Wednesday, August 24, 2022 – Edition: #7296
Good Morning, Sheetheads!
BS SHOW BIZ BUZZ:
★ History was made at HBO with the debut of “House of the Dragon”. The “Game of Thrones” prequel drew 9.99 million viewers across linear and HBO Max platforms in the U.S. Sunday, the largest audience for any new original series in the history of pay cabler. It was the best series launch to date on HBO Max in the US, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. The debut also topped Game Of Thrones’ 2011 premiere by almost 350% in terms of viewers. Of course, there was no HBO Max back then, and streaming was a minor part of the TV industry. The House of the Dragon premiere was also a hit on social media, where fans showed up to celebrate the return to Westeros. On premiere day, House of the Dragon was the longest trending topic on Twitter, ranking #1 for 14 hours straight, and trended #1 on Google Trends.
-Deadline
★ Tom Hardy is a martial arts champion. Over the weekend, the “Venom” star participated in the REORG charity’s Open Jiu-Jitsu Championship in the UK, and came away a victor 2 times over. Hardy won 2 gold medals at the fundraising event for the organization, which works with people who have physical injuries, PTSD and depression, training them in Brazilian jiu-jitsu to help with their recovery. Hardy first connected with REORG when he was training in Brazilian jiu-jitsu for his role in the 2011 MMA film “Warrior”.
-ETCanada
★ Disney+ has released the first trailer for “Dancing With the Stars” jump to the streaming platform, highlighting the most unforgettable moments from the show’s first 30 seasons. The upcoming 31st season starts Sept. 19. The preview focuses on some of the most famous stars to appear on the show in recent years, including James Van Der Beek, Bindi Irwin, and JoJo Siwa. There is also footage of Alfonso Ribeiro taking the ballroom floor during his successful mirror ball trophy campaign in Season 19. Ribeiro will co-host this season with Tyra Banks. Len Goodman, Carrie Ann Inaba, Bruno Tonioli, and Derek Hough are back at the judge’s table. Disney also announced plans to release “Dancing with the Stars: The Pros’ Most Memorable Dances” on Sept. 8 to mark Disney+ Day. LINK: https://youtu.be/6FGorrWaQEg
-PopCulture
★ The first episode of Meghan Markle’s new Spotify podcast “Archetypes” premiered this week. The Duchess of Sussex was joined by her friend Serena Williams for the first show, titled “The Misconception of Ambition”. The description reads: “Meghan talks to the one and only Serena Williams about the double standard women face when they are labelled ‘ambitious,’ and the ripple effects this has on other aspects of their lives. This groundbreaking premiere episode also features Dr. Laura Kray, a leading expert on gender in the workplace.” In the show’s second episode, Markle will sit down with Mariah Carey.
-ETCanada
TODAY’S SHOW BIZ SKED:
• “Jimmy Kimmel Live” (ABC/Global): Mandy Moore, Jimmy O. Yang, Amelia Moore, guest host Simu Liu
• “The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon” (NBC/CTV): John Krasinski, Regé-Jean Page, Maggie Rogers (R)
• “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” (CBS/Global): Jon Favreau, Jon Lovett, Tommy Vietor, Bianca Cristovao, James Taylor (R)
• “Late Night with Seth Meyers” (NBC/CTV): Jesse Williams, Jordan Klepper, Aric Improta (R)
• “The Late Late Show with James Corden” (CBS/CTV): Connie Britton, Aasif Mandvi, Blackbear
• “The View” (ABC/CTV): Issa Rae, Paul Hollywood, guest co-host Lindsey Granger (R)
• “The Talk” (CBS): Rocky Carroll, Katherine Kelly Lang, John McCook, Don Diamont, Jack Wagner, guest co-host Margaret Cho (R)
• “Live with Kelly and Ryan” (ABC/CTV): Ali Wentworth, Mike Myers, Laura Dern, Joancarlo Parkhurst
• “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” (NBC/CTV): Tyler Perry, Glennon Doyle, Phillip-Michael Scales (R)
• “The Kelly Clarkson Show” (Check local listings): Niecy Nash, Bill & Giuliana Rancic, Sheryl Crow (R)
• “The Drew Barrymore Show” (Check local listings): Dionne Warwick, Sutton Foster, Vanessa Lachey (R)
• “America’s Got Talent” (NBC): Two acts from last night’s show move on to the finals.
