Tuesday, March 31, 2020 – Edition: #6666

Look at all those sixes!

BS SHOW BIZ BUZZ:
★ “Duck Dynasty” patriarch Phil Robertson has some advice for those who are new to isolation — because he says he’s been “self-quarantined” for over 40 years. And BlazeTV agrees, which is why the streaming channel is releasing a few mini-episodes of “In the Woods With Phil,” rebranded as “In the Quarantine With Phil.” In the premiere episode, he quips, “I’ve taken social distancing to a new level.”
And he just might be the perfect person to help others through self-isolation and social distancing, given he has spent the past few decades far removed from the crowds, floating in a boat in a Louisianan bayou, making duck calls.
-TheWrap
★ “All My Children” star John Callahan has died at his home in Rancho Mirage, Ca. He was 66. Callahan suffered a massive stroke on Friday and was rushed to hospital where he was put on life support. Reportedly, several family members of the legendary actor were able to see him before he passed, despite hospital procedures put in place due to the current coronavirus pandemic.
-TheBlast
★ The doctors on “Grey’s Anatomy” are scrubbing out early. The current season of the long-running medical drama will wrap up a few episodes ahead of schedule after the show’s filming was interrupted by the coronavirus pandemic. Season 16 will now wrap up on April 9 with an episode titled “Put on a Happy Face.” That will be the 21st of the current season, which was supposed to be comprised of 25 episodes.
-CNN
★ Elle Fanning can identify her famous female co-stars by smell. She believes that every film set she’s worked on has a ”unique scent”, and says that she is often reminded of her co-stars when she gets a whiff of a particular fragrance. Fanning says she could identify Patricia Clarkson, Nicole Kidman and Angelina Jolie by their fragrance, and ”Whenever I come across those scents, I’m taken right back to those movie sets.”
-ContactMusic

TODAY’S SHOW BIZ SKED:
• “Jimmy Kimmel Live” (ABC/Global): Samuel L. Jackson, Jeff Tweedy & family
• “The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon” (NBC/CTV): Demi Lovato, Jonathan Van Ness
• “The Late Late Show with James Corden” (CBS/CTV): Meghan Trainor, Antonio Banderas, Rob Lowe, Kesha (R)
• “Conan” (TBS): Sophie Turner
• “The View” (ABC/CTV): Kim Kardashian West
• “The Talk” (CBS): Sean Hayes
• “Live with Kelly and Ryan” (ABC/CTV): Josh Radnor, Colton Underwood
• “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” (NBC/CTV): Demi Lovato, Justin Bieber (R)
• “The Kelly Clarkson Show” (CHECK LOCAL LISTINGS): Josh Gad, Grace VanderWaal (R)
• “Little People, Big World” (TLC):  Season 15 premiere
• “NBC News Special Report: Coronavirus Pandemic” (NBC): Will air weekly in this timeslot (on both NBC and MSNBC) for the foreseeable future

