Thursday, February 6, 2025 – Edition: #7888
Tomorrow’s Show Prep Today!
BS SHOW BIZ BUZZ:
★ Universal has unveiled the trailer for “Jurassic World Rebirth.” It’ll be the 7th film in the 31-year-old movie franchise. The official synopsis says that 5 years after “Jurassic World Dominion”, “an expedition braves isolated equatorial regions to extract DNA from 3 massive prehistoric creatures for a groundbreaking medical breakthrough.” Scarlett Johansson plays ‘Zora’ an operations expert leading the expedition, who ends up stranded with a civilian family. The cast also includes Jonathan Bailey, Rupert Friend, Ed Skrein, and Mahershala Ali. The film is set for theatrical release on July 2. LINK: https://tinyurl.com/3s6fm4xy
-Variety
★ “The Amazing Race” just got bigger. For the show’s Season 37, it’ll start with a record 14 teams — after expanding to 13 teams the past 2 seasons. This comes comes as part of what CBS is calling a “season of surprises” for The Amazing Race, with “game-changing twists” each episode. Besides the show’s staple “fast foward” and “U-turns” other elements will make a comeback. And new this season will be a “fork in the road,” beginning with the first leg in Hong Kong, where teams “will have to choose which direction and route they want to take to the pit stop, creating parallel races where 2 teams will be eliminated.” Season 37 debuts on March 5.
-Variety
★ The sequel to “A Simple Favor,” the 2018 comedic thriller directed by Paul Feig and starring Blake Lively and Anna Kendrick, has gotten an official title – and has been set as SXSW‘s opening night premiere. Feig also posted on X that the film will debut on Amazon Prime Video on May 1. In “Another Simple Favor,” ‘Stephanie Smothers’ (Kendrick) and ‘Emily Nelson’ (Lively) travel to Italy for Emily’s wedding to a rich businessman where, “murder and betrayal” occur. The cast also includes Henry Golding, who starred in the original film, plus Elizabeth Perkins, Michele Morrone, Alex Newell and Allison Janney. The premiere is a return to SXSW for Feig, whose films “Bridesmaids” and “Spy” both premiered at the festival.
-Variety
★ Music’s biggest night drew 15.4 million viewers on CBS Sunday night. That’s good, but still down 9% from last year’s Grammys, which brought in 16.9 million viewers. (The 2024 Grammys marked a 34% increase from the year before.) Those figures do not include streaming and online viewership from Paramount+, CBS.com and the CBS app. CBS says the music awards telecast was “the most social television program ever,” racking up 102.2 million interactions online. As the ceremony focused on fundraising efforts and the resilience of the city, the Grammys raised nearly $9 million to aid wildfire relief efforts in California on Sunday night, and an additional $15 million over the weekend.
-Variety
★ The FireAid Benefit Concert estimates that over $100 million has been raised for Los Angeles fire victims and fire prevention initiatives since last Thursday’s concert – and donations are still pouring in. Over 50 million people streamed the 6-hour benefit concert last week on 28 broadcasting partners. The show featured performances from SoCal artists like Billie Eilish, Katy Perry and Red Hot Chili Peppers. More than 30 artists performed between 2 venues, the Intuit Dome and the Kia Forum in L.A.
-TheWrap
TODAY’S SHOW BIZ SKED:
• “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” (ABC/Global): Rob Lowe, Nicole Brydon Bloom, Mt. Joy
• “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” (NBC/CTV): Kieran Culkin, Kenan Thompson, Marcello Hernández, Sharon Van Etten & the Attachment Theory
• “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert” (CBS/Global): Elton John, Melanie Lynskey, Leon Thomas
• “Late Night With Seth Meyers” (NBC/CTV): Pete Davidson, Kaitlan Collins
• “After Midnight” (CBS/Global): Vinny Thomas, Ramona Young, Sherry Cola
• “Watch What Happens Live” (Bravo): Maddi Reese, Craig Conover
• “The Daily Show” (COM): Ke Huy Quan, host Desi Lydic
• “The View” (ABC/CTV): Ariana DeBose, The cast of “Queer Eye”
• “Today” (NBC): Selma Blair, Ke Huy Quan, Ego Nwodim co-hosts
• “GMA3” (ABC): Barbara Corcoran, Danny Ramirez
• “Live With Kelly and Mark” (ABC/CTV): Ke Huy Quan, Monica Mangin
• “The Kelly Clarkson Show” (Check local listings): James Marsden; Laverne Cox
• “The Drew Barrymore Show” (Check local listings): Amy Schumer, Lizze Broadway, Brianne Howey, Jillian Bell, Urzila Carlson
• “The Jennifer Hudson Show” (Check local listings): Heather Headley
• “Matlock” (CBS): Matty and Sarah pose as grandmother and granddaughter to gather information at a senior living facility facing a wrongful death suit.
