Thursday, March 25, 2021 — Edition: #6952

The BS Press!

 

BS SHOW BIZ BUZZ:
★ Prince Harry will become the first chief impact officer of BetterUp Inc, a San Francisco-based start-up that provides employee coaching and mental health assistance. The move comes about a month after Harry and Meghan made a final split and said they would not return as working members of the royal family. In his new role, Harry will help promote mental fitness and expand the company’s roster of coaches and customers, among other duties, according to a company blog post.
-Yahoo
★ Ellen DeGeneres’s talk show is losing viewers and revenue following its workplace toxicity scandal. DeGeneres used Tuesday’s show to share a health update on her wife, Portia de Rossi, who’s “feeling much better now” after an emergency appendectomy. But behind-the-scenes, DeGeneres’s show is struggling, having seen a large ratings decline — of more than one million viewers — in its 18th season. Revenue is also reported to have fallen by $26 million for the Sept.-Jan. period, compared to a year earlier, which can at least be partly attributed to the pandemic.
-Yahoo
★ After a hard year, “Survivor” is finally coming back. Host Jeff Probst has announced that the iconic reality show is heading back into production. In a Twitter video, Probst said: “Fiji has invited us back to their beautiful country to shoot season 41. We have all of our Covid protocols in place so that everybody in Fiji will remain safe, all of our crew will be safe and of course, our players…” Originally intended to start production in May 2020, season 41 had to be put on hold due to the pandemic. No word yet on when it will air.
-MSN
★ Ken Jeong has donated $50,000 to the families of 5 of the people killed in the Atlanta shootings earlier this month. The shootings took place at multiple massage parlors in Atlanta and one in the suburbs — killing 8 people in total. Jeong, whose parents migrated from South Korea to the U.S., also posted on his Twitter account about fundraising campaigns for families of the victims, and shared a video featuring himself alongside other Asian-American actors including Lou Diamond Phillips, calling for an end to anti-Asian racism.
-Canoe

TODAY’S SHOW BIZ SKED:
• “Jimmy Kimmel Live” (ABC/Global): Gwen Stefani, Dr. Sanjay Gupta (R)
• “The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon” (NBC/CTV): Maya Rudolph, Christopher Meloni, 24Goldn
• “Late Night with Seth Meyers” (NBC/CTV): Sacha Baron Cohen, Viet Thanh Nguyen, Ash Soan
• “The Late Late Show with James Corden” (CBS/CTV): Chrissy Teigen, NEEDTOBREATHE
• “Conan” (TBS): Mike Birbiglia (R)
• “Watch What Happens Live” (Bravo): Paige Desorbo, Luke Gulbranson
• “The View” (ABC/CTV): Robin Roberts
• “The Talk” (CBS): Drew Barrymore (R)
• “Live with Kelly and Ryan” (ABC/CTV): Holly Robinson Peete, guest co-host Ali Wentworth
• “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” (NBC/CTV): Kris Jenner, Madison Beer
• “The Kelly Clarkson Show” (CHECK LOCAL LISTINGS): Brian Tyree Henry, YaYa Gosselin, Brett Young
• “The Drew Barrymore Show” (CHECK LOCAL LISTINGS): Khloe Kardashian, Heidi Gardner
• “Superstore” (NBC): Special one-hour series finale
• “Call Me Kat” (FOX): Season 1 finale
• “Nightwatch” (A&E): Season 5 premiere
• “For Real: The Story of Reality TV” (E!): The Osbournes, the Kardashians, Kendra Wilkinson and Danny Bonaduce reveal the pros and cons of being pioneers of the celeb-reality genre; Kim, Khloe, Kourtney and Kris are ambushed on set for behind-the-scenes stories of their series.

