WEDNESDAY, Apr 16 – DAILY PREP TEXT VERSION

MORNING SIDEKICK DAILY PREP TEXT VERSION FOR WEDNESDAY, April 16, 2025
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COMEDY MP3s POSTED ON OUR PREP SITE FOR TODAY: A & M AUTOLAND – Hippity Hopper Easter Sale

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. We present only those specially designated days we feel your listeners would find most interesting or significant.)

DAY OF THE MUSHROOM
The National Day Food website says this:
“This day is a celebration of one of the most versatile and beloved ingredients in the culinary world. From the meaty Portobello to the delicate enoki, mushrooms offer a range of flavors, textures, and health benefits that make them a favorite in kitchens worldwide. Mushrooms are a great source of nutrients including B vitamins, selenium, potassium, and fiber. They’re also known for their potential immune-boosting properties and are a great meat substitute for vegetarian and vegan diets.”

NATIONAL BANANA DAY (Third Wednesday in April)

NATIONAL EGGS BENEDICT DAY

NATIONAL LIBRARIAN DAY
The Days of the Year website says this:
“National Librarian Day got its start in 1958 when it was sponsored by the American Library Association (ALA). The day wasn’t celebrated every year, though, until 2004 when it got a resurgence. It was then that the ALA revived National Librarian Day as part of a campaign to raise awareness for the appreciation of library staff.”

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, EW and other websites

THURSDAY, Apr 17

“#1 Happy Family USA”
Prime Video – New Adult Animated Series
Synopsis: A combination coming-of-age story and brutal satire about Islamophobia in the post-9/11 early 2000s that strives to encourage viewers to find humor and humanity in outlandish scenarios stemming from what was a dark period for many American families.

“Ransom Canyon”
Netflix – New Series
Synopsis: A stoic rancher tries to hold on to his way of life, while a longtime family friend returns to town after pursuing a career as a concert pianist in New York. And high school football is involved. Think Yellowstone meets Virgin River and Friday Night Lights.

Season Premieres:
Peacock – “Law & Order: Organized Crime”
Prime Video – “Leverage: Redemption”

FRIDAY, Apr 18

“iHostage”
Netflix – New Movie from the Netherlands
Synopsis: Thriller inspired by the hostage crisis in the Apple Store in the heart of Amsterdam that captivated the city and the entire country, drawing worldwide attention. Portrays the events from the perspectives of the perpetrator, the hostages, and the emergency services.

“Oklahoma City Bombing: American Terror”
Netflix – New Documentary
Synopsis: Revisits the shocking 1995 bombing of an Oklahoma City federal building, the deadliest act of domestic terrorism in US history.

Season Premieres:
Apple TV+ – “Jane”
Disney+ – “Light & Magic”

SATURDAY, Apr 19

“WWE: WrestleMania 41”
Peacock – Sports Special Apr 19 & 20

SUNDAY, Apr 20

“Remarkable Women”
The CW – Special
Synopsis: Recognizes inspirational women from across the country for their significant influence on public policy, social progress, and quality of life.

Season Premieres:
HBO – “The Rehearsal”

THE BUZZ

THE LITTLE THING THAT LED TO A LIFE-CHANGING EXPERIENCE

Reddit asked, “What’s a small decision you made that accidentally changed your entire life?” Some of the responses:
– “Helped someone move just for pizza. They helped me land my current job 3 weeks later.”
– “Craved a coffee, took a different route to work. Met my wife in line at that random shop.”
– “Grabbed a random book at the airport. It inspired my business — now I’m an entrepreneur.”
– “I volunteered to clean up pelican crap for a few hours after an oil spill contaminated hundreds of pelicans. They offered to get me Hazardous Waste training so I could go pick up critters from spill sites. Shortly after that I saw a job ad looking for people with HazWaste training. 15 years later I’m on the regional hazmat response team, got a degree in environmental science and presenting at statewide hazardous waste conferences.”
– “Said yes to a last-minute hike. That trip helped me realize I needed to get sober. 3 years clean now.”
* PHONE TOPIC: Do you have a “one little thing” story?

