Controversial S#!T

Tory Lanez's family and friends are banding together to help him avoid prison time ... and they're going after the jury, the music industry, Jay-Z and even suggesting Tory is a sacrificial lamb to do a solid for African American women.

Soon after Tory was convicted for shooting Meg Thee Stallion, an online petition -- Appeal Tory Lanez Verdict -- surfaced. So far, 19k people have signed on, and it doesn't look like it's slowing down anytime soon.

The petition claims Tory's trial was a "circus of speculation, insufficient evidence, inconsistencies, and drunken memories [that] left us without much moral certainty of any truth."

What's more ... Tory fans are attacking the jury, calling them irresponsible, claiming they rushed their decision and unjustly found Tory guilty on all 3 felony firearm counts.

The petition then lasers in on some wild claims -- "This case is also about branding, marketing, label heads and a music industry that pushes narratives based on who they have personally invested millions into. Could Jay-Z or RocNation be involved??"

And then, it becomes racial ... "Was this case taken because of a political pressure to fake protect black women? African-Americans went along with hashtags that didn't protect anyone & instead caused division between black women and black men."

Akon says Nick Cannon should keep on making babies, even if he has to miss a recital or two ... because, from his POV, that's something only white folks care about anyway. 😅

The singer sat down for an interview this past week with Zeze Millz that's making the rounds now online ... and for good reason. What Akon says here is pretty wild -- basically suggesting that Nick doesn't have to be at every one of his kids' events to be a good father.

But, the way he phrases it is ... interesting. Check it out -- Zeze asks Akon if he sees a problem with Nick potentially being spread too thin as he has more and more children -- especially if that manifests in him possibly not being able to be there for all of them at crucial moments, like a dance recital.

To that, Akon says ... NBD, because "that's a white man thing." He hits the point home by saying, "Who gives a f*** about a recital" -- and goes on to list what he sees as the tenets of being a solid dad, using his own 9 children as examples.

In Akon's eyes, as long as a man can provide for his family and teach them fundamental values/morals ... all the little stuff in between doesn't really matter. That's certainly what it sounds like based on what he's saying here -- and, of course, not everyone agrees.

Akon also says if the baby mamas are on board, what difference does it make? He's kinda got a point there -- everyone seems to have an opinion on Nick Cannon's loins ... when, in reality, the only ones who are part of the equation are him, his BMs and the kiddos.

Funny enough ... we actually got Nick during the holiday season, and he somewhat spoke on this exact issue. According to NC, he's able to see all of his 11 children the same way Santa Claus gets around -- Christmas magic!

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry calling BS over a British newspaper's attempt to make peace after one of their writers penned a scathing takedown of the Duchess ... one that got so much backlash, they actually had to yank the thing entirely.

We're talking about Jeremy Clarkson's column in The Sun from a couple weeks ago, in which he suggested MM was deserving of a public flogging of sorts ... saying he dreamed of her being stripped down and shamed in the most graphic of terms.

The paragraph that drew the most outrage read, "Meghan, though, is a different story. I hate her. Not like I hate Nicola Sturgeon or Rose West. I hate her on a cellular level. At night, I'm unable to sleep as I lie there, grinding my teeth and dreaming of the day when she is made to parade naked through the streets of every town in Britain while the crowds chant, 'Shame!' and throw lumps of excrement at her."

He was referring to an infamous scene in 'Game of Thrones,' when Cersei is put through this exact type of treatment, in dramatic fashion.

Of course, his words drew the ire of many on social media ... with a ton of folks calling his words misogynistic, racist and downright evil -- just the sheer amount of vitriol he expressed for Meghan in the wake of her and Harry's Netflix special was, frankly, beyond the pale.

There were reportedly scores of complaints filed over the column, and eventually ... The Sun got the message and apologized. They said, in part, "Columnists’ opinions are their own, but as a publisher, we realise that with free expression comes responsibility."

The Sun added, "We at The Sun regret the publication of this article and we are sincerely sorry." They deleted the piece from their website and their archives as well. Clarkson even apologized, saying he'd made a "clumsy" misstep in trying to reference 'GOT.'

Welp, the Sussexes weren't having ... calling The Sun's word empty and meaningless -- especially since they, apparently, have not reached out to the one person that matters.

A rep for Meghan and Harry says, "The fact that The Sun has not contacted The Duchess of Sussex to apologize shows their intent. This is nothing more than a PR stunt."

Three busloads of undocumented immigrants were shipped to Vice President Kamala Harris' home in D.C. -- on Christmas Eve, no less ... courtesy, it seems, of Gov. Greg Abbott.

The startling scene unfolded late Saturday night, when a bus pulled up near the Veep's Naval Observatory residence in the dead of night ... and scores of people poured out in the freezing cold temperatures, which are said to have been in the teens.

