Depp vs. Heard Trial Notebook Up For Auction ... Includes Unseen Reactions of Jurors

UPDATE

3:07 PM PT -- The auction is over. The winning bid was for $14,969.

Anyone trying to get their hands on something related to the Johnny Depp vs. Amber Heard trial will love this -- one man's courtroom notes, including details not seen on TV, are about to go to the highest bidder.

Larry Forman tells TMZ … he took a trip from Kentucky to the Fairfax County Courthouse in Virginia to sit in on the trial, and decided to jot down his thoughts and observations ... just for his own personal memories.

Larry says it was supposed to be a one-time thing, but friends convinced him to keep going back and writing more notes.

The notebook has about 20 pages per day, and covers days 23-26 of the trial. What's interesting is it doesn't just recall what was said in court, but it shows something the cameras couldn't -- reactions from jurors.

The current bid is over $14K, but the sale isn't final yet ... Larry's decided to donate the highest bid to Children's Hospital LA, saying it seemed fitting since it's related to the case.

Remember, Amber testified she had pledged $3.5 million to CHLA, but still hadn't paid up. Larry says hospital reps are aware of the auction and they're pleased about his offer.

Memorabilia like this has been fetching big prices ever since the trial ended ... one of the used wristbands, from day 23 of the trial, carries a price tag of $850. That's more than a wristband for Coachella!

Originally Published -- 12:20 AM PT

Alicia Keys The Queen Picked Out My Set List!!! ... Defends 'Empire State Of Mind' Performance

Alicia Keys is setting the record straight about her song choice at the Queen's Platinum Jubliee -- saying her NYC-based hit wasn't her pick -- it was the Queen's.

Alicia's been facing some backlash ever since performing "Empire State Of Mind" at Queen Elizabeth's royal ceremony on Saturday, with many thinking the song serves no purpose at an English bash ... but she says she was only giving the 96-year-old Royal what she wanted.

JUNE 2022
ROYAL STATE OF MIND

She posted some BTS videos from her big performance on Instagram Tuesday, showing how the whole thing went down.

The clip shows her 11-year-old son Egypt saying, "You can't refuse the Queen. It's against the law here!" She even wrote on her IG caption, "FYI: Every song was requested personally by the Queen ... Even EMPIRE!!"

Of course, fans of both Alicia and the royal family were confused when she sang her classic song about New York for the festivities overseas ... one even tweeted about the odd choice, saying "why the hell were American entertainers even invited."

Bottom line -- QE2's got a great taste for music ... don't question her!!!

Magic Johnson, Kanye West Lose Out On Denver Broncos Team Sells For $4.65 Billion

The NFL will have to wait for its first black team owner -- the Denver Broncos just sold for a record $4.65 BILLION to Walmart heir Rob Walton and his family ... which is sad news for Magic Johnson and Kanye West.

The Broncos and the Walton-Penner family announced the deal late Thursday night ... which is believed to be the biggest deal for a North American franchise in sports history.

Walton -- who has a reported net worth of $59 BILLION -- will also take the throne as the richest owner in the league BY FAR -- David Tepper, the owner of the Carolina Panthers, has a net worth of $16.7 bil.

As we previously reported, the Lakers legend was part of a group led by Philadelphia 76ers co-owner Josh Harris ... although it's unclear how far along their bid made it in the process.

The agreement also means Yeezy's Donda Sports will not be part of a historic sale ... after Antonio Brown previously told TMZ Sports the company was "extremely serious" about buying the Broncos back in March.

MARCH 2022
GUNNIN' FOR A GRAMMY
TMZSports.com

It's worth mentioning -- it's unclear if Donda ever actually brought a bid to the table.

Walton spoke about securing the deal ... saying, "Having lived and worked in Colorado, we've always admired the Broncos."

"Our enthusiasm has only grown as we've learned more about the team, staff and Broncos Country over the last few months."

He added ... "We look forward to earning the confidence and support of the NFL as we take the next step in this process. When the necessary approval procedures are met, our family is excited to share more with Broncos fans, the organization and the community."

The sale is expected to be made official in the next few months.

L.A. Mayoral Race Karen Bass Gets Celeb Donation$ ... Caruso Gets Celeb Tweets

L.A.'s mayoral race is officially a 2-horse competition between Rep. Karen Bass and Rick Caruso, and Hollywood -- like the rest of America -- seems torn.

