BS SHOW BIZ BUZZ:
★ Today at a press conference being held at The Playhouse Theatre in London’s West End, it’s expected the surviving members of comedy troupe Monty Python will announce they’re set to reunite for a stage show. John Cleese, Eric Idle, Terry Gilliam, Michael Palin, and Terry Jones are all due to appear at the event. The last time the 5 remaining members of the iconic group appeared together was in 2009 at their 40th anniversary celebrations in NYC, but it’s been more than 30 years since the last proper Python project.
– “The Sun”
★ Maroon 5 frontman Adam Levine will be named this year’s ‘Sexiest Man Alive’ in tomorrow’s issue of “People” magazine, beating out competition from the likes of Bruno Mars, David Beckham, Idris Elba, Jimmy Fallon, Justin Timberlake, and Luke Bryan. The 34-year-old pop star and coach on “The Voice” (NBC) follows in the footsteps of 2012 honoree, actor Channing Tatum. Levine tells “Access Hollywood”: “There is no way that I’ll ever be able to live it down. I’m going to be getting pranked by every single person I know!”
– WENN.com
★ Is it possible that “Star Wars: Episode VII” might actually happen without Mark Hamill returning? Up until now, it’s been a foregone conclusion that Hamill, along with Harrison Ford (‘Han Solo’) and Carrie Fisher (‘Princess Leia’), will be back as ‘Luke Skywalker’ in director JJ Abrams’ upcoming sequel. But actor Samuel L Jackson has let it slip that Hamill hasn’t been contacted about the new film, nor has Ewan McGregor (‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’), nor for that matter has Jackson himself, who’s is itching to return as ‘Windu’.
– Canoe.ca
★ And “Back To the Future” stars Michael J Fox and Christopher Lloyd are set to reunite on the small-screen. Lloyd, who played eccentric scientist ‘Doc Emmett Brown’ in the movie franchise, is lined up to make a guest appearance on Fox’s NBC-TV sitcom “The Michael J Fox Show”. Lloyd will play the zany principal at the high school where Fox’s TV wife teaches. Brooke Shields and Sting have also booked guest spots on the show. Sadly, stunt-casting will likely not be enough to save the low-rated show from extinction.
– HollywoodReporter.com

TODAY’S SHOW BIZ SKED:
• “Arsenio Hall” (syndicated) – Yo Gotti f/TI (“I Am”).
• “Chelsea Lately” (E!) – Pusha T f/Pharrell Williams (“My Name Is My Name”).
• “Glee” (FOX/Global) – The club performs Billy Joel songs.
• “Jimmy Kimmel Live” (ABC/CityTV) – Pusha T again.
• “Last Call With Carson Daly” (NBC) – Letlive (“The Blackest Beautiful”).
• “Late Night With Jimmy Fallon” (NBC/CTV2) – Sleigh Bells (“Bitter Rivals”).
• “Tonight Show With Jay Leno” (NBC/CTV2) – Julian Lennon (“Everything Changes”).
• “The X Factor” (FOX/CTV2) – The artists face elimination.

BS MUSIC NOTES:
• Arcade Fire – They recently played a series of small club shows under the moniker ‘The Reflektors’ and asked attendees to don either formal attire or a costume. Now a full-scale North American arena tour has been announced for next year … with the same dress code.
• Bruce Springsteen – He’s announced on his website he’ll release a new single on Monday called “High Hopes”, a cover of a track by short-lived LA band The Havalinas. “Billboard” is reporting that a new Springsteen studio album could be out as early as January.
• Coldplay – Frontman Chris Martin has revealed on BBC Radio 2 that he showed off his skills in the DJ booth during a recent Arcade Fire concert in London. But in order to keep the focus on the band, he donned a skeleton-mask so fans wouldn’t recognize him. Not one did.
• Foster the People – Mark Foster tells “Rolling Stone” a new album will be coming out early next year, with a single ready for radio in January. He says fans can expect a different sound, with less electronic instrumentation this time around.
• Kelly Clarkson – The newlywed has announced via Twitter she’s set to become a first-time mom. Last month, she revealed her 2013 Christmas wish was to be pregnant for the holidays. Then last week she told Jay Leno that she & hubby Brandon Blackstock have been ‘doing it like rabbits’. She is already stepmother to Blackstock’s 2 children from a previous relationship.
• Lady Gaga – She’ll be the final act to play NYC’s Roseland Ballroom before it shuts its doors in April. She will perform 4 shows at the intimate 3,500-seat venue between March 28-April 2.
• Loretta Lynn – Yesterday the 81-year-old country music icon received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, America’s highest civilian honor, from president Barack Obama.
• Miley Cyrus – She has been on a hectic tear around-the-globe promoting her new album “Bangerz”, but doctors have now convinced her to take a break to rest her voice. (And twerker.)

