Wednesday, January 15, 2025 — Edition: #7872
Preparation BS!
BS SHOW BIZ BUZZ:
★ Brooke Shields says Tom Cruise privately apologized for his (quote) “ridiculous rant” about her use of antidepressants, she reveals in her new memoir. The Golden Globe nominee wrote in “Brooke Shields Is Not Allowed to Get Old: Thoughts on Aging as a Woman,” published Tuesday, that Cruise “eventually” said sorry to her. She shared that “It wasn’t the world’s best apology, but it’s what he was capable of, and I accepted it.” In a “Today” show appearance in 2005, Cruise called Shields “irresponsible” for taking medication while battling postpartum depression, claiming it “didn’t cure anything.” Shields subsequently wrote a New York Times op-ed, clapping back.
-PageSix
★ Jessica Simpson and husband Eric Johnson are separating. The singer/actress and her former NFL player husband have been married for 10 years. In a statement, Simpson said: “Eric and I have been living separately navigating a painful situation in our marriage. Our children come first, and we are focusing on what is best for them.” The news comes less than a week after Simpson — who shares 3 children with Johnson — posted a selfie to Instagram, reminding her followers: “Life is short. SMILE while you still have teeth.”
-People
★ Ben Stiller is opening up about his and Christine Taylor’s decision to separate in 2017. The couple ultimately reconciled sometime during the COVID-19 pandemic. He told the New York Times: “When we separated, it was just having space to see what our relationship was.” Stiller said that although the 2 “weren’t together” for “3 or 4 years”, they remained connected. Quote: “In my mind, I never didn’t want us to be together.” The “Dodgeball” co-stars married in 2000 and are parents of 22-year-old daughter Ella, and son Quinlin, who is 19. Stiller said that “COVID put us all together in the same house,” and within about a year, they were “back together”.
-NYPost
★ The Academy has made additional changes to this year’s Oscars schedule because of the LA wildfires. The new schedule extends the nominations voting window to this Friday, and pushes back the date of the nominations announcement to Jan. 23. The Oscar Nominees Luncheon has also been canceled. AMPAS also announced that the March 2 date of the 97th Academy Awards ceremony will not change. The nominations voting period, which was originally scheduled to end last Sunday, had been extended to Tuesday, before the latest extension to Friday.
-TheWrap
★ “Succession” creator Jesse Armstrong has found his next project: an original movie for HBO Films. The 7-time Emmy winner is teaming up with Succession executive producer Frank Rich for the project, which is said to focus on 4 friends who convene during an international financial crisis. Armstrong is currently writing the script, with production set to start later this year. “Succession” ended its 4-season run in 2022.
-Variety
TODAY’S SHOW BIZ SKED:
• “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” (ABC/Global): Tim Allen, Maggie Rose
• “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” (NBC/CTV): Jennifer Lopez, Sam Heughan, Lucy Dacus
• “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert” (CBS/Global): Adam Scott, Janet Yellen
• “Late Night With Seth Meyers” (NBC/CTV): Ben Stiller, Pauline Chalamet
• “After Midnight” (CBS/Global): TBA
• “Watch What Happens Live” (Bravo): Chrishell Stause, Lisa Barlow
• “The Daily Show” (COM): ALOK, host Jordan Klepper
• “The View” (ABC/CTV): Denis Leary
• “Today” (NBC): Ben Stiller and Adam Scott, Mark-Paul Gosselaar
• “GMA3” (ABC): Kaitlin Olson, Kai Jones
• “Live With Kelly and Mark” (ABC/CTV): Jennifer Lopez, Gwendoline Christie
• “The Kelly Clarkson Show” (Check local listings): Brooke Shields, Lee Jung-jae and Lee Byung-hun, Sofi Tukker
• “The Drew Barrymore Show” (Check local listings): Mary J. Blige
• “The Jennifer Hudson Show” (Check local listings): Chris Perfetti
• “President Biden Farewell Address to the Nation — ABC News Special” (ABC): Joe Biden’s farewell address to the nation from the Oval Office.
• “Abbott Elementary” (ABC): Janine must rethink her lesson plans after her class performs poorly on a practice test; Jacob struggles to engage a disinterested student; the district sends a new custodian.
• “Raid the Cage” (CBS): Shannon and Abby, a roller derby duo from Fairbanks, Alaska, take on bad boys Devin and Corey from New York City.
