Thursday, February 20, 2025 – Edition: #7898
Our Sheet Don’t Stink!
BS SHOW BIZ BUZZ:
★ Nick Offerman will be the announcer at this year’s Academy Awards show, and Sterling K. Brown, Willem Dafoe, Ana De Armas, Lily-Rose Depp and Oprah Winfrey have all been added as presenters. Also newly announced as presenters for the 97th Oscars on March 2 are: Joe Alwyn, Selena Gomez, Goldie Hawn, Connie Nielsen and Ben Stiller. They join previously announced presenters Halle Berry, Penelope Cruz, Elle Fanning, Whoopi Goldberg, Scarlett Johansson, John Lithgow, Amy Poehler, June Squibb, Bowen Yang and last year’s acting winners, Robert Downey Jr., Cillian Murphy, Da’Vine Joy Randolph and Emma Stone. (Got all that?)
-TheWrap
★ In an amended complaint filed late Tuesday night, Blake Lively alleges that her “It Ends With Us” co-star Justin Baldoni made 2 other women on the set of the film “uncomfortable” — and they’re willing to testify. The 141-page document says: “Ms. Lively was not alone in complaining about Mr. Baldoni and raised her concerns…Importantly, and contrary to the entire narrative Defendants have invented, Mr. Baldoni acknowledged the complaints…He knew that women other than Ms. Lively also were uncomfortable and had complained about his behavior.” Though the women are not named, the complaint says that they have “given Lively permission to share” and “will testify and produce responsive documents in the discovery process.”
-Variety
★ Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban’s LA home was burglarized last weekend. According to the New York Post, the couple were not at home when the incident took place, but a member of the house staff was arriving at the residence at the time the intruder was staging the break-in. After smashing a window to gain entry, the burglar heard the employee approaching and ran off. Kidman and Urban will assess their property to determine whether anything was stolen.
-NYPost, TMZ
★ Great news for “Blue Bloods” fans: One of the beloved police drama’s signature characters, Donnie Wahlberg‘s ‘Danny Reagan’, will be back in a new “Blue” cop show in a new city. CBS has given a straight-to-series order to “Boston Blue”, a universe expansion of the long-running Blue Bloods, for the 2025-2026 broadcast season. Wahlberg will reprise his role as NYPD Detective Danny Reagan as he takes a position with Boston PD. There, he is paired with ‘Detective Lena Peters’, the daughter of a prominent law enforcement family.
-Deadline
★ “Saturday Night Live” has tapped Lady Gaga and Shane Gillis to host the NBC sketch show next month. Gaga will pull double duty as host and musical guest on March 8, marking the second time she has done that. The week prior (March 1), Gillis will host for the second time. The “Tires” star and co-creator will MC alongside musical guest Tate McRae, who takes the SNL stage for the second time. Lady Gaga’s SNL episode will happen one day after the release of her new album, “Mayhem,” on March 7.
-TheWrap
TODAY’S SHOW BIZ SKED:
• “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” (ABC/Global): Harrison Ford, Ariana DeBose, My Morning Jacket (R)
• “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” (NBC/CTV): Pete Davidson, Sadie Sink, Olivia Tiedemann (R)
• “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert” (CBS/Global): Al Roker, Monica Lewinsky
• “Late Night With Seth Meyers” (NBC/CTV): Aidy Bryant, Joe Alwyn, Aaron Chen (R)
• “After Midnight” (CBS/Global): Drew Tarver, Melanie Lynskey, Mary Holland, Morris Chestnut
• “The View” (ABC/CTV): Idina Menzel, Griffin Dunne
• “Today” (NBC): Robert De Niro, Edward Burns, Justin Sylvester co-hosts
• “GMA3” (ABC): Vincent D’Onofrio, Jess Ronne, Kara Jillian Brown
• “Live With Kelly and Mark” (ABC/CTV): Robert De Niro, Monica Mangin, Fitz and the Tantrums
• “The Kelly Clarkson Show” (Check local listings): Julia Stiles, Reid Scott, Billianne
• “The Drew Barrymore Show” (Check local listings): Ilana Glazer, Dr. Kameelah Phillips
• “The Jennifer Hudson Show” (Check local listings): Anthony Mackie
• “4 Nations Face-Off” (SN, ESPN): Canada vs USA in the championship game from TD Garden in Boston.
