Britney Spears Impressive First Week of Book Sales ... Still Falls Short of Harry
Britney Spears memoir "The Woman in Me" has officially been out for just over a week, and while she moved an impressive number of copies, there's still one royal who's got her beat.
In a release Wednesday from Simon and Schuster's Gallery Books, Spears said, "I poured my heart and soul into my memoir, and I am grateful to my fans and readers around the world for their unwavering support."
The release reveals "The Woman in Me" sold 1.1 million copies in the United States -- that's including print, pre-sales, e-books and audibooks.
While Britney's figures may seem staggering, Prince Harry's book, "Spare" sold 1.6 million copies in the United States in the first week. Remember, it was release night when Britney took to social media to claim her book was "The highest selling celebrity memoir in history."
However, Britney barely did any press to promote her book ... so the number is impressive regardless.
As we reported, her email exchange interview with People Magazine was the only one-on-one she did about the book ... and the rest was up to her social media posts. We were also first to tell you that was a decision made by Britney ... she just didn't wanna do press.
The book itself came with plenty of headlines though, including bombshells about her relationship with Justin Timberlake -- and his pushing her to get an abortion -- as well as allegations about her family and her time in the conservatorship.
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Bob Knight Hall Of Fame Coach Dead At 83
Legendary college basketball coach Bob Knight has passed away, his family announced Wednesday. He was 83 years old.
"It is with heavy hearts that we share that Coach Bob Knight passed away at his home in Bloomington surrounded by his family," a statement by Knight's loved ones said. "We are grateful for all the thoughts and prayers, and appreciate the continued respect for our privacy as Coach requested a private family gathering, which is being honored."
"We will continue to celebrate his life and remember him, today and forever as a beloved Husband, Father, Coach, and Friend."
Knight -- AKA "The General" -- is one of the most successful coaches in NCAA history with 902 Division I wins ... leading the bench for three programs (Army, Indiana and Texas Tech) from 1963-2008.
Knight was a three-time champion as the Hoosiers' head coach ... winning it all in 1976, 1981 and 1987. He also went to the Final Four five times during his time in Bloomington.
Before becoming a coach, Knight played at Ohio State, where he helped the Buckeyes win a national championship in 1961.
At 24 years old, Knight took over at Army ... where he would coach future Duke Blue Devils legend Mike Krzyzewski. Coach K also served as Knight's assistant before going to Duke.
Knight became the Hoosiers' head coach in 1971 ... spending 29 seasons with the program, including 24 NCAA tournament appearances and 22 20-win seasons.
The Hoosiers went a perfect 32-0 en route to a national title in the 1976 season ... the most recent team to ever do so.
Knight also coached Team USA to an Olympic gold medal in 1984.
Knight -- known for his hot temper -- infamously got ejected during a game against Purdue in 1985 after getting angry over a foul call.
Knight's time in Bloomington ended in controversy -- after he was captured on video choking former player Neil Reed in 1997, the school implemented a zero-tolerance policy toward the coach ... and he was fired after student Kent Harvey accused Bobby of grabbing him by the arm for referring to him as "Knight."
Knight was hired as the Texas Tech head coach in 2001 ... where he would lead the Red Raiders to a Sweet 16 appearance in 2005.
He retired from Texas Tech in 2008 ... and his son, Pat, took the reins.
Knight coached several future NBA stars during his career ... including Isiah Thomas and Mike Woodson.
After retirement, Bobby worked for ESPN as an analyst until 2015.
Knight was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 1991 ... and the College Basketball Hall of Fame in 2006.
Knight was hospitalized back in April with an "acute illness" ... and the Indiana program asked his supporters to pray for him.
RIP
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JUSTIN TRUDEAU Slammed FOR SON'S 'BEHEADED' COSTUME 'Tone Deaf' Amid Israel & Palestine Conflict
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has come under fire for his son's "insensitive" headless Halloween costume ... with followers pointing out how tone-deaf the PM is given the situation in the Middle East.
In snaps shared to Instagram Tuesday, the PM gleefully posed with his nine-year-old son Hadrien, whose head pops out of his black robe to give the illusion of him carrying his own severed head in his hands.
Justin joked about nothing stopping Hadrien from trick-or-treating, even though he "seems to have misplaced something," -- but users on the platform argue it's Justin whose forgotten something -- that a few weeks back, babies and others were beheaded.
