Madonna Oldest Brother Anthony Ciccone Dead at 66
Madonna's oldest brother, Anthony Ciccone, has died.
Joe Henry, the husband of Madonna’s sister, Melanie Ciccone, went on Instagram Saturday with the news.
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Melanie said, “My brother-in-law, Anthony Gerard Ciccone, exited this earthly plane last evening. I’ve known him since I was 15, in the spring of our lives in Michigan so many years now gone.”
She added, “As brother Dave Henry notes here, Anthony was a complex character; and god knows: we tangled in moments, as true brothers can. But I loved him, and understood him better than I was sometimes willing to let on."
Henry had some revealing words ... “trouble fades,” he said, but family can still stay in tact.
Henry went on ... “Farewell, then, brother Anthony. I want to think the god your blessed mother (and mine) believed in has her there, waiting to receive you. At least for today, no one shall dissuade me from this vision.”
Madonna and other family members were estranged from Anthony. He battled alcoholism for years and was homeless at times ... once living under a bridge. He had railed on Madonna and other family members for allegedly not caring about him.
Anthony told the Daily Mail years ago ... “I’m a zero in their eyes – a non-person. I’m an embarrassment. If I froze to death, my family probably wouldn’t know or care about it for six months."
As for Madonna, he had harsh words ... “I never loved her in the first place, she never loved me. We never loved each other."
Anthony was 66.
RIP.
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Woody Harrelson Drug Co.'s Manipulated Pandemic Forcing Vaccines On Us and Making Loads of Cash
Woody Harrelson raised more than a few eyebrows during his "Saturday Night Live" appearance ... this after the actor went all conspiratorial on COVID vaccines ... something he's done before.
Harrelson leaned in on COVID as this week's SNL host, delivering a rambling opening monologue about smoking a joint and parking himself against a tree in Central Park while reading the "craziest script."
After 6 minutes, Woody got to the point, and it was sumpin' ...“So the movie goes like this: The biggest drug cartels in the world get together and buy up all the media and all the politicians and force all the people in the world to stay locked in their homes. And people can only come out if they take the cartel’s drugs and keep taking them over and over.”
He wrapped it up this way ...“I threw the script away. I mean, who was going to believe that crazy idea? Being forced to do drugs? I do that voluntarily all day.”
Thank you, @nbcsnl, for Woody Harrelson's insipid anti-vax monologue. Who are going to have guest host next week, Scott Baio? Rob Schneider? Kevin Sorbo? Maybe invite Kanye back while you're at it.
— Lee Goldberg (@LeeGoldberg) February 26, 2023 @LeeGoldberg
Social media wasn't amused. TV producer, Lee Goldberg tweeted, “Thank you, @nbcsnl, for Woody Harrelson’s insipid anti-vax monologue.”
A second person wrote, "That's NOT COOL! I lost the best mother figure to me & my sister that we had who died only 4hrs after contracting the f***ing virus!"
Another person chimed in, "This Guy IS a joke."
As you may know, Woody has previously floated conspiracy theories about the COVID pandemic, also calling mask-wearing "absurd" and bragging that he never contracted the virus because he's "internally clean." He also suggested 5G cellular networks were responsible for the spread of COVID, but he later deleted the post.
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Bam Margera Can't Believe Wife's Publicly Bashing Me ... Eases Sting at Strip Club
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Bam Margera says he's disappointed his estranged wife and her attorney are bashing him in the media ... but he insists he's been supporting his son, and hopes to one day share his side of the story.
It appears Bam and Nikki Boyd's legal separation is already getting nasty ... with Bam going online to respond to her recent allegations of what led to her filing for the split.
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Bam posted a photo of Nikki, Phoenix and himself in happier times, and captioned it ... "I am very disappointed about what Nikki and her lawyer have said about me publicly as a father. I love my son more than anything in this world. I have in fact been supporting my son. No one knows my side of the story which makes me sad. But hopefully one day they will. "
TMZ broke the story ... Nikki pulled the trigger on filing for legal separation last week, with her attorney David Glass telling us the decision was a direct result of Bam spending time with their son while she believed him to be under the influence.
