Brian Laundrie Family Atty. Says Parents in the Dark On Journal and Why He Ran

10/26/21
"WHAT I CAN TELL YOU"
TMZ.com

Brian Laundrie fled into the woods looking incredibly upset -- but his parents still don't know why, or what may be written in his recovered journal ... so says their attorney.

Steve Bertolino tells TMZ ... Brian's parents, Chris and Roberta, have no idea why their son fled with such angst the day he went missing in September. he would only say they felt he was "out of sorts."

Obviously, everyone wants to know exactly what the parents knew and when -- but Bertolino insists they were in the dark on what the heck was happening with Brian as he fled from the house and vanished.

10/20/21
K-9 ON THE CASE
Fox 13 Tampa Bay

He says ditto on what might be in Brian's journal, which authorities found near his remains at the Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park. Bertolino says cops haven't made the Laundries aware of its contents yet -- but says he has heard some of it may not be salvageable.

Of course, that leaves a lot of unanswered questions. Like, for example, how did Brian die, and what involvement, if any, he had in Gabby Petito's disappearance and death.

Bertolino says this is a tragic ending for both families, and claims his clients don't have any more info to help law enforcement solve the outstanding mysteries.

Keanu Reeves Gifts 'Wick' Stuntmen Watches ... Brand-New Rolexes!!!

Keanu Reeves knows how to treat his movie crew right -- the guy handed his 'John Wick' stuntmen new watches as a thank-you for their services. Oh, and they were Rolexes!.

The veteran actor, who's beloved in Hollywood, kept his nice-guy rep going strong over the weekend ... when he dished out brand-new 2020 Submariners to 4 guys in Paris, who went to the mat for him on camera -- this as "John Wick 4" completed filming.

One of the stuntmen, Jeremy Marinas, took to social media to post photos of the Rolexes ... writing "Best wrap gift ever." He showed closeups of the timepiece, which was even engraved with a custom message, courtesy of Keanu and co.

Looks like each stunt guy got his own name etched in, as well as being assigned a number ... Jeremy here appears to have been the fifth "John Wick," as it were. KR is probs #1.

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JM also got a shot of all the stuntmen (plus Keanu) holding their watches close together in unison -- and it's pretty freaking awesome, especially when you consider the retail price tag here comes in just under $10k a pop.

Like we said, this makes for a great gesture from Keanu -- and speaks to how much he appreciates folks who work behind the scenes and help bring his projects to fruition.

It also follows in the footsteps of great presents from bosses lately -- like Spanx CEO Sara Blakely, who also did it big for her staff.

Rep. Nancy Mace Fauci Oversees NIH Grants Must Answer for Beagle Research!!!

WE WANT ANSWERS
TMZ.com

Here's something new ... Dr. Anthony Fauci getting grilled, but not over COVID-19 -- instead it's allegations his agency used taxpayer dollars to fund torturous dog research ... and a congresswoman's turning up the heat.

Rep. Nancy Mace of South Carolina explained why she fired off a letter to Fauci last week ... in which she and 23 of her colleagues (from both sides of the aisle) asked him to sit for a hearing on the subject.

The Congresswoman told us on "TMZ Live" ... Fauci handles a lot of the National Institutes of Health's distribution of grants, and, therefore, he should step up to explain why it's backing such a brutal study.

As we reported ... a watchdog group claims to have obtained documents linking NIH/NIAID-funded animal testing overseas -- in which around 44 beagle puppies were gruesomely killed during experiments with sandflies.

Rep. Mace notes that most Americans would NOT be okay with their taxpayer dollars going toward such awful research ... so, she simply wants to find out why that's allegedly happening.

The congresswoman tells us she'll go elsewhere to get clarification if needed, but she thinks Fauci, the public face of the NIH, is a good place to start.

Kodak Black Failed Drug Test Due to MDMA ... Asks Judge for Hall Pass

Kodak Black's failed drug tests came back positive for pot and ecstasy ... and yet he's now asking a judge for permission to hit up a big concert where drug use might be rampant.

As we first told you, the rapper violated the terms of his supervised release in his federal gun case by failing drug tests earlier this year. According to new legal docs, he tested positive for marijuana in February and then MDMA in August.

The judge ordered Kodak to complete a 90-day treatment program ... and he recently got permission to spend 30 of those days outside of Florida, after claiming it would give him a better chance at success.

Now, Kodak has his eye on a multiday music festival in New York.

According to the docs, KB asked the court to let him attend the Rolling Loud NYC music fest this weekend, and says it's strictly for business.

