Conan O'Brien Give Elon Musk a Chance!!! Amateurs Crush on 'SNL'

5/5/21
THE BEST GUEST
TMZ.com

Conan O'Brien says non-professional comedians like Elon Musk make perfect 'SNL' hosts ... and funny ones too, so he says viewers might be pleasantly surprised.

We got Conan Wednesday on his way out of the famous L.A. diner Swingers, and he gave us some insight on what Elon and the 'SNL' cast are going through right now. Remember, he was a writer on the show from 1988 to 1991. He revealed it's actually the non-comedians he considered "dream guests" back in the day when he was one of the show's writers.

Conan tells us the fact Elon isn't a comedian or an actor makes him a dream guest -- or at least it did back in his day. Not buying it? Well, watch the clip ... Conan explains his "fish outta water" theory for getting big laughs in sketches.

Our photog tried to get him to suggest some new material for Elon, but Conan's no fool ... and we can't afford his rate.

As for some 'SNL' cast members publicly grousing about Lorne Michaels' decision to have Elon host this weekend -- Conan says a lot sure has changed since his time there.

ONE TO WATCH
TMZ.com

BTW, we also got Pete Davidson arriving at Rockefeller Center and the funny man sang Elon's praises. Seems he wasn't one of the cast members pissed about working with Elon.

Sure, he might be angling for a trip to Mars, or maybe just a Tesla ... but can ya blame him? Shoot your shot, Pete!!!

Josh Duggar Child Porn Case Granted Jail Release Pending Trial ... But He Can't Live at Home

UPDATE

4:22 PM PT -- Josh is getting released from jail pending trial in his child porn case, but he's not going home. The judge agrees Josh is not a flight risk, but says Duggar will not be sent to his residence.

UPDATE

The US Attorney's Office for the Western District of Arkansas tells TMZ ... the judge turned Josh over to third-party custodians and Duggar will be fashioned with a GPS ankle monitor.

UPDATE

We're told Josh can't have any contact with minors or possess any internet devices, but he can visit with his own minor children as long as their mother is there.

Josh Duggar's friends and family told law enforcement he's dealing with a porn addiction ... according to the feds, who claim his computer was chock full of disturbing images.

The "19 Kids and Counting" star appeared over Zoom for a court hearing Wednesday in his child pornography case. During the hearing, an agent from the Dept. of Homeland Security said Josh's computer had more than 200 images involving naked minors and child sex abuse material. The agent said some of the children were as young as 5.

The feds say witnesses, including friends and family, brought up Josh's alleged addiction to porn in interviews with law enforcement.

However, Josh's defense asked the agent if there's evidence Duggar had looked at the alleged images, and the agent said he hadn't "directly" seen Josh checking out child porn.

TMZ broke the story ... Josh was hit with charges of receiving and possessing child porn following last month's arrest by federal agents in Arkansas. He's pled not guilty.

In Wednesday's court hearing, the feds claimed authorities identified a computer with videos and photos of child porn in May 2019 -- a few months later they claim they connected Josh to the computer using the IP address.

Remember, the Springdale, Arkansas car dealership where Josh works was raided by the feds in November 2019.

DHS agents seized a computer from Josh's office, plus his iPhone and a MacBook from inside an RV during that raid, and the feds say child porn was on the HP computer.

Josh, who is facing up to 20 years behind bars and fines of up to $250k on each count, wants to be released from jail, on bond, pending a trial ... claiming he's too famous to be a flight risk. The judge has yet to rule on that request.

Originally Published -- 2:27 PM PT

Donald Trump on Facebook Panel Forcing Zuckerberg to Make the Call ... So Says Kara Swisher

MARK HAS THE FINAL SAY
TMZ.com

If Mark Zuckerberg thought he could dodge the big decision on whether Donald Trump gets back on Facebook, its independent panel's essentially saying not so fast, Zuck ... according to a leading tech journalist.

