'BLACK PANTHER' DIRECTOR Body Cam Shows Bank Confusion ... Tells Officers to Check Google, Mistake Made

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Ryan Coogler was clearly stunned when cops pulled guns on him as he tried to make a legal withdrawal from his bank account -- and his confusion/outrage fully plays out on police body camera footage.

As you can see in the video, obtained by TMZ, the famed director of "Black Panther" and "Creed" is unsure why he was suddenly surrounded by police inside an Atlanta Bank of America -- and then quickly handcuffed and brought out to a squad car.

Even before Ryan has a clue as to why they've detained him ... he tries telling the officers, during this January incident, they've got an innocent guy. He calmly pointed them to his work badge -- he's shooting the 'Panther' sequel in ATL -- and suggested they Google his name.

In the video, Ryan does his best to keep his cool as he's being questioned about what he was doing inside the bank.

TMZ broke the story ... Ryan tried to take out $12,000 from his account, handing the teller a withdrawal slip with a note scribbled on the back, requesting the teller count the cash in the back.

As Ryan tells cops in the video, he didn't feel safe saying the large amount out loud, or having the money counted out at the teller's station. He says it's the first time there's been an issue with one of these transactions, and he also explains why he regularly makes them.

As we reported ... cops investigated and said it was all a huge mistake ... with police saying they just responded to a 911 call from a BoA employee who told her boss Ryan was attempting to rob the bank.

In the body cam footage, Ryan tries to find out who made the call from inside the bank ... and he also asks cops for badge numbers of all the responding officers once he's released.

As he told TMZ ... "This situation should never have happened. However, Bank of America worked with me and addressed it to my satisfaction and we have moved on."

Chris Brown Posts Rape Accuser's Messages ... Says She's Lying, Threatens to Sue

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Chris Brown is firing back at the woman who accused him of rape and sued him for $20 million -- insisting voicemails and texts she sent after their encounter prove it was consensual, and now the woman's lawyer is dropping her.

The string of texts began very shortly after he and the anonymous accuser hooked up on a yacht in Miami back in December 2020, and continued for several months. In the texts, Chris tells the woman she should take a Plan B pill after their encounter, and she responds that she will, and adds ... "I wanna f**k u tonight at midnight lol."

Months later, after she and Chris apparently talked about meeting up again, but never did, the woman sends a nude selfie and says "U were honestly the best d**k I've had 😭 lol i just want it again."

When Chris didn't respond, she seemed to get peeved, texting ... "U knew full well I wasn't pressing u bout no d**k. U told me to stay and then gonna try to play me? Nah that's crazy i didn't deserve that but u def got it."

In a voicemail, which Chris posted on his IG, she says, "I just want to see you again ... just let me know. If you want me to leave you alone, I will. But I really just wanna f**k the s**t again."

Chris clearly feels vindicated, and said on social media ... "No more dragging me through the mud. CLEARLY YOU CAN ALL SEE THE (blue cap emoji)." He says he's planning to sue the accuser because, "You don't play with people's lives like that."

TMZ broke the story ... the woman accused Chris of drugging her during the yacht party, and taking her into a bedroom and raping her.

We spoke with the accuser's lawyer, Ariel Mitchell, and she confirms the woman sent Chris the texts and voicemail. She tells TMZ she's withdrawing from the case because she says the woman had not informed her about the messages.

Meanwhile, Miami Beach PD tells us the case is still under investigation, however they have received the messages between Chris and the accuser.

'Party Down South' Joshua Tharpe Dead at 42

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Joshua Tharpe -- a guest star on "Party Down South" -- has died ... TMZ confirms.

His brother, Billy, tells us ... Josh was found dead Monday by his mother on the kitchen floor of his home in Baton Rouge, LA. Billy says Josh's death comes as a surprise, as everything seemed fine just a day or so prior.

We're told Josh had gone to church with his mother on Sunday and then hung out at her house afterward. Later that day, he swung by a friend's place where he had plans to spend the night -- but had to stop by at his own place first to grab some clothes ... and Billy says he never returned.

The friend grew concerned when she didn't hear from him the next day, and contacted his mom ... who went to his house where she found him collapsed. Billy says the coroner has notified them that Josh died as a result of a heart attack. Apparently, he'd experienced something similar a year prior, but much more mild and he'd recovered.

Joshua wasn't a full-time cast member on the CMT reality show, but he was featured in multiple episodes.

