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The world's most famous groundhog just made its bold prediction for the rest of winter ... and it looks like we're in for a cold one, folks.

Punxsutawney Phil was awakened, once again, early Tuesday morning for Groundhog Day in Gobbler's Knob, PA and got put to work giving us a forecast for the rest of the season. Ol' Phil saw his shadow ... so, as they say, 6 more weeks of winter.

This year's celebration was a little more pared down compared to its usual gathering, which would include a way bigger crowd of in-person spectators.

Organizers of the annual event streamed it virtually for folks at home, but there was Phil's regular group of "Inner Circle" top hat buddies who attended -- most of whom were masked up ... carrying on tradition.

Now, the fact the woodchuck is expecting more cold days ahead isn't all that surprising ... the furry little bastards have predicted that 106 times over the course of a 135-year run that they've been looking to Phil for a weather report.

This year actually proves to be meaningful, especially up there in the Northeast -- where winter storm Orlena has covered several states in several feet of snow.

So yeah, Groundhog Day 2021 is pretty much spot-on.

Hal Holbrook -- the longtime, award-winning actor known for playing Mark Twain for more than 60 years -- has died ... TMZ has learned.

Hal's son, David, tells us ... his father passed away of old age at his Beverly Hills home on January 23. We're told he had a number of medical conditions and was having trouble swallowing, but he did not have COVID-19 ... it was simply his time.

Holbrook's career began in the '50s when he developed and starred in the one-man stage show, "Mark Twain Tonight!" which earned him critical acclaim. He would go on to win the Tony for Best Actor in 1966, get his first Emmy nom in 1967, and played the famous American novelist for more than 6 decades ... and in over 2,200 shows.

Playing historical figures on stage -- along with TV and movies -- was a staple for Hal. Throughout his career, he also performed as Abraham Lincoln -- which won him an Emmy in 1976 for the miniseries, "Lincoln" -- and John Adams in the 1984 miniseries, "George Washington."

Most famously though ... Hal gained international stardom for playing Deep Throat in the 1976 classic, "All the President's Men," in which he uttered the famous phrase, "Just follow the money."

Holbrook more recently played Republican congressman Francis Preston Blair in Steven Spielberg's "Lincoln" as well.

Along with all his historical roles, Hal also racked up 12 Emmy nominations and 5 wins. He was married to Dixie Carter until her death in 2010, and had a recurring role on her hit show, "Designing Women." He also directed a handful of episodes.

Hal also appeared in popular TV shows "Evening Shade," and "The West Wing" and starred on both "The Event" and "Sons of Anarchy" when he was in his 80s.

Then, in 2008 at age 82, he became the oldest person ever nominated for an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor at the time ... for his role in 2008's "Into the Wild."

Holbrook's other notable credits over the years include the miniseries "North and South," and films such as "Julia," "The Fog," "Wall Street," "The Firm," "Hercules" and "Men of Honor."

Hal was 95.

D.L. Hughley thinks Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene would be in jail if she were a rapper like Bobby Shmurda ... but he at least wants her held accountable and booted from Congress.

We got the comedian and author at LAX Monday and our photog asked what should be done about the newly-elected Congresswoman from Georgia ... and D.L. didn't hold back.

D.L. says Rep. Greene should be expelled from Congress, prosecuted and never be allowed to hold public office again for embracing online remarks about having Speaker Nancy Pelosi killed and allegedly inciting the Capitol riots.

As you know ... MTG's old Facebook activity suggests she's been cool with executing Democrats like Pelosi, Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton.

D.L. says the fact Rep. Greene is still in office is proof she's being held to a lower standard than rappers, like Shmurda, whose words or lyrics have contributed to their criminal convictions.

Rep. Greene promoted QAnon's baseless conspiracy theories on the campaign trail, and D.L. has a few thoughts on Q -- he's pretty offended white people make up bad things, when Black people actually have real terrible things happening to their kids.

Hailey Bieber appears to be looking to tap into the beauty business ... and she's ripping a page from her husband's playbook to put the wheels in motion.

Justin Bieber's model wife filed legal docs seeking to lock up the rights to "Rhode" ... the name with which she'll brand her beauty products.

