Born on this day!! Opera singer Placido Domingo is 81. Actor Jill Eikenberry is 75. Guitarist Jim Ibbotson (The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band) is 75. Singer-songwriter Billy Ocean is 72. Actor Robby Benson is 66. Actor Geena Davis is 66. Actor Charlotte Ross (“NYPD Blue”) is 54. Singer Marc Gay of Shai is 53. Actor Karina Lombard (“The L Word”) is 53. Actor Ken Leung (“Marvel’s Inhumans,” ″Lost”) is 52. Rapper Levirt of B-Rock and the Bizz is 52. Drummer Mark Trojanowski of Sister Hazel is 52. Singer Cat Power is 50. DJ Chris Kilmore of Incubus is 49. Singer Emma Bunton (Baby Spice) of the Spice Girls is 46. Actor Jerry Trainor (“Wendell & Vinnie,” ″iCarly”) is 45. Singer Nokio of Dru Hill is 43. Actor Izabella Miko (“Coyote Ugly”) is 41. Actor Luke Grimes (TV’s “Yellowstone,” film’s “Fifty Shades of Grey”) is 38. Actor Feliz Ramirez (TV’s “Grand Hotel”) is 30.

THIS DAY IN GENIUS HISTORY

1793 – King Louis XVI was guillotined for treason.
1915 – The first Kiwanis Club was founded in Detroit.
1924 – Vladimir Ilyich Lenin died in Moscow.
1950 – George Orwell died in London.
1954 – USS Nautilus, the first nuclear-powered submarine was launched.
1977 – President Carter pardoned most Vietnam War draft evaders.
2003 – The U.S. Census Bureau reported that Hispanics had surpassed Blacks as the largest minority group.
2010 – In a 5-4 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court rules in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission that the government cannot restrict the spending of corporations for political campaigns, maintaining that it’s their First Amendment right to support candidates as they choose. This decision upsets two previous precedents on the free-speech rights of corporations.

Today Is: Hat Day, International Sweatpants Day, National Cheesy Socks Day, International Fetish Day, National Hugging Day, National Hug Your Puppy Day

TODAY ON TV!
Primetime TV (All Times Eastern)

CBS – 8:00 –  Undercover Boss  /  9:00 – Magnum PI  /  10:00 – Blue Bloods
NBC – 8:00  – That’s My Jam  /  10:00 – Dateline NBC
ABC – 8:00 –  Shark Tank  /  9:00 – 2020
FOX – 8:00 – Friday Night Smackdown
CW – 8:00 –  Penn and Teller  /  9:00 – Nancy Drew

TV Talk Shows

The Talk: Steve Harvey
Live with Kelly and Ryan: Andy Samberg, Edi Patterson, Cassey Ho
Ellen DeGeneres: Julianne Hough, Nina Dobrev, guest host Adam Devine
The Real: Daniel Sunjata, guest co-host Kathy Hilton
Kelly Clarkson: Randall Park, Ed Helms, Karen Pittman, Vanna White
Drew Barrymore: Valerie Bertinelli, Jacob Bertrand, Xolo Mariduena

WHAT ARE YOU TALKIN’ ABOUT? Here are today’s PPM-Friendly Topics!

QUESTION: Remember the Wheel of Fortune contestant who should’ve won an AUDI?? Well, she finally got it, as the show bowed and did the right thing!

 

QUESTION: Are these plans OUT OF THIS WORLD? A Brit firm will build a SPORTS AND FILM MODULE for the International Space Station!!!!!!!!!!

 

QUESTION: Why did MARTHA STEWART break up with ANTHONY HOPKINS??? His “eating habits!” (She couldn’t get THAT scene out of her head!!)

 

QUESTION: Is your dog your BEST MAN?? This groom thinks so, and the mutt STOLE THE SHOW, even wearing his own tuxedo to the wedding!!!!!!!!!

QUESTION: Do you have a great memories of school lunches?? Then.. you probably didn’t eat lunch at THESE schools!! Take a look at some of the worst!