BS MUSIC NOTES:
• Taylor Swift — surprised a young fan with a box full of gifts after she asked the pop superstar to respond to her “7 Questions with Emmy” challenge. Emmy had already received responses from violinist Lindsey Stirling and country singer Walker Hayes, but she received a box of swag from Swift, including T-shirts, CDs, a coloring book, a journal, water bottle, hairbands, hair scrunchies and a sweatshirt.
• Post Malone and Ariana Grande – are a few of the artists who have new versions of their hits featured on the Calm app’s “Sleep Remix Series” album, aimed at helping people drift off. Malone’s ‘Circles’ remix is said to provide a “meditative experience”. Other remixes include Grande’s ‘breathin’’, Shawn Mendes’ ‘Wonder’, Kacey Musgraves’ ‘Golden Hour,’ and ‘Double Rainbow’ by Katy Perry.
• Meat Loaf – has partnered with the producers of Netflix’s “Nailed It” for a reality show based on his 1993 hit ‘I’d Do Anything for Love (But I Won’t Do That)’. Couples will compete in “comedic physical games designed to reveal how well they can work together”. It will also feature live performances. In addition to executive producing, Meat Loaf will “feature as the ethereal figure behind the madness.”
• Alice Cooper – says he’d consider taking over vocals for the Foo Fighters “if they ever needed a really sick lead singer.” When asked which band he’d like to front, Cooper responded: “I think probably the Foo Fighters…When they do my songs, they do it exactly like the band…it’s amazing.
• 10cc — have announced the “Ultimate Greatest Hits Tour” for 2022. Graham Gouldman and Co. will hit the road beginning March 25, 2022 in Liverpool and hit 12 other UK cities.
• Motörhead — Lemmy’s ashes were placed inside bullets and sent to his close friends. He died in December 2015, and his request before his death has now been granted. Also, a Lemmy biopic is in the works. “Lemmy” will focus on the heavy metal icon’s life before he formed Motörhead.
• Thomas Rhett – has scored his 17th #1 hit on Billboard’s Country Airplay Chart and Hot Country Songs Chart with ‘What’s Your Country Song’. In a statement, he said: “I can hardly wrap my mind around seventeen…what an unreal way to kick off this new chapter of music…I cannot wait to share the rest with y’all!” His upcoming double album, “Country Again: Side A” comes out April 30.
• Morgan Wallen – His “Dangerous: The Double Album” has now spent 10 weeks atop the Billboard 200 album chart. It is the first album to spend its first 10 weeks at #1 since Whitney Houston’s “Whitney” in 1987.
• Dolly Parton – Fans will finally get to watch the tribute concert held when she was named MusiCares Person of the Year in 2019. The show, hosted by Little Big Town and featuring a number of artists performing her biggest hits, will become available on Netflix on April 7 under the title “Dolly Parton: A MusiCares Tribute”.

SHOOTING THE BULL

WINTER IS COMING – I SHOULD KNOW:
Are you a ‘Stark’ or a ‘Lannister’? It’s true that shows like “Game of Thrones” allow us to lose ourselves in another world and form attachments to the characters who live there. And a new study has found that people who immerse themselves in their favorite shows can actually start to “become” a fictional character. Researchers from Ohio State University say a person’s brain starts to think about their favorite characters in the same way they think about themselves. Researchers examined this connection in 19 fans of “Game of Thrones” as they thought about themselves, their friends, and characters from the series, while being subjected to brain scans. Lead study author Timothy Brown says that when we think about a “favorite” fictional character, in one part of the brain, it appears similar to when we think about ourselves. Previous studies have found that when people experience stories, a connection can be made with a character and it becomes entwined with one’s self. Brown says that now we can “see evidence of that in their brains.”
(I know! I feel the exact same way watching “Mr. Bean”!)
(On the other hand, they weren’t sure what to make of the fact that so many men’s brain waves went haywire when they thought of ‘Daenerys’! (Emilia Clarke)!
(And if YOU equate yourself with a “Game of Thrones” cast member, then you have no one to blame but yourself for that horrible final season!)
-StudyFinds

INSTAGRAM STORY:
Facebook is planning to offer a version of its Instagram app for kids under 13, who are technically not allowed to use the current app, due to privacy regulations. The company has confirmed an earlier report, saying it is “exploring a parent-controlled experience” on Instagram. Critics raised concerns immediately, saying a kid-friendly Instagram is just a way for Facebook to expand its user base and “condition” children into using its products so it can later make money off of them. Facebook launched the Messenger Kids app in 2017, pitching it as a way for children to chat with family members and friends approved by parents.
(That’s nice, but I’m still waiting for “TikTok” for people who are OVER 13!)
(If you think everyone on Insta is over 13 now, I want to know what you’re under the ‘influencer’ of!)
(I’ve never understood why Zuckerberg bought Instagram for a billion dollars, when he could’ve gotten it for free on the App Store!)
-AP

JUST ONCE, NAME ONE OF YOUR DOGS “QUEENIE”:
It seems that while Queen Elizabeth was worrying about her 99-year-old husband, Prince Philip, being hospitalized for the last month, she decided to occupy herself by welcoming new corgis to the royal family. The Queen has a long history as a pet owner. The 94-year-old has owned more than 30 dogs during her reign, most of them corgis. But in recent years, it has been reported that she decided to stop getting new dogs for fear of leaving any behind. Both are said to be bringing in a lot of noise and energy into the castle, and have been given the very meaningful names of “Fergus” and “Muick” (pronounced ‘Mick’). Fergus is named after the Queen’s uncle, Fergus Bowes-Lyon, son of the 14th Earl of Strathmore, who bravely died for his country in WW1. Muick is named after Loch Muick, one of the Queen’s favorite places on the Balmoral estate.
(I also named my dog after one of my favorite places on our estate. HEEEERE, TOILET! C’mon boy!)
(At first, I thought that 30 dogs sounded like an awful lot. Then I remembered that she’s been Queen since before they were invented…)
(That’s definitely not where I thought the Queen was going with “Mick”!)
-LittleThings

