Controversial S#!T

T.J. Holmes and Amy Robach are officially out at ABC, as we first told you, and now, the network has filled in its entire staff on the decision to let them go.

In a company-wide email sent Friday and obtained by TMZ, ABC News President Kim Godwin told staffers, "I want to share with you that we've reached a decision about T.J. and Amy."

It then includes the statement the network sent wide minutes later, "After several productive conversations with Amy Robach and T.J. Holmes about different options, we all agreed it's best for everyone that they move on from ABC News. We recognize their talent and commitment over the years and are thankful for their contributions."

Godwin informs employees that a decision as to who will co-anchor "GMA3" and "20/20" will come at a later date.

She concludes by saying, "I know that this has been a distraction for so many of us, but let's not forget all the great work that continues to make ABC News the #1 news network in America, and that's because of you. I want to thank you again for your patience and professionalism during this time."

TMZ broke the story, T.J. and Amy came to an exit agreement after an "extremely contentious" mediation went through the night Thursday into Friday morning. Both were given compensation packages.

We're told ABC execs made it clear -- the couple did not handle their romance the right way -- waiting too long to disclose it to higher-ups and that their "behavior on set" was "uncomfortable" to some staffers.

ABC also accused Robach of having liquor in her dressing room -- bottles we're told were gifted by ABC honchos -- and being drunk after attending the National College Football Championship game.

Pusha T is firing back at Consequence's latest interview that painted "disgust" on his recent departure from Kanye West's GOOD Music, in a theological fashion ... with a quote from the Bible that outlines his views on the entire debacle.

The "It's Almost Dry" rapper took a page outta 1 Corinthians 6:7 ... quoting "suffer yourselves to be defrauded," a call for Cons to focus on the bigger picture and not attempt to clean up Ye's mess.

Push is heavily rumored to be restarting his Clipse duo with brother No Malice, who's a devout Christian, which probably explains why he's rattling off bible verses like they live on Genius.

Push started his 2023 off Kanye-free ... having cut ties with Ye and GOOD Music after years by his side over his antisemitic rants, but Consequence says his reasoning was total BS.

Cons says Kanye prevented Push from getting on stage at a Donda performance in Chicago and has been on some taking-his-ball-home-ish ever since!!!

Cons says Push's real loyalty is to Pharrell, but he expected more outta the Virginia rapper, after hanging around all these years.

He also blamed Push for bringing tensions with Drake into Good Music, revealing he's actually been to Drake's crib but never stepped foot inside Push's house!!

Kanye West's GOOD Music is a dub as we know it -- Push, Kid Cudi, Big Sean, Desiigner -- have all departed with less than stellar things to say about Ye and Consequence wants to know where's the loyalty!!!

Attorney Ben Crump, representing Tyre Nichols' family, is detailing the horrors of the brutal beatdown he saw in body cam footage from the incident ... telling us what he expects will happen once it's released to the public Friday night.

Crump will join us on "TMZ Live" Friday, in a preview from his interview, he says police will provide multiple angles of the incident, as well as graphic audio ... calling the clip, which he watched privately with the Nichols family, heartbreaking.

He tells us officers disrespected Tyre constantly in the clip, despite the 29-year-old asking them if he can just go home -- Crump believes it'll instantly strike a chord across the country.

As for what's next, Crump thinks peaceful protests will go down in Memphis  -- but he digs deep into the rough comparison between these 5 Black officers getting arrested swiftly and countless investigations into similar situations with white officers dragging out.

As we reported, Crump likened the horror of Tyre's beating to that of Rodney King back in 1991 ... and the public believes a response in terms of protests could be similar, too.

Friends of the late Stephen "tWitch" Boss are calling out his "pal" Todrick Hall ... after he suggested the pressure around Ellen DeGeneres' workplace scandal might have been a factor in tWitch's suicide.

For those unaware, Todrick made the implication this week while promoting a new reality show he's doing ... telling Page Six he believed the public calling on the DJ to stop supporting Ellen took too big of a toll.

