Thursday, March 21, 2024 – Edition: #7682
Sheet Happens!
BS SHOW BIZ BUZZ:
★ Megan Fox has confirmed that her engagement to Machine Gun Kelly was at one time called off. In an interview, the “Jennifer’s Body” actress said that she can see the media accounts of her relationship timeline with MGK seem “confusing, or interesting to people.” The couple sparked breakup rumors in 2023 after Fox posted a series of photos referencing Beyoncé’s ‘Lemonade’. She later denied any cheating rumors. But she isn’t willing to divulge too much about her current relationship with the rapper, saying only: “What I’ve learned from being in this relationship is that it’s not for public consumption. What I can say is…(he is my) ‘twin soul’, and there will always be a tether to him no matter what.”
-E!
★ Richard Simmons has revealed he was diagnosed with skin cancer. The reclusive fitness guru shared the news on Facebook, a day after concerning fans with a message about dying, which he later backtracked. The 75-year-old said he recently noticed a “strange looking bump” under his right eye, which his dermatologist determined was basal cell carcinoma, the most common form of skin cancer. The “Sweatin’ to the Oldies” host said his doctor performed a “burning” procedure to remove cancerous cells, but he was required to return for a second treatment, about which he said: “This time was worse than before…It was deeper. I did not cry this time but I did grit my teeth.” Simmons cryptically concluded his post by writing: “To be continued.” LINK: https://tinyurl.com/yc8z9ahf
-PageSix
★ Taylor Swift has set a new record with the premiere of her “Eras Tour” concert film on Disney+. “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour (Taylor’s Version)” had 4.6 million views on Disney+ in its first 3 days of release, making it the #1 music film ever on the platform. Swifties watched 16.2 million hours of the 3½ hour blockbuster over the weekend. The Eras Tour debuted on Disney+ worldwide on Thursday, March 14. The newly expanded version of the film includes 5 bonus songs, plus 4 more in the 26-minute “Acoustic Collection” extra.
-Variety
★ Travis Kelce is considering a new field of play. The Kansas City Chiefs tight end is reportedly in discussions to host a celebrity-focused reboot of the game show “Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader?” that would stream via Amazon Prime Video. The deal, if signed, would represent the NFLer’s latest move toward entertainment, following appearances on “Saturday Night Live,” the reality series “Catching Kelce”, and a podcast he hosts with his brother, Jason.
-Variety
★ ‘Popeye’ is sailing back to the big screen. The iconic spinach-eater, who first appeared in comic strips in the 1920s, will be the subject of a new big-budget feature film, currently in development. This is the first live-action revisiting of the character since the 1980 film “Popeye,” led by Robin Willians. Directed by Robert Altman and co-starring Shelley Duvall as the quirky love interest ‘Olive Oyl’, the film was panned upon release but has since gained cult status and critical reconsideration.
-Variety
TODAY’S SHOW BIZ SKED:
• “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” (ABC/Global): Regina King, William Shatner, Dasha
• “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” (NBC/CTV): Gisele Bündchen, Wayne Brady, Mary Beth Barone
• “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” (CBS/Global): Matt Damon, Danielle Pinnock (R)
• “After Midnight” (CBS/Global): Suzi Barrett, Matt Walsh, Vanessa Gonzalez (R)
• “Late Night with Seth Meyers” (NBC/CTV): Alex Wagner, J. Smith-Cameron, Baby Tate (R)
• “Watch What Happens Live” (Bravo): Kristen Wiig, Ricky Martin
• “The Daily Show” (COM): Steven Levitsky, host Jon Stewart (R)
• “The View” (ABC/CTV): Gisele Bündchen, Stormy Daniels
• “Live With Kelly and Mark” (ABC/CTV): Chef Gail Simmons
• “The Kelly Clarkson Show” (Check local listings): Jake Gyllenhaal, Hannah Love Lanier
• “The Drew Barrymore Show” (Check local listings): Simu Liu, Deborah Norville
• “Jennifer Hudson Show” (Check local listings): Toni Braxton & Cedric the Entertainer, Melissa Benoist, Carla Gugino, Natasha Behnam & Christina Elmore
• “Law & Order” (NBC): Shaw and Riley investigate the death of a comic after a subway altercation; at trial, a new witness comes forward to throw the case into question. Followed by new eps of “SVU” and “Organized Crime”.
