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A couple of Florida women tried to pull off a "Bosom Buddies"-esque ruse -- except they dressed up as old ladies -- in order to get vaccinated ... but it didn't work, at least not this time.

According to Dr. Raul Pino -- the health administrator for Orange County, FL -- the 2 women showed up at a coronavirus vaccination site this week "dressed up as grannies" in an attempt to get a shot.

Pino says their get-ups included granny glasses, but the women were only 34 and 44 years old ... and you have to be over 65 to be eligible for the COVID vaccine in the state.

Here's the thing, though -- Dr. Pino says the women presented valid Centers for Disease Control and Prevention cards indicating they HAD received their first vaccine doses, adding ... "I don’t know how they escaped the first time."

The health administrator claims there was another recent instance of a man trying to pretend to be his father of the same name in order to get a shot, and warned of people "faking it" in order to skip the line.

The 2 granny impersonators were not given the vaccine but were also not charged with any crime ... though they might be issued trespass warnings.

When Sen. Ted Cruz and his wife, Heidi, jetted off to Cancun they grabbed their kids, and even thought to invite neighbors -- but left their little dog home alone in "freezing" conditions.

Poor Snowflake. While the fam's soaking up the rays, the pooch was left to fend for itself ... according to a New York Magazine reporter who snapped this shot of Snowflake all alone in the Houston home Heidi herself said they desperately needed to escape.

There was a security guard in the driveway who reportedly said he was taking care of Snowflake -- but remember, the Cruz house has NO heat, just like millions of other Texans who are riding out the brutal winter storm.

A few of those folks -- Ted and Heidi's neighbors -- actually scored an invite to Cancun ... based on texts she allegedly fired off before they flew the coop. Reform Austin says it obtained the messages in which she asked a couple neighbors, "Anyone can or want to leave for the week?"

Heidi even told them which flights she was taking with Ted and the kids ... and boasted they were getting rooms at the Ritz-Carlton Cancun for $309 per night. She explained they "couldn't stand it anymore" because their house was absolutely freezing -- and the only alternative was for all the neighbors to huddle together at one friend's house ... who did have heat.

In the end, we know what the Senator and his fam opted to do. Interestingly, Heidi's texts make no mention of their daughters going to visit with friends in Cancun ... as their pops, Cancun Cruz, claimed on Thursday.

Of course, once he returned -- in the face of all the backlash -- Cruz admitted he'd made a colossal blunder in taking the trip.

Armie Hammer's ex-girlfriend is accusing the actor of some very disturbing behavior -- licking the blood from a brand he allegedly forced upon her.

Paige Lorenze -- who dated Hammer for a few months at the end of 2020 -- tells Dr. Oz the "Call Me By Your Name" star branded her with the letter "A" above her pubic area, then licked her fresh wound as it was bleeding ... causing her to worry about it becoming infected.

She says ... "He was licking it, drinking the blood, and then I basically just showered after, tried to clean it up as best as I could." She claims the brand has not healed properly.

In the 'Oz' episode airing Friday, Paige goes on to describe how the branding happened ... alleging she was tied up when Hammer asked her where he should put his initials on her. She says she didn't answer, and he just began carving her.

She claims Armie knew this made her uncomfortable, but he was in a position of power and she just wanted to please him.

Hammer's been embroiled in controversy since last month after some shocking, but unverified, DMs he allegedly sent to women began circulating online.

Ex-MLB superstar Johnny Damon was arrested for DUI in Florida early Friday morning -- and cops say his blood-alcohol level was more than TWICE the legal limit.

The 47-year-old -- who played for the Boston Red Sox and NY Yankees -- was pulled over by the Windermere Police Dept. (in the Orlando area) around 8:15 AM.

During the stop, cops say Damon showed signs of intoxication and at some point, they tested his blood alcohol level which came back at "greater than or equal to .20."

The legal limit to drive is .08.

Damon was arrested and booked on multiple charges including driving under the influence and resisting arrest without violence.

Damon was hauled to a nearby station where he posed for a mug shot -- and spent time in a holding cell.

Damon is a 2-time World Series champion and made 2 All-Star teams during his 18 seasons as an MLB player.

After his playing days, Damon appeared as a contestant on Donald Trump's "Celebrity Apprentice" in 2014 as well as competing on "Dancing with the Stars" in 2018.

Damon was one of the key cogs in breaking Boston's famous World Series draught -- banding together with his "idiots" to win the title in 2004.

He later left Boston to play for the rival NY Yankees -- and cut his famous long hair in the process.

Story developing ...

Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson will get clobbered as a third-party Presidential candidate unless he's willing to stand up to billionaires and fight for everyday people ... so says the Green Party.

