Born on this day!! Actor Gary Clarke (“Hondo,” ″The Virginian”) is 89. Actor Julie Newmar is 89. Actor-singer Ketty Lester (“Little House on the Prairie”) is 88. Actor Anita Gillette is 86. Actor Bob Balaban (“A Mighty Wind,” ″Best In Show”) is 77. Ballerina Suzanne Farrell is 77. Actor Lesley Ann Warren is 76. Bassist Joey Spampinato (NRBQ) is 74. Actor Marshall Manesh (“How I Met Your Mother,” ″Will and Grace”) is 72. Actor Reginald VelJohnson (“Family Matters”) is 70. TV personality Kathie Lee Gifford is 69. R&B singer J.T. Taylor is 69. Director James Cameron (“Titanic,” ″The Terminator”) is 68. Actor Jeff Perry (“Scandal,” ″Grey’s Anatomy”) is 67. Guitarist Tim Farriss of INXS is 65. Actor Laura Innes (“ER”) is 65. Actor Angela Bassett is 64. Singer Madonna is 64. Actor Timothy Hutton is 62. Actor Steve Carell is 60. Actor Andy Milder (“Weeds”) is 54. Actor Seth Peterson (“Burn Notice,” “Providence”) is 52. Country singer Emily Robison of The Dixie Chicks is 50. Actor George Stults (“Seventh Heaven”) is 47. Singer Vanessa Carlton is 42. Actor Cam Gigandet (“Twilight”) is 40. Singer-guitarist Taylor Goldsmith of Dawes is 37. Actor Cristin Milioti (“How I Met Your Mother”) is 37. Actor Shawn Pyfrom (“Desperate Housewives”) is 36. Country singer Ashton Shepherd is 36. Singer Dan Smyers of Dan and Shay is 35. Rapper Young Thug is 31. Actor Cameron Monaghan (“Gotham”) is 29. Singer Greyson Chance is 25.

THIS DAY IN GENIUS HISTORY

1777 – The Revolutionary War battle of Bennington, Vt., won by American forces.
1829 – The original Siamese twins, Eng and Chang, arrived in Boston.
1948 – Baseball legend Babe Ruth died in New York City at age 53.
1960 – Cyprus, the third-largest island in the Mediterranean, became an independent republic.
1962 – Algeria was admitted to the Arab League.
1977 – Elvis Presley died at Graceland, his Memphis,Tenn., home, from heart failure at age 42.
2003 – Former Ugandan dictator Idi Amin died.

Today Is: Joe Miller’s Joke Day, National Airborne Day, National Rollercoaster Day, National Rum Day, Surveillance Day

TODAY ON TV!
Primetime TV (All Times Eastern)

CBS – 8:00 – FBI   /  9:00 – FBI International  /  10:00 – FBI Most Wanted
NBC – 8:00  – America’s Got Talent  /  10:00 – Password
ABC – 8:00 –  Celebrity Wheel Of Fortune  /  9:00 – Generation Gap  /  10:00 – Celebrity Family Feud
FOX – 8:00 – So You Think You Can Dance  /  9:00 – Fantasy Island
CW – 8:00 –  Leonardo /  9:00 – Devils

TV Talk Shows

Jimmy Kimmel: Bob Odenkirk, Rep. Katie Porter, Los Lobos, guest host Al Franken
Jimmy Fallon: Demi Lovato, Murray Bartlett
Stephen Colbert: Rep. Jamie Raskin, Death Cab for Cutie (R 7/25/22)
Seth Meyers: Terry Crews, Vanessa Bayer, Fred Eltringham (R 4/25/22)
James Corden: Amanda Peet, Brett Gelman (R 5/25/22)
The View: Sherri Shepherd, Bowen Yang, Matt Rogers (R 6/28/22)
The Talk: John McCook (R 5/27/22)
Live with Kelly and Ryan: Rebel Wilson, John Salley, Dr. Melina Jampolis
Ellen DeGeneres: Zac Efron, Bonnie Raitt, Ryan Tedder (R 5/11/22)
Kelly Clarkson: Matt Iseman, The Chicks (R 6/6/22)
Tamron Hall: People who face phobias head on (R 4/7/22)
Drew Barrymore: Taylor Schilling, Donna Pratt (R 3/8/22)

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

QUESTION: A match made in the NURSERY?? The groom is 48, the bride is 29, and he first laid eyes on her when she was a BABY! NOW?? She’s having HIS baby!!!!!

