Cuba Gooding Jr. Grand Jury Didn't See Security Vids ... My Indictment's Bogus!!!
-
Breaking News
- 412 shares
Cuba Gooding Jr. is outraged he was indicted by a grand jury that NEVER saw multiple videos of the alleged incidents of sexual misconduct.
Cuba's attorney Mark Jay Heller filed a motion to dismiss the 6-count indictment against him in NYC. According to the docs, Gooding calls it "grossly inappropriate and unjust" that the District Attorney didn't show the videos during the grand jury proceedings.
Gooding and his lawyers say the D.A. "chose here to trick the system by not giving the Grand Jury a fair opportunity to evaluate all of the facts and evidence."
JUNE 2019
TMZ broke the story ... there are videos of Cuba's June 2019 incident at Magic Hour Rooftop Bar, where he allegedly touched a woman's breast. There's also security footage at TAO Nightclub in NYC from last October 2018 when he was accused of touching a server's butt.
Gooding's indictment is for 3 separate incidents -- the third was at LAVO in NYC -- and his legal team has beef with that too. In the docs, they say the alleged incidents should be judged individually -- and lumping them together increased the risk of bias among the grand jury. BTW, according to Gooding's team ... there's also video of the LAVO incident
The actor wants the whole indictment tossed out of court. The judge has yet to rule.
The Manhattan D.A.'s Office had no comment on Gooding's attempt to get the case dismissed.
related articles
Justin Bieber 'R&Bieber' Has a Nice Ring To It!!! Let's Try to Make It Official
-
Exclusive
- 607 shares
Justin Bieber's definitely a tease, but there's a strong sign he aims to please -- because he's trying to trademark "R&Bieber."
Bieber's team filed legal docs just days after teasing he'd drop a new R&B album soon. He took to Instagram back on October 27 and simply posted "R&Bieber." Later that day, he told his 121 million followers that "if this gets 20 million likes Justin Bieber will release an album before Christmas."
Turns out he wasn't kidding ... cause according to new legal docs obtained by TMZ, Justin's filed docs to trademark "R&Bieber" for entertainment services in the nature of live musical performances and production of sound recordings. Sooo ... possible album title?
Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media.
The Biebs also wants to lock up the rights to slap "R&Bieber" on merch and film. Ever since he teased his fans last month ... buzz has been growing about the Biebs crossing over from pop sensation to R&B star.
A new album would be especially welcoming given how he hasn't dropped a new album in 4 years ... since releasing "Purpose."
related articles
Kodak Black Gets 46 Months Behind Bars ... in Federal Gun Case
Kodak Black could spend the next 46 months behind bars in his federal gun case ... TMZ has learned.
The rapper's attorney, Bradford Cohen, tells TMZ ... Kodak's been sentenced to nearly 4 years in prison after he pled guilty in his federal gun case back in August. Kodak's also been sentenced to 3 years of supervised release.
It's a bit of a break considering prosecutors wanted 96 months after Kodak was involved in a fight behind bars which resulted in a prison guard getting hurt.
As we reported ... as part of Kodak's plea agreement, prosecutors said they would push for a lighter sentence because Kodak had been cooperative. He initially faced a maximum of 10 years after pleading guilty to 2 counts of knowingly making a false and fictitious written statement in connection with the acquisition of a firearm.
Kodak had been in federal custody since his arrest in May. He had wanted to be let out while the case unfolded but a judge denied his request for bail after calling him a danger to the community.
The rapper had been arrested at the Rolling Loud festival on arrest warrants stemming from his indictment.
related articles
Elton John Can't Say Goodbye, Yellow Brick Road ... So How 'Bout We Don't?!?
Elton John's having a hard time hanging it up for his final time on the road, so for now ... he's gonna keep the show going for just a little while longer.
The British music icon just announced that he's extending his Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour, and it's not even by just a tad -- he's adding 24 new stops in North America.
The concerts will be a mix of extended stays in cities where he was already set to perform -- like extra days in Chicago, Houston, Montreal and Toronto. He's also going to all new cities ... such as Hershey, PA, Lincoln, NE, Fargo, ND and other smaller markets.
