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BS SHOW BIZ BUZZ:
Famous person Courtney Love is countersuing American Express after it took legal action to settle an outstanding bill allegedly topping $350,000 (her defense: AMEX issued a ‘massive number of credit cards in her name without her knowledge or consent’ so she should have to pay nothing) . . . An attorney for 72-year-old producer/actor Warren Beatty says Peter Biskind’s new unauthorized biography, “Star: How Warren Beatty Seduced America”, contains many ‘false assertions’ including the claim he slept with more than 12,000 women (at once?) . . . 23-year-old “Twilight” actor Robert Pattinson is so thorough with his dental regime, he reportedly once chipped a tooth while flossing (there’s actually a Brit that brushes?) . . . Candy Spelling, estranged mom of famous person Tori Spelling, is set to produce a revival of the 1968 Broadway musical “Promises, Promises”, which will star former “Will & Grace” actor Sean Hayes (she’s uniquely qualified to do this because – late TV mogul Aaron Spelling left her gazillions!) . . . 32-year-old former actress Brooke Mueller is willing to put her Christmas Day bust-up with husband Charlie Sheen (“Two & A Half Men”) behind her and reconcile their relationship, according to her mother (apparently she just remembered he’s the highest-paid TV actor) . . . And a new online poll to find the ‘Most Popular Celebrity Couple’ is perhaps surprisingly topped by Ellen DeGeneres & partner Portia De Rossi, beating out Beyoncé & Jay-Z and ‘Brangelina’.

TODAY’S SHOW BIZ SKED:
• “The Biggest Loser: Couples” (NBC) Season premiere featuring 22 contestants, 11 pairs of fat family members, equating to the heaviest cast in show history.
• “Last Call With Carson Daly” (NBC) – Black Lips (“Good Bad Not Evil”).
• “Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson” (CBS) – Yonder Mountain String Band (“The Show”).
• “Late Night With Jimmy Fallon” (NBC/A Channel) – Shwayze (“Shwayze”).
• “Late Show With David Letterman” (CBS) – Vampire Weekend (“Contra”).
• “Lopez Tonight” (TBS) – Orianthi (“Believe”).
• “Tonight Show With Conan O’Brien” (NBC/A Channel) – Queen Latifah (“People’s Choice Awards”).
• “World Junior Hockey Tournament” (TSN) – Canada vs USA Gold Medal Game (Saskatoon).
• “The View” (ABC/CTV) – Mary J Blige (“Stronger With Each Tear”).

BS MUSIC NOTES:
• Aerosmith – The latest excuse for Steven Tyler’s hiatus is that he’s taking time off to write a book while he recovers from the shoulder injury he sustained when falling off a stage in August.
• Akon – He wrote and recorded the single “Sexy Chick” (aka “Sexy Bitch”) with French DJ/producer David Guetta in a single night after the two of them connected at a UK festival.
• Kings of Leon – Their hit “Use Somebody” was written by Caleb Followill as an apology to his bandmates after a drunken argument. Now the group hates the song because they became sick of hearing it ‘90 times a day’.
• Michael Jackson – A previously unheard track called “Another Day” that’s said to feature Lenny Kravitz has been ‘leaked’ online. Kravitz has previously revealed he worked with Jackson on a track which hadn’t been released.
• Them Crooked Vultures – They’re already stoked to start work on a 2nd album even though the first is only a month-old.
• The Who – Child Abuse Watch claims they should not be allowed to perform in the Super Bowl 44 halftime show February 7th due to Pete Townshend’s 2003 arrest and police caution over accessing explicit child-related material online.

TODAY’S VIDEO RELEASES:
• “Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs” ( Family Animation ): Inspired by the children’s book by Judi & Ron Barrett, the story is about a town where food falls from the sky like rain. The diverse voice cast includes TV weatherman Al Roker, and actors Anna Faris, Benjamin Bratt, James Caan, and … Mr T. Also comes in a ‘2-Disc Super-Sized Edition’.
• “Falling Up” ( Straight-to-DVD Dramedy ): A nursing student (Joseph Cross) who’s forced to quit school for family reasons winds up taking a job as a doorman at an elite NYC apartment building where he becomes attracted a resident (Sarah Roemer). Also features Rachael Leigh Cook, Snoop Dogg.
• “The Final Destination” ( Horror Thriller ): After a teen’s premonition of a deadly race-car crash helps saves the lives of his peers, ‘Death’ sets out to collect those who evaded their end. Stars Nick Zano, Krista Allen, and Andrew Fiscella. The first 3-D film in the franchise. Sequel to “Final Destination 3” (2006). How can a film called ‘Final’ Destination be made 4 times?
• Also released today: “10 Things I Hate About You – 2-Disc Special Edition + Digital Copy”; “Big Love: The Complete 3rd Season” (TV); “The Circuit” (TV); “Iron Man: Armored Adventures – Volume 2” (Animation); “Kendra: The Complete First Season” (TV); “Max & Ruby: Playtime With Max & Ruby” (Animation); “The Philanthropist: The Complete Series” (TV); “Sing Along With Barbie” (Family); and “VH1 Storytellers: Kanye West” (Music).

