Controversial S#!T

Now we know what incited Azealia Banks into a fit of racial rage last month ... DC Young Fly's joke on "Wild 'N Out" that Azealia was a poor substitute for Cardi B.

TMZ has obtained a clip from the show, during a game called "So Petty." DC cracked that Azealia was booked because Nick Cannon and co. couldn't land Cardi.

Azealia didn't find it funny at all, calling the punchline "anti-black." The intimation ... that Cardi B was a light-skinned woman and therefore more beautiful than the darker-skinned Azealia.

So, now we know why Azealia went HAM on social media last month, saying, "Some little scrawny black Atlanta twink was prepared for me. They planned this - hit me on short notice, told me I didn’t have to participate in the coon ass freestyle battles, (not my style) and I was to sing my song and go home."

Nick was clearly annoyed by Azealia's comment, saying essentially she opened herself up to attack by resorting to racial insults.

Beto O'Rourke has two pretty powerful athlete allies after his speech about the NFL kneeling issue -- LeBron James and Arian Foster.

FYI, O'Rourke is running for senator in Texas against Ted Cruz -- and started to become famous this week thanks to a video from a Texas town hall showing Beto explaining why kneeling during the anthem is NOT disrespectful.

"And so non-violently, peacefully, while the eyes of this country are watching these games, [some NFL players] take a knee to bring our attention and our focus to this problem to ensure that we fix it," O’Rourke said.

"That is why they are doing it, and I can think of nothing more American than to peacefully stand up, or take a knee, for your rights, anytime, anywhere, any place."

‏LeBron tweeted about the video on Thursday -- calling it a "must watch."

Foster -- a former star NFL running back for the Houston Texans -- took it a step further ... spending the day campaigning with O'Rourke in Houston.

Beto put out a statement thanking Arian for his support -- "Grateful that [Arian Foster] would spend the day with us in Spring and Houston. Grabbing smoothies, driving the truck, joining the discussion about how this community and this state leads the way on so many important issues. Hope you have a fun birthday tomorrow!"

Derek Holland has issued an apology for doing an insensitive Asian impression on an MLB talk show ... saying, "It's embarrassing what I did."

The San Francisco Giants pitcher went on MLB Network's "Intentional Talk" on Wednesday and brought along Giants staffer Haro Ogawa to be his "hype man."

Yet throughout the interview ... Holland solely used Haro as a prop for the offensive jokes ... including using an Asian accent and several martial arts-style bows.

After the Giants' win over the Mets on Thursday, Holland apologized vehemently for the offensive bit.

"I want to be held accountable for everything I've done and caused with all of this," Holland said.

"It's embarrassing what I did. I was just trying to have some fun. Haro and I just entertaining and just trying to take it to a different level and make the interview a little more exciting and I obviously crossed the line with that."

"Whatever I have to do to take care of the situation, I will do it."

Holland -- who also said he apologized personally to Ogawa and Japanese bullpen catcher Taira Uematsu -- made sure to tell reporters the act was solely his idea.

Nicki Minaj wants this on the record -- she F****** LOVES Kylie Jenner (but not Travis Scott) ... and will NOT be playing into a catfight narrative!!! GOT IT?! Got it, Nick.

The NY rapper cleared the air Thursday on her 'Queen Radio' show over a vid TMZ posted showing Kylie trying to avoid Nicki on the VMAs red carpet this week, saying Kylie's nothing more than an innocent bystander in this clear beef between Nicki, Travis and the music biz.

Nicki says Kylie is doing what anyone would do -- standing by their man. That's a bit of a flip from what Nicki tweeted over the weekend, blaming Kylie and Stormi for pumping up Travis' album sales. Now ... she insists they're all good.

Angelina from 'Jersey Shore' ain't sweating a reboot of 'The Hills' ... 'cause, as far as reality TV reboots go, she's adamant the 'Shore' will leave 'em eating dust.

We got the cast of 'Jersey Shore' -- well, most of the cast -- leaving NBC Studios Thursday in NYC and our guy wanted to know ... is "The Hills: New Beginnings" gonna be better than 'Jersey Shore'?

'The Hills' has a tough hill to climb to get there. Remember ... the 'Jersey Shore' reboot was a monumental success for MTV with millions of viewers tuning in for some much needed GTL.

As far as Angelina's concerned, well, she's not. But, she does have a soft spot for Spencer Pratt. And, JWoww agrees. BTW ... noticeably absent from the bunch was Ronnie, who is still dealing with tons of baby mama drama. It was just a couple months ago when Jen Harley allegedly dragged him with her car ... leaving him bloody. He's tried working it out with Jen, but we've heard that before.

Baltimore Ravens safety Eric Weddle says it's RIDICULOUS the NFL just hit Jimmy Smith with a 4-game suspension for "arguing" with his ex-girlfriend ... considering the incident never turned physical.

