Controversial S#!T

The Catholic Church is not allowed to bless same-sex unions because God "does not and cannot bless sin" ... according to the Vatican, in a decree approved by the Pope.

The Vatican's orthodoxy office, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, issued the official ruling Monday in response to a question about whether or not Catholic clergy can bless gay unions.

The answer is no, because the Vatican says Catholicism teaches that marriage is a lifelong union between a man and a woman with the purpose of creating new life.

The decree seems pretty two-faced ... considering the Vatican says gay people must be treated with dignity and respect, and the church can continue to bless gay people ... as a whole.

On the flip side ... the Vatican also describes gay sex as "intrinsically disordered."

In recent years, Pope Francis has made headlines for his support of gay rights and even legal protections for same-sex couples -- but the buck clearly stops at marriage.

Michael Rapaport ain't happy with the punishment dished out to NBA player Meyers Leonard in the wake of his anti-Semitic slur ... suggesting he it would have been way worse if he used the n-word instead of the k-word.

Rapaport was one of Leonard's harshest critics after the Miami Heat center used the k-word to insult an opponent during a video game live stream session earlier this month ... calling him a "dumb f**k" and demanding a sincere video apology.

The NBA has since imposed a 1-week suspension on Leonard and fined him $50,000.

Meyers has apologized and vowed to work with leaders run the Jewish community to educate himself on why the word is so dangerous and offensive.

But, Rap says that's not good enough ... and he's comparing the situation to the announcer who hurled the n-word at a high school basketball team in Oklahoma.

"Why is that any worse than the Myers Leonard thing?" Rapaport told us.

"I'm not happy with [Leonard's] punishment, but I think if he had said a different word -- if it had been a white guy saying the n-word, he’d be cut."

Rap continued, "Every single athlete would have spoken out about it, every single actor -- white, black and in between -- would have spoken out about it and it would still be discussed a week later."

Merriam-Webster defines the word "coalesce" as a verb meaning "to grow together."

... and NBA superstar Jimmy Butler clearly could not care less.

The Miami Heat wing BODIED a reporter Sunday for bringing that big word to his post-game press conference ... saying the guy didn't need to flex his brainy vocabulary when asking a simple question about how the team has bonded over the past few weeks.

The hilarious scene all went down after Butler led the Heat to a win over the Orlando Magic ... when a media member tried to ask the 31-year-old about Miami's recent team success.

"Does it feel like you're coalescing, as much as the record shows, into something?" the reporter asked. "I mean, 10 of 11 [games] is pretty special."

The "coalescing" term threw Butler off guard immediately ... watch the clip, his reaction is priceless!

"Don't do that," Jimmy said to the reporter. "Come on, now. What the hell does that mean?!"

The reporter tried to explain his question ... before Jimmy said, "You said a big word. You confused me."

The media member explained further ... saying he simply meant "coming together, congealing, gelling."

And that's when JB told the guy, "You could have just said that" ... before ultimately answering the question.

Tiffany Haddish and Nicki Minaj got beef ... it sure seems like it anyway, after the comedian threw some major shade at the rapper.

Tiffany was partaking in a Clubhouse chat recently when a guy compared her to Nicki -- calling her the "Nicki Minaj of comedy right now." Haddish wasn't having it.

After another voice in the discussion suggested Tiffany's better than Nicki because she "shows up on time," Tiff chimed in herself with ... "And unlike Nicki, I treat everybody with respect and dignity."

If it seems like this is coming out of left field -- that's not entirely true. The 2 ladies have a little bit of history dating back to the 2018 VMAs, when Tiffany, a presenter, made a joke about the group Fifth Harmony.

Nicki took exception to the diss, and later defended her friend in the group, telling Tiff ... "Don't be coming for Fifth Harmony because Normani is that bitch!"

One of the alleged Capitol rioters was apparently a big fan of Hitler, or at least Hitler's facial hair ... so claim prosecutors, who say he grew a 'stache in the guy's image.

Timothy Hale-Cusanelli is a former U.S. Army reservist and Naval contractor who reportedly had security clearance not too long ago at a military base in New Jersey.

In a legal filing opposing his release pending trial, obtained by TMZ, prosecutors say they conducted interviews with Hale-Cusanelli's colleagues ... with many saying he fashioned a short mustache like Adolf's, and mimicked his 'do too.

There's a selfie of Hale-Cusanelli prosecutors offered up as well -- and yeah, it sure looks pretty Nazi-like.

There's more though ... the government says Hale-Cusanelli would go around asking guys on the base if they were Jewish, and allegedly said things like "Hitler should have finished the job" and other nasty comments about Jewish people, like wanting to eat them (Jews) for breakfast, lunch and dinner ... and using salt from their tears as seasoning.