JILTED LOVE AFFAIR?
Is America beginning to fall out of love with the automobile? A new study from the Washington DC-based Earth Policy Institute reports that the number of cars in the US actually dropped last year after a century of seemingly unstoppable growth. There has been an average increase of 3.69 million vehicles annually since 1960. Along with the economic downturn and rising fuel prices, one reason for the decline may be market saturation – there are now 5 cars in America for every 4 drivers. (Mostly because Nicolas Cage has 93,257.)
– “Daily Telegraph”

CRUEL THINGS WOMEN DO TO MEN:
• Not picking up the phone when they spot a guy on caller ID.
• Using men to get free drinks at a bar or club.
• Purposely delaying dumping their man until somebody new comes along.
• Using a guy’s complete incomprehension of female feelings to get something out of him.
• Criticizing and humiliating their man in public places.
• Withholding sex as punishment or to get something she wants.
• Flirting to inspire jealousy.
– Condensed from AskMen.com

HOW TO QUIT COFFEE:
Feeling a tad jittery after your morning cup of joe? Try these tricks to help you quit quaffing caffeine …
• An easy way to reduce caffeine intake is to mix full-strength coffee (tea or cola) half-and-half with a decaffeinated version for a couple of days. Then double the decaf portion to 2-to-1. Each day add one more part decaf and by the end of a week or so you’ll be totally off caffeine.
• Another option is espresso, which contrary to its high-octane reputation has only about half the caffeine per serving as drip, perked, or pressed coffee. Going from drip to espresso or café Americano (hot water plus espresso) instantly cuts your caffeine load in half. From there you can move to half-caf espresso and then to decaf espresso.
– Condensed from BestHealthMag.ca

VIRAL VERBIAGE:
Each year, Lake Superior State University in Sault Ste Marie, Michigan publishes a list of overused words it contends should be banned ‘going forward’. Highlights of the 35th annual “List of Words Banished from the Queen’s English for Mis-use, Over-use & General Uselessness” …
• ‘App’ – Short for ‘application’. Why can’t we just call them ‘programs’ again?
• ‘Bromance’ – Combined word for a male friendship. Almost as dumb as ‘frenemies’.
• ‘Chillaxin’ – A term that combines chillin’ with relaxin’ … which already mean the same thing.
• ‘Czar’ – A pretentious term for people in positions of high authority.
• ‘Friend’ (as a verb) – Came into popularity through social networking websites. You add someone to your network by ‘friending’ them and dump them by ‘unfriending’ them.
• ‘In These Economic Times’ – Aren’t ALL times ‘these economic times’?
• ‘Sexting’ – Sending explicit pictures and text messages through the cellphone.
• ‘Shovel-Ready’ – A pre-planned project that’s ready to be implemented.
• ‘Teachable Moment’ – A condescending substitute for ‘opportunity to make a point’.
• ‘Toxic Assets’ – Whatever happened to simply ‘bad stocks’, ‘debts’, and ‘overdue loans’?
• ‘Tweet’ – To make use of Twitter, a technology that’s become so over-hyped it’s generated a whole new vocabulary: tweetaholic, retweet, twitterature, twittersphere, etc.
NET: http://www.lssu.edu/banished/current.php
– Neatorama.com

TV TREND:
The future of TV may be sitting in a Vizio Inc lab in Irvine, California. To illuminate images, these sets use light-emitting diodes behind the screen, resulting in TVs that can be far thinner (1.2 inches), brighter, and more eco-friendly than other flat-panel models. LED-backlit TVs have actually been around since 2004 but unpopular due to high prices. But Vizio’s first LED-backlit set, which will hit the market in about a month, will be a monster 55-inch model priced at a relatively reasonable $2,000. Insiders say that when Vizio lowers prices, other manufacturers will have to follow. (Bottom line – that 42-inch plasma job you just spent a fortune on is now a piece of crap!)
– “Los Angeles Times”

FOR THE RECORD:
Last night was the official opening the ‘World’s Tallest Skyscraper’, the 160-story-plus ‘Burj Dubai’ in the United Arab Emirates. The monstrous structure cost about $1.5-billion to build, or more than $9 million per floor. Among the records the tower now holds: tallest building (a reported 818 m/2,684 ft, although the exact height was kept secret until the opening); world’s tallest structure; most stories of any building; highest occupied floor of any building; world’s highest observation deck (124th floor).
– “Globe & Mail”

