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Cardi B and her sister say the people suing them over a MAGA dispute on the beach are just looking for an easy payday ... and they want the lawsuit tossed out of court.

The rapper and her sister, Hennessy Carolina, filed a motion to dismiss the defamation suit Peter Caliendo, Pauline Caliendo and Manuel Alarcon filed against them in New York last summer following a squabble in the Hamptons.

According to the docs, obtained by TMZ, Cardi and Hennessy claim their legal foes are only seeking a windfall from them because they are celebrities ... and they're hoping a judge sees it the same way they do.

As we reported ... CB and her sis were sued after allegedly labeling a group of beachgoers as "racist MAGA supporters" while putting them on blast online. But, Cardi and Hennessy say the heated words were just their opinions ... and that doesn't make them liable for defamation.

James Charles is denying accusations he's grooming a 16-year-old boy ... he claims the person making the accusation told him he was 18 before they started flirting over social media.

James just addressed a video making the rounds on social media where a boy claims JC is "grooming" him. His accuser claims James sent him sexually-explicit messages and pictures on Snapchat.

JC says the boy sent him lewd photos first, and he didn't start "flirting back" until the kid told him he was 18.

The boy posted his accusations in a video, with alleged screengrabs of his back and forth with James.

In hindsight, James says he shoulda confirmed the boy's age before flirting with him. JC says their conversation led him to realize the kid was way younger than he allegedly claimed, and that's when James says he ended the virtual interaction.

Ice Cube is just as pissed as you are that there hasn't been a "Friday" sequel in nearly 20 years, and he's blaming Warner Bros for blocking the franchise.

Cube just fired a shot at WB on Twitter, claiming the media giant is refusing to hand him the reins on the "Friday" franchise to make more sequels, and thus hijacking the "happiness of the culture."

Sources familiar with the situation tell TMZ ... Ice Cube has been really pissed off with how he's been treated by Warner Bros through the years, and the dispute over more sequels is just the tip of the iceberg -- no pun intended.

Our sources say WB owns the rights to the 'Friday' franchise, and the studio doesn't seem interested in making any more sequels at the moment. The OG "Friday" was released in 1995, followed by 2000's "Next Friday" and 2002's "Friday After Next."

We're told Cube is pissed because Warner Bros is refusing to release the rights to him so he can produce sequels somewhere else ... and our sources say Cube feels like the 'Friday' franchise is his art, and if WB doesn't want to make more movies they should give him the rights so he can.

"Breaking Bad" star Bryan Cranston's moving on to new turf, and leaving behind a beachfront property he turned into a home with a net-zero carbon footprint.

The Emmy-winning, Oscar-nominated actor has listed his super hip, eco-friendly pad in Ventura, CA -- called "Three Palms" -- for just a touch under $5 million ... after paying about half that for it back in 2007.

BC says he put his "heart, soul and blood, sweat and often tears" into renovating the place and turning it into the modernized, unique, sustainable and energy-efficient home it is today.

Completed in 2013, the house now features a 2-story floor plan with 3 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms and 2,450 sq. ft of living space. Along with an ocean view, it comes with the option of buying Bryan's custom furniture and personal art collection too.

Cranston says of his decision to sell ... "There’s something lovely about creating something with tremendous pride and effort and turning it over, letting someone else take it to the next level of appreciation."

The listing agent calls it "one of the most remarkable green homes ever built in California."

Lady Gaga's dog walker -- who put his life on the line for her beloved animals -- is expected to make a full recovery ... and his family is thanking Gaga for her support.

The family of Ryan Fischer tells us, "Ryan is receiving extraordinary care in the hospital right now and his doctors expect him to make a full recovery. We cannot possibly say enough to thank all of the first responders, nurses and doctors who have worked so tirelessly to care for Ryan."

They also give a massive thank you to Gaga, saying, "Of course, we also want to thank Lady Gaga who has shown nothing but non-stop love and concern for Ryan and our family right from the outset. Ryan loves Gustavo and Koji as much as Lady Gaga does; so we join in her plea for their safe return."

TMZ broke the story, Fischer was shot while walking Gaga's 3 French bulldog's Wednesday night in Hollywood ... the thieves made off with 2 of the dogs, leaving Ryan begging for help on the sidewalk.

