Wednesday, February 26, 2025 — Edition: #7902
We Give a Sheet!
BS SHOW BIZ BUZZ:
★ Meghan Markle has been dropped by her talent agency WME, according to a report from Page Six, which cites multiple cources. But the top Hollywood agency denies it has given her the royal flush, and says it’s still working with her. Page Six says the Duchess of Sussex has not held any meetings with the agency’s head honcho Ari Emanuel since January 2024, although she is believed to have met with her day-to-day agents. An industry insider said Markle was let go because she was “too demanding” and “difficult to work with.”
-PageSix
★ Lester Holt, the NBC News anchor known for his ability to lead hours of breaking news coverage without pause, is finally ready for a breather. The news veteran plans to step away in early summer from his anchor duties on “NBC Nightly News,” which he has held since 2015. After that, he plans to devote himself full time to NBC News’ “Dateline,” which he has anchored since 2011. Holt’s exit is the latest in a parade of departures of senior TV-news personnel in recent months as the industry grapples with the competition of streaming and a harsh climate for media outlets in the early days of the second Trump administration.
-Variety
★ Jon Bernthal will return as ‘The Punisher’ in “Daredevil: Born Again,” and you won’t have to wait too long to see him again after that. Following his return in the Disney+ show, the actor will star in his own special presentation. Marvel Television has a Punisher special in the works, with Bernthal not only starring, but also co-writing. The special presentation will air in 2026, alongside Season 2 of Daredevil: Born Again. The Punisher’s outing will mark Marvel’s third “special presentation,” following the “Guardians of the Galaxy” holiday special and “Werewolf by Night” in 2022.
-TheWrap
★ John Lawlor, who made a string of guest shots on various mid-’70s TV series before landing a regular role in 1976 on Cloris Leachman’s “Mary Tyler Moore Show” spin-off “Phyllis” — and later played ‘Headmaster Bradley’ on “The Facts of Life”, died February 13 at a hospice facility in Albuquerque. He was 83. Lawlor launched his TV career with roles on “The Rockford Files”, and “Black Sheep Cauldron”, among others, before landing the role of politician ‘Leonard Marsh’ for the second and final season of Phyllis.
-Deadline
★ The 2025 American Music Awards will air live from Las Vegas on CBS and stream on Paramount+ on May 26, the network and Dick Clark Productions have announced. The AMAs, which last aired on ABC in 2022, will honor the most popular songs and artists of the year while paying tribute to the country’s troops. Created by legendary producer and host Dick Clark and first awarded in 1974, the AMAs are the world’s largest fan-voted awards show. More details on the 2025 ceremony will be announced later.
-TheWrap
TODAY’S SHOW BIZ SKED:
• “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” (ABC/Global): Mindy Kaling, Natasha Rothwell, Soccer Mommy
• “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” (NBC/CTV): Simu Liu, Floyd Mayweather, Jason Isbell
• “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert” (CBS/Global): Guy Fieri, Pamela Brown
• “Late Night With Seth Meyers” (NBC/CTV): Sterling K. Brown, Lisa Ann Walter (R)
• “After Midnight” (CBS/Global): Zach Noe Towers, Rachel Scanlon, Hannah Pilkes
• “Watch What Happens Live” (Bravo): Dolores Catania, Carl Radke
• “The Daily Show” (COM): Rosebud Baker, host Desi Lydic
• “The View” (ABC/CTV): Chelsea Handler, Diana Taurasi
• “Today” (NBC): Chelsea Handler, Penn & Teller, Heather McMahan co-hosts
• “GMA3” (ABC): Will Reeve, the family of Ruby Franke
• “Live With Kelly and Mark” (ABC/CTV): Kate Hudson
• “The Kelly Clarkson Show” (Check local listings): Savannah Guthrie, Mark-Paul Gosselaar, St. Lucia
• “The Drew Barrymore Show” (Check local listings): Sarah Hyland, Jesse Tyler Ferguson
• “The Jennifer Hudson Show” (Check local listings): Jesse Palmer, the cast of “The Family Business: New Orleans”
• “Survivor” (CBS): Season 48 premiere. 18 new castaways are abandoned on the breathtaking islands of Fiji.