 

QUESTION: Should LONELY MEN “step up” in the DATING DEPARTMENT?? This therapist says “yes,” and of course, he’s being SLAMMED in “social media!!!!!!!!!!!”

 

QUESTION: Is there a FOUR-DAY WORKWEEK in your future??? Probably NOT!!! Companies who are trying it say it’s CREATING CHAOS!! (Sounds like a 5-day week!!)

 

QUESTION: Geez… what could they get for HER underwear?? Prince Harry’s chonies from his naked Vegas romp attract a $250,000 BID!!! And it ain’t over!!!!!!!!!!!

QUESTION: Is she a BOND GIRL FOR LIFE??? This is what 93 looks like when you’re Micheline Connery, Sean Connery’s widow! (posing with her GRANDDAUGHTER!)

Harry and Meghan Returning to Britain Soon

Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle will return to Britain next month and also visit Germany on a trip to visit with several charities, a spokesperson said on Monday.  Harry and Meghan have been back to Britain only once since they relinquished their royal duties and moved to the United States in early 2020.  They visited in June to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee.  The representative said the couple’s European trip will begin Sept. 5 and include visits to the WellChild Awards, the One Young World Summit and Dusseldorf, Germany, the home of the 2023 Invictus Games, which Prince Harry founded. The trip will conclude on Sept. 8.  “Prince Harry and Meghan, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are delighted to visit with several charities close to their hearts in early September,” the spokesperson said according to Newsweek.
*********They’ll be collecting donations from those charities for the “Harry and Meghan Survival Fund!!”
********While in Europe, they’ll be signing an agreement with the World Economic Forum to be named “King and Queen of Planet Earth!!”
*****If they get really desperate for cash, they’ll start auctioning off HER underwear!!

Anne Heche Lifetime Movie Still Going To Air

Anne Heche’s Lifetime movie, “Girl in Room 13,” is still set to air despite news of her death. Lifetime’s executive vice president and head of programming, Amy Winter, clarified the status of Heche’s film prior to her death. The movie has a September release date.            “As many of you know, Anne remains in critical condition and all of us here at Lifetime are deeply concerned for her and everyone affected,” Winter said at the TCA press tour. “This project is important to Anne, along with each and every one of us.”  She continued: “We all sought to make a film that would bring attention to this appalling issue of human sex trafficking.”  The film’s director, Elizabeth Rohm, told Entertainment Tonight that the entire cast is “devastated.” “I know that Anne really was passionate about this film. She gave it everything that she had, she brought a phenomenal performance and force to this project, and she was really committed to stopping violence against women. We wish she was here with us, and all I can say is that we’re just praying for her recovery,” Rohm told the outlet.
*********Those press releases are a little out of date, since she’s now passed on!!!

Johnny Depp Set To Direct New Film

Johnny Depp has lined up another big project after winning his defamation trial against Amber Heard.  He announced Monday that he will direct a film about Italian artist Amedeo Modigliani and co-produce it with Al Pacino and Barry Navidi.  “The saga of Mr. Modigliani’s life is one that I’m incredibly honored and truly humbled to bring to the screen,” Depp said in a statement to the Hollywood Reporter.  “It was a life of great hardship but eventual triumph — a universally human story all viewers can identify with.”  It’s his first directorial gig in 25 years, following 1997’s “The Brave” starring himself and Marlon Brando.  “Modigliani,” which is based on Dennis McIntyre’s 1980 play of the same name, follows the painter and sculptor during a turbulent 48 hours in Paris in 1916 when he is unable to sell his work.  Production on the film is reportedly set to begin in Europe in the spring of 2023.
*********At one point, Modigliani was reduced to auctioning off his underwear!! True story!! (not)
*******The film is in pre-production, which means they’re stocking up on wine!!
******Johnny’s trying to figure out how to work “Sauvage” into the script!!!