BS MUSIC NOTES:
• Ed Sheeran – His local cafe has a bottle of Heinz ketchup reserved just for him. Staff at The Dancing Goat Cafe in Framlingham, Suffolk have placed a special bottle in a glass box with a label reading: “In case of Ed Sheeran”, and the bottle inside is only ever used when he pops in. He is an avowed fan of Heinz ketchup.
• Ariana Grande – she and other cast members of Nickelodeon’s “Victorious” didn’t let the coronavirus stop them from celebrating the show’s 10th anniversary. She shared videos and photos from a virtual reunion that also included Victoria Justice, Leon Thomas III, Matt Bennett, Elizabeth Gillies, Avan Jogia, Daniella Monet, Eric Lange and creator Dan Schneider.
• Baby Shark – Beware if you’re in lockdown with young kids, because the Shark has released a brand-new song that will be stuck in your head for weeks to come. The new song has a timely message about washing your hands – with lyrics along the lines of: “Wash your hands doo doo doo doo doo” and “Grab some soap doo doo doo doo doo.”
• Rick Springfield – has posted a new version of his 1983 single ‘Human Touch’ to suit the coronavirus pandemic. It contains the words: “Everyone’s at home on their computer with their screaming kids and burned out spouse/got rubber gloves and a HAZMAT suit but got no toilet paper in the house…”
• Jon Bon Jovi – his collaboration with Prince Harry has been released. The pair teamed up in February to record a new version of Bon Jovi’s 2019 song ‘Unbroken’ for Duke of Sussex’s (now cancelled) Invictus Games. It also features the Invictus Games Choir.
• Sammy Hagar – He and his band the Circle aren’t letting the coronavirus stop them from making new music. Using their smartphones from four separate locations, Hagar, drummer Jason Bonham, bassist Michael Anthony and guitarist Vic Johnson have recorded and released the brand-new song ‘Funky Feng Shui’.  VIDEO
• Trace Adkins – has released ‘Better Off’, his first new single since 2017. The song finds him opting for a night in with the woman he loves over venturing into the downtown crowds. He says he is working on a new album.
• Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood — will appear in the primetime special, “Garth & Trisha: Live by Request!”, tomorrow night on CBS. The couple will perform live from their home recording studio while emphasizing the message that amid the coronavirus pandemic, “we’re all in this together.”

THIS WEEK’S NETFLIX (Canada) RELEASES:
➢ March 31:
• “Pineapple Express” (Comedy):  Two pot-loving doofuses are forced to run for their lives after witnessing a murder in this stoner classic. (Seth Rogen, James Franco)
• “Sense and Sensibility” (Drama):  After their father’s death, two young women have to navigate the tricky and patriarchal rules of inheritance in this adaptation of the Jane Austen novel. (Emma Thompson, Hugh Grant, Kate Winslet)
• “Step Brothers” (Comedy):  Two middle-aged men who still live at home are forced to live together when their parents get married. (Will Ferrell, John C. Reilly)
➢ April 1:
• “Community, Seasons 1-6” (Comedy):  The wacky, witty, and self-aware sit-com about a group of misfits who bond at an eccentric community college.
• “Reservoir Dogs” (Drama):  The complicated lives of professional thieves intertwine with the police after a robbery goes spectacularly wrong. (Harvey Keitel, Steve Buscemi, Tim Roth)
• “Magic Mike” (Comedy-Drama):  A male stripper teaches a younger performer how to party, pick up women, and make easy money. (Channing Tatum, Joe Manganiello, Matthew McConaughey)
(Full list: https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/entry/netflix-canada-april-2020_ca_5e77b2c1c5b62f90bc4caf20
For releases in other Netflix regions, click here: https://www.whats-on-netflix.com/coming-soon/)

STAY AT HOME COUPLES:
How’s the isolation thing working for you and your partner these days? With so many couples and families spending more time at home ‘physical distancing’, some are finding ways to make it work, and for others it can be a challenge. Celeb divorce lawyer Laura Wasser says that it’s no coincidence that there is an annual spike in divorces after couples have been cooped up together for an extended period of time during the Dec. holidays, and the ramifications of the coronavirus pandemic could be no different. Experts say to minimize tension in the household, it’s important to develop a daily routine for the family. You should also schedule time to be together, and time to be apart, even if that just means being in different rooms. Oh, and just as important: Maintain your sense of humor.
(I know what they’re saying. My wife and I broke up 5 times last week!)
(I’m not concerned about my relationship with my wife during this. But I think by the time it’s over, I’m going to want a divorce from my kids!)
(She’s right. Sometimes you have to practice ‘physical distancing’ from your family too!)
-CBC

THAT’S HOW HE ROLLS:
Apparently, now a roll of 2-ply is an effective way to say thanks. A TikTok user earned over 850,000 likes and 7,000 comments after posting a video about tipping delivery drivers with hand sanitizer and a 12-pack of Cottonelle toilet paper. His caption: “Take care of the people who are taking care of you. Stay safe, my friend.” The video, which has over 3.8 million views, shows a courier delivering a package being greeted by a sign that reads: “Delivery drivers: Take it if you need it! Thank you for all your hard work.”
LINK: https://tinyurl.com/shgam4t
(It’s great to see that he has their back…)
(You can’t say it won’t be put to good use!)
(You can’t spell tip without TP!)
-NYPost

