BS SHOW BIZ BUZZ:
★ Saturday, on the eve of The Oscars, the ‘winners’ of the 35th “Golden Raspberry Awards” are announced in LA, saluting the year’s worst achievements in film. Director Michael Bay’s special effects spectacle “Transformers: Age of Extinction” leads all movies in ignominy with 7 “Razzie” nominations, including ‘Worst Picture’, Worst Screenplay’ and ‘Worst Director’. Action fantasy film “The Legend of Hercules” and faith-based film “Saving Christmas” starring Kirk Cameron are close behind with 6 nods each.
– Reuters.com
★ Speaking to film critics in Los Angeles, 38-year-old Oscar-nominated actor Benedict Cumberbatch (“The Imitation Game”) has admitted his last name sounds like … ‘a fart in a bath’. It sounds particularly funny, he says, when you say it with an English accent. He was so convinced that it wouldn’t catch on that he first used ‘Carlton’ as his show biz surname. His agent eventually convinced him to go with his real last name. Quote: ”I started off as Benedict Carlton, which is my middle name, my grandfather’s name.”
– BangShowbiz.com
★ Props from the hit AMC drama “Mad Men” are going on display at The Smithsonian Institution in Washington DC to mark the end of the long-running TV show. The Emmy-winning series wraps its 7-season run this Spring and to mark the occasion, costumes and props will be put on display at the museum beginning March 27th. Among the artifacts: A suit & fedora hat worn by Jon Hamm as ‘Don Draper’; and the original script from the Season 1 finalé, entitled “The Wheel”. The final 7 episodes of “Mad Men” begin on April 5th.
– WENN.com

WEEKEND SHOW BIZ SKED:
• “Countdown To the Oscars: An Insider’s Guide” – Saturday night Lara Spencer hosts highlights of previous Oscar ceremonies, including the fashions, flubs, and faux pas.
• “Daytona 500 Bash At the Beach” (FOX) – Saturday night a pre-race party on the sand, hosted by racing driver Clint Bowyer; performances by Little Big Town and Phillip Phillips.
• “Daytona 500” (FOX) – Sunday the kickoff race of the 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup auto racing season at Daytona Beach FL.
• “Ellen DeGeneres Show” (syndicated/CTV2) – Today Imagine Dragons (“Smoke + Mirrors”); Justin Bieber (“Comedy Central Celebrity Roast” March 7th.)
• “Jimmy Kimmel Live” (ABC/CityTV) – Tonight The Band Perry (“Pioneer”). Rerun.
• “Last Call With Carson Daly” (NBC) – Tonight The Budos Band (“Burnt Offering”). Rerun.
• “Late Night With Seth Meyers” (NBC/CTV) – Tonight The Bots (“Pink Palms”). Rerun.
• “Late Show With David Letterman” (CBS/Omni1) – Tonight Judah & The Lion (“Sweet Tennessee”).
• “The Oscars” (ABC/CTV) – Sunday Neil Patrick Harris hosts the 87th honors for the year’s best in film as presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences. A few facts …
– “Birdman” and “The Grand Budapest Hotel” lead nominations with 9 apiece including ‘Best Picture’, followed by “The Imitation Game” (8); “American Sniper” and “Boyhood” (6 each).
– ‘Best Original Song’ nominees: “Everything Is AWESOME!!!” by Tegan & Sara (“The LEGO Movie”); “Glory” by Common & John Legend (“Selma”); “Grateful” by Rita Ora (“Beyond the Lights”; “I’m Not Gonna Miss You” by Glen Campbell (“Glen Campbell … I’ll Be Me”); and “Lost Stars” by Adam Levine (“Begin Again”).
• “Saturday Night Live” (NBC/Global) – Tonight a primetime rerun of last Sunday’s #SNL40 anniversary special.
• “Tavis Smiley” (PBS) – Tonight a preview of The Oscars.
• “Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” (NBC/CTV2) – Tonight Nick Jonas (“Nick Jonas”).

