BS SHOW BIZ BUZZ:
First it was Simon Cowell, now Paula Abdul is speculating she may leave “American Idol” (FOX) when her contract ends after this season (what else could she do?) . . . Sebastian Bach of Skid Row fame and Hollywood madam Heidi Fleiss will join previously announced DMX as part of the new season of “Celebrity Rehab With Dr Drew” on VH1 (wait a sec, maybe Paula Abdul’s available?) . . . Buzz has it “Lilith Fair” could return in 2010, the all-female traveling festival that ran from 1997-99, featuring the likes of Sarah McLachlan, Fiona Apple, Sheryl Crow & Tracy Chapman, and raising circa $10 million for women’s charities (what current female lineup would you pay to see?) . . . Actress Leighton Meester, star of “Gossip Girl” (CW), has signed a deal to release her debut album this Fall (she’s as good a singer as she is an actress) . . . Graffiti artists have been asked to paint a history of Royal Albert Hall on the walls of an underground floor at the famed London venue (it’s expected the murals will depict performers as diverse as Jimi Hendrix, Pavarotti, and Frank Sinatra) . . . A film adaptation of the videogame “BioShock” from “Pirates Of the Caribbean” director Gore Verbinski has been postponed because the budget has grown so large it’s unmanageable (he’s used to burning money – “Pirates” films have grossed over $2.5 billion) . . . The mother of 18-year-old “Slumdog Millionaire” star Dev Patel has confirmed he’s dating his 24-year-old former co-star Freida Pinto after they were spotted together in Israel where she’s shooting a new movie (so young & already so Hollywood!) . . . And police have ruled out booze or drugs as the cause of that weekend car accident involving Jamie Lynn Spears’ 20-year-old baby-daddy Casey Aldridge (a tad hard to believe, considering he was returning home from a cousin’s bachelor party).

TODAY’S SHOW BIZ SKED:
• “Ellen DeGeneres Show” (syndicated/A Channel) – Country singer Dierks Bentley performs his new single “Sideways”.
• “Jimmy Kimmel Live” (ABC/CityTV) – Rapper Asher Roth (“I Love College”) is onstage.
• “Late Show With David Letterman” (CBS) – Dolly Parton (“9 to 5: The Musical”) is a guest.
• “Rock ‘n Roll Art & Soul Auction” (London) – Among the music memorabilia in today’s online sale are a 1968 reel-to-reel recording of Jimi Hendrix acoustic demos; a rare poster for a Beatles’ appearance at Liverpool’s Cavern club; and the guitar & amp Elvis Presley used while serving in the US Army.
NET: http://www.famebureau.com/auction_28th_april

BS MUSIC NOTES:
• Allman Bros Band – To commemorate their 40th anniversary they’re releasing a massive 45-CD box set capturing all 15 sold-out shows from their March stand at NYC’s Beacon Theater. The package is expected to be available in May for a whopping $499 … plus shipping.
• Def Leppard – The rockers are up for a pair of country awards as their duet with Taylor Swift on their tune “Photograph” has been nominated for both ‘CMT Performance Of the Year’ & ‘Wide Open Country Video Of the Year’. The “CMT Music Awards” are handed out June 17th.
• Eminem – He’s launched a new online viral campaign promoting his new album “Relapse” by posting a photo of himself outside ‘Popsomp Hills’, a fictional rehab center that looks all too real.
NET: http://www.popsomphills.com/Welcome.html
• The Killers –  Drummer Ronnie Vannucci tells “Billboard” magazine they’re considering releasing their first-ever live DVD later this year as well as an all-covers collection.
• Lil Wayne – A judge has denied his attempt to block the release of “The Carter”, a biographical documentary that includes scenes showing him using drugs. The film was screened at the “Sundance Film Festival” earlier this year.
• Madonna – Britain’s “The Sun” reports that her ex-, director Guy Ritchie, has spent millions on a townhouse near her central London residence so he can be nearer to his sons when they’re in town … and her highness grants him an audience.
• Martina McBride – The 42-year-old country star is in this week’s ‘Hot Hollywood Style’ edition of “Us Weekly”, modeling a Diane Von Furstenberg mini-dress and a Badgley Mischka gown.

TODAY’S VIDEO RELEASES:
• “Bride Wars” ( Romantic Comedy ): Kate Hudson & Anne Hathaway play best friends who become rivals when a clerical error results in their respective weddings being held at the same place … on the same day. Candice Bergen co-stars as the wedding planner.
• “Hotel For Dogs” ( Comedy ): Emma Roberts (Julia’s niece) & Jake T Austin (“The Perfect Game”) play orphaned teens who turn an abandoned house into a canine hostel for strays, much to the dismay of their aunt who’s allergic to dogs (former “Friends” actress Lisa Kudrow).
• “The Uninvited” ( Horror Thriller ): Aussie actress Emily Browning plays a young girl who returns to her family home after her mother’s death. There she’s visited by her mom’s ghost who reveals the new woman in her dad’s life is not who she pretends to be. Co-stars David Strathairn & Elizabeth Banks. Shot in Vancouver & area.
• Also released on DVD this week: “American Dad!: Volume 4“ (TV animation); “Marvel X-Men: Volumes 1 & 2“ (animation); “The Spectacular Spider-Man: Volume 4“ (animation); and “Spin City: The Complete 2nd Season” (vintage TV).

