The new 'Bachelorette' will have to wait just a bit longer to find her Prince Charming ... because production of the show has been halted thanks to coronavirus.
Sources on the show tell us contestants and crew working Clare Crawley's upcoming season were supposed to get into full filming Friday, but that has been delayed. We're told they hope to start things up on Sunday ... but that's not for sure yet.
38-year-old Crawley is the show's oldest star to date ... and was officially intro'd during the season finale of Peter Weber's season earlier this week.
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Crawley likely won't mind pushing her start back if it means staying healthy and finding a better partner than Peter did. Weber first broke off his engagement to Hannah Ann Sluss before announcing he wanted to rekindle things with show runner-up Madison Prewett.
However, he and Prewett announced Thursday they were no longer going to try to make things work.
Congress is divided now more than ever except when it comes to chowing down ... 'cause they all apparently love Popeyes!!!
Our camera guy in D.C. just saw moments ago a cart full of orders from Popeyes being wheeled into the Capitol building. You can see two staffers unloading the bags full of orders before heading inside.
Coronavirus or not ... politicians gotta eat. Especially with President Trump set to hold a news conference at 3 PM ET for an update on, in Trump's own words, the "CoronaVirus!"
But, get this ... we're told it's possible some members of Congress put in a huge order because the cafeteria inside the building may be shut down -- again, blame the coronavirus -- and there's limited food options.
Guess the fast-food joint was right ... everyone loves that chicken from Popeyes. Good thing we're not dealing with the bird flu.
10:51 AM PT -- Kelly's attorney, Doug Anton, tells us, "It seems that the government has sought to add additional allegations as to alleged conduct, with what they believe to be more specificity. Why these alleged facts relating to conduct were not known by the government until now, or included in the indictment until now, raises questions for my defense team to take an interest in."
UPDATE
Anton says, "It is unclear why the government, in speaking to Jane Doe #3, for example, would not have garnered from her these additional factual allegations in the over one year they have been speaking with her already."
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He continues, "These are serious criminal allegations. How does an alleged victim 'forget' such things? Or... perhaps... these allege victims are not victims at all, but only women who have been told and instructed, even peer pressured if you will, years later, that the claimed relationship they freely and voluntarily engaged in, should now, in the #metoo era, be classified as 'bad' or 'abusive,' and they are continually seeking to add facts, even if not truthful, to their story, to make the alleged events as salacious as humanly possible."
R. Kelly's pile of legal issues just got bigger ... he's been hit with several new charges by federal prosecutors in New York, and they include crimes against a minor.
According to legal docs -- obtained by TMZ -- Kelly's been hit with a new indictment related to 2 new alleged victims, one of whom was under 18 when she says she had sex with Kelly in 2015. The indictment, out of the Eastern District of NY, includes charges of coercion and enticement, coercion of a minor and transportation of a minor across state lines.
The woman who was a minor is listed as Jane Doe #5, and she claims Kelly never told her he had herpes during their relationship. Jane Doe #6 says she too was exposed to the virus because they had unprotected sex.
In addition, Kelly's also been hit with new racketeering charges including allegations he used, "force, threats of force, physical restraint and threats of physical restraint."
Kelly remains behind bars in Illinois while he awaits trial, and maintains his innocence.
Recently, one of Kelly's former live-in girlfriends, Azriel Clary, has come out and accused the singer of brainwashing her and forcing her to lie to the public about their relationship when she was underage.
Diane Warrensays nothing's gonna stop Joe Biden's march towards the White House ... and she's offering up one of her #1 hits to help him get the job done.
We got the legendary songwriter and staunch Democrat outside Madeo in Bev Hills and she couldn't stop gushing over Biden and his surge toward the nomination.
Diane tells our photog she's got the perfect song in mind for Joe's campaign to use once he goes head-to-head with President Trump, and it's a blast from the past ... Starship's 1987 hit, "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now."
Diane wrote the song, and you can see in this clip ... the wheels turning in Diane's head as she changes a few lyrics on the spot to better suit Joe. Evidence of her lyrical genius.
Diane says Joe's more than welcome to use the songs she wrote FOR FREE. We don't think he'd even try, but she makes it clear she's not offering the Prez that deal.
Watch to the end ... she threw a major zinger at Trump, when we asked about Biden's age.
DaBaby just got slapped back ... with a lawsuit from the woman who claims the rapper smacked the hell outta her at a recent concert.
Tyronesha Laws just filed the suit, claiming she was minding her own damn business when the rapper, "suddenly and without any warning," lashed out and brutally and violently struck her in the face last weekend during his Tampa gig.
In docs, obtained by TMZ, Tyronesha says she was in the crowd of concertgoers waiting for DB to take the stage. She says he did not simply walk on the stage to begin his performance, and instead, proceeded through the crowd with his entourage, and "without incident." Until he got to her.
