THURSDAY, Feb 6 – DAILY PREP TEXT VERSION

MORNING SIDEKICK DAILY PREP TEXT VERSION FOR THURSDAY, February 6, 2025
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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 – including “holidays” created by the National Day Calendar and Wellcat websites to drive traffic to their websites – or the hundreds of disease awareness listings which occur each year.)

CANADIAN MAPLE SYRUP DAY

INTERNATIONAL FROZEN YOGURT DAY

NATIONAL CHOPSTICKS DAY

OPTIMIST DAY (First Thursday in February)
The National Day Calendar says this:
“In 2017, Optimist International declared Optimist Day to be observed on the first Thursday in February with a focus on recognizing the achievements of the volunteers and the youth in the community. Each year, the programs they support improve their communities and provide opportunities for youth of all ages. They also coordinate with other volunteer organizations making the future brighter for all involved.”

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

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

THURSDAY, Feb 6

“Apple Cider Vinegar”
Netflix – New Docuseries
Synopsis: Explores the true story of Australian Instagram influencer Belle Gibson and her path to international fame after claiming that she cured her brain cancer with wellness remedies. The problem? She was never actually diagnosed with brain cancer.

“Clean Slate”
Prime Video – New LGBTQ Series
Synopsis: Follows Harry (George Wallace), an old-school car wash owner in Alabama who has a lot of soul searching to do when the child he thought was a son returns as a proud, trans woman, Desiree. Her homecoming brings together a hilarious cast of friends and neighbors, as Desiree and Harry try to get it right the second time around.

“Death Without Mercy”
Paramount+ – Documentary
Synopsis: Follows two Syrian families in the wake of the 2023 earthquake that left 50,000 dead in Southern Turkey.

“The Takedown: American Aryans”
Max – New Docuseries
Synopsis: A look inside the cult-like world of the Aryan Brotherhood of Texas from the late 2000s to the present day – an organized crime group built on Nazi ideology and extreme violence operating under the radar in the suburbs of Texas.

Season Premieres:
Hulu – “The Kardashians”
Netflix – “Sweet Magnolias”
Prime Video – “Invincible”

FRIDAY, Feb 7

“2025 Critics Choice Awards”
E! – Awards Show

“Newtopia”
Prime Video – New Series from Korea
Synopsis: A soldier faces a zombie outbreak during military service. His girlfriend, an engineer, navigates zombie-ridden Seoul. Both fight through the undead-infested city, striving to reunite amid the chaos.

“The Lion King at the Hollywood Bowl”
Disney+ – Special
Synopsis: An immersive concert event featuring a reunion of the original voice cast alongside performances by cast members of the iconic Broadway show.

“We Live in Time”
Max – New Movie
Synopsis: A time-hopping romance drama which jumps around the life of a couple faced with a challenging cancer diagnosis.

Season Premiere:
CBS – “NCIS: Sydney”

SUNDAY, Feb 9

“Super Bowl LIX”
Fox

“Puppy Bowl XXI
Animal Planet/Max/Discovery/TBS/truTV – Special

Season Premiere:
Fox – “The Floor”

INSIDE TAYLOR SWIFT’S BOX AT THE SUPER BOWL

What kind of food will be served inside Taylor Swift’s luxury suite at the Superdome during this Sunday’s Super Bowl? Intrepid reporters have uncovered the food that will be available to all luxury suite attendees:
– Jambalaya
– Cajun beef brisket sandwiches
– Po’ boys seafood sandwiches
– Alligator sausage on French bread
– Lobster karaage (* Lobster garage?)
– Vegetarian bánh mìs (“bahn mees”)
– Tomahawk steak, with the Super Bowl LIX logo branded into each bone (* As a souvenir, I guess.)
– Nine-hour smoked short rib
– For cocktails, a drink called a Black Magic made with black vodka, jalapeno syrup, mango puree, lime juice and Cajun seasonings.
* And if you ask for it, an extra pump of Cheese Whiz on your nachos.
* No caviar? C’mon, she’s a BILLIONAIRE!
* This story is ridiculous. Come on, Taylor Swift doesn’t EAT.
* Any food left over will be dumped into a trough for the Eagles offensive line.
* Well, I’ll be thinking of her as I dig in to my Domino’s pizza.

