Thursday, April 18, 2024 — Edition: #7701
Thanks For Being On Our Sheet List!
BS SUBSCRIBER NOTE:
The Bull Sheet staff will be on vacation and will not be publishing Monday, April 22 through Tuesday, April 30. Of course, all subscribers will receive credit for non-service days. The Bull Sheet will resume publication on Wednesday, May 1.
BS SHOW BIZ BUZZ:
★ Break out the dumpling wrappers and mahjong sets because “Crazy Rich Asians” is coming to Broadway! The beloved romantic comedy is being developed as a musical by director Jon M. Chu, who helmed the 2018 film. Crazy Rich Asians will mark the Broadway debut of Chu, who has become Hollywood’s go-to filmmaker to bring stage shows to the big screen. He’s currently working on a 2-part “Wicked” adaptation and previously directed the cinematic version of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s “In the Heights.” The Crazy Rich Asians movie, starring Constance Wu, Henry Golding and Michelle Yeoh, grossed $239 million, and a sequel has been in development for 5 years.
-Variety
★ Travis Kelce is pivoting from football and Taylor Swift photo ops to TV. The KC Chiefs All-Pro end is set to host “Are You Smarter Than a Celebrity?”, a new series coming to Amazon Prime. It’s a spin-off of Fox’s “Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?” which premiered in 2007. No release date has been announced for the show, where contestants will rely on a classroom full of celebrities from “stage, screen and sports” to help them answer 11 questions, pulled from an elementary curriculum. The winner takes home a $100,000 prize.
-TheWrap
★ Leslie Nielsen’s ‘Lt. Frank Drebin’ was wrong: Cops and women DO mix. Pamela Anderson has signed on to join Liam Neeson in the upcoming untitled “Naked Gun” reboot, set for release in summer 2025. The “Baywatch” actress does have comedy chops: she starred in big-screen titles such as “Scary Movie 3”, and “Superhero Movie”, both satirical movies in the spirit of Naked Gun. She also reprised her TV role of ‘C.J. Parker’ in the big-screen 2017 redux of Baywatch.
-Deadline
★ The Lanford Lunch Box may be going out of business soon — for good this time. Deadline is reporting that “The Conners” Season 7 is in doubt. Production has already wrapped on strike-shortened Season 6, and cast negotiations — which are usually ironed out by this time each spring — have not yet begun. In the event that The Conners is canceled, producers are prepared. A tag scene was reportedly filmed, which will be added to the Season 6 finale — if it turns out to be the series finale.
-TVLine
★ ‘Winnie the Pooh’ is slated to star in a horror flick next year alongside a slew of other iconic Disney characters whose copyright protections have expired — including ‘Bambi’, ‘Pinocchio’, ‘Peter Pan’ and ‘Sleeping Beauty’. British production company and horror filmmakers Jagged Edge teamed up with independent film distributor ITN Studios to create “Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey” in 2023. On the heels of that success, the same group is set to release “Poohniverse: Monsters Assemble” in 2025, starring a murderous version of beloved Pooh bear. Other movies on the way now that the characters are free to use include: “Bambi: The Reckoning,” “Peter Pan’s Neverland Nightmare” and “Pinocchio Unstrung”.
-NYPost
TODAY’S SHOW BIZ SKED:
• “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” (ABC/Global): Zendaya, Freddie Miller, Uriel Valenzuela, Olivia Dean
• “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” (NBC/CTV): Shakira, Dakota Fanning, Mo Gilligan (R)
• “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” (CBS/Global): Sandra Oh, Reid Scott, Daniel Radcliffe
• “After Midnight” (CBS/Global): Jon Lovett
• “Late Night with Seth Meyers” (NBC/CTV): Joel McHale, Kyle Kinane, Adrian Young (R)
• “Watch What Happens Live” (Bravo): Tyler Cameron, Ciara Miller
• “The Daily Show” (COM): Brittney Spencer, host Dulcé Sloan
• “The View” (ABC/CTV): Jennifer Granholm, Chris O’Dowd
• “The Talk” (CBS): Michaela Watkins, Sara Jane Ho
• “Live With Kelly and Mark” (ABC/CTV): Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Corey Cott
• “The Kelly Clarkson Show” (Check local listings): Henry Golding, Tyler Hubbard
• “The Drew Barrymore Show” (Check local listings): Kristina Zias
• “Jennifer Hudson Show” (Check local listings): Rita Moreno, Val and Maks Chmerkovskiy, Scott Hamilton
• “So Help Me Todd” (CBS): Lawrence enlists Todd’s services to find out the sexual orientation of a judge; with her client’s livelihood at stake, Margaret and Lyle search for a reluctant witness.