She claims DaBaby expressed no remorse for his slap and points out the rapper made fun of the situation on social media when he posted a skit featuring comedian Michael Blackson.
Laws' attorneys, Matt Morgan and Chelsea Cromer of Morgan and Morgan, say the incident was "outrageous and shocking." Her legal team added, "Our goal is to deter similar conduct in the future and send a message that this type of behavior is not tolerated in America."
Remember, Tyronesha told us she was NOT the person who put a phone right in DaBaby's face. She insists she was standing next to the person who did that when DB unleashed his anger.
On the other hand, DB's lawyer, Drew Findling, told us Laws is NOT the person his client slapped and added alleged victims are coming out of the woodwork.
Laws is suing for battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress and other damages. We've reached out to DaBaby, so far, no word back.
11:37 AM PT -- Post has decided to postpone the rest of his tour ... Thursday was the last show.
Post Malone was anything BUT POSTponed ... his show in Denver oddly went on despite everything else getting canceled amid fears of widespread of the coronavirus.
The rapper's facing tons of heat after performing Thursday night in front of a sold-out crowd at Pepsi Center ... quite the opposite of social distancing. Fans ate up the performance, but many are confused as to why it was allowed to happen in the first place.
Colorado hasn't banned large public gatherings but health officials in the Centennial State warned against it to steam the fast-spreading disease. Post's show drew even more ire considering the NBA, NCAA, NHL, MLS, MLB and other major orgs halted operations.
The Pepsi Center tweeted Thursday Post's show would proceed as scheduled, and the reaction was immediate and tense. One person replied, "Wow. Wildly irresponsible and greedy. Thanks for the $300 loss." Another said, "Governor should [get] involved and cancel this event what is state of emergency!"
And, get this ... Post's show continued even though Blake Shelton's show originally scheduled for Saturday at the same venue was nixed due to the coronavirus.
Post Malone's next gig is next week at Chase Center in Frisco. So far, it's listed as "canceled or postponed -- TBD" but California officials have called for the cancellation of all gatherings with 250 or more people.
One of the men convicted in the 1993 shooting death of Michael Jordan's father is up for parole ... despite being sentenced to life in prison.
MJ's dad James Jordan Sr. was shot to death in July 1993 while sleeping in his car at a rest stop in North Carolina. His body was dumped off a bridge in South Carolina and recovered 11 days later.
Two men -- Larry Demery and Daniel Andre Green -- were arrested for the murder. Both were convicted of 1st-degree murder and armed robbery and each got life sentences.
But, the North Carolina Post-Release Supervision and Parole Commission says 44-year-old Demery is now being considered for parole by way of the Mutual Agreement Parole Program.
The MAPP is "designed to prepare selected inmates for release through structured activities, scheduled progression in custody levels, participation in community based programs and established parole dates," according to the NC Dept. of Public Safety.
No word on when Demery could be released. Also, unclear if Green is eligible for the same program.
10:25 AM PT -- The Greek Olympic committee has suspended the rest of the torch relay because of the large crowd gatherings that come with the ceremony ... organizers say they want to limit the risk of spreading the coronavirus.
Gerard Butler's doing his part to ensure the Olympics go off without a hitch -- coronavirus be damned -- by carrying the torch in the only city you'd expect to find him ... Spaaaarta!!!
You could say the "300" star was on his home turf Friday morning as he joined the Olympic torch relay. Rocking a Tokyo 2020 shirt, he carried the flame from Mystras, Greece into Sparta.
Once he arrived he addressed the crowd and, naturally, he had to say his most famous line. Hell, they didn't invite him to the relay for his good looks. Okay, let's be honest, that face doesn't hurt.
The relay started Thursday in Ancient Olympia, and will wind its way to Athens on March 19. From there it'll start its global journey and -- barring postponement or cancellation -- end up in Tokyo in July.
The video of Gerard doing the torch hand-off is interesting because, as you'd imagine, there's a crowd of reporters and photographers surrounding him. No one is maintaining a distance of 6 feet. If you're panicked about coronavirus ... it was not the place to be.
The UFC will NOT cancel events in the midst of a coronavirus pandemic -- with Dana White saying he made the decision to proceed after talking about the virus with President Trump.
"I talked to the President and the Vice President of the United States today about this and they're taking this very serious and they're saying 'be cautious and be careful but live your life and stop panicking,'" White said on ESPN.
Dana White says he spoke with President Trump and Vice President Pence and they advised him to move forward with events "They're saying be cautious, be careful but live your life and quit panicking" pic.twitter.com/LtUEGyo9jr
"Everybody is panicking and instead of panicking we're actually getting out there and working with doctors and health officials and the government to figure out how to keep the sport safe and how we can continue to put on events."
