Drugs & Alcohol

Frank Lucas, one of America's most infamous drug kingpins, died Thursday night ... TMZ has confirmed.

Frank, famously played by Denzel Washington in the 2007 movie "American Gangster," died in New Jersey, according to his brother. We're told Frank was being transported to a hospital for an unknown health issue and died on the way.

Lucas rose to power dealing heroin in Harlem in the 1960s and '70s, and he boasted of cutting out middlemen by buying his product directly from Southeast Asia ... then smuggling the drugs back to America using the coffins of dead U.S. servicemen.

Frank was born and raised in North Carolina before moving to New York City ... where he eventually got into the drug trade, cutting into the Italian mafia's business and carving a name for himself.

Lucas bragged his heroin was among the purest on the street, and he infamously dubbed his product, "Blue Magic." While he was at the top of the NYC drug trade, Frank rubbed elbows with elites from Hollywood, politics and the business world.

Frank was finally busted in the mid-1970s and all of his enormous assets and wealth were seized. Lucas owned property across the country in Chicago, Miami, Detroit, New York, New Jersey, North Carolina -- and even Puerto Rico.

When the DEA raided Frank's Jersey home in 1975, agents found more than $584,000 in cash.

Frank was convicted of federal and state drug violations ... and sentenced to 70 years in prison. Lucas ratted out others in the drug biz, and he and his family entered a witness protection program.

After 5 years in custody, Frank had his sentence reduced to time served plus lifetime parole ... but he was later busted for drug dealing again, and spent another 7 years behind bars before being released in 1991.

Mama June is on a dark path heading toward looming death ... so frets Honey Boo Boo, who's desperately urging her mom to seek help for what looks like a severe crack cocaine addiction.

Mama June's family and friends are scared to death ... her life's in danger, and they confronted her during an intervention ... with Honey Boo Boo begging Mama to go to rehab, asking her if she values her life enough to get clean so she can watch her grandchild grow up.

We've got a clip from the finale of Mama June's 'Not to Hot' Friday night at 9 on WE tv -- and you see her, busted teeth and all, getting super defensive as her loved ones plead with her to turn her life around.

As we first showed you ... Mama looks like a shell of herself since she got busted for crack cocaine possession back in March with boyfriend Geno Doak. Mama's teeth are falling apart, and she collapses on camera during the dramatic family intervention.

We're told Geno wasn't present for the intervention ... which is interesting, because Mama's daughter, Pumpkin, insinuates he's cheating on her when she's not around.

Buffalo Bills rookie LB Tyrel Dodson was pulled out of a nightclub and arrested Sunday after his GF told cops he roughed her up during a violent altercation hours earlier ... TMZ Sports has learned.

For the record, Dodson (an undrafted free agent out of Texas A&M) DENIES the allegations -- and insinuated to police that HE was the real victim by showing cops a red mark on his face.

Here's the deal according to police docs ... 20-year-old Dodson and his GF got into an argument on May 25 in Scottsdale, AZ after he allegedly vomited on the carpet inside her bedroom after drinking too much.

Tyrel's GF alleges the 6' 2", 240-lb football player got physical with her when she confronted him about the vomit ... allegedly grabbing her "forcefully" and "shoving her against the wall."

Tyrel's GF says she slapped him in the face ... and says Dodson responded by slapping her back.

She says she fled from the scene ... but when she returned, Tyrel was still there -- so she locked herself inside her bathroom and told him to leave the premises.

That's when she says Tyrel busted through the door ... causing the door to smack her in the head, leaving her with a small welt.

She says the argument then spilled out into the kitchen, where things escalated further ... with Dodson shoving her to the ground after a scuffle over her cell phone.

Dodson's GF eventually left the apartment ... but when she returned -- she says Tyrel had taken her keys, $500 from her purse and an additional $8,000 to $15,000 in cash from a safe under her bed.

When cops reached Tyrel by phone ... he denied ever getting physical with his GF -- stating the argument "was verbal only" -- and added he only took about $1,000 from her because it was "money they both shared."