As you may have heard ... the WWE superstar-turned Hollywood megastar now says he'd seriously consider running for Prez "if that's what the people wanted" -- but Green Party spokesperson Michael O'Neil's not sure The Rock's got the stones.

O'Neil tells TMZ ... he doubts Dwayne is tough enough to deal with the dirty tricks both the Republican and Democratic parties would throw at him to "keep their guillotine chokehold on democracy."

O'Neil likens the Dems and GOP to "brutal cartels" that keep voters from any real alternatives, and says unless Dwayne's down with challenging billionaire elites and having his rich Hollywood pals turn on him ... he's not cut out for the Green Party.

However, O'Neil recognizes DJ has a tremendous fan base, so it's possible he could inspire enough voters ... IF his platform treats healthcare, housing, education and employment as basic rights for the people.

In that case, O'Neil says he'd be able to smell what The Rock's cooking, and would want him on the Green Party ticket to take down the country's political "duopoly."

As you may know ... The Rock's been pretty cagey for years about his political leanings, although he did endorse Joe Biden a month before the 2020 election.

Before that, you'd have to go all the way back to 2000 -- when he was the biggest name in wrestling -- and he made an appearance at the Republican National Convention.

John Travolta is getting rid of a hotel, or rather, a mansion that could double as a hotel ... 'cause his home in Maine has a whopping 20 bedrooms!

John's put the New England compound on the market for $5 million, which gets you all those bedrooms AND 7.5 bathrooms. The 3-story home features 14 guest rooms, all on the second floor, where they have to share a mere 4 bathrooms. Oh, the horror.

The third floor of the place is for kids -- it's been converted into a so-called Fantasyland ... featuring a classroom, library, diner, theater stage and 4 themed bedrooms, including a Peter Pan room and Princess room.

The mansion is 10,830 square feet, and it sits on nearly 50 acres ... on Isleboro, one of the many tiny islands off the Maine coastline.

Diamonds, Bugattis, sushi ... and scantily clad butts.

That's what surrounded Floyd Mayweather at his 44th birthday bash on Thursday night -- a wild "futuristic" event in Florida.

The boxing superstar rolled up to "The Venue" in Fort Lauderdale for a massive bash dubbed, "Floyd's Futuristic 44th Birthday Extravaganza."

He arrived in one of his $2 million Bugatti supercars -- dripping in millions of dollars worth of diamond chains.

On the way in, he was asked for an update on his recently postponed exhibition boxing match with Logan Paul -- is it still going to happen?

"I know it's going to happen," Floyd said ... "We just want make sure everything is right and everything is where it should be."

Inside, the party was wild -- tons of food, live music, booze, and hot ladies on rollerskates to entertain the crowd.

The venue is called "The Venue" -- it's a massive 32,000 square foot event space "outfitted with the most advanced technology in sound and lighting, special effects including laser capability and 3D Projection Mapping," according to its website.

In other words, it's super high tech.

Celeb guests included Rick Ross, Larsa Pippen, Jacquees (who performed) and President Joe Biden's brother, Frank Biden.

Floyd's cake was pretty cool too, complete with money and a private jet ... he shared the party with friend Jas 'Limitless' Mathur who plunked down $700k for the bash. We're told there was $200k worth of champagne, ice sculptures and dancers to complete the vibe.

We're told there was a COVID protocol in place -- people were screened at the door, temperature checks and an emphasis on social distancing.

That said, Floyd did not appear to be wearing a mask at any point of the evening.

Mayweather doesn't actually turn 44 until Feb. 24th -- but he clearly wanted to get the party started early.

Prince Harry & Meghan Markle are not having a change of heart about stepping down as senior royals -- the Palace says they're donezo for good.

According to Buckingham Palace ... "The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have confirmed to Her Majesty The Queen that they will not be returning as working members of The Royal Family."

Queen Elizabeth's rep added that in stepping away from their Royal work, it's not possible for Harry and Meghan "to continue with the responsibilities and duties that come with a life of public service."

The statement makes it seem like this was a trial separation, but now they will be stripped of their "honorary military appointments and Royal patronages" ... which now go back to the Queen for redistribution to other working royals later. Ouch.

It all sounds pretty harsh and contentious, especially since Buckingham Palace ends by saying ... "While all are saddened by their decision, The Duke and Duchess remain much loved members of the family."

Basically, the British version of "bless their hearts."

The Palace announcement makes it sound like this final parting of ways was all on Harry and Meghan, though they put out their own statement saying they remain committed to their duty and serving the UK "regardless of official role."

Sen. Ted Cruz's big mistake in jetting off to Cancun wasn't leaving his constituents suffering in a deadly cold, it was forgetting how to play the political game ... according to Texas GOP brass, anyway.

