Today we visit with best selling author Mark Malkoff about his new book “Love Johnny Carson: One Obsessive Fan's Journey to Find the Genius Behind the Legend” https://amzn.to/4q58C8v
TODAY'S REASON TO PARTY! (special thanks to ListOfNationalDays.com)
Personal Trainer Day
SURVEYS, STUDIES & SUCH
Social media detox: Good idea or nah? In a new study, a one-week social media detox gave young adults mixed results. Researchers tracked 295 people aged 18-24 who quit Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, and X for a week. While social media use dropped by about 9 hours weekly, overall screen time actually increased slightly, and participants spent an extra 43 minutes at home daily. Instagram and Snapchat proved hardest to quit. Despite minimal lifestyle changes, mental health improved: depression fell 25%, anxiety 16%, and insomnia 14%…although loneliness didn’t change. The study suggests benefits came from reduced harmful engagement patterns, rather than less phone time, showing that digital detoxes alone don’t guarantee participation in more offline activities.
BIG SCREEN-LITTLE SCREEN
Top 10 TV Shows of 2025 Revealed. A year-end list from the New York Post highlights the most talked-about TV shows of 2025, from Severance’s return to buzzy new drama All Her Fault and genre blend mysteries like Paradise. The list reflects the creativity and variety that defined TV this year. https://nypost.com/2025/12/26
The Muppet Show Returns for a 50th Anniversary Special. Disney+ is bringing back The Muppet Show in a one-off special for its 50th anniversary, featuring star Sabrina Carpenter as both guest and executive producer. The nostalgic comedy will stream starting February 4, 2026, with classic characters like Kermit back in the spotlight. https://www.thesun.ie/tvandshowbiz
DID YA KNOW!?
DID YOU KNOW… There are more trees on Earth than stars in the Milky Way galaxy. Scientists estimate there are about three trillion trees worldwide. The Milky Way is believed to contain between 100 and 400 billion stars.
JOKE OF THE DAY
(FROM
HEIDI)
SCOOP
OF THE DAY
Over the years, the name “Karen” has become became shorthand for a complainer, but a male equivalent has never stuck. At one point, some memes pointed to “Ken,” until Barbie gave the name a glow-up, complete with “Kenergy” and “Kenough.” But new data from Trustpilot suggests “David” may be the biggest moaner, with those men posting the most one-star reviews. Still, “Karen” remains the only name that instantly signals the behavior – whether referring to a female or a male — unfortunately for real Karens everywhere.
It’s finally happening: Production has officially begun on what Alef Aeronautics calls the world’s first true flying car, pushing a once-science-fiction idea closer to everyday reality. The startup’s all-electric Alef Model A Ultralight is designed to operate both on roads and in the air, with vertical take-off and landing abilities that allow it to lift off without runways or heliports. Built at the company’s Silicon Valley facility, the vehicle uses multiple rotors for flight and wheel-mounted motors for driving. Limited customer deliveries are expected as early as 2026, following real-world testing. The futuristic car carries a steep estimated price of $300,000, but demand is already “soaring”, with thousands of preorders reported.
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
"I’m having an old friend for dinner." — The Silence of the Lambs, Hannibal Lecter, 1991
NEWS TO ME
(FROM HEIDI)
FUN
FACT FOR YOU:
Share
this with your friends... they'll think you're really smart!
✓ More couples separate or divorce in January than any other month of the year.
✓ You do not need a driver’s license to be a NASCAR driver.
✓ The use of seat belts in F1 racing wasn’t mandatory until 1971.
✓ Adult cats only meow at humans, not other cats.
✓ Millionaires who earned their wealth are happier than those who inherited it, according to a study.
