Joe Exotic is officially on the White House's radar now -- thanks to a reporter asking President Trump if he plans to pardon the 'Tiger King' star and convicted felon.
The bizarre exchange went down Wednesday during, of all things, the Coronavirus Taskforce briefing. The reporter asked Trump if he's heard of the popular Netflix series, and, if so, might he consider commuting Joe's 22-year prison sentence.
The reporter told the Prez ... his son, Don Jr., joked during a radio interview he'd lobby POTUS to pardon Joe Exotic for the memes "and just for frankly watching the media reaction to this thing."
It's actually pretty hilarious ... Trump asked which son made that comment before answering in signature fashion, saying, "I know nothing about it." That didn't stop him from also saying he'd look into it. For good measure ... he also asked CNN's Jim Acosta -- a reporter Trump often feuds with -- if he thought a pardon was a good idea.
As you know by now ... Joe Exotic's behind bars after he was found guilty of a murder-for-hire plot targeting his nemesis, Carole Baskin. He's also in the middle of a lawsuit in which he's asking for a new judge .... alleging the original one is homophobic and biased.
5:46 PM PT -- NURSECON just responded to the lawsuit with a feisty statement.
Jeffrey A. Kasky, an adviser to NURSECON, tells TMZ ... "Anybody with a few hundred dollar bills can file a lawsuit, that doesn't mean it has any merit."
Royal Caribbean Cruises is nothing more than a profiteering vessel to steal cash from nurses in a pandemic ... according to a nurse suing over a cruise canceled by COVID-19.
Jessica Mitchell just filed a class-action lawsuit Wednesday against Royal Caribbean Cruises and NURSECON at Sea, accusing the cruise line and floating convention of conning hard-working nurses out of their deposits for an event scrapped by the coronavirus.
According to new legal docs, obtained by TMZ, Mitchell claims the NURSECON founder is plotting to steal the $2,578 cruise fee from each of the 1,500 nurses who were scheduled to attend before the outbreak scuttled everything.
In the docs, Mitchell says the money grab is particularly bad now, because nurses deserve support now more than ever as they battle COVID-19 on the front lines.
The nurses claim the cruise and convention have refused to grant any refunds despite the cancellation, and instead are pocketing the fees which were paid upfront and offering credit for a future convention which some think may not even happen for years.
In the suit, Mitchell claims the cruise and convention are using the pandemic to line their pockets, and she says there's no reason not to give nurses their money back.
As we first reported ... the voyage was axed due to the pandemic, and nurses were up in arms over the cruise allegedly refusing to grant refunds. However, at the time, Royal Caribbean told us, "Royal Caribbean has been extremely flexible with Nursecon and has provided them with the option to offer their guests a refund on their cruise fare plus taxes and fees, or a 125% future cruise credit."
Adding, "Royal Caribbean deeply appreciates the efforts of our nurses, doctors and health-care professionals working on the frontlines during this public health crisis, and we applaud their sacrifices to help protect our communities."
Mitchell wants nurses to get their money back with interest, plus damages.
We reached out to Royal Caribbean for comment ... so far, no word back.
The Playboy Mansion doesn't look like your father's dream house anymore ... because it's completely unrecognizable these days, as a massive construction project ramps up.
Ya gotta check out these aerial shots of Hugh Hefner's former masterpiece ... the Playboy Mansion is covered in scaffolding and the roof is hidden under massive tarps.
The beautiful lawns are no more ... instead of lush green scenery, there's mounds and piles of brown dirt.
Perhaps the biggest change going on right now at the Playboy Mansion ... the world-famous grotto is looking like a shell of its former self, because the water's gone and the pool's been drained.
For context, here's a refresher on what the Playboy Mansion used to look like back in its heyday.
The luxury cars are all gone too ... now, the driveway is littered with cars from the construction crew.
As we first reported ... the Mansion is getting a massive facelift under billionaire owner Daren Metropoulos, who bought it from Hugh for $100 million. As part of the sale deal, Heff was allowed to live in the mansion until he died in 2017.
"5 championships. 5 NYT bestsellers. The Mamba strikes again."
Vanessa Bryant is celebrating Kobe's newest accomplishment -- his latest book in the Wizenard Series, "Season One" is a NYT Bestseller.
The book was released last week ... and follows the journey of a young hooper named Reggie, who faces incredible obstacles on his way to becoming a basketball star.
"My husband @kobebryant would have been so proud to see his work continuing on with The #Wizenard Series: Season One." Vanessa said on Wednesday.
