Drugs & Alcohol

Ex-NASCAR CEO Brian France says the parody Twitter account "Drunken Brian France" is NOT funny ... and now, he's suing over it.

In the lawsuit, obtained by TMZ Sports, France says back in Feb. 2014 ... John Steele created the account, @drunkbrianf -- and has been tweeting about the famous NASCAR exec. ever since.

Some of the tweets from the account -- which has more than 18,000 followers -- included ribbing France over his drunk driving case, other jokes about the 57-year-old's lifestyle and general NASCAR talk.

But, in the suit, France claims Steele has taken it too damn far ... and now, he wants the guy to pay up.

France says Steele has harassed, demeaned and abused him from the handle ... and even says it misleads people to believe the account is actually run by France himself.

In fact, in the suit, France says one of the top results when you google his name shows the @drunkbrianf account.

France is suing for invasion of privacy and emotional distress ... and he's asking for damages.

R&B singer Pleasure P got into an altercation with a Checkers drive-thru worker that ended with his food on the ground ... and him hauled away in handcuffs.

The former Pretty Ricky member was arrested early Thursday morning around 5:15 AM in Miami Gardens, FL after he allegedly shoved a female fast-food employee in the chest with his bag of food through the drive-thru pickup window.

According to the police report ... the Checkers worker told cops the incident started when Pleasure P yelled at her through the intercom system for several minutes because there was a mix-up over $60 worth of grub he ordered.

The employee claims P yelled at her more as he was driving up to her window, before getting out of his vehicle and approaching her on foot. She says he handed her the money and she handed him his order ... but then he "pushed her intentionally with malicious intent in the chest with the food he received." That's when she called police.

Cops questioned the singer and according to the report ... he admitted there was a verbal altercation and he threw food, but claims it was not at the female worker.

The report says P reeked of alcohol and food was seen all over the floor near the drive-thru window ... and other employees corroborated their co-worker's story.

At that point, Pleasure P was arrested and his car was towed. He was taken into custody and booked for simple battery.

He posted bond of $1,500 a few hours later and was released from jail.

You may recall ... Pleasure P was the guy who got busted for DUI in December 2018, and asked to call Shaq as he was getting booked. No word if he made any such requests this time.

Demi Lovato is sending a message about 2 major events in her life -- one involving her ex-BF, Wilmer Valderrama -- but you're gonna have to watch her upcoming music vid very closely to get her point.

TMZ got a not-yet-seen snippet from her "I Love Me" vid, and we noticed a clear reference to the near-fatal overdose she suffered back in the summer of 2018. Demi walks past a parked ambulance and reaches out to touch a young woman on a stretcher.

The lyrics of 'Love Me' are all about self-love and empowerment, and the ambulance scene appears to be an illustration of what she's said in recent interviews: She's pulled through after the OD, and anyone else in her situation can do the same.

The Wilmer reference is more of an Easter egg. Watch for the shot of a bride and groom running across the street, right in front of Demi. Remember, Wilmer -- who dated Demi from 2010 to 2016 -- just got engaged in January to model Amanda Pacheco.

Demi's point here seems to be she's cool with Wilmer moving on because, again, she's got self-love to get her through. Remember, she and Wilmer remained close. He visited her frequently in the hospital during her recovery.

Ex-NFL star Muhammad Wilkerson is in trouble again ... this time, he was arrested for DWI and drug possession.

A New Jersey State Police spokesperson tells TMZ Sports ... the former first-round pick was pulled over on March 2 at 2:45 AM in Paterson, N.J.

The spokesperson says Wilkerson was stopped for a routine traffic violation ... but authorities later arrested the 30-year-old and charged him with DWI, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Cops say the passenger in Wilkerson's car was also arrested and hit with charges of possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.

The two were both released ... but are due in court soon to face the charges.

Of course, this ain't Wilkerson's first run-in with the law ... he was arrested back in June 2019  in New York for DWI as well.

Wilkerson -- who wasn't on an NFL roster last year -- was a star for the Jets after they took him with the 30th overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft ... recording 44.5 sacks in 7 seasons.

Mama June and Geno are still going strong, to the clear dismay of her family.

The couple was hanging out at the food court in the Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood Florida Casino and Hotel Friday night. FYI, it's the same hotel where Anna Nicole Smith died back in 2007.

They ordered a mountain of french fries and went to town on the greasy potato strips.

Eyewitnesses say Mama June was standoffish, but Geno seemed happy somebody recognized him. They weren't staying at the hotel — they were staying somewhere in nearby Boca Raton.

As we've reported ... the troubled reality TV star's been looking the worse for wear lately while on the road with her boyfriend, Geno Doak. Her family's been desperate for her to leave him and get help, but so far ... they haven't had any luck convincing her.

Tito Ortiz's win over Alberto Del Rio has been reinstated by a Texas athletic commission ... days after they took away the MMA legends victory and ruled the fight a no-contest.

