Tuesday, January 10, 2023 – Edition: #7392

Sheet Rocks!

BS SHOW BIZ BUZZ:
★ The sequel to the highest-grossing movie of all time will now “easily” break even at the box office, according to writer/director James Cameron. He
raised eyebrows before the film’s release when he said ‘Avatar: The Way of Water” would need to “be the third or fourth highest-grossing film in history” just to “break even.” Well, as of the weekend, it has become the 7th-highest-grossing picture of all time, with a worldwide box office total just above $1.7 billion. During an interview, Cameron stated, “It looks like with the momentum that the film has now that we’ll easily pass our break even in the next few days, so it looks like I can’t wiggle out of this and I’m gonna have to do these other sequels. I know what I’m going to be doing the next 6 or 7 years.” He had already confirmed that “Avatar 3” will hit theaters in 2024, and now, it appears both 4 and 5 are a go.
-NYPost
★ “Homeland” star Claire Danes and fellow actor Hugh Dancy will be welcoming another baby into the family this year, their rep has confirmed. This will be the couple’s third child. They already have sons Cyrus and Rowan, aged 10 and 4. Danes, who is 43, married the 47-year-old “Law & Order” star in 2009 after meeting on the set of the 2007 movie “Evening.” The couple have not yet announced the baby’s sex or Danes’ due date.
-CNN
★ Could Brad Pitt be preparing to ride off into the sunset? Page Six is quoting a source close to the “Bullet Train” star, claiming that Pitt is preparing to step back from Hollywood following his sale of a majority stake in his production company, Plan B, which has produced films like the recent Marilyn Monroe film “Blonde”. The source said: “Brad has decided that he wants to live a peaceful life going forward and is deciding what ‘semi-retirement’ looks like for him.” However, the source clarified, while Pitt is scaling back his production work, he’s still planning to maintain his busy acting career. On the other hand, a different source says he’s considering a move to France.
-ETCanada
★ Jane Fonda was joined by her “80 for Brady” co-stars Lily Tomlin, Rita Moreno and Sally Field at the 2023 Palm Springs International Film Festival. The quartet screened their new film, in which they portray a group of BFFs who travel to the 2017 Super Bowl in order to meet the then-quarterback of the New England Patriots. Fonda says she was “completely starstruck” when she met Tom Brady. She that that although he was “kind and humble”, she said” “My knees actually got weak when he walked into my trailer…When somebody is the best in the world at what they do, you have to honor that and respect it. I was just awestruck.”
-ETCanada
★ Dolly Parton joined the cast of the “Call me Kat” in a filmed segment Thursday to pay tribute to the late Leslie Jordan during the show’s season premiere. In it, Parton said: “You left a lot of people here with a lot of precious, precious memories. Everybody loved you, but I doubt many of them loved you more than I did.” Parton then sang ‘Where the Soul Never Dies’, a song she and Jordan recorded for his 2021 album “Company’s Comin’.” Jordan died in October at age 67.
-NYPost
★ And because you need to know this, Jordan Peele says he bought Corey Feldman’s prosthetic ear from the 1986 film “Stand by Me.” During an appearance on “Late Night with Seth Meyers”, Peele revealed that he won the ear during an auction that Feldman staged around his 50th birthday. He told Meyers: “In saying it out loud, I realize how creepy it was. That’s not the thing you should share.” When Peele later told Feldman that he was in possession of his character ‘Teddy’s’ ear, Feldman responded: “Man, I’m so glad it was you.”
-NYPost

