Hair Club for Men Founder Sy Sperling Dead at 78

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Sy Sperling -- the founder and president of Hair Club for Men known for his TV commercials in the '80s and '90s -- has died in Florida.

Sperling died in Boca Raton after a lengthy illness ... according to his spokeswoman, Terri Lynn.

Sy's career path began being forged in the late '60s when he was a balding swimming pool salesman in New York City who'd grown tired of wearing toupees.

So, he took $10k in credit card debt to open a Madison Avenue salon and used a hair weaving technique he learned from a stylist to implement a system where a nylon mesh cap was glued to a person's scalp ... allowing their hair to grow through it, then additional matching hair purchased from women was woven into the mesh.

Sounds pretty odd, but business took off ... just not to the point where Sperling wanted it to be. Enter, the TV commercials.

Sy began advertising his hair replacement system on TV and went national in 1982, with spots running 400 times daily on late-night TV. They reportedly cost $12 million a year but generated 10,000 calls a month.

The ads featured before-and-after photos of happy customers, but ended with Sperling himself proclaiming ... "I'm not only the Hair Club president, but I'm also a client." They became a cultural phenomenon almost instantly.

The company's now simply referred to as Hair Club and began offering services for women in 1995. Sy retired in 2000 after selling the company for $45 mil. It's helped more than 600,000 clients restore their hair over the years.

Sperling is survived by his wife and 2 kids.

He was 78.

RIP

JaVale McGee I Produced A Song For Bieber!!! ... On 'Changes' Album

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JaVale McGee's music career has reached Justin Bieber status ... 'cause the L.A. Lakers star helped write and produce a song on the Biebs' new album!!

Yes, you read that correctly -- the 7-foot tall NBA center is a big-time music producer in his free time ... and officially got credit for his role in making Bieber's song, "Available," on his new project, "Changes."

Of course, McGee has dabbled in music for years ... and has worked with old Lakers teammates like Lonzo Ball in the studio in the past.

But, this is the first time McGee -- going by the pseudonym, "Pierre" -- has worked with someone on JB's level.

McGee has said in the past he's using his platform as an NBA player to push his music career ... and it's clearly working. It's Justin freakin' Bieber we're talking about here.

Pierre spoke about the opportunity, saying "I was blessed to write and produce on the song 'Available'! 2020 is about elevation and growth and following your dreams and this has always been one of mine to be a producer!"

As for the album ... it's well on its way top of the R&B charts after dropping on Valentine's Day.

McGee already has 2 NBA titles -- is a Grammy next?!?

Kylie Jenner & Hailey Bieber Mean Business on Valentine's Day ... By Flexing Legal Muscles

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It was apparently "Trademark Day" on Valentine's Day for 2 big stars in Hollywood ... 'cause Kylie Jenner and Hailey Bieber put love aside and got down to business.

According to new legal docs, obtained by TMZ, Kylie filed to trademark "Kylie Body" and "Kylie Body by Kylie Jenner" and the hope's to slap those names on tons of products including hair and beauty products, creams and perfumes.

This, of course, is nothing new with Kylie. She's filed docs to register trademarks for just about everything under the sun ... including her famous wake-up call "Rise and Shine." Her expanding empire also includes "Kylie Baby" and "Kylie Hair."

As for Hailey ... docs show she's looking to register the trademark "HB Beauty by Hailey Bieber." Seems she's ripping a page out of Kylie's playbook cause she wants to slap those names on beauty and wellness products.

She's no stranger to the trademark game. She filed docs back in October 2018 to lock down her own name, Hailey Bieber, which she wants to use on a possible clothing project.

Proving yet again, the heart wants what the heart wants ... money.

Justin Bieber Finally-Time-to-Shave-February Bye Bye, Selleck Stache!!!

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Justin Bieber is going through changes -- and one of them just happened on his face.

The singer posted video Sunday showing himself taking an electric razor to his mustache, which he's been rocking proudly for a minute now. Unclear why he decided to get rid of the epic stache, but his follicle fans shouldn't panic. JB says it'll be back in due time.

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In the videos, Justin shows off a cool feature on Instagram Stories -- being able to embed snippets of songs and having the lyrics superimpose over your uploaded clip. For the stache shaving, the Biebs went with a few solid "goodbye"-themed tunes. Quite fitting.

He chose the Rolling Stones' "Miss You," Kelly Clarkson's "Since U Been Gone," 'NSYNC's "Gone," and of course ... Ray Charles' "Hit the Road Jack." Good taste in music.

He also showed off his freshly shaven mug, calling himself "Baby face Bieb." Yeah, he does look younger -- facial hair has that kinda magic. BTW, his wife, Hailey, seems to dig it. She responded to his post with a 😍  emoji, so the missus is happy. Good move.

Until we meet again, young Selleck 👋🏽

Kendall, Bella and Justine Grocery Run for Galentine's Day!!!

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Kendall Jenner, Bella Hadid and Justine Skye grabbed some grub Friday ... presumably to celebrate Galentine's Day.

