Coronavirus

Paul Hogan insists he didn't put up a sign on his house warning homeless people to scram ... in fact, he says the house isn't even his and he has empathy for people living on the streets.

The "Crocodile Dundee" star was getting lots of unwanted attention after a sign was plastered on his garage that read ...'THIS IS MY HOUSE NOT YOURS." Hogan is renting a $3.5 million house on the sand in Venice ... an area that has been completely overrun by the homeless. It's become both dangerous and heartbreaking to see people living in horrible conditions.

Hogan says he did NOT write the sign, although it's weird he was seen with a red marker in his hand and the sign is written in red.  He does say when he saw the sign, he took it down.

Paul calls the homeless situation in L.A. sad, awful and embarrassing. State and local government have done little, if anything, to curb the problem up to this point, and it's become a full-blown crisis.

The 81-year-old Hogan has said he's homesick for his native Australia and can't wait for COVID-19 issues to be resolved so he can leave L.A.

Gotta hand it to the New England Patriots ... once again using their resources to help combat the global COVID pandemic.

This time, Robert Kraft's team sent the Patriots jet to El Salvador to deliver 500,000 doses of the COVID vaccine.

Photos show the plane at Oscar Arnulfo Romero International Airport on Tuesday delivering the payload ... great news for a country that's been trying to roll out the vaccine to its 6.4 million citizens.

So far, El Salvador has recorded more than 71,000 cases and 2,100 deaths. The CDC has issued the country a "3" rating, which indicates a high level of COVID, noting "travelers should avoid all nonessential travel" to El Salvador.

Officials in El Salvador have said the country is on track to reach its goal of immunizing the entire population "very soon" ... thanks, in part, to the Patriots.

Back in April 2020 -- and the beginning of the pandemic -- Kraft sent the Patriots team jet to China to bring back more than 1.2 million N95 masks to distribute to people in need in the U.S.

Sure, you can hate the team on the field ... but gotta hand it to the Patriots for making a real impact off of it.

The opposition continues ...

With the 2020 Olympic Games set to begin in less than 3 months, the movement to cancel the event is still strong .. as evidenced by a protest in the streets of Tokyo on Monday.

People held signs reading, "Extinguish the Olympic Torch" and "Cancel the Tokyo Olympics."

The photos show a police presence during the demonstration -- but it doesn't appear things got out of hand.

The protest comes in the wake of a new poll conducted in Japan which reportedly says 80% of Japanese citizens are AGAINST the Olympics beginning on July 23, as currently scheduled.

The poll, conducted by Asahi Shimbun -- one of Japan's largest news outlets -- said of those surveyed, 43% want the Games canceled while 40% would prefer another postponement.

As we previously reported, there has been a recent surge in COVID cases in major Japanese cities, including Tokyo -- which led to the government extending a state of emergency from May 11 to May 31.

The country is currently experiencing a 4th wave of the infection which reportedly contains a variant that is spreading very fast and impacting a relatively large number of young people.

So far, Japanese officials are pushing forward with the plans to host the Games -- insisting there are measures in place to prevent a major outbreak.

Ricky Schroder doesn't seem to understand the CDC's new guideline about mask-wearing -- and he learned about it the hard way at a Costco, which held its ground on policy.

The former child star from "Silver Spoons" filmed an aggressive encounter between himself and a Costco manager named Jason at an L.A.-area warehouse ... which is now making the rounds online.

You see Ricky asking the guy why he isn't being allowed inside without a face covering, noting the new news that fully vaccinated people don't really have to wear them indoors or out in most settings -- except for a few exceptions. Turns out, a Costco in Cali is one.

The manager calmly explains that there is still a state-wide mask mandate that's in effect throughout the state -- it's true, there is -- and that even though Gov. Newsom has signaled that may be lifted around mid-June ... their Costco is still following local guidelines to a T.

