Bill Belichick Walks Out of Press Conference ... Over Antonio Brown Qs

Published
UPDATE

10:53 AM PT -- Tom Brady ain't a mobile quarterback ... but he was able to scramble away from all AB questions during media availability on Friday, saying his focus is on the Jets.

Bill Belichick has reached his boiling point in the Antonio Brown saga ... abruptly ending a press conference after reporters peppered him with Qs about his controversial superstar WR.

The New England Patriots coach faced the media on Friday -- just hours after the NFL opened an investigation into alleged texts Brown sent to a woman accusing him of sexual misconduct in 2017.

Of course, the media wanted answers ... but Belichick told reporters right off the bat he wouldn't be answering any questions about AB. He opened saying, "We take all situations with our team very seriously."

"There's some things we're looking into. But, I'm not going to have any comment on any of the off the field situations or questions on that."

Bill also suggested Brown would be active and playing on Sunday when the Patriots take on the NY Jets.

When Belichick tried to move past the Brown questions, the media stayed focused on the bigger story ... and Bill. Got. Pissed.

"I think I've already addressed this ... we're gonna get ready for the Jets here. Happy to answer any football questions. But, the rest of it ... I'm done with the rest of it."

When a reporter followed that up with another AB question ... Bill got fed up, interrupted him and left the podium.

"That's it. Yep, I'm good. Thank you."

Antonio Brown 9/19/19
DUCKIN' AND DODGIN'

Meanwhile, the NFL is still investigating Brown -- but it's theoretically possible league officials could take action on new text message development before Sunday.

Originally Published -- 9:07 AM PT

Ty Herndon Lil Nas X Coming Out ... Can Open Doors For Hip-Hop

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Lil Nas X coming out is going to spark change in the hip-hop community ... so says Ty Herndon, who thinks Lil Nas' bravery will make it easier for others in the industry to be themselves.

We got Ty before his Thursday night set at Rockwell Table and Stage, and our guy asked if the country music veteran thinks Lil Nas X will help other gay hip-hop artists feel comfortable and accepted enough to come out.

Ty's the first male country musician to reveal he's gay, which is why he says he knows times are a changin'. He flat-out believes ... in Nashville, your sexuality doesn't matter anymore -- and he thinks Lil Nas can bring that same change in hip-hop.

TMZ broke the story ... the "Old Town Road" rapper became inspired to share his truth with the world at the end of Pride Month after performing with Billy Ray Cyrus and Miley Cyrus in front of a MASSIVE crowd in England.

Ty says he was super proud of LNX for coming out because it's extremely hard for rappers to be themselves, and he thinks Lil Nas can be a trailblazer in the industry.

Kevin Hart Back Home ... I Can't Believe I'm Alive

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Kevin Hart has checked out of his inpatient rehab facility and is back home where he's receiving intensive physical therapy, but the big takeaway ... he's "grateful" and "shocked" he's alive.

Sources very close to Kevin tell us, he's looked at the photos of the car crash and can't believe anyone walked out alive. TMZ broke the story, Kevin messed up his back bad -- 3 spinal fractures that required fusion.

He spent 10 days in the hospital under heavy pain meds and was then transferred to the inpatient facility, but he's home now. He has a physical therapist coming to his house most days ... and he's doing lots of stretching and exercises with therapy bands.

He's still in a lot of pain but says he's handling it without all the meds that knocked him out.

We're also told he's not worried about the injuries torpedoing his career ... doctors and the PT have assured him he'll be pretty much back to where he was before the accident, and he had nothing immediate on his plate work-wise, so he can focus on bouncing back.

Kevin says he's grateful to be alive and has "a new perspective on life." We asked what that meant and were told, "He really cherishes the fact that he's alive, and wants to make the most of it in every respect. The crash had a huge impact on him."

One more thing ... Kevin's a gym rat -- something that has helped him through this because he's in such good shape -- but he's taking a break from working out and is only doing physical therapist-approved exercises.

Kim & Kanye Get Too Wild with Wildlife ... Lecture from Law Enforcement

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Kanye West and Kim Kardashian have a lot to learn about living in Wyoming -- where the deer and the antelope play ... but they can't play with Ye.