He wants to be released as he awaits trial -- where he's slated to face a slew of charges for crimes in a Capitol building -- but the feds are pushing back ... arguing he's a risk to the community and pointing to him allegedly spewing Nazi ideology leading up to Jan. 6.

The feds acknowledge Hale-Cusanelli being an alleged racist/anti-Semite in and of itself doesn't warrant his detainment, but do say his extreme ideology led to his actions -- and does make him dangerous to the community.

Megan Thee Stallion is squarely contradicting The Weeknd's claim that the Grammys are corrupt ... but still lending him her support.

We caught Meg Sunday leaving the Highlight Room in Hollywood after a big night that saw her walking away with 3 Grammy wins, including one for Best New Artist. MTS was clearly on a high, pointing out the united front women put on with a record amount of awards.

Not only did Meg win a handful ... but her collaborator, Beyonce, tacked on a historic 28th Grammy -- making her the leading female artist with the most accolades ever. So yeah, huge night for the ladies.

Oh, and speaking of that, Meg's got a great take on Lizzo's viral moment too. Sounds like Megan aspires to be as candid as she was ... which she fulfilled later in this interview.

At one point while she's still signing autographs from inside her car, someone asks flat out if the Grammy Awards are rigged -- and Meg doesn't make any bones about it ... saying "hell no."

Then comes the natural follow-up question -- well, if that's the case, what about Weeknd's beef/accusations? There's no doubt, she's definitely still got love for the dude -- but she ends up putting the matter in terms of winners and losers.

Two months after muttering an anti-gay slur on the golf course ... Justin Thomas was back holding up a trophy -- winning the Players Championship on Sunday at TPC Sawgrass.

The 27-year-old lost several major sponsors -- including Ralph Lauren -- back in January after television mics caught him using the f-word during a round at the Sentry Tournament of Champions in Hawaii.

Thomas had missed a 5-foot putt ... and, as he kicked the ensuing shot into the hole, he said "f*****" under his breath.

Thomas later called the incident "inexcusable" and apologized ... saying, "It's terrible. I'm extremely embarrassed. It's not who I am; it's not the kind of person that I am or anything that I do."

A few weeks later in February, Justin lost his grandpa, who died at 89 years old ... and then also nearly lost his good pal, Tiger Woods, in a terrifying car crash just weeks after that.

Thomas -- who had intended to enter a "training program" to learn from the anti-gay slur incident -- said all of it had tested him "mentally, physically, emotionally."

But, Thomas finally put everything behind him this weekend ... and used a monster 4th-round Sunday to hold off stars like Lee Westwood and Bryson DeChambeau to earn the PGA Tour win.

"It’s been a crappy couple of months," Thomas said Sunday. "I’ve had stuff happen in my life I never thought I’d have happen."

Thomas added, "I kept telling everyone on my team or my family I’m ready for something good to happen this year."

A new video of Trey Songz oozing saliva into the mouths of two women is raising a lot of questions -- perhaps most important of which being ... how in the hell is this safe?!?

Check out this 13-second clip of a shirtless Trey on what appears to be a set of some sort, with two women kneeling in down in front of his junk (which luckily doesn't make an appearance) and licking each other's tongues, as TS stands above and spits on 'em.

The clip -- which doesn't have much context at this point -- is quite gross on its face, as the internet duly noted after it surfaced and went viral. It sure seems degrading, but the two women here appear to be more than active and willing participants.

It looks like Trey's being photographed -- which is leading some to believe he's doing a shoot, a music video or another visual project.

Someone set Selena Gomez's new song, 'Damelo To,' to this video -- kinda like folks do on TikTok or IG these days -- but there's no evidence this is being shot for her song or that she's involved at all. Besides, Trey's not featured in that track ... Myke Towers is.

Anyway, assuming Trey is, in fact, on a set here ... the question must be asked -- even if everyone involved agreed to partake, how is this even being allowed in the first place amid a pandemic? Sure, you can test and whatever else ... but this act alone feels like it'd be banned on any set anywhere right now (assuming they're actually following guidelines).

Tank says the Grammys is one of those institutions that's part of the old guard of Hollywood -- which he admits has racism deeply embedded -- but he's got a way to turn it around.

We were at LAX when we caught the R&B crooner -- who's been nominated a whopping 5 times at the Grammys himself -- and asked what he made of The Weeknd's emphatic boycott and the accusation that Grammy honchos are inherently racist and out of touch.

Check it out ... Tank doesn't deny it, but he does say the org's new Prez and CEO, Harvey Mason Jr., is a good man whom he genuinely believes wants to make the show more inclusive and in touch with 2021 audiences. HMJ is very new to the job ... about 2 years in.

