Drugs & Alcohol

Major League Baseball games have been a half-hour shorter under the sport's new rules, and it's awesome ... but there's one unintended consequence teams are dealing with -- lost money from missed beer sales!

And, because businesses don't like losing money, several teams around the league have extended the traditional 7th-inning beer sale cutoff time, allowing suds to be sold into the 8th inning.

Of course, MLB instituted a pitch clock this season, representing the largest rule change in decades (it's been a smash hit), producing games 31 minutes shorter than last season. Naturally, shorter games mean less time to sell concessions like beer, and sales are down.

The Milwaukee Brewers were the first organization to make a move (it makes sense) ... now allowing fans to purchase cold ones through the end of the 8th inning.

Brewers president of operations Rick Schlesinger recently vowed to go back to the old policy if the new rules caused any safety issues, saying ... “If it turns out that this is causing an issue or we feel that it might cause an issue, then we’ll revert to what we have done previously.”

Since the Brewers tweaked their policy, other teams have followed, including the Texas Rangers, Arizona Diamondbacks, and Minnesota Twins. All three squads are allowing beer sales through the 8th.

Now, other teams are also considering making a similar move.

Beer sales, and when they occur, aren't something MLB regulates. Years ago, most teams adopted the 7th inning cutoff as a way to reduce the likelihood of drunk people driving home after the game.

However, with the extension, and the games already being shorter, it's possible fans could be served a beer, and be behind the wheel of a car just a short time later.

Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) also weighed in, saying their concern is no one drive impaired.

“If it cuts off sales in the seventh inning, the eighth inning or the ninth inning, that really doesn’t affect our stance because regardless, we just don’t want people to drink alcohol and then drive home from the game,” a MADD executive said.

Loads of homes connected to infamous names have been demolished over the years ... so take a look at some pads with dark, dark clouds that have been met with a wrecking ball.

Jeffrey Epstein's Florida mansion was razed in 2021 -- while other infamous names like Whitey Bulger and Jeffrey Dahmer had properties surrounding their names torn down, too.

Harvey Weinstein recently had his massive Connecticut house torn down -- it's located on one of the most expensive streets in Westport, CT and he decided to sell the place in 2018, just as he started catching heat over his misdeeds.

The redwood home where Sharon Tate and 5 others were murdered was turned into dust back in '94 ... eventually replaced with an enormous mansion.

Speaking of '94 ... O.J. Simpson's Brentwood mansion got bulldozed in the late '90s, only a few years after he was acquitted for the 1994 murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman.

Pablo Escobar had a MASSIVE Miami compound smack on the water during his drug reign, but it was seized by the feds in the '80s ... getting razed in 2016.

Halle Berry clearly loves a meal and a show, especially when she can get in on the action ... as she did while having an absolute BLAST at a drag queen brunch!

The actress gave the crowd and the paid performers a Sunday to remember at WeHo's La Boheme Drag Queen Brunch ... showing up with her boyfriend Van Hunt and a friend for some good fun and grub.

Halle's certainly enjoying herself in the video, doing her best to grind out some moves with one of the performers -- and the crowd goes crazy over the rare sighting. Not everyday ya see an Oscar winner cutting loose like this. God bless those mimosas, right?!

It looks like the pro queens had no clue she was gonna be in attendance ... but that didn't stop them from snapping some pics with Halle after her impromptu number.

As you know, the 56-year-old recently rocked the Internet by posting a nude photo on social media -- some gave the actress a bunch of support, while a few trolls took misogynistic potshots.

Brittney Griner is ready to open up about her harrowing time spent in captivity inside a Russian penal colony.

The 32-year-old, 8x WNBA All-Star has inked a deal with publisher Alfred A. Knopf to write a still-untitled memoir which they say will take a deep dive into Griner's nearly one-year stay in a Moscow-area penal colony.

"For the first time Griner recounts the tumultuous events of 2022 that both reshaped her life and captured the world’s attention: Griner’s arrest at the Sheremetyevo Airport in Moscow on February 17, followed by her detention, trial, and imprisonment in Russia," Knopf says about the book, slated to be released mid-next year.

