THURSDAY, Feb 13 – DAILY PREP TEXT VERSION

MORNING SIDEKICK DAILY PREP TEXT VERSION FOR THURSDAY, February 13, 2025
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COMEDY MP3s POSTED ON OUR PREP SITE FOR TODAY: VALENTINE’S – TED’S EDIBLE UNDERWEAR; 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 – 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.)

GET A DIFFERENT NAME DAY
The Days of thr Year website says this:
“Getting a different name has its heritage in cultures throughout the world. In fact, in certain places it is customary to take a new name on momentous occasions in life. In many cases, taking a new name is a cause for celebration, such as when a woman changes her name after she gets married. However, today many women are now hyphenating their names or keeping their own. Some couples are even showing equality when the husband takes his wife’s name. Some people like to change when their existing name doesn’t reflect their current personality characteristics as much as they would like. In other situations, people may have had issues with their family and they want to separate themselves from them. Whatever the case, it’s all about getting a fresh start, and that’s why Get a Different Name Day is celebrated!”

INTERNET FRIENDS DAY

NATIONAL CHEDDAR DAY

NATIONAL CRAB RANGOON DAY

NATIONAL TORTELLINI DAY

WORLD RADIO DAY
The United Nations website says this:
“World Radio Day was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 2012. Radio is a powerful medium for celebrating humanity in all its diversity and constitutes a platform for democratic discourse. At the global level, radio remains the most widely consumed medium, specifically suited to reaching remote communities and vulnerable people. It also plays a crucial role in emergency communication and disaster relief.”

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, February 13

“Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy”
Peacock – New Movie
Synopsis: Bridget Jones finally has some luck in her life. She has a great job as a screenwriter, her family and a new boyfriend. The fact that he is over twenty years younger than her isn’t the only thing that is causing problems.

“La Dolce Villa”
Netflix – New Movie
Synopsis: When his daughter decides to buy a crumbling Tuscan villa, Eric rushes to Italy to talk her out of it. He instead finds beauty, romance and a new purpose.

“SLY LIVES! (aka The Burden of Black Genius)”
Hulu – New Documentary
Synopsis: Details the legacy and influence of the funk, soul, and rock group Sly and the Family Stone.

Season Premieres:
Netflix – “Cobra Kai”

FRIDAY, February 14

“The Gorge”
Apple TV+ – New Movie
Synopsis: Two highly-trained operatives are appointed to posts in guard towers on opposite sides of a vast and highly classified gorge, protecting the world from a mysterious evil that lurks within. They work together to keep the secret in the gorge.

Season Premieres:
Netflix – “Love Is Blind”
Paramount+ with Showtime – “Yellowjackets”

SUNDAY, February 16

“Saturday Night Live 50th Anniversary Special”
NBC – Special

Season Premieres:
Fox – “Family Guy”
Fox – “Grimsburg”
Fox – “The Great North”
HBO – “Last Week Tonight With John Oliver”
HBO – “The White Lotus”

ROCK & ROLL HALL OF FAME NOMINEES ANNOUNCED

The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame nominees for the class of ’25 are in. Inductees will be announced in April, following a vote by more than 1,200 industry stakeholders, in addition to pretend voting by the public. Here are the 14 nominees, get ready to have your world rocked!!!
– Mariah Carey
– Cyndi Lauper
– Outkast
– Bad Company
– The Black Crowes
– Soundgarden
– Billy Idol
– Joy Division/New Order
– Maná (* Yeah, we had to look them up, too. They are a Mexican pop band.)
– Oasis
– The White Stripes
– Chubby Checker
– Phish
– Joe Cocker
* Checker, Phish and Cocker. Are we NOT doing phrasing?
* The musical tribute to Phish is gonna be three days long.
* You remember Chubby Checker’s famous songs “The Twist,” “Let’s Twist Again,” “Slow Twistin’,” “Teach Me To Twist,” “Twist It Up,” “Twistin’ ‘Round the World,” “The Texas Twist,” and “Oh My God, I’ve Got A Strangulated Hernia.” (note: all except the last one are true.)

