'RHONY' First Black Cast Member On the Job ... Bershan Shaw in the Running

"The Real Housewives of New York City" is fulfilling its pledge to become more diverse by welcoming motivational speaker Bershan Shaw into the fold ... TMZ has learned.

Sources close to production tell TMZ ... 'RHONY' started shooting the upcoming 13th season this week and Bershan has been recording around Manhattan with some of the housewives ... who, as you know, are all white.

Our sources say it's unclear at this point if Bershan will be a full-time housewife, or just a "friend of the show" to start -- but, nonetheless, she's been filming.

TMZ broke the story ... 'RHONY' producers set out to diversify a cast that was nothing but rich, white women in season 12, and producers were actively searching, and in talks with potential new faces for season 13.

Now, it appears producers have landed on Bershan, who will bring a lot more to the table than just being the first Black cast member.

Bershan is a business coach, actress, motivational speaker and, most impressively, a 2-time breast cancer survivor.

President Trump Clock's Ticking for TikTok Downloads ... Ban Starts Sunday!!!

UPDATE

7:52 AM PT -- TikTok tells TMZ ... it disagrees with the decision and is disappointed, but it's committed to protecting users' privacy and safety and keeping the platform going.

UPDATE

TikTok says it has "already committed to unprecedented levels of additional transparency and accountability well beyond what other apps are willing to do" in its proposal to the U.S. Administration, and "will continue to challenge the unjust executive order."

UPDATE

Vanessa Pappas, Interim Head of TikTok, has also called for Facebook and Instagram to "publicly join our challenge and support our litigation." She adds ... "This is a moment to put aside our competition and focus on core principles like freedom of expression and due process of law."

President Trump's a big step closer to going through with his threat to cancel TikTok, but another Chinese-owned app -- WeChat -- is being dealt a more significant blow first ... perhaps as a warning shot.

The Trump administration announced Friday TikTok and WeChat -- which have more than 100 million American users -- will be yanked from U.S. app stores starting Sunday. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said the move shows POTUS "will do everything in his power to guarantee our national security and protect Americans from the threats of the Chinese Communist Party."

Ross added the new ban will hurt WeChat way more at first because it means U.S. users will no longer be able to transfer funds or process payments using the app -- and it will severely cripple any business the app can do with U.S. companies.

The administration is giving TikTok until November 12 before it's dealt the same restrictions as WeChat. Wilbur says the only major change Sunday for Tiktok is users won't have access to updated or upgraded versions of the app or maintenance.

Of course, it will also no longer be on the app store ... so new users can't download it either.

As we've reported ... TikTok is currently in talks with American software maker Oracle to be acquired by the company, which could help it dodge Trump's national security concerns.

Trump is expected to speak on the potential Oracle deal later Friday.

Originally published -- 6:57 AM PT

Trump Star Vandal Up to Old Tricks ... Drops Anti-Trump Flyers from Empire State Building

EMPIRE PROTEST
TMZ.com

James Otis -- best known as the guy who destroyed Donald Trump's Hollywood Walk of Fame star right before he was elected president -- is trying to do his part to make sure DT doesn't get re-elected ... by littering NYC with Trump's lies.

Otis -- who's also an heir to the Otis Elevator Company fortune -- made his way to the top of the Empire State Building Thursday morning and dropped thousands of gold flyers down upon the city.

Naturally, an employee caught him in the act and told him to stop and leave immediately, but as you can see ... the damage was already done.

HIGH FLYIN' LIES
TMZ.com

We got the anti-Trump vandal after his stunt, and he tells us he didn't get in any serious trouble for the flyer drop ... suggesting he talked his way out of it.

Otis says he explained to the building authorities that what he did was a non-violent act to spread the word about President Trump's incessant lying ... and they were "cordial."

However, on the downside ... he says he's now banned for life from the Empire State Building.

As for the flyers, Otis says they were printed on both sides with more than 20,000 examples of lies Trump has told in office ... along with the fact-checking to refute them.