Of course, Griner, arrested and charged for bringing vape cartridges into the country, was ultimately found guilty on the drug charge, and sentenced to 9 years behind bars. But, after months of negotiation, the U.S. agreed to a prisoner exchange, sending back notorious arms dealer Viktor Bout for BG's release.

Knopf, publisher behind Andre Agassi's bio, Open, says Griner will discuss everything from being arrested to going on trial "in vivid detail." She will also write about her "surreal time living in a foreign prison and the terrifying aspects of day-to-day life in a women’s penal colony."

“I arrived in Moscow to rejoin the UMMC Ekaterinburg basketball team and was immediately detained at the airport. That day was the beginning of an unfathomable period in my life which only now am I ready to share,” Griner says of the project.

Brittney continued ... “After an incredibly challenging 10 months in detainment, I am grateful to have been rescued and to be home. Readers will hear my story and understand why I’m so thankful for the outpouring of support from people across the world."

In addition to the memoir, which will mark the first time Griner has talked about her harrowing experience in-depth, there will be a companion children's book released in the future.

Roger Clemens' 34-year-old son, Kory, has been arrested again for DWI, TMZ Sports has learned ... and the allegations against the MLB legend's kid are scary.

According to court documents, Kory was busted by the Houston Police Dept. in Texas at 2:22 AM on April 7 following a car accident.

In the docs, prosecutors allege Clemens struck another vehicle, which caused "heavy" front-end damage. They also say Kory was throwing up at the scene and was "unsteady on his feet." They added in the documents that he reeked of booze, had bloodshot eyes and slurred his speech ... and stumbled when he walked.

Court documents show he was booked into a Harris County jail ... before he was released after posting bond.

It's the second time in the last four years that Kory has been accused of DWI -- back in May 2019, he was also arrested in Houston after cops said he showed signs of intoxication during a traffic stop at 2:05 AM. The case was ultimately dismissed in 2020 after he entered into a pretrial diversion program.

Kory is one of four of Clemens' sons, who all have names starting with the letter "K" ... as a nod to the former Houston Astros pitcher's propensity to rack up strikeouts while on the mound.

Gucci Mane's former artist Ralo had a Happy Easter despite his ongoing prison bid for weed trafficking ... the Georgia rapper got to hug his daughter for the first time in 5 years!!!

Ralo posted pics of the father and child reunion -- showing himself and his daughter embracing. On IG, he compared their prison meeting to an out-of-body experience that lasts a lifetime.

He admitted current hip hop culture made him want to cut the "rapper" tag from his résumé, but says proceeds from his music are providing for his daughter and much more.

So, he's not bowing out of the game just yet.

Ralo was sentenced to 97 months last year after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute, but has released several projects while behind bars.

He's been teasing his upcoming "97 Months" album ... titled after the length of his prison sentence and dropped off its first single, "Street Honors" with Jadakiss, ahead of the project's April 21 date.

The widow of Dwayne Haskins is claiming the ex-NFL star was drugged in the hours before his death ... alleging the former Steelers and Commanders quarterback was the target of a blackmail and robbery plot.

Kalabrya Haskins spelled out the allegations in a new lawsuit, obtained by TMZ Sports, that was filed in Florida fewer than three weeks before the one-year anniversary of the former football player's tragic death.

In the documents, Kalabrya claims that on April 8 and the early morning hours of April 9, 2022, Dwayne visited four establishments in the Miami area ... and was drugged by a group of people planning to blackmail and rob him.

Kalabrya says Joey Smith, Meriem Yassine, Wissal Yassine and Karlee Peyton drugged the 26-year-old old at some point while he spent time at the Wyndham Hotel, a Drive Shack, a restaurant called the Blue Anchor Pub, and E11EVEN nightclub.

According to a statement released by Kalabrya's attorney, Rick Ellsley, on Monday morning, Ellsley alleges that Dwayne's "highly-expensive watch was stolen from him shortly before his death" ... although he doesn't specify who he thinks took it.

Kalabrya is suing the four for battery ... while also going after the four establishments for negligence, claiming they allowed "patrons to use drugs and to drug other patrons, including [Dwayne]."

As we reported, Dwayne died on April 9, 2022 ... after authorities say he was struck by a dump truck on a Florida highway. According to a Broward County Medical Examiner's Office investigation report, Dwayne had been on foot on the roadway after his rental car had ran out of gas.