• “Next Level Chef” (Fox): The 6 remaining chefs are tasked with recreating a picture perfect dish using just a reference photo.
• “Law & Order” (NBC): Shaw and Riley investigate the death of a prominent chef who was stabbed in his own restaurant. Followed by new eps of “SVU” and “Organized Crime”.
BS MUSIC NOTES:
• Taylor Swift – Her “The Tortured Poets Department” album drops tomorrow, and fans are searching for clues. It wouldn’t be a Taylor Swift release if Easter eggs weren’t involved, and Chicago Swifties gathered at a mysterious mural on Monday, as artists crafted a “secret message” QR code surrounded by the letters “TTPD” (The Tortured Poets Department). LINK: https://tinyurl.com/47txj8dj
• Tems – The Nigerian singer announced her debut album “Born in the Wild” on Monday, a day after her Coachella performance, during which she brought out Wizkid and Justin Bieber to perform the hit ‘Essence’. She posted vid teasing the album, which shows scenes from her home country. The record drops next month. LINK: https://tinyurl.com/5fv537ca
• Frank Turner – On May 4, he’ll attempt to set the world record for playing the most gigs in different cities in 24 hours. His plan is to perform 15 shows across England, each a minimum of 20 minutes long. The current record is held by Hunter Hayes with 10 shows. The challenge will support grassroots venues and independent record stores.
• Rock & Roll Hall of Fame — The 2024 inductees will be announced live during a Rock Hall-themed episode of “American Idol” this Sunday. This year’s list will be announced by Idol host Ryan Seacrest along with judge (and 2022 Rock Hall inductee) Lionel Richie. In the same episode, Gene Simmons will serve as a guest mentor.
• Courtney Love — may have dug herself into a bit of a “hole.” In an interview, she opened up about the female artists she’s a fan of (Debbie Harry, Patti Smith), and the ones she’s not – like Taylor Swift. Quote: “She might be a safe space for girls, and she’s probably the Madonna of now, but she’s not interesting as an artist.” On Beyoncé’s new country album: “As a concept, I love it. I just don’t like her music”.
• Green Day – Their classic 1994 album “Dookie” is being added to the (US) National Recording Registry of The Library of Congress. Also among the list of 25 new inductees are: ABBA’s 1976 release “Arrival,” Blondie’s 1978 album “Parallel Lines” and Gene Autry’s 1949 holiday classic ‘Rudolph, The Red-Nosed Reindeer’.
• Cody Johnson – has released a special music video for his ACM Song of the Year-nominated #1 single ‘The Painter’. It features a painting by a young woman with special needs named Katie McCormick, whose mother connected with him after being moved by the song’s lyrics. Fans can also visit Johnson’s website to share photos and stories about the people and art that color their lives. LINK: https://tinyurl.com/4hp6mp72
• Zac Brown Band — are honoring their late friend Jimmy Buffett with the new song ‘Pirates & Parrots’, out tomorrow. They sang its chorus at the 2023 CMA Awards with Alan Jackson during an all-star tribute to Buffett. The version arriving tomorrow will also feature Buffet’s longtime friend Mac McAnally.
• Blake Shelton – Here’s something we haven’t seen before: Wife Gwen Stefani shared video featuring him wearing glasses. The couple were doing farm work when her camera panned to Shelton using specs to ensure he kept his tractor in line. Also interesting: At one point, Stefani is heard complaining, “Crap! My Coachella nails are not letting me garden.”
SHOOTING THE BULL
ELON STORY SHORT:
Elon Musk says new X users will have to pay to tweet. In reply to someone who posted about changes on X’s website, Musk said charging a small fee to new accounts is the “only way” to stop the “onslaught of bots.” He wrote that currently, “AI (and troll farms) can pass ‘are you a bot’ with ease.” That’s a reference to tools like CAPTCHA, designed to root out bots. Musk later added that new accounts would be able to post 3 months after they are created without paying a fee. No word so far on when this policy will be applicable and what fees new users might have to pay. LINK: https://tinyurl.com/53n2vsdk
(Pay to Tweet? You couldn’t pay me to even visit that hate-spewing, vile cesspool of deranged humanity. For more, check my Truth Social page!)
