Friday, December 23, 2022 – Edition: #7386
Jingle Bull, Jingle Bull . . .
BS SUBSCRIBER NOTE:
The Bull Sheet will not be publishing during the period December 26, 2022 – January 2, 2023, to give staff an opportunity to enjoy the holidays. All subscribers will receive account credits for non-service days. Following Fri. Dec. 23, the next Bull Sheet edition will be for Tuesday, January 3rd. Thanks for a great year of BS and Happy Holidays, all!
BS SHOW BIZ BUZZ:
★ NBC has announced its final talent lineup for “Miley’s New Year’s Eve Party”. Joining Cyrus and co-host Dolly Parton are singer-songwriter Fletcher, rapper Latto, LA rock band Liily, hip-hop duo Rae Sremmurd, and Grammy nominee Sia. “Saturday Night Live’s” Chloe Fineman, Sarah Sherman and comedy trio Please Don’t Destroy will also appear. Miley’s New Year’s Eve Party will air live on NBC on (you guessed it…) Saturday, Dec. 31 from 10:30 p.m.-12:30 a.m. ET.
-Deadline
★ At last report, Tori Spelling was still in hospital after coming down with a mysterious illness. The “Beverly Hills 90210” alum revealed in a since-deleted Instagram Story Wednesday that she was hospitalized Tuesday night after she began experiencing a variety of symptoms, including difficulty breathing. Spelling broke the news to fans by posting a selfie of herself from her hospital bed, where she was seen wearing a hospital gown as she flashed a peace sign and smiled for the camera. In the caption, Spelling wrote: “Here I am in [the] hospital since late last night.” She explained that she was hospitalized after she was “low on oxygen” and began having a “hard time breathing, [with] high blood pressure and crazy dizziness.” She indicated that that she hadn’t yet received a diagnosis and doctors were “running a battery of tests.”
-PopCulture
★ “Avatar: The Way of Water” has marked a major milestone at the box office. The sci-fi epic has surpassed $550 million in global ticket sales, however, the $350 million-budgeted film sequel still has ways to go in order to start making a profit during its theatrical run. In just the first 5 days after its release, “Avatar 2” became one of this year’s 8 films to cross the half-billion mark worldwide. So far, the film has remained steady at the box office. On Tuesday, action-adventure flick added a solid $40.5 million internationally, and it seems on track to hit $1 billion by the New Year, according to industry experts.
-ETCanada
★ The Film Academy has unveiled its 15-track shortlist for the Best Original Song Oscar in 2023. First-time entrants to the overall Oscars field include chart-toppers Rihanna, Selena Gomez and Taylor Swift, for their respective musical contributions to the films “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever”, “Selena Gomez: My Mind & Me” and “Where the Crawdads Sing”. Also on the list are Diane Warren, a 13-time Oscar nominee, Lady Gaga, for ‘Hold My Hand’ from “Top Gun: Maverick”, and The Weeknd, who performs the theme song from “Avatar: The Way of Water”.
-Deadline
TODAY’S SHOW BIZ SKED:
• “Jimmy Kimmel Live” (ABC/Global): David Harbour, Lisa Ann Walter, Thee Sacred Souls (R)
• “The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon” (NBC/CTV): James Corden, Jenna Ortega, Mike Feeney (R)
• “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” (CBS/Global): RuPaul, Ed Sheeran (R)
• “Late Night with Seth Meyers” (NBC/CTV): The Meyers Family, Bryan Carter (R)
• “The Late Late Show with James Corden” (CBS/CTV): Melissa McCarthy, Josh Groban (R)
• The View” (ABC/CTV): Mindy Kaling, LeAnn Rimes (R)
• “The Talk”(CBS): Jason Ritter (R)
• “Live with Kelly and Ryan” (ABC/CTV): Josh Groban, the Radio City Rockettes, Steve Patterson, the Northwell Health Nurse Choir (R)
• “The Kelly Clarkson Show” (Check local listings): Christina Applegate, Gabriella Baldacchino, Sunset West (R)
• “The Drew Barrymore Show” (Check local listings): Michelle Obama, Antoni Porowski, Zooey Deschanel (R)
• “Jennifer Hudson Show” (Check local listings): LL Cool J, Michael R. Jackson (R)
• “Sherri” (Check local listings): Cast of “Death of a Salesman”; Kahlana Barfiels Brown
• “The 24th Annual a Home for the Holidays at the Grove” (CBS): Inspirational stories of lives changed through adoption; performances by Andy Grammer, Little Big Town, and David Foster and Kat McPhee; Gloria Estefan hosts.
