Before this adorable little boy with a snake was weeding through news as one of the most influential journalists and television personalities he was just another cool kid with an affinity for creepy critters growing up in New York.
Although he was a super cute kid rockin' a '70s wide collar shirt and interest in scaly creatures ... those blown locks turned grey and now he's more associated with clean tailored suits and animals like a silver fox.
Look deep into those piercing blue eyes and see if you peep which star is in the adorable throwback photo.
Chris Cuomo is taking a huge step in his COVID-19 recovery -- he's returning to bro mode, getting in some outdoor exercise and, apparently, setting up a home gym.
The CNN anchor, who' been doing his show from his basement, emerged Wednesday for a jog near his home in the Hamptons. It's the first time we've seen him outside since he announced he'd contracted the coronavirus.
Seems Chris is still pushing it physically as he recovers. Remember, he outlined his game plan to beat COVID-19 ... and the playbook from his doctor called for as much movement as possible because the virus can set up shop in the body when you're sedentary and passive.
There's little chance that would ever happen with Chris ... looks like he's gonna be stepping up his in-home workouts. Some gym equipment was delivered to his crib.
It's probably no coincidence ... CNN announced Wednesday most of their staff would not return to their offices until September. So, Chris is hunkering down for a long haul.
Unfortunately, he also got some bad news today -- his 14-year-old son Mario's tested positive for COVID-19, which comes on the heels of finding out his wife Christina tested positive last week.
At least the fam has a good role model for beating it.
10:19 AM PT -- 4/23 -- Tyler is addressing some backlash he's getting on social media ... he says he was practicing social distancing during his workout and wants to make it clear he's taking the coronavirus pandemic seriously.
UPDATE
TC just tweeted ... "I'd like to address this TMZ article that has people upset about social distancing. I am just like y'all and am taking this serious. There are loved ones that I miss because I can’t see them just like y'all, and even worse people still getting sick."
UPDATE
Tyler adds ... "I take these precautions very seriously but you try and keep a bunch of grown folk to comply with all the rules you're trying to set. Not the easiest of tasks. But back to the article, some neighbors were running sprints, one goes to school and plays sports with Ryan. I challenged them to some sprints after our workout and we talked for a bit… from a distance."
UPDATE
TC says people on the internet are jumping to conclusions and says, "now going to clean my house for all the Facebook moms."
For Tyler Cameron, workouts are essential ... but Hannah Brown is not, and neither is his shirt!!!
The "Bachelorette" hunk-turned-male model stepped out Wednesday for a shirtless workout down in Jupiter, Florida ... and while he's got a workout buddy, she's a mystery blonde and definitely not Hannah.
The shirtless stud is still pretty active even though gyms are closed because of the novel coronavirus ... Tyler's racing around his friendly neighborhood streets, lifting some heavy-looking boxes and playing basketball. Pretty much anything to get a sweat in.
Tyler's rock hard abs are looking on point as usual -- he never misses a chance to flaunt his shredded bod -- and it looks like he's growing out his beard in quarantine. No wonder ladies love him!!!
As you know ... Tyler continued his on-and-off relationship with Hannah when he picked her up from the airport last month and they played some beach volleyball together, but things have since simmered down.
Check out the gallery ... and see what Hannah's missing out on.
Rep. Ilhan Omar says the Trump Organization has a lot of nerve asking the federal government for rent relief ... when regular Americans can't get it themselves yet.
We spoke to the Minnesota congresswoman Wednesday about the Trump International Hotel in D.C. making a formal request to its owner's administration to be able to delay its monthly rent payments of $268k. It certainly seems to scream ... conflict of interest.
Eric Trump -- who's in charge of Trump's business affairs while he serves as president -- told the NYT he just wanted to be treated like everyone else ... seeing as how their revenue has taken a nose-dive during the coronavirus pandemic, similar to other hotels in the country.
That's definitely not cool, though, according to Rep. Omar -- who tells us President Trump and his cabinet should NOT be prioritizing hotels over everyday Americans when it comes to rent relief ... as there's a lot more of the latter than the former.
