Michelle Obama Thanks Fans for Birthday Wishes ... Offers Encouragement

This is 57 for Michelle Obama, who's reflecting on a challenging year, and sending a motivational message to everyone going through the same -- hang in there.

The former First Lady celebrated her birthday Sunday, and thanked her millions of followers for their "lovely birthday wishes" ... while sharing a pensive black-and-white photo of herself.

Michelle added ... "I know this past year has been difficult for us all on so many levels, so I just hope you all are taking care of yourselves and finding joy in the smallest moments."

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Her hubby, former Prez Barack, also gave her a bday shout-out ... accompanied by a throwback pic. He captioned it, "Happy birthday to my love, my partner, and my best friend. Every moment with you is a blessing. Love you, Miche."

Of course, a lot of the difficulty Michelle alludes to in her bday message involves the hot-button issues of 2020 that have continued on in the new year -- the coronavirus pandemic, the Black Lives Matter movement, social justice and protests ... and the contentious election.

She's not been shy about speaking her mind on these topics either ... including most recently after the Capitol riots, when she called out the police response to the pro-Trump insurrectionists in comparison to how they've treated BLM demonstrators.

Betty White HAPPY 99TH!!!

Betty White is one step closer to a major milestone, and with insurrections, viruses and an economy that's tanked, at least we can all unite in this celebration.

Betty turned 99 today, and she waxed philosophical ... "I can stay up as late as I want without asking permission."

Well, maybe no philosophical, but Betty's awesome!!!

Her plans for today ... feeding a couple ducks that hang at her L.A. home.

As for what's on the menu -- a hot dog and french fries, courtesy of her agent, Jeff Witjas.

ICYMI -- as in the last 80 years -- Betty's show biz career began in 1939.

Most actors and actresses are lucky if they get one gigantic hit during their careers, but after Betty got her first she did not rest. Her role as Sue Ann Nivens on "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" was epic, and the show was one of the biggest hits in TV history.

And, as you know, she followed that up with "The Golden Girls" ... she played the character Rose for 8 years and 204 episodes.

Betty's fame has endured to this day. One of the great show biz stories is the groundswell that led to her hosting "SNL" back in 2010.

As for where it all began ... Oak Park, Illinois in 1922. She wanted to be a forest ranger but women at the time weren't allowed.

Betty was married to Allen Ludden, the OG "Password" host, from 1963 to his death in 1981.

Happy birthday, Betty!!!

Pitbull I'm A NASCAR Team Owner Now!!!

Pitbull may need to go by "Dale" Earnhardt, Jr. now ... 'cause the party music legend is now a proud co-owner of a NASCAR racing team!!

The Grammy award winner shared the big news on Friday (which also happens to be his 40th birthday) ... officially announcing his partnership with Team Trackhouse and owner Justin Marks.

As it turns out, Mr. Worldwide says he's been a fan of NASCAR ever since he saw the 1990 flick "Days of Thunder" starring Tom Cruise ... and now he couldn't be more pumped to get in on the action.

"This is a great way to celebrate my 40th bday, so Get Ready! Dale!" Pitbull said on Twitter.

Trackhouse features star driver Daniel Suarez, who gave his new boss a shoutout shortly after the announcement was made.

"Welcome to the family amigo 🤙🏼💪🏼 @pitbull," Suarez said. "Daleeee!!!🔥🔥  Big things are happening."

Pitbull won't just be a mascot owner -- the musician is slated to be in-person to watch his team compete at the Daytona 500 next month.

He's already been active in the racing community ... performing alongside Blake Shelton at Phoenix Raceway back in March.

NASCAR released a statement on the big move, saying, "Pitbull is an iconic talent in the music industry and has tremendous passion for NASCAR racing."

"We look forward to working with him to further engage diverse audiences and introduce new fans to our great sport.”

And, one more time, just for the hell of it -- DALE!!!!

Deshaun Watson Throws Fancy Dinner Party for GF's 25th Bday ... But No Masks

BIG BDAY FOR MY BABY
@jillyanais / Instagram

NFL superstar Deshaun Watson threw his girlfriend Jilly Anais an AMAZING 25th birthday party in Texas on Monday -- but there was one thing missing ... masks.

The Houston Texans QB rented out a huge space at Vic & Anthony's Steakhouse ... and packed it with balloons, flowers, candles and a light-up sign that said, "Luv Bug."

