Controversial S#!T

Jason Aldean was able to get a little juice out of his right-leaning song -- and now, another guy's doing the same thing ... but he isn't even close to as famous, which is interesting.

The dude's name is Oliver Anthony, and he's a man-of-the-land living in Farmville, Virginia -- however, he's also a musician ... and a song he just released, "Rich Men North of Richmond,: is catching fire among conservatives all over the country ... in just a 24-hour window, too.

The reason ... the track (and the music video, too, it seems) is resonating with folks in a grassroots kind of way -- seeing how he's performing it out in the woods, and in a very stripped-down environment. Plus, yes ... OA definitely has talent -- a unique sound, indeed.

Now, as for the actual lyrics ... they seem to walk the line between the everyman, working-class American POV and far-right sentiments -- depends on how you look at it, we suppose.

Oliver addresses D.C. politicians -- without explicitly identifying a party -- sucking Americans dry and wanting total control of their lives ... while going on to lament social ills, including seemingly slamming the welfare system. He also appears to reference Jeffrey Epstein. 👀

In the wake of Oliver uploading this to streaming platforms, it looks like it's been spiking in sales -- with some sites showing it's #1 on iTunes ... meaning it's been purchased a crap-ton since it went up, but doesn't necessarily account for streaming numbers. Not yet, anyway.

Several right-wing influencers are praising Oliver's song/his passion, and some politicians are chiming in as well with a big thumbs up -- including Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene.

As for Oliver, he's overwhelmed by the attention -- saying he'll be performing locally for the time being. It remains to be seen if 'RMNOR' will have the same chart success Aldean recently experienced, but based on the groundswell already ... it's certainly possible.

This is a pretty fascinating trend we're seeing -- it appears when right-wingers perceive something (like a song) they think addresses their grievances/perspectives, they lean into it ... and, from the small sample size we've noticed, it can be effective in the marketplace.

Morgan Wallen made a pretty bold move before his concert in Ohio Friday ... because he's now completely bald -- as in no hair!!!

The country music singer walked out onstage at Ohio Stadium in Columbus after he shaved off his famous mullet with his head looking like a cue ball.

Morgan wore a red baseball cap ... but it couldn't hide the fact all of his hair was missing in action.

Check out video that surfaced on Tik Tok ... Morgan stopped to mention his new look in between songs, making light of the situation by saying, "I didn’t like the long hair anymore so I shaved it off." The crowd just hollered and laughed.

But some of his fans weren't having it and expressed their unhappiness with his transformation.

One person wrote on X (formerly Twitter) ... "Finding out Morgan Wallen cut his hair off just ruined my night."

Tory Lanez still insists the system screwed him with a 10-year sentence for shooting Megan Thee Stallion -- but, that's just the consequence of the crime if you ask Trinidad James.

We caught up with Trinidad at LAX and his stance is clear: jail time should always follow the act of shooting someone in a criminal fashion, and since Tory was convicted ... Trinidad has no issue with the sentence.

The "All Gold Everything" rapper used Kendrick Lamar's "Money Trees" lyrics ... "Everybody gon' respect the shooter/But the one in front of the gun lives forever" ... to summarize his POV.

Trinidad also tells us Iggy Azalea should've kept quiet, after her public support for Tory became a hot-button issue following the sentencing.

Iggy grew close to Tory while they worked on music prior to his trial, and wrote a letter to the judge asking for leniency -- a bad move according to Trinidad, but he still respects her right to have an opinion.

Jose Baez, Tory's lawyer, told us Tory's in the dumps after getting sentenced, and Tory himself remains defiant -- insisting he didn't shoot Meg.

Actions speak louder than words, as the saying goes -- so, while "Arrow" star Stephen Amell said he wasn't down with actors going on strike, his actions say the exact opposite.

Stephen had a picket sign in hand as he marched Friday with his fellow actors in NYC, which is interesting coming on the heels of his appearance on "TMZ Live."

He told us he supports his union, SAG-AFTRA, but totally disagreed with the union leadership's decision to go on strike, believing there are better ways to negotiate a good deal with the studios.

Stephen also told us he had a meeting scheduled with SAG honchos, and based on these images of him picketing with his wife and fellow actress Cassandra Jean ... it would seem the union brass convinced him to publicly get on board with the strike.

Some of Stephen's former cast members were also busy supporting the actors' strike on the left coast -- Katie Cassidy, Katrina Law, Willa Holland, Caity Lotz, Kirk Acevedo and Juliana Harkavy were all on the picket lines in the L.A. area. Even the show's executive producers came to show their support.

