Tuesday, February 14, 2023 – Edition: #7417
Where Else Would You Want to be on Feb. 14, But Between the Sheets?
BS SHOW BIZ BUZZ:
★ Celebrities once again ran up the score for Super Bowl advertisers. The most-watched Super Bowl ad on YouTube on Sunday was Melissa McCarthy’s Booking.com spot, in which she is whisked away on a whirlwind musical tour of gorgeous vacation getaways. John Travolta’s T-Mobile ad, crooning a riff on ‘Summer Nights’ alongside Zach Braff and Donald Faison, was #2. Other celeb-driven ads in YouTube’s Top 10 came from Skechers (Snoop Dogg), Pepsi (Steve Martin), Paramount+ (Sylvester Stallone), Rakuten (with Alicia Silverstone reprising Cher from “Clueless”), Google Pixel (Amy Schumer, NBA star Giannis Antetokounmpo and Doja Cat) and Avocados From Mexico (featuring a naked Anna Faris as Eve in a reimagined Garden of Eden).
-Variety
★ Chris Brown congratulated his ex Rihanna on her pregnancy-revealing Super Bowl halftime show. The singer, who had a troubled relationship with RiRi, took to his Instagram Stories moments after the Fenty Beauty founder performed a medley of her hits and revealed that she’s expecting her second child. Alongside a red heart and praying-hands emojis, Brown wrote: “GO GIRL”. Last May, Brown congratulated her and her boyfriend, A$AP Rocky, on the birth of their first child.
-PageSix
★ Could one more Batman be returning to the DC multiverse? During Sunday’s Super Bowl, the first trailer for “The Flash” dropped, featuring 2 different Batmans, but fans think they may have spotted a third: Christian Bale. Because their appearances in multiverse-spanning superhero epic were previously announced by DC, Ben Affleck and Michael Keaton both popping up in the trailer playing the Caped Crusader was expected. But the appearance of a Batman riding a Batpod had many raising an eyebrow. Fans were quick to note the similarity in appearance of both the Batpod and the cape-and-cowl costume design to Bale’s take on the character from Christopher Nolan’s “Dark Knight” trilogy.
-ETCanada
★ John Cena is rocking high heels and a skirt for good reason. The WWE Superstar was recently photographed in Australia looking nearly unrecognizable in makeup and an outfit that included a black T-shirt, a black-and-white plaid short skirt, thigh-high stockings, and black leather heels. That raised some questions, but it turns out that Cena was sporting the new look for his upcoming film “Ricky Stanicky”. Though his role remains unclear, we know he’s in Melbourne shooting the film under director Peter Farrelly. The comedy’s cast also includes Zac Efron, Jermaine Fowler, and William H. Macy.
-PopCulture
★ Bryan Cranston would love to star in a music biopic, and has a good idea of which music star he’d like to play onscreen – Willie Nelson. When asked about it, he pointed out some similarities he shares with the country music legend, saying: “The hair and the beard. I think there’s some physical resemblance. He’s very old and wrinkled, and I can relate to that. So I wouldn’t have to wear a lot of makeup.” Cranston is also a big admirer of Nelson, saying “Willie’s had a fascinating career — as a writer and as a performer, and as a free speech person…and on the forefront of hemp [culture]”, although the “Breaking Bad” star added that he’s not a big weed smoker himself.
-ETCanada
★ Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck have FINALLY found their dream house. The couple has agreed on a deal for an incredible $34 million property in the Pacific Palisades area of L.A. — a super exclusive neighborhood only for the uber-rich. The mansion, built just last year, is a Hamptons-style traditional, with 7 bedrooms and 13 bathrooms. It sits on one acre, which is enormous for that area. JLo just listed her Bel Air home for $42.5 million.
