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BS SHOW BIZ BUZZ:
An online report claims NBC-TV has agreed to pay Conan O’Brien $30 million to step away from the “Tonight Show”, a sum that will be reduced if he lands a show at FOX-TV within a year (getting paid NOT to work – nice gig!) . . . Meantime, “Tonight Show” ratings on Friday were up 50% from the season average (a little drama always helps!) . . . Actress Sandra Bullock has followed in the footsteps of Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, and George Clooney, donating $1 million to help victims of the Haiti earthquake (interesting that these individual donations match that of the entire NFL and NBA sports leagues) . . . 73-year-old actor Dennis Hopper (“Easy Rider”), who is believed to have only a month left to live due to cancer, has filed for divorce from 14-year wife Victoria Duffy citing ‘irreconcilable differences’ (insiders say it’s all about who inherits what – he has 4 kids from 5 marriages) . . . After taking part in California’s Malibu Triathlon last year, 45-year-old “Desperate Housewives” actress Teri Hatcher now cycles 5 miles to work and back home each day – a total of 50 miles a week (she says she goes for weekend ‘scenic rides’ – up to 40 miles) . . . 44-year-old ‘Harry Potter’ author JK Rowling has purchased her 5th house, a 31-room mansion in Edinburgh Scotland, paying circa $4 million after only looking at 2 of its rooms because – she only wanted to use it for a party (this is what you do when your fortune is somewhere north of $913 million) . . . And it’s been announced that 37-year-old actress Jennie Garth is quitting “90210” (CW) in order to ‘spend more time with her 3 daughters’ (BS translation: Her 3 kids represent a bigger audience).

TODAY’S SHOW BIZ SKED:
• “American Idol” (FOX/CTV) – Shania Twain is a guest judge as auditions move on to Chicago.
• “Ellen DeGeneres Show” (syndicated/A Channel) – Matt Morris (“When Everything Breaks Open”).
• “Jimmy Kimmel Live” (ABC/CityTV) – Orianthi (“Believe”).
• “Last Call With Carson Daly” (NBC) – XX (“XX”).
• “Late Night With Jimmy Fallon” (NBC/A Channel) – Mountain Goats (“Life Of the World to Come”).
• “Late Show With David Letterman” (CBS) – The Swell Season (“Strict Joy”).
• “Oprah Winfrey Show” (syndicated/CTV) – Adam Lambert (“For Your Entertainment”); Susan Boyle performs “Who Was I Born To Be”.
• “Tonight Show With Conan O’Brien” (NBC/A Channel) – Spoon (“Transference”).

BS MUSIC NOTES:
• Lady Antebellum – Charles Kelley’s brother is singer Josh Kelley, who’s wed to TV/movie actress Katherine Heigl (“Grey’s Anatomy”/”Knocked Up”).
• Lady Gaga – She’s now postponed 4 concerts, including last night’s in Uncasville CT, due to health concerns. She collapsed before a Purdue University gig Thursday and was later diagnosed with an irregular heartbeat. Her website says she’s been ordered to rest due to ‘exhaustion and dehydration’.
• Metallica – Tonight they kick off a South & Central American leg of their “World Magnetic Tour” in Lima, Peru.
• Rush – Today drummer Neal Peart’s new version of “The Hockey Theme” (formerly used on “Hockey Night In Canada”) becomes available as a digital download. The rock version will be used on some TSN broadcasts of NHL games.
• Them Crooked Vultures – Tonight they begin a Down Under tour of Australia and New Zealand in Perth. The trek wraps January 30th in Auckland.
• Whitney Houston – Today a 25th anniversary edition of her self-titled debut album is released, a CD/DVD combo that includes 5 bonus tracks, new interviews, and a 1983 performance.

TODAY’S VIDEO RELEASES:
• “Across the Hall” ( Thriller ): This noir thriller follows the tense standoff between a young man, his fiancée, and his best friend who comes to his aide. Stars Mike Vogel, Danny Pino, and Brittany Murphy in one of her final films (she died suddenly less than 2 weeks after release).
• “Gamer” ( Sci-Fi Thriller ): Set in a future-world where humans can control other humans in mass-scale, multi-player online gaming environments, Gerard Butler (“300”) portrays a star player from a game called “Slayers” who looks to regain his independence while taking down the game’s mastermind. Co-stars Michael C Hall (“Dexter”) and rapper/actor Ludacris.
• “The Invention of Lying” ( Comedy ): Brit comedian Ricky Gervais directs and stars in this comedy set in a world where no one has ever lied, until a writer seizes the opportunity for personal gain. Cast includes Christopher Guest, Jason Bateman, Jennifer Garner, Jonah Hill, Rob Lowe, and Tina Fey among many more.
• “Pandorum” ( Sci-Fi Thriller ): Two astronauts awaken in a hyper-sleep chamber aboard a seemingly abandoned spacecraft. They are disoriented and can’t remember their mission or even their identities. Stars Dennis Quaid (“GI Joe: The Rise of Cobra”), Ben Foster (“X-Men”), and Cam Gigandet (ex-“The OC”).
• “Whiteout” ( Crime Thriller ): Kate Beckinsale stars as a US Marshal at the McMurdo Station in Antarctica, looking to identify and capture a killer before the Sun sets for 6 months. Co-stars Gabriel Macht and Tom Skerritt. Standing in for ‘the most isolated landmass on the planet’ … Manitoba and Québec.
• Also released today: “Artie Lange: Jack and Coke” (Comedy); “Aziz Ansari: Intimate Moments For a Sensual Evening” (Comedy); “Dallas: The Complete 12th Season” (vintage TV); “Defying Gravity: The Complete 1st Season” (Sci-Fi TV); “Fraggle Rock: The Complete Animated Series” (Family); “The Game: The 2nd Season” (TV); “Girlfriends: The Complete Series Pack” (TV); and “Weeds: Season 5” (TV).

