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Kim Kardashian has broken her silence on the Balenciaga scandal -- in which they featured children posing with BDSM-themed accessories.

The A-lister -- who's been tied to the fashion house for years now -- issued a statement Sunday in response to the ongoing backlash against both Balenciaga themselves, but also over the fact that she's remained silent thus far ... with fans calling on her to speak out.

Kim says, "I have been quiet for the past few days, not because I haven’t been shocked and outraged by the recent Balenciaga campaigns, but because I wanted an opportunity to speak to their team to understand for myself how this could have happened."

She adds, "As a mother of four, I have been shaken by the disturbing images. The safety of children must be held with the highest regard and any attempts to normalize child abuse of any kind should have no place in our society -- period."

Kim ends by saying, "I appreciate Balenciaga’s removal of the campaigns and apology. In speaking with them, I believe they understand the seriousness of the issue and will take the necessary measures for this to never happen again."

Now, she doesn't say what exactly Balenciaga told her to explain this way -- publicly, they've basically pleaded ignorance and blamed everything on the set designer and production co. heading the campaign ... going so far as to sue both parties for $25 million this weekend.

Folks were furious that little girls would be made to pose in suggestive positions, alongside teddy bears rocking dominatrix-inspired leather outfits and other BDSM toys. Not just that, but court docs referencing a famous child porn case were snuck into the background too.

The photographer who shot it said he had no control over the set pieces and was simply following orders -- and while Balenciaga has claimed to have had no knowledge of the items being staged the way they were, many have called BS ... especially since this went live.

Despite a ton of outrage from normies -- causing the ad to get yanked -- most high-profile celebrities have stayed tight-lipped on it all, including ones who have close relationships with Balenciaga ... with Kim being at the top of that list. Bella Hadid was also under fire.

Many thought this would cause stars to cut ties with Balenciaga en masse, but it doesn't sound like Kim's doing that.

Cher and her new BF Alexander Edwards are keeping their new romance fresh, hitting up big events together -- like The Weeknd's huge L.A. concert -- and they're not hiding their affection.

Cher and her man hit up The Weeknd's Sunday night show at a packed SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. They were hand in hand much of the night ... when they weren't vibing out to the music, that is.

Tyga was also in the building and in close proximity to the lovebirds. He and Alexander are pals, and work together on music.

As we've told you, our sources recently confirmed the Universal Music exec and the singer are indeed an item -- 40-year age gap be damned.

We've learned, they've been spending a lot of quality time together over the last months at Cher's Malibu home ... yes, the one that's up for sale for a whopping $85 million!

ICYMI, the couple first met back in September at Rick Owens' Paris fashion show ... and they've seemed to be inseparable ever since.

They've been on several dates that we've seen, and probably a few we haven't -- they were out and about earlier this month, having a fun night in WeHo before heading back to Cher's pad.

Tyga was 3rd wheeling that night, too.

Eric Fleishman, AKA "Eric The Trainer," famed celebrity trainer, unexpectedly died at the age of 53 on Thanksgiving, TMZ Sports has confirmed.

Fleishman passed Thursday morning at his home in Glendale, CA.

Eric served as a personal trainer to many big stars in TV, movies and the music industry, working with everyone from Def Leppard, Journey, Fall Out Boy, and Nickelback to Kirstie Alley, Patrick Schwarzenegger, Ethan Suplee and Jason Priestley, amongst many others.

Many of his celeb clients also counted Eric as a friend.

But, Fleishman didn't only work with the famous and wealthy ... he also trained the people who keep Los Angeles safe. Law enforcement.

Eric, over his 3+ decade career in fitness, also worked with LAPD, L.A. Sheriff's Academy, California Highway Patrol and numerous SWAT teams across the county.

Fleishman originally got into the business after being inspired by fitness and health pioneer, Jack Lalanne.

During COVID lockdowns, Eric gathered his famous friends and held a benefit concert that raised thousands of dollars for the Feeding America charity.

Fleishman is survived by his wife Alysia and son Henry.

Jay Leno's miraculous return to comedy -- just 2 weeks after getting severely burned -- is officially a smash hit ... just ask the cops whose car he clipped!

It's the kinda Murphy's Law moment ya just have to laugh off, and Jay did, but Sunday night, as he pulled up to the Comedy & Magic Club in Hermosa Beach, CA ... he really did graze a cop car's tire with his Tesla.

Jay arrived with his wife, Mavis, and everyone -- HBPD included -- got past the near-fender bender quickly, and the comedian immediately made it clear he's ready and willing to joke about the garage fire.

Check out the video ... Jay dropped 2 or 3 one-liners at his own expense on his way into the club.

