Wednesday, October 18, 2023 — Edition: #7577
Good Morning, Sheetheads!
BS SHOW BIZ BUZZ:
★ After 16 years, Britney Spears has finally revealed why she infamously cut off all her hair ahead of her conservatorship. The pop star, who was going through a painful divorce at the time, was already a constant paparazzi target, and the head-shaving incident seemed to support a narrative that she had become erratic. But what was Spears herself thinking at the time? In an excerpt of her memoir “The Woman in Me”, in People magazine, she writes: “I’d been eyeballed so much growing up…had people telling me what they thought of my body, since I was a teenager. Shaving my head and acting out were my ways of pushing back.” Spears also notes that once her father, Jamie, took control of her affairs the next year, she was forced to grow her hair back, “go to bed early and take whatever medication they told me to take.”
-People, PageSix
★ Jada Pinkett Smith says she and Will Smith are trying to repair their marriage. Speaking on the “Today” show, she said: “We are working very hard at bringing our relationship, yes, bringing our relationship back together… back to a marriage again.” Pinkett Smith said she has come to realize that Will “can’t be this perfect idealized husband…I have to be able to accept him for the human he is.” The “Matrix” actress recently explained she and Smith decided not to officially divorce when they separated, because it “didn’t feel tight”.
-ContactMusic
★ Sam Neill is getting candid about his health journey. Seven months after the “Jurassic Park” star shared he was diagnosed with a rare form of blood cancer, he said of the disease in an interview: “I know I’ve got it, but I’m not really interested in it…If you can’t control it, don’t get into it.” The 76-year-old underwent 3 months of chemotherapy, but the treatment stopped working and his tumor grew. He then switched to a rare anti-cancer drug, which sent him into remission, although he still requires bi-weekly infusions. And despite the “grim and depressing” aftereffects of treatment, he conceded, “it’s keeping me alive.”
-E!
★ FX released the trailer for “American Horror Stories” Season 3, the spin-off of “American Horror Story” that features a different story in each episode. The clip revealed that “Real Housewives” star Lisa Rinna will star in the “Tapeworm” episode of Season 3, which premieres Oct. 26. The logline says: “An up-and-coming model will stop at nothing in her hunger for success.” In the trailer, Rinna’s character says: “Smize for the camera, sweetie.” She later responds to a young patient’s concern about a monster inside of her with the question, “But are you hungry?” LINK: https://tinyurl.com/4p9d5dtd
-TheWrap
★ The cast for the all-Canadian spinoff of the “Law & Order” franchise, titled “Law & Order Toronto: Criminal Intent”, has finally been revealed. The crime drama will feature Aden Young, known for his role in “Rectify”, plus Kathleen Munroe (“Patriot”), “Schitt’s Creek’s” Karen Robinson, KC Collins from “The Cleaning Lady”, plus Nicola Correia (“Resident Alien”) And Araya Mengesha (“Nobody”). Law & Order Toronto: Criminal Intent will premiere on Citytv in Spring 2024, with 10 one-hour episodes.
-Yahoo
★ Despite his decision last week to quit “The Daily Show,” longtime correspondent Roy Wood. Jr said on Monday that hosting the Comedy Central talk show “still could happen.” Appearing on “Sherri”, Wood, who’s been a correspondent on the show for 8 years and recently did a week as guest host, said of his decision to quit: “I was shocked at the decision myself, because number one, we were in a strike. Who do you know [who] come[s] off strike and then quit the job?” He added that his quitting is “nothing personal…It’s like [asking the network], ‘Hey, do you want to get married?’ and then Comedy Central is like, ‘We gonna date around.’”
