THURSDAY, Jan 16 – DAILY PREP TEXT VERSION

MORNING SIDEKICK DAILY PREP TEXT VERSION FOR THURSDAY, January 16, 2025
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COMEDY MP3s POSTED ON OUR PREP SITE FOR TODAY: 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.)

INTERNATIONAL HOT AND SPICY FOOD DAY

NATIONAL NOTHING DAY
Wikipedia says this:
“Nothing Day is an ‘un-event’ proposed in 1972 by columnist Harold Pullman Coffin and observed annually on January 16 since 1973, when it was added to Chase’s Calendar of Events. Its purpose is to provide Americans with one National day when they can just sit without celebrating, observing or honoring anything. It is sponsored by Coffin’s National Nothing Foundation, registered in Capitola, California.”

NATIONAL FIG NEWTON DAY

NATIONAL QUINOA (“keen-waa”) DAY

NATIONAL WITHOUT A SCALPEL DAY
From various sources:
National Without a Scalpel Day commemorates a ground-breaking event in medical history when, on January 16, 1964, Dr. Charles Dotter performed the first angioplasty – a non-surgical medical procedure usually involving inserting a small balloon into a narrowed or blocked artery and inflating it to widen it and improve blood flow. Instead of a scalpel, Dr. Potter used X-ray technology and a small pinhole imaging device to see inside the body while performing the treatment. This non-invasive procedure allowed the patient to avoid open surgery, large scars and a more difficult recovery. Instead, the patient walked away with only a tiny bandage.

RELIGIOUS FREEDOM DAY
The Religious Freedom Day website says this:
“Each year, the President declares January 16th to be Religious Freedom Day, and calls upon Americans to ‘observe this day through appropriate events and activities in homes, schools, and places of worship.’ The day is the anniversary of the passage, in 1786, of the Virginia Statute of Religious Freedom.”

January is:

Adopt a Rescued Bird Month
Be Kind to Food Servers Month
Family Fit Lifestyle Month
Financial Wellness Month
Get Organized Month
National Candy Month
National Clean Up Your Computer Month
National Hobby Month
National Skating Month
National Train Your Dog Month
Walk Your Pet 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, Jan 16

“SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night”
Peacock – Docuseries
Synopsis: Four-part docuseries honoring the legacy of SNL, spotlighting some of the show’s most iconic elements and pulling back the curtain on the audition process, the writers’ room, and – in case you’ve never seen it – the “More Cowbell” sketch. Naturally.

“Unstoppable”
Prime Video – New Movie
Synopsis: Covers the story of American wrestler Anthony Robles, who was born with one leg but chased his dreams of becoming a national champion.

Season Premieres:
Max – “Harley Quinn”
Netflix – “Castlevania: Nocturne”
Netflix – “XO, Kitty” (Netflix)

FRIDAY, Jan 17

“Back in Action”
Netflix – New Movie
Synopsis: Cameron Diaz and Jamie Foxx as two former CIA agents living in the suburbs. When their past catches up with them, they are pulled back into espionage and must protect their family from dangerous enemies.

“Molly-Mae: Behind It All”
Prime Video – New Docuseries
Synopsis: A profile of the reality star/YouTube influencer.

“Roy Wood Jr.: Lonely Flowers”
Hulu – Comedy Special
Synopsis: The comic explores how lack of connection has sent society spiraling into a culture full of guns, rude employees, self-checkout lanes, and why some of us would rather be alone rather than be connected.

“The Couple Next Door”
Starz – New Series from the U.K.
Synopsis: A young couple develop a fast friendship with their new neighbors when they move to an idyllic suburb. But the relationship soon takes some unexpected and sinister turns.

