BS SHOW BIZ BUZZ:
★ Disney channel star Zendaya Coleman has officially dropped out of Lifetime’s planned biopic about Aaliyah. Sources close to the production say a whole bunch of factors played a part, including negative reaction from Aaliyah’s family toward the entire project. Apparently no one from the network contacted them before announcing the movie. Whatever the reasons, Zendaya’s rep has confirmed she’s no longer involved with the bio-film. For now, Lifetime says production has been put on hold.
– TMZ.com
★ Director JJ Abrams has cast Carrie Fisher’s daughter in the upcoming “Star Wars: Episode VII” to play a younger version of her character ‘Princess Leia’. 57-year-old Fisher is currently reprising the role she played in the first 3 films in the new instalment currently shooting at Pinewood Studios in England. And although her 21-year-old daughter Billie Lourd is a relative show biz unknown, Abrams has chosen her to play a young version of her mother because of their visual similarities. And yes, she will have her hair tied up in ‘Princess Leia’-style buns.
– Bang Showbiz
★ And just as the trash from the UK’s massive Glastonbury festival is cleaned up for another year, 78-year-old promoter Michael Eavis has announced he’s already booked next year’s headliners, but he’s typically being secretive about specifics. Deals have been closed with ‘3 big acts’ for 2015, he says, including a non-British band whose manager signed a contract while watching Metallica headline on Saturday night. Eavis thinks he and his co-organizer-daughter can keep the gala going at least until 2020, which would mark 50 years since the original.
– “The Guardian”

TODAY’S SHOW BIZ SKED:
• “America’s Got Talent” (NBC/CityTV) – More hopefuls perform for the judges.
• “Conan” (TBS/CTV) – American Authors (“Oh, What a Life”). Rerun.
• “Jimmy Kimmel Live” (ABC/CityTV) – Trey Songz (“Trigga”, out today. His 6th studio album features guest appearances by Juicy J, Justin Bieber, Mila J, and Ty Dolla $ign.)
• “Late Night With Seth Meyers” (NBC/CTV2) – Paolo Nutini (“Caustic Love”). Rerun.
• “Late Show With David Letterman” (CBS/Omni1) – John Doe (“The Best Of John Doe: This Far”). Rerun.
• “Marilyn Denis Show” (CTV/CTV2) – Eleven Past One (“The World Is Ours”).
• “Monty Python Live [Mostly]” (London UK) – The surviving members of the Monty Python comedy troupe (John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, and Michael Palin) reunite to perform a series of 10 shows at the O2 Arena through July 20th. Originally planned as a one-off performance, but it sold out in just 43.5 seconds.
• “Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” (NBC/CTV2) – Barry Gibb (Bee Gees); Jimmy Page (Led Zeppelin); the winner of “The Voice”. Rerun.
• “The View” (ABC/CTV) – CeeLo Green (“Girl Power”, TBA).

BS MUSIC NOTES:
• “Begin Again” – Today the soundtrack to this now-screening romantic comedy is released. The film stars Keira Knightley, Mark Ruffalo, and Adam Levine (Maroon 5).
• Bon Jovi – They’re celebrating 30 years together with a massive reissue that kicks off today with a remastered version of their 1988 album “New Jersey”. The new edition is available as a single disc, a 2-disc Deluxe Edition, and a Super Deluxe Edition with DVD.
• Ed Sheeran – His sophomore album “x” (times) has become the fastest-selling album of 2014 in the UK. He tells the new “Elle” magazine that selling out NYC’s Madison Square Garden 3 times was a bigger accomplishment than losing his virginity.
• Lou Reed – The late rocker has left an estate worth more than $30 million to his family, according to a new report. As well, he’s left his wife a NYC penthouse, a house in the Hamptons, as well as jewelry, art, cars, and boats. Reed died in October at the age of 71.
• Robin Thicke – Today he releases his much-discussed 7th studio album titled “Paula”, apparently in an effort to win back his estranged wife Paula Patton. The album features the recent single “Get Her Back”, which Thicke debuted at the 2014 Billboard Music Awards.
• Seether – Today the rock trio returns with their 6th studio album, “Isolate And Medicate”, for which they again teamed with producer Brendan O’Brien (Bruce Springsteen, Pearl Jam).
• Snow Patrol – We barely knew Johnny McDaid (37) was dating former “Friends” actress Courteney Cox (50), but now it’s come to light via Twitter that the two are engaged. Seems they were introduced by mutual friend Ed Sheeran less than a year ago.

