'RuPaul's Drag Race' Star Jack Daniel's Not Afraid of Boycott ... Haters Are 'Whiny Babies!!!'
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Manila Luzon's two-year-old campaign for Jack Daniel's -- which features drag queens -- is drumming up outrage anew ... and she says those who are boycotting can cry in their corner.
The former 'Drag Race' star responded to the latest wave of indignation over an LGBT-friendly ad that the whiskey brand ran a full two years ago ... back in 2021. Apparently, some are just catching wind of it now -- and dramatically pouring their JD down the drain.
In one viral instance, a guy actually poured his Jack into a firepit ... and torched the sauce.
Luzon tells TMZ ... the fact these iconic American brands have been teaming up with the LGBTQ+ crowd to reach a new demographic is nothing new -- and she's eye-rolling over the fact that certain folks are just now figuring it out and screaming at the sky about it.
She makes a couple good points here. For one, ML says these companies have entire departments dedicated to market research ... and since they're pivoting toward inclusivity, ya gotta figure they know it's good for their bottom line to reach out to a new customer base.
In Jack Daniel's case ... that actually bares out in the numbers. Their parent company, Brown-Forman, reported huge boosts in sales of the famed liquor last year. Hard to say if that's due to their drag queen ad, specifically, but something's working for them dollarwise.
All the @JackDaniels_US drinkers should take note. pic.twitter.com/W0d9lMoSxq
— Travis Tritt (@Travistritt) April 6, 2023 @Travistritt
The other takeaway here is this ... there's options in America. If you're not happy with a brand, for whatever reason, you don't have to buy it anymore. Plain and simple.
Luzon notes, though, that if these people wanna boycott every company that runs an LGBT-leaning ad or campaign -- they might be out of products in the near future. She says this is the way the world is going ... and they can either get onboard, or be left behind.
Manila has teamed up with a bunch of other "RuPaul's Drag Race" stars to launch the Drag Isn't Dangerous campaign to combat anti-drag politics. They are holding a telethon next month where all the proceeds will go to charities that support the LGBTQ community and drag performers.
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Lamar Odom Lakers Will Win NBA Title If Healthy And Tristan Can '100%' Help
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Lamar Odom is (maybe surprisingly) all for the Lakers signing Tristan Thompson ... in fact, the former NBA star tells TMZ Sports he believes the power forward can "100%" help them win an NBA title.
We caught up with the 43-year-old at LAX on Friday, just two days before his beloved Lakers face the Memphis Grizzlies in a best-of-7 playoff series.
Despite the Lakers making it into the playoffs with a play-in win against the Timberwolves, many doubt the team can actually go anywhere. There's also been a ton of doubt about why the organization signed Thompson, who hasn't played meaningful minutes in the league in over a year.
Tristan Thompson and Lakers assistant coach Jon Pastorek working on post moves pregame pic.twitter.com/OsZLBVd9kK
— Jovan Buha (@jovanbuha) April 12, 2023 @jovanbuha
Those people haven't talked to Lamar ... who believes Tristan solidifies the Lakers' frontcourt, which will "100%" help them as they make a run at another title.
"He's played with LeBron," Odom said. "He's won a championship and L.A. is always the best place to play."
Lamar, who also has his own podcast about the Lakers called The LADE Show, says the main components to the Lakers winning another title is LeBron and staying healthy.
"God James. His name is God James. The god of basketball," Odom said. "As long as we healthy, we're gonna win a championship."
If the Lakers are to win another ring, they have a long road ahead of them ... starting with Ja Morant and the Memphis Grizzlies in Round 1.
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Coachella Cuties Keepin' It Cool By The Pool!
Every year Hollywood migrates to Palm Springs and soaks up all the heat at the Coachella music festival, and where there's a celeb present in PS ... there's bound to be a swimming pool for the stars to refresh, cool-off and wash away those festival blues.
Lookin' cool by the pool, video creators Toddy Smith and Ricky Dillon were spotted hanging poolside, catchin' some rays and glistening in all the right ways!
And, can't forget about Kendall Jenner's topless pool pic from last year ... her poolside is hands down her best side!
