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5:00 PM PT -- "America's Next Top Model" judge Kelly Cutrone is also accusing Simmons of sexual misconduct, telling the New York Post he tried to rape her after they left a party together in 1991 ... but she was able to fight him off and flee.

Russell Simmons is under the microscope of the NYPD, which is now investigating him for multiple rape allegations.

NYPD's special victims unit is reportedly looking into at least 7 claims of sexual misconduct against the Def Jam co-founder ... some dating back to the early '80s. According to the L.A. Times ... detectives are already reaching out to some of the alleged victims.

As we reported ... Simmons stepped down from his businesses last month after Jenny Lumet claimed he raped her in the '90s. Model Keri Claussen Khalighi has also accused him of rape.

Simmons denies the rapes and says all his sexual encounters were consensual.

The fallout from Morgan Spurlock's admission to past sexual misconduct has started -- he's stepping down effective immediately from the company he co-founded ... TMZ has learned.

Jeremy Chilnick -- co-founder of the Warrior Poets production company that produced the Oscar- nominated documentary "Super Size Me" -- tells TMZ ... Morgan's stepping down and the company will be run by Jeremy and other equal partner, Matthew Galkin.

As we reported ... Morgan came clean about his checkered past that included an accusation of rape and paying off a former female assistant following sexual harassment allegations.

"Can you dunk on Lonzo for me?"

That's the cutest and savagest Christmas wish we've ever heard ... courtesy of a brave kid that LeBron James visited at the Cleveland Clinic on Wednesday.

When Santa Bron stopped in to see Andrew, a young Cavs fan, and show him some love ... the kid only had one request -- that King James DUNK ALL OVER Lonzo Ball when the Lakers play Cleveland tonight.

Tavis Smiley says PBS railroaded him during its investigation into claims he was having sex with staffers, and he's vowing to take a stand against the network's "overreaction."

The talk show host, who PBS suspended Wednesday, says he only learned of the PBS investigation through former staffers who let him know they'd been contacted. Smiley says he confronted his bosses, and only then did investigators talk to him ... for 3 hours.

It's clear Smiley isn't happy with what went down -- he says investigators refused to talk to his current staff or accept documentation supporting his side of the story. He insists he "never groped, inappropriately exposed myself or coerced any colleague in the workplace ever in my 30 year career."

Smiley accuses PBS of running a sloppy investigation and says he will fight back.

What do you do when everyone in the world thinks you're trying to bang Rita Ora??

If you're Conor McGregor ... you take your REAL girlfriend on a luxury shopping spree!!

Check out the UFC superstar and Dee Devlin leaving the LV store in NYC with more than 11 BAGS (and that's only the bags we could see!).

Of course, Conor reportedly made around $100 mil for the Mayweather fight (so money ain't a thing) -- but it seems he's trying extra hard to make Dee happy.

Tavis Smiley is the next big star under fire for alleged sexual misconduct ... PBS has suspended the talk show host after an investigation uncovered "credible allegations."

Smiley is a veteran talk show host who focuses on politics and current events -- he has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Smiley was allegedly banging multiple lower-level staffers who believed their employment status was dependent on their sexual relationship with them, according to Variety.

Now, PBS is taking action ... "Effective today, PBS has indefinitely suspended distribution of ‘Tavis Smiley," the network said in a statement.

"PBS engaged an outside law firm to conduct an investigation immediately after learning of troubling allegations regarding Mr. Smiley. This investigation included interviews with witnesses as well as with Mr. Smiley."

"The inquiry uncovered multiple, credible allegations of conduct that is inconsistent with the values and standards of PBS, and the totality of this information led to today’s decision."

Warren Sapp is firing back against allegations of sexual misconduct -- claiming he NEVER urinated in front of an NFL Network wardrobe lady ... but there WAS a conflict over the bathroom.

Sapp appeared on "The Andy Slater Show" on 940 AM in Miami and told his version of what went down during a bathroom incident with Jami Cantor while he was working at the network.

Long story short ... Sapp says he DID open the bathroom door and saw Cantor working in there -- but instructed her to get out ... and didn't begin to pee until she was gone.

"I walked in [and] asked her to leave," Sapp said ... "She left. She yelled what she yelled through the door, talkin' about that's her office."

Sapp explained, "This sh*tter can't be your office."

Cantor tells a different story in her lawsuit against the NFL Network ... claiming Sapp barged in, whipped it out and began to pee while telling the woman, "Sorry mama, but your office shouldn't be our sh*tter."

"I walked in that bathroom but there's no way I peed in front of her. I put that on my 6 kids. My 3 little girls and my 3 big boys -- no way, no how."

Sapp also addressed Cantor's allegations that he gave her sex toys as Christmas presents -- saying he DID give them to some makeup artists after they requested them ... but never gave one to Cantor.

Floyd Mayweather has a new member of The Money Team -- Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov ... an alleged violent warlord who unapologetically hates gay people.

Floyd met up with Kadyrov during a recent trip to Chechnya -- buddying up with Kadyrov and urging his fans to follow Ramzan on Instagram.

But here's the problem ... Kadyrov has a very controversial past -- littered with accusations of human rights violations from kidnapping to torture and murder. He's denied all wrongdoing.

But what's undeniable ... Kadyrov says he doesn't want gay people in his country and has said on the record he'd ship them all to Canada if he could.