Ricky then goes on a bizarre rant about kings and lords ... and something about societal control. Jason hears him out, but stands firm -- basically telling him to scram.

They eventually get Ricky a refund and even amid his calls for boycotting Costco ... they get him to leave. It's a great lesson -- yes, the CDC has new guidelines about mask-wearing, but no ... not every retailer in every state out there is up to speed on switching gears just yet.

Confused about mask-wearing these days??? Well, this "Saturday Night Live" video won't help, but it's hilarious.

Kate McKinnon played a mean Dr. Anthony Fauci during the cold open of the show, which focused on confusion over mask-wearing in the wake of the CDC's new guidelines.

McKinnon, who has Fauci's voice down pat, walked us all through various scenarios which may or may not require masking up.

There's a scene on an airplane where a flight attendant and passenger talk masks, but they confess they're super horny and start to bang.

The skit then gets right up to the line as a dude goes to pick up a child from school as a school official discusses mask-wearing ... turns out the dude doesn't have kids.

It's funny, but the confusion is real, with states, local governments and businesses all over the board on mask-wearing.

Covering the White House looks way different today -- there are very few face coverings in the Press Room as the government and the news biz react to the new CDC guidelines.

During Friday's press briefing at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave., all staffers were mask-free. Ditto for almost all of the reporters who were present. Looks like 2 or 3 holdouts were still taking precautions, and everyone was still practicing social distancing.

No such concerns over at 30 Rock in NYC, though. "Today" hosts Savannah Guthrie and Hoda Kotb are getting way closer than they've been in more than a year, and they're absolutely giddy about it.

They kicked off Friday's show sitting right next to each other, and even held hands for a bit. Viewers have gotten used to seeing TV hosts seated at least 6 feet apart during the pandemic, but the CDC's flipped things back to pre-COVID ... for some, anyway.

As you know, the CDC's new guidance says fully vaccinated Americans have the green light to ditch masks and eliminate social distancing outdoors AND indoors -- but not everyone's rushing back to total "normalcy."

Check out the folks over at 'GMA' ... anchors Michael Strahan, Cecilia Vega and George Stephanopoulos were still socially distanced during Friday's show -- perhaps reflecting a big difference in the corporate policies for ABC and NBC.

As we showed you, after President Biden's milestone speech Thursday from the Rose Garden, he and VP Kamala Harris couldn't mask their joy over the CDC's new guidance as they hugged and laughed ... sans masks.

So far, at least 10 states have completely lifted their mask mandates on the heels of the CDC's announcement, but several others, like NY and Cali, aren't celebrating just yet.

Whoopi Goldberg was blindsided when we told her Ellen DeGeneres is ending her talk show ... it was news to her.

We got Whoopi at a COVID vaccination site Friday in East Orange, NJ and when our camera guy asked her reaction to Ellen's announcement, Whoopi literally took a few steps back she was so shocked.

Well, there's lots going on in this world ... COVID, re-opening, culture wars, etc., etc., etc., so so you can't keep up on everything. As for whether Whoopi might actually replace Ellen, she explains why that's never gonna happen!

Whoopi may not have been up to date on Ellen, but she definitely is on COVID.

Bill Maher is sidelined from his show this week because he's tested positive for COVID-19 ... but, strange as it sounds, there's some good news here.

The 'Real Time' host has little reason to be worried because a rep for HBO says Bill is fully vaccinated, and he's feeling fine. The rep says, "Bill tested positive during weekly staff PCR testing for COVID" but says he's totally asymptomatic.

Remember, the COVID vaccines don't guarantee you won't get infected, but are highly effective in shielding you from serious illness and hospitalization. Bill's a perfect example of that.

HBO says no other staff or crew members have tested positive for the virus and Friday's show will be rescheduled for a later date ... the network says they've taken all COVID safety measures seriously.

Bill's guests this week were supposed to be Neil deGrasse Tyson, "World War Z" author Max Brooks and "Hardcore History" podcast host Dan Carlin.

