Coronavirus

Queen Elizabeth II has faced lots of challenges over the last year ... and now another -- she has COVID.

The 95-year-old monarch is obviously high risk, but so far she's only experiencing mild symptoms ... a cold and not much more, this according to Buckingham Palace.

Ever the hard worker, Q.E.II is continuing to perform "light duties" at Windsor Castle over the next week.

A Palace spokesperson added, "She will continue to receive medical attention and will follow all the appropriate guidelines."

From all indications and reports, the Queen is fully vaccinated.

The Queen has had a rough go health-wise over the last year ... she's been hospitalized -- although the Palace never said why. She also sprained her back, which sidelined her from attending a big U.N. meeting. A few days ago she was seen with a cane, mildly joking about her health struggles.

The Queen's not the only one in her fam to be hit by COVID ... Prince Charles tested positive a little more than a week ago, and it's his second bout with the virus. Camilla also tested positive.

Nicki Minaj's cousin's friend's swollen testicles are making the rounds on social media once again ... this time resulting in Minaj on the losing end of a pretty hilarious Twitter burn.

It all started with a Nicki tweet on Wednesday that read, "Nothing like watching someone speak confidently about something they know nothing about."

The Philadelphia Dept. of Public Health clearly felt a certain way about the post, replying to Nicki with the 👀 emoji and a screenshot of Nicki's tweet from Sept. 2021 which read, "My cousin in Trinidad won't get the vaccine cuz his friend got it & became impotent. His testicles became swollen. His friend was weeks away from getting married, now the girl called off the wedding. So just pray on it & make sure you're comfortable with ur decision, not bullied."

As we reported, Nicki took a TON of heat for the tweet at the time, even Dr. Fauci weighed in on the claim ... saying if it had actually happened, it was a one-off and shouldn't deter people from getting vaccinated.

Nicki still hasn't said whether or not she's gotten the vaccine. She was recently spotted at a Lakers game where guests are required to either have the shot or proof of a negative test.

Rockmond Dunbar is taking Disney and 20th Television to federal court over his ouster from "9-1-1" ... accusing the studios of discriminating against him based on his race and religion.

According to the lawsuit, obtained by TMZ, Rockmond claims he was the only Black male lead actor on the TV show and his dismissal severely damaged his career.

In the docs, Rockmond claims he submitted paperwork seeking both a religious and medical exemption for the COVID-19 vaccine, and says producers assured him they wanted him to remain on the show and his schedule would be adjusted to accommodate him being unvaccinated.

Instead, Rockmond claims he was barred from the set and assured his character's storyline would show him leaving temporarily, keeping open the possibility for him to return down the road.

But Rockmond claims that never happened either ... in his suit, he says Disney and 20th Television fired him in retaliation and refused to pay him the hundreds of thousands of dollars he says he's still owed.

What's more, Rockmond claims the studios not only refused to accommodate his vaccine exemption requests, but also deliberately made it sound like he was an anti-vaxxer ... and he says he essentially became persona non grata in Hollywood.

Rockmond's going after the studios for money, and he wants an injunction barring the studios from discriminating against anyone based on race or religion when it comes to vaccination policies.

We reached out to Disney and 20th Television ... so far, no word back.

Prince Harry had a mask on at some point during the Super Bowl, but he ditched it at another point and joined a VERY large crowd of celebrities and others who flaunted COVID protocols ... and, real talk, the rules are looking increasingly ridiculous.

As for those who joined Harry in the easy-breathing sections ... Kendall Jenner, Drake, The Rock, LeBron, The Weeknd, Justin and Hailey Bieber, Charlize Theron, Kanye, Kevin Hart, Matt Damon, Floyd Mayweather, Martha Stewart, Michael Strahan, Olivia Rodrigo, Shawn Mendes, Ben and Jen, Joe Jonas, 2 Chainz, Nelly, Ellen DeGeneres & Portia, Rebel Wilson ... we could go on and on.

As we reported, the L.A. County Health Dept. warned everyone who attended ... wear a mask or else. They even said they were going to make sure people didn't pull a popcorn trick ... eating a bucket slowly without a mask.

The reality ... there was no popcorn police, nor should there be. Even L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti -- who ridiculously defended not wearing a mask a few weeks back at the same venue by saying he held his breath -- was out there again without a mask, and this time he was clearly inhaling and exhaling as he chatted up some folks.

California lifted its mask mandate Monday, but L.A. County is not following suit and still requires masks indoors ... something, at this point, has clearly become a joke.

After his COVID vaccine stance cost him a shot at his 21st major title in Australia, Novak Djokovic says he still won't get the shots ... saying he'll now opt out of tournaments with vax mandates going forward.

