Born on this day!! Actor Edward Fox is 86. Singer Lester Chambers of The Chambers Brothers is 83. Composer Bill Conti (“Rocky” film theme) is 81. Musician Jack Casady of Jefferson Airplane is 79. Musician Al Green is 77. Actor Ron Perlman is 73. Actor William Sadler (“Wonderfalls,” ″Roswell”) is 73. Singer Peabo Bryson is 72. Drummer Max Weinberg of the E Street Band (and “Late Night With Conan O’Brien”) is 72. Keyboardist Jimmy Destri (Blondie) is 69. Comedian Gary Kroeger (“Saturday Night Live”) is 66. Actor Saundra Santiago (“Miami Vice”) is 66. Guitarist Joey Mazzola (Sponge) is 62. Actor Page Hannah (TV’s “Fame”) is 59. Actor-comedian Caroline Rhea (“Sabrina the Teenage Witch,” ″The Biggest Loser”) is 59. Bassist Lisa Umbarger (The Toadies) is 58. Guitarist Marc Ford (Black Crowes) is 57. Actor Ricky Schroder is 53. Singer Aaron Lewis of Staind is 51. Actor Bokeem Woodbine (TV’s “Fargo,” ″Saving Grace”) is 50. Singer Lou Bega is 48. Actor Glenn Howerton (“It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia”) is 47. Actor Kyle Howard (“Royal Pains”) is 45. Actor Kelli Giddish (“Law and Order: SVU”) is 43. Actor Courtney Peldon (“Boston Public”) is 42. Singer Nellie McKay is 41. Rapper Ty Dolla $ign is 41. Actor Allison Williams (“Girls”) is 35. Actor Hannah Marks (“Necessary Roughness”) is 30.

THIS DAY IN GENIUS HISTORY

1598 – The Edict of Nantes gave religious tolerance to the Huguenots in France.
1742 – Handel’s Messiah was first publicly performed in Dublin, Ireland.
1964 – Sidney Poitier became the first African American to win the Academy Award for best actor.
1970 – Apollo 13 announced “Houston, we’ve got a problem,” when an oxygen tank burst on the way to the Moon.
1975 – Civil War began in Lebanon when gunmen killed 4 Christian Phalangists who retaliated by killing 27 Palestinians.
1997 – Tiger Woods became the youngest person to win the Masters Tournament and the first of African descent to win a major golf title.
2004 – Barry Bonds hit his 661st homer, passing Willie Mays to take third place on the lifetime list.
2012 – Kwangmyngsng-3, a North Korean Earth observation satellite, exploded shortly after its launch. The U.S. and other countries called the launch a violation of United Nations Security Council rules.

Today Is: International Plant Appreciation Day, Make Lunch Count Day  (TGI Fridays), Scrabble Day, Sterile Packaging Day, Thomas Jefferson Day

TODAY ON TV!
Primetime TV (All Times Eastern)

CBS – 8:00 – Young Sheldon  / 8:30 – Ghosts  /  9:00 – So Help Me Todd  /  10:00 – CSI Vegas
NBC – 8:00 – Law and Order / 9:00 – Law and Order SVU / 10:00 – Law and Order Organized Crime
ABC – 8:00 – Station 19 / 9:00 – Greys’ Anatomy
FOX – 8:00 – Next Level Chef / 9:00 – Animal Control / 9:30 – Welcome to Flatch
CW – 8:00 – Walker / 9:00 – Superman and Lois

TV Talk Shows

Jimmy Kimmel: Bill Hader, Jane Goodall, Metallica
Stephen Colbert: Nicolas Cage, Christine and the Queens
Watch What Happens Live: Toni Collette, Lisa Ann Walter
Live with Kelly and Ryan: Rachel Brosnahan
Jennifer Hudson: Nikki & Brie Bella, D.B. Woodside

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

QUESTION: Why is Prince Harry attending his father’s coronation ALONE?? Meghan is staying behind for Archie’s 4th BIRTHDAY PARTY!! Right!!!

 

QUESTION: How in the hell did JEREMY RENNER walk the red carpet of his new show “Rennervations” on Disney +? And how good is it?? Looks awesome!! 

 

QUESTION: Looking for AIR JORDAN 13S?? Do you have $2.2 MILLION? That’s how much someone paid for Michael Jordan’s “Last Dance” Nikes!! (Do they smell?)

 

QUESTION: You know that marketing exec who just wiped out $5 BILLION in value from Budweiser? She LOVED that “fratty life” when SHE was in college!!

QUESTION: Is this the best thing he’s ever done for California?? Schwarzenegger gets tired  of waiting.. fills giant pothole HIMSELF!!! “It’s not a tumor!!”

