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Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez didn't just rekindle their romance within the last 2 weeks, instead, it's been building since February ... when he started flooding her with emails while she was filming in the Dominican Republic.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... Ben and J Lo were in very regular contact by email starting in early February when she flew to the Caribbean to begin filming "Shotgun Wedding." We're told the tone of the emails wasn't just friendly ... but more loving and longing for Jen.

For instance, after seeing pics of Jennifer in the D.R., he wrote to tell her how beautiful she looked, and how much he wished he could be down there with her. Of course, he was busy at the time in Boston, shooting "The Tender Bar" with George Clooney -- and she was still engaged to Alex Rodriguez.

Our sources say the emails also referenced J Lo's love for Ben's writing, and included a line about him being able to "own her heart" with his pen.

We're told they continued emailing each other, back and forth, for the duration of J Lo's shoot ... which wrapped in late April.

As far as our sources know, there was no physical contact or rendezvous between them during this time, but the emails do add context to how they seemingly got together so quickly.

Remember, they were together in L.A. -- very publicly -- on the first weekend in May ... just 2 weeks after Jen and A-Rod called off their engagement.

Folks in Ben and Jennifer's world said they had always maintained a friendship since splitting up in 2004. However, as we first told you, they were together again in Montana this past weekend.

One more clue the exes have been in close contact for some time came with InStyle Magazine's recent J Lo cover story. It included a quote from Ben gushing about his ex-fiancee, saying in part ... "She has great talent, but she has also worked very hard for her success, and I’m so happy for her that she seems, at long last, to be getting the credit she deserves."

That story did not include a quote from Jen's then-fiance, A-Rod.

Porsha Williams is engaged again, and in real life 'Real Housewives' fashion ... her fiance is the estranged husband of one of her costars. Drama!!!

The 'RHOA' star announced she's getting super serious with a guy she's been dating for just a month -- surprising enough -- but the bigger shocker is the guy is Falynn Guobadia's ex, Simon.

If ya don't know ... Falynn just revealed her split from Simon last month, after 2 years of marriage, saying a "mutual decision was not made lightly." And, she and Porsha are supposedly good friends -- or at least that's what 'RHOA' fans thought considering Porsha brought Falynn on last season as a "friend of the show."

However, Porsha blew up that notion when she announced on IG, "Our relationship began a month ago -- yes we are crazy in love. I know it’s fast but we are living life each day to its fullest."

She adds ... "For all of you that need facts, I get the optics but Simon filed for divorce from a previous marriage in January. I had nothing to do with their divorce filing. That’s between the two of them."

And for the kicker, Porsha claims ... "Falynn and I are not friends, and Simon’s divorce has been settled."

Now, she stopped short of saying she and Simon are engaged in her post, but Simon confirmed that later on his IG. Porsha also claims her ex, Dennis McKinley -- to whom she was previously engaged -- is supportive of the situation.

Matt Damon tried his damnedest not to talk about Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez but like all good BFFs ... he couldn't help himself and spilled the beans.

Matt appeared on "TODAY" show Tuesday from Australia and there was no avoiding it ... the subject, of course, his boy Ben appearing to rekindle his relationship with J Lo. Matty first tried to play coy ... saying there wasn't enough liquor in the world to get him to talk about it. But then, he did ... and told the world exactly how he feels.

In a nutshell ... Matt says he hopes it's true. Well, it sure looks that way.

TMZ broke the story ... J Lo and Ben took a trip to Montana this past weekend. They left Sunday, and when they arrived at LAX they hopped in an SUV together and drove to her Bel-Air home.

And, as we first reported, we come to find out Ben had been flooding J Lo with emails since February. The emails, BTW, weren't just friendly. We were told they were more loving and longing for Jen.

Good news Betty White fans ... more than a year into a pandemic and the Hollywood legend's still healthy and safe at home, but she's looking forward to summer when she can safely enjoy the outdoors and regain her freedom.

Betty's been keeping herself busy at home reading, watching TV and doing crossword puzzles ... so says her rep, Jeff Witjas. We're told there's one thing the pandemic has severely affected in her life ... her ability to regularly interact with friends face-to-face.

We're told, however, she still pens plenty of letters, makes phone calls and has limited visits with friends and loved ones through the window of her home.

Betty has always been a champion for animals, but currently has no house pets, so that's an empty spot in her life ... especially for a senior who is isolated from friends and family. She does, however, have a couple ducks on her property that we're told walk up to her door every day to say hello.

