Monday, March 18, 2024 — Edition: #7679
Here’s More Bull Roar!
BS SHOW BIZ BUZZ:
★ The NAACP Image Awards hosted its 55th annual ceremony on Saturday, celebrating winners and nominees in an event hosted by Queen Latifah, who was hosting for the second time. “The Color Purple” took home the award for Outstanding Motion Picture. The film’s stars, Fantasia Barrino, Colman Domingo, and Taraji P. Henson took home Outstanding Actress, Outstanding Supporting Actor and Outstanding Supporting Actress for their roles. Usher was named Entertainer of the Year.
-TheWrap
★ “Kung Fu Panda 4” and “Dune: Part Two” both did well in North American theaters, staying ahead of Mark Wahlberg’s new based-on-a-real-dog drama “Arthur the King,” which earned a projected $7.5 million over the weekend domestically, good enough for third-place at the box-office. In a tight race for first, Kung Fu Panda 4 looked to beat out Dune: Part Two with a sophomore gross of $30 million, about a million more than the Dune sequel.
-Variety
★ Cara Delevingne announced that her cats are “alive” after a devastating fire destroyed her home early Friday morning. The model and “Suicide Squad” star posted a pic of the 2 felines on her Instagram Stories, writing: “They are alive!! “Thank you to the firefighters ❤️.” Her $7 million 2-story Los Angeles mansion was engulfed in flames Friday morning. The massive fire, said to have been electrical in nature due to heavy winds, took 94 firefighters more than 2 hours to put out.
-PageSix
★ Elon Musk upped the ante in his ongoing beef with Don Lemon, comparing him to ‘Veruca Salt’ — the bratty child in the “Willy Wonka” films. In a Friday night post on X, the billionaire wrote: “Don ‘Veruca Salt’ [lemon emoji]”, a reference to the spoiled girl character, who whined about wanting things from her wealthy dad in the movie. The bad blood between the 2 stems from Musk canceling Lemon’s contract to host his own show on the X social media platform. Last week, Musk grew frustrated during an interview with Lemon that was scheduled to appear on X, but never did.
-TMZ
★ Jeremy Renner says Robert Downey Jr. kept his spirits up while he recovered from his 2023 snowplow accident. In an interview with People, Renner joked that Downey Jr’s FaceTime calls felt “like we were dating or something.” The Oscar-winner’s advice? Renner said: “He’s like, ‘Dude, the most important thing is you look good. I don’t care how you feel, as long as you look good, that’s all that matters. Downey Jr. also told Renner that he and his wife are big fans of “Mayor Of Kingstown”, and encouraged him by saying: “You’ve got to get back to do Mayor, because we need to see what happens”. Renner called Downey Jr’s support “very heartwarming”.
-Deadline
TODAY’S SHOW BIZ SKED:
• “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” (ABC/Global): Christina Applegate, Huey Lewis. the cast of “The Heart of Rock and Roll”
• “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” (NBC/CTV): Jake Gyllenhaal, The Black Crowes
• “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” (CBS/Global): Chris Hayes, Carrie Preston (R)
• “After Midnight” (CBS/Global): Sasheer Zamata, Joyelle Nicole Johnson, John Hodgman (R)
• “Late Night with Seth Meyers” (NBC/CTV): James McAvoy, Rachel Dratch, Morgan Rose (R)
• “Watch What Happens Live” (Bravo): Jenny McCarthy-Wahlberg, Ben Willoughby
• “The Daily Show” (COM): Host Jon Stewart
• “The View” (ABC/CTV): Ben Platt
• “The Talk” (CBS): Jon Cryer
• “Live With Kelly and Mark” (ABC/CTV): Ricky Martin, Michael Symon, Bush
• “The Kelly Clarkson Show” (Check local listings): Jamie Dornan, Joey Graziadei, Emily Kaufman, HunterGirl
• “The Drew Barrymore Show” (Check local listings): Kristen Stewart, Carter Oosterhouse and Mikel Welch
• “Jennifer Hudson Show” (Check local listings): Joe Manganiello
• “The Voice” (NBC): The Battle Rounds begin.
• “So You Think You Can Dance” (Fox): Auditions: Day Three
• “An Oprah Special: Shame, Blame and the Weight Loss Revolution” (ABC): Winfrey hosts a conversation with medical experts and everyday people about the radical impact of prescription weight loss medications.
