Monday, March 17, 2008 Edition: #3733
Top O’ The Bull To You!
WEEKEND TABLOID & BLOG BS:
• The cast & crew are starting to believe the set of the final ‘Harry Potter’ film is jinxed after a series of incidents has delayed filming on “Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows”. Mishaps have included everything from naked streakers to severe storms to mistakes with special-effects fog.
Meanwhile, 18-year-old “Daniel Radcliffe”, who stars as ‘Harry’, has received death threats. (To make this a really good film, they should leave all the out-takes in.)
– “The Sun”
• Victoria Beckham has made good on her promise to model for ”Project Runway” winner Christian Siriano. As a guest judge on the show, she told the 21-year-old designer she was a big fan. Now word has it the show’s model-host, Heidi Klum, has taken Siriano to Beckham’s Beverly Hills home to do a fitting. (The queen would never deem to leave her palace to try clothes on.)
– PlanetGossip.com
• A last-minute mutual agreement between Michael Jackson and his creditors has postponed a scheduled public auction of Neverland Ranch until MAY 14th, by which time Jackson’s attorney says it’s hoped the property will either have been sold or refinanced. (With his credit record, bet on sold.)
– AP Celebrity News
• Sean Combs (formerly known as Diddy) says he’s looking to launch a car service to chauffeur tipsy celebs home after a night out on the town. His rep confirms it’s a ‘future initiative’ he wants to put into action, but nothing’s in place just yet. (Like there aren’t any cabs in NYC and LA?)
– “E! News”
• Former “Jackass” star Steve-O has been charged with felony cocaine possession, stemming from his arrest earlier THIS MONTH after an investigation of vandalism. A source close to the actor confirms that he’s been hospitalized at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center as a direct result of his ‘reckless lifestyle’. (After all those dangerous stunts, he’s waylaid by a little snow.)
– TMZ.com
• The CW has fast-tracked a contemporary spinoff of “Beverly Hills 90210”. Details about the project are limited; however, Darren Star, creator of the original ’90s hit about rich teens living in a privileged zip code, is reportedly NOT involved. (Don’t we already have this? “The Hills”?)
– “Hollywood Reporter”
• Actor Richard Gere can once again visit India without fear of arrest. The country’s top court has indefinitely suspended an arrest warrant against him, which was issued after he enraged Hindu activists by kissing actress Shilpa Shetty at an AIDS awareness event LAST YEAR. That violated strict public obscenity laws. (Richard was so happy he hugged the judge. Oops!)
– ContactMusic.com
BS MUSIC NOTES:
• Amy Winehouse – She’s reneged on a 30-minute showcase concert for industry executives in the UK, scrapping it at the last minute due to ‘falling ill’. (Here we go again!)
• Britney Spears – She’s bought her 16-year-old pregnant sister Jamie Lynn a one-of-a-kind elephant – as a gift for her unborn baby. The pop star has reportedly ordered a six-foot tall custom-made elephant as part of a $30,000 nursery gift. (Gift certificates for future counseling might have been more practical.)
• Carrie Underwood – She’ll be formally inducted as a member of the Grand Ole Opry during the MAY 10th show. (Apparently they’ve changed the rules to allow performers under 80.)
• Fergie – She used to voice the role of ‘Sally’ in “Peanuts” TV specials. She does a few lines ‘Sally’-style in this interview. (A cool little clip to use for ‘Name That Voice’?)
NET: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Bo045yh1Qw
• Good Charlotte – Joel Madden’s new DCMA clothing store in Los Angeles had its official opening FRIDAY night (remember when rock stars sold … music?). Meantime, Paris Hilton says she’s going on the road with Good Charlotte bf Benji Madden as the band kicks off an international tour THIS WEEK in Johannesburg, South Africa.
• Iron Maiden – “Chemical Wedding”, a new horror film co-written by singer Bruce Dickinson, is set to debut at the “Cannes Film Festival” in MAY. He’s planning to fly friends & family to the film fest in the band’s private Boeing 757. (Iron Maiden have their own jetliner?)
