Tuesday, December 14, 2021 – Edition: #7128

The Sheet Hits the Fans!

BS SHOW BIZ BUZZ:
★ The Peloton company put out a ‘damage control’ ad on Sunday, responding to a scene in the new show “And Just Like That…” where a character dies using its product. The commercial features Chris Noth — the actor behind the ‘Mr. Big’ character, who died in the show — saying he feels great and asking if he should “take another ride.” Narration, voiced by Ryan Reynolds, points out: “He’s alive.” The home-fitness company said last week that it didn’t realize its product would be used as prop that led to the death of Mr. Big in the series, which is a follow-up to “Sex and the City.” Peloton Shares fell 5.4% on Friday, the day after “And Just Like That…” premiered.
-Bloomberg
★ Betty White was trending once again on the weekend, and fortunately, once again it was for good news. There is a new book about the actor’s long and storied career out now in honor of her 100th birthday next month. “Betty White: 100 Remarkable Moments in an Extraordinary Life”, was written by Ray Richmond and is available in print and digital formats. White will turn 100 on Jan. 17.
-PopCulture
★ If you’re still holding out hope for another “Mrs. Doubtfire” movie, it might be time to move on. Director Chris Columbus was asked about the prospect of a sequel to the 1993 Robin Williams hit, and he wasn’t optimistic, saying: “It’s impossible. It’s just impossible,” referring to the difficulty of filling the late actor’s shoes. Before his death in 2014, plans were in motion for a possible sequel, starring Williams.
-MSN
★ Customers visiting the drive-thru at a Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers restaurant in South Carolina were surprised when they got to the window and saw a famous face staring back at them. Actor and comedian Chevy Chase decided to help out in the restaurant’s kitchen during a recent trip. He was in town for a screening of his classic holiday movie “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation.” During his visit to the restaurant, Chase took orders at the drive-thru window and joked around with customers.
-Yahoo

TODAY’S SHOW BIZ SKED:
• “Jimmy Kimmel Live” (ABC/Global): RuPaul, Milky Chance
• “The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon” (NBC/CTV): Matthew McConaughey, Alana Haim, Niko Moon
• “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” (CBS/Global): Henry Cavill, Jonathan Groff
• “Late Night with Seth Meyers” (NBC/CTV): Will Forte, David Baddiel, Joe Russo
• “The Late Late Show with James Corden” (CBS/CTV): Dwyane Wade, Tessa Thompson, Andrew Michaan
• “Watch What Happens Live” (Bravo): Katie Maloney-Schwartz, Scheana Shay, Brock Davies
• “The View” (ABC/CTV): Letitia James, guest co-host Amanda Carpenter
• “The Talk” (CBS): Sebastian Maniscalco, Katheryn Winnick
• “Live with Kelly and Ryan” (ABC/CTV): Henry Cavill, Melba Wilson, guest co-host Mark Consuelos
• “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” (NBC/CTV): Scarlett Johansson, Bono
• “The Kelly Clarkson Show” (Check local listings): Zachary Levi, Kurt & Brenda Warner, Marie Osmond
• “The Drew Barrymore Show” (Check local listings): Kristin Davis, Gayle King
• “The Voice” (NBC): Live Finale, Part 2
• “I Can See Your Voice” (FOX): Season 2 premiere. Celebrity panelists Paula Abdul and Nicole Byer, and singer Debbie Gibson help a contestant tell the difference between good and bad singers, without ever hearing them sing a note.
• “The Murders at Starved Rock” (HBO): Series premiere. In 1960, 3 women were murdered in La Salle County, IL. After spending 60 years in prison, Chester Weger seeks to clear his name.
• “Ghosts of Christmas Past” (LIFETIME): Ellie, a serial “ghoster” on dating apps, is told by a fortune teller she must make amends with all those she ghosted before Christmas, or she will never find true love.

