Born on this day!! Singer Ronnie Hawkins of Ronnie Hawkins and the Hawks is 87. Actor William Sanderson (“Deadwood,” ″Newhart”) is 78. Singer Rod Stewart is 77. Singer-keyboardist Donald Fagen of Steely Dan is 74. Singer Pat Benatar is 69. Guitarist Michael Schenker (Scorpions) is 67. Singer Shawn Colvin is 66. Singer-guitarist Curt Kirkwood of Meat Puppets is 63. Actor Evan Handler (“Sex and the City”) is 61. Singer Brad Roberts of Crash Test Dummies is 58. Actor Trini Alvarado is 55. Singer Brent Smith of Shinedown is 44. Rapper Chris Smith of Kris Kross is 43.
THIS DAY IN GENIUS HISTORY
1776 – Thomas Paine’s Common Sense, which greatly influenced the authors of the Declaration of Independence, was published.
1863 – The first underground passenger railway, the Metropolitan, opened in London.
1920 – The League of Nations came into existence.
1946 – The first General Assembly of the United Nations met in London.
1967 – The first African-American senator elected by popular vote, Edward Brooke of Massachusetts, took his seat.
1984 – The U.S. and the Vatican reestablished diplomatic relations after a 117-year break.
2003 – North Korea announced that it was withdrawing from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
Today Is: Bodhi Day (Rohatsu), League of Nations Day, National Clean Off Your Desk Day, National Cut Your Energy Costs Day, National Oysters Rockerfeller Day, Plough Monday
TODAY ON TV!
Primetime TV (All Times Eastern)
CBS – 8:00 – The Neighborhood / 8:30 – Bob Hearts Abishola / 9:00 – NCIS / 10:00 – NCIS Hawaii
NBC – 8:00 – Kenan / 8:30 – Kenan / 9:00 – That’s My Jam / 10:00 – Ordinary Joe
ABC – 8:00 – The Bachelor / 10:00 – Judge Steve Harvey
FOX – 8:00 – 911 Lone Star / 9:00 – The Cleaning Lady
CW – 8:00 – All-American / 9:30 – 4400
TV Talk Shows
Jimmy Fallon: John Cena, Bridget Everett, Cordae
Stephen Colbert: Gayle King, Tig Notaro
Seth Meyers: Sen. Bernie Sanders, Bianca Richardson
James Corden: Gal Gadot, Henry Lloyd-Hughes, Tori Kelly (R 11/9/21)
Watch What Happens Live: Wes O’Dell, Fraser Olender
The Talk: Oliver Hudson
Live with Kelly and Ryan: Selena Gomez, Ginger Zee, Dr. Wendy Bazilian
Ellen DeGeneres: Jay Leno, Black Pumas
Wendy Williams: Guest host Michael Rapaport
The Real: Guest co-host Tami Roman (R 11/22/21)
Kelly Clarkson: Joel McHale, Storm Reid, Caroline Jones
Drew Barrymore: Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, David Arquette
WHAT ARE YOU TALKIN’ ABOUT? Here are today’s PPM-Friendly Topics!
QUESTION: Is he singing about “HONEYMOON INJURIES?” Josh Duhamel kills it with “My Neck, My Back,” at karaoke with his new fiancee!!!”
QUESTION: Interested in buying BETTY WHITE’S HOUSE?” Josh Altman from “Million Dollar Listing” says there should NEVER be an open house!!
QUESTION: If there were two winning tickets for the $632 million Powerball jackpot, they both get the same amount, right? NO! And here’s reason why!!
QUESTION: What happens when a boy on estrogen competes with a girl on testosterone?? TESTOSTERONE WINS!! This is getting confusing!!!!
QUESTION: Happy New Year??? Get ready for the first “fear porn” of 2022!! A scientist says he’s found a new “DELTACRON” scariant!! Seriously??