THIS WEEK’S VIDEO RELEASES:
Out today on DVD, Netflix, Google Play and/or other video providers …
• “Afflicted” ( R-Rated Horror Thriller ): When 2 best friends set out on a trip around-the-world, things take an unexpected turn after an encounter with a beautiful woman in Paris leaves one of them mysteriously afflicted. No-name cast.
• “Appetite For Democracy 3D: Live From the Hard Rock Casino” ( NR Musical Performance ): Rockers Guns ‘N Roses filmed on November 21, 2012 during their residency at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. 3-D elements are included on the Blu-ray edition.
• “The Million Dollar Piano” ( NR Musical Performance ): Filmed over several nights in 2013 during Elton John’s residency at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. The shows were shot in high definition and the compilation is being simultaneously released on Blu-ray and DVD.
• “Vinyl” ( NR Comedy ): Based on Mike Peters’ real-life hoax in 2004, this wry film follows washed-up rocker, ‘Johnny Jones’, who hoodwinks top record labels and the entire music world by releasing his new pop-punk single under a fictitious teenage band’s name. No-name cast.
• Also released today: “Helix: Season 1” (Sci-Fi TV); “The Unknown Known” (Documentary).

WATCHING TV IS KILLING US:
Our worst fears are confirmed: TV is bad for our health. Anyone could have hypothesized that tons of binge-watching isn’t ideal, but as it turns out, watching more than an hour of TV per day is just plain dangerous. Highlights of a new study from Spain’s University of Navarra …
• People who watch 3 or more hours of TV a day have double the risk of mortality compared to those who watch less than 1 hour per day.
• 3 or more hours per day of TV viewing increases risk of death from cancer by 21%; death from heart disease or stroke by 44%; and all other premature causes of death by 55%.
These high risks don’t take into account the other less-than-healthy behaviors that go along with TV viewing, like eating junk food or drinking bottles of wine. (So, are you dying to binge-watch the latest season of “Orange Is the New Black”? Yes, you are.)
– TheMarySue.com

ANDROID WEAR:
Google has announced the first smartwatches powered by its Android Wear operating system are soon to hit the market. Analysts say the problem with smartwatches so far has been that the sector hasn’t quite decided what it wants to be … a phone on your wrist or an accessory device. Android Wear is designed to standardize the way these devices function, providing a more focused approach for what they do. The Android Wear OS is featured on both the new LG G Watch (out this Friday @ $229) and the Samsung Gear Live (coming July 7th @ $199). (They keep juggling things trying to generate some interest in smartwatches, but consumers continue to say … ‘meh’.)
– BBC News Technology

FLIP THE BIRD VIA EMOJI:
If expressing your distaste through words isn’t your thing, then here’s good news … you’ll soon be able to send a middle finger emoji symbol to do it for you. The Unicode Consortium has announced version 7.0, a new set of emoji characters that will allow phone and computer users to send a slew of new symbols, including the ‘Vulcan salute’ from “Star Trek”, a skull & crossbones, and … a man in a business suit levitating (?!?!). “The Emojipedia” (yes, there is such a thing) has released a listing of the new emoji, though it’s not yet known when the new symbols will be available. It’s an exciting time for the lazy, the illiterate, and of course, people who just like funny pictures. (Guilty, as charged.)
– Metro.co.uk

REMOTE FEEDING:
Now you can feed your pet via wi-fi! The new ‘PetPal’, designed by California engineer Ken Powers, is an automatic food dispenser that can feed animals up to 5 times a day when programed manually or remotely accessed via an app. It also allows pet parents to take videos and photos of their pets and to talk to them via a built-in microphone and speaker. Powers came up with the idea when he struggled to find someone to feed his cats while he was on vacation. The critter-care contraption is not yet available for purchase but it’s hoped it will be on the market in the near future, priced at an estimated $299. (Then you can feed your pet when you’re away or … just too lazy to get out of bed.)
– Metro.co.uk

ENGLISH MADE IN INDIA:
Is there a distinctive ‘Indian English’? Yes, according to a hashtag started by a 22-year-old from Mumbai that’s been trending of late. A few examples that have been contributed by Twitter-users from India and elsewhere at #IndianEnglish …
✓ “Open the windows and let the atmosphere come in.” [fresh air]
✓ “Today is my Happy Birthday.”
✓ “I have to travel out of station.” [away from home]
✓ “I’ve invited our backside neighbor for dinner.” [the person who lives behind]
✓ “I hate sound pollution due to traffic. It’s very horny.” [as in horns honking]
(Indians often translate directly from Hindi when they speak English, which can lead to these odd expressions.)
– @BBCtrending

BS AMAZING FACT:
72-year-old Peter Cullen is the voice of ‘Optimus Prime’ in “Transformer” films, including the current box office blockbuster “Transformers: Age of Extinction”. But did you know that Cullen also provided the voice of ‘Eeyore’ in “Winnie the Pooh” films?
– NPR.org

BS CHRONOMETER 07.01.14

TODAY’S CELEBIRTHDAYS . . .
1945 [69] Deborah Harry, Miami FL, classic rock singer (Blondie-“Call Me”, “Heart of Glass”)  BS FACTOID: The band is currently on tour, playing London UK last night and heading to France next.

