Tuesday, May 25, 2021 — Edition: #6993

Bully For You!

 

BS SHOW BIZ BUZZ:
★ “F9,” the ninth installment in the “Fast & Furious” franchise, doesn’t open in North American theaters until June 25, but it’s already off to a hot start at the box office. The film, which stars Vin Diesel as the street racer turned master thief turned super spy, took in $162.4 million internationally over the weekend. Of that total, $135.6 million came from China — the biggest movie market in the world. That marks the biggest opening for a Hollywood film during the pandemic so far. “F9’s” solid performance is welcome news for a movie theater industry looking to rebound after a horrible year.
-CNN
★ The “Brady Bunch” kids are reuniting for a new TV project. The cast broke ratings records for HGTV when they reunited for the 2019 series “A Very Brady Renovation”, and now, several Brady Bunch stars will be appearing in the new Lifetime holiday movie “Blending Christmas”, which stars Haylie Duff and Aaron O’Connell. Barry Williams, who played ‘Greg’, Christopher Knight (‘Peter’), Susan Olsen (‘Cindy’) and Mike Lookinland (‘Bobby’) will all be appearing. And Jennifer Elise Cox — who played ‘Jan’ in “The Brady Bunch Movie” and “A Very Brady Sequel” — has also joined the cast, plus Robbie Rist (a.k.a. ‘Cousin Oliver’). Look for “Blending Christmas” to debut during the 2021 holiday season.
-ETCanada
★ Alex Rodriguez is taking a swing at the beauty industry. He shared several photos to his Instagram — one of him just posing, with a beaming smile, and another showing him using a blur stick by the company ‘Hims’, a wellness brand that gives men affordable access to hair, vitamins, mental health, skin products and more. The concealer, which he worked with the brand to create, was specifically designed for the needs of men. (…who are still crying because they got dumped by the most beautiful woman in the world!)
-Yahoo
★ Glenn Close is opening up about the trauma she has lived with for decades after spending her childhood growing up in a cult. In the new Apple TV+ series “The Me You Can’t See”, she revealed her father joined a conservative religious group, Moral Re-Armament, in 1954 when she was 7 years old. Close said her time spent in the cult damaged her ability to have lasting relationships. Quote: “It’s astounding that something that you went through at such an early stage in your life still has such a potential to be destructive. I think that’s childhood trauma.”
-People

TODAY’S SHOW BIZ SKED:
• “Jimmy Kimmel Live” (ABC/Global): Lena Waithe, Kelvin Harrison Jr., Allison Russell featuring Brittney Spencer & Brandi Carlile
• “The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon” (NBC/CTV): Kevin Hart, Chrissy Metz, St. Vincent
• “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” (CBS/Global): Gayle King, BTS
• “Late Night with Seth Meyers” (NBC/CTV): Jake Tapper, Paul W. Downs
• “The Late Late Show with James Corden” (CBS/CTV): Andrew Rannells
• “Conan” (TBS): Baratunde Thurston (R)
• “The View” (ABC/CTV): Joel McHale
• “The Talk” (CBS): Jenny McCarthy Wahlberg, guest co-hosts Jerry O’Connell & Jaime Camil
• “Live with Kelly and Ryan” (ABC/CTV): Emma Stone, Joseph Yoon
• “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” (NBC/CTV): Seth Meyers, Yvonne Orji, Travon Free, Florida Georgia Line
• “The Kelly Clarkson Show” (Check local listings): Dave Bautista, Loni Love, David Hasselhoff
• “The Drew Barrymore Show” (Check local listings): Best of Lifestyle Segments: Rachael Ray, Martha Stewart, Marie Kondo
• “Mike Tyson: The Knockout” (ABC): Mike Tyson’s youth and his transition from a bullied kid once he discovers his true power, which becomes the basis for his reputation as “The Baddest Man on the Planet.”
• “After Floyd: The Year that Shook the World — A Soul of a Nation Special” (ABC): Chronicling the events surrounding George Floyd’s death and spotlighting where the country goes from this point forward; Tamron Hall and T.J. Holmes co-host.
• “The Voice” (NBC): Live Finale Part 2
• “NCIS” (CBS): Season 18 finale
• “FBI” (CBS): Season 3 finale
• “Mental Samurai” (FOX): Season 2 premiere

