THURSDAY, Apr 25 – DAILY PREP TEXT VERSION

MORNING SIDEKICK DAILY PREP TEXT VERSION FOR THURSDAY, April 25, 2024
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COMEDY MP3s POSTED ON OUR PREP SITE FOR TODAY: LAWN A.I.; 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, or the hundreds of disease awareness listings which occur each year.)

BRING A KID TO WORK DAY

EAST MEETS WEST DAY
The National Day Calendar website says this:
“National East Meets West Day is observed annually on April 25th. Also known as Elbe Day, this day commemorates the day the Eastern front of the Allied forces met the Western front on the River Elbe. World War II had been raging for over six years. During the previous year, several events had begun to turn the tides of the war against the Axis powers. In April of 1945, the Allies were marching toward peace, but it would require a coordinated effort from both American troops in the East and Soviet armies from the West. The units were not supposed to make contact with each other. They were given orders to remain on their eastern and western banks of the river while officers from each division formalized occupation of Berlin. However, when the two armies met on April 25th south of Berlin outside Torgau on the River Elbe, patrols were sent across the river in a small boat. The first to make contact were American First Lieutenant Albert Kotzebue and Soviet Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Gardiev along with their commands. Two days later, photographers commemorated the event of the Eastern front meeting the Western front.”

HAIRSTYLIST APPRECIATION DAY

NATIONAL GOLF DAY

NATIONAL MANI-PEDI DAY

NATIONAL PLUMBERS DAY

WORLD PENGUIN 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

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

THURSDAY, Apr 25

“Dead Boy Detectives”
Netflix – New Series
Synopsis: Edwin and Charles, two ghosts from different time periods, team up to solve paranormal mysteries.

Season Premiere:
Prime Video – “Them: The Scare”

FRIDAY, Apr 26

“Knuckles”
Paramount+ – New Series
Synopsis: Taking place between the Sonic 2 and Sonic 3 movies, the series follows Knuckles (Idris Elba) on a hilarious and action-packed journey of self-discovery as he agrees to train Wade as his protégé and teach him the ways of the Echidna warrior.

“Thank You, Goodnight: The Bon Jovi Story”
Hulu – New Docuseries
Synopsis: Chronicles the epic past and uncertain future of one of the most recognizable bands in the world and its front-man Jon Bon Jovi. A 40-year odyssey of rock and roll idolatry is on the precipice as a vocal injury threatens to bring everything to a screeching halt.

“The New York Times Presents: Broken Horses”
FX – New Documentary
Synopsis: After 12 12 racehorses died last year at Churchill Downs, the home of the Kentucky Derby, reporters investigate what threw horseracing into crisis and left fans wondering why so many horses are breaking down so frequently.

Season Premieres:
HBO – “We’re Here”
Max – “Velma”
The CW – “100 Days to Indy”

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. “9-Year-Old Boy Takes Top Spot In European Gull Screeching Contest”
2. “My Nose Ballooned When I Got Pregnant”
3. “Here’s Why We Should Start Giving Our Friends A Ride To The Airport”
And here’s a spare, in case you don’t like one of those three: “I Turned Mountain Dew Into Wine ”

DATING A CO-WORKER

Reddit asked, “Did you ever go out with a coworker, how did it turn out?” SOme of the responses;
– “So many problems. People gossip.”
– “Fun, awkward at work, would never do it again.”
– “Three different occasions. I couldn’t wait for those dates to end. It was like being at work.”
– “I slept with a coworker, it went a bit sour somehow, and I found myself also unemployed because she knew the boss’s daughter.”
– “Got dumped and it was awkward having to see her every day.”
– “We had sex. I changed jobs after that. Now I have a permanent contract, earn more, am closer to work and work from home a lot. I would do it the same way again.”
– “He ended up getting fired for using the company credit card to take me on expensive dinner dates and buying me pricey gifts. I didn’t have a clue.”
– “It was agreed it was just fun, food & drinks always. We still remain friends.”
– “Married him.” “Married 14 years now.” “Together 16 years, married for 12, best decisionn of my life.”
* PHONE TOPIC: Did you ever date someone from work? How did it turn out?

