Born on this day!! Game show host Bob Barker is 99. Singer Connie Francis is 85. Singer Dionne Warwick is 82. Singer-guitarist Dickey Betts (Allman Brothers) is 79. Actor Wings Hauser is 75. Actor Bill Nighy (“Pirates of the Caribbean”) is 73. Actor Duane Chase (“The Sound of Music”) is 72. Country singer La Costa is 72. Gymnast-turned-actor Cathy Rigby is 70. Singer-percussionist Sheila E. is 65. Actor Sheree J. Wilson (“Walker, Texas Ranger,” ″Dallas”) is 64. Guitarist Eric Schenkman of Spin Doctors is 59. Bassist Nicholas Dimichino of Nine Days is 55. Actor Jennifer Connelly is 52. Actor Madchen Amick (“My Own Worst Enemy,” ″Twin Peaks”) is 52. Actor Regina Hall is 52. Actor Mayim Bialik (“Jeopardy,” “The Big Bang Theory”) is 47. Actor Lucas Hedges (“Boy Erased,” ″Manchester By The Sea”) is 26. Actor Sky Katz (“Raven’s Home”) is 18.
THIS DAY IN GENIUS HISTORY
1787 – Pennsylvania became the second state to ratify the U.S. Constitution.
1870 – Joseph Rainey took his seat as the first African American in the U.S. House of Representatives.
1913 – The Mona Lisa was recovered in Florence after having been stolen two years earlier (August 1911) from the Louvre.
1963 – Kenya gained its independence from Britain.
1998 – The House Judiciary Committee approved a fourth and final article of impeachment against President Clinton.
2000 – The U.S. Supreme Court stopped the presidential election recount in Florida.
2001 – Yasir Arafat closed the offices of Hamas and Islamic Jihad.
Today Is: Green Monday, International Day of Neutrality, International Universal Health Coverage Day, National -hour Fresh Breath Day, National Ding-a-Ling Day, National Cocoa Day, National Lost Day, Our Lady of Guadelupe, Poinsettia Day
TODAY ON TV!
Primetime TV (All Times Eastern)
CBS – 8:00 – The Neighborhood / 8:30 – Bob Hearts / 9:00 – NCIS / 10:00 – NCIS Hawaii
NBC – 8:00 – The Voice / 10:00 – Baking It
ABC – 8:00 – The Great Christmas Light Fight / 10:00 – The Good Doctor
FOX – 8:00 – The Cleaning Lady
CW – 8:00 – Dogs Of The Year / 9:00 – Scooby Doo
TV Talk Shows
Jimmy Kimmel: Michelle Obama, Marc Maron
Jimmy Fallon: Kate Hudson, Morris Chestnut, a performance from “A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical”
Stephen Colbert: Common, Lily Collins
Seth Meyers: Aubrey Plaza, Bashir Salahuddin, Diallo Riddle, Kevin Murphy
Watch What Happens Live: Larsa Pippen, Lisa Hochstein
The View: Lily Collins
The Talk: Jaime Camil
Live with Kelly and Ryan: Edward Norton, Naomi Ackie, Millie Peartree
Kelly Clarkson: The Backstreet Boys
Tamron Hall: Tamron presents giveways from her personal wishlist
Drew Barrymore: Meghan Trainor, Richard Fierro
Jennifer Hudson: Blake Shelton, James Corden
WHAT ARE YOU TALKIN’ ABOUT? Here are today’s PPM-Friendly Topics!!
QUESTION: Did you buy an NFT because it was hyped by Madonna, Jimmy Fallon, Gwyneth Paltrow, Kevin Hart, etc.?? Then you should be part of the LAWSUIT!!!!!
QUESTION: Planning a “Year in Review” show?? Here’s the link to AP’s list of the top POP CULTURE MOMENTS OF 2022!!! (What’s number one?? It’s “The Slap!!!!”)
QUESTION: Did they just lose their INVITATION TO THE CORONATION?? Harry and Meghan’s swipes at the Royal Family mean they should be excluded, say the Brits!!!
QUESTION: Does Santa need to BLOW OFF A LITTLE STEAM before his big night??? Looks like it.. as SANTACON 2022 hits the Big Apple, with THOUSANDS of Santas!!
QUESTION: Ever hear of AARON TAYLOR-JOHNSON?? You will!! Insiders are saying he’s on track to be the next JAMES BOND!! The announcement in spring 2023!!
