Alex Rodriguez Flies to Dominican Republic ... Onward, Upward with J Lo???

Things are looking up between Alex Rodriguez and Jennifer Lopez ... at least that's how A-Rod seems to view their relationship, now that they're in the same place.

MOVIN' ON UP
@arod / Instagram

TMZ has confirmed A-Rod flew to the Dominican Republic, where J Lo has been shooting a movie, and Monday morning he posted video from their luxury digs down there. His caption said, "Happy Monday. New week,. New day. Onward. Upward."

BTW, he also tagged J Lo tag in his post.

Remember, A-Rod told a photog Saturday in Miami he is definitely NOT single. He and Jennifer told TMZ, "We are working through some things."

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WE'RE STILL TOGETHER
MEGA/BACKGRID

Sources with direct knowledge told us those issues they're working on do not involve a third person.

Now, we're told A-Rod's been going to the DR every few weeks while Jen's been there shooting -- so this current trip could've been planned all along. Still, the fact he's carried through with it ... is a sign they might work it all out, after all.

Stay tuned ...

Don Rickles Widow Barbara Dead at 84 ... Passed on Would-Be 56th Wedding Anniversary

Don Rickles' widow, Barbara has passed ... and on a momentous day in their relationship.

Sources close to the family tell TMZ ... Barb passed away Sunday after being hospitalized last week. We're told she'd been battling non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and other ailments in recent years.

Our sources tell us this touching detail as well ... Barbara apparently held on to life until Sunday, which would've marked the 56th wedding anniversary of her and Don. They'd been married for 52 years prior to his passing in 2017.

Don and Barbara were good old-fashioned Hollywood sweethearts -- and were pretty much partners as Don navigated showbiz in the '60s, '70s and beyond. Barbara served as an EP for a re-release of a comedy show of Don's called 'Don Rickles Live in Concert.' She also appeared alongside him as herself in documentaries and other TV specials over the years.

The story goes that Don met Barbara through his agent, and hit it off.  They were in love and pretty much inseparable. Don always spoke highly of Barbara, once telling Al Roker that he was completely devoted to her and she was his life.

Don's death hit Barbara hard, but she remembered him fondly online ... taking over Don's Twitter account and posting messages on both their wedding and his death anniversary. A couple years back she wrote, "Saturday April 6th will be the 2nd Anniversary of my Don’s passing. It is a very difficult time, but reading your kind Tweets is so helpful. Yes I read them all. Don would have been so pleased to know how much joy & laughter he gave to so many during his lifetime.  RIP ❤️ Barbara."

The couple had two children together, including screenwriter Larry Rickles ... who died in 2011. She's survived by her daughter and grandchildren. Barbara was 84.

RIP

A-Rod I'm not single ... J Lo Posts About Reports

3/13/21
WE'RE STILL TOGETHER
MEGA/BACKGRID
UPDATE

9:32 AM PT -- 3/14 J Lo has officially broken her silence ... posting a video update about her relationship with A-Rod. She shared a compilation video with epic clips of herself, and a few of the headlines about their relationship troubles.

UPDATE

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UPDATE

The video is set to the song "Pretty B**** Freestyle" by Saweetie.

A-Rod confirms on video what TMZ broke this morning ... that he and J Lo are still hangin' on.

This video was shot outside A-Rod's gym in Miami ... where a photog asked him if he was single. A-Rod answered definitively in the negative. The conversation was interrupted by a phone call, which A-Rod took -- but he told the caller he'd call back, "baby."

We don't know if the person on the other end was J Lo, but it seems like a good guess.

Remember, A-Rod and J Lo told TMZ Saturday morning ... "We are working through some things."

Our A-Rod and J Lo sources told TMZ, Friday was "a bad day." From what we can gather, it appears they had some sort of blowout fight. It's unclear if one or the other said the relationship is over in the heat of the moment ... but if that was said, they're taking it back now.

A-Rod and J Lo did not say what exactly they're working through -- however, they told us on Saturday that it did not involve a third person.

