Singer Keri Hilson 'Memba her?!
R&B singer Keri Hilson was 25 years old when she put her name on the map and on the top of the music charts back in 2007. After signing with rapper and music producer Timbaland, Keri was hitting the ground stage running!
Keri definitely made her mark on the mid-2000s after being featured on Timbaland's track "The Way I Are" and continued to make big waves with hit songs "Knock You Down" and "Pretty Girl Rock." She worked with industry icons including Lil Wayne, Usher and Ciara.
'My name is Keri, I'm so fly, it's a lil' bit scary!'
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Elon Musk's Twitter Mocks U.S. Senator Re: Verification ... Gov. Probe Coming???
Elon Musk may have just put his own foot in his mouth regarding his new baby, Twitter -- because he pissed off a U.S. Senator ... who has the power to investigate him, officially.
The Chief Twit got into a digital squabble Sunday with Sen. Ed Markey of Massachusetts ... this after the lawmaker sent EM an official letter asking for an explanation on why so many people have been able to impersonate others on Twitter, including Markey himself.
Perhaps it is because your real account sounds like a parody?
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 13, 2022 @elonmusk
You see, a WaPo reporter recently did what a ton of others have done lately -- changing their profile names/pics and pretending to be another public figure. In this case, the journo was assuming Markey's identity to prove a point ... and the Senator wants some answers.
Markey was firm ... accusing Elon of putting profits over Twitter's integrity, to which the man in question fired back, "Perhaps it is because your real account sounds like a parody?"
One of your companies is under an FTC consent decree. Auto safety watchdog NHTSA is investigating another for killing people. And you’re spending your time picking fights online. Fix your companies. Or Congress will. https://t.co/lE178gPRoM
— Ed Markey (@SenMarkey) November 13, 2022 @SenMarkey
He followed up by poking fun at the fact that Sen. Markey has a mask in his profile pic, but the legislator wasn't in a kidding mood. He appeared to threaten Elon with the prospect of Senate hearings if he didn't get his house in order ... beyond just Twitter, in fact.
Markey wrote in response, "One of your companies is under an FTC consent decree. Auto safety watchdog NHTSA is investigating another for killing people. And you’re spending your time picking fights online. Fix your companies. Or Congress will."
I'm just spitballing here but it might not be a good idea to mock a senator with direct oversight over your companies. pic.twitter.com/j9leiMqBmc
— Alejandra Caraballo (@Esqueer_) November 13, 2022 @Esqueer_
Elon left it there, but he started to get mocked as well by other reporters and pundits ... many of whom noted that he just might've screwed himself into a subpoena to testify -- seeing how Markey sits on a few key subcommittees that oversee exactly what Elon dabbles in in the private sector ... like Tesla, SpaceX, Neuralink, The Boring Co. and now Twitter.
Markey is on subcommittees for communication, media, and broadband; consumer protection, product safety and data security; space and science; plus, transportation. Doh!
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Jon Voight Still Riding on the Trump Train ... After Midterm Elections
Donald Trump is becoming public enemy #1 in the Republican Party after being blamed for the midterm election results -- but Jon Voight's sticking by him ... for whatever that's worth.
The actor posted a new video Sunday addressed to the American people ... and it's pretty ominous. He decries the wins Democrats secured and suggests there's malfeasance afoot -- echoing false election denial claims propagated by the ex-Prez and his staunch supporters.
JV is one of those diehards, it seems, because he says DT is the only one who can restore truth and justice in this country again ... and he says that'll happen when he's back in office.
FWIW, Trump hasn't officially announced he's running for President again in 2024 -- but has stopped short of saying it for well over a year now. He's also got some big announcement on Tuesday ... which may, in fact, be him throwing his hat in the ring once more.
It's a little weird to see just how down the rabbit hole Jon finds himself -- he talks about a looming third world war, linking it to our domestic politics. His whole speech here is strange.
"I'm tired of losing. That's all [Trump's] done."
— CNN (@CNN) November 13, 2022 @CNN
Maryland's Republican Gov. Larry Hogan gives his take on the midterm election results for the GOP and what it means about former president Donald Trump's impact. @CNNSotu #CNNSOTU pic.twitter.com/vde9X3Ly9Y
Regardless of what Trump and his holdout cronies might say ... the voters are making their voices heard at the ballot box. Thus far, Dems will retain control of the Senate -- and even though the House might go to Republicans, it'll probably be a slim majority.
