Tuesday, May 13, 2025 — Edition: #7951
The BS Press!
BS SUBSCRIBER NOTE:
The Bull Sheet will not be publishing on Monday, May 19 to observe the Canadian Victoria Day holiday. All subscribers will receive credit for the non-service day. The Bull Sheet will resume publication on Tuesday, May 20.
BS SHOW BIZ BUZZ:
★ Fox is rebooting NBC’s iconic competition series “Fear Factor” — but will it include the show’s iconic host, Joe Rogan? The original “Fear Factor” aired on NBC from 2001 to 2006 with Rogan as its original host, then again from 2011-2012. Fox said: “he’s (a) major talent tied to the show, but it’s too early…to say” if he’ll be back. Fox also picked up another former NBC series for its 2025-2026 schedule: The Jane Lynch-hosted “Weakest Link.”
-Variety
★ Niall Horan knows the ‘one direction’ he’s heading: toward the set of “The Voice”. After a 2-year hiatus from NBC’s singing competition series, the ‘Slow Hands’ singer will return to the iconic red chair as a coach for season 28. The One Direction star excelled in the role in seasons 23 and 24, winning both installments with contestants Gina Miles and Huntley. Season 28 will premiere this fall.
-E!
★ Amber Heard is now a mother of 3. Sunday, she wrote on Instagram that she has welcomed twins into the family, a son named Ocean and a daughter named Agnes. She shared the news along with a photo of their tiny feet. After her legal battles with ex-husband Johnny Depp ended in 2022, Heard moved overseas to live a quieter life in Madrid, Spain. She has not publicly confirmed a current significant other. LINK: https://tinyurl.com/f656sus7
-AP
★ The wife of Jennifer Aniston’s alleged stalker said that he is obsessed with the “Friends” actress, and wants her to be his “queen”. Jimmy Carwyle, who also believes he is Jesus Christ, was arrested after ramming the security gate at Aniston’s Bel-Air home on May 5. Julia Carwyle, who believes her husband is struggling with mental health problems, told Daily Mail he is a “great guy” and he has made 3 trips to meet with his celebrity infatuation. The 48-year-old’s disheveled appearance shocked observers when he shuffled into an arraignment hearing, wrapped in an anti-suicide blanket, at LA Superior Court last Thursday.
-DailyMail
★ Tom Cruise might have never starred in “Rain Man” if not for his little sister. During a conversation at the British Film Institute, Cruise reflected on his career and told the story of his chance meeting with Dustin Hoffman. It was 1984 and Cruise had just shot Ridley Scott’s “Legend.” He was back in the US visiting his sister Cass, who spotted Hoffman from across a New York restaurant. Hoffman ended up offering Cruise and his sister tickets to “Death of a Salesman”, and invited them backstage after the show. Laughing, Cruise remembered: “As I was leaving, he said, ‘I want to make a movie with you.’ And I said, ‘That would be nice, sir’… and basically a year later he sent Rain Man.”
-Variety
TODAY’S SHOW BIZ SKED:
• “Jimmy Kimmel Live” (ABC/Global): David Harbour, Sebastian Stan, Florence Pugh, Wyatt Russell, Hannah John-Kamen, Billy Idol, Avril Lavigne (R)
• “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” (NBC/CTV): Blake Shelton, Desi Lydic
• “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” (CBS/Global): Alexander Skarsgård, Brian Cox
• “Late Night with Seth Meyers” (NBC/CTV): John Krasinski, Reba McEntire, Tony Gilroy
• “After Midnight” (CBS/Global): Bento Skinner, Mary Beth Barone, Holmes
• “Watch What Happens Live” (Bravo): Jesse Lally, Danny Booko
• “The Daily Show” (COM): TBA
• “The View” (ABC/CTV): Jimmy Fallon, Layla Taylor and Jessi Ngatikaura
• “Today” (NBC): Blake Shelton, Erin Andrews co-hosts
• “GMA3” (ABC): Tia Carrere
• “Live with Kelly and Mark” (ABC/CTV): Jay Pharoah, Alfonso Ribeiro, Drew Baldridge
• “The Kelly Clarkson Show” (Check local listings): Jonathan Groff, Lovie Simone, Jamie Ward;
• “The Drew Barrymore Show” (Check local listings): Mindy Kaling, Demi Moore, Justin Theroux
• “Jennifer Hudson Show” (Check local listings): Kesha
• “Will Trent” (ABC): Season 3 finale
• “The Rookie” (ABC): Season 7 finale
• “The Voice” (NBC): Live, semi-final results
• “Joan Rivers: A Dead Funny All-Star Tribute” (NBC): Special: Note that the version streaming Wednesday on Peacock will be an extended and uncensored version.
