July 5, 2007

Thursday, July 5, 2007        Edition: #3568
Another Sheetload of Bull!

BS SHOW BIZ BUZZ:
TODAY’s new Marvel Comics issue features the burial of ‘Captain America’ at Arlington National Cemetery, attended by pallbearers ‘Iron Man’, ‘Black Panther’, ‘Ben Grimm’ & ‘Ms Marvel’ as well as thousands of grieving patriots (alas, he spent 66 years battling villains from Adolf Hitler to the ‘Red Skull’ before being felled by an assassin) . . . TODAY through Sunday Motley Crue’s Vince Neil is among the judges at the “Guitar Hero II” competition in Dallas TX, part of the “World Series of Video Games” . . . TONIGHT “Big Brother 8“ debuts (CBS), kicking off a multi-platform summer that will include presentations of the series online, on the phone and, for the first time, on Showtime Networks (in fact, in a desperate bid to generate some ratings, they’ll even deliver it door-to-door!) . . . TONIGHT-Sunday some 40,000 are expected to attend the annual “Winnipeg Folk Festival” which includes performances by Randy Newman, Los Lobos, and local fave, The Duhks (NET: http://www.winnipegfolkfestival.ca/) . . . TONIGHT the 11-day “Cisco Ottawa Bluesfest“ kicks off with a performance by Bob Dylan, with Alexisonfire, Blue Rodeo, George Thorogood, Kanye West, Sarah Harmer, and the White Stripes scheduled later on the itinerary (NET: http://www.ottawa-bluesfest.ca/en/) . . . 51-year-old actress Dana Delany (2-time Emmy winner for “China Beach” 1988-91) is in talks to join the cast of “Desperate Housewives” (ABC/CTV) as a new wife who moves to ‘Wisteria Lane‘ with her daughter – and MUCH younger husband, played by 36-year-old Edmonton-born Nathan Fillion . . . Several sources are now claiming Nicole Richie & Good Charlotte bf Joel Madden are expecting their first child in approximately 6 months, and will likely wed in honor of the blessed event (she’s working on the ‘Hollywood Triple’: out-of-wedlock child, celeb marriage, and jail time) . . . Miley Cyrus, 14-year-old daughter of former country star Billy Ray Cyrus (“Achy Breaky Heart”), is on a roll, topping both THIS WEEK’s “Billboard” album chart (the 2-disc “Hannah Montana Soundtrack 2/Meet Miley Cyrus”) and iTunes ranking for ‘Most-Downloaded TV Shows’ (Disney Channel’s “Hannah Montana”) . . . Eric Idle, the former “Monty Python” guy, is now working on a ballet after already creating the stage musical “Spamalot”, based on “Monty Python & the Holy Grail”, and the oratorio “Not the Messiah (He’s a Very Naughty Boy)”, based on the “Life of Brian” (this guy should be at “Live Earth” – he’s totally into recycling!) . . . And the tempestuous on & off relationship between Brit model Kate Moss & her oft-rehabbed rocker boyfriend Pete Doherty may be finally over as she pulled out of a Dior catwalk appearance in Paris THIS WEEK due to personal reasons, and he admitted in yet another court appearance that he no longer lives at her address (maybe she finally got some eyeglasses?).

