Friday, January 6, 2006        Edition: #3191
Sweet Sheet!

BS SHOW BIZ BUZZ:
THIS WEEKEND sea craft from ‘James Bond’ films are the main attraction at the “New York National Boat Show”, with vessels from “Thunderball”, “Diamonds Are Forever”, “Moonraker”, “For Your Eyes Only” and “The World Is Not Enough” all on exhibit (more hype for the upcoming “Casino Royale”) . . . At last they made the right choice! “Daily Show” host Jon Stewart has been signed to emcee the 78th “Academy Awards” MARCH 5th (his first Oscar gig, but he did host the Grammys in 2001 & 2002) . . . The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Organization claims it ‘accidentally’ included actor Kevin Spacey’s name on a list of gay role models in an info brochure distributed to British schools (Spacey has never openly discussed his sexuality and the group promises his name will be withdrawn) . . . A rep for movie actress Denise Richards confirms she’s moving forward with her divorce from “Two-and-a-Half Men” star Charlie Sheen, thus ending their highly publicized reconciliation attempt (maybe it turns out he’s the ‘Half’?) . . . Barry Gibb of the Bee Gees has spent a reported $2.5 million to snap up the long-time Hendersonville TN home of the late Johnny Cash, which he promises to restore and use as a place to compose due to its ‘musical inspiration’ . . . Movie actress Halle Berry will star in the upcoming ad campaign for Versace’s Spring/Summer Palm Beach line (proving you can still rake in cash without a hit movie) . . . And Page Six would never have spotted a pal bringing a pregnancy test, playing cards, mouthwash, Coca-Cola & a box of Cocoa Puffs to Lindsay Lohan’s hospital room had it not been suspiciously delivered – in a ‘clear plastic bag’ (think she’s really worried about being pregnant with Jared Leto’s baby … or just working the media like a pro?).

BS MUSIC NOTES:
• Britney Spears – Word has it she’s livid with hubby Kevin Federline for trying to land a part on the upcoming ABC-TV show “The Ex-Wives Club”, which will feature his former girlfriend Shar Jackson.
• Kanye West – TODAY he guests on the “Ellen DeGeneres Show”.
• Korn – TOMORROW they’re the musical guests on NBC-TV’s “Saturday Night Live”, hosted by “Desperate Housewives” star Eva Longoria.
• Limp Bizkit – “Us Weekly” reports Fred Durst is engaged to girlfriend Leyla Bearman after popping the question DECEMBER 30th.
• Madonna – She’s teamed up with Celebrity Cellars for her own signature line of wines, including a Cabernet Sauvignon, a Pinot Grigio, and a nonalcoholic version called ‘UnWine’.
• Rascal Flatts – TODAY they appear on “Live With Regis & Kelly”.
• The Temptations – TONIGHT they reunite to perform on “Late Show With David Letterman”.
• Usher – He’s revealed that his ex-fiancée, model Eishia Brightwell, never caught him cheating … it was he who told her all about it! That’s apparently why she split LAST SUMMER.
• Whitney Houston – Her health is being called into question again after tabloid pics show her looking unkempt as she walks into an Atlanta garage wearing pajamas and a $50,000 fur. A witness says she looked like ‘a bag lady in an expensive coat’.

TODAY’S MOVIE OPENINGS:
• “Grandma’s Boy” ( R-Rated Comedy ):  Allen Covert plays a thirty-something video game tester who, after being kicked to the curb by his roommates, moves in with his grandmother and her 2 friends. Another cookie-cutter comedy from Adam Sandler’s production company.
NET: http://www.grandmasboymovie.com/grandmas_boy.php?

