Monday, March 11, 2024 — Edition: #7674
Don’t Take Any Sheet, Unless It’s Pure Bull!
BS SHOW BIZ BUZZ:
★ After months away from the public eye following abdominal surgery, and conspiracy theories swirling, Kate Middleton has finally broken her silence. The Princess of Wales shared a new photo yesterday, which was Mother’s Day in the UK. It shows the beaming royal sitting in a chair at the family’s home in Windsor, surrounded by her and Prince William’s 3 kids – Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis. Middleton captioned the Instagram post: “Thank you for your kind wishes and continued support over the last 2 months. Wishing everyone a Happy Mother’s Day”. The pic was taken by William last week. It’s the first official photo of Middleton released by the palace since she underwent abdominal surgery on Jan. 16. LINK: https://tinyurl.com/5hd26x29
-PageSix
★ “Winnie The Pooh: Blood and Honey” won all 5 categories for which it was nominated at the 2024 Golden Raspberry Awards on Saturday. “The Razzies” honor the worst of Hollywood, and are handed out on the day before the Academy Awards. Blood and Honey practically swept the Razzies, winning worst picture, director and screenplay, screen couple (‘Pooh’ and ‘Piglet’) and remake/rip-off/sequel. Sylvester Stallone and Megan Fox won the supporting actor categories for “Expend4bles,” and Fox also took home the lead actress honors for “Johnny & Clyde.” Jon Voight won worst actor for “Mercy.”
-Variety
★ At the Oscars, everyone’s a winner. The award show is known for its lavish gift bags stocked with everything from plastic surgery gift cards to 5-star trips — and with a swag package worth $178,000, this year’s festivities were no exception. The priciest item that nominees took home was a 3-night trip to Chalet Zermatt Peak, a luxurious ski chalet in the Swiss mountains, valued at $50,000. Other getaways included a spa visit worth $1,800 per day, and a 3-night stay in a luxury villa at Saint-Barth Paradise, where a weeklong trip will set you back up to $80,000.
-PageSix
★ The box office saw more good news after the strong opening of “Dune: Part Two” last weekend, as “Kung Fu Panda 4” brought families back to the tune of an estimated $58 million opening domestically. While not at the level of the $60 million start the first “Kung Fu Panda” earned in 2008 before inflation adjustment, it tops the $41.2 million opening that the animated series’ third installment earned in 2016. In second place was “Dune: Part Two,” which earned a projected $46 million in its second weekend.
-TheWrap
★ Pierce Brosnan thinks Cillian Murphy would be a good 007. The former ‘James Bond’ star named the “Oppenheimer” actor as a candidate to play the suave spy in an interview with BBC at the Oscar Wilde Awards, saying: “Cillian would do a magnificent job as James Bond on His Majesty’s Secret Service”. Murphy has been among those rumored to play the iconic character for years, although he has previously gone on record as saying that the next 007 “should be a woman,” and that he’s “a bit old” for the role.
-HuffPost
TODAY’S SHOW BIZ SKED:
• “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” (ABC/Global): Dwayne Johnson, Justin Timberlake
• “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” (NBC/CTV): Ewan McGregor, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Evan Rachel Wood, Marcus King
• “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” (CBS/Global): Kristen Stewart, Tom Hollander
• “After Midnight” (CBS/Global): Randy Sklar, Jason Sklar, DeWanda Wise
• “Late Night with Seth Meyers” (NBC/CTV): Bowen Yang, Kara Swisher, Aric Improta
• “Watch What Happens Live” (Bravo): Awkwafina, Ayesha Curry
• “The Daily Show” (COM): Host Jon Stewart
• “The View” (ABC/CTV): Busy Philipps
• “The Talk” (CBS): Marg Helgenberger, Erika Jayne
• “Live With Kelly and Mark” (ABC/CTV): Sebastian Maniscalco, Jesse Palmer, Andy Grammer
• “The Kelly Clarkson Show” (Check local listings): John Cena, Lindsay Lohan and Ayesha Curry, Ashley Tisdale
• “The Drew Barrymore Show” (Check local listings): The cast of Girls5eva: Sara Bareilles, Renee Elise Goldsberry, Busy Philipps and Paula Pell; Rachel Smith
• “Jennifer Hudson Show” (Check local listings): James Pickens Jr.