-TMZ
TODAY’S SHOW BIZ SKED:
• “Jimmy Kimmel Live” (ABC/Global): Milo Ventimiglia, Charles Barkley, Paramore
• “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” (NBC/CTV): Chip & Joanna Gaines, Amanda Shires, Jason Isbell
• “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” (CBS/Global): Patrick Stewart, Ke Huy Quan, Boyz II Men
• “Late Night with Seth Meyers” (NBC/CTV): Paul Rudd, Zoë Brecher
• “The Late Late Show with James Corden” (CBS/CTV): Alison Brie, Dave Franco, Lauren Spencer-Smith
• “Watch What Happens Live” (Bravo): Teresa Giudice, Louie Ruelas
• “The Daily Show” (COM): Guest host Sarah Silverman
• “The View” (ABC/CTV): Nathan Lane
• “Live with Kelly and Ryan” (ABC/CTV): Jason Biggs, Jenny Mollen
• “The Kelly Clarkson Show” (Check local listings): Ashton Kutcher, Chrissy Metz, Bradley Collins
• “The Drew Barrymore Show” (Check local listings): Reese Witherspoon, Dr. Ruth Westheimer, Matthew Hussey, Damona Hoffman
• “Jennifer Hudson Show” (Check local listings): Tyrese Gibson, Muni Long
• “The Rookie” (ABC): With help from the FBI, Lopez puts everything on the line to help Elijah take down a gang leader in exchange for her safety.
• “The Real Housewives of New Jersey” (Bravo): Teresa kicks wedding planning into high gear, while Danielle learns of a secret meeting between Jennifer, Teresa and a scorned ex-friend of Margaret.
• “Night Court” (NBC): Gurgs’ tween nephew’s class visits the court for a school project; things get out of hand when it’s revealed their true motive is to grind the wheels of justice to a halt.
BS MUSIC NOTES:
• Rihanna – If you didn’t get enough of her at her Super Bowl halftime performance, just hold on. Reports are that she’s “likely” to perform at this year’s Oscars on March 12, where she’s nominated for Best Original Song for ‘Lift Me Up’ from the movie “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever”.
• Jessie J — On Saturday, she announced the sex of her soon-to-be firstborn baby on Instagram — hours before showing off her bump on the BRIT Awards red carpet. The clip features her singing an upcoming single, while holding her baby bump, with the caption: “every time I play it or sing it he moves like crazy…so I think this song is the one…”Oh yeah…I’m having a boy”. LINK: https://tinyurl.com/yydpj38m
• Kanye West — Adidas shares plummeted last week after the company said it could lose $1.3 billion in revenue from its failed partnership with him. West’s antisemitic remarks last year prompted the sportswear giant to sever ties and scrap their lucrative joint brand, Yeezy.
• Cyndi Lauper – currently leads Rock and Roll Hall of Fame fan voting for the class of 2023, with more than 170,000 votes. George Michael is second with over 166,000 and Warren Zevon third, with about 145,000. They are followed, in order, by Soundgarden, Willie Nelson and Iron Maiden. Votes can be cast daily at https://vote.rockhall.com/en/
• Pink Floyd – The recent spat between Roger Waters and David Gilmour threatens to derail a $500 million payday for the group. Talks on a deal to sell the band’s music rights have now ground to a halt, because with relations so fraught, the prospect of them agreeing to a deal to sell the group’s catalogue seems unlikely.
• Linda Ronstadt – Her song ‘Long Long Time’ has topped multiple Billboard charts more than 50 years after its release, thanks to its inclusion in a recent episode of “The Last of Us”. The song, which was released in 1970, is at #1 on the Rock Digital Song Sales, LyricFind US and LyricFind Global rankings, dated Feb. 11. It is also at #6 on the Hot Trending Songs chart.
• Luke Combs – released the new song ‘Love You Anyway’ on Friday, and it has a Valentine’s Day connection. During a concert on Feb. 14, 2020, Combs dedicated ‘Beautiful Crazy’ to his then-fiancé Nicole, saying: “If you’re in here (the arena), I love you. If not, you know I do anyway.” His friend Dan wrote down those 3 words, and reminded of them again later that year, when Combs was writing. LINK: https://tinyurl.com/3fdjfd54
• Carrie Underwood — introduced her new puppy, Charlotte “Charlie” Nilla Fisher, to her fans on social media on Sunday. In a series of sweet close-ups, the white puppy is seen cozied up on a rug with a dog toy, snoozing in a travel crate and cuddling on someone’s lap. LINK: https://tinyurl.com/mtr3aenb
• Kane Brown – has his 9th #1 song in ‘Thank God’, a duet with his wife Katelyn, and he’s giving her all the credit. He wrote on Instagram: “My baby got her first number 1. Thanks country radio and fans for blowing this one up.” Katelyn released several songs as an R&B/pop artist before they got together. LINK: https://tinyurl.com/2p8cem6u
SHOOTING THE BULL
VOLT SWAGGIN’:
One of the biggest knocks on electric vehicles (EVs) is the length of time it takes to charge them. Unlike a quick 5-minute stop to fill a gasoline-powered car, an EV battery can be plugged into a regular outlet at home all night – and still not be fully charged. But that that might be about to change. A team from the University of California says it has come up with an electric car battery that charges in one hour. It’s a long, technical explanation, so I won’t bore you with that, but the researchers say their fast-charging battery will be cheaper to produce, more powerful (allowing for vehicles with smaller batteries), and is more sustainable for the environment. Current EVs also require raw materials that are already facing supply chain issues.
