Monday, January 11, 2021 – Edition: #6880

Never Accept a Generic – Ask For Pure “BS”!

BS SHOW BIZ BUZZ:
★ Grimes has revealed that she has COVID-19, an experience she says she doesn’t mind, because of the medication. The Canadian singer-songwriter, whose real name is Claire Elise Boucher, shared her news on Instagram writing, “Finally got COVID but weirdly enjoying the DayQuil fever dream.” In November, Grimes’s partner and the father of their 8-month-old baby, Tesla CEO Elon Musk, tweeted that he “most likely” had COVID-19, comparing his symptoms to a “minor cold.”
-Yahoo
★ Tim Allen says that it was emotional, as well as “weird, creepy… [and] unusual” when he brought back ‘Tim the Tool Man Taylor’ on Thursday night’s episode of “Last Man Standing”, reviving the “Home Improvement” character more than 20 years after the sitcom ended. While the Last Man Standing episode aired, fans hoped it was a hint at a Home Improvement revival. While there has been no official word, Allen might have time for it now that Last Man Standing is ending, and Allen has hinted at a reunion in the past.
-PopCulture, People
★ Jimmy Fallon is giving back to the hospitality industry amid the coronavirus pandemic. He enjoyed a meal at Kissaki Sushi’s Hamptons location with his wife Nancy Juvonen last weekend, and left a very generous $400 tip for their server. His outing comes after he teamed up with Google in September to help support and celebrate some of his favourite New York City local businesses, and asking viewers to “Order online. Get takeout. Get delivery. If you can eat out, eat out. Even if you don’t feel like eating, get it delivered and freeze it then eat it the next day.”
-MSN
★ Marion Ramsey, known for her role in the “Police Academy” films and gracing the Broadway stage in 1978’s “Eubie!”, died Thursday at 73. Though many may know Ramsey for her role as Officer ‘Laverne Hooks’ in the “Police Academy” films, her career began much earlier. In 1964, she appeared in “Hello, Dolly!”. On screen she took part in the variety show “Keep On Truckin’” and she held a regular role on “Cos.” 1984 brought about the role that would mark Ramsey’s career. With the first “Police Academy,” Ramsey found a film franchise that would see her through the 1980s, ending with the sixth installment in 1989, “Police Academy 6: City Under Siege.”
-Canoe

TODAY’S SHOW BIZ SKED:
• “Jimmy Kimmel Live” (ABC/Global): Milo Ventimiglia, Ken Jennings, Queen Naija
• “The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon” (NBC/CTV): Rashida Jones, Bill Burr, Old Dominion
• “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” (CBS/Global): Chris Rock, Joss Stone
• “Late Night with Seth Meyers” (NBC/CTV): Amber Ruffin, Lacey Lamar, Future Islands
• ” The Late Late Show with James Corden” (CBS/CTV): Rob Lowe, Zoe Wees
• “Conan” (TBS): Heather Graham (R)
• “Watch What Happens Live” (Bravo): Meghan McCain, S.E. Cupp
• “Live with Kelly and Ryan” (ABC/CTV): Carey Mulligan, Tom Payne, Jess Sims
• “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” (NBC/CTV): Chris Rock (R)
• “The Kelly Clarkson Show” (CHECK LOCAL LISTINGS): David Oyelowo, Wilmer Valderrama, Syd & Shea McGee
• “The Drew Barrymore Show” (CHECK LOCAL LISTINGS): Craig Ferguson, Nikki & Brie Bella, Pilar Valdes
• “The Bachelor” (ABC): Matt’s adventurous first date with Bri triggers an emotional bombshell between the other jealous women; 18 women dress up for a wedding photo shoot for the group date.
• “All American Stories” (CW): Eight incredible athletes who have overcome unimaginable obstacles in their relentless pursuit of greatness.
• “Street Outlaws” (DISCOVERY): Season 17 premiere

