Monday, March 25, 2024 — Edition: #7684
The BS Press!
BS SUBSCRIBER NOTE:
The Bull Sheet will not be publishing Friday, March 29, to observe Good Friday. All subscribers will receive credit for the non-service day. The Bull Sheet will resume publication on Monday, April 1st.
BS SHOW BIZ BUZZ:
★ Kate Middleton’s announcement revealing her cancer diagnosis came from the heart. People quotes a source as saying: “She wrote every word herself”, regarding the Princess of Wales’ video speech, which was released on Friday and filmed 2 days prior in the gardens of Windsor Castle. A family friends said: “She wrote the words herself, delivered it personally and wanted to decide when the time was right to hit the world with this news.” Prince William is said to be “extremely proud of his wife for the courage and strength she has shown, not just last week, but since her surgery in January,” the royal source said.
-People
★ Blake Lively has publicly apologized for being one of many who joked about the retouched photo of Kate Middleton, in the wake of her cancer diagnosis revelation. The Princess of Wales’ video announcement put an end to months of speculation about her health, which included revelations that Kensington Palace has a history of manipulating photos. Plenty of people mocked the Photoshopped images, including Lively, who wrote on Instagram: “I’m sure no one cares today but I feel like I have to acknowledge this. I made a silly post around the ‘Photoshop fails’ frenzy, and oh man, that post has me mortified today. I’m sorry. Sending love and well wishes to all, always.”
-TheWrap
★ Cameron Diaz and Benji Madden have expanded their family! The couple, who married in 2015, announced the birth of their son Cardinal, in an Instagram post on Friday. Alongside a pic of a drawing that read, “A little bird whispered to me,” they wrote: “We are blessed and excited to announce the birth of our son, Cardinal Madden. He is awesome and we are all so happy he is here! For the kids safety and privacy we won’t be posting any pictures- but he’s a really cute…” Diaz and Madden are also parents to daughter Raddix, who was born December 30, 2019. LINK: https://tinyurl.com/yhs67m5b
-People
★ “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire” opened with a projected $45 million in North American ticket sales over the weekend, about $1 million more than its predecessor “Ghostbusters: Afterlife” earned on its opening weekend in 2021. “Dune: Part Two” held onto second place, earning about $17.5 million. “Kung Fu Panda 4” landed in 3rd, with a projected weekend haul of $16.8 million, and new horror flick “Immaculate” starring Sydney Sweeney took in an estimated $5 million.
-Variety
★ Kevin Bacon is going to prom in the high school gym where he filmed his signature role. Friday, Bacon, whose iconic film Footloose recently celebrated its 40-year anniversary, appeared via video chat on the “Today” show, to surprise staff and students at Payson High School in Payson, Utah, with the news that he has accepted their viral campaign to visit the school where he shot the 1984 movie, to attend this year’s prom. To those gathered in the gymnasium, he said: “I’ve been amazed at the work that all of you have been putting into this, with the musical and the flash mobs and the re-creations… Thank you guys. Let’s dance.”
-People
TODAY’S SHOW BIZ SKED:
• “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” (ABC/Global): Oprah Winfrey, Chromeo (R)
• “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” (NBC/CTV): Shakira, Mo Gilligan, Dakota Fanning
• “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” (CBS/Global): Stephen Breyer, Justin Thomas
• “After Midnight” (CBS/Global): Chloe Radcliffe, Matt Braunger, Chris Fleming
• “Late Night with Seth Meyers” (NBC/CTV): Jake Gyllenhaal, Andrea Riseborough
• “Watch What Happens Live” (Bravo): TBA
• “The Daily Show” (COM): Host Jon Stewart
• “The View” (ABC/CTV): Melanie “Mel B” Brown
• “The Talk” (CBS): Jane Lynch, Jamie-Lynn Sigler guest co-hosts
• “Live With Kelly and Mark” (ABC/CTV): Carol Burnett, a preview of the 2024 New York International Auto Show
• “The Kelly Clarkson Show” (Check local listings): Willie Geist, Kiawentiio and Elizabeth Yu, Robyn Schall
• “The Drew Barrymore Show” (Check local listings): Zanna Roberts
• “Jennifer Hudson Show” (Check local listings): Alison Brie
• “The Bachelor” (ABC): Season 28 finale, and “After the Final Rose”
• “The Voice” (NBC): The Battles Part 3
• “NCIS” (CBS): With the help of Knight’s dad, special agent Feng Zhao, NCIS works to unravel the mystery of a recently used service weapon belonging to a missing agent; McGee is in a tailspin. Followed by a new episode of “NCIS: Hawai’I”.
