Trevor Noah Grammys Won't Cut to Taylor Swift ... We're Hounding an NFLer!!!

TAKE THAT, FOOTBALL FANS!
CBS

Trevor Noah's backing up Taylor Swift ... saying the Grammys wouldn't focus lenses on her like the NFL -- they'd go after a former player.

The comedian just took to the Grammys stage to perform his opening monologue -- during which he stayed real positive and complimentary -- before mentioning the world's biggest pop star and chastising NFL fans for blaming Taylor for the amount football broadcasts cut to her.

Noah said she doesn't control the cameras, so people need to chill out ... before insisting that every time someone mentioned Swift, he'd make sure the cameras cut to an ex-NFL player.

The camera then jumped ... to actor and "America's Got Talent" host Terry Crews, who looked totally surprised by the attention.

If you don't know, TC wasn't always an actor -- he played 32 NFL games for three teams between 1991 and 1995 ... the perfect person for TN to use in his revenge plan.

Terry cracked up ... with Noah continuing to yel; funny/harassing things at the absolutely ripped 55-year-old.

It's all in good fun and an especially topical joke ... 'cause Taylor's probably heading to the Super Bowl in Las Vegas next week -- so NFL fans can expect more Swift on their screen soon enough

BTW ... Taylor looked stunning in a flowing white dress on the red carpet -- which she was left to walk alone because of her man Travis Kelce's practice schedule.

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Better keep smiling, Terry ... don't want a candid moment turning into a meme!

'AGT: EXTREME' CONTESTANT Sues NBC Over Stunt Gone Wrong ... It's Your Fault I'm Paraplegic

Jonathan Goodwin, who nearly died doing a stunt for 'AGT: Extreme,' is suing NBC over his gruesome injuries, alleging the network didn't do enough to ensure safety on set.

According to a new lawsuit, obtained by TMZ, Jonathan claims NBC and producers kept upping the ante on stunts to go bigger and bolder to keep eyeballs on the 'AGT' franchise, and he says that led to producers signing up contestants to perform extreme stunts ... while cutting corners on safety.

In the docs, Jonathan claims the show controlled, designed and interfered with the safe performance of stunts ... which he says nearly cost him his life when he got seriously injured on set.

Jonathan says he was "catastrophically injured" during an October 21 rehearsal at the Atlanta Motor Speedway in Georgia, where he was crushed and burned by 2 exploding cars before falling more than 20 feet to the ground and landing violently.

10/14/21
STUNT GONE HORRIBLY WRONG
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In his suit, Jonathan claims he dislocated his spinal cord, lost his left kidney, suffered 3rd-degree burns and fractured his legs, ribs and shoulders.

Remember ... we first obtained video of the stunt, and it shows Jonathan suspended in the air, hanging from a wire and attempting to free himself from a straightjacket before two swinging cars smash together.

The footage shows the cars sandwiching Jonathan in midair ... and sources on set told us folks who were there thought Jonathan had died.

It's been nearly 2 years since the incident, and Jonathan says there's no end to his suffering from his mental, physical and emotional injuries from the "catastrophic, life-altering" incident.

10/14/21
THE FRANTIC CALL

In his suit, Jonathan's blasting the show for what he says was a failure to implement industry safety standards. He says the production hired unqualified people to oversee and design the stunt, which he says wasn't tested with a crash dummy before he got in the ring.

He's suing for damages.

We reached out to NBC ... so far no word back.

What's The Big Frigin' Difference?!

Don't get lost in the shadows when examining these two shots of Sofia Vergara! Are you ready to roll up your sleeves and find the discreet changes? You may need to adjust your glasses in order to find them!

Sofia was recently out in Pasadena -- lookin' back at it in a casual outfit -- and threw a ✌ to the cameras before entering the "America's Got Talent" set. Yes, she's got say on "AGT", but can you be the judge of the images and scout out the changes?

