BS SHOW BIZ BUZZ:
“Twilight” author Stephenie Meyer is facing a plagiarism lawsuit as former college roommate Heidi Stanton is claiming the vampire book series & subsequent movies are based on a short story she wrote while both were students at Brigham Young University (apparently she just remembered – the book came out 4 years ago!) . . . It’s been confirmed that “Grey’s Anatomy” star Ellen Pompeo (‘Meredith Grey’) is pregnant with her first child via husband Chris Ivey (no it wasn’t ‘McDreamy’) . . . Producer/director JJ Abrams tells “America’s Life” magazine he originally approached Matt Damon for the role of ‘Captain Kirk’ in the new “Star Trek” remake (opening May 8th) but the actor turned him down flat (little-known actor Chris Pine, destined for instant stardom, should send Matt a fruit basket) . . . Actor Jamie Foxx has revealed he spent 11 months in ‘mental hell’ after someone slipped drugs into his drink when he was an 18-year-old (BS translation: I know I sounded like a complete a-hole saying all that crap about Miley Cyrus last week but feel sorry for me ‘cause I’ve had a tough life) . . . A Florida woman who was hit by a stray golf ball whacked by movie actor Bill Murray is asking only for a signed copy of the “Caddyshack” DVD as compensation (apparently she’s savvy enough to know he hasn’t had work in years) . . . And Paul McCartney’s ex-wife Heather Mills, who demands circa $100-grand as a public speaker, had the temerity to complain in a speech for vegetarian charity Viva that she only got 5% of what she & Paul ‘earned together’ during their 7 years of wedded hell (apparently $40 million just isn’t enough for this witch!).

TODAY’S SHOW BIZ SKED:
• “American Idol” (FOX/CTV) – Tonight’s theme is ‘disco’ (huh?!!?) as the top 7 perform. Today a new series of 138 Upper Deck trading cards picturing the judges & current and past contestants is released. As enticement, 6 special autographed cards have been shuffled into  randomly-selected 5-packs. (“Trade you 12 Paula Abduls for a Carrie Underwood?”)
• “Dancing With the Stars” (ABC/A Channel) – Natasha Bedingfield (“Soulmate”) and Celtic Woman perform, then another celebrity is sent packing.
• “Late Show With David Letterman” (CBS) – The new band Tinted Windows performs, made up of guitarist James Iha (Smashing Pumpkins), Taylor Hanson (Hanson), bassist Adam Schlesinger (Fountains), and drummer Bun E Carlos (Cheap Trick). Their self-titled debut album is out today.
• “The View” (ABC/CTV) – Lily Allen (“The Fear”) faces the panel on today’s show.

BS MUSIC NOTES:
• Fall Out Boy – Tonight’s scheduled concert in Boca Raton FL has been relocated to Pompano Beach after the city complained about security issues. Officials claim there have been ‘known disturbances associated with the band in the past’. (Ashley Simpson whining backstage?)
• Jane’s Addiction – Today “A Cabinet Of Curiosities”, a 3-CD/1-DVD boxed set of demos, live performances & rarities is released. 30 previously unreleased tracks are included. (Maybe there was a reason they were unreleased?)
• Kiss – The top 4 cities in the online vote to determine destinations for their upcoming tour are Canadian (Winnipeg, Kingston, Oshawa, Calgary), as are 8 of the top 10. Dallas & NYC are the lone American cities on the list. (Who should be more embarrassed?)
• Lenny Kravitz – His debut album, “Let Love Rule”, is reissued today in a special 2-disc ‘20th Anniversary Edition’, including demos, B-sides, and a previously unreleased concert. (He should call it the ‘Green Album’ … it’s totally recycled.)
• Madonna – It’s been announced a Malawian court will hear her adoption appeal on May 4th.
• Radiohead – Today 12 of their singles are reissued on limited-edition vinyl. The covers feature the original CD artwork printed as a sticker on the record jackets.
• Reba McEntire – Her new single “Strange” was the most-added song on country radio station playlists last week and also her highest-ever solo single chart debut at #39.
• Sugarland – Jennifer Nettles continues to deny she’s ready to dump Kristian Bush in order to pursue a solo career. She tells the “Minneapolis Star Tribune” that it’s a wonderful partnership and Bush is her favorite person to write songs with. (We give him a month.)
• Tim McGraw – He’s set to co-star alongside Sandra Bullock in the upcoming film, “The Blind Side”, based on Michael Lewis’ best-selling novel about a homeless teen taken in by a wealthy family. Shooting begins at the end of April in Atlanta GA.
• Toby Keith – Today in Washington DC he’s being recognized by the Military Officers Association of America for his ongoing support of US troops & their families. He’ll soon embark on another USO/Armed Forces Entertainment tour when he’ll perform 17 shows in 11 days.

