Monday, December 4, 2023 — Edition: #7610

Sheet Happens!

BS SHOW BIZ BUZZ:
[***UPDATE***] ★ Former April Wine frontman and leader Myles Goodwyn has died at 75. No cause of death has been announced. Goodwyn achieved many feats with April Wine, including selling more than 10 million albums and receiving 11 Juno nominations. April Wine, whose hits include ‘Just Between You and Me’, ‘Roller’, and ‘I Like to Rock’, was inducted into Canada’s Walk of Fame earlier this year, and Goodwyn was also inducted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame. He retired from the group in March after more than 5 decades, but was still involved in a management capacity.
-CBC
★ Susan Sarandon is now walking back the antisemitic remarks she delivered at a pro-Palestinian rally in NYC last month. She posted a lengthy statement on Instagram, explaining that she made a “terrible mistake” by saying Jews are “getting a taste of what it is like to be Muslim in this country, so often subjected to violence.” Sarandon uttered the words in front of a large crowd at the November 17 rally in Manhattan’s Union Square, where demonstrators were protesting against the Israel-Hamas war.
-TMZ
★ Will Smith confirmed a sequel to 2007’s “I Am Legend” remains in the works — and that costar Michael B. Jordan is “in and we’re doing it”. He told the audience at Saudia Arabia’s Red Sea International Film Festival that the second film will utilize the alternate ending from the first film’s DVD extras that indicated his character was still alive. Smith also said that he has a call with Jordan scheduled for today to discuss the script for the sequel, which “just came in”.
-TheWrap
★ “Supernatural star Mark Sheppard has been brought back to life after suffering 6 heart attacks. The 59-year-old actor revealed he collapsed on Friday in his kitchen before being rushed to hospital in Burbank, California. On Instagram, he revealed that paramedics brought him back to life at least 4 times. Sheppard, who plays ‘Crowley’ on the hit show, told his social media followers that his chances of survival were “virtually nil” at the time, due to a blockage in his left anterior descending artery, but he now feels “great”. LINK: https://tinyurl.com/2h5xfy4t
-USSun
★ The post-Thanksgiving doldrums at the box office have eased somewhat thanks to a pair of new releases: “Renaissance,” the new concert film from Beyoncé, and “Godzilla Minus One”. Renaissance” netted a projected $24.5 million in its opening weekend, while Godzilla Minus One came third with an estimated $10.8 million, meeting pre-release projections. “The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes” took second place, with about $15 million in its third weekend.
-TheWrap
★ Blake Lively is lifting up Beyoncé and Taylor Swift. The “Gossip Girl” star shared a powerful message about women empowering other women after attending the premiere of “Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé”. Sharing her thoughts on the 2 singers’ support of each other, Lively began the caption of her Instagram post, writing: “When I grew up, women were always pit against one another. It took me until adulthood to see that the instinct for women to lift each other up to their highest potential is the norm, not the exception…It’s our job to show younger generations the power in aligning rather than dividing.” She also shared a carousel of photos from the premiere, including shots of Swift in attendance. Lively ended her post by joking: “@beyonce and @taylorswift neither of you have to be threatened by my pop stardom. There’s space for us all.” LINK: https://tinyurl.com/4xy7hmwd
-People
★ Good news for East Coast movie fans: The 96th Academy Awards, which will air on March 10, will start earlier than any prior edition, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has announced. Rather than starting at 5pm Pacific/8pm Eastern, as has been the case in recent years, the Oscars will begin at 4pm pacific, 7pm Eastern, following a half-hour pre-show. The decision was apparently driven by a desire to have the show wrap within primetime hours on the East Coast, after a historical dropoff in viewership as the evening progressed, particularly on the earlier coast, due to viewer’s need to get up for work the following morning. The telecast is scheduled to last 3½ hours.
-HollywoodReporter

