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Britney Spears has apparently responded to reports about her public meltdown ... but it's as confusing as her erratic behavior in the restaurant.

The pop star took to Instagram Saturday and posted an illustration of a sexy woman in sunglasses, sitting at a small table with her purse on top. The caption reads, "They told me I couldn't that's why I did!"

A few hours later, Britney posted an IG video of herself dancing to music while repeatedly flipping the bird.

TMZ broke the story ... Britney and her husband, Sam Asghari, had dinner Friday night at JOEY restaurant in the San Fernando Valley.

Patrons immediately recognized her and started filming, which drove her over the edge. Eyewitnesses say Britney started acting "manic" and began yelling and talking incoherently.

Sam couldn't take it anymore and stormed out of the restaurant. Video obtained by TMZ shows Britney seated alone at the table, as she talked what people described as "jiberish."

Britney left the restaurant with her bodyguard, who had to return to pay the bill.

A family's dog tragically lost its life while out in the woods with its owner ... because we're told a hunter accidentally mistook it for a coyote and shot it.

Jennifer Heller, owner of 8-year-old malamute Hunter, shared the loss of her pup on Facebook ... saying her husband Chris put reflective collars and harnesses on their dogs and took them to a "very commonly used walking path by our house" in Berks County, PA.

While there, she says Chris unleashed Hunter but kept him close -- eventually coming across a group of hunters. After finding out there was an extension on hunting season, she says Chris went to go leash up their dog ... but claims it was shot before he could get to him.

Jennifer says her husband yelled for help and they loaded Hunter in a truck and drove like crazy to get him to a vet, but he died before they could even get to a highway. She's now asking authorities to revoke the shooter's hunting privileges.

Northern Berks Regional Police Chief James Keiser tells TMZ ... the dog wasn't under the control of the owner and was shot by hunters who thought it was a coyote -- adding it should've been on a leash. He says there were no arrests and no charges were filed.

A rep for the Game Commission tells us the hunters were in full compliance with PA hunting laws -- saying it seems the dog was simply shot by mistake.

Jen Shah's going to get her head checked once she finishes her stint in the big house ... and it's all Uncle Sam's idea.

It's a few years in her future, but the "Real Housewives of Salt Lake City" star has a couple special conditions for her eventual prison release -- and, according to new docs we obtained, chief among them is a requirement to participate in a mental health treatment program.

Remember ... Jen was recently sentenced to 6.5 years behind bars in her wire fraud case, and she's supposed to surrender to authorities on February 17 to start serving her sentence at a federal penitentiary in Texas.

Once Jen serves her time, she's going to be under 5 years of supervised release ... during which she's got to do her mental health treatments.

At her sentencing, Jen got emotional as she apologized ... saying, "With the proper medication I can now see what happened."

The docs say Jen must continue to take her prescribed meds when she gets out of prison, unless her health care provider decides otherwise.

Jen's probation officer has to sign off on the mental health program she chooses ... and she may be subject to testing to see whether she's reverting to drug and alcohol use.

Cheryl Burke is dancing off with a W in the fallout from her divorce with Matthew Lawrence -- instead of going to court over custody of their dog ... he's waived the white flag.

New court docs, obtained by TMZ, show the 'DWTS' star and her now-ex-husband have struck a deal regarding the battle over who'll be the primary caretaker of their French bulldog, Ysabella ... something they'd been fighting about throughout the proceedings.

As of now ... it looks like Cheryl is going to play dog mom to the pooch, as she was awarded all ownership rights -- with ML agreeing to give up all docs/data pertaining to Ysabella, including the title of "pet parent" for their once-shared Home Again service.

There was a trial that was scheduled to take place soon if they didn't squash this, and it looks like they did that just in the nick of time -- with all discovery now being withdrawn.

While Matthew and Cheryl finalized their divorce in September, this was one of the final points of contention ... which Cheryl had even addressed publicly, calling Matt's insistence on fighting her over it "cruel." As she said in interviews, she always saw it as *her* dog.