Millie Bobby Brown Is Heading To College

Millie Bobby Brown, who plays Eleven in the hit Netflix show Stranger Things, revealed she’s enrolled at Indiana’s Purdue University where she will pursue a major in human services.  While she continues to work in acting and juggle her many on- and off-screen ventures, she will be doing her studies online.  The university’s Director of Media and Public Relations, Tim Doty, says she is likely enrolled at Purdue Global — the institution’s online system.  She told Allure the course will help her “learn about the system and how to help young people.”  Asked if the mounting responsibility that comes with fame is manageable for her, the actress said, “Of course, people can look at it as pressure or scary, but I think that’s the most exciting part of my job.”  She explained, “People are all looking at me, ‘What are you going to say, Millie?’ I’m going to say, ‘Young girls deserve an education. Young people everywhere deserve equal rights. [You] deserve to love the people that you want to love. Be the people that you want to be and achieve the dreams that you want to achieve.’ That’s my message.”
*********Interesting major: “Human Services” could mean anything from working at a drive-through to planning funerals!!
********Her philosophy has been gleaned from bumperstickers and twitter!!!

Adele Opens Up About Vegas Postponement

A little more than six months after Adele announced she would have to postpone her 2022 Las Vegas residency tour dates, she has opened up about the behind-the-scenes debacles that led to the decision. “It was the worst moment in my career, by far,” she told Elle in a cover story published Aug. 15. “I was so excited about those shows. It was devastating.”   As she explained, her show didn’t feel quite up to par with what she wanted to give her fans. “There was just no soul in it,” she continued. “The stage setup wasn’t right. It was very disconnected from me and my band, and it lacked intimacy. And maybe I tried too hard to give it those things in such a controlled environment.” After announcing her postponement earlier this year, she said she experienced a range of emotions—but noted that the decision was helpful in more ways than one.  “The first couple of months was really, really hard,” she shared. “I was embarrassed. But it actually made my confidence in myself grow, because it was a very brave thing to do. And I don’t think many people would have done what I did. I’m very proud of myself for standing by my artistic needs.” As for what fans can expect for her reimagined residency, which kicks off in November? “I want to tell the story of the beginning of my career to now,” Adele said.
*********Is that all??
*******She has managed to judge herself, and she finds herself “very brave.” That’s so millennial!!
*****If she were REALLY brave, she’d appear on our new show about singing septic tanks: “Cesspool Karaoke!!!”

 

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

Loose Talk-(Us Weekly)

“A lot of people were trying to make movies about me.  Mostly misogynistic men.  So I put my foot in the door and said, ‘No one’s going to tell my story but me.’”-On why she is directing her own biopic, Madonna.

“I was always going to put [my One Tree Hill character] Brooke Davis ahead of everybody and everything else.  Nothing mattered to me but being honest for her.”-On why she continued to work closely with ex Chad Michael Murray following their 2006 divorce, Sophia Bush.

“It’s funny, we went to France and we went everywhere-we went to the Louvre and all these things.  And if I asked them now, ‘What was your favorite part about France?’ they will say, ‘The fruit plate at the hotel.’”-On visiting the European country with his two daughters, Ryan Gosling.

 

 

STUPID NEWS

Dog And Owner Stuck On Roof

Emergency responders in Australia came to the rescue of a German shepherd that became stuck on the roof of a public bathroom — and its owner became trapped trying to rescue it.  Police and New South Wales Fire & Rescue personnel responded Thursday night when a German shepherd found its way to the roof of a public restroom block in Sydney’s Central Business District.  Rescuers said the dog’s owner had attempted to mount her own rescue and climbed onto the roof, but found she was also unable to get back down.  The responders constructed an impromptu ramp for the dog to descend, and the owner was then brought down via ladder.  The dog and owner were both uninjured, rescuers said.  See the video HERE.
*******Climbing on public restrooms is not recommended. It’s a real crap game!!
******Responders got their priorities straight!! They rescued the dog first!!

