Controversial S#!T

Macy Gray thinks America's ready to walk away from its national flag, and even though we may stumble ... she thinks it's for the best, and that the time has come for a new design.

The "I Try" singer penned an op-ed this week for, of all outlets, MarketWatch ... in which she made the case for giving Old Glory a facelift -- because, as she puts it, the current version is "tattered, dated, divisive, and incorrect" ... just like the Confederate flag, apparently!

Macy's justification basically lies in a couple of points -- one, she says the American flag's rep was dragged through the mud (permanently, and beyond repair) due to the events of Jan. 6 ... when a bunch of MAGA truthers carried it high, alongside Trump flags, into the Capitol.

She also says that numerically ... the stars are off, and should be adjusted to 52, to take D.C. and Puerto Rico into account -- which have been lobbying for statehood for a good long while now. Lastly, she suggests some color changes ... to reflect modern-day America.

Here's what she has in mind -- in addition to adding a couple of stars -- for her vision of Old New Glory. For starters, she thinks the stark white stripes should be off-white ... and that the stars themselves should be changed to reflect every skin tone of melanin in our fine nation.

She says the blue square and red stripes -- which stand for vigilance/perseverance and valor, respectively -- can stay ... because she believes the U.S.A. is still very much that.

Monica Lewinsky -- the most famous intern of all time -- tried getting in on the fun over HBO's own intern screwing the pooch, but people are pissed because ... the Clintons.

The onetime White House aide, who was embroiled in a salacious affair with then-President Bill Clinton, tweeted out a "Dear Intern" message of her own ... this as scores of people did the same to console an anonymous HBO Max intern, who'd gone viral for the wrong reasons.

ICYMI ... a strange email was sent to a ton of HBO Max subscribers earlier this week -- which read, "This template is used by integration tests only" ... which many took as a mistake, perhaps at the hands of a newbie who made an error and hit the wrong button.

HBO Max came out and confirmed that was, in fact, the case ... saying they were "helping them through it" -- so no harm, no foul it seems.

Folks chimed in with "Dear Intern" notes, giving the HBO intern advice ... while also reflecting on their own intern snafus. Monica did the same -- writing ... "dear intern: it gets better. P.S.: don't wear a beret for a while, k?" Pretty funny, right?!? WRONG!!! Or so says Twitter, anyway.

Different users dogpiled ML for what they perceived as her making herself out to be the victim of a saga that's more than 20 years old at this point ... and not just that, but indirectly roping Hillary into the conversation -- which some take as subtle shade on Monica's part.

While scores of people defended HRC and the Clinton family at large against the seemingly innocent joke -- others were quick to point out that the anger aimed at Monica is misguided and totally misdirected ... as they say she WAS a victim, and the true culprit is ... Bubba.

White people can't help lying and stealing everything in sight -- from entire countries, to cultures, right on down to vegetarianism and yoga ... so claims a controversial psychiatrist who openly admits to homicidal fantasies.

Dr. Aruna Khilanani went on the attack against ALL white people again ... calling them "psychopathic" due to what she sees as a never-ending stream of lies dating back to their so-called "discovery" of America.

Khilaniani, who practices psychiatry in Manhattan, told Marc Lamont Hill on his show, "Black News Tonight" ... "Every time you (whites) steal a country, you loot, you say you discovered something."

Khilaniani also said colonialism is all about "sanitizing the violence" that was required to steal from Indigenous people -- which is far from a controversial statement. However, she extrapolated even further, adding ... "You discovered vegetarianism, you've discovered yoga. Everything is a discovery and it's all actually stolen!"

Keep in mind, this is the same doctor who came under fire after an April lecture to Yale students, during which she admitted having violent fantasies about shooting and killing white people.

Her lecture, entitled, "The Psychopathic Problem of the White Mind" pissed off Yale educators, and unleashed a flood of negative reviews of her NYC practice ... some of which accused her of anti-Semitism.

