Wednesday, December 11, 2024 — Edition: #7854

Don’t Take Any Sheet, Unless It’s Pure Bull!

 

BS SHOW BIZ BUZZ:
[***UPDATE***] ★ Megan Fox and Machine Gun Kelly have split, just months before the arrival of their baby, TMZ is reporting. The outlet quotes a source as saying that the 2 ended things over Thanksgiving weekend while they were together in Vail, Colorado. The reason for their split is that Fox apparently found something on MGK’s phone that was upsetting, and it made her ask him to leave the trip early. TMZ says he departed, and the former couple hasn’t seen one another since then, and are not together at this time. Their baby is due in March.
-TMZ
★ Spoiler alert! Jamie Foxx has finally revealed that his mystery hospitalization last year was due to a “brain bleed that … led to a stroke.” He tearfully revealed his diagnosis on his Tuesday Netflix special, “Jamie Foxx: What Had Happened Was…” The 56-year-old comedian wiped his eyes while telling the emotional story to the audience, saying, “Please, Lord, let me get through this.” He said that after suffering a “bad headache”, his sister took him to hospital, where he said the “angel” staff “saved [his] life” and “put [him] back together again.” He explained that a doctor told his sister: “If I don’t go in his head right now, we’re going to lose him.’” When Foxx came to 20 days later, he was in a wheelchair.
-PageSix
★ Beyoncé’s mother is making it clear she hasn’t weighed in on her son-in-law Jay-Z’s legal woes. She posted to Instagram after reports began pointing out that the Knowles matriarch “liked” a post detailing the rape allegation made against Jay-Z and Diddy in a recent lawsuit. In her post, Knowles wrote that she was not the person who liked the news post — she was “hacked” prior to the social media activity. She continued, saying: “As you all know, I do not play about my family. So if you see something uncharacteristic of me. Just know that it is not me!” Jay-Z has called the lawsuit “heinous” and “a blackmail attempt.”
-YMZ
★ Break out the bubbly: CNN has officially confirmed that Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen will return as co-hosts of “New Year’s Eve Live”. The show will feature performances by Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson (live from his residency in Las Vegas), Sting, Meghan Trainor, Shania Twain, Diplo, Lil Jon, Mickey Guyton and Patti LaBelle. Special guests will include Whitney Cummings, Amy Sedaris, Sasheer Zamata, Ziwe and Adam Devine. CNN’s New Year’s Eve Live will begin at 8pm ET on Dec. 31, from New York City’s Times Square.
-TVLine
★ Kate Middleton is in the running for Time Magazine’s annual “Person of the Year” title. The Princess of Wales is on the shortlist after she “made international headlines this year and stirred a conversation about privacy and health for public figures,” the magazine wrote. Other notables on Time’s shortlist include US Vice-President Kamala Harris, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, podcaster Joe Rogan, as well as Elon Musk, Donald Trump, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Russian economist Yulia Navalnaya. The announcement was made on the “Today” show. The winner will be announced tomorrow morning.
-PageSix
★ Chock Chapple already has the key to Joan Vassos’ heart. Now, the “Golder Bachelorette” stars just need an apartment in New York City. And according to Vassos, they may have found one. She told E! News: “We have a realtor in New York, and she sent us a video of her going through the apartment and it looks great. So, we’re hoping it’s done.” Like any couple, they each had different items on their ‘new home’ wish lists. Chapple wanted a smoking patio where he could enjoy a cigar with friends, and Vassos was looking for a spacious closet. She said that she wants him to have his patio, “But if we find a great place that doesn’t have one, the walk-in closet wins.”
-E!