The couple was issued a slight scolding over a video Kim posted last weekend, in which it appears Kanye's taking them for an ATV ride across the range ... as he chases some pronghorns, AKA American antelope.

At one point it sounds like Kim shouts, "I think you're scaring them!!!" ... and she's probably right ... which is why there are laws against it.

A spokesperson for the Wyoming Game & Fish Dept. tells TMZ ... State laws prohibit this type of animal harassment. We're told the department was made aware of Kim's video and paid a visit to the manager of Kanye's new ranch to make sure everyone is aware of the rules pertaining to wildlife.

We spoke with a source close to the couple who tell us they were simply cruising along when the animals came running by ... Kim and Kanye came to a slow soon after the vid and let the pronghorns on their way. We're told it wasn't a chase ... and they never disturbed the animals.

The good news for Kanye and Kim ... this can simply be considered a lesson learned. We're told no formal complaint was filed against them -- only angry calls -- so there's currently no investigation into the incident.

If there were, the couple could get slapped with a citation and a $435 fine.

We broke the story ... Kanye plunked down some serious cash for the property just outside Cody, Wyoming -- called Monster Lake Ranch -- which includes 8 lodging units, 2 fresh water lakes, a restaurant, an event center, and lots of barns, corrals and horses.

The asking price was $14 million for 4,500 acres, and while we know he didn't pay full price ... it's still a lot of money.

So, the $435 fine certainly would be no biggie.

Gardner Minshew I Smashed Own Hand with Hammer ... To Keep College Eligibility

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Gardner Minshew was a football LEGEND long before he took his first NFL snap ... admitting he once smashed his own hand with a hammer to try and extend his college football career.

The Jacksonville Jaguars QB said it all went down in 2016 during his first year at East Carolina University ... where he was the 3rd string QB and planned on redshirting the season.

But, the 2nd string QB was moved to running back and the 1st string QB suffered a concussion halfway through a game in Week 4, so he was forced to go in and play.

The problem ... once Minshew took the field, the redshirt option was out the window -- and Gardner was pissed he was going to blow an entire year of eligibility for 30 minutes of playing time.

And, what did Gardner do next? He realized the only way to get that year of eligibility back was to get a medical redshirt ... which means he needed to prove he suffered an injury that knocked him out for the season.

"So, you know, I get an idea," Minshew told the guys on Barstool Sports' "Pardon My Take" podcast (go to 31:20).

"I go home, I grab a bottle of Jack Daniels and I grab a hammer. And, I go back into my room, I take a pull of the Jack Daniels, I put my hand down on the table and BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! 1,2,3 ... I hit the hell out of my hand dude!"

Another problem ... Minshew says he knew right away he didn't actually break his hand -- so he continued to smash away another 2 times. But, he failed with each attempt!

"I couldn't break my own hand!"

Oh, and get this ... Minshew says the hand he was smashing was his THROWING HAND because he knew he would be pressured to play through the pain if he broke his non-throwing hand.

At the end of the day, Minshew says he gave up with the fake injury attempt and just told the coach he slammed his hand in a car door.

Don't worry, things worked out for him ... he's now the starting QB for the Jaguars and looked pretty solid Thursday night in the teams' 20-7 victory over the Tennessee Titans, throwing 2 TDs in the process.

Hugh Jackman & Ryan Reynolds Marvel at What Could've Been!!! Coffee and Laughs in NYC

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Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman are teasing the hell out of their superfans ... giving us a glimpse into what never happened on film -- Wolverine and Deadpool just kicking it over coffee.

Can't ya just hear the witty one-liners looking at Hugh and Ryan chumming it up Thursday in NYC? The duo had just left Hugh's Laughing Man coffee shop in TriBeCa, and even snapped some pics with fans.

They were spotted talking and laughing for about an hour in a nearby park before Reynolds walked home and Jackman took off on his bike.

Seeing how well these guys get along in real life is kinda bittersweet if you're a fan. As you know ... Ryan tried, unsuccessfully, to get Hugh to return to his Wolverine character and do a movie with Deadpool -- a pairing fans desperately wanted.

They've been engaged in a faux social media war for years -- which is part of their charm -- but announced a truce back in February to pitch ads for each other's companies.

