Tuesday, November 9, 2021 – Edition: #7103

Good Morning, Sheetheads!

BS SHOW BIZ BUZZ:
★ Vin Diesel has asked Dwayne Johnson to rejoin “Fast & Furious” for the 10th and final instalment of the franchise. It comes after a very public feud between the two Hollywood heavyweights. In an Instagram post, Diesel said The Rock has “a very important role to play”, adding that his character ‘Hobbs’ could not be played by anyone else. He wrote to his 76 million followers that he wanted to fulfil his promise of a perfect ending to ‘Pablo’ – referring to his late co-star Paul Walker, who died in 2013.
-BBC
★ One year after the passing of longtime “Jeopardy!” host Alex Trebek, former champion Ken Jennings returned yesterday to guest-host the program. Trebek died on Nov. 8, 2020. The show marked the somber occasion by inviting the former champion take over for Mayim Bialik yesterday. Jennings was tapped as one of 2 guest hosts (alongside Bialik) for the show in light of the scandal surrounding Mike Richards, the former producer who was originally chosen to be the next full-time host of the series.
-PopCulture
★ Sony Pictures has announced their “Untitled George Foreman Biopic” will be released on March 24, 2023. It will follow the remarkable life and times of George Foreman, from Olympic Gold medalist to World Heavyweight champion, the “Rumble in the Jungle” fight with Muhammad Ali in Zaire, to preacher, then stepping back in the ring to regain the championship at age 45, the oldest heavyweight champ in boxing history.
-TheWrap
★ Dan Levy considered releasing a line of sweaters. The “Schitt’s Creek” star, who played the pretentious ‘David Rose’ in the hit show, says he has had many requests to put out his own jumpers after donning various bold designs on screen, but he will stop at his D.L. Eyewear range. Levy told Elle: “I’m not good at designing clothes, but I did have something to say in the eyewear space. That’s why I dipped a toe in the design world with my glasses company [D.L. Eyewear].” According to him, his character and his on-screen mom ‘Moira’, played by Catherine O’Hara, wore “severe” clothing to act as a “protective” layer in early episodes.
-ContactMusic

TODAY’S SHOW BIZ SKED:
• “Jimmy Kimmel Live” (ABC/Global): Jamie Dornan, Jessica Williams, Dustin Lynch featuring MacKenzie Porter
• “The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon” (NBC/CTV): Will Smith, Jack Whitehall, Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats
• “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” (CBS/Global): Quentin Tarantino
• “Late Night with Seth Meyers” (NBC/CTV): Sarah Silverman, Gary Gulman, Mark Ronson, Elmo Lovano
• “The Late Late Show with James Corden” (CBS/CTV): Gal Gadot, Henry Lloyd-Hughes, Tori Kelly
• “Watch What Happens Live” (Bravo): Karamo Brown, Keke Palmer
• “The View” (ABC/CTV): Rep. Adam Schiff, Michael Che, guest co-host Morgan Ortagus
• “The Talk” (CBS): Lena Waithe
• “Live with Kelly and Ryan” (ABC/CTV): Scottie Pippin, Dr. Wendy Bazilian
• “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” (NBC/CTV): Sarah Paulson
• “The Drew Barrymore Show” (Check local listings): Casey Wilson
• “The Voice” (NBC): Live Top 20 Eliminations
• “Supergirl” (CW): Season 6 finale
• “Dear Rider” (HBO): Jake Burton Carpenter transforms snowboarding into an international and cultural phenomenon.
• “Great Escapes With Morgan Freeman” (HISTORY): Series premiere. Four men conspire to break out of Alcatraz, one of the most notorious prisons in American history.

