Gwyneth Paltrow Goop Sued ... Your 'Vagina' Candle Blew Up!!!

Published | Updated
UPDATE

8:23 AM PT -- A rep for Goop tells us, "We’re confident this claim is frivolous and an attempt to secure an outsized payout from a press-heavy product. We stand behind the brands we carry and the safety of the products we sell. Here, Heretic—the brand that supplies the candle— has substantiated the product’s performance and safety through industry standard testing."

A man who says he bought a "This Smells Like My Vagina" candle from Gwyneth Paltrow's Goop company claims it could have killed him when it exploded ... and he's now filed a class-action lawsuit about it.

According to the legal docs, obtained by TMZ, the guy suing is a Texas resident named Colby Watson, and he says he purchased the 10.5-ounce 'Vagina' candle online in January.

Watson claims he lit the candle for the first time in February and placed it on his nightstand -- a level surface -- and insists there was nothing close to touching the candle and no open windows or drafts in his bedroom.

Watson claims, after burning for "an estimated three hours or less," the candle became engulfed in high flames and exploded soon afterward ... and the room was filled with smoke.

Watson alleges the candle also left a black burn ring on his nightstand and says the jar is charred and black.

According to the docs, Watson acknowledges the candle comes with a "limited warning" on Goop.com -- including cautioning not to burn the candle for more than 2 hours at a time -- but he says that warning is insufficient.

Watson claims Goop fails to warn that the candle could cause significant injuries when it explodes, and he calls the 'Vagina' candles "inherently dangerous."

He's suing Paltrow's company for breach of warranty and products liability and is trying to put together a class seeking damages exceeding $5 million. We reached out to Goop ... no word back yet.

Barack Obama Sasha & Malia Won't Run for Office ... 'PTSD' from Secret Service

Published

Barack Obama says his daughters have probably been scared straight when it comes to public service ... and it's due to the "PTSD" they experienced as White House kids.

The former President did James Corden's 'Late Late Show' show Monday, when he was asked about getting young people inspired to get into public service or politics -- and, naturally, the convo honed in on BO's own kids.

Corden noted Malia and Sasha had lived under a spotlight for 8 whopping years while their dad was POTUS, and that's exactly why Barack says they're likely to pass on running for office themselves in the future.

He jokes about them still having post-traumatic stress disorder from their Secret Service detail growing up -- with agents accompanying them on dates and to concerts -- but he's obviously kidding. Well, we're laughing ... Sasha and Malia might not be.

In all seriousness, Barack says his girls have developed into spectacular young women -- and he genuinely believes they'll find another way to serve their communities outside of politics.

As for the rest of the youth -- Obama's got some advice for them too.

Soulja Boy to Icebox Stop acting like i ain't ballin' out ... And I Don't Owe Money!!!

Published
UPDATE

9:37 AM PT -- Soulja Boy is taking major issue with Icebox's characterization of things regarding their money-owed claims -- but his biggest beef seems to be them thinking he's strapped for cash.

UPDATE

SB tells TMZ directly ... he's got more than enough money in his accounts, way beyond the meager "$10k at a time" Icebox told us they were coming across when scouring Soulja's finances. He insists he made $700k alone just last week, this after recently signing to Virgin Music and putting out a song that's charting well on Billboard, 'She Make it Clap.'

UPDATE

As far as the substance of Icebox's allegations, though ... Soulja cleared that up too, telling us he spoke with them and doesn't owe them dough anymore, saying it's squashed.

UPDATE

He also doesn't agree with them that he wasn't the first rapper to put them on -- but on that front ... agree to disagree, we suppose.

Soulja Boy wants credit for being the "first" rapper to plug Icebox bling -- but the shop couldn't care less ... especially since they say there's dough he still owes.

A rep for the famed jewelry and diamond store tells TMZ ... Soulja's viral tweet from the weekend doesn't mean diddly squat to them -- in light of the (alleged) fact that there's an unresolved lawsuit they have out against the guy, which they claim he's been ducking.

Icebox sued Soulja back in 2013 for an open tab of over $60k they say he never paid -- and now tell us they haven't been able to collect ... even all these years later. At this point, Icebox says the debt has ballooned to around $200k, and of course ... they want the money they believe is long overdue.