More celebs have shelled out traditional donations for Bass -- including some high-profile names like Steven Spielberg, Jennifer Aniston and Samuel L. Jackson, but Caruso (who's a commercial real estate titan) seems to have more vocal support on social media.

That makes sense, as billionaire Caruso's been self-financing his campaign.

Here's a breakdown as Tuesday's election results continue to pour in.

Aside from the names mentioned above, Congresswoman Bass has also pulled in cash contributions from the likes of Jennifer Garner, JJ Abrams, Ken Jeong, Octavia Spencer, Sally Field and William H. Macy ... all of whom pitched in $1,500 each.

Jane Fonda donated $1,200, Donald Glover chipped in with $1,000, Rashida Jones another $1,000 and Helen Hunt pledged $500. So, a fair amount of dough from Hollywood.

While Caruso doesn't have nearly as many famous financial donors in his corner, his team tells us he's received a huge outpouring of online support ... which, arguably, is equally valuable.

Tweets for Caruso have come in from Kim K, Katy Perry, Elon Musk, Gwyneth Paltrow, Snoop Dogg and Kris Jenner -- just to name a few.

Bass is no slouch on social media either ... she's gotten backing from Tiffany Haddish and John Legend, who openly called for Angelenos to support her at the voting booths.

It remains to be seen who might emerge victorious, but if the latest polling can be believed ... neither candidate will get 50 percent of the vote in Tuesday's primary -- and that means they'll have a runoff in November.

BTW, Caruso -- who'd been a lifelong Republican until recently -- is running as a Dem, as is Bass. He's got the biz expertise, but she has years of legislative experience in D.C. and Sacramento.

Get out and vote!

Bruce Smith Aaron Donald's $40 Million Raise Wasn't Enough ... He Deserved More!!!

POWER IN THE PASS RUSHER
TMZSports.com

Aaron Donald just got a $40 MILLION raise from the Rams ... but he still might be underpaid -- so says NFL legend Bruce Smith.

The former Buffalo Bills pass-rusher explained his opinion to TMZ Sports just one day after Donald re-worked his contract with the Rams ... saying AD is so good, he could have asked for, and legitimately received, far more cash than he got.

"Aaron Donald deserves that and more," Smith said of the new, 3-year, $95 million contract Donald now has with the Rams. "He's worth every penny he's being paid."

As for why, Smith, who logged 200 sacks in his own epic 19-year career, believes Donald is just that good -- telling us there aren't many players who have more of an impact on the game than AD does.

"Aaron has proved that time and time and time again," Smith said. "His ability to take over a game and single-handedly will his team to a victory has just been remarkable to watch."

In fact, Smith said even though Donald has only played eight seasons, he already belongs in the conversation for greatest defensive player of all time.

Seems there's a lot of opposing QBs who'd agree -- because, after all, AD has 98 sacks in just 127 total games ... and also has three Defensive Play of the Year awards too.

#BEAST

Amber Heard Nat'l Coalition for DV Gets Backlash ... We Believe Her, Not Johnny

The Johnny Depp vs. Amber Heard trial might be over, but the ridicule isn't … especially for folks who disagree with the jury, and stand by Amber.

Ruth Glenn, CEO of the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, tells TMZ … since releasing a statement in support of Amber last week, the group has been besieged by Depp fans on all fronts.

She says some of the backlash amounts to impassioned commentary -- including sentiments that NCADV doesn't believe men can be abused, that real DV victims believe Johnny and even more shots at Amber … like people calling her a liar or a "psycho."

As for the people pointing out NCADV leaders are clearly pro-Amber -- their statement said they were "appalled by the verdict" -- Glenn admits that's accurate, because her org thinks Amber is the victim in this case ... despite the jury's verdict.

That being said, Glenn tells us the vitriol -- toward Amber and her supporters -- is unwarranted, and she adds even Ray Rice didn't get publicly dragged this much after his infamous domestic violence case.

As for what the future holds, Glenn says the #MeToo movement won't suffer a permanent setback, but she does think people need to rethink what it means to believe all survivors.

6/1/22
RULING IN FAVOR OF DEPP

In the short term, though, she suspects this verdict might affect how DV victims come forward and speak on these issues.

Of course, not all orgs advocating for DV victims are on the same page about who's the actual abuser in this case. As we saw, another high-profile one based out of Italy, Mission NGO, came out in support of Johnny at the height of the trial.