• “Hostel” ( R-Rated Horror ): In a twist on the old camping-students-sent-screaming theme, 3 backpackers head to a Slovakian city that promises to meet their hedonistic expectations, with no idea of the hell that awaits them. Filmed in the Czech Republic, the cast is mostly made up of Eastern European unknowns.
NET: http://www.hostelfilm.com/
• “The Matador” ( Limited Release R-Rated Dark Comedy ): Pierce Brosnan & Greg Kinnear star as a hitman and a salesman who happen to meet in a Mexico City hotel bar and are drawn together in a way neither expected. Sort of a Mexican version of “Fargo”. Brosnan’s performance has been nominated for a “Golden Globe Award”.
NET: http://www.miramax.com/matador/
• “Munich” ( Historic Thriller Opening Wider ): In the tragic aftermath of the 1972 Munich Olympics, a Mossad agent (Eric Bana) tracks the Palestinian terrorists who assassinated Israeli athletes. Received “Golden Globe” nominations for ‘Best Screenplay’ and ‘Best Director’ (Steven Spielberg).
NET: http://www.munichmovie.com/splash.html

DO IT YOURSELF SPERM COUNT:
The first-ever over-the-counter fertility test for men is set to go on sale in the UK in a matter of weeks. The device called ‘Fertell’ will be available as part of a ‘his-and-hers’ kit and claims  95% accuracy on test results that can be processed within an hour. The landmark device will allow couples to detect fertility problems early on. It’s estimated that about 1 in 7 couples experiences problems conceiving. (For more info, Google ‘Shooting Blanks’.)
– “Daily Mail”

2006 CONSUMER ELECTRONICS SHOW:
THIS WEEKEND the world’s largest consumer technology show invades Las Vegas where some 2,500 exhibitors will show off the latest in electronic gizmos and gadgets to an expected 120,000 attendees.This is the show where many of the devices we now use were introduced (VCR in 1970, DVD in 1996, HDTV in 1998, Xbox in 2001). Among this year’s innovations … HD-Radio, the Video Rearview Mirror for vehicles, Widescreen Liquid Crystal TV,  the Quatro Four-Door Convertible Refrigerator, 50-inch Wireless Plasma Display, the Palm Vein Authentication System (confirms ID through biometrics), the Logitech Laser Mouse, and the iRobot Scooba Floor-Washing Robot. (For all of them, batteries are extra.)
NET: http://www.cesweb.org

DID YOU KNOW:
It’s estimated that HDTV sets will outsell traditional analog TV sets by 89% in 2006.

BRING ME THE HEAD OF AMADEUS:
Have scientists found Mozart’s skull? Researchers will reveal the results of hi-tech DNA testing in a documentary airing SUNDAY exclusively on Austrian TV as part of year-long celebrations marking the composer’s 250th birthday. The tests performed at the Institute for Forensic Medicine in Innsbruck will be made public in “Mozart: The Search for Evidence”, to be screened by Austria’s national broadcaster ORF. Mozart died in 1791 at age 35; his purported skull has been in the possession of the International Mozarteum Foundation in Salzburg for more than a century. The secret results of the tests were verified by a US Army lab.
– “Billboard”

THE PAMPERED POOCHES OF PARIS:
American pastry chef Harriet Sternstein has opened an exclusive bakery in Paris – for dogs. Mon Bon Chien sells bacon biscuits shaped like cats and bone-shaped cookies flavored with foie gras. Sternstein says the first time Parisians come in they find it funny and buy the treats they think are cutest. But the next time, it’s the dogs who choose which flavors they like best.
– AP

WORLD’S MOST EXCITING SPORT?
Scientists claim to have proven that the most exciting game there is – is soccer. Researchers at Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico have found that although football, basketball and baseball are watched by millions, none match the excitement of soccer due to the element of surprise. After analyzing results from more than 300,000 games played over the past century, the research team determined that the ‘upset frequency’ is highest in soccer, followed by baseball, hockey, basketball and football. (Yeah, those 0-0 World Cup games are real heart-stoppers.)
– Reuters

BS AMAZING FACT:
You’re 10 times more likely to be bitten by a human than a rat.
     
