Monday, March 20, 2023 – Edition: #7441
Sheet for Brains!
BS SHOW BIZ BUZZ:
★ Sam Neill doesn’t want anyone to be too worried about his health. The 75-year-old “Jurassic Park” actor — who opened up about his stage 3 blood cancer diagnosis in his new memoir “Did I Ever Tell You This?”, and in a recent interview — told fans on Instagram Saturday that he’s still “alive and kicking.” In a selfie video, he noted how his “news seems to be all over the news at the moment, and it’s sort of, ‘Cancer! Cancer! Cancer!’”, which he calls “slightly tiresome, because as you see, I am alive and well, and I have been in remission for 8 months, which feels really good.” Earlier, he revealed that his form of non-Hodgkin lymphoma means he’ll likely undergo chemotherapy for the rest of his life. LINK: https://tinyurl.com/4zjzpcmz
-People
★ Tyra Banks is exiting “Dancing With the Stars” after hosting the celeb competition for 3 seasons. She told TMZ that she wants to focus on her business ventures, and “producing more TV — but behind the scenes.” Banks, who was also an executive producer on the show, said. “I think it’s time to graduate from the dance floor to the stock market floor… from the ballroom to the boardroom!”
-EW
★ Grey Sloan Memorial will be losing both of Ellis Grey’s daughters this season. Kelly McCreary, who has played ‘Meredith Grey’s’ half-sister ‘Maggie Pierce’, since the end of Season 10, is departing “Grey’s Anatomy” after 9 years. Her last episode as regular will air April 13. Like Pompeo, who is set to return for the Season 19 finale after Meredith’s big Feb. 23 sendoff, Maggie also will pop in to visit the doctors of Grey Sloan as a guest star.
-Deadline
★ Amanda Bynes was forced to back out of a planned reunion with the “All That” cast at 90s Con in Hartford, due to illness. Details on her condition are unclear. During the All That panel at 90s Con, Kel Mitchell asked for prayers for his former co-star. Fans who had booked photo-ops with the “Amanda Show” and “Easy A” actress weren’t totally out of luck, however. “SNL’s” Kenan Thompson, who also starred on All That, was available in her place.
-PopCulture
★ Lance Reddick is being remembered by Hollywood friends and colleagues following the news of his passing Friday. Reddick, who reprised his role of ‘Charon’ the hotel concierge in “John Wick: Chapter 4”, was tributed by the film’s director Chad Stahelski and star Keanu Reeves who dedicated the soon-to-be-released film to his memory. In a joint statement, they called him “the consummate professional and a joy to work with.” Reddick, who also starred in the series “The Wire”, died at age 60 of “natural causes”, according to a rep.
-RollingStone
★ The post-production editors behind “Saturday Night Live” have reached a tentative agreement with NBC, averting the strike deadline of April 1. If ratified by the crew of 12-20 workers, the 3-year deal will result in pay increases of up to 60% over the life of the contract and deliver immediate pay boosts, plus other benefits and bonuses. SNL has never been targeted with a show-specific strike in its nearly 50-year history.
-Variety
TODAY’S SHOW BIZ SKED:
• “Jimmy Kimmel Live” (ABC/Global): Jennifer Hudson, Donnie Yen, Larkin Poe
• “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” (NBC/CTV): Florence Pugh, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Talib Kweli & Madlib
• “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” (CBS/Global): Steven Spielberg, John Williams (R)
• “Late Night with Seth Meyers” (NBC/CTV): Taylor Schilling, Suzy Eddie Izzard (R)
• “The Late Late Show with James Corden” (CBS/CTV): Bob Odenkirk, Melanie Lynskey, Tori Kelly
• “Watch What Happens Live” (Bravo): Hayley De Sola Pinto, Tyler Walker
• “The Daily Show” (COM): Guest host Al Franken
• “The View” (ABC/CTV): Day of Hot Topics
• “The Talk” (CBS): Peter Bergman, Beth Maitland, Eileen Davidson, Jason Thompson
• “Live with Kelly and Ryan” (ABC/CTV): Keanu Reeves, Regé-Jean Page, Monica Mangin
• “The Kelly Clarkson Show” (Check local listings): Wilmer Valderrama, Scott Hoying, Kate the Chemist
• “The Drew Barrymore Show” (Check local listings): Nate & Jeremiah, Brandon Marshall, Brandice Daniel
• “Jennifer Hudson Show” (Check local listings): Mike Epps, Sarah Shahi
• “The Voice” (NBC): The blind auditions, part 5.
