Tuesday, January 21, 2025 — Edition: #7876
Deja Moo!
BS SHOW BIZ BUZZ:
★ Tyra Banks has revealed she’s one of the many celebrities who have lost their home in the Los Angeles wildfires. The model shared the news on the Australian morning show “Sunrise” on Monday. Banks said that she and her partner, Louis Bélanger-Martin, found out about their LA home while they were in Australia, where the couple lives part time. She said that up until now, she hadn’t mentioned it publicly because “there’s a lot of people that need that attention, so I haven’t really talked about it.” Banks said that since she and Bélanger-Martin also split their time between Australia and New York, they didn’t lose everything in the fire.
-NYPost
★ Spencer Pratt is receiving some good fortune after the recent tragedy of losing the home he shared with wife Heidi Montag in the Los Angeles wildfires. He shared in a new interview that he has made, quote, like, $4,000 on TikTok…but on TikTok LIVE, where people can just give to me direct, I think maybe $20,000.” Pratt called that amount “phenomenal, and life-changing.” “The Hills” alum’s TikTok page reached 2 million followers on Friday. He gained nearly a million new followers last week, after using the platform to document the aftermath of losing his home.
-People
★ “Moana 2,” which was originally conceived as a TV show for streaming, is officially a billion-dollar box office smash. The animated sequel has made $445 million domestically and $567 million internationally, bringing its grand total to $1.009 billion globally after 8 weekends of release. “Moana 2” is Disney‘s third 2024 release to join the billion-dollar club, following “Inside Out 2” and “Deadpool & Wolverine”. No other studio released a single $1 billion movie in 2024, though Universal came close with “Despicable Me 4’s $969 million gross.
-Variety
★ Music’s big night will be a little bit quieter this year. While the 67th annual Grammy Awards will go ahead as scheduled on Feb. 2 at the Crypto.com Arena in LA, pre- and post-party celebrations have been canceled due to the ongoing wildfires in the city. A statement from the Recording Academy said: “This year’s show will carry a renewed sense of purpose: raising additional funds to support wildfire relief efforts and honoring the bravery and dedication of first responders who risk their lives to protect ours.”
Clive Davis’s pre-Grammy party and the MusiCares gala are scheduled per usual, but both have added charitable components to support victims of the fires.
-NYPost
★ Khloe Kardashian might be reigniting an old flame in Season 6 of Hulu’s “The Kardashians.” She is seen reuniting with her ex-husband, Lamar Odom, in the official trailer for the forthcoming season. In the clip, Khloe tells her mom, Kris Jenner, and sister, Kim Kardashian, that she recently had a run-in with someone from her past. When Kim asks “Who?”, the scene cuts to a mystery person walking into the house, revealing himself to be the former Lakers star — holding a bouquet of roses. While it looked to be a happy reunion for Khloe and her ex, she is heard in the trailer’s voiceover saying: “The truth hurts one time. A lie hurts 7,000 times.” LINK: https://tinyurl.com/2pzpjjwm
-PageSix
TODAY’S SHOW BIZ SKED:
• “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” (ABC/Global): Sterling K. Brown, Jayson Tatum, the Milk Carton Kids, Vera Sola
• “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” (NBC/CTV): Sarah Silverman, Bobby Cannavale, Lola Young
• “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert” (CBS/Global): Michelle Yeoh, Britt Lower
• “Late Night With Seth Meyers” (NBC/CTV): Adam Scott, Julia Fox, Greg Davies, Alex Horne
• “After Midnight” (CBS/Global): TBA
• “Watch What Happens Live” (Bravo): Bozoma Saint John, Jenna Lyons
• “The Daily Show” (COM): TBA
• “The View” (ABC/CTV): Roy Wood Jr.
• “Today” (NBC): Naomi Watts; Scarlett Johansson co-hosts
• “GMA3” (ABC): LOCASH, host Ken Jennings
• “Live With Kelly and Mark” (ABC/CTV): Naomi Watts, Ken Jennings
• “The Kelly Clarkson Show” (Check local listings): TBA
• “The Drew Barrymore Show” (Check local listings): Adam Scott, Britt Lower, Ben Stiller
• “The Jennifer Hudson Show” (Check local listings): Mark-Paul Gosselaar
• “St. Denis Medical” (NBC): An “intimacy in the workplace” discussion leads Joyce to discover she’s out of the loop on office gossip; Alex gets self-conscious about her sex life.
