Bill Maher Woke Hollywood's Hooked On Pushing Gun Violence, Revenge

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Bill Maher is calling out Hollywood studios for being super woke on every issue except the most obvious one -- its own culture of gun violence and vengeance, and the role those images play in real-life mass shootings.

Bill got after the issue on Friday night's episode of his HBO show, "Real Time" ... pointing out Hollywood bends over backward to be politically correct, yet "when it comes to the unbridled romanticization of gun violence? Crickets."

Reacting to the recent mass shootings in Uvalde and Buffalo, and the growing cry for Congress to "do something" ... Maher said movie and TV studios also need to acknowledge some cold hard stats.

Such as the fact the average American kid views about 200,000 acts of violence on big and little screens before they turn 18 -- and the FBI says a "fascination with violence-filled entertainment" is a huge warning sign for potential school shooters.

Since Uvalde, Matthew McConaughey -- and others -- have implored politicians to do something about the access to firearms, assault weapons in particular. Maher says, of course, that's part of the problem too, and so is the film industry's fascination with showing gun violence.

He's keenly aware the left will think he's doing the work of right wing Republicans or even the NRA, but he addresses that squarely. He's also not calling for censorship of action/shoot 'em up films -- which he points out, in a pretty hilarious way, should actually be called vengeance films.

What he is saying though is Hollywood needs to call it what it is. Gotta admit, Bill hit the nail on the head when he said, "The only one we don't call a trigger is the one that actually has a trigger."

Commanders' Jack Del Rio Fined $100,000 ... For Jan. 6 'Dust-Up' Comments

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Jack Del Rio won't lose his job over his Jan. 6 comments earlier this week ... but his wallet will be lighter -- the team just fined him $100,000 for the remark.

Head coach Ron Rivera just announced the punishment ... saying Del Rio's comments "do not reflect the organization's views and are extremely hurtful to our great community here in the DMV."

Rivera added that Del Rio's money will now be donated to the United States Capitol Police Memorial Fund.

"I feel strongly that after our conversation this morning," Rivera said, "[Del Rio] will have a greater understanding for the impact of his language and the values that our team stands for."

Del Rio initially made the controversial comments on Wednesday ... when he was trying to explain to a throng of media members why he believed the riots following George Floyd's death in 2020 should be investigated in the same way as the Jan. 6 insurrection at the Capitol.

"I see the images on TV, people's livelihoods are being destroyed. Businesses are being burned down -- no problem," Del Rio told reporters at Washington practice. "And then we have a dust-up at the Capitol, where nothing burned down. And we're going to make that a major deal."

Del Rio eventually apologized for the remarks ... but the backlash was still swift, with many slamming him over the words.

In fact, NAACP president Derrick Johnson said he believed the coach should have lost his job over it all.

Del Rio has been the Commanders' defensive coordinator since the 2020 season.

EZRA MILLER Alleged Victim Says She's Not being Controlled ... My Parents Are Full of It!!!

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Ezra Miller is NOT controlling 18-year-old Tokata Iron Eyes, at least according to Tokata ... who says she's sick of folks painting her as a victim, and not believing her side.

Tokata let out her frustrations in a video where she slams her parents and the media ... saying she's downright disappointed they're not taking her word that she's making her own decisions.

She says she doesn't have a phone by choice, and calls it "distressing that the narrative of the 'victim' in question is not being granted in trust".

Tokata adds "it's nobody's business, and no one is owed a story".

The tone of the video is interesting ... Tokata speaks at a very slow, deliberate pace, and some folks in the comments didn't seem to buy what she was saying.

TMZ broke the story ... her parents filed legal docs seeking a protective order for Tokata, claiming "Ezra uses violence, intimidation, threat of violence, fear, paranoia, delusions, and drugs" to control Tokata.

They're hoping a judge will see it their way, and force Ezra to stay away from their daughter.

Of course, we know Ezra has been arrested multiple times, including an incident with bar patrons in Hawaii. Tokata and Ezra have been spotted dancing at a club in Hawaii.

Well, despite any concerns, Tokata clearly wants to tell people she's in control of her Instagram account and her life.

Amber Heard First Sighting Since Depp Verdict ... Climbing Out of Private Jet

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FLYIN' IN STYLE

Amber Heard's emerged for the first time since being on the losing end of the Johnny Depp defamation trial ... trading a private jet for a chauffeured car.

