Bob Baffert Suspended from Horseracing In NY ... Over Doping Allegations
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Another Bob Baffert bombshell ... the legendary trainer has been temporarily suspended from horseracing in the state of New York pending a full investigation into doping allegations.
... which means Baffert will likely be blocked from entering a horse in the prestigious Belmont Stakes on June 5, which is HUGE.
The New York Racing Association made the announcement on Monday -- saying Baffert is currently suspended from "entering horses in races and occupying stall space at Belmont Park, Saratoga Race Course and Aqueduct Racetrack."
"During the temporary suspension, NYRA will not accept entries or provide stall space to any individual employed by Bob Baffert Racing Stables."
NYRA says the suspension stems from Baffert's horse, Medina Spirit, testing positive for a banned substance following his victory at the 2021 Kentucky Derby ALONG with the fact several other Baffert horses have flunked drug tests over the years.
Baffert has reportedly had 5 horses test positive for banned substances since May 2020 ... and the NYRA clearly believes something fishy might be going down behind the scenes.
"In addition to the ongoing investigation into Medina Spirit’s victory in the Kentucky Derby, NYRA has taken into account the fact that other horses trained by Mr. Baffert have failed drug tests in the recent past, resulting in the assessment of penalties against him by thoroughbred racing regulators in Kentucky, California, and Arkansas."
As for the length of Baffert's suspension, the NYRA says they will wait to see the results of the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission's probe into Medina Spirit before making a final decision. No word on how long that could take ... maybe days, maybe weeks.
For his part, Bob has denied intentional wrongdoing -- saying he believes Medina Spirit tested positive for betamethasone after taking a medication prescribed by a veterinarian.
Bob Baffert blamed "cancel culture" after his horse, Medina Spirit, who won the Kentucky Derby, failed its post-race drug test.
— Mediaite (@Mediaite) May 10, 2021 @Mediaite
"We live in a different world now. This America's different." pic.twitter.com/bsQeiV7oXi
NYRA President and CEO Dave O'Rourke issues a statement on the matter -- saying, "In order to maintain a successful thoroughbred racing industry in New York, NYRA must protect the integrity of the sport for our fans, the betting public and racing participants."
"That responsibility demands the action taken today in the best interests of thoroughbred racing."
Story developing ...
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Kurt Cobain Smells Like My Hair ... Strands of Locks Sell For $14k!!!
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Kurt Cobain's golden locks are worth more than gold ... a few strands of his hair just sold for five figures at a rock and roll auction.
The winning bid for the late Nirvana frontman's hair came in at a cool $14,145 ... and that's just for 6 strands!!!
As you can see, Kurt's blonde hair is preserved under plastic about the size of a trading card, and the auction house, Iconic Auctions, says the longest strand checks in at about 2.5 inches.
These few slivers of music history come from a 1989 haircut Kurt got while Nirvana was on the famous "Bleach" tour.
The winning bidder's also taking home these pictures of Kurt's haircut. He got the trim from his friend, Tessa Osbourne, and posed for a smiling snap with the scissors still in her hand.
Kurt's hair has been on quite a journey ... the haircut happened in Birmingham, England and Tessa kept the locks in a bag until she gave it to Seattle artist Nicole DePolo after Kurt's death.
DePolo passed the hair along to John Reznikoff, who has a Guinness world record for "largest collection of historic hair," and it finally hit the auction block this month.
The auction house says it's the only available Cobain hair on the market ... hence the $14k winning bid.
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LADY GAGA Dog Walker Getting Back to Work After Terrifying Dognapping
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Lady Gaga's dog walker is getting back in the saddle after his near-death experience ... he's walking her French Bulldogs again after putting his life on the line for them.
Sources close to the situation tell TMZ ... Gaga's dog walker, Ryan Fischer, is back on the job less than 3 months after nearly losing his life while taking her pups for a late-night stroll.
He stopped by her home Friday afternoon in L.A. -- bearing gifts and looking pretty healthy in the wake of his lengthy hospital stay after the shooting and dognapping incident
Although they weren't spotted with him on Friday, we're told he's walking the dogs during the day now ... a departure from the nighttime walk that ended in gunfire and the suspects making off with Koji and Gustav.
The only measure of comfort Ryan can take is that cops say the suspects were not targeting the dogs because they were Gaga's.
TMZ broke the story ... 3 alleged dognappers are charged with attempted murder and robbery and 2 others have been hit with accessory charges.
