Controversial S#!T

President Trump has tapped his pick for the next Supreme Court justice to replace Anthony Kennedy -- and he's being hailed as a strong conservative choice.

The Prez nominated DC Circuit Court of Appeals judge Brett Kavanaugh Monday, nearly two weeks after Kennedy announced he was retiring. Kavanaugh, a George W. Bush appointee, is considered by many to be an establishment guy, and has even been called the "Forrest Gump of Republican politics." He's also Catholic.

Kavanaugh has quite the resume ... having gone to Yale Law, and working in the Solicitor General's office in George H.W. Bush's administration. He also worked for Ken Starr during his investigation into then-President Bill Clinton, and is credited with pushing for tough questions on Bubba's sexual relations with Monica Lewinsky.

Oh, and he also used to clerk for the guy he's replacing on the Supreme Court.

Forget Kanye West running for president, The Game thinks Kim Kardashian West has a real shot at the White House, and it's because she reaches a huge demographic Hillary Clinton does not.

We got Game Sunday night outside Catch in WeHo, and asked him about Kim visiting women in prison to help with their release programs.

Game cut straight to the chase, saying Kim should just run for prez in 2020 because she's got access to millions of 18-year-old, white, female voters who all have something else in common ... thanks to her sister, Kylie.

If there really is strength in numbers, Game makes an interesting point.

Sooo ... Kim/Kylie 2020? Even if they don't run, hard to deny the influence they could have if they seriously endorsed a candidate.

Sarah Huckabee Sanders has some words for folks confronting Trump associates in public -- especially at restaurants -- and it starts with c ... CHIIILLLLL OUT.

We got President Trump's Press Sec. Sunday in D.C., where we asked if the country should simmer down with all these restaurant run-ins lately. She says it'd be great if that would happen, and not just for liberals ... sounds like she's talking to conservatives too.

If you've been living under a rock these past few weeks ... Trump staffers have been getting accosted at eateries, and elsewhere, left and right. Sarah was asked to leave the Red Hen restaurant in June, and former EPA chief Scott Pruitt was asked to resign while dining.

Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen was also screamed at by protesters while eating at a Mexican restaurant last month. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell got a taste of that as well this weekend while leaving an eatery in Louisville, KY.

LiAngelo Ball says he's going to be a Los Angeles Laker!

... Eventually.

We got Lonzo's little bro at LAX on Wednesday ... and we just had to ask about his dad's prediction that Gelo will join up with Zo in the purple and gold.

"Yeah, I will," Gelo says. "Probably later. I think I will."

Just one problem ... Gelo says nobody from the NBA has called about putting him on their roster -- so sounds like it'll DEFINITELY be later rather than sooner.

LaVar is still confident he'll get to the pros -- and guaranteed at least TWO titles once the Lakers sign Gelo.

Arsenio Hall says that if there were a comedy college, he and Roseanne Barr would've graduated from the same class, but he's sure got a funny way of dealing with her recent racist tweet.

We got Arsenio at the Laugh Factory in WeHo Thursday before his stand-up act at the Wear Your Voice Magazine fundraiser and asked him whether or not it was time to give Roseanne another shot.

The two have known each other for years ... they both had their own TV shows in the late '80s/early '90s and, by the sound of it, they've also spoken since the fallout from her racist tweet.

Don't sleep on the Clippers -- so says Patrick Beverley who tells TMZ Sports his "superteam" is better than Golden State AND the Lakers ... if they can stay healthy.

Beverley says he and Avery Bradley are the best two defenders in the HISTORY of the NBA -- "that's like two Gary Paytons playing with each other."

He also says guys like Danilo Gallinari and Tobias Harris could push the Clippers into the upper echelon of the NBA.

As for rumors the Clippers could go after Kawhi Leonard, Beverley says it would be cool to get a star like KL ... but, they don't need him.

'Jersey Shore' star Ronnie Ortiz-Magro is truly a man of forgiveness -- breaking bread with his baby mama and friends -- like their bloody domestic dispute never even happened.

Ronnie was at a Friday's in NJ Thursday with Jen Harley, their 3-month-old daughter and several friends. As we reported, Jen flew up from Vegas a few days ago to spend the Fourth of July holiday with Ronnie.

A witness tells us the couple seemed calm, cool and relaxed ... and Jen mostly tended to their kid.

TMZ broke the story -- Jen was arrested for domestic battery last month in Vegas -- after she allegedly attacked Ronnie in their car and dragged him out the passenger's side.

The reigning women's hot dog eating champion, Miki Sudo ... couldn't care less about getting equal coverage as men, she just wants the bread -- and we mean money, not buns.

Miki won her 5th consecutive title at this year's Nathan's Famous July Fourth Hot Dog Eating Contest -- but tells us she doesn't make nearly as much money as 11-time men's champ Joey Chestnut. He reportedly earned $225k one year from competitions, appearance fees and endorsements.

To be frank about it (LOL) ... Miki says she'd like a piece of that pie too.

Miki also has some gripes about people who dog her for not eating more weiners this year than she did last year. She downed 37, as opposed to 41 in 2017.

President Trump just lost another cabinet member -- Scott Pruitt, head of the Environmental Protection Agency, is resigning after getting a taste of what Sarah Huckabee Sanders went through at Red Hen.

The President announced Thursday he'd accepted Pruitt's resignation and thanked him for doing an "outstanding job" -- but many people didn't see it that way ... including the teacher who confronted Pruitt Monday at a D.C. area restaurant.

