WWE Company Not Sold to Saudi Arabia ... Sources Say
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WWE has not been sold to Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund ... this according to sources familiar with the situation.
TMZ Sports is told ... a deal has not been made between the two sides, despite widespread rumors saying otherwise.
The reports started to circulate Tuesday night ... claiming Vince McMahon secured a massive payday for handing over the company reins to Saudi Arabia, which would take the WWE private once again.
The speculation came just days after Vince McMahon brought himself back on to the organization's board of directors ... with the intent to help with TV deal negotiations and explore a potential sale of the company.
Hours before the reported Saudi Arabia deal, Vince's daughter, Stephanie, announced her departure from WWE ... giving up her role as Co-CEO.
Stephanie McMahon Resigns As Co-CEO Of WWE Days After Vince's Return
A sale to Saudi Arabia would certainly cause backlash with WWE fans ... especially considering the country's history of human rights violations.
The promotion even faced criticism for inking a 10-year deal with SA in 2018.
Things can always change ... but as of right now, we're told reports of a deal being set in stone are simply not true.
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Prince Harry Fans Enraged Harry Was 'Late Show' No-Show ... Pre-taped for 'Security Reasons'
Prince Harry left some fans fuming after they went to see his much-anticipated Tuesday appearance on 'The Late Show' ... but got nothing.
The Duke of Sussex was supposed to sit down with host Stephen Colbert before a live studio audience, the Daily Mail reported. But, Colbert told the crowd they would NOT get to see the royal in the flesh for security reasons. It was pre-taped with a different live audience.
There was no explanation for the security concerns and Harry was met with major backlash. Interesting, though ... Obama was on Colbert's show in 2016 with a live audience, while he was a sitting President.
Prince Harry 'Written Out' of Coronation, William 'Burning with Anger'
A furious fan reportedly barked, "Security issues? Really? It's not like he's Prince William or anything – he's not properly in line to the throne."
Another fumed, "Who is trying to kill Harry? I've been to a lot of these and this has never happened. I'm really surprised."
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Other people summed it up this way, "F*** Prince Harry," as they exited the Ed Sullivan theater in NYC, where Colbert shoots his show.
One woman, who had traveled from far away, was clearly disappointed, saying it "wasn't worth waiting an hour in the cold for [Harry]" and "who needs Prince Harry anyway?"
Despite all the drama, Harry's interview with Colbert was broadcast Tuesday night as part of his media blitz for his just-released memoir, "Spare," about his life in the monarchy. Among the topics, Harry discussed with Colbert was the death of his mother -- Princess Diana -- and his tattered relationship with his brother, Prince William. One light moment came when Harry shared a glass of tequila with Colbert.
Harry says the Royals have been trying to torpedo his book with the help of the media. It doesn't seem the media needs the prompting of the royal fam to form opinions about him -- positive or negative.
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Golden Globes Jerrod Carmichael I'm Hosting Because I'm Black ... Jokes About HFPA Scandal
Jerrod Carmichael says he's hosting the Golden Globes because he just so happens to be a Black comedian ... making fun of the diversity scandal that tarnished the awards show.
The 80th Golden Globes are underway on NBC live from the Beverly Hilton and Jerrod just gave his opening monologue, where he addressed the massive elephant in the room ... the diversity controversy involving the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, which hands out the awards.
Jerrod addressed the topic head-on... refusing to call the HFPA racist, but pointing out there wasn't a Black member in the group until George Floyd died.
Remember ... the Golden Globes did not air last year after NBC called out the HFPA for a lack of diversity within the organization ... and the hosts of the 2021 show, Tina Fey and Amy Poehler, took some shots at the HFPA too.
Jerrod then took a seat on the stage steps and told the crowded room of celebs how he was offered the job ... joking that one moment he was making tea at home and the next he was being "invited to be the Black face of an embattled white organization. Life comes at you fast!'"
JC says he called up one of his friends for advice about taking the gig, and when he told her he was being paid $500,000, he got his answer.
All jokes aside ... Jerrod ended by saying he ultimately took the job because he wanted to perform in front of the star-studded audience, and he doesn't really care about the HFPA's controversial past.
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Abby Lee Miller I Got a Deal for Ya in Florida!!!