• “Mickey Saves Christmas” (ABC): Mickey, Minnie and their pals attempt to celebrate the perfect Christmas at their snowy cabin; when Pluto causes Santa to lose all the presents, the friends travel to the North Pole on a quest to save Christmas.
• “A New Orleans Noel” (LIFE): Sparks fly between an architect and her handsome counterpart as she spends Christmas with his family in New Orleans.
SATURDAY-
• “Home Alone” (ABC): Accidentally left by his Paris-bound family, an 8-year-old (Macaulay Culkin) makes mincemeat of two burglars in the house.
• “It’s a Wonderful Life” (NBC): Ruined by a miser on Christmas Eve, a suicidal family man sees life anew, thanks to his guardian angel.
• “A Holiday Spectacular” (HALL): In 1958, an heiress puts her high-society wedding plans on hold to fulfill her secret dream of dancing in the Radio City Music Hall Christmas Spectacular.
CHRISTMAS DAY-
• “NBA Basketball” (Check local listings): 76ers @ Knicks; Lakers @ Mavericks; Bucks @ Celtics; Grizzlies @ Warriors; Suns @ Nuggets
• “NFL Football” (Check local listings): Packers @ Dolphins; Broncos @ Rams; Buccaneers @ Cardinals
BS MUSIC NOTES:
• SZA – is blown away by the success of her sophomore album “SOS”. She captioned an Insta post: “A number one album and two songs in the top ten is NOT what I expected.” The song ‘Kill Bill’ is currently at #3, and ‘Nobody Gets Me’ at #10 on the Billboard Hot 100.
• Nicole Scherzinger — shared with her TikTok followers that the door is definitely open if a certain 11-time Grammy-winning pop star ever wants to get into the studio together. The former Pussycat Dolls star is shown jamming to a mashup of Taylor Swift’s latest #1 ‘Anti-Hero’, and Scherzinger’s hit ‘Buttons’. The caption: “I’d be down for a collab @Taylor Swift” LINK: https://tinyurl.com/yp2vs9et
• Mariah Carey – The hit just keeps on comin’. Her 1994 Christmas classic ‘All I Want for Christmas is You’, is at #1 this week on the Billboard Hot 100. That makes it the first song in history to have 4 separate runs in the top spot. It also hit #1 in 2019, 2020 and 2021.
• April Wine – Myles Goodwyn, the group’s 74-year-old singer-guitarist, and creative force, has announced his exit from touring, saying: “Because of my diabetes it’s not okay for me anymore to be on the road”. Marc Parent steps in onstage, and Goodwyn will continue writing and producing the band.
• Weezer — have put a bow on their ongoing “SZNZ” (‘Seasons’) project with the release of “SZNZ: Winter”, the 4th and final installment of the project launched in March. The new EP became available on Wed. The group previewed it last week with the new tune ‘I Want a Dog’. LINK: https://tinyurl.com/4jvkshke
• Ozzy Osbourne — earned 4 Grammy nominations for his “Patient Number 9” album. In a new interview, he said: “If I won anything for the album I’ll be floored.” Osborne, who said that health-wise, “The last 4 years have been sheer hell for me”, will find out if he’s a winner on Feb. 25.
• Grateful Dead – have unveiled the perfect Christmas treat for Deadheads everywhere: The Grateful Dead yule log video: A festive fireplace setting with a fire burning, Dead-themed decorations adorning the fireplace and, of course, music. LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jClpJmljZLg
• Shania Twain, Wynonna Judd and Dolly Parton – are some of country’s female powerhouses who will be spotlighted next month in AXS TV’s “Women of Country” programming. Jan. 7 Tanya Tucker and Trisha Yearwood will appear on “The Big Interview with Dan Rather”. Also featured that day will be Lady A’s Hillary Scott and Taylor Swift, in addition to Parton, Judd and Twain.
• Darius Rucker — Musicians On Call will honor him during its all-star Millions of Moments event in Nashville on Jan. 26. The non-profit, which brings live and recorded music to the bedsides of patients, families, and caregivers, will honor Rucker with the Music Heals Golden Ukulele. Sam Hunt, The War And Treaty and Jon Pardi will all make appearances at the event. LINK: https://tinyurl.com/y37uktzh
• George Strait – In a recent interview, the 70-year-old legend revealed that he has a new album in the works. Quote: “I like making records and plan on doing another one soon. I’m narrowing down my song choices now.” It would be his first since 2019’s “Honky Tonk Time Machine”.
