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Bill Maher used St. Patrick's Day to make a point ... the United States of America is (A) not united and (B) on the cusp of becoming the next Northern Ireland.

The 'Real Time' host served up a warning that would be useful to heed -- Our politics have become a religion for the majority of Americans, and the level of hatred toward people embracing "the other" religion has us dangerously close to calamity.

It happened in Northern Ireland, where a politically combustible landscape turned into urban warfare, and Bill sees us headed in that direction.

As he says, Democrats and Republicans are embracing that same level of hatred for those they oppose. The majority of people in both parties don't want their kids to marry someone attached to the opposing party.

And then, he invokes the name of Marjorie Taylor Greene, who has called for a "national divorce" -- in other words, creating two countries ... made up of blue states on the one hand and red on the other.

Aside from it being ridiculous, Bill points out there are fundamental disagreements within each political party, so thinking a divorce will create harmony is just stupid.

Kenny G is saying "enough" to his ex-wife ... he can no longer afford to pay her a king's ransom in spousal support, and he says she's more than capable of getting a job.

According to DailyMail ... Kenny's lawyer, disso queen Laura Wasser, filed legal docs Friday asking the judge to pull the plug on his monthly, $40,000 spousal support obligation, saying it's become impossible to pay ... and one big reason is COVID.

The 66-year-old musician, who was married to Lyndie Benson for 21 years, has been paying her $40k a month since 2013. All told, that comes to $3.9 million.

Kenny has already filed legal docs saying his touring opportunities during and even after COVID have significantly diminished ... and that's how he makes money. He goes on to say there's been a steady decline in income since 2018.

In Wasser's legal docs, she says, Lyndie's 57 and in good health, adding, "Lyndie has refused to become fully self-supporting for almost 10 years. Kenny should not have to continue to bear the burden of her refusal to do so."

Rod Stewart pulled the plug on his concert in Australia Saturday ... because of some mysterious illness.

The 78-year-old rock star took to Twitter to make the announcement hours before he was to hit the stage at his Geelong show as part of his tour through the land Down Under with Cyndi Lauper and Jon Stevens.

Stewart posted a broken heart emoji next to an official statement, which read, "Live Nation and Roundhouse Entertainment regret to announce that tonight's performance by Rod Stewart, Cyndi Lauper and Jon Stevens at Mt. Duneed Estate, Geelong will not go ahead due to illness."

The message ended with this..."We apologise for the disappointment and inconvenience for ticket holders. A further announcement regarding the concert arrangements will be made early next week."

Lauper and Stevens also announced the cancellation on their social media pages.

It was not clear which performer(s) had gotten sick or the nature of the illness or how the tour will be impacted going forward.

The musicians have performances lined up in Adelaide on Tuesday, Mt. Cotton in Queensland on March 25 and 26, and Sydney on March 29.

Big week for Lindsay ... she's pregnant and in the midst of a comeback ... meanwhile, Paris and Brooke are making waves with their tell-alls. So, we gotta ask ...

Don't book hotel rooms in Las Vegas just yet, Jets fans ... Packers legend LeRoy Butler tells TMZ Sports even with Aaron Rodgers -- "ya'll ain't going to no Super Bowl."

In fact, according to the Hall of Famer, NY won't even break .500 this season with Rodgers!!!

Butler gave us his prediction on Friday -- just a couple days after Rodgers made it known he wants to be traded from the Packers to the Jets -- and he's warning NY fans, be careful what you wish for.

Don't get it twisted, Butler thinks Rodgers can still sling the pigskin -- "you can blindfold Aaron flat-footed, and he'll hit a mosquito" -- he just thinks the way the quarterback is handling this offseason won't lend itself to big wins later in 2023.

"I'm going to say this," Butler told us, "I was on a team that went to two Super Bowls -- your team gotta be close."

"I don't know if Aaron Rodgers is going to be there the whole offseason to gel with the top Rookie of the Year wide receiver [Garrett Wilson] ... I don't know if he's going to be there to go to the clubs with Breece Hall. I don't know."

Butler said he's expecting it all to lead to only eight wins for the Jets in '23.

"And then, you have to waffle again if he wants to play for 2024," Butler said.

Butler added he's not been pleased with the way Rodgers has handled his impending exit from Green Bay -- straight up saying some of the signal-caller's words have come across as "disrespectful."

He added that he's happy the team can finally move on from the Rodgers saga with Jordan Love -- predicting GB will win nine or 10 games this season.

Ja Morant's publicity problems are now costing NLE Choppa, whose new song was all set to be featured in a Powerade commercial ... that is, until the NBA star flashed a gun on camera.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ Hip Hop ... NLE's newest track, "Mo Up Front," was set to lead Ja and Powerade's "What 50% More Means" ad campaign. The TV spot was going to highlight the NCAA's March Madness tournament.

Those plans were scrapped, of course, in wake of Ja's infamous gun-waving video and subsequent eight-game suspension from the NBA ... thereby screwing NLE out of the commercial placement for his track.

