Born on this day!! Singer-actor Kris Kristofferson is 87. Actor Klaus Maria Brandauer is 80. Journalist Brit Hume is 80. Singer Peter Asher of Peter and Gordon is 79. Singer Howard “Eddie” Kaylan of The Turtles is 76. Singer Todd Rundgren is 75. Singer Alan Osmond of The Osmonds is 74. Actor Meryl Streep is 74. Actor Lindsay Wagner (“The Bionic Woman”) is 74. Actor Graham Greene (“Dances With Wolves”) is 71. Singer Cyndi Lauper is 70. Actor Chris Lemmon is 69. Bassist Derek Forbes (Simple Minds) is 67. Bassist Garry Beers of INXS is 66. Bassist Alan Anton of Cowboy Junkies is 64. Actor Tracy Pollan (“Family Ties”) is 63. Keyboardist Jimmy Sommerville (Bronski Beat) is 62. Singer Mike Edwards of Jesus Jones is 59. Actor Amy Brenneman is 59. Singer Steven Page (Barenaked Ladies) is 53. Actor Michael Trucco (“How I Met Your Mother,” “Battlestar Gallactica”) is 53. Actor Mary Lynn Rajskub (“24″) is 52. TV personality Carson Daly is 50. Guitarist Chris Traynor (Helmet) is 50. Actor Donald Faison (“Scrubs”) is 49. Actor Lecy Goranson (“The Connors,” “Roseanne”) is 49. Comedian Mike O’Brien (“Saturday Night Live”) is 47. TV personality Jai Rodriguez (“Queer Eye For The Straight Guy”) is 44. Actor Lindsay Ridgeway (“Boy Meets World”) is 38. Singer Dinah Jane (Fifth Harmony) is 26.
THIS DAY IN GENIUS HISTORY
1815 – Napoleon abdicated his throne for the second time after his defeat at Waterloo.
1870 – The U.S. Justice Department was created.
1874 – Dr. Andrew Still became the first to practice osteopathy.
1943 – W.E.B. DuBois became the first black member of the National Institute of Letters.
1944 – President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the G.I. Bill of Rights.
1969 – Singer-actress Judy Garland died.
1987 – Actor-dancer-singer Fred Astaire died.
2011 – Legendary Boston crime boss, James “Whitey” Bulger is found and arrested by federal authorities in Santa Monica, Calif.
Today Is: HVAC Technicians Day, International Day of Radiant Peace, Positive Media Day, Stupid Guy Thing Day, Summer, World Rainforest Day, Worldwide VW Beetle 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 Las Vegas
NBC – 8:00 – Backlist / 9:00 – Law and Order SVU / 10:00 – Magnum P.I.
ABC – 8:00 – NBA Draft
FOX – 8:00 – Alert Missing Persons Unit / 9:00 – Stars On Mars
CW – 8:00 – Walker / 9:00 – Penn and Teller Fool Us
TV Talk Shows
Stephen Colbert: Michael Shannon, Tig Notaro (R 11/16/22)
Watch What Happens Live: Kristin Davis, Nicole Ari Parker
Live with Kelly and Mark: Zoë Saldaña, Randall Park, Ncuti Gatwa
Kelly Clarkson: Utkarsh Ambudkar, Kathleen Madigan (R 4/12/23)
Tamron Hall: Tessa Bailey, Laura Cathcart Robbins, Marie Lu, Nick Brooks (R 3/20/23)
Drew Barrymore: Joe Isidori, Kristina Zias (R 1/4/23)
Jennifer Hudson: La La Anthony, Bashir Salahuddin (R 1/25/23)
WHAT ARE YOU TALKIN’ ABOUT? Here are today’s PPM-Friendly Topics!
QUESTION: What’s “OZEMPIC BUTT??” Another side effect of using Ozempic for weight loss!! In some cases, users’ asses are “flatter than a pancake!”
QUESTION: What ARE “Furries?” Children who identify as ANIMALS!! In Britain, schools are allowing them to wear EARS AND TAILS to class!! Are we next???
QUESTION: Is it really CHEMISTRY?? Or ATTRACTION?? This relationship “expert” gives you the four ways that you could be FOOLING YOURSELF!! Watch out!!
