Kobe Bryant Permanent Statue At Crash Site Not Happening ... Officials Say

Despite the construction of a temporary Kobe and Gigi Bryant statue this week at the site of their tragic helicopter crash ... TMZ Sports has learned a permanent sculpture will not be installed.

City of Calabasas officials told us this week they have "no plans for any sort of memorial at the crash site."

A spokesperson for the Mountains Recreation Conservation Authority, which oversees the site of the tragic crash, added that there is to be "no permanent memorial on the site."

It does not mean one couldn't ultimately end up being placed there at some point down the road ... but the rep for the MRCA told us definitively there's nothing currently in the works for now or the future.

It's a bummer for those who wanted to see a statue erected ... especially after a 160-pound one was placed on the scene by sculptor Dan Medina on the anniversary of the crash on Wednesday.

Fans loved the mini-monument, which featured a depiction of Kobe and Gigi together, and Medina had told us he'd be willing to donate a life-sized version of it to the city for free.

HONORING THEIR LEGACY
TMZSports.com

Medina said regardless of the city's plans going forward ... he still has hopes of making a trip to the crash site every year with the sculpture to honor the NBA legend and the other victims.

Taylor Swift Fanatic Crashes Car into Her NYC Home

UPDATE

5:05 AM PT -- 1/28 -- The NYPD has identified the suspect as 31-year-old Morgan Mank, who was booked for driving while intoxicated and driving while ability impaired. Police observed a moderate odor of alcohol on his breath.

UPDATE

9:57 AM PT -- Law enforcement sources tell us the man told cops he was not going to leave the area until he met with Taylor.

Taylor Swift's properties are a magnet for strange incidents ... the latest ending with a man arrested early Thursday morning after cops say he crashed his car into her NYC building.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... a man was busted after driving the wrong way down Taylor's street ... then reversing and striking the building and a fire hydrant.

We're told the guy got out of the car and went to the intercom, trying to rip it out of the wall ... mumbling about Taylor. As you see, the intercom wires are sticking out every which way.

Our sources say someone called 911 and when NYPD arrived officers took the man into custody and took him to a nearby hospital ... presumably for psychiatric evaluation. We're told he's facing potential charges for DWI and criminal mischief. Cops say he was drunk.

It's unclear if Taylor was home at the time.

1/27/22
RIPPED APART
TMZ.com

As we reported ... there's been several men arrested at Taylor's homes all over the country ... from Rhode Island to New York to Bev Hills.

Originally Published -- 9:30 AM PT

Guess Who This Cheesin' Child Turned Into!

Before this cheesing child was one of the top athletes of his time, he was just another cute kid smiling wide for the camera in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

This adorable all-star is best known for not only scoring touchdowns, but scoring multi-million dollar deals in the NFL. Even though this MVP baller has played for multiple teams over the course of his successful career, he recently signed with one of the final four contenders heading into playoffs this upcoming weekend.

With his skills, fans may be rooting for him on their home turf this Super Bowl!

Can you guess who he is?

Patrick Mahomes' Fiancée Making 'Team Brittany' Shirts ... For Charity After Celebration Backlash

1/28/22
LIFTING UP THE CITY
@brittanylynne / Instagram

Patrick's Mahomes' fiancée is parlaying all the hate from her champagne celebration and putting it to good use -- by creating "Team Brittany" shirts for an anti-bullying charity.

Remember, Brittany Matthews was ripped on social media for spraying bubbly on fans at Arrowhead Stadium after the Chiefs' overtime thriller victory over the Bills last weekend.

BM initially returned fire, saying she was tired of routinely being "attacked" ... but switched it up after she spoke with Charlie Hustle, a local t-shirt designer and seller, about making "Team Brittany" shirts.

1/23/22
CHAMPAGNE CELEBRATION
@brittanylynne / Instagram

"Me and my team have decided to try to turn this buzz into something and something good for the Kansas City community," Matthews said Thursday via IG.

"We have decided that part of the proceeds from the sales of this shirt are gonna go to Red Card KC which is a local charity here in Kansas City that works to prevent bullying."

The 26-year-old says she gets bullied all the time on the net ... so it means a lot that she's able to help.

"I do receive a lot of hate on a daily basis on social media and I know so so so many other people do as well," Matthews said.

"That's why I'm just proud to partner with this company and get behind this cause and hopefully push everything into the right direction and start spreading some more positivity on all of these platforms."

