COUNTRY October 13, 2015
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
DATEBOOK: OCTOBER 13, 2015
This is day 286 of 2015. There are 79 days remaining.
BIRTHDAYS
• Melinda Dillon (Ralphie’s mom in A Christmas Story) is 76
• Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones is 73
• Paul Simon is 74
• Demond Wilson (Lamont Sanford on Sanford & Son) is 69
• Sammy Hagar is 68
• Marie Osmond is 56
• Kelly Preston (Jerry Maguire, married to John Travolta) is 53
• Kate Walsh is 48
• Former figure skater Nancy Kerrigan is 46
• Billy Bush (Access Hollywood) is 44
• Sacha Baron Cohen is 44
IT HAPPENED TODAY
• 1792: In Washington, D.C., the cornerstone of the United States Executive Mansion (known as the White House since 1818) is laid.
• 1960: At the World Series, Bill Mazeroski becomes the first person to end a World Series with a home run.
• 1962: Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? opened on Broadway.
• 1983: Ameritech Mobile Communications (now Cingular) launched the first US cellular network in Chicago.
• 1999: A 12-year-old Fairfax, Virginia, boy sent to the principal’s office for misbehaving left school went to the airport, boarded a TWA plane without a ticket and flew to St. Louis. The boy called his mother from St. Louis, and TWA flew him back home the next day.
• 1999: In Boulder, Colorado, the JonBenet Ramsey grand jury was dismissed after 13 months of work with prosecutors saying there wasn’t enough evidence to charge anyone in the six-year-old’s strangulation.
• 2002: An Oklahoma car thief drove 1,750 miles to get arrested for trying to sell a stolen Corvette on the internet auction site eBay. The alleged buyer was a New York City detective who knew the car was stolen. The detective said the thief probably set a record for driving the longest distance to get arrested.
• 2005: A New Jersey man duct-taped his roommate to a bed and stole his car. Several hours and 200 miles later he surrendered to police after stopping for a few beers.
• 2008: Rhode Island began offering tours of several wastewater treatment facilities. Tours of treatment plants were available in East Providence, Bristol and Narragansett.
SPECIAL EVENTS
• International Moment of Frustration Scream Day
• National Chess Day
• Face Your Fears Day
• National No Bra Day
• International Skeptics Day
• M&M Day
UPCOMING
• October 13: First Democratic presidential debate, Las Vegas
• October 27: World Series begins
• October 31: Halloween
• November 1: Daylight Saving Time ends
• More holidays – Updated with 2016 holidays.
NUMBER FOR THE DAY
46,000: Pieces of plastic in every square mile of ocean. from micro-beads to large debris.
NEWS ATTACK!
Levi’s says that it didn’t properly read the cultural shift in America, and as a result has lost billions of dollars as people drop jeans in favor of yoga pants. [So, essentially, the company was caught with its pants down.]
Levi’s says is has lost billions of dollars as people drop jeans in favor of yoga pants. [Most Americans have simply gotten too lazy to operate a zipper.]
Kanye West used Twitter to blast game developers who create iPad games for toddlers that have in-app purchases. He complained that when his little girl, North, plays her favorite games she’s being asked to buy something every five minutes. [Shopping every five minutes. Well, we know that she’s definitely a true Kardashian.]
The family estate of Jimi Hendrix is suing to get back one of Hendrix’s guitars that it says was unlawfully sold. [This is one of those legal cases that they could study in law school — right after they explain to the kids who Jimi Hendrix was.]
In Sweden a bearded men’s group dedicated to the fight against bullying was questioned by police after a citizen called to report an apparent meeting of ISIS. [The group members say that they miss the good old days when they were only mistaken for the Unabomber or ZZ Top.]
A zoo in India borrowed another zoo’s male jaguar for breeding, but soon returned it because it completely ignored the zoo’s female jaguar. The zoo concluded that the borrowed male was just too fat to mate. [Maybe he just likes his females a little curvier.]
Two South Korean sisters were separated 40 years ago and eventually adopted by separate American families. They finally found each other by accident. They wound up working at the same Florida hospital, on the same floor, on the same shift. [That’s a sweet story, but please, oh please, don’t let me be related to anyone I work with.]
There’s new evidence that perhaps inmates who famously escaped into the shark-infested waters surrounding San Francisco’s Alcatraz prison in the ’60s actually survived. [But I ask you: Did anyone really survive the ’60s?]