BS MUSIC NOTES:
• Tyla – Friday, she released her highly-anticipated self-titled debut album. It includes ‘Truth or Dare’, ‘ART’, and her hit ‘Water’, plus the remix featuring Travis Scott. Also making guest appearances are Tems, Becky G, Gunna, Skillibeng and Kelvin Momo.
• Imagine Dragons – sent fans into a frenzy with a mysterious post. The band shared a graphic of a sunset with the words “Imagine Dragons.” A link goes to a page with an hourglass, and a prompt to enter contact info. The group also scrubbed its Instagram page, except for its most recent activity, including a clip that teases a new single or album called “Eyes Closed.” LINK: https://tinyurl.com/bd678n7a
• Pearl Jam — is offering fans an early preview of its upcoming album “Dark Matter”. It will be played in over 500 movie theaters around the world for one night only, on April 16. The new album will be played in its entirety twice: once in darkness, then again with added visuals. Tickets are now available at Pearl Jam’s website. LINK: https://tinyurl.com/5xz7krk3
• David Bowie — June 14 marks the release of “Rock ‘n’ Roll Star!”, a new box set covering his career from 1971 through recording of the iconic “The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and The Spiders From Mars” album. It will include UK radio sessions and TV performances, as well as live recordings from his October 1, 1972 show at the Boston Music Hall.
• Styx – played its first show on Friday in Wallingford CT since bassist Ricky Phillips announced his departure from the group. His replacement? Singer Larry Gowan’s brother, Terry Gowan. He’s a noted movie music composer, and has played in Larry’s solo band, and other acts. No word on if the position is permanent.
• Morgan Wallen and Post Malone – Postie set the internet on fire last week when he shared a clip of a new song featuring the 2. But it wasn’t the first time fans had heard the song. Wallen posted a stripped-down version, along with the caption “I Had Some Help” — in late 2023, but later deleted it. In his new upload, Malone wrote: “Let’s go with the real mix this time @morganwallen”, along with a crying laughing emoji. LINK: https://tinyurl.com/yrsd6357
• NEEDTOBREATHE and Jordan Davis – They are teaming up for an outdoor taping of “CMT Crossroads” at the University of Texas at Austin on April 5, before they perform on the 2024 CMT Music Awards on April 7. Still more CMT Awards performers will be announced in the coming weeks.
• Alabama – has announced its 2024 “Roll On II North America Tour”. The band will perform in arenas, amphitheaters and at festivals in more than 20 cities, with the lone Canadian stop on June 29 at Dauphin’s CountryFest in Manitoba. Special guests include The Marshall Tucker Band, Diamond Rio, Jamey Johnson, the Bellamy Brothers and Lee Greenwood.
SHOOTING THE BULL
PLANE COMFORTABLE:
You know how it is…when you’re on a packed flight, and you’re constantly fighting for elbow room with the person sitting beside you, you can’t stretch out, and you don’t have room for your device…for your book…or for your food…and you just feel like you could just SCREAM! What? Just me? Anyway, the elbow-room problem has to be a thing for everyone. So you should be interested in this: Ultra-low-cost American carrier Frontier Airlines has introduced a new seating option that guarantees an empty middle seat if you’re in a window or aisle seat. This, of course, results in some much-appreciated personal space. Plus, there’s extra legroom for added comfort. This seating option, called “UpFront Plus”, only applies to the first 2 rows of the plane, which means you’d also be among the first to be able to get off the plane. And what’s the cost for this kind of luxury? The introductory price is US$49 per passenger.