FUNNIEST TWEETS OF THE WEEK ABOUT MARRIAGE:
⇒ My husband eating the bread ends like some kind of superhero. Taking one for the team. – Marcy G
⇒ My wife just ran by screaming WHERE’S THE PLUNGER GET TOWELS LOTS OF TOWELS so anyway how is your night going? – Rodney Lacroix
⇒ Went to the grocery store to pick up a few things and only had to call my wife seven times. – Simon Holland
⇒ When my wife wants to mess with me, she’ll say “Guess what today is?” – Dan Regan
⇒ Secret to a successful marriage is to marry the one who matches your values, principles and thermostat settings – Vinod Chhaproo
⇒ I can’t take my husband to IKEA because he uses their computers for designing couches to make sectionals that spell “POOP.” – Betty
-HuffPost

THINGS THAT ARE TURNING 50 IN 2021:
✓ Walt Disney World
✓ Email
✓ McDonald’s Quarter Pounder
✓ All in the Family (TV show)
✓ Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (movie)
✓ The Pocket Calculator
✓ Dodge Ram
✓ Eagles (band)
✓ Floppy Disks
✓ FedEx
-MentalFloss

DID YOU KNOW?
New research says that labelling wonky fruits and vegetables “ugly” makes us more likely to purchase them. The University of British Columbia study determined that candid labelling indicates to consumers that the only thing that sets the imperfect produce apart is aesthetics, rather than poorer nutrition or an “off” taste. Consumers usually tend to reject unattractive produce, leading to immense food waste. In the U.S., farmers throw out up to 30% of their crops annually because they failed to meet beauty standards.
-Canoe

BS CHRONOMETER 03.25.21

TODAY’S CELEBIRTHDAYS . . .
1943 [78] Paul Michael Glaser, Cambridge MA, TV actor (‘Starsky’ on “Starsky and Hutch” 1975-79)

1947 [74] (Sir) Elton John (Reginald Dwight), Pinner UK, pop singer (‘Candle in the Wind’, ‘Your Song’)/sold over 250 million albums & 100 million singles/Songwriters Hall of Fame (1992)/Hollywood Walk of Fame (1975)/Rock Hall of Fame (1994)/Commander of the Order of the British Empire (1995)/knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 1998 for his charitable work

1965 [56] Sarah Jessica Parker, Nelsonville OH, movie actress (“Sex & The City: The Movie”)/TV actress (“Sex & The City” 1998-2004)/wed to actor Matthew Broderick since 1997. COMING UP: “And Just Like That…”, 2021

1982 [39] Danica Patrick, Beloit WI, retired auto racing driver (Indianapolis 500 & IndyCar Series ‘Rookie of the Year’ 2005)/first (and only) woman to win an Indy car race (2008 Indy Japan 300)

1984 [37] Katharine McPhee, LA CA, TV actress (“Scorpion” 2014-18, “Smash” 2012-13)/pop singer (“American Idol” 2006)/married to music producer David Foster since 2019

1988 [33] Ryan Lewis, Spokane WA, DJ/producer (Macklemore & Ryan Lewis-‘Same Love’, ‘Thrift Shop’)

TODAY’S BS REASONS TO PARTY . . .
• “International Waffle Day” (“Vaffeldagen”), a holiday that originated in Sweden to coincide with the Christian “Feast of the Annunciation”. It was also considered the start of Spring, so it became a custom for Swedish families to celebrate both events by making waffles.

• “Old New Year’s Day”, although the Gregorian calendar was created in 1582, many countries chose to ignore it for several hundred years. Instead, they used “Annunciation Style dating,” which recognized the Feast of the Annunciation (March 25) as New Year’s Day.

• “Pecan Day”, an annual salute to the only nut tree native to North America. The word comes from Algonquian language, meaning a nut requiring a stone to crack. The proper pronunciation is ‘peh-CAHN’ not ‘PEE-can’.

• “Tolkien Reading Day”, an annual event launched by the Tolkien Society in 2003 with the aim of encouraging the reading of the works of JRR Tolkien. The March 25th date was chosen in honor of the fall of ‘Sauron’ in “Lord of the Rings”.

