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Dwayne Johnson returned to the WWE on Monday night, making a surprise appearance at RAW -- and it's safe to say following an electric few minutes on the mic and in the ring ... the crowd definitely smelled what he was cooking.

The 51-year-old -- who hasn't been seen in the WWE since September -- shocked fans at Pechanga Arena in San Diego when he interrupted Jinder Mahal's anti-American rant to open up a can of whoop ass.

The Rock slowly made his way to the ring after Mahal had bashed the U.S. in a minutes-long promo ... and when he eventually stood in front of the former WWE champ, Dwayne popped off insult after insult after insult.

In fact, at one point, Dwayne was able to get the crowd to call Mahal a "douche bag" over and over again in a unified chant.

Ultimately, a brawl between the guys broke out  -- but The Rock put an end to things quickly with a Spinebuster followed by his signature People's Elbow.

After Mahal ran away, The Rock electrified the crowd further ... calling out Roman Reigns.

Casey Anthony has blamed her father for her daughter's death ... and now George Anthony is taking a lie detector test ... and it got emotional.

Casey's dad broke down when taking the polygraph test on camera ... choking up when he was repeatedly asked if he concealed Caylee Anthony's whereabouts.

George agreed to get hooked up to a polygraph for an upcoming A&E special on Lifetime, "Casey Anthony’s Parents: The Lie Detector Test," after Casey accused him of molesting her and Caylee and being responsible for Caylee's death.

While George says he didn't know where Caylee's body was when she was missing, he appears to be struggling with the question ... but says it's because he's picturing the wooded area where her dead body was ultimately found.

Remember ... Caylee disappeared in June 2008 and her body was found a few months later in December, when her death was ruled a homicide. Casey stood trial in 2011 and the jury acquitted her of murder, manslaughter and child abuse. She was found guilty of lying to cops, but that's it.

During the trial, Casey accused George of sexually abusing her when she was a child, and of disposing of Caylee's body ... claims he vehemently denied in court. In 2022 Casey doubled down in a Peacock docuseries, where she also accused George of staging Caylee's death to make it seem like it was Casey's fault.

Now, George is taking his denial a step further with the lie detector test ... and TMZ has the sneak peek.

The head of South Korea's Democratic Party was brutally stabbed by a knife-wielding suspect during a press conference ... and the horrifying attack was all caught on video.

Lee Jae-myung was at a public event surrounded by a gaggle of reporters and TV cameras in South Korea's port city of Busan Tuesday when the assailant approached him for an autograph before suddenly plunging a knife into his neck.

Check out the crazy clip ... Lee grimaces in pain as he collapses to the ground after the stabbing. The crowd jumps on the suspect, who's wearing a blue, paper crown around his head, tackling him to the pavement.

Other footage shows Lee lying face up on the ground with his eyes closed as someone applies a handkerchief to his neck wound to stop the bleeding.

Lee was rushed to a hospital in Busan, where he was given emergency care for his neck injury, which was not life-threatening, according to Reuters. He was then airlifted to a medical facility in the capital city of Seoul for additional treatment.

South Korean Democratic Party spokesman Kwon Chil-seung held a press conference, saying that medical staff believes Lee suffered damage to his jugular vein.

Abigail Ratchford had a terrifying situation unfold this weekend -- when cops say 3 goons broke into her freaking house ... this while she was still INSIDE!

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... the longtime Instagram model -- who has over 9 million followers -- was hanging out at her L.A.-area property Saturday evening when her house alarm went off while she was in there.

We're told 3 men had attempted to burglarize her home ... smashing through a large window from her backyard and slinking on in -- but running away before having their way with the place. Our sources say it appears either the alarm or the sounds from inside scared them off.

Cops took a report and are now investigating. BTW, this was all caught on surveillance video taken from a camera Abigail set up on her patio ... and the footage, obtained by TMZ, is wild. You can see these dudes brazenly smash the glass, and all enter the premises.

Now, in terms of how AR herself experienced all this -- sources close to her tell us she's totally freaked out and for good reason ... as this could've gotten ugly fast.

We're told Abigail was upstairs at her house and watching a movie when the guys came crashing through her sliding glass door ... but she luckily never came face to face with them. Still, our sources say the idea of her coming downstairs for a drink that evening and running into the three men absolutely terrifies her.

