BS SHOW BIZ BUZZ:
With a total take near $34.58 million Madonna ranks #1 on “Billboard” magazine’s new ‘Top 40 Money Makers’ list for 2013, ranking artists who brought in the most dough in the past year through touring, album sales, digital royalties, etc (edging out Bruce Springsteen at $33.44 million) . . . ABC-TV may have just evicted “The B— in Apartment 23” but cast-member James Van Der Beek has already lined up a new gig, playing a gynecologist in a new CBS-TV comedy pilot called “Friends With Better Lives” (gynecology seems to be the go-to funny profession of late) . . . TMZ is reporting that Lindsay Lohan is now in trouble for unpaid taxes for the 3rd consecutive year and can’t even afford to pay her own rent, perhaps explaining why she recently moved back in with her mommy (girl, it’s time to go back to your forté and take your clothes off for a magazine – or maybe Charlie Sheen) . . . Oscar-nominee Tommy Lee Jones (“Lincoln”), who has a ranch in Texas as well as a house in Santa Fe, New Mexico, has just listed his 50-acre Wellington, Florida polo ranch for a stunning $26,750,000 (not a bad return on a $4.6 million investment!) . . . And it seems just yesterday that ‘actress’ Megan Fox and movie director Michael Bay were publicly sniping at each other, but now it seems all is well and she’s signed on to join the cast of his bigscreen remake of “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” (thereby completing the bad omen trifecta).
TODAY’S SHOW BIZ SKED:
• “All For the Hall” (NYC) – The Country Music Hall of Fame & Museum’s annual fundraiser returns to the Big Apple for the first time in more than 4 years at the Best Buy Theater. The guitar pull format features Emmylou Harris, Vince Gill, and special guests.
• “Celebrity Wife Swap” (ABC) – The celebs? Kate Gosselin, Kendra Wilkinson. ‘Nuff said.
• “Jimmy Kimmel Live” (ABC/CityTV) – Morrissey (“Very Best of …”). He’s being treated for a bleeding ulcer and Barrett’s esophagus, an injury which has already forced him to put off a string of shows. He’s hoping to resume his tour in San Diego CA tomorrow night.
• “Late Show With David Letterman” (CBS/NTV/Omni1) – Kendrick Lamar (“good kid, mAAd city”).
• “Tonight Show With Jay Leno” (NBC/CTV2) – Oldies singer Boz Scaggs.
BS MUSIC NOTES:
• Atoms For Peace – Today Radiohead frontman Thom Yorke’s side project releases the debut album, “Amok”. Also collaborating: Flea from Red Hot Chili Peppers, producer Nigel Godrich, and percussionist Mauro Refosco. Yorke says, “Atoms is an ongoing and open-ended project, where it leads I know not for certain …. which is what is nice about it.”
• Beyoncé – She has signed a global publishing agreement with Warner/Chappell Music. The publishing house will now administer the 17-time Grammy-winner’s future songwriting, including her forthcoming new album.
• David Bowie – His new single, “The Stars (Are Out Tonight)”, is out today. It’s off his forthcoming album, “The Next Day”, out March 12th.
• 50 Cent – Today his 5th solo album, “Street King Immortal”, is released. It guest-stars the likes of Chris Brown, Eminem, Ne-Yo, and Trey Songz. Dr Dre, Frank Dukes, and Hit-Boy are among the project’s producers.
• Jay-Z / Justin Timberlake – It’s confirmed they’ll hit the road together on a North American tour of stadiums dubbed “Legends Of the Summer”. A dozen dates have been announced, kicking off in Toronto, Ontario on July 17th. Tickets go on sale this Thursday.
• Mindy McCready – Today her family has planned a private funeral service for her in Fort Myers, Florida. The former country star died February 17th in an apparent suicide at her home in Heber Springs, Arkansas. She was 37.
• Taylor Swift – She tells Britain’s “InStyle” magazine: “If I’m gonna write songs about my exes they can write songs about me. That’s how it works.”
• The Who – Tonight they play Providence, Rhode Island, completing some unfinished business from 1979 when their concert was cancelled due to safety concerns. As a promotion, all tickets from that original date are being honored. The most expensive ticket back then? $14.
TODAY’S VIDEO RELEASES:
• “Chasing Mavericks” ( PG Sports Drama ): When young surfer Jay Moriarty discovers that the mythic ‘Mavericks’ surf break, one of the biggest waves on Earth, exists just miles from his California home, he enlists the help of a local legend to train him to survive it. Stars Jonny Weston, Gerard Butler, Elisabeth Shue. Based on a true story.
• “The Master” ( R-Rated Drama ): Set in post-WW2 America, the story follows the journey of a Navy veteran (Joaquin Phoenix) who arrives home from the war unsettled and uncertain of his future. Co-stars Philip Seymour Hoffman as the charismatic leader of a faith-based organization. Some think Paul Thomas Anderson’s critically acclaimed film targets Scientology.