The actress popped up Friday at an airfield in Washington, D.C. -- where she climbed down the stairs of her private plane and was ushered into a waiting luxury SUV. Amber's traveling party is at least four deep ... including her sister, Whitney Henriquez.

We're told earlier in the day she'd been in NYC for meetings, but caught a flight from New Jersey to D.C. and then made her way back to Virginia.

It's interesting to see Amber flying private ... remember, she's been ordered to pay Johnny $8.35 million ... and her lawyer, Elaine Charlson Bredehoft, claims Amber can't afford to pay the judgment.

Of course, Amber would probably have a tough time flying commercial these days, even if she was in first class, there are a lot of Depp fans out there.

For what it's worth, Amber's legal team has vowed they'll appeal the decision ... but no word on the timeframe.

NAACP Calls For Jack Del Rio's Firing ... Over Capitol Riot Comments

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The NAACP is urging the Washington Commanders to can Jack Del Rio ... after the assistant coach called the Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol a "dust-up."

NAACP president Derrick Johnson pleaded with the NFL team to make the move immediately in a statement on Thursday afternoon -- saying Del Rio's remarks "could not have been more offensive and ignorant."

If the Commanders don't make the move, Johnson urged Del Rio to flat-out resign.

The strong statement from Johnson came just one day after Del Rio attempted to explain why he believed the national riots following George Floyd's death in 2020 should be investigated the same way as the 2021 insurrection in D.C.

"I see the images on TV, people's livelihoods are being destroyed. Businesses are being burned down -- no problem," Del Rio told reporters at Washington practice. "And then we have a dust-up at the Capitol, where nothing burned down. And we're going to make that a major deal."

Del Rio later apologized for the remarks -- though Johnson is clearly not ready to accept it.

"Downplaying the insurrection by comparing it to nationwide protests, which were in response to a public lynching, is twisted," Johnson said. "You can’t coach a majority Black team while turning your back on the Black community. It's time for you to pack up and step off the field."

Del Rio has been the defensive coordinator for the Commanders since the 2020 season.

Rep. Ilhan Omar 'January 6th Was An Attempted Coup' ... As Hearings Start in D.C.

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Rep. Ilhan Omar's experience during the January 6th storming of the Capitol was traumatic -- and something she believes was sparked by Trump -- as the country gears up for one of the most important hearings in history.

We got the U.S. Congresswoman from Minnesota Thursday at the Capitol, and she says the upcoming hearing regarding last year's insurrection is going to be very eye-opening -- and she's prepared for the testimonies to be pretty triggering.

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The Rep tells us the whole day was a really traumatizing experience for her and her colleagues. She was one of the many that were whisked away from the Capitol and taken off-site -- cops believed her life was in danger no matter where she was in the building.

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DO SOMETHING!!!

She even tells us about the heartbreaking last-minute texts she sent to her family, just in case things took a turn for the worse.

As you know, the House select committee starts their hearings tonight ... they plan to bring to light unseen footage and evidence that proves former President Trump was at the center of the attack.

Phil Mickelson & Other Golf Stars Suspended By PGA Tour Indefinitely ... For Playing In LIV League

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The PGA Tour has just dropped the hammer on Phil Mickelson and the other golf stars who have defected to the new LIV league ... announcing Thursday it's suspended the guys indefinitely.

Commissioner Jay Monahan explained the punishment in a lengthy memo to PGA Tour golfers ... saying players like Phil, Dustin Johnson, Ian Poulter and Sergio Garcia "are suspended or otherwise no longer eligible to participate in PGA Tour tournament play, including the Presidents Cup."

In the memo, Monahan said the ruling came down because the players' decisions to join the new Saudi-backed golf league violated the org.'s "Tournament Regulations."

Monahan vowed similar punishments for anyone who follows in their footsteps.

Monahan specifically named 17 golfers who were receiving the punishment -- though he noted 10 (including Johnson) have already resigned their memberships.

It should be noted, Bryson DeChambeau and Patrick Reed -- who have reportedly committed to eventually joining the LIV League -- were not named in the memo.

It's unclear if the suspended golfers will ever be allowed to play in the PGA Tour again ... Monahan said in the statement that's to be determined.

LIV officials, meanwhile, blasted Monahan for the decision ... saying in a statement Thursday, "Today's announcement by the PGA Tour is vindictive and it deepens the divide between the Tour and its members."