Cops didn't appear to believe him -- 'cause they say they found probable cause to arrest him on several charges including domestic violence -- and when they found out later in the evening he was at Mint Nightclub, they went in to get him.

After Dodson was removed from the club, he again denied attacking his GF and showed cops a red mark on his face ... though he never outright accused her of assault.

Tyrel was booked on three charges -- 1 domestic violence count, 1 charge of disorderly conduct and one charge of damage to property -- all misdemeanors.

Tyrel -- who played in 33 games for the Aggies in his three years at College Station -- was signed by the Bills as an undrafted free agent just a few weeks ago.

We reached out to the Bills and a team spokesperson tells us, "We are aware of the incident involving Tyrel Dodson last weekend. We have been looking further into the matter and will continue to gather information as the legal process continues."

Dennis Hof was a lover, not a murderer and he did NOT try to kill Lamar Odom ... so says Hof's best friend, porn star Ron Jeremy.

Just hours after Odom went on "The View" and claimed the late Love Ranch brothel owner poisoned him on the day he overdosed back in 2015 ... we spotted Ron outside the Rainbow Bar & Grill in L.A. and asked him if there was any truth to LO's allegation.

"Read my lips," Ron told us ... "NOOOOO!!!"

Of course, Hof passed away in October 2018 ... so he can't exactly defend himself -- but Hof always described Jeremy as his best friend, so he might be the next best person to ask.

"Why would Dennis do this? What could he possibly gain?" Jeremy said.

Jeremy essentially told us he NEVER heard Hof discuss such plans to kill Odom and says he wants to see all of Odom's alleged evidence.

On the flip side, Jeremy says Hof had a ton of celebrity friends and was always thinking of ways to grow his business ... and murdering Odom wouldn't have been in his best interest.

The guy who freaked out Madison Beer at the BottleRock festival this weekend allegedly came back the next day, high on drugs ... which landed him in handcuffs.

Napa PD tells TMZ ... 28-year-old Jake Rutger Hanson was arrested Sunday just outside the festival grounds after cops were called for another disturbance. When officers arrived, we're told Hanson displayed signs of being under the influence, and cops say they found drug paraphernalia on him.

Hanson was busted on the spot and booked for being under the influence of a controlled substance, as well as for the paraphernalia. We're told cops suspect he was on some kind of hallucinogenic, but it's unclear which one.

Hanson caused quite a ruckus the day before his arrest ... when his movements in the BottleRock crowd caused Madison to abruptly halt her set and signal that there may have been a shooting threat in the audience.

He was whisked away by cops, who booted him from the event entirely -- although cops didn't find any weapons on him or any proof he'd committed a crime. Still, he wasn't supposed to come back at all. NPD says event staff found his behavior alarming -- and that was enough for them to tell him to get lost for good.

3:34 PM PT -- Kit's reps got back to us, and say he "has decided to utilize this break in his schedule as an opportunity to spend some time at a wellness retreat to work on some personal issues."

They say he's NOT there for "rehab," and emphasize the words, "wellness retreat."

Kit Harington was hit hard by "Game of Thrones" coming to an end -- so hard, he checked himself into a rehab center for stress and alcohol before the final episode aired.

The actor, who famously played Jon Snow on 'Thrones,' entered a luxury Connecticut facility for a mental health retreat weeks before the May 19 finale ... according to the NY Post, which first reported his rehab stay.

Kit's been getting treatment for stress, exhaustion and alcohol abuse. The Post says his wife -- fellow 'GoT' star Rose Leslie -- has been very supportive of the decision to get professional help.

The rehab facility is believed to cost over $120,000 per month ... no word yet on when Harington will be released.

As you know, 'GoT' wrapped its highly-anticipated 8th final season earlier this month. Reviews of the whole season were extremely mixed, at best, and downright awful at worst. It still got HUGE ratings, though.

Video of Kit reacting to the final script in the 'GoT' behind-the-scenes documentary as he read the fate of his character and Emilia Clarke's Daenerys Targaryen went viral ... because he broke down in tears.

