Friday, March 19, 2021 — Edition: #6948
Tomorrow’s Show Prep Today!
BS SHOW BIZ BUZZ:
★ Angelina Jolie claims she has “proof” of alleged domestic violence against Brad Pitt, according to new court records. In the docs, which were filed under seal on March 12, Jolie says that during their upcoming divorce trial, she is prepared to offer “proof and authority” against Pitt regarding her claim of domestic violence. She filed another document under seal on the same day, regarding testimony of their minor children. Pitt was cleared of allegations of child abuse by both the FBI and Department of Child and Family Services in 2016. According to a source quoted by ET, “This is just another case of Angelina changing the narrative when it suits her.” Jolie and Pitt share six children together.
-ET
★ The new Netflix documentary “Operation Varsity Blues: The College Admissions Scandal”, uses actual FBI transcripts for its reenactments of conversations between college admissions fixer, William “Rick” Singer, and his elite clients. But director Chris Smith deliberately left recordings of the scandal’s most famous faces — Felicity Huffman and Lori Loughlin — out of the finished film. Why? Smith says Huffman and Loughlin’s “stories were already covered extensively in the media.” Operation Varsity Blues premiered Wednesday on Netflix.
-Yahoo
★ A “King of the Hill” revival is in “hot negotiations” involving co-creators Mike Judge and Greg Daniels. The animated series, which aired on Fox for 13 seasons, originally had a revival teased in 2017, but talks ultimately didn’t go anywhere. The creative pair have now shared that negotiations are rolling once again.
-PopCulture
★ Kobe Bryant’s family is gunning to lock up the trademark for “Mamba and Mambacita” — with the intention of using it for clothing and shoes, according an application filed with the U.S. Patent and Trademark office. The application was filed on March 10, noting the trademark would be used for clothing … shirts, skirts, pants, shorts, jackets, hoodies and workout clothes. Bryant coined the name “Black Mamba,” meaning alter-ego, to separate his professional and personal life. His late daughter Gianna, who was a budding basketball star, was dubbed “Mambacita,” the counterpart of “Mamba.”
-TMZ
TODAY’S SHOW BIZ SKED:
• “The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon” (NBC/CTV): Matthew McConaughey, Megan Rapinoe, Morris Day featuring Trinidad Jame$
• “Late Night with Seth Meyers” (NBC/CTV): Eddie Murphy, Guy Fieri, Josh Herndon (R)
• “The Late Late Show with James Corden” (CBS/CTV): Liam Neeson, Annaleigh Ashford, Pillow Queens (R)
• “The View” (ABC/CTV): Meredith Vieira, Paul Lima
• “Live with Kelly and Ryan” (ABC/CTV): Cynthia Erivo, Dayna Isom Johnson
• “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” (NBC/CTV): Garth Brooks, Antonia Gentry, guest host tWitch
• “The Kelly Clarkson Show” (CHECK LOCAL LISTINGS): Milo Ventimiglia, Folake Olowofoyeku, Ronnie Woo
• “The Drew Barrymore Show” (CHECK LOCAL LISTINGS): Nick Offerman, Mae Whitman, Kevin Frazier
• “Everything But the House” (HGTV): A woman wants to retire in Aruba, so she, her son and his girlfriend try to auction off as many possessions as possible to make money for the move.
SATURDAY-
• “Chasing Waterfalls” (HALLMARK): A photographer falls for a handsome guide after traveling to a remote lodge to find mythical waterfalls.
• “Ruby” (LIFETIME): After the death of her beloved grandmother, young Ruby Landry leaves the bayou to search for her wealthy but estranged father in New Orleans.
• “Saturday Night Live” (NBC): Host Dan Levy, with musical guest Phoebe Bridgers (R)
SUNDAY-
• “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire” (ABC): Season 2 finale
• “Genius: Aretha” (NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC): After losing her surrogate mother, Little Re braves her first solo in 1953 in her father’s church; Aretha travels to Muscle Shoals in 1967 to record her first album with Atlantic.
• “Q: Into the Storm” (HBO): The 6-part docuseries searches for the identity (or identities) of Q, namesake of the QAnon phenomenon.
