Big shot birthdays and special events for the upcoming weekend:
SATURDAY, AUGUST 24 _ Vince McMahon is 79 (in 2024) • Ann Archer (Clear and Present Danger, Fatal Attraction) is 77 (in 2024) • Stephen Fry (The Sandman, Bones) is 67 (in 2024) • Steve Guttenberg (Cocoon, Police Academy) is 66 (in 2024) • Craig Kilborn (SportsCenter, The Late Late Show) is 62 (in 2024) • Marlee Matlin (Children of a Lesser God, Switched at Birth) is 59 (in 2024) • Director Ava DuVernay (Selma, When They See Us) is 52 (in 2024) • Dave Chappelle is 51 (in 2024) • Alex O’Loughlin (Hawaii Five-0) is 48 (in 2024) • Chad Michael Murray (Dawson’s Creek, One Tree Hill) is 43 (in 2024) • Rupert Grint (Harry Potter) is 36 (in 2024) • Model Sofia Richie (daughter of Lionel, sister of Nicole) is 26 (in 2024)
SPECIAL EVENTS _ Can Opener Day • Strange Music Day • Knife Day • Peach Pie Day • Waffle Day • Shooting Star Day • Weather Complaint Day • Pluto Demoted Day
SUNDAY, AUGUST 25 _ Gene Simmons of Kiss is 75 (in 2024) • Singer Elvis Costello is 70 (in 2024) • Director Tim Burton is 66 (in 2024) • Billy Ray Cyrus is 63 (in 2024) • Blair Underwood is 60 (in 2024) • TV chef Rachael Ray is 56 (in 2024) • Model Claudia Schiffer is 54 (in 2024) • Alexander Skarsgård (The Northman, Big Little Lies) is 48 (in 2024) • Rachel Bilson (Hart of Dixie, The O.C.) is 43 (in 2024) • Blake Lively (Gossip Girl, A Simple Favor, The Shallows) is 37 (in 2024)
SPECIAL EVENTS _ Four months until Christmas! • Kiss and Make-Up Day • Banana Split Day • Second-hand Wardrobe Day • Whiskey Sour Day
7 SHOWS GREAT FROM START TO FINISH _ TV fans were asked what shows were great from start to finish. These seven made the cut.
• Homeland: The finale aired in 2020 and delivered a perfect ending, standing out as a refreshing contrast to disappointing conclusions like Game of Thrones.
• How to Get Away with Murder: Kicked off with one of the best pilot episodes ever and kept viewers hooked until a powerful finale.
• Schitt’s Creek: The ultimate comfort show, consistently delightful from the first season to the final episode.
• The Wire: Often hailed as one of the best TV shows ever, it has no bad seasons and features unforgettable characters.
• The Americans: A sleeper hit combining spies, politics, and intense drama, with a stellar pilot and a finale that truly delivers.
• The Sopranos: A classic that’s perfect from start to finish, with a legacy that continues to influence television today.
• Succession: Ended on a high note, with no bad episodes, top-tier writing, and an unforgettable finale.
CRAZY TRAVEL STORIES _ The Lonely Planet guidebook asked people to share some of their travel “oops”.
• In France I thought I was asking directions to a train station but was asking directions to the war. That was met with very French raised eyebrow.
• I walked to a Korean temple in Seoul. I took photos. I walked a 1/2 hour to another Korean temple and took more photos. Turned out to be the same temple.
• Using my best Chinese at a local market I thought I was ordering bamboo shoots. When I got home and looked up the word I realized I’d ordered pig kidneys.
• We took a train from Rome to Orvieto, Italy, and couldn’t figure out how to open the train doors and ended up 4 towns away before we could get off.
