Tuesday, December 3, 2024 — Edition: #7848
Sheet For Brains!
BS SHOW BIZ BUZZ:
★ James Van Der Beek has shared a health update following his cancer diagnosis — and is working to fight the disease. The “Dawson’s Creek” actor is set to appear in “The Real Full Monty” — weeks after sharing that he was diagnosed with colorectal cancer in 2023. On Dec. 9, the 47-year-old will strip down onstage alongside Anthony Anderson, Taye Diggs, Tyler Posey, Bruno Tonioli and Chris Jones to help raise awareness and lower the stigma around cancer, and encouraging viewers to get screened. As for how he’s doing, he said to E! News: “I’m doing great. Feeling good, feeling strong. In a good place.”
-E!
★ Eddie Murphy’s son and Martin Lawrence’s daughter are engaged. Eric Murphy proposed to Jasmin Lawrence 3 years after the 2 comedy legends’ children went public with their relationship. Jasmin wrote in an Instagram post shared on her and her fiancé’s pages: “11.27.2024 We’re engaged! … We couldn’t be more excited for this next chapter. She also included video on the proposal. The 2 dads worked together in 2 movies: 1992’s “Boomerang”, and “Life”, which came out in 1999. LINK: https://tinyurl.com/yt64jjck
-E!
★ Danny Pintauro, known for his roles in “Who’s the Boss?” and “Cujo”, has undergone emergency surgery following a scooter accident. Pintauro posted a video to Instagram that included several shots of himself looking bruised and bandaged in a hospital bed, with a long note explaining what happened, as he was “forced to choose between a van and a pylon” while riding the scooter. He told followers that “The pylons hurt!!” …and while he sustained a “terrible scrape” on his arm, 2 days later, he began having “weird chest pains” which affected his breathing. A trip to hospital resulted in surgery for a tear in his stomach lining. He said he remains intubated for the time being. LINK: https://tinyurl.com/y85xyd87
-EW
★ Ellen DeGeneres is denying rumors that her new home with Portia de Rossi in the UK was flooded. The former TV talk show host shared a picture of the couple with green rolling hills behind them, and wrote that she looks forward to their first snowy Christmas — their first since permanently relocating from the Santa Barbara area to the area of Cotswolds, England last month. She also added a small P.S. to fans concerned about media reports that their new place, located in an area that recently experienced raging floods and 80mph winds, had been damaged, writing: “for those of you concerned, our UK farmhouse did NOT flood.” LINK: https://tinyurl.com/3bp46fmp
-TMZ
★ Former One Direction singer Liam Payne had listed his $4.1 million house for sale a month before he died. Payne had lived in the $4.1 million mansion in Chalfont St Giles, England since November 2021 to be close to his ex-Cheryl Tweedy and his son Bear. The detached property sits on 6 acres of land and has a swimming pool, a separate one-bedroom annex and a stable. He died after falling from a Buenos Aires hotel balcony in October – a month after he put the home up for sale. The listing has now been removed from the real estate website.
-SWNS
TODAY’S SHOW BIZ SKED:
• “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” (ABC/Global): Jude Law, Kyle Mooney, Denzel Curry
• “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” (NBC/CTV): Amy Adams, Fortune Feimster, Dan + Shay
• “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert” (CBS/Global): Selena Gomez, José Andrés
• “After Midnight” (CBS/Global): Josh Thomas, Brandon Kyle Goodman, Suzi Barrett
• “Late Night With Seth Meyers” (NBC/CTV): Keri Russell, J.B. Smoove (R)
• “Watch What Happens Live” (Bravo): Kathy Hilton, Brynn Whitfield
• “The Daily Show” (COM): TBA
• “The View” (ABC/CTV): Adam Kinzinger, Matt Rife
• “The Talk” (CBS): JB Smoove, Eric Winter and Roselyn Sanchez
• “Live With Kelly and Mark” (ABC/CTV): Bridget Everett
• “The Kelly Clarkson Show” (Check local listings): Cher, Dave Annable, Hollow Coves
• “The Drew Barrymore Show” (Check local listings): Sarah Sherman, Yara Shahidi
• “The Jennifer Hudson Show” (Check local listings): Yvette Nicole Brown
• “St. Denis Medical” (NBC): Ron and Bruce butt heads over a candy bar; Alex is forced to fire an incompetent employee; Matt seeks appreciation for saving a patient’s life.