Here's the thing ... Khilaniani has valid arguments about the violent nature of colonialism, but they're undermined by her overt embracing of violence, and ridiculous arguments ... about things like vegetarianism.

A Sheriff's deputy in Southern California is under investigation due to a video of him winding up and kicking a suspect in the head AFTER the guy appeared to surrender.

Surveillance footage from a Toyota dealership in Victorville, CA captured Wednesday's violent interaction on camera ... you see the suspect roll out from under a parked car before he's confronted by a deputy with a flashlight, who appears to order the suspect on the ground.

The man complies, but then the cop takes a big step and unloads a couple kicks to the suspect's face.

Video shows the cop stand over the man for a few seconds before beginning to slap some handcuffs on him as another deputy arrives to assist.

The San Bernardino County Sheriffs Department tells TMZ the incident started with an attempted traffic stop of a motorcycle. Police say the driver led cops on a high-speed chase, and ditched his bike near the dealership before fleeing on foot. Cops say they found the suspect hiding in the dealership lot, and admit there was a "use of force" during the arrest.

Bill Maher has some advice for Lin-Manuel Miranda ... stop apologizing to the bullies who take joy in making people crawl like a dog in shame for every move they make.

Miranda is taking heat for his movie, "In the Heights," a movie about the Washington Heights area of New York City. He got dragged because the cast did not have Afro-Latinx representation.

Fact is ... the cast has Latinx performers, a Black lead, but, as Bill says, "the committee" is outraged the skin tone of the cast is somehow off.

Miranda capitulated, saying, "I'm truly sorry. I'm learning from the feedback.  I thank you for raising it and I'm listening. I promise to do better in my future projects."

Bill was incredulous ...“You’re the guy who made the founding fathers Black and Hispanic! I don’t think you have to apologize to Twitter.” Maher doesn't believe Miranda really believes an apology is in order ... “I think that he just wants to avoid the news cycle, and I don’t blame him," adding, “This is why people hate Democrats; It’s cringey."

Maher wasn't done ... “People are going to have to stand up to these bullies, because that’s what it is, bullying. It’s ‘I can make you crawl like a dog and I enjoy it.'”

And, then the "Real Time" host went in for the kill ...“I mean he’s a Latino making a Latino movie with a Latino cast. Not good enough. Nothing is ever good enough for these people. They’re like children. We don’t raise our children right and it’s reflected in the media. No one ever tells their children, ‘Shut the f*** up. Sit down. Listen to your elders. Stop bitching.'”

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez says the Republicans who voted against making Juneteenth a federal holiday have 3 things in common ... they're white, male and in denial.

We got AOC on Capitol Hill and asked her about the importance of recognizing the end of slavery in the United States with the new federal holiday. While she acknowledged the passage of the bill was an important first step, she was also sad to see opposition from GOP Congressmen.

While the proposal to make Juneteenth a holiday passed unanimously in the Senate, there were 14 votes against it in the House before it ended up on President Biden's desk.

AOC was quick to point out the GOP votes against it were all entered by white men.

She believes that lack of diversity ties in with the movement in several states to ban public schools from teaching students about America's history of slavery and systemic racism.

As we reported ... Biden signed the landmark bill Thursday, and both he and Vice President Kamala Harris said it's just the next step in the long journey to equality.

"Hi, I'm Cole Beasley and I'm not vaccinated! I will be outside doing what I do. I'll be out in the public. If you're scared of me then steer clear or get vaccinated. Point. Blank. Period."

Buffalo Bills wide receiver Cole Beasley just went on a passionate rant on his decision to NOT get vaccinated -- not now, not EVER -- saying, "I may die of COVID, but I'd rather die actually living."

The 32-year-old has been going OFF on Twitter over the past 2 days ... calling out the NFL Players Association over new protocols for unvaccinated players during preseason.

Long story short -- vaccinated players will pretty much be able to go back to normal, while unvaccinated will still be required to wear masks and stay at the team hotel ... among other restrictions at team facilities.