THE LOSERS BY A WHISKER:
If you’re single and bearded, there’s only one way to get the ladies to like you – shave! According to a new survey, women think beards are a turn-off, with 8 out of 10 saying they’d refuse to date a guy with whiskers. The reason? Many think beards age men, and the rest feel they can’t trust men with facial hair because it hides their ‘true feelings’. (Not to mention a horrific weak chin.)
– “Focus”

THE BULL SHEET 01.06.2K6

TODAY’S CELEBIRTHDAYS . . .
1946 [60] Syd Barrett (Roger Keith), Cambridge UK, classic rock songwriter/guitarist (Pink Floyd-“Another Brick in the Wall”)/Rock & Roll Hall of Fame (1996)

1953 [53] Malcolm Young, Glasgow, Scotland, classic rock guitarist (AC/DC-“Moneytalks”)/Rock & Roll Hall of Fame (2003)

1955 [51] Rowan Atkinson, Newcastle-upon-Tyne UK, movie actor (“Four Weddings & a Funeral”)/TV fool (“Mr Bean”)

1960 [46] Howie Long, Charlestown MA, TV football analyst (“FOX NFL Sunday”)/ad huckster (Radio Shack)/sometime movie actor (“3000 Miles to Graceland”)/former NFL DE (Raiders 1981-1993)/Pro Football Hall of Fame (2000)

1968 [38] John Singleton, LA CA, movie director/screenwriter (“Four Brothers”)

SATURDAY –
“Rolling Stone”/”Us Weekly” publisher Jann Wenner is 60; Oldies singer Kenny Loggins (“Footloose”) is 58; TV actor David Caruso (“CSI: Miami”) is 50; TV anchor Katie Couric (“Today”) is 49; Country singer David Lee Murphy (“Just Once”) is 47; Movie actor Nicolas Cage (“National Treasure”) is 42; Country singer John Rich (Big & Rich) is 32; Movie actor Liam Aiken (“Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events”) is 16.

SUNDAY –
Classic rocker David Bowie (“Fame”) is 59; R&B singer R Kelly (“Happy People”) is 39; Reggae singer Sean Paul (“We Be Burnin’”) is 33; Toronto actress Sarah Polley (“Dawn of the Dead”) is 27.

TODAY’S BS REASONS TO PARTY . . .
• [Armenia] “Christmas”
• [Christian] “Carnival” season through February 28th.
• [Christian] “Epiphany”, aka “Three Kings Day”.
• [International] “Respect For Living Day”
• [International] “Show & Tell Day at Work”, a chance for adults to partake in the kindergarten ritual with co-workers. Have your crew each bring in something that makes a unique sound.
• [International] “Smith Day”, celebrating the most-common surname in the English-speaking world.
• [Jamaica] “Maroon Festival” (since 1738)
• [Italy] “Epiphany Festival”, when the kindly witch ‘La Befana’ slides down chimneys on her broom to bring toys and goodies for kids.
• [Mexico] “Dia de los Santos Reyes”, when kids put straw out & leave shoes on balconies to be filled with toys by ‘Los Tres Reyes’ (The Three Kings) who bring gifts riding camel-back.

SATURDAY –
• “I’m Not Going to Take It Anymore Day”. You mean, from now on you’re paying?
• “Old Rock Day”, so don’t take it for granite!
• “Organize Your Home Day” … even better, have some TV reno show do it for you!
• “Orthodox Christmas” or “Julian Calendar Christmas” in many countries worldwide.

SUNDAY –
• “Bubble Bath Day”, a chance to kick on back in a relaxing tub.
• “Elvis Presley’s Birthday”, what would have been his 71st. The annual excuse for Elvis Presley Enterprises to sell more souvenirs of The King in Memphis TN.
• “Eat Something Raw Day”. Hey now, we’re talking veggies and fruit and such – not meat!
• “Volunteer Fireman’s Day”, honoring the amateur guys who rush to the scene, just for kicks.
• “Women’s Day” in Greece, when women spend the day in cafés while men do housework.

