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Here's an insanely human moment from a dude who's about to become a god ... MLB great Edgar Martinez says he's been thinking about his HOF speech, and he's freakin' nervous.

Martinez was a 7-time All-Star, a 2-time batting champ (he had 2,247 hits and 309 HR's), and never saw a pitch he feared during his career, but when we got him out in NYC he admitted he's shook when it comes to public speaking.

"For some reason, public speaking is not that easy. It's not something you do constantly every day."

Edgar says the dread hasn't quite set in yet but told our guy the fear gets a little more real the closer he gets to Hall of Fame induction day next month.

We gotta say ... EM talked with our guy for a while and did a fantastic job -- and seeing as our cameras reach millions of people, this was really kinda like a dry run that he nailed.

Induction day is July 21 ... which is right around the corner, Edgar. We know you got this.

Maybe you'll have an idea who this young schoolgirl turned into if you were all about that Netflix and chill life. Or maybe she's made you laugh as a hilarious stand-up comedian. Or maybe you'll recognize her work for work she's done on other shows.

Either way, you might be surprised to know before this comedian had her own Netflix special, she was kind of a nerd. She was student body class president at San Francisco University High School before taking her talents to UCLA ... where she discovered her love of performing arts.

Variety in 2011 later named her one of the top 10 comics to watch ... ultimately landing a gig as a writer on "Fresh Off the Boat."

Elizabeth Lederer, the woman who prosecuted the Central Park 5, just resigned from her position as a professor at Columbia Law School amid heavy pressure from black students.

Lederer, the former Assistant D.A. who tried the infamous case back in 1989, resigned Wednesday. She was a part-time professor at Columbia but had come under fire since the Netflix series "When They See Us" debuted.

Lederer, played by Vera Farmiga in the series, worked alongside Linda Fairstein. As we've reported ... Fairstein has also caught flak and recently resigned from a nonprofit board of directors and the Board of Trustees at Vassar College. Her book publisher also dropped her.

The Black Law Students Association at Columbia called Lederer's actions in the CP5 case "racist" ... and pressured school administrators to remove her from the faculty.

5:50 PM PT -- Cuba Gooding Jr.'s attorney, Mark Heller, tells us he has viewed surveillance video from the bar and says it shows "absolutely no criminality taking place on the part of my client."

Heller says he's contacted the Manhattan D.A.'s Office Sex Crimes Unit but has not gotten a return phone call. He is trying to find out if they've seen the surveillance video. Heller says he can't believe they would seek to arrest Cuba ... if they'd seen the video.

He says it's up in the air right now as to whether Cuba will turn himself in Thursday, as they'd planned, now that they've seen the video.

Cuba Gooding Jr. will turn himself into NYPD on Thursday and will be arrested for allegedly groping a woman -- but on camera he insists he did nothing wrong, and there's hard evidence to prove it.

Sources connected to the Oscar winner tell TMZ ... he plans to surrender Thursday and expects to be booked for a misdemeanor charge of forcible touching. Cuba was in L.A. Tuesday night -- about to board a flight to NYC -- when a photog asked him directly about the groping allegation.

Cuba says the claim he grabbed a woman's breast Sunday night at Magic Hour Rooftop Bar & Lounge in Manhattan ... is absolutely untrue. He says he was there partying with friends, and posed for pics with fans, but says no one was touched inappropriately ... not even by accident.

Aside from the video we posted -- showing Cuba partying that night at the bar -- he says there's also surveillance video that will show he's innocent.

He also tipped his hat to Jon Stewart, who hours earlier had blasted Congress over the 9/11 Victims Fund, and said that's what's really important now.

As for his legal trouble ... Cuba didn't seem worried. Our Sources say he'll surrender at the Manhattan Special Victim's Unit -- and will be accompanied by his lawyers, Peter Toumbekis and Mark J. Heller. Cops will fingerprint him, and take a mug shot.

From there, as Cuba says ... he'll trust the system.

