73-year-old "Babe" star James Cromwell got off easy after his disorderly conduct arrest last month ... when he burst into a UW-Madison board meeting, protesting cat torture at the university.

Cromwell's case was called today in Wisconsin where he pled no contest to a low level charge of disorderly conduct. His punishment is a measly $100 fine, which he paid on the spot.

As we reported, Cromwell was busted along with a PETA spokesperson after they barged into the board meeting, claiming the school's labs tortured cats in the name of science. Cromwell waved a sign with a photo of an abused cat, and shouted, "This is not science! This is cruel!"

A rep for the D.A. tells us, prosecutors went easy because the duration of yelling wasn’t particularly long, he cooperated with law enforcement, no one in the room was really disturbed by the protest, and he had no criminal history.

And it WAS kinda funny.

Dustin Hoffman says the TMZ reports surrounding the deaths of 3 horses on the set of "Luck" last year are to blame for his show getting canceled ... claiming our facts were wrong. 

Dustin just gave an interview to FoxNews.com, saying the "real" reason the show was canceled was due to a collaboration between PETA and TMZ ... and NOT because the public was upset that THREE horses died during production.

Hoffman said, "It’s completely distorted. Anyone who raises horses know they break their legs. The accusations they made were distorted."

He also directs people to the horse racing website Paulick Report for the "real reason the show was canceled."

Truth is, the TMZ stories are in sync with what was reported on the Paulick Report.

Here are the facts that we published on TMZ.com:

-- THREE horses died during the production of the show
(Confirmed by Paulick Report)
 
-- Horse #3 was euthanized on the set ... and production continued a few hours later
(Euthanasia confirmed by Paulick Report)

-- HBO acknowledged the deaths ... and released a statement saying “accidents unfortunately happen."

And the kicker ... the ratings for "Luck" weren't that great to begin with ... and there were MULTIPLE reports that HBO used the horse deaths as an excuse to cancel the show without having to admit failure. 
(You can also read about that on the Paulick Report)

Bruce Jenner is rallying behind his stepdaughter Kim Kardashian -- claiming the rogue PETA member who dumped flour on her last week is nothing more than a pathetic little "ass."

Bruce and Kris Jenner were leaving LAX yesterday -- when a photog asked what they thought about the flour-bombing PETA activist Christina Cho blasting Kim for wearing the flesh of dead animals.

Bruce didn't miss a beat, calling Cho an "ass." Meanwhile, Kris played coy.

As we previously reported, Kim's sis Khloe has already cut ties with PETA over the flour-bombing -- accusing the organization of "bullying." 

Khloe Kardashian is cutting off all ties with PETA ... claiming she will NOT support an organization that condones the "bullying" art of flour bombing.

Khloe -- who has appeared on several billboards for the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals -- says she was disgusted when she found out the organization has ties to the woman who attacked her sister Kim.

Now, she's released a statement saying, "Not only has PETA lied to the public, but they have proved that they support this kind of behavior. I’ve been a vocal supporter of PETA for a long time but I have also been very vocal about anti-bullying, so this was a huge disappointment for me."

TMZ broke the story ... the woman who floured Kim at a red carpet event last week is Christina Cho ... a major PETA activist with a history of anti-fur protesting.

Here's Khloe's entire statement:

"Hi dolls. I’m sure you all heard what happened to Kim last week (thank you SO much for the love and support you all showed her), and I just received word that the woman responsible has very close ties to PETA, despite PETA publicly stating otherwise.

Click here... it's not over yet

Kim Kardashian's flour attacker is a mega-influential PETA activist -- despite the animal organization denying ANY connection to the anti-fur activist's recent flour bombing stunt.

The woman's name is Christina Cho -- and she has a history of staging dramatic anti-fur protests in PETA's name. Back in 2010, she grabbed the mic from Donna Karan at a Women's Conference event in NYC, condemning the use of fur in fashion (below).



PETA reported on the protest -- referring to Christina as a "PETA member" and "superstar activist." Christina even won an award from PETA in 2010 for her work for the organization.

