BS SHOW BIZ BUZZ:
★ Actor Jon Hamm has dismissed rumors he’s taking on the role of “Doctor Strange” in an upcoming Marvel film. Reports suggesting the “Mad Men” star is being considered to play the superhero recently surfaced online, but Hamm says he hasn’t even been approached about the part. Quote: “The funny thing about the Internet is you can have rumors go on about possible jobs and things that you have no idea about.” “Doctor Strange”, which follows the fortunes of a former neurosurgeon who becomes the ‘Sorcerer Supreme’, is due to hit screens in 2016.
– Digitalspy.com
★ WE TV is branding its upcoming new reality show “Sex Box” as ‘extreme therapy’ because it includes couples having sex in a box in front of a studio audience after a trio of sex therapists offers them tips and advice. But viewers will have to use their imaginations as the box where the couples apply their new-found knowledge is sound-proof and camera-free. “Sex Box” is based on a popular UK show in which couples hash out relationship issues with a panel of sexperts before going into a private box and applying their newfound wisdom. The reality therapy show will air on WE beginning next year.
– @NYDailyNews.com
★ Producers behind “Game Of Thrones” (HBO) are scrambling to reorganize a shoot for next season after local officials in Croatia barred them from filming Lena Headey’s nude scene … in a church. The crew applied to the local film commission in Dubrovnik to shoot a racy scene in which Headey’s character ‘Cersei Lannister’ walks out of a church and onto the streets naked, but the request was rejected. Seems officials are opposed to public displays of sexuality, and producers are now desperately searching for a way around the problem.
– TMZ.com
★ A TV series inspired by “The Wizard Of Oz” has been cancelled … before its debut. “Emerald City” was ordered up by NBC-TV back in January, but creative differences with producers have since led the network to shelve the project. The news comes just a month after the show was promoted at Comic-Con International in San Diego CA. The series, based on the books by L Frank Baum and featuring beloved character ‘Dorothy Gale’, will likely now be offered to other networks.
– “Hollywood Reporter”
★ And we officially have a new record. It’s confirmed the winning bid for “Action Comics #1”, the granddaddy of all comic books which contains the 1st-ever appearance of ‘Superman’, has sold for a whopping $3,207,852. The buyers are Metropolis/ComicConnect, themselves well-known dealers of vintage comic books and sellers of the previous record-holder, the Nicolas Cage copy of “Action Comics #1” which fetched $2.16 million in 2011. This latest for-sale copy becomes the 6th comic book to sell for over $1 million and the 1st to break $3 million. It originally sold for 10¢.
– BleedingCool.com

TODAY’S SHOW BIZ SKED:
• “America’s Got Talent” (NBC/CityTV) – 12 acts perform in hope of advancing to the next round.
• “Arsenio Hall” (syndicated) – Joe Satriani (“Unstoppable Momentum”). Rerun.
• “Chelsea Lately” (E!) – Tonight the series finalé as the late night talk show ends its 7-year run. Over 30 guests are scheduled, including Jennifer Aniston, Sandra Bullock, and rapper 50 Cent, marking the first time he and Chelsea Handler have seen each other since their 2009 split.
• “Conan” (TBS/CTV) – Jack White (“Lazaretto”). Rerun.
• “The iHeartradio Album Release Party With Maroon 5” (CW) – A 1-hour special to launch the group’s new album “V” includes performances and Q&A sessions with Adam Levine and the rest of the band. “V” is released on September 2nd.
• “Jimmy Kimmel Live” (ABC/CityTV) – White Buffalo (“Hogties Revisited”).
• “Last Call With Carson Daly” (NBC) – Shanghai Restoration Project (“The Classics”). Rerun.
• “Late Show With David Letterman” (CBS/Omni1) – EMA (“The Future’s Void”).
• “Tavis Smiley” (PBS) – Martina McBride (“Everlasting”). Rerun.
• “Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” (NBC/CTV2) – Ed Sheeran (“X”). Rerun.

BS MUSIC NOTES:
• Ariana Grande – With the release of the new song “Best Mistake”, she’s set a new record by becoming the 1st female artist with 3 songs in the top 6 of the ‘Billboard Digital Songs Chart’. The last artist to accomplish the feat was Michael Jackson in 2009.
• Enrique Iglesias – “Bailando” has become the 1st non-English song to make the top 10 on Top 40 radio since Los del Rio’s “La Macarena” in 1996. He’s preparing for a co-headline tour with Pitbull, which kicks off September 12th in Newark NJ.
• Iggy Azalea – Her birth name is Amethyst Amelia Kelly. Her stage name comes from ‘Iggy’, a pet dog she once had; and ‘Azalea’, the street her family lived on. It was her grandfather who advised her that she needed a 2-word stage name, the 2nd with a higher number of syllables.
• Kate Bush – Tonight the Brit singer-songwriter begins a series of 15 SRO gigs titled “Before the Dawn”, all at London’s  Hammersmith Apollo (formerly the Odeon), the same venue where she last performed (1979).
• Shelby Lynne – She’s just inked a deal with Rounder Records and recently completed recording what will be her first album since 2011’s “Revelation Road”. The as-yet-untitled album is tentatively set for release in early 2015.