3:32 PM PT -- Dominican Republic police have released the mug shot of the man they say shot Big Papi, 25-year-old Rolfi Ferreira Cruz.

D.R. officials also announced they have now arrested SIX total people in connection with the attack on Ortiz ... and say there is at least 1 other suspect still on the run.

The man who allegedly shot David Ortiz has been arrested ... officials announced Wednesday -- saying the shooter, along with 5 other suspects, were paid 400,000 pesos to kill Big Papi.

As we previously reported, Ortiz was shot in the back on Sunday night as he was sitting in an outside patio area of a popular Dominican Republic nightclub.

D.R. cops say two young men drove up to the scene on a motorcycle ... when one of them got off to fire a single bullet into the Red Sox legend's lower back.

Cops say the guys tried to flee the scene on the bike afterward ... but when it fell to the pavement -- they tried to make a run for it on foot.

One of the guys -- the alleged shooter -- was able to escape ... but the other suspect, Eddy Vladimir Feliz Garcia, was beaten to a pulp on the scene by bystanders before he was handed over to cops.

Now, D.R. officials are saying they've caught the suspected shooter and arrested him ... and have also detained 3 additional people they say contributed to the ambush.

Officials say 6 total individuals were paid 400,000 pesos (the equivalent of $8K) to kill Ortiz in what they believe was a highly-orchestrated attack.

They say the ambush involved 2 vehicles and 1 motorcycle ... and announced 5 of the suspects are now in custody, but one remains at large.

A motive has yet to be determined.

During the press conference, officials also presented the gun they believe was used to shoot Ortiz.

Big Papi underwent surgery late Sunday night to repair the damage the bullet caused ... with surgeons saying they needed to remove his gallbladder and parts of his intestines.

David underwent a second procedure on Monday night after he returned back to Boston.

In a statement released Wednesday by Ortiz's wife, Tiffany Ortiz, she said, "His condition is guarded and he will remain in the ICU for the coming days, but he is making good progress towards recovery."

Cardi B's lingering side effects from her recent plastic surgeries should be setting off alarm bells ... so says Dr. Terry Dubrow.

The "Botched" star came on "TMZ Live" Wednesday and weighed in on Cardi's super swollen feet and ankles ... telling us the swelling could be indicative of much larger health issues than CB is letting on.

Cardi posted this graphic pic over the weekend, blaming her swollen feet on flying and further showing fans the toll her recent boob job and liposuction is taking on her body, which forced her to postpone some shows.

The rapper says she got her boobs done sometime after giving birth to baby Kulture last July ... and in early May she told a crowd in Memphis she should have canceled the show because "moving too much is going to f*** up my lipo."

Dr. Dubrow says he's concerned Cardi is still dealing with swelling this far removed from going under the knife ... and he's advising her to see a doctor pronto!

Check out the clip ... Dr. Dubrow warns CB about the dangers of plastic surgery.

Andy Cohen just might give politics a shot ... especially if he's successful in his mission to get NY State to legalize paid surrogacy, and we got him taking his campaign to the streets.

The 'Watch What Happens Live' host was leaving the Sirius building Wednesday in NYC when he got amped up about the proposed bill, and delivered a message directly to Gloria Steinem. She's been opposed to the measure, but Andy urged the famous feminist she needs to take a closer look at the language of the bill.

He added ... he has surrogacy to thank for the birth of his son, Benjamin, in February. He had to go through the process in California because it's still illegal in New York.

So now, he's fighting for NY couples to have the same options he had ... without having to travel cross country. When you see the video, Andy definitely has the look and feel of a stumping candidate.

We asked him, point blank, about throwing his hat in a political ring -- watch, he does NOT say no.

Sylvia Miles -- who rose to fame for her role in "Midnight Cowboy" -- has died.

TMZ has confirmed the two-time Academy Award nominee passed away Wednesday in New York ... and she reportedly died in the back of an ambulance on the way to a hospital.

