Friday, September 9, 2005                   Edition: #3112
Get Your BS Here, Hot ‘n Fresh!

BS SHOW BIZ BUZZ:
TONIGHT Brooke Shields returns to Broadway to star as murderess ‘Roxie Hart’ in the long-running revival of “Chicago”, then Robin Givens will take over the role in JANUARY (the musical begins its 10th year on Broadway in NOVEMBER) . . . TONIGHT Sheryl Crow, the Dixie Chicks, Alicia Keys, Paul Simon, Rod Stewart & Neil Young are among those performing on the TV benefit, “Shelter From the Storm: A Concert for the Gulf Coast” (CBC, CTV, Global & CHUM stations) . . . SATURDAY a 3-hour concert benefit called “ReAct Now: Music & Relief” features the Rolling Stones, Neil Young, Kanye West, Paul McCartney, Alan Jackson, 3 Doors Down, Kelly Clarkson, Green Day, Usher, Alicia Keys, and a slew of others (MTV, VH1 & CMT) . . . SATURDAY actor Alec Baldwin receives the ‘Linda McCartney Memorial Award’ at PETA’s “25th Anniversary Gala in Hollywood CA . . . SUNDAY country singer Clint Black headlines the “America Supports You” concert in support of both the US military and 9/11 victims in Washington DC . . . SUNDAY the NFL commemorates the 4th anniversary of 9/11 by having Jessica Simpson & Nick Lachey sing “America the Beautiful” prior to the start of the Chicago-Washington game . . . SUNDAY Discovery Channel airs “The Flight That Fought Back”, a re-creation of the terrorist hijacking of Flight 93 on 9/11 . . . SUNDAY at the “Creative Arts Emmy Awards” in LA, the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences will honor Jerry Lewis with the ‘Governor’s Award’ in recognition of his long-time commitment to the Muscular Dystrophy Telethon . . . And because we really need to know, “In Touch” magazine informs us that actress Katie Holmes is planning to change her name to ‘Kate Cruise’, both personally and professionally, when (if?) she and Tom Cruise marry.

BS MUSIC NOTES:
• Black Eyed Peas – They’ll provide the halftime entertainment at this year’s CFL “Grey Cup” in Vancouver NOVEMBER 27.
• Bruce Springsteen – TODAY up to 300 educators, music historians & just plain fans are expected for a scholarly conference on ‘The Boss’ at New Jersey’s Monmouth University. Among the topics up for discussion: his story-telling techniques, the influence of his music on Catholicism, and how he’s enhanced the reputation of his home state of New Jersey.
• Destiny’s Child – SATURDAY Beyoncé, Kelly & Michelle play their final concert together in Vancouver.
• Elton John – Ever since beginning his long-term show Caesars in Las Vegas, he says he gets chased by 60-year-old women. Hey, takes one to know one.
• Gretchen Wilson – SATURDAY she’s set to sing the anthem at the “Chevy Rock & Roll 400″ NASCAR race in Richmond VA. Her name & pic appears on Kevin Harvick’s #29 car.
• Gwen Stefani – Her LAMB clothing line has spent a whopping $1 million on its first major fashion show during “New York Fashion Week”, hoping to steal the limelight from top designers like Donna Karen, Ralph Lauren & Calvin Klein.
• Keith Urban – He & actress Nicole Kidman have been spotted together again, this time dining at a café in Woodbury, Connecticut. Then, it seems, they returned the next day for lunch.
• Madonna – She’s reportedly purchased a club in LA just off Hollywood Boulevard. No word yet on what it will be called. Meantime, hubby Guy Ritchie says he rarely spends an entire night in bed with her because she can’t stand his snoring. Too much info?
• Tim McGraw – TONIGHT he opens the pre-taped “Fashion Rocks” concert special on CBS-TV by performing “My Old Friend”, as a tribute to New Orleans.

TODAY’S MOVIE OPENINGS:
• “The Exorcism of Emily Rose” (PG-13 Thriller): Laura Linney plays a lawyer who takes on a negligent homicide case involving a priest (Tom Wilkinson) who performed an exorcism on a young girl (Jennifer Carpenter). Linney says her young co-star Carpenter is absolutely astonishing, quote: “You have to be really trained vocally to be able to scream like that for 15 hours a day on a film set.” Shot in Vancouver.
NET: http://www.sonypictures.com/movies/theexorcismofemilyrose/
• “The Man” (PG-13 Action Comedy): Samuel L Jackson & Eugene Levy co-star in this story of a federal agent who has 24 hours to recover a pile of stolen weapons, a task that becomes all the more challenging when he’s forced to have an oddball salesman pose as a gun buyer. Filmed in Toronto, Hamilton & Oakville ON.
NET: http://www.themanmovie.com
• “An Unfinished Life” (Limited Release PG-13 Drama): Robert Redford plays a rugged rancher who is caring for an injured friend (Morgan Freeman). Then things get complicated when the daughter-in-law (Jennifer Lopez) he blames for his son’s death turns up on his doorstep, along with the granddaughter he never knew he had. Set in Marion, Iowa but filmed in Kamloops BC.
NET: http://www.miramax.com/anunfinishedlife

