BS SHOW BIZ BUZZ:
FOX Entertainment Chairman Peter Rice says he can’t yet provide any update on ongoing “American Idol” negotiations, except to say that ‘much of the information that has been written is accurate’ but no one has yet signed a deal on either side of the camera who wasn’t on the show last year (should they just put this show down?) . . . Among the many who’ve called “American Idol” producers looking for a judging gig – former Village People singer Victor Willis (the cop) . . . FOX-TV is launching its own country music award show on December 6th, the “American Country Awards” (ACAs), which will air live from Las Vegas and be 100% fan-voted (do we really need another awards show – of any kind?) . . . Khloe Kardashian has become the latest celeb with tax trouble, reportedly owing some $19,000 in back taxes (seems being a bubble-headed reality star doesn’t help you with math) . . . Unfavorable timing has prevented CNN from naming “CBS Evening News” anchor Katie Couric to replace Larry King when he steps down in the Fall, as her current contract doesn’t expire until June 2011 (did anyone think to ask CBS if they wanna unload her?) . . . In the new issue of “GQ”, Michael Cera, Jason Schwartzman, and Chris Evans (stars of “Scott Pilgrm vs The World”, opening August 13th) take ‘Casual Fridays’ one step further and introduce us to ‘Pantless Saturdays’ (great way to beat the heat – until you get busted) . . . Actress/singer Jennifer Lopez tells “Glamour” magazine she’s the strict parent in her household because her husband Marc Anthony is like ‘mush’ (now there’s a starting point for this week’s marriage counseling session) . . . And 21-year-old Daniel Radcliffe apparently has a new girlfriend, the “Harry Potter” actor said to be inseparable from a mystery brunette for the past few weeks (with a $67-million fortune, even a geek with glasses gets the girls).

TODAY’S SHOW BIZ SKED:
• “America’s Got Talent” (NBC) – Bret Michaels (“Custom Built”) performs; Taio Cruz (“Rokstarr”) performs; 4 more acts are chosen for the top 24.
• “Jimmy Kimmel Live” (ABC/CityTV) – The Black Crowes (“Croweology”).
• “Last Call With Carson Daly” (NBC) – Keane (“Night Train”).
• “Late Night With Jimmy Fallon” (NBC/A Channel) – Mike Posner (“31 Minutes to Takeoff”).
• “Late Show With David Letterman” (CBS) – The Dead Weather (“Sea of Cowards”).
• “Lopez Tonight” (TBS) – TI (“King Uncaged”).
• “So You Think You Can Dance” (FOX/CTV) – The top 4 contestants perform.
• “Tonight Show With Jay Leno” (NBC/A Channel) – K’Naan (“Troubadour”).

BS MUSIC NOTES:
• Anberlin – Frontman Stephen Christian  tells “Billboard” magazine their single “Impossible” almost didn’t make the cut for their upcoming album, “Dark Is the Way, Light Is the Place” (out September 21st), because they’d reworked it so much he hated it.
• Black Eyed Peas – They’ve announced they’re planning on releasing their next album by the end of 2010.
• Broken Social Scene – Their new video for “Forced To Love” uses holographic images of the band to create a 3-D effect … sorta.
• Drake – He says he has a ‘bra trunk’, where he keeps all the underwear thrown at him on stage. The rapper claims he has about ‘400 or 500’ bras in the trunk, which he takes with him on the road.
• Jerrod Niemann – “Lover, Lover” will top the “Billboard” country singles and “Country Aircheck” charts this week, becoming the first #1 hit of his career.
• Justin Bieber – He’s announced a 3-D documentary by Oscar-winning director Davis Guggenheim (“An Inconvenient Truth”) is due in February, which will include performances and tour footage.
• Kings Of Leon – Drummer Nathan Followill says the follow-up to the band’s smash 2008 album “Only By the Night” is essentially done, though it doesn’t have a title or release date yet.
• Lady Gaga – She’s urging fans not to follow in her footsteps and take drugs, after confessing to “Rolling Stone” magazine she is still an ‘occasional’ cocaine user. She needs to quit talking.
• TI – He & longtime girlfriend Tameka Cottle have quietly wed in front of friends & family in Miami FL. The couple also plans to hold additional ceremonies in Atlanta and Las Vegas.
• Tim McGraw – He’s been named the ‘Most Played Artist Of the Decade’ on radio for all genres by Nielsen BDS.