BS MUSIC NOTES:
• Billie Eilish — has announced her “Happier Than Ever World Tour” across North America, Europe and the UK next year. It kicks off in New Orleans on February 3, 2022, and wraps on July 2, 2022 in Zurich.
She was forced to axe her 2020 “Where Do We Go? World Tour” due to the pandemic.
• Lil Nas X – ripped his pants mid-performance on “Saturday Night Live”. While singing Montero (Call Me By Your Name)’ his gyrating proved too much for his pants, which split down the front. He immediately grabbed his crotch — Michael Jackson style — boldly glared into the camera, and pressed on to the end of the song. LINK (2:20 mark): https://youtu.be/SbqLa4uOzo0
• Michael Jackson — Following a BBC investigation that found Martin Bashir duped Princess Diana into participating in her notorious 1995 interview, Jackson’s family is threatening to sue Bashir, claiming the British journalist used similar tactics to trick Jackson into allowing Bashir access for his 2003 documentary “Living with Michael Jackson”.
• The Tragically Hip – Friday, they released the new EP “Saskadelphia”. 4 years after the death of frontman Gord Downie. It comprises of 6 unreleased songs written in 1990, which were initially intended to appear on the “Road Apples” album. 5 were recorded that year, while the sixth, ‘Montreal’, was recorded during a concert in 2000.
• Alanis Morissette – released her new single ‘Rest’ to raise awareness on Mental Health Action Day (May 20). She first performed the song at the tribute concert for late Linkin Park frontman Chester Bennington at the The Hollywood Bowl in 2017. She is also encouraging donations to NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness. LINK:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kXfOiQf37Dw
• Morgan Wallen – seems to be slowly stepping back into the spotlight, 3½ months after his video controversy. Not only has he re-appeared on his record label’s website, he also showed up onstage at Kid Rock’s Big A—Honky Tonk Rock n’ Roll Steakhouse last week. But he won’t be “back” in major categories on the 2021 CMA Awards ballot. Wallen’s music will be eligible for the November awards show — so as not to punish his collaborators — but he won’t be eligible for Male Vocalist of the Year or Entertainer of the Year.
• Carrie Underwood – Her husband, former NHLer Mike Fisher, shared a video of the prank he played on her. In it, Underwood can be seen walking along with the road with her friend Cara Clark, before Fisher honks his horn at them loudly. The startled pair jump, then turn around, with Fisher laughing and saying: “We got ‘em!” LINK: https://tinyurl.com/3shpnx8j
• Garth Brooks – was celebrated by the Kennedy Center Honors on Friday for his lifetime of contributions to American culture. TV icon Dick Van Dyke, choreographer Debbie Allen, folk music singer Joan Baez and violinist Midori were also honored at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC, in a ceremony hosted by Gloria Estefan, which will air June 6 on CBS.

SHOOTING THE BULL

CHICKEN FEED:
Here is the latest in the never-ending fast food chicken sandwich wars: Potato chip maker Pringles is partnering with Wendy’s for its new chip flavor, which is based on the chain’s spicy chicken sandwich. “Wendy’s Spicy Chicken” flavored Pringles chips are said to mix the “fiery spice blend” of the chicken sandwich with the “perfectly crunchy and extremely convenient bite” of a Pringles, according to the company. And in an awesome tie-in, those who purchase the Pringles flavor will get a code for a free Wendy’s spicy chicken sandwich redeemable on its app. Wendy’s Spicy Chicken Pringles chips will be available next month, for a limited time.
(That’s awesome. Now they’re making fake chicken-flavored fake chips!)
(But somehow no one thought of offering the chips at Wendy’s instead of French fries?)
(Why is it that it’s OK to call those things “Sandwiches”, but if you call a burger a sandwich, people lose their minds?)
-CNN

STEP IT UP:
If you’re one of those people who constantly keeps an eye on the “step counter” app on your phone, a new study has some good news for you: Taking 4,500 steps per day can help you live longer. And researchers say it doesn’t matter if you take them all at once or in short spurts. The study, involving more than 16,000 women over the age of 60, was presented at the American Heart Association’s Health Conference 2021. Study authors asked participants to wear a step-counter to measure activity over 4-7 days. Those who took 4,500 steps per day had a significantly lower risk of death in comparison to the least active women. In comparison to taking no steps at all, researchers found each additional 1,000 steps contributes to a 28% decrease in risk of death. Research has showed that the average American takes between 3,000 and 4,000 steps each day. Canadians? 4,800.
(Note: The findings of this study are not applicable if your 4,500 steps involve 3 daily trips to the donut shop!)
(I get that many steps in at work, easy: In 4,500 daily short bursts of “one step forward, two steps back”!)
(Sure, walking a lot makes you live longer. But you have to spend all that extra time WALKING!)
-StudyFinds