• “Hell’s Kitchen” (Fox): Season 23 finale. The finalists compete in a final dinner service with a custom menu tailored to their unique tastes and signature dishes. One is crowned champ.
• “NFL Honors” (Fox): Recognizing the NFL’s best players, coaches, and performances; hosted by Snoop Dogg.
• “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” (ABC): Clea, Joanna and the crew surprise a Simi Valley CA family with a major remodel, and help the family of 5 declutter generations of mementos and keepsakes.
BS MUSIC NOTES:
• Tate McRae — has scheduled record release parties across the U.S. for her new album “So Close to What”. They’ll take place Feb. 21-23 in multiple record stores in multiple states. The album officially arrives Feb. 21.
• Sabrina Carpenter — is extending her Short n’ Sweet era. Two days after winning her first-ever Grammys, she announced she’s dropping a deluxe edition of her breakthrough album — featuring none other than Dolly Parton on a remix of ‘Please Please Please’. The new version of the album, also with 4 other bonus tracks, is available for pre-order now. LINK: https://tinyurl.com/wwe9esf8
• The Weeknd – The trailer for “Hurry Up Tomorrow” based on his idea, and with him in a starring role, has arrived. The film, co-starring Jenna Ortega and Barry Keoghan, is about a musician who has insomnia, who is “pulled into an odyssey with a stranger who begins to unravel the very core of his existence.” It hits theaters Jan. 31. LINK: https://tinyurl.com/3sfkyzah
• Black Sabbath — has announced its “final” show, featuring the lineup of Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward. The benefit show “Back to the Beginning” is set for July 5 in the band’s hometown of Birmingham, England. Also on the bill are: Metallica, Slayer, Pantera, Halestorm, Alice in Chains, Mastodon, and a supergroup featuring Slash, Billy Corgan, Korn’s Jonathan Davis, Limp Bizkit’s Fred Durst, Wolfgang Van Halen and Rage Against the Machine’s Tom Morello. LINK: https://tinyurl.com/34u3txsy
• The Black Keys — have announced the first leg of their “No Rain No Flowers” North American tour, set for May and June. That follows the cancellation of their planned 2024 “International Players” road trip, which led to them firing their management amid suggestions of poor tickets sales. On the bright side, that gave them the opportunity to record a new album. The song ‘The Night Before’ arrives tomorrow. LINK: https://tinyurl.com/adb3hcrs
• Gin Blossoms, Blues Traveler and Spin Doctors – have announced they will hit the road together this summer. They’ll start July 4 at Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Colorado, and play 30 US dates through Sept. 14 in Louisville, Kentucky. LINK: https://tinyurl.com/u9thnkvz
• Shaboozey – The full version of his Nerds Super Bowl commercial is out – and it shows him taking on New Orleans jazz legend Louis Armstrong. Shaboozey is seen leading a band down the street as the city becomes a Willy Wonka-inspired wonderland. He also adds some twang to a cover of Armstrong’s ‘What a Wonderful World’. LINK: https://tinyurl.com/y9rerm5h
• Kelsea Ballerini – made her debut as a judge on “The Voice” on Monday – and People reports she found a handwritten letter on her chair from departed judge Reba McEntire. It read: “Dear Kelsea…I’m just so excited for you. It’s up to you to keep country alive on the show and I know you’ll do a terrific job. Now go out there and show the boys who’s the boss.”
• Brantley Gilbert — was at a loss for words after his friend and manager, Aaron Keiser, surprised him with the gift of a donkey – and a zebra. Video shows Gilbert’s flabbergasted reaction when the 2 animals were delivered to his ranch one evening. Another post indicates the gift may be retaliation for a prank Gilbert pulled. Details are light on that incident, but it seems to have involved…peacocks. LINK: https://tinyurl.com/yc4n8dur
SHOOTING THE BULL
MEDIOCRE BOWL?
