Friday, July 7, 2023 – Edition: #7511
It’s Another Running Of the Bull!
BS SHOW BIZ BUZZ:
★ It’s the end of the road for Ricky Martin and Jwan Yosef. The Grammy winner and Syrian-Swedish painter have announced they will be divorcing after 6 years of marriage. In a joint statement, they said: “it is after careful consideration that we have decided to end our marriage with love, respect and dignity for our children and honoring what we have experienced as a couple all these wonderful years.” The 2 said they plan to continue the “Joint upbringing” of their children. They share kids Lucia, who is 4, and 3-year-old Renn. Martin is also dad to 14-year-old twin sons Matteo and Valentino.
-E!
★ Kevin Costner has scored a victory in court amid his divorce from estranged wife, Christine Baumgartner. A judge has ordered the handbag designer to move out of their shared family home by July 31, upholding the terms of their existing prenup. Baumgartner’s attorneys argued that she didn’t have enough time or money to find another place to live by the end of the month, and asked the judge to grant an extension until Aug. 15. The judge ultimately rejected the request. In May, Baumgartner filed for divorce after 18 years of marriage, citing “irreconcilable differences.”
-PageSix
★ Tom Cruise has been playing “Mission: Impossible” hero ‘Ethan Hunt’ for more than 20 years, but he doesn’t intend to stop anytime soon. In fact, he wants to follow in the footsteps Harrison Ford, who just led “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny” 42 years after first playing Indy in “Raiders of the Lost Ark”. Cruise told the Sydney Morning Herald: “Harrison Ford is a legend. I’ve got 20 years to catch up with him.” He continued, “I hope to keep making Mission: Impossible films until I’m his age.” Ford turns 81 next week.
-EW
★ It’s been 8 years since NBC’s psychological horror drama “Hannibal” came to an arguably premature end, but will it ever come back? Mads Mikkelson spoke about the possibility of returning as the title character. Quote: “There’s always a chance. It’s all about finding a home for it…We can’t wait 20 years, but in the next couple of years, if somebody finds a home, I think we are all ready to take it up again.” The series, based on Thomas Harris’ novels, premiered in 2013 on NBC and ran for 3 seasons.
-PopCulture
★ Bradley Cooper, Benedict Cumberbatch, Russell Brand, Rita Ora, and Daveed Diggs are some of the celebs who test their survival skills in the new season of Nat Geo’s “Running Wild with Bear Grylls: The Challenge,” which premieres today. For 48 hours in a tough setting, Grylls and a famous person are paired in the series. The guest must perform tasks by themselves the day after Grylls teaches them. These skills include fire-making, water-finding, and climbing methods. For his part, Cooper says he had to jump into a hovering helicopter, down a 400-foot precipice, and haul himself over a 100-foot ravine – all in one of the harshest environments in North America.
-ETCanada
★ “Barbie” director Greta Gerwig has a good reason why she chose not to use CGI on Margot Robbie’s feet. Robbie had the internet talking after stepping out of her high heels and still having an arched foot in the trailer. The pair recently appeared on Australian TV, and the subject of Robbie’s feet came. Gerwig said: “There was a big discussion at the beginning… Everyone said, ‘Are you going to CGI all the feet?’ And I thought…That’s terrifying! No, that’s a nightmare.’ And [Margot] has the nicest feet. She has these beautiful dancer feet.’” LINK: https://tinyurl.com/mu6xv4p3
-ETCanada
TODAY’S SHOW BIZ SKED:
• “Jimmy Kimmel Live” (ABC/Global): Rob Lowe, Storm Reid, Seal (R)
• “The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon” (NBC/CTV): Joel McHale, Zoey Deutch, Saucy Santana (R)
• “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” (CBS/Global): Bob Woodward, Carl Bernstein, Bonnie Raitt (R)
• “Late Night with Seth Meyers” (NBC/CTV): Chris Pratt, Ali Wong, The Hold Steady (R)
• “The View” (ABC/CTV): Ashley Park, Sherry Cola, Stephanie Hsu, Sabrina Wu (R)
• “The Talk” (CBS): Eric Christian Olsen (R)
• “Live with Kelly and Mark” (ABC/CTV): Patrick Wilson, Juan Archuleta
• “The Kelly Clarkson Show” (Check local listings): Jay Leno, Novi Brown, Hannah Fry (R)
• “The Drew Barrymore Show” (Check local listings): Julie Bowen (R)
• “Jennifer Hudson Show” (Check local listings): Joel McHale, David Riherd, McKenna Reitz (R)
• “Family Law” (CW): Season 2 premiere
• “Moonshine” (CW): Series premiere. The story of the Finley-Cullens, a dysfunctional family of adult half-siblings battling to take control over the family business.
