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Britney Spears has been laying low since releasing her bombshell memoir last month -- but now, she's stepping out in public again ... and gotta say, she looks pretty damn happy.

The pop star (and now author) was snapped out and about Saturday afternoon in West Hollywood, where she hit dinner at the Chateau Marmont with her manager, Cade Hudson. She also had a furry friend tagging along ... and even got in the driver's seat as they left.

Like we said ... Brit's radiating here, flashing a huge grin as paps fired away -- and walking along with a lot of confidence, this while rocking a bright orange outfit, boots and shades.

From the looks of it, you could say she might be quite pleased over the fallout of "The Woman in Me," which came out about a month ago now ... with tons of juicy nuggets.

We're not gonna rehash all of it here again, but let's just say ... she gained a lot of extra sympathy and support as people processed her stories and claims -- which is interesting, 'cause you could argue she'd, perhaps, been losing a little steam post-conservatorship.

Now, however ... Brit has the public back in her corner -- and she seems to know that. Of course, there's also the fact she's getting a nice cut of the net sales of the book -- and so far, it's been a hot-ticket item ... with over 1.1 million copies sold in the first week!

So yeah, she's cleaned up nice and then some in the aftermath of all this.

As far as the driving, well -- here's hoping she slows her roll and can stay between the lines on the road. She's already gotten hit with a couple traffic tickets over the past year or so.

Slim Thug says women who claim to have been abused need to speak up when it's actually happening -- which is why he thinks Cassie's lawsuit against Diddy came too little, too late.

The rapper aired out his thoughts online with a very honest video, in which he spoke on the Cassie/Diddy situation -- which is now resolved after the two of them reached a settlement in record time.

Still, ST spoke his piece ... and he says he simply doesn't support people coming after their alleged abusers years after the fact -- and not only did he mention Diddy and Cassie in making this point, but he also name-dropped Bill Cosby. As he says, he ain't with all that.

Slim also dished his opinion on why he believes Cassie even filed her suit with bombshell claims -- and, according to him, it may have to do with her living a different lifestyle now.

Bottom line ... Slim Thug's saying he thinks this is all about money, and has a hunch Cassie was simply out for cash in this whole situation.

In any case ... Slim's bigger point here is, the post-mortem undressing of old (alleged) incidents not only needs a statute of limitations legally -- but, perhaps, socially too.

ICYMI ... Cassie/Diddy came to terms out of court, and both said they resolved it amicably. Diddy's attorney also said the settlement did not indicate an admission of wrongdoing.

Suzanne Shepherd, who had key roles in "The Sopranos" and "Goodfellas," has passed away ... according to her family.

Suzanne's daughter, Kate Shepherd, tells TMZ ... her mother passed away in her sleep Friday morning. She says cause of death has not been determined yet, but she says Suzanne was suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease ... and she had grown much weaker in recent days.

Suzanne appeared in 20 episodes of "The Sopranos" as Mary DeAngelis ... the mother of Edie Falco's character Carmela Soprano. She had a similar role in the classic, "Goodfellas" ... playing mother to Lorraine Bracco's Karen Hill.

Suzanne was also in other hit films, like "Uncle Buck," "Requiem for a Dream," "Working Girl" and "Mystic Pizza" ... and she was also on the CBS TV series, "Blue Bloods."

Aside from her impressive acting career, Suzanne was a beloved acting coach and also directed regional theater productions around the world.

She is survived by Kate, son-in-law Miles, daughter-in-law Joyce and granddaughter Isabelle.

Suzanne was 89.

Turns out Rihanna, A$AP Rocky and a ton of other celebs love cars that go real fast ... especially if they're speeding down the famed Strip for the Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix.

The much anticipated glitzy event -- which got off to a very rocky start -- turned into a massive success ... based on the actual racing action, and the A-list talent who showed up for Saturday night's race.

RiRi and her man sat in with Team Ferrari, putting on headphones to hear the drivers during the race ... while the likes of David Beckham, Heidi Klum, Shaquille O'Neal, Paris Hilton, Cara Delevingne, Axl Rose and Patrick Dempsey roamed the track right before the race.

Arguably, Justin Bieber nabbed the best seat in the house for the race ... as he got to wave the checkered flag as Team Red Bull's Max Verstappen crossed the finish line for his 18th victory of the season.

Ferrari's Charles LeClerc, who started in pole position, finished 2nd and Red Bull's Sergio Perez was third.

The race was Formula 1's first in Las Vegas since 1982's Caesars Palace Grand Prix, and it was easily the most talked about race on the schedule this year.

But, it almost turned into a major flop -- locals were pissed about the monthslong construction and traffic delays, spectators railed about sky-high ticket and hotel prices ... and then, during the first practice session, a drain hole cover flew up and damaged a car driven by Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz.