Chicken Run 2 On The Way

Chicken Run 2 and a new Wallace & Gromit film are in the works at Aardman and Netflix.  Netflix confirmed Thursday that it is developing a Chicken Run sequel, Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget, and a new Wallace & Gromit movie from creator Nick Park.  Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget will premiere in 2023. The film will feature a new voice cast, including Zachary Levi as Rocky, Thandie Newton as Ginger and Bella Ramsey as Rocky and Ginger’s daughter, Molly.  Jane Horrocks, Imelda Staunton, Lynn Ferguson, Josie Sedgwick-Davies, David Bradley, Romesh Ranganathan, Daniel Mays and Nick Mohammed will also have voice roles.  The sequel opens with Rocky, Ginger and their flock living peacefully on their island sanctuary. The flock puts their hard-won freedom at risk after the whole of chicken-kind faces a new and terrible threat on the mainland.  The original Chicken Run was released in June 2000 and featured Mel Gibson as Rocky and Julia Sawalha as Ginger.
*********What with Chicken Nuggets, fingers, bites, sandwiches, etc., it’s been a chicken genocide many years now!!
******They have the shell of an idea.. but the script is kinda cracked!!
****This movie is rated “R,” because it shows breasts and thighs!!
*****Hopefully, it won’t lay an egg!!!

John Mayer Flew Bob Saget Back Home

John Mayer got a private jet to transport his close friend Bob Saget’s body from Florida to California after his unexpected death.  His act of generosity for Saget, who was found dead in his hotel room in Orlando, Florida on January 9, was not his first – and likely not his last. Mayer joined comedian Jeff Ross, who was also close to Saget, last week as they livestreamed their emotional journey of bringing the late comedian’s car home from the airport following his death.  The conversation got emotional at times as Mayer and Ross reflected on their friend, with Ross quickly cracking a joke every time it seemed like Mayer was about to cry behind the wheel. The singer opened by stating how difficult it is to talk about what Saget meant to him given the knowledge that he was beloved by and made an impact on so many others.   Just days ago, Mayer helped design a sweatshirt in honor of Saget. All proceeds from sales will go to SRF Cure, a Scleroderma research foundation near and dear to Saget, whose sister died of Scleroderma years ago.
*********How come we never knew they were such good friends??? Unlikely couple!!

Chrissy Teigen Sober 6 Months

Chrissy Teigen is reflecting on how her life has improved since ditching alcohol.  She opened up on Instagram on Wednesday, her six-month anniversary of abstaining from alcohol.  “6 months no alcohol! Honestly kind of sucks saying it because even though I don’t ever crave it now, time has not exactly flown by haha. I prob won’t be excited til a larger milestone like at leasssst 5 years, and sometimes I don’t even know if I necessarily won’t ever drink again?” Teigen began.  She went on to say that while she doesn’t exactly have her sobriety journey all planned out she’s learned quite a lot so far.  “I have no idea what I’m doing honestly, but I do know a few things: I now have endless energy, way less anxiety (no more benzos!) and I am *happier* and more present than ever. It’s pretty cool,” she added.  “I look forward to having my full body reset after 1 year, then reevaluating to see my new hopes and wishes for the future! Let’s goooo,” Teigen’s post concludes.
********Remember the step where you apologize to everyone you’ve hurt?? Chrissy is gonna need a worldwide broadcast!!
*******Meanwhile John Legend is trying to stay on tour as much as possible!!

Pamela Anderson Divorcing New Husband

Pamela Anderson and her husband, Dan Hayhurst, are divorcing after one year of marriage, Rolling Stone reported on Thursday.  She is filing for divorce in her native Canada, where she and her now-estranged husband have been living since they wed on Christmas Eve 2020 in a ceremony on the property of Anderson’s Vancouver Island home.  “Pamela loves as authentically as she lives,” a source told the publication adding that the brief union was a “pandemic whirlwind” that petered out.  Anderson and Hayhurst’s union was plagued with drama from the get-go, when Hayhurst’s ex Carey came forward with furious allegations that Anderson split up their family.  “I decided to speak out because I want people to know that my almost five-year relationship, with three children involved, ended because of the affair Pam and Dan started while he was still with me,” Carey told The Sun after the marriage made headlines.  “It’s sad that people celebrate this and cheer them on, when it started with deceit, denials and life-shattering choices for all the people involved.”
*****It lasted a whole year? Is that a new record??
********A Canadian divorce is centered around the question: who gets the beaver???
********Is that an insult to his masculinity? When she says the marriage “petered out??”

