Controversial S#!T

Nicki Minaj says she's got no problem with transgender people, as long as they're adults ... but minors are a different story.

TMZ obtained a clip from Nicki's interview with Katie Miller ... and Nicki explains her thoughts on trans folks.

In a nutshell, Nicki says adults can do whatever they want with their bodies -- more power to them -- but she says it's a different ballgame when kids are seeking out gender-affirming surgeries.

Brett Ratner’s downplaying his connection to Jeffrey Epstein ... and he’s claiming he “didn’t have a personal relationship” with the late pedophile.

ICYMI ... the director was photographed alongside the late financier in a set of photos included in a recently released batch of the Epstein Files. The two were seen lounging on a couch with two women, whose faces were redacted, in one of the photos.

The photos featuring Ratner are not dated, and the director is not accused of any wrongdoing in the files.

Talk about a jungle joyride -- two gorillas went completely bananas for each other, tossing modesty into the bushes, and getting busy in broad daylight ... giving stunned onlookers a surprise mating call they definitely didn’t sign up for!

The clip was filmed Monday and it’s pretty NSFW -- don’t say we didn’t warn you -- capturing a much larger gorilla mounting a female inside an enclosure at Belgium's Zoo Antwerpen ... and yes, the background audio makes it painfully clear there were kids watching the whole thing go down😳.

It’s a jaw-dropping clip, we get it ... but being there must’ve been next-level unhinged, with the pair going at it as adults nervously laughed, cringed, and clearly had no idea where to look.

Someone might wanna tell Jason Bateman to do a little homework next time ... 'cause his attempt at grilling Charli XCX over her not wanting kids had fans cringing hard!

It all went down on his "Smartless" podcast, when Jason started pushing the tired idea that Charli’s stance on having children could change if she met the "right person." Problem is, the singer's already married ... to The 1975’s George Daniel.

Jason awkwardly joked that he "needed to read a newspaper" before tossing out, "Your next husband, you’re gonna want kids!" Yikes.

Bill and Hillary Clinton are going to answer questions under oath about Jeffrey Epstein.

The Clintons agreed Monday to testify as part of the House Oversight Committee's investigation into Epstein, the convicted pedophile, who used to hang out with Bill.

Bill and Hillary had been fighting a subpoena from Rep. James Comer, the GOP chairman on the House Oversight Committee, but they waved the white flag and agreed to testify only days before the House was expected to hold a vote on holding them in criminal contempt of Congress.

3:37 PM PT -- NFL commissioner Roger Goodell was just asked about Tisch's emails ... and he stopped short of calling it a full-blown investigation into the matter.

The NFL is breaking its silence on the emails between New York Giants co-owner Steve Tisch and Jeffrey Epstein ... stating its office will "look into the matter to understand the facts."

The development comes after Tisch confirmed he had "a brief association" with Epstein ... saying the two exchanged messages about "adult women, and in addition, we discussed movies, philanthropy and investments."

"I did not take him up on any of his invitations and never went to his island," he said. "As we all know now, he was a terrible person and someone I deeply regret associating with."

Vic Mensa just got back from Minneapolis ... and, he says ICE is engaging in state-sponsored terrorism in the city.

We caught up with the rapper in Los Angeles earlier this week ... and, he says the federal agency isn't just killing people -- they're attacking citizens with sonic cannons and more which might affect them for life.

While it's a scary situation out in Minneapolis, Mensa's not at all phased ... telling us, as a Black man in America, this isn't the first time he's scene this kind of response by law enfoircement to protesters.

Jeffrey Epstein says one of Donald Trump and Marla Maples' friends had a serious foot fetish ... once stealing her high heels and going to town on it!

The disgraced financier made the allegation in an email to Deepak Chopra from 2016 -- released as part of the Department of Justice's massive file dump Friday -- in which Epstein says Marla can tell Deepak "the story of her friend who was caught having sex with her shoes."

Chopra asks if Epstein means having sex with Marla's shoes on ... but, Epstein says he doesn't -- he means her friend was caught cutting holes in the back of Marla's shoes and doing the deed.

Twitch streamer and rapper Aspen Kartier was arrested and charged with animal cruelty after a video of her seemingly roughing up an innocent pup on the platform went viral.

The 19-year-old streamer -- whose real name is Aspen Easterling -- was cuffed and booked into the DeKalb County Jail Friday night after authorities received numerous complaints over the alleged abuse in the circulating video ... the Brookhaven Police Department tells TMZ.

