Thursday, July 7, 2011 Edition: #4544
It’s Another Running Of the Bull!
BS SHOW BIZ BUZZ:
42-year-old actress Jennifer Aniston is taking a year off from Hollywood to ‘enjoy herself’, according to a friend quoted by “Us Magazine” (hmm, what does this say about her film “Horrible Bosses”, opening Friday?) . . . Filming on the new ‘Batman’ movie, “The Dark Knight Rises”, was briefly halted in Scotland after a stuntman shooting a skydiving scene was blown off course and plunged through the roof of a building (and no one got it on film, dammit!) . . . Lindsay Lohan, who recently completed her 35-day house arrest, tells “Vanity Fair” she shouldn’t have spent any time in jail for DUI because she never hurt anyone but herself (yet – only because you’ve been very, very lucky) . . . With $189 million in worldwide box office, the movie “Bridesmaids” is now the all-time #1 R-rated female comedy (um, is there another one?) . . . NBC-TV is disputing claims by Comedy Central that “The Daily Show With Jon Stewart” has beaten “The Tonight Show With Jay Leno” among 18-49-year-olds during the year’s 2nd quarter (apparently if you include reruns, Leno squeaks by on top) . . . Justin Timberlake’s plan to revamp his new acquisition, MySpace, is a talent show or some other way of developing new artists (yeah, we don’t get enough of that through 27 different TV shows) . . . Meantime, JT and former girlfriend Jessica Biel have been spotted together in Toronto, where she’s currently shooting the movie remake “Total Recall” (maybe he’s into recycling?) . . . And unemployed actor Charlie Sheen is going to be roasted on Comedy Central and – surprise, surprise – it’ll be airing on Monday, September 19th – the same night as Ashton Kutcher’s “Two-and-a-Half Men” debut (you can bet that’s no co-inky-dink!).
TODAY’S SHOW BIZ SKED:
• “Jimmy Kimmel Live” (ABC/CHCH) – Pitbull (“Planet Pit”).
• “Last Call With Carson Daly” (NBC) – Off! (“First Four EPs”).
• “Late Night With Jimmy Fallon” (NBC/A Channel) – Weird Al Yankovic (“Almageddon”); Mint Condition (“7 …”).
• “Late Show With David Letterman” (CBS/NTV/Omni) – Classic rocker Todd Rundgren.
• “Live With Regis & Kelly” (syndicated/CTV) – 1980s pop-rock singer Rick Springfield.
• “Lopez Tonight” (TBS) – Sum 41 (“Screaming Bloody Murder”).
• “The Talk” (CBS) – David Cook (“This Loud Morning”).
• “Tonight Show With Jay Leno” (NBC/A Channel) – “The Voice” winner Javier Colon.
BS MUSIC NOTES:
• Adele – She’s been given the OK to sing again after a case of laryngitis forced her to cancel much of her North American tour. She tells BBC Radio 1 she had a hole in a vocal chord but sang through it … and that’s why it popped. Ouch!
• James Otto – Tonight the country singer (“Just Got Started Lovin’ You”) and former North Dakota resident hosts a live streaming benefit concert on StageIt.com with all proceeds donated to flood-plagued Minot’s local Red Cross.
• Kenny Chesney – “Men’s Health” reports that he can do 300 pushups in 10 minutes. His workout routine also includes squat thrusts, explosive pushups, and crouching single-leg squats.
• Lady Antebellum – Hillary Scott has revealed in a “People” interview that she and drummer Chris Tyrell are engaged to be married. They met during the Tim McGraw tour in early 2010. Lady A’s current hit, “Just a Kiss”, was apparently inspired by their blossoming relationship.
• Linkin Park – They’re planning a private concert in a small, intimate venue in the LA area for fans who raise at least $500 for Japanese earthquake & tsunami relief by August 24th.
NET: http://secretshowforjapan.com
• Lynyrd Skynyrd – Frontman Johnny Van Zant says they’re ‘just getting started’ on a new album, the follow-up to “God & Guns” (2009). He thinks recording should begin this November.
• Soul Asylum – Frontman Dave Pirner tells Billboard.com that they’re moving ‘full speed ahead’ on a new album, their first since “The Silver Lining” (2006). They’ve been working in Minneapolis and New Orleans.
• Trace Adkins – He’s joining advocacy group Civil War Trust as it attempts to preserve 20,000 acres of historic battlefields over the next 5 years in time for the 150th anniversary of the end of the American Civil War (1861-65).
COMING ATTRACTIONS:
A BS selection of movies in the making …
• “GI Joe: Cobra Strikes” – Channing Tatum and Dwayne (‘The Rock’) Johnson are set to return for this sequel to the 2009 action-adventure film. They’ll be joined by Adrianne Palicki, who starred in the pilot for a proposed “Wonder Woman” TV series that was subsequently dumped by NBC-TV. Bruce Willis is also being considered for a leading role in the 2012 sequel.
