Controversial S#!T

Chaeyoung -- a member of the K-Pop group Twice -- is apologizing for wearing a swastika on her shirt ... saying she didn't realize what the symbol was.

The singer took to IG for her mea culpa, writing ... "I sincerely apologize regarding the Instagram post. I didn't correctly recognize the meaning of the tilted swastika in the t-shirt I wore."

She adds, "I deeply apologize for not thoroughly reviewing it, causing concern. I will pay absolute attention in the future to prevent any situation similar from happening again."

Unclear when she wore the top in question, but there's a photo that shows her posing at a restaurant with a Sid Vicious graphic tee, where he's depicted in black and white ... and baring a swastika on his own shirt.

You could argue she's just a Sex Pistols fan, but some called it antisemitic -- and she obviously felt a correction was needed. As for her explanation ... some aren't buying it.

Amanda Bynes' parents aren't viewing her recent psychotic episode as a reason to put her into another conservatorship ... but that doesn't mean her episode hasn't set off alarm bells.

A source with direct knowledge tells TMZ ... Amanda's parents, Lynn and Rick, are deeply concerned about their daughter's well-being and health after her latest ordeal -- but another conservatorship isn't on the table, at least for now.

Amanda had been living independently in her own house and taking cosmetology classes and until fairly recently seemed to be doing fine, so Sunday's episode seemed like an anomaly.

We're told her parents are also taking comfort in the fact Amanda was self-aware enough to recognize she was in trouble ... flagging down a car for help and calling 911 herself.

TMZ broke the story, Amanda was placed on a 5150 psychiatric hold after being spotted walking naked near Downtown L.A. Sunday morning.

She was taken to a nearby police station and a mental health team felt a psych hold was necessary. Typically, 5150 holds last only 72 hours, but they can be extended.

As you know, Amanda was in a conservatorship for almost a decade, starting back in 2013 while struggling with her mental health. The plug was pulled on her conservatorship a year ago tomorrow.

Stormy Daniels is feeling the effects of Donald Trump's possible looming arrest ... we're told her life is being threatened, so she's beefing up her security.

Stormy's attorney, Clark Brewster, tells TMZ ... his client recently received lots of "vitriolic messages" on social media, including some very concerning direct messages.

The alleged threats come on the heels of Trump announcing Saturday he expects to be arrested Tuesday by Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg over the notorious Stormy Daniels hush-money case.

Stormy's attorney says she's taking extra precautions -- her team doesn't want to share specifics, for fear of tipping off someone who might want to do her harm. ... Brewster has only said in the past, "Stormy for years has had security when she needs to."

As for some of the nasty online comments, Stormy's been called a "Worthless Whore," "degenerate prostitute" and an "extortionist who should be in prison."

Remember ... Bragg has been investigating Trump for allegedly making a $130,000 payment to Stormy ahead of the 2016 election. Trump is accused of brokering the deal with the porn star to buy her silence over their alleged affair, accusations Trump has long denied.

Stormy, we're told, has been threatened before over DM ... and her attorney says Stormy knows what steps to take to ensure she's safe and comfortable.

Jimmy Garoppolo's Raiders career might start off with a bang -- that is, if he accepts a once-in-a-lifetime offer from two Nevada brothel workers ... who tell TMZ Sports they wanna hook him up with free sex forever!!

The two lovely ladies are Caitlin Bell and Alice Little of the famous Chicken Ranch brothel ... and they tell us they're really excited the "heartthrob" is moving to their neck of the woods after inking a 3-year deal with the Raiders last week.

The licensed workers wanna show Jimmy G just how grateful they are now that he's moving from The Bay to Vegas ... with a free-for-life sex package!!!

"I almost fainted when I heard Jimmy signed with the Raiders," Bell said in a statement.

"He deserves free sex just for joining our team," Bell said. "But he gets free sex for life from us just because he’s such a legit babe!"

Little also points out that next year's Super Bowl is at Allegiant Stadium ... so she wants to make sure the 31-year-old feels stimulated all season.

"Jimmy brought the Niners to the Super Bowl and he could do the same for the Raiders," Little said.

"The next Big Game is in Vegas, so I’m going to go all the way to inspire Jimmy to go all the way!"

If Jimmy G goes through with the offer, he's definitely in good hands -- Bell has been featured in several adult videos and was recently nominated for Best Sex Scene in the 2023 XBIZ Awards, while Little is a sex worker advocate and intimacy coach.

