BS SHOW BIZ BUZZ:
✶ Not only is Ben Affleck announced as Christian Bale’s successor as ‘Batman’ in the upcoming “Man of Steel” sequel, he may also play the role in multiple films and perhaps be given the chance to direct one of the upcoming movies featuring the character. “The Justice League”, in particular, would provide an opportunity for Affleck to both direct and star. (He may have the chin, but does he have the chops?)
– “Hollywood Reporter”
✶ It’s confirmed, the newest “American Idol” judge is … Dr Luke. Who? 39-year-old Lukasz Gottwald is a music producer known for working with top pop singers like Katy Perry and Kelly Clarkson. He’ll join Keith Urban and Jennifer Lopez on the judging panel for the show’s 13th season beginning in January. Black Eyed Peas rapper Will.i.am reportedly turned down the position in favor of remaining on “The Voice UK”. (BS translation: He ticked everyone off in the interview by proving his reputation for being difficult is true.)
– E! News
✶ Reclusive author JD Salinger achieved legendary status by penning the 1951 classic “The Catcher In the Rye”. Now it seems never-before-seen stories by the iconic writer will be published in 2015. According to the upcoming biopic “Salinger”, due out next month in conjunction with a book, the author left instructions that 5 of his unpublished works be released 5 years after his death. At least one of the stories is said to feature the character ‘Holden Caulfield’, the infamous anti-hero of “Catcher In the Rye”. (He may have a 2nd career … posthumously.)
– “New York Times”
✶ LA Clippers star Lamar Odom has been missing for over 3 days and those close to him are concerned about his well-being. Odom’s drug problems were recently aired out by his disgruntled wife Khloe Kardashian, who admitted he’s been battling an addiction to a cocktail of recreational drugs for the past 2 years or so. After seemingly winning the battle against his demons in rehab last year, he apparently reverted back to his old ways at the end of the NBA season. (Rather than typical Kardashian hype, this just might be a truly sad story.)
– TMZ.com
✶ And 44-year-old actress Jennifer Aniston is planning a sunset wedding to Justin Theroux at their mansion in Bel Air CA, according to an inside source. The low-key ceremony will supposedly be scheduled as soon as the estate’s renovations are completed and will take place in a plateau-like area of the property that faces west and offers spectacular views of Los Angeles below. (Rumor #438 about their wedding. None of the previous ones have panned out.)
– “OK! Magazine”

TODAY’S SHOW BIZ SKED:
• “America’s Got Talent” (NBC/CityTV) – 12 semifinalists perform.
• “Conan” (TBS/CTV) – The Mowgli’s (“Love’s Not Dead”). Rerun.
• “Ellen DeGeneres Show” (syndicated/CTV2) – Bruno Mars (“Unorthodox Jukebox”). Rerun.
• “In Performance At the White House” (PBS) – Performers include Jennifer Hudson, Smokey Robinson.
• “Jimmy Kimmel Live” (ABC/CityTV) – Jamie N Commons (“Rumble & Sway”). Rerun.
• “Last Call With Carson Daly” (NBC) – Big Black Delta (“Big Black Delta”). Rerun.
• “Late Night With Jimmy Fallon” (NBC/CTV2) – Brad Paisley (“Wheelhouse”); soul music legend Booker T Jones. Rerun.
• “Late Show With David Letterman” (CBS/NTV/Omni1) – Robert Randolph & The Family Band (“Lickety Split”).
• “So You Think You Can Dance” (FOX/CTV2) – The dancers perform with all-star partners, then face elimination; guest judge Jesse Tyler Ferguson (“Modern Family”).
• “The Talk” (CBS) – Blake Shelton (“Based on a True Story …”). Rerun.
• “Tonight Show With Jay Leno” (NBC/CTV2) – Macklemore & Ryan Lewis (“The Heist”).
• “Wendy Williams” (syndicated) – Miguel (“Kaleidoscope Dream”). Rerun.

BS MUSIC NOTES:
• Alabama – Today the tribute album “Alabama & Friends” is out, honoring the veteran country group with help from the likes of Jason Aldean, Kenny Chesney, and Luke Bryan.
• Avenged Sevenfold – Today the heavy metal rockers release their 6th studio album, “Hail To the King”. A7X played a free show at the Hollywood Palladium last night to celebrate the release.
• Beach Boys – A career-spanning, 6-CD box-set titled “Made In California” is out today, featuring more than 60 previously unreleased versions of Beach Boys songs. The deluxe set is presented in a hardbound book, designed to look like a high school yearbook. MSRP: $130.
• Eminem – His upcoming album, the first since 2010’s Grammy-winning “Recovery”, is apparently titled “The Marshall Mathers LP 2” and will be released November 5th.
• Franz Ferdinand – The Scottish band’s 4th studio album, “Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Actions”, is out today. It’s their first release in 4 years.
• One Direction – Harry Styles has one deal-breaker when it comes to romance … spitting. The singer tells WENN: “I don’t think I’ve ever dated a girl who’s spat. I mean when you drive down the street and you see somebody spit? That’s gross!.” (Well then, guess he won’t be dating Bieber.)