Performances Planned Around Super Bowl In Los Angeles

Despite recent buzz that Super Bowl LVI could move from Los Angeles to Dallas over COVID-19 concerns, sources tell Page Six that Hollywood events are moving full steam ahead.  Party pros are still prepping to roll out red carpets ahead of the big game, with a few changes of venues around town to more outdoor spots. Expected performers over Super Bowl weekend include Miley Cyrus, Machine Gun Kelly, Lil Wayne and Zedd.  Sports Illustrated’s annual bash will take over LA’s four-acre Century Park with entertainment including Kygo, Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon (who moonlights as DJ D-Sol), Jack Harlow, Frank Walker and DJ Irie.  For Shaq’s party at the Shrine Auditorium & Expo Hall, organizers brought in Bahamas-based crypto exchange FTX as a partner and have booked Lil Wayne, Zedd and Diplo as performers. The event will also have a Wynn Nightlife VIP area and sponsors from Papa Johns to Pepsi.  Other large events include Bud Light’s Super Bowl Music Fest at Crypto.com Arena – with acts including Miley Cyrus, Green Day, Machine Gun Kelly, Halsey, Gwen Stefani and Blake Shelton – as well as Rolling Stone LIVE’s Big Game Experience at Hollywood nightclub Academy LA, and sports agent Leigh Steinberg’s party on the Sony lot.
********Yeah, why don’t they keep this stuff in L.A. and WE’LL go to Texas??
*******The CEO of Goldman Sachs is a part-time DJ?? Have you sold your stock yet??

Elton John Back Out On Tour

Elton John is resuming his “Farewell Yellow Brick Road” tour.  His retirement tour began in 2018, but due to a series of postponements, he was forced into a performance hiatus.  He is is back on the road and played at the Crescent City in New Orleans on Wednesday night.  “Wow, we haven’t played a show since the 6th of March 2020. This is a new experience for us, I’ve never had this amount of time off in my life … playing music, well at least since I was 17 years of age,” he said to the New Orleans audience, who hung onto their coveted tickets for 745 days.  “I can’t thank you enough for being so patient,” he continued. “We live in funny times but we’re gonna have a great time.”  He will perform across North America until April. His tour will then take him to Europe and back to North America before playing in Australia and New Zealand next year.  His final leg in North America, where he’ll put on more than 40 concerts, will be at the Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, as a way to pay homage to his past appearance in 1975.
*********Most of his fans will be dead by the time he’s finished saying goodbye!!
*****After the final show, he’ll be buried in a shallow grave with Barbra Streisand and Cher!!

 

Ripping The Tabloids (Throughout the week, we’ll give you the stories from that weeks tabs!)
**Please Credit Publication!

Osbourne Kid Hits Jack-Pot With Aree-(National Enquirer)

Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne’s son Jack burbled over his engagement to Aree Gearhart:  “Today I asked the most beautiful and loving woman I’ve ever met to marry me.  She said yes!”  The “Fright Club” star, 36, also praised Aree’s “stepmom skills.”  Jack shares kids Pearl, 9, Andy, 6, and Minnie, 3, with ex-wife Lisa Stelly.

Ziggy Turns To Gold Dust-(Globe)

Rocker David Bowie’s been gone five years, but his songs just sold for a fortune-a whopping $250 million.  Warner Chappell Music shelled out big bucks to the Bowie estate for his songbook with hits “Changes,” “Ziggy Stardust and Life on Mars.”  The stick-thin 69-year-old turned out 26 albums during his career before succumbing to liver cancer in 2016.  Bowie, whose widow is African-born model Iman, also starred in flicks including “The Hunger,” “Twin Peaks” and “The Man Who Fell to Earth.”

