Friday, September 12, 2008        Edition: #3856
You Really Know Your Sheet!

BS SHOW BIZ BUZZ:
Of all the #1 songs in the 50 years of the “Billboard” ‘Hot 100′ chart, it’s been determined that Chubby Checker’s “The Twist” (1960/1962) ranks as the overall most popular single (perhaps surprisingly, Santana’s “Smooth”, featuring Rob Thomas, is the runner-up) . . . Facebook has announced it will press ahead with its controversial new-look format for all its 100 million users, despite protests from user groups such as the million-strong ‘Petition Against The New Facebook’ . . . It’s not yet finished its first run but Warner Bros has already decided to re-release “The Dark Knight” in JANUARY to coincide with “Academy Awards” voting season (a re-release could also help it surpass the $1-billion mark) . . . Britain’s first Bollywood acting school has opened in west London, with the mission of training performers to become the next generation of Indian movie stars . . . Brit comic Russell Brand says he’s already been asked to host the “MTV Video Music Awards” again NEXT YEAR, despite coming under fire for his risqué gags at SUNDAY’s ceremony (bottom line: ratings were up 20%) . . . And a new ranking by “Forbes” magazine names Nicole Kidman as ‘Hollywood’s Most Overpaid Star’, as her recent films have earned only about $1 for each dollar she’s paid (runners-up: Jennifer Garner and Tom Cruise).

WEEKEND SHOW BIZ SKED:
• “Ellen DeGeneres Show” (syndicated/CityTV) – TODAY rapper/actor LL Cool J is on.
• “Last Call With Carson Daly” (NBC) – TONIGHT rapper The Game guests.
• Lifehouse – TONIGHT they perform at the “Jets Kickoff Week” pep rally in NYC; then SUNDAY do pre-game & half-time shows at the NY Jets home opener vs the New England Patriots at the NJ Meadowlands. Frontman Jason Wade will also sing the anthem.
• Metallica – Their new album ”Death Magnetic” gets an odd FRIDAY release worldwide. Much of it has already been pre-released as a preview or leaked illegally. In fact, no less than 6 of the tracks have been streaming on the group’s official website for days.
• “Project Runway” (Bravo) – TODAY the season finalé is being shot, with 39-year-old actress/singer/fashionista Jennifer Lopez as guest judge. The episode airs in 2 parts OCTOBER 8th & 15th.
• “Saturday Night Live” (NBC/Global) – Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps hosts; Lil Wayne (“Got Money”) is the musical guest.

BS MUSIC NOTES:
• Aerosmith – Recording on a new album has yet to begin but guitarist Joe Perry is already suggesting that some of the new material will be made available via “Guitar Hero: Aerosmith” before the new release.
• Kylie Minogue – The Aussie singer is reportedly set to pick up a cool $1 million for a one-off concert in Dubai UAE during a 4-day event to officially open the new $1.5-billion Atlantis resort.
• *NSYNC – Lance Bass says a reunion is a strong possibility because they still owe some records under their old contract. It could happen in a year or maybe 5 years from now, depending on their schedules. (Other than Justin, do any of them actually have one?)
• Paul McCartney – “Chicago Sun-Times” reports he’s nearing an engagement to NYC socialite Nancy Shevell, as soon as her divorce from politician Bruce Blakeman is complete. Meantime, McCartney’s $50-million ex-, Heather Mills, is planning to write a fictional novel … about a former model who marries a pop star.
• REM – They’re offering a reward for the return of guitarist Peter Buck’s Rickenbacker guitar which was stolen from the stage after a gig in Helsinki, Finland. (Wow, good security huh?)
• Rick Astley – An Australian school that allowed students to choose their own school bell sound is the latest victim of a ‘Rickroll’. Now “Together Forever” plays at the end of every period.
• Sarah McLachlan – The 2 new tracks on her upcoming greatest hits album, “Closer: The Best of Sarah McLachlan”, are about her recent separation from her husband of 11 years, Ashwin Sood, who was also the drummer in her band. They have 2 daughters, aged 6 and 1.