• “Ghosts” (CBS): Jay angers a local restaurateur when he uses a recipe at his restaurant that was given to him by Pete.
• “Law & Order” (NBC): A young lawyer with a secret past is found dead; Price and Baxter debate the pros and cons of prison versus alternative justice options. Followed by a new “SVU”.
• “Perfect Wife: The Mysterious Disappearance of Sherri Papini” (ABC): Finale. As Keith struggles to support Sherri’s trauma and rebuild their family, an unexpected call turns their world upside down – yet again.
BS MUSIC NOTES:
• Taylor Swift – has been named the Biggest-Selling Global Recording Artist of the Year for the 5th time by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry. The honor for 2024 follows Swift’s wins in 2014, 2019, 2022 and 2023.
• Chappell Roan – It seems she’ll be the latest pop star to release a country-tinged crossover, following the likes of Beyoncé and Post Malone. Roan posted a phone number via an Instagram Stories, where fans could call to hear some preview clips of the new song ‘The Giver’. She performed the unreleased tune on “SNL” in November. LINK: https://tinyurl.com/227yyjm5
• Sex Pistols — John Lydon is furious that his former band is going on tour without him, calling it “just karaoke, really”. The former Johnny Rotten said: “They’re absolutely going to kill all that was good with the Pistols by eliminating the point and the purpose of it all.” Frank Carter is fronting the reunited group, for a run of dates this year, including major festivals and a few gigs opening for Guns N’ Roses.
• Paul Simon – has announced his first tour since retiring from the road 7 years ago. The 83-year-old’s “A Quiet Celebration Tour” will visit intimate venues offering optimal acoustics in consideration of the hearing-loss issues he has experienced in recent years. He’ll visit 20 cities in the U.S. and Canada this spring and summer. Tickets go on sale tomorrow. LINK: https://www.paulsimon.com/events/
• Phish – is the clear leader in early Rock and Roll Hall of Fame fan voting for 2025. As of Tuesday, they had 97,000 votes, ahead of Billy Idol (57,000), Soundgarden (55,000), Cyndi Lauper (49,000), Bad Company (46,000), Joe Cocker (46,000), and Chubby Checker (41,000). LINK: https://vote.rockhall.com/leaderboard
• Tucker Wetmore – is checking another item off his bucket list. The ‘Wind Up Missin’ You’ singer will play a show at Nashville’s legendary Ryman Auditorium on May 21, with opening act Jacob Hackworth. He posted: “It’s an absolute dream come true to headline the Mother Church of Country Music.” His new single ‘3,2,1’ drops tomorrow.
• Vince Gill – Even though he’s been keeping busy on tour with the Eagles in recent years, including the band’s current residency at the Sphere in Las Vegas, he has just announced a solo 2025 summer tour to celebrate his 50 years as a touring artist. It will include more than 30 dates and end with 4 nights at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium. LINK: https://www.vincegill.com/tour/#/
• Jason Aldean, Dierks Bentley and Bailey Zimmerman — will headline the Watershed Festival this year. Also playing at the Gorge Amphitheatre in George WA from Aug. 1-3 will be Drew Baldridge, Sawyer Brown, Ashley Cooke, Jackson Dean, Tyler Hubbard, Ian Munsick, Bryan Martin, Chase Matthew, RaeLynn, Nate Smith, Austin Snell, Dee Jay Silver and Zach Top. Tix go on sale tomorrow.
SHOOTING THE BULL
JUST DESSERT:
You know how when you were a kid, your parents always asked you how you could possibly have room for dessert, after eating so much dinner? And you always responded by saying that you saved a tiny corner of your stomach for cake, or whatever sweet treat it was awaited you? Well, it turns out, you were absolutely correct…kinda. Scientists have discovered that the same brain cells that tell us we’re full are also responsible for making us crave sugary treats. That means we’re genetically wired to reach for those cookies, cake, or caramel apple pie loaded up with whip cream – even when our appetite has been satisfied. The German researchers say a previously unknown neural circuit is responsible. So, if you find yourself polishing off a half-tub of cookie-dough ice cream after dinner, you can blame that.
(Neural circuit? Sure, I believe it – if it gives me an excuse for second dessert!)
(So the fact that I ate a whole pie for dessert last night wasn’t because of lack of willpower – it was actually high-level neural activity. Who knew?)
