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Chris Harrison has at least one person in his corner as his racism apology tour begins -- author Michael Eric Dyson tells us Chris is being sincere.

Harrison apologized to Rachel Lindsay Thursday on 'GMA' and we've learned Chris has been meeting with Dyson and other leaders in the Black community recently to educate himself on why his controversial take was so hurtful.

Remember, the firestorm started when the longtime 'Bachelor' host defended current 'Bachelor' contestant Rachael Kirkconnell over a 2018 antebellum south bash ... during an interview with Lindsay.

Sources close to the situation tell TMZ ... Chris has spent a ton of time meeting with Michael and others over Zoom to go over the subject. We're told he's also working with a very reputable race educator who is helping him learn from history and fully recognize the magnitude of his mistake.

Michael, who's authored books about Malcolm X, Martin Luther King Jr. and Barack Obama, tells TMZ ... Chris took a major step with Thursday's 'GMA' appearance, and it was heartening to see him apologize directly and sincerely to Rachel.

Dyson says Chris was right to own up to his mistake, admit his imperfections, denounce Rachel Lindsay's online trolls and emphasize a need for change. He says his time with Chris convinced him he's sincere.

Dyson tells us, "He also made it plain that he is not the victim here, a crucial point to emphasize as he rightfully refuses to revel in self-pity. At no point was he defensive, which is an important part of showing that he recognized his error."

Tekashi 6ix9ine has been on the rollercoaster of a lifetime, but his latest ups and downs are all about yo-yo'ing big time on his weight ... and we found out why.

6ix9ine got into the nitty-gritty of his recent weight gain/loss Wednesday on 'TMZ Live' -- where he dished on how exactly he ended up a full 70 pounds heavier within a few months of getting out of prison.

Ya might've heard ... Tekashi says he hit a whopping 204 lbs. during home confinement last year -- he was about 130 lbs. when he left the pen -- but miraculously dropped the poundage in record time ... something he alluded to recently on social media.

He explains he was able to get himself back down to around 140 lbs., adding this in celebration ... "In the chaos of everything that is going on in your life, tell yourself 'I control what happens in my life' do NOT let anyone tell you that things you want it’s not possible, that’s FALSE!"

So many questions here, which Harvey and Charles dug into with Tekashi -- such as, what the hell was he eating to gain so much weight -- and perhaps just as important, how'd he lose it all so quickly???

Tekashi's got the answers ... and his solution might be a bit more primitive than any fad diet out right now. Turns out, the answer to tons of Chinese food is ... sweat and misery.

New Space Jam, new Lola Bunny.

The director of "Space Jam: A New Legacy" has "reworked" Lola Bunny's role for the reboot -- claiming he wasn't comfortable with the "very sexualized" way she came off in the original back in 1996.

The man behind the film is Malcolm D. Lee -- who has worked on flicks like "Girls Trip," "Undercover Brother" and "Night School" ... he's also Spike Lee's cousin!!

Now that he's taken over the reins of the legendary "Space Jam" franchise, Lee wanted to make sure Lola Bunny would be a strong role model for young people.

"This is 2021," Lee told Entertainment Weekly. "It's important to reflect the authenticity of strong, capable female characters."

We went back and checked out the Lola scenes from the original 'Space Jam' and Lee has a solid point.

The scene where Lola first enters the basketball gym is scored with sexy bombshell music — and the rest of the Tune Squad players are so taken by her appearance, they are literally paralyzed.

Lola, after showing off her impressive basketball skills, saunters out of the gym and admonishes Bugs Bunny for previously referring to her as "Doll."

So, what can we expect in the LeBron James reboot? Gone are Lola's short shorts — replaced by typical workout gear with compression shorts underneath.

It seems the director was hoping to model Lola after a typical high-level female athlete -- which makes sense considering real-life WNBA superstars Diana Taurasi and Nneka Ogwumike both have key roles in the reboot.

As for LeBron, the Lakers superstar has spoken about how important the movie is to him ... and being able to share his own example of fatherhood in the flick.

A cop in North Carolina is under fire for hanging a K-9 by its leash and slamming it into his squad car -- all while someone laughed and said, "We're good, no witnesses."

Luckily, this sick bastard was on camera -- unbeknownst to him -- and now the Salisbury Police Department has "administratively separated" him from the police dog, named Zuul. This video surfaced this week showing the cop manhandling the hell out of the K-9 he was supposed to be training.