In other words ... Soulja getting Twitter love for seemingly being ahead of the curve doesn't do anything for their bottom line -- despite him getting his flowers by using their name.

BTW, Icebox tells us they even dispute the notion that Soulja was the first rapper they'd worked with in Atlanta ... clarifying that while he was one of the initial big artists to get them on YouTube way back when, he was far from the first MC to cop some ice there.

Icebox's message to Soulja is quite simple ... screw the street cred -- just crank that credit card, and pay us through the phone -- or however else you want, bro.

Originally Published -- 1:00 AM PT

Lucky Sea Dog Takes Ruff Boat Ride in Spain ... Rescued by Coast Guard

Published
051821_coast_guard_rescue_kal2
RUFF RIDER

An out-of-control boat with a dog on board is not something any animal lover wants to see, but fortunately ... this wild story has a paws-itively happy ending.

The unmanned Zodiac boat was spotted circling in the ocean Monday, about 300 meters off the coast of Almunecar, Spain with no one at the helm except a dog. Photographer, Huw Evans, knew something was up, and captured the ordeal that unfolded.

Evans says he feared the boat's actual skipper had fallen overboard so his crew went to investigate, and that's when they noticed the poor solo doggy tied up on board.

The Coast Guard arrived soon after, and first tried to corral the boat by snagging its propeller but that didn't work. So, then someone tried to jump on board, but also failed and fell in the water.

Evans said, "It was quite a wild ride, when [the rescuer] fell off I was worried he might be hurt by the propeller but luckily it missed him." Thankfully, a much bigger Coast Guard boat showed up and managed to snag the boat.

The salty old sea dog was rescued and returned to its owner ... and the pooch now has a great story to tell its pups.

'NYPD Blue' Star Bonnie Somerville Busted For DUI

Published | Updated

Bonnie Somerville, famous for playing a detective on "NYPD Blue," had a run-in with real cops on the opposite coast ... police in L.A. say she was drunk behind the wheel.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... cops were getting calls around 10 PM Sunday night for a car stopped in traffic on the 405 near Inglewood, and when officers arrived, they say they found Bonnie pulled off on the right shoulder in a Mercedes-Benz.

Our sources say Bonnie told cops she simply ran out of gas, but officers say she reeked of booze and ended up bombing a field sobriety test.

We're told Bonnie, who played Det. Laura Murphy in the final season of "NYPD Blue," was cited for DUI and later released.

We reached out to Bonnie's camp ... so far no word back.

Lil Yachty My Nail Paint Ain't Just for Gals ... Let's Hear It for the Boys!!!

Published | Updated

Lil Yachty wants all the fellas out there to know it's okay if you wanna wear nail polish -- in fact, he's got a whole new line out just for that, and he's hoping it's a hit with the youth ... regardless of gender.

The rapper told us why he's diving into the cosmetics game with his nail paint brand called Crete, and he dropped some great nuggets about the toxic masculinity and intolerance that have shamed boys and men who rock nail polish.

When Yachty joined us on "TMZ Live," he said it's not just for girls and women now -- he expresses himself with nail paint, and his goal is to normalize it for all the guys who want to follow suit.

Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media.

While women can use his nail paints, Yachty says he actually wanted Crete to cater more to male consumers from the jump to help them feel more comfortable with the idea of painting their nails ... without having to hit a salon.

BTW, he flashes his cuticles for us here ... and yeah, it looks like he's on to a winner of an idea. He even entertains the possibility of becoming the next beauty billionaire ... a la Kylie Jenner.

Of course, sentiments on gender norms had been shifting in this direction already ... which only helps Yachty's cause. Celebs like Pete Davidson, A$AP Rocky, Bad Bunny, Harry Styles and a lot more have embraced the painted nails look

You can catch Lil Yachty's full interview Tuesday on "TMZ Live." Check your local listings.

Nick Jonas I Cracked My Rib in Bike Incident

Published | Updated
051721-nick-jonas-kal
THE SHOW MUST GO ON

Nick Jonas says he cracked a rib taking a spill on a bicycle, but he's on the mend.

Nick revealed the extent of his injuries Monday night on NBC's "The Voice," saying he also suffered a few other bumps and bruises, and it hurts to laugh. We're sure Blake Shelton will go easy on him, and by "easy" we mean ... not at all.