Of course, UFC is scheduled to host UFC Fight Night 170 on Saturday, headlined by the main event -- Kevin Lee vs. Charles Oliveira.
That fight will still take place in Brazil -- but with no fans in the building.
In a video statement to fans, White said the UFC is "closely monitoring the situation with coronavirus and its potential impact on UFC athletes, staff and fans around the world."
White says other events could be moved from other cities and countries to the UFC APEX arena in Las Vegas.
Ja'Net DuBois' family is revealing an amazing hidden fact about the "Good Times" star -- her biological father was none other than jazz legend Cab Calloway ... or so they believe.
It's turning into quite a showbiz mystery, actually ... one that started when Ja'Net's death certificate was released this week by L.A. County. The document, obtained by TMZ, lists her father as Cab -- and says she was also known as Jeannette T. Calloway-DuBois.
It's interesting because, in addition to acting, Ja'Net was a singer. She co-wrote and sang the theme song to "The Jeffersons" ... which makes ya think the apple didn't fall far from the tree.
If you don't know, Calloway's swing era, singing and dancing, helped put Harlem's famed Cotton Club on the map in the 1930s.
However, before anyone starts rewriting history ... there's a dispute. Every online bio for Ja'Net lists her dad was Gordon Dubois and her mother was Lillian Gouedy. Her mom's name is the same on the death certificate, but Mr. Dubois is nowhere on the document.
Ja'Net's daughter provided the info for the death certificate, and when we asked her to clarify, she would only say Gordon was married to Lillian and "instrumental" in raising Ja'Net. Basically, a stepfather.
Now, Cab died in 1994, but his estate has no clue about the alleged connection. The estate tells TMZ .. "While we have a great appreciation for Ja'Net DuBois' long and successful career, the Calloway Estate has nothing to add to this single document that has numerous mistakes and no verification."
For instance, the estate points out there are multiple birthplaces and birth dates listed online for Ja'Net. We're told they'd be open to a conversation with her family if there were any "compelling facts to substantiate" their claim.
Translation: Ball's in the Dubois family's court now.
It's a little dark, but some people are planning for eternity in the wake of the coronavirus.
Hollywood Forever Cemetery has been barraged by death-obsessed customers apparently panicked by theCOVID-19 pandemic.
“Never seen anything like this before. It’s crazy,” co-founder Yogu Kanthiah told us.
Kanthiah says customers are dropping wads to buy pre-death plots and secure a spot at Hollywood Forever’s bucolic grounds -- where more than 200 celebs are resting in peace.
Arguably, these premortem purchases may be a tad premature. But, maybe not.
“It’s similar to people going to Costco -- they don’t need all the toilet paper and sanitizer, but they’re buying it anyway,” Kanthiah said.
Take heed… if you’re aiming to get interred or cremated at Hollywood Forever near legends like Judy Garland or punk god Johnny Ramone, it will set you back a handsome sum.
For a crypt in this dirt, it costs around $7,000 and balloons to $19,000 for a prime position in the cemetery’s VIP section along the lakeside property, aptly named Garden of Legends.
Here's the rub ... most of the choicest inventory near the deceased celebs have already been sold or taken by other mortals.
A tradition unlike any other ... has just bit the dust -- at least for now.
The Augusta National Golf Club has announced the 2020 Masters Tournament -- the most prestigious event in pro golf -- is postponed over coronavirus.
"Respecting the health and well-being of everyone associated with these events and the citizens of the Augusta community, the 2020 Masters tournament, the Augusta National Women's Amateur and the Drive, Chip and Putt National Finals have been postponed."
The Masters was scheduled to kick off on April 9 at Augusta -- and organizers had considered holding the tourney without fans.
But, as the pandemic grows and health experts warn against public gatherings of any kind, the powers that be decided to pull the plug ... at least for now.
Augusta chairman Fred Ridley says ... "Ultimately, the health and well-being of everyone associated with these events and the citizens of the Augusta community led us to this decision."
"We hope this postponement puts us in the best position to safely host the Masters Tournament and our amateur events at some later date."
"We will continue to work with the World Health Organization, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Office of the Governor, the Georgia Department of Public Health, the City of Augusta and all other local authorities. We are grateful to all of these entities for their exceptional efforts and guidance."
Unclear when officials are looking to reschedule -- seems everyone is in wait and watch mode.
"The Bachelor" star Peter Weber learned the hard way mama knows best -- she was never a fan of Madison Prewett and now Madi's a goner cause the couple is dunzo.
Madi and Peter revealed the split Thursday night ... just 2 days after an incredibly tense and awkward "After the Final Rose" finale where Peter's mom, Barbara, let it be known in not so friendly terms ... she's never gonna get on board with the relationship.
