Get Your BS Here, Hot ‘n Fresh!
BS SHOW BIZ BUZZ:
Today is the 1-year anniversary of Michael Jackson’s death and oodles of fans are expected to show up to pay tribute at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale CA . . . In the family hometown of Gary IN, matriarch Katherine Jackson is unveiling a monument to Michael outside the humble house where his singing career began, followed by a memorial and candlelight vigil, ending with the song “We Are the World” . . . In Britain, custom-made furniture Michael ordered for Foxbury Manor, where he intended to stay during his London O2 concerts, is being auctioned off today (he reportedly paid over $700,000 for the 22 pieces) . . . A weekend sale of celebrity memorabilia by Julien’s Auctions at the Planet Hollywood Resort in Las Vegas includes – among lots of other useful stuff – a 1954 X-ray of Marilyn Monroe’s chest . . . “National Enquirer” is reporting that actress Sandra Bullock has put her divorce on hold after forgiving her cheating husband Jesse James, and may even be considering taking him back (if nothing else it’d be a bad career move – fans would never forgive her) . . . The Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences is considering moving up the 2011 “Academy Awards” to January (thereby making it one of the first galas of ‘awards season’ instead of the last) . . . “Jersey Shore” star Snooki is currently trying to get back the body she had as a high school cheerleader by eating herself thin on “Dr Siegel’s Cookie Diet”, which involves eating six 90-calorie cookies plus a small meal each day (snacking on cookies – this is a diet?) . . . And the “Jersey Shore” guys are on the cover of the new issue of NYC’s “Village Voice”, but are less than thrilled it turns out to be the cover of the annual ‘queer issue’ (apparently these Italian stallions aren’t so secure in their manhood).
WEEKEND SHOW BIZ SKED:
• “Black Entertainment Television Awards” (BET) – Sunday Queen Latifah hosts the 10th annual gala from LA’s Shrine Auditorium. Jay-Z leads nominations with 5, and will compete with wife Beyoncé for both ‘Video Of the Year’ and the ‘Viewers Choice’ award; Justin Bieber has been nominated for ‘Best New Artist’, because he’s considered a ‘crossover artist’; Prince receives a ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’. Performers include Drake, Kanye West, TI, and Trey Songz.
• “Crossroads Guitar Festival” (Chicago) – Saturday Eric Clapton’s annual fundraiser for his rehab center in Antigua includes performances by the Allman Bros Band, BB King, Jeff Beck, John Mayer, Steve Winwood, Vince Gill, and ZZ Top among many others.
NET: http://www.crossroadsguitarfestival.com
• “Dateline NBC” (NBC) – Tonight Michael Jackson’s mother, Katherine, discusses his death and how his kids are coping on a special entitled “Michael Jackson: A Mother’s Story”.
• “Daytime Emmy Awards” (CBS) – Sunday Regis Philbin hosts the 37th annual festivities at the Las Vegas Hilton, saluting excellence in daytime television. (Isn’t that an oxymoron?)
• “Ellen DeGeneres Show” (syndicated/A Channel) – Today Norah Jones (“The Fall”).
• Glastonbury Festival (Pilton UK) – This weekend’s 40th edition of one of Britain’s largest annual music events includes performances by scores of artists, including Gorillaz, Jack Johnson, Muse, Shakira, Stevie Wonder, Vampire Weekend, and – huh? – Willie Nelson.
NET: http://www.glastonburyfestivals.co.uk
• “Good Morning America” (ABC) – This morning Alicia Keys (“The Element Of Freedom”).
• “Jimmy Kimmel Live” (ABC/CityTV) – Tonight Sublime (“Everything Under the Sun”).
• “Last Call With Carson Daly” (NBC) – Tonight David Gray (“Draw the Line”).
• “Late Show With David Letterman” (CBS) – Tonight Jay-Z (“The Blueprint 3”); Eminem (“Recovery”).
• “Live With Regis & Kelly” (syndicated/CTV) – This morning Orianthi (“Believe”).