• Lenny Kravitz – He’s adamant his 19-year-old daughter Zoe should stay in school despite the fact she has a successful film career, appearing in the Catherine Zeta-Jones film “No Reservations” and in the Jodie Foster in crime drama “The Brave One”. (Who’d have thought Lenny would become a domineering dad?)
• Natasha Bedingfield – She’s launched a scathing attack on troubled recording stars on her MySpace page, claiming they use booze & drugs in excess as a desperate bid for attention.
TODAY’S SHOW BIZ SKED:
• “The Bachelor” (ABC/CityTV) – The 12th season premiere introduces the 25 women looking to woo British bachelor Matt Grant. Among them are hot dog vendor Erin, children’s book author Holly, and wannabe actress Shayne.
• “Dancing With the Stars“ (ABC/CTV) – The season debut brings on a slew of new celebs paired up with professional dancers. Among them: “Jimmy Kimmel Live” writer & former “Loveline” host Adam Carolla, Oscar-winning deaf actress Marlee Matlin (“Children Of a Lesser God”), Penn Jillette (magic act Penn & Teller), Elvis widow Priscilla Presley, and movie actress Shannon Elizabeth (“American Pie”).
• “Ellen DeGeneres Show” (syndicated/CityTV): Sheryl Crow is the musical guest. She also appears TONIGHT on “Last Call With Carson Daly” (NBC). She’ll likely talk about a plan for a collaboration with classic rockers Fleetwood Mac, which may come together NEXT YEAR.
• “How I Met Your Mother”/”Two & a Half Men (CBS) – New post-strike episodes air. (Yay!)
• “Live With Regis & Kelly” (syndicated/CTV) – “Paralyzer” hitmakers Finger Eleven perform.
• Madonna – TONIGHT her new single, “4 Minutes to Save the World”, premieres in a Sunsilk shampoo TV ad. She previously got $10 million for the use of her image & hit song “Ray of Light” in an ad for the product and now she’s using the campaign to launch the new track from her upcoming album ”Hard Candy”, a collaboration with Justin Timberlake.
• Paul McCartney – A British judge is scheduled to rule on how many millions he must hand over to former wife Heather Mills. If either side disputes the decision, the case will go to the Court of Appeal, where all hearings will be held in open court and the details revealed. Speculation has it she’ll get a lump sum of around $50 million plus other considerations.
• “Tonight Show With Jay Leno” (NBC) – The Bravery are Jay’s musical guest.
YOU ARE HOW YOU SIT:
Slouch in your office chair and you not only look like a slacker … you may become one! Colorado College researchers say how you sit can help make or break your work performance. They’ve concluded that an upright posture makes people feel dominant and successful, which in turn improves their ability to relax and focus on problems. To fine-tune your sitting posture, it’s recommended you try tying a string from an upper shirt button to your belt buckle so that the string is taut when you sit tall. If the string goes slack, you’re slouching. (One problem … the string may also go ‘taut’ from your bulging gut pressing against it.)
– “Men’s Health”
FINANCIAL FITNESS:
A few tips on financial security from Jeff Yeager, author of “The Ultimate Cheapskate’s Road Map to True Riches” …
• Anyone can negotiate anything. Regardless of the situation, never be the first to name a price.
• Always bargain with a keen sense of kindness; it may be more difficult for someone to hornswoggle you if you establish person-to-person rapport.
• Live within your means at 30, and stay there. Establish a permanent standard of living while you’re young, cap your spending and, even as your salary increases, bank the rest.
• Never underestimate the power of NOT spending. A penny saved is equal to 1.3-to-2 cents earned, when you factor in taxes.
– “Washington Post”
MAKES NO SCENTS:
French scientists say humans are gradually losing their sense of smell because 75% of the genes related to the ability have mutated over generations to the point of being useless. (To test this out … take a whiff in any men’s locker room.)
