Thursday, January 25, 2024 – Edition: #7642
You Really Know Your Sheet!
BS SHOW BIZ BUZZ:
★ Kate Middleton didn’t tell those close to the royal family about her surgery, says a new report. The Princess of Wales is currently recovering at the London Clinic after undergoing a “planned abdominal surgery” last week. People is quoting sources as saying the news took Middleton’s loved ones by surprise, especially as “there had been no indication that anything was wrong” before her hospitalization on Jan. 16. Her last public appearance was on Christmas Day, but the outlet adds that Middleton seemed fine as recently as Jan. 9 when she celebrated her birthday with family in Windsor. Us Weekly reports that Middleton might disclose more info about her condition “in due course.”
-NYPost
★ Netflix plans to “retire” its cheapest ad-free plan in the countries where it is still available. The streaming giant has already limited the $11.99-a-month Basic subscription, blocking new or returning users from signing up for the plan in the US and UK since July. Now, Netflix says it’ll phase out the plan elsewhere, starting with the UK and Canada, in the second quarter of the year. Netflix recently raised the plan’s price from $9.99 to $11.99 a month for subscribers in the US, UK, and France, with the premium plan rising $3 to $22.99. Netflix’s next cheapest ad-free plan costs $15.49 a month. A plan with advertising is also available at $6.99 a month.
-Insider
★ Come on, Barbie, let’s go…read. Margot Robbie’s stylist, Andrew Mukamal, has that he has collaborated with the “Barbie” actress on a $50 fashion book chronicling the hit movie’s press tour and its unforgettable style moments. “Barbie: The World Tour” will hit bookshelves on March 8, 2 days before Robbie hits the red carpet at the Academy Awards. However, the weekend excitement might not be what they are hoping for, as Robbie was snubbed for a Best Actress nod when the 2024 Oscars nominees were announced Tuesday.
-PageSix
★ Dolph Lundgren currently stars in “Aquaman: The Lost Kingdom” as ‘King Nereus’, but he thinks “maybe there won’t be” another sequel. Speaking with a reporter, Lundgren opened up about some of his biggest comic book roles, including Aquaman and his role as in the original “Punisher” film from 1989. When mentioning Aquaman, Lundgren said: “We’ll see if there’s any more Aquaman. I heard maybe there won’t be, so, we’ll see.” He also shared that all Marvel films are part of the Marvel Universe, which means that his version of ‘Frank Castle’ from Punisher could make a cameo at some point. When asked if this is something he’d be interested in, Lundgren replied, “Yeah, why not?”
-PopCulture
★ Dakota Johnson is setting her alarm—and the record straight. After making headlines for seemingly saying she needs to get 14 hours of sleep every night, the “Fifty Shades” actress explained things on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon”. First off, she clarified that she “didn’t even say” she ‘needs 14 hours of sleep’, but QUOTE: “I said that I could easily sleep 14 hours. I don’t demand it.” Laughing, she added: “I’m not a monster. I have a job!” She also had some words for those critical of her sleeping habits, asking: “Leave me alone!…I’m literally doing nothing. I’m just sleeping!”
-E!
TODAY’S SHOW BIZ SKED:
• “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” (ABC/Global): Milo Ventimiglia, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Vacations
• “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” (NBC/CTV): Justin Timberlake, Molly Ringwald, Flo Milli
• “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” (CBS/Global): Martin Scorsese, Future Islands
• “Late Night with Seth Meyers” (NBC/CTV): Ronny Chieng
• “Watch What Happens Live” (Bravo): Luann De Lesseps, Joe Bradley
• “The View” (ABC/CTV): Pamela Dias, Brie Overton
• “The Talk” (CBS): Keegan-Michael Key, Sarayu Blue
• “Live With Kelly and Mark” (ABC/CTV): Tom Hollander
• “The Kelly Clarkson Show” (Check local listings): Chrissy Teigen and David Chang, Bianca Belair and Montez Ford
• “The Drew Barrymore Show” (Check local listings): Andie MacDowell, Dermot Mulroney, Mary Stuart Masterson
• “Jennifer Hudson Show” (Check local listings): Mel B, chef Lorenzo Espada
• “Law & Order” (NBC): When a prominent tech CEO is killed, Shaw and Riley untangle multiple leads to reveal a plot for retribution. Followed by new episodes of Special Victims Unit and Organized Crime.
