'Euphoria' Glamorizing Drug Use Among Real Kids ... So Says D.A.R.E.

HBO might think it’s revolutionary to show Zendaya snorting it up on camera, but one group is just saying no to TV drug use ... yep, you guessed it!

The good folks at D.A.R.E (yes, it’s still around, even in 2022) are speaking out on what they say is the glamorization of substance use -- and in many cases, abuse -- that’s depicted throughout the hit series "Euphoria," especially right now as Season 2 gets underway.

A rep for D.A.R.E tells TMZ ... "Rather than further each parent’s desire to keep their children safe from the potentially horrific consequences of drug abuse and other high-risk behavior, HBO’s television drama, Euphoria, chooses to misguidedly glorify and erroneously depict high school student drug use, addiction, anonymous sex, violence, and other destructive behaviors as common and widespread in today’s world."

Just to give you one example of how dark this show is, Zendaya’s character, Rue, actually almost OD's during an episode this season ... and, ironically, takes even more drugs to prevent it. And yes, it’s shown in graphic detail ... as is much of the sex and other taboo topics tackled in the series.

The EPs have said their approach to all this is “honest,” but D.A.R.E. says otherwise ... adding, “It is unfortunate that HBO, social media, television program reviewers, and paid advertising have chosen to refer to the show as ‘groundbreaking,’ rather than recognizing the potential negative consequences on school-age children who today face unparalleled risks and mental health challenges.”

Now, D.A.R.E. isn’t just here to criticize ... they say they actually wanna collaborate to help send the right message to real-life kids, "We would welcome the opportunity for our team, including members of our high school-aged Youth Advocacy Board, to meet with individuals at HBO who are involved with producing Euphoria to present our concerns directly."

Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media.

If this attitude comes off as antiquated, well there’s a reason for that ... D.A.R.E. was super popular in the ‘80s and ‘90s, especially with Nancy Reagan behind the “Just Say No” campaign. But, while that slogan might be dated, D.A.R.E. says everything they stand for in talking about the dangers of drugs is not, insisting "Euphoria" is doing more bad than good.

And, big picture ... they say there's a better way to have a convo about this heavy subject matter.

Neymar Custom Jersey For 'Legend' Kanye West ... At Meeting In Paris

Neymar met Kanye West for the first time in Paris on Wednesday -- and the soccer superstar didn't come empty-handed for the occasion, bringing the musician a custom "Ye" jersey.

Neymar also showered Kanye with praise on his social media following their meet-up ... calling the "Hurricane" performer a "legend."

"Nice to meet u legend 👏🏽," Neymar said while sharing two pictures from their get-together.

Kanye is, of course, in town for Fashion Week ... and he was able to see Neymar during a tour of the soccer superstar's Paris Saint-German facilities.

The two were clearly pumped to meet each other ... you can see in one of the pics the guys were smiling ear-to-ear.

It's unclear how big of a soccer fan Ye is ... but we do know he's a huge sports guy -- he's spotted at big games in the U.S. regularly and he even started his own high school basketball team at Donda Academy last year.

Maybe now we'll see him out on the pitch more???

'90DF' Alina Kozhevnikova Fired Over Racist Old Posts ... Used the N-Word, Etc.

UPDATE

7:00 AM PT -- A spokesperson for TLC tells TMZ ... "TLC discontinued filming with Alina Kozhevnikova following the recent discovery of her past social media statements. She will not appear on the upcoming Tell All, any future seasons of the franchise and starting next month, she will no longer appear on 'Before the 90 Days.' TLC does not tolerate racism or discrimination of any kind."

Alina Kozhevnikova -- a fan fave on "90 Day Fiance" -- ain't gonna be seeing any more screen time in the future ... and it's all over old racist comments.

Sources tell TMZ ... the Russian bride-to-be, who's risen to prominence during this season of 'Before the 90 Days,' has been fired by TLC brass ... this after a handful of social media posts resurfaced showing her using the n-word and other offensive language.

One Facebook post is from 2014, where she uses the n-word at least five times to describe a party to which she was invited. Another post shows her commenting on a photo, again using the n-word ... except she replaced the Gs with Qs.

A third post references Hugh Grant and how handsome she thinks he is, while noting he'd had children with a Chinese woman and expressing dismay his kids would be "kinda Asian." There's another post where she appears to be mocking Muslim people.

These comments have all surfaced in recent weeks, and now ... we're told Alina's been booted from the franchise.

Here's the thing ... our sources tell us TLC has already wrapped filming for the season — so it's unclear if they'll edit her out of episodes yet to air. She will not appear in the Tell-All episode or any future "90 Day Fiance" shows.

