COUNTRY August 5, 2015

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Bits & Breaks • Country Prep • Datebook • Datebook Tomorrow • Entertainment • Fun & Games • Image of the Day • Joke of the Day! • Last Minute Items • News & Nuggets • News Attack • Number for the Day • Television • Video of the Day • Wacky-But-True

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DATEBOOK: AUGUST 5, 2015

This is day 217 of 2015. There are 148 days remaining.

BIRTHDAYS

• Loni Anderson (WKRP in Cincinnati) is 70

• Maureen McCormick (The Brady Bunch) is 59

• Jonathan Silverman (The Single Guy) is 49

IT HAPPENED TODAY

• 1923: Syracuse University refused to let a student, Bernice Goldstein, graduate because she could not learn to swim.

• 1930: Neil Armstrong, the first man to walk on the moon, was born.

• 1962: Marilyn Monroe died.

• 1978: Pete Rose of the Cincinnati Reds registered his 3,000th major league hit.

• 1999: A man who admitted making thousands of obscene phone calls over a 3-year-period was arrested in Vienna, Austria, after one of the women told him she was busy and would return his call. So he gave her his phone number.

• 2005: A 38-year-old suburban New York City man allegedly admitted to police he drank 10 beers before lighting a commercial-grade firework inside his home, blowing up the house and burning himself and a female companion. A sheriff’s spokesman said the firework — designed to spread a pattern up to 50 feet across — was set in an 8 by 8 room.

• 2008: IBM was granted a patent for storing a customers preference for ‘paper or plastic bags’ on stores’ customer loyalty cards.

• 2009: A new study revealed that the French spend more time at the table and in bed than other nations.

• 2010: Thirty-three workers were trapped in a copper mine in northern Chile after a tunnel caved in. They were rescued after being entombed for 69 days.

SPECIAL EVENTS

• National Oyster Day

• National Underwear Day

UPCOMING

• September 7: Labor Day

• September 10: NFL season begins (Steelers at Patriots)

• More holidays

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NUMBER FOR THE DAY

49.7: Percentage of email that’s spam, which is actually the lowest it’s been since before 2003.

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NEWS ATTACK!

A 12-year-old girl in the UK has scored a perfect score on her Mensa IQ entrance exam. [All kids think that they’re smarter than their parents. Unfortunately, this one has proof.]

An investigation finds that running for president but not winning is actually quite profitable, catapulting people into much higher income brackets. [The trick is to be well liked enough to get the public’s attention, but not so well liked that they actually send you to Washington.]

Have you heard that story about the 89-year-old grandmother who agreed to be one of the bridesmaids at her granddaughter’s wedding? She even partied with the group. [She remembers when the Electric Slide was the Oil Lamp Slide.]

After the death of Cecil the lion Delta Airlines has announced that it will no longer transport animal trophies. [Or dentists.]

Brazil has begun is annual Miss BumBum beauty contest where they choose the rear of the year. [In the U.S. that title has already been claimed by Donald Trump.]

In Iowa a Taco Bell was found to also be operating as a meth lab. [That’s Taco Bell — always innovating.]

Three North Carolina men were arrested on federal charges after they were found to be stockpiling weapons and homemade explosives in fear that the federal government was about to declare martial law. Their fear springs from those special forces exercises in Texas. [It’s sad when irrational fear spreads from state to state. There should be a vaccination for stupidity.]

In Ohio a fight broke out among inmates after a drone dropped a package of drugs in the prison yard. [Those guys wouldn’t be in prison in the first place if they had ever learned to share.]

Gwen Stefani and Gavin Rossdale have filed for divorce after over a dozen years of marriage. [In Hollywood that’s equivalent to celebrating your golden anniversary.]

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NEWS & NUGGETS

“HONOR” CECIL THE LION BY BUYING $2,500 GOLD-PLATED HTC SMARTPHONE _ If you were moved by the killing of Cecil the Lion in Zimbabwe you can now honor him by buying a $2,500 smartphone. Goldgenie, a United Kingdom-based company know for its expensive luxury smartphones, has created a custom “Cecil the Lion HTC One” smartphone with gold-plated casing. Goldgenie says it will send “some” of the proceeds to Hwange National Park, home of Cecil for the last part of the 13-year-old lion’s lifetime. • IMAGE

… Goldgenie likes to slap gold — and a huge price tag — on lots of items. It sells an Apple Watch for $164,000.