QUESTION: A night to remember?? Six Sisters and their Mom get together for a monthly dinner, and this time they all wore their WEDDING DRESSES!!!!!!!!
QUESTION: Nothing to worry about, right?? META says they will NOT release their new Voice AI because it can mimic ANYONE!! Even dead relatives! (And DJs?)
Stephen A. Smith Jumps On The Meghan and Harry Hate Train!
******He says, “If Prince Harry and the Duchess of Sussex aren’t complaining about the royal family, I don’t know if anybody cares about what they have to say.” WHAT? Nooooo!!
*****Stephen just got promoted to “Captain Obvious!!”
********Stephen had to look up the meaning of “grifter” after his old colleague, Bill Simmons, called H&M “f**king grifters!!” (It means “con artist”)
******Bottom line: Now that they’ve sold out their families, what else do they have to sell?? “Deep Thoughts” by Meghan?? Hmmm…
******Being a victim can be a very lucrative profession right now (think Colin Kaepernick), but it’s hard to be a victim when you’re young, rich and beautiful!!
Tom Cruise Responds To Scarlett Johansson’s Interest In Working With Him
*******She said it on the red carpet for “Asteroid City!!”
*****When they showed the video to Tom, he said: “There’s a great actress and a movie star. Oh yeah, it’s gonna happen. Absolutely. I’ve watched her whole career her whole life.”
****He kinda sounds like a stalker.. but who can blame him??
*****If she wanted to work us, we would have driven to her house THAT DAY!!
*******”Hey, let’s do a little home video screen test!!”
*****Knowing how Hollywood works, they probably have a deal lined up already!!!
Tom Cruise Explains Why He Did Super Dangerous Motorcycle Stunt On Day One Of Filming
****Because he’s nuts???
****This is the stunt where he drives the motorcycle off a clip, jumps off and opens a parachute!! And.. HE did it!!!
*******Tom says he figured if they did it on day one and something went wrong, they wouldn’t have wasted a bunch of money shooting other footage. And that makes sense!!
********”Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning” hits theaters on July 12TH.
Queen Camilla Spotted Wearing “Dior” In Public – Is She Taking A Jab At Meghan?
****Taking a shot at Meghan because she’s NOT getting a Dior deal??
*****The most amazing thing about this story?? Dior clothing comes in horse sizes!!!
******Meghan may not be getting an endorsement deal from Dior.. but Camilla is going to be a spokesmodel for “Horse and Hound” magazine!!
****How long before Harry and Meghan move in with her father in Mexico???
TABLOID FODDER
Bad Girl Billie Breaks With Jesse-(National Enquirer)
Moody singer Billie Eilish, 21, and indie rocker Jesse Rutherford, 31, broke up after less than a year of dating! A source squeals the “Bad Guy” songbird and The Neighborhood frontman “split amicably” but “remain good friends.” The former flames were first seen holding hands at Universal Studios last October-and sparked controversy with their ten-year age gap!
PHONE TOPIC STARTERS
What’s the most dangerous, risky thing YOU’VE ever done?
Do YOU hold any records?? What for?
Everybody loves dogs, right?? You don’t? Why not?
STUPID NEWS
Louisiana State University Breaks Jell-O Shot Record
See the video HERE.
*********It’s a little unfair, because they’re the only college with a Varsity Jell-O Shot Team!!!
*********The tradition started during the 2016 College World Series, when an Omaha pizzeria and bar started making Jell-O shots in teams colors!!
****That year, Ole Miss set a record by ordering 18,777 shots during the 10-day tournament. This year, LSU fans ordered over 22,000 shots!!
*****They also set a record for “most over-stressed kidneys!!!”
Irish Women’s Soccer Game Halted When Toddler Steals Sideline Flag!
See the video HERE.
*******The game between Cork City Women and Dublin’s DLR Waves for the All-Island Cup was halted when the kid yanked the flag and started running around with it!!
