BS SHOW BIZ BUZZ:
Hollywood photographer Anthony Citrano is putting up $5,000 he’ll donate to charity if 47-year-old actress Demi Moore can prove her cover shot on December’s edition of “W” magazine isn’t ‘retouched’ as she claims (rumor is it was heavily edited to slim down her hips) . . . “Girls Gone Wild” creator Joe Francis, who reportedly owes over $34 million in back taxes, tells TMZ that the feds have frozen his various accounts totaling over $100 million and he’s planning to file for personal bankruptcy ASAP (some would say it couldn’t have happened to a better guy) . . . Electronics giant Sony is planning to launch a new online service to distribute movies, music, books, and other content to Internet-capable TVs, Blu-ray players, ebooks and other devices beginning next year (someday we’ll be asking, “Remember when we used to leave the house?) . . . Michael Jackson’s personal physician, Dr Conrad Murray, has resumed regular hours at his medical clinic in Houston TX this week after not generating any income for 7 months (because Mikey popped and bolted) . . . Disney’s “High School Musical” series is getting a remake for the Asian market with “High School Musical: China” now shooting in Shanghai, complete with a Chinese cast and new screenplay (scheduled for Summer 2010 release) . . . And 48-year-old actress Meg Ryan appears to be back on the Hollywood dating scene after being spotted enjoying a string of romantic dinners with twice-divorced actor, Julian McMahon, star of FX’s long-running cosmetic surgery drama “Nip/Tuck” (she’s just looking for free Botox).
TODAY’S SHOW BIZ SKED:
• “Dancing With the Stars” (ABC/CTV) – The winners are announced.
• “Ellen DeGeneres Show” (syndicated/A Channel) – Bon Jovi (“The Circle”).
• “Last Call With Carson Daly” (NBC) – OK Go (“Oh No”).
• “Late Night With Jimmy Fallon” (NBC/A Channel) – ‘80s alt-rockers The Pixies.
• “Late Show With David Letterman” (CBS) – Rihanna (“Rated R”).
• “NCIS” (CBS) – US Secretary Of the Navy Ray Mabus makes a cameo appearance.
• “Today Show” (NBC) – Alicia Keys (“The Element Of Freedom”, out December 15th).
• “Tonight Show With Conan O’Brien” (NBC/A Channel) – Weezer (“Raditude”).
BS MUSIC NOTES:
• Janet Jackson – She’s working on her first book, “True You”, which will document her problem with drastic weight fluctuations throughout her life. Just this year, she’s piled on and then lost about 60 lbs.
• Julianne Hough – The dancer-turned-country singer, who’s sitting out the current season of “Dancing With the Stars” (ABC), has confirmed she will not participate in the next one either.
• Lady Gaga – The 23-year-old Italian-American singer whose real name is Stefani Germanotta says she loves to cook and her speciality is pasta and meatballs.
TODAY’S VIDEO RELEASES:
• “Angels & Demons” ( Suspense Thriller ): The bigscreen version of author Dan Brown’s prequel to the “The Da Vinci Code” reunites director Ron Howard & star Tom Hanks. This time Harvard symbologist ‘Robert Langdon’ is in Rome where he tries to block a secret society’s attempt to destroy the Vatican. Co-stars Ewan McGregor & Stellan Skarsgard. Also comes in a ‘2-Disc Extended Edition’.
• “Four Christmases” ( Romantic Comedy ): Reese Witherspoon & Vince Vaughn play a married couple from 2 divorced families, meaning they’re stuck attending 4 separate Christmas celebrations … in 1 day. Co-stars Robert Duvall, Sissy Spacek, and Jon Voight, plus country singers Dwight Yoakam & Tim McGraw. Word has it the 2 leads did NOT get along on the set, a fact that makes viewing their awkward onscreen hijinks even more fun.
• “Funny People” ( Comedy ): Judd Apatow’s latest comedy features Adam Sandler as a seasoned comedian who learns he has a terminal medical condition. His desire to form a genuine friendship inspires him to take a relatively green performer (Seth Rogen) under his wing as his opening act. Also available in a ‘2-Disc Unrated Collector’s Edition’.
• “Shorts ( Family Adventure ): A young boy’s discovery of a colorful, wish-granting rock causes chaos in a suburban town when jealous kids and scheming adults alike set out to get their hands on it. Features a no-name kid cast; co-stars William H Macy, James Spader.
• Also released today: “Beverly Hills 90210: The 8th Season” (vintage TV); “Kobe Doin’ Work: A Spike Lee Joint” (documentary); “Life On Mars: Series 2” (TV); “Melrose Place: The 5th Season, Volume 2” (vintage TV); “Snow White & The Seven Dwarfs – 2-Disc DVD Set”; and “Superman: The Complete Animated Series”.