THE LION KING’ ANIMATOR CREATED A TOUCHING MEMORIAL FOR CECIL THE LION _ Aaron Blaise, the former Disney animator who worked on classic films like Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast and The Lion King, has created a digitally rendered image that pays homage to Cecil the lion, who was hunted and killed by an American dentist last month. Blaise wrote on his website: “When I heard the news about Cecil, I got inspired to create a tribute image.” Along with the artwork, which depicts Cecil watching over his family from the sky, Blaise posted a time-lapse video detailing its creation. • VIDEO

DONALD TRUMP, JEB BUSH TOP FOX NEWS DEBATE LINEUP _ Fox News unveiled the list of 10 candidates invited to Thursday’s first GOP presidential debate — with Donald Trump at top, and New jersey Gov. Chris Christie and Ohio Gov. John Kasich just making the cut. Those who didn’t make it include former Texas Gov. Rick Perry, Sen. Lindsey Graham and Carly Fiorina. Fox News selected the invitees by using an average of five most recent national polls.

UNLOCK DOORS WITH APPLE WATCH _ Besides telling the time, hounding you every hour to stand up and move around, and being able to run thousands of apps, Apple Watch now has a new trick up its band — it can unlock a door. The inventors of the August Smart Lock announced that their new Apple Watch app can lock or unlock the device with a swipe and a tap. In addition, Apple Watch owners can see a log of who has entered or exited the home and when, and real-time notifications tell you immediately when the door is unlocked.

SUPERFICIAL GROOM SUES MAKEUP-FREE BRIDE _ A groom is suing his bride after seeing her face without makeup for the first time. The groom had only ever seen his wife in full makeup. This is in Algeria, where dating customs for some people are very strict. The groom told a judge that “he was deceived by her as she used to fill up her face with makeup before their marriage.” He told the judge she looked very beautiful and attractive before their marriage, but when he woke up in the morning and found that she had washed the makeup off her face, he was frightened as he thought she was a thief. He’s suing for $20,000.

COMPANY WANTS TO DELIVER WEED WITH DRONES _ Many people with medical marijuana prescriptions in the state of California, specifically in the Bay Area, don’t even need to leave their house to get their weed delivered. But soon they may not even have to speak to anyone. San Francisco-based start-up Trees Delivery is attempting to bring its subscription pot box to a higher level by enlisting the help of drones for its delivery service. Although the idea of goods delivered via drone is nothing new and was made popular by Amazon, which is still attempting to convince the the FAA to test out its program, there’s a safety issue: If a bunch of drones are flying around San Francisco with weed in them, it’s only a matter of time before they start getting knocked out of the sky.

… Related in Wacky-But-True.

110-YEAR-OLD WOMAN SHARES SECRETS FOR LONGEVITY _ Agnes Fenton of Englewood, New Jersey is feeling and looking great at 110-years-old. She celebrated the incredible milestone last Saturday, and she doesn’t show any signs of slowing down. Agnes’ secret for living to be 110 is awesome: Three beers and a glass of the very expensive Johnnie Walker Blue Label scotch every day — for the past 70 years.

… Living to be a supercentenarian — 110 or older — is rare. Only about 360 people on Earth are that old.

JEANS STORE AND CHARGE YOUR iPHONE _ So many people own iPhones that there are now jeans designed around them. Los Angeles apparel company Joe’s Jeans is currently taking pre-orders for a new line of jeans called #Hello that can charge your iPhone while you walk. What separates Joe’s #Hello jeans is the special pocket located near the back of the right hip where you can safely tuck away an iPhone. Placing a smartphone in that spot lets you avoid uncomfortably cramming it into your front or rear pocket, which we all know is particularly dangerous for Apple’s newest smartphones. In addition to this convenient little pocket, Joe’s has also seen fit to equip the #Hello jeans with a battery pack capable of boosting an iPhone 6’s battery a further 70%. • LINK

THE TINDER FOR ELITES _ If Tinder is a bit low-brow for you, you’ll have to check out the new dating app The League. It’s meant for young professionals looking for love outside mainstream dating apps. The League is highly selective, running an algorithm to ensure you are not only how old you say you are, but that you are highly career-driven. The best 2,500 who apply are invited to join the app.