Season Premieres:
Apple TV+ – “Severance”
MGM+ – “NFL Icons”

BETTY WHITE: FAT SHAMER

Actress Sally Struthers – “All in the Family,” “Gilmore Girls,” the new Ted Danson show “Man on the Inside” – said had a bad experience with Betty White. Struthers, 77, said that the late actress — who died in December 2021 at 99 — once “fat-shamed” her. Appearing on the who-the-hell-are-these-guys podcast “Let’s Talk About That! With Larry Saperstein and Jacob Bellotti,” Struthers told the hosts how she used to live four houses away from the Los Angeles home used for exterior shots of the “Golden Girls.” (* Hold on, it all makes sense here in a minute.) Sally said, “I have to say now that she’s gone, I wanna talk about Betty White for just a moment. I know everybody loves her. They loved her so much. I know all that. I didn’t have such a great experience with her.” Struthers called White a “very passive-aggressive woman.” She recalled when she was once at White’s “beautiful” LA home when the pair met up to work on a pilot for a new game show. Struthers said that White told her housekeeper to bring the group something to eat. Sally says, “The plate was set in the middle and it was cookies, I think. So I reached for a cookie and she said in front of everyone, ‘Oh, I wouldn’t do that if I were you dear, you don’t need a cookie.’ Totally fat-shamed me in front of the rest of the people in the room.”
* Why Betty, you bitch!
* Oh, Betty was the queen of passive aggressive. Her last words – her very last words – to the nurse taking care of her right when she died were, “It’s okay, dear, I’m sure you’re doing the best you can.”
* Boy, she was mean. She once sued Don Rickles for stealing her act.
* These kind of bombshells are the reason “Let’s Talk About That! With Larry Saperstein and Jacob Bellotti” is giving The Joe Rogan Experience a run for its money.
* Coming soon on “Let’s Talk About That!” – Bill Murray reveals that in the Saturday Night Live writers’ room, Chevy Chase once asked Bill – in front of everyone! – if he could please not burp out loud.

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. “Why Cats Are The New Pigs”
2. “Scientists Built a Lollipop That Lets You Taste Movies”
3. “I Found the Secret to Keeping My Toilet Stain-Free in My Kitchen”
And here’s a spare, in case you don’t like one of those three: “Tired Bumblebees Who Fell Asleep Inside Flowers With Pollen On Their Butts”

SO THAT’S HOW IT WORKS

In a clip viewed over 39,000 times, a TikToker named Caylie holds up a can of Campbell’s Chicken Noodle Condensed Soup. She says, “I was today years old knowing that you’re supposed to mix this with a can of water. You don’t just eat THIS.” She zooms in on the directions on the back of the can: Mix soup + 1 can of water. She observes: “OK, that makes more sense. Tastes the exact same. It’s just not obviously as thick.” In the caption, she writes, “PLEASE TELL ME I was NOT the only one MY ENTIRE LIFE.”
* The soup isn’t the only thing that’s kinda thick in that video.
* How did she figure out how to get the soup out of the can?
* In her defense, the soup can really should say “Some Assembly Required” on the front.
* Wait’ll she finds out about her frozen orange juice.
* PHONE TOPIC: What have you been doing wrong your entire life that you just found out about?

U.S. NEWS

THE HAGGLING BANDIT

The New York Police Department is seeking a knife-wielding robber whom they have dubbed the “Haggler After Midnight” bandit. Since early November, the suspect has targeted 11 victims in Brooklyn and Queens. The victims are usually on their way home from work in the wee hours of the morning. In each attack, he approaches on a moped, threatens victims with a knife, and then starts haggling over what he’s going to take. If a victim holds up a watch or a jacket, he’ll say, “No I don’t want that.” He then starts going through what the victim has that he’ll take. Police said the mugger appeared to be most interested in cash and electronics. Crime Stoppers is offering a cash reward for any information that leads to the man’s capture.
* Though you might be able to get Crime Stoppers up to a subway pass and some Knicks tickets.
* Take only what you need. I like a robber with a sense of economy.
* Police should start doing surveillance of garage sales.
* Maybe the victims should start haggling. “If I don’t give you my new phone, how about instead of stabbing me, you just give me a kidney punch?”
* Negotiating for how much you’re about to lose. So it’s like buying a car.