"It’s hard to fathom arguing with your [significant other], never touching her and that gets you a suspension like this," Weddle told the Baltimore Sun.

Smith was punished by the league after an investigation showed he used "threatening and emotionally abusive behavior" directed at his ex-girlfriend. Smith claims he never touched her.

Weddle and Smith are friends -- and Weddle says he knows there was "never a physical confrontation."

"I know details of it that I can’t get into, so I just feel bad for him. And it’s hard for a guy put into that spot, where he can’t really stand up for himself and tell the truth. Because if he does, it’ll be a lot worse in the grand scheme of things.”

Weddle claims the league is overreacting because they're afraid of another Ray Rice situation -- where a TMZ Sports video later shows the incident was MUCH worse than what was initially reported.

"Everybody goes back to Ray Rice and the video coming out, and they don’t want that to happen," Weddle said ... "I know for sure that was obviously on their mind."

Weddle says the most frustrating part to this is that other guys in the league are "getting DUIs or physically abusing other people, and they never get near this [penalty]."

BIG3 co-founder Jeff Kwatinetz is NOT throwing in the towel on Kobe Bryant playing in his league next season -- telling TMZ Sports he trusts his source.

After Kobe's rep shot down Jeff's previous claim that he'd be suiting up for the 2019 season, we saw JK out in NYC ... and he made it clear he's not backing down.

"There's no mix-up. Someone who's a good source, who I'm not gonna reveal, says he's gonna play."

Jeff acknowledges Kobe's been telling people it's not true -- but Kwatinetz doesn't believe it's a hard pass ... at least not yet.

"Every year we have guys who say they're not gonna play who end up playing," Jeff said ... adding, "I don't know that he's not coming. I'll know in February. I think that's the truth."

Jeff also said he's spoken with Jason Terry -- who said he WILL play next season.

"I'm the source on that one because he told me himself."

As we previously reported, Molly Carter -- who runs Kobe, Inc. -- told TMZ Sports he's "100%" not playing in the BIG3. Vanessa Bryant also claimed Kobe is done playing basketball.

Ohio Senator Rob Portman says he has tons of respect for the investigators in the Urban Meyer case -- and believes the suspension was the result of a "fair process."'

"I respect the process that went through," Portman told TMZ Sports in D.C. on Thursday ... "They had an investigation. Mary Jo White headed it up. She's got a lot of respect."

When asked if he felt the 3-game suspension was too light considering the case involved domestic violence -- the 62-year-old Republican told us he trusts the judgment of the OSU board.

"I don't know all the details, so you have to respect the process and say, 'Was it a fair process?' And, I think it was."

We also brought up Jim Tressel -- the former Ohio State football coach who got the ax in 2011 for not properly reporting OSU players who were receiving improper benefits from a tattoo parlor.

Roger Federer vs. Serena Williams. Who wins?

We got Fed outside UNIQLO in NYC on Wednesday and asked him straight-up.

Obviously, Federer told us he's betting on himself ... but it begs the question, could Serena -- the greatest female tennis player of all time -- REALLY compete with Fed in a serious tennis showdown?

Remember ... Serena's been engulfed in this Battle of the Sexes subject for years. John McEnroe says he was once offered $1 MILLION by Donald Trump to do battle with her. Billie Jean King also threw herself into the conversation by saying there's no way in hell Serena would win a match with a man.

As for Serena's side on all of this ... her most recent comment on the issue came in the form of a tweet to McEnroe after he said "she'd be like 700 in the world" on the men's circuit.

"Dear John, I adore and respect you but please please keep me out of your statements that are not factually based," Serena said.

"I've never played anyone ranked 'there' nor do I have time. Respect me and my privacy as I'm trying to have a baby. Good day sir."

As for UNIQLO and why Fed was there rehashing the whole issue among so many wild fans -- the Swiss star just broke up with Nike to ink a $300 MILLION deal with the Japanese apparel giant -- and he was there to promote his new gear with the people.

Ex-Ohio State WR coach Zach Smith blew stacks at a strip club with another OSU coach and at least 1 high school coach during a recruiting trip in 2014 ... and afterwards, Urban Meyer threatened his job.

It's all in the Ohio State investigation report detailing Meyer's history with Smith ... who was fired in July after a series of incidents stemming from domestic violence allegations.

In the report, investigators say, "In May 2014, in connection with an out-of-town recruiting trip to Florida, Zach Smith ran up a significant bill at a local strip club along with another OSU football coach and one or more high school coaches."

Smith spent at least $600 in the club -- which investigators say came from "personal funds."

Urban Meyer later learned about the incident and told Smith that, if it happened again, he would be fired.

Meyer also changed up the 2014 coaches manual to include a “morality clause,” telling staff to avoid strip clubs "or venues that would embarrass The Ohio State University."

