Tuesday, November 26, 2024 — Edition: #7843

Bullseye!

BS SHOW BIZ BUZZ:
★ Liam Payne was seemingly trying to escape his hotel room by way of the balcony when he fell to his death last month in Buenos Aires, according to a report by TMZ. A police report says that a hotel employee found a brown leather bag on the hotel room balcony directly below Payne’s. He seemingly dropped it down to the second floor while trying to escape. It appears that he intended to then jump to the second-floor balcony before climbing down. Payne was known for climbing on ledges and using balconies as an escape route.
-PageSix
★ While most eyes are on the giant balloons during the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, the event also boasts loads of celebrity appearances and performances. The 2024 event is no different, with Macy’s announcing 28 acts set to perform in some capacity. Those include on-screen stars like Jimmy Fallon and Idina Menzel, legends like The Temptations and Kylie Minogue, country acts like Dan + Shay, as well the WNBA’s New York Liberty. Other big names include Jennifer Hudson, Ariana Madix, Walker Hayes, T-Pain, and The War and Treaty. The 2024 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade will air live on NBC at 8:30am, followed by an encore presentation at 2pm, after the National Dog Show.
-PopCulture
★ The Billboard Music Awards are returning to TV and their original home — with a twist. The 2024 BBMAs will be telecast Dec. 12 on Fox — where the awards show first aired in 1990. In addition, the show will be available on Amazon’s Fire TV Channels and on Paramount+. Actress-comedian Michelle Buteau will host the special, which will be pre-recorded at multiple venues around the world, at least some of them tied to the show’s presenting sponsor, Marriott Bonvoy, including a performance by country star Shaboozey. Zach Bryan leads the pack with 21 nominations, and Taylor Swift has 17.
-Deadline
★ Chad Duell is saying goodbye to “General Hospital.” The 37-year-old wrote on Instagram that he has stepped down from the soap opera. Duell has played ‘Michael Corinthos’ since 2010. In his post, he said: “This wasn’t an easy decision for me, but it feels like the right time in my life.” General Hospital executive producer Frank Valentini confirmed the news, writing on X that Duell “will be missed by everyone at #GH”, and “There are no plans to recast his role at this time, but you never know in daytime.”
-NYPost
★ Tim Burton’s scary good sequel, “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice,” will soon haunt your house from your home screen. The long awaited sequel will be available to stream on Max beginning Dec. 6, after it was released in theaters in September. Beetlejuice Beetlejuice did well at the box office, where it opened to $111 million domestically, which was the second highest September debut ever. In total, it made more than $450 million at the global box office.
-Variety

TODAY’S SHOW BIZ SKED:
• “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” (ABC/Global): Kathy Griffin, Ronny Chieng, Knocked Loose ft. Poppy
• “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” (NBC/CTV): Anthony Anderson, Jodie Turner-Smith, D.J. Demers
• “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert” (CBS/Global): Billy Bob Thornton, Sharon Horgan (R)
• “After Midnight” (CBS/Global): Lauren Lapkus, Paul F. Tompkins, Rachel Pegram (R)
• “Late Night With Seth Meyers” (NBC/CTV): Kaley Cuoco, Ryan Clark, Percival Everett
• “Watch What Happens Live” (Bravo): Beverly Hills & New York Thrills
• “The View” (ABC/CTV): Lindsay Lohan, Danielle Pinnock
• “The Talk” (CBS): Kristin Chenoweth, Ben Nickelson
• “Live With Kelly and Mark” (ABC/CTV): Scarlett Johansson, Jodie Turner-Smith
• “The Kelly Clarkson Show” (Check local listings): Kaley Cuoco, Xolo Maridueña
• “The Drew Barrymore Show” (Check local listings): Sean Astin and MacKenzie Astin
• “The Jennifer Hudson Show” (Check local listings): “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” cast, Marvin Sapp
• “Murder in a Small Town (Fox): Season 1 finale. The investigation to find a possible serial killer in Gibsons continues; Alberg and his team piece together clues and discover an unusual pattern that relates back to familiar works of art.
• “The Voice” (NBC): The Playoffs Part 3
• “Dancing With the Stars” (ABC): Season 33 finale. Five couples compete for a chance at winning the coveted Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy.