• “Pirates Of the Caribbean 5” – 48-year-old Johnny Depp has entered negotiations to play ‘Jack Sparrow’ in yet another sequel in the series. An inside source says there’s already a rough draft of a script for a 5th adventure. Why another? So far the franchise has made $3.7 billion worldwide, of which Depp has taken home a fortune estimated to be circa $350 million.
• “Siberian Education” – John Malkovich is set to star in this film adaptation of the memoir of Nicolai Lilin, which focuses on a tightly knit community of ‘honest criminals’ exiled to an officially unrecognized separatist territory in Eastern Europe. Filming is slated to start in Lithuania at the end of August.
• “Snow White & The Huntsman – This altered fairytale starring Kristen Stewart, Chris Hemsworth, and Charlize Theron is now planned as a trilogy of films. In this version, ‘Snow White’ is forced to live with hard-nosed ‘Queen Ravenna’, who sends ‘Eric’ the huntsman to kill her after finding out she’s set to become ‘fairest in the land’. The 1st film’s due in June 2012.
• “Trance” – Filmmaker Danny Boyle (“Slumdog Millionaire”) has a shortlist of actors he’s interested in signing for his upcoming art heist thriller. Colin Firth is being approached to star; and Scarlett Johansson is in competition with Zoe Saldana & Melanie Thierry for the female lead. The film is expected for release in 2013.
GAMERS AS AUTHORS:
The next generation of videogames will let users control the story and their choices will go far beyond just selecting a weapon. Among other things, players will be asked to make moral decisions that force their characters – and the game’s narrative – to evolve in different directions. Upcoming games such as “Bioshock Infinite” and “Star Wars: The Old Republic” tap into this vein. It’s an attempt to interest new customers and reverse a decline in sales as videogames fight for attention in the face of new devices such as the iPad. (How long before life-size 3-D games”?)
– AP
HOLLYWOOD’S HIGHEST-PAID ACTRESSES 2011:
According to a new ranking of estimated income from all sources over the past year …
• $18 million … Cameron Diaz.
• $19 million … Katherine Heigl.
• $20 million … Julia Roberts, Kristen Stewart.
• $28 million … Jennifer Aniston, Reese Witherspoon.
• $30 million … Angelina Jolie, Sarah Jessica Parker.
(Last year’s chart-topper, Sandra Bullock, only ranks 9th.)
– Forbes.com
SCIENTISTS SAY:
A BS compendium of recent ‘discoveries’ …
• Scientists say … taking a hot bath combats loneliness. Researchers think the association between warmth and security is inborn. (It works even better if you do it with someone else!)
• Scientists say … it’s a bad idea to give ice cream to a woman going through PMS. (You know what’s worse? Trying to take it away!)
• Scientists say … people who smoke cannabis seem to recover any short-term loss of brain function. (However, they never recover the thousands they’ve spent on munchies.)
• Scientists say … it’s now possible to grow human teeth. The feat was first performed in a lab in Boston, Massachusetts. (Wow, great news for my in-laws!)
FLY/DRIVE OPTION:
Terrafugia Aircraft has been doing a lot of fine-tuning to attain proper licensing and exemptions needed to ensure its ‘roadable’ “Transition” airplane is ready for delivery by the end of 2012. That’s right, it’s an aircraft that’s designed to also be driven on roadways. So far it’s received exemptions that allow it to use polycarbonate windows instead of automotive safety glass and tires not normally considered street legal. (In future, commuters may be able to do their own traffic reports!)
NET: http://www.terrafugia.com
– PopSci.com
PREVIEW PICS:
There’s a famous Chinese love song that includes the line, “The most romantic thing is growing old with you …” A young Chinese couple from Nanjing has taken that to heart, spending some $3,000 on a set of photos that depict them as elderly. The mid-20s twosome wore makeup and dyed their hair to look decades older than their real age. They say the pictures are intended to symbolize their commitment to growing old together. (This ‘old age’ photo treatment was already half-done the day Celine Dion got married. Not to mention Catherine Zeta-Jones.)
– Orange.co.uk
FOR THE RECORD:
The ‘World’s Largest Burger’ has been cooked up by one Brett Enright at the Alameda County Fair in California. The 777-lb (352-kg) behemoth included 590 lbs (268 kg) of beef on a 28-inch thick (71-cm) bun, 50 lbs (23 kg) of lettuce, and 12 lbs (5.4 kg) of pickles. All-in-all it entailed a record-smashing 1.375 million calorie meal. Some 500 brave souls took on the challenge of eating the monster, consuming just under half of the burger. The big burg easily takes the title previously held by a Canadian concoction.
– Geekosystem.com
DID YOU KNOW?
• Astronauts get travel sick.