BS MUSIC NOTES:
• Lorde — dropped the deluxe version of her “Solar Power” album on Friday, featuring 2 bonus tracks that were not initially available on streaming services. In a newsletter to fans, she described ‘Hold No Grudge’ and ‘Helen of Troy’ as the “black sheep” of the project, and said they were “fun explorations”.
• Kelly Clarkson – will host “Kelly Clarkson Presents: When Christmas Comes Around”, timed with the release of her holiday album of the same name. The special on Dec.1 on NBC will feature appearances by Brett Eldredge, Ariana Grande, Jay Leno, Melissa McCarthy, Leslie Odom Jr. and Amy Poehler.
• Jay-Z – joined Instagram – briefly. His first post was simply the poster for the new Netflix western “The Harder They Fall”, which he produced and wrote music for. Within hours, he scored well over a million followers, but he has since deactivated the account, now that the movie has been released.
• Rolling Stones — Mick Jagger took some time out from their “No Filter Tour” to play tourist in Las Vegas ahead of the band’s performance at Allegiant Stadium on Sat. On Instagram, he shared pics showing himself visiting the world famous Fremont Street and The Neon Museum before checking out the natural beauty of the arid desert outside of town. LINK: https://www.instagram.com/p/CV6zfsllbhl/
• UB40 — founding member ‘Astro’ has died at 64 after a short illness. The singer, whose real name is Terence Wilson, helped found the British pop-reggae band in 1978 and was still performing in a new version of UB40.
• George Harrison — The Liverpool house where he spent 12 years of his childhood will be auctioned Nov. 30. The 3-bedroom home was also the site of early Beatles rehearsals. The Omega auction company expects it to sell for up to £200,000 ($270,000).
• Journey – Guitarist Neal Schon is warning fans about an imposter trying to scam people out of money by offering a phony meet and greet. On Facebook, Schon wrote: “Know that this is not me. Always check for a blue dot (checkmark, signifying an “official account”). I do not have any other account.”
• Runaway June — The trio’s Jennifer Wayne and her husband Austin Moody have revealed they are expecting a daughter in April — and they’ve already picked out a name: Lily Maria Moody. Wayne posted a picture on social media of her pups holding a sign that reads: “Mom and Dad are getting me a human.” LINK: https://tinyurl.com/m8nxp4tr
• Dierks Bentley — has been nominated for CMA Male Vocalist of the Year 9 times, but he’s never won. In a new interview, he admitted “it would be nice to win”, and joked: “I’ve been telling people for years I’m a better singer than Chris Stapleton, and no one believes me. If I had this hardware that’s backed by scientific data, people might actually start believing me.”
• Dolly Parton — It’ll be a “9 to 5” reunion when she guest stars on the final season of Netflix’s “Grace and Frankie”, which features Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin. Parton will appear in the final batch of episodes in 2022. Her character name and plot details are being kept under wraps.

SHOOTING THE BULL

MONSTER MASHED:
A New Zealand couple has named their potato ‘Doug’. But Doug isn’t just any potato. Doug just might be the world’s biggest potato. That’s what owners Colin and Donna Craig-Brown are hoping to find out. Colin says they were weeding the garden when they found him. The current Guinness record holder for the largest potato is an 11-pound (5kg) spud from England. Doug weighs in at 17.4 pounds (7.9kg). Now, the Craig-Browns are waiting to hear if Doug will get the Guinness World Record certification. And while they wait, Doug is chilling in the freezer. And if you’re wondering where Doug got his name, it’s because they “dug” him up.
(…and they’re just hoping that Guinness says “yes to Dougs”!)
(At the weigh-in, there were several spec-taters. Sorry.)
-Offbeat

STUDY SAYS:
➢ We’ve long been told by medical professionals of the health benefits of moderate drinking. But researchers from University Medicine Greifswald found that higher deathrates among non-drinkers are likely due to other factors. In other words, there is little to no scientific evidence that drinking alcohol in moderation helps you live longer. The new study found that factors among non-drinkers such as previous alcohol or drug problems, smoking habits, and overall poor health may partially explain their shorter lives. (OK, so maybe drinking doesn’t make you live longer. But I’m not willing to risk it!)
➢ Heartbreak is tougher on men, according to a new study. Despite the stereotype that men are less emotionally invested in relationships than women, university psychologists in the UK and Switzerland found it’s men who suffer the greatest emotional impact during a breakup. More than 184,000 volunteers shared their relationship woes in an anonymous forum. The researchers looked deeply at the language they used to detail their problems. Surprisingly, the theme of “heartache” was more commonly discussed by men. Men were also more inclined to seek help online in order to cope with a breakup. Women, on the other hand, were more likely to find help in person, such as a therapist. (No one writes to Dear Abby anymore?)
-StudyFinds, NYPost

WINE. NOT:
OK, NOW these product shortages are getting serious. Winemakers are sounding the alarm on an impending global wine shortage as supplies have fallen to record lows in 2021, due to brutal weather, particularly in Europe’s wine-producing regions. The International Organization of Vine and Wine says bad weather has already “severely impacted” wine production in Italy, Spain and France, resulting in “extremely low” product volumes. And vintners say a projection sees wine sales returning to high, pre-pandemic levels — and they won’t be able to supply the renewed demand.
(So, we can expect to spend more on a bottle of wine. Yup, even [co-host] might start spending more than 15 minutes on one!)
(I don’t know about your house, but at mine, demand for wine was never greater than when my whole family was locked down there 24 hours a day!)
-NYPost