Rhode is Hailey's middle name, which is interesting, considering the Biebs uses his middle name for his clothing line, House of Drew. Like husband, like wife.

According to the docs, obtained by TMZ, Hailey's looking to use Rhode on beauty and wellness merch, bath and shower products, beauty creams, personal cleaning products, cosmetics, makeup, fragrances, haircare and skincare.

Hailey's tried to go this road before. She's filed similar docs in the past to secure the rights to "Bieber Beauty," "Rhode Beauty," "HB Beauty by Hailey Bieber," "HRBeauty," "Dew Beauty" and "Dewy Beauty" ... but it doesn’t seem like any of those ever really took off.

Celebrities are lining up in droves to get the COVID-19 vaccine ... and they look pretty damn proud.

Jane Fonda, Anthony Hopkins, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Martha Stewart are among the many celebs who jumped at the chance to get the vaccine when they started rolling out. It's no surprise they all qualified right off the bat since they all have one thing in common ... they're all over the age of 65 and qualify to get the vaccine. Still look great, tho!!!

It was just a couple weeks ago when Arnold pulled up at Dodger Stadium to get his vaccine, which is currently being offered to the elderly and healthcare workers ... with hopes of expanding to other groups sooner rather than later.

Before this cute kid became a multi-talented singer and actor, he was just another doe-eyed darling growing up in Terrell, Texas.

This little lad got his start on television by starring in multiple sitcoms ... one of which was titled after himself. He quickly rose to fame in noteworthy films -- including a Quentin Tarantino action-packed flick and a musical portrayal which earned him the Academy Award for Best Actor.

His musical talents don't stop on the big screen ... his record productions and collaborations led him to working with Kanye West and receiving numerous Grammy nominations.

Silento allegedly gunned down his cousin, and now he's facing a murder charge for it.

The "Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae)" rapper was arrested Monday for allegedly murdering Frederick Rooks after an investigation into the man's death ... according to the DeKalb County Police Department.

Cops say they found Rooks shot to death in the street on Jan. 21 ... and found 8 bullet casings on the scene. Cops say they still don't have a clear motive behind the shooting.

As for how they connected Silento to the crime, we don't know for sure ... but cops say they obtained Ring camera footage from homes in the area which captured at least one gunshot, and several vehicles fleeing the scene.

As we've reported ... Silento had a rough 2020, legally speaking. He was arrested back in October after cops said he was driving 143 MPH ... and in September, he was arrested and charged with 2 felony counts of assault with a deadly weapon for allegedly threatening people with a hatchet.

He's currently being held in DeKalb County Jail. We've reached out to his camp ... so far, radio silence.

The iconic Hollywood sign got a makeover, and though what went down is technically a crime ... it might be worth the time for supporting a good cause.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... 6 people were arrested for altering the sign to read "Hollyboob" Monday. We're told police were notified of what was going on and tracked the group as they made their way down the hill and busted them.

Our sources say the group -- which we've learned includes model Julia Rose -- told cops they did this to raise breast cancer awareness ... but they will also be cited for trespassing before they're released.

Julia -- who's no stranger to breast-related stunts -- is currently with Hollywood police being processed. We got video of her being led away in cuffs, too.

The timing of the stunt is interesting. As you may know ... Breast Cancer Awareness Month is October, so it seems these folks are several months early.

Famed P.I. Jack Palladino has died from the grave injuries he suffered during an attempted robbery in his San Francisco neighborhood.

Palladino never regained consciousness after being attacked by 2 would-be robbers Friday and falling and hitting his head on the pavement. His attorney, Mel Honowitz, says Jack died Monday around noon after being taken off life support the day before.

As we reported ... Jack's family says he went outside Friday evening to snap photos of people he believed were making trouble in his neighborhood, and they attacked him and tried to steal his camera.

Palladino's family says he refused to let go, but fell in the process. However, his photographs may have helped police track down the 2 suspects it arrested Sunday for his attack -- 23-year-old Tyjone Flournoy and 24-year-old Lawrence Thomas.

Flournoy and Thomas were booked for attempted robbery and assault with a deadly weapon, but now that Palladino has died ... they may be facing a felony murder charge.

Jack started his career as a P.I. in the '70s, but became one of the premier names in the biz in the '80s ... and worked a bunch of high-profile cases in the '90s.