TODAY’S MOVIE OPENINGS:
• “Burn After Reading” ( R-Rated Crime Comedy ): The latest from the Coen Bros (“No Country For Old Men“) features an ensemble cast including John Malkovich, Brad Pitt, Tilda Swinton, Frances McDormand, and George Clooney. The story centers on cloak-and-dagger intrigue at the CIA when a disc containing an agent’s secret memoirs falls into the wrong hands.
NET: http://tinyurl.com/57o9vl
• “The Family That Preys” ( PG-13 Comedy ): Kathy Bates & Alfre Woodard play old friends faced with a series of secrets and scandals that are threatening to tear their respective families apart. So they embark on a cross-country road trip in hope of finding a way to rebuild their family connections.
NET: http://www.familythatpreysmovie.com
• “Righteous Kill” ( R-Rated Crime Drama ): For the first time since “Heat” (1995), heavyweight actors Al Pacino & Robert De Niro hit the screen together as policemen closing in on a serial murderer. The supporting cast includes 50 Cent, Carla Gugino, John Leguizamo, Donnie Wahlberg, and Brian Dennehy.
NET: http://www.righteouskill-themovie.com
• “The Women” ( PG-13 Dramedy ): TV’s “Murphy Brown”-creator Diane English directs Meg Ryan, Annette Bening, Eva Mendes, and Candice Bergen in a tale about affluent Manhattanites that pokes holes in their contentedness. Based on the star-studded 1939 classic starring Norma Shearer, Joan Crawford, and Rosalind Russell and updated to the present day.
NET: http://thewomenthemovie.com/index.html

NOT A BAD APPLE IN THE BUNCH:     
All apples are good for you, but scientists at Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada in Guelph ON have found that all apples are not created equal. Some have more antioxidants called ‘polyphenols’ than others, thereby producing more health benefits. Top apples for polyphenol content …
5. McIntosh
4. Cortland
3. Ida Red
2. Northern Spy
1. Red Delicious
(Hey, what about ‘caramel’?)
– WebMD Medical News

THINGS EVERY WOMAN DESERVES FROM THE GUY IN HER LIFE:
The bottom-line list of what women want …
• His undivided attention at important moments. Not I’ve-got-football-on-TV attention or I’m-mentally-undressing-you attention, but full presence.
• Compliments that are actually spoken aloud. Things that don’t qualify: a pat on the bottom, a finger pistol plus wink, a “yesssss!” after lovemaking.
• Good manners, even if you’ve been dating for years. He had you at “Hello”, but what makes him think he can keep you at “S’up?”
• A thoughtful balance of refreshing honesty and merciful little white lies. For example: He should fudge the truth when you ask, “Honey, do you mind if my mom comes to dinner?”
• His utter lust for (and unwavering devotion to) one or more of your body parts.
– “Glamour Magazine”

ANIMAL PLANET:
Some strange results from a new American Animal Hospital Association survey of pet owners …
• 69% share their bed with their pets.
• 68% dress their animals up on occasion.
• 67% would rather be stranded on a desert island with their pet than with their spouse.
• 63% cook for their pets.
• 51% throw parties for their pets.
– Reuters

DON’T LEAVE EARTH WITHOUT IT:
The chairman of the Bulgarian Foundation on Cosmic Intelligence Research has unveiled a new unit of currency to be used between … extra-terrestrials and Earthlings. The ‘Galactos’, a 3-gram coin made of chrome and nickel, has been unveiled at a conference on UFOs in Sofia, Bulgaria. Kiril Kanev says the coin will provide a means of payment between planets in the cosmos. (“With your credit crunch, we don’t want your Galactos … give us gold!”)
– Yahoo! News

BS AMAZING FOOD FACTS:
• Peel a banana from the bottom and you won’t have to pick the little ‘stringy things’ off of it. That’s how the primates do it.
• Store your opened chunks of cheese in aluminum foil. It will stay fresh much longer and will not mold.
• Peppers with 3 bumps on the bottom are sweeter and better for eating raw. Peppers with 4 bumps on the bottom are firmer and better for cooking.
– “Diary Of a Mom”

