InterPrep PRO – January 26, 2021
Audio • Bits & Breaks • Country News • Datebook • Datebook Tomorrow • Entertainment • Fun & Games • News & Nuggets • News Attack • Number • TV • Wacky-But-True
DATEBOOK: JANUARY 26, 2021
• Sports announcer-actor Bob Uecker is 86
• Scott Glenn is 82
• Richard Portnow (Trumbo, The Sopranos) is 74
• Eddie Van Halen would have been 66. He died October 6, 2020.
• Ellen DeGeneres is 63
• NHL legend Wayne Gretzky is 60
• Andrew Ridgeley (Wham!) is 58
• Nate Mooney (American Odyssey, Its Always Sunny In Philadelphia) is 49
• Jennifer Crystal (House, Once and Again) is 48
• Reality TV star Colton Underwood (The Bachelor, The Bachelorette) is 29
IT HAPPENED TODAY
• 1802: Congress passed an act calling for a library to be established within the U.S. Capitol.
• 1875: The dental drill was patented by George F. Green of Kalamazoo, Michigan.
• 1920: Former Ford Motor Co. executive Henry Leland launched the Lincoln Motor Company which he later sold to his former employer.
• 1979: The Dukes of Hazzard premiered. The show ran for seven seasons.
• 1998: President Bill Clinton denied having an affair with former White House intern Monica Lewinsky, telling reporters, “I did not have sexual relations with that woman.”
• 2006: Western Union discontinued use of its telegram service.
• 2009: A Japanese toy maker (Gamu-Toys) released action figures of Barack Obama wielding a samurai sword and a Star Wars lightsaber.
• 2020: Retired L.A. Lakers basketball legend Kobe Bryant died in a helicopter crash in foggy conditions in the hills above Calabasas, southern California. Eight others were on board: Bryant’s 13-year-old daughter Gianna, baseball coach John Altobelli, five other passengers, and the pilot.
SPECIAL EVENTS
• Peanut Brittle Day
• Plan For A Vacation Day
• Australia Day
• Speak Up and Succeed Day
• Spouses Day. A day for giving time rather than gifts, and celebrating your spouse. Couples are encouraged to spend alone time and to reflect on their journey so far.
NUMBER FOR THE DAY
5,194: Paved runways in the United States.
NEWS ATTACK!
QAnon thinks Trump will become president again on March 4. [Sorry, that’s a Thursday. He plays a morning round and an afternoon round on Thursdays.]
According to a survey, most Americans think the first sign of a heart attack is what they see on TV and in the movies — the person grabs his or her chest before keeling over. [That’s not a sign of a heart attack — that’s a sign that their smartphone battery ran out in the middle of writing a Facebook post.]
The first dogs — Champ and Major — have arrived at the White House. [After undergoing background checks, of course.]
The dating website MeetMindful was hacked and private user info was publicly shared. [We now know that 3% of single guys list “favorite form of exercise” as “12 ounce curls.”]
No clydesdales will be seen during this year’s Super Bowl. [They refused to wear a mask.]
After being sued for falsely claiming voting machine were rigged, Rudi Giuliani now admits that Joe Biden is the real president. [Well Rudy was right about one thing with respect to the election — the courts are settling it.]
The Super Bowl is a week from Sunday. [I’m having a drive-thru Super Bowl party. I’ll be holding out a large bowl of dip as my guests drive by with their chips sticking out their windows.]
Amazon’s Alexa has a new feature that will play a barking dog if there’s a break-in. [Isn’t that a YouTube channel I can play every time I leave the house?]
NEWS & NUGGETS
COVID-19 WARNINGS WERE ON TWITTER WELL BEFORE THE OUTBREAK _ Even before public announcements of the first cases of COVID-19 in Europe were made, at the end of January 2020, signals that something strange was happening were already circulating on social media. A new study (by IMT School for Advanced Studies Lucca) has identified tracks of increasing concern about pneumonia cases on posts published on Twitter in seven countries, between the end of 2019 and the beginning of 2020. The analysis of the posts shows that the “whistleblowing” came precisely from the geographical regions where the primary outbreaks later developed.
COCA-COLA’S CANNED COFFEE DRINK MAKES ITS AMERICAN DEBUT _ Coca-Cola is adding an extra kick to its classic sodas with a line of coffee-infused drinks that are hitting American shelves this week. First tested in international markets in 2018, Coke with Coffee is a cross between the company’s signature beverage and Brazilian coffee that comes in three flavors: dark blend, caramel and vanilla. There’s also a sugar-free option. With about twice as much caffeine as a can of coke (69 mg per 12 ounces), the product is geared toward consumers in need of a daytime jolt to ward off an afternoon slump.
