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Laverne Cox is super impressed Lil Nas X has come out, and she says other closeted gay hip-hop stars should take his cue. 

We got Laverne and actress Angelica Ross in WeHo Friday night leaving Delilah, and at first Laverne seems a little confused ... whether Lil Nas X came out or just insinuated he was gay. Angelica explained and Laverne then launched into how awesome LNX has handled it.  

She also made it clear ... there are closeted hip-hop stars who are afraid to own their truth. She hopes they find the strength to follow in the footsteps of Lil Nas X, but only when they're ready.

Mark Wahlberg is DOUBLING DOWN on his prediction that Baker Mayfield will be a New England Patriot, telling TMZ Sports, "He's the heir to the throne -- to Tom Brady!!"

Of course, Mark has been beating this drum for over a year ... it was June 2018 when he told us Mayfield would somehow end up on the Patriots' roster after TB12 retires.

But, since then, Mayfield has become the face of the Browns and the team's clear-cut franchise QB -- and if you're wondering if that's changed Mark's opinion at all -- spoiler alert, IT HASN'T!!!

Mark told us out in Bev Hills he STILL thinks Bill Belichick and Robert Kraft are going to find a way to make Baker their star QB after Brady decides to hang up his G.O.A.T. cleats.

It all begs the question, does Mark know something everybody else doesn't???

The legendary actor HAS been working out with Mayfield -- the two got in a lift together at Mark's F45 Training gym in L.A. just a few days ago ...

Tom Hanks doesn't play the bad guy in movies, and the wife of "Colonel Tom" Parker hopes it stays that way in the upcoming Elvis Presley biopic.

Loanne Parker tells TMZ ... Hanks is the perfect actor to play her late husband -- who was Elvis' longtime manager and helped him rise to superstardom -- in the Baz Luhrmann film, and she trusts him to portray the Colonel fairly.

She says she'd like to talk to Tom about the relationship between the famed singer and manager, because she feels many have the wrong perception -- that Elvis was the hero and the Colonel was the villain.

If you aren't familiar ... Parker was criticized for being very controlling of Presley's life -- both professionally and personally -- and was accused of ripping him off by taking way more than his deserved cut. He also notoriously didn't allow Elvis to perform overseas, where he could have made a fortune ... allegedly because the Colonel wasn't in the U.S. legally and was fearful he would be deported if he traveled with Elvis.

Loanne says in reality, they were both heroes and had a trusting and fair partnership ... and her husband never took advantage of "The King" as has been reported in the past.

She even breaks down some aspects of the duo's business dealings as proof, but the gist of it is ... she has faith in Hanks' integrity and believes he'll do her husband right.

However, Loanne also made a point to tell us she owns the rights to the Colonel's name and likeness, and politely suggested if Luhrmann's Elvis movie doesn't get the narrative correct about her husband ... she might look into legal options.

Karlie Kloss saying she left Victoria's Secret because the brand didn't match her feminist values is a load of crap ... so says model Cynthia Kirchner, who is calling out Karlie for getting it twisted. 

Cynthia -- a Victoria's Secret model alum herself, tells TMZ ... Karlie's wrong for sticking her nose up at Victoria's Secret since, ya know, it's what gave Karlie a platform. Check out the vid ... Cynthia also says Karlie's got feminism all wrong ... because female empowerment means women can choose how and where to show off their bodies. And, that includes Victoria's Secret.

ICYMI ... Karlie told British Vogue she left VS in 2015 because she "didn't feel it was an image that was truly reflective of who I am and the kind of message I want to send to young women around the world about what it means to be beautiful."

Karlie, who BTW is married to Jared Kushner's baby brother, Joshua, added, "I think that was a pivotal moment in me stepping into my power as a feminist, being able to make my own choices and my own narrative, whether through the companies I choose to work with, or through the image I put out to the world."

There's not much holding these ladies back right now!!!

With summer time in full swing these babes are suiting up in their swimsuits and ready to break free of anything tying them down. 

Forget about having strings attached, unless it's a sexy set of 'em, these Hollywood hotties are usually knotted up in the hustle and bustle of their daily grind, but every now and again these stars get a much needed break to unwind. 

Luke Walton admits he did meet up with the woman accusing him of sexual assault in a Santa Monica hotel room ... but the Sacramento Kings head coach says she's lying about what went down.

In new legal docs obtained by TMZ Sports ... Walton claims his accuser, Kelli Tennant, was the person who initiated their meet-up, but he is adamant their encounter was "platonic" and nothing sexual even occurred.

In the docs, Walton claims when he was a Warriors coach, Tennant drove to meet him at a hotel the team was staying at while in town to play the Lakers, something she initiated.

