Coronavirus

Barack Obama had more than enough face masks on hand for his birthday party guests this past weekend -- custom ones at that -- but it's clear a lot weren't put to good use.

44's been taking a ton of heat these past few days for throwing himself a huge bash on Martha's Vineyard, where upwards of at least 200 guests showed up ... many of whom were celeb buddies of his ... and who were mostly unmasked, it seems.

Despite how this might've looked at first ... TMZ has learned that 44 actually provided all of his guests with facial coverings, which were tailored specifically for this event with a 44x60 logo on the side.

The company that made 'em is called HENRY Mask -- and they tell TMZ that they actually gifted more than 1,000 individual custom masks to Obama and co. to cover partygoers, as well as party staff.

HENRY co-founder and celeb tailor/designer Richfresh was commissioned to design the uniforms (which also included the 44x60) for all working the events -- including the hosts, cooks and bartenders -- and decided to gift the masks to the party as a token of his appreciation.

Most of the wardrobe Richfresh designed consisted of either polo or custom printed shirts and matching pants of varying colors.

As far as actually wearing the masks ... to each their own, it would appear -- 'cause we'd say a majority of folks who were boogey-ing down (BO included) opted not to cover their mouths and noses. That doesn't mean they weren't there and available though ... HENRY made sure of that.

The Kid LAROI revealed he's been locked in a room for 7 days because he has COVID ... only to scrub that announcement from his social media a short time later.

The teenage singer revealed the news in a now-edited Instagram caption Monday in which he was celebrating his #1 hit with Justin Bieber, "Stay," and thanking all of his fans for their support.

LAROI, who hails from Australia, wrote that all he ever wanted was to "make it big" in America and show everyone what folks Down Under have to offer.

He then said he hasn't been home in awhile because of COVID, adding ... "which I currently have rn and have been locked in a room for the past 7 days."

The singer quickly deleted that line in his IG caption, but if it's true -- it means he could have performed at the huge July 29 concert at Lollapalooza in Chicago with Miley Cyrus while infected -- or contracted it while at the festival.

We've reached out to LAROI's rep for some clarification ... so far, no word back.

Jason Isbell has a simple reason for requiring proof of COVID inoculation or a negative test result to attend his shows ... he wants people to feel safe and survive the virus.

The country star joined us on "TMZ Live" Monday and told us about the new precautions in effect on his tour, and why he's not afraid to do something that might piss off a large portion of his fan base.

Jason says he just wants concertgoers to feel a little safer in a large crowd of strangers and he doesn't want any blood on his hands ... hence the vaccine or negative test requirements.

Naturally, Jason is getting tons of pushback from country music fans who live in areas with low vaccination rates -- but he's also getting heat from other artists after a year that saw them lose concert revenue.

Jason and singer-songwriter Marc Broussard got in a Twitter war over his COVID protocols ... but Jason says he's just trying to help prevent another shutdown so artists don't have to cancel shows in droves as they did in 2020.

Our boots on the ground just spotted House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Rev. Al Sharpton who are both staying at area hotels.

Barack Obama's 60th birthday party kicked off Friday night at a resort near his home in Martha's Vineyard, and if the pre-party is any indication, the real party Saturday night will be way bigger than previously thought.

Judging from photos on a balcony, there was quite the crowd Friday ... it seems at the very least dozens of people showed up.

Residents on Martha's Vineyard tell TMZ, the Island is crawling with guests who will be attending the formal party inside a tent on the Obama's estate, and that includes a bunch of celebs including John Legend, Chrissy Teigen, Don Cheadle, Tom Hanks, Rita Wilson, Kim Fields, Dwayne Wade and Gabrielle Union. Others expected to attend are Jay-Z and Beyonce, George Clooney and Stephen Colbert.

It's unclear how many people will attend the big party tonight, but residents say it's way bigger than an intimate family and close friends soiree. Based on the number of people who have descended on the Island, residents think several hundred people may show.

Although the Obamas are loved by many on Martha's Vineyard, some residents are angry that their Island has been upended by the party. They say Secret Service has been ordering people around and blocking roads. They're also concerned about the Delta variant ... which has become an issue in Massachusetts as well as everywhere else in the country.

Tonight should be interesting.

You've heard of people falsifying their vaccine cards to avoid having to get the jab -- but here's another example of the same exact thing ... in the opposite direction.

The AP reports that a small handful of Americans have been caught red-handed trying to lie about their vaccination status -- this in order to receive a third booster shot before it's officially approved by Uncle Sam ... all because they're freaked out about the rising variants.