• “The Voice” (NBC): The Blind Auditions, Part 5
• “The Neighborhood” (CBS): Calvin is adjusting to the new stages of parenting; Malcolm questions his career path; Lamar spends more time with Grover, forcing Gemma and Dave to loosen the reins a bit.
• “Hoarders” (A&E): David crams the house to the brim, and Odette adds to the hoard with purchases from online auctions. On the brink of disaster, the couple try to declutter their lives.
• “Bad Romance — A Special Edition of 20/20” (ABC): A rollercoaster ride through tales of heartbreak, betrayal and the unexpected twists that can occur when love turns sour.
BS MUSIC NOTES:
• Dua Lipa – visited her old grade school in London. BBC 1 radio shared video showing her stepping inside a classroom of shocked kids who collectively gasped with excitement. She then confesses a 20-year-old regret: “I really wanted the lead part in the school play. I didn’t get it.” The singer went on to re-audition for the role, taking critiques from the class, and admitting she was “nervous”. LINK: https://tinyurl.com/48mnyfcd
• Shawn Mendes – is working on a new album, 2 years after canceling a world tour to focus on his mental health. On Insta, he posted a shirtless photo of himself strumming a guitar, and announced he’ll headline the Rock in Rio festival in Brazil on Sept. 22. He also wrote “I’ve…been working on a new album and i can’t wait to play these new songs live for you”. LINK: https://tinyurl.com/yk77th3p
• Slash – Friday, he announced his solo album, “Orgy Of The Damned” (Really.), out May 17. The collection blues covers features guest vocalists including Billy Gibbons, Chris Stapleton, Iggy Pop, Paul Rodgers, Demi Lovato, Chris Robinson, and AC/DC’s Brian Johnson on the first single, a cover of Howlin’ Wolf’s Killing Floor’. LINK: https://tinyurl.com/rmrzsda3
• Bon Jovi — Hulu has released the first trailer for the upcoming 4-part series “Thank You, Goodnight: The Bon Jovi Story”. It will chronicle “the epic past and uncertain future of one of the most recognizable bands in the world and its frontman Jon Bon Jovi”. It’ll be available to stream on April 26. LINK: https://tinyurl.com/3xydnuhr
• Sheryl Crow – has unveiled her cover of the 1992 Peter Gabriel classic ‘Digging in the Dirt’, featuring Gabriel himself. The 2 share vocals on the new recording, which appears on Crow’s album, “Evolution”, out March 29. LINK: https://youtu.be/MtVtOsP2QUA
• Chris Young – Friday, he dropped the romantic ballad ‘What She Sees In Me’, from the upcoming album, “Young Love & Saturday Nights,” out March 22. He co-wrote 15 of the collection’s 18 tunes, and it is his first new album since “Famous Friends” in 2021. LINK: https://tinyurl.com/2xx53x2v
• Mickey Guyton – says this about her new single ‘Woman’, which she dropped on International Women’s Day”: “Throughout history and even today, women have taken pain, setbacks, and doubt, and they turn that into inner strength, and they persevere to achieve incredible things….We’re miracle workers, y’all!” LINK: https://tinyurl.com/cas6jrnm
• Tyler Hubbard – had a very logical reason for naming his new album “Strong”. Quote: “We kept referring to everything as ‘well, that’s a strong take’ or ‘that’s a strong mix’ or ‘that’s a really strong song for this next album’ or ‘that’s a strong photo’.” He said that when it came time to choose a title, he simply said: “Guys, why don’t we just call it Strong?”. It is set for release April 12.
SHOOTING THE BULL
AWKWARD RELATIONSHIPS:
❑ Researchers have a new theory about why oldest siblings tend to make more money than younger siblings. A working paper published by the National Bureau of Economic Research, says higher sickness rates among younger siblings could affect their future earnings. The researchers found that younger siblings were 2-3 times as likely as their older siblings to be hospitalized for respiratory conditions during the first year of their lives. The disparity was the largest when the second child was born in fall or winter — when respiratory illnesses are more common. It’s possible that infants with older siblings have more virus exposure – thanks to the older sibling, who is often in childcare and “brings home” viruses. (“Moooom!!! He did it on purpose!!”)