(Sounds “positive’!)
(And how much will they “charge” for this?)
-SWNS
BODY LANGUAGE:
⇒ Having a limp handshake might be a sign of early death, according to a new study from researchers at the University of Michigan. Their study links grip strength to a higher risk of age-related chronic diseases, including cancer. The researchers found that having a weak grip could be a sign of overall muscle weakness — a known factor of many degenerative diseases. (I don’t call it a weak grip. I just consider myself to be really, really relaxed…)
⇒ Scientists say that men may be able to tell whether or not they will someday go bald by looking at the length of their fingers. In a study conducted in Taiwan of men had who had been diagnosed with androgenetic alopecia (male pattern baldness), researchers found that male baldness is 6 times more likely to occur if a man’s ring finger is longer than his index finger. The scientists believe that a longer ring finger may be a sign of high testosterone exposure that occurred within the womb. (Of course, up ‘til now, the only reliable indicator of future baldness is that it keeps taking longer and longer to wash your face…!)
-NYPost, LADBible
TOP 5 TOP 5 ROMANTIC FLICKS, ACCORDING TO CRITICS:
1. “Valentine’s Day” (2010): Superstars collide in this movie full of intersecting Valentine’s Day plot lines. (Julia Roberts, Jessica Biel, Ashton Kutcher, Bradley Cooper, Taylor Swift and more…)
2. “Pride & Prejudice” (2005): This adaptation of Jane Austen’s classic is loved for its earthy sensibility that still maintains the humor, wit, and sexual tension between Keira Knightley and Matthew Macfayden.
3. “Always Be My Maybe” (2019): Funny and oozing with chemistry between leads Ali Wong and Randall Park, it also features a very memorable appearance from Keanu Reeves.
4. “To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before” (2018): This Netflix teenage rom-com starring Lana Condor details the trials and tribulations of navigating romance during high school. (Wasn’t once enough?)
5. “The Notebook” (2004): You knew this was coming. That iconic rain-soaked kiss alone makes it a romantic classic, powered by the palpable chemistry between Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams.
(What’s yours?)
-StudyFinds
BEST OF THE BEST VALENTINE’S DAY CANDY, ACCORDING TO EXPERTS:
1. Brach’s Valentine’s Day Tiny Conversation Hearts: These bite-sized classic treats can tell your sweetheart to ‘Be Mine’ or ‘Kiss Me,’ or even tell your ‘BFF’ to ‘Text Me.’
2. Reese’s Peanut Butter Hearts: Reese’s is the undisputed champion of any and all holiday candy. Valentine’s Day is no different. They are delicious.
3. Cupid’s Mix M&M’s: This seasonal version of the classic candy features white, pink and red M&M’s stamped with lips, roses and Cupid’s arrows.
4. Hershey’s Hugs & Kisses: It makes sense that candies called Hugs and Kisses would go over well on a day dedicated to love. Yes, you can get these bite-size aluminum-foil wrapped Hershey’s chocolates all year round, but they somehow taste better at this time of year.
5. SweeTarts Conversation Hearts: These tangy seasonal hearts a combine the sourness of SweetTARTS with a romantic shape and amorous messages.
(How does one become an “expert” in this field, and how is it that I wasn’t consulted?)
-StudyFinds
WHY BEING SINGLE IS ACTUALLY THE BEST:
Sure, it’s Valentine’s Day, but we should also give a thought to those who are currently without a life-partner. If that’s you, rejoice, and revel in your singlehood. Here are some of the advantages …
✓ Instead of spending money on Valentine’s Day, you can save it for more important things, like sandwiches and donuts.