Warren Norred, a member of the Texas State Republican Executive Committee tells TMZ ... the Senator's only guilty of political tone-deafness, and he's not surprised.

Norred claims Ted's not a natural politician, and therefore didn't think like one ... who would understand taking a trip in the middle of a crisis tends to draw outrage from voters.

Frankly, that rationalization doesn't hold water, because Cruz has repeatedly blasted Democrats in D.C. -- especially President Obama -- for, in his eyes, sleeping on the job during crises.

Jack P. Barcroft, another TX GOP Exec. Committee member, isn't laying blame on Cruz, but on his staff. He says someone in the Senator's office is dedicated to optics and media relations, and failed Cruz by not blocking his Cancun getaway.

Barcroft also thinks Cruz caved when he flew back, and should've just followed through with his trip. He believes the Senator could have effectively led from down there.

Late Thursday, once back in Texas, even Cruz admitted the trip was a mistake. Earlier, he claimed he always intended to come back Thursday, and was merely dropping off his daughters to visit with friends.

Of course, his wife also went and, presumably, could've done that on her own.

The Texas Democratic Party definitely isn't buying what Cruz is selling.

Vincent Jackson's family is now taking steps to determine if the former NFL star suffered from CTE before his tragic death ... by donating his brain to researchers.

A spokesperson for the wide receiver's family told multiple media outlets this week the 38-year-old's brain was given to experts at Boston University for studying shortly after he was found dead on Monday.

"Vincent being who he was would have wanted to help as many people as possible,” family rep Allison Gorrell told the New York Times.

"It's something his family wanted to do to get answers to some of their questions."

As we previously reported, Jackson was found dead alone in a hotel room in Brandon, FL ... a place he had been living in since January.

When asked why Jackson -- a man who made more than $70 million in his NFL career -- was there, Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister said the family believed it was all due to potential brain injuries suffered while playing football.

"What the family is telling me is that he suffered from CTE," Chronister said. "They believe he had a lot of concussion problems and when you suffer from that, you're not yourself."

The sheriff added, "[The family believes] wholeheartedly all of these actions are the result of what he suffered while he was playing in the NFL."

An official cause of death for Jackson has not yet been revealed ... the county's medical examiner says it could be months before an autopsy report is completed.

If Dolly Parton doesn't want a statue of herself at the Tennessee Capitol, then that's exactly what should happen ... according to the politician who suggested it, and already has a plan B.

Tennessee State Rep. Jeremy Faison brought up Dolly's name in 2019 as the best replacement for the Nathan Bedford Forrest statue at the Capitol, and last month another state rep introduced a bill to make it happen.

As we reported though, DP politely turned down the honor, saying she didn't want to be put up on a pedestal. Faison says it's up to the TN General Assembly to honor her wishes, and though the bill is still technically on the table ... he believes his colleagues will rightfully nix it.

He tells us he's not at all disappointed by Dolly's request -- in fact, he admires her even more for it, and says it just proves she's a Tennessee treasure.

The Congressman also suggests there's an overlooked historical figure who would be a great statue replacement -- Anne Dallas Dudley.

Anne was a prominent women's suffrage activist in the early 20th century who founded the Nashville Equal Suffrage League ... and helped women get the right to vote.

Gilbert Burns' title hopes were crushed by Kamaru Usman only days ago ... but the UFC star's already plotting his return to the Octagon -- and he wants Colby Covington!!

TMZ Sports talked to Burns following his 3rd round TKO loss to Usman at UFC 258 last weekend ... and the 34-year-old fighter made it clear he ain't looking for R&R after having his 6-fight UFC win streak snapped.

"[Covington's] the one that I want with all my heart. That's the fight that I asked right after he beat Demian Maia. That's the one that I want."

Still, Burns -- who says he suffered NO serious injuries in his fight -- knows he isn't the only one lookin' for an Usman rematch (Chaos wants one too) ... so GB's down to fight any of the top guys in the welterweight division.

"Sometimes we don't get what we want, but I'm open to any one of the top 6, top 7 guys," Burns tells us.

Gilbert says he doesn't care about Colby's trash-talking and antics outside the cage ... he just wants to get his hands on the #1 ranked contender.

"Just sign the contract. Let's fight. You can call me whatever you want. Let's fight sooner than later. I'm in my prime, you're in your prime, we both want the rematch. Let's see who wins first."

Burns says the ultimate goal is still a UFC goal ... and he wholeheartedly believes he will fight Usman again -- in the not too distant future -- and that he will win this time around.

Prince Markie Dee, one-third of the famous '80s hip hop group The Fat Boys, has died.