BIDEN RESTARTS HARRIET TUBMAN $20 BILL _ The stalled effort to honor abolitionist Harriet Tubman by putting her likeness on the $20 bill is being started up again by the Biden administration. She would be the first Black person on US currency. White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Monday that the nation’s currency should “reflect the history and diversity of our country, and Harriet Tubman’s image gracing the new $20 note would certainly reflect that.”
… Born into slavery in Maryland, Tubman escaped and helped more than 300 others to freedom through the Underground Railroad.
MICROSOFT FILES PATENT FOR TECH THAT COULD RESURRECT DEAD LOVED ONES AS CHAT BOTS _ Microsoft is hoping to use artificial intelligence to create chat bots that mimic real, deceased people. Microsoft has filed a patent for software “creating a conversational chat bot of a specific person” based on “images, voice data, social media posts, electronic messages, written letters,” and any other so-called “social data.” It wouldn’t be limited to deceased loved ones — you could also create a chat bot for a favorite fictional character, a living friend or celebrity, or even yourself.
… Since Microsoft has yet to create a prototype (that we know of), plenty of details are still up in the air; and the capabilities of each chat bot will likely depend on how much “social data” exists.
BIDEN BRINGS BACK THE BUTTON TRUMP ORDERED DIET COKES WITH _ President Joe Biden has brought back a call button Donald Trump used to order Diet Cokes while sitting in the Oval Office. Photos taken in the Oval Office Monday show the call box sitting next to Biden’s phones, in the same place Trump placed the box when he would sit there. The call box was not seen in pictures of Biden on his first day in office last week. Trump used the wooden call box throughout his entire presidency, and first showed it off in 2017 interviews with The Associated Press and the Financial Times, during which he told reporters: “Everyone does get a little nervous when I press that button.”
… The call box has been around for decades and other recent presidents have also been pictured in the White House with it, including Barack Obama and George W. Bush. It can be used to call White House staff, Secret Service Agents, and other officials, but Trump appeared to have told his staff that if he pressed the button, he wanted a Diet Coke. It’s unclear if Biden has a specific use for the button, or if it will be used more generally.
WOMAN’S ACCIDENTAL LOTTERY PURCHASE EARNS $1 MILLION JACKPOT _ An Arkansas woman won a $1 million jackpot from a scratch-off lottery ticket that she only bought due to a store clerk’s error. Carrie Middlebrook (of Bono) said she went to Jordan’s Kwik Stop to buy an item her husband had forgotten to pick up on his way home. While in the store, Middlebrook decided to buy some lottery tickets and asked for a $2 scratch-off ticket, two $10 tickets and a 5-Buck Bundle ticket. She also ended up with a $20 $1 Million Spectacular ticket accidentally when the clerk misheard her request. The player scratched the $20 ticket off in her car and was stunned to reveal a $1 million top prize.
… Middlebrook said she drove home and called her husband to come outside and meet her at the car. He recalled: “When I opened Carrie’s car door, she was crying and shaking. I thought she had hit a deer.”
ZOO OFFERS TO NAME ROACHES, RATS AFTER PATRONS’ EX-LOVERS _ A Texas zoo is offering jilted lovers the chance to get some Valentine’s Day revenge by naming a cockroach or a rat after their exes before it is fed to a larger animal. The San Antonio Zoo said scorned lovers can pay $5 to have a cockroach named after their ex before it is served to a larger zoo animal as a meal. The zoo said someone looking to make a stronger statement can pay $25 to name a frozen rat for their former lover before it is fed to a snake.
… Last week we told you about The Bronx Zoo bringing back its Name a Roach promotion, where you can name a Madagascar hissing cockroach after a loved one (or hated one) in exchange for a $15 donation. You even get a snazzy digital certificate.
… For $75 you can get The Works: A roach plush, a roach candle, a printed certificate with the roach’s name, and a very crawly February 14th Valentine’s Virtual Encounter with a Madagascar hissing cockroach and a surprise animal guest.
HAWK RESCUED FROM FRONT GRILL OF VEHICLE IN MICHIGAN _ Police in Michigan rescued a red-tailed hawk that was stuck. Officers (in Farmington) responded Saturday to a report of a hawk struck by a vehicle, and they arrived to find the bird of prey trapped in the vehicle’s grill. On Facebook the police department said: “Officers meticulously extricated the hawk by removing parts of the front of the car without causing injury to the animal or causing more damage to the car.” Officers said the hawk received “outstanding care” at an animal emergency center and is expected to be released back into the wild any day now.
