'Rust' Armorer Dad Defends Her Training Pushes Possibility of Sabotage

"SHE KNEW WHAT TO DO"
ABC News

Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the lead armorer on the set of "Rust" has one weapons specialist and Hollywood veteran on her side -- it's her dad, who is backing his daughter's training and claiming she was sabotaged.

Thell Reed, whose career in movies spans several decades says Hannah was raised around guns, and learned gun safety from an early age. Reed says his daughter complained she had to carry both armorer and prop duties on the movie, and it was because she was doing prop duties that she was unable to be inside the church set when Halyna Hutchins was killed.

Thell told "Good Morning America" Tuesday he believes if Hannah was inside the church during the fatal scene, she would've checked the gun's chamber one more time and discovered the live round, potentially saving Hutchins' life.

What's more, Thell echoes the same message Hannah's attorneys have previously claimed ... believing Hannah was somehow sabotaged on set with the live ammo. Though, he doesn't really get into how or why that might've happened.

12/2/21
I AIMED AS DIRECTED
ABC News

Of course, it was just last week when Alec Baldwin claimed he never pulled the trigger on the revolver that killed Hutchins. Alec claims he cocked the hammer back and when he released it, the gun went off.

9/11/21
LEARNING ON THE JOB
VoicesOfTheWest/RedCircle.com

"Rust" was only Hannah's second movie as lead armorer. TMZ discovered a podcast she was on just before taking the gig when she explained she almost didn't take her first job -- a Nic Cage movie -- because she was afraid she lacked experience.

Jake Paul Tyson & Tommy Fury Are F****** B****** ... Leaves Fiery Voice DM

THE FULL BREAKDOWN
TMZSports.com

"Tyson, I just wanna let you know you're a f***ing bitch and so is your brother. This is an embarrassment and hopefully, you guys can get that vaginitis cleared up super quick, you f****ing dosser."

That's the voice memo Jake Paul sent directly to Tyson Fury live on the "TMZ Sports" TV Show (nightly on FS1) hours after it was officially announced the Gypsy King's little bro Tommy was out of the Dec. 18 fight with an injury.

We broke the story ... Tommy's people say the 7-0 boxer has a chest infection AND broken rib, but Jake ain't buyin' it.

THE DETAILS
@tommyfury / Instagram

"I think the pressure got to this kid. He's only been put in there against people who are meant to lose, who have losing records. It's scary fighting me on the biggest stage possible," Jake told Michael Babcock on the show.

"He's a young kid, he hasn't been through a lot. He's had a silver spoon in his mouth his whole life, so I think the pressure got to him and cracked him and he has vaginitis is what they're saying."

Tommy has sworn up and down that he only backed out when it was the absolute last option ... and made it clear he badly wants to reschedule the fight in the future.

But, the Problem Child tells us Tommy might've missed his opportunity.

"I don't know if I want to give him it anymore. I might just leave him in the dust. This was the biggest opportunity of his life, so it might be a little cynical, but I think it'd be kinda fun to just not give him the chance again, and he's gonna have to fight 20, 30 more times if he wants to get the same payday. So, good luck!"

It goes without saying -- Paul is fuming over Tommy dropping out of the fight, and he got so pissed while talking with Babcock during the interview, he went straight to Instagram and told Tyson exactly how he felt.

As for Paul vs. Woodley II, Jake says Tyron is the tougher opponent ... but he's out to prove without any doubt he will get the victory a second time.

Guess Who This Frenchy Fella Turned Into!

Before this mini mustache man was searching for love on television, he was just another French fella showing off his artistic abilities in Arlington, Texas.

This cultured kid became a fan favorite while putting his heart on the line for roses each week of a reality television series. He proved he was there for all the right reasons but was sent home before he was able to propose. Nevertheless, this is when his real love story began.

Now, this celebrity personality and heartthrob is married to the winning girl with whom he shares three children.

Can you guess who he is?

Virgil Abloh Rihanna, Kim, Kanye Among Many Celebs To Attend Memorial Service

STARS SHOWIN' UP FOR VIRGIL
BACKGRID

Virgil Abloh was honored in a big way in his hometown -- with a memorial service full of big names ... including Kanye West, Kim Kardashian and Rihanna, just to name a few.

The service went down Monday at the Museum Of Contemporary Art in Chicago, with scores of people showing up ... including the above-mentioned names, and many more. Other stars who were there -- Tyler the Creator (who delivered an emotional eulogy), Drake, Kid Cudi, Frank Ocean and A$AP Rocky.