• “Kitchen Nightmares” (Fox): Gordon tries to revamp Voleo’s Seafood Restaurant, a family-run restaurant struggling to stay afloat following Hurricane Ida in 2021.
• “Will Trent” (ABC): A dispute within a family-owned business leads to multiple poisonings, pulling Will and Faith into a web of secrets and corporate intrigue; Angie makes a discovery at Waldorf Estates.
BS MUSIC NOTES:
• Justin Bieber – It seems as though he is making new music. Mixed in among his weekend Instagram photos of wildlife, ice skating with wife Hailey, and frolicking in the snow wearing just underwear are pics of him singing with headphones on and mic in hand. That came just a few days after Bieber shared a 24-second clip of a song that sounded like a demo. LINK: https://tinyurl.com/yzb2bwvm
• Bad Bunny – His upcoming “No Me Quiero Ir de Aquí” summer residency in Puerto Rico is sold out. The 30-date stint beginning on July 11 sold 400,000 tickets in just 4 hours. A statement from his team also said that more than 2.5 million people registered for online pre-sale.
• Spin Doctors — have announced “Face Full of Cake”, their first album in 12 years. Friday, they dropped the first preview song ‘Still a Gorilla’. Singer Chris Barron said of the new record, out April 11: “It’s got that vintage Spin Doctors sound of ear candy and denser material that harkens back to Pocket Full of Kryptonite but with years of experience under our belts.” LINK: https://tinyurl.com/3m2x6jc9
• The Doors – With the group celebrating its 60th anniversary this year, it’ll be releasing some rare live recordings to digital services for the first time. They’ve just kicked things off with the release of “Live at the Matrix 1967: The Original Masters”, recorded at the San Francisco club The Matrix. It had been previously available only as a much sought-after bootleg. LINK: https://lnk.to/TD-LATM
• ZZ Top — Billy Gibbons has released the new solo song ‘Livin’ It Up Down in Texas’. The tune made its debut in an episode of the Paramount+ series “Landman”. Gibbons co-wrote the song with 2 of the show’s stars, Billy Bob Thornton and Mark Collie. LINK: https://tinyurl.com/bddsrck3
• Jelly Roll – was able to give his son the ultimate surprise: a chance to sit in the cab of Grave Digger, one of the best-known Monster Jam vehicles. Jelly posted video of the 2 behind the scenes at a Monster Jam, with Noah climbing into the cab. He tells his son to “Sit in the seat and look out! Imagine you’re driving that big monster.” Noah’s response from behind the wheel? “It’s awesome!” LINK: https://tinyurl.com/4rjf5vx8
• Lainey Wilson — has been on a heck of a run over the past few years, but has been looking forward to the 2-month planned gap in her schedule that began after she played Luke Bryan’s Crash My Playa last week. What will she do with her rare downtime? Quote: “I’m looking forward to sitting around a bonfire at night and waking up late and sitting on the porch with my dog. I need to get bored.”
• Keith Urban – is a bobblehead. 10,000 mini-Keiths were handed out as a free giveaway on Saturday to fans at the NHL’s Nashville Predators game at Bridgestone Arena. The real Keith Urban was on hand to perform the National Anthem during an Urban theme night, which also featured Keith Urban trivia, live music, interactive games and prizes.
SHOOTING THE BULL
NAME THAT BABY:
A new report from BabyCenter (a site that provides info about pregnancy and early childhood) has revealed its picks for the names that are falling off in popularity these days (in the US) – and some that are in danger of becoming extinct. They say that for starters, names associated with the royal family – Catherine, Anne, Edward, Albert and Phillip – have dropped by more than 100 spots on baby name lists. Names associated with the 1980s are also decreasing in use, with Jamie being named the top-falling girls’ name of the last year. Katie, Remy, Liv, and Analia are also falling fast. “Millennial girl names” — like Chelsea, Kelsey, Erin and Alexis — are also falling in popularity. For baby boys, Jamal tops the list of fastest falling names. Jamal was followed by Esteban, Cannon, Emery and Taylor, while names that end in “-aden,” like Jaden, are also on the decline. The girls’ names expected to grow most in popularity for 2025 include Olivia, Amelia, Emma, Sophia and Charlotte, and for boys Noah, Liam, Oliver, Elijah and Mateo are all expected to be popular.