-Deadline
TODAY’S SHOW BIZ SKED:
• “Jimmy Kimmel Live” (ABC/Global): Martin Scorsese, Mike Epps, Chelsea Cutler
• “The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon” (NBC/CTV): Ronnie Wood, Issa Rae, David Kushner
• “Late Night with Seth Meyers” (NBC/CTV): Nathan Lane, Lauren Schuker Blum, Rebecca Angelo, Fred Armisen & Jacquelene Acevedo
• “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” (CBS/Global): Talking Heads, Daniel Caesar
• “The Daily Show” (COM): Rhiannon Giddens, guest host Michael Kosta
• “Watch What Happens Live” (Bravo): Issa Rae, Sherri Shepherd
• “The View” (ABC/CTV): Rachel Maddow, Dolly Parton
• “The Talk” (CBS): Bob Odenkirk and daughter Erin Odenkirk, Nikki Glaser
• “Live with Kelly and Mark” (ABC/CTV): Jon Batiste
• “The Kelly Clarkson Show” (Check local listings): Paul Shaffer, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Elmo and Oscar the Grouch
• “The Drew Barrymore Show” (Check local listings): TBA
• “Jennifer Hudson Show” (Check local listings): Tiffani Thiessen, 7-year-old author Cassidy Bridges, etiquette expert Myka Meier
• “MLB Playoffs (Check local listings): ALCS game #2: Texas Rangers @ Houston Astros
• “Celebrity Jeopardy!” (ABC): Quarterfinal #4: Steven Weber, Shane Battier and Melissa Fumero. Followed by “Celebrity Wheel of Fortune”.
• “Survivor” (CBS): Tribes must dig deep in the immunity challenge to earn safety; the 4th person is voted out.
• “The Masked Singer” (Fox): A Celebration of Elton John
BS MUSIC NOTES:
• Drake – Now his son is making music. 6-year-old Adonis has released the tune ‘My Man Freestyle’. Drake shared a bit of the song and its cute music video on Insta. Adonis is credited as a writer with producer Lil Esso. LINK: https://tinyurl.com/4xjpnbvk
• Jung Kook — has unveiled the full tracklist to his upcoming solo album “Golden”, and it features some pretty big names. In addition to the already released song ‘3D’ with Jack Harlow, it will feature a team-up with Major Lazer, 2 versions of his duet with Latto, ‘Seven’, plus an appearance by French EDM producer DJ Snake on ‘Please Don’t Change’. The album arrives Nov. 3. LINK: https://tinyurl.com/3tembxnx
• Gwen Stefani – will get a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame tomorrow. The “Multi-platinum recording artist, fashion icon, and “The Voice” coach will be honored with the 2,764th star during a ceremony at 11:30am. (***See “Rules of The Hollywood Walk of Fame”, below***)
• Rolling Stones — Mick Jagger weighed in again on Paul McCartney’s 2020 comment that the Stones are “a blues Cover Band”. Jagger said to The Times: “The Beatles were also really just a blues cover band when they started out. Every band is a cover band at the beginning, because that’s how it goes.” McCartney makes a guest appearance on the Stones’ new album, Hackney Diamonds”, out Friday.
• Whitesnake – 72-year-old David Coverdale said on a podcast that he “can’t retire from music” because “it’s like oxygen” to him. The singer says he has 3-5 years’ worth of projects planned, and would love to make a farewell Whitesnake studio album and invite some former members to participate. He has plenty to choose from — Wiki lists 30 ex-members of the group.
• B52’s – Because ‘Tis the Season, singer Kate Pierson has debuted the new solo tune ‘Every Day is Halloween’. Co-written by Sia and Sam Dixon, Pierson calls it “a song about a woman who is dying to be seen! She finally gets to return as an apparition…and she will be seen!” LINK: https://tinyurl.com/268536jp
• Riley Green – says his grandparents didn’t consider him famous until he sang on the Grand Ole Opry. And he also turned to them for inspiration for his new album “Ain’t My Last Rodeo”. He held on to the title for 13 years after seeing his 2 grandfathers pass, and the situation made Green think about how he wanted to spend his last days.
• Charlie Worsham – has dropped his new EP “Compadres”, and it certainly isn’t short on starpower. The 5-song set features collabs with Luke Combs, Dierks Bentley, Lainey Wilson, Elle King and Kip Moore. Charlie quote: “I’ve never had more fun making a record in my life”.
• Dolly Parton — is set to perform on The Salvation Army’s Red Kettle Kickoff Halftime Show at the Dallas Cowboys Thanksgiving day game. She’ll sing some big hits, plus songs from her upcoming rock album “Rockstar” out November 17.
SHOOTING THE BULL
DRIVING INNOVATION:
You’ve heard of self-driving cars, but have you ever had one delivered – by mail? A Swedish start-up is looking to turn IKEA’s flat-packed furniture design into cars. Luvly has developed its first model, the “O”, which is so light and modular that it can be flat-packed to save thousands of tons of emissions when it comes to shipping. Designed for urban commuting, the Luvly O has two 35-pound (16kg) battery packs that can be switched out to extend its range of just 62 miles. With a top speed of 55mph (89kph), the car is 37 inches (94cm) shorter than the already-compact Fiat 500. And check this out — It also comes with a key safety feature. Inspired by Formula-1 cars’ light but rigid aluminum chassis, Luvly’s cars have a dual layer of foam on the outside and inside of the vehicle’s skeleton to help absorb potential impact. Priced at $10,500, the car isn’t flat-packed and shipped to the customer, but to an authorized dealer for assembly. The company also plans to offer its flat-packed technology to major automobile manufacturers.
