Justin Bieber Getting Yard Time with CA Prisoners ... First Pics of Prison Trip

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The show Justin Bieber put on for a group of SoCal inmates was less about song and dance, and more about sitting and listening ... as photos of his recent prison visit reveal.

TMZ's obtained pics showing the Biebs surrounded by a big group of prisoners in the yard at the California State Prison of L.A. County. Justin and his pastor took a field trip to the correctional facility last week, but this is our first look at what went down.

In one shot you see Justin listening intently while seated outside, and in another, he appears to be praying. We're told Bieber specifically visited inmates taking part in the prison's Urban Ministry Institute ... a seminary program run by Prison Fellowship.

And, get this, JB also visited the Paws for Life K9 Rescue program, which is the first dog rehab program in a men's maximum-security prison. Inmates actually train them to become service dogs to military vets. Pretty awesome.

As we first reported ... Justin's RV was seen pulling into the prison last week where he was spreading the good word.

One other cool moment from the visit ... we're told Justin committed to personally chartering buses to help families get to remote prisons -- 10-12 hours away from SoCal -- to see loved ones behind bars.

Greg Kelly I Smoked Weed in KY, Woke Up in Africa!!! Claims Hilarious Stoner Tale

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UPDATE

3:42 PM PT -- We got Greg in NYC who certainly didn't offer much detail, but definitely kept his message the same.

UPDATE

Even Snoop Dogg could learn a thing or 2 about marijuana from Greg Kelly -- that is IF you buy the Newsmax host's "don't do drugs" story ... but almost no one does.

Kelly is telling what he views as a cautionary tale about pot, claiming "SMOKING WEED (aka GRASS) is NOT a good idea." Okay, get past his use of the term "grass" ... he's a man of a certain age, after all.

Anyway, Kelly claims he "toked up" back in the day with some friends in Kentucky "and woke up 4 days later in Nairobi, Kenya. With no idea what happened." Say whaaaat, Greg???

Based on Twitter's response, the news anchor's marijuana warning went up in smoke. Very few people believe this actually happened, or ... if it did happen we've got a newsflash for Greg -- that wasn't weed you were smoking, bro!!!

Kelly even claims his alleged half-baked experience was worse than anything that President Biden's son, Hunter, went through. ICYMI ... Hunter just opened up about his crack addiction in a new memoir.

As for what the hell Greg "Smokey" Kelly might have really been puff puff passing? Well, he might wanna re-watch "Friday."

Now when friends ask, "how high?" ... just say Greg Kelly high. Thanks for the warning, Smoke Dog!

Originally Published-- 7:04 AM PT

Sharon Stone My Manager Said I Wasn't 'F***able' ... Then I Got 'Basic Instinct'

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Sharon Stone claims her manager back in the day told her she wasn't sexy enough to get hired in Hollywood, then 6 weeks later ... she was cast to play one of the sexiest characters ever.

The actress says before she landed her famous role in "Basic Instinct," she was pretty shy and introverted. Stone claims this prompted her manager to tell her she wasn't "f**kable."

It's all detailed in her new autobiography, "The Beauty of Living Twice," and Sharon goes on to say her acting coach also badgered her to loosen up, asking ... "If you keep leaving your sexuality at the door, how do you expect to play anyone at all?"

She says 6 weeks after that, she was cast to star alongside Michael Douglas in the 1992 erotic thriller. Guess the acting coach did the job.

As we reported ... Stone previously revealed she was tricked into performing her notorious no-underwear scene in the movie by members of the production team.

She claims they ensured her "we can't see anything," and she didn't learn until later that she was duped ... and describes the experience as humiliating.

Britney Spears She Wrote Post On 'Framing' Doc ... Not Her Social Media Manager

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Britney Spears fans are coming for her social media manager's head because they think Brit's reaction to the new doc wasn't authentic ... but they have it all wrong.

Here's the deal ... the pop star broke her silence on 'Framing Britney Spears' Tuesday, criticizing the documentary ... saying she was embarrassed by the portrayal and cried for weeks, but some folks think Britney's social media manager, Cassie Petrey, is the post's real author.

However, sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... Cassie did NOT craft Britney's statement about the Hulu documentary, and she wasn't even aware of Brit's plan to express herself until the IG post was published.

As you see, Cassie's catching lots of online heat ... with keyboard warriors calling for her to resign from Britney's team.

