Born on this day!! Singer Cindy Birdsong of The Supremes is 83. Drummer Dave Clark of the Dave Clark Five is 80. Drummer Carmine Appice of Vanilla Fudge is 76. Actor Don Johnson is 73. Actor Melanie Chartoff (“Rugrats,” ″Parker Lewis Can’t Lose”) is 72. Director Julie Taymor (Broadway’s “The Lion King”) is 70. Actor Justin Ross (“A Chorus Line”) is 68. Bassist Paul Simonon of The Clash is 67. Country singer Doug Phelps (The Kentucky Headhunters, Brothers Phelps) is 62. Actor Helen Slater is 59. Actor Paul Kaye (“Game of Thrones”) is 58. Actor Molly Price (“Third Watch”) is 57. Actor Garrett Wang (“Star Trek: Voyager”) is 54. Actor Michael Shanks (“Stargate SG-1”) is 52. Actor Stuart Townsend (“Queen of the Damned”) is 50. Actor Geoff Stults (“Grace and Frankie,” new “Odd Couple”) is 46. Crowd-hyper Kito Trawick of Ghostown DJs is 45. Actor Adam Brody (“The O.C.”) is 43. Actor Michelle Dockery (“Downton Abbey”) is 41. Actor George O. Gore II (“My Wife and Kids”) is 40. Actor Camilla Luddington (“Grey’s Anatomy”) is 39. Guitarist Alana Haim of Haim is 31. Actor Maude Apatow (Film’s “Knocked Up,” TV’s “Euphoria”) is 25.

THIS DAY IN GENIUS HISTORY

1916 – The French defeated the Germans in the Battle of Verdun.
1791 – The Bill of Rights took effect with Virginia’s ratification of it.
1890 – Sioux Indian chief Sitting Bull was killed by Native American police.
1939 – The movie Gone With the Wind premiered in Atlanta, Georgia.
1944 – Band leader Glenn Miller disappeared in a plane crash over the English Channel.
1961 – Adolf Eichmann was sentenced to death by an Israeli court for organizing the deportation of Jews to concentration camps.
1964 – Canada adopted its national flag, a red maple leaf on a white background.
1966 – Animated-cartoon pioneer and movie producer Walt Disney died in Los Angeles.
1989 – A demonstration that turned into a popular uprising in Romania began the downfall of Nicolae Ceausescu.

Today Is: Bill of Rights Day, Cat Herders Day, National Cupcake Day, National Wear Your Pearls Day, National Re-gifting Day

TODAY ON TV!
Primetime TV (All Times Eastern)

CBS – 8:00 –  Ghosts  / 9:00 – So Help Me Todd  /  10:00 – CSI: Vegas
NBC – 8:00 – Baking It  /  9:00 – Dolly Parton Christmas
ABC – 8:00 –  Beauty and the Beast  /  10:00 – The Parent Test
FOX – 8:00 – House Broken  /  9:00 – Welcome To Flatch /  9:30 – Call Me Kat
CW – 8:00 – Christmas Around The USA

TV Talk Shows

Jimmy Kimmel: Brendan Fraser, Diego Calva, Weezer
Jimmy Fallon: Regina Hall, F. Murray Abraham, Edvin Ryding, Omar Rudberg, Andrea, Matteo & Virginia Bocelli
Stephen Colbert: Andy Cohen, Anderson Cooper
Seth Meyers: Paul Bettany, Lily Collins, Kevin Murphy
Watch What Happens Live: Ciara Miller, Jason Cameron, Jessica Stocker
The View: Alexandra Pelosi, Audra McDonald
The Talk: Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Harry Shum Jr.
Live with Kelly and Ryan: Salma Hayek, RuPaul, Eden Grinshpan, Andrea Bocelli
Kelly Clarkson: Michelle Obama, Guy Branum, Pentatonix, Meghan Trainor
Tamron Hall: Morris Chestnut, Nia Long, Melissa De Sousa, Holly Robinson Peete
Drew Barrymore: Aubrey Plaza, Savannah Guthrie, Gabe Labelle, Melissa King
Jennifer Hudson: Matthew Perry, Greta Onieogou

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

QUESTION: Are ready for a RETURN TO Y2K??? The latest retro fashion to make a comeback (so to speak) is the TRAMP STAMP!! “It’s here and not going away!!!!!!!!”

