Tuesday, July 18, 2023 – Edition: #7518
Sheet Happens!
BS SHOW BIZ BUZZ:
[***UPDATE***] ★ It’s splitsville for Sofia Vergara and Joe Manganiello. The couple have announced they’re throwing in the towel on their marriage after 7 years. They issued a joint statement Monday, saying: “We have made the difficult decision to divorce. As two people that love and care for one another very much, we politely ask for respect of our privacy at this time as we navigate this new phase of our lives.” They do not have children together.
-TMZ
[***UPDATE***] ★ Lindsay Lohan is a mom! The actress has given birth to her and her husband Bader Shammas‘ first child, a son named Luai, a rep says. A statement reads: “The family is over the moon in love.” The baby was born in Dubai, where the couple lives, although his birth date was not immediately made known. Luai is an Arabic name that means “shield or protector.” Lohan used a “coming soon” onesie to announce her pregnancy in March.
-PageSix
★ “The Golden Bachelor” has officially been announced. Gerry Turner, a 71-year-old grandpa from Indiana, will star as ABC’s first-ever senior citizen leading man, when he searches for love on television this fall. “The Golden Bachelor” is the latest spinoff in the “The Bachelor” franchise. It will showcase a “whole new kind of love story — one for the golden years,” according to ABC, in which a “hopeless romantic is given a second chance at love…to share the sunset years of life.” Turner, a retired restauranter, is described as a “charming 71-year-old patriarch,” who will show that love stories “only get better with age.”
-Variety
★ Elton John and his husband David Furnish testified Monday on behalf of Kevin Spacey, who is facing a dozen charges of criminal sexual assault in London, saying the “House of Cards” actor only attended their annual charity ball once – and not the year one accuser says he was assaulted on the way to the Windsor event. John and Furnish both appeared at the trial remotely from their Monaco home to say Spacey only attended their annual gala ball once, in 2001. One of the 4 men accusing Spacey said the actor assaulted him during the drive to the event in 2004 or 2005.
-Variety
★ Not even ‘Ken’ can please everyone. Recently, “Barbie” stars Ryan Gosling and Margot Robbie discussed the criticism Gosling has received for perhaps being “too old” to play ‘Ken’. Her answer: “Barbie and Ken are technically in their 60s. So, whatever.” Robbie went on to cite the fact that the characters of the film “Grease” “are supposed to be high schoolers, and not once in the 150 times that I’ve watched ‘Grease‘ over the years did I ever not enjoy ‘Grease’ because I was like, ‘I need to go check what age they were. They found the most charismatic, talented people to dazzle me. And that’s why I love that movie.”
-ETCanada
★ Well, THIS is weird: When thinking of the most important movie in Robert Downey Jr.’s filmography over the last 25 years, you might assume the answer is “Iron Man,” which launched the Marvel Cinematic Universe and changed the blockbuster landscape. But that’s not the movie Downey Jr. would pick. In a new interview with New York Times Magazine, the Oscar nominee cited 2006’s “The Shaggy Dog” and 2020’s infamous “Dolittle” flop as his most important titles. It’s a long explanation, but Downey Jr. said, in part: “The Shaggy Dog, because that was the film that got Disney saying they would insure me. Then the second most important film was Dolittle, because (it) was a 2½ year wound of squandered opportunity.”
-Variety
★ Kyle Richards is celebrating one year of being “alcohol free” – and says she’s “never felt better.” The “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” star marked the anniversary by posting a selfie to Instagram, writing that “a number of things” led to her decision to put down the bottle. She wrote: “I listened to my heart and the message was clear to me. I knew it was no longer serving me (no pun intended) physically, mentally or spiritually.”
-PageSix
★ Meghan Markle and Prince Harry had one of the most-viewed series on Netflix last year, but their follow-up definitely wasn’t. The couple kicked off their exclusive deal with Netflix by making “Harry & Meghan”, a docu-series about their own relationship. That was closely followed by the series “Live to Lead”, which, according to a report by The Wall Street Journal, failed to meet Netflix’s standards for success. Netflix only releases viewership data when it feels like it, so it’s hard to tell how well a show did, but the report notes that Live to Lead did not make it onto any of Netflix’s Top 10 lists, even immediately after its release. That has led some insiders to speculate that Netflix will end its deal with Markle and Prince Harry.
