Reverend Jesse Jackson, the civil rights pioneer and Baptist minister who twice ran for U.S. president, has died, according to his family.
Jesse's family issued a statement Tuesday morning, celebrating the icon ... "Our father was a servant leader — not only to our family, but to the oppressed, the voiceless, and the overlooked around the world.”
They went on ... “We shared him with the world, and in return, the world became part of our extended family. His unwavering belief in justice, equality, and love uplifted millions, and we ask you to honor his memory by continuing the fight for the values he lived by.”
Jackson died peacefully with his loved ones at his side ... his official cause of death has not yet been released.
In November, Jesse was hospitalized after living for over a decade with progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), according to his Rainbow PUSH Coalition. The disease impacts patients’ ability to walk and swallow and has dangerous complications. Jesse was also diagnosed with Parkinson's in 2017.
The new owner of Jeffrey Epstein's notorious Zorro Ranch in New Mexico is speaking out, claiming the property was never visited by police despite numerous allegations women and girls were sex trafficked there for years.
Don Huffines — a wealthy Texas businessman and former Republican state senator with ties to MAGA — posted a message on X Monday night, saying he and his family purchased the ranch in 2024 and "maintained an open line of communication with local authorities."
However, law enforcement never requested access to the Santa Fe property even though Epstein was accused of sex trafficking and sexually assaulting women and girls there when he was alive, according to Huffines. There was also talk about bodies being buried on the property ... but that was never proven.
Some parents at a SoCal school where Nicole Curtis volunteers as a room parent to her son's class have serious concerns on the heels of her N-word controversy... and at least one has gone to leadership demanding answers, TMZ has learned.
Here's the deal ... the HGTV star has been in hot water since a 2022 video leaked of her using the N-word while filming her popular show, "Rehab Addicts." She's was fired -- and has issued an apology.
But TMZ has heard from multiple concerned parents at her kid's school ... who tell us they're super uncomfortable with her working in the classroom as a volunteer -- and they think the school should at the very least address the situation with parents.
Stephen A. Smith says he wants to run for president of the United States, but there's one enormous roadblock ... MONEY!
TMZ Sports caught up with the ESPN star, who previously told us he had no interest in running, during Kenny Smith's The FlyHouse All-Star Bash in Los Angeles, who told us straight up, "The country sucks."
"I think the country is devoid of leadership, the kind of leadership we have, we don't need. The kind of leadership we should be getting, nobody is stepping up and doing. I don't desire to be a politician, but in the same breath, the opportunity to go on a debate stage and call out these politicians for the things that they've done to damage this country is something that very much appeals to me," SAS told us matter-of-factly.
TMZ may collect a share of sales or other compensation from links on this page.
The one and only "infinite icon" Paris Hilton is turning 46 and it's safe to say she knows a thing or two about sliving.
And the heiress-turned-entrepreneur wants to make sure everyone else is living their best life too … which is why she encourages others to show up as their most unapologetic selves.
Shia LaBeoufis fully embracing the Big Easy energy and he did it by turning all the way up for Fat Monday!
TMZ has obtained video and photos of Shia dancing and partying Monday afternoon at and around R Bar, a popular dive bar in New Orleans' French Quarter, where he appeared to be soaking up post-Lundi Gras (Fat Monday) parade fun.
Shia rocked a bold red embellished top hat decked out with beads and trinkets, layered scarves, a sleeveless vest over a graphic tee, dark pants and boots ... keeping a beer in hand as he leaned into the festive vibe.
ChatDJT has entered the chat .... Nicki Minaj honored her new favorite POTUS this Presidents' Day with A.I.-generated photos of Donald J. Trump riding shotgun with her.
Check out the pics ... the fake DJT is swagged out in gear fit for a Barbz -- pink jacket and bedazzled jeans with a lot of bling hanging from his neck.
If you look closely, you can see that the original image appears to have featured Nicki's husband, Kenneth Petty. A reflection that looks a lot like Kenneth is seen in the window behind the A.I. Trump's head.
