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A snow leopard at the San Diego Zoo has COVID ... and zoo officials are worried about an outbreak among the cats.

A 9-year-old snow leopard named Ramil caught the attention of zoo staff Thursday, after noticing the cat had a cough and runny nose. The COVID test came back positive, confirmed by 2 labs.

They're doing another test, but the staff expects the result to be the same -- positive.

Here's the problem ... Ramil shared an enclosure with 3 other cats -- a female snow leopard and 2 Amur leopards, all of which have been exposed to COVID. So, the 3 big cats are in quarantine now, although real talk -- they're always in quarantine. In this case it means the public won't be able to go near.

Fortunately, Ramil's symptoms haven't gotten worse. Zoo staff is mystified as to how the cat caught the virus. Zoo keepers must wear masks if they're not vaccinated. Eight gorillas caught COVID in January, though none were symptomatic.

Scientists have known for months that cats can contract COVID. Most cases are not serious, but snow leopards are fast dwindling in population. Estimates put the number of wild snow leopards at 4,000 to 6,500.

Morgan Wallen explaining on 'GMA' his rationale behind using the n-word is gibberish ... so says the NAACP Nashville chapter president.

Sheryl Guinn tells TMZ ... she believes Morgan's sit-down with Michael Strahan is the result of Morgan being sorry not for what he said but for getting caught using the racial slur. She says it's a travesty Morgan never thought about the meaning behind the hateful word.

What's more ... Sheryl says his white privilege was on full display for never caring to learn the hurt that word causes. And, she's is dismayed by Morgan trying to contextualize the word ... saying he used it in a "playful" way.

Sheryl does believe Morgan can turn things around ... and she has a punch list.

According to Sheryl ... Morgan can make amends by addressing serious issues, like inequality. Morgan broached the subject a bit when he told Strahan "it would seem" country music has a race problem ... though he hasn't thought about it too much.

Sheryl says he can start in his hometown of Nashville ... where Morgan is hugely influential.

The NAACP honcho says while Morgan's at it, he should encourage his community to get vaccinated. Less than 40% of Nashville got the shot ... and it's devastating marginalized communities.

Morgan Wallen tried turning the page on his n-word scandal with a 'GMA' sit-down, and the Olympics just can't catch a break. So, we gotta ask ...

Gymnastics legend Dominique Dawes is keepin' it real ... telling TMZ Sports Simone Biles would've SMOKED her in competition -- even during her prime!!

"Biles is unreal," the 3-time Olympian says. "She is so talented, and I am so grateful that I’m retired because I would have just not even had a chance going up against this young girl."

It's high praise, considering Dawes is a gymnast icon -- remember, she was part of the famous Magnificent Seven Olympic team in 1996, and she also won silver and bronze medals at World Championships in the '90s.

She and teammate Betty Okino were also the first African-American females to win the Olympic gold in gymnastics.

But, despite that resume ... Dawes says she just flat-out wouldn't stand a chance against Simone.

And, she might not be wrong -- after all, Biles has been killin' it, and is the favorite to take home some golden hardware in Tokyo this summer, especially if she hits her Yurchenko double pike move -- a twist that Dawes says is absolutely insane!

"I remember when I was maybe fooling around in the gym once with one of the National Team coaches and he wanted me to try a double," Dawes said. "And, I was like, 'Not going to happen.'"

Dawes added, "Like, it was unheard of, even with a free-foam pit I was unwilling to do it. And yet, she’s doing it almost to perfection, and doing it on a hard landing and even over-rotating it."

Dawes tells us she believes Biles will be "on top of that podium" in this year's Olympics ... beating all types of records -- including her own!

"I mean she’s going to probably surpass what I accomplished." the 44-year-old says.

"But, again I can’t stress the importance of how much I admire her, not for just being an athlete but for her being a spokesperson and activist and recognizing that there’s a lot of changes that need to be made in the sport of gymnastics."

The revamped "Real Housewives of Miami" got its first dose of real-world drama this week when 911 was called due to a medical emergency on set ... and TMZ's learned it was for a brand new cast member.

Sources close to production tell us ... Julia Lemigova began feeling ill late Thursday morning after filming on the roof of an incredible home in Montauk, NY ... where they were staying during a cast trip.

We're told it's likely Julia got too much sun and was overheated, so someone inside the home called 911 because production felt it was best she get checked out by professionals.

According to the East Hampton PD report ... an EMT was called to the scene around 11:30 AM for a person who was feeling weak and nauseated. They were administered an IV, but did not require a trip to the hospital.

Our sources say cameras were rolling for the incident, as the ladies were all brunching to celebrate Larsa Pippen's jewelry line.

Julia -- a Russian former model who's married to tennis legend Martina Navratilova -- was not part of the original 'RHOM' cast when it aired on Bravo, but will be featured on the Peacock reboot later this year.

