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"Words carry weight and it is incumbent upon all of us to have a thorough understanding of the words we choose and the effect they may have on others," Licht said in a statement.

Super Bowl champion Carlton Davis is in hot water for tweeting out a VERY offensive Asian slur -- though Davis claims he didn't know the "dark" history behind the word.

"Gotta stop letting g***s in Miami," the Tampa Bay Bucs cornerback posted on Sunday evening in a since-deleted tweet.

Obviously, the tweet went viral and people couldn't believe an NFL player would hurl such an offensive word around so casually.

Davis initially offered an explanation -- and actually had the balls to attack the media for criticizing him in the first place.

The 24-year-old posted a screenshot from the Urban Dictionary definition of the word (which, conveniently, wasn't even the top definition).

"A term commonaly [sic] used in South Florida to describe a person who is Lame. Synonym for Lame, wack, Fool or Stupid."

Davis added, "I would never offend any group of people. You reporters can look for another story to blow up. The term was directed towards a producer claiming he 'ran Miami.' With that being said I'll retire that word from my vocabulary giving the hard times our Asian family are enduring."

Just minutes later, Davis was changing his tune in another statement.

"I used a term that from where I come from has always meant 'lame' but I did not realize it has a much darker, negative connotation. I have learned a valuable lesson and want to apologize to anyone that was offended by seeing that word because we need to focus on helping each other during these tough times."

FYI, the g-word is an incredibly offensive anti-Asian slur that's been around for decades. It was widely used by American soldiers against Koreans and Vietnamese people during military conflicts.

Ans since Davis is into using definitions ... how about this one from Merriam-Webster.com:

"offensive -- used as an insulting and contemptuous term for a nonwhite, non-American person and especially for an Asian person."

No word if the NFL plans to take action.

Davis was a 2nd-round pick in the 2018 NFL Draft and had a pretty solid 2020 season ... logging 68 tackles and 4 interceptions during the Bucs' championship run.

The Governor of Texas is FURIOUS with Major League Baseball for moving the All-Star Game out of Georgia ... and says he's boycotting the org. as a result.

Starting with canceling a planned appearance to throw out the 1st pitch at the Texas Rangers home opener.

Gov. Greg Abbott just penned a strongly-worded letter to Neil Leibman, the President of Baseball Operations and COO for the Texas Rangers explaining why he won't support the league in the wake of the ASG move.

"Thank you for the invitation to throw out the first pitch at the Texas Rangers home opening game. I was looking forward to it until Major League Baseball adopted what has turned out to be a false narrative about the election law reforms in Georgia, and based, on that false narrative, moved the MLB All-Star Game from Atlanta."

Abbott continued, "It is shameful that America's pastime is not only being influenced by partisan political politics, but also perpetuating false political narratives."

"I will not participate in an event held by MLB, and the state will not seek to host an All-Star Game or any other MLB special events."

Abbott clarified that his beef is not with the Rangers -- he expressed "deep respect" for the organization from "top to bottom" ... but he wants to send a message to MLB.

MLB made the decision to move the game on Friday -- and it's drawn both praise and criticism from both sides of the aisle.

President Joe Biden -- along with top democrats and celebs like LeBron James -- have argued Georgia's new voting law is an unnecessary obstacle intended to detour minorities from participating in elections. Biden referred to the law as "Jim Crow on steroids."

The Easter bunny's back at the White House after a 1-year hiatus ... albeit with a different look this year, but, hey, something's better than nothing.

President Joe Biden and First Lady Dr. Jill Biden brought out the Easter bunny Monday during a White House ceremony to commemorate the holiday. They took the opportunity to also urge Americans to get vaccinated.

It's pretty cool considering the bunny did NOT make an appearance last year due to the pandemic. It's also the second consecutive year the annual White House Easter Egg Roll -- which draws tons of kids and has been hosted on the South Lawn almost every year since 1878 -- was canceled due to the outbreak.

But now, Peter Cottontail and Co. are getting back in the biz ... the bunnies have hopped back to 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.

Harvey Weinstein's appealing his rape and sexual abuse conviction in New York, and has a laundry list of reasons why he believes he got a raw deal.

According to new legal docs ... Weinstein claims he was deprived of a fair and impartial jury trial, which resulted in guilty verdicts and a sentence of 23 years in prison.