Of course, it was a bittersweet day when the newest book was released after Kobe's tragic death, with the author, Wesley King, saying he was "grateful to see the words live on."
Bryant's other projects, "The Mamba Mentality: How I Play," "Training Camp," "The Legacy And The Queen" and "Epoca: The Tree of Ecrof" are all also received the honor of being NYT Bestsellers.
Vanessa had one final message on the accomplishment ... saying, "Thank you for supporting his legacy!!!!"
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's potential website for their new foundation is now owned by an Internet troll, who's using a Kanye West hit to send a pretty nasty message.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex announced Tuesday they were planning a new nonprofit called Archewell Foundation, but apparently they didn't lock down at least one potential URL for a website. Instead, a cybersquatter scooped up archewellfoundation.com -- but there's nothing charitable about it now.
The anonymous owner linked it to Kanye's "Gold Digger" music video on YouTube. The troll's intent seems pretty clear ... passing judgment on Meghan's intent in marrying Harry.
It's a low blow ... especially considering Harry and Meghan plan to make their foundation a one-stop shop educational and support site for a variety of charitable groups.
They still have other URL options -- such as a dot org -- so it's not a total lost cause -- but it's a hard lesson for the couple to learn as they venture out on their own without support from the Palace.
The Sussexes will have to step up their media game, especially if they come to Hollywood ... as many expect. You're swimming with sharks now, Harry!!!
Two men shopping at an Illinois Walmart claim a cop kicked them out for wearing protective face masks, but police say that's not how it went down.
Here's the deal ... video posted on social media shows 2 black men wearing surgical masks being tailed by a police officer as they head for the exit of the Walmart in Wood River, Ill.
The men claimed the cop told them a city ordinance bars people from wearing masks at businesses. In the video -- which was posted on March 18, but is just now going viral -- the men said they were being forced to leave.
At the time of the incident, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker told residents to only wear masks if a health care professional recommended it. The directive broadened at the end of the month, and now other cities are ordering folks to cover their faces in public.
Wood River Police Chief Brad Wells responded Wednesday to growing criticism ... and said the officer was trying to identify the individuals because he felt they were acting suspiciously before entering the store.
The chief admits the officer told the men a city ordinance prohibited the masks -- even though such an ordinance does not exist. He adds, however, there is an Illinois law prohibits wearing a mask to conceal your identity from cops ... without written permission from the property owner.
The police chief says it's understandable why someone would wear a mask to protect themselves in the current pandemic, but he says not many people were wearing masks back when the video was shot -- and claims no one else in the store was doing so.
Wells adds, the men refused to provide ID, and said they were leaving. He claims the men left on their own and were not ordered to leave the store.
According to police, the men in the video have since made a formal complaint and it's under internal investigation. Wells says the NAACP and FBI will also review the incident.
It's a Passover miracle for Julian Edelman -- the NFL superstar will NOT be prosecuted for drunkenly jumping on a car in Bev Hills back in January, TMZ Sports has learned.
Remember, the former Super Bowl MVP was arrested on January 11 after cops saw the Patriots WR jumping on the hood of a car (we're told a Mercedes) around 9 pm.
Cops say the car was leaving a parking lot -- and had stopped for pedestrian traffic -- when Edelman "slid across the hood" like he was Starsky and Hutch!
According to police, Edelman reeked of booze (duh) and he was busted for vandalism.
He was at dinner earlier in the evening in Bev Hills at Cantina FRIDA, along with Paul Pierce and Danny Amendola.
But that's all over now ... cops say the owner of the vehicle told prosecutors he does NOT want Edelman charged with a crime because "he has been fully compensated for the repair costs to the vehicle."
In other words, Edelman cut the dude a fat ass check and now it's all gooooooood!!!
Officials say the case filing has been formally declined "in the interests of justice."
Tiger Woodsis being sued by a fan who says he tried to take a selfie with the golf superstar ... but claims all he got was a big shove and some serious injuries.
A golf fan named Brian Borruso filed a lawsuit in Florida this week ... where he claims he was a spectator at the Valspar Gold tournament in Palm Harbor, FL in March 2018.
Borruso claims he was on the green at the 13th hole when Tiger hit a ball near where he was standing. As Woods approached his ball, Borruso says he saw the moment as an opportunity to get a selfie with Tiger.
However, as he tried to snap the shot, Borruso says Woods' caddie, Joe LaCava, stepped in and "intentionally shoved" him ... pushing him back into other spectators, and injuring him.
