Monday, December 13, 2021 – Edition: #7127
Sheet Happens!
BS SHOW BIZ BUZZ:
★ Anne Rice, author of the best-selling “Vampire Chronicles” novel series, died Saturday at age 80. According to her son Christopher Rice, she passed away due to complications resulting from a stroke. Anne Rice’s biggest success was her first novel, “Interview with the Vampire,” which was published in 1976 and was made into a successful film starring Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt in 1994, helping to reignite interest in the vampire genre which continued with the TV series “The Vampire Diaries” and the “Twilight” film series.
-CNN
★ Michael Strahan became the first U.S. journalist to travel to space when he completed a roundtrip flight on the latest Blue Origin mission Saturday. He was among 5 other crew members on the third passenger mission for the Bezos-owned company, including Laura Shepard Churchley, daughter of legendary astronaut Alan Shepard, and 4 who paid for their ticket to space. In a video he tweeted shortly after landing, Strahan said: “It’s going to take a little bit to process it, but it couldn’t have gone better.” His caption: “Touchdown has a new meaning now!!!” LINK: https://tinyurl.com/ycxhed5r
-TheWrap
★ And just like that, the “Sex and the City” revival series had the “best debut day of any series” on HBO Max since the streaming platform’s launch in May 2020. And that includes both HBO and HBO Max originals. The 10-episode “And Just Like That…,” which debuted its first 2 episodes on Thursday, follows ‘Carrie’, ‘Miranda’ and ‘Charlotte’ as they navigate the journey from the complicated reality of life and friendship in their 30s to the even more complicated reality of life and friendship in their 50s. (We say Kim Cattrall should do a Peloton ad…)
-TheWrap
★ Camryn Manheim is the latest familiar face to cop a role on NBC’s upcoming “Law & Order” revival. She joins a cast that so far includes Anthony Anderson, reprising his role as ‘Det. Bernard’, Jeffrey Donovan an as-yet-unnamed cop, and Hugh Dancy as an assistant district attorney. The Law & Order continuation will premiere Feb. 24, and will lead into spinoffs “Law & Order: SVU” and “Law & Order: Organized Crime.”
-Yahoo
TODAY’S SHOW BIZ SKED:
• “Jimmy Kimmel Live” (ABC/Global): Tom Holland, Zendaya, Benedict Cumberbatch, Jacob Batalon, Black Pumas
• “The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon” (NBC/CTV): Dakota Johnson, Bobby Cannavale, Kelly Clarkson
• “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” (CBS/Global): Keanu Reeves, Brett Eldredge
• “Late Night with Seth Meyers” (NBC/CTV): Patti LuPone, James Acaster, Joy Crookes, Joe Russo
• ” The Late Late Show with James Corden” (CBS/CTV): Katie Couric, Zach Woods, Dave Gahan & Soulsavers
• “Watch What Happens Live” (Bravo): Ricki Lake, Sandra Bernhard
• “The View” (ABC/CTV): Ralph Fiennes, guest co-host Amanda Carpenter
• “Live with Kelly and Ryan” (ABC/CTV): Jonathan Groff, Michael Symon, guest co-host Mark Consuelos
• “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” (NBC/CTV): Ken Jeong, Alison Sweeney, Brett Dennen
• “The Kelly Clarkson Show” (Check local listings): Andy Cohen, Tori Kelly, She & Him
• “The Drew Barrymore Show” (Check local listings): Maya Erskine, Anna Konkle, Danny Pellegrino, Pilar Valdes
• “The Voice” (NBC): Live Finale, Part 1
• “American Auto” (NBC): Premiere. Payne Motors gets a new CEO on the same day they’re rolling out a new self-driving — and problematic — vehicle.
• “Gordon Ramsay’s Road Trip” (FOX): Ramsay goes on a rowdy road trip through Italy, France and Scotland with 2 friends to discover the best food and fun in each of their home countries.
• “Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street” (HBO): Take a stroll down “Sesame Street” and witness the birth of the most impactful children’s series in TV history.
BS MUSIC NOTES:
• Adele – Some fans are angry after missing out on tickets to her glitzy Vegas residency, then finding tickets for sale online for as much as $35,000(!). After pre-sales sold out within minutes, sites like StubHub and Ticketmaster were offering them for $2,000-$35,000.
• Ed Sheeran – ‘Merry Christmas’, his collaboration with Elton John has debuted at #1 on the Official UK Singles Chart.
• Jack White — has unveiled the first dates of his massive spring tour. To promote the release of 2 new albums in 2022, the trek will visit North America, Europe, and the UK. “Fear Of The Dawn” drops April 8 and “Entering Heaven Alive” arrives on July 22.