Some are saying it's the end of the Trump era, but Jon's got his ears covered on that one.
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UFC Anthony 'Rumble' Johnson ... Dead at 38
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Anthony "Rumble" Johnson has died ... this according to several prominent figures in the MMA community.
The former UFC fighter reportedly passed away this weekend after battling an undisclosed disease he's apparently been dealing with for quite a while. Unclear what it might be, though ... the rest of the details surrounding his death have yet to be released.
RIP Anthony “Rumble” Johnson. One of the most prolific KO artists our sport has ever seen. My prayers go out to his family and everyone affected by this tragedy. 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻 https://t.co/TYAu2wxn2u
— Michael Chiesa (@MikeMav22) November 13, 2022 @MikeMav22
UFC's Michael Chiesa sent out a post for condolences, writing ... "RIP Anthony “Rumble” Johnson. One of the most prolific KO artists our sport has ever seen. My prayers go out to his family and everyone affected by this tragedy."
Other MMA fighters and journalists also posted tons of tributes for the guy ... the news seems to have shocked just about everyone, as Rumble's been out of the spotlight for a while.
Rest Easy my brother. For a guy who struck fear in so many peoples heart Anthony Johnson was a caring person. From random text to check ins during loss. What a person he was, Rumble will be missed. Sometimes life doesn’t seem fair. Horrible news #RIP #Rumblesquad @Anthony_Rumble pic.twitter.com/HH2SO1dPj7
— Daniel Cormier (@dc_mma) November 13, 2022 @dc_mma
One notable remembrance came from Daniel Cormier, who faced Rumble in the Octagon a couple different times. He writes, "Rest Easy my brother. For a guy who struck fear in so many peoples heart Anthony Johnson was a caring person. From random text to check ins during loss. What a person he was, Rumble will be missed. Sometimes life doesn’t seem fair. Horrible news."
What DC's referring to is the fact that Rumble was notorious for his sheer strength and force -- which translated to brutal knockouts that he'd often put on display in his prime. One good punch could put a guy to sleep, and he certainly had a rep for trying to prove that in bouts.
His record was incredible in its day ... 23 wins, 17 of which were by KO or TKO. He only had 6 losses. Rumble competed in several UFC events over the years -- dating back to 2006 -- but he never won a title. For a while, he was ranked #1 in his weight class, pre-retirement. He parted ways with the UFC intermittently, but officially cut ties in 2020 to join Bellator MMA.
Rumble fought at different levels ... middleweight, welterweight, light heavyweight and eventually heavy in his later years. He had the most success in the latter classes.
23 wins. 17 KO/TKO. RIP Rumble. pic.twitter.com/NBzEEtmrMx
— FullCombat (@FullCombat_) November 13, 2022 @FullCombat_
He was 38.
RIP
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Nas Home Burglarized Crooks Make Clean Getaway
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Nas's home was burglarized this weekend -- and it sounds like a lot of crap was jacked.
Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... two men broke into the rapper's Calabasas property Saturday around 8:30 PM PT, apparently having smashed through a rear door to gain entry. We're told Nas's team became aware of their presence due to a Ring camera.
When the two guys were leaving, we're told the crew saw them ... and they called the cops. By the time officers arrived, the two dudes were long gone. Nas wasn't home, BTW -- he was in NYC for an album release party. Nobody else was at the house either, it seems.
As for the damage done ... our sources say the guys tore the place apart and left with at least two bags worth of stuff. Unclear what exactly was taken, or how much it's worth.
We're told Nas is still out of town and will have to come back and do a proper inventory of the items stolen, which will then give authorities an idea of what they're looking for. No arrests have been made and the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department is investigating.
We reached out to Nas's camp for comment ... so far no word back.
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Kim Kardashian A-List Tribute ... During Baby2Baby Award
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Kim Kardashian was honored by her peers while receiving an award for helping children ... and the star power from those who went on camera to give her kudos was pretty cosmic.
The 2022 Baby2Baby Gala went down Saturday night in L.A., and the honchos presented Kim with the "Giving Tree Award" for supporting the charity for over a decade and helping it grow to where it is today. The org offers resources to impoverished kids all over the world.