BS CUTTING-EDGE VOCAB:
New terms leaking into the lingo …
• ‘Clean Mountain Cans’ – Metal containers first developed for climbers on 20,320-ft Mount McKinley and other peaks in Alaska’s Denali National Park. The ultra-portable, snap-shut toilets, are strapped to climbers’ packs and later returned for cleaning and reuse.
• ‘Range Anxiety’ – Mental distress or uneasiness caused by concerns about running out of power while driving an electric car.
• ‘Skishing’ – A combination of skiing and fishing. It involves swimming in a wetsuit with a fishing rod. The idea is to hook a fish big enough to tow the angler through the water. And just to make it even more challenging it’s typically done at night, when many fish are feeding.

WHAT WE’RE DOING ONLINE:
The most popular Internet activities, according to a new Nielsen survey released this week …
5. Instant Messaging (4% of online time).
4. Viewing Portals [points of access to information] (4.4%).
3. Email (8.3%).
2. Gaming (10%).
1. Social Networking (23%).
– ComputerWorld.com

SCIENTISTS SAY:
A BS compendium of recent ‘discoveries’ …
• Scientists say … people tend to under-perform on tasks if they’re watched. But studies show we’re not exclusive to this type of ‘stage fright’. Studies of roaches show they exhibit the same behaviour, botching tasks whenever there is a ‘roach spectator’. (What would a ‘task’ be for a roach? Scurrying?)
– TheDailyBeast.com
• Scientists say … women prefer body odors that differ from their own. It’s thought that’s because a woman passes on better immune protection to her children by instinctively picking a mate with a different scent. (How’d they discover this … gym bag snorting?)
– ANI Science & Health
• Scientists say … the secret to happiness is keeping busy. While humans seem hard-wired to be lazy in order to save energy, University of Chicago behavior scientist Christopher Hsee advises, “Get up and do something. Anything. Even if there is no point to what you are doing, you will feel better for it.” (Be happy … fetch me a coffee!)
– Telegraph.co.uk

FOODS THAT FIGHT BAD BREATH:
Good oral hygiene, of course, is still the best way to keep your breath sweet. But some kinds of food & drink can actually fight bad breath as well, including …
• Black Tea – Its polyphenols help prevent the growth of bacteria that can cause foul breath.
• Cheese – Can neutralize dietary acids, which may be stuck on your teeth and causing odor.
• Chewing Gum – Any snack that increases saliva flow in your mouth will help reduce odor.
• Cinnamon – The essential oil cinnamic aldehyde can reduce odor-causing bacteria.
• Crunchy Fruit/Veggies – Apples, carrots, and celery all scrub your teeth as you eat them.
• Water – Acts like artificial saliva, washing away leftover food bits.
• Yogurt – Eating yogurt twice a day can reduce levels of stinky hydrogen sulfide in your system. (This Friday is “Fresh Breath Day”.)
– Condensed from BestHealthMag.ca

SO SMALL YET SO USEFUL:
You know those little silica gel packs that are always tucked in medicine bottles and new shoe boxes? Silica gel is a desiccant, a substance that absorbs moisture. Turns out there are an amazing number of clever re-uses for it, including …
• Protect important paper documents by putting some packets wherever these are stored.
• Keep with photos to spare them from humidity.
• Leave a couple packs in your tool box to prevent rusting.
• Place with garden seeds in storage to thwart molding and keep them fresh.
• Stash some in window sills to banish condensation.
• Slow silver tarnishing by using the gel in jewelry boxes and with your silverware.
• Cut open the packs and saturate the beads with essential oils to create potpourri.
• Use in luggage while traveling.
• Squirrel some away on your vehicle’s dashboard to help maintain a clear windshield.
– MNN.com

HIGH-END NO-NAME:
A new study to be published in the “Journal of Consumer Research” indicates that high-end fashion items have inconspicuous labels and logos because … that’s what elite shoppers prefer. Rather than rely on obvious logos, expensive products use more discreet markers, such as distinctive design or detailing. High-end consumers prefer ‘markers of status’ that are not recognizable by the mainstream (aka ‘the riffraff’). These offer group identity only to others who recognize their insider standing. (Keep that in mind next time you fork over an extra 50 for something with a ‘designer’ name on it.)
– “New York Times”

BIGGEST CELEB DIVORCES/SPLIT-UPS IN THE FIRST HALF OF 2010:
5. Singer Shania Twain & producer Mutt Lange (May).
4. Actress Kate Winslet & director Sam Mendes (March).
3. Actor Mel Gibson & singer Oksana Grigorieva (April).
2. Actress Sandra Bullock & TV personality Jesse James (April).
1. Golfer Tiger Woods & model Elin Nordegren (June).
Dishonorable mention: Reality TV stars Heidi Montag & Spencer Pratt (June); country singer LeAnn Rimes & Dean Sheremet (June).
– Extrapolated from ChinaDaily.com

