Roc Nation Takes Out Ad, Calls On Athletes, Owners To Denounce Racism ... After Fans Taunt Romelu Lukaku w/ Monkey Noises
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"Enough is enough."
That's the message Roc Nation is sending Italian soccer fans -- and people across the entire world -- after Inter Milan's Romelu Lukaku was berated by hateful "fans" making monkey noises during the game against Juventus F.C. on Tuesday.
Jay-Z's agency, which reps Lukaku, purchased a full-page advertisement in Italy's daily sports newspaper, La Gazzetta dello Sport, which is headquartered just a few miles from where the racist incident went down at Allianz Stadium in Turin.
"Dear Italy, Do better. Want better. Be better," the letter, translated into English, begins.
"In professional [soccer], Black players have been subjected to hatred during professional [soccer] games. The hatred has displayed itself in the form of monkey chants, racial slurs and banana peels tossed at the best players in the world, as the world watches, as the children watch, as the players' families watch."
"No one has faced any consequences for this heinous behavior. Nothing has changed. No action has been taken."
Racist chants were made against Romelu Lukaku by certain Juventus fans.
— Get Italian Football News (@_GIFN) April 4, 2023 @_GIFN
(Via @linea_inter)pic.twitter.com/F5K6MSL9h8
Of course, as the ad suggests, this isn't the first time a Black player -- and Romelu in particular -- has been forced to endure racist behavior from fans.
29-year-old Lukaku, who was berated on Tuesday after converting a penalty kick against Juventus in the Coppa Italia semifinal match, was targeted by a racist group of fans in 2019.
#EnoughIsEnough pic.twitter.com/y91iZ7r36E
— Roc Nation (@RocNation) April 5, 2023 @RocNation
Back then, Romelu, who again converted on a PK, was subjected to similarly gross behavior after his squad defeated Cagliari.
Roc Nation talks about the power of soccer to unite and then goes on to ask people around the world to take action to stop these ugly acts.
"We call on the worldwide community of sports - players, team owners, artists, brands and all fans - to denounce this racist behavior and hold bigots accountable to a human standard. One which upholds decency, respect and compassion for others."
"The first team is the human team. Let's work together to cut racism out of the game, for good."
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'Peaches & Cream' Singers 112 'Memba Them?!
American R&B group 112 made waves in the music world with the hit song "Peaches & Cream" back in 2001. The group originally consisted of Daron Jones, Michael Keith, Quinnes "Q" Parker and Marvin Scandrick aka "Slim."
"Peaches & Cream" -- one of their biggest hits -- topped the music charts and scored a Grammy nomination. The group's other popular songs include "Cupid" and "Only You."
Throughout their career, 112 has collabed with some of music's hottest stars including Whitney Houston, P. Diddy and Janet Jackson.
Today, both Mike and Slim continuing to performing and tour as 112, giving stellar performances to all their fans.
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Jeff Hardy Resurfaces, Poses W/ Fan In NC ... After Resolving DUI Case
Jeff Hardy has maintained a low profile since resolving his DUI case in late February -- but now the suspended AEW star has finally resurfaced after his most recent legal troubles, chatting up a wrestling fan, and even posing for a pic.
A fan posted a photo of him and Hardy in Oak Island, NC, ... with the caption, "Met @JEFFHARDYBRAND while vacationing today. Could not have been more generous and likable. He just had eye surgery, get well soon!"
We talked to the fan who told us Hardy told him he recently had eye surgery ... and you can see what looks like a scar under his right eye.
The fan told us he didn't want to ask too many questions, as Hardy was with his family.
You'll recall ... Hardy submitted a written no-contest plea for the DUI he got last summer -- meaning he accepted a conviction and punishment for the crime but didn't admit guilt.
Hardy -- one-half of the famed Hardy Boyz tag team -- was sentenced to two years probation, court-mandated DUI school or drug rehab program and community service.
Jeff -- who reportedly had his license suspended for ten years by the judge -- will have to wear an interlock device for two years and pay $4,586 in fines and court fees.
Jeff's brother, Matt Hardy, provided an update on Jeff last month ... saying Jeff did an extensive rehabilitation stint and he wants to use his story to help others.
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Michael K. Williams Drug Dealer Pleads Guilty ... In Overdose Death Case
The man whom prosecutors claim caused Michael K. Williams' death by giving him dirty drugs has pled guilty in a plea deal ... and could see serious prison time.