✓ You only have one Netflix queue, and it’s filled with exactly what you want to watch.
✓ The whole bed is yours, and you can lie smack-dab in the middle of it … at 1 in the afternoon.
✓ You don’t have to share your food, which means the entire pizza can be yours. And you can order whatever you want on that pizza without having to consult someone first.
✓ A whole bottle of wine for dinner? No problem. No pants. No regrets.
✓ You don’t have to worry about drama, or stupid random arguments with a significant other.
✓ Don’t want to clean up after yourself? Don’t.
✓ You can totally make out with 4 different people in one night, no questions asked.
✓ You don’t have to work your schedule around someone else’s, so there’s no guilt if you want to take a spontaneous trip or just binge-watch something all day.
✓ Two words: No. In-laws.
-Adapted from BuzzFeed
DID YOU KNOW?
The safest place to be in the event of a nuclear apocalypse is Australia – or New Zealand. In a report recently published in the journal Risk Analysis, New Zealand-based scientists concluded that their country, and its continental neighbor, “might survive a severe sun-reducing catastrophe such as nuclear winter and be well placed to help reboot-collapsed human civilization.” The authors also pointed out that the island nations of Vanuatu, the Solomon Islands and Iceland also make the list. Australia leads the pack, though, thanks to its distance from the northern hemisphere, where nuclear fallout is more likely, as well as its defense budget, energy surplus, quality infrastructure and food supply.
(These days, I’m more worried about unidentified space balloons!)
-NYPost
BS CHRONOMETER 02.14.23
TODAY’S BS REASONS TO PARTY . . .
• “Valentine’s Day”, the most widely celebrated unofficial holiday. A few fun facts …
➠ The Catholic Church recognizes at least 3 different saints named Valentine, all of whom were martyred, one for performing secret weddings for young lovers.
➠ Pope Gelasius declared February 14th “St Valentine’s Day” around 498 AD, in part to replace the ancient Roman fertility festival “Lupercalia”.
➠ It may come as no surprise that Valentine’s Day ranks #1 in terms of the most flowers sold and delivered.
➠ Almost half of all marriage proposals occur on Valentine’s Day.
• “Call In Single Day”, when those not celebrating Valentine’s are encouraged to take a day off work and set aside some time for themselves. Similarly, it’s “International Quirky Alone Day”, a reminder to value yourself, develop individuality, and celebrate the possibilities available to single people.
• “Donor Day”, encouraging us to fill out an organ & tissue donation card and to donate blood. You could save a life! How appropriate that it’s on the day when we give hearts.
• “Have-A-Heart Day”, organized by the First Nations Child & Family Caring Society of Canada. Organizers and community members march to the parliament to raise their voices against the discrimination and marginalization faced by the Indigenous people of Canada. Have-a-Heart Day is also a day when vegetarians encourage people to stop eating animals.
• “Pet Theft Awareness Day”, promoting awareness of the need for pet protection in public places. (***Here’s how to protect your pooch from being pilfered: https://tinyurl.com/2p9xeuaa ***)
• “Extraterrestrial Culture Day”, “to celebrate and honor all past, present and future extraterrestrial visitors in ways to enhance relationships among all citizens of the cosmos, known and unknown.”
• “Ferris Wheel Day”, celebrating the 1860 birth of George Washington Gale Ferris, the Galesburg IL engineer who invented the ‘Ferris wheel’ for the 1893 “Chicago World’s Exposition”. The original wheel measured 250 feet in diameter and could hold 1,440 people.
• “Library Lovers Day”, an annual salute to the people who like to book it.
AND REMEMBER . . .
[Wed] I Want Butterscotch Day
[Wed] Singles Awareness Day
[Thurs] Do a Grouch a Favor Day
[Fri] Random Acts of Kindness Day
This Week Is…Jell-O Week
This Month Is…Canned Food Month
TODAY’S CELEBIRTHDAYS . . .
