Thursday, January 5, 2017 – Edition: #5883
Sheet Happens!
BS SHOW BIZ BUZZ:
★ Today Carrie Fisher and her mother Debbie Reynolds are being buried together at the exclusive Forest Lawn Memorial Park in the Hollywood Hills. Family will honor the stars, who died one day apart, with a joint memorial. They ended up choosing Forest Lawn because Reynolds wanted to be close to Liberace, who’s also buried there. Debbie and Liberace were good friends. The cemetery is also the final resting place of Bette Davis, Lucille Ball, Buster Keaton, and “Brady Bunch” star Florence Henderson. It’s still being debated if and when there will be a public memorial service.
– RadarOnline.com
★ Megyn Kelly, one of the biggest stars on FOX News is leaving her network of 12 years to join NBC News. Her new gig is an ambitious offer from NBC-TV to host a daytime news show, anchor a Sunday night news show, and play a role in special programming. She is reportedly pulling in $15 million in the last year of her contract with FOX, which ends this Summer, and had been offered $20 million per year to stay put. But Kelly wrote in her recent memoir that salary isn’t the most important factor in helping her decide her next career move. The sources cited in the new report decline to discuss her new salary details.
– “New York Times”
★ Actor Liam Neeson turned down the chance to play ‘James Bond’ over 20 years ago because his late wife didn’t like the idea of her man playing ‘007’. The Northern Irish actor was in the running to play the spy when Pierce Brosnan was offered the role, and now admits his then-girlfriend Natasha Richardson played a big part in him saying no to ‘Bond’ producers. Quote: “I’m sure they were considering a bunch of other guys too. It’s no big deal; it’s nice to be inquired after.”
– “Men’s Journal”
★ And Kylie Jenner has been named the 2nd-richest Kardashian family member. The 19-year-old TV personality’s finances have flourished since launching her own makeup company Kylie Cosmetics, where she sells her famous lip kits among other beauty products. While Kylie is making waves in the cosmetics world she also dabbles in real estate, buying and selling luxury properties. It’s now estimated that Kylie earns an impressive $18 million per year, but that’s a far cry from the her half-sister Kim Kardashian West. It’s estimated Kim is raking in a whopping $51 million annually.
– Forbes.com
TODAY’S SHOW BIZ SKED:
• “Bee Gees: One Night Only” (PBS) – The former pop music stars (⅔ gone) perform some of their biggest hits in Las Vegas, with a guest appearance by Céline Dion. Rerun.
• “Ellen” (syndicated/CTV2) – Pharrell Williams (“GIRL”).
• “Jimmy Kimmel Live” (ABC/CityTV) – Fantastic Negrito (“The Last Days of Oakland”).
• “Last Call With Carson Daly” (NBC) – Peter Bjorn & John (“Breakin’ Point”). Rerun.
• “Late Show With Stephen Colbert” (CBS/Global) – Whitney (“Light Upon the Lake”).
• “Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” (NBC/CTV2) – Common w/BJ The Chicago Kid (“Like Water for Chocolate”). Rerun.
BS MUSIC NOTES:
• Beyoncé – She’s one of the headliners of the 2017 Coachella festival, a first for her. Bey, Radiohead, and Kendrick Lamar are headlining the 2-weekend festival in Indio CA. Beyoncé’s shows are scheduled for April 15th and 22nd.
• George Michael – According to the Nielsen Co, his music has had an increase of 2,678% in sales since his death on Christmas Day.
• Justin Timberlake – His mother was “La La Land” star Ryan Gosling’s legal guardian while they filmed “The All New Mickey Mouse Club” 1993-95.
• Kanye West – He’s rumored to be launching a new line for Yeezy. The 39-year-old, who first collaborated with sportswear giant Adidas in 2013, is said to be in talks to make his comeback and showcase his ‘Yeezy Season 5’ series during NYC Fashion Week next month.
• Katy Perry – She began her career singing Christian pop.
• Nirvana – A guitar that once belonged to Kurt Cobain and is likely worth millions is now in the hands of Eeries frontman Isaiah Silva, and Cobain’s daughter is fighting to get it back. Frances Bean Cobain was married to Silva for 21 months, and she’s been trying to get the Martin D-18E returned since they split in March. Silva claims she gave it to him as a wedding gift. Now the battle is headed to court.
• Red Hot Chili Peppers – Tonight the first leg of their 2017 North American tour starts in San Antonio TX. It runs through March 18th in Vancouver BC. A 2nd round of shows begins in Washington DC on April 12th and winds up in Chicago IL on July 1st.
• Selena Gomez – She had her first kiss when she was 12-years-old via “Wizards of Waverly Place” guest star Dylan Sprouse (“The Suite Life of Zack & Cody”).
• Steve Aoki – The EDM DJ’s father owns the restaurant chain Benihana.