(That last bunch sounded exactly like the guest list at my kid’s birthday party on Saturday!)
(I can’t imagine that ‘Diddy’ is expected to set any records in 2025, either!)
-NYPost
NEW FOOD NEWS:
❑ Hershey has come up with a new take on their beloved chocolate Kisses — by teaming up the makers of the cereal Cinnamon Toast Crunch. According to foodie influencer Snack Betch, the delicious new Kiss will consist of Cinnamon Toast Crunch flavored crème with graham-flavored bits. The new treat will arrive in in spring 2025 – probably just in time for Easter! (How many of us will load up a bunch of these in a bowl of milk and create Cinnamon Toast Crunch Kiss cereal?) LINK: https://tinyurl.com/38zeax7e
❑ Here’s a new – but questionable – way to enjoy chicken noodle soup this cold and flu season: Soup maker Progresso has announced the launch of Soup Drops, a chicken noodle soup-flavored hard candy that resembles a cough drop. Yup, I said it: A chicken noodle soup-flavored COUGH DROP. The company said: “These savory drops are arriving for a limited time this month for National Soup Month, right at the height of cold and flu season.” The drops, described as “soup you can suck on”, taste like broth, savory veggies, soft egg noodles, and a hint of parsley, according to a release. (Marketing tip: Never use a product slogan that contains the word “suck”!) LINK: https://www.progressosoupdrops.com/
-Parade, USAToday
“STEPPIN” UP YOUR EXERCISE ROUTINE:
Add “Steppin” to the ever-growing list of phone apps designed to encourage you to get up off the couch and get moving. This one is a bit different, though. The thing is that Steppin literally blocks all of your social media apps, unless you walk a certain number of steps each day. The user can unlock time on their favorite social media platforms, like TikTok and Instagram, by achieving daily step goals. The app’s co-founder says he came up with the idea while on vacation, and even though he and his companions were traveling in a place with beautiful scenery, they were constantly scrolling social media. While he is aware of other apps that block social media usage, the concept of Steppin is that it is tied to the amount of steps taken on a given day – and the hope that the exercise will provide a boost to users’ physical and mental health.
(I’m not sure that what I’m seeing on X lately is worth walking ANYWHERE for!)
(I hope this app uses a better fact-checkers than Zuckerberg does!)
-TechCrunch
THE BEST CITIES TO VISIT THIS YEAR:
According to a new “top 50” ranking for 2025 from Time Out…
1. Cape Town, South Africa: Where else can you visit a colony of African penguins, taste world-class wines, stroll Blue Flag beaches, view one of the New 7 Wonders of Nature, and experience vibrant nightlife — all in a day?
2. Bangkok, Thailand: The Thai capital is “famously friendly, culturally rich, and packed with iconic sites like Wat Arun and the Grand Palace.” (The food is unbelievable, too!)
3. New York, USA: From incredible public art displays and foodie pop-ups from international and Michelin-starred chefs, not to mention surprise one-night-only concerts, it feels like anything is possible.
4. Melbourne, Australia: It is the country’s “culinary and cultural capital” and it “continues to thrive and surprise.”
5. London, England: What’s not to love? The capital boasts brilliant cuisine, unkillable pub culture, unrivalled shopping opportunities and (best of all) the all-encompassing range of its people.
6. New Orleans, USA: There are many reasons to fall in love with this place, but Time Out said its resilience is the first one that comes to mind. (Also, jambalaya!)
7. Mexico City, Mexico: It is the 4th-happiest city on the list, with 96% of locals saying their city makes them happy.
8. Porto, Portugal: The country’s second city was named the 4th most beautiful on the list, and it boasts iconic cafés, top-tier hospitality, plus many galleries to keep things interesting.