New data finds that more and more Americans are dining alone at restaurants. [Yeah, but this is America. We may be alone, but you can bet that we’ll eat for two.]
NEWS & NUGGETS
ZIMBABWE WON’T PRESS CHARGES AGAINST CECIL THE LION’S KILLER _ Walter Palmer, the Minnesota dentist and big-game hunter who killed Cecil the Lion while on a July hunting expedition, won’t face charges in the big cat’s death. A Zimbabwean official said Monday there has already been ample publicity surrounding the lion’s death. Two Zimbabweans have been charged in the case, and before Monday, officials there had said they wanted Palmer extradited to face charges.
COMPULSIVELY CHECKING FACEBOOK WILL NOW INCLUDE IMPULSE SHOPPING _ Facebook will soon start looking more and more like an online shopping mall. The social network said Monday that it is adding a new mobile “shopping” tab where you can buy clothes, electronics and other items without ever leaving Facebook. The company is also rolling out a new type of ad that let customers buy things directly from retailers’ Facebook pages. For example, click on a shirt featured in a Target ad and the site will immediately direct to Target’s shopping page where you can select the color and size of the outfit and buy it right then and there.
CALIFORNIA BANS USE OF “REDSKINS” AS A TEAM NAME AT PUBLIC SCHOOLS _ California Governor Jerry Brown Monday signed a bill barring schools from naming teams or mascots “redskins.”
STUDENT ALLOWED SPECIAL NEEDS MAN TO HOLD HIS HAND ON CROWDED BUS _ A photo uploaded to social media last week captures the heartwarming moment that a young man from Hamilton in Ontario, Canada, performed an act of selfless kindness. 22-year-old Godfrey Cuotto, a student of McMaster University, was recently photographed soothing the special needs man, identified only as Robert, on a crowded downtown bus in Hamilton. The photo shows Godfrey sitting next to Robert on a busy downtown bus and allowing Robert to hold his hand. Robert’s family explained later that Robert is deaf and suffers from cerebral palsy. The special needs man appeared to have been overwhelmed by the experience of riding on a crowded downtown bus and was in need of comforting.
FLORIDA WOMAN PERISCOPES WHILE DRUNK DRIVING _ On Saturday (October 10) the Lakeland, Florida, police received 911 calls about a possible drunk driver using the social media app Periscope to broadcast herself. Periscope is a live video streaming app that allows you to video-record and broadcast to anywhere in the entire world. As a result of the video being streamed worldwide, numerous text messages were sent to the driver asking her to stop driving before she killed someone or herself. One 911 caller stated that the female was driving in the north Lakeland area, but he could not provide a specific location. The female driver, identified as 23-year-old Whitney Beall, said several times on Periscope that she was drunk and that she had a flat tire.
… As the caller was giving police dispatch the details from the video, the video was turned off several times and the caller was unable to provide a vehicle description other than it was a Toyota. This made locating Beall more difficult for officers searching the surrounding area. One officer took the initiative to utilize their personal account in an effort to locate the driver. Based on what the officer could observe, and landmarks in the area from the streaming video, officers located Beall in her 2015 Toyota Corolla with a flat left front tire.
FAMILIES OF YOUNG MEN WANT YOU TO WATCH THEM DIE IN CRASH _ Two young men in the UK (Sussex), both high, were killed when their wildly speeding car hit a church wall. The whole incident was recorded by the passenger, and was released at the request of the young mens’ families. The 20- and 21-year-old men had taken what’s been described as “a cocktail” of prescription and illegal drugs. The driver had no license, and was uninsured to drive the car. The video shows the pair driving at speeds up to 90 MPH though dark streets, around other traffic, and with little regard for the terrain or anyone else on the road. The passenger did eventually appear to become alarmed by the speed and lack of control, telling the driver to “slow down, slow down” just before the wreck. The phone continues recording after the wreck, where you can hear a woman asking if anyone was still alive inside the car. • VIDEO
… The families justify their release of the footage of the April wreck, saying, “If all this stops one person from making the same mistake, then some good has come from showing this video.”
PEPSI IS COMING OUT WITH ITS OWN SMARTPHONE _ Pepsi will soon launch its own Android-based smartphone in China.
HERE COMES THE BRIDE… WITH HER RHINESTONE-ENCRUSTED SELFIE STICK _ Who needs a photographer to capture the moment while you walk down the aisle? You can do it yourself. Bridal and evening wear designer Reem Acra has bedazzled selfie sticks in her fall 2016 collection. They’re covered in rhinestones, flowers, tulle and bows to complement the designer’s gowns. No word yet whether the sticks will be actually produced and sold.
