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Taylor Swift is once again seeping into places you never thought you'd see her -- like on an AP history exam for high school students ... which is exactly what happened this week.

The pop star cameoed on the College Board's AP U.S. Government and Politics test administered to AP Government students this past Monday ... with one of the free-response questions asking about her 2018 political post that touched on the midterm elections.

Unclear how exactly the question was phrased -- you can't really whip your phone out in those types of settings to snap a shot -- but word is that it had something to do with analyzing how voter registration laws affect civic participation ... like voter turnout.

You'll recall ... TS tried getting out the vote back then by encouraging people to vote against then-U.S. Rep. Marsha Blackburn, and instead getting behind the Democratic Governor Phil Bredesen in the race for the open U.S. Senate seat in Tennessee by Bob Corker.

She talked about how she hardly ever waded into politics, etc. ... and then dropped a link to Vote.org. BTW, her advocacy didn't really work -- Blackburn won that race in the end.

Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit was allegedly juiced up when he won the race, because he apparently tested positive for steroids.

The legendary Bob Baffert, the horse's trainer, broke the news Sunday that the test results showed the presence of corticosteroid Betamethasone. It's kinda technical, but the sample came back positive for 21 picograms of the drug. It's used as an anti-inflammatory.

This means the horse could be disqualified. BTW ... Medina Spirit is the only horse in the race to test positive.

Baffert denies doing anything wrong ... "I don't know what's going on, but there's something that is not right.” It's not official till the split sample comes. Usually, we wait for that, but I wanted to get in front of it."

Facts are facts, and this would be Baffert's 5th medication violation since May, 2020.

The good news for bettors ... they won't have to give their money back. The bad news for Baffert, the trainer and the jockey ... they'll have to return their winnings if their appeal fails.

If Medina Spirit is stripped of the win, it'd be the first DQ since 1968, when Dancer's Image won but was later disqualified for an anti-inflammatory drug.

The Vegas odds paid off this time, because debris from the Chinese Long March rocket conformed to the probability it would crash down on water.

Parts from the wayward booster landed in the Indian Ocean, pretty close to the Maldives.

It's good news because no one had any idea where the space junk would hit. It was out of control in space and the re-entry was, to say the least, dicey.

There's unconfirmed video that seems to show debris falling from the sky over the Dead Sea in Jordan.

The biggest piece of debris was about as big as a Mack truck, so it could have done serious damage if it landed in a populated area.

China's Manned Space Engineering Office claims most of the debris burned up during re-entry, but clearly not all of it did.

This is one of the biggest, uncontrolled objects from space ever to hit the Earth, and that includes meteors, folks!

China has been criticized for allowing a booster to just float around in space. There was no plan to safely bring it back to Earth.

Elon Musk did well for himself on 'SNL' Saturday night, but his appearance did NOT do well for Dogecoin ... because its value plunged during the show.

Fans of Dogecoin were banking on Musk's on-air explanation of the cryptocurrency to drive the price to $1. That would have been a huge jump because just before the show it was hovering around 70 cents.

The opposite happened ... its value plummeted to 47 cents at the beginning of the show, and then partially recovered by bouncing back to 55 cents at around 2 AM ET.

At the time of this post, Dogecoin is down more than 37%.

The trading platform Robinhood seemed to panic, saying, "We’re currently experiencing issues with crypto trading. We're working to resolve this as soon as possible."

Musk talked about Dogecoin on the "Weekend Update" segment, playing a dude named Lloyd Ostertag who tried to explain to Michael Che and Colin Jost what exactly Dogecoin is, finally coming to the conclusion that didn't do it any favors.

Elon's been a fan of Dogecoin for a while now. We got him out in February when he gave some words of wisdom about investing and caution.

Bill Gates is arguably the world's most eligible bachelor now that he's divorcing his wife, Melinda, and Tinder's got a message for any potential catfishers ... don't swim in this dating pool!!!

The online dating platform is making sure folks who are looking for love don't fall hook, line and sinker for a Bill Gates impersonator ... telling us they've got some serious tools to make sure anyone's plan to pose as Bill will fail.