Examples include Trump quotes about tax-cutting, the economy, Joe Biden, protests and the VA Choice bill ... and those are just from the past few months. James says he dropped at least a couple thousand flyers.

VANDAL IN ACTION
Deadline Hollywood

As you'll recall ... Otis was charged with vandalism for the pickax stunt he pulled on October 26, 2016, to protest then-candidate Trump. He pled no contest in February 2017 and was sentenced to 3 years probation, community service and ordered to pay $4,400.

Looks like he's making the most of being off probation. We've reached out to cops about the Empire State Building incident ... no word back yet.

Cleveland Browns Fans Brawl In Stands at 'TNF' Despite COVID Social Distancing

Browns fans gonna Browns ... even during a pandemic!

Check out this footage of a brawl in the stands at the Cleveland Browns vs. Cincinnati Bengals game on Thursday night ... where the combatants don't seem to care about COVID-19.

Unclear what started the incident at FirstEnergy Stadium in Cleveland ... but you can clearly see security working like hell to try and break things up as quickly as possible.

The silver lining ... everyone seemed to be wearing masks! So, at least there's that!

Only 6,000 fans were allowed into the stadium to watch the game due to social distancing policies in place -- and all 6,000 reportedly had to sign a "health promise" saying they would not enter the facility if they were sick.

The "pledge" also says fans will wear masks, social distance, etc. Wonder if it said anything about fighting?!

The good news ... the Browns players seemed to channel that fighting spirit on the field -- defeating the Bengals in a 35 to 30 victory.

Congrats?

Kroy Biermann Claps Back Over Pic of Brielle on Lap ... No Time for 'Ignorant' Trolls!!!

THEY'RE ALL SICK TROLLS
TMZ.com

Kroy Biermann says he doesn't give a crap what "uneducated" people think about his daughter, Brielle, sitting on his lap in a photo, and his wife's reaction is even harsher.

We got Kroy, Brielle and Kim Zolciak-Biermann Thursday at LAX, and asked them about the recent online backlash to Brielle posting a pic of herself sitting on Kroy's lap while celebrating his birthday.

The disgusting comments were pretty swift, and typical for the Internet, with trolls wondering if Brielle slept with her stepdad. Ya couldn't blame Kroy if he's pissed about it, but watch ... he's surprisingly calm and cool. Kroy told us he knows its just "ignorant" idiots with too much time on their hands.

Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media.

Brielle, though, was still visibly heated, and told their haters to "get a f**king job." She also wanted everyone to know -- Kroy's an incredible man and father.

Remember, Kroy -- who married Kim back in 2011 -- filed paperwork 2 years later to legally adopt Kim's 2 daughters from a previous relationship.

Now, papa Kroy might've been reserved, but check out Mom's reaction. It's about as direct as one can get, and pure Kim.

'Big Brother' Star Janelle Pierzina Sells Necklace for $18k ... Donates It to Charity!!!

Janelle Pierzina didn't last long on this season of 'Big Brother,' but boy did she cash in -- selling a necklace she wore on the show for a small fortune, before putting that dough to good use.

The "Big Brother All-Stars" contestant wore a gold-plated "Janelle" necklace this season, and while she was the third houseguest voted out ... that necklace is now a sweet silver lining.

Janelle decided to sell it on eBay ... and it went for a whopping $18,300!!!

But, get this, Janelle -- who made the top 3 on "Big Brother 7 All-Stars" in 2006 -- decided to donate the entire proceeds to Give Kids The World Village ... an 84-acre village in Central Florida that offers weeklong vacations to children with critical illnesses and their families.

The trips come at zero cost to the families, thanks to donations like Janelle's.

The non-profit org has catered to 175,000 children and their families since 1986, and Janelle's been working with them for 5 years. CBS reality stars usually participate in the group's annual fundraiser -- raising between $150k and $170k -- but it was canceled this year because of the pandemic.

National Cheeseburger Day Where's the Beef? In These Stars' Mouths!!!

Holy cow, it's National Cheeseburger Day!!!

No matter how rich, famous, popular or attractive celebrities are, they still like to chow down like the rest of us ... just maybe not as much as the rest of us.