"It's troubling the Tour, an organization dedicated to creating opportunities for golfers to play the game, is the entity blocking golfers from playing," they added. "This certainly is not the last word on this topic. The era of free agency is beginning as we are proud to have a full field of players joining us in London, and beyond."

LIV Golf kicked off its eight-event series this week at the Centurion Club in London.

President Biden Cop Body Slams Protester ... Secret Service Swoops in to Protect L.A. Motorcade

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SHOUTING SHUTDOWN

A woman armed with a bullhorn got dangerously close to President Biden's motorcade until cops and Secret Service agents took her down ... HARD!!!

The protester marched right into the closed L.A. street Wednesday as POTUS was arriving at the Summit of the Americas. She managed to scream at the fleet of passing vehicles for about 10 seconds before the violent takedown.

Law enforcement pulled off to the side of the street, and then slammed her to the ground ... which stirred an uproar among some people observing from the sidewalk. You can also see a Secret Service agent swoop in, attempting to control the situation.

Unclear what she was shouting into her megaphone, but there were a group of protesters in the area, unhappy Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua were not invited to the summit.

The State Dept. says President Biden kept those countries off the guest list because they don't have a shared respect for democracy. The Summit continues through Friday, so we could see more scenes like this.

Klay Thompson Rips Celtics Fans ... Calls 'F*** You Draymond' Chants 'Real Classy'

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Klay Thompson is straight-up pissed over the "F*** You Draymond" chants that rained down on the Warriors on Wednesday night ... ripping Celtics fans for the vulgar words and calling Boston supporters "real classy."

While Boston was up big late in the fourth quarter of Game 3 of the NBA Finals at TD Garden, their fans let Draymond Green have it -- chanting "F*** You" over and over again at the star after the Golden State forward had ruffled feathers in Games 1 and 2 of the series.

In fact, the shouts were so loud, the game's announcer, Mike Breen, had to mention it on the broadcast ... saying, "And Draymond Green hearing it from the crowd with an obscene chant,"

After the game, Klay was asked about it all -- and he made it clear, he wasn't a fan of Cs supporters.

"We've played in front of rude people before," Thompson said. "Dropping F-bombs with children in the crowd. Real classy. Good job, Boston."

Dubs head coach Steve Kerr also chided the Celtics fans for the chant ... adding in his postgame news conference, "Classy. Very classy."

Green himself actually didn't seem to have an issue with it -- he told media members he expected it -- and, in fact, he himself dropped a cuss word in his presser while his son sat next to him.

As for Green's wife, she clearly didn't love it ... calling the chants "disgusting" in a lengthy social media post following the Warriors' 116-100 loss in Boston.

"My kids were at the game tonight hearing that mess!" she said, before adding, "Just shameful!"

Tip-off for Game 4 of the series is slated for Friday ... will the Warriors' vocal issues with fans stop the chants then?

Don't hold your breath ...

Buffalo Mass Shooting Families Pressure Congress ... Address Guns & White Supremacy!!!

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Family members of the victims of the Buffalo mass shooting are trying to make sure their loved one's deaths are not in vain -- they want Congress to do something, anything, about firearms and white supremacists.

We got Ben Crump and the families he represents Wednesday on Capitol Hill, where lawmakers are hearing testimony from survivors and loved ones of the recent mass shootings in Buffalo and Uvalde.

Michelle Spight, whose cousin Markus Morrison was one of the 10 killed in Buffalo, says she's tired of the rhetoric coming from Congress ... and she wants more done to combat white supremacy, because the gunman in their case followed that ideology.

Dominique Douglas, another of Markus' cousins, says if Congress members do nothing in the wake of multiple mass shootings, they should be voted out of office.

Crump says the bodies of the Buffalo 10 were so mangled by the shooter's assault rifle, they're the modern equivalent to Emmett Till ... and he's calling on lawmakers to put people over politics to enact gun reform before there's another public tragedy.

Zeneta Everhart, whose son Zaire Goodman was one of the few to survive the massacre, testified before the House Oversight Committee ... ripping the familiar refrain we hear from politicians after mass shootings, and calling on lawmakers to address domestic terrorism.

New York Liberty Topless Protesters Run Onto Court ... For Pro-Abortion Rights

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A group of topless women ran onto the basketball court during the NY Liberty game on Tuesday ... storming the floor to protest pro-abortion rights.