Cheryl says she got Ysabella from an ex, and felt entitled to it. In the end, it seems he saw it that way too. Of course, he's on to new horizons ... now in a relationship with Chilli.

Gervonta Davis is going to love this ...

Mike Tyson just heaped some huge praise onto the star boxer ... saying if the 28-year-old continues fighting at the level he's currently at, he can without a doubt become a legend in the sport.

Iron Mike threw out the massive compliment in Beverly Hills on Friday afternoon ... while talking with TMZ Sports about people comparing Tank to a younger version of himself.

"Tank is a great fighter," Tyson said of the comp ... before adding, "He'll be [a legend] too if he keeps fighting."

Of course, Tyson has never been shy about his affinity for Davis ... calling the 28-0 boxer "probably the greatest fighter around now" after he beat Mario Barrios in 2021.

Others in the fight world, too, have shown big love for Tank's fighting skills ... comparing him to Tyson often due to his compact frame and propensity to end fights with one punch.

The biggest fight of Davis' career could very well happen at some point this year -- as he and Ryan Garcia appear to be on a collision course.

Even on a cold winter's day ... these celebrities are always ready to strike a pose and still manage to look hot showing off that winter glow! Check out some of your favorite stars snapping pics in the snow!

Five-time Olympic snowboarder Shaun White is used to those freezing temps, as if the bare feet weren't proof enough ... and model Jordyn Woods is bundled up, posin' for the camera in her snow gear.

Kylie Jenner might not be that close with Jordyn anymore, but that ain't gonna stop the billionaire from getting dolled up for a frozen outing, too.

Soccer star Romeo Beckham isn't just into the international sport like his pops ... because it looks like he's taken up snowball chucking as a hobby!

Theresa Caputo's looks ... and hair ... have always been big!

Here is a 44-year-old version of the psychic medium bringing her iconic look to The Grove in Los Angeles back in 2012 (left). This was just one year after the debut of her show "Long Island Medium," which had an 8-year run.

And, 11 years later -- now 55 years old -- Theresa is still sticking to her her signature poof and recently showed up with a glowing smile to the Sirius XM studios in New York City (right).

Although she knows the answer to the question, we'll ask it anyway ...

Soap legend Susan Lucci is on a mission to make sure others don't have to go through the same ordeal she did to survive a massive heart blockage.

We got the "All My Children" star out in NYC, where she downloaded us on her upcoming collaboration with the American Heart Association.

You'll recall, Susan underwent emergency surgery back in 2019 after having a 90% heart blockage. That saved her from a massive and likely fatal heart attack.

Now, she calls herself lucky to be alive and points to the "wonderful" doctors who acted fast.

Susan tells us, she was motivated to help others after her medical crisis ... saying she almost ignored it until it was too late, but thankfully she didn't. She says she had no idea her dad's side of the family actually had a history related to her condition.

Her hope is to spread awareness about heart disease and, most importantly, getting tested. As for the signs, she keeps it simple -- pay attention to your family history and changes with your body.

Underneath this dramatic diamond is a woman about town who landed on your TV screens and brought all of the hashtags, and considering she was born and raised in the 9-0-2-1-0 ... there's no question this rich kid knows her way around Beverly Hills.

Yes, she comes from a billionaire father, but she has started an empire of her own ... and she's proud of her jewelry line ... so much bling! As an honorary member of the rich and popular, she can show you a thing or two about the high life.

Phoebe Bridgers and Bo Burnham have set the internet ablaze after seemingly confirming dating rumors -- but we've learned they were getting cozy nearly 2 whole months ago.

Here's the deal ... Phoebe and Bo were seen at LAX together Friday, trying to be low key -- but no doubt fueling speculation they're an item now, this after at least a month of fans' theories in the wake of hints that she and one-time BF Paul Mescal split up late last year.

With this outing ... PB's followers are having a virtual meltdown on Twitter, as they loved her and Paul as a couple -- and can't seem to handle the idea that she's moved on with another dude ... even it is the widely beloved Bo.