Meghan’s Half Family Speaks Out
Meghan Markle’s paternal half siblings, Thomas Markle Jr. and Samantha Markle, have spoken out after the first three episodes of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s Netflix docuseries were released Thursday. During an appearance on Talk TV with Piers Morgan, Markle Jr. shared his reaction to Prince Harry’s remarks about his wife’s relationship with her father Thomas Markle Sr. In the third episode of “Harry & Meghan,” the couple discussed the chain of events before their May 2018 wedding that led to an estrangement between Meghan and her father. “Of course, it’s incredibly sad what happened. She had a father before this, and now she doesn’t have a father. And I shouldered that, because if Meg wasn’t with me, then her dad would still be her dad,” Harry said in the third episode. “I think it’s horrible,” Markle. Jr said. “The documentary is so far off on so many different levels. It’s really a little bit disturbing. “Saying that she doesn’t have a family and she doesn’t have a father, and Harry saying that she has no father now. That’s just ridiculous.” Samantha also excoriated the docuseries, telling GB News she didn’t want her father to watch it. “I didn’t want him to watch because, like everything, it’s lie upon lie upon lie,” Samantha said. “He’s been through so much — two heart attacks and a stroke — and she enabled this, watched it, did nothing about it. And for Harry to say something like that is egregious,” Samantha added. Samantha also accused Meghan of lying to Samantha’s daughter Ashleigh Hale. Though Meghan has said she never had a close relationship with Samantha, the Duchess of Sussex shares a strong bond with her niece.
*********According to Meghan’s spokesperson, she has no family!! She’s the result of “immaculate conception!!”
*******The only family member who has benefited is, of course, her mother Doria!!!
*******Harry and Meghan are watching a movie that no one else can see!!!!
Diddy Announces Birth Of Child
Sean “Diddy” Combs announced on social media Saturday that he has welcomed a new child into the Combs family. “I’m so blessed to welcome my baby girl Love Sean Combs to the world,” he tweeted, before shouting out his mom and other children. “Mama Combs, Quincy, Justin, Christian, Chance, D’Lila, Jessie and myself all love you so much! God is the Greatest!” he added. Diddy did not reveal who is the mother of the child, and it is unclear if he is the father or grandfather. His reps declined to comment. Earlier this year, he confirmed that he was dating City Girls rapper Yung Miami. “We date. We’re dating. We go have dates, and we’re friends. We go to exotic locations, we have great times, we go to strip clubs, church…,” he said on her series, “Caresha Please,” in June. Yung Miami, whose real name is Caresha Brownlee, has not appeared pregnant in any recent social media posts, adding to the confusion.
*********They go to “strip clubs” and “church??”
*******Why not save time by combining the two, and have a “strip church??”
****The definition of confusion?? “Father’s Day at Diddy’s House!!”
Jackass Star Sued For Emotional Distress
Johnny Knoxville is being sued for allegedly causing emotional distress to a repair man in a prank gone wrong, according to a lawsuit obtained by TMZ on Friday. Khalil Khan, who works for the freelance handyman app Taskrabbit, claims he was hired to repair an electric dimmer switch on an actor’s home, per the documents. However, when he began working, a lamp went out and a 10-year-old girl — presumably an actress — reportedly accused him of killing her pony because it was on life support and the electricity had gone out. Khan also claims, per the lawsuit, that his car was going to be towed, and so when he became alarmed by the whole ordeal and tried to call the cops, a man allegedly told him he would get in trouble for doing so because the vehicle had cocaine in it. The alleged victim reportedly claims that a bag with white powder was pulled out, which reportedly caused him to be “horrified.” According to Khan, Knoxville was the one who disclosed to him that he was being pranked and allegedly offered him money for his participation. However, the man reportedly decided to instead file a lawsuit and seek damages for emotional distress, worry, anxiety, and possible harm to his business reputation.
