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The L.A. Rams are breaking even more ground in the LGBTQ arena -- becoming the 1st NFL team ever to officially sponsor a gay pride event.

The team has joined up with Venice Pride -- the organization behind the massive Venice Pride block party -- and has sponsored the blue lights in the letter "C" in the famous VENICE sign.

Each letter in the sign will be lit up with a different color -- just like the rainbow LGBTQ pride flag. The event begins June 2.

A Rams spokesperson issued a statement saying the team is proud to "stand in alignment with the LGBT community that is such an important part of the fabric of Los Angeles."

"Inclusion has always been a valued part of our organization and we see this as a unique way to publicly celebrate the diversity that makes this community so special."

Of course, the Rams made history in 2014 when they drafted Michael Sam -- the first openly gay player to enter the NFL Draft.

Several members of the Western Kentucky University football team were hit with criminal charges for attacking a guy at a fraternity house in March and are now suspended from the team.

TMZ Sports broke the story ... a group of WKU football players showed up to the Pike frat house on March 5 and attacked an alum. Video footage shows several people tackling, stomping and punching the guy, who ended up in the ER with injuries.

The Kentucky Office of the Attorney General announced charges against seven football players.

RB Quinton Baker, WR Xavier Lane, LB Tyler Obee and DE Cecil Stallings were charged with the most serious crimes -- complicity to wanton endangerment, complicity to assault and criminal trespass. They face up to 6 years behind bars.

WR Jahcour Pearson and DL Chris Johnson were hit with criminal trespass charges. LB Drew O'Bryan (who just transferred to Eastern Kentucky University) was charged with menacing and criminal trespass.

Charles Barkley is going to bat for his old friend, Tiger Woods -- saying people like Jack Nicklaus who say Tiger needs help don't REALLY know what they're talking about.

Barkley appeared on 97.5 FM The Fanatic Philadelphia on Wednesday and was asked for his thoughts on Tiger's DUI. He's clearly upset with people assuming Tiger has a serious substance abuse issue.

"Even Jack Nicklaus, somebody I really respect, talking about, 'Tiger really needs help.' Well he don't KNOW that. We don't know if Tiger has a drug problem."

Barkley added, "He just had a bad reaction [to prescription medication]. He wasn't out there drinking and driving."

Barkley says the "haters" are "in heaven right now because they get a chance to dump on the guy."

Barkley and Tiger were very close friends before 2009 -- and would regularly hit Vegas together. But Tiger cut him off after his marriage fell apart.

The New York Mets have FIRED Mr. Met and apologized after their beloved mascot was caught giving fans the one-finger salute during Wednesday's game.

A fan captured the encounter as Mr. Met headed into the tunnel during the 7th inning -- claiming he was just trying to get a high 5 -- but got only 1 digit in return.

The Mets called it an "inappropriate action," and issued an apology saying "we do not condone this type of behavior. We are dealing with this matter internally."

The team later confirmed that the person wearing the costume Wednesday night has been canned from the position.

One thing to note: Mr. Met -- who only has 4 digits on each hand -- doesn't actually have a middle finger. But yeah ... we get the point.

In an obvious response to the intense hate he got for baring his gross feet on TV, Shaquille O'Neal took a trip to the nail shop ... and got a full monster foot makeover.

It was kinda like that scene from "Dumb and Dumber" at first (see below) -- but Shaq decided to end his session with a layer of sparkly toenail polish.

No word on how much he paid the woman for the foot job ... but it wasn't enough!!!

LeBron James says the racist vandalism at his Brentwood home proves one thing -- no matter how much money or fame he has, "Being black in America is tough."

TMZ Sports broke the story ... someone spray painted the n-word across the front gate of Bron's $20 million estate. Cops are hunting for the perpetrator.

LeBron spoke about the incident Wednesday afternoon at a media event for the NBA Finals -- saying his family is safe ... and that's the most important thing.

He also said the incident proves that "racism will always be a part of the world and a part of America."