BS MUSIC NOTES:
• Nicki Minaj — has agreed to pay $450,000 to Tracy Chapman to settle a copyright lawsuit. Chapman sued in 2018 saying Minaj’s song ‘Sorry’ copied her 1988 hit ‘Baby Can I Hold You’. Sorry was an unreleased Minaj song that heavily sampled Baby Can I Hold You and was leaked and played on a New York radio show.
• Lil Nas X – His ‘Old Town Road (Remix)’, ft. Bill Ray Cyrus has been awarded its 14th platinum certification, breaking the record for the most certifications a song has ever received. Luis Fonsi, Daddy Yankee and Justin Bieber’s ‘Despacito’ previously held the title, having gone platinum 13 times.
• Laura Branigan – Her legacy manager calls it “absolutely appalling” that the late singer’s hit ‘Gloria’ was played to hype up President Trump and attendees of his rally on Wednesday. Kathy Golik tweeted that it was “sad” and “upsetting” to see Branigan’s “beautiful memory & legacy have any association w/ Pres. Trump & such a dark day in US history.”
• David Bowie – His music library has been added to TikTok. That means his songs are now available for TikTokers to incorporate into their videos. A statement from TikTok said: “David was – and remains – a cultural icon. He was never afraid to push boundaries and was always first to embrace new technology to reach his global fan base.”
• Gary Numan — The title track from his new album “Intruder” drops today. The LP – which is available to pre-order now – will be released on May 21. He says it looks at climate change from the planet’s point of view, and explores the potential of an apocalypse.
• Gwen Stefani – She and Gavin Rossdale have reportedly had their marriage annulled. The former couple split in 2015 and, according to insiders, a Catholic church tribunal has “finally” ruled that their marriage was never properly entered into and declared it invalid. That, of course, means she’ll be able to have her upcoming marriage to Blake Shelton acknowledged by the church.
• Blake Shelton – tweeted a tribute to singer-songwriter Ed Bruce, who died on Friday at 81. Shelton wrote: What a stand alone voice he had…Rest In Peace cowboy. I’m not loving 2021 so far”. Bruce tallied 35 country hits, but is best known for co-writing ‘Mammas Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys’ with his former wife, Patsy.
• Jake Owen – shared a clip of his appearance in the upcoming movie “Our Friend” to his Instagram. Based on the real-life story of journalist Matthew Teague and his wife Nicole, the film stars Casey Affleck and Dakota Johnson. Owen plays a friend of Teague in the movie, which premieres in theaters and on streaming services on Jan. 22. LINK: https://tinyurl.com/y6lge28y
• Dolly Parton — has an unreleased song sitting in a time capsule at her Dollywood theme park. It is among number of items buried inside a wooden box at her DreamMore resort in Pigeon Forge, TN, until the year 2045. She’ll be 99 when the time comes to open the box.

SHOOTING THE BULL

DREAM ON:
For many, their New Year’s resolutions result in a lot of early mornings, getting up before dawn to get a run in or to pack the day’s carefully portioned lunch. But new developments in the science of sleep suggest that grabbing a little more ZZZZZ time might be one of the most important tools we have for cutting back on calorie intake. Welcome to “The Sleep Diet”. One study found that test subjects who got more sleep reduced their daily sugar intake by over nine grams per day. When we sleep, we regulate the hormones that control out appetite and satiety…that means when you get a good night’s sleep, those hormones enable you to make good decisions around food. Sleep (or lack of it) also affects your stress levels the next day, which can also lead to poor food choices. That’s another reason why, now more than ever, experts are recommending, no matter how much exercising you do, that if you’d really like to trim some fat, one of your resolutions this year should be to take time and make the effort to get enough sleep. THAT’S The Sleep Diet.
(Do they mean “enough” enough, or “before I had kids and a job” enough?)
(So how is it that my teens can wake from a 12-hour weekend hibernation and devour a double chocolate chip waffle with whip cream and an entire bottle of syrup…THEN go back to sleep?)
(I’ve been on a diet from sleep since I started this job!)
-TorStar

NICE PROBLEM TO HAVE:
Tesla Inc chief Elon Musk, who has just surpassed Amazon’s Jeff Bezos to become the world’s richest person, is looking for good ideas on how to give his fortune away. As of Friday, Musk’s fortune was estimated at more than $208 billion, and he is one of the ultra-rich who have signed Bill Gates and Warren Buffett’s “Giving Pledge” to donate half his fortune. One of Musk’s first reactions to the news, after cheekily tweeting “Well, back to work…”, was to post that “critical feedback is always super appreciated, as well as ways to donate money that really make a difference (way harder than it seems).” He was, of course, inundated with suggestions on how he could dispose of some of his wealth, including funding schools, arranging a monthly check to all Americans living in poverty, and a suggestion from someone with the Twitter handle “SADIST”, who wrote: “I am a prince in kenya and i have unprocessed diamonds…send 100 thousand dollars for their refinement…you shall be repaid 45% of profit…I cannot run with your money I tweet here everday”
(Sounds legit…)
(Of course, like all billionaires, he’ll use most of the money to fund a future divorce…)
(Yes, you’re right, the press reported that he was “cash poor” just a year ago…)
-Bloomberg, FinancialPost