The new dates start in March of 2020 and will run through the summer -- marking the last time he'll play a concert either here or in Canada. His Farewell tour will then head across the pond where he'll do a string of shows across Europe, and finally landing in the U.K.
His final tour concert is slated for December 17 at the O2 in London.
Funny enough, Elton recently canceled and rescheduled a missed concert in Indianapolis due to illness -- looks like he's all better now, and making up for that tenfold.
Time will tell if EJ means what he says -- about retirement -- or if he'll go the Cher route and never retire.
related articles
Kevin Hart God is Good, Life is Great ... Here's a Hundo, Valet Guy!!!
-
Exclusive
- 651 shares
Kevin Hart's got a good thing going ... and he appears to be trying to spread those vibes wherever he goes.
We got Kevin out with his wife, Eniko, Tuesday after the 2 went shopping at the luxury boutique, Maxfield, in WeHo ... and he's his usual upbeat self as we ask him some questions about coming back from his car accident.
Hart's train of thought is momentarily interrupted while he and Eniko determine how to pay the valet ... but Kev ultimately settles on $100 from his stack of Benjamins.
Back to his recovery ... Hart tells us he's not returned to form physically yet, but he's working every day to get better and says he has some time off before he goes back to work to focus on it.
He also has a sense of humor about the injuries he suffered a couple months ago ... just watch how he gets into his sports car.
As we've reported ... Kevin's been preaching lately about appreciating life and focusing on the important things, and his chat with us echoes that sentiment.
There is one topic he ducks talking about, though ... check it out.
related articles
'General Hospital' Star Busted for Public Intoxication ... Mug Shot After Alarming Bender
-
Exclusive
- 17.1K shares
7:52 AM PT -- According to new legal docs -- obtained by TMZ -- Tyler's arrest capped off an alarming bender that possibly went on for weeks. Cops say they were contacted on Nov. 11 by an Uber driver who drove him home ... because Christopher had passed out in the back seat and urinated himself. He also allegedly had 2 fifths of bourbon on him ... one of which was halfway drank.
The docs say police have received 9 calls regarding Christopher being intoxicated since September 14, and medical personnel advised law enforcement there was nothing more they could do for him ... they'd already tried to help him.
For example -- Christopher was detained just days earlier on Nov. 8 for public intoxication at a Walgreens when someone reported he was trying to get inside their vehicle. Cops say Tyler was bleeding from the bridge of his nose and had urinated in his sweatpants ... and possibly hit his head.
Instead of being arrested, he was taken to the ER to be examined, but also took a breath test ... and registered a BAC of .267% -- more than 3 times the legal driving limit.
The docs say he got transported to a medical center for more treatment, and a warrant was filed for his arrest upon being released. Apparently, he checked himself out on Nov. 11 against medical advice ... before he was arrested for the Uber incident.
Tyler Christopher -- best known for his appearances on "General Hospital" over the course of 20 years -- may have had too much fun celebrating turning 47 ... because he ended up in jail.
The soap star was arrested in Martinsville, Indiana Monday night -- on his 47th birthday -- and booked for public intoxication. According to Morgan County Jail records ... he's being held on $225 cash and $1,000 bond.
As far as we can tell ... Tyler hasn't been released yet.
Based on his mug shot, Christopher's changed his look quite a bit since he left his role on another popular soap opera, "Days of Our Lives," earlier this year ... and not for the better.
Tyler played Stefan DiMera on 'Days' from December 2017 until leaving the series this past March. Before that, he played Nikolas Cassadine on 'GH' off and on from 1996 to 2016.
All that pales in comparison to the best fun fact about Tyler though -- he was married to Eva Longoria from 2002 to 2004.
Happy birthday, bud?
Originally Published -- 12:40 AM PT
related articles
Hayden Panettiere Me & BF Brian Are All Good, Man ... We Never Even Fought!!!
-
Exclusive
- 665 shares
NOVEMBER 2019
Hayden Panettiere is shrugging off any suggestion that she and her boyfriend were ever anything but a-OK -- despite the fact he got arrested for allegedly roughing her up.
The actress was at LAX Tuesday when we ran into her and asked for a life update, considering the last time we heard from her was in a very negative light -- her new-ish BF, Brian Hickerson, had been charged with felony domestic violence against her.