Referring to tWitch opting to take his life, Todrick added, "I don’t know what was going on in his life that may [have led] him to make that decision but I do understand."

A source close to tWitch tells TMZ ... it's extremely negligent and self-serving of Todrick to assume he knows what led to tWitch's death. The source also found it unfortunate he would speculate, especially while promoting his own project.

We're told tWitch loved his time on "Ellen," and had a ton of respect while working on the series ... pointing out he was even named co-executive producer in the final season.

As we reported, tWitch left a suicide note behind when he passed, which we're told referenced past challenges ... without going into specifics.

You'll recall, Ellen was accused of creating a toxic work environment while the show was running, as several former employees alleged racism and intimidation. tWitch, however, stood by the talk show host.

Ellen also expressed her intense heartbreak after his death ... telling people to love each other as she continued to mourn in late December.

Rodney King's daughter knows Tyre Nichols' family is going to be in a world of hurt for a long time once the world sees the extent of their loved one's fatal beating ... and she's offering some advice before the body cam footage is released.

Lora King tells TMZ the pain her family went through after her father was brutally beaten by cops was indescribable -- adding the whole thing continues playing on a loop in your head after seeing the video, as Tyre's family has.

While she's trying to offer them some guidance, she also notes nothing can really prepare them for just how heartbroken they'll be while going through the legal process, and watching the public's reaction.

Lora was only 7 years old when the police brutality against her dad sparked nationwide outrage, which eventually erupted with massive riots when the involved LAPD officers were acquitted.

King died in 2012 of an accidental drowning in his pool.

Attorney Ben Crump -- who is repping Tyre's family and saw the body cam video of the arrest -- called the clip "appalling" and "heinous" and likened it to the beating of Rodney King.

All 5 officers involved in Nichols' death were promptly fired, and on Thursday, arrested and charged with second degree murder. Each of them face additional charges that include official misconduct, official oppression and aggravated kidnapping.

As the nation braces for the release of the Memphis PD footage, and the possibility of social unrest ... Lora advises Tyre's family, "There's no way to be normal after this."

A mannequin wearing a Vinicius Junior jersey was hung by a rope from a bridge hours before a big soccer match in Madrid, and now police in Spain are investigating the incident as a potential hate crime.

Images of the act show a human-sized doll hanging by its neck, wearing Vini Jr.'s #20 Real Madrid jersey, underneath a sign that reads "MADRID ODIA AL REAL" -- translated, it means "Madrid Hates Real".

It's believed Athletico Madrid fans were behind the disgusting stunt ... as the teams are playing each other Thursday night, and they're big rivals.

The bridge is located near Real Madrid's training complex.

Of course, most fans were horrified by the act ... and quickly alerted authorities, who immediately went to remove the mannequin and banner.

Police are now trying to identify who's responsible, and they're treating the act as a potential hate crime.

La Liga issued a statement denouncing the hanging in effigy, saying ... "We strongly condemn acts of hate against [Vini Jr.] Intolerance and violence do not fit in football. As on previous occasions, #LaLiga will urge the investigation of the facts in search of the conviction of those responsible, requesting the most severe criminal sanctions."

While it's believed Atletico's fans were responsible, the club distanced themselves from the act, and stressed the importance of respect within the rivalry.

"Club Atletico de Madrid communicates that such acts are absolutely repugnant and inadmissible and shame society. Our condemnation of any act that attacks the dignity of persons or institutions is categorical and unreserved. The rivalry between the two clubs is the greatest, but so is respect. No individual, whatever their intentions or colors, can tarnish the coexistence between different supporters."

"It is everyone's responsibility to avoid this. We do not know the perpetrator or perpetrators of this despicable act, but their anonymity does not avoid their responsibility. We hope that the authorities succeed in clarifying what happened and that justice helps to banish this type of behavior."

Real Madrid also released a statement ... saying the club "would like to thank the support and expressions of affection received after the unfortunate and disgusting act of racism, xenophobia and hatred against our player Vinicius."