BS MUSIC NOTES:
• Nick Jonas – wants to play Bruce Springsteen in a movie. He says the Boss has a “special place” in his “heart and creative life” and playing him “is a dream of mine, and I’ll just go ahead and say it, hoping that it gets to the right ears.”
• BTS — have broken yet another Guinness World Record. They now officially hold the title for having the most simultaneous viewers for a music video on YouTube Premieres for their 2020 mega-hit ‘Dynamite’. They also recently made history as the first K-Pop group to be nominated for a Grammy.
• Ariana Grande — has settled a plagiarism suit by hip-hop artist DOT. Josh Stone, who performs as DOT, had claimed that “highly regarded musicology experts” had concluded that the beat, hook, lyrics and rhythmic structure of Grande’s 2019 hit ‘7 Rings’ were lifted from his song “You Need It, I Got It.”
• Britney Spears — After the success of “Framing Britney Spears” and continued interest in the #FreeBritney movement, another documentary is in the works about her conservatorship, this time for BBC Two. Filming began in the fall of 2020, and BBC2 is aiming to air it in late spring.
• Pretenders – Chrissie Hynde says she has recorded an 8-part “series” of Bob Dylan covers during lockdown, and plans to release them under the title “Chrissie Hynde Sings Bob Dylan”. She and guitarist James Walbourne are also “running through the songs on acoustics in case we get a chance to perform them in a small club somewhere.”
• Triumph — will release a 40th-anniversary box set of their classic “Allied Forces” album to celebrate this year’s Record Store Day, June 12 and July 17. The trio has been named Canadian Ambassadors for the event. The box set will include a picture disc of the album, 2 concerts from the era on vinyl, posters, a 24-page picture book & essay, and more.
• Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young — will release a 50th-anniversary edition of “Déjà vu” on May 14. The box set will include the original LP, as well as four CDs of demos, unreleased studio recordings and alternate versions of songs. A hardcover book will also be available, featuring photos and stories of the band accompanied by liner notes from Cameron Crowe.
• Blake Shelton – will celebrate the 20th anniversary of his debut single ‘Austin’ (released April 16, 2001) by launching pre-orders for a special, limited edition of Austin on vinyl. True to the original single, it will feature the B-side track ‘Problems at Home’.
• Chris Stapleton – Part of his 2021 All-American Road Show has been pushed back, again. He has postponed the first three dates of the tour, set for Ap 21 in Toledo, Ap 22 in Columbus and Ap 22 in Lexington, to April, 2022. For now, the tour is scheduled to begin on June 5 in San Bernardino, CA.
• Lady A — Hillary Scott has sold her Southern manor home in an affluent Nashville suburb after more than a year on the market. She and her husband, drummer Chris Tyrrell, first listed the 6-bedroom, 7,851-square-foot mansion for $3.2 million in January 2020. The sale closed March 10 for $2.4 million.
SHOOTING THE BULL
PAWS FOR THOUGHT:
Here’s a little something to keep in your back pocket for the next time you want to go somewhere, but a sign says there are “no dogs allowed” for sanitary reasons. A new study says the average pup’s paws are probably cleaner that the shoes its owner is wearing. Researchers at Utrecht University in the Netherlands
took paw samples from 25 service dogs as well as the shoe soles of their owners. And for comparison, they also examined a group of family dogs and their owners. All those samples were tested for fecal bacteria and diarrheal bacteria. They found that all “the dogs’ paws turned out to be cleaner than the soles of the shoes”. For this reason, the researchers say that service dogs shouldn’t be banned from hospitals and other sensitive areas over cleanliness concerns. They contend that humans bar many service dogs from some areas due to nothing more than ignorance, either not knowing what a service animal is, not recognizing one, or not being familiar with the rules.
(Can the same be said for those ‘service peacocks’ and ‘emotional support pigs’ that we keep hearing about?)
(That’s because a dog licks its paws clean. Can the same be said for its owner?)
(On the other hand, the dog is 90% more likely than its owner to randomly puke on the carpet!)
