Born on this day!! Actor Robert Fuller (“Laramie,” ″Emergency!”) is 88. Actor David Warner (“Titanic”) is 80. Actor Roz Kelly (“Happy Days”) is 79. Keyboardist Neal Doughty of REO Speedwagon is 75. Actor Mike Starr (“Ed,” ″Goodfellas”) is 71. Singer-bassist Geddy Lee of Rush is 68. Documentary maker Ken Burns is 68. TV personality Tim Gunn (“Project Runway”) is 68. Singer Patti Scialfa of Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band is 68. Actor Alexandra Paul (“Baywatch”) is 58. Actor Dean Haglund (“The X Files”) is 56. Country singer Martina McBride is 55. Drummer Chris Gorman of Belly is 54. Actor Tim Omundson (“Psych”) is 52. Actor Ato Essandoh (film’s “Django Unchained,” TV’s “Elementary”) is 49. Actor Wil Wheaton (“Star Trek: The Next Generation,” “Stand By Me”) is 49. Singer Wanya Morris of Boyz II Men is 48. Actor Stephen Dorff is 48. Country singer James Otto is 48. Actor Josh Radnor (“How I Met Your Mother”) is 47. Musician Danger Mouse is 44. Actor Rachel Miner (“Supernatural”) is 41. Actor Allison Mack (“Smallville”) is 39. Actor Kaitlyn Black (“Hart of Dixie”) is 38. Actor Cait Fairbanks (“The Young and the Restless”) is 28.

THIS DAY IN GENIUS HISTORY

1890 – Artist Vincent van Gogh died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound in Auvers, France.
1958 – President Eisenhower signed the congressional act that created the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) was authorized by Congress.
1968 – In Humanae Vitae (of Human Life), Pope Paul VI reaffirmed the Catholic Church’s prohibition on artificial methods of birth control.
1981 – Prince Charles, heir to the British throne, married Lady Diana Spencer.
2003 – Red sox switch hitter Bill Mueller became the first baseball player to hit grand slam home runs from both sides of the plate in the same game.

Today Is: Army Chaplain Corps Anniversary, Earth Overshoot Day, Global Tiger Day, International Chicken Wing Day, International Tiger Day, Lasagna Day, National Chicken Wing Day, National Chili Dog Day, National Intern Day, National Lipstick Day, Rain Day

TODAY ON TV!
Primetime TV (All Times Eastern)

CBS – 8:00 –  Big Brother  /  9:00 – Love Island  /  10:00 – Bull
NBC – 8:00 – Tokyo Olympics
ABC – 8:00 –  NBA Draft
FOX – 8:00 – Beat Shazam  /  9:00 – Masterchef
CW – 8:00 – Roswell New Mexico  /  9:00 – The Outpost

TV Talk Shows

Jimmy Kimmel: Megan Fox, Jay Pharoah, Amorphous featuring Kelly Rowland, guest host Arsenio Hall (R 7/12/21)
Jimmy Fallon: Pre-empted
Stephen Colbert: Keegan-Michael Key, Tones and I (R 7/12/21)
Seth Meyers: Pre-empted
James Corden: David Tennant, Joy Downer (R 3/22/21)
Watch What Happens Live: Dolly Parton
The View: Audra McDonald
The Talk: Sarah Michelle Gellar, guest co-host Daymond John
Live with Kelly and Ryan: Emily Mortimer, A Great Big World, guest co-host Maria Menounos
Ellen DeGeneres: Laverne Cox (R 1/28/21)
Wendy Williams: Todd & Savannah Chrisley (R 11/11/20)
The Real: Jenna Elfman (R 4/29/21)
Kelly Clarkson: Girl Power Hour (R 2/15/21)
Tamron Hall: Tamron celebrates 300 episodes (R 4/14/21)
Drew Barrymore: Ellie Kemper, Elaine Welteroth (R 12/10/20)

WHAT ARE YOU TALKIN’ ABOUT? Here are today’s PPM-Friendly Topics!

QUESTION: Did Rock and Roll Heaven just get a little bit LOUDER?? ZZ Top bassist Dusty Hill passed away yesterday, and he took his beard with him……..