Good times and tan lines await! Take a leisurely dip into our gallery and see which stars love having a splash-tastic time!
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Roccstar Axe-Wielding Intruder Pinned Down at Gunpoint, On Video
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"Love & Hip Hop: Hollywood" alum Roccstar thwarted a would-be intruder, and TMZ Hip Hop has obtained video showing how the alarming incident went down.
Security footage from Monday night shows the suspect arriving at Roccstar's front door while dragging an axe and hopping inside unlocked luxury vehicles in the driveway.
We broke the OG story ... Roccstar was asleep at 5 AM when an alarm prompted him to go outside, and as the video shows ... he ended up coming face-to-face with his unwanted visitor. Roccstar was armed, and as you can see ... he got the suspect down on the ground at gunpoint!!!
We spoke to Roccstar now that his blood pressure's settled ... and he gave us a vivid rundown of the encounter.
He says he's grateful his family's safe -- his two sons were home -- and amazed at the restraint he was able to show while detaining the guy until cops could arrive.
According to Roccstar, he awoke Monday morning to a whopping 11 security alerts on his phone and images of the guy prowling around his yard.
He says he called his gated community's security guard and the cops and then spotted the man on top of his garage. Roccstar says he fired shots in the air until the man cowered in fear.
Roccstar says he then ordered him off the roof, and pistol-whipped him to subdue him.
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The suspect was booked for attempted burglary and vandalism -- and, now that the incident is behind him, Roccstar says he's got beef with the community's HOA and security.
He says the guy breached two gates, and Roccstar wants to know where his big bucks for home protection are being spent.
In the meantime, he's turning his attention back toward Lil Kim's next album, his girlfriend Angel Brinks' clothing line and his Roccstar TV network!!!
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Celebrity Scramble Guess Who!
Swizzled into this tall Coachella star is a guy who -- until he was 22 years old -- went by the name "Adam." Of course, his Scottish accent will put you in all the "Feels," and if you want to watch him in action, take a look at his IG Reels!
After bringing Rihanna out during his last Coachella set in 2016, fans are super stoked for his return to the desert this year! From your lips to god's ears a headset on his ears ... one kiss is all it takes to identify this scrambled star!
"We Found Love In A Hopeless Place!"
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Blondie's Debbie Harry Good Genes or Good Docs?!
Debbie Harry's looks over the years are simply lovely and divine!
Here is a 32-year-old version of the Blondie bombshell at a 1978 promo shoot in London, England (left). This was the same year of their "Parallel Lines" album release, which propelled the band into mainstream culture.
And, 45 years later, the singer just took on the Coachella stage and flaunted her stuff, proving blondes still have more fun (right).
The night went out with a bang from the blonde legend herself -- with Bad Bunny and Becky G also taking over the mic.
The question is ...
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Kylie Jenner Hits Coachella with Pals in Tow ... No Sign of Timmy Chalamet
Kylie Jenner was among the many who hit up Coachella this weekend with friends, but the one person not in her orbit was the guy she's rumored to be seeing ... Timothee Chalamet.
The beauty mogul and reality TV star was seen wading through a crowd Friday night and rushing to a VIP area where she could catch Bad Bunny's headlining set ... alongside her sister, Kendall, and other pals in tow -- including Saudi Arabian model Fai Khadra.
You've probably seen this dude hanging out with Kylie and Kendall a lot over the past several years -- and that's because he's a good buddy of theirs ... aka, not a new flame.
Despite the fact that he seems to be guiding Kylie through the chaos -- and even reaching for and touching her hand at one point -- we know there's nothing romantic going on with these two ... it's just platonic, and there are no clear signs of PDA outside of that anyway.
Of course, with that now being established ... it leads to the obvious observation -- Timmy's absence amid a massive rumor mill surrounding these two ... namely, him and Kylie.
As we've reported ... there's been a ton of speculation and gossip about him and Kylie recently dating -- and considering we've seen her car at his place just this past week ... there may, in fact, be some truth to the matter.
Add in the fact they went on a covert mission to grab tacos in the heart of L.A. a full week-plus ago -- in broad daylight, no less -- and that's just more smoke to this would-be fire.