Remember ... Gaga put out a $500,000 reward after the February 24 dognapping, which cops believe was carried out by a dog-stealing ring, and she eventually got her dogs back safely after they were left tied up in an alley and a woman called the number Gaga posted.
The woman who "found" the pups was also arrested, according to law enforcement sources, because police were suspicious of her from the start.
Ryan, meanwhile, was hospitalized for several weeks and even had part of a lung removed ... but he's looking great now.
Bottom line ... the dog walker's back to work, just like a lot of the country.
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Saweetie Asian Hate Hits Too Close to Home ... We Need to Educate!!!
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Saweetie says the rash of violence against Asian Americans that's stirring fear across the country has affected her family as well ... but she's aiming to put a stop to the hate she believes is at the root of it.
The "Fast (Motion)" rapper joined "TMZ Live" Monday to discuss Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month ... which is perhaps more important than ever as hate crimes against Asian Americans have risen during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Saweetie -- who's of Filipino and Chinese descent -- explains how the widespread violence has hit close to home ... especially the video of the elderly Asian woman getting randomly attacked in NYC.
She tells us that could have very well been her own grandmother, and says incidents like that have caused concern among families just like hers.
The bright side, according to Saweetie, is she believes the age of social media is opening people's eyes to how rampant this problem is ... and she's doing her part to raise awareness too.
She'll be performing with Jhene Aiko on Friday for the AAPI Heritage Month special, "See Us Unite for Change" ... hosted by Ken Jeong and featuring appearances by Daniel Dae Kim, Lisa Ling and more.
Saweetie says the goal is pretty simple -- educate and stop the hate ... and she sounds very hopeful.
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'iCarly' Cast Condemns Racism ... Laci Mosley Calls Out Hateful DMs
Miranda Cosgrove now has a Black BFF in the "iCarly" reboot -- which is unfortunately receiving hateful and racist backlash that she and the rest of the cast are stamping out.
Actress Laci Mosley is cast as Harper in the revived series -- which now follows Carly in her 20s -- who plays the main character's new best pal/roommate ... seemingly replacing Carly's old friend from the OG show, Sam Puckett. At least that's what trolls thought, anyway.
Apparently, folks were harassing Laci for her appearance in the show -- amid the absence of actress Jennette McCurdy, who played Sam -- and some were even calling her the n-word and other racist epithets ... so claims Laci, who called out the online hate.
She clarified she wasn't "replacing" anybody, and if people continued trolling her in her DMs, they'd be blocked. Her cries were echoed by Paramount -- the parent company of Nickelodeon -- and even Miranda herself.
The company issued a statement saying they were proud of the racially diverse cast for the new "iCarly" show -- and that any forms of racism being directed at their actors of color were not acceptable. MC reposted that same message to her IG Story.
One interesting twist here ... many Black fans of the show have also chimed in on Laci's casting, and some seem to think it's a case of PC overcorrecting and/or pandering on the part of Paramount.
they really got a black girl tryna be sam on icarly...
— angel🌬 (@privlifeofangel) May 17, 2021 @privlifeofangel
One user wrote, "did they seriously just do the whole Black bestfriend trope with ICarly??? Man f*** all of that." There are lots of other tweets from other Black people that have similar sentiments.
One last point of clarification ... Jennette herself had made it clear she wouldn't be back, so the theories of "woke" casting may be off base as well. She's given up acting to pursue other goals -- and has publicly said she was embarrassed by her role on the show way back when.
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Kylie Jenner Sets Sights on Swim, Beach Biz ... New Wave of Opportunity
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Kylie Jenner wants everyone in the pool this summer, provided they're wearing a certain type of swimwear.
Kylie filed legal docs to trademark "Kylie Swim" and "Kylie Swim by Kylie Jenner."
It appears Kylie's looking to market sunglasses, swim goggles, beach bags, swimwear, cover-ups, headwear, footwear and even towels and outdoor blankets. Basically ... everything you need for a bitchin' beach day.
It's nothing new for Kylie, of course ... you'll recall she did something very similar in early 2020 with "Kylie Body" ... and her expanding empire also includes "Kylie Baby" and "Kylie Hair."
What's interesting ... she already sells bikinis and other swimwear on her website ... but it seems she's ready to ride that wave to shore, and then drive to a nearby bank for a massive deposit.
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Vintage Baseball Cards FL Doctor's $20 Million Collection Hits Auction ... After COVID Death
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A Florida doctor's insane card collection -- featuring ultra-rare Babe Ruth items -- is hitting the auction block following the doc's tragic COVID death ... and experts say it could all sell for around $20 MILLION!!!
