Travis Scott is making sure hundreds of Black college students walk across the commencement stage with their diploma ... with a seven-figure donation.
The rapper awarded $1 million in scholarships to 100 students at HBCUs who are on track to graduate in the Class of 2022 ... ensuring they cross the finish line and aren't affected by last-minute financial hurdles.
The soon-to-be grads are each getting a $10,000 scholarship from Travis' previously-established Waymon Webster Scholarship Fund ... and the recipients finished their final semester with at least a 3.5 GPA.
Among the scholars ... Florida A&M University pharmacy major Nisha Encarnacion, who is from the U.S. Virgin Islands and paid her own way through college while supporting her mother and daughter. There's also Chisom Okwor whose goal is to help transform developing countries in Africa and Jordan Massey who is working toward a degree in communications.
Travis' donations went to seniors at 38 HBCUs ... including Alabama A&M University, Central State University, Jackson State University, Morehouse College, Texas Southern University, Grambling State University, Xavier University of Louisiana, and Prairie View A&M University.
The $1 million worth of scholarships is part of Travis' Project HEAL, which as we first reported, was announced back in March and included $5 million in earmarks.
Remember ... Project HEAL was one of Travis' first public philanthropic since the tragic Astroworld concert last November, which saw 10 people die as a result of injuries sustained during Travis' set.
Johnny Depp's attorney insisted her client hadn't looked at Amber Heard once in this trial to uphold a promise he made -- but his ex is calling BS ... offering a very different explanation.
Johnny's lawyer, Camille Vasquez, kicked off her cross-examination Monday with a simple question ... Johnny hadn't shot a glance her way amid the trial, had he? Amber said she didn't believe so, and Camille suggested she knew exactly why ... because he vowed she'd never see his eyes again.
She then played an audio recording where Johnny and Amber were arguing -- this after she'd gotten a TRO against him -- and in it you hear him say something to that effect.
Amber hadn't refuted it much during cross, but on redirect -- when her attorney, Elaine Bredehoft, reopened the door on the eyes thing -- Amber pounced to refute Johnny's supposed reasoning ... arguing, instead, that he couldn't look at her because of guilt.
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It made for a dramatic moment ... Amber got emotional, saying she'd survived him -- adding that she believes he wouldn't look at her since he knows he's in the wrong for this case.
She also claimed he had, in fact, looked her in the eye a few times after that meeting in July 2016 -- when they tried reconciling post-TRO -- and Amber even says Johnny had shown her kindness thereafter ... allegedly slipping her his new phone number.
We'll say this ... Johnny has been dedicated in not staring up at Amber once while she's been under oath -- which is kinda awkward, because she's certainly shot him a look or two throughout. In any case, it seems she and her attorneys think the eyes narrative is nonsense.
Anyway, Amber ended up getting the last word with her attorney leading the way -- she's done now with hertestimony. Unclear if another witness is going to be called to the stand, including Johnny himself, but the court is currently on another break.
Bob Saget's wife, Kelly Rizzo is celebrating what would've been her husband's 66th birthday ... sharing a recent photo of the two with a sweet message.
Kelly shared a pic of the two celebrating Bob's birthday one year ago in Mexico with the caption, "Happy Birthday, my Love. I miss you beyond words."
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She continued, "I pray he can see all of the love he’s already getting from around the world today. Honey, everyone loves you so damn much. Everyone wants you to know how important and special you are on your special day, and we ALL celebrate you."
Of course, this post comes 4 months after Bob was found dead in his Ritz hotel room in Orlando Florida. Authorities believe he suffered from a brain bleed after hitting his head, most likely on the hotel bed's headboard.
11:42 AM PT -- Amber was just asked about a deposition she sat for years ago -- one which has been the subject of much speculation since it became public -- where AH appears to be smirking and rolling her eyes sarcastically as she listens back to audio of Johnny describing being hit.
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Vasquez played the audio in question -- in which Johnny is telling Amber he believes she slammed a door into his head, and her refuting that -- both in real time Tuesday and via Amber's old deposition, and on the latter ... you see Amber smile (and eat) throughout.
