Avril Lavigne Calls Off Engagement to Mod Sun

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Avril Lavigne and Mod Sun are no longer together, she's made the tough decision to call off their engagement almost a year after he proposed ... TMZ has learned.

Sources close to the now-former couple tell us the two had tried to make things work recently, going "on and off" over the last few months, but it just wasn't right. We're told not only have they hit the brakes on getting married -- they're no longer together as a couple, either.

At this time, it's unclear what led to the split ... but we're told there was no cheating on either side.

The news comes on the heels of photos of Avril out to dinner with Tyga and a group of friends Sunday night at NOBU.

We're told Tyga and Avril appeared extremely comfortable hanging out, and shared a hug in the parking lot before leaving in the same vehicle. The sources we've spoken to say the two are good friends, and have been for some time, but it's nothing romantic.

An interesting note, however, is Mod's rep tells us, "They were together and engaged as of 3 days ago when he left for tour so if anything has changed that's news to him."

Avril and Mod got engaged last year in March during a trip to Paris. He recently released a new album titled "God Save the Teen" with a handful of songs dedicated to Avril.

Avril and Mod were recently spotted together at an event for The Grammys ... just a couple weeks before he left to go on tour.

Josh Flagg 'Selling Sunset' Ain't About Real Estate!!! We Really Sell on MY Show

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LET'S BE REAL, GUYS ...

Josh Flagg isn't backing down when comes to calling out the "Selling Sunset" crew -- and while he admits they might have actual real estate licenses, he insists they're still far from the real deal!!

The 'Million Dollar Listing' star joined "TMZ Live" Tuesday to dig deeper into his ongoing beef with Jason Oppenheim's Netflix crew. Josh fired the first shot, claiming the 'Sunset' folks were mostly bogus because they didn't have licenses.

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Josh cleared the air with us ... saying whether or not they have licenses isn't really the issue, it's more about their selling prowess, or lack thereof.

He proudly pointed out the folks on his show "actually make a ton of sales," and have been doing so for a long time.

JF says the "Selling Sunset" team just needs to be transparent, and in his mind, that means telling the audience they're NOT about real estate ... they're about drama and entertainment.

Ya want real estate, he says check Bravo for 'MDLLA.'

Of course, Oppenheim himself told us there's no real beef with Josh despite his opinion of the show, and Josh didn't deny that. Instead, he clarified there's no animosity behind his remarks, just brutal honesty.

BTW, Josh isn't completely against everyone who does the show. He gave a shout-out to former cast member Christine Quinn, and says he's already bought 3 copies of Chrishell Stause's book -- but quickly turned that into a diss. Playfully, we think.

Jansen Panettiere Friends Got Worried When He No-Showed Meeting ... Found Him Dead at Home

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Friends of Hayden Panettiere's brother, Jansen, became alarmed something was wrong with the actor after he no-showed a business meeting ... racing to his apartment to find him unresponsive.

We've obtained a police report from Jansen's death investigation detailing the moments leading up to the discovery of his body. Jansen's friends informed investigators he was supposed to be at the meeting on Sunday -- and when he didn't show up, they thought something might be wrong.

One of Jansen's friends went over to his apartment, and found him sitting upright in a chair, unresponsive, called 911 and started CPR.

Hayden and Jansen's dad, Skip, told cops he spoke with his son Saturday night and he sounded "okay."

TMZ broke the story of Jansen's death ... at this time, there's no foul play suspected, and final results from his autopsy and toxicology report won't be completed for several weeks.

The 28-year-old was 5 years younger than Hayden, and also worked as an actor in his earlier years -- making appearances on "Even Stevens," "Blue's Clues," "Robots," and "Ice Age: The Meltdown." He also had a recurring role as Truman X in Nickelodeon's "The X's."

Would-Be 'Bomber' Threatens to Blow Up H'Wood Sign ... Calls Wrong Cops with Demands!!!