• Monkees – Paul Stanley of Kiss and Slash of Guns N’ Roses are among the stars who paid tribute to Mike Nesmith, who died of heart failure Friday at age 78. Stanley wrote: “Sometimes it’s hard to know why someone’s passing hits you a certain way but this is another one that hit me.” His death came less than a month after he and bandmate Micky Dolenz wrapped the Monkees’ farewell tour.
• Ringo Starr — is among the all-star cast of artists who will join Eagles’ Joe Walsh on Dec. 18 for VetsAid 2021: The Basement Show. For the second straight year, Walsh’s VetsAid benefit will be held virtually. The livestream will again raise funds for veteran-services groups.
• Florida Georgia Line — The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville is opening the “Florida Georgia Line: Mix It Up Strong” exhibit on Jan. 21. Visitors will be given an unprecedented view into the lives of Tyler Hubbard and Brian Kelley, specifically how they have incorporated cross-genre influences into their music.
• Tim McGraw – has announced his “McGraw Tour 2022”, which kicks off in Arkansas in April and continues through early June, plus some summer festival appearances. Tickets go on sale this Friday.
•Charley Pride — Dennis Quaid is turning his life into a movie. “American Pride” will be the first project for Quaid’s new production company Bonniedale, which he formed with his wife, Laura, and Ben Howard. No release date has been announced.
SHOOTING THE BULL
LEGO OF TRADITIONAL INVESTMENTS:
According to a study, if you’re looking for a solid investment, you’d do better buying up Lego than gold.
Researchers at the Higher School of Economics in Russia found that the market for secondhand Lego rises in value by 11% annually, a faster and better rate of return than gold, stocks, bonds, stamps, art and wine. It says that there could be lucrative gains to be made from investing in “more unusual goods whose purchase might seem less serious”, such as Lego sets, Barbie dolls, superhero mini figures, or model cars and trains. The study, which looked at the prices of 2,322 Lego sets from 1987 to 2015, said that factors such as a limited production run, collector special editions and scarcity on the secondhand market have significantly boosted prices over the years. The researchers said: “This is a huge market that is not well known by traditional investors.” The most expensive Lego sets include the Millennium Falcon, Death Star II and Imperial Star Destroyer from Star Wars, and the Taj Mahal.
(I know! My neighbor just sold off some of his Lego. People were lined up for “blocks”!)
(On the other hand, you don’t have to worry about stepping on your other investments in the middle of the night!)
(What now-valuable toy from your childhood have you lost somewhere along the way?)
-TheGuardian
COVERING FACE COVERINGS:
A Canadian researcher has invented a coating that can be applied to face masks to prevent the transmission of COVID-19. Dr. Seyyedarash Haddadi at the University of British Columbia discovered that the fabric coating, made from a combination of graphene oxide and silver, reduces transmission of active pathogens – including COVID-19 viral particles – by more than 99%, when incorporated in a 4-ply mask. He says with the coating, pathogens on the surface of the mask are killed “after a while”. Haddadi has received Health Canada approval for his mask coating, and it is now being incorporated into millions of face masks worldwide. Even better, he says there could be additional uses for the coating in the future.
(Any chance they could put that stuff on a buffet line? I miss those!)
(It kind of makes a regular mask seem like the NY Jets – they provide no defence!)
(Can’t wait to hear from the anti-mask coating-ers!)
-Yahoo
NEW GOOD NEWS:
➢ After postponing their wedding twice because of COVID-19, Christine and Gannon Karmire got creative when their big day was threatened again. On the morning of their wedding, Gannon woke up feeling sick, went to hospital with food poisoning. Christine canceled the ceremony but decided to hold the reception, since it was paid for. She created a “Stick Gannon,” which involved taking a rolling steamer, adding pool cues for arms, putting an iPad at the top displaying his picture, and dressing it up in a suit. Christine says it lightened the mood and allowed “people to enjoy (each other) and the already prepared dinner.” It worked — although guests were disappointed Gannon wasn’t there, they danced and took photos with his stick version. Gannon was released from hospital and made a surprise appearance at the reception, where guests chanted his name and he felt “the love and support everyone has for us.” (Here’s hoping he brushed his teeth first!)
➢ A stray dog has been reunited with his owners after saving the family that took him in. Butter spent the last few months living in a structure outside of Charity Golloway’s home in Big Stone Gap, Virginia. Golloway placed an electric lamp in the shelter to keep Butter warm, but one night, it caught on fire. Butter got out and began barking, waking up Golloway. Damage was minimal, but Golloway says, “If it wasn’t for him, who knows what could’ve happened?” A picture of Butter with firefighters went viral, catching the attention of his owners, who contacted Golloway, explaining that they’d been searching for Butter — whose real name is Cooper – since he went missing in the summer. Before returning him, Golloway showed her appreciation by cooking him a steak.
