Yoenis Cespedes Opts Out Of 2020 Season ... Forgot To Tell Mets

UPDATE

1:35 PM PT -- Yoenis Cespedes is alive and well ... but has decided to opt out of the 2020 season. Problem is, Cespedes didn't inform the Mets organization of his plans, according to NYM GM Brodie Van Wagenen.

UPDATE

Unclear what changed Cespedes' perspective since Saturday -- when he played in the Mets-Braves game.

UPDATE

The whole situation is bizarre ... Cespedes made the road trip to Atlanta and played Saturday. But, sometime between the end of Saturday's game and Sunday morning, he decided to pull the plug on the 2020 season -- and didn't inform any of his bosses?? Weird ... but glad he's okay.

The NY Mets are concerned about their star outfielder Yoenis Cespedes -- saying he didn't show up to the ballpark for Sunday's game -- and hasn't checked in with team officials.

In other words, they're concerned he may have gone missing.

The Mets are currently playing the Braves in Atlanta. Cespedes WAS in attendance for Saturday's game ... but never made it back to the field on Sunday.

The Mets issued a statement saying ... "As of game time, Yoenis Céspedes has not reported to the ballpark today. He did not reach out to management with any explanation for his absence. Our attempts to contact him have been unsuccessful."

Everyone's hoping there's a simple explanation for the situation ... like YS overslept his alarm -- but obviously, there are much more serious concerns at this point.

34-year-old Cespedes is a 2x All-Star and one of the most important players on the Mets.

Originally published -- 11:06 AM PT

Racism in America Self-Declared White Supremacist Viciously Punches Woman

One of the most vile, disgusting displays we've seen in a long time went down in Nokomis, Florida, when a white supremacist spewing his love for Trump and hatred for others violently attacked a woman.

The self-proclaimed Aryan and white supremacist, Nicholas Arnold Schock, went on a rampage inside a restaurant and began screaming, "I'm a white supremacist, Aryan Nation will rule the world. People covered in tattoos are gonna be my closest relatives, I promise you."

Someone at the restaurant asked him to pipe down because kids were present, to which he responded ... "I don't give a f***, call Donald Trump, please."

And then, he hurled some disgusting obscenities, and as he tried to make his way inside a female staffer blocked him, and then, with all his might, unloaded a punch to her face.

The crowd clearly had enough, tackling the guy and taking him to the ground.

Schock was arrested and charged with battery and disturbing the peace. He's still in custody.

America, 2020.

Kanye West Targeting Swing State Ohio ... For 2020 Presidential Run

Kanye West's presidential campaign just got serious, because he's gunning to get on the Ohio ballot, and that state could be a determining factor in who occupies the White House.

Kanye hired a company, Let the Voters Decide, to amass voter signatures in 3 states ... Ohio, West Virginia and Arkansas.

Ye needs 5,000 signatures in Ohio by Wednesday to qualify. We're told more than roughly 90 people are canvassing Ohio, gathering the required number of John Hancocks.

Ohio is one of the 4 swing states that could be a major factor in November. In 2016, Trump won the state by fewer than 500,000 votes. Kanye's not gonna win, but he could be a spoiler. It's unclear who gets hurt more if Ye siphons off votes -- Trump or Biden.

We're told Let the Voters Decide is confident it'll get the necessary 5,000 votes in time to qualify for the ballot.

BTW ... Ohio has 18 electoral votes ... the 7th most in the country.

Zac Efron I Wanna Move Down Under!!!

Zac Efron is formulating a plan to escape from Los Angeles ... and he's got his eyes set on a big move down under!!!

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... Zac plans on listing his L.A.-area home in the very near future, and he wants to move full-time to the Byron Bay area of Australia.

Our sources say Zac is burnt out living in and around Hollywood -- he's never been one for the limelight, or for being the center of attention, and we're told he doesn't like the paparazzi following him around town.

While Zac wants to get far away from Tinseltown, we're told he isn't leaving the entertainment business at all -- he's just ready for a change of scenery.

Fact is ... Zac doesn't need to be in Los Angeles to take work meetings. We're told he fully understands this, and knows he can just FaceTime or Zoom instead.