The judge signed off on it and gave him permission to perform at the festival -- he'll be on stage Friday in Queens -- as long as he keeps in touch with his Supervised Release Officer.

We reached out to Kodak's lawyer ... so far, no word back.

Michael Irvin Praises Ja'Marr Chase ... He's 'Way More Talented' Than Me

MICHAEL MAKES IT CLEAR
TMZ.com

Ja'Marr Chase's early NFL success is no fluke ... so says Michael Irvin, who tells TMZ Sports he believes the new Bengals star is a "more talented" wideout than The Playmaker ever was.

"Ja'Marr Chase is off the chain, man," Irvin said of the Cincinnati rookie.

Michael told us out in NYC on Monday that he's been particularly impressed by Chase's ability to respond from a terrible preseason, one in which he dropped so many passes that people wondered if he'd be a 2021 bust.

"To make the switch to playing like one of the best receivers in the NFL right now, it's incredible," Irvin said.

The Cowboys legend added that Chase, who put up 201 receiving yards and a touchdown on 8 catches in a win over the Ravens on Sunday, is "way more talented than I ever will be."

"Now," Irvin continued, "let's see if he can get more rings than I ever had."

As for Michael's former team ... we asked Irvin about what Dallas should do in the offseason if offensive coordinator, Kellen Moore, gets a head coaching offer from another team.

Irvin wouldn't speculate on if Jerry Jones would fire Mike McCarthy to keep the young offensive mind in Big D -- but watch the clip, could Irvin possibly believe it's an issue the team will have to address following the season???

Guess Who This Pumpkin Pip-Squeak Turned Into!

Before this gourd-eous girl was stirring up spells in a popular television show, she was just another pumpkin pip-squeak getting ready for Halloween in Geneva, Switzerland.

This festive female is best known for her supporting role as on-screen best friend to the lead -- played by actress Nina Dobrev -- in a dark, supernatural series that was based off a best-selling book filled with vampires, werewolves, witches and ghosts!

Now, you can hear her reimagining the classic character of April O'Neil on "Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles," an animated Nickelodeon television series and movie!

Can you guess who she is?

Cardi B My Bday Gift to Offset Will Be Better Than House ... More Personal Touch!!!

10/24/21
IT'S A SECRET
TMZ.com

Cardi B has at least one bright idea about what she can give Offset for his 30th birthday -- and she's confident it will top his present to her ... assuming he's into good lovin'.

We ran into the rapper at LAX, where she was incognito and COVID-safe ... she still stood out like a sore thumb, though, on account of her unique nails. Anyway, we got to talking birthdays, because her husbands is coming up in a couple months -- and he just hooked her up with a new house in the Dominican Republic for her born day.

10/11/21
BIRTHDAY BASH
TMZSports.com

The natural question: Whatcha gonna get him in December that beats that???

Cardi's a little stumped on the question, but after some quick brainstorming -- she comes up with a possibility that literally made us laugh out loud. We'll say this ... Offset will NOT be disappointed. No Dad sweaters for him.

BTW, our camera guy noted something important ... Cardi might not have to get Offset a house or anything material at all, because she DID just deliver their son, who hit the big 5-0 himself on Sunday.

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50 days, that is -- and still no pics of the little guy on Cardi's socials or anything -- ditto for his name. We ask Cardi about that too, and she admits we almost got her to spill the beans!!!

Don't worry, Cardi ... we'll keep trying.

Tammy Rivera Rips CVS Clerk for Racial Profiling ... But Says, Don't Fire Her!!!

RESPECT YOUR REGULARS
@charliesangelll / Instagram

Waka Flocka's wife, Tammy Rivera, is fuming over a CVS employee who she believes racially profiled and harassed her -- but she's also making an appeal to save the woman's job.

ICYMI, Tammy went off Sunday with a couple of video posts ... one of them from inside the CVS in DeKalb County, GA as the alleged profiling was going down. Tammy said she frequents this CVS and knows all the employees, but the woman she encountered this time was new.

Tammy claims the staffer eyeballed her constantly, up and down every aisle, and yelled at Tammy for opening a hair accessory she intended to buy. The whole scene escalated when the clerk tried to kick TR out of the store, and police were called.

She eventually left the store to avoid trespassing charges, but Monday morning Tammy called her CVS to file a complaint, and she got a quick response from the general manager ... who called back to apologize.

A rep for CVS tells TMZ ... it has a "firm non-discrimination policy" and it's committed to ensuring that all customers are "treated with respect and are offered courteous customer service." The rep added they've launched an investigation.