BS MUSIC NOTES:
• Afroman – This week he was taken into police custody after he punched a female fan during a concert in Biloxi, Mississippi. Online video shows him decking a woman who walked onto the stage and approached him.
• Blackberry Smoke – Their debut album “Holding All the Roses” tops the new ‘Billboard Country Albums’ chart. The group, which merges country and southern rock, takes over the #1 spot from Sam Hunt’s “Montevallo”.
• Blink-182 – The band’s former guitarist Tom Delonge is convinced he once experienced an alien encounter while camping outside the southern Nevada military base known as Area 51. He details his close encounter in a bizarre new interview with “Paper” magazine.
• Drake – His surprise new album “If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late” has landed atop the new ‘Billboard 200’ all-genre album chart. It’s his 4th #1 debut. It’s currently only available via digital release or streaming on Spotify. It’s unknown when a physical release will arrive.
• Nicki Minaj – Her tour manager, De’Von Pickett, has been killed in a stabbing incident this week in Philadelphia PA’s Che Bar & Grill. Minaj is in town preparing for an upcoming tour with local rapper (and rumored boyfriend) Meek Mill.
• Sia – Speaking to the NME, she reveals that her next album is already done and entitled “This Is Acting”. She says the title reflects that it contains songs she was writing for other people and didn’t expect to be performing herself. No release date as yet.
• Spice Girls – Victoria Beckham’s London fashion boutique attracted just 12 paying customers in its first 4 days. The flagship shop on the city’s prestigious Dover Street saw close to 500 people pass through its doors but only a dozen left with any of the former Spice Girl’s designs.
• Van Morrison – The 69-year-old veteran singer-songwriter is collaborating with Michael Bublé and Joss Stone among others on his new album of re-recordings. The 16-track “Duets: Re-Working the Catalogue” is due out on March 16th.
• The Wildabouts – Sunday former Stone Temple Pilots and Velvet Revolver frontman Scott Weiland and his new backup band start a North American tour in Scottsdale AZ that runs through March 14th in Boston MA. Their initial album, “Blaster”, is due out March 31st.

TODAY’S MOVIE OPENINGS:
• “The DUFF” ( PG-13 Comedy ): A high school senior instigates a social pecking order revolution after finding out that she’s been labeled the ‘DUFF’ (Designated Ugly Fat Friend) to her prettier more popular friends. Stars Mae Whitman, Bella Thorne, Robbie Amell, Allison Janney. Similar to “Easy A”, “Mean Girls”, etc.
NET: http://theduffmovie.com
• “Hot Tub Time Machine 2” ( R-Rated Comedy ): In this unlikely sequel to a preposterous premise, the guys again fire up the hot tub time machine in an attempt to get back to the past, but inadvertently land in the future. Now they have to alter the future in order to save the past … which is really the present. Stars Rob Corddry, Craig Robinson, Clark Duke, Adam Scott.
NET: http://hottubmovie.tumblr.com
• “McFarland, USA” ( PG Sports Drama ): In this inspirational drama from director Niki Caro (“Whale Rider”, “North Country”), a cross country coach in a small California town transforms a team of athletes into championship contenders. Stars Kevin Costner, Maria Bello, Ramiro Rodriguez, Carlos Pratts.
NET: http://movies.disney.com/mcfarland-usa
• Opening in limited release: “Gloria” (Musical Biography); “Wild Tales” (Dramedy).

MORE AWESOME BODY HACKS:
✓ If you want to hold your breath underwater longer, take a series of short breaths instead of one huge inhalation. This tricks your brain into thinking it has more oxygen.
✓ Studies suggest that increasing the level of CO2 in your bloodstream is the key to ending hiccups. Therefore, breathing into a plastic bag for about 30 seconds is an almost sure cure.
✓ If you suffer from motion sickness or nausea, try pressing and holding the spot between the two tendons on the inside of your wrist.
✓ To revive an arm that has fallen asleep, rock your head from side to side. This will reduce the tension in your neck and help to ease the pins & needles sensation in your arm.
✓ If you have an urgent need to gag, grip your thumb as firmly as you can inside your fist. This should help you suppress the gag reflex.
✓ If you want to suppress the embarrassing situation of crying in public, hold your eyes wide open without blinking. This will prevent tears from forming.
✓ For temporary vision improvement, curl your hand into a fist and look through the tiny hole as you would a telescope. This trick temporarily increases your depth of field and focus.
✓ Everyone’s familiar with the desperation of urgently needing to pee when there’s no bathroom in sight. To suppress this urge, simply think about sex.
– Condensed from List25.com