BS MUSIC NOTES:
• Usher — received the coveted President’s Award at the 2024 NAACP Image Awards on Saturday, plus the top prize of the evening, Entertainer of the Year. He also won 2 awards in pre-telecast presentations: outstanding male artist and outstanding soul/R&B song for ‘Good Good’ his collab with Summer Walker and 21 Savage.
• Dua Lipa – while stepping into her new era with the announcement of her upcoming album “Radical Optimism” (out May 3), her “Future Nostalgia” period has been immortalized with a wax figure at Madame Tussauds in Orlando. The likeness shows her in a lacy, hot pink bodysuit and matching opera gloves, a replica of the outfit she wore during her 2022 tour. LINK: https://tinyurl.com/2k4z8xmp
• Elton John – has been enjoying life at home with his husband and 2 sons since retiring from the road 8 months ago. But he’s also still working – with 2 new musicals in the works, one on Tammy Faye Bakker, which is heading to Broadway, plus an adaptation of “The Devil Wears Prada” starring Vanessa Williams.
• Bon Jovi – Friday, they dropped the new tune ‘Legendary’, the first song from their newly announced album “Forever”, out June 7. Prior to recording their first album in 4 years, Jon Bon Jovi underwent surgery to help him overcome serious vocal issues. His recovery is touched on in the new documentary “Thank You, Goodnight: The Bon Jovi Story”, which hits Hulu April 26. LINK: https://youtu.be/g83Y19JezCM
• Mark Knopfler – The former Dire Straits frontman’s new guest-packed charity single ‘Going Home (Theme From Local Hero)’ has arrived. Performers include Eric Clapton, David Gilmour, Peter Frampton, Bruce Springsteen, Joan Jett, Ringo Starr, Slash, Brian May, Joe Walsh, Sting, and more, plus Jeff Beck’s final recording. TeenageCancer Trust, and Teen Cancer America. LINK: https://youtu.be/kNKvoVMcslk
• Jimmie Allen – His former manager has dropped a lawsuit accusing him of sexual assault and rape. The woman, identified as Jane Doe, dismissed her claims after suing him in last May, according to court documents. A second woman who filed suit against him in June for alleged sexual assault is still pending.
• Kacey Musgraves – Her new album “Deeper Well” was released on Friday, but she almost didn’t live to see the day. She told Jimmy Fallon that while shooting the video for the title track in Iceland, she almost took a windblown tumble off an extremely high, steep precipice. Quote: “It was high wind advisories — I almost got blown off that cliff.”
• Jelly Roll – admits that he now regrets most of his tattoos, which cover much of his arms and face. In a new interview with GQ, he said: “Almost all of them. Like core philosophies I rooted my life in when I was 17 and now that I’m 40, I’m like, what the (bleep) was I thinking?” He made particular of the one depicting a baby smoking a joint, saying “maybe that was a little bit much”.
SHOOTING THE BULL
POST-SECONDARY RENUMERATION:
In a world of skyrocketing tuition and a changing job market, is it still worth it to go to college or university? Definitely, according to new data. Researchers from New York University and Rutgers University evaluated the economic returns of pursuing higher education. They compared the lifetime earnings of almost 6 million people, some of whom hold a bachelor’s degree, some with only a high school diploma. They discovered a big financial advantage for college grads, with an estimated annual return on investment (ROI) of 9.88% for women and 9.06% for men. That represents the average yearly financial gain one can expect from their degree over the course of their career, compared to the costs of college education. As the researchers pointed out: “On average, a college degree offers better returns than the stock market.” They determined that fields such as engineering and computer science boasted the highest financial rewards, boosting median returns to more than 13%.
(And radio? Hmmmm…conspicuous by its absence…!)
(And let’s not forget the social aspects of attending college as well. And by that, I mean I spent a freaking FORTUNE at bars in my 3 years away at school!)
-StudyFinds
WILD TIMES:
With the upcoming solar eclipse on April 8, many people will demonstrate unusual behavior – specifically, traveling to the thin band of geography known as the “area of totality” – and paying outrageous sums of money for accommodation – just to observe what amounts to 150 seconds of…darkness, that we’re not supposed to be looking at anyway (without special glasses). But what about animals? A team of researchers headed by North Carolina State University plans to congregate at the Fort Worth Zoo in Texas, which will experience the solar eclipse, to study certain animals and determine whether they repeat the same odd behaviors that were observed during the American eclipse of 2017. At that time, giraffes were seen to gather and break into a gallop (which is rare for them). Tortoises began to mate, and gorillas started to get ready for bed (same thing?). Highly vocal animals that communicate with one another often, such as the elephants, flamingos and parrots, will also be of particular interest to the scientists. The team is also inviting members of the public to submit their own animal observations, including pets, pigeons, squirrels, livestock and woodland critters.