Start it on Facebook, take it to the phones: Where’s the strangest place you’ve seen someone use a selfie stick?
BOY BLAMES BUSY FATHER FOR LONG HOURS _ A school essay by an 8-year-old boy in which he criticizes his busy father for spending too much time at work has gone viral on Chinese social media. In the assignment, the boy pulls no punches against his father, a surgeon, for putting in long work hours and not spending enough time with the family. Titled “Even dogs dislike my dad,” photos of the essay quickly gained more than 1 million views in a few days. The 8-year-old wrote in his essay: “My father is very busy on work days, and on the weekend he’s too tired to spend time with us. He is not the patients’ father, he’s mine!” The father, a surgeon of 11 years, admitted to media that his job is demanding and often leaves him sapped of all his energy.
MAN FACES CHARGES FOR ALLEGEDLY TAKING HIS 2 CHILDREN TO A BAR _ A man was arrested by police in Connecticut (Willimantic) over the weekend for allegedly bringing his two children to a bar with him while he drank the night away. Police say 48-year-old Glen White was asked to leave the bar at around 2 AM, just prior to closing. The bar staff also asked White to take his 8- and 11-year-old children with him; the two kids had allegedly been with their father the entire evening. A police statement claims bar employees called 911 when they saw White, who lives 75 miles away, entering his car with the two children.
GUY PRANKS HIS GIRLFRIEND INTO THINKING HE BLEW UP THEIR SON _ Roman Atwood does prank videos. His latest has picked up millions and millions of views in just a couple of days. In the video his girlfriend thinks their son is being carried off on a runaway ATV into some woods where there’s a huge explosion. We the viewers are in on the prank — the ATV is remote-controlled and the couple’s son is really a dummy. But as popular as the video is, more than a few people think Atwood went too far this time. • VIDEO
WAIT, WHAT? MOM ALLEGEDLY MADE, SOLD SEXUALLY-CHARGED BREASTFEEDING VIDEOS _ (CAUTION) Police in Florida have arrested a 31-year-old single mother accused of selling sexually explicit breast-feeding videos that allegedly featured her 18-month-old son. Charges filed against Leigh Felten — a piano teacher from Tallahassee — during her arrest on on Friday include cruelty toward a child, promoting sexual performance by a child, lewd and lascivious behavior and molestation. The document claims police in Wisconsin had reached out to their counterparts in Tallahassee after receiving a complaint from a woman who said her husband had allegedly bought and downloaded seven videos from a woman via YouTube. The woman called police because the videos — purchased using PayPal — showed a woman breast-feeding a toddler “as both of them were nude.” The affidavit says the videos depict “the female…rubbing oil on herself and the child.” The Wisconsin woman also told police she believed her husband traveled to Florida “to meet with the suspect, where he engaged in sexual intercourse with her.”
PARAMEDIC BRIDE RUSHES TO SCENE OF CAR CRASH IN HER WEDDING DRESS _ Sarah Ray, a paramedic from Tennessee, went well above the call of duty when she rushed to respond to a car crash on her wedding day — while in her wedding dress. Just minutes after she tied the knot with her husband Ray received a call that her grandparents and father got into a car accident on their way to her reception. So, the bride and groom, both paramedics, sprung into action. The crash occurred just two miles from the church. No one was seriously injured
WACKY-BUT-TRUE
WACKY-BUT-TRUE: TOOLS AND SALMON COOKER STOLEN FROM NON-PROFIT _ Thousands of dollars worth of tools were stolen during a recent burglary at the Tool Library in Seattle, a non-profit organization that normally lends out tools for free. More than 100 tools worth about $10,000 were stolen. The items included air compressors, miter saws, table saws, pressure washers, routers, laptops… and a salmon cooker. Volunteers have filed a police report and are now checking Craigslist and local pawn shops.
WACKY-BUT-TRUE: 12-YEAR-OLD DRIVER USED BOOSTER SEAT _ In Texas (Fulshear) and officer spotted a driver and pulled him over. His crime: driving under age. The boy was 12. Police said the car belonged to a friend’s mother and the 12-year-old used a booster seat “to appear older” while behind the wheel.
WACKY-BUT-TRUE: MAN PICKS ABSOLUTE WORST TIME TO HIT DEPUTY’S CAR _ Deputies from the Hillsborough County, Florida, sheriff’s department had just found about 70 pot plants Sunday night. During the investigation a 25-year-old man crashed his 2007 Chevy Tahoe into the back of one of the sheriff’s deputy’s cars. The crash was an accident but the man behind the wheel of the Tahoe was allegedly drunk.