 

QUESTION: Was he number TWO?? TV Infomercial pioneer RON POPEIL dies. His tombstone will be custom made, for 3 easy payments of $19.99!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

QUESTION: Remember the “Tic Tac UFO” video? The pilot who filmed says, “there’s only one logical explanation!!!” (uh… you mean it must have been a TIC TAC?)

 

QUESTION: Are you bathing your children TOO MUCH?? Experts say that once a week is FINE, after Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis reveal that they don’t bathe daily!!

 

QUESTION: Doesn’t everyone have this problem??? A British dad who looks JUST LIKE BRAD PITT says he has a problem finding dates!!! Uh… what was that????

Kelly Clarkson To Pay Spousal Support

Kelly Clarkson will pay her estranged husband, Brandon Blackstock, nearly $200,000 in spousal and child support.  People reported Tuesday that a Los Angeles judge ordered Clarkson, 39, to pay Blackstock $150,000 per month in spousal support and $45,601 per month in child support.  In addition, Clarkson will pay $1.25 million toward Blackstock’s attorney fees and costs for their ongoing divorce.  TMZ said the ruling happened in April. Blackstock had initially requested $436,000 per month in spousal and child support.  Sources said Blackstock will receive two more years of spousal support once the divorce is settled, based on the length of his marriage to Clarkson. The situation could change if a judge determines that Clarkson and Blackstock’s prenuptial agreement is valid.  Clarkson filed for divorce from Blackstock in June 2020 after nearly four years of marriage. She was granted primary physical custody of her two children with Blackstock, daughter River Rose, 6, and son Remington Alexander, 4, in November.
*********Divorce is “the screwing you get for the screwing you got!!!”
*******They say he cheated, but in California, that makes no difference.
*******Finally!!! Women are being treated equally!!!

Prince Harry Shuts Down Book Rumors

Prince Harry’s second memoir, which is part of a four-book deal, will not be released after the death of his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II.  On Wednesday, a spokesperson for the Duke of Sussex told Us Weekly that the claim, which was originally made by U.K.’s DailyMail is inaccurate. While he does have a four-book deal, none of the memoirs’ releases are contingent upon the queen’s health or passing.  The DailyMail originally alleged that Harry agreed to a “lucrative four-book deal – with the second due out only after the queen has died.”  Earlier this month, Random House announced that Harry is writing an “intimate and heartfelt memoir” that is expected to be released in late 2022. “I’m writing this not as the prince I was born but as the man I have become,” said Harry in a statement.
*******The man he has become… is a man who sticks a knife in his family!!!
******The Queen is now planning to live to 200… just so she can stop Charles and Harry from getting what each one wants!!!
*******You’ll notice they didn’t say the story was a lie… just that it was “inaccurate!!” That could mean that the plans aren’t “finalized!!”

Adele Considering Vegas Residency

Adele is considering performing a residency in Las Vegas where she could earn a staggering $138,000 per night, according to a new report.  Sources tell The Sun that she is mulling a residency at the Strip’s new venue Resorts World, which could begin as early as January of next year.  She could potentially rake in as much as $138,000 a night, but it is unknown how long a run might last.  In the coming months, the venue — which holds just 5,000 people — is slated to host performances from Katy Perry, Luke Bryan, Céline Dion and Carrie Underwood.
********She’ll get $138,000 a night… and unlimited free play on the slots!!
******This isn’t confirmed… but “Rumor Has it….”