NETFLIX ANNOUNCES UNLIMITED MATERNITY-PATERNITY LEAVE _ Netflix is known for unlimited streaming of its movies and TV shows, and for allowing DVD customers to hang on to their discs for an unlimited amount of time. Now Netflix will let new parents have unlimited time with their newborns during the child’s first year after birth. A company blog post says Netflix employees “can return part-time, full-time, or return and then go back out as needed. We’ll just keep paying them normally, eliminating the headache of switching to state or disability pay.” Netflix says it wants to compete for the best workers, and is acknowledging sometimes these workers are parents.

HERO COP PULLS DRIVER OUT OF CAR BEFORE TRAIN HITS _ Nelson Gomez is lucky the sheriff’s department was nearby because they saved his life by dragging him to safety before a train smashed into his car. The near disaster took place on the tracks in San Mateo, California. After being saved, the 20-year-old had handcuffs slapped on his wrists for suspicion of driving in violation of his probation. • VIDEO

89-YEAR-OLD BRIDESMAID AT GRANDDAUGHTER’S WEDDING _ The bridesmaids at Christine and Patrick Quinn’s wedding included an unlikely member: Christine’s 89-year-old grandmother, “Nana” Betty Govern. Nana Betty was one of Christine’s four bridesmaids for the May 2 wedding. When asked why she chose her grandmother as a bridesmaid, Christine said the decision was easy: the two are best friends.

… Nana Betty was apparently unsure at first as to whether she ought to participate, but was eventually convinced. She not only agreed to be a bridesmaid, but “danced the entire night away” afterwards, as Christine said.

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WACKY-BUT-TRUE

WACKY-BUT-TRUE: TOWN DRAWS MORE PEOPLE TO MEETING WITH HOT DOGS _ Here’s a way to boost interest in local government: potato salad. A township board in northern Michigan held a lakeside picnic Monday before its regular meeting. After an hour of hot dogs and side dishes, the Pledge of Allegiance was recited and the Victory Township board meeting was officially in order. About two dozen people attended the picnic. Only three people attended the June meeting at the township hall.

WACKY-BUT-TRUE: FAKE OFFICER TRIED TO PULL OVER OFF-DUTY OHIO COP _ Authorities in northeast Ohio say a man pretending to be a police officer was caught and charged because he pulled over a real officer. The fake cop was driving a black SUV with red and blue emergency-style lights.

WACKY-BUT-TRUE: DRONE DROPS DRUGS IN OHIO PRISON YARD, SPURRING INMATE FIGHT _ A drone dropped a package of drugs into an Ohio prison yard while inmates were outside. Instead of sharing, the inmates started fighting. The package had plenty to go around, too: heroin, marijuana and even old-school tobacco.

WACKY-BUT-TRUE: CREEPY TAXI DRIVER WANTED WOMEN TO URINATE IN BACK OF HIS CAB _ A 55-year-old man has been banned from driving taxis in Glasgow, Scotland. The man allegedly asked women to urinate in the back of his cab on at least two occasions.

WACKY-BUT-TRUE: SHERIFF’S OFFICE ASKS DRUG DEALERS TO TURN IN COMPETITORS _ A sheriff’s office posted a flyer on its Facebook page asking drug dealers to turn in their rivals. The sheriff’s office in Franklin County, Kentucky, posted the flyer Monday. It features an image of a marijuana leaf and says, “Is your drug dealing competition costing you money? We offer a free service to help you eliminate your drug competition!” At the bottom of the letter, people are asked to fill out information about the drug dealer they are reporting, including the dealer’s name and vehicle.

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ON TELEVISION

BIG BROTHER (8p ET, CBS) — New

AMERICA’S GOT TALENT (8p ET, NBC) — This special celebrates talent from all over the world and includes performances and previously unseen moments.

THE MIDDLE (8p ET, ABC) — Repeat

MASTERCHEF (8p ET, FOX) — New

SEASON PREMIERE: AMERICA’S NEXT TOP MODEL (8p ET, CW) — Season 22 begins tonight.

THE GOLDBERGS (8:30p ET, ABC) — Repeat

EXTANT (9p ET, CBS) — Two new episodes will air tonight.