AWARD-WINNING FACTS ABOUT THE OSCARS:
• No longer officially referred to as “The Academy Awards”, the show has been re-branded “The Oscars” as of 2013.
• The price of guest tickets for the first Academy Awards, held in the Blossom Room of the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel on May 16, 1929, was … $5.
• The famous golden statuette is officially named the ‘Academy Award of Merit’. The origins of the nickname ‘Oscar’ are unclear.
• An Oscar statuette is 13½ inches tall with a 5¼-inch base. It weighs 8½ lbs.
• Since 1929, 2,947 Oscar statuettes have been presented.
• About 50 Oscar statuettes have been created for this year’s 87th Academy Awards.
• The length of the red carpet at the Dolby Theatre is about 500 feet; the width 33 feet. That’s 16,500 square feet of walking and hoping that you won’t trip.
• The more-than-5,000 voting members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences are the ones who choose the winners. Among that group, more than 1,000 are actors.
– Sourced from Oscars.org

BS CHRONOMETER 02.20.15

TODAY’S CELEBIRTHDAYS . . .
1966 [49] Cindy Crawford, DeKalb IL, fashion model (600+ magazine covers, the latest causing much conversation for being ‘un-retouched’)/Mrs Rande Gerber since 1998

1975 [40] Brian Littrell, Lexington KY, pop singer (Backstreet Boys-“Just Want You to Know”, “I Want It That Way”)/cousin of BSB’s Kevin Richardson

1978 [37] Chelsea Peretti, Contra Costa CA, TV actress (‘Gina Linetti’ on “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” since 2013)

1979 [36] Coy Bowles, Carrollton GA, country guitarist-keyboardist (Zac Brown Band-“Sweet Annie”, “Chicken Fried”)

1988 [27] Rihanna (Fenty), Saint Michael, Barbados, pop singer (w/Kanye West & Paul McCartney-“FourFiveSeconds”, “Umbrella”)

1989 [26] Jack Falahee, Ann Arbor MI, TV actor (‘Connor Walsh’ on “How to Get Away With Murder” since 2014)

SATURDAY –
Movie actor Alan Rickman (“Harry Potter” films) is 69; TV/movie actor Kelsey Grammar (“Frasier”) is 60; TV actor Kim Coates (“Sons of Anarchy”) is 57; TV actress Jennifer Love Hewitt (“The Client List”) is 36; Movie actress Ashley Green (“Twilight Saga”) is 28; Movie actress Ellen Page (“Juno”) is 28; TV actress Sophie Turner (“Game of Thrones”) is 19.

SUNDAY –
Rock drummer Scott Phillips (Creed/Alter Bridge) is 42; Pop singer James Blunt (“You’re Beautiful”) is 41; Movie actress Drew Barrymore (“50 First Dates”) is 40; Pop-rock singer Tom Higgenson (Plain White T’s) is 36; TV actor Zach Roerig (“The Vampire Diaries”) is 30.

TODAY’S BS REASONS TO PARTY . . .
• “Cherry Pie Day”, honoring the 2nd-most-popular fruit pie, behind only apple pie.
• “Northern Hemisphere Hoodie-Hoo Day”, when you’re encouraged to go outdoors and yell ‘HOODIE-HOO!!!!’ at the top of your lungs at noon local time to relieve Winter blahs and encourage the arrival of Spring. Could make an interesting on-air bit with callers.
• “World Day of Social Justice”, the 6th annual initiated by the UN to promote solutions to global issues such as poverty, exclusion, and unemployment.

SATURDAY –
• “Card Reading Day”, a day to have your future foretold with tarot cards.
• “International Sword Swallowers Day”, a day of recognition for practitioners of the ancient art. Demonstrations are scheduled at Ripley’s Believe It or Not! museums worldwide. There’s actually a Sword Swallowers Association International which, among other things, administers the ‘Injured Sword Swallower’s Relief Fund’.
NET: http://www.swordswallow.org/ssad.php
• “UN International Mother Language Day”. We always found Latin was a real mother.