AMAZON’S ALEXA CAN BARK IF IT DETECTS A BREAK-IN _ Amazon is launching a new subscription service for Echo users called Alexa Guard Plus, which will include access to a 24-hour helpline, alerts when your smart speakers or displays hear a break-in, deterrence measures and more.
… One of the deterrence measures is the sound of dogs barking if a break-in is detected
… Guard Plus will cost $5 per month or $49 per year.
14% WOULD DUMP THEIR MATE BEFORE THEIR PET _ Your sweetheart or your pet. Who would you choose to dump if one had to go? Most current pet owners said they would hold on to their spouse or significant other (84 percent), but a sizable 14 percent picked their pets.
… And while both men and women were equally likely to go with their spouse or significant other, women are far more likely than men to say the human-pet choice would be a tough one (40 percent among women compared with 26 percent among men).
MUSICIANS HAVE SUPER-CONNECTED BRAINS _ It’s long been believed that children who learn a musical instrument generally perform better in school. A new study may provide an explanation for this musical connection. Researchers from the University of Zurich say musicians have super connected brains compared to people who don’t play instruments. Their findings reveal those who begin practicing an instrument at a younger age have stronger connections than those who pick up an instrument later in life. The discovery shows just one of the ways in which people’s experiences can shape their brain.
COVID-SNIFFING DOGS TO SCREEN FANS AT HEAT GAMES _ The Miami Heat are turning to COVID-sniffing dogs to screen fans at the gates. The Heat been working on the plan for months, and the highly trained dogs have been in place for some games this season where the team has allowed a handful of guests — mostly friends and family of players and staff. Starting this week, a limited number of ticket holders will be in the seats as well, provided they get past the dogs first.
… The first Heat game with ticket holders is set for Thursday against the Los Angeles Clippers.
DATING SITE LEAK AS HACKER PUBLISHES PRIVATE INFO OF USERS _ A hacker has exposed the private details of 2.3 million people after breaking into into a major dating service. Sensitive information shared online last week belonged to MeetMindful and included users’ names, email addresses and location data. The data dump was posted to a publicly accessible hacking forum where crooks can download it for free. People’s real names, body details, dating preference, Facebook ID, birth dates and more were all leaked by the hacker.
PEEPS ARE BEING SPOTTED BACK IN STORES AGAIN _ In another sign that 2021 will be better than 2020, Peeps will be back for the Easter season and the treats have even been spotted back in stores. Peeps took Halloween and Christmas 2020 off and didn’t release any themed shapes for those holidays due to the effects of the pandemic. But, as planned, they’ll be heading back to stores in time for Easter. They tweeted earlier this month counting down to Easter, and even showed production revving up for their favorite holiday.
… Some specialty Peeps have even been spotted back in stores and online retailers, including Peeps Party Cake and Hot Tamales. What is available near you will vary.
WE LIVE IN FEAR… OF MONSTERS _ A study found that 86 percent of adults and 91 percent of youngsters admitted to being very scared of something. War? Terrorists? Loss of social security? Actually, monsters. Forty-three percent of adults and 55 percent of youth polled thought monsters were in or around their house.
A YEAR AGO THIS WEEK: SUPER BOWL = PIZZA SALES _ Most pizza chains will have their single-biggest sales day of the year on Super Bowl Sunday. The biggest pizza days:
• Super Bowl Sunday
• New Year’s Eve
• Halloween
• The night before Thanksgiving
• New Year’s Day
WACKY-BUT-TRUE
WACKY-BUT-TRUE: WOMAN STABS HUSBAND AFTER CATCHING HIM WITH PICS OF HER _ Ever hear the term blind rage? It’s phrase for the phenomenon that occurs when otherwise rational people become completely irrational due to something that upsets them. For example, finding your husband with pictures of a much younger woman on his phone is the type of instance that might send one into a blind rage. A guy in Mexico took some old photographs of his wife from their younger days, scanned them, and then saved them to his phone so he would have them to look at any time. But his wife, not recognizing herself, thought it was a younger woman he was having an affair with and stabbed him multiple times. The husband was able to wrestle the knife away from her and explain that it was her in the pictures, but not before neighbors heard the fight and called the police.
WACKY-BUT-TRUE: TRAIN PASSENGERS STRANDED AT WRONG STOP _ Around 100 train passengers were left stranded at a station in China after a conductor called out the wrong stop. The passengers were stuck for hours thanks to the confused conductor.