HOW TO SPOT FAKE NEWS (According to Facebook):
☞ Be skeptical of headlines:  Fake news headlines often sound too good to be true — because they are. And beware of exclamation points and headlines written in all caps. (Yeah, that’s a ‘National Enquirer’ thing isn’t it?)
☞ Look closely at the link:  Have you heard of the news site in the URL? Does it sound like an established news source, but there’s a letter or two added, or missing? Those are telltale signs. (Also, if the source has these three letters, in order: ‘F, O, and X’.)
☞ Investigate the source:  Be aware of which outlets you trust, and watch out for them. Google the ones you haven’t heard of to see if they are reputable.
☞ Watch for unusual formatting:  Could you design a better homepage than that? Do you see spelling errors, and find the layout awkward? If the site you’re on looks off, the problem likely goes deeper.
☞ Look at other reports:  Is the outlet you’re reading the only one to report something extreme? Try to verify the story with Google.
☞ Is the story a joke? Some people don’t realize that The Onion and The Beaverton are satirical publications. Their stories are designed to look like real news, but they’re intended as parodies.
(And one more way to spot fake news: His lips are moving!)
-NYPost

DID YOU KNOW?
Social distancing is being given credit for not only slowing the spread of COVID-19, but other maladies as well. Data from US-based Kinsa Health, which is used to predict flu outbreaks, shows a drop in cold and flu-like illness rates, likely as a result of ‘physical distancing’.
-Quartz

BS CHRONOMETER 03.31.20

TODAY’S CELEBIRTHDAYS . . .
1943 [77] Christopher Walken, Queens NY, movie actor (Oscar-“The Deer Hunter”, “Hairspray”)

1948 [72] Rhea Perlman, Brooklyn NY, TV actress (“Cheers” 1982-1993)/movie actress (“Matilda”)

1948 [72] Al Gore, Washington DC, politician (Vice President of the United States 1993-2001)/environmentalist (founder of The Climate Reality Project/author of “An Inconvenient Truth”)

1955 [65] Angus Young, Glasgow Scotland, short-panted rock guitarist (AC/DC-‘Highway To Hell’, ‘You Shook Me All Night Long’)/Rock & Roll Hall of Fame (2003)

1971 [49] Ewan McGregor, Crieff Scotland, movie actor (“Moulin Rouge!”, “Trainspotting”) COMING UP…”Birthday Cake”, 2020

1983 [37] 40 (Noah Shebib), Toronto ON, hip-hop producer (Drake, Lil Wayne, Beyoncé, Alicia Keys, Jamie Foxx)/co-founder of Drake’s October’s Very Own (OVO) label

1984 [36] Jack Antonoff, Bergenfield NJ, indie rock guitarist/singer (fun.-‘Some Nights’, Bleachers-‘I Wanna Get Better’)/producer (Taylor Swift, Lorde, St. Vincent, Lana Del Rey, Carly Rae Jepsen, Dixie Chicks)

TODAY’S BS REASONS TO PARTY . . .
• “Farm Workers Day”, encouraging us to thank agricultural laborers for their role in growing what we eat.

• “She’s Funny That Way Day”, paying tribute to the female funny bone. How do the women in your life make you laugh? (***Ask for quirky things that funny ladies do***)

• “Dance Marathon Day”, Dance marathons are events in which people dance or walk to music for an extended period of time. They started as dance contests in the 1920s and developed into entertainment events during the Great Depression in the 1930s.

• “National Crayon Day”, a day to celebrate the invention of crayons and the joy of coloring. It’s a perfect day to dust off your crayons and spend the day coloring. (Is this what it’s come to?)

• “National Prom Day”, a day that was created to honor friendship, cherish memories, celebrate history, and enjoy the fun and excitement this milestone event brings (***Who has a prom disaster story?***)

AND REMEMBER . . .
[Wed] April Fools’ Day
[Wed] International Fun at Work Day
[Thurs] National Burrito Day
[Thurs] Reconciliation Day

THIS DAY IN SHOW BIZ . . .
1981 [39] At the first ever Golden Raspberry Awards (aka The Razzies), Neil Diamond takes home the prize for ‘Worst Actor’ for his performance in “The Jazz Singer”.