• “Katrina Babies” (HBO): An intimate look at the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and its impact on the youth of New Orleans.
• “Bad Hair Day” (TLC): Series premiere. William lost his hair in a fire, but after years of bad hair pieces, Dr. Angie has a fix; Shanae suffers from bald spots and hopes for a transplant; former model Charli is growing a beard, and it’s up to Dr. Isha to help her save face.
• “Farmhouse Fixer” (TLC): Season 2 premiere
• “In Pursuit With John Walsh” (ID): Season 4 premiere
BS MUSIC NOTES:
• Harry Styles – Though he’s still riding high on the success of “Harry’s House” (released in May) and has 2 movies hitting theaters this year, he and his team are already coming up with ideas for his next record. He arranged his current tour to include extended residencies in L.A., New York, Austin and Chicago to allow for studio time to write and record his 4th album.
• Camila Cabello – teamed up with Hans Zimmer to write and record the new song ‘Take Me Back Home’ for BBC One’s “Frozen Planet II”. The song will premiere on the Beeb this Friday, ahead of a first-look trailer for the David Attenborough-narrated series.
• Goo Goo Dolls — singer John Rzeznik has revealed that in March, he had a nick on a vocal cord, which required him to stay silent for 2 weeks as part of his recovery. The rest and “massive doses of Prednisone” allowed him to return to the road with the band for their current “Chaos in Bloom” tour. His initial reaction to the diagnosis? “Oh, my God. I have no other skills! I can’t go get a job.”
• The Beatles – Director Peter Jackson says he’s in talks with Disney and Apple about releasing an extended cut of the 2021 doc “The Beatles: Get Back”. He says there is still “5 or 6 hours of fantastic material that we didn’t include”, and although the companies seem reluctant to release a longer version, he says “It’s a conversation that’s happening.”
• Foo Fighters – The guitar Dave Grohl used in the ‘Monkey Wrench’ music video is expected to fetch $35,000 at auction. The frontman’s Gretsch White Falcon will go under the hammer at Gardiner Houlgate England on September 7. The axe’s original owner is Grohl’s bandmate Pat Smear, and it was played on Foos’ 1995 LP “The Colour and the Shape”, of which Monkey Wrench was the lead single.
• HARDY – has announced his “Wall to Wall Tour”, which launches Dec. 1 in Athens GA. He’ll be joined by newcomer Jackson Dean as opening act, and in Columbia SC on Dec. 3, Puddle of Mudd will join the bill for one night only. HARDY has been opening for Morgan Wallen this summer.
• Kane Brown — brought out country legend Randy Travis in the midst of his set on Saturday in Oklahoma. Travis sat onstage in his wheelchair, beaming as Brown serenaded him with ‘Three Wooden Crosses’, Travis’ hit single from 2002. LINK: https://youtu.be/ZcfomMyHl9M
• Rascal Flatts — Frontman Gary LeVox launched a new chapter of his solo career on Friday with the release of ‘Get Down Like That’. The song was written by Thomas Rhett alongside Hardy and hit songsmiths Jesse Frasure and Ashley Gorley. LINK: https://tinyurl.com/y3v57wkz
SHOOTING THE BULL
TASTES LIKE McCHICKEN:
McDonald’s is joining the chicken sandwich wars in a big way. A Big Mac way. The fast-food chain has announced plans to test-market its Chicken Big Mac at select Miami restaurants. Each sandwich combines 2 crispy chicken patties, a slice of cheese, shredded lettuce, pickles and the iconic Big Mac sauce. Earlier this year, customers in the UK got the first taste of the double-decker sandwich. Praise piled up across the pond for the limited-edition item, which sold out in 10 days. McDonald’s will begin testing the chicken Big Mac in Florida beginning later this month.
(Great idea. Kinda wrecks the song, though…)
(Shouldn’t they be calling this thing the “Big MacChicken’?)