Once they arrived, there was a photography crew snapping pics and videos -- along with an artist, who was painting a pretty incredible portrait of the happy couple while party guests looked on.

There was a table set for roughly 20 guests -- though in the videos Jilly posted on her social media, none of them were wearing masks or social distancing, despite the looming threat of COVID-19.

But, no one seemed concerned ... the guests danced, drank and partied the night away with no worries.

It's interesting since Deshaun was fined by the NFL just last month after several guests (including NFL players) were photographed indoors at the QB's restaurant opening without face coverings -- a violation of the league's COVID safety protocols.

But, Watson's season is over now -- so, free to lose the masks if he wants?

We reached out to Watson's reps and the restaurant to find out if there were COVID protocols in place that we just didn't see in the video footage -- but so far, no comment from anyone.

Diddy Throws Justin's Miami Bday Bash ... Custom Rolexes, Mask-Free

SUPER-PACKED BIRTHDAY BASH
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Nobody does December birthdays like Diddy -- he toasted his son Justin Combs' 27th with a luxury-filled bash in wide-open Miami.

Diddy led the crowd in singing "Happy Birthday" to Justin during the Wednesday night celebration that started at Swan restaurant, and eventually moved to Victory Restaurant & Lounge. Both joints were packed to the gills with folks popping bottles and a custom Dior cake for Justin.

It's 2020, so the first thing that hits you looking at the video is ... no one, besides the staff, was wearing masks. That's life in Florida these days, where there are few COVID-restrictions.

Justin's gift from Pops was a Rolex, but not just any Rollie ... it's a custom-made one Diddy says he designed as a sort of family crest!

Just last week, Diddy also hosted a Miami yacht birthday party for his twin daughters D'Lila and Jessie -- and an 80th bday event for his mom, Janice Combs. Remember, she got $1 mil and a new car!

MOM IS WORTH IT
@eliemaroun15, @princejdc / Instagram

All of the parties were mask-free, including mom's which was in Los Angeles. It's possible Diddy arranged testing for all his guests -- we've reached out to his team -- but what's interesting is he's also canceled his annual NYE event "in efforts to keep everyone safe & healthy."

Dr. Anthony Fauci Happy 80th Birthday!!! ... Wife Throws Surprise Zoom Party

Dr. Anthony Fauci not only got a surprise birthday party for his big 8-0 ... he is also the recipient of his very own day in the nation's capital!!!

Dr. Fauci's wife, Dr. Christine Grady, threw a surprise, zoom birthday party for the good doc, who became an octogenarian on Xmas Eve, and Fauci says it was truly a surprise.

Dr. Grady, a bioethicist who also works for the NIH, got 15 of Fauci's closest family and friends on the call, including their 3 daughters who are scattered around the country. They have always spent the holidays together, but not this year.

Fauci said, "Because I have been telling the country to limit travel, and I don’t want to be one of those health officials who tells the world to do something and then they go out and have a party themselves."

It wasn't an easy feat ... Fauci's security detail had to wrangle him from his work at the National Institutes of Health and get him home by 5:30 Wednesday for the shindig.

Now, Fauci told The Guardian, "[My wife] is a genius at fooling me. I mean, it's very tough to fool me. But she threw surprise birthday parties for my 50th, 60th and 70th birthdays."

Well, maybe he should have figured this one out ahead of time, but in fairness, it's not easy to throw birthday parties these days.

Joe and Jill Biden wished Fauci a happy birthday with the traditional song, which was almost on key! And get this ... as he was leaving work, Fauci was serenaded. The doc was truly touched ... and he decided he couldn't leave without first taking a pic with the crew that sang him "Happy Birthday." He also took the banner with him.

As for the cherry on the top, Washington D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser proclaimed Xmas Eve to be Dr. Fauci Day.

Happy birthday. You rule.

Diddy Happy 80th, Mom!!! ... Here's a Million Bucks and a Bentley!!!

MOM IS WORTH IT
@eliemaroun15, @princejdc / Instagram

Diddy treated his mother to a lavish dinner party to celebrate achieving 80 years ... topped off with a boatload of cash and a new whip for her too.

The music mogul threw the fancy 80th birthday bash at an L.A. mansion Monday night for his mom, Janice, culminating with him handing her a big ol' check for $1 million ... which appeared to overwhelm her.