BS MUSIC NOTES:
• Christina Aguilera – TODAY she guests on the “Ellen DeGeneres Show” (syndicated/CityTV). It’s just been announced she & hubby Jordan Bratman are expecting their first child together.
• Goo Goo Dolls – TONIGHT they perform on the “Tonight Show With Jay Leno” (NBC/A Channel).
• The Judds – TONIGHT the mom & daughter duo reunite for a one-off show in Atlantic City NJ. Back in the day Naomi & Wynonna had a total of 14 #1 country hits.
• Kelly Clarkson – TONIGHT she does ”Late Show With David Letterman” (CBS).
• Ludacris – TONIGHT he headlines the opening night of the “Essence Music Festival” in New Orleans LA. Beyoncé headlines TOMORROW, then Ne-yo and Mary J Blige SATURDAY.
• matchbox twenty – They’re currently in the studio with producer Steve Lillywhite (U2, Rolling Stones) working on a retrospective hits set titled “Exile On Mainstream” which is set for an OCTOBER 2nd release. It will include 6 new tracks as well as 11 previous hits.
• Plain White Ts – TONIGHT they’re on “Jimmy Kimmel Live” (ABC/CityTV).
• Silverchair – TODAY Daniel Johns visits both “MuchOnDemand” (MuchMusic) and “MTV Live” (MTV Canada).
• Van Halen – It now looks like the classic rockers will reunite for an arena tour THIS FALL after a previously planned amphitheater tour was scuttled by Eddie Van Halen’s need for rehab.
• Velvet Revolver – TONIGHT they celebrate THIS WEEK’s release of their new album “Libertad” with a special intimate club show at LA’s Whisky A Go Go.

COMING ATTRACTIONS:
A BS selection of movies in the works …
• “The Box” – Cameron Diaz is set to star in this horror film about a woman given a mysterious box by a stranger who tells her that certain things will happen based on which button she presses. Production is slated to begin THIS FALL.
• “Eagle Eye” – Actor-du-jour Shia LaBeouf (“Transformers”, “Indiana Jones 4”) just keeps on rolling up the roles, this time playing a slacker whose over-achieving twin brother dies under mysterious circumstances. The thriller will reteam him with “Disturbia” director DJ Caruso.
• “The Lovely Bones” – London ON-born, Cornwall ON-raised Ryan Gosling has signed on to co-star with Rachel Weisz in Peter Jackson’s adaptation of Alice Sebold’s supernatural best-seller told from  beyond-the-grave by a murdered 14-year-old girl.
 • “Sober Buddies” – Jim Carrey is thankfully making a return to comedy as a court-appointed ‘sober buddy’ assigned to keep a hard-partying executive on the straight & narrow during a business trip to Las Vegas. Trouble ensues when Carrey’s character falls off the wagon himself.
• “Superman: The Man of Steel” – That’s at least the working title of the next ‘Superman’ film as Brandon Routh prepares to suit up again. But he’s apparently no longer a ‘Man of Steel’ in real life, admitting he’s let himself go and needs to get back to the gym. Fortunately he has lots of time. The flick isn’t due in theaters until JUNE 2009.

PUTTING THE TAR IN TARBENDING:
Thinking about guest bartending? Even one night in a smoky bar can be toxic. Researchers recently announced that just brief exposure to secondhand smoke in bars and restaurants can result in measurable levels of a toxin in workers’ bodies. Non-smoking employees who worked a single shift in a bar or restaurant that allowed smoking were more likely to have a detectable level of a carcinogen linked with lung cancer in their bodies than those who worked in non-smoking establishments. (Just one more reason besides lousy tips that this job sucks.)
– “Cosmopolitan”

PLANT VACATION:
A British garden center has set up a ‘plant hotel’ for gardeners worried about leaving their prize blooms untended when they go away. Crowfoot Nurseries in Norwich, England is charging to provide care to visiting plants. A spokesman says the only rule is they won’t babysit anything that’s already dead. (Perfect! I was wondering what to do with those plants I’ve been raising under grow lights in the basement.)
– “Sunday Mirror”

CANADA’S BEST PLACES TO LIVE 2007:
An annual ranking based on a variety of factors including weather, housing, average income, commuting times, crime rate, etc …
10. Gander NL
9. Victoria BC
8. London ON
7. Moncton NB
6. Kingston ON
5. Fredericton NB
4. Guelph ON
3. Québec City
2. Halifax NS
1. Ottawa-Gatineau
– MoneySense

TOP PET NAMES 2007:
Males:
4. Rocky
3. Jake
2. Buddy
1. Max
Females:
4. Lucy
3. Daisy
2. Maggie
1. Molly
– BabyNames.com