39-year-old Irvin Cartagena pleaded guilty Wednesday in NYC to one count of conspiring to distribute drugs in connection to the late actor's fatal overdose from 2021. He now faces a mandatory minimum of five years in prison ... and could even see as many as 40.
Cartagena was facing additional charges and potentially life in prison ... but ultimately pled guilty to just one.
Federal prosecutors slammed Cartagena after securing the guilty plea -- as well as others who were arrested -- by saying the sale of fentanyl-laced heroin brazenly happened in broad daylight ... and that Cartagena and co. were preying on victims like Williams in Brooklyn.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams also claimed that the dealers continued to peddle drugs on the streets without a second thought ... even after Williams died. A second defendant who was also arrested and charged last year reportedly pled guilty too.
As we reported ... Williams' body was found in his home, and his official cause of death ended up being an accidental overdose. His passing came as a shock to Hollywood. The actor was mostly known for his portrayal of Omar Little on "The Wire" -- but his work went well beyond that, and he was acclaimed for his craft. He had publicly battled drug addiction.
Cartagena is scheduled to be sentenced in August.
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Pete Davidson Alleged Stalker Unfit To Stand Trial ... Sent to Psych Facility
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Pete Davidson's alleged stalker has been deemed unfit to stand trial after cops say the woman trespassed on Pete's property and claimed to be his wife ... TMZ has learned.
The Staten Island District Attorney tells TMZ, "Ms. [Michelle] Mootreddy is unfit to stand trial. She has been placed in the custody of a psychiatric facility where she will receive treatment and regular evaluations to determine whether or not she is able to return and participate in her defense."
TMZ broke the story ... Mootreddy allegedly snuck into Pete's Staten Island home through an open side door a couple years ago. According to law enforcement sources, Pete wasn't home at the time, but a relative was -- and promptly called the cops.
Pete Davidson Gets Protection From Fake Wife, She's Charged with Felonies
Mootreddy was charged with burglary in the second and third degree -- both felonies -- as well as 2 misdemeanor counts of stalking, and 2 misdemeanor counts of criminal trespass and harassment ... but now it looks like she won't stand trial until she receives treatment and is ready to participate in her defense.
FYI -- Mootreddy apparently also sent out a fake press release days before the alleged trespassing, claiming she and Pete tied the knot. The 'SNL' alum got court-ordered protection against Mootreddy after she was arrested, too.
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South African Pilot There's a Freakin' Cobra on Me!!!! Makes Emergency Landing
Samuel L. Jackson's got nothing on the South African pilot who made an emergency landing this week after finding a surprise stowaway on his hip -- a snake that easily could've killed him!!!
Rudolf Erasmus says he had to ground his aircraft Monday while flying 4 people in a small twin prop plane, because he realized -- while up in the air -- something cold was rubbing against his skin from under his shirt.
At first, he thought his water bottle was leaking on him ... but then he looked down and saw the serpent.
It wasn't just any snake either ... Erasmus says he recognized it was a Cape cobra, which has enough venom in its fangs to wipe out 9 people with a single strike. So, yeah ... deadly.
The pilot says he tried grabbing it and getting it under control -- refraining from telling the passengers to avoid a panic -- but eventually, he had to break the news 'cause the cobra was on the loose under his seat. When he did, he says everyone stayed calm.
Here's the kicker ... when Erasmus landed, he says he pulled his seat forward and spotted it all curled up, but when a crew member inspected, they lost it again. In other words, the snake ended up going MIA in the end.
Miraculously, no one was harmed and, for some reason, no one yelled Samuel L.'s famous quote! Not so funny when there's a real cobra at your feet.
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Sherri Shepherd Jill Biden Should Apologize To LSU ... Stop Pandering For Iowa Votes!!!
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Jill Biden needs to apologize to the LSU women's hoops team ASAP ... so says Sherri Shepherd, who tells TMZ Sports the first lady should have never invited Iowa to come along with the champion Tigers for a celebration at the White House.
The television personality made her feelings loud and clear to us about the issue while out in New York City this week ... explaining she thinks Biden only handed out the invite in an effort to earn future votes for Joe Biden.
"You never invite the losing team to the White House," Shepherd said after Jill had opened the White House doors to both LSU and Iowa following their championship game on Sunday night.