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. “Honey Mustard Goes Back Further Than We Thought”
2. “How Can I Get My Sister To Understand That I’m Not Going To Marry Her”
3. “Your Next Car Should Be Purple”
And here’s a spare, in case you don’t like one of those three: “Smoke-Tainted California Grapes Find New Life As Vodka”

WORST VALENTINE’S DAY EVER

Not all Valentine’s Day stories are all hearts and flowers. Reddit asked, “What was your worst Valentine’s Day ever?” Some of the responses:
– “My then-boyfriend did not make reservations, and every place had a long wait. We ended up at Denny’s.”
– “I was dating a guy and we had plans for Valentine’s Day. I hadn’t heard from him all day, so I checked out his Facebook. There was a photo of him and another girl out at a V-Day dinner that evening.”
– “Valentine’s Day, my husband gave me one of those giant peanut butter cups. The next day when I came home to discover he had eaten the entire peanut butter cup. He’s now my ex-husband.”
– “I had a first date planned with a guy I was talking to on a dating app. It just happened to be on Valentine’s Day. I showed up at the restaurant and he wasn’t there. He messaged me a few days later saying that V-Day was the first anniversary of his ex-girlfriend breaking up with him and he had posted something on Facebook that made his friends nervous. Someone called the police and he had been taken to the psychiatric hospital.”
– “My dad had a stroke on Valentine’s Day and we spent the day in the ER with a naked guy handcuffed to a gurney in the hallway outside the room my dad was moved into.”
– “I realized that the Valentine’s Day cards I had been receiving from my secret admirer for years were from my parents.”
* PHONE TOPIC: My awful Valentine’s Day story.

HOW TO MAKE YOUR DOG PAY ATTENTION

How do you get your dog to pay attention and follow directions? Scientists at the University of Veterinary Medicine in Vienna, Austria, strapped eye-tracking helmets to 20 dogs to detect exactly where the pooches looked when they were confronted with a range of scenarios. Each dog faced a scientist on their knees. A bowl was placed on each side of the scientist, only one of which contained a hidden treat. The dogs were then presented with five different scenarios:
– The scientist would point at the bowl while staring at the dog.
– They’d point and look at the bowl at the same time.
– They’d look only at the bowl.
– They’d throw a ball in the direction of the bowl.
– They pretended to throw a ball in the direction of the bowl, while really keeping it in their hand.
Dogs fared best when the scientist both pointed and stared at the bowl that contained the treat. They did the worst when the scientists pretended to throw the ball.
* I thought the best way to get a dog to pay attention was to put a piece of bacon up your nose. It works on my kids.
* “Each dog faced a scientist on their knees.” That’s mean, making dogs get on their knees. It’s painful for them.
* I’m unclear on how staring and pointing at a bowl will teach my dog not to jump on houseguests.
* Just give them the damn treat. They’re so stupid, it’s not worth torturing dogs like this.

U.S. NEWS

THINGS YOU’LL NEVER SEE ON VALENTINE CANDY HEARTS AGAIN

Valentine candy hearts have been out on the shelves since, well, Halloween. Did you know some phrases written on the hearts get phased out? Usually it’s because it’s a dated reference to something topical at the time, or it’s just a phrase that has lost its meaning. Here are 25 real candy heart messages that have been retired:
– Swing Time
– Summr Lovin
– Vogue
– Saucy Boy
– Go Fly A Kite
– Fax Me
– Beez Neez
– Love Shak
– Dig Me
– Page Me
– 1-800-Cupid
– On Fleek
– Pen Pal
– Girl Power
– Moon Beam
– Excuse My Dust
– Web Site
– Luv Me Tender
– Goat
– Tweet Me
– 23 Skidoo
– Hep Cat
– My Aching Back
– Let’s Read
– Groovy
* They only just got around to “Fax Me”?
* Ah, candy hearts. The Candy Corn of Spring. Everybody buys ’em, nobody likes ’em.
* You know, I bought a bag of Candy Hearts, and I found some with phrases you’ll probably won’t hear after this year.
– OZEMPIC FACE
– NO EGGS
– MAHOMES RULEZ!
– DIDDY PARTY
– COOL CYBERTRUCK
– BROCCOLI HAIRCUT
– BUY GREENLAND
– FLY BOEING
– GOT DOGE’d
And the final two-word phrase you’ll never hear again after this year:
– KANYE WEST