BS CHRONOMETER 09.12.08
1931 [77] George Jones (aka ‘Possum’), Saratoga TX, country legend (“He Stopped Lovin’ Her Today”) with over 150 charted singles during his 50-year career/2008 Kennedy Center Honors (DECEMBER 7)/National Medal Of the Arts (2002)/Grammy Hall of Fame Award (1998)/Country Music Hall of Fame (1992)

1952 [56] Neil Peart, Hamilton ON, rock drummer (Rush-“One Little Victory”, “Test for Echo”)

1972 [36] Jason Statham, London UK, movie actor (“Death Race”, “The Transporter”)

1973 [35] Paul Walker, Glendale CA, movie actor (“Flags of Our Fathers”, “The Fast & the Furious”)

1973 [35] Martin Lapointe, Ville St Pierre QC, NHL winger (Ottawa Senators)

1974 [34] Jennifer Nettles, Douglas GA, country singer (Sugarland-“All I Want to Do”, “Settlin’”)

1978 [30] Ruben Studdard, Birmingham AL, “American Idol 2” winner (“Change Me”, “Superstar”)

1980 [28] Yao Ming, Shanghai, China, NBA’s tallest basketball player at 7 ft-6 in (Houston Rockets since 2002, Chinese Olympic team)/6-time NBA All-Star

1981 [27] Jennifer Hudson, Chicago IL, movie actress (“Sex & the City: The Movie”, 2007 Oscar-“Dreamgirls”)/pop singer (“American Idol 3” finalist)

SATURDAY –
Filmmaker Tyler Perry (“The Family That Preys”) is 39; Fashion designer Stella McCartney is 37; Country guitarist Joe Don Rooney (Rascal Flatts) is 33; One-hit-wonder Fiona Apple (“Criminal”) is 31.

SUNDAY –
Movie/TV actor Sam Neill (“Jurassic Park”/”The Tudors”) is 61; TV actress Kimberly Williams-Paisley (“According to Jim”) is 37; Rapper Nas (“Street Dreams”) is 35; Pop singer Amy Winehouse (“Rehab”) is 25.

BS REASONS TO PARTY . . .
• “Day of Conception“ in Ulyanovsk, a Russian region 900 km (540 mi) east of Moscow, the 3rd annual holiday that gives couples a half-day off work in order to go home and make babies. The hope is for a slew of newborns exactly 9 months later on Russia’s National Day (JUNE 12). Couples who ‘give birth to a patriot’ can win money, cars, TVs, refrigerators, and other prizes.
• “Chocolate Milkshake Day”. Kelis’ is better than yours.
• “International Housekeepers Week”, honoring the efforts of all household staff. So be sure to give your servants an extra day off.
• “Video Games Day”, a day for kids who love ’em to celebrate and thank the parents who fork out the cash for an X-Box, PlayStation, or Wii.

SATURDAY –
• “Bald Is Beautiful Convention”, the 35th annual 2-day get-together of ‘chrome-domes’ in Morehead City SC, where they have ‘More-head and less hair!’ Their motto is, ‘If you don’t have it, flaunt it!’
NET: http://members.aol.com/baldusa/
• “Chinese Moon Festival” (aka “Mid-Autumn Festival”), a popular Chinese & Vietnamese celebration of abundance and togetherness on the 15th day of the 1st lunar month for over 3,000 years. In Malaysia and Singapore, it is referred to as the “Lantern Festival” or “Mooncake Festival”. Traditions include lighting lanterns and eating round food, such as mooncakes.
• “Computer Programmers Day”, honoring all the geeks who keep coming up with ever innovative ways of freezing up our PCs.
• “Fortune Cookie Day”, celebrating the creation of the tasty little treats with a slip of paper inside that brings good luck, a whimsical saying, or a philosophical thought. It’s clear that the fortune cookie did NOT originate in China; more likely invented in San Francisco CA around 1914.
• “Peanut Day” honoring the food favorite that’s not really a nut at all but a legume (an edible seed enclosed in a pod). What we’d like to know is why so many kids are allergic to them now. No one had even heard of peanut anaphylaxis 20 years ago.
• “Positive Thinking Day”, thanks to some eager-beaver keener somewhere.