Bam's been responding online -- albeit to total strangers -- claiming the separation is all Nikki's fault. In one comment he says, "I bought her a car in Petaluma and gave her 10 grand in ones, she still couldn't just say thanks Bam. She drove me to drink two weeks ago. I am better now."
As we reported, some people close to Bam, like Steve-O, are extremely concerned about his substance abuse -- but he's telling folks he's sober, and plans to stay on the wagon. He also says he's waiting for attorneys to give him the green light to tell his side of the story.
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A couple days after Nikki filed for legal separation, Bam went to Las Vegas, making an appearance last weekend at Day of the Dead Horror Con.
His time in Sin City wasn't just a convention stop, though ... he also hit up Larry Flynt's Hustler Club, where he was holding court in a VIP section.
The 'Jackass' star posed for a ton of pics with strippers, and appeared to be having one helluva time.
Everyone copes with family drama in their own way.
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Miles Teller L.A. Home Trashed by Burglars ... Rude Homecoming Awaits
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Miles Teller isn't going to have a pleasant return from an overseas trip -- cops say burglars took full advantage of his absence and hit his home hard.
Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... someone broke into the "Top Gun: Maverick" star's Los Angeles area home last week. We're told they gained entry by smashing a glass back door.
The crooks ransacked Miles' entire house looking for loot, but right now it's unclear what all they took. Once the actor's back in town, he'll go through the mess to evaluate what, if anything, is missing.
We're told cops were alerted to the caper by Miles' home alarm, but the suspects made a clean getaway.
Our sources say they don't believe Miles was intentionally targeted. Instead, he might have fallen victim to a string of burglaries that have been plaguing the area recently.
As of now, police haven't made any arrests ... but the investigation continues, and they're checking surveillance videos for clues.
We reached out to Miles' rep for comment, but so far no word back.
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Cody Rhodes WrestleMania Match Will Be 'Really Emotional' ... Says Diamond Dallas Page
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Diamond Dallas Page says Dusty Rhodes would have been overjoyed to watch his son, Cody, in the main event at WrestleMania 39 ... telling TMZ Sports "he would be walking on clouds."
Page -- who mentored his late best friend's son since he was a kid -- told us Cody's heavyweight championship match against Roman Reigns on Sunday, April 2 is the culmination of a journey, and a moment the Rhodes family can savor forever.
DDP explained the fact that Cody left WWE in May 2016 when he felt the company didn't believe in him, and then came back to have a monumental moment like the main event at WM 39 is proof of what can happen when people believe in themselves.
Cody -- a former WWE intercontinental champion -- joined All Elite Wrestling (AEW), where he spent six years competing before rejoining the WWE last April at WrestleMania 38.
Now, he has the opportunity to end Roman's 900+ day streak as Universal Champion.
DDP says he was honored to be one of Dusty's closest friends ... and he knows that after all the years of hard work and dedication the Rhodes family put into the craft, it will be "really emotional" to watch Cody enter the squared-circle.
We also spoke to Cody recently, and the 2023 Royal Rumble winner admits defeating Roman Reigns at WM would be a "tall task" -- but reassured everyone he's up to the challenge.
"If you're in the spot you want to make sure you get the job done," said Rhodes, the half-brother of Dustin, professionally known as Goldust during his WWE career.
DDP also talked us to about one of his mentors, Jake "The Snake" Roberts, who will be featured on A&E's docuseries: "Biography: WWE Legends" this Sunday, February 26.
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Erika Jayne Chrissy Teigen Doesn't Need Us ... But She'd Be an Amazing 'Housewife'
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Erika Jayne is keeping her lips sealed on potential new 'RHOBH' cast members -- now that they've started shooting -- but she's open about wanting Chrissy Teigen in the mix.
We got the "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" star out in WeHo and asked about the upcoming season of the show, which is gonna be very different without Erika's partner in crime, Lisa Rinna.
We raised the subject of Chrissy, Kyle Richards' top choice to join the cast, and Erika lit up ... saying she really likes CT, but added there's one big hiccup -- "Chrissy doesn't need this show!!!"