-StudyFinds
TECH TALK:
❑ Take this story as another reminder not to reuse the same password for multiple websites. A Forbes report found that more than 70% of us do. And a spokesperson for TrustedSec, an ethical hacking company reminds us that using the same password again and again makes it easier for hackers to access multiple accounts. And it’s not good enough to just change existing passwords slightly for other sites. I know you’ve heard it before, but the best security against others accessing your logins is to set up multi-factor authentication – and use a password manager. And use passwords featuring punctuation or symbols. And make your passwords long – like 20 characters long. (20 characters?! If they want to get into my Netflix account that bad, maybe they deserve it!)
❑ Sports betting has grown a $121 billion industry in the US alone ($2.4 billion in Canada), transforming from a niche activity in Vegas to a legitimate and lucrative form of alt-entertainment since the Supreme Court’s 2018 decision to open the floodgates for legalized sports betting, most often done online. But a new study by researchers at the University of California San Diego found that the industry’s rapid expansion has also resulted in a 23% increase in online searches for gambling addiction. And the researchers note that these trends are projected to continue growing. What makes sports betting particularly attractive for some is the perception it is a skill-based activity, rather than pure gambling. Many bettors view themselves as ‘sports experts’ who are making informed decisions — rather than simply gamblers taking risks.
(I know, right? It’s like: “I’m not gambling, I’m just researching the odds of losing money in creative ways!”)
(“I don’t have a gambling problem, I have a ‘being too confident in my sports knowledge’ problem.”)
-HuffPost, StudyFinds
WILD (FIRE) WINE:
Traditionally, smoke exposure from wildfires spells disaster for vineyards. But in the aftermath of this year’s California fires, a new study has found that some wine drinkers are not only OK with the characteristics that smoke impacts upon wine, some actively enjoy it — especially when they know what they’re drinking. When smoke from wildfires drifts through vineyards, grapevines absorb compounds that can create a smoky taste in the resulting wine, ranging from subtle to intense, and sometimes with an ashy aftertaste. The research, conducted in New Zealand, found there is “more forgiveness” for the so-called smoky wines than winemakers would expect, which is good news for an industry facing increasing wildfire threats. The team suggests the winemakers be completely transparent about smoke impact, and consider thoughtful labeling and marketing, and blending smoke-impacted wines with non-impacted wines, to cater to different consumer preferences.
(“Forget ‘notes of oak’ – I’m getting strong vibes of campfire and slightly singed marshmallow from this one!”)
(OK, but I draw the line at having to order my wine well-done!)
-StudyFinds
PSYCHOLOGICAL CHEAT CODES:
A recent thread on Quora asked users to post their “cool psychological facts”. Here are some tips from people on how to gain the “upper hand” on others in day-to-day interactions…
⇒ “If you think that someone is going to talk badly about you in a professional setting, sit next to that person. It is much harder to speak poorly of someone who’s in close proximity to you.”
⇒ “If you can’t sustain eye contact, try staring at the space between the eyebrows of that person. They won’t be able to tell where you are looking at, thinking you are still holding their gaze.”
⇒ “If someone keeps talking and you can’t get in the conversation…drop something (key, pen, etc.). You bend down to pick it up and start talking. This way, you can interrupt the other party without being noticed.”
⇒ “If you want someone to keep talking, remain silent, but keep eye contact. They will feel an implicit pressure to elaborate or keep talking.”
⇒ “If you want to build people’s trust more quickly…subtly mirroring people’s body language subconsciously makes them think you’re in sync, which works very well for building trust.”
⇒ “If someone is trying to make you decide in a hurry, they are probably giving you a bad deal. Walk away.” (Are you picturing a used car salesperson, too?)
⇒ “If you are too angry and want to control your anger, go and stand in front of a mirror. Works like magic!” (Either that, or you’ll shatter it to pieces in a fit of rage…!)
…And here are MY OWN psychological cheat codes, for dealing with myself…
⇒ “Stop spending more money simply to get free shipping.”
⇒ “Your coffee is probably still in the microwave.”
⇒ “Don’t throw out the box with the directions until it’s 100% put together.”
⇒ “Your glasses? They’re on the top of your head.”
⇒ “Just because it pops into your head doesn’t mean it should come out of your mouth.”
⇒ “Don’t use your phone as a flashlight to look for your phone.”
