Monday, January 20, 2025 – Edition: #7875
Sheet For Brains!
BS SHOW BIZ BUZZ:
[***UPDATE***] ★ TikTok welcomed users in the US back to the platform on Sunday, about 14 hours after it abruptly shut itself down as a nationwide ban took effect. The reversal was prompted by incoming President Donald Trump’s promise to halt the ban when he takes office today by extending a deadline for China-based ByteDance to sell the app. The app went dark on Saturday night, and American users there were greeted with a message saying: “A law banning TikTok has been enacted in the US. Unfortunately, that means you can’t use TikTok for now.” Last year, Congress voted to ban the app amid concerns that its Chinese parent company was storing data of millions of Americans.
-Forbes, TheWrap, TMZ
★ The 2025 Critics Choice Awards will now take place on Friday, Feb. 7, the Association has announced. The awards show—set to be hosted Chelsea Handler—was previously postponed from Jan. 12 to Jan 26 amid the ongoing wildfires across Los Angeles. The latest postponement comes as fires from Pacific Palisades to Pasadena continue to burn in Los Angeles County. The show will broadcast live on E! from the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica.
-E!
★ Henry Cavill and Natalie Viscuso are parents! People reports that the 41-year-old “Man of Steel” star, and his girlfriend have welcomed their first baby together. No other details, including the child’s name, sex or birthdate, have been shared. Photos published by The Daily Mail on Saturday show Cavill and Viscuso pushing a baby stroller in Australia. He’s in the country to film the upcoming live-action “Voltron” movie. LINK: https://tinyurl.com/ykk7mewc
-People
★ “Frasier’s” return has hit a major bump. Paramount+ has canceled the Kelsey Grammer-led comedy after 2 seasons. Producer CBS Studios says it remains committed to the series and plans to shop it to other outlets. Those are not expected to include CBS. The network, which is eying a spinoff of “The Neighborhood” among other comedies in development, has no space available. Possibilities include Prime Video and Hulu, which both carry the library of Frasier’s original run.
-Deadline
★ David Lynch was working on a new limited series for Netflix when he passed away last week, according to CEO Ted Sarandos. He posted a tribute to the visionary filmmaker on Instagram, which included the revelation. He said Lynch “came into Netflix to pitch a limited series, which we jumped at.” Sarandos wrote that it was “so filled with mystery and risks but we wanted to go on this creative ride with this genius.” Covid-19 and “some health uncertainties” meant the project was never made. Sarandos added that he’ll “always wonder about what he had in mind for us with what would have been his last project.”
-Deadline
TODAY’S SHOW BIZ SKED:
• “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” (ABC/Global): Don Cheadle, Leanne Morgan, Pete Yorn
• “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” (NBC/CTV): Colin Jost, Dorinda Medley, Stereo MCs
• “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert” (CBS/Global): Jon Favreau, Jon Lovett, Tommy Vietor, Jalen Ngonda
• “Late Night With Seth Meyers” (NBC/CTV): Christian Slater, Zosia Mamet
• “After Midnight” (CBS/Global): Guy Branum, Laura Peek, Zach Noe Towers (R)
• “Watch What Happens Live” (Bravo): Keith Allen, Mekki Leeper
• “The Daily Show” (COM): Host Jon Stewart
• “Today” (NBC): Naomi Watts, inauguration coverage
• “Live With Kelly and Mark” (ABC/CTV): Lucy Liu, Omari Hardwick
• “The Kelly Clarkson Show” (Check local listings): Jesse Eisenberg, Melissa Gilbert, Jordan Davis (R)
• “The Drew Barrymore Show” (Check local listings): Rosie Perez, Nischelle Turner (R)
• “The Presidential Inauguration of Donald J. Trump” (Check local listings): Coverage of the inauguration of Donald Trump as the 47th president of the United States.
• “The Traitors” (NBC): Season 3 premiere. A new all-star cast descends on the Scottish Highlands for the ultimate game of deception and the chance to win up to $250k. Followed by another new episode.
• “9-1-1: Lone Star” (Fox): Judd literally walks straight into the line of fire when an armory catches on fire. Owen questions Judd’s pledge of sobriety; Marjan introduces her boyfriend to her parents.
BS MUSIC NOTES:
• Miley Cyrus – Her 2023 hit ‘Flowers’ is spending its 100th week on Billboard‘s Adult Contemporary chart, after spending 57 weeks at #1. Flowers’ is the 6th song to last that long on the chart. The others: Sarah McLachlan‘s ‘I Will Remember You’ (100 weeks), ‘I Need You’ by LeAnn Rimes (104), ‘Unstoppable’ by Sia (117), and Savage Garden’s ‘Truly Madly Deeply (123) and ‘I Knew I Loved You (124).