As a result, Borruso's lawsuit claims he "suffered injury and damages" including "bodily and mental injury," "disability, disfigurement, mental anguish, loss of capacity for the enjoyment of life, expenses of hospitalization, medical and nursing care and treatment, loss of ability to earn income, and aggravation of a previously existing condition."
Borruso says his injuries haven't gotten better ... and he is still feeling the effects of the alleged attack.
He never claims Tiger touched him, but cites USGA rules that state a golfer is responsible for his caddies actions ... and because of that, Woods should be held financially responsible.
As for why the fan took over 2 years to file the lawsuit ... his attorney says he waited to get a better understanding of just how serious his injuries were.
There's video of the alleged incident ... where LaCava is seemingly heard telling a fan to "back it up." LaCava is seen extending his arm as Tiger attempts to practice his swing ... but it's difficult to tell if Joe ever makes contact with anyone.
Borruso notes he is seeking over $30k, but the exact figure is unclear.
Cardi B and Fashion Nova are stepping up with a stimulus package of their own -- giving away $1,000 PER HOUR to families struggling through the pandemic.
Cardi announced Wednesday she and the fashion line she reps will give away a total of $1 million beginning today and continuing through May 20. The Fashion Nova Cares initiative will put the money directly in the hands of people desperately needing relief.
Richard Saghian, founder and CEO of Fashion Nova, says, "People are struggling to pay rent, buy food, medicine and other essentials for themselves and their families. We all feel compassion and concern for those affected by the Coronavirus."
He added, "Fashion Nova Cares with Cardi B will provide people with necessary relief to help them get through this crisis. As a community-driven brand, we are inspired by the kindness and generosity of others and we wanted to do our part to help those in need.”
To qualify for the dough, people will need to visit fashionnova.com/cares to share their stories and information. The group will then choose 24 people each day for the duration of the program.
As we've seen around the country, there are MASSIVE lines just to file for unemployment benefits or get food ... like what we saw in Florida and Texas.
It's gonna take more than the government to pull us through, so kudos to Cardi and Fashion Nova. 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽
1:54 PM PT -- Linda died Wednesday according to her family. We're told she passed in the morning. There are reports she'd been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer ... although the family has not confirmed that. Linda was 70.
RIP
11:09 AM PT -- Lewinsky just reacted to the news of Linda's illness, saying, "no matter the past, upon hearing that linda tripp is very seriously ill, i hope for her recovery. i can't imagine how difficult this is for her family."
A rep for the Tripp family tells us they are asking for privacy during this difficult time.
Linda Tripp, whose recorded conversations with Monica Lewinsky led to President Clinton's impeachment -- is near death ... according to her daughter.
Allison Tripp Foley said late Tuesday, "My mommy is leaving this earth. I don't know myself if I can survive this heartache." In her FB post, Allison said she is at her mother's bedside, and she asked for prayers for "a painless process for the strongest woman I will ever know in my entire lifetime."
She has not revealed what illness, or medical crisis, 70-year-old Linda is battling. Allison did confirm to TMZ that it is NOT COVID-19.
Tripp is known as a whistleblower for turning over secretly-recorded conversations with Lewinsky to Ken Starr in January 1998. The recordings exposed Lewinsky's sexual relationship with Clinton.
Linda also told Starr about Lewinsky's infamous blue dress. She was working in the Pentagon when she befriended the 22-year-old White House intern and learned about her physical relationship with the POTUS. The rest is history.
Linda and her husband, Dieter Rausch, have 2 children -- Allison and Ryan.
The people behind Wimbledon -- the most famous tennis tournament in the world -- will reportedly cash in their decision to buy "pandemic insurance" ... to the tune of $141 MILLION!!
Oh, how much did they pay for the policy you ask? $2 MILLION!
Pretty solid ROI wouldn't you say?
Here's the deal ... the head of the All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC) had mentioned the policy last week -- saying they were "fortunate" to have bought it when they had the chance.
Damn straight.
Plus, according to reports, AELTC has been paying that same rate for the policy for the past 17 years -- totaling $34 million. Still, not bad!!!
Wimbledon reportedly paid $2 million a year for pandemic insurance for the last 17 years
(Total: $34 Million)
For this year's cancellation as a result of the Coronavirus, Wimbledon will reportedly receive $141 million from the policy.
Of course, Wimbledon's 2020 event was canceled -- not postponed -- due to the coronavirus pandemic ... and according to Action Network's Darren Rovell, the word "cancelation" is the key.
If Wimbledon was postponed, AELTC wouldn't be able to collect.
No brainer, right?
Cool story, savvy business move -- but we'd all rather have sports back.