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Vasquez asked Amber if she found the idea of hitting her husband funny, and Amber explained ... she wasn't smiling because of the audio itself, but because of what was happening around her at the time in the room where her deposition was taking place.
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JD fans have long latched onto this video as apparent proof (in their eyes) that Amber is twisted and diabolical toward Johnny's pain -- but she insists that is not what her body language was communicating, despite some people's interpretation of the viral clip.
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9:55 AM PT -- A source close to Amber tells TMZ ... "Depp's legal team did a great disservice to all women this morning. They showed women exactly what could happen to them in court if they speak up about abuse at home." The court is on recess for their lunch break, but will be back later.
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9:28 AM PT -- Amber Heard was just asked about James Franco on cross-examination, and it seems the whole point of bringing it up was to hint at the idea ... she might've been fooling around behind Johnny's back -- at least that's the impression JD's attorney has left.
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Camille Vasquez played surveillance footage from Johnny's DTLA building a few days before AH took out her TRO -- this after an alleged explosive fight in their apartment -- and you see Franco slink in covered up in a hat and jacket, while wearing a backpack. Amber is there to greet him, and they both go up to her floor, where they exit together -- at around 11 PM.
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CV was suggestive -- asking if Amber was aware of how late it was, and whether she was aware Johnny was out of town at the time. Amber said she can't recall remembering Johnny's schedule or not at the time ... she wasn't explicitly asked if she'd been intimate with JF.
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Camille has moved on, and is now focusing on the WaPo op-ed, trying to get Amber to admit that the piece was obviously about Johnny -- but Amber's insisting it was not about him.
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7:38 AM PT -- Vasquez is bringing up journal entries Amber and Johnny entered following the Australia incident in March -- when they were on a "honeymoon phase" -- and it appears Amber admitted in writing to "her part" in whatever might've happened Down Under.
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The entries being presented are mostly from the summer of 2015, and in some of the writings ... Amber seems head-over-heels in love with JD, while acknowledging the ups and downs of their relationship.
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Vasquez is also asking about them going to the Bahamas in 2015 -- where Amber claims Johnny sexually assaulted her in a bathroom, and that she was trying to get away from him -- but Vasquez points out the manager of Johnny's island, Tara Roberts, has testified to seeing Amber come after Johnny (not the other way around).
Amber Heard's story about the Australia incident that claimed Johnny Depp's finger is getting diced up and tossed in the fire on cross-examination ... she's knee-deep in a grilling.
The actress is enduring rapid-fire questioning by JD's attorney, Camille Vasquez, who is getting into the weeds on just about every one of Amber's allegations of physical assault -- as well as the notorious lost digit tale that's up on the chopping block Tuesday morning.
Vasquez is asking about the exact sequence of events -- insisting Amber has testified to specific actions happening in specific order -- but AH says she can't recall what happened first/next, etc. ... while also claiming she's never said she did remember the chronology.
It's interesting -- what's being dissected here is the claim Johnny sexually assaulted Amber with a liquor bottle of some sort -- the same day JD lost his finger, BTW -- which Vasquez is attempting to pick apart by going through the alleged assault in slow-motion, frame by frame ... constantly bringing up her previous testimony, either in this trial or in older depositions.
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Here's another thing that Johnny's team is latching onto consistently ... the fact that there seems to be little to no medical records documenting horrific injuries Amber claims she suffered -- including the ones in Australia -- but now, Amber seems to be saying that her perception of some of the injuries at the time might've been worse than the reality.
In any case ... Amber has acknowledged she didn't seek medical treatment for a lot of the alleged injuries, but maintains they did in fact happen -- and that Johnny was responsible.
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Vasquez is constantly trying to keep Amber on track and focused on exactly the questions she's being asked -- and while the questioning is tenacious, Amber seems to be holding up pretty well. CV's clearly going to be diving in on just about everything Amber's testified to -- which has been a lot thus far.
The cross-examination is just getting started, and it's bound to get even juicier.
10:05 AM PT -- Busch just released a statement on the matter ... saying, "I am heartbroken to confirm that my wife Ashley and I are working to dissolve our marriage. Divorce is a personal and private matter and I hope our privacy will be respected."
