Tuesday, May 7, 2019        Edition: #6446

Sheet for Brains!

BS SHOW BIZ BUZZ:
★ Ashton Kutcher is “expected to testify” in the trial against alleged serial killer Michael Gargiulo, who is accused of murdering a woman the actor was dating. Kutcher’s testimony could help establish the timeline of events that unfolded on the night of February 21, 2001, when 22-year-old fashion student Ashley Ellerin was brutally stabbed to death. Kutcher had been planning to take her as his date to a post-Grammy Awards party that night.
-Canoe
★ (***Watch for dating***) Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan want a California holiday home. The royal couple – whose first baby is due this month – are reportedly interested in buying a second home in the Duchess’ native California so that they can be close to her mother Doria Ragland. An insider says that spending time in L.A. would also “allow her some freedom and independence from both the Palace and the Press – and more control over her life.”
-ContactMusic
★ George R. R. Martin has confirmed that “Game Of Thrones”, has not one — but FIVE different related shows coming on HBO. On his official blog, the writer of the influential franchise said work is proceeding “nicely” on three new series at HBO’s studios. But he cautioned people about speculating too much on the future of the series, writing that “Internet reports are notoriously unreliable.”
(We got that story from the internet, so take it however you want…)
-CelebrityInsider
★ Christina Applegate had to overcome many negative emotions as a consequence of starring in Netflix’s series, “Dead To Me”. Applegate, who is also an executive producer for the show, told “Variety” that filming “Dead To Me” had a serious effect on her psychological and physical health. She said that she had to tap into some old trauma, including one incident in which she endured a personal loss. In fact, Applegate said she had to get therapy after filming because it was taking its toll.
-CelebrityInsider
★ Avengers: Endgame is now the second highest grossing film of all time at $2.189 billion. That surpasses “Titanic”, which earned $2.187 billion (unadjusted for inflation). The No. 1 grossing film of all time is “Avatar” with $2.8 billion at the global box office.
-HollywoodReporter

TODAY’S SHOW BIZ SKED:
• “Jimmy Kimmel Live” (ABC/Global): George Clooney, Dr. Mehmet Oz, Pink Sweat$
• “The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon” (NBC/CTV): Amy Poehler, Ryan Eggold, Vampire Weekend
• “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” (CBS/Global): Anne Hathaway, Ari Melber
• “Late Night with Seth Meyers” (NBC/CTV): Taraji P. Henson, Meghan McCain, A R I Z O N A, Phillip “Fish” Fisher
• “The Late Late Show with James Corden” (CBS/CTV): Jamie Bell, Tom Odell
• “Conan” (TBS): Liam Cunningham
• “Watch What Happens Live” (Bravo): Ana Gasteyer, Emily Spivey, Rachel Dratch, Paula Pell
• “The View” (ABC/CTV): Joe Scarborough, Mika Brzezinski, Common
• “The Talk” (CBS): David James Elliott
• “Live with Kelly and Ryan” (ABC/CTV): Will Smith, RuPaul, Meaghan Murphy
• “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” (NBC/CTV): Jake Gyllenhaal, Henry Winkler
• “Foster” (A&E): The U.S. foster-care system is spotlighted.
• “The Voice” (NBC): Seven artists are safe; three compete for the instant save.

BS MUSIC NOTES:
• Carly Rae Jepsen – says she wrote 200 songs for her new album. The self-confessed workaholic says she struggled to whittle that down for her fourth record ‘Dedicated’, which is set for release on May 17.
• Ellie Goulding – told an interviewer that she wants Diplo to DJ her wedding.  The two appeared together at Coachella, and now she says, “Do you know what, he owes me one. So, I might actually make him do that.”
• Wu-Tang Clan – have had a district in New York City named in their honor. The city named the streets of the Park Hill area – where members of the group come from – as the ‘Wu-Tang District.’
BS FAST FACT: ‘Wu-Tang’ stands for “Witty Unpredictable Talent and Natural Game”.
• Kylie Minogue — believes being diagnosed with breast cancer prevented her from becoming a mother.
The 50-year-old was 36 when she began treatment for the disease, and says that while motherhood wasn’t on her mind at the time, her health battle “changed everything”.
• Journey — guitarist Neal Schon has released a new augmented reality app for ios and Android mobile platforms.  A press release says that the app, called “StraxAR”, works in conjunction with Schon’s new website to “allow us to very quickly release material worldwide and share it in this unique way, combining it with all kinds of rewarding experiences for our fans.”
• Billy Joel – his neighbors in an exclusive Long Island community want to ban him and others from using helicopters to fly to and from their homes, or at least place limits on it. Most of the neighbors’ anger is directed at hedge fund manager Clive Holmes, who is said to be flying twice a day and offering joyrides to friends.
• Carrie Underwood – says she always tries to squeeze in an early morning workout no matter how busy the mom-of-two is.  Quote: “It allows me to be better up there (onstage) having that hour in the morning. I’m a better mom, I’m a better performer, I’m a better wife. I just feel better when I get to do that.”
• (***Watch for dating***) Little Big Town — will host the 2019 CMT Music Awards on June 5. This marks the country quartet’s second consecutive year in this role. They will also perform. Nominees will be revealed this morning on NBC’s “TODAY with Hoda and Jenna”.