BULL DETECTOR:
Researchers say they have invented a form of Artificial Intelligence that is able to distinguish true conspiracies from “conspiracy theories”. The culture analytics group at the University of California has developed an automated approach to determining when conversations on social media reflect the telltale signs of conspiracy theorizing. They say their “machine learning systems” are able to separate the two by graphing the elements and connections of an online narrative, or a string of online postings. The scientific group says they have been able to use it to successfully study conspiracy theories involving the COVID-19 pandemic and anti-vaccination movements, and are currently using the methods to study QAnon. They say these tools could form the basis of an early warning system to alert authorities to online narratives that pose a threat in the real world.
(Where was this thing last week?)
(Which will be great…until Putin shuts it down!)
(I’ll believe it when I see it…)
-ScienceAlert

HOME WORK (out):
A recent study has found that you’ll live longer if you can manage just 11 minutes of movement a day. And, yes, between the Zoom meetings, Netflix binges and closed gyms, the pandemic has definitely created some challenges when it comes to exercising. You’ve heard about all those studies showing the health risks of prolonged sitting. Now, Scientists at the Norwegian School of Sports Medicine have found that study participants who exercised 35 minutes per day saw the biggest statistical difference on life span. But just 11 minutes of moderate exercise — equivalent to a brisk walk — still had a noticeable positive impact. And both time frames were positively impactful, regardless of the amount of sitting. They say previous studies showing you need to do 60 or 75 minutes of exercise per day for longevity benefits were flawed because they used participants’ self-reported data. (Self-reporting? I’d also like to report that this bacon-cheeseburger tastes really good!)
-CNN

DID YOU KNOW?
A huge nudist festival is set to go ahead despite concerns surrounding the coronavirus pandemic. For the past 5 years, more than 8,000 nude revelers have been gathering over the first weekend in February at Zipolite, on the southern coast of Mexico. The Festival Nudista Zipolite on the country’s only legal nude beach. Despite the country having recorded more than 1.4 million cases of the deadly disease, with over 130,000 COVID-related deaths in the past year, the hotly-anticipated event is expected to go ahead as planned. Town officials have agreed the festival can proceed as long as the country’s protocols are met. (Just wondering – Do nudists wear masks?)
-LADBible

BS CHRONOMETER 01.11.21

TODAY’S CELEBIRTHDAYS . . .
1946 [75] Naomi Judd, Ashland KY, country singer (The Judds-‘Mama, He’s Crazy’, ‘Grandpa [Tell Me ‘Bout the Good Old Days]’)

1956 [65] Phyllis Logan, Paisley Scotland, TV actress (“Downton Abbey” 2010-15)

1968 [53] Tom Dumont, LA CA, rock guitarist (No Doubt-‘It’s My Life’, ‘Don’t Speak’)

1971 [50] Mary J. Blige, Bronx NY, R&B-pop singer (‘Family Affair’, ‘Be Without You’)

1972 [49] Amanda Peet, NYC, movie actress (“Identity Thief”, “The Whole Nine Yards”)

1985 [36] Aja Naomi King, LA CA, TV actress (‘Michaela Pratt’ on “How to Get Away With Murder” 2014-20)

1997 [24] Cody Simpson, Gold Coast Australia, pop singer (‘On My Mind’, f/Flo Rida-‘iYiYi’)

TODAY’S BS REASONS TO PARTY . . .
• “Hot Toddy Day”, saluting the traditional drink taken before retiring for the night, or in wet or cold weather. It’s typically a mixture of liquor and water with honey (or, in some recipes, sugar), herbs (such as tea) and spices, and served piping hot. Some believe it relieves the symptoms of cold and flu…or at least makes you forget them.

• “International Thank-You Day”, a chance to thank someone from your past who did something nice for you. (I’d like to take a moment to say thank you to those who assisted me in getting my student loans…I’ll never be able to repay you!)

• “Learn Your Name in Morse Code Day”, in case you want to embrace a technology that has pretty much disappeared. Dash-dot-dot-dot … dot-dot-dash … dot-dash-dot-dot …

• “Human Trafficking Awareness Day”, drawing attention to efforts to eradicate modern-day slavery around the world.

• “Cigarettes are Hazardous to Your Health Day”.  Did we really need a day to tell us this?