THIS WEEK’S VIDEO RELEASES:
Out today on DVD, Netflix, Google Play and/or other video providers …
• “Blended” ( PG-13 Comedy ): Remember “The Wedding Singer” (1998) and “50 First Dates” (2004)? Well, get ready for yet another Adam Sandler/Drew Barrymore rom-com. This time they play single parents who find themselves stuck together at a resort for families after a bad blind date. Surprise, surprise! Their attraction to one another grows as their 2 families meld.
• Also released today: “Criminal Minds: The 9th Season” (TV); “Elementary: The 2nd Season” (TV); “The Equalizer: The Complete Collection” (Vintage TV); “Legends of Oz: Dorothy’s Return” (Animation); “Now & Again: The DVD Collection” (TV); “PBS Masterpiece: Breathless” (TV); “Portlandia: Season 4” (TV); “Revenge: The Complete 3rd Season” (TV); “75 Years of WWII” (Documentary); “Sons of Anarchy: Season 6” (TV); “The Twilight Zone: The Complete ’80s Series” (Vintage TV); “The Walking Dead: The Complete 4th Season” (TV); and “Welcome Back, Kotter: The Complete Series” (Vintage TV).

WAS MOM WRONG?
Breakfast might NOT be the most important meal of the day after all. Scientists at Britain’s University of Bath have found that the morning meal doesn’t kick-start the metabolism or aid weight-loss. In fact, breakfast has been found to have no impact on metabolism or calories eaten later in day. That goes against the long-held theory that skipping breakfast means we’re likely to gorge later on in the day. However the researchers acknowledge that people who do eat breakfast may be healthier in general, but that may be due to their overall diet regime. (Yeah whatever … eat, make your mother happy!)
– MailOnline

McCAFE IN YOUR KITCHEN:
The McDonald’s fast-food chain is partnering with Kraft Foods to manufacture bags of McCafe ground and whole bean coffee as well as single-cup pods that can be used in at-home coffee machines. The plan is to start selling McDonald’s packaged coffee in supermarkets by early next year, a move intended to help raise the profile of the coffee sold at its restaurants. At an investor conference late last year, the company noted that the chain’s coffee sales have surged 70% since the introduction of McCafe specialty coffees in 2009. Now they want to take their product from the drive-thru to consumers’ kitchens. (Do it right for the environment … mesh pods, not plastic cups!)
– AP

GREATEST GUITAR RIFFS EVER:
A new listing of the all-time top 20 as selected by BBC Radio 2 listeners in the UK (in alphabetical order) …
“20th Century Boy” … T Rex
“Back in Black” … AC/DC
“Do I Wanna Know?” … Arctic Monkeys
“Down Down” … Status Quo
“Enter Sandman” … Metallica
“How Soon Is Now?” … The Smiths
“Johnny B Goode” … Chuck Berry
“Layla” … Derek & The Dominoes
“Livin’ On a Prayer” … Bon Jovi
“Money” … Pink Floyd
“Money For Nothing” … Dire Straits
“Motocycle Emptiness” … Manic Street Preachers
“Purple Haze” … Jimi Hendrix Experience
“Smells Like Teen Spirit” … Nirvana
“Smoke On the Water” … Deep Purple
“Sweet Child O’ Mine” … Guns N’ Roses
“The Spirit of Radio” … Rush
“Whole Lotta Love” … Led Zeppelin
“You Really Got Me” … The Kinks
“Ziggy Stardust” … David Bowie
– Telegraph.co.uk

THE NEW WHIRLYBIRD:
Most of us are familiar with the concept of the ‘Helicopter Parent’ who hovers anxiously over their child’s every move. Well now a new parenting type has been identified … the ‘Snowplow Parent’, who clears every obstacle from their child’s path while piling on pressure to achieve. The snowplow style is becoming increasingly common. For instance, nearly a quarter of teens are now being supplied with tutors in a bid to boost their grades. Experts say this parenting style can be damaging, producing children who are anxious, dependent, narcissistic, and careerist. Often these compliant kids become terrified of failure and give up any willingness to explore their own interests. (“Hey! Parents! Leave them kids alone.”)
– “Sunday Times”