BS MUSIC NOTES:
• Ariana Grande – was surprised to learn that she is in a tie with Taylor Swift for the female artist with the most songs to debut at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, with 7. In a TikTok video shared by MTV UK, she reacted to the news by saying with surprise: “Really? I didn’t know that. Good company!” LINK: https://tinyurl.com/9s647476
• Miley Cyrus – In an interview, she discussed the stories behind a number of her hits. On ‘Wrecking Ball’: “My man wasn’t acting right” (the song is widely believed to be about her ex-husband, Liam Hemsworth). On ‘Party in the U.S.A.’: “The ultimate grocery aisle music.”
• Eddie Van Halen – His long-lost 1993 Ernie Ball “Canada Day” guitar sold for $104,000 at a Julien’s Auction in Nashville. The axe, featuring the red Canada maple leaf and signatures of all the band members, was played by Van Halen at a 1993 Canada Day concert at Molson Park in Barrie ON. It hadn’t been seen publicly since.
• Pat Benatar – She and hubby/guitarist Neil Giraldo have co-authored a children’s book. “My Grandma and Grandpa Rock!” is an “ode to the special bond between grandparents and grandchildren.” The picture book’s lyrical story highlights how grandparents can “rock” in a variety of ways — through singing, dancing, or just being themselves. Look for it next fall.
• Bon Jovi – has appeared for the first time on Billboard’s Dance/Electronic Digital Song Sales chart with ‘Now or Never’. The song, credited to Pitbull X Bon Jovi, uses the chorus from Bon Jovi’s hit ‘It’s My Life’ for a new electronic dance/hip-hop hybrid. It debuted on the chart at #13.
• Brantley Gilbert – has announced his “Tattoos Tour 2025”, and tickets are just $25. Quote: “My hope is that…people can step away from everyday stresses and enjoy themselves…Music has always been about bringing people together and offering a break from the grind, even if it’s just for a few hours.” The North American tour starts Feb. 10 in Florida. LINK: https://tinyurl.com/39djmps3
• Parker McCollum — was once just a fan of Miranda Lambert, but the 2 Texans are now friends, and they sang together on ‘Santa Fe’ on Lambert’s latest album. McCollum quote: “She’s a good friend of mine now, and she’ll call me out on my B.S. — that’s when you know somebody’s your good friend.”
• Luke Bryan – ramped up his friendly beef with Blake Shelton after Shelton said in an interview that Bryan could beat him in an arm wrestle because he “roids a lot”. Bryan comically said to Taste of Country: “Do I look ‘roided? Is there ‘roids in donuts?” He paused, then sang: “Anything he can do, I can do better, I can do anything better than Blake.”

SHOOTING THE BULL

THE “WICKED” TRUTH:
In the new hit movie “Wicked”, the character ‘Elphaba’, played by Cynthia Erivo, who later becomes the ‘Wicked Witch of the West’ shows up at university with bright green skin, a result of her mother drinking a suspicious elixir while pregnant. But did you know that here in the real world, there is some evidence of a non-magical condition that once caused young women’s skin to take on a greenish tint? Chlorosis, a type of anemia, was frequently observed in inactive girls and young women in the 18th and 19th centuries. It’s a condition that occurs when red blood calls are paler than normal. It’s a result of insufficient hemoglobin, the pigment that carries oxygen in the blood. Also called “green sickness,” chlorosis was characterized by the skin taking on a greenish-yellow tinge, as well as exhaustion, shortness of breath, reduced appetite, and a taste for sour foods like pickles. The condition is believed to be caused by iron deficiency, and was typically treated with iron supplements. And iron deficiency is still a problem today. A 2023 study found that nearly 40% of teen girls and young women in the US have an iron deficiency, which can lead to low energy and brain fog.
(I saw Wicked over the weekend. Elphaba is SO green, that I kept expecting her to yell: “Get out of my swamp!”)
(OK, great. Now does anyone want to explain why Ariana Grande looks so darn PALE?)
-NYPost