Those included investigating the extra-marital affair allegations against Bill Clinton in 1992, the cause of death of Kurt Cobain in 1994, and repping a 14-year-old boy in his civil, molestation lawsuit against Michael Jackson.

Jack was 76.

RIP

Lil Wayne can display this next to his platinum albums and Grammy Awards ... his official pardon letter signed by former President Donald Trump.

The rapper's Presidential pardon was filed last week in federal court in South Florida, where Weezy pled guilty in December to a gun charge that could've meant serious time behind bars ... IF Trump hadn't come through for him.

The doc, obtained by TMZ, is embossed with the official seal from the Department of Justice and, of course, Trump's John Hancock.

As you know ... Lil Wayne received the pardon from Trump on his last full day in office. Tunechi was scheduled to be sentenced in March for illegally possessing a loaded weapon on a private jet.

That sentencing's off the books now with the pardon ... which came a few months after Weezy endorsed Trump for Prez.

Mike Pence has just gotten a dose of post-Veep reality, because Air Force 2 has a new leaseholder ... which is why he took a flight Monday -- IN COACH!!!

Pence and his wife, Karen, hopped aboard an American Airlines jet from Saint Croix to Charlotte, NC. They settled into their coach seats, with Secret Service agents nearby.

It gets even more real. There are reports the former Vice Prez is couch surfing while he and his wife look for more permanent digs. He has said his family will move back to Indiana come summer.

Big news for the Kansas City Chiefs ... two players have been placed on the Reserve/COVID-19 list over a "close contact" with someone who tested positive.

The players are wide receiver Demarcus Robinson and center Daniel Kilgore, according to Chiefs head coach Andy Reid.

Moments ago, Reid told the media he's confident the players will "work through it" -- but obviously could not guarantee they will play in Sunday's game against the Tampa Bay Bucs.

Kilgore started 4 games in 2020 and has played in 7 total. Robinson started 9 games in 2020 and played in all 16 regular-season games.

Both guys played in the AFC Championship game on January 24 against the Buffalo Bills -- with Robinson getting the starting nod at WR.

The way the NFL's COVID protocol works ... both players will be forced to quarantine for 5 days, which means no more practice for the rest of the week.

If they continue to test negative, there's a chance they can play in the Super Bowl -- but ESPN's Adam Schefter says at the moment their status is "in question."

Neither player has returned a positive COVID test at this point, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.

Obviously, the bigger concern is ... were any other players exposed?

We spoke with Chiefs superstar Tyreek Hill just a short while ago who told us the team had been clamping down on COVID protocols to prevent this exact situation.

Dustin Diamond -- best known for playing the lovable Samuel "Screech" Powers on the hit NBC sitcom, "Saved by the Bell" -- has died ... TMZ has learned.

A rep for Dustin tells us he died Monday morning. His condition had greatly declined since last week, and he was taken off of breathing machines in an attempt to get him to hospice care. His GF was by his side when he passed away, and we're told he did not suffer.

Dustin's death comes just a couple weeks after completing his first round of chemo after he was diagnosed with stage 4 small cell carcinoma ... which is commonly referred to as lung cancer. We were told the cancer started somewhere in Dustin's body and metastasized in his lungs.

He was initially hospitalized in Florida in January after feeling pain all over his body and a general sense of unease. Unfortunately for the kid star ... it turned out to be cancer.

Dustin, of course, is famous for playing Screech on four seasons of "Saved by the Bell" as Zack Morris' (Mark-Paul Gosselaar) nerdy sidekick who struggled to get any of Lisa Turtle's (Lark Voorhies) love and affection.

After the kids graduated from Bayside HS ... the show got a short-lived spinoff with "Saved by the Bell: The College Years." There was also "Saved by the Bell: The New Class" ... in which Dustin appeared as Screech from season 2 to 7 as Mr. Belding's assistant.

Dustin wasn't recast for the reboot of the show on Peacock. Back in January 2020, we talked to him about why he wasn't signed on for the new project. The short answer ... he didn't know why but argued for Screech's reprisal.