This is odd: In a world where we’re used to hearing stories every year about the “record prices” being shelled out for Super Bowl seats, it turns out that this year, the cheapest ticket for Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans has fallen below $4,000 on the secondary market. That’s a 30% drop from last week, and about 50% less than the cheapest tix for last year’s game. Even though the KC Chiefs, who face the Philly Eagles on Sunday, could become the first team to win 3 consecutive Super Bowls, it seems that fans aren’t willing to dish out the big bucks for tickets. Why? For one, last year’s record prices could have had to do with the game being in Las Vegas, and perhaps New Orleans doesn’t have the same appeal for high rollers. New Orleans’ larger seating capacity (by 9,000) could also be pushing prices down. And how about the matchup itself? Could it be that football fans are bored by a third straight Chiefs Super Bowl bid, resulting in less interest from fans to attend? By the way, prices for the most expensive tickets are falling, too. But before you shed a tear for online scalpers, know that they’re still getting just under $30,000 each. But those ones were going for $58,237 on Jan. 31.
(But if Travis proposes to Taylor on Sunday – totally worth it at any price!)
(I say: “If you have to ask how much, then you can afford ‘em. And for me, the same thing applies to the price of a beer there!)
-CNN
TECH TALK:
❑ As schools continue to try to figure out how best to handle the issue of school smartphone use, a new study has found that students spend an average of 92 minutes on their smartphones during a typical school day – and a quarter of them exceed 2 hours. Seattle Children’s Research Institute scientists used advanced “passive sensing technology” to gain accurate information about of how and when adolescents use their phones during the school day. They found that school-day phone use accounts for approximately 27% of students’ total daily phone usage, which averages 5.59 hours. Instagram was the most-used social media platform, with users spending an average of 25 minutes on IG during school hours. Messaging and chat applications averaged 19.5 minutes of use during school hours, while video streaming services were used for 17 minutes. (Well, I guess there should be a question on the math exam about how to squeeze more hours into the day for TikTok!)
❑ People speak about 3,000 fewer words each day compared to about 2 decades ago, according to a new study. Why? Texting. University of Arizona researchers found that between 2005 and 2018, the average number of daily spoken words dropped from 16,000 to about 13,000 — a decline that appears linked to our increasing reliance on digital communication tools like texting and social media. And the common assumption that women speak more than men held up to scientific scrutiny: The numbers show that women speak about 13,349 words per day, compared to men’s 11,950. The researchers say that’s a modest difference, though, when you consider that individuals vary in words per day from a low of fewer than 100 — to over 120,000 words per day. (I think I sat beside 120,000-words-guy at the coffee shop yesterday!)
-StudyFinds
BUYING INTO “NO BUY”:
It looks like 2025 will be the year of … not buying anything, if the latest trend catches fire. The “no buy” trend is currently spiking on social media. The Wall Street Journal reports that this is a resurgence of the “no buy challenge,” where people decide to intentionally limit what they purchase for a fixed period. Google searches for the term are up 40% over last year at this point. And searches for “no spend challenge” have reached an all-time high. And of course, some people participating in the “no buy” trend, or who are drastically cutting down on purchases, are reporting their progress in paying off debt or money savings on TikTok and Instagram – a drastic flipping of the script from those platforms’ usual array of product unboxings and new product shares and reviews.
(Is it still a ‘no-buy’ if I just browse online and cry over things I can’t buy?
(It would seem our boss has been subtly encouraging us to participate in the “no buy” challenge for years now…!)
-Newser
ANOTHER DAY IN PARADISE:
What elements would make up the “perfect day” for you? How does this sound? Three hours of movies or TV, a nap, and at least an hour with pets. According to a new survey, those are all included in how people would spend an ideal 24 hours. 2,000 Americans were asked to allocate 24 hours across various activities to put together what they would consider an ideal day. From the results of the study, the perfect day goes like this:
• 6.9 hours of sleep, waking at 7:48am
• 3.1 hours of TV/movies
• 2 hours of eating
• 3 hours of quality time with family
• 1.5 hours od being on their phone
• 84 minutes dedicated to hobbies
• About 84 minutes with friends
• 1.3 hours of music
• 1.1 hours with pets
• 48 minutes of exercise
• 48 minutes of shopping
• 42 minutes of napping
The average person believes they experienced 12 perfect days in 2024.