SATURDAY:
• “Greatest Geek Year Ever: 1982” (CW): Series premiere. A documentary spotlighting the pop culture milestones of 1982, including notable movies, TV, music, and video games.
• “2023 U.S. Women’s Open Golf Championship” (NBC): Round 3 from Pebble Beach CA.
• “V.C. Andrews’ Dawn” (LIFETIME): A 4-part adaptation of Andrews’ ‘Dawn Cutler’ novels. After learning the shocking truth about the people who raised her, young Dawn goes to stay with her real family — a family with dark and twisted secrets.
• “Saturday Night Live” (NBC): Host Woody Harrelson; musical guest Jack White (R)
SUNDAY:
• “Celebrity Family Feud” (ABC): Season 9 premiere. The Cast of Yellowjackets and Gayle King vs. Sophia Bush Hughes
• “Last Call: When a Serial Killer Stalked Queer New York” (HBO): Series premiere. When a dismembered body is found in New Jersey in 1992, the crime scene poses striking similarities to a murder a year prior.
• “Trapped in the Farmhouse” (LIFE): On the run from her abusive boyfriend, a woman takes shelter in an isolated farmhouse, unaware that something far worse is waiting inside.
BS MUSIC NOTES:
• Taylor Swift – has added another 14 dates to her upcoming European tour, and revealed that Paramore will be the opening act for all of them. All the additional shows represent second, third, fourth or even sixth nights in cities that were already on the itinerary for May through August, 2024. LINK: https://tinyurl.com/5dpfxnfa
• Harry Styles — treated 3 Ukrainian refugees to his “Love on Tour” concert experience in Warsaw, Poland on Sunday. One of them, Maryna, said: “”I’m so grateful to Harry Styles … for giving us the chance to forget our worries for a night and sing and dance at the concert.” The 3 are living in Poland thanks to the efforts of the International Rescue Committee, which supports over 94,000 Ukrainian refugees.
• Avril Lavigne and Tyga — have fans wondering if they’re back together. Tuesday night, the rapper shared a TikTok of his new song ‘Bops Goin Brazy’, in which Lavigne pops into the frame to dance with him and sing along. LINK: https://tinyurl.com/6jk8x9cn
• Eagles — have announced their farewell tour, expected to last into 2025. “The Long Goodbye” will kick off Sept. 7 at Madison Square Garden in New York. Just the first handful of dates have been announced, including Boston (Sept. 11), Denver (Oct. 5), and Atlanta (Nov. 2).
• Ringo Starr – The birthday boy, who turns 83 today, is, of all things, a Swiftie. When asked what current artists he likes, he told People: “I’m not naming anybody…but there are several great bands out there, girl singers out there.” Then, he named one: “I mean, the biggest star in the world, Taylor. We used to meet her when she was like, 5, at the Grammys with her mother.”
• Jimi Hendrix — A 1961 Epiphone Wilshire guitar he once owned is up for sale, with an eye-watering price tag of $1.25 million. After leaving the army, Hendrix used the guitar in the early years of his career, while playing with The King Kasuals. LINK: https://tinyurl.com/2m54k4ux
• Cody Johnson – says that recording his upcoming duet with Carrie Underwood was a full-circle moment – and it was a long time coming. He’s not giving many details yet, but he did say: “From the moment I heard the song, and this was 6 years ago, I wanted to record it and I wanted to do a duet with Carrie because I heard her voice on it.” He says there was no “Plan B.”
