FRIDAY, Feb 9 – DAILY PREP TEXT VERSION

MORNING SIDEKICK DAILY PREP TEXT VERSION FOR FRIDAY, February 9, 2024
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COMEDY MP3s POSTED ON OUR PREP SITE FOR TODAY: SUPER BOWL SUPERMAN SONG; THE FRIDAY CLUSTERFLICKS

TODAY IS …
(All days repeat annually on today’s date unless otherwise noted; days may or may not be called “National”/”International”/”World” depending on source; sources listed often have additional info. We generally do not list special days which were created by commercial companies for the purpose of marketing, or the hundreds of disease awareness listings which occur each year.)

NATIONAL BAGELS AND LOX DAY

NATIONAL KITE FLYING DAY

NATIONAL STOP BULLYING DAY

NATIONAL TOOTHACHE DAY

PIZZA PIE DAY

READ IN THE BATHTUB DAY

February is:

Adopt a Rescued Rabbit Month
African American History Month
Celebration of Chocolate Month
International Boost Self Esteem Month
International Friendship Month
National Bird Feeding Month
National Snack Food Month
National Sweet Potato Month
Spunky Old Broads Month
Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month

ENTERTAINMENT & CELEBRITIES

SNOOP SUING WALMART AND CEREAL COMPANY FOR HIDING HIS CEREAL

Rappers Snoop Dogg and Master P are suing Post Foods and Walmart, accusing them of intentionally leaving the musicians’ cereal off store shelves and hiding it in stockrooms to sabotage it. Snoop and Master P created Snoop Cereal, sold in flavors like “Fruity Hoops with Marshmallows” “Frosted Drizzlers” and “Cinnamon Toasteez.” They entered into an agreement in 2022 to have Post distribute the cereal “equally as its own brand.” They now claim Post did not do that, that Snoop Cereal was not placed on Walmart’s shelves right next to other Post branded cereals. According to the lawsuit, when it was placed on shelves, Snoop Cereal was popular and sold well. However, the products were quickly taken off the shelves and frustrated consumers asking how to find Snoop Cereal were told there was none, only for boxes to turn up in Walmart stockrooms.
* These guys are getting Apple Jacked, for sure.
* They’re not happy with the small size of their Chex.
* I’d be mad too if my business partner was up to these kinds of Trix.
* Maybe the original contract had too many Froot Loopholes.
* Because it’s Snoop, this case needs to go to a higher court.

OSCARS ADD “BEST CASTING” CATEGORY

The Oscars have created a new competitive Oscar category for best achievement in casting. (Finally!!!) It will begin in 2026, for films released in 2025. This is the first new category created by the Academy since 2001 for best animated feature film. A release from the Academy of Motion Pictures says, “Casting directors play an essential role in filmmaking, and as the Academy evolves, we are proud to add casting to the disciplines that we recognize and celebrate.”
* Yay, another award for people who do their job. Yay!
* So the director says, “Get me Denzel, Florence Pugh and one of the Hemsworths,” and someone calls their agents. That’s award-worthy?
* If the actor you want in the movie can’t fit it into their schedule, can you still get an award for casting somebody you didn’t want?
* The casting person who should get an award is the one who can tell the difference between Emma Stone, Jessica Chastain and Bryce Dallas Howard.
* Next new Oscar category: Best Movie Poster.

THE BUZZ

THE 20 HIGHEST-PAYING SIDE HUSTLES FOR A SINGLE DAY OF WORK

Here, according to a company called NetCredit, is an obviously well-researched article about the 20 Highest-Paying Side Hustles In The United States For a Single Day’s Work, measured as average pay for 24-hour job completion.
1. Marketing strategy – $178
2. Mobile app developer – $164
3. Presentation design – $163
4. Website design – $162
5. Songwriter – $158
6. Website designer (this is somehow different than ‘website design,’ above) – $149
7. 3D industrial design – $142
8. Brand style design – $136
9. AI spokesperson videos – $131 (* Wait – who gets the money? You or the AI?)
10. Packaging & label design – $122
11. UX design – $122
12. Data Dashboards – $120
13. LinkedIn profiles – $110
14. Mobile app marketing – $109
15. 2D & 3D model creation – $109
16. App design – $106
17. Pitch deck (creating presentations for a client) Website designer – $104
18. Architecture & interior design – $102
19. Social media marketing – $101
20. Catalogue design – $99
* Doing any of these, you’ll be a millionaire in no time. Wait – I mean, at no time will you be a millionaire doing any of these.
* How much can you make teaching an AI to do one of these?
* “Side Hustle.” Nice. Makes you sound industrious and ambitious. Unlike the old “Part-Time Job,” which makes you sound unsuccessful and unable to make ends meet.
* So, basically, an extra day’s work will buy you a bag of groceries. Top-level Whole Foods, bottom level Aldi’s.
* That’s it. I’m giving up my OnlyFans page for a side hustle in marketing strategy.