As for whether or not 99-year-old Betty's been vaccinated, Witjas is mum, saying it's a personal matter.

We're told it's unclear if and when Betty will ever return to work. But, after a Hollywood career that's spanned 60-plus years ... a break is well-deserved.

Logan Paul says he and his brother are taking no chances after Floyd Mayweather's "I'll kill you" threat ... telling TMZ Sports they now have security watching them "at all times."

Floyd dropped the menacing warning to Jake Paul after the younger Paul bro famously stole the boxer's hat during a confrontation at the Logan-Mayweather pre-fight news conference in Miami last week.

Most considered it an empty threat -- after all, nobody really thinks Floyd's going to commit murder over a baseball cap -- but Logan tells us he's taking absolutely no chances.

As for why -- the 26-year-old YouTube star explained it this way ...

"Dawg, when you have a guy with the resources and the wealth that Floyd Mayweather has and the connection and the network and he's saying s***, 'I'mma kill that motherf***er' -- kill?! Death?! You're gonna kill my brother over a f***ing hat?! Yo, we take that s*** seriously man!"

Logan says the Paul bros now have bodyguards with or around them "everywhere at all times."

Logan, though, says he and his brother will NOT be going to cops or filing anything in the court system over the threat -- the older Paul brother said that idea is straight-up "bitch s***, bro."

There's more ... Logan also says there's a chance he makes $20 MILLION for fighting Floyd -- and he also explained why a fight card that would feature both him and Jake vs. Mayweather would never happen.

Simon Cowell insists he's not living dangerously by getting back on an electric bicycle less than a year after shattering his spine while riding one ... 'cause he's toned down his horsepower.

The "America's Got Talent" judge and music exec broke down the differences for us after he was spotted scooting around on a new bike, but one that still had an electric motor attached.

It looks like risky business, but Simon explains he wasn't concerned. Check out why this new ride of his isn't anywhere near as crash-prone as the one he crashed with last summer.

The long and short of it is ... one of them was basically a motorcycle with pedals, and the other is a lot more human-friendly and manageable.

SC actually tells us a pretty hilarious anecdote about a magazine he picked up recently that served as a painful reminder of the brutal injury he endured.

Speaking of that injury ... Simon has healed very nicely since August, which was pretty obvious from his vacation to Barbados over the holidays -- where he was spotted cruising around on a jet ski, something he tells us his doctor did NOT want to see happen.

Tough luck for the doc -- Simon likes living on the edge, but at least he's taking a much wiser, sensible approach now.

Tory Lanez packs a serious punch ... at least according to a 'Love & Hip Hop' cast member who told cops he needed medical attention after the rapper socked him in the face, but Tory's denying it.

Prince Michael Harty, a rapper/promoter who's on "L&HH: Miami," claims Tory reignited their longstanding beef this month at club Vendome on South Beach. According to the police report, obtained by TMZ, Prince told cops he was at his table around 4 AM last Monday when he was approached and struck on the left side of his face.

Prince told cops he turned around and made eye contact with Tory, who ran out of the club and took off in a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter van. Tory is named in the police report as a suspect for an alleged battery.

According to the report, Prince also told cops he went for medical treatment and the responding officer said Prince had a visibly swollen area on his left cheek.

A rep for Prince tells TMZ ... he was hanging out with NFL star Malcolm Butler, when he noticed some guys staring at them.

We're told the DJs and hosts made it well known Prince and Malcolm were in the building, and when Butler left Prince alone in their section, Tory came up with his entourage and allegedly threw the punch, leaving Prince with a massive headache and a swollen mouth.

A rep for Tory tells TMZ ... Lanez was nowhere near Prince at the time he alleges and the guy's "obsessed" with Tory. Even further, the rep says there are no witnesses or footage to back up Prince's claim -- 'cause, again, Tory says it didn't happen ...

Evan Bass and Carly Waddell don't look like a couple calling it quits ... the "Bachelor in Paradise" stars are hanging out again after their split.

Evan and Carly were spotted at brunch Sunday at White Limozeen at the Graduate Hotel in Nashville, and folks who were there tell us they were acting very friendly toward one another.

It's interesting ... the brunch outing was on Mother's Day, but their children weren't with them. Seems more like a date than a family holiday outing, right?!?

Evan and Carly split back in December after 3 years of marriage ... and this is the first time they've been seen together in public since the split.

While witnesses say there was no PDA at Evan and Carly's table, we're also told Evan went to the same restaurant the weekend before with a male friend and made a reservation for him and Carly for Mother's Day. So, it sounds like this wasn't a spur-of-the-moment thing.