The offer seems to be right up Garoppolo's alley -- after all, he famously went on a date with adult film actress Kiara Mia back in the day.

These brothel workers aren't the only ones wanting to give Jimmy G a deal ... Sheri's Ranch in Pahrump, Nevada penned a letter to the QB, inviting him and a few of his new teammates to a VIP experience.

"A celebratory weekend blowout with you and a few of your new Raiders teammates to take advantage of the resort’s themed hotel suites, bar and restaurant, swimming pool, and Jacuzzi - all expenses paid, of course," a Sheri's Ranch spokesperson said in the letter.

"Sheri’s invites you into the VIP bungalows with your choice of on-site courtesans, as well as a special Playland with themed rooms to make you feel right at home."

Hey, they don't call it Sin City for nothin'!!!

College ice hockey player Carson Briere -- the son of Philadelphia Flyers GM Daniel Briere -- was hit with three criminal charges on Monday ... after he was seen on video pushing a woman's wheelchair down a flight of stairs earlier this month.

According to court records, Briere was charged with criminal mischief, disorderly conduct, and conspiracy to commit criminal mischief. The records show he's due in court in May for a hearing on the matter.

In court documents, obtained by the Associated Press, Erie City Police allege Carson -- a junior center on Mercyhurst Univ.'s hockey team -- put people at risk when he shoved a wheelchair down stairs at a bar near Mercyhurst's Pennsylvania campus on March 11.

The AP reports the woman who owned the wheelchair, Sydney Benes, told police she had just bought the chair for $2,000 a year ago ... and Carson's push left it significantly damaged.

According to the AP, Mercyhurst Univ. lacrosse player Patrick Carrozzi was also hit with criminal charges for his alleged role in the incident.

Carson fessed up to pushing the chair after video from the bar went viral ... saying in a statement last week he was "deeply sorry" for his behavior. His father added in a statement that Carson's actions were "inexcusable."

Carson has been suspended from Mercyhurst's team as the school investigates the matter. The bar, meanwhile, has banned him.

Ja Morant is officially back with the Grizzlies following his gun video suspension ... and his head coach said if everything goes according to plan, the superstar will suit up for Memphis as early as Wednesday.

The 23-year-old, who had been away from the Grizz for nearly three weeks, was reunited with his teammates on Monday ... and Memphis head coach Taylor Jenkins called it "a good first day back," adding Ja addressed his teammates and coaches upon his return.

Morant vowed to seek help following his latest controversy ... and the two-time All-Star kept his word when he checked into a counseling program in Florida.

Since leaving the program, Morant sounded like he's focused on putting the drama behind him -- telling Jalen Rose in a sit-down interview that the gun in that IG video did not belong to him.

"I made a bad mistake and I can see the image I painted over myself with my recent mistakes," Ja told Rose. "But, in the future, I will show everybody who Ja really is, what I'm about, and change this narrative."

Ja told the ex-NBA star his time spent away from the NBA helped to put things in perspective ... and he better understands the responsibility he has to represent himself and his family in a more positive light.

Chloe Bailey fans are upset over her spicy sex scene with Damson Idris in Donald Glover's new series "Swarm" ... but her "Grown-ish" costar Trevor Jackson is advising she simply block out all that noise.

We caught Trevor at LAX on Monday, and he attributed Chloe's decision to do the scene to her being a grown-up and thinks it screams artistic freedom.

Trevor and Chloe have been starring in "Grown-ish" since its start in 2018, essentially growing up together, and he says she has his support no matter what.

Chloe plays Marissa Jackson in the new show while Damson plays her boyfriend, Khalid and the two set off the series with a short, yet effective romp that saw Chloe's name dominating the trending topics.

Her role was eventually compared to Halle Berry's Oscar-winning "Monster's Ball" performance but only because of the doggy style position they were both in.

Chloe admitted to nerves ahead of the sex scene until Damson made her relaxed by cracking jokes on set -- but admitted they weren't completely naked and had a squishy ball thingy between their bodies.

A United pilot scheduled to fly on 9/11 says he lived in denial for years about the possibility hijackers targeted his plane that day ... but he's more convinced than ever now.

We talked to Tom Mannello Monday on "TMZ Live" about that fateful day, as well as a theory he's fully onboard with -- namely, that he and his crew from United Flight 23 were targeted by terrorists on Sept. 11 ... something he says didn't fully believe until very recently.