We're told after she recovered from her health episode, she carried on with the rest of the 'housewives' and kept filming the rest of the day and night.

Don't let these two almost identical images of MyKayla Skinner and Simone Biles make you lose your focus! You don't have to bend backwards to stick this landing ... take a deep breath and see if you can find the fun flips in these two photos!

These all-star athletes were training this week before the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games began ... and we have made a few changes to the original pic! Use your gold medal skills to see if you can find the differences between these two super similar snaps!

Team USA has already won big in our hearts with these golden good looks ... And it's no wonder why all eyes will be on these Olympic athletes as they compete in Tokyo for the summer games.

We've gathered some of the hottest shots from team USA to help you see why rooting for the red, white, and blue is the way to go!

Take a look through our gallery of USA Olympic athlete abs to see who has been showing off a lot more than just their stars and stripes ... And while you're taking a look, put your athlete knowledge to the test and try to guess who is in the shredded shot!

Word to the wise ... whenever Travis Scott gets behind the wheel expect a large crowd of devoted fans, and expect 'em to go wild.

The rapper had Miami in sicko mode Friday as he promoted his spiked seltzer, CACTI Agave. Travis is primarily in the 305 for his headlining performance at the Rolling Loud Music Festival, but clearly decided to put some beverage biz on his agenda too.

Travis handed out a bunch of adult beverages at a pop-up and cruised around downtown Miami in the CACTI truck doing what he does best ... struttin' his stuff.

Trav co-founded the drink brand, so he reps for it whenever possible ... but fans were still taken aback by his appearance. They should've seen it coming ... after all, CACTI is the official seltzer sponsor for Rolling Loud. Duh.

Cactus Jack's becoming as well known for his marketing skills as his music. You might recall, back in March, he pulled a similar stunt in La La land ... causing a chaotic scene at several grocery stores.

For a couple of months now, John Mulaney's plans had been to file for divorce ... and he's finally pulled the trigger.

According to court records ... the comedian filed for divorce from Anna Marie Tendler Friday in New York court. They married on July 5, 2014, after meeting in the late 2000s on Martha's Vineyard.

It's unclear if they had a prenup or if they've struck a property settlement before filing ... but one thing we know ... this plan had been in the works for some time now. A spokesman for the comedian confirmed to Page Six he asked for a divorce back in February.

You may recall John had checked himself into rehab back in December for 60 days at a facility in Pennsylvania.

As we reported ... John struggled to stay sober during the pandemic. The comedian, who had been sober since he was 23, was no stranger to openly talking about his struggles ... admitting his dabbling with prescription and illegal drugs.

The bizarre tale of 2 former "Big Brother" winners who once worked together in the "chill town" alliance before one was found guilty of stalking the other has seemingly come to an end ... with the convicted stalker being ordered to pay significant restitution.

Mike "Boogie" Malin -- who won Season 7 of the reality series -- has been ordered to pay Season 2 winner, Dr. Will Kirby $23,219 plus 10 percent interest. He must also pay Kirby's attorney to the tune of $20,745.

ICYMI ... Malin was found guilty of felony stalking his former 'BB' buddy last month, after pleading no contest. Boogie was sentenced to 2 years probation.

Kirby got a restraining order against Malin in 2019 after the 2 were tapped to go on another reality show as a duo. When Kirby declined, it meant Malin could not participate, and that's allegedly when he began sending threats to Kirby and his family.

Trevor Bauer and his attorney showed up to an L.A. courtroom Friday ... making it clear they're ready to fight the pitcher's assault accuser's allegations.

Bauer -- wearing a purple suit, pink shirt and tie -- showed up just prior to the morning proceedings. His accuser was also in court.

During the hearing -- which was scheduled in order to determine if a temporary restraining order against Bauer should turn into a permanent one -- Bauer's attorney said they want to call 3-4 witnesses to support his case.

Meanwhile, Bauer's accuser -- through her attorney -- said they would like to call around six witnesses to show why the restraining order should be granted.

The parties estimated a hearing on the matter would take around 2 days.

The hearing is expected to begin after a lunch break later Friday afternoon.

As we previously reported, Bauer's accuser got the temporary restraining order in late June ... after she said in court docs the MLB star was violent with her during two sexual encounters in April and May.

In the docs, the woman claimed Bauer choked her unconscious and punched her repeatedly ... leaving her with black eyes, bruises, scrapes and scratches.

The 30-year-old pitcher and his reps have denied the allegations ... claiming the incidents were part of 2 entirely consensual sexual encounters.

Police and the MLB are conducting investigations into the claims. Bauer -- who's been on administrative leave and away from the Dodgers' mound since the allegations -- has not been arrested nor has he been charged.

It's unknown if Bauer plans on testifying during the hearing.

Justin Bieber and Conor McGregor -- "The Biebs" and "The Notorious" -- are just a couple of bros having a "proper" breakfast together ... shirtless, of course.