SERIES PREMIERE: MR. ROBINSON (9p ET, NBC) — In this new comedy, Craig Robinson (The Office) stars as a musician who substitute teaches a music class in a Chicago high-school to pay the bills. Peri Gilpin (Frasier) and Meagan Good (Think Like a Man) also star. Another new episode airs at 9:30p ET.

MODERN FAMILY (9p ET, ABC) — Repeat

HOME FREE (9p ET, FOX) — New

SERIES PREMIERE: A WICKED OFFER (9p ET, CW) — In this new reality show, couples must decide whether or not to complete controversial tasks involving unsuspecting friends, families, and co-workers for cash prizes.

SUITS (9p ET, USA) — New

BLACKISH (9:30p ET, ABC) — Repeat

LAST COMIC STANDING (9p ET, NBC) — The invitationals continue in this new edition.

CELEBRITY WIFE SWAP (10p ET, ABC) — In this new edition, Alana Stewart swaps places with Angela “Big Ang” Raiola

MR ROBOT (10p ET, USA) — New

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ENTERTAINMENT

KERMIT THE FROG, MISS PIGGY ANNOUNCE SPLIT _ Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy announced they have split. The fictional Muppet couple revealed the news on social media amid a rash of recent celebrity breakups and divorces, including Blake Shelton and Miranda Lambert, Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck, Gwen Stefani and Gavin Rossdale, and Reba McEntire and Narvel Blackstock.

… Kermit wrote: “After careful thought, thoughtful consideration and considerable romantic squabbling, Miss Piggy made the difficult decision to terminate our romantic relationship. We will continue to work together on television (The Muppets/Tuesdays this fall on ABC) and in all media now known or hereafter devised, in perpetuity, throughout the universe. However, our personal lives are now distinct and separate, and we will be seeing other people, pigs, frogs, [and others]. This is our only comment on this private matter. Thank you for understanding.”

DO FILMGOERS REALLY WANT METAL DETECTORS AT MOVIE THEATERS? _ There have been two notable mass shootings at movie theaters since 2012, leading some to call for more protective measures at the multiplex. A new study apparently shows that 34% of filmgoers want metal detectors at the multiplex. According to the study:

• Three quarters of moviegoers say they feel extremely or very safe in a theater.
• A third of the filmgoers surveyed believe that bags and purses should be checked for weapons before people go into a theater.
• 34% of filmgoers surveyed believe that lobbies should have armed security personnel and a metal detector.
• 14% want armed security in each theater.

… Are metal detectors coming to (your local theater)? No. Experts say they cost hundreds of thousands of dollars to install, staff, and supervise, and patrons don’t feel safer when they walk into a movie theater lobby and see them. And, of course, the cost will be passed on to movie-goers through higher ticket prices.

CAMILA ALVES OFFICIALLY BECOMES A UNITED STATES CITIZEN _ Camila Alves can officially call the United States home. The model and designer may have been staying quiet on social media in recent weeks, but as it turns out, Mrs. Matthew McConaughey had some big plans in the works. She wrote on Instagram Tuesday: “Sorry all! I was gone for a bit and had to disconnect to connect in Thailand and Cambodia.” The Brazilian-born Alves added: “It is with great pride and honor that I am happy to say I now hold an American passport! I have so much respect and appreciation for this country…#newUScitizen.”

BOX OFFICE REVENUE HITS RECORD LEVELS YEAR-TO-DATE _ North American box-office revenue has hit an all time record year-to-date. Through Tuesday, revenue for 2015 stood at $6.863 billion, narrowly besting the $6.783 billion earned between January 1 and August 3 in 2013.

… So far, the top-grossing title of the year domestically is Jurassic World with a T. Rex-like take of $632.2 million ($1.56 billion worldwide), followed by Avengers: Age of Ultron ($456.9 million); Furious 7 ($351 million); Inside Out ($330.4 million); and Minions ($289.6 million).

PIERCE BROSNAN STOPPED BY TSA _ Pierce Brosnan tried to board a plane Sunday afternoon with a knife in his bag, but the actor couldn’t slip it by TSA agents. A TSA official from the Burlington International Airport in Vermont said it was  unclear if Brosnan knew the knife was in his carry-on bag, but once they saw the weapon they pulled the bag aside and called him over. They gave Brosnan the option to surrender the knife, or put it in his checked baggage. He put it in his checked bag and went on his way.

