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Tom Verlaine -- the frontman and lead guitarist for the band Television -- has died.

His former partner's daughter, Jesse Smith, confirmed his death to the New York Times Saturday, saying he'd passed away in Manhattan after a brief illness. No other details were shared.

Verlaine and co. were a majorly influential group in the rock era of the '70s, carving out a whole new sound that came to be known as mainstream punk and alt rock today. They got their start as a mainstay act CBGB club in New York ... which was a music Mecca.

Television's debut album, 'Marquee Moon,' is considered a masterpiece and their defining contribution to pop culture ... having gone on to shape the sound of bands after them.

The band broke up a bit after the '70s, and Verlaine went ventured on with a solid solo career through the '80s and '90s ... cranking out a whopping 9 albums all on his own. He and Television got back together in '92 for their third and final album. They've toured together on and off over the years as well.

Verlaine is considered one of the greatest guitarists of the 20th century ... with savants putting up there with other G.O.A.T.S. like Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton, Eddie Van Halen and so forth.

He was 73.

The special task force to which all 5 officers involved in Tyre Nichols' death belonged is being dismantled for good ... an about-face after the top dog said she wouldn't do it.

The Memphis Police Department announced Saturday they were deactivating the SCORPION Unit effective immediately ... this in the wake of public outcry following the release of body cam footage that showed 5 cops detaining and brutally beating Nichols on Jan. 7.

The department says Police Chief Cerelyn "C.J." Davis met with the remaining officers that were part of SCORPION (Street Crimes Operations to Restore Peace in Our Neighborhoods) and mutually came to the decision it'd be best to disband the unit in light of everything.

MPD says they've made this decision after listening to the family of Tyre, community leaders and the public at large -- noting that the officers who are part of SCORPION, and who do fine work normally, "agree unreservedly with this next step."

They add, "While the heinous actions of a few casts a cloud of dishonor on the title SCORPION, it is imperative that we, the Memphis Police Department, take proactive steps in the healing process for all impacted." MPD also says they want to restore trust ASAP.

Interestingly, Chief Davis on Friday said she wouldn't be shutting down SCORPION ... telling AP, "The whole idea that the Scorpion unit is a bad unit, I just have a problem with that."

There's been a lot of digging into what this unit was/why officers who were in it had any reason to come into contact with Tyre on the night in question. SCORPION was formed in October 2021 and launched the following month ... so it's been around for just over a year.

According to a MPD description of SCORPION at the time ... the whole idea of it was to get about 40 officers split into 4 teams to patrol "high crime hotspots" all throughout Memphis.

Tyre's traffic stop-turned-chase occurred at the intersection of East Raines Road and Ross Road -- near the Autumn Ridge neighborhood ... which appears to be one of the areas SCORPION was assigned to cover. The fact five of its cops were there is no coincidence.

The Chief has since said no evidence has surfaced for why Tyre was pulled over in the first place. Reckless driving was cited, but proof of probable cause for that is nonexistent.

Olivia Wilde and Jason Sudeikis seem to have waived their white flags following a drama-filled year in the wake of their split -- because they're out here looking very simpatico.

The former couple -- who share two children together -- hugged it out in public Friday here in L.A. ... this after a meeting we're told they attended together, which apparently went really well. Check out the photos for yourself ... they're straight-up embracing and smiling.

OW and JS were dressed down, but their spirits seemed to be pretty high ... chit-chatting in the parking lot and eventually going in for the big hug before going their separate ways.

It's startling to see this ... in a good way. Remember, they had a tumultuous 2022 -- Olivia, especially -- which was chock-full of low blows and finger-pointing from both sides in the wake of their breakup, not to mention what was said about their relationship by outsiders.

It all started with Olivia being served legal papers at a public event in April ... which turned out to be sent on behalf of Jason, who was trying to get her to respond to custody matters.

He denied that he'd done that intentionally, but she went on to call it a "vicious" move ... so, at the time, it seemed like there was no love lost between them -- even more so with Harry Styles in the picture, whom Olivia had been dating for at least a couple years by then.

