Thursday, January 18, 2024 – Edition: #7637
We Give a Sheet!
BS SHOW BIZ BUZZ:
★ Catherine, Princess of Wales, is recovering in hospital after undergoing abdominal surgery. Kensington Palace said in a statement that the “planned” operation was successful, and Kate will remain in hospital for 10 to 14 days, it said. It is unclear what the surgery was for, but a royal source said the 42-year-old’s condition was non-cancerous. In other royal news, King Charles has sought treatment for an enlarged prostate. Buckingham Palace said the condition is benign and he will attend hospital next week for a corrective procedure.
-CTV
★ Despite the fact that she was upset by an insult against her in “Mean Girls”, Lindsay Lohan probably doesn’t regret making an appearance in the musical. Why? Money. The 37-year-old “Falling for Christmas” star makes a small but poignant cameo in the film, but she was paid a hefty sum for working just half a day. Sources told Variety Lohan raked in $500,000 for her quick appearance in the Tina Fey movie. Lohan starred as ‘Cady Heron’ in the original 2004 teen flick.
-NYPost
★ She’s ditching Waystar Royco for the Great White Way. Sarah Snook, the “Succession” star who won the Emmy for Best Actress in a Drama on Monday night, plans to make her Broadway debut next season. A source says that Snook will come to New York with “The Picture of Dorian Gray” once it finishes its run in London in May, where she’s also its star. She’ll perform all 26 roles in the one-woman adaption of Oscar Wilde’s novel by Kip Williams.
-NYPost
★ “All My Children” actor Alec Musser died by suicide, the San Diego Medical Examiner has revealed. He was found by his fiancée Paige Press on Saturday at their home in Del Mar, California. The medical examiner said in a statement: “On the morning of 01/13/2024, she awoke and went to find the decedent seated and slumped forward on the bathroom floor. She noted a firearm near him and an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound to the chest and called 911.” Musser also appeared in the 2010 Adam Sandler comedy “Grown Ups.”
-TheWrap
★ Emmy Award-winning filmmakers Dan Cutforth & Jane Lipsitz have been tapped to direct and produce a limited docuseries on the iconic interactive entertainment producer, Atari. The series, tentatively titled “Game Changers: The Story of Atari”, will present the company’s definitive history and anticipated future. Founded in 1972, Atari is an arcade game pioneer also responsible for consoles like the Atari 2600. The company owns or manages a portfolio of more than 200 games, including Asteroids, Centipede, Missile Command, and Pong. No word on a release date.
-Deadline
TODAY’S SHOW BIZ SKED:
• “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” (ABC/Global): Chrissy Teigen, David Chang, Sierra Ferrell
• “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” (NBC/CTV): Jacob Elordi, Ariana DeBose, BJ The Chicago Kid ft. Chlöe
• “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” (CBS/Global): Common, Steven Wright
• “Late Night with Seth Meyers” (NBC/CTV): Clive Owen, Isla Fisher, Robert Smigel
• “Watch What Happens Live” (Bravo): Leva Bonaparte, Craig Conover, Austen Kroll
• “The View” (ABC/CTV): Clive Owen, Tim Alberta
• “The Talk” (CBS): Gabriel “Fluffy” Iglesias
• “Live With Kelly and Mark” (ABC/CTV): Sofía Vergara, Monica Mangin
• “The Kelly Clarkson Show” (Check local listings): Jamie Lee Curtis, Allison Holker Boss, Black Pumas
• “The Drew Barrymore Show” (Check local listings): Lucy Hale and Nat Wolff
• “Jennifer Hudson Show” (Check local listings): Lilly Singh, Ramit Sethi
• “Law & Order” (NBC): Season 23 premiere. Followed by season premieres of “SVU” and “Organized Crime”.
• “SEAL Team” (CBS): Jason must confront his deepest fears on the road to healing; Clay and Sonny are forced to take certain matters into their own hands.
• “Gordon Ramsay’s Road Trip” (Fox): Part 2. Ramsay, Gino D’Acampo and Fred Sirieix enjoy the best culture and cuisine of Spain.
BS MUSIC NOTES:
• Olivia Rodrigo, Dua Lipa, and Billie Eilish – have all been announced as performers at the 66th Grammy Awards, set for Feb. 4 at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. All are also multiple-nominees for this year’s awards. More acts will be announced later.
