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The Texas strip club where a dancer came crashing down from a 15-foot pole is taking no responsibility for the incident ... because the CEO says they didn't tell her to make the climb.

As you know ... exotic dancer Genea Sky went viral after seriously injuring herself over the weekend when she fell from a two-story pole on the main stage of XTC Cabaret in Dallas.

But, the club is calling it an accident, and there are no plans to remove stripper poles as a result ... Eric Langan -- CEO of RCI Hospitality Holdings Inc., which owns the club -- tells TMZ.

As we reported ... Genea says she fractured her jaw, sprained her ankle and cracked some teeth in the fall, and she underwent surgery for her injuries.

Langan tells us the club is looking into helping Genea financially. One thing's for sure ... she's not a full-time employee so she can't get worker's comp. It's unclear if she has health insurance. Langan says she should worry about her health first and money second.  Really???

Anyway, the club's position -- entertainers choose their own routine, and as a company, they exercise no control over a dancer's art form, so if they fall -- it's on them.

Rihanna and A$AP Rocky ain't fooling anyone at this point ... though give 'em an A for effort in trying to throw everyone off the scent.

Riri and Rocky arrived separately to The Nice Guy in WeHo early Tuesday morning. The Barbados Babe showed up just before 1 AM ... with A$AP following not long behind and arriving just after 2 AM.

Goes without saying, neither was in the mood to chitchat about their relationship. Such was the case when we got Rihanna out in NYC over the weekend. As we reported ... Rihanna flew solo for her shindig at Bergdorf Goodman in Midtown Manhattan.

No sign of A$AP there that night, which seemed odd since they've been hanging out A LOT ever since Rihanna's breakup with Hassan Jameel after 3 years of dating.

Aerosmith is ready to bring their original drummer back into the fold -- Joey Kramer's set to take the stage with his bandmates, and even crazier ... NO AUDITION NECESSARY!

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... Joey's being brought on to play drums Monday night with Steven Tyler, Joe Perry and the rest of the fellas for a performance at the Park Theater in Vegas, which is where their residency shows are currently being held.

We're told the band didn't wanna jerk Joey around -- they're bringing him back without holding another audition, and it's because they feel he's probably up to snuff and in good health again. Plus, our sources tell us it's an act of good faith between old pals.

You'll recall ... things were getting pretty ugly between Joey and the guys just a few short weeks ago ahead of their Grammys performance, which Joey was fighting tooth and nail to be a part of -- even taking the issue to court in a last-ditch effort, but was unsuccessful.

Hell, they even turned him away at the door when Joey showed up unannounced for a rehearsal ... so yeah, the tension's been high between these guys.

Part of the reason Aerosmith didn't feel comfortable reuniting ... Joey hadn't played in at least 6 months, and they didn't wanna risk a shaky gig with a guy who was rusty/lacked energy. They put him through the wringer with a live audition but felt he wasn't ready.

Now, it seems they've had a change of heart and are prepared to embrace an OG. Should make for a great show ... stay tuned.

Kim Kardashian West has said she has no interest in running for office, but if she changes her mind, there's one guy she should definitely ask to join her campaign team ... "Shark Tank" star Daymond John.

The FUBU honcho's pretty confident Kim can become president in 8 years or so, and gave us a laundry list of reasons to support his argument Monday night outside the Avra Beverly Hills Estiatorio restaurant.

Daymond tells TMZ ... KKW already has major notches on her belt that look good to voters -- helping free imprisoned grandmother Alice Marie Johnson, and continuing to pursue her education.

On top of that, Kim's own family represents LGBTQ, mixed relationships and female empowerment ... and she lives a clean and healthy lifestyle.

Most importantly, though ... John points out how much people like and trust the Kardashian sister and care about what she has to say -- as evidenced by her massive social media following.

Daymond suggests her following might be hundreds of millions more by the time 2028 rolls around ... and that kind of power at one's fingertips is immeasurable.

Finally, he says there's precedent for public figures making it all the way to The White House -- including the current one, who she and Kanye already have a connection with -- so it's more than possible Kim's next.

The face of Trivago ads compared all his options after getting busted for a DWI and, apparently, chose wisely -- his case has been dismissed.

Tim Williams -- the actor in the ads for the popular hotel search engine -- successfully completed a pre-trial diversion program ... although he did it overseas, despite the fact he was arrested last year in Texas.