*********See what happens???
*****It’s all fun until somebody calls an attorney!!!
******Knoxville forgot the first rule of pranking: never prank the little people!!!
Drew Barrymore Doesn’t Buy Gifts For Her Kids
Drew Barrymore is standing by her decision not to buy her two daughters Christmas gifts. She insisted that she is not a “strict, cold mom” to Olive, 10, and Frankie, 8, in an Entertainment Tonight interview published Thursday. “I always take them on a trip every Christmas,” the “Drew Barrymore Show” host explained. “I don’t get them presents, which I think at their ages they don’t love. “But I say, ‘I think we’ll remember the place and the photos and the experience and that’s what I want to give you,’” she continued. Barrymore noted that she considers “a life memory” to be a “better gift” than “a doll house or something.” She added that “it all evens out and it’s fine” since she gave her girls presents during the COVID-19 pandemic and the experience “suck[ed].” She concluded, “They don’t complain about not liking what they get [when I take them on a trip]. I’m glad I do what I do.”
********You’re happy with yourself?? Thanks for sharing!!
*****As for the rest of us, we’re trying to imagine Christmas morning with nothing under the tree!! Uh… nope!!
Fluffy Throws Quinceanera For His Spoiled Dog
Comedian Gabriel Iglesias spoiled his longtime companion with a quinceañera celebration which cost about $100K for his dog Risa, according to Today. “Party of the year all for my little princess,” Iglesias captioned a post on Instagram. “Risa has given me so many years of happiness. I just wanted to celebrate her. I even wore pants” Iglesias posted a video to his social media channels showing him pushing the pampered 4-pound chihuahua in a decked-out carriage as they entered the party together. “I’ve had dogs since I was a kid and Risa was the only girl dog I’ve ever had,” Iglesias told the outlet. “Since I’ve had her, from day one, she’s always been in my hoodie. We’re very close.” While Iglesias held the “quinceañera,” which is typically held for 15-year-old girls, Risa is believed to be closer to 16-17. The comedian invited over 300 guests to the party while roughly 12 dogs attended the celebration alongside their owners.
*********We love him… but he’s nutz!!!!
Emily Blunt Got Motivational Advice From Tom Cruise
Emily Blunt claims Tom Cruise gave her some unconventional advice when they worked together on “Edge of Tomorrow.” She said Cruise told her to “stop being such a p—y” as she struggled with her 85-pound costume. “We had to wear these enormous suits, which I think would’ve been great if we had CGI’d them, but we wanted to do it in a tactile way,” she revealed on the “SmartLess” podcast on an episode dropping Monday, per news reports. “When you hear the word ‘tactile,’ you think that sounds nice and cozy. There was nothing cozy about these suits. It was like 85 pounds. It was so heavy,” she continued. “The first time I put it on I started to cry, and [Cruise] didn’t know what to do.” Blunt said Cruise “stared at her” as she got more panicked about donning the heavy suit. “I was like, ‘Tom, I’m not sure how I’m going to get through this shoot,’ and just started to cry,” she admitted. “I said, ‘I’m feeling a bit panicky about the whole shoot.’” Cruise’s alleged response had her weeping again — but in a good way. “He just stared at me for a long time, not knowing what to do, and he goes, ‘Come on, stop being such a p—y, OK?’” she said, adding it caught her off guard and made her laugh.
*******Her husband tried the same line, and she stabbed him in the neck!!
********85 pounds? That means she doubled her own weight!!
Ripping The Tabloids (Throughout the week, we’ll give you the stories from that weeks tabs!)
**Please Credit Publication!
What Went Wrong?-(Us Weekly)
As it was: Insiders spill the truth about Harry Styles’ split from Olivia Wilde, 38. The two famously hooked up while Olivia was directing Styles in Don’t Worry Darling. Sources say Wilde was blindsided by Styles’ change of heart. One minute, they were talking about moving in together and tying the knot, and the next, it was over. “Everyone knows Olivia wanted to go the whole nine yards with Harry, 28. She has a right to be upset-he was all in on a long-term future together until recently. They’d been house-hunting and talking very seriously about getting engaged.” The 10-year age gap between the two also became an issue, says the second source, noting it had “always been a dark cloud hanging over them, too.”
STUPID NEWS
Little Girl Allowed To Keep Real Unicorn
A handwritten letter from a young girl led animal care and control officials in California to issue the child a pre-approved license to keep an unusual pet — a unicorn. Los Angeles County Animal Care and Control said in an Instagram post that it received a handwritten letter in the mail from a local girl named Madeline. The letter reads: “Dear LA County, I would like your approval if I can have a unicorn in my back yard if I can find one. Please send me a letter in response.” The post said officials received “so much joy” from the letter that they decided to respond. “We commend Madeline’s sense of responsible pet ownership to seek permission in advance to keep a unicorn in Los Angeles County. As a result, we issued her a pre-approved unicorn license,” the post said. Officials also gave Madeline a stuffed unicorn to wear the license for the time being, as real unicorns “are indeed very rare to find.”