⇒ “Wearing headphones does not make your flatulence silent.”
-BuzzFeed, SuperJape
DID YOU KNOW?
Physical photographs, of all things, are making a comeback, thanks to Gen Z — who are printing twice as many pics as older generations these days. In a poll (of 2,000 adults in the UK), it was found that 43% of those aged 18-27 regularly turn digital photos into physical ones, compared to just 5% of Baby Boomers (aged 60-78). The average Gen Z prints pictures 4 times per year — double the amount of any other generation. (Finally! Something Gen Z and my grandma can bond over — awkward family photo albums!)
-SWNS
BS CHRONOMETER 02.20.25
TODAY’S BS REASONS TO PARTY . . .
• “Cherry Pie Day”, honoring the 2nd-most-popular fruit pie, behind only apple pie.
• “World Day of Social Justice”, the 17th annual, initiated by the UN to promote solutions to global issues such as poverty, exclusion, and unemployment. LINK: https://tinyurl.com/2jttdbmu
• “Day of Solidarity with Muslim, Arab, and South Asian Immigrants”, observed annually on February 20th since 2002.
• “Love Your Pet Day”, as if you needed some kind of excuse…
• “Comfy Day”, a day to get dressed in your oversized wearable blanket, slow down, let the worries of the world disappear, and savor the feeling of being wrapped up in a giant hug. (So, am I supposed to wear this thing to work?)
• “Muffin Day” (also celebrated Feb. 23), a food holiday that’s not about consuming, but about giving back. It was invented after Jacob Kaufman, a lawyer from San Francisco, baked some muffins and offered them to homeless people while walking to work. Today, we’re encouraged to do something similar, or donate what a dozen muffins are worth to a charity that helps the homeless. LINK: https://nationalmuffinday.org/
• “Northern Hemisphere Hoodie-Hoo Day”, when you’re encouraged to go outdoors at noon and yell “Hoodie-Hoo!” at the top of your lungs, to relieve Winter blahs and encourage the arrival of Spring, which is a month away…whether you yell “Hoodie-Hoo” or not…
• “Clean Out Your Bookcases Day”. How about giving away the books that no longer interest you? By donating your old books, you could enrich the lives of others. Today, go to one of your bookcases at work or home and get organized! (BookcaseS? How many do they think I have?)
• “Handcuff Day”. On this day in 1912, a patent was granted to George A. Carney, for a swinging-arm type of adjustable, ratcheting handcuff. (Fun in the sheets, but not on the streets!)
AND REMEMBER . . .
[Fri] Caregivers Day
[Fri] Kombucha Day
[Sat] Margarita Day
[Sun] Curling is Cool Day
This Week is…Through With Chew Week
This Month is…Goat Yoga Month
TODAY’S CELEBIRTHDAYS . . .
1941 [84] Buffy Sainte-Marie, Stoneham MA, pop singer-songwriter (‘Universal Soldier’, Oscar-‘Up Where We Belong’)/TV actress (“Sesame Street” 1976-81)/Order of Canada, 1997 (revoked in 2025)
1963 [62] Charles Barkley (“The Round Mound of Rebound”), Leeds AL, retired NBA player (11-time All-Star, 1993 MVP as a member of the Suns)/basketball TV analyst on TNT since 2000
1966 [59] Cindy Crawford, DeKalb IL, fashion model (600+ magazine covers)/TV host (“MTV’s House of Style” 1989–1995/married to Rande Gerber since 1998
1975 [50] Brian Littrell, Lexington KY, pop singer (Backstreet Boys-‘Quit Playing Games With My Heart’, ‘I Want It That Way’)/cousin of BSB’s Kevin Richardson
1978 [47] Chelsea Peretti, Contra Costa CA, TV actress (‘Gina Linetti’ on “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” 2013-21)/comedian/TV writer (“Parks and Recreation”, “Saturday Night Live”)
1978 [47] (Javier) “Jay” Hernandez, Montebello CA, TV actor (“Magnum P.I.” 2018-24)/movie actor (“Crazy/Beautiful”, Friday Night Lights”, “Suicide Squad”)/fashion model
1979 [46] Coy Bowles, Carrollton GA, country guitarist-keyboardist (Zac Brown Band-‘Beautiful Drug’, ‘Chicken Fried’)/children’s book author
1984 [41] Trevor Noah, Johannesburg South Africa, TV host (“The Daily Show” 2015-22)/5-time Grammy host, host of 2022 White House Correspondents Dinner
1988 [37] Rihanna (Robyn Rihanna Fenty), Saint Michael Barbados, pop singer (‘Shut Up and Drive’, ‘Umbrella’ ft Jay-Z)/entrepreneur (cosmetics brand “Fenty Beauty”, fashion house “Fenty”)
1989 [36] Jack Falahee, Ann Arbor MI, TV actor (‘Connor Walsh’ on “How to Get Away With Murder” 2014-20, “Mercy Street” 2016-17)
2003 [22] Olivia Rodrigo, Murrieta CA, pop singer (‘Drivers License’, ‘Vampire’)/TV actress (“High School Musical: The Musical: The Series” 2019-22)
THIS DAY IN SHOW BIZ . . .