PUT ME IN COACH!
10 songs inspired by baseball …
• “Beat On the Brat” (1976) – The Ramones.
• “Catfish” (1991) – Bob Dylan.
• “Centerfield” (1985) – John Fogerty.
• “A Dying Cub Fan’s Last Request” (1983) – Steve Goodman.
• “Glory Days” (1985) – Bruce Springsteen.
• “(Love is like a) Baseball Game” (1968) – The Intruders.
• “Night Game” (1975) – Paul Simon.
• “Piazza, New York Catcher” (2003) – Belle & Sebastian.
• “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” (2007) – The Hold Steady.
• “Tessie” (2004) – Dropkick Murphys.
(And what about Meat Loaf’s “Paradise By the Dashboard Lights”?)
– Gibson.com

DEADLIEST PANDEMICS IN HISTORY:
Swine flu is just the latest in a long line of viral outbreaks. These were far more serious …
• “Peloponnesian War Pestilence” – In the first pandemic in recorded history over 30,000 Athenians, roughly 2-thirds of the population, died in 430 BC. To this day, the disease that decimated ancient Athens has yet to be identified.
• “Antonine Plague” – In 165 AD, Greek physician Galen described a pandemic, now thought to be smallpox, that was brought to Rome by returning soldiers. At its height the disease killed 5,000 Romans per day.
• “Plague of Justinian” – An outbreak in the Byzantine Empire in 541-542 AD killed 10,000 daily in Constantinople at its height. It was later identified as an outbreak of the bubonic plague.
• “The Black Death” – This 14th century version of the plague took a massive toll on Europe. Over 25 million people or 25% of the entire population died.
• “Spanish Flu” – In 1918 an unusually virulent flu virus was identified at a US military camp in Kansas. Within 6 months it became a worldwide pandemic. About 1 billion people or half the world’s population contracted it; somewhere between 20-and-100 million died.
– Condensed from Neatorama.com.

YOU COULDN’T MAKE THIS STUFF UP:
• In Britain, a circus clown has been banned from wearing his giant comedy shoes because … they breach local safety rules. Valerik Kashkin of the touring Moscow State Circus has been told by authorities to lose his size-18 clown boots after he fell from a high-wire in Liverpool and broke a bone in his foot.
– “Daily Star”
• Cops have arrested a Wisconsin teen for allegedly breaking into a car and stealing goods so he could get …. money to pay his lawyer. Officers found a GPS system, CDs, and videogames in the teen’s backpack. He had been previously charged with drug possession, disorderly conduct, and – of course – theft.
– “NY Post”
• A cigarette-loving sparrow is being blamed for causing over $400,000 damage to a store in Lincolnshire UK. The non-smoking owner was at a loss as to what caused a devastating fire until insurance investigators eventually discovered 35 cigarette stubs in the roof. Their conclusion … a sparrow must have picked up a smoldering butt to feather its nest in the eaves.
– “Metro”
• Going back to nature in the Swiss Alps can no longer be ‘au naturel’. Citizens of a canton in the heart of the Alps have voted overwhelmingly to ban … naked hiking. The practice is apparently big among German tourists, who like to wear nothing more than hiking boots & socks during warm-weather months.
– MSNBC

EARLY BIRDS VS NIGHT OWLS:
A study at Belgium’s University of Liege has pitted early risers against people who stay up late in a test to see who can perform complicated tasks longest. Researchers used MRI to monitor the brain activity of participants who spent 2 consecutive nights in a sleep lab, periodically performing tasks that required sustained attention. The results suggest that early birds generally develop mental fatigue long before night owls. After just 10 hours of being awake, early birds show reduced activity in brain areas linked to attention. They also tend to perform tasks more slowly. (This goes a long way to explain why we’re so inept on this show.)
– “The Telegraph”

BS AMAZING FACT:
The chances of making 2 holes-in-one in a round of golf are 1-in-67 million.
– GreatFacts.com

BS CHRONOMETER 04.28.09

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TODAY’S CELEBIRTHDAYS . . .
1949 [60] Paul Guilfoyle, Canton MA, TV actor (‘Captain Jim Brass’ on “CSI” since 2000)

1950 [59] Jay Leno, New Rochelle NY, TV host (“Tonight Show” 1992-2009)  FACTOID: He moves to 10 pm on NBC-TV when Conan O’Brien takes over the “Tonight Show” June 1st.

