Wednesday, January 31, 2024 – Edition: #7646
We’ve gone Bullistic!
BS SHOW BIZ BUZZ:
★ Shannen Doherty’s finally catching a break amid her grueling stage 4 cancer battle, revealing there’s been a miracle breakthrough — after she took a gamble. On her “Let’s Be Clear” podcast, the “Beverly Hills 90210” star said her radiation oncologist put her on a new cancer infusion, but when they didn’t see a difference after 4 treatments, her team wanted her to try something else. But she asked to stick it out. And sure enough, Doherty’s body became receptive after the 6th and 7th treatments. She’s now continuing with it, saying she believes God has seen her struggle and said: “I’m gonna give her a break”.
-TMZ, PopCulture
★ James Corden says he really missed hosting “The Late Late Show” when “Barbie” hit theaters. During an appearance on “Today”, he said: “When the ‘Barbie’ movie came out, you think, ‘Oh, I wonder what we would have done around that.’ We would have found some mediocre song to do about it, without question.” Corden also got candid about his move from LA back to England. He claimed that his decision to leave the program “had nothing to do with not enjoying the show anymore”, but was more about letting his children cultivate a relationship with their grandparents. Corden hosted The Late Late Show from 2015-2023.
-NYPost
★ Kim Kardashian is set to both executive produce and star in an upcoming docuseries about Elizabeth Taylor. Commissioned by the BBC, the 3-part documentary — with the working title “Elizabeth Taylor: Rebel Superstar” — will take a deep dive into Taylor’s craft and technique as an actress, and show how she reinvented the nature of fame, before going on to become a billion-dollar businesswoman, activist and advocate.
-Variety
★ “Game of Thrones” actress Sophie Turner has gone Instagram official with her new partner after her breakup with husband Joe Jonas. She posted a series of photos from a recent skiing trip, which included snaps of her and British aristocrat Peregrine Pearson on the slopes and on a ski lift. There were also pictures of Turner at an indoor pool and partying with pals. Turner, who played ‘Sansa Stark’ in Game of Thrones, captioned the post: “Jägerbomb anyone?” Fans were quick to comment, with one writing: “Queen of the North.” LINK: http://tinyurl.com/26ajvbmk
-DigitalSpy
★ If there’s something strange in your neighborhood, who you gonna call? Bill Murray, of course, who suits back up as ‘Peter Venkman’ in the first trailer for “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire,” out March 22. Also returning for the sequel, which sees the Big Apple covered in ice after an ancient artifact unleashes an evil force, are Dan Aykroyd, Ernie Hudson and Annie Potts – plus ‘Slimer’, aka “The Mean Green Ghost.” According to the sequel’s logline, “Ghostbusters new and old must join forces to protect their home and save the world from a second Ice Age.” LINK: http://tinyurl.com/4ethmp9t
-Variety
TODAY’S SHOW BIZ SKED:
• “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” (ABC/Global): Samuel L. Jackson, Jake Tapper, Train and REO Speedwagon
• “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” (NBC/CTV): Arnold Schwarzenegger, Kathryn Newton, The Lemon Twigs
• “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” (CBS/Global): Demi Moore, Paul Walter Hauser
• “Late Night with Seth Meyers” (NBC/CTV): Bryan Cranston, Lola Tung
• “Watch What Happens Live” (Bravo): Chloe Fineman, Annmarie Wiley
• “The View” (ABC/CTV): Bryce Dallas Howard, Clay Cane
• “The Talk” (CBS): Mike Epps, Alberto Guerra
• “Live With Kelly and Mark” (ABC/CTV): Ariana DeBose, Cole Sprouse
• “The Kelly Clarkson Show” (Check local listings): Daisy Ridley, Lisa Vanderpump
• “The Drew Barrymore Show” (Check local listings): Austin Butler, Callum Turner
• “Jennifer Hudson Show” (Check local listings): “The Bachelor” Joey Graziadei, Derek Fisher
• “I Can See Your Voice” (Fox): Sports Night: Montell Jordan, Dwight Howard, Jon Lovitz, Cheryl Hines, Adrienne Bailon-Houghton
• “FBI True” (CBS): When a bomb planted in a van explodes below the World Trade Center in 1993, the FBI sets out to find the bomber; a doctor known for performing abortions is gunned down in his home.