"We express our firmest condemnation of events that violate the fundamental rights and dignity of people, and that have nothing to do with the values ​​that football and sport represent."

The club continued ... "These attacks like the ones our player now suffers, or those that any athlete can suffer, cannot have a place in a society like ours."

A report says the 5 officers involved -- Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Emmitt Martin III, Desmond Mills Jr. and Justin Smith -- have been booked into the Shelby County Jail. The charges have not yet been announced.

Answers about Tyre Nichols' death are coming ... Memphis PD says it's preparing to release the graphic body cam footage of the 29-year-old Black man's arrest.

Police Chief Cerelyn Davis updated the public Wednesday night, saying the clip will be released "in the coming days" ... and promising her department will provide full cooperation to investigators surrounding the horrific incident.

She also says she's expecting protests to occur, but asks the community to keep each other safe in the process.

As you know, Nichols' death has sparked outrage across the country after getting pulled over on January 7 for reckless driving in Memphis -- allegedly running away from police on foot, and eventually getting apprehended.

Memphis PD says Nichols started complaining about shortness of breath during his arrest, which is when an ambulance was called -- and he was rushed to St. Francis Hospital, where he passed away 3 days later.

A gruesome image from inside the hospital was released by Nichols' stepfather this week, showing blood on his face and a severely swollen eye. His mother also says he was hooked up to a breathing machine.

Nichols' family, as well as attorney Ben Crump and his legal team, reviewed the body cam footage privately -- with Crump calling it "appalling" and "heinous."

Another attorney in Crump's firm referred to Nichols as "a human piñata for those police officers."

MPD has since fired the 5 officers involved in the arrest of Nichols, saying they violated "multiple department policies, including excessive use of force, duty to intervene, and duty to render aid."

21 Savage is basking in the limelight of a pretty tremendous accomplishment -- Complex says the Savage Gang leader is the "Best Rapper Alive" ... and even he admits the title's misplaced.

The "Her Loss" costar called the honor "an overstatement," but says he operates with tunnel vision while focused on making the best possible product.

Fans on social media simply called BS on the announcement ... mainly because 21 was heavily featured on Metro Boomin's album in addition to "Her Loss," but didn't release a solo project of his own in 2022 to fully earn the crown.

21 follows the likes of Tyler, The Creator, Lil Baby and DaBaby on the annually updated list, but he told the publication his benchmark is still the one set by Jay-Z.

21 says Hov conducted his hip hop career "the right way," and he strives to follow that blueprint as his own career progresses.

In 2022, he linked with Drake for the chart-topping single "Jimmy Cooks" ahead of their "Her Loss" album collab ... which also hit No. 1 on its respective Billboard chart with nearly Gold numbers in its first week -- 404,000 album-equivalent units streamed.

The "Best Rapper Alive" look wasn't just marred by skeptics ... 21 admits he's not loving his Atlanta hometown's raging crime wave, revealing he no longer enjoys going to clubs and functions after Takeoff's fatal shooting in November.

While that tragedy happened in Houston, 21 maintains ATL has a dark cloud of energy hovering over it, and doesn't feel anything can be done to restore the positive vibes. 😢

Former Univ. of Florida quarterback recruit Marcus Stokes, who lost his Gators scholarship after rapping the n-word on video, has now landed a new scholarship offer -- this time from an HBCU.

Stokes revealed on Tuesday that Albany State Univ. -- a Historically Black College and University in Georgia -- sent the offer his way this week ... just over two months after he was embroiled in controversy.

You'll recall, the four-star recruit lost his future as a Gator in November after he posted a quick video of him singing the n-word on camera on his social media page. He apologized for it afterward, calling it "hurtful and offensive to many people" -- but his recruitment skidded to a halt.

Stokes said Tuesday he was "blessed" to receive the new college interest from Albany State -- adding in an additional tweet that he was going to "find my home" as National Signing Day kicks off next week.

According to 247Sports, Stokes is also receiving interest from Division II school West Florida -- and is planning a visit there this week.