Dr. Thomas Newman -- who had been collecting cards since the 1980s -- had amassed the WILD assembly of pieces before he passed away in January at 73 years old due to complications from coronavirus.
The collection is stunning ... there's famous Ruth and Mickey Mantle rookies -- and it also features cards from Honus Wagner, Ted Williams, Cy Young and more.
Newman's family says it's enlisted Memory Lane Auctions in Tustin, CA to help facilitate the sale of the pieces after the doctor's passing ... and experts there anticipate record-breaking prices for the cards.
In fact, one of the Ruth items -- a 1933 Goudey #53 -- could sell for over $5 MILLION, so says auction house president JP Cohen.
"[It] is the finest known of its kind," Cohen said, "and we expect it to break the record of $5.2 million for any sports card."
The Mantle rookie, a 1952 piece with a near-perfect PSA 8 grade, meanwhile, is expected to fetch over $1 million on its own as well.
Auction officials say bidding on the cards is set to begin on June 21 ... and close on July 10.
Good luck!!
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Oprah & Prince Harry Reveal Personal Mental Health Pain In 'Me You Can't See' Trailer
Prince Harry and Oprah just dropped the first trailer for their mental health documentary ... and it shows them opening up about their own pain, alongside other famous and non-famous people.
The preview of "The Me You Can't See" starts with the project's executive producers chatting about the mental health crisis around the world ... partially due to the pandemic -- but both Oprah and Prince Harry get emotional, talking about their mental health battles.
As Oprah puts it, "The telling of the story ... being able to say, 'This is what happened to me,' is crucial." The Apple TV+ series features other celebs, like NBA star DeMar DeRozan, Glenn Close and Lady Gaga ... who's using her real name, Stefani, for the project.
The trailer also features several images of Robin Williams, so it appears his battles with depression will also be discussed when the series premieres this Friday.
While promoting the show, Harry's been talking a lot about his own mental health issues ... including criticizing Prince Charles for his parenting skills, or lack thereof.
The Palace seems fed up with Harry baring his emotional scars. As we reported, royal aides are reportedly pissed off and demanding he be stripped of his titles.
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Jeff Lowe Feds Seize More Exotic Cats ... During New Zoo Raid
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At this rate, NO ONE is gonna be Tiger King ... Jeff Lowe's "Tiger King" Park keeps losing attractions -- we've learned the feds showed up again to seize even more of his big cats.
The "Tiger King" star tells TMZ ... his zoo in Thackerville, Oklahoma got raided Monday morning by 40-50 federal agents. Jeff says they showed up at 7 AM with a search warrant and told him to stay inside his house or he'd be arrested.
According to Lowe ... the feds are in the process of seizing about 70 animals. Jeff tells us he believes they are looking for tiger cubs on the property, but he says they don't have any.
Jeff says the warrant -- which appears to have been issued by a federal judge in the Eastern District of Oklahoma -- cites the Endangered Species Act as the reason for the search and seizure.
What's going down Monday at "Tiger King" Park seems very similar to what happened earlier this month ... when Jeff told us the feds showed up to haul away several of his hybrid big cats -- animals he claims are NOT protected under the Endangered Species Act.
As we first told you ... the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service was the lead agency for that raid -- but the USDA was also present during the seizure of the animals. It's unclear if that's the same situation for Monday's raid or if other agencies are involved.
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Nick Jonas Injured on Set and Hospitalized
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Nick Jonas was injured late Saturday night while filming a new show ... sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ.
We're told Nick was on set when something happened -- the sources would not disclose the nature of the accident or injury -- but it was serious enough that he was taken by ambulance to a nearby hospital.
Our sources say .... as of Sunday night, Nick is back home and will appear as scheduled Monday night on "The Voice."
The 28-year-old actor/singer suffered a hand injury back in 2018 during a post-show workout in Mexico. He posted a photo of the injury and some bandages along with a beer shortly after it happened.
As for the injury Saturday, there's something super secret about this shoot -- our sources wouldn't even tell us the name of the project Nick was working on. Unclear why they're all so secretive.
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Sen. Marco Rubio why shouldn't we dive in on ufos??? Time to Take It Seriously
Sen. Marco Rubio says it's time to start talking about UFOs seriously in this country -- especially on Capitol Hill -- because he says ... frankly, they're a threat.