*********However, the state of California is planning to power the electric grid with unicorn farts, so we have to start looking!! The magic beans and fairy dust won’t last forever!!
*******Our definition of a “unicorn” is a “teenage boy who cleans his room!!”
Tiny Boat Crosses The Atlantic
A “miniboat” made by students at three Rhode Island schools was placed in the Atlantic Ocean and washed up on a British beach 10 months later. The boat, dubbed Inspiration, was made by students at Central Falls High School, Veterans Memorial Elementary and Raices Dual Language Academy, all schools located in Central Falls. The boat was made seaworthy by the elementary students and instruments including GPS trackers were installed by the high school students. The project was organized by the University of Rhode Island Graduate School of Oceanography to help teach kids about the ocean. “This boat was almost a message in a bottle. It had lots of information about Central Falls and about the schools and the children that helped build it,” Andrea Gingris, assistant director of public engagement at URI-GSO, told WPRI-TV. The miniboat was placed into the Atlantic Ocean in March 100 miles off the Rhode Island coast by the R/V Endeavor, the University of Rhode Island’s research vessel. The students who built the boat were able to video chat with a Tiptoe class Thursday morning to talk about the project. See the video HERE.
********They all got job offers from Elon Musk!!
******Can they build a little spacecraft that can get to Mars???
*******If you could time travel 400 years and tell the Pilgrims that you could keep track of an ocean-going vessel with electric devices, what would they say?? “What does ‘electric’ mean??”
Santa Run
More than 900 people donned Santa Claus costumes in a German town to participate in the 13th annual St. Nicholas Run. Organizers of the event in Michendorf said there were more than 900 participants in this year’s fun run, which is the largest costumed running event in Germany. Participants donned red coats and hats, and some even strapped bushy white beards to their faces to brave the cold temperatures for the run. Runners were allowed to choose between running 1.5 miles, 3 miles or 6.5 miles. They were treated to mulled wine and chocolate Santas after completing their runs.
*********The reindeer said, “About time Santa moved his fat butt!!!”
Dog Rescued From Septic Tank
Firefighters in California rescued a dog that fell through a sinkhole into an abandoned septic tank. The Los Angeles County Fire Department said crews responded Wednesday to a report of a German shepherd that had fallen through a sinkhole outside a Willowbrook home. The firefighters determined the 15-year-old dog, named Mayahuel, had ended up about 15 feet down in an abandoned septic tank. Firefighters said the septic tank had been abandoned and unused for several years. A rescuer was able to gain Mayahuel’s trust using treats and then was able to keep her calm enough to be hoisted out of the hole.
*******That’s the definition of a “crappy day!!”
*****The dog was sniffing: “Smells good, but where are the other dogs??”
STUFF THAT’S COOL AND VIRAL
VIDEO: NASA’S FOOTAGE OF ARTEMIS RETURN TO EARTH.
VIDEO: HOW TRAINS CLEAR SNOW COVERED TRACKS!
A LIST FOR MONDAY
6 Things Christmas Tree Sellers Want You To Know
HUFFINGTON POST
- Don’t Assume A Particular Christmas Tree Will Fit In Your Home
“Christmas trees look smaller than they are in a Christmas tree field. It took some personal experiences over the years to finally appreciate that optical illusion effect. If you have a 9-foot ceiling, you don’t want a 9-foot tree; 8 feet will be just right when you put the top ornament on, and it will save you from poking a nasty hole in your ceiling when you tip the tree up in its stand.
“The average front door is 3 feet wide. You can get a 5-foot or even 5-foot-6-inch tree through that door without much effort. But that big, wide-body 12-footer has to go through a double door. We have measuring poles for people and jokingly encourage people to walk around with them.” — Chance.