Kurt Busch's wife has filed for divorce from the NASCAR star ... saying in court documents, obtained by TMZ Sports, their marriage is "irretrievably broken."
Ashley Busch filed the docs in Florida on May 9 ... and in them, she alleged Kurt "committed a tortious act." She did not expound on the allegation.
Kurt and Ashley -- a polo player -- first met in 2015 ... and later got married in December 2016, Ashley said.
In the docs, Ashley added that things went sideways with the couple just last month ... when she claims Kurt cut off her access to their joint banking account and credit cards.
Ashley also wrote in the docs that the 43-year-old driver demanded she leave the family home by the first week of June.
Ashley noted in the documents that the couple -- which does not have any kids together -- did have a prenup.
We've reached out to Ashley's attorney, as well as reps for Kurt for comment, but so far no word back yet.
WE DID IT!!!!! We had to play like the GOAT and race like the GOAT to win like the GOAT! This was all about teamwork! #KBXLVpic.twitter.com/3aQy4hy6lW
11:39 AM PT -- UFO expert Jeremy Corbell -- who's long been calling on the U.S. government to take UFOs seriously -- is ecstatic about the way Congress is tackling the issue in some high-profile hearings that are shedding a bit more light on the unexplained phenomena.
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Corbell came on "TMZ Live" Tuesday to give us his thoughts on what he makes of the discussions being held on Capitol Hill this week -- where different congressmen have called the UFOs described by the Pentagon as legitimate threats against our national security.
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JC says here that he couldn't agree more, and is clearly over the moon at the idea that we as a society can finally talk about this subject out in the open and without ridicule ... which he's been working toward for years now.
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On the issue of whether UFOs point to alien life in and of themselves -- he stops short of saying they're a smoking gun, but does say ... we don't know what they are, and we gotta get to the bottom of this thing once and for all. Finally, we can do it officially with Uncle Sam.
Congress is holding a hearing about unexplainable objects in the skies from experts who say they are baffled .... finally, after over 50 years, our government is taking UFOs seriously.
A House panel is hearing from experts Tuesday on 144 UAPs -- Unidentified Aerial Phenomena, aka UFOs. This comes after years of silence, cover-ups and retribution against Defense Dept. officials and others who dared to express the belief ... something is out there.
Rep. Andre Carson expressed a sentiment shared by many experts over the years ... that UAPs represent a serious national security threat and must be treated as such.
Carson echoed what TMZ presented in a FOX Network documentary ... profiling Navy pilots who said they were hesitant to even report these UAPs because they feared they'd be laughed at and viewed as wackos ... possibly compromising their position in the military.
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Carson said, "For too long, the stigma associated with UAPs has gotten in the way of good intelligence analysis. Pilots avoided reporting or were laughed at when they did. DOD officials relegated the issue to the backroom or swept it under the rug entirely, fearful of a skeptical national security community," Carson said. "Today, we know better. UAPs are unexplained, it's true. But, they are real. They need to be investigated. And, any threats they pose need to be mitigated."
The Pentagon's UAP Task Force released a report last year, concluding more than 140 objects they analyzed could not be explained.
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Pentagon officials say the number of UAPs has now surged to over 400 since last year's report was published.
The man responsible for slaughtering 10 people at a Buffalo grocery store left no question ... his attack was racially motivated, as evidenced by the hateful messaging emblazoned on his gun.
18-year-old Payton Gendron descended on the Tops store with a black Bushmaster XM-15 assault rifle littered with racist language -- "N****" on its' barrel, "Here's your reparations," "Dylan Roof," "John Earnest" and "SYGAOWN."
"SYGAOWN" is an acronym for "Stop Your Genocide Against Our White Nations." As you probably know, Dylan Roof is the man who killed 9 black worshipers at a South Carolina Church. Earnest killed one woman and shot 3 others in 2019 at a synagogue in San Diego.