THIS WEEK’S VIDEO RELEASES:
• “The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part” (PG, Animation/Comedy):  It’s been five years since everything was awesome and the citizens are facing a huge new threat: Lego Duplo invaders from outer space, wrecking everything faster than they can rebuild. (Chris Pratt, Elizabeth Banks, Will Arnett)
• “What Men Want” (R-Rated, Comedy):  A woman is boxed out by the male sports agents in her profession, but gains an unexpected edge over them when she develops the ability to hear men’s thoughts. (Taraji P. Henson, Kristen Ledlow)
• “The Prodigy” (R-Rated, Horror):  A mother concerned about her young son’s disturbing behavior thinks something supernatural may be affecting him. (Jackson Robert Scott, Taylor Schilling)
• “Blaze” (R-Rated, Drama):  Inspired by the life of Blaze Foley, the unsung songwriting legend of the Texas outlaw music movement that spawned the likes of Merle Haggard and Willie Nelson. (Ben Dickey, Alia Shawkat)

PLEASE WAIT WHILE JAVA IS INSTALLED:
If you are a coffee drinker, you know what it’s like in the morning before you’ve had your first cup.  And I’m sure your family knows what it’s like before you’ve had your first cup, too.  But did you know that feeling of needing a cup has been classified as a mental health disorder? The new edition of the American Psychiatric Association’s mental health manual, the “Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Health Disorders” includes a new coffee-related diagnosis: “caffeine withdrawal,” which describes the symptoms of stopping or dramatically reducing one’s daily coffee habit. It notes that the symptoms of caffeine withdrawal include fatigue, headache and difficulty focusing. A spokesperson for the journal says there is some logic to treating caffeine withdrawal as a type of mental health issue. Caffeine is a stimulant. And as psychologist Alan Budney, who serves on the journal’s committee puts it, “The caffeine consideration isn’t really any different from alcohol, which is a legal substance but can also be misused” and produce a temporary withdrawal syndrome. He did, however, point out that a mental disorder diagnosis of “caffeine withdrawal” should be made only if symptoms cause “clinically significant distress” or impair a person’s daily functioning.
(I don’t have a problem with coffee.  I have a problem without coffee!)
(Like I’ve always said, “Hello darkness, my old friend…)
(Yes, drinking too much coffee can cause a latte problems.  It’s bean obvious for a while now…)
-PurpleClover

SO BAD, THEY’RE GOOD:
Crocs have always sort-of been like the ‘Nickelback’ of footwear.  Nobody admits they like them, but millions somewhere are spending their money on them.  And now, in a move that seemingly pokes fun at their uncoolness, the makers of Crocs have unveiled…the “Pocket Croc” a version of their classic shoe…with tiny fanny packs attached to its ankle straps!  In a collaboration with the Japanese fashion brand Beams, they have introduced a version of their shoe with, yes, a little fanny pack sitting right there on the heel.  What is the reaction?  People are calling them the ugliest shoes they’ve ever seen.  Which is saying something.  And that may be just the point.  Crocs with fanny packs are selling for about $53 US a pair. And yes, you CAN put stuff in the tiny fanny packs.
(Like your remaining shred of dignity?)
(Coming next year:  Crocs with fanny packs…and a mullet!)
(Well, you’ve gotta admit, you can those things with anything.  Because if you’re wearing them at all, you just don’t care!)
-CNN

ROCKIN’ TO THE END:
The most popular rock songs chosen to be played at funerals, according to a survey by the U.K.’s largest provider, “Co-Op Funeral Care” . . .
1. Led Zeppelin – ‘Stairway to Heaven’
2. Meat Loaf – ‘Bat Out of Hell’
3. Aerosmith – ‘I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing’
4. Queen – ‘Who Wants to Live Forever’
5. Queen – ‘The Show Must Go On’
6. Guns N’ Roses – ‘Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door’
7. Pink Floyd – ‘Wish You Were Here’
8. AC/DC – ‘Highway to Hell’
9. Queen – ‘Another One Bites the Dust’
10. Queen – ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’
(What song would YOU choose? Free Bird?  Goodbye Stranger? Don’t Fear the Reaper?)
-UltimateClassicRock

DID YOU KNOW?
New Zealanders have the sexiest accents, according to a survey of 1.5 million “travel-obsessed” people by ‘Big 7 Travel’. Rounding out the top 5 in order are the accents of people from South Africa, Ireland, Italy, and Australia.
-Big7, SundayTimes

BS CHRONOMETER 05.07.19

TODAY’S CELEBIRTHDAYS . . .
1946 [73] Bill Kreutzmann, Palo Alto CA, rock drummer (Grateful Dead-‘Touch of Grey’)/author (“Deal: My Three Decades of Drumming, Dreams, and Drugs With the Grateful Dead”)

1968 [51] Eagle-Eye Cherry (yup, that’s his real name), Skane, Sweden, rock singer (‘Save Tonight’)/half-brother of Neneh Cherry.