Clearly, he wasn't just being dramatic. He has since said he needed therapy after learning how the show ends for his character.

Kit's also been very open about how much the show's worldwide attention has impacted his life. He told Variety the "darkest" point was when Jon Snow was killed ... but later came back to life.

9:32 AM PT -- We spoke with Odom on the way out of "The View" and asked him why he thinks Hof tried to kill him. Odom says he's still trying to find the answers.

9:03 AM PT -- Lamar Odom claims the late owner of the Nevada brothel where he OD'd in 2015 tried to kill him ... and Odom says his legal team already has proof to back up his claim.

Odom just appeared on "The View" where he said Dennis Hof -- who owned the Love Ranch -- "tried to kill me."

Long story short ... Odom is adamant he did not intentionally consume any drugs -- including cocaine -- on the day of his overdose and he believes Hof (or someone working for Hof) poisoned him.

"Dennis Hof, I don't know what he had against me but I didn't do drugs that night," Odom said.

"I don't know what he had against me ... he tried to kill me."

Odom says his attorney has already investigated the allegation and found workers at the brothel who back up his claim.

Hof died in October 2018 -- but in 2016, he told TMZ Sports he was a fan of Odom and invited him back to the Love Ranch for the VIP treatment.

We've reached out to Hof's reps regarding Odom's attempted murder claim -- but so far, no comment.

As we previously reported, police who investigated the 2015 overdose say prostitutes at the Love Ranch told them they had heard Odom snorting substances before the OD and had a "vague knowledge of him using illegal narcotics."

Investigators later confirmed the presence of cocaine in Odom's system -- but clearly, Odom says he did NOT knowingly take drugs that night.

Lamar Odom says he believes his wild life story is fit for the big screen -- and he's already had talks about turning his new autobiography into a movie.

Odom was arriving to "The View" in New York on Tuesday to promote his new book, "Darkness to Light" -- in which he talks about everything from drug addiction to sex addiction to his failed marriage with Khloe Kardashian.

Odom says he's already spoken with people about turning his story into a movie but didn't say who those talks were with.

He's not wrong ... Odom went from being an NBA superstar to a reality star before hitting rock bottom ... when he overdosed at a Nevada brothel in 2015.

Odom suffered several strokes and heart attacks and doctors didn't think he'd fully recover.

But, Odom beat the odds and now he's getting ready to play professional basketball again with the BIG3 league.

It's an amazing story ... and it seems like it's only a matter of time before it gets the full-length feature film treatment.

Dr. Paul Nassif wants to hook Artie Lange up with a nose job on his reality TV show ... if the comedian can kick his drug habit.

We talked to the "Botched" star about Artie's seriously deformed honker ... and the Bev Hills plastic surgeon tells us he's happy to offer his services to Artie -- but he's gotta stay clean.

Artie was arrested this past week in New Jersey for violating his drug probation, and his sad mug shot shows just how much damage's been done to his nose. The former Howard Stern sidekick recently tested positive for cocaine and morphine.

Nassif tells us Artie's got saddle nose, a deformity caused by trauma to the septum. The doc says the condition is common with drug abusers, and cocaine is the main culprit.

While he wants to get Artie on "Botched" so he can go under the knife ... Nassif says Artie's gotta stop putting drugs up his nose for good, because if he doesn't ... his nose will collapse again and it will look even worse.

Lil Pump already seems very familiar with the weed industry, but now he's TCOB when it comes to CBD and THC ... as the face of a new cannabis company.

The "Be Like Me" rapper is adding to his resume by teaming up with the brand, Smoke Unhappy ... which just launched this past week. We're told he'll not just serve as a brand ambassador ... but as a partner in the company with creative and marketing input.

He'll obviously be a key product tester, too ... AND receive a percentage of sales.

Smoke Unhappy founders Kamil Mizstal and Larry Chachko tell us when they were planning the launch at the end of 2018, they were looking for someone who fits the brand perfectly, and their mutual friend and biz partner Eric the Jeweler suggested Pump.