You'll recall, they agreed to make awesome ads -- for Hugh's coffee and Ryan's Aviation American Gin. Classic Hugh & Ry humor.

Anyway, soak up their real-life bromance ... 'cause, for now, it seems like that's all we're getting.

Area 51 Alien Enthusiasts Show Up for Raid ... But the Rager's in Vegas

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The plan for millions of people to storm Area 51 to "see them aliens" ended up being just a light sprinkle, attended by those who didn't care the plan was aborted ... or just missed the memo.

A small crowd of alien enthusiasts showed up at the entrance of the Nevada Test and Training Range near the super-secret military base late Thursday ... equipped with signs, masks and inflatable green aliens.

The tiny group gathering was a pretty hilarious and fitting button to the 'Storm Area 51' saga -- aka, an internet joke that got taken way too seriously.

As we told you ... the event planners, Matty Roberts and Frank DiMaggio, got folks hyped with a Facebook page invite to go searching for aliens, but changed course when it became clear law enforcement and the military wasn't messing around with any such raid.

Matty and Frank pivoted quickly and put on a free music festival in Sin City instead ... and that went off without a hitch Thursday night in Downtown Las Vegas.

Attendees were treated to the music of Tripnotic and others. Not shockingly, there was a much better showing for the free concert -- than the ill-fated attempt out in the desert to storm Area 51 gates while risking jail time ... or worse.

Justin Bieber What Can I Say??? I'm a Drip!!!

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Justin Bieber had a needle in his arm as he walked the streets of Beverly Hills, but it's actually the picture of health.

Justin cruised out of a medical building Wednesday and Thursday with an IV bag, our sources tell us he was there for a vitamin drip.

In case you didn't know ... aside from curing hangovers, vitamin drips improve immune health, boost energy levels, abate depression and anxiety, improve mental clarity and cognative function, reduce migraine symptoms, combat fatigue and maintain muscle strength.

And, there's more TMZ-MD, the IV's typically contain high doses of vitamin C or magnesium.

One treatment often costs around $120.

It's not without danger. Kendall Jenner was hospitalized last year after she had a bad reaction to a vitamin IV drip.

Serena Williams Cakes By the Ocean!!! ... In New Swimsuit Shot

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Behold ... Serena Williams' butt in all its glory!!

Just a few weeks after taking an L in the grand slam final at the U.S. Open, Serena is chillaxing on a beach somewhere ... arms up, cakes out. It's good stuff.

Serena is 37-years-old and continuing to impress in all facets of her life. She's still a beast on the court. Killing it in business. And, her body ... good god.

Despite all the great things, there are still a bunch of racist jerks looking to cause drama in Serena's life, including some moronic Romanian TV host who crawled out of the gutter to describe Williams as a "monkey" during a recent broadcast.

The actual quotes 49-year-old Radu Bancui uttered on TV are so offensive and disgusting, we're not going to publish them here ... but it's been reported he's been fined by the body that oversees content on Romanian television.

Quite frankly, the fine isn't big enough.

Seems Williams has to deal with this kind of crap all the time from various racist idiots all over the world -- including in her home country.

Both Serena and Venus have talked openly about being called the N-word at the 2001 BNP Paribas Open tournament in Indian Wells, California.

But, today, Serena's tuning it all out and basking in her success ... and we couldn't be happier about it.

Suzanne Whang 'House Hunters' Host Dead at 56

Published
UPDATE

9:36 AM PT -- A rep for HGTV tells us, "Suzanne was warm, funny and kind with a distinctive voice that made everyone feel at home. Our HGTV family mourns her loss and wishes to express deepest condolences to her friends, fans and family who knew and loved her."

Suzanne Whang, the woman whose voice and face opened "House Hunters" episodes for nearly a decade, has died after a long battle with cancer.

Suzanne's partner, Jeff Vezain, said he was by her side when she passed Tuesday evening, at 7:20 PM, at their Los Angeles home. Suzanne had been diagnosed with breast cancer 13 years ago but, in a Facebook post, Jeff said she always confronted it with "courage, humor, determination and optimism."

