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In this issue...

• New viral social media trend: Men are catching their male friends off guard by calling to say goodnight... with surprising results!

• Come on down, Canada! Iconic Price Is Right game show gets Canadian spinoff hosted by Howie Mandel

• By the numbers X 10 + 1

• Send a FREE happy greeting card to someone to brighten their day!

• Yet another beloved TikTok grandmother dies

• CBC Radio's Under the Influence: Car stunts used in marketing

• Before you go: 7 things you may have missed in the news

• Enjoy the outdoors with the Greater Moncton Walking Group

• My latest book: The Hump Day Collection - Volume 1

• Buy them now! Acadian Recipes and More - Volumes 1, 2 & 3, and Forgotten Recipes - Volume 1

... and trivia, quotes and more!

New viral social media trend: Men are catching their male friends off guard by calling to say goodnight... with surprising results!

This is actually quite a wholesome social media trend - but one that does have some surprising reactions. Men are calling their male buddies to say goodnight. The calls are met with pleasant surprise, laughs... and also a bit of skepticism. Some friends on the other end of the call wonder if their buddy is OK.

Article excerpt: "When was the last time you called a friend, not to rant or finalize plans, but just to tell them sweet dreams?

A new TikTok trend encourages men to call up their friends before bed to tell them goodnight, and the internet is loving the heartfelt content. The majority of videos are filmed by a wife, fiancé or girlfriend.

In a video posted by TikTok couple Shae and Chris, Christopher Taylor elicits mostly confusion by his friends on the other end of the line.

'Man, I just called, man, to tell you goodnight,' Taylor says while holding back a laugh.

'You did what, bro?' his friend responds, as Taylor quietly laughs in the background. 'Say that one more time for me. Repeat that. What the hell is wrong with you man?' By the end of the video, the two are laughing together. As of May 21, the video had more than 657,000 views on TikTok.

Other than some snickers, most of the videos feature a common thread: At least one friend making sure the caller is alright."

It's actually nice to hear some of the calls. Friends are usually appreciative - but I certainly understand how one could be led to believe that the friend initiating the call is having some sort of life crisis.

Click here to watch some related YouTube videos.

Read: Grown men are wishing their friends sweet dreams. The internet can't get enough. Related: Man’s "goodnight" call to fellow Marine takes an unexpected turn.

Come on down, Canada! Iconic Price Is Right game show gets Canadian spinoff hosted by Howie Mandel

I think you'd be surprised at how many Canadians are crazy for The Price Is Right, the legendary game show that has been around for decades. Most famously, it was hosted by Bob Barker from 1972 to 2007. Since Barker's retirement, Drew Carey has been the host.

I'm always amazed by some of the show's rabid fans in Canada. I'll be in the middle of a conversation and somehow the show comes up in discussion - and the other person I'm talking to just goes crazy about how much they love it!

Well, folks, Canada is getting its own version of the franchise - an evening version - that will debut in the spring of 2026 with Canadian actor and comedian Howie Mandel as the host.

Article excerpt: "Please bring the Plinko game!

A Canadian version of The Price Is Right is in the works, with comedian Howie Mandel to host.

Word of the Canuck spin on the popular game show comes as Rogers shared its plans for upcoming content for Citytv.

The show, dubbed Price Is Right Tonight, will begin production in December and air in spring 2026.

The show will also air on the prime-time night slot instead of daytime TV."

Canadians have made it on to the U.S. version of the show in the past, but obviously there are many who will be thrilled for an even better chance of getting on the Canadian version. I think I know a couple of people who already have their bags packed!

Read: Howie Mandel will host a Canadian spin on The Price Is Right. Related 1: Rogers revamping The Price Is Right for Canadians. Related 2: "Is this a good idea?" Canadians react to local version of The Price Is Right hosted by Howie Mandel.

By the numbers X 10 + 1

• 1. The 2 best kitchen knife sets of 2025, tried and tested

• 2. The 2 best toasters of 2025, tried and tested

• 3. 5 surprising signs of ADHD you might not know about

• 4. The 5-minute trick men use that undermines women in meetings

• 5. Canada: 7 hospitalized after eating salami recalled due to possible salmonella

• 6. 8 ways to stop couples from fighting

• 7. The 10 best TV shows of 2025 (so far), and where to stream them

• 8. Top 14 most expensive bicycles in the world in 2025

• 9. 27 of the hardest riddles ever... can you solve them?