• “Chicago Med” (NBC): Frustrated with an insurance company, Ahmad takes matters into her own hands. (Followed by new episodes of Chicago Fire and Chicago PD.)
BS MUSIC NOTES:
• Taylor Swift – Apex Marketing Group has estimated that The Kansas City Chiefs and NFL as a whole have benefited to the tune of $331.5 million through the exposure gained from her relationship with Travis Kelce and her presence at games this year. Chiefs owner/CEO Clark Hunt has said the team’s fan base has grown by “leaps and bound” among women since the relationship went public.
• Adele – has some good and some bad news for fans. She told a Vegas audience recently that she’s looking forward to going on tour again when her next album drops. The bad news? She doesn’t see herself releasing a new album “for quite some time”.
• Heart — has announced the 2024 “Royal Flush” tour with Cheap Trick, their first since 2019. The North American leg will launch on April 20 in Greenville SC. Heart will also head to Europe in late June through mid-July, with Squeeze opening select dates.
• The Beatles — Never-before-seen candid film footage of the group has hit the auction block. The 3:17 clip features a behind-the-scenes glimpse from the 1965 film “Help!”. It has a starting bid of $1,000 on RR Auction, and is estimated to go for over $10K. LINK: http://tinyurl.com/2fdm295u
• REO Speedwagon — will hit the road this summer with Train. “Summer Road Trip 2024” starts July 8 in Somerset WI, and runs through September, with one Canadian date, July 20 in Toronto. Both groups will team up for a special performance tonight on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!”
• Jason Aldean – Even though the “Highway Desperado” tour doesn’t kick off until May 18, he’s already hard at work on a follow-up album. He said to ABC: “We’ve been living with this one for a while, so I’m glad it’s out. We can get some feedback from people and see what songs they’re liking, not liking, whatever. So yeah, we’ve already moved on to the next album now.”
• Tim McGraw has announced the opening acts for his upcoming “Standing Room Only Tour.” Carly Pearce will open all shows, with Abby Anderson, the Heartwreckers, Randall King, Landon Parker, Peytan Porter, Restless Road, Track45, Timothy Wayne and The Woods joining on select dates. The tour launches March 14 in Jacksonville FL, and will hit 45 cities.
• Brandy Clark – has announced a US headlining tour starting April 11. In addition, she’ll perform at the MusiCares 2024 Person of the Year benefit gala on Friday, and during the Grammy Awards Premiere Ceremony this Sunday. She’s nominated for 6 Grammys.
SHOOTING THE BULL
WEIGHT LOSS FINDINGS:
It turns out that all those glitzy weight-loss commercials promising amazing results might be telling the truth. New research shows that if you’re looking to slim down, it might be worth it to invest in a commercial weight loss program. The people at the University of British Columbia’s Centre for Obesity and Well-Being Research Excellence found that for those looking to make lasting lifestyle changes and lose weight tend to be more successful when they use a commercial weight loss program — compared to others who try to do it all on their own. A spokesperson pointed out that “evidence-based” weight management programs are a good way to go, considering that for many, medical treatment is unavailable or unaffordable. In a study, those who took part in a commercial weight management program lost more than twice as much weight and reduced their waist circumference by a larger percentage, compared to those who tried to shape up on their own. But interestingly, those in both groups also experienced benefits such as improved blood pressure, heart rate, aerobic stamina, flexibility, and sleep.
(I lost about 75 pounds when I tried to do it myself. The problem? It was the same 5 pounds – 15 times!)
(But we already knew we could trust Oprah, amiright?)