And the rest is history.

Smoke Unhappy produces a wide variety of CBD and THC products in house, which will be available in states like California where marijuana use is legal. It also sells grinders, cartridges, apparel and much more.

Lil Pump doesn't give a damn what anyone thinks about his shenanigans at gas stations ... he's gonna keep lighting up while filling up, because he firmly, and wrongly, thinks it's all good!

We got the rapper leaving Hyde nightclub in L.A. and asked him about the dangerous stunt. He recorded himself smoking a blunt while holding on to a gas pump handle. The move's pretty brazen cause y'know ... smoking means fire, and fire plus gas fumes equal BOOM.

But, check out the clip ... Pump -- who went shirtless with a red fur coat for the night -- couldn't care less. He admits the video he posted wasn't his first time pushing the limits while he's at a gas station.

He also told us he's baffled by the typical response to the video, which goes something like ... "What's wrong with you?"

Luann de Lesseps felt the cold steel of handcuffs Thursday, but she's NOT going back to jail for violating her probation by downing a couple of mimosas.

The 'Real Housewives of New York' star went before a Florida judge and during the hearing they put her in cuffs ... but the State's Attorney for Palm Beach County State tells TMZ ... she was not taken to jail ... contrary to several reports.

As we've reported ... Luann recently told her probation officer she had "2 glasses of mimosas after a performance" in Chicago. That's a major no-no because she's supposed to stay away from booze for a whole year under the plea deal she struck in her drunken arrest case.

We're told the court didn't believe she was taking her probation seriously -- so the judge ordered additional probation conditions for Luann. They include keeping a breathalyzer in her car, weekly telephone counseling, monthly in-person meetings with a psychiatrist and taking the prescription drug Antabuse ... which treats alcoholism.

Mama June needs help -- and her family recognized as much when they confronted her in an intervention, which features MJ in a decrepit state ... busted teeth and all.

June was sat down by a roomful of family members earlier this month in a staged intervention that went down at her sister's home. With the help of Dr. Ish Major, her family pled with her to straighten out her life ... which appears to mostly be falling on deaf ears here.

One of the more heartbreaking moments ... June's youngest daughter, Alana -- aka Honey Boo Boo -- breaks down crying at one point, saying she wants to move back home.

Check it out ... Mama June has become a shell of herself since she got arrested for possession of crack cocaine in March with boyfriend Geno Doak. Her teeth -- which she'd recently gotten fixed up -- are literally falling apart. She also collapses on camera.

We've also obtained a clip -- that will air this week -- of June's daughter, Pumpkin, and her sister discussing June's arrest from earlier this year.

Rather than stay away from Geno -- like her family has suggested, and a judge ordered -- she's been shacking up with him since the arrest ... and has been hitting the slots on and off a lot as well. BTW ... we're told Geno wasn't present for the intervention.

As we've reported ... HBB has had to move in with her older sister, Pumpkin, while MJ has allegedly moved into a casino. The preview addresses that issue as well, and a suggestion that could affect June's child for years to come ... if her ma doesn't get it together.

Dennis Rodman allegedly slapped a man at his own birthday party in Florida last week ... and cops say the key witness in the case is DAVID LEE ROTH!!!

... unfortunately, it's just not THAT David Lee Roth.

It's all spelled out in the police report obtained by TMZ Sports ... in which the Delray Beach Police Dept. describe an alleged battery on May 17 at the Buddha Sky Bar.

The alleged victim is 30-year-old Jeff Soulouque -- who says he was hanging at the party when Dennis "unprovokedly turned around and smacked him," right in the face.

Soulouque claims Rodman immediately began apologizing for the incident and invited him out to dinner the following night in an attempted peace offering.

But, Soulouque tells TMZ Sports he was really hurt -- and went to the hospital where he was diagnosed with a left corneal abrasion. He went to cops the day after the incident and filed a report.

Cops launched an investigation and called up a witness named David Lee Roth -- who, shockingly, is NOT the Van Halen singer. Still, cops say DLR corroborated Soulouque's story.