TODAY’S SHOW BIZ SKED:
• “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” (ABC/Global): Ray Romano, Sebastian Maniscalco, Paul Russell
• “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” (NBC/CTV): Dua Lipa, Benny Safdie, Brad Paisley
• “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” (CBS/Global): Sarah Paulson, Jason Isbell
• “Late Night with Seth Meyers” (NBC/CTV): Rachel Bloom, Michael Shannon & Jason Narducy
• “Watch What Happens Live” (Bravo): Natalie Portman, Julianne Moore
• “The Daily Show (COM): Guest Host Charlamagne tha God
• “The View” (ABC/CTV): Julia Roberts
• “The Talk” (CBS): Henry Winkler, Bellamy Young
• “Live With Kelly and Mark” (ABC/CTV): Elle Fanning, Eric Stonestreet
• “The Kelly Clarkson Show” (Check local listings): Brandy Clark, Brie Larson, Pair of Thieves clothing company founders Cash Warren, Alan Stuart and David Ehrenberg, Danielle Kartes
• “The Drew Barrymore Show” (Check local listings): Norah O’Donnell
• “Jennifer Hudson Show” (Check local listings): Jeannie Mai, Nick Kyrgios
• “The Voice” (NBC): Live Top 12 Performances
• “Kitchen Nightmares” (Fox); Season 1 finale. Chef Ramsay heads to Max’s Bar & Grill to help the Diwan restaurant before the divorced owners’ business crumbles.
• “Barmageddon” (NBC): The holiday Bartacular gets chilly when Ice T puts the freeze on Blake Shelton’s winter wonderland.
• “NFL Football” (Check local listings): Cincinnati Bengals @ Jacksonville Jaguars

BS MUSIC NOTES:
• The Weeknd — The United Nations World Food Programme has announced that ambassador The Weeknd (who now goes by Abel Tesfaye) has directed $2.5 million from his XO Humanitarian Fund to aid the humanitarian response in Gaza. The donation, equal to 4 million meals, could feed more than 173,000 Palestinians for 2 weeks.
• Taylor Swift – Her “The Eras Tour” will likely become the highest-grossing global tour of all time, according to Billboard. While official numbers have not yet been reported, it is expected to pass Elton John’s farewell tour, which grossed more than $900 million in ticket sales. The Eras Tour is likely headed toward a total of $1.7 billion by the end of 2024, and may even double John’s record.
• Goo Goo Dolls – In a podcast appearance, frontman John Rzeznik admitted: “I still hate the name of our band now. I wish we would’ve had 10 more minutes to find a cooler name.” The group quickly chose the name because they wanted stop calling themselves Sex Maggots (which started as a joke) — before a concert.
• Kiss – played the final shows of their seemingly endless “End of the Road” farewell tour in New York over the weekend. Then they promptly announced “Kiss 2.0”, a new, virtual version of the band, following in the footsteps of the hugely successful Abba Voyage show, in which the pop group perform as lifelike 3D projected avatars. Details are scarce at this point, but as Paul Stanley said to the audience, “The band will never stop”. LINK: https://tinyurl.com/5dpcnrca 
• Styx and Foreigner – will team up for the “Renegades & Juke Box Heroes Tour” of North America next summer, with special guest John Waite. Things kick off June 11 in Grand Rapids MI, and wrap up August 28 in Sioux Falls SD. The shows are a part of Foreigner’s current farewell tour.
• Kelsea Ballerini — lives in her dream home, but she took an odd route to get there. She bought her home in Nashville from Kacey Musgraves. She originally wanted to buy it during in 2020 when “I saw this house on Zillow, and I was like, ‘Oh my God, this is my house.’” But it didn’t work out then. Later, she was able to purchase it from Musgraves “woman-to-woman”, not even using real estate agents.
• Sam Hunt – has revealed the name and gender of his new baby with wife Hannah Lee Fowler. Their second child is named Lowry Lee, derived from his parents’ middle names. Lowry joins his 18-month-old big sister, Lucy Louise, who arrived in May 2022.
• Cody Johnson — is bringing his family’s Texas cowboy Christmas to CMT. “CMT Presents: A Cody Johnson Christmas” will air Dec. 13. Johnson and his family will share their favorite holiday memories and traditions, and Johnson will perform Christmas songs.