COMING ATTRACTIONS:
A BS selection of movies in the making …
• “El Presidente” – Tom Cruise is gunning for an onscreen reunion with his “A Few Good Men” co-star Jack Nicholson in this upcoming comedy. The 76-year-old Oscar-winner has been away from the limelight, but Cruise has paid him a visit to encourage him to play a former US president who’s an alcoholic and womanizer. Cruise’s character is a Secret Service agent.
• “Independence Day” – Fans of the 1996 alien blockbuster will have to wait a little longer to see the sequel. The release date has been pushed back a year to July 1st, 2016 … exactly 20 years after the original. Bill Pullman and Jeff Goldblum have already signed on to reprise their roles and director Roland Emmerich has also been in talks with the original film’s star, Will Smith.
• “Kill The Trumpet Player” – Don Cheadle is set to direct and play trumpeter Miles Davis in an upcoming film focussing on a period when the jazz legend bursts out of his ‘silent period’ and conspires with a “Rolling Stone” writer (Ewan McGregor) to steal back his music. Zoe Saldana will co-star as Davis’ wife. Cheadle says, “It’s not a biopic, per se. It’s a gangster pic.”
• “Not Without Hope” – Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson has signed on to star in this drama about a group of friends who find themselves stranded at sea when their boat capsizes. The film is based on former NFL player Nick Schuyler’s best-selling memoir, which recalls the harrowing ordeal experienced by him and 3 pals during a fishing trip in the Gulf of Mexico.
• ‘Susan Boyle Movie’ – 52-year-old former “Britain’s Got Talent” winner Susan Boyle claims that Catherine Zeta-Jones, Glenn Close, and Meryl Streep have all been approached to portray her in an upcoming biopic. The film will chart Boyle’s unlikely middle-age rise to fame after an obscure life in Scotland. The biopic is being produced by Simon Cowell and Fox Searchlight.

SLOW CHILDREN:
Today’s kids can’t keep up with their parents. According to new University of South Australia research that analyzed fitness studies conducted in 28 countries between 1964-and-2010, kids aged 9-to-17 take 90 seconds longer to run a mile than their counterparts did 30 years ago. That would seem to make sense, with the World Health Organization suggesting that up to 80% of young people globally are not getting enough exercise. Heart-related fitness in children has slipped 5% per decade since 1975, researchers have found. (This all started when kids were no longer allowed to go outside and play.)
– AP

WHAT’S THE WORD FOR 2013?
‘Selfie’ has been named word of the year by Oxford Dictionaries. The word evolved from a niche social media tag into a mainstream term for a self-portrait photograph. Its frequency in the English language has increased by 17,000% in the last year. To qualify, a word need not have been coined in the past 12 months, but does need to have become prominent. Selfie can be traced back to 2002 when it was first used in an Australian online forum. Other words that made this year’s shortlist …
✓ Binge-watch – Viewing multiple TV episodes in-a-row
✓ Bitcoin – A digital currency in which transactions can be performed without the need of a central bank.
✓ Showrooming – Examining a product in a store before buying it online at a lower price.
✓ Twerk – The raunchy dance move made famous by Miley Cyrus.
– BBC News

CAN YOU GIVE UP BOOZE FOR A MONTH?
British advocacy group Alcohol Concern is urging people to give up drinking for a month. The ‘Dry January’ campaign is being launched this week, touting the challenge of going alcohol-free after the holidays as a chance to save money, lose weight, be healthier … and ditch hangovers. The online ‘Dry January Unit Calculator’ tells you how many calories are in your drinks …
NET: http://www.dryjanuary.org.uk/unit-calculator./
– “Daily Mirror”

BACON, MMM:
Texas-based company Lollyphile has just introduced a new lollipop that incorporates 2 distinct popular flavors: Bacon and Sriracha Thai hot sauce. The Sriracha-bacon lollipops are nothing short of ‘candied salty spicy peppery porky goodness’, according to the Lollyphile website. The spicy sucker is the latest quirky candy from the people who also make … vegan breast-milk-flavored lollies. (Seriously.)
– NYDailyNews.com

HIGHEST-PAID MUSICIANS 2013:
A new ranking based on estimated income over 12 months …
10. [tie] Beyoncé / Kenny Chesney … $53 million.
8. Elton John … $54 million.
7. Taylor Swift … $55 million.
6. Justin Bieber … $58 million.
5. Coldplay … $64 million.
4. Toby Keith … $65 million.
3. Bon Jovi … $79 million.
2. Lady Gaga … $80 million.
1. Madonna … $125 million.
– Forbes.com

WORLD WAR 2 RE-DO:
Jeep is taking its most famous vehicle back to war … at least in appearance. It’s created a modern tribute to the original Willys, made famous in action during the 2nd World War as well as in Korea and Vietnam. The new 2014 Jeep Wrangler Willys Wheeler Edition is a purist’s dream that harkens back to the classic CJs of the 1940s. The Willys Wheeler comes to showrooms early next year, priced from $25,795. (You’ll need to put your own unshaven sourpuss sergeant behind the wheel.)
– SlashGear.com

