Wednesday, September 20, 2023 — Edition: #7558
Another Sheetload of Bull!
BS SHOW BIZ BUZZ:
[***UPDATE***] ★ Bijou Phillips has filed for divorce from embattled actor Danny Masterson. The “Almost Famous” star filed a petition for divorce on Monday in Santa Barbara. The pair were married in 2011 and share one daughter together. That comes less than 2 weeks after Masterson was sentenced to 30 years to life in prison for his conviction on 2 rape counts. Her lawyer said: “Her priority remains with her daughter. This period has been unimaginably hard on the marriage and the family.”
-CNN
★ Kevin Costner and Christine Baumgartner’s very bitter divorce battle has shockingly come to an end, as the two sides have settled — with the prenup enforced. The 68-year-old actor and his 49-year-old wife of nearly 20 years have been embroiled in a months-long legal war which come to a surprise end, with reports that Baumgartner had received more than $400,000 to pay her costs of the contentious courtroom battle. The judge had made it clear that the prenup would be enforced, and if Baumgartner challenged it, she would have to repay Costner more than $1 million plus his attorney’s fees for the prenup fight.
-DailyMail, TMZ
★ Amid calls from the Writers Guild of America to push back its premiere during the writers strike, ABC and Disney+ are staying on track with plans to premiere a new season of “Dancing With the Stars” next week. Dancing With the Stars employs a crew of 500 people, and has one WGA writer on staff, but sources close to production say the show will be working in compliance with SAG-AFTRA rules, and a key focus is not to put talent in a tough spot, given that many Season 32 cast members are part of the actors’ guild. Another major key consideration was ensuring that the large staff would not be out of work.
-Variety
★ “The Masked Singer” is celebrating its 10th season with some help from a member of newly reunited *NSYNC, a star of “The Office,” and several famous alums. Lance Bass and Kate Flannery (who played ‘Meredith’ on The Office) are among the show’s special surprise clue-givers this season. Will they have any connection to those who are competing? That remains unclear for now, but, hey – anything’s possible. Kelly Osbourne, who competed as ‘Ladybug’, will also give out clues this season, along with NFL free agent DeSean Jackson, “Snake Oil” host David Spade, and ‘Poppy’ and ‘Branch’ from “Trolls”.
-TheWrap
★ Russell Brand’s book deal has been suspended following allegations he repeatedly sexually assaulted women. In a statement, Pan Macmillan imprint Bluebird said: “These are very serious allegations and in the light of them, Bluebird has taken the decision to pause all future publishing with Russell Brand.” Brand, who rose to fame in the early 2000s as a comedian, then as an actor, has written numerous books, especially following his career pivot to new age wellness guru over the past few years. His UK comedy tour has also been suspended, and YouTube says his channel’s monetization has been suspended.
-Variety
★ The CBS premiere of the Paramount Network hit “Yellowstone” drew in 6.6 million viewers, making it the most-watched entertainment program of the week, according to Nielsen figures. The Yellowstone debut also averaged a 0.9 rating among adults 25-54. The premiere scored the largest audience for a scripted series since the “NCIS” series finale in May.
-TheWrap
★ Bill Maher is the latest TV host to postpone his return to work. He announced that “Real Time with Bill Maher” will not, as previously planned, return to HBO on September 22. He joins the likes of Drew Barrymore, Jennifer Hudson and “The Talk” in delaying a return to the studio. Last week, Maher said that he was bringing his late-night show back “sans writers”, saying that it was “time to bring people back to work”. The WGA had called Maher’s decision “disappointing” and said it would picket his show.
