BS SHOW BIZ BUZZ:
★ It’s the last picture show for Blockbuster. The retail company that introduced millions to stay-at-home movie nights has announced it’s closing its 300 remaining US stores by early January. Its DVD-by-mail business, introduced as a competitor to Netflix, will also be shut down by mid-December. Satellite pay-TV service, Dish Network, which bought the retailer in 2011, says the decision has been made because consumer demand is clearly moving to digital video distribution. The 50 remaining stores outside the US will remain open …. for now.
– “Business Week”
★ A  video allegedly showing Justin Bieber sleeping in a bed at the Brazilian brothel he visited last week has popped up on YouTube. Lasting just 15 seconds – the limit for an Instagram video – the recording shows Bieber, or someone who looks extremely similar, zoned out while a woman smiles and blows kisses at him. The video was allegedly shot by one of the prostitutes who works at Centaurus, a popular Brazilian brothel in Rio. Seems he removed his hat pre-‘performance’. What a gentleman.
NET: http://tinyurl.com/lp98voe
– QMI
★ 51-year-old “20/20” news anchor Elizabeth Vargas has entered after being off-air since October. It was originally announced by ABC News that she was on medical leave but now she has confirmed that she is currently undergoing treatment for alcoholism and will return to her job once she has managed to get her addiction under control. Vargas, who is married to singer Marc Cohn, is said to have struggled with the devastating news of the Newtown school shooting last December, which may have caused her problem to escalate.
– NYPost.com
★ And according to a source purportedly in the know, Lady Gaga is planning to perform a concert … in space. Slated to take place in early 2015, Gaga is set to perform at the Zero G Colony Festival in New Mexico before traveling to Virgin Galactic’s launch site in the Jornada del Muerto desert basin nearby. The pop star will then reportedly blast off into orbit where she will perform one track before hurtling back to Earth. The stunt will apparently require special vocal training as well as a … ‘ridiculous life insurance policy’.
– UsWeekly.com

WEEKEND SHOW BIZ SKED:
• BAFTA LA Britannia Awards (Los Angeles) – Saturday actor Benedict Cumberbatch (“The Fifth Estate”) is honored as Hollywood’s ‘British Artist Of the Year’ at the Beverly Hilton Hotel.
• Billboard Women In Music Event (NYC) – Sunday Janelle Monáe is presented the ‘Rising Star Award’. Meanwhile, she’s been forced to postpone 3 dates on her current tour (including last night’s gig in Phoenix AZ) due to doctor’s orders to rest her vocal cords.
• “Fun Fun Fun Fest” (Austin TX) – The line-up for this 8th annual 3-day event includes The Descendents, Johnny Marr, Lupe Fiasco, MGMT, MIA, Slayer and more.
• “Jimmy Kimmel Live” (ABC/CityTV) – Tonight Arcade Fire (“Reflektor”). Rerun.
• “Last Call With Carson Daly” (NBC) – Tonight METZ (“METZ”). Rerun.
• “Late Show With David Letterman” (CBS/NTV/Omni1) – Tonight Black Joe Lewis (“Electric Slave”).
• “Miss Universe” (NBC) – Saturday Mel B & Thomas Roberts host as women vie for the crown in the annual pageant.
• MTV Europe Music Awards (Amsterdam) – Sunday Justin Timberlake and Macklemore & Ryan Lewis lead nominations with 5 apiece, while Justin Bieber, Lady Gaga, Miley Cyrus, and Robin Thicke each have 4. Performers include Bruno Mars, Icona Pop, Katy Perry, The Killers, Kings of Leon, Miley Cyrus (oh oh), Robin Thicke, and Snoop Dogg (who is back to his old name again).
NET: http://uk.mtvema.com
• “Saturday Night Live” (NBC/Global) – Host & musical guest Miley Cyrus. Rerun.
• Soul Train Awards (Las Vegas) – Tonight actor/comedian Anthony Anderson hosts the 5th annual show, being taped at the Orleans Arena. Kendrick Lamar leads nominations with 6. Dionne Warwick is honored for career achievement. The gala airs December 1 on BET/Centric.
• “Tavis Smiley” (PBS) – Tonight rock veteran Graham Nash.
• “Tonight Show With Jay Leno” (NBC/CTV2) – Tonight Gavin DeGraw (“Make a Move”).
• “Wendy Williams” (syndicated) – Today The Wanted (“Word of Mouth”).