CHILD CARE:
Did you know that you should never kiss a baby? Me neither. But according to Dr. Karan Raj, a National Health Surgeon in the UK, a baby’s immune system is not fully developed, so their risk of catching a serious infection is much higher, and therefore, it is very dangerous for them to be kissed. In a recent TikTok video, Dr. Raj warned people of the dangers of kissing a baby, pointing to a 2023 survey which revealed that 54% of new and expectant parents would “let friends and family kiss their newborn baby, unaware of the risk of serious infection.” For about the first 3 months, the infant’s immune system has fewer infection-fighting immune cells, which means that infections that cause mild symptoms in adults or older children can be life-threatening for babies. Newborns are also more vulnerable to infectious bacteria than older children and adults. Parents are advised to not feel uncomfortable about asking others to avoid kissing or touching their child. And if it’s going to happen no matter what you say, at least ask them to wash their hands thoroughly, and avoid kissing the infant on the mouth or face. The back of the head and the foot are suggested alternatives. And, of course, if the visitor is unwell when visiting a baby, they should wear a mask, and avoid getting too close. LINK: https://tinyurl.com/ycxp6d9h
(Obviously, this guy never had a kid who has a Scottish grandmother!)
(You’re not supposed to kiss babies? Here’s one guy who’ll never be a politician!)
-TheConversation

SURVEY SAID:
❑ A new poll found that 43% of people are increasing their charitable activities at the year winds down. And while it’s great that many of us are thinking about what we can do or give to others, it seems that younger people are leading the charge. The survey of 2,000 Americans found that 59% of Gen Z and millennials are actively increasing charitable activities before 2024 draws to a close. That’s significantly higher than their older counterparts, with only 37% of Gen X and baby boomers planning to give more in the final weeks of the year. (Well, that totally explains why my kid just asked me for 50 bucks…!)
❑ A new survey found that the average football fan has already given up on their team’s chances for this season. The poll of 2,000 fantasy football owners revealed that while a staunch 56% declare they “never give up,” the reality is that by Week 6, 16% of managers have already thrown in the towel, with Week 10 emerging as the deadliest single week for league dropouts. It’s not all doom and gloom, though, as 31% of fantasy football owners remain confident of their chances, and 59% are “hanging in there” and hoping their fortunes change. (See? I’m ‘giving’ lots to others as the year winds down. Victory in my Fantasy Football league, for one…!)
-Talker, StudyFinds

MOVING FEES:
If you’re considering pulling up roots and moving to another country, why not make it pay off? Because of declining populations, talent drain and other issues, these surprising destinations are actually offering you cash to move there – with some conditions…
☞ Ireland: It is offering up to about US $87,000 in the form of cash grants to those willing to renovate and move into a vacant home on a string of scenic coastal islands with a total population of 3,000. You must agree to stay for at least 10 years.
☞ Switzerland: If you’re 45 or younger, the village of Albinen in the Swiss Alps wants you – and it’ll pay you $23,000, plus $11,500 for each child you being along. And remember: Switzerland is perennially ranked as one of the safest and happiest countries in the world. (Not if MY kids moved there!)
☞ Spain: A town named Ponga, in the mountainous northern region, offers up $3,200 to those who’ll move there – plus the same amount for each young child. (AND it’s in wine country!)
☞ Greece: The picturesque island of Antikythera (population: 45) is paying people more than $500 per month for a THREE YEARS after they move in. (You might say they’re “greecing” the wheel to convince you. And you also might say “That’s the worst ‘dad-joke’ I’ve ever heard!”)
☞ Italy: The region of Calabria is offering $30,000 to anyone willing to live in certain small villages, as long as they start a business or fill an essential job. Other places are paying new residents that much to buy a house, and still others are offering “fixer-uppers” for as little as $1.
☞ Japan: Despite overcrowded cities, Japan has many towns that are suffering from dramatic population loss. The Regional Revitalization Program gives grants of up to $31,000 to those willing to move to one of those towns.
☞ Canada: The Canadian government offers $14,400 in tuition reimbursement to those who commit to studying in Canada for 4 years – then permanently moving to the prairie province of Saskatchewan, which is in need of skilled professionals.
-NYPost