From actors like Sarah Hyland, Tyler Posey, Debby Ryan, Jesse Metcalfe, Tara Reid and Zoe Kravitz to supermodels like Josephine Skriver and Olivia Culpo -- and even a world-famous crooner like John Legend -- these celebs have no problem getting cheesy.

This might not be the kind of celebrity beef that fuels the headlines ... but it'll certainly fuel your appetite.

Enjoy, everyone!

Cathy The Temp on 'The Office' 'Memba Her?!

American actor Lindsey Broad is best know for playing the Dunder Mifflin temp Cathy -- who puts the moves on Jim during the Tallahassee Sabre store openings -- in the 8th season of the hysterical TV comedy "The Office."

Lindsey Broad was cast alongside 'Office" greats like Rainn Wilson as the Special Projects Manager, Dwight K. Schrute, John Krasinksi as the monogamous father-of-two, Jim Halpert ... and of course Ed Helms as the pitch-perfect boss, Andy "Nard-Dog" Bernard.

Broad can also be seen on the big screen in movies like "21 Jump Street" and "Get Him To The Greek."

Guess what she looks like now!

'Big Brother' CBS Says Memphis Garrett Didn't Utter N-Word ... After Fans Accuse Him

CAUGHT ON MIC
CBS
UPDATE

5:33 PM PT -- CBS says Memphis did not utter the n-word on the live feed.

UPDATE

The network tells TMZ ... "producers have listened to the scene using enhanced audio. Additionally, the Network’s program practices team isolated and played back the scene several different ways using professional, studio-grade audio equipment. After close examination, it has been determined a racial epithet was not said or uttered."

UPDATE

CBS adds ... "Hate speech will not be tolerated, and those who violate the policy will be removed from the Big Brother House."

UPDATE

A source connected to production tells us Memphis didn't say anything at all. Watch the video now -- we've removed the bleep -- and it looks like he said, "David's an ..." and then trailed off.

'Big Brother' fans are calling for houseguest Memphis Garrett to be removed from the competition after some say they heard him drop the n-word in reference to a Black competitor.

During the after-hours of the 'BB' live feed late Wednesday night ... Memphis was having a conversation with Cody Calafiore about David Alexander, who is Black. Many viewers, who reacted on social media, believe they heard Memphis say, "Dude, David's a n****r" before getting a hand signal from Cody to stop talking.

Another camera angle shows Memphis had a look on his face, right after the remark, seeming to realize he messed up big time.

A change.org petition is circulating to get Memphis removed from the show -- and it says, "If left unchecked, we could be witnessing real life harm from a privileged white a**hole upon a black man who is ALONE in the house, after almost all the other people of color have been evicted / threatened. THIS IS NOT OKAY!!!"

GONE TOO FAR
CBS

This isn't the first major controversy of this 'All-Star' season of the popular CBS reality show. Just last week, Memphis -- along with houseguests Christmas Abbott, Dani Briones and Nicole Franzel -- were caught mocking fellow houseguest Ian Terry over his autism.

Of course, bullying and bigotry have been causes for controversy many times on "Big Brother" ... the show has dealt with multiple racist and misogynist issues over the years.

We reached out to CBS about Garrett ... no word back so far.

Originally Published -- 7:05 AM PT

Justin Bieber Yellow There ... Yeezys On My Vespa!!!

Justin Bieber is no Hells Angel, but he's tooling around the City of Angels on a hot new ride ... a bright yellow Vespa and Kanye West's latest kicks!!!

The singer took to the streets Thursday on his slick Vespa Primavera Sean Wotherspoon, zipping around Los Angeles ahead of his new music video release for "Holy."

Justin wore a white hoodie and yellow shorts, keeping it safe with a black helmet and keeping it fresh with a pair of Adidas Yeezy Foam RNNR 'Ararats' ... the latest in Kanye's futuristic footwear.

As we reported, the Biebs and Hailey paid Kanye a visit on his Wyoming ranch towards the end of July, when the couple was cruising the countryside in an RV, and now Justin's repping Ye on his feet.