A lot of them didn't have the proper attire for the weather, and they were quickly provided blankets and jackets by folks on the ground who scrambled to find them housing.

Before long, two more buses showed up ... and even more migrants were dropped off and left to fend for themselves. Good Samaritans are reported to have worked together to get as many as they could to local shelters and churches, at least for one evening anyway.

Many of the migrants are said to be asylum seekers from Ecuador, Nicaragua and other Central/South American countries, and they're all believed to have come from the TX border.

This marks the second time this year that Texas officials have transported folks like this across the country -- earlier this year, in a tag-team effort from Florida's Gov. Ron DeSantis, even more migrants were bused to both the Veep's residence and Martha's Vineyard.

The move, which many view as a cruel political stunt from the GOP, is supposedly meant to be a message about the state of things at the border ... but to do something like this on Christmas Eve is another level of messed up.

You don't want to be an MMA fighter in Chechnya, especially when your opponent is the dictator's son.

There was a ridiculous "fight" between Ali Kadyrov -- the 15-year-old son of Chechen dictator Ramzan Kadyrov -- and a dude named Islam Akbarov.

Kadyrov had Akbarov on the mat after landing a blow, and as he hovered over his opponent, the dictator's son delivered feather punches that looked anything but damaging. Akbarov was defending himself well, but the ref jumped in and stopped the fight, declaring the dictator's son the winner.

Some fans were outraged, saying the fight was clearly fixed.

As if more evidence was needed, the dictator Ramzan owns the promotion that hosted the fight.

Kathy Hilton is shutting down all the naysayers who had something bad to say about Kim Kardashian's outfit at Kathy's holiday party.

We got Kathy out in Bev Hills to get her thoughts on Kim's holiday fit ... after fans blasted her for missing the fashion memo.

Kathy makes it clear ... there was no theme for the party, and guests could wear anything they wanted as long as they were comfortable. She says there was nothing wrong with Kim's getup ... calling the whole thing silly and ridiculous.

ICYMI, the SKIMS founder rocked a cropped concert T-shirt and black leather pants, while others at the party were in festive holiday red and green ... as with many things, it didn't sit right with some folks on social media.

One user wrote, "did kim not get the message that it was a... CHRISTMAS party???" Another flat-out called her outfit disrespectful.

Whoopi Goldberg is ending 2022 by once again invoking her controversial views that have widely been considered antisemitic -- openly wondering what she said that was so bad.

The famous cohost of "The View" chatted with The Times, where her so-called "cancelation" was brought up ... and it got Whoopi on a new mini-rant about the Jewish people and whether they're a race or not -- something that got her in trouble earlier this year.

Whoopi says that Jewish people themselves are divided on whether they're actually a race or not, even quoting one Jewish friend as saying ... "Not for nothing is there no box on the census for the Jewish race. So that leads me to believe that we’re probably not a race."

The author points out what many have already said on this topic -- namely, that the Nazis viewed the Jews as a race, therefore (in this context) they should be discussed as such.

To that, Whoopi replied ... "Yes, but that’s the killer, isn’t it? The oppressor is telling you what you are. Why are you believing them? They’re Nazis. Why believe what they’re saying?"

Whoopi goes on to double down on the notion that the Holocaust wasn't about race, from her POV, by saying ... "Remember who they were killing first. They were not killing racial; they were killing physical. They were killing people they considered to be mentally defective. And then they made this decision.”

When the author points out to Whoopi that physical tests were being done to Jews to determine if they were, in fact, Jewish in Nazi Germany -- again emphasizing that Nazis viewed Jews as a race -- Whoopi pushed back and said ... "They did that to Black people too. But it doesn’t change the fact that you could not tell a Jew on a street. You could find me. You couldn’t find them. That was the point I was making. But you would have thought that I’d taken a big old stinky dump on the table, butt naked."

She seems hung up on semantics -- specifically, between race and ethnicity (which are different) -- all 'cause "Jewish" doesn't show up on the census under race. Regardless, there's no doubt Jewish identity is multi-faceted -- and Jews are, for sure, an ethnic group ... and have been seen through this lens throughout pretty much all of history.

Why Whoopi continues to nitpick this issue is beyond us, but this is definitely a 180 from her apology ... which she delivered shortly before she was suspended for two weeks.

Chris Beard's fiancée, Randi Trew, says the Texas Longhorns men's basketball head coach did not strangle her ... walking back the initial comments she made to law enforcement nearly two weeks ago that led to Chris' arrest.

Trew released a statement on Friday ... saying, "Chris and I are deeply saddened that we have brought negative attention upon our family, friends, and the University of Texas, among others. As Chris’ fiancée and biggest supporter, I apologize for the role I played in this unfortunate event."