President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris can't mask their joy over the CDC's new recommendation that fully vaccinated people can ditch their face coverings -- indoors and outdoors ... it's all over their faces!

The Prez delivered a speech in the Rose Garden a bit ago on the heels of the CDC's announcement, calling it a great milestone and a great day after more than a year of pandemic anxiety, and yes ... mask fatigue.

Biden went on to applaud the success of the COVID vaccine rollout in the U.S. and promisingly low coronavirus numbers. After his speech ... Joe and Kamala walked off side-by-side with huge smiles -- easy to see without face coverings.

POTUS and the Veep weren't the only ones in D.C. showing elation ... we got Congressmen Eric Swalwell, Greg Pence and Michael Guest on Capitol Hill palling around, maskless.

We asked them about the petition to rename the Ronald Reagan Airport after JoJo Siwa, and despite Swalwell being a Dem and the other 2 guys being Republicans ... they all reached a consensus.

California's thankfully seeing a major dip in COVID cases and deaths, but roller coaster thrill-seekers are still required to follow serious safety guidelines ... rules some health care workers say are ridiculous.

Not only do Disneyland, Six Flags Magic Mountain and Legoland all require riders to keep their masks on through the duration of the ride, they're also leaving entire rows empty and splitting up party sizes to ensure social distancing ... guidelines put in place by the state.

Dr. Ashish Jha -- the Dean of Brown University's School of Public Health -- appeared on "TMZ Live" Thursday and scoffed at the requirement to have empty cars on roller coaster rides. He says it simply makes no sense.

Dr. Jha also has a couple pointers for those with children who are concerned about their well-being since they're still unvaccinated ... and hopefully, it provides some peace of mind.

Of course, when it comes to roaming the park, there's an argument to be made that safety precautions are necessary because of unvaccinated people, but Dr. Jha says a roller coaster is a whole different animal. BTW, the CDC just came out with new guidelines ... people who have been vaccinated don't have to wear masks indoors or outdoors.

Horrible news out of the WNBA ... NY Liberty star Asia Durr will miss the entire 2021 season because she's still reeling from the effects of COVID.

The 24-year-old shooting guard -- the #2 overall pick in the 2019 WNBA Draft -- missed the entire 2020 WNBA season due to the effects of COVID. She has previously talked publicly about how the virus wreaked havoc on her body, putting her basketball career in jeopardy.

Now, the NY Liberty has placed Durr on the full-season suspended list, noting it was a "personal decision."

But, Durr's issues are no secret -- she was featured on HBO's "Real Sports" back in January and spelled out how COVID has destroyed her life and career since she tested positive on June 8, 2020.

At the time, Durr said she had lost 32 pounds and experienced massive problems with her lungs.

"I couldn't breathe. I was spitting up blood. It was just lung pain that was just so severe. It felt like somebody took a long knife and was just stabbing you in your lungs each second."

She continued, "I woke up 2 o'clock in the morning, vomiting, going back and forth to the bathroom. I couldn't keep anything down."

Sarah Palin has emerged from the Alaskan shadows to do something very on-brand -- mocking mask-wearing inside an airport ... treating it like a giant joke.

The former Alaskan Governor, and one-time running mate to John McCain, posted a video to her social media ... telling her followers she was at LAX, and that she was "going rogue" by having her mask down while talking to the camera.

She seemed pretty giddy about it ... and was clearly being sarcastic as she joked about being "outside," meaning down here in the States outside her of Alaskan utopia -- where she might be able to get away with not wearing a mask in public these days.

Sarah has demonstrated she does NOT like face coverings ... and now that we're finally turning a corner in the pandemic, she seems to think it's cool to poke fun at it when in reality -- they're still necessary, especially at a place like LAX.

Airports are the key to unlocking the ability to go places, like vacations and business travel. They're also a little dicey because people are in such close proximity to each other, both in the terminal and on the plane. So in many ways, it's where mask-wearing makes the most sense.