(Can you imagine trying to put your own car together? When I get a new car, it takes me a year-and-a-half just to learn how to use the radio!)
(***Caution*** Ah! I’ve heard of this thing! As soon as my wife caught the name, she decided she had to have one!)
-GoodNewsNetwork
THE BEST WORST-CASE SCENARIO BOOK:
Just in time for Halloween, a new book is available, chalk full of secrets to outsmarting zombies, bees, and surviving the apocalypse. In “The Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook: Apocalypse” authors Joshua Piven and David Borgenicht cheekily cover everything you need to maximize your chances of surviving a Doomsday disaster, and explain how you can “pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and start all over again.” The handbook is packed with valuable advice, covering everything from eating rodents to outwitting zombie hordes. For example, it’s important to note that zombies cannot swim…and likely “cannot work a kayak paddle or steer a canoe”, according to the book. While much of the book is humorous, it still contains useful advice on things like packing for an outdoors trip and fending off animals and insects. Oh, and robots…just in case. Soaking a robot’s electronics with water should do the trick. LINK: https://tinyurl.com/4e2jb843
(Would that work on AI, too? Just asking…)
(As an unofficial zombie expert, thanks to the several years of my life I’ve devoted to watching such classics as “Boy Eats Girl” and “Dude, Where’s My Brain?”, I feel I must correct an inaccuracy: While it is true that zombies are unable to swim, that is not necessarily the case in the sequel…!)
-NYPost
UNHEALTHY SELFIE:
According to the old saying, the camera adds 10 pounds. But while that might be true for television cameras, a new study says it’s definitely not the case when it comes to your phone camera…especially selfies. In fact, selfies make people appear “significantly slimmer” than other camera angles, according to researchers from the University of York and York St John University. But that’s not really good news. Why? In the study, test participants with eating disorders were even more inclined to perceive women as “significantly slimmer” in their selfies compared to a general participant group. The research team concluded that these women are at a greater risk of negative impacts from viewing other peoples’ selfies, as opposed to other photographs.
(OK, it might be a bit distasteful to make a joke after that story got pretty serious there, but can you just imagine what Kim Kardashian’s backside would look like if someone ELSE took those bikini pics she’s always posting?)
(One exception: A selfie of you with a face full of Burger King Whopper at 2am is significantly LESS slimming!)
-StudyFinds
SURPRISE HOLLYWOOD WALK OF FAME RULES:
Gwen Stefani is getting her own star tomorrow, which means she must have passed these perhaps-unexpected rules…
✪ Anyone can nominate a star: There is a $250 fee to submit an application. Applications must include a written promise from the star or his/her rep to attend the star unveiling, if approved. And the applicant has to agree to financially sponsor the star presentation. More about those coming up…
✪ The star must attend the unveiling: This is known as the “Springsteen Clause”, after he was nominated by a fan, and it was discovered there was nothing in writing that said the star must show up to be honored. (We’re guessing they make exceptions for the dead?)
✪ Someone has to pay for it: When it started in 1987, a star cost about $3,500. This year? $55,000. Next year? $75,000, “due to rising costs”. And who pays? The person who does the nominating is responsible for “sponsorship costs” once accepted.
✪ Stars have a two-year window to schedule their ceremony: From the website: “Those selected for stars have a 2-year time frame in which to set their ceremony date” before the selections expire.
✪ There are special rules for posthumous honors: Ah – here we are. Just one posthumous award can be given each year. And these must be a 2 year or more wait after the date of the star’s death, to prevent marginal stars from being swept in by emotion immediately after their death. (Because there are no “marginal stars” already enshrined, are there? I’m looking at you, Chris Berman, Tinker Bell, and Guy Fieri!)
✪ It requires at least a 5-year career: To receive a star, one must achieve longevity in their entertainment category of 5 years or more”. (So much for 15 minutes of fame?)