The famous trio hit up Whole Foods in the Big Apple. Judging from the shopping cart, it doesn't exactly look like a feast, but not everyone has to gorge on V-Day ... or G-Day.

They were all in NYC for Fashion Week, which ended Wednesday. Unclear whether Kendall hooked up with Ben Simmons at some point Friday. It seems pretty clear they're back together.

Anyway ... they looked great traversing the aisles of Jeff Bezos' pricey store.

Happy Valentine's Day -- belatedly -- ladies.

The Bounce-Back Stripper Calls 15-Foot Pole Drop Blessing In Disguise

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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.
wired shut

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.

As we first told you, Genea said her pole-dancing days are over 'cause the fall really scared the crap out of her. She's received tons of offers from strip clubs and been asked to appear in music vids ever since she unintentionally went viral, but her answer is still ... no dice.

Miley Cyrus Can't Be Tamed!!! at New York Fashion Week

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Miley Cyrus damn near brought New York Fashion Week to a halt with a surprise runway appearance ... thanks to a super-hot ensemble.

Miley closed out Marc Jacobs' fall/winter 2020 runway show Wednesday night in NYC ... much to everyone's delight. The crowd had no idea she'd be making an appearance ... strutting her stuff in a black bra-top and pants. She also wore long, black leather gloves ... not that anyone needed reminding who's in charge.

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Naomi Campbell thought the performance was fire based on the comment she left on Miley's Instagram post. Hailey Baldwin summed it up with three words .. "YUP. STOMP QUEEN."

That Miley got the honor to close out the show should come as no surprise. She's known Marc Jacobs since she was 16, starred in his 2014 spring/summer show and collaborated with him last year for a special hoodie.

Taking New York by storm's one helluva way to countdown the days before she's officially single. As we first reported ... Miley and Liam Hemsworth's divorce becomes official on February 22.

Cue the band Europe!!!

Sylvester Stallone A Hero in Hiding ... Is That You, Sly???

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Sylvester Stallone's playing another action hero in a new movie -- go figure, right? -- but this time there's a twist ... and it's got our boy looking like a completely different person.

The legendary actor was on set Tuesday in Atlanta, GA, where it looks like they starting to shoot this new flick he's starring in called "Samaritan," opposite of "Euphoria" child star Javon "Wanna" Walton. The latter plays a kid in search of a disappeared "superhero."

Sounds a little weird, but it's a sci-fi thriller -- so, apparently, Sly's playing somebody this time around with actual powers. And, spoiler, it seems like the boy does, in fact, find him.

It's kinda crazy though ... SS looks down and out, not to mention scarred as his superhero character. Helluva makeup job too -- should be a good one when it eventually comes out.

BTW ... Sylvester's 73, folks. And, still looks good as a leading man. Keep it going, bud!

Rihanna & A$AP Rocky The Good 'Ol ... Let's-Throw-Em-Off-And-Arrive-Separately Move

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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.

Rihanna
FLYIN' SOLO

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.

Cue up Peaches & Herb!!!

Daymond John Reagan, Trump, Kardashian ... Here's Why it's Gonna Happen

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Daymond John on Kim K
SHE'S GOT THE CLOUT

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.

BTW -- Daymond working with the Kardashians is nothing new either ... he was responsible for product integration during the first few seasons of the family's reality show.

Russell Wilson Man Bun In The Oven New Look W/ Pregnant Ciara

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No Helmet Hair Here!!!

Russell Wilson is well on his way to becoming a hair icon in 2020 ... 'cause the Seahawks QB debuted a man bun hairstyle while out with Ciara ... and it's a look that would make Jason Momoa proud.

Wilson has been trying new 'dos as of late... and a lot of people have taken notice of the many changes to his appearance.

The newest look -- long, straightened, Uncle Jesse from "Full House" kinda hair -- made its debut at the Tom Ford fashion show over the weekend ... and it's got everyone talking.

TMZ Sports shot Wilson out in West Hollywood with his pregnant wifey on Saturday night ... and he showed off the man bun modification to his hair, proving the dude is serious about the flow lifestyle.

To solidify the look, Wilson also rocked the man bun at the Vanity Fair Oscar party on Sunday night ... doubling down on the statement.

Wilson and Ciara are expecting another baby soon ... but who knows what daddy's hair will look like when #3 comes around.

Kim Zolciak Cosmetic Enhancements ... Yup, There's a Limit!!

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Kim Zolciak says there's a hard line she won't let her daughters cross when it comes to cosmetic enhancements. Sorry, Rob Riggle but ... NOT IN THE FACE!!!

We got Kim and hubby, Kroy Biermann, at LAX Friday and our camera guy wanted to talk cosmetic surgery ... particularly when it comes to her 18-year-old daughter, Ariana. Kim tells us her kids gotta wait till they turn 18 to get anything done.

Seems she won't cop to Ariana already getting lip fillers ... but a month after turning 18, Ariana took to Instagram and posted a video where everybody noticed her lips were ... full.