BS FLEA MARKET:
• ‘World’s Most Expensive Bath’ from the ME! Bath company includes a combination of glacier water and Hawaiian deep-sea water infused with Arabian honey, Peruvian pink salt, butters from the Amazon, Borneo and India, Israeli jojoba oil, and … 24-karat gold. The final price depends on whether you’ll bathe at home or in a spa but the starting price is – whoa! – $50,000.
NET: http://themostexpensivebath.com
– Neatorama.com
• Planning a long trip … a really long trip? NASA has slashed the price of 1970s-era Space Shuttles from $42 million to $28.8 million apiece. As for the Space Shuttle’s main engines, those are now free … just pay for shipping and handling. Who’d want this stuff? Museums.
– MSNBC
• In response to the need (?!?) for a variety of music for therapeutic massage and other wellness practices, a company called Asoma Music (Killaloe ON) has created a service which enables practitioners to download new music every month. At last, new wave Muzak with different bird calls in the background!
– 24-7pressrelease.com

CRAZY COST:
There are frightening bills, horrific bills, and Bugatti Veyron bills. The quickest accelerating production car in the world is not only legendarily expensive to buy (circa $2.24 million), it seems it’s equally expensive to keep running, with some pegging annual maintenance costs at around $300,000. It’s so expensive, in fact, that one owner trailers his car to a favorite driving route. To put the expense in comparative form … it’s cheaper to use a private jet. (Doesn’t that make this morning’s $50 fill-up at the gas station a lot easier to accept?)
– Autoblog.com

LOST IN TRANSLATI0N:
Invented English-language brand names are hot in Japan, no matter if they make sense or not. See if you can guess what these English-named Japanese products are …
• ‘Mouth Jazz’ … mouthwash.
• ‘Love Love’ … razor.
• ‘Meltykiss’ … chocolate.
• ‘Creap’ … coffee creamer.
• ‘Super Winky’ … condom.
– Excerpted from “Japanese Jive” by George Fields.

STOOL PIGEON PILL:
California-based Proteus Biomedical has developed a pill that can relay data about a patient back to doctors after it’s been swallowed. Here’s how it works: stomach fluids activate the edible communications device contained in each pill, which sends wireless signals through the body to a computer chip worn as a skin patch or embedded just under the skin. That, in turn, can upload data to a smart phone or send it via the Internet. The system is said to make it easy to ensure a patient is taking pills on time. (Basically, it’s a hi-tech version of those plastic pill organizers with the days of the week on them.)
– “The Economist”

NO SUGAR ‘N SPICE?
According to a poll of parents, there really are behavioral differences between boys and girls. When asked which qualities best describe their child, parents most often say that boys are aggressive, messy, noisy, and stubborn. Girls, however, are described by parents as cooperative, kind, manipulative, and whiny. (And we wonder why some choose to go childless.)
– “Parents Magazine”

BS AMAZING FACT:
According to a recent study which supports similar estimates by researchers, the average amount of time the football is actually in play on the field during an NFL game is about … 11 minutes. In fact, the average telecast devotes 56% more time to showing replays. (And about 8,000% more to commercials.)
– “Wall Street Journal”

BS CHRONOMETER 01.19.10

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TODAY’S CELEBIRTHDAYS . . .
1934 [76] Lloyd Robertson, Stratford ON, CTV Chief News Anchor & Senior News Editor since 1976/CBC-TV’s “The National” anchor 1970-76/CAB Broadcast Hall of Fame (1998)

1946 [64] Dolly Parton, Sevierville TN, country singer/songwriter (“I Will Always Love You”)/movie actress (“Steel Magnolias”, “9 to 5“)/amusement park owner (“Dollywood”)

1954 [56] Katey Sagal, Hollywood CA, TV actress (‘Gemma Teller Morrow’ on “Sons of Anarchy” since 2008, “Futurama” 1999-2003, “Married with Children” 1987-97)

1972 [38] Drea de Matteo, Queens NY, TV actress (‘Angie Bolen’ on “Desperate Housewives” since 2009, “Joey” 2004-06, “The Sopranos” 1999-2006)

BS REASONS TO PARTY . . .
• “International Sing-Out Day”, a time to break out in song just like they do in goofy musicals.