Her American partner, Caleb Greenwood, has stood by her side ... insisting she's not racist, and that he knows her heart.

The Ashley's Reality Roundup first reported news of her departure.

Alina, for her part, also appears to be standing firm ... but hasn't offered any apologies for the remarks. She has claimed to have been ignorant of the n-word's meaning, but a lot of people aren't buying that.

Brad Williams on 'Snow White' Dink's Right, Story Sucks ... But Disney Can Do Right by Dwarfs!!!

Peter Dinklage thinks ‘Snow White’ has a little person problem, and while Brad Willams doesn’t disagree ... he does have some suggestions on how to make it work.

We talked to the comedian/actor -- who was born with dwarfism himself -- and he gave us his take on Dinklage ripping Disney for what he sees as a fundamental issue with the story of SW and its depiction of dwarfs.

i'll do ya one better ...
TMZ.com

Check it out ... Brad says he isn’t here to refute Pete one iota, because he actually concurs ... ‘Snow White’ is problematic as it stands. However, he hits us with some solutions on how to make it even more progressive than what Disney’s done so far in the casting ... i.e. Rachel Zegler, a Latina, in the title role.

In Brad’s happily ever after, the princess actually ends up with one of the cottage dwellers!!! Watch ... he rattles off some impressive reasons for Happy and co. to play love interests for Snow. Yes, stand-up is Brad's thing, but we think he's only half joking here and makes some solid points. His way, everyone wins ... at least that’s how BW sees it.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING???"
WTF with Marc Maron

On a more serious note, Brad discusses how Hollywood needs to do a better job for little people in the biz, noting that Dinklage is NOT killing roles for other actor’s by saying what he said. That responsibility, Brad argues, ultimately lies with producers and writers ... who should look to be more inclusive in their scripts.

One last thing ... Disney has come out and said it's going a different route with the 7 dwarfs for the upcoming film, one which they say won’t harp on stereotypes the OG animated feature played up.

Dinklage still might not be convinced, but if the Mouse House listens to Brad here -- there might be a way to please all in 2022.

Rob Gronkowski I'd Retire If Forced To Decide Now ... 'I Would Say No'

IF I HAD TO CHOOSE...
TMZSports.com

If he had to make the decision today ... Rob Gronkowski says his football career would be over -- telling TMZ Sports he'd retire if the NFL made him choose right now.

"If they're like, 'Rob, you've got to decide right now, right this second if you're playing next year,' I would say no right now," Gronk said. "I would be like, 'No, I'm not playing.'"

The tight end -- who joined Babcock and Mojo on the "TMZ Sports" TV show (nightly on FS1) -- said he's just too beat up right now following his 11th season in the league to go ahead and definitively move forward with Year #12.

"If I had an answer right now," Gronk said, "it would be no."

Good news for the Buccaneers, though ... Gronk does not have to decide at this moment -- and he acknowledged his mind could change in the next couple of weeks.

The future Hall of Famer tells us once his body's healed and he's had some time to reflect on the season, the answer could very well turn into a yes.

"I just want to heal completely, see where my thoughts are from there," Gronk said. "Just let things settle down -- got to just heal a little bit. Fix all the bumps and bruises."

As for if Tom Brady's upcoming decision about his future could affect Gronk's, Rob tells us it all could play a role -- though he has to do what's best for him first and foremost.

There's more, Gronk also told us he does not think the Bucs' messy breakup with Antonio Brown played a role in their early playoff exit ... saying the locker room was full of too many veterans to let it affect them that negatively.

"There's so many experienced pros in our locker room," Gronk said. "It's not like we have a young locker room or anything like that."

GETTIN' THE PARTY STARTED
TMZSports.com

We also talked to Gronk about his partnership with Groupon. The superstar tight end teamed up with the company to give one extremely lucky fan a chance to literally celebrate the Super Bowl at Rob's actual house in Foxborough.

As you might expect from Rob ... the house is awesome. It's nearly 5,000 square feet of awesomeness ... and if you're fortunate, you and your buddies could be posting up on Gronk's couch when the big game rolls around on February 13.

Good luck!!

Guess Who This Brunette Boy Turned Into!

Before this handsome mini-man was making audiences laugh with his kooky television characters, he was just another smirking sweetheart ready for his school portrait in Waterloo, Iowa.

This cute kid got his start when he and his two best friends formed a hilarious comedy group ... they rose to fame with their online antics and eventually earned a well-deserved spot on a lineup of Comedy Central shows.