However, in the end, the race itself turned out to be pretty exciting ... making sure normie spectators, and celebs alike, got their money's worth.

Veteran actor Peter Spellos -- who starred on the TV series "American Dreams" and an animated 'Transformers' series -- is dead after battling pancreatic cancer ... TMZ has learned.

Peter died early Sunday morning while he was at Franciscan Hospice House in Indianapolis ... according to his friend and acting student, Jennifer Smith.

Jennifer, who has power of attorney for Peter, tells us he'd been receiving care at the facility as his health deteriorated, and she adds ... "He was loved and cared for and surrounded by people during his final days."

Peter was perhaps best known for voicing the character Sky-Byte on the "Transformers: Robots in Disguise" cartoon series. He played the role for 39 episodes, and it made him a big hit on the comic-con circuit.

Besides his extensive voice work ... Peter was also a live actor in movies and TV. He played Motorman in "Men in Black II" and Gus in the NBC show "American Dreams."

His brother, James Spellos, says Peter will be cremated, and the family is planning an online gathering for fans.

He was 69.

Ashlyn Harris has a lot to say to internet trolls about what was happening behind the scenes when she and Ali Krieger broke up, and she started dating Sophia Bush -- and she says there was absolutely no cheating.

The former soccer star says she's tried to remain silent about the details, but Saturday -- due to the rumors of infidelity, she decided to share it all. She says, "Let me be clear: I did not step out on my marriage. I was always faithful in my marriage, if not always totally happy. Like in many partnerships, there was work and therapy and processing done."

In her Instagram post, Ashlyn added the split was well planned out -- "We spent the entire summer working to tackle the separation and divorce steps outlined for us by our therapists, lawyers, and our shared agency."

Ashlyn says they were betrayed by someone who leaked their breakup news before they intended to go public at the end of Ali's soccer season.

As we previously reported, Ashlyn started dating Sophia less than a month after filing for divorce from Ali in September. Krieger and Harris married in late 2019 in Miami.

Ali seemed to fuel the rumor about infidelity being the reason for their split when she wrote on Instagram, "Preparing for playoffs while in my Beyoncé Lemonade era" -- and, of course, the "Lemonade" album chronicles Bey and Jay-Z's relationship issues after she discovered he cheated on her.

While video showed Ashlyn and Sophia seemingly getting flirty during a June event in Cannes -- Ashlyn's new revelation makes it seem like she and Ali were done at that point ... just not publicly.

She says she and Ali are now focused on co-parenting their 2 young children.

Taylor Swift was seemingly gasping for air during her sweltering hot concert in Brazil, freaking out some of her fans.

The pop superstar performed for hours in nearly 100-degree heat Friday night at Estadio Olímpico Nilton Santos stadium in Rio de Janeiro -- and the video shows how much the soaring temperature impacted Taylor.

Keep in mind, this was the same night one of Taylor's fans, Ana Clara Benevides, died right before the show kicked off.

Video of Taylor’s scary moment was posted to X … it starts with Taylor wrapping up a song with her back to the packed crowd. She then turns to the audience, huffing and puffing as if she’s struggling to breathe. The 12-second clip ends with Taylor closing her eyes.

Her worried fans responded to the video post, sharing their concerns. One wrote, "OMG… this breaks my heart in so many levels. She’s so professional but watching her like this, my best wishes go to her.”

Another pointed out, “She is only 33 and in incredible physical shape. That she was struggling that much is really scary," while a third person remarked, “Taylor was struggling to breathe as well!!”

Due to the extreme temps, Taylor announced she was postponing her Saturday concert in Rio because the “safety and well-being of my fans, fellow performers, and crew has to and always will come first.”

Benevides complained she wasn't feeling well right before Friday night's show began, and was reportedly taken to a hospital where she died. The official cause of death hasn't been determined.

Sam Haskell Jr. apparently couldn't stomach the gore depicted in a horror movie -- something he told a pal earlier this year ... even though he's accused of being a butcher.

TMZ has obtained IG DMs from May 2023 that Samuel -- the son of Hollywood super-agent Samuel Haskell Sr. -- sent to his ex-personal trainer Troy Piedade ... which touched "The Forever Purge," a flick that SHJ said made him queasy 'cause of the dismembered bodies.

Take a look at the back-and-forth between them yourself ... it's pretty eye-opening.

As you see, Sam brings up 'The Purge' and writes ... "Forever purge was a little different fools really be getting chopped up in Mexico for real it's hard for me to enjoy a movie about it, I'm down with purge 2 anarchy." He then goes on to say that he wants to make a movie with Troy.