WACKY-BUT-TRUE: MAN KNOCKED OUT BY HOT SAUCE IN FIGHT OVER GRAHAM CRACKERS _ Riviera Beach, Florida, police say Shawn Deandre Thomas was eating graham crackers at a church that provides meals for the homeless. Thomas became upset when someone asked for his crackers so he picked up a bottle of hot sauce and allegedly threw it at the man’s head, knocking him unconscious. According to a police report, Thomas also punched another man in the throat when he tried to intervene.
WACKY-BUT-TRUE: PASSER-BY CONFUSES BEARD FANS WITH ISIS TERRORISTS _ Police in Sweden were called because of reports of a group of bearded men in dark clothes raising a black flag above a remote castle. But instead of ISIS militants, officers responding to the scene stumbled across a meeting of an international organization of beard aficionados. The Swedish chapter of the “Bearded Villains” met on Saturday for a photo shoot at the ruined castle, but to someone the 30 young men looked too ISIS-ish and called police.
ON TELEVISION
NCIS (8p ET, CBS) — New
BEST TIME EVER WITH NEIL PATRICK HARRIS (10p ET, NBC) — Jack Black is the guest announcer as the show moves to its new time, with appearances from Olympic gold medalist Apolo Ohno, and journalists Matt Lauer and Savannah Guthrie.
GRANDFATHERED (8p ET, FOX) — New
THE MUPPETS (8p ET, ABC) — Ed Helms appears in this new edition.
THE FLASH (8p ET, CW) — New
FRESH OFF THE BOAT (8:30p ET, ABC) — NBA star Jeremy Lin guest stars in this new episode.
THE GRINDER (8:30p ET, FOX) — New
NCIS: NEW ORLEANS (9p ET, CBS) — New
THE VOICE (9p ET, NBC) — The battle rounds continue in this new edition.
MARVEL’S AGENT OF S.H.E.I.L.D. (9p ET, ABC) — Constance Zimmer guest stars in this new episode.
SCREAM QUEENS (9p ET, FOX) — New
IZOMBIE (9p ET, CW) — New
LIMITLESS (10p ET, CBS) — New
SEASON PREMIERE: CHICAGO FIRE (10p ET, NBC) — Steven R. McQueen (The Vampire Diaries) joins the cast for the 4th season.
SHARK TANK (10p ET, ABC) — Repeat
ENTERTAINMENT
LAW AND ORDER: SVU IS MAKING A DUGGARS-THEMED EPISODE _ After much speculation, Law and Order: Special Victims Unit is indeed making an upcoming episode based on the Duggar family from 19 Kids and Counting. The SVU Duggars-themed episode will center around a large family with a reality TV show as the investigators discover the 13-year-old daughter is pregnant. The episode will air on November 4.
THERE’S A BACK TO THE FUTURE VINYL BOX SET _ The so-called “future day” — the day that Marty McFly and Doc Brown forward in time to in Back to the Future Part II — is fast approaching. To celebrate fans can now get the score for all three Back to the Future films in full-on vinyl for the first time. You can either pick up each movie individually as a two-record set for $35 each, or you can get all six records in a creative and beautiful box set. The full box set will run you $105. • LINK
KEY AND PEELE WILL PRODUCE AN UNDERCOVER COP COMEDY FOR FOX _ For fans mourning the end of Comedy Central’s Key and Peele last month, here’s some good news. Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele will co-produce an undercover cop comedy for Fox. The as-yet-unnamed show will be a half-hour and star Andrew Bachelor as an undercover police officer looking to seek revenge on his childhood bullies. Bachelor, also known by the alias King Bach, rose to fame on Vine, where his comedic micro-videos have been played more than 5 billion times by an audience of 14 million followers.
RANDY QUAID, WIFE TO FACE CHARGES IN VERMONT _ Actor Randy Quaid may face charges following his and wife Evi’s arrest after making an attempt to cross the border from Quebec into Vermont. The two are being held at separate correctional facilities. They were identified as fugitives by U.S. Customs officials in Highgate, Vermont, at the time of their arrests and authorities have said they can be extradited to California for previous crimes. The Quaids initially fled to Canada after missing a court date in California over felony vandalism charges. The couple has been accused of damaging over $5,000 worth of property to a Santa Barbara facility they used to own. They claimed killers were after them.