-PopCulture
TODAY’S SHOW BIZ SKED:
• “Jimmy Kimmel Live” (ABC/Global): Tiffany Haddish, The Killers (R)
• “The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon” (NBC/CTV): Margot Robbie, Bobby Moynihan, Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats (R)
• “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” (CBS/Global): Nicolas Cage, Christine and the Queens (R)
• “Late Night with Seth Meyers” (NBC/CTV): Taylor Schilling, Eddie Izzard (R)
• “Watch What Happens Live” (Bravo): The cast of “Below Deck Sailing Yacht” Season 4 continue with their reunion.
• “The View” (ABC/CTV): Hot Topics
• “The Talk” (CBS): Patricia Clarkson, Cristo Fernandez (R)
• “Live with Kelly and Mark” (ABC/CTV): Margot Robbie, Stephen Curry
• “The Kelly Clarkson Show” (Check local listings): Luenell, Alex Aster (R)
• “The Drew Barrymore Show” (Check local listings): Jay Shetty (R)
• “Jennifer Hudson Show” (Check local listings): Tamar Braxton, Isley Brothers (R)
• “CMA Fest: 50 Years of Fan Fair” (ABC): The story of the world’s longest-running CMA fest.
• “Down to Earth With Zac Efron” (CW): Series premiere. Efron travels around the world, focusing on themes of travel, life experience, nature, green energy and sustainable living practices.
• “Fantastic Friends” (CW): Series premiere. Part adventure-travel series, part magic-infused challenge show and part a celebration of friendship. Hosted by James and Oliver Phelps – the mischievous Weasley twins of Harry Potter fame.
• “Southern Storytellers” (PBS): Series premiere. Billy Bob Thornton, Adia Victoria, Jericho Brown, David Joy and Mary Steenburgen reveal their bonds with the South and its imprint on their lives and work.
BS MUSIC NOTES:
• Ed Sheeran – was joined on stage in Detroit by Eminem on Saturday. Sheeran told the crowd that Eminem is one of his favorite artists, and asked “I wonder if I can play a cover of one of his songs for you?” With that, Eminem appeared, and they performed ‘Lose Yourself’ and ‘Stan’ together.
• Selena Gomez and Camilla Cabello – are hinting at a possible collab. Gomez shared a collection of “random moments” Instagram, which seem to show the pair at Universal Studios, and in a recording studio. Cabello took to the comments to tag music producer Bart Schoudel, who recently worked with Gomez. Schoudel shared the same image, while tagging both singers. Hmmm…. LINK: https://tinyurl.com/88jc5hph
• Walk the Moon – have announced they are going on indefinite hiatus. Friday, frontman Nicholas Petricca broke the news to fans in an emotional 11-minute video. Quote: “When we do reconvene, that will be a glorious day. The truth is, we don’t know when that’s going to be.” LINK: https://tinyurl.com/5bve3kvm
• Creed – We’ll get more reunion info tomorrow. It is rumored the group will tour to celebrate the 25th anniversary of “Human Clay”. Last week, the group’s social media was updated with a video containing early photos of the band soundtracked by ‘Are You Ready?’ The video ends with the message “Let’s Go Back To The Summer Of ’99”.
• Rolling Stones – With Mick Jagger set to turn 80 on July 26, Insider reports that the group is the world’s highest-grossing live act since 1980, taking in $2.1 billion. Two Stones tours are on the Billboard Boxscore’s top 10 list, and it’s the only act to appear twice. The group has also sold over 22.1 million concert tickets since 1980, second only to U2. (But look out – Taylor Swift is in the rear-view mirror!)
• Beach Boys – The first-ever officially-commissioned book on the group, “The Beach Boys by the Beach Boys” will hit shelves in 2024. Told through the words of the main band members, it includes concert and behind-the-scenes pics, tour posters and programs, handwritten notes and lyrics, press clippings, and more. 500 signed copies are available for preorder now.
• Jason Aldean — says he’s “feeling a lot better” after he was forced to end a concert in Hartford early due to what he described as a “combination of dehydration and heat exhaustion.” Fan video shows him performing his ‘Crazy Town’ when he steps back from the mic to collect himself, then after returning to the mic for a few more seconds, he turns and runs offstage. The show will be rescheduled. LINK: https://tinyurl.com/fb2z658k
• Zac Brown Band — is giving away a flyaway experience to a lucky fan and their guest to see them live at Fenway Park in Boston on August 19. The winner will get flight, hotel, 2 tickets, and VIP Uncaged Lounge passes to the concert. LINK: https://tinyurl.com/pd43ynva
• Josh Ross – leads with 6 nominations for the 2023 CCMA Awards. Ross is nominated for the Fans’ Choice Award, Male Artist of the Year, Breakthrough Artist or Group of the Year, Songwriter of the Year, and Single and Video of the Year. Leading nominees also include Dallas Smith and Tenille Townes.