Cops have not yet named any suspects, but our sources say there's reason to believe the attack was a targeted hit on Gaga's dogs for ransom.

Travis Scott's helping 50,000 folks in Houston weather the winter storm they've been dealing with ... by providing them all a hot meal.

The rapper and his Cactus Jack Foundation have teamed up with Mayor Sylvester Turner to launch an emergency food program Friday that will feed 50k residents who've been impacted by Texas' historic freeze.

Travis' foundation's working with local agencies and restaurant owners to get the hot meals to those still recovering from the frigid temperatures and days without water or power ... with the most vulnerable Houstonians at the front of the line.

The deliveries have been ongoing all over the city on Friday, and include truckloads of bottled water.

Howard University's President says the money that's been pouring into the school is a testament to its dedication to diversity, and yes ... its connection to famous alums like VP Kamala Harris.

Dr. Wayne Frederick joined us on "TMZ Live" Friday on the heels of receiving a massive $20 million donation from the Marriott Foundation for a hospitality leadership center ... something he tells us has been in the works for a while.

The center will be named the Marriott-Sorenson Center in honor of Marriott's late CEO Arne Sorenson, who Dr. Frederick says was devoted to diversity and shared the same values as Howard U.

Speaking of diversity, Dr. Frederick dropped a huge hint that Howard will be making a huge progressive step when it hires its next president ... at least, it will if he gets his wish.

Jeremy Lin is fed up with people acting like anti-Asian American racism doesn't exist -- saying he's personally experienced the hatred on the basketball court where he's been called names like "Coronavirus."

The former NBA star -- who currently plays for the Santa Cruz Warriors -- unloaded on social media about the rising numbers of hate incidents directed at Asians in America.

In New York and San Francisco, officials say hate crime incidents are up BIG versus previous years.

The NYPD reported 28 hate crimes against Asian Americans in 2020 ... up from 3 in 2019.

Data out of SF shows 9 hate crimes against Asians in 2020 ... up 33% from the 6 in 2019, according to the Washington Post.

Additionally, the Asian American advocacy group AAPI says it's received more than 2,500 reports of hate incidents in the U.S. directed at Asians since March 2020.

Enter Lin ... who's simply had enough.

"Something is changing in this generation of Asian Americans," 32-year-old Lin said Thursday in an emotionally-charged Facebook post.

"We are tired of being told that we don't experience racism, we are tired of being told to keep our heads down and not make trouble."

"We are tired of Asian American kids growing up and being asked where they're REALLY from, of having our eyes mocked, of being objectified as exotic or being told we're inherently unattractive."

"We are tired of the stereotypes in Hollywood affecting our psyche and limiting who we think we can be. We are tired of being invisible, of being mistaken for our colleague or told our struggles aren't as real."

Lin -- a Taiwanese-American -- says he's motivated to make a difference to make sure future generations are treated equally and respectfully in the U.S.

"I want better for my niece and nephew and future kids. I want better for the next generation of Asian American athletes than to have to work so hard to just be 'deceptively athletic.'"

Lin also noted he's been called names like "coronavirus" on the court -- and doesn't want anyone else to have to experience the same racism.

Chrishell Stause is single, like really single ... cuz just around the time her divorce from Justin Hartley was finalized, her relationship with her new boyfriend also came to an end.

Sources close to the former couple tell TMZ ... the "Selling Sunset" star and Keo Motsepe came to a mutual decision to end their relationship after about 3 months of dating.

Our sources say Chrishell's relationship with the 'DWTS' star had simply run its course. They started dating back in December 2020, so it was short and sweet.

We got Chrishell and her "Selling Sunset" co-star, Mary Fitzgerald, Wednesday afternoon at The Butcher, The Baker, The Cappuccino Maker in West Hollywood ... and Chrishell was reluctant to say much of anything about Keo. Now it makes sense, they were on the outs.

TMZ broke the story ... Chrishell and Justin finalized their divorce Monday, so it's been an eventful week for her.

Ted Cruz is already cracking jokes about his infamous trip to Mexico during the deadly winter storm in Texas, and his audience -- in Florida -- is loving it.