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Abby Lee Miller is all about making big changes these days ... she's putting her home up for sale on the heels of unloading her iconic dance studio.
TMZ has confirmed the "Dance Moms" maven listed her house in Davenport, FL this week, and she's hoping to get at least $399k for it.
The 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom pad has some charming features ... including a pool, a 2-person bathtub in the master bedroom and 2 living rooms.
It's inside a gated community that offers amenities like a clubhouse and tennis courts.
Of course, what's most important in real estate is location, location, location -- and Abby's crib has that covered, especially for buyers with kids. It's in close proximity to central Florida's famous theme parks.
We're told the home is only 20 minutes to Disney World, and 30 mins from SeaWorld and Universal Orlando.
The listing comes just after she sold her famous Pennsylvania dance studio for $300k in December ... ending an era for her Abby Lee Dance Company.
Fans will remember the studio from the hit reality series "Dance Moms" ... which Abby shot there from 2011 to 2017.
La Rosa Realty broker Efreen Garcia Rodriguez and the property manager Carmen Rowe hold the listing.
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Antonio Brown Dom. Violence 911 Call ... 'He's Sending Explicit Videos To My Son's Phone!!!'
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The woman who accused Antonio Brown of domestic violence in November also told cops he sent "explicit videos" to her son during the dispute ... new 911 audio, obtained by TMZ Sports, reveals.
In the call, a woman said to a Tampa Police Dept. dispatcher that she and Brown -- the father of her children -- had gotten into "a little argument" at their home in Tampa, Fla. on Nov. 28.
She explained that she had arrived at the house on Nov. 27 ... and hours later, Brown "started throwing a fit." The woman claimed she took the kids and went outside in an effort to diffuse the situation ... but then said to the operator that the former Tampa Bay Buccaneers receiver started to "throw all of my clothes out of the house."
She later added that Brown was "sending explicit videos to my son's phone" as well.
In the call, the woman could be heard appearing to yell at Brown -- telling him, "This is not legal!" before adding, "You might want to go inside! You better hide out!"
A second 911 call was also placed ... and in it, you can hear a woman claiming to be a neighbor telling cops that Brown had thrown the woman out of the house.
As we reported, TPD officers eventually arrived on scene ... and say Brown threw a shoe at the woman during the altercation -- leading them to issue a warrant for his arrest.
Brown, though, was never formally placed into custody ... as prosecutors announced on Dec. 21 they were not filing charges against the 34-year-old, saying the alleged victim "recanted her previous allegations regarding Mr. Brown's intent to strike her or cause her bodily harm."
Brown -- who's still an NFL free agent -- has yet to publicly comment on the case.
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'Aquamarine' 'Memba Her?!
Los Angeles native and actress Sara Paxton was only 17 years old when she was cast as Aquamarine -- the mermaid who temporarily turns into a human in order to find love -- in the 2006 romance/fantasy film "Aquamarine."
Paxton shared the big screen with Emma Roberts as the free diver who prides herself on being an expert on boys, Claire Brown. Jake McDorman, as the lifeguard who wants to travel instead of going to college, ultimately falling in love with Aquamarine, Raymond. And, JoJo as the scuba diver who is trying to avoid moving to Australia with her mom, Hailey Rogers.
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'RHOC' Kelly Dodd Husband's Scary Car Crash ... 'I'm Lucky to Be Alive'
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6:41 PM PT -- Kelly Dodd's husband, Rick Leventhal, just shared a health update from his hospital bed ... he says he suffered 4 broken ribs in the car crash, plus a fractured foot.
Rick says he was driving on the I-10 and was about 40 minutes away from Palm Desert when his car hydroplaned and he lost control of the wheel, started spinning across multiple lanes of traffic and crashed into a wall.
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Kelly's hubby says he also smashed into a tractor trailer, with the car windshield shattering and airbags being deployed. He says the truck driver helped him out and he thinks the airbags broke his ribs.
Kelly Dodd's husband, Rick Leventhal, is in the emergency room after being involved in a nasty car accident -- seemingly related to SoCal's fierce storms -- and he says he's fortunate he's not dead.