Jussie Smollett's reacting to a dangerous byproduct of the nearly nationwide quarantine -- a spike in domestic violence -- by supporting a group he says is very dear to him.
The ex-"Empire" star says, sadly, safe-at-home orders in response to the COVID-19 pandemic have created unsafe domestic situations for many vulnerable women and children. We're told Jussie got word from a friend the Jenesse Center -- which aids victims of domestic violence -- had an influx of new emergency cases in recent weeks.
So, Jussie's now lending his support to the org, and encouraging others to do the same. We're told he's already donated money for welcome bags handed out to new families at the shelter.
He's also shouting out the Black AIDS Institute for its efforts to care for anyone who needs medical care right now and vows to keep supporting COVID-19 relief causes as well.
As we reported ... Smollett broke his social media silence a couple weeks back after 9 months of not posting anything and said he's looking to move on from the alleged racist attack in Chicago back in January 2019.
Of course, that's gonna be difficult with his pending criminal trial after getting recharged for allegedly lying to police about the attack.
Until then, he says his focus is on helping people and combating coronavirus -- or as he put it, the "ro-ro." You really gotta see it in his words though.
Small businesses are folding left and right due to COVID-19 -- and now a bunch of 'em are suing the pants off China ... for TRILLIONS.
A group of small businesses in California -- including Cardiff Prestige Property, Little Saigon Chamber of Commerce, First Premier X and others -- just filed the lawsuit against the People's Republic of China, the City of Wuhan and that country's Health Commission.
According to the docs, obtained by TMZ, the small biz squad claims the Chinese government knew as early as mid-November that they were dealing with a "new" and potentially deadly virus, but kept quiet about it and even tried covering it up.
The lawsuit -- which this coalition is aiming to make a class-action by inviting similarly affected businesses across the U.S. -- also alleges it's possible a bio-weapons lab near Wuhan could be responsible for the infected bat that ended up in a wet market ... ultimately starting the pandemic.
It's pretty simple ... the suit claims since China was well aware of the simmering pandemic WAY earlier than February ... it had a responsibility to give a heads up to the World Health Organization and neighboring nations, but didn't.
As a result, this group of businesses says China has cost entrepreneurs dearly. The group is asking for a whopping $8 TRILLION in damages they say they and other small businesses have either already suffered, or will down the line due to government-ordered closures.
It's interesting ... President Trump has parroted similar accusations himself about China, claiming it should've been more vocal about the scale of the problem.
The WWE is moving forward with "SmackDown" and "Raw" -- and they've sent out a memo to wrestlers and staffers telling them how they plan to keep everyone safe from COVID-19.
We're told WWE honchos were so happy with the way things went down at WrestleMania over the weekend, they plan on using a similar protocol for the upcoming events including "SmackDown" on Friday and "Raw" on Monday.
Both events will take place at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando -- just like 'Mania -- with a medical team screening EVERYONE before they can walk in the door.
The email outlines protocol ... saying the medical team will take each individual's temperature before they enter the building -- which is expected to cause some delays -- so arrive early.
Once inside, everyone is encouraged to wear a face mask -- and if you can't get one, make one!
WWE explains how to McGyver one together by sewing fabric, wearing a bandanna or ripping off an old t-shirt sleeve. The org. does note that masks should come off when cameras are rolling.
TMZSports.com
The guidelines sound pretty similar to how the WWE handled WrestleMania this weekend ... remember, Drew McIntyre told us he had the whole locker room to himself for some serious social distancing.
Washing hands remains the No. 1 way to ward off COVID-19, and WWE is reminding the troops to wash up before and after handling those face masks, and to wash hands with soap and warm water for 20 seconds, as often as possible.
1:32 PM PT -- 4/8 -- Gideon's body has finally been found, according to cops, who say the boy's body was found in 25 feet of water about 2,000 feet away from where Maeve's body was found.
11:22 AM PT -- Maeve's cause of death is an accidental drowning, according to officials handling the case. The search for her son Gideon's body continues.
7:25 PM PT -- 4/6 -- Divers found Maeve's body Monday evening about 2.5 miles south of the family home on Chesapeake Bay. Authorities say her body was located in water that was 25-feet deep ... and they plan to continue searching for Gideon on Tuesday.
6:15 AM PT -- 4/4-- Maeve's husband, David McKean, said Friday it seems clear his wife and son have tragically passed. McKean said, "It is clear that Maeve and Gideon have passed away," adding, "It has been more than 24 hours, and the chances they have survived are impossibly small."
