Born on this day!! Actor Frances Sternhagen is 91. Actor Charlie Brill is 83. Actor Billy Gray (“Father Knows Best”) is 83. Actor Richard Moll (“Night Court”) is 78. Guitarist Trevor Rabin of Yes is 67. Drummer Fred White of Earth, Wind and Fire is 66. Actor Kevin Anderson (“Nothing Sacred”) is 61. Actor Julia Louis-Dreyfus (“Veep,” ″Seinfeld”) is 60. Singer Graham “Suggs” McPherson of Madness is 60. Country singer Trace Adkins is 59. Actor Penelope Ann Miller is 57. Actor Patrick Dempsey is 55. Actor Suzanne Cryer (“Silicon Valley,” ″Two Guys and a Girl”) is 54. Actor Traci Bingham (“Baywatch”) is 53. Actor Keith Coogan (“Adventures in Babysitting”) is 51. Writer-Producer Shonda Rhimes (“Scandal,” ″Grey’s Anatomy,” ″Private Practice ”) is 51. Actor Nicole Eggert (“Baywatch,” ″Charles in Charge”) is 49. Actor Ross McCall (“White Collar,” “Band of Brothers”) is 45. Actor Michael Pena (“American Hustle”) is 45. Actor Orlando Bloom is 44. “Good Morning America” meteorologist Ginger Zee is 40. Actor Beau Mirchoff (“Good Trouble,” “Desperate Housewives”) is 32. Actor Liam Hemsworth (“The Hunger Games”) is 31.
THIS DAY IN GENIUS HISTORY
1898 – French writer Emile Zola published his “J’Accuse” letter, accusing the French of a cover-up in the Alfred Dreyfus treason case.
1941 – Novelist James Joyce died in Zurich.
1990 – Douglas Wilder of Virginia became the first elected African-American governor in the United States.
1999 – Michael Jordan announced his second retirement from the NBA. He would “unretire” again in 2001.
2002 – After 17,162 performances, The Fantasticks ended its almost 42-year off-Broadway run.
2004 – Joseph Darby, a U.S. soldier at Iraq’s Abu Ghraib prison, reported U.S. abuses of Iraqi prisoners to the Army’s Criminal Investigations Division..
Today Is:Korean American Day, Make Your Dream Come True Day, National Sticker Day, Public Radio Broadcasting Day, Rubber Ducky Day, Stephen Foster Day
TODAY ON TV!
Primetime TV (All Times Eastern)
CBS – 8:00 – Price Is Right At Night / 9:00 – SEAL Team / 10:00 – SWAT
NBC – 8:00 – Chicago Med / 9:00 – Chicago Fire / 10:00 – Chicago PD
ABC – 8:00 – The Goldbergs / 8:30 – American Housewife / 9:00 – The Conners / 9:30 – Call Your Mother / 10:00 – The Chase
FOX – 8:00 – The Masked Dancer / 9:00 – Name That Tune
CW – 8:00 – Riverdale / 9:00 – Nancy Drew
TV Talk Shows
Jimmy Kimmel: Bryan Cranston, Carrie Coon, Beach Bunny
Jimmy Fallon: Riz Ahmed, Angela Bassett, Jacob Collier featuring Daniel Caesar
Stephen Colbert: Samantha Bee, Paul Mescal
Seth Meyers: Rachel Brosnahan, Bobby Moynihan
James Corden: Paul Bettany, Lennie James
Lilly Singh: Rainn Wilson
Conan: Andrew Rannells (R 12/9/20)
Watch What Happens Live: Paula Abdul, Braunwyn Windham-Burke
Live with Kelly and Ryan: Kyra Sedgwick, Laura Kasperzak
The Real: Dr. Mehmet Oz
Kelly Clarkson: Amanda Seyfried, Sarah Hyland, Seventeen
Tamron Hall: Rachel Hollis, Huda Kattan, Maysoon Zayid, Nicole Walters
Drew Barrymore: Jane Krakowski, Tegan & Sara
WHAT ARE YOU TALKIN’ ABOUT? Here are today’s PPM-Friendly Topics!