• “Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test” (Fox): New challenges include escaping a boat crash, an intense combat exercise, an intense boat race, and hauling 500 pounds of supplies up a steep mountain.
BS MUSIC NOTES:
• The Grammys – The show will go on in the midst of devastating wildfires in Southern California. The Recording Academy has announced the awards show will happen as planned, on Feb. 2 at Crypto.com Arena in LA, and it will be used to raise money for wildfire relief efforts. The Recording Academy and MusiCares have already pledged $1 million for those in the music industry who have been affected.
• Beyoncé — is making a huge donation to LA wildfire relief efforts. In an Instagram post, her beyGOOD foundation said that $2.5 million will contributed to help those who “lost their homes, and to churches and community centers to address the immediate needs of those affected by the wildfires.” LINK: https://tinyurl.com/y64urnej
• Justin Bieber – 2025 could be the year he comes back. His most recent album was 2021’s “Justice”, but industry insider Matthew Belloni writes in his ‘What I’m Hearing’ column for Puck: “Despite the $200 million sale of his catalog in 2023, I’m told Bieber needs the money and wants to work.” He apparently still owes promoter AEG a ton of bucks for his canceled tour in 2022, plus “other pop star expenses.”
• 4 Non Blondes — are reuniting to appear at this year’s BottleRock Napa Valley music festival, set for May 23-25 in California. Also on the bill are Justin Timberlake, Noah Kahan, Green Day, and Benson Boone. Since 4 Non Blondes disbanded in 1994 after one album (and the hit ‘What’s Up’), they’ve only played together once, at a 2014 charity event.
• Neil Young — has given a big thumbs-up to the new Bob Dylan biopic “A Complete Unknown”, starring Timothée Chalamet. Young wrote on his website: “This movie is a great tribute to his life and music. I think if you love Bob’s music you should see this great movie. I loved it.”
• Eric Clapton – His 1992 “MTV Unplugged” performance is coming to theaters – and to Paramount+. With bonus content of Clapton discussing some songs recorded right before he took the stage, the 90-minute special will premiere in select cinemas in the US and UK Jan. 27-28. “Eric Clapton Unplugged… Over 30 Years Later” will launch on Paramount+ on Feb. 12.
• Keith Urban – has announced his first tour of Canada in 3 years. “The High and Alive World Tour” kicks off June 21 in Toronto before returning in September for 7 more shows in Vancouver, Calgary, Regina, Saskatoon, Winnipeg, Montreal, and Ottawa. Chase Matthew, Alana Springsteen and Karley Scott Collins will open. LINK: https://tinyurl.com/bdeyvd7w
• Luke Bryan – has announced major changes to “Luke Bryan’s Farm Tour”, a limited series of rural concerts he’s held annually since 2009. For the first time, he’s heading to California to spotlight West Coast farmers. And while the Farm Tour is usually held in the fall, this year’s shows are scheduled for May 15 in Atwater, May 16 in Clovis, and the 17th in Shafter. No opening acts have been announced yet. LINK: https://tinyurl.com/yc427w8h
• Carrie Underwood — She’ll perform at U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration. The Armed Forces Chorus and the United States Naval Academy Glee Club will accompany Underwood on ‘America the Beautiful’. She did not publicly endorse a candidate in the 2024 election. LINK: https://tinyurl.com/33ww2us5
SHOOTING THE BULL
RICH WIFE, UNHAPPY LIFE:
You’d think they’d be grateful, but according to a new study, men are unhappy when their wife makes more money than them. The study, published in The Economic Journal, found that when a wife outearns her husband, there is a higher incidence of mental health issues for both spouses — but especially the husband. The University of Durham researchers also pointed out that the share of couples where the wife outearns the husband is growing globally: “In both the United States and Sweden, it has increased by approximately 25% since the start of the millennium.”
(In totally related news, Travis Kelce has just been named the saddest man on earth!)
(Hey – I work in radio. She couldn’t be making LESS than me – legally!)