U.S. NEWS

FLORIDA MAN RUNS OVER ALLIGATOR TO SAVE NEIGHBOR IN ITS JAWS

In Florida last Friday, in an area south of Fort Myers known as The Quarry, Walter Rudder and his wife were driving and saw their neighbor, Rick Fingeret, lying on the ground, waving his arm. He pulled over, got out of the car and noticed that an 11-foot alligator had Fingeret by the leg and was dragging him into a pond. Mr. Fingeret had been out walking his two dogs when the gator got him. Fingeret asked Rudder to run the alligator over, hoping it would release its jaws from around his leg. That seemed to do the trick. The alligator released Mr. Fingeret and returned to the water. He was taken to a hospital, where he is now recovering.
* I helped my neighbor take down some dead branches last week. Mm-hmm, I did.
* “So not fair,” muttered the alligator as it slunk away.
* “Yeah, Fingeret, I’ll run the alligator over with my truck, but first I want to talk about those barking dogs of yours.”
* Wait – has anybody SEEN the two dogs?
* Fingeret? I didn’t even go near it!

HOME DEPOT GOES ALL-IN ON GIANT HALLOWEEN DECORATIONS

Home Depot has announced more giant yard decorations for Halloween. Skelly, the famous12-foot skeleton, will be back – if you can find it, because they always sell out early. And by early we mean this Friday. In addition to Skelly, here’s what Home Depot has come up with:
– A 5-foot tall skeleton dog
– A 12-foot skeleton with green and red-glowing chest and head
– A 7-foot animatronic Frankenstein
* Products are now available online while supplies las— oops, all gone!
* If you don’t buy one immediately, you’re boned.
* A shout-out to the first person who poses the dog skeleton humping Skelly’s leg.
* Every purchase comes with a map to the nearest U-Store-It lot, because you’re gonna need it.
* On the bright side, buy a couple of these, and there’s no money left for all those stupid projects around the house.

MAN SUES AMUSEMENT PARK FOR CLOSED RIDE

A man is suing Kennywood, a classic old amusement park in West Mifflin, Pennsylvania, claiming the park engaged in deceptive conduct because they sold season passes without telling anybody its main attraction, the Steel Curtain roller coaster, was shut down for the season. Joshua Williams, a season pass holder, calls it a bait-and-switch situation, where you were promised one thing and given another after you already paid for it. The park says it cannot comment on pending litigation.
* So – the amusement park took everybody for a ride. And simultaneously DIDN’T.
* “I’m sorry, sir, you’ll just have to vomit on one of our many other thrill rides.”
* “But if you want, you can hop on the Merry-Go-Round and we’ll turn it up to ‘high’.”
* “Steel Curtain”? Is that what you slam into at the end of the ride?
[Morning Sidekick true story: as a young lad, MS was obsessed with wanting to ride The Matterhorn at Disneyland. Every time they showed the POV clip on Wonderful World of Disney, he watched with excited anticipation. Lo, there came the day as a young adult when traveled across the country, arriving at the gates of ride heaven. And there, on the “Rides Not Operational Today” sign: Matterhorn.]

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

PILOT PROPOSES TO FLIGHT ATTENDANT MID-FLIGHT

A Polish pilot proposed to his flight attendant girlfriend during a flight from Warsaw to Krakow. Captain Konrad Hanc, a pilot for LOT Polish Airlines, came out of the cockpit, held a bunch of flowers, and popped the question over the plane’s intercom. He said, “Ladies and gentlemen, about one and a half years ago in this job I met the most wonderful person that completely changed my life. You are most precious to me. You are my greatest dream come true. This is why I have to ask you a favor, honey. Will you marry me?” Paula, the attendant, ran down the aisle of the plane to hug her future husband as the passengers clapped.
* What was embarrassing was, after Paula, attendants Natalia and Irina also came running down the aisle.
* “I love you, Paula. Now, can you get me some coffee?”
* Their honeymoon plans are up in the air.
* Speaking of airlines, I hope neither of them has a lot of baggage.
* If you care, the happy couple is registered at the Snacks and Magazine stand at Warsaw international Airport.