• “The Neighborhood” (CBS): When a mountain lion gets loose in the area, the Butlers and Johnsons must shelter in place together, leading to some unexpected revelations.
• “TMZ Investigates: 9/11: The Fifth Plane” (Fox): 4 airliners were turned into weapons of mass destruction on 9/11, but a 5th may also have been targeted by hijackers. The untold story of United Flight 23, with never-before-heard interviews from the crew.
BS MUSIC NOTES:
• Demi Lovato – will make her (***correct, again***) directorial debut with a feature-length documentary with the working title “Child Star”. Its aim is to “deconstruct the highs and lows of growing up in the spotlight through the lens of some of the world’s most famous former child stars, including Lovato.” Lovato will co-direct with Nicola Marsh. It is expected to premiere on Hulu next year.
• Shawn Mendes — Despite photos of the 2 together, he says he’s not dating pop star Sabrina Carpenter. In an interview to promote his Tommy X Shawn Classics Reborn mens and womenswear collection, he said: “We are not dating, but I think we should talk about Tommy Hilfiger probably more than Sabrina.”
• Måneskin — have arrived in the metaverse. Friday, they performed some of their biggest hits in iHeartLand in Fortnite and Roblox. The exclusive performance served as a celebration for the group’s album “Rush!”, which dropped in January.
• Alice Cooper – not only has the “Live in Rio” album with supergroup Hollywood Vampires coming on June 2, he’ll also soon drop another record with his touring band, which he says contains “no overdubs”. What else? He says there’s a third album coming soon, featuring the original Alice Cooper band. And of course that little tour with Mötley Crüe and Def Leppard this summer…
• The Pretenders – Chrissie Hynde is the latest rocker to blast the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. The singer, who was inducted in 2005, posted on Facebook: “I don’t even wanna be associated with it… (It has) absolutely nothing to do with rock ‘n’ roll and anyone who thinks it is, is a fool.” LINK: https://tinyurl.com/yxx5e6jv
• CMT – has revealed plans for a week-long celebration during CMT Music Awards Week March 27-April 2. That’ll include the debut of the new series “CMT Defining,” celebrating the 10th anniversary of “CMT Next Women of Country,” and featuring Carly Pearce. Also coming: 2 all-new “CMT Storytellers” spotlighting CMT Music Awards co-host Kane Brown and star Dierks Bentley.
• Cole Swindell – Friday, he dropped ‘Broken’, the second release of 3 new songs on his upcoming deluxe album “Stereotype Broken,” out April 28. He released the first bonus track, his current hit ‘Drinkaby’, in January. LINK: https://tinyurl.com/bpa9y76h
• Walker Hayes – reflects on fatherhood in the 2 new tunes he released on Friday. The songs are ‘If Father Time Had a Daughter’ and ‘6 String American Dream’. He kicks off his “The Duck Buck” tour next month.
SHOOTING THE BULL
SPRINGING INTO ACTION:
You’re right. No one WANTS to do the Spring cleaning. Well, some do, but we haven’t got time to get into THEIR issues. But here’s the thing for the rest of us: There’s a scientific link between cleaning and improving your mood. Clinical psychologist Dr. Dawn Potter says that having a clean home can make you feel more in control, and has many mental health benefits. There are, of course, positives to the physical aspect, too. There’s plenty of research showing that physical activity reduces depressive symptoms and generally improves quality of life. So – here’s something to keep in mind as you consider your annual Spring cleaning (or Spring procrastinating): You don’t have to go all “Martha Stewart” on the whole place—just clean something. And that something should be your living room. Why? You’ll feel most accomplished if you go after the area that will benefit the most from your time, like the floor where your kids play or the coffee table where you sort your bills. Having that clean space to spend time in, may even give you the boost you need to move on to other areas – and it’ll definitely give you those mental and physical benefits we just talked about.