SUNDAY –
• “Cream-Filled Donut Day” … a holiday for cops? The most popular cream-filled donuts are chocolate cream and vanilla cream.
• “International Cross-Cultural Day”, a good excuse to pepper your show with greetings in different languages. The Website for the ‘Say Hello Project’ will help you out …
NET: http://www.ipl.org/div/kidspace/hello
• “Pet Memorial Day”, established by the International Association of Pet Cemeteries as an annual observance on the 2nd SUNDAY of SEPTEMBER to bring closure to the departure of beloved pets by fondly remembering them. (Doncha miss ol’ Tiger’s toots?)
NET: http://tinyurl.com/y96gpr
• “Pregnant Women’s Day”, set aside to honor all moms-to-be. According to a recent study, less than half of women are happy with the maternity care they get in hospitals and see giving birth as a ‘conveyor belt’ experience. What’s the most unusual pregnancy craving you’ve heard of?
• “US National Anthem Day”, celebrating the anniversary of Francis Scott Key penning the lyrics to the “Star-Spangled Banner” in 1814. Key, a Washington attorney, wrote the famous words after witnessing the British bombardment of Fort McHenry in Maryland while aboard a warship during the War of 1812. He adapted his lyrics to the tune of a popular drinking song, “To Anacreon in Heaven”, and the result later became the official US national anthem in 1931.
• “World Hearing Voices Day”, the 3rd annual observance honoring all those who receive advice, encouragement, comforting words, and even laughter from others … who aren’t really there.
NET: http://tinyurl.com/69tjfj

THIS DAY IN SHOW BIZ . . .
1983 [25] Arnold Schwarzenegger becomes a US citizen, 14 years after emigrating from Austria (step 1 on the road to the presidency)

TODAY’S MUSIC EVENT . . .
2003 [05] Music icon Johnny Cash dies at age 71 of heart failure at Nashville’s Baptist Hospital, stemming from complications from diabetes

TODAY’S FIRST . . .
1994 [14] Mosaic Communications introduces ‘Netscape’, the 1st Internet browser (now evolved into Mosaic’s ‘Firefox’)

TODAY’S RECORD . . .
1983 [25] Albert Rizzo of Malta sets ‘World Treading Water Record’ at 108 hours, 9 minutes in
the ocean (that’s 4.5 days!)

COMING UP . . .
[Mon] Full ‘Harvest’ Moon
[Mon] Hat Day
[Mon] Care Givers Day
[Mon] POW/MIA Recognition Day
[Mon] National Hispanic Heritage Month begins
[Tues] Independence Day (Mexico)
[Tues] UN International Day of Peace
This Week Is … Habitat for Humanity Week
This Month Is … Self Improvement Month

BULL’S BITS
WHAT WOMEN ARE READING:
• “Good Fats; Bad Fats” – Chatelaine
• “His G-Spot (and 7 Other Hidden Moan Zones)” – Cosmopolitan
• “Will Your Marriage Make It?” – Redbook
• “Ways to Look More Beautiful … Instantly!” – Woman’s Day
• “What’s Your Hair Personality?” – Ladies’ Home Journal

BS RANDOM JOKE:
Everyone needs to believe in something, I believe I’ll have another beer!

BS PHONE STARTER:
What is the most useful gift you’ve ever been given?

BS WATER COOLER QUESTION:
Today’s Question: The smell of THIS around the dinner table is said to reduce the odds of hostile talk.
Answer to Give Out Next Show: Garlic.

BS DEEP THOUGHT:
A small good deed is better then the grandest intention.