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Someone allegedly tried to pull a Doctor Evil with the iconic Hollywood sign -- both in terms of his ridiculously wacky demands ... as well as his overall smarts. 😅

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... a man called Hollywood PD Sunday threatening to blow the famous L.A. landmark to smithereens with pipe bombs -- that is, unless he was paid a WHOPPING $10,000 (insert Mike Myers pinky move here).

Big claims for big stakes, we suppose.

Here's the problem ... we're told the dude didn't even dial the right department. In attempting to reach L.A., our sources say he actually dialed cops in Hollywood, FL.

Unclear if he realized he had the wrong number, but in any case ... we're told the Florida HPD hit up their L.A. counterparts to let 'em know what was going on, nutty as the whole thing seemed.

We're told LAPD checked it out, and found no credible threat at all. Our sources tell us there've been no arrests, but the case is under investigation.

For context, the Hollywood sign is under 24/7 video surveillance, so it's always watched closely -- and there are additional safety measures in place if anyone tries to tamper with it. Of course, some have been successful getting to it in recent years ... but it's no easy target.

Just another day in the City of Angels ... not to be confused with Florida's so-called "Diamond of the Gold Coast."

Fun fact: Joseph Young founded Hollywood, FL in 1921, and yes, the former Cali resident was California dreamin' when he adopted the name for his "Dream City" in South FL.

Don Lemon Steps Down As Host For NYC Event ... Amid Misogyny Backlash

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Don Lemon seems to be trying to push himself out of the limelight amid all the anger pointed his way ... because TMZ has learned he's backed out of an upcoming event he was set to moderate.

Don was scheduled to host an event in NYC Tuesday, all about race and real estate in honor of Black History Month.

TMZ has learned Don stepped away from the gig ... making the decision not long after facing serious backlash for last week's misogynistic comments about Nikki Haley.

We're told Don was worried about his current news coverage overtaking the event, and our sources tell us event coordinators at Douglas Elliman agreed ... so he bowed out.

We've learned he's been replaced by real estate broker John Gomes, who works for Elliman -- the event will go on as scheduled.

As you know, Don was dragged after categorizing a woman's "prime" based on her age in regards to Nikki -- not only being met with anger online, but echoed by cohost Poppy Harlow.

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LEMON-LESS

He's since apologized for the comment, but still was absent on Monday morning's "CNN This Morning" ... and him being MIA was only addressed in a blink-and-you-miss-it kind of way.

Madison Beer Swatted More Than 15X from Germany ... Caller Claimed She Was Going to Hurt Herself

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Madison Beer is a hot topic with LAPD ... not because she's breaking laws, but because a caller from Germany is repeatedly -- and falsely -- informing cops Madison's contemplating suicide.

Law enforcement tells TMZ ... LAPD's received more than 15 calls since the beginning of this year about Madison, with the most recent one coming this past Sunday. We're told each time it's been a male caller who claims she was going to harm or kill herself.

Sources say cops have spoken to Madison, who told them she's just fine and has no clue who's responsible for the mystery swatting calls. We're told the police will keep that in mind going forward.

We're also told cops determined the call was coming all the way from somewhere in Germany but haven't figured out much else yet. The case is still under investigation.

We've reached out to Madison for comment ... so far, no word back.

Swatting's been a growing problem for police around the country. For those unware, it's a form of prank call -- often done to live streamers online -- with the goal being to get a big police response to raid the victim's home.

Thankfully nothing escalated with Madison, but results in the past have led to cops bursting into people's houses with guns drawn ... creating serious panic, and the potential for much worse.

Ex-Mets Pitching Coach Phil Regan Sues Team ... You Fired Me 'Cause I'm Old!!!

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Ex-Mets pitching coach Phil Regan has filed a lawsuit against the team ... claiming the only reason he was booted from his gig in NY nearly four years ago was because he's old.

The 85-year-old baseball lifer spelled out his allegations in a new lawsuit, obtained by TMZ Sports, alleging the age discrimination happened after he took over the interim pitching coach role in the middle of the 2019 season.