• “The Masked Singer” (Fox): Group A Finals: A Rat Pack Tribute Night
• “Abbott Elementary” (ABC): During Abbott’s 100th day of school celebrations, Barbara receives a surprise from her daughter; Jacob and Mr. Johnson join forces to conduct a search party.
• “Celebrity Jeopardy!” (ABC): Quarterfinal #7: Ana Navarro, David Friedberg and Yvette Nicole Brown
BS MUSIC NOTES:
• Kendrick Lamar – ‘Not Like Us’ has scored the biggest international streaming week ever for a rap song. After the song became a 5-time winner at the Grammy Awards, and following Lamar’s performance at the most-watched Super Bowl halftime show, Not Like Us jumped 188% to 65.7 million streams outside the US in the week ending Feb. 13.
• Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo – The “Wicked” stars and Grammy nominees will be performing on this Sunday’s Academy Awards telecast. Also taking the stage will be Doja Cat, LISA of BLACKPINK, RAYE and Queen Latifah. RAYE’s performance is appropriate, considering her current single is ‘Oscar-Winning Tears’.
• U2 – marked the 3rd anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine with the release of a reading set to piano. On Instagram, Bono shared that the poem ‘My Friendly Epistle” by 19th century poet Taras Shevchenko, is one he and The Edge sent to Ukrainian President Zelenskyy just after the invasion began. It ends with the line: “Then in your own house you will see/True justice, strength, and liberty!” LINK: https://tinyurl.com/3bphzyrj
• Neil Young – will hit the road this summer with his touring band, the Chrome Hearts. The tour kicks off June 18 in Sweden, then travels through Europe and the UK, before reaching North America. Tickets go on sale Friday. He recently released his first song with the Chrome Hearts, and a full album is expected. LINK: https://tinyurl.com/59ww8z58
• Ringo Starr — made his Grand Ole Opry debut on Friday. He came onstage in a big white cowboy hat, like the one he wears on the cover of his new country album “Look Up”. He performed the new tune ‘Time on My Hands’ and ‘Act Naturally’, both with Molly Tuttle, and his Beatles hit ‘With a Little Help From My Friends’.
• Morgan Wallen – has shared a clip of ‘Superman’, an unreleased song that he wrote for his 4-year-old son, Indie. The tune touches on his mistakes and legal troubles have played out in the public, and the fact that he won’t be able to hide them as his son grows up. Sample lyric: “One day you’re gonna see my mugshot/From a night when I got a little too drunk.” LINK: https://tinyurl.com/32dc5j2n
• Maddie & Tae – have dropped the new song ‘Kissing Cowboys’. It will appear on their just-announced new album “Love & Light”, out May 2. The new record will include several songs fans have already heard, such as ‘Heart They Didn’t Break’ and ‘Sad Girl Summer’. A short spring tour is set to begin April 10 in New York. LINK: https://tinyurl.com/5ejj2uky
• Blake Shelton – took his mom’s advice, and spent some time on the tractor over the weekend. He shared a video showing he was finally getting around to planting onions, and told followers he’s been meaning to do it for weeks, but has been “putting it off and wasting time.” Quote: “My mom used to always say, (BLEEP) or get off the pot.” LINK: https://tinyurl.com/yc4282k5
SHOOTING THE BULL
RAINY DAY REFUND:
Just about the worst disappointment you could experience after jetting away to a sunny destination is to have your vacation ruined by wet weather. But judging by their new promotion, one travel company has got your back, should that ever happen again. Florida’s JetBlue Vacations has teamed up with WeatherPromise to offer a “weather guarantee” that offers reimbursement for travelers’ trips against “significant rainfall.” JetBlue customers who book eligible “Flight + Hotel” packages will receive protection for all trip components, including rental cars and activities. WeatherPromise, which is a tech startup, is on board to determine if rainfall meets the qualifying threshold. If it does, customers will be automatically reimbursed — without even having to fill out any paperwork, the company said.