Zooey & Jonathan:  The Next Step-(Us Weekly)

Now that they’ve purchased their dream home together, a wedding could be next for Jonathan Scott and his girlfriend of two years, Zooey Deschanel.  “Friends have been thinking an engagement is on the horizon,” a source says, adding that Scott, 43, is not only crazy for the actress, 41, but also for her kids Elsie, 6, and Charlie, 4, with ex Jacob Pechenik.  “Jonathan has so much fun with them,” says the source.  “He’s a big kid at heart, so they all get along great as a family.”

A-Rod & Lindsay’s Secret Hookups-(Star)

Two can play the game!  While Jennifer Lopez flaunts her reignited romance with Ben Affleck in public, sources say her former fiancé Alex Rodriguez has been hooking up with Ben’s ex Lindsay Shookus in private.  The retired major leaguer first met the Saturday Night Live producer at Lindsay’s 41st birthday last June.  And sources are saying it’s the ultimate revenge romance.  “Alex is still consumed with jealousy and has vowed to do anything he can to get under Ben’s skin,” spills one insider.  “If Alex could, he’d date Jennifer Garner, but she wouldn’t touch him, so he’s settled for Lindsay.”  As for his new honey, says the insider, “It gives Lindsay some satisfaction to rub Ben’s nose in her steamy affair with A-Rod!”

Say What?!-(Life & Style)

“I never turn down a dare.”-Olivia Wilde, on being challenged to start directing by “a lot of really great mentors.”

“After playing Tracy Flick, I realized I don’t look good in sweater-vests, so there are none in my closet.”-Reese Witherspoon, on the Election character influencing her wardrobe.

“Nine times out of 10, if you catching me coming out of the airport, you ain’t going to see a pretty picture.  You just going to see somebody that just woke up off a plane.”-Keke Palmer, on her “down-to-earth vibe.”

Benji Madden & Cameron Diaz:  Happy Anniversary-(People)

The rocker, 42, and the actress, 49, marked seven years of marriage on Jan. 5.  “Always dreamed of having a family like this.  Happy, peaceful, consistent, loyal and unconditional equally filled with passion and depth,” wrote Madden, who share daughter Raddix, 2, with Diaz.  

Last Laughs-(In Touch)

“A new study has found that due to their extremely efficient livers, the heaviest drinkers in the animal kingdom are hamsters.  Really?  I’m pretty sure that was Andy Cohen.”-Stephen Colbert.

“Just 12 days after it was released, Spider-Man:  No Way Home made over $1 billion-and three new variants.”-Seth Meyers.

“It’s amazing how much life has changed.  In just two years, our resolutions went from ‘Run a marathon’ to ‘Only spend four hours a day on TikTok.’”-Jimmy Fallon.

 

STUPID NEWS

Emergency Alert Warns About The Joker

The Missouri State Highway Patrol is reassuring the public that Batman villain Joker is not on the loose after a staff member sent an emergency alert mobile devices.  Missouri residents received alerts from the highway patrol Tuesday warning citizens of “Gotham City” to be on the lookout for a purple and green 1978 Dodge 3700 GT with license plate number “UKIDME” — a description that matches the vehicle used by Jack Nicholson as the Joker in the 1989 film Batman.  The law enforcement agency explained in a Twitter post that the clown prince of crime is not on the loose in Missouri, which does not have a place called “Gotham City.”  “This was meant to be a test message, THERE WAS NO ALERT,” the highway patrol tweeted. The agency said the message was meant to be “a routine test of Missouri’s Blue Alert system.”  “The Patrol regularly tests the Blue Alert system to ensure it works properly when needed. During the test, an option was incorrectly selected, allowing the message to be disseminated to the public,” the agency said in a statement.  See the alert HERE.
*********Isn’t that just what the Joker would WANT you to think???

Largest Potato Getting DNA Test

A New Zealand couple who grew what they believe to be the world’s largest potato said a sliver of the spud has been sent for DNA testing in their bid to have it declared a Guinness World Record.  Colin and Donna Craig-Brown, who found the titanic tuber in their Waikato garden in the fall, said the potato — dubbed “Dug the Spud” — was weighed under supervision at more than 17 pounds, dwarfing the current Guinness record of 10 pounds, 14 ounces.  The Craig-Browns said they have been in contact with Guinness World Records, but the organization keeps responding with requests for more evidence.  “It’s just a never-ending case of having to do whatever they ask for next,” Colin Craig-Brown told Newshub.  The couple submitted photos, video and a statement of verification from an agronomist, but Guinness has now requested a DNA test be performed to confirm Dug’s species.  “They need to know what genus it is, what variety it is, you know, what his grandfather’s name was,” Colin Craig-Brown said.
********They want to know if it’s related to the gigantic “couch potato!!”
*******The DNA test showed that it’s related to President Biden. It’s the smarter of the two!!!
******If it wins, the potato will celebrate by getting fried!!!