The awards will be handed out Sept. 16 in Hamilton ON.
• Farm Aid – Organizers have apologized after tickets for this year’s event went on sale Saturday, but high demand and “technical issues” made buying them a challenge. Farm Aid 2023 is set for Sept. 23 in Noblesville IN. Despite ticketing challenges, the event is now sold out.
SHOOTING THE BULL
PLANE FAST:
Once upon a time, in the late 1900s, the Concorde revolutionized air travel by crossing the Atlantic in a supersonic time of about 3½ hours, flying at a speed of over 2,100 km/h. Well, the Concorde didn’t work out so well, but now, a Swiss start-up is looking to cut the current flight time from Paris to New York down from 8 hours to just an hour and a half – with its hypersonic, hydrogen-powered passenger jet. Destinus is aiming to build the first commercial hydrogen-powered aircraft that can travel at 5 times the speed of sound and at altitudes of more than 33 km (over 100,000 ft). The company says its latest prototype “has different types of engines, turbo jets, and ramjet, all hydrogen-powered and all hydrogen-cooled.” And the best news? Destinus aims to fly “people safely with hydrogen, no emissions, hypersonically”, and with the ability to fly anywhere in the world within 4 hours.
(I’m just excited that some day, I might be able to fly somewhere, fast enough that I won’t have to get up and use the washroom…once!)
(Don’t you just love the idea of flying to Europe, and spending more time waiting for your luggage than you did in the air?)
-Euronews
SCIENTISTS SAY:
❑ Board games like Monopoly and Othello can enhance young children’s mathematical abilities, according to a new study. Other research has established that playing games can contribute to learning and development, including reading and literacy skills. But this study discovered that, among 3-9-year-olds, number-based games can significantly bolster their math skills. They aid in improving counting, addition, and the ability to distinguish whether a number is greater or lesser than another. The study is based on an analysis of 19 studies published since 2000.
❑ Children do much better at math when music is added to the lessons, according to new research. An analysis of 55 studies from around the world, published in the journal Educational Studies, determined that the use of music—whether in separate lessons or as part of math classes—caused a greater improvement in math over time. And 69% of students who learned how to play instruments improved more than pupils with no musical intervention. (Music and Monopoly? Add some ice cream and cuddles, and pretty soon, math class will be indistinguishable from a visit to Grandma’s!)
-GoodNewsNetwork, StudyFinds
YOU “KEN” LOOK LIKE BARBIE:
A Long Island NY plastic surgeon is offering a “dream surgery” that promises to transform patients into the legendary pink-loving doll — for the completely reasonable price of just $120,000 – private parts included. As fans of the toy first introduced in 1959 continue to celebrate “Barbie-mania” with this Friday’s release of the movie starring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling, Dr. Scott Blyer of Cameo Surgery Center is offering prospective clients a choice of 3 body surgeries. Those may include liposuction, a butt-lift, implants, facial surgery and the opportunity to get “classic barbie hair”, in addition to pink nails and teeth whitening. There is also a male — or “Ken” — variation, which includes body liposuction, 6-pack etching, fat transfer to chest, and jawline and cheek filler. Patients are chauffeured to and from the surgery in a pink Corvette. And while we aren’t going to go into much detail on the “private parts” area of the transformation, let’s just say that it strays from the “Barbie” motif, because, as Robbie has pointed out herself, the iconic doll “doesn’t have reproductive organs.”
(Well, you know what the song says: “Life in plastic — it’s fantastic”!)
(I think it’d be worth $120,000…just to see if he could make your feet do that ‘Barbie’ thing hers do!)
-NYPost
STARS TURNING 60 IN 2023:
☞ Michael Jordan: The NBA legend turned 60 on Feb. 17 — and celebrated by donating $10 million to the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
☞ Seal – It’s “Crazy”, but he hit the big 6-0 on Feb. 19.
☞ Brett Michaels: The Poison singer had ‘Nothin’ But a Good Time’ when he turned 60 on March 15.
☞ Vanessa Williams: celebrated her 60th on March 18.
☞ Quentin Tarantino: It’s not “Pulp Fiction” that he hit the big 6-0 on March 27.
☞ Conan O’Brien: Welcomed his next guest…his 60th birthday, on April 18.
☞ Eric McCormack: Turned 60 “gracefully” on April 18.
☞ Jet Li: Still a “Lethal Weapon” after turning 60 on April 26.