U.S. NEWS

ANOTHER DAY, ANOTHER AIRPLANE PART

A family in the Mount Airy section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, woke up Tuesday to find an 8-foot-by-2-foot metal object with a porthole on their roof. (* Imagine an 8-foot cornhole plank. That’s what it looks like.) Sara and Fabian Lima believe it’s from a plane – it looks like a plane window section – but they are left baffled as to how it got there. They did not hear it land on their roof. A team of inspectors from the Federal Aviation Administration visited the couple’s home Wednesday to take photos of the object, but could not say whether or not it’s from a plane. The Limas said the inspectors asked them to keep the object safe until the investigation is completed.
* Either a plane lost a window section or it didn’t. It’s not that hard. Ask around.
* Were there any sucked-out bodies on other roofs in the neighborhood? Better check.
* May some kids from the area tossed it up on the roof. It’s like the modern version of TP-ing a house.
* Meanwhile, the CEO of Boeing is thinking “Please let it be someone else this time …”
* A piece of metal falling from a plane and landing on your roof. Better or worse than chunks of blue ice from a plane’s restrooms? Let’s open the phones.

RACE HEATS UP FOR WASHINGTON STATE CLAM

The Washington state legislature wants to name an official state clam, but there’s some controversy brewing (* because of course there is). The clear front-runner is the Pacific razor clam, with its cultural, historical and economic significance across the state. However, there is now competition from the geoduck (pronounced gooey-duck) clam, whose fans felt their clam deserved consideration, too. Bill Dewey, director of public affairs for Taylor Shellfish Farms, says geoducks are an important food source, too, particularly as an exported commodity. And, he says, they are also far more photogenic. The state legislature will decide on a state clam next year.
* No rush, fellas.
* Sounds like the geoduck is trying to mussel in on the action. Pretty shellfish, if you ask me.
* Maybe there should be a talent competition.
* Just wait. They’ll discover one of the clam’s inappropriate tweets from years ago, and it’ll get cancelled.
* Controversy, shmon-troversy. Why don’t they all just clam up.

TRENDING

THE 10 MOST SEARCHED FOR SUPER BOWL RECIPES ON GOOGLE

Here are The 10 Most Searched Super Bowl Recipes on Google trends:
10. Cheesecake
9. Alfredo sauce
8. Pizza dough
7. Goulash
6. Sloppy Joes
5. Sliders
4. Meatballs
3. Meatloaf
2. Chili
1. Shrimp scampi

MARK KNOPFLER UNITES MUSICIANS FOR CHARITY SONG

On March 15, Mark Knopfler will release a new, special recording of his instrumental song ‘Going Home’ – the theme from the 1983 movie “Local Hero” – to raise funds for Teenage Cancer Trust in the UK and its American equivalent Teen Cancer America. The project started as a simple little jam – Pete Townshend, Eric Clapton, the late Jeff Beck came in to play – and it ballooned into a 9-minute jam featuring an unprecedented line-up of some of the greatest guitarists in history: Joan Armatrading, Richard Bennett, Joe Bonamassa, Joe Brown, James Burton, Jonathan Cain, Paul Carrack, Ry Cooder, Jim Cox, Steve Cropper, Sheryl Crow, Danny Cummings, Duane Eddy, Sam Fender, Peter Frampton, Audley Freed, Vince Gill, Buddy Guy, Keiji Haino, John Jorgenson, Sonny Landreth, Albert Lee, Greg Leisz, Alex Lifeson, Steve Lukather, Phil Manzanera, Dave Mason, Hank Marvin, Robbie McIntosh, John McLaughlin, Tom Morello, Rick Neilsen, Orianthi, Brad Paisley, Mike Rutherford, Joe Satriani, John Sebastian, Connor Selby, Slash, Andy Taylor, Susan Tedeschi and Derek Trucks, Ian Thomas, Keith Urban, Steve Vai, Waddy Wachtel, Joe Louis Walker, Joe Walsh, Glenn Worf, and Zucchero.