NASA Outsourcing For New Mars Toilet

NASA has put out a call to entrepreneurs and inventors to come up with a toilet that can manage the waste of astronauts making a nine-month trip to Mars.  This is the latest campaign by the US space agency, operating in partnership with leading crowd-sourcing platform HeroX, based in Houston, Texas.  Known as the ‘Waste to Base Challenge’, it asks the public to provide inventive approaches to waste management and conversion in four categories – fecal waste, trash, foam packaging and carbon dioxide processing.  Future missions to Mars and back, including time on the surface, could take up to three years, with limited scope for disposing of waste or gathering new materials.  With that in mind, NASA is looking for a series of waste management solutions that could operate on a future Mars spaceship, and are turning to the general public.  Traditionally, space agencies have put projects out to tender, with large engineering companies bidding for the chance to design and develop a solution.  It is unlikely a perfectly efficient cycle can be produced, but NASA hopes someone will come up with one that generates little to no waste.
********Yeah, we don’t want a giant cloud of poo poo floating through outer space!!!
****Hey, did they see “The Martian” with Matt Damon?? We have an idea for what to do with that waste!!
*******The new environmental slogan: “Save the solar system!!!”

Reporter Hit By SUV During Live Shot Keeps Reporting

A reporter was struck by a car during a live TV broadcast in West Virginia Wednesday before she stood up, brushed it off and managed to finish her report, video shows.  Tori Yorgey of West Virginia’s WSAZ-TV was outside getting ready to report on a water main break in Dunbar when an SUV appeared in the shot and slammed into her, sending her crashing into the camera.  “Oh my god! I just got hit by a car, but I’m OK. I just got hit by a car, but I’m OK, Tim,” Yorgey said, referencing news anchor Tim Irr, who was in the split-screen.  “Wow, that’s a first for you on TV, Tori,” Irr said.  “That’s live TV for you. It’s all good,” she said. “I actually got hit by a car in college, too, just like that. I am so glad I’m OK.”  The woman who was apparently driving the SUV could be heard apologizing and Yorgey assured her she was fine.  As the live broadcast continued, Irr asked Yorgey where she was hit by the car, because he just saw her disappear, the anchor said.   “I don’t even know, Tim,” she replied. “My whole life flashed before my eyes.”  “Uh, it can happen,” said Irr.   After adjusting the camera, Yorgey eventually continued her report. See the video HERE.
*******She has such a great attitude…even when she’s flat on her butt!!
*******Apparently, this was her last day.. and they didn’t wanna pay severance!!

 

STUFF THAT’S COOL AND VIRAL

VIDEO: NEWS REPORTER HIT BY CAR ON LIVE TV!

VIDEO: SUPER BOWL HALFTIME SHOW COMMERCIAL

 

A LIST FOR FRIDAY

7 Things to Do This Year if You Want to be the First Millionaire in Your Family

The Penny Hoarder

 

1. Stop Putting It Off and Become an Investor

Ultimately, investing is how you really build wealth — including that first million.

If you feel like you don’t have enough money to start investing right now, you’re not alone. But guess what? You really don’t need that much — and you can even get free stocks (worth up to $200!) if you know where to look.

Whether you’ve got $5, $100 or $800 to spare, you can start investing with Robinhood.

Yeah, you’ve probably heard of Robinhood. Both investing beginners and pros love it because it doesn’t charge commission fees, and you can buy and sell stocks for free — no limits. Plus, it’s super easy to use.

What’s best? When you download the app and fund your account (it takes no more than a few minutes), Robinhood drops a share of free stock into your account. It’s random, though, so that stock could be worth anywhere from $2.50 to $200 — a nice boost to help you build your investments.

