BS SHOW BIZ BUZZ:
For the first time since Charlton Heston in 1972, an Academy Awards host is announcing the nominees, Seth McFarlane waking up early this morning to read the names alongside Emma Stone at 5:30 am PST (NET: http://www.oscars.org) . . . “Lincoln”, the story of the battle by America’s 16th president to end slavery picked up a leading 10 “BAFTA” nominations on Wednesday, putting it ahead of the pack for Britain’s top film honors; and Brit bookies have already made “Lincoln” star Daniel Day-Lewis a huge favourite to win ‘Best Actor’ (the hardware’s handed out February 10th) . . . “Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2” may have blown up the box office but it also leads nominations for “Razzie Awards”, the annual ‘accolades’ for Hollywood’s worst actors and films, with a total of 11 (including 2 candidates for ‘Worst Screen Couple’) . . . Police in Atlanta, Georgia have launched an investigation into a burglary at the warehouse set where “Anchorman: The Legend Continues” is being shot, a heist that stripped the building of $300,000-worth of wiring and computers (the comedy sequel is scheduled for release in December) . . . Actress Kate Winslet’s new hubby Ned Rocknroll has just won a court injunction to stop UK tabloid “The Sun” from publishing embarrassing half-naked photos of him at a party (here’s how – his string-pulling uncle is billionaire Richard Branson) . . . And Oxygen network seems to be scraping the bottom of the barrel with its new reality show “All My Babies’ Mamas” that’s scheduled to air this Spring, which depicts the life of rapper Shawty Lo who’s fathered 11 kids by 10 different women – all of whom live in the same Atlanta house with him (sounds like a feminist’s nightmare).
TODAY’S SHOW BIZ SKED:
• “Chelsea Lately” (E!) – Cyndi Lauper (“Memphis Blues”).
• “Critics’ Choice Movie Awards” (CW) – The 18th annual gala honoring excellence in film. Yet another forerunner to the Oscars. “Lincoln” has a record 13 nominations.
NET: http://www.criticschoice.com/movie-awards/
• “Ellen DeGeneres Show” (syndicated/CTV2) – Common (“The Dreamer/The Believer”).
• “Jimmy Kimmel Live” (ABC/CityTV) – Bruno Mars (“Unorthodox Jukebox”).
• “Last Call With Carson Daly” (NBC) – Fidlar (“Don’t Try”). Rerun.
• “Late Night With Jimmy Fallon” (NBC/CTV2) – John Cale (“Shifty Adventures in Nookie Wood”).
• “Tonight Show With Jay Leno” (NBC/CTV2) – For King & Country (“Crave”); Keith Urban (“American Idol”).
BS MUSIC NOTES:
• John Mayer – A friend tells HollywoodLife.com that Mayer wants to take his relationship with Katy Perry to the next level by creating a ‘sanctuary’ for them.
• Luke Bryan – He’s Blake Shelton’s new co-host for the “Academy of Country Music Awards”, replacing long-time emcee Reba McEntire. The “ACMs” will be held April 7.
• Miranda Lambert – The country star famously slammed Chris Brown after he took home 2 Grammys at last year’s awards, and the February “Redbook” cover girl is still standing by her Chris criticism. Quote: “He beat a girl … not cool that we act like that didn’t happen.”
• One Direction – Harry Styles apparently split with Taylor Swift after he became frustrated with her constant nagging about other girls, particularly his on-going friendship with ex-girlfriend Caroline Flack. At least, that’s the scoop according to an ‘insider’.
• Prince – An upbeat new song entitled “Same Page Different Book” has surfaced on YouTube via an unidentified account called 3rd Eye Girl (@3rdeyegirl). It’s not yet known if the account is affiliated with Prince or if it’s a fan who has managed to leak previously unreleased material.
• Rick Ross – He’s announced via Twitter that his upcoming 6th album will be titled “Mastermind”. It’s due sometime in 2013, though it’s not clear exactly when it will surface.
• U2 – The Edge has expanded his Music Rising charity initiative with a new Hurricane Sandy relief fund. Music Rising will donate an initial $250,000 to help rebuild school music programs in the tri-state area that was affected by the superstorm.
COMING ATTRACTIONS:
A BS selection of movies in the making …
• “The Houdini Box” – Irish filmmaker Kealan O’Rourke will write & direct an adaptation of Brian Selznick’s 1991 young adult novel about a young boy and aspiring magician who meets his idol Harry Houdini at a train station. The boy later receives a letter inviting him to Houdini’s house, only to discover that the magician had died that very day and left him a mysterious, locked box.
• “The Muppets 2” – Days before she co-hosts the “Golden Globes”, Tina Fey is in talks to join Ricky Gervais as the human stars of Disney’s upcoming sequel, which takes the felt-and-fur bunch on a European adventure. “Modern Family’s” Ty Burrell also has a major role, playing a lazy Interpol inspector. Shooting begins in London later this month.
