Tuesday, October 4, 2005        Edition: #3129
The Most Home Runs in Show Prep!

BS SHOW BIZ BUZZ:
Freshly-divorced Jennifer Aniston & Brad Pitt have put their 1930s French Normandy-style house in Beverly Hills up for sale at $28 million (thanks to their high-profile split, they’re looking for a $14.5-million profit after just 4 years!) . . . The creators of the FOX-TV hit “24″ are now working on “13″, a new series that will unfold over 13 episodes but not in ‘real time’ as with the Keifer Sutherland show (and then “22″ – a half-hour sitcom with commercials) . . . A new study of the top 200 films of the last 20 years suggests that popular movies depict sex & drug use irresponsibly (ie: only the film “Pretty Woman” made any mention of condom use) . . . In the upcoming Johnny Cash biopic “Walk the Line” (opening NOVEMBER 18th) animal-rights supporter Joaquin Phoenix refused to wear anything made of leather so he plays Johnny in – plastic cowboy boots . . . “Wild On …” host Tara Reid tells “Steppin’ Out” magazine that she’s tired of being labeled a party girl and wants to be considered a ‘serious actress’ (and apparently she managed to say it with a straight face!) . . . Britney Spears & Kevin Federline expect to make $3 million for airing birth footage in the 2nd installment of their reality TV show “Chaotic”, and they also have a $2-million deal for a subsequent video that will document the entire story of Sean Preston Federline’s birth (is this a baby or a business transaction?) . . . And here’s further proof of the old adage about a woman scorned: actress Kirsten Dunst reportedly called Orlando Bloom’s on & off girlfriend Kate Bosworth to explain that she & Orly are nothing more than friends despite rumors to the contrary – Kate’s response? You can keep him!

BS MUSIC NOTES:
• Bruce Springsteen – TONIGHT he does a benefit concert for the American Red Cross at the 3,500-seat Paramount Theater in Asbury Park NJ. Tickets are priced at $100 each with a 2-ticket limit.
• Carrie Underwood – The “American Idol” winner’s first single from her new album will be a ballad titled “Jesus Take the Wheel”.
• Eric Clapton – His agent is auctioning off worldwide publishing rights to his autobiography and the deadline for bidding is TOMORROW. Hot tip – publishers shouldn’t bother with any offer under $6 million.
• Fiona Apple – TODAY she releases “Extraordinary Machine”, 6 full years after her last album. The CD has garnered plenty of buzz, starting with rumors it was shelved by her record label and then being leaked on the Web in an early version.
• Gwen Stefani – Here’s a future trivia question. Who was the first recording artist to sell 1 million downloads of a single music title? Gwen’s just done it, with “Hollaback Girl”.
• Melissa Etheridge – TODAY she releases the retrospective “Greatest Hits: The Road Less Traveled”, highlighted by her new version of Tom Petty’s “Refugee” and a cover of Janis Joplin’s “Piece of My Heart”. She’s also developing a sitcom for ABC-TV about what her life would have been like if she’d stayed in Kansas, become a teacher and openly lived gay there.
• Toni Braxton – TODAY she’s on the “Ellen DeGeneres Show”.
• U2 – Bono is currently in talks to make his bigscreen acting debut playing an aging rocker in the upcoming musical “All You Need Is Love”.
• Also in stores TODAY: Sinead O’Connor’s “Throw Down Your Arms”; Nickelback’s “All the Right Reasons”; Franz Ferdinand’s “You Could Have It So Much Better”; Sara Evans’ “Real Fine Place”; Liz Phair’s “Somebody’s Miracle”; and Kirk Franklin’s “Hero”.

TODAY’S VIDEO RELEASES:
• “The Interpreter” (Thriller – DVD/VHS): In the first movie to receive inside access to the UN headquarters in NYC, Nicole Kidman plays an African-born translator who overhears a death threat against a head of state, spoken in a rare dialect few people understand. Sean Penn plays the Secret Service agent assigned to determine if she’s telling the truth.
• “The Amityville Horror” (Horror Thriller – DVD): The ‘true story’ of a Long Island house where an entire family was murdered, then haunted the next family to move in, gets its 2nd film treatment, this time with Ryan Reynolds & Melissa George as the parents. The oft-repeated money line – “Katch ’em and kill ’em!”
NET: http://theonenetwork.com/movies/The_Amityville_Horror/5088/Film_Clip_Katch_Em_and_Kill_Em.html
• “Jiminy Glick in Lalawood” (Comedy – DVD): Martin Short dons layers of latex to play clueless celebrity interviewer ‘Jiminy Glick’ (originally created for a cable comedy show) who gets caught up in a murder case at the “Toronto Film Festival”. Oddly, it was filmed in Vancouver. Martin’s makeover is amazing but unfortunately the character isn’t funny … or even likable.
• “House of D” (Drama – DVD): The directorial debut of actor David Duchovny is a coming-of-age drama about a troubled kid (Anton Yelchin) and his friendships with a mentally retarded janitor (Robin Williams) and a tough inmate (Erkyah Badu) at the Women’s House of Detention.
• “Cinderella: Platinum Edition”, the DVD debut of Disney’s 1950 classic, restored and remastered with enhanced picture and sound, features newly-discovered deleted scenes plus 2 reconstructed deleted songs (“The Cinderella Work Song” and “Dancing on a Cloud”).
• “Alfred Hitchcock: The Masterpiece Collection”, including 14 of his classic films in a 15-disc set.

