Tuesday, May 27, 2025 — Edition: #7960

Sheet For Brains!

 

BS SHOW BIZ BUZZ:
★ Michael Douglas will be celebrated with a lifetime achievement award by Italy’s Taormina Film Festival, where a fresh copy of  “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest,” the multiple Oscar-winning Hollywood classic that Douglas produced, will screen in the fest’s 8,000-seat open-air ancient Greek amphitheater. Douglas is also expected to hold a masterclass for film students at Taormina, in addition to the prize ceremony and screening. The 71st edition of Taormina will run June 10-14.
-Variety
★ Disney, Ryan Reynolds says he knows how to save your franchise. The “Deadpool & Wolverine” star, co-writer, and producer recently revealed he pitched the House of Mouse with a novel concept for a new “Star Wars project”. In a podcast appearance, Reynolds said he asked Disney about doing an R-rated Star Wars property. Quote: “It doesn’t have to be…A+ characters, there’s a wide range of characters you could use, and I don’t mean R-rated to be vulgar. R-rated is a Trojan horse for emotion. I always wonder why studios don’t want to just gamble on something like that.” And though he might seem like a natural fit to star in the Star Wars universe, Reynolds clarified: “I’m not saying I want to be in it…I would want to produce and write or be a part of behind the scenes.”
-EW
★ Mark Wahlberg and Amanda Seyfried are returning to the world of “Ted”. NBCUniversal has announced that they will be lending their voices to “Ted: The Animated Series” on Peacock. Wahlberg starred in the 2 Ted films as ‘John Bennett’, whose childhood stuffed bear ‘Ted’ is brought to life after a wish he made when he was younger. Seyfried starred in the 2015 sequel as lawyer ‘Sam Jackson’. They’ll be reprising their roles, alongside Seth MacFarlane, who voices the bear. Not much has been revealed about the new series, but it will be a continuation of the 2 films.
-PopCulture
★ Dick Van Dyke has revealed that he and longtime friend, the late Ed Asner, were set to team up for a remake of classic comedy “The Odd Couple” prior to Asner’s death in 2021. During a Q&A at an event in Malibu, Van Dyke said: “That would’ve been such fun, and we lost it. I’ve lost a lot of friends.” His wife Arlene chimed in, adding: “He’s outlived everybody. That’s the curse of living to almost 100.” Despite this, she maintained that the “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang” star is “still so positive”. Dick added later that he continues to perform and entertain because: “I’m a ham. I love it. I get a jolt of energy from an audience.”
-Deadline
★ Kevin Spacey, who bemoaned his career struggles last week while accepting an honor at Cannes, evoked a classic line from “Airplane” on Saturday, as if to suggest it was him who caused the power outage that disrupted much of southeastern France and threatened the closing ceremony. Spacey – apparently with the help of AI — posted an image on X of himself as ‘Johnny’, the mischievous and irreverent air traffic controller from the 1980 comedy, who briefly unplugs the runway lights as the plane is about to land — before plugging it back in and delivering the one liner: “Just kidding!” LINK:  https://tinyurl.com/yv4te25t
-TheWrap

TODAY’S SHOW BIZ SKED:
• “Jimmy Kimmel Live” (ABC/Global): Bono, Nathan Fielder
• “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” (NBC/CTV): Elton John, Brandi Carlile, Hailee Steinfeld, Perfume Genius (R)
• “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” (CBS/Global): Sen. Bernie Sanders, Pavement (R)
• “Late Night with Seth Meyers” (NBC/CTV): John Krasinski, Reba McEntire, Tony Gilroy (R)
• “After Midnight” (CBS/Global): Kate Micucci, Milana Vayntrub, Karan Soni (R)
• “The View” (ABC/CTV): Sarah Snook
• “Today” (NBC): Joshua Jackson, Michelle Williams
• “GMA3” (ABC): Ashley Tisdale
• “Live with Kelly and Mark” (ABC/CTV): Julianne Moore
• “The Kelly Clarkson Show” (Check local listings): Natalie Portman, Eiza González, Bryce Leatherwood performs
• “The Drew Barrymore Show” (Check local listings): Mariska Hargitay, Tyra Banks (R)
• “Jennifer Hudson Show” (Check local listings): Jessica Williams
• “America’s Got Talent” (NBC): Season 20 premiere
• “Destination X” (NBC): Series premiere. Ten strangers embark on the journey of a lifetime, with no idea where they are. They compete in challenges, earn clues and try to locate Destination X on a map.
• “Alert: Missing Persons Unit” (FOX): Season 3 finale
• “NHL Playoffs” (SN, CBC, ESPN): Conference final game #4: Dallas @ Edmonton
• “NBA Playoffs” (TNT, TSN): Conference final game #4: NY Knicks @ Indiana