What changed his mind was a new documentary we produced that's airing tonight on FOX -- "TMZ Investigates 9/11: The Fifth Plane" (9 PM ET/PT, 8PM CT) ... which does a deep dive into all the suspicious circumstances surrounding the activity on the grounded flight.

It's a story the United crew hadn't previously discussed publicly, and hearing the perspective of the flight attendants is changing everything for Mannello.

As he explains to us, he was content to accept everything that unfolded was mere coincidence ... but after we did some digging and reporting, he says he's a believer.

There are several elements that point to United 23 being in the crosshairs of bad actors -- including a group of suspicious passengers who were eager to get off the ground ASAP.

Another red flag ... the fact that eyewitnesses saw uniformed persons running through the cabin after the plane had been evacuated and locked -- this after official word the World Trade Center was under attack.

Then the FBI discovered a mysteriously opened hatch on the plane.

Agents also interviewed all of flight 23's attendants afterward ... plus, box cutters were found in an adjacent plane -- and all of that is more than enough for Mannello to buy into the notion they were next. He says, for years, he didn't accept it due to seeming inactivity from the feds.

Jalen Carter's tumultuous March might have cost himself some serious coin ... because former NFL GM Michael Lombardi tells TMZ Sports he'd now have "a lot of concern" drafting the UGA star if he were still running a team.

Carter was hit with two criminal charges on March 1 over his alleged role in a Jan. 15 car crash -- and then just 14 days later, he showed up to his Pro Day nine pounds heavier ... before struggling during the workout.

While the 21-year-old has since struck a plea deal with prosecutors to put his legal issues behind him ... Lombardi says it all would have him seriously wary of picking the defensive lineman in next month's NFL draft if he were still in charge of a team's war room.

"A lot of concern," the former Cleveland Browns general manager said. "You want this guy to become your team captain. When you pick a player like this in the top 10, you want him to become Richard Seymour. You want him to become a Hall of Fame player. You want to hit."

Of course, Carter had been considered a top-five pick right after the college season concluded -- and maybe even the No. 1 overall selection -- but now, Lombardi's making it clear ... top-10 might be out of the question.

Lombardi says Carter's jump from 314 pounds to 323 pounds in just two weeks is particularly alarming, noting, "If your weight starts to zoom up because you're literally sitting on the couch, that's a problem."

"He's got a lot of questions to answer."

A new show Chloe Bailey is in -- where she's shown having sex -- has sparked a debate about racism and colorism in Hollywood ... and now, Halle Berry's been roped in.

You might've noticed the latter is trending this weekend, and the reason is because of this discourse that's taken off since Donald Glover's latest TV series, "Swarm," debuted on Friday ... which starts out with a scene depicting Chloe doing the deed in very graphic detail.

Since then, there's been a lot of chatter about her decision to do the sex scene ... some say it's a great move/good for her, and others feel like it falls in line with other choices she's made of late -- like putting out a single with Chris Brown -- that some think are ... not so wise.

As one Twitter user put it ... "Where is a Chloe Bailey’s mentor pls??? She’s been making terrible decisions lately, she should have never done that sex scene in Swarm and I’m not even gonna go into her most recent collab." A lot of other folks reacted similarly.

On Saturday, that convo shifted when someone brought up Halle in comparison. She tweeted, "Halle Berry getting back shots role got her an Oscar right?" The point she was making ... Halle also did risqué stuff in her day -- "Monster's Ball" being the prime example, for which she won an Oscar -- but that, in and of itself, did not diminish her work/accolades.

This user was essentially saying Chloe's sex scene won't define her acting career, and that it's unfair to suggest she'll be derailed 'cause of it. Basically, stop giving her premature flak.

However, another Twitter user responded ... suggesting Halle enjoys the benefit of a lighter skin complexion and even went so far as to claim that she's "white passing." Obviously, she isn't -- Halle looks Black, not white ... which is literally what white-passing means.

Semantics aside, however, this woman's point (as she further explained on her page) is that Halle fits Hollywood's traditional white European beauty standard ... more so than Chloe, or any other dark-skinned Black woman for that matter. Therefore, she believes Halle has had an easier time in showbiz than Chloe might in this specific regard ... aka, baring it all.