"Roth stated he was about twenty feet away and he saw Rodman turn around and open hand smack Soulouque two times," the report states.

Cops are now on the hunt for video of the incident and have listed Rodman as an official suspect in an alleged battery.

As for Rodman, his attorney, Lorne Berkeley, denies his client slapped anyone, telling TMZ Sports ... “I’ve spoken with people who were with Dennis the entire night of the alleged incident at Buddha Sky Bar. No one saw any such incident occur and Dennis was sober the entire night.”

“Currently the matter is in its preliminary stages but we fully expect after a thorough investigation that no such incident will be substantiated. Dennis denies any such incident occurred.”

It's just the latest in a string of bizarre incidents involving the NBA legend -- who is also being investigated in California for his role in an alleged clothing heist at a Newport Beach yoga studio.

Slipknot cofounder Shawn Crahan's daughter died from what appears to be a drug overdose ... TMZ has learned.

Police and the fire department responded to a call for a possible OD at a Hollywood home Saturday night, and found the body of the heavy metal percussionist's daughter, Gabrielle.

We're told CPR was administered, to no avail ... she was pronounced dead on the scene by paramedics.

Law enforcement sources tell us there was drug paraphernalia and evidence of narcotic use on scene, and Gabrielle has a history of drug use. Authorities are still investigating, and her cause of death is pending toxicology testing, but the outward signs point to drugs.

Shawn -- who goes by the stage name "Clown" or #6 and is the last founding member to remain with the group -- announced that her funeral will be held Sunday in Iowa, which is where they're from.

He also thanks fans for their love and support, saying, "You have all proven that there is empathy, positivity, & strength in this community that we call humanity here on Earth."

Gabrielle's most recent Instagram post -- from just a couple days before her death -- suggested she was 5 months sober.

She was 22.

RIP

NFL star Chris Long -- who just retired over the weekend -- is crediting weed for helping him last 11 seasons in the league ... saying regular marijuana use got him through the pain and stress during his career.

“I certainly enjoyed my fair share on a regular basis through my career,” Long told "The Dan Patrick Show" on Wednesday.

“If not for that, I’m not as capable of coping with the stresses of the day-to-day NFL life.”

We know what you're thinking ... how did Long successfully evade the NFL's rigorous drug testing program for all those years? It's actually pretty simple.

"The league, speaking plainly, knows damn well what they're doing. Testing players once a year for 'street drugs,' which is a terrible classification for marijuana, is kinda silly because players know when the test is. We can stop."

During that period away from weed, Long says players turn to more dangerous alternatives like pills and alcohol to deal with pain and stress ... and he's hoping the league eases up on testing to help.

“We should be headed to a place where we allow players to use what I wouldn’t even call drugs. It’s far less dangerous than players guzzling a fifth of alcohol and going out after a game.”

Ex-NFL running back Robert Smith is celebrating 7 years of sobriety -- which is amazing -- but he knows he's gotta stay focused so he doesn't relapse again.

"I am an alcoholic- I always have been and always will be," the former Minnesota Vikings star said in a candid social media post.

"It's not my fault, but it's my problem. Today marks 7 years of sobriety but that can change if I believe for a second that I'm different from every other alcoholic. I'm grateful I know that today. One day at a time."

Smith was a BEAST on the field -- he rushed for more than 1,000 yards in each of his final 4 seasons before retiring at 28 after the 2000 season.

The 47-year-old has been open about his struggles with alcohol -- saying he knew he had substance abuse issues back in high school but thought he could control it.

Smith has admitted he would drive drunk and show up to the Vikings practice facility "stinking like alcohol" ... but somehow managed to hide his problem from team officials.

Smith says he bottomed out after retiring -- and tried to get sober in 2007 before relapsing in 2011,

That's when Smith hit rock bottom ... his wife (who was pregnant) moved out and threatened to leave him ... and that's when he decided to make sobriety the highest priority.

Now, Smith says he's been clean for 7 years and he clearly understands what's at stake if he falls off the wagon.