Weinstein's team claims the jury was influenced by sensational, prejudiced media coverage, special interest groups and the public's "magnified moral outrage over claimed sexual misbehavior of powerful men."

Weinstein's appeal highlights several points his legal team brought up during his trial, including the allegation one of the jurors lied about writing a book focused on older men preying on younger women.

In addition, Weinstein claims the jury was permitted to hear allegations of prior bad acts and uncharged crimes ... which he argues is a major error that deprived him of his right to a fair trial.

Weinstein also claims he was barred from presenting a defense against the prosecution's expert witness, and even alleges the judge showed his own bias when he harshly admonished Weinstein for using his cell phone in court.

Finally, Weinstein slams the trial court for allegedly influencing the jury's decision by essentially letting the prosecution put Mr. Weinstein’s entire life on trial instead of just focusing on the charged offenses.

Rihanna's rallying behind the Asian-American community ... lending her voice -- not to mention her fashion and dancing skills -- at the #StopAsianHate march.

Riri hit up the march Sunday with her assistant, Tina Truong, and joined forces with a throng of supporters holding signs ... as drivers passing by honked in support. One of the signs Rihanna carried read, "Hate = Racism Against God' and another read, "#StopAsianHate."

Rihanna didn't just show up. She was hands-on ... making the sign herself and holding it proudly. As she walked the street ... she vibed with fellow marchers and danced along the way.

Fact is ... It's pretty hard to tell it's Rihanna. She's wearing braids, a hat, sunglasses and a mask. One of the marchers asked for her Instagram ... not realizing he was talking to the Caribbean Queen!

All in all ... a great event to stem violence against the Asian community.

LisaRaye McCoy is clarifying what she said about the Buffalo radio host who compared Black women to "toast," saying she is NOT defending the guy -- but simply pointing out ... yeah, he can have an opinion on the subject.

We got the actress Sunday at LAX and asked if she was standing in support of broadcaster Rob Lederman -- this after seemingly coming to his defense last week on her show, 'Cocktails with Queens,' with co-hosts Claudia Jordan, Syleena Johnson and Vivica A. Fox.

ICYMI ... LisaRaye didn't appear all that bothered by what Lederman had actually expressed at its core -- namely, that he prefers lighter-skinned Black women over darker-skinned ones.

The other women took issue, saying there was colorism at play with that type of thinking ... but LisaRaye is standing firm, even now ... the dude has a right to express what he likes, even if he's white. She notes his word choice was awful and demeaning, but when you drill down to the core ... she doesn't find it all that triggering.

LisaRaye says the reason some could've been more offended than others might have to with the climate we're in, and the fact people are way more sensitive these days.

BTW, she flatly denies being a colorist herself -- telling us she's got family members who are darker-skinned. That said, our camera guy asked her a provocative question ... and that would be, does colorism lend itself to racism by default?

Bruce Lee's family LOVES that Steph Curry rocked a special pair of sneakers to honor the legend during Sunday's game ... especially since he's going to auction them off for a good cause.

The Golden State Warriors superstar teamed up with the Bruce Lee Foundation to create a custom pair of Curry 8s with Lee's image hand-painted on each shoe.

One image is a solo shot of Lee. The other image is based off a photograph of Bruce with his wife and children.

Steph wanted to show solidarity to the Asian community in light of the recent wave of anti-Asian hate crimes -- so proceeds from the upcoming auction will go toward the families of the 8 people killed in the recent attack on Asian-run spas.

Bruce's daughter, Shannon Lee, who runs the Bruce Lee Foundation, praised Curry in a statement.

"I think Stephen’s gesture is a beautiful example of allyship and solidarity in action," Shannon Lee said.

"I am honored he would choose my father and my family as the symbol for the idea that we are all one family, as my father said, and therefore must all stand for one another."

After Sunday's game, Curry also talked about the collaboration and why it's so important to him.

A woman in Memphis made it clear -- she's having it her way or else -- and when she didn't get what she wanted, she unloaded a couple rounds inside the fast-food joint.

Cops say the suspect was beefing with employees because she felt she was waiting too long at the drive-thru. She got out of her car and the argument got more intense.

It escalated further, turning violent when she grabbed a gun from her car and, according to cops, fired shots through the window ... sending employees scurrying in terror as they fled through the back door. Thankfully no employees were hurt.

