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This is so incredibly sad ... cops arresting and handcuffing an old lady who didn't pay her trash bill.

Thing is ... the cops were just following protocol, which means someone should start thinking about protocol.  82-year-old Martha Menefield opened the door of her Valley, Alabama home and saw 2 cops with an arrest warrant.

Martha was delinquent in paying her $77.80 trash bill and that was enough to hook her up and take her to the station.

One cop tried to comfort her, saying, "Don't cry, Ms. Martha."

Body cam vid shows one of the officers laughing at one point ... hopefully the laugh was the absurdity of arresting someone because they can't afford the basics of life.

She says she thought she had paid the bill, but the cops said they had to follow protocol, which was to handcuff her and take her to the police station.

Suck it trolls ... you're just jealous!!!

During a stoppage at the Sixers/Clippers game Friday, there was a show where fans dressed in onesies. One of the folks on the hardwood was masked in a blue dog head.

The guy -- Chris Girard -- then revealed himself, got down on one knee and asked one of the 76er dancers -- Jackie Murtha -- to marry him!

At first it was unclear if she even knew the guy, but judging by the kiss ... she did. Turns out it's his GF and she said yes.

Now that's where the shade comes in. As they embraced folks started scoffing, saying she was way out of his league. Social media was predictable ... "You know this gorgeous lady is not gonna marry that dork, but at least she didn't embarrass him," and "Make-A-Wish doing adults now?"

Girard clapped back at his trolls ... “DEAR COMMENT SECTION: I KNOW SHE’S OUT OF MY LEAGUE. I AM JUST HAPPY TO BE HERE.”

Tamar Braxton went from the mall to the ER in less than a day ... rushed by ambulance to the hospital after waving the white flag to the flu.

Tamar posted she "needed oxygen cause I thought God was taking me home cause I could not breathe and my chest was on FIRE!!"

She went on to make comparisons ... "yall, I have the FLU and let me tell u it's worse than COVID in my opinion ... I'm on 5 different medications."

It's kinda weird ... just the day before Tamar posted pics and videos of her shopping with close friends.

The 45-year-old singer is apparently out of the hospital but, as she says, "completely isolated."

In case you didn't know, the flu is raging in the U.S., and COVID's on the upswing as well.

Kodak Black’s generosity sprouted all through NYC this week with a holiday giveaway -- and there's been even more Christmas cheer coming the kids’ way!!!

Kodak’s attorney Bradford Cohen tells TMZ Hip Hip … Kodak’s recent trek through Times Square saw 2,000 toys given to underprivileged kids as part of his ongoing charity work.

The toys weren’t trinkets either … we’re told pricey electronic gadgets such as iPads and AirPods were placed in the grab bags, as well as other gifts.

NYPD provided security to ensure everything went smoothly ... and it did!!! After all, Kodak loves the kids.

Bradford says Kodak's sleigh continued through Fulton County, Georgia on Friday ... where he gave out an additional 1,000 toys and jackets to underprivileged kids.

Is nepotism really that bad, or the way of the world -- answers may vary, and Tory Lanez has lots to worry about this Xmas. So we gotta ask ...

Nicki Minaj has finally put down roots in L.A. after hunting for a home for several years ... and the place she chose is pretty spectacular.

Nicki plunked down $19.5 million for an estate in Kardashian Kountry -- AKA Hidden Hills -- this according to The Dirt.

The house is awesome -- 12,000 square feet, 8 bedrooms, a detached guesthouse, cabana, the obligatory pool (this one's salt water) and a Baja shelf.

Nicki and hubby Kenneth Petty have been renting for years as they searched for the right house. They've been renting recently in Calabasas.

Jimmy Garoppolo likely wouldn't get his job back in the playoffs if Steve Mariucci was in charge of the Niners ... the ex-head coach tells TMZ Sports he'd stay with Brock Purdy in the postseason in order to "ride the hot hand."

Garoppolo broke his foot back on Dec. 4 -- but with a recovery timetable of 7-8 weeks ... there's a chance he could be ready in time for the NFC Championship Game, or even the Super Bowl.

Mooch, though, said out at LAX last week that if SF gets that far -- and Purdy is still playing well -- he'd keep Jimmy G on the bench.

"If Brock Purdy keeps playing like he's playing right now -- which is unbelievable -- I don't know that you change that," said Mariucci, who was the Niners' head coach from 1997-2002.

"If he's got the hot hand going in, I'd probably be more inclined just to stay with the hot hand."

Purdy has been dominant in his 2-plus games as Garoppolo's fill-in, logging 612 passing yards, 6 passing TDs and a single INT since taking over for Jimmy G.

We've all heard of No Shave November, but this 'Decembeard,' we take a look at some of your fave stars and ask ... are they better off with a buzz or a little fuzz?