• “Grey’s Anatomy” (ABC): Bailey tells the interns they must complete dozens of basic procedures before being allowed back in surgery; things are awkward between Simone and Lucas.
• “2024 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament (Check local listings): First Round: Oakland vs. Kentucky, NC State vs. Texas Tech, plus other games.
BS MUSIC NOTES:
• Bruno Mars — MGM Resorts is denying claims that he owes the hospitality empire millions in gambling debt. Last week, NewsNation reported that Mars landed himself in debt of over $50 million at MGM — a large portion of which he is working to pay off through his residency at Park MGM in Las Vegas. A statement says: “Any speculation otherwise is completely false; he has no debt with MGM.”
• Lady Gaga – has added 8 more dates to her “Jazz & Piano” Las Vegas residency this summer. The revived run of shows, which she first debuted in 2019, begin June 19 at Park MGM’s Dolby Live, concluding July 6. Tickets will go on sale this Saturday.
• Huey Lewis – Bob Dylan once wrote a song for him to record, but he lost it. On “Jimmy Kimmel Live!”, Lewis said that during his heyday with Huey Lewis & the News, “He sent me a cassette and a lovely note saying he liked the last record and here’s a song of mine.” But, he told Kimmel, “Not only did I not cut it, I don’t know where the cassette is.”
• Queen — Freddie Mercury’s London home, where he lived the last decade of his life, is on sale…minus his “exquisite clutter.” “Garden Lodge”, as it is known, in the posh Kensington neighbourhood, is open for offers exceeding £30 million (US$38 million). He bought it in 1980 for about £500,000 ($636,000).
• Journey – Their anthem ‘Don’t Stop Believin’’ has officially been declared the “Biggest Song of All Time” by Forbes. The 1981 hit is now an 18-times-platinum-certified single. Decades after its release, the song became the best-selling digital track from the 20th century, with over 7 million downloads.
• Eagles – Rumors are again swirling that they may be next to take over the state-of-the-art “Sphere” concert venue in Vegas for a residency. NY Post quotes a source as saying the group will play Sphere over 10 weekends from September-December. U2 concluded its Sphere run on March 2. Eagles are currently on their Long Goodbye tour, set to end next year.
• Keith Urban, Lainey Wilson and Jelly Roll – have all been announced as performers for the CMT Music Awards 2024. Bailey Zimmerman and previous Breakthrough Video of the Year winner Sam Hunt will also sing, and more performers will be announced over the next few weeks. Kelsea Ballerini will pull double duty as host and performer at the April 7 event.
• Kane Brown – Tomorrow, he’ll drop the new single ‘Fiddle in the Band’. On his socials, he dropped a rockin’ teaser clip, along with the song’s cover art, which features Brown and his fiddle player onstage with pyro in the background. LINK: https://tinyurl.com/49un3mj3
• Morgan Wallen – The beat goes on…and on. “One Thing at a Time” rules the Billboard Top Country Albums Chart for a 44th week. That’s the 4th longest stint at #1 ever. His “Dangerous: The Double Album” ranks first, with 97 weeks at the top.
SHOOTING THE BULL
A LOT TO STOMACH:
If you’re a stomach-sleeper, this is important: Experts are warning that those who sleep front-side down are a lot more prone to a number of health issues. One of the biggest complaints of stomach-sleepers is lower-back pain. And Dr. Tony Nalda from the UK’s Scoliosis Reduction Center warns that if you already suffer from neck or back problems, sleeping in this position “is guaranteed to make them worse.” Stomach-sleeping can also make it more difficult to breathe deeply, because the position compresses your diaphragm, the doctor says. He also warns it can put stress on your heart, through the pressure on your chest, which makes it harder for blood to circulate. This could lead to cardiac issues over time, including higher blood pressure, especially if you already have problems there. The front-sleeping position has also taken the blame for migraines, pinched nerves and other neurological issues, as a result of sleeping with a twisted neck. In addition, you may already be aware that sleeping on your stomach can lead to more facial wrinkles, because of the way it causes your face to compress on the pillow.