Tank also hit us with some solid suggestions on how to get the right artists nominated and how to gauge whose music is actually connecting with the world and how.

Watch ... he basically says the Recording Academy needs voters in these committees who ACTUALLY know the artists they're reviewing and are experts in the categories for which they're weighing ballots. He offers up some names of artists as an example -- like Lil Uzi Vert and A Boogie wit da Hoodie -- as guys that these old heads might not know of at all.

Tank explains that skimming through a few songs from artists you're not familiar with just isn't won't cut it anymore -- he says voters gotta understand the full scope and impact of what they're reviewing, and while he doesn't explicitly say it ... it might require some new blood.

Let this be a lesson for all -- when you assume, you make an ass outta U and ME ... which applies to this woman who asked a guy with one leg why he parked in a handicap spot.

Australian social media influencer Paniora Nukunuku -- who goes by @pnuks on TikTok -- posted a series of videos this past week documenting his run-in with an elderly lady who apparently accosted him in a McDonald's parking lot as he pulled into a space.

Since PN has a prosthetic leg -- as well as what amounts to a handicap placard on the dash of his car -- he parked in a handicap space close to the building. The problem ... this woman seems to have presumed he didn't need it and was just parking wherever he wanted.

Big mistake, 'cause the guy takes the woman to task -- within reason, of course. He gets out of the car and films his prosthetic, and when he finally comes face to face with her asking why she questioned if the placard was really his ... it's hilariously awkward.

His point ... not all handicapped people are in wheelchairs and not all are super old and frail (which also happens to be his TikTok bio). Paniora says he went to the cops over this too, BTW, but they told him they weren't able to do anything. So, he took to the internet.

Now, it's understandable why the woman might've thought he was some young whippersnapper flouting the rules ... because, yes, it happens. And as she notes ... she "desperately needs" access to such spots. It's also unclear *how* she went about asking.

Cardi B appears to be downplaying The Weeknd's fury about being snubbed at the Grammys with a spotlight on other Black artists who are getting recognized ... which is interesting.

The rapper posted a lengthy statement Saturday about her thoughts on all the Grammys drama, and while she acknowledged she did think some albums and songs probably should've gotten nominated, she doesn't seem nearly as miffed as others are.

All she has to say on the matter of snubs is ... "[M]aybe by next year they will get it right."

What she did want to talk about at length, however, was the fact that a number of lesser-known, independent Black artists WERE nominated this year ... and that they should be allowed to revel in that honor, because too often they're overlooked despite being amazing.

Cardi writes, "Don’t forget to congratulate the small black artist that got nominated that got overshadowed again cause of the drama. It’s their moment finally!" She goes on to cite artists who are up for an award, like Freddie Gibbs, Giveon, Brittany Howard, Ant Clemons, Ledisi, Luke James, Thundercat, Chika, Jean and Marcus Baylor and more ... several of whom Cardi notes that don't get the pub, like marquee names in the music biz do on the regular.

She ends by saying, "Soo besides all the bulls*** let's not forget to congratulate these artists," going on to say this is their moment too and that folks shouldn't overshadow it "cause your favorite might not be on the list." Her choice of words here certainly raises an eyebrow.

Of course, The Weeknd just recently vowed to boycott the Grammys going forward -- this after accusing them of being corrupt and running secret committees that supposedly require a lot of ass-kissing behind closed doors. The Grammys has denied that characterization.

Still, it sounds like Abel's other contemporaries mostly agree with him that the Grammys get it wrong time and again. Drake chimed in not too long ago with that exact sentiment ... and even Beyonce's gonna be a no-show on Sunday, despite being the most nominated artist.

The killing of George Floyd has been recreated in an awful attempt at parody -- with a French magazine using Queen Elizabeth as Derek Chauvin kneeling on Meghan Markle.

Charlie Hebdo just released a new edition of its weekly publication -- and it features a crudely drawn cartoon version of QE2 pressing down on the Duchess of Sussex's neck ... who's laid down on the ground and struggling for air -- much like George Floyd last year.

The caption reads ... "POURQUOI MEGHAN A QUITTE BUCKINGHAM," which translates to "Why Meghan left Buckingham." There's a quote bubble coming from Meghan as well in the drawing, which roughly comes out to, "because I couldn't breathe anymore."

The message they're trying to communicate -- or so it seems -- is that Meghan felt smothered by Royal racism (headed up by the Queen). It turns out to be a swing and a miss -- 'cause folks aren't entertained.