The legislator from Florida -- who headed up the Senate intelligence committee just last year -- spoke openly on the taboo subject ... saying despite the snickering that still goes on, he wants answers on unexplained aerial phenomena.
In Sunday's "60 Minutes" interview, Rubio said regardless of what these things may or may not be ... they pose a serious risk to our national security, seeing how they're constantly being spotted floating in and around our air space without any explanation. To Rubio, that's a problem that needs addressing.
“Imagine a technology that can… fly 13,000 miles an hour, that can evade radar… has no obvious signs of propulsion, no wings, no control surfaces… That’s precisely what we’re seeing,” says the former head of the Pentagon’s UFO investigation program. https://t.co/gaYglDoDGI pic.twitter.com/TToSqJqaAT
— 60 Minutes (@60Minutes) May 16, 2021 @60Minutes
That's exactly why the Senator demanded a report on UFOs/UAEs from the Pentagon that's expected to be published in about a month, which he says should shed light on everything the Defense Dept. knows about UFOs, making that knowledge public for the first time.
The timing seems right ... especially as Uncle Sam has slowly, but surely, confirmed different sightings and videos that have surfaced in recent years -- documenting strange, lightning-quick aircrafts that nobody seems able to identify or pin down.
“I don't know who's building it, who's got the technology, who's got the brains. But there's something out there that was better than our airplane,” says fmr. Navy pilot David Fravor about his experience with a UFO off the Pacific coast in 2004. https://t.co/fSMVvwynzc pic.twitter.com/aDDIPg3TJq
— 60 Minutes (@60Minutes) May 16, 2021 @60Minutes
"60 Minutes" also talked to a federal contractor named Luis Elizondo, who was hired to work on this exact issue for several years, and who touched on what sorta technology we're talking about that he says he's seen and studied with his own 2 eyes.
There was even a first-hand account from Naval pilots who claim they saw a UFO up close, in-person in 2004 -- alleging it was as big as their own jet, and that it disappeared before their eyes.
That seems to jibe with other videos that have leaked of late ... which seem to show UFOs darting across the screen and vanishing into plain sight, or simply descending into water.
Apparently, these sightings off the coasts of our nation have been taking place for a good long while now ... but it wasn't until recently that military members were encouraged to report them and talk about them openly.
Seems like whatever stigma may have been associated with UFOs is finally starting to fade -- because too many people have seen the same things.
Time to come to the table and discuss our alien brethren? At least one U.S. Senator thinks so.
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The Game Rapper Wants to Fight Jake and Logan Paul ... I'll 'F***' You Up!!!
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Another non-boxing star wants a crack at the Paul Bros -- The Game is calling 'em both out and GUARANTEEING victory!!
"Yerrr, @JakePaul, @LoganPaul .... meet me & my little brother downtown LA in front of Staples Center and let’s just fight head up fades," the rap superstar tweeted out.
"No gloves, no money needed ... just on some me & my brother will f*** you & your brother up s***!!!!"
FYI, The Game is 41 years old and has no pro boxing experience -- but he's been in a ton of street fights over the years and seems incredibly confident in his hands.
Someone on Twitter warned The Game about the call out -- "you and your brother game are gonna be like Nate Robinson don’t do this bro."
Game replied, "On Martin Luther King Jr. speech, I ain’t losing!!!"
Jake Paul -- who famously and violently knocked out ex-NBA star Nate Robinson and UFC fighter Ben Askren -- responded to Game, using a rap lyric.
"Hate it or love it you would get knocked the f**ked out."
Logan Paul -- who just beat up the entire Gronkowski family -- also weighed in ... telling Game, "you gonna need your entire family."
you gonna need your entire family https://t.co/dtvJyEgcMi
— Logan Paul (@LoganPaul) May 17, 2021 @LoganPaul
Logan is currently training to fight Floyd Mayweather -- but Jake is looking for his next opponent.
Let's see if they can make a deal!
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'TIGER KING' ZOOKEEPER ERIK COWIE BUSTED FOR DUI AFTER CRASH
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Erik Cowie, one of the "Tiger King" stars who you saw caring for the zoo's exotic animals, was driving drunk when he crashed into another car ... at least according to cops.
Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... Cowie was busted for DUI in Oklahoma after cops say they responded to a two-car collision on an interstate highway.
We're told Cowie was driving one of the cars involved in the accident last month, and responding officers say he reeked of booze and bombed field sobriety tests.
Our sources say he admitted to having 2 beers before getting behind the wheel, and his blood alcohol content came in at 0.11.