The tennis star broke it all down for BBC in an interview published Tuesday ... explaining that even after all the drama he went through at the Australian Open last month, he's still not going to get the vaccine.

In fact, he told the outlet if Wimbledon or the French Open or any other huge tourney implements similar vax rules ... he'll just now sit those out, saying he feels that strongly about the vaccine.

"Yes," he said, "that is the price that I'm willing to pay."

Djokovic explained he's not an anti-vaxxer -- saying, "I was never against vaccination, but I've always supported the freedom to choose what you put in your body."

Djokovic essentially said he's not willing to get the COVID vaccine just yet because he just doesn't know what it might do to his body.

"Principles of decision making on my body are more important than any title or anything else," he said. "I'm trying to be in tune with my body as much as I possibly can."

The comments are the first ones that Djokovic has made since he was famously kicked out of Australia due to his unvaxxed status.

Djokovic told the outlet he didn't fabricate anything when it came to his application for his visa ... and he added that he "completely" disagreed with the government's officials' decision to deport him from the country.

There had been some buzz that Djokovic could, potentially, get the vaccine following it all ... and while Novak didn't slam the door on one day getting it, he made it clear it ain't happening anytime soon.

Barry Manilow was weaponized against protestors in New Zealand pissed over vaccine mandates in an attempt to get 'em to scram -- but it doesn't sound like the ploy worked.

You might've heard about this ... there are demonstrations happening down there that have gone on for quite some time now, with scores of people flocking to the Parliament building in Wellington over the past week or so and occupying the streets ... refusing to leave.

This is very much in the same vein as the Canadian trucker convoy movement happening in Toronto. The big difference here being ... NZ officials got creative Friday with their attempted disbursement methods, resorting to what they appear to consider annoying music!

Multiple reports describe NZ law enforcement blasting Manilow's greatest hits on a 15-minute loop, and not just that ... but, apparently, the "Macarena" got trotted out on repeat as well.

Unfortunately, there isn't much video showing this hilarious scene -- although, there's one clip that shows the New Zealand protestors dancing to Boney M's "Rivers of Babylon," which also seems to have gotten blasted over the speakers.

There are even accounts of the protestors playing Twisted Sister's "We're Not Gonna Take It" in response to the government's attempt to drive them crazy with earworms.

It also appears they were jamming out to their own soundtrack throughout the day, with Lenny Kravitz's "Let Love Rule" making a cameo at one point. Essentially, it looked a lot like a Woodstock event ... and, eventually, a battle of the songs between the dueling groups.

Bill Maher went in hard Friday night, using Whoopi Goldberg as an example of how America has become a hateful, spiteful country that celebrates a misinformed view of karma.

The 'Real Time' host railed on the concept of karma, saying it's bulls*** to begin with -- no such thing -- but the lore of karma was actually a positive, zen-type thing, but we've made it a thing of revenge.

Bill's phone was filled with texts after Whoopi was suspended, with friends telling him how happy they were that karma hit her hard. Bill lashed out at his buds, saying yeah, Whoopi has gone after him for his views on COVID and other stuff, but that's called free speech.

He also says she's wrong on COVID and was wrong when she talked about race -- the thing that got her benched for 2 weeks -- but that's called disagreement. As he says, she has a right to speak, and the cure for misinformed speech is more speech. And, as he hilariously mused, Whoopi has a rock-solid defense -- "F*** it, it's 11 AM!"

As Bill puts it, "The View" suspending Whoopi for her views is like firing Pat Sajak for selling a vowel.

Adele is finally speaking out since she canceled her Las Vegas shows ... saying she canceled because the concerts would've been "half-assed" ... which now has lots of folks wondering if COVID was the real reason.

Adele appeared on the BBC One Series on Friday ... again explaining she tried her best to go on with the show ... and then she dropped the "half-assed" comment.

Remember, Adele said half her crew had COVID and that's the main reason she pulled the plug on her residency last minute. If COVID were the real reason it would be kind of weird to say the performance would have been "half-assed."

As we reported, there were a number of disputes between Adele and the folks behind the scenes ... there were disputes over set pieces, audio and general production issues. Some folks in Caesar's camp say they just could not please her.

That said, Adele spent Thursday night at Heaven, a gay bar in London, where she sang along to "It's Raining Men" and ended up on stage doin' a little pole dance!!!

She also judged the stripping contest!

French Prez Emmanuel Macron isn't about to hand the Russians a DNA sample -- and that's reportedly why Vladimir Putin forced him to sit wayyy across from him at a comically long table.

When the leaders met in Moscow this week to discuss Ukraine ... this picture raised a lot of eyebrows and had some folks accusing Putin of a diplomatic power play -- but it was actually a case of extreme social distancing.