This confirmed white supremacist specifically went to a low income Black neighborhood in Buffalo NY to carry out a mass shooting. These types of white supremacists are ALLOWED to sit online and plot these attacks and nothing is done to thwart this type of anti-Black terrorism. pic.twitter.com/jGmO32PyHB
The Buffalo shooterwrote a 180-page manifesto, largely about "replacement theory" ... a false narrative that white people are being overtaken by people of color and Jews.
Johnny Cashis arguably the greatest country singer ever, so it was fitting for his hometown in Arkansas to put his silhouette on a water tower, but someone decided to enhance the image with a bullet, and the results are hilarious!
The bullet hit squarely on Johnny's junk, penetrating the water tower in the process, and it now looks like J.C. is taking a never-ending leak.
It's an ignominious turn for Kingsland, a city of 500 that just wanted to honor Johnny. The singer has been taking a leak for over a week, thanks to the 50,000-gallon tank.
As humorous as it is, there are serious implications. More than 30,000 gallons of water have escaped through the bullet hole, soaking the dirt around the tower.
Starbucks in jumping into the Roe v. Wade fray by telling its employees the company will pay travel expenses for any staffer who has to travel more than 100 miles from home to get an abortion.
A Starbucks exec put it this way ... "Like many of you, I'm deeply concerned by the draft Supreme Court opinion related to the constitutional right to abortion that was first established by Roe v. Wade."
She went on ... "I know this is weighing on many of you, so let me be clear up front — regardless of what the Supreme Court ends up deciding, we will always ensure our partners have access to quality healthcare. And when actions impact your access to healthcare, we will work on a way to make sure you feel supported."
The coffee company pledged to its 240,000 employees it will cover all travel-related expenses "when accessing abortion or gender-affirming procedures."
Based on the leaked draft opinion, it's likely that at least 26 states will either severely restrict or altogether outlaw abortion if Roe is overturned.
Sarah Paulson is super upset and on the prowl ... in search of her friend's missing pup, after she says it was stolen by a dog sitter.
Sarah pled with her IG followers Monday to help her friend, Clementine Ford, whose dog, Winnie, just disappeared. Sarah believes Winnie's been dognapped, so she wants everyone in the area to keep their eyes peeled for the pooch. Clementine is Cybill Shepherd's daughter.
The "Ratched" actress squarely pointed the guilty finger at the sitter ... "Help. Spread the word. This woman stole my friend's dog. Share far and wide. I'm begging you."
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According to Sarah's friend Clementine, she left Winnie with a sitter she found on the 'Rover' app before heading out of town for a wedding. She claims, the sitter went radio silent when she began asking about the dog.
Clementine says when she returned home there was no sign of the pup or the sitter. Apparently, Rover gave Clementine the woman's contact info, but so far no luck.
Bam Margerajust reached a major milestone ... completing a 12-month treatment program for drug and alcohol abuse.
The 'Jackass' star tells TMZ ... he just finished the year-long program in Florida, and for the next couple months he's going to continue attending outpatient treatment classes.
Bam says he's living near his rehab center in Boca Raton, and his wife Nikki and son Phoenix recently moved in with him because he's now able to live in an apartment outside of the treatment center while he attends classes.
It's a significant step for Bam, who didn't let a slip-up derail him from completing his program. As we first reported, Bam popped up at a Florida casino back in September and got a ride back to his rehab facility in the back of a cop car.
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Bam's also working out again as part of his rehab ... and last month his "Viva La Bam" costar Brandon Novak told us it's the closest Bam's been to the person he was when they were growing up together on the skateboard scene.
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Sounds like things are on the up and up for Bam after he got booted from the latest 'Jackass' movie due to a failed drug test. Bam sued and recently reached a settlement, and now he says he's happy with the outcome and feels vindicated.
Moving forward, Bam says his plan is to eventually move back to Southern California and buy a home where he could work with sober skaters on future projects.
It's splitsville for 'Real Housewives' star Dr. Jen Armstrong and her husband, she's pulled the trigger for legal separation.
The plastic surgeon and 'RHOC' cast member filed docs last week in Southern California against her husband of nearly 8 years, Ryne Holliday. The pair has 3 kids together, a set of 10-year-old twins and an 9-year-old son.
