Kyrie Irving Traded To Mavs ... After Request

Kyrie Irving got his wish -- the NBA superstar has been traded to the Dallas Mavericks, according to multiple reports.

News of Irving's intentions to leave Brooklyn were made clear on Friday ...with the 30-year-old telling the Nets to either trade him, or he'd leave in free agency in the offseason.

Now, Uncle Drew will be teaming up with Luka Doncic and the Mavericks, who sit sixth in the Western Conference standings.

In exchange for Irving, the Mavs will send Spencer Dinwiddie back to BK ... as well as Dorian Finney-Smith, a first-round pick and a handful of second-rounders, according to Shams Charania.

The Los Angeles Lakers, LA Clippers and Phoenix Suns were also reportedly in the running for Irving ... but there was growing concern over sending a haul for the guard, when he could bolt in free agency in August.

Nets fans were clearly upset with Irving's request out of Brooklyn -- and showed their feelings by booing him before the Nets vs. Washington Wizards game on Saturday.

Irving found himself in hot water during his time in Brooklyn ... after he controversially tweeted a link to a movie filled with anti-Semitic beliefs.

The 2016 champ was suspended over his actions, and the NBA and Nets called for Irving to denounce the contents of the film. Nike also announced it was cutting ties with the Irving.

Irving eventually apologized days later.

Reports say Kyrie's request out of BK wasn't about the money ... and even if the Nets were to offer him a max contract, he was going to leave regardless.

Arnold Schwarzenegger Involved in Traffic Accident ... Hit Bicyclist, Not at Fault

UPDATE

11:55 AM PT -- More details about the accident ... law enforcement sources tell us the woman made a left turn in front of Arnold before he had a chance to hit his brakes. We're also told he was not going very fast at all, although the woman did complain of pain afterward.

UPDATE

We're told she's in stable condition, and that no alcohol or drugs are suspected. No crime is suspected either -- our sources tell us this seems to just be a simple traffic accident.

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We've also learned that Arnold took the lady's bike, attached it to his car and took it to a local bike shop to get it fixed up.

Arnold Schwarzenegger was involved in a traffic accident that sent a bicyclist to the ER -- but it's not something he could've avoided or is to blame over ... TMZ has learned.

Sources familiar with the situation tell us the movie star was driving in West L.A. Sunday morning, when at some point ... a woman riding a bike on the road suddenly swerved into his lane and made contact with his vehicle -- something confirmed by 3 eyewitnesses.

We're told first responders arrived on the scene and that the woman was transported to a hospital. Arnold, our sources say, was also on the scene speaking with cops.

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As for how the police view this, thus far ... law enforcement sources tell us it appears Schwarzenegger is not at fault for this collision. An investigation is ongoing, but we're told a determination has been made that it's something he simply couldn't have avoided.

Our sources tell us the woman suffered minor injuries, and is expected to be okay.

Originally Published -- 11:40 AM PT

Chinese Balloon Ex-Trump Officials Refute DoD Claim ... 3 Had Flown Here Before?!?

The Chinese spy balloon is down, but questions remain -- like, whether this has happened on another president's watch ... which the Dept. of Defense says it did, pointing to Trump.

Here's the deal ... the DoD issued a lengthy statement Saturday explaining what exactly happened leading up to an F-22 fighter jet of ours safely shooting down the balloon over the Atlantic Ocean, just outside of Surfside Beach, SC. We all remember that, yes?

FEBRUARY 2023
WE GOT 'EM
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They reiterated what everyone had already heard at that point ... that the U.S. believes the balloon had been purposely sent here by China, and that it was intended to surveil us.

However, in explaining the balloon posed no serious threat to us -- other than breaching our airspace/pushing the boundaries of our sovereignty -- the DoD goes on to cite an unnamed defense official ... who claims this happened before under DT's administration.

The anonymous official says, "Chinese balloons briefly transited the continental United States at least three times during the prior administration." There's no other details about when exactly this might've happened, or to what degree ... namely, did they do full fly-overs???

In the wake of this Dept. of Defense official getting Trump's name in the mix, a handful of former Trump administration officials have come out of the woodwork to deny this ever happened during his time in office. And we're talking heavy hitters -- guys who'd know.

The former Director of National Intelligence, John Ratcliffe, went on FOX News to flat-out refute what the DoD has said publicly ... noting, if this had in fact happened during the Trump years like they claim -- it would've been spotted and certainly reported by the media.