She says no one bats an eye when corporations and businesses ask for help, but when the people need assistance -- more than the federal stimulus checks -- everyone makes a fuss. It sounds like the congresswoman is teasing a potential new bill that would help out with this issue specifically -- namely, rent deferments.
Rep. Omar says there's another reason for the feds to step in quickly ... and it has to do with getting ahead of the curve. Not for the virus, but for a potential housing crisis.
5:01 PM PT -- Maitland tells TMZ ... "The fact that these long time friends have gotten together after so many months to sue me is complete slander and immoral. There are zero contracts and agreements that have any info pertaining to this completely made up story."
UPDATE
She says the lawsuit is "a joke and warning to all porn stars to be careful who you shoot with on the outside."
Maitland Ward's encounter with an actress is coming back to bite her in the butt ... because she's being sued over the filming of those steamy scenes.
A reality TV and adult entertainment actress, along with a videographer/editor, are suing the former "Boy Meets World" actress turned porn star claiming she screwed them out of more than $270,000 they claim they rightfully earned.
According to docs, obtained by TMZ, the actress and videographer claim they started working together in July 2017, and all went fine and dandy. So good, in fact, Maitland allegedly started hooking up with the actress off-screen. But, according to the lawsuit, that relationship went south ... and so did a deal they say they cut with Maitland around September 2018 that was supposed to land them a hefty payday.
In docs, the actress and videographer claim Ward and her lawyer got a hold of the money they were all supposed to split, but instead of getting paid they got strung along with bad checks and broken promises. The actress and videographer are now suing for the money they claim they're owed -- $180K for the actress and $90K for the videographer -- plus other damages.
We've reached out to Maitland, so far no word back.
Rick Singer, the mastermind in the college admissions scandal, is livin' the life in Newport Beach, while also dealing with some danger -- NOT the coronavirus, but feeling threatened to the point he's alerted prosecutors.
Singer, who ensnared scores of parents to plunk down insane amounts of cash to get their kids into good colleges, was rockin' a Speedo last week as he paddleboarded out from shore at Lido Isle Bridge in Newport Beach.
Singer's lawyer tells us, his client is an exercise buff and part of the drill is paddleboarding -- but he says something suspicious has been going down.
The attorney, Donald Heller, tells us in the last 3 weeks. Singer has seen 2 strange, middle-aged men lurking in the shadows with binoculars. Singer confronted both men but they drove away. Singer told Heller he felt "threatened by their presence" and took pics of the guys and got their license plates.
Heller tells us he's reported the incident to the U.S. Attorney's Office in Boston ... which is prosecuting the college admissions cases.
For the record, Singer's not flouting the law, because beaches are still open for business in Newport Beach. Singer's living in town, and various people tell us paddleboarding is part of his ritual.
Two pet cats have tested positive for the novel coronavirus in New York ... and the feds say these are the first confirmed cases of COVID-19 in companion animals in the U.S.
The felines have mild respiratory illnesses and are expected to recover, according to the USDA and CDC. The cats are believed to have contracted the virus from humans who live with them or from folks in their neighborhoods.
As we reported ... pets are at risk of catching the coronavirus from unsuspecting owners. Cats and ferrets are the most susceptible.
While these 2 cats are the first confirmed cases of the virus in U.S. pets, other animals have already been infected ... including a tiger at the Bronx Zoo and 2 dogs in Hong Kong.
The CDC says people should not panic or be afraid of pets. Nor should you rush to get animals tested for the virus.
The agency says there is no evidence pets are spreading COVID-19 to people but recommends pet owners keep their companions from interacting with people and animals outside their residence.
The cats were reportedly tested for the virus at veterinary labs, and the tests used different chemicals than human tests, which remain hard to come by amid the pandemic.
The USDA says coronavirus testing is not recommended for pets unless the animal is showing symptoms or has been exposed to a human with COVID-19.
The two infected felines live in different parts of NY state, but the USDA and CDC will not specify their locations.