Despite missing out on the national exposure, we're told the Memphis rapper is still a fan of Ja, and maintains a relationship with his hometown Grizzlies. He walked the team out onto the court for their home opener, so he's a diehard.

NLE is scheduled to partake in the team's celebrity basketball game on March 20 to benefit St. Jude's hospital. As for the music ... we're hearing he still has mo' heat in the can.

Just like in the movie "Bridesmaids" ... you can always count on Melissa McCarthy to keep you safe and be on the watch, but now it's on YOU to look out for any mishaps in these two images. Buckle on up, because this Frigin' Difference is like no other!

The hilarious actress was recently snapped on the movie set of "Bernard and The Genie" in New York City -- and she evidently went on a big shopping spree -- so before she drops, see if you can bag up the changes in the two shots!

Best of luck!

Avril Lavigne is looking iced out these days ... and the new, flashy jewelry around her neck comes courtesy of her new bf, Tyga.

Eric Mavani, a celebrity jeweler out of New York City, tells TMZ ... Tyga gifted Avril the custom diamond chain Thursday, and the piece is worth $80K.

Avril's already posted selfies flaunting the chain and was spotted wearing it Thursday night in Los Angeles.

We're told the bling features 50 carats of white diamonds, black diamonds and pink sapphires. Diversity matters! 💎😂

As you can see, the chain features several pendants ... one with Avril's first name, two with the letter "A" imposed over a pink heart, and a pair of skulls and crossbones with pink ribbons.

We're told Tyga reached out to Eric three weeks ago, right before Paris Fashion Week, to make the piece.

The timing is worth noting ... because Tyga and Avril started hanging out a lot more when they were in Paris, kissing for the cameras and strolling through the streets hand in hand.

TMZ broke the story ... Tyga and Avril are still in the early stages of dating, and they're not putting any labels ... like girlfriend/boyfriend on anything, at least not yet.

It will be interesting to see if the expensive diamond gift changes that.

"Last of Us" actor Storm Reid isn't letting a bunch of anti-LGBTQ+ internet trolls rain on her parade, telling us no matter how much they bash the show's inclusive episodes ... she knows it's important to tell those stories.

We caught up with the talented young actress Friday at LAX. If you missed it, she had a guest role on episode 7 of the insanely popular HBO series where she played Riley, the best friend and love interest of the show's star Ellie ... played by Bella Ramsey.

Of course, the episode received a ton of praise, but there were also lots of people who thought it was unnecessary for "Last of Us" to include a lesbian plot.

Storm says not only are the stories told on "Last of Us" very real, but they're also purposeful ... and she's choosing to ignore the folks who can't see that.

Those naysayers flocked to the show's public forums to leave negative reviews, and even went so far as to rank it as one of "the worst" episodes of the season. Perhaps not shockingly, they also hated the third episode, which featured two gay characters.

BTW ... Storm says if there's ever an opportunity for Riley to come back for season two, she's 100% in for an encore!

Have a mess? No stress! Spring cleaning is here, so take a page out of the stars' books and get your pantries clean and lean! Step into the spiffy pantries of top-shelf organizers like Mindy Kaling, Busy Philipps and Chrissy Teigen who know a thing or two about keepin' it freaky fresh!

With the assistance of a little celeb clue, your Saturday chore is to guess the celeb's pantry!

Yes, she may live in a lavish Beverly Hills mansion, but her pantry is just as tidy and meticulous with an assortment of jams and snacks for the kiddos! If this outspoken mom has late-night "cravings" she doesn't fret, because her pantry is "legendary!" Can you guess the star who owns this pantry?

You sure can taste the rainbow in this color-coordinated pantry! From the plethora of perfectly-placed condiments to the calligraphy-labeled bins and baskets, this actress managed to take a break from her 'Busy' life to organize the heck out of her pantry! Any takers?!

Needless to say ... spring cleaning, there's no better feeling! Take inventory of all the stars who love a good cleanse and keep their pantries in check, and while you're at it see if you can guess the celebrity's pantry!

Lance Reddick, famous for his work on HBO's "The Wire" and the "John Wick" movie franchise has died ... TMZ has learned.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... Lance's body was discovered at his Studio City home Friday morning around 9:30 AM. His cause of death is currently unclear, but our law enforcement sources say it appears to be natural.

Lance had been doing a press tour for the fourth installment of the 'John Wick' franchise -- he plays Charon in the movie -- and had a guest appearance scheduled for next week on Kelly Clarkson's show.

Lance posted a selfie video on social media Wednesday morning, appearing to be at home with his dogs instead of attending the 'Wick 4' premiere in New York City ... though he never mentioned why he wasn't going to the premiere.

Before his work on 'Wick,' Lance was best known for playing fictional Baltimore Police Department officer Cedrick Daniels on the hit HBO series "The Wire" ... with his character appearing in all five seasons.

Lance also had recurring roles on a bunch of popular TV shows ... including "Fringe," "Bosch," "Oz" and "Lost."