Regan, in the suit, says after he filled in for the fired Dave Eiland, the team saw immediate results. He claimed the staff's aces -- Jacob deGrom, Zack Wheeler and Noah Syndergaard -- all got better under his watch ... and he added that the team's ERA lowered significantly too.

But, he said he was not retained following the season ... claiming he was not brought back solely because he was 82 years old at the time.

In the suit, filed by high-profile employment attorney Matthew Blit, Regan said the team's GM at the time, Brodie Van Wagenen, even admitted to him that he wasn't coming back because he was "too old."

Regan also said in the lawsuit that Van Wagenen told him, "If we don't find the young pitching coach we are looking for, we will hire you back."

The Mets ended up hiring 33-year-old former MLB pitcher Jeremy Hefner to replace Regan in the offseason.

Regan -- who both played and coached in the MLB for six decades -- did not coach again following the '19 season. He's suing for unspecified damages.

"Phil is the first to crack jokes about his age," Blit said in a statement to TMZ Sports, "however there is nothing funny about a person being told that they are being passed over because their employer wants someone younger. That's discrimination, plain and simple."

Blit added, "Suing for discrimination in professional sports is extremely rare. In fact, Phil debated doing this for many years. But the hurt from the conversation that he had with Mr. Van Wagenen continues to haunt him to this day. He can hear the exact words playing in his head over and over. Phil knew this had to be done."

The Mets have yet to publicly comment on the suit.

Jon Jones Give Me Stipe Miocic After Ciryl Gane ... 'I Want To Solidify My Legacy'

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Jon Jones hasn't yet gotten his feet wet in the UFC's heavyweight division, but he's already eyeing the weight class top dogs ... telling TMZ Sports he wants Stipe Miocic after he fights Ciryl Gane next month.

Jones told us he feels a tilt with the former champ could help "solidify my legacy" ... adding that if he wants to be known as one of the fight game's G.O.A.T.s -- he's got to beat the best to do it.

"People consider him the greatest heavyweight of all time," Jones said of Miocic. "The opportunity to compete against such a man, I'd be honored."

"The opportunity to beat such a guy would be truly something special."

Of course, 35-year-old Jones has to get through Gane first in order to get that opportunity -- and he tells us it won't be an easy task.

The 26-1 fighter called Gane "one of the best talents the UFC has ever seen."

"I got a huge, huge order ahead of me," Jones said.

If Jones does get through Gane at UFC 285 on March 4, though ... Miocic sure seems down to get in the Octagon with him.

The 40-year-old tweeted right after the Gane vs. Jones matchup was initially revealed last month "I got winner in July."

We also talked to Jones about all the work he put in to move up from light heavyweight -- and he said it was a grind ... telling us he had to eat as many as seven meals a day!!

Hayden Panettiere Brother Jansen Dead At 28

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Hayden Panettiere's brother Jansen Panettiere has died ... TMZ has learned.

A family source tells us Jansen died over the weekend in New York. His cause of death is currently unclear. Law enforcement sources tell us they got a call to a residence Sunday night around 5:30 PM. We're told there's no foul play suspected in Jansen's death.

Jansen, 5 years younger than Hayden, jumped onto the scene in the early 2000s, working on projects like "Even Stevens," "Blue's Clues," "Robots," and "Ice Age: The Meltdown." He also had a recurring role as Truman X in Nickelodeon's "The X's."

At one point, Jansen worked alongside Hayden in 2004's "Tiger Cruise" and 2005's "Racing Stripes."

He went on to star in Disney Channel original movies and made-for-TV Nickelodeon films, picking up a nomination for a Young Artist Award back in 2008 for his work on "The Last Day of Summer."

Jansen kept acting through the 2010s, working on shows like "Major Crimes" and "The Walking Dead." He also was attached to 5 more projects at the time of his death.

Jansen was only 28.

RIP

Alec Baldwin Wins Critical Battle in 'Rust' Case ... D.A. Drops Gun Enhancement Charge

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The Santa Fe County D.A. has gotta be a little embarrassed today ... dropping a key charge against Alec Baldwin that now means even if convicted he might not spend any time behind bars.