**HINT: There are THREE differences in the above Sofia Vergara photos!**

'AMERICA'S GOT TALENT' WINNER Michael Grimm Making Strides ... In Mystery Illness Recovery

Michael Grimm, famous for winning "America's Got Talent" season 5, is showing big signs of improvement after being hospitalized with a serious, and mysterious, health issue.

Michael's wife, Lucie, tells TMZ ... he recently had a breakthrough in his recovery, and he's now able to speak and even walk under his own power.

It's big news for Michael, who has been in the hospital since Memorial Day, when he was rushed to an intensive care unit and put on a ventilator.

Michael's wife says he's still in the hospital and doctors have so far been unable to diagnose a specific disease or syndrome behind his hospitalization.

We're told Michael had an adverse reaction to being on the ventilator ... his wife says his brain stopped communicating with the rest of his body.

So, now he needs to relearn movement and speech, which is why walking is such a milestone for his recovery.

While Michael no longer needs a cane and is able to speak, his wife tells us he still can't sing or play guitar ... but he's working on different exercises to get back his musical talents.

The breakthroughs are nice, but there are still some issues ... Michael's wife says he has PTSD from being on the ventilator and some past personal trauma has been resurfacing during rehab.

We're told Michael's hospital bills have crossed the $200,000 mark ... but other Las Vegas performers are rallying to help cover costs, and there's an upcoming benefit concert scheduled for Sunday in Sin City.

'America's Got Talent' Winner Michael Grimm Sedated By Doctors After Mystery Health Issue

Michael Grimm, famous for taking home the title on "America's Got Talent" season 5, is sedated and in intensive care after a mystery health issue.

The singer's wife, Lucie Zolcerva-Grimm, says Michael has been hospitalized since Memorial Day and remains unconscious, though he's finally breathing on his own again.

Michael's wife says the root of the issue is not clear ... but he had not been feeling well for a while, lacking energy and having a tough time finishing his recent performances.

She says things reached a head last month when he became increasingly sick. Michael's wife says he could barely walk and couldn't lift his head, so she rushed him to the emergency room, where things got worse.

Michael's wife says his blood pressure skyrocketed when he got to the ER and he started talking gibberish, so he was rushed to the ICU ... where he remains.

Doctors put Michael on a ventilator and sedated him, his wife says, and he's only recently been taken off the ventilator ... though he's still sedated.

Michael's wife says most of his upcoming shows this month have been canceled ... noting he will not only need to regain consciousness but also undergo physical therapy because he's been bedridden for over a week.

What's more, she says Michael has no voice and will have to undergo vocal chord repair due to his time on a ventilator. While the situation sounds dire, Michael's wife says fans shouldn't panic because he has great doctors.

'America's Got Talent' Magician Scott Alexander Dead at 52

Scott Alexander, a magician best known for his time on "America's Got Talent," has died ... according to his wife.

Scott's wife Jenny -- who appeared on the show as his assistant -- shared the tragic news on Monday, posting ... "We have lost a father, a husband, a son, a brother, a friend, a mentor, and one hell of an entertainer."

As for what led to his death, Jenny says "Scott suffered a stroke while working on a cruise ship in St Kitts and did not make it home to us."

'AGT' fans will remember Scott and Jenny from Season 6 of the hit show. He made quite the impression on the judges with his illusions and tricks, before getting eliminated in the Quarterfinals.

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After the show, Scott also appeared on Season 2 of "Penn & Teller: Fool Us".

Scott is survived by his wife and their 3 children. In Jenny's own words, "We are shattered."

A GoFundMe has been started by a family friend to help Jenny as well as their children's future.

RIP

Perry Collaborator, 'AGT' Star Zuri Craig Dead at 44

Zuri Craig -- who's worked with the likes of Tyler Perry, and once wowed on 'America's Got Talent' -- has died.

His family confirmed his passing Sunday, throwing up a tribute post on Zuri's official ZoReMi Entertainment page and writing ... "It is with profound sadness that we announce the transition of our beloved son, brother and friend, Zuri Craig."

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They continued ... "We thank you in advance for your prayers. Please honor our privacy at this unimaginable time of mourning." They note he died on Friday -- a cause of death has yet to be released, but more info seems to be forthcoming.