The 'Real Housewives of Orange County' alum just posted video of her husband's crash and she tells TMZ ... Rick was driving her white Mercedes-Benz S-Class out to Palm Desert, CA Tuesday when the accident happened on a wet and slick freeway.
Kelly says Rick suffered broken ribs and was transported by ambulance to a hospital. We're told the car was totaled, but Rick will be okay.
Kelly's asking for prayers on social media, and they've already canceled their Wednesday podcast episode for "The Rick & Kelly Show!"
Rick commented on Kelly's post, saying ... "Honestly I'm lucky to be alive. Scariest moments of my life. This makes everything even more meaningful ❤️."
California's still getting hammered by a fierce winter storm that's causing evacuations, deaths and tons of problems all over the state and it appears the rain may have played a role in Rick's crash.
Kelly wasn't with Rick at the time of the crash ... she's on a trip to Aspen.
Originally Published -- 4:44 PM PT
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Stephanie McMahon Resigns From WWE Days After Vince's Return
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Stephanie McMahon is resigning from her role as Co-CEO of the WWE ... just days after her father, Vince, made his return to the company's board of directors.
The 46-year-old made the shocking announcement just minutes ago ... releasing a lengthy statement on her decision to walk away.
"About 8 months ago, I took a leave of absence and within a few weeks, unexpectedly had the opportunity of a lifetime," McMahon said. "I had the privilege to return as the Co-CEO and Chairwoman of the Board of WWE."
Steph took over for her dad in July 2022 ... after he resigned amid an investigation into alleged misconduct. Vince was accused of using WWE funds to pay female employees "hush money" after having sexual relationships with them.
"I cannot put into words how proud I am to have led what I consider to be the greatest company in the world, working alongside a remarkable leadership team and one of the strongest executives I have known in my Co-CEO, Nick Khan," McMahon added.
As we previously reported, Vince appointed himself back on the board on Friday with the intention to help negotiate WWE's impending TV deal ... and explore a potential sale of the company.
Stephanie says her dad is taking the lead during an "exciting" time for the company as it explores strategic alternatives ... and with Khan and Triple H on board, she believes WWE is in a great spot to keep pumping out great content and increase value for shareholders.
"WWE is in such a strong position, that I have decided to return to my leave and take it one step further with my official resignation," McMahon said ... adding she will continue to support the company -- just as she did when she was a little girl -- and will "remain dedicated to WWE."
"I truly love our company, our employees, our Superstars, and our fans," she added. "And I am grateful to all of our partners. Thank you for everything. Then. Now. Forever. Together."
Khan will now serve as sole CEO of the company.
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Golden Globes Award Show Prep Underway While Skies Open Up in L.A.
The Golden Globes are back after some big changes ... and Mother Nature is raining on the award show's parade.
With a fierce storm dropping tons of rain on Beverly Hills, preparations for the Golden Globes featured lots of waterproofing ... everything's being covered with plastic until it's time for cameras to roll.
As you can see, crews are wearing ponchos as they set up the red carpet for the 80th Golden Globes, which are going down Tuesday night at The Beverly Hilton hotel.
Everything, and everyone, is under wraps ... and puddles are forming where celebs will soon be making their grand entrances.
The rainy weather for the Golden Globes is from the same winter storm causing havoc all over California ... the area where celebs like Oprah, Ellen DeGeneres, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle live is under an evacuation order.
The Golden Globes are welcoming back a live audience and live broadcast after eschewing those important factors in 2022 ... and despite flash floods, the show must go on.
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Meg Thee Stallion New Photos Show Bloody Foot ... Gun in SUV After Tory Shooting
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New photos show the horror from the night Tory Lanez shot Meg Thee Stallion in the foot after an argument in Hollywood ... including the damage done to Meg's foot and the weapon used to commit the crime.
We've obtained several trial exhibits from the Meg and Tory case that show everything from the blood in the backseat of the SUV, to the condition and X-rays of Meg's foot after she was hospitalized.
You can see blood splattered in the vehicle, from when Meg got back inside after Tory shot her ... there's also blood smeared on a suitcase that was in the vehicle.
For the first time, we're also seeing the pistol Tory used to shoot Meg, laying on the ground near the backseat of the SUV.
As we reported, Tory was found 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 back in December.
