BS SHOW BIZ BUZZ:
MTV honchos are denying reports saying they encouraged Olivia Palermo & Whitney Port to engage in a physical ‘catfight’ to boost ratings for the new show “The City”, insisting they would never make such a request of their stars (BS translation: It wasn’t a request; it was an order) . . . The star of JJ Abrams’ new sci-fi conspiracy series “Fringe” (FOX/A Channel), Aussie actress Anna Torv, has quietly wed Mark Valley, who played her on-screen boyfriend until he died of suspicious circumstances . . . Comic actor Jamie Kennedy (“Malibu’s Most Wanted”) & actress Jennifer Love Hewitt are rumored to be having an affair while filming episodes of her CBS-TV show “Ghost Whisperer” (oh hon’, he is SO far below the line) . . . The online rumor mill is speculating that ‘Izzie’ (Katherine Heigl) may be dying on “Grey’s Anatomy” in a not-too-distant episode (perhaps her ghost boinking days are numbered!) . . . Soul singer and Twitter fan Erykah Badu reportedly tweeted throughout labor while giving birth to her new daughter via upstart rapper Jay Electronica, perhaps the reason they’re rumored to have named the poor child ‘Tweety Milk’ (that would be unbelievable if the kid didn’t already have a half-brother named ‘Seven Sirius’ & a sister named ‘Puma Rose’) . . . And famous persona Paris Hilton has promised a UK periodical that she is personally committed to helping the struggling global economy by doing what she does best – shopping (what a trouper).

TODAY’S SHOW BIZ SKED:
• “All Access Grammy Special” (CBS) – Katie Couric hosts a one-hour preview of the “Grammy Awards” (Sunday) featuring interviews with Justin Timberlake, Katy Perry, Lil Wayne, and Taylor Swift. Other artists appearing include Adele, Carrie Underwood, Duffy, Jonas Bros, Jordin Sparks, Kenny Chesney, Kid Rock, John Legend, Metallica, Ne-Yo, Rascal Flatts, and T-Pain.
• “American Idol” (FOX /CTV) – Semifinalists are selected as ‘Hollywood week’ continues.
• “Jimmy Kimmel Live” (ABC/CityTV) – Indie/pop/alternative musical duo The Bird & The Bee perform.
• “Tonight Show With Jay Leno” (NBC/A Channel) – will.i.am of Black Eyed Peas is a guest.

BS MUSIC NOTES:
• Adele – The 20-year-old, plus-sized Brit singer (“Chasing Pavements”) will appear in a “Vogue” magazine photo spread that’s being shot this week by celeb photographer Annie Leibovitz. She’s nominated in 4 categories for Sunday’s “Grammy Awards”.
• Amy Winehouse – She’s finally getting ready to leave St Lucia after vacationing on the Caribbean island for a couple of months. Word is she’ll move on to a recording studio in Jamaica. (Good, she certainly wouldn’t be tempted by access to drugs there.)
• Elton John – He’s set to launch his own line of unique iPods in a selection of 10 colors with his signature lasered on the back. Elton’s rep says the bejewelled toys are ‘extravagant and glamorous … just like him’. They ought to be, at circa $700-a-pop.
• Jennifer Hudson – Producer Ricky Minor is defending her lip-synching of the anthem before the Super Bowl, claiming ‘there’s too many variables to go live … the slightest glitch would devastate the performance’.

TOP-SELLING VIDEO GAMES:
A new worldwide ranking of the best-selling games of the past year by Top Global Markets …
1. “Mario Kart Wii” … 8.94 million units.
2. “Wii Fit” … 8.31 million.
3. “Grand Theft Auto IV” … 7.29 million.
4. “Super Smash Bros: Brawl” … 6.32 million.
5. “Call of Duty: World at War” … 5.89 million.
Other top games: “Madden NFL 09” (5.25 million); “Guitar Hero World Tour” (3.4 million); and “Rock Band 2” (1.7 million).
– GamePro Media

BS BUZZWORDS:
New terms leaking into the lingo …
• ‘Econocides’ – A new term for people who take their own lives as a result of huge financial losses. Psychologists suggest it may be because the mega-rich find the prospect of poverty quite literally unbearable; it breaks them in a way that it doesn’t break ordinary people.
• ‘Post Downsizing Stress Syndrome’ (aka ‘Survivor Stress’) – A psychological response to layoffs and high levels of job stress experienced by people lucky enough to hold on to their jobs during the recession. Those who keep their jobs are grateful but many also feel threatened, abandoned, burdened with more work, and subject to overall greater job stress.
• ‘Shug’ (aka ‘Man Hug’) – A handshake followed by a one-handed hug, quickly completed with 2 hearty pats on the back. It’s the modern greeting from sensitive guys who want to remain secure in their manhood.

ALL ALONE AT THE KEYBOARD:
A recent study has found that many of us are suffering from a syndrome that’s been dubbed ‘Techno Loneliness’. It seems the Internet, texting, voicemail, ATMs, e-mail, and other technological gadgetry are serving to isolate us from one another, even though we may be communicating electronically. Observers suggest this has led to a society-wide tendency to avoid talking to others in person. (Hey, in some cases this is a huge plus!)
– “American Health“

ALT-DIRGES FOR FUNERALS:
“Always Look On the Bright Side of Life” from Monty Python has been named the best choice as an ‘Alternative Funeral Song’ in a new UK poll. The tongue-in-cheek tune received 20% of the vote and beat off competition from The Jam’s “Going Underground”, The Animals’ “We Gotta Get Out Of This Place”, and “Cabaret” by Liza Minnelli. (So what’s your musical pick for a parting shot?)
– Ananova News Service

MORE BS HANDY TIPS TO MAKE LIFE EASIER:
• To really make scrambled eggs or omelets rich, add a couple of spoonfuls of sour cream, cream cheese, or heavy cream and then beat them up.
• To get rid of pesky fruit flies, take a small glass and fill it halfway with apple cider vinegar, then add 2 drops of dish washing liquid. Mix well. You’ll find the flies drawn to the liquid and gone forever!
• Remove red stains by wetting them with lukewarm water, then adding a layer of table salt. Rub and let set for a few minutes. Pull the fabric taunt across a heat-proof bowl and secure it with a rubber band. Place in the sink and pour boiling water through the stain from a height of 3 feet.
• For drying wet nail polish quickly, dip your hands into ice-cold water or spray your nails with a cooking oil such as PAM.
• Put used steel wool scrubbing pads in a plastic bag and store in the freezer to help prevent rust.
• To cut dried fruits, marshmallows, or gumdrops, dip kitchen scissors frequently into hot water.
• Dip your fingers in water to prevent meatballs from sticking to your hands.
– “Akron Beacon Journal”

MARRIAGE IS NO PARTY:
A University of Michigan study confirms that getting married does indeed tend to settle us down. Researchers have found the number of party animals reporting marijuana use and heavy drinking drops by 33% after they get married. (That’s when your conscience develops a voice … a big, loud voice.)
– AP

FOR THE RECORD:
Final tallies show that NBC-TV scored a total of $206 million in advertising for commercials during the Super Bowl, a new record. It also brought in $261 million, also a record, for the full day including the pre- and post-game shows. (Economic crisis? Meltdown schmeltdown!)
– Billboard.biz

BS AMAZING FACT:
It’s men, rather than women, who remarry more often. Remarriage rates are twice as high for males.
– “The Guardian”

BS CHRONOMETER 02.04.09