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STEVE BALLMER!!!

The L.A. Clippers owner and his wife Connie just pledged more than $25 MILLION to help fight the battle against COVID-19!!!!

And, get this ... $10 MILLION of that pledge is earmarked for the Univ. of Washington Medicine’s Emergency Response Fund to expedite testing for a vaccine!!!

How 'bout them Clippers now, huh!?!?!

Of course, Steve -- who made his fortune as the CEO of Microsoft -- is reportedly worth more than $50 BILLION so, dude can afford to cut those big ass checks. It's still an awesome move.

The rest of the cash will go toward relief efforts in Seattle, Michigan and Los Angeles, according to ESPN's Ohm Youngmisuk.

Ballmer is the latest big name in the sports world to pitch in -- just yesterday, Drew Brees pledged $5 MILLION to the State of Louisiana.

Conor McGregor, Rihanna, Kylie Jenner and more have also opened up their wallets.

LET'S GO!!!!

A popular restaurant forced to close its normal business due to coronavirus guidelines, transitioned into a pop-up grocery store, but the health department put the kibosh on that too ... and the restaurant's pissed.

Bacari PDR in Playa Del Rey shut down its restaurant and kitchen last week, but obviously, it still had a lot of food and supplies in its inventory.

So, it began selling fresh produce, meat and toiletry items to the local community to try to make ends meet during the difficult financial times ... along with helping residents find essential groceries they might have struck out on elsewhere.

The L.A. County Health Department wasn't having it, though. Bacari says a representative showed up Friday at the restaurant-turned-market and shut it down ... because it doesn't have a grocery license.

The restaurant's understandably upset and is blasting the L.A. County government for shutting them down. Bacari maintains it was just "trying to survive, and getting much-needed supplies to the neighborhood."

The catch-22 for Bacari is they've been told the health dept. is not accepting new grocery applications due to the pandemic -- which is, of course, the only reason Bacari's in this situation! The restaurant has reached out to Mayor Eric Garcetti to try to rectify the situation.

We're told at least 2 other restaurants nearby, in Manhattan Beach and Santa Monica, are doing what Bacari PDR was doing, but it's unclear if they've also been forced to close.

We've reached out to the health dept. ... no word back, so far.

As for what Bacari was selling ... stuff like avocados, tomatoes, loaves of bread, shredded cheese, lettuce, chicken and other meat -- all for pretty reasonable prices.

Criss Angel's eyes are not deceiving him ... the Vegas strip has almost literally emptied out in wake of the coronavirus but he says when the time is right, it'll be ready for a comeback.

Criss joined "TMZ Live" Friday from his office and says it's been eerie to see Sin City -- the Entertainment Capital of the World -- come to a screeching halt as the COVID-19 pandemic triggers cities across the country shutdown.

But, he did more than just explain how the city's coping without the millions of tourists ... he showed us just how insanely empty the strip is at this moment. You can see him walking down one of the strip's main arteries as he made his way to Planet Hollywood.

The streets are quite literally empty ... safe for a hop-on/hop-off bus that appeared to be completely empty. Criss, wearing an air mask, walks down the middle of the road. The sidewalks are totally empty too.

Check out the video ... Criss says during the worst of times -- like the Depression or during wars -- entertainment has always been everyone's escape. This pandemic, however, has created an unprecedented moment because it's literally shut down the entertainment business.

Vin Scully is GUARAN-DAMN-TEEING America will win its battle with COVID-19 ... saying he's seen the U.S. battle back from far worse issues in the past -- like World War II.

"I've seen this country -- the greatest country on Earth -- get off its knees, literally and figuratively," the legendary Dodgers announcer says. "When they were down and out during the Depression."

"And, when they were on their knees after the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor. And, what happened then? They unleashed a tiger!"

The 92-year-old broadcaster says he's got no doubts the U.S. of A. will do the same in a short time when it comes to the coronavirus pandemic.