SHOOTING THE BULL
THIS WEEK’S MOVIE OPENINGS:
• “Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance With Somebody” (PG-13, Music bio-Drama): A joyous and heartbreaking celebration of her life and music, tracking her journey from obscurity to musical superstardom. (Naomi Ackie, Stanley Tucci, Ashton Sanders)
• “Babylon” (R, Comedy-Drama): A tale of outsized ambition and outrageous excess, tracing the rise and fall of multiple characters during an era of unbridled decadence and depravity in early Hollywood. (Brad Pitt, Margot Robbie, Jean Smart, Olivia Wilde)
• “The Whale” (R, Drama – opened in wide release on Wed): A reclusive English teacher suffering from severe obesity attempts to reconnect with his estranged teenage daughter for one last chance at redemption. (Brendan Fraser, Sadie Sink, Ty Simpkins)
• “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish” (PG, Animation-Comedy – opened Wed): Puss in Boots discovers that his passion for adventure has burned through 8 of his 9 lives. He sets out on an epic journey to find the mythical Last Wish and restore them. (Antonio Banderas, Salma Hayek, Florence Pugh)
FOOD STUFF:
⇒ Some companies are putting a new twist on candy canes with unconventional flavor offerings like hot dogs, brisket and sardines. One company, Archie McPhee, really thought outside the box and developed a sardine-flavored treat — and, yes, people eat them, according to the company. Archie McPhee is also responsible for other odd flavors like macaroni and cheese, bacon, kale, hot dogs, sour cream and onion, and butter, but the pickles-flavored candy cane is their best seller. (I suppose that would be better than a “candy cane flavored pickle”, but not much…)
⇒ Condiment producer Hellmann’s has teamed up with hospitality experience company Muddling Memories to create the most controversial cocktail of the holiday season… “Mayo-Nog”. Eggnog already sparks passionate debate among cocktail fans, with some hailing at is Christmas in a glass and others wondering why anyone would consider it drinkable. As far as Mayo-Nog goes, eggs are replaced by Hellmann’s mayo, and a concoction of other ingredients, including maple syrup, are thrown into a blender with ice until smooth, and garnished with a dusting of cinnamon. You can taste the creative creation at New York restaurant Amy Fontaine’s ($16), but Hellmann’s has also provided a recipe to mix it up at home. LINK: https://tinyurl.com/3aj6cb72
-NYPost, DrinksBusiness
NEW YEAR’S LEAVE:
If you’re going to a New Year’s Eve party this year, be sure to head for home by 1am. A new survey looked at 2,000 adults’ plans for the special night and found 52% of respondents agree that the appropriate time to leave is within an hour of the ball dropping to ring in the New Year. Those who usually host typically invite about 19 guests, although this year, 71% of regular hosts said they plan to invite more people than usual. The survey, by OnePoll, also found that when it comes to being a good guest at a New Year’s Eve bash, you should bring a bottle of wine or alcohol (58%) or a dessert (48%) for the host to put out.
(Leave at 1am? At 1am, I’m not even done kissing people!)
(And 83% of hosts also said it’s not cool to get as drunk and giggly as Anderson Cooper does!)
-SWNS
NEWS OF THE WEIRD:
➢ A man accused of plotting to steal discarded laptops from a Manitoba dump called police on himself — because he got cold waiting for his getaway driver. Friends dropped the man off at the Brandon Landfill with a plan to break in and steal laptop computers from the electronics pile, Brandon police said. But the plan went into the dumper when his friends failed to come back to pick him up. They say the man broke into the recycling depot office and called police to turn himself in, because “he was getting cold.” The 39-year-old was charged with break and enter. (You’ve heard of “fair-weather friends”?)
➢ This Christmas enthusiast got exactly what he wished for this year: A Guinness World Record. Joel Strasser of Kuna, Idaho, earned the record for most baubles in a beard, when he managed to attach 710 tiny ornaments to his face, says Guinness. “Beardaments” are colorful, clip-on facial hair accessories that were featured on “Shark Tank” — and fast became a tacky holiday fashion trend. It took Strasser 2½ hours to assemble the baubles onto his beard, and over an hour to remove them. The baubles used add up to about 5 pounds. He holds 10 other Guinness Records for putting things in his beard, including most paper straws (534), most chopsticks (520), most golf tees (607), most forks (126), most toothpicks (3,500), most clothespins (359) and most chopsticks (86). (He also owns the record for “Most-single guy, ever”!!)