We talked to Troy, who now tells us that over the course of the 14 years that he knew Sam ... he sensed something a bit off when he started actually training him in 2009 at Bally's in Encino.

Troy says that he feels Sam was very troubled, claiming that the guy would go out of his way to mess with people at the gym ... because he knew he (Troy) would protect him.

Despite his odd behavior, though, Troy tells us he never thought his former client would go as far as murder ... something the authorities in L.A. County have alleged against Sam.

Troy says he and Sam kept in touch over IG after he left the gym, where they regularly discussed topics such as horror movies and fitness ... including this brief chat about chopped-up bodies, which Sam said were too much for him. FWIW, law enforcement sources tell us the LAPD is aware of Sam's interest in horror movies and they're looking into it.

On Monday, L.A. County District Attorney George Gascón announced that Haskell Jr. was hit with 3 counts of murder in the death of his 37-year-old wife, Mei, and her parents ... 72-year-old Gaoshan Li and 64-year-old Yanxiang Wang.

Of course, this came after we published video that appears to show Sam dumping what very well may have been a body. A homeless person found a human torso at the same dumpster the very next day.

There's more video that appears to show Sam giving/receiving other bags ... which day laborers alleged contained human remains. Seems like the cops believed them.

Dana Carvey is showing his gratitude to everyone who's been reaching out to support his family after his son Dex's fatal OD.

The actor and comedian thanked his well-wishers Saturday on Instagram, saying he and his wife, Paula, were overwhelmed by their love, compassion and personal stories they shared.

Dana wrote, "We received so many beautiful messages from people who knew Dex. These touched us more than we could ever express in words."

He went on to say he would be taking a break from work and social media during the grieving process as he, Paula and their other son, Thomas, figure out "what life looks like now that we are a family of 3."

Dana vowed to "heal the best we can and carry on" because their "darling Dex would have wanted it that way."

TMZ broke the story ... Dex passed away Wednesday after his girlfriend called 911, and first responders found him unresponsive in the bathroom of an L.A. home. Paramedics tried unsuccessfully to bring him back to life.

On Thursday, Dana said Dex died of an accidental drug overdose. He also wrote an emotional tribute to his son, praising his musical talents and calling him a "beautiful person."

Jimmie Allen's marriage to his estranged wife, Alexis Gale, might not be lost after all ... 'cause his lawyers want to pull out of the divorce case, believing the couple is trying to work things out.

According to new docs, obtained by TMZ, Jimmie's attorneys filed a motion in court last month asking to withdraw as his counsel in the divorce case -- claiming they've "lost communication" with their client.

That's not all ... his lawyers say they're under the impression Jimmie and Alexis "are attempting to reconcile," and they call the potential to keep representing Jimmie "unfeasible."

The judge is set to hear the motion next week.

TMZ broke the story ... sources close to the estranged couple told us they came to the decision in April to separate, following months of being very on and off. She was pregnant at the time with their 3rd kid, too ... and she had Cohen Ace James at the end of September.

Patrick Dempsey's looks have been SERVING for years!

Here is a 39-year-old version of the "McDreamy" star taking his enchanting looks to the lens during the ABC Upfronts back in 2005 (left). This was THE year he started playing and slaying as Dr. Derek Shepherd on "Grey's Anatomy."

And, 18 years later the handsome actor was looking suave on the streets of NYC where he was recently doing press for his current starring role in "Thanksgiving" (right) ... Dempsey plays the town's hot sheriff alongside Addison Rae.

Giving thanks to ALL the good looks PD continues to bless us with ...

The question is ...

WNBA player Kysre Gondrezick is raising hell, calling out prosecutors involved in Kevin Porter Jr.'s assault case ... saying the District Attorney continues to push a "false narrative" despite the fact she's repeatedly denied her ex-boyfriend attacked her.

TMZ Sports spoke with Gondrezick this week ... and she claims the Manhattan D.A.'s office's handling of the September incident has "compounded my trauma even more than the actual experience."

The 26-year-old tells us she gave officials a statement one week after Porter was arrested and explained the original criminal complaint was nowhere near what happened. Now, she wants the D.A. to publicly acknowledge her side of the story ... that she fell and hit her head after KPJ abruptly woke her up after a night out. She's adamant he never struck her.

As we previously reported, KPJ was accused of hitting Gondrezick multiple times and putting his hands around her neck -- resulting in a fractured neck vertebra and a laceration above her eye.

It was later revealed the neck ailment was NOT Porter's doing, as it was a pre-existing injury.

As for the laceration, Gondrezick says it was the result of the fall, and a makeup smear on the hotel room wall backs up her story.

KPJ was arrested for assault and strangulation ... but one charge was dropped due to "insufficient evidence."