Dustin would appear in tons of other roles ... including as the groom in 98 Degrees' music video for their 1999 hit track, "I Do (Cherish You)." He also appeared in 2 episodes of "The Wonder Years." He became infamous for directing his own sex tape in 2006 but later admitted to Oprah Winfrey it wasn't him ... but a stunt double.

He also appeared in tons of reality shows ... including "Celebrity Boxing 2" and "Celebrity Fit Club" where he didn't make too many friends after becoming confrontational with numerous cast members.

There were other stunts too that pivoted his career from a beloved child actor to a controversial celebrity. Like when Dustin was supposed to fight the so-called angry bagel guy, Chris Morgan, before CM pulled out of the fight.

But, through it all ... Dustin got tons of love from fans and friends alike, including Insurance King president and CEO Dan Block, who wrapped NASCAR driver Josh Bilicki's car in Dustin's honor.

Dustin's team says they're aware his name is not necessarily the most reputable due to his history of mishaps, but they want the public to understand "he was not intentionally malevolent."

His team adds that he went through a great deal of turmoil in his life, but he was always "a humorous and high-spirited individual whose greatest passion was to make others laugh."

Dustin was 44.

Rep. Adam Kinzinger is fed up with today's Republican Party ... so he's starting a movement to reclaim the GOP ... and he's even open to becoming its standard-bearer.

The Republican Congressman from Illinois appeared on "TMZ Live" Monday and said he launched his Country First PAC because of the state of his party, which has embraced Donald Trump's big lie that the election was stolen ... and that's just for starters.

Kinzinger -- who is one of 10 GOP members who voted to impeach Donald Trump -- acknowledges there's a wrestling match of sorts within the party.  He thought eyes would open after the January 6th insurrection ... he uses the metaphor of a Friday night bender to describe what he thought would be a turning point for the party, but that didn't happen.

So the Congressman has made it clear ... he will be a leader in the movement he's starting, and turns out there are like-minded members of Congress who are quietly supporting his effort.  There are also lots of Republicans who are sick and tired of people like Marjorie Taylor Greene and others with crazy conspiracy theories ... who may find a home in Kinzinger's camp.

The Weeknd's gearing up for his Super Bowl Halftime Show performance, but for now he's shining the spotlight on other stars -- frontline healthcare workers.

The singer's kicking off Super Bowl week and Black History Month by teaming up with Postmates in a campaign that highlights Black-owned restaurants ... and delivers meals to healthcare heroes.

The Weeknd's first stop is the AdventHealth Carrollwood medical facility in Tampa -- not far from Raymond James Stadium, where SB 55 will be played. He donated 150 meals from Mama's Southern Soul Food.

The local, independent, Black-owned restaurant is a staple in Tampa ... and it will be one of many featured at the top of the Postmates app in February.

Rochester Police are under fire for detaining and pepper spraying a child who'd been reported as suicidal, and body cam video of the incident is disturbing.

Officers had handcuffed the 9-year-old girl during the Friday domestic violence call. Police say her mother was worried the girl would harm herself or others. While walking the child to a patrol car, she fell to the snowy ground, began flailing arms and screaming she wanted to see her dad.

A nearly 10-minute struggle ensued ... as the girl resisted, 2 officers put the cuffs on her and attempted to put her in their car. The girl continued screaming and said she wouldn't get in until she saw her dad.

A female officer stepped in, trying to convince her to get in the backseat. A male officer, who was trying to pull the girl in from the other side yelled, "Sit up! You're acting like a child, stop" -- to which she responded, "I am a child!! What the f***?"

The female officer eventually warned the child the cops were getting impatient, and she would be pepper sprayed if she didn't get in the car. Less than a minute later, a male officer said, "Just spray her at this point" ... and that's what happened.

The full arrest video includes a disturbing interaction with the child's mother, and you hear the girl accuse her mother of stabbing the father ... which the mother denied.

Rochester PD initially said it was "required" to deploy pepper spray -- but over the weekend Rochester Mayor Lovely Warren said, "This video, as a mother, is not anything you want to see."

Civil rights attorney Ben Crump has taken notice of how police treated the 9-year-old, saying, "You cannot justify this!"

Police announced an internal investigation, but haven't said if any of the involved officers have been suspended. The child was treated at a hospital and released to her family.