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Well, this is pretty shocking ... the head honcho at Delta seems to think the woman on the American Airlines flight who reclined her seat -- only to have the passenger behind her treat her seatback like a punching bag -- was out of line.

Delta CEO Ed Bastian appeared on CNBC's "Squawk Box" Friday, said it's an etiquette issue ... if a passenger knows a tall person is sitting behind them, they should ask permission before they recline. Presumably, that means if the person declines then the passenger can't recline.

That certainly isn't the way our users feel -- by a 2-1 margin they support the woman on an AA jet who put her seat all the way back, only to have the dude behind her attack the seat like a boxer in training.

Genea Sky -- the stripper who plummeted 15 feet off a pole -- says the ordeal is a blessing because it's forcing her to get out of stripping game.

As we reported, Genea suffered several injuries, and her jaw was still wired shut Friday when she appeared on the 'Wendy Williams Show.' She described the fall and the aftermath as "the worst pain I've ever felt and I wouldn't wish it upon anyone."

That being said, the 24-year-old said she had been praying for something to force her to quit stripping ... so she could focus her attention on going back to beauty school to become an esthetician.

Wendy surprised Genea with a $10k scholarship to help her fulfill that career goal.

Speaking of financial help ... Genea also said the general manager at the Texas strip club where she performed, hit her up and will also be helping out with medical bills.

The cost is gonna be expensive. She detailed her injuries -- the visible ones and also the hidden ones ... which are pretty gruesome.

NHL star Jay Bouwmeester underwent surgery after he frighteningly collapsed mid-game this week ... but Blues officials say it was successful and the D-man is doing better.

As we previously reported ... Jay passed out on the Blues' bench during the first period of St. Louis' game against the Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday and was rushed to the hospital.

Team officials said Bouwmeester suffered a "cardiac episode" and needed a defibrillator to revive him.

On Friday, St. Louis GM Doug Armstrong revealed Bouwmeester had an Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator (ICD) placed in his chest after the incident in order to prevent a similar issue from happening again.

"The procedure, which restores the heart's normal rhythm, was performed by the cardiology team of the UCI Cardiology Department," Armstrong said.

Bouwmeester is reportedly doing well ... but the surgery ain't exactly a minor one.

According to heart.org, an ICD procedure involves docs placing a battery-powered device underneath the skin in the hopes that it will help monitor irregularities in the heart and avoid sudden cardiac episodes down the line.

It's unclear what the procedure will mean for Bouwmeester's future as a hockey player ... but it certainly could signal the end of the 36-year-old's 17-year career.

Quinn Cook just revealed the atmosphere on the Lakers team plane after learning of Kobe Bryant's death last month ... and it's heartbreaking.

The Lakers guard says just minutes after Kobe, his daughter, Gianna, and 7 others were tragically killed in a helicopter crash on Jan. 26 ... he was shaken awake by head coach Frank Vogel on the team's ride back from Philadelphia.

"He's like, 'Quinn, sorry to tell you, but Kobe and his daughter have been in a helicopter crash,'" Cook said on Danny Green's YouTube show, "Inside the Green Room with Danny Green," this week. "'We don't know any details.'"

Quinn says Vogel had that talk with everybody on the team plane ... and he says once the news really set in with the players -- the whole squad was devastated.

"I look in front of me and I just see LeBron and AD and Randy and AB, Dwight -- everybody was just crushed."

Quinn says LeBron James eventually got all the guys together in the middle of the plane and led a team prayer.

"[It] was very, very, very, powerful," Quinn says. "And, after that, like Danny will tell you, I was crushed. I was crying the whole flight. I was absolutely destroyed."

The NBA ended up postponing the Lakers game two days later against the Clippers to mourn ... but they eventually got back to the court at Staples Center in an emotional game on Jan. 31.

Quinn says it was the practices leading up to that game that really helped the team get through the toughest parts of the grieving process.

"It just felt good to feel that genuine support from my brothers," Quinn said. "And we're still going through it. We're still fighting it."

Josh Altman's praising Jeff Bezos for getting his money's worth in buying up David Geffen's estate -- even at $165 million -- because he says it's one of the best in the world ... though he doesn't necessarily condone HOW he bought it.

