July 6, 2007

Friday, July 6, 2007                  Edition: #3569
Sheeters Always Prosper!

BS SHOW BIZ BUZZ:
SATURDAY is the much-ballyhooed wedding of 32-year-old “Desperate Housewives” actress Eva Longoria & 25-year-old French-born NBA star Tony Parker at a ceremony in a 17th-century chateau near Paris, to which they’ve sold photo rights for a reported $2 million (the A-list guests get 3 nights free accommodation at luxury hotels) . . . Meanwhile, work continues on the Longoria-Parker’s massive new San Antonio TX mansion, which is said to be costing $10 million . . . Hollywood pals Ben Affleck & Matt Damon are currently on a joint vacation with their families in Hawaii and word has it they’ve agreed to write their first screenplay together since their 1997 hit “Good Will Hunting”, for which they won an Academy Award (the last really good work they did?) . . . It seems the long-awaited “Sex & the City” movie is finally a go, with all the former HBO show’s stars signed and production scheduled to start in SEPTEMBER (amazing how 3 years of no work will temper your demands) . . . Britney Spears has apologized for attacking a paparazzo’s SUV with an umbrella (“ella, ella ella”) earlier this year, insisting she was ‘rehearsing for possible a film role’ (what is she smoking these days?) . . . Former WWE wrestler Hulk Hogan claims the murdered wife of suicidal wrestling star Chris Benoit had an obsession with ‘devil worship’ that led to marital difficulties . . . Movie actress Drew Barrymore & “Scrubs” star Zach Braff have sparked rumors they’re the hot new show biz couple after they were spotted making out in a NYC nightclub . . . “Harry Potter” star Daniel Radcliffe has reportedly inked a deal to star in the final 2 films in the series for a cool $25 million – each (soon he won’t have to moan about being lonely anymore) . . . Producer Mel Brooks raked in wads from his Broadway hit “The Producers”, now reports say he’ll charge record ticket prices for his new musical comedy, “Young Frankenstein”, opening in NOVEMBER – up to $350 a seat weekdays and $450 weekends, fully $100 more than the top tix for the current biggest hits (that’s one show where you can’t afford to take a restroom break!).

BS MUSIC NOTES:
• “American Idol” – TONIGHT, in what’s become a summer tradition, the top 10 finalists from the latest season kick off a 56-date tour in Sunrise FL. And yes, Sanjaya Malakar is one of them. The only Canadian stop is Toronto on AUGUST 14th.
• Avril Lavigne – A pattern of accusations that she steals material is developing. The latest is from little-known bubblegum group the Rubinoos who’ve filed a lawsuit claiming her hit “Girlfriend” is a rip off of their 1979 song “I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend”. See what you think …
NET: http://www.rubinoos.com/listen.htm
• Beyoncé – TONIGHT she launches her North American summer tour at the “Essence Music Festival” in New Orleans LA.
• Breaking Benjamin – TONIGHT the “Breath” rockers play “Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson (CBS).
• Elvis Costello – TONIGHT he jams with the band on “Late Show With David Letterman” (CBS).
• Keith Urban – TOMORROW he’s the musical guest on a rerun of “Saturday Night Live” (NBC), hosted by Oscar-winning actor Forest Whitaker (“Last King of Scotland”).
• Prince – SATURDAY fans who plunk down $250 can take in the “Ultimate Prince Xperience“, a private show at a Macy’s department store in his hometown of Minneapolis MN; an evening performance at the Target Center arena; and a bottle of his new fragrance, ‘3121′.
• T-Pain – TONIGHT the Tallahassee FL hip-hop artist (real name Faheem Najm) is on “Jimmy Kimmel Live” (ABC/CityTV).

TODAY’S MOVIE OPENINGS:
None. The big releases opened earlier in the week.

