WEDNESDAY, Nov 27 – DAILY PREP TEXT VERSION

NOTE: MORNING SIDEKICK WILL BE OFF THURSDAY NOV. 28 & FRIDAY NOV. 29 FOR THE U.S. THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY.
WE WILL RETURN WITH PREP FOR MONDAY, DECEMBER 2.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

MORNING SIDEKICK DAILY PREP TEXT VERSION FOR WEDNESDAY, November 24, 2024
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COMEDY MP3s POSTED ON OUR PREP SITE FOR TODAY: THANKSGIVING SONG – SOMETHING TELLS ME I’VE EATEN TOO MUCH FOOD; A & M AUTOLAND – Free Turkeys

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.)

DRINKSGIVING
The Days of the Year website says this:
“DrinksGiving always takes place on Wednesday, the day before Thanksgiving. The idea is that it’s the perfect time for old friends from school to hang out at bars and pubs to catch up with each other and have a drink before spending the weekend with family. Plus, some people really struggle with the idea of spending the Thanksgiving holiday weekend with their families, so going out for drinks the night before might also be a bit of a coping mechanism!”

NATIONAL BAVARIAN CREAM PIE DAY

NATIONAL ELECTRIC GUITAR DAY
The Checkiday Website says this:
“Today’s holiday takes place on the birthday of Jimi Hendrix, who is known as being one of the best electric guitar players of all time, on account of his innovative and experimental approach to the instrument.”

PINS AND NEEDLES DAY
The Holiday Insights website says this:
“The purpose of Pins and Needles Day is to commemorate the opening of the pro-Labor play Pins and Needles on Broadway on this day in 1937. The origin of this special day goes back to the labor movement in the 1930s. The pro-labor Broadway musical Pins and Needles opened on this day in 1937, at the Labor Stage Theater in New York City, produced by the International Ladies Garment Workers’ Union. Union members made up the cast. It ran for 1108 performances, once holding the record for longevity.”

November is:

Adopt a Senior Pet Month
Great American Smoke Out Month
National Adoption Month
National Military Family Month
National Native American Heritage Month
Raisin Bread Month
Stamp Collecting Month
Vegan Month

ENTERTAINMENT & CELEBRITIES

“WICKED” STARS WERE PAID EQUALLY

There is an internet rumor about Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo’s “Wicked” paychecks. The rumor is that Grande was paid $15 million to star as Glinda the Good Witch, while Erivo only got $1 million to play Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West. However, a Universal Pictures spokesman denied the pay gap on Tuesday, saying, “Reports of pay disparity between Cynthia and Ariana are completely false and based on internet fodder. The women received equal pay for their work on ‘Wicked.’”
* That way, they will both be screwed on the back end equally by Hollywood accounting.
* So forget all that “green with envy” talk.
* What they’re not saying is, they were paid by the note, and whoever hit the highest note got a $500,000 bonus.
* It was Jeff Goldblum who only got $1 million. His career’s been in the tank lately.

THE BUZZ

SURVEY: 1/3 OF US HATE TURKEY

A new survey, conducted by vacation website The Vacationer, polled 1,042 American adults, asking which traditional Thanksgiving foods they dislike. 35% of Americans say turkey is their least favorite food on Thanksgiving. Here is the list of Most Disliked Thanksgiving Foods:
1. Turkey (34%)
2. Stuffing/dressing (32%)
3. Ham (31%)
4. Sweet potatoes or yams (29%)
5. Cranberry sauce (28%)
6. Green bean casserole (22%)
7. Mashed potatoes (22%)
8. Coleslaw (22%)
9. Pumpkin pie (21%)
10. Carrots (16%)
11. Macaroni and cheese (15%)
12. Corn (14%)
13. Apple pie (13%)
* What is wrong with you people? And where’s Grandma’s Lime Jello Salad With The Pineapple on this list?
* The good news: This totally green-lights hot dogs and French fries!
* The 35% who picked turkey – are they vegans?
* Never poll people after an election. They’re just cranky.
* It’s once a year. Suck it up and pass the gravy.