LeBron also referenced Emmett Till -- the 14-year-old black kid who was brutally beaten to death by racist white people after they accused him of whistling at a white woman.

"I think back to Emmett Till’s mom actually. It’s one of the first things I thought of. The reason she had an open casket was because she wanted to show the world what her son went through as far as a hate crime and being black in America."

James Harden literally went head over heels for Travis Scott's new music video ... teaming up to star in the Houston rapper's visuals for his hit single, "Way Back."

FYI -- the 5-time All Star and Travis are tight ... and were even seen turnin' up together after the Rockets were eliminated from the playoffs.

It's only fitting La Flame enlisted the Beard as the focus for the self-directed vid ... given the hook's lyrics, "James Harden with the range on me n***a way back."

Harden shows off that range by playing 1-on-1 with himself and hanging upside down midair while Travis plays video games in the background.

It's weird ... but in a good way.

The Indianapolis Colts lineman who attacked a taxi cart driver in Arizona and then threatened police just got 2 years probation ... but he still faces even MORE punishment.

As we previously reported, 25-year-old David Parry went on a crazy drunken bender in Scottsdale, AZ on Feb. 25 -- that culminated with the 300-pounder puking his guts out in a jail trash can.

During the incident, Parry allegedly carjacked a taxi cart, drove it around -- and then called police "f**king f**gots," "fat f**ks" and "p**syboy."

The case was divided to be prosecuted in two separate courts.

Maricopa County Superior Court handled 3 of the charges -- including misdemeanor disorderly conduct, robbery and felony attempt to commit unlawful means of transportation.

The other charges, mostly related to the DUI part of the incident, are being handled by Scottsdale City Court.

Today, Parry was punished in MCSC -- getting 2 years probation as part of a plea deal.

The catfish-throwing Nashville Predators fan is NOT A CRIMINAL -- and will no longer be prosecuted for slangin' the fish on the ice at the Stanley Cup finals.

Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen Zappala has announced the charges against Jacob Waddell will be withdrawn immediately after officials realized prosecuting the guy is a ridiculous waste of time, energy and money.

"Having reviewed the affidavit involving Mr. Waddell as well as the television coverage of the incident, District Attorney Zappala has made the determination that the actions of Mr. Waddell do not rise to the level of criminal charges," a rep for the D.A. said.

Waddell faced up to 6 years behind bars for chuckin' the dead fish on the ice at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh during Game 1 of the Stanley Cup finals.

The Preds and Penguins play Game 2 in Pittsburgh Wednesday ... so watch out for more flying fish.

8:50 AM PT -- The Secret Service says at no time during Moles' time in D.C. were any of the people they protect at risk. Obviously, that includes President Trump.

8:30 AM PT -- A rep for D.C. Metro PD says the department got word from Pennsylvania State Police about Moles heading to the area and possibly looking to check in to the Trump Hotel. PA cops got the man's name and vehicle description from a tipster, which was quickly communicated to D.C. officials, including the Secret Service.

A Trump International Hotel guest in Washington D.C. was busted early Wednesday morning when cops found 2 guns and 90 rounds of ammo in his car.

According to cops 43-year-old Bryan Moles left a gun in plain view inside his car. A second gun was found in his glove box. The weapons are a Glock and a semi-automatic Carbon 15 Bushmaster.

Police responded to the hotel -- just blocks from the White House -- after getting a tip that Moles had the weapons.

The accused Portland train murderer made an extremely creepy appearance in court where he rambled like a madman and declared, "What you call terrorism, I call patriotism."

Jeremy Joseph Christian was arraigned Tuesday in Portland. He entered the courtroom with a determined stare, and immediately started ranting, "Free speech or die, Portland! You got no safe place!"

The Nashville Predators fan who chucked a DEAD CATFISH on the ice during game 1 of the Stanley Cup finals has been hit with criminal charges ... officials say.