• “Saturday Night Live” (NBC/Global) – Taylor Lautner (“Twilight Saga”) hosts; Bon Jovi (“The Circle”) is musical guest.
• “Today Show” (NBC) – This morning Maxwell (“BLACKsummers’night”).
• “Tonight Show With Jay Leno” (NBC/A Channel) – Tonight “American Idol” winner Lee DeWyze (“Beautiful Day”).
• “Toronto Jazz Festival” – Tonight the annual 10-day music bash begins. This year’s lineup includes Bettye Lavette, Harry Connick Jr, Martha Wainwright, Mavis Staples, and The Roots.
NET: http://torontojazz.com
BS MUSIC NOTES:
• Brooks & Dunn – Their “Last Rodeo Tour” has been put on hold at the recommendation of Ronnie Dunn’s physician, who’s advising 3 weeks of vocal rest.
• Drake – He’s easily scored a #1 album debut with “Thank Me Later”, which has sold 447,000 copies in its first week, according to Nielsen SoundScan. By the way, he’s let it be known that he writes all his raps on his Blackberry.
• George Michael – The faded Brit pop star seemingly still has tons of royalty money to toss around. He’s just snapped up a $4.5-million beachfront property in Sydney, Australia. A birthday present to himself? He turns 47 today.
• Lady Gaga – She’s hoping to use dead bodies in her concerts if talks with scientist Gunther Von Hagens work out. He’s famous for his “Body Worlds” exhibitions, which depict preserved human corpses in various poses.
• Rascal Flatts – Tonight they kick off the “JC Penney Presents Rascal Flatts Nothing Like This Tour” in Raleigh NC. Newly engaged Kellie Pickler and Chris Young are the opening acts.
• Rush – Saturday the well-received documentary “Rush: Beyond The Lighted Stage” has its TV debut on VH1 and VH1 Classic.
• Usher – Sunday he helps the reno team rebuild a home for a widow and her 3 children on “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” (ABC). Selena Gomez (“Kiss & Tell”) also appears.
TODAY’S MOVIE OPENING:
“Grown Ups” ( PG-13 Comedy ): After their high school basketball coach passes away, 5 good friends and former teammates reunite for a Fourth of July holiday weekend. Stars Adam Sandler, Chris Rock, David Spade, Kevin James, and Rob Schneider. Co-stars Salma Hayek. The retro-heavy soundtrack includes tunes by AC/DC, Aerosmith, Bad Company, Bob Seger, Cheap Trick, J Geils Band, Joe Walsh, Journey, REO Speedwagon, and Triumph.
NET: http://www.sonypictures.com/movies/grownups/
SPARE CHANGE:
Today a giant Canadian gold coin worth an estimated $4 million is being sold at auction in Vienna, Austria. The ‘Gold Maple Leaf’ novelty had a $1-million face value when struck by the Royal Canadian Mint in Ottawa 3 years ago. The insolvency of an Austrian financial services company is forcing it to part with the massive coin, 1 of just 5 copies of what’s recognized by Guinness Records as the world’s largest gold coin. Not something you’ll be carrying around in your jeans pocket … at 53-cm-wide (21”) and 3-cm-thick (1”), it weighs 100 kg (220 lbs). (Are there any vending machines that take these?)
– Canwest News Service
REVENGE OF THE BLONDES:
Women with blond hair make more money than their peers. In fact they make, on average, about $1,800 more per year and are also – perhaps not as surprisingly – more likely to marry a rich man. Researchers at the University of Queensland, who surveyed some 13,000 women, say that the difference in pay remains the same even when other factors such as height, weight and education are removed from the picture. (Hear about the [overpaid] blond employee who has the computer password ‘Goofy-Huey-Louie-Dewey-Daisy-Donald-Mickey-Minnie-London’? That’s because the boss told her it had to be 8 characters long and have at least 1 capital.)