• “NHL Playoffs” (SN, CBC, ESPN): Game #4: Winnipeg @ Dallas
• “NBA Playoffs” (TNT, TSN): Game #5: Indiana @ Cleveland; Denver @ Oklahoma
BS MUSIC NOTES:
• Taylor Swift – A plaque on a bench in a Nashville park honoring her has been stolen. Installed by the city in 2023, it reads: “For Taylor Swift. A bench for you to read on at Centennial Park. Welcome home, Nashville.” That’s a nod to a line in Swift’s song ‘invisible string’. The city plans to replace it.
• Sophie Ellis Bextor – The ‘Murder on the Dancefloor’ singer has announced her 8th studio album “Perimenopop” will drop on Sept. 12. She also released the new single ‘Taste’ with MNEK. LINK: https://tinyurl.com/mpnk44td
• Oasis – Their entire music catalogue is available for the first time in Spatial Audio with Dolby Atmos on Apple Music. The group’s label commissioned Grammy award-winning producer, mixer and engineer Ryan Hewitt to recreate the mixes from scratch, which turned out to be an 18-month labor of love.
• Elton John – According to his husband, he owns about 15,000 pairs of eyeglasses. John recently had to go through them to get ideas for a new signature line of eyewear he’s created for the British company SpecSavers. David Furnish said that he used to have even more, but auctioned some off in periodic purges of his possessions. Last year, a pair sold for $23,000.
• Twisted Sister — Dee Snider spoke about his decision to relocate his family to rural North Carolina from LA. The 70-year-old said: “A couple of years ago, everybody was sitting around saying, you know, it’s time to get back to a calmer life.” As a motorcyclist, he appreciates the chance to “just get out on the open roads and just really enjoy the beauty of the state.”
• Morgan Wallen – got right to the point about his controversial “Saturday Night Live” appearance during “Caleb Pressley’s Sundae Conversation”. When asked about his awkward exit when he left the stage early as the credits rolled, he explained: “I was just ready to go home. I had been there all week.”
• Cody Johnson – The ACM song of the year winner for ‘Dirt Cheap’ and his wife Brandi are getting ready to welcome a son. He said to People: “We’re having a little boy! We decided to make this our announcement to the world and our gender reveal as well.” They already have daughters Clara, who is 10, and 8-year-old Cori.
• LeAnn Rimes — has been cast in “9-1-1: Nashville” as a series regular. According to ABC, the new series, the latest installment in the 9-1-1 franchise, is set in Music City and “explores the high-stakes lives of first responders in one of America’s most iconic cultural hubs.” Rimes recently left “The Voice UK” after one season.
SHOOTING THE BULL
FLIPPING THE SCRIPT – WITH A FLIP-PHONE:
According to a 2022 poll, more than half of us believe we spend too much time on our smartphones. And a more recent survey found that smartphone users reach for theirs an average of 205 times daily – which works out to once every 5 minutes, except when you’re sleeping. So, it’s no wonder that even though it may sound drastic, some people are opting to trade their smartphone for a simpler “dumbphone”. People who want to break free from endless scrolling and algorithm overload are ditching their shiny screens for flip phones and minimalist gadgets like the Light Phone or Minimal Phone. One guy, Jose Briones, who was racking up a whopping 13 hours of screen time daily, finally decided to swap his Google Pixel for the “Light Phone II”, a tiny e-ink device (like the display on a Kindle) with just the basics: calls, texts, alarm, and directions. Since then, he says his days are filled with walks, hobbies, and real conversations. He enjoys the fact that, as he put it: “When you’re offline, things have a beginning and an end — no infinite scroll.” Plus, his friends actually call him now. Another bonus: A dumbphone costs way less than a new iPhone, and slashes your monthly bill too.
