Names –
5. Isabella
4. Emily
3. Ava
2. Madison
1. Emma
Boy Names –
5. Matthew
4. Ryan
3. Ethan
2. Jacob
1. Aiden
– BabyCenter.com
CALIFORNIA CHRISTMAS:
The Beverly Center shopping mall in Los Angeles has unveiled a ‘Hunky Santa’ – a muscular male model in his 20s wearing an unbuttoned sleeveless red vest who goes on duty at 5 pm when the regular Santa knocks off for the day. This is ‘St Rick’, billed as St Nick’s son, who is aimed at attracting adults, especially singles. Played by a newcomer to California named Greg, ‘St Rick’ says he’s actually more popular with men than women. (Well yeah, this is Hollywood.)
– UPI
CANDID CAMERA:
Within 20 years’ time it will be possible to record high quality digital video of an entire lifetime of human memories. Experts say the so-called ‘Human Black Box’, a gadget the size of a sugar cube, could store video footage of every second of a human life, leading to advances in medicine, education, crime prevention and history records. But some futurists fear it could also lead to a total loss of privacy. (As well as shooting holes in any excuse you might have for coming home late.)
– “GQ”
THE BS HANGOVER HELPER:
According to study published in the “British Medical Journal”, there is no compelling evidence that any single method is completely effective in preventing or treating hangovers. That said, here are a few pointers that might help your odds of survival …
• Line Your Stomach: Alcohol irritates the stomach lining more if your stomach is empty. Before going out, eat a meal containing fat or drink a glass of milk, both of which will be slowly digested.
• Choose Light-Colored Drinks: Congeners [pronounced ‘CON-juh-nurz’], found primarily in darker alcoholic drinks, may produce migraine-like effects. As a rule, the lighter the color of the booze, the fewer congeners it is likely to contain (ie: vodka is better than whisky).
• Wrap Up Warmly: Alcohol dilates the blood vessels near the skin, causing us to lose body heat even though we feel warmer at the same time. Drunkenness followed by hypothermia is a leading cause of death in Russia.
• Before Bed: Along with drinking plenty of water, eat a slow-burning snack such as multi-grain toast which will help avoid low-blood-sugar on waking.
• Morning After: Drink lots of water, take antacid for your stomach, and a painkiller (but not aspirin, it’s too hard on the stomach). A single cup of coffee may help ease dilated blood vessels. Liquids rich in minerals and salts (broth, bouillon or sports drinks) will help rehydrate you. Commonly used remedies that simply don’t work include taking vitamin C, and partaking in the proverbial ‘hair of the dog’ – which merely postpones the agony.
– “The Guardian”
THE KEY TO HAPPINESS?
Australian psychologist Robert Cummins of Deakin University says his research shows that homeowners are more content than renters, no matter what their level of income. When it comes to generating happiness, he claims, there’s simply nothing like a mortgage, especially for couples. It means they have a clear investment in their combined future. Couples also find that holding a mortgage together increases their feeling of commitment, while those who rent have not made that kind of mutual commitment. Cummins says renters tend to be more footloose. (Especially in the middle of the night around the end of the month.)
– “Sydney Morning Herald“
ONLINE FLICKS FAIL TO ATTRACT:
Few people who watch the short video clips posted on such sites as YouTube, Yahoo!, and MySpace have downloaded full-length movies, according to a new study by ABI Research. The study finds that, of people who watch video online, only 5% have rented or purchased a digital movie download. Even when taking into account those who download bootleg copies of movies, the percentage remains tiny. So what’s the prob? Most respondents complain about the long wait time involved in downloading movies, the relatively high price, and the missing ‘extras’ that are included on DVDs. Then there’s the difficulty of trying to view downloaded movies on your TV. (It’s gonna happen … just not yet.)
– InformationWeek.com
WIDE WORLD OF BS:
• In Britain, a fitness instructor in Northumberland will begin offering pole-dancing lessons NEXT MONTH … for kids. Laraine Riddell claims once you get past the stigma, it’s simply good exercise. Keep that in mind as you watch your 12-year-old daughter grinding the chrome.
• In Romania, a pair of masked burglars who broke into an apartment apparently had a change of heart when they confronted the 86-year-old tenant. Instead of ripping her off, they gave the woman all the change in their pockets. It may be the first-ever case of breaking and donating.
• In Germany, a department store Santa in Bremen leaped into action when he saw 2 young shoplifters filling their knapsacks with expensive cosmetics. The 52-year-old chased the pair down and subdued them until cops arrived. Seems the big guy gives presents AND fights crime.