SHOOTING THE BULL

NEW FOOD NEWS:
❑ McDonald’s has announced it is making major changes to its burgers, including the use of brioche buns. Back in April, the restaurant promised pillowy buns, perfectly melted cheese – plus perfectly cooked patties. And now we have the details. By early next year, customers at all US McDonald’s locations can expect not only the brioche buns, but more sauce on Big Macs, fresher-tasting onions lettuce and pickles, and meltier cheese. The restaurant also promised that just 6 patties will be grilled at a time, rather than 8. With fewer patties, the auto-cooking mechanism will apply less pressure, which will reportedly result in juicier burgers. Sesame seeds will be spaced further apart, as well. (Right? Because the one thing that keeps me away from McDonalds is that I’ve always found that they just always put their sesame seeds TOO CLOSE TOGETHER!)
❑ Red Lobster has apparently learned nothing from its “Endless Crab” debacle of 2003. The seafood chain’s “Ultimate Endless Shrimp” promotion became so popular, that it was a major factor in its parent company losing $11 million in the third quarter of this year. Red Lobster made the $20 all-you-can-eat shrimp deal a permanent fixture on the menu in June as a way to boost traffic — but miscalculated how popular the promotion would be. The price has since been increased to $25. (It was a good idea, but it became overkrill! Hey, at least I didn’t make a bad “shellfish” pun!)
-CountryLife, WSJ, Insider

A DOZIN’ REASONS:
Do you sometimes struggle to stay awake and alert at work on Mondays? Or any day? Or have you ever found your head starting to fall forward in another, unusual place? The good news is you’re not alone. A poll of 2,000 adults found that 22% have actually drifted off while at work. Others admitted to dozing off in nightclubs or bars (12%), or even at a wedding (5%). Why are these people so tired? The top answers to why they didn’t get enough sleep were: overthinking (57%), followed by being too hot or cold, and working too hard. Other excuses included noisy neighbors, an uncomfortable bed, nightmares and money worries.
(These people may be telling the truth, but YOU try explaining to your boss that he caught you sleeping on the job because you’ve been “working too hard”!)
(I’ve got to admit that I have, on occasion, been known to “doze off” while in a bar…but not because of any of the reasons mentioned here!)
-StudyFinds

NEW GOOD NEWS:
➢ Charlie Jeffers has been playing with LEGO since he was 4, and says it helped him learn math and engineering concepts, and how to be focused, flexible, and creative. When it occurred to him that many kids don’t have access to LEGO, in 2020, the high school senior in Marin County, California launched Pass the Bricks. He and his volunteer-based team repurpose used LEGO bricks into new original sets for kids in marginalized communities. To date, the organization has delivered over 3,000 sets to kids in need. Some of the newly-created sets are quite innovative, like the “Superman Would Like Just One Day Off” set, featuring a grumpy Clark Kent in bed with his suit hanging nearby, and the “Droid Escape Pod,” which is a faithful representation of the spacecraft used by R2-D2 in “Star Wars”. With over 20 volunteers, Jeffers’ initiative has expanded to other cities, and delivered LEGO sets as far away as Ecuador. LINK: https://www.passthebricks.org/
➢ A young girl’s idea for a ‘mailbox to heaven’ has been utilized at cemeteries across the UK. 10-year-old Matilda Handy came up with the suggestion after both her grandparents died, 5 years apart. Her mother, Leanne, approached the Gedling Crematorium in Nottingham last year with the idea—and they responded by erecting an old post box painted white and gold just in time for Christmas. The emotional endeavor proved so popular that they now have been rolled out across 40 sites in England, Scotland, and Wales. Soon after installation, more than 100 letters were dropped in the first box, which aims to be a comfort to those longing for loved ones on anniversaries and holidays. The idea has since been adopted by UK funeral directors, too, and other countries are doing the same.
-GoodNewsNetwork

THE WORLD’S 10 MOST EXPENSIVE CITIES TO LIVE IN:
The 2023 Worldwide Cost of Living surveyed 173 major cities, comparing more than 400 prices across 200 products and services. It excluded Caracas, Venezuela, where prices have risen 450% since 2022.
1. Zurich, Switzerland and Singapore (tie)
3. New York, US and Geneva, Switzerland (tie)
5. Hong Kong
6. Los Angeles, US
7. Paris, France
8. Tel Aviv, Israel and Copenhagen, Denmark (tie)
10. San Francisco, US
(Note to self: Don’t refresh the page before booking that Caracas Airbnb!)
(#11 on the list? Anywhere with teenagers!)
-CNN