BS AMAZING McDONALD’S FACTS:
• McDonald’s sells more than 75 hamburgers every second.
• McDonald’s isn’t the largest restaurant chain in the world, Subway is.
• However, McDonald’s is the largest distributor of toys in the world.
• Salads only make up 2%-to-3% of McDonald’s sales.
– Condensed from USAToday.com

BS CHRONOMETER 11.21.13

TODAY’S CELEBIRTHDAYS . . .
1965 [48] Bjork (Gudmundsdottir), Reykjavik, Iceland, weird rock singer (“The Dull Flame of Desire”, “I Miss You”)/weirder film actress (“Dancer In the Dark”)

1966 [47] Troy Aikman, West Covina CA, TV football game analyst (FOX-TV since 2001, teamed with play-by-play man Joe Buck since 2002)/former NFL QB (3 Super Bowls-Dallas Cowboys 1989-2000)/Pro Football Hall of Fame (2006)

1971 [42] Michael Strahan, Houston TX, TV personality (“Live With Kelly & Michael” since 2012, “FOX NFL Sunday” since 2008)/former NFL player (1 Super Bowl-NY Giants 1993-2007)

1985 [28] Carly Rae Jepsen, Mission BC, pop singer (w/Owl City-“Good Time”, “Call Me Maybe”)

1987 [26] Sam Palladio, Pembury UK, TV actor (‘Gunnar Scott’ on “Nashville” since 2012)

TODAY’S BS REASONS TO PARTY . . .
• “Catholic School Principal Appreciation Day 2013”, an observance begun by the Catholic Educational Association. (To celebrate, gather in the library for detention.)

• “False Confessions Day”, highlighting the problem of innocent people being coerced into admitting guilt.

• “Great American Smokeout”, the 38th annual sponsored by the American Cancer Society on the 3rd Thursday of November to encourage smokers to quit cigarettes for at least one day.
NET: http://bit.ly/c0lPQM

• “Use Less Stuff Day”, an annual reminder to ‘Reduce’, the first ‘R’ in the ‘waste hierarchy’; the 3Rs of environmentalism being ‘Reduce, Reuse, Recycle’.
NET: http://www.use-less-stuff.com

• “World Fisheries Day”, designed to draw attention to overfishing, habitat destruction, and other serious threats to the sustainability of our marine and freshwater resources.
NET: http://r4r.ca/en/theme/fisheries-day

• “World Hello Day”, the 41st annual observance that now takes place in some 180 countries. Participants are asked to spread goodwill by saying ‘hello’ to at least 10 people.
NET: http://www.worldhelloday.org/
Here’s how to say ‘hello’ in over 2,400 languages …
NET: http://www.elite.net/~runner/jennifers/hello.htm

• “World Television Day”, established in 1996 by the UN to encourage nations to exchange cultural programming focusing on peace, security, and economic & social development.

THIS DAY IN SHOW BIZ . . .
2003 [10] “The Cat In the Hat” opens in movie theaters, starring Mike Myers

TODAY’S MUSIC EVENT . . .
2003 [10] The acoustic guitar on which The Beatles’ George Harrison learned how to play is sold at a London auction for £276,000 (original price … £3-and-a-half)

TODAY’S FIRST . . .
1983 [30] Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” video premieres in Los Angeles movie theaters

AND REMEMBER . . .
[Fri] “Delivery Man”; “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire” open in movie theaters
[Fri] Go For a Ride On Something Day
[Fri] Microsoft Xbox One release
[Fri] Humane Society Day
[Sat] International Aura Awareness Day
[Sun] 101st Grey Cup (Regina SK)
[Sun] “American Music Awards” (ABC)
This Week Is … Better Conversation Week
This Month Is … Adopt a Senior Pet Month

BULL’S BITS

HOW TO SURVIVE BEYOND A CENTURY:
If you’d like to live past age 100, here are some tips culled from 25 men & women between the ages of 101-and-120 …
• Never go to bed angry at anyone, especially yourself or your mate.
• Try to do something nice for someone everyday.
• Don’t worry about money.
• Take time to relax.
• Never second-guess yourself. When you make a decision, act on it, then forget it.
• Don’t let people get under your skin.
• Never get on an airplane.
• Don’t drive at night.

BS PHONE STARTER:
☎ Which article of clothing is most important if one is attempting to dress for success? (‘Shoes’ come out on top in a recent survey.)

BS RANDOM JOKE:
My wife always laughs during sex … no matter what she’s reading.

BS WATER COOLER QUESTION:
Question: The average woman has about 13 of THESE, according to “Redbook” magazine.
Answer: Pounds she wants to lose.

BS DEEP THOUGHT:
Never confuse an open mind with one that’s vacant.