BS SHOW BIZ BUZZ:
Late actor David Carradine’s family is spreading the idea that he may have been murdered to ‘silence his investigation into deadly underground martial arts organizations’ (they’re obviously a tad embarrassed by the truth but – is this the best they could come up with?) . . . Multiple Tony Award-winning Broadway production “Billy Elliot: The Musical” may go full circle and be adapted back into a movie – the medium from which it began in 2000 (the same treatment didn’t work so well for “The Producers”) . . . Actress Julia Roberts is said to be spending $150,000 on rent for 2 apartments in Manhattan’s West Village while she shoots the new movie “Eat, Pray, Love” this summer; one pad for her family, the second for staff (one doesn’t want to stoop to living with ‘the help’) . . . “Dancing With the Stars” runner-up Gilles Marini is joining the cast of “Brothers & Sisters” (ABC) this fall, playing a potential hottie love interest for ‘Sarah Walker’, played by Rachel Griffiths (his main job will be raising his eyebrows and looking all French) . . . After following her across the pond to the UK, Lindsay Lohan has reportedly been ‘shadowing’ her ex-girlfriend Samantha Ronson in London this week (is that polite Brit-speak for ‘stalking?) . . . And Kristin Cavallari (“The Hills”) apparently annoys almost as many people in real life as she does on TV, playfully tossing glitter at catwalk models while co-hosting a fashion show in St Maarten, causing 4 of the models to grab her by the hair afterward and threaten to put a hurt on (fortunately they were restrained before someone broke a nail).

TODAY’S SHOW BIZ SKED:
• “Bonnie Hunt Show” (syndicated/CityTV) – Jesse McCartney (“How Do You Sleep?”).
• “Ellen DeGeneres Show” (syndicated/A Channel) – Flo Rida (“Right Round”).
• “Jimmy Kimmel Live” (ABC/CityTV) – Blink-182 plugs the upcoming reunion tour.
• “Last Call With Carson Daly” (NBC) – Green Day (“Know Your Enemy”). Picking up on a recent fad, they’ll play 4 straight nights on the show.
• “Late Show With David Letterman” (CBS) – Black Eyed Peas (“Boom Boom Pow”). Their first studio album in 4 years, “The E-N-D” (stands for ‘The Energy Never Dies’), is released today.
• “Rock Band Unplugged” – The newest videogame based on the “Rock Band” series is released exclusively for Playstation Portable Systems in North America & Europe. The new version features a wide variety of music going all the way back to the 1960s.
• “Tonight Show With Conan O’Brien” (NBC/A Channel) – Singer/songwriter Bonnie Raitt.
• “The View” (ABC/CTV) – Mandy Moore promotes her new album “Amanda Leigh”.

BS MUSIC NOTES:
• Lemonheads – Singer Evan Dando is suing General Motors for violating the copyright on his tune “It’s a Shame About Ray”, which he claims was re-recorded for an ad. He’s seeking damages and a portion of profits from the 2008 TV campaign for Chevrolet & Buick models. (Uh dude, haven’t you heard the news … they don’t have any money!)
• Mariah Carey – She’s reportedly gained 15 lbs during the recording of her new album. An insider says she’ll likely tone up again when it’s time to promote the project but as of now … she’s stuffing her face.
• Michael Jackson – UK’s “Sun” tabloid reports he’s asked promoter AEG to renovate Foxbury Manor, the estate he’s renting during his upcoming O2 Arena residency, to include a fun fair and bowling alley … reminiscent of Neverland Ranch.
• Whitney Houston – Her website says her long-awaited comeback album will be released on September 1st. What will be her 7th album is currently untitled, though it was previously referred to as “Undefeated”. Her last album of original material, “Just Whitney”, was released in 2002. (She’s been threatening a comeback for about a decade now.)

TODAY’S VIDEO RELEASES:
• “Fired Up!” ( Comedy ): 31-year-old Eric Christian Olsen & 28-year-old Nicholas D’Agosto play a pair of high school jocks who decide to ditch their annual football training session for cheerleading camp, which they hope will result in plenty of hook-ups. Sarah Roemer (“Disturbia”) co-stars. Also comes in an ‘Unrated Edition’.
• “Gran Torino” ( Crime Drama ): Clint Eastwood plays a disgruntled Korean War vet who sets out to reform his neighbor, a young teenager who tried to steal his prized 1972 Gran Torino. The film was falsely rumored to be a final installment in the “Dirty Harry” series, however, Eastwood has stated that it will be his last movie as an actor.
• “The International” ( Thriller ): Clive Owen stars as an Interpol agent who attempts to expose a high-profile financial institution’s role in international arms dealing. Co-stars Naomi Watts. The film was inspired by the Bank of Credit & Commerce International banking scandal, which took place throughout the ‘80s and into the early ‘90s.
• Also released today: “Corner Gas: Season Six 3-Disc Set” (TV); “Jack Lemmon Film Collection”; “Reaper: Season 2” (TV); “The Shield: Season 7 – The Final Act” (TV); “Woodstock: 3 Days of Peace & Music – The Director’s Cut (40th Anniversary Ultimate Collector’s Edition)”.

