THURSDAY, Oct 31 – DAILY PREP TEXT VERSION

MORNING SIDEKICK DAILY PREP TEXT VERSION FOR THURSDAY, October 31, 2024
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COMEDY MP3s POSTED ON OUR PREP SITE FOR TODAY: TRICK OR TROUT; PROMOS-TO-GO

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.)

GIRL SCOUT FOUNDER’S DAY
The Holiday Calendar website says this:
“This special day marks the birthday of Juliette Gordon Low, who founded the organization in 1912 with a mission to empower and inspire young girls. Since then, Girl Scouts have made a positive impact on millions of lives through leadership development, community service, and outdoor adventures.”

HALLOWEEN

NATIONAL CARAMEL APPLE DAY

NATIONAL MAGIC DAY
From various sources:
Harry Houdini is quite probably one of the reasons magic is so popular today and, at the time of his death, he was the most famous member of the Society of American Magicians. Houdini died in the afternoon on October 31st, 1926 in a hospital in Detroit, Michigan. This date means that October 31 is not only National Magic Day and Halloween, it is also the anniversary of the death of this famous magician.

The National Day Calendar website says this:
“National Magic Day is observed by magic lovers across America each year on October 31 as part of National Magic Week. National Magic Day is sponsored by the Society of American Magicians. In 1938, a Chicago member of the Society of American Magicians sought official permission for a Houdini Day. This day was sanctioned by Mrs. Houdini and October 31, Houdini’s birthday, was proclaimed National Magic Day in Harry Houdini’s memory.

October is:

Adopt a Shelter Dog Month
American Cheese Month
Car Care Month
Child Health Month
Consumer Information Month
Cookbook Month
Country Music Month
Fire Prevention Month
National Pizza Month
National Popcorn Month
National Service Dog Month
Vegetarian Awareness Month

ENTERTAINMENT & CELEBRITIES

WHAT TO WATCH – New and Returning Shows and Movies
Premiering Thursday through Sunday
Listings sourced from the TV Guide and EW websites

THURSDAY, October 31

“Despicable Me 4”
Peacock – The theatrical release comes to streaming

“Megan Thee Stallion: In Her Words”
Prime Video – New Documentary
Synopsis: Offers unprecedented access to the multi-faceted woman behind the persona. Follows the Houston native’s journey on the road to stardom as she tenaciously navigates fame, grief, pressure and success.

Season Premiere:
Netflix – “The Diplomat”

FRIDAY, November 1

“Barbie Mysteries: The Great Horse Chase”
Netflix – New Animated Series
Synopsis: Best friends Brooklyn and Malibu race across Europe to solve a mystery when a show horse is stolen while they’re on vacation in the English countryside.

“It’s All Over: The Kiss That Changed Spanish Football”
Netflix – New Documentary
Synopsis: Spanish footballers come together for the first time to relive the turbulent 2023 Women’s World Cup and the kiss that overshadowed their victory, when the former president of Spain’s soccer federation kissed athlete Jennifer Hermoso without her consent at the World Cup final.

“Let Go”
Netflix – New Movie
Synopsis: A jaded mother makes a last-ditch effort to keep her family together by taking them on a trip to their teenage daughter’s pole dancing competition.

“Libre” / “Freedom”
Prime Video – New Movie
Synopsis: Inspired by the daring exploits of a legendary outlaw in France in the late 1970s and early 1980s, Freedom follows the electrifying story of Bruno Sulak, a suave and daring criminal who stole hearts alongside riches.

“Music by John Williams”
Disney+ – New Documentary
Synopsis: The story of composer John Williams as told by filmmakers, musicians and artists he inspired, with rare behind-the-scenes footage from cinematic history.

SUNDAY, November 3

“Like Water for Chocolate”
Max – New Series
Synopsis: Star-crossed lovers Tita and Pedro’s romance is thwarted by her family’s traditions, forcing Tita to navigate magic and flavors in the kitchen as she fights for love and embraces her destined path.