BS MUSIC NOTES:
• Arcade Fire – “Reflektor” has debuted at #1 on the album sales chart, according to Nielsen SoundScan. It’s the band’s 2nd chart-topping album, following 2010’s “The Suburbs”.
• The Band Perry – Tonight their “We Are Pioneers World Tour” kicks off in Gothenburg, Sweden and crisscrosses Europe for 5 weeks. A string of dates in Canada and the US runs from January though mid-March.
• Bryan Adams – The rocker-turned photographer has shot a glossy new black-and-white ad campaign for the ‘Guess Holiday Collection’ featuring Bollywood star and former ‘Miss World’ Priyanka Chopra.
• David Bowie – He serenades model Arizona Muse amid an extravagant Venetian masked ball in the latest instalment of Louis Vuitton’s L’invitation au Voyage ad campaign.
• “Duck Dynasty” – “Duck the Halls: A Robertson Family Christmas” tops the new “Billboard” country album chart. It features the cast of A&E’s hit reality show singing holiday favorites and a few originals. Guests include Alison Krauss, George Strait, Josh Turner, and Luke Bryan.
• Eli Young Band – Saturday they host a ‘House Party’ on the field at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington, Texas. Also on the bill: Easton Corbin, Josh Abbott Band, and Thompson Square. It’s the first-ever stand-alone country concert at the venue.
• Ellie Goulding – The Brit singer-songwriter tells “Rolling Stone” she has enough material written for a new album … but it’s not what she intends to use. For her 3rd album, she says, she wants to start ‘completely fresh and new’.
• MGMT – Sunday in Austin TX they embark on a 23-city North American tour that runs through December 13th at Barclays Center in Brooklyn NY. The band then heads to Australia and Japan.

TODAY’S MOVIE OPENINGS:
• “The Book Thief” ( PG-13 War Drama ): Amid the horrors of World War II Germany, a young girl finds solace by stealing books and sharing them with others. Even more dangerously, a Jewish refugee is being sheltered by her adoptive parents under the stairs in their home. Stars Sophie Nélisse, Geoffrey Rush, Emily Watson. Directed by Brian Percival (“Downton Abbey”).
NET: http://www.thebookthief.com
• “Thor: The Dark World” ( PG-13 Action Adventure ): In episode 2 of the Marvel comic-based series, ‘Thor’ must embark on his most perilous and personal journey yet, one that will reunite him with ‘Jane Foster’ and force him to sacrifice everything to save humanity. Stars Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Tom Hiddleston. Directed by Alan Taylor (“Game of Thrones”).
NET: http://marvel.com/thor
• Opening in limited release: “The Armstrong Lie” (Documentary); “Best Man Down” (Dramedy); “Go for Sisters” (Crime Thriller); “How I Live Now” (Action Drama); and “The Starving Games” (Spoof Comedy).