The "Million Dollar Listing" star was leaving Craig's in WeHo Thursday night when he ticked off several reasons why the Amazon honcho's "magnificent" new Beverly Hills property deserves to be the most expensive sale in the history of Los Angeles ... and then some.

Josh tells us he heard the whole deal went down on a yacht and the fellas handled the major real estate business without realtors ... something he's not down with, for obvious reasons.

Our sources tell us Josh is right ... at least about the yacht part. Jeff and David have become fast friends while spending time on Geffen's megayacht ... like Bezos and his girlfriend, Lauren Sanchez, did last summer with a slew of other millionaires.

We're told the gentlemen struck a deal for David's estate on one of their most recent yacht excursions ... because that's how the rich roll.

As for Altman's beef with cutting out the realtors ... we can't really back him up there. Commission on a $165 mil sale would be a little over $8 mil in commission for the agents involved, and even though Bezos is stupid rich ... he's not stupid.

Jeff and David can take care of the deal themselves and hire a real estate lawyer to look it over ... for about $10,000.

Still, you can understand why Josh is looking out for his fellow realtors.

James Brown was NOT murdered, regardless of what a woman who knew him is now suggesting ... so says the doctor who signed the legendary singer's death certificate.

Dr. Marvin Crawford tells TMZ ... the Fulton County D.A.'s Office is wasting its time in looking into so-called evidence from Jacque Hollander because he claims there was no evidence of foul play when he examined Brown right after he died.

Crawford says Brown suffered a heart attack on December 23, 2006, and was hospitalized. He suffered a second heart attack not long afterward ... and that's what killed him on Christmas Day.

The doctor tells us Brown had a long history of diabetes and hypertension, which contributed to his death ... and that's it.

Crawford admits he's never met Hollander and doesn't know how she's come to believe The Godfather of Soul might have been murdered.

As we reported ... Jacque presented Fulton County District Attorney Paul Howard with a bin full of items and investigators have been directed to interview her. If her evidence holds up, Howard says he's open to launching a full-scale death investigation.

Crawford clearly believes that would be useless, and there's something else ... he denies he ever hinted otherwise.

As we told you, in a 2017 CNN interview Crawford did raise questions about Brown's death because the doctor reportedly wondered if James' heart attack was triggered by a toxic substance or an OD.

However, Crawford tells us ... "CNN said I said that but I didn't say that about the drugs."

Brown was 73 when he died.

"He called me the n-word. He called me a stupid n-word."

That's Myles Garrett finally explaining the racial slur he claims he heard Mason Rudolph utter to him before the all-out Steelers-Browns brawl back in November.

"When he said it," Myles told ESPN in a sit-down interview this week, "it kinda sparked something."

As we previously reported ... Garrett was banned from the NFL indefinitely after he violently attacked Rudolph with the QB's own helmet on Nov. 14, 2019.

Garrett told NFL officials at the time he did it because Rudolph used a racial slur ... but he hadn't publicly revealed what he alleges Rudolph said until this week.

"I don't like it," Garrett said. "I don't say the n-word, whether it's 'a' or 'er.' To me, personally, I don't think it should be said."

Myles was reinstated by the NFL on Wednesday -- effectively making his suspension a 6-game ban -- and he told us out at LAX on Thursday he believed it was all a "blessing in disguise."

As for Rudolph ... he's consistently maintained he did NOT call Garrett a racial slur, saying back in November the allegation was "totally untrue."

For its part, the NFL says it investigated Garrett's accusations ... but claims it found no evidence that the racial slur was used.

Wendi Williams, the woman whose seat was repeatedly punched on an American Airlines flight, says SHE nearly got tossed off the flight because she refused to delete the video of the encounter.

Wendi tells us a flight attendant handed her a passenger disturbance notice for refusing to delete her video of the man behind her hitting her seat. She says the flight attendant even threatened to remove her from the flight if she didn't delete it. As you can see, the document warns she could be federally prosecuted.

Wendi says she ultimately complied but adds she later found the video in the "recently deleted" folder on her iPhone. She later posted it, and as you know ... it's gone viral.

As for that notice ... it outlines, "threatening, intimidating or interfering with a Crewmember; smoking; drinking alcoholic beverages not served by a Crewmember or creating an alcoholic-related disturbance" ... none of which describes Wendi's behavior, according to her.