THE BUSINESS OF D-D:
Four New Jersey college students have started a new business called “The Wingmen Driving Service”. If you’ve had a few too many but don’t want to leave your car sitting in a parking lot, you call these guys and 2 Wingmen show up. One of them drives you home in your car, while the other follows – for a $20 fee. (For people with no friends … no sober friends anyway.)
– digg.com

WORLD’S WEALTHIEST 2007:
Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates is still the wealthiest man on Earth according to the latest “Forbes” rankings, but Mexican telecom titan Carlos Slim Helu has overtaken Warren Buffett as the world’s 2nd-richest man. 67-year-old Slim is now worth $53.1 billion, compared to Buffett’s $52.4 billion. He is also breathtakingly close to passing Gates, currently worth $56 billion. Gates has been the world’s richest man for a record 13 years.
– “Financial Post”

STUFF THAT’S GOOD FOR YA:
Scientists have discovered that eating a small square of chocolate can actually lower your blood pressure. Researchers at Germany’s University Hospital of Cologne report that cocoa-rich dark chocolate contains polyphenols that reduce average blood pressure without affecting body weight. Other foods with the best disease-fighting, health-promoting qualities …
• Blueberries (more antioxidant power than any other fruit).
• Green leafy vegetables.
• Nuts (a compacted source of all the nutrients a plant needs to grow).
• Avocados.
• Whole grains.
• Legumes, including soy (protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals).
• Low-fat milk and yogurt.
• Eggs (complete protein in a low-cal package).
– “Newsday”

BS AMAZING FACTS:
• According to Department of Labor estimates, America will have more private security guards than high school teachers by the year 2012.
• If you find yourself skipping from one career to another, you have plenty of company:  By age 32, the average adult has already held 8 different jobs, government stats show.

AND WE QUOTE:
“I sent her a song 2 years ago called ‘Contagious’ and I just saw the track listing to her new album and there’s a song called ‘Contagious’ on it … and my name’s not on it.”
– Singer/songwriter Chantal Kreviazuk telling the latest issue of “Performing Songwriter” why she’ll never work with Avril Lavigne again.

BS CHRONOMETER 07.05.07

TODAY’S CELEBIRTHDAYS . . .
1943 [64] Robbie Robertson, Toronto ON, classic rock musician (“Storyville”, The Band-“Music From Big Pink”)/Rock & Roll Hall of Fame (1994)/Canada’s Walk of Fame (2003)/Order of Canada (2007)

1950 [57] Huey Lewis (Hugh Anthony Cregg III), NYC, oldies singer (& the News -“I  Want a New Drug”, “The Power of Love”)/sometime movie actor (“Duets”, “Back to the Future”)

1959 [48] Marc Cohn, Cleveland OH, pop singer (“Walking In Memphis”)/wed to TV anchor Elizabeth Vargas (2002)

1963 [44] Edie Falco, Brooklyn NY, TV actress (‘Carmela Soprano’ on “The Sopranos” 1999-2007)

1966 [41] Kathryn Erbe, Newton MA, TV actress (‘Detective Alexandra Eames‘ on “Law & Order: Criminal Intent” since 2001)

1975 [32] Chris Gratton, Brantford ON, NHL player (Tampa Bay Lightning)/youngest player to reach 1,000 NHL games (2006-07)

1980 [27] Jason Wade, Camarillo CA, rock singer/guitarist (Lifehouse-“You & Me”, “Hanging by a Moment”)

1985 [22] Nick O’Malley, Saarbrucken, Germany, rock bassist (Arctic Monkeys-“Brianstorm”, “I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor”)

TODAY’S BS REASONS TO PARTY . . .
• “Amazing Roswell UFO Festival”, through Sunday in Roswell NM. THIS YEAR’s celebration marks ‘The Roswell Incident 60th Anniversary 1947-2007′, the most famous off all UFO encounters in which the US military is alleged to have covered up the discovery of a crashed alien craft. The incident has evolved into a widely-recognized pop culture phenomenon.
NET: http://www.roswellufofestival.com/