In other words, this user feels like colorism is still very much alive and well in the entertainment industry ... and that darker-skinned Black performers will have a tougher go in comparison to any of their lighter-skinned counterparts -- which might be valid.

Of course, there's also the Bailey sisters factor here ... namely, the fact that Chloe's also-famous sibling, Halle Bailey, has a more buttoned-up rep than her older sis, perhaps, does.

Halle (Bailey) is literally starring in "The Little Mermaid" with Disney -- very family-friendly, etc. -- and she generally avoids controversy of her own doing. Chloe, on the other hand, is under a microscope more often ... and tends to get labeled as the wild child of the two.

Patrick Beverley's right -- at least, that's what Ja Rule is saying, telling TMZ Sports he believes Ja Morant is absolutely being poorly influenced by hip hop.

The Chicago Bulls guard made waves earlier this week by sayin' he believed rap and the culture surrounding it are contributing to Morant's recent missteps ... and when we got Ja Rule out at LAX this week, he couldn't have agreed more.

He said growing up he was influenced to smoke weed by Redman's "How To Roll A Blunt" -- and pressured to drink booze by Snoop Dogg's "Gin and Juice" ... and he made it clear, he thinks Morant is being similarly impacted by today's tunes.

But, the "Holla Holla" rapper told us he thinks Morant needs to quit all of that ASAP ... telling us, "that ain't the way."

"Go play ball, man," he said. "The streets ain't about nothing, man. Go grind on 'em. Keep balling. That's it, man."

Morant has been investigated by police at least three times in the past calendar year -- most recently when he was seen on video flashing a gun at a strip club earlier this month.

Each time, Morant has dodged charges ... though he admitted in a sit-down interview with Jalen Rose this week he needs to start making better choices.

"In the future," he told Rose, "I will show everybody who Ja really is, what I'm about and change this narrative."

Joe Exotic is getting dragged for his recent presidential run announcement, but it ain't by Carole Baskin -- instead, it's by the party he says he's running with.

Angela McArdle, chair and spokesperson for the Libertarian Party, tells TMZ ... "We stand for personal and economic freedom, we are not a landing pad for former reality stars and D-list celebrities." Ouch.

She says the "Tiger King" star hasn't shown he has a full grasp on the ideas of the party, and even calls out his 2018 gubernatorial run as a Libertarian in Oklahoma -- saying that attempt was "just tigers and glitter."

She adds she's very sympathetic to people "being mistreated in prison," but notes that doesn't mean it's right to support someone who's made "poor choices."

Angela tells us, hypothetically, anyone can run for office as a Libertarian, and there isn't a whole lot the party can do to block it -- instead, she urges folks to send libertarian literature to Joe while he's locked away. In her words, "If he's going to be spouting about libertarianism, he might as well get educated about it."

Aside from understanding his party's platform, there's the not-so-small issue of candidate Joe's 20 remaining years on his prison sentence!

San Francisco is one of the few cities that appears to be seriously considering reparations for its Black residents -- and there are some hard figures on the table ... from $1 to millions.

SF's Board of Supervisors -- consisting of 11 members -- heard a proposal this past week that was put forth by a reparations committee -- which formed a few years back, at the behest of the City, in the wake of the George Floyd protests across the country.

On Tuesday, those folks shared their suggestions on how to make things right with the African-American community ... and they landed on $5 million per eligible Black resident. There's certain criteria they have in mind ... including being at least 18 years old and having identified as Black/African-American in public documents for at least 10 years, among others.

There's more that folks could receive under the draft reparations plan. In addition to the one-time $5M payout, the committee recommended a guaranteed basic income thereafter ... in the amount of $97,000/year, for 250 years.

Plus, they'd have all their debts and tax burdens wiped clean, no questions asked. And finally ... single-family SF homes for just a buck. It seems each family would be allowed to buy just one, although it's not entirely clear.

In terms of paying for all of this ... the reparations committee didn't have any answers, instead putting that burden on the supervisors themselves. The BOS, in turn, actually supported the proposal unanimously -- and said they could figure out funding later.

The Board's only Black supervisor, Shamann Walton, has been leading the charge on this ... and says he wants the reparations package to be included in future City budgets.

BTW, not everyone agrees with the terms laid out by the committee -- which is made up Black leaders/community members in and around SF. One opponent is actually the NAACP -- which, while supporting the idea of reparations, is not on board with the $5M cash payouts ... instead calling for the focus of investment to be in institutions, like schools/housing, etc.