WHO GIVES A HOOT:
Japan’s once trendy cat cafés (of which there are more than 150) are slowly giving way to the next big thing … the ‘owl café’, where the majestic birds are in-house residents. Patrons mingle with their fine feathered friends while enjoying owl-themed snacks, baked goods, and lattes. At some, customers are even allowed to hold and pet the birds. According to trendspotters, owl or ‘fukurou’ cafés began popping up late last year, but really started gaining momentum this past Summer when a slew of them began cropping up in Tokyo and Osaka. (Mmm, nice aroma.)
– AFP

WORST THING YOU CAN HIDE:
Beware, guys: Holding in your feelings could cut years from your life, new University of Rochester research shows. Compared to men who shared their emotions with others, those who kept quiet proved 35% more like to die during the 12-year study. Researchers think there are 2 potential explanations …
• Men who suppress their feelings may smoke more, drink more, and engage in other unhealthy coping behaviors more regularly than emotionally open men.
• The pent-up stress that accumulates from unexpressed emotions messes with your body’s inflammation levels and immune system.
The fix? Come clean to a buddy, psychiatrist, or anyone you feel comfortable talking with. (In other words … open up, or check out early.)
– MensHealth.com

CURSIVE RESCUE:
This is somehow ironic, new ‘smart pens’ are making it possible to digitally capture the handwritten word, then share and edit the content. Apps like EquilNote and Livescribe allow users to digitally save notes and sketches done on paper. The appeal seems to be to preserve the art of writing while adding digital enhancements. Both apps are available online and in Apple Stores and sell for $149.99. Why bother computerizing old-school cursive writing? One analyst notes that the best ideas often start on paper. (Can your kids write in cursive?)
– Reuters.com

BS AMAZING FACT:
If you smell something, molecules from that object are sticking to the inside of your nose.
– en.paperblog.com

BS CHRONOMETER 11.08.13

TODAY’S CELEBIRTHDAYS . . .
1931 [82] Morley Safer, Toronto ON, TV journalist (“60 Minutes” since 1970)

1949 [64] Bonnie Raitt, Burbank CA, pop singer-songwriter (“Something to Talk About”, “I Can’t Make You Love Me”)/Rock & Roll Hall of Fame (2000)

1968 [45] Parker Posey, Baltimore MD, ‘Queen Of the Indies’ movie actress (“Hemingway & Gellhorn”, “Dazed & Confused”)

1972 [41] Gretchen Mol, Deep River CT, TV actress (“Boardwalk Empire” 2010-13, “Life on Mars” 2008-09)/movie actress (“3:10 to Yuma”)

1983 [30] Chris Rankin, Auckland NZ, movie actor (‘Percy Weasley’ in “Harry Potter” films)

1988 [25] Jessica Lowndes, Vancouver BC, TV actress (“90210” 2008-13)

SATURDAY –
TV actor Robert David Hall (“CSI”) is 65; TV actor Eric Dane (“Grey’s Anatomy”) is 41; TV personality/ex-boy-band singer Nick Lachey (“The Sing-Off”) is 40; Movie actress Nikki Blonsky (“Hairspray”) is 25.

SUNDAY –
Lyricist Tim Rice (“Jesus Christ Superstar”) is 69; TV actor Tracy Morgan (“30 Rock”) is 45; Country singer Chris Cagle (“What Kinda Gone”) is 45; TV actress Ellen Pompeo (“Grey’s Anatomy”) is 44; Rock singer Jim Adkins (Jimmy Eat World) is 38; Country singer Miranda Lambert (“The House That Built Me”) is 30; TV actress Kiernan Shipka (“Mad Men”) is 14.

BS REASONS TO PARTY . . .
• “Abet & Aid Punsters Day”, a day to make up incredibly bad puns, as proclaimed by the group Punsters Unlimited.
• “Cook Something Bold & Pungent Day”, a day to offset the coming chills of Winter. What’s the most pungent thing you can cook? Cabbage rolls? Fish? Lamb? Garlic? Onions?
• “Parents as Teachers Day”. Check out any kid who’s constantly scoring ‘A’s and you’ll likely find that kid gets a lot of help at home.
• “Return It! Day”, a day to take back all the stuff you’ve borrowed from others. According to a recent survey, 65% of us have borrowed something from a neighbor.
• “Walk to Work Day”, the 15th annual initiative in Australia to encourage regular walking as part of one’s lifestyle. What’s good for Aussies is good for us all, no?
• “World Urbanism Day” (aka “World Town Planning Day”), celebrated in over 30 countries to recognize and promote the role of municipal planning in creating livable communities.