-Deadine
TODAY’S SHOW BIZ SKED:
• “Jimmy Kimmel Live” (ABC/Global): Colin Farrell, Dave Salmoni, The Weeknd (R)
• “The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon” (NBC/CTV): Rachel Brosnahan, Jack Harlow (R)
• “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” (CBS/Global): Ana de Armas; Ken Burns; Sudan Archives (R)
• “Late Night with Seth Meyers” (NBC/CTV): Judd Hirsch, Justice Smith, Regina Spektor (R)
• “The Late Late Show with James Corden” (CBS/CTV): Patrick Stewart, Colin Farrell, Nick Cave (R)
• “The View” (ABC, CTV): Natasha Bedingfield, MILCK
• “Live with Kelly and Mark” (ABC/CTV): Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson
• “The Kelly Clarkson Show” (Check local listings): Gwen Stefani; Melissa Villaseñor, Kids Rock for Kids
• “Jennifer Hudson Show” (Check local listings): Issa Ray, Bill Bellamy (R)
• “American Horror Story: Delicate” (FX, Hulu): Season 12 premiere. After multiple failed attempts of IVF, actress Anna Victoria Alcott wants nothing more than to start a family; as the buzz around her recent film grows, she fears that something may be targeting her and her pursuit of motherhood.
• “MasterChef” (Fox): Season 21 finale part 2. The final 3 home cooks take on their last challenge, with each whipping up a spectacular 3-course meal; the judges crown the next champion.
• “Superfan” (CBS): Season 1 finale. Five of Kelsea Ballerini’s most devoted supporters battle it out to be crowned her biggest fan.
BS MUSIC NOTES:
• Ariana Grande – She and her husband of 2 years, Dalton Gomez, have both filed for divorce. The couple has been apart since January, and she cited “irreconcilable differences”. She began dating her “Wicked” co-star, Ethan Slater, after splitting with Gomez – and Slater recently filed for divorce from his wife, Lilly Jay.
• Katy Perry — has sold her music rights for $225million. The deal, with Litmus Music, includes Perry’s stakes in master recordings and publishing rights for the 5 albums released between 2008-20: “One of the Boys,” “Teenage Dream,” “PRISM,” “Witness,” and “Smile.”
• The National – has surprise-released the new album “Laugh Track”. It features guest appearances from Bon Iver, Rosanne Cash and Phoebe Bridgers. LINK: https://tinyurl.com/mph6cnc8
• *NSYNC – JC Chasez says “anything is possible” in regards to a new tour or album for the group. They have, naturally, been bombarded with questions about exactly that since reuniting at the 2023 MTV VMAs to present the Best Pop Video award to a very excited Taylor Swift, and announcing their first new music in over 20 years, the “Trolls Band Together” song ‘Better Place’.
• Blink-182 — will release the new album “One More Time…” on October 20. It marks the first album to feature the group’s classic lineup of Mark Hoppus, Tom DeLonge, and Travis Barker since 2011. In making the album announcement, the band shared a sentimental trailer for “One More Time…” LINK: https://tinyurl.com/4nxnxhr7
• Chris Stapleton – his voice stars in the new opening to ESPN’s “Monday Night Football”, which debuted this week. The cover of Phil Collins’ classic ‘In the Air Tonight’ also features rapper Snoop Dogg. Cindy Blackman Santana deliver the song’s famous drum solo. LINK: https://tinyurl.com/2ery8exd
• Zach Bryan – has some out-of-genre, outside-the-box collaborations on the way. Sunday, he shared some new song snippets, and included the words: “Thank you to Bon Iver and Noah Kahan.” He also shared a solo song, but didn’t give the title of any of them. LINK: https://tinyurl.com/27zutr4w
• Brett Eldredge — will once again embark on his annual Glow Live Tour. He said in a press release: “The Glow Tour has now become a big, beautiful Christmas tradition…To me, it’s definitely the most wonderful time of the year.” It kicks off with 3 nights at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium beginning Nov. 24, and will hit 8 other cities before wrapping up Dec. 21 in St. Louis. LINK: https://tinyurl.com/5n98wjh6
SHOOTING THE BULL
ENGAGING STORY:
If you’ve been waiting for that special someone to pop the question, 2024 might just be your year! According to Signet Jewelers, which is the largest jewelry company in the US, engagements are expected to rebound big-time, following a drop-off due to the pandemic. Signet says that COVID caused a sharp decline in sales of engagement rings as relationships were strained – and some never blossomed in the first place, as people stayed indoors, and limited their social circles. The experts say that because couples, on average, get engaged about 3.25 years after they begin dating, the lull in proposals is expected to bottom out this year, then rebound starting in early 2024. Bridal jewelry accounts for 50% of Signet’s overall merchandise sales.
(The good news: I just realized that I’ve got about 3 years to sabotage my teenager’s new relationship!)