THE WORST AMERICAN THANKSGIVING FAILS:
According to a survey of 2,000 Americans, if you’re hosting Thanksgiving dinner, you can expect 6 things to go wildly wrong. Here are some of the worst…
☞ “The food served was so bad that everybody stopped eating after just one bite.”
☞ “Completely forgot to invite anyone, so nobody wound up coming.”
☞ “Thought I’d forgotten to order most of the ingredients I needed for Thanksgiving cooking. Turns out my husband just forgot to get any of them out of his trunk 7 hours ago.”
☞ “Earlier in the year I used the turkey baster to suck power steering fluid out of the car. I forgot to replace the baster. It became a crisis.”
☞ “Our feast came to a screeching halt because my aunt’s dog was bleeding, so she rushed him to the emergency vet — and it turned out to be cranberry juice.”
☞ “Forgot to thaw the turkey ahead of time.”
☞ “The turkey was stolen from the dinner table.”
☞ “The turkey caught on fire.”
☞ “The dog ate the turkey.”
-Mashable, first published in BS in 2019

DID YOU KNOW?
The Australian government has proposed a ban on children under 16 from using social media — and will hand large fines to companies that don’t comply. The ban is to apply to services including TikTok, X, Instagram and Snapchat. This comes after several incidents of bullying, and complaints from parents about the pressure their children face online. (They would have included Facebook too, but – you know – no one under 16 would be caught dead there!)
-CNN

BS CHRONOMETER 11.26.24

TODAY’S BS REASONS TO PARTY . . .
• “Good Grief Day”, celebrating the phrase often used by ‘Charlie Brown’ of Charles Schulz’s comic strip, “Peanuts”. Schulz was born on this day in 1922, and today is dedicated to both him and his enduring comic strip.
• “Cake Day”, an annual salute to the classic dessert that’s the climax of many a celebration. What’s the best kind? Angel Food? Black Forest? Red Velvet? Double Chocolate Fudge?
• “Anti Obesity Day”, to highlight how obesity is a public health hazard and to encourage people to work toward ending it. It’s part of an annual campaign to promote the development of good lifestyle habits to stay healthy and fit.
• “Heath Day”, a worldwide celebration to appreciate everyone with the name ‘Heath’. Heath is an English name used as a surname and a first name. It denotes someone who lived or worked on a heath, which is an area of uncultivated land. (Can you tell there aren’t many holidays to talk about today?)
AND REMEMBER . . .
[Wed] Blackout Wednesday
[Wed] Jukebox Day
[Thurs] Letter Writing Day
[Fri] Black Friday
This Week is…Family Week
This Month is…Peanut Butter Lovers Month

TODAY’S CELEBIRTHDAYS . . .
1938 [86] Rich Little (“Man of a Thousand Voices”), Ottawa ON, comedian-impressionist/TV actor (“The Rich Little Show”, “Love on a Rooftop” 1966-67, sometime voice of ‘The Pink Panther’)

1945 [79] John McVie, London England, rock bassist (Fleetwood Mac-‘Don’t Stop’, John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers)/Rock & Roll Hall of Fame 1998

1963 [61] Adam Gaynor, Manhattan NY, rock guitarist (ex-Matchbox Twenty-3AM’, ‘Bent’)

1973 [51] Peter Facinelli, Queens NY, movie actor (“Twilight” franchise)/TV actor (“Nurse Jackie” 2009-2015)

1975 [49] ‘DJ Khaled’ (Khaled Mohamed Khaled), New Orleans LA, DJ-music producer (ft. Justin Bieber, Quavo, Chance the Rapper and Lil Wayne-‘I’m the One’)/also worked with A-list talent such as Jay-Z, Beyoncé, Nicki Minaj, Pitbull, Ludacris…

1976 [48] Joe Nichols, Rogers AR, country singer (‘Gimme That Girl’, ‘Tequila Makes Her Clothes Fall Off’)