One thing that's still unclear ... is the engagement still on?

Originally published -- 3/13 1:46 PM PT

MacKenzie Scott Beats Bezos to Altar ... Remarries Kids' Science Teacher

MacKenzie Scott has a new husband -- a teacher at her kids' school -- and while marrying the ex-Mrs. Jeff Bezos means the guy's suddenly mega-wealthy ... he's already giving it all away.

MacKenzie and Dan Jewett went public with their marriage over the weekend. Dan teaches science at Seattle Lakeside school ... the elite private institution Jeff and MacKenzie's 4 kids have attended.

Sounds like Dan and Jeff might have met at PTA meetings over the years -- Bezos released a statement, saying ... "Dan is such a great guy, and I am happy and excited for both of them."

It's unclear exactly when MacKenzie -- who's reportedly worth about $53 billion -- tied the knot, but on Saturday Dan posted a message on The Giving Pledge website and promised to give away his wealth ... just like his new wife.

Dan wrote about his own passion for giving, and added, "And now, in a stroke of happy coincidence, I am married to one of the most generous and kind people I know, and joining her in a commitment to pass on an enormous financial wealth to serve others."

For those keeping score, MacKenzie's now one step ahead of Bezos in the "moving on" department. Jeff's been with GF Lauren Sanchez since he and McKenzie split in January 2019, but no wedding bells for them. Not yet.

Tiger Woods GF Pays Him a Visit in Hospital ... As Recovery Begins

Tiger Woods was greeted with a familiar face Wednesday as he recovers from his car crash ... his girlfriend stopped by, and it looks like she came bearing gifts.

Erica Herman popped into Harbor-UCLA Medical Center in West Carson, where TW is currently hospitalized. She also seemed to be accompanied by Tiger's caddie ... Joe LaCava.

They were both masked up heading in -- but later, Erica's mask disappeared. In its place was a paper cup you might get at a food court. Joe had one too, plus a paper bag of grub. Unclear if they were bringing something for Tiger, or just munching themselves.

Tiger's SO (significant other, for you old folks) since 2017 is a former employee at his Florida restaurant The Woods ... the general manager, no less. They were first linked at the Presidents Cup in NJ, and have gotten serious since ... reportedly now living together.

Good to see him getting some company that'll hopefully lift his spirits and help him feel better sooner -- lord knows he needs it after essentially having his right leg destroyed in the wreck.

As we reported ... Tiger suffered comminuted open fractures in two different bones, meaning they tore the skin. His ankle was shattered as well -- and, all in all, he required a rod, screws/pins and extensive orthopedic surgery from trauma specialists to help keep it all together.

No word on how long he'll be bed-ridden, but something tells us we'll be seeing Erica here again soon.

Patrick Mahomes & Brittany Matthews Welcome Baby Girl, Sterling Skye

Patrick Mahomes and his fiancee, Brittany Matthews, are proud, happy parents of a healthy baby girl ... and the name is awesome!

The Kansas City Chiefs QB and his bride-to-be made the announcement Sunday with matching photos and similar captions. It depicts a close-up shot of mom, dad and baby's hands/fingers all touching ... with Brittany wearing a necklace with the kid's name.

She goes by Sterling Skye Mahomes -- and Brittany shared she was born Saturday, coming in at 6 lbs, 11 oz.

The couple revealed the baby's gender back in October -- using their dogs to help with the announcement. Mahomes proudly called himself a #GirlDad."

Just a couple days ago, Brittany posted photos of a maternity shoot she'd done, with Patrick in tow.

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 "Ready to meet you baby girl 💕," Brittany posted .

The couple came out publicly with news they were expecting back in September -- not too long after Pat popped the question to his longtime girlfriend.

No official word on a wedding date, but parenthood begins now. Congrats!!!

Sophia Culpo Dating NY Jets' Braxton Berrios ... Sweat It Out In Couples Gym Sesh

TRAININ' TOGETHER
@sophiaculpo / Instagram

Sophia Culpo is following in her sister's footsteps -- dating a shredded NFL player of her own!!