(Actual size)
Alec Baldwin Accused Of Blocking Investigation
Alec Baldwin said Saturday that any suggestion he’s not complying with the investigation into last fall’s deadly shooting on a New Mexico film set is a lie. At issue is a search warrant for his cellphone, which authorities hope can provide information helpful in the probe. Baldwin was holding a revolver during a rehearsal for his movie “Rust” on Oct. 21 when it fired, killing cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and wounding the film’s director. Authorities still don’t have his phone. Baldwin said in an Instagram message posted Saturday that New Mexico has to go through New York law enforcement and the process of specifying exactly what is needed takes time. “They can’t just go through your phone and take your photos, or your love letters to your wife, or what have you,” he said. Investigators are trying to find where the live round came from and, in the search warrant for Baldwin’s phone, said they are looking for text messages, images, videos, calls, or any other information related to the movie. “Any suggestion that I am not complying with requests or orders or demands or search warrants about my phone, that’s bull——, that’s a lie,” he said. See the video HERE.
*****He’s not “blocking” the investigation.. he’s “ghosting” it!!!
******His “love letter” to his wife is a picture of “Little Alec and the Twins!!!”
******2021: the year that inanimate objects started attacking people!! Alec’s gun fired itself.. and a few weeks later, an SUV drove itself through the crowd at a Christmas parade in Waukesha!!!
*******He made a note to himself: “My gun just fired on its own. In fact, I don’t even think I was there at the time!!”
The Rock Facetimes Sick Fan
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson was overcome with emotion during a FaceTime call he had with a five-year-old fan who is battling an aggressive brain tumor. He took to Instagram this week sharing the sweet moment he met the “very special little boy” named Jett. He wrote that Jett was diagnosed with Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG), which he described as a “highly aggressive an inoperable brain tumor that occurs almost exclusively in young children.” Johnson said the survival rate for someone with DIPG is eight to 11 months. It has the ability to halt a person’s ability to “walk, talk, smile and eventually breathe – all while leaving the mind completely in tact,” he informed his 288 million followers. Jett has undergone 30 rounds of radiation without sedation and has lost the ability to speak. He uses thumbs up or thumbs down to respond to things, Johnson said. Johnson said he had the chance to FaceTime Jett and his family three weeks ago. “Jett, I want you to know buddy it’s so good meeting you. I’ve heard so much about you, and I’ve heard the most amazing things about you. Honestly, it’s the best part of my day,” the former wrestling star says to Jett in the clip.
*********Nothing sadder than a sick child. If you’ve got kids, hug ’em and count your blessings!!
******The Rock has been emotional like this since he was just a pebble.
SEE THE VIDEO HERE!!
Josh Duhamel Engaged
Josh Duhamel and Audra Mari are engaged! He announced the news on his Instagram on Saturday, with a photo taken moments after his sweet message in a bottle proposal on the beach. He popped the question to Mari by writing, “Audra Diane Mari, Will you Marry me?” on a piece of paper with burned edges. “It’s on!!” he captioned it. “She found a message in a bottle that washed ashore and said YES!!” Plenty of Duhamel’s celebrity friends took to the comments section to send him well wishes, including his ex-wife, Fergie. “Congrats!!,” Fergie wrote. “So happy for you!!!! Let’s go looooooove!!!!!” Glen Powell exclaimed, with Matt Lanter adding, “Congrats my man!” “I love you!!” Mari commented. It was an exciting weekend for Mari, who also rang her in 28th birthday on Saturday. They have been dating since 2019.
*********He threw that bottle in the water in 2019, and every weekend, they’d walk down the beach, hoping it would wash up!!
********It wasn’t really a “bottle”.. it was a mayonnaise jar!!!!
******At least she’s more than half his age!!
*****How many times does 49 go into 28?? She’s about to find out!!
Nicolas Cage To Be A New Dad Again
Nicolas Cage and his wife, Riko Shibata, are having a baby. “The parents-to-be are elated!” the publicist also told People. A due date or sex was not announced. This will be Shibata’s first child. Cage has two other children from previous relationships: 16-year-old Kal-El and 31-year-old Weston, who is four years older than his stepmom. Shibata wed Cage in February 2021 at the Wynn Hotel in Las Vegas. She is his fifth wife. At the time of their wedding, Cage said in a statement, “It’s true, and we are very happy.” The couple met in Shiga, Japan, and have been together since shortly after the dissolution of Cage’s last marriage, to Erika Koike — which lasted for four days in 2019. He was also previously married to Patricia Arquette from 1995 to 2001, Lisa Marie Presley from 2002 to 2004 and Alice Kim from 2004 to 2016. According to the Daily Mail, Cage proposed to Shibata via FaceTime sent her ring via FedEx to Japan. “She left New York and went back to Kyoto, Japan, and I went back to Nevada and I haven’t seen her for six months,” he said on his brother Marc Coppola’s podcast in August 2020.