 

QUESTION: Planning to see “AVATAR: THE WAY OF WATER” when it opens in theaters this weekend?? Apparently, you’re alone!! The movie is projected to do $175 million!!

 

QUESTION: Ever get a FUNNY NOTE on your restaurant receipt? These people did.. and some got DISCOUNTS FOR KINDNESS!! Check it out and be nice!!!!!!!!!

QUESTION: How does THIS not count??? An Arizona woman is hit with a traffic citation after she was caught in the carpool lane with the GRINCH in her passenger seat!!!!

QUESTION: Are you in law enforcement, and you’d like to get a QUICKIE in the parking garage?? Here’s a tip.. before you go at it, make sure your MICROPHONE is off!!!

Ellen’s Former DJ Found Dead

Ellen DeGeneres’ DJ Stephen “tWitch” Boss has died.  The 40-year-old’s death was confirmed by his wife Allison Holker Boss. tWitch died on Dec. 13 at a “hotel/motel,” according to the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner’s office. Rodeway Inn in Encino, California told Fox News Digital that tWitch had been at the hotel.  “It is with the heaviest of hearts that I have to share my husband Stephen has left us,” Allison said in a statement to Fox News Digital. “Stephen lit up every room he stepped into. He valued family, friends and community above all else and leading with love and light was everything to him. He was the backbone of our family, the best husband and father, and an inspiration to his fans.”  “To say he left a legacy would be an understatement, and his positive impact will continue to be felt,” she continued. “I am certain there won’t be a day that goes by that we won’t honor his memory. We ask for privacy during this difficult time for myself and especially for our three children.”  Allison ended the statement with a message to her husband.  “Stephen, we love you, we miss you, and I will always save the last dance for you.”  tWitch began his career in 2008 after landing the runner-up spot on “So You Think You Can Dance.” Following his big break, tWitch appeared in several films including the “Step Up” movie franchise and “Magic Mike XXL.”  He also gained fame as the DJ on “The Ellen Show.”  “The Ellen Show” aired its last episode on May 26.  Ellen DeGeneres has made her first official statement about his death.  “I’m heartbroken,” DeGeneres said in a statement. “tWitch was pure love and light. He was my family, and I loved him with all my heart. I will miss him. Please send your love and support to Allison and his beautiful children — Weslie, Maddox, and Zaia.”
*******This is tragic.
*******As a DJ, he’s already spinning in his grave. (too soon?)

Jay Leno Drove Himself Home After Catching Fire

After initially being taken to the hospital after his horrific gasoline fire accident, Jay Leno was told by doctors he needed specific care at a burn center.  Instead of being transferred to the Grossman Burn Center, where he would eventually find himself for nine days, Leno decided to drive himself home to his wife Mavis.  “I drove home right after that,” Leno revealed to Hoda Kotb on “Today.”  “My wife doesn’t drive anymore,” he explained. “I didn’t want her struck and not knowing what was going on. It just seemed like the right thing to do, and I think it was.”  “So you loved your wife more than you worried about yourself,” Kotb asked.  “Yah that’s it,” he replied sarcastically, before adding, “I think there’s something to that.”
*******When he walked in the house, his wife said: “You promised me you’d stop smoking!!!”
*******Jay is very rich! When he saw Hoda’s last name, he offered to buy her a vowel!!
*******His new nickname is “Duraflame!!!”

Today Show Staff Surprises Al Roker

Al Roker was brought to tears on Monday, as some very special Christmas carolers stopped by his New York City abode for a surprise serenade.  Hours after virtually appearing on the Today show — where he gave an update on how he is recovering after spending four weeks in the hospital for being treated for blood clots in his legs and lungs — the beloved weatherman, 68, opened the doors of the Roker residence to find all of his Today colleagues outside, singing “Jingle Bells” and the especially poignant “I’ll Be Home for Christmas,” which they rewrote as “Al Be Home for Christmas.’  Today aired footage of the sweet moment on Wednesday. Among the carolers were anchors Savannah Guthrie, Hoda Kotb, Craig Melvin, Jenna Bush Hager and Sheinelle Jones, as well as meteorologist Dylan Dreyer, who has been filling in for Roker amid his absence from the NBC morning show.  There were also producers from Today, crew staffers, members from the security team, and more among the bunch — all who wore Santa hats, alongside them.  Roker has been a staple on Today as the program’s premiere weather anchor since 1996, and previously made appearances as a substitute weathercaster from 1990 to 1995, filling in for the late Willard Scott before his semiretirement.  See the video HERE.
******Over at GMA, TJ Holmes was sliding down the chimney at Amy Robach’s house!!!