Political commentator Tyler Popp labeled Justin's post as "tone-deaf," while Toronto-based Saba Khan, who runs the page @fictionallyflawless, said online that her "heart says this is the most tone deaf thing he can do at a time when children are getting their heads blown off in Palestine."
Others branded Justin's Halloween snaps as "disgusting, insensitive and disrespectful" as well as "mightily inappropriate" and "callousness is beyond belief."
Some folks weren't as disapproving ... criticizing those who turned Hadrien's Halloween costume into something political.
This isn't the first time Justin has come under fire for an insensitive costume. We all remember his apology tour in 2019 when snaps emerged of him sporting a darkened complexion in an Aladdin costume back in 2001.
Maybe he should sit Halloween out next year.
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SUCCESSION'S ALAN RUCK CRASHES TRUCK INTO L.A. PIZZA SHOP ... Incident Under Investigation
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Alan Ruck might want to consider delivery next time he's got a hankering for pizza ... ramming his truck into the side of a pie joint in a 4-way crash in Hollywood.
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Law enforcement sources say the crash occurred around 9 PM Tuesday at Raffalo's Pizza at the intersection of La Brea Avenue and Hollywood Boulevard. Video shows the actor's Rivian with about half of the cab lodged into the side of the brick building.
Our sources say two people were injured in the crash, but both were conscious and breathing ... so they're likely to be OK. Thankfully, no pedestrians were struck in the accident. We're also told there's no indication of DUI.
Alan stuck around after the crash, seen out of the truck and talking on his cellphone while others assessed the damage.
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As for how the crash happened, surveillance appears to show Alan's truck collide with another vehicle from behind, pushing it into the intersection as Alan's truck smashes into the building.
Of course, the crash scene drew a crowd, with many taking pictures and videos of the vehicle ... certainly not a help to the flow of traffic in Hollywood.
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Offset & Quavo Paying Tribute To Takeoff On Anniversary of Death
Offset and Quavo are honoring their fallen Migos brother, Takeoff, on the one-year anniversary of his fatal shooting ... sharing a look back at their better days together.
Offset posted about Takeoff Wednesday, which marks a year since he was shot outside a bowling alley in Houston. He wrote, "The times we spent is priceless what we built in this game they never wanted to give us our flowers we influenced the world."
Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media.
Along with the touching video, Offset added, "I Love you Take you still here with us I just know you are!!!! Migo 4Life!!!!!!"
Quavo also honored his late bandmate and relative -- sharing a pic of Takeoff with the caption, "Can’t forget it won’t Forget It NEVER Forget it 🚀♾️ I Remember!"
He's also been reposting artwork of the guy on his IG story.
Remember, Takeoff's alleged killer -- Patrick Xavier Clark -- was indicted for murder back in May. His trial hasn't started yet, but he's pled not guilty ... and is scheduled to be back in court in January.
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MOM & KIDS Halloween Hogs CAUGHT on Cam!!! Scoop Up ALL the Candy
One greedy mom is getting blasted by the internet for emptying an entire bowl of Halloween candy left outside a Texas home ... a heist she pulled with her children in a matter of seconds!!!
The spooky season mercenaries were caught on musician Cody Tate's ring camera after he put out a generous helping of candy for trick-or-treaters ... so he could settle in at home, undisturbed, to watch the World Series.
However, an unidentified woman paid little attention to his sign clearly instructing people to take just ONE piece of candy.
You can see in the video she races to the bowl with a group of kids ... and they all frantically grab handfuls of sweet treats and shove them in their bags.
Seemingly oblivious to the camera, the smirking woman in a gray hoodie -- potentially the kids' mother -- ensures everyone's bags are full to the brim, takes one last look at the bowl and then leads her fleeing crew.
Cody, who plays guitar in the southern rock band Whiskey Myers, was pretty devastated and posted the vid and said "this is why you can't trust people" -- and added he was particularly shocked to see adults behaving like this.
He wants justice, though, and asked his followers to repost the video, and try to identify the perpetrators, who, he pointed out, ruined Halloween for all the other kids who hadn't come by yet for candy.
Luckily, it wasn't a lost cause as one of Cody's kind-hearted neighbors saw the candy grabbing caper in real time, and came over to restock the bowl with candy.
Remember, everyone ... sharing is caring.
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Emily Hampshire Apologizes For Johnny Depp Costume ... After Backlash Online
"Schitt's Creek" star Emily Hampshire is saying sorry for this year's Halloween costume, for which she's catching a lot of flak -- she dressed as Johnny Depp and her friend was Amber Heard.