COMING ATTRACTIONS:
A BS selection of movies in the making …
• “Alien: Covenant” – 20th Century Fox has announced it is developing a VR experience based around Ridley Scott’s upcoming film. Described as a “dread-inducing journey into the depths of the Alien universe”, the project is being released later this year, though details on platforms and distribution haven’t yet been announced. The movie itself arrives in theaters on May 19th.
• “Expendables 4” – Sylvester Stallone has revealed that work is about to start on yet another “Expendables” movie. The 70-year-old actor-director has put an end to rumors that the series was over by confirming he’s been hitting the gym ahead of the next instalment in the action-thriller franchise. Almost half of the “Expendables 3” box office came from China.
• “Guardians Of the Galaxy Vol 2” – Matthew McConaughey has turned down the role of the villain in the sequel because he doesn’t want to become a celebrity “amendment” to the franchise. Benicio Del Toro played the villain in the first film. Chris Pratt, Karen Gillan, and Zoe Saldana return in the follow-up, which is opening May 5th.
• “Origin” – Producer Jerry Bruckheimer is reuniting with “Pirates Of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales”‘ director Joachim Ronning for this new project. Joachim is also writing the script with his brother Andreas Ronning. So far, there are few details about it other than it’s going to be a big-budget, intelligent, sci-fi adventure with potential to become a franchise.
• “Thor: Ragnarok” – Benedict Cumberbatch’s ‘Doctor Strange’ is making an appearance in the upcoming “Thor” film in addition to 2018’s “Avengers: Infinity War” which he is currently shooting. “Thor: Ragnarok” opens November 3rd, teaming together Chris Hemsworth’s ‘Thor’ with Tom Hiddleston’s ‘Loki’, Anthony Hopkins’ ‘Odin’, and Mark Ruffalo’s ‘Hulk’.
THE NEW KING OF SWEDEN:
For the first time in more than 50 years the best-selling car in Sweden is not Sweden’s own Volvo. The Volkswagen Golf made up 5.9% of new car sales in 2016, per Sweden’s carmakers’ association. Taken together, the Volvo V70, S90, and V90 made up 5.7% of new car sales. Volvo, which is actually now owned by a Chinese company, does still make up the biggest portion of the overall car market in Sweden; over 21% of the cars on the country’s roads are Volvos, followed by VWs at about 16%. The last time the Volvo was not at the top of the new car sales list in Sweden was back in 1962, when Volkswagen’s Beetle topped the list. (So apparently almost half of all the cars in Sweden start with a ‘V’.)
– BBC News
POSITIVE THINGS THAT ARE TAKING PLACE IN THE WORLD RIGHT NOW:
Feeling blue after a down year in 2016? Read on …
✓ Birth rates are expected to stabilize and world population is predicted to level out at 10 billion.
✓ The world actually has a lot more oil than thought, giving us more time to wean ourselves off it.
✓ Worldwide poverty rates have declined rapidly.
✓ More children than ever have access to education thanks to the rapid spread of the Internet.
✓ Thanks to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, polio has nearly been eradicated.
✓ Burma recently had its first democratically elected prime minister in more than 50 years.
✓ In 1850 only 10% of people could read. Today 84% can read.
✓ The Netherlands has closed some prisons as they don’t have enough prisoners to lock up.
✓ In 2000 there were over 800,000 deaths due to malaria. By 2015 that number was halved.
✓ Child mortality rates are lower than they have ever been in human history.
✓ Violent crime is down all over the world.
✓ The ozone layer is actually starting to repair itself.
– Adapted from List25.com
MEET YOUR NEW ORGAN:
Researchers have classified a new organ in the human body while proving that the past 100 years of anatomy has been incorrect. The ‘mesentery’ – which attaches the intestine to the abdomen – is the 79th organ in the human body. It was described a long time ago by Leonardo da Vinci, but scientists have long believed it was a series of multiple structures and therefore not a specific organ. However, new examinations on a microscopic level show that it is in fact one self-contained structure, meeting the definition of an organ. Researchers now hope to figure out exactly how the mesentery works, which could lead to better treatment for abdominal diseases. (New excuse: “I can’t come in to work this morning, my mesentery is killing me!”.)
– ScienceAlert.com
DID YOU KNOW?
Stress can make dogs go grey.
– “Daily Telegraph”
BS CHRONOMETER 01.05.17
TODAY’S CELEBIRTHDAYS . . .