• “Truth and Lies: The Hunted” (ABC): The twists and turns in the decade-long investigation to find the Long Island serial killer, uncovering allegations of corruption and police biases.
• “SEAL Team” (CBS): Season 5 finale. Bravo must make a daring escape before they can put Venezuela in their rearview mirror, but they find themselves on even less stable ground when they return home.
BS MUSIC NOTES:
• Dua Lipa – Some fans think she just secretly teased her next single. Monday, she shared pics from her rehearsal for the Grammys. In one, a mirror selfie, fans zoomed in to reveal the words “Training Season” on her sweater, which they are guessing is the name of a new song. LINK: http://tinyurl.com/jvyxcc9s
• Adele – knows exactly what she wants to do when her Vegas residency ends in June. Saturday, she told her audience: “I want to build my muscles in my core and my goal at the end is to learn how to do a backflip and not be in pain.” She also plans to make time for “activities” with her friends – like Bingo!
• Bon Jovi – Hulu will premiere “Thank You, Goodnight: The Bon Jovi Story” on April 26. The 4-parter is the first-ever docuseries on the band’s history, with full cooperation from all past and present members. It also promises to give viewers a glimpse at the life of the frontman behind the music.
• Alice Cooper — will release a 50th-anniversary edition of his band’s only #1 album “Billion Dollar Babies” on March 8. The 2-CD or 3-LP “Trillion Dollar Deluxe Edition” includes a disc of live recordings from the era, outtakes and single versions. The original LP spawned 4 hit singles: ‘Elected’, ‘Hello Hurray’, ‘No More Mr. Nice Guy’ and the title track.
• Ozzy Osbourne — wants to “say goodbye properly” to fans by playing 2 final concerts in his hometown of Birmingham, England, says wife and manager, Sharon. It has been announced that 75-year-old Ozzy’s touring days have ended as he struggles with health problems.
• Sammy Hagar – found out some shocking news on the newest episode of PBS’ “Finding Your Roots”. In a preview clip, he discovers that his DNA does not match any men with the last name Hagar, meaning that genetically, that’s not his last name. After discovering that his DNA matches 27 men with the last name “Belcher”, a visibly surprised Hagar Responds: “What a trip.”
• Chris Young — was arrested on disorderly conduct charges Monday night in Nashville. He is alleged to have assaulted an agent of the Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission. Reportedly, he was arrested at the Dawg House at about 8:30PM. He was also charged with resisting arrest and assault of an officer, and was released Tuesday morning. No comment from his people yet.
• Morgan Wallen – “One Thing at a Time” remains at the top of Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart for a 37th week. That pulls it into a tie for the 6th-longest reign in the chart’s 60-year history. Wallen’s “Dangerous: The Double Album” is first, with 97 weeks at #1 in 2021-23.
• Parker McCollum — has canceled a concert for Aug. 30 in College Station TX, but he teased some “exciting news” as the reason. In an Instagram video, he says: “This is all due to unforeseen circumstances, and it’ll all make sense at some point in the near future…” The caption reads, in part: “We have some exciting news that we’ll be announcing in the near future so be on the lookout!” LINK: http://tinyurl.com/25d788jw
SHOOTING THE BULL
T-MINUS 90 SECONDS:
If you haven’t already had your daily dose of not-so-good news, I’m here for you. The annual update of the Doomsday Clock was announced this week in Washington. The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists announced that the Doomsday Clock this year has been set to 90 seconds to midnight — for the second year in a row, “reflecting the continued state of unprecedented danger the world faces.” Last year, the clock was also set to 90 seconds to midnight — the closest it’s ever been to midnight in its history, dating back to 1947. Why? “Ominous trends continue to point the world toward global catastrophe.” The war in Ukraine was cited, plus the fact that “China, Russia, and the United States are all spending huge sums to expand or modernize their nuclear arsenals”, adding to the danger of nuclear war through mistake or miscalculation. And also, there’s that whole climate-change thing. On the plus side, the scientists said things could get better. Their release states: “the world can be made safer. The Clock can move away from midnight.”
(No joke here…tell your elected representatives what you think about it!)
(Wow — I feel like we’re just one Adam Sandler movie away from total annihilation — but come to think of it…I did even before this announcement!)