❑ Laughing at your boss’s dumb jokes can lower your job satisfaction. A new study has found that bosses who make too many jokes can actually harm employee wellbeing. The study, published in the Academy of Management Journal, looks at how “leader humor” puts pressure on subordinates to engage in “surface acting,” which includes faking or exaggerating positive reactions. It found that bosses who make too many jokes actually increase the amount of surface acting employees do, which can then lead to emotional exhaustion or burnout, and lower levels of job satisfaction. The researchers say the study suggests that bosses need to be thoughtful about how they express humor. (I know! Like, how many times can you fake-laugh at the “Got your nose” gag?)
-Insider
WORKING OUT INSIDE:
A woman documented on TikTok her effort to become the first person to complete a marathon inside a Costco store. Using the handle @ugh_madison, she started her vid by pointing out a gym membership is $40 a month — and her Costco membership was $60 for the entire year, so if her plan worked, she would be saving $400 a year by canceling her gym membership and working out at Costco instead, where she could also take advantage of the store’s free samples and “save thousands of dollars a year”. The problem? The sheer number of customers in the wholesale retailer meant she sometimes was forced into “running circles in the aisle”. After walking around Costco for 9 hours, the store closed, but as she said: “you can’t close my dreams.” After 11 hours, 11 minutes, and 59,000 steps, @ugh_madison finished her marathon by walking around the Costco parking lot. At the end, she declares: “I can proudly say I am the first person to do a marathon at Costco.” LINK: https://tinyurl.com/2bpmz9yy
(Sadly, there was no medal for her. But, come to think of it, they do probably sell them!)
(Is this what they mean by “Bulking up”?)
-MensJournal
NEW GOOD NEWS:
➢ A newly-developed low-cost liquid may someday end tooth decay for kids. Researchers from New York University’s College of Dentistry discovered that silver diamine fluoride (SDF), an affordable cavity-fighting liquid, matches the effectiveness of traditional dental sealants in preventing tooth decay among elementary school students. They say their study provides a compelling case for incorporating SDF into school-based cavity prevention and treatment programs, potentially enhancing dental care access while simultaneously cutting costs. SDF is painted onto teeth, where it kills decay-causing bacteria and helps re-mineralize the teeth, preventing further decay. Initially developed for treating tooth sensitivity, SDF has now been recognized for its cavity-preventing capabilities. (You had me at “low-cost”!)
➢ A new AI-powered app developed by physician-scientists at the University of Pittsburgh can diagnose ear infections via smartphone, and is capable of decreasing unnecessary antibiotic use in children. The AI tool works by looking at video of a patient’s eardrum and assessing its shape, position, color, and translucency, to make a diagnosis. Around 70% of children develop an ear infection before the age of 1, however the affliction is often confused with other issues such as fluid behind the ear, which can lead to infections being incorrectly diagnosed and incorrectly treated. This can result in unnecessary antibiotic use, which can compromise their effectiveness and interfere with a child’s developing gut microbiome.
-GNN, StudyFinds
HIGHEST-PAID HOLLYWOOD ACTORS:
While it’s true that Adam Sandler wasn’t up for Oscar consideration last night, we’re sure he was able to console himself by swimming in a pool filled with $1,000 bills, if he’s into that kind of thing. His Netflix rom-com thriller “Murder Mystery 2” made him the best-paid actor in Hollywood last year, according to the latest analysis by Forbes magazine. Sandler’s success on Netflix, appearing in and producing 3 films in 2023, contributed to his $73million in earnings. Here are 2023’s top-10 highest-paid Hollywood actors last year…
1. Adam Sandler: $73million (“Murder Mystery 2”, “Leo”, “You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah”)
2. Margot Robbie: $59million (actor-producer of “Barbie”, “Saltburn”)
3. Tom Cruise: $45million (“Mission: Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part One”)
4. (tie) Ryan Gosling: $43million (“Barbie”) [I know he was good, but was he $43million worth of good?]
4. (tie) Matt Damon: $43million (“Oppenheimer”)
6. Jenifer Aniston: $42million (“Murder Mystery 2”, “The Morning Show”)
7. (tie) Leo DiCaprio: $41million (“Killers of the Flower Moon”)
7. (tie) Jason Statham: $41million (“The Beekeeper”, “Expend4bles”, “Fast X”…)
9. Ben Affleck: $38million (actor-director-producer of “Air”, “Hypnotic”)
10. Denzel Washington: $24million (“The Equalizer 3”)
-BBC, CBS
DID YOU KNOW?