While folks have raised the question -- why not just get vaccinated? -- Beasley makes it clear that's not an option ... and will sacrifice whatever it takes to stick to his beliefs.

"I don't play for the money anymore," he added. "My family has been taken care of. Fine me if you want. My way of living and my values are more important to me than a dollar."

"I'm not going to take meds for a leg that isn't broken. I'd rather take my chances with COVID and build my immunity that way."

"Eat better. Drink water. Exercise and do what I think is necessary to be a healthy individual. That is MY CHOICE based on MY experiences and what I think is best."

Beasley says if he's forced to walk away from football over his stance, he'll welcome it with open arms and make up for all the time he's missed with his family over the years.

But, Beasley says he's not alone -- he claims a lot of other guys in the league feel the same way ... he's just not afraid to say it.

A Foo Fighters concert was swarming with more than just fans, with a protest against the show's vaccine rules raging on outside the venue while the band raged on inside.

Anti-vaxxers showed up Tuesday night to the Canyon Club in the San Fernando Valley where they protested the Foo Fighters requiring vaccine proof in order to attend their show.

Several dozen protesters showed up, carrying signs that read "Foo Fighters fight to bring segregation back" as well as "event for vaccinated only, unvaccinated not allowed." Ricky Schroder -- who helped the Kenosha shooter post bail -- was also there, he's been very public in his stance against vaccines.

One protester reportedly said, "And what they’re doing is saying only vax people, separating humans is not OK. Those of us who have healthy immune systems should be able to enjoy these freedoms just like everybody else."

Concertgoers were not thrilled to see the protesters. One person took to Twitter and said, "Some real low-quality humans at the @foofighters show in agoura hills CA tonight." Someone else wrote, "This is what happens when you just want to attend a @foofighters concert at a small local concert hall and the next thing out know you’re a ‘Vaccine Segregationist.'"

The concert -- considered to be California's first full-capacity show since the lockdown -- went on without a hitch ... FF played some of their biggest hits in the 20+ song set.

Heeeeeeeeeeeere's Karen!!!

Actually, it's Taryn Manning as the much-hyped, titular "Karen" in the upcoming thriller from Coke Daniels ... a role meant to represent a blend of all the notorious "Karens" who've gone viral for the worst reasons over the past couple years.

The "Orange is the New Black" star plays a racist, entitled white woman in the South who terrorizes her new Black neighbors, and based on TMZ's exclusive first look at the movie ... she nails it.

Taryn previously told us she embraced the role because she's sick of the behavior of the so-called Karens of the world, like Central Park Karen, Manhattan Beach Karen, Drive-Thru Karen, Radio Host Karen, Old Lady Karen, Bagel Karen and Spray Paint Karen ... to name just a few lowlights. TM's hopeful the movie, and her role, can help put an end to it.

Likewise, director Daniels says his intention with Manning's character is to highlight how her outrageous micro-aggressions lead to racism, hate and violence.

Taryn added that she wants viewers to hate her in the film ... because that means they're on board with a societal change and embracing racial equality.

Kelly Dodd may no longer be part of "The Real Housewives of Orange County" cast, but she's kicking the reality TV drama into overdrive anyway ... and directing her ire at Braunwyn Windham-Burke.

As we told you, both ladies will not be returning for the new season of 'RHOC,' and Kelly is placing the blame for that squarely on her former castmate ... and not pulling any punches.

She just shared a recent text exchange with Braunwyn that started with Braunwyn checking in on her -- something Kelly described as "audacity" -- and then Kelly responded by going off on her for their ousting from the show.

According to Kelly ... if Braunwyn "didn't make things so dark and ugly and brought all that political 'woke' BS" to the show, she believes they'd still be on it. Kelly also says Braunwyn calling her a racist and homophobe was "horribly destructive."

Kelly's attack on Braunwyn is apparently in response to Braunwyn going on a podcast and addressing the 2 of them -- along with Elizabeth Lyn Vargas -- not being invited back for the next season.