• Darryl Worley — Just in time for Independence Day — and the song’s 20th anniversary, he released ‘Have We Forgotten’, a remake of his 2003 hit ‘Have You Forgotten?’ The updated version employs a first-person narrative in the form of “we”, and references to war, the Pentagon and Osama Bin Laden are swapped out for sentiments of unity. LINK: https://tinyurl.com/bhksb69e
• Dolly Parton – doesn’t want to become an AI hologram. While technology has made it possible for fans to see their favorite artists perform even after their deaths, she said: “I have to decide how much of that high-tech stuff I want to be involved [with] because I don’t want to leave my soul here on this earth.” On the other hand, she assures fans: “I’ll be around, we’ll find ways to keep me here.”
SHOOTING THE BULL
THIS WEEK’S MOVIE OPENINGS:
• “Insidious: The Red Door” (PG-13, Horror/Mystery): The Lamberts must go deeper into The Further than ever before to put their demons to rest once and for all. (Patrick Wilson, Ty Simpkins)
• “Joy Ride” (Comedy): Four Asian-American friends bond and discover the truth of what it means to know and love who you are, while they travel through Asia in search of one of their birth mothers. (Jenny Chen, Wey Chen, Mary Sullivan) Tomatometer: 91%
BATTLE OF THE SEXES:
⇒ These days, men are just as likely as women to openly display a sensitive side, according to a new survey. A poll of 2,000 adults found that 71% of men feel they are in touch with how they feel, compared to 82% of women. Among those who consider themselves “sensitive”, 41% outwardly show this side of their personality “often” or “always.” A third (33%) said that being in tune with how they feel is the sign of a good leader. And while 37% of men would consider being called “sensitive” a compliment, only 23% of women feel the same way. In fact, 24% of women in the survey said they would feel insulted if someone called them sensitive. (Wow! SOMEONE’S sensitive today!)
⇒ You know the old saying that goes “50 is the new 30.” Well, there might be some truth to that. A survey found that women over 50 are happier, more secure, and more content with their relationships than women in their 20s. That’s from the responses of 1,000 British women in a survey commissioned by Platinum Magazine. Over half of women over 50 said they are happy with their relationship status, and a quarter report being “happy” with their age. Interestingly, one sixth of older respondents even say they are more confident in their looks and attractiveness than at any other time in their life. Only 44% of 20–30-year-olds said they are comfortable with their current love life. The over-50 crowd also reported exercising and dating more often than those in their 20s. (Dating?…much to the surprise of their husbands, I’m guessing!)
-StudyFinds
NEWS OF THE WEIRD:
➢ McDonald’s has announced that it is now offering wedding catering. A post on the company’s Indonesian Instagram account says: “McD’ers, let’s make the wedding moment more memorable with the Wedding Mekdi package.” For $200, the package includes 100 chicken sandwiches and 100 packs of 4-piece chicken nuggets. A company spokesperson says there are other options available as well, but pointed out “The wedding package is not for holding a wedding at a McD store, but only for food.” If a wedding in an actual McDonald’s restaurant is what you’re after, be aware that several years ago, one branch of the fast-food company in Hong Kong revealed that they perform marriages inside the store for $382. That package included invites and audio equipment, with the cost of food extra. (I can’t help but ‘Grimace’ at the thought…)
➢ Welcome, brave golfers, to Ahlgrim Acres. It’s a macabre mini-golf course that sits in the basement below Ahlgrim Family Funeral Services, the local funeral home in the Chicago suburb of Palatine. It’s decked out in coffins, skeletons, and other creepy decor. Robert Ahlgrim (yup, that’s his real name!) turned the basement of his family’s funeral home into a mini-golf course in 1964 and the family has maintained it ever since. The course is closed during services out of respect, but when it’s too hot or too cold outside, neighborhood kids flood the funeral home basement to putt some balls through the mouth of a skull or around the tombstones of a miniature cemetery. Neighbors appreciate the family’s sense of humor and the entertainment it provides to literally thousands of people each year. Plus, it’s free! (Putting the FUN back in funeral home?)