As we reported ... the couple allegedly got into a scuffle earlier this year at their home that left red marks on Hayden's body, and police took Brian in for it.
However, you'd never know anything was wrong by the way Hayden reacts here ... insisting the two of 'em never even fought ... comparing it to a squabble with the family dog.
We kept pressing her to make sure things were good, asking if family members were right to worry for her well-being -- especially after she's been seen with Brian again lately, including last week at the airport -- but Hayden doubles down ... noting she can handle herself.
A couple things oughta be noted here -- for one, Brian's criminal case in L.A. was recently dismissed for not being able to secure a "material witness" -- aka, Hayden. Also ... HP seems awfully nervous here as she boards a waiting car that seems to be driven by Brian.
She's got an explanation for that too though -- here's hoping she truly is okay, after all.
related articles
LeBron James Love For Kyler At Lakers Game ... Nothing For Bellinger?!?
-
Breaking News
- 181 shares
Here's LeBron James going out of his way to show love to NFL star Kyler Murray at the Lakers game on Tuesday ... it's a cool moment.
But, there's another issue with this clip ... did LeBron ignore L.A. Dodgers star Cody Bellinger, who was sitting right next to the QB?!
SAY IT AIN'T SO BRON!!!
Here's the deal ... King James went over to the expensive seats at Talking Stick Resort Arena with about 25 seconds left in the 4th quarter to dap up Murray, the #1 overall pick in the NFL Draft.
FYI, Murray and LeBron have been friends for a while -- in fact, Kyler has a deal with Bron's Uninterrupted media company ... and rocked the logo inside of his suit jacket on Draft night.
But, during the broadcast, we DIDN'T see LeBron show love to Cody ... who was sitting right next to Kyler!!!
Look, doesn't mean Bron didn't chop it up with Cody before or after the game (or maybe LBJ just didn't recognize Cody in a backward hat).
Bron definitely SHOULD know Bellinger ... he shouted out the MLB star for wearing his Lakers jersey for a Taco Tuesday-themed Halloween costume this year!
LeBron James appreciated Cody Bellinger & Joe Kelly's tandem LBJ/Taco Tuesday costumes on the Dodgers' road trip today. (via James' IG) pic.twitter.com/cPn1GioFtf
— Adrian Garro (@adriangarro) September 27, 2019 @adriangarro
But hey, at least Cody's killin' it off the diamond ... he and his smokin' GF, Sabrina, seem to be happily in love.
Congrats on that!!
related articles
Pete Buttigieg Riding the 2015 Trump Wave??? Similar Presidential Odds
-
Exclusive
- 972 shares
Pete Buttigieg is now the Democratic favorite in Iowa, but he might have even more good fortune based on how his odds stack up against Donald Trump's from 4 years ago.
According to USBookies.com, Mayor Pete is in a similar position to Donald Trump during the same time frame -- 1 year out from the 2016 election. Pete is sitting at a 6/1 chance to nab the Democratic nom, while Trump was 3/1 around this time in 2015. As for the Presidency -- Pete's odds are 12/1 and Trump was at 10/1. Pretty dang close, if you ask us.
The odds were set by gamblers betting on USBookies.com, BTW.
As for who's gonna take the big prize next November, Trump is still the odds-on favorite -- regardless of who runs against him -- at 6/5.
Back to Pete though ... the reason why it's interesting that he's got a bit of a Trump vibe (to his odds, that is) around the same time the guy did back then is because -- like DT -- Mayor Pete is very much viewed as a dark horse candidate.
Take into consideration that he is now the leading candidate out in Iowa as of Tuesday, and it makes ya wonder if he'll have the same success Trump himself had in the run-up to 2016.
We're guessing Pete doesn't care to have much in common with the man in the White House, but something tells us he's happy to share in his chances ... so long as it means he wins.
related articles
Steve-O Watch A Needle Go Through My Hand!!!
-
Exclusive
- 616 shares
Steve-O likes jamming ... needles through his hand ... and he hopes you like jamming too.
Check out this insane video that definitely ain't for the faint of heart ... Steve-O takes a super long, but also thin, needle and sticks it all the way through his left hand!!!