The Russians asked Macron to take a Russian COVID-19 PCR test before sitting down with Putin, but he refused to take the test ... according to Reuters. As a result, the Russians insisted on putting some distance between Macron and Putin.

Macron's objection wasn't about the test itself ... instead, it was all about espionage! The French reportedly had security concerns Russia would use the nasal swab to swipe Macron's DNA.

As we reported ... the image of Putin and Macron at the hilariously long table was very striking ... and it hardly instilled confidence the two sides could broker a peaceful resolution to the ominous situation on the Ukraine border ... where the Russians are mobilizing troops and seem ready to invade on a moments notice.

BTW, Macron reportedly took a French PCR test before heading to Moscow, plus a rapid antigen test administered by his own doc once he was in Russia -- but that apparently wasn't good enough for Putin.

Fall back, Neil Young ... Joe Rogan's plenty capable of ripping himself, and is openly questioning why anyone would take medical advice from the freakin' host of "Fear Factor."

Rogan was onstage Tuesday night in Austin doing stand-up, and dug into his recent podcast controversies ... saying he was disgusted seeing the compilation video of his repeated, uncensored use of the n-word.

Rogan told the crowd -- whose phones were locked to block all recordings -- "That was racist as f**k. Even to me! I’m me and I’m watching it saying, ‘Stop saying it!’ I put my cursor over the video and I’m like, ‘Four more minutes?!'”

He was even more self-deprecating when it came to the COVID-19/anti-vaxx criticisms ... saying he's completely unqualified to offer medical advice.

He's made the point before, but this was more biting -- “If you’re taking vaccine advice from me, is that really my fault? What dumb s**t were you about to do when my stupid idea sounded better? ‘You know that dude who made people eat animal dicks on TV? How does he feel about medicine?’ If you want my advice, don’t take my advice.”

Micah Beals -- aka, Micah Femia -- was filmed this week harassing a couple guys on a NYC subway train over their mask-wearing ... and things got ugly quick.

Check out the clip ... you see a man we're told is Beals, who has appeared on "Parks and Recreation" and other shows, sitting by himself on a bench before turning his attention to another man down the way -- taunting and insulting the guy over his face covering.

The man seems to do a good job at ignoring Beals, but the dude persists in his barbs -- calling him a sheep, a "p***y" and then finally, a homophobic slur. Beals also appears to be drinking a beer, and once he realizes he's being filmed by a second person across from him ... he zeroes in there too.

The end of the video appears to show Beals ramping up to kick the man recording, but cuts out before we can see what happened.

We've got a call in to cops to see if Beals was reported. No word back yet.

Speaking of NYPD, Beals is the same guy police ID'd for allegedly splashing paint onto a bronze bust of George Floyd in Union Square a few months back ... and he ended up getting charged with criminal mischief. That incident, too, was caught on camera.

Joe Rogan getting called out for repeatedly using the n-word in the past is getting an expected whataboutism treatment -- with comparisons being made to Howard Stern.

Here's the deal ... in the wake of Rogan apologizing for his previous usage of the slur, fans of his are now up in arms over the fact that other famous people in Hollywood have also hurled it with impunity, including Stern ... who infamously did so on his old show.

Stern has also donned blackface in some of these instances -- but one that's making the rounds now is a sketch he did in 1993, where he was mocking the Ted Danson-Whoopi Goldberg incident.

With Stern playing the part of Ted -- and Sherman Hemsley portraying Whoopi -- the former drops the n-word A LOT as he lampoons the real-life event ... and right to the face of two Black people, no less. Indeed, it's pretty damn offensive ... even in the context of a skit.

Now, despite HS addressing this exact moment just a couple years ago -- when he said he regretted the Danson blackface gag, adding he'd grown as a person -- many Rogan defenders are resurfacing this clip again and asking ... well, what about Howard Stern?!?

Of course, they're totally missing the point ... namely, that Stern WAS, in fact, called out and just like JR has now done -- he, too, went on the air to apologize for it ... as there WAS outrage at the time, just like there is right now after people discovered Joe's past use.

There also seems to be a misnomer over the term "canceled" as it pertains to these two -- some seem to think that because Joe is the most recent one to be under the microscope ... he's getting silenced or de-platformed, and that Stern should suffer the same treatment.

The reality, though, is he most certainly isn't being censored. Spotify's made clear they're standing by their man (even though they have erased a ton of those controversial episodes with the n-word) ... and Joe doesn't realistically face cancelation, as it were.

Friday is Oscar De La Hoya's 49th birthday, but the Golden Boy did more giving than receiving on his special day ... by preparing and handing out meals to the critically ill.

