FRIDAY, Apr 26 – DAILY PREP TEXT VERSION

MORNING SIDEKICK DAILY PREP TEXT VERSION FOR FRIDAY, April 26, 2024
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COMEDY MP3s POSTED ON OUR PREP SITE FOR TODAY: 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.)

ARBOR DAY

AUDUBON DAY
The National Day Calendar website says this:
“Set aside to honor the birth of John James Aududon (April 26, 1785 – January 27, 1851). Audubon was a French-American ornithologist, naturalist, and painter, noted for his extensive studies of American birds and his detailed illustrations of the birds in their natural habitats. Audubon’s greatest work was ‘The Birds of America’ which is considered one of the finest ornithological works ever completed. His work in this book contains more than 700 North American bird species with 435 hand-colored, life-size prints of 497 bird species.”

ASPCA HELP A HORSE DAY
The ASPCA website says this:
“Help a Horse Day is a national celebration and contest to raise awareness of the plight of horses. Equine rescues and sanctuaries are encouraged to host an event highlighting the work they do and showing community members how they can help.”

NATIONAL KIDS AND PETS DAY

NATIONAL PRETZEL DAY

REMEMBER YOUR FIRST KISS DAY

RICHTER SCALE DAY
The Days Of The Year website says this:
“If there’s ever a day to hold onto hats, double-test foundations and keep an ear out for rumblings deep within the Earth, it’s Richter Scale Day. This occasion is an acknowledgement and celebration of the birthday of the man who taught the world how to measure earthquakes – Charles F. Richter. Born in 1900, the American earthquake obsessive (technically known as a ‘seismologist’), came up with the Richter Scale in 1935, while at the California Institute of Technology. Since then, the world has been able to compare various earthquakes and investigate their relative power for destruction. The 20th century’s biggest happened in Chile on 22 May 1960, measuring a magnitude of 9.5. Some people celebrate by getting together with a bunch of friends to watch their favorite disaster films. 1974’s Earthquake, 1999’s Aftershock: Earthquake in New York and 2003’s The Core are all popular choices.”

WORLD INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY DAY

April is:

Adopt a Greyhound Month
Car Care Month
Celebrate Diversity Month
D.E.A.R Drop Everything and Read Month
International Guitar Month
Jazz Appreciation Month
Keep America Beautiful Month
National Card and Letter Writing Month
National Garden Month
National Humor Month
National Poetry Month

ENTERTAINMENT & CELEBRITIES

PET SHOP BOY DISSES TAYLOR SWIFT

In a new interview with The Guardian, The Pet Shop Boys’ Neil Tennant shared his thoughts on Taylor Swift’s new album, “The Tortured Poets Department.” He says, “I have listened to Taylor Swift’s album. Taylor Swift sort of fascinates me as a phenomenon because she’s so popular and I sort of quite like the whole thing. But then when I listen to the records … where are the famous songs? What is Taylor Swift’s ‘Billie Jean’?” When someone suggested “Shake It Off” as an equivalent to “Beat It,” Tennant responded, “Is it though? I listened to that the other day, and it’s not ‘Billie Jean.’ It’s not… Melodically — she’s got a great voice, by the way, and the production’s beautiful — but melodically … it’s all sung one or two notes going up and down… But, anyway, it’s a fascinating thing.”
* And a deathly silence filled the room. No one moved, no one said a word. Then, the interviewer put away their microphone and quickly ran out the door.
* You’re right, Neil. She’ so sucky it took her new album FIVE WHOLE DAYS to pass 1 billion streams on Spotify. (True.)
* We could explain to Neil that it’s smart to write simple songs your fans can sing along with, but – meh, the guy turns 70 in July. What’s the point?
* Well, Neil Tennant, it’s been a nice career. Good luck looking over your shoulder the rest of your life.
* That’s totally unfair criticism. Taylor learned four, maybe five new notes on this album.