Fans might remember Jonah Hill with no facial hair, but things have certainly changed. He's been rockin' a full-blown blonde beard ... you be the judge!

Up next is Donald Glover, aka Childish Gambino ... he's grown a ton of hair and he's also been really bare.

We gotta know ... is he better buzzed or fuzzed?

Of course we've gotta ask about "Queer Eye" star Jonathan Van Ness. He's had a head full of hair for as long as we can remember ... as far as hair on the face, which look's your favorite?

Orlando Brown is losing a movie role because of his domestic violence arrest ... a role the alleged victim actually got him.

TMZ broke the story ... the former Disney star was arrested Thursday for misdemeanor domestic violence after cops in Ohio responded to a call about a fight in progress between two men.

Matthew Sanders, the alleged victim, tells TMZ ... he's directing and producing a movie called "Up The Score" and wanted Orlando to be part of it, because he considers OB not only a friend but extremely talented.

Orlando's legal issues have been well documented over the years, and Matthew says Orlando had been living at his home in Ohio since November during preproduction for the movie. We're told there were no major issues until Thursday's incident.

Matthew, who told cops Orlando came at him with a broken-off knife blade and a hammer, believes OB is struggling with a mental illness. He thinks Orlando is at times out of touch with reality, and he's bummed he wasn't able to help Orlando make a movie comeback.

Orlando was supposed to have a secondary role in the movie ... a dramedy about a military man who meets someone on social media and leaves his family for this person only to find out they are not who they said they were ... but that's no more.

Matthew tells us Orlando is no longer allowed to live at his house at this point in time and is currently removed from the film.

Singer Montell Jordan knows how to do it right for the holidays, and he's serenading you right into Christmas with Mr. Claus himself! He most definitely crushed his performance, but now it's your turn to drop the mic and nail the differences between the two shots!

Looking fresh in a black outfit, Montell kicked things off with Santa at The City of Philadelphia's Holiday Lighting celebration, and he topped off his fresh look with a top hat and firetruck-red accents. Can you put your finger on the minor changes in these images?

"This Is How We Do It!"

Tory Lanez is guilty of shooting Megan Thee Stallion in the foot back in 2020 ... a jury has decided.

The verdict came in Friday, just before the holiday -- where a group of L.A. jurors found the Canadian rapper guilty of all three charges against him -- felony negligent discharge of a firearm, assault with a semiautomatic firearm and carrying a loaded and unregistered firearm.

After the verdict was read, several members of Tory's family -- including his dad and stepmom -- shouted, "This system stands before God!" and calling the court system evil. Deputies surrounded his family members and escorted them out of the courtroom.

Tory was filmed entering court before the verdict was read, telling cameras his spirits were high.

Tory now faces more than 22 years in prison, which will be determined during sentencing on January 27. Sources connected to the case tell us Tory's lawyers were in touch with immigration officials -- before the guilty verdict -- and we're told they've been informed there's a strong likelihood he will be forced to leave the country.

This marks the conclusion of a wild 2 weeks in court, which saw a handful of witnesses take the stand to recount what they say happened on that fateful night. Megan herself obviously testified, squarely pointing the finger at Tory as the shooter.

She said she saw Tory with the gun, explaining she remembers him firing at her from his Cadillac Escalade ... and claims he shouted, "Dance, bitch!" MTS also testified that Tory offered her $1 million to keep quiet.

Meg was called out by the defense for several items, including the fact she initially wasn't forthright about having an intimate relationship with Tory Lanez, and that she'd initially lied to police about how her feet had gotten injured.

The defense also tried to target Meg's ex-BFF, Kelsey, as the shooter ... and the reason she might've shot her was because of alleged creeping behind her back with guys like Ben Simmons, DaBaby and Tory himself -- a revelation that apparently sparked a major argument among all 3 of them in the car.

What exactly happened in the car was a major source of contention during the trial. While Megan had one version of events -- Kelsey seemed to have a different story ... albeit, with a very spotty memory on the stand that created stop-and-go recounting under oath.

What she did definitively testify to on the stand ... she wasn't the one who shot Megan ... but she wasn't willing to go as far as to say Tory did.

But, remember ... prosecutors were eventually able to get the green light to play a prior interview she'd given investigators in September -- and in that recording, she said Tory did actually shoot Meg.

Other witnesses took the stand too, but none of them were as consequential as Megan and Kelsey -- including the guy who supposedly saw the two women fighting from his balcony. Ultimately, he wasn't very definitive about who he says he saw fire the gun.

