Controversial S#!T

Rabid fans of "Love is Blind" practically BEGGED the star, Mark Cuevas, to dump his ruthless fiancee on the show ... but he couldn't let her go and his reason kinda makes sense.

BTW ... SPOILERS AHEAD!!!

We got Mark out Thursday in Atlanta and asked him what pretty much every fan of the hit Netflix series has been asking since Jessica Batten dumped him at the altar: why didn't HE dump her way before that after she put him through hell?!?!

Mark tells us the connection he made with Jessica was pretty deep, beyond what fans even saw on the show. The idea of losing that connection, he said, is what made it so hard to kick her to the curb. Heck, he even gave her one of his grandmother's bracelets. Don't worry, he got it back.

For the uninitiated ... the show features singles who get to know each other by talking through a wall inside a pod. If they make a connection, they can only meet face-to-face if they agree to get engaged and they immediately begin planning the wedding.

Mark and Jessica got off to a strong start but Messica -- as fans dubbed her -- became the villain when she two-timed Mark and started talking to Matt Barnett, who hinted he'd propose to Jessica ... but backed out.

Eventually, Mark proposed to Jessica, but the wheels quickly fell off ... capped by Jessica's drunken confession about the other guy, and her jilting Mark.

But, watch the vid, Mark tells us why he'll always have love for Jessica -- but he plays it pretty coy when we ask if he's dating anyone else these days.

Harvey Weinstein is as happy as can be -- despite the looming possibility of nearly 30 years in prison -- but prison officials need not worry he'll kill himself ... according to his attorney.

Arthur Aidala, one of Weinstein's lawyers for the NYC criminal case, was leaving Michael's Thursday in NYC when we asked about his client's state of mind. Weinstein remains under police guard in a Bellevue Hospital room reserved for prisoners, and Aidala says he's in good spirits.

He told us Weinstein is focused on issues regarding his plan to appeal the guilty verdicts. The disgraced movie mogul also offered a review of the treatment he's been getting from Dept. of Corrections staffers.

As we reported, NY prison officials are worried Weinstein's eventual prison stay will go the way of Jeffrey Epstein, but Aidala says he does NOT share those concerns.

In his words, there's no comparison between the two, because unlike Epstein, Weinstein "has everything to live for." Watch the clip ... he's convinced there are at least TWO major reasons Weinstein would never take his own life behind bars.

Tyler Perry is not convinced his nephew hanged himself in prison, and he's hired a famous medical examiner to determine if he committed suicide or if he was killed in his cell.

TMZ broke the story ... Tyler's nephew, 26-year-old Gavin Porter, was serving 20 years for shooting and killing his dad in front of his mom -- who's Tyler's sister. He was found Tuesday night hanging in his cell from a bedsheet.

One of the reasons Tyler is suspicious ... Gavin got into a fight with another inmate last weekend and was placed in solitary.

Tyler tells TMZ, "Call me naive, but it was my hope that after serving his time, and really reflecting and showing much remorse and asking God for forgiveness, that he would have been able to come to work for me, joining all the other former inmates who work for me and turn his life around just as they have. But that day will never come."

Tyler says he's hired Dr. Michael Baden, a famed pathologist who has been involved in numerous cases, including JFK, O.J. and Jeffrey Epstein. Dr. Baden will perform a second autopsy.

Skai Jackson seems to be taking Bhad Bhabie's death threat seriously ... because she just filed for a restraining order against the rapper.

Bhad Bhabie went on IG this week to call out 17-year-old actress Skai Jackson, whom she's recently started beefing with. The latest salvo ... an apparent death threat, with BB -- AKA Danielle Bregoli -- saying, "Bitch, I'll kill you! I'll really kill you!"

The reason ... BB's mad Skai allegedly made a fake account to talk s**t about Danielle recently being seen hanging out with rapper NBA YoungBoy -- a guy Bhabie seems to think Skai's pretty into herself. As Bhad Bhabie claims in her own words, Skai's moving "sneaky" online.

According to legal docs -- obtained by TMZ -- Skai filed in L.A. on Thursday. Earlier this week on Twitter she seemingly responded to all the drama with a long list of her own accomplishments.

By the end of the post, she writes ... "No time 4 negatives!"

It's unclear if the judge has approved the order.

We reached out to Bregoli's reps who had no comment on the situation with Skai, but say Danielle's focus is on her album.