-TheTime, NYPost
NEW FOOD NEWS:
❑ A doctor is warning that coffee drinkers may be unknowingly sipping on microscopic traces of cockroaches. Dr Sermed Mezher of London explained to his 290,000 Instagram followers that that during the harvesting, processing, and grinding of coffee beans, it’s nearly impossible to entirely eliminate contaminants such as insects, which can come into contact with the beans in fields, storage facilities, or production plants. And while the good doctor notes that “the idea of insect parts in coffee may be off-putting…these levels are low and pose no risk to health.” However, he warns those with a shellfish allergy to steer clear of ground beans — as these individuals tend to react to a protein called tropomyosin, which is also found in cockroaches. (Well, if they didn’t react before, they definitely will now, after hearing there are cockroaches in their coffee!) LINK: https://tinyurl.com/4nhhdymb
❑ Children who are fed a diet packed with ultra-processed foods could wind up with buck teeth, new research suggests. Additive-heavy foods like French Fries, chips, sweets and ready-made meals have been labeled unhealthy for decades, with studies linking them to type 2 diabetes, heart disease and cancer. And now, scientists who tracked dozens of young children have found that consuming a diet primarily made up of UPFs, which are typically soft and hyper-palatable, impacts jaw development. Co-author Dr Laura Marques Martinez of the Catholic University of Valencia said: “Chewing solid and fibrous foods, such as fruits, vegetables, or natural proteins, exercises the jaw…On the other hand, diets based on ultra-processed foods, which are soft and require minimal effort to chew, negatively impact jaw development”, and can cause issues such as misalignment of teeth and respiratory problems. (Respiratory problems? But I run through the drive-thru every day!)
-DailyMail
UNDECORATION DAY:
Really? We’re now past “Take Down the Christmas Tree Day” AND the date that Larry David decreed that we can no longer wish someone “Happy New Year”, and some people think it’s OK to still have the Christmas decorations up? According to a new poll, 45% of us feel keeping that stuff “hanging around” long into the new year is perfectly OK, and are happy to see the lights and decorations stay up ALL YEAR. The survey of 2,000 people in the US from Talker Research found, however, that most of us still believe there is a time and place for everything, with 55% saying that stuff should come down by Jan. 16 – tomorrow. Millennials were found to be most likely to support the idea of year-round decorations, with baby boomers least likely to agree, but still showing support at 43%. Women are slightly more likely to favor decorations staying up indefinitely than men (46% v 44%).
(Outdoor decorations, though? Ask the guys when it’s minus 10 degrees on a Sunday afternoon – and the football game’s on!)
(But if we leave the decorations up all year long, what am I gonna do with all that crap I shoved into the closet to make room for the decorations?)
-SWNS
USEFUL TIPS FROM PEOPLE WHO WORK IN HR AND MANAGEMENT:
To find out what those who hire people for a living are looking for in 2025, HR reps and managers were asked to share their tips. Here’s what they had to say . . .
☞ Do make like Sabrina Carpenter and keep your résumé ‘short and sweet’.
☞ Don’t hit send on your cover letter without making sure you’ve made any updates or edits that may be needed.
☞ Don’t spam every company in your town with your résumé.
☞ Do explain any gaps in your résumé or frequent job changes in your cover letter.
☞ Do use important keywords from the job description in your résumé.
☞ Do put in the extra work to tailor your résumé to the job you want.
☞ Do read up on the company before you interview.
☞ Do keep an open mind and be willing to learn new skills so you can land a new role.
☞ Unless it’s a longstanding norm in your field, don’t put your headshot on your résumé.
☞ Do dress for success and show up to your interview looking the part.
☞ Don’t rely too heavily on AI, and if you use it, always check its work.
(HR people and managers: What would you like to add to the list?)
-BuzzFeed
DID YOU KNOW?
An Idaho man broke 52 Guinness World Records in 52 weeks in 2024 – the second time he’s accomplished the feat. David Rush, who previously broke a Guinness World Record every week in 2021, said he replicated the achievement while also successfully pursuing his goal of holding the most concurrent Guinness World Records titles. He kicked off the year with the most ping pong balls caught in shaving foam on the head in 30 seconds (14). The “most painful” record was the fastest to drink one liter of lime juice through a straw (13 seconds), and, he said: “Yes, I threw up.” The easiest record? The most balloons burst with boxing gloves in one minute. The number to beat was 72, and Rush “smashed” it with 327 balloons. (Records are meant to be broken – and so, apparently, are balloons!)
-UPI
BS CHRONOMETER 01.15.25
TODAY’S BS REASONS TO PARTY . . .