(The way I figure, if I could combine my ‘family time’ with my ‘friends time’, and listen to music while I work out, I’d have AT LEAST an extra 2 hours for napping!)
(I’m not sure how I’d spend the “perfect day”, but I do know this: It would have to be payday – or it wouldn’t be perfect!)
-SWNS
DID YOU KNOW?
The latest ski trend is to go the wrong way. “Uphilling” the laborious process of ascending a ski hill along the side of a trail, while wearing skis, is booming at US ski resorts. Why? It’s attracting skiers in search of a good workout with the added bonus of fresh air, fresh tracks, and on-mountain camaraderie. At some ski resorts, uphill skiing access is allowed only before and after regular operating hours, while others allow it during operating hours. Proponents of the practice say it not only provides a great workout, it’s fun, and provides a sense of accomplishment. (Weirdos. And I bet when they get to the top, they take the lift down!)
-CNN
BS CHRONOMETER 02.06.25
TODAY’S BS REASONS TO PARTY . . .
• “Frozen Yogurt Day”, honoring the alternative to ice cream that has (slightly) less sugar. And the best fro-yo topping is …? (Maple Syrup?)
• “Ronald Reagan Day”, a day of recognition in California since 2011 for Ronald Reagan, who was that state’s governor from 1967-75 and President of the US from 1981-89. (We hear he did a little acting on the side as well…)
• “Chopsticks Day”. They may be difficult for you to use, but for about 1/4 of the world’s population, chopsticks are the eating utensils of choice. They can be made of wood, bamboo, plastic, bone, fine china, or metal. (The only “chop stick” I use is a knife!)
• “Lame Duck Day”. A “Lame Duck” is a person who is in a position of some kind, and will soon be “shown the door”. The best example is a politician who is temporarily still in power after losing an election. It can also apply to managers and leaders whose time in an office is ending, or who are retiring.
• “Waitangi Day” in New Zealand (aka “New Zealand Day”), commemorating the signing of an 1840 treaty between Maori chiefs and the British.
• “Sweater Day”, in Canada, to support of climate action through the World Wildlife Fund. The idea is to help limit global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius by turning down our thermostats by the same amount (or more) and wearing our favourite sweaters to stay warm, to show commitment to the environment. LINK: https://tinyurl.com/5n9bj5d5
• “Pay-A-Compliment Day”, a time to practice this simple act of kindness and compliment a friend, co-worker or stranger. Here are a few “helpers” –
BS ‘LEFT-HANDED’ COMPLIMENTS:
➢ You remind me of myself, when I was really young and dumb.
➢ It’s interesting to see you form an opinion as you go.
➢ Thank you for giving us a well-deserved rest with your absence.
➢ Congratulations on your attempt to sound intelligent.
➢ You do really well for someone with a rectal-cranial inversion.
AND REMEMBER . . .
[Fri] Send a Card to a Friend Day
[Fri] Bubble Gum Day
[Sat] Global Movie Day
[Sun] Read in the Bathtub Day
This Week is…Crime Prevention Week
This Month is…Boost Your Self-Esteem Month
TODAY’S CELEBIRTHDAYS . . .
1957 [68] Kathy Najimy, San Diego CA, movie actress (“Hocus Pocus”, “Sister Act”)/TV actress (“Veronica’s Closet” 1997-2000, voice of ‘Peggy’ on “King of the Hill” 1997-2010)
1962 [63] Axl Rose (William Rose Jr., raised as William Bailey), Lafayette IN, rock singer (Guns N’ Roses-‘Welcome to the Jungle’, ‘Sweet Child O’ Mine’)/AC/DC touring singer, 2016/Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, 2012)
1962 [63] Richie McDonald, Lubbock TX, country singer (‘How Do I Just Stop’, ex-Lonestar-‘Amazed’)
1966 [59] Rick Astley, Newton-le-Willows England, pop singer (‘Never Gonna Give You Up’, ‘Together Forever)/internet sensation as the inspiration behind ‘Rickrolling’
1973 [52] Amy Robach, St Joseph MI, former TV news anchor (“Good Morning America” 2012-22, co-anchor of “20/20” 2018-23)
1982 [43] Alice Eve, London England, movie actress (She’s Out of My League, “Men in Black 3”)/TV actress (“Entourage” 2011)
1993 [32] Tinashe (Kachingwe), Lexington KY, pop singer-songwriter (‘Player’ f/Chris Brown, ‘2 On’ f/ScHoolboy Q)/TV actress (“Two and a Half Men” 2008-09)
1994 [31] Charlie Heaton, Leeds England, TV actor (“Stranger Things” since 2016)/movie actor (“The New Mutants”)
THIS DAY IN SHOW BIZ . . .