Before she came on stage to accept, showrunners played a montage they'd filmed with a ton of celebs who each expressed why Kim was worthy of such recognition ... and they were able to snag some of the most famous faces in Hollywood to heap on the praise.
Among those who spoke on KK ... Chris Rock, Serena Williams, Katy Perry, Gwyneth Paltrow, Ryan Seacrest, Hillary Clinton and more. Of course, her own family got in on it too -- including her mom, Kris Jenner, three of her sisters and even her daughter North.
Tyler Perry presented Kim with the award, and in her speech ... she mentioned what justice means to her, and essentially ... she said it meant what's right is right no matter what.
The star-studded event naturally made a boatload of cash during the fundraising portion -- upwards of $12 mil. Kim donated $1 million with the help of a couple of her SKIMS partners -- co-founders Emma and Jems Grede. Tyler chipped in as well ... throwing in $500k.
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Dua Lipa Denies World Cup Report ... Puts Pressure on Qatar
Dua Lipa won't be performing at the World Cup after all ... according to Dua Lipa.
The singer shot down rumors Sunday that she'd hit the stage in a couple weeks for the opening ceremony in Qatar, which is usually a pretty big gig that tends to draw international stars. Shakira's done it before, so has J Lo, Pitbull, Black Eyed Peas and others.
A lot of people thought DL was up next -- among other artists who've been speculated on -- but she's saying it ain't happening ... all because of human rights, apparently.
Dua says, "There is a lot of speculation that I will be performing at the opening ceremony of the World Cup in Qatar. I will not be performing and nor have I ever been involved in any negotiation to perform." She adds ... "I look forward to visiting Qatar when it has fulfilled all the human rights pledges it made when it won the right to host the World Cup."
If you're unfamiliar, Qatar is notorious for mistreating its women and LGBT people ... often via punishment under the law. The country has made promises in the past to investigate certain matters and to improve its record, but many feel its fallen short time and again.
As for how this notion of Dua performing even got started ... we tracked down the source. A Twitter account called World Music Awards announced it recently, adding a bunch of other names that they claimed would be performing at the opening ceremony as well. While they seemed pretty sure of themselves, no reputable mainstream outlet picked up the news.
They asserted Shakira and BEP would be returning, not to mention J Balvin, BTS and Bollywood star Nora Fatehi. Nora is a performer, but not kicking things off. BTS's Jung Kook confirmed Friday he'd do the opening ceremony ... and thus far, he's the only official act.
Everyone else who's rumored hasn't said a thing, and FIFA has a formal list of artists performing during the tourney, post-opening ceremony. WMA has since deleted the tweet.
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Aaron Carter Died Without A Will
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Aaron Carter died without a will ... so now the State of California will decide who inherits his estate.
Family sources tell TMZ ... Aaron was advised by his attorney to make a will, especially because he had a child who depended on him.
We're told with all the drama between Aaron and his fiancée Melanie ... the L.A. County Dept. of Children and Family Services got involved and had 11-month-old Prince removed from their home. He's been living with Melanie's mom since September.
Aaron's lawyer still advised Aaron to make a will, but as you know circumstances tragically changed ... Aaron died a week ago.
Turns out Prince will not be left in the cold. In California, and most states for that matter, when a single person dies without a will and leaves a child behind, the child inherits the parent's estate.
Here's the rub ... we're told Aaron was not in a good place financially when he died. One source close to Aaron told us he was living hand-to-mouth and would typically spend what he earned in short order. His house, however, was on the market so the child may have security in any equity the sale brings.
TMZ broke the story, Aaron was found dead last week in his bathtub. The cause of death has not been determined pending toxicology results, which could take months.
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Mema Grandma from 'Hollywood Hillbillies' Dead at 76
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Dolores Hughes, known affectionately as Mema, the unlikely/likely breakout star of the hit show, "Hollywood Hillbillies," has died ... TMZ has learned.
The exuberant grandma on the reality show died of heart failure at a hospital in Grayson, Georgia last Wednesday, according to her manager, David Weintraub.
"Hollywood Hillbillies," the #1 show on Reelz at the time, was a reverse version of "The Simple Life" and an obvious riff off the sitcom back in the day, "The Beverly Hillbillies."