MARATHON RUNNER TASTES 25 WINES DURING RUN

A wine connoisseur sampled 25 wines during last weekend’s London Marathon, raising more than £14,000 (over $17,000) for charity in the process. Tom Gilbey, 52, performed a blind tasting of a different wine at every mile. Being a wine expert, he took up a challenge to name each wine’s vintage, grape and producer. He managed to name, “mostly correctly,” 21 wines, getting four wrong. He avoided getting tipsy by only drinking small sips or sometimes not swallowing the wine at all. Gibley said, “If they were good, I might swallow it and if they were bad, they went on the road.”
* Yeah, but the guy who hung onto the rest of the bottles was plastered.
* “This one has a bouquet of repulsive, tangy … oh, wait – that’s my sweat.”
* After each tasting, they gave him the cork from the next bottle to sniff for the next mile.
* Now that idea just might get me into a marathon. If it were beer instead of wine. Or donuts.
* I don’t get into marathons to drink wine. I whine to get out of marathons.

TRENDING

TAYLOR SWIFT BREAKS ANOTHER RECORD

Taylor Swift has broken another record. The Tortured Poets Department is now Spotify‘s most-streamed album in a single week — after only five days. On Wednesday, it passed 1 billion streams since its April 19 release.

RAINN WILSON PRANKED BY ITALIAN HOTEL

Rainn Wilson, who played Dwight Schrute for eight years on “The Office,” went on Instagram to share a prank pulled by room service during a hotel stay in Florence, Italy. The kitchen sent his meal up with a knife and fork encased in bright red Jell-O. The move was reminiscent of a prank on the pilot episode of “The Office” where Jim had encased Dwight’s stapler in Jell-O.

NEW JOHNNY CASH ALBUM COMING

A new album comprised of never-before-heard tracks written by Johnny Cash will be released on June 28. The country music icon died in 2003 at age 71. The new album, titled “Songwriter,” is an 11-track record that showcases Cash’s ability to capture the human condition in song. He writes about sorrow, beauty, spirituality and redemption and sings in his signature style. The songs aren’t new – Cash recorded them in 1993 as demos, but his son John Carter Cash decided to strip the songs back to Cash’s vocals and acoustic guitar and re-produce them with new musical overlays. Also appearing on the album: The Black Keys’ Dan Auerbach, Vince Gill, Marty Stewart and Waylon Jennings.

HEALTHY CEREALS

Do you eat cereal in the morning? Or for dinner, you sad sack? Here, according to a writer for The Takeout food website, are the Ten Most Healthy Cereals according to these criteria:
– 200 calories or less per serving
– 10(ish) grams of sugar or less per serving
– Some kind of whole grain promise
– Low sodium content:
1. Cheerios
2. Puffins Original
3. Rice Chex
4. Mom’s Best Oats & Honey Blend
5. Cascadian Farms Honey Nut O’s
6. Love Grown Power O’s
7. Kellogg’s Special K
8. Kashi GO
9. Fiber One Original Bran
10. Nature’s Path Organic Keto

FANS ANGRY AT TOM BRADY’S SLOPPY AUTOGRAPH

Sports memorabilia collectors are fuming following a $3,600 per person photo-op and signing with ex-NFL quarterback Tom Brady. They say Brady did a rush job on his signatures, leading to subpar autographs on rare items. Brady was a guest speaker at a conference at the University of Miami last Saturday, April 20. Some attendees paid $3600 for first-row tickets, a VIP lunch and party and a yacht ride off the coast of Miami. Also included was a photo and autograph opportunity with Brady. Attendees handed Brady game tickets, sneakers, footballs and other items, and he just scribbled on them.

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

Jayden Rey (actress, “The Conners”) … 15
Renee Zellweger (actress) … 55
Hank Azaria (actor, many voices on “The Simpsons”) … 60
Bjorn Ulvaeus (Swedish singer with ABBA) … 79
Al Pacino (actor) … 84

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

“The things that fame brings – the trappings … the privileges – don’t necessarily appeal to me … The things that I value are much more simple than that.”