If you're looking for an apology from Tyra Banks for "America's Next Top Model's" controversial practices, you'll be waiting a long time ... and Adrianne Curry-Rhode loves that about her.
Adrianne, who won the first cycle of the '00s reality competition, shared a video Monday saying that Tyra "will not bend the knee and I respect that."
The way Adrianne sees it ... Tyra genuinely is not sorry, so why should she apologize?
Good news for Quinton Aaron ... the actor's family tells us he is making huge progress on his road to recovering from a spinal stroke, even though he'll be traveling that road without the woman who falsely claimed to be his wife.
Quinton's family tells TMZ in a statement ... "The Blind Side" star is awake, fully alert and successfully doing things like practicing writing, solving puzzles and even has feeling in his legs again!
We're told Quinton is interacting with his family and approved visitors, but he's expressed multiple times, "I do NOT want to see Margaret at all."
Tawnia McGeehan -- the mom who allegedly killed her teen daughter Addi Smith and then herself in a Las Vegas hotel room over the weekend -- had a custody battle for her daughter, which lasted 9 years ... according to court documents obtained by TMZ.
The papers show multiple instances where Tawnia was accused of custodial interference, but the charges were later dismissed.
In the original temporary orders from 2015, Tawnia and her ex, Bradley Smith, agreed that Addi would live with Tawnia as her primary residence, but that Bradley was to be granted parent time and joint custody.
"Dawson’s Creek" actor James Van Der Beek was dealing with a massive six-figure tax debt years before his death ... TMZ has learned.
The actor and his wife Kimberly Van Der Beek were hit with a lien in November 2021 for unpaid taxes for the years 2018 and 2019 -- the IRS declared the duo owed $95,438.31 for 2017 ... and $173,890.31 in 2019 ... for a total of $269,328.62.
8:10PM PT -- The suspect in the Pawtucket ice rink shooting has been identified as 56-year-old Robert Dorgan -- who also went by the name Roberta Esposito -- Pawtucket Police Chief Tina Goncalves announced during a press conference Monday night.
BREAKING: The suspect in the Pawtucket ice rink shooting has been identified as 56-year-old Robert Dorgan, who also went by the name Roberta Esposito.pic.twitter.com/HNbtNfo99y
Authorities have not released the names of the victims, but stated that the shooting was “targeted” and seemed to stem from a family-related dispute.
Video has surfaced of the fatal shooting during a hockey game at an ice rink in Rhode Island on Monday, showing the crowd and players rushing for cover after a gunman opened fire, in a terrifying display of violence.
The tragedy occurred around 2 PM at the Dennis M. Lynch Arena in Pawtucket, RI -- five miles northeast of Providence -- when a man began shooting during the Coventry and Blackstone Valley Schools' game.
NEW FOOTAGE: CCTV captures people fleeing the ice skating rink in Pawtucket, Rhode Island after a gunman opened fire inside, killing a young girl and injuring 4 others.
R. Kelly is under investigation for possessing a retired warden's phone number at his federal lockup in North Carolina ... and he's been placed in isolation for the duration of a probe of the incident, according to his lawyer.
Kelly's attorney, Beau Brindley,tells TMZ... the R&B singer's problems began when he got involved in a mentor program to help guide other inmates, which was overseen by the warden at FCI Butner Medium 1.
Recently, the warden retired ... but before he left, he gave Kelly his cell phone number in case the convicted felon needed to reach out to him to seek advice about the mentor program.
Jeffrey Epstein may have had a collection of highly poisonous plants known to produce a drug that blocks free will in its victims ... according to newly discovered emails in the last document dump of the Epstein Files.
In one of the uncovered messages, Epstein sends an email asking about his "trumpet plants at nursery."
For background ... Angel's Trumpet plants are extremely toxic and produce a drug called scopolamine, which is known to basically turn humans into zombies, wiping them of memory and eliminating their free will. Severe intoxication reportedly may even cause paralysis and death.
Even more alarming, scopolamine reportedly doesn't show up on toxicology reports.