If you're a baseball fan with a quarter of a million dollars lyin' around -- you're in luck ... 'cause an ultra-rare bat that Hall of Famer Roberto Clemente once used and signed is about to go on sale!!

TMZ Sports has learned ... the Hillerich & Bradsby signature model U1 bat that Clemente swung during the 1971 season is hitting Heritage Auctions in February -- and it's awesome.

The 36-inch, 35.5-ounce relic has been photo-matched ... and it's also been autographed by Clemente himself.

The inscription -- which Clemente made out to famed memorabilia collector Carey Diab -- reads, "To my friend Carey, Best Wishes Always, Roberto Clemente." It also has the No. 21 written on the knob.

Experts at Heritage Auctions expect it to go for $250K when it ultimately sells ... explaining, "It is one of a tiny handful of known photo-matched Clemente gamers."

Clemente was the first Caribbean and Latin-American MLB player to be inducted into the Hall of Fame after playing 18 seasons in the pros. In his career, he logged 3,000 hits and 240 home runs.

He also won two World Series with the Pittsburgh Pirates and became a 15-time All-Star, a four-time NL batting champ, and an NL MVP. Clemente also won 12 Gold Gloves.

The Burger King employee who went viral for getting a mediocre goodie bag in recognition of 27 years without missing work is finally seeing his dedication pay off ... in a massive way.

Kevin Ford tells TMZ … he bought a house on Dec. 13 with money raised from the GoFundMe his daughter set up for him in the wake of last summer's online fame.

Kevin says he walked away with about $350,000 from the crowdsourcing fund -- it raised almost $500K but GoFundMe took a sizeable chunk -- and he used about half to buy a place in Pahrump, Nevada for $177,000.

Kevin's new place has 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms and is 846 square feet ... with a covered front deck, fenced-in yard and views of the surrounding mountains. He says he's gonna invest more money into the place too.

With the rest of his GoFundMe cash, Kevin says he gave his daughter a chunk so she could put it toward a home for herself and his grandkids ... and he put the rest away for retirement.

Remember ... Kevin went viral back in June 2022 when his employer gave him a goodie bag with random candies to celebrate him going 27 years without missing a day on the job.

Kevin's daughter piggybacked off his viral moment and set up a GoFundMe so he could visit his family in Texas ... and David Spade was among the big-money donors.

Naturally, Kevin is still working at BK, but there's been a big change -- he says he's now missed one day ... for an appearance on the "Today" show.

Kevin says his new digs are about an hour away from work, but he likes driving so he doesn't mind the long commute.

It's pretty incredible ... Kevin tells us the viral fame literally saved his life. He says he was depressed and the support from strangers not only put a new roof over his head, but also saved his life.

Before this cute kiddo was "breaking and entering" into the entertainment industry as an actor, he was dressing in his finest red overalls, starting his career at just 6 years old and becoming a member of the National Youth Theatre while growing up in London, England.

While he's been in a handful of movies, like "Children of Men" with Julianne Moore ... he's probably most known for his breakout role ... playing Chuck Bass on "Gossip Girl." He's also passionate about music and was a member of the rock band The Filthy Youth.

Angela White, formerly Blac Chyna, is going for a new look ... and she says reducing the size of her breast implants has been a painful process.

Chyna says she recently decided to decrease her breast implants, with multiple plastic surgeries leading to some health complications.

BC says she made the change because she no longer felt large fake boobs fit her body type ... but because she's had so many implants over the years, she needed to gradually reduce the implants to get to her desired size.

Chyna says she's had two recent surgeries to go from 585cc implants to 190cc ... and one procedure resulted in her left breast being encapsulated. In other words, her muscle contracted around the implant.

Thing is ... Chyna says it's the first time she's dealt with side effects from breast implants, calling it the worst possible outcome.

While Chyna says it's been painful, she's on the mend ... and she's loving her new look and happy about her future.

Blake Shelton is being dragged online for his prerecorded New Year's Eve performance ... and some are saying it's an embarrassment to country music.