TMZ broke the story ... Nick was injured late Saturday night while filming a project, and it was serious enough that he needed medical attention at a nearby hospital.

We were told he was released and back home by Sunday, and wouldn't miss his scheduled Monday appearance on "The Voice."

Remember ... the 28-year-old actor/singer suffered a hand injury in 2018, the result of a post-show workout in Mexico. He posted a pic of that injury at the time, showing bandages and a beer.

He's playing this rib injury much closer to the vest, though. Neither Nick, nor anyone connected to him, will say exactly what he was filming when he got hurt.

While everyone's trying to keep it top secret, there is a report he and his famous brothers are shooting a competition show for NBC ... so, it's possible he was filming something for that when the injury happened.

Ryan Leaf Rx Pill Addiction Triggered At '04 Boxing Event I Was Booed & Humiliated

Published
051721_rex_chapman_ryan_leaf_kal
HOW IT STARTED

Ryan Leaf says his battle with prescription drugs all began back in 2004 ... when he was booed and jeered so loudly at a big boxing event, it sent him into a deep, downward spiral.

The former San Diego Chargers quarterback opened up about his struggles with addiction on Rex Chapman's "Charges with Rex Chapman" podcast this week ... explaining in detail the horrible night that hooked him on Rx pills.

Leaf says he was at a fight in Las Vegas (he claims it was a Mike Tyson tilt, though it seems he has his boxers mixed up because Tyson didn't fight in Vegas in '04) ... when the PA announcer began rattling off the list of celebs in attendance.

"They announced Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods, Charles Barkley, Dr. Dre," said Leaf, who was 27 years old at the time and had just retired from the NFL.

"The audience cheered and clapped. And, then the MC there at the MGM Grand announced my name and like the whole auditorium just booed and hissed."

Leaf continued, "My addict brain heard not only are you a terrible football player but you are an awful human being."

Ryan says that negative reception had a huge impact on him ... and when he was offered the prescription pain killer Vicodin to mix in with his booze later in the evening, he jumped at the opportunity.

And, that's when he says his fight began.

"This would be the first time I abused it and ... I didn't feel that judgment, I didn't feel that fear, I didn't feel that less than," Leaf said. "I didn't feel anything."

"I didn't feel better but it turns out I was just searching for that feeling of not feeling any of the feelings that I had been feeling for so long. I just wanted to numb out. And, that night changed."

Leaf says he went on to fight an addiction with the prescription pills for the next EIGHT years ... as he says he was "chasing that initial high from that night."

Fortunately, Leaf has since been able to get clean and sober ... and he's now devoted much of his life to offering anybody who's dealing with addiction a helping hand.

Singer Kate Bush 'Memba Her?!

Published

English songwriter, singer and artist Kate Bush was still a teenager when she shot to fame after releasing her debut album The Kick Inside in 1978 which included some standout singles including "Wuthering Heights," "The Man With The Child In His Eyes" and "Moving."

Bush continued her music momentum with a slew of '80s albums like her 1985 record Hounds Of Love which had the break-out dance single "Running Up That Hill" and "Cloudbusting."

To date, KB has released ten studio albums and her music still finds its way to new generations of listeners, making her a cult classic in the UK and around the world.

Guess what she looks like decades later!

George Floyd Square Man Tries to Destroy Memorial ... Busts Out Ax, Gets Scared Off

Published

A man full of hate tried his best to destroy the George Floyd memorial in Minneapolis, but he got scared away ... and left his ax behind.

The video tells the story ... the man drives up to the memorial site -- a block from where Derek Chauvin murdered George Floyd -- at around 2 AM Sunday. As you can see ... he pulls up in his pickup truck, gets out and begins vandalizing the area by removing barricades and ripping down Black Lives Matter signs.

He continues his rampage as he moves to the square's shed, and that's when he decides to go back to his truck and retrieve an ax. Yeah, it's pretty shocking.

After taking several whacks at the structure, the man puts his ax down and some people in the area begin yelling at him to scram. He does ... but he forgets his ax.

Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media.

George Floyd Square's Instagram account has posted a reaction to the man's tirade, sharing a photo of the shed facade fully intact with the simple caption, "We fine."

