June 20, 2007

Wednesday, June 20, 2007        Edition: #3557
Sweet Sheet!

BS SHOW BIZ BUZZ:
TONIGHT “AFI’S 100 Years … 100 Movies – 10th Anniversary Edition” airs (CBS), a new entertainment special counting down the American Film Institute’s ranking of the 100 greatest movies of all-time (which would you pick as #1: “Citizen Kane”, “Casablanca”, “The Godfather”,  “Blades of Glory”?) . . . Britney Spears’ lawyer is threatening legal action against Tampa FL’s 93.3 FLZ [WFLZ-FM] for using a bald-headed Britney pic on billboards promoting the ‘MJ Morning Show’ underscored with slogans like ‘Total Nut Jobs’ and ‘Certifiable’ (some promo person is either gonna get an award – or the ax) . . . Lindsay Lohan’s rep says she will NOT be having a giant 21st birthday bash at Las Vegas nightclub Pure as scheduled JULY 2nd but will instead remain focused on rehab (she’ll likely be released from Promises within the next 2 weeks, which is around JULY 2 … oh oh!) . . . Soccer star David Beckham reportedly celebrated in style after his Real Madrid team won the Spanish league title, partying with wife Victoria and their Hollywood pals Tom Cruise & Katie Holmes until 7:30 am (those Scientology Centers really rock) . . . Pro wrestler Ashley Massaro has been recruited to join the cast of the upcoming “Survivor: China”, after CBS-TV contacted the WWE and asked for ‘someone that would make a good television character’ (remember when contestants actually auditioned?) . . . Tiger Woods’ new daughter had been tagged ‘Sam Alexis Woods’ (he named her after Sam Snead?) . . . Former Backstreet Boys & ‘N Sync manager Lou Pearlman has agreed to return to Florida to face bank fraud charges, not that he has a choice – he was busted in Indonesia and escorted to the US territory of Guam . . . “America’s Got Talent” judge David Hasselhoff reportedly celebrated his recent court victory by going on another bender, chugging vodka from a bottle & bouncing off tables in a Hollywood hangout – until he was cut off (this guy was awarded child custody?) . . . And fired “Grey’s Anatomy” star Isaiah Washington has found an unlikely supporter in gay activist Jasmyne Cannick, who already has over 1,200 signatures on a petition asking he be reinstated on the show (only a real cynic would suggest this whole fiasco is just a well orchestrated PR campaign).

BS MUSIC NOTES:
• Amy Winehouse – Her rider for THIS WEEKEND’s “Glastonbury Festival” in Somerset UK calls for 2 bottles of red wine, a bottle each of vodka, champagne & brandy, 40 Marlboro Light cigarettes, and 3 ‘good quality pizzas’. Forget “Rehab”, this 75-pounder needs to eat healthy!
• Avril Lavigne – TONIGHT she’s on “Last Call With Carson Daly” (NBC).
• Barenaked Ladies – Their recent 2-hour show in suburban Detroit MI will be released as a DVD later THIS YEAR and shown on PBS public television in late ‘07 or early ‘08.
• Big & Rich – TONIGHT the “Lost in This Moment” duo appears on “Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson” (CBS).
• Bon Jovi – TODAY they promote their new country-influenced album “Lost Highway” on daytime gabfest “The View” (ABC/CTV).
• Carrie Underwood – “Before He Cheats” has become just the 2nd country tune to earn Platinum ringtone status. The other is Waylon Jennings’ “Theme from The Dukes of Hazzard”.
• James Blunt – He’s finally releasing a follow-up to his 2005 debut album “Back to Bedlam”. “All the Lost Souls” will be out SEPTEMBER 18th, preceded by its first single, entitled “1973”.
• Journey – Their 1981 hit “Don’t Stop Believin’” became the #1 download on iTunes ‘Rock Chart’ following its use in the final scene of the final episode of “The Sopranos” (HBO).
• Red Hot Chili Peppers – Aspiring LA filmmaker Omri Cohen has won an online contest to direct their next video, “Charlie”. His entry was selected from some 2,600 others in part because … it made frontman Anthony Kiedis cry.