Here's the deal ... Blake was featured on CBS's "New Year's Eve Live: Nashville's Big Bash" in what was billed as a live show, but folks figured out it was prerecorded and then trashed him.

Blake and Trace Adkins reunited for the CBS show, singing some of their oldies like "Hillbilly Bone" and "Hell Right."

Thing is ... Blake's performance aired only a few minutes before he took the stage in real life at a casino in Oklahoma.

Fans quickly caught on and ripped the network and Blake for double-booking ... firing off some angry tweets.

One user said Blake was "an embarrassment to country music" ... while another said Blake and Trace's duet was "one of the dumbest songs."

Blake's legit live gig went down at Oklahoma's WinStar Casino ... where he performed his hits to much better reviews.

Meanwhile, Blake's wife Gwen Stefani was working too ... she had a gig over in Las Vegas ... and it was live.

2:51 PM PT -- Cardi B says she and Offset banged on NYE ... but again denies they are back together.

In a social media post, Cardi reveals she had sex with her estranged husband but says they are still working on their issues, going to therapy and aren't officially ending their split.

Cardi B and Offset started off the new year together ... but she says that doesn't necessarily mean they are together again.

The estranged couple rang in 2024 at a strip club in Miami, throwing money around and dancing ... and it's all on video.

But Cardi says the NYE hangout -- which was a group hang -- isn't a sign they've kissed and made up ... far from it.

In fact, Cardi has a message for folks thinking she's back with Offset ... "we not together.. we together when I say so not when you THINK so."

Thing is ... Cardi and Offset were both in Miami for work ... they each had NYE gigs at the Fontainebleau Miami Beach - Offset performed at LIV and Cardi poolside - making this rendezvous pretty easy.

Cardi and Offset spending time together amid their split and then her denying they're back together is quickly becoming a thing ... it happened during Christmas and once again after they were spotted in NYC.

CB also said she's leaving toxic energy in 2023 ... and it's clear Offset doesn't fall in that category.

It will be interesting to see if Cardi and Offset do in fact patch things up again ... stay tuned.

Gypsy Rose Blanchard rang in the new year with a kiss and some confetti ... and TMZ has it all on video.

Gypsy and her husband, Ryan, shot off confetti and smooched as the clock struck midnight ... embracing before sharing the moment with family.

Family sources tell TMZ … Gypsy had a last-minute NYE bash in Louisiana, making the most of it with a small party at her and Ryan's home.

Gypsy's dad, Rod Blanchard, and her stepmom, Kristy, were also in the house ... with Kristy helping Gypsy get ready, curling her hair.

GRB even had press on nails ... and we're told Ryan bought her NYE dress and shoes.

Our sources say Gypsy's dad and husband grilled steak together ... and the tender family moment warmed her heart ... after all, this is the family she's always wanted.

Our sources say Gypsy's enjoying a low-key New Year's Day ... the first thing she did was fold clothes and put things away in her home ... but we're told it's these simple tasks that make her feel grateful for her new life post-prison.

As for Gypsy's resolutions for 2024 ... we're told she wants to enjoy being in the moment, believe in herself, be more confident and not worry about what others say or think about her.

Remember ... Gypsy and Ryan were planning to go to the Kansas City Chiefs game Sunday for a chance to meet Taylor Swift, but her parole officers wanted her out of Missouri and she went back home to Louisiana.

Backstreet Boys singer AJ McLean is starting fresh in the new year ... he says he's getting divorced after previously separating from his wife.

AJ and Rochelle DeAnna McLean just released a joint statement on social media, announcing their plans to divorce.

The estranged couple says ... "As you all know we have been separated for over a year now. While we have hoped for reconciliation we have decided to officially end our marriage."

AJ and Rochelle continue ... "It is with deep love and respect that we have made this decision. Our focus now is moving forward in the healthiest way possible with friendship and co-parenting our girls at the forefront of this next chapter."

TMZ broke the story ... AJ and Rochelle told us back in March 2023 they were "temporarily" separating to work on themselves and their marriage. At the time, they told us they were planning to come back together.

In the wake of the separation, AJ told us he was using the time apart to work on his own demons and become a better version of himself.

Sounds like there will be no reconciliation though ... and it will be interesting to see who files divorce docs first.