Hawk Stuck In Car Grille

Animal control officials in Connecticut said a hawk was rescued after a “very traumatic morning” that saw the bird of prey become stuck in the front grille of a truck.  Waterford-East Lyme Animal Control said in a Facebook post that an officer was dispatched to rescue a hawk that “had a very traumatic morning.”  The hawk “was swooping after some tasty breakfast and crossed paths with a truck,” the post said.  The post included photos of the hawk embedded in the front grille of the vehicle.  Animal control said the officer was able to extricate the bird of prey, which was then taken to a wildlife rehabilitation facility.
*********It was taken to rehab after officers determined that the hawk had been drinking.
********When we hear “hawk in a grille,” we think, “It’s barbecue time!!!”

Disgruntled Employee Shuts Down City Website

Officials in a Boston suburb are investigating a former city employee they say shut down the police website during a pay dispute.  Newton Mayor Ruthanne Fuller said the former employee, who was the police department information technology director, took down the department website in late June and July. The website instead directed visitors to a message that called on them to contact Fuller and ask the mayor to restore it.  Fuller said the employee controls access to the site and has not turned it over to the city. Newton has created a new police department website in its place. The old website was no longer active on Sunday.  Fuller told the Globe in a statement earlier this week that the employee shut down “a vital resource for the residents of the city of Newton.” The employee notified city officials in March that he was leaving the job, the Globe reported. The paper reported the employee felt he was owed $137,000 in compensatory time at the time he shut down the website.
**********Let’s put EVERYTHING on the Internet!!! What could go wrong??
*********We’re calling it!! This is the “Disgruntled Ex-Employee Stunt of the Month!!”
********Since this is 2022, they’ll probably have to reinstate him AND give him the back pay!!

Burglar Gets Skunked

A suspected church burglar in Washington state got a smelly sendoff after a skunk sprayed him just before his arrest last week, authorities said.  The incident happened around 3:10 a.m. Thursday when deputies responded to a reported burglary in progress at the Church of the Nazarene in Deer Park, the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office said Tuesday.  The caller told deputies that a male wearing a mask over his face and holding a flashlight was seen on a surveillance live feed walking around inside the church and looking at audio equipment.  Deputies arrived at the scene and saw a man, later identified as 28-year-old Grant M. Simonson, walk past an open window and then begin to climb out, the sheriff’s office said.  Deputies demanded the suspect show his hands and get on the ground.  “He began to follow the commands when suddenly a skunk came running around the corner, approached Simonson, and released its well-known and malodorous spray before fleeing the area,” the sheriff’s office said. Simonson was taken into custody without further incident.  After deputies read him his rights, they said Simonson claimed that he was “wide awake and bored,” so he went for a ride on his bicycle and noticed an open church window.
******And God said, “HA!!!!”

 

STUFF THAT’S COOL AND VIRAL

VIDEO: DEATH VALLEY FLOODED OUT.

 

A LIST FOR TUESDAY

How to Visit National Parks on a Budget

HUFFINGTON POST

 

How to Visit for Free

What’s better than traveling for free? Here’s how to visit all the national parks with no entrance fee:

Visit on Free Days

Each year the NPS offers free entrance days, meaning you can visit any of the national parks without paying an entrance fee. For 2022, the remaining dates include:

• 4 (anniversary of the Great American Outdoors Act)
• 24 (National Public Lands Day)
• November 11 (Veterans Day)

If you’re planning a trip for next year, free days are Martin Luther King Jr. Day (Jan. 16, 2023) and the first day of National Park Week (April 18, 2023).

You can check all free days on the NPS site each year.

 

PRO TIP

The parks will be crowded on free days, especially during the summer. If you’re going to a popular parks, expect a far less secluded experience at major hiking trails and park overlooks.

 

Find a Free Park

Many national parks don’t charge admission. For example, America’s most visited national park, Great Smoky Mountains National Park which is in both North Carolina and Tennessee, is free to enjoy.