-TheWeek
WHAT WE DID WHEN WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN DOING SOMETHING ELSE:
Google has released its annual “Year in Search” list. Here are some top global searches…
Overall: News:
1. Australia vs India (cricket) 1. Afghanistan
2. India vs England 2. AMC Stock
3. IPL 3. COVID vaccine
4. NBA 4. Dogecoin
5. Euro 2021 5. GME Stock
Actors: TV Shows:
1. Alec Baldwin 1. Squid Game
2. Pete Davidson 2. Bridgerton
3. Aryan Khan 3. WandaVision
4. Gina Carano 4. Cobra Kai
5. Armie Hammer 5. Loki
-GoogleTrends, CNN
DID YOU KNOW?
the custom of “white elephant” gift exchanges actually started with . . . white elephants! The story goes that the King of Siam (now Thailand) gave the animals as a passive-aggressive gift to people he didn’t like. Yes, it seemed extravagant and generous, but the albino elephants were burdensome because they were extremely expensive to care for . . . and what’s someone supposed to do with a white elephant? Plus, the recipient couldn’t get rid of it without seeming disrespectful. Now, the gifts are far less extravagant, but still carry an odd mix of uselessness and thoughtfulness. (Still, there’s no excuse for that Chia-pet I got at the office gift exchange last year…)
-CNN
BS CHRONOMETER 12.13.21
TODAY’S CELEBIRTHDAYS . . .
1925 [96] Dick Van Dyke, West Plains MO, TV actor (“The Dick Van Dyke Show” 1961-1966)/movie actor (“Mary Poppins”, “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang”)
1948 [73] Ted Nugent, Redford MI, rock singer/guitarist (‘Cat Scratch Fever’, w/Damn Yankees-‘High Enough’)
1954 [67] John Anderson, Apopka FL, country singer-songwriter (‘Straight Tequila Night’, ‘Money in the Bank’)
1957 [64] Steve Buscemi, Brooklyn NY, TV actor (“Boardwalk Empire” 2010-15, “The Sopranos” 2004-05)/movie actor (“Reservoir Dogs”, “Fargo”)
1967 [54] Jamie Foxx, Terrell TX, movie actor (“Ray”, “Django Unchained”)/R&B singer (f/T-Pain-‘Blame It’, f/Ludacris-‘Unpredictable’) COMING UP…”They Cloned Tyrone”, 2022
1975 [46] Tom DeLonge, Poway CA, rock singer (ex-Blink 182-‘All the Small Things’, ‘I Miss You’, Angels & Airwaves-‘Everything’s Magic’)
1981 [40] Amy Lee, Riverside CA, rock singer (Evanescence-‘Call Me When You’re Sober’, ‘Bring Me To Life’)
1989 [32] Taylor Swift, Reading PA, pop singer (‘You Need to Calm Down’, ‘Shake It Off’)
1995 [26] Emma Corrin, England, TV actress (‘Princess Diana’ in “The Crown” 2020)
TODAY’S BS REASONS TO PARTY . . .
• “Geminid Meteor Shower”, this annual event peaks tonight and into tomorrow morning. As Earth crosses the debris field of asteroid 3200 Phaethon, we often are able to witness as many as 150 meteors per hour. But since the Moon will be 78% illuminated and high in the sky, expect only to see the very brightest of “shooting stars.” (At least it’s not cancelled due to COVID…) LINK: https://tinyurl.com/396626vy
• “Hot Cocoa Day”, because there’s nothing like a steaming mug of the stuff on a bitter cold December day. (BS FUN FACT: Although the term is used interchangeably with ‘Hot Chocolate’ by many, technically, Hot Cocoa has a thinner consistency and tends to be creamier and sweeter because of its additives. True Hot Chocolate is much richer and denser and can have bittersweet notes.)
• “Violin Day”, so pick up your Stradivarius and let’s make some sweet music together.
• “St Lucy’s Day”, honoring her 304 AD birth. Legend has it that, in order to follow a life of religious devotion, she cut out her eyes and sent them on a plate to a persistent lover who was haunted by them (especially afterward!). Today, hotels in Sweden feature their own ‘Lucia’, a young blond girl in white gown who serves guests coffee & ‘lussekatter’ (saffron buns).
• “National Day of the Horse”, encouraging us to be mindful of the contribution of horses to history, the economy and to the character of the places they inhabit (of course, of course…).
• “Ice Cream Day”, it’s so good that there are multiple holidays dedicated to it. Most of them take place in summer, but this one is in December! A few fun facts …
– Perhaps surprisingly, the most popular flavor is vanilla, snagging about 26% of total sales. Chocolate comes in a distant 2nd, with about 13% of the market.
– One of the major ingredients in ice cream is air. Without it, the stuff would be as hard as a rock.
