TMZ.com Home

Jeff Bezos just scored a big legal victory, annihilating his girlfriend's brother in court.

A judge just told Michael Sanchez to take a hike, dismissing his defamation suit against the richest man in the world. As we reported, Sanchez, the brother of Jeff's GF Lauren Sanchez, claimed Bezos told reporters it was Michael who leaked those graphic texts and nude photos of JB to the National Enquirer. It appears Lauren sent the texts and photos to Michael but never thought he'd try and sell them.

Michael insists he was not the source of the leak, and sued Bezos for allegedly trashing him to reporters ... with claims that "spread like wildfire."

The judge said Michael's assertions were all hearsay ... he had no proof Bezos trashed him to anyone, so he dismissed the case.

It's interesting ... Bezos accused the National Enquirer of trying to extort him over graphic photos of him and Lauren, but said, "Rather than capitulate to extortion and to blackmail, I've decided to publish exactly what they sent me, despite the personal cost and embarrassment they threaten."

If Joe Biden wins the Presidency, a man in L.A. says he'll take out Democrats in a mass shooting -- but federal agents reacted swiftly to get the man in custody ... TMZ has learned.

The threat was made in a short video posted Friday on social media -- the man says, "at this point, like if Biden gets in, I'm just gonna do like a school shooter; just take out these Democrats and a few pedophiles on the way out. If I go to hell, I'm taking these motherf**kers with me."

Law enforcement sources tell us a federal task force was aware of the posting and immediately contacted the man in the video. We're told he was taken into custody and placed on a psychiatric hold ... also known as a 5150.

Agents reportedly searched the man's home to see if he had any weapons to follow through on the threat. We're told he has not yet been charged with any crime.

There is a demonstration planned in downtown L.A. Friday ... so, obviously, there was concern he was targeting that event.

Joe Biden's biggest challenge once he ascends to the Presidency may not be waged by Republicans ... it's more likely the real challenge will come from the Bernie Bros.

Former Bernie Sanders Press Secretary Briahna Joy Gray appeared Friday on "TMZ Live" and made it clear ... from day 1, the Bernie Bros will be pressuring Biden to swing left.

Briahna has already done the math, which complicates things in a big way. The Republicans will control the Senate and they actually gained House seats ... something the pundits never saw coming. Neither did pundits expect the state-by-state races would be incredibly tight. The upshot is that Biden needs to create a coalition, which may not bode well for the progressive wing of the party. Briahna is undaunted, saying they will be coming after him.

Briahna did not seem optimistic her people will get a seat at the table when Biden picks his cabinet. In fact, she's frustrated Biden has promised to include Republicans in his cabinet. She says Trump would never have picked a Dem, so why be more generous than him?

She thinks Biden doesn't understand ... the majority of Americans want measures like health care for all. In short, Biden's gonna be walking a tightrope.

Justin Turner is breaking his silence about the COVID debacle during Game 6 of the World Series -- saying he's apologized to his teammates for "failing to appreciate" the dangers of the virus.

MLB has also wrapped up its investigation into Turner -- and is admitting the league could have handled the situation better.

The Dodgers star 3rd baseman was pulled from Game 6 in the 7th inning right when MLB and Dodgers officials learned a recent COVID test of his turned up positive.

But, Turner returned to the field with his wife Kourtney after the game ended to partake in the victory celebration with teammates, coaches and others.

At the time, MLB blamed Turner for not following COVID protocol -- claiming he "emphatically refused to comply" with official orders.

Now, Turner is speaking out in a statement saying ... "I will not make excuses for my conduct but I will describe my state of mind."

"Winning the World Series was my lifelong dream and the culmination of everything I worked for in my career."

"After waiting in the isolation room while my teammates celebrated on the field, I asked whether I was permitted to return to Sheffield with my wife in order to take a photograph."

"I assumed at that point that few people were left on the field. I was under the impression that team officials did not object to my returning to the field for a picture with my wife."

"However, what was intended to be a photo, capturing the two of us, turned into several greetings and photos where I briefly and unwisely removed my mask."

"In hindsight, I should have waited until the field was clear of others to take that photo with my wife."

"I sincerely apologize to everyone on the field for failing to appreciate the risks of returning to the field. I have spoken with almost every teammate, coach, and staff member and my intentions were never to make anyone uncomfortable or put anyone at further risk."

MLB commish Rob Manfred is also speaking out -- saying MLB has concluded its investigation into the COVID incident and feel they could have handled it better.

Manfred essentially says Turner deserves some blame for the incident -- but not all of the blame.

"Mr. Turner has publicly recognized that his conduct was wrong and has expressed remorse for that conduct," Manfred says in a statement.

Manfred says there were multiple "miscommunications" in the insanity following the game and MLB could have done a better job communicating the protocol to Turner.