Kara Swisher, once dubbed Silicon Valley's most powerful tech journalist, joined "TMZ Live" Wednesday and broke down the decision by Facebook's oversight board to uphold Zuck suspending Trump from the social media platform.

Kara says the board's decision only says Zuckerberg's initial call to ban Trump was fine, but as far as banning him permanently -- it's kicked that decision right back to Zuckerberg. Essentially, they're not gonna do the dirty work for him.

The board's given Facebook some time to sort this out -- but Kara says the mission for Zuck is to establish the companies "rules of the road" when it comes to speech ... for Trump and all politicians. She says only then can the panel decide if FB's rules are fair.

Remember ... it was Zuckerberg who banned Trump from Facebook in the wake of the Capitol riot ... saying it was too great a risk to America for Trump to remain on the platform.

Kara says it's up to Facebook, not the board, to make the final decision on whether Trump's permanently banned. If it does that, she foresees other problems for Facebook down the road.

Bill Gates Divorce Gives Melinda $1.8 Billion in Stocks ... On Same Day of Divorce Filing

Bill Gates lined his estranged wife's pocket with nearly $2 BILLION the very same day she filed for divorce ... and this revelation is a sign they were working out the property settlement long before the divorce announcement.

The transaction went down like this ... an investment firm controlled by Bill transferred millions of shares in two companies to Melinda Monday, the same day the billionaires announced the end of their marriage.

Bill's investment firm, Cascade Investment LLC, sent Melinda more than 14 million shares of Canadian National Railway Co. and more than 2.9 million shares of AutoNation Inc ... according to docs obtained by TMZ.

Based on Wednesday's stock prices, the shares are worth north of $1.8 billion ... including about $1.53 billion in Canadian National Railway shares and about $310 million on AutoNation shares.

As we first told you ... Melinda filed divorce docs that make it clear there's no prenup.

They signed a separation agreement ahead of the divorce filing, and the stock transfer indicates they are already down the road in dividing assets.

It'll be interesting to see how Bill and Melinda divvy up their assets ... and the billion-dollar stock transfer is the first clue.

Stay tuned ...

Trey Songz Allegedly Battered Bartender ... With His Fist

Trey Songz walloped a bartender with his fist at a concert, then went right back to watching the show ... so the bartender claims in a new lawsuit.

The singer's being sued for battery by a man who says he was tending bar around midnight at the Hollywood Palladium on May 9, 2019 ... and claims Songz was part of the crowd.

According to the legal docs, obtained by TMZ, the bartender says Songz jumped on the bar to sit and watch the show ... which the bartender insists is against the venue's policy.

The bartender claims Songz ignored his warning that he wasn't allowed on the bar ... so he put his hand on Songz' back to get his attention, and tell him to get down.

That's when Songz allegedly turned around and struck the bartender in the head with a closed fist, looked at the other bartenders blankly, then continued watching the show ... according to the docs.

We did some digging and it seems like Songz was at the Palladium that evening for a Cardi B concert put on by Fashion Nova.

The bartender claims he suffered physical pain and emotional and psychological injury as a result of the alleged attack, and he's suing for damages. We reached out to Trey ... no word back yet.

1/24/21
TAKEN AWAY
TMZ.com

As we first told you ... the singer just got off the hook for another altercation ... that one was with a cop at a Kansas City Chiefs playoff game.

Tommy Lee Drops $4.15M for Brentwood Crib

Tommy Lee's got a new place to call home sweet home ... and it sure is a beaut.

The Mötley Crüe drummer dropped a cool $4.15 million for a new pad in Brentwood. The Japanese-inspired modern estate has 4 bedrooms, 3.5 bathrooms and it features Zen-like indoor-outdoor living space.

The 4,266-square-foot house offers picturesque canyon views and, talk about rock star livin' ... the swimming pool comes with waterfalls. There's also a koi pond, dining deck, fire pit, BBQ island and garden room

Tommy's kitchen features antique Japanese tansu custom cabinetry and Brazilian mahogany countertops. It's one helluva place where Tommy can relax and unwind, for sure.