He was just 42.

RIP

Deandre Ayton Rocks Elmo Kicks For Son's Bday Scores Season-High 30 Pts

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How's this for a birthday gift? Deandre Ayton celebrated his son's first birthday by dropping 30 points ... and he did it rockin' custom Elmo kicks!

TMZ Sports has learned Ayton's team reached out to Cleveland artist Van Monroe requesting Elmo artwork for his sneakers to celebrate Deandre Jr.'s first birthday on March 6.

Monroe brought Ayton's vision to life -- delivering a dope design featuring the Sesame Street Muppet.

Aside from a painted photo of Elmo ... the Puma's also have Ayton's son's name and birthday, March 6, 2021, painted on them.

Monroe -- who tells us he was honored Deandre chose him for such a special occasion -- says it only took him 15 hours from sketch to finished product on the size 18 shoes.

Besides the birthday sneaker tribute, Ayton went off against the Milwaukee Bucks on Sunday, dropping 30 points for the Suns -- a season-high for the 6-foot-11 center.

Despite the great performance, the Suns lost, 132-122 ... but that didn't stop Ayton from dedicating his best performance of the year to Jr.

"Happy birthday to my son," Ayton said post-game, "That game is dedicated to him."

Happy birthday!!

Kobe Bryant 81-Pt Game Shooting Shirt Sells For $277,000 At Auction!!!

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Kobe Bryant's shooting shirt from his iconic 81-point game just sold for a massive $277,000 at auction -- and the lucky buyer also got a one-of-one NFT that came with it.

The shirt is a one-of-a-kind piece ... not only was it worn by the Mamba before he scored the 2nd-most points ever in an NBA game (back in 2006), experts at Sotheby's tell TMZ Sports it's the ONLY worn piece from that game on the market.

We're told it was worn six other times by Kobe, too -- including in the 2006 playoffs.

We're also told the shoes from that historic game were sent to the Basketball Hall of Fame and the uniform is owned by Bryant's family -- so this might be the only Bryant-donned item from the game that ever becomes available.

The auction for the shooting shirt closed last week -- and after a bunch of bidding, the rare piece sold for a total of $277,200.

The lucky buyer is David Kohler, President of SCP Auctions and owner of one of the largest private Lakers memorabilia collections in the world, and he said after the sale he's pumped to now own the item.

"After collecting Kobe Bryant memorabilia throughout many years, I am thrilled and honored to add this very special artifact from one of the most significant games in NBA history to my collection," Kohler said.

Kohler also received the one-of-one NFT -- made by Karvin Cheung from Upper Deck Exquisite Collection Basketball -- that pays tribute to the number 81 in Chinese culture.

Saweetie Sexy Dance-Off With Mascot ... At Clippers Game

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GETTIN' LOWWW

Saweetie tapped in for an epic dance-off with the mascot at the Clippers game on Thursday ... droppin' low and shaking it in front of the whole arena -- and TMZ Sports has the vid!!!

The stars flocked to Crypto.com Arena to watch the Lakers get wrecked by the Clips ... with Justin Bieber, Rami Malek, Normani, Israel Adesanya and more getting a front-row seat for the matchup.

But, it was the "Best Friend" rapper who ended up stealing the show during the 4th quarter ... getting up and dancing with Chuck the Condor as "Conga" by Gloria Estefan blared over the speakers.

Check out the vid -- the fans in attendance went nuts for the spontaneous dance competition ... with folks cheering and whistling as it unfolded.

Safe to say Saweetie came away with the W ... but you can't say that about the Lakers, who stunk up the place once again in the 132-111 defeat.

The Lakers are now 27-35 and have lost 4 games in a row.

But, look on the bright side, at least the Clippers fans had a good time??

Pete Davidson Real Life Space Cadet!!! In Talks with Bezos for Blue Origin Flight

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When people say Pete Davidson is a rising star, you can take that literally now -- dude's talking to Jeff Bezos about blasting off in a Blue Origin spacecraft!

TMZ has confirmed the 'SNL' star is in serious discussions with Bezos about becoming a newly-minted astronaut.

If you know anything about Pete, he's been yearning for a ticket to space for years. Sources with knowledge tell TMZ ... the discussions between Bezos and Davidson have been going on for a while now.