-People, USAToday
SCIENTISTS SAY:
➠ The answer to getting bigger muscles could be “quantity over quality”. A new study found that just a little bit of exercise each day is better for the body than one intense workout session. Researchers from Australia and Japan found that just doing a handful of bicep curls each day, 5 days a week actually improves muscle strength more than continuously doing dozens of curls in a longer exercise routine once a week. And even better, they found people don’t even have to work out at full intensity to achieve these results. The scientists say that their research shows that it only takes a very manageable amount of exercise on a regular basis to produce noticeable improvements in strength. (THERE’S my problem! I’ve been exercising weekly. Very weakly!)
➠ If picking a playlist was step #1 for you when you were getting set to study, you’re more likely to have had a high GPA. A survey of 2,000 people looked at the link between music and study habits — and found those who played music were likelier to have a GPA above 3.2 than those who studied in silence (84% vs. 78%). Results showed that half of respondents recall regularly listening to music while studying (49%), and 60% felt better able to study with something playing in the background. This percentage is even higher among younger students. (And now? I’m so old that I have to turn down the radio to find my exit on the highway!)
-StudyFinds
WISCONSIN WATERFALLS:
It’s not exactly “American Idol”, but the votes are in, and America has chosen its winner. Emmitt Bailey, an 8-year-old from Menomonie, Wisconsin, was announced Sunday as the winner in the kids’ division for the USA Mullet Championships. What started with 688 contestants, then to the top 25 of the nation’s finest mullets, was eventually boiled down to one champion. Bailey, who got 9,896 votes, took home $2,500 in cash. Cayden Kershaw from Wausau, Wisconsin, won the teen’s division with 3,215 votes. Registration for the open mullet division is still open through next Wed. Contestants must be at least 19, and must submit 3 profile pics of themselves showing off their mullet. There is a $10 fee to enter, and half of that is donated to Michigan Wig Foundation for kids. LINK: https://mulletchamp.com/
(What’s first prize? A haircut?)
(Everyone who enters is invited to a party…which will be held, of course “in the back”!)
-NYPost
BAD HABITS:
Here are the top-10 habits that people want to kick, according to a survey of Americans…
1. Smoking: Yup. Still #1. 15% smoke, 70% of them want to quit. (Can you actually believe that some actually DON’T want to quit?)
2. Junk food: 57% of those aged 18-29 eat fast food at least weekly.
3. Sedentary behavior: 80% of adults don’t get the recommended amount of exercise, and 70% want to get into better shape. (Better start running thru the drive-thru!)
4. Drinking too much: 17% binge-drink more than 4 times a month. (Me too. I’ve GOT to cut back on my golf!)
5. Overspending: 52% spend more than they earn each month. 62% want to save money. (I believe that in this case, “saving money” doesn’t involve shopping at places where there’s a sale on!)
6. Staying up late: 33% don’t get enough sleep, 74% of those people who are over 30 say sleepiness affects their work. (Or it did…until they were fired for sleeping on a Zoom call…)
7. Watching too much TV: Americans watch 5 hours of TV per day, on average. (This falls right in line with the ones about sedentary behavior…and staying up late…and junk food…and binge drinking!)
8. Overusing smartphones: 36% say they are constantly checking or using their phone. (Well, I need to know when someone isn’t texting me!)
9. Nail biting: 45% of teens chew them regularly, and up to 30% of Americans chronically chew ‘em. (Watching a lot of suspenseful TV?)
10. Worrying: 40% worry every day. (They way the world is going, I’d be more worried if I WASN’T worrying!)
-Infographic
DID YOU KNOW?
Because of drought conditions in California, the largest district in the state is paying residents $2 per square foot to rip up their lawns. And cities within Metropolitan Water District have the option of adding more cash incentives. Bill McDonnell, senior resource specialist with the water district, which services 19 million customers, envisions a future when a residential lawn is what he calls “abnormal” in Southern California. He says that 70% of water use in his area goes to outdoor irrigation, led by lawns.
