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Vanilla Ice recently said he once palled around with Pablo Escobar, but didn't know he was a major drug kingpin -- and his explanation boils down to ... greenbacks put ya in a bubble.

The rapper made the revelation in a VladTV interview, saying he used to party with the notorious Colombian gangster during his heyday in the '90s ... but insists he didn't even realize how big a deal Escobar was back then -- especially in the eyes of the feds.

Ice, aka Rob Van Winkle, says he hosted Pablo several times at his Florida home at the time -- and on Tuesday, he joined us on "TMZ Live" to elaborate on what exactly they had in common as buddies.

Watch, he says their shared love of speed boats actually drew them together at first, and he even gives credit to the drug trafficker for fueling innovations in boat racing ... on account of how much money he poured into it at the time, making it kinda mainstream.

As for when/how he came to learn that Pablo wasn't actually a great guy and might've been mixed up in shady business -- well, Ice says it dawned on him when the FBI questioned him.

Listen to his story for yourself, 'cause it's wild. As Ice notes, this was before Google, so lots of people were in the dark about Mr. Escobar's, umm ... activities.

Of course, Pablo was tracked down in Colombia in '93 ... where he was killed on a rooftop while being pursued by the authorities. He'd built a massive illicit empire, but on the backs of a lot of bodies and bloodshed ... while spreading illegal narcotics all over the world.

Jussie Smollett is taking in Matthew Perry's memoir while he continues to seek help for substance abuse ... some interesting reading material during a rocky time in his life.

The former "Empire" star was photographed Monday in Studio City, CA -- where he was sitting by himself and perusing the pages of Perry's 2022 NYT Bestseller, "Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing: A Memoir" ... which detailed the late actor's struggles with addiction.

Jussie had a laptop with him as well, and he was also spotted using his phone during this outing ... but it seems like he was mostly preoccupied with going through the memoir.

Of course, Jussie himself is in rehab at the moment ... this after checking himself into an outpatient treatment facility in October.

His substance use was touched on quite a bit throughout his criminal trial in Chicago -- which, BTW, has come back to rear its ugly head.

Remember, he recently lost his appeal after being convicted for lying to cops about the hate crime attack he claimed was carried out on him ... and the rest of his jail sentence looms.

Bray Wyatt's dad, Mike Rotunda, is opening up on his constant grief following the late WWE Superstar's tragic death ... saying life without his son has been nothing short of a "nightmare."

Rotunda -- who was famous in his own right as a wrestler for decades, most notably as Irwin R. Schuster -- joined the "Wrasslin Talk with Mayor McCall" podcast to discuss Wyatt (real name Windham Rotunda) ... and, understandably, he's still struggling to come to terms with the loss.

"It's been really hard," Rotunda said. "We miss him every day."

"[My kids] would come with me and stay on the road, wherever I was wrestling ... and it's so hard to wake up out of this nightmare and he's still not there."

Rotunda explained Windham was supposed to get married to his partner, Jojo, recently ... making it an especially challenging time for his family.

Rotunda praised WWE for helping his family by giving Windham a Legends contract among other gestures ... which will allow his four children to receive financial help from merchandise sales.

"He was a jolly fellow," Rotunda continued. "He loved to laugh, he was loud, always laughing and he lit up a room. He lit up the wrestling business. People come up to me and have a story with Windham and say, 'He took the time to sit there and bulls*** with me for 10 or 15 minutes when he's supposed to be signing autographs.' So many people come up and support him by wearing Windham's stuff, and they have a story about him. He was that kind of person."

As we previously reported, Windham -- who experienced heart complications leading up to his death -- passed away while taking a nap at his home in August.

Insomniac, one of the most successful video game makers in the world, was recently the victim of a massive hack ... and parts of the highly anticipated Wolverine game were among the troves of material leaked in the breach.

According to multiple reports, hackers from the ransomware group Rhysida were able to gain access to over 1.3 million files accounting for nearly 1.7 terabytes of data, which included maps and even gameplay from the Marvel-inspired game. Dates for future releases, including Spider-Man 3, were also amid the leaks ... which even exposed the personal information of some Insomniac employees.

Hackers reportedly demanded a healthy ransom as a trade for not making the material public ... but Insomniac opted not to pay the nearly $2.1 million (50 bitcoins).