(I just booked what I’m pretty will be a free trip to Seattle!)
(Now, your ginger buddy won’t be the only one hoping for cloudy weather on your next golf getaway!)
-Fox
SAP YAP:
What can I get you? A beer? Wine? A can of tree sap? That last one doesn’t seem to be a likely question, but Canadian producers are hoping that tree sap will be the next ‘must-try’ trendy drink around the world. As you know, maple syrup is made by boiling down the sap of maple trees. But what many DON’T know is that you can drink the sap itself, which is called “maple water”. The stuff contains just 2% natural sugars, so it isn’t nearly as sweet as syrup. And now, a small number of producers are selling maple water in bottles, cans, or cartons (‘sap-wrap’?) – following a filtering and pasteurization process to purify it. Makers point out that it is a natural drink, and they hope it can take some of the market share currently occupied by coconut water. And the taste? Yannick Leclerc of Maple3, a producer based in Quebec City said: “People feel like they’re drinking the wild Canadian forest.”
(Never in the history of the wild Canadian forest has anyone ever expressed the desire to drink the wild Canadian forest!)
(I’m guessing the cans are plaid?)
-BBC
KIDS’ STUFF:
A psychologist says that as adults, it might be a good idea to take up one of your childhood hobbies again. Why? To escape stress, for one. Dr. Ramani Durvasula, a clinical psychologist and emerita professor of psychology at California State University, Los Angeles, feels that if an activity once brought you comfort as a child, it may still have the same calming effect in adulthood. She said that reconnecting with childhood hobbies can be valuable for people at any stage in life, whether it’s a matter of filling the extra free time that comes with retirement, coping with a job loss — or if you’re simply looking for something fun to do. And a recent study found that adults who are “playful” are more positive about the future, and more resilient in the face of challenges. The Dr. also points out that as you regain confidence with hands-on activities such as crafts, coloring or painting, you may feel encouraged to take creative risks in other areas of your life, whether they be home improvement projects, job-related tasks, or simply experimenting with new clothing styles.
(Home improvements? I thought we were trying to REDUCE stress, not create it!)
(Take up one of my childhood hobbies? OK, but it’s not going to be a good look if I get caught down at the schoolyard, peeing in teacher’s gas tanks!)
-CNN
STARS TURNING 60 IN 2025:
☞ Chris Rock: The comedian and creator of “Everybody Hates Chris” has already reached the milestone. He turned 60 on Feb. 7. (…and apparently, he can still take a punch – or at least a slap!)
☞ Sarah Jessica Parker – March 24: It seems like only yesterday that the “Sex and the City” actress was a 30-something ‘Carrie Bradshaw’ running around New York City – “And Just Like That” – she’s 60!
☞ Robert Downey Jr. – April 4: He might not be ‘Iron Man’ any more, but he has roles lined up in new Avengers movies set for release in 2026 and 2027.
☞ Brooke Shields – May 31: Yes, she has been famous forever. After shooting to fame at the age of 12, she’s preparing for the release of her memoir “Brooke Shields Is Not Allowed to Get Old.”
☞ Elizabeth Hurley – June 10: Since wearing the Versace safety pin gown to the premiere of “Four Weddings and a Funeral” in 1994, she has continued to turn heads with her impeccable wardrobe. (And sometimes her lack of wardrobe!)
☞ Shania Twain – Aug. 28: She’s as popular as ever as she approaches the big 6-0. We can only hope that fact “impresses her much”.
☞ Ben Stiller – November 30: From “Madagascar” to “Meet the Parents” to “Dodgeball” to his career resurgence a director of “Severance”, he’s as active – and successful as ever. (Just please don’t make another “Zoolander”!)
☞ Musicians turning 60 this year include Slash, Gavin Rossdale, Moby, Trent Reznor, and Bjork…)
(Are you anywhere near as shocked as I am by how many of these people have NO GREY HAIR at age 60? Amazing!)
-Hello!
DID YOU KNOW?