Remember, we saw Pete and his GF, Kim Kardashian, heading into the Amazon founder's Bev Hills estate back in January. The couple had a dinner date with Jeff and Lauren Sanchez. Our sources say a topic of conversation during the meal was Pete going to space in the Blue Origin New Shepard space capsule.

We're told reps for Pete and Jeff are hammering out details, and although it's not a done deal, we're told it's "highly likely" it will happen. Our sources say if they reach an agreement, Pete will blast off sometime this year.

Page 6 was first to break the story.

Pete is just the latest celeb to sign up for a Blue Origin flight -- Bezos has previously tagged Michael Strahan and William Shatner for astronaut status ... and, of course, Jeff himself went on the initial launch back in July 2021.

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BOLDLY GOING TO SPACE

Fun fact: the closest Pete's previously come to space travel was when he played his popular Chad character for an 'SNL' skit last May ... when Elon Musk was hosting.

Elon and Jeff are infamous rivals in the billionaire space race, so ya gotta wonder if that skit is what prompted Bezos to get Pete on his team.

Harvey Weinstein Jail Can Be a real Dud ... Caught with Chewy Caramels Behind Bars

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Harvey Weinstein was caught red-handed once again ... this time with a box of Milk Duds!

Law enforcement tells TMZ ... the contraband in question was discovered by L.A. County jail guards back in November -- after a meeting with attorney Shawn Burkley.

While it's unclear how the Duds made their way to him, Weinstein claimed he brought the chocolates with him when he was extradited from New York back in July. Apparently, jail officials think one of his lawyers may have slipped him the Duds.

Weinstein's rep Juda Engelmayer gave us a statement from Weinstein ... "This was an innocent misunderstanding. It will not happen again. I have been a model inmate, following the rules and regulations and I am sincerely sorry.”

HW's attorney Mark Werksman tells TMZ ... the judge took no action against Weinstein -- nor did the jail. Mark, Shawn, and his other lawyers are still visiting him ... with the same cursory checks in effect.

Weinstein is currently being held at the Correctional Treatment Center -- a medical unit within the Twin Towers jail in downtown Los Angeles ... as he currently awaits trial. He's serving a 23-year sentence in New York.

Let's hope this facility comes with a dentist.

UFC Star Colby Covington Cops $50K Custom 'Chaos' Chain ... Before Masvidal Fight

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Colby Covington got himself a sweet pre-fight treat this week ... coppin' a $50,000 diamond chain featuring his nickname, "Chaos," before his massive scrap with Jorge Masvidal.

TMZ Sports has learned ... the MMA star hit up Boodaddy Diamonds to get the piece made prior to his headline fight at UFC 272 -- and the celeb jeweler delivered big time.

We're told the pendant features 14k solid gold, over 15 carats of VVS diamonds, and comes with a crown bale just over the "A" in CHAOS.

We're also told the tennis chain that supports the pendant has 28 carats of VVS diamonds. And, based on the pics of Colby with the chain, it's clear the dude loves it.

The drip is pretty and will look great in the pre-fight leadup ... but one thing seems for sure, his feud with his former friend-turned bitter rival is the exact opposite.

The two mixed martial artists hate each other ... and Covington told us just a few days ago the tension between him and 37-year-old Masvidal is VERY real.

In fact, Covington called it "a blood feud."

No word on if Colby will be sporting the new chain the night of the big fight ... but expect plenty of "chaos" when the two finally get their hands on one another.

UFC Legend Cain Velasquez Booked On Attempted Murder Charge ... After Alleged Shooting

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UPDATE

7:16 AM PT -- Cops have just released Velasquez's mug shot ... and confirmed the former fighter was the suspect arrested in Monday's alleged shooting incident in San Jose.

UPDATE

"The motive and circumstances surrounding this incident are still under investigation at this time," cops added.

UFC legend Cain Velasquez spent Monday night in jail ... TMZ Sports has confirmed the 39-year-old has been arrested and booked on an attempted murder charge.

Details surrounding the specifics of his arrest are unclear -- though law enforcement sources tell us the former fighter was involved in a shooting in San Jose at around 3 PM near a local high school.

In the alleged incident, one person was shot while another was arrested. Nothing further surrounding the circumstances of the situation has been released.

Jail records show Velasquez is still in custody as of Tuesday morning ... and has a court date set for Wednesday at noon.

Velasquez -- who was born and raised in Northern California -- is one of the best heavyweight MMA fighters in the history of the sport. During his reign, Cain beat everyone from Brock Lesnar to Junior dos Santos.