-NYPost, CNN
DID YOU KNOW?
A professor investigating the death of a beached sperm whale ended up discovering 21 pounds of “whale vomit” – worth half a million dollars. Antonio Fernández was inspecting the dead whale at Nogales beach in the Canary Islands when he found a huge clump of ambergris in it. Ambergris is a rare and highly sought-after secretion produced in the digestive systems of sperm whales. It is typically only found in around one out of 100 specimens, and is believed to be created when they cannot digest the beaks of their prey. It’s valued in the perfume industry for its distinct odor and scarcity, and is often called “floating gold” or the “treasure of the sea.” (“Is that Moby Dick you’re wearing?”)
-Insider
BS CHRONOMETER 07.07.23
TODAY’S BS REASONS TO PARTY . . .
• “Chocolate Day”, started by the Confectioners Association to promote what is almost every woman’s (and many a man’s) weakness. Some say chocolate from the New World (mostly Mexico) was introduced to Europe on this date in 1550. Suggestions for today’s menu …
– Breakfast: Chocolate cereal; chocolate cream-filled donuts; hot chocolate.
– Morning Snack: Chocolate bar to give you a boost until lunch.
– Lunch: A big tall glass of chocolate milk; chocolate pie or pudding for dessert.
– Afternoon Snack: Chocolate covered raisins, which contain both vegetable and fruit (Chocolate is a product of the cacao bean).
– Dinner: Chocolate liqueur aperitif; chocolate-flavored coffee; chocolate cake.
– Evening Snack: Chocolate ice cream, of course!
• “Father-Daughter Take a Walk Together Day”. If she’s a teenager, good luck! Like, are you tryin’ to embarrass her or what?
• “Global Forgiveness Day”, begun in 1994 as an excuse for us to get in touch with our need to forgive and be forgiven. A good day to knock that chip off your shoulder and make peace.
• “Macaroni Day”, saluting one of the more popular forms of pasta. How would the average student survive without mac & cheese?
• “Tell the Truth Day”, challenging us to go an entire day without telling a lie or saying anything misleading or dishonest. Is this possible? (The only time a politician tells the truth is when he calls another politician a liar!)
• “National Dive Bar Day”, From the one-time speakeasy to the little hole-in-the-wall, the dive bar is like an old pair of jeans; it just fits right. Urban Dictionary calls a dive bar “A well-worn, unglamorous bar, often serving a cheap, simple selection of drinks to a regular clientele.” (I’ll drink to THAT!)
• “Comic Sans Day”, Comic Sans owes its existence to the epic failure of Microsoft Bob. Bob was a yellow cartoon, designed to help people bend their heads around PCs. The text in Bob’s speech bubbles was intended to be written in Times New Roman, but the designer thought such a serious text for a cartoon was ridiculous. So, he created a more kid-friendly font, and so it was that Comic Sans was born.
• “Calgary Stampede”, begins, the annual rodeo & 10-day festival through July 16th in Calgary, Alberta. “The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth”, attracts over 1 million visitors per year and features one of the world’s largest rodeos, a parade, midway, stage shows, concerts, agricultural competitions, chuckwagon racing and First Nations exhibitions (and usually the Prime Minister flipping pancakes while wearing chaps…) Some of the more than 100 music acts on hand this year: Pitbull, Alabama, Elle King, Billy Currington, Jimmy Eat World, and Cypress Hill. LINK: https://www.calgarystampede.com
SATURDAY:
• “Be a Kid Again Day”, when we’re encouraged to participate in activities we enjoyed as a child and to introduce them to a kid we know. (“OK, Zachary, this is known as ‘playing outdoors’ …”)
• “Ice Cream Sundae Day”, a day to create your own sundae from all your favorite toppings. The first sundae was purportedly created on this date in 1881 by Edward Berner in Two Rivers WI. (FUN FACT: Though there are many supposed sundae origin stories, most of them agree that the sundae’s original spelling was “Sunday”, but it was changed to avoid religious connotation.)