The incident went down during the Lynx-Liberty game at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY on Tuesday ... when several women -- who we later learned were with the Rise Up 4 Abortion Rights org. -- rushed to the court midgame, shirtless, with green paint on their breasts.

One of the protestors made reference to Roe v. Wade ... "Overturn Roe? Hell no" painted on her chest.

The group was chased down by Barclays security and dragged off the court, not just in front of fans, but also NBA star Ben Simmons, who was sitting courtside.

There were other abortion advocates who stormed the court -- and remained in the stands holding up signs reading, "Abortion On Demand & Without Apology".

According to the NY Post, no arrests have been made ... and the org. released a statement on Twitter after the game.

"This wasn't to protest the game or players, but to call on YOU to #RiseUp4AbortionRights NOW!" the org. said.

"Yes we know most people here support #abortionrights. NOW SAVE THEM! GET OFF THE SIDELINES & INTO THE STREETS!"

The org. added, "Bring society 2 a halt. Stop the Supreme Court from Overturning #RoeVWade!"

Of course, protesting during sporting events is nothing new. Earlier this month, a woman tied herself to a tennis net during the French Open semi-finals.

Alicia Keys The Queen Picked Out My Set List!!! ... Defends 'Empire State Of Mind' Performance

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Alicia Keys is setting the record straight about her song choice at the Queen's Platinum Jubliee -- saying her NYC-based hit wasn't her pick -- it was the Queen's.

Alicia's been facing some backlash ever since performing "Empire State Of Mind" at Queen Elizabeth's royal ceremony on Saturday, with many thinking the song serves no purpose at an English bash ... but she says she was only giving the 96-year-old Royal what she wanted.

She posted some BTS videos from her big performance on Instagram Tuesday, showing how the whole thing went down.

The clip shows her 11-year-old son Egypt saying, "You can't refuse the Queen. It's against the law here!" She even wrote on her IG caption, "FYI: Every song was requested personally by the Queen ... Even EMPIRE!!"

Of course, fans of both Alicia and the royal family were confused when she sang her classic song about New York for the festivities overseas ... one even tweeted about the odd choice, saying "why the hell were American entertainers even invited."

Bottom line -- QE2's got a great taste for music ... don't question her!!!

Amber Heard Nat'l Coalition for DV Gets Backlash ... We Believe Her, Not Johnny

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The Johnny Depp vs. Amber Heard trial might be over, but the ridicule isn't … especially for folks who disagree with the jury, and stand by Amber.

Ruth Glenn, CEO of the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, tells TMZ … since releasing a statement in support of Amber last week, the group has been besieged by Depp fans on all fronts.

She says some of the backlash amounts to impassioned commentary -- including sentiments that NCADV doesn't believe men can be abused, that real DV victims believe Johnny and even more shots at Amber … like people calling her a liar or a "psycho."

As for the people pointing out NCADV leaders are clearly pro-Amber -- their statement said they were "appalled by the verdict" -- Glenn admits that's accurate, because her org thinks Amber is the victim in this case ... despite the jury's verdict.

That being said, Glenn tells us the vitriol -- toward Amber and her supporters -- is unwarranted, and she adds even Ray Rice didn't get publicly dragged this much after his infamous domestic violence case.

As for what the future holds, Glenn says the #MeToo movement won't suffer a permanent setback, but she does think people need to rethink what it means to believe all survivors.

In the short term, though, she suspects this verdict might affect how DV victims come forward and speak on these issues.

Of course, not all orgs advocating for DV victims are on the same page about who's the actual abuser in this case. As we saw, another high-profile one based out of Italy, Mission NGO, came out in support of Johnny at the height of the trial.

Lil Nas X It's 'F*** BET Day' Teases Disrespectful Diss Song!!!

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UPDATE

7:54 PM PT -- BET has shared a statement with TMZ Hip Hop pointing out their love for him ... despite what he clearly feels.

UPDATE

"We love Lil Nas X. He was nominated for a Best New Artist BET Award in 2020, and we proudly showcased his extraordinary talent and creativity on the show twice: he performed "Old Town Road" with Billy Ray Cyrus at "BET Awards" 2019 and his "BET Awards" 2021 performance was a highlight of our show. No one cheered louder that night than BET."