NFL GAME TO PLAY IN AUSTRALIA

The NFL announced Wednesday that it will be playing a game in 2026 in Melbourne, Australia, at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, a venue that holds about 100,000 spectators. The Los Angeles Rams will be the home team for that game. (* Wow, what did the Rams do to piss off the NFL so bad?) The NFL says the game is part of a multi-year commitment to play in Melbourne.
* Winners each get one of those hats with the corks on it to keep away the flies. Losers have to eat a jar of Vegemite.
* Of course, if it’s a Sunday game, they’ll have to play it on a Thursday for the time difference.
* Seriously, though: Melbourne is 19 hours ahead of Los Angeles. To play the game at 11 AM Sunday Los Angeles time, they have to play it at 6 AM Monday Melbourne time.
* And you thought the Jaguars playing at Wembley sounded weird.
* So why do they call it the NATIONAL Football League?

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. “Should You Scratch That Itch? Science Has a Surprising Answer”
2. “Martha Stewart, 83: ‘What gets me in the nude?'”
3. “Yep, That’s 66-Million-Year-Old Vomit”
And here’s a spare, in case you don’t like one of those three: “Idaho Man Covers Head In Shaving Cream, Catches Table Tennis Balls”

FLASH: PEOPLE ARE HAPPIEST IN THE MORNINGS, ON THE WEEKENDS

Researchers – and you’re going to question the use of that word in a moment – from University College London analyzed data from almost 50,000 adults from March 2020 to March 2022. The findings showed that irrespective of the day, a person wakes up in a good mood – happier, more satisfied and less downbeat first thing compared with the rest of the day. This fluctuates during the day, before reaching its lowest levels at about midnight.
– The day of the week also had an impact, data show, with people happier on a weekend morning than when they got up on a weekday.
* Well – unless they’re tuning into (your station) on a weekday morning!!!
– Also, surprisingly, summer months make people feel happier than the winter ones.
* Another interesting side note from the study: researchers discovered that it’s colder in the winter.
* The good news: You can avoid the lowest level of happiness at midnight by going to bed at 11.
* Thanks, kids, great job, outstanding. You all get A’s.
* You know what makes these researchers happy in the morning? Not having to go to a real job.
* Is University College anything like Academy School? Is it located in Canyon Valley, near Townsville.

U.S. NEWS

RUNAWAY TEEN SPENDS TWO NIGHTS IN WALMART TOILET PAPER FORT

In Grove, Oklahoma, a teenager missing since Sunday has been found. Christopher Dunham, 16, told police he went into a Walmart, built a toilet paper fort over a dog bed and spent a couple of nights there after he ran away from his grandparents’ home, where he had been living. He was found Tuesday night trying to sneak back into the home. During the incident, the grandparents had been very uncooperative with the authorities. A police officer and a child welfare worker were denied entrance into the home, prompting police to get a search warrant. They ended up seizing electronics, cameras, and cell phones from the home.
* So the grandparents really showed THEM!
* Those 20-mega-roll packs of toilet paper can absorb a lot of snoring noise.
* It tells you how comfortable a Walmart sleeping bag is that he decided to use a dog bed.
* Hiding in a Walmart overnight? Does Grove, Oklahoma not have an IKEA?
* Walmart. Save Money. Live Better. Hide Out.

MICROPLASTIC IN YOUR BRAIN = ONE PLASTIC SPOON

This explains a whole lot. You’re aware of microplastics, the tiny balls of plastic that manufacturers use in cosmetics, toothpaste, paint, insulation, fertilizer, cleaning products, and on and on? In a new study, published in Nature Medicine, researchers took samples of 52 human brains from autopsies to look for microplastics. The brain samples had higher levels of microplastic than kidney or liver samples. What’s more, people who died in 2024 had more nanoplastics in their brain samples than those who died in 2016. The amount of plastic the researchers found in the average brain sample is about the equivalent of a plastic spoon.
* How many Rhode Islands is that? Sorry, that’s the plastic spoon in my brain talking.
* Yeah, try recycling THAT.
* So since 2016 people have been eating even more paint, insulation, fertilizer, and cleaning products?
* Let me know when we hit spork levels, that’s when I’ll worry.
* This certainly explains the existence of “Deal or No Deal Island.”

