Thursday, November 20, 2003        Edition: #2670
We’re Bullish on Radio!

BS SHOW BIZ BUZZ:
TONIGHT ABC-TV News airs a 2-hour special on the JFK assassination (2 days before the 40th anniversary) that includes a computer-generated reconstruction which is said to irrefutably confirm that Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone . . . TONIGHT actress Thandie Newton (“Mission: Impossible 2”) joins the cast of NBC-TV’s “ER” in a recurring role as the new love interest for ‘Dr John Carter’ (Noah Wyle) . . . Here’s a refreshing change – actress Halle Berry says she prefers saving her money to spending it, so she lives frugally, eating a lot of leftovers, limiting herself to a single vehicle, and restricting purchases of clothing & jewelry (wow, a Hollywood star with her head screwed on – unbelievable!) . . . Though he constantly claims he’s a confirmed bachelor, word has leaked that “Love Actually” star Hugh Grant has secretly been dating a UN worker named Kasia Komorowicz for the last 3 years . . . Buzz has it “Playboy” mag is offering Britney Spears a ‘7-figure fee’ to pose nude (if she refuses, they could just piece together all the naked parts from other mags) . . . Kelsey Grammar has confirmed that he gets his face ‘sanded’ from time-to-time to give him that ‘healthy glow’ (actually the glow is from the urethane – oil-based semi-gloss)  . . . And word is new California guv Arnold Schwarzenegger is looking for a house in Atherton CA, an expensive Bay Area community that’s a 2-hour commute from the state capital Sacramento (an easy commute by California standards).

MOVIES IN THE MAKING:
The Leonardo DiCaprio version of “Alexander The Great” is on hold, perhaps permanently, supposedly because producer Dino De Laurentiis has failed to sell the project to Japanese investors (but more likely because Oliver Stone’s version starring Colin Farrell is already half in the can) . . . “Lethal Weapon” director Richard Donner wants to do “Lethal Weapon 5″, but says it’s all up to Mel Gibson (the series has already made a billion bucks worldwide) . . . The sequel to “Get Shorty” called “Be Cool” begins production in January, with John Travolta returning in the role of ‘Chili Palmer’, and Danny DeVito co-starring and producing . . . And Jamie Lynn Sigler DiScala, who plays the daughter ‘Meadow’ on “The Sopranos”, has the lead role in USA Network’s upcoming bio-film “Going Down: The Rise And Fall Of Heidi Fleiss” (um, did they think this title through?).

WIRED WORLD:
The newly released study, “Kids’ Take on Media”, compiled for the Canadian Teachers’ Federation reveals …
48% of Canadian kids aged 8-15 have their own TV set.
35% have their own VCR.
26% are hooked up to the Internet.
22% have their own cellphone by Grade 10.

WORLDWIDE BULL ROAR:
• Scottish laird Ronald Stewart has put his 18-room Dippin Lodge estate up for sale on the Isle of Arran for $1.4 million. But there’s one proviso … no celebrities allowed!
• In Belgium, mourners at a funeral home were shocked when a mobile phone started ringing … inside the coffin.
• A 13-year-old Russian girl was home alone when she burned her tongue on hot tea. Panicked, she ran to the kitchen freezer, opened the door, and stuck her tongue against the interior wall to cool it down. Her tongue quickly became stuck. She had to wait for her parents to return home to be rescued. Doctors managed to save the girl’s tongue after several hours of treatment.
• Pete’s Peanut Pub in Calgary is getting flak for allowing customers to buy booze one day a week using – Canadian Tire money. That has upset both the Alberta Liquor & Gaming Commission and Canadian Tire … which wishes to maintain a ‘family’ image.

HISTORY UNDER THE HAMMER:
The 1963 Lincoln Continental President John F Kennedy was traveling in on the morning of
November 22, 1963 is up for sale on eBay. He was assassinated later that day in a different vehicle. The limo’s red leather interior has been left untouched since the day he was killed. The auction closes NOVEMBER 25th. Estimated value – $1 million!