(Definitely good news for anyone who, like me, who feels it’s been waaay too long since he enjoyed a free bar!)
-CNN
HABITS TO HAVE:
☞ A massive study has revealed the only habit you can adopt — that is linked to bettering your intelligence. According to an analysis of over 1,300 studies involving millions of people, openness to engage and explore new experiences, ideas, information, etc., is the only personality trait with a substantial correlation to intelligence. Researchers at University of California say they also found that being the stereotypical “moody genius” is actually a strong predictor of lower intelligence. (Also, believing the moon-landing was faked…!)
☞ The number of people who are living to at least 100 years old has doubled over the past decade. And many old-timers credit their longevity, at least partly, to their positive attitude. But not so fast, says a psychology expert. David Watson, a former professor of personality psychology at the University of Notre Dame, says the effects of being positive are overstated, and conscientiousness, or how organized and disciplined you are, is the key to living a long life. That’s probably because people with high degrees of conscientiousness are better at taking care of themselves. Conscientious people tend to drink alcohol in moderation and eat more balanced meals, he says. Also, according to him: “Conscientious people don’t do stupid things, so they have lower rates of accidents.” (What if I’m very conscious of my lack of conscientiousness? Does that help?)
-Inc, CNBC
THERE’S A NAP FOR THAT:
I don’t know about you, but I sure could go for a nap today. Actually, I’m good with a nap ANY day, but according to a survey, Wednesdays are the most popular day to take a daytime snooze. A new poll of 2,000 US adults found that more than a quarter (26%) can’t get through the workweek without getting a nap in at some point. Peak nap time for tired workers strikes at 9:39am, and 65% say the urge to nap strikes sometime before 12noon — and most commonly on a Wednesday. 40% of workers say it takes about 3-5 hours into a workday before they start to “need” a nap, and 26% have decided not to fight it – and have brought a pillow to work with them. Outside of work, the most-common events that people said they’ve missed because they were napping were…
• a sports game (30%)
• meeting up with friends (28%)
• a birthday party (28%)
• a family dinner (28%)
(Yeah, that last one, that might have been “accidentally on purpose”!)
(I love a nap, but at 9:30 in the morning? Someone must have been eating decaf donuts!)
-SWNS
FUN FACTS ABOUT 1990S TV SHOWS:
Must-know stuff about “must see” TV…
❑ Seinfeld: Jerry Seinfeld wanted to end the show after its 9th season (1997-98). NBC wanted one more season – and the show’s star turned them down – along with an estimated $110million.
❑ Friends: Yes, David Schwimmer co-starred as paleontologist Dr. Ross Geller. Unbeknownst to the show’s creators, there was a real-life Ohio paleontologist named Dr. David R. Schwimmer.
❑ Quantum Leap: Of the 96 times Sam (Scott Bacula) “leaped” through time, every year he visited was between 1953-1987, including trips into the bodies of Lee Harvey Oswald, Elvis, and Dr. Ruth.
❑ 3rd Rock From the Sun: Over its 6 seasons, NBC changed its time-slot 15 times – a TV record.
❑ Full House: It was unexpectedly canceled in 1995 after 8 seasons. Why? ABC planned to sell the show to WB Network. John Stamos didn’t like the idea and threatened to walk – and the deal was scrapped.
❑ Northern Exposure: Marilyn, the near-silent receptionist, was portrayed by Elaine Miles. And she never meant to be an actress. She accompanied her mother to an audition – and producers asked her if she was interested.
❑ NYPD Blue: Acclaimed for its realism, it was also the first show to routinely feature obscured nudity. Of the 24 regular cast members over 12 seasons, only Bill Brochtrup never appeared nude, semi-nude, or in revealing clothing. (And they’re making us look at David Caruso naked over here? C’mon!)
-BathroomReadersInstitute
DID YOU KNOW?
That phenomenon of seeing a smile in an inanimate object is called ‘face pareidolia’, and researchers have found that it is more common among women who just gave birth. When shown images of random objects, postpartum women tended to identify illusionary faces not seen by other women. Researchers think this is because new mothers have higher levels of oxytocin, the “love” and “trust” hormone involved in social bonding, which previous studies have connected to the brain’s ability to recognize facial expressions. (So, are new moms also more likely to see Elvis on burnt toast?)