• “Milk Chocolate with Almonds Day”, celebrating what happens when these 2 fantastic tastes come together into a mind-bendingly delectable whole. Today, have some brownies, cupcakes, or muffins made with milk chocolate and almonds. Or just eat some almonds covered with milk chocolate. (Not if I get to them first!)
• “Math 2.0 Day”, celebrating math and technology, specifically the intersection between the 2. Today, mathematicians, educators, innovators, and policymakers come together to raise awareness about math literacy and education. (Figures…)
• “SCUD (Savor the Comic, Unplug the Drama) Day”, to remind people of the benefits of spending more time in the ‘Comic Zone’ and less in the ‘Drama Zone’. Today, step back, relax and laugh, and leave the drama alone. (I particularly enjoy those who claim they hate drama, and feel the need to dramatically complain about it…)
SUNDAY:
• “Don’t Put All Your Eggs in One Omelet Day”, from the saying: “Don’t put all your eggs in one basket,” meaning “Don’t put all your faith (or time, or money, etc.) into one thing”, because that one thing could fail, and you’ll be left starting from scratch.
• “Sugar Cookie Day”, honoring the cookie that is so delicious, yet so simple. All you need is sugar, flour, butter, eggs, vanilla, and baking powder (and insulin…)
• “Call of the Horizon Day”, if the idea of following your dreams over the horizon has ever called you, take the time to follow today! (Keep the dream alive – hit ‘snooze’!)
• “No Bra Day”, it’s fairly self-explanatory, but if wearing a bra on this day is absolutely necessary, you can also show your ‘support’ by wearing something purple (or lack of support?)
• “Fashion Day”, On this day, people sport their best fashionable looks, and post pictures on social media. (I heard somewhere that not wearing a bra is fashionable…at least today!)
TODAY’S CELEBIRTHDAYS . . .
1940 [83] Ringo Starr (Richard Starkey), Liverpool England, rock drummer-singer (‘You’re Sixteen’, The Beatles-‘Yellow Submarine’)
1949 [74] Shelley Duvall, Houston TX, movie actress (“The Shining”, “Popeye”)
1963 [60] Vonda Shepard, New York NY, pop singer (‘Searchin’ My Soul’, w/Dan Hill-‘Can’t We Try’)/TV actress (“Ally McBeal” 1997-2002)
1966 [57] Jim Gaffigan, Elgin IN, comedian/TV actor (“The Jim Gaffigan Show” 2015-16)/movie actor (“Hotel Transylvania: Transformania”)
1968 [55] Jorja Fox, New York City NY, TV actress (‘Sara Sidle’ on “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation” 2000-15)
1968 [55] Amy Carlson, Glen Ellyn IL, TV actress (‘Linda Reagan’ on “Blue Bloods” 2010-17)
1972 [51] Kirsten Vangsness, Pasadena CA, TV actress (‘Penelope Garcia’ on “Criminal Minds” 2005-20)
1994 [29] Ashton Irwin, Sydney Australia, pop drummer (5 Seconds of Summer-‘Youngblood’, ‘She Looks So Perfect’)
1995 [28] Maddie Marlow, Sugarland TX, country singer (Maddie & Tae-‘Fly’, ‘Girl in a Country Song’)
SATURDAY- Jeffrey Tambor (“Transparent”) is 79; Celeb chef Wolfgang Puck is 74; Anjelica Huston (“The Addams Family”) is 72; Kevin Bacon (“Footloose”) is 65; Toby Keith (‘Red Solo Cup’) is 62; Beck (‘Loser’) is 53; Milo Ventimiglia (“This Is Us”) is 46; Sophia Bush (“One Tree Hill”) is 41; Jamie Cook (Arctic Monkeys) is 38; Jaden Smith (“The Karate Kid”) is 25; Maya Hawke (“Stranger Things”) is 25
SUNDAY- Retired NFLer OJ Simpson is 76; John Tesh (“Entertainment Tonight”) is 71; Jimmy Smits (“NYPD Blue”) is 68; Tom Hanks (“Forrest Gump”) is 67; Kelly McGillis (“Top Gun”) is 66; Courtney Love (Hole) is 59; Jack White (White Stripes) is 48; Fred Savage (“The Wonder Years”) is 47
THIS DAY IN SHOW BIZ . . .