9. Shanghai, China: “There’s never, ever a dull moment in Shanghai, a cinematic city where everyone’s the main character.”
10. Copenhagen, Denmark: The Danish capital “prioritises good food, good people, and looking after each other.”
[***Other BS cities on the list: Chicago (#11), Edinburgh (13), Hong Kong (14), Sydney (15), Amsterdam (16), Dubai (24), Singapore (25), Perth (33), Brisbane (37), Los Angeles (40), Montreal (44)***]
-TimeOut
DID YOU KNOW?
A massive new bug species has been found by scientists in Asia – and it is so huge, it looks to be AI-generated. The sea bug, which lives in very deep waters off Vietnam, measures 12.8 inches (32.5cm) long and weighs 2.2 pounds (1kg) — about the same as a guinea pig. Those who know say it is essentially a “souped-up” undersea version of the sow bug (or pill bug), a similar arthropod found in people’s gardens. It has been named ‘Bathynomus vaderi’ because its cranium resembles ‘Darth Vader’s’ iconic helmet from “Star Wars”. (Somewhere, a garden pill bug is feeling very inadequate…)
LINK: https://shorturl.at/8Zlnl
-NYPost
BS CHRONOMETER 01.21.25
TODAY’S BS REASONS TO PARTY . . .
• “Hugging Day”. Today, offer a hug to anyone you think would like one. Hugging, like cuddling, releases oxytocin, which not only feels good, it reduces pain and stress, lowers blood pressure, and lowers the risk of heart disease. It also eases anxiety. (Unless the person doesn’t want to be hugged…be sure!) LINK: http://www.nationalhuggingday.com
• “Granola Bar Day”, saluting the formerly healthful treat that, these days, is more than likely loaded with sugar, salt, chocolate, and some kind of hardened white gunk that they claim is yogurt.
• “Squirrel Appreciation Day”. There are over 200 types of squirrels in North America alone, which can be put into 3 groups: Ground squirrels, tree squirrels and flying squirrels, which can’t actually fly, but have flaps of skin that allow them to glide from tree to tree. (Or from my roof to my bird feeder…)
• “Sweatpants Day”, introduced in the 1920s by Émile Camuset, the founder of Le Coq Sportif, a sports equipment and clothing company. The original sweatpants were knitted gray jersey pants which were designed to help athletes exercise easier. (Picture Sylvester Stallone in “Rocky”, “Rocky II”, “Rocky III” …)
• “Playdate Day”, for kids, and for parents who believe in the importance of play, who set up playdates for their kids today. It’s also a screen-free day. (But definitely not “scream-free”!)
• “Rid the World of Fad Diets and Gimmicks Day”, on the Tuesday of “Healthy Weight Week”, which is focused on maintaining a healthy diet and exercise routine, and feeling good. (What’s the weirdest – or worst – fad diet that you’ve heard of?)
• “New England Clam Chowder Day”. Different varieties of clam chowder include: New England, Manhattan, Rhode Island, Down East, and Outer Banks. New England clam chowder is made with milk or cream, and the use of tomatoes is frowned upon. In fact, in 1939 the state of Maine made it illegal to put tomatoes in clam chowder!
• “One-Liners Day”, with award season upon us, this occasion celebrates the best one-liners in films. Here are a few:
☞ “I am serious. And don’t call me Shirley.” — Airplane
☞ “There are 106 miles to Chicago, we have a full tank of gas, half a pack of cigarettes, it’s dark, and we’re wearing sunglasses.” – The Blues Brothers
☞ “I’m glad he’s single, because I’m going to climb that like a tree.” — Bridesmaids
☞ “Gentlemen, you can’t fight in here. This is the War Room!” — Dr. Strangelove, or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb
☞ “These go to eleven.” – Spinal Tap (What’s YOUR favorite?)
AND REMEMBER . . .
[Wed] Polka Dot Day
[Wed] Answer Your Cat’s Questions Day
[Thurs] Clashing Clothes Day
[Fri] Peanut Butter Day
This Week is…Hunt for Happiness Week
This Month is…Citrus Month
TODAY’S CELEBIRTHDAYS . . .