Gotta love fine Italian motor scooters. Vroom vroom!!!

NeNe Leakes I'm Not Coming Back to 'RHOA' ... Andy Cohen Responds

SO SAD TO SAY GOODBYE
UPDATE

2:51 PM PT -- Andy Cohen says he's going to miss NeNe on the show, and calls her an "icon of the genre" along with a "gif and catchphrase machine."

UPDATE

Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media.

UPDATE

Andy -- aka "Buttercup" to NeNe -- points out that she has been his most frequent guest on 'Watch What Happens Live' and is always a blast ... and he hopes to work with her again soon.

Rumors have circulated for months, but now it's official -- NeNe Leakes will not be returning to "The Real Housewives of Atlanta" ... she says so herself.

The longtime 'RHOA' star just posted a video stating it clearly -- she's made the call to NOT be a part of season 13. NeNe says she made the difficult decision after an "extremely long, exhausting, tiring, emotional" contract negotiation.

NeNe stresses things were emotional for both sides during the process, and fights back tears before reflecting on her time with the show ... which started for her back in 2008.

Though Leakes only explicitly says she's out for season 13, her message suggests this is more of a farewell for good.

She says ... "I'm just so happy that I can say that I was part of a genre that opened up a door for Black ensemble reality shows. I want to thank everybody that has looked up to me over the years. I want to thank Bravo for all the memories. Thank you to the cast for all of the memories."

The video NeNe posted on her YouTube page includes her 'RHOA' highlights from over the years.

In August, NeNe went on a tweeting spree amid her contract negotiations and seemed to call out her castmates for not protecting her or standing up for her ... though she didn't name names.

NeNe is one of the reality series' biggest stars, known most for her friendship/falling out/reconciliation with Kim Zolciak-Biermann ... and her rivalry with Kenya Moore.

'RHOA' is currently in production for the upcoming season on Bravo.

A spokesperson for the network tells TMZ ... "We wish Nene all the best in her future endeavors and thank her for sharing her journey for over a decade with the fans of 'The Real Housewives of Atlanta.' She’s been instrumental since the start and will truly be missed, and maybe one day she’ll hold the peach again."

Originally Published 2:18 PM PT

Terry Bradshaw I'm Alpha on Fam's TV Show, Like Kris ... But, Lemme Ask My Wife!!!

I'M TOP DOG ... I THINK
TMZ.com

Terry Bradshaw says he's the undisputed Kris Jenner of his family's reality TV show ... but he still wants to double-check on his alpha status with his wife!!!

The 4-time Super Bowl champion joined us on "TMZ Live" Thursday and we asked him who comes off as top-dog on "The Bradshaw Bunch," his family's new show, debuting tonight on E!.

Ya gotta see his answer because it's amazing ... Terry tells us he's probably going to be the alpha, but then looks off-camera to make sure his wife Tammy approves!

Hilarious, TB. Just hilarious.

'Bradshaw Bunch' follows Tammy, Terry, their 3 daughters and their significant others ... living on the family's Oklahoma ranch. The show is following in the footsteps of "Keeping Up with the Kardashians" -- which, as you know, is ending next year -- and the NFL legend told us he's fully aware his fam might be coming along at the perfect time

Terry says this new 'Bunch' is gonna be chock-full of humor and good times ... 2 things the country needs right now. As for who's really the alpha?

Our guess is as good as Terry's, so watch and find out for yourself.

Jason Momoa My Car's Broken Down ... Better Take Off My Shirt!!!

STUCK AND SHIRTLESS

We know Jason Momoa's king of the seas, but Aquaman's having trouble on dry land -- his car's broken down, so he's doing the best he can ... shirtless. What's a superhero gotta do to get a tow these days??

Jason's sweating it out in 110 degrees after his car radiator bit the dust. Looks like he's in the desert outside L.A., just in case you're in the area. He seems far from panicked though.

In fact, with his shirt off, kicking it on his cooler -- now doubling as a lawn chair -- he seems as chill as if he'd be on a beach as he waits for some help.