Erika couldn't even contain her laughter at the suggestion ... even if Kyle's throwing full support behind the idea of Chrissy being the perfect replacement.
Remember, Rinna recently announced she was leaving the show after 8 seasons.
01/06/23
Naturally, Erika told us her pal was simply irreplaceable. However, she's found some comfort in knowing she and Lisa remain friends outside the 'Housewives' universe ... aka IRL.
As for how the change is impacting the whole cast, she says everyone's dealing with it professionally.
We tried to get her to crack on who, if anyone, has been added -- she's not risking pissing off Andy Cohen, but sounds like she'd love it if he could convince Chrissy to come aboard.
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Sally Field Good Genes or Good Docs?!
Sally Field's looks over the years are anything but SAG!
Here is a 53-year-old version of the vibrant actress showing off her wholesome smile at the Screen Actors Guild Awards back in 2000 (left). This was the same year she received nominations for her roles on "ER" and "David Copperfield."
And, 23 years and a hairdo (or two) later, Sally recently looked elated and ready to tackle the night at the premiere of "80 For Brady" in Los Angeles (right).
Ms. Field will take the stage and receive the 2023 Life Achievement Award at this year's SAG awards. With that being said, clearly, her acting skills are award-worthy, but the question is...
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Glynn Turman Not Shocked By Racist Elementary School Drawings ... 'Nothing Surprises Me In America'
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Glynn Turman tells us why Black elementary school kids getting racist drawings during Black History Month isn't a story that shocks him ... and he's got some incredible words for the kids that were apparently targeted.
We got the longtime actor at Wally's in Bev Hills ... and, as he puts it, hatred like this is deeply rooted in America's DNA, which is why it's an incident we should've seen coming -- and he calls out the lack of education as a reason why.
Glynn says we can't keep burying racism in this country, pointing to this vulgar act as an example. He's also got words of wisdom for Black kids who are facing hatred like this in schools today ... check it out, it's incredibly powerful.
As we reported, drawings saying things like "To my favorite cotton picker" and "You're my favorite monkey" were passed out at Pepper Tree Elementary School in Upland, CA ... needless to say, parents of the targeted students were outraged.
We spoke with the school's PTA President, who told us the students aren't being held accountable -- adding the drawings were made on their own, without a teacher's approval.
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Celebrity Scramble Guess Who!
Underneath this 'dumb dumb' boulder is a guy who has jokes for days, and you may have watched him on "Saturday Night Live" before seeing him in theaters. As part of the "Frat Pack," this comedian starred alongside Owen Wilson and Jack Black in a popular film in the mid-'90s.
Yes, he's got beautiful blue eyes and enjoys working out, but that doesn't mean you should take him home to meet the parents. When he's not acting or directing, you can find him sitting court-side next to fellow comedian Pete Davidson.
Keep the faith and you'll definitely know who this mystery star is!
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Kodak Black Arrest Warrant Issued ... Over Drug Policy Violation
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Kodak Black is wanted by cops in Florida -- this after he allegedly violated his bail conditions by failing a drug test earlier this month.
According to new legal docs, obtained by TMZ, a judge signed off an arrest warrant in Kodak's name Thursday ... which just got filed in Broward County court yesterday. In the paperwork, it says Kodak is to taken into custody if any sheriff's deputies encounter him.
7/17/22
The reason ... a judge says he was found to have screwed up twice in recent weeks. On Feb. 3, the agency he's supposed to report to for random drug testing claims he was a no-show for a screening and failed to submit a sample that day. The following week, on Feb. 8, that same agency says Kodak did submit a sample ... but they allege it came back dirty.
Kodak Black Was Reportedly Arrested: Reports Are Unconfirmed pic.twitter.com/P5nqVxww2G
— No Jumper (@nojumper) July 15, 2022 @nojumper
According to them, he was positive for traces of fentanyl ... although it's unclear how much.
That was enough for a judge to tell authorities to go get him. If he's caught ... there's additional orders to hold him without bond until his next hearing in this Oxy case from last year.