DID YOU KNOW?
• You can hiccup while asleep.
– “Magazine Monitor”
• Indonesia is the world’s largest exporter of edible frogs.
– BBC News

BS CHRONOMETER 01.05.10

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TODAY’S CELEBIRTHDAYS . . .
1931 [79] Robert Duvall, San Diego CA, movie actor (“Four Christmases”, 1984 Oscar-“Tender Mercies”)

1942 [68] Charlie Rose, Henderson NC, TV journalist (“Charlie Rose Show” since 1991, “60  Minutes” 1999-2005)

1946 [64] Diane Keaton (Hall), LA CA, movie actress (“The Family Stone”, 1978 Oscar-“Annie Hall”)

1969 [41] Marilyn Manson (Brian Warner),  Canton OH, shock-rock musician (“Personal Jesus”, “The Dope Show”)

1970 [40] Rick Campanelli, Hamilton ON, TV personality (“ET Canada” since 2005, MuchMusic 1996-2005)

1978 [32] January Jones, Sioux Falls SD, TV actress (‘Betty Draper’ on “Mad Men” since 2007)

TODAY’S BS REASONS TO PARTY . . .
• “Bean Day”, although no one seems to know why. If you’re in a rush today, you could mark the occasion by having some plain but honorable baked beans on toast from your favorite tin. Or, to be more adventurous, you could cook up a French cassoulet, or sample some bean burritos.

• “Secondhand Wardrobe Day”, celebrating the unique finds available in vintage clothing stores and thrift shops. (Love your anti-war T-shirt [co-host] … from the Vietnam war.)

• “Twelfth Night”, the “Eve of Epiphany”. Tomorrow is the “Twelfth Day Of Christmas” when, according to the carol, your true love should give to you ’12 drummers drumming’.

THIS DAY IN SHOW BIZ . . .
1970 [40] Daytime soap opera “All My Children” debuts on ABC-TV (this week it began filming in hi-def for broadcasts beginning in February)

TODAY’S MUSIC EVENTS . . .
1998 [12] 1960s pop star-turned-politician Sonny Bono (Sonny & Cher) is killed at age 62 when he skis into a tree at South Lake Tahoe, California

2004 [06] Britney Spears’ marriage to childhood friend Jason Alexander is annulled after just 55 hours of wedded bliss

TODAY’S FIRSTS . . .
1835 [175] ‘Worcestershire Sauce’ (pronounced ‘WUSS-ta-sure’) is introduced by Lea & Perrins

1910 [100] Montréal Canadiens play their 1st hockey game as ‘Le club athlétique Canadien’ at the Jubilee Rink before 3,000 people, winning 7-6 in overtime vs the Cobalt Silver Kings

1940 [70] Edwin Armstrong demonstrates his new invention … ‘FM Radio’ (thanks for the gig, dude!)

TODAY’S RECORD . . .
1987 [23] Tony Ferko sets world record by juggling 7 ping pong balls … with his mouth

AND REMEMBER . . .
[Wed] People’s Choice Awards (Los Angeles)
[Wed] Epiphany (Three Kings Day)
[Thurs] I’m Not Going to Take It Anymore Day
[Thurs] International Programmers Day
[Thurs] Orthodox Christmas
[Fri] Elvis Presley’s 75th Birth Anniversary
This Week Is … Women’s Self Empowerment Week
This Month Is … Financial Wellness Month

BULL’S BITS

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RIDICULOUS LAWS FROM AROUND-THE-WORLD:
• It is illegal to die in the Houses of Parliament in London, England.
• Flushing the toilet after 10 pm in apartment buildings is illegal in Switzerland.
• In the UK, a pregnant woman can legally urinate anywhere she wants including – if she requests – in a police officer’s hat.
• In Alabama, it is illegal for a driver to be blindfolded while driving a vehicle.
• Women in Vermont must obtain written permission from their husbands to wear false teeth.
• A male doctor in Bahrain can only examine the genitalia of a woman in the reflection of a mirror.
• Chewing gum is illegal in Singapore.
• In Scotland, if someone knocks on your door and requires the use of your toilet, you must let them enter.
• Single women can’t parachute on Sundays in Florida.
– Condensed from eListMania.com

BS RANDOM JOKE:
We’re as similar as two dissimilar things in a pod.

BS U-PICK TRIVIA:
According to a recent survey, which driving habit annoys people the most?
a. Tailgating.
b. Speeding.
c. Not signaling. [CORRECT]
d. Leaving a signal light on.

BS PHONE STARTER:
What’s your favorite household gadget? Can we listen to it?

BS WATER COOLER QUESTION:
Today’s Question: Only 7% of those who regularly follow THIS have ever actually been to see it in person.
Answer to Give Out Next Show: NFL football. (“TIME”)

BS DEEP THOUGHT:
Wisdom is knowing what to do with what you know.