• “Consumer Electronics Show”, this year’s all-digital experience starts today in Las Vegas and runs through Thursday. CES has served as the proving ground for innovators and breakthrough technologies for over 50 years. Some products that debuted or were announced at the CES include: The VCR (1970), Camcorder and Compact Disc Player (1981), HDTV (1998), PVR (1999), Tablets, Netbooks and Android Devices (2010), Connected TV and Smart Appliances (2011) and Consumer 3D Printers (2014) LINK: https://ces.tech/

COMING UP . . .
[Tues] Kiss a Ginger Day
[Tues] Pharmacist Day
[Wed] Rubber Ducky Day
[Wed] Sticker Day
This Week Is…Home Office Safety and Security Week
This Month Is…National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month

THIS DAY IN SHOW BIZ . . .
2010 [11] Simon Cowell leaves “American Idol” to launch “The X Factor” (US version) His replacement? Steven Tyler

2013 [08] Re/Create, charity event to aid victims of 2012 s Hurricane Sandy, holds a celebrity clothing auction that includes an autographed pair of Yeezy II sunglasses from Kanye West, a WeSC jacket Skrillex wore to the 2012 Grammys, and a Mugler bag donated by Lady Gaga

TODAY’S MUSIC EVENTS . . .
1992 [29] Nirvana’s “Nevermind” album hits #1 in America, unseating Michael Jackson’s “Dangerous”.

2013 [08] Destiny’s Child announce their official reunion will happen at the 2013 Super Bowl, 7 years after their split

2016 [05] The day after David Bowie’s death, his music videos on VEVO are viewed 51 million times, shattering the previous record of 36 million held by Adele after she released ‘Hello’. Most of the views are for Bowie’s new videos ‘Lazarus’ and ‘Blackstar’, which fortell his death

TODAY’S FIRST . . .
2020 [01] ‘Diego,’ the giant 100-year-old tortoise retires to the Galapagos islands after his high libido is credited with saving his species

BULL’S BITS

BS WHACK FACTS:
✓ The first people to wear t-shirts were sailors in the US Navy.
✓ The ancient Romans thought unibrows were sexy.
✓ A ten-gallon hat will only hold ¾ of a gallon.
✓ If you were to stretch a Slinky out until it’s flat, it would measure 87 feet long.
✓ Initially, ATM’s were thought to be failures, because most early users were either prostitutes or gamblers, who didn’t want to deal with tellers face to face.
✓ Gorillas burp when they are happy.
-Livin3, BathroomReadersInstitute

BS FAKE PUPPY FACTS:
• They come pre-toilet-trained.
• Bacon is an effective puppy repellent.
• Kids think they’re ugly.
• Puppies think about nothing but murder all day.
• There’s no significance to the fact that the word PUPPY has so much “P” in it…none at all.
• They do not hear you unless you raise your voice by three octaves and repeat everything you say 4 times.
• If yours sees its shadow, it means six more weeks of toilet training.
• They want nothing to do with chewing your shoes.
• It is a good idea to let the kids pick one out without first letting your spouse know.
• Puppies are 70% love, 50% poop, and 100% bad at math
-Twitter, first published in BS in 2019

TODAY’S SLICE OF BS:
➠ The virtual Consumer Electronics Show is in full swing in Las Vegas. CES is crammed with awesome things that you really want to take home, but can’t. (It’s like an electronic strip club!)
➠ A report suggests that those who lie have poorer physical health than those who don’t. (On the other hand, telling someone what you REALLY think of them can also get you shot…)
➠ A recent study found that the average American consumes four alcoholic beverages a week.  (Sweet! I totally hit the average. To be clear, there are 365 weeks in a year, right?)
➠ Kate Middleton turned 39 on Saturday. (She enjoyed some pampering and a little R&R before having to return to her usual daily grind — of pampering and R&R.)
➠ Rod Stewart turned 76 yesterday. (So now, when he asks “Have I Told You Lately That I Love You?” it’s because he honestly can’t remember…)

BS WEB GOODIE:  Old dog, new tech:  https://tinyurl.com/y2hmx9nr

BS U-PICK TRIVIA:
• What does a country’s ‘GNP’ mean?
a) Gross National Product [CORRECT]
b) Greatest National Purchase
c) Good New People
d) Government Nuclear Plan

• Which word can mean both ‘wise man’ or a type of ‘herb’?
a) Guru
b) Basil
c) Sage [CORRECT]
d) Bladderwrack

• Which is both the name of a Korean fish dish and a garden tool?
a) Pruner
b) Spade
c) Rake
d) Hoe [CORRECT]
-LovattPuzzles

BS RANDOM JOKE:
Sundays are always a little sad, but the day before is a sadder day.

BS PHONE STARTER:
What is the dumbest thing you have ever said to a cop?

BS WATER COOLER QUESTION:
Question:  The average woman begins to regret THIS in about 70 minutes. What is it?
Answer:  Wearing high heels

BS DEEP THOUGHT:
You can find a million reasons to be angry at the world and you can find a million reasons to be happy. Choose wisely.