Wednesday, June 3, 2020       Edition: #6711

Our Sheet Don’t Stink!

BS SHOW BIZ BUZZ:
★ Spike Lee has released a short film showcasing police brutality with clips of the deaths of George Floyd and Eric Garner along with footage from his 1989 Oscar-nominated film “Do the Right Thing.” Lee has posted the video “Will History Stop Repeating Itself?” on his Twitter account after it originally debuted on CNN. Talking to Don Lemon, Lee said: “We are seeing this again and again and again. This is the thing, the killing of black bodies, that is what this country is built upon.”
-MSN
★ Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively have donated $200,000 to the NAACP Legal Defence Fund amid the Black Lives Matter demonstrations following the death of George Floyd. They have joined the likes of Harry Styles and Chrissy Teigen in donating funds, as people continue to protest around the world. Reynolds and Lively said they “want to educate themselves about other people’s experiences” as they pledged the sum to the organization – a leading US legal firm fighting for racial justice.
-Metro
★ WWE has launched a free version of its streaming platform. On Monday, the professional wrestling company announced details for a new edition of the WWE Network which offers fans access to a vast portion of its content library at no cost. The free tier of the online service – which is available on all devices – features recent episodes of “Monday Night Raw”, “NXT” and “Friday Night SmackDown”, as well as new programs including “Raw Talk”.
-ContectMusic
★ Sylvester Stallone will narrate a new documentary about the “Rocky” franchise. “40 Years of Rocky: The Birth of a Classic”, will explore the creation of the boxing drama which made Stallone a Hollywood superstar. Featuring previously unseen footage, the documentary will tell the story of how Stallone created the franchise in 1976 which became one of the most successful movie franchises of all time.
-ContactMusic

TODAY’S SHOW BIZ SKED:
• “Jimmy Kimmel Live” (ABC/Global): Regina King
• “The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon” (NBC/CTV): Rachel McAdams, Rob Gronkowski, Sia
• “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” (CBS/Global): Kristen Bell, TV on the Radio
• “Late Night with Seth Meyers” (NBC/CTV): Amanda Peet, Ramy Youssef
• “The Late Late Show with James Corden” (CBS/CTV): Dakota Johnson, Eric Garcetti
• “Conan” (TBS): Tracee Ellis Ross
• “The View” (ABC/CTV): Lionel Richie, Katy Perry, Luke Bryan (R)
• “The Talk” (CBS): Elisabeth Moss, Jewel, Thomas John
• “Live with Kelly and Ryan” (ABC/CTV): Paula Twidale
• “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” (NBC/CTV): Savannah Guthrie, Hoda Kotb, Matthew MacFadyen, James Bay
• “The Kelly Clarkson Show” (CHECK LOCAL LISTINGS): Kelly interviews international artists who perform with her on “I Dare You” (R)
• “Game On!” (CBS): Demi Lovato and Ronda Rousey compete in a game of human bowling, race to climb a sailing mast the fastest and take to the skies in an air combat challenge.
• “CMT Celebrates Our Heroes: An Artists of the Year Special” (CMTV): Some of the biggest names in country music perform in a virtual tribute to Americans working on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic, including Blake Shelton, Florida Georgia Line, Lady Antebellum, Jason Aldean, Keith Urban and more.