THE BS ”LIVE EARTH” GUIDE:
SATURDAY “Live Earth: Concerts For a Climate In Crisis” (NBC/CTV) are scheduled to take place in 8 cities on all 7 continents with performances by over 150 acts that are expected to be viewed by as many as 2 billion people in some 120 countries. A few highlights …
• The event was organized in part by former US Vice President Al Gore to help bring awareness to climate change. It’s being produced by Kevin Wall & Harvey Goldsmith, the same duo behind Bob Geldof’s worldwide anti-poverty event, “Live 8“, in 2005.
• CTV will carry 28 straight hours of live highlights from around-the-globe. The concerts will air simultaneously in their entirety live on MuchMusic, MuchMoreMusic, Bravo! and Star!.
• Though not part of “Live Earth”, Montréal will host a sympathetic concert called “Friends of Live Earth”, featuring French-language artists Zachary Richard, Garou, and Eric Lapointe.
• NBC will air a 3-hour prime-time special featuring highlights from around-the-globe beginning at 8 pm EDT, plus live performances from the US concert at Giants Stadium in New Jersey.
• Critics estimate the worldwide event will cost between $2 million and $3 million in carbon offsetting.
• Some of the headline acts according to the most recent line-ups, listed chronologically …
– SYDNEY (10 pm TONIGHT to 7 am EDT): Crowded House, Jack Johnson, Wolfmother.
– TOKYO (11 pm TONIGHT to 8 am EDT): Linkin Park, Rihanna.
– SHANGHAI (6:30 am to 10 am EDT): 12 Girls Band, Sarah Brightman, Soler, Winnie Shin.
– HAMBURG (8 am to 5 pm EDT): Chris Cornell, Enrique Iglesias, Shakira, Snoop Dogg.
– LONDON (8:30 am to 5:30 pm EDT): Beastie Boys, Black Eyed Peas, Corinne Bailey Rae, Duran Duran, Foo Fighters, Genesis, James Blunt, Madonna, Metallica, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Snow Patrol, Pussycat Dolls. Justin Timberlake will reportedly make a ‘surprise appearance’.
– JOHANNESBURG (Noon to 5:30 pm EDT): Soweto Gospel Choir, UB40, Zola.
– NYC [East Rutherford NJ] (2:30 to 11 pm EDT): AFI, Akon, Alicia Keys, Bon Jovi, Dave Matthews Band, Fall Out Boy, John Mayer, Kanye West, Keith Urban, Kelly Clarkson, KT Tunstall, Ludacris, Melissa Etheridge, Roger Waters, Smashing Pumpkins, The Police.
– RIO DE JANEIRO (3 to 10 pm EDT): A Brazilian judge has at least temporarily cancelled the free show because security for the expected 3-to-4 million fans at Copacabana Beach couldn’t be guaranteed. If an appeal of the ban is successful, the show will feature Lenny Kravitz, Macy Gray, and Pharrell Williams.

CHILL OUT WITH A YAWN:
Researchers at the State University of New York at Albany have discovered that yawning helps keep the brain cool, contradicting the popular belief that it’s just a sign of tiredness. Since yawning occurs when brain temperature rises, sending cool blood to the brain serves to help it work more effectively. The same effect was found among those who held a cold pack to their forehead. And here’s a tip on how to stifle a yawn. The researchers found that those who breath through the nose rather than the mouth are less likely to yawn because vessels in the nasal cavity also send cool blood to the brain. (Another reason not to be a ‘mouth breather’.)
– IANS

TOO STUPID FOR US TO MAKE UP:
• In Bulgaria, a Sofia University professor has promised students ‘A’ grades if they write an essay about Angelina Jolie’s boobs and buy a copy of his new book. Professor Stefan Karastoyanov is making the offer as a protest because he hasn’t been paid for 3 months due to financial problems. So far 80 of his 120 students have joined the ‘A-list’.
• In Italy, breast enlargements are now the most common high school graduation gift for girls. A new survey shows boob jobs have knocked cars and summer vacations back into 2nd and 3rd places in popularity.
• In Britain, a TV news channel has asked for a DNA sample from all its foreign correspondents. That way if they’re taken hostage and a piece of their body is sent back to the home office, it can confirm the identity of who the owner is/was. For insurance purposes, don’t you know.
• In Germany, a soccer match in Aachen, organized as part of a police campaign against hooliganism, has ended … in a massive riot. The violence started when 5 players attacked a heckler who was kicked and punched to the ground; then other players and fans waded in.