The future Mrs. Mahomes may get another shot at a post-game celebration this Sunday ... if the Chiefs beat the Bengals in the AFC Championship.

#StopBullying

Nicki Minaj & Kenneth Petty Sued by Security Honcho ... Claims Petty Sucker Punched Him!!!

Nicki Minaj and her husband have a funny way of thanking security guards at her concerts ... at least according to one of them who claims Kenneth Petty ambushed and punched him backstage.

The guy was head of security for one of Nicki's concerts in Germany back in March 2019 ... and in a lawsuit, he claims the rapper was pissed at a security staffer for allowing a male fan to get onstage during the show. In docs, obtained by TMZ, Thomas Weidenmuller alleges Nicki yelled at the female security guard -- calling her a "f**king bitch" -- and recorded the whole thing.

Weidenmuller says the security guard was left in tears ... so, he interceded and went to speak to Nicki about the incident. According to the suit, Nicki screamed at him too, saying, "Who do you think you are?" ... and allegedly threw her shoe at him. He says her aim was off, and he escaped unscathed.

However, he claims he was later called back to Nicki's room for another discussion ... and while she ripped into him again, Kenneth allegedly came outta nowhere and punched him square in the face, breaking his jaw.

Kenneth packs one hell of a punch, apparently ... Weidenmuller says he's had 8 surgeries to fix his jaw, now has 5 plates in his face and will need an additional 6 operations to get right!!!

He's suing Kenneth and Nicki -- who he alleges provoked the attack -- for damages, including his hefty medical bills. We've reached out to Nicki's camp, but no word back yet.

Kwame Brown Rips D-Wade Over Zaya's Kobe Dress ... 'Disrespectful!!!'

Ex-NBA player Kwame Brown is livid with Dwyane Wade's daughter's fashion tribute to Kobe Bryant ... saying her #8 jersey dress was "disrespectful" to the Lakers legend.

14-year-old Zaya Wade showed love to the Bryants in an Instagram post on Wednesday ... wearing the outfit and captioning the post, "always remembering and honoring Kobe and Gianna."

Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media.

Seems harmless, right?? Not in Brown's eyes ... as the 2001 #1 overall pick unleashed on Dwyane during his "Bust Life" YouTube show on Thursday ... saying the ex-Miami Heat star doesn't "level up as a man."

"You are letting your woman control your house," Kwame said ... claiming Kobe's wife, Vanessa, and kids would not honor Kobe the same way Zaya did.

Kwame strongly believes Zaya's tribute does a disservice to everything Kobe stands for ... citing his work ethic, masculinity, and faith.

"I'm not saying there's anything against homosexuals, but [Kobe] is a heterosexual man. Why is he being honored by making his jersey into a dress? Wear his goddamn jersey for the day to honor him without the dress part," Brown added.

"Let's please not show our Black brother in this light. This is no offense to nobody else. This man was a heterosexual man with a wife and a family. There's no reason for this to be tied to Kobe Bryant. None whatsoever."

D-Wade has been nothing but supportive of Zaya ... and has spoken out about how the family has grown in understanding over the years.

Brown's rant is clearly irrelevant to Dwyane ... who said he was a proud "girl dad" in the comments on Zaya's post.

Chris Brown Sued 'Jane Doe' Claims He Drugged, Raped Her During Miami Yacht Party

Chris Brown allegedly raped a woman on a yacht parked at Diddy's Star Island home ... this according to a new $20 million lawsuit.

The singer is being sued by a Jane Doe who says she's a professional choreographer, dancer, model and musical artist ... and she claims Chris went from being friendly to raping her, in a matter of minutes.

According to the suit, obtained by TMZ, the woman claims Chris grabbed the phone of a friend she was FaceTiming and urged her to come to Diddy's home ASAP on Miami's Star Island.

When she arrived there on Dec. 30, 2020, the woman claims Chris approached her and asked her if she wanted a drink, motioning her toward the kitchen area on the yacht.

In the docs, she claims she entered the kitchen with Chris, where he gave her a red cup with a mixed drink and they started talking. After he filled her cup a second time, she claims began to feel "a sudden, unexplained change in consciousness."

According to the suit, the woman claims she also felt "disoriented, physically unstable, and started to fall in and out of sleep" ... and that's when she says Chris led her into a bedroom while she was "drugged" and "half-asleep."