********Her name is Japanese for “bread!!”
*******What’s the definition of mass confusion? Father’s Day at Nik’s house!!!
*****He should get together with Mick Jagger and Nick Cannon to form the “Fathers of the Year Club!!!”
No-Fly Zone Over The Queen
An application for the restricted airspace order has been made and, if successful, would prevent aircrafts from flying up to 2,500ft above and 1.5 nautical miles around Windsor Castle. The Metropolitan Police said the order would “further enhance the security at what is an iconic location and keep the community living nearby safe”. The force added that the order was applied for as part of its ongoing review into security arrangements and not because of any specific threat or intelligence. On Christmas Day, a 19-year-old man was arrested while allegedly in possession of a crossbow at Windsor Castle. The Metropolitan Police said he had been sectioned under the Mental Health Act. Officers are also reviewing a video that appears to show a masked figure in a dark hoodie holding a crossbow and addressing the camera with a distorted voice, saying they wanted to “assassinate the Queen” in a “revenge” mission. The incident caused Home Secretary Priti Patel to order the Home Office to look at strengthening controls on the ownership of crossbows. A spokesman for the force said: “As part of the Met Police’s responsibilities under the Royal and Specialist Protection Command, the Met is responsible for policing within the footprint of Windsor Castle and we work closely with Thames Valley Police to ensure the castle and the surrounding areas are kept safe and secure. “As part of our ongoing review of security arrangements at Windsor Castle, and working in partnership with Thames Valley Police, we applied for a restricted airspace order for up to 2,500ft at a radius of 1.5 nautical miles around Windsor Castle.
*********They’re afraid that Andrew might try to helicopter in to see mummy!!
******She’s being threatened with a crossbow, so the Queen has requested a Glock!!
*******Charles has told her that he’ll throw his ears in front of her in case of an attack!!
*****You wouldn’t want to be the security guard on duty the night someone kills the Queen!
BREAKING: Bob Saget found dead in his Orlando Hotel Room
Ripping The Tabloids (Throughout the week, we’ll give you the stories from that weeks tabs!)
**Please Credit Publication!
Manscaped George is One Smooth Dude – (National Enquirer)
Smooth operator George Clooney is upping his grooming game to look polished and sexy for his much younger wife, snitched sources who said waxing and skin treatments are at the top of his list.
The silver-haired “Gravity” hunk, 60, is eager to keep the spark alive with Amal, 43, the stylish mother of his four-year-old twins, who he wed in 2014, tipsters dished. “He’s naturally a very hairy guy, and while he didn’t mind it during his early years in Hollywood, he’s gotten very particular about it the more successful he’s become – especially after he met Amal,” an insider spilled. “Now he’s all about looking neat and distinguished. People have noticed his smooth legs, arms cheat and back, suggesting he’s had wax and/or laser treatments.”
“Amal clearly loves the results. Manscaping still has this stigma attached to it because people often associate it as feminine – but no one can deny that George is manliness manifested.”
ZZ Rockers Can’t Top Springsteen – (The Globe)
One of ZZ Top’s biggest hits was Cheap Sunglasses – and the ir music catalogue just sold for the bargain-basement price of $50 million, which is chump change compared to the Boss Bruce Springsteen’s $500 million score!
Bearded rock icons Billy Gibbons, 72, and bassist Dusty Hill, who died in July at 72, made it big with other superhits including Legs and Gimme All Your Lovin’, which were included in the sale.
Harry Headed to Late Night? – (Star)
According to royal expert Neil Sean, there are whispers that Prince Harry is in talks to take over for Late Late Show host James Corden for one night to promote his upcoming memoir, which is due out in 2022. (In February, the duo toured LA in a double-decker bus to promote the show.) “When you think about it, it does make sense simply because they’re good chums and, of course, it would be a great way for Prince Harry to sell the book directly to the American public,” said Sean.