BS CUTTING-EDGE VOCAB:
New terms leaking into the lingo …
• ‘Boyzilian’ – The male equivalent of the Brazilian Bikini Wax that removes ugly guy hair from the chest, back, belly, shoulders … and perhaps regions further south. (“Nice boyzilian job, honey. Now the rest of your body matches your head!”)
• ‘Joke-Jacking’ – Stealing another comedian’s jokes. Some of comedy’s biggest stars are infamous within the biz as joke-jackers. (“Last Comic Standing” judge Ant comes to mind.)
• ‘Pet Parent’ – A feel-good term for pet owners that supposedly elevates the relationship between them and their animals to a higher level. (What’s up with this? You don’t need a license to parent children, but you have to have one to ‘pet-parent’ a dog.)

HOW PCS POLLUTE:
Some shocking facts about computers assembled by Gartner Inc, a leading information technology research & advisory company …
• Computers generate an estimated 35 million tons of carbon dioxide each year.
• The IT industry accounts for about 2% of all carbon dioxide emissions, about the same amount as the aviation industry.
• It takes around 1.8 tons of chemicals, fossil fuels and water to produce a personal computer.
• Simply operating a computer generates an average of 0.1 tons of carbon dioxide annually.
• A computer’s lifespan, on average, is just 3 years.
• Most outmoded computers end up in landfills, where they pollute soil with cadmium & mercury.
(So why not biodegradable computers?)
– “The Independent”

THE SWEAT CAPITAL:
To mark the first day of summer TOMORROW, Old Spice is announcing their 6th annual ‘Sweatiest Cities List’. For the 4th time, Phoenix AZ is tops. According to researchers, the average Phoenician loses 26.3 ounces of sweat per hour during a typical summer day, enough collective perspiration to fill more than 53,000 beer kegs in just 1 hour (ick!). But as they’re proud to tell you in Arizona … it’s a ‘dry heat’. Las Vegas, Dallas, Tucson AZ, and San Antonio TX round out the top 5. The least sweaty city? San Francisco. (We would have thought Edmonton.)
– BachelorGuy.com

REGULAR WATER:
The fastest-growing bottled water brands these days are flavored and enhanced waters, often with a splash of fruit or vitamins or electrolytes. One brand even contains fibre: Nature 101’s ‘Vitamin & Fibre Water’ claims to help maintain healthy intestinal regularity and glucose levels. (How come there are ‘Nutrition Facts’ listed on bottled water labels? “Fat: 0%”. No, really?)
– “Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel”

VERIFYING VODKA:
You may think vodka is vodka but according to a lobbying campaign lead by Poland, only vodka made from potatoes or grain should be passed off as the authentic product. Poland is among 7 countries battling to enforce stricter labeling on booze after distillers in Britain, France, Italy & Spain have moved into the vodka market by using modern methods to make it from sugar beets, citrus fruits … even grapes. (Makes sense. After all, could you make ‘potato wine’?)
– “GQ”

GONE TO THE DOGS:
Pet owners in America spent a whopping $38.5 billion on their animals in 2006, up from $21 billion in 1996. And one place where pet dogs are almost guaranteed to be spoiled is San Francisco, where dogs actually outnumber children. The city has numerous dog hotels and salons, a pet cemetery, dog cocktail parties and even a plan by city hall to turn dog droppings into alternative energy. It also boasts many dog parks, designer pet-toy boutiques and restaurants where owners are allowed to bring their dogs. (Shouldn’t there be ‘No Slobbering’ areas?)
– “San Francisco Chronicle”

BOOMERS ON THE BRINK:
Professor George Moschis, director of Georgia State University’s Center for Mature Consumer Studies, has spent the past 2 decades polling people who are middle aged or older. Among his many findings about the ‘Baby Boom’ generation (those born between 1946 & 1964) …
• They’re the generation that’s most terrified of getting old.
• They’re not as financially well-off as their parents.
• They’re in worse health than previous generations were at the same age.
• They’re terrified of a future spent in a poor environment, struggling with deteriorating health.
• They refuse to accept aging more than any other generation in history and will do just about anything to keep a youthful appearance. (TOMORROW is “Baby Boomers Recognition Day”.)
– “London Observer”