Plus, most of Zac's latest film projects weren't even shot in Hollywood. He went to Miami for "The Beach Bum," trekked to New York City for "The Greatest Showman," and bounced around Miami and Georgia for "Baywatch."

In his new Netflix show, "Down To Earth With Zac Efron," he mentions his desire to get out of L.A. and now it appears he's pulling the trigger.

Our sources say the pandemic is another concern for Zac -- he considers Byron Bay safer from the virus, and doesn't expect the danger surrounding COVID-19 to go away anytime soon.

We can already hear Zac ... Aussie, Aussie, Aussie, oi, oi, oi!!!

Lake of the Ozarks Massive EDM Bash ... Corona Anyone???

Rollin' The Dice
@hybridtrapmusic / Instagram

So, you're confused on how 'rona spreads ... well, we're here to help, take a look at his video from -- you guessed it -- Lake of the Ozarks.

The EDM concert was packed to the gills with partiers stacked like sardines, and like sardines, almost no one was wearing masks.

It's not like Missouri isn't having problems with coronavirus. Oh, wait ... 51,632 people have COVID, and 1,276 have died.

Again, this is not about them risking their own lives. It's about risking the lives of others they come in contact with ... especially since testing is virtually useless in some states because the lag in getting results is sometimes upwards of a week.

This isn't the first time crowds have packed into Lake of the Ozarks. The same thing happened on the 4th of July.

You gotta think at this point most of the people know what they're doing exposes them to the virus. For whatever reason, they clearly just don't care.

Naya Rivera Fans Hold Vigil at Lake Piru

Naya Rivera fans said their goodbyes Saturday night, as they gathered near the lake that took her life.

The vigil was personal as fans told stories about Naya and how she touched their lives. The role that many fans singled out ... Naya playing Santana Lopez, a lesbian character on "Glee." Some of the fans said watching her play Santana gave them the courage to come out.

One fan starkly said, "Without 'Glee,' I swear I would not be here. I would not be alive."

The fans organized on the Twitter fan page, "Naya Army," and they came from various states to celebrate her life and mourn her death.

The banks of Lake Piru were festooned with various memorials for Naya, who was swimming with her son last month when something went horribly wrong. Naya's body was found 4 days after she went missing.

Congressman Jim Clyburn Trump is a Hitler Wannabe

REPEATING HISTORY?
CNN

Congressman Jim Clyburn feels more strongly than ever ... Donald Trump is fashioning his presidency after the likes of Adolf Hitler, and if Americans aren't careful, history can repeat itself.

The veteran Democratic Congressman from South Carolina warned Americans that Trump's latest play -- suggesting the November election should be postponed because of phantom voter fraud -- is further evidence Trump has no intention of leaving The White House, even if he loses.

Clyburn told CNN, "I feel very strongly that Trump is Mussolini, Putin and Hitler... I don’t think he plans to leave the White House. He doesn’t plan to have fair and unfettered elections. I believe that he plans to install himself in some kind of emergency way to hold onto the office"

Clyburn said a few months back ... there have been many warning signs Trump fashions himself as a dictator. The Congressman noted that Trump said earlier this year he was the nation's chief law enforcement officer -- that's not the case, but it's evidence of a dictator trying to consolidate power.

Trump has praised various dictators during his term ... even musing that the U.S. might take a page out of the playbook in China and install its president for life.

Wilford Brimley Dead at 85 ... Diabetes, Quaker Oats Spox

Wilford Brimley -- an iconic actor who was the face of Quaker Oats for years, as well as a spokesperson for diabetes education -- has died ... a rep tells TMZ.

We're told Brimley passed away Saturday morning at his home in Utah. Sources with direct knowledge of Wilford's health tell us he was in an ICU wing of a hospital on dialysis, and very sick for days.

Wilford had a lengthy career on camera, dating back to the 1970s with over 70 acting credits. He's perhaps most known for roles in cult classic films like "Cocoon," "The Natural," "The Thing," "Hard Target," and countless other memorable on-screen appearances, big and small.

Brimley started out as mostly a TV actor, landing one-time roles on TV series like "How the West Was Won," 'Kung Fu,' "The Oregon Trail," and then eventually ... a recurring part on "The Waltons." He went on to star in a bunch of TV movies, such as "The Wild Wild West Revisited," "Amber Waves," "Roughnecks," "Rodeo Girl," 'The Big Black Pill,' and so on.