(And as soon as you move on to clean another room – BAM! Tropical Storm “Kids” strikes again!)
(But if I do that, I’ll probably have to take down the Christmas tree too…!)
(If cleaning makes people happy, it’s no wonder my Mom’s so darn joyful all the time!)
-Lifehacker
TECH TALK:
❑ A new study says reducing your social media use by just 15 minutes a day can not only improve your general health and immune function, but also can improve symptoms of depression and loneliness. Professor Phil Reid of Swansea University, which conducted the study, said: “These data demonstrate that, when people reduce their social media use, their lives can improve in many ways—including benefits for their physical health and psychological well-being.”
❑ Which app do people most want to delete from their phones? Instagram. Security website VPNOverview analyzed internet search trends for the 30 most popular apps to see which ones people were most interested in dumping, and found more than 900,000 searches in the US over the last 6 months on how to “delete” or “deactivate” Instagram, the most of any app. Facebook was a distant second with almost 400,000 searches, then Snapchat at 217,00 and Twitter at 92,500. In spite of recent controversies, TikTok had just 14,120 searches on how to get rid of it. (Unless TikTok has a way of meddling with that info, too!)
-AtlantaJournal, USAToday
NEW GOOD NEWS:
➢ Over the last 4 years, Liz Pinfield-Wells has recycled 2,600 pounds (1180kg) of waste that her city’s garbage collectors won’t pick up. The Dawley, England, resident started her own recycling center at home when she learned her baby’s food pouches could not be recycled by the city. Pinfield-Wells, who says that her family is always trying to reduce its carbon footprint, invited her neighbors to drop off their trash, and dozens have taken her up on her offer. She sorts everything into 30 categories of recyclable waste, and then sends everything to TerraCycle, where it is recycled into small pellets that are turned into items like benches. She donates the money she earns to local causes, including a community garden and her daughter’s gymnastics team. (Remember THAT the next time you feel too lazy to walk a soda can to the recycle box!)
➢ If you go to one of Jean Bailey’s fitness sessions, be ready to move. Four times a week, the 102-year-old puts her neighbors at a senior living community in Omaha through their paces. She’s been running fitness classes for the last 15 years, and started offering them more often in the last few years to help her community stay active during COVID. She encourages her students to do what they can, understanding that some have health issues. Quote: “I just tell them I don’t care what they do, but move.” Her classes usually attract about a dozen participants, and Bailey makes them all feel welcome with her positive attitude, according to Elk Ridge Village operations director Sean Tran. He said: “You can’t help but want to hang out and spend some time with her.” (Funny enough, after working out, I, too, feel like I’m 102!)
-TheWeek
FUNNY SAYINGS FROM AROUND THE WORLD:
☞ “To live in the butt of the wolf” — From the Italian, it means to live very far away.
☞ “I’m not hanging noodles on your ears” — The Russian version of “I’m not pulling your leg.” (A Russian politician has just been fined for posting video of himself with wet noodles dangling from his ears while watching a Putin speech…)
☞ “To throw a chicken at oneself” — In Chile, this phrase means “to run away.”
☞ “To make kittens” – It might sound romantic, but in Italian it is used to describe vomiting.
☞ “To look like the Mona Lisa after a spanking” — This cheeky Czech idiom simply means someone is badly dressed.
☞ “Wiggle your bucket” — In Mexico, when someone wants to “wiggle their bucket” with you, they just want to dance.
☞ “Cleaner than a frog’s armpit” — The Spanish tend to be obscure with their idioms, and this one means to be completely broke.
☞ To buy oneself a monkey” — In German it means to get drunk. (Maybe someone once bought a monkey while under the influence?)
☞ “To bang your butt on the ground” – A French idiom is similar to our
acronym ROFL (“rolling on the floor laughing”).