TMZ broke the story ... Leno was working on one of his vintage cars in his garage when the fuel line burst on him, and about half of Jay's upper body -- including his face -- caught on fire.

After suffering 2nd and 3rd-degree burns on his face, neck, arm and hands ... he went to the Grossman Burn Center, where he underwent skin grafts and got treatment in a hyperbaric chamber.

Just a few days after the accident, Jay told us he'd be back doing standup within a couple of weeks.

Very few people thought was realistic, but Sunday night he proved all the doubters wrong.

BTW, Jay's been doing Sunday nights at this club for decades, and it quickly sold out when he announced he'd be returning. Appropriately, there was a ton of media outlets outside, waiting to see his astounding comeback.

Brittney Griner will face horrific conditions during her time in a Russian prison ... with environments that will include homophobia, racism and 16-hour work days.

According to The Nation's Dave Zirin, prisoners in Mordovia -- where Griner was taken to earlier this month -- are barely treated like humans.

Bigotry is commonplace, medical care is nearly nonexistent ... and, Zirin says, inmates are expected to sew the uniforms for police and guards.

In fact, it's unclear if Griner will even get a bed that will fit her 6-foot-8 frame.

Musician Nadya Tolokonnikova, a founder of the feminist group Pussy Riot, spent two years in Mordovia following a 2012 arrest, and per Zirin, described the place as hell, where "beatings and torture" are common.

Griner's camp, however, has insisted the WNBA star is trying to remain brave in the face of it all ... saying in a statement following her move to Mordovia earlier this month that "Brittney is doing as well as could be expected."

"Despite the fact she is alone and now nearing her ninth month in detention separated from her loved ones," her reps said, "she is trying to stay strong."

Griner has been detained in Russia since February after she was accused of bringing hashish oil in her luggage to a Moscow airport. In August, she was sentenced to nine years in prison. An appeal of that sentence was denied in October.

Jason David Frank was beloved for playing the hero on-screen -- but according to a friend, his true heroism happened in real life as he battled mental health issues for years.

Mike Bronzoulis, a prized MMA fighter and one of Jason's closest friends, tells TMZ ... since they became friends in 2010, Jason was always open with him about bouts of depression and mental health struggles -- though he kept it private from most people.

Mike says Jason had multiple family members die from suicide, and his mother also died a few years ago after battling cancer. These deaths took a heavy toll on him ... despite having tons of friends and getting love from thousands of fans, he often felt very lonely.

Jason kept a very busy schedule, but through all of it tried to find peace by motivating his fans ... whether it be meeting in person or posting videos on social media.

Mike says he last spoke to Jason roughly a week before his death. He even got a voicemail from Jason ... saying he needed to talk, and he was going through a lot. Mike didn't realize Jason left that voicemail until after he died.

As we reported, Jason died by suicide after getting into a heated argument with his wife in a Texas hotel.

Mike tells us he and Jason's other friends will always remember him as an incredibly giving person ... but one who also wrestled with inner demons.

President Biden's recruiting the best for a huge honor -- Jon Batiste will perform at the administration's very first White House state Dinner.

The black-tie affair will go down Thursday ... and the night is all about putting a spotlight on the United States' tight relationship with France, as well as honoring French President Emmanuel Macron.

Sure, Batiste's name will make Macron feel at home ... but he's also the current holder of the Grammy Award for Album of the Year, so even more fitting he's being tapped for this gig.

Of course, performing at the WH is no small deed ... and Jon Batiste will be joining a special list of entertainers to do so.

Some past celebs to perform for the Prez include Whitney Houston, Elton John and Mary J. Blige ... just to name a few.

As for Jon, a spokesperson for the First Lady, whose office is overseeing the event, sang his praises, saying ... "An artist who transcends generations, Jon Batiste's music inspires and brings people together."

JB might not be a big Billboard hitmaker, but he's a decorated Jack of many trades -- recording artist, bandleader, film composer, museum creative director and scion of New Orleans musical royalty.

Oh yeah, and he took home 5 Grammys earlier this year alone, including that big one for his "We Are" album.

Pete Davidson and Emily Ratajkowski have gone as public as you possibly can in Hollywood -- attending an NBA game together ... sitting courtside, no less.

The new couple -- who've been maintaining a relatively low profile lately -- blew the doors wide open Sunday by crashing the New York Knicks' showdown with the Grizzlies, snagging the best seats in the house ... and not trying to hide the fact they were a pair whatsoever.

While there didn't seem to be any obvious PDA between them ... Em and Pete were all smiles, and not shying away from cameras either. In fact, the Knicks' own Twitter account posted a photo of them cheesin' it up, and tagging EmRat too.

It's pretty funny ... their presence was actually acknowledged during the broadcast, although the TV guys didn't seem to know who Emily was, 'cause they skipped over in the namedrop.