THE SCHEDULE FOR A PERFECT DAY

Want to have the perfect day? Researchers at the University of British Columbia analyzed data from the American Time Use Survey, where participants filled out how much time they spent on 100 different daily activities. From that they determined what activities go into a perfect day:
– Six hours working
– Six hours a day of quality time with family (* Who’s family? MY family??)
– Two hours with friends (* Please tell me this includes social media.)
– 1.5 hours socializing (* Please tell me this includes social media.)
– Two hours of exercising (* Two HOURS? EVERY DAY? Are they NUTS?)
– One hour eating and drinking (* Yeah – this must be a typo.)
– One hour of personal screen time
* Apparently they forgot sleep. Canadian days must be 29 hours long.
* Like a fortune cookie, you need to add the words “in bed” to every one of those items.

U.S. NEWS

USING AI TO SPEAK TO DOLPHINS

Google and an organization called the Wild Dolphin Project have teamed up to see if we can use AI to speak to dolphins. The Dolphin Project has been tracking a community of Atlantic spotted dolphins off the coast of the Bahamas since 1985. They have decades worth of audio and video recordings of the species. With Google’s help, researchers fed that data into an AI model that can look for patterns and subtleties. Says Dolphin Project founder Dr. Denise Herzing, “The goal would be to one day speak dolphin,” though she admits it’s not yet clear if there even is a dolphin language.
* But with a few more science grants, I bet we could find out.
* Screw that, teach the little buggers to speak English. This is America, buddy!
* Boy, if we could speak to dolphins, there’s so much we could find out. Like, How’s the water today? And, How’s the fishing today? There’s so much to learn.
* But I WOULD like to know what they’re always smiling about.
* If we learn to say nothing else to the dolphins, we need to figure out how to say “Stay away from the tuna nets, dummy.”

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

ANT SMUGGLERS ARRESTED

In Kenya, four men have pleaded guilty to trying to smuggle hundreds of ants out of the country. These were giant African harvester ants, which can grow to around 3/4-inches (20mm), with the queen growing up to one inch (25mm). They are valued by some dealers at up to $220 each. The suspects had concealed the creatures in little test tubes, each with two or three ants, which would have enabled the insects to survive for two months. It is believed that the intended destinations were the exotic pet markets in Europe and Asia.
* Were the ant smugglers caught in a … Raid?
* Or did police learn of their plans because they were … bugged?
* Ants make great emotional support animals, because the little yellow vest doesn’t cost much, and if they don’t allow them in the restaurant with you, you can just squoosh them.
* Is this why the Kenyan airports have anteaters at security checkpoints?

CANADA ORDERS SHOPS TO DESTROY AUSTRALIAN VEGEMITE

An Australian business owner in Canada has been ordered to destroy $8000 in Vegemite after a fight with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. Found Coffee, a chain of Australian-themed cafés in Toronto, sells Vegemite directly to customers. But the food inspection agency is telling the owner that the batch of Vegemite was non-compliant with Health Canada regulations – it has added vitamins which are not permitted in food products sold in Canada. The added vitamin is Vitamin B. All Vegemite products are fortified with vitamin B, according to the product’s website. The café has voluntarily removed the product until they can work out a compromise.
* The Canadian poutine cartel is behind this, aren’t they.
* Boy, I’m glad I’m not a Canadian in Toronto – unable to get my thick, dark-brown food spread made from leftover brewer’s yeast extract. (* Yes – that’s what Vegemite is. Barf!)
* While Canada is busy fighting the Vegemite war with Australia, this could be just the opportunity for America to sweep in and grab it as our 51st state! All hail Vegemite!
* Vitamin B is essential for various bodily functions, including energy production, nervous system health, and red blood cell formation. It plays a role in the breakdown of fats, proteins, and carbohydrates. Who needs that crap?

TRENDING

LIL NAS X HAS FACIAL PARALYSIS

Lil Nas X was hospitalized Monday after the right side of his face became paralyzed. The rapper made an Instagram post showing himself attempting to move his face. As he smiles, the right side stays still, and his right eye doesn’t blink. In an update a little later, he wrote that he was healthy and holding up. “Imma look funny for a lil bit but that’s it.” While he did not share a diagnosis, the condition appears similar to when Justin Bieber was diagnosed with Ramsay Hunt syndrome in 2022. The condition left Justin with full paralysis on one side of his face and forced him to cancel his world tour.