QUESTION: Will you be HAPPY to get the COVID vaccine?? You will if you get it at the Happiest Place on Earth!! This week, DISNEYLAND becomes a vaccine center!!
QUESTION: Was CHUCK NORRIS part of the mob that stormed the capitol last week??? He sure looks like Chuck.. but Chuck says “No way!! I’m much more handsome!!!”
QUESTION: He said WHAT??? Armie Hammer’s ex-wife believes women who are coming forward with texts that suggest Armie is a kink-freak and a CANNIBAL!!!!??????
QUESTION: Ever forget a VERY IMPORTANT PASSWORD?? This man has only two attempts left before he’s locked out of an account with $220 million in BITCOIN!
QUESTION: Are YOU tired of wearing a mask?? Guess who else is?? BRUCE WILLIS!!! And he got booted out of a Rite Aid in Los Angeles for REFUSING to pull his up!!
I Love Lucy Biopic In The Works
Variety reports that Nicole Kidman and Javier Bardem are in talks to play the married couple, who starred on “I LoveLucy” and were also powerful Hollywood producers, in an upcoming movie. Aaron Sorkin will direct the film, called “Being the Ricardos,” which he also wrote. Cate Blanchett was originally attached to the project, as recently as 2017 when Amazon acquired it. Ball has been played on TV and stage before by Gillian Anderson and Sarah Drew. Frances Fisher played Ball in the only other film entirely about her life, 1991’s “Lucy & Desi: Before the Laughter,” which was panned by critics. Sorkin’s film is said to take place during a Monday night table read and live-audience shoot of an “I Love Lucy” episode, when Lucy and Desi’s relationship nearly unravels. Ball died in 1989 at age 77, while Arnaz died in 1986 at age 69.
*****What do you think of this casting??
*****Javier Bardem as Ricky Ricardo?? Isn’t he the guy that took out half his face in “Skyfall??” The guy who killed people with a cattle punch in “No Country for Old Men???”
*******Who’s gonna play Fred and Ethel?? We say Ed Asner and Rosie O’Donnell!!!
Does Prince Harry Have A Ponytail?
Prince Harry may be sporting an unexpected new hairstyle, according to Rob Lowe. He revealed during an appearance on The Late Late Show With James Corden that he believed he caught a glimpse of his new royal neighbor driving in their Montecito neighborhood. “I just ran into your countryman, the English treasure, Prince Harry, at the stoplight 10 minutes ago,” Lowe told the host. “He lives about a mile from me. He’s been very reclusive. Seeing him in the neighborhood is like seeing the Loch Ness Monster, and I finally saw him. I finally saw him driving his car.” Lowe continued that he “may have a scoop” on him. “It was very, very quick — don’t totally quote me on it — but it looked like he’s wearing a ponytail,” the actor said. “I’m just saying. It looked to me as a casual observer that his hair had grown very long and was pulled back very tightly by what I can only assume was a ponytail.” Corden seemed skeptical about the style gossip. “I’m certain that isn’t true,” the host said. “Do you know what I think’s happened? I think you didn’t see Prince Harry.”
********It’s red, so should we call it a “fox tail???”
*******Give Meghan a few weeks, and she’ll have him in a man bun!!
*******It was either Harry, or Meghan is having an affair with Ed Sheeran!!
Tanya Roberts Ashes May Get Spread In Canyon
Tanya Roberts’ longtime partner is hoping to spread her ashes near an area she frequented often: her favorite dog walking trail just behind the couple’s home in Southern California’s Laurel Canyon. “I’m supposed to pick up the body tomorrow and I’m not sure what the legalities are about spreading her ashes but that’s the plan,” Roberts’ significant other, Lance O’Brien, told Fox News on Monday. According to TMZ, Roberts visited the hiking trail with her two dogs five days a week. And O’Brien told Fox News that she had just visited the trail 48 hours before her death. “She was just hiking five miles just 48 hours before and then all of this happened so fast so it is a difficult thing to deal with,” O’Brien said. O’Brien also relayed to TMZ that he is planning a celebration of life for his love.