Gondrezick says she is opening up to protect herself -- not KPJ -- as she does not want authorities to silence her. She's also calling on officials responsible for pushing the current narrative to be held accountable.

Gondrezick's attorney, Bobby Altchiler, also weighed in ... and he claims his client has been receiving death threats due to the mishandling of the case -- calling it unethical and immoral to not correct the information that is already out.

Bottom line -- Altchiler reiterated exactly what Gondrezick wants.

"Just be honest, for God's sake."

KPJ is due in court later this month.

Hollywood's biggest stars are flying high these days ... eschewing commercial air travel for a more luxurious and lavish experience ... in their own private aircrafts.

Big-time celebs like Kim Kardashian, Taylor Swift, Beyoncé, John Travolta, Lady Gaga, Kylie Jenner, Rick Ross, Drake and Floyd Mayweather are among those who own their own jets ... and they get around.

For starters, Kim's private jet is a $150 million G650ER aircraft ... the same model Jeff Bezos owns.

Kim's customized her jet to her liking ... she calls it "Kim Air." She likes to serve her guests waffles, among other in-flight goodies.

Kylie, meanwhile, dropped $72 million on her private jet back in 2020 ... it's decked out with a master suite, closet, entertainment suite, two bathrooms and has her initials embroidered on the seats.

Like her big sister, Kylie calls her jet "Kylie Air" ... and the in-flight menu includes salads and pasta, plus cocktails and wine.

Beyonce's not only the Queen B, she's also the queen of the skies ... her private plane is huge, with room for 15 to 19 passengers aboard the Bombardier Challenger 850.

Bey bought the plane way back in 2012 for $40 million as a Father's Day gift for husband Jay-Z ... and it's been whisking their family around ever since.

Taylor's got a fleet of private jets at her disposal ... which she put to good use during her 'Eras' tour.

T-Swift has two multimillion-dollar planes, which she's used for over 100 flights this year alone ... with more trips likely on the way as her tour goes overseas.

Behind this "freaky deaky" image is a California native and entertainer who grew up admiring Eminem and Lil Wayne (whom he eventually signed with). He keeps his followers guessing his car's next paint job, but can you guess the man underneath this puckered-up celebrity portrait?

Not only has this super stylish star been mixin' it up in the music biz since the mid-2000s, he's also dabbled in other entertainment ventures ... He played Jamal on the horror series "Scream" alongside Keke Palmer.

Jackson Mahomes was partying his face off to kick off the weekend ... and he had the best seat in the house to watch a DJ do his thing.

Patrick Mahomes' little brother was front and center Friday night at Mosaic Ultra Lounge in Kansas City, MO -- where James Kennedy was handling music for all the club-goers ... and putting on a pretty good set, if Jackson's reaction here is any indication.

Check it out ... in footage obtained by TMZ, you can see the 23-year-old influencer raging as Kennedy spins his records, and even got on his feet at one point and cheered JK on.

Looks like Jackson was also making it rain behind James too ... with confetti, that is.

JM might've been having a blast here, but he's got some very serious issues to deal with in the near future ... including a preliminary hearing in his sexual battery case.

Michael B. Jordan is set to direct another 'Rocky' franchise installment with the next 'Creed' movie -- this despite the fact that Sylvester Stallone has major beef with a key producer.

The announcement was made by Irwin Winkler at an event in L.A. Saturday -- where he confirmed that not only is 'Creed IV' happening ... but saying Mike would be back in the director's chair, and obviously starring of course.

According to Deadline, Winkler said they'd start circling the project sometime in 2024 -- with him explaining, "We have a really good story [and] a really good plot. We got a little delayed because of the strikes, but about a year from now we’re going into pre-production."

Considering how much of a moneymaker "Creed III" was, this is great news for MBJ ... but probably hits a nerve with Sly -- who's slammed IW and his handling of the 'Rocky' rights.

As we reported ... Stallone has called on Winkler to give him an ownership stake in the IP -- of which he has no control over, apparently, after having sold the rights to the OG script years ago. Sly's POV is ... he's the creator of the character/story, so he should have a cut.

It goes without saying ... Rocky himself was not featured in the latest film -- and Sly said he just didn't like direction Mike and Irwin were taking things ... although he did wish 'em well.

Sly's love of his baby ('Rocky') actually just got a renewed focus thanks to a great Netflix doc on the man himself, "Sly" ... which touches heavily on how the Oscar-winning film came together. If you watch it, you'll see all things 'Rocky' are still very near and dear to SS.

Interestingly enough, Sylvester doesn't address Winkler in the doc (directly or indirectly) but he's made his feelings about the issue very clear. For now, it doesn't appear he's going to be involved with 'Creed IV' ... although MBJ left the door open in interviews earlier this year.