(…but that’s nothing compared to the way my wife compresses the pillow on my face if I’m honking away on my back!)
(I always sleep on my right side. Or, at least that’s where I start. After about 10 minutes, it’s anybody’s guess where I’ll end up!)
-NYPost
CLUTTER-BUSTING:
Here’s a little something to keep in your back pocket as you get set to tackle the always-onerous job of spring cleaning: Decluttering around your home can save your mental health. Experts say that while there are many issues in the world and in our lives that we simply can’t do a thing about, the act of cleaning and getting rid of clutter is something you can fix…and this gives you a positive sense of control. It’s also a 100% preventable drain on your well-being. Consider the negative impact of clutter in your space, and these benefits of decluttering…
• Boosts mood – the act of decluttering relaxes your mind.
• Improves physical health – eating habits improve, combatting the association between clutter and becoming overweight.
• Escalates the ability to focus, which prepares your mind to perform tasks.
• Increases productivity – visual accomplishment is rewarding.
• Relieves anxiety – having clutter makes you fear more clutter.
• Improves sleep – an organized environment increases sleep quality.
• Improves relationships – communication is more effective.
(Not to mention the fact that you’ll be less likely to lose the remote control!)
(Whenever I get the urge to de-clutter, I just watch “Hoarders”, and I feel so much better!)
-StudyFinds
EARTHQUAKE (TAYLOR’S VERSION):
We already know that Taylor Swift’s fanbase (and who among us can honestly say we aren’t a Swiftie?) often display levels of devotion that border on obsession. But new research has found that Swifties really are a force of nature. Scientists from the Seismological Society of America and Caltech report that it was the dancing and jumping motions of the audience at SoFi Stadium during an August Taylor Swift concert that produced distinct harmonic tremors during the show. Previously, researchers speculated that the seismic activity may have originated from reverberations of the sound system. But the new study concluded that it was actually crowd movement that was responsible. Songs varied significantly in terms of seismic activity, with ‘Shake It Off’ recording the strongest tremor, equivalent to a magnitude 2 earthquake.
(Well, you knew it would have to be during ‘Shake it off’! That or ‘Look What You Made Me Do’…)
(Just imagine how strong that tremor would have been if any of her fans were full-grown!)
-StudyFinds
FUNNIEST TWEETS OF THE WEEK FROM WOMEN:
⇒ I could never be a movie critic because almost every time I see a movie I’m like “yeah that was fun” and it’s usually because I got popcorn and a big soda – Sarah
⇒ [Me casually trying to figure out if the hot dude at my gym is old enough for me to hit on:] what war do you most associate with your time in elementary school? — Yael
⇒ i can’t believe i have to know the make and model of the planes i get on now. i barely know what kind of cars there are – Audrey bowler
⇒ not fight, not flight, but a secret third option (call my mom about it) – trash jones
⇒ I get annoyed when it takes longer than 5 seconds for a website to load on my phone, like I didn’t grow up dropping a roll of film off at the store and waiting 5 days to get pictures back. – Abby Heugel
⇒ i am addicted to saying “wow its soo nice out” when its so nice out – lauren
⇒ Really enjoying this Kate Middleton stuff because this is the kind of investigation work I do in private whenever I think any couple I even vaguely know might have broken up — kate
⇒ i’m hearing the pandemic started 4 years ago which is odd because i’m pretty sure that was either 800 years ago or yesterday actually – Caitie Delaney
-HuffPost
DID YOU KNOW?
According to a German study, people who kiss their spouse good-bye in the morning not only miss less work due to illness, they also experience fewer auto accidents on the way to work, earn 20-30% more money, and live approximately 5 years longer than those who do not kiss their spouse in the morning. (I showed this to my wife. She said: “It all sounds great – except the part about kissing you”!)