The U.S. State Dept. issued a warning in April 2017 saying it was "increasingly concerned" about the anti-LGBT movement in Chechnya -- after "numerous credible reports" indicating gay people were being detained, tortured and even killed based on their sexual orientation.

LaVar Ball says there's one thing he could do differently to have everyone love him and embrace the Big Baller Brand -- be a white dude.

LaVar and his sons, LiAngelo and LaMelo, sat down with the gang on "The Breakfast Club" -- where Charlamagne Tha God asked if he thinks the perception of him would be the same if he were Caucasian.

"Heck no. They're scared of me because I'm uncontrollable. When you can't control one of us you in trouble."

Ball then explains what he means -- that a black man with a vision is a threat to the status quo, and he feels he's been vilified to a degree for being that threat.

There were TONS of huge stars at the Knicks vs. Lakers game at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday ... but, for some reason, everyone seemed to have their eyes on Bella Hadid.

So, we present two photo galleries ...

The Celebs (LaVar Ball, LiAngelo Ball, Odell Beckham, Spike Lee, Magic Johnson and more) -- and if you're not into that, we've also got 20 pics of Bella sitting courtside.

Think of it as a sports-themed "Choose Your Own Adventure."

Don't worry ... no one's judging you.

Omarosa's breaking up with Donald Trump -- she's quit her post ... according to the White House.

WH spokesman Sarah Sanders says Omarosa officially resigned on Tuesday to "pursue other opportunities." She had been serving as Trump's Director of Communications for the White House Office of Public Liaison -- but it had been a bumpy road.

The 'Apprentice' alum famously bumped heads with Chief of Staff Gen. Kelly. It's unclear what prompted her sudden departure, but interesting that it coincides with the Alabama Special Election.

Omarosa's resignation is not effective until Jan. 20 ... which means she'll get a full year under her belt.

How cool is this?

Saints QB Drew Brees spent his Tuesday opening a VERY cool "fully inclusive playground" in New Orleans for kids "of all abilities" ... including those with special needs.

Drew and his family attended the grand opening of the Walnut Street Playground at Audubon Park -- it's the very first fully inclusive playground in the city.

The place has everything from swings to slides to ZIP LINES!! Plus, the play area was designed to be fully accessible for wheelchairs!

Props to Drew and his foundation -- and everyone involved.

Anderson Cooper called President Trump a "Pathetic loser" -- or so about 10 million people thought for an hour Wednesday morning.

The slam on 45 was tweeted from the CNN anchor's verified Twitter account in response to Trump tweeting he knew Roy Moore was going to lose all along. But what seemed like a great Twitter war in the making was not to be.

It was a hack ...according to Anderson.

He says, "just woke up to find out someone gained access to my twitter account." Anderson says he hasn't posted anything in days, and he's trying to find out who's behind the hack.

Charles Barkley is now a prime political commentator on CNN -- and after the election Tuesday night, he WENT OFF about how Alabama isn't just "rednecks" and "ignorant people."

Sir Chuck -- who's from Alabama (he played college ball at Auburn) -- had been campaigning hard for Doug Jones ... and after he took down Roy Moore last night, Barkley didn't hold back.

"You know, we've been stuck in a time warp for a long time," Charles said ... "This is just a great night for Alabama and for Doug Jones."

"Roy Moore was an embarrassment. Hey listen, if any other man had 8 women accusing him of sexual harassment ... talking about how he really enjoyed slavery ... he thinks people who are homosexuals should go to jail, they wouldn't have even been in this election."

Barkley says he's extremely proud of Alabama ... adding, "We got some amazing people here."

The contentious and highly publicized race for Alabama's vacant Senate seat is finally over ... and the victor is Doug Jones.

Roy Moore lost the special election for the seat left open by Jeff Sessions Tuesday night, to his Democratic opponent Jones, by a slim margin ... amidst the mounting allegations of sexual misconduct with teenage girls when he was in his 30s.

Moore and his campaign chairman appeared on stage shortly after Jones' acceptance speech to announce they'd continue to watch votes come in, hoping the margin of victory is less than .5% for Jones to trigger an automatic recount ... but that seems very unlikely.

As we reported ... Moore rode in horseback to cast his ballot Tuesday -- and the showmanship apparently didn't pay off. It's unclear if his spokesman's TV appearances had any effect.

President Trump weighed in on Moore's loss by seemingly taking the high road.

6:15 PM PT -- A FOX News spokesperson tells TMZ ... “We informed Mr. McKesson's counsel that our commentary was fully protected under the First Amendment and the privilege for reports of judicial proceedings. We will defend this case vigorously.”

DeRay McKesson -- one of the leaders of the Black Lives Matter movement -- is suing FOX News personality Jeanine Pirro for saying he directed protesters to attack a police officer.

McKesson says Pirro was on "FOX & Friends" on September 28, discussing a lawsuit filed by the cop against BLM. According to the suit, Pirro made a series of outrageous and false statements about him.

In the docs, obtained by TMZ, DeRay says Pirro blamed him for directing the violence, and added, "You've got a police officer who was injured, he was injured at the direction of DeRay McKesson."

DeRay believes Pirro made her statements knowing they were false -- and it's damaged his rep and endangered him as a civil rights activist. As we reported, a federal judge ruled McKesson was expressing his right to free speech at the demonstration, and it wasn't his fault the officer got hurt.

DeRay's suing both Pirro and FOX News for defamation.