DICTIONARY PICKS WORD OF THE YEAR: “ENSHITTIFICATION”

The Macquarie Dictionary, the national dictionary of Australia, has picked its word of the year, and we can’t say it on the radio, becasue we’re not cool like those podcasters. The word is very, very close to “en-shift-ification”, if you take out the first “f”. Enshiftification is defined as “the gradual deterioration of a service or product brought about by a reduction in the quality of service provided, especially of an online platform, and as a consequence of profit-seeking.” In other words… Google. Facebook. Spotify. Amazon. Twitter. YouTube. Cell phones. Windows 11. Streaming. The new edition of that video game you like. Going to the movies. Airplanes. Virtually everything tech-oriented you like gets changed in the name of “improvement,” but the change is always worse than what you liked about it in the first place. That’s en-SHIFT-ification, without the first F. Some examples:
– Once a week, your computer updates, and all that does is slow it down and bring more pop-up ads.
– Your streaming service throws up a suggestion for the same show every time you open the screen… until the time you want to watch it. Then, that show has disappeared and you have to go searching for it.
– Buying something. Used to be you go to checkout, pay cash or credit, you leave. Now, you check out, you have to tell the checker your phone number for the Rewards Program, you get asked if you want to open a credit account, you get pestered by the credit screen to donate money to a charity, and then you have to bag your own stuff in your own bag which you have to remember to bring.
– Going to the movies. Used to be buy a ticket, pick up some popcorn, go find a seat. Now you have to pick and pay for your seat before you get to the theater, and you get 30 minutes of trailers and commercials, and the volume of the movie is cranked to 11 to cover up for all the talking by the audience.
* PHONE TOPIC: Do you have an example of something in your life that used to be great, but now is worse because the company tried to improve it?

U.S. NEWS

TIKTOK INFLUENCER SHOWS OFF SHOPLIFTED LOOT ON CAMERA

A TikTok influencer was arrested for shoplifting after she showed off her haul to her 360,000 TikTok fans. Police said Marlena Velez, 22, stole about $500 worth of items by scanning false bar codes with cheaper prices on Oct. 30 at a Target in Cape Coral, Florida. The theft occurred on Oct. 30. The police department posted a photo of the suspect and asked the public’s help in identifying her. They received numerous phone calls from anonymous tipsters, which led them to Velez. During her arrest she stated that she “did not recall stealing from Target,” but after she was shown footage from the store’s security video, she “verbally confirmed” that she was the woman in the video. While in jail, Velez is alleged to have said “lesson learned” multiple times.
* Lesson learned? Well, then, you’re free to go.
* She was also heard muttering that the security camera added 10 pounds.
* The internet: the cause of – and solution to – all the world’s problems. Like alcohol.
* Aren’t all these influencers supposed to be fabulously wealthy?
* Next she’ll influence a judge to give her a couple months in the county jail.

AUDIO: BOSS FIRES EVERYBODY AFTER THEY DIDN’T SHOW UP FOR VIRTUAL MEETING

The owner of a Wyoming company called Musicians Club got mad and fired everybody in the company because they didn’t show up for an on-line meeting. Musicians Club is an online store based in Sheridan, Wyoming, that sells musical instruments and musical accessories. The owner of the company, Baldvin Oddson, called for a morning meeting Friday, November 15 at 8:30 a.m. When only 11 of his 110 employees signed on, he fired all the no-shows. Sending them all a message via Slack, he wrote, “You failed to do what you agreed to, you failed to complete your part of the contract, and you failed to show up for the meetings you were supposed to attend and work for. I gave you an opportunity to make your life better, to work hard, and to grow. Yet, you have shown me that you don’t take this seriously. You are terminated. Get the [eff] out of my business right now.” Serious stuff. But now, as they say, comes the rest of the story: Most of the workers were unpaid remote part-timers. They signed on with a promise of “practical experience in managing and optimizing online sales platforms,” and a “high potential for full-time paid conversion in 2025.” Said one now-former intern, the company relies on remote interns willing to work for free. And because they are unpaid and remote, they all had different schedules, so it was difficult to set a specific time for attendance. Mr. Oddson (* and what a perfect name that is) now writes, “Our traffic has surged to over 20,000 views, sales are at an all-time high, and we’re receiving hundreds of applications daily. Firing those individuals was the right move for our organization, and we are stronger than ever.”
* “Now… who’s gonna process all those applications?” he added.
* “And you can forget about the Christmas bonus I wasn’t going to give you.”
* To put this in terms he might understand: You can’t call the tune if you don’t pay the piper.
* Music company boss or not, it sounds like the same old song and dance.
* It’s a musical instrument company, so when he canned them he should have said, “You’re fired!” and played this:
CLIP: Sad trombones.
CLIP URL: morningsidekick(dot)(com)/prep/wp-content/uploads/SadTrombones(dot)mp3