CONAN O’BRIEN WILL BROADCAST FROM ARMENIA _ In February, Conan O’Brien became the first American late-night television host in nearly 50 years to film a show in Cuba. This November, he will become the first ever to broadcast a show filmed in Armenia. O’Brien’s visit to the Eurasian country is believed to have begun on Sunday, and he is joined on the trip by his assistant Sona Movsesian, who is of Armenian descent. The episode of Conan is scheduled to air on TBS on November 10.
CAREY MULLIGAN REVEALS THE GENDER OF HER BABY _ Carey Mulligan and Marcus Mumford have always been a very private couple, although the couple revealed in recent months that they were expecting a child. Now, Mulligan, who gave birth at some point, revealed the baby’s gender: female.
A WILL FERRELL-THEMED BAR OPENED UP IN NEW YORK CITY _ A New York City called Stay Classy has opened. If the name reminds you of a certain film character named Ron Burgundy, it’s supposed to. Stay Classy is a Will Ferrell-themed bar with a drink list that includes Milk Was a Bad Choice, Glass Case of Emotion, and Mugatu Mule. Got a drink idea? They’re ready and willing to take your suggestions.
BRITNEY SPEARS $7 MILLION MANSION _ If you want to know where Britney Spears’ massive Las Vegas paychecks are going, she’s just snagged a huge estate outside Los Angeles. Britney closed on the 13,264 square foot palace on Friday, and she got it for $7.4 million. It’s not often you hear that kinda price called “a steal,” but that’s how it’s being described in celebrity housing circles. Besides the 5 beds and 7.5 baths, Britney’s new castle sits on 21 acres, has tennis courts and an infinity pool. She can also work on her golf game since there’s a 3-hole course on the grounds!
… If there’s a downside, it’s the $1,836/month in homeowners’ association dues. We suspect Britney will find a way to make ends meet.
WILLIAM SHATNER BLASTS GEORGE TAKEI _ William Shatner is trash-talking his former Star Trek co-star George Takei. Shatner, who played Captain James T. Kirk on the iconic sci-fi series, lashed out at Takei in an interview with Australia’s news.com.au published Monday. Shatner says of Takei, “He is a very disturbed individual, the truth of the matter is. I don’t know him. I haven’t seen him in 25 years, I don’t know what he is up to. It is not a question that has any meaning to me. It is like asking about George Foreman or something.”
… Shatner’s harsh words were the latest volley in a decades-long beef with Takei, who took a shot at Shatner in his 1984 autobiography To the Stars. Shatner later criticized Takei in his own 2011 book Shatner’s Rules: Your Guide to Understanding the Shatnervese and the World at Large. Takei also took a shot at Shatner last July while appearing on HBO’s Real Time With Bill Maher, calling him “self-centered.”
WAR FOR THE PLANET OF THE APES ENLISTS STEVE ZAHN _ War for the Planet of the Apes has enlisted two new human characters in recent months, to be played by Woody Harrelson and Gabriel Chavarria. So it seems only fair to bring another ape in as well. Steve Zahn has joined the next installment of the sci-fi franchise as an ape, joining Andy Serkis as Caesar.
QUENTIN TARANTINO HAS CUT TWO DIFFERENT VERSIONS OF HATEFUL EIGHT _ Quentin Tarantino has edited two different versions of his upcoming film The Hateful Eight. Two weeks before the film is released on Christmas day, there will be a roadshow tour in Ultra Panavision 70mm format. To make that deal sweeter, Tarantino has cut together a different version that’s six minutes longer and has an intermission.
JOHNNY DEPP SWEARS HE “NEVER” WANTS TO WIN AN OSCAR _ Actors always say that it’s just an honor to be nominated for a major award. In fact, they don’t need a big trophy when there are just so many talented people in their categories. But is this team spirit and friendly competition for real? If you ask Johnny Depp, the answer is absolutely yes. As the actor begins to receive Oscar buzz for his latest movie Black Mass, Depp is making it clear that awards aren’t his priority. Depp says, “A nomination is plenty. … I just stick to my guns and do what I want to do. Sometimes people don’t like it but that’s alright.”
FOURTH CHILD ON THE WAY FOR HUGH GRANT _ Hugh Grant is going to be a dad — again. The 55-year-old British actor is expecting his fourth child. This will be Grant’s second child with Swedish television producer Anna Eberstein.