Mila Kunis Stopped Ashton Kutcher From Going To Space

Ashton Kutcher revealed this month that he previously had a ticket to ride in one of Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic flights, which take civilians to the outer atmospheric layers of Earth. But after his wife Mila Kunis said that the voyage wasn’t “a smart family decision” he sold the ticket back.  Reflecting on it now, Kunis tells People she regrets asking him to return the ticket in a moment of panic over their family’s future.  “We get together nine years ago and he was like, ‘I have a ticket to go to space.’ I was like, ‘Oh, okay.’ I was like, ‘That’s fun, have fun,'” she says.  But her feelings changed once they welcomed daughter Wyatt Isabelle in October 2014 and son Dimitri Portwood in November 2016.  “Years goes by then all of a sudden we have a baby and he’s like, ‘I’m going into space.’ And I was like, ‘That’s irresponsible, you cannot have… This is not what you do. You are a father,'” Kunis remembers telling her husband. “I was all so hormonal and I was like, ‘You can’t, you’re going to die. The thing’s going to explode and you’re going to die — and you’re going to leave me with the babies.'”  Kunis recalls then asking him to return the ticket. “Being the sweet man that he was,” Kunis says, Kutcher decided to please his wife.  “I know I hate it,” she says of the decision now. “Also I’m such [Star Trek fan]. The fact that I didn’t let him go into space was so selfish of me, but I was a new mom and I was like, ‘You can’t leave me and the babies.’ And so that’s where that decision was made out of.”  “I want everybody to know I probably would have let him to go to space now, but now it’s too late,” she adds.
********Now, she WANTS him to go!!!!
*****Now that they’ve revealed that they seldom wash, maybe the other passengers wouldn’t enjoy the ride that much!!
****Scientific question: Can you smell stuff in space??
TOPIC: If you could send someone into outer space, who would it be??

Ben Affleck Designed JLo’s Necklace

Ben Affleck helped create a special jewelry piece for Jennifer Lopez’s 52nd birthday.  He worked with Foundrae to create a custom charm necklace featuring sentimental pendants that reveal details about their relationship.  “With the custom piece Ben created for Jennifer, it clearly communicated their love, but it’s also a reminder of their capacity for change and growth,” Beth Bugdaycay, creative director and co-founder of Foundrae, told E! News of the gold necklace, which featured a series of charms imbued with various meanings.  Affleck selected multiple medallions for his beau’s birthday necklace, including one symbolizing “resilience,” which Bugdaycay describes as “wild, abundant and untamed.”   He also selected blossoms that are “fed with passion and continue to bloom, even in darkness, against adversity” but can’t be separated from thorns, representing “the risk we assume for something we love, for living life fully without reserve.”
********Wow… that’s a lot of manure!!!
*****We’re betting she paid HIM to give J Lo the necklace!!!
*****This whole story smells like the biggest publicity stunt!!!! And now they’re selling sponsorships!!!!

 

Ripping The Tabloids (Throughout the week, we’ll give you the stories from that weeks tabs!)
**Please Credit Publication!

Eating Away At Them!  Britney Spears-(National Enquirer)

Plump pop star Britney Spears, 39, candidly admitted, “Dieting is tough…..my specialties are spaghetti, brownies and chocolate chip cookies!”  According to a trainer, Brit offset a 3,000-calorie-a-day junk food addiction with intense workouts.  “This can’t be sustained as she gets older….her metabolic rate will be unnaturally slowed and her body will be destroyed,” warned Aesha Waks, author of “The Model Body.”

And More!-(Globe)

Polly Pocket, the popular Mattel mini doll, is headed for the big screen with ‘Emily in Paris” star Lily Collins taking the lead!  “As a child who was obsessed with Polly Pocket, this is a real dream come true,” says the actress, 32.  “I can’t wait to bring these tiny toys to the big screen.”

Going West!-(Us Weekly)

Brooklyn Beckham, 22, and fiancée Nicola Peltz, 26, just bought a $10.5 million mansion in Beverly Hills-and they can’t wait to move in.  “They’re going to divide their time between California and Miami,” says an insider, “but both of them see the West Coast as their long-term home.”

Not Playing Nice:  Lauren Graham & Scott Patterson-(Star)

Gilmore Girls-

It’s called acting!  The costars may have looked chummy on-screen.  But off-screen was a different story.  Say it isn’t so!  The will-they-won’t they couple that kept residents of Stars Hollow guessing disappointed ‘shippers by leaving it all at work.  While acknowledging her “chemistry” with the scruffy actor, Lauren shut down a reporter who asked if there was anything more.  “We’re not intimates,” she said.  Best friends?  “No.”

Say What?!-(Life & Style)

“I went on a sabbatical away from Hollywood.  I said no to every rom-com script that came my way.  I turned down one for $14.5 million.  Word got around Hollywood I’d done that, and they said, ‘McConaughey’s not bluffing.  Quit sending him romantic comedies!’”-Matthew McConaughey, on how he “unbranded” to land the dramatic roles he wanted.

“She still has so many shoes from Friends….and outfits.”-Courteney Cox, revealing co-star Jennifer Aniston stole the most things from wardrobe while filming their hit series.