In addition to his success on TV, Lance also acted on the big screen outside the 'Wick' franchise ... with credits in films like "Angel Has Fallen" and "Godzilla Vs. Kong."

Lance has some unreleased projects in the works ... he plays the Greek god Zeus in the upcoming Disney+ series, "Percy Jackson and the Olympians."

Born and raised in Baltimore, Lance earned a music degree from the University of Rochester and he got his MFA from Yale.

Lance was 60.

Cher is once again looking to unload her massive Malibu mansion ... putting the estate she's called home for decades back on the market, at a reduced price.

Real estate sources tell TMZ ... the pop icon's oceanfront property is now going for $75 million, which is a sizable reduction from the original $85 million price tag.

Remember, Cher listed the home back in October, but it never sold and was taken off the market ... and on Friday afternoon it was relisted.

The Italy-inspired home is a true beauty ... with just about all the bells and whistles you can imagine, including a home gym, infinity pool, home theater and tennis courts.

The home rests on 1.7 acres and overlooks the Pacific Ocean ... and the grounds are dotted with 40 palm trees, plus a fountain and a courtyard.

The main residence features 7 bedrooms, most notably the primary suite, which is decked out with two closets and a meditation room.

And, get this ... apparently, there's a climate-controlled wig room storing up to 100 hairpieces ... where else are you going to find one of those?!?

Cher originally bought the place way back in 1989, plunking down $2.95 million.

Ashley Graham isn't looking to expand her family, revealing her husband actually had a vasectomy to prevent any chance of having more kiddos in the future.

Ashley got candid on the 'Milk Drunk' podcast, founded by Bobbie -- an organic formula company. The model was chatting it up about parenthood and her plans for the future before being asked if she was hoping to have any more children.

However, AG makes it clear, her hubby Justin Ervin is in "full vasectomy mode" and "shooting blanks". In other words ... it ain't happening!!!

Ashley and Justin tied the knot in 2010, and they've since welcomed three kids together.

Of course, it seems as though the mommy and model already has a lot on her plate. You'll recall her recent Oscars gig ... though she wound up having a very awkward exchange with Hugh Grant.

UFC fighter Jeff Molina is opening up on his sexuality after a video showing him performing a sex act on another man was leaked to social media this week ... saying he was stripped of the opportunity to announce he is bisexual the way he wanted.

The 25-year-old shared an emotional statement to Twitter on Friday ... saying, "Not the way I wanted to do this but the chance to do it when I was ready was taken from me."

"I've tried to keep my dating life private from social media," Molina continued. "I've dated girls my whole life and suppressed feelings I had throughout high school being on the wrestling team, throughout college pursuing MMA, and even after making part of the dream happen and getting into the UFC."

"The thought of my buddies, teammates and ppl I look up to looking at me different let alone treating me different for something I can't control was something I couldn't fathom."

Molina -- 11-2 so far in his career and 3-0 in UFC -- has previously shown support for the LGBTQ+ community ... wearing the Pride Month shorts for his fight in June 2022.

Molina -- who's currently suspended for his alleged role in a betting scheme -- said he was not planning to come out during his career ... adding he wanted to be known for his skills rather than being the "'bi UFC fighter' that I'm sure would just be translated to 'gay UFC fighter.'"

Molina's announcement makes him the first openly LGBTQ+ male member of the UFC.

"At the end of the day I know my character, morals, and who I am as a person. As much as I'm getting hated/s****** on I'm getting an equal amount of support & it means a f*** ton."

"The Crown" is returning for its sixth and final season ... and we've now got a visual of how they'll portray Prince William's first meeting with his future wife Kate Middleton.

Ed McVey, who portrays the prince during his late teen/college years, and Meg Bellamy, who plays Kate, were fully into character in a series of photos taken on set in St. Andrews, Scotland earlier this week.

In the photos, the younger "royals" recreate William and Kate's first encounter at St. Andrews University in Scotland in 2001 ... giving fans a glimpse into their romance in its earlier years. And, we gotta say, casting for the two appears to be spot on.

As you know, the Prince and Princess of Wales started dating back in 2001 ... building on their legacy ever since.

The Netflix hit series chronicles the royal family in the wake of Princess Diana's death in 1997. And, the show is expected to take fans along a royal ride well into the late '90s and early 2000s.

It's St. Paddy's Day and folks all over -- Irish or not -- are celebrating the holiday ... so we've got a look at some of your fave celebs all decked out in green.

'DWTS' staple Cheryl Burke went all out ... wearing an all-green outfit and sharing some St. Patrick's Day festivities on IG. As did actor and donut impresario Danny Trejo, who showed off his leprechaun getup and a green treat.

Fitness model Jen Selter stayed on brand ... sporting a matching green workout set paired with some shamrock ears!

Seems like Jimmy Kimmel's also in a really festive mood ... showing off what appears to be a fake tattoo of a leprechaun, underneath his green shirt! He captioned the photo, "Not even flexing #StPatricksDay".