Like we said ... TTC was one of the handful of folks who spoke, and he ended up breaking down in tears remembering Virgil.

FIGHTING BACK TEARS
BACKGRID

It turned out to be more than just a somber affair -- there was a live performance put on by none other than Lauryn Hill, who was also wiping away tears throughout. All in all, the service made for a lot of waterworks, and a lot of tributes and stories in Virgil's name.

RIHANNA AND ASAP IN ATTENDANCE
BACKGRID

On the way out, paps caught Kim with some shades on ... and also snapped RiRi and A$AP arm in arm, with everyone looking pretty blue. Ye was spotted outside too -- but he actually stopped to sign a bunch of autographs for people.

As we reported ... Virgil recently passed away from cancer -- a private battle he didn't disclose publicly, but only his closest friends were aware of. He'd just been tapped to head up Louis Vuitton's men's line as their artistic director -- this after a successful run as CEO of Off-White, his own fashion house.

The news sent shockwaves across Hollywood and beyond -- with an untold number of stars coming out with condolences ... as Virgil had friends far and wide in the entertainment industry.

He was 41. RIP

Ethan Crumbley Fell, Hit Head at Diner ... Bizarre Incident Caught on Video

INCIDENT IN THE DINER
TMZ.com

Ethan Crumbley -- the accused Oxford killer -- was involved in a bizarre accident a year before he shot and killed 4 of his fellow students ... and it seems something was clearly wrong with him.

This video shows then 14-year-old Crumbley in a diner where he worked back in September 2020. Crumbley is walking in a work area and you see him disoriented and wobbly before he collapses, hitting his head on a cabinet. In the video, first obtained by the Daily Mail, he struggles to get up before someone comes over and helps.

The diner's owner says someone on the staff called his parents and sent him home. His mom blamed it on Ethan not eating that day. But the owner has her doubts, saying she thinks it might've been related to his medications.

There's also this ... the diner owner claims Ethan's older brother, Eli, was caught smoking weed on the job -- he also worked at the diner -- and when someone on the staff threatened to call his parents, Eli allegedly responded, "Where do you think I got it from?"

Crumbley was taken into custody and charged in connection with the shooting. He's facing 24 counts total, including 4 counts of first-degree murder and terrorism causing death.

His parents have also been arrested and charged with 4 counts of involuntary manslaughter -- as prosecutors claim to have evidence suggesting Ethan's parents helped facilitate the shooting. They went on the run but were eventually captured near the Canadian border. They have pled not guilty.

Vanessa Bryant Here's How I'm Tormented ... Over Photo Sharing of Kobe's Remains

Vanessa Bryant says her fear and anxiety over photos taken of the remains of Kobe and Gianna Bryant will last forever -- breaking down in heartbreaking detail how and why.

Kobe's widow filed a declaration in her ongoing lawsuit with L.A. County. In the docs, obtained by TMZ, she explains she actually asked Sheriff Alex Villanueva specifically on Jan. 26, the day of the crash, to secure the crash site and not allow anyone to take photographs of what was left behind ... this upon learning there were no survivors. In her docs, she says she told the Sheriff, "If you can't bring my husband and baby back, please make sure no one takes photographs of them."

A month later, she says she learned Sheriff's deputies and firefighters were sharing photos taken of Kobe and Gianna's remains ... precisely what she wanted to avoid. Vanessa says hearing this infuriated her, and also sent her into a constant cycle of distress they'd leak and be disseminated online.

Vanessa says she has reason to believe at least 20 different people obtained copies of the photos ... and despite the County's assurance that they'd all been secured/scrubbed ... she says she has strong doubts.

Vanessa says in the documents she's already seen one photo purportedly showing her late husband's remains, saying, "Since viewing the photo, I've been tormented with thoughts of who took it and whether it depicts my husband."

She adds, "It infuriates me that the people I trusted to protect the dignity of my husband and daughter abused their positions to obtain souvenirs of their deaths, as though possessing pictures of their remains somehow makes them special. I imagine Kobe watching over what occurred at that crash scene, and I am overcome by anger and emotion."

And there's more ... "I feel sick at the thought that deputies and firefighters have gawked at photos of my husband's and child's bodies without any reason. I also feel extreme sadness and anger knowing that photos of my husband's and daughter's bodies were laughed about while shown at a bar and awards banquet."

She points to the fact photos can be easily stored, transferred and preserved with the technology of today -- and is constantly fretting about the pics surfacing in some way, shape or form. She says she's triggered when she types Kobe's name in Google and a suggested search of "Kobe Bryant body" appears. She also says trolls threaten her by claiming to have the photos and promising to release them -- which she says also adds fuel to the fire.

