November 30, 2006

Thursday, November 30, 2006        Edition: #3420
December Planning Calendar in Today’s Issue!

BS SHOW BIZ BUZZ:
TONIGHT “High School Musical” kicks off a 40-city tour in San Diego CA, featuring the stars of the hit Disney Channel TV movie that has grown into a pop-culture phenomenon (the movie soundtrack is already triple-platinum) . . . In a new interview in movie magazine “Empire”, actor/director Mel Gibson blasts Hollywood for making ‘sequel after sequel’ and insists today’s audience doesn’t want to be served up the same thing time after time (um, 3 words Mel –  “Lethal Weapon FOUR”) . . . PETA’s annual ‘Worst-Dressed’ list of most hate-able fur-wearing celebs includes Nicole Richie, Ashley Olsen, Christina Ricci, and Eva Longoria (Robin Williams was on it until they realized he’d just taken his shirt off) . . . Acting couple Heath Ledger (27) & Michelle Williams (26), who met on the set of “Brokeback Mountain”, have been spotted getting a marriage license in Brooklyn NY (they’ll co-star again in the Bob Dylan film “I’m Not There”) . . . Actor Owen Wilson (38) has been spotted checking out a huge, pear-shaped diamond engagement ring at upmarket jeweler Harry Winston in Dallas TX, but his rep claims it’s not for girlfriend Kate Hudson (27) – it’s for his mommy (right) . . . MTV has announced it plans to launch more than 20 websites in the first half of 2007, ranging in content from music to spirituality . . . Think YouTube.com is all about kids? Uh uh – new stats show that 62% of its users earn more than $60,000 a year; 55% are aged 35-64; 19% are 25-34s; and just 13% are 12-17 (what this likely actually proves is teenagers don’t fill out surveys) . . . And the 6-year marriage between actor Christian Slater (“Bobby”) and TV producer Ryan Haddon is now officially over almost 2 years after they split, leaving 2 more messed up Hollywood kids as collateral damage (anything to do with that alleged on-the-street groping a while back?).

BS MUSIC NOTES:
• ABBA – Organizers are looking for a location to house a museum saluting the Swedish group which sold more than 370 million albums worldwide. Among the exhibits planned are original stage outfits and instruments, as well as handwritten song lyrics and awards won by the group.
• Barenaked Ladies – TONIGHT they perform on the “Tonight Show With Jay Leno” (NBC/A Channel).
• Destiny’s Child – A new video game called “Destiny’s Child Groove” is coming out THIS WINTER which pits images of the 3 members of the kaput group against users in a back-and-forth dance battle. Wouldn’t it be better to use a group that’s still together?
• Fergie – She’s signed up to host some of the party segments on “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve” (ABC). She will perform and introduce performances by Natasha Bedingfield, Meat Loaf and RFD.
• Good Charlotte – It’s now been confirmed that frontman Joel Madden and Hilary Duff are splitsville after 2-and-a-half years of dating. Part of the prob might have been he’s 27; she’s 19.
• Madonna – That Malawian judge that keeps putting off making a ruling in her high-speed adoption case has now handed the hot potato to a coalition of human rights and child advocacy groups to  help decide. Hopefully they’ll have the thing settled in time for the kid’s 21st birthday.
• Taylor Hicks – He tells “Relix” magazine he only used “American Idol” to further his career and he won’t be watching the show anymore. Biting the hand that plucked you out of ‘Bama, huh?
• Snoop Dogg – TODAY he’s on the “Ellen DeGeneres Show” (syndicated/CityTV), but he can’t get busted again when he leaves … because it was pre-taped weeks ago.

