FRIDAY, Mar 14 – DAILY PREP TEXT VERSION

MORNING SIDEKICK DAILY PREP TEXT VERSION FOR FRIDAY, March 14, 2025
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COMEDY MP3s POSTED ON OUR PREP SITE FOR TODAY: SONG – WHEN YOU’RE IRISH IN A BAR; 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 – 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.)

ALBERT EINSTEIN’S BIRTHDAY / CELEBRATE SCIENTISTS DAY / GENIUS DAY / INTERNATIONAL DAY OF MATHEMATICS / NATIONAL PI DAY
The KeepIn Calendar website says this:
“International Ask a Question Day falls on the birthday of Albert Einstein, born on this day in 1879. One of his famous quotes was ‘The important thing is not to stop questioning.’ So, if you’ve been curious about something, unclear about something, or just want more information, ask a question today. The best way to learn is by asking questions. No question is a stupid question.”
Wikipedia says this:
“Pi Day is an annual celebration of the mathematical constant π (pi). Pi Day is observed on March 14 (the 3rd month) since 3, 1, and 4 are the first three significant figures of π, and was first celebrated in the United States. It was founded in 1988 by Larry Shaw, an employee of a science museum in San Francisco, the Exploratorium.”

LEARN ABOUT BUTTERFLIES DAY

NATIONAL POTATO CHIP DAY

SAVE A SPIDER DAY
The Holiday Calenar websie says this:
“This special day was created to highlight the importance of spiders in our environment. From providing food for other animals to helping keep insect populations in check, spiders play an essential role in keeping our ecosystems healthy and balanced.”

March is:

Adopt a Rescued Guinea Pig Month
American Red Cross Month
Employee Spirit Month
Expanding Girls’ Horizons in Science and Engineering Month
Gender Equality Month
Irish-American Heritage Month
National Craft Month
National Women Inventors Month
National Women’s History Month
Read an E-Book Month

ENTERTAINMENT & CELEBRITIES

THE SAMSUNG WALL OF TVs SALE

Samsung has a new promotion, just in time for March Madness and Baseball Season: A set of 8 televisions that can be mounted to your living room wall – so you can simultaneously watch each of the eight streaming services and channels that will be covering games. Samsung is calling it the Buzzer Beater Bundle. In Samsung’s words: “With 32 overlapping games on in a day across eight networks and channels, the bundle sales promotion ensures college basketball fans can stream every minute of the games.” The TV’s include:
1 x 98-inch Crystal UHD 4K TV
1 x 65-inch Neo QLED 8K TV
3 x 65-inch Neo QLED 4K TVs
3 x 55-inch QLED 4K TVs
The cost: $10,000. The package does not include mounting hardware, which can cost $200 apiece, or installation, or somebody to wire everything up for you.
* Or an 8-year-old kid to show you how to get all the TV’s to work.
* Or the contractor to come fix your wall when the weight of eight TVs send it crumbling to the floor.
* $10,000 for TVs? If somebody has all those streaming services, they’ve barely got anything left for food.
* Gotta admit, though… this is Guy Heaven.
* Although, with eight more TV remotes, it’s Grampa’s Hell.
* The Pentagon ordered five Buzzer Beater packages for their war room.

THE BUZZ

MOM-IN-LAW GETS BABY NAME TATTOO BEFORE PARENTS EVEN PICK A NAME

A story from “Am I The A–hole” (or “Am I the Jerk?”) on Reddit: A pregnant woman and her husband had picked out a name for their baby, but they hadn’t made it official yet. Despite that, her mother-in-law went and got the baby’s name tattooed on her wrist. The couple eventually decided to go with a different name, and when the mother-in-law found out, she was furious, and now she’s demanding they change it back. The woman says even her husband is asking his wife to reconsider just to keep the peace, but says she won’t do it.
* OK – change the baby’s name to the one that’s on mom’s wrist, but then she should change her husband’s name to Pussy. (or “Wussy”.)
* The answer is simple: Buy the mother-in-law a dog, and give the dog the name that’s tattooed on her wrist.
* How about a nice bracelet to cover the tattoo? Moms LOVE jewelry.
* Good rule of thumb when you’ve decided to get a tattoo: Wait 48 hours in case you think of a downside. Then wait another 48 hours. Then another – just to be sure.
* They ought to go with the name they want, and then in six months legally change it again. Shows mom who’s boss.
* PHONE TOPIC: Do you have an unusual or outrageous baby naming story?