Former Sec. of Defense Mark Esper also denied that 3 Chinese spy balloons had been here before, as did ex-Sec. of State Mike Pompeo. In other words, the claim is now in contention.

Lizzo IG Official w/ BF ... At Pre-Grammy Gala

Lizzo's boyfriend was front and center this weekend -- both at a big starry event, and on the place where a relationship matters most ... the Gram.

The singer showed off actor and comedian, Myke Wright Saturday night at the Clive Davis Pre-Grammy Gala, standing shoulder to shoulder with her man ... and embracing each other in front of the cameras.

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Later, she made it IG official ... the first time she's done so with the guy -- who she's been dating since at least Spring of last year. Lizzo threw up several photos of them looking dressed to the nines for the event and getting cozy, captioning it ... "Hard Launch."

Up until now, Lizzo had mostly kept her relationship with Myke on the DL ... at least online, anyway. She had, however, already taken him out in public -- so this isn't really new, per se. Still, she's getting a lot of love for showing off her dude in such grand fashion.

Now, as for this gala... it was hosted by the legendary Clive Davis, who got just about everyone in the music biz to roll through and celebrate a couple Atlantic Records executives ... Chairman and CEO Craig Kallman and Atlantic Music Group honcho, Julie Greenwald.

They received Industry Icon Awards, and Cardi B -- who was in attendance with her hubby, Offset -- even gave a speech shouting them out for signing/supporting her from day 1.

Like we said, this was a true who's-who of Hollywood -- on top of the above-mentioned names, other stars who rolled through suited and booted included Lil Wayne, Jennifer Hudson, Janelle Monae, Demi Lovato, Machine Gun Kelly, Megan Fox, Chance the Rapper, Lil Nas X, Lil Baby, Latto, Olivia Rodrigo, Frankie Valli, Lauren Daigle, Sheryl Crow and more.

Even Paris Hilton and Tom Hanks were there ... as were Rep. Nancy Pelosi and her husband Paul. So, a good mix of everyone from just about every part of the entertainment biz.

And get this ... that wasn't even the only good time being had in the City of Angels. There was another party held by Interscope to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Dr. Dre's 'The Chronic,' dubbed Interscope x Flipper’s Roller Boogie Palace Party. Even more celebs showed for that ... folks like Usher, Chris Brown, Floyd Mayweather, Winnie Harlow and others.

Yeah, it's that kind of weekend. The Grammys, baby!

Charles Kimbrough 'Murphy Brown' Star ... Dead at 86

Charles Kimbrough -- a longstanding star on the sitcom 'Murphy Brown' -- has died.

His son confirmed the news to the New York Times, saying his father had passed almost a month ago ... way back on Jan. 11 in Culver City, CA. No other details about a cause of death were released.

The actor will certainly best be remembered as Jim Dial on the '80s/'90s hit show, where he played cranky veteran TV anchor, Jim Dial -- who delivered the news alongside Candice Bergen's Murphy, and who was shaped after Walter Cronkite and other legacy newsmen.

He starred on 'MB' for all 10 seasons, and he even got an Emmy nomination one year for his performance. Kimbrough returned to the role for a few episodes in the 2018 reboot as well.

Before TV, Kimbrough was a steady theater actor ... having starred in lots of Broadway and off-Broadway productions, including Stephen Sondheim's "Company."

Prior to his big break on 'Murphy,' Kimbrough had guest starred in a number of other hit TV series ... like "Kojak," "All My Children," "American Playhouse," "Spenser: For Hire," "Another World," "Hothouse" and more. He had also acted in several movies through the '70s and '80s.

It wasn't until the '90s that Kimbrough showed off a new skill ... voice acting. He lent his vocal talents to famous kids shows like "Dinosaurs," "Mighty Max," "Pinky and the Brain," "Recess," "Hercules," "The Angry Beavers," "Batman Beyond," and others.

Of course, he also famously voiced one of the gargoyles in 1996's "The Hunchback of Notre Dame," playing Victor. He reprised this character for both the sequel and video game spinoffs.

Kimbrough is survived by his son, John. He was 86

RIP

Lisa Marie Presley Felt Protected, Anonymous During COVID Stressed Out Over Going Public for Golden Globes

Lisa Marie Presley could not handle the stress leading up to the Golden Globes, because she had become used to feeling anonymous during COVID, and felt fully exposed during the roll up to the Golden Globes ... sources tell TMZ.

Family sources tell TMZ ... Lisa actually felt comfortable during COVID, because she could leave her home masked up and no one knew it was her ... including paparazzi.