There's been no sign of Tim anywhere at Coachella so far ... so if they are a thing, it doesn't seem they wanna go fully public just yet. In the meantime, KJ's out here having a ball.
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Nashville Walgreens Worker Shoots Pregnant Woman ... Claims She Was Shoplifting
A pregnant woman was shot at a Walgreens after one of the workers claims to have chased her into the lot following alleged shoplifting ... which then spurred a premature delivery.
Per local reports, cops say 21-year-old Mitarius Boyd -- who's reported to have been working as the team lead on Wednesday when this horrific incident unfolded -- shot 34-year-old Travonsha Ferguson while trying to stop what he says was an active theft in progress.
Pregnant woman shot by Walgreens employee in East Nashville https://t.co/d6Vm60O55I
— WKRN News 2 (@WKRN) April 13, 2023 @WKRN
Boyd reportedly told investigators that he fired his weapon at both Ferguson and another woman she was with after pursuing them to their car ... where he claims they were trying to unload a bunch of stuff they'd allegedly just jacked from inside the Walgreens.
According to him, he felt his life was in danger when one of the women started to spray him with mace -- as he says he didn't know if they had a dangerous weapon on them. In other words, he's claiming self-defense here ... and has not been arrested at this point.
A woman who was shot during the altercation was pregnant and had to have an emergency C-Section operation.
— NewsChannel 5 (@NC5) April 14, 2023 @NC5
The District Attorney's office will determine if the store employee will face charges after MNPD investigates the incident.https://t.co/OzQ32WtSS8
Cops say Ferguson -- who's reported to have been 7 months pregnant -- was hit 8 times ... twice in each leg and four times in the stomach. She and her friend made it into the car after the gun went off, and the friend is said to have dropped her off at the ER on her own.
Doctors attended to her immediately, and she underwent 3 surgeries. During those procedures, reports say an emergency C-section was done to take out the baby ... who was miraculously not hit during all this. Both she and her child are now in critical condition.
As a store employee he had no right to chase her. pic.twitter.com/gtbOaO3dDW
— Shea (@nichpic) April 15, 2023 @nichpic
The case is under investigation, and the D.A. is reviewing the Walgreens employee's claim -- namely, that he had to shoot in order to protect himself from imminent danger.
As you can imagine, this has gotten a big reaction online -- especially from those citing Walgreens' well-known "no chase" policy ... in which workers aren't supposed to go after suspected shoplifters. Walgreens doesn't appear to have commented on the situation yet.
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Shawn Mendes Pushes Camila Away During Hot Dance ... After Coachella Kiss 🤔
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1:09 PM PT -- Shawn and Camila's apparent rekindling is getting a little murkier -- especially when you see this video of them dancing ... and him pushing her away.
Check out this clip, obtained by TMZ, that shows SM and CC getting close and cozy on the Coachella grounds during their reunion Friday ... which did eventually see them locking lips again. Here, though, it looks like Shawn got fed up with the grinding that was going on.
1:09 PM PT -- At the end of the clip, you see Shawn playfully push Camila away ... essentially breaking her off. We're told the shove-off here happened after they were kissing and flirting in the crowd -- and that Shawn walked away from her after this ... with Camila seemingly going after him, according to one eyewitness who says they saw this go down.
Hard to say what it all means, frankly ... but if Shawn left her hanging like that, that's not really a great sign of getting back together, on its face.
10:34 AM PT -- Well, it seems like Shawn and Camila are back together ... 'cause their reunion was sealed with a kiss.
4/15/23
Awwww!
Shawn Mendes reunited with his old flame at Coachella ... one Camila Cabello.
We haven't seen them together since their split more than a year ago, and not much is known about what was behind the breakup, but here they were Friday, chatting it up in a clip posted by KIIS FM on Twitter.
The couple, who broke up in November 2021, seemed pretty chill with each other ... she says something to Shawn and he responds with drink in hand.
They both looked great ... Camila wore a white bustier top and Shawn was rocking a tee with a bandana.
