Britney Spears Friends, Family Say ... Canceling Intervention is Life-Threatening

Britney Spears desperately needs help, and multiple people close to her tell TMZ ... the decision to pull the plug on the intervention scheduled this past Tuesday may well be life-threatening.

TMZ broke the story ... the intervention that was planned would include her husband, Sam Asghari, her manager and medical professionals. Her manager rented a house in the L.A. area where the intervention would go down, and the plan was for Britney to live there for around 2 months to get better, but someone in her camp pulled the plug on the plan.

As we reported, Britney's behavior has become increasingly erratic and volatile ... the result of her mental illness and substance abuse.

Here's what people with direct knowledge tell TMZ ...

-- "The intervention was long overdue. She is very much a danger to herself and those around her. It's a ticking time bomb. Thank god somebody finally took some steps to do something about it."

-- Another source says, "I worry about waking up in the morning and feeling like I'm going to get a horrible phone call."

-- A third source says, "This is 2008 all over again. There is serious fear she is either going to die or kill someone. She is abusing caffeine, Adderall, and anything she can get her hands on. She is not taking her medication, which is essential to stabilize her mood and is unknowingly trying to self-medicate with other substances, which is exacerbating her mental illness."

-- And finally, "She has unbelievable untreated trauma that with the help of therapists and specialists could put her in a much better place. An intervention is essential to make that happen."

There is anger among those who believe an intervention is necessary ... anger that someone has derailed the plan, and they are not giving up.

LeBron James Hosts Two Goats At Dinner Party ... Get It?!?

THREE GOATS WALK INTO A BAR
BACKGRID

LeBron James' dinner wasn't baa-d ... it was literally goated -- 'cause the Los Angeles Lakers superstar was in the presence of two live farm animals at a gathering with his wife and friends.

King James was honored with a pregame ceremony for becoming the NBA's all-time points leader before L.A.'s home matchup against the Milwaukee Bucks ... and the celebration continued into the night, with Bron and about 20 of his close friends hitting up A.O.C. in West Hollywood for some wining and dining.

LeBron and Savannah arrived at the fancy wine bar after the game ... and moments later, two goats and their handlers showed up for the shindig.

We're told the four-legged friends stayed for about 15 minutes before making their exit ... which probably isn't too shocking, considering animals chilling in a restaurant might be a big no-no with the health department.

Of course, LeBron recently deemed himself the GOAT in an interview with the O.C. Register ... saying, "What I bring to the table as a basketball player ... I feel like I’m the best basketball player that ever played the game."

#6 is really leaning into the whole "GOAT" title now ... and while the haters may say it's a bit much, he doesn't seem to care.

Your move, Tom Brady.

Adidas Droppin' Ye a Very Costly Call ... We're Deep in the Hole!!!

Adidas is saying it's in a serious financial pinch ... and it's blaming the bind directly on its decision to split from Kanye West.

The athletic brand gave the worrisome update Thursday, saying it's expected to lose a whopping $1.3 billion in sales in 2023 -- and the company says it's because it's unable to sell off all the Yeezy shoes and clothes it still owns.

As we reported, Adidas cut ties with Ye last year after his antisemitic comments and actions ... but the brand announced soon after dropping him that it would continue to sell Kanye's designs, just without the Yeezy name.

Based on the financial report, it doesn't seem like that's working.

The statement says it could lose another $534 mil if it pulls the plug on repurposing the remaining Yeezy stash -- CEO Bjørn Gulden adds, "The numbers speak for themselves. We are currently not performing the way we should." He says 2023 is a year of transition for the brand.

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PUTTING THEIR FOOT DOWN
TMZ.com

FYI -- we reported there's a clause in Ye's contract with Adidas that says he could get a reduced fee if his designs get sold with a rebrand ... but we were told the brand simply isn't cutting checks for him.

NBA's Cam Thomas Sorry For Using Anti-Gay Phrase ... In Postgame Interview

Brooklyn Nets guard Cam Thomas used an anti-gay phrase during his postgame interview on Thursday night ... and hours later, he apologized for it -- saying he "definitely didn't intend to offend anyone."

Thomas muttered the expression while on the Barclays Center court speaking with a TNT reporter ... after the Nets had beaten the Chicago Bulls, 116-105.