– BBC News
• 13 universities have offered ‘Harry Potter’-themed courses. They include Yale, Swarthmore, and Oregon State.
– TheToiletPaper.com
BS CHRONOMETER 07.07.11
TODAY’S CELEBIRTHDAYS . . .
1940 [71] Ringo Starr (Richard Starkey), Liverpool UK, rock drummer (Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band)/bad singer (“Photograph”, The Beatles-“Act Naturally”)
1968 [43] Jorja Fox, NYC, TV actress (‘Sara Sidle’ on “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation” since 2000)
TODAY’S BS REASONS TO PARTY . . .
• “Chocolate Day”, started by the National Confectioners Association to promote what is almost every woman’s (and many a man’s) weakness. Some say chocolate from the New World (mostly Mexico) was introduced to Europe on this date in 1550.
• “Father-Daughter Take a Walk Together Day”. If she’s a teenager, good luck! Like are you tryin’ to embarrass her or what?
• “Global Forgiveness Day”, begun in 1994 as a way for us to identify with our personal need to forgive and be forgiven. A good day to knock that chip off your shoulder and make peace with yourself and others.
NET: http://www.ceca.cc/global_forgiveness_day/
• “International Circus Arts Festival” begins in Montréal (“Montréal Complètement Cirque”), the 2nd annual festival of acrobats, clowns, jugglers, and other circus performers through July 24th. The Cirque du Soleil production “Totem” is a highlight.
NET: http://www.montrealcompletementcirque.com
• “Running Of the Bulls” begins in Pamplona, Spain, an annual event at the “Fiesta San Fermin”. Starting tomorrow we’ll likely get the usual listing of ‘cornadas’ (wounds from goring).
• “Tell the Truth Day”, challenging each of us to go an entire day without telling a lie or saying anything misleading or dishonest. Is this possible?
THIS DAY IN SHOW BIZ . . .
2006 [05] “Pirates Of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest” opens in movie theaters (the 2nd film in the franchise eventually rockets to #4 all-time box office worldwide, at just over $1 billion)
TODAY’S MUSIC EVENTS . . .
2006 [05] Pink Floyd singer/songwriter/guitarist Syd Barrett dies at age 60
2007 [04] “Live Earth: Concerts For a Climate In Crisis” take place in 11 locations on all 7 continents, featuring performances by over 150 musical acts (which emit about 7 trillion tons of carbon into the atmosphere)
TODAY’S FIRSTS . . .
1891 [120] A patent is granted for the ‘Traveler’s Cheque’ (becoming obsolete due to bank cards?)
1996 [15] Synbiotics Corporation of Rancho Bernardo, California becomes 1st company to extend group healthcare coverage to its employees’ … pets (including dogs, cats, and horses)
TODAY’S RECORD . . .
1985 [26] At age 17, Boris Becker becomes the youngest player to win the men’s singles title at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships
COMING UP . . .
[Fri] Calgary Stampede begins
[Fri] “Horrible Bosses”; “Zookeeper” open in movie theaters
[Fri] Collector Car Appreciation Day
[Fri] Cow Appreciation Day
[Sun] Don’t Step On a Bee Day
[Sun] Piña Colada Day
[Sun] Teddy Bears Picnic Day
[Mon] World Population Day
[Mon] International Town Criers Day
This Week Is … International Chicken Wing Week
This Month Is … Parks & Recreation Month
BULL’S BITS
BS THINGS THAT DON’T HELP YOUR FEAR OF FLYING:
• Each passenger being asked to bring a quart of oil in their carry-on.
• After flight attendants demonstrate seat belts, oxygen masks and life vests, they run through how to settle a flight insurance claim.
• The first class seat next to you is reserved for the spare tire changer … and the spare tire.
• Flight attendant makes “air quotes” with her fingers every time she says ‘Captain’.
• In addition to being able to purchase drinks, snacks, and a pillow, flight attendants offer a wide array of parachutes.
• Observing other passengers go into a screaming mid-flight panic … out your window … on a different plane.
• The pilot’s guide dog has a major attitude problem.
– Adapted from TopFive.com
BS RANDOM JOKE:
You know what’s good on chocolate? Chocolate.
BS U-PICK TRIVIA:
What weighs 25 lbs, is 2-feet-long, and has walls 3-inches-thick?
a. The average home safe.
b. The heart of a giraffe. [CORRECT]
c. An off-road bicycle tire.
d. A bomb disposal bag.
– Yahoo! Trivia
BS PHONE STARTER:
Tell us about the strangest co-worker you’ve ever known.
BS WATER COOLER QUESTION:
Today’s Question: New parents spend an average of 47 hours doing THIS.
Answer to Give Out Next Show: Choosing their child’s name.
BS DEEP THOUGHT:
A grownup is someone who suffers from responsibility.