-CNN
BS CHRONOMETER 08.24.22
TODAY’S BS REASONS TO PARTY . . .
• “International Day Against Intolerance, Discrimination and Violence Based on Musical Preferences, Lifestyle and Dress Code”, dedicated to eradicating intolerance, discrimination, and violence against anyone who is part of a subculture that may look different, listen to different music, or have other hobbies than what is seen as the “norm”. LINK: https://www.sophielancasterfoundation.com/
• “Peach Pie Day”, honoring the seasonal dessert made from flour, sugar, butter, and freshly-picked juicy peaches. Yummers! (Sunday was “Eat a Peach Day”. Good times if you like peaches!)
• “Waffle Day”, celebrating the anniversary of the invention of the ‘Waffle Iron’ by Cornelius Swartwout of Troy NY on this day in 1869. Other inventions attributed to today’s date include ‘Potato Chips’ (Chef George Crum, Saratoga Springs NY in 1853) and the ‘Motion Picture Camera’ (Thomas Edison in Menlo Park NJ, 1891).
• “Weather Complaint Day”, marking the date in 1897 when editor Charles Dudley Warner of the “Hartford Courant” published the quip, “Everybody talks about the weather, but nobody does anything about it.” (What other weather clichés drive you bonkers?)
• “Knife Day”, celebrating the ancient tool that has survived as long as man has—evolving from stone and obsidian to carbon and stainless steels (cutting edge technology!).
• “Strange Music Day”, The premise is simple: to get people to play and listen to types of music they have never experienced before. The ‘strange’ part can mean either unfamiliar or bizarre – the choice is entirely yours. (What “strange song” do you absolutely love?)
• “Can Opener Day”, Peter Durand invented canned food in 1813, but the can opener wasn’t invented until almost 50 years later. How did people open canned food before the can opener? The instructions on an 1824 can of roast veal read, “Cut round on the top near to the outer edge with a chisel and hammer.” (***Here’s another method: https://tinyurl.com/pm6r9xd ***)
AND REMEMBER . . .
[Thurs] Thoughtful Thursday
[Wed] Banana Split Day
[Fri] Make Your Own Luck Day
[Sat] Rock Paper Scissors Day
This Week is…Be Kind to Humankind Week
This Month is…Napping Month
TODAY’S CELEBIRTHDAYS . . .
1945 [77] Vince McMahon, Pinehurst NC, “retired” wrestling promotor-executive (CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment [formerly World Wrestling Federation] 1980-2022/former wrestler (as “Mr. McMahon”)
1958 [64] Steve Guttenberg, Brooklyn NY, movie actor (“Police Academy” movies, “Three Men and a Baby”)
1960 [62] Cal Ripkin Jr., Havre De Grace MD, retired baseball pro (shortstop-third baseman who played his entire 21-year career with the Baltimore Orioles)/MLB record for most consecutive games with 2,632/19-time All-Star/2-time AL MVP/2 Gold Gloves/Baseball Hall of Fame 2007
1961 [61] Jared Harris, London England, TV actor (‘Lane Pryce’ on “Mad Men” 2009-12, “The Crown” 2016-17)
1965 [57] Marlee Matlin, Morton Grove IL, movie actress (the only deaf performer to win an Academy Award [1986’s “Children of a Lesser God”])/TV actress (“The West Wing” 2000-06, “Switched at Birth” 2011-17
1973 [49] Dave Chappelle, Washington DC, comedian/TV actor (“Chappelle’s Show” 2003-05)/movie actor (“Dave Chappelle’s Block Party”, “Half Baked”)
1976 [46] Alex O’Loughlin, Canberra Australia, TV actor (‘Steve McGarrett’ on “Hawaii Five-O” 2010-20)
1981 [41] Chad Michael Murray, Buffalo NY, TV actor (‘Lucas Scott’ on “One Tree Hill” 2003-12)
1988 [34] Rupert Grint, Essex England, movie actor (‘Ron Weasley’ in “Harry Potter” films)/TV actor “Servant” since 2019)
THIS DAY IN SHOW BIZ . . .