Travis Kelce says he CAN'T WAIT to celebrate his Super Bowl victory at the White House -- telling TMZ Sports he WILL join his KC Chiefs teammates when they meet President Trump.

"Oh, yeah! Always, man!" Kelce told us in NYC on Wednesday. "Crazy opportunity!"

Not everyone on the team feels the same way ... Chiefs stud defensive end Frank Clark told the Kansas City Star he's got "mixed emotions" about the White House trip.

"I know historically ... that’s something you do as a Super Bowl champion. But we’ll see, man. It’s a lot of mixed emotions about stuff going on there. We’ll see."

Head coach Andy Reid is a firm "yes" -- telling reporters at the Super Bowl, "I mean, I’ll be there. I'll be there. If they’re inviting us, I’ll be there. It’s quite an honor, I think."

Ditto for Tyreek Hill -- who said, "That would be great to go to the White House. I’ve never been to D.C., so that would be great."

Starting CB Bashaud Breeland just told us a few days ago he's pumped for the celebration as well.

As for Trump, earlier this month he told reported he's excited to host the Chiefs -- "Every one of them wants to be here. And the coach loves us. The coach is great. Andy Reid."

There's been a ton of controversy surrounding the White House visits over the past few years -- with several high profile players -- and even full teams -- boycotting the tradition.

The Golden State Warriors famously blew off Trump after winning the NBA title in 2017 and 2018 -- instead opting to celebrate with President Obama.

MLB stars like Mookie Betts and Nationals closer Sean Doolittle have also turned down White House invites.

We asked Kelce how the rest of his teammates are feeling about the visit ... but he told us he hasn't had the chance to speak with them yet.

The FBI told the ringleader in the college admissions scandal to lie and say his clients knew he was bribing college officials, and when he wouldn't play ball they yelled at him ... this according to Rick Singer himself.

It's a stunning, possible game-changing development in the case. One of the parents who's being prosecuted -- Elisabeth Kimmel -- filed legal docs Wednesday claiming the government just belatedly produced notes from Singer's iPhone.

Singer writes, "Loud and abrasive call with agents. They continue to ask me to tell a fib and not restate what I told my clients as to where there [sic] money was going -- to the program, not the coach and that it was a donation and they want it to be a payment."

In other words, Singer says he told his clients the money they were paying was a donation to the school, not a bribe to a coach.

Singer's notes have implications that go far beyond Elisabeth Kimmel. Fact is ... Lori Loughlin and other parents will benefit from the new revelation because it goes to the heart of the government's case -- namely, where the parents thought the money was going. If they thought it was going to the school, prosecutors may have had the rug pulled out from under them.

As we reported, Lori and other defendants have complained prosecutors have been withholding key evidence that tends to show the parents did not commit a crime. This new piece of evidence may be the smoking gun ... made all the more powerful by the fact the government didn't disclose it in a timely fashion ... not even close.

"The halftime show last night was beyond inappropriate. Shakira laying on her side gyrating like sex, Lopez on a stripper pole, Lopez bending over to expose her butt crack, both performers grabbing their vaginas, Shakira grinding her butt against some tinfoil wearing man’s penis. This was incredibly offensive. My children were watching."

That was one of 1,312 super pissed-off people who complained to the FCC after Jennifer Lopez and Shakira's scorching hot Super Bowl halftime performance.

TMZ Sports requested the complaints made to the Federal Communications Commission -- a U.S. government agency which regulates television -- and it's clear while many praised the performance ... others, not so much.

"Completely inappropriate half time-show with simulated orgies, stripping, and borderline pornography. This is a family event during prime time and should never have happened," ... a viewer from Indiana wrote.

"I do not subscribe to The Playboy Channel, we do not buy porn for $20 a flick, we simply wanted to sit down as a family and watch the Super Bowl. God forbid we expected to watch football and a quick concert but instead had our eyes molested," a family from Tennessee wrote.

The continued ... "JLo’s movie Hustlers was rated R so since when is rated R viewing allowed on network TV at 7/8:00pm?"

A person from Michigan even evoked Janet Jackson's infamous wardrobe malfunction ... saying JJ's performance was "by far better," despite showing nudity.

Some people were so pissed, they say they're DONE watching football.

"That was a disgusting display allowed of something that our children can't un see!!!"