(Meanwhile, Zuckerberg is offering to pay YOU to use Threads! Remember Threads? My point exactly!)
-Quartz, TechCrunch
COKE PROBLEM:
Why does Coca-Cola taste so much better at McDonald’s? A popular food scientist has the answer. According to Abbey Thiel, there are 4 main reasons: For one, it’s pre-chilled. The cola syrup and the water used in McD’s soda dispensers are pre-cooled, even before you add ice. In addition, McDonald’s filters the water it uses, to help drinks “meet a gold standard”. Also, while many fast-food restaurants use plastic bag-in-box Coke syrup, McDonald’s has it delivered in stainless steel tanks, which protects it from outside elements that could impact its taste, such as light exposure. And finally, McDonald’s super-sized its straws. Huh? As the restaurant put it once: “It’s slightly wider than a typical straw, so all that Coke taste can hit your taste buds.”
(All that work went into making the soda taste good, and they still can’t get a guy to come and fix the ice cream machine?)
(So it has nothing to do with the fact that you’re also stuffing your face with 3 burgers and a couple orders of fries, while simultaneously looking forward to an enormous McFlurry and an apple pie for dessert, before passing out in a food coma on the couch for the next 3 hours? What? Just me?)
-NYPost
PRETTY PRIVILEGE:
As if ‘beautiful people’ didn’t already have enough advantages in life, researchers have found another. Numerous studies have shown that attractive individuals benefit from a “beauty bonus” and tend to earn higher salaries. Add to that the fact that people blessed with beauty are expected to be more intelligent, and thought to be better leaders, which, of course, influences career trajectories and opportunities. Now, according to a new study, attractive people are also considered more trustworthy. Researchers in France who conducted a study involving 357 volunteers found that the “beauty bias” also exists when deciding whether we choose to trust someone. In short, we are more likely to think of someone who is attractive as trustworthy. The researchers concluded by saying that this bias is so hard to overcome that even those who benefit from good looks can be influenced to think of other attractive people as trustworthy.
(I should have known! After all, have you ever seen a good-looking used car salesman?)
(This tells me so much about the fact that I can’t even get my closest friends to lend me 10 bucks!)
-TheConversation
OLD CUSTOMS THAT ARE HARD TO IMAGINE TODAY:
☞ A kid in a car without a child seat: It wasn’t that long ago that this was legal. In France, for instance, child seats have only been mandatory since 1992. For Canada and the US, it was the 1980s.
☞ Checking your cash before going out: Before bank cards, you wouldn’t dream of leaving home without cash. Credit cards didn’t become popular until the 1970s. In the 1980s, ATMs popped up everywhere. (And the bank was sometimes closed all weekend!)
☞ Buying a newspaper every morning: In movies, we often see the commuter faithfully picking up the morning paper on the way to the office. Of course, the internet changed that.
☞ Throwing away plastic bottles: Recycling hasn’t always existed as we know it today. While plastic bottles are everywhere, we’re increasingly aware of the need to recycle them. (Judging by my last walk through the park, only to a certain extent…!)
☞ Having a tooth pulled by your barber: That’s precisely who pulled out damaged teeth after dental care instruments were invented in the 16th century. (Was the veterinarian busy or something?)
☞ Watching movies at specific times: Remember waiting for the exact time a movie would be shown on TV? And tough luck if you missed it! Thanks to streaming, the way we watch shows and movies has been transformed. (And so has how much time we spend watching them!)
☞ Corporal punishment at school: Not only do laws now prohibit it, society sees it as barbaric. Current teaching methods favor non-violent means of discipline. (Can you just imagine your reaction these days if someone was to whip YOUR kid?)
☞ Smoking in restaurants: You knew this was coming. Smoking sections first appeared in in the 1990s (US). Eventually, smoking was banned in all public places, including restaurants. (Smoking on airplanes? Banned in 2015. Mind. Blown.)
-Espresso
DID YOU KNOW?
Reclining seats could someday soon be scrapped from economy class, amid concerns over space, fuel costs and even inflight fighting over space. William McGee, senior fellow for aviation and travel at the American Economic Liberties Project, said the trend toward non-reclining, “sardine-can” airplane seating could soon become the norm. Quote: “With the cost of jet fuel, they are always looking to reduce weight onboard.” Non-reclining seats require fewer parts, thereby reducing their weight. (Is recline on the decline?)