Zuul had jumped out of his squad car during a training exercise, which apparently pissed off the cop. He immediately screamed for Zuul to stop, and he did. But, the cop then put a leash on him and hanged Zuul by it, slamming him into the side of the SUV, throwing him into the back seat and slapping him.

In the video you can also hear someone say they -- the cops -- are in the clear because there were no witnesses. It's unclear if that was said by the cop manhandling Zuul or another officer watching the incident.

Salisbury Police Chief Jerry Stokes addressed the incident at a news conference with Zuul by his side. Stokes said it's conducting a review but couldn't comment because it's an open case. It's unclear if the cop was suspended.

Almost as shocking, Stokes seemed to defend the unnamed officer's actions, saying ... "Canine training tactics and corrective measures can sometimes be alarming out of context. SPD cannot and will not comment about whether the training tactics used in the video were appropriate, because that is still being reviewed."

Stokes claims Zuul -- now in the hands of a different police sergeant -- was not harmed and is healthy.

The L.A. County Sheriff got a search warrant to seize the black box in the vehicle Tiger Woods crashed ... because a judge believed there was probable cause to believe a crime may have been committed, and law enforcement sources say the possible offense is misdemeanor reckless driving.

Multiple law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... the search warrant prepared by the Sheriff's Dept. outlined details of the crash that left Tiger badly injured. Some of the items go to the heart of the warrant -- establishing probable cause -- the fact there were no skid marks, the objects struck by the SUV before it came to rest, the fact it was a single-vehicle crash, Tiger's horrendous injuries as well as damage to the vehicle and apparent excessive speed.

Our sources say the words "reckless driving" are not mentioned in the warrant. In fact, our sources say no specific crime is listed in the warrant. Nevertheless, a judge is prohibited from signing a search warrant unless there's probable cause of a crime. That's the essence of the 4th Amendment to the Constitution.

Our law enforcement sources say one of 2 things occurred ... either a member of the Sheriff's Dept. went into the judge's chambers to discuss the warrant -- something that is frequently done -- and mentioned reckless driving, or the judge simply looked at the documents and determined there was probable cause of possible reckless driving. Nevertheless, our law enforcement sources say examining the black box for possible reckless driving was the object of the search warrant.

As if the past year hasn't been brutal enough, famed 16th century seer Nostradamus predicted 2021 will be the year of the zombie apocalypse ... but the CDC's got ya covered.

It sounds crazy, but just in case, the CDC has updated its website's "Zombie Preparedness" section -- which it launched in 2011 -- to advise people on how to prepare for disasters or emergencies ... ya know, like fighting off the undead.

While the CDC makes it clear it's not expecting a real-life "World War Z" or "Walking Dead" situation to arise, it says its tongue-in-cheek zombie campaign "has proven to be a very effective platform."

It adds ... "We continue to reach and engage a wide variety of audiences on all hazards preparedness via 'zombie preparedness'."

So, what kind of tips does it have for getting ready for disasters, zombie, or otherwise? The overall theme is "Get a Kit. Make a Plan. Be Prepared." ... which boils down to having an emergency stash at home of food, water and first aid supplies to last at least 3 days. It also suggests backup power sources, medical records on hand and extra prescription meds.

Sounds like your basic earthquake or tornado emergency plan, right? But, then the CDC adds ... "Although you’re a goner if a zombie bites you, you can use these supplies to treat basic cuts and lacerations that you might get during a tornado or hurricane." So, yeah ... they're leaning into this.

An elderly man who was confronted about dragging his dog down the highway with his truck didn't appreciate it much ... so he went after his accuser with a broom.

The incident was shared on TikTok last month, but the story's full of twists and turns since then ... and thankfully the poor pup is okay. According to the accuser ... the old man, Malcolm Taylor, dragged his dog down the highway at 50 mph, but he denies even going down the highway.

When he's told he almost killed the dog, the old man acknowledges it ... but suggests it was an accident. He says the dog was in the back of his pickup and he didn't know it jumped off. The dog's collar does look like it was nearly yanked off its head.

The old guy gets a bit heated as he's being scolded, and when the accuser says he's going to report him ... the old man pulls a broom out of his truck and chases him away.

Here's where it gets really weird -- the accuser, Brett Young, is now claiming he's the one in a legal mess over this. He says the old man is pretty high up in the community -- with connections to the mayor of Hackleburg, AL -- and got him fired and evicted for reporting his alleged animal abuse.