TRAVIS KELCE CRITIQUES HIS OWN ACTING

On the Oct. 30 episode of Travis and Jason Kelce’s podcast, New Heights, Travis, 35, opened up about what it’s been like watching himself act in the TV series “Grotesquerie” and host the game show “Are You Smarter Than a Celebrity?” Talking with guest Niecy Nash-Betts, the star of “Grotesquerie,” Niecy said, “I just wanna say, I thought you did such a good job.” Travis responded, saying, “I was definitely watching myself, but it’s the same thing with, like, my view on football or really anything that I do. I look at myself, and I’m like, ‘Man, I could’ve did that better, I could’ve did this better, I could’ve did this better.'”
* He could have grammared better, that’s for darn sure.
* Let me say this about Travis Kelce: As an actor, boy, did you see those catches he made Sunday against Las Vegas?
* His acting on Grotesquerie is kinda grotesque-y.
* I would say, as far as football players-turned-actors, he’s right up there with John Matuszak, who’s dead now. But it’s still a valid comparison.
* As a critic, I’d say he’s really, really good.

THE BUZZ

DUMB HEADLINES

Time for another episode of Three Dumb Headlines. These are actual, word-for-word headlines of stories found on the internet. There’s no story, no context, just the actual headline. Discuss them amongst yourselves. Then, encourage listeners to vote for the Dumbest Headline on your station’s social media page. Maybe ask them to leave a comment. Reveal the results in the next break.
Today’s Dumb Headlines:
1. “My Garage Is Too Small For My Car – What Should I Buy?”
2. “I’m A Waitress With Ketchup Phobia”
3. “Flight Attendant Reveals Why You Should Never Use Toilet Paper On An Airplane”
And here’s a spare, in case you don’t like one of those three: “The Terrifying Way Whales Sleep”

AMERICA’S FAVORITE SANDWICHES

The poll of 2,000 Americans, commissioned by Buddig processed pre-packaged lunch meats, finds America’s favorite sandwiches. (* Not surprisingly, most of them contain processed pre-packaged lunch meats):
1. Grilled cheese
2. Chicken
3. Turkey
4. Ham
5. Tuna
6. Egg
7. Peanut butter and jelly
8. Meatball sandwiches
In another important finding from the survey, 32% of Americans cut their sandwiches into rectangles, 35% cut them into triangles and 33% prefer their sandwiches whole and uncut.
* I think peanut butter and jelly should demand a recount.
* Too bad if you’re a vegan with a peanut allergy.
* Was a BLT not an option? An Italian sub? A cheese-steak? Come on, if you’re going to do a sandwich survey, make it honest. This isn’t a presidential election poll.
* Maybe those 2,000 Americans the Buddig lunch meat company surveyed were employees.
* And if you’re going to do a survey about sandwiches, throw in a few chips, huh?

U.S. NEWS

JAYWALKING NO LONGER A CRIME IN NEW YORK CITY

Jaywalking is now legal in New York City. Legislation passed by the New York City Council last month officially became law over the weekend. If you’re in the city and you need to cross the street, you now don’t have to walk to the corner and wait for the signal. You can cross mid-block (* and get run over), or you can cross at the corner on a red light (* and get honked at. And run over.) But you won’t get a ticket. Council Member Mercedes Narcisse, a Brooklyn Democrat who sponsored the legislation, said Tuesday that the new law ends racial disparities in enforcement, noting that more than 90% of the jaywalking tickets issued last year went to Black and Latino people. Plus, she adds, “Let’s be real, every New Yorker jaywalks. People are simply trying to get where they need to go. Laws that penalize common behaviors for everyday movement shouldn’t exist.”
* Yes, but we still should ticket twerking.
* The moment the new law went into effect was proclaimed by all motorists rolling down their windows and shouting “Let the games begin!!!”
* Well, this should free up about 7 hours of a New York cop’s day.
* Jaywalking, or as it’s known on the streets of New York, “Dodge ‘Em.”