(But being able to use 2 armrests at the same time? Priceless!)
(It’s a great idea, but I have to admit I was a little surprised when my wife ordered that for both of us on our anniversary getaway!)
-DailyHive
FACEBOOK POKE FOLK:
I never though I’d say this, but the latest social media trend among 20-somethings is on…Facebook. And it actually involves the resurgence of a charming old feature that you might have forgotten about. Young people have apparently been very into “poking” each other on Facebook lately, ever since a design change made the button more visible to users. Meta reports that pokes have increased 13 times since the change, and more than half of pokes are by users aged 18-29. The funny thing is this: Facebook has never actually specified what the poke is for: Some use it to say hello, others to digitally flirt, or to annoy their enemies. We’re not sure what Zoomers are using it for these days, but chances are that Meta is just thrilled that Facebook is part of something “cool” again. Or, at least “ironically cool”.
(Yeah, I never really understood that ‘poke’ feature either. Like…what’s the correct response? To ‘poke’ back? Or is that rude? Should I ‘like’ the poke? Should I send a message to the poke-er? Should I just ignore it? Should I unfriend that person for making me feel so confused?)
(I’m not sure how “cool” it is. I mean, no other social media sites have bothered to copy it. Of course, if Tinder had it, it would mean something else entirely…!)
-MorningBrew
NEW GOOD NEWS:
➢ MacKenzie Scott, the billionaire philanthropist (and Jeff Bezos’ ex) had promised to give $1 million to 250 organizations last year through an “open call” for applications. Last week, she announced she would instead give $640 million to 361 organizations. That makes her organization Yield Giving’s first round of donations more than double what Scott had initially pledged, in response to applications from nonprofits. In a brief on her website, Scott thanked Lever for Change, the organization that managed the “open call” for donations. Lever For Change said that the donor team decided to expand the awardee pool and the award amount “in light of the incredible work of these organizations.” Scott began giving away billions in 2019.
➢ A couple of 8-year-olds at Chelsea Elementary School in Maine started a cool new trend that’s all about being yourself. It’s called “Dapper Wednesdays.” Every week, any kids who want to, get all dressed-up for school. It started when one boy decided to wear a suit to school. Now, every week, kids show up for class dressed to the nines…whether that be fedoras, ties, floor length dresses, or a skirt and blazer combo. It is stressed that everyone should feel good in what they wear. As student James Ramage put it: “(You can) wear what you want and just say ‘I don’t care if somebody bullies me. I’m who I can be’”. The school’s administration loves it — and has even started a “dapper closet” so all school children are able to find something fun – and fancy – to wear.
-AP, CNN
THINGS THAT ARE TURNING 50 IN 2024:
✓ Rubik’s Cube
✓ Meow Mix
✓ “Blazing Saddles” (movie)
✓ UPC bar code
✓ Kiss (rock band)
✓ Skittles
✓ Bailey’s Irish Cream
✓ “Happy Days” and “The Six Million Dollar Man” (TV shows)
✓ Foot Locker (store)
✓ Post-it Notes
✓ Leonardi Di Caprio, Ryan Seacrest, Christian Bale, Hillary Swank and Kate Moss
✓ Dungeons & Dragons
(Also: Most of my dad’s wardrobe!)
-USAToday, BuzzFeed
DID YOU KNOW?
While everyone can relate to feeling angry or annoyed sometimes, researchers from Ohio State University found that that it’s actually a bad idea to “vent” about your personal problems. Why? Their study determined that screaming about the stuff that makes you mad is unlikely to result in a calmer state of mind. Instead, they recommend using various techniques to help fight stress and anger, such as deep breathing, mindfulness, meditation, yoga, or counting to 10. The researchers found that all of these approaches to calming down are more effective than venting and ranting. And by the way, jogging was found to make anger worse. (Just THINKING about running makes ME mad!)