☞ Mike Myers: Marked the milestone on May 25. Way!
☞ Johnny Depp: What’s eating him? Probably the fact that he turned 60 on June 9.
☞ Lisa Rinna: Staying “Real” after blowing out 60 candles on July 11.
☞ Lisa Kudrow: Will probably celebrate with “Friends” on July 30.
☞ John Stamos: Will still be melting hearts when he turns 60 on Aug. 19.
☞ Rob Schneider: Turns 60 on Oct. 31, but still may not act like “Grown-Ups”.
☞ Brad Pitt: Will still be better than you or I in every conceivable way, even after turning 60 on Dec. 18.
(Are you anywhere near as shocked as I am by how many of these people have NO GREY HAIR at age 60? Amazing!)
-People
DID YOU KNOW?
After decades of ridicule from some, one of fashion’s most divisive garments — the men’s swimming brief — is making a return. Some would argue they never went away — beaches and pools in Europe and Brazil have long been a safe space for fans of the Speedo style. But sales stats show that budgie smugglers (as the swimming brief is known in the UK and Australia), are back elsewhere. Speedo — the original makers of the skimpy swimwear — say that sales are up over 200% this year across Europe, the Middle East and Africa, and US sales are up more than 55%. Some observers credit renewed interest in the look to the ongoing prevalence of “ironic style” — as we’ve seen with Crocs, mullets, and socks with sandals. (I’m pretty sure I saw a guy last weekend wearing “all of the above”!!)
-CNN
BS CHRONOMETER 07.18.23
TODAY’S BS REASONS TO PARTY . . .
• “Caviar Day”, saluting the mega-expensive roe (eggs) of the sturgeon fish, proving that we’ll eat just about anything, if it is given an attractive name and costs a lot of money.
• “Nelson Mandela International Day”, as initiated by the UN in honor of the late civil rights leader and former South African president. Celebrated on his birth date (1918-2013).
• “World Listening Day”, to celebrate the practice of listening as it relates to the world around us, environmental awareness, and acoustic ecology. A joint effort of the World Soundscape Project, World Listening Project, and World Forum for Acoustic Ecology. (I AM listening…for a chance to get a word in edgewise!)
• “Perfect Family Day”, Does anyone have a perfect family? (Mine can only claim to put the ‘fun’ in ‘dysfunction.’)
• “Insurance Nerd Day, celebrating everyone employed in this industry, and to help attract young people to the business, by dispelling the myth that insurance work is a “boring” career path. (Sorry, you lost me for a minute there…)
• “Sour Candy Day”: If you’ve ever popped a Warheads candy in your mouth or snacked on a handful of Sour Patch Kids, chances are you’ve experienced the rush and the zing of sour candy. It’s the feeling we all love to hate, and for some, that mouth-puckering taste is so craveable that it’s the only type of candy they’ll eat.
AND REMEMBER . . .
[Wed] National Daiquiri Day
[Wed] Stick Out Your Tongue Day
[Thurs] Nap Day
[Fri] Junk Food Day
This Week Is…Captive Nations Week
This Month Is…Anti-Boredom Month
TODAY’S CELEBIRTHDAYS . . .
1950 [73] (Sir) Richard Branson, London England, business magnate (founder of Virgin Group, which includes Virgin Atlantic Airways, Virgin Galactic, Virgin Mobile, Virgin Megastores, etc.)/estimated net worth: $3.1 billion
1954 [69] Ricky Skaggs, Cordell KY, country-bluegrass singer-musician (‘Highway 40 Blues’, ‘Country Boy’)/awarded the US National Medal of Arts, 2021
1961 [62] Elizabeth McGovern, Evanston IL, TV actress (‘Cora Crawley, Countess of Grantham’ on “Downton Abbey” 2010-16)
1964 [59] Wendy Williams, Asbury Park NJ, TV personality (“The Wendy Williams Show” 2008-22)/former radio ‘shock jockette’
1967 [56] Vin Diesel (Mark Sinclair), NYC, movie actor (“Fast & Furious” films, “Thor: Love and Thunder”) COMING UP…”A War Hero 3.0″, 2023
1975 [48] MIA (Mathangi Arulpragasam), London England, rapper/record producer (‘Paper Planes’)/visual artist/activist/photographer/fashion designer/model
1977 [46] Kelly Reilly, Surrey England, TV actress (‘Beth Dutton’ on “Yellowstone” since 2018)
1980 [43] Kristen Bell, Huntington Woods MI, movie actress (“Zootopia”, “Frozen” films)/TV actress (“House of Lies” 2012-16, “Veronica Mars” 2004-07) COMING UP…”PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie”, 2023/married to Dax Shepard since 2013
1981 [42] Michiel Huisman, Amstelveen Netherlands, TV actor (‘Daario Naharis’ on “Game of Thrones” 2014-16, “Orphan Black” 2014-15)
1982 [41] Priyanka Chopra, Jamshedpur India, TV actress (‘Alex Parrish’ on “Quantico” 2015-18) movie actress (“Baywatch”)/married to Nick Jonas since 2018. COMING UP… “Heads of State”
THIS DAY IN SHOW BIZ . . .