Now here's the thing .... the woman lots of folks think Shawn is dating was nearby -- 51-year-old Dr. Jocelyne Miranda. They've been together A LOT in recent months, so there's definitely smoke. She's his chiropractor, but it looks much more than professional.
Love the Coachella drama!!!
Originally Published -- 6:40 AM PT
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Jennifer Connelly Gets Labeled a '7' by Twitter Troll ... Who Tried Shaming Zendaya
Jennifer Connelly (in the '90s) was way more attractive than Zendaya is today -- and she was considered pretty mid on the hotness scale ... so suggests this weekend's Twitter doofus.
Here's the deal ... a troll on the bird app has everyone fired up over a ludicrous tweet he posted Friday -- in which he tries to shade Zendaya by comparing her to Connelly ... but he inadvertently shaded JC too in the process -- and folks are stunned by his measuring stick.
Any zoomer who thinks right pic is above average attractive doesn't understand that in the 90s, a "7" looked like left pic.
— Sun Optimist (@CristusVictor) April 15, 2023 @CristusVictor
"Above average" meant something else back then. There'd be like ten girls
as or more beautiful than Connelly working at every chain restaurant. pic.twitter.com/rjg9ZPU2g5
This fella writes, "Any zoomer who thinks right pic is above average attractive doesn't understand that in the '90s, a '7' looked like left pic." In his tweet, he's got a photo of young Connelly next to an unflattering pic of Z ... so already, Sun Optimist is off to a biased start.
He ends with this wild statement, "'Above average' meant something else back then. There'd be like ten girls as or more beautiful than Connelly working at every chain restaurant."
In other words, this guy is saying that young women in the '90s were simply much prettier, on average, than your everyday hottie in 2023 -- and he's using Jen as an example ... by claiming you could find a million Connellys anywhere in America back then. Again, he's also saying Jen wasn't even considered a true dime in this regard ... a few notches below, in fact.
Two things ... he's a jerk for pitting these two beautiful women against each other -- but also ... a lot of people think he's dead wrong about Connelly, specifically. Many say, she IS a 10!
Zendaya is no slouch either, of course, so his entire premise is absurd. In a follow-up tweet, he says the modern "zoomer" thinks heavier-set women are the cream of the crop ... so he clearly has a bone to pick with the conversation about modern beauty standards, etc.
Not to fan the flames on this or anything, but considering Zen and Jen are knockouts in their own right ... we are somewhat curious who the public considers the lovelier dame here.
So, we gotta ask ... who'd you rather -- Connelly or Coleman??? 👀
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Kendall Jenner Gets Her Groove On at Coachella ... During Bad Bunny's Set!!!
Kendall Jenner was front and center to watch her boyfriend, Bad Bunny, bring Coachella to its hands and knees during his headlining set Friday -- and she was dancing up a storm.
The model was spotted out in the crowd while BB hit the main stage a little before midnight ... and she had a great view of his performance while surrounded by friends (and bodyguards). As you can see ... KJ was feeling the tunes, including the up-tempo salsa part!
Kendall Jenner during the show of Bad Bunny at the 2023 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival. pic.twitter.com/3ovt9oj6um
— @21metgala (@21metgala) April 15, 2023 @21metgala
Kendall did a little twist in line with the beat, so it seems she might've learned a new step or two while dating the reggaeton star ... whom she's been with, publicly, for 2 months now.
That's not all Kendall was into during the show ... looks like she got herself into a conga line, of sorts, while BB continued to do his thing. There was a huge smile on her face as she clutched to a pal of hers -- and she certainly didn't care that people noticed her either.
Kendall Jenner during the show of Bad Bunny at the 2023 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival. pic.twitter.com/gaLrLEj0g0
— @21metgala (@21metgala) April 15, 2023 @21metgala
We shoulda figured Kendall would be here to support Bad Bunny -- fact is, they're kinda inseparable lately ... and their relationship is going more public by the day ... and there's nothing more high visibility than Coachella.
This also speaks to the fact that Kendall and Bad Bunny are, in fact, the real deal -- something that's been signaled for a while now ... especially with their recent intimate date.