-StudyFinds
BS CHRONOMETER 03.25.24
TODAY’S BS REASONS TO PARTY . . .
• “International Waffle Day” (“Vaffeldagen”), a holiday that originated in Sweden to coincide with the Christian “Feast of the Annunciation”. It was also considered the start of Spring, so it became a custom for Swedish families to celebrate both events by making waffles.
• “Old New Year’s Day”, although the Gregorian calendar was created in 1582, many countries chose to ignore it for several hundred years. Instead, they used “Annunciation Style dating,” which recognized the Feast of the Annunciation (March 25) as New Year’s Day.
• “Pecan Day”, an annual salute to the only nut tree native to North America. The word comes from Algonquian language, meaning a nut requiring a stone to crack. The proper pronunciation is ‘peh-CAHN’ not ‘PEE-can’.
• “Tolkien Reading Day”, an annual event launched by the Tolkien Society in 2003, with the aim of encouraging reading of the works of JRR Tolkien. March 25 was chosen to honor the date of the fall of ‘Sauron’ in “Lord of the Rings”.
• “International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery & The Transatlantic Slave Trade”. For over 400 years, more than 15 million men, women and children were the victims of the transatlantic slave trade, one of the darkest chapters in human history. LINK: https://tinyurl.com/2p99cx39
• “Cerebral Palsy Awareness Day”. Cerebral palsy, a group of neurological disorders, affects body movement, muscle coordination, and balance. This day, and Cerebral Palsy Month, observed in March, aim to spotlight the need for public understanding and support for the most common motor disability in childhood. LINK: https://tinyurl.com/5sj284bz
• “Lobster Newburg Day”. Lobster Newburg is an American seafood dish made with lobster, butter, cream, cognac, sherry, eggs and cayenne pepper. It is an elegant and classic dish enjoyed by many since the late 1800s.
AND REMEMBER . . .
[Tues] Nougat Day
[Tues] Make Up Your Own Holiday Day
[Wed] Country Music Song Titles Day
[Thurs] Something on a Stick Day
This Week is…Cleaning Week
This Month is…Optimism Month
TODAY’S CELEBIRTHDAYS . . .
1943 [81] Paul Michael Glaser, Cambridge MA, TV actor (‘Starsky’ on “Starsky and Hutch” 1975-79)
1947 [77] (Sir) Elton John [Reginald Dwight], Pinner England, pop-rock singer (‘Candle in the Wind’, ‘Your Song’)/sold over 250 million albums & 100 million singles/Songwriters Hall of Fame 1992)/Hollywood Walk of Fame 1975/Rock Hall of Fame 1994)/Commander of the Order of the British Empire, 1995/knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 1998 for charitable work
1965 [59] Sarah Jessica Parker, Nelsonville OH, TV actress (“Sex & The City” 1998-2004, “And Just Like That…” since 2021)/ movie actress (“Sex & The City” movies, “Footloose”/married to Matthew Broderick since 1997
1982 [42] Danica Patrick, Beloit WI, retired auto racing driver (Indianapolis 500 & IndyCar Series ‘Rookie of the Year’ 2005)/first (and only) woman to win an Indy car race (2008 Indy Japan 300)
1984 [40] Katharine McPhee, LA CA, TV actress (“Scorpion” 2014-18, “Smash” 2012-13)/pop singer (“American Idol” 2006)/married to David Foster since 2019
1988 [36] “Big” Sean [Anderson], Santa Monica CA, rapper, singer-songwriter (‘Bounce Back’, ft. Drake & Kanye West-‘Blessings’)
1988 [36] Ryan Lewis, Spokane WA, DJ-producer (Macklemore & Ryan Lewis-‘Same Love’, ‘Thrift Shop’)
THIS DAY IN SHOW BIZ . . .
2002 [22] The reality show “The Bachelor”, hosted by Chris Harrison, debuts on ABC
2005 [19] Jennifer Aniston files for divorce from Brad Pitt after 4½ years of marriage
2015 [09] Mariah Carey joins James Corden for the first installment of “Carpool Karaoke”
TODAY’S MUSIC EVENTS . . .