Guess Who This Birthday Cutie Turned Into!

Before this adorable gal launched her music career on Myspace back in 2005, she was just your average 1-year-old blowing out her birthday candles in London, England.

This cute kid has been 'mean muggin' since 1985 ... and according to her Instagram page, she loves a candid mirror selfie! Growing up with two parents already in the entertainment industry, it comes as no surprise that she rose to stardom after the release of her first song "Smile" back in 2006.

You probably heard her on singer Pink's "True Love" track and on rapper T-Pain's "5 O'Clock" song.

Can you guess who she is?

Amber Heard Road Sign Reading 'Truth Wins' ... Near Yucca Valley Home

Amber Heard has a long drive home when she gets back to California, but it'll be extra bitter when she sees this message heading into town ... which sounds very pro-Johnny Depp.

Check out these photos, obtained by TMZ, which show some sort of an old church marquee sign that we're told is about 8 or so miles outside of central Yucca Valley along State Route 62.

Sources say this sign -- which appears to have belonged to a group known as the Church of Morongo once upon a time -- is right across the street from the Morongo Basin Road ... not far from the now-defunct Father & Sons Masonry nearby.

As you can see, it reads ... "This is the Day! Truth Wins" No other context, but we're told it was spotted this weekend -- right after the verdict. The feeling is -- it reflects that decision.

That might not be too far a stretch, especially when you consider #TruthWins was trending the day Johnny came out victorious. The phrase has even gone on to be branded on T-shirts, hats and mugs -- all in celebration of what many considered vindication for JD.

Unclear who might be responsible for making the sign read this way -- we suspect it's not city-sanctioned, or at least it doesn't appear that way.

In any case, it could be one of the last licks Amber receives from the public before she gets back to her desert hideout -- a secluded 2,457 square feet 3-bed/3-bath abode that's pretty swanky all things considered.

She noted during the trial that this was her primary residence these days -- and unless she dips into YV through SR-247 (from Barstow/Apple Valley), she might just have to pass this by.

FROM LOVE TO HATE

FOX Network is airing a new TMZ-produced special tonight about the case. It's called "Johnny vs. Amber: From Love to Hate," and it airs at 9/8 CT.

Todd & Julie Chrisley Guilty of Bank Fraud, Tax Evasion

The verdict is in for Todd and Julie Chrisley, and the jury says they're guilty of bank fraud and tax evasion.

Todd and Julie were found guilty on a laundry list of charges, according to a court clerk for the northern district of Georgia. We're told their accountant, Peter Tarantino, was also found guilty on related charges, including aiding and abetting the filing of false tax returns.

As of now, a sentencing date hasn't been scheduled, so the Chrisleys will remain on home detention until that hearing ... it's reported they could face up to 30 years behind bars.

Todd's lawyer Bruce Morris tells TMZ, "We are disappointed in the verdict. We plan an appeal."

TMZ broke the story ... the 3 were indicted back in 2019 with prosecutors claiming they defrauded banks by obtaining millions of dollars in loans. The U.S. Attorney's Office also said they cheated the government by actively evading federal income taxes.

According to the indictment, Todd worked with a partner to make it look like one of his bank accounts had $4 million, when they actually didn't even have an account at that bank at the time. The feds said Todd emailed his partner, "You are a f***ing genious [sic]!!!! Just make it show 4 mil+."

The reality stars stuck to their guns, claiming they did nothing wrong ... but admitted they knew the charges were coming their way.

Matthew McConaughey We Need Gun Reform To Honor Lives Lost in Uvalde, TX Shooting

MAKE THEIR LIVES MATTER

Matthew McConaughey is serious about making a real change when it comes to guns in The United States ... meeting with politicians and speaking from The White House after a shooting that killed 19 elementary students in his hometown.

The actor joined the White House press briefing Tuesday, urging politicians on both sides to take action following the Uvalde shooting -- saying making a difference in the safety of our country is the best way to honor the lives lost.

McConaughey says he and his wife, Camila, spent a lot of time on the ground with the families of victims of the shooting -- sharing stories, tears and memories ... and now he is urging those in the highest office to make a change.

MATTHEW IN D.C.
TMZ.com

Matthew's words come following a short meeting with President Biden ... and a second day of meetings with lawmakers, as Congress mulls over new gun safety legislation this week.