1942 [81] Michael Bloomberg, Boston MA, media mogul (Bloomberg News)/NYC mayor 2002-13/estimated net worth of $77 billion (2023)/philanthropist (has given away over $9.5 billion of his fortune as a signee of “The Giving Pledge”)
1948 [75] (Raymond) Teller, Philadelphia PA, magician/illusionist (the shorter, less obnoxious half of Penn & Teller)/TV personality (“Penn & Teller Fool Us” since 2011)
1970 [53] Simon Pegg (Beckingham), Brockworth England, movie actor (“Mission Impossible” movies “Shaun of the Dead”, “Hot Fuzz”) COMING UP… “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One”, 2023
1972 [51] Rob Thomas, Landstuhl Military Base Germany, pop/rock singer (Matchbox 20-‘Bent’, ‘3 AM’, w/Santana-‘Smooth’, solo-‘Lonely No More’)
1978 [45] Danai Gurira, Grinnel IA, TV actress (‘Michonne’ on “The Walking Dead” 2012-20)/movie actress (“Black Panther” movies, “Avengers: Endgame”, “Avengers: Infinity War”) COMING UP…untitled “Walking Dead” spinoff, 2023
1990 [33] Brett Dier, London ON, TV actor (“Jane the Virgin” 2014-19, “Schooled” 2019-20)
1992 [31] Freddie Highmore, London England, TV actor (“Bates Motel” 2013-2017. “The Good Doctor” since 2017)
THIS DAY IN SHOW BIZ . . .
2011 [12] “Jeopardy!” begins a series pitting human players Brad Rutter and Ken Jennings against an IBM computer named “Watson”, which eventually wins the first-place prize of $1 million
2009 [14] Salma Hayek marries French billionaire Francois-Henri Pinault in Paris, France
TODAY’S MUSIC EVENTS . . .
2015 [08] Lady Gaga becomes engaged to actor Taylor Kinney (“Chicago Fire”), but they split the following year
2016 [07] Adele’s 3rd album, “25”, debuts at #1 and breaks first-week sales records in multiple countries
TODAY’S FIRST . . .
2005 [18] YouTube is launched by a group of college students, eventually becoming the largest video sharing website in the world, and a main source for viral videos. The first video: HERE
TODAY’S RECORDS . . .
2013 [10] Bankrupt airline American Airlines and US Airways merge, forming the world’s largest air carrier, under the name American Airlines
BULL’S BITS
BS WHACK VALENTINE’S FACTS:
✓ February 14th is the second biggest card-giving occasion, after Christmas.
✓ On average, teachers receive more Valentine’s Day cards than anyone else.
✓ In addition to being the unofficial patron saint of love, St. Valentine is also the patron saint of beekeepers.
✓ Lovebirds are actual birds. It’s the common name for Agapornis birds, a type of parrot native to Africa.
✓ Candy hearts were originally developed as throat lozenges.
✓ The average person spends 2 weeks of his/her life kissing.
WhattheFFacts, TheHolidaySpot
Best of BS . . .
BS THINGS YOU DON’T WANT TO HEAR ON VALENTINE’S DAY:
• “Wait, Valentine’s Day is in February this year?”
• “Todd, meet Aaron … he’s going to be joining us this evening.”
• “I gave you the wrong necklace, honey … that one’s for my girlfriend.”
• “OK, I’m in for the hanky, but there’ll be no panky!”
• “I picked out these flowers especially for you … at the cemetery.”
• “You’re not a cop, are you?”
• “Table for one?”
-Twitter, first published in BS in 2019
BS BIGGEST TV SHOWS OF THE 1800s:
• SpongeBob SquarePantaloons
• Full Outhouse
• Wagon Wheel of Fortune
• How I Met Your Great Great Great Grandmother
• Orange is the New Blacksmith
• Saved by Alexander Graham Bell
• Outlaw and Order
• Better Telegraph Saul
• The Louisiana Purchase Price Is Right.
• That 1870s show
• The Gold Rush Girls
• How My Parents Arranged For Me to Meet Your Mother
-Twitter, first published in BS in 2019
BS WEB GOODIE:
It’s tough being me: https://tinyurl.com/3uaep3s9
BS RANDOM JOKE:
Love is blind — marriage is the eye-opener.
BS PHONE STARTERS:
What was it that made you realize that your Valentine was a keeper?
BS WATER COOLER QUESTIONS:
Question: In a survey, 44% of women indicated they’d like to receive THIS inexpensive item for Valentine’s Day. What is it?
Answer: A handwritten love letter
Question: About 25 million people in the US alone will buy THIS for Valentine’s Day. What is it?
Answer: A gift for their pet.
BS DEEP THOUGHT:
Love is that condition in which the happiness of another person is essential to your own.