(Refreshing to disconnect. Slightly less refreshing to not know when the bus arrives!)
(It turns out the REAL smartphone is the dumb one!)
-HuffPost
ZZZZZZs WITH EASE:
❑ A study published in Personality and Individual Differences found that people who rely on background sound, such as a fan, in order to sleep, tend to be more hyper-aware of their surroundings, easily overstimulated in busy or unpredictable environments, and more prone to racing thoughts or sensory overload – especially at night. The researchers believe these people often have a highly sensitive nervous system that struggles to “switch off” in silence – and found that the steady hum of white noise or a fan helps reduce internal alertness by masking small, sounds — like footsteps, creaks, or conversations — that would otherwise keep the brain on high alert. (Or maybe they’re just warm?)
❑ A Mayo Clinic study examined the effects of sleeping with pets and found that sleep quality can improve — when your dog is under 40 pounds (18kg) — but may worsen with larger breeds. The researchers tracked the sleep of 40 adults and their dogs over a 7-night period, and found that having a dog in the bedroom — even if not on the bed — gave participants a greater sense of security, reduced nighttime anxiety, and helped them fall asleep faster. (The good news is that my dog’s under 40 pounds. The bad news: He steals the blanket!)
-Faces
‘MANAGING’ EXPECTATIONS:
Who’d want to have the boss’s job, anyway? It would seem that as Gen Z edges into their 30s, they’re not dreaming of corner offices — they’re doing what’s being called “conscious unbossing.” That’s where, instead of chasing management titles, many are sidestepping leadership roles at work as a way of protecting their well-being. Translation: less burnout, more balance. A Business Insider report says that unlike Boomers, who climbed career ladders and stayed put, or Millennials, who somewhat grudgingly stepped into leadership, Gen Z is openly asking: Is all that stress worth it? Studies show they’re 1.7 times more likely than older generations to avoid management positions. And honestly? Who can blame them? Many modern managers are overwhelmed, underpaid — and always on the chopping block. Leadership expert Megan Salla-Camina explained that Gen Z is “redefining power and prioritizing purpose”. According to her, they are Ok with working hard, but don’t expect them to sit at their desks for 8 hours if the job’s done in 5. And for businesses, that’s a wake-up call. They should be prepared to adapt, or risk losing future leaders.
(Gen Z is leaving 3 hours early? Sounds like they’re working bosses’ hours without the title!)
(Me? Lead a team? I can’t even lead a group chat!)
-BusinessInsider
STRANGE ANIMALS YOU WON’T BELIEVE ACTUALLY EXIST:
1. Hairy Frog: Also known as the “horror frog,” this African amphibian can break its own toe bones to produce claws for defense. (Take THAT, Wolverine!)
2. Enigma Moth: This recently-discovered primitive moth from Australia is notable for the fact that it is born, emerges from its cocoon, finds a mate, reproduces, and then dies within one day. (No wonder it was just discovered…they kept dying before they could be tracked down!)
3. Sea Cucumber: These marine animals can expel their internal organs to deter predators, and regenerate them later. (Pretty sure that’s what I did every New Year’s Eve in my 20s…!)
4. Saiga Antelope: Native to the Eurasian steppes, it has a distinctive, over-sized nose that filters dust and regulates blood temperature. (Same…)
5. Glaucus Atlanticus: Also known as the “blue dragon,” this tiny sea slug floats on the ocean surface and preys on venomous jellyfish, storing their toxins for its own defense. (Basically, an ocean Pikachu with an attitude…)
6. Pangolin: Covered in protective keratin scales, this nocturnal mammal is the only known mammal with such armor and is often found in Asia and Africa.
7. Aye-Aye: A lemur native to Madagascar, it uses its elongated middle finger to tap on trees and locate insects, exhibiting a unique foraging method.
8. Goblin Shark: This deep-sea shark has a protruding jaw that can snap forward to catch prey, giving it a distinctive and eerie appearance. (A shark that launches its face at you. Surprise!)