The media member asked Thomas about comments that his new teammate, Spencer Dinwiddie, had said earlier this week about the Nets needing some help in the looks "department."

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BRINGING SOME ADDED VALUE
Brooklyn Nets

"I seen it," Thomas said of Dinwiddie's remarks. "But I was like, 'Man, he just talking.' We already had good-looking dudes."

The 21-year-old then added, "no homo."

The reporter was immediately caught off guard by Thomas' words ... saying, "Surely the league office will enjoy that one."

Thomas took to Twitter to issue a mea culpa a short time later.

"I was excited about the win and was being playful," Thomas said. "I definitely didn't intend to offend anyone, but realize that I probably did. My apologies again. Much love."

The NBA has yet to punish Thomas over the interview ... but the league has historically fined players in the past for homophobic comments. In fact, back in September, Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards was docked $40k for his previous use of anti-gay language.

Super Bowl Prop Bets Will Rihanna Show Butt Cheek??? ... Pull Janet Jackson???

There's money to be made when Rihanna takes the stage during the Super Bowl Halftime Show on Sunday ... with prop bets waiting to be placed on the superstar's outfit and stunts -- and of course, whether she shows skin.

The folks at BetOnline listed a ton of bets, and there's an opportunity to rake in some serious dough ... making the singer's performance even more exciting for viewers.

Will Rihanna expose butt cheek on stage??
-- Yes -300 (risk $300 to win $100)
-- No -110 (risk $110 to win $100)

Will Rihanna expose cleavage on stage??
-- Yes -300 (risk $300 to win $100)
-- No +200 (risk $100 to win $200)

Will Rihanna use a phone/tablet/computer??
-- No -1500
-- Yes +600

And get this one -- Will Rihanna pull a Janet Jackson and show nipple on stage??
-- No -2500
-- Yes +800

There are a ton more prop bets for the actual game ... like the result of the coin toss, the color of liquid poured on the winning coach, what tweet will happen first -- Joel Embiid talking about Rihanna or Eli Apple going off about the Chiefs, and what swear word Travis Kelce will say in his postgame interview.

Good luck to all the bettin' fans out there ... and if anything hits, get ready to pull a RiRi and say, "Bitch better have my money!!"

Sarah Silverman Man Protests Old Blackface Skit ... Booted From Comedy Gig

BOOTED FROM THE SHOW
Facebook/Mb Jackson

Sarah Silverman's comedy show in New Jersey got ugly before it even started -- an elderly Black man was kicked out of the venue for protesting the infamous skit she did more than 15 years ago ... in blackface.

The demonstrator, 71-year-old Michael B. Jackson, says he bought a front-row ticket to Sarah's Feb. 4 show at the Ocean Resort Casino in Atlantic City ... and showed up in blackface. He says his intent was a peaceful protest, but it caused a huge issue.

Jackson says 20 minutes into Sarah's opening act, the comic ... Rory Albanese, decided to address him. He claims Rory incited the crowd, insulted and bullied him and asked security to toss him out of the show, despite him saying he did not want to be apart of the routine and sitting silently. Another source who was at the show claims he was heckling and was given a warning.

That's when a bunch of guards rolled up and told Jackson to move to a balcony seat. He refused to move, and pulled out his phone to record the interaction.

The video cuts out before things allegedly got physical -- Jackson claims he ended up in the hospital after being attacked by several security guards, who he says forcibly removed him from his seat, carried him to a back hallway, dropped him facedown on the floor and handcuffed him.

A rep for the casino tells TMZ ... Jackson only requested medical attention for anxiety after being evicted from the show, walking to his hotel room and coming back down to the lobby.

The casino says Jackson "presented himself as offensive" and they have the right to remove or relocate anyone from the property at any time. The statement went on, "Ocean prides itself with both a diverse workplace and customer base."

Jackson claims Sarah was behind it all ... he says she "had the security goons at the Ocean Resort Casino in AC attack me and rough me up" because he wore blackface to protest her 2007 skit.

Sarah wore blackface for a bit on her TV show, "The Sarah Silverman Project." Jackson says the skit is littered with racist comments against African Americans thinly disguised as jokes.

Jackson believes he was kicked out for "racially motivated reasons" and feared for his life and well-being at the time. He claims police were called and gave him a ticket for trespassing. A rep for the casino confirms officers escorted him from the building when he refused to leave, and that's why he got the ticket.