DONALD TRUMP WILL VISIT FOX ON SUNDAY _ For the first time since announcing his candidacy, Donald Trump will be visiting Chris Wallace on Fox News Sunday. Trump has had a rocky relationship with the network since the first GOP debate. Following the debate, Trump relentlessly bashed Megan Kelly for her hard-hitting questions aimed at him. Later, when Fox News had to cancel Trump’s appearance on The O’Reilly Factor, the billionaire then declared a boycott of the network.
JEFF GOLDBLUM LEAKS CAST FOR WES ANDERSON’S NEXT ANIMATED MOVIE _ Jeff Goldblum will lend his voice to Wes Anderson‘s next animated film, and the actor was kind enough to reveal a few of his co-stars, too. Goldblum said he’ll be joining Bob Balaban, Edward Norton and Bryan Cranston in the Fantastic Mr. Fox director’s stop-motion animated film about a pack of dogs.
KELLY RIPA THANKS AT WALK OF FAME CEREMONY _ Kelly Ripa has officially cemented her place in Hollywood. The TV host was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Monday. The 45-year-old mother of three, who has been married to husband Mark Consuelos since 1996, thanked her family and paid homage to those who have influenced her career.
DAREDEVIL TEASER OFFERS QUICK GLIMPSE AT ELEKTRA AND THE PUNISHER _ Following its premiere at New York Comic Con, Marvel Entertainment and Netflix have released the Marvel’s Daredevil Season 2 teaser to the masses. Featuring new footage from the upcoming second season, the video also offers our first teases of Elektra and The Punisher. • VIDEO
VOLKSWAGEN SCANDAL MOVIE IN THE WORKS _ The Volkswagen scandal is heading to the big screen. Paramount and Leonardo DiCaprio’s production company have acquired the rights to a book that’s not been written yet. VW programmed its diesel cars so that U.S. standards emissions were met only when the car was undergoing emissions testing. On the road, emissions rates were up to 40 times higher.
STAY AT STING’S TUSCAN ESTATE FOR $67,000 A WEEK _ Sting’s villa in Tuscany comes with amenities fit for a rock star, and thanks to its recent listing as a rental property, you can experience it for yourself. Originally built as a hunting preserve for Florentine nobility, Sting and his movie producer wife, Trudie Styler, have carefully renovated the 16th-century villa. The estate consists of a nine-bedroom villa and three separate guest houses. The grounds boast groomed gardens, a gorgeous swimming pool, tennis court, stables, organic vineyard, lush olive groves and access to a lake and forests. A seven-night stay at the main residence starts at $67,600. The three guest houses can also be rented and the estate can sleep a total of 31 guests.
NEW ON DVD TODAY
• Dope
• Mad Men: The Complete Collection
• The Following: The Complete Series Box Set
• The Six Million Dollar Man: The Complete Series
BITS & BREAKS
HOW DID YOU CHEAT YOUR FITBIT?
A lot of the fitness bands and body fitness monitors link up with other ones so you can compete with people on the number of steps you take in a day. We heard about a guy who threw his in the dryer and put it on tumble to win his office competition!
AS SEEN ON TV!
Did you ever buy something from one of those infomercials and it wasn’t all you thought it was going to be?
4 WORDS OF ADVICE
If you could go back and talk to your 12-year-old self what 4 words of advice would you give?
WHAT ARE YOUR DINNER TABLE RULES?
According to a new survey, 18% of parents allowed their kids to use technology at the dinner table. What are the dinner table rules at your house? What were the dinner rules when you were growing up?
FUN & GAMES
TRIVIA: Almost 7 in 10 Chinese men do this. (Smoke cigarettes)
TRIVIA: 1 in 3 parents say they never do this for their kids. (Read them bedtime stories)
TV BOSSES!
Boss’s Day is October 16. I’ll name the boss, you name the TV show.
