Wednesday, June 19, 2019 Edition: #6476
Good Morning, Sheetheads!
BS SHOW BIZ BUZZ:
★ If you were left a little deflated by Cersei Lannister’s anticlimactic “Game of Thrones” death, you aren’t alone. Lena Headey says she wishes her character had gone out a different way too. She was asked what she’d say if she got a chance to have a drunken postmortem with showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss. Her response? “I will say I wanted a better death. Obviously, you dream of your death. You could go in any way on that show. So, I was kind of gutted. But I just think they couldn’t have pleased everyone.”
(Couldn’t they at least have pleased SOMEONE?)
-CNN
★ Penny Marshall’s former assistant claims she worked him to the bone and made a lot of promises that went unfulfilled, so now he’s coming after Marshall’s estate to the tune of over $8 million. Terry Trahan was Marshall’s assistant from 1994 until her death last December. He says his job duties included acting as her personal assistant, home caretaker, physical caretaker, cook, and housekeeper. And according to his statement, “Marshall did not allow him any days off, vacation time, or uninterrupted rest or meal breaks,” and had promised he would be a beneficiary after her death.
-TheBlast
★ “The Hunger Games” author Suzanne Collins is working on a prequel to her beloved young adult, dystopian novels. Scholastic has acquired worldwide English rights to the novel Collins is writing, which at this point is called: “Untitled Panem Novel,” and is set for release on May 19, 2020. The story will be set 64 years before the events of “The Hunger Games” on the morning of the reaping of the 10th annual Hunger Games.
-TheWrap
★ Father’s Day was celebrated by many on Sunday, including the incarcerated Bill Cosby, who called himself “America’s Dad” in an Instagram post. That label, and the message in general weren’t received so well by several users. Many reactions to Cosby’s Father’s Day message were along the lines of: “Please stop”, “This is like the Titanic of bad ideas” and “I prefer my TV dads less ‘handsy’.”
-TheWrap
TODAY’S SHOW BIZ SKED:
• “Jimmy Kimmel Live” (ABC/Global): Miles Teller, Ayesha Curry, Hollywood Vampires
• “The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon” (NBC/CTV): Michael Strahan, Nikki & Brie Bella, Sleater-Kinney
• “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” (CBS/Global): Ice Cube, Tig Notaro
• “The Late Late Show with James Corden” (CBS/CTV): Ian McKellen, Louis Tomlinson, Simon Pegg
• “Conan” (TBS): Bill Burr (R)
• “Watch What Happens Live” (Bravo): Adam Devine, Shep Rose
• “The View” (ABC/CTV): Howie Mandel
• “The Talk” (CBS): Christina Applegate
• “Live with Kelly and Ryan” (ABC/CTV): Keri Russell, Kim Raver, Jorge Cruise, guest co-host Mark Consuelos
• “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” (NBC/CTV): Viral moments from Season 16
• “Rivers of Life” (PBS): Season 1 premiere. Spotlighting the Nile, the world’s longest river. From elephants and leopards to extreme kayakers and ancient wonders, its great length provides a lifeline for Africa’s wildest beasts and for some of the world’s most incredible cultures.
BS MUSIC NOTES:
• Cardi B — was forced to perform in a bathrobe at the Bonnaroo music festival on Sunday night, after her sparkly catsuit ripped. She announced to the crowd: “I just wanna let y’all know that my outfit rip,” but pushed through for a couple more songs before disappearing off stage. But in true Cardi style, at one point she pulled back her robe to show off her strapless bra and thong.
• Taylor Swift – Her new video for ‘You Need to Calm Down’ features many famous faces, but it’s one in particular that has fans talking. Katy Perry makes a surprise appearance, confirming their long-running feud is officially over. Also appearing in the vid, released on Monday: Ellen DeGeneres, Ryan Reynolds RuPaul and Ciara.
• Fleetwood Mac — Mick Fleetwood, who co-founded the group in 1967, has given up hope of a reunion with any former members. There have been 18 people in the group over the years, but he says he can’t see any ex-members returning to the fold.