– “Popular Science”
PEOPLE WHO ALWAYS LOOK SURPRISED:
According to the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery, the number of ‘eyebrow transplants’ performed has grown by 35% in just 2 years. Why? Often overlooked and taken for granted, eyebrows actually play a key role in non-verbal communication. One ‘brow specialist’ suggests that, without eyebrows, people are expressionless. The procedure still only accounts for about 3% of all hair transplants. (Women who’ve been a victim of overzealous plucking?)
– Columbia News Service
HURTS SO GOOD:
A UCLA neurological study finds that a small electric shock delivered directly to a certain point in the brain will make people laugh and see the situation around them as genuinely funny. (An epidemic of electric toothbrushes simultaneously shorting out is the only hope for this morning’s show.)
– UPI
TOWARD FATTER FANS:
As Major League Baseball gets set to open the 2008 season, many stadiums are planning to pick up on a new marketing fad … ‘All-You-Can-Eat Seats’. For a fixed price ranging from $30-to-$55, fans in these diet-busting sections can gorge on as many hot dogs, nachos, peanuts, and soft drinks as they can stomach. Beer is usually extra. At least 13 of the 30 MLB teams will offer the option for all or part of the 2008 season, up from 6 LAST YEAR. The idea is to entice fans to fill upper-deck and bleacher sections. (Hope they’re planning to install wider seats.)
– “USA Today”
BS AMAZING FACT:
Tens-of-thousands of soldiers caught in roadside bombings and firefights in Iraq and Afghanistan are coming home with permanent hearing loss and ringing in their ears. Nearly 70,000 of the more than 1.3 million troops who have served in the 2 war zones are receiving disability payments for tinnitus, a potentially debilitating ringing in the ears, and more than 58,000 for hearing loss.
– “Social Studies”
BS CHRONOMETER 03.17.08
TODAY’S CELEBIRTHDAYS . . .
1951 [57] Kurt Russell, Springfield MA, movie actor (“Miracle”, “Executive Decision”)/Goldie Hawn’s partner since 1983/Kate Hudson’s stepfather
1955 [53] Gary Sinise, Blue Island IL, TV actor (‘Detective Mac Taylor’ on “CSI: NY” since 2004)/movie actor (“Forrest Gump”)
1964 [44] Rob Lowe, Charlottesville VA, TV actor (“Brothers & Sisters” since 2006, “West Wing” 1999-2003)/movie actor (“Austin Powers 1-3”)
1967 [41] Billy Corgan, Chicago IL, rock singer/guitarist (Smashing Pumpkins-“Tarantula”, “1979”)
1972 [36] Melissa Auf der Maur, Montréal QC, rock singer/bassist (“Followed The Waves”, formerly with Smashing Pumpkins and Hole)
1973 [35] Caroline Corr, Dundalk, Ireland, pop musician/Celtic singer (The Corrs-“Breathless”, “Runaway”)
BS REASONS TO PARTY . . .
• “Clean Your Closet Day”. After all, would once-a-year kill ya? Sort it by: junk, charity donations, giveaways, and stuff that’s too small to wear anymore.
• “St Patrick’s Day”, the Irish national holiday that began as a ‘solemn religious observance’ to honor St Patrick (389-461 AD), patron saint of Ireland. It’s been an Irish holiday for 1,500 years, first celebrated in Canada in 1765 in Québec City. the first US celebrations were in Boston by the ‘Charitable Irish Society’ in 1737 and at NYC’s Crown & Thistle Tavern in 1756. The world’s largest “St Patrick’s Parade” is in NYC where more than a million spectators and over 100,000 participants are expected. A tradition since 1762, the 2-mile parade lasts about 6 hours. Green is associated with St Patrick’s Day because it’s the color of Spring, Ireland and the shamrock.
• “Submarine Day”, a tribute to the sandwich also known as a hoagie or a hero.
• “World Maritime Day”, honoring the tradition of seafaring. So to all the ships at sea … here’s to ya, maties!
TODAY’S FIRSTS . . .