THE NUDE CRUISE

The Nude Cruise is underwear – er, underway! An 11-day cruise, sponsored by nude cruise company Bare Necessities, departed from Miami on February 3, on a trip across the Caribbean. It returns on Valentine’s Day, February 14. In case you want to go on the next one, here are some details:
– The ship offers 16 dining options, including French, Italian, Asian and Brazilian.
* Wait – I’m sorry, Brazilian is not a dining option, it’s a personal choice.
* You should also know that soup will not be served at any time.
– All passengers must be 21 or older, and nudity is only allowed when the ship is at sea. No nudity allowed when the ship is docked.
* I’ve always wondered what the view is like when the ship rolls back and forth. Is there a massive pendulum effect among the passengers?
– In addition, the Norwegian Cruise Lines ship has “No Photo Zones” signs posted around the pool and in dance venues.
* And anyone who yells, “Whale, ho!” will be tossed overboard.
* There are no clocks on board. No need, due to the massive number of natural sundials.
* It’s a lot like a regular cruise, except the sunblock is $50 a tube.
* They’ll be stopping at duty-free ports, where you’re required to cover up your dooty.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

BROTHER WANTED TO SPLIT DAD’S BODY FOR SEPARATE CREMATIONS

In Lidhorataal, India, a man got into an unusual argument with his brother over their father’s funeral. The older brother, who had been drinking, insisted that their father’s body be split in two so each could carry out a separate cremation. Police were called, and it took several hours of negotiations and persuasion by the authorities to get the older brother to leave so that the younger brother could carry on with the cremation, which was his father’s request.
* Maybe the men were half-brothers?
* Ironically, the father’s last words were, “I’m gonna split now. Ayuggghhhhhhh…”
* Still, the older brother left feeling he got burned.
* Which way would they split it? Left and right? Top and bottom? Spiral cut, like a ham? Cut it up and weigh the parts until they balance out?
* What a gross idea! The better way would be to cremate all of him … halfway. Then take him to the second place for the rest.

TRENDING

OZZY OSBOURNE: YET ANOTHER FINAL CONCERT

Ozzy Osbourne has announced that the original members of Black Sabbath will play a concert – one final show – together for the first time in 20 years. In a post on X, Osbourne revealed that he would reunite with Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward to play a final show at Villa Park in Birmingham, England on July 5. Ozzy says, “It’s my time to go Back to the Beginning… time for me to give back to the place where I was born. How blessed am I to do it with the help of people whom I love. Birmingham is the true home of metal. Birmingham Forever.”

ALMANAC

NOTABLE DATES, UPCOMING U.S. OBSERVANCES

February 12, Wednesday – Lincoln’s Birthday
February 14, Friday – Valentine’s Day
February 17, Monday – Presidents Day / Washington’s Birthday
March 4, Tuesday – Shrove Tuesday/Mardi Gras
March 9, Sunday – Daylight Saving Time Begins
March 17, Monday – St. Patrick’s Day
March 20, Thursday – Spring begins, Spring Equinox is 5:01 a.m. EDT

BIRTHDAYS

Amy Robach (broadcast journalist and TV host, formerly with “Good Morning America,” “20/20”) … 52
Rick Astley (singer, plague of “Rick-Rolling”) … 59
Richie McDonald (country singer with Lonestar) … 63
Axl Rose (singer with Guns ‘N’ Roses) … 63
Kathy Najimy (actress, comedian, “Veep”) … 68
Tom Brokaw (author, political commentator, ex-NBC News anchor) … 85
Mike Farrell (actor, “Providence,” “M*A*S*H”) … 86

Today’s Birthdays grade: Today we have birthdays recognized by Boomers, Gen X’s, Gen Z’s … And we have Rick Astley. In honor of anyone ever rickrolled, we’re giving today Grade: F. Even though it’s not Rick’s fault.