TMZ Sports has learned ... ODHL and his GF, Holly Sonders, hit up Project Angel Food in L.A. to give back to the community as part of his bday celebration.

The boxing legend and his lady helped by preparing food and packaging them for those who have a high risk of COVID infection or living with COVID.

Check out the footage -- Oscar's meals even have a personalized label featuring his picture and a special message of encouragement for the recipient.

Of course, COVID-19 hit close to home for Oscar and Holly -- in fact, De La Hoya was hospitalized for 3 days with the virus ... and was forced to back out of his fight against Vitor Belfort.

Because of his experience, Oscar says he knew he wanted to help out in any way he could.

But, don't worry -- there was also some celebrating going on ... with Oscar cutting up an incredible customized cake to share with everyone.

The Mayor of Los Angeles is ripping a page out of Bill Clinton's playbook ... insisting he was holding his breath while posing for pics without a face mask -- and claiming it was totally COVID-safe as a result.

Mayor Eric Garcetti is catching flak for a pic he took at SoFi Stadium on Sunday during the NFC Championship game -- he was smiling big in the shot with Magic Johnson, but not wearing a mask.

He responded to the criticism by telling KCBS, "People want a picture, I hold my breath. Zero risk." Yes, he said that with a straight face.

In other words, "I didn't inhale" ... much like President Clinton famously claimed back in 1992 about smoking marijuana while he was going to college in England.

If Clinton's claim made you chuckle, Garcetti's has to be a full LOL. The reality is, hizzoner the Mayor's hardly the only person who went maskless at the game -- we all know people who've done it.

But, it's yet another example of the apparent hypocrisy from politicians who encourage their citizens to wear masks, while not following the mandates in public.

Speaking of which, Cali's Gov. Gavin Newsom -- ripped for his infamous indoor dining at French Laundry in 2020 -- also took a maskless photo with Magic during the Rams-49ers matchup. No word if he too employed the breathless method.

The Super Bowl is just 10 days away and health officials in Los Angeles are warning all you sneaky fans plotting a way around the mask mandate ... don't even think about it!!

L.A. County -- where the game will take place on February 13 -- requires everyone over 2 years old at large scale events over 5,000 people, regardless of vaccination status, to mask up ... except when chowing down.

"That doesn't mean buy a bucket of popcorn and eat it for two hours. Actively eating and drinking," a SoFi Stadium executive said according to Fox 5 in San Diego, adding, "We are on to you."

Officials say they're ready to crack down on any of the 70,000+ fans who will ascend on the $5.5 billion stadium next Sunday ... but admitted it's a monumental task.

"It's a challenge. It's a very large building but we are prepared and ready to go," the NFL's head of live events said, continuing ... "We have had two years of experience of planning under COVID and we're extremely confident in the plans that we have in place."

Now, let's be honest ... this is a rule that is virtually impossible to enforce. How do you determine who's eating slow? What's even considered slow? And, how do you deal with the sheer number of people?

In fact, just last weekend during the NFC Championship Game against the 49ers at SoFi Stadium, California governor Gavin Newsom landed in hot water when he was caught taking a photo with Magic Johnson -- without a mask.

Los Angeles mayor Eric Garcetti also took a maskless photo with the Lakers legend ... but don't worry, he said he was holding his breath (he said this with a straight face).

In addition to requiring the masks, event staff will also require fans to show vaccination proof prior to entering the stadium. The stadium has also been outfitted with hundreds of hand sanitizers.

Sharon Stone says Joe Rogan's new approach to discussing COVID-19 is empty lip-service if he continues spreading misinformation, and adds there's only one thing he needs to disclaim.

The actress and activist held nothing back when we saw her Tuesday in Bev Hills, and brought up Rogan's podcast.

We pointed out several celebs had come out in support of Joe, but Sharon's not buying his and Spotify's new policy -- namely, adding a disclaimer at the beginning of episodes, and offsetting controversial COVID viewpoints with a "mainstream" take as well.

Sharon tells us the only "disclaimer" she wants from Joe is for him being an "a**hole." Watch the clip (pardon the soft focus due to equipment snafu) ... but, in a nutshell ... she says it's too late for Rogan's new balanced approach.

In her mind, his interviews and COVID theories have already cost people their lives. Might sound harsh, but that's her POV, which she says it's based on doing significant work in the field of infections diseases.

SS lays out her creds, particularly on HIV ... seeing the horrors of deadly viruses while working with leading doctors and scientists, including Dr. Anthony Fauci.

And when it comes to COVID, it's personal for Sharon. You'll recall, the virus killed her grandmother and godmother ... and her sister and sister's husband were both hospitalized because of it.