MY HEART IS YOURS:
A new study at Britain’s University of Bristol shows that most people have a strong aversion to the idea of receiving a donor organ from a killer. Respondents say they would be far happier receiving a transplant from someone with a good moral background. The survey follows up research that’s found 1-in-3 organ transplant patients believe they have taken on some aspects of the donor’s personality. Some even believe they’ve inherited the donor’s memories and experiences. (It’s organ deja vu!)
– BBC News

WORST BAND NAMES:
Actually rock groups of the past decade. What were they thinking?
• Natalie Portman’s Shaved Head
• Taint Stick
• And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of The Dead
• wumpscut
• Test Icicles
• Archers of Loaf
• !!! (aka Chk-Chk-Chk)
– Adapted from Gibson.com.

SMELLS LIKE BOOKWORM SPIRIT:
Do you love your Kindle eBook reader but feel like it’s lacking a certain je ne sais quoi?  Spray it with ‘New Book Smell’ and get that satisfaction you’ve been missing. The new “Smell of Books” aerosol comes in 4 additional aromas: ‘Classic Musty’, ‘Crunchy Bacon’, ‘Eau You Have Cats’, and ‘Scents of Sensibility’ … for Jane Austen fans. Now you can finally enjoy reading eBooks without giving up the smell you love so much. (What next’s … ‘Dirty Laundry’?)
NET: http://smellofbooks.com
– Neatorama.com

CHEATING CAN HELP YOU LOSE:
Though it may seem counterintuitive, cheating on your diet may actually help you achieve your weight-loss goals. How so? Many dietitians say cutting yourself some slack makes it easier to stick to a healthy eating plan. They even recommend building in some indulgences with special ‘cheat foods’ by allocating 100 ‘fun calories’ per day. That could be a small amount of one of your favorite foods daily or a larger amount as a bigger treat once a week. (Mug o’ gravy?)
– BestHealthMag.ca

TOO STUPID FOR US TO MAKE UP:
• A California woman has filed suit against the makers of Cap’N Crunch Crunch Berries cereal because she finally clued in that the ‘crunchberries’ are not really … berries. But as proof the judicial system sometimes works, a US District Court judge for the Eastern District of California has tossed the complaint out of court. (Citing the case of ‘Leprechaun v Lucky Charms’.)
– LoweringTheBar.net
• A 46-year-old Malaysian man has been killed by a lightening strike during a thunderstorm in the northern state of Kedah. Though he was smart enough to take shelter during the storm, a lightning bolt struck the copper emblem he wore around his waist … as a good-luck talisman. (Thereby heating the horseshoe in his pants to 4,232 degrees.)
– “Globe & Mail”
• A 50-year-old Birmingham UK man has been hauled into court to face the music for a series of driving offences. After taking time off work and arranging for a lawyer he finally managed to convince authorities they’d booked the wrong guy. He couldn’t be the negligent driver in question because … he’s been blind since age 7 when a brick hit him on the head. Afterward he was offered no apology nor even a ride home. (A case of the blind insulting the blind.)
– “Daily Telegraph”
• 5 people have been taken to hospital after a car crash in the Ottawa suburb of Cantley, Québec. The accident occurred in broad daylight when the driver of a car veered into oncoming traffic and smashed head-on into a pickup truck. The driver had lost control while experiencing a … massive sneeze. Fortunately, none of the injuries are considered serious. (Although one passenger is reported to be in sticky condition.)
• A Boulder, Colorado couple in their 50s are facing eviction from their rental home due to their odd method of gardening in the front yard. The married couple assert they aren’t breaking any laws by tending to their flowers while wearing nothing other than … thongs & pasties. But their landlord claims their nearly nude outdoor activity is a nuisance and wants them out. (Oh no! You mean that fat lady I saw bending over wasn’t a lawn ornament?)
– “Daily Camera”

BS AMAZING FACTS:
• Australia now has the only ‘advanced economy’ not in recession. The Australian economy actually grew by 0.4% in the first 3 months of 2009, thanks to increased exports and consumer spending. (Things are up over Down Under.)
– BusinessDay.com.au
• A short-legged person uses up about 10% more calories than a long-legged person to travel the same distance. (Just one more insult to the wee folk.)
– “Independent”

AND WE QUOTE:
“I’m tall and smart. If you’re aggressive and energetic it can be intimidating for people who aren’t very smart themselves.”
– Actress Julia Roberts as quoted by StarPulse.com, proving her humility lessons just don’t seem to be working.