2014 [08] English actor Richard Attenborough (“Jurassic World”), director (“A Bridge Too Far”), and producer (“Gandhi”), dies in London at age 90
2018 [04] TV host Robin Leach (“Lifestyles of Rich & Famous”) dies at age 76
TODAY’S MUSIC EVENTS . . .
2019 [03] Billie Eilish ends a 19-week run at #1 for ‘Old Town Road’ by Lil Nas X when her hit ‘Bad Guy’ claims the top spot on the Hot 100
2021 [01] Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts dies at age 80
2021 [01] Thirty years after appearing as a baby grasping for a dollar bill on Nirvana’s “Nevermind” album cover, Spencer Elden sues the band and others associated with the photo shoot, claiming it caused him “extreme and permanent emotional distress.”
TODAY’S FIRSTS . . .
2006 [16] A meeting of 424 astronomers demotes the former planet Pluto to ‘dwarf planet status’ (it had been designated a planet since its discovery in 1930)
2011 [11] Tim Cook becomes Apple CEO after Steve Jobs resigns due to health issues (Jobs dies that October at age 56 from pancreatic cancer)
TODAY’S RECORDS . . .
2002 [20] Petri Valta of Finland outdistances 90 other contestants from 7 countries by hurling a Nokia 5510 cellphone 219 feet to set a new world record at the Mobile Phone Throwing World Championships
2012 [10] After his decision not to contest charges of doping, US cyclist Lance Armstrong learns he’ll be stripped of his record 7 Tour de France titles and banned from racing for life
BULL’S BITS
BS WHACK FACTS:
✓ The world’s shortest escalator, at a mall in Japan, has a vertical height of 2’8” (81cm). It has 5 steps and takes 8 seconds to ride.
✓ Wearing headphones for an hour can increase the bacteria in your ear by 700%.
✓ Only one out of every three people has 20/20 vision.
✓ The flashes of colored light you see when you rub your eyes are called “phosphenes.”
✓ Bananas are slightly radioactive.
✓ There are more Lego minifigures than there are people on Earth.
-TheFactSite, BathroomReadersInstitute
Best of BS . . .
BS CHANGE A WORD, RUIN A MOVIE OR SHOW:
• Frying Nemo
• Dustbusters
• Dude, Found My Car
• The Inedibles
• F.I.E.N.D.S.
• Spongebob No-Pants
• Pimp My Bride
-Twitter, first published in BS in 2021
BS SLOGANS FOR BORING TOWNS:
• “A Reasonable Place to Visit!”
• “More Than a Crossroads!”
• “Town in Mirror Is Smaller Than It Appears!”
• “Yours to Stumble Upon!”
• “The City That Sleeps!”
• “Don’t Blink!”
• “A Place to Gas Up!”
• “Paint the Town Beige!”
-first published in BS 2007
BS WHICH CAME FIRST?
• Starbucks or Star Wars? [The first Starbucks opened in 1971. Star Wars opened on the big screen in 1977]
• Google or Yahoo! [Yahoo! was founded in 1994. Google was founded in 1998]
• The Titanic disaster or the Hindenburg disaster? [The RMS Titanic sank April 15, 1912, while the Hindenburg disaster occurred May 6, 1937]
• The X-Men or the Fantastic Four? [The Fantastic Four first appeared in 1961. The X-Men #1 was published in 1963]
• Kmart or Walmart? [Kmart was incorporated in 1899. Walmart was founded in 1962]
• Cellphones or GPS? [In 1973, Motorola researcher Martin Cooper made the first-ever mobile cellphone. The first GPS satellite launched in 1978]
-QuizBash
BS WEB GOODIE:
It happens (sound up): https://tinyurl.com/274rw64n
BS RANDOM JOKE:
Everything I like is either expensive, illegal, or won’t text me back.
BS PHONE STARTER:
What’s your all-time favorite line from a movie?
BS WATER COOLER QUESTION:
Question: A survey showed that we are most likely to do THIS on a Wednesday than any other day. What is it?
Answer: Hit the snooze button
BS DEEP THOUGHT:
Whatever you’re meant to do, do it now. The conditions will always seem impossible.