DRINKING LIMIT:
London, England’s hottest new bar has a time limit for all guests, not because it’s so exclusive but because – it’s too darn cold! The temperature inside the Absolut IceBar, located in the upscale Mayfair district, is kept at -5 C (23 degrees F). Revelers are only allowed to stay for 45 minutes; otherwise they freeze! (On the good side … your beer never gets warm.)
– CNEWS

THE ICEMAN GOETH:
A Russian man is suffering from a rare heat exchange disorder which causes his body to overheat whenever he’s exposed to temperatures over 5 C (41 F). The condition started after Vitaly Matyukhin was taken to hospital suffering from heat stroke, which apparently upset his body’s ability to regulate temperature. In order to survive, he moved to a house in Siberia which he’s turned into a virtual fridge. To add insult to injury, his wife and son have walked out on him, claiming they could no longer stand the cold. (Now he’s looking to pick up women at the Absolut IceBar.)
– Ananova News

HOW TO PICK UP WOMEN:
“Rolling Stone” writer Neil Strauss has put everything he’s learned about being a ‘MPUA’ (‘Master PickUp Artist’) into the new book, “The Game: Penetrating the Secret Society of Pickup Artists”. It lays out the art & science of how to make moves on women, including …
• ‘The Push-Pull’ – Showing no interest at first, followed by intense attention.
• ‘The Neg’ – A casual insult that conveys lack of interest. (“Those are nice nails; are they real?”)
• ‘The False Time Constraint’ – Lying that you have to leave soon to lessen a woman’s anxiety. (“I’ve only got 10 minutes. Can I share them with you?”)
• ‘Peacocking’ – Wearing loud flashy outfits to get women’s attention.
There are a few keys rules of the game according to Strauss: Never stoop to buy your target a drink, let her buy you one; always make yourself the center of attention; and always get her phone number. Strauss stresses his tricks & techniques are only openers. If you have no self-esteem or depth of character to continue a conversation after 15 minutes, you’re SOL.
– CP

SCIENTISTS SAY:
A BS compendium of recent ‘discoveries’ …
• Scientists say … on average, we need a combination of 18 different people to support us emotionally. An Essex University study says the network may include family, friends, neighbors and acquaintances developed through common interests.
• Scientists say … oats may hold the secret to smooth skin. A University of Alberta study suggests that a natural ingredient of oats, beta glucan, can penetrate skin and help restore it.
• Scientists say … the amount of time spent by kids watching TV accurately predicts whether they will go on to become overweight. So says the “International Journal of Obesity”.
• Scientists say … as many as 1 in 100 people display psychopathic tendencies. However, the University of British Columbia study finds that those who do not become violent, the so-called ‘functional psychopaths’, make the best corporate leaders thanks to their ruthless and narcissistic personalities.
• Scientists say … we spend about 30% of our waking hours using some form of media exclusively. Ball State University researchers have also found we spend another 39% of our time using media while also doing another activity, such as listening to radio at work or watching TV while cooking.

CITYWIDE WI-FI?
Imagine being able to go online anywhere, anytime. It could soon happen in San Francisco CA where Web search company Google has proposed to provide free wireless Internet service across the city. If the proposal is accepted, the Wi-Fi access would be funded through online advertising.
– Reuters

THE AUTO-ORDER SYSTEM:
A beer coaster that knows when a glass is nearly empty and automatically asks for a refill has been developed by a pair of thirsty university professors in Germany. Andreas Butz & Michael Schmitz came up with the idea while out drinking with their students. The device uses a pressure sensor and radio transmitter to alert bar staff of the need for a refill. Right now, each coaster costs $100 to make, but the creators think the cost will shrink when the product is mass-produced. What’s wrong with the old-fashioned signal system? Yelling, “Tarbender!”
– “New Scientist”

NOW ‘NEW CAR SMELL’ IS BAD FOR YOU:
Guess what? That seductive scent of fresh plastic, paint & upholstery commonly referred to as ‘New Car Smell’ may actually be the result of a toxic cocktail of harmful chemicals. Recent research has caused automakers in Japan to find ways of toning down the fumes. In fact, the Japanese are looking at setting up guidelines for the interior air quality of vehicles. It’s said to be an emerging auto safety issue that could spur similar action by North American and European automakers.
– AP