-OldFarmersAlmanac
BS CHRONOMETER 03.21.24
TODAY’S BS REASONS TO PARTY . . .
• “Absolutely Incredible Kid Day”, celebrating children by encouraging adults to write them a letter or tell them how much they appreciate them, and how incredible they are. Sharing a message on social media works, too. (LINK: https://campfire.org/kidday/ ) It’s also…
• “Teenagers Day”, a day to quit picking on them for their awkwardness and angst, and admit that they aren’t so bad after all. Today, tell them how special they are (…and they’ll grunt at you.)
• “Common Courtesy Day” … if you please. Thanks for your adherence!
• “Fragrance Day” and “Flower Day”, both observed in very early Spring. So, smell a flower or wear a favorite scent…if that’s still allowed where you work.
• “Single Parents Day”, saluting those dedicated saints who single-handedly do the work of 2 in raising and providing for their families.
• “Memory Day”, but for the life of me, I can’t remember why…
• “Crunchy Taco Day”, also known as hard tacos, they were invented in Mexico sometime after the creation of the soft corn shell variety, around the 1890s. Crunchy shells are soft shells fried in a U shape, and are also sometimes called “tacos dorados”, which means “golden tacos” in Spanish.
• “World Poetry Day”, a good day to sample some ‘modern poetry’ by reading the inane lyrics to a hit song over a mushy violin background track. (***Find lots of dumb lyrics here …***) LINK: https://www.lyrics.com/
• “World Tattoo Day”, honoring tattoos and body art. (I have no idea what to suggest you do today to celebrate…) LINK: https://www.worldtattooday.com/
• “World Down Syndrome Day”, “to create a single global voice for advocating for the rights, inclusion, and well-being of people with Down syndrome.”
• “International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination”, observed annually on the anniversary of the date in 1960 that police in Sharpeville, South Africa, opened fire and killed 69 people at a peaceful demonstration against apartheid “pass laws”.
AND REMEMBER . . .
[Fri] As Young as You Feel Day
[Fri] Bavarian Crêpes Day
[Sat] Puppy Day
[Sun] Chocolate Covered Raisins Day
This Week Is…Anonymous Giving Week
This Month Is…Craft Month
TODAY’S CELEBIRTHDAYS . . .
1946 [78] Timothy Dalton, Colwyn Bay Wales, movie actor (‘James Bond’ in “The Living Daylights”, “Licence to Kill”)/TV actor (“Doom Patrol” 2019-21)
1950 [74] Roger Hodgson, Portsmouth England, rock singer-guitarist (‘Had a Dream’, Supertramp-‘Take the Long Way Home’, ‘The Logical Song’)
1958 [66] Gary Oldman, London England, movie actor (“Harry Potter” movies, “The Dark Knight Rises”, ‘Best Actor’ Oscar for “Darkest Hour”, 2018)
1962 [62] Matthew Broderick, NYC, movie actor (“Ferris Bueller’s Day Off”, “WarGames”, “Inspector Gadget”)/Broadway actor (Tony-“The Producers”)/married to Sarah Jessica Parker since 1997
1962 [62] Rosie O’Donnell, Commack NY, TV talk show host (“The Rosie Show” 2011-12, “The View” 2005-07, 2014-15, “Rosie O’Donnell Show” 1996-2002)/movie actress (“A League of Their Own”)/TV actress (“American Gigolo” since 2022)
1980 [44] Deryck Whibley, Scarborough ON, rock guitarist-vocalist (Sum 41-‘In Too Deep’, ‘Fat Lip’)/married to Avril Lavigne 2006-10
1980 [44] Ronaldinho (Gaucho), Rio Grande do Sul Brazil, retired soccer star (midfielder with 97 caps; 2X FIFA Player of the Year, FIFA World Cup 2002, Olympic bronze, 2008, 2X Ballon d’Or)
1986 [38] Scott Eastwood, Monterey CA, movie actor (“Suicide Squad”, “The Longest Ride”)/son of Clint Eastwood. COMING UP… “Tin Soldier”
2004 [20] Forrest Wheeler, LA CA, TV actor (‘Emery Huang’ on “Fresh Off the Boat” 2015-20)
ON THIS DATE . . .