Brookhaven police officers gathered enough evidence against Aspen to secure a search warrant for her residence as well as an arrest warrant, and she was taken in around 9:30 PM.

The NBA has suspended Philadelphia 76ers power forward Paul George for 25 games for violating the league's anti-drug program, the NBA announced Saturday.

His suspension begins immediately and will bench him for Saturday’s game against the New Orleans Pelicans.

George said the situation is a big mix-up in a statement to ESPN, but is taking full responsibility for the error. He explained ... "Over the past few years, I’ve discussed the importance of mental health, and in the course of recently seeking treatment for an issue of my own, I made the mistake of taking an improper medication."

8:13 PM PT -- Steve Tisch released a statement on Friday night in response to the emails that surfaced between him and Jeffrey Epstein:

"We had a brief association where we exchanged emails about adult women, and in addition, we discussed movies, philanthropy and investments," Tisch said. "I did not take him up on any of his invitations and never went to his island.  As we all know now, he was a terrible person and someone I deeply regret associating with."

N.Y. Giants co-owner Steve Tisch repeatedly exchanged emails with Jeffrey Epstein, where the men discussed different women ... a new trove of emails released by the Justice Department shows.

The emails were among the more than 3 million the DOJ released under the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which Congress passed in November 2025.

In April 2013, Tisch emailed Epstein saying, "I just had lunch with your assistant's friend [REDACTED] who I met at your house Wed morning. Very sweet girl."

"Do you know anything about her?" Steve asked.

Nicki Minaj fans are taking sides after watching her cozy up to President Trump ... some are sticking by her, and others are dropping her like a bad habit.

The battle of the Barbz played out Thursday on "TMZ Live" when we had a couple supporters join our show and explain why Nicki's embrace of Trump is either a deal-breaker ... or no big deal.

Blair Thompson says he's cutting the cord when it comes to Nicki ... and he tells us why her politics feel like a slap in the face to lots of her longtime supporters who come from diverse backgrounds.

A Louisiana middle school counselor died by suicide Wednesday after he was accused of inappropriately messaging a minor, TMZ has learned.

Quinton Dixon -- a counselor at Westdale Middle Magnet School in Baton Rouge -- died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound and his body was found on the campus of the now shuttered Glen Oaks Middle School, according to Baton Rouge Police Department.

Earlier this month, Dixon was accused of sending flirty Instagram messages to a 14-year-old beginning in early November 2025 through early January. An arrest warrant was issued on 4 counts of indecent behavior with a juvenile.

Paul Dano is speaking out about Quentin Tarantino dissing him as an actor, saying he's grateful his colleagues stuck up for him.

Dano addressed the Tarantino issue Wednesday while he and his fellow cast members from the movie “Little Miss Sunshine” celebrated the 20th Anniversary of its release at the Sundance Film Festival.

Responding to the droves of people defending him online, the actor told Variety, “That was really nice. I was also incredibly grateful that the world spoke up for me so I didn’t have to."

Last December, Tarantino torched Dano during an interview with Brett Easton Ellis on "The Bret Easton Ellis Podcast."

Bill Polian is setting the record straight regarding his alleged role in Bill Belichick's Pro Football Hall of Fame snub ... saying he voted to induct the 6x Super Bowl-winner, and he's got proof!

The longtime NFL executive and HOF'er read a statement on SiriusXM NFL Radio, saying he voted to enshrine Belichick, adding ... "the Pro Football Hall of Fame confirmed that fact through the auditors of the selection process."

All this comes after the 83-year-old couldn't get his story straight during two interviews on Tuesday ... hours after news broke that BB didn't make the cut. Polian first told Sports Illustrated he voted "yes" on Bill's candidacy ... but later told ESPN he was not 100% certain, saying he was 95% sure.

Aloe Blacc is "The Man" when it comes to love and understanding ... at least according to a chat we just had with him about Ye -- formerly known as Kanye West -- and his controversial apology letter.

Blacc was all bundled up when we caught him out in NYC Wednesday ... but despite braving the freezing weather, the singer-songwriter had a warm response to Ye's latest apology.

Blacc said, "I think anytime anybody can show unconditional love and growth is a good time."

Of course, some have noted Ye has an album coming out, which could make the apology seem suspicious. The thinking is that the Wall Street Journal ad he took out Monday addressed to "Those I've Hurt," could just be a strategic ploy to get attention for the upcoming project.