9. Axolotl: A Mexican salamander that retains its larval features throughout its life, known for its remarkable ability to regenerate limbs.
10. Star-Nosed Mole: Found in North America, it has a unique star-shaped nose with 22 fleshy appendages, making it one of the fastest foragers among mammals. (It stuck its face into a bundle of party blowers and called it evolution!)
-ListVerse
DID YOU KNOW?
Simon Cowell turned down $150,000 to judge a couple’s sex life. The music mogul says he was enjoying a meal in a restaurant when a man approached him, introduced his wife, and asked for a picture. After telling Cowell “I love your show”, the man got right to the point, asking: “Would you judge us having sex?” At first, Cowell thought the man was joking, but after being offered $150,000, he briefly considered accepting the offer, before thinking to himself: “Do I? No, I just can’t do it.” He called the incident “so bizarre”. (Maybe if he hosted “Sex Factor”…)
-TheBoot
BS CHRONOMETER 05.13.25
TODAY’S BS REASONS TO PARTY . . .
• “Tulip Day”, celebrated in several countries to welcome Spring. It’s a good excuse to drop by your favorite florist and pick up a tulip bouquet — but don’t expect their floral scent to enhance your home … tulips are virtually fragrance-free.
• “Top Gun Day”, celebrating the movie, which starred Tom Cruise as fighter pilot ‘Pete “Maverick” Mitchell’, which premiered May 12, 1986. So, why celebrate on May 13? Due to an error, the first Top Gun Day was celebrated on May 13, and they decided to keep it on that date in subsequent years. (“I feel the need…the need for accuracy…”)
• “Cocktail Day”, commemorating the anniversary of the first time “cocktail” was defined in print. On May 13, 1806, Harry Croswell, of The Balance and Columbian Repository, a New York tabloid, defined a cocktail as “a stimulating liquor, composed of spirits of any kind, sugar, water, and bitters.”
• “Hummus Day”, celebrated since 2012 to salute the spread made from cooked, mashed chickpeas blended with tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and garlic. (The stuff also makes a good wall spackle…)
• “Leprechaun Day”, dedicated to the wee elves of Ireland. According to folklore, if you catch one, he has to give you his pot of gold. (We just hope it’s not full of sham rocks!)
• “Apple Pie Day”. The first apple pie recipe was printed in England in 1381. Ingredients included good apples, good spices, figs, raisins, pears, saffron and cofyn (a type of pastry crust).
• “Cough Drop Day”. They’re sometimes known as throat lozenges, because they were originally shaped like lozenges, or diamonds. They’ve also been called troches, cachous, and cough sweets. (Today, have a couple, whether you’re sick or not!)
• “Frog Jumping Day”, dedicated to frogs that jump, and jumping like a frog, and frog jumping contests, and Mark Twain’s short story “The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County,” which appears to be the inspiration for the day.
AND REMEMBER . . .
[Wed] Buttermilk Biscuit Day
[Wed] Dance Like a Chicken Day
[Thurs] Chocolate Chip Day
[Fri] Bike to Work Day
This Week is…Display Week
This Month is…Drum Month
TODAY’S CELEBIRTHDAYS . . .