Stephen's shift is pretty dramatic ... last week he told us he wanted to see the union get back to the negotiating table, rather than continue the work stoppage.

He also claimed that although he's one of the only actors speaking out against striking, many of his colleagues secretly contacted him to express their support for his view.

The Alabama riverboat co-captain who got into that epic fight with a group of white boaters says the men threatened to beat him to death during the wild melee.

Damien Pickett, the co-captain of the Harriott 2 passenger ferry -- and the man who tossed his hat in the air -- told police the boaters who ganged up on him peppered him with threats during the beatdown on the docks, telling him "I'm gonna kill you, motherf*****. Beat your ass, motherf*****."

Damien's claims are part of his written account of the incident, first obtained by NBC News, where he tells police his side of the story.

The co-captain says crew members on the Harriott 2 asked the folks on the pontoon boat to move several times because it was docked where the ferry needed to land, and he says the boaters responded by giving them the middle finger.

Damien says he and a dockhand went to shore and untied the pontoon boat, moving it "three steps to the right" before tying it back to the dock to clear space for the Harriott 2 ... and that's when he claims 2 of the boaters ran up to him and yelled, "Don't touch that boat motherf***** or we will beat your ass."

The co-captain says the men continued to threaten them and then the pontoon boat's owner -- dressed in a gray shirt, red shorts and a sun visor -- eventually came over and got in his face.

Damien says the guy who threw the first punch was "a tall, older white guy" who hit him in the face ... and he says he soon found himself being attacked from all angles, so he started defending himself and fighting back.

The co-captain couldn't tell police how long the brawl lasted, explaining ... "I grabbed one of them and just held on for dear life."

So far, 4 people have been charged for the brawl ... Allen Todd, 23, and Zachary Shipman, 25, turned themselves in Wednesday and were charged with one count of assault 3rd degree.

"RuPaul's Drag Race" star Pearl is apologizing after a look she deemed "'90s Britney-esque" took a ton of heat after many believed it to be blackface.

Pearl posted, then deleted, a series of photos to Instagram this week showing off the new look -- which featured bleached-blonde hair, a water cup, pink tracksuit and very tanned skin.

Fans jumped on her almost immediately, calling the look tone-deaf and comparing it to blackface. One wrote, "So y'all just gonna stay silent while Pearl from RuPaul's Drag race posts photos of themself in Blackface, all the while other non-Black queens were hyping it up like it wasn't clearly blackface?"

The pissed-off fan then, making a reference to the Alabama riverboat brawl, exclaimed, "Where's my damn folding chair?"

Clearly, the comments reached Pearl, who posted an apology Thursday, writing, "The character i posted this morning was not meant to resemble any other background other than my own. she's platinum blonde/blue eyes & meant to have 2000's britney-esque tan."

The "Big Brother" houseguest who got tossed, because he used the n-word, is NOT a racist ... according to his father, who says their family ties prove a lack of prejudice.

If ya missed it, Luke Valentine was booted this week after live feeds captured him using the racial slur in conversation with 2 other white houseguests, as well as a Black man. His dad, James, tells us his son's behavior was surprising and disappointing for a few reasons.

Luke's father says his son has many family members who are Black, including a stepmom and step-siblings, as well as biracial cousins ... and he says Luke is absolutely not a racist and was not raised in a racist family.

The dad says Luke's stepmother was also disappointed to hear him use the n-word on the live feeds, but we're told she feels he's a good kid regardless and they have a good relationship.

Luke's pops also says he's never heard Luke using the racial slur, and he believes his son was not intending to be racist, though he admits his kid said the wrong thing and has to be more mindful of what comes out of his mouth.

Needless to say, Thanksgiving's gonna be interesting.

TMZ broke the story ... CBS kicked Luke off the show the same day as the incident, telling us there's "zero tolerance in the house for using a racial slur."

James says it's disappointing his son was kicked off the show, in part because he seemed to be enjoying himself, and the family wanted to see him on the program longer.

Tony Rock is ripping the white "Big Brother" houseguest who casually used the n-word in conversation ... setting the record straight on who can and can't use the racial slur.

We got the veteran comedian at LAX on Thursday and our photog asked him about Luke Valentine getting booted from 'BB' for dropping an n-bomb on the live feed.