ZAYN MALIK DUMPS PERRIE EDWARDS _ It looks like things have come to an end for Zayn Malik and Perrie Edwards. A source says Zayn was the one who decided to call off the engagement.

KRISTEN STEWART, JESSE EISENBERG, BRUCE WILLIS DOING WOODY ALLEN FILM _ Kristen Stewart and Jesse Eisenberg will reunite for a third time thanks to Woody Allen. The duo — who co-starred in 2009’s Adventureland and this month’s American Ultra — are among the many stars onboard for Allen’s next project. Stewart and Eisenberg will join Blake Lively, Parker Posey, Jeannie Berlin, Corey Stoll, Ken Stott and Bruce Willis. Filming is set to begin this month in New York and Los Angeles.

IDRIS ELBA IS THE FIRST MAN EVER TO COVER MAXIM _ Maxim, which is famous for portraying scantily clad women on the cover, has decided to dip its toes in the male pool and feature a man all by himself for the September issue, marking the first solo-male cover in the publication’s history — and they chose Idris Elba.

DAVID ALAN GRIER TO PLAY COWARDLY LION IN THE WIZ LIVE _ Tony Award nominee David Alan Grier is joining NBC’s holiday production of The Wiz Live!, set for Thursday, December 3. Grier will play the Cowardly Lion, who asks Dorothy if he can join her in her journey down the Yellow Brick Road and ask the Wiz for some courage, which he is severely lacking.

COMMUNITY IS CANCELLED _ Community has been canceled after six seasons. Star Joel McHale reported the show’s demise. He said, “All of our contracts were up after six years. All the actors on the show, almost without exception — their stock has risen significantly and it’s out of the pay rate that is affordable to make the show. So you’re not going to be able to get Alison Brie or Gillian Jacobs at a normal television salary anymore. There is just not enough money to be able to pay for the show.”

… Then late Tuesday, McHale backtracked on his earlier remarks, tweeting that the show had yet to be axed. Sony, which produces the show, hasn’t commented. Neither has Yahoo, which airs Community.

BEYONCE PREGNANT AGAIN? NEW PHOTO SPARKS RUMORS _ Beyonce is covering her stomach again, sparking more rumors that the singer is pregnant. Beyonce was photographed coming back from her Hamptons weekend wearing a flowing white dress and an oversized denim jacket.

KELLY OSBOURNE RELEASES STATEMENT AFTER REMARK ON THE VIEW _ A segment that happened during The View left everyone uncomfortable. Co-host guest Kelly Osbourne was trying to express her disdain for Donald Trump’s derogatory remarks and instead wound up offending the Latino community. During the Hot Topics segment, an audio clip of Donald Trump was played, in which he claimed that he has the Latino vote. After Rosie Perez led the commentary by reading the poll statistics, Osbourne put her two cents in. At the time, she said, “If you kick every Latino out of this country, then who is going to be cleaning your toilet, Donald Trump?”

… After she was ripped apart on Twitter, Osbourne released a statement via her Facebook: “I want to start by saying I ALWAYS take responsibility for my actions. In this particular case I will take responsibility for my poor choice of words but I will not apologize for being a racist as I am NOT … I’ve learned a very valuable lesson. It is my hope that this situation will open up a conversation about immigration and the Latin community as a whole. By the way I clean my own [blanking] toilets.”

ROBERT DOWNEY JR. TOPS LIST OF WORLD’S HIGHEST-PAID ACTORS _ For the third year in a row, Iron Man star Robert Downey Jr. topped Forbes’ annual list of the World’s Highest-Paid Actors. From June 1, 2014 to June 1, 2015, Downey made $80 million before taxes and management fees. Downey’s earnings came largely from the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

… Trailing behind is Jackie Chan with his reported $50 million earnings. In addition to being China’s biggest movie star, he’s also an accomplished entrepreneur who owns a line of his own merchandise, a Segway dealership and a cinema chain.

