Thursday, January 11, 2024 – Edition: #7632
Never Accept a Generic – Ask For Pure “BS”!
BS SHOW BIZ BUZZ:
★ It’s time for another round of Hollywood award nominations, as the 2024 Screen Actors Guild Awards have been revealed. In a key moment heading into Oscar nominations on Jan. 23, “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” scored the most nods, with 4 each — including for Motion Picture ensemble and individual performances by Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling, Cillian Murphy, Robert Downey Jr., and Emily Blunt. On the TV side, the final season of HBO’s “Succession” scored 4 nominations, with other major nominees being Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey from “The Last of Us”, Quinta Brunson of “Abbott Elementary”, and several stars of “Ted Lasso”. The SAGs will be handed out on Feb. 24.
-EW
★ Tom Cruise has his next mission. The action star has signed a new deal to develop and produce movies with Warner Bros. Discovery. The films will be a mix of original productions and franchises and will star Cruise. In this new “strategic partnership,” Cruise and his production company will have offices on the Warner Bros. Discovery lot in Burbank. Cruise’s upcoming films include the 8th “Mission: Impossible” movie for Paramount, plus a Universal action movie that will see him become “the first civilian to do a spacewalk” outside of the International Space Station.
-Variety
★ Angela Bassett has been honored for her incredible career, bagging a honorary Oscar at the 14th Annual Governors Awards. The 65-year-old’s first-ever Academy Award was presented by her thrilled friend Regina King, making her the second Black actress to earn the honor, after Cicely Tyson. Mel Brooks and film editor Carol Littleton also earned honorary Oscars at the ceremony.
-TMZ
★ “Friends” fans now have the chance to get their hands on some original scripts from the hit show. They were found inside a former staff member’s bedside table as he was preparing to move — and are now going up for auction. The finder, who wishes to stay anonymous, worked at Fountain Studios in London, England, where 2 Friends episodes were filmed — “The One with Ross’s Wedding Part I” and “The One with Ross’s Wedding Part II.” He wants the scripts to go to a real Friends fan when they go up for grabs through Hansons Auctioneers tomorrow.
-NYPost
★ Tina Fey is set to star and co-create “The Four Seasons,” a series adaptation of the 1981 Alan Alda movie of the same name. She’ll create the series alongside her “30 Rock” collaborators Tracey Wigfield, and Lang Fisher. The 3 share an Emmy for writing the 30 Rock finale. Netflix has ordered 8 episodes of the new series, which will be produced by Universal Television. Production will begin later this year.
-TheWrap
TODAY’S SHOW BIZ SKED:
• “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” (ABC/Global): Natalie Portman, Chris Distefano, Turnpike Troubadours
• “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” (NBC/CTV): Matthew McConaughey, Lily Gladstone, Wyclef Jean, Pusha T, Lola Brooke and Capella Grey
• “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” (CBS/Global): Emily Blunt, Colman Domingo
• “Late Night with Seth Meyers” (NBC/CTV): Tina Fey, Andrew Scott
• “Watch What Happens Live” (Bravo): Kevin Hart
• “The View” (ABC/CTV): Ava DuVernay, LaKeith Stanfield
• “The Talk” (CBS): Taraji P. Henson, Auli’i Cravalho
• “Live With Kelly and Mark” (ABC/CTV): Sterling K. Brown, James Patterson
• “The Kelly Clarkson Show” (Check local listings): Lily James, Christopher Briney, Olivia Rodrigo
• “The Drew Barrymore Show” (Check local listings): Billy Porter
• “Jennifer Hudson Show” (Check local listings): Rich Paul, Saint Harison
• “SEAL Team” (CBS): Bravo Team is presented with a mission in South America unlike any other, while tensions surrounding Jason’s leadership are at an all-time high.
• “Gordon Ramsay’s Road Trip” (Fox): Ramsay, Gino D’Acampo and Fred Sirieix immerse themselves in the culture and cuisine of Spain; they also uncover adventures in Flamenco dancing, winemaking, tapas cook-offs and catching clams.