When the clock struck midnight on Tuesday, Rhysida pushed publish and the internet was flooded with the leaked, albeit mostly incomplete footage ... which revealed massive spoilers.

Gamers have been (somewhat) patiently waiting for Wolverine since Insomniac first dropped an animated preview in 2021 at a Playstation Showcase event ... however, no actual gameplay had been seen before the leak.

Aside from Wolverine, information on SM3, Venom, and an X-Men game was also made public.

The hack represents the second major breach for Sony ... which has owned Insomniac since mid-2019. Remember, Sony Pictures was the victim of a massive hack in late 2014, resulting in substantial losses for the company.

As for Tuesday's leak, a spokesperson for Sony says none of their other subsidiaries were affected by the hack.

An Israel Defense Forces soldier nearly took a tank shell to the face ... and now the super close call is under investigation.

New footage out of the Middle East shows an IDF member standing just a few feet away from a tank right as it opens fire.

The force of the blast knocks the soldier back several feet and the missile appears to whizz right over her head. It appears the soldier notices the tank opening fire at the last second ... and she starts to react as the missile fires.

The video is making the rounds on social media and now the IDF says an "in-depth investigation" into the incident is underway and "penalties will be imposed."

In a statement, Israel's army says the incident is "serious and completely deviates from the IDF's safety instructions."

Celebs are just like us ... getting cozy in matching jammies with their families for the holidays -- just ask Kim Kardashian -- decked out in festive red with Dream, Chicago, Saint, and True!

The Culpo sisters also look Christmassy... swapping their glam 'fits for quirky gingerbread-print sets.

Matching flannel for Christmas also never goes amiss ... Chrissy Teigen and her children, Luna and Miles, prove so.

Xmas came early for Victoria Beckham's loyal IG followers ... as she treated them to an up-close and personal clip of David Beckham working out in little tight shorts.

In a clip shared Tuesday, David pants his way through a set of yoga push-ups ... while Vic ensures fans get an eyeful -- anglin' the camera from behind and honing in on his butt as he thrusts up and down.

"Morning work out with this Love Machine 🔊😂 @davidbeckham," she quips in the caption -- and as expected, fans were overcome with delight.

Some thanked VB for her service in the comments ... while others saying she was a gift that kept on giving.

The L.A. Lakers got a visit Monday night from a fan that was so furry and so cute -- even the game's broadcasters just had to take a paws to stop and recognize him!!

The Lake Show's No. 1 K9 supporter was none other than Brodie The Goldendoodle -- a doggo who's gained so much notoriety over the past few years, he's garnered 1 million followers on Instagram.

Somehow, the pup scored one of the best seats in the house for L.A.'s contest against the Knicks at Crypto.com Arena -- snagging a chair that was actually so good, it might have been better than Timothée Chalamet's.

And, the ball of fuzz certainly took advantage of the center-court spotlight ... dancing his tail off so hard during a break in the action, he actually caught the attention of ESPN play-by-play man Mike Breen.

"That's Brodie," Breen said on live television as the dog waved its legs in the air. "I've never seen this in 30-plus years!!"

Brodie, of course, is used to the limelight by now ... the 3-year-old's owner and he have trekked all over the country together while hitting sporting events sporadically.

In fact, he's been a star at Marlins games and Heats games in the past -- though apparently he's big into L.A. too ... 'cause he rocked an Austin Reaves shirt for most of the Lakers' contest vs. NY.

But, Monday did have a bit of a ruff ending for Brodie ... as LeBron James and co. couldn't get him a win, falling to the Knicks, 114-109.

Iceland is putting on a spectacular, and dangerous, display of volcanic power ... as the eruption of a new volcano throws plumes of lava in the sky, following weeks of increased seismic activity.

A public state of emergency was declared as the Grindavík volcano exploded Monday ... just south of the Keflavik International Airport and the capital city of Reykjavík, and video footage shows molten rock exploding up to 300 feet into the air.

The eruption created a 2.5-mile fissure, which sent a stream of lava flowing through the surrounding towns ... while hundreds of cubic meters spewed across the Reykjanes peninsula.

The Icelandic Meteorological Office listed the time of eruption at 10:17 PM ... after closely monitoring seismic activity in the area for a while.

The flow has slowed since its peak on Monday evening ... and lava fountains have fallen from 300 to 100 ft.