Scarlett Johansson Talks About “Bombshell” Roles

Scarlett Johansson thinks her career could have gone a different direction if she continued to take “bombshell-type” roles. She sat down for a rare podcast interview on Table for Two With Bruce Bozzi and recognized how 2003’s Lost in Translation set her on a certain trajectory.  “It sort of was my transition into my adult career,” Johansson, who made her film debut at age 9, recalled. “I had a really hard time doing Lost in Translation. I was 17, I was far away, I was working with Bill Murray who I was an enormous fan of and he obviously has a very big personality and he’s sort of a formidable character at times. Our characters have this kind of real love for one another, this profound relationship, and that was hard for me to — I struggled with that for different reasons.”  Weeks after wrapping Sofia Coppola’s romantic dramedy, Johansson went on to film Girl With the Pearl Earring alongside Colin Firth. After finishing both movies, Johansson felt like she was in a “weird fever dream.”  “I did Lost in Translation and Girl With the Pearl Earring and by that point, I was 18, 19, and I was coming into my own womanhood and learning my own desirability and sexuality. I think it was because of that trajectory I had been sort of launched towards — I really got stuck,” Johansson told Bozzi on the podcast. “I was kind of being groomed, in a way, to be this what you call a bombshell-type of actor. I was playing the other woman and the object of desire and I suddenly found myself cornered in this place like I couldn’t get out of it. Right around that time is when I met with Bryan.”
*********She must mean Bryan Singer, the director of the Avengers movies!! Of course, HE had no interest in Scarlett (in that way)!!!
*******Casting her as an object of desire was… type-casting!!!

Betty White’s Former Home Demolished

Betty White’s longtime Brentwood, Calif. home has officially been demolished.  On Sunday, her assistant, Kiersten Mikelas, who runs White’s Instagram account, posted a photo announcing her home of more than 50 years has been torn down.  “This is such a busy time of year and coming up on the anniversary of Betty’s passing is hitting in ways I hadn’t anticipated,” she wrote of White, who died on Dec. 31, 2021. “Her Brentwood home is no more (save the fireplaces which will be gone in short order).”  In the photo, the dirt ground where the home previously stood was bare as an excavator sat near one of the fireplaces, still intact.  She added: “I promise a wonderful tribute to our most wonderful lady very soon!!!!”  Pieces of the home will live on, though. “So honored to have been able to buy the big yellow front door to this home,” comedian Chelcie Lynn commented on the post. “It’ll be used on the house I build.”  In June, the property sold for $10.678 million after just one month on the market. The Hollywood legend and her late husband Allen Ludden bought the property in 1968.
*********They found Allen Ludden’s hairpiece in the debris!!
*********Betty doesn’t care!! She’s in Hollywood Heaven, chasing Clark Gable around!!!

 

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

Pete & Emily Make It Official-(In Touch)

It’s on alright!  Pete Davidson and Emily Ratajkowski went on a romantic dinner date in Brooklyn in November-sat courtside together at a New York Knicks game in NYC on Nov. 25.  The hot new couple (he’s 29, she’s 31) weren’t all over each other,” an eyewitness says, “but they were cozy at times and seemed very comfortable together.  It was almost like they’d been dating for years.  They would flash each other big smiles throughout the game.  One thing is for sure:  Pete has definitely put a smile on Emily’s face!”  Game on!

 

STUPID NEWS

Ham Highway

A collision on a North Carolina highway caused a tractor-trailer to overturn and spill its load of hams and other various meats into the roadway.  The City of Monroe said in a statement that the truck, carrying a load of meats, was traveling on Highway 74 when it ran a red light at the intersection with John Moore Road just before 7 a.m. Monday. The truck collided with another vehicle and overturned in a parking lot just off the highway. The overturned truck spilled its load, which included Smithfield hams and other various meats.  The drivers of both vehicles were treated for minor injuries and the truck driver was cited for running a red light.
********That truck had more hams than the cast of Modern Family!!
*******It must have been a rear-ender, because you can really smell that pork butt!!
****Truckload of Meat was our nickname in high school!!!