"The tiger was the whole country pulling together and getting not only get back on its feet, but saving the whole world," he said. "So, you and I, yeah, things are tough. But, we'll be up off our knees soon!"

In the meantime, Scully's advice on how to deal with the quarantine blues is simple ... "Spend the precious time at home with your family."

"Pray a little bit more like most of us will do. And above all, try to smile. Because when you smile, that makes everybody else feel better."

Shia LaBeouf is taking advantage of his time outdoors ... and doing so in style by locking lips with a hottie and dancing his ass off.

The 'Transformers' star was spotted out Thursday in Pasadena hanging out with a mystery blonde. It's unclear who she is ... but it's obvious they're an item. They went full PDA in the midst of California's "shelter in place" order.

We can only hope they're in quarantine together ... for everyone's sakes.

Shia looks quite the outdoorsman ... rocking those running leggings, confidently. He's also showing off his heavily tatted bod, and generally looking in great shape. Just gotta get past that bowlcut hairdo. These are tough times for personal grooming.

In any event, Shia looked to be in a great mood, judging by the way he was dancing around.

Maybe he's in a celebrating mood. If you look closely, Shia's wearing what appears to be a ring on his wedding finger. That's odd ... since we spotted him with a mystery brunette last summer. This, after a very public rush to the altar back in 2016 in Vegas with actress Mia Goth.

Jon Jones told police he had vodka before getting behind the wheel of his Jeep Thursday morning -- and needed to get out of the house because he was going '"stir-crazy" during the coronavirus pandemic.

It's all on police body cam footage from Jon's DWI arrest in Albuquerque, New Mexico ... with the UFC superstar calmly trying to explain to officers why he drank and then drove.

"I literally just got stir-crazy," Jones said ... "I just wanted to have a drive. This is my first drive in 2 weeks. And, I saw these homeless guys. I was being nice to them, having conversation with them, treating them like humans.”

During the stop, Jon said he has "really bad" short-term memory -- and blamed it on the fact he's a UFC fighter who gets "punched in the head" for a living.

"My short-term memory is really bad."

Jones was given multiple field sobriety tests including balancing, counting and reciting the alphabet. It did not go well. He struggled mightily.

Jones was ultimately arrested and booked for aggravated driving while intoxicated, negligent use of a deadly weapon and possession of an open container.

As we previously reported, cops say he fired a black handgun at some point during the evening -- which is why they were called to the scene in the first place.

Cops say they found a gun and a half-empty bottle of booze in Jon's car while searching the vehicle.

While officers are putting Jon in the car, he's overcome with emotion and begins to weep -- telling the officers, "I'm scared for my family."

At one point, Jon tells one of the officers, "I love you guys so much. I actually wanted to be a police officer when I grew up."

Kim Kardashian West has jumped on ship with countless other celebs -- including her sister -- in donating a massive amount to help battle the coronavirus pandemic.

Kim just announced her SKIMS shapewear will be supporting mothers and children in need at this time with a $1 million donation. She says the money will specifically benefit families affected by COVID-19.

She says in order to bring relief to those hit hardest by the pandemic, SKIMS is restocking its original collection Monday ... and a cool mil in proceeds will be donated.

Kim's announcement comes a day after Kylie Jenner's million-dollar donation for coronavirus relief efforts. Her charitable contribution will go toward the production of face masks and other protective gear to be used by healthcare workers.

Designer Michael Costello is answering the call to help medical pros protect themselves while treating COVID-19 patients ... by making much-needed masks.

The "Project Runway" darling from season 8 was hard at work Friday in his DTLA factory when he joined us on "TMZ Live." Michael's converted his operation to crank out medical and non-medical grade masks ... instead of haute couture gowns.

MC says his seamstress team is practicing social-distancing while at work ... spacing out their sewing stations. Their mission is to do as much as possible to answer L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti's call for 5 million masks through the new L.A. Protects initiative.

Michael says he'll donate these masks to first-responders, hospitals and other medical facilities in desperate need for the equipment.