COMING ATTRACTIONS:
A selection of movies in the making …
• “Angels & Demons” – Scriptwriter Akiva Goldsman, who adapted the mega-selling Dan Brown novel “The Da Vinci Code” for the bigscreen, has reportedly been paid $3.8 million to adapt the Brown novel that preceded it. But this being Hollywood, they’re going to alter the story so that it can follow on from the first film. Tom Hanks is currently in talks to reprise his role as cryptologist ‘Robert Langdon’. It is expected the movie will be released in 2008.
• “Friday Night Knitting Club” – Julia Roberts is producing and starring in this chick-flick about a group of women who form a bond while meeting regularly at a small knitting shop in NYC. Word has it she’s also angling to get her teenage niece Emma (daughter of actor Eric Roberts) in the cast. The film’s based on the novel of the same name by Kathleen Jacobs and should be in theaters in 2008.
• “Get Smart” – Steve Carell (“The Office”, “The 40 Year Old Virgin”) is set to star in this bigscreen remake of the TV comedy (1965-70). He’ll play secret ‘Maxwell Smart’ who fights the evil forces of ‘KAOS’ with the help of ‘Agent 99′, to be played by Anne Hathaway’s (“The Devil Wears Prada”, “The Princess Diaries”). The movie will be set in the present-day with ‘Control’ falling on hard times after its government funding is reduced. The film’s out in 2008.
• “No Reservations” – Despite the fact that she can barely boil water, Catherine Zeta-Jones will play a top chef in this romantic comedy due in theaters next JULY. Zeta-Jones plays an insular, anal-retentive chef who gets custody of her niece, played by “Little Miss Sunshine’s” Abigail Breslin. Aaron Eckhart (“Thank You for Smoking”) plays her sous-chef and love interest. To research, Zeta-Jones has spent time undercover, working in a NYC restaurant.

THE STUFF WE LEAVE BEHIND:
A new survey finds that about 12,000 electronic devices were left behind in taxi cabs during a 6-month period earlier THIS YEAR, and that’s just in the San Francisco CA and Washington DC areas. Pointsec Mobile Technologies, a mobile security company that commissioned the poll of 85 taxi companies, says about 75% of the lost devices were cellphones, over 70% of which were eventually returned to their owners. Also left behind: 2,566 PDAs and 350 laptops. The results from London, England are even worse – some 54,874 cellphones (over 2 per taxi) were left behind during the same 6-month period. Of course, people’s forgetfulness isn’t limited to electronic gadgets. Also found in cabs: Diamonds, false teeth, artificial limbs … and a machine gun. (Not to mention Britney Spears’ underwear.)
– “Network World”

LIFE BY THE NUMBERS:
A snapshot of who we are and what we do …
• 62% of women say they hate it when their man steals the covers.
• 54% of us say we will NOT be buying a gift for the boss this holiday season.
• 39% of us say the main reason we attend a party is to interact with the other guests.
• 36% of guys believe the first thing a man should do when a woman ends the relationship is smile and look her straight in the eye.
• 15% of families that own a piano don’t ever use it.
• 12% of marriages are now the result of online dating.
• 7% of Americans eat at McDonald’s … every day.

CRAZIEST CAT COMFORTS:
2006 results from “Cat Fancy” magazine’s annual ‘Spoiled Cat’ contest …
• 3rd Place – ‘Emelie’, an 8-year-old, 17-pound Maine Coon cat in Mount Washington PA gets thin-sliced salmon several times a week, turkey and pumpkin purée in a crystal dish for Thanksgiving, and a fish-loaf cake every year on her birthday … with a statue of Bastet, the Egyptian cat goddess on top.
• 2nd Place – A Mount Washington PA couple serves their puss afternoon tea daily … complete with apricot scones.
• 1st Place – A DeMotte IN family regularly gets up at night to guide ‘KitKat’ to its feeding dish … with a flashlight. And if ‘KitKat’ is curled up on the lap of someone watching TV, that person will knock on the wall to get someone to change the channel rather than disturbing the cat. (Geesh, find that lost remote, people!)
– “Pittsburgh Post-Gazette”