After parting ways following his last loss to Francis Ngannou, Cain spent several months with WWE (he's a huge wrestling fan).

Cain trains at the famed American Kickboxing Academy (AKA) gym with Daniel Cormier and Khabib Nurmagomedov, among other MMA stars.

Before getting into mixed martial arts, Velasquez was a star collegiate wrestler at Arizona State University. He was a 2x All-American.

Originally Published -- 5:50 AM PT

Kim Kardashian I'm Enjoyin' the High Life ... In My New Jet!!!

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Kim Kardashian is flying high these days, being a billionaire and such, and she's taken her massive wealth to a new level by plunking down more than $95 mil on a new private jet.

Kim flew back to L.A. from Milan Friday in a G65OER jet ... our sources confirm she had it built from scratch. When we say $95M, that's the base price. We're guessing cashmere walls are extra.

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FLYING IN STYLE

She's been waiting a year for completion, and we gotta say ... it's pretty damn awesome. The custom interior and exterior are pained a Créme color. The cabin is laced with cashmere finishes and leather seats. It's the same color scheme as her home. She designed the interior with the help of Tommy Clements and Waldo Fernandez. BTW ... Fernandez also designed Travis Barker's home, with an assist from Kourtney.

It's baller ... the placemats and plates are the same as the ones she has at home. Not to mention, we're told guests who board are given a pair of SKIMS slippers and pajamas for a cozy trip.

It seats 18, so make your reservations now.

As for the total price ... we've made some calls and after the customizations, it could have easily set her back around $150 MILLION! But remember ... she's a billionaire.

The plane is the same type as the one owned by Jeff Bezos.

Interestingly enough, Kim was decked out in more Prada when the plane touched down, more evidence she's totally moved on from the Balenciaga looks Kanye used to dress her in.

Kim Kardashian I'm Divorcing Kanye in Marriage ... And In Fashion Too

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Kim Kardashian isn't just moving on from Kanye in marriage, she's apparently moving on from him in fashion, too ... changing in the signature Balenciaga looks he styled her in for Prada.

Kim's been in Milan for fashion week, and has looked noticeably different ... rocking 3 menswear getups from Prada's autumn/winter collection, all designed by Raf Simons. In fact, she's not just wearing Prada, she's hanging out with brand honchos too.

Kim was spotted leaving a private dinner at Restaurant Torre at Fondazione Prada Thursday night -- where she chowed down with Miuccia Prada, Anna Wintour and Raf Simons -- all after taking in the Prada fashion show.

A source close to Kim tells us, "Kim has relied on Kanye's style direction for the last 10 years and is finally feeling confident enough to step out without his help. She is working directly with designers of her choosing and is finally finding her own voice."

Of course, Kanye's dressed Kim for years but has almost exclusively dressed her in Balenciaga for the past year, including the full-mask look at the Met Gala.

Kim's switch-up certainly seems to be just another declaration she's moving on ... and is set to legally do just that next week in court when a judge will almost without a doubt restore her to single status. If she shows up in court, we're guessing it will be Prada head to toe.

As for Kanye, he's apparently found a new muse in Kim look-alike Chaney Jones, she's been spotted out with Ye across the country in Balenciaga.

Mickey Mantle Final Yankees Jersey Hits Auction ... Could Fetch Over $1 Mil

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The last Yankees jersey that Mickey Mantle ever wore during his playing career is up for auction again -- and this time around, TMZ Sports has learned it could sell for a whopping 7 figures!!!

Mantle donned the threads in 1968 -- the final year of his historic career -- and experts at Heritage Auctions, which is brokering the sale, tell us they're expecting it to fetch over $1 million.

The jersey has "Mantle" inscribed on the inside of the collar, and a Wilson tag on the left front tail with the size label "42" and "1968 Set 2" imprinted on it.

The ultra-rare piece also comes with an inscription from Mantle in blue ink that reads "To Tom, A Great Friend Always, 'The Mick'."

FYI, "Tom" is Tom Catal, the president of the "Mickey Mantle Museum".

Besides it being his last-ever game-worn gear, it's also the jersey he wore when he hit his 534th home run against the Minnesota Twins and his 535th against the Detroit Tigers.

Mickey also wore this same jersey during the 1968 All-Star Game, which was his last before retiring after the '68 season.