Diddy was just getting started with the gifts fit for the rich and famous, though -- because then he walked her out to the driveway ... and there was a brand new Bentley waiting for her.

Pretty epic move by Janice's son, who also had "Happy 80 Birthday" spelled out alongside the swimming pool outside ... just for good measure.

Diddy's party was even more special because Janice shares a bday with his twin daughters, D'Lila and Jessie, who turned 14.

The only downside to the affair was the large amount of maskless people in close proximity as COVID cases surge in L.A. County. It's likely the guests were tested beforehand, so we won't be party poopers.

Happy 80th to Janice! The Bentley's gotta come with a driver, right?

Keith Richards Meet Keith the Cockroach ... Special Birthday Present!!!

Keith Richards now has the distinct honor of having a cockroach named after him ... and the little bugger even has a custom guitar just like its namesake.

Here's the deal ... The Rolling Stones guitarist is celebrating his 77th birthday Friday, and the Children's Museum in West Hartford, CT is recognizing him with a Madagascar hissing cockroach.

The joke ... Keith and cockroaches have great survival rates. Where's the lie?

As you can see, there's a shiny new miniature bass guitar inside Keith The Cockroach's enclosure. Super-cute ... the guitar, not the roach. Unless you're into that. Although that lil guy slappin' the bass miiiiight cross over into adorable... just sayin'.

Denver's classic rock radio station, 103.5 The Fox, is adopting Keith the Cockroach ... but the roach is staying put at the museum's wildlife sanctuary, where he's expected to live for a long, long, loooooong time just like the real Keith.

The museum says it's hoping to hear from Keith, who lives in nearby Weston. Stay tuned.

Lil Baby Throwing Birthday Party for George Floyd's Daughter

Lil Baby is looking out for George Floyd's family ... by hosting a huge bash for George's daughter, Gianna.

Her 7th birthday party is going down right now in Atlanta. Our sources tell us the rapper is covering all the expenses, and it looks like he pulled out all the stops. We're told the party idea was conceived by restaurant owners Ericka and William Platt of Restaurant Ten and Rosie's Cafe.

BIG BDAY FROM BABY
@lilbaby_1 / Instagram

Video from the bash shows a huge playroom at The Pink Hotel decked out with tons of colorful balloons, birthday signs and a bunch of food.

The venue looks pretty big, it's at least 2 stories, and there are other areas where Gianna and the girls are getting their hair done, plus manicures and foot spas.

Sure seems like the balling-est 7-year-old turn-up we've ever seen -- which means lots of dollhouses.

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Lil Baby and Shaq stopped to take a couple pictures with the birthday girl ... and Gianna says she was totally surprised.

LB's not the only celeb in attendance showing love to George's little girl -- former NBA star Stephen Jackson is there too. Remember, Stephen made a promise to George's family to do everything he can to be like a father figure to Gianna.

Cardi B Happy 29th, Offset Enjoy This Rare Lambo!!!

SVJ SURPRISE

J Lo claims love don't cost a thing, but Cardi B's proving otherwise by handing Offset keys to a very rare Lamborghini for his 29th birthday.

The "WAP" rapper blindfolded her hubby Monday night and slowly walked him over to his birthday gift ... a Lambo Aventador SVJ 63 Roadster. The sticker price is a whopping $600k. Keep in mind, Offset just gifted Cardi a new Rolls-Royce for her bday -- so, sorry J Lo.

One look at the bronze-ish Lambo and Offset was stunned -- and even speechless for a sec -- but it didn't take long for him to erupt in celebration once he got a closer look at the SVJ.

The initials stand for Super Veloce Jota -- Italian for super-fast, and the 63 is for the number of them Lambo made. Cool car facts that Offset definitely knew.

LIVIN' IT UP

Anyway ... the birthday celebration continued in what appears to be a nightclub, presumably in the Atlanta area, and the joint was packed. There seemed to be very few people wearing masks, and social distancing was non-existent.

A source close to the couple tells us COVID tests were taken and the party followed CDC guidelines in place for Atlanta.

Prior to kicking off the festivities ... Cardi B took to Instagram to honor her hubby saying, "Happy birthday Hubs ❤️ I wish you many more."

She added, "Thank you soo much for helping me these past months getting my business in line (somebbody gotta be the mean 1 😅 ) I ❤️ u. Let's turn it up tonight!!"