-NYPost
BS CHRONOMETER 04.18.24
TODAY’S BS REASONS TO PARTY . . .
• “Adult Autism Awareness Day”, to create awareness of the Adult Autism Community, demonstrate the importance of transition planning, promote inclusiveness through education, and improve social and employment outcomes for adults with autism.
• “Newspaper Columnists Day”, initiated in 1995 by the National Society of Newspaper Columnists to increase awareness of the importance and contribution made by columnists and journalists worldwide. (Without whom, talk radio wouldn’t know where to go to find employees!)
• “Animal Crackers Day”. Dating back to the 1800s in England, animal crackers are a type of small cookie baked in the shape of circus or zoo animals, like lions, tigers, bears, and elephants. (But are they vegan-friendly?) LINK: https://tinyurl.com/2p9cmckh
• “Pet Owners Independence Day”. If you’re a pet owner, today you can celebrate yourself! How? You should take the day off work and send your pet in your place. Then enjoy life from the perspective of your furry friend by sleeping and eating all day long. (Ah! So just like what I did on the weekend!)
• “World Amateur Radio Day”, honoring the worldwide hobby of ‘ham radio’. It’s observed on the anniversary of the 1925 founding of the International Amateur Radio Union. (Amateur? Radio? Are you pointing at me?)
• “World Heritage Day”, also known as “International Monuments and Sites Day”, to increase awareness of the importance of the diversity of cultural heritage, and preserving it for generations in the future.
• “Piñata Day”. While the tradition of the piñata is typically thought of as originating in Mexico, its origins go back to the 14th century. It was brought to Mexico by the Spanish conquistadors. Today, we celebrate “the ultimate party prop” by making or buying one, then having a good whack at it with a stick.
• “High Five Day”, taking place on the 3rd Thursday of April, it is a holiday about giving high fives and spreading good vibes. It started in 2002 at the University of Virginia when a group of students gave out high fives all day. Today, we are encouraged to send a “virtual high five” or word of encouragement to kids in the CoachArt program who are battling chronic illness. LINK: http://nationalhighfiveday.com/
AND REMEMBER . . .
[Fri] Chicken Parmesan Day
[Fri] Humorous Day
[Sat] Cold Brew Day
[Sun] Kindergarten Day
This Week Is…Pet ID Week
This Month Is…Decorating Month
TODAY’S CELEBIRTHDAYS . . .
1947 [77] James Woods, Vernal UT, movie actor (“Casino”, “Any Given Sunday”)
1953 [71] Rick Moranis, Toronto ON, movie actor (“Ghostbusters”, “The Flintstones”, “Honey, I Shrunk the Kids”, “Strange Brew”), TV actor (“SCTV” 1980-82) COMING UP… “Shrunk”
1956 [68] Eric Roberts, Biloxi MS, movie actor (“Runaway Train”, “King of the Gypsies”)/TV actor (“Another World” 1977, “The Young and the Restless” 2010-11)/brother of Julia Roberts
1962 [62] Jeff Dunham, Dallas TX, comedian/ventriloquist-puppeteer (‘Peanut’, ‘Achmed the Dead Terrorist’, ‘José Jalapeño on a Stick’, ‘Walter’)
1963 [61] Conan O’Brien, Brookline MA, TV host (“Conan” 2010-21, “Tonight Show With Conan O’Brien” 2009-10, “Late Night With Conan O’Brien” 1993-2009)/podcaster (“Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend”) COMING UP… “Conan O’Brien Must Go” miniseries, debuts today on Max
1963 [61] Eric McCormack, Toronto ON, TV actor “Will & Grace” (1998-2006, 2017-20), “Travelers” 2016-18)
1971 [53] David Tennant, Bathgate Scotland, TV actor (“Doctor Who” 2005-10, 2013, 2022-23)/movie actor (“Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire”)
1972 [52] Eli Roth, Newton MS, movie director (“Hostel” films, “Cabin Fever”)/movie actor (“Inglorious Basterds”)/TV actor (“The Idol” 2023)
1974 [50] Mark Tremonti, Detroit MI, rock guitarist (Creed-‘With Arms Wide Open’; Alter Bridge-‘Open Your Eyes’, Tremonti-‘You Waste Your Time’)
1976 [48] Melissa Joan Hart, Long Island NY, TV actress (“Sabrina the Teenage Witch” 1996-2003, “Melissa & Joey” 2010-2015)
1979 [45] Kourtney Kardashian, LA CA, reality TV personality (“The Kardashians” since 2022, “Keeping Up With the Kardashians” 2007-21)/sister of Kim and Khloé Kardashian, married to Travis Barker since 2022
1984 [40] America Ferrera, Los Angeles CA, TV actress (“Ugly Betty” 2006-2010, “Superstore” 2015-2021)/movie actress (“How to Train Your Dragon” films, “Barbie”) COMING UP… “Elio”, 2025
THIS DAY IN SHOW BIZ . . .