– Among the most unusual flavors ever concocted are avocado, garlic, azuki bean, jalapeno, and pumpkin. Perhaps the weirdest of all – dill pickle ice cream – was once targeted at expectant mothers. Sales were disappointing.
– 1 out of every 5 ice cream eaters has shared their treat with a pet dog or cat.
– The largest ice cream sundae in history was made by Palm Dairies in Edmonton AB on July 24, 1988. It weighed in at over 24 tons.
– It takes an average of 50 licks to polish off a typical single-scoop ice cream cone.
COMING UP . . .
[Tues] Monkey Day
[Tues] Roast Chestnuts Day
[Wed] Cat Herders’ Day
[Wed] International Tea Day
This Week Is…Gluten-free Baking Week
This Month Is…Safe Toys and Gifts Month
THIS DAY IN SHOW BIZ . . .
2004 [17] It’s announced that Dick Clark will bow out from hosting his annual TV event, “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve” due to complications from a recent stroke (he dies in 2012). Regis Philbin is named as stand-in
2016 [05] Alan Thicke suffers a heart attack while playing hockey and dies shortly after at age 69
TODAY’S MUSIC EVENTS . . .
2012 [09] Police bust a bizarre murder plot by a team of 3 hitmen in Albuquerque NM targeting Justin Bieber
2013 [08] Beyoncé’s self-titled album is released with no advance notice, sending radio stations scrambling to get its songs on-air (it sells over 600,000 digital copies in 3 days)
TODAY’S RECORD . . .
2010 [11] In China, a 2,400-year-old pot of soup is discovered near the ancient capital of Xi’an (“It’s almost ready…”)
BULL’S BITS
BS WHACK FACTS:
✓ Prior to 1900, prize fights lasted up to 100 rounds.
✓ Contrary to popular belief, lightning travels from the ground upward, not from the sky downward.
✓ A rat can fall from a 5-story building without injury.
✓ If you take a plant with you on a long airplane flight, it, too, will suffer from jet lag.
✓ Both poison oak and poison ivy are members of the cashew family.
✓ Pageant Models often smear Vaseline on their teeth so their lips won’t stick when smiling.
-RandomFactGenerator, BathroomReadersInstitute
Best of BS . . .
BS SIGNS YOU ENJOYED THE OFFICE CHRISTMAS PARTY A LITTLE TOO MUCH:
• You woke up in court . . . with your pants on backwards.
• A champagne cork became lodged in your trachea . . . 6 times.
• You made the front page of the paper for interrupting the church choir practice next door . . . with your interpretative dancing . . . while naked.
• The boss was really impressed with your cannonball into the punchbowl.
• Your daily commute now involves a bus ride…to the employment office.
-First published in BS in 1999
TODAY’S SCOOP OF BS
➠ Toyota has announced it will build a $1.3 billion-dollar Electric Vehicle Battery plant. (I hope we don’t completely get rid of regular cars. After all, no more gas-powered cars means no more gas stations. And no more gas stations means no more last-minute places to shop for my wife on Christmas Eve.)
➠ Comet Leonard, also known as C/2021, made its closest approach to Earth on Sunday. (I wanted to check it out. But, you know . . . cartoons.)
➠ Motley Crue’s Nikki Sixx turned 63 on Saturday. (He spent the day “Shouting at the Devil” . . . to get off of his lawn.)
➠ Actor Michael Clarke Duncan would have turned 64 last Friday. (However, his fans still spent the day wishing a happy birthday to Ving Rhames…)
➠ Scientists have managed to successfully plant false memories into mice. (It’s part of their plan to turn mice into “NBC Nightly News” anchors…)
BS U-PICK TRIVIA:
• How many gifts in total were given in ‘The Twelve Days of Christmas’ song?
a) 121
b) 222
c) 364 [CORRECT]
d) 12
• In “Home Alone”, where are the McCallisters going on vacation when they leave ‘Kevin’ behind?
a) New York
b) Paris [CORRECT]
c) Fargo
d) North Pole
• What is the name of ‘George Bailey’s’ guardian angel in “It’s a Wonderful Life”?
a) Gabriel
b) Clarence [CORRECT]
c) Peter
d) Scrooge
-Parade
BS WEB GOODIE:
A few things that I will never do: https://tinyurl.com/2p9buv9c
BS RANDOM JOKE:
Dear “whatever doesn’t kill me”: I’m strong enough now. Thanks.
BS PHONE STARTER:
What did you really want for Christmas when you were a kid, but never got?
BS WATER COOLER QUESTION:
Question: 24% of people agree that THIS makes the holidays more festive. What is it?
Answer: A real Christmas tree
BS DEEP THOUGHT:
If your dreams don’t scare you, they’re too small.