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Presidents of Harvard, MIT and Penn are on the hot seat after telling Congress they have reservations about banning calls for Jewish genocide, and the Executive Director of the MIT Free Speech Alliance seems to agree with them.

Peter Bonilla appeared on "TMZ Live" Friday, and he said Liz Magill, the President of Penn, was wrong to walk back her position and suggest censorship was appropriate when it came to calling for Jewish genocide.

Bonilla says it opens the door to all sorts of censorship. Harvey then posed a hypothetical question ... what if students who were members of the KKK protested with burning crosses and called for the genocide of Black people?  Bonilla said that's a different situation, and they should be banned and/or disciplined.

The question ... what's the difference? Bonilla talks about the fact there's dangerous history with the KKK, but Harvey notes there's also history with Jews.

Ken Hudson Campbell, famous for playing Santa in "Home Alone," is the one getting a great gift this time ... TMZ has learned doctors successfully removed the cancer that had been spreading in his mouth.

Ken's daughter Michaela tells TMZ ... her dad went into surgery Thursday morning, and the whole procedure went off without a hitch. She says the family was able to visit him later that night once he was out of the OR.

He's not home-free just yet ... we're told Ken will remain in ICU for another 2-3 days, before he's transferred to regular inpatient hospital care for about another week. But, he is awake and doing really well -- and it will take about 6 weeks of recovery before he can get back to normal, everyday activity.

As we reported, Ken was diagnosed with cancer in October after a tumor grew on the bottom of his mouth and "began encroaching on his teeth" ... according to Michaela, who laid it all out on a GoFundMe she set up for her pops.

She started the GFM because Ken, unfortunately, lost his SAG-AFTRA health insurance at the beginning of last year after the pandemic -- but the support's been overwhelming, they're over $96,000 of the $100k goal.

There have been some heavy hitters offering donations -- including $1k from Jeff Garlin and Tim Meadows, $5k from "The Big Bang Theory" creator Bill Prady and $10,000 from Steve Carell.

Michaela tells us Steve and Ken are old friends from their time in Second City Chicago improv, and the family is extremely grateful for all the support.

Kim K's getting dragged big time for not apologizing to Taylor, and the ice is thawing with Britney and her fam. So we gotta ask ...

Bill Belichick won't be hanging up his headset after this season ... and, in fact, the New England head coach will likely be back with the Patriots in 2024!!!

... at least, that's according to Rob Gronkowski, who tells TMZ Sports there's "no chance" his former coach retires following the Pats' rough 2023.

"The guy loves football," Gronk said. "He breathes football. He eats football. He sleeps football. He yells football -- let me tell you that!"

Gronk did tell us there is a small possibility Belichick and Robert Kraft could "mutually agree to split" following this season ... but he added, "I can't really see that happening."

"He literally loves the game of football that much," the ex-Patriots tight end continued. "That's why he helped develop me as a great player, 'cause I got to learn from the best, baby."

Of course, there are some NFL pundits who feel differently than Gronk ... believing that because this year has been such a mess in New England (the team is currently 3-10), there could be a huge shake-up involving the coach.

Some have speculated if The Hoodie doesn't retire, the Patriots could trade him and start fresh.

Welcome! There's no "Good Burger" being served here ... just some juicy differences of Kenan Thompson to heat up your weekend! Lace up your sneaks, and see if you can kick these minor changes to the curb wall!

Earlier this week ... the longtime comedian dropped his book, "When I Was Your Age: Life Lessons, Funny Stories & Questionable Parenting Advice from a Professional Clown” ... and he made the press rounds in NYC to talk all about it!

Can you locate the changes? You may want to put your thinking cap on!

Dennis Quaid's living out a rock 'n roll fantasy ... taking the stage with one of The Doors' last surviving members, Robby Krieger, for a surprise gig at the legendary Whisky a Go Go.

TMZ got this clip of the actor, and obvious Doors fan, stepping into Jim Morrison's shoes to front the band for their classic, "Riders on the Storm."

DQ showed off his pipes to the delight of the crowd inside the WeHo venue -- the event was presented by Sammy's Beach Bar Rum.

The night was dedicated to Mikeal Maglieri, the owner of the Whisky and Rainbow Bar & Grill, who passed away last month.

Dennis has always had a passion for music... playing gigs with his band, The Sharks -- also writing and performing the song "Closer to You" in 1987's flick, "The Big Easy."

Dennis, who's a devout Christian, drew on his faith earlier this year to release, "Fallen: A Gospel Record for Sinners"... saying it was inspired by his Baptist upbringing in Texas.

Holiday vibes and fun times are here, and the celebs just can't contain their holiday cheer! Gather 'round and join these famous faces as they light up Hollywood during the most magical time of year!

Hit the lights with spirited stars like Blake Shelton, Carson Daly and Nikki Garcia who donned Claus attire. And, riding in on her sleigh ... Tracee Eliss Ross slayed in a red onesie, and Glen Powell covered his booty and stole the heck out of Christmas!