Long story short, Vanessa says she's deeply troubled that one day her children might come across the photos while doing a family tree project for school ... adding, "For the rest of my life, one of two things will happen: either close-up photos of my husband’s and daughter’s bodies will go viral online, or I will continue to live in fear of that happening."

Her documents were filed in response to the County's motion to have the case thrown out.

Jacqueline Avant Suspect Charged with Murder In Shooting Death

The man cops say is responsible for the shooting death of Jacqueline Avant, the wife of Clarence Avant, has been charged with murder ... TMZ has learned.

The L.A. County District Attorney's office announced the charges of murder, attempted murder and felon with a firearm as well as two counts of residential burglary with person present against Aariel Maynor Monday, less than a week after Avant was killed.

George Gascón, the D.A. says, “Mrs. Avant was a treasured member of our community. Her generosity and good will touched so many lives.”

TMZ broke the story, Maynor allegedly broke into the family home around 2:30 the morning of December 1. He then shot and killed Jackie and opened fire on a security guard. Both Clarence and the guard were uninjured.

12/1/21
APPREHENDING AARIEL
KeyNews.TV/TMX

As we reported, Maynor was arrested the night of the murder when he was found in a backyard 6 miles from the Avant home in the process of committing another crime. Somehow, Maynor shot himself in the foot with the same weapon it's believed he used to kill Avant.

Maynor's motive is currently unknown, but it's possible the Avants fell victim to a random attack at their Trousdale Estates home.

Clarence, known as the "Godfather of Black Music" is a music legend, with a career and influence spanning decades. He and Jacqueline were regulars at public outings, and after her death, tributes poured in across the entertainment and political world.

One tribute came from former President Clinton, who said, "Jackie Avant was a wonderful woman, a great partner to Clarence and mother to Alex and Nicole, an active citizen & a dear friend to Hillary and me for 30 years. She inspired admiration, respect & affection in everyone who knew her. We are heartbroken. She will be deeply missed."

Britney Spears 40th Festivities Heating Up ... Still Partying with Sam

Britney Spears’ big birthday bash is far from over -- although the pop star turned 40 last week, she and Sam Asghari are keeping the party going.

Brit and her fiance were enjoying a Monday morning by their hot tub at the resort where they're staying in Cabo San Lucas.

As you can see in the photos, Mexico agrees with Britney! She's relaxing in a red bikini with shades on ... and Sam, with his super-toned bod, is right by her side.

12/1/21
BIG BIRTHDAY FOR BRITNEY

Last week, the pair hopped on a PJ filled with roses and a special birthday cake, to begin the singer's birthday festivities.

Hey, the 4-Oh is a BIG one, worthy of a LONG celebration!!!

Not to mention, Britney has plenty of other personal victories to celebrate this year.

Aaron Carter Back Together with Melanie ... After CPS Call

Aaron Carter is going back to square one with his baby mama -- trying to patch things up after a dramatic weekend ... which included a call to Child Protective Services.

Aaron tells TMZ ... he's back with fiancée Melanie Martin, and they're trying to work it all out for the sake of their family. He says he feels hurt by her being in contact with his estranged family, but also says everyone deserves a second chance.

You'll recall ... Aaron told us he discovered Melanie had been in touch with his sister, Angel, which he felt was a betrayal and caused them to temporarily split. He also thought she was in cahoots with his fam to try to get him under a conservatorship. He even dropped a new song about his estranged siblings called, "So much to say".

GOTTA BE GENTLE

That's all water under the bridge now, it seems, but the reconciliation came with even more tension -- because we're told Aaron's fans called CPS on him after seeing Melanie put their newborn, Prince, in his bed ... which some felt was too rough for a baby.

Aaron tells us CPS came by his Lancaster, CA home to check on the baby and the general living conditions -- but found everything was in order and left without incident.

Going forward, Aaron says he wants a united front with Melanie ... and fend off their haters as a team.

Jussie Smollett Takes the Stand ... Talks Sexual Relationship with Osundairo Bro

UPDATE

2:06 PM PT -- Finn says Jussie was just asked why he didn't call police immediately following the attack, Jussie replied, "Because I am a black man in America and I do not trust police."

Jussie Smollett just took the stand in his own defense, talking about his career and his sexual encounters with one of the men he says is responsible for attacking him.

Smollett was called as a witness for the defense Monday, and opened up about his family, the loss of his dad and finding success on "Empire." Jussie claimed to have made $25K-$35K per episode on the first season of the FOX show.