THE BEST SONGS OF 2023:
According to the writers at Rolling Stone…
1. ‘Ella Baila Sola’ — Eslabon Armado and Peso Pluma
2. ‘Boy’s a Liar, Pt. 2’ — PinkPantheress feat. Ice Spice
3. ‘A&W’ – Lana Del Rey
4. ‘I Remember Everything’ — Zach Bryan feat. Kacey Musgraves
5. Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 53’ — Shakira and Bizarrap
6. ‘Super Shy’ — NewJeans
7. ‘Get Him Back!’ – Olivia Rodrigo
8. ‘Strike (Holster)’ – Lil Yachty
9. ‘What Was I Made For?’ – Billie Eilish
10. ‘On My Mama’ — Victoria Monét
-RollingStone

DID YOU KNOW?
A 10-year-old boy has started a petition to convince Apple to change one of its emojis. Teddy, from Oxfordshire, England, would like the emoji renamed that wears black frame glasses and has 2 buck teeth sticking out, which the company currently calls the “nerd” emoji. The young glasses-wearer told the BBC: “They’re making people think we’re nerds and it’s absolutely horrible…and if I find it offensive there’ll be thousands of people around the world that find it offensive too.” He is asking Apple to the change the name of the emoji to the “Genius” emoji, and to tweak the design to the new one he put together, featuring the same black glasses but with a closed smile…and no buck teeth. LINK: https://tinyurl.com/28tamdms
-Independent

BS CHRONOMETER 12.04.23

TODAY’S BS REASONS TO PARTY . . .
• “Cookie Day”, celebrating the yummiest treat of all. What’s the best kind? Chocolate chip? Oatmeal and raisin? Peanut butter with macadamia nuts? (Anything, as long as there’s milk?)
• “Extraordinary Work Team Recognition Day”, created in 2000 as a day to pass out ‘attaboys’ to employee teams that work extraordinarily well together to produce significant results for their company or organization. (It’s far cheaper than year-end bonuses…)
• “Santa’s List Day”, the day the big guy purportedly decides who’s been naughty and who’s been nice (Does that make tomorrow “Do Whatever You Want Because Santa has Already Made his List Day”?)
• “Wear Brown Shoes Day”, for some unknown reason. To get the full effect, make sure you wear ’em with something black. (To get half-effect, wear ONE brown shoe)
• “World Wildlife Conservation Day”, with the aim of raising awareness and engaging conservationists to put an end to wildlife crime. Some species are still being slaughtered by criminal networks driven by a voracious demand for illegal animal parts and products.
• “Walt Disney Day”, held on the first Monday of December in remembrance and honor of Walt Disney, who was born December 5, 1901. (FUN FACT: His signature did not resemble the “stylized” version used in the Disney logo.)
• “International Cheetah Day”, celebrating the world’s fastest land animal. They can hit 70mph (110kph), as fast as cars drive on the highway – but cheetahs are able to reach top speed in just 3 seconds! (FUN FACT: Cheetahs have “tear marks” that run from the inside corners of their eyes to the outside edges of their mouth. These help reflect the glare of the sun, just like the black marks that football players put under their eyes during a game. LINK: https://internationalcheetahday.com/

AND REMEMBER . . .
[Tues] Comfort Food Day
[Tues] Blue Jeans Day
[Wed] Microwave Oven Day
[Thurs] Civil Aviation Day
This Week is…Cookie Cutter Week
This Month is…AIDS Awareness Month

TODAY’S CELEBIRTHDAYS . . .
1949 [74] Jeff Bridges, LA CA, movie actor (“The Big Lebowski”, Oscar-“Crazy Heart”)

1964 [59] Marisa Tomei, Brooklyn NY, film actress (“Spider-Man Homecoming”, “The Wrestler”, Oscar-“My Cousin Vinny”) COMING UP… “Upgraded”

1966 [57] (Fereydun) “Fred” Armisen, Hattiesburg MS, TV comic (“Portlandia” 2011-18, “Saturday Night Live” 2002-13)/band leader-drummer (“Late Night with Seth Meyers” since 2014)/movie actor (“Smurfs” movies)

1969 [54] Jay-Z (Shawn Carter), Brooklyn NY, rap artist-producer (w/Beyoncé-‘Crazy in Love’, f/Alicia Keys-‘Empire State of Mind’)/married to Beyoncé since 2008

1970 [53] Kevin Sussman, NYC, TV actor (‘Stuart Bloom’ on “The Big Bang Theory” 2009-19, “Ugly Betty” 2006-07)