2008 [15] ‘Batman’ sequel “The Dark Knight” opens in theaters, setting an opening weekend record of $158 million at the domestic box office (eventually wins Heath Ledger a posthumous Oscar for his portrayal of ‘The Joker’)
TODAY’S MUSIC EVENTS . . .
1991 [32] The first Lollapalooza music festival is held in Tempe AZ. Artists include Jane’s Addiction, Nine Inch Nails, Living Colour, Ice-T, Violent Femmes and more
2014 [09] Shakira becomes the first person to accumulate 100 million likes on Facebook
TODAY’S FIRSTS . . .
1994 [29] Crayola announces introduction of scented crayons. Available in coconut, cherry, and licorice, they are taken off the market within a year because parents feared kids would eat them—and indeed, some did…
2012 [11] Kim Jong-un, son of Kim Jong-il, is officially announced as ‘Supreme Leader of North Korea’. He also holds the rank of ‘Supreme Commander of the Korean People’s Army’ (as well as ‘Grand Poobah’) (***BS Fun Fact: According to King Jong-il’s official biography, the leader never used a toilet — he apparently didn’t need to urinate or defecate.***)
2014 [09] Amazon announces its new ‘Kindle Unlimited’ program, a subscription service providing borrowing rights to a large selection of books for a monthly fee (like the Public Library … only not free)
TODAY’S RECORD . . .
2013 [10] The government of Detroit MI, $20 billion in debt, files for the largest municipal bankruptcy in USA history
BULL’S BITS
BS WHACK FACTS:
✓ Speed dating was invented by a rabbi.
✓ Wild birds in Australia have been heard swearing, having learned the words from escaped pets.
✓ In the original 1902 stage version of “The Wizard of Oz”, ‘Dorothy’ did not have a dog named ‘Toto’, but a faithful cow named ‘Imogene’.
✓ The can opener wasn’t invented until 50 years after the invention of canned food.
✓ The lifespan of a rock star is 25 years shorter than that of the average person’s.
✓ If you could produce a sound louder than 1,100 dB, you would create a black hole and destroy the galaxy.
-WhattheFFacts, BestLife
Best of BS . . .
BS REJECTED ANNIVERSARY CARDS:
• To another year of not finding anyone better.
• You’re 40! (months behind in your child support payments…)
• You’re the best starter husband a girl could wish for!
• Happy “Got Drunk in Vegas and Did Something Stupid Day.”
• I really thought you’d be dead by now.
• I love you… by the way, that dress DOES make you look fat.
• We’re such a great match. I like to travel, and you like to get around.
• When I said “For better or worse”, that was actually rhetorical.
• We need to talk.
-Twitter, first published in BS in 2018
BS PEOPLE YOU FIND AT A COMIC BOOK CONVENTION:
(2023 Comic-Con International: San Diego runs July 20-23…)
• The ‘Inappropriately Ogling the Lone Woman’ guy.
• The ‘Hoping That His Costume Will Make Him an Internet Meme’ guy.
• The ‘Blogging This to a Blog that Nobody Reads’ guy.
• The ‘Overestimated How Many Red Bulls He Could Drink’ guy.
• The ‘Thinks He Knows More Than the Expert Panelists But Makes the Audience Groan With His Inane Questions’ guy.
• The ‘I’m Never Doing This Again for Him’ girl.
• Disappointed hookers.
-Adapted from BBSpot, first published in BS in 2019
BS WEB GOODIE:
It’s true: https://tinyurl.com/mpc9s2xt
BS RANDOM JOKE:
The worst thing about parallel parking is the eyewitnesses.
BS PHONE STARTER:
What catchy song do you have no idea what it’s about?
BS WATER COOLER QUESTION:
Question: Experts say the best time to do THIS is at 8:45am. What is it?
Answer: Mow your lawn
BS DEEP THOUGHT:
If you want your children to turn out well, spend twice as much time with them, and half as much money.