POSSUM EATS ENTIRE COSTCO CHOCOLATE CAKE

In Gretna, Nebraska, a wild possum was treated at an animal hospital after wandering into a family’s back yard and eating an entire chocolate mousse cake from Costco. Kim Doggett said she put the cake on a table in her back yard because she ran out of room in the fridge, and in Nebraska in the winter that’s what you do – put food outside to keep cold. Her son took some fresh-made peanut butter balls outside to cool (* Yo, Kim, back off on the sweets, huh?) and discovered a possum curled up on the outdoor couch, which was covered in chocolate paw prints. The cover was off the cake, and it was almost gone. The possum was not moving, and appeared to be panting. Doggett knew chocolate was toxic to dogs, so she called the Humane Society animal control, which took the critter to a wild animal rehab. It was treated with activated charcoal to neutralize any potential toxicity from the chocolate. She was also found to have a high level of lead, likely from eating local insects. The possum was treated for the lead in her system and will be released in a few weeks.
* Valentine’s Day rolls around, you have no boyfriend, you eat an entire chocolate cake. It happens.
* No one’s concerned with the lead in all the insects?
* This family’s lucky there are no bears in Nebraska.
* If they ever want to do Costco chocolate mousse cake toxicity experiments on humans, sign me up.
CLIP: We’ve got a lot of animal stories today. Here’s our “Let’s Check In With The Animals” story intro, if you want it.
CLIP URL: morningsidekick(dot)com/prep/wp-content/uploads/LetsCheckInWithTheAnimals(dot)mp3

THE MYSTERY OF THE SHAVED CATS

Pussy cats in a rural UK village have been returning home with parts of their fur shaved off. Police in Pinchbeck, Lincolnshire, say that while the cats did not appear physically harmed, the shaving might have caused the animals distress or anxiety. The shaven area appears to have been caused by “some form of hair clippers,” according to police. Officers don’t know the motivation behind it. There has been a similar allegation of cat-shaving in Kirton, around 10 miles away, but it isn’t clear if it is related.
* That’s some good detective work there, Lou.
* Is there a barber school in Pinchbeck?
* Would it kill this person to shave the cats during a heat wave, instead of in February?
* Fewer hairballs to throw up. That’s win-win.
* Maybe it’s something the cats saw in a magazine?

MINNESOTA NAMES ITS SNOWPLOWS

The Minnesota Department of Transportation has announced the winners of its annual snowplow naming contest. The names will go on one plow in each of the agency’s eight districts around the state. The winners:
– We’re Off To See The Blizzard
– Snowtorious B.I.G.
– Plowabunga!
– Anthony Sledwards (Anthony Edwards plays for the Timberwolves)
– You’re Welcome
– Don’tcha Snow
– Skol Plow
– I Came, I Thaw, I Conquered
* Long winters in Minnesota, are they?
* I mean, it’s February. Spring is just around the corner in Minnesota, in July.
* Minnesota didn’t get the memo about pulling the plug on frivolous government spending.
* So in Florida, do they name their street sweepers?