Christina's younger sister Michelle is a top PETA official in L.A., who credits Christina with leading her to PETA and a life of activism.

As we previously reported, PETA is adamant it wasn't behind Christina's outburst last week -- when she dumped flour on Kim Kardashian at a red carpet event -- telling TMZ, "It was not [us]. We were given the video by an anti-fur activist on the scene."

As we first reported, Kim is planning to press charges over the incident.

Kim Kardashian is selfish, will do anything to keep herself in the news and doesn't have a heart ... so says PETA, in reaction to the news KK is planning to press charges against the girl who threw flour on her at an event Thursday night. 

In a statement to TMZ, the animal rights group (which claims it had nothing to do with the incident), says, "If she presses charges, at least people will be constantly reminded of her selfish, callous disregard for the cruel deaths that she causes by wearing fur."

They continue, "How much better it would be if she decided to evolve and enhance her image by donating her vulgar furs and exotic-animal skins to the homeless. The activist acted from the heart, something Kim doesn't seem to have."

PETA concludes their statement by saying, "If anything, Kim should get a life, the very thing that she denies animals."

PETA also tells TMZ they'd be willing to help the flour-tosser with her defense costs, if she asked them.

As TMZ first reported, we're told Kim is planning on pressing charges because she doesn't feel the woman should get away with assault.

The flour bomb unleashed by an animal rights activist against Kim Kardashian has also unleashed a raging debate over fur, and the tactics used by protesters. 

So we gotta ask...

Kim Kardashian has decided she will press charges against the woman who threw flour on her at an event Thursday night ... TMZ has learned. 

Sources close to Kim tell TMZ she does not feel the woman who threw the flour at her should get away with it and that she should be held accountable for her actions. According to our sources, Kim didn't press charges that night because she didn't want to take herself away from the event, which was for charity. 

We're told Kim will contact law enforcement in the next few days to tell them she wants to press charges. According to our sources, Kim wants to send the message that people are entitled to their opinion, but should not resort to violence.  

The decision to press charges represents a change of heart for Kim, who told TMZ Live yesterday she was wasn't going to pursue the matter.

Kim Kardashian says the woman who attacked her with flour last night is nothing more than a "bully" ... and claims the only reason she's NOT pressing charges ... is because she's just too busy.

Kim just called in to "TMZ Live" ... and gave us the blow-by-blow about how she handled herself when a female animal activist broke on to the red carpet and attacked her at an event for her new fragrance.

Kim tells us ... she tried her best to "laugh it off" ... and refused to leave the event because she didn't want to disrespect all of the people who worked so hard to put the event together.

And while Kim says she understands the flour bomber's beliefs ... KK raised a great point -- "If you're trying to promote nonviolence towards animals ... why are you trying to be violent towards humans?"

PETA -- the most obvious suspect in the Kim Kardashian flour bomb attack -- is adamant the organization is NOT behind the red carpet stunt ... but it's VERY SUPPORTIVE of the attacker.

A rep for the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals tells TMZ ... "It was not [us]. We were given the video by an anti-fur activist on the scene."

Still, a rep for the organization explains, "PETA has tried everything from polite letters to public protests, but Kim Kardashian has not been moved by the news that animals are beaten, electrocuted, and even skinned alive for real fur garments. Whoever threw that flour may reach her when our polite appeals did not."

As we previously reported, Kim was flour bombed on the red carpet of a Hollywood event last night ... while the mystery attacker lady shouted, "Fur Hag!"

Kim Kardashian was assaulted Thursday night by a woman who threw white powder all over her, and it was concerning enough to call out the fire department.

Kim was at the London Hotel in West Hollywood for an event touting her new fragrance line, True Reflection.  She was walking the red carpet when a woman threw the white powder at her from behind, covering her back and her hair.  During the incident, the attacker shouted, "Fur hag."

Kim went to a private room, took the jacket off, brushed the powder off her hair and returned to the event.  But the fire department had to examine the powder and deal with any possible danger.

They determined it was cooking flour.

The woman who threw the powder was detained by cops, but according to the Sheriff's Department Kim decided NOT to press charges and the woman was released.