1966 [43] John Daly, Carmichael CA, long-driving pro golfer since 1987/admitted alcoholic

1970 [39] Nicklas Lidstrom, Vasteras, Sweden, NHL defenceman (4 Stanley Cups-Detroit Red Wings)/2006 Winter Olympics Gold (Sweden)/1991 World Championship (Sweden)

1973 [36] Jorge Garcia, Omaha NE, TV actor (‘Hurley Reyes’ on “Lost” since 2004)

1974 [35] Penelope Cruz (Sanchez), Madrid, Spain, movie actress (2009 Academy Award-“Vicky Cristina Barcelona”, “Sahara”)

1981 [28] Jessica Alba, Pomona CA, movie actress (“Fantastic Four”, “Sin City”)

TODAY’S BS OBSERVANCES . . .
• “Day of Remembrance For Persons Killed or Injured in the Workplace”, first declared by the Canadian Labour Congress in 1984. On average, 1 Canadian worker out of 13 is injured at work.

• “Great Poetry Reading Day”, a day to read great poetry as a means of better understanding the world. Take the lyrics to hit songs and look for the most outrageous attempts at rhyming.
NET: http://lyrics.com

• “Kiss Your Mate Day”, a day to share the pleasure of a kiss when he or she least expects it.
A SHORT HISTORY OF KISSING:
• The kiss as we know it today was invented by medieval knights for the purpose of determining whether their wives had been tapping the ‘mead barrel’ (drinking booze) while they were away on crusades.
• During the Victorian era, social kissing was considered unacceptable behavior.
• In Poland, a kiss on the hand was a sign of rebellion during the 40 years of Communist rule.
– “A Kiss Is Just a Kiss”

THIS DAY IN SHOW BIZ . . .
1968 [41] The rebellious rock musical “Hair” opens on Broadway (this year it’s back!)

2006 [03] “People” magazine names Angelina Jolie the ‘World’s Most Beautiful Person’ (hey, what about Susan Boyle?)

TODAY’S MUSIC EVENT . . .
1984 [25] The Judds release what will become their first #1 country hit, “Mama He’s Crazy”

TODAY’S FIRSTS . . .
1914 [95] 1st ‘Air Conditioner’ is patented, by WH Carrier

2001 [08] US millionaire Dennis Tito becomes the ‘First Space Tourist’, paying a reported $12 million-plus to spend just under 8 days aboard a Russian Soyuz mission carrying supplies to the International Space Station

TODAY’S RECORD . . .
1985 [24] World’s ‘Largest Sand Castle’ is completed, standing 4 stories tall (St Petersburg FL)

AND REMEMBER . . .
[Wed] International Noise Awareness Day
[Wed] Sense of Smell Day
[Wed] Dance Day
[Thurs] CRA Tax Filing Deadline
[Thurs] Hairstylists Appreciation Day
[Thurs] Honesty Day
This Week Is … Teacher Appreciation Week
This Month Is … Listening Awareness Month

BULL’S BITS

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PRINCE SONG OR INSPIRATIONAL SIGN?
Some of these are tunes by Prince; some are from actual signs spotted outside places of worship. Which are which?
• “Right the Wrong” [Prince]
• “I Wish U Heaven” [Prince]
• “Into the Light” [Prince]
• “Follow the Son” [Church]
• “Live 4 Love” [Both]
• “Turn or Burn” [Church]
• “Still Waiting” [Prince]
• “Every Day Is a Winding Road” [Both]
• “There’s No Church Without U” [Church]
• “Prayer Conditioned” [Church]
• “Life Can Be So Nice” [Prince]
• “Lots of Kneeling = Good Standing” [Church]
• “Tell Me How U Want 2 B Done” [Prince]
– Thanks to Michelle Orange.

BS RANDOM JOKE:
Love is like bird. When you least expect it, it craps in your face.

BS INTERVIEW:
Radio/TV personality Chris Markowski (“The Watchdog on Wall Street”) is available for interviews/talk shows. His economic forecasts are often bang-on. Among current topics he might cover: GM pulling the plug on Pontiac; and what’s next for the auto industry. Book via Shannon Rose at info@mediaproductions.tv or call 813.960.8412.
NET: http://watchdogonwallstreet.com/aboutus.html

BS PHONE STARTER:
What overused words or expressions are driving you crazy these days? How about when food servers acknowledge a menu choice by saying ‘perfect’. “I’ll have the steak tartar with a peanut butter sandwich and a glass of high-test gasoline.” “Ah, perfect!”

BS WATER COOLER QUESTION:
Today’s Question: You’ve heard of a 3-minute egg, a 4-minute mile, and 15 minutes of fame. THIS takes 10 minutes & 17 seconds.
Answer to Give Out Next Show: That’s the average amount of time someone will wait before considering you ‘late’.

BS DEEP THOUGHT:
Any endeavor that relies on human reliability is unreliable.