• Kesha – Just before TikTok (temporarily) went dark in the US over the weekend, she reminded fans of the OG ‘TiK ToK’. She shared a video soundtracked by her 2009 breakthrough hit, and wrote: “TikTok may be temporary but TiK ToK is forever.” LINK (if you can still access it!): https://tinyurl.com/bdzn2js7
• No Doubt – will reunite – including Gwen Stefani — for the FireAid benefit concerts to raise money for those most affected by the LA wildfires. Taking place at both the Intuit Dome and Kia Forum on Jan. 30, the one-night event will also feature performances from Billie Eilish, Jelly Roll, Joni Mitchell, Lady Gaga, John Mayer with Dave Matthews, Stevie Nicks, and others.
• Linkin Park – has snagged its 7th #1 on Billboard’s Rock & Alternative Airplay chart (and the second from the band’s new album “From Zero). ‘Heavy Is the Crown’ jumped from #4 to the top on the Jan. 25 chart. The album’s first single ‘The Emptiness Machine’ topped the chart for 15 weeks, beginning last fall.
• Mumford & Sons – Friday, they dropped the new single ‘Rushmere’. It’ll appear on their upcoming 5th studio album and first since 2018’s “Delta”, out Match 28. The video for Rushmere depicts fans’ emotional reaction to experiencing the song for the first time. LINK: https://tinyurl.com/nhwk3nu3
• Kane Brown – Friday, he released ‘Gorgeous’, the latest preview song from his new album “The High Road”, out Jan. 24. It’s a romantic tune about his wife, Katelyn, and how he admires her “gorgeous” inner beauty. LINK: https://tinyurl.com/3xumcecz
• Jelly Roll – is still batting a thousand. His latest single ‘Liar’ has jumped from #13 to #8 on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart Jan. 25, his 7th consecutive top 10 in as many tries. It’s from his album “Beautifully Broken”, which hit #1 on both the Top Country Albums and the all-genre Billboard 200 in October.
• HARDY – will release his first live album “HARDY (Live From Red Rocks),” on Feb. 7. The 20-song set was recorded at sold out shows at the Colorado amphitheater in October, and includes his first ever release of ‘God’s Country’, which he wrote, and Blake Shelton took to #1. Friday, he released the first single ‘JIM BOB (Live From Red Rocks)’. LINK: https://tinyurl.com/4w4n2pwk
SHOOTING THE BULL
PUTTING YOUR FEET DOWN:
I’m not sure if this is something that you’ve ever aspired to, but a team at the University of Waterloo is hard at work at it anyway. Someday, thanks to their years of toil and trouble, you might be able to order coffee – with your feet. That’s correct. The focus of their research is on being able to control apps with your feet. Why? One professor at the university, located in Waterloo, Ontario, said he was inspired when he was on a winter walk and wanted to order Starbucks remotely – but he was wearing mitts. The team found that slight variations in how you walk could be enough to tell augmented reality devices what it is that you want to do. You would be able to place your order without taking your phone out – and while leaving your mittens on. It could be that something as simple as a tap of the foot or a slower stride would mimic how you usually select commands with your fingers. So far, tests have shown that these gestures can be used with a number of apps, such as viewing a web page, scrolling through a menu, and adjusting the brightness or volume of a device. LINK: https://youtu.be/Rs3B6FUrQUI
(So if you’re ever walking down the street in January and you see someone doing the ‘hokey-pokey’, just turn away and carry on!)
(Just don’t slip on the ice – you’ll wind up ordering the whole menu!)
-CTVNews
DOGGIE TALES:
➢ If you think you look like your dog, you might be absolutely correct, according to science. Stanley Coren, a professor emeritus at the University of British Columbia’s psychology department and author of more than a dozen books about dogs, says he has found evidence to suggest human-dog resemblance is a real thing. He cites a 2004 study that asked participants to match photos of dogs and owners – and they did so successfully for purebred dogs most of the time. The next year, a similar study found participants did better than random chance at correctly matching the owner to their dog. Later, a review of 15 of these studies by German researchers came with 2 theories of why dogs seem to look like their owners: For one, it’s possible that people choose dogs that look like them. Fair enough — people like things they are familiar with. The other possible reason is this: Dogs come to look more like their owners over time. The evidence on that one is mixed. (Maybe so, but it can’t be a coincidence that I’ve been noticing what I’m pretty sure are the early signs of “male pattern baldness” on my rottweiler…!)