*****This proves that a woman’s work is never done!!!
******On the bright side, the toddler has been signed for the next season of “Ted Lasso!!”
Georgia Repair Shop That Paid Employee In Pennies Has To Pay More, Judge Says
*********His employee was bugging him for $915 in overtime, so he dumped 91,500 oily pennies in the guy’s driveway with a note that said “F You! You’re fired!!”
******That didn’t go over so well with the judge, who ordered him to pay an additional $8,700 to the employee in question, plus about $40,000 to nine other employees who complained!!
******Bottom line: never let your temper get the better of you!! Especially not in writing!!
TOPIC: Dumbest thing YOUR boss ever did!!
British Family’s Missing Pet Tortoise Turns Up 2 Years Later
*********She was 20 feet from the house!!
*********The father of the family said, “Tortoises move a lot faster than you think they do!!”
*****The reunion came about because of social media. All they had to do was keep an eye on “Jemima the Tortoise’s” Facebook Page!!!
STUFF THAT’S COOL AND VIRAL
VIDEO: AMAZON GUY FRIGHTENED BY FRIENDLY DOGS!
VIDEO: JASON BIGGS IS SELLING YOU PIES!
A LIST FOR THURSDAY
Mistakes Tourists Make At National Parks
HUFFINGTON POST
Not Planning In Advance
“A lot of travelers get caught up in the romanticism of spontaneity,” said Heather Gyselman, a product manager for adventure travel at REI. “I get it, who doesn’t want to hit the road without a care in the world? However, when visiting a national park today it’s important that you’ve invested time in planning and organizing your trip.” If you don’t do any advance planning, you might find yourself scrambling as you encounter daily capacity limits, trail and road closures, limited parking and fully booked campgrounds and lodgings. Go to the official website of the national park you want to visit, so you can find this relevant information ahead of time and keep up to date with any changes. Prepare a basic itinerary. “The No. 1 rule is to have a plan,” said Dan Austin, founder and director of special projects at Austin Adventures. “While you can always adjust on the fly, it’s a good idea to plan out the key places you want to see. Once you have that list, review the layout of the park and the road system as it can take all day to get across many of our parks. Add traffic to the mix and it can really get tricky. Having a plan and mapping out everything you want to see can really help with those challenges.”
Only Visiting The Most Crowded Attractions
“Don’t limit yourself to the popular or ‘Instagrammable’ spots,” advised Alan Fyall, the Visit Orlando endowed chair of tourism management and associate dean of academic affairs at the University of Central Florida’s Rosen College of Hospitality Management. “Explore the park. Ask a ranger or campground host what they recommend that could be outside the heavily trafficked areas.” There are countless scenic spots that aren’t packed with photo-snapping crowds. Only focusing on the most popular attractions might also keep you from some truly powerful national park experiences. “Most people don’t get far enough away from the parking lots,” said writer and naturalist Janisse Ray. “They do the canned version of our parks, which means they see iconic sights like Old Faithful blowing in a kind of drive-by viewing, but they don’t experience the sense of place or the incredible, life-altering, deeply meaningful spectacles that occur at smaller scales and slower paces.” She encouraged parkgoers who are physically able to get out of the car and go for long walks to immerse themselves in the wilderness. “Stay a while,” Ray said. “Spend some nights. Prepare for your heart to burst open in a way it can’t if you don’t leave your vehicle.”
Sleeping In
“In addition to having a plan, I recommend starting very early in the morning,” Austin said. “You’ll beat the traffic and crowds, and it’s prime time for grabbing photographs and spotting wildlife.” National parks tend to be open 24 hours a day, so take advantage of the flexibility. If you traveled out West from the East Coast for your outdoor adventures, don’t let your internal clock adjust to the time change and wake up early instead. “The early bird gets the solitude,” said Andrea Lankford, author of “Ranger Confidential: Living, Working, and Dying in the National Parks.” “Set the alarm and enjoy the serene hours between sunrise and 10:30 a.m.”