-StudyFinds
EMOJIS IN MOTION:
iPhone users will soon be treated to 118 new emojis, including a phoenix, a shaking head, and 4 gender-neutral families. They’ll be available as part of a beta version of the new IOS 17.4, expected this Spring. The emoji expansion pack, some of which are also available on Samsung and other devices, also feature “new emoji concepts” like a head shaking horizontally, a head shaking vertically, a lime, brown mushroom and broken chain. The new update also tweaks the existing family emojis so they’re (somewhat controversially) devoid of color, but there are what are called “Emoji gender options” and “skin tone modifier options” available. Also included are 6 new people emojis, with direction-specifying variations. So, you could use a person walking while facing a certain direction, or a wheelchair-bound person facing a particular direction. LINK: https://blog.emojipedia.org/first-look-new-emojis-in-ios-17-4/
(I don’t know about you, but I spend more time trying to find the right emoji than it would take to draw it myself!)
(118 new emojis, and yet, still all I ever get is an “LOL”!)
-NYPost
NAPS AND ZAPS:
❑ Daily naps can protect your brain from shrinking as you age, a new study says. As we get older, our brains decrease in size and weight by about 5% per decade after turning 40 — and possibly faster after 70, contributing to the changes in cognitive function that come with aging. But researchers from London and Uruguay found that sneaking in a quick nap during the day may correlate with a larger total brain volume. Those who napped regularly were found to have a difference of 2.6 to 6.5 years of brain-aging, compared to those who power through the day without a power nap. (Speaking from experience, my having a nap also contributes to a much happier family. Go figure?)
❑ For those with severe depression, relief could soon be just an MRI away. In a clinical trial, British researchers applied transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS, or “zaps”) to the brains of 255 patients with treatment-resistant depression over a total of 20 sessions. The patients reported “substantial improvements” in their symptoms and quality of life for at least 6 months after the procedure. More than two-thirds of participants responded to the treatment, with a third showing 50% improvement in symptoms. And for one-fifth of the patients, their depression did not return at all. The researchers used an MRI scan to personalize the site of the magnetic stimulation for each patient. (I had an MRI once. The only thing it found was that I’m claustrophobic!)
-NYPost, FoxNews
MORNING HABITS DOCTORS AND PSYCHOLOGISTS WISH YOU WOULD DO:
⇒ Write something down for which you’re grateful: It could be something as simple as a good night’s rest. Practicing gratitude can enhance your mood, promote positive feelings, and improve your sense of well-being.” (Yes, even on a Monday!)
⇒ Drink water: We tend to become dehydrated while sleeping. And we tend to forget to drink water throughout the day. Water can help curb your appetite and decrease the number of calories you consume.
⇒ Meditate: A quick 10-minute meditation sets the tone for positivity, less stress, and wellness. This can help with anxiety, depression, and even blood pressure.
⇒ Make your bed: Those who do, are happier and more productive. The slight sense of pride will make you want to accomplish more tasks as the day goes on.
⇒ Get some natural light: Sunlight can improve mood, and getting natural light in the morning is an easy way to get a healthy head start on the day. Even better, go for a walk in nature. (Oh…I thought you meant “Natural Light” the BEER…)
⇒ Exercise: Even if it’s not a full workout, do at least a minute of movement, like stretching, body weight activity or a burst of cardio. It’s a mood enhancer, and a great way to stay happy and healthy.
⇒ Do something you enjoy: Listen to music, or a podcast while getting ready. Or find a few minutes to read. It’s great for your mental health. (If I was going to do something I enjoy, I’d still be sleeping!)
-NYPost
THE BEST TV DRAMAS OF ALL TIME:
According to 10 “expert” websites…
1. “The Sopranos” (1999-2007)
2. “Breaking Bad” (2008-2013)
3. “The Wire” (2002-2008)
4. “Game of Thrones” (2011-2019)
5. “The West Wing” (1996-2006)
(Uh…“Little House on the Prairie”? Anyone?)
-StudyFinds
DID YOU KNOW?
It seems these days, companies are not only pushing employees back into the office — they’re getting rid of those who won’t. New stats show that full-time remote workers were 35% more likely to be laid off than their in-office peers in 2023. Live Data Technologies found that 10% of remote employees were laid off last year, compared to just 7% of in-office or hybrid colleagues. Experts attribute this to a lack of personal connection with managers, who tend to cut remote workers first when payrolls are trimmed. The results also show that remote workers are more likely to quit. (Probably more likely to “quiet quit”, too!)