Of course, his speech at the WH isn't the first time the actor has spoken out on this issue. He took to social media, pleading for gun reform just hours after the shooting.

Well, now it seems he's taking matters into his own hands ... directly pleading with the folks in power to make this time different.

Lil Nas X It's 'F*** BET Day' Teases Disrespectful Diss Song!!!

LOUD AND CLEAR
UPDATE

7:54 PM PT -- BET has shared a statement with TMZ Hip Hop pointing out their love for him ... despite what he clearly feels.

UPDATE

"We love Lil Nas X. He was nominated for a Best New Artist BET Award in 2020, and we proudly showcased his extraordinary talent and creativity on the show twice: he performed "Old Town Road" with Billy Ray Cyrus at "BET Awards" 2019 and his "BET Awards" 2021 performance was a highlight of our show. No one cheered louder that night than BET."

UPDATE

"Unfortunately, this year, he was not nominated by BET’s Voting Academy, which is comprised of an esteemed group of nearly 500 entertainment professionals in the fields of music, television, film, digital marketing, sports journalism, public relations, influencers, and creative arts. No one from BET serves as a member of the Voting Academy."

UPDATE

"At BET, we are passionate advocates for the wonderful diversity that exists within our community. We are committed to using all of our platforms to provide visibility and inclusion for all of the many intersections of the Black community."

It appears Lil Nas X isn't going to let the 2022 BET Awards skate after snubbing him of any nominations this year ... to the point, he's created a diss track going after the network.

A topless Lil Nas X posted a snippet of an upcoming new song on Tuesday we'd be surprised is called anything but "F*** BET."

After starting the song off with the disrespectful phrase on repeat, LNX goes into an auto-tuned flow where he brags about his riches and even proclaims he has "100 sticks" at his disposal.

Following the announcement of nominations last week, LNX went haywire when he realized he missed the Best Male Hip Hop and Pop Artist categories and no mention of his hit singles "INDUSTRY BABY" or "MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name)."

INCLUSION IS KEY
TMZ.com

He blamed discrimination and Queen Latifah even agreed he should have been nominated for at least something.

LNX's gripes feel a bit heavy-handed seeing he was nominated in 2020 and got primetime exposure in June 2021 when he kissed his boyfriend.

But, there's no putting the genie back in the bottle … apparently it's "F*** BET" if you're Team Montero until further notice.

Originally Published -- 3:17 PM PT

Migos Axed Performance Doesn't Spell Split ... Just a Schedule Conflict

Migos is still a rap group ... the trio has NOT split up despite a recent removal from an upcoming festival, which only fueled existing rumors of a potential breakup.

A label rep for Migos tells TMZ ... the reason the group is no longer performing at this week's Governors Ball is because Quavo is busy filming a movie, and they couldn't work around the schedule conflict.

While the rumor mill went into overdrive following Tuesday's announcement Migos would no longer be part of the Governors Ball lineup -- instead being replaced by Lil Wayne -- we're told the group is NOT breaking up.

It's the first official comment on the breakup rumors since rumblings began online last month ... when the buzz was Quavo and Offset were on the outs again.

MAY 2022
UP IN THE AIR
BACKGRID

Photogs asked Huncho about the band's future, but he didn't say much and instead talked about his new collab with Takeoff, "Hotel Lobby."

There's also been a rash of social media unfollowings between Quavo, Offset and Cardi B ... with Takeoff remaining neutral. He's still following all of them.

As far as their label's concerned, though ... Migos is still hanging tough.

Kanye West Splits with GF Chaney Jones

Kanye West and Chaney Jones are no more ... the couple has gone their separate ways.

Sources connected to the former duo tell us they ended things shortly after a lengthy trip to Japan ... unclear who broke up with who. The split news also comes on the heels of photos that popped up this weekend of Kanye at a movie with another woman.

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Kanye and Chaney first started hanging out back in February -- just as things were cooling off between Ye and Julia Fox. The model and Kim K look-alike started popping up at 'Donda 2' events Ye was hosting.

It wasn't long before they started showing up in the same photographs together, and eventually -- they stopped hiding their relationship ... going public as boyfriend and girlfriend.

While their romance ended up being short-lived, they sure did a lot in each other's company ... jet-setting all over the country for different events -- mostly between Miami and L.A., though -- and even took the international trip to Japan.