• Michael Scott (The Office)
• Jack Donaghy (30 Rock)
• Mr. Burns (The Simpsons)
• Jack McCoy (Law & Order)
• Miranda Bailey (Grey’s Anatomy)
• Sam Malone (Cheers)
• Selina Meyer (Veep)
• Leslie Knope (Parks and Recreation)
• Tony Soprano (The Sopranos)
• Mr. Slate (The Flintstones)
• Don Draper (Mad Men)
• Jimmy James (NewsRadio)
JOKE OF THE DAY
A man was walking down the street when he was accosted by a particularly dirty and shabby-looking homeless man who asked him for a couple of dollars for dinner. The man took out his wallet, extracted ten dollars and asked, “If I give you this money, will you buy some beer with it instead of dinner?” “No, I had to stop drinking years ago,” the homeless man replied. “Will you use it to go fishing instead of buying food?” the man asked. “No, I don’t waste time fishing,” the homeless man said. “I need to spend all my time trying to stay alive.” “Will you spend this on greens fees at a golf course instead of food?” the man asked. “Are you NUTS!” replied the homeless man. “I haven’t played golf in 20 years!” “Will you spend the money on a woman in the red light district instead of food?” the man asked. “What disease would I get for ten lousy bucks?” exclaimed the homeless man. “Well,” said the man, “I’m not going to give you the money. Instead, I’m going to take you home for a terrific dinner cooked by my wife.” The homeless man was astounded. “Won’t your wife be furious with you for doing that? I know I’m dirty, and I probably smell pretty disgusting.” The man replied, “That’s okay. It’s important for her to see what a man looks like after he has given up beer, fishing, golf, and sex.”
VIDEO OF THE DAY
This is what your dog thinks of drones.
IMAGE OF THE DAY
Anyone else’s bank let you choose your bills?
LAST MINUTE ITEMS
• A new fact every minute.
• Mark Davis worked at a Kmart in Naperville, Illinois in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Each month, the corporate office mailed a cassette tape to all the stores, which contained easy-listening elevator music and in-house advertisements. Davis saved all 56 cassettes.
• Paste any YouTube link and it speeds it up 2x to the tune of the Benny Hill theme song.
• How fit are you really?
• How to make your Facebook profile picture into a looping video.
• Get stats about any Instagram account, including yours.
• September’s Best News Bloopers.
• Is your computer powered up?
• The treadmill’s dark and twisted past.
• Finally the answer to, What should we watch tonight?
• Write a letter to your future self.
COUNTRY DATEBOOK: OCTOBER 13, 2015
• 1951: Four of the top ten songs on the country chart belonged to LEFTY FRIZZELL.
• 1967: DOLLY PARTON replaced Norma Jean on the syndicated Porter Wagoner Show.
• 1975: JOHN DENVER won two Country Music Association Awards, including Entertainer of the Year and Song of the Year for Back Home Again.
• 1976: Opry legend Minnie Pearl was elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame.
• 1977: DOLLY PARTON’s band uniform was retired in a ceremony at Tennessee’s Sevier County High School where she had played snare drum.
• 1980: JOHNNY CASH, Connie B. Gay and the SONS OF THE PIONEERS were inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.
• 2000: The Highwaymen album by WAYLON JENNINGS, JOHNNY CASH, WILLIE NELSON and KRIS KRISTOFFERSON was certified platinum.
• 2005: Filming began in Atlanta on TOBY KEITH’s movie Broken Bridges.
• 2009: CHRIS YOUNG scored his first chart topping hit with Getting’ You Home (The Black Dress Song).
• 2010: BLAKE SHELTON launched his first headlining tour at the Ogden Theatre in Denver.
• 2011: MARTINA McBRIDE completed a cross-country train trip to promote her album Eleven as she arrived in New York City.
• 2013: ALABAMA’s Randy Owen was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame.
LACY J. DALTON is 69. Born in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania, her hits include Black Coffee and 16th Avenue.
MARIE OSMOND is 56.
JOHN WIGGINS (of the duo John & Audrey Wiggins) is 53.
RHETT AKINS is 46.
COUNTRY AUDIO: WEEK OF OCTOBER 12
» To download audio to your computer click here.
THOMAS RHETT on his song Crash and Burn.
A THOUSAND HORSES talk about their party names.
FLORIDA GEORGIA LINE on their music.
TIM McGRAW on his goal as a father.
TYLER FARR’s key to relationship happiness.
Visit the Country Audio Archive for over 2,000 artist clips.
COUNTRY MUSIC NEWS
CHARLES KELLEY (LADY ANTEBELLUM) will launch The Driver Tour November 28 in Cleveland. He’ll play 22 small venues with opening act MAREN MORRIS doing mostly his solo material with a few Lady A tunes mixed in, having Maren play the role of HILLARY SCOTT for those songs. His debut solo EP will be out sometime after the first of the year.
The 49th Annual Country Music Association Awards have added MIRANDA LAMBERT, KELSEA BALLERINI, KACEY MUSGRAVES and MADDIE & TAE to the list of performers. They join ERIC CHURCH and HANK WILLIAMS JR., THOMAS RHETT and Fallout Boy, and hosts BRAD PAISLEY and CARRIE UNDERWOOD on the performers roster. The show will air November 4 on ABC.