As for the big safeguard ... in order to verify a Tinder profile, users must scan their mug with facial recognition software to make sure a user matches his or her uploaded profile pics. Someone posing as Bill would almost certainly be busted.

Profiles are also reviewed and scanned for any oddities before going live ... and if someone does make it through the system, other users can flag it to Tinder employees for a closer look and for further verification.

A rep for Tinder tells us they do not yet have information available on how many fake Bill profiles have tried to launch since Melinda filed for divorce.

Now, if you're trying to get with Bill ... you might be better off sending a direct message on social media, instead of swiping through Tinder ... but you'll have to get in line, because lots of folks are sliding into Bill's DMs.

As we reported ... Bill's been lining his estranged wife's pockets with billions in stock ever since they announced their divorce after 27 years of marriage, so Melinda Gates is quite the eligible bachelorette as well.

Folks are shooting their shot with Melinda as well, but as with Bill, Tinder won't be letting any fake Melinda profiles fly.

Trey Songz allegedly had a little road rage and took it out on a woman's car and her hand ... so she tells cops.

According to law enforcement sources ... the singer and the woman got into an argument while they were each in their cars Thursday ... shortly after midnight.

We're told the argument escalated, and the woman reported to cops at some point Trey bumped his car into hers ... so she got out to confront him.

The woman claims that's when Songz sped off and hit her hand with his vehicle. She called the police, but when they arrived she says Trey was long gone. Cops took a hit-and-run report.

According to our sources ... the woman complained of hand pain but refused medical attention. It's unclear what she and Songz were arguing about, but there's no indication the 2 have a prior relationship. We're told the incident's being investigated.

A source close to Trey's camp tells us the woman's allegations are false.

This is just the latest legal hot water Trey finds himself in. As we first told you, he got sued last week for allegedly punching a bartender working at a Cardi B concert back in 2019.

Everybody loves Patricia Heaton's good looks!

Here is a 40-year-old version of the TV mom giving herself a hand during a press tour in Pasadena back in 1998 (left). Prior to this Heaton had already starred in several memorable films such as "Beethoven" and "Space Jam" and she had begun her leading role as the mom Debra Barone in "Everybody Loves Raymond."

And, 23 years later ... The talented star -- and real-life mother-of-four -- was recently seen snapping selfies on Instagram, showing off her sweet smile (right). The Emmy-winning actress went on to star in a number of other projects including, "The Middle," "Moms' Night Out," and "Carol's Second Act."

Woah, Mama!

The question is ...

A signed Tom Brady card PACKED with diamonds was just pulled out of a wild box break this week ... and it's got everyone wondering -- is this the greatest TB12 card ever!?

The piece came from a 2020 Flawless NFL box ... and it's absolutely insane -- with some experts putting a conservative resale price tag of $250,000 on it!!

The card -- a 1-of-1 -- features an image of Brady, the Super Bowl XXXVIII logo, Brady's signature and inscription ... plus over two dozen REAL diamonds!!

It was all pulled thanks to Bryan from Ultimate Box Breaks ... who purchased the $6,000 Panini America box this week and split it 32 ways between collectors.

Bryan tells TMZ Sports some of his followers/card enthusiasts agreed to buy in for around $160 -- and each one was then assigned 1 of the 32 NFL teams.

The deal was simple ... whatever team the player's card was on -- that collector would get the item.

Turns out, the guy who had the Patriots scored BIG TIME -- 'cause Bryan tells us the dude is just a regular Joe who so happens to be a huge New England and Brady fan!

As for his plans for the card now, Bryan says it's unclear whether the guy will sell it or hold it ... but it is clear the card could be worth a small fortune nonetheless.

Remember, Tom's rare cards ALWAYS resale for big numbers ... in fact, one of his rookie pieces just netted $1.72 MILLION at an auction last month.

It might be all about moms this weekend, but these celebs love showing off the small stars in their lives that made them mamas in the first place!

Padma Lakshmi, Chrissy Teigen, and Tia Mowry are just a few stars to name that have shared some of their matching moments with the kiddos ... they're passing down style tips to their little ones and now we're sharing all the cute pics with you!