BS MUSIC NOTES:.
• Lady Gaga – her new duet with Ariana Grande, ‘Rain on Me’, has debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 at No. 1. It’s Gaga’s fifth Hot 100 leader and Grande’s fourth.
• Eminem – has called on the people of Detroit to remain strong and united in the midst of the pandemic, describing Detroit as a ”state of mind”. In a live stream, he said: “We’ve got some work to do in order to stay safe. One way is that we have to be counted – and the census is your way to do just that. So this month, we’ve got to bring the city together, man.”
• Elton John – A UK tabloid says he has been left “bereft” after taking a US$75 million hit due to the cancellation of his farewell tour because of the pandemic. He and partner David Furnish had anticipated a big payday to see John into retirement. The Mail on Sunday reports that a number of the domestic staff at their $25 million home in Atlanta have been told they are no longer needed.
• Fleetwood Mac – guitarist Neil Finn (ex-Crowded House) has recruited bandmates Stevie Nicks and Christine McVie for a new song called ‘Find Your Way Back Home’. It was written by Finn about the Auckland, New Zealand homeless population. Proceeds will go towards the Auckland City Mission’s new building for services and housing. LINK: https://youtu.be/lfgfxFbqfcg
• Rush — Alex Lifeson says he doesn’t feel ”inspired” to play guitar since drummer Neil Peart passed away in January. He has struggled to find the inspiration to pick up his instrument since, only playing for 10 minutes here and there. He says while he knows the passion will return, “I just don’t feel it in my heart right now.”
• Mötley Crüe — Tommy Lee doesn’t give his two sons advice when it comes to their love lives. He told Us Weekly: “Sometimes it’s better to kind of fall down and bump your head on your own.” The 4-times married drummer also pointed out that “You can sit here and wave flags and give advice and throw flares all you want, but sometimes the best lessons are those self-learned.”
• Blake Shelton – is among the big named added to the lineup for “CMT Celebrates Our Heroes: An Artists of the Year Special”, airing tonight. Bobby Bones, Cody Alan, Gary Sinise, Jake Owen, Jason Aldean, Keith Urban, Lee Brice, Olivia Munn, Reba McEntire, Scarlett Johansson, Sean Penn and Zac Brown have also been added. The two-hour special is a tribute to those on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic and will honor heroes in health care, education, business, community leaders, food industry, infrastructure, first responders, U.S. military and more.
• Midland – Released their new EP on Friday. The title “Guitars, Couches, Etc., Etc.” was inspired by Dwight Yoakam’s 1986 debut album “Guitars, Cadillacs, Etc., Etc.” Mark Wystrach says it’s a “tongue in cheek with reference to a seminal album that largely influenced this band…”

BOUNTY HUNTER:
Washing your hands is an important way to stop the spread of germs. When it comes to drying your hands, a new study says you should select paper towels over air dryers whenever you can. A research team from the University of Leeds looked at how effective paper towels and air hand dryers were at removing viruses still on a person’s hands. They found that although both methods help cut the spread of viruses, paper towels are 10 times more effective than a dryer at keeping your hands from contaminating other surfaces. The researchers point out that their findings are especially important because of the shift away from paper products in many public facilities. As health officials work to stop the spread of COVID-19, paper towels may be an answer.
(Any word on the third drying option – pants?)
(Aaaaaaannnnnd suddenly there’s a paper towel shortage!)
(Before we convince people to use paper towel, first we need to convince them to wash their hands!)
-StudyFinds

BANANA APPEAL:
Bananas are, in a word, awesome. You can bake them into bread, throw them on pancakes, dip them into chocolate, and make them into ice cream. They’re an easy, portable snack that’s packed full of vitamins and minerals. But what about your diet? After all, they do have their fair share of sugar and carbs. It turns out, if you’re trying to lose weight, you should aim to enjoy your bananas while they are still slightly green, says Tamsin Jordan, a registered dietitian in New York City. It seems that as bananas ripen, their sugar content increases, which raises the score of their glycemic index. Ripe yellow bananas will give you a quick energy boost, but if you are trying to lose weight, the high starch content in green bananas will satisfy your hunger for longer, especially if paired with a tablespoon of peanut butter, which delays the digestion of sugar.
(I bet she’s referring to that fake ‘natural’ peanut butter stuff…)
(So hurry up and eat a banana now while that 14 minute window is….aw…too late!)
(Bananas — they ship them around the world, then truck them to the store around the corner, and only charge you 47 cents a pound…and we complain when there’s a tiny little mark on them!)
-WomensHealth