Williams lives in Germany, and prosecutors allowed him to take the necessary classes over there, and he was prompt about it.

Nathan Beedle from the Harris County D.A.'s Office tells TMZ ... "Mr. Williams took his Harris County case seriously by diligently completing programs in his home country that were comparable to our mandatory classes, and even did more than he had to in order to make sure he was complying."

Extra credit never hurts.

As we reported, Williams was busted last April after cops say they found him passed out at the wheel with his foot on the brake while on the road. He was booked for DWI after bombing a field sobriety test and submitting a blood test.

Ed Belfour appeared to be a sloppy mess during his drunk in public arrest last month ... with the NHL legend even admitting to cops, "I was out of control."

It's all in new police video obtained by TMZ Sports, which shows 3 officers confronting Belfour on the second floor of a Bowling Green, Ky. hotel at around 1 AM on Jan. 28 after they had been called to the scene to investigate a "drunk and disorderly subject."

You can see in the footage ... Belfour -- a goalie who won the Stanley Cup with the Dallas Stars in 1999 -- was laying on the ground clutching a curtain rod and kicking a spa door when the cops arrived.

They quickly tried to get Belfour to his feet ... but it's clear, 54-year-old Ed was having a tough time gaining his bearings.

The former NHL star crawled around on all fours ... mumbled incoherently and wrestled with officers as they tried to slap the cuffs on his wrists.

Eventually, Belfour was able to speak with the cops ... and he apologized over and over for his actions.

At one point, when an officer asked him what happened earlier in the night ... Belfour said, "I think probably what happened was I was out of control and someone called police."

The officer then said, "Why were you out of control? You been drinking tonight?"

Belfour responded by saying, "Right."

Ed was arrested and booked for criminal mischief and public intoxication. He took a grinning mug shot.

Belfour hasn't let the arrest affect him too badly ... "The Eagle" was spotted with fellow NHL legends speaking at the Saskatoon’s Kinsmen Celebrity Sports Dinner last week.

Kansas City (Missouri)-local Julia Montgomery was in her early 20s when she landed the role of the Pi Delta Pi babe, Betty Childs -- who teams up with the beefy Alpha Betas but ultimately falls for a geeky Lambda Lambda Lambda man -- in the 1984 classic college flick, "Revenge Of The Nerds" and returned as Betty in "Revenge Of The Nerds III: The Next Generation" and "Revenge Of The Nerds IV: Nerds In Love."

Julia Montgomery was cast alongside some epic actors including Donald Gibb as the nerd-hating jock, Ogre ... and of course Ted McGinley as the uber handsome Alpha male and quarterback, Stan Gable.

Three victims in the Kobe Bryant helicopter crash were honored with a special memorial service at Angel Stadium.

John Altobelli, his wife, Keri, and their daughter, Alyssa, were remembered at a public memorial Monday ... just two weeks after Kobe Bryant's helicopter crashed, killing 8 passengers plus the pilot.

The service included speakers close to the Altobellis. There was also a video tribute.

The Costa Mesa Fire Department rolled out its fire trucks and hung a massive American flag to honor the victims. There's also a sign in front of Angel Stadium that reads "Celebrating the Lives of John, Keri and Alyssa" with the entire family pictured.

Not far from the main entrance is also a huge collage of the Altobellis.

Altobelli, of course, had deep roots in Orange County. He was entering his 28th season as Orange Coast College's baseball coach. The Pirates were coming off an incredibly successful season ... after capturing their fourth state title.

Alyssa and Gianna Bryant were teammates at the Mamba Sports Academy. She was only 14 and Gianna 13, respectively. You'll recall, Gianna had her No. 2 jersey retirement ceremony at her private school last week.

The Altobellis have 2 surviving children -- a 29-year-old son, and a 16-year-old daughter.

The confusion, or even contempt, over Blac Chyna being a guest at the Oscars proves the award show still has a big problem with people of color -- that's how she feels, anyway.

A rep for Chyna tells TMZ ... what should have been a magical and dream-fulfilling moment for her has turned into a demeaning instance of "black lash," with multiple media outlets unfairly asking, "Why is SHE there?"

In Chyna's view, she more than deserved to be there not only because she contributes to the entertainment industry as star of her own reality show, but as a black woman who "finds inspiration in supporting her friends, mentors, and other talent that has helped provide a blueprint for her career."