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Dr. Jen lists "irreconcilable differences" as the reason for the split ... and is asking for legal and physical custody of the kids, giving Holliday visitation.
Armstrong is the newest member of the 'RHOC' family ... appearing in just one season so far. She had recently revealed she and Ryne split last year, but had gotten back together and were working things out. Obviously, things have now changed.
The couple listed their home back in March before taking it off the market and renting it out for $20K per month.
Tom and Chet Hanks had a blast at the Dodger game on Sunday ... belting out "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" together -- and TMZ Sports has the vid!!
The Oscar-winning actor and his "White Boy Summer" son had a box seat for L.A.'s 5-4 win over the Philadelphia Phillies ... and during the 7th inning stretch, the duo passionately joined in on the traditional tune.
Tom and his son looked as close as ever as they vibed out to the song ... with Chet wrapping his arm around his dad as the "Finch" star pumped his fists in excitement throughout the jingle.
We're told Tom had a classic approach to the game -- keeping track of all the action on the diamond with an old school scorebook.
Of course, Tom and his son have remained tight over the years -- but Chet has previously opened up about the struggles of having a world-famous pops.
There were no signs of strife on Sunday ... as they root, root rooted for the home team -- which came away with the win.
Elon Musk says President Biden is a regular Ron Burgundy -- namely, the guy relies way too much on teleprompters ... so much so, in fact, that Elon thinks whoever runs it is in charge.
The Tesla chief and Twitter-owner-hopeful took a shot at JB this week on the 'All-In Podcast,' where he fielded a number of questions ranging from his attempt to buy the bird app, how he manages his keystone companies ... and also, what he thinks of politics in terms of red/blue.
On the latter issue, Elon made some cracks at 46's expense ... saying, "The real president is whoever controls the teleprompter. The path to power is the path to the teleprompter."
He wasn't done there ... Elon invoked the Will Ferrell flick, adding, "I do feel like if somebody were to accidentally lean on the teleprompter, it's going to be like 'Anchorman.'"
A few more parting shots at Biden and co. ... EM says that the current administration doesn't seem to get a lot done compared to the Trumpdays. That's not to say he's a fan of DT, per se, but apparently admired the people working behind the scenes on efficiency.
BTW, Elon spoke political shop a bit more in this interview -- saying he's a moderate, and that the Dems as they exist are beholden to "unions" and "trial lawyers," paralyzingly so.
Lil Keed complained to his friends and family he was suffering from serious stomach pain in the days leading up to his death ... with things getting so bad he had to go to the hospital.
Multiple sources close to Keed tell us ... the YSL label rapper had his battles over the years with alcohol and drugs, but had been clean and sober of late. We're told last week he began experiencing severe stomach pain and went to an L.A. hospital to get checked out.
From there, our sources say things got worse, and Keed's organs -- his liver and kidneys -- started failing ... leading to his death.
As we reported, news of his death shocked the hip hop world over the weekend when his brother, Lil Gotit, posted, "Can't believe I seened u die today bro I did all my cries I know what u want me to do and that's go hard for Mama Daddy Our Brothers Naychur and Whiteboy."
Steve Aoki might be able to throw a cake with pinpoint accuracy -- but he sure as hell can't do the same with a baseball, 'cause he absolutely airmailed the ceremonial first pitch at the Red Sox game on Monday night ... and it was truly awful.
The DJ took the mound just minutes before Boston faced off with the Astros at Fenway Park ... and, given the results of the pitch, he's honestly probably wishing he hadn't.
Aoki warmed up his left arm, toed the rubber -- and then heaved a ball that went roughly 20 feet over his catcher's head. It was actually so bad, it rolled over the net behind home plate and fell into the crowd.
Video shot by people in the stadium shows fans were laughing at the pitch -- because it was seriously just that bad.
To his credit, Aoki had fun with the moment ... tweeting after the heave, "i’m gonna stick to throwing cakes."
Of course, Aoki is far from the first celeb to embarrass himself on an MLB diamond ... you'll recall, 50 Cent is known for the worst ever, throwing one sideways in 2014.
And, it ain't like Dr. Fauci's toss in Washington was much better in 2020.