(…I’m very confident in saying I know exactly how my dog will react. “It’s dark! Time for a bedtime treat!”)
(But if it’s going to be completely dark, how can we…uh, never mind!)
-CNN
NEW GOOD NEWS:
➢ A 14-karat gold Lego piece donated to a Pennsylvania Goodwill store was originally priced at $15 — but ended up selling for over $18,000. Goodwill officials said workers at the store in Du Bois were sorting through a bag of jewelry when they found the Lego piece, a small Bionicle mask. Workers researched the piece and discovered it was an extremely rare “Kanohi Hau” mask. Lego created only 30 of them. Goodwill auctioned the 23-year-old piece and it ended up selling for $18,100 to an anonymous collector. It’s believed to be the most expensive Lego piece ever sold, and the money, of course, will go toward the good work that is done by Goodwill.
➢ In a heartwarming display of compassion, students at Providence College in Rhode Island came together to surprise their overnight security guard, James, with the funds to visit his family in Nigeria, whom he has not seen in 11 years. The students, who consider their dormitory a family, launched a GoFundMe campaign with a goal of $3,500. But with overwhelming response from the community and beyond, within a short period, the campaign raised an incredible $26,000. Last weekend, the students surprised James with the news that he would be heading home to Nigeria in June. The joyous occasion was captured on video. Daniel Singh, a resident assistant in Raymond Hall, conveyed the sentiment of the effort, stating: “We take care of our own. That’s what we do at PC…we’ve done that for each other, so now we’re doing it for you.” (I’m not crying, YOU’RE crying!) LINK: https://tinyurl.com/3jrja3nj
-UPI, SunnySkyz
MYTH-CONCEPTIONS:
“Common-knowledge” can sometimes be wrong. Some examples…
✗ You should change your car’s oil every 3,000miles (5,000km): For older cars, yes. But today, this is the lower end of a range that can go as high as 20,000miles (32,200km), depending on conditions.
✗ Egypt’s Great Pyramids were built by slaves: This was written by a historian 2,000 years after the fact. Archeological evidence reveals they were built by tens of thousands of skilled workers who were paid handsomely – some were even paid in beer!
✗ In Medieval England, streets were riddled with human waste: Generations of schoolkids were taught that people emptied chamber pots into the street. But the fact is that medieval towns had strict laws regarding waste disposal, latrines and toilets.
✗ If you have a nosebleed, you should tilt your head back: Doctors say you should do the opposite to avoid blood choking you, or draining to your stomach. Instead, tilt your head forward to drain the blood, and keep you head above your heart to slow the flow. (And watch where you’re walking next time!)
✗ Rabbits eat carrots: This myth likely arose because rabbits do eat the leaves that grow above ground. Veterinarians warn that carrots should be a rare rabbit treat, because they can cause indigestion.
✗ Half of all marriages end in divorce: This oft-cited US stat is actually wrong. At one point, forecasters predicted that if trends continued, the divorce rate COULD climb this high. But since then, it has been dropping. (Except in Hollywood…!)
-BathroomReadersInstitute
DID YOU KNOW?
A company that analyzes canine DNA identified a woman as 40% Alaskan Malamute. DNA My Dog claims to provide customers with the “highest possible accuracy” in determining a dog’s breed via analysis of a cheek swab. An investigative team decided to put DNA My Dog, and other services like it, to the test. But instead of sending in a cheek swab from a dog, they submitted DNA taken from the cheek of reporter Christina Hager. Two companies, Orivet and Wisdom Panel, found that the DNA could not yield a reliable result. But DNA My Dog determined that Hager is 40% Alaskan Malamute, 35% cent Shar-Pei, and 25% Labrador. (She plans to submit another sample…right after “walkies”!)
-GlobalNews
BS CHRONOMETER 03.18.24
TODAY’S BS REASONS TO PARTY . . .