Chyna's rep says her Academy Awards attendance was no different from many other entertainment professionals who attended, despite not being nominated or involved in film in any way. The biggest difference, according to Chyna's team, is her background and skin color.

"Whether it be the fact that she is a reality star, a single mother, or the inevitable reminder that she was a former stripper ... it does nothing to change the narrative that just maybe the Oscars indeed are 'so white'" ... says Chyna's rep.

The rep adds, all the buzz over Chyna's attendance "further highlights the fight that many African Americans in the Entertainment Industry face; yes, even during Black History Month."

Ya get the point. Chyna's incensed and feels she's the victim of systemic racism.

We're told she still feels it was worth it to take a stand and be a role model, showing young people of color what they can achieve.

BTW, we're told she went with a music producer but secured her own invitation.

Mark Ruffalo is confirming a hot rumor on the heels of "Parasite" winning big at the Oscars -- telling us he'd be honored to join the cast of an American TV version.

We got Mark Monday afternoon at LAX ... shortly after news broke that he was being eyed by HBO to be the lead star of a "Parasite" limited TV series that's in the works. You gotta see Mark's reaction to the Collider report ... 'cause the guy's super amped.

It sounds like he's all but assuring us of his involvement, but he doesn't make the leap to say he's officially on board. He definitely wanted us to know he likes the movie and loves the fact "Parasite" won the way it did ... and wouldn't say no if someone came asking.

That's called playing it coy ... in the biz.

Now, for those who might be rolling their eyes at this idea of taking a Korean flick and reshaping it for American audiences ... settle down. The OG director, Bong Joon-ho, is reportedly still involved, working alongside fellow Oscar-winning director Adam McKay.

So, in other words ... this thing has Joon-ho's blessing, and just as importantly ... he'll be getting paid.

Spike Lee's instant-classic Oscars suit paying tribute to Kobe Bryant is going to the Hall of Fame ... the Spike Lee Hall, that is.

The famous director was at LAX Monday -- heading back to his beloved NYC, we're presuming -- when we asked him about the night's most talked-about fashion statement.

Spike tells us his purple and gold homage, complete with #24 embroidered across the lapels and on the back, will be framed and hung up at his NY crib. In fact, he says it was shipped back ahead of him ... it's Gucci, after all.

Not a big shocker Spike decided to honor Kobe at the 92nd Academy Awards. The NBA superfan posted several tributes to hoops superstar following the tragic helicopter crash.

Spike and Kobe go way back -- he directed the 2009 documentary "Kobe Doin' Work" -- but it's clear he's not quite ready to talk about making another film about Bryant.

"My brain refuses to accept that both Kobe and Gigi are gone."

Vanessa Bryant just opened up about how she's dealing with the tragic losses of her husband and 13-year-old daughter ... and it's emotional.

"I can’t process both at the same time," Vanessa said. "It's like I'm trying to process Kobe being gone but my body refuses to accept my Gigi will never come back to me."

"It feels wrong," she added. "Why should I be able to wake up another day when my baby girl isn’t being able to have that opportunity?! I’m so mad. She had so much life to live."

Vanessa says one of the things keeping her going so strong throughout this insanely difficult time is the example she feels she needs to set for her three daughters.

"Mad I'm not with Kobe and Gigi but thankful I'm here with Natalia, Bianka and Capri," Vanessa said. "I know what I'm feeling is normal. It's part of the grieving process. I just wanted to share in case there’s anyone out there that’s experienced a loss like this."

"God I wish they were here and this nightmare would be over. Praying for all of the victims of this horrible tragedy. Please continue to pray for all."

As we previously reported, Kobe and Gianna Bryant -- along with seven others -- passed away in a helicopter crash on Jan. 26.

Justin Bieber went to a dark place as he grew dependent on drugs and dealt with various health issues, but he's committed to getting better and brightening up his days ahead ... he says so himself.

Justin opened up about his long run of health struggles -- both physically and mentally -- on the latest episode of his YouTube 'Seasons' docuseries titled, "The Dark Season." He says it culminated in a series of tests last year that finally revealed the problem -- Lyme disease.

Bieber, who's undergoing a round of NAD IV therapy in the video, explains how the diagnosis helped him finally make sense of why he was feeling so terrible ... and what he can do to handle it going forward.