Suzanne became an HGTV fan favorite during her 9 years hosting episodes of the immensely popular "House Hunters" series. She was also an actress with supporting roles on countless TV movies and TV series, including, "General Hospital," "Criminal Minds," and "NYPD Blue."

Suzanne most notably played manicurist Polly Nguyen on 4 seasons of "Las Vegas."

She had an undergraduate psychology degree from Yale University and a masters from Brown University and was a published author, but Suzanne poured her energy and spirit into a vast array of fields. She was also a radio host, producer, political activist and a minister.

Jeff said she would "prefer that her life be celebrated, as opposed to her passing mourned."

Suzanne Whang
THE LAST TIME SHE SPOKE WITH US

Suzanne was 56.

RIP

Originally Published -- 6:59 AM PT

RBG I'm Not Gonna Feel Sorry for Myself

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Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is walking the walk and talking the talk ... showing everyone she's in the game of life.

RBG got a little help from security but also walked without assistance Thursday in NYC as she entered the 92nd Street Y cultural center.

She spoke to the crowd -- something she's been doing with some frequency after her 4th bout with cancer.

The night before, Ginsburg spoke at the Yale Club and told the crowd, "This latest has been my fourth cancer battle and I found each time that when I'm active I'm much better than if I'm just lying about and feeling sorry for myself."

She's repeatedly said she will stay on the Court as long as she's mentally agile.

Good news.

Antonio Brown NFL Investigating Menacing Texts ... to New 'Artist' Accuser

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The NFL is now investigating new troubling text messages Antonio Brown allegedly sent to a woman who accused him of sexual misconduct ... and the texts are damning.

The woman at the center of the investigation is the unnamed artist featured in a Sports Illustrated article published this week who said a naked AB inappropriately hit on her while she was painting a mural at his home in 2017.

The woman never went to authorities with her story ... but the description she gave to SI is a terrible look for the NFL star in the wake of a lawsuit filed another woman accusing him of rape.

The artist claims on Wednesday, Brown initiated a group text -- including her and some of his own associates -- trashing her for talking to SI and calling for his crew to begin digging into her background.

The most troubling text allegedly sent by Brown is this directive to his crew -- which was accompanied by a photo of her children.

"Those her kids and ig Eric she's awfully broke clearly."

Two other people included on the text chain respond, saying they will obey orders to gather info on the woman.

Clearly, the woman felt the texts were sent with the intention of scaring her -- so she went to the NFL to report the incident.

The NFL reportedly reached out to the woman on Thursday less than an hour after they were contacted. League investigators are reportedly scheduling a follow-up interview with the woman.

As for his NFL career, Brown is still active and expected to play for the New England Patriots on Sunday when they take on the NY Jets.

We reached out to Brown's attorney -- but he declined to comment.

Aaron Carter Family Plan to Get Him Help is Doomed

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Aaron Carter's family thinks they have the perfect plan in place to get their brother some serious help, but the truth is ... they don't.

Carter family sources tell TMZ ... their hope is that the protective order recently filed by Aaron's brother, Nick, is the ticket they need to get an appointment with a judge. From there, they hope to convince the judge to force Aaron into treatment.

Thing is ... there's no way legally a judge can do anything other than order Aaron to stay clear of Nick. Aaron is an adult and the decision to get help is vested in him and him alone. If he doesn't want help, there's almost nothing the family can do.

There is one thing ... in extreme, extreme cases, the family could go to court and ask for a conservatorship, where a conservator could essentially force treatment and remove any dangers from the home, like firearms. As we've extensively reported, that was the case with Britney Spears and Amanda Bynes, but in order for this to happen, there must be compelling proof the person in question can't care for themselves.

That said, our sources say Aaron's erratic behavior has set off alarm bells within his family, and they believe he's in the grip of a mental psychosis. Aaron's been publicly shaming his brother and dead sister, and his fam thinks it's a huge red flag.

Sources say Aaron's family members were behind the attempts to place him on several psychiatric holds ... something he hinted at on "TMZ Live." We're told they've also reported him to the ATF in hopes of getting his guns taken away. So far, no dice.

We broke the story ... Aaron says he's giving up his assault rifles, but not his pistol and shotgun.