-TheBulletin, NYPost
JUNK FOOD JUNK:
❑ Now that we’ve all pretty much given up on our New Year’s resolution to drop a few pounds, McDonald’s has decided to bring back a fan favorite that wasn’t going to help with anyone’s weight-loss aspirations. For a limited time, the Strawberry & Crème Pie is back on the menu at participating US restaurants. The dessert treat, first introduced in 2012, is similar to the chain’s baked apple pie, but the apple filling is swapped out for a mix of strawberry and sweet crème. (Thank God! I was worried they were bringing back the McRib…again!)
❑ They say Oreo’s newest cookie is out of this world – and its makers want you to be, too. To celebrate the launch of a galaxy-inspired limited-edition cookie flavor “Space Dunk”, Oreo has partnered with Space Perspective, the world’s “first and only” carbon-neutral “spaceflight experience” company, to send one lucky cookie lover to space. The winner will be sent on a “transformative 6-hour journey to the edge of space in the Spaceship Neptune. No special training is required, and there’s no weightlessness or heavy g-forces involved. (Why do I get the feeling that this is one of those times when they came up with the prize before they invented the cookie flavor?) LINK: http://tinyurl.com/264zdcj7
-NYPost
SMUDGING FINGERPRINTS:
Researchers from Columbia University have debunked a decades-old assumption about people’s fingerprints. They used artificial intelligence to discover that fingerprints from different fingers of the same person ARE NOT unique and unmatchable, challenging a long-standing presumption in forensic science. The team utilized a public US government database containing around 60,000 fingerprints. They fed these fingerprints into a specially-trained AI system, which helped reach the conclusion that it is possible that some of your fingerprints just may match up with each other. Experts say this information could “tip the balance” in reviving some cold cases, and even lead to the acquittal of some innocent people.
(OK, so maybe my fingerprints aren’t unique – but I’m 99% sure my taste in dress shirts is!)
(I’m not sure how significant this is to my daily life, but it’s good to know that if I ever lose one fingerprint, I may have a backup!)
-StudyFinds
FUNNIEST TWEETS OF THE WEEK FROM WOMEN:
⇒ In a bad mood and watching my boyfriend complete a task really slowly. what could go wrong? — Helena
⇒ It’s amazing how much I accomplish around the house under the threat of someone coming over – Helleanor Rigby
⇒ being a glasses wearer is so humiliating. Why are my lenses fogging up when I open the oven like I’m some kind of cartoon character – stoned cold fox
⇒ My mom loves to be like “that is NOT a newborn” when we watch shows – Michaela Okland
⇒ can’t wait to get married and not invite people who thought they were coming — gen
⇒ When I was in college our house got robbed. My roommate took the cops to my room and they said wow they trashed this room and she said no that’s just how she lives. I think about that sometimes. — itssherifield
⇒ if your family name is already “de Vil” it’s on you to not name the baby Cruella – broti gupta
⇒ football players are all like gimme that coconut it’s mine! and tennis players are all like (bleep) this lemon i hate it so much — kim
⇒ you just dont see people holding the end of a pencil and wiggling it to make it look like its bendy like you used to – buttball
-HuffPost
DID YOU KNOW?
Stanley cups are all the rage these days, and we’re not talking about the NHL championship trophy. The Stanley company’s “Quencher” tumblers are selling out in minutes and causing frenzies in supermarkets. But it seems one California woman wasn’t interested in paying up to $60 for a water cup. Police in Roseville pulled over and arrested a 23-year-old woman with 65 stolen Stanley cups valued at nearly US$2,500. Cops learned of the alleged theft after staff at a nearby store “saw a woman take a shopping cart full of Stanley water bottles without paying for them,” and “refused to stop for staff and stuffed her car with the stolen merchandise.” An officer spotted the vehicle nearby, and the woman, who was not named, was arrested for grand theft. Cops wrote in a release: “While Stanley Quenchers are all the rage, we strongly advise against turning to crime to fulfill your hydration habits. (I KNEW those things were the “hot” item lately…!)
-GlobalNews
BS CHRONOMETER 01.25.24
TODAY’S BS REASONS TO PARTY . . .
• “Robbie Burns Day”, party time for Scots everywhere! Honoring Scotland’s national poet, who was born January 25, 1759, and whose most famous composition was ‘Auld Lang Syne’. A traditional “Burns Supper” includes cock-a-leekie soup (fowl, leeks, and herbs), haggis (minced sheep’s heart, lungs, and liver mixed with oatmeal), neeps and tatties (mashed turnip and potatoes). The meal is then washed down with Scotch whisky toasts. (***See “Scots or Not?”, below***)
• “Intravenous Nurse Day”, saluting nurses whose main ambition in life is finding a good vein in patients’ forearms in which to insert a needle. In fact, medical insiders will tell you nurses often ogle and discuss the veins of unsuspecting people in public places. This is known as “nurse porn”.