(A) Madonna
(B) Kim Kardashian
(C) Renee Zellweger

ANSWER: (C) Renee Zellweger

THIS DAY IN HISTORY

2022 – Twitter announced a deal to sell itself to Elon Musk for $44 billion.
* Good for him. I went on a spending spree recently, too. I got a Big Mac and a LARGE fries.

2019 – Microsoft became the third US firm to be listed with a market worth of $1 trillion, after Apple and Amazon.
* Wow – imagine how much they’d be worth if Windows always worked right.

1990 – The Hubble Space Telescope was deployed from the space shuttle Discovery.
* After 3 years and over $50 million of troubleshooting, they finally removed the lens cap.

1961 – The computer revolution got a jump start when Robert Noyce of Intel Corporation was awarded a patent for the “integrated circuit.”
* The 60s were a big decade for integration.

1960 – A nuclear submarine went around the world underwater for the first time.
* Then the captain finally remembered where the brake pedal was.

1953 – Scientists first modeled the DNA molecule.
* The famous twisting double helix ushered in a new age of biology … and roller coaster design.

1950 – The first Dunkin’ Donuts shop opened.
* And the crime rate immediately soared.

1901 – New York became the first state to require auto license plates.
* With the additional requirement that the office to get them have long lines and surly civil servants.

1792 – France began beheading criminals with the guillotine.
* Bad guys flipped their lids!

1684 – The thimble was patented.
* Yes, it took several centuries of people sticking needles in their fingers until somebody figured out they should cover them with something.

1507 – The word “America” was first used on a map when a German cartographer named the newly discovered western continents after explorer Amerigo Vespucci.
* Lots of other people visited the New World, but it was Amerigo who slipped the mapmaker a couple bucks.

THIS DAY IN MUSIC HISTORY

2009 – A man suing rapper Snoop Dogg told a court he received a “brutal” beating from the star’s security. Richard Monroe Jr. also claimed that the rapper hit him with a microphone after he climbed on stage. Mr. Monroe was asking for $22m in damages from the rapper and others. Jurors cleared Dogg of civil assault and battery claims. The jury did find that Richard Monroe Jr. suffered serious injuries during the concert and awarded him $449,400 in damages to be paid by a record label, another performer and others involved in the concert.

2008 – The Empire State Building in New York City was lit up in Mariah Carey’s motif colors, lavender, pink, and white, in celebration of her achievements in the world of music. Carey was the first person in history to be honored with this event.

2007 – During The Rolling Stones’ world tour, aides to George Bush were told they couldn’t book a luxury five star hotel suite because Mick Jagger had already booked it. Jagger had splashed out thousands of dollars a night for the suite at the five-star Imperial Hotel in Vienna, Austria, in advance of the band’s appearance there. Prior to the attempted booking, US Secret Service agents had already vetted the hotel, but to no avail.

2003 – Britain’s “Sunday Times Rich List” named the world’s wealthiest musicians. Paul McCartney topped the list ($1.3 billion); Madonna was 4th ($404m); Mick Jagger was 6th ($312m); Elton John was 7th ($303m).

1990 – The Fender Stratocaster that Jimi Hendrix played at the Woodstock festival was auctioned off for a record $295,000.

1988 – Bon Jovi’s manager Doc Mcgee was convicted on drug offenses arising from the 1982 seizure of 40,000 pounds of marijuana smuggled into North Carolina from Colombia. McGee was sentenced to a five year suspended prison term and a $15,000 fine.

1987 – U2 started a five-week run at No.1 in the U.S. album chart with “The Joshua Tree.”

1984 – Paul McCartney’s band Wings disbanded.

1977 – Elvis Presley made the last recordings of his life during a concert at the Saginaw, Michigan Civic Center. Three songs from the show appeared on the posthumously released Presley album, “Moody Blue.”

1970 – The Jackson Five started a two-week run at No.1 on the U.S. singles chart with “ABC.” It was the group’s second U.S. No.1.

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 kid will do THIS three times a year. What is it? (Note: Think pre-Covid.)
Stay home sick from school

2. 47% of people surveyed said they made THIS as a child. What is it?
They made a fort out of a cardboard box

3. According to studies, THIS is the lie that kids are most likely to tell. What is it?
That they brushed their teeth

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