In the '80s, he started breaking out into more traditional films, appearing in flicks like "High Road to China," "10 to Midnight," "Tough Enough," "Jackals," "End of the Line," and a bunch of other B-movies where he'd often play an authority figure or a grandfatherly figure with his deep, comforting Southern accent. One of the best character actors without a doubt.

He went on to star in countless other movies and shows, notably on "Our House," in which he starred in over 40 episodes, as well one-off appearances in hit series like "Walker, Texas Ranger," "Seinfeld," and so many others.

Folks might remember Wilford more for commercials though over the years -- specifically, his campaigns with Quaker Oats through the '80s and '90s, and maybe even more memorable ... his classic diabetes ads for Liberty Medical -- which was often spoofed, but also beloved.

Wilford was diagnosed with diabetes mellitus in 1979, and managed the disease ever since then -- obviously, he was very open about it. The American Diabetes Association honored him for his lifetime of advocacy in 2008.

A rep for Wilford tells TMZ, one of his favorite quotes was from a sign at a blacksmith's shop. It read, "There is nothing made, sold, or done that can't be made, sold, or done cheaper. If price is your only concern, please do business with my competitor."

He's survived by his wife, Beverly, and his three children.

Wilford was 85. RIP

Montana Wedding Couple Gets Hitched at 91 ... Sign a Prenup!!!

A love story more than 8 decades in the making reached a high point last week ... when Ivan O'Neil and Gerry Souhrada got married in Montana.

The couple, both 91, said their "I dos" in front of immediate family July 25 in Lakeside ... after more than a decade of dating. The nuptials were also live streamed on Facebook so loved ones all over could watch.

Ivan and Gerry met in first grade and grew to be friends during high school. They both went on to get married to other people, but continued to bump into each other over the years at various local events, and committee meetings to plan their class reunions.

LOVE KNOWS NO AGE
TMZ.com

As fate would have it ... they were both mourning the loss of their spouses -- Marian and Bob -- 13 years ago when they ran into each other at a breakfast diner.

We're told Ivan was there with his hiking group -- the "Over the Hill" gang -- and went over to say hello to Gerry. Later in the day, Gerry mentioned to her son ... if someone as nice as Ivan were to ask her out, she'd say yes.

Sure enough, that ol' son-of-a-gun Ivan did exactly that later that evening ... when he asked her to be his date to a banquet because it "wouldn't be any fun to go alone."

They've been together ever since, love to travel and have been all around the world. We're told Ivan actually asked Gerry to marry him early on in their dating years, but she wasn't ready after losing Bob. However, when he recently popped the question again ... she said yes.

All of that's interesting enough, but then there's this -- Ivan and Gerry signed a prenup! We're told Ivan wanted it to be short and simple, but it ended up being 30 pages ... much to his dismay.

The couple won't be going on a honeymoon right now due to the pandemic, but say when they do ... it'll include attending a University of Montana football game.

Congrats!

Mike Tyson I'm Gunning for K.O. In Roy Jones Fight ... Responds to George Foreman

ON A PATH TO GLORY
TMZSports.com

Mike Tyson says he WILL be trying to knock out Roy Jones Jr. when they step in the ring in Sept. ... claiming his mentality is still "search and destroy."

The issue is, the head of the California State Athletic Commission recently told the media the guys will be going EASY on each other and WON'T be headhunting.

So, who ya gonna believe?!!?

Here's what CSAC executive director Andy Foster told Yahoo Sports -- "This isn’t a situation where they’re going out there to try to take each other’s heads off. They’re just going to be in there moving around the ring and letting fans see these legends."

But, when we saw Tyson leaving a training session in L.A. on Saturday, it didn't seem like he got that memo.

"This is search and destroy and I’m looking forward to recapturing my glory," a hulking Mike Tyson told us.

When we asked specifically if he'll be looking for a knockout, Tyson told us, "If the opportunity comes, I'm always looking for it."