A University of London report says that 90% of young women say they filter or edit all of their photos before posting them online. This includes evening out skin tone, whitening teeth, reshaping jaw or nose lines, and even shaving off some weight. A professor involved in the project said he had some of the young people involved in the survey tell him that “they feel overwhelmed by images that are ‘too perfect” and too obsessed with “narrow definitions of beauty.” (***Caution*** So, all my teenager’s friends’ lips don’t really look like that?)
-StudyFinds
BS CHRONOMETER 03.11.24
TODAY’S BS REASONS TO PARTY . . .
• “Workplace Napping Day”, observed since 1999 on the Monday after we lose an hour of sleep to Daylight Saving Time in North America. Setting the clock ahead an hour can mess with our brains, causing fatigue and general air-headedness. A study of traffic accidents on the day following the ‘Spring Forward’ found an 8% increase.
• “Fill Our Staplers Day”, because every little insignificant function we perform in day-to-day life needs its own day, right? (I WILL fill my stapler, right after my nap!)
• “National Promposal Day”, when high school students across North America celebrate their creativity by sharing their unique and often elaborate proposals to ask each other to prom. (Are these still a thing? Or they going the way of the ‘gender reveal’?) IDEAS LINK: https://tinyurl.com/5n87cj7v
• “Commonwealth Day”, observed on the 2nd Monday in March, to honor the loose association of 56 countries in the British Commonwealth (the one-time British Empire). It now entails some 2.4 billion people, almost one-third of the world’s population.
• Worship of Tools Day” (aka “Tool Appreciation Day”), celebrating men’s inexplicable fascination with high-priced gizmos. (What tool have you bought, then never used?)
• “World Plumbing Day”, initiated by the World Plumbing Council to celebrate the important role plumbing plays in the health & safety of modern society. (To celebrate, wear your pants at half-mast … just like a plumber.) LINK: https://www.worldplumbing.org/worldplumbingday/
• “Johnny Appleseed Day”, Yes, there really was a Johnny Appleseed. His name was John Chapman when he was born in Massachusetts in 1774. He didn’t just walk around the country sprinkling apple seeds all over the place. He was a serious nurseryman who established orchards in the wilderness of the Midwest. He then gave or sold trees to pioneers who depended on apples as a staple in their diets.
• “Debunking Day”, a day do everything the “MythBuster” guys ever told you not to try at home. (Then call your mom, crying because your apartment blew up . . .)
AND REMEMBER . . .
[Tues] Working Moms Day
[Tues] Plant a Flower Day
[Wed] Ken Day
[Thurs] Ask a Question Day
This Week is…MS Awareness Week
This Month is…Optimism Month
TODAY’S CELEBIRTHDAYS . . .
1931 [93] Rupert Murdoch, Melbourne Australia, media magnate (FOX-TV, News Corp, Wall St. Journal…)/estimated net worth $19 billion/married to former model Jerry Hall 2016-22, just announced he’s engaged for a 6th time…
1950 [74] Bobby McFerrin, New NY, pop-folk-jazz vocalist (‘Don’t Worry Be Happy’)/classical music conductor/10 Grammys, plus a Lifetime Achievement Grammy
1968 [56] Lisa Loeb, Bethesda MD, pop singer (‘Stay [I Missed You]’, ‘I Do’)
1969 [55] Terrence Howard, Chicago IL, TV actor (‘Lucious Lyon’ on “Empire” 2015-20)/movie actor (“The Butler”, “Iron Man”) COMING UP… “Shirley”, 2024
1971 [53] Johnny Knoxville [Phillip Clapp], Knoxville TN, movie actor (“Jackass” movies, “The Dukes of Hazzard”)/TV personality (“Jackass” 2000-02)
1979 [45] Benji & Joel Madden (Combs), Waldorf MD, twin brother pop-rock musicians (Good Charlotte-‘Lifestyles of the Rich & Famous’, The Madden Bros-‘We Are Done’)/Ben has been married to Cameron Diaz since 2015, Joel to Nicole Richie since 2010
1983 [41] Melissa Rycroft, Dallas TX, reality TV personality (“Redneck Island” 2016, “Dancing With the Stars” 2015, “The Bachelor” 2009, “Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders: Making the Team” 2006-08)
1993 [31] Jodie Comer, Liverpool England, TV actress (“Killing Eve” 2018-22)/movie actress (“Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker”)
THIS DAY IN SHOW BIZ . . .