-Global, NYPost
DID YOU KNOW?
Champagne sales are expected to reach a new record this year, despite inflation that could have made consumers shun the expensive bubbly. Champagne sales reached an all-time high last year at $6.05 billion as the relaxation of pandemic-related curbs fueled a surge in exports. And David Chatillon, chairman of the Union of Champagne Houses, home to some of the most famous Champagne makers, said: “We will very likely beat this record again and 2022 will be the new champagne record.”
-NYPost
BS CHRONOMETER 12.23.22
TODAY’S BS REASONS TO PARTY . . .
• “Festivus”, created in 1966 but little-known until it was mentioned in a “Seinfeld” episode in 1997. It’s dedicated to celebrating the season without the pressure and commercialism of traditional holidays. (Can we start with the airing of grievances?) LINK: https://tinyurl.com/y83s2osr
• “HumanLight”, a Humanist holiday celebrated annually on December 23rd. Like “Kwanzaa”, it’s a modern invention, celebrating a positive approach to the coming new year.
• “Noche de Rabano” (Night of the Radishes) in Oaxaca (‘wah-HAH-kah’), Mexico, when figurines are cleverly carved … from radishes. How festive! LINK: https://tinyurl.com/y6wfhezz
• “Pfeffernüsse Day”, a salute to the tiny spice cookies that are popular as a holiday treat in Denmark, Germany, and The Netherlands, as well as among Mennonites in North America.
• “Roots Day”, a day to celebrate your heritage. Many of us are returning to our roots as we head home for Christmas, bringing us a cozy, comfortable feeling, and a sense of belonging.
SATURDAY-
• “Christmas Eve”, a family gift-giving occasion in many countries, it is the evening or entire day before Christmas Day. Together, the 2 days are considered one of the most culturally significant celebrations in Christianity and Western society. (***See “BS Phone Starter”, below***)
• “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’. (My family simply refers to it as “Yule-fuel!”)
• “Last Minute Shopper’s Day”, celebrate by going out and purchasing any last-minute gifts or other items you need before Christmas. (See you there!)
SUNDAY-
• “Christmas Day”, the annual commemoration of the birth of Jesus Christ, observed among billions of people in more than 160 countries. It is celebrated religiously by a majority of Christians, as well as culturally by many non-Christians, and is the integral part of the holiday season centered around it.
• “No ‘L’ Day, gets its name by being a pun of the word “noel.” Today, you’re invited to skip the ‘L’ in all correspondences and communications – written or spoken. Noel is another name for a Christmas carol (also French for ‘Christmas’), so it is fitting that “No L” Day takes place on Christmas Day.
• “Pumpkin Pie Day”, (also celebrated Nov. 21) It’s a holiday favorite, suitable for both Thanksgiving and Christmas, as well as on Halloween. Because the main season for eating pumpkin pie begins with the fall harvest, this could be your last chance to enjoy it for several months. So, save some room!
TODAY’S CELEBIRTHDAYS . . .
1943 [79] Harry Shearer, LA CA, TV voice actor (voices of ‘Mr. Burns’, ‘Smithers’, ‘Ned Flanders’, ‘Principal Skinner’ and others on “The Simpsons” since 1989)/movie actor (“This Is Spinal Tap”)
1946 [76] Susan Lucci, TV actress, Scarsdale NY (‘Erica Kane’ on “All My Children” 1970-2011)
1949 [73] (Steven) Adrian Belew, Covington KY, rock guitarist (Frank Zappa; David Bowie; King Crimson, Talking Heads, Tom Tom Club, Paul Simon, Nine Inch Nails, Primus, William Shatner)
1964 [58] Eddie Vedder (Edward Severson III), Evanston IL, alt-rock singer (Pearl Jam-‘Jeremy’, ‘Daughter’, solo-‘Hard Sun’)/Rock & Roll Hall of Fame 2017. (***Here’s a bonus BS “Eddie Web Goodie”: https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMFn84Mda/ ***)
1978 [44] Estella Warren, Peterborough ON, movie actress (“Beauty and the Beast” 2009, “Planet of the Apes” 2001), model (Sports Illustrated, Victoria’s Secret), former synchronized swimmer (3 Canadian national titles)
1979 [43] Holly Madison, Astoria OR, model/reality TV star (“The Girls of the Playboy Mansion” 2005-09)
2002 [20] Finn Wolfhard, Vancouver BC, TV actor (‘Mike Wheeler’ on “Stranger Things” since 2016)/movie actor (“It” movies) COMING UP…“The Legend of Ochi”
SATURDAY- Dr. Anthony Fauci (US COVID-19 response chief) is 82; Ricky Martin (‘La Vida Loca’) is 51; Stephenie Meyer (author-“Twilight” saga) is 49; Ryan Seacrest (“Live with Kelly and Ryan”) is 48; Louis Tomlinson (One Direction) is 31
CHRISTMAS DAY – Jimmy Buffett (‘Margaritaville’) is 76; Sissy Spacek (“Carrie”) is 73; Annie Lennox (Eurythmics) is 68; Dido (‘White Flag’) is 51
THIS DAY IN SHOW BIZ . . .