Tony says no one named Luke Valentine should ever say the n-word ... and his rule of thumb is to refrain from using the slur unless you are a person of color.

Chris Rock's brother also finds it interesting Luke was so quick to apologize ... he says that should be a sign Luke should have known better in the first place. He also feels it's a trend whenever people or companies offend Black people.

Tony's fascinated by the reaction from Luke's fellow white houseguests to having the n-word dropped into a conversation ... he says the virtue signaling is in full effect.

Ray Rice returned to his old stomping grounds on Thursday ... but he wasn't the only former star running back hanging out on the Baltimore Ravens sidelines -- he was spotted chopping it up with Marshawn Lynch.

The Super Bowl champion -- who has made several appearances at Ravens events after getting kicked off the team in 2014 -- was a popular guest at training camp hours ago ... with kids flocking to him after he arrived.

RR appeared to be in great spirits throughout the visit ... and video shows him laughing with Beast Mode as they checked out the squad.

Of course, Rice transitioned to a public speaking and mentorship role after he was suspended indefinitely following his Atlantic City casino elevator incident ... teaching young players how to prevent similar mistakes.

Rice never played another down of professional football following the controversy ... but he's been no stranger to the sport nonetheless.

More arrests in the massive riverfront brawl in Montgomery, Alabama ... as two more men have turned themselves in and have been hit with charges.

The Montgomery Police Department made the announcement Wednesday night -- Allen Todd, 23, and Zachary Shipman, 25, turned themselves in, and were charged with one count of assault 3rd degree.

While the arrests might not be a surprise -- as cops announced Wednesday the men were facing charges and making arrangements to come to the police station -- there's still a possibility more arrests and charges could come from the brawl.

TMZ broke the story, one of the employees on the passenger ferry, Harriot 2, told cops she heard the white men yell, "F*** that n*****" before coming down the dock to fight the black employee who was moving their boat so the ferry could park safely.

As we reported, Richard Roberts, who is accused of punching a 16-year-old ferry employee, also turned himself in.

In a presser Wednesday, the Montgomery Chief of police announced they'd been working with local FBI agents to determine if a hate crime was committed. At this time, no one has been charged with a hate crime.

Travis Scott is getting blamed for shutting down all concerts at an ancient Italian stadium ... this after his performance Monday sparked numerous calls from concerned residents fearing there was an earthquake.

The rapper did his Monday night show at Rome's Circus Maximus near the famed Colosseum, but it turned into a fiasco when someone pepper-sprayed 60 fans who then needed medical attention. A 14-year-old was injured in a fall after climbing a wall, according to CNN.

During the unrest, Romans reportedly inundated the local fire department with calls about a possible earthquake writing on social media, "Anyone feel an earthquake?"

But all the shaking residents were feeling was not from a natural disaster ... rather, it was coming from the multitude of fans jumping around at Travis' concert when Kanye West made a surprise appearance onstage and started rapping with his longtime friend.

As a result, Alfonsina Russo, Director of the Colosseum Archeological Park, has now called for the end of concerts at Circus Maximus with the exception of operas and ballets.

Russo told CNN ... "The Circus Maximus is a monument. It is not a stadium, not a concert hall. These mega rock concerts put it at risk."

This must feel a little like déjà vu for Travis, who had to endure the whole controversy surrounding his Astroworld debacle in which 10 people died and thousands injured at his 2021 show in Houston, Texas.

'Big Brother 25' contestant Luke Valentine just got kicked out of the house after casually dropping the N-word in the middle of a conversation with other houseguests.

CBS and the reality show's producers tell TMZ ... "Luke violated the BIG BROTHER code of conduct and there is zero tolerance in the house for using a racial slur. He has been removed from the house."

We're told Luke's departure will be addressed in Thursday's episode.

Wednesday morning's live feed captured Luke chatting with contests Jared, Cory, and Hisam as Luke says, "We were in the f****** (inaudible) room, n****."

Luke immediately tried to correct himself by saying "dude" ... and he laughs it off and later tells Jared, who is Black, that it was a slip of the tongue.

Jared didn't seem all too concerned with Luke using the slur, telling him ... "I don't give a f***" ... though it's possible Jared kept his cool for gameplay purposes.

Former NFL cornerback Bashaud Breeland -- a one-time Super Bowl champion -- was arrested this week ... after cops say he was in possession of drugs, a slew of guns and a stolen car.

According to police documents, Breeland was found with the vehicle, the firearms and the contraband at around 3:05 p.m. on Monday after he was pulled over in Charlotte, N.C.