• “International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery & The Transatlantic Slave Trade”. Okay it’s a worthwhile effort and all … but wearing the button will give you a hernia!

• “National Lobster Newburg Day”, an American seafood dish made with lobster, butter, cream, cognac, sherry, eggs and cayenne pepper. It is an elegant and classic dish enjoyed by many since the late 1800s.

COMING UP . . .
[Fri] Legal Assistants Day
[Fri] Make Up Your Own Holiday Day
[Sat] Celebrate Exchange Day
[Sat] Earth Hour

THIS DAY IN SHOW BIZ . . .
2002 [19] “The Bachelor” premieres on ABC (paving the way for “The Bachelorette”, “Joe Millionaire”, “Average Joe”, “Bachelor in Paradise”, “My Big Fat Obnoxious Fiancé”, etc.)

2005 [16] Jennifer Aniston files for divorce from Brad Pitt after 4 and a half years of marriage

2015 [06] Mariah Carey joins James Corden for the first installment of “Carpool Karaoke”

TODAY’S MUSIC EVENTS . . .
2006 [15] Country Music Hall of Fame legend Buck Owens (over 20 #1 hits; long-time co-host of TV’s “Hee Haw”) dies at age 76

2014 [07] Gwyneth Paltrow and Coldplay’s Chris Martin announce their “conscious uncoupling” after 11 years of marriage.  They divorce in 2016

TODAY’S FIRSTS . . .
1934 [87] The first ‘Masters’ golf tournament wraps up in Augusta GA (Horton Smith wins $1,500)

1954 [67] RCA manufactures the first color TV set (12½” screen at $1,000)

1982 [39] Wayne Gretzky becomes the first NHL’er to score 200 points in a season (finishes season with 212)

BULL’S BITS

BS WHACK FACTS:
✓ About 7,000 new insect species are discovered every year.
✓ The first baseball caps were made of straw.
✓ Those in the cheese industry refer to the gray mold that grows on cheese as “cat fur”.
✓ There are 10 towns named Hollywood in the United States.
✓ Ulcers are more aggravated by decaf than by regular coffee.
✓ Giraffes were originally known as “cameleopards”.
-BathroomReadersInstitute, RandomFactGenerator

BS STUPID QUESTIONS FOR NUDISTS:
• How do you clean your glasses?
• For Halloween, do you just put on some clothes?
• Where do you keep your phone?
• Do you feel a breeze?
• Are you dressing me with your eyes?
• How long do you let the sun shine where the sun don’t shine?
• What’s hanging?
• (***CAUTION***) At your nudist retreat, are the first few days the hardest?
-Twitter

Best of BS . . .
BS THINGS FOUND DURING SPRING CLEANING:
• A box of always-useful 5-and-a-quarter-inch floppy disks.
• Vintage hairballs, courtesy of ‘Fluffy’.
• That copy of “Purple Rain” you were sure your girlfriend stole when she left … in 1998.
• A valuable collection of fridge mold … 10 years in the fermenting.
• Your stockpile of microwave popcorn from ‘Y2K’.
• A complete set of ‘Garbage Pail Kids’ cards.
• The OTHER pink sock you thought the dryer ate.
• Or maybe just … your hatred of Spring Cleaning?
-First published in BS in 2004

TODAY’S SLICE OF BS:
➠ It’s Springtime and you sure can tell. (Daisy Dukes. Tank tops. No bras. But enough about “Uncle” Frank…)
➠ Remember that gang of knife-wielding thugs who stole 600 rolls of toilet paper last year?  Well, they just got sentenced to 3 years in Jail. (And just like that. . . they went from having a 3-year supply of toilet paper — to spending 3 years in the can!)
➠ Miley Cyrus has been spotted at home with her new rescue Pit Bull. (STILL not spotted at Miley’s place? Books.)
➠ Danica Patrick is 39 today. (She’ll leave for the big party at the same time as everyone else, but probably arrive last…)
➠ Rapper Juvenile turns 46 tomorrow. (He plans on celebrating with his much younger brother and sister: Pubescent and Infantile.

BS WEB GOODIE:
Spider-Dog:  https://tinyurl.com/uun3uw5c

BS PHONE STARTER:
What is the biggest or best thing that you’ve ever won?

BS RANDOM JOKE:
I have a fear of over-engineered buildings. It’s a complex complex complex.

BS WATER COOLER QUESTION:
Question:  A study found THIS typically happens to a woman at age 34. What is it?
Answer:  She starts acting like her mother

BS DEEP THOUGHT:
Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard.