Overnight Briefing & General Reality Check - Nov 20, 2018

ROSEANNE BARR may not be coming back to "The Connors," but look for KATEY SAGAL to show up on the upcoming Dec 11 episode of the show in her character Louise.
Katey, of course, is probably better known for her character Peg Bundy in the show, "Married... With Children," but it's just another attempt to goose the ratings of the show with guest stars --something a bunch of TV shows do.

The 92nd annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade ramps up Thursday and KELLY CLARKSON has been added to the lineup of performers that already includes DIANA ROSS, JOHN LEGEND, BAD BUNNY, KANE BROWN, ELLA MAI, MARTINA McBRIDE, PENTATONIX, RITA ORA, SUGARLAND, ANIKA NONI ROSE, the cast and Muppets of Sesame Street, BARENAKED LADIES, LEONA LEWIS, FIFTH HARMONY'S ALLY BROOKE, BAZZI, ASHLEY TISDALE and CARLY PEARCE.
One small problem could affect the parade --the weather. Forecasts have been calling for sustained winds of up to 25 mph and gusts could blow up to 35 mph, which would ground the balloons, which are a big part of the parade. This year's 16 giant character balloons include Charlie Brown, Diary of A Wimpy Kid, The Elf on the Shelf, The Grinch, and the Pillsbury Doughboy, but there's also 43 novelty balloons; heritage balloons; balloonicles and trycallons (hybrid balloons and vehicles); and balloonheads (hybrid costume characters).
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Some Parade history: The very first Macy's parade happened on Nov 27, 1924, and more than half-a-million people lined the streets of Manhattan to watch bands, floats, 25 animals borrowed from the Central Park Zoo, and more than 400 Macy's employees marching in costume. It was the first time Santa Claus showed up at the end of the parade to mark the official start of the Christmas season. The first huge helium balloon was of Felix The Cat in 1927.
There were no Macy's parades on the Thanksgivings of 1942, '43 and '44. That was during World War II. All the rubber and helium for the balloons went to the war effort. The first televised parade was in 1945, but it was only shown in New York. For Thanksgiving 1963, there was a parade, but all of the floats featured black bunting, because former PRESIDENT KENNEDY had been assassinated just days earlier. There were no balloons in the 1971 parade due to high winds, and in 1989, the parade had its first snowstorm.

That big 'ol Thanksgiving meal:
The U-S Census Bureau loves to tabulate obscure statistics related to some 20 holidays throughout the year; Thanksgiving is no exception. The typical American eats 13.7 pounds of turkey and 4.7 pounds of sweet potatoes annually.
A survey from the Lenox China Company about Turkey Day revealed the following:
--90 percent eat turkey
--9 percent eat ham
--2 percent will also serve pork or beef
--and 1 percent will serve chicken

America's favorite pies:
--Pumpkin, 63 percent
--Apple, 26 percent
--Pecan, 7 percent
--lemon meringue, 6 percent
--sweet potato, 5 percent
--chocolate cream, 4 percent
--coconut custard, 3 percent