Madi, who initially tagged the wrong Pilot Pete account in her Instagram breakup post, said she and Peter decided to go separate ways but never elaborated.
Didn't seem to bother Madi all that much, at least on the surface, because moments after announcing her breakup she was seen partying -- yes, hanging at Target can constitute as partying -- with none other than Selena Gomez.
As for Peter, he seems to be taking this all in stride too. He said, "Madi and I have mutually decided to not pursue our relationship any further. Believe me this was not easy for either of us to be ok with, but after a lot of honest conversations, we have agreed that this is what makes most sense for the two of us."
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BTW ... Peter's mom celebrated the breakup by posting video of her and two friends singing, "Leaving on a Jet Plane." BURN!!!
Supercuts is seeing its bottom-line cut to shreds by the coronavirus pandemic ... because folks just ain't sitting down in barber chairs anymore.
The number of customers at several Supercuts locations are down a whopping 60 to 80 percent in the past couple days ... this according to several Supercuts managers, who tell TMZ the lack of traffic is gonna force them to cut down on shifts for hairstylists.
The absence of customers is so devastating, a barber at one location tells us they only had 3 customers during Thursday's 6-hour shift.
Obviously, the lack of business comes as fears mount over thespread of the virus and folks are faced with a new daily reality.
Some Supercuts are part of Regis Corporation -- others are franchised -- and the managers under the Regis Corp. umbrella tell us their storefronts are being supplied with extra hand sanitizer for those brave souls still coming through for a cut.
The precautions don't end there ... the same managers tell us their stores are sanitizing everything between each haircut, which are few and far between.
The aisles are mostly empty inside Sin City wedding chapels ... couples hoping to tie the knot at famous spots are canceling wedding plans left and right in the wake of a deadly pandemic ... and even Elvisain't immune.
Four of the most popular wedding venues in Las Vegas are no longer booming in the face of the fast-spreading coronavirus ... with lots of would-be brides and grooms telling them they're too scared to go through with their destination weddings.
Vegas Wedding tells us they've had couples saying they made their decision over fears of contracting coronavirus. One bride cited her weakened immune system, saying travel and crowds are not worth the risk. Another family also bailed over travel fears.
Graceland Wedding Chapel is dealing with similar fears -- COVID-19 and travel. They tell us they do lots of weddings for Europeans, and Trump's travel ban has chapel owners worried about future bookings. The silver lining -- European couples can get a 2-year credit to reschedule nuptials if they cancel.
Ditto Wedding Chapel ... the owner tells us things are deathly slow ... and the European travel ban is already forcing last-minute cancellations.
Viva Las Vegas Wedding is getting at least 3 cancellations a day, while some couples say they're still coming because they won't let the virus ruin their lives.
The chapels are dealing with the same issues -- and working overtime to keep things sanitized -- and even Elvis Presleyimpersonators are feeling the effects.
The famous Elvis at Viva Las Vegas Wedding is washing his outfits way more often ... and he's got hand sanitizer at his podium, because he's still shaking hands and hugging couples for photos. Ditto for the Elvises at Graceland Wedding Chapel, where one impersonator is also cycling through 20 jumpsuits to stay extra-clean.
The impersonators spend a lot of time in the bathroom, just like the real Elvis ... only the wannabees are there to wash hands.
Jerry Seinfeld says there's no way he'll ever try to buy his beloved New York Mets ... telling TMZ Sports it's WAY more fun to watch the game as a fan!
Jerry can definitely afford an ownership stake in the Mets -- dude's loaded. Forbes says he made $41 mil in 2019 alone ... not including the fortune he raked in from "Seinfeld."
There's been a lot of drama surrounding Mets team ownership lately -- with the Wilpon family looking to sell. They had a deal in place with minority owner Steve Cohen (he currently owns 8% of the team) who was looking to buy an 80% stake. The deal would have made the Mets valuation around $2.6 BILLION -- but the deal fell through.
Now, more potential buyers are popping up ... there are even reports Alex Rodriguez is interested. A-Rod has said he was a big Mets fan as a kid and he's reportedly considering putting an investment group together to try and make the purchase.
So, when we saw Seinfeld out in NYC we asked if A-Rod would be a great owner -- or if Jerry himself would be interested in buying a piece of the team -- and that's when Jerry broke it down for us right there on the street.
"No! The highest level of sports appreciation, particularly baseball, is a hotdog, a beer and a seat," Jerry said.
"There's nothing higher. That's the pinnacle ... People think that owning the team is more fun, it's actually LESS fun."
He's got a point ... but unfortunately, the fans are gonna have to wait for that meal -- with MLB suspending all action over the coronavirus scare.
