This #MovieStarMonday we visit with Marianne Leone (Sopranos and much more) Christina The Astonishing AVAILABLE NOW: https://amzn.to/4btGoj7
TODAY'S REASON TO PARTY! (special thanks to ListOfNationalDays.com)
Kiss
a Ginger Day
https://www.crystalmixer.com/ginger-kiss-recipe/
SURVEYS, STUDIES & SUCH
The secret to strengthening your romantic relationship might be as simple as paying someone else to handle some of your chores…or your partner’s, according to research from Harvard Business School. Behavioral scientist Ashley Whillans found that couples who pay for time-saving services – such as takeout meals, housecleaning or dog walking – report higher relationship satisfaction, particularly during stressful periods. The benefit comes from regaining a sense of control and freeing up time to connect. While outsourcing isn’t a cure-all for deeper issues, experts say it can reduce daily friction…and ease resentment over division of household labor. Even small changes can make a difference, like when couples make it a point to use the saved time to reconnect, rather than squeeze in more work.
BIG SCREEN-LITTLE SCREEN
James Cameron’s “Avatar: Fire and Ash” has surpassed $1 billion at the global box office, the director’s 4th film to reach the milestone. Fire and Ash, which returned audiences to the visually stunning planet of Pandora, has brought in $1.03 billion worldwide, Walt Disney Studios announced on Sunday. Fire and Ash is the third movie in the Avatar series, which has earned a combined $6.35 billion worldwide.
Facing an eviction notice from his Los Angeles home, Mickey Rourke has turned to GoFundMe to pay almost $60,000 in owed rent. Launched Sunday morning with his “full permission,” the crowdfunding drive “Support Mickey to Prevent Eviction,” urges fans to “help Mickey Rourke stay in his home. The fundraiser explains: “The goal is to give Mickey some stability and peace of mind during a stressful time so he can stay in his home and have the space to get back on his feet.” The GoFundMe is run by Liya-Joelle Jones, a friend and member of Rourke’s management team. LINK: https://tinyurl.com/wvw5h3v5
Mickey Rourke is denouncing an online fundraiser that was set up in his name to pay off $60,000 that he allegedly owes in rent on his LA home. He posted a video in response to news stories reporting that his management team had launched a fundraiser with his permission, saying Rourke was threatened with eviction. In the clip, he denies having prior knowledge of the fundraiser, saying: “I’m really frustrated, confused and I don’t understand …If I needed money, I wouldn’t ask for no (freaking) charity.” Rourke also says he’s “not the wild man I was 20 years ago”, and told fans: “This thing is very embarrassing … Don’t give any money, and if you gave money, get it back.” At last check, the GoFundMe stood at over $100,000. LINK: https://tinyurl.com/y3nj2rdv
Just as Mickey Rourke’s personal life hit a breaking point, his career unexpectedly came knocking again. His longtime manager, Kimberly Hines, says that Rourke has received multiple movie offers in the days since news broke about his looming eviction from the home where he has lived for more than a decade. Tuesday, Hines told The Hollywood Reporter, that Rourke “got 4 movie offers since yesterday”. She said that’s great news for the actor, “because nobody’s been calling him for a long time.”
DID YA KNOW!?
DID YOU KNOW… There is a town where everyone lives in one building. Whittier, Alaska, houses nearly all of its residents in a single 14-story structure. The building contains apartments, a school, a grocery store, and even a post office.
JOKE OF THE DAY
(FROM
HEIDI)
SCOOP
OF THE DAY
Lego has unveiled its new Smart Play platform, giving the iconic toy a new digital brain…and bringing a new level of interactivity to its classic bricks, including lights and sounds, to add to the Lego experience. The system includes Smart Bricks, Minifigures, and Smart Tags that guide how toys behave. For example, a helicopter set will trigger lights, sounds, and motion effects when a Smart Brick senses its Smart Tag. Powered by tiny ASIC chips and a Bluetooth-based BrickNet protocol, Smart Bricks can interact with each other while maintaining privacy protections. And parents will be especially happy to know that there are NO screens involved…making it easy for kids to play. Star Wars-themed sets launch March 1, and one features Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia — and Smart Tags that will offer up laser-shooting sounds, engine sounds, and light effects. All sounds are coordinated by the set’s Smart Brick Brain.
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
"You is kind. You is smart. You is important." — The Help, Aibileen, 2011
NEWS TO ME
(FROM HEIDI)
FUN
FACT FOR YOU:
Share
this with your friends... they'll think you're really smart!
✓ Nutmeg is a hallucinogen.
✓ The Japanese word “Kuchi zamishi” is the act of eating when you’re not hungry because your mouth is lonely.
✓ The last letter added to the English alphabet was ‘J’. Before 1524, the letter ‘i’ was used for both the ‘i’ and ‘j’ sounds.
✓ The Pacific Ocean is less salty than the Atlantic Ocean.