Though, it's safe to say that fresh off buying a new property, THIS is still on his mind. Yes, his Calabasas crib is still on the market.

Emil Hartoonian of The Agency repped Lee, while Marco Rufo of The Agency held the listing.

George Jung Real-Life 'Blow' Smuggler Dead at 78

George Jung -- the prolific cocaine smuggler portrayed by Johnny Depp in the movie "Blow" -- has died ... TMZ has learned.

Sources close to the situation tell TMZ ... George died Wednesday morning at home in the Boston area. The cause of death is currently not known, though he had recently been experiencing liver and kidney failure.

We're told he had been in home hospice care since this past weekend and died with his girlfriend, Ronda, and friend, Roger, by his side. We're told he will be cremated.

George's Twitter account tweeted a quote from the film Wednesday, “May the wind always be at your back and the sun upon your face, and the winds of destiny carry you aloft to dance with the stars. 1942-2021."

"Boston George," as he was known, served 20 years in prison for running drugs. He was released in 2014, but ultimately landed back behind bars just 2 years later for violating his parole by failing to inform his parole officer he would be hitting up San Diego.

He was famous for being part of the Medellin Cartel and helping Pablo Escobar smuggle planeloads of cocaine into the U.S. That was a big deal because, at the time, Escobar's cartel was responsible for distributing 80% of the world's cocaine -- and about 15 tons of blow reportedly came into the U.S. per day ... for a weekly haul of $420 million.

George's story was ultimately written in the book "Blow: How a Small-Town Boy Made $100 Million with the Medellin Cocaine Cartel and Lost It All" ... and then in the 2001 flick starring Johnny Depp and Penelope Cruz.

Broadway Back in Biz in September ... Full Reopening!!!

Theater fans rejoice ... Broadway is set to reopen at 100 percent capacity on September 14 after a year and a half closure, so says New York Governor Andrew Cuomo.

Cuomo just made the surprise announcement days after revealing Broadway was not in the state's May 19 reopening plan. He'd stated theaters would need more time to properly get folks back in seats due to the logistics of producing shows at the venues ... but now he says they'll be back in business before fall.

THE SHOW MUST GO ON

By Sept. 14, it will be 18 full months after Broadway shut down on March 12, 2020 as the coronavirus pandemic became a harsh reality in America.

Both Gov. Cuomo and The Broadway League had previously targeted September as the reopening month ... but now there's an official date.

September 14 falls on a Tuesday, and tickets go on sale tomorrow. Get 'em while they're hot.

Derek Chauvin Appeal Fight for New Trial Will Raise Juror And His Photo at MLK Rally

UPDATE

10:35 AM PT -- Chauvin's defense attorney is going to have a harder time of convincing a judge a new trial is warranted than he may think ... so says a noted law professor, Tamara Rice Lave.

UPDATE

Lave -- who teaches at the University of Miami School of Law -- came on "TMZ Live" Wednesday and explained why Brandon Mitchell going to the MLK rally in August actually wouldn't be grounds for a restart ... saying the devil is in the details on this one.

UPDATE
NOT ENOUGH
TMZ.com
UPDATE

Watch ... she tells us the MLK event was NOT advertised as an anti-police demonstration, but simply a commemoration on Dr. King's historic March on Washington. The fact he was wearing a shirt that sympathizes with BLM is a footnote in her view, and one that wouldn't necessarily persuade an appellate judge to buck the trial court's ruling.

UPDATE

She also makes a good point about Mitchell's POV being communicated early and often -- he relayed that he supported BLM during questioning, and still wasn't ruled out at the time. And, as Lave notes, you can't just boot someone from a jury because of the color of their skin ... so, Chauvin's team might have their work cut out for them here.

The Derek Chauvin trial juror who was photographed at an MLK rally last year -- wearing a shirt with the words "Get your knee off our necks" -- will absolutely be a key factor in Chauvin's attempt to get a new trial ... TMZ has learned.