Well, that they did, as you can see in the video.

TRUST ISSUES
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It's unclear if any testing went down prior to Offset's shindig, but it's interesting coming on the heels of the convo we had with him over the weekend about COVID-19 and the vaccine.

He made it clear, it's a pass for him when it comes to getting that shot.

Regina Hall's 50th Birthday Drops Hilarious Song 'A Bitch Is Old *Clap, Clap* Today!'

BIRTHDAY BALLAD

Regina Hall turned 50 this weekend, but she has NOT lost her sense of humor ... if anything, it's sharper -- and she's leaning into it with an awesome song for her big day.

The actress and comedian rang in the big 5-0 Saturday with a hilarious home video and song she wrote -- in which she gives praise for reaching a life milestone ... and still looking great while doing it -- something RH is well aware of, as you can see.

Regina says her motive for the ditty's pretty simple -- "Because laughter keeps you forever young I wrote a special song for a special Birthday."

The song has the same refrain/hook throughout -- "A bitch is old today," which is sung a cappella style and carried on beat with claps in the background. It looks like Regina had a little help making this, and she shouted out all the cameos on and behind the camera.

Anyway, back to the song. It gets pretty raunchy -- right up Regina's alley -- because at one point she talks about being 50, but also still having good ... uh, well, all the parts still work. And then some.

The video shows you around her home, including her pool and trampoline -- where she bounces around for fun. She's also seen hanging out with some younger gals in bathing suits, who help hit a certain line home about shouting out young "bitches" ... and old ones.

Long story short ... Regina's clearly taking 50 in stride, and keeping the laughs coming.

Joe Burrow Surf & Turf Bday Celebration ... Quiet Dinner with GF

BIRTHDAY BITE
oliviaholzmacher/IG

Joe Burrow turned 24 years old Thursday -- and celebrated with a little steak and lobster, courtesy of his girlfriend.

No giant rager, no wild night out. Just a quiet little evening at home with "Thursday Night Football" on his iPad.

Of course, Burrow is recovering from knee surgery -- plus, we're still in the middle of a pandemic -- so, seems he did the responsible thing!

The dinner looked solid -- surf & turf with asparagus in the side. And, some cupcakes for dessert!

Looks like the meal was for 2 -- Joe and his longtime girlfriend, Olivia Holzmacher.

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Though it appears the couple had some private chefs in the house to prepare the whole thing (also looks like they were wearing masks).

Remember, Joe told us one of the first things he would invest in after getting drafted was a private chef and said his favorite meal is steak and lobster with a side of asparagus!

FEBRUARY 2020
EATIN' GOOD
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It's only been a week since Burrow underwent surgery to repair his ACL, MCL, PCL and meniscus damage in his left knee after suffering a nasty injury against Washington last month.

So, sit back, relax and try to enjoy being a quiet evening at home, right?

Also, bonus points for the C-3PO sweater.

Happy birthday, Joe.

Teyana Taylor 30th Bday Calls for Packed Rooftop ... Followed COVID Guidelines

PANDEMIC PARTYIN'
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UPDATE

11:49 AM PT -- Sources close to the situation tell TMZ ... the party followed COVID-19 safety guidelines with less than 100 people in attendance. The state's health department recommends gatherings of no more than 250 attendees. For what it's worth ... Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis reportedly hosted a GOP backyard party last weekend in the Gov's mansion for roughly 50 guests.

UPDATE

As for Teyana's party ... we're told there was a mask mandate but people took them off for pics. They say having the party completely outdoors was also a safety guideline it followed.

Teyana Taylor's gotta be feeling appreciated today ... she celebrated her 30th birthday with a flashy Miami shindig, packed with her celeb friends.

The newly-retired singer danced her ass off Wednesday night at the bash ... surrounded by folks like Diddy, Lil Wayne and A$AP Ferg, just to name a few. You can see in the video ... people were shoulder-to-shoulder at times on the dance floor.

Unclear what, if any, testing went down beforehand -- but there was no social distancing and very few face masks.

Also worth noting, there are very few COVID restrictions right now in Florida.

The party, sponsored by the clothing line Pretty Little Thing, came less than a week after Teyana announced she was retiring from music because she felt underappreciated by the industry.

She said, "I’m retiring this chapter of my story with the comfort that I can depart with peace of mind seeing that all the hard work & passion put was indeed loved & supported somewhere in the world!"