The Senator, who'd been on the PR ropes since jetting to Cancun, took a shot -- at himself and his haters -- by opening his speech at CPAC in Orlando with a shout-out to the host city, but added, "It's not as nice as Cancun." Ba dum tss.

Ted tries to let the punchline sink in and waits a few beats before wrapping up the rest of the joke -- which, btw, didn't exactly kill, even with a conservative crowd. It was definitely mixed applause.

As you know ... Cruz jetted off to warm and sunny Cancun while his constituents were without power, some literally freezing to death. He was shamed into flying back the next day.

Lady Gaga may have been the target of criminals who shot her dog walker and stole 2 of her French Bulldogs ... law enforcement tells TMZ.

We're told the LAPD is seriously looking at the possibility the shooter/thieves knew the dogs were owned by Gaga, and the video obtained by TMZ more than supports that theory.

If you look closely, the car that comes upon dog walker Ryan Fischer clearly was headed for him. The car stops and two people immediately jump out and attack the dog walker. There's no way they would have instantly known these dogs were a valuable breed ... they're small and it was dark outside. The dogs could have easily been rescues, mixed breeds, a less valuable breed ... fact is, these criminals knew.

What's more ... our law enforcement sources tell us, Ryan Fischer told numerous people in the neighborhood he was walking Gaga's dogs, so lots of people knew.

From what we know, this was supposed to be a short walk -- 10 PM at night, so the dogs could go poop and pee. It's not like the robbers were able to follow Ryan a long distance ... if they were indeed targeting Gaga's dogs, they could have scoped him out in the days before to determine his walking schedule.

As for the $500,000 ransom Gaga is offering ... sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ no one has been in touch with the singer or her reps so far demanding payment.

Renee Montgomery has gone from the WNBA court to the owner's box -- she's part of an ownership group that just bought the Atlanta Dream from Sen. Kelly Loeffler.

The exact financial terms of the deal are unclear -- but we're told the WNBA and NBA Boards of Governors both unanimously approved the sale.

The move makes Montgomery -- who recently retired after 11 seasons -- the first former WNBA player to have an ownership stake in a WNBA team.

Montgomery's 3-person ownership group is comprised of 2 big wigs from the Northland real estate firm -- chairman Larry Gottesdiener and President and COO Suzanne Abair.

"My dream has come true," Montgomery said in a statement to TMZ Sports.

"Breaking barriers for minorities and women by being the first former WNBA player to have both a stake in ownership and a leadership role with the ownership team is an opportunity that I take very seriously. I invite you to join me as the Dream builds momentum in Atlanta!"

Montgomery played 2 seasons with the Atlanta Dream before opting out of the 2020 WNBA season to focus on social justice initiatives.

In fact, the 2-time WNBA champion was an outspoken supporter of the WNBA and its players for pushing Black Lives Matter messaging during games -- despite pushback from Sen. Loeffler.

Loeffler was loudly against the WNBA promoting the Black Lives Matter movement during the 2020 season -- claiming it "promoted violence and destruction across the country."

Montgomery publicly disagreed and questioned why Loeffler "wants to be involved with a brand that just doesn't align with her views."

Loeffler and her former Dream co-owner Mary Brock issued a statement on the deal -- saying, "10 years ago we stepped up to keep the Dream in Atlanta, as an important asset for a vibrant and diverse city."

"It was also important to us to help level the playing field for women’s professional sports. We are proud of what we accomplished and wish the team well in their next chapter."

"We will always value the hard work and dedication, and the memories, fans and friendships that sustained our commitment to the Atlanta Dream over the last decade."

Renee and her team have their work cut out for them -- the Dream was 7-15 in 2020 and didn't make the playoffs.

However, there are bright spots on the roster including rising stars like Chennedy Carter, who made the WNBA's All-Rookie Team after an impressive 2020 season.

Montgomery has been super busy off-the-court -- she recently teamed up with Marshawn Lynch as a co-owner of Team Beasts in the new Fan Controlled Football League.

Plus, she also co-hosts the "TMZ Sports" TV show, which airs nightly on FS1.

Congrats!!!

Prince Harry says he moved his family to L.A. to protect his family like any husband and father would -- and blamed the media for "destroying my mental health."

Harry's episode with James Corden for 'The Late Show' finally aired Thursday night and while riding an open-air double-decker bus -- COVID-safe -- he denied leaving the Royal family.