NEW TREND: PRETTIFYING YOUR TSA SECURITY BIN

The latest trend among the youngsters today? Taking time to organize and arrange items in your plastic container at the security checkpoint – shoes, belt, sunglasses, phone, charger, loose change – before it goes through the X-ray screener. Yes, Gen Zers are turning the standard TSA screening into a moment of self-expression, taking a picture of it, and posting the “curated” bin pictures on TikTok. Why? Some say that curating a visually appealing TSA bin not only helps these travelers feel more organized, but it also allows them to find joy in the small moments of travel. Or maybe it’s just about making even more junk content for your narcissistic self-promotion. But what does the TSA say about it? “As long as the staged glamour photos are not causing delays or issues with other passengers in the checkpoint, there are no issues.”
* Whatever. I’m sure Hollywood will make a movie about it eventually.
* Many also leave an empty space in the bin and insert a picture of an adorable sleeping kitten.
* Who has all these free hours to browse this crap on TikTok? People who are supposed to be working at home?
* Air travel isn’t supposed to be “fun.” It’s supposed to be a tedious, soul-crushing experience. Did Gen Z not get the memo?

BOEING MARKED UP SOAP DISPENSERS FOR AIR FORCE PLANES BY 7,943%

The Department of Defense Office of Inspector General presented the results of an audit on the construction of their C-17 Globemaster III cargo planes, and found that Boeing — (* oh, boy, this can’t be good) — overcharged the U.S. Air Force by almost $1 million for 12 spare parts for the C-17 Globemaster. The most egregious item the audit found was a 7,943 percent markup on aircraft lavatory soap dispensers, more than 80 times the cost of buying one at a store. According to Boeing, the Air Force currently has 223 C-17 cargo planes. There’s only one lavatory on every Globemaster. The Air Force paid around $151,000 for soap dispensers that should have cost $2,000.
* They tell you about the $151,000 soap dispensers to distract you from looking at the $13 million overcharge on the seat belts.
* And don’t even ask how much the soap dispenser was on Boeing’s crappy Starliner astronaut capsule.
* This is outrageous, but America has a few other things on its mind right now. Maybe we can circle back to this after next Tuesday?
* The real scandal is… only ONE bathroom on every plane?

TRENDINGHURRICANE RELIEF TV SPECIAL

The United Way Benefit for Hurricane Relief will air this Saturday at 8 p.m. on CBS and CMT, and will also be available to stream on Paramount+ with Showtime. The one-hour special will bring together stars from across music, television and entertainment to raise funds for those affected by Hurricanes Helene and Milton. Music artists Brittney Spencer, Carly Pearce, Chris Janson, Clay Aiken, Jonathan McReynolds and Tyler Hubbard will perform. In addition, the Backstreet Boys, Billy Bob Thornton, Billy Burke, Blake Shelton, Cedric the Entertainer, Cody Alan, Jackson Dean, JB Smoove, Kelsea Ballerini, Max Thieriot, Nate Burleson, Stephen Colbert, Taye Diggs, Zac Brown Band will share special messages or make appearances.

GRAMMYS MOVING TO ABC IN 2025

In a major shakeup, the Grammy Awards – which have been broadcast for more than 50 years on CBS – will move to ABC beginning in 2027. ABC, Hulu and Disney+ will simulcast the show under a 10-year deal that runs through 2036. The move will also make Disney the home of both the Grammys and the Oscars. the two most watched awards telecasts in any given year. CBS will still have the Grammys in 2025 and 2026.