✪ Companies can’t receive stars (but there’s an asterisk): The Walk of Fame Committee does something else called the Awards of Excellence. These are done on private property. They look like a Walk of Fame star, with a different font. For example, at the El Capitan Theatre, there is a star for the Disney Company, on private property, adjacent to the Walk of Fame. (No such honor so far for the infamous “Mary-Kate and Ashley Aquafresh BubbleCool Toothpaste”?)
-Billboard
DID YOU KNOW?
A new study has changed everything pet researchers thought they knew about a cat’s purr. Researchers from the University of Vienna found that a special “pad” in the vocal folds may help cats make these low-frequency noises. Even more surprisingly, the team found cats don’t need to constantly send signals from their brain in order to keep purring. This is a major departure from what scientists have thought for decades. Simply put, when your cat starts rolling out a long purr, this behavior appears to be on “auto-pilot” — they’ll keep going without having to think about it. (Unlike you, who will continuously think about the cat that’s crushing your leg, that you just can’t bear to disturb, because its purring is so darn “cutsey-wutsey”!)
-StudyFinds
BS CHRONOMETER 10.18.23
TODAY’S BS REASONS TO PARTY . . .
• “Alaska Day”, commemorating the formal transfer of Alaska from Russian to USA control on this date in 1867, one of the sneakiest real estate deals ever. The US paid $7.2 million, less than 2 cents an acre. Alaska produces up to 600,000 barrels of oil per day. (And half that many reality shows…)
• “Chocolate Cupcake Day”. The first mention of a dessert with the qualities of a cupcake was in 1796, and the first time the term “cupcake” was used was in 1828. (Now, what to do today, what to do?)
• “International Pronouns Day”, to make respecting, sharing, and educating about personal pronouns commonplace, because referring to people by the pronouns they prefer is basic to human dignity. LINK: https://pronounsday.org/
• “No Beard Day”, an observance likely started by some guy’s extremely chafed partner. (And if today is No Beard Day for you, so is tomorrow, the next day, and at least a few days after that…)
• “Love Your Body Day”, initiated by the National Organization for Women (NOW) in 1998 to encourage women to develop a positive body image. (But it’s OK for guys to do it too!)
• “World Menopause Day”, a collaboration between the International Menopause Society and the World Health Organization for improving awareness on the subject. (Is it getting warm in here…?) LINK: https://www.imsociety.org/
• “Support Your Local Chamber of Commerce Day”, observed annually on the 3rd Wednesday in October. It’s all about giving them the business!
AND REMEMBER . . .
[Thurs] New Friends Day
[Thurs] Get Smart About Credit Day
[Fri] Suspenders Day
[Sat] Back to the Future Day
This Week Is…Bone & Joint Action Week
This Month Is…Rhubarb Month
TODAY’S CELEBIRTHDAYS . . .
1951 [72] Pam Dawber, Detroit MI, TV actress (“Mork & Mindy” 1978-82, “My Sister Sam” 1986-88)/married to Mark Harmon since 1987
1952 [71] Chuck Lorre (“King of Sitcoms”), Long Island NY, TV producer (“The Big Bang Theory”, “Two and a Half Men”, “Young Sheldon”, Mike & Molly”, “Mom”…)
1956 [67] Martina Navratilova, Prague Czech Republic, retired pro tennis player (18 Grand Slam singles titles, 59 major titles, the most in the Open Era)
1960 [63] Jean-Claude Van Damme (Van Varenberg), Brussels Belgium, martial artist-movie actor (“The Expendables 2″, “Timecop”) COMING UP… “The Eagle Path”
1979 [44] Ne-Yo (Shaffer Smith), Camden AR, pop-R&B singer-songwriter (‘Let Me Love You’, ‘Miss Independent’)/TV personality (“World of Dance” judge 2017-2020)
1984 [39] Lindsey Vonn, Saint Paul MN, retired alpine ski racer (first American woman to win Olympic gold in downhill skiing)/2-time World Champion/4-time World Cup winner
1984 [39] Freida Pinto, Mumbai India, movie actress (“Rise of the Planet of the Apes”, “Slumdog Millionaire”) COMING UP… “North Star”, 2023
1987 [36] Zac Efron, San Luis Obispo CA, movie actor (“Baywatch”, “High School Musical” movies)/TV host (“Down to Earth with Zac Efron” since 2020) COMING UP… “The Iron Claw”, 2023
THIS DAY IN SHOW BIZ …
1988 [35] “Roseanne”, starring Roseanne Barr, John Goodman and Laurie Metcalf, premieres (spinoff show “The Conners” premieres Oct. 16, 2018)
2000 [23] Demi Moore divorces Bruce Willis due to irreconcilable differences after 13 years of marriage
TODAY’S MUSIC EVENTS . . .