The hype for Bronny James is REAL ... the college basketball player is already sellin' out games just like his pops, and before his big USC debut.

Bronny and the rest of the USC Trojans are going up against Long Beach State on Sunday, but good luck gettin' a ticket -- 'cause every single one has already been snatched up!

Sunday's game marks the first time Bronny's hitting the court as a college athlete, and LeBron told reporters on Thursday how excited he was for his boy's big milestone ... saying it's a match he's incredibly looking forward to.

LeBron even claimed he'd miss his own Lakers game if it fell on the same night as Bronny's ... luckily, it doesn't.

TMZ broke the story, Bronny suffered cardiac arrest during a workout on campus back in July, and ended up spending a couple of days in the hospital ... and was cleared last month to get back on the court.

Nicolas Cage is a busy guy, but he's also apparently super festive, rocking a red suit at LAX just weeks before Christmas.

Cage was in a hurry Friday as we spotted him making his way out of Los Angeles. He kept things brief, putting on his signature shades while riding up the escalator, but offered a few words before going through the ticketing checkpoint.

Most notably, we asked him if his red suit was at all an ode to the quickly approaching holiday season. Cage played along, saying it was ... and then hurried to his destination.

Unclear where he was headed, but given a recent interview the actor did, he's likely not headed to a film set. Cage got candid about his career, telling Vanity Fair he's getting ready to stop making films ... "I may have three or four more movies left in me.”

"Love Story" and "Peyton Place" star Ryan O'Neal has died.

His son Patrick posted, "So this is the toughest thing I’ve ever had to say but here we go. My dad passed away peacefully today, with his loving team by his side supporting him and loving him as he would us."

It's unclear how O'Neal died, but he's had his share of health problems, including a prostate cancer diagnosis in 2012. In 2001, he was diagnosed with chronic leukemia.

O'Neal was not only one of the hottest actors in Hollywood back in the day, but he was a major heartthrob. His credits include "What's Up, Doc?" "Paper Moon," "Barry Lyndon," "A  Bridge Too Far," "The Main Event," and "The Driver."

Ryan was nominated in 1970 for a Best Actor Oscar for "Love Story."

He was famously life partners with Farrah Fawcett from 1979 - 1997, and they reconnected between 2001 and 2009, when she died. Patrick said, "Ryan never bragged, but he has bragging rights in Heaven. Especially when it comes to Farrah. Everyone had the poster, he had the real McCoy. And now they meet again."

BTW ... he shared the big screen in "Paper Moon" with his daughter, Tatum O'Neal.

As for the heartthrob part ... well, he dated a gaggle of beautiful women, including Ursula Andress, Barbra Streisand, Bianca Jagger, Jacqueline Bisset, Joan Collins and Diana Ross.

Ryan is survived by 4 children and 5 grandchildren.

It's a Christmas miracle come early -- as Angela White, formerly Blac Chyna, and Tyga have finally settled their years-long custody dispute over their son, King Cairo -- and Tyga won't have to pay child support.

Sources with direct knowledge of the settlement tell us both parents have come to a surprisingly amicable arrangement ... they'll have joint legal and physical custody, and will both have the right to make decisions on the 11-year-old's health, education and general welfare.

When it comes to parenting, we're told Chyna will get King every weekend from Friday to Monday and Tyga will have him the rest of the time.

What's more ... the court ordered neither parent can talk poorly about the other around King, and they'll enroll in a program to monitor communication back and forth about co-parenting.

TMZ broke the story ... in custody docs, Chyna claimed she had resorted to selling her personal belongings -- including clothes, purses and shoes -- in order to stay afloat, making around $178K in the process. However, she claimed the financial help from selling the goods would only be temporary, and she needed money from Tyga.

Turns out, Tyga won't have to pay up ... and the new arrangement should hopefully make for a better environment for their kiddo, too.

Win, win?

Ethan Crumbley -- the teenager who killed 4 students during a shooting rampage at a Michigan high school -- has just been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

The 17-year-old was given his sentence Friday ... you'll recall, Crumbley killed 4 of his classmates and wounded 7 other people when he opened fire at Oxford High School, in the Detriot suburb of Oxford Township, MI.

Crumbley told the court he was "a really bad person" before he was handed his hefty sentence ... adding he's been trying to do better in his life but admits, "I have done terrible things that no one should ever do."

Victim Kylie Ossege, who was shot by Crumbley during the rampage, broke down in tears Friday while detailing the horrific incident ... which included the feeling of warm blood soaking into the carpet.

You'll recall, Crumbley pleaded guilty last year to 4 counts of first-degree murder, a count of terrorism causing death, and 19 other charges related to the deadly massacre.

Crumbley's parents, Jennifer and James, were also taken into custody, being charged with 4 counts of involuntary manslaughter -- one for each student who was killed. Their trial will begin next month.

Prosecutors said Jennifer and James knew about their son's mental health issues but still bought him the gun he used in the attack.