TODAY’S SHOW BIZ SKED:
• “Jimmy Kimmel Live” (ABC/Global): Octavia Spencer, Ramón Rodríguez, Reneé Rapp
• “The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon” (NBC/CTV): Leslie Jones, Giancarlo Esposito, Alvvays
• “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” (CBS/Global): Prince Harry, Ingrid Andress
• “Late Night with Seth Meyers” (NBC/CTV): Tom Hanks, Stephen Markley, Fab Moretti
• “The Late Late Show with James Corden” (CBS/CTV): Regina Hall, Alec Benjamin
• “Watch What Happens Live” (Bravo): Allison Williams, Mike Colter
• “The View” (ABC/CTV): Anna Kendrick, Jamie Oliver
• “The Talk”(CBS): Josh Radnor
• “Live with Kelly and Ryan” (ABC/CTV):  Jeremy Sisto
• “The Kelly Clarkson Show” (Check local listings): Niecy Nash-Betts, Ernie Hudson, Melia Kreiling, Jessica Betts
• “The Drew Barrymore Show” (Check local listings): Deborah Norville, Zanna Roberts Rassi, Chris Appleton
• “Jennifer Hudson Show” (Check local listings): Ashlee Simpson Ross, Adam DiMarco
• “80th Annual Golden Globe Awards” (NBC): Jerrod Carmichael hosts. Eddie Murphy and Ryan Murphy will be honored with the Cecil B. DeMille Award and Carol Burnett Award, respectively. Presenters include Ana De Armas, Ana Gasteyer, Billy Porter, Colman Domingo, Jamie Lee Curtis, Michaela Jaé Rodriguez, Natasha Lyonne, Nicole Byer, Niecy Nash-Betts, Quentin Tarantino, and Tracy Morgan.
• “The Rookie” (ABC): The search for a missing boy leads the team into the middle of a dangerous drug war between two rival gangs. Followed by an episode of “The Rookie: Feds”.

BS MUSIC NOTES:
• Miley Cyrus – dropped a teaser trailer for her new album “Endless Summer Vacation”, and announced it will be released on March 10. The one-minute video features Cyrus reciting a short dialogue over various close-up shots and visual nods to Los Angeles. She calls the new album her “love letter to L.A.” LINK: https://youtu.be/Hn4AGj_aRo4
• Lizzo – wants to collaborate with Adele – but a duet isn’t what she has in mind. Quote: “You know, what I’d do with Adele is play the flute. I’d play flute as she is that kind of artist.”
• Guns N’ Roses – are rumored to be one of the 3 headline acts for June’s Glastonbury Festival 2023, following the news that Elton John will headline the Sunday night for his final ever UK show. Arctic Monkeys are the odds-on favs to be the other headliners.
• Billy Idol – With the help of Henry Rollins, he unveiled his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Friday. In an interview, he poured cold water on the celebrated story of hearing ‘Mony Mony’ for the first time during his first sexual encounter. Quote: “It’s just a really good story, innit? But it was around that time I lost my virginity, so it’s not that far-fetched.” LINK: https://youtu.be/oAQPWuqLeZM
• Billy Joel and Stevie Nicks – After announcing they will both perform at AT&T Stadium in Arlington TX on April 8, the pair have announced 7 more shows together: March 10 in LA, May 19 in Nashville, June 16 in Philadelphia, Aug. 5 in Columbus UH, Aug. 19 in Kansas City MO, Sept. 23 in Foxborough MA, and Nov. 10 in Minneapolis.
• Morgan Wallen – had a busy weekend. Not only was video was posted of him pouring a drink down a woman’s top in a Nashville bar Friday night, on Sunday, he shared an unreleased new song that pays tribute to the late Keith Whitley. In the song, Wallen references several of Whitley’s hits, including ‘Kentucky Bluebird’. ‘I’m No Stranger to the Rain’ and ‘I Never Go Around Mirrors’. LINK: https://tinyurl.com/5n7pm8w5
• Rascal Flatts — guitarist Joe Don Rooney is calling it quits with his wife of almost 17 years, Playboy model Tiffany Fallon. TMZ reports Rooney is claiming Fallon had an affair with her personal trainer. She claims their breakup is due to Rooney’s “habitual alcoholism and substance abuse.”
• Jon Pardi — and wife Summer celebrated their first child (daughter Presley), who will arrive in a few weeks, during a Ski Lodge-themed baby shower on Saturday. Hosted by Kane Brown’s wife Katelyn, guests were treated to party favors including “Presley’s Ski Lodge”-branded coffee mugs filled with hot chocolate bombs, a coozie, cookie and lip gloss. Also popular: the s’mores bar. LINK: https://tinyurl.com/3kmcvdvw