Kanye West could be barred from entering Australia to meet his new wife's family because of his praise for Hitler and his antisemitic diatribes, government officials said Wednesday.

The rapper is reportedly planning to fly with Bianca Censori to her hometown of Melbourne next week for the get-together with her clan.

As we first reported, the couple tied the knot during a private ceremony earlier this month without filing a marriage certificate. It's not clear if Kanye has gotten a visa for the rumored trip or even applied for one.

In any case, Australia's Education Minister, Jason Clare, says if Kanye does apply for a visa it might get rejected. The Land Down Under has a history of turning away people with antisemitic beliefs.

Clare told Nine Network TV ... "I expect that if he does apply, he would have to go through the same process and answer the same questions," as anyone who has expressed such views.

As you know ... Kanye recently went on a bizarre anti-Jewish campaign, praising Hitler and Nazis. He was seen hanging out with notorious white nationalist Nick Fuentes.

Ye was suspended from Twitter after posting an image of a Swastika merged with the Star of David. Kanye also went live on-air with alt-right conspiracy theorist Alex Jones for his show, "Infowars." Among other things, Kanye said, "I like Hitler."

Given his rhetoric, it appears Kanye has an uphill battle with Australian Jewish groups, who have already called for him to be refused entry in anticipation of any visa request.

Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-chief Peter Wertheim told Sky News ..."We’ve made the case that this particular individual does not meet the character test and that it would be in the national interest not to grant him a visa and we set out our reasons in some detail."

Immigration Minister Andrew Giles will make the final decision on whether to let Kanye into the country, if it comes to that.

Stay tuned.

Sen. Amy Klobuchar says Ticketmaster's stranglehold on the concert tickets and venues is a longstanding problem -- but she gives full credit to Taylor Swift fans for pushing the issue over the hump.

The Senator from Minnesota joins us on "TMZ Live" Wednesday to reveal why Swifties' making a historic fuss over the botched presale for Taylor's tour, directly led to Tuesday's Senate Judiciary Committee grilling of Live Nation, Ticketmaster's parent company.

Klobuchar dropped something that's always a bombshell in Washington -- the 'B' word ... as in, bipartisanship! She tells us the much-anticipated hearing had lawmakers in agreement about Ticketmaster's monopoly, and the need for the company to finally face the music.

Although Swifties got the ball rolling ... she says this issue goes well beyond Taylor's tour -- because Ticketmaster dominates the game by selling tickets, running promotions and even owning some of the venues.

The Senator says testimony from industry experts -- including some musicians -- makes it clear to her it's nearly impossible for competitors to drive down rising ticket prices.

She says bands have been sounding the alarm for years, including Pearl Jam back in the day -- but the dam broke in November, when Taylor's legion of fans got pissed off and even Taylor called out Ticketmaster.

Sen. Klobuchar says the tide's finally turning, and she expects real changes from Ticketmaster ... and quickly. You can see the full interview on Wednesday's "TMZ Live" ... check your local listings.

Josh Allen is taking aim at all the conspiracy theorists and tinfoil hat-wearers who have insisted there was a Damar Hamlin body double at the Bills' playoff game on Sunday ... saying straight up, "That's stupid."

Allen addressed the outlandish internet rumors while appearing on "Kyle Brandt's Basement" podcast ... urging people to "stop that s***."

"Yeah, that's stupid," Allen said ... before adding, "There's absolutely zero chance. That's the Damar Hamlin. That's our guy. That's our brother."

The theories swirled up after Hamlin wore a mask, hoodie and sunglasses to Buffalo's postseason contest against the Bengals on Sunday ... with trolls suggesting it was all in an effort to hide something.

But the Bills' star QB says that's all B.S.

"One, that's Damar's swag -- he likes wearing that," Allen said. "Two, he was in the locker room with us pregame. So, yes. That was Damar."

"The Bachelor" contestant who got a leg up on her competition during the premiere is now taking serious heat online, and it's forced her to apologize for some resurfaced tweets defending a blackface costume.