ICYMI, Emily and her pal mimicked the infamous exes, pairing their outfits with a bottle of wine and even a fake poop -- referencing a low point in Johnny and Amber's trial, when they testified about feces being left in their bed.
The post has been scrubbed from Emily's Instagram and was replaced with a full-throated apology -- "I want to address what is one of the most thoughtless, insensitive, and ignorant things I've ever done" ... referring to her costume.
She said she's "ashamed for putting something that awful out in the universe," and also condemned domestic abuse and promised she'll "do better" in the future.
Emily was met with some heat online after posting the costume, and some are now thanking her for her apology ... while others are claiming it just wasn't as offensive as she, and her critics, are making out to be.
People disagree. Shocking.
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Mariah Carey Sued Over Christmas Hit
Mariah Carey is bein' taken to court once again over her classic Christmas hit ... by the 2 men who claim they wrote a song of the same name.
Andy Stone and Troy Powers are coming after Mariah for at least $20 million in damages over her song, "All I Want For Christmas Is You" -- which happens to be the name of their 1989 holiday song.
TMZ broke the story, the refiling is nearly identical to last year's suit -- in which Stone called out Mariah for allegedly copying their track after their song got extensive airplay and even made it on the Billboard charts in the 1993 Christmas season.
In the new docs, obtained by TMZ, Stone and Powers claim there are substantial similarities in the lyrical hook, melody, and overall feel compared to their OG song ... adding Mariah's "palmed off these works with her incredulous origin story, as if those works were her own."
Gotta admit, it's hard to avoid Mariah's catchy tune when November rolls around ... Stone and Powers are looking for the big paycheck and are asking the judge to shut her down nonetheless.
We've reached out to Mariah's rep ... so far, no word back.
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Matthew Perry Mystery Woman Revealed ... Says He Was 'Happy & Vibrant' In Last Chat
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The woman Matthew Perry was last seen with out in public has been identified ... and she says the late actor was in good spirits during their talk the day before he passed away.
Athenna Crosby, a 25-year-old model and entertainment reporter, has come forward as the mystery brunette Matthew went out with last Friday at the Hotel Bel-Air ... revealing she "had the honor of knowing Matthew personally."
Athenna writes, "I am so devastated from his death but felt it was in poor taste to talk about it publicly as the attention should not be on me but rather on him and his legacy and he was an extremely private person and I always respected that in our friendship."
She says Matthew was in "extremely good spirits" when they dined together -- adding he talked with her "enthusiastically about the things that he had coming up in his life. He was so happy and vibrant."
While some may speculate this date was romantic, Athenna assures us it wasn't ... telling TMZ they were just friends and met through a mutual friend a few months ago.
She also tells us Matthew was very positive during their chat ... excited about losing weight and looking forward to heading to the pickleball court on Saturday. As you know, he was found unresponsive in his jacuzzi after spending hours at the court.
BTW, Athenna shared a look at the signed copy she has of Matthew's memoir, 'Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing' -- in which he called her "the number 1 girl."
We covered it all on the latest episode of The TMZ Podcast, available on all podcast platforms.
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BRITNEY SPEARS CHILDHOOD LOUISIANA HOME HITS MARKET FOR $1.2M With MANY OG Furnishings!
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Britney Spears' childhood home in Kentwood, Louisiana hit the market Tuesday for a cool $1.2M ... TMZ has learned.
Nearly 2 and a half years after the property was sold by the pop star's estranged father, Jamie Spears, for just $289K ... the new owner is hoping to be "Lucky" enough to make an eye-watering profit by preserving some of its original furnishings.
The 3-bed, 3-bathroom home has 2,299 sq. ft. of living space, sits on 1.87 acres of land ... and even boasts the original dance studio where little starry-eyed Brit began her journey to superstardom.
The property still has a few of Britney's childhood colorings intact ... including a cheeky little dig at someone we can only assume to be ... Christina Aguilera?!
She's also left a message in the concrete which reads, "Love Britney."
If that wasn't enough nineties nostalgia for you ... we can imagine Britney manifesting a relationship with fellow Mouseketeer Justin Timberlake, given the mini-NSYNC shrine STILL in her bedroom.
Finally, there's two pieces of art Britney allegedly left behind, including one with her name and another that reads, "Jesus Loves Me."