In the docs, the woman claims Chris closed the bedroom door, barring her attempt to leave, removed her bikini bottoms and started kissing her. She says she mumbled for Chris to stop, but he persisted and raped her.

The woman claims Chris ejaculated inside her, jumped up and announced he was "done."

She claims Chris texted her the next day and demanded she take Plan B. Although she was distraught, she claims she did exactly that.

She's suing Chris for $20 million in damages ... claiming the alleged rape is causing her severe emotional distress.

The woman's attorneys, Ariel Mitchell and George Vrabeck, tell us their client did not report the alleged rape to cops at the time because was a medical student and was embarrassed.

Mitchell and Vrabeck also say they're "committed to victims being heard and would urge anyone with information to contact them."

We reached out to Chris' camp ... so far, no word back.

Kim & Pete Date Night Again ... Hit Up KBBQ and Escape Room!!!

Talk about a change in pace ... Kim Kardashian and Pete Davidson went from breaking bread with the 2nd richest man in the world to an average Joe kinda date within 24 hours.

Kim, Pete, Khloe and friends hit up Quarters Korean BBQ in L.A. Wednesday night followed by some fun at 60out Escape Room -- where they had the whole place to themselves.

The night out comes just one day after the couple spent several hours at the estate of Jeff Bezos for dinner and convo.

Kim's car was spotted outside the Bezos estate, and she and Pete went back to his hotel in Beverly Hills together after their night at Jeff's.

As for Wednesday's more chill date -- Kim dressed in all black with stiletto boots to match ... and Khloe also went all black, but rocked a pair of sneakers ... which probably was the better idea for an escape room.

It's safe to say things are going pretty well for KK and PD ... he seems fully acclimated with the Kardashian fam.

If ya hadn't noticed, it's been a long while since we've seen Pete hanging in his NYC stomping grounds. Dude seems all in for Kim and the west coast.

'SELLING SUNSET' STAR CHRISHELL I'd Prefer a Non-Celeb Romance ... Hard to Meet Regular Guy

1/27/22
BACK ON THE MARKET
TMZ.com

Chrishell Stause would love for her next boyfriend to be someone far from famous, but she says that's a tall order at the moment ... and she's gonna need help from her friends.

The "Selling Sunset" star joined us Thursday on "TMZ Live" and we asked how the dating life's going on the heels of her most recent breakup, and if she's ready to try a different kind of relationship.

Chrishell says she'd prefer to date non-celebs and tells us whenever a friend tries to set her up with someone, her first question gets straight to the point.

As you know ... Chrishell is just over a month removed from the split from her 'Selling' co-star Jason Oppenheim ... after 5 months of dating.

Before Jason, she dated 'DWTS' pro dancer Keo Motsepe for about 3 months -- and, of course, she's now divorced from "This Is Us" star Justin Hartley.

So, trying a relationship with a non-celeb seems worth a shot ... and while Chrishell says she's very open to the idea, she tells us why it's not exactly simple for her to meet an average Joe.

BTW, she opens up about past relationships and much more -- including her struggles to make it from small-town Kentucky to TV fame -- in her new book, 'Under Construction.'

THERE'S STILL LOVE THERE
TMZ.com

It doesn't sound like Chrishell is completely against dating another celeb though, because as she explains ... her relationship with Jason was the best one yet.

Kanye West I Want Homeless To Model My Clothes For Upcoming Yeezy Collab

Kanye West has a radical new idea to address the homeless crisis in Los Angeles ... he wants the homeless to get some experience modeling clothes they make.

Here's the deal ... Kanye is working with streetwear brand Skid Row Fashion Week on a new collab and fashion show with the ultimate goal of helping the homeless.

David Sabastian, the founder of Skid Row Fashion Week, tells TMZ ... he met with Kanye earlier this month while Ye was recording 'Donda 2' at his studio in L.A.'s Arts District -- near Skid Row -- and they decided to create a Yeezy X Skid Row Fashion Week clothing collab.

David says his company donates a portion of all sales to helping those living on Skid Row and the factory that makes the clothes employs the homeless. In addition, the Yeezy collab will use 100% of the proceeds to help the homeless on Skid Row.

The fashion line drops Feb. 22 and we're told the money from sales will help hire more people struggling with homelessness to work at the Skid Row Fashion Week factory.

What's more, David says he and Kanye are in the early stages of planning a fashion show where they'd hire people from the SRFW factory to model the clothes.