2001 [22] “Charlie’s Angels” star Drew Barrymore marries actor-comedian Tom Green in Malibu CA. They divorce in 2002
2011 [12] “Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows: Part 2”, the final film based on the wizard fantasy books, premieres in London on its way to becoming the year’s top-grossing movie
TODAY’S MUSIC EVENTS . . .
2007 [16] “Live Earth: Concerts For a Climate In Crisis” take place in 11 locations on all 7 continents, featuring performances by over 150 acts including Garth Brooks, Kanye West, Metallica, Genesis, Duran Duran, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Kelly Clarkson, Bon Jovi, Shakira, and Lenny Kravitz (and emits about 7 trillion tons of carbon into the atmosphere)
2009 [14] Hundreds-of-thousands converge on LA’s Staples Center at a public memorial for Michael Jackson (millions more watch on TV and the internet)
TODAY’S FIRSTS . . .
1928 [95] Sliced bread is sold for the first time by the Chillicothe Baking Company, Missouri. It is described as the greatest thing since bread was wrapped.
2007 [16] The ‘New Seven Wonders of the World’ are unveiled (Great Wall of China, Brazil’s Christ the Redeemer statue, Peru’s Machu Picchu, Mexico’s Mayan ruins at Chichen Itza, the Colosseum in Rome, India’s Taj Mahal, and Petra in Jordan)
BULL’S BITS
BS WHACK FACTS:
✓ The average car has 30,000 parts.
✓ Elvis Presley didn’t write any of his songs.
✓ None of The Beatles could read music.
✓ A study found that more driving errors occur when listening to a favorite song compared to unfamiliar music.
✓ Of the 12 people who have walked on the moon, 11 were Boy Scouts.
✓ Alexander Graham Bell refused to have a phone in his study because the ringing drove him nuts.
-MentalFloss, BathroomReadersInstitute
Best of BS . . .
BS WHY I WASN’T INVITED TO THE POOL PARTY:
• Apparently ‘Borat’ swimwear is no longer a thing.
• Two words: double-dipping.
• My milkshake brought all the ants to the water.
• Because of the ‘chocolate bar in the pool’ incident last year.
• They didn’t have room for my emotional support elephant.
• Because I don’t skinny dip…I chunky dunk.
• Last time, I got the 8 ball in the corner pocket — and they couldn’t get it out of the filter.
• My birthday suit doesn’t fit anymore.
-Twitter, first published in BS in 2018
TODAY’S SCOOP OF BS:
➠ Joey Chestnut won the 2023 Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest by eating 62 hot dogs and buns. (The only thing worse than losing a hot dog eating contest is winning one…OR WATCHING ONE!)
➠ Ah, yes…the 4th of July. (When Americans blow up $300 worth of fireworks and then sit around and complain about the economy…)
➠ 75% of the world’s diet is produced from just 12 plants and 5 different animal species. (The other 25%? That comes from whatever that is that Chipotle makes…)
➠ There’s a university in Japan that awards a degree in ‘Ninja Studies.’ (I’m pretty sure it’s the only class where you can be marked “absent” and still get an “A.”
➠ Scientists say that testicles of mice that eat yogurt are bigger than those that don’t. (The same scientists also say that their careers in science didn’t work out exactly as planned…)
BS WEB GOODIE:
Smooth: https://tinyurl.com/38knh4y8
BS RANDOM JOKE:
It was love at first sight. Then I took a second look!
BS PHONE STARTER:
What weird potato chip flavor (or flavor combo) SHOULD exist?
BS WATER COOLER QUESTION:
Question: A study showed that people do THIS 20% more on the weekend. What is it?
Answer: Smile
BS DEEP THOUGHT:
Count your age by friends, not years. Count your life by smiles, not tears.