THE FANNY PACK IS BACK:
The unattractive pouch long associated with American tourists and embarrassing dads has become the Renaissance bag thanks to a few cool celebrity endorsements. Most recently movie star Matthew McConaughey gave the fanny pack his stamp of approval at a Red Sox game in Boston over the weekend. His advice: “You kind of got to put it on the side to make it look not-as-nerdy.” A month ago, no less a macho man than Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson endorsed the fanny pack by posting a photo on Twitter showing him donning one back in the 1990s. And Black Eyed Peas singer Fergie has been photographed in a quilted leather Chanel fanny pack that is ‘far superior to the neon nylon styles of decades past’, according to one review. (The key is to charge an obscene amount of money … then people think that it’s cool.)
– InStyle.com

BS AMAZING MUSIC FACTS:
• Electric guitarists use the same patterns of sound as the human voice.
– “Magazine Monitor”
• Showing musical instruments has been banned by Iran’s state broadcaster for the last 30 years.
– BBC News
• William, Britain’s Prince of Wales, has an official harpist.
– “Daily Mail”
• Classical music is the worst genre to listen to for thrifty online shopping.
– “The Times”

BS CHRONOMETER 08.26.14

TODAY’S CELEBIRTHDAYS . . .
1966 [48] Dan Vickrey, Walnut Creek CA, alt-rock guitarist-vocalist (Counting Crows-“Accidentally in Love”, “Einstein On the Beach”)

1969 [45] Adrian Young, Long Beach CA, rock drummer (No Doubt-“It’s My Life”, “Hey Baby”)

1970 [44] Melissa McCarthy, Plainfield IL, TV actress (‘Molly’ on “Mike & Molly” since 2010)/movie actress (“Tammy”, “Bridesmaids”)  UP NEXT: Co-stars with Bill Murray in “St Vincent”, coming October 24th.

1975 [39] Tyler Connolly, Delta BC, rock singer-guitarist (Theory Of a Deadman-“Bad Girlfriend”, “No Surprise”)

1980 [34] Chris Pine, LA CA, movie actor (“Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit”, “Star Trek” films)  COMING UP: Disney’s “Into the Woods”, opening December 25th.

1985 [29] Brian Kelley, Ormond Beach FL, country singer (Florida Georgia Line-“This Is How We Roll” f/Luke Bryan, “Cruise”)

BS REASONS TO PARTY . . .
• “Make Your Own Luck Day”, a day to take affirmative action to gain control of your life. Taking responsibility for your own actions … what a concept!

• “National Dog Day”, to encourage support, rescue, and help for dogs in need.

• “Women’s Equality Day”, celebrating the civil rights movement by women that had its formal beginnings in 1848 at the world’s first women’s rights convention, in Seneca Falls NY.

THIS DAY IN SHOW BIZ . . .
1939 [75] MLB baseball makes its television debut as announcer Red Barber calls a Cincinnati Reds-Brooklyn Dodgers game on NYC station W2XBS (now WNBC)

1996 [18] Electronics giant Philips unveils the 1st ‘Flat TV’, which can be hung on a wall

TODAY’S FIRSTS . . .
1959 [55] British Motor Corporation launches the small, affordable ‘Mini’, priced at less than $800 (now a model made by BMW, the base price is waaaay higher)

2011 [03] The ‘787 Dreamliner’, Boeing’s all-new composite airliner, is certified for airline service

TODAY’S RECORD . . .
2009 [05] Country singer Jack Ingram breaks the world record for ‘Most Consecutive Radio Interviews in 24 Hours’ with 215

COMING UP . . .
[Wed] “The November Man” opens in movie theaters
[Wed] La Tomatina (Buñol, Spain)
[Wed] Tug-of-War Day
[Thus] Radio Commercials Day
[Thus] Crackers Over the Keyboard Day
[Fri] “As Above, So Below” opens in movie theaters
[Fri] More Herbs, Less Salt Day
This Week Is … Safe at Home Week
This Month Is … Panini Month

BULL’S BITS

BS WHYZITS:
• Whyzit the words ‘worth’ and ‘price’ have generally the same meaning, while ‘worthless’ and ‘priceless’ are complete opposites?
• Whyzit when men want to look rebellious, they grow long hair; but if women want to look rebellious, they cut their hair short?
• Whyzit I’m all grown up and I still don’t know how to use call waiting?
• Whyzit the elevator always comes after you have just put down your bags?
• Whyzit only adults have difficulty with child-proof bottles?

BS PHONE STARTER:
☎ What was THE summer song of 2014?

BS RANDOM JOKE:
When your wife says, “Do whatever you want”, you’d better figure out what it is she wants you to do.

BS WATER COOLER QUESTION:
Question: If you are average, you do THIS 14 times a day.
Answer: Stress about something.

BS DEEP THOUGHT:
You know you’re getting older when ‘happy hour’ is a nap.