Jeremy Piven returned to the stage Tuesday night ... WITH A VENGEANCE -- tearing it up behind the drum set for a Rolling Stones tribute band in NYC ... and it was all to benefit young, recovering addicts.

The event was hosted by an organization called Road Recovery -- and even though Piven dominated ... the entire thing was put together to honor Slash from Guns 'N Roses.

If you feel like you are the only one getting hit by the late-summer swelter -- check out these super HOT Hollywood stars ... no seriously they are all hot, gross and sweaty looking.

Keep it cool people.

Jeremy Piven's star power FAILED to get him out of a ticket yesterday -- because a cop wrote him up in Los Angeles ... a cop who claimed to have no idea who the hell Jeremy Piven is.



The cop wouldn't tell us why he pulled over the "Entourage" star -- but Jeremy insists it was just a  registration issue and told us, "there's no problem actually."

After the cop wrote up the actor -- and handed him a citation -- we asked the cop if Piv was the biggest star he'd ever pulled over ...but the officer claimed he had no idea who Jeremy was!!!

Burn.

Talking on your cell phone while driving is a big no-no in California -- even if you're Jeremy Piven, and even if you're giving an interview to an Australian radio station at the time.


Piven was trying to talk to 2Day FM’s "Kyle & Jackie O Show" when he got popped by Beverly Hills PD. Piven kinda sorta tried to get out of it when he told the cop (live on air, mind you), "You know what, I apologize, it’s a work related call and it’s not even a good excuse. But I had to pick it up because it’s a radio station who’s calling."

The cop didn't buy it, but the station did offer to pay the fine. We think he can afford it.

Jeremy Piven thinks this year's Super Bowl is gonna suck -- because no one wants to see a game between Ben "Rapist-berger and the Cheese Heads."



Piven was hanging out at the Sundance Film Festival in Utah last week when he started talking sports ... voicing his distaste for a "cheesy rape-berger" match up between Ben Roethlisberger's Pittsburgh Steelers and the Green Bay Packers.

For the record, Big Ben's been accused of rape twice -- but charges were never brought against him in either case.

Thanks to dylan.tv for the heads up.

Rob Lowe, 46, Jeremy Piven, 45, and Thomas Jane, 41, joined forces to promote their new flick "I Melt With You" at the Sundance Film Festival on Wednesday. 


Question is ...
 

He was wayyyy above the rim -- but Jeremy Piven hit a CRAZY trick basketball shot in downtown Los Angeles last night ... firing the rock at a regulation basket from a balcony ... three stories up!!!



Piven shot alongside L.A. Lakers hero Rick Fox ... who missed all three of his attempts.

Just check out the footage already -- it's pretty awesome!

"Entourage" stars Kevin Dillon, Jeremy Piven, Kevin Connolly, Jerry Ferrara and Adrian Grenier all showed up to their premiere in Hollywood on Wednesday.



Question is ...

"Entourage" star Jeremy Piven ushered in the unofficial start of summer by roasting his hairless, pumped chest in Malibu this past weekend.



Smooth.

Jeremy Piven understands the pain of a booze induced headache, but the "Entourage" star has the perfect cure ... one that would even make Matthew McConaughey blush.

TMZ has gotten to the bottom of Jeremy Piven's top -- that mysterious scar on the back of J.P.'s melon.



The "Entourage" star tells us he got banged up bad doing theater work back in the day -- so bad it left big scars on the back of his head.

Piven -- who was photographed in Hawaii -- tells us on December 17, he went under the knife for a "scar minimizing procedure." We never heard of it either, but supposedly it reduces the scarring. But Piven says he had no idea post-op scarring would be so prominent.

So what's Jeremy gonna do? He says he was thinking of shaving his head but can't because of continuity problems with "Entourage."

Our advice -- chicks dig scars.