“It’s great because he fixes everything.  He can fix anything.”-Zooey Deschanel, on dating Property Brothers star Jonathan Scott.

Shawn Mendes & Camila Cabello:  Two Years of Romance-(People)

The pop-star pair celebrated their second year of dating with a Caribbean getaway.  “Happy 2 years of my baby,” Mendes, 22, wrote on Instagram July 3.  Cabello, 24, wrote on her own post:  “Here’s to more joy, more friendship, and more love.”

Harry vs. William:  Battle of Brothers-(In Touch)

It was an uneasy, brief truce.  Prince William and Prince Harry put aside their differences for the unveiling of a state of their mother, Princess Diana, at London’s Kensington Palace on July 1.  But tensions between them were still obvious.  Harry dutifully trailed behind his big brother as they made the rounds, greeting their aunts and uncle, as well as the sculptor and the gardeners.  They did not give any speeches, just a quick. “Ready?” from William before they pulled off the tarp covering the statue, followed by a rare joint statement issued to the press.  “Today, on what would have been our mother’s 60^th birthday,” it read, “we remember her love, strength and character-qualities that made her a force for good around the world, changing countless lives for the better.”  Following the public ceremony, William and Harry “met privately,” says a source.  The queen has been asking them to make amends.  But, instead the brothers got into another horrible row-it ended in disaster!”  Both William, 39, and Harry, 36, have nasty tempers, and are known to shout when they’re angry-even at their father. Prince Charles.  “They didn’t hold back,” says the source.

 

STUPID NEWS

Woman Finds Card Full Of Cash

A Connecticut woman who found a card containing $500 on the ground enlisted the help of a friend’s mother to track down the owners.  Gabrielle Perry, 23, said she was going out to dinner with friends in South Norwalk when she spotted an enveloped card on the ground in the parking lot of the Maritime Aquarium.  Perry said the envelope, which also contained $500 cash, was addressed to “Reverend Dennis.”  “The outside said, ‘Thank you for marrying us,’ and then the inside was a really sweet, heartfelt note to the reverend, and it seemed like they knew each other for a really long time,” Perry told News 12.  Perry said the card was signed “From Christina and Dave,” without any last names.  “That’s when I contacted my friend’s mom who’s good at searching for people online,” Perry said.  Her friend’s mother went online and found a couple with matching first names whose wedding was scheduled for July 11, the day after Perry’s discovery.  The wedding registry for Christina Ulreich-Kean and David Kean led to Ulreich-Kean’s LinkedIn profile, where they were able to connect.  Perry met with the couple to return the card and cash to be passed on to the reverend.  “It was incredible that she even saw the cash and wanted to return it. … That they went to so much trouble to find us was just really incredible,” Ulreich-Kean said.
********Then they had her arrested!!! Just kidding!!!
******You’ll never get rich giving back free money like that!!
TOPIC: Ever lose something, only to have it returned by a Good Samaritan??

Two-Headed Sea Turtle

Workers performing a routine sea turtle nest inventory at a South Carolina state park made an unusual discovery: a hatchling with two heads.  South Carolina State Parks said in a Facebook post that the Edisto Beach State Park’s Sea Turtle Patrol was out doing a routine nest inventory after detecting a major emergence at the park.  “Three to five days after a sea turtle nest shows signs of a major emergence, we dig down to determine the success of the nest by counting the hatched eggs, unhatched eggs and on occasions also find live hatchlings,” the post said.  The team found three living loggerhead sea turtle hatchlings still in the nest, “but one hatchling in particular stood out because it had two heads!”  The post said the hatchling’s condition is caused by a genetic mutation. All three of the hatchlings were released into the ocean.  See the video HERE.
*******When they found it, it was arguing with itself!!
******The only problem with having two mouths, is you get twice as hungry!!!
******If evolution is true, why aren’t there a ton of two-headed turtles???

Kitten Goes For Wild Ride

A kitten spotted running in the middle lane of a New Jersey highway was rescued from inside the undercarriage of a car that stopped to help the feline.  The Plainsboro Township Police Department said a woman was driving on Route 1 when a kitten darted out into the lane ahead of her. The woman stopped to help the feline, but the scared kitten fled into the undercarriage of the car.  The driver called police for help, and officers arrived with animal control. An officer crawled under the vehicle to extract the kitten.  The kitten was not injured and was taken to animal control.
********Of course, they ran over five people to get there, but….