TOO STUPID FOR US TO MAKE UP:
• In Britain, a man has been jailed for 6 years after trying to resolve an argument about overdue rent with his landlady by …. demolishing her half-million-dollar house with a backhoe. During the 45-minute rampage in Essex, he also ripped apart 2 cars and a police vehicle. But hey … now he’s living rent-free!
• In Uganda, a Danish artist has been branded ‘evil and satanic’ after bribing African villagers to … adopt his name. Kristian von Hornsleth is offering Ugandans free goats, sheep and pigs on the condition that they take his surname. He claims the idea is to highlight the problem of countries giving aid to Africa that’s attached with conditions.
• In China, 19 men have been detained by police in the city of Chengdu for impersonating monks and selling fake goods. The con artists shaved their heads and donned monks robes in order to sell trinkets. If you’re gonna go to all this trouble to pull off a scam, wouldn’t you want to be netting more than 98 cents?

NOW BAD POSTURE IS GOOD:
A new study suggests that sitting up straight is more stressful on the back than slouching. Dr Waseem Amir Bashir of Aberdeen, Scotland says sitting with a straight back and thighs parallel to the floor increases the stress on the lower back’s lumbar discs. He claims the best position is what you get in a La-Z-Boy recliner, but that doesn’t work so well if you’re using a computer. The research concludes a 135-degree body-thigh sitting posture is the best bio-mechanical sitting position, as opposed to a 90-degree posture, which most people think is normal. (Hang on a sec, I’ve gotta call that elementary school teacher that kept yelling at me to “Sit up!”.)
– “Chicago Tribune”

AND WE QUOTE:
“I’ve pretty much done it. I made a list of just about everyone. I try to be more cautious now though.”
— Newly clean & sober Courtney Love on her mission to apologize to all the people she’s ever insulted or offended. Apparently she’s been watching “My Name Is Earl”.

THE BULL SHEET 11.30.06

TODAY’S CELEBIRTHDAYS . . .
1929 [77] Dick Clark, Mount Vernon NY, TV producer (“American Music Awards”, “Golden Globe Awards”)/TV host (“New Year’s Rockin’ Eve” since 1972)/suffered a stroke in 2004

1955 [51] Billy Idol (William Broad), Stanmore UK, classic rock singer (“Mony Mony”, “White Wedding”)

1957 [49] Colin Mochrie, Kilmarnock, Scotland [raised Vancouver BC], improv comedian (“Whose Line Is It Anyway?” 1998-2004, “This Hour Has 22 Minutes” 2001-03)/former member Toronto Second City troupe

1965 [41] Ben Stiller, NYC, movie actor (“Madagascar”, “Meet the Fockers”)

1971 [35] Sandra Oh, Ottawa ON, TV actress (‘Dr Cristina Yang’ on “Grey’s Anatomy” since 2005)/movie actress (“Sideways”)/Golden Globe Award (2006)/2 Genie Awards (1999,1994)

1978 [28] Clay Aiken (Grissom), Raleigh NC, pop singer (“Without You” “The Way”)/2003 “American Idol” runner-up

1982 [24] Elisha Cuthbert, Calgary AB [grew up Longueuil QC], movie actress (“House of Wax “, “Old School”)/TV actress (‘Kim Bauer‘ on “24” 2001-06)

TODAY’S BS REASONS TO PARTY . . .
• “International Computer Security Day”, to remind us to protect our computers, programs and data at home and work. Remember, always practise safe surfin’!

• “St Andrew’s Day”, honoring the patron saint of Scotland who hurled his last haggis in 60 AD. Be sure to dust off your sporran!

• “Stay Home Because You’re Well Day”, a day to call in ‘well’ instead of having to fake sickness in order to get a day off. Yeah right, try this stunt and you can stay home EVERY day.