You'll recall, Kodak was arrested in July for possession of a controlled substance without prescription and trafficking -- this after cops say they found upwards of 31 oxycodone pills in his car, which were found during a traffic stop in Ft. Lauderdale. He posted $75,000 bail and was released, but not without this restriction in place ... namely, keeping his pee clean.
Kodak didn't look too happy in his mug shot at the time, but as far as we know now ... he hasn't been picked up yet for a new one. We've reached out to his lawyer ... no word back.
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'Crying Indian' Ad Old PSA to be Retired for Good ... Rights Go to Native Group
The old "Crying Indian" commercial that used to play in the '70s -- which was meant to be a PSA against pollution -- is never going to be aired again ... now thanks to its new owner.
Nonprofit Keep America Beautiful is the OG creator of the ad, several variations of which they shot and ran with the help of actor Iron Eyes Cody ... who was the face of the campaign and who'd often be depicted in Native American regalia/crying at the sight of litter.
While their intentions might've been in the right place at the time, the PSA hasn't aged well ... with many Native American groups having since said it pushes hurtful tropes and stereotypes.
As a result, KAB has given up its claim to the PSA at large and transferred ownership to the National Congress of American Indians, which says it's retiring all of the promos and will monitor to make sure it's never played without historical context. In other words, this won't ever be played unironically as a real anti-littering message ... like it once was for years.
A rep for the Congress says, "NCAI is proud to assume the role of monitoring the use of this advertisement and ensure it is only used for historical context; this advertisement was inappropriate then and remains inappropriate today. NCAI looks forward to putting this advertisement to bed for good." It also seems like this is partially due to Cody's legacy.
At the time, he was all in on this campaign ... but his work in Hollywood -- where he starred in upwards of 200 films, often portraying a caricature of a Native American character -- has many in the community feeling like he's not the best representation of actual environmental work that real Native American people are involved in today ... especially all these years later. One activist says the "Crying Indian" appears to have no agency in the problem.
Bottom line ... it might've started out as an earnest thing, but got turned into a gag over time -- which became clear with shows like 'The Simpsons' and 'South Park' running parodies, not to mention elsewhere in pop culture. Now, it's not a laughing matter anymore.
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Norfolk Southern Another Train Derails in N.C. ... No Hazmat, No Danger
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Another Norfolk Southern train has derailed in North Carolina, but the company says there were no hazardous materials aboard ... and that there's no danger to the public this time.
One of the freight train's 132 cars fell off the tracks Saturday morning near Lexington, which affected a few Amtrak trains' paths near Greensboro/surrounding areas. The announcement from one Amtrak train went out around 9:20 AM, but the path was partially clear again about an hour later ... so it sounds like a cleanup crew was able to get out there quickly.
Piedmont Train 75 is now stopped in Greensboro (GRO) due to a disabled freight train blocking the tracks ahead. We will update as more information becomes available.
— Amtrak Alerts (@AmtrakAlerts) February 25, 2023 @AmtrakAlerts
Norfolk Southern confirmed it was, in fact, one of their freights that had toppled over, telling FOX News ... "There are no reports of a hazmat situation or danger to the public. Our crew is safe and additional personnel are on their way to begin cleanup. We appreciate the public’s patience and care near this area during the cleanup work."
Still no word on what might've caused this, but it's certainly not a good look for NS -- which is still dealing with the fallout from another more serious derailment in East Palestine, OH.
Transportation Sec. Pete Buttigieg: ‘Norfolk Southern and the other freight rail companies need to stop fighting us every time we try to do a regulation … What we’ve seen is the industry goes to Washington, and they get their way’ pic.twitter.com/ILgd59wFm0
— NowThis (@nowthisnews) February 23, 2023 @nowthisnews
As you know, the EPA ordered Norfolk to cover the costs for all cleanup efforts in Ohio ... and has vowed they'll pay triple if they cut corners and don't do the job right the first time.