BOEING 737 MAX LANDING GEAR DAMAGED IN COYOTE HIT

Shortly after takeoff, a Boeing 737 Max was forced to make an emergency landing back at Chicago O’Hare Airport on Monday, January 13, because of damage to the landing gear. It was damaged during takeoff when the plane hit a coyote on the runway. After taking off and climbing to 6,000 feet, the 737 Max was called back to O’Hare where emergency equipment was on hand to inspect the damage. The collision damaged the nose and landing gear, however, the incident was classified as minor damage and the plane was cleared for takeoff just four hours later, when it made its scheduled run to Phoenix, Arizona.
* Alright, who had “Boeing Plane Hit By Coyote” on their bingo card?
* Boeing landing gears, you see, are made out of balsa wood. It was a budget cutback thing.
* Are you kidding me about the plane going to Arizona? Was the coyote trying to catch a ride home? (note: It really was a flight to Phoenix.)
* Does Chicago’s airport have a lot of problems with coyotes? Are they launching boulders off of catapults, or flying around in Acme batsuits?
* Right before impact, the coyote held up a little sign that said, “Help.”
* Afterwards, the coyote walked back to the terminal, folded up like an accordion and making that “WAH-wah WAH-waa” sound.
* Of course, the road runner was able to outrun the plane, so he was fine.

COOR LIGHT CHANGES NAME FOR BEER PROMOTION

Coors Light beer is changing its name for a new promotion. They’re playing up the urban legend that everybody takes off work the Monday after the Super Bowl with what’s called “a case of the Mondays.” So, this year, Coors Light is changing the name on is twelve packs to the word “Mondays” so people can go out and literally get “a case of the Mondays.” Coors Light did not specify how long the name change will last, but the company said the cases will be available for a limited time.
* Very clever. Now some monks need to copyright, “TGIF: Thank God It’s Franciscans.”
* Employees getting a case of the Mondays, followed on Friday by a case of the docked paychecks.
* Workers at Coors used to call in sick like this, so management automated the production line.
* It’s clever until you realize some competitor is gonna go with a picture of Garfield and the slogan, “I hate Mondays.”
* Well, it’s better than “I got a bad case of the Schlitz.”

TRENDING

LORNE MICHAELS GIVING HIS ARCHIVES TO AUSTIN, TEXAS

Lorne Michaels, the creator of the long-running sketch comedy television show “Saturday Night Live” has donated his career archive to the Harry Ransom Center at the University of Texas in Austin. The collection includes behind-the-scenes rehearsal notes, scripts and photographs of iconic characters and sketches from a show that launched the careers of comedians Gilda Radner, John Belushi, Bill Murray, Eddie Murphy, Tina Fey, Amy Poehler and many, many more. And Chevy Chase. It also includes some of 80-year-old Michaels’ personal correspondence. The Michaels collection documents his career in television from his earliest writing for “Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In” and “The Beautiful Phyllis Diller Show,” but the bulk of it is related to SNL. The Ransom Center is one of the top literary and humanities archives and research institutions in the country. Its literary archive includes the collections of Pulitzer Prize winners David Mamet and Norman Mailer, actor Robert DeNiro, the television drama “Mad Men” and the “Gone With the Wind” collection of Hollywood producer David O. Selznick.
STATE FARM PULLS ITS SUPER BOWL AD

In what has to be the smartest move ever by a corporate entity, insurance giant State Farm says that it is pulling its planned Super Bowl ad this year. A spokesperson for the company (* And wouldn’t you like to have THAT job right now?) said, “State Farm, its agents, and employees are all focused on helping customers impacted by the Southern California wildfires in the midst of this tragedy. Our focus is firmly on providing to support to the people of Los Angeles. We will not be advertising during the game as originally planned.” According to the California Department of Insurance, about 1,600 policies in Pacific Palisades were dropped by State Farm last July. Plus, an analysis of insurance data by CBS San Francisco last year found that State Farm also dropped more than 2,000 policies in two other Los Angeles ZIP codes, which include the Brentwood, Calabasas, Hidden Hills and Monte Nido neighborhoods. State Farm’s decision reflects a trend of private insurers, including Allstate and Farmers Insurance, of dropping California policies or halting underwriting, leaving homeowners with the choice of getting coverage through the insurer of last resort, the California Fair Access to Insurance Requirements Plan, or forgo insurance altogether.