SHOOTING THE BULL

IN TENTS EXPERIENCE:
A new “Floating Retreat” resort in the United Arab Emirates will feature a line of tents suspended 100 meters (328ft.) in the air. Set to be built in the mountains of Sharjah, up to 10 canopies would stretch between rocky peaks. The “Floating Retreat” idea was dreamed up by Dubai-based design studio Ardh Architects. The company says their “new typology of hospitality” will boast tents that are essentially floating hotel rooms that are suspended from the side of a mountain — and come with room service, entertainment, and WiFi. Each room also has its own bathroom, and access to a 5-star spa at the top of the mountain. The reception area is located on the ground floor and offers amenities such as a concierge, restaurant, and private guided tours of the mountain. Guests will be able to adjust the suspension of the tents themselves. The side fabric of the tents is made of a blur fabric, while the front is made of clear material to provide uninterrupted views. The company says the tranquil and serene atmosphere of the Floating Retreat will provide guests with the opportunity to disconnect from the hustle and bustle of daily life. No opening date yet. LINK: https://www.ardh.ae/home/floating-retreat
(It’s OK…no hurry!)
(PLEASE never, ever use the words “disconnect” and “floating tent” in the same sentence!)
-StudyFinds

PHONE SMARTS:
➠ While many people shop online to find a white noise machine, which can cost more than $100, they might be interested to know that there’s a good chance they already own one – and it’s right at their fingertips. iPhones running on iOS 15 or later have a white noise feature built-in, so long as it’s an iPhone 6S or later (iPhone 6S models were first available in 2015, so any recent iPhone has this feature). The setting is not labeled as “white noise,” but is instead called “background sounds”. To get to the feature, go to Settings > Accessibility > Audio/Visual > Background Sounds. The user can choose from a range of sounds: rain, stream, ocean, balanced noise, bright noise and dark noise. (Do they have “wife snoring”?)
➠ A company is selling a phone-shaped slab of acrylic to help people beat smartphone addiction. Japanese company eKod Works has introduced the “AcryPhone”, a rudimentary device designed to mimic the look and feel of a smartphone. It has no screen, no speakers, not even a tiny LED. It designed to fit in the palm of your hand, so you can wean yourself off actual smartphones more easily. And how much for this chunk of…nothing? There are 2 variants: The simple slab of acrylic is priced at about US$25, and a slightly more realistic-looking version costs $26.50. It comes with a screen protection plastic film…even though the thing doesn’t actually have a screen. (So, a piece of crap that sits in your hand and does nothing…just like my Galaxy S Mini!)
-HuffPost, OddityCentral

TURD HERDER:
A British company has developed the world’s first tractor to be completely powered by . . . cow dung. New Holland’s brand-new machine runs on liquified methane, allowing farmers to decrease their emissions and save money on expensive diesel. The company says the fuel can easily be produced by methane from cow pies. Waste byproducts from a herd as small as 100 cows are turned into a fuel called fugitive methane in a storage unit based on the farm. The ground-breaking machine was developed by British company Bennamann, and is said to be a match power-wise for the performance of standard diesel-powered tractors.
(But what does the exhaust smell like?)
(Thanks to our dogs, I believe we’re sitting on a goldmine in our backyard!)
-GoodNewsNetwork