• “Running of the Nudes” in Pamplona, Spain, the 6th annual protest of bullfighting organized by PETA ahead of the famous annual “Running of the Bulls” (FRIDAY-July 14th). Upwards of a thousand peaceful animal activists are expected to run through the town’s narrow streets totally starkers. It’s ‘Out With the Old, In With the Nude!’
NET: http://www.runningofthenudes.com/

• “Workaholics Day”, a day to remove your nose from the grindstone … just once. Maybe you’ll realize all you’re getting is a bloody nose. A few telltale signs compiled by Workaholics Anonymous that indicate you may be a ‘workie’ …
– You take work with you on weekends and on vacation.
– You turn your hobbies into money-making ventures.
– Your family & friends have given up expecting you on time.
– You believe that it is okay to work long hours if you love what you are doing.
– You get impatient with people who have other priorities besides work.
– You think about work while driving, falling asleep, or when others are talking.

THIS DAY IN SHOW BIZ . . .
2000 [07] “Big Brother” premieres (CBS) but fails to generate the buzz it experiences in other versions worldwide

TODAY’S MUSIC EVENT . . .
1607 [400] Britain’s national anthem “God Save the King” (Queen) is first sung in public

TODAY’S FIRSTS . . .
1841 [166] Thomas Cook opens 1st ‘Travel Agency’ (the next week the first tourists are stranded in Pago Pago)

1865 [142] William Booth forms the ‘Salvation Army’ in London UK (creating a future source for [co-host’s] wardrobe)

1946 [61] ‘Bikini’ swimsuit design is 1st shown in public at Paris press conference by designer Louis Reard, who calls it ‘4 triangles of nothing’ (named after a tiny Pacific atoll where early atomic bomb tests were performed)

TODAY’S RECORD . . .
1937 [70] ‘Highest Maximum Air Temperature’ in Canada set at Yellow Grass SK … 45 C (no wonder the flippin’ grass is yellow!)

COMING UP . . .
[Fri] Fried Chicken Day
[Fri] “American Idol” tour begins (Sunrise FL)
[Fri-Sun] 12th International Wife Carrying World Championship (Sonkajarvi, Finland)
[Fri-July 15] Calgary Stampede
[Sat] New ‘Seven Wonders of the World’ are announced
[Sat-July 29] 94th Tour de France
[Sat] “Live Earth” concerts worldwide
[Sat] This summer’s biggest day for weddings (7/7/07)
[Sat] Eva Longoria/Tony Parker wedding (Paris)
[Sat] Ozzfest tour begins (LA)
[Sun] Video Games Day
[Sun-July 29] 25th “Just For Laughs Comedy Festival” (Montréal)
This Week Is … Special Recreation Week
This Month Is … Unassisted Home Birth Month

BULL’S BITS

BS LEAST EFFECTIVE BEACH PICK-UP LINES:
• “Can you apply some SPF 30 to my itchy skin rash?”
• “Are my water wings a turn-on?”
• “I just grabbed a sno-cone at the snack bar. Do I have to wait 20 minutes before I get lucky?”
• “Can I take some shots of you in your bikini to show my parole officer?”
• “Have they invented bologna-scented sunscreen or is that just you?”
• “I’m sure I’ve got a tattoo of your name on me somewhere.”
• “I wouldn’t mind giving YOU a little CPR, if you know what I mean.”
• “Anyone for naked volleyball?”
• “I can’t get over how real those look!”

BS PHONE STARTERS:
• If you were guaranteed an honest response to any question, whom would you question and what would you ask?
• “Live Earth” is just 2 days away. Can music save the planet from climate change?

BS RANDOM JOKE:
I’m not playing … I really AM hard to get.

BS WATER COOLER QUESTION:
Today’s Question: A survey shows THIS will change an average of 6 times in a woman’s life.
Answer to Give Out Next Show: Her bra size.

BS DEEP THOUGHT:
Half the world is composed of people who have something to say and can’t; and the other half who have nothing to say and keep on saying it.

Leave a comment