• “Maintenance Day”, honoring all janitors and building maintenance personnel. (Because they’re good natured swabs.)

• “Rid the World of Fad Diets Day” part of the 17th annual celebration of “Healthy Weight Week”, promoting healthy living habits to prevent eating & weight problems, rather than intensifying them, as diets do. To mark the occasion: the ‘Slim Chance Awards’ are announced, citing the worst weight-loss products and programs of the past year.
NET: http://www.healthyweight.net/hww.htm

TODAY’S MUSIC EVENT . . .
1985 [25] Bruce Springsteen’s “Born In the USA” peaks at #9 on pop charts

TODAY’S FIRSTS . . .
1915 [95] 1st ‘Neon Sign’ (it actually spelled out ‘N-E-O-N’, because it was created by George Claude of Paris, France for a demonstration.)

1935 [75] 1st ‘Jockey Shorts’ go on sale at Marshall Field’s department store in Chicago (thereby beginning the boxers vs briefs debate)

1996 [14] NHL commissioner Gary Bettman announces the league has approved the sale of the Winnipeg Jets to Phoenix AZ investors (well this proves to be a shrewd move, huh?)

TODAY’S RECORD . . .
1977 [33] World’s ‘Largest Crowd’ as 12.7 million attend a religious festival in India (the bad news … only 37 port-a-johns)

COMING UP . . .
[Wed] Weedless Wednesday
[Wed] Camcorder Day
[Thurs] “Sundance Film Festival” begins
[Thurs] Women in Blue Jeans Day
[Fri] George Strait-Reba McEntire tour begins (Baltimore MD)
[Fri] Answer Your Cats Questions Day
[Fri] “Extraordinary Measures”; “Legion”; “Tooth Fairy” open in movie theaters
This Week Is … Non-Smoking Week in Canada
This Month Is … Personal Self-Defense Awareness Month

BULL’S BITS

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BS HOUSEHOLD HINTS:
A few clever kitchen repurposing tricks you may not have considered …
• Make perfect pancakes by dispensing the batter from a ketchup bottle or any other empty squeezable container. It can also serve as easy storage for leftover batter.
• Steam scrambled eggs with your espresso machine. Simply beat together eggs, butter, and salt in a jar, then hold it under the steamer wand and whisk. Makes unbelievably fluffy eggs!
• Clean a dishwasher with lemonade mix. The citric acid in one packet of Kool-Aid or similar product is enough to clean the lime stains and calcium deposits that build up over time.
• Your old-school waffle iron is nothing less than a Panini sandwich maker and/or George Foreman-type grill. It works on the same principle … a fold-down, 2-sided heat source.
– Adapted from LifeHacker.com

BS PHONE STARTER:
Have the traditional gender roles in your household changed? (New stats show that the number of working moms who are the sole breadwinners in their families has risen as well as the number of stay-at-home dads.)

BS RANDOM JOKE:
We have worked ourselves into a frenzy of lethargy.

BS BATTLE OF THE SEXES:
QUESTIONS FOR MALES …
• What metal is considered strongest for setting precious stones? [Platinum.]
• Which room in the home is remodeled more than any other? [Kitchen.]
• A full human pregnancy is considered to be how many weeks? [40.]
• In today’s society, approximately what percentage of a typical mother’s day is spent in close physical contact with her infant? [25%]
• When a woman breastfeeds, about how many extra calories does she need to consume each day? [500.]
QUESTIONS FOR FEMALES …
• What does the automotive term ‘ABS’ stand for? [Anti-Lock Brake System.]
• How often should the oil filter in your car be replaced? [Every time the oil is changed.]
• True or false? It’s usually faster for a guy to shave his face with an electric shaver than with a razor blade and shaving cream. [False.]
• Approximately what percentage of men like the way they look in the nude? [70%]
• How many wheels does a typical ‘semi’ transport truck have? [18.]
– “The Gender Gap”

BS U-PICK TRIVIA:
What’s the official name for an armhole in clothing?
a. It’s called an ‘appertage’.
b. That’s an ‘armsaye’. [CORRECT]
c. Well duh! It’s an ‘armhole’, dummy!
– Dictionary.com

BS WATER COOLER QUESTION:
Today’s Question: THIS consumes about 420 calories a day.
Answer to Give Out Next Show: Your brain. (“Daily Mail”)

BS DEEP THOUGHT:
People who fly into a rage always make a bad landing.