BB is scheduled to return to Coachella for weekend 2, so it'll be interesting to see if Kendall makes it back here in 7 days to watch her man again. Something tells us ... she just might.
Cheers to the happy couple.
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Donald Trump Jr. Guys, I Know Bud Light Screwed Up But They Back Republicans
Donald Trump Jr. is trying to put the fire out on the Bud Light outrage after they teamed up with a transgender person -- and his rationale is ... they actually support the GOP.
The ex-Prez's oldest son made his pitch on his podcast, "Triggered with Donald Trump Jr.," where he opened Thursday's episode with a plea aimed at the MAGA crowd ... and, presumably, anyone else who's vowed to cut Bud Light out of their beer-drinking regimen.
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He says he gets the indignation ... noting that, in his mind, Anheuser-Busch did indeed screw up by polarizing their key demographic with a stunt like this -- but he also says they deserve forgiveness considering some new intel he says he and his team have stumbled upon.
DTJ says Anheuser-Busch has actually donated a ton of money to Republican-led campaigns over the years -- including Speaker Kevin McCarthy's bid for Nancy Pelosi's job last year.
He also claims that -- according to some reporting he says he saw -- the whole Dylan Mulvaney move was actually the result of a rogue marketing employee at the company ... and that the higher-ups had no idea about it. In fact, Don says Anheuser-Busch is usually not as "woke" as its corporate counterparts -- and that they shouldn't be punished for this.
It's interesting that he's going to bat for the beer company, because they've actually taken a somewhat significant hit in the wake of all this -- reports suggest their market cap has fallen by as much as $5 billion in recent weeks ... although it's hard to say why exactly.
Some think it's a no-brainer -- the Bud Light ban appears to be working, and it's hurting their bottom line. Because of that, it seems, Don Jr.'s telling folks to stand down and buy again.
Time will tell if people will listen to him or not ... they're pretty fired up about this one.
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Coachella 2023 Day 1 Brings Out The Stars En Masse!!
Day one of Coachella 2023 was awash with celebs, who came out in droves to party and enjoy the music.
The world's most famous stars descended Friday on the desert festival in Indio, CA, which is home to the wild, back-to-back weekend event.
Among the recognizable faces were The Weeknd, John Legend, Shawn Mendes, Camila Cabello, Bebe Rexa, Tyga, Benny Blanco, Simi Khadra, Patrick Schwarzenegger, Saweetie, Don Toliver, Kate Hudson, Danny Fujikawa and Lewis Hamilton.
Of course, they were all scrambling to see the array of talented performers -- everyone from Blink-182 and Bad Bunny to Pusha-T and Becky G.
Besides all the normal drinking and other stuff that goes on, the A-listers also enjoyed some perks, courtesy of Kendall Jenner.
KJ was hosting her 818 Tequila brand outpost for festivalgoers so they could get free essentials and 818 limited edition merch on sale.
Sounds like a pretty good deal. Day two of the fun has already started.
Blink-182 Blows The House Down At Coachella Travis Beat Those Drums with No Distress!!!
4/14/23
Blink-182 opened Coachella with a mesmerizing performance that blew the house down Friday ... and drummer Travis Barker was in fighting form with no signs of injury.
Trav and bandmates, Tom DeLonge and Mark Hoppus, stepped out onto the Sahara stage as the sun was setting for their jam-packed concert at the desert festival in Indio, CA. ... and the vibe was joyful for their first show in nine years as Trav hit the skins with everything he could muster.
I only paid for Twitter Blue so I could upload the entirety of Blink 182’s two-song finale at Coachella.
— Caleb Turner (@calebturner23) April 15, 2023 @calebturner23
An absolutely incredible experience watching these three back on stage together. Wish I was there. So happy for them. pic.twitter.com/cFUAorMKIg
Of course, one of the main concerns everyone had was Trav's much-publicized hand injury. As you recall, Trav underwent surgery to repair his ring finger back in March and he posted gnarly photos of his injuries during his recovery.
Well, as it turned out, there wasn't a hint that Trav's finger was bothering him throughout the one-hour-plus show. And Trav and Co. never once brought up the issue, probably 'cause there wasn't one.