THIS DAY IN SHOW BIZ . . .
2004 [02] After amassing $2,520,700 on TV quiz show “Jeopardy!”, contestant Ken Jennings is finally knocked off by real estate agent Nancy Zerg on a question about taxes (during his record 75-game run, he gives correct responses to over 2,700 clues)

TODAY’S MUSIC EVENT . . .
1970 [36] 1st-ever ‘Triple Album’(George Harrison’s “All Things Must Pass”)

TODAY’S FIRSTS . . .
1887 [119] 1st ‘Softball Game’ (as ‘Indoor Baseball’ is played in Chicago using a broomstick for a bat and a boxing glove for a ball)

1900 [106] 1st ‘Front-Wheel Drive’ car (Germany)

BS MONTHLY PLANNING CALENDAR . . .
[Dec 1] World AIDS Day / Pie Day / Bifocals at the Monitor Day / Day Without Art / “National Lampoon’s Van Wilder: The Rise of Taj”; “The Nativity Story”; “Turistas” open in movie theaters
[Dec 2] Fritters Day / Pan American Health Day
[Dec 3] International Day of Disabled Persons / Roof-Over-Your-Head Day / Coats for Kids Day / 2006 Kennedy Center Honors Gala (Washington DC)
[Dec 4] 2006 Billboard Music Awards (Las Vegas) / Extraordinary Work Team Recognition Day / Cookie Day / Wear Brown Shoes Day
[Dec 5] International Volunteer Day / Bathtub Party Day / “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest” released on DVD
[Dec 6] Day of Remembrance & Action on Violence Against Women / St Nicholas Day / Pawnbrokers Day
[Dec 7] Grammy Awards nominees announced / International Civil Aviation Day / Christmas Lights Across Canada 2006
[Dec 8] Bad Hair Day / Brownie Day / Take it in the Ear Day / “Apocalypto”; “Blood Diamond”; “Breaking & Entering”; “The Holiday”; “Unaccompanied Minors” open in movie theaters
[Dec 9] International Peace Concert (Rome, Italy) / Pastry Day
[Dec 10] 2006 Nobel Prize Award Ceremony (Stockholm, Sweden) / International Human Rights Day / Dewey Decimal Day / Children’s Memorial Day
[Dec 11] 2006 Nobel Peace Prize Concert (Oslo, Norway)
[Dec 12] Poinsettia Day / Ding-A-Ling Day
[Dec 14] Bouillabaisse Day
[Dec 15] “Charlotte’s Web”; “Eragon”; “Pursuit of Happyness” open in movie theaters
[Dec 16] Hanukkah begins / Chocolate Covered Anything Day / Las Posadas begins (Mexico)
[Dec 17] National Maple Syrup Day / Underdog Day
[Dec 18] Bake Cookies Day
[Dec 20] “Night at the Museum” opens in movie theaters
[Dec 21] Humbug Day / Look at the Bright Side Day / Flashlight Day
[Dec 22] Solstice Synchronized Global Orgasm for World Peace / Winter begins (7:22 pm EST) / Abilities Day / “Rocky Balboa”; “The Good Shepherd”; “We Are Marshall” open in movie theaters
[Dec 24] Christmas Eve / Egg Nog Day
[Dec 25] Christmas Day / “Black Christmas”; “Children of Men” open in movie theaters
[Dec 26] Kwanzaa begins / Boxing Day / Whiner’s Day / Recyclable Packaging Day / Awful Tie Day
[Dec 27] Fruitcake Day
[Dec 28] Card Playing Day
[Dec 31] New Year’s Eve / Eid al-Adha (Islamic) / Make Up Your Mind Day / World Peace Meditation