ALMANAC

NOTABLE DATES, UPCOMING U.S. OBSERVANCES

TODAY – Halloween
Nov. 3, Sunday – Daylight Saving Time Ends, turn clocks back 1 hour
Nov. 5, Tuesday – Election Day
Nov. 11, Monday – Veterans Day
Nov. 28, Thursday – Thanksgiving
Dec. 21, Saturday – Winter begins, winter solstice occurs at 4:21 a.m. (EST)
Dec. 25, Wednesday – Christmas
Dec. 31, Tuesday – New Year’s Eve
Jan. 1, Wednesday – New Year’s Day

BIRTHDAYS

Willow Smith (singer, actress) … 24
Danielle Rose Russell (actress, “Legacies”, “The Originals”) … 25
Piper Perabo (actress, “Turn Up Charlie”, “Notorious”, “Covert Affairs”) … 48
Vanilla Ice (rapper, “actor”, reality-TV host, real name Robert Van Winkle) … 57
Dermot Mulroney (actor) … 61
Rob Schneider (comic “actor”) … 61
Larry Mullen (drummer with U2) … 63
Peter Jackson (director, “Lord of the Rings”) … 63
Jane Pauley (TV host, journalist) … 74
Brian Doyle-Murray (actor, “Groundhog Day”) … 79
Dan Rather (TV news journalist) … 93

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

“If all difficulties were known at the outset of a long journey, most of us would never start out at all.”

(A) Sean “Diddy” Combs
(B) Harvey Weinstein
(C) Dan Rather

ANSWER: (C) Dan Rather

THIS DAY IN HISTORY

2018 – The world’s biggest statue, the Statue of Unity, was unveiled in India. It depicts Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, a key player in uniting the princely states of India following British rule into the republic that it is today. The Statue itself, at 182 meters tall, is equivalent to a 50-story building, and four times the height of the Statue of Liberty.
* So no real chance of them dating.

2011 – The world population reached 7 billion inhabitants according to the United Nations.
* No wonder I can never find pants in my size.

1992 – The Vatican finally admitted that Galileo was right when he said the Earth revolved around the Sun.
* But they haven’t yet officially agreed that it’s round.

1956 – Rear Admiral G.J. Dufek became the first person to land an airplane at the South Pole.
* What they DON’T tell you is he thought he was landing at Schenectady, NY.

1941 – Mount Rushmore was completed.
* Nobody’s had a bigger head since, except maybe Kanye West.

1926 – World famous escapologist Harry Houdini died of a burst appendix.
* We think.

1885 – John Boyd Dunlop of Belfast, Ireland, patented the first pneumatic bicycle tire – the tire company he founded still bears his name.
* Good thing his name wasn’t John Leakey.

THIS DAY IN MUSIC HISTORY

2022 – Taylor Swift became the first artist in history to claim all top 10 slots on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart. All ten tracks were from her album “Midnights.”

2013 – Marvin Gaye’s family began legal action against Robin Thicke and Pharrell Williams for copyright infringement over their hit song “Blurred Lines.” Three of Gaye’s children filed legal papers accusing them of copying elements of Gaye’s song “Got To Give It Up.” A partial settlement was reached in early 2014.

2011 – Metallica was going to play their first ever concert in India in the city of Guragon, but just prior to the show the band announced they were postponing it because they weren’t happy with the security barricade in front of the stage. Angry fans rushed the stage and trashed the band’s instruments and set banners on fire. A number of fans were injured.

2004 – R. Kelly was kicked off a tour with Jay-Z, a day after claiming he had been pepper-sprayed by a member of Jay-Z’s entourage during a performance in New York.

2000 – Britney Spears paid thousands of dollars to rent a private bar in Leipzig, Germany during a night off on her Oops!… I did It Again Tour. Britney, who at 18 was banned from drinking in the U.S., was reported to be knocking back vodka-laced White Russians and Pina Coladas.

1999 – Singer Gary Cherone left Van Halen.

1992 – Elton John and Bernie Taupin signed a publishing contract worth about $39 million with Warner-Chappell Music.

1972 – James Taylor and Carly Simon were married in New York City.

1970 – Michelle Phillips of The Mamas & The Papas married Dennis Hopper. They divorced eight days later.

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. In a recent survey, kids named THIS their least favorite treat on Halloween. What is it?
A box of raisins

2. About 18% of people plan to do THIS on Halloween. What is it?
Dress up their pet

3. Halloween is the 3rd largest holiday for THIS. What is it?
Eating pizza

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