• Ariana Grande – has released an extended version of her latest single ‘Yes, And?’. It is available for purchase on iTunes and on Amazon Music, and is on YouTube. She has also released instrumental and extended instrumental versions of the song. LINK: http://tinyurl.com/4trx3tk6
• Sum 41 — has announced the plans for its final tour. The group had already revealed it would be releasing one final (double) album and embarking on a farewell tour, and Tuesday, the details dropped. The “Tour of the Setting Sum” starts March 1 in Indonesia, hits the US on Ap 19 in Omaha, and ends January 30, 2025 at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto. LINK: http://tinyurl.com/2c9z3mdv
• Elton John – was sleeping when he made history with his Emmy win, becoming the 19th person in history to complete the EGOT. After “Elton John Live: Farewell From Dodger Stadium” won for Outstanding Variety Special (Live)”, his husband and producing partner David Furnish said: “We FaceTimed him. We woke him up in the middle of the night…He screamed out loud. He was like, ‘Yes!'”
• Bruce Springsteen – has reportedly been hired to serve as a consultant on a feature film about the making of his 1982 album “Nebraska.” Showbiz 411 says he was hired by director Scott Cooper, who is known for his 2009 film “Crazy Heart”, starring Jeff Bridges.
• Morgan Wallen – His “One Thing at a Time” has climbed back to the #1 spot on the Billboard 200 albums chart, marking its 17th non-consecutive week atop the list. He also teased an unreleased song on social media over the weekend, which (we are guessing) is called ‘I Guess’. LINK: http://tinyurl.com/dscnk65n
• Blake Shelton – His Ole Red is open for business in Sin City. The brand’s 6th location officially opened its doors on Monday, with a line out the door waiting to get in. On Instagram, he wrote: “Ok everybody, don’t tear the place up on the first day.” The Vegas location sits just off the Strip, and seats 686 people in its 27,000 square-foot space. LINK: http://tinyurl.com/bdzj4yyh
• Chris Young — is gearing up to release his 9th studio album “Young Love & Saturday Nights” on March 22. The title track has already been a top 40 hit, and on Friday, he dropped the new single ‘Right Now’. Young calls the new album “a little louder, a little more raw.”
SHOOTING THE BULL
AUSTRIE RULES:
Talk about putting your money where your mouth is. An Austrian heiress believes her government doesn’t tax the wealthy enough, so she’s decided to ask regular citizens to help her give away 25 million euros – or about US$27 million of her inheritance. To find a panel of trusted advisors, 31-year-old Marlene Engelhorn sent a survey to 10,000 randomly-selected Austrians. From the respondents, she’ll select 50 to help her divvy out the dough. Where did she get the $27 million? She is a descendant of Friedrich Engelhorn, who founded the German pharmaceutical giant BASF, and she inherited a fortune when her grandmother died in 2022. On the project’s website, she wrote that her wealth “was accumulated because other people did the work”. Austria has no estate, inheritance, or wealth taxes. LINK: https://guterrat.info/
(Yeah, she’s giving away $27 million — only if her family can’t get her locked up first!)
(If you received this survey, what would YOU write? Aside from “Give it all to me!”, of course…)
-Insider
H2OPHONE:
Word has just come out that Apple is working on an “underwater user interface” that eventually could lead to a future waterproof version of its devices. Currently, the company’s best watch, the Apple Watch Ultra 2, can be used as a dive computer at depths of up to 40m, but iPhones, including the newest iPhone 15, remain merely “waterproof”. You can drop one in the bath, sink, or pool, and it should keep working, but it doesn’t have any kind of “underwater functionality”. The patent published this week, filed in 2021, indicates that an iPhone of the future could detect when it’s underwater, adjusting the user interface to display a simplified version of iOS that is easier to use…well…underwater. Apple says that more users are using their devices for water-based activities, and current methods for displaying user interfaces while a device is underwater are “outdated, time-consuming, and inefficient,” requiring multiple key presses or keystrokes.
(So, expect a new addition to the Apple product list: The iGoggles!)
(OK, but I’m not sure who needs this – except for Aquaman!)
iMore
SCIENTISTS SAY:
⇒ Researchers at the Center for Microbiome Innovation at the University of California San Diego say they’ve discovered what actually causes wrinkles. It’s long been believed that wrinkles are simply part of the aging process — and exacerbated by UV light from the sun — but bacteria may actually be to blame. The scientists found that wrinkles are linked to the skin microbiome, which is the collection of microorganisms that inhabit our skin. This explains why the aging process is not uniform, and some people of the same age look older than others. (And I just thought it was because I have to get up at 3:30 every morning…!)