BS MUSIC NOTES:
• Megan Thee Stallion — walked across the stage as a health administration graduate from Texas Southern University on Saturday. She told People last year that she wanted to earn her degree to honor her mother who, died in 2019, and she plans to one day run her own assisted living facility.
• Drake – His candle company Better World Fragrance House dropped a new limited edition holiday scent called ‘Winter Warmth’. It is described as a “fruity, cozy” experience made possible by the combined essences of fresh mint, apples, and soft musk notes.
• Travis Scott — has been removed from the Coachella lineup. After the tragedy which occurred at his own Astroworld festival in November, a Change.org petition was started, demanding his removal from Coachella. The petition has gathered over 60,000 signatures.
• ABBA – recently received their first-ever Grammy nomination, in the Record of the Year category, for ‘I Still Have Faith in You’, and the group couldn’t resist a joke. In a statement, they wrote: “A Grammy should be mandatory for those who dare leave 40 years between album releases. We suggest a new category.” ABBA’s new album “Voyage” recently went platinum.
• Nirvana – Kurt Cobain’s childhood home is for sale. The 4-bedroom, 2-bathroom home in Montesano, Washington, built in 2908, is listed for $279,900. It is located about 11 miles from Cobain’s original hometown of Aberdeen.
• Foo Fighters — called off their Sunday concert at the Formula One race in Abu Dhabi due to “unforeseen medical circumstances”, according to event organizers. No further details were given, other than to say that the group was “unable to travel”.
• Bryan Adams – has released the new single ‘Kick Ass’. The song, which features a spoken word introduction from Monty Python star John Cleese, will appear on Adams’ album “So Happy It Hurts”, out March 11. Kick Ass was co-written by Mutt Lange, who has worked with Adams on a number of successful projects, including 1991’s “Waking Up The Neighbours” album. LINK:  https://tinyurl.com/4t2z78tv
• Mitchell Tenpenny – He and fiancée Meghan Patrick have released a video for their Christmas duet ‘I Hope it Snows’, and it shows some of their real-life holiday memories. The video — which was shot in a cabin in Nashville — starts with Patrick leafing through a photo album filled with adorable kid pics of the 2 of them. LINK: https://tinyurl.com/3apdfy4f
• Lauren Alaina – has announced her 2022 “Top Of The World” tour. It is scheduled to start in Silver Springs, MD on Feb. 24, and run through April 15 (as of now) in Charleston, SC.
• Trace Adkins – has recorded a cover of Hank Williams’ ‘A Country Boy Can Survive’, which will be used as the first single from the upcoming country-themed Fox drama “Monarch”, which Adkins stars in. Monarch will premiere on Jan. 30. LINK: https://tinyurl.com/48v6acdn

SHOOTING THE BULL

EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD HAS ONE – JUST NOT QUITE TO THIS EXTENT:
Clark Griswold has nothing on the Gay family of Lagrangeville, New York. Actually, NO ONE does. They just broke the world record for the most Christmas lights on a private residence, a record they already held after setting it in 2014 with 601,736 lights. This year, they have put up almost 700,000 lights, and they expect to raise $500K for charity through their stunt. They ask visitors to make a donation, with the bulk of the money going to support the local fire department. The Gay family’s tradition of, er, overdecorating began in 1995 when a daughter was born and they hung 600 Christmas lights to celebrate. Then some more. And more. And before they knew it, they held the world record for the most Christmas lights ever. For those who need to know, this year’s Christmas display features exactly 686,526 lights. LINK: https://tinyurl.com/5e2k9ber
(Wait. 686,525…now it’s 524…oh, that one’s blinking. 523…524…now it’s 523 again…)
(We’re sure the fire department appreciates the support. After all, they have to be on standby around there every year!)
(If you’d like directions, drive to Buffalo and follow the lights…)
-BroBible

WHO’S WISE?
Researchers from the University of California have come up with a new 7-point quiz which they say can be used to determine if you are “wise”. For each of the 7 statements, participants are asked to rate on a scale of 1-5 how strongly they agree or disagree. Here they are:
• “I remain calm under pressure.”
• “I avoid situations where I know my help will be needed.”
• “I often don’t know what to tell people when they come to me for advice.”
• “I tend to postpone making major decisions as long as I can.”
• “I avoid self-reflection.”
• “I enjoy being exposed to diverse viewpoints.”
• “My spiritual belief gives me inner strength.”
The study authors say their questions can also be used to measure well-being accurately, which studies show has a strong connection to wisdom. No word on exactly how they scored respondent’s answers.
(Oh yeah? My wife can tell me if I’m wise without answering ANY questions!)
(I’m wise enough to know that I don’t need a test to tell me that I’m not!)
(They forgot #8: “Are you, or are you not a consultant?”)
-StudyFinds