We're told they also want items found on Skid Row to be integrated into the ensembles. One of the ideas being kicked around -- a trash bag puffer jacket.

As we previously reported, Kanye met with L.A. city leaders to discuss ways to solve L.A.'s humanitarian crisis ... and this is just one piece of the puzzle.

Neil Young Spotify Chooses Joe Rogan (Duh!) ... Removes Neil's Music

Neil Young's catalog is no longer streaming on Spotify -- the rock legend told the platform it couldn't have him AND Joe Rogan, so Neil's gone ... but he's already found another home.

Young essentially gave Spotify an ultimatum earlier this week, claiming it's allowing Rogan to spread misinformation about COVID-19 on his immensely popular podcast. In a letter to his managers, he wrote, "They can have Rogan or Young. Not both."

OCTOBER 2021
NO SHOT
The Joe Rogan Experience/Spotify

Not shockingly, Spotify chose Rogan -- with whom it has a $100 million deal -- but it also responded to Neil's criticism about misinformation. Spotify says it's actually removed 20,000 clips containing false COVID-19 info since the start of the pandemic.

Meanwhile, SiriusXM is seizing on all the Neil buzz this week ... announcing it's relaunching Neil Young Radio -- a channel spinning his catalog 24/7 -- for the next month. BTW, you can still find his music on other streaming platforms too.

So, here's your final scoreboard: Joe's right where he was, Neil's moved -- as he wanted -- and he scored a bonus new outlet for his tunes.

Antonio Brown Parties W/ Rick Ross At Miami Nightclub ... Wild Bday Bash

ROWDY WITH ROSS
Pier G

The Antonio Brown cross-country turn up continues ... the NFL star spent Wednesday night partying with Rick Ross at the rapper's 46th birthday party in Miami, and TMZ Sports has video of the bash.

The ex-Bucs wideout hit up the invite-only, star-studded event last night at Mr. Hospitality's El Tucan restaurant in south Florida to celebrate another trip around the sun for Rozay (and the release of his new album, "Richer Than I Ever Been")

In addition to AB, we're told Nelly, Timbaland and French Montana were also in the house.

Brown and Ross are both Florida natives ... and have been friends for years. In fact, Ross made a cameo in AB's "Whole Lotta Money" music video.

Of course, AB pulled up in grand style ... sporting a grey suit and black turtleneck and lots of jewelry to accompany the drip.

Since his unceremonious departure from the Bucs ... Brown's been jet-setting across America. He's hung out with some of the most well-known, A-list stars like Kanye West, Floyd Mayweather and Madonna.

Sarah Palin COVID, Schmovid ... Let's Eat!!!

CASUALLY DINING
FreedomNews.tv
UPDATE

10:14 AM PT -- 1/28 -- An official at city hall tells us they've contacted Elio's to remind them of the rules in place ... and tells us the restaurant will get an unannounced inspection in the near future to check that everything is being followed. First violations are $1k, and hit upwards of $5k thereafter.

Apparently, the whole “self-isolate if you test positive for COVID” thing, doesn’t apply to everyone … at least, that’s what Sarah Palin seems to think.

Palin was spotted with former NY Ranger Ron Duguay and friends Wednesday night at Elio’s in New York. The issue? Palin, who is unvaccinated, tested positive for COVID two days prior ... causing a judge to delay her defamation trial against the New York Times.

Things got so overwrought, according to law enforcement, a heated dispute broke out between a stranger and Duguay.

We're told someone tried to record Sarah and Co., because it became big news she tested positive. Cops were called to the restaurant but no one was arrested.

Someone who worked at the restaurant scoffed at the criticism, telling the New York Post, "S*** happens. People come to eat. We are not the border police."

Palin and Co. did sit outside at Elio’s, but that wasn’t the case over the weekend. She was there a few days earlier and dined inside, which caused an uproar and forced her to return to apologize. When she came back to eat again, Elio’s said, “Palin returned to the restaurant to apologize for the fracas around her previous visit. In accordance with the vaccine mandate and to protect our staff, we seated her outdoors”.

We don't know if Palin got a negative result after her positive tests. Many doctors say the virus stays in the system of unvaccinated people longer than those who are vaccinated.

Originally Published -- 1/27 7:02 AM PT

Cardi B Praised by Lauren Smith-Fields' Family ... She Got Police Involved!!!