2001 [22] The stage musical “Mamma Mia!”, featuring the songs of ABBA, opens on Broadway; it runs for 5,733 performances
2005 [18] An image of a naked John Lennon curled around Yoko Ono, taken on the last day of his life, is named top magazine cover of the past 40 years (the “Rolling Stone” cover shot is by Annie Leibovitz)
2021 [02] Kanye West legally changes his name to ‘Ye’, his longtime nickname
TODAY’S RECORD . . .
1977 [46] In Game 6 of the World Series vs LA Dodgers, NY Yankee Reggie Jackson (‘Mr. October’) hits 3 home runs off 3 consecutive pitches from 3 different pitchers (Yankees win the game and the series, the team’s first since 1962)
TODAY’S FIRST . . .
1776 [247] In a bar decorated with bird tailfeathers in Elmsford NY, a customer requests a glassful of “those cock tails”, and the name for a mixed alcoholic drink is born
BULL’S BITS
BS WHACK FACTS:
✓ Giraffes are 30 times more likely to get hit by lightning than people.
✓ Identical twins don’t have the same fingerprints.
✓ Costco sells 700% more hot dogs annually than all Major League Baseball stadiums combined.
✓ Vatican City could fit inside the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
✓ Dead people can get goose bumps.
✓ Cows have best friends.
-BathroomReadersInstitute, Insider, BBC
Best of BS . . .
BS WHEN SHE SAYS “I’M FINE”…
• Drop the chocolates and flowers . . . and back away slowly.
• Tell her “K”, leave with your buddies, and don’t come back until tomorrow.
• Think of it as if she said it with “air quotes”.
• Do the opposite of whatever she tells you to do next. Trust me, just do it.
• Immediately say, “Yes! You ARE fine, baby!”
• Whatever you do, don’t tell her to “Calm down”.
• Pray that she doesn’t follow it with your name, or the word “Sweetheart”.
• Sleep with one eye open.
• Grab the bag you have under your bed marked: “Emergency”. Proceed to the airport. Tell the man “The eagle has landed.” You’ll be escorted to a deserted island. Stay there until further notice.
• Or maybe she IS fine.
-Twitter, first published in BS in 2019
BS YOU KNOW YOU’RE A WINO IF:
• You drink wine by the box.
• You think that the opposite of white is red.
• You think that raisins are a waste of a grape.
• You have no fewer than 5 tools to open a bottle at any given time.
• Your glass is always half-empty, not half-full.
• Your man-friend/roommate/dog instinctively refills your glass anytime they go to the kitchen. Without being asked.
• You didn’t know that burgundy was a color.
• You find yourself swirling the glass, even if it’s water.
• You wonder why so many people dislike the French.
• You can’t finish lists — because you finished the bottle instead.
-LaLaLisette, first published in BS in 2018
BS WEB GOODIE:
The very definition of defiance (sound up): https://tinyurl.com/3tjj79fb
BS RANDOM JOKE:
I’m definitely a morning person…that’s when I get my best sleep in.
BS WOULD YOU RATHER?
(***You run down the list while your caller decides which choice is more palatable …***)
• Would you rather never get a paper cut again, or never get something stuck in your teeth again?
• Would you rather go without shampoo for the rest of your life, or toothpaste?
• Would you rather always have a mullet, or a ponytail?
• Would you rather be forced to listen to the same 10 songs on repeat for the rest of your life, or forced to watch the same 5 movies on repeat for the rest of your life?
• Would you rather listen to an annoying laugh for a whole day, or get tickled for one hour?
• Would you rather your only mode of transportation be a donkey, or a giraffe?
• Would you rather be physically stronger than most people, or be able to fly?
• Would you rather have to always wear heavy boots, or never be able to wear shoes?
• Would you rather never have another embarrassing fall in public, or never feel the need to pass gas in public again?
BS PHONE STARTER:
What’s your absolute favorite ‘Autumn’ thing to do?
BS WATER COOLER QUESTION:
Question: If you’re going to do THIS, you probably started planning it 45 days in advance. What is it?
Answer: Wear a Halloween costume
BS DEEP THOUGHT:
In order to carry a positive action, we must first develop a positive vision.