NICE PLACES TO VISIT:
Australian travel guide book publisher Lonely Planet’s top 10 countries to visit in 2022:
1. Cook Islands: This group of 15 islands in the South Pacific offers water-centric activities like snorkeling, diving and fishing, not to mention a look at the native Maori community in Te Vara Nui Village.
2. Norway: Why not visit one of the world’s happiest countries? Experience the world’s northernmost beech forest, just 2 hours from the capital of Oslo.
3. Mauritius: An island nation in the Indian Ocean that is covered in great golf courses, plus mountain trekking, one of the world’s best botanical gardens, and UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
4. Belize: Explore Mayan ruins, swim in electric-blue waters and view incredible wildlife. And the World Heritage-listed Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System is breathtaking.
5. Slovenia: This Eastern European country offers a wide range of terrain in a small area, from breathtaking Lake Bled to the buzzy capital of Ljubljana. Plus, the Michelin Guide handed out stars to 7 restaurants there.
6. Anguilla: OK, it’s a British territory and not technically a country, but the gorgeous Caribbean island features aquamarine sea, 33 public beaches, amazing food, and a responsible approach to public health amid the pandemic.
7. Oman: Mountains reach heights of 2,000 meters near the Strait of Hormuz, creating a spectacular backdrop.
8. Nepal: In addition to Mt. Everest, trekkers can explore the high desert and dine on specialties like coffee with yak butter, and momos.
9. Malawi: Sometimes be overshadowed by neighbors Mozambique and Tanzania, the “Warm Heart of Africa” has many similar attractions, like safaris where you can watch elephants, baboons, & hippos at a fraction of the price.
10. Egypt: Home to the Pyramids of Giza, one of the 7 wonders of the world. The 207-ft. tall Pyramid of Dozer was reopened to the public last year.
(What destination is at the top of YOUR list for next year?)
-TheSun

DID YOU KNOW?
Diamond bracelets that belonged to Marie Antoinette will be on the auction block in Geneva today. A blue velvet box bearing a label “bracelets of Queen Marie Antoinette” holds the double bracelets, each composed of 3 strings of diamonds and a large barrette clasp, for a total of 112 diamonds. The bracelets, now the property of a European royal family, are expected to fetch $2-4 million, according to Christie’s.
-CNN

BS CHRONOMETER 11.09.21

TODAY’S CELEBIRTHDAYS . . .
1951 [70] Lou Ferrigno, Brooklyn NY, TV actor (“The Incredible Hulk” 1977-1982)

1955 [56] Ryan Murphy, Indianapolis IN, TV producer (“American Horror Story” since 2011, “Glee” 2009-15)

1972 [49] Eric Dane, San Francisco CA, TV actor (“The Last Ship” 2014-18, “Grey’s Anatomy” 2006-12)/movie actor (“X-Men: The Last Stand”, “Burlesque”)

1973 [48] Nick Lachey, Harlan KY, former boy-band singer (98 Degrees-‘I Do [Cherish You]’)/TV personality (“The Sing-Off” 2009-14, “Newlyweds: Nick & Jessica” 2003-05)

1978 [43] Sisqó [Mark Andrews], Baltimore MD, hip-hop singer (‘Thong Song’, ‘Incomplete’, Dru Hill-‘How Deep is Your Love’ ft. Redman)

1980 [41] Vanessa Lachey, Angeles City Philippines, TV actress (“Dads” 2013-2014, “The Bold and the Beautiful” 2001/married to Nick Lachey since 2011

1988 [33] Nikki Blonsky, Great Neck NY, movie actress (“Hairspray”)

TODAY’S BS REASONS TO PARTY:
• “Chaos Never Dies Day”, the one day of the year to acknowledge that chaos is essential to a harmonious universe (and if you don’t believe that chaos never dies, visit a daycare center sometime!)
• “Go to an Art Museum Day”, a day to enjoy wonderful sculptures and beautiful paintings. Many art museums have days when admission reduced or free, so if you’ve never been to one … try it!
• “World Freedom Day”, begun in 2001 to commemorate the 1989 fall of the Berlin Wall and the end of Communist rule in Central and Eastern Europe. One year later, Germany became a single territory again.
• “Carl Sagan Day”, on the renowned astronomer and scientist’s birth date (1934). No other person has ever been able to reach and teach so many non-scientists in such a meaningful way.
• “National Scrapple Day”, similar in both composition and taste to British white pudding. Its name comes from the fact that it is composed of “scraps” of pork combined with cornmeal and spices. The mixture is formed into a mostly solid loaf, and then it is sliced and pan-fried before serving.
• “Young Reader’s Day”, to recognize the joys and benefits of reading, and promote its importance. Today, help and encourage our youth to learn to read, and open the door to knowledge, information, success, and happiness. (I hope I read that right…)