Russian Officer Had Golden Toilet

A senior Russian traffic officer accused of leading a criminal gang has been arrested on suspicion of accepting bribes.  Police colonel Alexei Safonov and six other people were arrested by Russia’s Investigative Committee in the southern region of Stavropol.  Officials released footage of the Safonov’s mansion, its lavish rooms, extravagant decorations, a billiards hall, and even a golden toilet.  He is believed to have led a criminal gang which issued permits to grain cargo transporters in exchange for bribes.  The permits allowed the transporters to ignore regional laws, even when crossing police checkpoints.  The Investigative Committee of Russia, which is roughly equivalent to the FBI in the US, said the group received bribes worth 19 million roubles.  Among the gang members arrested were a former senior traffic officer, a traffic inspector, and four civilians.
******He must have heard that Prince Charles travels with a golden toilet seat!! (true)
*******This is why government work pays so much!! The more they can do for you… the bigger the bribes!!
*******He also has a mink-lined hot tub!!!

 

STUFF THAT’S COOL AND VIRAL

VIDEO: JEFF BEZOS REMIXED.

VIDEO: WHAT HAPPENS WHEN A GLACIER BREAKS NEAR A ROAD.

 

A LIST FOR THURSDAY

10 Cheap and Easy School Lunches That Your Kids Will Actually Eat

The Penny Hoarder

 

1. Lunchbox Kebabs

Christina Hitchcock’s lunchbox kebabs are the perfect alternative to tired sandwiches, and the recipe she shares on her blog It’s a Keeper is super simple.

Choose your tiny scholar’s favorite sandwich fixings, like meat, cheese and veggies, and stick ‘em on short skewers inside a plastic container. The components will stay fresh, and you can include a small container of a dip — mustard would be my choice — for mealtime.

What You Need

• Black Forest Ham
• Cheddar Cheese Slices
• Grape Tomatoes
• Skewers
• Yellow Mustard

 

2. Cool Apple Quesadillas

For the kid who can’t get enough cheese, but honestly needs a few more food groups in their day, these grilled-then-chilled quesadillas from Laura Fuentes of Momables are perfect.

They take a few minutes of prep, but they’re worth it. Although designed for a cold lunch, you do cook the quesadilla on the stove like you would at dinnertime. Gotta congeal that cheese.

Fuentes layers on thin-sliced apples and cheese slices, and grills them between eight-inch tortillas. There’s a ton of wiggle room here for ingredients — consider switching to a whole-wheat tortilla or switch up the cheese selection for a new flavor combo.

What You Need

• Flour Tortillas
• Cheese Slices
• Granny Smith Apple

 

3. Polka-Dot Pizza Dippers

Your resident pizza fiend will ask for this easy, cheap lunch day after day. And that’s totally doable, because you can prep a whole batch in advance and freeze them until it’s time to pack a few pizza dippers.

Simply divide refrigerated biscuit dough as described in the recipe on Coupons.com’s The Good Stuff blog, and top with a dab of sauce and a slice of pepperoni. They bake up flaky, and you can season to taste.

What You Need

• Refrigerated Biscuit Dough
• Pizza Sauce
• Pepperoni

 

4. No-Bake Banana Burritos

Here’s a wholesome lunch that requires zero cooking. Promise!

It’s a sweet twist on the typical PB&J: a PB&J banana burrito.

Smear peanut butter and jelly on a tortilla, roll up a (peeled, of course) banana in the center, and send it off to school. Banana burritos!

It’s easy to swap PB for another type of spread, like sunbutter, if your kids go to a peanut-free school.

Feeling pooped from a long day of parenting? Even smaller students can prepare this lunch on their own.

What You Need

• Yellow Bananas
• Peanut Butter
• Strawberry Preserves
• Flour Tortillas

 

5. The Ultimate Bento Box

If your kid is more of a grazer, stop worrying about packing a meal so much as packing a bunch of snacks they’ll be excited to eat at lunchtime. Choose a reusable container with sections to pack four to six different bite-size treats.

It’s also a great way to compromise with a kid who has a major sweet tooth but isn’t so much into vegetables: pack a sweet treat, sure, but surround it with enough healthier options that it’ll all even out.