As you know ... Aaron was on "The Doctors" recently, rattling off a laundry list of what he's been diagnosed with -- bipolar disorder and schizophrenia -- and showing off his medications. However, he's since walked back those claims.

Our sources say Aaron's family reached back out to "The Doctors" to see if they could get him help, but we're told Aaron refused an offer to meet with a psychologist. Fact is ... the show can't force AC to accept any kind of help.

TMZ broke the story, Nick Carter and his wife got a restraining order against Aaron earlier this week. Nick says he needed court-ordered protection from his little bro because he claimed Aaron told their sister, "I have thoughts of killing babies."

For his part, Aaron denies threatening to kill Nick's pregnant wife ... and he says he wants his family to leave him alone.

Joe Kennedy III Liz Warren's The Best Teacher I Ever Had ... Trump Would Fail Her Law Class!!!

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Donald Trump wouldn't stand a chance in Elizabeth Warren's Harvard Law School class ... so says Rep. Joe Kennedy III, who calls Liz the best teacher he's ever had.

We got Joe on Capitol Hill Thursday and asked about his first professor at Harvard Law back in the day, and he gives Warren an A+ when it comes to teaching.

Joe is effusive in his praise for Elizabeth, telling us why she was so great at explaining law and its impact in the real world. He says Warren's the same in the classroom as she is on the campaign trail -- she brings out the best in people.

But, there's one person Joe thinks even Elizabeth couldn't prop up ... Trump.

Joe's mum on his grades under Professor Warren, who he calls a tough grader, but he did graduate ... and ya gotta hear what Joe says about Trump's ability to handle one of Liz's classes.

BTW ... Kennedy is set to make a big announcement Saturday. Looks like he's making a run for the U.S. Senate ... just like his famous grandfather, Bobby, and great uncles, John and Ted.

Dana White Conor's Fighting Early 2020 Diaz-Masvidal Winner In Mix

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Conor McGregor's getting closer to his UFC return ... Dana White says The Notorious will fight early next year, and his opponent could be Nate Diaz or Jorge Masvidal.

McGregor hasn't fought since being submitted by Khabib at UFC 229 in October 2018 ... and many fans have wondered if Conor would ever fight again.

The answer to that question is hell yes.

"Early next year."

Khabib rematch??? No, not yet ... according to Dana.

"That's possible too down the road. I think Conor would fight somebody else before that."

That somebody else could be the winner of Diaz-Masvidal -- who are fighting at UFC 244 on November 2 at Madison Square Garden.

Conor against either guy would be HUGE. CM and Nate's first 2 fights are some of the biggest in the history of the UFC.

As for Masvidal ... he and McGregor have been talkin' trash, and both have said they want the fight.

Jorge Masvidal 7/31/19
"I'LL PUT HIM TO SLEEP"

White's previously said Masvidal -- who fights at 170 pounds -- is too big for Conor ... but it looks like the boss changed his mind.

We also talked to Dana about Khabib's future ... and who the lightweight champ will fight next.

"Tony Ferguson is the fight that needs to happen. We've tried to do it 4 other times so hopefully, we can do it this time. But, that's the fight that makes sense."

Khabib's openly said he wants a super fight with UFC legend Georges St-Pierre ... and when we asked White about a Nurmagomedov-GSP fight, he left the door wide open.

"That can happen too. So, we'll see what happens with Tony. Ya know Tony's had opportunities before that he didn't take, so if he doesn't, I'd be interested in talking about GSP."

Guess Who This Angelic Girl Turned Into!

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Before this praying princess would move on to much wilder things ... she was just a girl growing up in the Chicago suburbs.

After her family moved to California while she was in high school, she began traveling the world as a model ... and then went full Hollywood.

The young actress landed guest roles on hit shows like "Saved by the Bell," "Married... with Children," "Beverly Hills, 90210," "Seinfeld" and "Melrose Place" before scoring her first starring role in a cult classic sci-fi flick in 1997.

A year later, she costarred in an erotic thriller for which she's perhaps best known, and followed it up a year after that by becoming a Bond girl.

Since then, she's starred in several sitcoms and movies, went through a highly publicized marriage and divorce, and now belongs to a group of women known as the 'Real Housewives.'

Can you guess who she is?