Kelly wrote ... "She said she was fired from the show because we all didn’t like her because she’s gay. Not because she’s a horrible person. Not because she treated everyone like s**t and made no effort to be friends with us."

Then Kelly went really hard, calling Braunwyn a "terrible mother," "horrible person to her husband" ... and a "f***ing nut job classic narcissist!"

We listened to the podcast, and while Braunwyn did say Kelly has made a lot of controversial comments and admits "the two of us were diametrically opposed on social justice issues" ... she also called her "the most interesting person on the cast" and added, "Kelly does have a good heart underneath it all."

The audacity!!!

We spoke to a production source who was adamant, telling us Dodd was not let go from the show because of the storyline around Braunwyn or her sexuality -- but the source would not specify what did trigger Dodd's departure.

The Florida principal who paddled a 6-year-old will be punished after all, after getting prematurely reinstated, and the child's family couldn't be happier ... despite the fact she's still reeling from the beating.

The family's attorney, Brent Probinsky, tells TMZ ... the principal in question, Melissa Carter, recently received a letter from the Florida Department of Education -- notifying her its investigation found probable cause for sanctions ... which could include a fine, probation, suspension or revocation of her teaching license (AKA, termination).

While a decision on what exactly her punishment will be is still to be handed down, Probinsky says the family is happy Carter will feel some repercussions ... and they hope it helps spread awareness to avoid a repeat situation with another kid.

Even though Carter will get hers, she was oddly reinstated to her position as principal this week by the local school district -- seemingly jumping the gun ahead of the FDOE findings.

As for the child who got paddled ... she's still dealing with the fallout, both physically and emotionally. Probinsky tells us she has been experiencing severe pain in her back and hips, not to mention numbness in her legs ... for which she's in physical therapy. The kid's also seeing a therapist due to the trauma we're told she's been through.

Michael Cimino says he's catching tons of heat for playing a gay character in "Love, Victor" ... and he claims some haters are even threatening his life.

Michael, who plays the title character in the Hulu romance series, says he's getting ripped by some people in the LGBTQ community for taking a gay role when he's straight in real life.

MC told Attitude -- a gay magazine in the U.K. -- he was expecting to catch flak going into the project, but now says some of the reaction is crossing the line.

The 21-year-old star is fully aware many people have a problem with straight actors getting gay roles while gay actors are often forced to stay in the closet. Michael's promising to be an ally by continuing to fight for LGBT rights ... even after he's done playing the role of Victor.

One of the stars of Netflix's "Bling Empire" got called out for allegedly spreading Asian hate by dissing a famous sushi joint -- but he's hollering right back ... respectfully, calling BS.

Kane Lim -- a Singaporean real estate developer -- was recently filmed on a pal's IG Story, hyping up the fact they were eating from another sushi restaurant in town, Tadaima, instead of L.A. celeb hot spot Yamashiro ... which they, including KL, openly mocked and called "disgusting."

Yamashiro's head chef, Vallerie Castillo Archer, took the jab personally, and also leveled an allegation against Lim and his buddies ... saying they were helping spread hate against their own race.

She wrote, in part ... "How can we promote Stop Asian Hate when we are the ones publicly hating on Asians?" She added that she found Lim's remarks hurtful to the cause.

Despite how Vallerie interpreted Lim's comments, he tells TMZ she's got this one wrong, and is kinda making a mountain out of a mole hill. Kane says his remarks were simply based on his own eating experience at Yamashiro from a few years back -- and were not aimed at her, her work or her staff directly. He just didn't dig the food there, period.

With that said, Kane adds this ... "It's unfortunate this has escalated to this level. I get how it has been interpreted and am disappointed it's been crafted into an Asian-hate thing."

Kane goes on to clarify that he does NOT hate his own race, and as far as Val ... he's more than willing to make amends and give Yamashiro another shot. In fact, we're told they're making plans to meet up and hash this out in the near future.