*********He shouldn’t have gone public with that… because now he’ll be arrested!!! In L.A., everything is illegal!!!
******Maybe he can mix them into a barbecue and get away with it!!
Martha Stewart Gets COVID Vaccine
Martha Stewart announced Monday she received the COVID-19 vaccine, documenting the moment on social media. “I was vaccinated today in a designated vaccine pod near the Martha Stewart Center for Living at Mount Sinai Downtown,” she posted to Instagram of the Manhattan hospital. “I am so proud of and grateful to the doctors, nurses and medical staff who are wading through the red tape and confusion of the distribution of these very important vaccines,” she continued. In the post, Stewart is seen wearing a black face mask as a medical practitioner administers the shot. She also assured critics she did not receive special privileges in the process. “To allay your concerns that I jumped the line know that I am in the approved age group for this batch of vaccines and I waited in line with others,” Stewart said. On Monday, coronavirus vaccines became available in New York to teachers, cops, and the elderly. A signup program for those 75 and older was previously announced in early January.
********She’s so old, she asked for an x-ray, and they just held her up to the light!!
*******Her blood type has been discontinued!!!
******She was in prison for a year, so she’s already immune to pretty much everything!!
Kevin Hart Sign Deal With Netflix
Netflix has closed a long-term pact to be the creative home on the film side for Kevin Hart and his HartBeat Productions. It calls for Hart to be the star of at least four films he’ll produce, with a first-look film producing deal also part of the pact. It’s a major commitment for the star and the streamer. Last time Netflix made a film commitment this big with a comic star was the one it renewed with Adam Sandler that was said to be in the $150 million vicinity. Netflix has confirmed the Hart deal to Deadline. It comes fresh from Hart having Netflix’s No. 1 comedy special of 2020, and Hart’s films have grossed more than a cumulative $4 billion at the global box office. “Partnering with Netflix is an amazing opportunity for HartBeat and myself,” Hart said. “I am excited to act in and produce cutting-edge films with Netflix. I am extremely grateful to Ted Sarandos and Scott Stuber, we share the same creative vision and always put the audience first. This business is about growth and my HartBeat team continues to exceed my expectations with their ability to develop stories and relationships. Our goal is to make the HartBeat name synonymous with first-class entertainment and narratives.”
********Does it seem like EVERYONE gets a $150 million deal from Netflix?? Kevin, Harry & Meghan, Adam Sandler…
******Where’s OUR $150 million??
*******Come to think of it, we DO have a deal with Netflix!! It’s $14.99 a month, with automatic payment!!
Ripping The Tabloids (Throughout the week, we’ll give you the stories from that weeks tabs!)
**Please Credit Publication!
Jailbird Joe Giudice & Italian Bikini Beauty-(National Enquirer)
Jailbird Joe Giudice showed off his new squeeze-a lawyer! Housewife Teresa Giudice’s ex, who’s living in Italy, posted a selfie of the unnamed beauty on Instagram, writing: “And suddenly you know it’s time to start something new and trust the magic of new beginnings.”
Breakups-(Globe)
Two years after splitting with “Harry Potter” star Emma Watson, “Glee” heartthrob Chord Overstreet, 31, is smitten with “The Bold and the Beautiful” stunner Camelia Somers, the 25-year-old granddaughter of Suzanne Somers.
Sharna & Brian: Mystery Solved?-(Us Weekly)
Sharna Burgess and Brian Austin Green, 47, sparked dating rumors when they were spied together at LAX on Dec. 25 jetting off on a vacation. And while they’ve both stayed mum on the topic, the pro dancer 35, recently confessed that she was seeing someone-and even hinted that he’s famous! “It’s been really awesome,” said Burgess, adding that they were set up by mutual pals. “It’s very new,” she continued, but it already “feels different.”
Teen Heartthrob: Leif Garrett-(Star)
A child star in the ‘70s TV and film, Leif was a full-fledged pop phenom by the time he hit his teens, romancing beauties like Nicollette Sheridan and Brooke Shields and gracing the covers of countless candy-colored mags. But his late-‘90s fall from grace-involving arrests on drug charges, court-ordered rehab stays and a bankruptcy proceeding-was just as swift. Now 59, Leif recently revealed he’s sober, still making music and “just taking things one day at a time….[and] that feels good.”