BS MUSIC NOTES:
• Drake — made a surprise appearance at a Central Cee show to confirm that OVO Fest will be back this summer. Cench was playing at History in Toronto on Saturday, when Drake popped up on a balcony to perform ‘Nokia’. OVO Fest was founded by Drake in 2010 and ran annually in Toronto until 2019, returning after a COVID interruption in 2022, but it hasn’t been back since. No details yet.
• Kesha — has launched “Smash”, a new community platform where creators connect, collaborate and hire each other, and retain rights to whatever they create. To celebrate the announcement, she’s inviting creators to take part in an exclusive remix challenge for her new single ‘Boy Crazy’. LINK: https://tinyurl.com/3dnsny7x
• Led Zeppelin – The documentary “Becoming Led Zeppelin” will come to Netflix on June 7. Featuring new interviews with Jimmy Plant, Robert Page and John Paul Jones, the film premiered in IMAX venues on Feb. 7 and expanded to regular theaters on Feb. 14.
• Queen — Freddie Mercury has a secret child, according to an upcoming biography about him. In “Love, Freddie: Freddie Mercury’s Secret Life and Love”, author Lesley-Ann Jones claims the iconic frontman welcomed his daughter — identified only as “B” — with the wife of a close friend in 1976, following a fling. Jones claims the daughter was only known by those in the singer’s inner circle.
• Rod Stewart — has 3 albums in the works. The 80-year-old is showing no signs of slowing down with a new Faces album in the works, plus a country record and a covers collection. He told AARP The Magazine: “I just can’t stop. Even when I’m spending time with my grandkids, my passion for music drives me. I feel like I’ve done everything I’ve ever wanted, but there’s still more to come.”
• Morgan Wallen – has the #1 album in the US with his latest, “I’m the Problem”. The 2-hour long collection boasted a total of 493,000 album equivalent units earned in its debut week, the most for any album so far this year.
• Josh Turner – Just in time for Memorial Day weekend, on Friday, he released a video for ‘Unsung Hero’, from his 2024 album “This Country Music Thing”. The song is a salute to his grandfather, a World War II veteran, and images of him appear in the clip. LINK: https://tinyurl.com/5bufmmp6
• Jelly Roll – is still giving back. While on his “Big Ass Stadium Tour” with Post Malone, he stopped by the Adult Detention Center at Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office in Minnesota for a surprise visit. While there, he gave an inspirational speech to inmates, reflecting on his own experiences behind bars, and sharing that he was motivated to get his act together so he could go home and to “be the dad I didn’t have.”

SHOOTING THE BULL

I SPY WITH SHUT-EYE:
A new type of contact lens allows the user to see in the dark. Chinese scientists say their infrared contact lenses enable “super-vision” by converting infrared light into visible light, and the wearer can see objects in the dark – even with their eyes closed. Unlike night vision goggles, the state-of-the-art contact lenses don’t require a power source. They’re transparent, which means users can see both infrared and visible light simultaneously. The developers say infrared vision is enhanced when the user has their eyes closed. The senior author of the research notes that potential applications for the new invention include transmitting “information in security, rescue, encryption or anti-counterfeiting settings.”
(Great. Now I can lose sleep — and see why!)
(Seeing in the dark with my eyes closed? Yeah, that sounds like a superpower — or a curse…)
-Talker