TODAY’S VIDEO RELEASES:
• “Frost/Nixon” ( Drama ): Ron Howard directs this screen adaptation of Peter Morgan’s play about the electrifying battle between Richard Nixon, the disgraced US president with a legacy to save, and David Frost, the jet-setting British TV personality with a name to make, in the story of the historic 1977 encounter that changed both. Stars Frank Langella & Michael Sheen. The film earned 5 Oscar nominations.
• “Notorious” ( Biographical Drama ): 12 years after his death this bio-film follows the meteoric rise to fame of Christopher ‘The Notorious BIG’ Wallace, from his surprising youth as a Catholic school honor student, to an imprisoned drug dealer, to hip-hop sensation. Stars newcomer Jamal Woolard in the title role; Antonique Smith as his wife, Faith Evans; Derek Luke as Sean ‘Puffy’ Combs; Naturi Naughton as Lil Kim; and Anthony Mackie as Tupac Shakur. Also comes in an ‘Unrated Director’s Cut Collector’s Edition’.
• “The Wrestler” ( Drama ): Mickey Rourke was Oscar-nominated for his performance as a former wrestling superstar now paying the price for 20 years of grueling punishment in and out of the ring. In a one-shot attempt to reclaim fame & fortune he decides to risk everything in a re-staging of his famous Madison Square Garden bout against ‘The Ayatollah’. Co-stars Marisa Tomei as his stripper girlfriend & Evan Rachel Wood as his estranged daughter.
• Also released today: “Dallas: The Complete 11th Season” (classic TV); “Hawaii Five-O: The 6th Season” (vintage TV); “Hellraiser: Limited Edition Box Set” (horror movie series); “My Own Worst Enemy: The Complete Series” (TV); “Ron White: Behavioral Problems” (stand-up comedy); and “Wolverine & The X-Men: Heroes Return Trilogy” (animation).

I DON’T LIKE TUESDAYS:
A survey of 3,000 UK workers has concluded that Tuesday morning at 11:45 am is the most stressful time of the work week. While Mondays are traditionally considered the worst day of the week, 53% admit they cruise through the day catching up on gossip and checking Facebook for photos of weekend antics. Reality doesn’t really set in until Tuesday morning when the stress of the long week ahead overwhelms employees, often forcing them to work through their lunch breaks to make up for Monday’s lost time. (Solution: long weekend every weekend!)
– “The Telegraph”

CHEESY FACTS:
Cheese is as old as civilization itself and probably comes in more varieties than any other food. There are 400 different types of French cheese alone. In fact, cheese is such an integral part of the Western diet that there’s even a name for someone who passionately loves cheese … a ‘turophile’. And someone who has an abnormal fear of cheese is ‘turophobic’. (A ‘turobisectphobic’, on the other hand, is afraid of someone cutting the cheese.)
– “Mail On Sunday”

LIFE BY THE NUMBERS:
A BS breakdown of who we are and what we do …
• 75% of us are bothered when we hear dirty jokes in the workplace. (Take ‘em to the john!)
• 69% of women say they are annoyed by ‘nocturnal noises’ their partner makes. (Particularly that howling at the Moon.)
• 50% of us say the words “I love you” at least once a day. (Unfortunately, it’s in the mirror.)
• 45% of sports fans eat fast food at least twice a week. (Liars! More like twice a game.)
• 24% of office workers say they hate it when a co-worker wears too much fragrance. (Eau de Schtink!)
• 23% of us now regularly haggle for a deal in an attempt to save money. (Especially alimony.)

GOLD DIGGERS:
Gold coin production is being cranked up in mints around-the-world to fulfill orders from consumers who believe gold assets are immune to the global financial crisis. Wealthy investors are more likely to invest in bars than coins as the fee for production costs is lower. However, coins are favored by small-time investors who want to appreciate their aesthetic appeal. (“It’s mine, all mine! Look at the filthy lucre dribbling through my fingers … it’s mine, MINE!”)
– “The Independent”

SEXIEST WOMEN OF THE NOUGHTIES (SO FAR):
A new ranking of the decade’s female hotties …
10. Brazilian model Adriana Lima.
9. Socialite/reality TV star Kim Kardashian.
8. “High School Musical” actress Vanessa Hudgens.
7. “Sports Illustrated” swimsuit model Marisa Miller.
6. “Heroes” actress Hayden Panettiere.
6. “Lost” actress Evangeline Lilly.
4. Singer Beyoncé Knowles.
3. Movie actress Scarlett Johansson.
2. “24“ actress Elisha Cuthbert.
1. “Transformers” actress Megan Fox.
(And who’s on your list?)
– Adapted from HecklerSpray.com

DID YOU KNOW?
The MySpace vs Facebook gap is closing as Facebook is catching up. The latest ComScore stats show there is now only a 9-million user difference between them, a gap that was around 40 million a year ago.
– TechCrunch.com

BS CHRONOMETER 04.21.09

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TODAY’S CELEBIRTHDAYS . . .
1926 [83] Queen Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Mountbatten-Windsor), London UK, British monarch  FACTOID: According to WhoOwnsTheWorld.com, she’s the largest personal landowner on Earth with 6,600 million acres. Her main holdings are in Canada (2,467 million acres), Australia (1,900 million acres), Papua New Guinea (114 million acres), New Zealand (66 million acres), and the UK (60 million acres). The 2nd-largest personal land empire belongs to King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia who owns a mere 553 million acres.