1845 [163] Stephen Perry of London UK patents the ‘Elastic Band’ (next day, the 1st schoolboy gets one flicked in the eye)
1996 [12] Montréal Canadien’s play 1st game in new ‘Molson Centre’ (now Bell Centre)
TODAY’S RECORD . . .
1908 [100] ‘Fastest Heavyweight Title Fight’ as Canadian Tommy Burns K-Os Jem Roche in just 88 seconds for the world championship
AND REMEMBER . . .
[Tues] Forgive Mom & Dad Day
[Thurs] Muhammad’s Birthday (Islam)
[Thurs] 1st Day of Spring
[Thurs] Agriculture Day
[Thurs] Proposal Day
[Thurs] Single Parents Day
[Thurs] Snowman Burning Day
[Thurs] Teacher Appreciation Day
THIS WEEK IS . . .
Act Happy Week / Agriculture Week / American Chocolate Week / Animal Poison Prevention Week / Inhalant & Poisons Awareness Week / Poison Prevention Week / Pulmonary Rehabilitation Week / Safe Place Week / Spring Fever Week / Wellderly Week
BULL’S BITS
IRISH OR NOT?
Are the following celebs Irish [as in born in Ireland] or not? A timely BS St Paddy’s Day quiz …
• “Michael Clayton” Oscar-winner Tilda Swinton. [Not. Born in England; now lives in Scotland.]
• Former ‘James Bond’ actor Pierce Brosnan. [Irish. Born in County Louth.]
• “Canadian Idol” host Ben Mulroney. [Not. Born in Montréal.]
• “300“ actor Gerard Butler. [Not. He’s a Scotsman.]
• “Matchpoint”/”The Tudors” actor Jonathan Rhys Meyers [Irish. Born in Dublin.]
• “Late Night” host Conan O’Brien. [Not. Born in Brookline, Massachusetts.]
• “Late Late Show” host Craig Ferguson. [Not. Another Scot.]
• “Batman Begins” bad guy Cillian Murphy. [Irish. From County Cork.]
• “Batman Begins” actor Liam Neeson. [Irish, born in Ballymena, Northern Ireland.]
• U2’s Bono. [Irish, born in Dublin.]
• U2’s The Edge. [Not. Born in Barking, England.]
• “Star Wars” actor “Ewan McGregor’ [Not. Scottish.]
• Hell-raising “Alexander” movie actor Colin Farrell. [Irish, born in Dublin.]
• St Patrick [Not. Born in Wales]
BS PHONE STARTER:
Should hospital workers get fired for poking around in Britney Spears’ patient file? After all, everybody sneaks a peek at confidential material at work, don’t they? (13 hospital employees at UCLA Medical Center are being fired and at least 6 others suspended for snooping in her psychiatric records.)
BS RANDOM JOKE:
Why are married women heavier than single women? Single women come home, see what’s in the fridge, and go to bed. Married women come home, see what’s in bed, and go to the fridge.
BS WATER COOLER QUESTION:
Today’s Question: Web surfers in Ireland are #1 when it comes to Googling THIS term.
Answer to Give Out Next Show: ‘Hangover’.
BS DEEP THOUGHT:
May your blessings outnumber the shamrocks that grow, and may trouble avoid you wherever you go.
THANKS FOR BEING A BULL MARKET:
A big moo-out to The Morning Show @ WNIR 100 FM Akron OH who’ve just re-upped for another full year of “BS” (that’s 14 years, thank you very much); and welcome to samplers that this week include Sandra Gore @ B101 [CIQB] Barrie, Ontario; Kalan Huras @ N101 Istanbul, Turkey; Steve Greene @ KTUN Aspen CO; Nichole Riley @ WCMI Ottawa IL; Chris Valentine @ 106.9 The Rock [KLUB] Victoria TX; Jeff Winsor @ 98.7 K-ROCK [CKXD] Gander, Newfoundland; and Levi White @ KTAN Sierra Vista AZ. Welcome all!