Friday, July 17, 2020 — Edition: #6742
Can You Believe This Sheet?
BS SHOW BIZ BUZZ:
★ Over 850 of Hollywood’s recognizable movie props are being sold at auction, including
Tom Cruise’s fighter pilot helmet from “Top Gun”, and Robin Williams’ Peter Pan sword from “Hook.” The famous Prop Store — which houses a treasure trove of on-set Hollywood memorabilia — is hosting the monster virtual auction Aug. 27-28. Also up for grabs: Leo DiCaprio’s Cadillac and Brad Pitt’s Karmann Ghia from “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood”, Jennifer Lawrence’s arena costume from “The Hunger Games,” Sylvester Stallone’s boxing gloves from “Rocky” and the camera Alfred Hitchcock used to film “Vertigo.” Over 850 items are being sold in all, and they’re expected to fetch upwards of $6 million, based professional estimates.
-TMZ
★ CBS is no longer planning to air season 41 of “Survivor” this fall. Production, which will take place in Fiji, was delayed in March due to the pandemic. “Survivor” is now the first show to be pulled from the fall schedule since the broadcast networks unveiled their lineups over the past few months. When CBS revealed its schedule in May, it banked heavily on being able to return to production on most of their scripted shows despite production still being mostly shutdown.
-Yahoo
★ Conchata Ferrell, who played Charlie Sheen’s beloved and quick-witted housekeeper on “Two and a Half Men” — is fighting for her life after suffering a heart attack. Conchata’s husband, Arnie, says that the the actress — known to fans as “Berta” — was recently transferred to a long-term care facility following more than 4 weeks in ICU. She landed in the hospital in May after feeling ill, reportedly due to an infection. While in hospital, Ferrell suddenly went into cardiac arrest. The 77-year-old is now at a treatment center, on a respirator and dialysis, and said to be in stable condition, but only semi-conscious.
-TMZ
★ Jon Hamm is set to produce and star in a rebooted, modernized take on “Fletch,” the character from the 1970s mystery novels first portrayed on screen by Chevy Chase in the classic 1985 comedy. In the books, Irwin M. Fletcher is a brazen, investigative reporter, while in the movie, Chase’s Fletch frequently assumes different identities, costumes and characters as part of his unusual investigative tactics. While the Chase movie is strictly a comedy, Hamm’s upcoming “Fletch” is based on the second book in the series, “Confess, Fletch,” and will be closer to a film noir with comedic elements rather than a direct reboot. No release date has been set.
-TheWrap
TODAY’S SHOW BIZ SKED:
• “Late Night with Seth Meyers” (NBC/CTV): Jason Sudeikis, Mike O’Brien (R)
• “The Late Late Show with James Corden” (CBS/CTV): Simon Pegg, Ben Platt, Finneas (R)
• “The View” (ABC/CTV): D.L. Hughley
• “The Talk” (CBS): Nia Long
• “Live with Kelly and Ryan” (ABC/CTV): Melba Wilson
• “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” (NBC/CTV): Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Andy Lassner, Kalen Allen (R)
• “The Kelly Clarkson Show” (CHECK LOCAL LISTINGS): Chelsea Handler, Ron Funches, Frank Grillo (R)
• “The Sims Spark’d” (TBS): A dozen contestants complete challenges for a chance at a $100,000 prize in this new ELeague series.
SATURDAY-
• “Harriet” (HBO): The story of heroic abolitionist Harriet Tubman from her escape from slavery through the dangerous missions she led to liberate hundreds of slaves through the Underground Railroad
• “Murder in the Vineyard” (LIFETIME): A woman tries to protect her teenage daughter when she becomes the target of anonymous bullies.
SUNDAY-
• “Celebrity Family Feud” (ABC): Andy Cohen vs. Real Housewives of Beverly Hills and Kevin Nealon vs. Drew Carey
• “Mile High Escorts” (LIFETIME): An airline employee becomes the target of a mysterious killer when she uncovers a dark secret about her boss.
BS MUSIC NOTES:
• Kanye West – in spite of reports to the contrary, it appears his presidential bid is still alive. On Wed., he filed with the Federal Election Commission, seeking the office of President. The party is listed as BDY … which Ye says stands for the Birthday Party. He is yet to file the more important Form 2 — Statement of Candidacy — which shows he’s raised or spent more than $5,000 in campaign activity.
• Megan Thee Stallion – says she is “incredibly grateful to be alive” after sustaining multiple gunshot wounds Sunday morning. Fellow rapper Tory Lanez was arrested on a gun charge after police found the weapon in his car along with Megan and another woman. She is expected to make a full recovery.