“Taking the Stand” (A&E): Season 3 premiere. Exotic-animal dealer “Wild Bill” Zelenski is accused of murdering his girlfriend’s 18-year-old son, after he stole $27,000 worth of exotic reptiles.
BS MUSIC NOTES:
• Lady Gaga – seems to be gearing up to release new music. She posted 2 pics on Instagram from the recording studio: the first shows her posing in an oversized sweater and platform black boots with headphones on, and the second shows a guitar, with the caption of a heart and a musical notes emojis. LINK: http://tinyurl.com/p55t5xb6
• Destiny’s Child — Beyoncé, Michelle Williams, and Kelly Rowland reunited on Saturday — to sing ‘Happy Birthday’. The trio gathered at the Fleur Room in Los Angeles to celebrate the 50th birthday of Tim Weatherspoon, Rowland’s husband. Other attendees included The Weeknd, Kris Jenner, Jay-Z, and Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey. The 3 last sang together in 2018 at Bey’s Coachella performance.
• Paramore – are not splitting up. Fans panicked recently when the band canceled a concert, wiped its social media and took its website down. That came after talking about “uncertainty” about the group’s future. Well, fear not. Variety reports they are simply looking for an image reset after parting with Atlantic Records.
• Spice Girls – Mel B teased a big announcement, which involves “all 5 of us” during an appearance on “Today With Hoda & Jenna”. She said she was “going to get myself into so much trouble” but “we’re actually going to be releasing some really good news in about a few weeks”.
• Sinead O’Connor and Shane MacGowan – A tribute concert honoring both of them will take place in New York on March 20. Dropkick Murphys, Cat Power, and David Gray are all confirmed to play at the show, billed as “Sinead and Shane at Carnegie Hall”.
• Rolling Stones – March 8, they’ll release “Live at the Wiltern”, recorded in 2002 while the band was touring to celebrate its 40th anniversary. The album, available in 3LP, 2CD and DVD/Blu-ray, was recorded at the intimate Wiltern Theatre in LA, a far cry from the stadiums the band mostly played during its “40 Licks” tour that year. LINK: http://tinyurl.com/ycy2k3x2
• Maren Morris – People reports that she and Ryan Hurd have reached a divorce settlement. The co-parents also came to a custody agreement for 3-year-old son Hayes Andrew, with whom they will split time evenly while Morris pays Hurd $2,100 a month in child support. She filed for divorce on Oct. 2.
• Nate Smith – His hit song ‘World on Fire’, which he co-wrote, is now spending its 4th week atop Billboard’s Country Airplay chart. It is currently at #7 on the Hot Country Songs chart.
• Chris Young – will drop a new album in March. On social media, he wrote: “My ninth studio album, 18 tracks, my largest album to date. Young Love & Saturday Nights is yours on March 22nd.” It’ll be his first since 2021’s “Famous Friends.”
SHOOTING THE BULL
NEW DEVELOPMENTS:
⇒ Hyundai has unveiled its “flying car” at the Consumer Electronics Show, on now in Vegas. The company’s air mobility offshoot brand Supernal’s S-A2 electric vertical takeoff and landing craft, is an all-electric, pilot-plus-4-passenger vehicle designed to offer safe, efficient, and affordable everyday passenger air travel – at speeds up to 120mph (193kph) at 1,500 feet, and without making more noise than a dishwasher. (These guys have obviously never heard my dishwasher!) LINK: http://tinyurl.com/3tmmf437
⇒ A biotech company that specializes in anti-aging life-care solutions has designed workout leggings that shock you while you exercise — which is supposedly a good thing that helps you get fit. Barun Bio claims that bodily movement while working out is translated through the leggings into electrical stimulation, which rejuvenates muscles, boosts athletic performance, aids muscle recovery and reduces fatigue. And the product looks like any other legging, matching the comfort and fit of regular clothes. At the Consumer Electronic Show, the leggings won an innovation award, and received positive reviews for comfortability, quality of material and practicality. (Yeah, real practical – as a gift for someone you hate!)