What You Need

Nike, who runs the blog Choose to Thrive, likes to make her kids’ bento boxes look like Lunchables. But here’s what I’d put in my ideal box:

• Cracker Rounds
• Cheddar Cheese Slices
• Green Pepper
• Grape Tomatoes

The fresh ingredients for this box are more expensive, but remember this is one of the more customizable lunch options. You can substitute other components like a clementine, pretzel sticks, apple slices, a handful of almonds, a hard-boiled egg or even a few cookies.

It’s also easy to adjust portion sizes based on your student’s appetite.

 

6. Waffle Sandwiches

Land O Lakes offers this cool recipe that asks you to put sandwich components inside a waffle maker to griddle up some goodness. I say: Let’s not work that hard.

To make an easier version of a waffle sandwich, toast up a frozen waffle, cut it in half, and layer on ham and cheese. Then, either microwave these magical sandwich sticks or grill in a pan for a few minutes.

If you’re a nice parent, add a small cup of maple syrup for dipping. If you don’t care about your child’s happiness (and want to stay on the school custodial staff’s good side), skip it. The frozen waffles are sweet enough on their own.

You can make a batch of these and freeze them so they’ll defrost for junior by lunchtime.

What You Need

• Frozen Waffles
• Maple Syrup
• Black Forest Ham
• Cheddar Cheese Slices

 

7. Yogurt Parfait

If a yogurt parfait seems like a treat best saved for a summer day, it’s time to rethink your school-lunch ways. You can whip together this nutritious combo of yogurt, fruit and granola in minutes, and you can prep a few at a time for several days worth of lunches.

What You Need

• Vanilla Yogurt
• Strawberries
• Blackberries
• Almond Butter Granola

 

8. Easy Mac and Cheese Bites

Kids love macaroni and cheese, but this hot dish doesn’t keep well in a lunch box. Instead, bake up some mac and cheese bites that you can store in the freezer for a grab-and-go solution.

Pinterest is filled to the brim with “homemade” mac and cheese recipes for these bites, but let’s get real. This isn’t Sunday dinner. This is a Monday morning when you are bleary-eyed and someone is screaming like a banshee because she can’t find her other shoe.

So here’s a super simple recipe to try:

To make these zesty bites, simply prepare your favorite boxed mac and cheese as instructed. When you’re done, add some extras of your choice to the pot: finely chopped broccoli or spinach sneaks into this lunch pretty easily.

Mix well, pour it all into a mini muffin tin (you may want to grease the pan first), top with parmesan cheese, and bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Adjust for your desired crispiness.

Freeze the batch and pull out a few at a time. Send a small container of ketchup to school for dipping.

This recipe makes about 12 in a mini-muffin pan — but you might have some left over for a snack!

What You Need

• Macaroni and Cheese
• 2% Milk
• Grated Parmesan Cheese
• Frozen Broccoli
• Ketchup

 

9. Ants on a Log

It’s time for some early-’90s nostalgia, because you probably forgot all about ants on a log, huh? It’s a severely underrated snack, but if you eat enough of them, it totally counts as lunch.

There are many variations on the traditional combo of celery, peanut butter and raisins, so use what your kids are most likely to chow down. Craisins! Cream Cheese! Go crazy.

What You Need

• Celery
• Peanut Butter
• Raisins

 

10. Corn Dog Muffins

If you have a child who only ever wants to eat hot dogs, here’s a way to send them to school without lobbying the PTA to get a grill for the cafeteria.

Whip up some cornbread muffin mix, pour into that handy mini-muffin pan, plop a slice of hot dog into the center of each, and bake according to this simple recipe from One Sassy Momma. Freeze a zip bag of the fruits of your labor and grab a few for lunchbox duty.

If you’re feeling extra nice, include a small container of ketchup or mustard for dipping.

What You Need

• Corn Muffin Mix
• Hot Dogs
• 2% Milk
• Brown Eggs

 

The preceding material was compiled and edited by Brandon Castillo.  The Editor-In-Chief is Gary Bryan.  The Radio Genius Show Prep Service is licensed for use on-air only by subscribing radio stations.  Other means of redistribution is forbidden.
© 2020 – Radio Genius Show Prep