Say What?!-(Life & Style)
“All the really beautiful people who have taste like to say, ‘Less is more.’ But I think that’s a crock. For me, more is always more.”-Dolly Parton on her fashion and beauty credo.
“If my calculations are correct, I’ll be free of acne by age 50.”-Keke Palmer, joking about her skin issues.
“She’s not that much taller than me, so it gave my neck a break.”-Kristin Chenoweth, on starring in Holidate with 5-foot-2 Emma Roberts.
“I may look big and tough, but I’m not. I’m nothing like [Game of Thrones’] Khal Drogo. I’m not even the the king of my own house! I’m absolutely terrified of my wife.”-Jason Momoa, who’s been wed to Lisa Bonet since 2017.
…..And In the Snow-(People)
Snapping a babymoon selfie in Big Bear Lake, Calif., on Dec. 28, Henry Golding and wife Liv Lo Golding documented [in the snow] their “final adventure” before becoming parents.
Do They Look Like the Real-life Person They Play?-(In Touch)
Naomi Ackie As Whitney Houston
So emotional! Music mogul Clive Davis, who worked closely with the singer, says the 28-year-old British Actress’ screen test for I Wanna Dance With Somebody “was so powerful, it sent shivers up my spine.”
STUPID NEWS
Real Space Food
A restaurant in Britain attempted to use weather balloons to send a samosa “to space,” but the food item ended up crash-landing in France. Niraj Gadher, owner of the Chai Walla eatery in Bath, England, said he came up with the idea to send the samosa to space as a means of bringing some fun to what has been a difficult time. “I said as a joke once that I would send a samosa into space, and then I thought during this bleak times we could all use a reason to laugh,” Gadher told Somerset Live. “The feedback is that it’s bought a lot of laughter from people and that’s what we wanted really, to spread joy.” Gadher and his friends attached the samosa to a weather balloon outfitted with a GoPro camera and a GPS tracker so they could follow the food item’s journey, but shortly after launch they discovered the GPS was malfunctioning. Gadher said he thought the project was a loss, but the next day the GPS reactivated and revealed the balloon had crash-landed in a field in Caix, Picardie, France. An Instagram user with the handle AxelMathon set out on a mission to find the crash site, and he said he was shocked to find the balloon and the box containing the GoPro and the GPS hanging from a tree in a field. The samosa and its wrapper were missing from the crash site, leading Gadher to theorize it had become a meal for some French wildlife.
**********France has now declared war on Britain for attacking them with a samosa bomb!!
TOPIC: If you could send ANYTHING into space, what would it be??? (and no politicians!!)
Soap Star Finds Snake On His Toilet
A British soap opera star called animal rescuers for help when he found a 4-foot snake slithering across his toilet seat. Harry Visinoni, who plays Seb Franklin on popular ITV soap Coronation Street, said he went into the bathroom Saturday morning in the apartment he shares with girlfriend Ellie Isaac and discovered something surprising on the toilet. “I was just brushing my teeth and saw what looked like a snake head pop from behind the wall at the back of the toilet,” Visinoni recalled. “I didn’t take it in at first and then looked again and realized what I had actually seen so I left the bathroom quickly and closed the door.” “We went back in and watched as the snake then slithered onto the top of the toilet and sat on the seat just looking at us,” he said. Visinoni and Isaac sealed up the room and the next day RSPCA animal rescuer Sonia Hulme was summoned to the scene.
*********Snakes have to pee, too!! Don’t they?????
*******Every man should know how to handle a snake around the toilet, if you catch our drift!!
TOPIC: Have you ever encountered wildlife… in your home??
Illegal Sandwiches Confiscated At The Border
Customs officers in the Netherlands have begun seizing ham sandwiches and other seemingly minor food items from drivers attempting to enter the country from Britain as a result of Brexit regulations. A Dutch news crew aired footage of Netherlands customs officers confiscating sandwiches and other food from drivers crossing over from Britain via the Hook of Holland ferry terminal. The footage showed one driver turning over multiple sandwiches to apologetic customs officers. The customs officers explained the fallout from Brexit resulted in a ban on personal imports of items including meat, dairy, produce and other food items. The British Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs issued guidance suggesting drivers “use, consume, or dispose of” any personal food items in their vehicles before attempting to enter the European Union from Britain.