• “Hat Day”, to dispel the boredom of mid-Winter by wearing the goofiest hat you can find. (Always hilarious on radio…)
• “Fresh Squeezed Juice Day”. So, what’s your preference … Orange? Grapefruit? Red Man Chaw?
• “Wikipedia Day”, celebrating 24 years since its debut. On this day, some fans organize parties to discuss Wikipedia and share cake. Typical activities include editors sharing what they did in Wikipedia last year, talks from those proposing to share information in Wikipedia in the coming year, training for newcomers, and socializing (and cake!).
• “Humanitarian Day”, encouraging people to work together to disrupt the vicious cycle of poverty, hunger, and neglect.
• “Bagel Day”, a food holiday celebrating the deli favorite that involves topping a fresh-baked bagel with a shmear of cream cheese.
• “Museum Selfie Day”. This internet event invites fans, curators, and museum managers to snap a photo of themselves in front of their favorite collections and share it on Instagram and Twitter. (#nerd?)
• “Strawberry Ice Cream Day”. It is one of the most popular flavors, after vanilla and chocolate. In fact, it is found in Neapolitan ice cream along with those other 2 flavors. It is unknown when strawberry ice cream was first created, but Dolley Madison served it in 1813, at her husband’s second inaugural celebration.
AND REMEMBER . . .
[Thurs] Get to Know Your Customers Day
[Thurs] Religious Freedom Day
[Fri] Popeye the Sailor Man Day
[Sat] Use Your Gift Card Day
This Week is…Pizza Week
This Month is…Creativity Month
TODAY’S CELEBIRTHDAYS . . .
1947 [78] Andrea Martin, Portland ME, movie actress (“My Big Fat Greek Wedding” films)/TV actress (“SCTV” 1976-84), “Great News” 2017-18) COMING UP… “The Gilded Age” show
1951 [74] Charo (María Rosario Pilar Martínez Molina Baeza), Murcia Spain, comedienne-TV actress (“Chico and the Man”, “The Love Boat”, “Hollywood Squares”…)/movie actress (“Sharknado 5: Global Swarming”)/flamenco guitarist
1968 [57] Chad Lowe, Dayton OH, TV actor (‘Byron Montgomery’ on “Pretty Little Liars” 2010-17)/movie actor (“Unfaithful”)/brother of Rob Lowe
1971 [54] Regina King, Los Angeles CA, movie actress (Oscar-“If Beale Street Could Talk”, “Ray”)/TV actress (“American Crime” 2015-2017) COMING UP… “Caught Stealing”
1979 [46] Drew Bees, Austin TX, retired NFL QB (MVP in the New Orleans Saints Super Bowl 44 victory/2-time NFL Offensive Player of the Year/13-time Pro Bowl)
1981 [44] Pitbull (Armando Pérez), Miami FL, rapper (‘I Know You Want Me [Calle Ocho]’, feat. Kesha: ‘Timber’)
1988 [37] Skrillex (Sonny Moore), LA CA, electronic dance music DJ-producer (‘Bangarang’, ‘Ruffneck [Full Flex]’)
1996 [29] Dove Cameron (Chloe Hosterman), Seattle WA, TV actress (“Liv and Maddie” 2013-17, “History of the World, Part II” 2023)/pop singer (‘Boyfriend’)
2004 [21] Grace VanderWaal, Lenexa KS, pop singer (‘I Don’t Know My Name’)/season 11 winner of “America’s Got Talent”)/movie actress (“Megalopolis”)
THIS DAY IN SHOW BIZ . . .
2009 [16] Pilot Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger makes a successful emergency landing on the Hudson River shortly after US Airways Flight 1549 takes from NYC’s LaGuardia Airport. (This leads to the 2016 Tom Hanks movie “Sully”.)
2024 [01] Elton John wins an Emmy for his “Farewell From Dodger Stadium” special, completing his EGOT collection. He won his first Grammy in 1987 (‘That’s What Friends Are For’), his first Oscar in 1994 (‘Can You Feel the Love Tonight’ from “The Lion King”), and a Tony in 2000 for scoring “Aida”.
TODAY IN MUSIC . . .
1972 [53] Don McLean’s ‘American Pie’ hits #1 in the US for the first of 4 weeks. The single runs 8:36 – you have to flip the 45 over to hear all of it.