Lisa's world was rocked to the core in July, 2020, when her son Benjamin died by suicide. As we reported, our family sources say were it not for her 14-year-old twins, Lisa would have followed in Benjamin's path.

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As she was dealing with her grief, we're told Lisa did not want to be seen by anyone. On the occasions when she ventured out of her home, she felt protected with a mask covering much of her face ... she was not spotted by anyone, and it proved comforting.

Lisa spend most of her time at home in 2021 and 2022, but 3 months before the Golden Globes, we're told she realized she would be a public centerpiece for the "Elvis" movie, and it freaked her out.

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TMZ broke the story ... Lisa had gained weight over the last few years, and went on a dramatic weight loss program. We're told she lost 40 to 50 pounds in the 6 weeks leading up to the Globes.  It was apparently during Lisa's interview with Billy Bush, something was off.

As one source put it, she was "obsessed" with looking her best for awards season. A family source put it bluntly ... "Were it not for the Golden Globes, Lisa might be alive today."

Our sources say she was so stressed out over the Globes, we're told she started taking opioids again ... something that dogged her much of her adult life.

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The L.A. County Coroner is awaiting toxicology results before determining cause of death.

If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org.

Clive Davis Pre-Grammy Party Jennifer Hudson Honors Whitney with 'Greatest Love of All'

Jennifer Hudson brought the house down at Clive Davis's pre-Grammy party Saturday night, with a rendition of "Greatest Love of All" that would have surely left Whitney Houston impressed.

Kevin Costner, Whitney's "The Bodyguard" co-star, hopped on stage with a super emotional tribute to both Whitney and Clive. Speaking to Davis from the stage, Costner said, "Neither one of us, in the end, could protect your beloved Whitney."

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Costner went on ... "But your fingerprints on her life are clean my friend. You were a miracle in her life. Thank you for being her bodyguard, Clive. Everyone in this business has a mom, but not everyone has a Clive."

TMZ broke the story ... Whitney died of an overdose at the Beverly Hilton hotel back in 2012, just hours before Clive Davis's annual pre-Grammy bash.

Davis was moved almost beyond words.

Saturday Night Live Now Who's Full of Hot Air?!!? Spoofs Downing of Chinese Spy Balloon

"Saturday Night Live" jumped on the Chinese spy balloon caper ... insinuating we made a way bigger deal of it that it actually was.

Chloe Fineman played MSNBC's Katy Tur, conducting an interview with Bowen Yang, who was dressed as a large spy balloon that was bobbing in the ocean.

"Well, you got me, congrats, you shot a balloon," Yang mockingly said. Fineman's response, "Wow, balloon, I'm sorry you're in the water, but thank you for speaking to us."

Yang continued, “I entertain you people for four days, and then get shot by Biden. I can’t believe that I’m Joe’s Osama!"

Earlier in the sketch, Fineman was joined on set by Keenan Thompson, playing a Pentagon official who detailed how the US shot down the spy balloon, and it's kinda hilarious.

Joe Exotic I Left Everything To Fiancé In New Will ... Orders DNR from Prison

february 2023
WHEN I'M GONE...

Joe Exotic isn't sure how much time he has left on this Earth, so he signed a new will -- leaving everything to his latest fiancé ... while also ordering first responders not to revive him if things go south.

In a prison-recorded phone call obtained by TMZ, Joe lays out what's what if he's to pass away ... saying his entire estate is going to Seth Posey, who he met over the internet ... and to whom he's currently engaged. If Seth dies, it all goes to the guy's son, Cameron.

Joe makes a point to say he doesn't want anybody else getting their grubby paws on any of his assets or valuables -- including Jeff Lowe, his family members or anyone else. Previously, he'd nixed his ex-husband, Dillon Passage. So, at this point, it's all going to Seth.

He also mentions a DNR (Do Not Resuscitate) order he's put in his will in the off chance that he goes into cardiac arrest or anything that might require life-saving measures. JE sounds frustrated with the fact that he's been in prison for this long ... and says "he's done."

Joe further tells TMZ ... "I am sick of people standing in line waiting to collect my stuff," which is why he's taking this preemptive measure. Rather than leave things for what he considers vultures, who he says are standing by to collect, Joe wants this cut and dried.

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On top of this, the 'Tiger King' has very specific funeral plans ... listen for yourself.

As we first told you ... Joe and Seth reunited in June after first meeting in 2021, when Seth won Joe's online 'Bachelor King' competition to be Joe's new boyfriend. They ultimately grew apart, and then Joe was planning to marry his fellow inmate, John Graham ... but when Graham got out of prison, Joe ended up getting back with Seth. Yeah, Joe's got a crazy love life.