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

INDIAN FAMILY HOLDS FUNERAL SERVICE FOR BELOVED CAR

A family in India held a funeral service for their family car. The car was an 18-year-old Suzuki Wagon R. For twenty years, the Polara family believed the hatchback was their “lucky” car. Mr. Polara credits the car for being instrumental in achieving prosperity for his family, so he wanted to do something special for it. He said, “This car was more than just a vehicle; it was part of our journey toward success. Instead of selling it, we wanted to honor it with a lasting memory for future generations.” The Polaras had a 15-foot-deep pit dug on their property and then slowly had the small hatchback lowered into it. The car was covered with flower petals and decorated with colorful garlands as music played. The family then covered it with a green cloth and performed several rituals as part of a ceremony that reportedly cost over $4,500. They even had a shrine erected for the car. The lavish burial ceremony was attended by around 1,500 people.
* Which was nice because, afterwards, the Polara family had to ask for a lift home.
* Ashes to ashes, rust to dust.
* The Cars in Radiator Springs didn’t even do this much for Doc Hudson.
* The eulogy was delivered by Manny, Moe and Jack.
* A lasting memory for future generations. The memory of how wacko Grandpa was.

TRENDING

JEREMY RENNER NAMED GRAND MARSHAL OF HOLLYWOOD XMAS PARADE

Actor Jeremy Renner will serve as grand marshal of the 92nd Hollywood Christmas Parade. Renner wrote on X Tuesday: “Holidays for me have always been about family, music, food, and giving…. Come on out and spread some holiday cheer !!!” The event takes place in front of the Hollywood landmark Chinese Theatre this Sunday and benefits Marine Toys for Tots. (* Just keep Renner inside the car, and everything should be fine.)

AUDIENCE MEMBER THREW SOMETHING AT ZACH BRYAN

Country star Zach Bryan is the latest artist to have a concertgoer throw something at him onstage. At the country singer’s Tacoma Dome concert in Washington this past weekend, Bryan stopped singing to address the crowd after an unidentified object was thrown at the stage, which hit his guitarist’s leg. Bryan stopped playing, picked up the object and asked the audience, “Who threw this? Who was it? Does anyone know?” After no one confessed, he said, “If you guys do know who threw it, you need to get ‘em outta here, if we ever find out who did it.” Then, he resumed the show.

WRITER/DIRECTOR JIM ABRAHAMS, 80

Now, surely we can be serious. Legendary writer and director Jim Abrahams has died aged 80. Abrahams died from natural causes on Tuesday at his home in Santa Monica, California. Jim Abrahams, along with his friends Jerry and David Zucker, wrote and directed iconic spoof films “Airplane!” (1980) and “The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!” (1988). He also directed, wrote or otherwise had a hand in the two “Hot Shots!” movies, “Top Secret!” (1984) “Mafia!” (1998 – a very funny parody of “Casino”), “Scary Movie 4” (the good one), “Ruthless People,” and “The Kentucky Fried Movie.” In spite of it all, it was said, he never got over Macho Grande.