(What saying have you heard in your family or culture — that is equally bizarre?)
-StarsInsider
DID YOU KNOW?
Polish pilot Lukasz Czepiela made aviation history last week, when he became the first person to land a plane on the helipad of the iconic Burj Al Arab Jumeirah hotel in Dubai. He was able to bring his specially adapted aircraft to a stop in just 21 meters (68 feet), landing on a platform only 27 meters (89 feet) wide, 212 meters (696 feet) above the ground on top of the 56-story building. The stunt had been in the works since 2021 and required 650 test landings, according to sponsor Red Bull. (Sure, but now how do they get it down?) LINK: https://tinyurl.com/bdhp6u67
-CNN
BS CHRONOMETER 03.20.23
BS REASONS TO PARTY . . .
• “First Day of Spring”, the new season officially begins in the Northern Hemisphere with the Vernal Equinox at 5:24pm 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 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. With that all in mind…
• “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, 2022 (According to the World Happiness Report, which will release its 2023 list today):
1. Finland (5th year running…)
2. Denmark
3. Iceland
4. Switzerland
5. Netherlands
• “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!)
• “World Storytelling Day”, a global celebration of the art of oral storytelling.
• “Won’t You Be My Neighbor Day”, a day to remember and honor Fred Rogers, the iconic children’s TV presenter of “Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood”, who was born on this date in 1928.
AND REMEMBER . . .
[Tues] Common Courtesy Day
[Tues] Crunchy Taco Day
[Wed] Goof-Off Day
[Thurs] Cuddly Kitten Day
This Week is…Clutter Awareness Week
This Month is…Cheerleading Safety Month
TODAY’S CELEBIRTHDAYS . . .
1939 [84] Brian Mulroney, Baie-Comeau QC, retired politician (18th Prime Minister of Canada 1984-93)/father of Ben Mulroney and Caroline Mulroney
1948 [75] Bobby Orr, Parry Sound, ON, retired NHL player (Legendary Boston Bruins defenceman who revolutionized the position, 2-time scoring champ/2-time Stanley Cup winner)/Hockey Hall of Fame 1979/Order of Canada, 1979
1957 [66] (Shelton) “Spike” Lee, Atlanta GA, movie director (“BlacKkKlansman”, “Malcolm X”)/movie producer (“Kobe Doin’ Work”)/movie actor (“Do the Right Thing”)
1958 [65] Holly Hunter, Conyers GA, movie actress (“The Incredibles” movies, “The Piano”, “The Firm”)
1963 [60] (Kathleen) Kathy Ireland, Glendale CA, model/author/entrepreneur (as a supermodel in the 1980s and 1990s, appeared in 13 consecutive Sports Illustrated swimsuit issues)/movie actress (“Once Upon a Christmas” movies)
1970 [53] Michael Rapaport, New York City NY, TV actor (“Boston Public”, “The War at Home”)/movie actor (“Cop Land”, “The Heat”)
1984 [39] Christy Carlson Romano, Milford CT, TV actress (“Kim Possible” 2002-07, “Even Stevens” 2000-03)
1986 [37] Ruby Rose, Melbourne, Australia, TV actress (“Batwoman” 2019-20)/movie actress (“John Wick: Chapter 2”, “Pitch Perfect 3”)/fashion model
THIS DAY IN SHOW BIZ . . .
2015 [08] FOX airs the series finalé of the musical show “Glee”, an episode entitled ‘Dreams Come True’
2017 [06] Rihanna begins her stint as ‘Marion Crane’ on “Bates Motel”, a role originated by Janet Leigh as the infamous shower-stabbing victim in the Alfred Hitchcock thriller “Psycho”
TODAY’S MUSIC EVENTS . . .
1991 [32] 1991 Eric Clapton’s 4-year-old son, Conor, dies after falling out of a window at his mother’s apartment. Clapton later writes ‘Tears in Heaven’ about him, a song which won 3 Grammys
2020 [03] Kenny Rogers dies at 81 at his home in Sandy Springs, Georgia
TODAY’S FIRST . . .