Bottom line for Jackson, "Sarah Silverman feels it okay for her to wear back face, but no one else."

Folks who were there say Sarah addressed the incident when she got onstage -- explaining he was protesting the skit from 2007 and letting the audience know she'd never do something like that today. We're told she also said if Jackson was still in the crowd she would've apologized to him for the skit.

We reached out to Sarah's camp ... so far no word back.

Tennis Star Alexander Bublik Melts Down At Tournament ... Demolishes 3 Rackets

SMASHING SUCCESS

Tennis star Alexander Bublik absolutely lost his mind during a match this week -- destroying THREE of his rackets in a wild outburst that was all captured on video.

The epic temper tantrum went down in the third set of Bublik's Open Sud de France match in Montpellier against Grégoire Barrère ... when he blew a gasket over the way he was playing.

The 25-year-old -- a heavy favorite in the match -- slammed his racket to the court's surface over and over and over again after a losing a point ... leaving it in pieces.

Clearly unfulfilled by that, Bublik went to his bench and destroyed another one. Seconds later, he grabbed one more and, you guessed it, beat the hell out of that one too.

The crowd jeered loudly as Bublik went off -- and even one of the match's announcers was over it by the third racket smash, saying, "Well, this is getting out of hand now."

Bublik, the No. 50-ranked player in the world, eventually stopped the tirade -- and went on to lose the match, 6-4, 6-7 (12), 7-6 (3).

No word yet if Bublik faces any punishment for the fit of rage -- but one thing is clear ... he better pack a few more rackets for his next tourney appearance.

Shania Twain 2018 Throat Surgery Left a Scar and a Blessing

Shania Twain is opening up about her terrifying 2018 throat procedure, saying it left her with a huge scar, but it was more than worth it.

The Queen of Country Pop was interviewed for an episode of "The Graham Norton Show," during which Shania discussed her fears that her open-throat surgery would have a negative impact on her vocal cords. Turned out, the surgery was a resounding blessing.

Shania said, "The operation was very invasive, and I've got a big scar that I am proud of. I'm very happy to have a scar rather than no voice."

She continued, "The surgery was a miracle, and I am so grateful. Going back into a studio after the operation was a discovery and I was re-learning voice."

She added, "I can get very loud and now I can swear really loudly!"

As you may recall, Shania caught a bacterial infection back in 2003 after she was bitten by a tick while riding horseback in Norfolk, Virginia. As a result, she lost her voice and had to take a break from performing, thinking she might never sing again.

It took doctors 7 years to give Shania an accurate diagnosis ... she had contracted Lyme Disease, which had damaged the nerves of her vocal cords. Over the years, Shania underwent multiple throat surgeries to correct the problem, but the 2018 procedure seemed to be the most concerning.

During her interview, which will air Friday, Shania was joined onstage by other major celebs ... including Salma Hayek, Julianne Moore and Lizzo. The country star also spoke about her first record since her 2018 surgery, "Queens of Me," saying "I ended up making a very happy, inspired, and celebratory album."

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And just last year ... Shania hit the stage with Harry Styles at Coachella. Looks like she's back!

"Queen of Me" tour kicks off this spring.

Billie Eilish Gets 5-Year Restraining Order For Alleged Home Intruder

Billie Eilish and her family are getting court-ordered protection from the man she claims broke into her childhood home.

The "lovely" singer appeared virtually in court Thursday for a hearing, where a judge granted Billie a 5-year restraining order against 39-year-old Christopher Anderson. Billie's parents, Patrick and Maggie, and brother, Finneas, are also getting protection.

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SCARY SITUATION
Fox11

TMZ broke the story ... Billie got a temporary restraining order against Anderson last month after her dad claimed Anderson broke into the family home after professing his love for Billie, even though she's never met him.

Billie says she didn't feel safe visiting her family anymore ... especially after they had to call cops to the home 5 times in December as a result of Anderson's unwanted visits.

The permanent restraining order says Anderson must stay 100 yards away from Billie, her family and her parents' house ... and he can't contact her on social media or come near her vehicle or workplace. If he does, police can immediately arrest him.

Drake Bets Nearly a Mil On Super Bowl ... Here's My Pick!!!

Drake is gearing up for Super Bowl Sunday -- which means, per usual, he's playing high stakes and throwing down some serious cash on the game.