45-year-old Ortiz DOMINATED 42-year-old Del Rio during their December 7th fight ... submitting the former wrestling star by rear-naked choke in the 1st round of the fight.

All was cool until earlier this week when the Texas Department of Licensing & Regulation abruptly announced Ortiz's win had been stripped ... with no explanation why.

However, on Friday, the TDLR told TMZ Sports they reversed course ... after an investigation proved Ortiz didn't break any rules.

"A urine sample provided by Jacob 'Tito' Christopher Ortiz on Dec. 7, 2019, at the Combate Americas MMA event showed a potentially disqualifying substance that Ortiz claimed was prescribed by a physician. Pending the outcome of the TDLR inquiry into whether the substance was indeed prescribed by a physician, TDLR marked the fight results as 'No Contest.'"

"TDLR confirmed with the physician that the item was prescribed to Ortiz. TDLR has reinstated Ortiz’s victory in the Dec. 7 bout."

We know what you're thinking ... what's the drug in question? So far, those details have not been released but we'll have more here as the info becomes available.

Unbelievable moment for Senators star Bobby Ryan -- who returned to the ice in Ottawa on Thursday after taking 100 days off to get sober ... and he pulled off a HAT TRICK!!!

The 32-year-old had stepped away from the team on Nov. 20 to focus on battling alcoholism through the league's substance abuse program.

Tuesday marked 100 days of sobriety -- and Thursday night was Ryan's first game back at the Canadian Tire Centre ... where he was welcomed by adoring fans.

The energy in the place was insane -- many fans holding signs showing their support for Ryan, who was clearly touched by the love.

When the puck dropped, RYAN WENT OFF -- slapping 3 goals in a 5-2 victory over the Vancouver Canucks!

After goal #3, the arena erupted in a standing ovation and a "BOB-BY!" chant -- you can see Bobby got choked up and had to wipe away tears from his eyes.

After the game, Ryan told reporters, "I knew Ottawa being the community that it is that the reception would be good. It just got harder to keep the emotions down throughout the game."

Ryan added, "It was incredible. They supported me and I got to contribute. You can't write that, the way that went. It was just an incredible evening, so thank you to all of them."

Charlotte Hornets player Malik Monk -- the 11th pick in the 2017 NBA Draft -- has been suspended indefinitely without pay for violating the terms of the league's drug policy.

The details are unclear -- the NBA has not said if Monk tested dirty or simply failed to comply with the drug testing ... but it's clear he's in the dog house.

"The NBA announced today that Malik Monk of the Charlotte Hornets has been suspended without pay for violating the terms of the NBA/NBPA Anti-Drug Program," the league said.

"Monk’s suspension will begin with tonight’s game between the Hornets and the New York Knicks, and will continue until he is determined to be in full compliance with the NBA/NBPA Anti-Drug Program."

22-year-old Monk was a star at Kentucky and has huge potential -- which he flashed with some solid play earlier this month.

He's currently in a 4-year, $15.7 million contract. He earns about $50k per game so the suspension is kind of a big deal.

Boxing star Sergey Kovalev was arrested for DUI in Los Angeles early Monday morning, TMZ Sports has learned.

The 36-year-old former light heavyweight champ -- who recently fought (and lost to) Canelo Alvarez -- was pulled over by the California Highway Patrol around 2 AM.

During the stop, the trooper believed Kovalev was under the influence and arrested him for DUI. He was taken to a nearby station where he was booked.

Records show Kovalev was released on his own recognizance around 7:35 AM.

It's not Kovalev's first brush with the law ... in fact, the Russian star is currently in the middle of a felony assault case stemming from an incident where he allegedly brutalized a woman in 2018.

As we previously reported, Kovalev is accused of attacking Jamie Frontz -- who says the boxing star got violent after she rejected his sexual advances after the opening of a boxing gym in Big Bear, CA.

If convicted on the assault charge, Kovalev faces up to 4 years in prison -- though he has pled not guilty and is fighting the case.

Kovalev is 34-4-1 as a pro -- winning several light heavyweight belts during his outstanding career.

Ben Affleck wrestled with the thought of being an alcoholic ... but looking back he vows not to let it trigger another downward spiral for the sake of his kids.

The movie star looked better than ever during his interview with Diane Sawyer on "Good Morning America" ... acknowledging alcoholism took over his life to the point he'd come home after work and drink until he passed out. He also opened up about his family history -- his grandmother took her life as a result of alcoholism. His father and aunt were also addicts.

Now that he's sober, Ben says he wants to stay on the straight and narrow for his kids. He said, "I really don't want my children to pay for my sins. Or to be afraid for me, which is one of the hard parts of being a child of an alcoholic."

Ben -- who had an intervention back in 2018 -- says he first got sober in 2001 for a couple of years but his moderate drinking ultimately turned for the worse. He briefly talked about his setback on Halloween ... when he stumbled walking out of a WeHo party.