In one instance, a 26-year-old grad student named Gina Welch admitted to the AP that she'd successfully gotten her third booster already ... by simply going to a clinic and telling 'em it was her first. Her rationale boils down to ... I've done the research and I'm sick of waiting.

It's unclear if the healthcare system/her insurance company has caught on over the discrepancy yet -- but even if they have, it's too late by now ... Welch was able to prance in and get the damn thing without much checking or hassle, it seems. Ditto for at least 900 others in the country, who appear to have already triple-dipped for inoculation, so says AP.

It would appear some folks -- a vast minority at this point -- are fed up with having to respond to government entities ... which admittedly move slow on this sorta thing. That's pretty ballsy -- but it's also incredibly telling ... for a multitude of reasons, really.

For one, our own healthcare experts -- including Dr. Fauci -- have, indeed, said that a booster will likely be needed in the future to ward off Delta, Lambda and all these other COVID variants that are springing up ... and they're even working on rolling that out for the elderly and immuno-compromised right now. 'Til then, the rest of us gotta get in line.

Kirk Cousins is getting cut -- not by the Minnesota Vikings, but his hometown hospital ... and it's all thanks to his stance against taking the COVID-19 vaccine.

Cousins is one of the most famous celebs out of Holland, Michigan ... becoming a high school superstar before taking his talents to Michigan State.

The 32-year-old signal-caller has served as a spokesperson for the Holland Hospital in the past ... but a spokesperson says they will be distancing themselves from Cousins for the time being.

"While we acknowledge that each person is entitled to their own viewpoints, those who speak on our behalf must support the messages that align with the hospital’s position on matters of vital importance to individual and community health," the statement said.

Remember, Cousins said he'll do everything in his power to stay healthy and safe during the NFL season ... that is, except getting the vaccination.

As a hospital, they saw no choice but to move on from Cousins, who is actively and openly refuting recommendations from leading medical experts and the CDC.

Holland Hospital was nice during the breakup, however, ... adding, "We are proud of our association with Kirk. He embodies many values we respect and share as a part of our work culture."

Worth noting -- while the NFL is implementing rules that push their players towards the vaccine, Cousin’s Vikings have among the lowest vaccination rate of any team in the league.

Barack Obama's 60th birthday may have gotten scaled back from a bash to a small shindig ... but it's still about as star-studded as it gets.

Several celebs still on the guest list have been making their way to the summer garden party at the former president's $12 million Martha's Vineyard mansion to celebrate B.O. turning the big 6-0 ... including a pair of powerhouse couples -- John Legend and Chrissy Teigen, and Dwyane Wade and Gabrielle Union ... this according to the New York Times.

Don Cheadle's also arrived, and huge names like Jay-Z and Beyonce, Eddie Vedder, George Clooney and Steven Spielberg are all still expected to attend.

So who didn't make the scaled-down guest list? Many of Obama's former administration officials including David Axelrod, and many comedians like David Letterman, Conan O'Brien and Larry David ... giving the latter a fantastic idea for a future episode of "Curb Your Enthusiasm." Axelrod's the big surprise ... he engineered Obama's 2008 election victory.

As we reported ... Barack's 60th was scheduled to be a massive event, but the Obamas decided to scuttle the plan over COVID concerns with Delta surging.

Barack Obama's 60th birthday bash looks like it would have been epic, if not for the damn Delta variant ... just look at this massive tent where the party would've been held!!!

As you can see, there's a couple of temporary structures taking up tons of real estate at the Obamas' sprawling property on Martha's Vineyard ... including the tents, which is where a reported 500 or so of his closest friends would have been celebrating. Oh, and about 200 staffers were lined up to serve the guests.

Remember ... Obama nixed the party at the last minute after struggling to make it COVID safe in the face of the surging Delta variant, on top of the CDC now saying vaccinated people can spread the virus as easily as non-vaccinated folks.

The tents are so big you can see them from super far away ... and you can just imagine what the party would have been like. It was supposedly going to be a who's-who of power brokers with folks like Oprah, George Clooney and Steven Spielberg expected to rub elbows with Obama.

Like we told you ... Obama's reps say the event is now going to be a more intimate affair for close friends and family.

O.J. Simpson says he had such a tough battle with COVID last year, he was worried he was going to die ... explaining the virus made it nearly impossible for him to catch his breath.

The former NFL superstar went in-depth with The Athletic about his 2020 battle with coronavirus ... saying things at one point got so dire, death crossed his mind.

"When I had COVID, I almost couldn't get out of bed," Simpson said in a lengthy interview. "I made it to my balcony, trying to breathe. I couldn't catch my breath."

Simpson said his symptoms were so bad, he actually spoke with his children about final arrangements.