1981 [43] Natasha Bedingfield, London England, pop singer (‘Unwritten’, ‘These Words’)

1984 [40] Mike Gossin, Utica NY, country singer-guitarist (Gloriana-‘Kissed You Good Night’, ‘Wild at Heart’)

1990 [34] Rita Ora (Sahatçiu), Pristina Kosovo (raised in London England), pop singer (w/Iggy Azalea-‘Black Widow’, ‘How We Do’)/movie actress (“Fast & Furious 6”, “Fifty Shades” movies)/TV personality (“The Masked Singer” since 2024)

THIS DAY IN SHOW BIZ . . .
2018 [06] “Aquaman,” directed by James Wan & starring Jason Momoa and Amber Heard, premieres in London. It would become the highest-grossing film based on a DC character.

TODAY’S MUSIC EVENTS . . .
1989 [35] “MTV Unplugged” debuts, featuring stripped-down acoustic performances by a wide range of artists. (The biggest name to appear in the premiere episode is English group Squeeze.)

1997 [27] The day after Garth Brooks’ album “Sevens” is released, 12 of its 14 songs land on the Country singles chart.

TODAY’S FIRSTS . . .
1917 [107] The NHL forms, featuring the teams Montreal Canadiens, Montreal Maroons, Toronto Arenas, Ottawa Senators & Quebec Bulldogs.

2014 [10] The International Space Station announces it has installed and tested a 3D printer that will be used to manufacture parts at the station, rather than transporting them from Earth.

TODAY’S RECORD . . .
1992 [32] 14-month-old Tegan Banville of Huntington Beach, CA out-crawls 12 other babies to win the national ‘Huggies/NFL Happy Baby Derby’. (The babes raced 12 feet before 61,000 screaming fans at halftime during a Dallas Cowboys game.)

BULL’S BITS

BS WHACK FACTS:
✓ 25% of men wait until “a few weeks” before Christmas to do their holiday shopping…15% of women start in July.
✓ The human eye can distinguish about 10 million different colors.
✓ Some women can have a genetic mutation which enables them to see millions more colors.
✓ Fingernails grow fastest on the hand you favor.
✓ Most energy drinks contain less caffeine than a Starbucks coffee.
✓ Coconuts kill more people each year than sharks do.
-FactSlides, BathroomReadersInstitute

Best of BS . . .
BS THINGS OVERHEARD ON THE MAYFLOWER:
• “Are you sure this is the right way?”
• “I paid extra for the unlimited drink package.”
• “I swear if I hear one more John Wayne ‘Pilgrim’ impression…”
• “Finally, we can ditch the accent!”
• “Thank Goodness for April showers, or we wouldn’t even have a boat!”
• “I don’t know about you, but as soon as I get there, I’m losing the hat and shoe buckles.”
• “I bet one day our descendants will get all sanctimonious about the fact that they’re related to us.”
• “Plymouth Rocks!”
• “Say goodbye to the Metric system.”
• “Are we there yet?”
-Twitter, first published in BS in 2019

MORE BS QUESTIONS PLAGUING HUMANITY:
• What do batteries run on?
• Is there ever a day that mattresses are not on sale?
• How come toasters always have a setting that burns toast to a horrible crisp, which no decent human being would eat?
• How important does a person have to be before they are considered assassinated instead of just murdered?
• Do the “Alphabet Song” and “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star” have the same tune?
• Will you be able to get that tune out of your head for the rest of the day?
-First published in BS in 2009

BE WEB GOODIE:
Sorry ‘bout that, Dad:  https://tinyurl.com/354k5r75

BS RANDOM JOKE:
Quitters never win, and winners never quit. But those who never win and never quit are idiots.

BS PHONE STARTER:
☎ If you could ask your pet one question, what would it be?

BS WATER COOLER QUESTION:
In a survey, 1 in 8 people agreed that THIS should be offered at movie theaters. What is it?
Answer:  An intermission

BS DEEP THOUGHT:
Nothing is a waste of time if you use the experience wisely.