“For some reason, the trees look shorter on the lot than they do when they [buyers] get them home. We occasionally have people say, ‘I have to have that tree.’ And we’re like: ‘OK, it’s a 9- to 10-foot-tall tree. That’s fine.’ And then they get it to their house, and they call up and they say, ‘It’s too big for my house.’ ..“When you get into the really big trees, every foot costs you like $50 to $60 more. The thing I think people should do is to know how tall their ceiling is. Our trees are all sold by height. … But if they have any questions, we’ll be happy to pull out a measuring stick.” — Wendy Davis, a tree seller for the Optimist Club of Austin in Texas.
- Never, Ever Let Your Tree Go Without Water
“What we tell customers is that the most important thing is to keep water in the base of the trees at all times, to not ever let the tree go without water. They can also absorb moisture through the needles. They should not be in direct sun or near a heating fan. And, if possible, you can run a humidifier in the room with them or squirt them with a mister. … ″[Customers ask us whether] there is some kind of tree food that you can put in the water that makes the tree last longer, or if they [should] put 7Up in the water. My standard response: ‘Have you ever seen a tree in the woods drinking 7Up?’ Basically they just need water to keep them fresh. Trees like nobles and Frasers should last easily through Jan. 6 without any trouble, as long as they are kept hydrated.” — Davis.
- Make Sure Your Car Can Handle The Tree You Want
“Please don’t show up in a Mini Cooper without any type of roof racks and then cut down a whopping-big 10-foot Scots pine that weighs over 100 pounds. “Somehow, working together, we can make it fit — but your roof won’t like it. And despite tying ropes every which way through the windows of your car, it’s anyone’s guess if you will make it home safely. Your wife isn’t going to be none too happy either, since your windows are open. There is a reason why we have that sign that says ‘owner’s responsibility to secure your load,’ and we make it a point of pointing it out to you. Pickups and SUVs with racks are much preferred for any large tree.” — Chance.
“We don’t bag the trees after [you buy them] — we just tie them on fully opened onto a car unless you buy a bundled-up tree. … If you are going to tie it on the roof of your car and you are worried about the finish of your car, bring a blanket with you so you can put it underneath so that your roof would not get scratched.” — Davis.
- Don’t Forget To Tip
“I won’t ever neglect tipping because [of] the amount of work we as a team have to go through — especially if it’s raining or snowing and it’s so hard, and customers come and they’re like: ‘Can you open this tree for me? I want to see this tree. I want to see this tree.’ We go up and beyond helping customers to ensure that they get the tree that they want. But then sometimes you go through all that work and it’s just like, ‘Thank you.’ On my end, I won’t ever neglect tipping when it comes to somebody providing physical work. … “There’s no hard feelings [otherwise]. But if a customer does have us open 10 trees and it’s a blizzard outside and pouring, and [the person] gives us a twenty or gives one of the guys a twenty, that’s like, ‘Wow, thanks.’ It goes a long way to show the appreciation.” — Arthur, the founder of AA Christmas Trees in New York City’s Brooklyn borough.
- Don’t Show Up After Closing Time
“There is … a reason why U-cut farms in the northern states close around 4 p.m. But being nice folks, we go ahead and humor people who show up late just as the sun is setting. Seems like it happens nearly every single weekend closing day, but the mischief that a dark forest with a tired seller can create defies imagination. “At that hour in our place, you are dealing with a retired forestry couple well into their 70s who, without help, have just put in a long day helping 50 or 60 families cut, drag and load trees in the snow and cold while keeping the home fires burning and the hot chocolate and cookies flowing.
“We keep a sense of humor about it because we know it’s coming, but it’s a wee bit of a push. Last week, it was little 3-year-old J.D. who slipped his large family on his solo run with a saw in hand to find his own tree in the dark. After a frantic all-hands search party, we found the little guy busily selecting a tree. … I had to admire his gumption — he had ‘future forester’ written all over him. “Please don’t come late. Who knows what nuttiness is likely?” — Chance.
- Don’t Buy An Artificial Tree
“I won’t buy an artificial Christmas tree. The misconception to that is people think that ‘oh, the trees are cut down in the forest, and it’s so bad for the environment. I’ll do the right thing and buy an artificial Christmas tree.’ … Farmers plant millions of Christmas trees every single year, and without the business there wouldn’t be all these trees planted. As soon as the tree is cut, a new one gets planted.
“It’s all of that oxygen that is being generated for the planet — whereas artificial Christmas trees, they are made out of plastic and they are not recyclable. And the amount of carbon it takes to generate that plastic is not good for the environment.” — Arthur.
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.
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