The first cat got sick roughly a week after someone in the home had a short respiratory illness, although the person was not confirmed to have COVID-19. The feline also went outside, so it could have been in contact with an infected person in the neighborhood.
The second cat became sick after its owner tested positive for COVID-19, but another cat in the same household has not shown any signs of being ill.
"It's not the easiest place to play but it gets you right."
That's Rob Gronkowskibeing brutally honest about his 9 years with the New England Patriots -- admitting it was tough, but worth it.
"I'm very thankful for the 9 years I had with the New England Patriots," Gronk said during a call with reporters on Wednesday ... "I've learned so much under that organization."
Gronk shouted out both Bill Belichick and owner Robert Kraft -- saying he will ALWAYS have respect for those guys for drafting him and growing him into the NFL champion he is today.
But he was honest about the experience in New England -- saying, "I'm not going to sit here and say its an easy organization to play for."
"I've also never played for another organization. I haven't even been down to Tampa yet."
"I know that the NE Patriots, hands down, it is not the easiest place to play but it gets you right. It gets you mentally right, it gets you physically right ... but I'm definitely going to take what I've learned ... and apply it to my daily life, big time."
Gronk didn't get into details about why it was a tough place to play but it seems obvious -- it was an all work, no play kind of a job.
During Wednesday's call, Gronk also explained how influential Tom Brady has been in his decision to come back to the NFL.
"Tom is like the appetizer of the whole meal. He got me hooked when he went down to Tampa."
"Playing with Tom is special," Gronk said ... "We have a great chemistry out there and every time we get together, its just like the old days. It doesnt matter if we take a month off or 6 months apart, we just go out there and we're throwing the ball just like its a normal practice."
After Tom selected Tampa Bay, Gronk says he started looking into the Bucs roster and was impressed with what he saw.
"I saw what was down there. Just the opportunity to go down there and play with that type of offense. I mean they got some special wide receivers out there, they got other great tight end and let me tell you, I love working with tight ends too so I'm definitely looking forward to that, working with [OJ Howard and Cameron Brate]. That's definitely going to be a special opportunity. Just blessed to be in this situation."
Gronk says his decision to retire from football in 2019 was motivated by real injury concerns -- saying his body felt beat up and he needed a break.
"I was in a very painful situation. Even my very last game, I couldn't for four weeks. I couldn't walk that well after the last Super Bowl game we won from my quad contusion."
Rob continued ... "That's what I did the last year. I took care of myself. I let my body heal, I let my body rest, I let my body get the treatments that it needed. I feel like I broke up all the scar tissue that's in my body. Got rid the inflammation in my body that was holding me back my last year, I feel like. It feels good."
Gronk also admits, "I had no fire last year" -- but as time rolled by, "my body started feeling good."
As far as his role on the team goes, Gronk says he's down for ANYTHING -- "If they need me to block, I'll block. Want me to split out, I'll split out. No matter the plays 60%, 100%, I'm down for whatever. Whatever helps the team."
Keisha Lance Bottoms says she's "dumbfounded" by Georgia Governor Brian Kemp's decision to reopen the state's economy despite red flags everywhere ... so she's using her voice to try to keep people safe during the pandemic instead.
The Mayor of Atlanta tells us she understands people are going stir-crazy and want to get out, but she believes everyone still needs to be responsible and stay home for now ... otherwise coronavirus problems are only going to get worse.
Bottoms points out the businesses set to reopen this week -- hair & nail salons, barbershops, massage parlors -- practically make it impossible to social distance and pose a huge problem in ATL's black community ... which has already been hit hard by COVID-19.
So, the mayor's encouraging Georgians to listen to reason coming from health experts and hospital workers bearing the brunt of the crisis ... instead of what Gov. Kemp and President Trump are pushing. We know some celeb hair & makeup stylists in Atlanta have her back.
Bottoms knows it's a challenge, though, because she's dealing with it in her own house -- especially with her 18-year-old son. Listen to what Bottoms tells us about how that's playing out ... it's clear who's boss!