MENTAL EXERCISE:
Seniors can gain up to 14 extra years of alertness if they engage in mental exercise, according to scientists. In experiments, a group of 65-year-olds who did just 10 hours of memory training and problem solving ranked 7-to-14 years younger mentally than those who didn’t. Puzzles such as crosswords and sudoku are said to be ideal forms of mental exercise.
– “Passim”

HOT NUMBER:
Open up your cellphone, look at the list of people and choose the one you would want to be notified in case you’re involved in an accident or emergency. Then add the letters ‘ICE’ before that name. ‘ICE’ stands for ‘In Case of Emergency’ and is a designation emergency personnel understand. The ‘ICE Program’ started in the UK after the JULY terrorist attacks when EMS workers had difficulty identifying some of the victims. Now it’s gaining momentum elsewhere.
– CBS News

BS GADGETS & GIZMOS:
• A design student at Britain’s Royal College of Art has designed a shower that recycles dirty water. Peter Brewin developed a system to clean and recycle water, thereby saving big bucks on utility bills.
• German designers Doreen Anders & Andreas Landinger are marketing the ‘Oktoberfest Frock’, a skirt for male drinkers to wear at the annual beer bash now on in Munich. The drinking-dress, which comes in ‘short’ or ‘calf-length’, is said to be far more comfortable than traditional lederhosen.
• The huge “Mall of America” in Bloomington MN has a new store that will sell you a quiet spot to take a nap – at a rate of 70 cents per minute. It’s aimed at travelers who need a rest after a long flight and bored spouses of shoppers. The new shut-eye shop is named ‘MinneNAPolis’.

DID YOU KNOW?
• The bubbles in Guinness beer sink to the bottom rather than floating to the top like they do in other beers.
• Of all the signs in the Zodiac, Libra is the only inanimate one.

FOR THE RECORD:
• A Chinese woman hopes to enter the record books as the ‘World’s Oldest Woman’. The current record-holder is officially Elizabeth Bolden of Memphis TN who turned 115 LAST MONTH. But Li Ada claims she was born in 1889, which would make her 116, and is applying for recognition from the “Guinness Book of World Records”.
– “Xinhua News”
• A man named ‘Pete’ is on a mission to find 1,999 other guys with the same name to set a record. Pete Trainor has set up a Website (NET: http://thepetecollective.co.uk) to try and get 2,000 Petes together at the same place at the same time. The current record was set by a man named Mohammed who managed to gather 1,500 men with the same name in Dubai.
– “The Sun”

THE BULL SHEET 09.09.2K5

TODAY’S CELEBIRTHDAYS . . .
1951 [54] Michael Keaton (Douglas), Coraopolis PA, movie actor (“Herbie: Fully Loaded”)

1952 [53] Dave Stewart, Sunderland UK, classic rock musician (Eurythmics-“Sweet Dreams”)

1960 [45] Hugh Grant, London UK, movie actor (“Bridget Jones” films)

1966 [39] Adam Sandler, Brooklyn NY, movie actor (“The Longest Yard”)

1972 [33] Goran Visnjic, Sibenik, Croatia, TV actor (‘Dr Luka Kovac’ on “ER” since 1999)

1980 [25] Michelle Williams, Kalispell MT, movie actress (“Brokeback Mountain” with Jake Gyllenhaal & Heath Ledger, premiering SATURDAY at “Toronto Film Festival”)/former TV actress (“Dawson’s Creek” 1998-2003)/expecting a child with boyfriend Heath Ledger THIS FALL

SATURDAY’S BIRTHDAYS . . .
Rock guitarist Joe Perry (Aerosmith) is 55; Movie actor Colin Firth is 45; Movie director Guy Ritchie (Mr Madonna) is 37; Movie actor Ryan Phillippe (Mr Reese Witherspoon) is 31.

SUNDAY’S BIRTHDAYS:
Techno/rock musician Moby is 40; Pop/jazz singer Harry Connick Jr is 38; Pop guitarist Jon Buckland (Coldplay) is 28; Rapper Ludacris is 28.

BS REASONS TO PARTY . . .
TODAY is –
• “Aunts Day”, a day of recognition for ‘those special women in our lives who provide guidance and humor’. (Another Hallmark moment.)
• “Expectant Father’s Day”, a day for neglected first-time dads to get some much needed recognition.
• “Teddy Bear Day”, honoring the first and most popular plush animal that was inspired by the helpless cub US President Teddy Roosevelt refused to shoot while hunting in 1902. Morris & Rose Mitchom, owners of a Brooklyn NY candy store, took credit for creating the 1st ‘Teddy Bear’ in the USA shortly after that incident, but it may be that renowned German toymaker Steiff was already making bears by then.
NET: http://www.teddy-bear-uk.com/learning/name.htm
• “Canada’s Longest Yard Sale” kicks of in eastern Manitoba and continues through Sunday. The 250-km-long event includes garage & street sales, flea markets & antique shops. The route runs through 20-odd communities with a SATURDAY night gala dinner in St-Pierre-Jolys featuring emu, bison, wild boar & pickerel. Nummers!
NET: http://www.easternmanitobatourism.ca
• “Canadian Country Music Week” through Monday in Calgary, culminating in the annual “Canadian Country Music Awards”.
NET: http://www.ccma.org
• “The Horn Dance”, one of Britain’s longest-standing rural traditions, in the village of Abbots Bromley. Participants perform a ritualistic dance to traditional music along a 10-mile route, taking in farms and pubs around the village. Some don antlers to become ‘deer-men’, and there’s also a costumed ‘fool’, ‘hobby horse’, ‘bowman’ and a ‘Maid Marion’. The tradition goes back to 1226, and now attracts visitors from around-the-world. (Somebody oughta check the local water!)