A couple of Justin's doctors, along with his wife, Hailey, also talk about how the discovery of his Lyme disease and chronic mono has been life-changing ... for the better.

Bieber's now laser-focused on improving his health, and not just for himself. He says ... "Being the best me is gonna help me be the best husband, the best father, the best friend that I can possibly be. And, for all the fans that want to enjoy the music that I make. I can't do it if I'm not healthy."

Rapper Yella Beezy is being accused of opening a can of whoop-ass on a guy tied to another rapper with whom Beezy's got serious beef.

Brandon Rainwater is suing Yella claiming he and his crew beat him to a pulp outside the hotspot strip club, V Live in Dallas ... this according to docs obtained by TMZ. We're told the alleged beatdown left Rainwater with a dislocated hip.

Surveillance video taken across the street from the club appears to show the fight in progress.

In docs, Rainwater claims he showed up to the club last month but when he tried getting inside he was told by security to wait. Rainwater manages Dallas-based rapper Mo3 ... who has a history of beefing with Yella. Anyway, Rainwater claims a security guard approached him with a gun in his left hand and Yella standing behind him.

Fearing trouble was about to go down, Rainwater claims he ran out of there but Yella and his crew chased him down and beat him up. Rainwater claims after the dust settled, Yella and his crew headed back to the club's parking lot and bragged about the alleged assault.

Rainwater says he was taken to the hospital that night and is undergoing physical therapy following the assault. He's also suing V Live for inadequate security. He's suing for assault and claims he's owed up to $1 million in damages.

A former MLB relief pitcher says the Houston Astros RUINED his career by cheating to get hits off him in 2017 ... and now, he's suing for a ton of cash.

The man behind the lawsuit is Mike Bolsinger, a former Toronto Blue Jays reliever, who says the 'Stros cost him a chance at an extended MLB career in a game in Houston on Aug. 4, 2017.

Bolsinger claims during the game, the Astros illegally stole signs off him and his catcher by filming them and relaying the pitches to batters via a "banging" sound from the dugout.

Bolsinger -- who gave up 4 hits, 3 walks and 4 earned runs in the .1 innings he pitched that game -- says as a result of his disastrous outing, the Jays cut him and no other MLB team wanted him.

The 32-year-old says he was forced to pitch in Japan the past two seasons ... calling the Aug. 4 appearance "the death knell" in his MLB career.

But now, that MLB commissioner Rob Manfred has found the Astros DID, in fact, cheat during the 2017 season ... Bolsinger is looking for justice.

In his lawsuit, Mike says he wants the Astros to pay for the damages he suffered as a result of the outing.

Bolsinger also wants the 'Stros to give up all of their 2017 World Series post-season bonuses -- which he says are valued at $31 MILLION -- to charity.

Lori Loughlin and Mossimo Giannulli's youngest daughter has quite the list of accomplishments in rowing -- at least her resume made it seem that way to USC.

Federal prosecutors released some of the documents Olivia Jade submitted to USC, allegedly to make it seem like she wanted a coveted spot on its crew team ... and it's packed with a list of events and some impressive finishes. Remember, Olivia never really competitively rowed a day in her life.

However, according to the docs, from 2014 to 2017 ... Olivia earned 2 gold medals, 2 silvers and 2 bronzes as a coxswain for her high school team. She didn't do so well in the prestigious Head of Charles race in Boston, though. In 2016, her team came in 11th, and the next year they came in 14th.

BTW, the resume was clearly drawn up by someone who doesn't have deep crew knowledge. It's missing key stats about Olivia's participation, and while her high school really did compete in these events ... the finishes don't match the real results.

The resume also suggests Olivia could be a very successful coxswain in one of USC's 4 boats. Interestingly, she points out her older sister, Isabella, is already on the school's roster as coxswain for boat #4. The resume ends by boasting Olivia is "highly talented and has been successful in both men's and women's boats."

The feds are obviously including the resume as an exhibit to show how extensively they believe the Giannullis lied and plotted to get their daughters into USC. Prosecutors say USC associate athletic director Donna Heinel submitted Olivia's rowing resume to the athletics sub-committee without referencing any donations her parents made to the university.

The feds claim this shows USC, with the exception of Heinel, was defrauded.