"Strip clubs have that crap with sluts performing like this! This is soft porn! Fine the NFL or stop the HALFTIME shows! Beyond INAPPROPRIATE!!! Honoring a dog killer now THIS! BOYCOTTING THE NFL!!!"

Despite all the outrage, the performance has almost 136 MILLION views on YouTube ... so someone's watching!!

Cedric The Entertainer says the cop who arrested a 6-year-old girl over a school tantrum did more damage than he may realize -- because the kid's probably scarred for life.

We ran into the comedian Wednesday at LAX and asked him to weigh-in on the arrest of Kaia Rolle in Orlando last year -- a disturbing incident that was captured on bodycam footage and just recently released to the public. Cedric didn't hold back on how messed up it is.

He spells it out pretty clearly ... treating children like adults, especially in a legal setting, is absolutely wrong -- and a much different approach should've been taken by all involved.

More importantly, though, he tells us part of the reason youth grow up not trusting law enforcement might have to do with the fact stuff like this can actually happen. He seems to be implying that cops themselves set the tone when they pull these kinds of stunts.

If you haven't seen the video yet, brace yourself ... it's quite upsetting. You see 2 officers -- one of whom has been ID'd as Dennis Turner, who was subsequently fired over this -- enter a room where Kaia is being read a book by a school official. She's then taken out to the police car with a zip tie used to hold her hands behind her back ... and she's fully bawling.

Apparently, cops were called in this case because Kaia had allegedly assaulted some of the campus workers ... but that's no excuse to take her in like this, so says Cedric.

Tyler Perry's nephew appears to have killed himself behind bars -- but the answer officials are giving the family doesn't have them convinced it wasn't foul play.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... the filmmaker's 26-year-old nephew, Gavin Porter, was found dead in his cell Tuesday night at a prison facility near Union Parish in Louisiana. We're told Gavin's immediate family -- which includes Tyler's sister, who's Gavin's mom -- was told by prison officials he had hanged himself with a bedsheet while in solitary confinement.

Our sources say the officials told the fam Gavin had gotten into a fight with another inmate over the weekend and was placed in solitary. We're told that around 6 PM, guards checked on Gavin and found nothing of concern.

Our sources say guards came back at 8 PM Tuesday and found Gavin dead. He had hung himself with bedsheets. We're told the family has been notified there's no foul play in the death -- but our sources say Gavin's family isn't necessarily buying the story.

Gavin was arrested for shooting and killing his biological father back in 2016 -- in front of his mother -- after cops say an argument erupted between the two. He pled no contest to manslaughter and was sentenced to 20 years.

People looking to make a buck off items from the Kobe Bryant memorial will have to go somewhere other than eBay ... 'cause the company is actively working to remove all the items from the site.

As we previously reported ... shirts, pins, programs and other items from Monday's event at Staples Center hit the auction site this week. One XL shirt sold for a whopping $2,025.

But, we noticed multiple listings had disappeared from eBay over the past 24 hours -- so we reached out to eBay to find out what's up.

Turns out, eBay has a policy that prohibits sellers from profiting off of "human tragedy or suffering."

In fact, eBay sent an email to one seller explaining their position -- "Please note, due to sudden and tragic passing of Kobe Bryant - eBay has made the decision to prohibit the sale of merchandise, images and mugs relating to their passing."

"We do not allow listings that attempt to profit from human tragedy or suffering."

The policy does not prevent the sale of more traditional Kobe memorabilia -- like autographs, jerseys, photos, etc -- despite the fact those items are in high demand following the NBA star's death.

"That s**t all f**king bulls**t! F**k that!"

That's Pittsburgh Steelers star Maurkice Pouncey going OFF on NFL reps over new Collective Bargaining Agreement talks ... calling the league's latest proposal an AWFUL deal for players.

"Man, this s**t so f**king crazy, man!" Pouncey said in an epic rant Wednesday. "I vote no. F**k that s**t. Our NFLPA -- the dudes at the top, the leaders -- man, that s**t all f**king bulls**t. F*ck that. They ain't looking out for the best of the players!"

If you haven't seen it ... the NFL is THIIIISSS close to establishing a new CBA -- with owners and NFLPA officials in agreement over tentative terms for a new deal.

FYI ... the proposal reportedly includes a new 17-game regular season, a shorter preseason, and more playoff teams -- among several other polarizing topics.