THE BULL SHEET 10.04.2K5

TODAY’S CELEBIRTHDAYS . . .
1924 [81] Charlton Heston (John Charles Carter), Evanston IL, movie actor (Oscar-“Ben Hur”)/4-term National Rifle Association  president (“From my cold, dead hands …”)

1944 [61] Tony LaRussa, Tampa FL, MLB manager (2005 NL Central Division Champion St Louis Cardinals)

1946 [59] Susan Sarandon (Tomalin), NYC, movie actress (Oscar-“Dead Man Walking”)/actor Tim Robbins’ ‘partner’ since 1988  UP NEXT: Co-stars with Orlando Bloom & Kirsten Dunst in “Elizabethtown”, opening OCTOBER 14th.

1960 [45] Gregg ‘Hobie’ Hubbard, Apopka FL, country musician (Sawyer Brown-“They Don’t Understand”)
 
1970 [35] Heidi Newfield, Healdsburg CA, country singer (Trick Pony-“Ain’t Wastin’ Good Whiskey On You “)

1976 [29] Alicia Silverstone, San Francisco CA, movie actress (“Clueless”)

1979 [26] Rachael Leigh Cook, Minneapolis MN, TV actress (“Into the West”)/movie actress (“Josie & the Pussycats”)

BS REASONS TO PARTY . . .
TODAY is “National Golf Day”. While much of the modern game is attributed to Scottish origins, the very first version of the game can be traced back much earlier. During the days of the Roman Empire, they played a game that involved hitting feather-stuffed balls with club-shaped branches. The oldest established golf club in North America is the Royal Montréal, officially founded in 1873. The first 18-hole course in the USA was the Chicago Golf Club founded in 1893.

TODAY is “International Toot Your Flute Day”, to encourage the idea of selling yourself and telling others how good you are, while rejecting the idea that self-promotion is ‘bragging’.

THIS DAY IN SHOW BIZ . . .
1990 [15] “Beverly Hills 90210″ debuts on FOX-TV

TODAY’S MUSIC EVENT . . .
1970 [35] Rock & blues singer Janis Joplin dies of a heroin overdose at age 27

TODAY’S FIRST . . .
1976 [29] 1st ‘Female TV Network News Anchor’ as Barbara Walters joins Harry Reasoner on “ABC Evening News” for a then-record $1 million per year

COMING UP . . .
[Wed] Ramadan begins [Islam]
[Wed] Techies Day
[Wed] Story Telling Day
[Wed] World Smile Day
[Wed] World Teachers Day
[Wed] “Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit” opens in movie theaters
[Mon] Thanksgiving Day [No “BS” service]
This Week Is . . . Walk a Child to School Week
This Month Is . . . Celebrate Sun Dried Tomatoes Month
 
BULL’S BITS . . .
PLAY BALL!
With the start of the MLB Division Series TODAY, here’s some timely “BS” ball facts …
• All MLB baseballs are made in Costa Rica by Rawlings Sporting Goods.
• Each ball has 166 yards of wool yarn & 150 yards of cotton thread wrapped around a rubber- coated cork center.
• Each has 108 stitches, all of them handsewn.
• Since 1974, the covers have been made from cowhide. Before that – horsehide.
• When first struck, the ball contracts to 50% of its normal diameter.
• Teams use 5 to 7 dozen balls per game.
• The average baseball lasts only 6 pitches.
– “US News & World Report”

BS U-PICK TRIVIA:
• What is the official name for a unit of time equal to 1/100th of a second – a ‘tick’, a ‘jiffy’, or an ‘instant’? [A ‘jiffy’. Yup, it really is an actual unit of time.]
• Up to the age of 6 or 7 months, a child can perform these 2 body functions simultaneously which an adult cannot – breathe and swallow, blow and drool, or sleep and poop? [Breathe and swallow. Try it!]
• In 24 hours the average human heart beats – 10,000 times, 100,000 times, or 1 million times? [100,000]
• The first Internet domain name ever registered was – Yahoo.com, Symbolics.com, or HotBabes.com? [Symbolics.com]
• Your ability to taste this decreases with age – spicy food, sour food, or sweet food. [Sweets. So mow down on chocolate while you can still taste it!]
• These human traces are said to be as unique as fingerprints – nose prints, tongue prints, or butt prints? [Tongue prints]

BS BLATANT JOKES:
• Ever notice? Doing nothing makes you tired because you can’t take a break.
• I used to think I was indecisive, but now I’m not so sure.

BS WATER COOLER QUESTION:
Today’s Question: Over her lifetime the average woman spends 22 days doing THIS.
Answer to Give Out Next Show: Shaving her legs.

BS DEEP THOUGHT:
Hot dogs are best when served with a ball game.