-Insider
BS CHRONOMETER 09.20.23
TODAY’S BS REASONS TO PARTY . . .
• “School Backpack Awareness Day”, The American Occupational Therapy Association created this occasion to help prevent injuries to the back, neck, and shoulders that can occur from carrying heavy backpacks. But it’s not all about backpacks — suitcases, briefcases, and large purses are focused on as well. (A heavy backpack also makes it tough to sit in the school bus!)
• “Gibberish Day”, highlighting the uselessness of the convoluted terminology and gobbledy-gook spouted by those who are masking their lack of knowledge and expertise — or are just too spineless to make a clear statement. (Try this ‘Gibberish Generator’: https://tinyurl.com/3avusmme )
• “Punch Day”, the word ‘punch’ is said to come from the Hindustani word ‘panch’, which means ‘five’. In the early 1600s, sailors and employees of the British East India Company brought a new exotic drink from India to England. The beverage was made from spirits, lemon, sugar, water, and tea.
• “Cheese String Day”, perhaps the most enjoyable part of String Cheese is deciding how to eat it. Most people go for the classic “peel down and chow down” method—separating each stick into thin strands. Or just chomp off a chunk, as if it were regular cheese… (Which do you call it: ‘Cheese String’ or ‘String Cheese’?)
• “Pepperoni Pizza Day”, celebrating America’s favorite variety of pizza. Here’s some interesting trivia on the ever-popular pizza:
⇒ The first pizza was sold in Naples Italy in 1738.
⇒ Pizzas most likely evolved as a variation of flatbreads.
⇒ Pepperoni is the most popular, preferred by 36% of people (and 100% of children at a birthday party).
⇒ Over 3 billion pizzas are sold in the US each year.
⇒ More pizzas are sold on Super Bowl Sunday than any other day of the year.
⇒ Halloween is the second most popular day for eating pizza.
⇒ Over 17% of restaurants are pizzerias, or serve pizza.
⇒ Americans consume over 23 pounds of pizza per person per year.
• “Get Ready Day”, created by the American Public Health Association to remind communities, campuses, and workplaces to be prepared for emergencies and disasters. The day coincides with National Preparedness Month.
AND REMEMBER . . .
[Thurs] Gratitude Day
[Thurs] World Alzheimer’s Day
[Fri] Girls’ Night In Day
[Sat] First Day of Fall
This Week Is…Keep Kids Creative Week
This Month Is…Chicken Month
TODAY’S CELEBIRTHDAYS . . .
1934 [89] Sophia Loren (Scicolone), Rome Italy, movie actress (1962 Best Actress Oscar- “Two Women”, 1991 Honorary Career Achievement Oscar)
1948 [75] George RR Martin, Bayonne NJ, novelist/TV writer and producer (“Game of Thrones”, which is based on his series of books, “A Song of Ice and Fire”)/6 Primetime Emmy nominations, 4 wins
1966 [57] Nuno Bettencourt, Praia da Vitória Portugal (raised Hudson MA), rock guitarist (Extreme-‘More Than Words’, ‘Hole Hearted’), Rihanna’s guitarist (on and off) since 2009
1967 [56] Matthew and Gunnar Nelson, Santa Monica CA, identical twin rock singers (Nelson-‘After the Rain’, ‘Love and Affection’)/sons of teen idol Ricky Nelson
1968 [55] Ben Shepherd, Okinawa Japan, rock bassist (Soundgarden-‘Spoonman’, ‘Black Hole Sun’)
1976 [47] Jon Bernthal, Washington DC, TV actor (“The Walking Dead” 2010-18, “The Punisher” 2017-19)/movie actor (“The Wolf of Wall Street”, “King Richard”) COMING UP… “Daredevil: Born Again” series, 2024
1990 [33] Phillip Phillips, Albany GA, pop singer (‘Home’, ‘Gone, Gone, Gone’)/Season 11 winner of “American Idol”)
THIS DAY IN SHOW BIZ . . .