-NYPost
BS CHRONOMETER 01.31.24
TODAY’S BS REASONS TO PARTY . . .
• “Backwards Day”, a day to relieve Winter blahs by doing everything backwards, ie: calling people by their last name, eating meals in reverse, (***signing off your show at the beginning***), etc. (Not to be confused with “Opposite Day”, which we celebrated last week. Actually…yes! It is very much to be confused with Opposite Day!)
• “Hell is Freezing Over Day”, a day to make a list of things you have said or thought in the past that you would never, ever do. Think about each one to see if you still feel the same way. (What thing that you said you’d never do . . . have you done?)
• “Hot Chocolate Day”, saluting the warm and creamy beverage we love to drink on a cold Winter’s day.
• “Inspire Your Heart With Art Day”, celebrating the effect it can have on your disposition. Look at a piece of art and ask yourself – What is telling me? How does it make me feel? What emotions is it evoking within me? (What is that thing?)
• “Brandy Alexander Day”, saluting the classic dessert drink that combines brandy with dark crème de cacao in a silky blend — often likened to an alcoholic milkshake.
• “Scotch Tape Day”, on this day in 1930, the 3M Company (then called Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing) revealed Scotch Tape. Consisting of clear cellophane tape with a pressure-sensitive adhesive on one side, it would become a household and office necessity.
• “Eat Brussels Sprouts Day”, just in case you aren’t already in a bad mood. The small cabbage and cruciferous vegetables were developed from cabbage around the 1400s in Brussels, Belgium. (So, where’d the name come from?)
AND REMEMBER . . .
[Thurs] Car Insurance Day
[Thurs] G.I. Joe Day
[Fri] Crêpe Day
[Sat] Carrot Cake Day
This Week Is…Irish Coffee Week
This Month Is…Slow Cooking Month
TODAY’S CELEBIRTHDAYS . . .
1947 [77] Nolan Ryan, Refugio TX, retired MLB pitcher (record 7 no-hitters, all-time strikeout leader with 5,714, 8-time all-star, Baseball Hall of Fame 1999)/played 27 seasons with Mets, Angels, Astros, Rangers
1947 [77] Jonathan Banks, Washington DC, TV actor (‘Mike’ on “Breaking Bad” 2009-2012, same character on “Better Call Saul” 2015-22)
1956 [68] John Lydon (“Johnny Rotten”), London England, punk rock singer (Sex Pistols -‘God Save the Queen’, Anarchy in the U.K.’, Public Image Ltd-‘Disappointed’)
1970 [54] (Amelia) ‘Minnie’ Driver, London England, movie actress (“Good Will Hunting”)/TV actress (“Speechless” 2016-19)
1973 [51] Portia DeRossi (Amanda Rogers), Horsham Australia, TV actress (“Arrested Development” 2003-2018, “Ally McBeal” 1998-2002)/married to Ellen DeGeneres since 2008
1977 [47] Kerry Washington, Bronx NY, TV actress (‘Olivia Pope’ on “Scandal” 2012-18)/movie actress (“Django Unchained”, “Ray”) COMING UP… “Six Triple Eight”
1981 [43] Justin Timberlake, Memphis TN, pop singer (‘Can’t Stop the Feeling!’, ‘SexyBack’, *NSYNC-‘Bye Bye Bye’)/movie actor (“The Social Network”)/married to Jessica Biel since 2012
1987 [37] Marcus Mumford, Yorba Linda CA (raised London England), folk rock singer-musician (Mumford & Sons-‘I Will Wait’, ‘Believe’)/married to Carey Mulligan since 2012
1987 [37] Tyler Hubbard, Monroe GA, country singer (‘5 Foot 9’, Florida Georgia Line-‘Stay’, ‘Cruise’)
THIS DAY IN SHOW BIZ . . .
1999 [25] Seth MacFarlane’s “Family Guy” airs for the first time, on Fox
2022 [02] The online word puzzle “Wordle” is purchased for a “low seven figure sum” by The New York Times
TODAY’S MUSIC EVENTS . . .