Cardi B shining light on the death of Lauren Smith-Fields helped spur a criminal investigation in Connecticut ... so says the girl's family, who is applauding the singer.

Smith-Fields' family attorney Darnell Crosland tells TMZ ... Cardi was instrumental in getting Lauren's tragic death to become a criminal case, because police launched their investigation only after Cardi spoke out.

As you know ... 23-year-old Lauren died while on a date, back in December, with a man she met on a dating app. The medical examiner announced Monday Lauren died from an accidental drug overdose, which the family questioned ... and as public pressure continued to mount, police finally said Tuesday they were opening a criminal probe.

The family's attorney says Cardi B's Sunday night tweet calling for "Justice for Lauren" -- and accusing Connecticut of failing her -- brought extra attention and made a big impact ... because there's been a ton of progress ever since.

Cardi's got an open invitation to check in with the family, in Connecticut or virtually, for an update on the investigation's progress ... and we're told Lauren's fam is overjoyed CB used her platform to speak out on behalf of their loved one.

'Jeopardy!' Amy Schneider Draws a Blank and Loses ... Epic Streak Comes to an End

1/26/22
END OF AN ERA
Jeopardy!

'Jeopardy!’s AMAZIN' champ, Amy Schneider, has been dethroned after a 40-game winning streak, and she's walking away with a huge chunk of change – over 1 million bucks!

Schneider lost to Chicago librarian Rhone Talsma in the Final Jeopardy! category. Talsma nailed the final "Jeopardy!" clue -- Amy just drew a blank and wrote nothing.

The answer: "The only nation in the world whose name in English ends in an "H." It's also one of the 10 most populous."

30 seconds, folks ...

WHAT IS BANGLADESH.

Here's the thing. Amy was leading 27,600 to 17,600 going into Final Jeopardy!, but the librarian was in striking distance -- something Amy wasn't used to.  Afterward, Amy said of Talsma, "I could tell that he was here to play and that he was going to be good."

Don't feel too bad for Amy ... she walked away with $1,382,800!!!

Amy made more than her mark on the long-running show. She holds the second-longest consecutive winning streak, behind Ken Jennings. She's the winningest female contestant of all time. She has the 4th largest regular-season cash winnings of all time. And, she's now eligible for the Tourney of Champs this fall.

PROUD TO REPRESENT
ABC

Amy is also the first openly transgender woman to qualify for the Tournament of Champions. She talked on 'GMA' about the positive impact she's had on the show for all to see ... a "smart, confident woman doing something super normal."

Congrats Amy. You're awesome!!!

Dylan Postl Peter Dinklage Taking Woke Too Far!!! ... By Criticizing 'Snow White' Remake

Dylan Postl is NOT here for Peter Dinklage's hot take on the "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" remake. Dylan says that the esteemed actor took things waaay too far... and as a result, he's actually hurting the dwarf community.

We caught up with the actor and former WWE wrestler Wednesday, and he doubled down on his stance, saying the fairytale remake actually gives 7 real-life people in the dwarf community a chance to star in a movie. He says getting work is elusive for these actors, so such roles are not only important ... they're life-sustaining.

TAKING WOKENESS TOO FAR
TMZ.com

Dylan says Peter's actually taking roles away from dwarfs and the little people community by being so critical ... the studios might back off such projects.

ICYMI, Disney decided to remake 'Snow White.' The "Game of Thrones" star had a lot to say about it. Peter said, on the one hand, Disney made a progressive move by casting Rachel Zegler, who's Latina, as the lead ... but on the other, Disney was tone-deaf when it came to its depiction of the 7 dwarfs.

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

Peter described the story as f***ing backwards"... and criticized Disney's portrayals of the dwarfs as primitive creatures who live in a cave. Turns out, they actually live in a cottage in the woods, but regardless ... he was not happy.

That's very different than Dylan's take -- he says there's absolutely no issue with how they're portrayed. He adds the dwarfs worked, had a lot of gems and were very dynamic ... as opposed to all checking one box.

Dylan took a slight jab at Peter, who didn't have much to say when he was cast as a dwarf in "Elf" or 'GOT' ... so Dylan feels it's disingenuous for him to be so vocal now.

As for Disney, Dylan says he's happy to jump into one of these roles or share them with his friends in the little people community.

Old news is old news!
Be First!

Get TMZ breaking news sent right to your browser!