-StudyFinds
NEWS OF THE WEIRD:
➢ A website that maps Japan’s noisiest and most annoying neighborhoods to help people avoid them when looking for a home has sparked controversy, with many accusing it of criticizing normal behavior. “DQN Today” is the brainchild of a web developer, who, in 2016, after finding himself unable to work from home due to the ruckus made by noisy children, created the crowdsourcing site where people can map and share their experience with “dorozoku”, a Japanese word meaning “loud people” or “public nuisance”. It became especially popular during the pandemic, with so many people confined to their homes, and the noise made by neighbors or their children becoming more of an issue. The website “BigThink” describes DQN Today as a symptom of an aging society, irritably telling young people to “turn the …volume down” and “get off that lawn.” (Of course, there are those of us who would report out own, quiet neighborhood, in hopes of keeping the rowdies out!)
➢ Making new friends can be difficult, but it’s definitely harder during a pandemic. Unless you give away free beer. Amanda and Thomas Evans moved from Fort Myers, Florida, to Cape Coral, Florida, just before the pandemic hit, and found that meeting their new neighbors was almost impossible. Unable to invite neighbors over for dinner or other similar events, the couple came up with a unique idea. They posted flyers around the neighborhood that said, “Hi, we’re new to the neighborhood and would like to meet our lovely neighbors. We will be in our driveway with drinks, ready to meet any neighbors who would like to stop by. We can’t wait to meet you.” As Amanda note: “Free beer is a pretty easy way to get people to show up.” The couple has plenty of new friends now. (Like I’ve always said, “A free beer is a whole lot better than an alcohol-free one!)
-OddityCentral, Fox
DID YOU KNOW?
Apparently, you CAN BS a BSer! People who frequently exaggerate and distort the truth — or lie — often think they won’t fall for the same from someone else. But according to a new study, it turns out these “BSers” aren’t so savvy after all. Researchers at the University of Waterloo in Ontario found those who regularly try to impress or influence others using misleading, impressive-sounding misinformation displayed an inability to distinguish between scientifically accurate facts and impressive-but-meaningless fiction. Study authors add the typical BSer is also likely to fall victim to “fake news” headlines.
-StudyFinds
BS CHRONOMETER 03.19.21
TODAY’S CELEBIRTHDAYS . . .
1936 [85] Ursula Andress, Ostermundigen Switzerland, movie actress (“Dr. No”, “Casino Royale”)
1947 [74] Glenn Close, Greenwich CT, movie actress (“Guardians Of the Galaxy”, “Fatal Attraction”)/TV actress (“Damages” 2007-12)/Broadway actress (“Sunset Boulevard”) COMING UP…”Swan Song”, 2021
(***CAUTION…Don’t specifically say “Happy Birthday” to this guy***):
1952 [69] Harvey Weinstein, Flushing NY, disgraced film producer (“Silver Linings Playbook”, “Pulp Fiction”)/former studio executive (co-founder of Miramax and The Weinstein Company)/currently serving 23 years in prison, pending appeal
1955 [66] Bruce Willis, Idar-Oberstein Germany, movie actor (“Pulp Fiction”, “Die Hard” movies)/TV actor (“Moonlighting” 1985-89) COMING UP…”Out of Death”, 2021
1976 [45] Zach Lind, Mesa AZ, rock drummer (Jimmy Eat World-‘The Middle’, ‘Pain’)
SATURDAY- Retired NHL star Bobby Orr is 73; William Hurt (“Kiss Of the Spiderwoman”) is 71; Spike Lee (“BlacKkKlansman”) is 64; Holly Hunter (“The Incredibles”) is 63; Model Kathy Ireland is 58; Michael Rapaport (“Boston Public”) is 51; Ruby Rose (“Batwoman”) is 35
SUNDAY- Timothy Dalton (“Licence to Kill”) is 77; Gary Oldman (“Harry Potter” movies) is 63; Matthew Broderick (“Ferris Bueller’s Day Off”) is 59; Rosie O’Donnell (“Rosie O’Donnell Show”) is 59; Deryck Whibley (Sum 41) is 41; Scott Eastwood (“Suicide Squad”) is 35; Forrest Wheeler (“Fresh Off the Boat”) is 17
TODAY’S BS REASONS TO PARTY . . .