• “International Day of Happiness”, (or “Act Happy Day”), adopted in 2012 by the UN in acknowledgment that the pursuit of happiness is a fundamental human goal.
HAPPIEST COUNTRIES IN THE WORLD, 2023 (According to the World Happiness Report, which will release its 2024 list today):
1. Finland (6th year running…)
2. Denmark
3. Iceland
4. Israel
5. Netherlands
• “Awkward Moments Day”, a day to celebrate the humor in life’s uncomfortable and embarrassing situations … which we normally fail to see until years later. (If you need me, I’ll be sitting in the corner re-living my personal top-20…)
• “Biodiesel Day”, in honor of the clean-burning fuel that can be used in any diesel engine with no conversion whatsoever. It is derived from 100% renewable resources like soybeans, canola, mustard seed, even recycled cooking oil. The day is celebrated on the anniversary of the 1858 birth of Rudolph Diesel, the German inventor of the diesel engine. (What are the odds?)
• “Forgive Mom & Dad Day”. No matter what mistakes they made as parents, it’s time to let it go, and get on with your life. (I’m still not forgiving them for my nose…)
• “Sloppy Joe Day”, America’s all-time favorite hot sandwich, it is often made with ground beef, onions, tomato sauce, brown sugar, cola or maple syrup to sweeten it, and seasonings to spice it, all served up on a hamburger bun or roll.
• “Goddess of Fertility Day”, celebrating Aphrodite and other gods and goddesses of fertility. Aphrodite is the Greek goddess of love, beauty, pleasure, and procreation. Her Roman equivalent is the Goddess Venus.
• “Dribble to Work Day”, taking place on Selection Monday, when teams participating in the women’s and men’s NCAA Division Basketball Tournament — also known as “March Madness” — are selected. Today, you’re encouraged to dribble a basketball on your way to work, and share pics or video on social media. (Why not? You ARE ‘traveling’…)
AND REMEMBER . . .
[Tues] Spring arrives at 11:06pm EDT (Northern Hemisphere)
[Tues] Proposal Day
[Wed] Alien Abduction Day
[Thurs] Absolutely Incredible Kid Day
This Week is…Goof Off Week
This Month is…Women’s History Month
TODAY’S CELEBIRTHDAYS . . .
1963 [61] Vanessa Williams, Tarrytown NY, TV actress (“Ugly Betty” 2006-10, “Desperate Housewives” 2010-12)/pop singer (‘Save the Best for Last’)/first African-American to earn the title of Miss America, in 1984 (later resigned)
1966 [58] Jerry Cantrell, Tacoma WA, alt-rock guitarist-vocalist (Alice in Chains-‘Man in the Box’, ‘Rooster’)
1970 [54] Queen Latifah (Dana Owens), Newark NJ, movie actress (“Chicago”, “Hairspray”)/TV actress “Living Single”, 1993-98/TV host “The Queen Latifah Show” 1999-2001, 2013-15)/hip hop-jazz-pop singer (‘U.N.I.T.Y.’)
1972 [52] Dane Cook, Cambridge MA, comedian/movie actor (“Good Luck Chuck”, “Employee of the Month”)
1974 [50] Philip Sweet, Pocahontas AR, country singer (Little Big Town-‘Pontoon’, ‘Girl Crush’)
1979 [45] Adam Levine, LA CA, pop singer (Maroon 5-‘Moves Like Jagger’, ft. Cardi B-‘Girls Like You’)/TV personality (“The Voice” 2011-19)/TV actor (“American Horror Story” 2012)
1989 [35] Lily Collins, Surrey England, TV actress (“Emily in Paris” SINCE 2020/movie actress (“Mirror, Mirror”, “The Blind Side”)/daughter of Phil Collins. COMING UP… “MaXXXine”, 2024
THIS DAY IN SHOW BIZ . . .
2009 [15] 45-year-old Natasha Richardson (Mrs. Liam Neeson) dies in NYC following a head injury suffered 2 days earlier during a ski lesson at Mont Tremblant, Québec
2020 [04] Gal Gadot posts a video of herself and a host of celebrities singing ‘Imagine’ line-by-line from their places of quarantine during the pandemic. It doesn’t quite elicit the reaction she’s after. . .
TODAY’S MUSIC EVENTS . . .