Our sources are adamant ... Britney wrote the caption herself and it was posted the day she wrote it. We're told Brit does indeed feel deeply embarrassed by the documentary, which she's made clear to those closest to her.

Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media.

Our sources tell us no one on Britney's team prompted her to break her silence, and it was all her decision.

There have been theories in the past ... Britney's social media manager writes all her captions and frames them with the help of her father, Jamie Spears ... but in this instance, we're told that's definitely not the case.

Another Mass Shooting 4 Dead in Orange, CA ... Cops Drag Out Suspect on Video

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CAPTURING THE SUSPECT
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10:26 AM PT -- According to the Orange PD, the alleged shooter's been identified as 44-year-old Aminadab Gaxiola Gonzalez. Police say Gonzalez's motive for the mass shooting was linked to a relationship with the business and the people in it ... it was not a random act.

UPDATE

The victims' identities have not been released, but cops say the child who was killed was a 9-year-old at work with his mother.

The alleged gunman who killed 4 people, including a child, in America's latest tragic mass shooting was apprehended by several cops after getting shot ... and the dramatic moment was caught on video.

Witnesses across the street from the office building in Orange, CA -- where the suspect allegedly opened fire around 5:30 PM Wednesday -- were recording as police officers swarmed and dragged the alleged shooter out.

The suspect sustained a gunshot wound and was taken to the hospital, though it's unclear if the wound was self-inflicted or at the hand of a responding officer.

In the video, the witnesses describe seeing a lot of blood and assume the suspect is dead. As the suspect's apprehended, it appears one officer kicks away a firearm.

Four people were killed in the shooting, including a child, and a fifth was critically injured. The identities of the victims have not been released. The suspect is also reportedly in critical condition.

The complex where the shooting went down houses multiple businesses, including an insurance company and a counseling center.

This is the 20th mass shooting in the U.S. since the Atlanta area spa attacks just 2 weeks ago, in which 8 people were killed.

Originally Published -- 6:56 AM PT

Elon Musk Triggers Real Estate Boom!!! Starbase, TX Tweets Are 🔥

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Elon Musk's got real estate agents working overtime deep in the heart of Texas, because with just one tweet he's made the yet-to-be-built city of Starbase a hot relocation destination.

You'll recall the SpaceX honcho basically said he's leaving a light on for any and everyone who wants to move to the Brownsville/South Padre area, work for SpaceX and become a resident of the brand new city he's planning to put on the map.

As it turns out ... people took Elon's tweets as marching orders.

We spoke to agents in the area who say there is a direct correlation between Elon's tweets and an increase in real estate customers. In fact, one agent we spoke to called it "the Elon Musk effect" ... and for good reason.

Shortly after Elon's post, one agent tells us he got a call from a man in Boston inquiring about a rental property in Brownsville. Another agent who's worked in the area for nearly 2 decades said 2 years ago he'd never answer calls from outside of his area code.

Now? Not picking up could be the difference between earning or losing a fat commission. Like on Tuesday, when a man from Oregon called offering to pay $200k in cash for a house in Brownsville. The average median house price in the area is around $167k.

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THERE'S ALWAYS NEXT TIME...

One agent who says he's already sold 7 houses to SpaceX employees says calls keep rolling in from all over the country ... from Illinois and North Dakota to California and Utah. And, if you're curious about Elon's reach? The agent says he got a call from someone in Kenya! It's good to be the richest man in the world.

As we reported, officials in the Brownsville area feel Elon's push to start his own city could boost jobs and tourism. Pretty soon real estate there could be exploding faster than SpaceX's own rockets.

Kenny Smith UCLA's Juzang Now A 1st-Round Pick ... After Epic Tourney Run

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READY FOR THE BIG LEAGUES

UCLA star Johnny Juzang has made himself a WHOLE LOT of money over the past 2 weeks ... so says Kenny Smith, who tells TMZ Sports the hooper is now a surefire 1st-round NBA draft pick!

Juzang has been a BEAST for the Bruins in their march from the First 4 to the Final 4 in this year's NCAA Tournament ... he's scored 20 or more points in 3 of UCLA's 5 games so far.

And, when we asked The Jet about the kid out at LAX on Wednesday ... he gushed over the former Kentucky transfer -- saying his stock has skyrocketed after UCLA beat Michigan on Tuesday.

"This puts him -- this year, next year -- in the first round," Smith said of Juzang's tourney performances. "And, high in the first-round possibly. For sure."