WHEN DOES WORKING OUT — GO OUT THE WINDOW?
At what age do you suppose most people finally give up – and, intentionally or not, cut way back on exercise? According to new research, 49 is the age when physical activity markedly declines. Northeastern University researchers looked into existing research, which has shown that it’s hard to maintain a physically active lifestyle as we age. They analyzed the brain scans and activity levels of more than 600 people, and found that physical activity drops off suddenly around age 49 – and the brain is partly to blame. Lead researchers Timothy Morris explained that when you age, the part of the brain that helps control impulses — the “salience network” — changes. So, at a certain point, your brain won’t naturally “inhibit that desire to sit on the sofa.” In other words, there’s no little voice telling you to turn off the TV and “do something”. The keys to staying active into your 50s, he feels, are starting early [because kids who play sports are more likely to be active as adults], and to find “fun” physical activities to take part in as an adult.
(Ha! It’s not laziness, it’s neuroscience!)
(I don’t skip leg day — my brain skips it for me!)
-Axios

MYTHBUSTERS: SUNSCREEN EDITION…
Today is ‘Sunscreen Protection Day’. These statements, contrary to what you have probably been told, are all myths. Each will be followed by the facts…
• Dark skin doesn’t need sunscreen/can’t get melanoma: Darker skin tones are less prone to skin cancer, but this can also mean the signs of trouble are ignored.
• A base tan protects you: A base tan is nature’s way of producing sun protection because you’ve been irradiated. But that doesn’t lessen your risk of skin cancer, and constant tanning ages your skin.
• You don’t need to use sunscreen inside: All contact with sunlight requires protection, even exposure through an office or car window — and walking from building to building.
• The number on sunscreen is proportionate to the number of minutes of sun protection: Nope. Sun Protection Factor (SPF) is a measure of how much solar energy (UV radiation) is required to burn protected skin. SPF 15 allows 1/15 of harmful UVB rays to reach the skin. That means you’re protecting against 93% of UVB radiation. So, SPF 30 blocks 97% and SPF 50 prevents 98%. (OK you got me there…I thought that one was true!)
• The SPF in makeup is enough: Maybe for a few minutes. But if you’re outside longer than 15 minutes, you need higher SPF and must reapply.
• One application of sunscreen in the morning is good for the whole day: Reapplying is just as important as the first coat. Sunscreen gets consumed when light hits it, which means you need more, regularly.
• You don’t need sunscreen during off-peak hours: The sun can cause damage no matter what time it is. If you’re outside for longer than 15 minutes, use protection. You can get burned at 8am, or after4 pm. (So why can’t I ever seem to even get a TAN then??)
• Sunscreen on your face, arms, back, and legs is enough: It’s a great start, but you should also apply it to the ears, nose, hands and the tops of your feet. And remember your scalp, especially if you have thinning or sparse hair. (That’s what my fishing hat is for!)
• Melanoma is only caused by sun exposure: It can strike without sun exposure, which makes regular skin checks important. Sun exposure does make the risk higher.
(See you at the beach this summer…if we recognize each other with all that sunscreen and extra clothing on!)
-Yahoo, first published in BS in 2021

EVEN MORE EPONYMOUS LAWS (Internet Version):
Murphy’s Law states: “Anything that can go wrong will go wrong.” Here are some computer-themed laws named after other people, all based on observations or rules of thumb that capture a universal truth…
Badger’s Law: “Any website with the word ‘Truth’ in the URL has none in the posted content.”
CAD’s Theorem of Topic Closure: “A clear, well thought-out, well-written post is less likely to receive a reply than a (crappy), moronic, badly mistaken post, because it leaves less to be said.”
Cunningham’s Law: “The best way to get a correct answer to a posed question is to post the wrong answer and wait for someone to correct you.”
Danth’s Law: “If you have to insist that you’ve won an internet argument, you’ve probably lost badly.”
Godwin’s Law: “As an online discussion grows longer, the probability of a comparison involving Hitler approaches 1.”
Law of Exclamation: “The more exclamation points used in an email (or post), the more likely it is a complete lie. This is also true for excessive capital letters.”
Law of Fakery: “Anything fake which attracts enough attention will have some people vehemently proclaiming it’s real.
Lewis’ Law: “The comments on any article about feminism justify feminism.”
Munroe’s Law: “You will never change anyone’s opinion on anything by making a post on the Internet. Knowing this will not stop you from trying.”
Shank’s Law: “There is no idea so bat(bleep!) insane that you can’t find at least one PhD scientist to support it.”
Skitt’s Law: “Any post correcting an error in another post will contain at least one error itself”
Time Cube Law: “As the length of a webpage grows linearly, the likelihood of the author being a lunatic increases exponentially.”
(Got any more to add?)
-Secretorum