SATURDAY is –
• “Bald Is Beautiful Convention”, the 32nd annual get-together of ‘chrome-domes’ in Morehead City SC, where they have “More-head & less hair!” Their motto is, “If you don’t have it, flaunt it!”
NET: http://members.aol.com/BaldUSA
• “Federal Lands Cleanup Day”, an annual event by presidential proclamation on the first Saturday after Labor Day.
• “Swap Ideas Day”, set aside to encourage creative thinking and new solutions to old problems. (So other people can take all the credit.)
• “World Suicide Prevention Day”, the 3rd annual declared by the International Association for Suicide Prevention. The idea is to raise awareness of one of our biggest killers.
NET: http://www.med.uio.no/iasp/wspd/pressrelease2005.html

SUNDAY is –
• “Grandparents’ Day”, honoring those kindly folks who get to spoil our kids rotten without paying any consequences.
• “No News is Good News Day”, whose proponents claim if you don’t listen, read or watch any news for the day, you’ll feel better. (An annual observance from the ‘Head in the Sand Association’.)
• “Patriot Day”, as agreed by US Congress on December 18, 2001. The anniversary of 9/11 is to be observed as a day of remembrance for the victims of terrorism, with flags flown at half-staff, and a moment of silence in honor of those who lost their lives.
• “Tricky Handshake Day”. (Remember they only count if you spit on your hand first!)

TODAY’S FIRSTS . . .
1884 [121] 1st ‘Hot Dog’ created by Antoine Feuchtwanger, adding a bun so juice wouldn’t drip all over frankfurter eaters (thank goodness he didn’t name it after himself!)

1904 [101] 1st reference to NYC ball club as the ‘Yankees’ (“Boston Herald”)

1950 [55] 1st ‘Laugh Track’ on TV (“The Hank McCune Show”)

1984 [21] 1st Roman Catholic pontiff to tour Canada (Pope John Paul II)

1995 [10] 1st ‘Sony PlayStation’ goes on sale

AND REMEMBER . . .
[Sun] 101st Canadian Open Golf Championship final round [Vancouver]
[Sun] 9/11 Remembrance Day
[Sun] Pet Memorial Day
[Mon] “Martha” daytime TV show debuts
[Mon] Canadian Country Music Awards [Calgary]
[Mon] Boss-Employee Exchange Day
[Mon] U2 “Vertigo” tour returns to North America [Toronto]
[Mon] Video Game Day
[Mon] Chocolate Milkshake Day
[Tues] Peanut Day
[Tues] Positive Thinking Day
[Tues] 2005 World Music Awards telecast [LA]
[Tues] Computer Programmers Day
This Week Is . . . National 5-A-Day Week (fruits & vegetables)
This Month Is . . . Cholesteral Education & Awareness Month

BULL’S BITS . . .
BS ‘BUST MY BLUFF’:
You and your co-host take turns trying to sell a food story to your contestant. The contestant then tries to decide which is true and which is a load of hooey …
• A choice cut of beef taken from the upper hindquarter of a cow is called sirloin because an English king was once so delighted with his meal that he actually knighted the meat, dubbing it ’Sir Loin’. [TOTAL BS]
• Gatorade was invented by researchers at the University of Florida and named in honor of the Florida Gators, the school’s football team. [TRUE]
• The ‘Luther Burger’, a bacon cheeseburger served on a Krispy Kreme doughnut, is a real food item named after late R&B singer Luther Vandross. [TRUE]
• Chocolate milk is made from regular milk that’s rejected for containing too much cow’s blood. [BS]
• Tim Hortons adds nicotine to their coffee to keep customers hooked on it. [BS]
• Dropped  food remains germ-free if picked up within 5 seconds. [BS]

TOP SWAPS:
The week’s most requested music files online …
1. Pussycat Dolls – “Don’t Cha”
2. Bow Wow – “Like You”
3. Rihanna – “Pon De Replay”
4. Mariah Carey – “Shake It Off”
5. Missy Elliott – “Lose Control”
– Big Champagne online music measurement.

BS PHONE STARTERS:
• Which show has the best Canadian singing talent – “Canadian Idol” or “Rock Star: INXS”?
• If you could have the hair of any Hollywood celeb, whose would you want?
• If you could pick your own nickname, what would you choose?

BS WATER COOLER QUESTION:
Today’s Question: 70% of the people that use THIS machine are women.
Answer to Give Out Tomorrow: A tanning bed. (“Allure Magazine”)

BS DEEP THOUGHT:
A friend is someone who tells you when your breath stinks.