The 24-year-old model/influencer and 25-year-old New York Jets receiver Braxton Berrios made their relationship Instagram official over Valentine's Day weekend ... and the romance continues this week with a couples gym session.

SC and BB documented their workout on Wednesday ... going through some squats, calf raises and other exciting stuff.

So ... how did it go??

"Never in my life have I done calf raises and I don't plan on doing them again," Sophie joked on IG.

Of course, Sophie's older sister, Olivia, is currently dating Carolina Panthers superstar Christian McCaffrey. They've been together for about 2 years.

No word on if CMC played matchmaker to get OC's younger sis with the former Miami Hurricanes star ... but at least now they have a solid double date setup!!

FYI -- Berrios was drafted by the New England Patriots in 2018 ... and won a ring in his lone season with Tom Brady and Co. at Super Bowl LIII.

He later joined the Jets in 2019, where he's spent the past 2 seasons.

Unclear when Sophia and Braxton started dating, but the couple that sweats together stays together ... right??

'1000-Lb Sisters' Star Tammy Still On the Outs w/ Jerry ... But Not Over Pansexuality

"1000-Lb. Sisters" star Tammy Slaton got left in the dust by her on-screen boyfriend, Jerry, after revealing she was pansexual -- but the guy didn't dip over that ... TMZ has learned.

Jerry Sykes tells us ... yes he did leave Tammy and end their relationship -- as depicted in Monday night's episode on TLC -- but it's not for the reason everyone may think ... namely that she revealed she's attracted to all types of people, which seemed to throw him off.

"LOVE IS LOVE"
TLC

You'll recall ... Tammy made the reveal, which was teased in a clip over the weekend. Jerry seemed especially dumbfounded Tammy said she'd date a transgender person. Once the episode aired, viewers found out he ended up breaking things off and moving out.

Not only did it upset Tammy, but viewers were left wondering about the timing -- y'know, since Tammy had just come out and been honest about her sexuality earlier in the episode. He wants to set the record straight though ... this ain't over pansexuality.

Jerry says he needed a break because he felt guilty about a previous relationship -- his marriage, no less -- and had to make amends there before he could proceed with Tammy.

As of February -- some three to four months AFTER the pansexual episode was shot -- we're told Jerry and Tammy were still not romantically involved. It's unclear if they're still communicating at this point ... but whatever he had to deal with then is still being handled.

Jerry's at-home drama lies in his estranged wife, Kia Russell-Rucker Sykes ... who tells TMZ she found out about Jerry's relationship with Tammy through TV and friends -- which came as news to her when she first learned about it, sometime during season 1 last year.

Kia says they separated, and she believes Tammy's a homewrecker. That said, she says she and Jerry still talk ... and that he helps her out financially. Seems like they're on decent enough terms -- especially since Jerry came back to deal.

Now, as for whether there's any future reconciliation with Tammy on the horizon ... it doesn't sound like there is, at least not for now. Jerry tells us his issues with Kia still make it difficult for him to be there for Tammy the way she needs.

Meghan Markle Pregnant Again Well-Wishes from Queen & Co.

UPDATE

12:56 PM PT -- Buckingham Palace responded to the baby news, speaking on behalf of Queen Elizabeth, Prince Philip and Prince Charles, saying ... "Her Majesty, the Duke of Edinburgh, the Prince of Wales and the entire family are ‘delighted’ and wish them well."

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have another bun in the oven ... they're expecting baby #2.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex made the announcement Sunday, saying they are due to have a second child together ... although they didn't reveal how far along Meghan is, or the sex of the baby.

The couple says, "We can confirm that Archie is going to be a big brother. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are overjoyed to be expecting their second child." It looks like they already posed for some maternity shots too -- photo and personal friend Misan Harriman snapped some photos of Meghan and Harry in a lush forest, showing off her baby bump.

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Harriman apparently did the photoshoot remotely, adding this ... "Meg, I was there at your wedding to witness this love story begin, and my friend, I am honoured to capture it grow. Congratulations to The Duke and Duchess of Sussex on this joyous news!"