Smith also said Juzang's accomplishments will help UCLA for years to come.

The NBA on TNT analyst said the Bruins' run to a potential national championship should help the Bruins' recruiting tremendously ... telling us they've got a way better shot of keeping all the California 5-stars in California now.

"UCLA basketball is back," Smith says.

As for what's next for Juzang and UCLA ... they've got Gonzaga -- the best team on earth right now -- on Saturday night.

No pressure!

Guess Who This Smiling Sweetie Turned Into!

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Before this giggling guy was the big man of the rapping world, he was just another smiling sweetie growing up in Detroit, Michigan.

This bibbed baby got his start breaking into the music industry when he was signed to Kanye West's record label, G.O.O.D. Music ... which stands for Getting Out Our Dreams. His career goals kept climbing as his hit songs rose in the charts, he found a way to bounce back from any lows he faced.

Now, with numerous accolades, he has also been featured in Rihanna's Savage X Fenty fashion show.

Can you guess who he is?

Plane Crash Gender-Reveal Stunt Kills Two

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CRASHING AT SEA

Two people died in Mexico when a plane being used for a gender-reveal stunt crashed into the sea, as the parents-to-be and guests cheered for the big moment ... that never came.

The deadly crash happened this week off the coast of Cancun, where expecting parents hired a plane to fly a banner announcing they were having a baby girl.

As you can see, the plane is doing a series of stunts over the water before it takes a nosedive straight down, disappearing into the water with a huge splash.

You can hear the family watching the flyover from a boat screaming in horror as the plane crashes and sinks.

There were 4 people on board the aircraft, and 2 of them died ... according to local reports. One person died before rescuers could reach the victims, and another died while receiving first aid.

It's unclear what caused the crash. Mexican authorities are investigating.

North Carolina Cop Resigns to Avoid Firing After Choking Police Dog

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The North Carolina cop seen on video hanging and choking a K-9 with its leash is off the force ... he just resigned after an investigation determined he should be fired.

The Salisbury Police Department says an independent investigation found officer James Hampton engaged in "inappropriate discipline" of the police dog, Zuul ... in full violation of department policies.

SPD says while Hampton was recommended to be fired, he was allowed a due process hearing ... and before he could be canned, he tendered his resignation, effective immediately.

As we reported ... Hampton came under fire earlier this month when video surfaced showing him manhandling the crap out of the police dog he was supposed to be training.

PETA got involved too ... with demonstrators protesting outside Salisbury PD HQ and demanding justice for the K-9. BTW, Zuul was ok, at least physically, after the brutal encounter.

Salisbury PD also says it will continue reviewing its K-9 training operations, policies and procedures with potential changes on the horizon.

Tiger Woods Investigators Determine Crash Cause ... Won't Release Report Citing 'Privacy'

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The investigators tasked with finding the cause of the Tiger Woods crash have determined the cause of the accident -- but they're not releasing the results, citing "privacy issues."

L.A. County Sheriff Alex Villanueva confirmed Wednesday the investigation into Woods stemming from the Feb. 23 crash has wrapped up -- but when pressed on the findings, he told the media he won't go public with the findings until he gets permission from Tiger's camp.

"A cause has been determined, the investigation has concluded," Villanueva said.

"We have reached out to Tiger Woods and his personnel ... There's some privacy issues on releasing information on the investigation so we're going to ask them if they waive the privacy and then we will be able to do a full release on all the information regarding the accident."

Villanueva did not expand on why he would need Tiger's permission to release the info.

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SCENE OF THE WRECKAGE

As we previously reported ... the investigation had unearthed some troubling evidence after law enforcement sources told us they believed Tiger never hit the brakes as he spun off the road. We were also told there was no evidence he took his foot off the gas either.

We were told investigators believed Tiger did nothing to prevent the crash once he lost control of his expensive SUV rental. Our sources had said before Tiger got to the scene of the crash he had been driving "normal" and not speeding. Evidence indicated he accelerated and was speeding when he lost control.

As we reported, the Sheriff's Dept. said Tiger told one of the first responders he had no recollection of the accident. Even still ... the Sheriff said almost immediately after the crash there was no evidence of impaired driving nor any evidence of alcohol. That being said ... the Sheriff also never attempted to get a warrant to draw blood to test for medications and was adamant Tiger wouldn't face criminal charges for the crash.

Tiger, of course, suffered major injuries in the single-car crash -- like major damage to his right leg, comminuted open fractures to both his upper and lower tibia and fibula -- which required emergency surgery.