"I know you want Iowa to vote for your husband, but stop it!" she added. "Stop it, Dr. Biden."
The topic has been extremely polarizing ever since Jill revealed she'd like to host both teams ... with LSU star Angel Reese laughing off the notion -- and even later saying she's now considering not going for a White House celebration over it all.
"I just know if the roles were reversed, it wouldn't be the same," Reese said on 'I Am Athlete.' "If we were to lose, we would not be getting invited to the White House."
Shepherd clearly believes Reese has every right to be peeved ... agreeing with the Tigers forward and saying, "If it was the other way around, it would never be this situation."
Of course, Biden's Press Secretary tried to apologize for FLOTUS following the backlash ... saying Jill was simply trying to applaud "how far women have advanced in sports since the passing of Title IX" and "the historic game and all women athletes."
Caitlin Clark shares on OTL that she doesn't want to go to the White House despite Jill Biden's stated interest in hosting her and the Iowa team.
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) April 4, 2023 @awfulannouncing
"I don't think runner-ups usually go to the White House. I think LSU should you know enjoy that moment for them" pic.twitter.com/3SDePqXUll
For their part, Iowa said it never received a formal invitation from the Bidens ... and its star guard, Caitlin Clark, seemed to say she wouldn't want to go even if the invite had come.
"I don't think runner-ups usually go to the White House," Clark said earlier this week. "I think LSU should, you know, enjoy that moment for them."
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Comedian Bobby Lee Tijuana Prostitute Story's Made Up, 'Dark Joke' ... I Didn't Have Sex with Minor
Bobby Lee is defending a controversial story he's repeated over the years about traveling to Tijuana for sex and paying for an underage prostitute -- sordid, for sure, but he says it's also total fiction.
The comedian's recently come under fire on social media due to resurfaced clips of the Tijuana tale ... where the story goes Bobby went to "hooker alley" and picked out a young prostitute who seemed shy.
There are different versions of the story where the prostitute's age differs, including one where Bobby says the prostitute looked like then-13-year-old Natalie Portman in "The Professional" ... but the stories all end with him having sex with the young woman in a cheap hotel room.
Bobby is finally responding to the backlash in the latest episode of his "TigerBelly" podcast ... where he says, "At the end of the day it's not real and I didn't do anything."
The way Bobby explains things ... he first told the joke on "Opie and Anthony," the shock jock radio show from back in the day -- and he says the story was actually a combination of "a couple awful dark jokes."
Bobby understands the current uproar, but he says back when he first told the Tijuana story, "it was encouraged to say crazy stuff without thinking about it" ... and he says "when I listen back to it now it puts a chill down my spine."
He says his views changed with society and now he feels guilt over the story, which he describes as "terrible" and "stupid."
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Khloe & Tristan Lovin' It Together At McDonald's
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Khloe Kardashian and Tristan Thompson clearly had a hankerin' for the golden arches ... hitting the McDonald's drive-thru to pick up a bunch of grub.
Tristan and Khloe pulled up to the fast food joint Tuesday in Rialto, CA -- unclear what their whole order was, but eyewitnesses say it was a LOT of food.
We're told they did get some happy meals as part of their big order, so it's possible their kiddos True and new baby boy were in tow ... or at least waiting for the goodies at home.
KK and TT have been together quite a bit recently -- she was right by his side earlier this year when his mom died after suffering a heart attack. They both were spotted landing in Toronto, with Khloe being there to comfort him during his loss.
Tristan also showed face at Khloe's BFF Malika's birthday party, an event that most of the Kardashian sisters attended.
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She also posted a super heart-warming birthday message about him last month, calling him "the best father, brother & uncle."
Looks like things are going well ... and we're lovin' it!
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Donald Trump Hand Over ❤ at Mar-a-Lago ... Blastin' J6 Choir Post-Arrest!!!
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Donald Trump just can't get enough of himself -- the guy was listening to his own voice featured on a new rendition of our National Anthem ... sung by the Jan. 6 insurrectionists.
The ex-Prez -- who was just rung up on 34 felony counts in NYC Tuesday -- flew back to Mar-a-Lago following his eventful outing in the Big Apple ... where he fired up his supporters with a speech, and engaged in an odd display.
Check out this video, obtained by TMZ, which we're told was recorded not too long after DT's diatribe from the podium -- where he condemned Manhattan's D.A. Alvin Bragg and others involved in his criminal case.