TMZ Sports broke the story ... Kelli filed a lawsuit back in April claiming Walton sexually assaulted her and forced himself on her in his hotel room. 

Now, Walton is pushing back against many of her claims from her lawsuit ... he says he did NOT write a foreword for her book, says he was NOT her broadcasting mentor and says there was NO sexual assault when she dropped off her book at his hotel. 

In the docs, Walton claims Tennant never complained to him or anyone else, including law enforcement, about any aspect of the visit that she initiated ... and he points out she waited nearly 5 years to file her complaint.

YG says he had absolutely nothing to do with a high-speed chase through the streets of Los Angeles involving an SUV registered in his name ... an incident that started with a deadly police shootout.

The Compton rapper tells TMZ ... "I was nowhere near the scene of this incident and had been in a recording studio all day in Hollywood. I was there until after midnight on the Fourth of July and didn't learn of these events until after they happened."

Our sources say YG is the registered owner of the black Cadillac Escalade that was involved in Wednesday night's pursuit, which began with a deputy-involved shooting in Compton. The SUV had aftermarket bulletproof glass and armor. We're told the Escalade is a company car, and YG did not know the car was being used at the time.

Police say they were initially called to apprehend a reckless DUI suspect, but detectives then responded to a deputy-involved shooting after an innocent bystander was caught in the crossfire and shot dead at the scene.

Following the deadly shootout, a high-speed chase ensued and the pursuit finally came to an end in Inglewood. 

The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department says more shots were fired during the chase, with suspects shooting at deputies and a Sheriff's helicopter, which was not struck by bullets. 

Police say one deputy was shot during the pursuit and suffered minor injuries from a gunshot wound, and he was treated and released. According to multiple reports, a patrol car's windshield was peppered with bullets. 

At least one person was detained, and another suspect remains outstanding.

Don't let these two almost identical images of DJ Pauly D spin you out of control. Get a grip and keep your eyes on the prize here ... try and see if you can find the sneaky switches that have been made to this tricky pic. 

Search high and low and discover all the possibilities as to what could have gone missing or has been changed! Hone in all the good Jersey Shore vibes and just maybe you will be able to locate the differences between these two super similar snaps!

Chloe Grace Moretz and her family aren't taking any chances on her obsessed fan who keeps hopping her fence and getting arrested for trespassing -- her fam just asked a judge for extra protection and got it for now ... TMZ has learned. 

Chloe's brother, Brandon Moretz, filed for a restraining order Wednesday in L.A. County against Justin Alexander Behr -- the man who has twice been busted outside the actress' home. 

TMZ broke the story ... Chloe's obsessed fan is now facing felony stalking charges after getting arrested outside her house Monday for the second time in two days. 

According to the restraining order, Chloe's brother says the alleged stalker climbed over their private gate Sunday night and started banging on the doors and windows trying to gain access to her residence.

The heat Nike is taking over the controversy surrounding Colin Kaepernick and the Betsy Ross Flag Shoe is having another effect ... enhancing the brand's appeal to investors. 

Nike shares are surging in the wake of the company's decision to recall its special Betsy Ross Flag Air Max 1 USA sneakers after Kaepernick complained the 13-star flag design was offensive because it's been co-opted by several white nationalist groups. 

Since Nike pulled the plug on the sneakers following Kaepernick's objections earlier this week, Nike shares have seen a 2 percent increase since Tuesday, adding nearly $3 BILLION to the shoe giant's market value. 

Friday afternoon, trading Nike shares were up slightly to $86.62 and the company's market value is now $136.38 billion.

The stock surge looks a lot like what Kevin O'Leary predicted a few days ago ... the "Shark Tank" investor told us Nike is taking advantage of the controversy with a firestorm of free marketing. 

Tedy Bruschi, a three-time Super Bowl champion and New England Patriots legend, is recovering after suffering a stroke ... according to the former-NFL player's family. 

Tedy's family shared a medical update Friday afternoon on the current ESPN analyst, saying he's recovering well after suffering a stroke on the Fourth of July. 

The statement from the Bruschi family says ... "Yesterday afternoon, Tedy had a stroke, known as a TIA. He recognized the warning signs immediately: arm weakness, face drooping and speech difficulties. Tedy is recovering well, and would like to thanks the nurses, doctors, and staff at Sturdy Memorial Hospital for all they have done."

The statement continues ... "Tedy and his family thank you for your ongoing encouragement, and kindly ask for privacy at this time."

Tedy, now 46, also suffered a mild stroke way back in 2005, when he was 31 and still playing linebacker for Bill Belichick's Patriots defense.