SUNDAY –
• “Be Humble Day”. Just for one day try not to brag or to boast; and try not to talk about your success or accomplishments. Why? Because humility is a good thing.
• “Margarita Day”. Tequila, triple sec, lime juice, and ice are everything you’ll need to celebrate … well, that and some good friends. And a tropical beach wouldn’t hurt.
• “World Thinking Day”, an annual celebration of Boy Scouts/Girl Guides founders Lord & Lady Baden-Powell’s joint birthday. Scouts and Guides are encouraged to ‘think’ of good deeds.

THIS DAY IN SHOW BIZ . . .
2009 [06] Late night talk show personality Conan O’Brien hosts his final “Late Night With Conan O’Brien” show on NBC-TV (he moves on to briefly replace Jay Leno on “The Tonight Show”, then gets pushed out and has to move to TBS)

TODAY’S MUSIC EVENT . . .
2003 [12] During a Great White concert in West Warwick RI, a pyrotechnics display sets the club ablaze, killing 100 and injuring over 300 fans

TODAY’S RECORD . . .
2011 [04] At age 20, rookie driver Trevor Bayne becomes the youngest winner in the 53-year history of the Daytona 500 auto race

AND REMEMBER . . .
[Mon] “BET Honors” (BET)
[Mon] “The Voice” season premiere (NBC)
[Mon] Curling is Cool Day
[Tues] Cupcake Day (Canada)
[Tues] Spay Day (USA)
[Tues] Single Tasking Day
[Tues] World Bartender Day
This Week Is … Child Passenger Safety Awareness Week
This Month Is … Learn Italian Month

BULL’S BITS

THE OTHER OSCARS:
Alternative Academy Awards that really should be presented …
• Quickest Killing of Main Antagonist – “The Hobbit: The Battle Of the Five Armies” (‘Smaug’ is killed by a big arrow before the opening credits even roll).
• Worst Choice of Life Partners – Patricia Arquette in “Boyhood” (from one bad boyfriend to another).
• Most Wooden Actress – Sienna Miller (shows her ‘non-stuff’ in both “American Sniper” and “Foxcatcher”).
• Best Use of Animated Cows – “The Wanted 18” (were there any other animated cows?).
• Best Pill Popping – Jennifer Aniston in “Cake” (would have been nominated if she wasn’t Jennifer Aniston).
• Best ‘Batman’ of All-Time – “The LEGO Movie” (beating out Ben Affleck a year in advance).
• Best Opening Dance Scene – Chris Pratt in “Guardians Of the Galaxy” (to Redbone’s 1974 hit “Come & Get Your Love”).
• Worst Landscaping In a Comedy – “St Vincent” (for Bill Murray’s dirt patch of a back yard).
• Most Impressive Blink-And-You’ll-Miss-Them Ensemble Cast – “The Grand Budapest Hotel” (you’d have to watch in slo-mo to catch all the cameos).
• Best Marketing Assist From a Ruthless Dictator – “The Interview” (thanks to a promo push from Kim Jong-un, Supreme Leader of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea).
• Best Depiction Of the Making of a Grilled-Cheese Sandwich – “Chef” (Jon Favreau’s food truck film is guaranteed to make your tummy ready to rumble!).
– Sourced from “The National”

BS RANDOM JOKE:
Marriage is the process of finding out what kind of man your wife would have preferred.

BS U-PICK TRIVIA:
Last year at The Oscars, Matthew McConaughey won ‘Best Actor’ for “Dallas Buyers Club”; Cate Blanchett won ‘Best Actress’ for “Blue Jasmine”. And which won ‘Best Picture’?
a. “American Hustle”
b. “Gravity”
c. “12 Years a Slave” [CORRECT]
– Wikipedia.org

BS PHONE STARTER:
☎ What’s your (very specific) dream job?

BS WATER COOLER QUESTION:
Question: It’s estimated that 1-in-50 kids born this year will go through life without one of THESE.
Answer: A middle name.

BS DEEP THOUGHT:
Alcohol doesn’t solve any problems … but then again, neither does milk.