Craig might best be known for his time on 'AGT' back in 2015, when he and his singing partner, Jeffrey Lewis, cleaned up that season by impressing the judges and audiences alike.

They first knocked it out of the park by crooning to James Brown's 'This Is a Man's World,' and later got a gold buzzer from Michael Buble after tackling Mary J. Blige's "I'm Goin' Down." They went pretty far, but in the end ... placed 5th overall, despite a helluva run.

Even before that, though, Craig was already rubbing shoulders with some Hollywood heavyweights -- including TP, who noticed him and Lewis from YouTube covers they were doing as early as '09. This landed Craig a job on some of Tyler's 'Madea' plays.

Craig has starred in/worked on a few ... "Madea's Big Happy Family," "Madea Gets a Job" and "A Madea Christmas." He and Lewis even appeared on 'Oprah' in the early 2010s.

He's also worked on podcasts and other shows over the years -- and was even set to produce a live production in Atlanta, 'Soul Food Live,' starting next month ... with ads already being made and the cast already chosen. Zuri was 44.

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RIP

What's The Big Frigin' Difference?!

Don't let these two nearly synchronized images of "America's Got Talent" coach JoJo Siwa throw off your mojo. In order for the golden buzzer to go off, you must quickstep your way to nailing the changes in these two shots.

The pro dancer recently grabbed some Starbucks to-go before heading to the 'AGT' studios, and of course she was rockin' her group, XOMG POP, on a bedazzled tee. So, go ahead and grab your cup of Jo and see if you can capture the differences in these two similar snaps.

**HINT: There are THREE differences in the above JoJo Siwa photos!**

Prince Amukamara Players Choir Down To Get In The Studio ... W/ Justin Timberlake!!!

FROM THE FIELD TO THE STAGE
TMZSports.com

Ex-NFL star Prince Amukamara and the Players Choir are ready to be the newest members of NSYNC -- 'cause the footballer-turned-singer says his guys are ready to collab after the pop star approved their rendition of his song on "America's Got Talent!"

If you missed it, the Players Choir -- a group of 11 former NFL athletes including Amukamara, Isaiah McKenzie, and Bryant McKinnie -- performed Justin Timberlake's "Can't Stop The Feeling!" on 'AGT' earlier this week ... and they killed it!

Timberlake was very impressed, sharing the clip of their gig on his Twitter with praising hand emojis ... and, Amukamara says they were hyped about the nod.

"Anytime you do another artist's song, you want to make sure that you make them proud first and foremost," the former Giants cornerback tells us this week.

"Getting that stamp of approval from Justin was huge!"

Does this open doors for a collab with the award-winning singer? If it does, Amukamara tells us the squad is down for it.

"Of course!" Amukamara said, "No one is gonna decline that!"

"It was just even awesome for him to retweet us and show us some love. If that opportunity comes, we're all gonna be jumping up and down for that."

Until then, PC -- who made their debut in 2008 -- will continue to sing on stage with more to come soon.

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"Being on stage was awesome," Amukamara said, "and if we get another opportunity which I'm sure we will and we have been."

"Stuff's coming up so it's awesome."

But, Justin ... what's up with a JT x PC track?

'AGT' Golden Buzzer Chapel Hart Gettin' Love From Country Legends ... We're On Darius Rucker's Album!!!

DREAM COME TRUE
TMZ.com

Chapel Hart has been getting nothing but support from the Country music community after they snagged a golden buzzer on "America's Got Talent" ... and they're already lined up to be on Darius Rucker's next album.

We spoke with bandmates Trea Swindle, Danica Hart, and Devynn Hart and they told us they recorded a song with Darius before their audition aired this week and recently got the good news that it's making it onto his latest album.

They admit they thought they were in the middle of some catfish scenario when Darius first reached out on Twitter ... before learning the DM was the real deal.

For those unaware, Chapel Hart blew the 'AGT' judges away with their original piece, "You Can Have Him Jolene" -- a nod to Dolly Parton's famous song.