Bruschi recovered well enough from his 2005 stroke to return to the gridiron, playing pro football for another 4 seasons. All told, he played 13 seasons for the Pats, winning three Super Bowls as the heart and soul of the New England defense. 

'Teen Mom' star Amber Portwood has been arrested for domestic battery ... TMZ has learned.

She was arrested in Indianapolis Friday just before 6:00 AM. Cops are not saying who the alleged victim is ... per protocol.

Portwood was still in custody at the time of this post.

The 29-year-old and boyfriend Andrew Glennon just had a pregnancy scare on the "Teen Mom OG" show. She also hinted they might soon get married. 

She has 2 kids -- 1-year-old James, whose father is Andrew, and 10-year-old Leah, whose father is her ex-boyfriend Gary Shirley.

Portwood went to prison for 17 months back in 2012 for violation her probation in a drug possession case. She actually had a choice of prison vs. rehab ... she chose prison. 

USA soccer star Alex Morgan is upset that people are upset with her for daring to be brash after her team defeated England in the World Cup and she pretended to sip a cup of tea.

Morgan just said, "I feel that there is some sort of double standard for females in sports," adding, "to feel like we have to be humble in our successes and have to celebrate, but not too much or in a limited fashion. You see men celebrating all over the world in big tournaments, grabbing their sacks or whatever it is. And when I look at sipping a cup of tea, I am a little taken aback by the criticism." 

Alex went on to say her gesture was in-part an homage to "Game of Thrones" star Sophie Turner, who famously offers opinions on Instagram stories and ends with the phrase, "And that's the tea" as she sips from a cup.

The women's team -- which can we say is awesome -- is famous for their play and their after-play, notably Megan Rapinoe's comments that she's not at all interested in trekking to The White House to visit Donald Trump. 

A 70-year-old marathon runner who was just disqualified for cheating in the L.A. Marathon back in March was found dead in the Los Angeles River.

Dr. Frank Meza, a retired physician, told his wife he was going for a run and that's the last time he was seen. His body was found Thursday morning in the River lying in shallow water.

Dr. Meza was distraught over the cheating allegation ... he had set a Marathon record for his age class -- 2 hours, 53 minutes, 10 seconds in the March Marathon, but officials became suspicious. Officials found video and eyewitnesses who said he had left the course and reentered from a different location.  

L.A. Marathon Officials officially disqualified Dr. Meza Monday ... 3 days before his death.

Dr. Meza acknowledged he left the course, but only to find a bathroom.

His wife said running was extremely important to Dr. Meza and he strongly denied the cheating allegation.

It wasn't the first time Meza was accused of cutting corners.  He had twice been disqualified from the Sacramento Marathon after authorities determined he cut the course.  He was banned from participating in that marathon.

A$AP Rocky is in even more trouble than we thought, because Swedish authorities have just made it clear ... they have no plans to release him anytime soon.

Swedish prosecutors are asking a judge to allow them to hold A$AP Rocky and members of his crew for 2 weeks, while they investigate the alleged assault Tuesday for which he was detained. Swedish authorities are normally allowed to keep people for only 3 days, so they are clearly gunning for him.

And, there's even more ominous news. As you know, authorities jumped into action after a video surfaced of A$AP and his crew pummeling a guy on the street, leaving him battered and bloodied.

But then, another video surfaced, showing the alleged victim harassing A$AP and hitting his bodyguard with a set of headphones. The guy was harassing A$AP and his crew for about a half hour before they had enough.

A$AP actually tried to be a peacemaker ... telling the guy, "We don't wanna fight y'all. We don't wanna go to jail."

It's unclear if authorities saw that second video before they jailed A$AP, but they have seen it now. What's really significant ... Swedish prosecutors tell us they are releasing the bodyguard now due to "insufficient evidence" but they are not releasing A$AP. That suggests the second video doesn't do it for prosecutors, and they still view this as an assault.

This is really serious for A$AP ... if convicted, he faces 6 years in prison.

A daredevil attempting to jump a motorcycle farther than anyone severely injured both his ankles in a super scary crash during a practice jump for HISTORY's live TV special ... and the video is gnarly. 

The rider, Axell Hodges, crashed hard while attempting to beat Robbie Maddison's world-record distance for a motorcycle jump -- 378 feet and 9 inches -- tumbling off his bike while trying to stick the landing. 

Ya gotta see the video ... Axell is flying through the air on his dirt bike, but when he finally comes down on the other side of the jump, he loses control of the bike and his body goes skidding down the pavement. 

You'll see more footage of Alex's crash Sunday night during HISTORY's live TV special, "Evel Live 2," when female rider and four-time X Games medalist Vicki Golden attempts to set a new world record in an epic live motorcycle firewall stunt.