TODAY’S SHOW BIZ SKED:
• “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” (ABC/Global): Nikki Glaser, Nicholas Hoult, cast of Broadway’s “The Outsiders”
• “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” (NBC/CTV): Ray Romano
• “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert” (CBS/Global): Dua Lipa, Jon Batiste
• “After Midnight” (CBS/Global): Nico Santos, Ben Feldman, Franchesca Ramsey
• “Late Night With Seth Meyers” (NBC/CTV): Eddie Redmayne, Kyle Mooney
• “Watch What Happens Live” (Bravo): Heather Gay, Britani Bateman
• “The Daily Show” (COM): T.J. English, host Michael Kosta
• “The View” (ABC/CTV): Bill Clinton
• “The Talk” (CBS): Kathy Bates
• “Live With Kelly and Mark” (ABC/CTV): Ray Romano, Sharon Horgan, Garfunkel & Garfunkel
• “The Kelly Clarkson Show” (Check local listings): 50 Cent, Suki Waterhouse
• “The Drew Barrymore Show” (Check local listings): Janelle James, Nini Nguyen, Matt Rife
• “The Jennifer Hudson Show” (Check local listings): Halle Bailey, Smokey Robinson
• “Survivor” (CBS): Castaways do damage control after Operation Italy’s success; one tries spying to get some key information.
• “The Masked Singer” (Fox): Semi-Finals: The Final Three
• “The Floor” (Fox): The final 16 players enter the home stretch.
• “A Motown Christmas” (NBC): Performers include Ashanti, Jamie Foxx, Jojo, Gladys Knight, MGK, Pentatonix, Jordin Sparks, The Temptations. Hosted by Smokey Robinson and Halle Bailey.

BS MUSIC NOTES:
• Taylor Swift – People reports that she gifted the members of her tour crew with bonuses of $197,000, to thank them for their hard work during her record-breaking “Eras” tour. The tour, which lasted from March 2023 up until last weekend, attracted 10.1 million fans to 149 shows, and grossed just under $2.1 billion in ticket sales alone. (She probably sold some merch, too!)
• Miley Cyrus – has bought the dress she wore while performing ‘Flowers’ at the 2024 Grammy Awards. Before it could be sold along with a number of other Bob Mackie designs via Julien’s Auctions, Cyrus managed to acquire the dress, with a charitable donation part of the deal. Miley quote: “This performance was a pivotal moment in my life.”
• Sabrina Carpenter — has introduced a new scent to her line of signature fragrances: Me Espresso Eau de Parfum. It supposedly combines cocoa powder and espresso beans with jasmine and vanilla orchid, with scents of biscotti, caramel drizzle, amber and whipped cream. She wrote on IG: “This one has become my new staple and obsession.” LINK: https://tinyurl.com/3jsskhm2
• Guns N’ Roses – has announced the 2025 “Because What You Want and What You Get Are Two Completely Different Things” tour. It starts May 23 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, marking the band’s first performance in that country. The tour is currently scheduled to wrap on July 31 at Wacken Open Air festival in Germany. No North American dates, so far. LINK: https://www.gunsnroses.com/tour
• Rush – guitarist Alex Lifeson joined forces with Barenaked Ladies to close out the annual Andy Kim Christmas Show at Toronto’s Massey Hall. The Canadian stars teamed up on a Christmas medley that included the festive classic ‘Santa Claus is Coming to Town’ played to the tune of Black Sabbath’s ‘War Pigs’, plus a lively romp through José Feliciano’s ‘Feliz Navidad’. LINK: https://tinyurl.com/hr7zd9sk
• Shaboozey – ‘A Bar Song (Tipsy)’ has tied Morgan Wallen’s ‘Last Night’ for the longest reign atop the Hot Country Songs chart by a male this decade, at 25 weeks. Only Gabby Barrett’s ‘I Hope’ has been at #1 longer in the 2020s, with 27 weeks.
• Keith Urban – has announced he is hitting the road for the first time in 3 years. The “High and Alive World Tour” starts May 22 in Orange Beach AL, and runs through Oct. 17 in Nashville. Chase Matthew, Alana Springsteen and Karley Scott Collins will open. Tickets go on sale Friday. LINK: https://tinyurl.com/2jfb9axn
• Morgan Wallen – has been AWOL since he skipped the CMA Awards 3 weeks ago, and won Entertainer of the Year in absentia. Now, he has sent a mysterious video message to those who bought concert tickets. In it, he says: “I just wanted to say thank you personally…and let you know I’m taking a little bit of time for myself, but I’m working also. “I can’t wait to get back out there and see y’all at some point next year.” LINK: https://tinyurl.com/4kdyc2vh