As you know, Chauvin's defense attorney Eric Nelson filed a motion Tuesday requesting a new trial. The docs made no specific mention of the juror, Brandon Mitchell, but did use the words "jury misconduct."

Sources familiar tell us the Mitchell issue is on the table and WILL be addressed during arguments in court to support the motion for a new trial.

If you missed it, Mitchell -- one of the only jurors from the trial who has since spoken out about the guilty verdict -- went to a BLM-organized rally last August in D.C. to commemorate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s 1963 March on Washington. Mitchell was photographed there wearing a shirt with MLK's photo and the words ... a pretty clear reference to George Floyd's killing.

Also highly relevant is the fact George's family members spoke at the rally. Now, here's why this could be problematic.

Mitchell told the Star Tribune he answered "no" on the early jury questionnaire when asked 2 questions about attending demonstrations against police brutality -- one specific to Minneapolis, and one asking generally.

Now, Mitchell defended his answers, saying the rally was NOT a protest against police brutality, per se, or even in support of George Floyd, but more so geared toward MLK.

4/20/21
GUILTY GUILTY GUILTY
Fox 9

He told the Star Tribune, "I'd never been to D.C. The opportunity to go to D.C., the opportunity to be around thousands and thousands of Black people; I just thought it was a good opportunity to be a part of something."

That's his side of the story, but Chauvin's defense will certainly see it differently -- that Mitchell was an activist who had very clear bias when he became a juror.

BEHIND THE SCENES
ABC

Remember ... Mitchell has been very outspoken since the all-guilty verdict came in -- a verdict he says that he and his fellow jurors reached fairly easily ... once they sorted through some legal jargon in the instructions. He also said there was no pressure to vote guilty.

Originally Published -- 8:04 AM PT

Britney Spears She Won't Ask Judge to End Conservatorship But She's Done with Dad

Britney Spears is itching to talk to the judge in her conservatorship case next month, but not to end the conservatorship ... it's all about giving her dad his walking papers.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... Britney does not feel trapped in the 13-year-old conservatorship. As one source put it, "She has 99% of the freedom she'd have if she weren't in a conservatorship, and the only thing she's prevented from doing are crazy things, like buying 3 cars at a time [something she tried to do back in the day]."

Our sources say Britney has been free to travel -- she goes to Hawaii fairly often -- and lives her life in L.A. without real restrictions.

We're also told Britney is aware her life was out of control before the conservatorship was put in place, and it created a structure and also replenished her dwindling assets. As one source put it, "She's taken care of and she knows it."

4/16/21
I'M EXTREMELY HAPPY

Britney's problem is Jamie. We're told the two don't even speak anymore, and she's been angry at him for a long time over business issues and certain people Jamie embraced on the team ... people Britney doesn't like because she feels they were motivated not by her self-interest but theirs.

We're told Britney wants Jamie out as the co-conservator of her estate, managing her business affairs, and that's what she wants to talk to the judge about. She has no problem with the current conservatorship of her person. As we reported, Jodi Montgomery is now the permanent personal conservator of Britney, and the two get along.

Britney has said she will not perform again as long as Jamie is part of the conservatorship. That said, she's given no indication she wants to go back on stage and, in fact, has said she has other priorities.

It's likely the hearing next month will be open to the public. It should be riveting.

Tokyo Olympics Athletes Barred From Wearing 'BLM' Apparel ... At Ceremonies

Tokyo Olympics athletes will NOT be allowed to wear "Black Lives Matter" apparel at Games ceremonies this summer ... officials have confirmed that's part of the ban on protests and political messages.

The IOC revealed its broad policy two weeks ago on no demonstrations on the field of play, during an official ceremony or at the podium ... but the Associated Press reported this week officials have now confirmed "BLM" apparel is included in that ban.

Officials, though, say "BLM" slogans will be allowed during at least some parts of the Games -- such as at press conferences, during interviews and at team meetings.