FROM THE BS POLL VAULT:
A statistical breakdown of life by the numbers …
• 92% of single women say they would not date a guy who wears leather pants.
• 51% of female employees say they have thought at least once about punching a coworker.
• 50% of us get a haircut within a week of breaking up with someone.
• 36% of adults surveyed say they will recycle a holiday gift this year.
• 29% of women put on makeup every single day.
• 15% of people with jobs have a business card.
PRIME OF YOUR LIFE:
More than half of post-menopausal women are happier and more fulfilled than when they were in their younger years, according to the North American Menopause Society (NAMS). 51% of those surveyed say their lives are improved, including personal fulfilment, spousal relationships and friendships. (It’s true … you’re not getting older, you’re getting better!)
– “Woman’s Day”
GUYS ARE GUSHY:
Men are quicker to declare their love than women, according to a new dating poll. They take an average of 7 months to use the ‘L-word’ on a new partner, whereas women take almost 8 months. British psychologist Oliver James suggests the findings support previous studies that show men fall in love more frequently than women, and are more prone to feelings of being ‘swept away’. Because women mature sooner than men, he says, they become more hard-nosed, realistic, and in touch with their emotions. (Especially the ones that cause crying.)
– “Stella Magazine”
WAYS TO SLEEP BETTER:
• Try having a warm bath about an hour before bedtime. It’s recently been discovered that it’s the cooling down that occurs when you get out of the bath that facilitates sleep.
• If you’re struggling with insomnia, a ‘Sleep Restriction Therapy Program’ is an option to consider. The key is to stay in the bedroom only to sleep, and always get up at the same time.
• Naps are most effective when taken in the afternoon between 2-and-5. The optimum nap duration is 30 minutes.
• The best way to ensure you have the right mixture of sleep stages is to avoid caffeine and alcohol before sleeping, and ensure that you sleep from 7-to-9 hours every night.
• A protein meal at lunch may well prevent you from dozing off in the afternoon; a carb-heavy meal in the evening should help you sleep.
• One simple and effective method to wind down and relax is to repeatedly tense and relax your muscles for about 15 minutes shortly before going to bed.
• Lavender can be used to make a herbal tea before bedtime, although studies indicate that it is actually the smell of lavender that helps us sleep.
– BBC News
PITCHING IN:
A Wellesley College study of articles, advice and letters published in more than 300 parenting magazines between 1920 and 2006 has found that most modern-day children are only asked to take on trivial responsibilities, such as feeding a pet, clearing the table after dinner, or tidying up after themselves. In earlier generations, children and adolescents were given meaningful opportunities to be responsible by contributing not only to their households but also to their communities. Researchers conclude that kids should be given real responsibilities to help them develop a caring attitude and keep them grounded. (Not to mention whining.)
– “The Observer”
POPCORN’S A PIG-OUT:
It may taste delicious, but when popped in coconut oil and covered in buttery oil topping, movie popcorn can contain several days’ worth of saturated fat. New lab tests by the non-profit Center for Science In the Public Interest reveal that a $12 medium-popcorn-and-soda combo sold at Regal, the USA’s largest movie-theater chain, contains 1,610 calories and 60 grams of saturated fat – the equivalent of 3 McDonald’s Quarter Pounders with 12 pats of butter. The fare served up at other movie theaters isn’t much better. (Better stick to the Raisinets.)
– MSNBC
SCARED OF SCHOOL:
Nigel Blagg, author of “School Phobia & Its Treatment”, says the fear of school is a very real condition that’s been recognized since the 1960s. Sufferers experience extreme anxiety and often have symptoms like stomach aches, headaches, and nausea. Some suffer severe depression. One thing parents do to make it worse: Cause more anxiety by repeatedly telling kids school can be a difficult, painful time. (As we all know, high school’s a breeze.)
– “BBC News Magazine”
MOVIE SEQUELS WE’D LIKE TO SEE:
And the odds that they will really happen …
• “Anchorman 2”: Odds are high. Nothing else seems to be clicking for Will Ferrell.
• “Batman 3”: Very high. “The Dark Knight” (2nd installment) grossed over $1 billion worldwide.
• “Bourne 4”: Medium. Matt Damon has been mentioning lately he’s coming around to the idea.
• “Ghostbusters 3”: Unlikely. There’s no script, no cast, and no hope for this anytime soon.
• “Hangover 2”: Very high. Plans were in the works before the first film opened.
• “Kill Bill 3”: Medium, although it took nearly a decade for Quentin Tarantino to get around to “Inglorious Basterds”.