Diddy's former President of Bad Boys Records, Harve Pierre, is slamming the gang rape lawsuit that named him as a defendant ... and he's telling us he won't stand for his name being sullied.

In a new statement obtained by TMZ Hip Hop, Pierre says, "This is a tale of fiction. I have never participated in, witnessed, nor heard of anything like this, ever. These disgusting allegations are false and a desperate attempt for financial gain."

He continues, "I will vigorously protect my reputation and defend my name. Those who know me recognize that these claims are not true."

Pierre stands accused of enticing a Detroit minor back in 2003 into hopping on a private jet to hang with him and Diddy for a NYC recording session ... where she claims the men sexually assaulted her in the studio bathroom.

The suit also claims Pierre sat back and smoked crack cocaine from a Pepsi can as the assaults took place. The details alleged by the Jane Doe accuser are heinous and vicious ... but Pierre adamantly denies any of it is true.

Diddy has maintained his innocence throughout the multiple lawsuits he's faced -- including the one he quickly settled with ex-girlfriend Cassie in November.

Sam Haskell Jr. -- the man accused of murdering his wife and in-laws -- showed up to court for his latest arraignment without a shirt ... something cops say is due to his suicidal thoughts.

Haskell Jr. was brought into the Los Angeles courtroom Thursday shirtless as he was escorted inside.

The officer inside the courtroom said Haskell Jr. didn't have a shirt on due to suicidal ideations ... explaining he initially was just wearing a velcro vest that had no material he could choke or injure himself with, but the vest kept falling down, so it was taken off.

As we reported, Haskell Jr. was hit with 3 counts of murder last month in connection with the death of his 37-year-old wife, Mei, and her parents ... 72-year-old Gaoshan Li and 64-year-old Yanxiang Wang.

Remember, we obtained footage that appeared to show Haskell dumping what may have been a body into a dumpster in Encino, CA -- and as you'll recall, a homeless person later reported finding a torso at that same dumpster the following day.

Lynne Spears made her second trip to L.A. in 2 weeks to see Britney -- though there's a chance the next reunion could happen back in Louisiana for Christmas.

Lynne jetted into LAX Thursday, acknowledging "all things are always possible" when asked if there was a chance for her and Britney to continue their reconciliation back in their home state for the holidays.

She also tells us familial relationships on the whole are "going well" -- and is a fan of Britney's longtime manager, Cade Hudson ... who's been spending a lot of time with Brit.

As for Britney's ex-husband Sam Asghari ... she seems pretty glad he's outta the picture!!

However, when it came to all other personal matters, she played coy ... dodging questions about her ex-husband Jamie Spears' health following his leg amputation ... news TMZ broke earlier this week.

In light of his medical woes, our sources revealed Britney has softened toward her dad ... and she's already full steam ahead making amends with mamma Lynne.

Lynne bagged an invite to Brit's 42nd birthday bash at the start of the month ... and they've been making up for lost time during loads of phone calls recently.

Her desire to get back on track with her family comes after giving the boot to Sam ... who dodged questions from TMZ Wednesday about his ex-wife's possible reconciliation with dad Jamie -- the man he once called a "total dick."

Jonathan Majors' text messages to his accuser, Grace Jabbari, are being read out loud in court Friday -- and, in them, he references some physical violence during a London incident that happened 6 months prior to the one for which he's standing trial.

In the September 2022 texts, Majors says, "They will ask you questions, and as I don't think you actually protect us, it could lead to investigation even if you do lie, and they suspect something."

Jabbari replied, "I will tell the doctor I bumped my head if I go. I'm going to give it one more day, but I can't sleep and I need some stronger pain killers. That's all: why would I tell them what really happened when it's clear I want to be with you."

During her 4th day on the stand, Grace started to read the texts out loud in court, but broke down in tears ... and Assistant D.A. Kelli Galaway had to continue reading the exchange.

The messages apparently refer to an incident that happened while the couple was in London. The judge has already ruled the details of what happened are not admissible in this trial, but did allow their text messages about the incident because they seem to describe "conduct that is inextricably interwoven with the charged acts."

Remember, Majors is on trial for an alleged NYC attack on Jabbari in March 2023 ... when the then-couple had a heated exchange in the back of a taxi, and she claims he struck her as they fought for his phone.

The September 2022 texts also include a portion where Majors threatens to take his own life. He wrote, "Last night I considered killing myself versus coming home. I need love too. Or maybe I'm such a monster and horrible man, I don't deserve it. And I should just kill myself. In this way, my existence is miserable. I want to die."

Jabbari eventually told Majors in text she would not go to a doctor and said she understood his fear about an investigation. When he continued threatening suicide, saying, "I will probably kill myself, it's not really contemplating anymore" ... she told him she would have to "tell someone" if he continued saying such things.

While the texts were read in court, Majors reportedly had his head down ... and when they finished reading them, he glanced at the jury.