They also didn't seem to know PD all that well either ... completely butchering his name.

They were sitting next to Ben Stiller and Jordin Sparks -- so there was a lot of star power in the house. But for Pete and Emily to pop is a big deal, seeing how they've seemingly been trying to lay low as they've hit the town in and around NYC.

They were spotted hanging 2 weeks ago in Brooklyn -- the first time they'd been seen on camera amid rumors they were linking up. Pete did something similar with Kim Kardashian ... trying to keep it on the DL for a while, then finally embracing the spotlight.

Seems like he's fast-tracking things this time around, though ... nothing says we're dating like a night out at MSG during primetime TV.

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A pilot and a passenger are hospitalized in serious condition Monday after an insane plane crash, but they're clearly counting their blessings.

The small plane hit an electrical tower Sunday afternoon in Montgomery County, Maryland and became lodged in the structure, 100 feet above the ground. It appears the pilot was on final approach to a nearby airport, although it's unclear if he simply misjudged the altitude or experienced a mechanical problem. Visibility was poor because of fog.

It took rescuers 7 hours to remove the pilot and passenger from the precariously mounted aircraft as they gingerly went about extricating them.

Both were rushed to a nearby hospital with serious injuries -- trauma and orthopedic injuries as well as hypothermia.

The crash knocked out power to 120,000 customers in the area.

In order to rescue the occupants, clamps were mounted on the cables to prevent static electricity from causing a catastrophe.

Blueface and Chrisean Rock aren't sweating his arrest for attempted murder ... 'cause they partied their faces off last weekend, just days after he was in handcuffs.

The rapper couple attended two different events in Phoenix on November 18th and 19th. The first was hosted by CR at a club called Monarch, where she brought out her BF ... the 2nd was helmed by Blueface himself at a joint called Tru Ultra Lounge.

TMZ obtained video of the latter -- and as you see, only good times are on their minds ... as Blueface and Chrisean raged, drank, danced and even performed.

Blueface got on the mic at one point, and Chrisean boogied down. They looked pretty tight throughout the night ... sneaking in kisses and cozying up. You'd never know he'd landed in some boiling hot water just days earlier.

As we reported ... Blueface was arrested Tuesday in Vegas for attempted murder, where undercover cops swarmed in, taking him into custody in dramatic fashion.

He bailed out the next day and is due back in court in January. BF doesn't seem concerned, and ditto Chrisean. She's been fully in his corner since the arrest.

As for the attempted murder allegation ... we've learned there was an altercation in October where Blueface is alleged to have fired a gun at a guy who was fleeing a strip club after a joke was taken the wrong way. Blueface is in the video, allegedly firing the shots. Cops say the alleged victim was grazed by a bullet.

If the Niners win the Super Bowl this year, they might need to give Mike Posner a ring -- 'cause the singer-turned-breathing-instructor tells TMZ Sports he gave the team lung lessons before the season ... and it was so effective, it brought some of the SF players to tears.

The "I Took A Pill In Ibiza" artist has been all about the impact of oxygen on the body over the past couple years ... working with famed motivational speaker Wim Hof to become a certified breathing trainer.

Posner got so good at the techniques, the 49ers invited him out to give them a lesson just before they kicked off their year ... and the 34-year-old said it was VERY impactful.

"That was the best session I've done, honestly," Posner told us out at LAX this week. "The guys are in tears at the end. Everyone is opening up. And it just opens up your heart."

Posner said things went so well with the NFC West squad, he felt like the team got on a "natural high."

"It almost feels like you took a drug," Posner said, "but it's just your own breath."

Clearly, the 49ers have been using Posner's techniques this year ... they've been one of the strongest teams in their conference, and look like a legit Super Bowl contender.

As for if Posner will try to repeat things with other sports teams -- he told us yes, explaining he just got done with a session for the Duke men's basketball team.

Instagram model Gena Tew, who disclosed she is HIV positive, is facing even more issues following eye surgery ... we're told she's gone completely blind in one eye.

You'll recall -- Gena underwent surgery in August, after losing her vision in her left eye following her HIV diagnosis. There was reason to hope the procedure would restore her vision.

Gena tells TMZ ... she's become completely blind in that eye for a second time -- all she can see is pitch-black darkness. We're told her vision was better for roughly 5 days after surgery, before it reverted.

She says doctors have prescribed new meds, but all the drugs have done is made her sick. Doctors are considering another surgery, but no decision has been made.

Gena's seen some improvement in other areas. She's been putting some weight back on recently, going from 90 lbs to 105 lbs. She's also regaining her ability to walk, with the help of a walker.