As for its sale history, Heritage Auctions says the jersey first sold for $486,000 in Feb. 2017, and then for $850,000 in Aug. 2020

Of course, the price tag is steep -- but it makes sense, considering the dude is a three-time MVP and seven-time World Series champion.

The auction closes on Feb. 27 ... happy bidding!

Brian Flores Denies Rift With Tua Tagovailoa ... 'Wish Him All The Best'

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Brian Flores is putting rumors to rest he and his former quarterback Tua Tagovailoa didn't get along ... saying reports they had beef are flat out wrong!

Flores -- who spent three seasons as head coach of the Dolphins -- reportedly didn't see "eye-to-eye" with the ex-Alabama QB during his tenure with the team.

But, the former coach recently sat down with Chad Johnson, Omar Kelly and Brandon Marshall for his "I Am Athlete" show and said that's just not true.

"I think we had a good relationship," Flores told the guys while reflecting on Tua.

"It was a player-coach relationship. And I think in a relationship like that, the coach challenges the player, and often times the player challenges the coach."

BF added, "There was a great deal of respect between the two of us. So you hear this crazy kind of narrative that's out there, but this is a young man who works, developed, and got better over 2 years and I think he's got a bright future."

Flores and Tua missed the playoffs this season, though, Miami won 8 of its last 9 games after starting the season 1-7.

Despite the late season success, many believe Flores was fired because of friction between him and the star QB ... whom the organization selected with the 5th overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft.

Flores knows rumors of the beef likely won't be squashed ... even with the coach addressing the issue with Marshall. But, he says he doesn't care what people believe, 'cause he knows the truth.

"Yeah, the world can think what they want to think. Ask Tua, you know, I think he'd say the same thing."

As for Flores' future, the coach filed a lawsuit against the New York Giants, the NFL, and others ... alleging discriminatory practices rooted in racism when it comes to hiring minority head coaches.

'AGT' Ex-Finalist Glennis Grace Arrested in Netherlands for Assault

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Glennis Grace -- a one-time finalist on "America’s Got Talent" -- was arrested for assault in her home country of the Netherlands ... and we're told her son could be at the center of it all.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... Glennis, her 15-year-old son and another man in their party were arrested and booked on suspicion of assault this weekend after some sort of altercation in a supermarket.

While it’s not exactly clear yet what happened, we're told ... Glennis’ kid had some kind of interaction with staff, left, and returned later the same day with his mom and the other guy. Cops say that's when a violent confrontation broke out.

When the dust settled, we’re told several people were injured. Law enforcement sources tell us ... once cops complete their investigation, they’ll pass their findings on to prosecutors to determine if anyone gets charged.

In the meantime, Glennis and co. have been released from custody.

Glennis’ attorney says, "The police investigation is still ongoing and we trust that it will show that Glennis has not committed any criminal offenses. We are now waiting for the investigation to be finished before making further announcements."

Glennis made it to the final round of ‘AGT’s’ 13th season in 2018, and even repped her home country in the 'Eurovision' song competition once upon a time.

Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant Rare Signed Jersey Card Hits Auction ... Prev. Sold For $516k!!!

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The two greatest shooting guards in NBA history are featured on a super-rare, SIGNED jersey card ... and now's your chance to own it.

TMZ Sports has learned ... a basketball card featuring Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant has hit the auction block with PWCC Marketplace ... and could come with a massive price tag.

This piece of NBA memorabilia features both superstars' John Hancocks ... as well as a piece of both Jordan and Bryant's game-worn jerseys.

PWCC describes the card as "the single most desirable" card from Upper Deck's Series 2 release in 2000 ... and the first to feature both Black Mamba and His Airness.

The card's in great shape -- it's been stamped 9/10 on the grading scale ... and has been preserved in a Beckett 8 holder to ensure it remains in mint condition.

PWCC Exec Jesse Craig tells us it's very rare that an item like this comes up to auction ... and that only 10 copies of this card were made.

"One of the things that is just so impressive about this card is that it exists at all," Craig said. "Jordan was an obvious legend by this time, but Kobe’s greatness was just getting started."

"We look back at the totality of the careers now and the connection is obvious, but at the time it still required some imagination to craft an asset such as this."

MJ and Kobe became tight over the years ... and the Chicago Bulls legend even spoke at Bryant's funeral in February 2020.

The PWCC auction is currently live ... and ends on February 19. No official word on what the card will go for, but we're told this same card recently sold for $516k!!!

Best of luck, bidders!!