We're told a police report has not yet been filed for the incident.

kendall jenner Special (Boozy) Delivery, from me!!! 818 Tequila Hits Shelves

Published

Kendall Jenner is rolling up her sleeves to launch her tequila brand -- actually getting behind the wheel of a big ass truck with a shipment of her booze for an L.A. debut.

We got the model/booze runner rolling up to Mel & Rose Wine, Spirits and Gifts Monday in WeHo, where she was hand-delivering a load of her new 818 tequila ... which is now officially for sale to the public.

It was pretty surreal watching her pull up in the green monster of a rig branded with her 818 logo. Let's face it, you don't really see supermodels doing that everyday, but fact is ... she seemed to handle the machine pretty well, all things considered.

Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media.

KJ eventually made it inside for some photo-ops with fans and the store's owners ... but not before giving us a quick response on her fave 818 flavor.

After the hand-shaking was all done, Kendall was on her way again ... meaning, she hopped back into the driver's seat of the delivery truck -- which looks more like a food truck on a second glance -- and hit the road once more.

Of course, we had to ask a parting question about how it handles ... and she got us back with a nice, succinct reply. Clearly, Kendall knows how to manage in there. Now, make way!

Justin Hartley There's a New 'Us' ... Marries Sofia Pernas!!!

Published | Updated

Justin Hartley wasted very little time getting remarried ... he's tied the knot with Sofia Pernas less than 3 months after his divorce was finalized.

The "This is Us" star and his new bride signaled their big news Sunday night as they showed up for the MTV Movie & TV Awards ... both rocking some new jewelry on their ring fingers.

Turns out the couple recently got hitched, according to People. No word yet on exactly when they tied the knot, but there had been rumors earlier this month after they were spotted in Malibu wearing what appeared to be wedding rings with bands.

As we reported ... Justin and Sofia made their relationship publicly official on New Year's Eve with dual social media posts, but were first linked about a year ago when they were spotted smooching in L.A.

About 6 months before that, near the end of 2019, Justin abruptly filed for divorce from Chrishell Stause after 2 years of marriage. To make matters even more interesting ... Sofia's a former costar of Justin's on "The Young and the Restless," just like Chrishell was!

We broke the story ... Justin and Chrishell's divorce was finalized in February, and though she was also dating someone else for a bit -- 'DWTS' star Keo Motsepe -- they've since split.

Ariana Grande I Got Hitched this Weekend!!!

Published | Updated

Ariana Grande is a married woman, because TMZ has learned she tied the knot this weekend.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... the wedding went down at her home in Montecito ... which you might also know as Oprah country. We're told there were less than 20 guests, including family members from both sides and the whole thing was very intimate and filled with a lot of love.

We're told there was no real "ceremony" -- she and her fiance, Dalton Gomez, said their "I dos" in an informal way. It was really just for them. It's unclear how long they planned to do it this way -- in other words, whether it was impulsive or not.

Ariana and Dalton got engaged just before Xmas and have spent a lot of time together during the pandemic. They posted lots of pics chronicling their romance, and after their engagement. Ariana's mom, Joan, gave her stamp of approval.

She said ... "I am so excited to welcome Dalton Gomez into our family! Ariana, I love you and Dalton so much!!!! Here’s to happily ever after! YAY! xoxoxo"

Dalton, a real estate agent, began dating Ariana in early 2020.

Ariana bought the house in June from Ellen DeGeneres. She plunked down $6.75 mil for the estate. A perfect place for a small wedding!

As you probably recall ... it was less than 3 years ago that Ariana and then-fiance Pete Davidson were supposed to get married. They dated for a bit in 2018, and then all of a sudden ... they were engaged.

She seemed pretty smitten over PD at the time, but in October 2018 that ended amid news that her ex-boyfriend Mac Miller died ... plus other circumstances were at play.

Ariana made it all the way down the aisle this time though ... so congrats!!!

Bob Baffert Suspended from Horseracing In NY ... Over Doping Allegations

Published

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.

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 ...

Kurt Cobain Smells Like My Hair ... Strands of Locks Sell For $14k!!!

Published

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.

LADY GAGA Dog Walker Getting Back to Work After Terrifying Dognapping

Published | Updated

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.

022521_lady_gaga_dog_walker_kal 2/24/21
VIOLENT ABDUCTION

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.