However, evacuated areas are still off-limits, and authorities remain on high alert ... with local experts warning it's possible several more cracks could open in the ground.

Alec Baldwin popped up at a pro-Palestinian demonstration in NYC -- and blew a gasket at an anti-Israel protester, prompting police to whisk away the actor before the situation escalated.

Baldwin got into a heated back-and-forth with the man at Monday night's march in Manhattan, which was organized by a Palestinian-led community group, Within Our Lifetime. It wasn't clear if Baldwin was part of the protest or just passing through.

Check out the video shot by NBC ... Baldwin offers a stern look to the man who mentions something about Hollywood -- and condemning Israel for the war in the Gaza Strip.

Baldwin responds, "You've already got your mind made up. I'm in Hollywood?"

The man repeatedly asks, "Is that your answer?"

Baldwin shouts, "You ask stupid questions! Ask me a smart question!"

The man starts screaming again about condemning Israel.

That's when Baldwin completely loses his s**t, getting in the man's face and yelling, "Ask me a smart question!!!!"

Luckily, NYPD officers were right there to escort Baldwin away before things potentially turned violent.

Other videos show Baldwin protected by cops as he gets heckled by protesters who are cursing at him.  At one point, Baldwin turns to the demonstrators and says, "You're really helping your cause."

As you know, Israel has been at war with Hamas since October -- and thousands of people have died on both sides.

Hamas militants -- who govern the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip - triggered the conflict after invading Israel, killing 1,400 citizens.

A guy in Florida was caught on video dumping what cops say was an old, helpless dog that he allegedly tried killing before throwing it away ... and now, he's facing criminal charges.

55-year-old Anthony Bellman was recently arrested and booked for animal cruelty in Lee County, FL -- this after he was seen on surveillance footage last week chucking a black garbage bag into a dumpster behind a Family Dollar store in Lehigh Acres.

The authorities there claim a 16-year-old Shih Tzu pooch was in the bag, and that it'd been left for dead after Bellman allegedly tried choking it out with a rope, but failed.

It was later found alive by an employee with a rope still around its body. The dog has since been taken to a clinic for its injuries. Her name is Xyla, and she's mostly blind.

As for Bellman, he was tracked down by the Sheriff's Office and hauled in for a mug shot not long after this ... and according to officials, he allegedly said he didn't want to take the dog to get euthanized since it'd be too sad. Instead, he attempted to snuff it out himself.

Madonna says she was in a deep, controlled sleep during her hospitalization this year -- noting how lucky she is to be alive and giving insight into what she remembers in that state.

The singer made the startling revelation over the weekend during a show in Brooklyn, serving as one of the latest stops on her tour. At one point during the concert, she paused to address the crowd ... and said she'd been induced into a coma back in the summer.

Check it out ... Madge explains that a friend of hers, Shavawn, was one of the few people on hand when she passed out on the bathroom floor and made sure she got to an ER STAT.

Madonna thanked her personally -- Shavawn was in the audience that night -- and then went on to say that she also has her Kabbalah teacher to thank for being there at her side while she was in comatose. Interestingly, Madonna says she can remember hearing his voice.

As for what she can recall her teacher saying while she was under ... a common ask that anyone in that situation can identify with, especially when tending to a loved one.

Now, Madonna says when she regained consciousness ... one of the first things she saw was her six children sitting around her hospital bed. She jokes that it took a life-threatening situation to finally get all of them in one room, but sounds grateful they were there.

Madge has talked quite a bit about her health scare throughout her tour, which resumed in October -- although, she's confessed along the way that she's still not necessarily 100%.

You'll recall, she suffered a serious bacterial infection that put her out of commission for a good while ... but eventually, Madonna was back on her two feet and out in public again.

A group of Colorado thrill seekers were filmed hanging out of an SUV that was speeding backwards before it flipped over and crushed the passengers, seriously injuring them.

Saturday's disturbing crash in the parking lot of The Market in Colorado Springs was all caught on video, which was posted on social media.

Check it out ... five people are sitting in the open windows of the black SUV, which, suddenly, starts driving fast in reverse.

The vehicle does a donut before tumbling over on its side and squashing the passengers against the asphalt.