AJ and Rochelle got hitched back in 2011 after 6 years of dating ... with his Backstreet Boys crew attending their wedding at the Beverly Hills Hotel.

Superstitious Los Angelenos are pulling out their hair right now ... because a 4.1 magnitude earthquake just rocked the city.

The quake's epicenter hit just off the coast of Palos Verdes at 8:27 AM PT today, but folks all the way up in H'Wood and Pasadena felt a bit of shaking.

As with most earthquakes, it stopped as quickly as it started, but it's a jarring way to wake up people sleeping off late-night revelry.

Some wild natural occurrences have battered SoCal recently with huge waves bouncing over a seawall in Ventura last week, injuring eight and causing dozens to flee.

Unclear how much, if any damage, was done by our New Year's tremor, but it was nothing compared to the devastating quakes felt by Japan yesterday.

Three powerful, successive earthquakes hit the island nation on New Year's Eve with the biggest reaching a 7.6 magnitude.

Roads and bridges sustained major damage while tsunami warnings were quickly issued by the government. More than 97,000 people were forced to evacuate according to Reuters.

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce started 2024 off with a bang ... or at least a steamy kiss in a now-viral video sweeping social media.

The songstress and the NFL star grabbed each other at midnight with Taylor wrapping her arms around Travis' neck and pulling him in close for a smooch.

While partygoers around them noticed the two going at it, the happy couple seemed too preoccupied with one another to care.

It's not clear exactly where the lovebirds rang in the New Year, but it's likely they stuck around Kansas City after Travis' game against the Bengals.

As we previously reported ... T-Swift pulled up to Arrowhead Stadium solo Sunday afternoon to cheer on her beau, a common occurrence these days.

Taylor has become a staple at Chiefs games since she and Travis went public back in September. She's even traveled to the frigid Northeast to take in a couple games this season.

As for what the pair's plans for the new year might be, that's anyone's guess. We know Taylor and Travis wanted to spend the holidays together after being apart for Thanksgiving, and T-Swift's got shows in Japan coming up in February.

In the interim though, Tayvis seems content on enjoying their time together ... and each other's mouths as well.

Kelly Clarkson's Las Vegas residency won't last forever, but she left her fans with one heck of a memory ... a wedding ceremony mid-show!

The "Stronger" singer stopped by a pair of men in the audience during her New Year's Eve show who asked her to bear witness to their union.

One of the men said he and his partner had been together nearly 15 years and were ready to tie the knot.

During this story, their officiant came down and Kelly handed the mic over to him ... and he didn't miss a beat, launching into a quick ceremony.

The happy couple said their "I do's" and, by the "power of Kelly Clarkson's show" the officiant proclaimed them married.

Kelly didn't stop there. The "Since U Been Gone" songstress shook hands with the couple's parents and congratulated them on the marriage as well.

It's good to know Kelly's opinion on love hasn't soured given her contentious divorce from her ex-husband, Brandon Blackstock.

Though the two settled their divorce in 2022, Blackstock overcharged Kelly when he managed her career, and the judge ruled he owed her about $2.6 million in November.

Scary moment for singer-songwriter Monica on Saturday night ... the "So Gone" singer appeared to pass out during her show in Houston.

TMZ's obtained video from one concertgoer first showing Monica, bleach blonde hair cascading down her back, belting out "Angel of Mine."

Later, a figure with those same light locks appears passed out at the side of the stage with a member of the crew quickly carrying them away from the spotlight.

And, then there's this ... several fans took to social media and alluded to some kind of incident at Monica's show in The Bayou City.

One X user asked "What happened to Monica at the Houston concert??" while another added, "The Houston streets are talking! They’re saying Monica left in an ambulance after passing out by the stairs."

Monica is no stranger to health issues. She's often talked about her mitral valve prolapse, a heart condition she was diagnosed with at 18 which impedes the flap between the upper and lower chambers of her heart from closing properly.

She's also suffered from, and been hospitalized for, high blood pressure in the past, a condition she's said she's worked hard to control, and she's had multiple surgeries for endometriosis.

43-year-old Monica has several shows coming up in the American Southeast on her tour ... perhaps heaping extra stress on the star's plate.