➢ There’s nothing quite as comforting on a cold winter’s night as having your faithful furry friend snuggled up beside you as you tuck in for the night. But recent research has found that sleeping with your dog (and giving it kisses, for that matter) could make you very sick. A Pennsylvania State University team determined that household dogs can carry and spread antibiotic-resistant Salmonella bacteria even when they appear perfectly healthy. 39% of infected dogs were seen to harbor genes that allow for “extended bacterial shedding”. The study identified 16 human Salmonella infections closely related to dog-associated strains, suggesting possible transmission between pets and their owners through everyday contact. The researchers say that simple practices like proper hand washing and food handling can help protect both humans and their canine companions from spreading dangerous bacteria. (Also, cut down on sharing ice-cream cones with them!)
-TorStar, StudyFinds
GOLDEN CHILDREN:
If you’ve always had a nagging suspicion that you aren’t your parents’ favorite child, then this is for you. Researchers have come up with a way to determine if you’re the “fav” – or not. A team at Brigham Young University studied data from almost 20,000 people, and concluded that parents do indeed treat their kids differently – and found a few interesting patterns. Among them:
• Both mothers and fathers tend to favor daughters.
• Older sibling are generally given more autonomy, such as later curfews and more freedom to make their own decisions, although this may reflect appropriate developmental adjustments rather than favoritism.
• Children who demonstrate responsibility and organization (completing homework on time, keeping their rooms tidy…) also typically receive more favorable treatment from their parents.
• Agreeable children who show cooperation and consideration in family life often receive more positive parental responses.
The researchers said that favorite children have better mental health, better grades, better ability to regulate their emotions, and healthier relationships. However, they may be overindulged, which does not teach them life skills for later on. Those who aren’t favored sometimes experience more difficulties in adulthood.
(So basically, being the favorite means you’re more organized, agreeable, and responsible? I knew there was a reason my parents got a dog!)
(My mom always said her favorite child was whichever one needed her at that time. The problem? When it came time to read her will, my sister needed her most!)
-StudyFinds, CNN
TOP POP STARS OF ALL-TIME:
According to a ranking by “The Top Tens” website…
1. Michael Jackson
2. Lady Gaga
3. The Beatles
4. Katy Perry
5. Adele
6. Elton John
7. Taylor Swift (Number SEVEN? Start the online petition, NOW!)
8. Whitney Houston
9. Prince
10. Pink
-TheTopTens
CELEB DEATH POOL:
The celebrities most likely to die in 2025, according to a ranking by “The Top Tens”…
1. Dick Van Dyke (age 99)
2. Harvey Weinstein (72)
3. Roman Polanski (91)
4. Phil Collins (73)
5. Frankie Valli (90)
6. Brian Wilson (82)
7. Ozzy Osbourne (76)
8. Iggy Pop (77)
9. Roberta Flack (87)
10. Buzz Aldrin (94 today)
-TheTopTens
DID YOU KNOW?
Stats show that those in the US are exposed to up to 4,000 ads daily. What’s more, new research shows that even our dreams are no longer safe from commercial messaging. A new study by The Media Image found that 54% of young adults have their dreams influenced by ads, with 38% saying they experience this regularly — and some companies might be doing it intentionally. In 2021, it was reported that 77% of companies surveyed expressed intentions to experiment with “dream ads” by this year. (I can’t say I’ve ever gone more than a week without dreaming about eating a 6-pack of Caramel Kreme donuts, but I thought that was just me!)
-StudyFinds
BS CHRONOMETER 01.20.25
TODAY’S BS REASONS TO PARTY . . .
• “Blue Monday”. The third Monday of January has been awarded this gloomy title due to a combination of post-Christmas blues, cold, dark nights, and the arrival of unpaid credit card bills. Though we may SAY we hate Mondays, an Australian study found the day that scores lowest for most employees’ morale is actually Wednesday. (If you can imagine hating “Hump Day”!)
• “Martin Luther King, Jr. Day”, in the US, honoring the legacy and celebrating the birthday of the iconic civil rights leader. King was the chief spokesperson for nonviolent activism in the Civil Rights Movement, which successfully protested racial discrimination. He was assassinated in 1968.
• “Inauguration Day” in the United States. (You may have heard.) It has been observed on January 20 (21st if the 20th is a Sunday) each year after a presidential election since 1937. During today’s ceremony at the US Capitol building in Washington, president-elect Donald Trump will be sworn in and repeat the oath of office, promising, in part, to “support and defend the Constitution of the United States…and faithfully discharge the duties of the office” of President of the United States, “So help me God.”