He's now facing up to 22 years behind bars, and has a sentencing hearing scheduled for January 27.
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Singer Malu Trevejo Devastated By Abuse Claims In New Suit ... Will Defend Herself
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Singer Malu Trevejo is devastated by allegations she was abusive to people who used to work for her ... and she's planning to fight a lawsuit recently filed against her.
Here's the deal ... Malu is being sued in Florida by four people who say they used to work for her. The suit alleges Malu inflicted emotional, mental and verbal abuse on some of her former staffers ... and they're going after her for at least $4 million.
Malu's attorney, Jason Ziven, tells TMZ ... "Ms. Trevejo is aware of the false allegations in the lawsuit and looks forward to defending herself against these baseless claims."
In the lawsuit, obtained by TMZ, folks who say they used to work for Malu claim she would use the r-word and berate them with racial slurs, often hurling obscenities their way too, if they didn't respond to her texts and calls as quickly as she wanted.
One source close to Malu tells TMZ … she's devastated by these allegations and Malu would never hurt anyone in this way.
We're told she will be working with her team to defend herself.
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Ex-SB Champ Charles Johnson Died By Suicide ... Medical Examiner Says
Former NFL wide receiver Charles Johnson -- who won a Super Bowl with Tom Brady and the New England Patriots in the 2001 season -- died by suicide in July ... a report released Monday by the North Carolina state medical examiner's office revealed.
In the ME documents, obtained by USA Today, officials said Johnson passed away after appearing to overdose on drugs. He was just 50 years old.
Johnson was initially found dead on July 17 inside a hotel room in Raleigh ... one day after his wife had reported him missing. A cause of death had remained a mystery -- until the ME's report was released this week.
Officials said in the docs, according to USA Today, that Johnson had oxycodone, hydrocodone and mirtazapine in his system at the time of his death ... despite having no active prescriptions.
The outlet had previously reported the former NFL wideout had claimed to have suffered disabilities from his time in the league.
Johnson played for the Steelers, Eagles, Patriots and Bills in his nine years in the NFL ... after being picked in the first round of the 1994 draft.
RIP Coach. You will be missed by so many, especially your Husky Family. #RIPCJ #HuskyFamily pic.twitter.com/JUfkjELMMB
— Heritage Huskies (@heritagehsfball) July 19, 2022 @heritagehsfball
Following his death, the North Carolina high school he had been working at said in a statement he would "be missed by so many, especially your Husky Family."
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org.
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Coachella 2023 Lineup Released ... Bad Bunny, BLACKPINK, Frank Ocean Headlining
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Coachella has dropped this year's highly anticipated lineup ... and some of the biggest artists are comin' to bring the house down.
Bad Bunny is set to hit the stage Friday, with Gorillaz, Metro Boomin, and Pusha T goin' all out throughout the day, amongst others. Idris Elba is also touching down on day 1, performing as a DJ for the crowd.
Saturday's headliner is K-pop group BLACKPINK -- while other performances that day will come from Rosalía, The Kid LAROI, and Charli XCX, to name a few.
Don't sleep on Sunday -- because Frank Ocean will finally be gracing the desert stage. For those unaware, he was set as a headliner for the 2020 concert before the whole thing got scrapped.
Other than Frank, Sunday's packed with artists like Björk, Dominic Fike, Latto, Rae Sremmurd, and lots more.
Fake lineups have circulated online, including one that said Justin Bieber would headline. Sources say Bieber was asked, but he turned it down in order to focus on his album. However, we're told there's a good chance he does it in 2024!
Remember, Billie Eilish, Harry Styles, Swedish House Mafia and The Weeknd all headlined in 2022 ... and they surely didn't disappoint.
Despite putting on a great show more recently ... honchos working behind the scenes of the 2-weekend long festival have seen some hiccups over the last few years.
You'll recall, there was a bit of drama over who would fill the spot ... after Kanye West dropped out of the show a week before the festival began. He had plans to bring out Travis Scott, but of course, that didn't happen once Ye pulled the plug.
Coachella made its comeback that year ... after canceling the festivals in 2020 and 2021 due to COVID.
Well, this year the show will go on ... and it seems like it will be a hell of a time!
It'll all go down April 14–23.