Officials say 36-year-old Jacob Waddell smuggled the dead fish into PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh on Monday -- and flung it onto the ice as the Preds took on the Pittsburgh Penguins.

FYI, the catfish toss has become a tradition at Predators home games ... so doing it on the road is really like a slap in the face to the opposing team.

Waddell has bragged online that he snuck the fish into the arena by vacuum sealing it and stuffing it into his shorts ... then unwrapping it in a bathroom once inside.

He unleashed the fish in the 2nd period.

Waddell was immediately escorted out of the building -- and now, prosecutors in Pittsburgh have charged him with disorderly conduct, possessing instruments of crime and disrupting meetings/processions.

It's kind of a big deal -- if convicted on all counts he could face around 6 years behind bars.

The Preds lost the game 5-3, but Waddell is being hailed as a hero in Nashville ... just ask Carrie Underwood, who tweeted, "My hero."

12:27 PM PT -- The Sheriff's deputy who was killed has been identified as 36-year-old William Durr. He had been working for the Lincoln County Sheriff's Department for 2 years, and the Brookhaven Police Department for 4 years prior to that.

A man is in custody Sunday after allegedly going on a killing spree in Mississippi that left eight people dead ... including one sheriff's deputy.

Lincoln Country Sheriff Steve Rushing says 35-year-old Willie Cory Godbolt was captured and arrested Sunday morning after Godbolt allegedly killed 8 people Saturday night in 3 different homes.

When cops were taking him down Sunday morning, he was caught on video confessing to the murders.

He's also heard saying he went on the killing spree because he loved his wife and kids and the Mississippi town of Bogue Chitto.

A sheriff's deputy was called to one of the homes Godbolt was in Saturday, and was allegedly shot and killed by the suspect.

Before being taken to a hospital, Godbolt said of the deputy ... "My pain wasn't designed for him. He was just there. We was talking about me trying to take the children home ... somebody called the officer ... that's what they do, they intervene. It cost him his life. I'm sorry."

He went on to say he was hoping for a suicide by cop, adding he was not "fit to live" after what he'd done.

Ben Stiller and Christine Taylor are splitting up.

The longtime couple announced their breakup with a joint statement -- "With tremendous love and respect for each other, and the 18 years we spent together as a couple, we have made the decision to separate."

Ben and Christine got married in May 2000 in Hawaii. They have 2 children -- 11-year-old Quinlin and 15-year-old Ella. The couple met while shooting a 1999 short film called, "Heat Vision and Jack." They went on to shoot several films together including both 'Zoolander' movies, 'Dodgeball,' and "Tropic Thunder."

Stiller and Taylor added, "Our priority will continue to be raising our children as devoted parents and the closest of friends." It doesn't appear either has filed divorce papers yet.

ET first reported the breakup.

NBA star Enes Kanter is reportedly a wanted man in Turkey -- where government officials have accused him of being a member of an anti-government "terror group."

But Kanter doesn't appear to be worried -- and is reportedly mocking his accusers.

The Turkish media outlet Daily Sabah is reporting that an arrest warrant has been issued in Turkey for the OKC Thunder star's arrest.

DS says officials believe Kanter is a member of an "armed terrorist organization" -- though the exact group is not mentioned by name.

However, most people believe the issue stems from Kanter's support for an exiled Muslim leader named Fethullah Gulen -- who, like Kanter, has been very critical of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Kanter reportedly commented on the Daily Sabah's story by mocking the situation and taunting the government. Here's the tweet translated from Turkish:

"You cannot catch me. Hahaha. Don't waste your energy ... I am already going to come to [Turkey] to spit on all of your ugly, hate-filled faces."

Ariana Grande wants to help her fans heal after the horrific terrorist attack at her concert ... and she's going back to Manchester to start the process.

Ariana is speaking out about the bombing, saying, "I'll be returning to the incredibly brave city of Manchester to spend time with my fans and to have a benefit concert in honor of and to raise money for the victims and their families."