1973 [50] Tyra Banks, Inglewood CA, TV personality (“Dancing With the Stars” 2020-22, “America’s Next Top Model” 2003-18, “The Tyra Banks Show” 2005-10)/former fashion model (“Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show”)

THIS DAY IN SHOWBIZ . . .
2015 [08] Melanie Griffith and Antonio Banderas divorce after 19 years of marriage

2022 [01] 2022 Kennedy Center Honors ceremony held for Gladys Knight, Amy Grant, George Clooney, U2, and Tania León, in Washington DC

TODAY’S MUSIC EVENTS . . .
1980 [43] Led Zeppelin officially disbands, 2 months after the death of drummer John Bonham due to excessive alcohol intake. They never fully reform, but do play some shows, including with Jason Bonham filling in for his father.

1993 [30] Frank Zappa dies of prostate cancer at age 52 in Los Angeles

1992 [31] In an effort to prevent hearing loss among fans, heavy metal group Megadeth distributes 13,000 pairs of earplugs at a concert in San Francisco

TODAY’S FIRSTS . . .
1952 [71] Killer fogs begin in London, England; the term “Smog” is coined

1982 [41] The first human ever is killed by a bowling ball (Hernia? Swallowing? Were other victims … ‘spared’?)

BULL’S BITS  

BS WHACK FACTS:
✓ Calorie for calorie, broccoli contains more protein than steak.
✓ Pound cake got its name from its original recipe, which called for a pound each of butter, eggs, sugar and flour.
✓ Apples, pears and plums all belong to the rose family.
✓ The Aztecs used chocolate as currency.
✓ Peppers don’t actually burn your mouth. The chemical capsaicin tricks your mouth into feeling like it’s being burned.
✓ The stickers placed on fruit are edible. (Although, that doesn’t mean you SHOULD!)
-UberFacts, Eatfirst

Best of BS . . .
BS QUESTIONS TO ASK YOURSELF BEFORE BUYING EGG NOG:
• “Am I feeling sufficiently noggy today?”
• “What’s the best egg-to-nog ratio?”
• “I have high cholesterol — is there egg white nog?”
• “Has this egg nog been approved by the Nogmaster General?”
• “What other disgusting egg-based beverages could I try?”
• “Which one’s the egg nog that all the rappers drink?”
• “Do I really feel like drinking this crap?”
• “Is egg my best choice of nog?”
• “What would Jesus drink?”
• “Which came first, the egg or the nog?”
-Neloo, first published in BS in 2017

TODAY’S SCOOP OF BS:
➠ It’s officially the 2023 Holiday Season. (You can tell, too. Target has their Christmas decorations up for 2024!)
➠ According to Consumer Reports, the top things that people are dreading this holiday season are crowds and lines. (Really? I would’ve thought it’d be that Kelly Clarkson Christmas TV special…)
➠ It’s scientifically proven: being in love makes you a less productive person. (Only a busy scientist would know!)
➠ A 92-year-old just became the oldest person to hike the Grand Canyon rim-to-rim. (Which is amazing since he only went out to get some ice cream!)
➠ A report claims that marijuana users have abnormally low blood flow to the brain. (Well, you know what this means, right? . . . you know . . . things . . .)

BS WEB GOODIE:
Made me smile (sound up):  https://tinyurl.com/23h9j547

BS RANDOM JOKE:
If I had a dollar for every person who found me unattractive, I’d have enough money to make them find me attractive!

BS CHRISTMAS (HOLIDAY) TRIVIA:
• ‘Jingle Bells’ was originally written with what title?
Answer: ‘The One Horse Open Sleigh’
• In “Home Alone 2”, where was young ‘Kevin’ lost?
Answer: New York
• Candy canes are shaped to represent what?
Answer: A shepherd’s crook
• The second verse of which Christmas carol begins: “It doesn’t show signs of stopping”?
Answer: ‘Let it Snow’
• Who says “God bless us everyone!”?
Answer: Tiny Tim
-TheStandard

BS PHONE STARTER:
If you could give your city (or town or region) a new name to better reflect the type of place that it is, what would it be?

BS WATER COOLER QUESTION:
Question:  28% of men will ask for help with THIS over the holidays. What is it?
Answer:  Assembling their kids’ gifts

BS DEEP THOUGHT:
The only way to do great work is to love what you do.