THIS DAY IN SHOW BIZ . . .
1974 [32] Canada’s new ‘Global Television Network’ debuts

1975 [31] Chuck Woolery hosts & Susan Stafford turns over the letters on the new TV game show “Wheel Of Fortune” (most-watched game show of all-time)

TODAY’S MUSIC EVENTS . . .
1964 [42] The Rolling Stones headline their first tour (to put this in perspective, the opening act is – the Ronettes!)

1993 [13] Bill Wyman announces his retirement from The Rolling Stones

TODAY’S FIRST . . .
1936 [70] 1st-ever ‘Female Mayor’ in Canada (Barbara Hanley-Webbwood ON)

1681 [325] 1st recorded ‘Boxing Match’ (Duke of Albemarle’s butler vs his butcher)

1952 [54] “Peanuts” by Charles Schulz debuts in newspapers (most successful syndicated comic strip in history)

TODAY’S RECORD . . .
1980 [26] Philadelphia Flyers set NHL record of 35 consecutive games without a defeat

AND REMEMBER . . .
[Mon] Play God Day
[Mon] “The Bachelor 9″ debuts on ABC-TV
[Mon] Clean-Off-Your-Desk Day
[Mon] Thank God It’s Monday Day
[Tues] 32nd “People’s Choice Awards”
[Tues] BS Egg Balancing Day
[Wed] Tattoo Pride Day
[Wed] NASA launches probe to Pluto
This Week Is . . . Lose Weight/Feel Great Week
This Month Is . . . Bread Machine Baking Month

BULL’S BITS

BS INTERVIEWS:
• TODAY through April 2nd the “Ice Hotel Québec-Canada” opens for a 6th season on a lake 40 km west of Québec City. The hotel made completely of ice features an indoor skating rink, snow golf, an indoor spa, cross-country skiing and an ice chapel for weddings. And yes, you sleep on beds made of ice. Only about 5% of the hotel’s patrons are Canadian – after all, why would we pay big bucks ($175 per person) to freeze our assets?.
PHONER: 877.505.0423 (Sainte-Catherine-de-la-Jacques-Cartier QC)
NET: http://www.icehotel-canada.com
• SUNDAY is the 19th annual “Sunrise Festival” in Inuvik NT, celebrating the  reappearance of the Sun after 6 weeks of total darkness. Bonfires and fireworks are the order of the day. So how do you survive winter in total darkness?
PHONER: 867.777.8611 (Fire Department)/867.777.8618 (Melissa Perkins)
NET: http://www.inuvik.ca/townhall/tourism.html
• SUNDAY-January 22nd is the “2006 North American International Auto Show”, one of the world’s largest, in the ‘Motor City’, Detroit MI. Sunday-Tuesday are ‘Press Preview Days’. Wednesday-Thursday are ‘Industry Preview Days’ and the annual ‘Charity Preview’ fund-raiser runs next Friday. The public finally gets to see the flashy new cars January 14th-22nd.
PHONER: 248.643.0250 (general info)/248.362.4200 (John Bailey, PR)
NET: http://www2.naias.com

BS QUICK-PICK TRIVIA:
• What does the ‘Pyruvate Scale’ (pronounced ‘PIE-roo-vate’) measure?
a. The amount of gold in unprocessed ore.
b. The pungency of onions or garlic. [CORRECT. It’s named after the acid in onions which makes cooks cry.]
c. The vocal range of opera singers.

• “Foggy City Orphan” is a very popular book and movie in China. What do we call it?
a. “Oliver Twist” [CORRECT]
b. “Sherlock Holmes”
c. “Deep Throat”

TOP SWAPS:
The week’s most requested music files online …
5. Ray J – “One Wish”
4. Black Eyed Peas – “My Humps”
3. D4L – “Laffy Taffy”
2. Nelly – “Grillz”
1. Chris Brown – “Run It”
– Big Champagne online music measurement.

BS WATER COOLER QUESTION:
Today’s Question: When asked in a recent survey for the worst food they’d ever eaten, THIS was the #1 answer people gave.
Answer to Give Out Next Show: Sushi.

BS DEEP THOUGHT:
A turtle makes progress when it sticks it’s head out.