1958 [51] Andie MacDowell, Gaffney SC, spokesmodel (L’Oreal)/movie actress (“Four Weddings & a Funeral”, “Groundhog Day”)

1979 [30] James McAvoy, Glasgow, Scotland, movie actor (“Atonement”, “Last King of Scotland”)

1980 [29] Tony Romo, San Diego CA, NFL QB (Dallas Cowboys)/sometime Jessica Simpson BF

BS REASONS TO PARTY . . .
• “Big Word Day”, a day to use humongous words on purpose just to impress yourself. So go ahead, you can facilitate this celebration of excess verbiage!

• “Kindergarten Day”, honoring the 1782 birth of German educator Friedrich Froebel, who established the 1st kindergarten in 1837. (Thanks for all the finger paintings, Freid.)

• “Mental Detox Week” (formerly “TV-Turnoff Week”), the 15th annual encouraging alternate activities to screen-time. The idea was initiated by Marie Winn in her 1977 book, “The Plug-In Drug”, then made into an international event by Vancouver’s Adbusters Media Foundation. It has now expanded to include avoidance of other media in addition to TV, including DVD players, video iPods, XBox, laptops, PSPs, etc. The foundation challenges us to spend a week unplugged and see what happens.
NET: http://www.adbusters.org/campaigns/digitaldetox

• “Teach Children to Save Day”, another way of planning for your retirement besides contributing to that constantly quivering mutual fund.

TODAY’S MUSIC EVENT . . .
2005 [04] Relatively unknown indie band Death Cab For Cutie appears on “The OC” (FOX), generating immediate buzz

TODAY’S FIRSTS . . .
1879 [130] 1st ‘Firehouse Pole’ is installed (NYC Fire Company #21)

1977 [32] NY Yankee baseball manager Billy Martin sets his line-up by literally pulling names out of a hat and still beats the Toronto Blue Jays 8-6

1997 [12] 1st ‘Space Funeral’ as ashes of LSD advocate Timothy Leary and “Star Trek” creator Gene Roddenberry are sent into orbit

TODAY’S RECORD . . .
1996 [13] Chicago Bulls wrap up NBA’s winningest regular season with 72nd victory

AND REMEMBER . . .
[Wed] Earth Day
[Wed] “Earth” opens in movie theaters
[Wed] Jelly Bean Day
[Wed] Administrative Professionals Day
[Thurs] World Book & Copyright Day
[Fri] Arbor Day
This Week Is … Administrative Professional Week
This Month Is … International Pet First Aid Awareness Month

BULL’S BITS

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THE ULTIMATE ROAD TRIP PLAYLIST:
What would make the perfect soundtrack when you hit the highway? How about …
• Bruce Springsteen, “Born to Run”.
• Audioslave, “I Am The Highway”.
• Jimi Hendrix, “Crosstown Traffic”.
• Arcade Fire, “No Cars Go”.
• Prince, “Little Red Corvette”.
• Bob Dylan, “Highway 61 (Revisited)”.
• Tracey Chapman, “Fast Car”.
• Incubus, “Drive”.
• Red Hot Chili Peppers, “Road Trippin’”.
• Interpol, “Next Exit”.
• Carrie Underwood, “Jesus, Take the Wheel”.
• Steppenwolf, “Born To Be Wild”.
– Condensed from Gibson.com

BS RANDOM JOKE:
I got a coffee at the doughnut shop this morning and I was wondering … where the heck are all the doughbolts?

BS SUBSTITUTES:
• Be sensitive to vegetarians! Take any song title with the word ‘love’ and replace it with ‘tofu’. (“Tainted Tofu”, “River of Tofu”, “How Sweet It Is to Be Tofued By You”, “T-O-F-U”, “Tofu Shack”, etc.)
• Give our organs equal time! Take any song title with the word ‘heart’ and replace it with ‘liver’. (“Shape of My Liver”; “America’s Suitelivers”, “My Liver Will Go On”; “Liverless”, “Total Eclipse of the Liver”, etc.)

BS PHONE STARTER:
The founders of file-sharing site The Pirate Bay have been convicted of breaking copyright law  and sentenced to a year in jail for helping millions of users freely download music, movies, and computer games. Will that have any impact on whether or not you keep downloading for free?

BS WATER COOLER QUESTION:
Today’s Question: New research suggests that heavier people may get less pleasure from doing THIS than thin people.
Answer to Give Out Next Show: Eating. (“Women’s Health Magazine”)

BS DEEP THOUGHT:
The average person thinks he isn’t.