See stars such as Eva Longoria, Cardi B, Kourtney Kardashian, Jana Kramer, Cassie, Kylie Jenner and Gabrielle Union modeling with the next generation of famous faces!

Scroll through our gallery to see all the celeb mini-mes!

Saweetie did what a lot of street performers do in L.A. ... take centerstage on a makeshift platform, and ask for donations -- but it looks like this was just a way to plug her new song.

The rapper -- who's fresh off a very public breakup with Quavo -- was out at the Santa Monica Pier Friday ... where she put on an impromptu performance for anyone who was nearby. She did at least a couple songs ... "My Type" and her new single, "Fast (Motion)."

Saweetie didn't shy away from this either, BTW ... she posted a video of her performing herself, and her caption is very cheeky -- "rent was dueee 🤷🏽‍♀️ streetie in the streets catch me next time luhhh y’all 🤣🤣🤣 #fastmotion." On its face, it seems this was all intentional.

You can tell she was joking around ... because she had a little donation basket at the base of her feet, which read "Pretty Bitch Summer Donations." So yeah, a bit of viral marketing.

Of course, some people saw this and didn't get the gag ... taking jabs at Saweetie while also hyping up Quavo as the clear "winner" in their split. Folks are also playing on the false rumor that Quavo had repo'd a Bentley he gifted her ... saying things had gone downhill for her ever since they went separate ways. But, as we told you, that Bentley news was BS.

Keep in mind, Saweetie is a professional, signed artist ... and doesn't seem hard-pressed for cash at all. Her music is blowing up, she's been appearing in commercials of late, just dropped a new line of sunglasses ... and she's starting to break into TV roles too.

A woman and a toddler were reportedly shot in broad daylight just now in Times Square -- a random act of violence in which the suspected gunman still hasn't been caught.

Cops have swarmed the area and barricaded the streets, where they say gunfire erupted between West 44th Street and 7th Avenue around 2 PM PT. Law enforcement sources tell us one of the bullets struck the woman.

The child is also said to have been hit, but it's unclear where. In any case, both of them were rushed to Bellevue Hospital in stable condition ... so it seems they're gonna make it. We're also hearing that a third person may have also been shot in the chaos.

The most disconcerting part -- besides somebody trying to gun down a lady and a kid in the middle of the day -- is the fact that the person who did this has NOT been caught yet ... as we're told they're still on the loose as of now. That might explain why there's such a massive police presence right now ... presumably, they're scouring the streets for the shooter.

No word yet on a motive, but this appears to have happened out of nowhere ... which makes it all the more terrifying. People captured video of people running upon initial word that a shooting had taken place ... as well clips of the aftermath as cops stood by controlling the crowd and securing the scene. Another video -- taken from an Earth Cam towering above Times Square -- seems to show the exact moment the shots were fired, two of them.

Someone also appears to have snagged video of the moment the victims were rushed into an ambulance by EMTs. Witnesses reportedly say the toddler was bleeding, and the woman was crying. Based on this video, it also looks like some people were booted from the bus.

It's an awful way to help people get ready for the re-opening of Broadway and other NYC venues that have been shuttered during the pandemic. As if folks hadn't already been on edge, this news certainly won't help them feel any safer ... especially considering Times Square is one of the most visible and frequented areas in the city.

If this can happen there, it's not a good omen for what could happen else in NYC.

"Saturday Night Live" thinks Elon Musk hosting is an international affair -- they're doing something brand new to get as many eyeballs as possible watching ... around the whole dang world.

NBC made a massive announcement Saturday ... saying that tonight's episode -- starring Musk -- would be live streamed on YouTube, so different countries could tune in altogether. This appears to be the first time the network has done this, BTW ... so it's a big deal.

This stream will be available to over 100 countries, from down under to Africa ... and presumably, everything else in between. NBCU's chairman, Frances Berwick, says 'SNL' is a global phenomenon ... and this move highlights that.

She adds, "It’s incredibly exciting to create this worldwide event with host Elon Musk and musical guest Miley Cyrus." Unclear if this is the start of a regular thing, or just a one-off -- it appears to be the former, though. If that's the case ... talk about pressure, huh?!?