THOMAS RHETT’s album Tangled Up leads the country albums chart this week. The album comes in at No. 7 on the overall Top 200 all formats chart.
… GEORGE STRAIT’s Cold Beer Conversation is second on the country albums chart, followed by LUKE BRYAN’s Kill The Lights.
BRETT ELDREDGE’s Lose My Mind is the No. 1 country song. It’s Brett’s fourth consecutive No. 1.
TAYLOR SWIFT was named Songwriter/Artist of the Year by the Nashville Songwriters Association International during their annual gala Sunday (October 11) in Nashville. The accolade sets a new mark in the category with seven wins. Taylor, who was unable to attend, sent in a video acceptance speech for the honor.
The ELI YOUNG BAND made a surprise appearance at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Friday (October 9) to perform for patients there.
JANA KRAMER has spoken out about her past relationship with BRANTLEY GILBERT, calling it unhealthy. Jana says the last track on her new album Thirty-One, called Last Song, talks about the relationship she and Brantley had.
The Voice winner CRAIG WAYNE BOYD and fiancee Taylor Morland are expecting a baby girl.
AARON TIPPIN has filmed a 45-minute documentary called Aaron Tippin 25 about his 25 years in the music business, starting with his humble beginnings in South Carolina. The show will air on various networks throughout the month of October.
JOSH TURNER, KRISTIAN BUSH, DERIC RUTTAN and RON SEXSMITH filmed an episode of the CMA Songwriters Series in Toronto that will air in both the U.S. and Canada across the CMA’s YouTube channel October 16.
Beginning November 7 RAY STEVENS will launch a national television show, Ray Stevens Nashville. Guests on the first season will include TANYA TUCKER, AARON TIPPIN, DARRYL WORLEY, LARRY GATLIN and T.G. SHEPPARD. Ray will also perform and do comedy during the hour long shows.
DATEBOOK: OCTOBER 14, 2015
This is day 287 of 2015. There are 78 days remaining.
BIRTHDAYS
• Roger Moore is 88
• Harry Anderson (Night Court) is 63
• Greg Evigan (My Two Dads) is 62
• Steve Coogan is 50
• Usher is 37
• Stacy Keibler (Dancing With the Stars) is 36
IT HAPPENED TODAY
• 1912: Theodore Roosevelt, campaigning for the presidency, was shot in the chest in Milwaukee.
• 1947: Air Force test pilot Chuck Yeager became the first person to break the sound barrier when he flew the experimental Bell X One rocket plane over Edwards Air Force Base in California.
• 1960: Democratic presidential candidate John F. Kennedy suggested formation of a Peace Corps during a talk at the University of Michigan.
• 1968: The first live telecast from a manned U.S. spacecraft was transmitted from Apollo 7.
• 1979: Wayne Gretzky of the Edmonton Oilers scored the first of his National Hockey League record 894 goals in a home game against the Vancouver Cancucks.
• 1998: Federal authorities charged Eric Robert Rudolph, one of FBI’s 10 most-wanted fugitives, with the bombing at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta.
• 2005: In Amarillo, Texas, police say Joshua Glenn Smith stole a pickup truck from an alley. After a blowout and a near crash, the truck smashed into a light pole and crashed into a bridge pillar. The truck then collided with a vehicle. Smith tried to keep going, but lost control of the truck and veered into the parking lot of a new Wendy’s restaurant, smashing into another vehicle. A crowd of about 20 people chased Smith around the restaurant. They tied his feet with a garden hose and handcuffed him.
• 2008: Psychic Blossom Goodchild claimed that, beginning today, aliens would be flying across our skies for three days. Blossom said she knew this because the aliens had contacted her. The aliens never showed up.
• 2012: Austrian skydiver Felix Baumgartner set the world record for skydiving an estimated 24 miles, reaching an estimated speed of 843.6 MPH, or Mach 1.25, becoming the first person to break the sound barrier without vehicular power on his descent.
SPECIAL EVENTS
• Be Bald and Be Free Day
• National Bring Your Teddy Bear To Work & School Day
• Take Your Parents To Lunch Day
• Stop Bullying Day
• Emergency Nurses Day
• National Dessert Day
UPCOMING
• October 27: World Series begins
• October 31: Halloween
• November 1: Daylight Saving Time ends
• More holidays – Updated with 2016 holidays.