Bryan Ring Shopping for Mariah! – (Life and Style)
What better way to ring in the New Year? Mariah Carey’s boyfriend, Bryan Tanaka, was caught browsing engagement rings on December 23rd at a jewelry store in Aspen, where he and the singer, 52, spend the holidays each year. “Bryan is planning on asking Mariah to marry him, spills a source close to the choreographer, 38. “He’s been saving up for three years to buy the perfect ring and will take out a loan if need be. This is Mariah we’re talking about.” Her ex-fiance James Packer proposed in 2106 with a 35-carat diamond ring estimated to be worth $10 million, while ex Nick Cannon popped the question in 2007 with a 17-carat rock valued at $2.5 million. “Mariah has impeccable taste and won’t wear just any piece of jewelry on her finger. So Bryan’s under pressure to impress.”
Chatter – (People)
“The one man I did kill, early on in the show, was about a 70-year-old amputee, so that’s not very heroic.” – Peter Dinklage on his Game of Thrones character
“I was called a Face of a Decade,, who decides that?” –Brooke Shields
“I was quite convinced I could grow vegetables and be at home and be very satisfied with that, but I was pushed quite substantially by my mom.” – Nicole Kidman on considering retiring from acting in her 40s.
Metamoment of the Week – (In Touch)
“I just didn’t get it!” Rick Astley, on the first time he was “Rick-Rolled”
STUPID NEWS
Ball Of Human Hair Breaks Record
A ball of human hair started by an Ohio salon owner before being turned over to Ripley’s Believe It or Not! broke a Guinness World Record when it grew to 225.13 pounds. Steve Warden, owner of the Blockers salon in Cambridge, said his son inspired him to start “Hoss” the hairball using clippings from his customers, and the ball grew until it was large enough to be featured by Ripley’s Believe It or Not! “From there, it was possibly going to go into a museum and it was pretty much going to end there,” Warden told Guinness World Records. The story of Hoss wasn’t over, however, as Ripley’s took the ball to Orlando Comic Con and asked attendees to donate their own hair clippings to help the ball grow to break the Guinness World Record. Hoss was officially weighed in December and certified at 225.13 pounds, breaking the record of 167 pounds set by Missouri barber Henry Coffer in 2014.
********We just pulled a hairball out of our shower that weighs at least 300 pounds!!
*******Someone named “Bigfoot” said, “I can beat that.. in one haircut!!”
*******If you’ve got 255 pounds of hair, it’s time to start grooming!!!
Cat Accidentally Donated To Thrift Store
A cat was reunited with its Colorado family after being accidentally donated to a thrift store along with an old recliner. Denver Animal Protection said personnel responded to the Arc Thrift Store in Denver when employees discovered there was a cat hiding inside a recliner chair that had been donated earlier in the day. DAP was able to extract the feline from the chair, but employees found the animal’s microchip information was out of date. Luckily, the family that donated the chair had discovered the cat was missing and went back to the thrift store to see if the feline had stowed away with the seat. The store directed the family to DAP. The cat, named Montequlla, was not injured and was reunited with her family. See the video HERE.
*****They took the cat home and stuffed into their NEW recliner!!!
*******The cat was thinking, “How can I get some attention??”
Lost Sea Lion Crosses Highway
Police and animal rescuers responded to a San Diego highway where a sea lion was spotted attempting to cross the road several miles from the nearest shoreline. The California Highway Patrol said 911 dispatchers started receiving calls about 9:40 a.m. Friday about a sea lion attempting to cross Route 94, near Route 15. The CHP said several cars stopped in the roadway and bystanders directed traffic to allow the sea lion to cross to the center divide. CHP officers arrived on the scene and kept the animal safe from traffic while awaiting a rescue team from Sea World. Jeni Smith, a supervisor with the rescue program at Sea World San Diego, said the sea lion was several miles from the ocean. She said it is rare to see such an animal so far from the water. “We got in our truck immediately and rushed down to ensure that the sea lion wasn’t hit by a car,” Smith told the San Diego Union-Tribune. “Being on the freeway is very, very unsafe for a sea lion.” Smith said rescuers aren’t sure how the sea lion ended up at the highway, but they believe it may be the same animal spotted elsewhere recently. “It does fit the description of an animal we have gotten reports about that — he’s been in some precarious areas, but they’ve all been next to the water.”