2012 [12] TV personality-producer Dick Clark, former host of “American Bandstand” (1957-89) and “New Year’s Rockin’ Eve” (1974-2011), dies of heart attack at 82
2023 [01] Fox News settles a lawsuit with Dominion Voting Systems for $788 million, admitting it defamed Dominion during the 2020 US election by broadcasting conspiracy theories
TODAY’S MUSIC EVENTS . . .
2013 [11] Rush, Heart, Public Enemy, Albert King, Donna Summer, and Randy Newman are inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame (***Legendary acceptance speech: https://tinyurl.com/2swxnk29 ***)
2015 [09] Green Day is inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in its first year of eligibility, alongside Lou Reed, Joan Jett & the Blackhearts, Ringo Starr, Bill Withers and Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble
TODAY IN SPORTS . . .
1999 [25] Wayne Gretzky plays his last NHL game, as his New York Rangers lose 2-1 to the Pittsburgh Penguins. He notches an assist, his 2,857th career point
TODAY’S RECORD . . .
1991 [33] Charlie Civics of Seymour, Australia sets ‘World Camper Speed Record’ by towing his Roadster camper at a speed of 126.76 mph or 204 km/hr (his wife inside is not pleased)
BULL’S BITS
BS WHACK FACTS:
✓ There is enough gold in Earth’s core to coat the planet’s surface 1.5 feet (46cm) thick.
✓ Space smells like seared steak, according to those who know.
✓ The brand name “Spam” is a combination of “spice” and “ham”
✓ Human lips are hundreds of times more sensitive than the tips of a person’s fingers.
✓ A feeling of thirst occurs when water loss is equal to 1% of your body weight. A loss of more than 5% can cause fainting.
✓ By the end of a person’s life, they can recall, on average, around 150 trillion pieces of information.
-ReadersDigest, BestLife
Best of BS . . .
MORE BS QUESTIONS PLAGUING HUMANITY:
• If you lose your hearing, is it ear replaceable?
• How do you know when you’ve run out of ‘invisible ink’?
• What do atheists say when someone sneezes?
• Do bald people ever have ‘bad head days’?
• How come when you see a married couple walking down the street, the one that’s a few steps ahead is the one that’s angry?
• How come books all begin on the right-hand page?
• Ever notice a lot of women like chocolate and dogs, but offer them chocolate served on a hot dog and suddenly you’re the weird one?
• Can soap be dirty?
• What’s the coldest fire can be?
• Is it uncouth to tuck in your dental apron?
-First published in BS in 2012
TODAY’S SCOOP OF BS:
➠ Monday was the official deadline for filing your taxes [in the US]. (. . . and, I spent the whole damn morning tearing down my tax-day lights and decorations!)
➠ Superman was first published this week back in 1938. (I’m not gonna say he’s old, but if there’s a crime between 6pm and 5am, it’s just not gonna get fought…)
➠ Superman was first published this week back in 1938. (I’m not gonna say he’s old, but these days his best crime-fighting tactic is to bore villains to death with photos of his grandchildren!)
➠ Actor Eric Roberts turns 68 today. (Thanks to him, “Mirror, Mirror” isn’t the most embarrassing thing in Julia Roberts’ life!)
➠ Fact of the Day: There are 4.8 billion people who own mobile phones, but only 4.2 billion own a toothbrush. (Yeah, but have you ever tried sexting with a toothbrush? . . . didn’t think so. Carry on with your day…)
BS WEB GOODIE:
My career, thus far: https://tinyurl.com/jmm7h9dj
BS RANDOM JOKE:
There’s no “I” in Denial.
BS PHONE STARTER:
What is the oddest – or most embarrassing – thing you’ve seen another diner do at a restaurant?
BS WATER COOLER QUESTION:
The average woman has a 12-year relationship with THIS person. Who is it?
Answer: Her hairdresser
BS DEEP THOUGHT:
A good leader takes a little more than his share of the blame, and a little less than his share of the credit.