1997 [27] The ashes of “Star Trek” creator Gene Roddenberry, along with those of Timothy Leary and 22 others, are launched into space orbit aboard a Pegasus XL rocket
2020 [04] Movie mogul Harvey Weinstein is sentenced to 23 years in prison for a criminal sex act and rape in New York
TODAY’S MUSIC EVENTS . . .
1997 [27] 30 years after being admitted as a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE), Paul McCartney is knighted by Queen Elizabeth II for his services to popular music
2018 [06] “American Idol”, which ran for 15 seasons on Fox (until 2016), returns on ABC with new judges Katy Perry, Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan
TODAY’S FIRSTS . . .
2002 [22] England’s Plymouth University becomes the first school to offer a degree in ‘Surfing’
2020 [04] COVID-19 is declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization, with 121,564 cases worldwide and 4,373 deaths
TODAY’S RECORD . . .
2011 [13] A massive earthquake measuring 9.0 in magnitude strikes Japan, triggering a tsunami, killing thousands, and causing the second-largest nuclear accident in history, at Fukushima plant
BULL’S BITS
BS WHACK FACTS:
✓ “Bluetooth” technology is named after a 10th century king, King Harald Bluetooth. He united the tribes of Denmark, like the wireless technology unites cell phones and other electronics.
✓ Thanks to modern laundry detergents, using cold water is just as effective as hot water.
✓ Scientists have found that the higher your IQ, the more you dream.
✓ Research also shows that people who laugh at dark jokes have higher IQs and fewer aggressive tendencies.
✓ Sailors consider black cats good luck.
✓ If you commit any crime at sea, you are considered a pirate.
-WhattheFFacts, Facts
Best of BS . . .
BS SIGNS SPRING IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER:
• Newspaper boy stops aiming for snow drifts, begins targeting shrubs.
• First robin doo on your windshield.
• Wife found trapped under pile of gardening catalogues.
• Annoying neighbors finally shut off Christmas lights.
• You drive with sunroof open, heater on full blast.
• You go to the driving range on Saturday, shovel the walks on Sunday.
• Garbage collectors start going topless.
• Thousands of RV’ers massing on Florida peninsula for annual migration north.
• At H&R Block, you’re asked to ‘take a number please’.
• In Vancouver/Seattle, Winter rain gives way to … Spring rain.
-First published in BS in 2000
BS STUPID RETIREMENT QUESTIONS:
• Should I immediately start pulling my pants up to my armpits?
• Am I legally required to become a Walmart greeter?
• Do I still get paid holidays?
• Will social security help with my school loans?
• Where’s this pasture I’m supposed to go out to?
• Now what?
• Do I sign my reverse mortgage papers backward?
• Is this watch real gold?
• Can I start now?
-Twitter, first published in BS in 2022
BS WEB GOODIE:
Anyone else? https://tinyurl.com/57ybckxj
BS RANDOM JOKES:
• The hour I lost yesterday was the hour I was planning on going to the gym. Darn.
• A college education is one of the few things a person is willing to pay for and not get.
BS U-PICK TRIVIA:
• Which language has the most words, going by dictionary entries?
a) Swedish
b) Korean [CORRECT, 1.1 million words]
c) Chinese
d) Javascript
• What is the all-time most-watched Netflix series?
a) Stranger Things
b) Wednesday [CORRECT]
c) Tiger King
d) Lion King
• What is the all-time most-streamed song on Spotify?
a) Who Let the Dogs Out – Baha Men
b) Blinding Lights – The Weeknd [CORRECT, 4.1 billion]
c) Despacito — Luis Fonsi ft. Daddy Yankee and Justin Bieber
d) Achy Breaky Heart – Billy Ray Cyrus
-EducationFirst
BS PHONE STARTER:
What movie scene gives you goosebumps every time you watch it?
BS WATER COOLER QUESTION:
Question: 93% of people can identify THIS smell in one second. What is it?
Answer: Peanut Butter
BS DEEP THOUGHT:
Study while others are sleeping; work while others are loafing; prepare while others are playing; and dream while others are wishing.