• Also released today: “Africa” (BBC Documentary); “Barbie In the Pink Shoes” (Animation); “The Client List: The Complete 1st Season” (TV); “Law & Order: The 12th Year” (TV); “Midnight Movies Mondo Triple Feature” (Documentary); “Over Your Cities Grass Will Grow” (Documentary); “The Reagan Presidency” (Documentary); and “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Rise Of the Turtles” (Animation).
RECYCLING CAN BACKFIRE:
Almost everyone would agree that it’s better for the environment to recycle than to throw recyclable goods in the trash. But here’s a consequence you may not have considered … the presence of a recycling bin may be encouraging us to consume more. In one experiment, when asked to try out a pair of scissors, participants cut up more paper if a recycling bin was available than if just a trash cash was available, regardless of their environmental attitudes. In another experiment in a men’s restroom, more paper towels were used per person if a recycling bin was available than if just the normal trash receptacles were available. (Is this why you drink more beer when there’s a bottle deposit?)
– “Boston Globe”
BETTER BULBS:
Researchers at North Carolina’s Wake Forest University have developed a new type of lighting that could replace fluorescent bulbs. Called ‘Field-Induced Polymer Electroluminescent’ (FIPEL) technology, the new light source is made from layers of plastic that contain a small amount of nano-materials that glow when electric current is passed through them. It’s said to be more efficient while also producing a better quality of flicker-free light. Unlike fluorescent bulbs there’s no bluish, harsh tint to FIPEL lighting, and it can be made into any shape. (Just as you’ve finally converted to eco-friendly fluorescent, it’s already become old fashioned.)
– Excerpted from BBC News
SCIENCE BEHIND SOME POPULAR PHRASES:
• ‘Chew the Cud’ – Cows are ruminants, meaning that to properly digest grass and pass it through their 4-chambered stomachs, they need to re-chew it. Consequently, a cow’s mouth seems to go nonstop, just like a talkative person who is ‘chewing the cud’.
• ‘Dog Days’ – The ancient Romans noticed that the Dog Star, Sirius, rose at the same time as the Sun on the hottest days of the year, so they made the natural assumption that Sirius in the sky added to the heat of the day. That’s the genesis of the expression ‘dog days of Summer’.
• ‘The Bee’s Knees’ – It was 1920s slang for something wonderful, but why would the knees of the common honeybee be anything to get excited bout? Well, when bees find pollen they carry it back to the hive on pollen baskets located on their hind legs … near their knees. Coolness!
– “Uncle John’s Bathroom Reader Plunges Into the Universe”
IS YOUR JOB WORSE THAN NO JOB?
According to a study by the Centre for Mental Health Research at Australian National University, people with jobs characterized by high demand and low control over decision-making, high job insecurity, and an imbalance between expended effort and reward actually experience poorer mental health than those who are jobless. In other words, people who can’t find a job have a healthier state of mind than those who are employed and feel overwhelmed, insecure, underpaid, and micro-managed. (Guess that’s why unemployed folk don’t need vacations.)
– TheDailyBeast.com
THE COLDER SEX:
How come women always seem colder than men? The fairer sex has a higher percentage of body fat and conserves more heat around the core. That helps keep vital organs nice and toasty but not the extremities … and when your hands and feet feel cold, so does the rest of your body. Plus, research suggests that women have a lower threshold for cold than men. When exposed to the same freezing temperature, the blood vessels in women’s fingers constrict more than men’s do, which is why they turn white more quickly. (When they progress to blue, lend her your gloves ASAP!)
– Condensed from RD.com
MORE ORIGINS OF MODERN SPORTS:
• Boxing – Modern boxing originated in England around the 17th century. The first documented boxing match took place in 1681. In 1743 rules were introduced (to prevent deaths in the ring) which were eventually formalized as the Marquess of Queensberry rules in 1867.
• Soccer (Football) – It’s direct (and FIFA-recognized) origin comes from a game called Cuju (literally ‘kick ball’) that was played in ancient China during the Han Dynasty. The ball was made of panels of leather sewn together and inflated with hair and other soft fillings rather than air.
• Volleyball – Massachusetts YMCA instructor William Morgan invented it in 1895 as an indoor game with less physical contact than basketball for his students, who were mainly older businessmen. It was originally called ‘Mintonette’.
– ListsOPlenty.com
WHAT DOES A SMILE MEAN?
Northeastern University psychologist Lisa Feldman Barrett has written a research paper challenging the idea that facial expressions are universal; the idea that we scowl only when angry or pout only when sad. The commonly held belief is that certain facial muscle movements (called expressions) evolved to express certain mental states that prepare the body to react in stereotyped ways. But Barrett contends there can be a tremendous variety in what our bodies and faces do in anger, sadness, or fear. Sometimes we yell, sometimes we smile. (For more info, Google ‘The Joker’.)