JB and the MMA star were hanging out in Bev Hills Friday, as McGregor continues to recover from his gnarly leg injury suffered at UFC 264 in his loss to Dustin Poirier.

It may seem surprising -- especially since Bieber used to be tight with Conor's nemesis, Floyd Mayweather -- but Justin and Conor have been getting pretty chummy of late.

Bieber was super supportive of McGregor after his January loss to Poirier and also leading up to their latest fight, and Conor actually hopped on his Instagram Live days before UFC 264 to thank him for all the love.

JB also shouted out CM after his injury to send good vibes his way ... and now, here they are, enjoying good vibes together.

Justin captioned the photos, "Breakfast of champions." and tagged Conor's Proper No. Twelve Irish Whiskey ... which they both appear to be enjoying.

Dr. Ashish Jha believes COVID vaccinated people are getting unnecessarily punished with mask mandates ... purely because of diehard anti-vaxxers -- and it could make push come to shove.

Brown University's Public Health School Dean joined "TMZ Live" Friday to discuss L.A. County's reinstated COVID-19 mask rule, which requires even fully vaxxed folks to mask up indoors.

Dr. Jha says the new mandate doesn't jibe with science -- as he points out, an office full of vaccinated people don't need masks ... even indoors.

However, as the Delta variant continues to spread among the unvaccinated -- and more than 97 percent of people hospitalized for COVID are unvaccinated -- experts also agree masks remain a wise precaution for everyone in certain settings.

So, therein lies the issue ... anyone who wants to wear a mask can wear one, but making it a requirement for everyone removes the incentive for the unvaccinated to get the shot.

Dr. Jha says the bottom line is people should get vaccinated because the Delta variant is no joke, and because it's the ONLY way to truly put the pandemic behind us.

Dating costars tends to usually go south FAST but "Outer Banks" star Chase Stokes shares how he and his costar/girlfriend, Madelyn Cline, make it work. Take note, Hollywood.

We got Chase leaving the "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" studio Thursday, and we were eager to find out how he and Madelyn manage to make their relationship thrive when so many costar relationships tend to flame out.

Fans of the popular Netflix show know Chase and Madelyn are each other's love interests on the show. Just a couple of months after it premiered in April 2020, Chase and Madelyn went public with their relationship ... and they've been inseparable ever since.

Season 2 drops next week, and the show's success is hugely dependent on cast chemistry -- which means Chase and Maddie dating could be risky business. What happens if the BF/GF thing doesn't work out???

Chase isn't worried ... he told us having a business-first approach helped them lay the foundation. And, if you think spending 10-15 hours with your significant other at work seems like a drag ... just wait 'til you hear from Chase why it's certainly not for him.

Chase also tells our photog it helps Maddie's an awesome person. Know what else helps? Singing your GF's praises for all to see and hear.

NFL coach Rick Dennison is now no longer a member of the Minnesota Vikings staff ... and it's reportedly all 'cause the guy refused to take the COVID vaccine.

Dennison, according to ESPN, recently affirmed his decision to not get the shots ... and with the NFL rules making it nearly impossible for coaches to coach without them, he's now OUT in Minnesota.

The 63-year-old had been the Vikings' offensive line coach and run game coordinator ... working with the team since 2019.

If you weren't aware, the NFL made it mandatory this offseason for all Tier 1 staffers -- which includes coaches -- to get the vaccine in order to have direct contact with players in meeting rooms and on the field.

The league did allow exceptions -- saying valid medical or religious reasons would be considered -- but it's clear Dennison did not meet those standards.

ESPN reports Phil Rauscher, who was the team's assistant offensive line coach, will now fill for Dennison in 2021.

Dennison -- who's coached in the NFL since 1995 and helped Dalvin Cook blossom into one of the league's best rushers -- is believed to be the first NFL coach to leave his team over the league's vaccine rules.

The Vikings, meanwhile, are set to begin training camp next week and kick off their season in September.

Story developing ...

Alex Rodriguez is moving on from Jennifer Lopez in an interesting way ... on a yacht with some bikini-clad women along the French Riviera.

The former MLB star's soaking up the sun and enjoying the water while vacationing in Saint-Tropez this week ... while showing off his buff bod and having some fun on a giant inflatable slide.

We haven't seen much of A-Rod recently, and though we know he's renting a summer house in the Hamptons -- not too far away from J Lo -- she's clearly NOT on his mind at the moment. Sources connected to Alex tell us the yacht adventure is to celebrate his upcoming 46th birthday, and the folks onboard with him are friends, family and A-Rod Corp employees ... no romantic hookups.

We'll say this ... Alex has some attractive friends and staffers.

Since their breakup, A-Rod's been more low-profile ... while J Lo's been out and about in multiple cities with her old flame, Ben Affleck. As we reported, she's been house-hunting in L.A., and Ben's come along for the ride -- plus, they've had some romantic dinner dates.