[Dec 1] World AIDS Day / Pie Day / Bifocals at the Monitor Day / Day Without Art / “National Lampoon’s Van Wilder: The Rise of Taj”; “The Nativity Story”; “Turistas” open in movie theaters
[Dec 2] Fritters Day / Pan American Health Day
[Dec 3] International Day of Disabled Persons / Roof-Over-Your-Head Day / Coats for Kids Day / 2006 Kennedy Center Honors Gala (Washington DC)
[Dec 4] 2006 Billboard Music Awards (Las Vegas) / Extraordinary Work Team Recognition Day / Cookie Day / Wear Brown Shoes Day
[Dec 5] International Volunteer Day / Bathtub Party Day / “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest” released on DVD
[Dec 6] Day of Remembrance & Action on Violence Against Women / St Nicholas Day / Pawnbrokers Day
[Dec 7] Grammy Awards nominees announced / International Civil Aviation Day / National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day / 2006 Christmas Pageant of Peace opening (Washington DC)
[Dec 8] Bad Hair Day / Brownie Day / Take it in the Ear Day / “Apocalypto”; “Blood Diamond”; “Breaking & Entering”; “The Holiday”; “Unaccompanied Minors” open in movie theaters
[Dec 9] International Peace Concert (Rome, Italy) / Pastry Day
[Dec 10] 2006 Nobel Prize Award Ceremony (Stockholm, Sweden) / International Human Rights Day / Dewey Decimal Day / Children’s Memorial Day
[Dec 11] 2006 Nobel Peace Prize Concert (Oslo, Norway)
[Dec 12] Poinsettia Day / Ding-A-Ling Day
[Dec 14] Bouillabaisse Day
[Dec 15] US Bill of Rights Day / “Charlotte’s Web”; “Eragon”; “Pursuit of Happyness” open in movie theaters
[Dec 16] Hanukkah begins / Chocolate Covered Anything Day / Las Posadas begins (Mexico)
[Dec 17] National Maple Syrup Day / Underdog Day
[Dec 18] Bake Cookies Day
[Dec 20] “Night at the Museum” opens in movie theaters
[Dec 21] Humbug Day / Look at the Bright Side Day / Flashlight Day
[Dec 22] Solstice Synchronized Global Orgasm for World Peace / Winter begins (7:22 pm EST) / Abilities Day / “Rocky Balboa”; “The Good Shepherd“; “We Are Marshall” open in movie theaters
[Dec 24] Christmas Eve / Egg Nog Day
[Dec 25] Christmas Day / “Black Christmas”; “Children of Men” open in movie theaters
[Dec 26] Kwanzaa begins / Whiner’s Day / Recyclable Packaging Day / Awful Tie Day
[Dec 27] Fruitcake Day
[Dec 28] Card Playing Day
[Dec 31] New Year’s Eve / Eid al-Adha (Islamic) / Make Up Your Mind Day / World Peace Meditation
[Jan 1] New Year’s Day
[Jan 9] People’s Choice Awards
[Jan 15] Golden Globe Awards
[Feb 4] Super Bowl XLI (Miami FL)

BULL’S BITS

MALE OR FEMALE?
It’s not right to generalize about the genders, but there are certainly some things those of the same sex seem to share, for instance …
• Who is more likely to spend more time paying bills? [Women spend longer than men on average because they take time to review the bills, while men just pay them.)
• Who spends more time reading each day? [Women average 163 minutes a day; men just 150 minutes.]
• Who is more likely to find eyeglasses ‘sexy’? [45% of men; just 28% of women.]
• Who is more likely to keep a big secret? [42% of men; 36% of women say they have.]
• Who is more likely to think a break from a relationship can be a good thing? [In a “Cosmo” poll, 60% of women agree, while a whopping 75% of men say it would NOT be beneficial.]
• Who is more likely to snore? [Men. Doctors have found a direct link between male hormones and snoring. In fact, when men are given male hormones for medical treatment, they tend to snore even more.]
• Who is more likely to be bothered when they hear swearing? [74% of women; 60% of men.]
• Who is more likely to talk on the phone … in the nude? [40% of men; 27% of women.]

BS RANDOM JOKES:
I have no problem keeping secrets. It’s the people I tell.

BS WATER COOLER QUESTION:
Today’s Question: The odds of you having one of THESE in your family are 1 in 250.
Answer to Give Out Next Show: A genius.

BS DEEP THOUGHT:
An expert is someone who has made all the mistakes possible in a narrow field of expertise.

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