WACKY-BUT-TRUE: WOMAN FELL OVER PILE OF ACCIDENT CLAIM FORMS _ In Scotland a woman suffered pain and loss of earnings after falling while at work. The woman was an insurance worker. She won a settlement after she tripped and fell over a pile of accident claim forms left on the floor by a fellow employee.
WACKY-BUT-TRUE: COUPLES COUNSELING OVER TIKTOK _ A husband and wife in Brazil are seeing a marriage counselor because she spends too much time on TikTok. According to the husband the wife is so obsessed with creating and watching TikToks she’s taken leave from her job and asked her mother-in-law to watch their children for a few weeks until her TikTok career takes off.
ON TELEVISION
ZOEY’S EXTRAORDINARY PLAYLIST (8p ET, NBC) — New. Zoey tries to “choose happiness” but finds it is easier said than done.
NCIS (8p ET, CBS) — New. Following a tip about smuggled weapons, Bishop and Torres engage in a shootout in a former sheriff’s residence that’s now a historical site.
SEASON PREMIERE: TO TELL THE TRUTH (8p ET, ABC) — New. Anthony Anderson hosts, with panelists Jimmy Kimmel, Andrea Savage and Sherri Shepherd.
THE RESIDENT (8p ET, FOX) — New. Cain is struck by a car at a crash scene, causing the doctors to put aside their personal issues to try and save his life.
TWO SENTENCE HORROR STORIES (8p ET, CW) — Two new episodes.
FINDING YOUR ROOTS WITH HENRY LOUIS GATES, JR. (8p ET, PBS) — New. Andy Cohen and NPR correspondent Nina Totenberg research their family histories.
FBI (9p ET, CBS) — New. The team searches for a young girl who was kidnapped from a cabin during a family vacation.
BLACK-ISH (9p ET, ABC) — New. When the power goes out, Dre’s instinct is to go into survival mode and stockpile essentials.
PRODIGAL SON (9p ET, FOX) — New. The headmaster of Bright’s alma mater is found murdered, forcing him to face a secret from his past. Christian Borle guest stars.
TRICKSTER (9p ET, CW) — New.
SEASON PREMIERE: MIXED-ISH (9:30p ET, ABC) — In the season 2 premiere, Rainbow gets mad when she finds out Johan has been pretending to be a different race.
FBI: MOST WANTED (10p ET, CBS) — New. Jess’ relationship with his father (Terry O’Quinn) reaches a breaking point.
NURSES (10p ET, NBC) — New. Naz realizes her patient has a more serious condition than anyone realized.
BIG SKY (10p ET, ABC) — New. After Jenny and Cassie learn the truth about Cody’s fate, they decide to officially team up to track down Ronald.
FRONTLINE: TRUMP’S AMERICAN CARNAGE (10p ET, PBS) — This new edition offers a critical assessment of former President Donald Trump’s single term in office.
QANON: THE SEARCH FOR Q (10p ET, Vice) — This three-night docuseries takes a comprehensive look at the who, what, and why of the viral movement QAnon.
ENTERTAINMENT
BUDWEISER WILL SKIP SUPER BOWL FOR FIRST TIME IN DECADES _ For the first time since 1983, Anheuser-Busch won’t be airing ads Budweiser during the Super Bowl. The company announced it is instead donating the money it would have spent on commercials to coronavirus vaccination awareness efforts. Although you’ll still see four minutes of ads during the game for its other brands like Bud Light, Michelob Ultra and its new seltzers — the Budweiser Clydesdales will not be seen.
🎧 NICKELBACK JUMPS INTO SEA SHANTY CRAZE _ The sea shanty craze on TikTok shows no signs of slowing down — and even Nickelback is riding the wave. A group called Lottery Winners redid Nickelback’s smash 2005 single Rockstar as a sea shanty last week. When the members of Nickelback saw it, they added their own vocals and video to the mix. • VIDEO
… It’s worth watching just to see frontman Chad Kroeger dressed as a sea captain, standing on the bow of what appears to be an actual boat while he sings along.
… Meanwhile, the guy who kicked off the TikTok sea shanty crazy — 26-year-old Scottish mailman Nathan Evans — has landed a record deal. His version of the 19th century sea shanty “Wellerman” is expected to reach the Top 10 in the UK this week.