Elon's episode already promised to be one the most watched episodes in a long time ... as many think it'll either be a home run or a train wreck. Either way, people wanna watch.

Now ... it looks like that hype has been multiplied by 10, since there'll be potentially hundreds of millions (maybe even billions?!?) of people tuning in. And, of course, that means the skits better be damn good too ... maybe even a little better than Baby Shark Tank, a brainchild of Elon's.

There's no telling what's in store as far as content -- but a lot of folks are anticipating a major Dogecoin plug from the Tesla wiz ... who's kinda stepped in as a shepherd of sorts for the meme cryptocurrency, which many think is "going to the moon" with more exposure.

Looks like there's definitely gonna be some Doge-themed material ... at least based on Miley's not-so-subtle tease earlier Saturday. She posted a throwback clip of herself speaking gibberish ... which she said is what Elon sounds like trying to explain Dogecoin to her.

Welp, if they wanted publicity and fanfare ... they got it and then some. 'SNL' is set to begin at 8:30 PM PT, with a live broadcast on the East Coast as well. So if you're on the other side of the world and sleeping at that time ... ya better wake your ass up.

One of Barack and Michelle Obama's family dogs -- Bo, the older of the two Portuguese Water Dogs they have -- has died.

Michelle shared the sad news Saturday with a heartfelt tribute to their pooch, saying they'd said goodbye to their longtime companion after a battle with cancer.

His dog mom wrote, "On the campaign trail in 2008, we promised our daughters that we would get a puppy after the election. At the time, Bo was supposed to be a companion for the girls. We had no idea how much he would mean to all of us."

Michelle went on to detail all the times Bo had been there for their family, both in an official capacity and behind the scenes as well. She said Bo was there when Malia and Sasha came home from school, there for POTUS and FLOTUS when they needed a break ... and there for huge WH events over the years, including the Easter Egg Roll and when the Pope visited.

She says he was also there when the dust settled after they'd left the White House ... helping Barack and Michelle see the girls off to college, being a steadfast furry friend. BTW, speaking of Barack and Michelle's kids ... part of the reason they ended choosing Bo and Sunny was due to them being hypoallergenic, something Malia needed for her allergies.

Anyway, Michelle adds that Bo loved the pandemic ... because all his fave humans were under one roof again, and some great quality time spent with him over the past year. She also says this ... "As a family, we will miss Bo dearly. But we are thankful that he lived such a joyful life full of snuggles, games of fetch, and evenings spent lying on the couch."

The former First Lady ended with a plea to the public ... many of whom also came to love Bo as their First Dog during their time in office.

She says, "We also know we weren’t the only ones who cared for Bo, and are grateful for all the love you showed him over the years. Please hug the furry members of your family a little closer tonight -- and give them a belly rub from us."

Bo's younger sister, Sunny, is still kicking ... but it's gotta be heartbreaking to lose their male canine friend -- who'd been with the family for such a long time. He was only 12.

RIP

There could be one less award show next year if the Hollywood Foreign Press Association doesn't get its act together, 'cause Tinseltown is threatening to not play ball anymore.

You mighta heard about the drama this week with the HFPA -- a non-profit made up of int'l journalists who put on (and vote for winners of) the Golden Globes each year. They've been under a barrel lately due to a major lack of diversity in their ranks -- and after coming out with a new plan to increase membership among POC ... they're still getting torched.

Netflix and Amazon spoke out over the past couple days and said ... they're not participating with anything HFPA puts on until they expedite this reform process beyond what they're already planning, which they say isn't doing nearly enough to address their issues.

Ditto for Scarlett Johansson and Mark Ruffalo -- who are saying the same thing ... specifically calling on their peers to "step back" from HFPA (and the Golden Globes by extension).

ScarJo's statement is especially harsh, as she alludes to sexual harassment issues the org has apparently fostered over the years, even invoking the name of Harvey Weinstein.