But, they stressed if the messaging comes during official ceremonies, at the podium or during competition ... athletes could be subject to punishment.

The IOC has said the ban on protesting was put in place after a "majority" of 3,500 athletes it polled were in favor of strict rules against demonstrations.

"A very clear majority of athletes said that they think it's not appropriate to demonstrate or express their views on the field of play, at the official ceremonies or at the podium," IOC Athletes' Commission chief Kirsty Coventry said.

"So our recommendation is to preserve the podium, field of play and official ceremonies from any kind of protest or demonstrations or acts perceived as such."

It's unclear what kind of punishment athletes will be subject to if they break the rules ... the IOC is saying, for now, it's all going to be determined on a case-by-case basis.

Peloton Turn Off Our Treadmills!!! Recalled Over Safety Concerns

Peloton is urging customers who bought its Tread+ and Tread machines to stop using the equipment and contact the company for a refund -- a move that comes after several reported injuries, and the alleged death of a child.

Peloton, along with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, announced the voluntary recall Wednesday, and the company's CEO John Foley apologized for not cooperating with the CPSC sooner.

The CPSC had previously warned about the Tread+ being unsafe for children and pets in mid-April, and Foley says, "I want to be clear, Peloton made a mistake in our initial response to the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s request that we recall the Tread+."

He adds ... "We should have engaged more productively with them from the outset. For that, I apologize."

Along with that mea culpa, Peloton has halted the sale and distribution of the Tread+ and is working on modifications to improve safety.

We broke the story ... Peloton was sued by a customer last month who claimed the treadmill's design made it "extremely susceptible" to children and pets getting trapped underneath the machine. The lawsuit alleged one kid had died in an incident involving the machine.

Peloton's stock price has dropped just over 13 percent in wake of the recall announcement.

Donald Trump Facebook Upholds Suspension for Now He Responds w/ Indignation

UPDATE

8:46 AM PT -- Trump himself has now responded to the news that he'll be off Zuckerberg's platform for the time being -- and he sounds just as feisty as ever ... saying he'll be back one way or another.

UPDATE

DT issued a statement, writing ... "What Facebook, Twitter, and Google have done is a total disgrace and an embarrassment to our Country." He adds, "Free Speech has been taken away from the President of the United States because the Radical Left Lunatics are afraid of the truth, but the truth will come out anyway, bigger and stronger than ever before."

UPDATE

Trump goes on to say this, "These corrupt social media companies must pay a political price, and must never again be allowed to destroy and decimate our Electoral Process."

UPDATE

While Trump isn't back on any of the big tech platforms just yet -- he did launch his own blog, of sorts, Tuesday ... where he can get his message out. It's called, "From the Desk of Donald J. Trump."

Donald Trump's Facebook ban has been upheld, but it may not be forever.

The Facebook oversight board has said the former Prez is persona non grata on its platform. Now here's the caveat ... the board decided Facebook -- i.e., Mark Zuckerberg -- can lift the suspension 6 months from the date of suspension.

1/6/21
"GO HOME"

Trump was banned from Facebook January 7 ... the day after the Capitol insurrection. Facebook determined Trump's incendiary comments contributed to the riot. Zuckerberg posted that there was too great a risk to America if Trump stayed on the platform.

That means Trump could hop back on the platform within 6 months.

The oversight board was appointed with members who are not affiliated with Facebook, including the former Prime Minister of Denmark. But, come 6 months from now, the ball will be in Zuckerberg's court and he can make the decision to reinstate Trump.

Trump has been relatively silent since he left office, largely because he's been banned from numerous platforms.

Originally Published -- 6:11 AM PT

Blair House Getting $1.8 Mil Overhaul ... After VP Harris Moves Out!!!

It seems Vice President Kamala Harris was waiting to move into one famous D.C. home while living in another that also needed major renovations ... almost $2 million worth!!!

According to federal docs obtained by TMZ ... the Blair House, AKA The President's Guest House, is set for an HVAC replacement among other substantial upgrades over the next year.