DID YOU KNOW?
• Recent studies have found that some people acknowledge being addicted to sites like Facebook and Twitter.
– Oxygen Media Insights Group
• The Vatican Bank is the world’s only bank that allows ATM users to perform transactions in Latin.
– “Mental Floss”

BS CHRONOMETER 08.04.10

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TODAY’S CELEBIRTHDAYS . . .
1944 [66] Richard Belzer, Bridgeport CT, TV actor (‘Detective John Munch’ on “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” since 1999)

1955 [55] Billy Bob Thornton, Hot Springs AR, movie actor (“The Astronaut Farmer”, 1997 Oscar-“Sling Blade”)/married 5 times, most notably to actress Angelina Jolie 2000-03

1961 [49] Barack Obama, Honolulu HI, 44th US President (2009-??)/Nobel Peace Prize laureate (2009)/US Senator (IL) 2005-2008/Illinois State Senator 1997-2004

1971 [39] Jeff Gordon, Vallejo CA, auto racer (4-time NASCAR champ, 3-time “Daytona 500” winner)

1985 [25] Crystal Bowersox, Elliston OH, pop singer (“Up To the Mountain”)/”American Idol 9” runner-up (2010)

BS REASON TO PARTY . . .
• “Chocolate Chip Day”, saluting those tiny little morsels of decadence that make almost any dessert taste better. There’s hardly any calories in them, right? They’re just little. (Unless you inhale the whole bag.)

THIS DAY IN SHOW BIZ . . .
1998 [12] Consumer ‘HDTV’ television sets are introduced, with a MSRP of $5,500

TODAY’S MUSIC EVENT . . .
1990 [20] Mariah Carey’s debut single, “Vision Of Love”, hits #1 on pop charts

1993 [17] Nirvana rocker Kurt Cobain checks into LA’s Cedars-Sinai Hospital to be treated for heroin addiction (dies a year later)

TODAY’S FIRST . . .
2005 [05] Michaelle Jean is selected to be Canada’s 27th Governor General

COMING UP . . .
[Thurs] International Beer Day
[Thurs] Underwear Day
[Fri] U2’s “360 World Tour” restarts (Torino, Italy)
[Fri] “Lollapalooza Festival” begins (Chicago)
[Fri] “The Other Guys”; “Step Up 3-D” open in movie theaters
[Sat] Rock On the Range (Winnipeg)
This Week Is … World Breastfeeding Week
This Month Is … What Will Be Your Legacy Month

BULL’S BITS

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BS HORRIBLESCOPES:
Use ‘em all at once or one-at-a-time as the zodiac reading of the day …
• Aries – Don’t bite the hand that feeds you. Lick it instead [SFX]. That’s right, just like that.
• Taurus – Pickles are a source of joy for you this week.
• Gemini – It’s OK to keep putting your money in your mattress but you might want to switch to paper money … it’s less jingly.
• Cancer – Today’s a good day to teach your old dog some new tricks. Best to start with some basic card manipulations before progressing to sawing a woman in half.
• Leo – Remember, today is the first day of the rest of your obnoxious, disgusting, malodorous, grim life.
• Virgo – ‘Loving care’ is something that people write on shampoo bottles. What you need is a good hard boink.
• Libra – Don’t let people try to tell you how to live. Your life is your own and you should feel perfectly free to bugger it up royally.
• Scorpio – Today is an excellent day to search for the ultimate truth. First, try to remember where you last saw it.
• Sagittarius – Remember that the road to success is littered with the corpses of those who stopped to smell the flowers … on the highway median.
• Capricorn – Good day to remember your kinship with all living things. Except perhaps mildew.
• Aquarius – Half of what you think you’re good at is actually a complete fluke.
• Pisces – In a strange form of protest against trends in personal adornment, you will find yourself making mooing sounds whenever you see someone with a nose ring.

BS PHONE STARTER:
Would you let a robot operate on you? (A $1.4-million robot named after Leonardo da Vinci is now being used in several hospitals. With its multiple remote-controlled arms and 3-D hi-def camera, it allows surgeons to operate through tiny incisions with more precision and visual clarity.)

BS ACRONYM QUIZ:
What do the initials stand for in the following words?
• LASER … Light Amplification Emission of Radiation
• NASCAR … National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing
• RADAR … Radio Detecting And Ranging
• SCUBA … Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus
• SNAFU … Situation Normal, All Fouled Up
• ZIP (as in zip code) … Zone Improvement Plan

BS RANDOM JOKE:
Ambition is a poor excuse for not having enough sense to be lazy.

BS WATER COOLER QUESTION:
Today’s Question: Statistically, babies who do THIS are more likely to get a higher education later in life.
Answer to Give Out Next Show: Breast feed. (Health.com)

BS DEEP THOUGHT:
Even the future’s not what it used to be.