December 24, 2013

Tuesday, December 24, 2013        Edition: #5130


Twas The Sheet Before Christmas …

BS SUBSCRIBER NOTE:
“The Bull Sheet” is on holiday hiatus from December 25th through January 3rd inclusive. Subscribers will receive credits for missed service days. If you’ve received an expiry notice, be sure to get your renewal in to ensure “BS” service in the new year. Next issue: January 6th.

BS SHOW BIZ BUZZ:
★ Actor Vin Diesel has announced on Facebook that “Fast & Furious 7” will be released on April 10, 2015. Originally slated to open July 11, 2014, the new date will presumably allow director James Wan and writer Chris Morgan time to revise the script to ‘retire’ late actor Paul Walker’s character ‘Brian O’Conner’ from the long-running franchise. As of yet there’s no official word on how that will be done.
– Canoe.ca
★ Meantime, Always Evolving, the Valencia, California car shop co-owned by Paul Walker and Roger Rodas, the friend who also died in that car crash last month, is closing its doors for good. Sources close to Rodas says the performance and racing shop is expected to shut in the next few weeks. The people who helped run the shop have already left and are currently looking for new jobs.
– TMZ.com
★ Jailed Pussy Riot star Nadezhda Tolokonnikova has been released from prison in Russia. The punk activist, serving 2 years after being convicted of ‘hooliganism motivated by religious hatred’, was freed on Monday under a government amnesty just hours after her bandmate Maria Alekhina was released. Her future plans are unknown, although she has Canadian permanent resident status as her husband holds Canadian-Russian dual citizenship.
– ContactMusic.com
★ And the unofficial ‘Strangest Baby Name of 2013’ goes to – (drumroll please) – actress Kate Winslet & husband Ned Rocknroll (née Abel Smith, he’s a nephew of Brit billionaire Richard Branson). It’s just been revealed their first child together, a son born December 7th, has been named … ‘Bear’. Winslet’s rep has confirmed the babe’s given name and also revealed he will take his mother’s surname. ‘Bear Winslet’ is Kate’s 3rd child; she now has one apiece from her 3 husbands.
– “The Sun”

TODAY’S SHOW BIZ SKED:
• “Ellen DeGeneres Show” (syndicated/CTV2) – Lenny Kravitz (“Are You Gonna Go My Way – 20th Anniversary Deluxe Edition”). Rerun.
• “George Stroumboulopoulos Tonight” (CBC) – “Christmas Eve Music Special” featuring Blind Boys of Alabama, Blue Rodeo, Chris Hadfield, Nikki Yanofsky, Young Galaxy, and an all-star rap crew.
• “Jimmy Kimmel Live” (ABC/CityTV) – Jake Owen (“Days of Gold”). Rerun.
• “Live With Kelly & Michael” (ABC/CTV) – Trans-Siberian Orchestra (“The Lost Christmas Eve”).

BS MUSIC NOTES:
• The Beatles – Ringo Starr will voice an animated character in a one-off “Powerpuff Girls” reunion special called “Dance Pantsed” in January. He’ll also record an original song titled “I Wish I Was a Powerpuff Girl” for the show. The TV series originally aired from 1998-2005.
• Cee Lo Green – He has confirmed plans to reunite with his Gnarls Barkley partner Danger Mouse in 2014. The “Crazy” hitmakers haven’t released any material together since their 2008 album “The Odd Couple”.
• Dolly Parton – A report says the 67-year-old country icon is set to make her debut at Britain’s massive Glastonbury festival next Summer. Britain’s “The Sun” says she’ll perform on the main Pyramid stage in the event’s Sunday night slot (June 29th).
• Mariah Carey – Her manager Jermaine Dupri has defended her recent $1-million performance for Angolan dictator Jose Eduardo Dos Santos, saying she has done nothing wrong and has no reason to apologize. Carey has yet to address the controversy, having jetted off to Aspen CO with her family for their annual Christmas break.
• One Direction – Early ticket sales for their 2014 “Where We Are” stadium tour suggest they could break touring records held by the Rolling Stones ($558 million) or even U2 ($764 million). Currently 1D has 88 dates set for 2014 across Europe and North & South America. With 80,000-seat venues already selling out, it’s expected more dates will be added.
• Selena Gomez – She says she’s the happiest she’s been in a long time after cancelling a planned Australian tour in order to take a much-needed break.
• Soulja Boy – The “Crank That” rapper has been hit with a paternity suit from a woman who alleges he is the father of her 5-year-old son, whom she claims he has visited several times. The woman is demanding a paternity test to confirm he fathered the child.