Jussie also got into how he met Abel, saying the two met at a gay club one night and went to a Chicago bathhouse where they did drugs, including cocaine and marijuana. During another visit to the bathhouse, Jussie says they made out and masturbated together.

COOL AND COLLECTED
TMZ.com

We had Fox News correspondent Matt Finn on TMZ Live who was inside the courtroom when Jussie took the stand, and gave us a better idea of the actor's mood.

This is the second week of the trial, last week saw testimony from the Osundairo brothers, who Jussie says attacked him. Of course, the Osundairo brothers have maintained Jussie was in on the whole thing, and staged the attack with them for publicity.

Last week, Ola Osundairo fought back against previous claims Jussie had made calling him homophobic. He presented the court with a photo of himself dressed as a Trojan warrior and handing out condoms at a gay pride parade to show he was friendly with the gay community.

In describing the planning of the attack, the brothers testified Smollett originally wanted them to punch him, put a noose around his neck and pour gasoline on him. However, the gasoline was changed to bleach because the brothers felt gasoline could be too dangerous.

Smollett has pled not guilty to 6 counts of disorderly conduct for allegedly making a false police report.

Evander Kane Gets Restraining Order Against Ex ... 'I Am Afraid' Of Her After Her Gun Video Post!!!

Evander Kane just got a judge to order his estranged wife, Anna Kane, to stay the hell away from him ... after he said he's "afraid" of her following her gun video post last week.

It's all spelled out in new court documents, obtained by TMZ Sports, in which Evander says he's fearful Anna might hurt him, his girlfriend, Mara Teigen, and his daughter in the wake of her recent social media activity.

As we previously reported, Anna posted a video of Evander with a gun on Instagram last Wednesday, saying it showed him recklessly pointing it at her in 2020.

POINT BLANK

In the vid's caption, Anna claimed the firearm was loaded ... and called Evander a "psycho path."

The San Jose Sharks star, though, said in the docs the gun was absolutely not loaded -- adding that he had only had it in his hand because he and Anna were doing a photo shoot with it.

Evander said in the docs he has the pictures of the two with the weapon that prove it was just a photo shoot.

Evander claims the social media post -- as well as other things Anna put on her Instagram last week -- was such a blatant attempt to hurt him, he's straight-up scared of her now.

The judge granted his request for a temporary restraining order, but Evander is now asking for another order that keeps Anna at least 300 yards away from him for the next three years.

A hearing on the matter has been set for Jan. 13, 2022.

Evander and Anna married in 2018, but Anna filed for divorce from the NHL player in July ... and it's been contentious and nasty between the two ever since.

Gorilla Glue Girl No More Chemicals in My Hair!!! Dye Disaster the Last Straw

NEVER DOING IT AGAIN
TMZ.com

‘Gorilla Glue girl’ is back at it again … this time she's swearing off all chemicals -- non-adhesive ones too -- for use in her hair, after a failed attempt at dying her 'do.

TMZ caught up with Tessica Brown Monday at LAX as she explained that she's flown to L.A. to get another hair treatment, this time at LA FUE Hair Clinic. She explained that her hair now frizzes up and falls out “whenever you touch it”, after using chemicals to change the color.

Tessica says she thought it would be safe because her hair had grown “so pretty”... and it had been a year since her tragic incident where she accidentally used Gorilla Glue instead of hairspray and ended up needing surgical repairs on her scalp.

CAN'T CATCH A BREAK
@im_d_ollady / TikTok

She's back in L.A., desperate to stop her hair from falling out, but we gotta say ... her makeshift home repair looks pretty good.

From now on, she says she will be on a “natural [hair] diet.” When asked if she has a message to girls out there, Tessica simply says ... “it’s not worth it.”

Best of luck on your natural journey!!!

Drake Yanks Grammy Nominations ... Was Up for 2 Awards

UPDATE

2:22 PM PT -- We just got Ne-Yo at LAX, who says he doesn't totally agree that the Grammys don't hold weight ... but he does agree that there could be better, more inclusive ways to decide who should win.

UPDATE
I FEEL IT
TMZ.com

Drake won't be partaking in the upcoming Grammy Awards -- despite being nominated -- because the guy just pulled his submissions ... TMZ has confirmed.

The rapper has withdrawn his 2 Grammy nominations -- one for Best Rap Album in "Certified Lover Boy" and another for Best Rap Performance in "Way 2 Sexy" -- after having gotten nods about two weeks ago.

A source close to Drake tells us the decision was made by Drake and his management team,  and the Grammys board respected it. Variety was first to report Drake's withdraw.