Mema became the center of attention in her fam, which included grandson Michael Coppercab, who has gone on to become a YouTube star.
The show followed the family as they tried to navigate Hollywood, with the help of Ray J and Weintraub.
Weintraub tells TMZ, "Mema was the greatest, most outspoken 'tell-it-like-it-is personalities the world had ever seen on TV. I know that she will still be bossing all of us around from heaven."
Mema is survived by her husband, Paul Conlon, daughter Dee Dee Peters, son John Cox and grandson Michael Coppercab Kittrell.
Mema was 76.
RIP
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Drake Loses His Shirt Betting On UFC Fight ... $2 Million Gone In A Flash
Drake is $2 million lighter this morning after betting on the loser in Saturday night's UFC title fight, but for a good part of the fight he looked like he was gonna win big.
The iconic rapper -- known for his love of high-stakes gambling -- plunked down the INSANE amount of cash on middleweight champion Israel Adesanya to beat Alex Pereira during UFC 281 at Madison Square Garden in NYC.
Adesanya seemed to have the upper hand until the 5th round. Then, Pereira unleashed a series of brutal body blows that staggered Adesanya, although he didn't drop to the canvas. But, the referee decided to step in anyway and stop the fight.
Pereira's victory marked the third time he defeated Adesanya ... their other two clashes were kickboxing matches.
As for Drake, he captioned his ticket on Instagram with "been focused on the album gotta get back to stacking up" before the fight ... so stacking will have to be an even bigger priority now that Izzy lost.
Drake previously won a $1 million bet that Adesanya would beat mixed martial artist Jared Cannonier. 'Champagne Papi' has also wagered BIG BUCKS on the Super Bowl, the NFL Draft and the Spanish Grand Prix. Sometimes he wins ... other times he loses.
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SNL Chappelle Targets Ye's Antisemitic Rants
Dave Chappelle zeroed in on Kanye during his opening monologue Saturday night on 'SNL,' explaining why Kanye now wears his chains outside his shirt.
Dave had an unusually long open -- 15 minutes -- and he spent lots of it talking about Ye's antisemitic rants. It was not exactly an embrace of the Jewish community -- he said it's not crazy to think Jews run Hollywood, but it's crazy to say it out loud.
Chappelle went on to say he denounces antisemitism and stands with his Jewish friends ... adding those words would have helped Kanye "buy time."
Dave said Kanye's words were so hateful even Adidas dropped him, and they were founded by the Nazis.
He went on to talk Kyrie Irving and the midterms, calling Trump "an honest liar" and Herschel Walker "observably stupid."
Here's what Dave did not do ... specifically address allegations he's transphobic. He does allude to it at the very end, talking about folks who want to cancel him.
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Flavor Flav Snaps On Spirit Gate Agent!!! Juuust Missed His Flight
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Flavor Flav will tell you Spirit Airlines is like 9-1-1 ... a total joke, except he's not laughing after narrowly missing a flight in Las Vegas and losing his cool.
TMZ Hip Hop obtained footage of Flav trying not to pop his top Thursday night at a Spirit gate inside Harry Reid International Airport. Sources tell us it was around 11:30 PM, and the iconic Public Enemy rapper was sitting near the gate waiting to catch a flight to Detroit.
We're told he was working on his laptop and chatting on the phone -- basically, preoccupied -- when he noticed the gate agent shutting the jetway door. He ran up, but she wouldn't reopen it for him ... so he missed the flight.
You can see he was super annoyed, and argued back and forth with the Spirit employee -- another man even stepped in to plead Flav's case.
Flav was fired up and hurled some obscenities at the employee, who threatened to call security -- but thankfully for Flav, in the end, she didn't and he did not become public enemy #1 at the Vegas airport.
Sources close to Flav tell us he commonly waits to board after everyone else because people want to take pictures with him ... and he doesn't want to hold up the boarding process. Those sources also claim Spirit actually did reopen the door to let other passengers in -- before this video starts -- but closed it again on Flav and 2 other people.
Flav tells TMZ ... "Spirit Airlines shut the door on me while I was in line to board. I was upset and said some harsh words to the gate agent. I apologize to those who witnessed me acting out of character. I do not apologize to Spirit Airlines or the gate agent."
Vanilla Ice also had a similar meltdown after missing a flight a few years ago, and as we reported ... Gillie Da Kid just had an intense showdown with a TSA agent.