ALMANAC

NOTABLE DATES, UPCOMING U.S. OBSERVANCES

May 11, Sunday – Mother’s Day
May 26, Monday – Memorial Day
June 14, Saturday – Flag Day
June 15, Sunday – Father’s Day
June 20, Friday – Summer begins (The June solstice occurs at 10:42 P.M. EDT)

BIRTHDAYS

Sadie Sink (actress, “Stranger Things,” upcoming “Spider-Man: Brand New Day”) … 23
Peter Billingsley (actor, director, producer, “Ralphie” in “A Christmas Story” … 54
Jon Cryer (actor, Lex Luthor in various DC comics TV shows on CW, “Two and a Half Men”) … 60
Martin Lawrence (comedian, actor) … 60
Ellen Barkin (actress) … 71
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (basketball Hall of Famer) … 78

Today’s Birthdays grade: Yet another “Stranger Things” alum who’ll soon be cashing in big with Marvel (just like Chief of Police Hopper has!), an iconic Christmas movie alum, a basketball legend so good, he keeps us out of “C” territory. Grade: B.

[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 just try to get along with people and show the love that I would like to be shown to me.”

(A) Vladimir Putin
(B) Kim Jong-un
(C) Martin Lawrence

ANSWER: (C) Martin Lawrence

THIS DAY IN HISTORY

2012 – For the first time since 1977, no Pulitzer Prize was awarded for fiction.
* To bad they didn’t hear how I explained to the boss why I was late that day.

2003 – Michael Jordan played his last NBA game as his Washington Wizards ended their season with a loss to the Philadelphia 76ers.
* I guess the magic was gone.

1999 – Wayne Gretzky announced his retirement from hockey.
* Following in the footsteps of several of his teeth that left earlier.

1987 – In response to the rise of “shock jocks,” the FCC warned radio stations that the use of indecent language was unacceptable.
* Entertainment is so much cleaner now!

1956 – The first solar powered radios went on sale.
* Parents loved ’em ’cause their kids had to go outside to tune in that newfangled rock ‘n’ roll.

1922 – Annie Oakley set a record by breaking 100 clay plate targets in a row.
* And immediately went out to get a new set of dishes.

1900 – The US Post Office sold its first book of stamps – twelve, 2-centers for a quarter.
* And keeping the extra penny was just the BEGINNING of the postal rip-offs.

THIS DAY IN MUSIC HISTORY

1999 – Hip-hop entrepreneur and superstar Sean Combs turned himself in for, and was charged in connection with, an alleged assault in New York of Interscope Records executive Steven Scoute. Combs eventually pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of harassment (a violation rather than a criminal offense). He was sentenced to attend a one-day anger management course as part of the plea deal, and the more serious charges were dropped. Combs also reportedly reached a private settlement with Stoute.

1999 – Shania Twain became the first woman to be honored as songwriter/artist of the year by the Nashville Songwriters Association International during the 32nd Annual Songwriter Achievement Awards in Nashville.

1996 – Kiss appeared in full make-up at the 38th Grammy Awards, where they announced a reunion tour. It was the first time all four members had appeared together in over fifteen years.

1994 – Jazz crooner and pianist Harry Connick Jr. married model and video director Jill Goodacre in New Orleans.

1972 – Electric Light Orchestra made its live debut at the Greyhound Club in Surrey, England. The group had seven top 10 hits, the biggest of which was “Don’t Bring Me Down” in 1979.

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. A recent survey revealed that a whopping 70% of women say men over the age of 35 look pretty ridiculous when they do THIS. What is it?
Wear their hats backwards

2. The vast majority of women say they’re not interested in dating a man with THIS physical characteristic. What is it?
A man who weighs less than she does

3. According to a recent survey, 65% of women say it’s a real turnoff when a guy does THIS. What is it?
Winks at them

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