DEPRESSING VACATIONS:
Psychologists say one of the most common causes of what’s know as ‘vacation dysphoria’ – depression suffered during time-off from work – is the unexpected discovery that your travel companions aren’t as compatible as you expected … no matter if they’re friends, family, or even spouses. Experts say the 2 biggest mistakes we make before hitting the road with others are building up unrealistic expectations of the vacation; and failing to communicate our hopes and plans for the trip with our traveling companions. (Best thing is to do is go camping, expecting it to rain the entire time … that way you won’t be disappointed.)
– “Los Angeles Times”

DID YOU KNOW?
Numerous occupations that were once strictly dominated by one gender are finally balancing out … or even changing gender. For example, approximately 25% of doctors are now female, up from just 8% in 1970, and that’s expected to grow to one-third of the profession by 2010.
– “Cosmopolitan”

HE SAID IT:
“Fame is a fun place to live on the weekend but it’s not somewhere you’d want to spend your life.”
– Classic rocker Peter Gabriel, who’s always been uncomfortable in the limelight.

SHE SAID IT:
“I secretly sucked my thumb until I was 9, so I had the bucked teeth … and, in all my school photos, one eye always went in a little bit.”
– “Fantastic Four” movie star Jessica Alba, insisting she hasn’t always been a hottie.

THE BULL SHEET 06.20.07

TODAY’S CELEBIRTHDAYS . . .
1942 [65] Brian Wilson, Inglewood CA, oldies singer/songwriter (Beach Boys-“Good Vibrations”, “I Get Around”)/Songwriter’s Hall Of Fame (2000)/Rock & Roll Hall of Fame (1988)

1945 [61] Anne Murray, Springhill NS, oldies singer (“Snowbird”, “You Needed Me”)/Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame Legacy Award (2006)/Canadian Country Music Association Hall of Fame (2002)/Canada’s Walk of Fame (1998)/Canadian Music Hall of Fame (1993)/Companion of the Order of Canada (1984)/Hollywood Walk of Fame (1980)

1949 [58] Lionel Richie, Tuskegee AL, oldies singer (“All Night Long”, Commodores-“Easy”)/father of Nicole Richie (“The Simple Life”)

1952 [55] John Goodman, Afton MO, movie actor (“Evan Almighty”, “Cars”)/TV actor (“Roseanne” 1988-97)

1967 [40] Nicole Kidman, Honolulu HI, movie actress (“The Interpreter”, Oscar-“The Hours”)/Mrs Keith Urban since 2006/Mrs Tom Cruise 1990-2001  COMING UP: Co-stars with Daniel Craig in the thriller “The Invasion” (opening AUGUST 17th), then plays ‘Lady Sarah Ashley’ in the now-filming historical epic “Australia”.

TODAY’S BS REASONS TO PARTY . . .
• “Last Day of Spring” as TOMORROW the “Summer Solstice” at 2:06 pm EDT begins Summer.
• “Tax Freedom Day” in Canada, the day on which the average Canadian finishes paying taxes of one kind or another and gets to keep the remaining income for the rest of the year, according to calculations by the Vancouver-based Fraser Institute think-tank. The latest “Tax Freedom Day” in Canadian history was in 2000, when it fell on June 25th.
NET: http://www.fraserinstitute.ca/

• “World Refugee Day”, first declared by the UN in 2001 as an expression of solidarity with Africa, which hosts the most refugees. As part of the observance, veteran crooner Tony Bennett will be presented with the UN’s 2007 ‘Humanitarian Award’ in Washington DC by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees. The 80-year-old is a long-standing campaigner for UN activities worldwide, including relief efforts in Darfur.
NET: http://www.un.org/depts/dhl/refugee/

THIS DAY IN SHOW BIZ . . .
1997 [10] “Batman & Robin” opens in movie theaters, starring George Clooney, Chris O’Donnell, Alicia Silverstone (‘Batgirl’), Arnold Schwarzeneggar (‘Mr Freeze’), and Uma Thurman (‘Poison Ivy’)