1946 [77] The Cannes Film Festival debuts on the French Riviera (The world’s top-ranked)
[***Proper pronunciation: a hybrid of ‘ken’ and ‘can’: https://tinyurl.com/55uedjjy ***]
2003 [20] “Will & Grace” star Megan Mullally marries Nick Offerman (“Parks and Recreation”) in Los Angeles
TODAY’S MUSIC EVENTS. . .
2004 [19] Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones claims to have finally given up illegal drugs, in part because “the quality’s gone down” (In a 2015 interview, however, he says he still likes to begin his day by smoking a joint)
2005 [18] Canadian JD Fortune wins the CBS reality competition “Rock Star: INXS” to become the group’s new lead singer. He stays with the group until 2011
2017 [06] Cardi B marries fellow rapper Offset
TODAY’S FIRSTS . . .
1921 [102] The first ‘Radio Newscast’ airs, on KDKA in Pittsburgh PA
2011 [12] USA ends its ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ policy, allowing gay men & women to serve in the military openly for the first time
TODAY’S RECORDS . . .
1998 [25] After playing in a Major League Baseball-record 2,632 consecutive games over 16 seasons, Cal Ripken Jr. of the Baltimore Orioles finally sits out a game vs NY Yankees
2019 [04] Students from 185 countries stage the world’s largest-ever protest on climate change, culminating in a Manhattan rally led by activist Greta Thunberg
BULL’S BITS
BS WHACK FACTS:
✓ Scientists have concluded that the chicken came first, not the egg, because the protein which makes egg shells is only produced by hens.
✓ Viruses can get viruses.
✓ Electric cars were introduced in 1896, and by the end of the century, almost 50% of cars worldwide were electric.
✓ Two-thirds of the people on earth have never seen snow.
✓ Cats don’t have a collarbone, and therefore can fit through any opening the size of their head.
✓ Elizabeth Taylor arrived late for her own funeral. The film star left instructions requesting that her coffin should arrive 15 minutes late.
-WhattheFFacts, BathroomReadersInstitute
Best of BS . . .
BS AFTER A MONTH OF COLLEGE:
• I realized that it’s easier to buy clothes at a thrift store than do laundry.
• I had mastered 37 recipes using ramen noodles.
• I thought, “What Frosh Hell is this?”
• I realized that the more you know, the more you realize you don’t know.
• I found I was majoring in pizza and beer pong.
• I was a month behind in my studies.
• I realized I couldn’t spell collage.
• I knew that I would never drink peppermint schnapps again.
• I had completed one month of college.
-Twitter, first published in BS in 2018
BS LIFE LAWS:
• Lerman’s Law of Technology: Any technical problem can be overcome, given enough time and money. Corollary: You are never given enough time or money.
• Murphy’s First Law for Wives: If you ask your husband to pick up 5 items at the store and then you add one more as an afterthought, he will forget 2 of the first 5.
• Law of the Search: The first place to look for anything is the last place you would expect to find it. Corollary: It will not be in the last place you expect to find it.
• Kauffman’s Paradox of the Corporation: The less important you are to the corporation, the more your tardiness or absence is noticed.
• The Salary Axiom: The pay raise is just large enough to increase your taxes and just small enough to have no effect on your take-home pay. Corollary: You will encounter an unexpected major expense the same week the increase takes effect, further nullifying its effect.
• Miller’s Law of Insurance: Insurance covers everything except what happens. Corollary: None.
-Emmitsburg, first published in BS in 2012
BS WEB GOODIE:
Day-brightener (sound up): https://tinyurl.com/ytzdf97h
BS RANDOM JOKE:
Inflation is so bad that my bills aren’t even bills anymore; They’ve grown so much, I call them ‘Williams’.
BS THREEZER:
(Give contestant the clues, they tell you what all 3 have in common…)
• A janitor, a piano and Florida
Answer: They all have keys
• Star, Pound, One
Answer: They are all buttons on a phone keypad
• A basketball player, a faucet, and a baby
Answer: They all dribble
-TriBond
BS PHONE STARTER:
What is the best way to spend a day alone?
BS WATER COOLER QUESTION:
Question: 26% of adults agree: THIS makes a great birthday gift. What is it?
Answer: Tickets to a comedy show
BS DEEP THOUGHT:
The secret of getting ahead is getting started.