1951 [63] Fred Schneider, Newark NJ, oldies singer-musician (The B-52’s-“Love Shack”)

1952 [62] Dan Aykroyd, Ottawa ON, movie actor (“Driving Miss Daisy”, “Blues Brothers”)/ex-TV comic (“Saturday Night Live” 1975-79)

1967 [47] Pamela Anderson, Ladysmith BC, TV personality (“Dancing With the Stars” 2012, 2010)/movie actress (“Borat”)/former TV actress (“Baywatch” 1992-97)/model (6 “Playboy” covers)/ex-Mrs Rick Saloman (2007-08)/ex-Mrs Kid Rock (2006)/ex-Mrs Tommy Lee (1995-98)

1975 [39] Bryan Devendorf, Cincinnati OH, indie rock drummer (The National-“I Need My Girl”, “Sea of Love”)

1977 [37] Liv Tyler (Rundgren), NYC, movie actress (“The Incredible Hulk”, “Lord Of the Rings” trilogy)/daughter of Aerosmith’s Steve Tyler & former “Playboy” playmate Bebe Buell

TODAY’S BS REASONS TO PARTY . . .
• “Canada Day”, the country’s national day which celebrates nationhood in 1867. It was first established as a holiday in 1879. Canada’s 147th birthday bash on Parliament Hill in Ottawa today features performances by Marianas Trench and Serena Ryder.

• “Creative Ice Cream Flavors Day”. Some of the most frightening flavors we’ve found are ‘Chicken Wing’, ‘Garlic’, ‘Lettuce & Potato’ and – mmm! – ‘Raw Horseflesh’.

• “Half-Year Day” or “Second Half Of the Year Day”, when 6 months are gone and 6 more are still to come. So how’s it going so far?

• “International Joke Day”, celebrating humor from around-the-world. Nothing like a joke in Swahili! Have listeners call in with brief jokes in other languages. Don’t have them explain them, just laugh uproariously.

• “Postal Worker Day” in America, to honor past & present postal workers for their service and dedication in serving the American people. 51 years ago today (1963), the US Postal Service introduced the Zone Improvement Plan, better known as the ‘ZIP Code’.

THIS DAY IN SHOW BIZ . . .
1980 [34] CNN (Cable News Network), the world’s first 24-hour TV news network, makes its debut

TODAY’S MUSIC EVENTS . . .
2007 [07] Britain’s Prince William & Prince Harry throw a massive concert in memory of their late mother, Princess Diana, on what would have been her 46th birthday (can you picture her at age 53 as she would be today?)

2009 [05] Michael Jackson’s untimely death a week earlier sends all his albums back into the “Billboard” top 10, including “The Jackson 5’s Ultimate Collection” at #5

TODAY’S FIRST . . .
2013 [01] Croatia becomes the 28th member of the European Union

TODAY’S RECORD . . .
1983 [31] Rev Ronald Gallagher finally stops preaching at the Baptist Temple in Appomattox VA, winding up the ‘World’s Longest Sermon’ … 120 hours

COMING UP . . .
[Wed] “Deliver Us From Evil”; “Earth to Echo”; “Tammy” open in movie theaters
[Wed] World UFO Day
[Thurs] Compliment Your Mirror Day
[Thurs] International Plastic Bag Free Day
[Thurs] Stay Out Of the Sun Day
[Fri] Independence Day (USA)
This Week Is … Unassisted Homebirth Week
This Month Is … Horseradish Month

BULL’S BITS

BS SIGNS YOU MIGHT BE TOO CANADIAN:
Just in time for Canada Day, a sampling of some true Canadian oddities …
• You know the French for ‘free’, ‘prize’ and ‘no sugar added’ thanks to your extensive education in bilingual breakfast cereal packaging. (English on one side, French on the other.)
• Instead of ‘pardon me’, you find yourself constantly saying ‘sorry’. (Erp. “Sorry, it’s the onion rifting up on me.”)
• You know the ingredients for poutine. (French fries and cheese, slathered in gravy.)
• You find it difficult to explain ‘milk in a bag’ to non-Canadians. (Milk is sold in 1-liter plastic bags, 3 of them packaged together in … another plastic bag.)
• You’ve purposefully said ‘eh’ at the end of a sentence, pretending to pretend that you’re a Canadian. (Self-mocking is a national trait.)
• You remember Drake when he was just some actor named Aubrey Graham on the TV show “Degrassi: The Next Generation”. (He played ‘Jimmy Brooks’ 2001-09.)
• When someone steps on your foot by accident, you apologize. (“Oops, sorry!”)
• You dismiss all beers under 6% alcohol as being for children or the elderly. (Or use them for cooking.)
• You pity people who haven’t tasted a ‘beaver tail’. (Fried dough pastries, topped with sweet stuff.)
• You die a little inside if you can’t get your ‘Timmys double-double’ in the morning. (Coffee with double cream/double sugar from a Tim Hortons doughnut shop.)
– Adapted from StandingOnGuard.com

BS RANDOM JOKE:
My high school marching band was so small, they only formed a period.

BS PHONE STARTER:
☎ What’s the best barbecue you’ve ever eaten?

BS WATER COOLER QUESTION:
Question: Almost half of married couples surveyed say that, if they could, they would change THIS about their wedding.
Answer: The song for the first dance.

BS DEEP THOUGHT:
The best thing about the ‘good old days’ is … we weren’t good and we weren’t old.