She continued ... "I realize that my frustration when breaking his glasses initiated a physical struggle between Chris and myself. Chris did not strangle me, and I told that to law enforcement that evening."

As we previously reported, Chris, 49, was arrested in Texas after law enforcement officials charged him with a felony -- assault on a member of a family or household by impeding breath circulation.

According to court documents, Trew alleged that she and Beard had been upset at each other for a few days and were having "relationship issues" -- and claimed things finally reached a boiling point with Chris slapping reading glasses off her face and choking her with his arm.

Police said in the docs they observed visible teeth marks and redness on Randi's right forearm and an abrasion on her right eyebrow and leg. They also noted a cut to her left thumb.

"Chris has stated that he was acting in self-defense, and I do not refute that,” Trew’s statement continued. “I do not believe Chris was trying to intentionally harm me in any way. It was never my intent to have him arrested or prosecuted. We appreciate everyone’s support and prayers during this difficult time."

Beard posted a $10,000 bond and was released from custody.

This is so incredibly sad ... cops arresting and handcuffing an old lady who didn't pay her trash bill.

Thing is ... the cops were just following protocol, which means someone should start thinking about protocol.  82-year-old Martha Menefield opened the door of her Valley, Alabama home and saw 2 cops with an arrest warrant.

Martha was delinquent in paying her $77.80 trash bill and that was enough to hook her up and take her to the station.

One cop tried to comfort her, saying, "Don't cry, Ms. Martha."

Body cam vid shows one of the officers laughing at one point ... hopefully the laugh was the absurdity of arresting someone because they can't afford the basics of life.

She says she thought she had paid the bill, but the cops said they had to follow protocol, which was to handcuff her and take her to the police station.

Tory Lanez's father is blowing a gasket after watching his son's conviction in the Megan Thee Stallion shooting trial ... directing his anger at cops, prosecutors and even Jay-Z.

Ya gotta see the video ... Tory's father launches into an epic rant outside the courthouse where his son was hauled off to jail, railing against the justice system.

Tory's dad is obviously taking issue with the lack of physical evidence presented at trial ... and he's also no fan of Jay-Z.

It's unclear why Tory's pops is pissed at HOV ... but Meg is signed to Jay-Z's Roc Nation.

Tory's stepmom is also upset ... and his family says the case isn't over, so it sounds like they want Tory's legal team to file an appeal.

As you know ... Tory was convicted Friday of all three charges against him, and he's facing more than 22 years in prison, and we're told the Canadian may be deported.

Tory's parents were also steaming mad inside the courtroom ... they screamed and hollered, claiming the court system was evil before being escorted outside.

Ex-NFL star Willie McGinest is sharing his deep regret for attacking a man at a restaurant earlier this month ... saying the incident never should have happened.

"First and foremost, I want to offer my deepest apology for my lapse in judgment and behavior on December 9 at a restaurant in West Hollywood," the New England Patriots legend said. "To my family, community, friends, and youth I mentor, please know I feel horrible for my actions and take full responsibility."

51-year-old McGinest was involved in an altercation at Delilah ... with video, obtained by TMZ Sports, showing he not only punched a man -- but bashed him in the head with a bottle as well.

The former football player, who was inducted into the Pats Hall of Fame in 2015, turned himself in to cops on Monday over it all, and was booked for assault with a deadly weapon. He eventually posted bond ... and was released.

McGinest -- who also serves as an analyst for NFL Network -- was later suspended from his TV gig following the incident.

"To my colleagues at the NFL Network and those I work closely with as an advisor to professional and community-base organizations, please know I am embarrassed and regret what occurred," McGinest added.

"Most of all, I am disappointed in myself, as I know this is an isolated incident and is not reflective of my faith, role as a father, life's body of work, or the role model I've worked hard to become. It is personally devastating that decades of community service, youth engagement, mentoring, and professional development would become an afterthought in a single moment that should have never happened."

"This incident has prompted me to deep self-reflection -- mind, soul, and spirit. I know that violence is never the answer to such situations, no matter how intense the provocation. Rest assured, I will take whatever steps necessary to restore the public trust, mend damaged relationships, and ensure this never happens again."

Bono's daughter is clapping back at New York Magazine's owners after putting "nepotism babies" on blast  -- because she says the president of the entire company fits the bill, too.

Actress Eve Hewson, daughter of the U2 frontman, took to Twitter Thursday ... pointing fingers at Vox president Pamela Wasserstein -- who is in charge of New York Mag and Vulture -- saying she's been informed Pamela "is a nepo baby herself. Her dad bought the magazine in 2004."

For those unaware, Pamela was appointed to CEO of New York Media LLC in 2016, years after her pops Bruce passed, before becoming Vox prez ... and Eve -- as well as many online -- are seeing a TON of irony in that.