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DANGER AHEAD

Doctors at Harbor-UCLA used a rod to stabilize the leg and screws to treat Tiger's badly damaged ankle. He was later moved to Cedars-Sinai in the days following the crash where he continued his care before he was discharged and sent home for a long road to recovery.

YouTube Stars Stokes Twins Plead Guilty In Bank Robbery Video Prank

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YouTube stars Alan and Alex Stokes are gonna dodge jail time for faking, and recording, a series of bank robberies in SoCal ... now that they've both entered guilty pleas.

The twin brothers pled Wednesday to false imprisonment and reporting false emergencies, both misdemeanors, in their fake bank robberies case. In exchange for the guilty plea, the Orange County judge reduced their original felony false imprisonment charges to a misdemeanor.

The 24-year-old twins, who had been facing a maximum of 5 years in jail if convicted, were each sentenced to one year probation and 160 hours of community service.

As we reported ... the YouTube stars were charged in August for staging the 2019 heists in Irvine, CA in order to produce a prank vid for their YouTube channel. One of the pranks led to cops holding an unsuspecting Uber driver at gunpoint.

The judge also ordered the twins to steer clear of the University of Irvine, where they shot one of the "robbery" videos.

Derek Chauvin Trial Murder Suspect Explains His Actions ... To Witness in Bodycam Vid

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UPDATE

3:30 PM PT -- Derek Chauvin told the man who called him a "maggot" that he did what he did because he felt it was necessary to keep George Floyd under control ... considering the circumstances.

UPDATE

Part of Chauvin's bodycam video was played in court Wednesday during McMillian's testimony, showing the moments after Floyd was taken away in a stretcher and Chauvin was getting ready to leave in a squad car. McMillian had some parting words for him before he left, letting him know how displeased he was with how Chauvin handled things.

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"THAT'S JUST ONE PERSON'S OPINION"
UPDATE

Listen to how Chauvin explains away his actions -- first off, he says that McMillians' grievances are just "one person's opinion" and that he stayed put on top of GF because they (the cops) had to "control this guy" (Floyd) whom Chauvin described as a "sizable guy."

UPDATE

Chauvin also goes on to say it appeared Floyd was "probably on something." McMillian ends the convo by walking away ... wishing Chauvin a good, safe night with him and his family at home, saying he's going to continue respecting him as long he gets respect back.

A witness who watched George Floyd die in the street was left sobbing on the stand after having to relive the nightmare moment again in court.

Charles McMillian broke down while giving testimony Wednesday about the events he says he witnessed on May 25, 2020 ... as one of the early bystanders who watched Chauvin pin George down just feet away while standing on a curb.

As prosecutors played back body cam video from one of the officers on top of George -- as he shouted out repeatedly he couldn't breathe and calling for his mother -- McMillian started bawling ... which prompted the court to recess as he collected himself.

The prosecution asked what he was feeling right then watching it anew, and McMillian gave a telling response ... saying he felt helpless and sympathized with George's call for his mom. It was pretty heartbreaking to watch ... and made for a compelling moment in the trial, which is on its third day.

Like we said, McMillian was one of the first civilians on the scene as police began to struggle with George while trying to get him into their squad car. He told George before the man was laid down on his stomach that he should stop fighting, and that he couldn't win.

Also in court Wednesday, surveillance footage from inside the Cup Foods store was played showing the minutes leading up to Floyd's death. Floyd can be seen using the alleged fake $20 bill at the root of police being called.

In other video played during his testimony, you can hear McMillian talk directly to Chauvin at the time ... whom he called a "maggot" as the police finally dispersed. McMillian confirmed the "maggot" remark to prosecutors ... and was excused without cross-examination.

Originally Published -- 1:47 PM PT

Asian Hate Crime Suspect Charged With Hate Crimes For Brutal Assault Of 65-Year-Old Woman

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ASSAULTED IN BROAD DAYLIGHT
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5:22 PM PT -- The suspect, Brandon Elliot, has just been charged with two counts of assault in the second degree as a hate crime and one count of attempted assault in the first degree as a hate crime ... according to Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance Jr.

The guy cops say was caught on camera viciously beating an elderly Asian woman to the ground and kicking her in the head has been arrested ... and he's facing several hate crime and assault charges.