• “The Voice” (NBC): Live Semi-Final Eliminations
• “Accused” (Fox): Season 2 finale. A jewelry store owner is put on trial after interfering with his wife’s dicey past; a music exec faces hardship when a sex robot comes between her and her husband.
• “CMA Country Christmas” (ABC): Performers include For King + Country, Carin León, Cody Johnson, Ashley McBryde, Brittney Spencer, Jon Pardi and CeCe Winans; Amy Grant and Trisha Yearwood host.
BS MUSIC NOTES:
• Demi Lovato – has joined PlanetPlay’s “Make Green Tuesday Moves” initiative. She and some of the gaming world’s biggest names are encouraging people to enjoy exclusive in-game Demi Lovato avatars in select games throughout December, and support sustainability projects simply by playing their favorite games. LINK: https://tinyurl.com/2p7kur82
• Chappell Roan – Friday, she shared on social media that her breakout hit ‘Good Luck, Babe!’ has surpassed one billion streams on Spotify. She posted 2 pics of herself rocking a Joan Jett t-shirt, and wrote: “good luck babe hitting a billion streams on Spotify is cuckoo loco. All I have to say is thank you.” LINK: https://tinyurl.com/mwt5hh7y
• AC/DC — has announced a 13-stadium North American tour for next spring. It kicks off April 10 in Minneapolis, and concludes May 28 in Cleveland. The Pretty Reckless will open. Tickets go on sale tomorrow. LINK: https://tinyurl.com/26dscz3d
• David Lee Roth — has shared a video of him singing along and dancing to his previously released solo version of the Van Halen classic ‘Panama’. The song, which was originally uploaded to Roth’s YouTube channel in September 2022, was recorded during a session where a total of 14 songs were recorded in 2 hours, live off the floor, using “no samples” and without Auto-Tune. LINK: https://tinyurl.com/mppp7zvh
• The Cure – Friday, they dropped an EP featuring new versions of their latest single ‘A Fragile Thing’. Along with a remix, it contains live version recorded the London club the Troxy last month. It also features a moodier remix of the song, done by Robert Smith himself. LINK: https://tinyurl.com/ydd6jjdf
• Tracy Lawrence — raised $250,000 at his 19th annual Mission:Possible Turkey Fry and Benefit Concert, which featured Russell Dickerson, Meghan Patrick, John Schneider and Halfway To Hazard. The money goes to Mission:Possible’s longtime partner, Nashville Rescue Mission.
• Luke Combs – was one of the first guests on Luke Bryan’s new Hulu series “It’s All Country”. Bryan asked Combs how long he plans on going with his signature look: The black Columbia button-up shirt that he always wears on stage. His answer: “I think it just goes forever, man. It’s just too simple.” When asked exactly how many of the shirts he owns, he answered “150 to 200.”
• Jelly Roll – As you may know, he was in and out of jail about 40 times over 10 years, beginning when he was just 14. Jelly said to People Mag: “I hurt a lot of people. No matter how much I’ve changed, they still watch and are mad that I’m successful.” As a result, he said, “I’m rounding third on my amends list, and I think when I get there, I’ll feel a little better.”
SHOOTING THE BULL
DREAMING BIG:
If your “California King”-sized bed just isn’t big enough for you, don’t lose any sleep over it. The “Alaska” might be just the thing you need. Available now, Alaskan-king mattresses (also known as “Alberta King”), which measure an enormous 9-by-9 feet (2.75 X 2.75m), are said to be becoming increasingly popular with pro athletes (especially NBA players?) To properly understand how much floor space you’d need to fit one of these monstrosities in your bedroom, imagine 2 full-size beds jammed together, then add another 28 inches of length. The Alaskan-king is said to be large enough to comfortably accommodate (a-hem!) 4 adults, although mega-mattress companies advertise them for co-sleeping with children and pets. People lying down on Alaskans are said to appear comically tiny. And because they are usually custom-made and sell for upwards of US $5,000, they are definitely a niche product, mainly to higher-income buyers. LINK: https://tinyurl.com/5cbfbuj3
(You could get your daily steps in just making the bed!)