Disregarding Safety
“National parks are amazing but wild places, so it is essential to practice basic safety while visiting them,” said Will Pattiz, co-founder of More Than Just Parks. “Every year, people die while vacationing in national parks. This is easily avoided by sticking to trails, checking the weather before going out on a hike, maintaining a safe distance from wildlife and avoiding ledges with steep drop-offs.” Lankford cautioned against what she calls “high-altitude selfies,” pointing to the rise in photography-related deaths over the past decade. “Stay back from the cliff edge, put the phone down, and be here now,” she said. And as beautiful the views can be, drive carefully and be mindful of wildlife, pedestrians, bikers and other cars. “Pay attention when in your car,” said Michael Childers, an associate history professor at Colorado State University specializing in the modern American West and the environment. “It is easy to watch a bison frolic and miss that camper stopped in front of you.”
Trying To Do Too Much In A Short Time
“Resist the temptation to do a lot in a short time frame,” Fyall said. “Doing the ‘Mighty 5’ [in Utah] plus the Grand Canyon in a week is something that people commonly inquire about. You are doing yourself and the parks a disservice in trying to ‘park hop.’” Many breathtaking national parks are in relatively close proximity to each other, so it might feel feasible to knock out a bunch in the same trip. But attempting to do this will make the experience more stressful and rushed. Instead, Fyall suggested narrowing the list down to one or two parks per vacation. That way you can devote the proper amount of time to each one and create a less jam-packed itinerary.
Only Visiting During The Summer
“Try visiting the most popular parks in the off-season rather than summer,” Yogerst said. “I actually think Yosemite is more gorgeous in winter snow and my best-ever visit to the Grand Canyon was in October.”
If you have to do your national parks travel during the summer, he encouraged checking out less-visited parks like Pinnacles in California, Dry Tortugas in Florida, Canyonlands in Utah, Big Bend in Texas and all of the parks in Alaska. The day of the week can make a difference as well. Avoid busy weekends when possible. “See if you can visit on slower days,” Childers said. “Many of our larger parks are being overrun, so if you can go midweek or in the off season to alleviate the pressure and have a much more enjoyable visit.”
Showing Up Unprepared
“One of the biggest mistakes visitors to national parks make is arriving unprepared,” said Riley Mahoney, creator of the website The Parks Expert. “Not bringing enough water, expecting restaurants or other services, or not wearing appropriate shoes are things I notice often on my travels. I’ve seen visitors at parks like Sequoia or Yosemite in December planning to hike or sled but show up wearing sneakers, or sometimes even flip-flops, when there is a foot of snow on the ground.” She noted that some parks have limited water stations, so visitors need to bring a lot with them. Similarly, there are no places to get food or gas within the boundaries of certain parks, such as Joshua Tree. “Visitors should plan to be self-sufficient and pack their patience,” Mahoney noted. Pay attention to the weather forecast and travel with layers so that you can adjust to any big temperature shifts. Prepare for dips in cell service, and pick up a paper map so you have backup navigation. “Bring water if you are going on a hike,” Childers added. “And check the map before you get too far from the trailhead and find out it is beyond your abilities. Oh, and don’t forget the sunscreen.”
Disturbing The Land And Wildlife
“National parks are not petting zoos,” Lankford said. “Give park wildlife some personal space, for your sake and theirs.” Visitors have a responsibility to be respectful of the land and creatures that dwell there, so avoid off-limits areas and make sure not to litter. Clean up after your pets as well and be considerate of where you take them. A general rule of thumb is that dogs should only go where cars are allowed to go. Pattiz also noted that the use of drones is also prohibited in national parks. “They disturb visitors as well as the wildlife, and can damage the fragile ecosystems our national parks safeguard for us and future generations to enjoy,” he said.
Skipping Nearby National Forests And Sites
“Don’t limit yourself to just the national park,” Fyall said. “Adjacent and adjoining wilderness areas, monuments, national forests and other designations that fall under the National Park Service are often less crowded, and have equally stunning vistas, making for a fantastic experience.” Driving over to a national forest or other nearby site can offer a break from crowds during your outdoor adventure time. “There are 155 national forests in America, many of which are equally as beautiful as the national parks they neighbor and only see a fraction of the visitors,” Will Pattiz said. “For example, try the Flathead National Forest next to Glacier National Park, the Bridger-Teton next to Grand Teton, and the Dixie which borders nearly all of the Utah National Parks.”
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.
© 2023 – Radio Genius Show Prep