The Black woman who claims she was dragged down a flight of steps due to racial profiling was in the mix of a brawl right before the brutal act -- but she's sticking to her version of events.

Somebody captured what happened to Keisha Young at D.C.'s Nellie's Sports Bar last weekend -- but this video includes the moments before a security guard started yanking her by her hair.

It's clear there was a massive fight going down at the top of the stairs, and Keisha was right there getting her licks in ... throwing punches, until she appears to get tossed over the huddle of bodies down toward the security guard.

We can't quite tell if it's the guard himself who initially moves her, or if it's someone else -- but at any rate, once she's at his feet ... she starts to unload on him too, and he reacts.

That's where the hair-dragging seems to begin from the original video that has since gone viral. Remember, Keisha's attorneys told us they were outraged ... because they felt she'd been singled out due to the color of her skin, suggesting racism was at play in her treatment -- and they're still maintaining that.

Keisha's attorney, Brandon Burrell, tells TMZ ... the reason Keisha is seen tussling here is because she was defending her cousin, Dayon Kidd, whom we're told is the guy in the white T -- and who we're told Nellie's security team was pummeling after some words were exchanged.

Long story short -- her team says the facts haven't changed ... claiming she was approached by security when they mistook her for someone else and asked her to leave.

We're told Keisha's fam didn't like the way they got at her, and in attempting to defend her ... ended up brawling. Keisha's team says this new video picks up after that. Burrell also says the truth would be seen easily ... if only Nellie's would release the full surveillance video.

Meg Thee Stallion's new music video ridicules, harasses and runs over a politician -- and it also has GOP politician DeAnna Lorraine feeling like there's a target on her back.

Lorraine, a former California candidate for the U.S. House, tells TMZ ... she thinks MTS is potentially referring to her in the new "Thot S**t" music video, which Meg dropped last week.

Lorraine says she feels that way given their past beef -- and because the video is all about Meg getting revenge on a conservative politician who trashes her and her music.

That sounds really familiar to Lorraine, who you'll recall slammed MTS and Cardi B by tweeting they had "set the entire female gender back by 100 years with their disgusting & vile ‘WAP’ song."

Lorraine says MTS fans came after her, flooding her phone with thousands of texts, calls, emails and IG messages ... some even threatening to kill her.

She provided some of the messages, which include alleged threats to roll up to her house, and reference the "Thot S**t" video taking aim at a politician. Other messages call out Lorraine's hypocrisy for saying zilch when white artists -- like Miley Cyrus -- sexualize their songs ... without any conservative backlash.

Lorraine -- who praised the Kenosha shooter last September and was indefinitely suspended from Twitter for continually spreading misinformation -- says it's a shame MTS fans are blowing her up because she's just "trying to help these people see that they can be more than just their 'WAP.'"

John Legend did more than put on a brave face to support his wife, Chrissy Teigen ... he smiled and claimed she's doing better than her lengthy apology for bullying made it seem.

The singer was out in WeHo Tuesday and seemed to be in great spirits. You can see him sporting a wide grin as he walked up to his car and was incredibly polite when a photog walked up to ask him about Chrissy's attempts to recover from the trolling scandal.

After exchanging some very quick pleasantries the pap got right to the point ... how's Chrissy doing? John had zero hesitation and answered with a smile ... she's doing great.

As we reported ... CT has apologized for her old ways of internet trolling. Chrissy insisted she's a changed woman ... and is trying to own up to her mistakes and become a better version of herself.

She issued a long apology and added she was reaching out privately to other people she insulted. She didn't name names but some have pointed out that Lindsay Lohan and Farrah Abraham were past targets of Teigen's trolling ... as was Courtney Stodden.

One of the peeps she may have to reach out to could be "Project Runway" star Michael Costello. As we reported ... Costello accused Teigen of getting him blacklisted after she mistakenly thought he posted something racist back in 2014.