The stunt looks extremely painful, but as Steve-O puts it ... the needle's actually working wonders for his paw. Watch the video, he explains why -- think acupuncture on steroids, but without actual 'roids.
BTW ... the dude showing Steve-O the ropes is magician Chris Oberle. He's been doing magic for 15 years, performing for some huge celebs like Jason Statham, Nate Diaz, Steve Aoki and Ryan Cabrera.
This is NOT a magic trick though ... it's all too real.
Of course, America's favorite jackass is no stranger to painful stunts ... the last time we saw him inflicting pain on his own body, Steve-O was taking a golf club to the face courtesy of Chuck Liddell.
No needle can stop Steve-O now.
related articles
Tiki Barber Giants Should NOT Sit Saquon Barkley ... It'll Hurt His Confidence
-
Exclusive
- 267 shares
The WORST thing the New York Giants could do for the struggling and banged-up Saquon Barkley is force him to sit the rest of the season ... so says the team's all-time leading rusher, Tiki Barber.
The G-Men are having a terrible season -- they're 2-8 and going nowhere fast -- and there's been talk that sitting the 2018 Offensive Rookie of the Year is the smart move for the future.
FYI, Barkley has had a rough go of it the last few weeks -- culminating in the worst game of his career against the then 1-win NY Jets -- when he rushed for 1 yard on 13 carries ... and according to coach Pat Shurmur, got banged up during the game.
So, when we saw Tiki in NYC -- the best running back in franchise history -- we asked him if Giants brass should force Barkley to hang up his cleats until next season.
His answer ... hell no.
"I don't think they should shut him down. I think that would be detrimental to his psyche, 'cause he wants to be out there playing," Barber tells us.
"I think limiting his carries might be smart going forward. Get Wayne Gallman some runs, and try to keep [Saquon] as healthy as possible."
We also talked to Barber about rookie QB Daniel Jones -- who's thrown a bunch of TDs (15) -- but has also fumbled the ball at an alarming rate (13 times).
Remember, Tiki had a fumbling issue before NYG head coach Tom Coughlin changed the way the RB carried the ball … turning him into a star.
Despite putting the ball on the ground way too often, Barber thinks Jones has a bright future in NYC.
"He's having some turnover issues. But, the timing is so different and the speed is so different in the NFL. That's what's causing him to hold on to the ball a little bit longer than he should," Tiki says.
"But, he's gonna be fine. I love him as a player. I think he's got the right attitude, mentality to be a star in this league and to take this team far. But, he's young. He's still a rookie."
related articles
Snoop Dogg's Pal Rapper Bad Azz Dies in Jail at 43 ... No Foul Play Suspected
-
Exclusive Details
- 18K shares
6:08 AM PT -- 11/13 -- Cops say guards were conducting a security check when they noticed Bad Azz in need of medical assistance. Medical staff attempted to perform lifesaving measures, but he was pronounced dead at the scene.
Law enforcement sources say there are no signs of foul play, and their investigation remains ongoing. The cause of death will be determined by the coroner.
Rapper Bad Azz -- one of Snoop Dogg's close friends in the game -- has died in jail.
Bad Azz appears to have passed away Monday while being held in custody at a detention center in Riverside, CA on a domestic violence charge. It's unclear how he may have died, but the guy was picked up Friday and had an upcoming court date Tuesday.
His bail was set at just $10,000, and based on jail records ... it doesn't look he'd bailed out.
The west coast MC was an affiliate of Snoop's, Daz Dillinger, Kurupt, Warren G, Nate Dogg and others associated with Tha Dogg Pound Gangsta Crips based out of Long Beach.
He'd collaborated with all of those guys, plus Tupac (when he was alive) as well as MC Eiht, Mistah F.A.B., Bizzy Bone, The Lady of Rage, Ice Cube, Busta Rhymes and others. He put out four solo albums and was featured on at least 2 collaborative albums.
His DPGC buddies posted tons of tributes on social media -- seeming to confirm his death -- including an Instagram post by Snoop who wrote ... "Damn 😥. R. I. P. To my young. D. P. G. L. L. G. L. B. C. Crew original @badazzlbc gone 2 soon."
Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media.