1940 [85] Jack Nicklaus (“The Golden Bear”), Columbus OH, retired pro golfer (18 major titles, 73 PGA Tour titles)
1950 [75] Billy Ocean (Leslie Charles), Fyzabad Trinidad and Tobago, pop/R&B singer (‘Caribbean Queen’, ‘Get Outta My Dreams, Get into My Car’)/Member of the Order of the British Empire
1956 [69] (Virginia) Geena Davis, Wareham MA, movie actress (“Thelma & Louise”, Oscar-“The Accidental Tourist”)/TV actress (‘Dr. Nicole Herman’ in “Grey’s Anatomy” 2014–2015, 2018) COMING UP… “The Boroughs” TV show 2025
1972 [53] Cat Power (Charlyn Marshall), Atlanta, GA, indie rock singer-songwriter (ft. Lana Del Rey-‘Woman’)/model
1976 [49] Emma Bunton (“Baby Spice”), London England, pop singer (Spice Girls-‘Wannabe’, ‘Spice Up Your Life’)
1984 [41] Luke Grimes, Dayton OH, TV actor (‘Kayce Dutton’ on “Yellowstone” 2018-24)/movie actor (“American Sniper”, “Fifty Shades” movies)/country singer
THIS DAY IN SHOW BIZ . . .
2020 [05] Welsh comedian Terry Jones of “Monty Python” fame dies from complications of dementia at 77.
2022 [03] Comedian and former “Family Feud” host Louie Anderson dies of cancer at 68.
TODAY’S MUSIC EVENTS . . .
1978 [47] The “Saturday Night Fever” soundtrack album hits #1 in the US and stays there for an astonishing 24 weeks.
2012 [13] Adele hits #1 on the album chart with her second studio album “21”, which yields 5 hit singles and eventually sells over 31 million copies.
TODAY’S FIRSTS . . .
1976 [49] The first Concorde “supersonic transports” with commercial passengers simultaneously take flight and achieve speeds well over the sound barrier at 1,350 mph.
1986 [39] 100 people participate in the first “Nude Olympics” in 38°F (3°C) weather in Purdue, Indiana.
BULL’S BITS
BS WHACK FACTS:
✓ The degree sign (°) is an ancient symbol which represents the sun.
✓ 30 minutes of shovelling snow burns 203 calories. Eight hours of sleep burns 360. (Easy decision!)
✓ There are more insects in one square mile of rural land than there are human beings in the world.
✓ If your car was able to drive vertically, it would reach outer space in an hour.
✓ Technically, coffee is a fruit juice.
✓ The only place a naked mole rat has hair is inside its mouth.
-BathroomReadersInstitute, Demilked
Best of BS . . .
BS STUPID QUESTIONS FOR TELEMARKETERS:
• Would you like to buy some of these fundraising chocolates that my kid has to sell?
• New phone. Who dis?
• Could you repeat everything that you just said?
• Why would I want my ducks cleaned? Who has ducks?
• How much for TWO extended warranties?
• Do you take Kohl’s Cash? (Or Canadian Tire money?)
• Is the man of the company home?
• Is it me you’re looking for?
• Did I interrupt your dinner?
• Could you stop calling me?
-Twitter, first published in BS in 2019
BS UNLIKELY DNA RESULTS:
• You are your own father.
• 25% cookie, 75% monster.
• 100% still watching, just like Netflix thought.
• You’re the illegitimate love-child of Betty White and Marilyn Manson.
• You have tiger’s blood.
• 80% Starbucks Frappuccino.
• 1/87th can’t even.
• Your mother was a hamster and your father smelt of elderberries.
• Anything ever supposedly revealed on “Maury”.
• It turns out you’re NOT the mother!
-Twitter, first published in BS in 2019
BS WEB GOODIE:
Nailed it: https://tinyurl.com/538zysth
BS RANDOM JOKE:
I make fun of my dog for getting all excited when someone opens a bag of chips – but…truth be told…same.
☎ BS PHONE STARTER:
Who do you feel like you know even though you’ve never met them?
BS WATER COOLER QUESTION:
The average person will try on 11 of THESE before making a purchase. What is it?
Answer: Glasses
BS DEEP THOUGHT:
We know what we are, but know not what we may be.