RYAN SEACREST BREAKS UP WITH GIRLFRIEND

Ryan Seacrest and Aubrey Paige are ending their relationship after dating for three years. They have “mutually decided to part ways,” a source close to the couple says. Seacrest is 49, and Paige is 27. A spokesman says they “plan to stay in each other’s lives as good friends and support one another’s endeavors.”
* She’ll support Ryan in his TV hosting jobs, and he’ll support her as she finishes high school.
* Who knew Leonardo DiCaprio was his dating coach?
* Some women hear a biological clock ticking. Some guys hear a clock ticking a countdown ’til their girlfriend hits 30.
* One morning you’re gonna wake up and hear, “Seacrest out!” You have to accept that going in when you date Ryan Seacrest.

THE BUZZ

WE’VE ALL EXPERIENCED THIS

Buzzfeed has compiled a list of “Things Every Single Person On Earth Has Experienced But Would Never Dare Talk About”:
– “The receptionist at the dentist will look you dead in the eye and ask if you are available 4 months and 18 days from now.”
– “Going to bed with one nostril open, and the other nostril clogged.”
– “Googling the number that just called you instead of answering.”
– “Leaving 36 reusable bags at home, so the cashier has to ask if you need to buy a bag.”
– “Walking to your gate at the airport to make sure it exists before you go to buy food.”
– “Don’t talk to me while I’m rubbing my eye or I won’t hear you.”
– “Pretending to need something else at the store until the person moves outta the way of the thing I actually need.”
– “Website asks: you must be of legal age to view this content. What year were you born? You answer: 1753”
– “When you missed school but were thinking, ‘They’re all eating lunch right now.'”
– “You carry your pet to your room and it walks out.”
– “Watching TV with your parents as a kid and not moving a moscle because it’s past your bedtime and they haven’t noticed.”
– “Trying to stay sleepy when you have to get up to go to the bathroom at 4am.”
– “You finish the ice cream but start nibbling on the stick.”
– “When your ear randomly pops and your hearing suddenly increases by 50%.”
– “Walking out of the store pretending you didn’t steal anything, even though you didn’t steal anything.”

U.S. NEWS

AUDIO: DRUNK DRIVER BURSTS INTO SONG DURING ARREST

Around 2 a.m. last Monday, Marion County Sheriff’s Officers in Belleview, Florida, came upon a motorist unconscious behind the wheel of his idling vehicle. When the man was awakened by the officer knocking on his window, he burst into song, singing along to the radio and obviously impaired. When asked how much he had to drink, the driver responded: “Not enough.” The 35-year-old man told deputies he believed his vehicle was on the shoulder of the road. However, deputies pointed out it was actually in a turn lane. He refused to do a field sobriety test and was arrested and charged with driving under the influence. It’s not known exactly what he was singing.
* “Jailhouse Blues,” eventually.
* You know where guys like him end up? Sing Sing.
* He ended on a high note. And boy, was he high.
* I blame “Carpool Karaoke.”
CLIP: Police bodycam audio of the arrest. No, you can’t hear him singing, but it’s anybody’s guess what’s playing on the radio.
CLIP URL: morningsidekick(dot)com/prep/wp-content/uploads/DrunkDriverSinging(dot)mp3

THE LIFE OF A PROFESSIONAL MERMAID

Elle Jimenez is a 34-year-old mermaid in Miami, Florida. She claims to be the “busiest professional mermaid entertainer in the world” — sometimes with three bookings in a day. Jimenez said she had to train to become a mermaid, with three months of swimming lessons, then scuba certification and lifeguard certificate. She performs in a $5,000 silicone tail, which has to be replaced every three years. Jimenez says that most mermaids are paid around $300 an hour (* Which is scale — har!), but she charges anywhere from $500 to $10,000, depending on the event and venue. (* And whether they want her to take off her top, I bet.) She performs at birthday parties, corporate events, residency shows, upscale and celebrity events. She has performed for celebrities including the Jonas Brothers, DJ Khaled, Bruno Mars and more.
* $500, and all the fish she can eat.
* How much of a cut does she have to give to King Neptune?
* The one downside: mermaids can come down with a massive case of ich.
* Sometimes you get stalked by Aquaman.
* Why did my high school guidance counselor never present mermaiding as a career option?