One of his most famous tracks was "Wrong Idea," which featured SD. He had well over 70 features credited to his name over the years, dating back to the mid-90s.
Bad Azz was 43.
RIP
Originally Published -- 11/12 6:25 AM PT
related articles
Lamont in 'American History X' 'Memba Him?!
Missouri-born Guy Torry is best known for playing the friendly prison workmate, Lamont -- who creates an important bond while folding bedding and penitentiary drawers -- in the 1998 film, "American History X."
Guy Torry was cast alongside Edward Norton who received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor for his work as the white supremacist, Derek Vinyard ... who is ultimately protected by Lamont after he changes his ways in Chino prison.
Fun Fact: Guy's older brother is comedian Joe Torry who's most notably Chicago in "Poetic Justice" and Stack in "Tales From The Hood."
More 'Memba Thems!
Stan Lee's Daughter Sues His Former Assistant For $25 Million ... I Never Put Hands On My Father!!!
-
Exclusive
- 791 shares
Stan Lee's daughter is suing one of her father's former personal assistants for slander after he went on a podcast and claimed she grabbed Stan by the neck and slammed his head into a chair ... this according to a new $25 million lawsuit.
In the suit, obtained by TMZ, Joan Celia Lee claims her father's ex-assistant, Bradley Herman, appeared on a podcast published a few days after Stan's death and said, "JC Lee took her father by the neck and grabbed his neck and slammed his head back into the wood portion of the chair."
According to the docs ... JC claims Herman's statement was totally false -- she says she never struck her father and never tried to choke him. Stan's daughter says she believes Herman, who she claims was fired in early 2018, made the false statement because he was seeking revenge against her.
In the suit, JC claims Herman stole from Stan before being fired, and she claims Herman regularly forged Stan's signature on loans.
Also in the docs, JC claims her father denied she ever hit, struck or strangled him in multiple interviews with the media. She claims Herman knew the narrative was false when he relayed it on the podcast.
JC is also suing the podcast's host, Alan Duke.
related articles
John Legend I'm the Sexiest Man Alive!!!
John Legend has just joined the ranks of Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, Chris Hemsworth and Idris Elba as People Magazine's Sexiest Man Alive.
The announcement was made Tuesday night, much to the excitement of John's wife, Chrissy Teigen, who tweeted, "my secret is out. I have fulfilled my dream of having boned @people's sexiest man alive!! an honor!!!!!" and "I cannot WAIT for people to get mad about John being the sexiest man alive. it's my new Starbucks holiday cup."
John Legend Is PEOPLE's #SexiestManAlive 2019: 'I'm Excited but a Little Scared at the Same Time' https://t.co/qBIpYSozLf pic.twitter.com/gByepXc7dN
— People (@people) November 13, 2019 @people
Legend's accomplishments include singing and acting -- to name a few -- and he most recently completed the cycle for an EGOT by winning a Tony award for co-producing the play, "Jitney."
John married Chrissy in 2013 and they have 2 kids together.
Congrats!!!
related articles
Kaepernick to NFL I Want Shot Callers At My Workout
-
Exclusive Details
- 11K shares
Colin Kaepernick had some demands before agreeing to work with the NFL to conduct a private workout this weekend ... starting with making sure teams were sending serious decision-makers and not the peons.
We've spoken with multiple sources about the workout and were told the NFL contacted Kap's camp first after multiple teams reached out to the league to express interest in the QB.
We're told the league gave Colin a hard deadline on whether he was in or out -- and Colin responded with a few demands of his own.
First, Colin wanted to make sure the workout would be a "legitimate process" -- and not a P.R. stunt.
There is an expectation from Colin's side that the league will provide a list of team officials who will attend.
We're also told Colin pushed back on the workout date because he felt Saturday is a tough day for NFL teams since most teams are traveling and prepping for a game on Sunday.
But, the NFL wouldn't budge and Colin ultimately agreed to do the workout on Saturday. It's still unclear why the league was so dead set on Sat.
Colin tweeted about the workout on Tuesday -- making his expectations crystal clear ... he wants BOSSES on the premises.
"I’ve been in shape and ready for this for 3 years, can’t wait to see the head coaches and GMs on Saturday."
Stay tuned ...