However, the mayor, Darryl Colburn, tells us he only knows Malcolm Taylor through acquaintances ... and to say he has any pull in the city is incorrect. Colburn also tells us he's spoken to Young and asked him to retract his claims about being evicted/fired because of Taylor's ties to the mayor ... telling us that scenario is totally false.

Anyone comparing the talent of Beyonce to the talent of Chloe Bailey is an "Idiot. Period." ... at least according to Mathew Knowles.

The Queen B's father is incredulous over comparisons of his daughter to the up-and-coming singer -- who's one-half of the R&B duo Chloe x Halle with her sister -- so much that it appears to hurt him to talk about it.

Mathew says considering Chloe to play Beyonce in a biopic is understandable, but for somebody to be "idiot enough" to liken her talent-wise??? Bey's daddy's not down with that.

He calls the comparisons downright insulting to Beyonce -- he thinks Barbra Streisand is more her level -- and finally tells the interviewer he wants to move on to the next topic.

The gloves are off for Meghan Markle and Prince Harry, who are now flat out accusing Buckingham Palace of spreading lies about them, and insisting they can't be silenced.

In a new clip from their upcoming interview, Oprah asks Meghan if she's worried about the palace hearing "your truth" ... and Meghan responds by directly calling out Buckingham -- aka The Firm.

She said, "I don't know how they could expect that after all of this time, we would still just be silent if there is an active role that the Firm is playing in perpetuating falsehoods about us."

If it sounds like Harry and Meghan are ready to go to war, it's because they are. Several Royals insiders say it's no coincidence stories came out this week accusing Meghan of bullying her staff when they lived in Kensington Palace.

The insinuation is Queen Elizabeth's team is behind those leaks, and it's a direct response to what Buckingham believes Harry and Meghan are about to say when the Oprah interview airs Sunday on CBS.

Meghan makes it clear ... she and her husband really don't have much to lose by speaking out now, because they've already quit their roles as Senior members of the Royal family.

Tekashi 6ix9ine does NOT believe what he did in court to save his own skin was snitching ... and he laid out his argument Thursday on "TMZ Live."

As you know, Tekashi became the star witness in his 2018 RICO case by testifying against his fellow gang member buddies ... which resulted in their conviction.

Tekashi argues it all boils down to loyalty -- or a lack thereof. He makes a decent point about beefing with just about everyone from coast-to-coast and ultimately being targeted by his own crew in what amounted to a scary stick-up job.

You'll recall ... Tekashi was kidnapped by his own security team in the summer of 2018 -- part of which was captured on dashcam video and surveillance footage. He was taken for a ride around the block, where he was threatened at gunpoint, and ordered to fork over cash and jewels he had at his NYC pad ... an exchange ultimately carried out by his then-GF.

In light of that, 6ix9ine explains he doesn't owe anything to those guys ... and even suggests what he did was wise. The Nine Trey Bloods almost certainly feel differently.

Of course, we also had to ask how he's holding up these days, and whether he fears for his life now that he's labeled a traitor with a violent gang. Fact is ... Tekashi was looking over his shoulder when the subject was raised ... but it ain't for the reason you'd think.

The original cast members from the 'Real World' are going back to their roots ... for a reunion show in the famous New York City loft where they first met.

The "seven strangers" are getting the band back together for the first time in almost 30 years for a new docuseries now streaming exclusively on Paramount+ ... "The Real World Homecoming: New York."

Yes, it's been that long since Eric Nies, Julie Gentry, Heather B. Gardner, Kevin Powell, Norman Korpi, Andre Comeau and Becky Blasband were under the same roof ... and ya gotta check out the gallery to see how they're looking these days!!!

Talk about a blast from the past ... the gang first moved into the loft way back in 1992, laying the foundation for 'The Real World' franchise. Don't worry, the digs have been spruced up a bit since, and the loft looks super cool. Oh, and we will finally get an answer to the big question -- what's up with Eric?

The new 'Homecoming' episodes stream Thursdays ... all ya gotta do is sign up for Paramount+ and try it for free.

Prince Philip was way sicker than the Palace led everyone to believe ... because they just revealed he underwent heart surgery.

Queen Elizabeth's 99-year-old husband is recovering from what the Palace describes as a "successful" heart operation for a pre-existing heart condition. They went on to say he'll continue to be hospitalized "for a number of days."

The whole thing is a little Trumpian. In case you forgot, when Trump contracted COVID and went to the hospital, his doctor said he was doing fine, when in reality his condition was so dire he was almost placed on a ventilator.