We're told the seller was ready for something new, and the timing of the listing has nothing to do with Britney's new memoir, "The Woman In Me" ... in which she heavily chronicles her time growing up in the rural property.
Yvonne Hulsey of Keller Williams Realty Services holds the listing.
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Airbnb Pull Up A Chair At Thanksgiving Table With Viral Grandma & Jamal For Annual Meetup!
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The viral texting mishap between a grandma and a teenager that's blossomed into a heartwarming Thanksgiving tradition ... can now be part of your holiday fun, as Airbnb offers a chance to join them at the table!
Jamal Hinton's story became a sensation 7 years ago -- when he was just a teen -- and got a text inviting him to Wanda Dench's Thanksgiving feast. The text was intended for Wanda's grandson, but after she and Jamal chatted, he ended up attending.
The 2 have been reuniting on the holiday every year since, and they're teaming up with Airbnb this time around to give someone else the chance to join in on the fun ... by co-hosting a 1-night stay at Wanda's home in Arizona for the Monday before Thanksgiving!
The 2 lucky guests will have a seat at their annual dinner, fixed with everyone's favorite holiday dishes ... and will be able to partake in fun things like playing board games, watching movies, and cozying up by the fire with some cider or hot cocoa.
Those who secure the booking will also take part in Wanda and Jamal's annual selfie -- a high honor -- and exchange stories, experiences, and memories while creating new ones together.
Interested guests can request to book the overnight stay on November 14 at 1 PM ET / 10 AM PT / 11 AM MST. The stay will cost only $16 -- a nod to the year Wanda and Jamal first spent the holiday together.
We're told Airbnb is also making a donation to Feeding America -- the largest hunger relief organization in the U.S. -- to further the goal of creating an America where no one is hungry.
For more viral news, tune in to the TMZ Verified Podcast. Dropping every Thursday on all podcast platforms.
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Ashanti Happy Birthday, Nelly!!! Gifts Custom Impala
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Ashanti is definitely in the running for best gift-giver -- 'cause she gave her boo, Nelly, the custom Impala of his dreams for his 49th birthday.
Celebrity car broker Ronnie Garber tells TMZ ... he got a call last week from DJ Envy, saying Ashanti was looking for a specific ride to give Nelly for his big day -- and needed it in Atlanta by Halloween night, a couple days before his birthday.
We're told the artist wanted a custom 1962 Impala convertible -- the candy apple blue ride is equipped with a Corvette L's motor and a sound system with Nelly's logo on it.
She gave him the ride at his big army-themed bash, too ... when he was presented with his cake onstage, she told him about the gift she got him, which set off some fireworks ahead of the reveal.
We're told Nelly wasn't just happy, but he got emotional -- saying it was his dream car from when he was a kid, so it rightfully is goin' down for him as the best gift of all time.
As for the custom car, we're told it set Ashanti back well over $100k ... but it sounds like it was worth it!
As we reported, the 2 restarted their relationship earlier this year, being spotted out together quite a bit even jamming out together to Usher's "Nice & Slow" -- a potential nod at their romance's pace.
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Courteney Cox Seen for First Time Since Matthew Perry Death
Courteney Cox was spotted out for the first time since losing her "Friends" costar, Matthew Perry ... appearing downcast while leaving dinner with her boyfriend and some pals.
The actress and her BF, Johnny McDaid, left Nobu Malibu Monday night ... jumping into their ride after dining with friends.
Courteney didn't look to be in the best spirits, and rightfully so -- TMZ broke the story, Matthew passed away over the weekend at his Pacific Palisades home, being found unresponsive in his hot tub.
Courteney and her "Friends" co-stars Jennifer Aniston, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, and David Schwimmer all released a joint statement after Matthew's passing -- saying they're "utterly devastated" and were "going to take a moment to grieve and process this unfathomable loss."
While a full toxicology report could take anywhere from 4-6 months, an initial test revealed Matthew didn't have any fentanyl or meth in his system ... there were prescription drugs found at his house, all prescribed to him.
LAPD's Robbery Homicide Division is investigating Matthew's death, despite there being no evidence of foul play ... but the LAPD told us it's common for detectives to take the lead on high-profile cases like this.
We covered it all on the latest episode of The TMZ Podcast, available on all podcast platforms.
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Tyler Christopher Friend Found 'General Hospital' Star Dead at Home
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More details have emerged surrounding the sudden death of "General Hospital" star Tyler Christopher ... it was a friend who discovered the actor dead inside his home.