Meanwhile, Transportation Sec. Pete Buttigieg went down to East Palestine Thursday for the first time -- blasting Norfolk Southern for pushing back on safety regulations that could've possibly avoided this in the first place. He and the Biden administration continue to face criticism for the seemingly slow response to the ongoing environmental disaster unfolding.
Locally, the Ohio Gov. has tried downplaying the dangers that locals are complaining about -- namely, apparent health issues and animals/wildlife turning up dead -- by drinking water in the area in an effort to assure folks that everything's a-okay there. Not everyone agrees ...
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Pink Xtina Wanted to Throw Down ... On 'Marmalade' Shoot
Pink claims Christina Aguilera wanted to throw hands during the 'Lady Marmalade' shoot -- something she says is ancient history ... but which definitely, allegedly, happened.
The singer spilled the beans to Chris Wallace on his weekly show, 'Who's Talking,' opening up about some apparent tension she says manifested on set when they were filming the music video way back in 2001. According to Pink, Xtina confronted her aggressively.
Watch how she describes it ... Pink says it all started because she was sitting in Christina's chair -- unclear if that means on set or off -- which she claims set Christina off. Supposedly, CA was so angry about this ... she was going to "shut down the entire production."
Pink says it didn't actually get physical right then and there, but did make clear ... she relayed to Christina at the time that she couldn't talk to her like that, period. Funny enough, Chris tells Pink he believes she could've kicked Christina's ass ... and Pink agrees.
As for the perceived shade everyone seems to think Pink is throwing Xtina's way ... Pink addressed that too, saying all she's doing is telling a story back as it happened and as she remembers it. If that truth happens to make someone look bad, so be it ... that's her view.
We should note ... Pink has claimed in the recent past that, in another old incident, Christina allegedly tried swinging on her at a club -- although Christina denied that at the time. As for this latest rehashing, we've already heard Christina also considers it old news/MAAN.
While it's clear neither artist has an issue with the other at the moment, time will tell if she wants to push back on Pink's characterization of things on 'LM' ... or just leave this one be.
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'Dilbert' Creator Scott Adams' Racist Rant ... Gets Comic Strip Banned by Papers
The creator of the classic comic strip, 'Dilbert,' may have just lined up the final nail in his coffin when it comes to newspapers running his stuff ... via a racist rant about Black people.
Scott Adams posted a new episode to his podcast Wednesday, where he discussed a poll he says was put out by Rasmussen ... which cites 53% of Black Americans agreeing with the phrase "It's okay to be white," meaning almost half of the respondents surveyed didn't necessarily agree, sending Adams into a tirade about the ramifications of that, from his POV.
Check out what he said ... because it's truly something. SA launches into a tirade about how white people should simply stop trying to help African-Americans in this country, because it always backfires and only festers hate from Black people's side. That's his takeaway.
He also goes so far as to say that Black people, at large, are a hate group ... with his rationale being -- if they're not okay with the phrase, they're trafficking in racial bigotry.
Adams went on to distinguish the differences between white and Black neighborhoods -- invoking Don Lemon, no less -- and ended with the cherry on top ... namely, his suggestion that white citizens steer clear of Black people ... 'cause it's just more trouble than it's worth.
As hostile and antagonistic as that sounds, Adams insists he's tried being an ally to Black folks throughout his life ... so much so, he apparently started *identifying* as Black too. 🤔
At @Gannett, we lead with inclusion and strive to maintain a respectful and equitable environment for the diverse communities we serve nationwide. #TeamGannett pic.twitter.com/GvHR1w9ae3
— USA TODAY NETWORK PR (@USATODAY_PR) February 24, 2023 @USATODAY_PR
Welp, that was enough for some major flagship news operations to kick him and 'Dilbert' to the curb -- including Gannett, which runs and publishes USA Today ... which now says it's done with him and will no longer continue to print 'Dilbert' comics in any of its papers.
The Plain Dealer -- a Cleveland publication -- announced the same shortly thereafter ... but it's actually late to the game. Several other newspapers in recent years have already dropped Adams/'Dilbert' ... upwards of 77 under Lee Enterprises and the SF Chronicle too.