• Van Halen – David Lee Roth told an interviewer that he is meeting with the Van Halen brothers “in the next week or so” to discuss any future plans. Asked if there’s new Van Halen music coming, Roth said: “I make no promises, but I make promises, but I don’t. I have to publicize now that I’m not talking.” (So now that THAT’S clear…)
• Paul McCartney — As the Meat Free Monday campaign celebrates its 10th year, the campaign, headed by McCartney and his daughters Mary and Stella, is launching #MFMCountMeIn, bringing celebrities, businesses, not-for-profit groups, educational institutions and individuals together to celebrate what people are doing on the meat free front. Ringo Starr, Tom Hanks, Rita Wilson, Paul Rudd, Isla Fisher, Alec Baldwin, Ellie Goulding, Alicia Silverstone and Orlando Bloom are among the celebs lending their support.
• Boy George — says one of the most ”interesting” casting suggestions for an upcoming biopic about him is for “Game of Thrones” star Sophie Turner to portray his younger self. He thinks it is a “great” idea. But he also says he doesn’t care if the movie isn’t entirely truthful because he loves reading ”ridiculous” rumors about himself.
• Shania Twain – Has announced her return to Vegas starting Dec. 6. She has 23 performances planned for her “Let’s Go!” residency at Zappos Theater at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino. Tickets go on sale Friday.
• Chase Rice — has unveiled his fall plans: the “2019 AM/PM Tour” will launch in East Providence, Rhode Island August 1 and run through the end of the year. The name ‘AM/PM’ comes from his new single ‘Lonely If You Are’. The lyric reads: “It could be AM or PM / It could be middle of the week or the weekend baby / It ain’t too late or too far / Just call me ’cause I’m lonely.”
• Lindsay Ell — is heading into the studio to record her next album, where she’ll be teaming with producer Dann Huff. Ell worked with Huff for the first time while recording ‘What Happens in a Small Town’ with Brantley Gilbert. Her plans after that? “I wanna be headlining arenas, playing to thousands of people every night around the world.”
PET SHOP…LITERALLY:
There is nothing more disheartening than buying a new toy for your dog only to see him turn his nose up at it (well, actually there ARE more disheartening things, but go with me on this…). Now, the Brazilian pet shop chain “Petz” says they have combined face recognition technology and artificial intelligence to create a system which allows dogs to select their favorite products by analyzing their facial expressions. Using their online store, you can allow your mutt to fill his shopping cart by holding an internet-connected camera, such as the one on your phone, to Rover’s face and allowing the program to observe and analyze his facial expressions as you scroll though the products listed on the site. The system analyzes the dog’s face while they watch, including how the dog holds his/her head, and rates each item on a scale of one to five bones. All images and videos are in yellow and blue because studies show that those are the colors that dogs see best. Petz says that a similar system for cats may be added in the future.
(I figure that for every minute that my dog is shopping online and my wife ISN’T, I’m saving money!)
(We gave it a try, and my dog wants everything labelled “bacon-scent”. But then again, so do I!)
(For cats? I hope they’re ready to sell a lot of empty boxes!)
-OddityCentral
A CURE FOR THE COLD…GETTING WARMER:
Scientists think that they may have made a big leap toward finding a cure for the common cold after stopping a virus from replicating under laboratory conditions. The authors of a study published in the journal PLOS Biology say their investigation involved finding a way to stabilize a part of a rhinovirus, which can cause the common cold. Stabilizing it would mean preventing it from releasing its genetic material and taking over host cells. To do so, they say they targeted it with compounds that stabilized an important part of the virus, which stopped it from actively changing shape and invading other cells. The bottom line: They say their study shows that they have found a new “druggable site” where there seems to be a weakness of the virus that could be exploited. And what’s even better, this could lead to combating the last cases of polio, and other diseases caused by rhinoviruses, such as pneumonia and bronchitis.
(Yeah, I’m pretty sure they’ll cure ALL diseases before they find a cure for the common cold!)
(Of course you know that they may have just single-handedly killed the drug-store! And the tissue industry…)
(…And this has been our semi-annual “A cure for the common cold is right around the corner” news report…)
-Newsweek
HOW TO LIVE WITH LESS PLASTIC:
☞ Bring your own shopping bag: Carry a few spares in the car, in case the mood to pick a few things up strikes you. Or carry a small nylon bag in your purse. (My wife is never without a shopping bag…the problem is that it’s always FULL!)