The physical evidence in the case wasn't that strong -- there was gun residue found on both Kelsey and Tory ... and inconclusive DNA evidence on the gun itself. Tory never took the stand, and neither did his driver that night ... Jaquan Smith. Aside from cops and a witness to the Kylie Jenner party that preceded all this -- it really boiled down to Kelsey and Meg.

In the end, the jury obviously sided with prosecutors. As for the court of public opinion ... the jury is still very much out. People certainly took sides on social media -- and on traditional media too -- but now ... it's unclear if their allegiances will change.

Tory Lanez's father is blowing a gasket after watching his son's conviction in the Megan Thee Stallion shooting trial ... directing his anger at cops, prosecutors and even Jay-Z.

Ya gotta see the video ... Tory's father launches into an epic rant outside the courthouse where his son was hauled off to jail, railing against the justice system.

Tory's dad is obviously taking issue with the lack of physical evidence presented at trial ... and he's also no fan of Jay-Z.

It's unclear why Tory's pops is pissed at HOV ... but Meg is signed to Jay-Z's Roc Nation.

Tory's stepmom is also upset ... and his family says the case isn't over, so it sounds like they want Tory's legal team to file an appeal.

As you know ... Tory was convicted Friday of all three charges against him, and he's facing more than 22 years in prison, and we're told the Canadian may be deported.

Tory's parents were also steaming mad inside the courtroom ... they screamed and hollered, claiming the court system was evil before being escorted outside.

The winter weather this year is no joke, and visibility is getting severely worse in places with extreme conditions ... which is exactly how this reporter seemingly appeared out of nowhere due to an insane whiteout.

CNN's Polo Sandoval performed his reappearing trick Friday in Buffalo, NY, as he showed viewers just how bad the conditions have gotten ... and if ya squint real hard, you might be able to spot him at the beginning of the clip.

Polo -- wearing all-black, mind you -- says he's seen a few cars on the road ... a big mistake, especially with a current driving ban on the area. He says the lack of visibility comes from high winds, because there isn't a ton of snow being created.

CNN's anchor, Kristin Fisher, admits she completely lost Polo at the beginning -- before he stepped through the rough storm.

Miles Austin, the former Dallas Cowboys superstar and current wide receivers coach for the NY Jets, has been suspended by the NFL for violating its gambling policy ... the league announced Friday.

Austin's agent, however, said in a statement following the news that the 38-year-old is appealing the punishment ... saying Austin wagered "from a legal mobile account on table games and non-NFL professional sports."

"Miles did not wager on any NFL game in violation of the Gamblign Policy for NFL Personnel," Austin's attorney added.

According to ESPN's Adam Schefter ... Austin's ban will be "for a minimum of a year" if it's ultimately upheld.

Miles -- a two-time Pro Bowler who spent 10 seasons in the NFL -- got into coaching and scouting following the conclusion of his playing days ... first latching on as an intern with the Cowboys in 2017.

He later went on to become a 49ers quality control coach in 2019 ... before eventually landing the gig with the Jets in 2021.

Memphis rapper Big Scarr died as a result of a fatal prescription pain med OD ... relatives tell TMZ.

The up-and-coming rapper's uncle, Arthur Woods, tells us Big Scarr overdosed Thursday on prescription pills at his girlfriend's house in Memphis.

Big Scarr's uncle says he did not know when his nephew got the meds ... but he says Big Scarr faced several traumatic experiences in his life, including being shot and suffering a serious car accident injury.

The rapper got his stage name from the car accident when he was 16. It left a big scar on his body when he was thrown through a windshield. In the 2020 shooting, Big Scarr was struck by a bullet that traveled up his spine, and he needed surgery to remove his appendix.

The uncle says Big Scarr also battled depression ... citing the death of the rapper's grandmother as something that he took very hard.

As we reported ... Big Scarr was pronounced dead Thursday, with law enforcement sources telling us there were no signs of foul play.

Big Scarr's uncle is remembering his 22-year-old nephew as a nice young man and a beautiful person who was very passionate about music.

Ellen DeGeneres is remembering her close friend, Stephen 'tWitch' Boss, telling people to 'love one another' as she continues to mourn his loss.

Ellen gave the tear-jerking update Friday morning -- calling the past 11 days since tWitch died painful and tough, noting how hard the holidays can be for people.

She tells her fans to continue to laugh and enjoy each other's company as a way of honoring the late dancer ... saying that's exactly what he loved to do. It's a clip that must hit home for tWitch's millions of fans -- Ellen ends by telling everyone to "send love to one another."

As we reported, Ellen paid tribute to her close friend the day TMZ broke the story of his passing ... writing, "I'm heartbroken. tWitch was pure love and light. He was my family, and I loved him with all my heart. I will miss him. Please send your love and support to Allison and his beautiful children - Weslie, Maddox, and Zaia."