Authorities said in the docs the QB "drank heavily" and ingested ketamine in the hours leading up to his passing. They said he had a blood alcohol level of .24 at the time of the accident.

Kalabrya is also going after several other people in her suit ... among them, the dump truck driver who hit Dwayne, the rental car company that Dwayne obtained his vehicle from, and the Florida Department of Transportation -- alleging they all share some blame for the quarterback's untimely death.

If NBA players are tryna get their hands on some top-notch cannabis -- after the league announced they won't be penalized for marijuana use -- then they need to hit up Mike Tyson who tells TMZ Sports he's got the best product in the world!

The NBA announced this month that they're going to remove weed from their drug tests and allow players to use marijuana under a new labor agreement.

The boxing legend -- who also runs a cannabis business called Tyson 2.0 -- loves the idea and told us NBA players should hit him up and cop some of his product.

"I would prefer [NBA players] to use my product," the 56-year-old said on Wednesday. "My product is the best product in the world."

"I'm not tooting my own horn -- it just is. Look at the write-ups from people that have tried it."

Tyson even has a couple of recommendations, including his favorite weed that he smokes on his 'Hotboxin'' podcast regularly ... Sour Diesel!

"If you want to go down and do some indica, you do some OG Kush. If you wanna stay up and enjoy the world, you do the stuff I always smoke, Sour Diesel. It keeps me thinking."

Tyson knows his stuff when it comes to good cannabis ... his brand is in 12 countries, the Mike Bites ear-shaped cannabis-infused gummies are sellin' like crazy and he just opened up the first Coffeeshop TYSON 2.0 in Amsterdam with his friend and CEO Adam Wilks.

"It's a real full Tyson 2.0 experience," Wilks said about the new café.

"You can buy cannabis, baked goods, ear-shaped cookies, and brownies, you can buy pre-rolled joints ... all different Tyson 2.0 cannabis products that you can experience in-house at our café."

What about the NBA and Tyson 2.0 partnering up since the adjusted drug tests??? Well, Wilks tells us there are some "open discussions to be had."

A middle-aged passenger got booted off a commercial airliner after throwing a childlike tantrum while clashing with police ... and it was all caught on video.

Check out the clip posted to TikTok showing the passenger in his seat trying to talk his way out of trouble with three no-nonsense cops standing over him. Apparently, the passenger lost his s*** after he was denied a preflight alcoholic beverage, prompting the officers to pay him a visit.

As you can see, the cops repeatedly ordered the passenger off the plane, but he stood his ground at least for a little while.

But things then took a turn for the worse when the passenger accused one of the officers of stealing his phone. Not a good idea.

The cops then grabbed the guy and dragged him out of his seat. As they hauled him off the plane, the passenger started crying and whining like a child.

It's not clear what happened after that. We're trying to gather more details to get a full picture.

Aldon Smith has just been ordered to spend the next 12 months in jail ... TMZ Sports has learned.

The former NFL star was sentenced Friday inside a Northern California courtroom ... after he pleaded no contest to a felony DUI charge stemming from a 2021 incident in Redwood City.

Prosecutors tell us the ex-Dallas Cowboys pass rusher was remanded into custody after the hearing ... and will begin his year-long sentence right away.

Smith was also given five years of supervised probation, prosecutors say.

The 33-year-old football player, who was last with the Seahawks prior to the '21 season, was initially arrested in the case on Dec. 6, 2021 ... after authorities claim he rear-ended a truck that was stopped at a stop sign on a freeway off-ramp.

Cops say when they arrived on the scene to investigate the accident, Smith appeared intoxicated. They also claim he had marijuana in his pocket, and empty bottles of rum and vodka in his car.

Authorities say the person he hit suffered injuries to their back, wrist, knee, leg and foot in the crash.

Smith was eventually charged with one felony count of drunk driving causing injury -- but he cut a deal with prosecutors on Jan. 19 to close out the case. He had been facing a sentence of up to 16 months in prison following his plea agreement.

Michael K. Williams' family is trying to move on from the trauma they've endured since his overdose, and his nephew says that process includes hoping the heroin dealer who sold the fatal batch to Michael finds help behind bars.