UPDATE

"Unfortunately, this year, he was not nominated by BET’s Voting Academy, which is comprised of an esteemed group of nearly 500 entertainment professionals in the fields of music, television, film, digital marketing, sports journalism, public relations, influencers, and creative arts. No one from BET serves as a member of the Voting Academy."

UPDATE

"At BET, we are passionate advocates for the wonderful diversity that exists within our community. We are committed to using all of our platforms to provide visibility and inclusion for all of the many intersections of the Black community."

It appears Lil Nas X isn't going to let the 2022 BET Awards skate after snubbing him of any nominations this year ... to the point, he's created a diss track going after the network.

A topless Lil Nas X posted a snippet of an upcoming new song on Tuesday we'd be surprised is called anything but "F*** BET."

After starting the song off with the disrespectful phrase on repeat, LNX goes into an auto-tuned flow where he brags about his riches and even proclaims he has "100 sticks" at his disposal.

Following the announcement of nominations last week, LNX went haywire when he realized he missed the Best Male Hip Hop and Pop Artist categories and no mention of his hit singles "INDUSTRY BABY" or "MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name)."

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INCLUSION IS KEY

He blamed discrimination and Queen Latifah even agreed he should have been nominated for at least something.

LNX's gripes feel a bit heavy-handed seeing he was nominated in 2020 and got primetime exposure in June 2021 when he kissed his boyfriend.

But, there's no putting the genie back in the bottle … apparently it's "F*** BET" if you're Team Montero until further notice.

Originally Published -- 3:17 PM PT

Channing Crowder Regrets Ciara Comments ... But Doubles Down On Russ 'Square' Diss

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Channing Crowder regrets making his polarizing comments about Ciara during a podcast back in April ... but he says he still ain't budging on his opinion of Russell Wilson, insisting the dude is "a lame."

To catch you up ... the ex-Miami Dolphins linebacker made waves on his "The Pivot" pod after he said he believed Ciara was only with Wilson because of his money.

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GOT WITH A GOOFBALL

Crowder insisted there was no way Ciara could be with the NFL star otherwise ... saying he couldn't fathom how she could go from dating a guy like Future to dating one like Wilson.

On Tuesday, Crowder backpedaled on at least some of that opinion, saying on "The Breakfast Club" that he shouldn't have involved Ciara in the conversation.

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"Bringing up Ciara, bringing up the man's family -- I'll take that back," Crowder said.

But, the former NFL player refused to walk back his shade of Russ.

"Have ya'll seen Russell's videos?" Crowder asked. "Have you seen, 'Mr. Unlimited'?! And, this goofy s*** he does?!"

"I don't know why so many people were mad at my opinion of Russell Wilson is a square and a lame."

Crowder added, "I didn't call him an alcoholic. I didn't call him a deadbeat dad. I didn't call him a pedophile. I called him lame!"

CC told the roundtable his remarks toward Wilson were not personal ... explaining, "There's lame people all around."

So far, no response from Ciara or Wilson yet.

Wounded Uvalde Teacher I Lost All 11 of My Students ... I'll Never Forgive Police for Abandoning Us

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NOBODY DESERVES THIS

Robb Elementary School teacher Arnulfo Reyes is mourning the deaths of every single student in his classroom, and is especially angry at police in Uvalde for standing by while they were massacred.

The 4th grade teacher, who was shot twice, is speaking out for the first time, recounting the horrifying moment the shooter entered his class. Arnulfo says his students heard gunfire and asked him what was happening ... he was unsure at first, but told the students to get under their desks and pretend they were sleeping -- just as they'd practiced in drills.

He told ABC News' Amy Rohrbach that's when he turned and saw the shooter ... the beginning of 77 minutes of carnage. When it was over all of Arnulfo's students were dead, in addition to 8 others and two of his fellow teachers.

Make no mistake, Arnulfo feels the police abandoned his students, and he spoke directly to them, saying ... "You have a bulletproof vest, I have nothing. You are supposed to protect and serve. There is no excuse for their actions, and I will never forgive them."

He tearfully added, "I feel so bad for the parents because they lost a child, but they lost one child. I lost 11 that day, all at one time."

He is now a man on a mission, vowing to be active in the national debate about gun control and demanding new legislation.

Arnulfo says, "The only thing that I know is that I won't let these children and my co-workers die in vain. I will go to the end of the world to make sure things get changed."