Wendi finds the threat ironic since it came while she was recording someone rudely punching the back of HER seat ... simply because she reclined it during their Jan. 31 American Eagles flight, operated by Republic Airways.

She told us on "TMZ Live," the man was punching and shoving her seat way more violently prior to her turning on her phone to capture his behavior. As a result, she has some serious medical concerns.

Wendi says the repeated whiplash may have caused damage, given her medical history. She says she's had multiple back surgeries over the years and has titanium fused to her spine. She's worried the repeated blows might have damaged her vertebrae.

She wants to get an MRI but says it's too expensive. Wendi wants the airline to pony up the dough and cover her medical bills.

As we reported, Wendi also wants the passenger behind her to be identified, so she can press charges for assault. She also wants the flight attendant fired for the way she handled the ordeal -- giving the man booze, and threatening her.

Before this Valentine's girl was starring in TV series' and movies, she was born in Chicago and moved to Los Angeles when she was only 6 years old to jump-start her acting career.

She made her TV debut when she just 5 months old, as a baby on "ER." She was named one of Time magazine's Top 25 most influential teens in 2014.

You may recognize her now from the title role in the Netflix series, "Chilling Adventures of Sabrina" and she's got a new show with Diane Kruger coming soon on Quibi.

Josh Turner -- famous for his work on "The Walking Dead" -- is behind bars in Tennessee after getting busted on an out of state warrant.

The actor was busted Wednesday night in Newport, Tenn. on an outstanding warrant from Oregon for an alleged assault ... this according to the Cocke County Sheriff's Office.

Turner is still jailed in Tennessee as he reportedly awaits extradition back to Oregon.

Josh has appeared in 17 episodes of "The Walking Dead," and he also had a small role in the HBO series "Watchmen," plus an uncredited part in "Twilight."

Before getting into acting, Josh was an aspiring professional wrestler, who wrestled under the name Josh "TKO" Turner. He got his start at the former WWE training camp, Ohio Valley Wrestling, and made several appearances at key wrestling promotions across the nation.

Story developing ...

The estate of the late Pink Taco founder, Harry Morton, is worth at least $17 million ... TMZ has learned.

Harry's father, Peter Morton, just filed legal docs, obtained by TMZ, to take control of his son's estate ... and the docs say Harry had over $17 million in personal property when he died.

According to the docs, Harry's personal property is worth $17,293,187 ... but the total value of the estate could be higher if there are any separate trusts that are not part of the probate estate.

TMZ broke the story ... Harry was found dead in his Los Angeles residence back in November, this after suffering a heart attack. Harry, who had no partner or children, died without a will.

Harry founded the popular restaurant chain in 1999 when he was only 18. He was also the owner of the Hollywood nightclub, Viper Room.

Robert Pattinson is officially moving on from his "Twilight" vampire days and heading to the Batcave ... here he is for the first time as Batman!!!

The actor's new role as The Dark Knight was just revealed for the first time by "The Batman" director Matt Reeves in a 45-second camera test ... in which Pattinson slowly comes into focus in a dark room lit by red light.

As he steps forward to show off the Batsuit, an ominous score by composer Michael Giacchino builds to a crescendo before going black. Gotta say, it's pretty badass.

The latest reboot for the Caped Crusader series from Warner Bros. was actively pursued by Pattinson, who says he kept prodding Reeves once he learned he was attached as director ... and managed to land the iconic role.

Reeves is known for directing "Cloverfield" and 2 "Planet of the Apes" films.

“The Batman” is set to debut on June 25, 2021. Mark your calendars.

Newsflash to piss off most guys out there -- Kevin Hart is off the hook for finding the perfect Valentine's Day gift, and same goes for his wife, Eniko.

We got that straight from Eniko herself Thursday in Bev Hills. Now, the fact she was shopping on Rodeo Drive might make ya think she was doing the last minute V-Day thing -- like you probably will be at some point today. Not so!

We asked her if this fictional Hallmark holiday Valentine's was gonna be extra special ... being their first since Kevin's horrific car accident. Eniko nonchalantly said they're "Just hanging out. Nothing extravagant."