The late 'Wire' star's nephew, Dominic Dupont, tells TMZ ... the dealer's going to need God and everything that comes with believing in a higher power to make it through a lengthy prison sentence.

As we reported ... 39-year-old Irvin Cartagena pled guilty Wednesday to one count of conspiring to distribute drugs in connection to Michael's fatal 2021 overdose ... cutting a plea deal in exchange for a prison term between five and 40 years.

Dominic found his famous uncle dead from an overdose in the actor's Brooklyn apartment, and he watched Wednesday as Cartagena entered his plea.

He says Cartagena is likely to spend decades in a cage because of poor choices, and hopes he uses the time to get himself together.

For Dominic, justice in Michael's death is complicated. He says he's an advocate for justice -- just as his uncle was -- but adds, "People have to be held accountable and responsible for the decisions they make."

Michael's nephew says Wednesday's court proceedings amounted to a sad day for the family ... and there are no winners in this situation because nothing will bring back Michael.

Moving forward, Dominic says society needs to do a better job helping people dealing with addiction, as well as finding successful ways to reduce the influx of drugs on America's streets.

Britt Reid appeared to be fully aware of his surroundings following his 2021 car crash ... new police video, obtained by TMZ Sports, shows he asked cops about the status of the little girl hurt in the wreck -- while also complaining of a stomach injury he suffered in the accident.

The footage was captured on a Kansas City Police Dept. dash camera at around 9:30 PM on Feb. 4, 2021 ... just moments after Reid slammed his pickup truck into the back of a stopped car on a freeway near the Chiefs' practice facility in K.C.

You can see in the video, Reid -- who at the time was an assistant coach on his dad Andy Reid's Chiefs staff -- seemed to be walking and talking to an officer without issue.

Wearing a Chiefs COVID mask and a Chiefs sweatshirt, Britt obeyed all of a cop's commands ... even informing the officer he had consumed an Adderall-like medication roughly 13 hours before the wreck.

At one point, Britt appeared to experience some discomfort ... and after pulling up his shirt to examine his stomach, he calmly told an officer, "My front is starting to swell up a little." He ultimately asked to be checked out by medical personnel.

While waiting for an ambulance to arrive, Britt was informed that he'd be taken to a local medical facility. He then attempted to pull out his phone to inform someone of the news -- but a cop told him, "We can't be on the phone right now, OK?"

Britt responded, "My dad is sitting right there." The cop then told him he still couldn't be on the device, and Britt complied.

It's not clear if Britt meant Andy was at the scene -- a spokesperson for the KCPD told us on Wednesday they were not aware if the K.C. head coach was there.

As Britt and officers continued to wait for medics to arrive, the football coach could be heard in the video inquiring about 5-year-old Ariel Young, who suffered serious brain injuries in the crash.

"Any word on that little girl?" he asked.

"I have not heard anything, sir," the cop said.

Moments later, Britt appeared to pull something from his mouth and throw it onto the ground. He then spit several times.

An ambulance eventually came, and Britt got in it. Officials later said he required emergency groin surgery for his injury.

Days after the crash, authorities said in court documents Britt had a BAC of .113 moments after the wreck, well above the .08 legal limit. They also said they were able to determine he was going 82.6 MPH in a 65 MPH zone just seconds before the crash, and had reached 83.9 MPH at the time of impact.

Britt, who lost his job with the Chiefs in the days following the crash, was ultimately charged with felony DWI in the case.

He pled guilty to the count in September 2022 and was sentenced to three years in prison two months later.

At the sentencing hearing, Britt said he was sorry for his actions ... telling the courtroom, "Every time I see my daughter, I think about Ariel and how my decision affected her so deeply and her family."

Coolio's cause of death has been revealed, and it's one that continues to plague not only the entertainment industry, but the country as a whole ... fentanyl.

Family spokesperson, Jarel (Jarez) Posey tells TMZ ... Coolio's loved ones just got the news from the coroner -- fentanyl killed the rapper -- and he also had traces of heroin and methamphetamines in his system.

Jarez tells us investigators determined Coolio's severe asthma and decades-long use of cigarettes also played a factor in his death and his body's inability to fight back.

Despite the grim news, Jarez tells us Coolio's kids -- Brandi, Jackie, Melan, Christopher, Artis III, Darius and Artisha -- will remember their dad for the great man he was ... and the public should know how much they loved him, and how he conquered the world both on the stage and when he wasn't performing.