SHOOTING THE BULL

GIFT GIVING GUIDE:
Here’s a great way to help decide what to buy for the people on your Christmas list: Ask yourself, “Is this something the person wants – or is it something you want to give them”? According to a psychologist, the best gifters are those who are able to leave their ego at the door. Julian Givi, who is also a marketing expert, who has been studying gifting practices for a decade, says people tend to prefer presents they’ve asked for, rather than surprises. That means we should go the straightforward route, and get them what they’ve asked for – or hinted about. Givi also says that you shouldn’t be afraid to give a partial gift, for example, FOUR nice dinner plates out of the EIGHT the person asked for. Other gifting suggestions include: Giving experiences (like vacations or massages), sacrificing using fancy gift wrap so you can splurge on the main attraction, and giving sentimental presents rather than clothes or gadgets for those closest to you.
(…and if you’re still stuck, remember this: Everyone loves an Amazon gift card!)
(With a name like that, this guy should know! Can we call him the “Gift Givi Guy”?)
-MorningBrew, ScienceNews

DOES THIS STRIKE A CHORD?
What does your “Spotify Wrapped” or “Apple Music Replay” report say about you? A new study suggests that there’s a lot more to our musical preferences than just enjoying a catchy melody, or an awesome beat. Research published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology indicates that your musical preferences aren’t random – they’re probably influenced by how closely the artist’s public persona matches your own. Through 3 interconnected studies, the analysis of data found strong correlations between listeners’ self-reported personality traits and how they viewed their favorite musicians’ personalities. This effect remained significant even after accounting for other factors like age, gender, and preferred musical styles. The researchers concluded that just as we tend to form friendships with people who share our personality traits, our musical preferences might act as a subtle signal of our psychological makeup – and serve to help us find our social tribe.
(Interesting. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to go home and encourage my daughter to start listening to singers who don’t walk around half-naked!)
(Seems this would also explain why all the Korn fans used to get together and beat me up in highschool!)
-StudyFinds

ON THE (BASE)BALL:
⇒ Juan Soto has signed the richest contract — not just in baseball — but in professional sports history. The 26-year-old former Yankees outfielder has agreed to a 15-year, $765 million deal with the New York Mets. That works out to $51 million per year, (almost $315K per game), and handily surpasses the 10-year, $700 million contract Shohei Ohtani got from the LA Dodgers last year. Also, Soto’s deal does not include any deferred cash, unlike Ohtani, who won’t get 97% of his money for a decade. (Plus, Soto is moving from the Yankees to the Mets – so no moving expenses!)
⇒ Baseball fans are fiercely debating a potential rule change. While still hypothetical, the idea is gaining momentum, and would drastically alter the sport. Named the “Golden At-Bat”, it would allow managers to send their best hitter to the plate at any time once during a game, as a way of ramping up the drama. MLB commissioner Rob Manfred has confirmed that conversations about the Golden At-Bat have taken place, but that they were “very preliminary” in nature. (Don’t you hate it when you’re called up to bat – and you’re standing on first base?)
-MorningBrew, ESPN

SPENDING LESS ON GIFTS:
Money is tight for many, and while cutting back on holiday spending is the last thing you want to do, it might be a necessity. Here are some ways to celebrate Christmas without breaking the bank…
☆ Send e-cards instead of print cards, or make homemade cards with materials you already have.
☆ Visit thrift and discount stores for low prices on clothes, DVDs, electronics, kitchen appliances, cookware, unique mugs, furniture, toys and books. (You might find a “gem” that your recipient loves…and never would have known about!)
☆ Dollar stores have many of those same items, plus candles and makeup. With those, you can create small, hobby-related gift baskets. (Plus: Cheap chocolate!)
☆ Give gifts of service, like an offer to shovel snow, run their errands or shop online for them.
☆ Try your hand at one of the hundreds of homemade gift ideas available online, including candles, dry soup or hot cocoa mixes in jars or sugar scrubs.
☆ Host a Secret Santa gift exchange. This way, each person focuses on just one person, instead of everyone.
☆ If you have children, try the ‘4 gift rule’. Tell them they can have just 4 presents: something they want, something they need, something to wear and something to read.
☆ Go retro by crafting a book of homemade coupons redeemable for favors or experiences the receivers care about. (Sorry. I just got REALLY distracted there . . .!)
-CNN