Cops say during the traffic stop, they found the 2020 Mercedes-Benz he was driving had been reported stolen from Florida. They added that during an ensuing search of the car, they found a bevvy of weapons -- including two AR-15s and two AK-47s.

Police also said in the docs they discovered 5.45 pounds of suspected marijuana and 62 grams of suspected mushrooms in the ride ... plus a bunch of cash and drug paraphernalia.

They estimated the suspected drugs to be worth $7,000.

Records show the ex-cornerback was booked into Mecklenburg County Jail at 2:12 a.m. on Tuesday ... on eight total charges -- including possession of a stolen motor vehicle. The records show he was released from custody less than three hours later.

This is not the first time Breeland has been arrested in the past few years ... he was also jailed in South Carolina in 2020 following a scary encounter with cops at a gas station.

Breeland -- who played his college ball at Clemson -- has not logged a snap in the NFL since the 2021 season ... but he had been considered one of the league's better DBs throughout his career.

The mom suing Southwest Airlines for accusing her of child trafficking says it's really a case of racial profiling ... and adds, there's a better way to protect kids if the airline would train its employees better.

Mary MacCarthy joined us Wednesday on "TMZ Live," telling us why she feels her daughter's race was the only reason Southwest reported her, back in 2021, to Denver PD.

For those unaware, Mary and her child, Moira -- who was 10 at the time -- were flying to Colorado because Mary's brother had died, but cops greeted them as soon as they landed.

Southwest employees suspected Mary was trafficking Moira.

Mary insists the airline's only red flag was skin color -- she is white, while her daughter is biracial -- and she told us the misunderstanding could've been cleared up, if a crew member had spoken to them instead of calling police.

She also claims she never got a proper apology from the airline and is still waiting for it to admit fault for racially profiling them.

The Alabama riverfront brawl now includes allegations of white men dropping the n-word and threatening to use a gun.

According to new legal docs, obtained by TMZ, a woman who says she was working on the riverboat told police one of the white men who attacked a Black deckhand yelled, "F*** that n*****" before coming down the dock to fight him.

The woman, Crystal Warren, claims the alleged n-bomb dropped after the Black deckhand moved a couple of smaller boats that were taking up space on the dock and preventing the riverboat from docking.

Warren told police the riverboat captain initially asked the boat owners to move their boat, which she said drew middle fingers and curses from the white men on the boat. She says the riverboat was stuck waiting for 17 minutes until a smaller commercial boat picked up a deckhand and her 16-year-old son from the riverboat and dropped them off on the dock.

From there, Warren claims the deckhand and her son Daniel moved the boats that were blocking the dock and tied them back up, and she says she heard at least one of the men yell the n-word.

Warren also claims one of the white men threatened to go and get a gun during the fight on the dock ... a brawl that was captured on video and has already led to at least one arrest.

The viral video appears to show Daniel trying to pull the white men off the Black deckhand, and his mother says he was punched in the chest while trying to break up the fight, suffering bruised ribs and going to a hospital for a diagnosis.

Richard Roberts is the man accused of punching Daniel ... and he's been arrested and charged with 3rd-degree assault

'Big Brother 25' contestant Luke Valentine created a pretty tense situation after dropping the N-word mid-conversation with some fellow houseguests.

Luke was seen chatting on the live feeds early Wednesday morning with contestants Jared, Cory, and Hisam when he said, "We were in the f****** (inaudible) room, n****." Realizing his mistake immediately, Luke tries to correct himself by saying "dude" ... and laughs it off.

Cory and Hisam immediately tense up, and rightfully so ... Luke looks over to Jared, who's Black, before apologizing. It seemed to tick off Cory and Hisam, who definitely didn't laugh with him -- instead, they step out, leaving Luke alone with Jared.

Surprisingly, Jared doesn't seem all that concerned with the apparent slip-up -- it's possible he wanted to keep his cool for gameplay purposes -- later telling Luke, "I don't give a f***," in response to the slur.

White folks dropping the N-word on 'BB' has become a reoccurring theme ... it's happened quite a bit over the years, especially in 2018 when houseguest Kaitlyn said it while quoting Drake's "0 to 100."

BTW, producers just warned the cast about their language after 2 contestants were worried their tans would make them look "ghetto."

CBS has threatened to kick people off the show for situations just like Luke's ... but it's unclear if he'll be forced to pack his bags anytime soon.