GOOD THINGS THAT WILL RESULT FROM THE PANDEMIC:
➢ Cashless payments everywhere:  In some countries, half or more of all payments are still made in cash. That will be reduced, and it’ll be good for our hygiene, tracking our spending, and saving time. (What I need is “moneyless payments!)
➢ More remote work:  Small and medium sized businesses often only condone remote work in emergency situations. The pandemic has shown how effective working from home can be. And it can make workers happier, and save everyone time and money. (I’ll be happy when I can work from Starbucks again…)
➢ (Even) Better on-demand services and delivery: In many small towns, you still can’t get food without getting into your car. Or at least, you couldn’t before the pandemic. Now, it’s becoming more and more accepted to order just about everything online and have it delivered. Who knows, when this is over, your doctor, optician and hairdresser might all come to you. And your groceries most definitely will.
➢ Less spending on needless things:  We’ve all been forced to reduce our expectations when it comes to stuff that we think we “need”. Fancy clothes? They can wait. VIP tickets? Forget it. We’ve learned to spend on what’s meaningful. In the end, we might learn to use our resources to benefit others when we resume business as usual.
➢ Improved global crisis management:  While there has been no shortage of information during this crisis, there is lots of room for improvement in preparation and prevention. Just like 9/11 changed airport security forever, after coronavirus, things like healthcare and emergency reserves will never be the same.
(Awesome. Now, where’s that hairdresser that you promised was coming?)
-Medium

HAPPIEST SONGS EVER:
According to a poll of 1,300 UK adults ranging in age from 30 to 55…
1. Mr. Blue Sky – E.L.O.
2. Don’t Stop Me Now – Queen
3. Stayin’ Alive — Bee Gees
4. Dancing Queen – Abba
5. Livin’ On a Prayer – Bon Jovi
6. Come on Eileen – Dexys Midnight Runners
7. You Can Call Me Al – Paul Simon
8. Walking on Sunshine – Katrina and the Waves
9. Just Can’t Get Enough – Depeche Mode
10. Never Gonna Give You Up – Rick Astley
(What? No ‘Deck the Halls’?)
-StudyFinds

DID YOU KNOW?
Sex is now illegal in the UK between people who don’t live together. The new coronavirus regulations that came into force on Monday not only limit outdoor meet-ups to groups of six, it cracks down on indoor meetings between more than one household. The wording specifically outlaws indoor gatherings “when two or more people are present together in the same place in order to engage in any form of social interaction with each other, or to undertake any other activity with each other.”
-YahooStyle

BS CHRONOMETER 06.03.20

TODAY’S CELEBIRTHDAYS . . .
1931 [89] Raúl Castro, Biran Cuba, politician (President of Cuba 2008-18, current First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba)/younger brother of former President Fidel Castro

1946 [74] Penelope Wilton, Scarborough UK, TV actress (‘Isobel Crawley’ on “Downton Abbey” 2010-15)/movie actress (“The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel” films)

1950 [70] Suzi Quatro, Detroit MI, rock singer (‘Stumblin’ In’)/TV actress (‘Leather Tuscadero’ on “Happy Days”)

1967 [53] Anderson Cooper, NYC, TV news correspondent (“Anderson Cooper 360” since 2003, “60 Minutes” since 2006)

1986 [34] Rafael Nadal, Manacor Spain, #2-ranked men’s pro tennis player (formerly #1)

TODAY’S BS REASONS TO PARTY . . .
• “Repeat Day” (Again??!!??), an annual opportunity to do things over again … just because you want to. It’s a good excuse to ‘double-snack’ and give a re-do to other fun activities. By the way, it’s “Repeat Day” …

• On the other hand, it’s also “National Itch Day”, Have you ever had the itch to just do something different? Today is the day to do that. Or maybe they mean this more literally. Scratch away, my itchy friend!!

• “Chocolate Macaroon Day”, with a rich creamy chocolate filling and a light coating, they’re the perfect combination of textures. Most recipes call for egg whites (usually whipped to stiff peaks), with ground or powdered seeds, generally almonds or nuts. Alternatively, coconuts can be used.

• “National Egg Day”, a terrific source of protein and vitamin D, which makes them one of the healthiest breakfast foods. Did you know that there are more than a hundred ways to cook an egg? Some of the most popular varieties are scrambled, fried, poached, hard-boiled, sunny-side up, and over-easy. (Have an egg-cellent Egg Day!)

• “Global Running Day”, celebrate by running 1 mile for someone who inspires you (or complete an at-home exercise) and tag a friend to do the same. Tag #Run1Tag1 and #GlobalRunningDay to run across the globe together in a worldwide game of virtual tag.