TODAY’S VIDEO RELEASES:
• “At Any Price” ( R-Rated Drama ): Dennis Quaid plays a prosperous farmer who wants to bring his son (Zac Efron) into the family business. But the boy rejects a life in the competitive world of modern agriculture for the thrill of car racing. Co-stars Kim Dickens, Heather Graham.
• “The Great Gatsby” ( PG-13 Romantic Drama ): Director Baz Luhrmann’s new adaptation of the classic F Scott Fitzgerald novel about a war veteran who finds himself drawn to the lifestyle of his millionaire neighbor. Stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Tobey Maguire, Carey Mulligan.
• “Pain & Gain” ( R-Rated Action Thriller ): A trio of bodybuilders in Florida get caught up in an extortion ring and a kidnapping scheme that goes terribly wrong. Stars Mark Wahlberg, Dwayne Johnson, Rebel Wilson, Anthony Mackie. Directed by Michael Bay.
• “Peeples” ( PG-13 Comedy ): Craig Robinson (“The Office”, “Last Comic Standing”) stars as a guy who crashes the ‘Peeples’ family reunion in order to ask for their precious daughter’s hand in marriage. Co-stars Kerry Washington, David Alan Grier, S Epatha Merkerson.
• “The Reluctant Fundamentalist” ( R-Rated Drama ): Riz Ahmed plays a young Pakistani fresh from Princeton, seeking fortune on Wall Street in 2001. But when 9/11 happens, he is profiled, wrongfully arrested, and interrogated. Co-stars Kate Hudson, Liev Schreiber, Kiefer Sutherland.
• Also released today: “Call Me Fitz: The Complete 3rd Season” (TV); “Elementary: The 1st Season” (TV); “Free Angela & All Political Prisoners” (Documentary); “Monsters Wanted” (Documentary); “Sapphire & Steele: The Complete Series” (TV); “Sons of Anarchy: Season 5” (TV); and “The Walking Dead: The Complete 3rd Season” (TV).

HOW TO SNAP YOUR BABY:
Top baby photographers offer tips on getting perfect shots of your new arrival …
✓ Wait a Few Weeks – Not all babies are born pretty. Babies (and moms!) need time to recover from the trauma of labor.
✓ Edit Yourself – Posting 1 or 2 of your best shots resonates more than uploading hundreds of similar pix.
✓ Show Scale – Draw attention to your wee one’s smallness in relation to the background.
✓ Focus on Lighting – Try for soft, natural sunlight. And don’t shine light up the baby’s nose!
✓ Avoid Gaudy Colors – Stick to soft pastels, whites and nudes, which bring out your baby’s natural skin tone.
✓ No Full Frontal – Newborn nude shots are fine, but keep private parts covered.
✓ No Oversized Props – A big floppy hat or giant teddy bear draws attention away from the newborn.
✓ Show Their Quirks – That birthmark or unruly tuft of hair is what makes a baby an individual.
– NYDailyNews.com

WHAT YOUR PERSONALITY SAYS ABOUT YOUR PARENTING:
A new study suggests a link between certain personality traits and your likelihood of having a child. According to Austrian researchers, extroverted men tend to have more children, while conscientious women have fewer or no kids. Men with neurotic personality traits, such as moodiness, are also been found to have fewer offspring. The research seems to verify a 2010 study that found that in societies with high birth rates, neurotic women and extroverted men are likely to have more children. (Don’t all women become neurotic after having a kid?)
– AFP

SIGNS YOU’RE ADDICTED TO YOUR PHONE:
After analyzing people’s habits, researchers have identified 4 characteristics of problematic cellphone behavior …
✗ Anticipation – Frequently thinking about calls or messages you may receive.
✗ Activity Interference – Choosing to spend time on your phone rather than talk to friends or family or engage in other activities.
✗ Emotional Reaction – Becoming angry when someone interrupts your phone time, or feeling irritated when not on your phone.
✗ Problem Recognition – Recognizing you spend too much time on your phone and trying to cut back … but failing.
– “Men’s Health”

SNOOPY APP SNUFFED:
Google has removed a popular smartphone app from sale in Brazil following complaints of privacy abuse. The app, called ‘Rastreador de Namorados’ (‘Boyfriend Tracker’ in Portuguese), promises to act like a ‘private detective in your partner’s pocket’. Functions include sending the person doing the tracking updates on their partner’s location and forwarding duplicates of text message traffic from the targeted phone. There’s even a command that allows a user to force the target phone to silently call their own, so they can listen in on what the person is saying. (Even Brazilians admit … they are a jealous people.)
– Associated Press

DID YOU KNOW?
“Despicable Me 2” has crossed the $800-million mark in worldwide box office, becoming the #2 grossing film of the year behind “Iron Man 3”, which raked in $1.5 billion internationally.
– BoxOfficeMojo.com

BS CHRONOMETER 08.27.13

TODAY’S CELEBIRTHDAYS . . .
1953 [60] Alex Lifeson (Zivojinovich), Fernie BC, rock singer-guitarist (Rush-“One Little Victory”, “Test for Echo”)

