Friday, June 16, 2000                                                     Edition:  #1831

THE NAME OF THE FATHER:
Who was known as . . .
• ‘The father of New France’ (Samuel de Champlain)
• ‘The Father of the Bride’ (Steve Martin, in the 1991 film and its sequel in ‘95)
• ‘The father of medicine’ (Hippocrates, as in the ‘Hippocratic Oath’)
• ‘The father of country music’ (Jimmie Rodgers)
• ‘The father of air conditioning’ (Willis Carrier)
• ‘The father of algebra’ (Francois Viete)
• ‘The father of the murder mystery’ (Edgar Allan Poe)
• ‘The father of waterproof mascara’ (Max Factor)
• ‘The father of the Internet’ (Vinton Cerf [or Al Gore, according to him])

DAD’S DAY DRIVEL:
• First proclaimed by Spokane WA mayor 90 years ago (June 19, 1910) at the request of Louise Smart Dodd, who got the idea a year earlier during a Mother’s Day church sermon.
• Now celebrated in about 20 countries, on the 3rd Sunday of June in the USA, Britain and Canada.
• An estimated $1 billion are now spent each year on “Father’s Day” gifts.
• The National Restaurant Association says “Father’s Day” is the 4th most popular special day for dining  out, after birthdays, “Mother’s Day” and “Valentine’s Day”.

 BS SHOW BIZ BUZZ:
Today “Shaft” actor Samuel L Jackson gets his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame . . . Tonight Alanis Morissette performs in Beijing, China, first stop on a summer concert tour of some far-flung venues that include India, Croatia, Beirut, Tel Aviv and Istanbul . . . This weekend’s 19th Indy car “Grand Prix of Detroit” will serve as the backdrop for scenes from Sylvester Stallone’s next flick, a car race thriller tentatively titled “Champs”.

TODAY’S MOVIE OPENINGS:
Who’s the big bad dick who’s a sex machine with chicks? “Shaft!” Samuel L Jackson stars as NYC police detective ‘John Shaft’, the nephew of the original 1971 ‘Shaft’, played then and now by Richard Roundtree (the theme will likely revive retro expressions like ‘can you dig it?’ and ‘right on!’ and the film features a new one — “It’s Giuliani time!”) . . . A boy sets out to save humanity from, what else?, total destruction in the animated sci-fi adventure “Titan AE”, featuring the voices of Matt Damon and Drew Barrymore . . . Freddie Prinze Jr stars in the comedy “Boys and Girls”, about childhood friends who meet again in college – in the sack.

PICKY PICKY:
Tomorrow is England’s “World Nettle-Eating Challenge”, when brave competitors will attempt to swallow nettle leaves, which are covered with stinging hairs. (Well, they’re easier to swallow than regular British fare.)

WHY BRAD PITT’S ALWAYS TIRED:
Women who go to bed with highly attractive men have much better sex lives than those  who are stuck with average men, according to new research from Florida Atlantic University. So for women it seems, hunky looks equal orgasms! (Whereas for men, the word ‘yes’ will suffice.)

THE BULL SHEET 06.16.00

TODAY’S CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYS . . .
1952    [48] Gino Vanelli, Montréal PQ, classic CanCon rock artist (“Black Cars”, “Living Inside Myself”)
1973    [27] Eddie Cibrian, Burbank CA, TV actor (Jimmy Doherty-“Third Watch”).

SATURDAY’S BIRTHDAYS . . .
1946     [54] Barry Manilow (Pincus), Brooklyn NY, schlock singer (“Copacabana”)
1963     [37] Greg Kinnear, Logansport IN, film actor (“You’ve Got Mail”, “As Good As It Gets”)
1980    [20] Venus Williams, Lynwood CA, pro tennis player (‘99 US Open champ)/sister of Serena

SUNDAY’S BIRTHDAYS . . .
1942    [58] Sir Paul McCartney, Liverpool ENG, classic rock singer (Beatles-“Let it Be”) FACTOID: A 360-page “Beatles Anthology”, written by McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr, will be published in the fall.
1942    [58] Roger Ebert, Urbana IL, film critic (Emmy-“Siskel & Ebert”, Chicago Sun Times)
1966    [34] Kurt Browning, Caroline AB, figure skater (4-time world champ, 1st quadruple jump at World Figure Skating Championships [1988], ‘96 World Professional champ)

BS REASONS TO PARTY . . .
[Montreal] “Air Canada Grand Prix” weekend
[Vancouver] “Canada Dragon Boat Festival” (through Sunday)

This is “National Public Service Week” in Canada, to recognize ‘the many ways in which the members of Canada’s federal public service contribute to the quality of life we enjoy’. (Hahahaha . . . oh, sorry. To celebrate, call any government agency and get put on hold for the day.)

Sunday is “National Splurge Day”, when we’re encouraged to go out and do something indulgent. If money was no object, what would that be?

ON THIS DATE IN THE ’90S . . .
1998    [02] Detroit Red Wings win Stanley Cup, completing sweep of Washington Capitals (coach Scotty Bowman’s record-tying 8th win)
1999    [01] 24-year-old American sprinter Maurice Greene breaks Donovan Bailey’s 9.84-secs 100-meter world record with a time of 9.79 secs in Athens

TODAY’S FIRSTS . . .
1893    [107] 1st ‘Cracker Jack’ (1st kid to cry when cheapo free toy is busted)
1998    [02] Estimated 2 million people watch 1st ‘live birth’ on the Internet

AND REMEMBER . . .
[Sat] Eat Your Vegetables Day
[Sun] International Panic Day
Support Group Recognition Week
Frozen Yogurt Month

BULL’S BITS . . .
Q: What percentage of fathers think they’re better parents than THEIR fathers were?
A: According to a “Newsweek” poll, about 50%!

THE LAST WORD:
By the time a man realizes that maybe his father was right, he usually has a son who thinks he’s wrong.