☞ Carry a reusable water bottle: Face it, it’s becoming more and more politically incorrect to drink from a single-use plastic bottle. Plan ahead, and carry a refillable bottle with you every day. (And don’t fill it from a plastic bottle at home…that’s cheating!)
☞ Bring your own cup: Yes, you should be using a reusable coffee cup as well. They keep your coffee hot longer, too. (Where can I get one whose lid leaks as well as the ones I get at the coffee shop?)
☞ Pack your lunch in reusable containers: An insulated lunch bag will last forever, and…it’s insulated! You can also get reusable sandwich bags, believe it or not. (Finally, an excuse to dig my “Spider-Man” lunch box out of the basement!)
☞ Say “no” to disposable straws and cutlery: Sure, they ‘re handy, but you can usually manage without them. (Buy a really handy Swiss Army jackknife and you’ll have all the cutlery you need…and most tools!)
☞ Skip the plastic produce bags: You don’t need one for bananas, so why do you need them for a cucumber? (OK, you DO need a bag for your grapes…)
☞ Slow down and dine in: That way, you won’t need to use plastic takeout containers. (Except when your kid takes one bite and says, “I’m full!”)
☞ Store leftovers in glass jars: It will keep you from buying plastic storage containers. (Or store them in those refillable coffee cups that you’ve already given up on!)
☞ Share these tips with your friends: There are a few hashtags going around where you can find these and more helpful ideas: #refusesingleuse and #choosereusables (I find the perfect time to share is when they are making fun of my “Spider-Man” lunch box!)
-LessPlastic.co.uk
BS CHRONOMETER 06.19.19
TODAY’S CELEBIRTHDAYS . . .
1948 [71] Phylicia Rashad, Houston, TX, TV actress (‘Claire Huxtable’ on “The Cosby Show” 1984-92)
1954 [65] Kathleen Turner, Springfield MO, movie actress (“Romancing the Stone”, voice of Jessica Rabbit in “Who Framed Roger Rabbit?”)
1962 [57] Paula Abdul, Van Nuys CA, TV personality (“So You Think You Can Dance?” 2015, “The X Factor” 2011, “American Idol” 2002-10)/pop singer (1988 Grammy – ‘Opposites Attract’)
1969 [50] Lara Spencer, Garden City NY, TV personality (“Good Morning America” since 2002)
1975 [44] Hugh Dancy, Stoke-on-Trent UK, TV actor (‘Will Graham’ on “Hannibal” 2013-15)/wed to actress Claire Danes since 2009
1978 [41] Zoe Saldana, Passaic NJ, movie actress (“Guardians Of the Galaxy”, “Avatar”)
1983 [36] Macklemore (Ben Haggerty), Seattle WA, rapper (Macklemore & Ryan Lewis-‘Thrift Shop’)
1984 [35] Paul Dano, New York City NY, movie actor (“There Will Be Blood”, Little Miss Sunshine”)
TODAY’S BS REASONS TO PARTY . . .
• “World Sauntering Day”, a day to ‘revive the art of Victorian sauntering, and discourage jogging, lollygagging, sashaying, fast walking, and trotting’. It’s also “Martini Day”, can we stumble?
• “Martini Day”. Recipe for a very dry martini: Take 1 bottle of gin …
• “Garfield the Cat Day”, honoring Jim Davis’ fat cat comic strip on the anniversary of its 1978 debut in newspapers. (Big fat hairy deal.)
• “Eat an Oreo Day”, Oreo has been the best-selling cookie in the United States since its introduction in 1912. The perfection of an Oreo cookie is down to an exact science. The cookie-to-crème ratio of an original Oreo cookie is always, without fail, 71 percent to 29 percent.
• “Pets In Film Day”, Cats and dogs have been on the big and small screens since the early days. Here’s some interesting trivia on a few of Hollywood’s popular furry stars…
➢ Lassie’s a Lad: Although Lassie was a girl in the TV series and movies, this heroic pup was actually played by a boy dog named Pal. Male collies tend to have thicker coats, which look better on camera.
➢ Mr. Bigglesworth’s Breed: In the “Austin Powers” movies, Dr. Evil’s famous feline Mr. Bigglesworth was a Sphynx cat. The Sphynx is considered a hairless breed and is known to love cuddling for warmth.