Here is the list of free national parks:

• Biscayne National Park (Florida)
• Channel Islands National Park (California)
• Congaree National Park (South Carolina)
• Cuyahoga Valley National Park (Ohio)
• Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve (Alaska)
• Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve (Alaska)
• Great Basin National Park (Nevada)
• Great Smoky Mountains National Park (North Carolina and Tennessee)
• Hot Springs National Park (Arkansas)
• Katmai National Park and Preserve (Alaska)
• Kenai Fjords National Park (Alaska)
• Kobuk Valley National Park (Alaska)
• Lake Clark National Park (Alaska)
• Mammoth Cave National Park (Kentucky)
• National Park of the American Samoa (American Samoa)
• North Cascades National Park (Washington)
• Redwood National Park (California)
• Virgin Islands National Park (Virgin Islands)
• Voyageurs National Park (Minnesota)
• Wind Cave National Park (South Dakota)
• Wrangell-St. Elias National Park (Alaska)

 

Of the 10 most visited national parks (2021 is most recent data), however, eight charge entry fees:

• Zion National Park (Utah)
• Yellowstone National Park (Idaho, Montana and Wyoming)
• Grand Canyon National Park (Arizona)
• Rocky Mountain National Park (Colorado)
• Acadia National Park (Maine)
• Grand Teton National Park (Wyoming)
• Yosemite National Park (Washington)
• Indiana Dunes National Park (Indiana)
• Glacier National Park (Montana)

Absent from 2021’s list are Olympic and Joshua Tree, both of which charge an entrance fee and both of which were among the top 10 most visited in previous years. As attendance patterns change, these western parks could mean more adventure with fewer crowds.

Note: Yellowstone closed in summer 2022 at the peak of tourist season due to historic flooding. Next year’s data for 2022 visitation will likely reflect this unexpected closure.

 

Get a Free Military Pass

The National Park System awards a free annual Military Pass to all U.S military personnel and their dependents. That includes members of the military community from the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard (now part of Homeland Security) and Space Force, plus members of the Reserve and National Guard.

The free Military Pass also applies to U.S. military veterans and Gold Star family members. The surviving immediate family members of service personnel who have been killed in conflict are awarded Gold Star status.

n December 2021, free lifetime access to National Park Service sites for military veterans was cemented into law as part of the National Defense Authorization Act.

A free Military Pass to national parks can be obtained in person at any federal recreation site that sells passes or ordered online via the USGS Store. The USGS store also lists the sites where the Military Pass can be obtained. To get the pass, you will need to provide a Common Access Card (CAC) or Military ID or exchange your Gold Star Voucher.

Military Passes aren’t the only free annual passes offered by the NPS, but they are the most common. In the next section, we’ll discuss the benefits of purchasing an annual pass and how to get one for free.

 

Annual Passes

If you regularly visit amusement parks like Disney World or Cedar Point, it makes sense to buy a pass. National parks operate under the same guidelines. If you’re a regular visitor, you’ll save money by going the annual pass route.

 

Consider America the Beautiful Passes

An America the Beautiful annual pass gets you into more than 2,000 federal recreation sites, including the 63 national parks, for just $80 a year.

If you intend to visit a handful of parks that charge an entry fee in a given year (or if you plan to return to your favorite park multiple times, perhaps to see how it changes with the seasons), save money by purchasing one of these passes.

In 2022, my family saw 14 national parks plus various national recreation areas, all with a single $80 pass purchase.

 

Check for Discount Eligibility

The NPS offers several discounted passes:

• Current U.S. military members and their dependentsqualify for a free annual pass (see Military Pass section).
• Fourth-gradersqualify for an Every Kid Outdoors pass for free entry from September to August of the following year.
• Senior citizenscan purchase discounted annual passes for $20 a year or spend $80 for a lifetime pass.
• People with permanent disabilitiesare eligible for a free Access pass that also includes discounts on some amenities, like 50% off lodging in the park.

 

Volunteer and Part-Time Work

If you aren’t eligible for one of the free or discounted passes mentioned above, you can roll up your sleeves and do some hard work to earn free entry — and make the world a better place along the way.

To get a one-year pass (valid from the date of issue), you’ll need to log 250 service hours with one or more federal agencies that participate in the Interagency Pass Program. Learn more by visiting the official government volunteer site.

If you’re looking for a part-time, seasonal side gig, the national parks offer positions in their retail shops, dining and accommodation facilities, maintenance services and recreational and educational programs. In your free time, you can explore whichever facility that you are assigned to — for no cost.

Often, employment includes accommodations. There are special considerations for students and people 55 and over. More details about part-time work through the NPS.

Also, Cool Works: Jobs in Great Places lists part-time, seasonal gigs at the National Parks, among other jobs.

 

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.
© 2022 – Radio Genius Show Prep