********Look on the bright side: it’s a international weight loss program!!!
New Juggling Record
An Idaho man who breaks Guinness World Records to promote STEM education achieved his latest title by chopping through 21 apples in 30 seconds while juggling three knives. David Rush, who has broken more than 150 Guinness records, juggled three knives and chopped through airborne apples that were tossed to him by Jonathan Hannon. “This record took years of juggling practice plus months of specific mechanics practice to master,” Rush said. Rush ended with a total 21 apples chopped, enough to break the previous record of 17, which was set by YouTube juggler Josh Horton. See the video HERE.
********Does this guy actually have a job??
******When the phone rings at Guinness, they say: “Is it David Rush again???”
STUFF THAT’S COOL AND VIRAL
VIDEO: FROG EATS SPIDER WITH BABIES ON BOARD!!!!
VIDEO: OOPS! HELICOPTER DROPS GIANT A/C UNIT IN THE STREET.
A LIST FOR WEDNESDAY
Budgeting for Beginners in 5 Painless Steps (The Penny Hoarder)
Follow these basic steps and tailor them to your needs to create a monthly budget that will set you up for financial success.
Step 1: Set a Financial Goal
First thing’s first: Why do you want a budget?
Your reason will be your anchor and incentive as you create a budget, and it will help you stick to it.
Set a short-term or long-term goal. It can be to pay off debts like student loans, credit cards or a mortgage, or to save for retirement, an emergency fund, a new car, a home down payment or a vacation.
For example, creating a budget is a must for many people trying to buy their first home. But it shouldn’t stop there. Once you’ve bought a home, keep sticking to a budget in order to pay off debt and give yourself some wiggle room for unexpected expenses.
Once one goal is complete, you can move on to another and personalize your budget to fit whatever your needs are.
Step 2: Log Your Income, Expenses and Savings
You’ll want to use a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet or another budget template to track all of your monthly expenses and spending. List out each expense line by line. This list is the foundation for your monthly budget.
Tally Your Monthly Income
Review your pay stubs and determine how much money you and anyone else in your household take home every month. Include any passive income, rental income, child support payments or side gigs.
If your income varies, estimate as best as you can, or use the average of your income for the past three months.
Make a List of Your Mandatory Monthly Expenses
Start with:
- Rent or mortgage payment.
- Living expenses like utilities (electric, gas and water bills), internet and phone.
- Car payment and transportation costs.
- Insurance (car, life, health).
- Child care.
- Debt repayments for things like credit cards, student loans, medical debt, etc.
Anything that will result in a late fee for not paying goes in this category.
List Non-Essential Monthly and Irregular Expenses
Non-essential expenses include entertainment, coffee, subscription and streaming services, memberships, cable TV, gifts, dining out and miscellaneous items.
Don’t forget to account for expenses you don’t incur every month, such as annual fees, taxes, car registration, oil changes and one-time charges. Add them to the month in which they usually occur OR tally up all of your irregular expenses for the year and divide by 12 so you can work them into your monthly budget.
Don’t Forget Your Savings
Be sure to include a line item for savings in your monthly budget. Use it for those short- or long-term savings goals, building up an emergency fund or investments.
Figure out how much you can afford — no matter how big or small. If you get direct deposit, saving can be simplified with an automated paycheck deduction. Something as little as $10 a week adds up to over $500 in a year.
Step 3: Adjust Your Expenses to Match Your Income
Now, what does your monthly budget look like so far?
Are you living within your income, or spending more money than you make? Either way, it’s time to make some adjustments to meet your goals.
How to Cut Your Expenses
If you are overspending each month, don’t panic. This is a great opportunity to evaluate areas to save money now that you have itemized your spending. Truthfully, this is the exact reason you created a budget!
Here are some ways you can save money each month:
Cut optional outings like happy hours and eating out. Even cutting a $4 daily purchase on weekdays will add up to over $1,000 a year.
Consider pulling the plug on cable TV or a subscription service. The average cost of cable is $1,284 a year, so if you cut the cord and switch to a streaming service, you could save at least $50 a month.