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Kim tells us Ariana's gonna do what a girl's gotta do but check out the vid ... seems there's still guidelines the girls gotta follow even if they have the green light. As you may know by now ... Brielle, who got her lips done at 18, has now removed all fillers and embraced her natural look ... captioning a recent pic "2020 new year new me!"

Our guy also asks Kim and Kroy if kids should be forced to wait until they're 18 for cosmetic enhancements. Watch ... it's a touchy subject.

Evelyn Lozada Weighing Return to 'Basketball Wives' ... After Racism Allegations

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Evelyn Lozada is not done with "Basketball Wives" despite another castmember accusing her of being a bigot -- we've learned she's in talks to return to the reality show.

Sources close to Evelyn tell TMZ ... VH1 approached her about a comeback for season 9, but she's yet to reach a decision because she's weighing the pros and cons. We're told she's open to rejoining, but there are several factors making her hesitant to sign on the dotted line.

As you know ... Evelyn had major beef last year with Ogom "OG" Chijindu ... it got racial and there was even a lawsuit. EL filed for defamation when OG accused her of calling her castmates some horrible things.

As we reported, Evelyn said in the suit ... she lost tons of endorsement deals due to the racism allegations, and even had to hire security for her and her family.

So, there would be a huge elephant in the 'BBW' room if Evelyn returns.

We're told she's also slow to sign a deal because when she's left the show in the past ... she's had more time to focus on growing her jewelry and skin-care businesses.

Right now, our sources say Evelyn is trying to figure out if the 'Basketball Wives' paycheck is worth all the drama that will inevitably come with it.

Stay tuned ...

President Trump 'Orange Face' Pic Seems Edited ... To Show Stark Contrast

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UPDATE

12:21 PM PT -- President Trump has weighed in on a black and white version of the so-called #Orangeface photo ... calling the pic "fake news" and obviously altered.

UPDATE
UPDATE

DT took to Twitter Saturday, writing ... "More Fake News. This was photoshopped, obviously, but the wind was strong and the hair looks good? Anything to demean!" The black and white rendition of the pic was also posted by this Moon guy. It's on his Instagram page.

President Trump was photographed Friday walking across the White House's South lawn in a photo that has since gone viral -- but the pic appears to have been edited.

DT was captured on camera by a guy named William Moon -- a self-described White House correspondent and photographer, who doesn't appear to be part of the official press corps. or White House staff, but clearly has access of some sort to snap shots like these.

The pic shows DT touching down in a helicopter after a trip to Charlotte, NC ... with the wind picking up his hair and the light seemingly showing a major tan line around his face.

In Moon's photo, the outer edge of Trump's mug seems to be in stark contrast to the rest of his face ... showing a color distinction between pale and what looks to be orange or tan. Getty Images has the same pic, though ... and it's not nearly as saturated as this.

Now, it's possible Moon caught the Prez at a different angle with different lighting than the Getty photog did ... perhaps the photo isn't edited at all. Doesn't seem likely, however.

We were able to boost up the color on our end to make the Getty image look pretty similar to what Moon put up ... so it's clear, anybody with basic Photoshop skills can do it.

Here's one more Getty shot of Trump from the same moment, unedited. Yes, he does seem to have a tan -- but it's not nearly as exaggerated as the "#Orangeface" pic would have you think.

Originally Published -- 10:53 AM PT

Rihanna I'm Flying Solo Tonight

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Rihanna
FLYIN' SOLO

Rihanna threw a big bash in the Big Apple Friday night, and A$AP Rocky was nowhere in sight.

RiRi threw the party at Bergdorf Goodman in Midtown Manhattan, and, of course, lots of folks showed. Unclear if she's really dating A$AP, but they've definitely been hanging together since her breakup with Hassan Jameel after 3 years of dating.

As we reported, Rihanna and Rocky showed up together at the YAMS Day benefit concert in Brooklyn. She also went to Sweden to hit up his show. They also showed up together at the British Fashion Awards show. In other words, they've been together a fair amount recently.

Rihanna Entrance
NOT A WORD SPOKEN

We got Rihanna entering her party late Friday, but she was mum on A$AP Rocky.

Kim Kardashian Bringing SKIMS to Life ... With Human Mannequins!!!

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Kim Kardashian is now in a Nordstrom near you -- or at least her SKIMS representatives are, and by that we mean living, breathing mannequins ... sometimes known as models.

The reality TV beauty mogul made a splash Wednesday in NYC, where she rolled out her SKIMS shapewear line in the Midtown Nordstrom store. Her hubby, Kanye West, came to support the launch as well. Kim came armed with a gaggle of models, flaunting a broad range of options and body types.

No one can complain about a lack of diversity -- the human mannequins came in all shapes and sizes ...which is kinda the whole point of Kim's product.

Looks like another Midas touch for the Kardashians ... we're told there was a line out the door for the Nordstrom launch ... with some folks waiting since as early as 2 AM. The first 50 in line got a meet-and-greet with Kim.

Kim didn't just wave and dash, though. She actually stuck around for quite a while and even got behind the register for some purchases, proudly ringing up customers.

Skim (hehe) through the gallery to check out the scene. Lots of model citizens here.