Not much was known about Chaney for a long time other than the fact that she was a dead ringer for Kanye's ex -- and eventually, amid all the speculation, she introduced herself to social media -- highlighting differences between her and Kim.

She said she was a COO of a mental health org, and not just that -- but added she was in school getting her Master's. Chaney also noted she'd never had any surgery done on her face.

Things seemed to really be getting serious between the two -- Chaney got a "ye" tattoo on her wrist. So from the outside looking in -- they were all about each other.

Of course, she's also much younger than Kanye -- he's 44, and she's in her mid-20s. It's a similar age difference to what Kim and Pete Davidson share, but they're going strong.

A rep for Kanye had no comment on the split.

'Black-ish' Creator Kenya Barris Files For Divorce

Kenya Barris, famous for creating the ABC sitcom "black-ish," is once again pulling the plug on his marriage ... because he just filed for divorce for a second time.

According to new legal docs, obtained by TMZ, Kenya beelined it to a Los Angeles courthouse this month and filed to end his marriage to his wife of over 20 years, Dr. Rania "Rainbow" Barris.

In the docs, Kenya says the couple has been separated since Sept. 9, 2020, and he cites the usual irreconcilable differences as the reason behind the split.

The couple, who tied the knot way back in 1999, have four minor children together ... including a 16-year-old daughter and 3 sons who are 14, 12 and 5 years old. Kenya is asking the court for joint physical and legal custody of the kids. He also checked the box indicating spousal support would be payable to his estranged wife.

Kenya and Rania have been down this road twice before ... she previously filed for divorce back in 2014, but withdrew the request a year later after they reconciled. Kenya filed for divorce in 2019 but later called it off.

Ice Cube Be Like Snoop, Big3 Fans ... Buy-In To Basketball Crypto History!!!

GETTIN' EVERYONE INVOLVED
TMZ.com

Ice Cube is pumped for the upcoming sixth season of his BIG3 basketball league, and given the news he's delivering ... fans should be too!

The legendary rapper and movie-maker hit TMZ Live Tuesday to spill the deets on Snoop Dogg's BIG3 involvement, as Tha Doggfather is now a part-owner of the team “Bivouac."

Cube revealed fans can be like Snoop -- by buying into teams with their custom cryptocurrency known as Forever Experience Action Token (FEAT) -- which he says is better than an NFT.

Boasting former NBA stars like Nick "Swaggy P" Young, Joe Johnson, Leandro Barbosa and several Hall of Famer coaches, Cube feels like the BIG3 is at its absolute strongest ... and he's firing on all career cylinders in 2022.

The BIG3 news comes on the eve of the release of "Bad MF," the debut album from hip hop supergroup Mt. Westmore (Cube, Snoop, E-40 and Too $hort).

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Sporting 14 new songs between the hip hop legends, the album is now available for preview on Gala Music, a blockchain-based platform because Meta makes the world go round, now!

Johnny Depp First TikTok Goes Out to My Fans!!! Thanks for the Trial Support

A MESSAGE TO THE FANS

Johnny Depp is officially on TikTok -- which, of course, had folks riveted to his trial -- and his first order of biz on the platform is thanking folks for sticking by his side during the legal war with Amber Heard.

Depp already has 4.4 million followers on TikTok, just a few hours after creating his account, and he's posted a video montage showing footage of himself arriving at court to cheers, as well as clips of his UK tour.

He also wrote an open letter to his "most treasured, loyal and unwavering supporters."

Johnny tells his fans ... "We've been everywhere together, we have seen everything together. We have walked the same road together. We did the right thing together, all because you cared. And now, we will all move forward together."

He adds ... "You are, as always, my employers and once again I am whittled down to no way to say thank you, other than just by saying thank you. So, thank you."

Johnny's message is short and to the point, and he signs off with this ... "My love & respect, JD."

The video, with a reggae tune from the Love Joys playing in the background, also shows Johnny pounding away on a typewriter, working on his music and playing guitar on stage with Jeff Beck.

FROM LOVE TO HATE

Johnny says he got his life back after his resounding courtroom victory over Amber, and he hasn't forgotten his biggest supporters.

FOX Network is airing a new TMZ-produced special tonight about the case. It's called "Johnny vs. Amber: From Love to Hate," and it airs at 9/8 CT.

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