Now, this comedian has shown off his singing voice in pitchy pictures and even scored a role alongside John Goodman in an off-beat, dark comedy streaming on HBO.

Can you guess who he is?

Barry Bonds Misses Hall Of Fame In Final Year ... Ortiz Elected Instead

Barry Bonds -- one of the greatest hitters and outfielders in MLB history -- had the Baseball Hall of Fame doors slammed shut in his face on Tuesday ... as he was not voted into Cooperstown in his final year on the ballot.

Bonds -- who was getting Hall consideration for the 10th and last time -- was ultimately denied by a group of baseball writers who believe his connection to performance-enhancing drugs overshadowed the brilliance he displayed on the diamond.

The argument for Bonds' enshrinement into the Hall of Fame is simple -- the former San Francisco Giants outfielder put up jaw-dropping numbers throughout his storied 22-year career in the big leagues.

BB is the all-time leader in home runs (762), owns the single-season home run record set by a player, is a 14-time All-Star and won seven NL MVPs -- by far the most in MLB history.

On another note, Sammy Sosa and Roger Clemens also fell short of the 75% of votes needed to be formally inducted into the MLB Hall of Fame. David Ortiz -- one of Bonds' contemporaries -- did receive the percentage of votes needed to make it in.

FYI, Ortiz -- aka "Big Papi" -- got in on his first try ... and although David had a legendary career with a ton of home runs (541) and multiple World Series titles, he wasn't the player or defender Bonds was.

Bonds still has a chance at making the Hall via the Today’s Game Era ballot in December ... but it will fall into the hands of a 16-person group that focuses on bringing contributors from 1988-2016 into Cooperstown.

The San Francisco Giants put out a statement, saying, "We remain hopeful that he will gain election into the National Baseball Hall of Fame through the next phase of the voting process."

Ozzie World's Oldest Male Gorilla Dead ... COVID Possibly to Blame

Ozzie, the world's oldest male Gorilla has died ... and because he was among a group of the primates who tested positive for COVID last year, it's possible the disease could be to blame for his eventual demise.

The 61-year-old was found dead at Zoo Atlanta Tuesday, President and CEO Raymond B. King said of Ozzie's loss, "While we knew this time would come someday, that inevitability does nothing to stem the deep sadness we feel at losing a legend."

According to FOX5 in Atlanta, zoo vets noticed Ozzie began to lose his appetite last week -- but continued to offer him care and encourage him to eat and drink.

It was in September of last year when Ozzie was among at least 9 of Zoo Atlanta's gorilla population to test positive for COVID. The animals exhibited symptoms similar to humans -- including runny nose, coughing and sneezing.

Ozzie first arrived in Atlanta in 1988, and was part of a scientific milestone when he became the first gorilla to get a blood pressure reading. He held the title of oldest male gorilla, but Fatou -- a 64-year-old female at Berlin Zoo -- is still the oldest living gorilla.

At Zoo Atlanta, Ozzie is survived by 3 sons, a daughter, a granddaughter, a great-granddaughter and a great-grandson... but his lineage stretches across other zoos in the U.S. and Canada.

A necropsy will be performed to determine his exact cause of death.

RIP

Kim Kardashian No New Ray J Sex Tape ... On Laptop Kanye Retrieved

There's apparently only one Kim Kardashian and Ray J sex tape in the Universe ... and while Kim's thankful Kanye recently retrieved a laptop with footage from Ray, we're told there's nothing sexual about the unseen content.

Kanye made waves during his Hollywood Unlocked interview Monday when he shared he'd delivered the device to Kim during her recent stint on 'SNL,' causing her to cry happy tears when she saw it.

Many speculated the laptop contained a rumored second sex tape between Ray J and Kim -- but a rep for Kim tells us that's just not the case -- "After review, there was nothing sexual unseen, only footage on the plane on the way to Mexico and footage at a club and restaurant on the same trip. Kim remains firm in her belief that there is no new second tape that exists." Page 6 first had the statement.

Sources close to Kim tell us while the sex tape has been a source of embarrassment, she won't forget Kanye's gesture in retrieving the material from Ray J.

The source notes that both Kim and Kanye are sensitive as co-parents, and how the continued talk of the tape may affect their kids, "Especially when it's continued to be brought up in a way that's thoughtless and intended to cause more pain."

Interestingly -- it's been Ray J's former manager, Wack 100, who teased the existence of a second sex tape since last year -- and Kanye's been hanging with Wack lately. Kanye says he had met with Ray in Florida and was given the laptop.