The lady who inspired "Mean Girls" is pissed Tina Fey and Paramount have cashed in on her work while she's been left with zilch ... and now, she says she's doing something about it.

Author Rosalind Wiseman told the NY Post this weekend that she and her lawyers are circling legal action to examine the movie studio's accounting books in order to figure out if there's money they've made from 'Mean Girls' over the years that could be sent her way.

The reason ... Wiseman says she feels like she's been screwed out of a lot of potential cash since the hit 2004 film was released -- especially in light of the Broadway musical that's been made about it ... which has done fairly well for years now in different markets.

According to RW, the deal she signed with Paramount and TF at the time -- which made her a one-time $400k, and which she acknowledges relinquished any rights to the work and/or derivatives -- guaranteed net profit points, meaning she could make more based on how well the flick did. However, she claims Paramount has, time and again, told her there's nothing left of the pie for her ... and that they haven't actually collected much from it long-term.

Wiseman thinks that's BS -- and her attorney, Ryan Keech, says, “I suspect most people would be shocked at how shabbily Rosalind Wiseman has been treated. And properly so."

He adds, "It is nothing short of shameful for a company with the resources of Paramount to go to the lengths to which it has gone to deny Ms. Wiseman what she is fairly entitled to for having created what has become one of the most iconic entertainment franchises of the last 25 years." Rosalind and co. say they want to audit Paramount, and are considering further next steps ... although they don't specify exactly how they'll get Paramount to comply.

As many people know ... 'Mean Girls' is based on Wiseman's 2002 parenting book, 'Queen Bees and Wannabes,' which Tina read and thought could make for a good script.

Of course, she was absolutely right ... the movie became a cult classic, and serves as a staple of the 2000s. Thing is ... Wiseman sounds salty about how Tina Fey has repurposed the material throughout the years, alleging TF's even roped her into appearances and workshops (regarding smaller 'Mean Girls' plays) without paying her an extra cent.

She says, "I’m clearly recognized and acknowledged by Tina as the source material, the inspiration. I’m recognized and yet I deserve nothing?"

Colin Cowherd has a new hot take that Sports Twitter is NOT reacting well to whatsoever -- and it entails Michael Jordan ... not really being all that great without some key pieces.

The FS1 broadcaster jumped on his own podcast network, The Volume, this week to talk about the NBA G.O.A.T. ... arguing that MJ's legacy and success are largely tied to two specific dudes that helped him achieve the status he enjoys -- Phil Jackson and Scottie Pippen.

It doesn't sound like that wild of an opinion, but the way CC puts it is a bit harsher and cold-blooded, in his typical matter-of-fact style. Here's how he worded things ... "So, he tried baseball. He failed. He tried ownership, he was awful. He tried the Wizards, it bombed."

Cowherd adds, "Everybody understand, take out Scottie Pippen and Phil Jackson -- this whole Michael Jordan mythology is sort of just that." He goes on to say MJ has always been a bit of a selfish player and guy, and that he'd never been great at building community.

Colin finishes by saying Michael has been really good about building wealth for himself, noting that's fine ... and that it's just a reality of who he is. The larger context of his convo here has to do with reports that MJ will sell his majority ownership stake in the Hornets.

As for how the Internet is taking this POV ... not great. Bird app users are kinda crapping on him with memes and jokes, suggesting that Colin's downplaying Mike's individual greatness.

Bill Maher used St. Patrick's Day to make a point ... the United States of America is (A) not united and (B) on the cusp of becoming the next Northern Ireland.

The 'Real Time' host served up a warning that would be useful to heed -- Our politics have become a religion for the majority of Americans, and the level of hatred toward people embracing "the other" religion has us dangerously close to calamity.

It happened in Northern Ireland, where a politically combustible landscape turned into urban warfare, and Bill sees us headed in that direction.

As he says, Democrats and Republicans are embracing that same level of hatred for those they oppose. The majority of people in both parties don't want their kids to marry someone attached to the opposing party.

And then, he invokes the name of Marjorie Taylor Greene, who has called for a "national divorce" -- in other words, creating two countries ... made up of blue states on the one hand and red on the other.

Aside from it being ridiculous, Bill points out there are fundamental disagreements within each political party, so thinking a divorce will create harmony is just stupid.