Fine-tune your grocery bill and practice meal prepping. You’ll save money by planning and prepping recipes for the week that use many of the same ingredients. Use the circulars to see what’s on sale, and plan your meals around those sales.
Make homemade gifts for family and friends. Special occasions and holidays happen constantly and can get expensive. Honing in on thoughtful and homemade gifts like framed pictures, magnets and ornaments costs more time and less money.
Consolidate credit cards or transfer high-interest balances. You can consolidate multiple credit card payments into one and lower the amount of interest you’re paying every month by applying for a debt consolidation loan or by taking advantage of a 0% balance-transfer credit card offer. The sooner you pay off that principal balance, the sooner you’ll be out of debt.
Refinance loans. Refinancing your mortgage, student loan or car loan can lower your interest rates and cut your monthly payments. You could save significantly if you’ve improved your credit since you got the original loan.
Get a new quote for car insurance to lower monthly payments. Use a free online service to shop around for new quotes based on your needs. A $20 savings every month is $20 that can go toward savings or debt repayments.
Start small and see how big of a wave it makes.
Oh, and don’t forget to remind yourself of your financial goal when you’re craving Starbucks at 3 p.m. But remember that it’s OK to treat yourself — occasionally.
What to Do With Your Extra Cash
If you have money left over after paying for your monthly expenses, prioritize building an emergency fund if you don’t have one.
Having an emergency fund is often what makes it possible to stick to a budget. Because when an unexpected expense crops up, like a broken appliance or a big car repair, you won’t have to borrow money to cover it.
When you do dip into that emergency fund, immediately start building it up again.
Otherwise, you can use any extra money outside your expenses to reach your financial goals.
Here are four questions to ask yourself before dipping into your emergency fund..
Step 4: Choose a Budgeting Method
You have your income, expenses and spending spelled out in a monthly budget, but how do you act on it? Trying out a budgeting method helps manage your money and accommodates your lifestyle.
Living on a budget doesn’t mean you can’t have fun or splurges, and fortunately many budgeting methods account for those things. Here are a few to consider:
- The Envelope Systemis a cash-based budgeting system that works well for overspenders. It curbs excess spending on debit and credit cards because you’re forced to withdraw cash and place it into pre-labeled envelopes for your variable expenses (like groceries and clothing) instead of pulling out that plastic.
- The 50/20/30 Method is for those with more financial flexibility and who can pay all their bills with 50% of their income. You apply 50% of your income to living expenses, 20% toward savings and/or debt reduction, and 30% to personal spending (vacations, coffee, entertainment). This way, you can have fun and save at the same time. Because your basic needs can only account for 50% of your income, it’s typically not a good fit for those living paycheck to paycheck.
- The 60/20/20 Budgetuses the same concept as the 50/20/30, except you apply 60% of your income to living expenses, 20% toward savings and/or debt reduction, and 20% to personal spending. It’s a good fit for fans of the 50/20/30 Method who need to devote more of their incomes to living costs.
- The Zero-Based Budgetmakes you account for all of your income. You budget for your expenses and bills, and then assign any extra money toward your goals. The strict system is good for people trying to pay off debt as fast as possible. It’s also beneficial for those living to paycheck to paycheck.
Budgeting Apps
Another money management option is to use a budgeting app. Apps can help you organize and access your personal finances on the go and can alert you of finance charges, late fees and bill payment due dates. Many also offer free credit score monitoring.
Step 5: Follow Through
Budgeting becomes super easy once you get in the groove, but you can’t set it and forget it. You should review your budget monthly to monitor your expenses and spending and adjust accordingly. Review checking and savings account statements for any irregularities even if you set bills to autopay.
Even if your income increases, try to prioritize saving the extra money. That will help you avoid lifestyle inflation, which happens when your spending increases as your income rises.
The thrill of being debt-free or finally having enough money to travel might even inspire you to seek out other financial opportunities or advice. For example, if you’re looking for professional help, set up a consultation with a certified financial planner who can assist you with long-term goals like retirement and savings plans.
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.
© 2020 – Radio Genius Show Prep