"In retrospect, a security person should have been assigned to monitor Mr. Turner when he was asked to isolate, and Mr. Turner should have been transported from the stadium to the hotel more promptly."

It seems MLB will NOT punish Turner for the incident.

Dr. Dre's estranged wife is looking into whether the mogul was unfaithful during their marriage ... and she's demanding to know if he fathered children with other women.

Nicole Young just filed legal docs, obtained by TMZ, asking Dre to hand over any paperwork relating to any paternity actions he may have been involved in during their 24-year union.

It's not clear there are actually any paternity suits involving Dre ... Nicole's simply requesting he hand over any paperwork if there's anything on this front.

As we've told you, Dre's divorce is extra nasty ... Dre and Nicole have been waging legal war over money and prenups, and there's been allegations of embezzlement and domestic violence.

Spider-Man's not taking any chances ... he's got a mask on over his mask, and he's encouraging everyone else to follow his lead.

Tom Holland just whipped up a frenzy on social media with his latest post -- not only is he promoting responsible behavior amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic ... but he provided a first look at his character in 'Spider-Man 3.'

Holland's photo shows Spidey in an action pose, in front of a blue screen, wearing a medical facemask over his suit. Tom says ... "Wear a mask, I'm wearing two..."

The pic's also notable for another reason -- it's got diehard fans of the film franchise clamoring to find out who that is standing next to Spider-Man.

Holland and his costars -- including Zendaya and Jacob Batalon -- began filming the upcoming sequel in Georgia this week ... though plot details of the Marvel movie have been kept under wraps.

Atlanta's mayor's on cloud nine over her state being on the verge of flipping to blue ... and she says the spirit of some fine Georgians shone through to make it happen.

Keisha Lance Bottoms is feeling incredible, as all signs point to Joe Biden being elected as the next President of the United States ... something she says reflects on Georgia and inspiration it drew from the late John Lewis, C.T. Vivian and Joseph Lowery.

Though she's happy now, the Mayor admits the overall election results felt more like a "gut punch" a couple days ago when she saw roughly half the country supported Trump. Mayor Bottoms told us on "TMZ Live" she said Biden needs to address some of their issues given their sheer numbers.

That's why she says it's so important to have a President like Biden who's unifying instead of divisive ... so we can get back to "civil disagreement" and move forward in a positive way together.

She says the past 4 years have been very dark, but Keisha sounds hopeful that America's heading toward the light.

Johnny Depp's suffering a huge blow to his career on the heels of losing his wife-beating case ... he's no longer starring in 'Fantastic Beasts.'

The actor says Warner Bros. asked him to step down from his recurring role as Grindelwald in the Harry Potter spinoff franchise, and he's agreeing to walk away.

Warner Bros. confirmed the drastic change in a statement to TMZ, telling us ... Johnny is leaving the 'Fantastic Beasts' family, and with the third-installment already in production, Grindelwald's character will be recast.

As we reported ... Johnny lost his libel lawsuit in the U.K. against The Sun ... which had called him a "wife-beater" in reference to his ex-wife, Amber Heard.

Filing the case was a huge miscalculation on Depp's part -- since the judge agreed he was a "wife-beater" -- and the move by Warner Bros. to cut ties is evidence of that.

PETA's making a strong effort to get Doc Antle in the USDA's crosshairs ... filing a complaint and asking the department to investigate him over Lil Pump's recent visit.

The animal rights org fired off a letter to the U.S. Department of Agriculture formally requesting it investigate the 'Tiger King' star for apparent violations of the Animal Welfare Act at his Myrtle Beach Safari.

In the letter, obtained by TMZ ... Debbie Metzler, associate director of captive animal law enforcement, cited Lil Pump's trip there this week, and a video that shows him make "direct physical contact with a juvenile tiger."

She claims it violates the law requiring that “dangerous animals such as… tigers… or elephants must be under the direct control and supervision of a knowledgeable and experienced animal handler."

Then there's the Lil Pump encounter with the elephant, Bubbles. Metzler calls the stunt exceptionally dangerous because it could have spooked the elephant and triggered the elephant to bolt and potentially injure people. PETA wants the USDA to hold Antle accountable for any and all violations it discovers during its investigation.

As we reported ... Pump and his boys took a trip to South Carolina and had one helluva close encounter with Bubbles. Video shows Pump getting picked up by the elephant's trunk. The rapper damn near fell off before safely landing on his feet.

Lori Loughlin's starred in her share of Hallmark movies, and now her real life might mimic one ... because she's set to get out of prison and return to her family on Christmas Day.

The Bureau of Prisons has given the actress an official release date -- Sunday, December 27 -- but here's the deal ... an inmate whose release date falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday can be released on the last preceding weekday.

Bingo! Make some room in that sleigh, Santa ... Lori's got a great shot at freedom on Friday, December 25 -- or maybe even Christmas Eve, since Friday's a national holiday.