• “Cheese Lover’s Day”, celebrating the more than 2,000 known cheeses of the world. Which is best? Mmm, 18-month-old Comté from France. LINK: http://tinyurl.com/jsnxhp7
CHEESY FACTS:
➢ Cheese was created over 4,000 years ago — by accident.
➢ It takes 10 pounds of milk to make just one pound of cheese.
➢ Of the more than 2,000 varieties of cheese available worldwide, mozzarella is the favorite.
➢ If a cheese is named after a city, it’s capitalized. Examples include Asiago, Brie, Camembert, Gouda, and Parmesan.
➢ Mice don’t particularly like cheese. They prefer sweets and carbs.
• “Coffee Break Day”, dedicated to honoring the tradition of taking a moment out of our busy lives to relax and recharge with a cup of coffee. The term “coffee break” originated in the late 19th century in Wisconsin, when women working in factories would take a brief break to drink coffee and socialize.
• “Elementary School Teacher Day”, dedicated to all the teachers who help mold young minds during their formative years. Today, we thank retired and current elementary school teachers for all they have done to help students. (Thanks! And sorry my kid gave you a cold!)
• “Penguin Awareness Day”, to bring attention to the interrelationship between humans and marine animals. FUN FACT: 37 million years ago, one species of penguin grew to a height of 6 foot 8 inches (2.03m).
• “Take a Walk Outdoors Day”. Nature affects our body and soul in amazing ways. People who walk outdoors report less depression, anxiety, and more productivity and creativity. (And in winter, chapped lips, too!)
• “Camcorder Day”, a tribute to videography of all varieties. Perhaps you’re a professional and enjoy shooting wildlife (with a lens, not a gun), or an extreme sports fan who attaches a GoPro to your helmet before jumping out of a plane (or maybe you just watch videos all day…!)
• “International Day of Acceptance”, dedicated to the social acceptance of disability and to honor the late Annie Hopkins, founder of 3E Love and creator of the International Symbol of Acceptance.
• “National Disc Jockey Day”, dedicated to the pros who play the tunes at clubs, bars, weddings, and even concerts. But since ‘disc jockey’ is also a term used to describe what WE do, we’re taking ownership!
BS WAYS EVERYONE CAN CELEBRATE “DJ DAY”:
• Whenever you’re talking to someone, hold a hand over one ear.
• Throw a party where everyone mingles about, telling the time & temp.
• Give away stuff that’s not yours.
• Get laughs by using cheap sound effects instead of coming up with actual jokes. (***SFX***)
• Do play-by-play of the traffic on your way to work.
• Talk DEEP!
AND REMEMBER . . .
[Tues] Hugging Day
[Tues] Sweatpants Day
[Wed] Hot Sauce Day
[Thurs] Clashing Clothes Day
This Week is…Healthy Weight Week
This Month is…CBD Month
TODAY’S CELEBIRTHDAYS . . .
1930 [95] (Edwin) “Buzz” Aldrin, Glen Ridge NJ, astronaut (The second person to walk on the moon, he piloted NASA’s 1969 Apollo 11 mission)/fighter pilot/engineer
1952 [73] Paul Stanley (Stanley Eisen), New York City NY, rock singer/guitarist (Kiss-‘Rock & Roll All Nite’, ‘I Was Made For Lovin’ You’)
1956 [69] Bill Maher, New York City NY, TV host (“Real Time With Bill Maher” since 2003, “Politically Incorrect” 1993-2002)
1966 [59] Rainn Wilson, Seattle WA, TV actor (“The Office” 2005-13)/movie actor (“Juno”, “Weird: The Al Yankovic Story”) COMING UP… “At the Sea”
1970 [55] Skeet Ulrich (Bryan Trout), Lynchburg VA, movie actor (“Scream” films, “The Craft”)/TV actor (“Riverdale” 2017-21) COMING UP… “Salvation”
1971 [54] Questlove (Ahmir Thompson), Philadelphia PA, alt hip-hop drummer/DJ (The Roots w/Duffy-‘Well, Well, Well’), house band on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon”
1985 [40] Brantley Gilbert, Jefferson GA, country singer (‘Bottoms Up’, w/Lindsay Ell-‘What Happens in a Small Town’)
1987 [38] Evan Peters, St Louis MO, TV actor (“Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story”, “American Horror Story” 2011-21)/movie actor (“X-Men” franchise, “Kick-Ass”) COMING UP: “Tron: Ares” 2025
THIS DAY IN SHOWBIZ . . .