Largest Video Game Collection

The Texas man who holds the Guinness World Record for largest collection of video games said his collection has now grown to 24,268 games.  Antonio Romero Monteiro of Richmond was originally awarded the record in December 2021, when his collection totaled 20,139 video games.  Guinness World Records said Monteiro, whose collection spans more than 100 video game consoles, now owns a total 24,268 games, amassing a collection worth an estimated $2.1 million.  “Originally my collection focused on purchasing and repurchasing some of the games I played in my youth,” Monteiro told Guinness World Records. “Slowly it expanded to include games I always wanted to play, but hadn’t had the opportunity to, and eventually expanded to completing collections for individual systems.” Monteiro’s collection also earned him the Guinness World Record titles for largest collection of Xbox items, largest collection of Sega items, largest collection of Nintendo items and largest collection of PlayStation items.
*******He’s almost to week to stand up, but his thumbs are very muscular!!
*****At one point he was “engaged” to Ms. Pacman!!!

90 Year-Old Receives College Degree

A woman who dropped out of college a few semesters shy of graduation was finally presented with her bachelor’s degree at the age of 90 at Northern Illinois University.  The DeKalb school announced its graduating class Sunday included Joyce DeFauw, 90, of Geneseo, the oldest person to ever graduate from the university.  DeFauw enrolled in what was then known as Northern Illinois State Teachers College in 1951 and attended for 3 1/2 years before dropping out to get married and start a family.  She returned to school in 2019 and took online classes to complete her bachelor of general studies degree, which she received at Sunday’s graduation ceremony.  DeFauw said she hopes her accomplishment will inspire others to finish their educations.
*********Now that she’s got her degree, she’s going to dump her boyfriend and have a big career!!

Typical Florida Christmas

A Florida man is facing charges after he allegedly hit his wife with a Christmas tree after she asked for help with making dinner, according to an arrest affidavit.  Richard Atchison, 52, was arrested by police on multiple charges including domestic battery, the report stated.  Officers said the incident happened Monday evening at a home in Fruitland Park. According to the affidavit, the two had gotten into an argument after the woman asked for help with making dinner, and at some point, the woman reportedly put a spoon in the sink, accidentally splashing Atchison. The report said Atchison “lost his temper,” began packing his things and went outside to his vehicle. He then returned home because “he had been drinking” and told his wife to leave instead.   When she tried to leave, deputies said Atchison shoved her, and then picked up a Christmas tree in in the corner of the room and threw it at her, striking her. He was booked into the Lake County jail without incident.
******Yes, he probably did the wrong thing, but how else is she gonna learn??
********Santa visited him in his cell. At least, it was big fat man who kept laughing!!!!
*****His story will be told in the new Hallmark Special: “Christmas, Florida-Style!!”

 

STUFF THAT’S COOL AND VIRAL

 

VIDEO: SCIENTIST EXPLAINS HOW THEY DID NUCLEAR FUSION.

VIDEO: EARTHQUAKE FAULT GOES THROUGH MAN’S YARD.

 

A LIST FOR THURSDAY

 

Simple Ways to Get Paid to Text

The Penny Hoarder

 

25Clicks

25Clicks is a microtask site: It pays you to complete quick, simple tasks on the internet.

What kind of tasks? Here’s a real, recent example.

• Go to Google and search for “domain authority checker”
• Click on the Loganix website
• Click the About page and write a 1 message description
• Reply to this message with the answer

It pays $.50 per task. It can all be completed by SMS (there’s an app but you don’t have to use it after sign-up).

Pro: Simple and straightforward. Regular tasks.

Con: Low overall earning potential.

1Q

1Q sends — you guessed it — one question. You get paid $.25 per answer. You answer via text in the 1Q app, which is available for iPhone and Android.

Pro: Quick and easy.

Con: Questions are few and far between. Low earning potential.

JustAnswer

Do you have medical, legal or other specific expertise? You could get paid to answer questions on JustAnswer.

Signing up with JustAnswer is more involved than other text-based services. You need to provide evidence of a professional degree, certificate or equivalent experience to be accepted.