PORCELAIN PICS:
(***Caution: Poop – a lot of it***)
A new “Smart toilet” is being developed which will take snapshots of your poop and send the images to a doctor for analysis. The picture-taking potty, which is being designed at Duke University, will use an algorithm to examine the “deposits” left in it, including whether blood is present. The fact that it will be able to send images to medical professionals is a potential lifesaver when it comes to detecting colon cancer and other conditions. Researchers Dr. Sonia Grego says the technology is something that can be installed in any toilet’s pipes, and it doesn’t require the patient to do anything other than flush.
(Which immediately eliminates half the people around here…)
(Wow…lucky doctors. Everyone else is sending nudes, and their phone is blowing up all day with pics of strangers’ poop!)
(Is this what is known as a “data dump”?)
-NYPost

FROM THE BS POLL VAULT:
A statistical look at who we are and the things we do …
• 89% of adults admit they can’t read Roman numerals.
• 40% of men don’t know their wife’s shoe size.
• 58% of men say they wash their face before going to bed.
• 87% of women say they have an eyelash curler in their purse.
• 48% of us say we will miss social distancing when the pandemic is over.
• 15% of us have accidentally gotten into the wrong vehicle in a parking lot.
• 17% of adults say they dislike the smell of cooking bacon!
• 13% of us admit we have stolen a roll of toilet paper at work.

DID YOU KNOW?
As we continue to see the easing of lockdown measures, including the relaxing of mask mandates and bans on social gatherings, lipstick makers say sales are showing signs of turning around. According to US market research firm IRI, lipstick sales hit $34.2 million in the four weeks ending April 18, up more than 80% from the same period a year earlier. The nation’s biggest lipstick retailer, Walmart, says sales were a standout in the quarter ending April 30, with shoppers showing a strong preference for smudge-proof lipsticks that don’t rub off as easily inside a mask.
-CNN

BS CHRONOMETER 05.25.21

TODAY’S CELEBIRTHDAYS . . .
1939 [82] (Sir) Ian McKellen, Burnley UK, movie actor (“The Hobbit” films, “Lord Of the Rings” trilogy, “X-Men” series)

1944 [77] Frank Oz (Oznowicz), Hereford UK, Muppeteer (‘Miss Piggy’, ‘Fozzie Bear’, ‘Bert’, ‘Grover’, ‘Cookie Monster’)/movie director (“Little Shop of Horrors”)/the voice of ‘Yoda’ also he is

1963 [58] Mike Myers, Toronto ON, movie actor “Austin Powers” movies, “Wayne’s World” movies/voice of ‘Shrek’)/Canadian Walk of Fame (2003)

1969 [52] Anne Heche, Aurora OH, TV actress (“Men in Trees” 2006-2008″, “Chicago PD” 2018-19/ movie actress (“Seven Days Seven Nights”, “Donnie Brasco”)

1972 [49] Octavia Spencer, Montgomery, LA, movie actress (“The Help”, “Hidden Figures”)

1976 [45] Cillian Murphy, Douglas Ireland, movie actor (“Inception”, “The Dark Knight Rises”)/TV actor (“Peaky Blinders” 2013-19)

TODAY’S BS REASONS TO PARTY . . .
• “Geek Pride Day”, a day for sci-fi fans and techno-nerds to stand tall. The date coincides with the 1977 release of the first “Star Wars” movie. What is a geek? The Geek Pride Organization says ‘you know one when you see one’. (Wasn’t May the 4th enough for these dweebs?)

• “International Missing Children’s Day”, promoting awareness of the problem and safety tips for kids and parents. We’re encouraged to turn on our porch lights in observance and as a way to show hope for missing kids, and support for their families.

• “African Liberation Day”, when many African countries celebrate the hard-fought achievement of their freedom from European colonial powers. It was founded in 1958 and coincides with the African Union’s “Africa Day”.

• “Tap Dance Day”, honoring the birthday of Bill ‘Bojangles’ Robinson, ‘King of Tap Dancers’, in 1878. (***Caution***: I wonder if tap dancers look at a floor and think “I’d tap that!”)

• “Brown Bag-It Day”, taking your lunch to work or school is an effective way to save money and to ensure you and your family are eating healthy (and to smuggle all of the cookies out of the house for yourself!)

• “Wine Day”, in moderation, wine not only fights heart disease but has other health benefits. It can also help fight type II diabetes, stroke, some cancers, high cholesterol, and even liver disease. In general, red wines are healthier than white wines. (Really, ANY day is wine day!)