2002 [22] Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, The Ramones, Talking Heads, Isaac Hayes and Brenda Lee are among those inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
2017 [07] Rock pioneer Chuck Berry dies at age 90
2023 [01] Every song — all 36 of them — from Morgan Wallen’s album “One Thing at a Time” lands in the Billboard Hot 100, breaking Drake’s record of 27 from 2017. Wallen’s song ‘Last Night’ claims the top spot.
TODAY’S FIRSTS . . .
1965 [59] Advertising mascot ‘Poppin Fresh’, the Pillsbury Dough Boy, is introduced
2001 [23] Indiana Pacers’ Reggie Miller becomes the first NBA player to make 2,000 career 3-pointers after hitting 4 of them vs Sacramento (finishes career with a record 2,560)
TODAY’S RECORD . . .
1981 [43] The Buffalo Sabres set an NHL record of 9 goals in 1 period (vs Toronto Maple Leafs)
BULL’S BITS
BS WHACK FACTS:
✓ “Dreamt” is the only English word that ends with the letters ‘m-t’.
✓ To “snirtle” means to laugh with snorts.
✓ Cats can’t taste sweet flavors.
✓ Sharks are the only fish that can blink.
✓ Couples who diet while on vacation argue 3 times more often.
✓ The average adult spends more time on the toilet than exercising.
-BathroomReadersInstitute, Facts
Best of BS . . .
BS SELF-HELP BOOKS THAT DIDN’T SELL:
• “If at First You Don’t Succeed, Lower Your Standards”
• “Overcoming Your Superstitions in 13 Easy Steps”
• “How to Stop Shoplifting Books”
• “How to Run From Your Problems and Avoid Responsibilities”
• “Garfunkel’s Guide to Being the Popular One”
• “You Got the Wrong Self Help Book: Can’t You Do Anything Right?”
• “Counting to 10 in 10 Easy Steps”
• “Gain That Last 10 Pounds…Easily!”
• “Improving You’re Grammar”
• “Have You Considered Just Giving Up?”
-Twitter, first published in BS in 2019
TODAY’S SCOOP OF BS:
➠ Yesterday was St. Patrick’s Day. (If I wanted to spend the day with about 100 drunken morons throwing up all over the place, I’d go to my family reunion…)
➠Americans are expected to bet over $15 billion on this year’s March Madness tournament — and the majority of that will be wagered illegally, a report says. (That’s what makes it so exciting: the thrill of potentially doing hard time for circling “Fairleigh Dickinson” on a bracket!!)
➠ A 100-year-old World War II veteran plans to marry his 96-year-old girlfriend. (But, to be fair, he was only 76 when he started driving to the jewelry store…)
➠ Flava Fav turned 65 on Saturday. (He’s getting up there. In fact, he’s so old, now he wears a Grandfather Clock around his neck!)
➠ Sofia Vergara says her voluptuous body has opened doors for her. (I’ll take things that can also be taken literally, for $200, Alex…!)
BS WEB GOODIE:
Can’t not smile: https://tinyurl.com/2hvnrkau
BS RANDOM JOKE:
I won’t quit but I WILL cuss the whole time.
BS 1990S TRIVIA:
• Q: Which ’90s singing group became the best selling boy-band of all time?
A: The Backstreet Boys
• Q: What’s the name of the colorful, egg-shaped keychain Japanese children’s toy that left kids responsible for a digital pet?
A: Tamagotchi
• Q: Which 1991 Disney movie became the first animated film in history to be nominated for a best picture Oscar?
A: Beauty and the Beast
• Q: What legendary artist wrote the song ‘I Will Always Love You’, a 1992 Whitney Houston hit from “The Bodyguard” soundtrack?
A: Dolly Parton
• Q: What show premiered in 1998, taking us on the journey of 4 best friends exploring (and chronicling) Manhattan’s dating scene?
A: Sex and the City
• Q: What 1999 found-footage horror movie redefined the horror movie genre – and left many believing it was a true story?
A: The Blair Witch Project
• Q: What NBA team won 6 championships in the 1990s?
A: Chicago Bulls
BS PHONE STARTER:
What word would make a pretty baby name if it didn’t mean what it means? (We’re going with ‘Omelette’…or ‘Melancholy’…or maybe ‘Calamity’!)
BS WATER COOLER QUESTION:
Stats show that the average person does this 5 times a week at work. What is it?
Answer: Lies to their boss
BS DEEP THOUGHT:
Mixing one’s wines may be a mistake, but old and new wisdom mix admirably.