YOU’RE NO GOOD:
A 3-year study of 40,000 employees in a variety of workplaces by consulting firm Cognisco finds some shocking results …
• Upwards of 80% of workers are just no good at their jobs, but many don’t realize it nor do their employers because they avoid making any big blunders.
• About 40% of those who are the most confident of their abilities are, in fact, hopelessly inept.
• Only 18% perform at a sufficient level to competently do their job on a regular basis.

PAINFUL SEX:
• A newly recognized condition called ‘Persistent Sexual Arousal Syndrome’ causes women to suffer unrelenting, unpleasant sexual arousal. It’s thought that certain medications may bring it on.
• 3 times more men than women report suffering from ‘Headache Associated with Sexual Activity’ (HSA). It can take the form of a dull headache that gradually worsens during sex, or a
sudden pain at the moment of orgasm. (Guys getting a headache in bed … isn’t this role reversal?)

GREATEST ALL-TIME TUNES:
UK’s “Q” magazine asked readers to pick their favorite songs of all-time. Here’s the hodge-podge of genres and eras that topped the list …
1. U2 – “One “
2. Aretha Franklin – “I Say a Little Prayer”
3. Nirvana – “Smells Like Teen Spirit “
4. The Beatles – “A Day in the Life”
5. Elvis Presley – “In the Ghetto“

DID YOU KNOW?
The gesture commonly known as ‘The Finger’ may derive from medieval times. When enemy archers were caught, their middle fingers were cut off so they could no longer use a bow. Legend has it the gesture came about from archers taunting enemies by mimicking that they had their middle finger.
Source: “Amusing Facts”

THE BULL SHEET 11.20.2K3

TODAY’S CELEBIRTHDAYS . . .
1947 [56] Joe Walsh, Wichita KS, classic rock guitarist (“Life’s Been Good”, Eagles-“Hotel California”)/Rock & Roll Hall of Fame (1998)

1956 [47] Bo Derek (Mary Cathleen Collins), Long Beach CA, worst movie actress of the ‘80s  (“10″, “Tarzan, the Ape Man”)

1959 [44] Sean Young, Louisville KY, movie actress who’s appeared in over 50 feature films (“Ace Ventura: Pet Detective”, “No Way Out”)

1965 [38] Mike D (Diamond), NYC, rock/rap artist (formed the Beastie Boys with Adam Yauch in 1981-“Hello Nasty”, “You Gotta Fight for Your Right to Party”)

1975 [28] Dierks Bentley, Phoenix AZ, country singer (“My Last Name”, “What Was I Thinkin’?”)

BS REASONS TO PARTY . . .
• “Mexican Revolution Day” (1910)
• “Absurdity Day”
• “Universal Children’s Day” and ”Canadian National Child Day”

TODAY is the 27th annual “Great American Smokeout”, traditionally the third Thursday in November. The concept dates from the early ’70s when Lynn Smith, publisher of the “Monticello Times” in Minnesota, announced the first observance and called it ‘D Day’. The idea caught on in state after state until in 1977, it went nationwide under the sponsorship of the American Cancer Society. If past smokeouts are any indication, as many as one-third of the nation’s 45 million smokers could be taking the day off from smoking.
PHONER: 1-800-ACS-2345 (American Cancer Society Quitline)
NET: http://www.cancer.org/docroot/SPC/SPC_0.1.asp
NET: http://www.quitsmoking.com/kopykit/reports/smokeout.htm

TODAY is “Beaujolais Nouveau Day”, the annual limited release of young Burgundy wines from France as a preview of the year’s grape crop. More than 20 million bottles were trucked to French airports last weekend, destined for wine enthusiasts in the US, Canada and Japan.

TODAY is “Name Your PC Day”. Ask listeners what pet names they’ve bestowed on theirs. (Mine’s called ‘!*#*?&!**!’)