The D.A. dropped the gun enhancement charge in the case ... this after Baldwin's lawyer filed a motion excoriating prosecutors for going after the actor using a law that didn't apply.

As we reported, Baldwin has been charged with involuntary manslaughter in the death of Halyna Hutchins. The D.A. initially tacked on the gun enhancement charge -- i.e., using a gun to commit the crime. Problem is, at the time of the shooting, New Mexico law provided a gun enhancement charge could only apply if the gun was "brandished" -- meaning the gun was displayed with intent to intimidate or injure a person. That's clearly not the case with Baldwin.

For some reason, the D.A. felt Baldwin could be charged with a recent amendment to the gun enhancement law, that doesn't require brandishing. Thing is ... that law was not enacted until 7 months after the shooting.

The D.A. belatedly saw it Baldwin's way and dropped the gun enhancement.

Here's why it matters ... if the gun enhancement charge stuck and Baldwin was convicted, he'd face a minimum of 5 years in prison. Now that it's been 86'd, if Baldwin is convicted of involuntary manslaughter, he'd face up to 18 months behind bars, but the judge could give him less ... or even probation.

The D.A. also dropped the gun enhancement charge against armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed.

Euphoria Star Angus Cloud Lands On Police Radar For Hit And Run Accident

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"Euphoria" star Angus Cloud has found himself in the crosshairs of the CHP after his alleged involvement in a hit-and-run ... and now, cops wanna talk.

The whole thing went down Tuesday in Marina del Rey where a witness tells us, Cloud and another male were driving around in an SUV that rear-ended a Toyota and then took off into a nearby parking lot.

We're told at least one person, a female, in the Toyota suffered injuries to her legs and arms -- with bruising and redness.

After the chaos from the accident settled down, the witness -- who knew the people in the Toyota -- went to look for Cloud and the SUV in the parking lot where he says Angus and the other person in the car had driven, but they were nowhere to be found.

Law enforcement sources tell us ... while the "Euphoria" star is not officially a suspect in the case, his name has been floated for possible involvement -- cops want to speak with him to determine if he was involved and/or responsible for the wreck.

BTW ... hit-and-run can be charged as a felony in California.

We've reached out to Angus' team for comment ... so far, no word back.

Pete Davidson, Chase Sui Daytona 500 Date ... Smoochin' At The Racetrack!!!

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It certainly looks like things are gettin' serious between Pete Davidson and Chase Sui Wonders -- 'cause the two had a sweet PDA moment on their date at the Daytona 500 ... and TMZ Sports has the pics of it!!!

The comedian and his "Bodies Bodies Bodies" costar enjoyed their Sunday at NASCAR's Super Bowl in Daytona Beach, Florida -- and they were inseparable throughout the action while mobbin' around the famous racing event.

The couple toured the Daytona International Speedway track, and then, at one point, they got up into a box -- where they just couldn't keep their hands off each other.

They strapped on red earmuffs, wrapped their arms around one another, and locked lips -- all while cars whizzed by on the track just feet away.

Of course, this ain't the first time we've seen the two kissing ... just last month, they gave each other a big smooch during a date at Universal Studios Hollywood.

So as you can see, the relationship appears to be getting pretty serious.

Outside of the two lovebirds, a bunch of other celebs showed up for the race ... Tiffany Haddish, WWE's Charlotte Flair, NFL's Ian Thomas, and country singer Dierks Bentley were all there too.

Michael Jordan, who launched the 23XI Racing team in 2020 with NASCAR driver Denny Hamlin, was also in attendance ... taking advantage of the NBA All-Star break.

When it comes to the race, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. was victorious ... earning his first Daytona 500 after 212 laps.

Presidents Day Hair-Raising, Presidential Space Flight!!!

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Former United States Presidents are going to new heights -- well, samples of their hair are ... because they'll be shot into space in honor of Presidents Day.