OTHER CELEBRITY NEWS

Super Mario Brothers Theme, “Like a Virgin” and “All I Want For Christmas is You” Added To Library Of Congress

*********You gotta remember: the Library of Congress is a comprised of a few coloring books and a collection of “Playboy” magazines!!
*****Now that the Mariah song is in a museum, can we stop playing it???
******If you’re supposed to be quiet in a library, how can you listen to the music?
****Mariah’s new pickup line: “Hey, I’m in a library. Wanna check me out??”

Matthew McConaughey Recalls Severe Turbulence On Lufthansa Flight.. “It was zero gravity!!!”

*********Drastic ups and downs don’t scare US! We’re in RADIO!!
*******Fortunately, he had clean underwear in his carry-on!!
*******There was screaming and crying, and his wife was upset as well!!
TOPIC: Ever get caught in bad turbulence???

Jeremy Renner’s Mom Wants To Burn His Snowplow!! Gee… wonder why???

******He said, “I’m OK with that, as long as I’m not under it!!”
*******Jeremy shared this factoid on the red carpet for his new Disney + show, “Rennervations,” which looks.. awesome!!!!

King Charles is Hiring Someone to Answer His Fan Mail! ($28,700 a year) Get the Job Application HERE!!

*****You must be able to read and write English!! You know.. ENGLISH English!!
******You’ll also be in charge of feeding and grooming Camilla!!
******Of course, the postage stamps have Charles’ picture on them.. so you’ll be licking his backside all day!!

 

 

TELEPHONE TOPICS

 

THROWBACK THURSDAY: Delivery room fails!! What is the dumbest thing you’ve seen someone do in the delivery room?? (Family member, friend, husband)

 

TABLOID FODDER (Please credit publication) 

 

“Boston Strangler” Stars Can’t Say Beans!-(Globe)

No phony-baloney accents allowed for non-Beantown stars Hulu’s “Boston Strangler”-no matta is yous Oscar-nominated Brit beauty Keira Knightley or American cutie Carrie Coon!  “We did standard American” on the shoot, not the distinctive regional dialect, gripes Keira, 38.  “That is all we were allowed.  All of the actors were very disappointed.  We all tried to talk Matt Ruskin, our lovely writer/director, into letting us do the Boston accent, and he was like, ‘Absolutely not.’  So we failed, but I kind of hear him, because as I found out, people are very opinionated about that accent.  So he was just like, ‘We’re not touching that.’”  Carrie, 42, agrees there was no tinge of townie voice choice.  “Matt is from Boston and very insistent that anybody who is not from Boston was not going to be doing an accent,” she quips.  “So I was doing a kind of general American 1960s-something.”

 

STUPID NEWS

Palm Reader Says Her Baby Named HERSELF From the Womb.. and She’s Sticking With It!!

******Her name will be “gurgle, gurgle!!”
*******She wanted to call her “Daisy,” but the fetus told her husband it had to be “Margaret!” So she’s calling her “Mars!!”
*****The baby also said she has an escape plan to get away from her crazy parents!!!
TOPIC: Did you have any premonitions about YOUR baby??

Man Eats Only McDonald’s for 100 Days to Lose Weight. After 50 Days, He’s Down 32 Lbs.!

****He starts his day with an “Egg McNothing!!!
*****His blood pressure and cholesterol are down, too!!!
*****Ronald Reagan was right: Ketchup IS a vegetable!!!

New York Museum Installing World’s Largest Donkey Kong Game.. the Cabinet is 20 FEET TALL!

********It’s called the Strong National Museum of Play in Rochester, New York!!
******You’ll need to bring a bag of gigantic quarters to play it!!
FACTOID: The first Donkey Kong in 1981 featured the debut of “Mario,” who was known as “Jumpman!!”

UFO Sightings In Arizona Explained As Weather Balloons

See the video HERE.
*******Sure…. weather balloons!! That’s right!!
******They aren’t.. CHINESE weather balloons, are they???
*****If you were an alien invading earth, wouldn’t you disguise your ship as a weather balloon??

Serendipity Resturant in NYC Offers Most Expensive Grilled Cheese Sandwich.. only $214!!!!

See the pics HERE.
********It’s made with French Champagne Bread (made with Dom Perignon), grass-fed white truffle butter and slices of Caciocavallo Podolico cheese (whatever that is)! The edges are gilded with 24-karat gold!!
*****Here’s our question: Do you really want to poop gold?? You’d probably want to pick it out!!
******Of course, after spending $214 on a grilled cheese, you probably want to chase it down with Mt. Dew!!!

Vodka Butter Is The Hot New TikTok Trend!!

*********This Tik Tok’er tried to explain how she combines vodka and butter in a blender… but she kept nodding out!!

*****The next Tik Tok craze will be “faceplanting in a blender!!”

 

 

STUFF THAT’S COOL AND VIRAL

 

VIDEO: A NEW WOKE VERSION OF “KISS THE GIRL” FROM THE LITTLE MERMAID.