Anyways, 59-year-old Joe's still got around 20 years left on his prison sentence for his murder-for-hire conviction, and he tells us he believes the feds hope he dies in prison "so they don't have to admit they were wrong."

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Naturally, it wouldn't be a Joe Exotic story without a shot at his nemesis, Carole Baskin ... Joe tells us Carole, Jeff Lowe and James Garretson "can all go to hell."

'RIVERDALE' ACTOR RYAN GRANTHAM HOUSED IN PRISON HOSPITAL ... Receiving Counseling After Murdering Mother

Ryan Grantham, who played Jeffery Augustine in "Riverdale", is being held in a prison hospital and is receiving counseling ... as he tries to cope with the guilt of murdering his own mother.

Grantham's attorney, Chris Johnson, tells TMZ ... "Mr. Grantham recently advised me that he’s doing well, getting the help he needs, and has gained some insight into what happened and why. He regrets what he did to his mother."

Sources with direct knowledge tell us, Grantham is getting counseling from the prison psychologist and is occasionally seen by a psychiatrist.

You'll recall, Grantham's attorney was extremely concerned the 24-year-old would be placed in a maximum security prison, as he could be "physically, psychologically and sexually intimidated" due to his frail stature.

Following the attorney's plea to have Grantham relocated, authorities decided to keep the "Riverdale" actor at a prison hospital in British Columbia, Canada, while they decide where he'll serve the remainder of his sentence.

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Grantham seems to be taking his treatment seriously ... his attorney tells us, "He realizes that he has a lot of personal work to do, but he’s dedicating himself to that, so that he can hopefully be a mentally healthy and contributing member of society at some point in time in the future.”

As we reported, Ryan Grantham was sentenced to life behind bars for murdering his mother, Barbara Waite, back in 2020. The terms of his sentence state he will be ineligible for parole during his first 14 years behind bars.

Ex-Atlanta Braves Scout On Travis Kelce ... He Could Have Been An MLB Star!!!

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Now batting for the Atlanta Braves ... Travis Kelce?!?

A former MLB scout tells TMZ Sports that very well could have been a possibility this year and beyond -- if only Kelce had opted to play baseball instead of football after high school.

Reggie Sanders -- who scouted for the Braves in the Ohio area as Kelce was starring at Cleveland Heights H.S. in the early 2000s -- tells us that in his several trips to see the teenager who grew up to be a Kansas City Chiefs star ... he was blown away by what he saw.

Sanders remembered the future tight end as a good hitter with blazing speed ... and noted the young Kelce, who graduated H.S. in 2008, was towering, too.

"He seemed like a big leaguer on a field of high school players," said Sanders, who worked for the Braves from 2002 to 2007. "He looks almost the same size today as he was in high school."

Sanders said after watching Kelce play, he was "certain" the guy would have ended up in the big leagues if he had stuck with it ... telling us, "I remember writing his report and I comped him to Josh Hamilton."

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Of course, Kelce never stayed with baseball -- he opted to follow in his big brother's footsteps and play football at Cincinnati. The rest, as you know, is history ... and he'll be playing for his second Super Bowl championship next week.

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Kelce, though, still has baseball on his mind from time to time ... participating in celebrity home run derbies often -- and even once joking about leaving football for the diamond as well.

Celebrity Scramble Guess Who!

Concealed in this mashed-up photo is a man who does it all ... acting, singing, dancing ... you name it! Back in the day, he made his acting debut on "Hannah Montana" with Miley Cyrus, and he has been living the dream with his bros ever since.

Just last week, this slick celeb received a star on The Hollywood Walk of Fame, where he once again proved he's got swag and style for days! When he's not on his tour bus, he's probably having some cake by the ocean!

Raise a brow (or two) and see if you can crack this surprise and guess the sucker!

Sheila E. On Shania Twain She Was Right To Pass On Prince ... Breakup Albums Are Touchy

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Sheila E. says Shania Twain doesn't need to dwell on what could have been -- taking Prince up on an offer to collab on a breakup album years ago -- because Shania was right to say no.

We got Sheila at LAX and our photog asked her about Shania's recent revelation -- turning down Prince after he invited her to Paisley Park to record an album together in the wake of her 2008 split from ex-husband Robert "Mutt" Lange.