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

PRISONERS MET BY COPS AT END OF ESCAPE TUNNEL

A group of around 20 inmates tried to break out of a prison in Maracaibo, Venezuela, on Aprtil 17. The prisoners had managed to dig a tunnel – the exit was a hole in a concrete wall barely big enough for a person to squeeze through. Unfortunately for them, a group of about 30 police officers were attending a training course outside the prison and saw the inmates coming through the hole. They walked over and met them, one-by-one, as they popped through the escape hole, and marched them right back into the prison.
* Not so much an escape hole as a home-made revolving door.
* They shouldn’ta taken a left turn at Albuquerque.
* This is why you should always send a drone out first for a look around.
* They’re calling it The Shawshank Pre-emption.
* I’d say all the cops passed the training course.

60-YEAR-OLD WINS MISS UNIVERSE BUENOS AIRES

Alejandra Marisa Rodríguez, a 60-year-old Argentine, was crowned Miss Universe for the province of Buenos Aires on Wednesday. Rodríguez’s victory is being celebrated as a significant milestone in challenging ageist norms and redefining societal standards of attractiveness. She will next be competing alongside women chosen from each province of the country. Rodríguez expressed her joy at being chosen to represent this new paradigm in beauty pageants, saying, “I am thrilled to be representing this new paradigm in beauty pageants because we are inaugurating a new stage in which women are not only physical beauty but another set of values. I am the first of this generation to start with this.”
* It didn’t hurt that she’s one of the judge’s Mommy.
* The only people who watch beauty pageants anymore are people over 70, so she’s considered quite the youngster.
* Well, they say you age much slower in space.
* At 60, her talent is just waking up in the morning.
* 65-year-old Madonna – still breaking down barriers for women.

TRENDING

MIKE PINDER OF MOODY BLUES, DEAD AT 82

Classic rock fans, Moody Blues founder Mike Pinder has died at 82. Pinder, best known for playing the keyboard and particularly the Mellotron on that classic run of Moody Blues albums in the 1960’s and 70’s. He was one of the founding members of the rock group. He died at his home in Northern California, and the cause of death was not announced. He was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2018.

JERRY SEINFELD TALKS HUGH GRANT’S AUDITION AS TONY THE TIGER

Jerry Seinfeld and his writing partner Spike Feresten were talking about the casting for their upcoming Netflix movie “Unfrosted,” about the cereal rivalry between Kellpgg’s and Post. Seinfeld says, “There was a long time where we didn’t have anybody to make this movie. We had the budget, we had the script, but we didn’t have any people to play the parts.” One of the parts was for the actor who played Tony the Tiger. They asked Hugh Grant. Grant sent them a homemade iPhone videoaudition tape. “He had a glass of wine in his hand, and he was on the couch. We were just stunned on how homemade his audition was — and how good it was. Here’s Hugh Grant at 8 o’clock at night before he goes to bed, crushing the lines. Crushing.” After Grant signed on to the project, Seinfeld said “a lot of other people started falling in after that.”

MOST POPULAR BAND T-SHIRTS IN EVERY STATE

What is the most popular band T-shirt in your state? An analysis, according to the number of Google searches:
– New York, Washington, Massachusetts and South Carolina: Olivia Rodrigo
– Illiinois, Indiana, Tennessee: Justin Timberlake
– Oregon, Nevada: Katy Perry
– Idaho, Connecticut: Dan + Shay
– Kansas, Missouri: Poppy
– South Dakota, Arkansas: Lily Allen
– Texas, Florida: Bad Bunny
– New Hampshire, Maine: Gabby Barrett
– California: Rico Nasty
– Montana: Colter Wall
– Utah: Charlie Puth
– Wyoming: Adam Lambert
– Colorado: Skrillex
– Arizona: Seven Lions
– New Mexico: Sky Ferreira
– North Dakota: Sawyer Brown
– Nebraska: Marty Stewart
– Oklahoma: Vince Gill
– Minnesota: Diplo
– Iowa: Sabaton
– Louisiana: Garth Brooks
– Mississippi, Ohio: Hardy
– Alabama: Hank Williams, Jr.
– Georgia: Usher
– Wisconsin: Lee Brice
– Michigan: Meghan Trainor
– Kentucky: Tyler Childers
– North Carolina: Eric Church
– West Virgina: Jelly Roll
– Virginia: En Vogue
– Delaware: Pink
– Maryland: Ozzy Osbourne
– New Jersey: Little Mix
– Pennsylvania: The Chemical Brothers
– Rhode island: Pink
– Vermont: Dua Lipa
– Alaska: Bassnectar
– Hawaii: Ariana Grande