1931 [86] Robert Duvall, San Diego CA, movie actor (“The Judge”, “Tender Mercies”)
1942 [75] Charlie Rose, Henderson NC, TV personality (“CBS This Morning” since 2012)/TV journalist (“Charlie Rose” since 1991, “60 Minutes” since 1999)
1946 [71] Diane Keaton (Hall), LA CA, movie actress (“The Family Stone”, “Annie Hall”)
1968 [49] Carrie Ann Inaba, Honolulu HI, dancer/TV personality (“Dancing With the Stars” judge since 2005)
1969 [48] Marilyn Manson (Brian Warner), Canton OH, shock-rock musician (“Personal Jesus”, “The Dope Show”)
1970 [47] Rick Campanelli (Richardo Tomasso), Hamilton ON, TV personality (“ET Canada” since 2005)/radio personality (CFNY-FM Toronto since 2016)
1975 [42] Bradley Cooper, Philadelphia PA, movie actor (“American Sniper”, “Silver Linings Playbook”)
1978 [39] January Jones, Sioux Falls SD, TV actress (“Mad Men” 2007-15)/movie actress (“We Are Marshall”, “Love Actually”)
TODAY’S BS REASONS TO PARTY . . .
• “Bird Day”, an annual observance with half a million adherents who celebrate through birdwatching, studying birds, and bird adoption. Part of the idea is to educate wannabe bird owners about the special issues involved with taking care of our fine feathered friends.
• “Consumer Electronics Show”, held annually in Las Vegas during the 1st week in January. The convention once focused exclusively on consumer electronics, but it now puts software at the center of its showcases, from autonomous cars to robotics to the ‘Internet of Things’. Close to 200,000 people are expected to see the 2017 show before it closes Sunday.
• “Review Your Wrestling Holds Day”, a day to try to find someone who’ll let you practice all the wrestling holds you learned as a kid … the hammerlock, half-nelson, flying scissors, etc. (Don’t try the sleeper … and leave the folding chairs out of it!)
• “Secondhand Wardrobe Day”, celebrating the unique finds available in vintage clothing stores and thrift shops. Don’t think of second-hand clothes as ‘hand-me-downs’, think of them as ‘broken in’ so they are not stiff or scratchy like new clothes.
• “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’. Different traditions mark the date of “Twelfth Night” on either the 5th or 6th of January.
• “Whipped Cream Day” (aka Crème Chantilly), celebrating the sweet fluff used to top off desserts. What’s the weirdest thing you put it on?
THIS DAY IN SHOW BIZ . . .
1995 [22] After 82 episodes of the mega-hit NBC-TV sitcom “Seinfeld”, Kramer’s given name is revealed … ‘Cosmo’
TODAY’S MUSIC EVENT . . .
2004 [13] Britney Spears’ marriage to childhood friend Jason Alexander is annulled … after 55 hours
2015 [02] Good Charlotte’s Benji Madden weds actress Cameron Diaz
TODAY’S FIRST . . .
2005 [11] Eris, the largest known dwarf planet in the Solar System, is discovered by a team at the Palomar Observatory in San Diego County, California
TODAY’S RECORD . . .
1987 [30] Tony Ferko sets a new world record by juggling 7 ping-pong balls … with his mouth
COMING UP . . .
[Fri] “Underworld: Blood Wars” opens in movie theaters
[Fri] Technology Day
[Sat] I’m Not Going to Take it Anymore Day
[Sat] Orthodox Christmas
[Sun] No Pants Subway Ride
This Week Is … Diet Resolution Week
This Month Is … Child-Centered Divorce Awareness Month
BULL’S BITS
BS TRULY AWKWARD SITUATIONS:
✗ Buying a toilet plunger; or buying personal hygiene items.
✗ Having to just sit and listen while people sing “Happy Birthday” to you.
✗ Talking in elevators.
✗ When you get introduced to your friend’s friend and then your friend steps out for a bit.
✗ Your belly rumbling in the library.
✗ Asking somebody if they can repeat something … when you’ve already asked twice.
✗ Answering cashiers when they ask you to donate to charity.
✗ Waving to somebody too early … and then having to slowly walk past them.
✗ Correcting somebody who’s been calling you by the wrong name for a while.
✗ Passing someone in a grocery store that you’ve already said hi to in another aisle.
– Thanks to Sameen
BS U-PICK TRIVIA:
Which is the most populated city in Turkey?
a. Ankara.
b. Istanbul. [CORRECT, with a population over 14 million.]
c. Athens.
– “Trivia Crack”
BS RANDOM JOKE:
If I ever said anything to offend you, it was purely intentional.
THE PHRASE . . . THE TRANSLATION:
• It is generally believed . . . A couple of other guys think so too.
• Of great theoretical importance . . . I find it kind of interesting.
• Typical results are shown . . . The best results are shown.
• It has long been known . . . I haven’t bothered to look up the reference.
BS PHONE STARTER:
☎ What one piece of tech (existing or imagined) would transform your working life?
BS WATER COOLER QUESTION:
Question: On average, we eat THIS for lunch 50 times each year.
Answer: Nothing.
BS DEEP THOUGHT:
You’ll never know how many people show up to your funeral; or find out how big of an impact you had on peoples’ lives.