BTW ... remember this clip, because the Mayor's gonna be a national star. Just our opinion.
Dennis Rodman tells TMZ Sports he is praying for his friend Kim Jong-Un to make a full recovery after reports say the North Korean leader is on his deathbed.
Of course, Rodman and Jong-Un go back years -- he famously kicked with KJU in 2013 and brought a bunch of NBA stars for an exhibition game in 2014.
Dennis has been fond of Jong-Un ever since -- and now with reports of the 36-year-old being in "grave danger" following a cardiovascular procedure, Rodman is concerned.
"I hope it's just a rumor that Marshal Kim Jong-Un is sick," Rodman says ... "Hopefully I will find out more soon."
"There is still so much work we have to do between both the USA and DPRK. If he is not feeling well, I am praying for his speedy recovery, so that both my friends [President Trump & Marshal Kim] can continue towards a peaceful success."
A co-creator of 'The Walking Dead' claims folks at a video game company are stiffing him on a deal -- and now, he wants a judge to pry the money out of their lifeless corpses.
Famed comic book writer Robert Kirkman's company, RK LLC, just filed suit against Disruptor Beam Inc., which he says developed and released 'Walking Dead: March to War' in 2017 ... after he struck a 2014 deal with the company.
RK says he's owed upwards of $690,000 off that deal, but alleges Disruptor stopped making payments.
In the docs, obtained by TMZ, Kirkman's company says the OG terms they came to with DBI were annual payments of $500k, which would run for four years after the release of the game. It came out in August 2017.
Kirkman and co. claim the video game company made payments -- sometimes late, but they came -- until this month, when the company allegedly told him it was stopping payments "until further notice."
Kirkman claims this left a $190k balance for the rest of this year plus another $500K for next year.
Kirkman's company now wants a judge to step in and force 'em to pay up at least $690K in damages.
Unclear why the video game company allegedly put their payments on hold, but something tells us the coronavirus might have something to do with it. Zombie Apocalypse ... now!
Post Malone is paying tribute to Kurt Cobain's iconic band with a special concert from home, featuring Nirvana songs ... and it's all for coronavirus relief charities.
The singer put up a somewhat cryptic video Wednesday, showing himself sitting on a stool onstage, with an acoustic guitar in hand ... while an unseen crowd cheers in the background. It's very reminiscent of Kurt's famous ''MTV: Unplugged'' show from back in the '90s.
After the footage plays, a title card reading "Post Malone Nirvana Tribute Livestream" flashes on the screen teasing a Friday YouTube special.
Our sources say Post wanted to honor the Nirvana frontman this month, which marks the 26th anniversary of his death. In the same breath, he also wants to help out in the COVID-19 fight.
Post will have a donate button on his YouTube page on the day of the at-home special -- which we're told will be shot at his living room bar -- and the cash will go toward the United Nations Foundation’s COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund for the World Health Organization -- a newly-created org that uses funds to help train and equip communities to detect and fend off the virus on the ground. YouTube's matching all of PM's donations.
It sounds like the music will be strictly Nirvana, although it's possible he might sprinkle a few other songs in there too.
FYI ... he's got a tattoo on his face that reads "Stay Away," after the Nirvana song of the same name. So yeah, better than average chance you'll hear that one come Friday.
Leslie Jordan is fast becoming a social media darling, but it's what he's NOT doing with his sudden IG fame that sets him apart ... especially in Hollywood.
The viral sensation joined us Wednesday on "TMZ Live" and we asked Leslie how he's been able to skyrocket from about 80,000 Insta followers to a whopping 3.5 million in only a matter of weeks.
Leslie says the recipe for success is pretty simple ... he's not looking to monetize his videos, he's just being himself -- a silly, funny, goofy, happy-go-lucky senior citizen. You can tell he's genuine, just listen to him talk about learning new IG terminology.
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If you aren't among the millions of folks to recently discover Leslie's page in quarantine, you're missing out on his hilarious videos ... like his back scratch workout, which he breaks down for us in his own special way.