DISNEY’S JUNGLE CRUISE THEME PARK RIDE IS GETTING MAJOR UPDATES _ Disney’s Jungle Cruise ride is getting an upgrade. The boat-themed ride is located in Adventureland at four Disney theme parks worldwide and Monday it was announced that the attractions in Disneyland park at Disneyland Resort and Magic Kingdom Park at Walt Disney World Resort will be receiving upgrades that will “stay true to the experience we know and love — more humor, wildlife and skipper heart — and also reflect and value the diversity of the world around us.” It’s also all but certain that these upgrades will include elements that tie into the upcoming Jungle Cruise movie.
LIVE-ACTION HARRY POTTER TV SERIES IN THE WORKS FOR HBO MAX _ A source says a live-action Harry Potter TV series is in the works for HBO Max. And that’s all we got.
JOE BIDEN’S INAUGURATION DREW ALMOST 33.8 MILLION VIEWERS _ TV ratings company Nielsen says nearly 33.8 million viewers tuned in for the inauguration of President Joe Biden — a few million more than viewed Donald Trump’s.
NO MORE NUDE SCENES, SAYS KEIRA KNIGHTLEY — UNLESS… _ Shortly after becoming a mother a few years ago, actress Keira Knightley started using a body double to take her place in nude scenes. She’s through with them, she says. But she’s willing to make an exception for another Hollywood rarity: films directed by women. Knightley, who has a no-nudity clause in her contracts, said she’d bend her own rule for the sake of representation — and the subject matter.
… “If I was making a story that … was about the journey of motherhood and that journey of body accept[ance], I’m sorry, but it would have to be with a female filmmaker. I don’t have an absolute ban. But I kind of do with men. It’s partly vanity,” she added, noting that the birth of her two daughters transformed her body in ways she never imagined.”
BEN AFFLECK AND ANA DE ARMAS STILL TALK _ In spite of their break-up, Ben Affleck and Ana de Armas are still speaking to each other “several times a day,” a source says. The source adds that they “still love each other” and that “Ben misses her.”
… A previous source claimed the breakup was mutual and that Ben wouldn’t commit to having more kids.
2021 BILLBOARD MUSIC AWARDS WILL AIR IN MAY _ The 2021 Billboard Music Awards show has an air date. NBC and Dick Clark Productions announced Monday that the ceremony will take place on May 23. Last year, the show took place on October 14 at the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles with no live audience after being postponed due to the pandemic. It was hosted by Kelly Clarkson, and Post Malone was the big winner, taking home nine awards.
PHIL COLLINS SELLS MIAMI MANSION HE PREVIOUSLY SHARED WITH EX-WIFE _ Phil Collins has unloaded his Miami Beach mansion — and closed a chapter in his messy divorce from wife Orianne Cevey. According to a listing for the house, a sale is pending, though the buyer and selling price is not yet known.
… Phil originally put the $40 million home up for sale in December, while Orianne and her new husband, Thomas Bates, were still living there. Orianne and Bates had agreed back in October that they would move out by January 21, after initially refusing to vacate the property. Phil and Orianne split for the second time last year after it was revealed Orianne married another man — Bates — in Las Vegas.
… As for the mansion, the 10,769-square-foot estate boasts six bedrooms, eight and a half bathrooms, a 6,000-gallon koi pond, a customized chef’s kitchen, a wine cellar, an elevator and more.
TOMB RAIDER SEQUEL MOVES FORWARD _ A sequel to 2018’s Tomb Raider is moving forward. A script is being written and the movie should begin shooting later this year. Alicia Vikander is expected to return in the starring role.
🎧 GORDON RAMSAY IS FEUDING WITH A VEGAN TIKTOKER _ Gordon Ramsay was recently called out for his love of meat by a well-known vegan TikToker — and in a viral video response, the celebrity chef addressed the drama by eating a beef burger on camera. In her video, @ThatVeganTeacher sings an original song with the lyrics: “Eating animals is wrong, Gordon Ramsay / Hurting animals is wrong, Gordon Ramsay / And if you call me a ‘donut,’ that’s fine, as long as you’re vegan from now on.” The pair have gone back and forth, with Gordon at one point nibbling on a piece of lettuce as he listens to @ThatVeganTeacher’s song.
ROBERT DOWNEY JR., NICOLAS CAGE, CHARLIE SHEEN AUDITIONED FOR KARATE KID _ Thanks to the incredible popularity of Cobra Kai, interest in The Karate Kid franchise is higher than it’s been for almost 30 years. Long before he agreed to a return in Cobra Kai, though, Daniel LaRusso was already the defining role of Ralph Macchio’s career, one that he gave up trying to escape from many years ago and decided to embrace instead.