The docs show the Public Buildings Service of The White House is dishing out nearly $1.79 mil to a company called Gaghan Mechanical to get the job done.

As we reported ... the Veep and Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff had been living at the historic, 19th-century row house located just steps away from The White House since President Biden's inauguration.

That's because the VP's traditional home at the Naval Observatory was also getting a bunch of repairs ... but Kamala and Doug were finally able to move into that fancy mansion last month.

Once it's all gussied up, Blair House -- which is actually 4 distinct buildings merged into one with a total of 119 rooms -- will most likely go back to hosting former Presidents and other dignitaries ... who'll all enjoy some kick-ass ventilation.

Tito Ortiz Accused of Filing B.S. Unemployment Claim While Still Working as Mayor Pro Tem!!!

Uh oh, Tito.

MMA legend Tito Ortiz is in hot water for allegedly filing for unemployment against the City of Huntington Beach ... despite still drawing a full monthly check.

And why is he drawing a check? BECAUSE HE'S THE MAYOR PRO TEM!

Yeah, not a good look!!

Records show 46-year-old Tito -- real name Jacob C. Ortiz -- filed paperwork with the  California Employment Development Department back on Feb. 22, claiming he hasn't been able to work full time as a City Council member since Feb. 9 due to the COVID pandemic.

FYI, Ortiz won his City Council seat back in November 2020 and was sworn in on Dec. 7.

FIRED UP POLITICIAN

The job reportedly pays $1,500 per month in salary -- plus Ortiz also receives a stipend and expense allowance.

The problem with Tito's claim ... officials say Tito has NOT taken a pay cut due to the pandemic and his claims appear to be bogus.

Huntington Beach Mayor Kim Carr told NBC4 in L.A., "[Ortiz has] been receiving the same amount of wages and hours."

She also expressed concerns that Ortiz's claim may constitute fraud.

Ortiz may have a perfectly good explanation -- but so far, he hasn't commented publicly about the situation.

Tito made a ton of money during his MMA career -- and flaunts it regularly. He lives in a massive house in Huntington Beach and drives fancy cars around town. Have you seen his boat?

Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media.

Ortiz -- a huge Trump supporter who once claimed COVID-19 wasn’t real -- has butted heads with many people in the city since taking office.

During his 1st planning meeting on November 5, Mayor Carr refused to let Tito into the building because he refused to wear a mask.

Ortiz also got into a screaming match with a citizen ... and recently called for the boycott of a well-known local restaurant because they wouldn’t serve him without a mask (T.O. later apologized).

Silento Asks for $25k Bond in GA Murder Case 'Mentally Ready' To Be Home

UPDATE

9:59 AM PT -- 5/6 -- Silento tells TMZ ... he's mentally ready to come back home and be with his family. He tells us he believes this is a great time to show society that he can be a positive role model. As for his current mental state ... the rapper tells us he's staying positive with everything.

UPDATE

He says he'll have his day in court ... where he can tell his side of the story.

Silento insists he has a constitutional right to a reasonable bond in his felony murder case ... insisting he's not a flight risk.

The "Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae)" rapper filed legal docs in DeKalb County, GA requesting the court set his bond at $25k. In docs, obtained by TMZ, Silento says he's “not an extraordinary bail risk and will not jeopardize the safety of the community if released on bail.”

He also assures the court that if the judge lets him out he won't flee or go into hiding. He promises to obey all court orders. Silento says denying him bond is not only unjust -- it's unconstitutional.

We'll soon know if the judge agrees with Silento ... a bond hearing's been set for later this month.

As we reported ... the rapper was arrested on February 1 for his alleged role in the death of his cousin, Frederick Rooks. Silento was charged with felony murder.

Cops said they found Rooks shot to death in the street on Jan. 21 ... and found 8 bullet casings at the scene. Silento's rep asked for positive thoughts for the rapper ... claiming he's been suffering from various mental health issues for several years.

Originally Published -- 5/5 12:40 AM PT

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