MOVIE OPENINGS CHRISTMAS DAY:
• “47 Ronin” ( PG-13 Martial Arts Action-Adventure ): This film treatment of one of the most performed Japanese plays of all-time follows 47 samurai who set out to avenge the death of their master at the hands of a treacherous warlord and to restore honor to their people. Stars Keanu Reeves, Rinko Kikuchi, Hiroyuki Sanada, and Kou Shibasaki.
NET: http://www.47roninintl.com/splashpage
• “Grudge Match” ( PG-13 Sports Comedy ): Robert De Niro & Sylvester Stallone play a pair of aging boxing rivals who are coaxed out of retirement to fight one final bout … 30 years after their last match. Lots of comedic references to the stars’ previous boxing films, “Rocky” and “Raging Bull”. Co-stars Kim Basinger, Kevin Hart, Alan Arkin.
NET: http://www.grudgematchmovie.com
• “Justin Bieber’s Believe” ( PG Documentary ): After 2011’s “Never Say Never” it seems unlikely we need another doc on the Biebs, but director Jon M Chu’s backstage and onstage footage takes another look at the 19-year-old pop phenom’s rise to stardom. Amid the  performances, Bieber discusses his troubled past year. Appearances by Ludacris and Usher.
NET: http://www.justinbieberbelieve.com
• “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty” ( PG Comedy Adventure ): Ben Stiller directs and stars as a nebbish guy with a vivid imagination who escapes into his daydreams … until he embarks on a real-life exotic adventure. Co-stars Kristen Wiig, Adam Scott, Patton Oswalt. Loosely based on a short story by James Thurber.
NET: http://www.waltermitty.com
• “The Wolf of Wall Street” ( R-Rated Dramedy ): Based on the memoir of Jordan Belfort, director Martin Scorsese’s film stars Leonardo DiCaprio as a crooked, decadent stockbroker in this riotously entertaining and irreverent 3-hour adaptation. Co-stars Jonah Hill, Margot Robbie, Kyle Chandler, Rob Reiner, and Joanna Lumley.
NET: http://www.thewolfofwallstreet.com/index_splash.php

XMAS AROUND-THE-GLOBE:
✓ Tucking into a bucket of KFC fried chicken on December 25th is so popular in Japan that the fast-food chain requires table reservations weeks in advance.
✓ Instead of shortbread and a glass of milk, Irish children leave mince pies and a bottle of Guinness out as a special snack for ‘Father Christmas’.
✓ As a great way to burn off holiday season calories, the main street of Caracas, Venezuela is closed off so churchgoers can roller-skate to their Christmas morning church service.
– “Southern Gazette”

DO I KNOW YOU?
Dogs certainly know their owners when they see them in person, but new research out of Finland’s University of Helsinki suggests that they also recognize their favorite people in pictures. Researchers measured the eye movements of dogs when they were shown photos of familiar people and pooches. Overall, the dogs stared at pictures of other pups longer than they looked at images of any human, even if they didn’t know their fellow canines. However, the dogs also appeared to scan the faces of people they knew more thoroughly. (Unlike the rest of us, maybe your pooch can appreciate your collection of 5,000 selfies?)
– NYDailyNews.com

LIFE BY THE NUMBERS:
A BS breakdown of who we are and what we do …
• 66% of men admit they have left their gift shopping until Christmas Eve.
• 44% of us have 10 or more people on our holiday gift list.
• 43% of us say we will ‘absolutely’ re-gift a candle if we get one as a gift.
• 25% of family arguments during the holidays will be over board games.
• 15% of men will go to a holiday party wearing makeup.
• 10% of us cut down our own Christmas tree.

MORE PRODUCTS THAT WILL MAKE YOUR LIFE BETTER IN 2014:
✓ Leg Shaving Ledge – This self-adhesive porcelain footrest adhere’s to the wall of your shower at whatever comfortable height you chose. Your legs have never felt so sleek or so unbloodied! (amazon.com)
✓ Remote-Controlled Rolling Cooler – Life’s too short to walk all the way across the room for a beer. Instead, this hi-tech suds chiller comes to you with the press of a remote button. (hammacher.com)
✓ Water Bottle Humidifier Cap – Basically this is a mini-humidifier that fits atop a water bottle (Perrier or otherwise) to create a misty steam. Banish scaly Winter skin once and for all! (fastcodesign.com)
– Buzzfeed.com

DUTIFUL DADS:
A new University of Chicago study confirms that today’s fathers are quite involved in the day-to-day parenting of their kids. A few highlights …
• 9-in-10 dads with children younger than 5 bathe, diaper, help them use the toilet, or help get them dressed at least several times weekly.
• Even higher numbers play with them and eat meals with them that often.
• Almost 2-out-of-3 read to their kids at least several times weekly.
• Among dads with kids aged 5-to-18, more than 9-out-of-10 eat meals with them at least several times weekly and talk with them about what happened during the day that often.
• About 2-out-of-3 help with homework several times weekly.
• About half take their kids to or from activities that often.
• Overall, almost 90% of dads rate themselves as ‘good’ or better at the job of fathering.
– AP