All that remains left to ratify the agreement is a majority of the league's players have to vote yes ... and if Pouncey had it his way, there'd be no way in HELL that happens.

"If ya'll want my vote, the Pouncey twins vote no," Maurkice said ... "All the vets on each team, stand the f**k up. Stand up! Show these guys that we care about them!"

It's unclear exactly which part of the new proposal Pouncey hates ... but several big-name players, including J.J. Watt, have also spoken out against the new deal.

"They trying to sign a bulls**t-ass deal just so these motherf**kers and the sitting president can go around and smile and say, 'I got something done,'" Pouncey said. "You ain't get s**t done!"

Harvey Weinstein's got prison officials in NYC thinking twice about how to deal with him behind bars -- because their biggest fear is another Jeffrey Epstein-like suicide.

High-ranking officials at NYC's Department of Corrections tell TMZ ... there's anxiety running through the ranks about another "Epstein Incident" and the scrutiny that would follow if HW offed himself on their watch, which is why an action plan is in place.

For starters, we're told one possibility is that Weinstein will be housed in a private section of Rikers Island's North Infirmary Command, which is for high-profile inmates or guys with health issues -- Harvey fits both. He could land in the "ANNEX," with the other dudes falling apart.

Once he's there and all checked in, our sources say HW will probably get his own cell with round-the-clock surveillance cameras watching his every move. And, when he's out walking around, we're told he'll have DOC officials escorting him. There's a reason for that.

You'll recall ... Epstein's death was put under a magnifying glass when he hanged himself in his cell, while guards were supposed to be checking in periodically. That whole thing's still being investigated right now, but in any case ... officials don't want that with Harvey.

In fact, we're being told people at NYC's DOC don't even want Harvey as a prisoner -- we're told he's seen as a huge risk, and there are talks of trying to ship him elsewhere.

In the meantime, though, we're told Weinstein's milking his stay at the Bellevue Hospital he was taken to this week after complaints of chest pains. Sources tell us he's got his own room there, and that the conditions are much nicer than what's waiting for him at Rikers.

Of course, if they can't get the guy off their hands ... DOC might have to look after HW for the next several years. He's facing a minimum sentence of at least 5 years after Monday's conviction.

George Clooney's vowing to take action after an investigation linked child labor to farms used by Nespresso ... the coffee brand he's been the face of since 2006.

Clooney says he was "surprised and saddened" by the story -- which will air soon on the British program, "Dispatches," on the U.K.'s Channel 4 -- and promises "work will be done" to improve conditions.

The troubling news was reported by journalist Anthony Barnett after he and a crew were given access to remote Guatemalan farms -- which allegedly supply Nespresso, and had children working the fields. The coffee company claims to source all of its beans ethically.

In response to the report, Clooney says ... "Having grown up working on a tobacco farm from the time I was 12 I’m uniquely aware of the complex issues regarding farming and child labor."

He adds ... "That’s why I joined the Sustainability advisory board of Nespresso seven years ago along with the Rainforest Alliance, Fair Trade International, and the Fair Labour Association among many others with the goal then, as it remains to this day to improve the lives of farmers."

Clooney says they've made great progress, but adds ... "With that in mind it is also imperative to have talented investigative reporters showing the board where they have yet to succeed ... Clearly this board and this company still have work to do."

Jussie Smollett says the truth will set him free -- literally -- as he ramps up for a second round of fighting criminal charges in Chicago.

The ex-"Empire" star was leaving LAX Tuesday when a photog ran into him and asked to see how he's holding up. His lawyer says he's a tough cookie, but Jussie laughs it off -- it's pretty clear he's going through it, and seems to think at least that much should be obvious.

Of course ... we're talking about Jussie getting re-charged for allegedly lying to cops about the hate crime he claims was perpetrated against him by MAGA-hat wearing thugs -- this after the State Attorney's Office dropped the original 16 charges against him almost a year ago.

He's pled not guilty again, and his legal team has filed a motion for the case to be dismissed over double jeopardy -- which basically means you can't prosecute someone over the same offenses twice. Jussie and his lawyer talk about that, plus other possible defenses.

The photog asks point-blank ... which is it gonna be, JS -- telling 'em you didn't do it, or hope double jeopardy saves ya? Watch ... Jussie says there's only one thing he can count on.