"I felt vulnerable," 74-year-old Simpson said, "and for the first time thought I might be near the end."

Simpson was able to recover ... and said he's grateful for it, explaining he's loving his life out of prison in Las Vegas.

Simpson said he golfs "four or five days a week" now, and bragged about how he's still treated like a celebrity.

"People want to buy me drinks," he said. "I'm always taking pictures with people. Ladies hug me."

"People truly care for me," he continued. "You don’t know who truly cares about you until you've gone through some serious stuff, and I've gone through serious stuff."

"The media won’t say it, but that is my life. I'm living a good life now."

Simpson, though, did say his life now includes far less trips to Los Angeles.

He explained he's troubled by being in the city because he's concerned Nicole Brown Simpson's killer could still be there.

Jennifer Aniston knows the drill ... you say anything on social media, you're gonna get dragged, but after drawing fire for her vaccination comments, she was ready to fight back.

Aniston was criticized for saying when it comes to friends, she only wants those who are vaccinated, revealing she's cut "a few people" out of her life who just won't get the shot.

The criticism was mild as far as criticism goes, but here's a sample ... "If [Jennifer's] vaccinated she's protected correct? why be worried about [unvaxinated people] around her?"

She fired back ... "Because if you have the variant, you are still able to give it to me ... I may get slightly sick but I will not be admitted to a hospital or die" ... BUT I CAN give it to someone who does not have the vaccine and whose health is compromised -- and therefore I would put their lives at risk."

And, she zeroed in on the point ... "THAT is why I worry ... We have to care about more than just ourselves."

The Offspring are telling people their drummer, Pete Parada, was NOT kicked out of the band due to being unvaccinated ... but as a practical matter, it may be the case.

Jason "Blackball" McLean -- famous for singing "You gotta keep 'em separated" on The Offspring's 1994 hit, "Come Out And Play" -- tells TMZ ... Pete was never given the boot by his bandmates and a mutual agreement was reached ... but frankly, a return is sounding more and more like a pipedream.

We're told there have been several discussions between Pete and the other band members for months about getting back on the road, traveling and touring again ... which would require getting vaccinated.

More and more venues, cities and countries are requiring proof of vaccination to perform ... and we're told the band needs a drummer who's all-in on getting the shot.

Pete says he can't get vaccinated due to a medical issue that's gotten worse since childhood, so he's out ... and there doesn't appear to be a pathway for a return in the foreseeable future.

Drummer Josh Freese will be filling in for The Offspring's upcoming shows -- but the band is telling folks it's not permanent and as soon as things get better and Pete's not required to be vaxxed to be in a venue, there's an open invitation to return.

Thing is ... vaccine mandates don't appear to be going away anytime soon, nor does COVID, and with herd immunity seeming further and further away, it's increasingly hard to imagine Pete getting behind a drum set with The Offspring.

BTW ... though Jason's not an official member of the band, he will be appearing at some of their upcoming shows to perform his iconic lyrics, just like he did on a recent ep. of their "Cockpit Karaoke."

Health officials say the large crowd gatherings for Milwaukee Bucks' playoff games both in and near the NBA champion's arena this summer spurred a spike in COVID cases.

Milwaukee Health Commissioner Kirsten Johnson made the announcement Tuesday ... saying findings have revealed more than 400 recent coronavirus cases in the state of Wisconsin could be linked back to large gatherings near Fiserv Forum in July.

"Anytime people gather I think it's important to recognize -- anytime there's a large gathering of people -- we're going to see the virus spread," Johnson said.

Johnson explained all of the new cases did not necessarily stem from one day of celebrating the basketball team -- but rather were a culmination of fans crowding closely together throughout the Bucks' playoff run.

"That [more than 400 cases] number is from the entire month of July," Johnson said. "So it's not linked directly to one day, the Final game -- it's through the entire course of the month of July."

Johnson said she and other officials expect the number of cases linked to Bucks crowds to continue to rise ... saying they're still collecting data that suggests more positive tests are coming.

Kendall Jenner's being sued by a famous Italian clothing designer for only appearing in one of 2 contracted photo shoots -- but her management team says COVID's to blame, and the company refused to be flexible.

According to the suit filed by Liu Jo ... the company struck a deal with Kendall in early 2019 to pay her $1.5 million to appear in 2 shoots -- one for Liu Jo’s Spring/Summer 2020 campaign and the second originally intended to be used for its Fall/Winter 2020 campaign.

Liu Jo says Kendall fulfilled her obligation for the first shoot in 2019 and received more than $1.3 million by Feb. 2020 when it was time for the second shoot ... but then the coronavirus pandemic happened.