If you recall, this is what happened to Felicity Huffman -- she only had to serve 11 days of her 2-week sentence because she got sprung early on a Friday.

Of course, there's still the chance Lori could get out well before Christmas too ... but it would have to be related to COVID issues -- if there's an outbreak at California's FCI Dublin, it's likely a judge would grant her an early compassionate release.

And, as we've reported ... once Loughlin is released, she's still got 2 years of supervised release as part of her sentence in the college admissions scandal.

Jay Cutler needs help -- the ex-NFL quarterback's beloved dog, Bane, has gone missing in Tennessee ... and he's asking everyone in the area to join the search to bring him home.

Bane joined Cutler and Kristin Cavallari's family as a pup in February 2015 -- and was featured on their reality show, "Very Cavallari." He also became a regular on Kristin's IG page.

Jay was particularly close with the German Shepherd -- and when Jay and Kristin broke up earlier this year, he apparently kept Bane at his Tennessee home.

But, Bane is now M.I.A. and Jay is concerned -- posting a call to action on social media to help find his pet.

"Ok Instagram it's time to do some good today," Cutler said. "Bane is missing. 80lb German shepherd. Last seen on Old Hillsboro in Franklin, TN."

"$1000 dollar reward for his return. Let's find him."

There have been issues on Jay's ranch this year -- remember, his chickens were being massacred by a mysterious predator that turned out to be a raccoon.

Jay personally sat watch to protect his chickens -- ya gotta believe he's on the ground searching for Bane too.

Al Roker's sharing some scary personal medical news ... he's been diagnosed with prostate cancer, but he's taking aggressive steps to beat it.

The longtime "Today" host and meteorologist announced it Friday morning on the air, and said he's going to undergo surgery next week to have his prostate removed. Al said he learned about the diagnosis on September 30 but shared the news now to explain to viewers why he'll be taking off some time for the surgery and recovery.

Al called it a good-news-bad-news situation, saying, "Good news is we caught it early. Not great news is that it's a little aggressive, so I"m going to be taking some time off to take care of this."

Dr. Vincent Laudone will perform the procedure at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in NYC, and said they decided removing the prostate was the better option over radiation.

66-year-old Roker says he hopes sharing the news will encourage Black men to get screened for a cancer that's very treatable if detected early. Al's been advocating for that since 2013, when he and co-anchor Craig Melvin got prostate exams live on "Today."

Vivica A. Fox says Joe Biden's running circles around Donald Trump when it comes to being a true leader ... and he's not even officially the president-elect yet.

We got Vivica at LAX Thursday and she told our photog she's liking what she's seeing and hearing from Biden and Sen. Kamala Harris.

Vivica says it's refreshing to see Biden acting like a true president by doing his part to help the country remain calm as folks wait on edge for ballots to be counted and a winner declared.

Biden and Harris received briefings on the coronavirus pandemic and economy Thursday while votes were still being tabulated in key states like Arizona, Nevada, Georgia and Pennsylvania, with Biden preaching patience and assuring the public our democracy is still working, albeit slow and steady.

Vivica says it's a welcome change of pace after 4 years of Trump, who by the way, kept claiming the pandemic would magically disappear after the election. The opposite's happening -- infections are skyrocketing.

Luke Bryan just took the Georgia-Florida rivalry to a whole 'nother level ... the country music superstar is now using Tim Tebow's Heisman Trophy to cast a curse on the Gators!!!

Bryan -- a BIG Georgia fan -- revealed Thursday he and his wife won the rights to the trophy for 6 months at a charity auction last year ... donating cash to the Brett Boyer Foundation in exchange for the honor.

The thing is ... Tim waited until this week -- just days before the Gators-Bulldogs game on Saturday -- to deliver the award, and Bryan said he believes something was fishy about the timing of all that.

"I feel it was an effort to bring bad mojo into my household," said Bryan, who seriously LOVES the Dawgs.

So, what did Luke do to combat that???

REVERSE CURSE, BABY!!!

Bryan says he's now going to use Tim's trophy to try to will his Dawgs to a win over the Gators ... explaining, "I've got this all week to put a curse on the Florida Gators!"

Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. ET in Jacksonville ... and, if the Gators start doing some funny things -- BLAME LUKE!!!

The dog owner who was caught on camera slapping around his dog has just been charged ... TMZ has learned.

The Santa Monica City Attorney's Office charged Jeffrey Previte, CEO of an environmental consulting firm in L.A., with 1 count of animal neglect ... a misdemeanor. If convicted, he faces up to 6 months in county jail and a maximum fine of $500.

As we reported ... Previte snapped on the dog, Bici, back in August in the hallway of his Santa Monica apartment building. The video was pretty damn disturbing ... showing Previte dragging, choking and slapping his poor dog after it started peeing.