*********We’re glad they rescued the sea lion.. but where is his CAR??
*****Sea lions are a little too heavy to pick up and cuddle!!!
*****They put him in a car seat and took him back to the water!!
Stolen Lamp Posts In Los Angeles
Los Angeles city street services crews started taking down lampposts from the Glendale-Hyperion bridge, which connects Atwater Village and Silver Lake across the L.A. River. According to the Los Angeles City Department of Public Works, they began getting reports of these lampposts being stolen back in September. “They were stealing the entire lamp poles. So, they’re made of bronze and so they do have some monetary value. And my understanding is that they were sawing off the lampposts and then taking them away,” said Edward Morrissey of the Atwater Village Neighborhood Council. According to the LA City Department of Public Works, the lampposts were installed in 1926. A statement from Elena Stern at the LA City Department of Public Works said: “The Bureau of Street Lighting was notified on September 18, 2021 about the theft of streetlights from the Glendale/Hyperion Viaduct. It was reported that three were stolen over a span of three nights. Upon inspection, we discovered that 7 had been stolen as of 9/21/21. To date, 22 lights have been stolen, and BSL has proactively removed and stored 18 lights. We believe there were/are roughly 60-70 historic lights along the bridge, which leaves about 25-35 lights left on the bridge.” Temporary lights will be going up over the next week or two.
**********The lights were installed in 1926, and it took almost 100 years for dirtbag criminals to start stealing them??
******We’re checking with the DA’s office.. this may not even be a crime in L.A. now.
BONUS PIC!!!
STUFF THAT’S COOL AND VIRAL
VIDEO: WATER MAIN BURST AT SKI RESORT!
VIDEO: DEADLY ROCK SLIDE IN BRAZIL!
A LIST FOR MONDAY
The Best Pieces Of Work Advice Going Into 2022, According To Therapists
Huffington Post
When feeling overwhelmed, do something rather than nothing.
“One issue that comes up repeatedly in my sessions with clients is the urge to shut down when feeling overwhelmed at work.
Avoidance coping is when we avoid what is causing us stress in an attempt to temporarily feel better. So, if we have a bunch of tasks to complete at work and it’s causing us stress to think about where to even begin, it feels less stressful for the moment to not work on anything.
I work with my clients to ‘do something rather than nothing’ when they feel overwhelmed at work. Even if it’s just one thing. This will help chip away at your to-do list and help prevent the overwhelmed feelings from being worse tomorrow.
Questions to ask yourself: What do I realistically have the energy for today? Be honest with yourself about what you have the bandwidth to work on.
What task will give me the most bang for my buck? What would alleviate the most stress to have completed? Start here if you can.”
— Shannon Garcia, a psychotherapist at States of Wellness Counseling in Illinois and Wisconsin
Always choose you.
“Choose you. We learned a lot about what many companies think about the health and safety of their employees. We saw a lot of people get sacrificed in the name of maintaining the bottom line, and that really woke people up. Many of us have been working way too hard, sacrificing our families, our happiness, and our peace of mind for an employer that doesn’t hold any loyalty or concern for us.
So, the number one piece of career advice I have to take with you into the new year is always choose you. Choose your own well-being, move in directions that suit you and the goals you have for your life. And if you don’t know what those goals are, you owe it to yourself to take some time to figure out what you really want. It’s time to step off of that hamster wheel and start prioritizing our own needs.
Next piece of advice is rest. You are a human being and rest is mandatory. Related to rest is, don’t sleep on leisure! Find a hobby, practice getting really good at something for no other reason than you enjoy it.
And please, do not give in to the ‘grind all day’ culture that says that you should be making money from everything you do. Productivity is not your one and only goal in life. You do not need to monetize your joy. Keep some things for yourself. You deserve it and you need it.”