1986 [33] Matt Helders, Sheffield UK, indie rock drummer (Arctic Monkeys-‘I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor’, ‘Do I Wanna Know?’)

1987 [32] Aidy Bryant, Phoenix AZ, comedian (“Saturday Night Live” since 2012)

1992 [27] Alexander Ludwig, Vancouver BC, TV actor (‘Björn Ironside’ on “Vikings” since 2014)/movie actor (“The Hunger Games”, “Race to Witch Mountain”)

TODAY’S BS REASONS TO PARTY . . .
• “National Teacher Day”, always the Tuesday of the first full week of May.
BS SIGNS YOU’RE A TEACHER:
☞ You can’t have children because there’s not a name you can think of that doesn’t give you high blood pressure.
☞ You believe ‘Shallow Gene Pool’ should have its own little check box on report cards.
☞ Your voice is permanently set on high volume.
☞ You’ve corrected a total stranger’s grammar errors.
☞ Any sustained loud noise causes you to impulsively flick the light switch on and off.

• “Childhood Depression Awareness Day”, first designated by the National Mental Health Association in 1997. Also known as “Green Ribbon Day”, we’re encouraged to wear one to create awareness of the malady.

• “National Cosmopolitan Day”, typically made with vodka, lime and cranberry juices, today there are many delicious variations of the Cosmo.

• “National Concert Day”, a day to celebrate music artists, record labels, live music industry leaders, tour managers and their teams who work to produce live music experiences for fans.

AND REMEMBER . . .
[Wed] Bike to School Day
[Wed] Free Trade Day
[Thurs] Hurray for Buttons Day
[Thurs] Lost Sock Memorial Day

THIS DAY IN SHOW BIZ . . .
2010 [09] The sequel film “Iron Man 2” opens in movie theaters and eventually grosses $624 million worldwide (unlike most film series, the ‘threequel’ proves an even bigger hit in 2013)

TODAY’S MUSIC EVENT . . .
2016 [03] Axl Rose takes over as lead singer for AC/DC, filling in for Brian Johnson at a show in Lisbon after Johnson is told that continuing the tour could result in permanent hearing loss. Rose fills in on the remaining dates as a guest vocalist.

TODAY’S FIRSTS . . .
2000 [19] Vladimir Putin is inaugurated president of Russia (the 1st time)

2006 [13] Phoenix Suns’ Steve Nash becomes 1st point guard to be named the NBA’s Most Valuable Player in consecutive seasons since LA Lakers’ Magic Johnson 1989-90

TODAY’S RECORD . . .
2000 [19] Skydiver Mike Hennessy of West Springfield, Massachusetts celebrates his 50th birthday by jumping out of an airplane … 50 times

BULL’S BITS

BS WACK FACTS:
✓ Fingernails take approximately six months to grow from base to tip, toenails about a year.
✓ Whips make a “cracking” sound when they are snapped because the tip moves faster than the speed of sound, creating a small sonic boom.
✓ The sum of the two numbers on opposite sides of a standard dice is always 7.
✓ The word “dice” is now accepted as both the singular and plural.
✓ The farthest you can get from a McDonald’s in the US (excluding Alaska and islands) is 107 miles.
✓ A UK study found that the average adult sends more than twice as much time on the toilet than being physically active.
-UnbelievableFacts

BS MUCH-NEEDED BASKETBALL RULES:
• Penalty for shoe-squeaking
• Miss a free-throw, fifty pushups.
• One tattoo per player.
• First basket wins the game.
• No dunkin’ without donuts.
• A special Oscar awarded in the category of “Best On-Court Flop”.
• All free throws must be made “Granny-style”.
• No drooling while dribbling.
• Football-style end zone dance required after a slam dunk.
• No crying in basketball, either.
-Twitter

Best of BS . . .
BS THINGS MOM REALLY WANTS FOR MOTHERS DAY ON SUNDAY:
Forget the flowers and greeting cards; a few things mom would actually appreciate …
✓ To eat an entire meal without any discussion of bodily functions at the table.
✓ At least 5 minutes in the bathroom without someone knocking on the door because they can’t find something.
✓ Instead of a candy bar and a magazine from the corner store, a cleaned house and a cooked dinner.
✓ A beautiful bouquet of tulips is fine, but just for once NOT stolen from her garden.
✓ Last year’s belated Mothers Day gift … which seems to have never arrived.
✓ Hours of labor multiplied by years of service, expressed in dollars (rounded up).
– Adapted from BennyDesk.com, first published in ‘BS’ in 2015

BS PHONE STARTER:
What’s a really great word that you like to drop into conversation whenever you get the chance?

BS RANDOM JOKE:
If you’re ever lost in the woods, start talking about politics.  Someone will come to argue with you.

BS WATER COOLER QUESTION:
Question: 20% of married people say THIS is what their spouses did that caused them to quit speaking to them the last time.
Answer: Threw something away they shouldn’t have.

BS DEEP THOUGHT:
We all have two lives.  The second one starts when we realize we only have one.