Reality television fan favorite Paula Pickard -- the sweet and innocent off-and-on girlfriend of Mike Sorrentino -- was just 21 years old when she made her first appearance on season 1 of MTV's "Jersey Shore" back in 2010.

Aside from accompanying 'Mike The Situation,' Paula joined the rest of the Jersey Shore legends including Nicole 'Snooki Polizzi, DJ Pauly D, Jennifer 'JWoww' Farley, Vinny Guadagnino, Angelina Pivarnick and Ronnie Ortiz-Magro.

Although she first appeared on season one of the hit show, Paula and 'The Sitch' did not become a 'situation' until season 6 in 2012.

Kim Petras is doubling down on her continued partnership with Dr. Luke -- this as his trial against Kesha is set to get started next year.

The singer got into a number of testy exchanges Sunday with a ton of Twitter users who were dogpiling her over a tweet she sent out that read, "get talented or good at anything then talk to me." One person responded, "stop defending dr luke first then."

Petras's since-deleted response ... "5000000 ppl work with him why y'all only coming at me. I have nothing to say or be ashamed of at all. go away." She continued to fend off bird app users who were furious with her ... slamming her for what they perceived as her defending her longtime producer Dr. Luke, who's been accused of sexually assaulting Kesha.

Luke, of course, has vehemently denied Kesha's allegations time and again, and even sued her for defamation over her repeated claims -- a civil case that's finally going to court in July after years of litigation between the two of them. She first accused him back in 2014.

After a lot of back and forth with an army of Kesha supporters, Kim gave up the fight ... deleting most of her tweets from Sunday and suggesting she was sick of arguing.

Her point about other artists working with Luke is worth noting though -- while she does have an extensive professional relationship with him, she's far from the only one. Other big-name stars have collaborated with Dr. Luke ... even after Kesha went public with her claims.

Doja Cat is among some of the celebs who've teamed up with Luke, as has Saweetie, DaBaby, The Kid LAROI, Tyga, Lourdiz and several others who have the guy listed as either a writer or co-writer on tracks of theirs.

Disney's newest animated movie -- which features an openly gay character -- got crushed at the box office ... and the LGBTQ crowd is worried this might've been the plan all along.

We're talking about "Strange World," which came out this weekend to abysmal ticket sale numbers -- raking in just $18.6 million over the 5-day weekend, starting Wednesday. That's well behind projections ... where 'SW' was supposed to be coming in between $30-$40 mil.

According to reports, the film is expected to end up in the red long term -- somewhere in the ballpark of at least $100 million, considering the $180M budget and marketing expenses.

It's that same marketing, however, that's got allies upset at the Mouse House ... they feel like there wasn't a peep about this flick pre-release, and that it's no wonder it tanked. In fact, some are going into conspiracy mode -- suggesting Disney was banking on a failure.

Here's the theory ... Disney could use the poor performance as rationale to not include LGBTQ characters going forward -- pointing to this new character, Ethan, as evidence to back the would-be decision. Out there, we know, but that's a legit convo taking place right now.

Of course, there's no evidence to support this ... at least not yet. Still, some are floating it anyway and think Disney was looking for an excuse for less representation on-screen.

Naturally, there's another side of this discussion -- the "Go Woke, Go Broke" faction, who've been thumping their chests about Disney's efforts to include more diversity in its characters of late ... which they think is the real reason for flops like this and 'Lightyear,' among others.

Terrell Owens knocked out a man outside a CVS in Los Angeles after the guy allegedly harassed people in the store ... and TMZ Sports has obtained video of the fight captured by a witness.

The incident went down Saturday night around 11:30 PM at the pharmacy in Inglewood, CA.

Owens tells us he intended to quickly stop by the store and grab a few necessities. While inside, T.O. says a 49ers fan approached him and they had a friendly conversation. That's when things took a turn.

Terrell says a second man -- the guy who was ultimately clocked -- started talking crap to the fan Owens was conversing with. The aggressor threatened to beat up the men outside, according to witnesses.

The group eventually made their way outside to the sidewalk in front of the store. Terrell was playing peacemaker, according to a witness.

Unfortunately, the heckler who allegedly started the confrontation just minutes earlier inside the store took an unprovoked swing at Owens.

A mistake ... and the fight was on.

After sizing up the man, the 48-year-old Hall of Famer landed a looping right punch square to the guy's chin, sending him to the pavement.

A few seconds later, the man returned to his feet ... seemingly a lot less willing to fight.

As a player, Terrell was one of the greatest receivers in NFL history. But, even as he approaches 50, he's still in absolutely awesome physical condition.

With the situation under control, Owens walked to his Tesla and drove away. It's unclear if the alleged heckler went inside for an ice pack and Advil.