Today we visit with actor and best selling author Jimmy Hawkins. In 1946, when he was a little boy, he was in the movie “It's A Wonderful Life” with Jimmy Stewart and Donna Reed. He was also in several other movies and TV shows. He fondly looks back at his time on the set of the popular Christmas movie in a few different books, the latest is “The Heart of It's a Wonderful Life: Life: How the Most Inspirational Movie of All Time Still Inspires the Spirit”. The Perfect Christmas Gift for Fans of this Holiday Classic. https://amzn.to/4q0p4pV
TODAY'S REASON TO PARTY! (special thanks to ListOfNationalDays.com)
Gingerbread House Day
https://recipes.anovaculinary.com/recipe/gingerbread-cocktail
SURVEYS, STUDIES & SUCH
A new study has confirmed what most parents already knew: Teens are becoming the major decision-makers when it comes to family travel. Luxury travel firm Scott Dunn found that 70% of teens suggest destinations to their parents, and nearly 40% manage to change their parents’ plans, thanks to what researchers call “pester power.” The poll found that teens rely heavily on YouTube and social media for travel inspiration, favoring places like Italy, Japan, South Korea and France, and other destinations that offer great food, Instagrammable scenery, or pop-culture tie-ins. Experts say the travel industry is finally taking notice of the vacation-planning power of teens…with resorts adding perks such as VR experiences and mini-spa treatments. They suggest parents choose hotels with style and central locations, and plan hands-on, high-energy activities.
BIG SCREEN-LITTLE SCREEN
“Wicked: One Wonderful Night” is returning to NBC Dec. 31. The 2-hour special was recorded at Los Angeles’ Dolby Theater and will air at 8pm EST. The encore comes as “Wicked: For Good” plays in theaters, raking in nearly $400 million so far. One Wonderful Night saw the theater become “a breathtaking Emerald City-inspired set,” says the official synopsis. The special includes an orchestra, and movie-inspired dance scenes.
Ric Flair claims that fellow WWE Hall of Famer Hulk Hogan’s death may be a result of the illegal pain medication he used. Hogan, who passed away earlier this year due to cardiac arrest, had undergone several surgeries over the last few years. In a recent podcast, Flair stated that Hogan was in tremendous pain and was taking medication. But after doctors stopped prescribing the meds, Hogan reportedly bought “street drugs” as a substitute. After the podcast aired, Flair issued a clarification, saying that he was stating facts that had been told to him by Hogan’s family. LINK: https://tinyurl.com/j8yncvu7
Jada Pinkett Smith is being sued for $3 million by a former associate who claims she physically threatened him in 2021. Bilaal Salaam (aka Brother Bilaal) alleges that Pinkett Smith confronted him in the lobby of a hotel, while he was attending a private birthday celebration for Will Smith. The suit alleges that Pinkett Smith, accompanied by 7 members of her entourage, “became verbally aggressive, and threatened” him, saying that if he continued telling her personal business,’ “he would “end up missing or catch a bullet.” He also alleges that Pinkett Smith demanded he sign a nondisclosure agreement “or else,” according to the filing.
The 2026 ICG Publicists Awards will honor a guy who made a few headlines this year. The publicists of the International Cinematographers Guild have announced that Jimmy Kimmel will receive the 2026 President’s Award in March, an honor presented only on occasion of “extraordinary circumstances.” The veteran late-night host and proud Donald Trump foil is being honored for his “strength of character, his resilience, and his unwavering adherence to principle in the face of adversity”.
DID YA KNOW!?
Did
You Know... A Blue Whale's Tongue Weighs As Much As An Elephant?
The
tongue of a blue whale can weigh as much as an adult elephant,
roughly 4,000 pounds! This massive tongue is needed to help the whale
process its enormous food intake of krill, as it consumes up to 4
tons of food per day.
JOKE
OF THE DAY
(FROM
HEIDI)
SCOOP
OF THE DAY
This year, mall Santas are trying to lower kids’ expectations because of the bad economy.
Oxford University Press has named “rage bait’’ its word of the year for 2025. The phrase refers to online content that is “deliberately designed to elicit anger or outrage by being frustrating, provocative or offensive,” with the aim of driving traffic to a social media account, Oxford said. Rage bait topped 2 other contenders: “aura farming” and “biohack”. Aura farming means to cultivate a public image by presenting oneself “to convey an air of confidence, coolness or mystique.” Biohack is defined as “an attempt to improve or optimize one’s physical or mental performance, health or longevity.’’
THE MOVIE QUOTE OF THE DAY
If you have a favorite quote.... you can send it to us at the bottom of the page at JohnAndHeidiShow.com
"Why so serious?" — The Dark Knight, Joker, 2008
NEWS TO ME
(FROM HEIDI)
FUN
FACT FOR YOU:
Share
this with your friends... they'll think you're really smart!
✓ Sea lions are the only animal that can clap to a beat.
✓ An estimated 3-5% of people are afflicted with ‘musical anhedonia’, a disorder in which the sufferer is incapable of enjoying music.
✓ The average woman has 17 square feet of skin. It stretches to 18½ square feet during pregnancy.
✓ Horses can kick backward, forward, and sideways.
✓ According to a report, faking the Moon landing would have cost 3 times what it cost for NASA to actually go to the Moon.
WEIRD NEWS
Scientists may have found a way to repair tooth enamel using…hair. In lab tests, a formula based on keratin, the protein found in human hair, restored early enamel damage, improving strength and appearance – and even stopping decay. When applied to teeth, the keratin formed a crystal-like layer that attracted minerals from saliva, creating a durable enamel-like coating. The researchers, at King’s College London, say it could eventually be added to toothpaste or dental treatments, though more testing is needed to confirm safety and practicality.
QUESTION OF THE DAY
38% of kids will do THIS between now and Christmas. What is it?
Answer: Cry on Santa’s lap
SOMETHING SPECIAL WITH HEIDI SMALL
(FROM HEIDI)
THE LIST
THINGS KIDS HAVE ACTUALLY ASKED MALL SANTAS FOR:
✓ “A remote control buffalo.”
✓ “A unicorn that poops rainbows.”
✓ “Plutonium.”
✓ “Lasagna.”
✓ “A live octopus or shark.”
✓ “To change my name to ‘Batman’.”
✓ “A gallon jar of pickles.”
✓ “A live penguin and polar bear.”
✓ “A flying pony.”
✓ “A lifetime supply of peanut butter so my dog will lick my face forever.”
✓ “A gumball machine filled with avocados.”
✓ “Boobs like mommy.”
GOOD NEWS
Three
First Graders Save Their Teacher’s Life
https://www.sunnyskyz.com/good-news