– Time.com
WIDE AWAKE DRUNKS:
Studies show that people who consume liquored up energy drinks (like Red Bull Vodka) are 4 times more likely to drink and drive. A study in the journal “Addictive Behaviors” says that chugging the potent mix also increases your risk of alcohol poisoning and the likelihood of risky sexual contact. That’s because combining alcohol with a caffeine stimulant tricks people into thinking they’re not drunk because they feel less sleepy. (On the positive side, you upchuck more enthusiastically.)
– WomensHealthMag.com
HOW TO VACATION:
Psychologists and economists studying the impact of vacations have found the following …
• We’re often happier planning a vacation than actually taking it.
• Taking more short trips leaves us happier than taking a few long ones.
• Who we’re with matters just as much as where we go.
• Interrupting a vacation can actually make us appreciate it more.
• If you want to remember a vacation vividly, do something that you’ve never done before.
• How a trip ends matters more than how it begins.
– Excerpted from “Boston Globe”
DID YOU KNOW?
• This summer, Live Nation, the biggest tour promoter in North America, has quietly scrapped nearly 10% of its arena shows as audiences have failed to materialize. The phenomenon is afflicting not only vintage bands such as the Eagles and the Go-Go’s, but also supposedly ‘hot’ younger acts such as Christina Aguilera, Ludacris, and the Jonas Bros.
– “Billboard”
• South Africans may have embraced the vuvuzela – the horn that, when sounded by thousands of soccer fans, has irritated people worldwide but it’s the Chinese who make them for about 30 cents apiece and ship them overseas. About 90% of the world’s vuvuzelas are produced in 2 Chinese coastal provinces: Guangdong and Zhejiang.
– “Chicago Tribune”
BS CHRONOMETER 06.25.10
TODAY’S CELEBIRTHDAYS . . .
1961 [49] Ricky Gervais, Reading UK, triple Golden Globe-, double Emmy-winning writer/producer (“The Office” creator, “Extras”)/movie actor (“Night At the Museum” films) BS FACTOID: His father emigrated to England from London ON.
1963 [47] George Michael (Yorgos Kyriatou Panayioutou), Radlett UK, oldies singer (“Faith”, Wham-“Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go”)
1971 [39] Sean Kelly, Albuquerque NM, pop guitarist/singer (Sixpence None the Richer-“Kiss Me”, “There She Goes”)
1971 [39] Angela Kinsey, Lafayette LA, TV actress (‘Angela Martin’ on “The Office” since 2005)
1972 [38] Mike Kroeger, Hanna AB, rock bassist (Nickelback-“Photograph”, “How You Remind Me”)/half-brother of frontman Chad Kroeger
SATURDAY –
Rock bassist Colin Greenwood (Radiohead) is 41; Country singer Gretchen Wilson (“Redneck Woman”) is 36; Baseball star Derek Jeter (NY Yankees) is 36; Rock drummer Nathan Followill (Kings of Leon) is 31; Rock singer Ryan Tedder (OneRepublic) is 31.
SUNDAY –
Country singer Lorrie Morgan (“What Part of No”) is 51; TV/movie writer-director JJ Abrams (“Lost”/”Star Trek”) is 44; Movie actor Tobey Maguire (“Spider-Man”) is 35; Pop singer Leigh Nash (Sixpence None the Richer) is 34; TV actor Ed Westwick (“Gossip Girl”) is 23.
TODAY’S BS REASONS TO PARTY . . .
• “Leon Day” (‘Noel’ spelled backwards), observed exactly 6 months from Christmas, meaning we’re as far away from all that rush and stress as we can be!
• “National Catfish Day”, first initiated in 1987 to celebrate the value of farm-raised catfish. (They sure are hard to herd.)
• “Take Your Dog to Work Day”, created by Pet Sitters International in 1999 to give dog owners the opportunity to invite their ‘best friend’ into participating workplaces. It also happens to be “Ugly Dog Day”, so you can inflict your hideous hound on co-workers if you have one.