… The first major film appearance of Macchio’s career came the year before in Francis Ford Coppola’s The Outsiders, where he shared the screen with a bevy of future stars including Tom Cruise, Matt Dillon, Patrick Swayze, Diane Lane, Rob Lowe and Emilio Estevez. And in a recent interview, the 59 year-old revealed that a trio of his contemporaries were also in the running for The Karate Kid, all three of whom would go on to experience huge success in their own right.
… “I was found early, I was cast very early, but it was like one of those test deals where you’re not in yet. I remember walking by and seeing Charlie Sheen hanging out outside [the producer’s] bungalow, thinking, ‘What’s Charlie doing here?’ Nic Cage, I think, and Robert Downey Jr.”
JOHN BOYEGA AND ROBERT DE NIRO TO STAR IN NEW NETFLIX MOVIE _ John Boyega is heading to Netflix with The Formula, the streamer’s latest original movie. The Star Wars actor has signed up to play the lead in the project alongside Robert De Niro, who will also produce. The Formula “will follow a Formula One racing prodigy who’s forced to become a getaway driver to save the only family he has left.”
PRO AUDIO PAGE
SEA SHANTY CRAZE
One sign that 2021 is going to be better than 2020 is the sea shanty craze on TikTok — which has spilled over to other social media sites. Nickelback added their own vocals to the original done by Scottish 26-year-old Nathan Evans. (1/26)
MYSTERY VOICE
Millie Bobby Brown
@THATVEGANTEACHER
@ThatVeganTeacher on TikTok wrote a song for Gordon Ramsay. (1/26)
PHONER
Phrases family members use that drive you nuts! Multiple callers.
DROP
Yeah, that was a great one too!
PHONER
The average guy these days spends 6½ hours a week playing video games. What does your man spend too much time doing? Two real callers to help jump-start the phones.
BITS & BREAKS
FACEBOOK THIS
What white lie did someone tell you as a kid that you believed for years?
(CUSTOMIZE TO FIT YOUR LIFE…) My neighbor says his oldest son — age 15 — once told his youngest son — age 5 — that telephone poles are planted. Years before a new pole is needed electric and phone companies have to tell the pole planters to plant a seed so they’ll be able to use it in 10 or 15 years.
FACEBOOK THIS
What did you buy that turned out to be a lemon? A coworker here at (your station) got a personalized coffee mug for Christmas that on first use, the bottom fell out of. He got a new one and the same thing happened again!
TWEET OF THE WEEK
Dropping a sewing needle is like a cross between Where’s Waldo and The Floor Is Lava except if you don’t find Waldo he’s gonna stab you. via @boozemunkee
THINGS WE DID GROWING UP THAT WOULD GET OUR PARENTS ARRESTED NOW
• Cigarette runs to the liquor store. Nowadays, parents probably wouldn’t dream of bringing their kid into a liquor store — let alone letting him or her go into one alone. But years ago kids ran for cigarettes for mom or dad at the local liquor store.
• Being left alone.Every day it seems I read a story about a kid being left alone with tragic results. My mom also used to leave me alone — and luckily the results were fine. Not that this makes it acceptable — but no one really thought it was bad to leave their kids alone.
• Riding bikes without a helmet. Never heard of a helmet. That goes for being in a car without a seatbelt too. Of course, we know better now because both of those inventions save lives.
• Running around town without an adult. After dark.
TOPIC: What did we do as kids that would get our parents in trouble — or shamed on social media — today?
WHAT IS THE WORST POSSIBLE WAY TO BE WOKEN UP?
This question was asked on reddit: What’s the worst way to be woken up?
• I was sleeping on an air mattress and my friend dove onto the other side of the mattress, bouncing me up into the air. I woke up not touching the ground, weightless, falling. It sure got the adrenaline going.
• For those who have dogs or cats: The sound of “GUH GUH GUH GUH” as your dog is about to throw up all over your bed or your floor.
• Waking up and thinking you have hours left to sleep and then hearing the alarm go off right as you’re about to drift back into sleep.
• My friend’s dad woke him up once by pouring a gas can on him. When my friend realized what was going on, his dad was lighting a match and threw it at him. The gas can was filled with water. My friend never overslept for school again.
• I rarely am able to sleep on airplanes, but I was on a flight last year and somehow managed to nod off into a peaceful slumber. All of a sudden I’m jostled awake by an intense free-falling feeling and screams of terror coming from all around me. You know that 1 in 1,000 type of turbulence pilots talk about from time to time? The plane went into what felt like a sideways dive at like a 30-40 degree angle for a good 6-8 seconds. Everyone in the plane lost it. The pilots regained control and all was well. They admitted on the intercom that it was some of the worst turbulence they’d ever encountered. I woke up right in the middle of that.