⇒ A new breakthrough could lead to the development of new medications that prevent panic attacks. A team at the Salk Institute in California say they have pinpointed a brain region responsible for initiating panic, which triggers both emotional and physical responses. The scientists discovered that inhibiting certain neural signals could diminish panic symptoms. This finding offers hope for creating drugs that could relieve panic disorder. (The bad news? Side effects include shortness of breath, rapid heart rate, sweating, and nausea…!)
-Wired, NYPost, StudyFinds
YOUNG AND ZESTLESS:
Helicopter parenting may have reached a new level, if the results of a new poll of hiring managers is an indication. It found that 39% of employers actually try to avoid hiring recent college graduates for roles they’re qualified for. Why? Here’s one reason: A startling one in 5 (19%) hiring managers said a recent college graduate brought a parent with them to their job interview! And that’s not the only thing stopping employers from hiring Gen Z applicants:
• One in 5 said that recent college graduates are “unprepared” for interviews — and are often unprofessional.
• 53% said that recent college graduates struggle with eye contact.
• 50% said they ask for unreasonable compensation.
• 47% said they don’t dress appropriately for interviews.
• and 21% said they refuse to turn their cameras on for virtual interviews.
On the other hand, Diane M. Gayeski, a professor of strategic communications at Ithaca College, feels these behaviors aren’t entirely their fault, pointing out that due to the pandemic, “young people graduating from college had more than 2 years of disruption in their education as well as their social and professional development.”
(You know, we can blame the youth of today for stuff like this as much as we want, but just remember who raised them!)
(We used to say that at least young people will “work cheap”. Apparently even THAT’S not the case anymore!)
-NYPost
SMALL THINGS THAT MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE:
It’s a New Year, when we try to start or stop doing things in order to improve our lives. A Reddit thread asked people to share their best, most impactful positive changes. Here are the best…
☞ “The habit of following through. What you start, finish. What you set out to learn, become the master.”
☞ “Set a timer for 10 minutes every day and clean. Once the timer ends, you’re done. You’d be surprised how much cleaning you can get done in 10 minutes.”
☞ “Deleting TikTok and watching movies without distraction…it helped my ADHD so well — (also) not littering my brain with social media seconds after waking up.”
☞ “Avoiding drinking sodas and drinking more water.”
☞ “Putting yourself first. Saying no, and setting boundaries are all worthwhile habits and NOT selfish.”
☞ “I separate my laundry after I’m done wearing it instead of after it’s been on the floor or in the closet for days. Nothing is more annoying than having to flip all my socks back when I do laundry.”
☞ “I treat my savings account like a bill. No matter what is happening, I put the same amount of money in it every week.”
☞ “When I make a mistake, I try not to generalize it and say things like ‘I’m so stupid’ or ‘I can’t do anything right.’ It’s one mistake. I do hundreds of things correctly every day.”
☞ “Every time I sign up for a new food place’s app or rewards program, I put in a random birthday so the rewards are spaced out through the year and I get random enjoyment instead of feeling pressure to choose which birthday rewards I want to use.” (Thank you, oh awesome master of the internet, for that golden piece of advice!)
-BuzzFeed
BACK WORDS:
You’ve seen the annual list of words “Banished from the English language”. Now, Wayne State University is out with its list of words that we should use more often. Now in its 15th year, Wayne State’s “Word Warriors” program aims to resurrect long-lost — but not completely forgotten — words. Here is the 2024 list:
✓ Blatherskite: A person who talks at great length without making much sense. (I could go on and on about these people…)
✓ Curglaff: The shock felt when one first plunges into cold water. (I curglaffed myself in the shower just this morning!)
✓ Dollop: A shapeless mass or blob of something, especially soft food. (I just had dollops for dinner last night…)
✓ Kaffeeklatsch: An informal social gathering at which coffee is served. (An A.A. meeting?)
✓ Pawky: Having a mocking or cynical sense of humor. (Now how am I supposed to come up with a pawky comment for THAT one?)
✓ Petrichor: A pleasant smell that frequently accompanies the first rain after a long period of warm, dry weather. (Also, the star of the next Jurrassic Park movie!)