TODAY the “Biggest Liar in the World Competition” will be held in Cumbria in England’s Lake District. The contest, held at the Bridge Inn pub, attracts worldwide attention for its annual outpouring of less-than-believable tall tales.
NET: http://www.santonbridgeinn.com/liar/

THIS DAY IN SHOW BIZ . . .
1982 [21] Drew Barrymore hosts “Saturday Night Live” … at age 7

TODAY’S FIRSTS . . .
1866 [137] Pierre Lalemont of Paris FRA patents ‘rotary crank bicycle’ (the original bicycle was nicknamed the ‘bone shaker’)

1923 [80] 1st ‘traffic signal’ (Garrett Morgan designates red for ‘stop’, green for ‘go’, and yellow for ‘go like hell!’)

AND REMEMBER . . .
[Fri] World Hello Day
[Fri] “Dr Seuss’ Cat in the Hat” opens
[Sat] Start Your Own Country Day
[Sat] Vanier Cup (Toronto)
[Sat] 40th Anniversary of JFK Assassination
[Tues] Shopping Reminder Day
This Week Is . . . Cold & Cough Awareness Week
This Month Is . . . Stamp Collecting Month

BULL’S BITS . . .
BS BRAIN BUSTER:
Q: There are at least 6 different names used for the long sandwich that contains cold cuts, lettuce, and so on. Name 3 of them.
A: It’s known variously as a ‘sub’, ‘grinder’, ‘hoagie’, ‘hero’, ‘poor boy’ and ‘bomber’.

BS HORRIBLESCOPE:
If today is your birthday, here’s your reading ion the stars … Today you will see the phantom of your long deceased great-uncle. You’ll be really spooked until you discover it’s your glasses that are smudged. Today is not a good time to discuss sauerkraut … at least not if you value your friendships and your sanity. You’re about to experience some wonderful change in your life … as you stumble across a quarter on the sidewalk. Don’t you owe someone a thank-you note? If not, send one anyway … it’ll confuse the hell out of them!

BS QUICK-PICK QUIZ:
• Where in the world is Spa, the resort town that gave its name to mineral springs everywhere?
a. Belgium [CORRECT]
b. Greece
c. Saskatchewan

• Which of these is NOT a for-real tourist trap?
a. World’s Second Largest Fire Hydrant
b. Spatula City [CORRECT]
c. Tomb of the Unknown Boy Scout

• Everyone knows finding a 4-leaf clover is considered lucky but, according to superstition, what should you do if you find the even rarer 5-leaf clover?
a. Grind it under your heel to prevent bad luck.
b. Immediately give it to someone else. [CORRECT, to create luck for both parties.]
c. Rip off a leaf.

• ‘Chocolate Thunder’ is a nickname for what?
a. Former NBA superstar Daryl Dawkins. [CORRECT]
b. An upcoming sequel to the movie “Shaft”.
c. What happens to you on burrito night.

BS PHONE STARTERS:
• “Which TV show does your workplace most resemble?”
• “Are you more willing to travel in the US now than 6 months ago?” (New StatsCan figures show the number of Canadians visiting the US is rising … and vice versa.)
• “What’s the best movie song of all-time?” (American Film Institute is planning the 3-hour special “100 Songs: America’s Greatest Music in the Movies” for NEXT YEAR that will include “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” from “The Wizard of Oz”, “As Time Goes By” from “Casablanca”, “Moon River” [“Breakfast at Tiffany’s”], “You Take My Breath Away” [“Top Gun”] and “Lose Yourself” from “8 Mile” among others.)

BS WATER COOLER QUESTION:
Today’s Question: It’s estimated that 1-in-3 teenage girls have done THIS. They sure wouldn’t have when you were a kid!
Answer to Give Out Next Show: Visited a tanning booth.

BS DEEP THOUGHT:
Great people talk about ideas. Mediocre people talk about things. Small people talk about people.