Tuesday, April 20, 2021 — Edition #6969

Tomorrow’s Show Prep Today!

BS SHOW BIZ BUZZ:
★ Rejoice, “Downton Abbey” fans, because a sequel to the hit movie is coming! Focus Features is shooting a second film, itself a spinoff of the long-running television series. The original principal cast are all back for the second film, which began production last week and is set for release on December 22, 2021. In addition, Hugh Dancy (“Hannibal”), Laura Haddock (“Guardians of the Galaxy”), Nathalie Baye (“Catch Me If You Can”) and Dominic West (“The Wire”) are involved, providing viewers with a heavily romanticized view of the good old English class system along with a healthy dollop of real-estate envy.
-Yahoo
★ Fox Sports’ play-by-play commentator Joe Buck will take a turn as guest host of “Jeopardy!” this summer, and many fans of the long-running game show are most definitely not thrilled. While many are asking “Who is Joe Buck?”, others are panning the idea or signing a petition for “Reading Rainbow” host Levar Burton to get the job. Buck has been the voice of the World Series for Fox since 1996, and has also called multiple NFL Super Bowls on the network since 2002.
-Yahoo
★ The US Bankruptcy Court has approved a $2 million class-action settlement for ticket-holders to the ill-fated Fyre Festival. The disastrous event in April 2017, which promised blissful luxury but delivered tents and cheese sandwiches, was the subject of two films and was widely ridiculed. The event was co-created by promoter Billy McFarland and rapper Ja Rule. Promoted by influencers like Kendall Jenner, Bella Hadid and Emily Ratajkowski, the festival, set on the Bahamian island of Great Exuma, failed on almost every level.
-MSN
★ The Wahlbergs are mourning the loss of their beloved matriarch Alma. On Sunday, Mark Wahlberg shared a photo of his mother Alma Wahlberg, and wrote: “My angel. Rest in peace.” he wrote. His brother, Donnie had previously shared that their mother, who was a star of the family’s A&E series “Wahlburgers”, was suffering from dementia. She was 78.
-MSN

TODAY’S SHOW BIZ SKED:
• “Jimmy Kimmel Live” (ABC/Global): Ellen DeGeneres, Billie Joe Armstrong, Jimmie Allen, Brad Paisley
• “The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon” (NBC/CTV): Jane Fonda, Robin Thede
• “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” (CBS/Global): Cher, Bradley Whitford
• “Late Night with Seth Meyers” (NBC/CTV): Hank Azaria, Brandi Carlile, Dulcé Sloan, Emmanuelle Caplette
• “The Late Late Show with James Corden” (CBS/CTV): Angela Bassett, KSI ft. Yungblud & Polo G
• “Conan” (TBS): Kevin James (R)
• “Watch What Happens Live” (Bravo): Chrissy Teigen
• “The View” (ABC/CTV): Maria Bakalova
• “The Talk” (CBS): Thomas Lennon
• “Live with Kelly and Ryan” (ABC/CTV): Andra Day, DJ L.L.A.M.A with Ne-Yo & Carmen DeLeon, Monica Mangin
• “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” (NBC/CTV): Ed Helms, Barbara Corcoran
• “The Kelly Clarkson Show” (CHECK LOCAL LISTINGS): Alex Morgan, Erin Andrews, Chiney Ogwumike, Jessica Mendoza
• “The Drew Barrymore Show” (CHECK LOCAL LISTINGS): Jenny McCarthy, Terence J, Latrice McArthur
• “Storage Wars” (A&E): Season 13 premiere
• “Hustle & Tow” (A&E): Premiere. In Atlanta, DJ and the HiTech Towing crew have to deal with a raucous impound outside of a nightclub; Nik is called to recover a tractor trailer that crashed into a lake; Tammy and Jonna can handle the wrecks but not the man-splaining.
• “Deadliest Catch” (DISCOVERY): Season 17 premiere