The full list:

1. Robert Downey, Jr. $80 million
2. Jackie Chan $50 million
3. Vin Diesel $47 million
4. Bradley Cooper $41.5 million
5. Adam Sandler $41 million
6. Tom Cruise $40 million
7. Amitabh Bachchan $33.5 million
7. Salman Khan $33.5 million
9. Akshay Kumar $32.5 million
10. Mark Wahlberg $32 million
11. Dwayne Johnson $31.5 million
12. Johnny Depp $30 million
13. Leonardo Dicaprio $29 million
14. Channing Tatum $29 million
15. Chris Hemsworth $27 million
15. Daniel Craig $27 million
17. Matthew McConaughey $26.5 million
18. Shah Rukh Khan $26 million
18. Will Smith $26 million
20. Matt Damon $25 million
21. Hugh Jackman $23 million
22. Ben Affleck $19.5 million
22. Liam Neeson $19.5 million
24. Chow Yun-fat $18 million
24. Russell Crowe $18 million
26. Seth Rogen $17 million
27. George Clooney $16.5 million
28. Brad Pitt $16 million
28. Jonah Hill $16 million
30. Will Ferrell $15 million
30. Ranbir Kapoor $15 million
32. Chris Evans $13.5 million
33. Chris Pratt $13 million
33. Andy Lau $13 million

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BITS & BREAKS

TOP TV SHOWS

Week of July 27-August 2

1. America’s Got Talent, NBC, 10.33 million

2. 60 Minutes, CBS, 8.46 million

3. The Bachelorette, ABC, 8.13 million

4. NCIS, CBS, 8.01 million

5. The Bachelorette: After the Rose, ABC, 7.94 million

6. Best of America’s Got Talent, NBC, 7.85 million

7. The Big Bang Theory, CBS, 7.16 million

8. Zoo, CBS, 7.09 million

9. Movie: Descendants, Disney, 6.55 million

10. Big Brother (Thursday), CBS, 6.38 million

11. Big Brother (Sunday), CBS, 6.26 million

12. American Ninja Warrior, NBC, 6.18 million

13. Last Comic Standing, NBC, 5.8 million

14. Big Brother (Wednesday), CBS, 5.74 million

15. Dateline NBC Mystery, NBC, 5.65 million

16. NCIS: New Orleans, CBS, 5.61 million

17. NCIS: Los Angeles, CBS, 5.52 million

18. Blue Bloods, CBS, 5.51 million

19. Mom, CBS, 5.35 million

20. Dateline NBC (Friday), NBC, 5.09 million

AUDIO: BACK TO SCHOOL

For your back to school promos, bumpers, etc. get into the Pro Audio section for a big collection of back to school audio clips.

Here’s a preview:

SHOWER THOUGHTS

In the shower you’re alone with no distractions. It’s just you and your thoughts. On a Reddit board called Shower Thoughts people share what things they thought of while shower.

• Instead of saying Tuesday night or Wednesday night, why don’t we just say Tuesnight and Wednesnight?

• ATMs should have a Coinstar-like function so you can deposit large amounts of change into your bank account without having to roll it by hand.

• If J.J. Abrams screws up Star Wars, he will be forever referred to as Jar-Jar Abrams.

• We always yell at reds lights for not changing, but do we ever thank green lights?

• When you do a push-up, it’s like you’re bench pressing the whole world.

• People don’t actually like the taste of salads, they like salad dressings.

• While the international community mourns the death of Cecil the Lion, the zebra community celebrates the end of his reign of terror.

• If you think it’s weird that your parents have sex, where would you be if they didn’t.

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FUN & GAMES

TRIVIA: Americans buy nearly $2 billion worth of this each year, most of it used in the bathroom. (Mouthwash)

BUZZWORD!

The buzz word is “show”. The answers to my clues contain the buzz word.

• Rob the attention of the audience. (Steal the show)

• A duel or competition. (Showdown)

• Bring it to school and tell the class about it. (Show and tell)

• One who loves to be in the spotlight. (Show-off)

• A catchphrase from “Jerry Maguire”. (Show me the money)

• A premium cable TV channel. (Showtime)

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JOKE OF THE DAY

A woman, pregnant with her first child, went to her first visit to her obstetrician. After the exam, she shyly asked, “Doctor?” “Yes,” he said. The woman said, “My husband wants me to ask you something.” “I know, I know,” the doctor said, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder. “There’s no need to be embarrassed. I get asked that all the time.” She said, “You do?!” “Sure,” he says. “Sex is fine until late in the pregnancy.” “No, that’s not it,” the woman confessed. “He wants to know if I can still mow the lawn.”