• “Old School 2”: Low. It’d be tough to corral Vince Vaughn & Will Ferrell again … or afford them.
– Condensed from StarPulse.com.
DID YOU KNOW?
• Earth is slowing down. In a few million years there won’t be a need for ‘leap years’.
• Earth is the only planet in the Solar System not named after a god.
• Earth is not round; it is slightly pear-shaped.
– DidYouKnow.org
BS CHRONOMETER 11.24.09
TODAY’S CELEBIRTHDAYS . . .
1970 [39] Chad Taylor, Baltimore MD, alt-rock guitarist (Live-“Heaven”, “Lightning Crashes”)
1977 [32] Colin Hanks, Sacramento CA, movie actor (“The House Bunny”, “King Kong”)/TV actor (“Band of Brothers”)/son of actor Tom Hanks
1978 [31] Katherine Heigl, Washington DC, TV actress (‘Dr Izzie Stevens’ on “Grey’s Anatomy” since 2005)/movie actress (“Knocked Up”, “27 Dresses”)
TODAY’S BS REASON TO PARTY . . .
“Celebrate Your Unique Talent Day”, saluting the individual abilities each of us has. Okay, so what is it that you can do that no one else can? Whistle through your nose? Play both armpits simultaneously? Recite the alphabet backwards? Talk out of both sides of your mouth at the same time?
TODAY’S MUSIC EVENTS . . .
1991 [18] The charismatic lead singer of the rock group Queen, Freddie Mercury, dies in his sleep at age 45, just one day after publicly announcing he’s suffering from AIDS
1998 [11] Cher’s career is revived as the mega-hit single “Believe” is released
TODAY’S FIRSTS . . .
1874 [135] 1st ‘Barbed Wire’ patented by Joseph Glidden of DeKalb IL (collecting various kinds of barbed wire is now a serious hobby for many)
1954 [55] 1st US presidential plane is christened “Air Force One”
AND REMEMBER . . .
[Wed] International Day For the Elimination of Violence Against Women Day
[Wed] Shopping Reminder Day
[Wed] “Ninja Assassin”; “Old Dogs”; “The Road” open in movie theaters
[Thurs] Thanksgiving Day (USA)
[Fri] Black Friday
This Week Is … Better Conversation Week
This Month Is … Home Care & Hospice Month
BULL’S BITS
BS THREATS USED IN DYSFUNCTIONAL FAMILIES:
• “If you don’t stop that this instant, I’ll have Grandma perform another striptease.”
• “Finish your lima beans or you’re not getting any heroin for dessert!”
• “Billy Bob, you finish them chores or Sis ain’t goin’ to the prom with ya!”
• “If this plexiglass wasn’t between us, I’d wash your mouth out with soap, young man.”
• “All right, Little Mister, no more time in the sheep pen for you!”
• “Eat your Brussels sprouts, or Mommy won’t love you anymore.”
• “You just wait till your father gets paroled!”
BS RANDOM JOKE:
I intend to live forever. So far, so good.
BS U-PICK TRIVIA:
What was the first African song to top North American pop charts?
a. “Free Nelson Mandela”
b. “Pata Pata”
c. “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” [CORRECT, 48 years ago TODAY (1961). The American version was recorded by the Tokens, a translation of a South African folk song known variously as “Mbube” or “Wimoweh”.]
BS PHONE STARTER:
How do you get rid of guests that just won’t leave when the party’s over?
BS WHYZITS:
• Whyzit that the only 3 worthwhile events in the course of several months will all fall on the same evening?
• Whyzit when we keep running over a piece of string a dozen times with a vacuum cleaner, we’ll reach down, pick it up, examine it, then put it down to give the vacuum one more chance?
• Whyzit they sterilize needles for death by lethal injection?
• Whyzit doctors leave the room while you change? They’re going to see you naked anyway.
• Whyzit Tarzan doesn’t have a beard?
• Whyzit we say we ‘slept like a baby’ when babies wake up like every 2 hours?
• Whyzit in Winter we try to keep the house as warm as it was in Summer when we complained about the heat?
BS WEB GOODIE:
Can you name the most commonly used words in the English language? Here are the top 5, according to the “Oxford English Dictionary” …
5. And.
4. Of.
3. To.
2. Be (variations of the verb ‘to be’ as in ‘are’, ‘is’, etc)
1. The.
Try for the top 100 here …
NET: http://www.sporcle.com/games/common_english_words.php
BS WATER COOLER QUESTION:
Today’s Question: The average person will have 56 of THESE in a lifetime.
Answer to Give Out Next Show: Toothbrushes.
BS DEEP THOUGHT:
A cynic smells the flowers and looks for the coffin.