BS MUSIC NOTES:
• J Balvin – He and girlfriend Valentina Ferrer are expecting their first baby together. The Argentine model shows off her baby bump on the cover of the newest issue of Vogue México, which was unveiled last week.
• Iggy Azalea – Took to Twitter to say that she feels misunderstood and is feeling isolated amid the pandemic. Azalea, who announced the arrival of her son, Onyx Kelly, last June, wrote: “This is so melodramatic but Sometimes I really feel like no one on this entire planet understands me and its lonely as (expletive)”.
• Michael Jackson — Several statues he had at his Neverland Ranch are being sold by a private collector. Included among the 28 pieces are: “Kids and Tree Swing,” “Follow the Leader,” “Young Boy and Companion,” “The Footballer” and more. Asking price for the lot: $2.5 million.
• Marc Anthony – his livestream on Saturday was a bust due to technical issues. The planned “One Night Only” full-length show with a 20-piece orchestra, for an estimated audience of 100,000 in 85 different countries, never began streaming. Three hours after the scheduled start time, Anthony took to social media to explain that the demand had apparently outpaced the technical capabilities that were in place.
• Evanescence — are set to hold a free livestream concert that will be hosted by Alice Cooper. “Driven to Perform” will kick off at 9pm ET on May 13. The band released their latest album “The Bitter Truth” last month, their first album of new material in a decade.
• Foreigner — has announced 13 more dates for their “Greatest Hits of Foreigner tour. It begins next month in Florida, and shifts to Europe for most of June, before returning to the US for 33 more shows between June and November.
• Madonna — took to Instagram on Saturday to post a series of photos and videos advising Americans to “wake up” in response to chronic gun violence. She captioned her first post: “There’s a new vaccination! It’s called GUN CONTROL! Should be mandatory. It will SAVE LIVES!”
• Kiss — An official Eric Carr documentary is in the works. Carr replaced drummer Peter Criss in 1980 and remained with the group until his death at 41 in 1991.
• The Kingsmen – co-founding guitarist Mike Mitchell died Friday at age 77. In 1963, the garage rock group released their debut single, a raucous cover of Richard Berry’s ‘Louie Louie’, which peaked at #2 on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart. He was the band’s only remaining original member.
• Miranda Lambert – says she is gearing up to get back into full swing after an extended break from the road due to the pandemic. She says she is working on a new album and is “ready to roll” on a full-scale tour. She’s already booked for a run of shows in late April, and her team is “routing for a tour” as pandemic restrictions ease.
• Eric Church – The second of his 3 album releases in 8 days arrives today. “Heart” came out last Friday, while “&” arrives exclusively for Church Choir members (Eric’s fan club) today. “Soul” is set for release this Friday.

SHOOTING THE BULL

A CLEAN BREAK:
Just can’t seem to get around to that Spring cleaning? This study may provide the motivation you need, especially for seniors. Researchers in Toronto found that older adults who perform household chores have larger brains — a key measure of good cognitive health. That’s right, it appears that doing housework makes you smarter. Noah Koblinsky, the lead author of the study, said that while it’s well-known that exercise has a positive impact on the brain, this study “is the first to show that the same may be true for household chores.” The study, carried out through Baycrest Hospital’s Rotman Research Institute, revealed that older people who spend more time doing chores have greater brain volume, regardless of how much they exercise. The chores ranged from cleaning to cooking, to working yard work.
(If your brain is so big, then how come you weren’t smart enough to get out of doing the housework?)
(They might be right. But I don’t want to risk it!)
(Then why do we call them “mindless” chores?)
-StudyFinds

PEOPLE ARE DYING TO GET ONE:
The goal of an Auckland, New Zealand business is to lighten the mood – at funerals. “Dying Art” builds custom coffins. And the “remains removers” they make aren’t just painted up in bright colors. They are made to resemble things like a sailboat, a firetruck, a chocolate bar and Lego blocks. There have been glittering coffins covered in fake jewels, a casket inspired by the movie “The Matrix,” and plenty of coffins depicting people’s favorite beaches and holiday spots. And don’t forget the one that owner Ross Hall created for his dearly departed cousin – a giant cream donut. Hall creates them with specially-made blank coffins and uses fiberboard and plywood to add details. A latex digital printer is also used. Why are people interested in going out with a chuckle rather than tears? Hall says funerals these days seem to be more of a celebration of life rather than a mourning of death, and these days, people are “willing to throw out stuffy conventions in favor of getting something unique.” Depending on the design, the coffins sell for 3,000-7,500 New Zealand dollars (US $2,100-5,400).
(That’s the LAST thing I’d want – literally!)
(What a skill! The guy must be some kind of mathemortician…)
(What design would you ask for?)
-AP