2010 [14] Beyoncé wins 6 of her 10 Grammy nominations – including Song of the Year for ‘Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)’ – giving her the most wins in one night of any female artist (now tied with Adele)
2021 [03] Capping a night out, Morgan Wallen yells the n-word at his (white) drinking buddy outside his home. It’s caught on video, leading to his music being dropped from most radio stations. But the controversy scores him a surge in streams and sales, keeping his “Dangerous: The Double Album” at #1 for 10 weeks
TODAY’S FIRST . . .
1990 [34] The first McDonalds in the Soviet Union opens, in Moscow (In 2022, the company sold all its restaurants in Russia, which were rebranded the Russian term for “Tasty and that’s it”)
TODAY’S RECORDS . . .
2012 [12] The Toyota Corolla becomes the best-selling car model of all-time, surpassing the VW Beetle, with 37.5 million sold (over 50 million as of 2021, latest figure available)
2015 [09] At 17, New Zealander Lydia Ko becomes the youngest #1-ranked golfer in the world, beating the record set by Tiger Woods in 1997, at age 21
BULL’S BITS
BS WHACK FACTS:
✓ There are 10 towns named ‘Hollywood’ in the United States.
✓ It is illegal to purchase or consume Jack Daniel’s Whiskey in the town where it is produced (Lynchburg, Tennessee).
✓ It is possible to die laughing, typically due to heart attack or suffocation.
✓ If you’re over 100 years old, there’s an 80% chance you’re a woman.
✓ Cucumber, pressed to the roof of your mouth for 30 seconds, can cure bad breath.
✓ White-faced capuchin monkeys greet each other by sticking their fingers up each others’ noses.
-HookedonFacts, TheFactSite
Best of BS . . .
MUSICALS CONSIDERED BY THE NFL:
• Hail Mary Poppins
• Off Side Story
• Beauty and the Beast-Mode
• My Fair Brady
• Jerry Rice Superstar
• Kicky Boots
• A Chorus Linebacker
• Annie Get Your Shotgun Formation
• Showboating in the End Zone
• Guys and Balls
-Twitter, first published in BS in 2018
BS THINGS YOU’LL NEVER HEAR ON A REALITY TV SHOW:
• “I came here to make friends, not to win.”
• “With this project, we bit off exactly the right amount to chew.”
• “I’m not here to find someone to have casual sex with.”
• “This basement will make a great woman-cave for you, honey.”
• “This is not at all dangerous. I know exactly how it’s going to turn out.”
• “What’s great about this recipe is that it’s impossible to do at home. If you try, it will take all day and require ingredients that are simply not available from your local grocery.”
• “He did not have near enough alcohol to drink.”
• “That was totally not scripted.”
• “This stunt SHOULD be tried at home. We are not professionals.”
• “Winning this competition will not change your life in any meaningful way.”
-JasonGuder, first published in BS in 2023
BS WEB GOODIE:
Apparently, it’s real: http://tinyurl.com/mtsnmbmp
BS RANDOM JOKE:
You have to be odd to be number one.
TRUTH OR BS:
• An atom is the smallest particle. [BS. There are subatomic particles that are smaller]
• ‘Arachnophobia’ is the fear of bathing. [BS. ‘Ablutophobia’ is the fear of bathing]
• When leaving a cave, bats always turn to the left. [True]
• The NFL is divided into 2 conferences. [True. The NFC and the AFC]
• Bees have 2 wings. [BS. They have 4]
• Butterflies taste things with their wings. [BS. They taste with their feet]
• Prince William and Kate Middleton are big fans of “Game of Thrones”. [TRUE]
• SpongeBob Squarepants’ best friend is Squidward. [BS. It is Patrick]
-Parade, Cosmo
BS PHONE STARTER:
What’s the weirdest thing you’ve found lying on the ground or side of the road?
BS WATER COOLER QUESTION:
Question: 60% of women say they’ve never received a compliment about THIS. What is it?
Answer: Their skin
BS DEEP THOUGHT:
Never give up on something that you can’t go a day without thinking about.