NET: http://takeyourdog.com
• “Sense of Humor in Bed Appreciation Day”. So what’s it like being laughed at?
SATURDAY –
• “Backyard Campout Night”, great fun for kids of all ages. (But not so much for the adults trying to sleep indoors who wake up to the door slamming every time the ‘campers’ need drinks, food or the bathroom; or get scared by the spooky noises coming from the neighbor’s yard.)
• “Beautician’s Day”, your chance to show your appreciation to those who make you look beautiful and stunning. That includes your hairstylist, manicurist, esthetician … and the makers of Adobe Photoshop.
• “International Day Against Drug Abuse & Illicit Trafficking”, a UN observance established in 1987 with the goal of achieving an international society free of drug abuse. Let’s see, has it worked yet?
• “International Day in Support of Torture Victims”, created by the UN General Assembly to demonstrate solidarity with all those whose mind, body or spirit have been impacted by torture.
SUNDAY –
• “Canadian Multiculturalism Day”, an opportunity to celebrate our diversity and to appreciate the contributions of the various multicultural groups and communities to Canadian society.
• “Decide to Be Married Day”, focusing on the joys of the ball-and-chain. Ask listeners for advantages to being married that you rarely hear about.
• “Sunglasses Day”, celebrated on the anniversary of the 1942 debut of ‘Ray-Ban Sunglasses’. Shades as we know them today are a 20th-century phenomenon. In the 1930s, the military commissioned glasses that would protect pilots from glare. But they didn’t become a real fad until the 1960s when an ad campaign asked, “Who’s behind those Foster Grants?”.
THIS DAY IN SHOW BIZ . . .
1951 [59] ‘Color TV’ is introduced in a 1-hour special on CBS-TV
TODAY’S MUSIC EVENT . . .
2009 [01] Michael Jackson dies of acute Propofol intoxication at age 50
TODAY’S FIRSTS . . .
1974 [36] ‘Hand-Held Calculator’ is patented, Texas Instruments ‘Datamath’, which can only do basic arithmetic but is priced at over $100 (nowadays you can get a scientific calculator for $1)
1993 [17] Kim Campbell is sworn in as Canada’s 19th and 1st female PM (for 4 months)
TODAY’S RECORD . . .
1977 [33] Roy Sullivan of Virginia is struck by lightening for the 7th time … and lives! (uh Roy, maybe when you hear that rumbling noise, you ought to try heading indoors?)
AND REMEMBER . . .
[Today-Sat] G8 Summit (Huntsville ON)
[Sat-Sun] G20 Summit (Toronto ON)
[Sat] Full ‘Strawberry’ Moon
[Sun] Descendants Day
[Mon] Please Take My Children to Work Day
[Wed] “The Twilight Saga: Eclipse” opens in movie theaters
This Week Is … Prevention of Eye Injuries Awareness Week
This Month Is … Soul Food Month
BULL’S BITS
ACTUAL PERFORMANCE REVIEWS:
Suffer through a poor performance review recently? Chin up, it likely didn’t have near the sting of these comments …
• “Works well when under constant supervision and cornered like a rat in a trap.”
• “This young lady has delusions of adequacy.”
• “He would be out of his depth in a parking lot puddle.”
• “This employee is depriving a village somewhere of an idiot.”
• “He sets low personal standards and then consistently fails to achieve them.”
• “This employee should go far … and the sooner he starts, the better!”
• “He doesn’t have ulcers, but he’s a carrier.”
• “I would not allow this employee to breed.”
BS RANDOM JOKE:
I read this article that said the typical symptoms of stress are eating too much, impulse buying, and driving too fast. Are they kidding? That’s my idea of a perfect day!
BS PHONE STARTER:
Is it bad etiquette to forward an email/text from someone without first asking permission?
BS WATER COOLER QUESTION:
Today’s Question: When it comes to driving, women are better at THIS than men.
Answer to Give Out Next Show: Using turn signals.
BS DEEP THOUGHT:
When forced to choose between two evils, try the new one.