She definitely got love and support to ring in the big 3-0.

Originally Published -- 6:30 AM PT

JAMES HARDEN Drops $300K Birthday Gift Bag On Lil Baby ... Watch & Honey Buns!

DECEMBER 2020
THE HARDEN HOOKUP

James Harden with the ultimate birthday assist ... because he just hooked up rapper Lil Baby with an insane $300,000 gift bag!!!!

Lil Baby turned 26 this week -- and to celebrate, his good pal, James, turned up with a designer Prada bag loaded with goodies.

"Prada bag 'cause he Prouda' me," Baby said of Harden's gift.

Inside, a bunch of honey bun pastries -- surrounded by a "honey bun," which is slang for $100,000 IN CASH!!!!

(Get it, honey bun -- like a bundle of hundreds?)

There's more ... Baby also pulled out a Richard Mille watch, which appears to come with a $200,000 price tag.

Harden was all smiles as Lil Baby opened up his gifts -- and man, was he stoked!!!

"Don’t Play With Him," Baby posted on IG about Harden ... "How the f*cc I get a bag full of honey buns with a honey bun an a Richard Millie!! Mannn [James Harden] brooooo wtf!! An I’m drunk."

Lil Baby and James Harden have been friends for a while -- most recently vacationing together with some pals on Turks & Caicos.

As for James, he can afford to smother his friends in luxury -- he's reportedly made more than $224 MILLION in his NBA career.

It's good to be rich ... (and also to have rich friends!).

Tekashi 6ix9ine Hits the Strip Club w/ GF COVID Worried Me in Prison, But Now ...

'rona who???
@__ohsoyoujade / Instagram

Tekashi 6ix9ine had deep concerns about COVID when he was in prison, which is why he got out early ... but those concerns have evaporated in a big way, 'cause dude hit a packed strip club ... and didn't seem too concerned anymore about catching the 'rona.

The New York rapper celebrated his girlfriend Jade's birthday Sunday by walking into a gentleman's club with two human-size sacks full of cash ... which he and the crew dragged over to a VIP section and started unloading singles on dancers.

Based on what we can see ... it looks like they might've rolled in there with upwards of $200k on hand -- at least that's what Jade's claiming.

Speaking of her, 69's GF documented much of their good time on IG -- where she was seen wearing a body-hugging, green bodysuit ... while Tekashi was decked out in all black with a ton of bling and a new mustache. One thing they weren't seen wearing at all ... face masks. Nobody in the video seems to be rockin' one.

We should note that it looks like they were somewhere in Florida here -- just the night prior, there were reports that 6ix9ine and co. had been spotted in Miami.

It's perfectly legal there to be up in the club right now -- even without face coverings, although it'd be wise to wear one. That said ... it's funny how Tekashi's urgent fears of catching COVID-19 just earlier this year have vanished.

You'll recall ... part of the reason why Tekashi was even allowed to finish his sentence from home was because he cited asthma and other underlying conditions he claimed made him susceptible to contracting the disease from inside prison walls -- and a judge believed it and let him out early.

And, just like that ... the fear went away, much like this virus will (or so they say).

Rita Ora Sorry for Partying for My 30th!!! Paying Huge Fine

Rita Ora couldn't resist flouting coronavirus lockdown restrictions in England to celebrate her birthday, but it's her party ... and now she's gonna pay for it, whether she wants to or not.

The British singer says she's "deeply sorry for breaking the rules" and understands it put people at risk ... and calls her 30th birthday bash over the weekend a "serious and inexcusable error of judgement."

The event reportedly went down Saturday at the Casa Cruz restaurant in West London, and Rita admits it was held "with the misguided view that we were coming out of lockdown and this would be OK."

That's not the case, and according to Daily Mail, Rita's already voluntarily paid a hefty fine of 10,000 pounds ... about $12k!

It appears that might not be the end of her trouble though, because police paid a visit to Rita's home Monday to seemingly further investigate the matter.

Ora claims the party was a "small gathering," but it's reported as many as 30 people may have been there. In England, all pubs and restaurants are supposed to be closed other than take-out, and people aren't supposed to be gathering indoors with people outside of their homes or support bubbles.

It's unclear if the restaurant will face any penalties for breaking COVID restrictions ... but cops are reportedly still investigating that as well.

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