WEIRD NEWS
Illinois officials shared a humorous roundup of personalized license plate applications that were rejected in 2025. Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias revealed in a YouTube video that nearly 56,000 vanity plate requests were submitted, with more than 550 denied for being offensive, inflammatory, or hard to read. Among the rejected entries were “IBPOOPN,” “ICUP (spell it out loud),” “BLUBALN,” “BRICKED,” “SNDNUSZ (send nudes),” and “BDASMOM.” One plate, “BBL,” had to be explained as shorthand for Brazilian butt lift. Another standout was “PRIUSSY,” which Giannoulias joked might qualify its owner for a TLC show. His advice: be creative, but keep it clean.
QUESTION OF THE DAY
A survey says that 15% of adults regret THIS about last year. What is it?
Answer: Who they kissed to ring in the New Year
SOMETHING SPECIAL WITH HEIDI SMALL
(FROM HEIDI)
THE LIST
The English language is well known for having complex rules about grammar and spelling, often loaded with exceptions and special use cases. But the quirks of English don't stop at confusing grammar—our language also happens to be a treasure trove of words so delightfully absurd, so wonderfully preposterous, that they sound like they were plucked straight from the pages of a Dr. Seuss book or improvised during a comedy sketch.
Here are 11 real words that sound made up
Bumfuzzle
A verb meaning “to confuse, perplex or fluster.” It may be a variation on dumfound.
Sample Sentence: This year’s corn maze was so complex, it bumfuzzled visitors.
Snickersnee
This noun means “a large knife” but can also refer to a knife fight. It ultimately derives from the Dutch words steken (“to thrust”) and snijden (“to cut”).
Sample Sentence: Conventional wisdom suggests one should not bring a snickersnee to a gun battle.
Wabbit
The etymology of this adjective, which comes from Scottish, is uncertain, but it means “weary or exhausted”—as in, how Elmer Fudd actually felt when he was trying nab Bugs Bunny.
Sample Sentence: Hunting rabbits all day without a catch left the predator feeling wabbit.
Collywobbles
Dates back to the 1820s, refers to stomach pain or anxiety. A combination of colic and wobble, it perfectly captures that unsettled feeling we all know.
Sample Sentence: Speaking in front of a crowd gave Jane collywobbles.
Snollygoster
This creative insult describes a shrewd, unprincipled person—especially a politician—and is likely a variant of snallygaster, a fast-moving monster or ghost.
Sample Sentence: In 1952, Harry S. Truman referred to his political opponents as snollygosters. (He really did!)
Quomodocunquizing
A verb from the 1600s that combines the classical Latin word quĊmodocunque with the suffix –izing, means “to make money by any means,” even if they’re questionable.
Sample Sentence: Side gigs and hustles weren’t enough for Joe to make ends meet; it was time to start quomodocunquizing.
Taradiddle
This word dates back to 1796 and describes pretentious nonsense or, sometimes, a petty lie. Nobody is sure how or even when this word came into being—a linguistic mystery!
Sample Sentence: You can’t blame the exhausted mom for telling her toddler the park was closed today—a forgivable taradiddle.
Borborygmus
Refers to the rumbling sound made by gas moving through the intestines.
Sample Sentence: Eric skipped lunch and hoped his client couldn’t hear the borborygmus from across the conference table.
Kakorrhaphiophobia
This noun describes a fear of failure or defeat.
Sample Sentence: I feel a strong sense of kakorrhaphiophobia when I think about trying to pronounce kakorrhaphiophobia.
Absquatulate
Absquatulate is a slang term with two meanings: “decamp” (“to break down a camp site”) and “abscond” (“to leave suddenly”).
Sample Sentence: The burglars decided to absquatulate when they heard police sirens approaching.
Slubberdegullion
This 17th-century noun is a delightful insult for a slovenly, dirty slob or worthless person.
Sample Sentence: After living with three roommates who never washed a dish, Michael declared he would never again share an apartment with such slubberdegullions.
https://www.mentalfloss.com/language/words/real-words-that-sound-fake
GOOD NEWS
Deputy
Saves Christmas After Finding Abandoned Packages On The Road.
https://www.sunnyskyz.com/good-news/