✓ Pettifogger: An inferior legal practitioner, especially one who deals with petty cases or employs dubious practices. (…and I STILL can’t afford him!)
✓ Rawgabbit: A person who speaks confidently but ignorantly. (So…either a politician or a program director?)
✓ Twankle: To twang with the fingers on a musical instrument. (Twankle, Twankle Little Star?)
✓ Thunderplump: A heavy fall of rain during a thunderstorm. (Also, my new stripper name!)
(I’d challenge you to use all of these in a sentence, but you probably WOULD!)
-WSU
DID YOU KNOW?
Microsoft has announced the company is adding a key to its keyboards that will summon Microsoft’s Copilot, an AI-powered chatbot that can help users research, draft text, create images and even turn their ideas into songs. Industry experts say the new “Copilot” key will be its biggest update to the Windows keyboard in 30 years. In a statement, executive vice president Yusuf Mehdi said: “This will not only simplify people’s computing experience but also amplify it, making 2024 the year of the AI PC.”
-Insider, Forbes
BS CHRONOMETER 01.11.24
TODAY’S BS REASONS TO PARTY . . .
• “Hot Toddy Day”, saluting the traditional drink taken before retiring for the night, or in wet or cold weather. It’s typically a mixture of liquor and water with honey (or, in some recipes, sugar), herbs (such as tea) and spices, and served piping hot. Some believe it relieves the symptoms of cold and flu. (Or at least makes you forget them…)
• “Milk Day”, although I’d much rather have a hot toddy!
• “International Thank-You Day”, a chance to thank someone from your past who did something nice for you. (I’d like to take a moment to say thank you to those who have lent me money…I’ll never be able to repay you!)
• “Learn Your Name in Morse Code Day”, in case you want to embrace a technology that has pretty much disappeared. Dash-dot-dot-dot … dot-dot-dash … dot-dash-dot-dot …
• “Human Trafficking Awareness Day”, drawing attention to efforts to eradicate modern-day slavery around the world. LINK: http://tinyurl.com/47t5trcb
• “Cigarettes are Hazardous to Your Health Day”. Did we really need a day to tell us this?
• “Healthy Weight, Healthy Look Day”, to send us all on the path to achieving and maintaining a healthy weight, which may also help you attain a healthy look. Here are a few ideas to get you started:
-Switch to a healthy or healthier diet and meal plan
-Find a nutritionist
-Start a new exercise routine
-Join a fitness class (I think I’ll just try Ozempic instead!)
• “Secret Pal Day”. Almost everyone has special friend who they trust with their deepest secrets. Secret pals provide relief from our emotional baggage and mental stress. Because keeping secrets is detrimental to our health, a secret pal is therefore a preventive health measure.
• Step in a Puddle and Splash Your Friend Day”, Remember when you were a kid and would get yelled at every time you accidentally stepped in—or purposely jumped in—a puddle? Today, you have an excuse to do just that…and soak a friend at the same time. (But really…in January?)
AND REMEMBER . . .
[Fri] Pharmacist Day
[Fri] Stick To Your New Year’s Resolution Day
[Sat] Sticker Day
[Sun] Dress Up Your Pet Day
This Week is…La Poutine Week
This Month is…Citrus Month
TODAY’S CELEBIRTHDAYS . . .
1934 [90] Jean Chrétien, Shawnigan QC, Canadian politician (20th Prime Minister of Canada 1993-2003)
1956 [68] Phyllis Logan, Paisley Scotland, TV actress (“Downton Abbey” 2010-15)/movie actress (“Downton Abbey” films, “Secrets & Lies”) COMING UP… “Miss Austen” miniseries
1968 [56] Tom Dumont, LA CA, rock guitarist (No Doubt-‘It’s My Life’, ‘Don’t Speak’)
1971 [53] Mary J. Blige, Bronx NY, R&B-pop singer (‘Family Affair’, ‘Be Without You’)
1971 [53] Tom Rowlands, Kingston upon Thames England, electronica musician (The Chemical Brothers- ‘It Began in Afrika’, ‘Star Guitar’)/6 Grammys
1972 [52] Amanda Peet, NYC, movie actress (“Identity Thief”, “The Whole Nine Yards”)
1985 [39] Aja Naomi King, LA CA, TV actress (‘Michaela Pratt’ on “How to Get Away With Murder” 2014-20) COMING UP… “The Knife”
1997 [27] Cody Simpson, Gold Coast Australia, pop singer (‘Pretty Brown Eyes’, f/Flo Rida-‘iYiYi’)/winner of season 1 of “The Masked Singer Australia”/member of Australia’s 2022 Commonwealth Games swim team
THIS DAY IN SHOW BIZ . . .