The news comes not too long after Meghan revealed in November she'd suffered a miscarriage this past July, detailing the heartache and agony she and Harry went through ... and in private, no less. Her pregnancy wasn't known until she discussed it in the NYT.

Archie, who was born in 2019, will be turning 2 in May. Not a bad age difference as an older sibling.

Congrats!!!

Originally Published -- 11:47 AM PT

Mod Sun and Avril Lavigne Hand-in-Hand at Album Release Party ... "Internet Killed the Rock Star"

ALL LOVE FOR VALENTINE'S DAY
BACKGRID

Avril Lavigne and Mod Sun have a big day in store Sunday ... Valentine's Day, because they made it clear Friday night -- they're a couple.

They hit up BOA Steakhouse in WeHo for Mod Sun's album release party for "Internet Killed the Rock Star." It's his 4th album and Avril's featured in one of the songs -- "Flames."

They were hand-in-hand as they had their temps checked at the door, before walking in. Two things seem clear -- they're a couple, and they both take COVID super seriously. Both Avril and Mod Sun are masked up and, as they hop in their SUV after dinner, they immediately hit the hand sanitizer pump.

Before leaving, Mod Sun drops $100 on roses ... a little pre-Valentine's Day celebration.

It's interesting ... a dude in an "Internet Killed the Rock Star" shirt is filming, so maybe Avril and Mod Sun are going to the next level ... a reality show?!??

Last time we saw them they were also leaving BOA and our photog noticed a tat on the back of Mod Sun's neck that read, "Avril."

Mod Sun The Writing's On His Neck 'Avril' Tat Points to Real Relationship!!!

Mod Sun might want to grab a turtleneck the next time he wants to keep his relationship a secret ... 'cause a huge "Avril" tattoo on his neck exposed what everyone's thinking -- he and Avril Lavigne are in a serious relationship.

A hawk-eyed TMZ producer spotted the tat on the back of Mod's neck after the musicians were seen leaving BOA Steakhouse in WeHo. Sources close to the situation tell TMZ ... the tat is 100% the real deal because, as our source put it, there's no way Mod would EVER get a "temp tattoo."

As for when he got the fresh ink -- we're told it was pretty recent. Makes sense, because there's been speculation they're hooking up ever since their collab on the new song "Flames."

Our sources wouldn't confirm a romantic relationship ... but, as they say, the writing's on the Mod -- plus, we're told they're "enjoying each other's company." Feel free to read between the tattoo lines.

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NIGHT ON THE TOWN
TMZ.com

As we showed you, Avril and Mod hit up BOA in WeHo Thursday night. No PDA as they exited and greeted some fans, but Mod was pretty gentlemanly as he helped Avril into his whip.

If ya check the neck ... all signs point to Avril having found a new Sk8er Boi.

T.I. and Tiny Reality Show on Ice After Sex Abuse Allegations

T.I. and Tiny's reality show is pressing pause as the couple faces allegations of sexual abuse, even though they've vehemently denied the claims.

Production on "T.I. & Tiny: Friends & Family Hustle" came to a grinding halt Friday as MTV put things on ice. Network honchos said, "We are aware of the allegations, and while they are not connected to our show, we have reached out to T.I. and Tameka Harris, as well as local and state officials."

Last month several women posted allegations on social media -- claiming the couple had drugged or coerced them into having sexual encounters. As far as we know, none of the accusers have reported claims to law enforcement, or filed lawsuits.

Still, MTV says, "Given the serious nature of the allegations, we have decided to suspend production in order to gather more information."

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T.I. has strongly denied the allegations, and threatened legal action against at least one accuser.

The show had been shooting in Atlanta since December, but with this shutdown -- first reported by Deadline -- the fate of the 4th season is up in the air.

JoJo Siwa I Have the Most Amazing Girlfriend ... Inspired My Coming Out

OFF THE MARKET
NBC

JoJo Siwa's beaming after coming out as a member of the LGBTQ+ community, and she's giving a lot of credit to her "perfect, most beautiful girlfriend in the whole world."