DID YOU KNOW?
Teenagers who sleep longer and have an earlier bedtime have improved brain function and perform better in thinking and memory tests, says a new study. A report published in Cell Reports found that going to bed later and sleeping for a shorter amount of time affects the adolescent’s body clock during an important period of brain development. But the study also showed that even those with better sleeping habits are not getting the amount of sleep recommended for their age group. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommends that teens get 8-10 hours of sleep during this developmental period. (My teenagers get 8-10 hours of sleep most afternoons!)
-CTV

BS CHRONOMETER 05.27.25

TODAY’S BS REASONS TO PARTY . . .
• “Cellophane Tape Day”, marking the date in 1930 that a patent for the product was granted to Richard Drew. His invention was later marketed by 3M as ‘Scotch’ tape. Mr. Drew also invented masking tape. (I had a book about him. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find the beginning…)
• “Grape Popsicle Day”, a salute to one of the favorite flavors of the frozen treat. Also, messiest.
• “Sunscreen Protection Day”, to stress the importance of using protection against the harmful UV rays from the Sun. Doctors and medical professionals recommend a Skin Protection factor (SPF) of 30 or higher. Wear sunglasses too! (***See ‘MythBusters: Sunscreen Edition’, above***]
• “Nothing to Fear Day”. It’s a chance to stand up and declare, as President Franklin D. Roosevelt did on May 27, 1941 that, “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself,” and take back control of our lives. (He forgot about spiders…)
• “Gray Day”, to raise awareness about brain cancer, and to honor caregivers, and remember those who passed away from brain cancer, and to celebrate those who survived it. LINK: https://www.cancercenter.com/cancer-types/brain-cancer
AND REMEMBER . . .
[Wed] Amnesty International Day
[Wed] The Slugs Return From Capistrano Day
[Thurs] Biscuit Day
[Fri] Mint Julep Day
This Week is…Great American Brass Band Week
This Month is…Mental Health Month

TODAY’S CELEBIRTHDAYS . . .
1945 [80] Bruce Cockburn, Ottawa ON, folk-rock singer-songwriter (‘Lovers in a Dangerous Time’, ‘If I Had a Rocket Launcher’)

1958 [67] Neil Finn, Te Awamutu New Zealand, rock singer-guitarist (Split Enz -‘I Got You’, Crowded House-‘Don’t Dream Its Over’)/Fleetwood Mac touring guitarist 2018-19

1965 [60] Todd Bridges, San Francisco CA, TV actor (‘Willis’ on “Diff’rent Strokes” 1978-1986)

1966 [59] Sean Kinney, Renton WA, rock drummer (Alice in Chains-‘Rooster’, ‘Man in the Box’)

1970 [55] Joseph Fiennes, Wiltshire England, TV actor (“The Handmaid’s Tale” 2017-2021, “Flashforward” 2009-2010)/brother of Ralph Fiennes. COMING UP… “The Way of the Wind”

1971 [54] Paul Bettany, London England, movie actor (‘J.A.R.V.I.S.’ in Marvel Universe, “The Da Vinci Code”)/TV actor (“WandaVision”) COMING UP… “The Collaboration”

1973 [52] Jack McBrayer, Macon GA, TV actor (“30 Rock” 2006-13, “The Middle” 2013-18)

1975 [49] André 3000 (Benjamin), Atlanta GA, rapper (OutKast-‘Hey Ya!’, ‘The Way You Move’)/TV actor (“Dispatches From Elsewhere”, 2020)

1975 [50] Jamie Oliver, Essex England, celebrity TV chef (“Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution”, “Jamie’s Kitchen”, “The Naked Chef”, etc.)