AND REMEMBER . . .
[Wed] Vanilla Cupcake Day
[Wed] Sesame Street Day
[Thurs] Veterans Day
[Thurs] Remembrance Day

THIS DAY IN SHOW BIZ . . .
2001 [20] The 3,400-seat, $94-million Kodak Theatre, designed to be the permanent home of the Academy Awards, opens in Hollywood (now known as the Dolby Theatre)

2019 [02] The last segment of “Coach’s Corner” with Don Cherry and Ron MacLean airs on “Hockey Night in Canada” after 37 years. Cherry is fired 2 days later

TODAY’S MUSIC EVENTS . . .
2004 [17] Kenny Chesney is the big winner at the Country Music Association Awards. Chesney, who had never won a CMA award, scores both the Entertainer of the Year and Album of the Year trophies (The latter for “No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problems”)

2014 [07] One Direction are the big winners at the 2014 MTV Europe Music Awards, picking up 3 awards, including ‘Best Pop Act’

TODAY’S RECORD . . .
2004 [17] Roger Clemens of the Houston Astros wins a record 7th Cy Young Award as his league’s best pitcher

BULL’S BITS

BS WHACK FACTS:
✓ Quotation marks are the youngest punctuation in the English language; they’ve only been around for about 300 years.
✓ A cricket can’t hear its own chirping.
✓ Until 2004, caffeine was on the International Olympic Committee list of banned substances.
✓ On average, there are 178 sesame seeds on each McDonald’s Big Mac bun.
✓ 7.5 million toothpicks can be created from a cord of wood.
✓ Tigers can be taught to use litter boxes. BIG litter boxes…
-CarnegieMellon, BathroomReadersInstitute

Best of BS:
BS SUPERHERO APPLICATION QUESTIONS:
• Aside from super-human strength, what are your strengths?
• Which relative of yours tragically died, inspiring you to become a superhero?
• Are you allergic to spandex?
• How poorly can you hide your true identity?
• Do you see yourself more as a hero or a sidekick?
• Where do you see yourself in 5 sequels?
• Do you have a special skill or are you just rich?
• How comfortable are you wearing your underpants on the outside of your clothing?
• What was the estimated cost of the damage done to public property on your last super mission?
• Please provide at least 3 references who are not found in comic books or graphic novels.
• Do you even lift, bro?
-Twitter, first published in BS in 2017

Best of BS . . .
BS PROBLEMS WITH AUTUMN:
• Your Mom telling you what time it “really” is for three days after the clock change.
• It is now officially too late to take down your Christmas lights.
• Is that a leaf or dog doo?
• Spelling Autumn.
• Having to see all those “Winter is coming” memes.
• Too much flannel.
• Too much pumpkin spice.
• Tripping. A lot of tripping. After all, it is Fall.
• She talked me into leaving my wife, then told me she wasn’t looking for anything “serious.” And she chews gum with her mouth open. Oh, wait…wrong ‘Autumn’…
-Twitter, first published in BS in 2018

TODAY’S SCOOP OF BS:
➠ A report claims that only one in 50 people can effectively multitask. (Now if you’ll excuse me, I just bought this new gum and I can’t wait to see how it tastes while I’m walking…)
➠ A study claims that 33 is the happiest age. (Probably because you’re too old to date Dane Cook.)
➠ A study suggests that moderate drinking during pregnancy may not affect a child’s development. (It’s true. I constantly drank when my wife was pregnant, and our kid’s okay. Well, I haven’t seen him since visitation, but he was fine then.)
➠ There’s a phone app that can test your cat’s IQ. (Find it in the app store in the “Lonely & Single” section…)
➠ A study found that 6 in 10 women over 60 have active sex lives. (In other words, if the Craftmatic Adjustable’s a rockin’, don’t come a knockin’!)

BS WEB GOODIE:
It’s the laugh (sound up):  https://tinyurl.com/yc8udye8

BS RANDOM JOKE:
If 2 people love each other, nothing is impossible. Except deciding where to eat.

BS PHONE STARTER:
If you could live in any TV character’s home, which would it be?

BS WATER COOLER QUESTION:
Question:  The average household has 6 of these. What are they?
Answer:  Refrigerator magnets

BS DEEP THOUGHT:
If you want to see a rainbow, you first need to put up with some rain.