• Britney Spears — Calls for her to be freed from her 12-year conservatorship continue to grow and now the #FreeBritney movement has launched a White House petition. If it receives 100,000 signatures, a government response is required. Wed afternoon, the petition already had over 85,000 names.
• Metallica — have announced the Aug. 28 release of “Metallica and San Francisco Symphony: S&M2”, a live album featuring the two dates they performed last year with the San Francisco Symphony. It will be available in two-CD, four-LP vinyl, Blu-ray, DVD and digital film configurations.
• Don McLean — The original handwritten lyrics of his 1971 hit ‘Vincent’, a tribute to painter Vincent van Gogh, are going up for sale. The lyrics, scrawled in pencil over 14 pages, are being sold by a person who acquired them directly from McLean. Asking price: $1.5 million.
• Jimmie Allen – ‘Why Things Happen’ is his new song, featuring Darius Rucker and Charley Pride. The lyrics ask some existential questions, such as why mothers lose children and why people die in vehicle accidents. He says he co-wrote the song the day after Kobe Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter Gianna were killed in a helicopter crash in January.
• Garth Brooks – He and Trisha Yearwood have both tested negative for COVID-19. They shared the news during Monday night’s episode of “Inside Studio G”. On July 6, they scrapped a Facebook livestream concert because someone in their camp had “possibly been exposed to the COVID-19 virus.”
• Reba McEntire – releases her “Reba: Live” special on YouTube today. The show was filmed in 1994 at the Omaha Civic Center and this is the first time the concert will be available digitally. The show premieres at 7 p.m. CT and McEntire will mark the moment with fans with a chat on her YouTube channel.
WEIR-DOUGH:
A chef says he has created the “world’s healthiest” cookie. Gurpareet Bains, who has written several cookbooks dedicated to healthy eating, says his newest, chewy creation contains all of the recommended five daily servings of vegetables. The dense blueberry-flavored “Chikitsa Crumble” is a vegan creation that packs 12 grams of fiber, 12 grams of protein and the equivalent of five bags of fiber-rich leafy greens, and is only 280 calories, according to the superfood-loving chef. For now, he is making about 100 of the gluten-free gems per week for family and friends, but considering their popularity, he is considering rolling them out for – umm — public consumption through his website.
(And then he can milk it for all it’s worth!!)
(Bet you CAN have just one!)
(Slow down, Moms and Dads…this isn’t going to fool anyone!)
-NYPost
CAPITOL PUNISHMENT:
Washington DC’s NFL team, up until now known as the Redskins, has announced plans to change its name, but a new one has not yet been announced. Why? Possibly because all the good names have been taken. A Virginia realtor named Phillip McCauley has trademarked basically every cool name that the organization could have used, including the Washington Redtails, Red Wolves, Tribe, Monuments, Braves, Freedom Fighters, War Hogs, and, even the Washington Potomacs. In all, McCauley has registered 44 potential new names for the team since 2014, and has already set up merchandising operations for all of them, claiming that he plans to set up a flag football league with the team names. But easily the best potential name for the team was registered by a man in California: The Washington Radskins.
(They should do what we do in Canada: Just call them the Rough Riders and be done with it!)
(Hopefully the guy didn’t think to register his own name?)
-BarDown
NEWS OF THE WEIRD:
➢ A pub in the UK has come up with the ultimate assurance that patrons will respect the rules of social distancing amid the pandemic – electric fencing. Management at The Star Inn, in St. Just, Cromwell said staff got tired of some patrons ignoring social distancing guidelines, so they installed wired electrified fence around the bar to shock locals into behaving. While the fence is usually shut off, the landlord says “It can be turned on”, as a few patrons discovered on Saturday night. (It’s also a good way to find out who’s “feeling no pain”!)
➢ Indonesian airline Garuda Indonesia has announced it’s getting rid of face masks for flight attendants in the wake of the pandemic after passengers complained they were unable to see the attendants’ smiles. Flight attendants were required to wear masks and gloves when the airline resumed service on May 7. The company’s CEO now says that while the company is getting rid of masks so you can see their smiling faces, they are exploring other safety options, including plastic face shields. (I don’t see the problem, as long as they can still say “Buh-bye”!)
-NYPost, InsideHook
DID YOU KNOW?
It turns out cats and dogs aren’t the only ones to make those amusing little “perk up” movements with their ears when they hear something interesting. New research finds human ears also perk up from an unexpected sound. While only about one in five people can control their muscles enough to wiggle their ears, a study by the University of Saarlandes in Germany found that all humans can move them, but most of those actions are automatic, causing our ears to very subtly perk up and point towards the things that grab our attention.
-StudyFinds
BS CHRONOMETER 07.17.20
TODAY’S CELEBIRTHDAYS . . .