2014 [10] Gwyneth Paltrow and Coldplay’s Chris Martin announce their “conscious uncoupling” after 11 years of marriage. They would divorce in 2016
2022 [02] Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins dies at age 50, in Bogotá, Colombia, while on tour with the band
TODAY’S FIRSTS . . .
1934 [90] The first ‘Masters’ golf tournament wraps up in Augusta GA (Horton Smith wins $1,500)
1954 [70] RCA sells the first widely-available color TV set (12½” screen, $1,000)
1982 [42] Wayne Gretzky becomes the first NHLer to score 200 points in a season (finishes season with 212, still the only player to hit that milestone, he did it 3 more times)
TODAY’S RECORD . . .
2017 [07] The largest-ever banana split, at 8,040 metres long (over 8km), is made in Innisfail, Australia (40,000 bananas, 2,500 litres of ice cream and 2,000 litres of topping)
BULL’S BITS
BS WHACK FACTS:
✓ About 7,000 new insect species are discovered every year.
✓ The first baseball caps were made of straw.
✓ Those in the cheese industry refer to the gray mold that grows on cheese as “cat fur”.
✓ There are 10 towns named Hollywood in the United States.
✓ Ulcers are more aggravated by decaf than by regular coffee.
✓ Giraffes were originally known as “cameleopards”.
-BathroomReadersInstitute, RandomFactGenerator
Best of BS . . .
BS FAKE RAP FACTS:
• Busta Rhymes and LeAnn Rimes are twins who were separated at birth.
• Christmas rap songs are known as Gift Rap.
• All rappers see Dr. Dre for antibiotics.
• Eminem prefers Reese’s Pieces.
• It still works if you only push it ‘kind of’ good.
• You must be at least 16 to receive a license to ill.
• Tupac had a brother named Threepac
• Jay-Z really only has about 82 problems.
• Before earning the name Grandmaster Flash, he progressed through the rankings of Apprentice Flash, Journeyman Flash, and Master Flash.
• Abraham Lincoln’s rapper name was 1 cent.
• When you wave your hands in the air, it shows you actually DO care.
-Twitter, first published in BS in 2019
TODAY’S SCOOP OF BS:
➠ The NCAA March Madness tournament is now well underway. (College basketball emphasizes team play and fundamentals. And as an NBA fan, I just can’t tolerate that…)
➠ According to a study, chemicals found in human sweat can spread happiness to those nearby. (…which explains why people are so excited to take selfies with the Times Square Naked Cowboy!)
➠ Last year, the rapper Afroman officially filed papers to run for president. (The sad thing is, he’s only the 4th-craziest person in the race…!)
➠ A study says carbs can make you angry. (If you don’t believe it, just try cutting in line in front of a Cinnabon regular!)
➠ Ashton Kutcher told an interviewer he doesn’t care if people think he’s stupid. (Sweet. So — no hard feelings then…)
BS WEB GOODIE:
Finally! https://tinyurl.com/2s66cdm9
BS RANDOM JOKE:
My wife left me because I’m insecure. No…wait…she’s back. She just went to get coffee.
BS U-PICK TRIVIA:
• Which of the following is NOT considered a fruit, scientifically speaking?
a) Pumpkin
b) Pear
c) Broccoli [CORRECT]
d) Tomato
• In Norse mythology, what is ‘Thor’ the God of?
a) Lightning
b) Thunder [CORRECT]
c) Rain
d) Pie
• Which animal can be seen on the ‘Porsche’ logo?
a) Horse [CORRECT]
b) Cheetah
c) Dog
d) Mustang
-QuizWitz
BS PHONE STARTER:
What’s your best “my co-workers are crazy” story?
BS WATER COOLER QUESTION:
27% of women say they wish their partner would change THIS about their appearance. What is it?
Answer: Shave their back
BS DEEP THOUGHT:
The difference between the impossible and the possible lies in a person’s determination.