• 10. The meaning behind 32 LGBTQ flags for Pride Month and beyond

• Bonus: 8 dinner party mistakes to avoid the next time you're hosting

Send a FREE happy greeting card to someone to brighten their day!

When was the last time you received a wonderful heartwarming greeting card in the mail to brighten your day? It's probably been quite some time, right?

The Greater Moncton Sunrise Rotary Club wants to change that. They have launched a campaign called Inspiration which will see individuals receive cheerful greeting cards containing an uplifting message.

The cards are intended for anyone who would appreciate a happy message, be they health-care workers, teachers, students, seniors, retail or restaurant workers, delivery drivers or anyone else, including family, friends and neighbours.

The message inside each card reads, “Someone who thinks very highly of you wanted us to send you this sunny smile to brighten your day!” The cover of the card shows a smiling sun graphic accompanied by the words “Hi! Bonjour!” The cards are printed in both official languages.

Any names and addresses collected during the campaign will be kept confidential and not used for any other purpose. The cards are sent anonymously. Recipients will not know who made the request. 

Requests for cards may be sent via email to inspiration@monctonsunriserotary.ca. There is no cost for sending or receiving a card. Requests must include the name and full mailing address of the person who will receive the card, including the postal code. The envelopes will be hand-addressed and sent with a real postage stamp. As well, Rotarians will hand-write a short greeting inside the card.

The Inspiration Campaign is a service project of the Greater Moncton Sunrise Rotary Club. Bricor Communications has also joined the campaign as a sponsor.

Yet another beloved TikTok grandmother dies

Like many other TikTok users, I find myself constantly falling in love with these adorable "TikTok grandmothers" who become viral stars. They're always so sweet - sometimes saucy - and a lot of fun to watch. Often, their children or grandchildren create the videos and help them become stars. Such was the case for Norma Burton, whose videos with her granddaughter helped her achieve veritable TikTok celebrity status.

But to everything there is a season... and dear Norma's journey ended recently, much to the shock and sadness of her millions of fans around the world.

Article excerpt: "Social media star Norma Burton has died at age 91, per a statement posted on the account Burton shared with her granddaughter, Jess Asquith.

According to the heartfelt caption, the beloved TikTok grandma - who made a name for herself in humorous videos alongside Asquith - died on June 5. The post specified that Burton 'fell to sleep peacefully, surrounded by all her family, she was full of love and had the most beautiful care.'

In collaboration with Asquith, the late British content creator garnered over 800,000 Instagram followers and 2.7 million followers on TikTok. In the post announcing her death, Asquith shared that their online community made Burton's 'last years so incredibly special,' adding, 'her cup was full and in her own words she 'lived such a wonderful life.'"

Rest in peace, dear Norma. You were always a delight to watch and your sunny disposition was a welcome change from much of the negativity we see on social media.

Read: Viral TikTok grandmother Norma Burton dies at age 91.

CBC Radio's Under the Influence: Car stunts used in marketing

The latest episode of CBC Radio's Under the Influence series with host Terry O'Reilly looked at various ads that used car stunts to sell a product or brand.

• June 12, 2025 - Gone in 60 Seconds: Crazy Automobile Stunt Commercials. Synopsis: "Dramatic car stunts are not just the stuff of movies. They’re also the stuff of car commercials. We’ll talk about one ad where skydivers risked their lives spelling out the word 'Honda' in the sky, a commercial where a car speeds on the roof of a skyscraper, and a story about a car that was dropped from an airplane - and the parachute didn’t work." Click here to listen to the episode. Click here for the episode's website article.

Click here for the show's website and here for the show's podcast archive.

Before you go: 7 things you may have missed in the news

• 1. Brian Wilson, visionary creative spirit for the Beach Boys, dies aged 82 (see photo)

• 2. Here's how wildfire smoke exposure can impact your health

• 3. Sly Stone, the funk-legend leader of Sly and the Family Stone, dies at 82

• 4. CBC's Heather Hiscox to sign off after 20 years hosting national morning news

• 5. Tony Awards 2025: See who won during Broadway’s biggest night

• 6. Marc Garneau, first Canadian in space and former federal minister, dies at 76

• 7. "Unjustified" cost increases prompt Loblaw to pull Folgers coffee from shelves

Photo credit: Actor Stock photos by Vecteezy

Trivia: Did you know?