It sounds like Kim wants to leave the sex tape stuff behind, with her rep telling us, "After 20 years, she truly wishes to move on from this chapter with focus instead on the positive things she continues to do as a mother, entrepreneur and advocate for justice reform.”

Snoop Dogg I'll Say it, Sade's My Dream Collab ... I'm Putting It Out There!!!

COLLAB OF THE CENTURY
BACKGRID

Snoop Dogg has a huge gig on Super Bowl Sunday -- sharing the stage with Dr. Dre and co. -- but he has a different collab floating around in his head ... doing a song with Sade!!!

Check out this video of Snoop chilling in his Inglewood studio with some friends, and when someone asks if there's anyone left in music he wants to work with ... he only hesitated to take a hit of his joint before wistfully announcing it's Sade.

When the topic came up earlier this month, Snoop's revelation got a huge reaction in the room -- everyone thought it was a great idea, and encouraged him to make it happen. What's really interesting here is ... the Doggfather and Sade have some history.

You gotta see his story about the first, and only, time he's seen the "Smooth Operator" singer in concert -- apparently she had some crazy effects and even disappeared at a point -- but, even better, is what almost happened backstage at the show!

Now, Snoop -- who's about to crush the Super Bowl Halftime Show with Dre, Eminem, Mary J. Blige and Kendrick Lamar -- makes it clear there's no plan for Sade and him to record ... at least not yet. He definitely hoping this video gets him a step closer to his dream duet.

In his words ... let's "put a bat signal in the air."

If you're wondering what kinda track Snoop would wanna do with her? Well, he's a big fan of her smoothed-out loved songs -- one in particular.

Soooo ... your move, Sade!!! We're officially looking out for this epic pairing. 👀👀

Aziz Ansari Clowns Rodgers' COVID Vax Stance ... 'He Read Some Articles'

Add Aziz Ansari to the list of people going after Aaron Rodgers -- the "Parks and Rec" star just roasted the hell outta the QB ... saying no one should be surprised about his COVID vaccine stance because he's a football player.

"This guy makes a living getting hit in the head," the 38-year-old said during his Netflix standup special, "Nightclub Comedian," this week. "Can we cut him a break?"

Of course, this all stems from the Green Bay Packers star's choice against getting the jab ... as well as his decision to follow Joe Rogan's instruction to fight COVID-19.

Rodgers has been on the receiving end of hate by a lot of big names -- from Howard Stern to Jon Stewart and even President Joe Biden -- and Aziz mockingly showed sympathy for the MVP in his special.

11/5/21
WHAT FEELS RIGHT FOR ME
The Pat McAfee Show

"People hate that guy," Ansari said. "It's like alright. Calm down!"

"He's a football player! He read some articles, he got skeptical, he did some research. Are you stunned he came to the wrong conclusion?"

He continued ... "This poor guy. It's like we're all in high school and we're making fun of the quarterback for doing bad on the science test."

Aziz calls out Rodgers for trying to pull a quick one in telling reporters he's "immunized" rather than vaccinated ... saying he came off as arrogant.

"He was out there like 'Oh, I'm a critical thinker.'"

"I don't think he's an idiot though, okay?! I don't think him, Nicki Minaj, any of these people are idiots. I just think they're trapped in a different algorithm than you are."

As for Rodgers, he recently spoke out on the backlash he's faced ... saying he's been censored for having a different opinion ... and throwing shade right back at POTUS.

Cardi B Thank You to the Jurors for Big Win!!! Awarded Another $1.5 Mil

GIVIN' THANKS
Dennis Byron

Cardi B is feeling super grateful to a lot of people now that her libel trial is wrapped up ... and she's also walking away with a lot of money, thanks to the jury.

Cardi spoke out as she was leaving federal court in Atlanta Tuesday ... after a hearing to determine punitive damages in her case against YouTuber Tasha K. As we reported, Cardi won big in the case yesterday -- the jury found Tasha liable for all 3 claims against her for telling several damaging lies about Cardi.

The rapper was flanked by her attorneys as she thanked the jurors for reaching a "fair" decision, and she even thanked the media for encouraging her through the trial. She said reporters helped keep her strong while dealing with the "emotional distress."

She also shouted out her attorneys for nearly 3 years of work on the case.

As we told you ... Cardi was awarded $1.25 mil yesterday, and today she got an additional $1.5 million in punitive damages, plus $1.3 million for her attorney's fees.

Now, whether or not Tasha K has that $4 mil to pay Cardi ... well, that's a whole other Oprah.

'RHOSLC' Jennie Nguyen Fired By Bravo!!! ... Following Racist FB Posts

Jennie Nguyen has just gotten the boot from Bravo. The Real Housewives star will no longer be a cast member on the show ... something folks have demanded, after some of her allegedly racist posts started making rounds on social media.

