Overnight Briefing & General Reality Check - Feb 24, 2017

Those @$#%* Foreigners:

BAO BAO, the three-year-oldAmerican-born panda cub, has arrived safely in China.
The panda had to be shipped to China from its home in Washington, DC's National Zoo so it could eventually join the panda breeding program there. Bao Bao was born to panda parents on loan to the National Zoo from China, then stayed after the parents went back. If the parents had been human, it would have been an "anchor baby" with a US passport. However, since it was not, and because the US already has an agreement with China to ship back any panda before the age of four, whenthey could possibly begin breeding, Bao Bao was placed on a Fed Ex plane called "The Panda Express" for a 16-hour flight to Chengdu in central China.

On, off and way-off-Broadway:

SARA BAREILLES, composer of the Broadway musical, "Waitress," will sing at the Oscars on Sunday night. ABC says she'll do the "In Memoriam" segment. Next month, Sara takes over the lead role in "Waitress" from Tony Award winner JESSIE MUELLER. (Marino)

Trendspotting:

Don't be surprised if you see a lot of blue ribbons on the Oscars red carpet on Sunday. The reason behind the fashionable flair? The American Civil Liberties Union's new "Stand with ACLU" initiative. Launched this week, the Hollywood Reportersays the campaign is encouraging Hollywood stars to wear a "Stand with ACLU" blue ribbon as a symbol of solidarity. The nonpartisan, nonprofit organization has worked for nearly 100 years to defend and protect individual rights and liberties guaranteed by the Constitution and law of the U.S. (Bartha)

Wasted away again in Margaritaville:

Yah crazy Bahstan people! Boston's Liquor Licensing Board has made a pretty severe threat to area bars: control your people or you won't be able to serve drinks in actual glasses anymore!
After a series of incidents where glasses were used as weapons, the board has had it and plans on taking away ALL glassware, from dive bars to fancy restaurants. (Myers)

Reality Round-Up:

Tonight's the night that HONEY BOO BOO's mom reveals exactly how much weight she's dropped and what she looks like now.
"Mama June: From Not to Hot" premieres on WE tv and the word from "Entertainment Tonight" is that 37-year-old Mama June, who was reportedly 460 pounds and a size 16, is now a size four, thanks to a gastric sleeve, excess skin removal and a couple of breast surgeries. As her daughter, Pumpkin puts it, "She got her boobies done. She got them from a 44 long to 36 up."
Mama June's daughters both report that she's much happier now, and feeling much more confident. "I'm not trying to be all R-rated or whatever, but, she'll walk around the house in a pair of underwear!" Pumpkin says.