If you're a symphorophiliac, you have a very unique "romantic" fetish. You're aroused by car accidents!

Quotes of note

• 1. "All I can do is be me, whoever that is."

- Bob Dylan (1941- ), American singer-songwriter (shown in photo)

• 2. "Summer means happy times and good sunshine. It means going to the beach, going to Disneyland, having fun." 

- Brian Wilson (1942-2025), singer-songwriter, The Beach Boys

• 3. "I think the greatest of people in society carved niches that represented the unique expression of their combinations of talents, and if everyone had the luxury of expressing the unique combinations of talents in this world, our society would be transformed overnight."

- Neil deGrasse Tyson

• 4. "Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence."

- Carl Sagan

• 5. "True happiness involves the full use of one's power and talents."

- John W. Gardner

• 6. "Perfectionism is not the same thing as striving to be our best. Perfectionism is not about healthy achievement and growth; it's a shield."

- Brene Brown

• 7. "Whatever you fear most has no power... it is your fear that has the power."

- Oprah Winfrey

• 8. "Doing nothing is very hard to do. You never know when you’re finished."

- Leslie Nielsen

• 9. "Kids are expensive, I didn’t even realize how broke I was until last year someone stole my identity and it ruined her life."

- Kate Davis

• 10. "If you can’t beat them, arrange to have them beaten."

- George Carlin

Enjoy the outdoors with the Greater Moncton Walking Group

In June, the walking group is in Mapleton Park with meet-up in the Rotary Lodge parking lot off Mapleton Road.

The group meets for walks every Tuesday and Thursday at 8:30 a.m. New participants are always welcome! For more information, please contact Wayne Harrigan at 506-386-2187 or via email.

In July, the group moves to the Moncton Riverfront Trail. Due to ongoing construction on the eastern part of Main Street in Moncton, please contact Wayne for the exact location to meet during July. In August, the group will be walking on the Dieppe Riverfront Trail, with meet-up in the Église Saint-Anselme parking lot, 1014 Amirault Street, Dieppe. In September, the group moves to the Riverview Riverfront Trail, with meet-up at the gazebo on Coverdale Road in Riverview.

My latest book: The Hump Day Collection - Volume 1

I'm thrilled to announce that The Hump Day Collection - Volume 1 is now available for purchase through Amazon in ebook or paperback (300+ pages) format. The book contains 75 updated and revised Hump Day stories that ran for many years in a local newspaper. I've been asked many times to put these in book format, so I'm hoping you'll like it! For ebook lovers, the book is part of the Kindle Unlimited subscription-based program from Amazon. To purchase today:

• Chapters, Dieppe NB

• Amazon Canada: amzn.to/4gckiQX

• Amazon USA: amzn.to/3CnKfiF

Buy them now! Acadian Recipes and More - Volumes 1, 2 & 3, and Forgotten Recipes - Volume 1

My three volumes of Acadian recipe books (English and French) and Forgotten Recipes - Volume 1 are out now and make a great addition to your recipe book library or a gift for someone else! They are available on Amazon Canada, Amazon USA and in some local retail outlets in Southeastern New Brunswick:

• Chapters, Dieppe NB: Volumes 1-3, Forgotten Recipes

• Le P'tit Coin Acadien Poutine Râpée, Bouctouche: Volumes 1-3, Forgotten Recipes

• Jean Coutu Pharmacy, Champlain Street, Dieppe NB: Volumes 1-3

• Monument-Lefebvre, Memramcook NB: Volumes 1-2

• Centre culturel Kent-Sud, Bouctouche NB: Volumes 1-3 (French versions only)

About this newsletter

Brian Cormier's Weekly Update is distributed weekly from September to June. If you're reading this newsletter online and want to subscribe, please email me, fill out the subscription form on my website, or subscribe via the "Join Our Email List" button at the top of the newsletter (if you're viewing this in a browser.) This newsletter is not published in July and August and on holidays.