 

2. Stop Paying Your Credit Card Company

You’ll never become a millionaire if you’re stuck with credit card debt, which is the most expensive kind of debt there is. And your credit card company is just getting rich by ripping you off with high interest rates. But a website called AmOne can help you fight back.

If you owe your credit card companies $50,000 or less, AmOne will match you with a low-interest loan you can use to pay off every single one of your balances.

The benefit? You’ll be left with one bill to pay each month. And because personal loans have lower interest rates (AmOne rates start at 3.49% APR), you’ll get out of debt that much faster. Plus: No credit card payment this month.

After 20 years in business, AmOne has an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau. It takes two minutes to see if you qualify for up to $50,000 online. You do need to give AmOne a real phone number in order to qualify, but don’t worry — they won’t spam you with phone calls.

 

3. Get a Smarter Bank Account

Here’s the deal: If you’re not using Aspiration’s debit card, you’re missing out on extra cash. And who doesn’t want extra cash right now?

Yep. With a debit card called Aspiration, you could get up to 5% back when you swipe at certain stores, plus they give you up to 83 times the normal national interest rate on your savings balance.

It’s an easy way to get extra cash just for buying things that are already on your list.

Enter your email address here, and link your bank account to see how much extra cash you can get with your free Aspiration account. And don’t worry. Your money is FDIC insured and under a military-grade encryption. That’s nerd talk for “this is totally safe.”

 

4. Get Paid Every Time You Buy Groceries

Groceries are so expensive! But a free app called Fetch Rewards will reward you with gift cards just for buying toilet paper and more than 250 other items at the grocery store.

Here’s how it works: After you’ve downloaded the app, just take a picture of your receipt showing you purchased an item from one of the brands listed in Fetch. For your efforts, you’ll earn gift cards to places like Amazon or Walmart.

You can download the free Fetch Rewards app here to start getting free gift cards. Over a million people already have, so they must be onto something.

 

5. Stop Overpaying for Stuff Online

Wouldn’t it be nice if you got an alert any time you’re shopping on Amazon or Walmart.com and you’re about to get ripped off?

That’s exactly what this free service does.

Just add it to your browser for free, and before you check out, it’ll check other websites, including Walmart, eBay and others to see if your item is available for cheaper. Plus, you can get coupon codes, set up price-drop alerts and even see the item’s price history.

Let’s say you’re shopping for a new pair of shoes, and you assume you’ve found the best price. Here’s when you’ll get a pop up letting you know if that exact pair of shoes is available elsewhere for cheaper.

In the last year, this has saved people $160 million. You can get started in just a few clicks to see if you’re overpaying online.

 

6. Knock $540/Year From Your Car Insurance in Minutes

Cutting necessary expenses can make a huge difference. So when’s the last time you checked car insurance prices?

You should shop your options every six months or so — it could save you some serious money. Let’s be real, though. It’s probably not the first thing you think about when you wake up. But it doesn’t have to be.

A website called Insure.com makes it super easy to compare car insurance prices. All you have to do is enter your ZIP code and your age, and it’ll show you your options.

Using Insure.com, people have saved an average of $540 a year.

Yup. That could be $500 back in your pocket just for taking a few minutes to look at your options.

 

7. Leave Your Family up to $1M

You could always make your family millionaires. There’s been a surge of interest in life insurance during the pandemic, as more Americans are realizing they probably need it.

Also, more people are seeking out no-exam life insurance because they don’t want to go to a doctor’s office for an in-person exam. Companies like Bestow use algorithms instead of medical exams to evaluate applicants.

Rates start at just $16 a month. You could leave your family up to $1 million. The peace of mind knowing your family is taken care of is priceless.

If you’re under the age of 54 and want to get a fast life insurance quote without leaving your home, get a free quote from Bestow.

 

The preceding material was compiled and edited by Brandon Castillo.  The Editor-In-Chief is Gary Bryan.  The Radio Genius Show Prep Service is licensed for use on-air only by subscribing radio stations.  Other means of redistribution is forbidden.
© 2021 – Radio Genius Show Prep