‘SUP, DOG?
The average dog understands 89 words and phrases, but some know more than 200, according to research from Dalhousie University in Halifax, NS.  The team surveyed 165 dog owners of a variety of breeds. Owners reported on the different words and phrases their pets appear to understand. The study found that common commands are among the words a dog is most likely to know, including “sit,” “come,” “down,” “stay,” “wait,” “no,” “OK,” and “leave it.” Several of the dogs also understand food-related words like “treat,” “breakfast,” and “dinner,” and playful words like “ball” and “squirrel.” The researchers also note that the one word dogs most frequently respond to is their own name.
(And if YOUR dog is nearby, my apologies, because I’ve probably just caused it all kinds of confusion!)
(Still, knowing 89 words is pretty good for something that tends to eat homework!)
(What odd or awesome phrase have you seen a dog respond to?)
-StudyFinds

MORE MYTHBUSTING:
(“Facts” that just ain’t…)
✗Eating carrots improves your vision: This idea was invented by the British government to spread misinformation and hide the existence of their radar systems during WW2. The Ministry told newspapers that eating an excess of carrots was the reason for their fighter pilots’ success.
✗ Dogs and cats age 7 years for each human year: It may be somewhat true for cats, but is very inaccurate for dogs. For dogs, it’s dependent on size and breed, as different breeds have very different life expectancies. For dogs and cats, a lot of aging happens in the first 2 years – much more than the “14 human years” the 7-year rule would suggest.
✗ Phil Collins wrote the song ‘In the Air Tonight’ after witnessing someone drown and wanting to confront an onlooker who could’ve stopped it: It’s an urban legend. He wrote it about his divorce.
✗Ah, the beautiful yellow sun: Oh, wait a minute. It’s not yellow at all. It’s actually white, which you can tell from space. It appears yellow because we’re looking at it through the atmosphere.
✗ People’s hair and fingernails continue to grow after they die: Nope, but skin around fingernails and hair follicles dry up and retract, which can make stubble and nails appear to have grown. (It’s still creepy…)
-BuzzFeed

DID YOU KNOW?
To keep bread fresh, add a fresh celery stick to the plastic bread bag and leave it overnight. The loaf will absorb humidity from the celery, giving it a fresher taste and ‘bounce’. Since celery doesn’t have a strong flavor, it won’t affect the taste of the bread.
-IntelligenceforYourLife

BS CHRONOMETER 12.14.21

TODAY’S CELEBIRTHDAYS . . .
1949 [72] Cliff Williams, Romford UK, un-retired rock bassist (AC/DC-‘Thunderstruck’, ‘You Shook Me All Night Long’)/Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, 2003

1984 [37] Jackson Rathbone, Singapore, movie actor (“Twilight” franchise)

1988 [33] Vanessa Hudgens, Salinas CA, movie actress (“High School Musical” movies, “Thirteen”)/pop singer (w/ Drew Seeley & Zac Efron-‘Breaking Free’)

1992 [29] Tori Kelly, Wildomar CA, singer-songwriter (‘Should’ve Been Us’, ‘Nobody Love’)

1991 [30] Offset [Kiari Cephus], Lawrenceville GA, rapper (Migos ft. Lil Uzi Vert-‘Bad and Boujee’/married to Cardi B since 2017

TODAY’S BS REASONS TO PARTY . . .
• “Bouillabaisse Day”, a day to throw some shellfish in a pot with some finely-chopped onion, celery, and tomato; a little white wine, a little MORE white wine; and a whole mess of garlic. Nummers, instant heaven!
• “International Monkey Day”, to raise awareness about monkey issues, monkeys in the news, and ways you can help monkeys . . . apes and other primates included (Did you know humans eat more bananas than monkeys? It’s true, although monkeys are more filling…!)
• “Roast Chestnuts Day”, when we’re encouraged to actually do what we all sing about at this time of year: “Chestnuts roasting on an open fire…”. They go great with a cup of hot chocolate!
• “Halcyon Days” begin, the 7 days before and the 7 days after the Winter Solstice that are traditionally thought to be a time of ‘calm and tranquility’. (Uh, maybe at YOUR house…)
• “Free Shipping Day”, another day dedicated to shopping. Today, thousands of online retailers, both large and small, offer free shipping and guarantee your items by Christmas Eve. https://www.freeshippingday.com/