• One time I was woken up by my 3-year-old cousin sitting on my chest and rubbing peanut butter into my mustache. When I opened my eyes she said, “We’re out of cornflakes. Fix it.”
FUN & GAMES
TRIVIA: The average one of these is 59% nitrogen, 21% hydrogen, 9% carbon dioxide, 7% methane and 4% oxygen. (Fart)
TRIVIA: On average, the typical U.S. household serves what 7 times per month? (Chicken)
WHICH CAME FIRST?
• Microwave popcorn (1981) or the revolving restaurant (1961)
• Twitter (2006) or Instagram (2010)
• Walmart (1962) or McDonald’s (1955)
HOLE IN THE HEADLINE
Guess the word that’s missing from this real news headline: “WOMAN CATCHES DATE SCROLLING THROUGH ______ APP!”
A) Dating*
B) Wedding planning
C) Credit score
If you’re gonna scout for women on dating sites while you’re on another date, leave your reflective glasses at home. One dude didn’t and now is being shamed online. Instead of paying attention to his 23-year-old companion the guy opted to fiddle with his phone. Studying the phone’s reflection in the man’s glasses, the woman realized he was checking out prospects on the dating app Bumble. She shared video of what was going on on TikTok but the video has now been marked private.
AMAZING HEADLINES!
Which of the following was not a real news headline?
• GET PAID $30 AN HOUR TO EAT CANDY — If your ideal workday is sitting around, eating candy, and judging — here’s some good news: there is an actual job that exists where you can get paid to do these things. Candy Funhouse is hiring part-time and full-time “Candyologists” to help the company try out and narrow down which candies will be a part of the first-ever Candy Funhouse branded candy line. The line will feature 10 candies, but they’ll first need to be narrowed down from hundreds of options.
• MAN GETS 20-FOOT TAPEWORM FROM EATING RAW MEAT — A man in China who enjoyed eating raw beef became infected with a 20-foot-long tapeworm. The parasite had attached to the man’s small intestine and had likely been inside him for at least two years before doctors diagnosed the infection as beef tapeworm. According to the case report, the man went to see his doctor because he was having stomach pain, vomiting, had lost his appetite, felt weak and was losing weight. The symptoms had begun just three days earlier, but the man had already lost about 15 pounds.
• 11 YEAR OLD HUNTER DOWNS TWO DEER WITH ONE SHOT — An 11-year-old Minnesota girl shot two deer with one shot while hunting with her father (in Lyon County). And it was only her second time hunting. WCCO-TV says Skyla Crowley was armed with a .20 gauge shotgun, which she had never fired before. She took aim at a buck who came to a stop about 30 yards from their blind. After she shot the buck fell over — and the doe behind it fell over too.
• CANADIAN FAMILIES ARE USING AIR FRYERS TO WARM GLOVES AND MITTENS — NOT!
COUNTRY DATEBOOK: JANUARY 26, 2021
• 1985: THE FORRESTER SISTERS entered the chart for the first time with That’s What You Do When Your In Love.
• 1998: DIAMOND RIO joined the Grand Ole Opry.
• 2001: REBA MCENTIRE began her critically acclaimed stint playing Annie Oakley in the Broadway musical Annie Get Your Gun.
• 2006: GEORGE STRAIT’s package 50 #1s was certified multi-platinum for sales of 5 million copies.
• 2010: MIRANDA LAMBERT scored her first number one song with White Liar.
• 2015: It was revealed that ratings for the most recent Saturday Night Live were up 15% from the previous week. BLAKE SHELTON was the host.
• 2019: MIRANDA LAMBERT married New York police officer Brendan McLoughlin on her property in rural Tennessee.
• 2020: KEITH URBAN was named an officer of the order of Australia.
COUNTRY MUSIC NEWS
LUKE COMBS is giving back to the small business community. The country superstar has partnered with The Normal Brand to release a custom camouflage-print ball cap featuring an emblem with his logo. Priced at $30, all of the proceeds from the hat will be donated to the Barstool Fund to help small businesses across the country impacted by the pandemic. • LINK
DAN + SHAY let their inner fan free in covering a song on MORGAN WALLEN’s new album. The country duo put their voice to the chorus of Sand in My Boots, a song from Dangerous: The Double Album. On social media, Dan Smyers and Shay Mooney performed the song a cappella. • VIDEO
The CHRIS YOUNG Cafe opens tomorrow (January 27) at Middle Tennessee State University. The cafe, located in a standalone dining building and surrounded by residence halls, will be a teaching and practice place for student performers and technicians during the day and a performance venue at night for music, radio broadcasts, comedy and other entertainment.