Tyson is 54 and hasn't fought since a 2005 loss to Kevin McBride ... and that concerns boxing legend George Foreman who recently told TMZ Sports he's worried someone might get seriously hurt.

PLAY IT SAFE
TMZSports.com

Mike appreciates George's concern -- but says, "Don't worry about us."

"[George] wasn't worried about getting hurt when he went on his tour of coming back and fighting."

Foreman famously retired at 28 -- and after a 10-year layoff, mounted a legendary comeback at 38. He became the heavyweight champ at 45 and finally retired for good in '97 at age 48.

Tyson says both he and Jones know exactly what they're getting themselves into -- "We're both professionals. We know how to handle ourselves and whatever happens, happens."

He adds, "The fighting game is what I'm about and hurting people is what I'm about."

We've seen the training videos -- Tyson still looks like he could do some serious damage.

As for Roy, he told us he's expecting Tyson to be headhunting from the opening bell -- but insists he's got a HUGE conditioning advantage over Mike.

TIME TO GET TO WORK
TMZSports.com

"If he don’t kill quick, he's got problems on his hands," Roy tells TMZ Sports ... "If he don’t get it quick, his ass belongs to me!"

Celebrity Scramble Guess Who!

Hidden within this stretched out snap is a talented star that juggles between both acting and producing music.

This famous face has been featured in shows such as HBO's "The Wire," and "Luther," as well as movies such as, "The Mountain Between Us" Pacific Rim, and the recently released film, "Cats." The actor has a few projects in the works and he is set to star in the next installment of "The Suicide Squad"

Get ready to put your celebrity skills to the test and see if you have what it takes to uncover the mystery as to who is hiding in this warped photo!

'Bachelorette' Alum Chad Johnson Strikes Deal for Probation In Domestic Violence Case

Chad Johnson can put his domestic violence drama behind him now, provided he remains on his best behavior ... after scoring a sweet plea deal.

The former 'Bachelorette' star pled no contest to 1 count of vandalism and 1 count of intimidating a witness ... according to the L.A. County Superior Court Clerk. We're told the 4 other charges he was facing --- corporal injury, battery, trespassing and vandalism -- were dropped in exchange for his plea.

2/24/20
"YOU'RE SCARIN' ME!!!"

Johnson was sentenced to 36 months probation, and will have to take domestic violence classes. There's also a restitution hearing coming up in a few months.

TMZ broke the story ... Chad was arrested back in February after allegedly getting into a physical altercation with his on-again, off-again GF, Annalise Mishler. She claimed Chad got drunk and not only punched a hole in her wall but also got physical with her.

2/26/20
CHAD'S EXPLANATION

Chad copped to getting angry and punching the wall but vehemently denied ever getting physical with her. This prompted Annalise to say Chad's out to ruin her life and call him out for never taking responsibility for his actions.

Weird thing is ... just weeks after the incident, they were seen out all chummy as if nothing had ever happened.

3/9/2020
IT'S COMPLICATED
SplashNews.com

And, don't forget ... Chad told us he was moving to Sin City to buy a house and build his own porn studio, and guess who's his business partner? Yup, Annalise.

MLB's Reese McGuire Masturbation Bust Captured On Video ... 'What An Idiot'

BUSTED

TMZ Sports has obtained police footage of the moment cops busted MLB catcher Reese McGuire for allegedly masturbating in public ... and it's SUPER AWKWARD.

First off, police say cameras malfunctioned in the process of recording the video, which is why most of the picture is black ... but you can still hear audio of McGuire's encounter with officers in a strip mall parking lot in Dunedin, Fla. on Feb. 7.

The conversation begins with cops asking the 25-year-old Toronto Blue Jays player if he was aware that people had called them saying they had seen him while he was half-naked in his car pleasuring himself.

McGuire tried to explain the situation ... before telling the cops, "I realized, what an idiot. What a dumb place to be hanging out."

That's when one of the officers asked the MLB player straight-up, "Why would you come to a parking lot just to masturbate?"

Reese responded, "I just, I don't know."

To his credit, McGuire went on to tell the officer he was SUPER sorry for the incident ... saying, "I've realized that I made a mistake having my pants down and doing what I was doing ... I really am apologetic. And, I know I shouldn't have been doing this."