— Tanisha M. Ranger, licensed clinical psychologist based in Las Vegas
You do not need to earn a day off to allow yourself to rest.
“We live in a society that values productivity, busy schedules, and overworking on a daily basis. It is important to set clear boundaries around your work life in order to better care for yourself.
Give yourself permission to rest, take a day off, use your PTO/sick days and allow yourself to say ‘no’ to things that you are not physically or mentally capable of doing. You do not need to earn a day off in order to allow yourself to rest.”
— Katheryn Perez, a marriage and family therapist in Burbank, California
Just focus on this hour or this moment.
“If you’re having a hard time or struggling, then it makes sense. We are living through a chronic trauma [because of the pandemic].
In some ways, get through it one day at a time or one hour at a time. We can’t forever predict how things are going to be. Be as present and as mindful as you can be in this moment. Don’t worry about the whole year, just focus on this hour or this moment.”
— Elizabeth Cohen, a clinical psychologist in New York City
Ask yourself: What do I want?
“Discover what you really want and work toward that goal. If the mess of the past two years have reaped any benefits, it’s that many have found how flexible and adaptive work can be.
With so many possibilities, the most important question is often the most difficult for people to answer: What do I want? Like, really, deep down, what am I most passionate about? Is it money, flexibility, meaningful work, creativity, great co-workers, location, a combination, or something else entirely? It may take some time of self-exploration, talking with loved ones, or working with a therapist to uncover, but it is worth the effort.
Once you discover where your interests and passions lie, then you set out to see if your current job or career path can adapt to your goals, or if you’ll need to change course.
If you’ve felt that work has been a soul-sucking drudgery for years, now might be the right time to make a change. But the first step is knowing yourself.”
— Ryan Howes, psychologist based in Pasadena, California, and the author of “Mental Health Journal for Men”
Set a system for to-do lists.
“Setting a system for to-do lists can be helpful. One system I like is having a today to-do list, this week to-do list, and longer-term to-do list. It can feel overwhelming if there are many items on your to-do list, so breaking it up this way can feel more manageable.”
— Rebecca Leslie, psychologist based in Atlanta
Develop consistent routines.
“Many of my clients are working remotely and felt pressured by their employers to return to in-person work. It seemed as if employers were establishing arbitrary dates to return back into the office without concern for their employees’ mental and physical well-being and these dates kept changing.
I would recommend for clients to focus on what they can control and are doing to keep themselves and other people safe. I encourage with all of the uncertainty, to develop consistent routines that can help you anchor throughout the day, such as how do you want to start your mornings, what grounds you during the day, and how you can settle yourself after work.”
— Adjoa Osei, a clinical psychologist in New York City
When in doubt, communicate directly.
“When in doubt, communicate directly. Since so many people have switched to work from home/remote work setups, digital communication replacing face-to-face interaction means that there’s more room for miscommunication.
If someone’s email or text message seems short, instead of assuming they are upset with you, clarify with a follow-up question, prioritizing a method of communication as close to real life as possible (i.e., video first, then audio, then real-time chat, and lastly asynchronous communication such as text messaging or email).
Don’t avoid conflict. Sure, conflict can be scary, especially in the workplace. But it’s way better to find out for sure if there’s a problem than to spend emotional energy trying to guess if there’s one. Instead of seeing conflict as a frightening thing to be avoided, see it as an opportunity to learn and increase understanding.”
— Therese Mascardo, licensed clinical psychologist and CEO of Exploring Therapy based in Lisbon, Portugal, and Santa Monica, California
People aren’t mind readers.
“As you’re trying to put your best foot forward, be specific about the kind of support you are looking for from your loved ones.
People aren’t mind readers and support doesn’t come in a one-size-fits-all package. Do you want someone who will challenge you during this time? Do you prefer tough love or do you want continued reassurance? Do you want someone to remind you to be realistic or would you prefer someone to take a passive role but comfort you if things don’t work out the way that you had planned?
Set yourself up for success by speaking up clearly for what you need. Feeling supported no matter what happens can be empowering, especially in the face of an uncertain road.”
— Anita A. Chlipala, licensed marriage and family therapist based in Chicago
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