1917 [106] The first patent for the zipper (or “Separable Fastener”) is granted to Gideon Sundback (Time flies!)
TODAY’S RECORDS . . .
2012 [11] The movie “John Carter” (starring Taylor Kitsch) becomes one of the biggest losers in cinema history as Disney takes a $200 million write-down on the film
2015 [08] The equinox, a solar eclipse, and a super-Moon all occur on the same day
BULL’S BITS
BEST OF BS:
BS WHACK FACTS:
✓ The largest snowflake in the world was found in 1887: It was 15 inches (38cm) wide and 8 inches (20cm) thick.
✓ There’s an island in Japan you can visit that’s inhabited only by friendly bunnies.
✓ The British royal family isn’t allowed to play Monopoly.
✓ In the 19th century, experts warned women about a disease called ‘bicycle face’, which meant getting stuck with the awkward faces they made while biking.
✓ ‘God’ is the only “Simpsons” character who has 5 fingers. All other characters have 4.
✓ (***Caution: ‘Hell’***) “What in tarnation?” is literally just another way of saying, “What the hell?”
-Buzzfeed, TheFactSite
BS HOW IT RAINS IN DIFFERENT LANGUAGES:
• Cats and dogs (English)
• Old ladies and sticks (Welsh)
• Like a peeing cow (French)
• As from Esteri’s butt (Finnish)
• Female trolls (Norwegian)
• Chair legs (Greek)
• Tractors (Slovakian)
• Men (hallelujah)
Best of BS . . .
BS THINGS FOUND DURING SPRING CLEANING:
What have you dug up around the house that you’d forgotten you had? Perhaps …
• A box of useful 5¼-inch floppy discs.
• Vintage hairballs, courtesy of ‘Fluffy’.
• That copy of “Purple Rain” you were sure your girlfriend stole when she left … in ’98.
• A valuable collection of fridge mold … 10 years in the fermenting.
• Your stockpile of microwave popcorn from Y2K.
• A complete set of ‘Power Rangers POGs’ worth over $300 … 20 years ago.
• The OTHER pink sock you thought the dryer ate.
• Or maybe just … your hatred of Spring Cleaning.
-first published in BS in 2004
TODAY’S SCOOP OF BS:
➠ Spring officially arrives today at 5:24pm EDT. (Sorry, but for me, it’s not spring until I pay $16 bucks for a Stadium Beer to sit in the rain and watch my team lose because of free agency!!!)
➠ You can definitely tell its springtime. (I’ve already had my March Madness bracket shattered by the receptionist who picked her teams based on uniform colors!)
➠ It’s all but official — Aaron Rogers is going to the NY Jets. (New York residents are thrilled. Especially those that make a living from sweat lodges, voodoo dens and dark rooms…)
➠ There’s a dating app for people who are shy and/or have social anxiety. (It’s so cool to see a dating site exclusively for Canadians!)
➠ A man in Pennsylvania went into an adult store and ran off with $800 worth of merchandise. (He was reportedly upset about being arrested, but couldn’t wait for the handcuffs!)
BS WEB GOODIE:
Smile! It’s Spring (I thought I was…) [Sound up): https://tinyurl.com/3cfmdddw
BS RANDOM JOKE:
Spring is when you feel like whistling, even with a shoe full of slush.
BS U-PICK TRIVIA:
• What is the collective noun for a group of Rhino?
a) A Tower
b) A Crash
c) A Thunder [CORRECT]
d) A group of Rhino
• What is the highest-grossing video game franchise?
a) Call of Duty
b) Pokemon
c) Mario [CORRECT]
d) MC Hammer
• In which country do they use the currency Dong?
a) Viet Nam [CORRECT]
c) Cambodia
c) Thailand
c) Bangladesh
-BestQuizQuestions
BS PHONE STARTER:
What crazy thing once happened at work, and you were still expected to show up?
BS WATER COOLER QUESTION:
Question: Sales of THESE rise by 50% in Spring. What are they?
Answer: Prepackaged salads (bathing suit season is coming…)
BS DEEP THOUGHT:
To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow.