She told Variety, "As an actor promoting a film, one is expected to participate in awards season by attending press conferences as well as awards shows. In the past, this has often meant facing sexist questions and remarks by certain HFPA members that bordered on sexual harassment. It is the exact reason why I, for many years, refused to participate in their conferences."

ScaJo adds this ... “The HFPA is an organization that was legitimized by the likes of Harvey Weinstein to amass momentum for Academy recognition and the industry followed suit. Unless there is necessary fundamental reform within the organization, I believe it is time that we take a step back from the HFPA and focus on the importance and strength of unity within our unions and the industry as a whole."

If you're unfamiliar with what all the fuss is about -- HFPA was reported to have had ZERO Black members for several years now, something the hosts of this year's Globes show -- Tina Fey and Amy Poehler -- lampooned over and over during the NBC broadcast in February.

Some high-profile members even trotted out during the show and committed to "doing better" ... but their current goals are pretty weak, according to the movers and shakers, who are the lifeblood of the Globes to begin with. Without studios or talent, there's no show.

Here's what HFPA plans to do ASAP -- admit 20 new members with a focus on Black recruitment, increasing membership by 50% over 18 months, losing the "must live in SoCal" requirement, opening membership to journos beyond print, no more promo gift handouts, a stricter code of conduct for press junkets and hiring a managing staff ... like CEOs and stuff.

A Chinese rocket -- or at least part of one -- is barreling toward the Earth right now in an uncontrolled reentry, where it's expected to land ... somewhere unknown, which is terrifying.

Scientists and astrophysicists have warned the public at large ... be aware that debris from this rocket -- which is said to be around 100 feet tall and weigh about 22 tons -- will be crash landing on Earth sometime between Saturday evening and early Sunday morning.

They say it's expected to be back on our planet somewhere between 4:30 PM PT and 12:30 AM PT, and as far as the where ... well that's still up in the air at this point (pun intended!).

At this point ... the rocket could hit virtually anywhere in North America, Central America, Africa, Australia and some areas in Western Asia. Most of Europe and South America seem to be safe ... based on calculations scientists project as it gets closer and closer.

Now, if you're wondering how this was allowed to happen in the first place -- people are blaming China's reckless deployment of this rocket to launch a piece of a new space station of theirs into orbit back in late April ... but they just let the booster float up there afterward, with no action plan of bringing it back. Now, Earth's gravitational pull has roped it back in.

As a result, the rest of us are left to deal with this mess and hope none of that debris lands in our backyard (or on our heads). They say there's a very small chance of that happening, as most of the rocket is supposed to burn up in the atmosphere once it touches down.

Still though ... it's scary, and has left a lot of people on edge as the weekend forges on.

As freaky as a predicament this is -- the good news is that people also seem to have a good sense of humor about it ... posting jokes and memes about the rocket landing on them. That includes some celebs too, BTW ... including Larry the Cable Guy and Billy Eichner.

Mariah Carey didn't seem too amused by a small-time artist sampling her smash hit for his own remix -- telling him to get ready for a legal battle ... but it looks like she's just joshin'.

The singer responded to an A&R consultant who posted a music video from rapper/singer YTK doing his own version of "Shake It Off' -- only his take is a lot more ominous and street-friendly, 'cause he calls it "Let It Off" ... as in, let off rounds of gunfire. Still, it's catchy.

The video had started to catch fire online ... people appeared to be pretty down with it, and there was a mini viral campaign of sorts to help make it into a legally-cleared song.

So, the A&R guy wrote ... "Mariah Carey has 24 hours to respond." Welp, she responded alright ... but wasn't very receptive (on the surface, anyway). MC replied, "How about y'all have 24 hours to respond to my lawyers." She also posted a GIF of her saying, "GTFO."

Daaaaaammmmnn ... pretty feisty, huh??? Eh, not exactly -- apparently, Mariah was joking with her aggressive clap-back ... at least, according to the A&R exec who started this whole thing.

He elaborated on what was happening behind the scenes, saying he'd actually hit up none other than Questlove to help him get the song cleared for YTK ... and, apparently, Quest was on board to help make it happen. Also ... it sounds like Mariah's cool with them using the song, but the hold-up at this point might be Sony ... which appears to hold the rights.