TODAY’S MUSIC EVENT . . .
1987 [20] Whitney Houston’s “Whitney” becomes the 1st album by a female artist to debut at #1

TODAY’S FIRST . . .
1877 [130] 1st ‘Commercial Telephone Service’ in Canada is offered in Hamilton ON

1909 [98] 1st ‘Hot Air Balloon Wedding’, in Cape Cod MA (“If the airship’s rockin’ …”)

1914 [93] ‘Noxema’ skin cream is introduced (named because it ‘knocks eczema’ out)

COMING UP . . .
[Thurs] Canadian Aboriginal Day
[Thurs] Vegan World Day
[Fri] Take Your Dog to Work Day
[Fri] “1408”; “Evan Almighty”; and “A Mighty Heart” open in movie theaters
[Sat] Pink Day
[Sun] St-Jean-Baptiste Day (QC)
[Sun] Gay Pride Day (varies in some cities)
This Week Is … Fish Are Friends, Not Food! Week
This Month Is … Celibacy Awareness Month

BULL’S BITS

BS NOVELTY ITEMS THAT NEVER CAUGHT ON:
You can actually buy a ‘Dancing Tequila Worm’ or ‘Bacon Flavored Mints’ but you can’t get …
• ‘The Exploding Eye Patch’
• ‘Dirt-in-a-Bottle’
• ‘Placebo Suntan Lotion’
• ‘The Halitosis Adult Board Game’
• ‘The Squirting Glass Eye’
• ‘Measles Underwear’
• ‘Mosquito-on-a-Stick’
• ‘Faux Insulin’
• ‘Edible Shoe Insoles’
• ‘The Vomit Bikini’
– “Comedy by the Numbers”

BS PHONE STARTERS:
• Manufacturers in China have become masters of reverse engineering, dismantling products to see what makes them tick, then making cheaper knock-offs (‘BYD’ cars instead of ‘BMW’; ‘PAMA’ sports gear instead of ‘PUMA’; ‘PolyStation’ instead of ‘PlayStation’, etc.) But some of the copies simply aren’t as good as the originals, many of which are no longer available. What product that you used to rely on just isn’t made as well anymore? (A few primers: wooden matches; the classic wing-handled corkscrew; pencil crayons; clothes pins.)
• Are Al Gore’s upcoming worldwide “Live Earth” concerts (JULY 7) likely to have any impact on climate change or are they, as “Live 8” organizer Bob Geldof is suggesting, just a set-up for Gore to make another run for US president?

BS RANDOM JOKE:
I work very hard. Please don’t expect me to think as well.

TRUTH OR BS?
Some of the following statements are true, some are total hooey. Which are which?
• Growing rhubarb in the dark makes it taste sweeter. [TRUE, according to BBC News. It’s even better, apparently, if you harvest it by candlelight.]
• Rats have belly buttons. [TRUE, says “Discover Magazine”. No word if they’re innies or outies. We’ll let you check, okay?]
• ‘Kit Kat’ is the best-selling candy bar in the world. [BS. That honor goes to ‘Snickers’, first introduced in 1930 and named after a horse owned by the candy-making Mars family. It’s annual worldwide sales now top $2 billion.]
• There’s a rare genetic disorder that causes people to have no fingerprints. [TRUE. It’s officially known as ‘Dermatopathia Pigmentosa Reticularis’. Has this come up on “CSI”?)
• Most pencils sold in Europe today have eraser tips, while most sold in North America have none. [BS. In fact, the exact opposite is true.]
• Legendary NY Yankee slugger Babe Ruth’s eyes worked 12% faster than an average person. [TRUE, as proven by Columbia University testing done in 1921. He wasn’t the strongest or best athlete, he just had great vision.]

BS WATER COOLER QUESTION:
Today’s Question: 26% women & 21% of men admit they have given THIS to someone.
Answer to Give Out Next Show: Naked pictures of themselves.

BS DEEP THOUGHT:
Tell a kid she got 1 right, not 99 wrong.

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