2010 [14] Simon Cowell leaves “American Idol” to launch “The X Factor” (US version) His replacement? Steven Tyler
2013 [11] Re/Create, a charity event to aid victims of 2012s Hurricane Sandy, holds a celeb clothing auction featuring an autographed pair of Yeezy II sunglasses from Kanye West, a jacket Skrillex wore to the 2012 Grammys, and a Mugler bag donated by Lady Gaga
TODAY’S MUSIC EVENTS . . .
1992 [32] Nirvana’s “Nevermind” album hits #1 in the US, unseating Michael Jackson’s “Dangerous”
2013 [11] Destiny’s Child announce they will reunite at the 2013 Super Bowl, 7 years after their split
2016 [08] The day after David Bowie’s death, his music videos are viewed 51 million times, shattering the record of 36 million held by Adele after she released ‘Hello’. Most of the views are for Bowie’s new videos ‘Lazarus’ and ‘Blackstar’, which foretell his death
TODAY’S FIRST . . .
2020 [04] The giant 100-year-old tortoise ‘Diego’ retires to the Galapagos islands after his high libido is credited with saving his species
BULL’S BITS
BS WHACK FACTS:
✓ The first people to wear t-shirts were sailors in the US Navy.
✓ The ancient Romans thought unibrows were sexy.
✓ You mostly breathe from only one nostril at a time.
✓ On average, a disposable diaper can hold up to 7 pounds (3.2kg) of liquid.
✓ The praying mantis is the only insect that can turn its head.
✓ Drivers kill more deer than hunters.
-Livin3, BathroomReadersInstitute
Best of BS . . .
BS PONDERABLES:
• If vampires can’t see their reflections, why is their hair always so neat?
• Why do they call the little candy bars “fun size”. Wouldn’t it be more fun to eat a big one?
• If a mime is arrested, do they tell him he has a right to talk?
• At what point does it stop being partly cloudy — and start being partly sunny?
• Since bread is square, then why is sandwich meat round?
• Is it still illegal to park next to a fire hydrant, even if your car is on fire?
-CrazyThoughts, first published in BS in 1998
TODAY’S SCOOP OF BS:
➠ A Dunkin’ Donuts customer filed a $100,000 lawsuit, claiming a toilet explosion caused severe injuries and he was covered in feces, urine and debris. (It could have been worse. He could have been hosting the Golden Globes!)
➠ A survey found that 25% of women would give up sex for an iPad. (Part of me is like, “Who’d EVER give up sex for a computer device?” And the other half is like . . . “The new one with 5G?”)
➠ A report says the number of Americans with blue eyes has declined over 30% in the past few decades. (If you ask me, it’s because God ran out, after making Anderson Cooper’s!)
➠ A study shows that people are more likely to lie and cheat in the afternoon. (Which explains Congress’ new motto: “It’s two o’clock somewhere.”)
➠ A historian thinks he has pinpointed the first-known use of the f-word. (It was Noah – when he realized he forgot the unicorns!)
BS WEB GOODIE:
Caption says it all: http://tinyurl.com/3x4f3hra
BS RANDOM JOKE:
Promises are like babies: They’re fun to make — but hard to deliver.
BS PHONE STARTER:
What’s incredibly cheap that you would pay waaay more for, if you had to?
BS WATER COOLER QUESTION:
Question: On average, we spend about 26 minutes per day doing THIS. What is it?
Answer: Trying to fall asleep
BS DEEP THOUGHT:
Positive thinking must be followed by positive doing.