STAR ICKS:
A Starbucks barista known on TikTok as @kekenotpalmer has gone viral posting a video where she shares the biggest “icks” she gets from customers. Well, in hopes that you aren’t “icking” your friendly-neighborhood Starbucks workers, here are the “icks” to avoid…
1. People who stand in line and then don’t know what they want to order when they get to the register. Then, they take another 5 minutes to figure out what they want.
2. People who ask for soy milk, oat milk, coconut milk, almond milk, and then say they want sweet cream foam. Like bro, you can’t have milk, and you just diluted it with heavy milk.
3. (This one is her “biggest ick”) Customers who don’t know what they’re ordering. It’s frustrating to have to remake drinks multiple times because the drink wasn’t what a customer was expecting.
4. Those who show her TikTok videos of baristas making custom drinks. Because the customer doesn’t know the recipe, she has to watch another barista make the drink first. Even worse: If the customer ends up not even liking the TikTok drink after she makes it. (Imagine going to a restaurant and asking the chef to watch a video on how you’d like your meal prepared!)
5. People who order a latte and forget to say they wanted it iced until they’re handed a hot one. Similarly, she says people who forget to clarify that they don’t want whipped cream on their frappes give her the ick.
(I’ve also discovered they hate it when you take the “tip jar” sign at the counter literally!)
LINK: https://tinyurl.com/bpankcsz
-BoredPanda

DID YOU KNOW:
One in 5 millennials is OK with the idea of using a “tattoo ring” as a symbol of marriage. In a poll of 2,000 Gen Z, millennials, Gen X and baby boomers in serious relationships, 66% of all respondents said they would be interested in giving or receiving an engagement ring that doesn’t feature a traditional diamond. Younger generations are most open to alternate rings — 74% of both Gen Z and millennials are open to it, while only half of baby boomers agree. Tattoos aside, metal, emeralds, and sapphires were the most popular alternate engagement rings.
-Talker

BS CHRONOMETER 01.10.23

TODAY’S BS REASONS TO PARTY . . .
• “Bittersweet Chocolate Day”, the kind you can eat with less guilt because it has less sugar. And unlike milk chocolate or white chocolate, it doesn’t contain any milk solids.
• “Cut Your Energy Costs Day”, a day to help both the environment and your bottom line. So, what’s your best tip? (I removed the light bulb in the fridge…until my wife found out!)
• “Houseplant Appreciation Day”, a day to salute their therapeutic value in lifting your mood and outlook. And if you’re a gardener, they give you an opportunity to play in the dirt until Spring arrives in the seemingly far, far, distant future. (No, thanks. I already take care of a few things that sit around the house all day doing nothing: Teenagers.)
• “Peculiar People Day”, to celebrate the leaders of the strange and unusual, those who refuse to succumb to the world’s idea of what is normal. Which is great until you find out that they mean YOU! (***Ask listeners to tell about the extraordinary, unusual, strange, odd, uncommon, intriguing, different, abnormal, and quirky people they know***)
• “Save the Eagles Day”, some species of eagles are on the endangered list. But thanks to the work of scientists and the public, although still “protected”, the Bald Eagle was removed from the endangered list in 2007.
• “Oysters Rockefeller Day”, consists of oysters on the half-shell that have been topped with a rich sauce of butter, parsley and other green herbs, and bread crumbs, then baked or broiled. Lemon wedges are the typical garnish. After its invention in 1889, the dish was named after John D. Rockefeller, the then-wealthiest American, for its extreme “richness”.

AND REMEMBER . . .
[Wed] Hot Toddy Day
[Wed] Step in a Puddle and Splash Your Friend Day
[Thurs] Curried Chicken Day
[Fri] Blame Someone Else Day
This Week Is…Mocktail Week
This Month Is…Get a Balanced Life Month

TODAY’S CELEBIRTHDAYS . . .
1945 [78] Rod Stewart, London England, rock/pop singer (‘Maggie May’, ‘Do Ya Think I’m Sexy?’, Faces-‘Stay With Me’)/Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, 1994/awarded CBE and Knight Bachelor by the British monarchy

1948 [75] Donald Fagen, Passaic NJ, rock singer (Steely Dan-‘Reeling in the Years’, ‘Rikki Don’t Lose That Number’)/Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, 2001

1949 [74] George Foreman, Marshall TX, former pro boxer (2-time heavyweight champ/Olympic gold medalist)/cooking grill spokesperson/father of 5 sons…all named George Foreman