2007 [15] Katherine Heigl weds singer-songwriter Josh Kelley in Park City, Utah
2018 [04] Miley Cyrus marries Liam Hemsworth. They split up 8 months later
TODAY’S MUSIC EVENTS. . .
2015 [07] ’80s hitmaker Richard Marx marries model and TV host Daisy Fuentes
2020 [20] Mountain singer-guitarist Leslie West dies of cardiac arrest at age 75
TODAY’S RECORD . . .
2007 [15] Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant (aged 29 years, 122 days) surpasses Wilt Chamberlain to become the youngest player in NBA history to reach 20,000 career points (LeBron James has since broken the record, at 28 years, 17 days)
BULL’S BITS
BS WHACK CHRISTMAS FACTS:
✓ “Black Friday” is not the busiest shopping day of the year. The 2 days before Christmas are.
✓ Early illustrations of St. Nicholas make him out to be a stern symbol of discipline rather than the jolly, overweight elf that children know today.
✓ The first song played in space was ‘Jingle Bells’ in 1965.
✓ Hallmark Christmas movies take only 2 weeks to film, much less than a typical TV movie.
✓ An average of 14,700 people visit US hospital emergency rooms each holiday season because of decorating accidents.
✓ Some zoos accept donated Christmas trees as food for their animals. (Gee, thanks for the leftovers…)
-OfficeHolidays, List25
Best of BS . . .
BS SIGNS YOUR KIDS DON’T LIKE THEIR CHRISTMAS PRESENTS:
• They spend Christmas morning making up games involving wrapping paper.
• There’s something half-hearted about the way they say, “Oh wow — Q-Tips…”
• You see them trying to shove everything back up the chimney.
• Spelled out in Legos on the front lawn are the words “Cheapskate lives here”.
• Moments after they unwrap their gifts, you see them up for sale on ‘Facebook Marketplace’.
• Your son simply refuses to understand why you couldn’t get him a date with Margot Robbie.
• They cite your gifts as a major factor in their decision to convert to Judaism.
• You wake up and find the head of Baby Yoda in your bed.
• They ask, “OK, now where are the REAL gifts?”
-Neloo, first published in BS in 2017
TODAY’S SCOOP OF BS:
➠ According to the American Research Group, the average American mall-goer is spending around $1000 dollars on Christmas. ($725 of that at Cinnabon…)
➠ Man, you can definitely tell we’re into the thick of the holiday season. (These days, Starbucks is spelling my name wrong on Eggnog Lattes, instead of mocha grande whatever whatevers…)
➠ Report: About 40% of us will spend Christmas with extended family. (The other 60% will get to enjoy Christmas…)
➠ Sex has topped a list of what made people the happiest in 2022. (Okay, I can understand the findings, but why didn’t they survey the married folks?)
➠ Researchers are suggesting that having sex is actually very good for your health. (In other words, I could be dead by morning.)
BS WEB GOODIE:
Is this too much Christmas? https://tinyurl.com/uz2s7yx
BS RANDOM JOKE:
If you think Christmas shopping on December 23rd is “last-minute”, clearly, you’re an amateur.
BS PHONE STARTER:
What is your family’s unique/unusual/truly weird Christmas Eve ritual?
BS WATER COOLER QUESTION:
Question: When asked to describe their perfect Christmas morning, nearly 60% of kids said it included THIS. What is it?
Answer: Pancakes
BS DEEP THOUGHT:
One of the most glorious messes in the world is the mess created in the living room on Christmas day. Don’t clean it up too quickly.