THE NEW FRANCAIS:
L’Académie française, France’s official language authority, has created new and updated words and terms to keep up with the technology age. Among them …
• ‘Courriel’ … The update French word for email.
• ‘MDR’ (‘mort de rire’) … Means ‘dying with laugher’, the equivalent of LOL or LMAO.
• ‘Mot-dièse’ … Literally ‘sharp word’, the new French term for ‘hashtag’.
• ‘Textopornographie’ … French for – oh la la – sexting.
The academy was established in 1635 to regularly update the French language.
– Associated Press

DID YOU KNOW?
Experts say you shouldn’t keep refrigerated turkey dinner leftovers for more than 4 days.
– Wisegeek.com

BS CHRONOMETER 12.24.13


TODAY’S CELEBIRTHDAYS . . .
1971 [42] Ricky Martin, San Juan, Puerto Rico, pop singer (“La Vida Loca”, “She Bangs”)/adoptive father of twins

1973 [40] Stephenie Meyer (Morgan), Hartford CT, novelist (“Twilight Saga”, which sold over 100 million copies worldwide in 37 languages and spawned the uber-successful movie series)

1974 [39] Ryan Seacrest, Dunwoody GA, TV host (“American Idol” since 2002, “New Year’s Rockin’ Eve”)/TV producer (“Keeping Up With the Kardashians”, “Denise Richards: It’s Complicated”)/radio personality (KIIS-FM Los Angeles, “American Top 40”)

1991 [22] Louis Tomlinson, Doncaster UK, pop singer (One Direction-“Story of My Life”, “What Makes You Beautiful”)

CHRISTMAS DAY –
Pop singer Jimmy Buffett (“Margarittaville”) is 67; Movie actress Sissy Spacek (“Coal Miner’s Daughter”) is 64; Pop singer Annie Lennox (“No More I Love Yous”) is 59; Pop singer Dido (“White Flag”) is 42.

TODAY’S BS REASONS TO PARTY . . .
• “Christmas Eve”, a family gift-giving occasion in many countries.

• “Egg Nog Day”, celebrating the seasonal rum or brandy drink that has nothing good for you in it but sure tastes good. A coffee spiked with egg nog and brandy is called a ‘tom-tom’.

THIS DAY IN SHOW BIZ . . .
1990 [23] Tom Cruise weds Nicole Kidman, his co-star from “Days of Thunder” (lasts 11 years)

TODAY’S MUSIC EVENTS . . .
1974 [39] Carly Simon, Joni Mitchell, Linda Ronstadt, and James Taylor spontaneously decide to go caroling door-to-door in the suburbs of Los Angeles

1988 [25] “Every Rose Has Its Thorn” puts rockers Poison atop the pop chart

TODAY’S FIRST . . .
1923 [90] US president Calvin Coolidge flips the switch to light up the 1st ‘National Christmas Tree’ to grace the White House grounds in Washington DC (also the 1st Christmas tree decorated with electric lights – a strand of 2,500 red, white, and green bulbs)

AND REMEMBER . . .
[Wed] Christmas Day (Christian)
[Thurs] Boxing Day (Canada/UK)
[Thurs] Candy Cane Day
[Thurs] Thank-you Note Day
[Thurs] Whiners Day
[Fri] “Britney Spears: Piece Of Me” debuts (Las Vegas)
This Week Is … Halcyon Days
This Month Is … Safe Toys & Gifts Month

BULL’S BITS


Playwright-screenwriter David Mamet is set to executive produce a new FOX-TV mini-series about the ‘Seven Deadly Sins’. He’ll also serve as writer-director on at least the 1st hour-long program. Each episode will deal with one of the infamous sins: Lust, Gluttony, Greed, Sloth, Wrath, Envy, and Pride. These aren’t as bad as the originals, but perhaps more annoying …
THE 7 NOT-SO-DEADLY SINS:
✗ Blind Obedience
✗ Ignorance
✗ Cowardice
✗ Rudeness
✗ Phoniness
✗ Dullness
✗ Sloppiness
(Anything you’d like to add?)

BS RANDOM JOKE:
The first drink WITH water, the second WITHOUT water, the third LIKE water.

BS U-PICK TRIVIA:
In Tchaikovsky’s holiday season ballet “The Nutcracker”, who is the nutcracker’s main enemy?
a. A girl called Clara.
b. The King of the Mice. [CORRECT]
c. Dr Almond.
d. Drosselmeyer the magician.
– TriviaPark.com

BS PHONE STARTER:
☎ Will you ‘self-gift’ on Christmas by giving yourself a present? (In a recent poll, 26% say ‘Yes, if I see something I want’; 19% say ‘Yes, and I know what I want’.)

BS WATER COOLER QUESTION:
Question: Three-quarters of adults can no longer do THIS, but could when they were younger.
Answer: Play a musical instrument.

BS DEEP THOUGHT:
Love and time: The only 2 things in all the world that cannot be bought, but spent.

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