Prior to sheltering in place, Leslie was best known for his work on "Will and Grace" and "American Horror Story" ... but he tells us why he's not watching scripted shows or movies while he's in quarantine.
Besides, who needs scripted content when you've got hundreds of Leslie videos for free!!!
Pepa doesn't want to talk about sex right now ... she's furious at Uber and a bunch of drivers who she claims wrecked her earnings potential.
Sandra Denton -- aka Pepa from Salt-N-Pepa -- is suing the ride-share service along with one of its drivers and the drivers of 3 other vehicles, claiming a 2018 chain-reaction car crash left her with injuries, pain, and loss of wages.
In docs, obtained by TMZ, Pepa claims the crash on L.A.'s 101 freeway was triggered after the Uber driver and other drivers "operated their vehicle negligently and carelessly."
Pep's suing for damages including loss of wages. Sources close to the situation tell TMZ ... the rapper was in an Uber that was involved in an accident. Cops say another Uber driver was following too closely behind, couldn't stop in time ... and hit another ride, causing a chain reaction.
We're told Pepa complained of neck and knee pain, for which she later needed medical attention. As a result of the accident, sources say the Grammy winner still suffers intense pain that interferes with her performances and travel, often making herself sick during and after stage performances.
Cutting ties with Carole Baskin didn't necessarily work out for her ex-husband or Joe Exotic -- but a Baskin-Robbins shop is cashing in by doing exactly that.
Peggy Heldstab, owner of the Baskin-Robbins ice cream shop in Junction City, Kansas, tells TMZ ... it was her son's idea to slap the "No Relation to Carole Baskin" sign on her store's marquee sign. She says her son and his wife saw the popular Netflix documentary 'Tiger King' and are huge fans ... hence the suggestion for the sign.
She says her son swore the sign would be especially appreciated right now with the popularity of the doc ... coupled with the thousands of memes, songs and dances that have sprung up, with most of them taking shots at Carole Baskin.
But get this ... Peggy says she had never heard of 'Tiger King,' but took her son's word for it because he insisted the sign would cheer people up. He wasn't lying. The sign's exploded all over social media, and that's translated extremely well for the cash register.
We're told Peggy put up the sign Sunday and that very same day sales doubled compared to the day before. What's more ... the shop drew tons of attention from fans driving by waving and honking in approval of the sign. Her son was right, and business (carry-out/DoorDash only) has been great ever since.
As most small business owners can relate, Peggy says she was worried about her business with stay-at-home orders, and business doesn't get any easier when it's trying to make up for any stalled business during the cold months. And, that's why the Carole Baskin sign couldn't have come at a better time.
As for corporate reaching out to her shop to give her its 2 cents ... Peggy says not a peep. She says she's able to make sign decisions independently. And, in case you're wondering ... Peggy says she's now a few episodes into 'Tiger King.'
Peggy says if Carole Baskin walked into her shop, she'd serve her ice cream. Maybe Peggy hasn't gotten to the end of 'Tiger King' yet. Give her time.
Several Washington Redskins players were spotted at the team facility in Virginia on Wednesday ... and while it's not the best social distancing look, the team insists they did nothing wrong.
Star running back Derrius Guice-- along with other players and team staffers -- were putting in some work at the Inova Sports Performance Center at Redskins Park  ... with Guice noting, "Grind never stops."
So, with the COVID-19 pandemic in full swing -- and the NFL taking drastic quarantine measures for the NFL Draft on Thursday -- we hit up the team to find out what was going on!
"All players at the facility today were rehabbing injuries and fall under allowed exception to be in the building," a team spokesperson tells TMZ Sports."
"We were not conducting organized workouts as part of our program."
A team source put it this way ... the pics are not a great look, but the guys understand the seriousness of the situation and were truly trying their best to keep their distance.
Sometimes, they would step too close -- and other staffers would instruct them to separate.
Virginia has been affected by COVID-19 -- with roughly 10,000 confirmed cases and 324 confirmed deaths.