• “Pontius Pilate” – Deadline.com reports that 49-year-old Brad Pitt is expected to take on the titular role in this period drama which tells the biblical tale of the Roman governor who sentenced Jesus to be killed by crucifixion. New Testament figures like John the Baptist, Salome, and Mary Magdalene will also appear in the film.
• “Sin City: A Dame to Kill For” – Joseph Gordon-Levitt (“Dark Knight Rises”) has joined the all-star cast of this upcoming sequel, playing ‘Johnny’, an arrogant gambler. Original cast members Mickey Rourke, Jessica Alba, Rosario Dawson, and Jaime King are also part of this 3-D follow-up to the 2005 crime thriller. The film is set for release in October.
• “Transformers 4” – Young Irish actor Jack Reynor is set to star opposite Hollywood veteran Mark Wahlberg in Michael Bay’s as-yet-untitled 4th installment. Plot details are unknown, except that it will not be connected to past characters. Bay does divulge that the pic is not a reboot and will be set 4 years after the last one ended. It’s scheduled to open June 27, 2014.
iPHONETTE:
Apple is working on a lower-end iPhone, according to people briefed on the matter. It’s a big shift in strategy as its supremacy in smartphones has slipped from 23% of the worldwide market to less than 15%. Apple now faces pressure to make the iPhone more affordable as an onslaught of lower cost rivals powered by Google’s Android operating system are gaining market share. The lower-end iPhone could launch as soon as later this year. It may resemble a standard iPhone but with a different, less-expensive body – polycarbonate plastic instead of an aluminum housing. Other parts might be recycled from older models. (No word on what it might be called … ‘iPhone Ghetto’?)
– “Wall Street Journal”
BS SOCIAL STUDIES:
• People who can see themselves in a mirror while eating consume 32% less fatty food than those who cannot, according to research at Iowa State University. (This is why you should eat dinner in the bathroom.)
– HaLife.com
• A new University of Maryland sociology study finds the happiest people are those who have little or no excess time and yet seldom feel rushed. This busy but blissful group comprises about 8-to-12% of the population. (As do those who are self-employed in a home office. Coincidence?)
– “Pacific Standard”
• In 1985, 55% of Americans surveyed agreed that being thin was a lot more attractive than being heavy but now less than 25% agree. It seems that the heavier people become, the more they change their views. (And terminology … “I’m not fat, I’m curvy.”)
– NPR.org
PIN-UP CALENDAR FOR GEEKS:
A bizarre calendar for nerds who find old computers a turn-on has been created by technology fan Jan Kaufmann of Germany. ‘The Nerd Calendar’ features ancient technology being fondled by models dressed as gorgeous geeks. One blonde is seen lovingly caressing the joystick of a classic Atari games computer; others get to grips with 1970s and 1980s computers like the original Apple Macs, Commodores, and the Sinclair ZX81. Kaufmann says he just wanted to make the kind of calendar he’d always dreamed about as a boy. (A very, very strange little boy.)
– Orange.co.uk
THE BEST THINGS TO BUY IN JANUARY:
✓ Broadway Tickets – January’s a great time to seek out ticket discounts. You probably won’t find them for the most popular shows, but if you’re looking to branch out this is the time to do it.
✓ Carpeting & Flooring – Most people buy carpets at the end of the year in preparation for the holidays. Once January rolls around, prices go down.
✓ Clothing – Retailers are all having mad sales after the holiday rush, so now’s a great time to grab some extra duds. The selection won’t always be great but the prices will.
✓ Furniture – January is a great general clearance time since most furniture companies release new products twice a year … in February and August.
✓ Gift Cards – It’s a good time to visit online gift card exchange sites like Plastic Jungle to find discounted gift cards. This time of year, everyone’s trading in their unwanted cards for cash.
✓ Linens & Bedding – Ever since the first ‘White Sale’ in 1878, January has been the best month to get bedding and other linens.
✓ Motorcycles – Winter doesn’t make for great biking weather, but if you buy a motorcycle in January you can focus on all the money you saved while you wait around for good weather.
✓ Suits – Not a lot of people buy suits in January, so you may see prices drop just to get you into the store.
✓ Videogames – A lot of new games come out in late Fall for the holiday season, and they go on sale after the holiday rush is over.
– LifeHacker.com
GOT A COLD? HAVE A BEER!
As the majority of us continue to trudge through the cold, virus-heavy Winter months, sniffling and sneezing, a warm ray of hope shines out of Japan. Sapporo Breweries, one of the country’s oldest beer-makers, has funded a study that’s discovered that hops – one of beer’s primary ingredients – contains a chemical that may counter the virus that causes cold-like symptoms. The compound, known as humulone, has proven effective in curbing the respiratory syncytial (RS) virus and also relieves the inflammation that the virus causes. (Will your medical plan cover a 6-pack?)