The rapper posted receipts to Instagram Thursday showing 7 bets he placed on the Kansas City Chiefs-Philadelphia Eagles matchup.

Drake's wagering nearly a million bucks on the big game -- $965K to be exact! If he wins each bet, Drake could rake in a whopping $4.5 million.

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Drake knows it too ... that's why he captioned his IG post like this ... "My psychotic bets for Sunday are in @stake."

Philadelphia, as you might know, is favored to win by 1.5 points ... but Drake is going with the Chiefs all the way, plunking down $700K on the team.

Drake also made separate bets -- $50K each -- that Patrick Mahomes and Juju Smith-Schuster would score the first Chiefs touchdown. He then bet $50K the Chiefs would score in both halves of the game, and $30K the team would win all four quarters.

What's more, Drake bet $25K the Chiefs star tight end Travis Kelce would be the game's MVP. He also bet $60K the MVP award would go to a tight end, which, by the way, has never happened in Super Bowl history.

As you know  ... Drake likes gambling almost as much as turning a phrase. He wins big and loses big. Last month, Drake took in $2 million on a $1 million bet that the Chiefs would defeat the Cincinnati Bengals in the AFC Championship.

Michael Irvin Files $100M Lawsuit ... Sues Misconduct Accuser, Renaissance Hotel

Michael Irvin filed a scathing $100 million lawsuit against the woman who accused the NFL legend of misconduct, alleging he's being "railroaded" with false accusations that are ruining his career.

The lawsuit, obtained by TMZ Sports, was filed Thursday afternoon ... after Irvin says the hotel where he was staying concocted a plan to turn him into the next victim of "cancel culture" over something he says never happened.

"Rash and thoughtless actions can have severe consequences. Marriott [parent company of Renaissance Hotels] apparently did not appreciate these simple truths when, in a rush to judgment, its employees and management inaccurately and inflammatorily accused Mr. Irvin of misconduct to the National Football League," the lawsuit reads.

According to the lawsuit, witnesses (in the above photo) backed Irvin's initial claim that he "casually exchanged pleasantries" with the employee ("Jane Doe"), "shook her hand, and went to his room alone."

However, once Irvin and his team became aware of the allegations, they say they attempted to provide witness accounts to the hotel in an effort to rectify any misunderstanding, but they say the Renaissance refused to listen.

In fact, the lawsuit accuses the hotel manager of reporting the alleged incident to the NFL "with the intention of damaging that relationship and canceling [Irvin]."

Levi McCathern, Michael's attorney, says his client's reputation has not only been damaged, but he's also lost out on money -- canceled appearances -- as a result of the false allegations.

Irvin is seeking in excess of $100,000,000.

The Hall of Famer's attorney tells us ... "It is clear Michael is the latest victim of our cancel culture where all it takes is an accusation to ruin a person’s life. Michael looks forward to clearing his name in court and hopes the Court of public opinion will see the truth come out as well."

Of course, 56-year-old Irvin was yanked from NFL Network's Super Bowl coverage after a hotel employee complained about Michael's alleged behavior during a brief interaction Sunday night.

The specifics of the accusers allegations are still not known publicly.

Irvin, one of the most popular media personalities in sports, was set to be one of NFLN's and ESPN's faces of their Super Bowl coverage.

We reached out to Marriott, who owns the Renaissance Hotel, for comment ... but so far, no word back.

Rihanna Praises Patrick Mahomes ... After B. Marshall Prank

BIG MEANIE
I Am Athlete

Seems Patrick Mahomes' is Rihanna's favorite quarterback, after all ... 'cause just one day after former NFL star Brandon Marshall clowned the NFL MVP, RiRi made it clear she's a huge fan of Patrick!

"I am so sorry you went through that [Patrick]. I still think you're great. [Brandon's] a hater!"

27-year-old Mahomes was at a Super Bowl media event on Wednesday when the Marshall, a 6x Pro Bowler, grabbed the mic and asked Patrick how he felt about Rihanna saying he was her favorite QB.

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The only problem ... she never said it. 😂

Rihanna's reaction to the prank ... "That is so mean. [Brandon] is mean, ok? I am so sorry you went through that, okay."

CHALLENGES ON CHALLENGES
Apple Music

Of course, it's not just Mahomes who will be busy come Sunday night.