Good news Betty White fans ... more than a year into a pandemic and the Hollywood legend's still healthy and safe at home, but she's looking forward to summer when she can safely enjoy the outdoors and regain her freedom.

Betty's been keeping herself busy at home reading, watching TV and doing crossword puzzles ... so says her rep, Jeff Witjas. We're told there's one thing the pandemic has severely affected in her life ... her ability to regularly interact with friends face-to-face.

We're told, however, she still pens plenty of letters, makes phone calls and has limited visits with friends and loved ones through the window of her home.

Betty has always been a champion for animals, but currently has no house pets, so that's an empty spot in her life ... especially for a senior who is isolated from friends and family. She does, however, have a couple ducks on her property that we're told walk up to her door every day to say hello.

As for whether or not 99-year-old Betty's been vaccinated, Witjas is mum, saying it's a personal matter.

We're told it's unclear if and when Betty will ever return to work. But, after a Hollywood career that's spanned 60-plus years ... a break is well-deserved.

Welp, this is bad ...

The COVID pandemic is hitting Japan so hard, IOC president Thomas Bach has canceled a trip to the country ... leaving many wondering if the Olympic Games will actually happen in July as planned.

After a surge in cases in major cities, including Tokyo, the Japanese government extended a state of emergency from May 11 to May 31 ... which leaves less than 2 months before the Games are scheduled to begin on July 23.

Health officials in Japan are concerned the current 4th wave of the infection contains a variant that is spreading very fast and impacting a relatively large number of young people.

Officials say hospitals are overwhelmed and the health care system throughout the country is being pushed to the brink.

IOC President Bach was supposed to be traveling all over Japan next week to meet up with the Olympic torch -- but now, those plans have been postponed until Japanese officials end the state of emergency.

As for the numbers in Japan, there are more than 600,000 reported COVID cases and roughly 11,000 deaths.

One of the biggest issues at the moment is the fact only 2% of the 126 million people living in Japan have received at least one vaccine dose according to Reuters.

An anti-vaxxer has been going around stealing vials of the Johnson & Johnson COVID vaccine, proclaiming it poisonous and urging people to turn their backs on it.

It's a bizarre story. A guy named Thomas Humphrey, turned the camera on himself as he showed up for his vaccine appointment Thursday at a CVS in Minnesota.

He tricked the pharmacy folks by saying he just wanted to look at the label on the vial, but once in his hand, he made off with it as he claimed it was toxic to humans. He said he was going to have it tested at a lab as he walked out of the store.

It wasn't the first time Humphrey pulled this stunt. The day before he did the same thing at a clinic, warning people the vaccine was toxic and they should roll their sleeves back down.

Humphrey is wearing a "National Action Task Force" shirt, an org that proclaims "enough is enough!"

Canelo Alvarez and Billy Joe Saunders are fighting in front of a MASSIVE crowd Saturday night, but promoter Eddie Hearn says you should NOT worry about Covid ... 'cause there are precautions in place to keep fans safe.

The fight's going down May 8 at AT&T Stadium in Texas -- where there are no restrictions -- and will likely be the most attended event in America since the pandemic struck early last year.

"We're gonna be just under 70,000. So it's gonna be incredible," Hearn says ... "I think I remember seeing Canelo box Liam Smith and it was about 40,000 people there and the atmosphere was just absolutely insane. This is gonna be a very, very special atmosphere."

Some people have said packing the building with fans is a bad idea ... so we asked Eddie to address the situation.

"We're not the first in terms of big numbers returning to Texas. All sports now have been bringing crowds back. You've seen no spikes because of that," Hearn says.

"There will be masks worn, mandatory, on Saturday night. I've noticed, to be honest with you, as a Brit coming into states that have opened up like Texas and Florida, people aren't going out there care-free and just ignoring rules."

"People are actually being sensible and they will be Saturday night, and everyone will have a safe night."