DID YOU KNOW?
Your morning coffee could be doing more than just jolting you awake — it might actually be adding years to your life. A new scientific review suggests that regular coffee consumption could extend your healthy lifespan by nearly 2 years, challenging long-held beliefs about coffee’s impact on aging. Researchers in Portugal examined over 50 previous studies, and determined that moderate coffee drinking could be a simple yet effective way to support healthy aging. The research suggests that coffee may help reduce the risk of several chronic diseases, including cardiovascular issues, cancer, respiratory diseases, and cognitive decline. The benefit appears to be equally powerful among both women and men. (If by “moderate”, they mean “holds a cup at all times except when asleep”, then I’m gonna live forever!)
-StudyFinds

BS CHRONOMETER 12.11.24

TODAY’S BS REASONS TO PARTY . . .
• “National App Day”. “App” was named word of the year in 2010 by the American Dialect Society. Apps have changed how we work, live and play. They have created thousands of new companies, millions of new jobs and billions of dollars in revenue (and a lot of bad puns…)
• “National Noodle Ring Day”. A noodle ring is, rather predictably, made from noodles – especially flat, tagliatelle type egg noodles. It’s made using a ring mold, or a Bundt tray, with ingredients including cheese, eggs, and flour, along with the noodles.
• “Holiday Food Drive for Needy Animals Day”, focusing on collecting animal food to bring to shelters and humane societies. Food such as dry and wet cat food, as well as treats, can also be directly donated to organizations. (They’d probably be happy to receive cat litter, too!) LINK: https://tinyurl.com/vx3vy43e
• “UNICEF Birthday”, the anniversary of the creation of UNICEF in 1946. What does it stand for? “The United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund”.
• “International Mountain Day”, first declared by the UN in 2002 to draw attention to the important role that mountainous regions play in our water and food supply. (OK…but why?)
• “Have a Bagel Day”. Here are 5 things to know about the Bagel:
– The bagel originated in Poland and it was designed for Lent.
– Its name derives from the Yiddish word ‘bengal’, meaning ‘ring’ or ‘bracelet’. Immigrant Polish-Jews brought the bagel to the United States.
– The hole in the center is for multiple bagels to be threaded onto a dowel, which allows bakers to transport them more easily. (And allows melted peanut butter to leak onto your hand more easily…)
– Automated production and distribution of frozen bagels started in the 1960s with bagel bakers Harry Lender, Murray Lender, and Florence Sender.
• Stretching Day”. Stretching is essential to fitness and leading a healthy lifestyle. Flexibility is also known to improve a person’s overall well-being. While stretching exercises are certainly helpful, this day is dedicated to educating people on the benefits of practitioner-assisted stretching. (I’ve been a dedicated believer in stretching my waistband for some time now!)
AND REMEMBER . . .
[Thurs] Sound Check Day
[Thurs] Ding-a-Ling Day
[Fri] Ice Cream Day
[Sat] Free Shipping Day
This Week Is…Lager Beer Week
This Month Is…Write a Business Plan Month

TODAY’S CELEBIRTHDAYS . . .
1944 [80] Brenda Lee (Tarpley), Atlanta GA, country-pop singer (‘Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree’, ‘I’m Sorry’)/oldest to top the Billboard Hot 100, in 2023 at age 78 with ‘Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree’)

1954 [70] Jermaine Jackson, Gary IN, pop singer-bassist (‘Let’s Get Serious’, w/The Jackson 5-‘ABC’, ‘I Want You Back’)/brother of Michael and Janet Jackson

1958 [66] Nikki Sixx (Frank Ferranna), San Jose CA, rock bassist (Mötley Crüe-‘Dr. Feelgood’, ‘Home Sweet Home’, Sixx:A.M.-‘Lies of the Beautiful People’)

1961 [63] Darryl Jones, Chicago IL, rock bassist (Rolling Stones since 1993-‘Love is Strong’, ‘Anybody Seen My Baby’, also played with Miles Davis and Sting)

1967 [57] Mo’Nique (Imes), Baltimore MD, comedian-movie actress (Oscar-“Precious”, “The Deliverance”)/TV actress (“The Parkers” 1999-2004)

1981 [43] Zacky Vengeance (Baker), Olympia WA, metal guitarist-vocalist (Avenged Sevenfold-‘So Far Away’, ‘Buried Alive’)

1984 [40] Xosha Roquemore, LA CA, TV actress (‘Tamra’ on “The Mindy Project” 2013-17)/movie actress (“The Butler”, “Precious”) COMING UP… “Captain America: Brave New World” 2025

1986 [38] Karla Souza, Mexico City Mexico, TV actress (‘Laurel Castillo’ on “How to Get Away With Murder” 2014-20, “Home Economics” 2021-23)

1996 [28] Hailee Steinfeld, LA CA, movie actress (“Pitch Perfect 2″, “True Grit”)/pop singer (‘Starving’)/TV personality (advisor on “The Voice” 2015-18) COMING UP… “Sinners” 2025

THIS DAY IN SHOW BIZ . . .
2005 [19] Matt Damon marries Argentine-born Luciana Barrosa at the Manhattan Marriage Bureau in New York.