MOST DIETS WORK ABOUT THE SAME:
Looking for that perfect diet? Researchers have bad news … all diets have just about the same result, and none of them are all that great. A typical diet helps people lose an average of 6% of their body weight, typically 10-to-15 lbs, and most people put it all back on within 5 years. (No matter how you try to short-cut your way to fitness, it always comes down to eating healthy and exercising.)
– “Cosmopolitan”

MOST LAVISH CELEB HOMES:
According to a new ranking, here’s who’s living in the largest lap of luxury …
5. Catherine Zeta-Jones & Michael Douglas’ Spanish getaway on the Mediterranean island of Majorca.
4. George Clooney’s 18th-century villa on the shore of Lake Como in Italy.
3. Elton John’s villa in Nice, France.
2. Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago Estate, Palm Beach FL.
1. Jerry Seinfeld’s $32-million beachside estate in East Hampton NY, purchased from Billy Joel.
– “OK! Magazine”

CONSUMER CONFIDENCE SLIDING:
China is well known for producing quantity but when it comes to quality the world’s biggest exporter is falling short. China’s food standards watchdog admitted THIS WEEK that as much as 20% of the country’s domestic products do not meet minimum safety standards. Many Chinese citizens refuse to eat farmed fish, for instance, because it’s known to be fed growth hormones and pumped full of additives. There have been a number of recent contamination scandals concerning Chinese exports, including the tainted pet food fiasco and toy trains coated with lead paint. (Conspiracy theorists are already working on this world domination scheme.)
– PA News

THANKS FOR NO MEMORIES:
Do you have a really bad memory or past heartache that you’d prefer to forget? Well here’s good news. Researchers at Harvard and McGill universities are working on an amnesia drug that blocks or deletes bad memories. The technique seems to allow psychiatrists to disrupt the biochemical pathways that allow a memory to be recalled. (Great, we’d like to forget the past hour of this morning’s show …)
– “Daily Telegraph”

DID YOU KNOW?
• The speedy ‘Bumble Bee’ car that Shia Labeouf’s character drives in “Transformers” is a $500,000 prototype, 1 of only 4 made by General Motors.
• The little-seen 1986 animated film, “Transformers: The Movie”, was filmmaking legend Orson Welles’ last work. Yes, that Orson Welles, the guy who made “Citizen Kane”. He was 70 at the time and in poor health but provided voicework for the film to make some quick cash.

BS CHRONOMETER 07.06.07

TODAY’S CELEBIRTHDAYS . . .
1921 [86] Nancy Reagan (Anne Frances Robbins Davis Reagan), NYC, former US First Lady/Mrs Ronald Reagan (1952-2004)

1946 [61] George Walker Bush (aka ‘Dubya’), New Haven CT, 43rd US President

1946 [61] Sylvester Stallone, NYC, steroid-enhanced movie actor (“Rocky I-VI”, “Rambo I-III”)  COMING UP: A 4th ‘Rambo’ film, titled simply “John Rambo”, due in 2008.

1948 [59] Peter Mansbridge, London UK, TV journalist/anchor (“The National” since 1988) who began working at the CBC in 1969/Mr Cynthia Dale/ex-Mr Wendy Mesley

1951 [56] Geoffrey Rush, Toowoomba, Australia, movie actor (‘Barbossa’ in the “Pirates of the Caribbean” series, Academy Award-“Shine”)

1976 [31] 50 Cent (Curtis Jackson), Queens NY, rapper (“Candy Shop”, “In Da Club”)/wannabe actor (“Get Rich or Die Tryin’”, “Home of the Brave”)

SATURDAY –
Fashion designer Pierre Cardin is 85; Former Beatles drummer Ringo Starr is 67; TV actress Jorja Fox (“CSI”) is 39.

SUNDAY –
Canadian children’s entertainer Raffi (“Baby Beluga”) is 59; Movie actress Anjelica Huston (“Prizzi’s Honor”) is 56; Movie actor Kevin Bacon (“Where the Truth Lies”) is 49; Country singer Toby Keith (“High Maintenance Woman”) is 46; Movie actor Billy Crudup (“Almost Famous”) is 39; Alt-rock singer Beck (“E-Pro”) is 37; TV actress Sophia Bush (“One Tree Hill”) is 25.

TODAY’S BS REASONS TO PARTY . . .
• “Calgary Stampede”, through July 15, a tradition in ‘cow-town’ since 1912 and famous in the rodeo world for the $50,000 prize money in each rodeo event final. Approximately 1,850,000 mini-doughnuts and 125,000 hotdogs are consumed each year at the Stampede. This year’s entertainment includes Bon Jovi, Big & Rich, Gretchen Wilson, and the Tragically Hip.
NET: http://calgarystampede.com/
• “Fiesta de San Fermin” in Pamplona, Spain, infamous for its annual ‘Running of the Bulls’. The 9-day festival was made legendary by Ernest Hemingway in his book “The Sun Also Rises”.
NET: http://spainforvisitors.com/sections/sanfermin.htm
• “Fried Chicken Day”. Don’t know who started it; don’t know why. But then … who cares? Nummers!
• “International Wife Carrying World Championship”, the 12th annual in Sonkajärvi, Finland in which men from around-the-world tote their wives (or a friend) around an 830-ft obstacle course in hope of winning her weight in beer. The current ‘Wife Carrying’ world record of 55.5 seconds is held by an Estonian couple.
NET: http://www.sonkajarvi.fi/?deptid=15136