CAR CONTRAPTIONS:
➢ Mercedes’ new electric car has some interesting features that have nothing to do with the fact that it isn’t gas-powered. The EQS’ doors operate automatically. As the driver approaches, the doors open. The door can also close itself when the driver steps on the brake. The driver can also operate the passenger doors. But perhaps even cooler, the EQS has a “nap mode” called the Power Nap program, which helps drivers grab a snooze during a rest stop. It automatically reclines the driver’s seat, closes the windows and activates a sunshade. Interior lighting and temperature are also adjusted to create a soothing atmosphere, and relaxing sounds come from the stereo while images of a starry night sky appear on the dashboard screens. After a while, the car begins a wake-up routine that includes energizing fragrances and a gentle massage. (My car also provides me with a few interesting smells and unexpected shaking!)
➢ Automotive supplier Magna has announced its new Driver Monitoring System that checks for distracted driving. The system is integrated into the rearview mirror, and uses camera-based technology to monitor the driver. It looks at head, eye, and body movement, and detects if a driver is distracted and not looking at the road, as well as for drowsiness or fatigue. It accounts for valid reasons to not look ahead, such as when the driver glances at the side mirrors. If distraction is detected, the driver receives customizable audible or visual alerts. (I suppose sending a text isn’t a good idea…)
-CNN, Driving

THE MOST-FOLLOWED TWITTER ACCOUNTS:
1. Barack Obama (@BarakObama) – 130.1 million followers
2. Justin Bieber (@justinbieber) – 114.2 million
3. Katy Perry (@katyperry) – 109.5 million
4. Rihanna (@rihanna) – 102.6 million
5. Christiano Ronaldo (@Christiano) – 91.7 million
*** Donald Trump (@realDonaldTrump) – 89 million (“permanently suspended” on Jan. 8)
6. Taylor Swift (@taylorswift13) – 89 million
7. Lady Gaga (@ladygaga) – 84 million
8. Ariana Grande (@ArianaGrande) – 83 million
9. Ellen DeGeneres (@TheEllenShow) – 79 million
10. YouTube (@YouTube) – 73 million
-Twitter, BrandWatch

USES FOR DRYER LINT THAT YOU NEVER THOUGHT OF:
• Pillow stuffing
• Cleaning up spills such as motor oil
• Bedding for birds’ nests
• Campfire kindling
• Packing material (because people really want you to send them your underwear remnants in the mail!)
-BathroomReadersInstitute

DID YOU KNOW?
Almost half of all recreational runners injure themselves at least once per year — regardless of their age, sex, running experience or weight, according to a study. A researcher from Sweden monitored more than 200 adult runners over the course of a year — with a sports physician diagnosing injuries that developed. Injuries seen during the study largely affected Achilles’ tendons, calves and knees.
-DailyMail

BS CHRONOMETER 04.20.21  

TODAY’S CELEBIRTHDAYS . . .
1937 [84] George Takei, Los Angeles CA, actor (‘Mr. Sulu’ on “Star Trek” 1966-69 and in 6 movies)/10 million Facebook followers

1949 [72] Jessica Lange, Cloquet MN, movie actress (Oscars-“Blue Sky”, “Tootsie”)/TV actress (“American Horror Story” 2011-2018)

1964 [57] Andy Serkis, Ruislip UK, movie actor (“Planet of the Apes” franchise, “Lord Of The Rings”) COMING UP…”The Batman”, 2022

1970 [51] Shemar Moore, Oakland CA, TV actor (‘Derek Morgan’ on “Criminal Minds” 2005-2017, “S.W.A.T.” since 2017)

1972 [49] Carmen Electra (Tara Patrick), Sharonville OH, TV actress (“Baywatch” 1997-98)/movie actress (“Scary Movie”)/married to Dennis Rodman 1998-99

1976 [45] Joey Lawrence, Philadelphia PA (“Blossom” 1990-1995, “Melissa & Joey” 2010-2015)

1978 [43] Clay Cook, Snellville GA, country musician (Zac Brown Band-‘Whatever It Is’, ‘Chicken Fried’)

1983 [38] Miranda Kerr, Sydney Australia, fashion model (Victoria’s Secret)/married to Snapchat founder Evan Spiegel since 2017

TODAY’S BS REASONS TO PARTY . . .
• “420” or “Pot Smokers Day”, the unofficial holiday of potheads. A few facts, man:
☞ ‘Four-twenty’ became an emblematic number for dopers in the 1970s. It comes from the time 4:20 pm, the secret ‘burn time’ originated by a group of pot-smoking students at California’s San Rafael High School in 1971.
☞ Marijuana is the most lucrative domestic crop in the USA, worth $52 billion … more than corn and wheat combined. Of that, 87% of sales are on the black market.
☞ More than 1 person every minute is arrested for marijuana possession in the US. (***See ‘Today’s Firsts’, below***)

• “Lima Bean Respect Day”, encouraging us to recognize the protein power offered by the tasteless, mealy morsel that most of us avoid at all costs. (You have to admit, Lima Bean Day has some pretty serious competition it also being 420 and all…)

• “Look-Alike Day”, a day for people who are constantly mistaken for rich and famous celebrities to have some recognition of their own. (So, who do people say YOU look like?)