ALMANAC

NOTABLE DATES, UPCOMING U.S. OBSERVANCES

TOMORROW – Thanksgiving
Dec. 21, Saturday – Winter begins, winter solstice occurs at 4:21 a.m. (EST)
Dec. 25, Wednesday – Christmas
Dec. 31, Tuesday – New Year’s Eve
Jan. 1, Wednesday – New Year’s Day

BIRTHDAYS

Jaleel White (actor, Steve Urkel in “Family Matters” … 48
Elizabeth Marvel (actress, “Homeland,” “Marvel’s Helstrom”) … 55
Robin Givens (actress, “Riverdale”) … 60
Mike “Puffy” Bordin (rock drummer with Faith No More) … 62
Bill Nye (engineer, educator, TV host, “Bill Nye the Science Guy) … 69
Kathryn Bigelow (director, “The Hurt Locker”) … 73
Today’s Birthdays grade: Bill Nye and Jaleel White were big in the 90s and are still plugging along with occasional TV appearances. Likewise, Elizabeth Marvel (President Keane on “Homeland”) is working steady, seen on shows like “Law & Order” and Jake Gyllenhaal’s current “Presumed Innocent.” But today’s birthdays don’t really set off any fireworks so go back to cleaning your house for Thanksgiving and we’ll give today a quiet C.
[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 change my socks often, because I had bad bouts of athlete’s foot fungus infections as a kid. I may be able to change socks less frequently and not get the fungus. But, I’d rather not run the test to determine just how infrequently I could change socks.”

(A) Dwayne Johnson
(B) Pope Francis
(C) Bill Nye

ANSWER: Bill Nye

THIS DAY IN HISTORY

2013 – “Frozen” was released, and became the highest-grossing animated film to date.
* So Frozen made lots of cool cash.

2005 – The world’s first successful partial face transplant was performed in France, using donor tissue to reconstruct the face of Isabelle Dinoire, who had been mauled by a dog.
* Don’t you hate it when animals get in your face?

1989 – 21-month old Alyssa Smith became the first person to receive a liver transplant from a living donor – her mother, Teresa Smith – at the University of Chicago Medical Center.
* Usually kids hate it when their mom gives them liver.

1895 – Alfred Nobel signed his last will which called for his estate and fortune that he made as the inventor of dynamite to be used for creating awards for those who contributed to the benefit of mankind. The will created 5 awards – in physics, chemistry, medicine, literature and peace, and was signed in the Swedish–Norwegian Club in Paris.
* How Nobel of him.

THIS DAY IN MUSIC HISTORY

2014 – Taylor Swift was at No.1 on the U.S. album charts with her fifth studio album “1989.” It became the best-selling album of 2014 in the US.

1991 – Freddie Mercury’s funeral service was conducted by a Zoroastrian priest, for 35 of his close friends and family, with Elton John and the remaining members of Queen among those in attendance. Mercury was cremated at Kensal Green Cemetery, West London, England.

1970 – George Harrison released his triple album “All Things Must Pass” which included the hit singles ‘My Sweet Lord’ and ‘What Is Life.’ The title track had been turned down for inclusion on releases by the Beatles. The set would go on to be certified 6x Platinum by the RIAA, making it the best selling album by a solo Beatle.

1962 – The Beatles recorded their first BBC radio session at the BBC Paris studio on Regent Street in London. They played ‘Twist and Shout,’ ‘Love Me Do’ and ‘P.S. I Love You.’ The tracks were aired on the BBC Light Program Talent Spot.

1961 – Neil Christian and the Crusaders, featuring a young Jimmy Page on guitar, played a concert at Holloway Women’s Prison in London, England.

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 day after Thanksgiving is the second-busiest day of the year for urgent care clinics. On this day these clinics see a 60% spike in THIS particular injury. What is it?
Cuts

2. The day after Thanksgiving, 15% of people at urgent care clinics are there because of THIS. What is it?
Injuries from playing football

3. In addition to retail outlets, Black Friday is the busiest day of the year for THESE people, too. Who are they?
Plumbers – due to all the backed-up sinks and garbage disposals from Thanksgiving dinner

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