1980 [45] Ben Feldman, Washington DC, TV actor (“Superstore” 2015-21, “Mad Men” 2012-14)

1990 [35] Chris Colfer, Clovis CA, TV actor (“Glee” 2009-15) COMING UP…”The Restoration at Grayson Manor”

1999 [26] Lily-Rose Depp, Neuilly-sur-Seine France, TV actress (“The Idol” 2023)/movie actress (“The Dancer”)/model (Chanel brand ambassador)/daughter of Johnny Depp

THIS DAY IN SHOW BIZ . . .
2021 [04] The “Friends” reunion screens on HBO Max, 17 years after the TV series ended.

2022 [03] Season 4 of the Netflix series “Stranger Things” airs, with a scene featuring the 1985 Kate Bush song ‘Running Up That Hill’. The song trends, and enters the Top 10 in 34 territories, including the US, where it lands at #8. Her previous US chart peak was #30, when the song was first released.

TODAY’S MUSIC EVENTS . . .
2004 [21] The Bee Gees are made Commanders of the Order of the British Empire at Buckingham Palace; Maurice’s son Adam accepts on behalf of his father, who died 6 months earlier.

2017 [08] Gregg Allman of The Allman Brothers Band dies at 69 after a battle with liver cancer.

2017 [08] ‘Despacito’ by Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee ft. Justin Bieber tops the Hot 100, becoming the first #1 sung mostly in Spanish since ‘Macarena’ in 1996.

TODAY’S FIRST . . .
2014 [11] Google unveils its self-driving car, a prototype that can travel 25 mph (40kph) and safely respond to a variety of situations (usually…).

BULL’S BITS

BS WHACK FACTS:
✓ A single lightning bolt has enough energy to toast 100,000 slices of bread.
✓ When scientists developed straight bananas in the 1960s, the public refused to buy them.
✓ Bread goes stale in the fridge up to 6 times faster than at room temperature.
✓ Given the choice, mice prefer sweets and carbs over cheese.
✓ ‘Trimethylaminuria’ is a rare genetic disorder that makes a person smell like rotting fish.
✓ Gibraltar Airport’s runway crosses a major highway. Traffic stops when planes take off or land.
-WhattheFFacts, Facts

Best of BS . . .
BS BAD NAMES FOR A ROMANCE NOVEL:
• From Here To Paternity
• Gone With The Next Door Neighbor
• You’ve Got Mail Order Bride
• The MILF on the Shelf: A Christmas Love Story
• Burning Sensation
• “Keep the Change” and Other Date-Night Whispers
• For God’s Sake Just Rip His Shirt Off And Spare Us The 180 Pages Of Butt-Clenchingly Turgid Prose Leading Up To The Deed
-Twitter, first published in BS in 2020

HOW TO TELL IT’S TIME FOR A NEW CAR:
• People behind you change lanes to keep your oil off their windshield
• Opening your trunk requires finding a screwdriver.
• Tractor trailer drivers are afraid to pass you.
• Your friends would rather walk or ride a bus than ride with you.
• The engine is so loud you cant hear a dump truck crash through a nitroglycerin factory.
• You have to leave it running for fear it might not start back up.
• You have, on more than one occasion, been chased down by a firetruck.
• When you drive over a puddle, your pants get wet.
• You have parked on the side of the road and had someone stop and ask if you are injured.
-First published in BS in 2017

BS WEB GOODIE:
Needed this today:  https://tinyurl.com/2vxp9eny

BS RANDOM JOKE:
After overthinking it for 6 hours, I’ve decided that it’s actually not that big of a deal.

☎ BS PHONE STARTER:
What do you pretend to understand, but actually have no clue about?

BS WATER COOLER QUESTION:
A survey found that 55% of parents plan to do THIS with their kids this summer. What is it?
Answer:  Go to a concert

BS DEEP THOUGHT:
Nothing makes one feel so strong as a call for help.