➢ Many Marleys: The touching film “Marley and Me” covers 14 years in the life of the title dog. To make the film, the director used yellow labs at different ages to play him – 22 in all!
COMING UP . . .
[Thurs] American Eagle Day
[Thurs] New Identity Day
[Fri] Summer arrives in the Northern Hemisphere
[Fri] International Surfing Day
[Fri] International Day of Yoga
THIS DAY IN SHOW BIZ . . .
2013 [06] Former “Sopranos” star James Gandolfini dies of a heart attack at age 51 in Rome, Italy (what we don’t know is if his character Tony Soprano died…)
TODAY’S MUSIC EVENTS . . .
1965 [54] ‘Yesterday’ is recorded and mastered during this week 53 years ago, the first Beatles song recorded solo (by Paul McCartney) without the other band members (temporarily titled ‘Scrambled Eggs’, McCartney says the melody came to him in a dream) Often called the most covered song of all time
2010 [09] Katy Perry’s ‘California Gurls’ hits #1, the first of five Hot 100 chart-toppers from her “Teenage Dream” album – a feat only equaled by Michael Jackson’s “Bad”
TODAY’S FIRSTS . . .
1910 [119] ‘Father’s Day’ is 1st proclaimed by the mayor of Spokane, Washington at the request of one Louise Smart Dodd
1978 [41] “Garfield” comic strip first appears, a creation of Jim Davis
2018 [01] Canada’s Senate votes to legalize recreational marijuana use, the first major economy to do so
BULL’S BITS
BS WHACK FACTS:
✓ The longest word in the English language is 1.909 letters long and refers to a part of DNA.
✓ There is no such thing as natural blue food. Blueberries are purple.
✓ Punctuation for writing didn’t exist until the 15th century.
✓ The word “coward” originally referred to a boy who took care of cows.
✓ On at least two occasions, it has snowed in the Sahara Desert.
✓ Goofy’s son is named Goofy Jr.
-TotallyAwesomeUselessInformation
BS FAKE NASA FACTS:
• The moon landing was scheduled during a full moon in order to minimize chances of missing.
• The guy who does the launch countdown gets invited to thousands of New Year’s parties annually.
• When astronauts see a cute girl, they say, “Hubble, hubble.”
• Beyoncé tried to buy Saturn from NASA, saying she liked it because it has a ring on it.
• NASA originally stood for New And Spectacular Anagram
• Alice Kramden was the first woman on the moon.
• Ground Control is still looking for Major Tom.
• Donald Trump is building a wall on the moon and Mars is going to pay for it.
• Neil Armstrong taught Michael Jackson how to moonwalk.
• What happens on Uranus stays on Uranus.
-Twitter
BS GYM ALTERNATIVES:
• Resistance training: Training yourself to resist opening that bag of Doritos
• Getting a dog and naming him “Five Miles”. Then you can say that you walk Five Miles every morning.
• Jumping to conclusions
• Pulling your weight
• Chasing your dreams
• One-night stands
• Photoshop
• Prune juice
• Paying $30 a month for something that you actually use
• James
-Twitter, first published in ‘BS’ in 2018
BS U-PICK TRIVIA:
• In “Parks and Recreation,” what does Leslie Knope call the women’s washroom?
a. The whiz palace [CORRECT]
b. The ladies’ executive powder room
c. The Gerry
d. The crapper
• In “How I Met Your Mother”, what condiment does Lily think Marshall’s family eat too much of?
a. Ketchup
b. Mayonnaise [CORRECT]
c. Mustard
d. Gherkins
-AbsurdTrivia
BS PHONE STARTER:
Which perk of your job is most important to you? (Among those mentioned in a poll: casual dress days, telecommuting, free tea/coffee, free snacks, and donuts for meetings.)
BS RANDOM JOKE:
My friends couldn’t afford their water bill so I sent them a “get well” card.
BS WATER COOLER QUESTION:
Question: 47% of people built THIS as a child. What is it?
Answer: A cardboard fort out of a box
BS DEEP THOUGHT:
Unfortunately, some people are so intent on leaving their mark on the world that they don’t care if that mark is a scar.