U.S. NEWS

FLORIDA MAN HIT WITH JAR OF SALSA

Today’s Florida Food Assault story: a woman brained her boyfriend with a jar of salsa. According to the arrest warrant, the victim was at a restaurant with another woman Monday when someone took a picture of them and sent it to his regular girlfriend, Jessyka Holley-Lujan. A short time later, Holley-Lujan arrived at the bar and started swiping food and drinks off the table, police said. She then picked up a glass salsa jar and threw it at her boyfriend, striking him behind the ear. The couple took the fight outside and Holley-Lujan attempted to run over her boyfriend with her vehicle. When police officers arrived, the boyfriend told them, “She hit the hell out of me.” Holley-Lujan was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and assault causing injury.
* Even worse, the salsa was Extra Hot.
* It seems a woman like that would carry her own jar of salsa around in case the need to hit somebody came up.
* One ironic twist to the story: Her boyfriend’s name was Chip.
* Hey, buddy – next time you want to have dinner with somebody else, get takeout.
* Another week of this economy and Floridians are really going to regret throwing all this food around.

FLORIDA MAN WAKES UP TO ALLIGATOR IN THE LIVING ROOM

In Fort Myers, Florida, a man woke up Sunday morning to find an alligator in his living room. Paul Quinn said his first thought was: “Oh crap I got to deal with this today?” Quinn said he usually leaves the doors open to get some extra breeze. The reptile apparently got in by breaking through a screen. Quinn called the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. When they tried to haul the gator outside, it didn’t want to leave. The gator even took a bite out of one of the family’s dining room chairs.
* …not that anyone would notice. It’s Florida.
* I guess gators need fiber, too.
* Honestly, what Florida man DOESN’T wake up to an alligator in the living room?
* Actually, my first thought when I wake up EVERY day is “Oh crap I got to deal with this today?” ‘Cause you know there’s always gonna be somethin’ that comes up.
* And they’ve got those screen-bustin’ gators down there. Those are the scary ones.

“REALISTIC BUNNY TOY”

If you’re on the internet or social media for any amount of time lately, you’ve see the ads for “Realistic Bunny Toy – moves like a real bunny! Hops around! Wiggles its ears! Reacts to touch! Uniquely made by skilled artists!” The video is comprised of several very short clips of what looks like a real bunny. That’s because, in those ads, it probably is. Because the actual toy is a scam out of China. These bunny toys are being sold for anywhere from $12 to $30. But comments from unhappy buyers say they received nothing but a normal stuffed plush toy – no movement. Some did receive a cheap mechanical bunny, but it is not at all realistic and it hops around like it’s sitting on a gag pair of wind-up chattering teeth.
* Basically, a cute little bunny on amphetamines.
* So save your money this Easter. Use the 30 bucks to buy a dozen eggs.
* And you just know grandma’s gonna show up Easter morning with ten of these for the kids. There goes your inheritance.
* If it’s from China, why doesn’t you-know-who tariff the hell out of this thing?
* It’s the biggest marketing disappointment since the Joker sequel.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

NORWAY CHEATS AT SKI JUMPING

Is nothing sacred anymore? The Norway ski jumping team is being accused of cheating by altering the regulation ski jumping suits. Athletes noticed that the suits were a little loose in the crotch. This could cause a pocket of wind resistance to the jumper midflight. (* No one wants resistance blowing at their crotch mid-performance.) An investigation found the suits’ crotches “contained a reinforced thread, making them more aerodynamic,” by reducing the amount of resistance to blowing in the crotchal area. Plus, extra material had been added – the extra stiffer material between athletes’ legs helped add to flight time. (* Wait – are we still talking about ski jumping?) In any event, two Norway Olympic gold medalists were suspended Wednesday and cannot compete in a World Cup event in Oslo that started on Thursday. Though both athletes insisted they knew nothing about deliberately altered ski suits, their head coach and equipment manager confessed to manipulating the crotch area and were, uh, discharged.
* Fired. The word is fired. Are we not doing phrasing anymore?
* “Coach, my suit feels stiffer… down there.” “That’s perfectly normal for a man your age, Olaf.”
* This is outrageous! Modifying the wind resistance of one square foot of a ski jumper’s suit could improve their time by as much as one-millionth of a second!
* Sorry, but compared to “deflategate,” I’m finding it hard to get excited about this.
* The plan was discovered when one Norwegian went off the jump in Norway and landed in Sweden.

ALMANACNOTABLE DATES, UPCOMING U.S. OBSERVANCES

March 17, Monday – St. Patrick’s Day
March 20, Thursday – Spring begins, Spring Equinox is 5:01 a.m. EDT
April 1, Tuesday – April Fools Day
April 15, Tuesday – U.S. Tax Day
May 11, Sunday – Mother’s Day
May 26, Monday – Memorial Day

BIRTHDAYS

Taylor Hanson (singer, musician, “Hanson”) … 42
Chris Klein (actor, “Sweet Magnolias”, “The Flash”) … 48
Grace Park (actress, “Hawaii Five-0”, “Battlestar Galactica”) … 51
Betsy Brandt (actress, “Life in Pieces,” “Breaking Bad”) … 52
Kristian Merrill Bush (country singer-songwriter w Sugarland) … 55
Tamara Tunie (actress, “Law and Order: SVU”) … 66
Rick Dees (TV and radio personality) … 74
Billy Crystal (comedian/actor) … 77
Michael Martin Murphey (Country singer-songwriter) … 80
Michael Caine (actor) … 92

Today’s Birthdays grade: If you think Billy Crystal’s been around forever, how about Michael Caine? 92 years old, and he’s been in about 60,000 movies. We also have an original Breaking Bad castmember, a radio guy who made it big, some other okay names, and … Taylor Hanson. Grade: We’ll leave Taylor Hanson out of the judging and give today a B-minus.