• “Irish Coffee Day”. A delicious cocktail made with black coffee, sugar, Irish whiskey, and whipped cream. Joe Sheridan, a bartender at Foynes Airbase in Ireland, invented the concoction in 1942 as replenishment after a miserably cold 18-hour journey across the Atlantic.
• “Women’s Healthy Weight Day”, a part of Healthy Weight Week, honoring women of all sizes. The day pushes back against the media’s overemphasis on thinness. It’s a day of body positivity for women, celebrating and accepting all body appearances. LINK: http://tinyurl.com/56s2hcaf
• “Opposite Day”, a day to do everything backwards (eat wrong-handed, say the opposite of what you mean, etc.) as a fun way to get out of your tedious, day-in, day-out, lackluster, humdrum, milquetoast, run-of-the-mill rut. (I’m wearing my socks on the wrong feet!)
• “Clashing Clothes Day”, observed on the 4th Thursday of January. Some people seem to celebrate this holiday every day, right [***afternoon guy***]?
“Fish Taco Day”, celebrating the culinary delight known as “tacos de pescado” in Spanish, which traces its roots to the Mexican state of Baja California. The traditional fish taco consists of grilled or fried fish, nestled in a soft corn tortilla, and garnished with toppings such as cabbage, pico de gallo, and a tangy mayo-based sauce.
AND REMEMBER . . .
[Fri] Peanut Brittle Day
[Fri] Big Wig Day
[Sat] International Holocaust Remembrance Day
[Sun] LEGO Day
This Week is…Snowmobile Safety Week
This Month is…Sunday Supper Month
TODAY’S CELEBIRTHDAYS . . .
1953 [71] “The Honky Tonk Man” (Roy Wayne Farris), Gilbert AZ, retired pro wrestler (held the WWF Intercontinental Championship for a record 64 weeks/WWE Hall of Fame, 2019
1957 [67] Jenifer Lewis, Kinloch MS, movie actress (“Sister Act”, “What’s Love Got to do With It”) TV actress (“Black-ish” 2015-22)/singer (back up for Bette Midler) COMING UP… “Spellbound” movie
1962 [62] Chris Chelios, Chicago IL, retired NHL player (3-time Stanley Cup champ, second oldest person to play in the NHL, at age 48 in 2010)
1978 [46] Volodymyr Zelensky, Kryvyi Rih Ukraine, Ukrainian politician (President since 2019)/TV actor-comedian (‘President Goloborodko’ on “Servant of the People” 2015-19)
1981 [43] Alicia Keys (Cook), NYC, pop-R&B singer (‘Fallin’’, w/Jay Z-‘Empire State of Mind’)/movie actress (“The Secret Life of Bees”, “The Nanny Diaries”)/TV personality (coach on “The Voice” 2016-18)
1985 [39] Michael Trevino, Montebello CA, TV actor (‘Tyler Lockwood’ on “The Vampire Diaries” 2009-2017, “Roswell, New Mexico” 2019-22)
1991 [33] Ariana DeBose, Wilmington NC, singer-movie actress (Oscar-“West Side Story”)/stage actress (“Hamilton”/reality TV contestant (“So You Think You Can Dance”, 2009)
1996 [28] Calum Hood, Sydney Australia, pop vocalist-bassist (5 Seconds of Summer-‘Youngblood’, ‘Don’t Stop’)
THIS DAY IN SHOW BIZ . . .
2004 [20] “The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King” wins both musical categories (‘Best Original Score’, ‘Best Original Song’) at the Golden Globes
2017 [07] Mary Tyler Moore, known for her roles on “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” and “The Dick Van Dyke Show”, dies at 80
2023 [01] Cindy Williams (‘Shirley’ on “Laverne & Shirley”) dies at age 75
TODAY’S MUSIC EVENTS . . .
2003 [21] Billy Joel escapes relatively unharmed when he totals his Mercedes on a Long Island NY highway (His defence: he was in a “mental fog” caused by lingering depression due to the 9/11 attacks … 16½ months earlier)
2011 [13] 53-year-old Canadian singer Mary-Lu Zahalan-Kennedy becomes first in the world to graduate from Liverpool Hope University with a Masters degree in “The Beatles”
TODAY’S FIRST . . .