[Want to try something different with the daily birthdays? Try grading them! Some days have “good” celebs, some have “great” celebs, some have “lousy” celebs. For fun, give the group an arbitrary grade: A-plus through F-minus. Sidekick will give you our take on it; you can to take the concept and run with it.]

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

“I like to be real private; you don’t always want everyone around you even when they like you.”

(A) Kim Kardashian
(B) Miley Cyrus
(C) Axl Rose

ANSWER: (C) Axl Rose

THIS DAY IN HISTORY

2020 – On April 21, the CDC declared this was the date of the first COVID-19 related death in the U.S.
* “Let the games begin!”

2014 – Jay Leno gave his final broadcast hosting “The Tonight Show.”
* And cried like a baby. A baby with a REALLY BIG CHIN!

1999 – Excerpts of former White House intern Monica Lewinsky’s videotaped testimony were shown at President Clinton’s impeachment trial.
* You had to be 18 or older to watch them.

1971 – Astronaut Alan Shepard hit the first golf ball on the Moon.
* He traveled a quarter of a million miles just to play in one big sand trap.

1935 – The board game “Monopoly” went on sale for the first time.
* And a few years later the Justice Department tried to break it up.

THIS DAY IN MUSIC HISTORY

2017 – U.S. Tax Court Judge Mark Holmes had always been puzzled by the rap at the end of Michael Jackson’s “Thriller,” so when the star’s former lawyer John Branca appeared in front of him, he took the opportunity to settle the matter. “What exactly does ‘the funk of 40,000 years’ mean?” “Karma,” answered Branca. The exchange came during the first day of a trial looking into Michael Jackson’s tax debts. The IRS claimed that Jackson’s estate owed it over $700 million in taxes and penalties, a massive chunk of the star’s estimated $1bn fortune. It put Jackson’s team in the strange position of arguing the star was worth much less, after his image was tarnished by accusations of child molestation, skin bleaching and drug use.

2008 – A Los Angeles judge issued a restraining order against Britney Spears’ manager, after her mother made the request to the court. Lynne Spears claimed Sam Lutfi, 33, had drugged the troubled pop star and interfered with her finances.

2003 – ABC’s “20/20” aired a British documentary on Michael Jackson in which the singer revealed he sometimes let children sleep in his bed.

2003 – Rapper 50 Cent’s debut CD, “Get Rich or Die Tryin’,” was released.

2001 – Guitarist Don Felder was fired from The Eagles. He would later launch a $50 million law suit against drummer Don Henley and guitarist Glen Frey, alleging wrongful termination and breach of implied-in-fact contract. Henley and Frey then countersued Felder for breach of contract, alleging that Felder had written and attempted to sell the rights to a “tell-all” book. Both parties settled out-of-court with details unreleased.

1998 – Carl Wilson, one of the founding members of the Beach Boys, died from complications of lung cancer. Wilson, 51, who had been battling the disease for nearly a year, died in Los Angeles reportedly with his family by his side.

1998 – Falco, the ’80s technopop artist best known for his “Rock Me Amadeus” song and video, died in a traffic accident in the Dominican Republic, age 40. The Austrian-born singer/songwriter, born Johann Holzel, suffered a severe head injury when his sport utility vehicle collided with a bus as he pulled onto a highway.

1990 – Over 200 women filed court actions against Chuck Berry after it was alleged that he had been secretly filming them in the toilets of the restaurant he owned.

1990 – Billy Idol broke an arm and leg when his motorcycle crashed after he allegedly ran a stop sign in Hollywood. He had been coming from the recording studio, where he was working on the album “Charmed Life.” Ironic.

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. 40% of women say they never do THIS in front of a man. What is it?
Exercise

2. THIS relaxes women more than shopping. What is it?
Watching TV

3. 34% of women do THIS every day. What is it?
Take a nap

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