The YouTube star revealed her recent decision to go public was a very scary thing, and talked about it Wednesday night on "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon."

JoJo says working on a TikTok at the "Pride House" got her thinking about outing herself, and she decided to just go for it ... with some extra encouragement from her girlfriend.

She says she was FaceTiming with her GF when she posted that photo -- the one where she's wearing the "Best. Gay. Cousin. Ever." t-shirt -- and then went right back talking to her like it was no big deal.

JoJo says she realizes now that it was a risky move, but ultimately ... it was the only move to make for her happiness. And, like she says ... for every million people who don't accept her for who she is, there are 100 million who do.

Hailey Bieber I'm On The 'Rhode' To My Beauty Biz ... Subtle Nod To Justin?!?

Hailey Bieber appears to be looking to tap into the beauty business ... and she's ripping a page from her husband's playbook to put the wheels in motion.

Justin Bieber's model wife filed legal docs seeking to lock up the rights to "Rhode" ... the name with which she'll brand her beauty products.

Rhode is Hailey's middle name, which is interesting, considering the Biebs uses his middle name for his clothing line, House of Drew. Like husband, like wife.

According to the docs, obtained by TMZ, Hailey's looking to use Rhode on beauty and wellness merch, bath and shower products, beauty creams, personal cleaning products, cosmetics, makeup, fragrances, haircare and skincare.

Hailey's tried to go this road before. She's filed similar docs in the past to secure the rights to "Bieber Beauty," "Rhode Beauty," "HB Beauty by Hailey Bieber," "HRBeauty," "Dew Beauty" and "Dewy Beauty" ... but it doesn’t seem like any of those ever really took off.

Good luck this time around, Hailey!

Tiffany Haddish Puckers Up with BF Common ... In Steamy Silhouette Challenge

Tiffany Haddish and Common's relationship is TikTok official -- 'cause the two of them were locking lips and bumpin' and grindin' on camera ... and we gotta say, it's hot!!!

The comedian posted a video Sunday to get in on the "Silhouette Challenge," which is where you appear at first covered head to toe in clothing ... only for the video to cut to that same person stripped-down, striking a sexy silhouetted pose -- all to the remixed tunes of Paul Anka's 'Put Your Head On My Shoulder' and Doja Cat's 'Streets.'

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Tiffany's started out promising, and when it flashes to her as a shadow with a red background ... the temperature in the room shoots up. And even more so when Common makes a cameo.

Watch for yourself -- the couple is NOT shy about showing their affection for each other. They make out, grind ... pretty much almost everything short of third base and beyond. Don't worry, they keep it PG-13 -- but considering we haven't seen much PDA from them publicly, this is a big jump in their relationship.

BTW, there's a funny twist at the end with Tiffany's hair ... let's just say it makes a departure.

Chester Bennington Widow Files for Divorce ... 1 Year After Tying the Knot

Talinda Bennington has filed for divorce 1 year after tying the knot again ... TMZ has learned.

Chester Bennington's widow filed her divorce petition Wednesday in L.A. County Court ... according to court records. As you know by now, she got married to L.A. County firefighter Michael Fredman around New Year's Eve 2019 at Turtle Bay Resort in Kahuku, Hawaii.

Talinda already took to Instagram to announce the news too ... saying, in part, "Divorce is never easy, but in our case it is for the best. We have remained good friends and he continues to be an important part of my children's lives."

Talinda and Michael had no kids together during their short marriage. She and Chester had 3 children -- son Tyler and twins Lily and Lila. The children were also part of Talinda's wedding to Fredman.

Interestingly enough ... Talinda and Chester were also married on New Year's Eve in 2005.

As we previously reported ... Talinda and Michael got engaged back in April 2019 ... just over 2 years after the Linkin Park singer committed suicide.

After the news about her engagement broke ... Talinda said, "I can find love after tragedy" and added, "To all suicide loss survivors, you CAN be happy again. You CAN have space in your heart for grief, joy, happiness, sadness and love."

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