The revised manual also prohibited coaches from having porn on any university-issued computer, phone, iPad, etc.

Of course, that part is relevant because Smith took penis pics while at the White House on the official Ohio State trip to D.C. to meet President Barack Obama in April 2015.

He also took explicit pics of himself in various OSU football facilities.

Unclear why Smith wasn't punished for violating the terms in the 2014 manual.

Miss America Cara Mund allegedly getting bullied by her own org is NOT okay with Miss Denver's Kayla Kline ... so Kayla is showing her solidarity by giving up her crown.

Kayla -- who not that long ago earned the Mile High City's honor -- tells TMZ she can't embrace a title from an organization whose national leadership is in blatant violation of her own personal code of ethics. So, she's dunzo.

As we reported ... Cara claims she's been told she's "not important enough to do big interviews" and silenced because the majority of press time has "obviously" been reserved for Gretchen Carlson, the new Miss America Chairperson of the Board of Directors.

Ohio State has suspended head football coach Urban Meyer for 3 games without pay after an investigation determined he permitted misconduct to continue involving ex-WR coach Zach Smith.

However, school officials state neither Meyer nor Athletic Director Gene Smith covered up or condoned the alleged domestic abuse by Smith, but rather ... "failed to take sufficient management action relating to Zach Smith's misconduct and retained and Assistant Coach who was not performing as an appropriate role model for OSU student-athletes."

Meyer is suspended through September 2 and for the games on Sept. 1, 8 and 15 without pay. The final decision came after officials met with Meyer and Smith for more than 10 hours Wednesday.

As we reported ... Meyer was placed on administrative leave August 1 after the coach admitted he lied to the media when he initially claimed he had no knowledge about a 2015 domestic violence incident involving Smith.

Smith was fired from his job on July 23rd when details from the 2015 arrest went public. Smith had been arrested for felony domestic violence and felonious assault for allegedly attacking his then-wife Courtney Smith.

Courtney claims she told Urban Meyer's wife about the abuse -- but no action was ever taken by the University.

On July 24, 2018 ... Meyer was asked about the incident at Ohio State Media Day -- and claimed he had no knowledge of it.

Meyer told reporters he got a "text late last night" that "something happened" involving Smith back then but insisted "there was nothing."

Meyer said, "Once again, there’s nothing. Once again, I don’t know who creates a story like that."

Smith began coaching on Meyer's staff at 2005 as a graduate assistant at the University of Florida. He also happens to be the grandson of former Buckeyes coach Earle Bruce -- who Meyer has referred to as a mentor.

Courtney Smith claims Zach began abusing her in 2009 while Zach was working at Florida. He was arrested in '09 for aggravated battery on a pregnant victim but Courtney ultimately decided not to move forward with charges.

When asked about the '09 incident at the OSU Media Day in July, Meyer said the Smith's were a "very young couple" at the time and he did not push for an internal investigation because he wanted to "let the experts do their jobs."

He added, "We’re certainly not going to investigate. It came back to me that what was reported wasn’t actually what happened."

Courtney ultimately divorced Zach in 2016. However, their relationship is still very bad -- she got a civil protection order against him last month.

For his part, Zach claims he never abused Courtney but admits things did get physical between the two during heated arguments.

"There were several times where things got out of hand between us and I’m not saying that as I restrained her and moved her out of my way to exit the house to get out of a volatile situation ... it’s completely possible that she got a bruise or a mark," Zach said during a radio interview.

In addition to the alleged domestic violence, Zach's ex-wife Courtney claims he performed sex acts in the Ohio State athletic dept. offices with a female OSU staffer and documented it in photos and video.

She also claims Zach took multiple selfie penis pics during the OSU trip to the White House in 2015 when the team was invited to meet with President Barack Obama.

There's more ... Courtney also claims Zach ordered several sex toys and other adult items from Amazon and had them shipped to the OSU athletic officers, where staffers would have to open the boxes and deliver them to Zach.

2:42 PM PT -- GOLDBERG IS PISSED!!

We just shot the WWE legend in Atlanta and he WENT OFF about the hacking situation ... telling us he's working with the Secret Service because he wants the hacker punished to the fullest extent of the law.

"I'm sick and flippin' tired of people trying to steal people's identity because it's happened to me a number of times. These people are bullies and I'm sick and tired of it."

"This time when I got hacked, I called the Secret Service on my own and I'm taking them down."

10:56 AM PT -- Goldberg's rep tells us the wrestling legend has already been in touch with the Secret Service regarding the tweets from his account threatening President Trump.

As we reported, Goldberg claims he was hacked -- and now, we're told Goldberg and his team have offered to do whatever they can to help authorities catch whoever's responsible.

WWE Hall of Famer Bill Goldberg insists he did NOT call President Trump a "spatastic sh*t head" in a series of violent tweets directed at the POTUS ... claiming he was hacked.