2003 [22] ABC’s “20/20” features Martin Bashir’s Brit TV documentary “Living With Michael Jackson,” in which Jackson admits he has ‘sleep-overs’ with young boys.
2014 [11] Jay Leno makes hosts his final episode of the “Tonight Show”, featuring Billy Crystal and musical guest Garth Brooks, plus surprise appearances from Jack Black, Kim Kardashian, Jim Parsons, Sheryl Crow, Carol Burnett, and Oprah Winfrey.
TODAY’S MUSIC EVENTS . . .
2011 [14] At Super Bowl 45 in Dallas, Christina Aguilera makes headlines by forgetting the lyrics during her rendition of the pre-game national anthem (Green Bay defeats Pittsburgh 31-25).
2014 [11] Nirvana’s ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’ is named “Greatest Song of All-Time” by UK’s NME magazine.
TODAY’S FIRSTS . . .
1935 [90] The board game “Monopoly” first goes on sale.
1952 [73] Queen Elizabeth II ascends to the British throne (she surpassed Queen Victoria’s record as longest-serving British monarch in 2015, and marked her Platinum Jubilee for 70 years on the throne in 2022, before passing away Sept. 8/22).
BULL’S BITS
BS WHACK FACTS:
✓ 2-4% of people can hear “The World Hum”; a humming in the background which never ceases.
✓ Apple seeds are poisonous.
✓ Human teeth are the only part of the body that cannot heal themselves.
✓ Deaf people are known to use sign language in their sleep.
✓ It would take 19 minutes to fall to the center of the Earth.
✓ There are currently 8 NFL teams without cheerleaders.
-RandomFactGenerator, Today
Best of BS . . .
SIGNS YOU HAVE A NEIGHBOR FROM HELL:
• They throw parties every weekend — and you’re not invited.
• $500 car with $3,000 rims.
• He introduces himself by saying, “Good morning, my name is Gary and those are my pants on your driveway. By any chance did the police stop by last night?”
• Their property gives the appearance of an eternal yard sale.
• Their Christmas lights are still up in May. And they’re on.
• They try to talk to you.
• They keep changing their WiFi password.
• She is constantly asking to borrow things, a cup of sugar one day, an egg the next, your husband the next…
• Outdoor drum set.
• Last name: Kardashian.
• If none of these sound like your neighbors, guess what? It’s YOU!
-Twitter, first published in BS in 2018
THE PEOPLE WHO SHOW UP AT EVERY SUPER BOWL PARTY:
✗ Guy who is WAAAAY too excited for the halftime show.
✗ Degenerate gambler glued to his phone/laptop, betting on every play and prop bet.
✗ Guy who won’t shut up about his office pool and how he almost won it last year.
✗ Socially awkward guy who tries too hard to fit in by overreacting to mundane things.
✗ Guy who hangs on broadcasters’ every word, hoping they’ll misspeak so he can ridicule them.
✗ Girl who hates football, but loudly cheers for her boyfriend’s team to show him she’s loyal.
✗ Guy who coaches youth football and has to break down game strategy for us ‘amateurs’.
✗ Desperate girl with no self-esteem who pretends to love football and beer so guys will like her.
✗ Guy who continually high-fives everybody, even when celebration isn’t warranted.
✗ Fat ass who just came for the snacks.
-Condensed from FunnyOrDie
BS WEB GOODIE:
Look familiar? https://tinyurl.com/3f6u3j8n
BS RANDOM JOKE:
The trouble with getting to work on time is that it makes the day so long.
☎ BS PHONE STARTER:
What’s a common experience that you’ve never experienced?
BS WATER COOLER QUESTION:
One of these travels about 3 miles an hour (4.8 kph). What is it?
Answer: A snowflake
BS DEEP THOUGHT:
If you aren’t fired with enthusiasm, you will be fired – with enthusiasm.