• “World Sleep Day”, an international celebration of sleep and a call to action on important issues related to sleep, including medicine, education, and driving. (Scientists have finally determined exactly how much sleep we need: “Just 5 more minutes…”) LINK: http://www.worldsleepday.org
• “Chocolate Caramel Day”, an annual celebration of everything great about chocolate and caramel. (Like cavities?)
• “Poultry Day”, celebrating chicken, turkey, and other farm-raised fowl that we commonly consume. Plus, they give us eggs. (If they had a say in it, we’d celebrate by eating pork!)
• “Client’s Day”, a day created for the purpose of letting all of your clients know just how glad you are that they’ve chosen your company.
• “Let’s Laugh Day”, laughter decreases stress hormones and increases antibodies, boosting your immunity to all sorts of illness and disease. Laughing also helps relax your muscles and helps you de-stress. Plus, it improves your blood pressure and decreases pain. And, laughing actually burns calories – how about that?
• “St Joseph’s Day”, the day that the swallows traditionally return to the Mission San Juan Capistrano in California, an excuse for the annual “Fiesta de las Golindrinas”. Every March 19th since 1776 (with few exceptions), the birds have come back to usher in Spring in the Southern California seaside town. Their return is now an annual tourist attraction.
SATURDAY-
• “Spring Arrives”, the new season officially begins in the Northern Hemisphere with the Vernal Equinox today at 5:37am EDT. It also marks the beginning of Autumn in the Southern Hemisphere, although some countries observe the meteorological beginning of Fall on March 1.
SCIENTIFIC REASONS SPRING IS THE MOST DELIGHTFUL SEASON:
– Temperatures are moderate. In many areas over the Winter, they are horrific.
– More daylight. Exposure to sunlight increases serotonin in your brain, making you feel happy.
– Animals and birds that have migrated come back, and they’re having babies everywhere.
– Trees sprout leaves. Spring leaf growth ensures a cool canopy during the hot Summer.
– Plants turn green. It’s amazing what a little sunlight, moisture and warm soil can do for them.
– Flowers bloom. Science has proven that just looking at buttercups can make you happy.
– Your pets shed their extra-thick fur, making them seem trimmer and more full of life.
– You can open your windows and allow the breeze to refresh your home.
– You get vitamins naturally. Sunlight triggers your body to produce vitamin D, for instance.
• “Maple Syrup Saturday”, a celebration of the running of the sap from which they make liquid gold. About 75% of the world’s supply is produced in Canada, with 91% of that coming from the province of Québec.
• “Proposal Day”, when both men & women are encouraged to pop the big question. Coincidentally it’s also “Kiss Your Fiancée Day”. (Who do you think are the most eligible celebrity singles?)
• “Atheist Pride Day”, an unofficial salute to non-believers. Many mark the occasion by changing their Facebook profile picture to a stylized capital ‘A’. Green is the chosen color for the day, standing for ‘natural’ as opposed to ‘supernatural’.
• “Extraterrestrial Abductions Day”, honoring all those who claim they’ve been abducted by aliens. (Hey, I’m as fascinated with alien abductions as the next guy, but let’s not get carried away!)
• “International Day of Happiness”, adopted in 2012 by the UN in acknowledgment that the pursuit of happiness is a fundamental human goal.
HAPPIEST COUNTRIES IN THE WORLD, 2021 (according to the World Happiness Report):
1. Finland
2. Denmark
3. Switzerland
4. Iceland
5. Norway
• “World Storytelling Day”, a global celebration of the art of oral storytelling.
• “Won’t You Be My Neighbor Day”, to remember and honor Fred Rogers, the iconic children’s TV presenter of Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood.
SUNDAY-
• “Fragrance Day” and “Flower Day”, Always close to the start of Spring. Smell a flower or wear a favorite scent today.
• “Common Courtesy Day” … if you please. Thanks for your adherence!