She says they're not even doing a fancy dinner out!!! We even pressed her about gifts, and watch her response ... it's gonna be a low-key, no-frills night at Casa de Hart. As for why -- Eniko says they gave plenty a couple months ago.

We also got an update on the Harts' friends Rebecca Broxterman and Jared Black, who were in the car with Kevin during the crash. As we first reported, none of the involved parties are filing lawsuits.

Eniko confirms it -- the near-tragedy's changed nothing between all of them.

President Trump is NOT taking homophobic potshots at Pete Buttigieg -- instead, he's saying the Democratic candidate's sexual preference won't be a factor ... for most Americans, anyway.

The door was opened wide for POTUS to make a wisecrack about Buttigieg when he was a guest Thursday on Geraldo Rivera's iHeart radio show. Geraldo asked, "Would Americans vote for a gay man to be President?"

Trump quickly said, "I think so." He went even further down the high road when he acknowledged it would be an issue for some voters, but added ... "I wouldn't be among that group to be honest with you."

Let's keep it real ... most Democratic supporters have been waiting for, and even expecting, Trump to weaponize Buttigieg's sexuality. Well, no dice. Prime example of the Prez zigging when everyone thought he'd zag.

Of course, the same can't be said for the man he honored with the Medal of Freedom ... Rush Limbaugh. When the Buttigieg subject came up on his show Wednesday, Limbaugh went on a disgustingly homophobic rant about Trump and Buttigieg appearing on a debate stage together.

He said, "Okay, how's this going to look, 37-year-old gay guy kissing his husband on stage next to Mr. Man Donald Trump? What's going to happen there?"

Limbaugh even added, "Can you see Trump have fun with that?" Clearly, he expected the President to follow in his homophobic footsteps.

Vanessa Bryant says Kobe's charity will have a new name -- the Mamba & Mambacita Sports Foundation -- and she says it's all to honor Gianna Bryant.

"Because there is no #24 without #2, we have updated the Mamba Sports Foundation to now be called the Mamba & Mambacita Sports Foundation," Vanessa said Thursday.

It's an amazing tribute ... especially because Vanessa says the foundation's goal of helping young people through sports "remains the same -- and stronger than ever."

If you're unfamiliar ... Kobe's charity has helped more than 10,000 kids as well as hundreds of veterans -- with the org saying they have over 1,000 volunteers lending a hand.

The charity has been flooded with donations since Kobe and Gigi tragically died in a helicopter crash on Jan. 26 -- and Vanessa says she's overwhelmed by the love.

"Thank you all for the outpouring of support and your kind donations to date as we carry forth Kobe and Gigi’s legacy," Vanessa said. "We hope to empower young athletes in a world they left us all to help shape."

A memorial for Kobe and Gigi has been set for Feb. 24 at Staples Center ... and we're told proceeds from the tickets will be donated to charity.

It's unclear which orgs will get the benefits ... but it seems safe to assume the Mamba and Mambacita Sports Foundation will be one of the organizations to get money.

To recline or not recline? To punch or not to punch? Two super pissed off American Airlines passengers have everyone asking those questions, and ultimately ... the FBI might have to get involved.

A woman named Wendi Williams, of all things, recorded this video of the guy sitting behind her on a Jan. 31 AA flight from New Orleans to Charlotte. She posted it last week, but now it's gone viral because you see the guy repeatedly punching her seat.

As for WHY wannabe-Tyson was treating Wendi's seat like a speed bag -- she says it's because she had the nerve to recline. We think it's relevant that his last row seat could not recline. At one point in the video he leaned forward and said something to Wendi that sounds like, "This is a turbulent flight." It's hard to make out over the jet engines, but whatever he said he was clearly jabbing, verbally this time, at Wendi.

Wendi says things got even more annoying when she reported him to a flight attendant ... who she claims "rolled her eyes," told Wendi to stop recording video, and gave Ali Jr. some rum for his troubles.

Wendi says she's escalating matters by pressing charges with the FBI against the "man who mistook me for a punching bag." She says American apologized, but hasn't accepted responsibility for the flight attendant fueling up Mayweather-in-training with booze.

BTW, Wendi also claims she's had to get x-rays, has headaches and lost time from work since going 12 rounds with her fellow passenger.