As for their set list, the band played many of their hit songs, such as “Girl at the Rock Show," “Feeling This," “All The Small Things,” “Miss You” and “What’s My Age Again?” The tunes all sounded great and, in between songs, there was the usual funny banter between Tom and Mark.
🎙 EL REGRESO DE TOM DELONGE A BLINK-182.
— Pogopedia (@Pogopedia) April 15, 2023 @Pogopedia
🎸 La banda volvió a reunir a su formación más popular tras casi 9 años y abrió su show de último momento en Coachella con "Family Reunion" y "Anthem, Part 2". pic.twitter.com/RUoxWaDOAB
Trav's wife, Kourtney Kardashian, was also a main attraction. Donning dark sunglasses and a black feathered shawl with a hoodie, Kourtney stood on the side of the stage, proudly cheering on her husband and playing the role of number one fan.
After the lights dimmed post-performance, Trav walked off stage and got the warmest of receptions from Kourtney, who jumped right into his arms.
On a scale of 1 to 10, mark this performance a thousand!!
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Coachella Day 1 Stars Bring The 🔥 to the Desert!!!
The Indio desert was bumping into the wee hours of the morning as the 2023 Coachella Music and Arts festival rocked out on the Empire Polo Fields with some of the world's best talent, both on and off the stage!
Stars were feeling the love while getting into the festival feels like "Vanderpump Rules" cast members Ariana Madix and Dayna Kathan who shared a smooch for social media. Paris Jackson and Alessandra Ambrosio kept the classic boho vibes going with lots of hippy fringe and flashes of peace signs ... while G-Eazy and "Outerbanks" star Austin North kept it punk in black rock rags.
Blink-182 had lots of support from the side stage where Kourtney Kardashian kept things low-key and Landon Barker posed at a party before Travis Barker made his big return to the drums while playing to a packed Sahara Tent during a standout sunset performance.
You can always count on social media stars to pack the polo fields with head-turning looks ... and James Charles' denim duds alongside Lele Pons' chrome-bust mold were definitely worth a second glance!
If you thought that the models were going to skip out on the fun then you were way wrong. Justine Skye, Delilah Belle Hamlin, Madison Beer, Nicole Williams English and a bunch more long-legged hotties were making the desert landscape look like a catwalk.
Check out all the best photos to get a glimpse into how Hollywood gets into the best music festival in the world!
Now drink some water and get some rest ... we still have two more days of partying!
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Drake Bell BROTHER TOLD COPS HE WAS SUICIDAL Over Child Custody Issue
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Drake Bell's brother is the one who first got police involved in his missing person case ... telling cops Drake was threatening suicide in response to child custody issues with his estranged wife.
According to the police report, obtained by TMZ, Drake's brother, Robert, called Orlando PD Wednesday night to say Drake was making suicidal statements about wanting to hang himself and not wanting to be alive anymore.
Drake's brother told police Drake was in Winter Park, FL to visit Janet, his estranged wife, and discuss their custody agreement for their son. Drake and Janet separated back in January.
Drake's brother told cops Drake was "distraught and made suicidal statements" in texts to their mother. He allegedly said he didn't want to live anymore, was going to drink excessively and hang himself.
He says he tried to make Drake come to his senses but he wasn't receptive ... so, Robert decided to call police.
TMZ broke the story ... Drake was reported missing Thursday, with police in Florida saying he was MIA and "considered missing and endangered."
On a 911 call from the case, an Orlando officer called another department for help locating Drake, characterizing the situation as a "possible attempted suicide." He repeated what Robert had told them about Drake's suicidal texts to family members on the West Coast.
As we first reported, we know Drake was hanging out with his son Tuesday at SeaWorld in Orlando. It's unclear what the custody issues are between Janet and Drake.
As you know ... Drake was ultimately found safe and sound shortly after being reported missing. Hours later, on Thursday evening, he tweeted, "You leave your phone in the car and don't answer for the night and this?"
Despite that attempt to make it seem like this was much ado about nothing, law enforcement tells TMZ ... deputies took action Thursday to ensure Drake receives a mental health evaluation.
Drake's attorney had no comment.
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org.