2014 [10] The number of Instagram monthly users overtakes Twitter, 300 million+ to 284 million. (Today: Insta – 2.35 billion, Twitter [now “X”] – 611 million)

THIS DAY IN MUSIC . . .
2006 [18] ‘All I Want For Christmas Is You’ by Mariah Carey becomes the first ringtone certified Gold for sales of over 500,000.

2023 [01] Taylor Swift’s “Eras” tour becomes the first to gross over $1 billion, hitting the mark in the first 60 shows. The previous record holder was Elton John’s “Farewell Yellow Brick Road” tour, which took in $939 million in 328 shows from 2018-2023. (Swift’s tour, which ended Dec. 7 2024, is estimated to have grossed over $2 billion.)

TODAY’S RECORD . . .
2017 [07] 997 students, staff and parents gather at West Byford Primary School, setting the world record for the ‘Largest gathering of people dressed as Harry Potter’.

BULL’S BITS

BS WHACK FACTS:
✓ The Atlantic Ocean grows an inch wider every year. The Pacific shrinks an inch.
✓ A cloud weighs an average of about 1 million pounds (453,592kg).
✓ In one teaspoon of soil, there are more microorganisms than there are people on Earth.
✓ A soap bubble is 10,000 times thinner than a human hair.
✓ If you’re average, you’ll have about 1,400 dreams this year.
✓ A little gross, but also funny: Lobsters pee out of their faces. And even more interesting, they do this as a way of attracting a mate.
-BathroomReadersInstitute, ReadersDigest

Best of BS . . .
BS PICKY PEOPLE COMPLAINTS:
• “This fireplace is too cozy.”
• “There’s too much cheese on my cheese pizza.”
• “This sunset is too orange.”
• “You didn’t iron my socks.”
• “This million dollars is too heavy.”
• “White asparagus doesn’t make my pee smell funny!”
• “I can’t find anything to complain about!”
• The toilet paper roll. Really.
• Wishing me “Merry Christmas” is offensive.
• This list should have been called “Complaints of Picky People.”
-Twitter, first published in BS in 2018

MORE APPROPRIATE ALTERNATIVE NAMES FOR EGG NOG:
• Christmas Cream
• Eggs: The Drink
• Congealed Dairy Product
• Alcoholic Egg Goop
• Beige Sugar Milk
• Drinkable Egg Syrup
• Holiday Chicken-Baby Refreshment
• Caloric Egg Slurry
• Melted Ice Cream With a Bonus of Raw Eggs
• Try-Not-to-Think-About-It-Too-Much Egg Cocktail
-Adapted from BuzzFeed, first published in BS in 2014

BS WEB GOODIE:
Leaving after last call?   https://tinyurl.com/yf7vskny

BS RANDOM JOKE:
Today’s advice: Sing Christmas songs at work until they send you home.

MORE BS CHRISTMAS SONG TRIVIA:
Sometimes, it seems like every artist does their own version of every classic Christmas song. But whose version is listened to the most? We’ll give you a Christmas song, and you name the artist with the most popular recording…
1. ‘Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas’ [ANSWER: Michael Bublé]
2. ‘Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree’ [Brenda Lee]
3. ‘White Christmas’ [Bing Crosby]
4. ‘Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town’ [Jackson 5]
5. ‘Jingle Bells’ [Frank Sinatra]
6. ‘Santa Baby’ [Eartha Kitt]
-MorningBrew

☎ BS PHONE STARTER:
What’s the craziest thing you’ve overheard someone say on their phone?

BS WATER COOLER QUESTION:
According to experts, one of THESE should last at least 6 seconds. What is it?
Answer:  A hug

BS DEEP THOUGHT:
Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times, if one remembers to turn on the light.