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

MAFIA COMPLAINS ABOUT THE QUALITY OF TODAY’S YOUNG THUGS

Authorities on the Italian island of Sicily have been stepping up operations against the local mafia. One of their tools has been wiretaps, where they discovered mafia dons complaining about the poor quality of young mafia recruits. Giancarlo Romano, an alleged mafia don, was recorded saying, “The caliber these days is low, a miserable level.” He said that new kids were too quick to turn “pentito” – or state’s witness – as soon as they were arrested. He told one young recruit: “You should go to school – that way you will meet doctors, lawyers, the people who run Italy, Europe. If you watch ‘The Godfather,’ the connections he had… he was very influential because of the power that he built at a political level. But us – what can we do? We used to be number one, now it’s others… we’re just gypsies.”
* And the kid replied, “OK, boomer.”
* These kids today, they don’t know how to extort, they don’t know how to loan shark. Racketeering? Fuhgeddaboudit.
* They can’t even spell ‘Consigliere,’ much less know what one is.
* Maybe they’d be more excited if they got paid in crypto?
* It’s a whole new world if organized crime. Instead of bustin’ a kneecap, these kids make you watch TikTok dance videos ’til you pay up.

DEVELOPER GUILTY OF SELLING RICH COUPLE A MOTH-INFESTED MANSION

In London, England, a wealthy couple won a lawsuit against a developer, claiming the mansion they’d bought for $40 million was infested with moths. The woman, daughter of a billionaire, and her husband, a dentist, purchased Horbury Villa in west London’s Ladbroke Grove neighborhood in May 2019. The luxury home came with a pool, spa, gym, cinema, wine room… and moths, which were hidden in the insulation. Moths soon turned up on their food, toothbrushes, towels, and clothing. The couple said they had to kill dozens of moths every day. In a decision handed down Monday, a judge found the property developer who sold the couple the home had, in fact, “concealed a serious moth infestation” prior to the sale. The couple had specifically asked him about any vermin infestation, and he answered that he didn’t know of any. In court, the developer claimed he was told that “moths didn’t count as vermin.” The couple can now return the mansion for most of the purchase price, subtracting $7.4 million to cover their years of habitation. They were also awarded damages of $5 million for the infestation, including more than $18,000 for ruined clothes.
* And $30,000 for the crates of mothballs.
* In some countries, this would be considered an infestation of free snacks.
* Now, they are buggin’ out.
* They made a beeline out of there.
* Bats eat moths. They should have gotten proactive and filled the house with bats. In a few years – problem solved!
* This story brought to you by Terminix.

AUDIO: CHINESE TIGER URINE GOOD FOR WHAT AILS YOU

A Chinese zoo has started selling tiger urine, for its “medicinal properties.” The Yaan Bifengxia Wildlife Zoo, in the southwestern Sichuan province, is selling “medicinal tiger urine,” allegedly from Siberian tigers, for about $5 a bottle. The zoo recommends it be mixed with white wine and applied to the affected areas, along with slices of ginger, to treat rheumatoid arthritis, sprains, and muscle pain. They add that it was safe for oral consumption but one should stop if you get an allergic reaction. The zoo says they sell a couple of bottles a day.
* It should be fine, because there’s nothing more sanitary than a Chinese zoo.
* The poor guy who has to collect it is named Wan Sum Pi.
* Maybe they could filter the tiger urine to remove the tiger urine.
* Make it carbonated?
* Finally, something disgusting that won’t become a YouTube Challenge.
* “Wait – this isn’t tiger urine! Unless has someone been feeding the tigers asparagus.”
CLIP: It’s not like America doesn’t do it. Here’s Firesign Theater’s classic “Bear Whiz Beer.”
CLIP URL: morningsidekick(dot)com/prep/wp-content/uploads/BearWhizBeerCommercial(dot)mp3

ALMANACNOTABLE DATES, UPCOMING U.S. OBSERVANCES

TOMORROW – 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

Mena Suvari (actress) … 46
Peter Gabriel (singer/songwriter) … 75
Stockard Channing (actress, “The West Wing”) … 81
Kim Novak (actress, “Falcon Crest,” “Bell Book and Candle,” “Vertigo”) … 92

Today’s Birthdays grade: The bulk of today’s names are long in the tooth – it’s just about 40 years since Peter Gabriel’s most successful album “So,” and over 60 years since the release of the classic Hitchcock film “Vertigo.” Young people may think of today as a C, older folks (fans of Peter Gabriel) might say A. We’ll let you be the judge.