You can see Trump put his hand over his heart along with the rest of the room as they blast "Justice for All" over the speakers -- a song released by a handful of men currently in prison for their participation in the Jan. 6 Capitol riots ... now known as the J6 Choir.
The song is basically them singing the "Star Spangled Banner" interlaced with Trump reciting the Pledge of Allegiance ... which created the awkward sight of Trump standing at attention as he listens to himself.
'SNL' Mocks Trump's Pitch for Money by Releasing Song 'Justice for All'
Patriotic to some, a threat to democracy for others.
The song was put out into the world back in early March and had success on certain charts, believe it or not.
Turns out, 45 likes it too -- clearly evidenced in this footage.
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Chipotle Sues Sweetgreen Over Burrito Bowl ... Stop Using Our Name!!!
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2:42 PM PT -- 4/6 -- A rep for Sweetgreen confirms to TMZ that they've changed the name of their bowl. The rep says, "I can confirm that in order to focus on the business and continue serving our guests without distraction, we have decided to rename our bowl to the Chicken + Chipotle Pepper Bowl as part of a tentative agreement to resolve the lawsuit. Our mission is to bring customers healthy, elevated and craveable menu items that make you feel good. We are looking forward to putting this lawsuit behind us as we continue to connect more people to real food."
Chipotle is beefing in court with a fast-casual food nemesis ... suing Sweetgreen over the competitor's latest offering -- the "Chipotle Chicken Burrito Bowl."
According to a new lawsuit, obtained by TMZ, Chipotle claims Sweetgreen just came out with the menu item last week, and it takes issue with Sweetgreen using the word "chipotle."
Chipotle claims Sweetgreen is trying to profit off its brand name and even claims the restaurant is trying to confuse or deceive customers.
In the suit, Chipotle claims Sweetgreen is marketing the "Chipotle Chicken Burrito Bowl" with ads featuring colors and styles that are nearly identical to Chipotle's trademarks.
Chipotle is accusing Sweetgreen of trying to trade off Chipotle's goodwill ... claiming comments on a social media post announcing the new bowl show folks clearly understanding "the association Sweetgreen is trying to draw between its product, Chipotle's products, and the famous CHIPOTLE brand."
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After Sweetgreen started its ad blitz, Chipotle claims it reached out to its competitor with a request to re-name the item or use the word "chipotle" a different way ... but Chipotle says Sweetgreen didn't respond.
Chipotle is suing for money, and it wants Sweetgreen to stop using its "CHIPOTLE" trademark in promotions.
A rep for Sweetgreen tells TMZ ... "We are aware of the lawsuit Chipotle Mexican Grill has filed over the name of our new bowl. However, we do not comment on pending litigation." However, the rep does say the company responded to a cease and desist sent from Chipotle, but Chipotle had already filed the lawsuit.
Originally Published -- 4/5 9:55 AM PT
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Kim Kardashian Insane Car Collection At Hidden Hills Home ... Over $2M in Rides!!!
It's no secret Kim Kardashian has a crazy-expensive collection of cars, but to see them all in one shot is a pretty insane visual ... given their price tags totaling a couple million dollars.
Check out the fleet -- Kim's got her Hidden Hills driveway lined with 8 beautiful whips, including 2 versions of the Range Rover Autobiography and a 2022 Rolls-Royce Ghost.
She's also got a 2023 Cadillac Escalade, a 2022 Maybach, and a 2022 Lamborghini Urus Mansory. Altogether, her rides are worth at least an estimated $2.1 mil. And if ya couldn't tell, grey is KK's color of choice when it comes to what she rolls around in.
Looks like she's also getting some landscape work done while she travels -- with some machines moving dirt around the front of her property.
Of course, Kim's 4 kids aren't yet driving age, but she's already got enough hand-me-downs to fit each kid with a vehicle x2!!!
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Stormy Daniels Gets Record-Breaking Trump Bump On Adult Video Site
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Donald Trump might have had his worst day ever ... but Stormy Daniels had her best day on a popular pornography website.
The good folks over at Pornhub tell TMZ ... Donald's arrest has been a boom for Stormy's adult videos, with searches for her pornos spiking while Trump was getting booked.
We're told Pornhub users searched "Stormy" more than 650,000 times Tuesday ... it's a staggering figure on its own, but when it's compared to her daily search average over the first three months of the year, it works out to a whopping 32,400% increase.