The woman was brazen ... staring right into the surveillance cam right before she unloaded her gun.

According to cops ... the suspect got back in her car and sped off with a man behind the wheel. No arrests have been made but cops are on the hunt.

R. Kelly was present during the Isley Brothers' musical showdown with Earth, Wind & Fire -- or he was in spirit anyway, because the disgraced singer's music was part of the IB's set.

Ron and Ernie Isley faced off against three members of EW&F Sunday night in a highly anticipated "Verzuz" battle -- with none other than Steve Harvey hosting in an extravagant Easter getup.

Everything was moving along smoothly, with each group taking turns back and forth to perform some of their greatest hits. It was great ... that is, until Ron and Ernie decided to start crooning some of their later tracks from the 2000s, including some R. Kelly tracks he either produced/wrote or was featured in, like "Contagious" and "Busted."

They did "Contagious" first ... which a lot of folks watching from home were NOT happy about. Thankfully, the duo had the wisdom not to include R. Kelly's featured verse, which is sprinkled in toward the end. Still, the guy wrote and produced the whole thing.

Ditto for "Busted," which didn't feature R. Kelly's vocals directly ... but was also written and produced by the guy. Fans felt it wasn't a good look ... for obvious reasons.

Remember, R. Kelly is currently in prison awaiting trial on several different criminal charges -- both federal and state ... which involve sexual assault, sexual trafficking, abuse of a minor, racketeering, obstruction of justice and more. He's pled not guilty to all of the charges.

It's clear he doesn't have much goodwill left among music lovers, past or present -- the only question ... do the Isleys care??? They seemed pretty comfy up there with the Kels tracks.

Drake's little boy clearly takes after his old man ... because he loves to hoop.

The rapper shared a video of his 3-year-old son, Adonis, working on his jump shot on an indoor kid-hoop ... and he's got game!!

After sinking a jumper, Adonis points out that that bucket was actually 2 in a row ... then he casually hits another shot to make it 3. Silky smooth.

All the while, Drake's providing the hype music for his kid -- his new track, "What's Next" is playing in the background.

Shawn Mendes is reunited with his baby, and we don't mean Camila Cabello -- his luxury SUV is back at home, but cops are still searching for whoever jacked it.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... the singer's stolen G-Wagon was recovered earlier this week in Bev Hills, and was returned to him in surprisingly good condition considering the circumstances.

We're told the vehicle was found parked on a residential street -- neither trashed nor thrashed -- and once cops ran the plates, they confirmed it was Shawn's.

We broke the story ... Shawn and Camila were at home last week in L.A. when suspects broke a window and entered the place. They took off quickly when they realized the couple was there, but not before snagging Shawn's keys and fleeing in his SUV.

"Friday Night Lights" and "Glee" actor LaMarcus Tinker and his wife Brittany, are dropping back and punting on their marriage.

According to court records from Washoe County, Nevada ... LaMarcus and Brittany on Wednesday filed a joint divorce petition. It's unclear what led to them calling it quits, but it's the end of a 5-year run as husband and wife. The estranged couple has 2 minor children together.

LaMarcus -- best known for playing Dallas Tinker on the hit NBC series -- has been down this road before. As we first reported, he and his previous wife, Shari Butler, also filed a joint petition to end their 2-year marriage back in 2014.

Back then, LaMarcus was earning around $2,100 a month, just in royalties from previous acting gigs. Besides appearing on 'FNL' ... he played Kevin on the ABC sitcom "Cougar Town" -- and also had the recurring role of Shane on the third season of "Glee."

With marriage #2 coming to an end, this might be a good time for a throwback to that classic 'FNL' mantra -- "Clear eyes, full hearts ... can't lose."

Keep your head up, LaMarcus.

Francis Ngannou's Hit List:

- Stipe Miocic ✅

- Jon Jones

- TYSON FURY ?!

That's exactly right ... the newly crowned UFC champ tells TMZ Sports he's DEAD SERIOUS about boxing Fury -- the man many pugilism experts believe is the greatest heavyweight alive.

Why boxing? Why Fury? Here's the deal.

Before UFC 260, Stipe told us he was very interested in boxing 32-year-old Fury or 31-year-old Anthony Joshua.