Of course, word of Phoebe and BB (potentially) being a thing has been floating around since before the holidays ... especially after The 1975's Matty Healy posted a photo of himself kissing Phoebe, with Bo standing behind them. As it turns out, the theories were likely true.

This new pic, obtained by TMZ, shows what we're told is Bo and Phoebe at a restaurant in Malibu, CA on Nov. 17, just before noon. Eyewitnesses tell us they were in there for some grub to go, and that they were sitting off in the corner while waiting for their food.

We're told they appeared to be in matching black hiking outfits ... and that they could even be heard talking about how they're seen more as an image than actual people in the public.

One eyewitness tells us they also talked about their mutual musicianship ... getting into the feeling of walking onstage under bright lights. Eventually, their order was ready and they left in the same vehicle. No sign of PDA, but our sources say it looked like a classic day date.

Lisa Marie Presley's cause of death won't be known for some time -- because health officials are waiting on one key thing that'll hopefully explain what took her life.

Sources with direct knowledge tell us Presley's autopsy was done Saturday, but we're told the L.A. County Coroner's Office doesn't have an official COD yet -- because toxicology tests are being done, and the results aren't in yet. No word on when those might come back.

In other words ... the underlying cause of what sparked her medical emergency remains a mystery. The toxicology will expose what may have been in her system at the time of death.

TMZ broke the story ... Lisa Marie went into full cardiac arrest Thursday morning at home after complaining of severe stomach pain only hours before. Family sources tell us Lisa Marie's ex, Danny Keough, performed CPR until paramedics arrived.

First responders were able to get a pulse after administering at least one dose of epinephrine ... but she died at the hospital surrounded by her family. We're told she was pronounced brain dead at one point while on life support, spurring her family to sign a "DNR" ... which eventually led to her having a second cardiac arrest and eventually passing.

Of course, Lisa Marie and Priscilla Presley were both in attendance at The Golden Globes Tuesday where Austin Butler took home the award for Actor in a Drama Motion Picture for his role in "Elvis."

Butler praised both Lisa Marie and Priscilla during his acceptance speech, which nearly brought both women to tears.

Lisa Marie was only 54.

RIP

Tory Lanez has a new top-notch legal team in his midst that he hopes can get him out of jail ASAP -- which now includes the man who famously got Casey Anthony off the hook.

Sources connected to TL's defense team tell TMZ ... the rapper has recently hired Jose Baez as his latest attorney, whom we're told is going to work side by side with David Kenner and Matthew Barhoma ... two other powerhouse lawyers Tory brought on this past week.

It's shaping up to be quite the squad around him. Of course, Baez has repped countless notable clients -- there's Anthony, but also ... Aaron Hernandez. JB was in the middle of filing an appeal for his conviction in the murder of Odin Lloyd before AH took his own life.

Prior to his death, Baez successfully got Aaron acquitted in a separate double murder case he'd been charged for -- and he's worked on behalf of several other celebs over the years.

Kenner, for his part, repped Suge Knight in the '90s regarding a robbery charge -- for which he got Suge probation. It appears Kenner was also working for Suge for his more recent manslaughter case ... appearing in court with Suge while he was fighting those charges.

On top of that, Kenner also successfully represented Snoop Dogg around the same time -- helping him beat a murder case. So, yeah ... the guy's got a pretty good track record.

As for the latest on Tory's case ... Kenner asked a judge this week to have sentencing delayed for a bit while he catches up on court transcripts from the trial, so that he can prepare a solid appeal. The judge granted that request ... sentencing is now on for Feb. 28.

Tristan Thompson held a funeral for his late mother this weekend -- which a handful of notable celebrities flew out for to pay their respects ... including the Kardashians.

The NBA player was on hand Saturday in Toronto -- where a service was held for his mom, Andrea, who died suddenly over a week ago after suffering a heart attack. Tristan was dressed in all black outside, where Andrea's casket was eventually carried through as well.

Looks like some famous faces attended the celebration of life ... Drake, for instance, was notably on the scene. Ditto for Kim, Khloe and what seems to be Kylie. We know Kris Jenner was there too, but she doesn't appear in any of these shots.