They received a golden buzzer even though all 5 had been given out -- a first for the show.

Ever since their big moment, the group's seen support from legends like Loretta Lynn, and even Dolly herself -- who called their performance a "fun new take on my song."

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Their album, "The Girls Are Back in Town," made its way to the top of the Country music charts after their episode and it sounds like a record deal is in the near future.

'AGT' & 'The Voice' Contestant Nolan Neal Dead At 41

UPDATE

7:50 AM PT -- Cops say Neal's roommate called them after discovering his body in a bedroom. Officers say on the desk next to Neal's bed was a guitar pick that "appeared to contain a powder residue" and note that Neal allegedly struggled with substance abuse. Investigators are still waiting on the full results from the singer's autopsy.

Nolan Neal, a contestant on both "America's Got Talent" and "The Voice," has died.

Nolan passed away Monday according to the medical examiner ... Nolan's cousin Dylan Seals tells TMZ he was found dead in his apartment in Nashville.

No official cause of death has been determined, but the singer has talked openly about his struggles with substance abuse. During an interview with WBIR in 2020, he admitted that he was still struggling with addiction while he was competing on "The Voice."

Dylan tells us Nolan lived with him for 4 months prior to the pandemic ... when Nolan was clean, jamming out and making music with him.

Nolan was featured on season 15 of "AGT" ... making it all the way to the quarterfinals where he performed an emotional original piece, "Send Me a Butterfly."

During his audition for the show, he sang a song called "Lost," which he said was the first thing he wrote after getting clean. The performance got a standing ovation from the crowd and all 4 judges.

Nolan also blew everyone away on season 10 of "The Voice," getting picked to be on Adam Levine's team, and making it to the knockout round before he was eliminated.

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A Nolan Neal fan page posted Tuesday morning about his death, saying, "I can't believe you're gone from us" ... the caption ends with "Heaven just got a new music director."

Nolan was 41.

RIP

Originally Published -- 6:47 AM PT

Kristy Sellars 'AGT' Contestant Hopes To Break Pole Dancing Stigma

Kristy Sellars' jaw-dropping pole dance performance wowed the judges on "America's Got Talent" but turns out she's not just putting on a great show ... she's shattering a stigma.

When Kristy informed the judges during her 'AGT' audition her act was pole dancing, Simon Cowell was visibly annoyed and called it "pointless." Kristy turned that around in a big way when she hit the pole and ended up winning Simon over. She received a standing O from all 4 judges.

Kristy tells TMZ ... pole dancing has had a stigma attached to it for eons, so Simon's initial reaction was no shocker. She actually didn't even notice his negative reaction while she was on stage because she was so nervous and in the zone.

LIFE ON THE POLE
TMZ.com

Kristy says pole dancing is actually an amalgam of several different art forms, including dance and gymnastics. She also says it can be super sexy, which is not a bad thing.

Since her audition aired Tuesday, she's been courted by 5 international TV productions, a theme park, a festival and a few private events. Kristy, however, has her sights set on taking her talent to Vegas.

What's The Big Frigin' Difference?!

Don't let these two nearly identical sexy shots of Sofía Vergara get you all bent out of shape! Put down your weapons and take on the hot pursuit of these pics that have been minutely altered.

The Colombian actress and "America's Got Talent" judge was recently photographed as she made her way into the 'AGT' theater ... and we've made a few changes to the OG pic! Sofía said it best herself ... "be fearless, don't complain" and see if you can spot the differences between these two super similar snaps!

**HINT -- There are THREE differences in the above photographs!**

'AGT' Star Nightbirde Dead at 31 ... After Cancer Battle

UPDATE

1:10 PM PT -- A family statement reads, in part, "Those who knew her enjoyed her larger-than-life personality and sense of humor. She had a witty joke for every occasion — even if the joke was on her. Her lasting legacy will be the gift of hope she communicated through music and the strength she found in Jesus."