Greer Blitzer, who got the first impression rose on Monday night's episode, almost immediately found herself the target of Twitter sleuths who dug up her posts from 2016. Tuesday she responded by admitting she "used misguided arguments on Twitter to defend a student who dressed in Blackface as Tupac for Halloween."

Greer says she wants to apologize "to those I have hurt, especially those within the Black community" -- claiming she isn't sorry because of the screenshots, but because she had those opinions in the first place.

ICYMI, Twitter users found a handful of Greer's tweets -- which she's now deleted -- in defense of a friend at Lamar High School in Houston who put black paint on her face ... allegedly as part of an initiation ceremony.

Greer claimed those involved had no clue what blackface was -- or its historical significance -- adding someone putting white powder on their face wouldn't be as big of a deal.

Tim Allen says Pamela Anderson's claim he flashed her behind the scenes on "Home Improvement" is a lie ... but there's a newly resurfaced clip showing the actor flashing another costar in a playful blooper.

The scene includes Tim and Patricia Richardson, who played Tim's wife, Jill Taylor, on the popular sitcom. Allen's dressed in a kilt, and Patricia says, "Hangs long, I just wish it was shorter."

Allen then lifts his kilt, and while the camera doesn't show what's under it, Patricia tells TMZ, "People ask me what was under the kilt when he flashed me, he was well dressed under there, I was just shocked that he lifted the kilt, not by a man in boxer shorts."

As we reported, a section from Pamela Anderson's upcoming book 'Love, Pamela' claims Allen flashed her backstage while he was wearing a robe on her first day at "Home Improvement."

Pamela writes, "He said it was only fair, because he had seen me naked. Now we’re even. I laughed uncomfortably."

We should say, Allen's flashing of Patricia happened in front of a live studio audience, so there were plenty of other people around ... making it feel all the more light-hearted, and tough to compare to Pamela's claim.

A woman is accusing Conor McGregor of kicking and punching her while aboard his yacht in Ibiza last year ... but the UFC superstar is adamant the incident never happened.

According to the Majorca Daily Bulletin in Spain, the woman claims the altercation went down after a night of clubbing to celebrate McGregor's birthday in July 2022.

The woman -- who reportedly grew up in the same Dublin neighborhood as Conor -- claims once the party made its way to McGregor's yacht, he started to insult her appearance before kicking her in the midsection and punching her ... even threatening to drown her.

According to the outlet, the woman told Irish police she "feared for her life" ... and was forced to flee the scene by jumping off the boat.

The 34-year-old's spokesperson, Karen Kessler, released a statement on the allegations ... saying, "Mr. McGregor is steadfast in his denial of all the accusations made by a guest on his boat."

The woman reportedly did not identify McGregor when making a statement to Spain's Civil Guard ... but filed a complaint with Irish police days later.

While Beyonce's concert in Dubai stirred outrage from some fans -- due to the country's anti-LGBTQ+ laws -- her pops looks at it differently, telling us his daughter has incredible power to bring people together ... from all walks of life.

Mathew Knowles tells TMZ ... Queen Bey united a really diverse crowd with her incredible performance overseas, bringing people closer, as she does best.

He says people who weren't at the show might not understand -- adding she gave respect and got respect back from the country, calling it an amazing moment.

MK notes his daughter's always stood for inclusiveness, and believes everyone was there for love. He adds she'd never do something to deliberately hurt someone.

As for the criticism about her NOT performing hits from "Renaissance," Mathew says hold tight ... Beyonce IS planning a tour, and she'll announce it when she's ready.

TMZ caught up with Bey's mom, Tina Knowles, Monday -- telling us her daughter was pretty nervous before her first big show in years, but notes she pulled it off and it was a great trip. She had less to say about the controversy, though.

As we reported, Beyonce's show brought down the house over the weekend as she performed to a packed house for the opening of the new Atlantis resort, and reportedly got paid $24 million.

The backlash, which Beyonce rarely faces, centered around some in the LGBTQ+ community feeling she'd "sold out" by performing in a "homophobic dictatorship."

Mathew says that's a narrow-minded view of what went down.