Rihanna is performing during the highly anticipated SB halftime show ... and as PM said, there are lots of people, including his own family members, who are more pumped for RiRi than the football game.

Patrick Mahomes ... Rihanna's fave!

Ice Cube Rips Billboard as BS ... Their Top Rappers List Ain't S***!!!

IT'S JUST AN OPINION
TMZ.com

According to Billboard, Ice Cube is the 18th greatest rapper of all time ... but the Don Mega doesn't have a f**k to give the publication!!!

We caught up with Cube at LAX, and he couldn't be more UNimpressed with his placement at #18 on the list ... dismissing Billboard's hip hop authority as a staff, chart and magazine!!!

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Billboard released the final rollout of its list on Thursday, ranking Jay-Z at #1 and featuring Eminem, Drake and Nicki Minaj amongst the top 10 ... but Cube still didn't care.

Cube dismissed the BB editors even further for snubbing his Mount Westmore bandmate Too $hort altogether -- while the rest of the group, Snoop Dogg and E-40, did make the rankings.

The N.W.A pioneer has never been one to bite his tongue when it comes to critics, and he told us all these silly lists "are like a**holes: they all got one and they all stink."

Cube says he'll stick to his own list. Check out the vid to see where he ranks himself!

Darren Waller Recruits Rodgers To Raiders 'If You Come, It's Gonna Be Lit!!!'

WHAT HAPPENS IN VEGAS...
TMZSports.com

Derek Carr out ... Aaron Rodgers in?

If No. 4 is definitively on his way to being traded from Vegas this offseason ... Raiders star Darren Waller is making it clear, he wants Rodgers to replace him.

In fact, the tight end is downright recruiting the Packers star to Nevada while under the assumption that Carr's a goner ... saying at Jay Glazer's Super Bowl party in Arizona this week, "If you come, it's gonna be lit!"

Waller added in his pitch that Las Vegas is a better place to be than Green Bay "in most cases."

"If he comes," Waller said of Rodgers, "I'd be a happy camper."

Of course, there's a lot of pieces that would have to fall into place to make Waller's wish come true. First, Carr would have to be traded. Then, Vegas would have to make a swap with the Packers for Rodgers.

But, Carr already appears to be on the verge of being moved -- he just met with the Saints this week. And, all signs seem to be pointing toward Rodgers being jettisoned from Green Bay too (that is, if his isolation retreat leads him to one more year of football).

As for where Carr could end up -- Waller told us he thinks the signal-caller might go to one of three spots ... two of which are in the AFC.

'Old Spice' Guy In Super Bowl Commercials 'Memba Him?!

American actor Isaiah Mustafa was 35 years old when he first started playing the main character in the "The Man Your Man Could Smell Like" campaign back in 2010.

During the 2010 Super Bowl XLIV (New Orleans Saints vs. the Indianapolis Colts), Isaiah obtained instant fame after millions saw him parading around in nothing but a towel -- with his rockin' bod on full display -- promoting Old Spice products.

In 2011, Italian actor and model Fabio Lanzoni accompanied Isaiah in the Old Spice ads, and Terry Crews followed suit in 2015 ... now that's a muscle showdown!

"Hello ladies, look at your man ... now back to me!"

Guess what he looks like now!

'Little People, Big World' Zach Roloff Undergoes Brain Surgery ... 'Scary 72 Hours'

Zach Roloff, known from the show "Little People, Big World," took a pretty frightening trip to the hospital ... getting emergency brain surgery.

His wife Tori gave fans an update on the "scary 72 hours" on Thursday ... saying Zach underwent an emergency shunt revision operation. She also shared some pics of him in the hospital, hooked up to monitors while his head's wrapped up.

She says she's hoping for a quick and easy recovery, and thanks everyone for their prayers -- adding Zach's a "rockstar" for everything he's gone through. She also gives a shoutout to the neurosurgeon team for their huge help.

Tori even gave a big thanks to Zach's mom, Amy, for holding down the fort -- and Amy responded, "You're a trooper as well Tori. I'm glad I could be here so you could be there with him 💙."

For those unaware, Zach's shunt was put in to help drain cerebrospinal fluid ... he's had it since he was a kid, and even had corrective surgery for it way back in 2006 -- during the first season of the hit reality series.

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