Dilbert Comic for February 25: https://t.co/JjxrA1fWVp
— Dilbert (@Dilbert_Daily) February 25, 2023 @Dilbert_Daily
It might be the end of an era -- 'Dilbert' has been running in papers as a staple comic strip for years ... but now, it seems its corporate commentary has overstayed its welcome.
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Cardi B Doing Community Service With NYPD 'Girl Talk' Appearance
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3:34 PM PT -- Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... Cardi's been firing on all cylinders when it comes to her community service, apparently having done work at a church, a high school and a couple of notable orgs in and around NYC ... like the Fortune Society and the Samaritan Village. She has a couple days left to complete, and appears on track to getting it all done.
12:32 PM PT -- TMZ has learned that Cardi's appearance at the NYPD Academy wasn't for cops, but for kids ... little girls, to be specific. We're told she showed up for a police mentorship program called Girl Talk, which is most certainly serving the community and fulfilling her pledge.
Cardi even addressed her work a bit further on Twitter, writing ... "Community service has been the best thing that has happened to me. Almost like a spiritual journey because sometimes I leave these centers in tears .Those people that we leave behind they just need somebody to talk and a lil push and YOU might be able to change their life forever."
Cardi B is getting her 15 days of community service done one by one -- and it looks like part of that load was designated toward NYC cops ... more specifically, their entertainment.
The rapper popped into the NYPD Police Academy in Queens Friday for what seems to be a formal appearance she set up with some higher-ups in the force -- part of which was caught on camera as officers in training cheered her on ... this according to the NY Post.
Cardi B turnt up while doing community service. 😭 pic.twitter.com/W6g6MvisOZ
— Rap Alert (@rapalert6) February 25, 2023 @rapalert6
Unclear how long CB was there or what exactly she did -- other than dance around for a bit, which can be seen on camera -- but it sure sounds like this counted on her IOU for court.
After the appearance, she was talking about how this would, indeed, go toward her court-ordered community service. In one tweet, she wrote ... "My brains are burning from waking up early ,community service then studio….but I did the crime 'I only have myself to blame.'"
My brains are burning from waking up early ,community service then studio….but I did the crime “I only have myself to blame” pic.twitter.com/YFbMbwm1xd
— Cardi B (@iamcardib) February 24, 2023 @iamcardib
Of course, she certainly seems to be joking here ... considering real community service is often labor-intensive and out by the side of a freeway somewhere. In this case, it appears she just showed up to the Academy for a little face time with cadets and called it a day.
If this is how she's able to check the 15-day requirement ... ya gotta figure she'll be in for a relatively easy path forward -- and frankly, good for her for figuring out a way to skip picking up trash or scrubbing graffiti. Showing up and/or "performing" beats the hell outta any of that.
You'll recall ... Cardi actually missed her OG deadline to have her service done back in January -- but was given an extension to finish by March 1, which is around the corner.
This all ties back to a strip club beatdown case she was charged in a while back, for which she copped a plea deal ... receiving 15 days of community service as part of her sentence.
Almost near the finish line ... just a few more in-person visits to go! 😅
Originally Published -- 11:27 AM PT
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Butt-Naked Man Caught On Camera ... Running Down Texas Highway
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2:04 PM PT -- Dallas PD tells TMZ ... "We responded to SB Central Expressway in the area of Haskell around 4:40 pm on Friday for reports of a man naked in the roadway. The man was taken to a local hospital for evaluation. No charges filed."
A buck-naked man gave drivers a free peep show on a Texas highway ... and the bizarre incident was partly caught on video.
Check out this footage, obtained by TMZ, showing the mystery man -- in the buff -- running along the shoulder of Central Expressway in Dallas on Friday afternoon.
We're told another man dressed in a suit was chasing after him, but you can't see the second guy in the clip. That man apparently turned around at some point and went back the other way.
We don't know what happened to the streaker ... witnesses tell us they lost track of him as they drove down the highway.
TMZ reached out to a rep for Dallas PD, but she said cops never received a 911 call so they didn't respond.
Originally Published -- 9:20 AM PT