1939 [86] Harvey Keitel, Brooklyn NY, movie actor (“Reservoir Dogs’, “Pulp Fiction”, “From Dusk till Dawn”) COMING UP… “Hellfire”
1950 [75] Stevie Wonder (Steveland Morris), Saginaw MI, pop/R&B singer-songwriter (‘Superstition’, ‘I Just Called to Say I Love You’)/25 Grammys and over 30 top 10 hits/Rock & Roll Hall of Fame 1989
1961 [64] Dennis Rodman, Trenton NJ, retired NBA player (5-time champion/2-time all-star with Detroit Pistons and Chicago Bulls)/retired wrestler and actor/friend and visitor of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un
1964 [61] Stephen Colbert, Washington DC, TV host (“The Late Show With Stephen Colbert” since 2015, “The Colbert Report” 2005-14)/comedy writer-reporter (“Daily Show” 1997-2005)
1966 [59] Darius Rucker, Charleston SC, country singer (‘Beers and Sunshine’, ‘Wagon Wheel’)/rock singer (Hootie & the Blowfish-‘Only Wanna Be With You’, ‘Let Her Cry’)
1979 [46] Mickey Madden, Austin TX, pop bassist (Maroon 5-‘Moves Like Jagger’)
1985 [40] Iwan Rheon, Carmarthen Wales, TV actor (‘Ramsay Bolton’ in “Game of Thrones” 2013-16)/movie actor (‘Mick Mars’ In “The Dirt”)
1986 [39] Lena Dunham, NYC, TV comedy creator-writer-actress (“Girls” 2012-17, “American Horror Story: Cult”, 2017)
1986 [39] Robert Pattinson, London England, movie actor (“The Batman”, “Twilight Saga”) COMING UP… “Die, My Love”, 2025
1993 [32] Morgan Wallen, Sneedville TN, country singer (‘Last Night’, ‘Whiskey Glasses’)
THIS DAY IN SHOW BIZ . . .
2004 [21] After 11 seasons, the final episode of “Frasier” is watched by 33 million people (“final” until its 2023 revival, that is…).
2013 [12] Angelina Jolie reveals in a “New York Times” op-ed that she has undergone a double mastectomy to reduce her risk of breast cancer.
2019 [06] Felicity Huffman pleads guilty for her part in the US college admissions scandal. She is sentenced to 14 days in jail, a $30,000 fine, and community service.
TODAY’S MUSIC EVENTS . . .
1996 [29] Oasis become the fastest selling group in UK history after all 330,000 tickets for their summer shows sell out in just 9 hours.
2016 [09] Chance the Rapper releases his third mixtape “Coloring Book” on Apple Music. It becomes the first album to chart on Billboard Top 100 based only on streams (and won the Best Rap Album Grammy).
TODAY’S FIRST . . .
1958 [67] The trademark “Velcro” is registered.
TODAY’S RECORD . . .
2012 [13] Following a record $207 million opening the week before, “The Avengers” pulls in another $103.2 million, making it the first film to surpass $100 million in its second weekend.
BULL’S BITS
BS WHACK FACTS:
✓ In ancient times, spider webs were used as bandages.
✓ Every part of the dandelion is edible.
✓ The fuller your fridge is, the more energy-efficient it is.
✓ Mice can fit through a hole the size of a ballpoint pen.
✓ The “master of suspense”, Alfred Hitchcock, was afraid of . . . wait for it . . . eggs.
✓ Depending on who is sniffing, a man’s sweat can smell like urine, flowers, vanilla…or sweat.
-BathroomReadersInstitute, How Come?
Best of BS . . .
BS BANDS WITH TYPOS:
• Bob Seger & the Silver Mullet Band
• Jane’s Addition
• Men at Twerk
• Men Without Hits
• Picnic! at the Disco
• Sly & the Family Store
• Runs in Hoses
• The Grateful Dad
• Moron 5
• Typo Negative
• (***Caution***) The Dookie Brothers
-Twitter, first published in BS in 2019
BS WHYZITS:
• Whyzit we still call it ‘shipping’ when it goes by plane or truck?
• Whyzit they call it ‘weed’ when it’s so hard to grow?
• Whyzit hotels provide free shampoo and mouthwash and shower caps and shoe-polishing cloths, but they never provide the one thing most travelers forget … toothpaste?
• Whyzit they don’t just cut the price of a product instead of offering a rebate?
• If ignorance is bliss, whyzit there aren’t more happy people?
• Whyzit so many animals are named after cars?
-First published in BS in 2008
BS WEB GOODIE:
Smile, at least it’s not Monday: https://tinyurl.com/48tntuvh
BS RANDOM JOKE:
You might be lazy, but you’ll never be as lazy as the guy who named the fireplace.
☎ BS PHONE STARTER:
What is something that’s overpriced, yet people continue to buy it?
BS WATER COOLER QUESTION:
60% of people who have one of THESE in their car don’t use it. What is it?
Answer: A CD player
BS DEEP THOUGHT:
You’ve got 3 choices in life: Give up, give in – or give it all you’ve got.