WEIRD NEWS
Forget Junior and Jennifer – parents in 2026 are turning to fantasy novels, anime, reality TV and pop culture for baby-name inspiration. According to Nameberry, expectant parents are ditching traditional picks for names that feel magical, nostalgic or straight out of BookTok. Romantasy favorites like Cassian, Elspeth and Isolde are surging, alongside anime-inspired names such as Rumi, Kiro and Renji. British literature revivals (Briony, Crusoe, Heath), Utah-style reality TV names (Aven, Benson, Coast, Dottie), ancient civilization picks (Azad, Cassander, Eulalia), and glittery “showgirl” names tied to pop culture (Azura, Caliana, Nomi) are also rising. Also among baby-naming trends for 2026 are vintage grandparent names ( Betsy, Connie, Lenny, Ronald), and even number-inspired handles (Amillion, Billion, Cinco, Deuce, Dua, Eleven…), proving that baby names have become pure escapism, for some.
QUESTION OF THE DAY
A survey found that 8 out of 10 people who own one of these don’t use it. What is it?
Answer: Piano
SOMETHING SPECIAL WITH HEIDI SMALL
(FROM HEIDI)
THE LIST
THE 20 MOST ANTICIPATED MOVIES OF 2026 (We'll do this for a few days)
✪ “Wuthering Heights”: Director Emerald Fennell (“Promising Young Woman”) brings a steamy new take on Emily Brontë’s classic, starring Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi in a tale of love, obsession, and revenge. (Feb. 13)
✪ “How To Make A Killing”: Glen Powell stars as Becket Redfellow, determined to reclaim his inheritance no matter who stands in his way, alongside Margaret Qualley, Jessica Henwick, Ed Harris, and more. (Feb. 20)
✪ “Scream 7”: Neve Campbell returns as Sidney Prescott in the 7th installment of the iconic slasher franchise, written and directed by Kevin Williamson. (Feb. 27)
✪ “The Drama”: Zendaya and Robert Pattinson play a couple whose pre-wedding week spirals out of control in this romantic dramedy from Kristoffer Borgli. (April 3)
✪ “You, Me & Tuscany”: Regé-Jean Page meets Halle Bailey in a romance about a cook squatting in an abandoned Tuscan villa who falls for the owner’s cousin. (April 10)
✪ “Michael”: Jaafar Jackson stars as Michael Jackson in Antoine Fuqua’s biopic chronicling his rise from Jackson 5 to global superstar, with Colman Domingo and Miles Teller co-starring. (April 24)
✪ “Mother Mary”: Anne Hathaway portrays a pop icon seeking help from an estranged friend before a comeback performance in David Lowery’s music drama. (April)
✪ “The Devil Wears Prada 2”: Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt, and a star-studded cast return for the sequel to the 2006 fashion classic. (May 1)
✪ “I Love Boosters”: Demi Moore and Keke Palmer star in Boots Riley’s sci-fi comedy about a gang of shoplifters taking on a ruthless fashion mogul. (May 22)
✪ “Scary Movie 6”: Anna Faris, Regina Hall, and the Wayans family return for another installment of the long-running comedy-horror spoof series. (June 12)
✪ “Toy Story 5”: Woody, Buzz, Jessie, and the gang face a new digital-age challenge, with voices from Anna Faris, Ernie Hudson, and Conan O’Brien. (June 19)
✪ “The Odyssey”: Christopher Nolan’s action-fantasy epic follows Odysseus (Matt Damon) on his perilous journey home after the Trojan War, featuring Zendaya, Robert Pattinson, and Anne Hathaway. (July 17)
✪ “Spider-Man: Brand New Day”: Tom Holland returns as Peter Parker in a “fresh start” for the franchise, joined by Zendaya, Jacob Batalon, and Sadie Sink. (July 31)
✪ “The Social Reckoning”: Aaron Sorkin’s follow-up to The Social Network chronicles Frances Haugen and Jeff Horwitz exposing Facebook’s inner workings, with Bill Burr and Jeremy Strong. (Oct. 9)
✪ “Street Fighter”: Ryu and Ken Masters reunite for the next World Warrior Tournament, facing deadly conspiracies, with Jason Momoa, Noah Centineo, and Eric André among the ensemble cast. (Oct. 16)
✪ “The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping”: A prequel set 24 years before the original films follows young Haymitch Abernathy through the deadly Second Quarter Quell. (Nov. 20)
✪ “Focker In-Law”: Ben Stiller and Robert De Niro return in the fourth Meet the Parents installment, joined by Ariana Grande, Owen Wilson, and Blythe Danner. (Nov. 25)
✪ “Dune: Part Three”: Denis Villeneuve continues the epic saga with Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, and Jason Momoa, adapting Dune Messiah 12 years later. (Dec. 18)
✪ “Avengers: Doomsday”: The MCU unites its heroes again in a multiverse-spanning event featuring Thor, Captain America, Loki, Shuri, and Robert Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom. (Dec. 18)
✪ Questlove’s Earth, Wind & Fire Documentary: Oscar-winning director Questlove explores the legendary band’s legacy and cultural impact in this upcoming HBO music documentary. (TBD)
GOOD NEWS
NYC
Doorman Honors His Mother By Helping Those In Need
https://www.sunnyskyz.com/good-news