New stomach-churning research shows that each toilet flush releases clouds of bacteria-laden water droplets into the air, with some toilet designs creating more health concerns than others. Chinese researchers found that “squat” toilets release up to 2.6 times more bacteria into the air compared to “bidet”-style toilets, with a second flush increasing bacterial release even further. And especially concerning, it was found that most of the bacteria-laden droplets are small enough to stay airborne and reach deep into lungs when inhaled. The good news is that proper ventilation can reduce airborne bacteria concentrations by up to 2.2 times. (It would seem that a “courtesy flush” isn’t much of a courtesy, after all!)
-StudyFinds
BS CHRONOMETER 02.26.25
TODAY’S BS REASONS TO PARTY . . .
• “Carnival Day”. The 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition was the forerunner of traveling carnivals. Today, they may consist of amusement rides, food, games, thrill acts, and animal acts, although those are increasingly frowned upon. (Hey – as long as there’s food…)
• “Set a Good Example Day”, as declared by The Way to Happiness Foundation. What person’s example left a lasting impression on your life? (For me, it’s gotta be ‘Oscar the Grouch’!)
• “Inconvenience Yourself Day”. It’s not merely about inconveniencing oneself, it’s about acknowledging others, putting them first, and having a positive effect on their lives. (There’s a meme that says: “There are 2 types of people: Those who believe in doing what’s best for everyone even if it means personal sacrifice, and those who see their own inconvenience as unacceptable, no matter what.” Perfect!)
• “For Pete’s Sake Day”, which asks the pressing question, “Just who the heck is Pete, anyway, and why would we do anything for his sake?”
• “Levi Strauss’ Birthday”. He lived from 1829-1902, and 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 Chef 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. If you already have a personal chef, today is a good day to make a meal for them, or take them out for a meal at a nice restaurant.
• “Tell a Fairytale 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 Pistachio Day”. Betcha can’t eat just one! BS FACTOID: Once upon a time, to hide imperfections, pistachios were sold in a bright red color which left your hands a vivid hue of cherry. Today, a more mechanized harvesting process means they are picked, hulled and dried before the shell has a chance to become stained or marked, so there is no need to dye them.
AND REMEMBER . . .
[Thurs] Kahlúa Day
[Thurs] Strawberry Day
[Fri] STAND UP to Bullying Day
[Sat] Peanut Butter Lover’s Day
This Week Is…Fairtrade Fortnight
This Month Is…Return Shopping Carts to the Supermarket Month
TODAY’S CELEBIRTHDAYS . . .
1950 [75] Jonathan Cain (Friga), Chicago IL, rock keyboardist-guitarist (Journey-composer of ‘Faithfully’, Bad English-‘When I See You Smile’)
1953 [72] Michael Bolton (Bolotin), New Haven CT, pop/soul singer (‘When a Man Loves a Woman’, ‘How Am I Supposed to Live Without You’)
1968 [57] Tim Commerford, Irvine CA, rock bassist (Rage Against the Machine-‘Killing in the Name’, Audioslave-‘I Am the Highway’)
1971 [54] Max Martin (Karl Martin Sandberg), Stenhamra Sweden, songwriter-music producer (Britney Spears, Backstreet Boys, Maroon 5, Taylor Swift, Katy Perry, The Weeknd…)/writer or co-writer of 27 Billboard Hot 100 #1 songs, behind only Paul McCartney
1971 [54] Erykah Badu (Wright), Dallas TX, R&B singer (ft. Common: ‘Love of My Life’, ‘Bag Lady’)/mother to Puma, Seven, and Mars
1977 [48] James Wan, Kuching Malaysia, movie director (“Saw”, “Insidious”, Conjuring,” and “Aquaman” franchises) COMING UP… “M3GAN 2.0” 2025
1982 [43] Nate Ruess, Iowa City IA, pop singer (fun.-‘Some Nights’, ‘We Are Young’, w/Pink-‘Just Give Me a Reason’)
THIS DAY IN SHOW BIZ . . .