Seems like there's a lot of interest out there as to why Trump allegedly had an affair with her.
Diving deeper into the numbers ... by 1:00 PM ET, as folks were waiting for Trump's motorcade to arrive at Manhattan Criminal Court, Pornhub says "Stormy" searches were six times their normal level ... which usually isn't peak horny hours.
Trump flew back to Mar-a-Lago on his private jet after his first day in court ... but some folks still have "jail" and "prison" on the brain ... Pornhub says searches with those two keywords this week are more popular than normal.
Trump's accused of paying Stormy $130,000 to shut up about the alleged affair. As for how much Stormy is making off the recent spike in her videos ... Pornhub is mum.
Take that to the spank bank.
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Aaron Rodgers On The Hunt For Healing Crystals ... As Packers-Jets Trade Remains In Limbo
If NFL general managers can't get a blockbuster trade to go through ... maybe some pretty rocks and colored gems can?!
Seems Aaron Rodgers is hoping that's the truth ... because as the Packers and Jets continue to struggle to complete a trade for the star quarterback -- he hit a rock store near Los Angeles to shop for some healing crystals that many believe could help turn talks around.
The 39-year-old was seen out at Topanga Rocks in Topanga, CA on Wednesday afternoon -- browsing through their crystal selection as he remains hopeful that he can be dealt from Green Bay to New York this offseason.
He was seen leaving the store with a small bag -- but it's unclear what was purchased.
Of course, in the spiritual world, there are several crystals that people think could help facilitate a Packers-Jets swap ... including citrine, which is thought to bring luck to its owner. Or, maybe he was simply just hunting for a stone that could help him deal with the anxiety of the uncertainty of it all.
Aaron Rodgers Says He Wants To Play For New York Jets, 'Packers Would Like To Move On'
Either way, Rodgers doesn't seem to be sweating things too much -- he was spotted out a coffee shop enjoying a drink with actor Jonathan Tucker just before making the pit stop at the rock shop ... and appeared to be doing just fine.
The Packers and Jets, meanwhile, are still haggling over what's a fair price for Rodgers ... but now that the spirits have potentially made their way into the conversation -- maybe that changes soon???
For more, tune into the TMZ Sports Podcast available on all podcast platforms!
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Cash App Founder Bob Lee Reportedly Stabbed To Death
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Bob Lee, the founder of Cash App, has reportedly been murdered in a stabbing in San Francisco.
Cops Arrest Tech Exec for Murder of Cash App's Bob Lee
The 43-year-old founder was involved in the fatal stabbing early Tuesday morning, according to NBC Bay Area -- sources say he was rushed to a hospital after the attack but succumbed to his injuries.
No arrests have been made yet, and San Francisco PD has yet to reveal any details about the alleged suspect.
Lee was currently the CPO of the crypto company MobileCoin ... and he was the CTO of the mobile payment app Square in the past -- even working at Google in his early days.
Joshua Goldbard, CEO of MobileCoin, shared his love for Lee ... telling ABC7, "Bob was a force of nature. Helped to birth Android and CashApp into our world. Moby was his dream: a privacy protecting wallet for the 21st Century. I will miss him every day."
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Jeremy Renner Wrote Last Words to Family on Phone ... After Snowplow Accident
Jeremy Renner says he was writing his final words to his loved ones after getting crushed by a snowplow earlier this year -- again confirming the guy thought he was going to die.
Jeremy got super emotional, telling Diane Sawyer dying alone would have been a horrendous way to leave this earth, and was incredibly thankful to his nephew for being there ... ironically, it was his nephew who Jeremy was trying to save that terrible day.
Then, he gets choked up ... saying that he was actually writing notes on his phone, which he intended to be his last sentiments to his family. Jeremy clearly believed he was at death's doorstep ... in fact, he was.
Fortunately, he survived ... getting airlifted to a hospital and undergoing extensive surgery. As you know, Jeremy suffered terrible injuries -- broken bones, ruptured organs ... the works.
ABC released an earlier clip, where Jeremy said he'd do it all over again, to save his beloved nephew..
His recovery has been miraculous ... and he almost looks like he's back to 100% -- a testament to his will and tenacity following a near-life-ending experience. Fact is, he still has a ways to go.
Jeremy will get into all of it and more in Thursday's ABC special.