2009 [16] Conan O’Brien hosts his final “Late Night With Conan O’Brien” show on NBC (he briefly replaces Jay Leno on “The Tonight Show”, then gets pushed out and moves to TBS). Coincidentally, The White Stripes play what turns out to be their final performance on the same show.
TODAY’S MUSIC EVENTS . . .
1993 [32] Whitney Houston’s ‘I Will Always Love You’, from the soundtrack to “The Bodyguard”, tops the Billboard’s Hot 100 for a then-record 13th week (stays there for 1 more).
2003 [22] During a Great White concert in West Warwick RI, a pyrotechnics display sets the club ablaze, killing 100 and injuring over 300 fans.
2024 [01] Beyoncé becomes the first Black female artist to top Billboard’s Hot Country Songs Chart, with ‘Texas Hold ’Em’.
TODAY’S FIRSTS . . .
1937 [88] The first ‘flying car’, combination auto/airplane, is tested (The ‘Aeromobile’, in Santa Monica CA).
2013 [12] Estonia becomes the first country in the world to establish a national electric car charging network, capable of a full charge within 30 minutes.
TODAY’S RECORD . . .
2011 [14] At age 20, rookie driver Trevor Bayne becomes the youngest winner in the 53-year history of the Daytona 500.
BULL’S BITS
BS WHACK FACTS:
✓ Human brains are 10 per cent smaller than they were 20,000 years ago.
✓ “The Lion King” was originally named “King of the Jungle” until producers realized that lions don’t actually live in jungles.
✓ Elephants can detect rain 150 miles away.
✓ People read as much as 10% slower from a screen than from paper.
✓ The term “genuine leather” does not mean ‘real’ leather. It is a distinct grade of leather and is the second lowest-quality type.
✓ If you keep going North, you will eventually go South, but if you keep going East, you will never go West.
-RandomFactGenerator, WhattheFFacts
Best of BS . . .
BS ODD JOB INTERVIEW RESPONSES:
• “My strengths? I once walked away from a plate of nachos with extra guacamole.”
• “It’s not a felony in most states.”
• “I know you are, but what am I?”
• “What can I bring to this company? Donuts every Friday.”
• “I work well with others — as long as they’re not idiots.”
• “You look so different with your clothes on.”
• “I’d like to speak to my lawyer before I answer any questions.”
• “What do I see myself doing in 5 years? Ten to Twenty.”
• “I always quit before they can fire me.”
• “Convicted of a crime? No, never convicted…”
-Twitter, first published in BS in 2019
BS PET PEEVES OF MORTICIANS:
• Best makeup artist in the world, but your models never make the cover of “Vogue”.
• Real tough to convince anyone to let you place bodies in action poses.
• Only 3 hits this month on the ‘World O’ Coffins’ website.
• Dying in each other’s arms may sound romantic, but once rigor mortis sets in, it just means overtime.
• Then the wife keeps asking if you could bring a little of that rigor mortis home.
• Toe-tag paper cuts.
-First published in BS in 2014
BS WEB GOODIE:
Still applies after all these years: https://tinyurl.com/y4mf2muk
BS RANDOM JOKE:
You don’t realize how many back roads your town has until you ride with someone who has a suspended licence…
☎ BS PHONE STARTER:
What trend can you not wait to be over?
BS WATER COOLER QUESTION:
23% of women have one of THESE in their purse right now — that they didn’t pay for. What is it?
Answer: A mint from a restaurant
BS DEEP THOUGHT:
There are no shortcuts to any place worth going.