The musical based on FLORIDA GEORGIA LINE’s song May We All is coming — and now the same team behind that project has announced a film. Being co-developed by FGL member Brian Kelley’s CuzBro Productions, the May We All project was first announced as a musical in the fall of 2019, with plans to premiere a theatrical stage show in Nashville this year. That timetable has been pushed back due to the pandemic, but work is underway again.
… Meanwhile, the story is spreading to the silver screen as well and both versions will feature music by FLG, TIM MCGRAW, SARA EVANS, KENNY CHESNEY, KEITH URBAN, BROOKS & DUNN, SHANIA TWAIN, KACEY MUSGRAVES, CHRIS STAPLETON, LITTLE BIG TOWN, MIRANDA LAMBERT, RASCAL FLATTS, JOHN DENVER, PATSY CLINE, JOHNNY CASH, LORETTA LYNN, DOLLY PARTON, THE CHICKS, OLD DOMINION, JESSICA ANDREWS, and LOCASH.
… May We All is described as “a story of disappearing small-town America as seen through the hopeful eyes of its youth. Jenna Coates, a fledgling country singer, reluctantly comes home after a rough start in Nashville, ultimately to discover that her roots may take her a lot further than her dreams.”
LANCO got the news last week that their song Born To Love You has achieved Platinum certification.
BRETT YOUNG is taking to the runway. Brett is partnering with Spirit Airlines and Mastercard to promote the new Free Spirit Mastercard loyalty program with a first-of-its-kind performance at the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport in Florida. The show will begin from inside a new Spirit aircraft before Brett takes his music to the tarmac, where he’ll be accompanied by a light show.
DARIUS RUCKER made the day of his fellow iHop patrons. Darius foot the bill for the entire iHop restaurant he was dining at in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina — and left a generous tip for the servers. Apparently the South Carolina native dines monthly at that location.
COUNTRY DATEBOOK: JANUARY 27, 2021
• 1993: GARTH BROOKS performed at a Clovis, New Mexico, nightclub under the alias Yukon Jack.
• 1998: THE DIXIE CHICKS’ album Wide Open Spaces was released. With more than 10 million copies sold, it’s since become the best-selling debut album by a female or group in country music history.
• 1998: TRACY LAWRENCE was found guilty of domestic battery by a Las Vegas judge and ordered to pay $500 to a local battered women’s shelter.
• 2009: With Cowgirls Don’t Cry, a duet with BROOKS & DUNN, REBA MCENTIRE scored her 56th top ten. That number placed her ahead of all other women with the most top tens.
• 2017: MERLE HAGGARD, BUCK OWENS, BONNIE OWENS, BILLY MIZE and RED SIMPSON were the inaugural inductees in the Bakersfield Music Hall of Fame
Cheryl White of THE WHITES is 66.
Richard Young of THE KENTUCKY HEADHUNTERS is 66.
TRACY LAWRENCE is 53.
DATEBOOK: JANUARY 27, 2021
• James Cromwell (Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, American Horror Story: Asylum) is 81
• Mimi Rogers (Austin Powers, Two and a Half Men) is 65
• TV host Keith Olbermann is 62
• Bridget Fonda (Single White Female, Jackie Brown) is 57
• Alan Cumming (Spy Kids) is 56
• Comedian Patton Oswalt is 52
IT HAPPENED TODAY
• 1756: Composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born in Salzburg, Austria.
• 1880: Thomas Edison received a patent for his electric incandescent lamp.
• 1963: The first inductees into the Pro Football Hall of Fame were announced.
• 1977: The Vatican reaffirmed the Roman Catholic Church’s ban on female priests.
• 1981: President Ronald Reagan greeted the 52 former American hostages released by Iran at the White House.
• 1998: First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton, appearing on NBC’s Today show, said that allegations against her husband were the work of a “vast right-wing conspiracy.”
• 2002: In his State of the Union Address, United States President George W. Bush described “regimes that sponsor terror” as an Axis of Evil, in which he included Iraq, Iran and North Korea.
• 2010: New York City’s Transit Authority said it would investigate a video posted on YouTube that appeared to show a man on a subway kissing and cuddling a live chicken.
SPECIAL EVENTS
• Auschwitz Liberation Day
• Holocaust Memorial Day
• Library Shelfie Day
• Chocolate Cake Day