Check out the video ... Costello also called on other L.A. fashion designers to join the cause, and showed us some of his team's handiwork. It's admirable, to say the least, considering L.A. is bracing for a massive wave of COVID-19 patients.

John Kerry didn't hold anything back on the lone representative in the House opposing the coronavirus stimulus bill, calling him an a-hole and an idiot ... and President Trump's impressed.

It seems Democrats and Republicans have come together not only to form the Save Our Workers Bill, but to skewer Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie ... who happens to be a Republican.

Not long after POTUS called him a "third rate Grandstander" and pushed for him to get kicked out of the party, Kerry chimed in saying ... "Congressman Massie has tested positive for being an a**hole."

He added about Massie ... "He must be quarantined to prevent the spread of his massive stupidity. He's given new meaning to the term #Masshole."

Trump replied, commending Kerry for his good sense of humor.

It's no laughing matter, though ... Massie's opposition to the bill is forcing members of Congress to return to Washington for a potential roll call and in-person vote on the bill, instead of passing it via voice vote.

As you may know ... some representatives have already tested positive for COVID-19 and are quarantining, so they won't be able to make the trip.

For others, a gathering in Washington means an increased risk of coronavirus exposure for the lawmakers ... along with a delay in the bill getting passed.

TMZ broke the story, some representatives complained weeks ago that the Capitol was still open to visitors and lobbyists and begged for the leadership to close the doors on visitors, but that didn't happen. One of the congressmen told us he's tested positive.

R. Kelly's got NO business getting out of jail -- regardless of the coronavirus -- according to the family of his GF, Joycelyn Savage.

The Savage family's attorney, Gerald Griggs, says ... if Kelly is released, it would place Joycelyn "back into the hands of a predator." Not only that, but the family claims it would also put her at risk to potentially be infected by COVID-19.

Joycelyn's family says it believes the best option for her is to continue to "socially and physically distance herself" from Kelly, adding that he is "right where he belongs" -- penned up in Chicago MCC while he awaits trial in Illinois federal court.

We broke the story ... the disgraced singer asked to be released from jail over fears he could be infected with the coronavirus. He wants to be released on bond and says he's willing to wear electronic monitoring.

However, Kelly says he'd live with Joycelyn at an apartment complex in Chicago if he gets out, but clearly ... that's the last thing her family wants to see happen.

For the record ... Kelly has not tested positive for COVID-19, and Joycelyn has not had any contact with her family since a confrontation outside a courthouse in January.

Another one of Kelly's alleged victims, Lisa Van Allen, had an even stronger reaction to his request for release. She tells us, "This isn't Monopoly, there is no get out of jail free card! Not for an infected toe or for a pandemic! You do the crime, you do the time, just like the rest of the inmates!"

The massive U.S. Navy Hospital Ship Mercy has finally arrived ... just in time to help ease pressure on L.A. hospitals bracing for a tsunami of coronavirus cases.

Mercy docked in the L.A. Port Friday morning after making the trek from San Diego. It's quite a sight ... the ship's being flanked by a fleet of what appears to be U.S. Coast Guard boats. The scene offers one helluva juxtaposition ... L.A.'s desperate help to combat a global crisis with a picturesque backdrop of sunshine and palm trees.

Mercy, which left San Diego on Monday, will provide 1,000 hospital beds, extra doctors, nurses and other staff. The ship is expected to treat patients who do NOT have coronavirus ... freeing up resources such as ventilators and intensive care units at brick and mortar hospitals.

L.A. officials fear they have not seen the worse yet nearly 2 weeks after California Governor Gavin Newsom and L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti issued a "shelter-in-place" order. So far, there have been 21 deaths and more than 1,220 cases -- a 52% jump since Wednesday -- in L.A. County alone.

L.A.'s needs are so intense ... ABC shows "Grey's Anatomy" and "Station 19" are donating medical supplies -- such as hundreds of N95 masks and gowns -- to hospital staff working to combat the deadly outbreak.