⇒ Air pollution is making people lazier. Scientists in the UK found that long-term exposure to current levels of air pollution led to an increase in time spent being inactive each day. The researchers said: “We’re already aware that air pollution contributes to…respiratory diseases…What’s concerning is that air pollution might also be affecting people’s willingness or ability to exercise, and their enjoyment of it.” They determined that current pollution levels are causing an extra 22 minutes of inactivity each day per person. (Handy excuse, but I blame reality TV!)
-NYPost, StudyFinds
CHAOTICALLY ACCURATE OBSERVATIONS:
A Buzzfeed writer asked: “What ‘small hill’ would you absolutely die on?” And the answers did not disappoint. Here are the best ones . . .
➢ “Boneless wings are just chicken nuggets.”
➢ “’First Annual.’ There is no such thing. I don’t care if you plan on doing it again, the first is always the inaugural event.”
➢ “I hate it when people say that something is ‘very unique.’ There are no degrees of uniqueness. Either something is unique, or it’s not. You can say it’s ‘very special,’ ‘very valuable,’ [or] ‘very different,’ but not ‘very unique.'”
➢ “As someone in the funeral industry, please either learn the difference between ‘interment’ and ‘internment’ — or stop getting mad at me when I correct your funeral programs.”
➢ “Grease 2 is the superior of the Grease movies. I said what I said.”
➢ “Pillsbury crescent rolls are revolting and I will not apologize for my beliefs.”
➢ “I hate when people use ‘infamous’ like it means ‘extra famous.’ It means you are famous for a bad reason and is typically not a good thing.”
➢ “Saying ‘should of’ instead of ‘should have’ and the like.” (How ‘bout “should’ve”?)
➢ “If you use the terms ‘conversate,’ ‘hubby,’ or ‘wifey,’ we will never be friends.”
➢ “My Favorite Things’ IS NOT A CHRISTMAS SONG!!!”
-BuzzFeed
DID YOU KNOW?
Just one month of feeling depressed can quickly lead to weight gain, says a new study. While the link between depression and weight gain has been recognized for some time, researchers in the UK say the specifics of how they affect each other have been unclear until now. The found that an individual whose depressive symptoms score increased from mild to moderate would typically see a weight gain of 225 grams (about half-a-pound) per month. They also found that those who are overweight or obese are more vulnerable to weight gain in response to feeling more depressed.
-StudyFinds
BS CHRONOMETER 01.18.24
TODAY’S BS REASONS TO PARTY . . .
• “Gourmet Coffee Day”, honoring the “good stuff” that costs you an arm and a leg. And then the barista spells your name wrong on the cup. (Wandy?)
• “Get to Know Your Customers Day”, an occasion observed on the 3rd Thursdays of January, April, July and October. (There IS such a thing as “TMI”, ya know!)
• “Maintenance Day”, honoring all janitors and building maintenance personnel. (What’s the correct term these days? Caretaker? Custodian? Attendant?)
• “Thesaurus Day”, celebrating the birthday of the author of “Roget’s Thesaurus”. Peter Roget was born on this day in 1779. (Quick! What’s another word for thesaurus?)
• “Women’s Healthy Weight Day”, a part of Healthy Weight Week. The day of body positivity for women honors women of all sizes, and pushes back against the media’s overemphasis on thinness.
• “Winnie the Pooh Day”, honoring the birthday of “Winnie-the-Pooh” author AA Milne (1882-1956) in London, England. (Please note: This is NOT an excuse to leave the house without wearing pants.)
• “Peking Duck Day”, Peking Duck (the national dish of China) is made with a specific breed of duck—the Imperial Peking. It is typically roasted in a brick oven, which causes the skin to become crispy. It can be eaten with pancakes, spring onions, and either hoisin sauce or sweet bean sauce.
AND REMEMBER . . .
[Fri] Good Memory Day
[Fri] Brew A Potion Day
[Sat] Disc Jockey Day
[Sun] Hugging Day
This Week is…Letter Writing Week
This Month is…Blood Donor Month
TODAY’S CELEBIRTHDAYS . . .