Looks like there might be hope for an Evan and Carly reunion.

Before this cheesing child was growing up fast on the big screen, she was just another kid with a bowl cut hairstyle living in Houston, Texas.

This little lady made her breakout film debut in an age-defying romantic comedy starring alongside a hulky hunk of a leading man. Also, she showed off her acting range on television by portraying a secret agent in a thrilling science fiction show.

Now, you can find this mother of three in a new Netflix original movie where the word no doesn't exist in her vocabulary. It's fun for the whole family!

Elon Musk's big reveal on "Saturday Night Live" -- that he has Asperger's -- has other folks who live with the disorder seeking out support groups for the first time in their lives.

Elon's surprise announcement moved 68-year-old Joe Graca to become a member of the Asperger/Autism Network (AANE), where he's connecting with other folks going through the same things.

Joe, who discovered he has Asperger's when he was in his 50s, tells us he joined AANE Monday after Elon appeared on 'SNL' ... saying he likes the fact Musk didn't use Asperger's as a crutch, but showed how it can be a strength.

The Elon effect runs deeper than Joe ... Dania Jekel, AANE's executive director, tells us the org's website traffic saw an astounding 105% increase the day after the Tesla chief revealed during his monologue he lives with Asperger's.

Dania says the traffic boost has a direct correlation to Elon's announcement, telling us the fact a celebrity like Elon openly discussing the struggles he faces in front of millions of TV viewers will inspire others to consider they too might have Asperger's.

And, get this ... the AANE is now expecting to receive over 100 calls more than they'd usually see in a month, from people looking for the 4-1-1 on Asperger's or other kind support ... like Joe.

An elderly Asian man was screaming out for help while at least 2 teenage attackers hovered over him -- but not only did no one come to his aid, you can hear someone laughing out loud.

The horrifying scene played out in the San Francisco Bay Area, where an 80-year-old man appeared to be randomly attacked by the 2 suspects, who cops say are in their teens.

In this surveillance video, you can see and hear the victim calling out for help but no one responds. Another person enters the frame, but does nothing -- it's unclear if that person was with the suspects.

Cops say the suspected attackers are as young as 16 and their getaway car was seen a couple hours later in a strong-armed robbery ... according to KGO-TV reporter Dion Lim. They are still on the loose.

Police aren't labeling this a racially motivated crime yet, but the victim has said he believes the attack was motivated by hate.

This incident comes as San Fran is still reeling from the heinous stabbing attack on 2 elderly Asian women. That suspect was captured and charged with attempted murder.

Looks like there will be one less award show next year ... NBC just axed the 2022 Golden Globes because of a lack of diversity within the Hollywood Foreign Press Association.

The network announced its decision to cut ties with the Golden Globes Monday, citing the need for "meaningful reform" at the HFPA, which is stirring outrage in Hollywood due to a lack of people of color among its members.

NBC says it won't air the Golden Globes in 2022, but the network's leaving the door open for the award show's return in January 2023, as long as the HFPA follows through with a new plan to increase membership among POC.

Remember, the HFPA -- a non-profit made up of international journalists who put on (and vote for winners of) the Golden Globes -- has been called out for reportedly having ZERO Black members for several years now.

The hosts of this year's Golden Globes, Tina Fey and Amy Poehler, even raised the issue during NBC's February broadcast.

NBC's decision to ax the Globes comes the same day Tom Cruise reportedly returned his 3 Golden Globe trophies to the HFPA in a sign of protest.

There's been growing opposition to HFPA ... as we reported, Mark Ruffalo and Scarlett Johansson recently called on Hollywood to "step back" from HFPA, and the Globes by extension.

Meanwhile, the HFPA says it's planning to make sweeping changes ... like admitting 20 new members with a focus on Black recruitment.

NBC says change at the HFPA "takes time and work, and we feel strongly that the HFPA needs time to do it right."

See ya in 2023?!?

Now here's a surprise ... Village People founder, Victor Willis, is ripping The Weeknd -- even though they both have beef with the Grammys, Victor thinks Abel's being a total hypocrite.

The legendary disco singer penned a brutally harsh letter to The Weeknd Monday ... calling out the fact that he seems to be choosy as to when he's outraged about the Recording Academy's secret voting committees -- from which he once benefitted for gold statuettes.

Victor writes, in part ... "Psst, 'The weeknd,' lighten up on the Grammys already why don't cha!?" He goes on to say that as someone who knows a thing or two about protesting the Grammy Awards, Victor thinks TW's now taking things too far with his prolonged gripes.

