MONDAY ALMANAC – Aug 31

NOTABLE DATES, UPCOMING U.S. OBSERVANCES

Sept. 7, Monday – Labor Day
Sept. 11, Friday – Patriot Day
Sept. 18, Friday – National POW/MIA Recognition Day
Sept. 22, Tuesday – Fall begins (Autumn Equinox is 8:05 p.m. EDT)
Oct. 12, Monday – Columbus Day
Oct. 16, Friday – National Boss’s Day
Oct. 31, Saturday – Halloween

BIRTHDAYS

Sara Ramirez (actress, “And Just Like That,” “Madam Secretary,” “Grey’s Anatomy”) … 51
Chris Tucker (actor, “Rush Hour” movies) … 54
Debbie Gibson (singer) … 56
Gina Schock (drummer with The Go-Go’s) … 69
Glenn Tilbrook (singer, guitarist with Squeeze) … 69
Richard Gere (actor) … 77
Van Morrison (singer) … 81

Today’s Birthdays grade: Today’s lineup is a strong roster with genuine legends and solid supporting talent across film and music, including a major movie star, a rock legend, a ’90s comedy star, an ’80s pop star, and quality supporting players. Grade: B-plus.

[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 a grade from 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 cry every chance I get.”

(A) Kim Jong-Un
(B) Dwayne Johnson
(C) Richard Gere

ANSWER: (C) Richard Gere

THIS DAY IN HISTORY

2010 – President Barack Obama ended the U.S. combat mission in Iraq, declaring no victory after seven years of bloodshed.
* From “Thanks, Obama,” to “Thanks, Bush.”

2009 – The Walt Disney Co. announced it was acquiring comic book giant Marvel Entertainment for $4 billion.
* “Hulk no like! Hulk smash!!!”

1997 – Princess Diana of Wales died at age 36 in a car crash in Paris. Her companion, Dodi Fayed, and their chauffeur were also killed.
* Jeez! Really? I don’t remember hearing about this …

1980 – Poland’s Solidarity labor movement was born with an agreement signed in Gdansk that ended a 17-day strike.
* This was how President Reagan single-handedly began the collapse of the Soviet Union.

1920 – The first radio news program was broadcast, in Detroit.
* The lead story was “This is the First Radio News Program.”

1895 – The very first professional football game was played. The winning quarterback was paid $10.
* When asked what he was going to do next, said: “Well, since Walt Disney hasn’t built a theme park yet, I have nowhere to go.”

1842 – Blacksmith Mikah Rugg was granted the first patent for nuts and bolts.
* And you thought Microsoft was an insidious monopoly.

THIS DAY IN MUSIC HISTORY

2006 – The Times of London ran a story on the demands of rock stars when on tour. Ozzy Osbourne insists on an eye, ear, nose and throat doctor at each venue. The Beach Boys require a licensed masseur, Meat Loaf a mask and one small tank of oxygen. David Bowie requests that the dressing room temperature is between 57 and 64 degrees Fahrenheit and Paul McCartney must have a large arrangement of white Casablanca lilies in his dressing room. Mick Jagger must have an onstage teleprompter with the lyrics to all the songs and the name of the city in which they are performing.

2002 – NASA announced that Lance Bass, singer with *NSYNC, was to become the first celebrity astronaut. His $23.8 million place on a Russian Soyuz module would make him the youngest person at 23 years of age to go into orbit. Bass ended up not taking part in the flight after failing to pay for his $20 million ticket on the craft.

1995 – The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum opened in Cleveland. The city was argued to be the birthplace of rock beginning in the rooms of radio station WMMS, where disc jockey Alan Freed coined the term “rock ‘n’ roll” in the early 1950s.

1991 – Metallica’s self-titled fifth studio album (commonly referred to as The Black Album) began a four-week run at the top of the Billboard 200. In 1992, Metallica won a Grammy for Best Metal Performance, and the album went on to be certified 16x Platinum by the RIAA.

1987 – Michael Jackson’s “Bad” video was televised for the first time on CBS-TV.

1974 – “The Partridge Family” television show ended.

1968 – One of the Rolling Stones’ most political songs, “Street Fighting Man,” was released by Decca Records. Inspired by an anti-Vietnam war rally that Mick Jagger attended, the song was banned by many U.S. radio stations, due to its seemingly subversive lyrics.