(I couldn’t even afford the linens for one of those things!)
(Ah, yes! I think I saw some people using one of those in a…uh, MOVIE once!)
-WashingtonPost, MorningBrew
PAPER-LICKIN’ GOOD:
Leave it to the restaurant that has been known to sell a fireplace log and candles that smell like fried chicken to come up with THIS: KFC has announced possibly the oddest wrapping paper you’ve ever heard of. While not coming right out and saying its new gift wrap is “finger-lickin’ good”, they do call it “lickable.” The official description from the restaurant says the stuff tastes like “KFC’s Original Recipe Chicken with a refreshing hit of cranberry sauce and an aromatic pinch of sage.” The wrapping paper was reportedly inspired by KFC’s limited-time Stuffing Stacker Burger, which contains 2 chicken fillets, a stuffing patty, and spicy cranberry sauce. Unfortunately (or possibly fortunately), it’s sold out for now. But if you’re really determined to taste it, you can probably find it on eBay. But remember, the description warns that it is “not intended for human consumption” — but the products used to make it are all food-safe and nontoxic. LINK: https://tinyurl.com/4zezbwzz
(…which is better than you can say for the chicken burger I got there last night!)
(But is it vegan?)
-Newser
‘PRESENT’ COMPANY:
‘Tis definitely the season for breaking out the good silverware and dishes. According to a new survey of adults who celebrate the winter holidays, 42% plan to do some hosting this season – including 19% who have never hosted before. And that brings to mind the question of exactly what it takes to be a “Good” host. According to the survey, conducted by Talker Research in the US, 7 in 10 believe it is important to keep things “informal” by inviting guests to wear whatever they want. A similar number of people believe it’s important to have the “perfect” food menu for guests, and 60% said they prepare multiple versions of meals to accommodate guests with different dietary needs. And by the way, if you’re nervous about having friends and family to your place this holiday season, keep this in mind: While one-fifth of people said they have “mastered the art” of hosting, another 47% said they know what they’re doing, but improvise “when they need to.”
(Those people wouldn’t be so hot on that part about guests wearing ‘whatever they want’ if they saw what my crazy aunt Maudie wore last year!)
(Hosting a big get-together is a double-edged sword. On one hand, it’s a lot of work. On the other, when it’s over, you’re already home!)
-Talker
NORMAL GROSS THINGS:
A Reddit user recently asked others to share the “completely normal things” that gross them out – and now I “can’t even” with some of these . . .
☞ “Licking their fingers to grab something they hand over to you, like money or their ID (I work in retail).”
☞ “People who talk and are unaware of a little spit collecting at the corners of the mouth. Yuck.”
☞ “The dried milk that forms a crust of horror in and around the cap of the milk jug.”
☞ “Breathing the air in public restrooms.”
☞ “The feeling of wooden popsicle sticks on my tongue. Ice cream on a cone? Fine. But those wooden sticks? I’d rather go without dessert.”
☞ “The weird bits in meat. If I chew something that doesn’t feel right, it’s ruined. I can’t eat anymore after that.”
☞ “The feeling of pantyhose/tights. It makes my skin crawl! It’s similar to microfiber cloths. Also, washing the dishes in the sink and touching a wet piece of food!”
☞ “Sitting on a toilet seat right after someone has just used the same toilet seat, and it’s still warm.” (OK, you win!!)
-BuzzFeed
DID YOU KNOW:
“Heading” the ball while playing soccer (aka football) may cause more brain damage than previously thought, according to a new study. Researchers from the Radiological Society of North America looked into the links between directing the ball using one’s head and neurodegenerative diseases such as chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). The study found that soccer players who headed the ball at higher levels exhibited abnormality of the brain’s white matter — a region of the brain where aberrations indicate severe traumatic brain injuries. (From what I’ve seen on TV, it affects the brains of a lot of fans, too!)