AND REMEMBER . . .
[Wed] Cat Herders’ Day
[Wed] International Tea Day
[Thurs] Stupid Toy Day
[Thurs] Chocolate Covered Anything Day

THIS DAY IN SHOW BIZ . . .
1977 [44] At the peak of the disco era, the film “Saturday Night Fever” opens in theaters. The soundtrack contains the Bee Gees’ #1 hits ‘Stayin’ Alive’ and ‘Night Fever’, among others

2017 [04] The Walt Disney Company buys most of 21st Century Fox for $52.4 billion

2019 [02] The Bel Air mansion featured in the TV’s “The Beverly Hillbillies” sells for $150 million, becoming California’s most expensive property

TODAY’S MUSIC EVENTS . . .
1978 [43] Billy Joel plays Madison Square Garden for the first time, which he considered a “temple” while growing up. He later becomes the first musical act to hold residency there.

2012 [09] A stalker is arrested outside Taylor Swift’s home and charged with trespassing (he claims he’s been in touch with her via social media and is planning to surprise her for her birthday)

CATCH OF THE DAY:
2003 [18] US President George W. Bush announces the capture of Iraqi President Saddam Hussein

TODAY’S FIRST . . .
2016 [05] Amazon announces its first delivery by drone, 2 km from their warehouse in the UK

TODAY’S RECORD . . .
2004 [17] The Millau Viaduct, the “Tallest Bridge in the World” (343m/1,125 ft) is inaugurated near Millau, France

BULL’S BITS

BS WHACK FACTS:
✓ In the average film, male actors utter 10 times as many profanities as female actors.
✓ Even bloodhounds cannot smell the difference between 2 identical twins.
✓ Cows get hairballs.
✓ In virtually every language, the word for “mother” begins with the letter ‘m’.
✓ The Statue of Liberty’s waist size is 35 – feet.
✓ Google’s original name was “BackRub”.
-BathroomReadersInstitute

Best of BS . . .
BS MODERNIZE A CAROL:
• “We Tweet You a Merry Christmas”
• “Pimp the Hallz”
• “Angels We Have Heard While High”
• “Joy To the World Wide Web”
• “I Saw Mommy Kissing Mrs. Claus”
• “Groot King Wenceslas”
• “Deck the Halls With Boughs of Pre-lit Holly Made From Durable Poly-carbon Fiber and Powered by 3 Lithium Batteries, Also Comes With an Alternate USB Plug for Power – fa-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la”
• “We Three Queens”
• “Have Yourself a Merry Little Holiday”
• “Silent Meh”
• “Baby, It’s Cold Outside. Too Bad You Gotta Go Before I Get Accused of Something”
-Twitter, first published in BS in 2018

TODAY’S SCOOP OF BS:
➠ Megan Thee Stallion has released a new fragrance with Revlon. (It’s called: “Hey, My Eyes Are Up Here”.)
➠ “Clifford The Big Red Dog” is getting a sequel from Paramount. (It picks up where the last one ended: you swearing to never sit through another Clifford The Big Red Dog movie.)
➠ New York City FC just won the MLS Cup Championship. (Police were able to keep residents from rioting . . . because nobody cared.)
➠ You can now make a political donation using your Alexa device. (Finally! I can support a member of the federal government with the same device they are listening to me on!)
➠ Steve Buscemi turned 64 yesterday. (He tried to eat the whole birthday cake, but couldn’t finish it . . . because his eyes are, literally, bigger than his stomach.)

BS WEB GOODIE:
Have a happy day:   https://tinyurl.com/33tcssw6

BS RANDOM JOKE:
If the early bird gets the worm, how do good things come to those who wait?

BS PHONE STARTER:
What living person, other than family members, do you most admire?

BS WATER COOLER QUESTION:
Question:  Apparently, 48 is the average age a person stops caring about THIS. What is it?
Answer:  Their cell phone

BS DEEP THOUGHT:
Worrying is like paying a debt you don’t owe.