COMING UP . . .
[Thurs] Hug your Cat Day
[Thurs] National Cheese Day
[Fri] Hot Air Balloon Day
[Fri] National Donut Day

THIS DAY IN SHOW BIZ . . .
2009 [11] 72-year-old actor David Carradine (“Kung Fu”) dies in a Bangkok, Thailand hotel room, the victim of … ahem … “accidental autoerotic asphyxiation” (he’s found the next day)

TODAY’S MUSIC EVENTS . . .
2002 [18] Paul McCartney and Aretha Franklin perform at Queen Elizabeth II’s “Golden Jubilee”, celebrating the 50th year of her reign

2019 [01] Forbes declares Jay-Z a billionaire, making him the first rapper to hit that mark. $310 million of his fortune comes from his stake in Armand de Brignac champagne

TODAY IN SPORTS . . .
2016 [04] After a 32-year battle with Parkinson’s disease, Muhammad Ali, the heavyweight boxing champion and civil rights activist, dies of respiratory complications at age 74

TODAY IN TECH . . .
2019 [01] Apple announces it is shutting down iTunes and replacing it with three different apps

TODAY’S RECORD . . .
2001 [19] Mel Brooks’ Broadway musical comedy “The Producers” wins a record 12 Tony Awards

BULL’S BITS

BS WHACK FACTS:
✓ The hour hand on a wristwatch travels at .00000275 mph.
✓ Although 85% of dieters lose weight, only 15% keep it off for more than 2 years.
✓ 50% of lingerie purchases are returned to the retailer.
✓ Snails breathe through their feet.
✓ In Japan, you can buy stick-on belly-button cleaners.
✓ Bolivia has a navy with 5,000 personnel, but no coastline.
-BathroomReadersInstitute

BS RANDOM JOKE:
Don’t you hate it when someone answers their own questions? I do.

BS PHONE APPS FOR THE ELDERLY:
• Instagrammy
• Candy Crush – Butterscotch flavor
• Denture Adventure
• Get off My Lawn Dr.
• The “What did I Come Into This Room For” reminder app
• Whipper Snapchatter
• NapQuest
• The Angry Bird Special
• A YouTube of Ben-Gay
• Words With Your Remaining Friends
-Twitter, first published in BS in 2019

TODAY’S SLICE OF BS:
➠ Engaged couple Rooney Mara and Joaquin Phoenix are expecting their first child. He’s JOKING, right?)
➠ Lady Gaga has quit smoking and says she is “flirting with the idea” of sobriety. (Which makes it impossible to determine if she’s being over-the-top edgy and aloof because she’s craving nicotine . . . or because she’s Lady Gaga.)
➠ A report says  that too much exercise may be bad for your body. (So THAT’S why my wife spends every day lying on the couch, eating Fudgesicles and watching “Judge Judy”. She’s not a lazy, broken woman who gave up on life the day we married. She’s a health nut!)
➠ An Idaho man drank a liter of lemon juice through a straw in under 17 seconds for a Guinness World Record. (Makes sense — because sucking anything through a straw already gives you that puckered lemon face…)
➠ Researchers say babies born today will have to work until they are 77 to retire. (Man. I feel bad for Ashlee Simpson’s unborn child. Nothing to do with the study. I just feel bad for it in general.)

BS WEB GOODIE:
Déjà-vu-vu:  https://tinyurl.com/y9l9z9yt

BS U-PICK TRIVIA:
• How often does the moon orbit the Earth?
a) every 7 days
b) every 27 days [CORRECT]
c) every 30 days
d) every 365 days

• What was Dorothy’s last name in The Wizard of OZ ?
a) Doll
b) Wolf
c) Gale [CORRECT]
d) Hamill

• What’s the itchy skin condition ‘tinea pedis’ better known as?
a) Athlete’s foot [CORRECT]
b) Poison Ivy
c) Hives
d) Diaper rash
-Multiplechoicetrivia

BS PHONE STARTER:
What’s the absolute last thing you’d hack from your household budget?

BS WATER COOLER QUESTION:
Question:  30% of dieters eventually break their diet by enjoying THIS. What is it?
Answer:  Chinese food

BS DEEP THOUGHT:
We should be lifting each other up and cheering each other on, not trying to outshine one another. The sky would be awfully dark with just one star.