McGuire was eventually charged with 1st-degree misdemeanor exposure of sexual organs and was facing up to 1 year in jail if convicted.

Reese, though, cut a deal with prosecutors earlier this month ... pleading no contest to a reduced 2nd-degree misdemeanor charge of disorderly conduct.

In exchange, a spokesperson for the State Attorney's Office in Pinellas County told us his punishment was nothing more than fines and court costs.

McGuire has had a solid start to the Jays' rebooted MLB season since putting the case behind him ... he's played in three games so far and already has a home run.

Race Cooper Turns Up The California Heat!

This weekend's Summer Hot Shots comes to you from the sun-filled beaches of California where model/LGBTQ+ activist Race Cooper ditched his shirt and showed off what can only be described as the most ripped physique on Ocean Beach, San Francisco.

When the Toronto-born fitness buff isn't working with his quaran-team of camera companions -- Matt Fuller and Ben Veronis -- to take abs-olutely mind-blowing muscle photos, Race Cooper can be spotted hosting podcasts, working in voice over and turning up the heat at Palm Springs pools.

This Race has already won!

This year’s Summer Hot Shots are coming to you a little differently … we have teamed up with smoke shows from around the world to create some eye-popping photo galleries with a DIY flare (social distancing, duh!) for you to enjoy.

Be sure to check back each Sunday to see who’s heating up that weekend!

Florida Man Clings to Hood of Big Rig Truck ... Driver Says He Lost It

UPDATE

6:07 PM PT -- We got a bit more context on this freaky story, and according to the driver himself ... the man put himself on the hood on his own volition, and started causing a ruckus for no reason.

UPDATE
UPDATE

The driver, Edward Hughes, tells TMZ ... this dude hopped onto the interstate bloodied and frantic, waving for the truck to stop ... which Hughes says he did. Once he did that, Hughes claims the guy latched onto his hood and started using a metal object on his windshield.

UPDATE

Hughes says he panicked and hit the gas, trying to shake the man off ... as he was successfully breaking through the glass. Hughes got some shots of the damage, and it looks like this fella was hacking away during the mayhem, and broke through a bit too.

UPDATE
UPDATE

We're told Hughes eventually got a hold of cops, and they finally pulled him over and took the man in question into custody. It's unclear what might've been wrong with him.

Florida man strikes again -- only this time, he's in action hero mode, which looks way more terrifying in real life than it does on the big screen.

This insanity went down Saturday in the Sunshine State somewhere along I-95 -- where a big rig was cruising down the highway at a pretty fast clip with a HUMAN BEING stuck on its hood outside ... clinging on for dear life.

The driver didn't seem super agro ... trying to shake the guy off by jerking the steering wheel back and forth, and weaving in and out of traffic lanes. The two people who captured this pulled up alongside them -- you can hear the guy clinging to the truck scream for help.

It looks like something out of a movie -- maybe "Mission: Impossible" or something -- but it's all too real ... and it's freaky AF. What's even crazier ... the driver didn't stop at first, he just kept on going and tried finding other ways to shake the dude off ... like hard braking.

Eventually, it looks like the cops pulled the truck over and got things under control. We don't know if anyone was cited or arrested. It's also unclear what triggered this.

Florida, man ... they stay wildin' out there.

Originally Published -- 1:46 PM PT

Donald Trump Supporters Confront BLM Protesters ... You're Attacking Our White Heritage

WHITE NOISE
Eddie Dorman/Facebook

A group of angry Trump supporters went on a tirade against a handful of black lives matter protesters, with the leader of the group declaring, "You're racist against my white heritage."

It's an ugly scene that played out in Keystone Heights, Florida, where 4 BLM protesters were across the street from the Trumpers. The group waving "Trump 2020" flags, along with some confederate flags, were taunting the protesters.

They claim the BLM protesters are racist, and then there's this. When the group learns one of the BLM protesters is holding a sign that says, "Start Healing," the leader of the group says in response, "We ain't hurt you yet, motherf***ers. We can get you something to heal up motherf***er real quick."

And, there's more -- a lot more. There's a man holding an American flag in one hand and a sign in the other which says, "Burn Loot Murder = BLM."

Old news is old news!
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