1955 [69] Kevin Costner, Lynwood CA, movie actor (“The Bodyguard”, “Field of Dreams”)/movie director (“Dances With Wolves”)/TV actor (“Yellowstone” 2018-24) COMING UP… “Horizon: An American Saga”, 2024)
1962 [62] Alison Arngrim, Queens NY, TV actress (‘Nellie Olson’ on “Little House on the Prairie” 1974-1982)
1969 [55] Dave Bautista, Washington DC, wrestler-actor (“Guardians of the Galaxy” movies/2-time WWE Wrestling Champion) COMING UP… “Dune: Part Two”, 2024
1969 [55] Jesse L. Martin, Rocky Mount VA, TV actor (“The Flash” 2014-23, “Law & Order” 1999-2008) COMING UP… “Sexual Healing” film
1971 [53] Jonathan Davis, Bakersfield CA, rock singer-drummer-bagpiper (Korn-‘Word Up!’, ‘Freak on a Leash’ ft. Amy Lee)
1980 [44] Jason Segel, LA CA, TV actor (“How I Met Your Mother” 2005-15, “Shrinking” since 2023)/movie actor (“The Muppets”, “Forgetting Sarah Marshall”)
THIS DAY IN SHOW BIZ . . .
1996 [28] Lisa Marie Presley files for divorce from Michael Jackson
2004 [20] Jennifer Lopez’s divorce from her second husband Cris Judd becomes final (His estimated settlement for a year of marriage … $15 million)
TODAY’S MUSIC EVENTS . . .
1989 [35] The Rolling Stones are inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, along with Dion, Otis Redding, The Temptations and Stevie Wonder
2016 [08] Glenn Frey, Eagles co-founder, singer-songwriter, and guitarist, dies of pneumonia at 67
2023 [01] David Crosby, of Crosby, Stills & Nash (and Young), and The Byrds, dies at 81
TODAY’S FIRSTS . . .
2005 [19] The Airbus A380, ‘World’s Largest Commercial Jet’ (800 passengers), is unveiled at a ceremony in Toulouse, France
2013 [11] NASA scientists achieve a first in laser communication when they successfully beam a picture of Leonardo da Vinci’s ‘Mona Lisa’ to a spacecraft orbiting the Moon
TODAY’S RECORDS . . .
2014 [10] 16-year-old Lewis Clarke of Bristol, England becomes the youngest to trek to the South Pole
2015 [09] Over 6 million people attend a mass given by Pope Francis in Manila, Philippines
BULL’S BITS
BS WHACK FACTS:
✓ Since 1770, there has been a global flu pandemic about once every 20 years.
✓ The word ‘facetiously’ contains all 5 vowels and the letter “y”, in alphabetical order.
✓ Women have larger pupils than men.
✓ Scientists can’t agree on whether a zebra’s stripes keep the flies away, regulate body temperature, or act as camouflage.
✓ Goodyear Rubber Company research concluded that shoes wear out faster on the right foot than the left.
✓ In Victorian times, sausages were called “bags of mystery.”
-DidYouKnow, WhattheFFacts
Best of BS . . .
BS REJECTED PRODUCT NAMES:
• I Can’t Believe It’s Not Illegal
• Kraft Forever Singles
• Random Liquid From a Cow
• Mr. Dirty
• W&W’s
• Tabasco Eyedrops
• Fermented Cucumbers
• Pudding Poops
• Sham-meh
• The Clap
-Twitter, first published in BS in 2018
BS THINGS NEVER SEEN ON TV:
• A person saying “Goodbye” at the end of a phone call.
• A reality show about the cameramen who film reality shows.
• An actual star on “Dancing With the Stars”.
• A commercial for a wonder-drug whose side-effects don’t sound horrifying.
• Actual directions on how to get to Sesame Street.
• Characters staring at their phones for hours on end.
• A commercial that says it ISN’T the best time to buy a car.
• A functional family.
• How am I supposed to know what I HAVEN’T seen, if I’ve never seen it?
• Full frontal nudity. (Although I do keep offering…)
-Twitter, first published in BS in 2019
BS WEB GOODIE:
Harsh: http://tinyurl.com/3ydsdawn
BS RANDOM JOKE:
If you can’t decide between running and eating chocolate, run to the store for some chocolate.
BS PHONE STARTER:
What is the most overpriced thing at the grocery store?
BS WATER COOLER QUESTION:
Question: The #1 thing employees enjoy getting from their employer is a compliment. What’s #2?
Answer: Free food
BS DEEP THOUGHT:
Quality is remembered long after the price is forgotten.