McKean said his family was self-quarantining at Maeve's mother's home on Chesapeake Bay, so they could have some space. He says Gideon and Maeve were playing a game of kickball and the ball went into the water, so they got in a canoe to get the ball. He believes the canoe got pushed by either the tide or the wind, into the bay.
12:22 PM PT -- There were local reports Gov. Hogan confirmed Maeve had passed away, but we got video of his news conference, and he merely offers prayers as the search continues.
Two members of the Kennedy family are missing after a canoeing accident on the Chesapeake Bay, and after 24 hours, Maryland's Governor says the search continues for them.
Robert F. Kennedy's granddaughter, Maeve Kennedy Townsend McKean, and her 8-year-old son, Gideon, were reported missing Thursday after paddling out near Annapolis, MD ... according to the Washington Post.
The Kennedys are reportedly gathered at a waterfront house and children were playing with a ball in the yard Thursday afternoon when it was kicked into the bay. Maeve and her son hopped in a canoe to track down the ball, but they were unable to paddle back to shore.
Maryland authorities said an overturned canoe matching the description of the Kennedy's had been recovered. Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan held a news conference Friday and announced the search for Maeve and Gideon continues.
Maeve's mother is former Maryland Lt. Gov. Kathleen Kennedy Townsend.
The Coast Guard says Maeve and her son were "seen struggling to return to shore in a canoe" before disappearing. Thursday was an extremely windy day on the bay, with gusts of up to 40 MPH in the D.C. area.
Helicopters and boat rescue crews have been searching the area for 24 hours, but still nothing.
Just last summer, another one of RFK's granddaughters, Saiorse Kennedy Hill, died of an accidental overdose while at the family's Hyannis Port compound.
Dating back to John F. Kennedy and RFK's assassinations in the '60s, the family's endured countless tragedies -- including JFK Jr.'s fatal plane crash in 1999, and Michael Kennedy's death in a 1997 skiing accident.
9:28 AM PT -- In a message to his supporters, Bernie promised he'd work with Vice President Biden to help further his campaign ... Biden also posted a message about Bernie.
I know Bernie well. He’s a good man, a great leader, and one of the most powerful voices for change in our country. And it’s hard to sum up his contributions to our politics in one, single tweet. So I won’t try to. https://t.co/Z6OkCDWFNm
9:05 AM PT -- President Trump just chimed in on Twitter, of course, saying ... "Bernie Sanders is OUT! Thank you to Elizabeth Warren. If not for her, Bernie would have won almost every state on Super Tuesday!"
Trump adds ... "This ended just like the Democrats & the DNC wanted, same as the Crooked Hillary fiasco. The Bernie people should come to the Republican Party, TRADE!"
Sen. Bernie Sanders just ended his 2020 bid for President ... leaving Joe Bidena wide open path for the Democratic nomination.
Bernie made the inevitable decision Wednesday from his hometown of Burlington, Vermont after telling staffers he was suspending his campaign. The news, of course, makes Biden the presumptive Democratic nominee.
Bernie tweeted, "Today I am suspending my campaign. But, while the campaign ends, the struggle for justice continues on."
The announcement comes about a month after getting walloped in primaries held in 6 states, but most importantly ... it came during a global pandemic that effectively shut down the U.S.
It also comes a day after Wisconsin controversially held its state elections. Sanders said about the decision ... "holding this election amid the coronavirus outbreak is dangerous, disregards the guidance of public health experts, and may very well prove deadly." The campaign refused to promote any "get out to vote" efforts for that reason.
Furthermore, the math just wasn't there for Bernie as he faced insurmountable odds. Bernie would reportedly have had to win more than 55% of delegates to score a delegate majority. That no longer seemed possible as Sanders badly struggled to make his case in Florida (Biden's shellacking him there, polls show) and Georgia (Sanders lost badly there 4 years ago to Hillary Clinton) ... two states holding primaries in the next couple of weeks.
The senator from Vermont -- whose platform resonated with young voters who were all-in on his push for universal healthcare and free college -- had hoped to pick up crucial wins Tuesday to give his campaign a much-needed boost. But, instead, it was Biden who distanced himself ... scoring victories in Missouri, Idaho, Mississippi, and perhaps most importantly, Michigan.
After a resounding win, Biden spoke to supporters and all but talked like he was the presumptive nominee saying, "I want to thank Bernie Sanders and his supporters for their tireless energy and their passion. We share a common goal, and together we'll defeat Donald Trump."
Once left for dead before the South Carolina primary, Biden's all but officially emerged as the Democratic nominee for president.
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