Many are calling the magazine racist ... demanding they pull the new issue. While Charlie Hebdo pegs itself as a satire, a lot of people say this goes way too far -- mocking Floyd's death for cheap thrills. Not only that, but it's inaccurate ... according to Harry and Meghan.

Remember, Harry explicitly ruled out his grandmother and grandfather as the party who allegedly brought up skin color concerns as it pertained to Archie. There's a lot of speculation it was either Prince Charles or Prince William -- but the latter denied as much.

Jennifer Lopez and Alex Rodriguez say reports of their demise as a couple have been greatly exaggerated -- well, maybe just exaggerated -- because they say they are still fighting to stay together ... TMZ has learned.

Both J Lo and A-Rod tell TMZ, "All the reports are inaccurate. We are working through some things." We're also told what they're working through has nothing to do with a third party.

Sources connected to the couple made it clear to TMZ and other outlets Friday ... the couple had called off their engagement and broken up. We asked our sources with direct knowledge why we were all told they broke up, and we were told things were "bad" on Friday.

As of now, A-Rod's still in Miami and J Lo's in the Dominican Republic shooting a movie, and it's unclear when they'll be back together. FYI, it's a hop, skip and a jump from Miami to the D.R.

There's a lot at stake in their relationship. Aside from them, they both have kids that have effectively blended as a big family, so that's got to come into play as they navigate their relationship.

James Cameron's blockbuster, 'Avatar,' has reclaimed its throne as the highest-grossing movie ever around the world, which appears to be kinda pissing off the 'Endgame' crowd.

Marvel fanboys/girls laid into Cameron Saturday on word that his 2009 behemoth of a flick had once again climbed to the top of the charts globally upon a re-release this weekend in Chinese markets, putting its new haul at just over $2.8B against 'Endgame's' $2.797B.

China's Film Bureau struck a deal that allowed for 'Avatar' to be re-released in theaters, seeing how they're testing re-opening cineplexes ... but are short on new material. Since 'Avatar' is an all-time great among viewers there, they greenlit its revival on the big screen.

Marvel was gracious in defeat, tweeting ... "Congratulations to @JimCameron, @JonLandau, and ALL of Na'vi Nation for reclaiming the box office crown! We love you 3000." Cameron responded with a blue heart emoji, y'know ... 'cause of the blue forest people.

While the studio is bowing down ... fans aren't. Many are pointing out 'Avatar' appears to be gaming the system with yet another re-release more than a decade later, and seemingly juking the stats in its favor. Yes, the movie has had a handful of re-releases over the years, including a significant one right after its OG one-month theatrical run in late 2009.

Here's the thing ... if 'Avatar' "cheated," so did 'Endgame' to get its huge numbers. That movie was in theaters for a whopping 20 weeks or so, which comes out to about how many months 'Avatar' has been left in theaters total on re-releases (give or take a couple months).

Ruth Bader Ginsburg will be honored at the midpoint of Women's History Month ... it will be RBG day in the city where she grew up, and there's a new statue to memorialize the honor.

The statue of the late Supreme Court Justice was unveiled Friday in Brooklyn ... the place where she formed her values.

The Prez of Brooklyn Borough, Eric Adams, said, "RBG was clearly a symbol of what's great about this country and how, when we are inclusive, we can stop the level of exclusiveness that is pervasive throughout this country."

RBG had a say in the statute -- it was designed by Gillie and Marc Schattner while Ruth was still alive, and she gave it her stamp of approval.

As for honoring RBG during Women's History Month ... who better?  As a civil rights lawyer, she was the locomotive that propelled women's rights into the law books of America, and as a Supreme Court Justice, she fought hard to maintain and expand women's rights as well as the civil rights of others.

Sometimes racism is subtle, oblique ... but not here.

United States Senator Ron Johnson says he didn't feel threatened at all during the failed coup attempt on January 6th, because the rioters were true patriots, but God forbid, if the shoe was on the other foot where Trump won and there was a BLM Capitol protest, well he says that would be downright scary.

The Republican Senator from Wisconsin made his comments on "The Joe Pags Show," and it's drawing heavy fire. Johnson said of the Jan. 6th insurrectionists, "Even though those thousands of people were marching on the Capitol were trying to pressure people like me to vote the way they wanted me to vote, I knew those were people that loved this country, that truly respected law enforcement, would never do anything to break the law, so I wasn't concerned."

Before we get to the BLM comment ... is he kidding? Cops were beaten by protesters, 140 of them were injured and one was killed -- respect law enforcement??? Law-abiding???

Now, as for Johnson's BLM comment, check this out ... "Had the tables been turned and President Trump won the election and those were tens of thousands of Black Lives Matter and antifa protesters, I might have been a little concerned."