Overnight Briefing & General Reality Check - Mar 30, 2018

On, off and way-off-Broadway:

NBC's live concert performance of "Jesus Christ Superstar" airs Sunday, which is also Easter Sunday. JOHN LEGEND is Jesus with BRANDON VICTOR DIXON as Judas, SARA BAREILLES as Mary Magdalene and ALICE COOPER as King Herod. Composer ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER said this presentation is more of what he had in mind when the original rock opera was released as a 2-LP set in 1970. He always wanted it to be a concert, not a Broadway musical. (Marino)

Fighting City Hall:

A guy in Iowa faced legal action after calling his hometown smelly.
   After JOSH HARMS posted to a website saying the town of Sibley smelled like "rancid dog food," city officials threatened him with a lawsuit. But Harms went to the American Civil Liberties Union of Iowa for help. The ACLU was able to win an injunction against the town of Sibley and now they owe Harms money. The city has agreed to pay Harms $65-hundred-dollars in damages and $20-thousand in legal fees. The city also agreed to undergo "First Amendment training." Harms says he's launching a website at www.sibleystinks.com. The town is home to an animal processing plant. (Still)

Trendspotting:

There's a fungus among us in the make-up aisle! Skin care products featuring mushrooms are all the rage right now. The Hollywood Reportersays KIM KARDASHIAN was an early adopter of 'shroom-infused beauty potions. Skin care brands everywhere now feature reishi extracts. That's a mushroom in Chinese medicine known as the herb of immortality (it translates to "spiritual potency.") Users claim the 'shroom reduces skin inflammation, puffiness and wrinkles while encouraging cell regeneration. Tremella mushrooms are another popular ingredient with in Korean beauty products. Tremellas claim to be superior for moisturizing and hydration while also rich in antioxidants. (Bartha)