Well, in Philip's case, the Palace said on 2/17, “The Duke’s admission is a precautionary measure, on the advice of His Royal Highness’s doctor, after feeling unwell." “The Duke is expected to remain in hospital for a few days of observation and rest.”

On 2/19 -- "It is understood he had felt unwell for several days before royal doctors ordered him to hospital as a “precautionary measure."

On 2/22 Prince William said his grandpa was "OK."

The Palace never mentioned a heart issue until 3/1.

It's not unusual to downplay the severity of an illness when it comes to government officials, but the timing here is problematic. The Palace is in a brewing war with Meghan and Harry, and people are going to be taking sides after the Oprah interview this Sunday. If people feel the Palace was misleading on the Philip front, it could create doubt they're fessing up on the Meghan and Harry front.

The 'Jersey Shore' stars are back in a bubble to shoot the rest of their family vacation, but this time the gang is a lot closer to home.

"Jersey Shore: Family Vacation" has begun shooting the second half of season 4 ... and it appears Pauly D, Vinny, Ronnie, JWOWW, Deena, Angelina, The Situation and their family members are locked down inside Pennsylvania's Woodloch Resort.

Situation's wife, Lauren, dropped the first clue on their new home away from home this week by posting shots of a picturesque lake.

Pauly D's girlfriend, Nikki Hall, also posted a photo in front of a fireplace -- and we took their hints and lined them up to other pics from inside Woodloch resort.

TMZ broke the story ... the 'Jersey Shore' cast shot the first half of season 4 in a "Shore Bubble" at a fancy resort in Nevada, with production adhering to local, state and federal COVID-19 health and safety requirements to get the job done.

Our sources tell us production is taking the same approach for the second half of season 4, except in a new location. While Pennsylvania still isn't Jersey, it's a lot closer -- plus wherever this crew goes kinda becomes the Shore.

Kimora Lee Simmons is pissed about getting pulled over and ticketed in Bev Hills -- but thanks to a slightly impatient fan, she still managed to bat .500 on the day.

We got Kimora Wednesday afternoon as a BHPD officer was writing her up. She told us the cop wasn't being nice -- though we saw no evidence of that -- and made it clear she was upset about getting dinged for no plates on her Rolls Royce.

Watch the clip ... she had an excuse, one the cop clearly wasn't buying. She even tried playing the sympathy card -- mentioning she's recovering from a broken leg -- but no dice.

However, in a true Hollywood moment, a fan happened to walk by and refused to let the selfie opportunity go. We'll say this ... Kimora handled it like a pro.

In the end, she was still annoyed, but admitted getting the ticket was better than ... well, watch.

52-year-old Roy Jones Jr. says he's ready for ANOTHER boxing match after that war with Mike Tyson -- and he's eyeing a UFC legend.

Roy has his sights set on 45-year-old superstar Anderson Silva -- widely considered one of the greatest MMA athletes of all time.

So, why Silva ... and not a rematch with Iron Mike?

"I think [Mike Tyson is] gonna do a fight with Evander Holyfield," Jones said ... "what I'm thinking is I'll probably fight somebody else."

"Truthfully speaking ... my dream next fight will probably be Anderson Silva."

Roy says he's been trying to lock up a fight with Silva for years -- but the timing finally seems right.

"Anderson's available now, I'm available now. So, we've been wanting to box for the longest time. Why not me and Anderson go out there and put it on for the people?!"

Silva was an excellent striker in his heyday -- and as RJJ points out, Anderson had a stint as a pro boxer before he switched to MMA.

In other words, "He knows how to pro box."

Anderson racked up a 34 and 11 record in MMA -- with wins over guys like Dan Henderson, Forrest Griffin, Vitor Belfort, Rich Franklin and more.

Jones says there's no doubt he would DESTROY Silva if the two fought during Roy's prime years -- "but now that I'm older and I'm older than him ... it's something good to look at now because I think his chances are better now than they ever were before."

Before this sweetheart in stripes was singing for audiences all across the world, she was just another cute kid attending the Glastonbury Festival in England.

This little lady has been popular in the public eye for almost two decades ... she has had no shame about talking openly about her struggles within the music industry. Now, this talented star has more to smile about -- last year she married her boyfriend, a hilarious actor who stars in the "Stranger Things" series on Netflix, in an epic Las Vegas ceremony with an Elvis Presley impersonator.