[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!

“People have the strength to overcome their bodies. Their beauty is in their minds.”

(A) Kim Kardashian
(B) Dwayne Johnson
(C) Peter Gabriel

ANSWER: (C) Peter Gabriel

THIS DAY IN HISTORY

2021 – Archaeologists announced the discovery of the oldest known beer factory, in Abydos, Egypt, dating from early Dynastic period from 3150 B.C.- 2613 B.C.
* Guess how they celebrated. C’mon – guess!

2000 – Charles Schulz’s final original “Peanuts” strip ran in Sunday newspapers, the day after the cartoonist died at age 77.
* And Charlie Brown said “AAAAUUUUUGHHH!!!!!”

1990 – The U.S., Russia, France and England gave East and West Germany permission to reunify.
* France then immediately surrendered.

1981 – The New York Times newspaper published its longest ever sentence, comprising 1,286 words.
* I just wonder who it is counts all the sentences to keep track of who holds the record?

1959 – The Barbie doll went on sale for the first time.
* And it only took 64 years for her to have a smash movie.

1924 – King Tut’s tomb was opened.
* They say it was cursed – and you know what? EVERYBODY who was there when it was opened IS DEAD!

1866 – Jesse James held up his first bank at the age of 19.
* Personally, I don’t blame him. Remember what it was like trying to get a decent job at 19?

1741 – Andrew Bedford published the first American magazine, called “American Magazine.”
* GENIUS!

1635 – The oldest public school in the United States was founded, the Boston Public Latin School.
* It must not have been a big hit, judging by the number of people in Boston who speak Latin.

THIS DAY IN MUSIC HISTORY

2013 – Lady Gaga was forced to postponed her world tour after sustaining an injury which left her unable to walk. The singer had severe inflammation of the joints, known as synovitis.

2012 – Adele won all six categories she was nominated for at the Grammy Awards. The British singer won song of the year for “Rolling In the Deep,” and also received Grammys for best pop solo performance for “Someone Like You,” best pop vocal album and album of the year for “21,” and record of the year and best short form music video for “Rolling In the Deep.”

2007 – Rod Stewart was paid $1 million when he performed at a billionaire’s birthday bash. Stewart was booked to play a one-hour gig to help Steve Schwarzman celebrate his 60th birthday held at New York’s Park Avenue Armory.

2002 – Country singer, songwriter Waylon Jennings died in his sleep after a lengthy fight with diabetes.

1997 – Michael Jackson and wife Debbie Rowe became parents for the first time. The baby boy was born at Cedars-Sinai hospital.

1993 – Whitney Houston’s “I Will Always Love You” from the soundtrack to “The Bodyguard” topped Billboard’s Hot 100 singles chart for the 13th week, tying “End of the Road” from Boyz II Men as the longest-running No. 1 song of the rock era. The song held the top spot one additional week. Two years later, Boyz II Men tied Houston’s new 14-week record with “I’ll Make Love to You.”

1992 – Motley Crue announced Vince Neil was leaving the heavy metal group.

1988 – Novelty-act the California Raisins’ “I Heard It Through the Grapevine” peaked at No. 84 on Billboard’s Hot 100. The song was recorded by studio musicians based on Claymation characters featured in a TV ad for raisins.

1982 – A 300-pound marble slab marking the grave of Ronnie Van Zant of Lynyrd Skynyrd was stolen. Police found it two weeks later in a dry riverbed.

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. Men do THIS three times as much as women do. What is it?
Drink alcohol

2. The average woman does THIS three times a week, the average man, less than once a month. What is it?
Check their horoscope

3. Women are more likely to do THIS at night; men, in the morning. What is it?
Do the dishes

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