He's obviously no stranger to the award ceremony -- having racked up multiple wins over the years, including one in 2019 -- but Drake has also publicly noted he isn't a fan of accolades like this ... saying they're virtually meaningless.

He was also one of the first to speak up after The Weeknd was snubbed by the ceremony, saying, "I think we should stop allowing ourselves to be shocked every year by the disconnect between impactful music and these awards."

Of course, this move might have more to do with his involvement in Astroworld Fest than his stance on awards -- the guy's been relatively low-key since the tragedy, especially since he's been named in a few of the lawsuits that have surfaced thus far.

He did something similar with French Montana recently -- refusing to clear a song they did together because he didn't think it was appropriate in the wake of Astroworld.

Philadelphia Flyers Police K-9 Craps All Over Ice ... On Team's Logo!!!

The Philadelphia Flyers' season just got a whole lot crappier ... 'cause on the day they fired their head coach amid a losing skid, a police K-9 defecated all over their center-ice logo.

Just hours after the team canned Alain Vigneault, several dogs from the Philadelphia Police Dept. took a trip to Wells Fargo Center ... and you can see in video of their visit, things got messy quickly.

One of the dogs walked all the way out to the red line ... popped a squat and then let its bowels go.

The dog pooped for several seconds -- and then appeared to unleash even more on the logo!!

Of course, we're pretty sure it'll all get cleaned up in time for the Flyers' Monday evening game against the Colorado Avalanche ... but it's yet another reminder of how badly Philly's season has gone so far.

The team is currently in the midst of an 8-game losing streak ... and they've played so poorly recently, there's not a whole lot of optimism in the City Of Brotherly Love at the moment.

Rough Ruff times for sure.

Travis Scott Wants Astroworld Lawsuit Dismissed Files First Response of Many

Travis Scott doesn't believe he should be tied to litigation when it comes to the tragedy that happened at Astroworld ... which is why he's asking a judge to nix one of the lawsuits against him.

The rapper just filed legal docs, obtained by TMZ, denying the claims against him by a guy named Jessie Garcia, who's alleging he was in the crowd at the festival. Trav's asking that his suit be dismissed with prejudice ... specifically, as it pertains to TS himself, his company (Jack Enterprises) and his foundation/label (Cactus Jack).

Travis is issuing a "general denial," which is a legal term in civil suits that allows one to submit one blanket response to all the allegations against them.

11/5/21
CONCERT CHAOS
TMZ.com

In other words, Travis is making clear that the deaths and injuries are not his responsibility, and he's asking the judge to toss the suit against him and his entities.

BTW, sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... Travis is planning to issue a similar response for every civil suit against him -- and trust us, there are many. He might be able to do it in one fell swoop though -- last week, there was a motion filed to combine all 275 cases that have been filed thus far into one "multi-district litigation," which would consolidate many of the suits.

11/7/21
TRAVIS' EMOTIONAL MESSAGE

The reason for the ask is because a lot of the claims are eerily similar ... so just for efficiency, they're asking one judge be assigned to the case. The court has yet to rule.

Anyway, now it's clear where Travis stands ... up until now, he's only denied liability through public statements -- saying he was unaware of what was going on that night -- but now, he's making it official for the courts.

Russell Westbrook Enjoys Day W/ Family At Disneyland

Russell Westbrook isn't letting the Lakers' early-season struggles put a damper on his spirit ... 'cause the SoCal native hit up the Happiest Place on Earth with his wife and kids.

The Lakers -- who last played Friday against the Clippers -- had the weekend off ... providing Russ the perfect opportunity to spend some quality time with the fam.

Westbrook and his wife, Nina, took their kids to Disneyland in Anaheim on Sunday ... where they enjoyed some rides at the famous theme park. And yes, they had delicious Churros too.

The Lakers star rode the Radiator Spring Racers, where he sat in the front row (photo below). The 33-year-old also hit up the new Web Slingers Spider-Man attraction in the new California Adventures Park's Marvel Land.

The former UCLA product has been all smiles since being traded to his hometown Lakers ... despite a season that has been mired with inconsistency due to injuries and lack of chemistry.

Of course, Russ isn't the first celebrity to grace Disneyland with his presence. A host of A-list stars like Kim and Kourtney Kardashian, Halle Berry, Mario Lopez, Nick Cannon and Trey Songz have visited the park.

Disney was also a favorite of Kobe Bryant over the years ... who LOVED the park.

Russ and the Lakeshow look to get back in the win column when they take on the Celtics Tuesday at Staples.

Old news is old news!
Be First!

Get TMZ breaking news sent right to your browser!