 

A LIST FOR THURSDAY

 

The 5 Best Mystery Shopper Companies to Work for in 2023

The Penny Hoarder

1. Sinclair Customer Metrics

Sinclair Customer Metrics has been in the mystery shopping game since 1987. It specializes in the banking, retail, grocery store, (quick-service) restaurant and convenience store spaces. And on top of in-person gigs, Sinclair offers video mystery shopping to clients, too, complete with a hidden camera.

People looking for a mystery shopping assignment can sign up here.

Better Business Bureau rating: A+.

How payment is distributed: Check.

When payment is sent: You’ll be paid once a month, the last week of the following month after your last completed assignment.

What you need to get paid: Submit completed assignments on time and adhere to all specifications.

2. Market Force Information

Market Force Information works with clients in a variety of industries, from health and wellness and movie studios to specialty retail and alcohol and tobacco. The firm has offices in the U.S., Canada and the United Kingdom, and provides gigs in thousands of locations. Market Force also has an app, Eyes:On, which allows mystery shoppers to complete assignments on the go.

People looking for mystery shopping gigs can sign up here.

Better Business Bureau rating: A+.

How payment is distributed: Direct deposit.

When payment is sent: Monthly, on the 15th.

What you need to get paid: Submit completed assignments on time and adhere to all specifications.

3. IntelliShop

IntelliShop is a customer experience research and improvement firm. The firm’s specialties are in the customer experience, online reputation management, and loss prevention and compliance sectors. IntelliShop provides coverage in more than 18K cities in the U.S. and Canada and 180 countries.

Prospective shoppers seeking a mystery shopping assignment can sign up here.

Better Business Bureau rating: A+.

How payment is distributed: PayPal.

When payment is sent: Approximately 30 days after the last day of the month in which your mystery shopping trips were completed.

What you need to get paid: All shop documentation (a business card, receipt, etc. — anything required for a particular task) must be submitted to receive payment for the shopper challenge.

4.Elite CXS

Elite CXS is a veteran-owned, award-winning mystery-shopping operation based in Hudson, Florida. The company has partnered with major brands, such as Porsche, T-Mobile and Gold’s Gym. Jobs vary by region across the U.S, but Elite CXS places evaluators in video, phone and in-person shopping gigs in a variety of industries.

Interested mystery shoppers can sign up here.

Better Business Bureau rating: C+.

How payment is distributed: PayPal.

When payment is sent: Once a month.

What you need to get paid: Submit completed assignments on time.

5. Mystery Shopping Service

Mystery Shopping Service has been around for more than 20 years. The company serves the real estate, senior living and healthcare, retail, and hospitality industries across the U.S. Mystery shoppers could be tasked with calling a business and reporting on the conversation or touring an apartment building under the guise of a potential renter.

Prospective mystery shoppers can get more information on available gigs and apply here.

Better Business Bureau rating: A+.

How payment is distributed: PayPal or check.

When payment is sent: End of the month.

What you need to get paid: Submit completed assignments on time as outlined in the assignment instructions.

What’s Life Like for a Secret Shopper?

You can become a mystery shopper in a number of ways. In fact, our CEO started mystery shopping as a teenager. (He’s also completed more than 5,000 mystery shops to date!)

He got his start mystery shopping at local grocery stores, an Ikea, fast-food establishments, restaurants and liquor stores. On another assignment, he was asked to pretend he was shopping for a car — he took a test drive and everything — and earned a cool $60 for each dealership he went to that day.

He’s since hung up his mystery-shopping boots. But back in the day, he was usually paid between $8 and $25 per secret-shopping trip. There were months where he earned more than $5,000, but most months, he earned $400-$500 in extra money for mystery shopping.

Your mileage may vary, of course. But it can be a semi-lucrative and fun gig for the right person.

Warning: Be Careful of Mystery Shopper Scams

Unfortunately, if you’ve looked into mystery shopping before, you know there are a lot of scammers trying to take advantage of this industry’s growing popularity.

A few rules of thumb:

• Never pay to join a mystery shopping company. The real ones never ask for a payment from you.
• Never pay money to a company to see their list of jobs. Legitimate mystery shopping companies are always short of shoppers, so they never ask for you to pay to see a list of their jobs.
• Also, legit mystery shopping companies shouldn’t force you to take a certain number of jobs.

Still confused about an opportunity? The Mystery Shopping Providers Association (MSPA) is a trade organization that offers resources for secret shopping companies and guidelines for individuals who are interested in this type of work. Also, check out online reviews for any company before you work for them.

There are a ton of real mystery shopping companies, so do your due diligence to stay away from the scams.

 

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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