ALMANAC

NOTABLE DATES, UPCOMING U.S. OBSERVANCES

February 10, Saturday – Chinese New Year (The Year of the Dragon)
February 12, Monday – Lincoln’s Birthday
February 14, Wednesday – Valentine’s Day
February 19, Monday – Presidents Day / Washington’s Birthday
February 13, Tuesday – Shrove Tuesday/Mardi Gras
March 10, Sunday – Daylight Saving Time Begins
March 17, Sunday – St. Patrick’s Day
March 19, Tuesday – Spring begins, Spring Equinox is 11:06 p.m. EDT
March 20, Wednesday – First full day of Spring

BIRTHDAYS

Tom Hiddleston (actor, Loki in Marvel’s Avengers and Thor movies) … 43
Charlie Day (actor, “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia”) … 48
Jason George (actor, “Station 19”, “Grey’s Anatomy”) … 52
Travis Tritt (country singer) … 61
Mia Farrow (actress) … 79
Joe Pesci (actor) … 81
Carole King (singer, songwriter) … 82

BIRTHDAY QUOTE QUIZ – Ask your listeners “Who said it?” HINT: Today’s their birthday!

“I’ve given my whole life to show business. I’d like to find out about another part of life, a more relaxing and spiritual part and a more enjoyable part.”

(A) David Letterman
(B) Jay Leno
(C) Joe Pesci

ANSWER: (C) Joe Pesci

THIS DAY IN HISTORY

2014 – Australian National University scientists discover the oldest known star at 13.6 billion years old.
* And yes, it was Cher.

2009 – New York Yankees slugger Alex Rodriguez admitted he took banned substances from 2001 to 2003.
* Hey, he didn’t take them. He paid for them.

1997 – “The Simpsons” became the longest-running prime-time animated series. “The Flintstones” held the record previously.
* Fred Flintstone was quoted as saying, “Yabba dabba D’OH!”

1895 – Volleyball was invented by W. G. Morgan in Massachusetts.
* It didn’t really catch on until many years later, when women in swimsuits were finally allowed to play.

1870 – The U.S. Army established the U.S. National Weather Service.
* They staffed it with guys who washed out of astrology school.

THIS DAY IN MUSIC HISTORY

2015 – Bob Dylan answered his critics during a 30-minute speech, at the Musicares charity gala honoring his career. The 73-year-old, who rarely talks about his work, asked why critics complained he “can’t sing” and sounds “like a frog” but do not “say that about Tom Waits?” The singer added, “Critics say my voice is shot, that I have no voice. Why don’t they say those things about Leonard Cohen? Why do I get special treatment?”

2010 – The White Stripes took on the US Air Force, complaining that it used one of the group’s songs “Fell In Love With A Girl” in a TV ad without permission. In a statement on their website, the duo said they took “strong insult and objection, with the implication that we licensed one of our songs to encourage recruitment during a war that we do not support.”

2009 – Led Zeppelin singer Robert Plant took home five Grammys for his collaboration with bluegrass singer Alison Krauss. The duo won album of the year for Raising Sand and record of the year for Please Read The Letter.

2009 – Ringo Starr became the 2,401st person to be added to the Hollywood Walk Of Fame during a ceremony that marked the 50th anniversary of the stars. The Beatles as a group were given a star in 1998.

1991 – C & C Music Factory started a two-week run at No.1 on the U.S. singles chart with “Gonna Make You Sweat.”

1985 – Madonna started a three-week run at No.1 on the U.S. album chart with “Like A Virgin.”

1982 – George Harrison presented UNICEF with a check for $9 million, ten years after the fundraising concert for Bangladesh.

1981 – Bill Haley was found dead, fully clothed on his bed at his home in Harlington, from a heart attack. Haley had sold over 60 million records during his career. Scored the 1955 No.1 single “Rock Around The Clock” and became known as the first Rock ‘n’ Roll star.

1974 – The Love Unlimited Orchestra went to No.1 on the U.S. singles chart with “Love’s Theme.”

1968 – Hal Cone, former manager of The Monkees and Head of Jones Records, was found guilty of theft, forgery, receiving stolen property and conspiracy.

1964 – The Beatles made their U.S. live debut on CBS-TV’s “The Ed Sullivan Show. They performed five songs including their current No.1 “I Want To Hold Your Hand” watched by an estimated 73 million people. The show had received over 50,000 applications for the 728 seats in the TV studio.

X-TREME TRIVIA CHALLENGE

Every installment of X-Treme Trivia Challenge includes three mystery factoids. Create your own “Impossible Question” contest – great for listener giveaways and phone interaction starters! Also a perfect sponsorship opportunity!

1. Nationwide, the average cost of THIS has risen to about $150. What is it?
A speeding ticket

2. The average American buys 12 of THESE each year, and spend a total of about $120. What are they?
Bottles of wine

3. Surprisingly, American women spend about $150 million on THIS each year. What is it?
NFL merchandise

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