– Sourced from PsychCentral.com
AMERICANS UNMOVED:
Despite all the news reports on the health benefits of walking and biking, most Americans do not walk, bike or engage in other forms of active transportation, according to a new study. The new data indicates that less than a quarter of adults use active transport for more than 10 minutes continuously in a typical week. Active transport refers to walking and cycling, wheelchairs, and inline skating or skateboarding. Researchers say it’s an important element to any healthy society. (If you get up to plug in your tablet recharger, does that count?)
– “Globe & Mail”
DID YOU KNOW?
As Earth rotates, the water in the oceans moves about and serves to brake the spin of the planet. That is why today will be 2 milliseconds longer than yesterday.
– “The Universe Within”
BS CHRONOMETER 02.26.13
TODAY’S CELEBIRTHDAYS . . .
1953 [60] Michael Bolton (Bolotin), New Haven CT, overwrought pop singer (“When a Man Loves a Woman”, “How Am I Supposed to Live Without You”) BS FACTOID: His new album, “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough: Tribute to Hitsville”, is out today.
1968 [45] Tim Commerford, Irvine CA, rock bassist (Rage Against the Machine-“Guerrilla Radio”, Audioslave-“Be Yourself”)
1971 [42] Erykah Badu (Wright), Dallas TX, R&B singer (“Love of My Life”, “Bag Lady”)/mother to Puma, Seven, and Mars
1979 [34] Chris Culos, Rockville MD, rock drummer (OAR-“Shattered [Turn the Car Around”])
1979 [34] Corinne Bailey Rae, Leeds UK, pop singer (“Trouble Sleeping”, “Put Your Records On”)
TODAY’S BS REASONS TO PARTY . . .
• “For Pete’s Sake Day”, which asks the pressing question, ‘Just who the hell is Pete, anyway, and why would we do anything for his sake?’
• “Levi Strauss’ Birthday” (1829-1902), the man who created the first Levi’s blue jeans for California’s gold miners in 1850. Without him, many of us wouldn’t have a wardrobe.
• “Personal Chefs Day”, an annual reminder to consider hiring a private chef for a day, a unique way to entertain friends and business guests in your home. It’s not as expensive as you might think … check your want ads.
NET: http://www.personalchef.com
• “Tell a Fairy Tale Day”. Yeah, inflict some of the most violent stories ever written onto your innocent, unsuspecting child. (What’s the scariest of all-time? “Fee, fi, foe, fum …”)
• “World Spay Day”, an annual campaign on the last Tuesday of February by Humane Society International to inspire people to save animal lives by spaying or neutering pets and feral cats.
NET: http://www.humanesociety.org/issues/spay_day
TODAY’S MUSIC EVENT . . .
1983 [30] Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” album reaches #1, then spends a total of 37 weeks there
TODAY’S FIRST . . .
1882 [131] 1st commercially manufactured breakfast cereal … ‘Shredded Wheat’
COMING UP . . .
[Wed] Inconvenience Yourself Day
[Thurs] Floral Design Day
[Thurs] Chili Day
[Thurs] Tooth Fairy Day
[Thurs] Rare Disease Day
This Week is … Secondhand Wardrobe Week
This Month Is … International Expect Success Month
BULL’S BITS
BS SIGNS YOUR WIFE’S BORED WITH YOUR SEX LIFE:
• During the act, she yells out, “Oh baby, blah, blah, blah …”
• Only moans during commercial breaks.
• She actually answers when you ask “Who’s your daddy?”
• Instead of moaning while making love she’s moaning ABOUT making love.
• She’s been using your toothbrush … to scrub tile grout.
• Every morning’s the same for you: Wake up, have a coffee, roll up your sleeping bag on the couch …
BS U-PICK TRIVIA:
You suffer from ‘hypnophobia’. Of what do you have an abnormal fear?
a. Being seen from behind.
b. Falling asleep. [CORRECT]
c. Telling the truth while hypnotized.
– Halife.com
BS PHONE STARTER:
☎ What is (or was) your all-time favorite children’s book?
BS IMPOSSIBLE QUESTION:
Q: There are only 4 words in the English language which end in ‘d-o-u-s’. What are they?
A: Tremendous, horrendous, stupendous, and hazardous.
– “Weird Fact Of the Day”
BS PROMOTION:
“The [your station] Don’t Party” – Simple idea: Encourage listeners to show up at the sponsor location (ideally a pub or club) wearing their worst fashion ‘don’ts’. The idea is to intentionally commit at least one fashion faux pas. Worst get-up wins!
BS RANDOM JOKE:
Remember, money is the root of the tree of which the limb you’re out on is part of.
BS WATER COOLER QUESTION:
Question: In a recent survey, kids say THIS is the #1 old saying that they hate hearing from their parents.
Answer: “Money doesn’t grow on trees.”
BS DEEP THOUGHT:
There is nothing wrong with making mistakes. Just don’t respond with encores.