Our sources also say, Cowie was put in handcuffs on the spot, and taken to jail where he was booked for driving under the influence. He's already entered a guilty plea and will be sentenced on May 25.
Fortunately, law enforcement says no one in either vehicle was injured in the crash.
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NFL Agent Leigh Steinberg No 'Jerry Maguire' 2 ... But Planning To Make Movie About My Life
Leigh Steinberg -- the inspiration behind "Jerry Maguire" -- says there won't be a sequel to the classic film, but a movie about his life is very likely ... and the NFL super-agent knows which actor he wants to portray him.
It's not Tom Cruise (been there, done that) ... Leigh tells TMZ Sports he has his sights set on Zac Efron or Jake Gyllenhaal.
FYI, Steinberg currently reps Patrick Mahomes ... and is probably the most decorated football agent of all time. He's repped 12 Hall of Famers ... including Troy Aikman, Warren Moon, Bruce Smith, Howie Long and Steve Young.
"Jerry Maguire" hit theaters 24 1/2 years ago ... and Steinberg had a cameo in the film. But, his role was a lot bigger than just a few lines.
Director Cameron Crow shadowed Steinberg for about 18 months -- attending everything from Pro Days to the Draft -- to see how an NFL agent operated.
"[Cameron] went to Pro Scouting Day, USC, he came to some games with me, he came to the Super Bowl, he came to the Super Bowl Party. He spent time in my office and I told him a lot of stories."
As for a "Jerry Maguire" 2 ... Leigh says CC "doesn't make sequels," but adds he's "been approached about my own life story a number of times."
So, would Leigh be down??
"Yes, and I think eventually that will happen. We've talked to people about documentaries."
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Guess Who This Bonnet Baby Turned Into!
Before this blue-eyed baby was a musical superstar performing her hit songs all over the world, she was just another sweet, smiling girl growing up in Santa Barbara, California.
This bonnet babe has taken the world by storm by creating some of the most well-known pop tunes for over a decade. There isn't much this talented artist hasn't achieved ... she's won numerous awards, wowed audiences with her Super Bowl Halftime performance, and even sung at a presidential inauguration.
Now, you can catch her coaching new faces with her musical skills on "American Idol."
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Bill Gates Allegedly Pursued Women at work ... Hooked Up Too
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Bill Gates wasn't afraid to shoot his shot among subordinates at work, and even scored at least once during his marriage to now-estranged wife, Melinda ... this per 2 new reports.
The NYT published a story Sunday alleging the Microsoft chief had on at least two occasions -- and possibly more -- asked a couple of women who technically worked for him out on dates, but apparently wasn't all that pushy ... and ultimately failed in both instances.
Bill is described as once attending a presentation in 2006 held by a female Microsoft employee -- who must've left quite an impression ... because it's alleged, based on NYT sources familiar with the matter, that he emailed her right after to ask her to dinner.
Exclusive: The breakup of Bill and Melinda Gates’s marriage is shedding new light on an open secret within Microsoft and his foundation: Gates has at times behaved badly in work-related settings.
— David Enrich (@davidenrich) May 16, 2021 @davidenrich
A @nytimes investigation. @FlitterOnFraud @MattGoldstein26 https://t.co/Z66j5wB7NS
He allegedly followed up with this, "If this makes you uncomfortable, pretend it never happened." Turns out, the woman did exactly that ... ghosting him and never responding.
There's another alleged incident the Times describes, in which Bill traveled to NYC with a woman who worked for the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation ... where the two of them attended a cocktail party. The woman claims Bill lowered his voice and said, "I want to see you. Will you have dinner with me?" She says she laughed it off to avoid answering.
Microsoft board members decided Bill Gates needed to step down in 2020 due to a prior relationship with an employee, people familiar with the matter said https://t.co/yt1dtqvwIs
— The Wall Street Journal (@WSJ) May 16, 2021 @WSJ
The Times -- citing current/former Gates employees -- goes on to describe general clumsy approaches toward women at work overtime, at times making people a little uncomfortable ... but noting he never seemed predatory with his advances, or abused his power.
On the flip side ... WSJ has its own report, claiming Bill was essentially forced to step down from Microsoft's board in recent years because of an extramarital relationship that came to light with a Microsoft engineer, who claimed to have hooked up with Bill for years.
A spokeswoman for Bill downplayed the Times' report, but didn't appear to outright deny the advances. She did, however, cop to Bill having an affair 20 years ago ... which she says ended amicably, and played no role in his decision to step down from Microsoft's board.