In his eyes, "It was never walking away. It was stepping back rather than stepping down. It was a really difficult environment. As I think a lot of people saw, we all know what the British press can be like, and it was destroying my mental health. This is toxic. I did what any husband, any father would do. I needed to get my family out of here."

Just last week, Buckingham Palace said Harry and Meghan had "confirmed to Her Majesty The Queen that they will not be returning as working members of The Royal Family."

James and Harry, who are mates off-camera, also talked about Netflix's "The Crown" ... with Harry saying even though the series is clearly fictional it's loosely based on the truth.

The abduction of Lady Gaga's dogs and the shooting of her dog walker has put Hollywood dog walkers on high alert ... they're looking to protect themselves and the pets they care for with some significant firepower.

We contacted a bunch of dog walking companies in the Hollywood area -- where the shooting/abduction went down -- and according to a few companies, they're increasing security -- changing their dog-walking schedules to prevent a repeat of what happened Wednesday night.

Anna-Marie Arredondo, owner of Happy Heart Pet Care in WeHo, tells TMZ ... she's looking to get a concealed carry permit, STAT. If she's successful -- which is incredibly difficult to obtain in California -- she plans on packing heat on her walks.

She's also looking into taking jiu-jitsu classes so she can protect herself and the pets. What's more ... all nighttime walks will only go down in well-lit, highly-trafficked areas. She says if it's too dark or sketchy ... she'll haul the dogs in her car and drive to a safer spot.

Renee Lutz, owner of Fetch! Pet Care in the Hollywood Hills, tells TMZ ... she'll give all 38 of her dog walkers pepper spray and flashlights. She's also 86ing nighttime walks.

Alyssa and Saul, owners of Troop Canine in Griffith Park, tell TMZ ... they, too, are no longer doing nighttime walks ... for the foreseeable future, they'll limiting walks to mornings and afternoons. They're also looking into purchasing body cams, like GoPros, so cameras are rolling should any would-be thieves want to get handsy.

All the owners we spoke to said they'll continue to walk French Bulldogs ... a coveted breed. TMZ broke the story ... Lady Gaga's dog walker, Ryan Fischer, was shot Wednesday night in Hollywood after 2 men got out of a white sedan and abducted 2 of her French bulldogs, Koji and Gustav.

Tiger Woods has been transferred to a new hospital to continue his recovery -- and will now be treated at the famous Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in L.A.

Tiger's medical team at UCLA confirmed the move and praised the golfer as he left.

"Mr. Tiger Woods was transferred to Cedars Sinai Medical Center for continuing orthopedic care and recovery," Harbor-UCLA Medical Center Chief Medical Officer Anish Mahajan said.

"On behalf of our staff, it was an honor to provide orthopedic trauma care to one of our generation's greatest athletes."

Tiger was initially transported to Harbor-UCLA in the minutes after his car crash on Feb. 23 in Palos Verdes, CA.

Officials say he was taken to Harbor-UCLA because it was the best equipped, and closest hospital to treat Tiger's injuries.

Tiger suffered major injuries to his right leg in the crash -- including comminuted open fractures ... which means the bones were shattered and breaking through the skin.

Harbor-UCLA doctors used a rod to stabilize Tiger's leg and a combination of pins and screws to repair his badly damaged right ankle and foot.

Rachael Kirkconnell -- "The Bachelor" contestant who sparked the racism controversy this season due to her past -- says she's making changes for the better, and telling her defenders to stand down.

Rachael -- who's one of the remaining finalists still vying for Matt James' final rose -- says she's going to use her platform and privilege to amplify voices in the fight against racism.

She specifically calls on white people to step up, take accountability and work toward "racial progress and unity" ... which simply starts with being vocal, not staying silent.

Rachael has a lot more to say, but concludes by telling people who are excusing or defending her past behavior to "please stop." She doesn't mention host Chris Harrison by name ... but, of course, his staunch defense of Rachael is why he won't be on the 'After the Final Rose' reunion episode.

As we've reported ... it was Harrison's excusing of Rachael's actions -- and historical racism in general -- that landed him in hot water and led to him apologizing and stepping away from the show.

It's unclear when or if he'll return to the franchise, but the controversy's clearly not going away anytime soon.