-NYPost
BS CHRONOMETER 12.03.24
TODAY’S BS REASONS TO PARTY . . .
• “Giving Tuesday”, to encourage us to make a donation of time or money to a worthwhile cause, to kick off the charitable giving season. Coming just after Black Friday and Cyber Monday, it was created in part as a response to the commercialism and consumerism of those days. (Anyone know of a store holding a “Giving Tuesday” sale?)
• “International Day of Persons with Disabilities”, promoted by the UN since 1992. Its objective is to promote an understanding of disability issues and mobilize support for the dignity, rights and well-being of those with disabilities. LINK: https://www.un.org/en/observances/day-of-persons-with-disabilities
• “Roof Over Your Head Day”, an annual observance to draw attention to the plight of the homeless.
• “Homemade Gift Day”. Better start now if you hope to have that ugly knitted hat finished in time for the big day!
• “Apple Pie Day” (also observed on May 13th because ‘pie’). The first printed apple pie recipe was in England in 1381. The list of ingredients included: good apples, good spices, figs, raisins, pears, saffron and cofyn, a type of pastry crust. (We’re just glad it didn’t call for BAD apples…or apple pie may never have caught on!)
• Let’s Hug Day”. Hugs release the hormone oxytocin into the bloodstream. This helps lower blood pressure, heart rate, and the stress hormone cortisol. Hugging also reduces anxiety, improves mood and memory, and increases bonding and closeness. (A small hug is worth a million unspoken words!)
• “Green Bean Casserole Day”. Its main ingredients are green beans and cream of mushroom soup, and it is usually topped with French fried onions. The recipe was created by “Dottie” Reilly in 1955, while working for Campbell’s, and trying to come up with something that could be made with ingredients found in most people’s homes.
• “Trick Shot Day”. The Harlem Globetrotters, “the originators of the trick shot,” created this occasion to celebrate the kind of shots they are famous for, and to give fans the opportunity to showcase theirs. Record video of a trick shot and post it on social media using #WorldTrickShotDay.
AND REMEMBER . . .
[Wed] Cookie Day
[Wed] Wear Brown Shoes Day
[Thurs] Comfort Food Day
[Fri] Sweater Vestival
This Week is…Influenza Vaccination Week
This Month is…Awareness Month of Awareness Months Month
TODAY’S CELEBIRTHDAYS . . .
1948 [76] (John) “Ozzy” Osbourne, Birmingham England, rock singer (‘Crazy Train’, ‘Mama I’m Coming Home’, Black Sabbath-‘Paranoid’)/reality TV star (“The Osbournes” 2002-05)
1960 [64] Julianne Moore, Fayetteville NC, movie actress (“Boogie Nights”, “The Hours”, Oscar-“Still Alice”)/TV actress (“As the World Turns” 1985-88) COMING UP… “Echo Valley”
1960 [64] Daryl Hannah, Chicago IL, movie actress (“Splash”, “Steel Magnolias”)/married to Neil Young since 2018
1968 [56] Brendan Fraser, Indianapolis IN, movie actor (“The Mummy” films, “Encino Man”, Oscar-“The Whale”) COMING UP… “Pressure” 2025
1968 [56] Montell Jordan, Los Angeles CA, R&B singer (‘This Is How We Do It’)/music producer-songwriter (98 Degrees, Sisqó)/pastor at a Georgia church since 2010
1979 [45] Tiffany Haddish, Los Angeles CA, movie actress (“Girls Trip”, “The Kitchen”)/TV host (“Kids Say the Darndest Things” 2019-21)
1980 [44] Jenna Dewan, Hartford CT, movie actress (“Step Up”)/TV actress (“Witches of East End” 2013-14)/TV host (“World of Dance” 2017–2018)/married to Channing Tatum 2009-19
1982 [42] Dascha Polanco, Santo Domingo Dominican Republic, TV actress (‘Dayanara Diaz’ on “Orange Is the New Black” 2013-19)
1985 [39] Amanda Seyfried, Allentown PA, movie actress (“Mean Girls”, “Mamma Mia!”)/TV actress (“Big Love” 2006-11, “As the World Turns” 1999-2001)
THIS DAY IN SHOW BIZ . . .