ALMANAC

NOTABLE DATES, UPCOMING U.S. OBSERVANCES

May 12, Sunday – Mother’s Day
May 27, Monday – Memorial Day
June 14, Friday – Flag Day
June 16, Sunday – Father’s Day
June 20, Thursday – Summer begins (The June solstice occurs at 4:50 P.M. EST)

BIRTHDAYS

Emily Wickersham (actress, “NCIS”) … 40
Channing Tatum (actor) … 44
Pablo Schreiber (actor, “American Gods,” “Orange is the New Black”) … 46
Jay DeMarcus (bassist w Rascal Flatts) … 53
Jeff Huskins (keyboardist with Little Texas) … 58
Kevin James (actor-comedian) … 59
Jet Li (actor) … 61
Roger Taylor (drummer with Duran Duran) … 64
Giancarlo Esposito (actor, “Parish,” “The Gentlemen,” “The Mandalorian,” “Better Call Saul,” ″Breaking Bad”) … 66
Carol Burnett (comedienne and comic actress, “Better Call Saul”) … 91

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

“I don’t know if I’m very complicated at all. I wish I was. I wish I was one of these deep, intricate people. But I just love having fun really.”

(A) Joe Biden
(B) Elon Musk
(C) Channing Tatum

ANSWER: (C) Channing Tatum

THIS DAY IN HISTORY

2002 – Vermont Gov. Howard Dean signed the nation’s first bill allowing same-sex couples to form civil unions.
* No matter what your sexual orientation, you should be allowed to be as miserable as everybody else.

1986 – The Chernobyl nuclear reactor meltdown occurred.
* The wreckage spewed radioactive gas around the world – the largest export the Soviet Union ever made.

1941 – A tradition began in Chicago as an organ debuted at a baseball game.
* An organ would debut at a rock concert some 25 years later in Miami, courtesy of Jim Morrison.

1930 – The twin Popsicle was invented.
* Ah, twice the flavor, twice the fun … twice the cavities …

THIS DAY IN MUSIC HISTORY

2008 – Amy Winehouse spent the night in custody after being arrested on suspicion of assault. Police said Winehouse had been “in no fit state” to be questioned when she arrived at the London station and she was kept in a cell. The 24-year-old was to be questioned about an incident said to have occurred 3 days earlier after a 38-year-old man claimed he was assaulted. Winehouse admitted to police that she slapped the man’s face with her hand.

1999 – Sinead O’Connor was ordained as the first female priest in the Latin Tridentine Church.

1993 – Singers Bobby Brown and Queline Young were fined $850 for public lewdness, after simulating sex during a concert.

1990 – Danny Wood, one of the New Kids On The Block, needed hospital treatment after tripping over a stuffed toy on stage.

1982 – British singer Rod Stewart was held up by a gunman on Sunset Boulevard, who robbed him of his Porsche.

1975 – B.J. Thomas had the longest title of a number one song at the top of the Billboard popular music chart. The song was “(Hey Won’t You Play) Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song.”

1977 – New York’s famed disco Studio 54 opened.

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. The average American is most likely to do THIS alone. What is it?
Eat breakfast

2. The average American will do THIS about 1800 times in their life. What is it?
Eat at a McDonald’s

3. The average American consumes the equivalent of 50 of THESE every day. What are they?
Teaspoons of sugar

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