Tammy tells us she's told CVS she doesn't want the woman to get fired, but instead, would like to see her get more education and training. As Tammy put it ... if it happened to me, it's probably happened to other Black or Latina customers.

CVS says it can't comment on the employment status of individual employees ... so it's unclear what, if any, action has been taken.

NFL Official Carl Madsen Dies After Working Titans-Chiefs Game ... 71 Years Old

UPDATE

3:24 PM PT -- A spokesperson for the Nashville Police Dept. tells TMZ Sports ... initial indications are Madsen suffered "a medical emergency" while driving on I-65 North.

UPDATE

The spokesperson said officers received calls about a motorist blocking a lane on the interstate and when they arrived on scene, they found Madsen unconscious in the driver's seat of the car.

UPDATE

Police say they broke into the vehicle via the passenger side window and removed Madsen and immediately started chest compressions.

UPDATE

Sadly, after transporting Madsen to a nearby hospital, he died.

UPDATE

A cause of death is still unknown at this time.

Sad news in the NFL ... replay official Carl Madsen died on Sunday shortly after working the Kansas City Chiefs vs. Tennessee Titans game in Tennessee.

He was 71 years old.

The NFL announced the tragic passing on Monday -- with league reporter Tom Pelissero saying Madsen died "while en route home" from the Week 7 matchup at Nissan Stadium in Nashville.

No other information surrounding his death has been given.

Madsen -- a veteran of the U.S. Air Force -- was an on-field official for the NFL from 1997 to 2008 ... before he became a replay official for the league in '09.

"Carl Madsen was an NFL officiating fixture for more than two decades, first as a highly respected on-field official before transitioning to a replay role beginning in 2009," NFL senior VP of officiating training and development Walt Anderson said.

"A terrific friend and colleague, Carl's love of football and dedication to officiating was ever-present, as he generously shared his time to mentor young officials at clinics across the country. A veteran of the Air Force, Carl had a tremendous spirit and will be greatly missed."

#RIP

Originally Published -- 2:47 PM PT

Floyd Mayweather Rejects Teen Boy's Pic Request ... Over Painted Nails

FLOYD SAYS NO
UPDATE

4:21 PM PT -- A rep for Mayweather tells us he didn't take the photo because he was in a rush to leave the game. As for the teenage fan's claim that Floyd is homophobic ... the undefeated boxer says that couldn't be further from the truth.

Floyd Mayweather REJECTED a male teenage fan's request for a selfie at the Clippers game over the weekend ... and it's all 'cause his nails were painted.

TMZ Sports has learned a young fan was hoping to get a snap with Floyd after the Clippers vs. Grizzlies game at Staples Center on Saturday ... so he hopped on the court to approach him, but was shut down immediately after Mayweather got a glimpse of his nails.

"You got painted nails, I don't take pictures with guys with no painted nails," Floyd is heard saying in the video as his bodyguard gets the fan to back up.

The fan was clearly upset by the interaction ... saying, "Floyd doesn't want to take a picture with me because my nails are painted. Bruh, really?!"

The fan sent us a pic of his nails ... showing the black paint job that had Floyd pissed off.

Witnesses tell us Floyd had zero issues taking pics with other people after the game ... posing and smiling on the court with another fan.

It seems Floyd is way behind on the times -- TONS of guys regardless of sexuality paint their nails ... just ask MGK, Lil Yachty, A$AP Rocky, Post Malone, Yungblud, Brad Pitt and Harry Styles.

It's not the first time Floyd fans have asked for pics and gotten shut down -- thankfully it didn't turn physical this time. As we previously reported, one of Floyd's guards allegedly beat the crap out of a fan at a Las Vegas mall in November 2019 after a request gone wrong.

Originally Published -- 9:34 AM PT

Alec Baldwin 'Rust' Crew Clearly Cut Corners ... And It Cost Someone's Life

LIFE OR DEATH DECISIONS
TMZSports.com

The crew on the Alec Baldwin movie "Rust" appears to have taken shortcuts on safety -- ones a top film weapons expert says could've and should've been avoided.

We talked to Steve Wolf -- who's been working in SFX and props in films for several decades -- and he laid out exactly what he thinks went wrong on the New Mexico set where cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was accidentally shot and killed.

Check out our convo with him on "TMZ Live" ... Steve says the lead armorer, Hannah Reed, was not experienced enough to handle the job, in his opinion.