Adding insult to injury ... their ex-nanny started to spill alleged dirt about their breakup, plus their pet tendencies. They came together for that one, though, and denied the claims.

Looming large over all of this was Olivia's "Don't Worry Darling" spat with Florence Pugh ... and Shia LaBeouf. Since then, she and Harry have split -- and the dust has settled, it seems.

A top U.S. Air Force official sent a stunning confession to his subordinates this week that warns of a looming war with China that he believes will manifest in the next couple years.

General Mike Minihan -- a four-star officer -- fired off an internal memo Friday to the rank and file that reports to him within the Air Mobility Command ... a unit that encompasses roughly 50,000 service members and oversees 500 planes for transport/refueling purposes.

While AMC doesn't sound like a combat-ready entity, Minihan reportedly told his guys to prepare for battle ... this according to NBC News, which says it obtained a copy of his note.

According to the outlet, Gen. Minihan writes ... "I hope I am wrong. My gut tells me will fight in 2025," while going on to describe what he says he believes China will do during the 2024 general election cycle -- namely, use that volatility here in the States to move on Taiwan.

In the event this comes to pass, Minihan reportedly laid out a very detailed defense and attack plan ... which includes building up a "Joint Force Maneuver Team" that can mobilize quickly to "fight and win inside the first island chain." He's ordering all airwing commanders and AF operational commanders to report on their progress for this by the end of February.

There's more ... Minihan reportedly has goals in mind for February and March, which entail his boys firing clips at 7-meter targets -- while noting, "unrepentant lethality matters most. Aim for the head." In March, he wants the AMC team to "consider their personal affairs and whether a visit should be scheduled with their servicing base legal office to ensure they are legally ready and prepared." Also, he tells them to update their emergency contacts.

In addition to this, Minihan's memo talks of risk/reward in training ... reportedly saying, "Run deliberately, not recklessly," and later adding, "If you are comfortable in your approach to training, then you are not taking enough risk." NBC News also says he discusses the possible use of commercial drone swarms as a tactic the U.S. might use against China.

In other words, this guy is rounding up the cavalry in very real terms ... not hypotheticals. And yet, a DoD rep went on record to say Minihan's concerns don't reflect the department's view on China ... distancing themselves from what sounds like legit wartime preparations.

Chrisean Rock has hinted at getting married to Blueface, but it seems the wedding might've just been for show ... or for the camera, rather.

The volatile couple were seen on what appears to be a set Friday -- the day CR said she'd be saying "I do" during a visit to a bridal shop in DTLA. A lot of photos/clips have since leaked showing what they were up to, and it looks like they were shooting a music video.

You can see BF suited and booted in a white tux, surrounded by a group of pals -- one of whom is actually a fellow rapper, DDG. You can also hear music playing in the background as they pose in front of a professional video camera ... the telltale signs this is a production.

In other words, the whole idea of actual nuptials that Chrisean was teasing doesn't seem to have gone down in reality -- although, they certainly went all out to make it feel authentic.

Chrisean was decked out in a white bridal gown ... which she presumably picked up the day she was talking out loud about all this. And then, there's the ring ... a purported photo of which has since been posted -- and it has all the sparkle of a damn nice rock.

Meanwhile, on social media, Chrisean and Blueface have been posting clips of what seems to be new music on the way from both of them -- so it all adds up this is just make-believe.

Of course, the interesting thing about this is the fact that Blueface and Chrisean are on solid terms once again ... this just a week after a massive blowup/breakup that spelled trouble to the outside world. Remember, she announced she was pregnant -- and Blueface denied it was his/dumped her.

Shortly thereafter, they were involved in a scuffle on the street ... and things looked bad.

It would appear they've made up again and are back to work. Not only are they romantically involved, but Blue and Chrisean obviously have a working relationship too ... their reality show, and joint projects as well. So, it probably isn't so easy for either to just walk away.

Britney Spears had an unexpected visit from cops, thanks to some pesky fans, and Octomom's 8 kiddos proved they're surviving and thriving at the age of 14.

So, we gotta ask ...