We're told Coolio's family has plans to honor their dad through documentaries and film ... and continue the legacy that was his music.

TMZ broke the story ... Coolio was found dead at his friend's house in Los Angeles in September. At the time, Jarez, told us paramedics suspected he suffered a cardiac arrest.

Law enforcement sources told us no drugs or drug paraphernalia were found at the scene.

The world was shaken by the news of Coolio's death -- including his close pal Vanilla Ice, who last performed with the legend just days before his passing.

FYI, Ice got pretty emotional recalling the last time he had a heart-to-heart with the fellow artist ... adding that he even pushed pause on his tour following the rapper's death.

Coolio's family made a headstone so they could have a physical place to go and remember him ... enlisting Cemetery Tim -- who has also done headstones for Nate Dogg, Eazy E and Anthony Johnson -- to make the custom piece.

Fernando Tatis Jr.'s first homer of 2023 didn't go as well as he would have liked ... he was booed as he rounded the bases -- and then the pitcher who served it up straight up called him a "cheater."

The San Diego Padres star hit the dinger on Wednesday night while down in the minor leagues as he continues to serve his 80-game ban for his positive PED test last season.

The 24-year-old, playing for the El Paso Chihuahuas against the Sacramento River Cats, smacked the baseball deep over the left field wall ... and seemed rather impressed by the tater.

He watched it fly -- then skipped around the bases ... but there weren't many outside of him at the Northern California ballpark who were thrilled to see it.

Check out video of the blast -- he was booed loudly as he came home ... and then following the game, the S.F. Giants prospect who threw the pitch took to social media to rip the guy.

"**cheater hits a homerun on a rehab assignment during a steroid suspension**," the pitcher, Kade McClure, wrote.

McClure -- a 27-year-old righty who was picked in the sixth round of the 2017 MLB draft -- didn't back down from the comment ... later appearing to prod Padres fans who were in his mentions.

Jeff Hardy has maintained a low profile since resolving his DUI case in late February -- but now the suspended AEW star has finally resurfaced after his most recent legal troubles, chatting up a wrestling fan, and even posing for a pic.

A fan posted a photo of him and Hardy in Oak Island, NC, ... with the caption, "Met @JEFFHARDYBRAND while vacationing today. Could not have been more generous and likable. He just had eye surgery, get well soon!"

We talked to the fan who told us Hardy told him he recently had eye surgery ... and you can see what looks like a scar under his right eye.

The fan told us he didn't want to ask too many questions, as Hardy was with his family.

You'll recall ... Hardy submitted a written no-contest plea for the DUI he got last summer -- meaning he accepted a conviction and punishment for the crime but didn't admit guilt.

Hardy -- one-half of the famed Hardy Boyz tag team -- was sentenced to two years probation, court-mandated DUI school or drug rehab program and community service.

Jeff -- who reportedly had his license suspended for ten years by the judge -- will have to wear an interlock device for two years and pay $4,586 in fines and court fees.

The man whom prosecutors claim caused Michael K. Williams' death by giving him dirty drugs has pled guilty in a plea deal ... and could see serious prison time.

39-year-old Irvin Cartagena pleaded guilty Wednesday in NYC to one count of conspiring to distribute drugs in connection to the late actor's fatal overdose from 2021. He now faces a mandatory minimum of five years in prison ... and could even see as many as 40.

Cartagena was facing additional charges and potentially life in prison ... but ultimately pled guilty to just one.

Federal prosecutors slammed Cartagena after securing the guilty plea -- as well as others who were arrested -- by saying the sale of fentanyl-laced heroin brazenly happened in broad daylight ... and that Cartagena and co. were preying on victims like Williams in Brooklyn.

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams also claimed that the dealers continued to peddle drugs on the streets without a second thought ... even after Williams died. A second defendant who was also arrested and charged last year reportedly pled guilty too.

As we reported ... Williams' body was found in his home, and his official cause of death ended up being an accidental overdose. His passing came as a shock to Hollywood. The actor was mostly known for his portrayal of Omar Little on "The Wire" -- but his work went well beyond that, and he was acclaimed for his craft. He had publicly battled drug addiction.