Hair samples from George Washington, John F. Kennedy, Dwight D. Eisenhower, and Ronald Reagan will soon be rockin' zero Gs ... scoring a ride on Celestis' upcoming deep space Enterprise Mission atop the Vulcan Centaur rocket.

The launch from the company, which specializes in memorial spaceflights, marks the first time a President or any part thereof has taken to space.

We're told the samples were originally held by celebrity hair collector, Louis Mushro -- yup, that's a real job. It's all legit, with the requisite certificates of authenticity.

Mushro passed away in 2014, but the follicles were later sent to the spaceflight company by an anonymous donor.

As we reported, Celestis is also hosting the launch of a hair sample from "Star Trek" star DeForest Kelley and the ashes of Nichelle Nichols. We're told the past presidents will be sharin' space with the intergalactic actors later this year when the rocket launches from Cape Canaveral.

Have a nice trip!

Russell Simmons QC Will Thrive Under Scooter!!! It's About Green, Not Black and White

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GOOD FOR BUSINESS

Quality Control co-founder Pierre "Pee" Thomas' decision to sell his label to Scooter Braun's HYBE platform for a reported $300 million was a great move, according to no less an authority on the biz than Russell Simmons.

Pee was criticized for building up a Black-owned company only to sell it to white America -- he promptly defended the move on social media -- but Russell says all those haters need to educate themselves before they speak.

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We conversed with Rush Friday in WeHo, and he thinks the sale will open new opportunities for Pee, and his partner Kevin "Coach K" Lee, to invest further in their community ... because they'll be able to liquidate assets.

Rush says the music industry is a volatile place -- he referenced the downfall of Young Thug and 300 Entertainment as examples, in addition to his own history.

In 1999, Rush sold off Def Jam Records, the label he co-founded for an estimated $120 million, and was able to branch off into fashion, film, financial service and jewelry!!!

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Def Jam is still going strong today and Rush says QC will flourish all the same under Scooter Braun's watch. He also doesn't think race played a role in the sale.

He notes even Scooter sold his company, Ithaca Holdings, to the one he operates now -- which is Korean-owned. Russell reminded us that's just how biz works in America.

Mike Tyson Ngannou Has Shot Against Fury ... 'Anything Is Possible'

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RETURN TO THE RING?!

Francis Ngannou has a boxing legend giving him at least a chance in a fight against Tyson Fury ... with Mike Tyson telling TMZ Sports believes "anything is possible" if the two heavyweights face off in an epic matchup.

Ngannou, who recently became a combat free agent after spending more than 8 years with UFC, told us last month he's been in contact with Fury's camp about making a fight happen with the Gypsy King.

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MEETING A LEGEND

Of course, Ngannou is one of the hardest-hitting fighters in the game, but it would be his first professional boxing fight ... and going up against Fury would be a huge task for anyone, let alone a rookie pugilist.

Tyson showed a bit of optimism for The Predator when we caught up with him in LA ... giving us a simple, yet hopeful response to his chances in the ring.

Fury might already have his next opponent lined up with Oleksandr Usyk, but it's clear both sides are serious about putting ink to paper sometime soon.

We also spoke with Tyson about whether he would like to ref Ngannou vs. Fury when the time comes ... and if he'll ever take another fight again -- and his answers are pretty interesting!!!

John Mayer Feelin' the Gravity of Trespass ... Intruder Roaming On Property

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Someone possibly up to no good must've thought John Mayer's home was a wonderland ... because cops rushed there after his security team spotted a trespasser.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... police hit up John's L.A. area home last month after someone was caught on camera roaming the property. Sources say they got out of the camera's range and then just disappeared.

Cops searched on foot and even with a police helicopter but turned up empty-handed.

Police didn't search inside the house -- John's private security told them no alarm was triggered, and they assured cops the house was safe.

No arrests have been made. BTW, John wasn't home at the time of the incident.

This isn't the first time his home's been targeted ... someone broke in back in 2018, and the place was ransacked. The culprit took off with somewhere between $100-200K in property.