Protests over the brutal slaying of Tyre Nichols at the hands of police boiled over in NYC Friday night, but overall the demonstrations were peaceful across the country.

Check out this footage -- a man standing on the hood of an NYPD vehicle in Times Square packed with demonstrators marching against the 5 former Memphis cops now charged with Tyre's recorded on-camera murder.

He stomps and punches the windshield, crushing the glass. Cops quickly swarm him, throwing him to the ground and cuffing him. Protesters gather around and film the arrest, repeatedly telling the officers ... "Easy, don't hurt him."

NYPD heard the message loud and clear ... the officers led the man through the crowd, asking people to back away so they could get through.

The suspect was booked for criminal mischief. Two women were also arrested -- one for making graffiti on a police car (not clear what she wrote) and the other for assaulting a cop.

More protests formed in cities across the country, including Washington D.C., Boston, Seattle, Detroit, Atlanta and Memphis, where Tyre was killed. But they were all largely peaceful.

Kanye West is the named suspect in a battery investigation after a heated exchange with a photographer escalated to the point of Ye grabbing and throwing the woman’s phone.

Check out the video, Ye’s clearly upset — accusing the woman of following him — all the while she continues to record.

The woman exclaims, “You’re a celebrity!” but that’s enough for Ye, who grabs and throws the woman’s phone into the street.

He then hops into his SUV where his wife, Bianca Censori, is patiently waiting.

A law enforcement source tells us Kanye’s the named suspect in a battery investigation, deputies from the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department were called to the scene around 4:30 PM and were provided video evidence of the incident.

It’s currently unclear if the woman is a professional photographer or was just taking videos of Ye as a citizen.

We should note … the whole thing happened near a sports complex where North West had a scheduled basketball game.

Al Sharpton went in on the former Memphis police officers accused of murdering Tyre Nichols, saying the fact the 5 cops are all Black makes the situation even worse.

We caught up with the Reverend on Friday outside NBC Studios in NYC ... and he didn't mince words after the release of police body cam footage showing Tyre's deadly assault.

The Rev told us ... "I want to make it clear: these five officers are Black does not make it less. In fact, it's more egregious that some black cops in a town where MLK gave his life, that's where he was killed, would do this is outrageous."

Of course, Al was referring to the fatal shooting of Martin Luther King Jr. in Memphis, TN, on April 4, 1968. James Earl Ray confessed to the murder and died of liver disease in prison.

What's more, the Rev said the ex-officers did a disservice to Black people trying to change the justice system from within ... "We fought to get them on the [police] force to correct the force, not to do this."

He also took a swipe at Congress for failing to pass into law the 2021 George Floyd Act, which would have increased accountability for police misconduct.

The Rev said ... "I put this at the feet of those that would not vote for federal law after George Floyd, there were no laws changed!"

Floyd, as you know, was infamously killed in 2020 by then-Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, who was convicted of the homicide and sentenced to decades behind bars.

Al wrapped things up by urging anyone protesting in Tyre's name not to engage in violence. He said if they do riot it will only help the accused officers defend themselves in the criminal case.

Bill Maher has a confession -- something he's kept under wraps for years -- he flies private, and if anyone expresses outrage they can suck it, because they'd do it too if they could.

The "Real Time" host bore down on climate change and how ridiculous the "everyone pitch in" concept has become. As Bill says, we gotta do something, but shopping with a laundry bag isn't gonna do the trick.

Bill says, "Humans are not good people," and when asked to pitch in to save the environment, their response is, "What's in it for me?"

We are now talking about banning gas stoves, yet people are more than happy to pollute the earth with Amazon deliveries, because it's so damn convenient. Cell phones use more energy than refrigerators, but getting rid of your cellphone ... hahahahaha.

Now the confession ... Bill Maher flies private. There it is -- he's a polluter/offender, but at least he's honest about it.

He regales us with image after image of socially conscious people -- some huge environmental activists -- who are more than happy to jump on a private jet -- because they can. Just a few -- Oprah, George Clooney, Leo DiCaprio, Paul McCartney, Harry and Meghan, Sting, Beyonce and Jay-Z, and on and on.