Once you’re in, however, you can make a lot more money than with simple survey apps. The exact amount varies based on your customer rating. One RV expert told Business Insider that he starting off making $4.50 per question and ending up making $21 per question. JustAnswer estimates this could add up to an income of $2,000-7,000 per month.

You can answer questions via text chat in the JustAnswer app.

Pro: Relatively high earning potential.
Con: Complex, variable payment structure. Requires advanced degree or career experience.

How to Get Paid for Receiving Texts

Companies send out text messages all the time. To make sure they are going through successfully, they regularly test the networks.

But to test the network, they need test phone numbers. That’s where you come in.

“By letting us send text messages to your phone, you allow us to test and improve mobile operations,” says McMoney, a leading SMS-testing app.

Pros: It’s almost totally passive. All you have to do is receive texts.
Cons: SMS-testing apps are only available as APK files – that means that not only are they Android only, but they are not offered on the Play store. You have to download them manually. In addition, payouts are very small. You can expect to make a few bucks a year.

Still interested? Here are a few options.

McMoney

McMoney is an SMS-testing app run by consumer experience company CM. Payment for texts varies by location from $.01 to $.06 per text. You can expect at least one text per three days. Payment is PayPal only.

MoneySMS

Another popular SMS-testing app is MoneySMS. Users receive .02 euros, about $.021 in US dollars, per text. Payouts are exclusively in euros, Bitcoin, or Litecoin. If you want dollars, PayPal makes it easy to convert currency for a small fee.

SMSProfit

SMSProfit pays $.01 to $.06 per text and sends one text per day. You can receive payment through PayPal or BitCoin.

How to Get Paid for Premium Text Conversations

If you already have a platform and a following — as an influencer, psychic, professional leader or anything in between — you might try charging your followers for text conversations. These services make it easy.

Premium.Chat

Once you sign up with Premium.Chat, you get a link to share with your followers. They add their payment method and request to chat with you. From there, you text or video chat in Premium.Chat’s browser-based app.

You can set your own fees within a range of $1 to $5.99 per minute. Premium.Chat takes 40% of your earnings until you start making $10,000 total per month – from there, your share of earnings increases.

Pro: High earning potential.

Con: Only works if you have a platform.

Fibler

Fibler is another platform for public figures to monetize chats with followers. When you sign up for the Fibler app, you get a unique Fibler link. Your fans click on it and gets sent straight to your profile in the Fibler app.

From there, you can set whatever rate you want for premium text chats. As a bonus, you can also charge for live video chats and pre-recorded webinars.

Pro: No hidden fees. High earning potential.
Con: Low earning potential if you don’t have a platform.

Text-From-Home Jobs

Texting can be a side hustle, but can it also be a career? There are bona fide jobs — part-time and full-time — that involve a whole lot of texting.

CoachBit

CoachBit is an app designed to help kids succeed in school.

The company is looking for Role Model Coaches — part-time, remote workers who guide students through online study. Coaches communicate through the CoachBit platform’s texting and voice note capabilities.

Payment is $600-800 per month, plus performance bonuses.

Pro: Steady payment.

Con: Requires a set schedule.

Ginger

Psychology grads looking for remote, text-based work: Ginger may be for you. The mental health app is always looking for behavioral health coaches. According to a recent job posting, “Ginger coaching is delivered entirely through text-based-chat within the Ginger app.”

Payment varies based on experience and role, but Glassdoor estimates around $50,000 per year.

Pro: Steady payment.
Con: Requires specialized education. Hours can be tough — including holidays and night shift.

Working Solutions

Working Solutions is a customer service company that requires applicants to have a headset and quiet area. That may not sound like a texting job, but hear us out!

Once you’re hired, you get to choose which contracts you take on. If you want, you can opt for purely text-based roles. Payment varies depending on the contract, but workers report making about $15 an hour.

Pro: No advanced degree required.

Con: Jobs vary — so does payment.

Build Your Own Text Service

Want to text for money but not inspired by any of these options? You can always build your own text service. By coming up with an idea and posting it on a freelancing platform, you can text for cash on your own terms.

Fiverr

The Fiverr marketplace is full of text-based services. Are you interested in consulting? Sales? Dating advice? There’s somebody on Fiverr offering all these services by text. Why not you?

Pro: Totally flexible. You choose what to do and what to charge.

Con: A lot of competition.

 

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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