Sylvia was in her mid-40s when she acted alongside Jon Voight in the 1969 movie, "Midnight Cowboy" ... and she played an Upper East Side hooker trying to out-hustle Voight's character, an aspiring gigolo. She was nominated for an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress.

Miles earned her second Oscar nomination for her role in the 1975 film, "Farewell, My Lovely" ... appearing in a five-and-a-half minute scene with Robert Mitchum.

Sylvia also acted in tons of TV and theater productions ... and she was a fixture on the NYC party scene, turning up with pal Andy Warhol.

Miles, born and raised in Greenwich Village, was reportedly in declining health -- struggling with respiratory problems -- and had recently left a nursing home.

Sylvia was 94.

6/12 4:13 PM PT -- The hearing just went down in L.A. ... and Avenatti is now officially in the clear. He just tweeted, "Today I attended the hearing in the matter relating to the allegations of Ms. Miniutti. At the conclusion of that hearing, I was again informed that NO CHARGES will be filed against me. As I predicted long ago, I was not charged because I did nothing wrong."

Michael Avenatti will not be charged with any crime in connection with his domestic violence arrest.

The L.A. City Attorney just announced it will hold an informal hearing in which the alleged victim, Mareli Miniutti, and Avenatti will appear separately and talk about what happened back in November, when the woman claimed he got violent with her ... something Avenatti denies.

The City Attorney says the woman "will be advised of services available to her." As for Avenatti, the City Attorney says "The suspect will be informed that although we decline to file charges at this time, this matter remains open and we may file charges at any time prior to the expiration of the statute of limitations."

As we reported, the L.A. County D.A. declined to file felony charges.

Mareli also got a temporary restraining order against Avenatti ... a hearing on that matter has been postponed until next month.

Kevin Durant just confirmed what everyone was hoping wouldn't be true -- he ruptured his Achilles in Game 5 of the Finals ... but made it clear he WANTED to play, despite still recovering from a calf injury.

The Warriors superstar posted a post-surgery pic on Wednesday ... saying everything went well and he's looking forward to the recovery process.

"Surgery was today and it was a success, EASY MONEY," Durant says.

"I got my family and my loved ones by my side and we truly appreciate all the messages and support people have sent our way."

KD's right calf popped during the 2nd quarter as Golden State took on the Toronto Raptors. There has been a lot of talk about whether KD should've even been on the court when the injury happened ... but he says it was his decision to play.

"Basketball is my biggest love and I wanted to be out there that night because that’s what I do. I wanted to help my teammates on our quest for the three peat."

KD says he gave it his all and is proud of his teammates for pulling out the win.

"It's going to be a journey but I'm built for this. I’m a hooper."

"I know my brothers can get this Game 6, and I will be cheering with dub nation while they do it."

Justin Bieber wasn't serious about taking on Tom Cruise in a fight, or maybe he's simply changed his mind ... because he says Tom would kick his ass!

JB played it cool for the paps in L.A. Wednesday as he was leaving Hailey's fashion line office, telling them he was just goofing around when he randomly challenged the 56-year-old actor to an MMA fight and asked Dana White to make it happen.

He says he had just seen an interview with Cruise so he was on his mind, and decided to tweet out the bizarre challenge ... but it was all just a goof.

However, the Biebs says if it hypothetically were to happen, he'd have to get into shape ... because everyone knows Tom doesn't mess around.

And, he's got dad strength.

11:33 AM PT -- We found these pics of Hunter's bride, and as you can see ... she's a blonde beauty.

Seems Melissa's already supporting her new father-in-law ... on her Facebook page she "liked" Joe Biden's political page and his 2020 presidential campaign page.

Family ties!

Hunter Biden is a newly married man ... after a secret wedding that seems to have come together very quickly in Los Angeles.

Joe Biden's son, 49-year-old Hunter, tied the knot May 16 with a South African woman named Melissa Cohen. The couple was married by an L.A. minister who runs an instant marriage company, which makes us think Uncle Joe and the rest of the fam were not there.