Tyre Nichols' mother can't bring herself to watch the video of Memphis police beating her son so badly he ended up dying in a hospital -- she says it would just be too painful.

Civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who is representing the Nichols family, tells TMZ ... Tyre's mother, RowVaughn Wells, is still not interested in watching the police body cam footage ... even though it was released Friday to the public.

We're told Tyre's mom is glad the video is out now, so folks can see what really happened ... but she just can't bear to see it herself -- just as she didn't when it was first made available to the family. Ben says she probably never will watch it.

As we reported ... the video is every bit as disturbing as Tyre's family and law enforcement described, and it all started with a traffic stop Jan. 7 in Memphis.

In the footage, you see officers wail on Tyre as he screams for his mom -- punching him in the face, kicking him in the head, using pepper spray and even beating him with a baton.

After a massive struggle, cops got Tyre in handcuffs and sat him up against a police car -- Tyre writhes in pain for nearly 20 minutes before he's given medical assistance.

Following a vicious beating from cops, Tyre complained he was having shortness of breath and he was rushed to a hospital, where he died 3 days later.

While gruesome, Crump says Tyre's mom thinks it's extremely important for the world to see how police treated her son ... and she hopes the video prevents a similar tragedy from happening to another family.

The video's already being linked to the beating of Rodney King way back in 1991 ... and we're told Tyre's mom understands the footage is triggering for many, and she's preparing to be flooded with calls.

The 5 Memphis police officers involved in the incident -- Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Emmit Martin III, Desmond Mills Jr., and Justin Smith -- have already been fired and charged with second-degree murder.

One thing Tyre's mom doesn't want to get glossed over ... the incident isn't just a hashtag for her ... her son is dead.

We're told the group believes the crooks were targeting Sam because of the expensive jewelry he flashes on the TV show. Our sources say he's now hired 24/7 armed guards at his house, and cops are still investigating.

According to a police report, obtained by TMZ ... multiple stars on the popular MTV series -- Brandon Gomes, Sam Logan and Jordana Barnes -- were victims of a violent home invasion robbery earlier this month, and cops believe the incident might have been captured on surveillance cameras.

The reality stars told officers they were hanging out and watching sports at Sam's pad on January 15, when all of a sudden 2 unidentified guys with firearms opened a sliding glass back door and dashed into the house.

They claim the men specifically confronted Brandon, and demanded he hands over his watch. We're told Brandon refused, tried to flee, but didn't get far before one of the perpetrators struck him in the head with a gun.

Although they didn't get Brandon's watch, sources connected to the cast tell us the thieves did find and steal Sam's $80k Audemars Piguet watch.

The group told cops the suspects ordered the women to the ground at gunpoint and demanded their cell phones. Cops say they grabbed an iPhone Max Pro and then made a clean getaway in a black sedan.

We're told Sam and cast member Mike Vazquez were upstairs sleeping at the time of the invasion. According to our sources, they heard someone yelling the house was being robbed and barricaded themselves in their rooms.

The report says Brandon only suffered a minor injury from the pistol-whipping, and declined treatment.

We're told the group believes the crooks were targeting Sam because of the expensive jewlery he flashes on the TV show. Our sources say he's now hired 24/7 armed guards at his house, and cops are still investigating.

7x NBA champ Robert Horry was ejected from his son's basketball game Friday night for screaming "you suck" at the referees, and TMZ Sports has video of the incident.

52-year-old Horry's son Christian is a junior at Harvard Westlake, one of the top private schools in L.A., where he is a star guard. Harvard-Westlake was playing St. Francis in Flintridge, CA Friday night.

During the 3rd quarter, Christian picked up his 4th foul, according to spectator James Escarcega, and "Big Shot Bob" wasn't exactly pleased with the call ... so he began yelling at the refs.

The video starts with Horry, mid-sentence, screaming "You suck!" while standing in the bleachers. It's not seen on the video, but this is when the ref points at Robert, and tosses him out of the game.

But, Horry didn't stop, continuing, "Hey ref, you talking about me? You suck! Oh, you're mad at me because I said you suck?"