1935 [85] Donald Sutherland, Saint John NB, movie actor (“Hunger Games” movies)/TV actor (“Crossing Lines” 2013-15)/Hollywood Walk of Fame (2011)/Companion of the Order of Canada, 2019/father of Kiefer Sutherland
1947 [73] Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall (Camilla Parker Bowles Windsor), London, England, married since 2005 to Prince Charles, heir apparent to the British throne
1952 [68] David Hasselhoff, Baltimore MD, TV star (“Knight Rider”, “Baywatch”, judge on “America’s Got Talent” 2006-2009)/recording artist (ha!)
1954 [66] Angela Merkel (***PRON: ahn-GAY-la MARE-kle***), Hamburg West Germany, politician (Chancellor of Germany since 2005)/widely described as the most powerful woman in the world, and by some, the “leader of the free world”
1960 [60] Mark Burnett, London UK, really rich TV producer (“Survivor”, “The Voice”)
1975 [45] Carey Hart, Seal Beach CA, former motorcycle racer and freestyle motocross racer who now competes in off-road truck races/owner of Hart & Huntington Tattoo & Clothing Company/married to Pink since 2006
1976 [44] Luke Bryan, Leesburg GA, country singer (‘Kick the Dust Up’, ‘One Margarita’)
1979 [41] Mike Vogel, Abington PA, movie actor (“The Help, “Cloverfield”)/TV actor, (“Under the Dome” 2013-15)
1985 [35] Tom Cullen, Aberystwyth Wales, TV actor (‘Lord Gillingham’ on “Downton Abbey” 2013-2014)
1992 [28] Billie Lourd, Los Angeles CA, TV actress (“Scream Queens” 2015-16, “American Horror Story” 2017-18) Daughter of late actress Carrie Fisher.
SATURDAY- Entrepreneur Richard Branson is 70; Elizabeth McGovern (“Downton Abbey”) is 59; Wendy Williams (“The Wendy Williams Show”) is 56; Vin Diesel (“Fast & Furious”) is 53; Kristen Bell (“Veronica Mars”) is 40; Michiel Huisman (“Game of Thrones”) is 39; Priyanka Chopra (“Quantico”) is 38
SUNDAY- Brian May (Queen) is 73; Anthony Edwards (“ER”) is 58; Jason McGerr (Death Cab for Cutie) is 46; Benedict Cumberbatch (“Sherlock”) is 44; Jared Padalecki (“Supernatural”) is 38; Trai Byers (“Empire”) is 37
TODAY’S BS REASONS TO PARTY . . .
• “World Emoji Day”, celebrating the pictograms that have become a modern form of punctuation. Why July 17th? That’s the date famously displayed on the iOS Calendar Emoji.
• “Peach Ice Cream Day” (aka ‘Fuzz Ripple’). Who cares why? Gimme some! Most ice cream makers only make the stuff during summer.
• “Yellow Pig Day”, a mathematician’s holiday celebrating yellow pigs (is there such a thing!?!), and the number 17. It’s been celebrated since the early 1960’s, primarily on college campuses, and primarily by mathematicians.
• “National Tattoo Day”, a celebration of body art; everything from the artwork decorating the proud owners of tattoos to the thousands of studios that continue to crop up around the country. (These days, are you a rebel if you DON’T have a tattoo?) [***See ‘BS Phone Starter, below***]
• “World Day for International Justice”, celebrated to recognize the emerging system of international criminal justice. July 17 was chosen because it is the anniversary of the adoption of the Rome Statute, the treaty that created the International Criminal Court.
SATURDAY-
• “Caviar Day”, saluting the mega-expensive roe (eggs) of the sturgeon fish, proving that we’ll eat just about anything if it is given an attractive name and costs a lot of money.
• “Nelson Mandela International Day”, as initiated by the UN in honor of the late civil rights leader and former South African president. Celebrated on his birth date (1918-2013).
• “World Listening Day”, to celebrate the practice of listening as it relates to the world around us, environmental awareness, and acoustic ecology. A joint effort of the World Soundscape Project, World Listening Project, and World Forum for Acoustic Ecology. (I AM listening…for a chance to get a word in edgewise!)
• “Perfect Family Day”, Does anyone have a perfect family? (Mine can only claim to put the ‘fun’ in ‘dysfunction.’)
SUNDAY-
• “Flight Attendant Safety Professionals Day”. In celebration, please take your seats and fasten your seatbelts. Also make sure your seat back and folding trays are in their full upright position. And please turn off all personal electronic devices. (And for the love of all that is holy, please, no more ‘singing flight attendant’ viral videos!)