Nate Jones, the writer of the trending Vulture article, wrote about how "A lot of the children of famous people are not good" ... but Eve played defense online -- saying the company blasted Lily-Rose Depp, for example, just "to get clicks."

FYI -- Eve wasn't among the other "nepo babies" in the article, but they sure as hell have her in their corner!

As we reported ... Lottie Moss, Kate's little sister, didn't defend herself on the subject of nepotism -- she instead embraced it, firing back a simple thought ... life isn't fair.

Dak Prescott's dog has gone from the dog house to the penthouse ... starring in a new TV commercial -- almost four years after he was nearly put down by authorities for attacking a neighbor.

The Dallas Cowboy's pup, Icon, was busted way back in Feb. 2019 -- after cops said he broke free from the quarterback's Frisco, Texas home, chewed through a nearby woman's fence, and then bit off part of her finger.

The pit bull was caught and quarantined ... and, days later, officials set up a hearing for the animal to determine if it should be classified as a "dangerous dog."

If it was found to be dangerous, euthanasia was on the table. But, fortunately for Prescott, authorities ultimately released the dog back to the NFL player under the condition he was removed from Frisco.

The dog has apparently stayed out of trouble since ... 'cause AT&T just tapped him to be in a new ad for the co. this week.

In the spot, Icon can be seen adorably roamin' around a house -- missing his owner while the quarterback was shining for the Cowboys on gameday.

In one scene, Icon can be seen lovingly licking Prescott's face.

Dak shared the advert on his social media page on Thursday, calling the dog his "best friend."

A reporter is issuing a public apology for ambushing Giovani Bernard after Sunday's loss to the Bengals ... saying the awkward interaction came off as "cruel and insensitive."

Jenna Laine, a Bucs beat reporter for ESPN, released a lengthy statement on the matter Tuesday night ... explaining why she feels remorseful for the testy locker room exchange.

Laine says she was wrong to post video of the incident on Twitter ... which showed her peppering Bernard with questions about a failed fake punt as he tried to leave the locker room to be with his family.

"The first misstep was posting a video of 'our' interaction with Giovani," Laine wrote in the statement. "My intention wasn't to make it some 'gotcha' moment but to illustrate how tense things can get in the locker room when a team isn't meeting expectations."

Laine also addressed her comments in the video ... saying she was trying to point out the accountability athletes deal with on a daily basis.

"In full transparency, I now see that there was no benefit to doing it. I realize that it came across as cruel and insensitive."

"In no way was I trying to weaponize his injury against him either by pointing it out."

Bernard took issue with Laine at the time ... saying the reporter did not prioritize interviewing him throughout the season. He eventually answered their questions and took responsibility for the costly turnover against Cincinnati.

Lottie Moss, Kate's little sister, isn't defending herself on the subject of nepotism -- she's embracing it!

Lottie Moss has no time for social media haters who latched onto articles in Vulture and the NYMag about "nepo babies." Lottie, who herself is now a successful model, shot back with a simple thought ... life isn't fair.

She says "I'm so sick of people blaming nepotism for why they aren't rich and famous or successful - obviously it's not fair that people who come from famous families are getting the leg up because of that but guess what? Life isn't fair — if you put your mind to something you can accomplish anything! So instead of being negative about other peoples success go and try and create your own!"

Of course, she was dragged for daring to state the obvious.

One user wrote, "If you weren't Kate Moss' sister you'd be working the makeup counter at Debenhams. Please instruct your agent/publicist to vet your tweets in the future before you press send."

It's interesting ... Lottie has now deleted her Twitter account.

Just last week, she reflected on her career on IG ... saying she understands she came from a "very privileged position," but added her sister didn't give her a leg up.

Kyrie Irving could be close to finding a new sneaker partner ... so says Musiq Soulchild, who tells TMZ Sports he's heard the Nets superstar is talking to a new shoe company about a potential deal in the aftermath of his split with Nike.

We spoke to the "B.U.D.D.Y." artist at DASH radio in L.A. this week ... and he revealed to us that he got the shoe scoop after securing a pair of dope kicks from Devlin Carter at SIA Collective.

Musiq -- real name Taalib Hassan Johnson -- said he was told that Irving and Carter, who runs the "Somewhere In America" brand that's based out of Oakland, Calif., have been speaking in earnest about a future collab.

"I think that will be an awesome decision," said Musiq, who also raved about the SIA shoes he was wearing.

Of course, Kyrie is looking for a new shoe sponsor after he and Nike parted ways earlier this month ... following his suspension for tweeting a link to a film containing controversial and antisemitic content.

Irving has made it known he wants a new partner ... covering up his shoes' swooshes during a Dec. 7 game with the messages "I AM FREE" and "Logo Here."