According to the docs ... the Italian fashion house offered to reschedule with Kendall for fall of 2020, but it claims she "ultimately turned down all of Liu Jo’s good-faith offers of compromise."

The company says it even tried to work with her to shoot in October 2020 in Italy when she was already going to be there shooting with another designer ... but Kendall allegedly told them it wouldn't work.

Liu Jo claims it became clear then, she had no intention of fulfilling her contract, so it had to sue ... and it's seeking at least $1.8 million in damages.

However, we're told Kendall's team tried to come up with a compromise to shoot in the U.S. during the pandemic, but it was unable to commit to that. Our sources say it's always her intention to complete every deal ... and it's unfortunate Liu Jo decided to go this route.

A spokesperson for The Society Management tells TMZ ... "This suit is without merit. The Society Management, on behalf of Ms. Kendall Jenner, has continually offered Liu Jo alternative dates and locations to fulfill an agreement that was forced to be delayed because of the coronavirus pandemic."

The Delta variant of COVID-19 seems to have stopped the Obamas in their tracks -- the ex-President's birthday bash has been canceled.

A rep for 44 broke the news Wednesday, saying the Obamas would not be hosting nearly 500 celebs and others with a staff of around 200. We're told the Obamas were planning the event for months, and struggled to make it COVID safe, but the Delta variant made it too dangerous ... especially because the CDC now says vaccinated people can spread the virus just as easily as non-vaccinated folks.

Now, the rep says it'll just be close friends and family in attendance -- no word on an actual headcount, but it sounds more intimate than crazy. They add on BO's behalf, "He's appreciative of others sending their birthday wishes from afar and looks forward to seeing people soon."

The party was supposedly going to be a who's-who of power brokers -- folks like Steven Spielberg, Oprah and George Clooney were expected to show (although Biden weirdly wasn't) ... and instead of gifts, Barack was asking folks to donate to programs supporting kids and people of color.

The Texas cop who mounted a Black teen didn't just get too close for comfort for the family, but perhaps too close for the CDC as well ... because the guy allegedly had COVID that day.

Nekia Trigg's family attorney, Kim T. Cole, tells TMZ ... the Kaufman County Sheriff's Office just got ahold of them to let both Nekia and her mother, Antanique Ray, know that Deputy Conner Martin had tested positive for the virus at the time of the altercation.

Cole says Antanique tested negative Monday, but they're still waiting on results for Nekia ... who just went in for a test herself on Tuesday.

Still, despite testing negative ... we're told Antanique lost 5 days of work because she quarantined until she got her test results back ... she's out a week's worth of income.

The KCSO declined to comment on Martin's condition.

It's just the latest setback for Nekia and co. -- remember, they had to essentially flee their home because of mounting death threats they say they'd been receiving in the wake of the dustup. Not just that, but Antanique still has criminal charges to deal with over the incident.

Lollapalooza wasn't just a breeding ground for COVID this weekend -- it also led to some serious violence ... as seen in this brutal video of a festival ticket sale gone wrong.

The scuffle broke out Sunday just outside the Congress Plaza Hotel & Convention Center in Chicago ... literally across the street from Grant Park, where the multi-day music festival was being held outdoors.

In the clip, you can see 3 men tussling in front of a glass window ... which ended up getting shattered when at least one dude got shoved through it.

You see him cry out in pain and then try and drag himself away from the chaos. According to Chicago PD, this was all over one guy selling "bad wristbands" for Lolla to a group of 2 men and 2 women. The dispute between the 3 men ended with the shattered glass and all 3 getting hospitalized for various cuts on their heads, legs and arms.

Cops are investigating, but no one's been arrested yet.

This incident aside, the bigger danger for festival-goers this weekend appears to have been COVID-19 ... in particular, the Delta variant, which is starting to run rampant across the U.S.

CDC officials say it is infecting a helluva lot of people at alarming rates once again. The fact that Lollapalooza was packed to the gills, with a sea of people who were mostly unmasked, probably won't help.

Even those who are vaccinated aren't safe against Delta -- not entirely, anyway. Those people are getting infected just as much as unvaccinated people, but the shot does help mitigate symptoms ... and usually prevents the patient from needing hospitalization.

A notable case in point for this new surge and who's catching it lies in Provincetown, MA -- which is experiencing a major outbreak of Delta. The town was key in the CDC issuing new indoor mask guidance recently ... as positive cases among the vaccinated there were found to be in step with those who hadn't gotten inoculated yet.

So, everyone's at risk again, it seems ... granted, to varying levels.

Still, it's pretty crazy ... Provincetown is a left-leaning city that usually plays by the rules for this type of thing -- and despite that, they're still catching COVID like crazy.