[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!

“First of all, I choose the great (roles), and if none of these come, I choose the mediocre ones, and if they don’t come, I choose the ones that pay the rent.”

(A) Nicolas Cage
(B) Robert De Niro
(C) Michael Caine

ANSWER: (C) Michael Caine

THIS DAY IN HISTORY

2017 – The world’s oldest golf club, Muirfield in Scotland, voted to admit women as members for the 1st time in 273 years.
* Male chauvinism? Par for the course.

1989 – Imported assault guns were banned in the U.S. under President Bush #1.
* ‘Cause if you’re going to shoot up your workplace, for heaven’s sake buy American!

1979 – The Census Bureau reported that 95% of all Americans were married or would get married.
* 25% of those would marry Liz Taylor.

1943 – U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt became the first U.S. President to fly in an airplane while in office.
* “The only thing we have to fear – is hitting the ground really hard.”

1938 – “Superman” appeared in a comic book for the first time.
* “Is it a bird?” “Is it a plane?” “I don’t know, it’s very badly drawn.”

1903 – The U.S. Senate ratified the Hay-Herran Treaty which guaranteed the U.S. the right to build a canal at Panama. The Colombian Senate rejected the treaty.
* So in true blue American fashion we just took it.

1794 – Eli Whitney patented the cotton gin.
* And tomorrow is the anniversary of the first cotton hangover.

THIS DAY IN MUSIC HISTORY

2016 – Sony ATV Music Publishing announced that it would buy out Michael Jackson’s share of a joint music publishing venture for $750m. The purchase gave Sony the rights to about three million songs, including works by The Beatles, Bob Dylan and Taylor Swift, but did not include Jackson’s master recordings.

2006 – U2 topped Rolling Stone magazine’s annual list of the year’s biggest money earners from 2005 with $154.2m. The Rolling Stones were listed second with $92.5m and The Eagles third with 63.2m. Paul McCartney was in fourth place with $56m and Elton John in fifth with $48.9m.

2005 – Michael Jackson was blasted by British Army veterans for wearing military badges while on trail for child abuse. The singer had appeared in court on most days with either an Army motif on his breast pocket or a cap badge tied around his neck.

2001 – Former Spice Girl Geri Halliwell was banned from driving for six weeks and fined $680 for speeding in her Aston Martin DB7. Geri was caught on a speed camera doing 60 mph in a 30 mph zone.

2001 – Peter Blake, who designed The Beatles’ classic Sgt. Pepper album cover, sued the group’s record company for more money. Blake was paid $340 in 1967, but was “cheesed off” that EMI never offered to pay more money.

1998 – Will Smith started a three-week run at No.1 on the U.S. singles chart with “Gettin’ Jiggy Wit It.”

1995 – With the release of “Me Against the World” Tupac Shakur became the first male solo artist to have a No.1 album on the Billboard chart while in prison.

1990 – Michael Jackson was voted artist of the decade at the annual “Soul Train Awards.”

1990 – Flea and Chad Smith from The Red Hot Chili Peppers were arrested for sexually harassing a woman on Daytona Beach, Florida, they were each fined $1,000.

1987 – Huey Lewis and the News went to No.1 on the U.S. singles chart with “Jacob’s Ladder.”

1984 – Annie Lennox of The Eurythmics married Hare Krishna devotee Radha Raman. They started divorce proceedings the following year.

1983 – Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora and Alec John Such got together and formed Bon Jovi.

1981 – Eric Clapton was hospitalized with bleeding ulcers, causing a U.S. tour to be canceled.

1973 – Elton John was at No.1 on the U.S. singles chart with “Crocodile Rock.”

1958 – The Recording Industry Association of America certified the first official million-selling single, awarding the first “gold record” to Perry Como’s “Catch a Falling Star.”

1955 – CBS talent scout Arthur Godfrey turned down the chance to sign Elvis Presley. Instead, he signed singer Pat Boone.

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. 8 out 10 men in a recent survey said THIS was their favorite toy as a child. What was it?
A squirt gun

2. A recent survey shows that 73% of men would prefer not to go HERE on a first date or any other date night for that matter. Where is it?
A dance club

3. In a recent study on fear, men admit to being more afraid than women when it comes to doing THIS. What is it?
Going to a dentist

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