Robert then climbed down the stands, where he stood on the sideline, jawing at the ref. It's difficult to understand what he's saying.

A few seconds later, someone came over to corral RH, and they began walking towards the gym exit.

Horry briefly stopped to talk to the HW coach. The guys quickly put an arm around each other, and Robert continued on.

Horry, who played with the Rockets, Suns, Lakers, and Spurs over his 17-season NBA career, won more championships (7) than almost any other player in NBA history (only 6 players won 8 or more titles). Robert was known for his ability to knock down big shots in clutch moments.

Memphis police just released the graphic body cam footage from Tyre Nichols' brutal arrest -- and the video is every bit as disturbing as Tyre's family and law enforcement have described it.

In the clips, pulled from both body cam and overhead cameras, you see officers swarm Tyre -- demanding he get down and give up his hands. Although he's laying on his side with an officer on top of him, he's hesitant to lie flat on his stomach.

One officer threatens to deploy his Taser, and after about a minute-long struggle ... Tyre gets up to start running, and one of the cops fires his Taser, but he gets away.

About 7 minutes later, they catch up to Tyre in a residential neighborhood, and this is when it gets brutal. While he's pinned to the ground -- reportedly about 100 yards from his family's home -- Tyre repeatedly yells, "Mom!!!"

Then one officer kicks him twice, and another yells, "Watch out, I'mma baton the f**k out you," and then strikes Tyre twice before they pull him up on his feet.

While 2 officers are holding him with his hands behind his back ... another punches Tyre 5 times with a closed fist, sending him back down to his knees again.

Eventually, officers get Tyre handcuffed, put him up against a police cruiser and he writhes in pain for nearly 20 minutes before going limp.

As you know, the 5 Memphis PD officers stopped Tyre on Jan. 7 on suspicion of reckless driving ... but from the start, the cops were hyper-aggressive. Even the video does not make it clear why things got violent that quickly.

Once other officers show up to the scene, one of the cops involved in the beating says Tyre attempted to grab for another officer's gun -- causing them to unleash on him.

After the vicious beating ... Tyre was rushed to St. Francis Hospital because he was complaining he was short of breath. He was admitted in critical condition, and died in the hospital on January 10.

Civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who's representing Tyre's family, reviewed the body cam footage with the family days before it was released, and likened the horrific scene to the beating of Rodney King in 1991.

The 5 Memphis police officers involved in the traffic stop -- Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Emmit Martin III, Desmond Mills Jr., and Justin Smith -- have been fired and charged with second-degree murder.

They also face additional charges of official misconduct, official oppression and aggravated kidnapping. Four of the 5 have posted bail and were released as of Friday morning.

Tyre's cause of death has not been released and the incident is being investigated by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Department of Justice.

Is it possible Patrick Mahomes could play BETTER on his injured ankle this weekend? Michael Vick certainly thinks so ... telling TMZ Sports he believes it could actually help the QB vs. the Bengals!!!

Vick explained ... when he was battling through ailments during big games in his legendary career, it made him focus more on the field -- and, in turn, upped his game a bit.

The former Philadelphia Eagles signal-caller tells us he expects similar results from Mahomes in the AFC Championship Game on Sunday.

"I know this from playing at a high level and playing against high-level competition," Vick said, "sometimes when you play hurt, you'll be a little bit more focused. A little bit more dialed in."

Mahomes injured his ankle last Saturday against the Jacksonville Jaguars, but finished out the game. Vick says the Chiefs' star's ability to come back despite twisting the limb gives him confidence Mahomes is one of the rare athletes who can step up despite a wound.

"Playing hurt is not a bad thing if you know how to do it," Vick said. "Only certain people can do it -- and the ones that are listening right now, they know what I'm saying. They can relate."

Mahomes hasn't been seen sporting much of a limp at all since the injury -- and is expected to go against Cincinnati.

Of course, if he wins, he'll have a spot in yet another Super Bowl -- and if the Eagles manage to do the same, Jalen Hurts will too ... marking the first-ever Big Game that will feature two Black starting quarterbacks.