ICYMI ... The Weeknd tripled down in his refusal to participate in any future Grammy shows -- despite them announcing they're scrapping the secret committee process moving forward -- and once again called them "corrupt."

Welp, in response ... Victor says this, "I don't recall you complaining about the secret committees when you were benefitting from those secret committees." He adds, "But on the one occasion the secret committees didn't benefit you, the Grammys are suddenly corrupt, and it's off with their heads?"

He went on to say that Abel's way too talented and important to music to keep "pouting" ... while also noting that he seems more "out for blood" than anything else at this point.

Victor ends by mentioning the new chief of the Academy -- a Black man named Harvey Mason Jr., who's been getting a lot of credit for putting reforms in motion, despite only having been on the job for a short time now. VW pleads, "Cut the brotha some slack!"

Logan Paul took on FOUR members of the Gronkowski family while training for his upcoming match against Floyd Mayweather ... and claims he handled all of 'em!

But, there's no beef -- it's all love -- and Logan and Rob Gronkowski spelled out the whole situation to TMZ Sports.

Rob didn't actually fight because of that whole football thing he's got going ... which probably makes Tom Brady and the Bucs happy.

But, all 4 of his brothers -- Glenn, Dan, Chris and Gordie -- laced up the gloves to go a few rounds with Paul back in April ... and it seems Rob was genuinely impressed!

"I was the official referee," Rob tells us ... "and good thing I was the official referee. My referring skills were pretty legit, 12 out of 10!"

The Gronks were trained up by two legendary fighters -- Winky Wright and Antonio Tarver ... and Logan says his main focus point was avoiding getting rocked!

"They're massive," Logan tells us ... "I'm f**king 6'2", 200 pounds and I go in there and all of Rob's brothers are towering over me! They're all taller than me vertically, they're all wider than me horizontally. These are huge humans! "

"Honestly, I walked in and I was like. 'Alright, I'm pretty sure I'm gonna kick their ass but I cannot get hit obviously.' They don't know how to box but they got some power and if they hit me, that could be it, man!"

Logan says Rob's youngest bro, Glenn -- who played fullback in the NFL -- has some legit skills and even connected with a quick jab ... but ultimately, Paul proved to be the superior fighter.

Logan tells us he plans to release all of the sparring footage later this week.

Again, the session was super friendly -- and the guys are all joking about it now ... but Logan says he thinks Rob could have a real future in fighting if he commits to it after his NFL career wraps up.

"Anyone with Rob's height and size and power ... if he just dedicated himself to it then yeah!"

J Lo and Ben Affleck may have crossed the friendzone, because we found out they were hanging out together this past weekend.

Ben and Jen were at the Big Sky Resort in Montana, super close to Yellowstone National Park. They were staying at the same resort and were driving around together ... Ben was driving and J Lo was riding shotgun.

They also flew out of Montana together Sunday from Bozeman, Montana to L.A. When they arrived in L.A. at the Signature Terminal at LAX, they took an SUV together and drove to her house in Bel-Air. All this raises the question, of course ... are they back together?

There's certainly a lot of smoke. The 2 were hanging out together in Los Angeles early last week as well. If you were placing bets, bet on them being reunited as a couple.

Our sources connected to both J Lo and Ben have told us they're just friends ... they've actually been fairly close over the years since their breakup.

They certainly have a lot in common now ... they both recently broke off their relationships.

It was back in 2004 when the two split, and we haven't known either of them to be romantically linked since. Of course, both have gone on to have other serious relationships and raise children as well.

A source close to J Lo told us she keeps her exes close, just look at her relationship with Marc Anthony over the years. The source also told us she's seen Alex Rodriguez since they ended things as well and that the two remain friends. However, it's rare that only J Lo and one of her exes ever hung out without kids in tow, and from what we've learned, Ben and Jennifer were solo in Montana.

An LAPD station got firebombed by someone who threw a Molotov cocktail at its doors ... but it was all captured on video, and cops already nabbed the suspect.

The frightening scene went down around 1 AM Sunday at LAPD's Topanga Division Station and was caught on surveillance footage.

As you can see, the guy walks up with what appears to be an already-lit explosive device in his hand and hurls it at the front of the building, then takes off running.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... the Molotov cocktail cracked the station window but did not break it, and the explosion looked bigger on video than it actually was.

We're told the suspect -- later ID'd as Jonathon Rosin -- was chased down by officers and arrested. He's been booked for igniting an explosive, a felony, and is still in custody.