• “Single Parents Day”, saluting those dedicated folks who single-handedly do the work of two in raising and providing for their families.
• “Teenagers Day”, a day to quit picking on them for their awkwardness and angst, and admit that they aren’t so bad after all. (So, tell them how special they are … and they’ll grunt at you.)
• “Memory Day”, but we can’t remember why.
• “World Poetry Day”, a good day to sample some ‘modern poetry’ by reading the inane lyrics to a hit song over a mushy violin background track. Find lots of dumb lyrics here …
NET: http://www.lyrics.com
ON THIS DATE . . .
2003 [18] USA, along with coalition forces primarily from the UK, initiates ‘Operation Iraqi Freedom’, aka the War on Iraq
TODAY’S MUSIC EVENTS . . .
1957 [64] Elvis Presley buys the ‘Graceland’ estate in Memphis, Tennessee for $100,000 (about the same amount it normally rakes in … daily)
1988 [33] Michael Jackson begins construction on his 2,800-acre ranch in Santa Barbara, California which he names ‘Neverland’, after the fantasy location where children never grow up in “Peter Pan”
2001 [20] Aerosmith, Michael Jackson, Paul Simon, Queen, Ritchie Valens, Solomon Burke, Steely Dan and The Flamingos are inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
TODAY’S FIRST . . .
1990 [31] The first-ever ‘Women’s World Hockey Tournament’ is won by Canada in Ottawa, Ontario
BULL’S BITS
BS WHACK FACTS:
✓ Most tropical marine fish could survive in a tank filled with human blood.
✓ Cats can be allergic to humans.
✓ You’re more likely to be killed by a cow than a shark.
✓ Dirty snow melts faster than clean snow.
✓ If the population of China walked past you in single file, the line would never end because of the rate of reproduction.
✓ The British royal family isn’t allowed to play Monopoly.
-FactRetriever, BuzzFeed
BS TIPS ON WINNING YOUR OFFICE ‘MARCH MADNESS’ POOL:
• Confirm with Siri that basketball is the game with the orange-y ball.
• Pick the team with the tallest players.
• Find out which star players have the least amount of homework due this month.
• Determine which coaches best implement the free-labor model.
• Pick the meanest-looking mascots.
• Don’t pick Drexel
• Remember that the shot clock is longer in college basketball than it is in the NBA, so high-tempo teams can be forced to play out of their element by an opposing coach with a disciplined strategy. Then flip a coin.
-Jonny Auping, first published in BS in 2017
TODAY’S SLICE OF BS:
➠ March Madness is in full swing. (Which is great news. Because I definitely need another reason to sit on the couch and not exercise…)
➠ Santana and Earth, Wind and Fire are planning a summer tour. (. . . and in other major news from 1983, a super-cool dude in a Members Only jacket checked his Swatch, hopped in a VW Rabbit, fired up his Culture Club cassette and raced off to catch a screening of “Flashdance”…)
➠ (***CAUTION: “Ass”***) Spring arrives tomorrow. (Technically, it’s called the Vernal Equinox. But nobody says that because they don’t want to get their ass kicked…)
➠ There were just over 500,000 electric cars sold in Europe in 2020. (I’m torn on electric cars. On one hand, they keep our air clean and reduce our dependence on Middle Eastern nations who’ve spent centuries propagating human rights abuses, oppression, and terrorism. On the other hand, electric cars look ridiculous. So, you see my quandary.)
➠ The FAA says that urinating in your airline seat could cost you a quarter-million dollar fine plus jail time. (“Game On!”, barked R. Kelly, from prison.)
BS WEB GOODIE:
What we all wish we could say (sound up): https://tinyurl.com/3khh5te8
BS RANDOM JOKE:
Singing in the shower is all fun and games until you get shampoo in your mouth. Then it becomes a soap opera.
BS PHONE STARTER:
What cheesy song from your childhood do you still love?
BS WATER COOLER QUESTION:
Question: 40% of us say we would never share THIS food-related item, no matter who was asking. What is it?
Answer: A bite of our sandwich
BS DEEP THOUGHT:
You get what you focus on, so focus on what you want.