In an Instagram post, the network acknowledged it failed to take action once some of Jennie's offensive posts came to light ... but from here on out, execs say she will NOT be filming on "The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City".

As you know, the (now former) real housewife came under fire once her Facebook posts from 2020 began to resurface on social media. During the Black Lives Matter protests, Jennie re-shared and posted tons of photos and memes that some folks saw as a direct attack on Black Americans.

The post (above) is just one example. She also reposted and shared posts that mentioned phrases like "BLM Thugs" and "Violent Gangs" ... in other words, mocking the BLM movement.

Other housewives have come out and condemned Jennie's posts and even talk show host Andy Cohen called them very disgusting and upsetting. Now, the network seems to have hopped on that train, canceling the RH star.

Patrick Mahomes' Fiancée I'm Being 'Attacked' After Bubbly Celly ... I'm A Winner, Haters Are Losers!!!

Patrick Mahomes' fiancée is clapping back at the hate she's gotten for making it rain champagne after the Chiefs' big overtime win ... saying anyone who has an issue with her celebration is a big loser.

Brittany Matthews was criticized by some on social media for uncorking a bottle of bubbly inside her suite and spraying it all over fans at Arrowhead Stadium ... with some pointing out the possibility some spectators may not have wanted to be drenched in alcohol in the freezing temps.

1/23/22
CHAMPAGNE CELEBRATION
@brittanylynne / Instagram

Others also claim that the celly might have been a bit excessive -- despite the game being incredible -- considering it was the divisional round.

Matthews responded to the backlash on Twitter this week ... saying she's sick of being ridiculed for her every move.

"I just wish I could do what I want without getting attacked every week," Matthews said.

When another user replied by saying anyone against the celebration has "clearly never won anything before" ... Brittany replied, "Accurate."

For what it's worth, several members of Chiefs Kingdom came to Brittany's defense ... pointing out she has every right to celebrate how she wants.

The haters will be rooting for the Cincinnati Bengals to upset the Chiefs and send the Mahomeses home without a celebration ... but if that doesn't happen, expect Britt to double down.

Adele Show Postponed Over Disputes, Not COVID, Sources

Adele says her Vegas residency was postponed because of a massive COVID outbreak on her crew, but multiple sources connected to Caesars Palace claim the real reason the show is on ice is because Adele's displeased with the production.

Our sources say Adele was unhappy with various set pieces, a choir, the sound system and other items associated with the show. Several sources say they could not satisfy her production demands ... they say she felt numerous elements "were not good enough."

1/20/22
WRECKED BY COVID
@adele / Twitter

That said, we're told the folks at Caesars were "shocked" when Adele canceled at the last minute. Mind you, crews have been hard at work on every aspect of the show since at least December. One source said this was not a matter of them trying to pull it together in the 11th hour -- we're told Adele wasn't ever satisfied with the results.

As for COVID, our Caesars sources say they can't speak to Adele's crew, but the Caesars' crew was ready, willing and able, and they say they can't understand why she waited until the last minute to pull the plug.

We've reached out to her camp for comment, but no word back yet.

The singer said she and her crew had been awake for 30 straight hours to right the ship, but at the last minute, it proved too much.

Our sources say Caesars is hoping to pull off at least some of Adele's February slate of shows.

Janet Jackson Claims MJ Bullied Her Over Weight ... Called Her 'Pig, Hog' as Kids

Janet Jackson's revealing a painful aspect of her tight relationship with Michael Jackson -- claiming he brutally taunted her about her weight, and she says it had a lasting impact on her.

Janet opens up about her brother in the upcoming documentary, "Janet," and reportedly says Michael teased her by hurling insults like "pig, horse, slaughter hog'' during their childhood.

That might sound like typical sibling jabs -- she does say they both laughed at the time ... but JJ also says it hurt her deep down.

The 2-part docu-series premieres Friday night on A&E and Lifetime, and shows Janet discussing her weight issues, and much more about Michael -- including the molestation accusations against him and how they impacted her career.

Janet also gets into her marriages and relationships with James DeBarge, Rene Elizondo Jr., Jermaine Dupri and Wissam Al Mana ... the father of her son.

As for Michael's cruel remarks -- according to Daily Mail, Janet says in the doc ... "When you have somebody say you're too heavy, it affects you."

Janet and Michael were famously very close -- she's said Michael and Randy Jackson were the siblings she bonded with most -- but it looks like the "Janet" docuseries is about to reveal a new facet of their relationship.

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