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San Francisco Man Sprays Down Homeless Woman ... Point Blank with Hose
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A San Francisco man seen turning a hose on a woman on the street is sparking outrage -- but law enforcement says, as of now, he will not face any criminal consequences.
The video, shot and posted Monday, shows an older gentleman spraying the woman who was sitting on the sidewalk in front of him, seemingly minding her business. Unclear if the woman was homeless, but you can see right off the bat, he's going to town with the water -- letting it run on her for several seconds.
You can also hear the woman screaming in protest, apparently asking him to stop. Eventually, he does, and tells her to move down the block.
Never mind the fact it's been rainy and cold in SF these past few days ... this act looks cruel and unnecessary, and as you can imagine -- it's gotten a lot of pissed off people online calling for accountability, as well as the identity of the sprayer.
Some thought he was associated with the bar behind him, but the business is distancing itself ... reps say they don't know the dude, or condone his behavior.
Now, we're told cops did respond, but no one was cited or arrested.
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SFPD tells TMZ they responded to this incident -- described to them as a possible assault -- but say when they arrived, neither the man or the woman sought any further police action. So, unfortunately for those who wanted this guy in cuffs ... absolutely nothing came of it.
SFPD notes the Street Crisis Response Team came out to meet with the woman, but the result of that and her ultimate fate are unknown. Not-so-happy ending, we know.
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Logan Paul My Pet Pig Wasn't 'Irresponsibly Rehomed' By Me ... Before Gentle Barn Rescue
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Logan Paul says he did nothing wrong with his former pet pig, who is now being cared for by an animal sanctuary ... Logan says he gave the pig a good home before it was rescued.
The YouTube star joined us Tuesday on "TMZ Live" and talked about his former pet pig, Pearl, who is now being looked after by the Gentle Barn rescue.
Logan says he owned Pearl for a couple years and gave her a good life at his home in Encino, CA ... saying he would even cuddle and sleep with the animal and made sure she had "the best life."
But, when Logan moved to Puerto Rico during the pandemic, he says he sent Pearl to live at a horse ranch in Santa Clarita, CA because he wasn't permitted to bring her with him. Logan says Pearl received amazing care at the ranch.
Logan says Pearl lived at the horse ranch for 10 months but had to be rehomed again when the ranch owner moved out of state -- he says he was unaware of the rehoming.
Gentle Barn posted a TikTok Monday about Pearl's rescue, claiming she was "irresponsibly rehomed" and was found alone in a field next to a dead pig.
Logan says he only found out about Pearl's situation when the video came out, and he says he checked his records and is certain he didn't rehome the pig irresponsibly.
Logan's also claiming innocence on the second pig that was allegedly found dead next to Pearl ... he says the farmer denies knowing about a second pig and says Pearl was transferred to the farm alone.
TMZ broke the story ... Logan reached out to Gentle Barn after the video surfaced, explaining Pearl's history with him and pledging to help with her care.
Logan says the Pearl saga was unpredictable and unforeseen ... and if he could, he would go back in time and tell himself not to buy a baby pig.
While Logan admits the entire situation "sucks" ... he tells us why he wants to reunite with Pearl, if possible.
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Damar Hamlin Still Undergoing Tests ... 'Not Home Quite Just Yet'
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Damar Hamlin says he's receiving the best care as he undergoes -- and passes -- more health-related tests at a Buffalo hospital ... asking his supporters to keep praying for him as he continues to recover.
"Not home quite just yet," the Buffalo Bills safety tweeted minutes ago. "Still doing & passing a bunch of tests."
"Special thank-you to Buffalo General it’s been nothing but love since arrival!"
As we previously reported, 24-year-old Hamlin has improved to the point where he was discharged from UC Medical Center on Monday ... and he flew back to Buffalo to undergo more treatment.
Hamlin has made incredible strides since suffering cardiac arrest during the Bills vs. Bengals matchup on Monday Night Football ... and was able to watch his team take care of business from his hospital room on Sunday.
In fact, the physicians who took care of Hamlin say he was so pumped about the win, he set off all the alarms in the ICU!!
Doctors say it's still too early to talk about a return to football ... but all that really matters is Hamlin is getting back to his old self prior to the medical emergency.