1953 [70] Pat Benatar (Andrzejewski), Brooklyn NY, rock singer (‘Hit Me With Your Best Shot’, ‘We Belong’)/4 consecutive ‘Best Female Rock Vocal Performance’ Grammys – 1980-83/Rock & Roll Hall of Fame 2022

1961 [62] Janet Gretzky (Jones), Bridgeton MO, movie actress (“A League of Their Own”, “Police Academy 5: Assignment Miami Beach”)/married to Wayne Gretzky since 1988, Mom of Paulina Gretzky)

1964 [59] Brad Roberts, Winnipeg MB, alt-rock singer (Crash Test Dummies-‘Superman’s Song’, ‘Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm’)

1978 [45] Brent Smith, Knoxville TN, rock singer-songwriter (Shinedown-‘The Crow & The Butterfly’, ‘Second Chance’)

THIS DAY IN SHOW BIZ . . .
1999 [24] “The Sopranos”, starring James Gandolfini as mobster ‘Tony Soprano’, debuts on HBO

2009 [14] Singer Fergie marries Josh Duhamel in Malibu CA (divorced in 2019)

TODAY’S MUSIC EVENTS . . .
2008 [15] Radiohead hits #1 with the physical release of the “In Rainbows” album, originally sold via the internet, where fans could choose the price they paid for it

2016 [07] David Bowie dies of liver cancer at age 69 in New York City

TODAY’S SECOND . . .
2018 [05] Amazon president Jeff Bezos becomes the second person worth over $100 billion, due to a rise in Amazon’s share price (Bill Gates was first; Bezos current net worth: $109 billion)

TODAY’S RECORDS . . .
2008 [15] Tata Motors, India’s largest automaker, unveils the “World’s Cheapest Car”, the Nano (MSRP around $1,500. It was discontinued in 2018)

2010 [13] China surpasses Germany to become the “World’s Largest Exporter” (Germany is now third, US is #2)

BULL’S BITS

BS WHACK FACTS:
✓ In a room with just 23 people, there’s a 50% chance that at least 2 share the same birthday.
✓ The world seems quieter right after a snowfall because the blanket of fresh powder absorbs sound, making things seem “calmer.”
✓ Women have a slightly higher average IQ than men.
✓ There are more public libraries in the US than Starbucks or McDonalds.
✓ Technically, freshwater fish is not seafood.
✓ Whale sharks have teeth on their eyeballs.
-RandomFactGenerator, QuiteInteresting

Best of BS . . .
BS REJECTED ROAD NAMES:
• Boulevard of Broken Dreams
• Drunk Drive
• Jurassic Parkway
• Vicious Circle
• Muhammad Alley
• Triple Heart Bypass
• USB Drive
• No Way
• Route 666
• Psycho Path (that one’s actually real…in Traverse City, Michigan)
• Roady McRoadface
-Twitter, first published in BS in 2017

BS RUIN A SAYING IN ONE WORD:
• A stitch in time saves duct tape.
• Get dizzy living or get busy dying.
• Absinthe makes the heart grow fonder.
• Curiosity kilted the cat.
• Life begins deteriorating at 40.
• Just don’t do it.
• Better latte than never.
• People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them food.
• Love means constantly having to say you’re sorry.
• It’s the little thongs that matter.
• You CAN fix stupid.
-Twitter, first published in BS in 2019

BS WEB GOODIE:
Also: Me at the auto shop (sound up):  https://tinyurl.com/2p8x7dkj

BS RANDOM JOKE:
Is it fair that roosters and babies are the only ones who are allowed to start the day screaming?

BS PHONE STARTER:
What song hits you with a wave of nostalgia every time you hear it?

BS WATER COOLER QUESTION:
Question:  In a survey THIS was named the most annoying thing people have to deal with while driving. What is it?
Answer:  Potholes

BS DEEP THOUGHT:
Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one’s courage.