• “Volunteer Recognition Day”, honoring the legions of people who dedicate themselves to causes and helping others, thereby making both big and small differences in the lives of millions worldwide.

• “Cheddar Fries Day”, who can resist crispy, golden French fries topped with cheddar cheese? Add some chives, bacon or jalapenos and you have a culinary delight that will satisfy even the most discerning taste buds (The perfect snack for “420”, or am I overdoing it just a bit?)

AND REMEMBER . . .
[Wed] Big Word Day
[Wed] Banana Day
[Thurs] Earth Day
[Thurs] Jelly Bean Day

TODAY’S MUSIC EVENTS . . .
2018 [03] Swedish musician, DJ, remixer and record producer Avicii (Tim Bergling), commits suicide at age 28

2020 [01] Homebound during the coronavirus pandemic, Willie Nelson stages the “Come And Toke It” livestream to support efforts to legalize marijuana and free those incarcerated for it. Guests include Ziggy Marley and Kacey Musgraves

THIS DAY IN SPORTS . . .
2008 [13] Danica Patrick wins the Indy Japan 300, becoming the first female driver to win an Indy car race

TODAY’S FIRSTS . . .
1971 [50] Five high school friends in California coin the term “4:20” as a euphemism for smoking pot. April 20th becomes a popular day to spark one up, and 4:20 pm becomes a popular time. (BS FUN FACTS: The Boston song ‘Smokin’’ clocks in at 4 minutes, 20 seconds, and if you multiply the title numbers in Bob Dylan’s ‘Rainy Day Women #12 And #35′, you get 420. Dude!)

2020 [01] The price of US oil turns negative for the first time in history. As worldwide demand plummets, West Texas Intermediate, the benchmark for US oil, falls as low as minus $37.63 a barrel.

TODAY’S RECORD . . .
2010 [11] ‘Deepwater Horizon’ drilling rig explodes in the Gulf of Mexico, killing 11 workers and beginning an oil spill that lasts 6 months (The movie “Deepwater Horizon,” starring Mark Wahlberg, follows in 2016)

BULL’S BITS

BS WHACK FACTS:
✓ A part of your brain is devoted solely to sneezing.
✓ TV Guide’s 2009 pick for the worst show of all-time was “The Jerry Springer Show”.
✓ Steve Jobs never wrote a single line of programming code.
✓ Bill Gates is so rich that the average American spending $1 is comparable to him spending $1.06 million.
✓ The founder of FedEx, Fred Smith, once saved the company by taking $5,000 to Las Vegas and turning it into $32,000 by playing Black Jack.
✓ Dogs who bark a lot can get laryngitis.
-UberFacts, BathroomReadersInstitute

BS WEIRD THINGS TO SAY IN THERAPY:
• “I’m not usually allowed on the couch.”
• “Can I phone a friend?”
• “That’s not what my cat says…”
• “Is cereal a soup?”
• “I am Spartacus!”
• “Wanna have a staring contest?”
• “I ate his liver with a nice Chianti and Fava beans.”
• “What’s with all the personal questions?”
• “Hold my beer!”
• “Will you marry me?”
-Twitter

TODAY’S SCOOP OF BS:
➠ Apple’s new iPad Pro 2021 is now out in select markets. (It’s perfect for people who like slight upgrades, but hate having $900 in their wallet…)
➠ A poll said that roughly 160 texts, 70 Facebook messages and 30 phone calls need to happen before you officially become ‘a couple.’ (Not true! I’ve sent the hot chick at the gym at least five-times that and all it’s gotten me is a restraining order!)
➠ A report says that if you keep smelling something that is not really there, you may be experiencing the earliest symptoms of schizophrenia. (Either that or you’re the one who dealt-it!)
➠ A report claimed that nearly 65% of Americans couldn’t recognize their neighbors. (The other 35% own a back-deck mounted telescope…)
➠ Fact:  One chocolate chip can give a person enough energy to walk 150 feet. (Meanwhile, one bag of Doritos gives my stepson enough energy to binge-watch Netflix while gaming in the basement for 16 straight hours.)

BS WEB GOODIE:
Child of the times:  https://tinyurl.com/fjwtscex

BS RANDOM JOKE:
Sometimes, the first step to forgiveness is understanding that the other person is an idiot.

BS PHONE STARTER:
A UK survey rated ‘children screaming’ the least favorite sound. Second was nails on a chalkboard. What’s yours?

BS WATER COOLER QUESTION:
Question:  25% of men admit they have done THIS in the kitchen. What is it?
Answer:  Started a fire

BS DEEP THOUGHT:
The ability to not take things that other people do personally, is a superpower.