2009 [16] Quarterback Tom Brady of the New England Patriots and supermodel Gisele Bundchen tie the knot in a twilight wedding at St Monica’s Church in Santa Monica CA (they would divorce in 2022).
2017 [08] At the 89th Academy Awards, a mix-up causes Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway to mistakenly announce “La La Land” as ‘Best Picture’ winner. “Moonlight” is eventually correctly declared the winner, after La La Land producers had begun their speech.
TODAY’S MUSIC EVENTS . . .
1983 [42] Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” album reaches #1. It would spend an unprecedented total of 37 weeks there.
2002 [23] The Bee Gees play their final concert, at Miami Beach’s Love and Hope Ball, a benefit for the Diabetes Research Institute Foundation. Maurice Gibb would die the following January.
TODAY’S FIRST . . .
2012 [13] Rain forces the postponement of the Daytona 500 to the next day, for the first time in the event’s 53-year history (it happened again in 2020, and 2024).
BULL’S BITS
BS WHACK FACTS:
✓ Spiders recycle webs by eating them.
✓ Lobster’s bladders are in their heads.
✓ At one point, “Jay” was slang for “foolish person.” So, when a pedestrian ignored street signs, he was a “jaywalker.”
✓ Leonardo Da Vinci could write with one hand and draw with the other at the same time.
✓ When Columbus “discovered” the Americas, the continent was already inhabited by 90 million people which was a third of the world’s population.
✓ Benjamin Franklin wrote “Fart Proudly”, a scientific essay about passing gas.
-MentalFloss, WhattheFFacts
Best of BS . . .
BS BAD SIGNS AT SPRING TRAINING:
• Fully one-third of the team accidentally brought golf clubs instead of a baseball bat.
• You find a copy of ‘Baseball For Dummies’ in the locker room.
• Someone replaced gum and sunflower seeds with psychedelics.
• Every fan in the lineup who’s asking for their breast to be autographed is a man.
• Your team has more DUIs than RBIs.
• ‘Jobu’ isn’t helping you hit the curve.
• Your cup was made by ‘Dixie’.
• Your star slugger struck out on an intentional walk.
• You’re on the White Sox.
• There’s a lot of crying.
-Twitter, first published in BS in 2018
BS RUIN SOMETHING WITH ONE LETTER:
• Sixteen Cankles
• Biology Tooter (T-o-o-t-e-r)
• Dude, There’s My Car
• Wish You Were Her
• Illegally Parked Cars Will be Fine
• My Little Phony
• Ragu Against the Machine
• Petty Woman
• Thou Shalt Not Covet thy Neighbor’s Wi-Fi
• Enjoy the Little Thongs
• (***CAUTION***) I’ll be right back, horney
-Twitter, first published in BS in 2019
BS WEB GOODIE:
Mind. Blown. : https://tinyurl.com/4hepy78y
BS RANDOM JOKE:
For someone who makes as many terrible decisions as I do, I feel like I should be having a lot more fun…
BS TRUTH OR URBAN MYTH?
Are the following oft-repeated statements true — or just an urban myth?
• NASA spent over $165 million on a space pen, while Russia just used pencils. [Myth]
• The average person spends 5 years of their life waiting in line. [True]
• Cedar chests deter insects. [True]
• A baby bird’s mother will reject them if a person picks them up [Myth]
• About 50% of the wealth on Earth is controlled by 1% of the population. [True]
• You eat spiders while you sleep. [Myth]
• You need to wait 24 hours to report someone as missing. [Myth]
• You can boost your brainpower by eating fish. [True]
• If you see cows lying down, it’s a sign that rain is on the way. [Myth]
• Carrots help you see in the dark. [Myth]
• A chicken once lived for 18 months without a head. [True]
-UrbanMyth, BBC
☎ BS PHONE STARTER:
What’s the most overrated product?
BS WATER COOLER QUESTION:
You’ll lose about 750 of THESE in your lifetime. What are they?
Answer: Socks
BS DEEP THOUGHT:
If you’re brave enough to say goodbye, life will reward you with a new hello.