– TheDrinksBusiness.com
DID YOU KNOW?
• Abraham Lincoln is the US president who has been portrayed the most times on film.
– Slate.com
• 4-of-the-5 oldest people in the world live in Japan, according to the latest listing of people whose birth date and survival have been confirmed.
– “Financial Times”
BS CHRONOMETER 01.10.13
TODAY’S CELEBIRTHDAYS . . .
1945 [68] Rod Stewart, London UK, wrinkle-rocker (“Tonight’s the Night”, “Maggie May”)/Rock & Roll Hall of Fame (1994)
1948 [65] Donald Fagen, Passaic NJ, classic rock singer (Steely Dan-“Reeling In the Years”, “Hey Nineteen”)/Rock & Roll Hall of Fame (2001)
1953 [60] Pat Benatar (Andrzejewski), Brooklyn NY, classic rocker (“Hit Me With Your Best Shot”)/4 consecutive Grammy Awards for ‘Best Female Rock Vocal Performance’ 1980-83
1978 [35] Brent Smith, Knoxville TN, rock singer-songwriter (Shinedown-“The Crow & The Butterfly”, “Second Chance”)
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 does not contain any milk solids.
NET: http://www.punchbowl.com/holidays/bittersweet-chocolate-day
• “Cut Your Energy Costs Day”, a day to help both the environment and your bottom line. So what’s your best tip? A slew of ideas here …
NET: http://bit.ly/5nO7nn
• “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.
• “Peculiar People Day”, a good day to have listeners call in stories about the extraordinary, unusual, strange, odd, uncommon, intriguing, different, abnormal, and quirky people they know.
NET: http://www.altiusdirectory.com/Society/peculiar-people-day.php
• “Sturdy Flat-Heeled Shoes Appreciation Day”, honoring all those ‘sensible shoes’ for women that are long on comfort but sometimes a bit short on style.
THIS DAY IN SHOW BIZ . . .
1993 [20] Johnny Carson advises David Letterman to “Do what’s best for your career; do what’s in your heart”, leading Letterman to choose CBS-TV as the new home for his late night show
TODAY’S MUSIC EVENT . . .
2003 [10] British and Dutch police recover 500 Beatles master-tapes, missing since a theft some 30 or so years earlier
TODAY’S FIRST . . .
1863 [150] World’s 1st ‘subway’ opens (the ‘Metropolitan’ in London UK, aka ‘the tube’)
TODAY’S RECORD . . .
2008 [05] India’s largest automaker, Tata Motors, unveils the ‘World’s Cheapest Car’, the Nano, with a MSRP around $2,000
AND REMEMBER . . .
[Fri] Learn Your Name in Morse Code Day
[Fri] Human Trafficking Awareness Day
[Fri] “Gangster Squad”; “A Haunted House” open in movie theaters; “Zero Dark Thirty” expands wide
[Sat] “Miss America Pageant” (ABC)
[Sun] “Girls” season debut (HBO)
[Sun] “70th Golden Globe Awards” (NBC)
[Sun] No Pants Subway Ride
This Week Is … Home Office Safety & Security Week
This Month Is … Be On-Purpose Month
BULL’S BITS
BS REASONS YOUR NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION HAS ALREADY FAILED:
✗ You were so sure you’d be able to get out of debt that you bet the farm on it.
✗ Everyone else is making it difficult for you and that’s why you never have any success in life.
✗ There simply isn’t enough time to clean the house AND watch every single episode of “Breaking Bad”.
✗ When you promised to stop lying … you were lying.
✗ You ARE using your treadmill more often, but only for stacking extra boxes on.
✗ The damn patch won’t stick and the gum tastes like shoes.
✗ You’re not drinking anymore but then … you’re not drinking any less.
✗ You can’t remember what the hell it was.
✗ Turns out you were perfect just the way you are.
– Adapted from BennyDesk.com
BS RANDOM JOKE:
If you want to clear your system out, sit on a piece of cheese and swallow a mouse.
BS U-PICK TRIVIA:
• “Health” magazine reports that 35% of adults who own exercise equipment no longer use it. How many NEVER used it?
a. 8% [CORRECT]
b. 18%
c. 65%
• How many months of the year does the average woman spend trying to lose weight, according to “Women’s Sports & Fitness” magazine?
a. 1-and-a-half months.
b. 6.4 months. [CORRECT]
c. 12 months.
BS PHONE STARTER:
☎ How do you split up the responsibility for household chores? Some couples break it into responsibility for indoors and out. If it’s inside (cooking, cleaning, etc), she does it. If it’s outside (home & vehicle repairs, yard maintenance, etc), it’s up to him. But is that fair?
BS WATER COOLER QUESTION:
Question: If you’re average, you buy THIS every year-and-a-half, according to “TIME” magazine.
Answer: A new cellphone.
BS DEEP THOUGHT:
Marriage really begins the day you merge bank accounts.