BS AMAZING FACT:
The worlds oldest piece of chewing gum is 9,000 years old.
AND WE QUOTE:
“We were the last 2 people who were looking for a relationship. We found this strange friendship and partnership that kind of suddenly happened.”
– Angelina Jolie, explaining in the JANUARY issue of “Vogue” how her home-wrecking of the Pitt-Aniston marriage was just a big accident.
THE BULL SHEET 12.14.06
TODAY’S CELEBIRTHDAY . . .
1949 [57] Cliff Williams, Rumford UK, rock bassst (AC/DC-“You Shook Me All Night Long”, “Moneytalks”)/Rock & Roll Hall of Fame (2003)
TODAY’S BS REASONS TO PARTY . . .
• “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!
• “Geminid Meteor Shower”, which NASA’s Meteoroid Environment Office calls the ‘best meteor show of the year’, peaks before sunrise THIS MORNING when those who live in dark, rural areas may be able to see as many as 1 or 2 meteors … every minute.
NET: http://tinyurl.com/vjhps
• “International Shareware Day”, either something to do with public domain software or wearing your wife’s jeans.
THIS DAY IN SHOW BIZ . . .
1977 [29] “Saturday Night Fever” premieres, starring John Travolta (The Bee Gees generate several hits from the soundtrack)
TODAY’S MUSIC EVENT . . .
1984 [22] “Like a Virgin” becomes Madonna’s first #1 hit
TODAY’S FIRST . . .
1947 [59] National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) is created
AND REMEMBER . . .
[Fri] Underdog Day
[Fri] “Charlotte’s Web”; “Eragon”; “Pursuit of Happyness” open in movie theaters
[Fri] US Bill of Rights Day
[Sat] Hanukkah begins
[Sat] Chocolate Covered Anything Day
[Sat] Las Posadas begins (Mexico)
[Sun] Maple Syrup Day
This Week Is … Civil Rights Week
This Month Is … International Calendar Awareness Month (Look! Over there on the wall!)
BULL’S BITS
BS WACKY GIFT GUIDE:
Hard to believe, but these are actual seasonal products that are currently on the market. Recommended for those who wish to give a gift that says, “I’m tacky” …
• “Reindeer Poop Candy”
• “Talking Nasty Mistletoe”
• “Magic Growing Christmas Tree”
• “Santa Troll Earrings”
• “Mooning Santa”
• “Dancing Poinsettia”
• “Xmas Baby Sock Coin Purse”
• “Talking Grumpy Snowman”
• “Perv, The Nasty Naughty Elf”
• “Mother-in-Law Nutcracker”
WHAT WOMEN ARE READING THIS MONTH:
• “The Secret Ways You Say ’I Love You’” [“Redbook”]
• “The Body Language of Lust” [“Cosmopolitan”]
• “7 New Ways to Wear Your Jeans!” [“Glamour”]
• “10 Ways to Beat Your Body Angst for Good!” [“Cleo”]
• “11 Easy Presents to Make” [“Woman’s Day”]
• “12 Quick Tricks for Looking Gorgeous at the Holidays” [“Ladies’ Home Journal”]
• “Hassle-Free Holidays: 12 Stress-Busting Secrets” [“Chatelaine”]
WHAT MEN ARE READING THIS MONTH:
• “100 Ways to Blow Your Paycheck” [“Maxim”]
• “How to Date Out of Your League” [“Men’s Health”]
• “Are Your Bad Habits Killing You?” [“Stuff”]
• “Useful Advice from a Beautiful Woman” [“Esquire”]
• “Is Romo a Safe Bet?” [“FHM”]
• “The Yuppie is Back!” [“Details”]
• “Get in Shape While You Sleep” [“Men’s Journal”]
BS PHONE STARTER:
Would you rather get an afternoon off for shopping or have a company holiday party?
BS WEB GOODIE:
A website called ‘Alek’s Controllable Christmas Lights’ allows online surfers worldwide the chance to control a 15,000-light Christmas display in Boulder CO and monitor the results through 3 live webcams. You can even inflate and deflate giant ‘Elmo’, ‘Frosty’, ‘Santa’, and ‘Homer Simpson’ balloons. And it’s for a good cause – all donations go to the University of Maryland Center for Celiac Research.
NET: http://www.komar.org/
BS WATER COOLER QUESTION:
Today’s Question: Over a billion of THESE are made annually even though we don’t use them year round.
Answer to Give Out Next Show: Candy canes.
BS DEEP THOUGHT:
‘Tis better to be thought a fool, then to open your mouth and remove all doubt.