2018 [07] Cranberries singer Dolores O’Riordan dies in London at 46 (ruled an accidental drowning in a bathtub, due to sedation by alcohol intoxication).
TODAY’S FIRSTS . . .
1967 [58] The first Super Bowl is played, although it isn’t called that until 2 years later. 61,946 fans pay 10 bucks to watch legendary coach Vince Lombardi’s Green Bay Packers beat the KC Chiefs 35-10 in Los Angeles (MVP is Packers’ QB Bart Starr). A 30-second TV commercial cost $42,000.
2001 [24] “Wikipedia”, the free online encyclopedia, debuts.
TODAY’S RECORD . . .
1983 [42] Tom Syles of Van Nuys, California sets a world record by keeping a single “Life Savers” candy intact in his mouth for 7 hours, 10 minutes. (A world record for what? “Loneliest person”?)
BULL’S BITS
BS WHACK FACTS:
✓ Contrary to popular belief, visible lightning travels from the ground upward, not from the sky downward.
✓ Men get hiccups more often than women.
✓ The least common PIN number is 8068.
✓ Anteaters prefer termites to ants.
✓ A snail can sleep for 3 years.
✓ There are more bacteria in your mouth than there are people in the world.
-Unknow, RandomFactGenerator
Best of BS . . .
BS BRUTALLY HONEST 30TH BIRTHDAY CARDS:
• “Being single at 30 isn’t as bad as it used to be.”
• “OK, so you’re the same age as Harry Styles and he’s worth $120 million. But is he happy?”
• “There is nothing you can do at 25 that you can’t do at 30 … except perhaps getting out of a chair without making a noise.”
• “Have a great 30th birthday. Sorry we couldn’t make it. We couldn’t get a babysitter. Love, literally all your friends.”
• “You’re 30. From now on if you get pregnant, people will assume you did it on purpose.”
• “There’s nothing wrong with turning 30. Unless you’re single, hate your job, and haven’t even begun to THINK about saving money.”
• “Bad news: You’re 30. Good news: The clothes you wore as a teen are now considered ‘vintage’.”
• “Happy ‘your younger colleagues will no longer understand any cultural references you make’ day.”
-Adapted from BuzzFeed, first published in BS in 2015
BS RULES OF LIFE:
• Don’t worry about what people think, they don’t do it very often.
• A person who is nice to you but rude to the waiter, is not a nice person.
• If you look like your passport picture, you probably need the trip.
• Never lick a steak knife.
• You will never find anybody who can give you a clear and compelling reason why we observe daylight savings time.
• People who want to share their religious views with you almost never want you to share yours with them.
• There is a very fine line between ‘hobby’ and ‘mental illness.’
• There is always one more imbecile than you counted on.
• Middle age is when broadness of the mind and narrowness of the waist change places.
• Men are from earth. Women are from earth. Deal with it.
-1000Manifestos, first published in BS in 2018
BS WEB GOODIE:
There’s no other way to put it: Cats are f-ed: https://tinyurl.com/yb2vu5ud
BS RANDOM JOKE:
I just had my patience tested. I’m negative.
BS WOULD YOU RATHER?
(***You run down the list while your caller decides which choice is more palatable …***)
• Would you rather be captured by pirates, or by bad guys from the Old West?
• Would you rather have a terrible boss but a great job, or a great boss but a terrible job?
• Would you rather speak only in a baby voice for a day, or only be spoken TO in a baby voice for a day?
• Would you rather go into the past and meet your ancestors, or go into the future and meet your great-great-grandchildren?
• Would you rather have to wear a bib every time you go to a restaurant, or drink from a sippy cup every time you’re at a bar?
• Would you rather wear sweatpants every day for the rest of your life, or never wear sweatpants again?
• Would you rather win the lottery but lose all your friends, or lose all your money but find your soulmate?
• Would you rather be the plan-maker in your friend group, or the jokester?
• Would you rather have a driver to take you everywhere, or a private chef who makes all your meals?
• Would you rather have to keep a terrible haircut for a month, or let your mother dress you for a month?
-BestLife
☎ BS PHONE STARTER:
What’s the wildest bit of mischief your pet has gotten into?
BS WATER COOLER QUESTION:
Almost 20% of us will leave home today with THIS – but won’t use it. What is it?
Answer: A gym bag
BS DEEP THOUGHT:
Being a professional is doing the things you love to do on the days you don’t feel like doing them.