SATURDAY –
• “Chaos Never Dies Day”, the one day of the year to acknowledge that chaos is essential to a harmonious universe. (Around here, it’s more than a phenomenon … it’s a lifestyle.)
• “Vietnam Veterans Memorial Day”, commemorating the black granite wall on the Mall in Washington DC that’s engraved with more than 58,000 names of those killed in the Vietnam War. It was dedicated on this date in 1984.

SUNDAY –
• “Forget-Me-Not Day”, a day for reflecting on those who’ve had an impact on our lives and the way in which they changed them. (Then go see a lawyer and file charges.)
• “Sesame Street Day”, celebrating the debut of the most beloved off all children’s TV programs on this date 44 years ago (1969).
• “Sleep Dangerously Night”, a night to switch sides of the bed with your partner. (Careful!)
• “Toothpaste Appreciation Day”. Could you face yourself in the morning without it?

THIS DAY IN SHOW BIZ . . .
2010 [03] Late-night TV personality Conan O’Brien makes his debut on TBS (“Conan”)

TODAY’S FIRST . . .
2001 [12] Microsoft releases its newly-developed game console ‘Xbox’ ($299)

TODAY’S MUSIC EVENT . . .
1995 [18] Cash-strapped Michael Jackson merges his ATV Music Publishing (the one with early Beatles hits) with Sony Music Publishing in a deal worth some $110 million

TODAY’S RECORD . . .
1970 [43] New Orleans Saints kicker Tom Dempsey (born without a right hand and only half his kicking foot) boots an NFL-record 63-yard field goal vs Detroit (tied 3 times since, including last season by San Francisco 49er David Akers)

COMING UP . . .
[Mon] Origami Day
[Mon] Remembrance Day (Canada)
[Mon] Veterans Day (USA)
[Mon] World Orphans Day
[Tues] Young Readers Day
[Wed] World Kindness Day
This Week Is … Pursuit of Happiness Week
This Month Is … Adopt a Senior Pet Month

BULL’S BITS

BS TOUGH TONGUE TWISTERS:
Sunday is “International Tongue Twister Day”. According to “Guinness Book of World Records”, the most difficult tongue twister in the English language is: “The sixth sick sheikh’s sixth sheep’s sick.” Here are a few other classics to kick around …
• The instinct of an extinct insect stinks.
• Three free throws.
• Selfish shellfish.
• Bad money, mad bunny.
• I slit the sheet, the sheet I slit, and on the slitted sheet I sit.
• Irish wristwatch.
• Toy boat. (Just try saying it 5 times in-a-row!)
And our favorite …
• “I’m not the fig plucker nor the fig plucker’s son, but I’ll pluck the figs till the fig plucker comes.”

BS PHONE STARTER:
☎ What’s your ‘favorite flop’, the movie you loved while everyone else seemed to hate it?”

BS HI-LO GAME:
• Snails can zoom along at 2 mph. High or low? (High. An average snail has a speed of .005 mph.)
• There are 10 bones in the human skull. (Low. There are actually 22.)
• Campbell’s ‘Alphabet Soup’ contains 3 times more ‘E’s than ‘Q’s. (High. Campbell’s says it contains an equal number of all letters of the alphabet … but then who’s gonna check?)
• When you sneeze, air travels from your nose at about 50 mph. (Low. Sneezes travel at about 100 mph.)
• About 15% of babies are born on their predicted ‘due date’. (High. Only about 4%.)

BS RANDOM JOKE:
When you go to court you are putting yourself in the hands of 12 people that weren’t smart enough to get out of jury duty.

BS WATER COOLER QUESTION:
Question: According to research, doing THIS with your body will help relieve stress.
Answer: Crossing your arms.

BS DEEP THOUGHT:
When opportunity knocks, a pessimist complains about the noise.