2008 [17] “Breaking Bad”, created by Vince Gilligan and starring Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul, premieres on AMC.
2020 [05] Liam Hemsworth and Miley Cyrus divorce after a year of marriage.
TODAY’S MUSIC EVENTS . . .
1982 [43] Ozzy Osbourne is forced to undergo rabies shots after biting the head off a dead bat thrown onstage during a concert in Des Moines IA (he apparently thought it was plastic).
2022 [03] Meat Loaf (Marvin Lee Aday) dies at 74. No official cause of death was released, although some reports say he died from COVID-19 complications.
TODAY’S FIRSTS . . .
2017 [08] Donald Trump is inaugurated as the 45th President of the United States. The night before, a celebratory concert features performances by Lee Greenwood, Toby Keith, 3 Doors Down, and others.
2021 [04] Joe Biden is inaugurated as the 46th President of the United States. Lady Gaga sings the national anthem, and an evening socially-distanced concert features Bruce Springsteen, John Legend, Demi Lovato, Tim McGraw and Katy Perry.
TODAY’S RECORD . . .
2007 [18] A 3-man team, using only skis and kites, completes a 1,093-mile (1,759 km) trek to reach the Southern Pole of Inaccessibility for the first time ever, without mechanical assistance.
BULL’S BITS
BS WHACK FACTS:
✓ Your inner monologue operates at about 6,000 words per minute.
✓ There was no punctuation until the 15th century.
✓ To help speed up the solving-time for Rubik’s Cubes, lubricants can be used to grease the joints. These include “Cubicle Lubicle”, “Cosmic Lube” and “Lubix Cube”.
✓ Monkeys floss their teeth.
✓ Studies show that if you haven’t read an email in the first 24 hours after receiving it, there is 99% chance you never will.
✓ People cannot pass gas forcefully enough to propel them in zero gravity (it’s been tried…)
-QuiteInteresting, NationalGeographic
Best of BS . . .
BS QUESTIONS PLAGUING HUMANITY:
• Are eyebrows considered facial hair?
• If you lick the air, does it get wet?
• How come, no matter what color the liquid is, the froth is always white?
• Can a hearse drive a corpse in the HOV lane?
• Why is an electrical outlet called an ‘outlet’ when you plug things into it? Shouldn’t it be called an ‘inlet’?
• Is the opposite of ‘out of whack’ … ‘in whack’?
• Can you be a closet claustrophobic?
• How come you chop ‘down’ a tree and then chop it ‘up’?
• Do one-legged ducks swim in circles?
• If a ‘bus station’ is where a bus stops and a ‘train station’ is where a train stops, what happens at a ‘work station’?
-First published in BS in 2017
MORE BS CONVERSIONS:
• 2,000 pounds of Chinese soup = Won Ton.
• 1 millionth of a mouthwash = 1 Microscope.
• Time between slipping on a peel and smacking the pavement = 1 Bananosecond.
• Half of a large intestine = 1 Semicolon.
• 1 million aches = 1 Megahertz.
• Shortest distance between two jokes = A straight line.
• 1 million microphones = 1 Megaphone.
• 2 monograms: 1 Diagram.
• 2,000 mockingbirds = 2 Kilomockingbirds.
-Da Humorist, first published in BS in 2010
BS WEB GOODIE:
Off to work: https://tinyurl.com/3h55cnbt
BS RANDOM JOKE:
I almost dropped my phone on the soft, carpeted floor – but thank goodness I used my lightning-fast reflexes to slap it into the wall instead…
BS DEFINITION DETECTIVE:
We give you an obscure word, and 4 definitions. Which one is real?
• Aliferous
a) Morally complex or questionable
b) Winged [CORRECT]
c) Dastardly
d) Furry
• Octothorpe
a) The ‘pound’ sign (or hashtag) [CORRECT]
b) An 8-pointed star
c) A truck bed
d) A musical instrument played by 4 people using their 8 arms
• Saccadic
a) Creaky
b) Jerky/discontinuous [CORRECT]
c) Cyclical/Recurring
d) A type of sweetener
-MentalFloss
☎ BS PHONE STARTER:
What’s some insider knowledge that only people in your line of work have?
BS WATER COOLER QUESTION:
14% of us say we will do THIS if ouR partner doesn’t spend enough on Valentine’s Day. What is it?
Answer: Give them the silent treatment
BS DEEP THOUGHT:
The only thing worse than starting something and failing is not starting something.