1924 [100] The first Winter Olympic Games begin in Chamonix, France
BULL’S BITS
BS WHACK FACTS:
✓ Giraffes are 30 times more likely to be hit by lightning than people.
✓ The word ‘yo’ was first used in the 15th century.
✓ ‘Yoda’ was almost played by a monkey.
✓ Some species of ants explode when attacked (T-ant-T?).
✓ Alfred Hitchcock was scared of . . . eggs.
✓ July 16th is said to be the happiest day of the year… Only 173 days to go.
-WhattheFFacts, BBC
Best of BS . . .
BS FAKE ‘DRY JANUARY’ FACTS:
• Non-alcoholic beer and mocktails are perfectly sufficient as substitutes.
• If you want to participate, there’s a 3-drink minimum.
• If you thought January lasted forever BEFORE, now, it’ll just fly by…
• You are allowed to enjoy dry gin, dry cider, or a dry martini.
• If it rains during Dry January, you have to start all over again. Some years, it lasts ‘til August.
• People really, really enjoy listening to you explain why you’re taking part.
• It would be even harder if it didn’t ‘pause’ every night at 8pm.
• It’s fun.
• Not only am I participating in Dry January, I also won’t be drinking on Feb. 1st.
-Twitter, first published in BS in 2022
BS TODAY’S SCOOP OF BS:
➠ Ron DeSantis just dropped out of race for the Republican nomination. (Now, the other candidates are fighting to get the support of his voter…)
➠ Tampa QB Baker Mayfield’s wife Emily is pregnant. (Unfortunately, Baker won’t be allowed to hold the kid till he proves he can go more than 15 minutes without fumbling…)
➠ A report says that sleeping more on the weekend can help reduce your risk of heart disease. (. . . because the longer you sleep, the fewer onion rings you can stuff into your face!)
➠ A survey says that 1 in 9 men secretly wear makeup. (…and if Adam Levine isn’t one of them, I’ll eat my lipstick!)
➠ Fact: The scientific term for ‘Brain Freeze’ is “sphenopalatine ganglioneuralgia”. (It’s actually what saying “Brain Freeze” sounds like when you try to talk with “brain freeze”.)
BS WEB GOODIE:
Remembering a simpler time: http://tinyurl.com/2nkb87h5
BS RANDOM JOKE:
Of course there are a lot of more important things than money in life. Provided you have enough money.
BS ‘SCOTS OR NOT?’
A mirthful way to celebrate “Robbie Burns Day”. Which of the following were born in Scotland?
• “Fargo” actor Ewan McGregor. (Aye, he’s a Scot. Born in Perth, Scotland in 1971.)
• Rock star Rod Stewart. (Och, he’s not! Born in London, he’s of Scottish ancestry.)
• “The Banshees of Inisherin” star Colin Farrell. (Ach! He’s no’ Scottish! The boy’s Irish!)
• “300” movie actor Gerard Butler. (Scot, born in Paisley in 1969.)
• AC/DC guitarist Angus Young. (Scot. Born in Glasgow in 1955, moved to Australia at age 8.)
• Singer Lewis Capaldi. (Scot. Born in Bathgate, Scotland in 1996.)
• “Lord of the Rings” actor Sir Ian McKellen. (Not. Born in England in 1939.)
• Comedian and “Whose Line Is It Anyway?” star Colin Mochrie. (Scot, born in Kilmarnock; moved to Canada at age 7.)
• TV chef Gordon Ramsay. (Aye, a Scot. Born in Johnstone, Scotland.)
• “Eurythmics” singer Annie Lennox. (Scot. Born in Aberdeen in 1954 – Would I Lie to You?)
• Designer Tommy Hilfiger. (Not, but claims to be a direct descent of Robert Burns…)
• “The Chronicles of Narnia” actress Tilda Swinton. (Either. Born in England and of Scottish descent, she considers herself “first and foremost” a Scot.)
-FamousBirthdays
BS PHONE STARTERS:
What’s the best thing to do inside on a cold winter day? How about outside?
BS WATER COOLER QUESTION:
Question: Almost half of men have fallen asleep while doing THIS. What is it?
Answer: Getting a haircut
BS DEEP THOUGHT:
There is no such uncertainty as a sure thing. – Robert Burns