1969 [44] Chandra Wilson, Houston TX, TV actress (‘Dr Miranda Bailey’ on “Grey’s Anatomy” since 2005)

1970 [43] Colt Ford (Jason Farris Brown), Athens GA, country rapper-musician (“Declaration of Independence”)/songwriter (“Dirt Road Anthem”, “Country Must Be Country Wide”)

1970 [43] Tony Kanal, Kingsbury UK, rock bassist (No Doubt-“It’s My Life”, “Underneath It All”)

1979 [34] Aaron Paul (Sturtevant), Emmett ID, TV actor (‘Jesse Pinkman’ on “Breaking Bad” since 2009)

1979 [34] Sarah Neufeld, Courtenay BC, indie rock musician (Arcade Fire-“Ready to Start”, “We Used to Wait”)

1986 [27] Mario (Barrett), Baltimore MD, R&B-pop singer (“Break Up”, “Let Me Love You”)/movie actor (“Freedom Writers”, “Step Up”)

TODAY’S BS REASONS TO PARTY . . .
• “Banana Lovers Day”, an annual celebration of the fruit with appeal. Banana facts here …
NET: http://www.punchbowl.com/holidays/banana-lovers-day

• “Burning Man”, a weird annual celebration through September 2nd. It started in 1986, when San Francisco artist Larry Harvey built a wooden effigy of the man who stole his girlfriend and burned it. Nowadays, some 20,000 gather in Nevada’s Black Rock Desert, throw away their clothes or don outlandish costumes and recite poetry, build avant-garde art objects, and dance all night. At the finalé, they burn a 50-ft wooden effigy of a man.
NET: http://www.burningman.com

• “Global Forgiveness Day”, begun in 1994 to promote the healing power of forgiveness worldwide. Take a few moments to sincerely forgive someone. And make it public. That way forgiveness will spread. (Or so they say.)

• “Just Because Day”, a chance to do something spontaneously without rhyme or reason. Most often in life, we do things because we have to, we want to, or they’re expected of us. None of those reasons apply on this day.

• “Motorist Consideration Day”, because a little bit of consideration by drivers will result in fewer accidents and definitely less stress.

• “Petroleum Day” (aka Oil & Gas Industry Appreciation Day), honoring the first successful American oil well, drilled near Titusville PA 154 years ago today in 1859. (That’s when many of today’s problems began.)

THIS DAY IN SHOW BIZ . . .
1953 [60] “Roman Holiday”, featuring Audrey Hepburn in her first starring movie role, premieres in NYC (her image has become iconic, appearing on all manner of apparel and kitsch)

TODAY’S MUSIC EVENTS . . .
1967 [46] Brian Epstein, the manager of The Beatles, is found dead of an accidental drug overdose in his Sussex UK home at age 32

1992 [21] John Lennon’s original handwritten lyrics for The Beatles’ “A Day In the Life” fetch $87,000 at a Sotheby’s auction

TODAY’S FIRST . . .
2007 [06] Then highest-paid NFL star, Michael Vick (Atlanta Falcons QB), pleads guilty in dogfighting case; is sentenced to 23 months in prison (now Philadelphia Eagles starting QB)

TODAY’S RECORDS . . .
1998 [15] Canadian dollar drops to its lowest point ever … 63.31¢ US (today, about 95¢)

2003 [10] Mars and Earth pass within 34.6 million miles (55.8 million km) of each other, the closest in nearly 60,000 years

AND REMEMBER . . .
[Wed] “Closed Circuit” opens in movie theaters
[Wed] Venice Film Festival begins (Italy)
[Wed] Radio Commercials Day
[Fri] Deauville Film Festival begins (France)
[Sat] 2013 Made In America Festival begins (Philadelphia)
This Week Is … Be Kind to Humankind Week
This Month Is … Psoriasis Awareness Month

BULL’S BITS

HE SAID/SHE SAID:
• He said: I don’t know why you wear a bra, you’ve got nothing to put in it.
She said: You wear briefs, don’t you?
• She said: What do you mean by coming home half drunk?
He said: It’s not my fault, I ran out of money.
• He said: Since I first laid eyes on you, I’ve wanted to make love to you in the worst way.
She said: Well, you succeeded.
• He said: Shall we try a different position tonight?
She said: That’s a good idea, you stand by the ironing board while I sit on the sofa and fart.
• He said: What have you been doing with all the grocery money I gave you?
She said: Turn sideways and look in the mirror.
• He said: Let’s go out and have some fun tonight.
She said: Okay, but if you get home before I do, leave the hallway light on.
• He said: Why don’t you tell me when you have an orgasm?
She said: I would, but you’re never there.
– Thanks to Trevor Scott

BS U-PICK TRIVIA:
Which is the only freshwater lake in the world that has sharks?
a. Lake Nicaragua. [CORRECT, the biggest lake in Central America.]
b. Lake Ontario.
c. Lake Titicaca.
– ChaCha.com

BS WATER COOLER QUESTION:
Question: Restaurant servers get 30% more in tips if they do THIS.
Answer: Introduce themselves.

BS DEEP THOUGHT:
Someone who thinks logically is a nice contrast to the real world.