You'll recall ... Hunter divorced his ex-wife, Kathleen, in 2017 after 23 years of marriage and 3 kids together. The split got pretty nasty before they reached a settlement.

The timing of Hunter's secret wedding is interesting. Up until recently, he was in a relationship with Hallie Biden, the widow of his late brother, Beau. There were reports in May they'd broken up, but it was unclear exactly when they split.

Now we know Hunter was back in marriage mode by mid-May. Someone's not a fan of the single life.

Barbara Corcoran's brother was found dead in his hotel room in the Dominican Republic, and the circumstances sound eerily familiar to the 6 mysterious tourist deaths in the country over the past year ... TMZ has learned.

The "Shark Tank" star tells us her brother, John, was in the D.R. with a friend in April on his yearly vacation when he died of a heart attack. At least, that's what she was told. As far as she knows, there's been no autopsy.

Barbara says her brother's friend -- who was staying in the same suite -- discovered the body, but nobody knows exactly what happened.

Corcoran tells us John was retired but owned a successful roofing company in New Jersey. She calls him "my favorite brother" among her 9 siblings and says he had a larger-than-life personality and would have been great on TV.

We're told John loved visiting the Dominican Republic and was awaiting the arrival of his girlfriend before he died. There's been no funeral yet, but a memorial service is planned soon.

On the surface, a 60-year-old man dying of a heart attack might not be shocking ... but John's death comes amidst a bizarre and troubling trend of American tourists dying in D.R. hotels.

Six U.S. tourists have been found dead since June 2018 -- 2 at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Punta Cana, and 4 at various Bahia Principe resorts. Three of the deaths were reportedly due to heart attacks, but one also lists pulmonary edema -- an accumulation of fluid in the lungs -- according to the death certificate.

A recently engaged couple from Maryland was found dead in their room in late May, and an autopsy reportedly found they also had respiratory failure and pulmonary edema.

The cause of death of the other tourist is unknown.

So far, the deaths are considered isolated incidents by D.R. tourism officials, but Dominican authorities are investigating and have asked the FBI for assistance for "further toxicology analysis."

Theories are beginning to circulate on what's causing the mysterious deaths -- including poisoning -- partly fueled by 2 other couples who stayed at Bahia Principe resorts and claim to have gotten violently ill.

One couple claims there was a "moldy, mildewy smell" in the room like the air conditioning system hadn't been clean, and another is suing the resort chain claiming they were exposed to insecticides.

Ashanti's clearly not waiting for summer to officially start before she shows off her bikini bod -- but unless you're a hardcore stickler for the seasons ... you ain't complaining.

The R&B singer showed off her stunning curves during an incredibly sexy photo shoot in the Florida Keys for a women's fashion line. There were several wardrobe changes as she posed in a series of revealing bikinis on an idyllic beach.

Check out the pics ... if Ashanti doesn't get you in the mood for some fun in the sun -- and hump day, for that matter -- nothing will.

Ashanti wasn't alone. Another model, Leslie Sidora, was working it on the beach, too.

Wendy Williams wants to know how all her haters and naysayers are doin' ... because she's doin' just fine.

We got the talk show host heading to dinner at NOBU in NYC Tuesday night with Marc Tomblin, her new guy friend.

Wendy doesn't say much -- verbally anyway -- other than firing off a matter-of-fact message to anyone who feels like they can criticize her or tell her what to do ... you can't.

We broke the story ... Williams is having some carefree fun with Tomblin ... despite knowing he has a criminal past -- he pled guilty to conspiracy to commit robbery with a dangerous weapon in Charlotte back in 2013.

Marc did some hard time, but Wendy's been having a good time with him ever since the 2 met in L.A. last weekend ... thanks to barbecue chips and orange soda.

They were spotted out in NYC earlier Tuesday before their dinner date doing some hardcore shopping, and Wendy told us she doesn't give a damn about the optics, saying ... "I am a 54-year-old grown ass woman. I know what I'm doing."

So there ya go. How you doin'?