HOCKEY PLAYER EVGENI MALKIN THE LATEST VICTIM OF PRO-ATHLETE BURGLARY

Pittsburgh Penguins star Evgeni Malkin is the latest athlete to have his home burglarized. Malkin’s three Stanley Cup rings were among the items taken in the robbery. The 38-year-old’s home was broken into on the day the Penguins were playing the Ottawa Senators. The FBI has warned professional sports leagues that South American organized criminal groups were behind a string of home invasions. They say the groups conduct “physical and technical surveillance” to prep for the burglaries. They use social media to get an idea of where and when a person will be gone from their home, and then they make their mark.

ALMANAC

NOTABLE DATES, UPCOMING U.S. OBSERVANCES

January 20, Monday – Inauguration Day
January 20, Monday – Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
January 27, Monday – Int’l Holocaust Remembrance Day (UN)
January 29, Wednesday – Chinese New Year (The Year of the Wood Snake)
February 2, Sunday – Groundhog Day
February 12, Wednesday – Lincoln’s Birthday
February 14, Friday – Valentine’s Day
February 17, Monday – Presidents Day / Washington’s Birthday
March 9, 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

Renee Felice Smith (actress, “NCIS: Los Angeles”) … 40
Kate Moss (supermodel) … 51
Sade (singer) … 66
John Carpenter (film director, “Halloween” films) … 77
Ronnie Milsap (country singer) … 82

Today’s Birthdays grade: Most of today’s birthday names hit their peak of fame a while back and might not be familiar to millennials and younger, unless they watched any of the 14 seasons of “NCIS: Los Angeles.” Still, they were well-liked in their day. 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!

“I’m pretty happy with who I am. I like myself and what I’m doing.”

(A) Britney Spears
(B) King Charles
(C) John Carpenter

ANSWER: (C) John Carpenter

THIS DAY IN HISTORY

2016 – The first-ever flower was grown in space aboard the International Space Station using the NASA “Veggie” system – a zinnia.
* Awesome! With progress like this we’ll be on Mars in no time!

2002 – Richard Reid was indicted in Boston on federal charges alleging he tried to blow up a U.S.-bound jetliner with explosives hidden in his shoes.
* One give-away was the four-inch fuse sticking out of his left heel.

1985 – “Playboy” announced an end to the stapling of centerfolds.
* Ironically, just before pierced navels became popular.

1962 – Filming began on the very first James Bond movie – “Dr. No” – with Sean Connery as the first James Bond.
* He had a license to kill – at the box office.

1939 – The “Superman” comic book appeared for the first time.
* Demographically, there were finally just enough geeky kids in America to support the birth of the superhero craze.

1920 – A constitutional amendment was ratified making alcohol consumption illegal. Known as “Prohibition,” this era ended with its repeal in 1933.
* Even the Constitution of the United States is no match for sweet booze.

1868 – The refrigerated railroad car was patented by William Davis, a Detroit fish dealer.
* Fish, shmish – it was a breakthrough in delivering cold beer to the entire country!

1866 – Clamp-on roller skates were patented.
* They were also great for moving heavy furniture.

THIS DAY IN MUSIC HISTORY

2009 – Boy George was sentenced to 15 months in prison after being convicted of falsely imprisoning a male escort.

2004 – Michael Jackson pleaded innocent to child molestation charges in Santa Maria, Calif. (Charges were later re-filed and Jackson was acquitted.)

1980 – Paul McCartney was jailed for nine days in Tokyo for marijuana possession, after being found with almost eight ounces on his arrival at Narita Airport.

1978 – Sex Pistol Sid Vicious fell through a glass door at a San Francisco hotel, took a drug overdose, and was rushed to a hospital.

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. In the U.S., we consume about 80 pounds a year of THESE per person. What are they?
Tomatoes

2. About 15 times a minute, someone in the world opens a can of THIS. What is it?
Spam

3. Three jars of THIS are sold every second in America. What is it?
Peanut butter

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