The skies might be friendly, but the airport terminal is a whole other story!
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Steven Spielberg's 'The Terminal' Iranian Man Who Inspired Film Drops Dead After Heart Attack At Airport
The man whose bizarre life inspired the Steven Spielberg film "The Terminal" has died.
Iranian-born Mehran Karimi Nasseri reportedly passed away Saturday after suffering a heart attack in Terminal 2F at Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris. Nasseria had lived in the airport for 18 years -- from 1988 to 2006 -- after losing his travel documents while trying to fly to England. As a result, he was barred from taking a flight and entering France, leaving him in legal limbo at the airport. Later on, he apparently lived there by choice.
Nasseria -- played by Oscar-winning actor Tom Hanks in the 2004 film -- was viewed as an “iconic character" at Charles deGaulle.
An airport official said employees looked after Nasseria "as much as possible during many years, even if we would have preferred him to find a real shelter." Nasseria always lived in public spaces at the airport and was free to move about.
He slept on a plastic bench and showered in staff facilities. He spent his days people-watching, writing in his diary and reading magazines and newspapers.
In the film, Hanks' character, Victor Navorski, sets up a makeshift home at New York's JFK Airport after he's unable to return to his fictional country, Krakozhia, following an attack. He's also barred from entering the U.S. since his passport is no longer valid because his country's new government is considered illegitimate. Like Nasseria, everyone in the airport falls in love with Norvorski, including a stewardess played by Catherine Zeta-Jones.
Nasseria was born around 1945 in Iran, making him roughly 76 when he died.
RIP
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Mark Cuban Bezos And Jay-Z??? They'll Be Great NFL Owners!!!
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The Commanders will be in amazing hands if Daniel Snyder does end up selling the team to Jeff Bezos and Jay-Z ... so says Mark Cuban, who tells TMZ Sports the duo would be "great" NFL owners.
Snyder revealed earlier this month he has hired Bank of America to explore a potential sale of the Washington franchise ... and it didn't take long for Jay and Jeff to express interest in putting in a bid.
In fact, the duo had a secret dinner in Los Angeles on Tuesday night to discuss it all ... breaking bread at a closed restaurant near the Sunset Strip for over two hours.
When we got Cuban -- arguably the most famous celeb owner in sports -- out in D.C. on Thursday ... he assured us the two titans would make for great honchos of the Commanders.
The Dallas Mavericks boss didn't elaborate further -- he had to jet quickly -- but he made it clear he's got full faith in the guys to turn the NFL org. around.
No official word on what Bezos or Jay-Z have made in a potential offer to Snyder ... but reportedly, the team will cost around $7 BILLION to ultimately acquire.
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Elijah Wood People Think I'm Daniel Radcliffe ... Let Me Play Him In Biopic!!!
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Elijah Wood says lots of folks confuse him for Harry Potter instead of Frodo Baggins ... and he's down to pull the old switcheroo and play Daniel Radcliffe on camera.
We got the 'Lord Of The Rings' star at LAX ... where our photog asked about Daniel floating Elijah's name as a candidate to play Radcliffe in a biopic.
Elijah is clearly flattered by Daniel's casting preferences ... telling us the 'Harry Potter' star is a "lovely human being" ... whom EW would love to work with someday.
There's no denying Elijah looks the part ... he tells us lots of people mistake him for Daniel, especially those pesky autograph hounds.
Elijah and Daniel being doppelgängers begs the question ... does Elijah ever play into it by dropping any famous Harry Potter quotes?
His answer would make the fictional wizard proud.
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Lauren Conrad Good Genes or Good Docs?!
Lauren Conrad's looks are not over the 'Hills!'
Let's go back to the beginning ... here is an 18-year-old version of the reality television star looking sun-kissed with her sparkly blue eyes at a Teen People event in southern Cali back in 2004 (left). This was the same year she launched into stardom on MTV's "Laguna Beach."
And, 18 years later the clothing designer showed off her beach-wave hair at a women's luncheon in Los Angeles, CA (right). She recently made a splash with fellow Laguna Beacher's Kristin Cavallari and Stephen Colletti and set the record straight on the infamous love triangle on the "Back To The Beach" podcast.
'Stephennn!'
The question is ...