In addition to these stars, there were other friends and family who were supporting Tristan. Everybody looks somber, and most everyone was dressed in traditional funeral attire.

As we reported ... Andrea was rushed to a hospital on Jan. 5 after going into cardiac arrest. Doctors tried reviving her, but she passed. Tristan flew out almost immediately, and Khloe went with him. Of course, they share two children together -- True and a new baby boy.

The ex-couple is no longer romantically involved, but obviously ... they're still close. Andrea was also incredibly close to her son -- she'd met True and Tristan's other kids over the years.

A statue honoring Martin Luther King Jr. and his wife, Coretta Scott King, was unveiled this week -- depicting a famous hug they gave each other ... but not everyone sees that.

The art piece is called "The Embrace," and it was shown off in public for the first time Friday ... with a large crowd on hand in the Freedom Plaza of the Boston Common to help ring in the new addition to the space. Some King family members were also there for the honor.

Sculptor Hank Willis Thomas is the man behind the monument -- and he says he designed "The Embrace" after a 1964 photo of MLK wrapping Coretta up after hearing he'd won the Nobel Peace Prize that year. However, he decided to just show off their arms interlocking.

While the sculpture is being praised by many, it's being questioned by others -- especially on Twitter, where some can't understand why the creator didn't include their heads.

Even more people online are doing double takes ... saying they interpret the piece in different ways, especially from certain angles. For instance, some say it looks like one of the arms is holding onto a thigh -- which comes across as inappropriate for the select few who see it that way.

Of course, there are those who are outright mocking it, despite the seriousness of the subject. Everybody's a critic, we suppose -- and this one's in the eye of the beholder. 🤷🏽‍♂️

A viral article out of the UK is posing an interesting request -- pleading with the public (and the media) to stop using the word "queer" ... as the author apparently views it as a slur.

The brief opinion piece -- which also seems to be a letter to the editor -- appeared in the Guardian this week ... and the headline simply read, "Please don’t use the Q-word." It's written by a fella named Karl Lockwood, who says he's a gay man of nearly 7 decades.

In the 113-word editorial, Lockwood hones into a Guardian piece written last week, which notes that England and Wales had started to count trans and nonbinary people in their census for the first time ever -- while pointing out only 15,000 ID'd specifically as queer.

He adds, "I suspect that many of the others, like me, consider the term to be insulting and derogatory, and certainly not 'reclaimed'. I am a gay man of 66 years with many friends and acquaintances, and know no one who would refer to themselves as queer. It would seem a small minority of activists has encouraged the media to use the word without considering its offensiveness to many people. You wouldn’t use the N-word, so don’t use the Q-word."

In other words, he's referring to a time when "queer" was used to bully others -- which he feels qualifies it as hate speech ... and thus, warrants its censoring in public discourse.

It's an interesting argument, but most of Twitter seems to strongly disagree with this guy ... with a lot of folks on the bird app calling it cloaked "TERF" talk that only serves to erase queer people from the larger conversation. Some also think it targets transgender folks.

Of course, there's also the issue of comparing the use of "queer" to the n-word, which has people fired up. Many say the juxtaposition is apples to oranges -- and that conflating the two is a huge disservice to Black people, not to mention LGBTQ+ people of color.

Britney Spears caused a scene Friday night at an L.A. restaurant ... the pop star had a bizarre meltdown, prompting her husband to storm out.

Eyewitnesses tell TMZ ... Brit and Sam Asghari showed up with a bodyguard at JOEY restaurant in Woodland Hills which was packed with patrons, who immediately recognized her.

From the start ... the dinner was a bust for Britney. Patrons pulled out their cell phones and began shooting footage of her. Britney got pissed and things went south quickly.

Eyewitnesses say Britney became "manic," yelling and talking gibberish -- not another language, just unrecognizable speech. We're told Sam got visibly upset, abruptly stood up and stormed out the door.

Check out the video, obtained by TMZ, showing Brit sitting alone at the table and speaking incoherently.

Two minutes later, witnesses say, Britney got up and left the restaurant with her bodyguard, who soon returned to pay the bill.