Freaked-out bystanders -- who were shooting cell phone footage -- ran to the aid of the victims. One person carries away a woman who appears to be unconscious. Other good Samaritans try to lift the SUV off the victims trapped underneath it.

Colorado Springs PD officers responded to the scene and arrested the driver, Marisol Wentling, for vehicular assault. Wentling was not injured.

As for her victims, several were rushed to local hospitals to be treated for "serious, life-threatening injuries," according to a police statement.

Derrick Ward, a former NFL running back and Super Bowl champion, was arrested this week in Los Angeles for allegedly committing multiple robberies around the city, TMZ Sports has learned.

43-year-old Ward, an L.A. native, is accused of robbing several businesses, including gas stations, over a recent period of time.

Law enforcement tells us ... Ward did not use a gun during the alleged robberies -- but officers say he did use force and fear to get money from the stores.

Ward was taken into custody on Monday afternoon and booked into jail around 6:30 PM. His booking information lists him at 6 feet tall, and 230 lbs.

DW was a 7th-round pick (NY Jets) in 2004 ... and also spent time with the NY Giants, Tampa Bay Bucs and Houston Texans over his 8-year professional football career.

Derrick -- who at one point signed a $17 million contract -- was a member of the NYG Super Bowl-winning squad that beat Tom Brady's undefeated New England Patriots to cap the 2007 season.

Ward played in 93 NFL games, carrying the rock 551 times for 2,628 yards. He had 15 total touchdowns ... 12 of them rushing.

Derrick is still in custody, according to jail records ... and bail has been set at $250K.

Guy Fieri is cooking up a storm at home ... revealing he plans to die broke and leave his sons none of his multi-million dollar fortune unless they get at least two degrees.

"Shaq said it best," the "Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives" star began to Fox News Wednesday ... adding, "Shaq said, 'If you want this cheese, you got to get two degrees.'"

The celeb chef -- who shares Hunter, 27, and Ryder, 17, with wife Lori -- added that by two degrees, he meant they also obtain a postgraduate.

Guy says he's told his sons and his sister Morgan's 22-year-old son, Jules -- who he helped raise following her 2011 passing -- to expect him to "die broke" unless they follow his rules.

He says he's not gonna let 'em take what he's built willy nilly -- and that his dad used the same tough love on him ... telling him he'd be paying for his funeral.

Although his kids are doing well, Guy says his youngest son Ryder hadn't taken the news sitting down ... finding it unfair he's already pushing him to get an MBA when he has yet to get past college.

On the whole, we can guarantee that they'll be working their butts off for that inheritance ... especially as Guy's just signed a mammoth $100M, 3-year contract with the Food Network.

Matthew Perry's death being pinned on ketamine by the Coroner is misleading, and puts the drug in a bad light -- so says an M.D. who's prescribed it to his own patients.

Dr. Zaid Fadul -- the Medical Director at BetterU and an expert in addiction medicine -- tells TMZ ... the L.A. County Coroner Office's finding last week that Perry died from the acute effects of ketamine doesn't really explain how he died ... at least in his professional opinion.

Yes, ketamine happened to be in Matt's system at the time of his death -- and might have been the reason he dozed off in his hot tub ... but obviously, the "Friends" actor drowned.

Dr. Fadul's point here is ... any kind of drug that spurs sedation would've likely had the same effect, and he feels like blaming MP's tragic passing on ketamine alone -- without this context -- isn't fair, and that might deter people from seeking it out as a viable option.

Now, on the issue of whether Perry had used ketamine the day he died or not -- Dr. Fadul has a theory on that as well. According to him, Matt was likely experienced with ketamine and was taking ever-increasing doses, which might've left some residual.

He adds, that residual amount could've been super high, if Matt had a high tolerance to the drug and was taking high doses. He also believes Perry wasn't only taking ketamine through an IV.

Remember, the coroner's report on Perry's cause of death noted he'd been involved in ketamine infusion therapy in the months leading up to this -- but pointed out he'd been weaning off of it thanks to a new doctor who found he didn't need as much these days.

Ketamine is often used as a treatment for depression and anxiety, which is why Matt had been taking it ... but because his ketamine levels were so elevated when he died, it's unclear Matt was taking it therapeutically or recreationally.

The implication from the report seems to be pointing to the latter. Dr. Fadul, though, isn't so sure that's accurate.