According to law enforcement ... cops arrested 38-year-old Brandon Elliot shortly after midnight Wednesday, and he's been booked on 2 counts of assault as a hate crime.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... during questioning Elliot identified himself as the man in the still image police released. We're told he repeatedly asked investigators if he was being questioned for an assault or a homicide, because he didn't know if the victim had died.

He's also been charged with attempted assault as a hate crime, assault and attempted assault for Monday's vicious attack in Midtown Manhattan on the 65-year-old woman who was walking to church.

According to police, Elliot was ID'd and investigators determined where he lived thanks to multiple tips to the NYPD CrimeStoppers Unit. Turns out he has a serious record ... we're told Elliot's already on lifetime parole for the 2002 murder of his mother. He was released in November 2019.

As we reported ... the attack on the woman was witnessed by building staff members nearby, who can be seen on video failing to help her. Cops say the attacker made anti-Asian statements like "F*** you, you don't belong here," and then left the scene like nothing happened.

We're told the victim suffered a broken pelvis and head and leg injuries.

The workers who did nothing to help her were suspended, according to the company that manages the building, while an investigation into their conduct is underway.

Originally Published -- 6:49 AM PT

Ice Cube Sues Robinhood ... Check Yo Self, I Ain't With Ya!!!

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A source close to Ice Cube tells TMZ ... “This is Robinhood exhibiting lack of respect for the law or the people they hurt. Ice Cube did NOT license his image nor his lyrics printed next to his picture, and would never endorse Robinhood. When asked to take it down because he was offended, Robinhood refused. In addition, calling blatant propaganda for Robinhood's trading app and online services merely 'editorial use' shows someone needs to send their lawyer back to school.”

It might be Ice Cube who needs to check HIMSELF -- because Robinhood is setting the record straight on how they came to use that photo of him in their Snacks newsletter ... telling TMZ, "No, we didn't use his image without permission. The image was licensed and used for non-commercial, editorial purposes in connection with a blog article."

Ice Cube is about to melt -- the dude is heated because he says Robinhood used his face to plug their services without his permission ... so now he's taking them to court over it.

The rapper just filed suit against the financial services company -- which a lot of people use to buy and trade stocks -- for allegedly using a photo of him in an ad featured in their news service, Robinhood Snacks, just this past month.

According to the docs, obtained by TMZ, Cube claims Robinhood took an image of him from another project he'd worked on ... and slapped it into a newsletter update talking about stock/market corrections -- and captioned it with a riff on a famous lyric from one of his songs.

The quote ... "Correct yourself, before you wreck yourself" -- which is obviously a play on his famous track "Check Yo Self." Cube says that by the company inserting his image and likeness into their Snacks service, they falsely associated him with their brand ... making it seem like he endorses them, which he makes more than clear here -- he does NOT.

Cube goes so far as to say Robinhood is the "antithesis of everything that Ice Cube stands for" and refers to their products and services as "horrible." He goes on to claim Robinhood has a habit of doing this ... namely, linking celebs and other rappers -- like Jay-Z and Nas -- to endorse its products and services ... but Cube makes it clear he wants no part of that.

IC's also got a theory on why he believes Robinhood roped him in here -- he says his biz partner, Jeff Kwatinetz, has been railing on the company (both in public and in his own lawsuit against them) ... and suggests this is Robinhood's way of sticking it to both of 'em.

Originally Published -- 1:41 PM PT

Claudia Conway Hospitalized ... Hoping Appendix Doesn't Burst!!!

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EMERGENCY SITUATION

Claudia Conway's been hospitalized and thinks she might have appendicitis, but don't cry her a river ... 'cause she's dancing the pain away.

Kellyanne Conway's 16-year-old daughter revealed she's in the hospital by doing what she does ... posting it on TikTok. In the video, she's dancing from her hospital bed and flexing while attached to an IV. Not sure her doctors, or parents, would recommend that, but Claudia's gonna be Claudia.

She captioned the video, "Let’s hope that my appendix isn’t about to burst." She put the text, "drip too hard? yall rocking w/ IVs?" over the video ... a reference to Lil Baby and Gunna's track "Drip Too Hard." Yeah, she's a natural TikToker.

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CLAUDIA'S FINAL PERFORMANCE

Claudia's status at the moment is unclear but based on her moves things may turn out OK.

The hospital trip comes a little over a week after Claudia was axed from "American Idol." Katy Perry applauded her, though, for taking control of her life, and invited her to audition again next year.

Even in the hospital, Claudia's working on her stage presence.