We usually see Jason tooling around town on his vintage 1947 Harley, but motorcycles aren't ideal for long drives through the desert heat. Of course, looks like his car couldn't hold up either.

MARCH 2019
DELAYED

Desert treks are kinda jinxed for Jason -- remember, his private jet made an emergency landing in Palm Springs last year ... adding some scary adventure to his short trip from L.A. to Phoenix.

Maybe Aquaman should stick to water. In the meantime, someone give this guy a lift!!!

Dallas Stars Honored With Puppies For Cup Run ... Meet Jamie, Benn & Kivi!

HOW ADORABLE IS THIS?!?!?

An animal shelter in Texas was so grateful for the Dallas Stars' epic run to the Stanley Cup Finals this month ... it named four puppies after the team!!!

Meet Jamie, Benn, Kivi and Dallas ... four cute little pups who will forever be tied to the hockey team thanks to the heroics of the real-life Jamie Benn and Joel Kiviranta.

TMZ Sports has learned the shelter -- Operation Kindness in North Texas -- just made the names official ... and is now putting the dogs up for adoption.

Check out some pics of the doggos (plus a bonus shot of Dobby!) ... THEY'RE SO LITTLE!!!!!!!!!

As for the real-life Stars ... we're sure they're flattered by the naming -- but they've still got some work left to do in the playoffs to finish everything off.

Dallas will face the winner of the Islanders-Lightning series ... and can you imagine the number of dogs they'll have named after them if they can win that?!?!

Raptors' Masai Ujiri Cop Shove Video Was 'Hard For Me' ... Didn't Sleep For Days

I DOUBTED MYSELF

Raptors president Masai Ujiri says he really struggled mentally in the days after the cop shoving video was released ... even though the footage completely exonerated him.

"This was very hard for me," Ujiri told the media Thursday ... "When the video came out, I didn't sleep for a few days."

So, what bothered Ujiru -- who was clearly shoved by a white cop TWICE for no reason in June 2019 while trying to get on the court to celebrate his team's championship???

Two things ...

UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL

First, Ujiri says the false allegations that he was the instigator of that incident really started to mess with his mind.

"[After the incident] you question yourself and as time goes on you begin to doubt yourself. I doubted myself and what really happened there."

Obviously, the video clearly shows Ujiri calmly trying to show his ID badge to the officer -- and it was the officer who CLEARLY overreacted by putting his hands on Masai twice.

But, Masai says his mind would run wild about the incident -- especially while he was alone in the NBA Bubble -- and he began to wonder if he was misremembering how things really went down.

Secondly ... when the video was released, he started feeling horrible for other Black people who don't have the money, power, clout and other resources to fight back against false allegations.

"That began to bother me as a person."

Ujiri says the incident has not made him hate white people -- he says there are many white families he would trust with his own kids.

But, Ujiri believes the incident shows racism is still an issue in America ... even for successful NBA executives.

Tarek El Moussa Run it Back ... I'd Do a New Show with New Bae!!!

READY TO TRY AGAIN
TMZ.com

Tarek El Moussa is a glutton for punishment -- at least that's what HE joked as he revealed he'd love to work side-by-side with wife-to-be, Heather Rae Young.

The "Flipping 101" star joined "TMZ Live" Thursday, and said, yeah ... he's down to walk that familiar path again of shooting a TV show with his spouse. He told us Heather -- who's on the Netflix show "Selling Sunset" -- tends to be with him nearly 24/7, anyway, so why not do a show with her?

Well, naysayers would probably remind Tarek about his ex-wife and "Flip or Flop" costar, Christina Anstead. They enjoyed incredible success together before a very public 2016 split that ultimately led to their 2018 divorce.

To their immense credit, they not only remained friends but also costars. That being said, Tarek says shooting a show as spouses did NOT lead to their divorce ... so he's not worried about working with Heather.

Christina, of course, has more than moved on. She and Ant Anstead welcomed a baby boy a little over a year ago.

As for Tarek ... he and Heather have been engaged for 2 months now, and their wedding's pretty much planned out. Except for one not-so-tiny detail.

Old news is old news!
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