BS CHRONOMETER 06.09.09

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TODAY’S CELEBIRTHDAYS . . .
1915 [94] Les Paul (Polsfuss), Waukesha WI, guitarist/inventor (solid-body electric guitar, overdubbing, tape delay, phasing, multitrack recording)

1961 [48] Michael J Fox, Edmonton AB, movie actor (“Back to the Future” series)/ex-TV actor (“Spin City” 1996-2000) who quit his hit sitcom to launch the Michael J Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research after being diagnosed with the syndrome

1963 [46] Johnny Depp, Owensboro KY, movie star (“Pirates of the Caribbean” films, “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street”)

1978 [31] Michaela Conlin, Allentown PA, TV actress (‘Angela Montenegro’ on “Bones” since 2005)

1981 [28] Natalie Portman (Hershlag), Jerusalem, Israel, movie actress (“Star Wars: Episode I-III”, “Cold Mountain”)

TODAY’S BS REASONS TO PARTY . . .
• “Donald Duck’s 75th Birthday”. On this date in 1934, he was ‘born’ out of the imagination of Walt Disney as the speech-impaired, web-footed movie star of the animated short, “The Wise Little Hen”. His voice was provided by Clarence Nash.

• “Little League Baseball Week”, celebrating the game played by little gaffers. Little League ball was founded in 1939 in Williamsport PA with 3 teams. At the time, a $35 donation would purchase uniforms for all of them.

THIS DAY IN SHOW BIZ . . .
2006 [03] Official ‘first pics’ of Shiloh Nouvel Jolie-Pitt appear in “People” magazine in North America (for $4.1-million), “Hello!” magazine in Britain/Spain, and in Australia’s “New Idea”

TODAY’S FIRSTS . . .
1822 [187] 1st patent for ‘False Teeth’ (and 1st kid drinks the icky glass of water on grandma’s night stand)

1899 [110] 1st ‘Moving Staircase’ built (forerunner of the ‘Escalator’)

1923 [86] 1st ‘Armored Car’ is introduced by the Brinks Co (leads directly to ‘heist movies’)

TODAY’S RECORDS . . .
1965 [44] A newborn baby in New Zealand is given a world-record 2,310 first names (you ought to see his driver’s license!)

1993 [16] Last Canadian team to win the Stanley Cup as Montréal Canadiens beat LA Kings 4 games to 1 for their 24th championship

AND REMEMBER . . .[Thurs] Nursing Assistants Day
[Thurs] Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival opens (Manchester TN)
[Thurs] CMA Music Festival opens (Nashville TN)
[Fri] US TV signals go digital
[Fri] “The Taking of Pelham 123″; “Imagine That” open in movie theaters
This Week Is … Carp Week
This Month Is … Perennial Gardening Month

BULL’S BITS

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BS GOOD OR BAD?
Ask for the following to be rated simply ‘good’ or ‘bad’. Add some local items of your own.
• New Microwavable Frozen Panini Sandwiches.
• Phone numbers that are expressed as words.
• That beeping noise trucks make when they back up.
• Reusable grocery shopping bags.
• Elaborate carpet-covered structures for cats to play on.
• Snuggie blankets with sleeves.
• Those frilly toothpicks they stick in sandwiches.
• Cashiers that put the coins on top of the bills when handing back change.
• Name tags that say “Hello, My Name Is”.
• Reality shows that feature D-list celebrities.

BS RANDOM JOKE:
The less you have going on in your life, the more important it is to win softball games.

BS PHONE STARTER:
What personal item to you take with you at all times? (Chapstick? Chewing gum? Makeup?)

BS NAME THAT NAME:
• Eric Clapp was once at a crossroads, dated a girl named Layla, and was once addicted to cocaine. What name is he better known as? [Eric Clapton]
• Vincent Damon Furnier was once a desperado, loved it when school was out, and once said, “No More Mr Nice Guy”. By what name is he better known? [Alice Cooper]
• Marshall Mathers likes toy soldiers, evil deeds, and always has a final thought. By what name do we commonly call him? [Eminem]
• Gordon Sumner likes the police, was once the king of pain, and was in love with Roxanne. By what name do we know him? [Sting]
• David Robert Hayward-Jones likes cat people, China girls, and being under pressure. By what name is he better known? [David Bowie]
• Cherilyn Sarkisian LaPiere wants to believe, likes gypsies, and used to tell her husband, “I’ve got you, babe”. What is her show biz name? [Cher]
• Steveland Morris Hardaway likes to call friends to say he loves them, likes ebony and ivory, and is superstitious. By what name did he become famous? [Stevie Wonder]
– Adapted from Braingle.com

BS WATER COOLER QUESTION:
Today’s Question: The average woman will have 9 of THESE in her lifetime.
Answer to Give Out Next Show: Sexual partners. (“Women’s Health”)

BS DEEP THOUGHT:
If you think you have no faults, that makes one.