Law enforcement sources tell TMZ officers responded to Christopher's apartment in San Diego Tuesday morning around 9:30. We're told a friend went to check in on Tyler after being unable to get in touch.
Our sources say the friend was able to gain access to Tyler's locked apartment with a key they had been previously given by the actor.
Once inside, we're told the friend discovered Tyler deceased in his bedroom and called 911. Our sources said it appeared he had been dead for some time.
As we reported, Tyler's "General Hospital" costar, Maurice Bernard, broke the news of the actor's death, writing, "a truly talented individual that lit up the screen in every scene he performed and relished bringing joy to his loyal fans through his acting."
Maurice added, "Tyler was a sweet soul and wonderful friend to all of those who knew him. Tyler was an advocate for better mental health and substance use treatment who openly spoke about his struggles with bipolar depression and alcohol."
Tyler was most known for his work on "General Hospital" -- appearing in 1,153 episodes from 1996 to 2016 -- and for his role as Stefan DiMera on "Days of our Lives."
He was only 50.
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MATTHEW PERRY Negative for Fentanyl & Meth ... Initial Tests Reveal
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Matthew Perry's death was not the effect of a fentanyl or meth overdose, at least that's what initial tests indicate ... TMZ has learned.
Law enforcement sources tell TMZ investigators ran a less-in-depth test on Perry which revealed he did not have fentanyl or meth in his system. However, it's important to note, more in-depth tests are still being conducted as part of toxicology to analyze whether any other illegal drugs present in his blood -- and if the levels of any prescription meds were at harmful doses.
Those results will likely take anywhere from 4-6 months to be returned, and once all that data is gathered, the coroner will determine the cause and manner of death.
As we first reported, the prescription drugs found in Matthew's house were all prescribed to the actor for his various ailments, and stored in proper bottles.
If something illicit were to come back in his autopsy results, LAPD's Robbery Homicide Division would continue to investigate.
RHD's involvement initially had people scratching their heads, especially as there's currently NO evidence of foul play ... however, it's common for detectives from that division to take the lead on high-profile cases because of its experience and dedicated manpower.
As TMZ first reported, Matthew was found unresponsive in his hot tub Saturday at his home in the Pacific Palisades after playing pickleball for a couple hours earlier that day at Riviera Country Club.
While it appears he died from drowning, the Coroner will have the official word, once all the testing is complete.
The fact initial testing shows no overdose from meth or fentanyl -- a far too common killer in America's opioid epidemic -- falls in line with what people close to Matthew have told us ... that he was sober and "never happier."
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Elon Musk Zuck's Fault MMA Fight Didn't Happen I'm Still Down 'Anytime, Anywhere, Any Place'
Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg, the biggest fight that never happened, ain't dead just yet ... 'cause the billionaire X owner says he's still ready to beat up Zuck!
52-year-old Musk joined Joe Rogan's JRE pod on Tuesday ... when the convo turned to the fight with the 39-year-old Facebook founder. For the first time, Elon explained, from his perspective, why negotiations broke down, torpedoing the bout.
“Italy actually was willing to let us use the Coliseum,” Musk told Rogan.
“I was like, well, can’t turn that down. Then I was like, well, if it’s going to be in the Coliseum, I like UFC and everything, but we don’t have tons of ads in UFC branding on the Coliseum 'cause it’s a place of great history. You don’t want to have it be all like NASCAR. And then Zuck pulled out.”
Of course, talk of the fight between the two ultra-wealthy moguls started around the time Zuck launched his X-competitor, Threads. Elon tweeted he was "up for a cage match," and Mark responded, channeling Khabib, saying ... "Send me location."
And, we were off ... unfortunately, a deal never materialized, and Zuck accused Musk of screwing around with no intention to actually fight.
"[Zuckerberg] accused me of not being serious, and I said, ‘Listen, at the end of the day, I’ll fight you any place, anywhere, under any rules,’” Elon told Joe.
As for who'd win the fight, Elon's clearly heard the people who say Mark would kick his ass because of his jiu-jitsu experience. He doesn't agree.
“I’m like 50% heavier than him,” 6'2", 240-ish lb. Musk said.
“I’ve got my patented 'walrus' move. I just lie on him. A walrus doesn’t need martial arts training because it’s really big.”
Bottom line ... the fight may be on life support, but Elon's indicating there's still a chance it goes down, and he says he's ready to crack right now.
“I don’t need any time, no time at all."
Your move, Zuck! 👊