Prince passed away suddenly Thursday, according to SiriusXM’s Rock The Bells channel, where he used to host a radio show. The report did not mention a cause of death.

The rapper helped start The Fat Boys, a pioneering rap group, back in the 1980s in Brooklyn. The group helped bring beatboxing to the mainstream, as they featured the sound on most of their songs -- and paved the way for artists like Biz Markie and Doug E. Fresh.

Even after The Fat Boys broke up ... Prince continued writing and producing for other artists. You'll find his credit on songs by Mariah Carey, Ariana Grande, Drake, Jennifer Lopez, Mary J. Blige, Destiny's Child and Frank Ocean.

The Fat Boys had a brief Hollywood career too, as they co-starred in 2 movies ... "Krush Groove" and "Disorderlies."

Prince moved on to a solo career after The Fat Boys, signing with Columbia Records and releasing his debut album "Free" in 1992, featuring his chart-topping single, "Typical Reasons (Swing My Way)."

A career in radio followed, with Prince working as a host for Miami's 103.5 The Beat WMIB before his most recent gig as a host and DJ at Rock The Bells.

His groupmate, Darren "Buff Love" Robinson died in 1995 of a heart attack. Damon "Kool Rock-Ski" Wimbley is now the only surviving member.

Prince was 52.

Justin and Hailey Bieber can only boast owning one multi-million dollar home in Beverly Hills now ... and they took a hit on the pad Justin pretty much wanted to sell from the jump.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... the Biebers closed Thursday on the sale of their 6,132-square-foot, 5-bed, 7-bath mansion and pocketed $7,955,000.

Thing is, JB bought the place in March 2019 for $8.5 mil ... so it's a pretty substantial hit.

As you may recall ... just months after buying the property -- which includes a wine cellar, home theater and bar inside and a pool, cabana, and fire pit outside -- he put it on the market via Instagram, saying "I'll sell it with all the furniture. MAKE AN OFFER."

Seems someone finally did, and we're told "Million Dollar Listing Los Angeles" stars Josh and Matt Altman and Ariana Grande's real estate agent/fiancé Dalton Gomez of the Aaron Kirman Group team at Compass worked with the Biebers to seal the deal. The Altmans and Gomez had no comment.

Steven Schaefer and Jay Luchs of Schaefer & Luchs represented the new buyer.

Fear not ... Justin and Hailey still have a place to hang their hats ...like we told you ... this was just one of 2 Bev Hills mansions they owned.

Sen. Ted Cruz is back in Texas after his quick getaway to Cancun was seemingly shortened by the outrage over his timing -- amid the statewide emergency -- and now he has police protection.

Officers escorted Cruz as he deplaned in Houston to head to customs. Sounds like he's in a pretty chipper mood for a guy who pissed off millions of people in a matter of hours.

As we reported ... Cancun Cruz and his family boarded a United flight Wednesday night to begin a tropical getaway as millions of his fellow Texans are literally freezing and dying due to the winter storm-induced power outages.

The Senator quickly hopped on a flight back to Houston Thursday afternoon, hours after the backlash. He was reportedly trying to get an upgrade to business class, but as you can see he rode back in economy -- and passengers weren't shy about chatting him up.

Cruz says he only took the trip to be a "good dad" and chaperone his daughters to Cancun. He claims he had always planned to return today, but that seems suspect ... considering his wife was on the trip, and could've handled babysitting duty on her own.

Oh, and he had a pretty big roll-on bag too for a 24-hour trip. 🤔

Vincent Jackson likely died on or before Feb. 13 -- two days before he was discovered by law enforcement -- this according to a new death report, obtained by TMZ Sports.

The former NFL star was pronounced dead on Feb. 15 after hotel staff contacted police about an unresponsive male in a room at the Homewood Suites in Brandon, FL.

Cops had been investigating and now say hotel staff saw Jackson in the same room -- in the same slouched position -- as early as Feb. 13 ... but assumed he was sleeping.

But, on Feb. 15, a housekeeper began to realize the sad reality -- Jackson wasn't resting, he was dead -- and someone at the hotel dialed 911.

When cops arrived at the scene, they confirmed Jackson had died.

As for visible injuries, cops say he had a small laceration on his left big toe -- but that's it.

The death report also notes Jackson had a history of alcohol use, but was not a known drug user.

As we previously reported, Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister announced earlier this week that Jackson likely died from issues connected to "chronic alcoholism."

Jackson had been living at the Homewood Suites hotel since January ... and his family had become concerned about him -- even filing a missing person report on Feb. 11.

Cops made contact with him at the hotel on Feb. 12, but determined he was okay. Sadly, he was not okay, and seemingly died hours later.