AND REMEMBER . . .
[Wed] National Blueberry Cheesecake Day
[Wed] World Redhead Day
[Thurs] Cellophane Tape Day
[Thurs] Nothing to Fear Day
This Week Is…Learn To Swim Week
This Month Is…Melanoma Awareness Month

THIS DAY IN SHOW BIZ . . .
1977 [44] “Star Wars” (Episode IV – A New Hope), directed by George Lucas and starring Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher and Harrison Ford, is released, laying the groundwork for one of the most celebrated film franchises of all time. (This date 1983: “Return of the Jedi” is released)

2011 [10] Oprah Winfrey airs her final program, ending the 25-year TV run of “The Oprah Winfrey Show”

TODAY’S MUSIC EVENTS . . .
1985 [36] Wham!’s ‘Everything She Wants’ hits #1 in the US, making them the first group since the Bee Gees to have three #1 hits from the same album. (‘Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go’, ‘Careless Whisper’)

2005 [16] Carrie Underwood wins Season 4 of “American Idol” and becomes the show’s most successful alum: Her debut album goes on to sell over 7 million copies.

TODAY’S FIRSTS . . .
2001 [20] 32-year-old Erik Weihenmayer of Boulder CO becomes the first blind person to reach the summit of Mt. Everest

2012 [09] The SpaceX ‘Dragon’ becomes the first commercial spacecraft to successfully rendezvous with the International Space Station

BULL’S BITS

BS WHACK FACTS:
✓ Children learn an average of 10 new words a day between the ages of 2 and 5.
✓ Gloves have been around for 2,500 years. Mittens? Only about 1,000.
✓ Eucalyptus trees can explode in forest fires. (Eucalyptus oil is highly flammable.)
✓ It takes 8 minutes for sunlight to reach Earth, and more than 5 hours to reach Pluto.
✓ Russian engineers used an abacus to make the calculations for the 1957 launch of “Sputnik”.
✓ On average, the more features your phone has, the longer you spend in the bathroom.
-BathroomReadersInstitute

DANDY DANDELION WHACK FACTS:
✓ Dandelions are not weeds, but are from the same family as sunflowers.
✓ Every part of the dandelion is edible.
✓ One cup of dandelion greens equals 535% of the daily recommended Vitamin K and 112% of Vitamin A.
✓ A dandelion seed can travel up to five miles (8km) before it lands.
✓ The name ‘dandelion’ is taken from the French word “dent de lion” meaning lion’s tooth, referring to the coarsely-toothed leaves.
✓ Until the 1800s, people sometimes removed grass to plant dandelions.
-RealFarmacy, MyDandelionisaflower

Best of BS . . .
LEAST POPULAR GRADUATION PROM THEMES:
• “Bring Your Mom To the Prom!”
• “Where We’ll Be in 15 Years: A Realistic Appraisal!”
• “I Swear, It’s Not Contagious”
• “Late 1970s East German Discotheque!”
• “In the Year 2525: The Music of Zager & Evans!”
• “Scenes From the Class Struggle in Coahuila, Mexico!”
• “Gymnasium Chic!”
• “Up with Abstinence!”
• “McDonald’s is Hiring!”
-Kevin Evers, first published in BS in 2010

TODAY’S SCOOP OF BS:
➠ It’s Geek Pride Day! (But you already knew this because you had it circled on your “Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan” calendar…)
➠ Sunday’s 2021 Billboard Music Awards ceremony took place at the Microsoft Theater. (Which means viewers had to stare at a blue screen, then wait an 45 extra minutes before it started…)
➠ 22 NYPD officers were just convicted of dishonesty, corruption, and other misconduct. (Officials became suspicious of the men when they noticed they were New York police officers.)
➠ I just read a study that once claimed almost 65% of people on antidepressant drugs aren’t actually depressed. (Big deal.  65% of the people who eat pizza at 10 o’clock at night aren’t hungry. It’s a free country, people!)
➠ Three people at an Arizona park were injured and one taken to hospital after multiple bee stings.  (Speaking from the hospital, the one woman said, “No flowers, please.”

BS WEB GOODIE:
Teacher version of ‘Baby Shark’:  https://tinyurl.com/bf4s8j23

BS PHONE STARTER:
What were you forced to eat as a kid, and still refuse to eat as an adult?

BS RANDOM JOKE:
Always forgive your enemies. They hate that!

BS WATER COOLER QUESTION:
Question:  61% of couples have argued about THIS in the kitchen. What is it?
Answer:  Rinsing (or not rinsing) the dishes before putting them in the dishwasher

BS DEEP THOUGHT:
An opportunist is someone who goes ahead and does what you always intended to do.