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Shania says Prince called and told her they could record the next big album -- like Fleetwood Mac's "Rumours" -- but she just wasn't ready ... and Sheila says it makes sense, telling us why breakup tracks are "touchy" for artists.

While lots of folks feel Shania and Prince could have done something special together, Sheila tells us the 'Feel Like a Woman' singer didn't need Prince to elevate her music ... Sheila says Shania was already great, with or without Prince.

Sheila's got tons of history with Prince, both romantically and professionally, so it's interesting to hear her take ... and she's validating Shania's gut instinct.

Kelsea Ballerini Good Genes or Good Docs?!

Kelsea Ballerini's looks over the years are definitely award-worthy!

Here is a 21-year-old version of the country singer flashing her pearly whites and looking show-ready at the "Fox & Friends" Concert In New York City back in 2015 (left). This was the same year she debuted her first studio album "The First Time."

And, 8 years later -- with hopes of bringing home a W from this year's Grammys -- she recently pulled back her hair and showed off that winning smile at a CMT event in Music City aka Nashville, Tennessee (right).

It's obvi "Outer Banks" star, Chase Stokes is into Ms. Ballerini, but the question is ...

Kelsea Ballerini ...

Elon Musk Hey, Corporate America ... Pay Me $1,000 for Gold Checkmarks!!!

The days of being verified for free on Twitter are coming to an end -- which goes for corporate accounts too ... who'll have pay a pretty penny for their verification status.

A new report from The Information suggests Elon Musk and co. are rolling out a new payment plan option for companies/brands who want to hold on to their gold checkmark ... which, up until now, was free if they were of note or importance.

Another separate reporter, Matt Navarra, appeared to confirm Twitter's plans ... which include charging business accounts $1,000 per month if they want to stay verified. Any affiliate accounts under the bigger corporate account will cost an additional $50/month.

They're calling the program Verified for Organizations, and it sounds like they're reaching out to brands now to get them onboard early. If they refuse to pony up, they'll lose their gold check and look like any other unverified Twitter user. It's unclear when this goes into effect.

It doesn't seem this new subscription plan applies to media companies, which would be at risk of phony accounts popping up and posing as them ... thus, spreading fake news.

On the contrary, this looks to be aimed more so at straight up corporations -- like Target, Bank of America, etc. -- that are strictly in the business of selling goods and services ... and turning a profit. It also sounds like a ploy to make quick cash, which Twitter reportedly really needs these days -- with mounting lawsuits from all ends and ongoing staff shortages.

Of course, this is just the latest money-making gimmick from Elon. In addition to this, he's still desperately trying to get people to sign up for Twitter Blue any way he can -- which is $8/month and guarantees virtual nobodies a blue checkmark, for whatever that's worth.

Meanwhile, tons of old legacy accounts -- like journos/other people of note -- continue to rock their blue checkmarks (for free, it seems) and public officials now have grey checks.

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A work in progress, indeed.

Dave Bautista New 'Cabin' Movie ... Aiming to Sink 'Avatar' as #1

James Cameron's 'Avatar' sequel has reigned supreme at the box office for weeks now -- but a new flick might be gearing up to take it down ... with Dave Bautista at the helm.

We're talking about M. Night Shyamalan's sci-fi thriller "Knock at the Cabin," which just hit theaters. The film's gotten mixed reviews, but it seems the movie-going crowd is eager to see it ... so far, it's made $5.4 mil and is on track to make about $14.5 mil through Sunday.

While lower than what early projections had it pegged at -- between $15M-$20M over the weekend -- that figure is still strong enough to knock off 'The Way of Water' ... which has been #1 for over a month now. The sequel has been cruising, without much competition.

Box office estimates have 'Avatar 2' coming in at around $10 million ... which, if it holds true, would actually drop it down to #3, below yet another new movie that's doing quite alright.

That would be the Jane Fonda-led '80 for Brady,' which is expected to fetch around $13 million this weekend ... not too far behind Shyamalan's highly-anticipated mind-twister.

This one's about a group of older women who take a trip to Foxborough to catch their favorite Patriots QB in action. It's an original comedy ... and considering those are kinda tanking these days in ticket sales, it's a nice surprise to see the strong showing -- especially since this is targeted toward a more senior-leaning audience.

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In either case, it looks like 'Avatar's' time on top is coming to an end -- but it's not like Cameron and co. are complaining. The blockbuster has made more money than anyone could've hoped for ... now sitting as the 4th highest-grossing motion picture of all time.

Something tells us they can afford to let someone else be king for a little while now. At least until part 3 comes out, that is.

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