While holding her 2-year-old son, the woman told Pruitt he should resign after a slew of controversies. He's been accused of spending too much on personal security, asking aides to help with his wife's job search ... and trying to secure a used mattress from the Trump International Hotel for his own use.

The confrontation clearly got to Pruitt. In his resignation letter he said, "The unrelenting attacks on me personally, my family, are unprecedented and have taken a sizable toll on all of us."

Stacey Koon -- the former LAPD sergeant who went to prison for his role in the Rodney King beating -- has been charged with DUI ... TMZ has learned.

Law enforcement sources tell us the L.A. County District Attorney's Office formally filed charges against Koon after he was arrested in May. He's facing 2 counts of misdemeanor DUI.

We broke the story ... Koon was busted after hitting a parked pickup truck. Cops who responded to the scene suspected he was under the influence of alcohol, and cited him on the spot. We're told his blood alcohol was almost twice the legal limit.

Koon was acquitted in the original King beating case -- which sparked riots in L.A. -- but was later found guilty in federal court for violating King's civil rights. He served 30 months in prison.

Todd Gurley wants ALL contracts to be guaranteed in the NFL ... and he says players might have to STRIKE in order to get 'em!

It's been a heated debate for years -- with NFL players like Eric Winston saying they're so serious about making NFL deals more like the NBA and MLB ... they're ready to call for a work stoppage to force owners to pay up.

The current NFL collective bargaining agreement ends in 2021 -- and Gurley made it clear he's ready to heed Winston's call when the time comes.

Over the weekend, NFL offensive lineman Russell Okung also spelled out his argument for guaranteed contracts:

"Considering football’s level of brute, immanent physicality, high turnover as well as the short life cycle of its participants, it would seem to me that NFL players are in the most need of fully guaranteed contracts."

FYI ... NFL players have gone on strike before ... but, the last time they actually missed regular season games to get owners to meet their demands was WAAAY back in 1987.

But, 2021 could be a different story ... even DeMaurice Smith, Executive Director of the NFLPA, says a work stoppage is a "virtual certainty."

Lee Daniels was so enamored by Cardi B when they first met, he asked for a selfie vid with her ... and he claims it's the reason she caught her big break that propelled her career.

The acclaimed director told us -- not only is the rapper his favorite hip-hop artist, but she's been a fave of his since she auditioned for a role on his TV show, "Star" ... almost 3 years ago!

Don't believe him? Check it out.

That's not all -- Lee tells Raquel on this previously unseen clip from "Raq Rants" ... Cardi was cast on 'Love & Hip Hop' season 6 because Mona Scott-Young saw his IG video and also believed she was a star.

Clearly ... Daniels was right about his "next discovery."

Marlon Jackson isn't paying attention to the negative things people have to say about his late father, Joe, because it's not how he remembers him.

We got Marlon Tuesday at LAX, a day after the Jackson clan gathered together and laid Joe to rest in a private funeral at Forest Lawn Memorial Park ... the same place where Marlon's brother, Michael, is entombed.

Marlon says the family is doing as well as can be expected. As for criticism that Joe was too harsh on his kids ... Marlon doesn't want to hear it. He wants to hold on to the good memories, of which he says there are many.

Diddy is standing by the CEO of his Revolt television network, Roma Khanna ... despite claims of racist behavior by a former staffer.

According to a letter sent to the Revolt board by the ex-employee -- who claims to be a "young, educated black woman" -- Khanna has openly admitted black women intimidate her.

The woman also alleges Khanna responded to the idea of Meek Mill speaking about prison reform with a racist comment. She claims Khanna said, "Maybe the conversation isn't about prison reform, maybe it's about how to stay out of jail, black boy."

The letter, obtained by the New York Post, also claims Khanna laid off 30 percent of the Revolt staff for restructuring, and 99 percent of them were African-American.

Diddy tells TMZ ... "This story is inaccurate. We are a Black owned and operated network and we have a zero-tolerance policy for discrimination of any kind. Revolt is led by a woman of color who is expected to uphold the same standards that I hold for all of my companies. After an extensive review led by outside counsel there were no findings of deliberate misconduct. At this time, Roma Khanna will remain as CEO of REVOLT."

Ahmed Best -- the man who played the most widely loathed and mocked 'Star Wars' character -- says the wave of negative reaction was so hard on him, he considered suicide.

The Jar Jar Binks actor made the revelation Tuesday, by tweeting a pic of himself and his son on a bridge with the caption ... "This was the place I almost ended my life. It’s still hard to talk about. I survived and now this little guy is my gift for survival."

Although he doesn't name "Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace" specifically, but a reference to "20 years" ago makes it pretty clear he's referring to that Jar Jar role.

He's previously said the negative reaction from the public included death threats.

LaVar Ball is already clearing off space on Lonzo's trophy case -- telling TMZ Sports he expects FOUR CHAMPIONSHIPS now that LeBron James is on the Lakers!

"I called LeBron to L.A.," LaVar told us at a BBB pop-up shop at Sole Play in Atlanta ... "I knew he was coming to L.A., man! Everything lined up for me!"

But, what about the Golden State Warriors signing DeMarcus "Boogie" Cousins -- is LaVar concerned about the reigning NBA champs??

Hell no.

"The Warriors can sign Boogie, Prince, Michael Jordan ... anybody they want! They still ain't gonna win with this team right here -- the Lakers with LeBron!"

"You don't give my son the best player in the game and don't think he gonna win no championships!"

LaVar -- who's getting ready for his JBA basketball games Tuesday night -- says he's still confident the Lakers will eventually sign his other 2 sons to the team and guarantees championships when they get there!