2013 [11] The European Space Agency reveals new data indicating the universe is 13.82 billion years old (roughly…)
THIS DAY IN SHOW BIZ . . .
1980 [44] On the season finale cliff-hanger of “Dallas”, villain ‘J.R. Ewing’ is shot by a then-unknown assailant (It was Kristin!)
TODAY’S MUSIC EVENTS . . .
1985 [39] In Vancouver, wheelchair athlete Rick Hansen begins his “Man in Motion” tour, to raise money for spinal cord research. Inspired, fellow Canadian David Foster works with John Parr to write a tribute song, used in the film “St. Elmo’s Fire” (The #1 hit ‘St. Elmo’s Fire [Man in Motion]’).
2015 [09] Jason Aldean marries former “American Idol” contestant Brittany Kerr in Mexico
TODAY’S FIRSTS . . .
2011 [13] The first ‘Full Face Transplant’ is performed by surgeons at Brigham & Women’s Hospital in Boston MA
2006 [18] Twitter founder Jack Dorsey sends the first-ever tweet over his new social networking site, which reads: “just setting up my twttr” (It was sold as an NFT in March, 2021 for $2.9 million)
TODAY’S RECORD . . .
2000 [24] *NSYNC’s “No Strings Attached” sets an all-time record for single-day album sales of 1.1 million
BULL’S BITS
BS WHACK FACTS:
✓ Alexander Graham Bell initially suggested that the standard greeting when answering a telephone should be “ahoy”.
✓ A Swiss study found that you are 13.8% more likely to die on your birthday.
✓ The television was invented only 2 years after the invention of sliced bread.
✓ In some locations, such as South America and tropical islands, oranges are green all year round.
✓ The common cold is caused by over 200 different viruses.
✓ An estimated 80% of the ‘close door’ buttons in elevators don’t actually do anything.
-BathroomReadersInstitute, Facts
Best of BS . . .
BS UNLIKELY HOME REMEDIES:
(***DO NOT try these at home . . .***)
• Use red wine to remove red wine stains.
• In a pinch, denture tablets can be used in place of Alka-Seltzer.
• A spoonful of sugar helps the insulin go down.
• Pour salt on an open wound.
• If you’re choking on an ice cube, pour boiling water down your throat.
• You put de lime in de coconut, you drank ’em bot’ up.
• Always apply a heating pad over an ice pack.
• Take 2 of these and call me in a year.
• Laughter is the best medicine. Mix with scotch and serve on ice.
• If you stop asking your wife for sex, her headaches will clear up pretty quickly.
-Twitter, first published in BS in 2019
TODAY’S SCOOP OF BS:
➠ Twitter (now X) turns 18 years old today. Nearly a third of Americans use it. (The rest can communicate in complete sentences…)
➠ NASA says testing revealed Mars once contained the elements to support life. (Even more amazing, they came to the same conclusion about Detroit…!)
➠ You can definitely tell its springtime in the NFL. (The Vegas Raiders are already hard at work blowing a draft pick…)
➠ In an interview, Gwyneth Paltrow once said she’s “incredibly close to the common woman.” (It happens every time she bumps into one of her 23 maids…!)
➠ Dollar Tree has announced it plans to close 1,000 stores. (Great. So NOW where am I supposed to take ‘first dates?’
➠ Researchers are working to develop strong painkillers that don’t make you high. (The project is being funded by the National Institute of Party Poopers!)
BS WEB GOODIE:
Had me going for a bit there: https://tinyurl.com/4wxbyr79
BS RANDOM JOKE:
My girlfriend said to me once: “If anything ever happens to me, I want you to meet someone new.” It turns out getting stuck in traffic doesn’t count as ‘anything’.
BS PHONE STARTER:
What embarrassing — or incredibly clever — scam did you fall for?
BS WATER COOLER QUESTION:
31% of singles say they have dated someone they met HERE. Where is it?
Answer: The gym
BS DEEP THOUGHT:
The road to success is dotted with many tempting parking spaces.