After that incident, Ben told paps he vowed to get sober again. And, his 3 kids with Jennifer Garner -- 14-year-old Violet, 11-year-old Seraphina Rose and 7-year-old Samuel -- is a motivating factor. It's why he took the last half of last year off ... just to be Dad.

Ex-'Bachelor' contestant Jubilee Sharpe smashed up her car before cops took her in for DUI -- and refusing a breathalyzer couldn't save her from arrest.

TMZ has obtained the arrest report in connection to Jubilee's case out of Florida. Per the docs, the arresting officer conducted several field sobriety tests ... and she bombed just about all of 'em. We should note ... the guy says she wouldn't submit to blowing for a BAC.

It's pretty crazy though ... the cop was dispatched to the scene of a car crash -- just one vehicle involved, luckily -- and when he got there ... he says Jubilee was still inside.

The officer says Jubilee had bloodshot eyes, slurred speech and reeked of booze. He also claims she admitted to having a couple beers earlier in the night. The officer also alleges she told him she couldn't quite recall how the accident even came about.

Naturally, field sobriety tests came next, which the officer hilariously explains in excruciating detail. On the follow-my-finger test, for example, he writes in his report ...

• Lack of smooth pursuit, left eye
• Lack of smooth pursuit, right eye
• A distinct and sustained nystagmus at a maximum deviation in the left eye
• An onset of nystagmus prior to 45 degrees in the right eye

Jason Davis' death has authorities thinking he might've overdosed on heroin -- a drug he'd been addicted to in the past and once kicked ... TMZ has learned.

Law enforcement sources familiar with the investigation tell us ... Jason was found unresponsive in his bathroom Sunday morning around 10:30 AM. We're told there were items nearby that were consistent with heroin or opioid use -- including burnt tin foil and other paraphernalia.

An official cause has yet to be determined -- we're told an autopsy and toxicology analysis still needs to be conducted, but for now ... authorities are treating his death as a possible OD.

It makes the situation all the more tragic, as Jason had battled addiction ... and in 2011, he was even arrested and charged for allegedly having heroin on him.

Those charges were eventually dropped after he completed a drug diversion program. About a year before that, he'd been featured on "Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew," where he attempted to get clean. We got him on camera around the time his criminal case was being worked on, and he talked sobriety with us -- saying at the time he'd been off drugs for almost a week.

Jason went on to cofound a charity called Cure Addiction Now, which he's said to have been heavily involved with running.

Jason was most known in Hollywood as the voice of Mikey Blumberg on the long-running Disney Channel show, "Recess." He'd acted in several other movies and shows as well.

The guy was just 35.

RIP.

The Houston Astros' former No. 1 overall prospect was just banned 162 games ... and, no, it has nothing to do with the team's cheating scandal.

The MLB announced Francis Martes -- a pitcher who was touted as the team's next big thing back in 2016 -- has been suspended for a full season for testing positive for PEDs.

It's the second time Martes has been busted for violating the league's drug policy ... in March 2019, he was banned 80 games after a positive drug test.

Martes was a BEAST early in his career ... ranking as high as 15th overall on MLB prospect lists -- but he's struggled to reach his potential so far.

In his first big-league action with Houston in 2017, he posted a 5.80 ERA in 54.1 innings pitched. In 2018, he underwent Tommy John surgery.

What's interesting about all of this ... Martes now becomes the first player from the '17 Astros team since news of their scandal broke to get hit with a punishment from Rob Manfred.

Doubtful that's what Cody Bellinger was looking for ...

Jubilee Sharpe -- who appeared in Ben Higgins' season of "The Bachelor" -- better hope she does better in court than she did in rose ceremonies ... she got a DUI in South Florida.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... Jubilee was busted Sunday for DUI in West Palm Beach, Florida. She was released under her own recognizance. It's unclear, at this point, what led to her arrest. We know she grew up in nearby Fort Lauderdale.

Jubilee -- an Army veteran who had a tough upbringing in an orphanage -- was famous for straight-up asking Ben during a group date if he saw a future with her. Ben said no and sent her packing. She finished in 11th place but would later return to seasons 3 and 5 for "Bachelor in Paradise."

Timbaland's body is damn near unrecognizable from where he was a couple years ago -- and he's crediting his will power ... for keeping him in the gym, and off prescription pills.

Justin Timberlake's fave mega-producer was on "TMZ Live" Friday, rocking a muscle tee, no less, and showing off his brand new physique. Seriously ... the guy's looking ripped after losing more than 130 pounds.

Tim told us he knew he had to "hit the reset button" when he kept having dreams about how his body should look. He'd also gotten a pre-diabetes diagnosis from doctors ... not to mention his addiction to Oxycontin and Percocet.

He got hooked when the pills were prescribed following a root canal. After his experience, Tim says doctors gotta find a better way to help patients cope with pain.

As for his weight loss goals? Tim says he's still pushing for another 30 to 40 pounds. As he put it, "I wanna be a better me."

Just watch ... it's a great dose of weekend motivation!