1964 [60] The classic “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” TV special is first broadcast. (Wow! That claymation is SOOO lifelike, isn’t it?)
1994 [30] Adam Sandler performs ‘The Chanukah Song’ on “Saturday Night Live”, enlightening us to the fact that Harrison Ford, Paul Newman and David Lee Roth (among many others) are, in fact, Jewish.
TODAY’S MUSIC EVENTS . . .
2015 [09] Scott Weiland, (ex-Stone Temple Pilots and Velvet Revolver singer) dies at 48 of cardiac arrest on his tour bus in Bloomington MN, where his band The Wildabouts are scheduled to perform.
2019 [05] Spotify reports that Drake is the most-streamed star of the 2010s (28 billion streams), and Ed Sheeran’s ‘Shape of You’ is the most-streamed song (2.4 billion).
2023 [01] April Wine singer/songwriter/guitarist Myles Goodwyn dies at 75.
TODAY’S FIRSTS . . .
2005 [19] XCOR Aerospace makes the first manned rocket aircraft delivery of US Mail, in Kern County CA (“The mail’s here … incoming!”).
2010 [14] The ‘Leaf’, the first mass-market electric vehicle, is launched by Nissan.
TODAY’S RECORD . . .
1984 [40] The oldest-known bridegroom, 103-year-old ‘cradle-robber’ Harry Stevens, marries 83-year-old Thelma Lucas in Wisconsin.
BULL’S BITS
BS WHACK FACTS:
✓ Water temperature has no effect on soap’s ability to kill germs.
✓ The inventor of the Waffle Iron did not like waffles.
✓ Your heart rate can rise as much as 30% during a yawn.
✓ 7% of all the people who ever lived are currently alive.
✓ A tablet of Viagra placed in a vase can keep plants from wilting for an extra week.
✓ ‘Vodka’ is Russian for ‘little water’.
-BathroomReadersInstitute, ReadersDigest
Best of BS . . .
BS BAD WAYS TO BE AWAKENED:
• Police lights in your rear-view mirror.
• With your hand in a glass of warm water.
• With the words, “Mom, Dad…don’t be mad…”
• A bear growling outside your tent.
• Anything that wakes you before the alarm.
• The alarm.
• The words, “Get out! My wife’s home!”
• Before you go-go.
• By that sound your dog makes just before you need to clean the carpet.
• With the realization that it is Monday.
• Actually, any way of waking is bad.
-Twitter, first published in BS in 2018
BS PRODUCT INSTRUCTIONS YOU’LL NEVER SEE:
• “For a quick start, just plug it in and turn it on. Read directions later at your leisure.”
• “One heavy thick layer will work better than several thin layers applied over time.”
• “To service this unit without removing the back, insert 2 fingers in the holes marked ‘Maintenance’ and pull.”
• “This material can be applied in any weather conditions.”
• “Breathing the vapors from this fluid is harmless and may result in a feeling of increased energy.”
• “Avoid wearing safety glasses that may hinder visibility.”
• “If you are in doubt as to whether the outlet is properly grounded, try different wiring combinations or modify the plug to fit.”
• “After applying, tools need not be cleaned since material will disintegrate in an hour.”
• “Parts and accessories approved by the manufacturer may be more expensive and no more effective than second-party parts.”
• “Unlimited Warranty: We guarantee this product to be free of defects in material and workmanship, missing features, and annoying characteristics.”
• “If part will not fit easily, apply force with a large blunt instrument.”
• “Extra batteries included.”
-First published in BS in 2019
BS WEB GOODIE:
Communication is key: https://tinyurl.com/2vudsf3f
BS RANDOM JOKE:
Shopping is an art. I am an artist. Respect, please.
BS PHONE STARTER:
☎ What invention doesn’t get a lot of love, but has greatly improved the world?
BS WATER COOLER QUESTION:
A survey asked kids ages 5-8 “Who in the family do you think deserves Christmas presents the most?” The #1 answer was ‘Mom’. Who was #2?
Answer: ‘Myself’!
BS DEEP THOUGHT:
If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.