911 AUDIO

He explains with that type of role on a set -- one of the most important ones, especially if weapons are at play -- it requires a certain authority and expertise he believes Reed might not have had.

EVERYONE IS RESPONSIBLE
TMZ.com

He also says low-budget flicks -- which "Rust" appears to be -- often do a lot of corner-cutting ... like not waiting on actual prop guns, or opting for live ammo or not taking the extra steps to thoroughly check weapons before they're used.

Finally, he addresses the burning question on everyone's minds -- who's actually responsible, and should Baldwin himself shoulder any blame? In Wolf's eyes, he does ... to a certain extent, anyway.

Watch ... he acknowledges Alec was just an actor in the fateful scene -- but adds, if a real gun is in your hands, it's on you to know how to use it properly and safely.

Young Thug I Had to Go Crazy for 21 Savage's Bday ... $150k Custom Truck!!!

Young Thug is about that big spender lifestyle -- especially when it comes to his pal 21 Savage ... who just hit 29, and YT went all out for his very pricey gift ... some very expensive wheels.

21's birthday was on Friday, and he celebrated with a major Freaknik-themed bash in the ATL. You might've seen the awesome fire red pickup truck Thug gifted to his homey -- but what you didn't know, until now, is the whip cost $150k!!!

The price gets up there quick when it's a completely customized ride.

DOIN' IT BIG
Roadshow International

Roadshow International -- a luxury car dealership in Atlanta -- tells TMZ ... the truck itself is a Dodge Hellcat TRX, new models of which can range anywhere from $60k to $72k right off the lot. But, watch this video showing all the truck's features and you'll see why Thug paid way more than that.

The truck is plastered with dagger logos ... which lines up with Sav's signature face tat, which is an ode to his younger brother who was slain years ago. It also has a "21" emblazoned across the door.

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Not just that, but the interior bears 21 Savage's face too ... a rendering of himself is stitched right into the upholstery of some of the seats -- so there's no question whose ride this is.

Herm, who owns Roadshow Int'l, says he had 3 days to work on the truck, and sure enough ... he got it done in time for the big birthday party. Talk about a good friend, huh?

Delonte West Went On Anti-Gay Rant, Said He's Better Than LeBron ... In Disturbing Arrest Video

OCTOBER 2021
THE CHAOTIC ARREST

Delonte West repeatedly hurled homophobic slurs and said he was a better basketball player than LeBron James during his arrest last week ... and the disturbing scene was all captured on police video obtained by TMZ Sports.

West was stopped by cops in Boynton Beach, FL, on Oct. 19 ... after officers say he was yelling and banging on a local police station's doors.

Cops say he was holding two open containers of alcohol -- one beer, one vodka -- during the episode ... so they ordered him to the ground.

That's when officers turned on their body cameras -- and you can see in the footage, they needed to point a taser at the former NBA player while insisting he gets down to get him to comply.

When West finally dropped to the floor, officers told him they were detaining him for "open container and resisting" ... and the 38-year-old then went on a lengthy, rambling rant that included anti-gay rhetoric.

West repeatedly used the f-word, called cops bitches, and claimed he was Jesus Christ and the President of the United States.

In his rant, West also said, "N****, I was better than LeBron James. I'm better than Jordan. I was the best n**** to play every sport. Shut the f*** up!"

West continued to spout words off incoherently before cops finally put him into the back of a squad car.

In the police report, officers noted West reeked of booze and appeared to be drunk.

West was ultimately hit with three charges over the incident, including obstruction/resisting without violence, open container and disorderly intoxication.

He's due in court for a hearing on the case next month.

West has battled substance abuse issues in the past, and entered into a rehab facility in 2020 with the help of Maverick's owner Mark Cuban to try to address the problems.

Dave Chappelle Down for Transgender Discussion ... Lists Terms in New Stand-Up

Dave Chappelle has finally spoken for himself on his ongoing Netflix controversy -- saying he is, indeed, down to meet with members of the transgender community and hear 'em out ... but he has a few conditions.

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The comedian was in Nashville over the weekend for a new show ... where a ton of his comic buddies opened for him, including Jeff Ross, Donnell Rawlings, Tom Segura and Joe Rogan. Eventually, Dave himself came out and addressed the elephant in the room.

According to eyewitnesses, he started his set with a "statement" to those he'd offended with "The Closer," jokingly pulling out a piece of paper and reading ... "F*** y'all, n****s!"

The jokes kept flying from there, with DC saying he was in so much trouble that he couldn't even get DaBaby on the phone. He asked the audience, what do you call a Black trans person in the U.S.?