SATURDAY –
• “Father-Daughter Take a Walk Together Day”. If she’s a teenager, good luck! Like are you tryin’ to embarrass her or what?
• “Seven Wonders of the World” announced in Lisbon, Portugal, a new grouping as voted online by people worldwide. Only one of the ancient wonders of the world still survives – the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt. It’s just 1 of the 21 locations that was short-listed for the new 7. India’s Taj Mahal and China’s Great Wall would seem to have an edge, thanks to their potential of over a billion voters each. The vote is organized by a non-profit Swiss foundation called New7Wonders which specializes in the preservation, restoration, and promotion of monuments.
NET: http://www.new7wonders.com/
• “Tour de France”, the 94th edition of cycling’s most prestigious competition which runs through July 29. This year, the race’s 7.9-km prologue segment kicks off in London, before the racers hop the English Channel for the main body of the race in France. It is the 3rd time the Tour has visited England but the first time it has ventured into London.
NET: http://www.letour.fr/indexus.html
• “Weddings Day”. TODAY is an extremely popular day for getting hitched as the date, 7/7/07, is considered by many one of the ‘luckiest’ days of the century. According to wedding magazine, “The Knot”, the number of couples wedding on this date is up at least 250% over LAST YEAR.

SUNDAY –
• “Just For Laughs Comedy Festival”, the 25th anniversary edition in Montréal, featuring Howie Mandel (“Deal or No Deal”), Marlon Wayans (“Little Man”), the cast of “Family Guy”, and oodles-upon-oodles more funny folk from all over. English-language shows run JULY 12-22.
NET: http://www.justforlaughs.ca/
• “Video Games Day”, a day for kids to appreciate both the games … and the parents who buy them. Actually, one of the fastest growing segments of the video games market is now said to be adult women.

THIS DAY IN SHOW BIZ . . .
2005 [02] “G-8 Conference” of world’s wealthiest nations at Gleneagles, Scotland is highlighted by a giant rally of the ‘Make Poverty History’ campaign, spearheaded by Bob Geldof and U2’s Bono (leaders get additional pressure from worldwide “Live 8“ concerts 4 days earlier)

TODAY’S MUSIC EVENT . . .
1984 [23] Michael Jackson and his brothers begin their 5-month “Victory Tour” in Kansas City MO (the 55 concerts gross a then-record $75 million)

TODAY’S FIRST . . .
1933 [74] In 1st MLB “All-Star Game”, American League wins 4-2 as Babe Ruth connects for 1st “All-Star” home run (Comiskey Park, Chicago IL)

TODAY’S RECORD . . .
1928 [79] ‘World’s Largest Recorded Hailstone’, measuring 1.5 lbs and 17” in diameter, falls in Potter, Nebraska

COMING UP . . .
[Mon] Intern Appreciation Day
[Mon] Barn Day
[Tues] “Second City’s Next Comedy Legend” debuts (CBC)
[Tues] MLB All-Star Game (San Francisco)
[Wed] UN World Population Day
[Wed] Pet Photo Day
[Wed] Nicole Richie’s DUI court date
[Wed] “Harry Potter & the Order of the Phoenix” opens in movie theaters
This Week Is … Character Counts Week
This Month Is … Baked Bean Month

BULL’S BITS

BS TOP SWAPS:
The week’s most requested music files online …
5. Shop Boyz – “Party Like a Rock Star”
4. T-Pain – “Bartender”
3. Fergie – “Big Girls Don’t Cry”
2. Ne-Yo – “Because of You”
1. Rihanna – “Umbrella”
– BigChampagne online music measurement.

BS WATER COOLER QUESTION:
Today’s Question: Surveyed women say THIS ability is 2nd behind cooking on the men’s hotness scale.
Answer to Give Out Next Show: Playing a musical instrument.

BS DEEP THOUGHT:
Paper is pretty cheap. Unless you’re a tree.

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