Welp, his title defense didn't go as planned (lost via 2nd rd. KO) ... so, while Francis is taking things from Miocic -- we asked if he wanted to take Stipe's place vs. the Gypsy King.

"Absolutely. I'm open to that. Remember boxing was my primary dream and I still have the fire, the dream inside me and I believe at some point, I'm gonna make a step."

Of course, UFC honcho Dana White is currently working on a massive fight between Jones and Ngannou ... and Fury is set to take on Joshua later this year -- so any boxing match between the 2 giants would have to be in the future.

We also asked Francis about 54-year-old Mike Tyson ... who is looking to find an opponent after talks with forever rival Evander Holyfield fell apart at the negotiating table.

And not even 6'4", 263 pound Francis Ngannou wants a piece of "Iron" Mike ... despite a 20 year age difference!

"I don't want to fight Mike Tyson but I would like to fight another heavyweight boxer as such as Tyson Fury."

"OutDaughtered" star Michelle "Mimi" Theriot should be able to get the stink of her DUI arrest off her ... if she can obey court orders for a year.

Mimi's entered a diversion program stemming from her October DUI bust in Texas. It's 1-year community supervision for first-time offenders ... and Mimi's happy with it.

According to Theriot's agreement with the DA ... she can't drink alcohol or use controlled substances for a year. In fact, she has to stay clear of bars. She must also complete 24 hours of community service, along with a DWI education program.

And, there's more. Mimi must submit to random drug testing. And, the kicker ... she can't break any laws. If she checks all the boxes, her case will be dismissed.

We broke the story ... Grandma Mimi got arrested in League City, TX after cops say she was swerving on the road and was slow to stop when they tried pulling her over.

During the stop, cops say there was a strong odor of perfume wafting from her SUV ... something cops say is common for people trying to conceal odors.

Before this tot-in tie-dye was the hilarious addition to any film, he was just another funny fella shaking things up in Los Angeles, California.

This little lad made his debut as a leading man in a classic buddy comedy set in high school ... not only did he star alongside one of the writers, but his character is based on him, too. After being a well-known actor for over 10 years, he has starred in successful remakes, been nominated for Academy Awards for Best Supporting Actor, and even written and directed his own project.

Gloria Henry -- most famous for playing the mom character on the old 'Dennis the Menace' show -- has died.

The veteran actress passed away Saturday, just one day after her 98th birthday ... this according to her daughter, Erin Ellwood, who broke the sad news on Instagram. After posting some celebratory shots of her mother's milestone year, she said she'd died the next day.

Erin threw up a photo of her mom posing at the Colette Miller angel wings mural in Hollywood, writing ... "She’s flying now, free of her body. She left on a countdown 4 3 2 1 @ 3:40pm. She was such an incredible woman in so many ways. This last year with her has been beautiful and heartbreaking. Thank you all for following me and supporting me on this journey - this beautiful land mine. Goodbye Momma, I love your guts forever ❤️"

On Friday, Erin posted a sweet birthday card Gloria was sent from cartoonist Marcus Hamilton -- the guy famous for those Dennis the Menace cartoons that have appeared in newspapers for years now. He customized it for her, thanking for being the best "mom" Dennis could ask for. Erin says it made Gloria's day to see it.

Of course, Gloria played Alice Mitchell -- the titular character's mom -- on the CBS black and white sitcom for all four seasons from 1959 through 1963, having starred in 146 episodes. She was the epitome of the white picket fence parent ... often playing peacemaker with her rambunctious boy and his nemesis/neighbor, Mr. Wilson.

While she's perhaps best-known from 'DTM' ... Gloria had a long-running career in TV and film that dates back to the '40s, when she starred in B-films like "Adventures in Silverado," "The Arkansas Swing," "Johnny Alegro" and many others.

She made a splash in the '50s as Michelle Malone in 'The Files of Jeffrey Jones' ... and went on to have supporting roles in 'Mr. & Mrs. North,' 'My Little Margie,' 'Perry Mason,' 'Broken Arrow,' 'The Farmer's Daughter,' 'The Brady Brides,' 'Simon & Simon,' 'Silver Spoons,' 'Dallas' and countless other famous series. All in all, Gloria has 65 acting credits to her name.

She'll always be remembered as Dennis' sweet maternal presence though. Gloria was 98.