'America's Got Talent' breakout star Jane 'Nightbirde' Marczewski has died after a battle with cancer ... TMZ has learned.

A source with direct knowledge tells us the phenom singer passed away Saturday after months of receiving treatment for the disease ... which had spread to her lungs, spine and liver.

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Nightbirde withdrew from 'AGT' mid-season -- when she announced she'd be focusing on her health full-time. She had previously survived breast cancer after being diagnosed in 2017 ... but it eventually returned, coming back in a metastatic state.

She'd said doctors gave her a slim chance at survival -- just 2% -- and the remainder of her life had been given a small window in 2019 ... just 3-6 months. Incredibly, she beat those odds and was declared cancer-free the following year ... only to have it return in 2021.

All things considered, she lived much longer than health professionals ever thought -- fighting hard for survival, and ultimately ... winning over audiences on 'Got Talent' and beyond.

'AGT' judge Howie Mandel posted a touching note about Nightbirde, saying, "(she) was such a bright inspirational light in all our lives.we must continue to live and learn from her words and lyrics. As much as I feel horribly about her passing I feel lucky to to have met, heard and known her."

Her story captivated America -- during her initial outing, she sang an original song, "It's Okay," which absolutely blew the judges away ... making Cowell emotional and getting a standing ovation from the others, not to mention a rare golden buzzer from SC himself. Obviously, she got a green light to move on -- and made it to the quarterfinals. She may well have even won the whole competition ... if not for having to pull out.

Unfortunately, her 'AGT' run was cut short due to the cancer ... and she's been mostly out of the spotlight since -- doing a few interviews here and there, while also staying positive on social media and sharing her journey.

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Sadly, Nightbirde was never officially signed to a label and doesn't have an album out -- but she does have some EP releases and singles under her belt from her early years in the music biz, when she was trying to break out into the mainstream out in Virginia.

She was just 31.

RIP

Originally Published 8:51 AM PT

'AGT' Ex-Finalist Glennis Grace Arrested in Netherlands for Assault

Glennis Grace -- a one-time finalist on "America’s Got Talent" -- was arrested for assault in her home country of the Netherlands ... and we're told her son could be at the center of it all.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... Glennis, her 15-year-old son and another man in their party were arrested and booked on suspicion of assault this weekend after some sort of altercation in a supermarket.

While it’s not exactly clear yet what happened, we're told ... Glennis’ kid had some kind of interaction with staff, left, and returned later the same day with his mom and the other guy. Cops say that's when a violent confrontation broke out.

When the dust settled, we’re told several people were injured. Law enforcement sources tell us ... once cops complete their investigation, they’ll pass their findings on to prosecutors to determine if anyone gets charged.

In the meantime, Glennis and co. have been released from custody.

Glennis’ attorney says, "The police investigation is still ongoing and we trust that it will show that Glennis has not committed any criminal offenses. We are now waiting for the investigation to be finished before making further announcements."

Glennis made it to the final round of ‘AGT’s’ 13th season in 2018, and even repped her home country in the 'Eurovision' song competition once upon a time.

Simon Cowell E Gads!!! Crashes Another E-Bike Lands in Hospital with Broken Bones

Simon Cowell did it again ... he crashed his e-bike and landed in the hospital with broken bones.

Sources tell TMZ ... Simon was tooling around on the bike in London last Thursday when he turned a sharp corner ... or at least he tried to turn. The road was wet and the tires went out from under him and he crashed to the ground.

We're told Simon broke his left arm and badly bruised his cheek. He may have also have suffered a concussion.

Simon went to the hospital where he was treated and released the same day, sporting a bright yellow cast.

As we reported, this was not Simon's first crash ... in August, 2020, he got a brand-spankin' new e-bike and literally got on it in his driveway and it lunged forward, crashing and as a result, Simon broke his back in 3 places.

Now, if Simon happens to read this ... wear a helmet, dude!!! He wasn't wearing one in either crash, and but for the grace of God, he could have suffered way more severe injuries.

When you fall off a horse you get back on ... maybe the same should NOT be true with an e-bike.

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