1985 [35] At WrestleMania I, Madison Square Garden, NYC: Hulk Hogan & Mr. T beat Roddy Piper & Paul Orndorf

TODAY’S MUSIC EVENTS . . .
1967 [53] Onstage at the Astoria Theatre in London, Jimi Hendrix sets fire to his guitar for the first time. He goes to hospital after the show with minor burns

2016 [04] Michael Stipe (REM), Cyndi Lauper, Ann Wilson (Heart), and Perry Farrell (Jane’s Addiction) are among performers at NYC’s Carnegie Hall in a concert honoring David Bowie, who died the previous January

2019 [01] 33-year-old rapper and activist Nipsey Hussle [Ermias Asghedom] is fatally shot outside his clothing store in Los Angeles

TODAY’S FIRST . . .
2007 [13] 2.2 million people take part in the first “Earth Hour” in Sydney, Australia

BULL’S BITS

BS WHACK FACTS:
✓ At this moment, nearly 2,000 thunderstorms are taking place around the world.
✓ Only about a third of the world’s population eats with a knife and fork.
✓ Dr. Seuss coined the word ‘nerd’ in his 1950 book “If I Ran the Zoo”.
✓ Some moth species send out jamming signals that confuse bat “radar”.
✓ Mount Everest is moving northeast at a rate of 2.4 inches a year.
✓ In 1980, the Yellow Pages accidentally listed a Texas funeral home under ‘Frozen Foods’.
-BathroomReadersInstitute

Best of BS . . .
FAKE ACTION FILM FACTS:
• Directors only shout “action” when filming action films. When directing a comedy, directors shout “comedy”, and when directing a rom-com, they shout “rom-com”.
• “Waterboy” was a prequel to “Aquaman”.
• “Stop Or My Mom Will Shoot” set the standard for the action films that followed.
• The bad guy never misses when shooting at the good guy.
• Schwarzenegger is an anagram for “Get to the choppa”.
• The plane was fake but the snakes were real.
• “The Matrix” was filmed before a live studio audience.
• “Rainman” and “Mad Max” are based on the same true story.
• The number of slow-motion explosions has a direct correlation to box-office success.
• “Die Hard” is not a Christmas movie.
• The larger the actor, the poorer the acting. (Wait, that one might be true…)
-Twitter, 2019

TODAY’S SCOOP OF BS:
➠ A report says that volunteering has hit a 10-year low in America.  (Geez. I like to look at it like this: Working for nearly nothing has skyrocketed!”)
➠ The UK’s biggest Disney fan is the first in the country to get Disney Plus. (And you’re not going to believe this, but I heard she’s single!)
➠ Kylie Jenner posed recently on a diving board wearing a $1,000 pair of unreleased Travis Scott x Nike Sneakers. (And I think I speak for every guy out there when I say, “Kylie Jenner has FEET?!?”)
➠ The U.S. national soccer team was supposed to be in Mexico this week trying to qualify for the Summer Games in Tokyo. But that’s been postponed due to Coronavirus. (Needless to say, Americans are shocked — to learn the U.S. has a men’s Olympic soccer team…)
➠ Christopher Walken turns 77 today. (But those silly impressions of him that everybody tries to do at the water-cooler NEVER never get old!)

BS WEB GOODIE:
Coronavirus Rhapsody:  https://tinyurl.com/sxo77ws

BS RANDOM JOKE:
I told my wife how thankful I am to have someone I enjoy being quarantined with. She said: “Must be nice.”

BS PHONE STARTER:
’Fess up … what’s your odd middle name that you don’t like to tell anyone?

BS WATER COOLER QUESTION:
Question:  41% of people can remember THIS set of numbers from their past. What is it?
Answer:  The license plate number of their first car.

BS DEEP THOUGHT:
Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see a shadow.