• “Stick Your Tongue Out Day”, for some long-forgotten reason. But now that you have it out, try rolling it into a cylinder … only 1-in-14 of us can do that!
• “Daiquiri Day”, Engineer Jennings Cox supervised a mine in a Cuban village named Daiquiri in 1898. After work, he and his colleagues would gather at the local bar. One day Cox mixed Bacardi, sugar, and lime into a glass of ice. Named after the Daiquiri mines, the drink became a popular staple in Havana.
• “Triple Play Day”, marking the first MLB unassisted triple play, which was accomplished on this day in 1909 by Neal Ball of the Cleveland Naps. It’s one of the rarest events in baseball.
(Why do they call it a ‘triple-play ball’ rather than a ‘Neal Ball’?)
• “New Friends Day”, celebrating brand-new friends, those fine and fabulous folks that have recently come into our lives to brighten our days with camaraderie and joy (and make our old friends jealous…).
THIS DAY IN SHOW BIZ . . .
2017 [03] The Muppets Studio, in firing the voice of ‘Kermit the Frog’, Steve Whitmire, blame his “unacceptable business conduct”.
TODAY’S MUSIC EVENT . . .
1991 [29] Fourteen years after the deadly crash of Lynyrd Skynyrd’s Baton Rouge-bound aircraft, the surviving members, reunited under the name “Lynyrd Skynyrd 1991,” return to the Louisiana city to kick off a new tour. (The band embarked on their “Last of the Street Survivors Farewell Tour” in 2018, which was interrupted by the pandemic)
TODAY’S FIRST . . .
1955 [65] ‘Disneyland’ officially opens in Anaheim CA, less than a year after construction began (now hosts over 18 million visitors a year, who spend close to $3 billion)
TODAY’S RECORDS . . .
1941 [79] NY Yankee Joe DiMaggio’s legendary 56-game hitting streak ends in Cleveland (began May 15)
1982 [38] 52-year-old Don Bennett of Seattle becomes the first ‘One-Legged Mountain Climber’ to hop to the top of Washington’s 14,408-ft Mount Rainier
BULL’S BITS
BS WHACK FACTS:
✓ Most ears of corn have an even number of rows, usually 16.
✓ Crackers will give you cavities faster than candy.
✓ Grocers (and grocery stores) got their name because they sold goods by the gross.
✓ Raindrops fall as fast as 22mph (35kph).
✓ Even a blind chameleon will change its color to match its surroundings.
✓ Elvis Presley never performed a single encore, so when he left, he wasn’t coming back. Hence the phrase, “Elvis has left the building.”
-Insider
Best of BS . . .
BS THINGS YOU DON’T WANNA HEAR AT A WEEKEND BARBECUE:
• “Beef is great, but squirrel is so much cheaper.”
• “To give it a little ‘kick’, I put charcoal starter in the punch.”
• “The best part of that fireworks display was when the bug zapper fell in the pool.”
• “Ew, my hot dog has a knuckle.”
• “I don’t think that’s mayonnaise in the coleslaw!”
• “Whoops. No propane!”
– First published in BS 2011
TODAY’S SLICE OF BS:
➠ A study has found that chocolate is good for the heart. (Which is why you see all those Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup wrappers all over my treadmill…)
➠ 7.5 metric tons of cocaine have been seized in a US-Colombia drug sting. (“Wow, now that’s a LOT of Cocaine,” said everyone who wasn’t Lindsay Lohan…)
➠ As a result of the BLM movement, the Boy Scouts of America announced that scouts will be able to earn a “specific diversity and inclusion” merit badge. (Meanwhile, their wildly unpopular stance on NO FULL-LENGTH PANTS remains intact…)
➠ According to Moms-dot-com, Sofia Vergara is the highest paid actress in television. (So, TAKE THAT . . . actresses who wasted money on speech and diction classes!)
➠ It’s estimated that the average casual Facebook user spends 58 minutes on the site per day. Those that have been active for 10 or more years have wasted upwards of 140 entire days of their life. (FINALLY something that I’m above average on!)
BS WEB GOODIE:
Close call: https://tinyurl.com/yauhl9ur
BS PHONE STARTER:
What is the best or worst tattoo that you have ever seen? (Spelling counts!)
BS RANDOM JOKE:
My 72-year-old mother just informed me she is going to her first “sex party” and doesn’t know what to bring. After some delicate questioning, “Gender Reveal, Mom. It’s called a Gender Reveal.”
BS WATER COOLER QUESTION:
Question: The average family spends a combined six hours a week doing THIS mindless activity. What is it?
Answer: Watching reality TV
BS DEEP THOUGHT:
The bad news is time flies. The good news is you’re the pilot.