Goldberg's official Twitter account started going off about Trump on Wednesday. The first tweet read:

"Why have you been threating me and my wife you dick head just because you're the president doesn't mean you can make threats using your new found power we should go into the ring together no secret service just you and me."

A follow-up tweet to Trump said, "I challange you to a fist fight you spatastic sh*t head ill f**king kill you."

We reached out to Goldberg to see what the beef was about -- and his rep, "Uncle Louie" Gregory, told us he was the victim of social media hackers.

"The Official Goldberg twitter continues to be a target for opportunistic hackers with bad intentions who are seeking notoriety and revenue. Team Goldberg will continue to address this issue while Goldberg is in ATL with Tu Lam working on his show 'Knife or Death' for the History channel."

Goldberg was once friends with Trump and appeared on 'Celebrity Apprentice' back in the day. But the two had a falling out and are no longer friends.

Asia Argento says she did not have sex with then 17-year-old Jimmy Bennett, but a photo and various text messages between Argento and a friend tell a very different story ... she flat-out says she had sex with him.

This is one of 4 photos Bennett, now 22, took in a Marina del Rey hotel room back in 2013. The then 37-year-old Argento and Bennett are on a bed shirtless, their heads on a pillow and their arms entangled. Sources tell TMZ the pic was taken after the 2 had intercourse. It's a crime in California for an adult to have sex with a person under 18.

Bennett later threatened legal action and, in April, Argento settled with him for $380,000 ... which her boyfriend, Anthony Bourdain, paid.

Argento released a statement Tuesday, saying, "I have never had any sexual relationship with Bennett."

Above are partial text exchanges between Argento and one of her friends. Argento and the friend went back and forth in the midst of the backlash from the New York Times story that ran Sunday about her and Bennett. Argento's messages are in grey ... her friend's are in blue.

Argento says Bennett wrote this note (above) on Ritz-Carlton stationary -- the hotel where they hooked up -- and said, "Asia, I love you with all my heart. So glad we met again and I'm so glad your in my life. Jimmy." She texts her friend the note, saying, "He wrote me this afterwards and kept sending me unsolicited nudes all these years up until 2 weeks before the attorneys letter.

She goes on to say ... "it wasn't raped (sic) but I was frozen. He was on top of me. After, he told me I had been his sexual fantasy since was 12."

Argento has accused Harvey Weinstein of rape and is one of the first women to come forward in the #MeToo movement. Weinstein's lawyer, Ben Brafman, lashed out earlier in the week, saying, "This development reveals a stunning level of hypocrisy by Asia Argento, one of the most vocal catalysts who sought to destroy Harvey Weinstein."

As we reported, the L.A. County Sheriff's Dept. is reaching out to Bennett to determine if a criminal investigation is warranted.

Anthony Scaramucci says Omarosa trying to burn President Trump with his own words is likely to backfire ... 'cause we've already been there and done that, and nothing happened.

We talked to the Mooch about Omarosa's supposed 200 secret White House tapes that she's been slowly leaking over the past couple weeks, and he just doesn't think there's anything she has that'll do serious damage to 45. Like he points out ... if the Access Hollywood tape couldn't bring Trump down, nothing probably will at this point.

Oh, and don't forget everything else Trump openly said or reportedly said over his near two-year presidency -- from calling African countries s**tholes and referring to NFL players as SOBs, to implying neo-Nazis are "very fine people," and, of course, calling LeBron James dumb ... there's a lot of controversial statements out there.

Jim Brown says he's throwing his support behind President Donald Trump -- even though he knows he'll be vilified in the black community.

The NFL Hall of Famer appeared on "The JT The Brick Show" on Fox Sports Radio and since he's met with so many Presidents in the past, he was asked how he felt about Trump.

"I should be criticizing Trump on every level because he does certain things that call for criticism but when I look at television I see all these announcers become experts and they're pointing the fingers and they're not doing a doggone thing but pointing their fingers, I find myself really pulling for the president."

"Now, that would make me very unpopular in the black community, very unpopular with a lot of Americans ... but I think that there are certain good things that are coming out of this Presidency because we've never seen anything like it."

He added, "I mean there's confusion. A lot of people are retiring. A lot of people are giving their opinions and we have to really dig deep down inside to come with the right kind of an answer."

Brown -- who also doubled down on his stance against NFL kneelers -- also had this to say to people who believe he's not a good American.

"I believe that I have to work on myself first to be as good a person as I could be to back up my country as best as I know how."

"And the second situation I should be helpful to those people who need help that don't have life as good as I have it and if I do those two things, I think I'm making my contribution."

Brown famously went to Trump Tower right after Trump won the election to talk about how he can make a positive impact in the black community.

Floyd Mayweather also famously met with Trump during the transition but he has since distanced himself from the president. Brown clearly feels differently.