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VIDEO OF THE DAY

Supafly break-dancing.

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IMAGE OF THE DAY

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LAST MINUTE ITEMS

• Search Google like it’s the ’80s.

• How many superhero films will be made before you die?

• Draw in peanut butter.

• The world’s strongest coffee.

• Time-lapse of severe weather and natural wonders.

• Your daily source of natural rain sounds.

• What speed do you read?

• Your radio station videos are too long.

• How big is space?

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COUNTRY DATEBOOK: AUGUST 5, 2015

• 1989: DOLLY PARTON topped the country charts with Why’d You Come In Here Lookin’ Like That?

• 2001: BROOKS & DUNN’s first Neon Circus & Wild West Show tour wrapped in Pittsburgh. Supporting acts included TOBY KEITH, MONTGOMERY GENTRY and KEITH URBAN.

• 2005: ALAN JACKSON kicked off the summer leg of his Who I Am tour in Detroit Lakes, Minnesota. Opening acts included THE WRIGHTS and SARA EVANS.

• 2009: DARIUS RUCKER’s Alright became his third consecutive chart topper, following It Won’t Be Like This For Long and Don’t Think I Don’t Think About It.

• 2010: CHARLEY PRIDE was part of an 18-person investor group thought bought the Texas Rangers baseball team for $593 million at auction.

• 2012: JASON ALDEAN headlined at a stadium for the first time, selling out Crew Stadium in Columbus, Ohio. His opener was LUKE BRYAN.

• 2013: With Redneck Crazy, TYLER FARR picked up his first gold single.

TERRI CLARK is 47

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COUNTRY AUDIO

Visit the country audio archive for over 2,000 audio cuts.

GEORGE STRAIT on what keeps him going. » download page

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COUNTRY MUSIC NEWS

LYNN ANDERSON (Rose Garden) will be laid to rest today (Wednesday) in Nashville. She died last Thursday (July 30) at the age of 67.

This should come as no surprise: BRAD PAISLEY and CARRIE UNDERWOOD will return to co-host the 2015 CMA Awards in November, their eighth time. •  VIDEO

Everyone was shocked to learn that REBA MCENTIRE and Narvel Blackstock split after 26 years. But no one was more upset than their daughter-in-law, Kelly Clarkson. According to Us magazine, the couple have been living separately for two years, but Clarkson desperately wanted her in laws to work it out. A source says: “Kelly urged them not to split and she’s the reason they didn’t split earlier. She was really fighting for them to make it work and stay together.” Clarkson is married to Reba’s stepson, Brandon Blackstock.

LUKE BRYAN will perform his new single, Strip It Down, Friday (August 7) on ABC’s Good Morning America and Monday (August 10) on The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon (NBC).

Come January THOMPSON SQUARE will no longer be a duo. That’s when the couple’s first child is due. Keifer and Shawna revealed the news yesterday (Tuesday) on social media.

JASON ALDEAN will shoot for a fourth number one hit from his Old Boots, New Dirt album with the single Gonna Remember We Were Here.

KATHY MATTEA and SHERYL CROW will perform October 1 at Carnegie Hall in New York as part of the tribute concert for Bill Withers called Lean On Him. Withers is heading into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

THOMAS RHETT says his upcoming album, Tangled Up, will infuse sounds of rhythm and blues and hip hop with country. Thomas didn’t grow up listening to any one type of music, so when he writes all the styles get tangled together. Thomas co-wrote seven of the 13 tracks on the album, which hits stores September 25.

DUSTIN LYNCH will kick off a headlining tour November 14 in Richmond, Virginia. He’ll play 35 shows with stops in New York City, Houston and New Orleans. Newcomer CHRIS LANE will serve as opening act for the tour.

Acclaimed producer and songwriter BILLY SHERRILL has died at the age of 78 after a short illness. A member of both the Musicians Hall of Fame and the Country Music Hall of Fame, Billy produced many of TAMMY WYNETTE’s biggest hits and was instrumental in her use of Tammy is a stage name. He also wrote and produced hits for GEORGE JONES, most notably George’s signature song He Stopped Loving Her Today — a song George actually bet Billy $100 would not be a hit. Other artists Billy worked with include TANYA TUCKER, JOHNNY CASH, CHARLIE RICH and DAVID ALLAN COE.