The response ... "A n***a!" Dave also joked his wife feared for his safety, and had bought him a handgun which had a pearl handle -- and he was worried that if he used it, someone's last words to him would be, "f****t!" So, he's hardly backing off any LGBTQ content.

On a more serious note, Dave said there'd been a lot of interest in his untitled documentary from film festivals -- which he recently screened at the Hollywood Bowl -- just as the swirling controversy over his new Netflix special, "The Closer" began. But now, he says he's being dropped from those same festivals. Dave shouted out Netflix for standing firm, and not taking down the special.

DEFENDING DABABY
Netflix

Dave went on to note that if he's canceled, there's a ton of people who clearly believe otherwise ... pointing out the sold-out show at Bridgestone Arena. Then, he laid out his terms for meeting with Netflix employees from the LGBTQ community who've been protesting.

One, he says whoever talks to him has to watch the special from start to finish; two, it has to be a time and place of his choosing; and three, they must admit Hannah Gadsby isn't funny.

That last condition is a clap back at the Australian comedian who jabbed at Dave's comedy a couple weeks ago, and ripped into Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos.

DC also says even though film festivals are abandoning him ... he's going to air his documentary film in 10 cities across America.

He ended the show by loudly asking, "Am I canceled, or not?" Listen to the applause he got ... and it seems like he has a very clear answer.

Van Jones Barclays Protest Was 'Disturbing' ... We Can't Normalize This!!!

TIME TO UNITE
TMZ.com

Van Jones is very disturbed by what he saw play out at the Barclays Center -- protestors storming the building a la the Jan. 6 insurrection -- and he says there's a danger in these scenes becoming commonplace.

The podcast host and esteemed news commentator joined "TMZ Live" Monday and told us what it was like to be there in person when demonstrators clashed with security and bowled over barricades outside the NBA arena.

"LET KYRIE PLAY!"
FREEDOMNEWS.TV

The protest, which some are comparing to the Capitol riot, was against the NYC vaccine mandate, and in support of Brooklyn Nets star Kyrie Irving ... who is sidelined because he's not vaccinated.

Much like the U.S. Capitol, Van says the arena had to go on lockdown ... and he says it's another sign the country needs to get to a better place.

Van thinks society is looking for the next big division, and with Donald Trump out of the White House, the big catalyst is now the COVID-19 vaccine.

He's got a few ideas about what's behind the massive divisions we're seeing across the country ... but he says we're heading towards an uncivilized society if mob attacks on buildings become normalized.

Van tells us how his new "Uncommon Ground" podcast -- launching Wednesday -- is trying to be part of the solution, bringing folks together to share differing viewpoints on major issues.

'Rust' Shooting Fatal Shot Struck Cinematographer in Chest ... Expert Says 3 Errors Caused Tragedy

Alec Baldwin was practicing a "cross draw" -- pointing his gun at the camera -- when a live round struck the director in the shoulder and the cinematographer fatally in the chest ... this according to new court documents.

Director Joel Souza told Sheriff's investigators he heard someone -- we're told the assistant director -- say "cold gun" while they got ready for the scene ... meaning the gun did not have live rounds in the chambers. Significantly, it appears the gun had been inspected before the lunch break but Souza could not remember if it had been checked when the crew returned.

A cameraman named Reid Russel told authorities, "Alec was trying to explain how he was going to draw out the firearm and where his arm would be when the firearm was pulled from the holster."

Souza explained Baldwin pointed the gun directly at the camera and fired, striking him in the shoulder and Halyna Hutchins in the chest. Souza says he had a vague memory that Hutchins was complaining about her stomach and grabbing her midsection. He says she then began to stumble backward and was assisted to the ground. He says he was bleeding from his shoulder and could see blood on Halyna.

Russel said after the shooting, Halyna said she could not feel her legs. Once on the ground, medics frantically began treating her as she was bleeding on the ground. She was airlifted to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

WHAT WENT WRONG
CNN

Steve Wolf, a special effects coordinator and theatrical firearms safety expert, told CNN there were 3 errors committed that resulted in the tragedy -- using a real gun rather than a prop gun, having a live round in the gun and having people stand behind the camera in the "line of fire." He also said the assistant director should not have been the one to clear the gun before the incident  ... that should have been the armorist's job.

Souza told authorities ... there should never have been live rounds near or around the scene that's being rehearsed or shot.

Authorities have obtained a search warrant to seize all camera footage and any other computer data that may have recorded the fatal incident.

We talked about the incident on the most recent episode of our podcast.

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