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MTV's "The Challenge" star Nelson Thomas' GoFundMe is getting some serious support after his car crash, and some of the donations are coming from fellow reality stars.

The charity campaign quickly picked up steam after going live earlier this week -- and reality TV fans will definitely recognize some of the names chipping in with funds. Nurys Mateo and Tori Deal, who both starred on "The Challenge," dropped $1K each ... while Mark Long and Corey Lay from the series also ante'd up donations.

Outside of Nelson's 'Challenge' crew ... Nicholas Maccarone from "Big Brother" chipped in $250, "Wild 'N Out" star Justina Valentine gave $500, as did Maria Menounos.

Zak Longo from MTV's "Are You the One?" gave $5K ... moving the campaign closer to its $200k goal.

As we reported, Nelson was injured in a fiery crash in Austin, TX earlier this month. Minnesota Vikings receiver K.J. Osborn and a few others were able to rescue him from the wreckage.

Nelson ended up in pretty bad shape -- he showed some of his cuts and burns from his hospital bed, saying he's doing better but has a ways to go.

A United 767 scheduled to take off from JFK Airport on September 11, 2001, could have been the 5th plane targeted by hijackers ... this according to the flight attendants and the pilot on that plane. TMZ will present the story of United 23 Monday on FOX at 9 PM ET.

TMZ has conducted a 6-month investigation into United Flight 23 -- scheduled to leave JFK at 9 AM ... bound for Los Angeles. We interviewed 3 flight attendants, the pilot, the United dispatcher, a member of the 9/11 Commission and others about a series of suspicious activities on the plane ... suspicious enough for the FBI to get involved.

Four passengers in first class aroused suspicion shortly after they boarded. The flight attendants say one of the passengers was a man disguised as a woman. The purser [first class flight attendant] tells us those passengers did not eat meat, and there were only 2 fruit plates in the galley. She wanted to get more fruit plates so the passengers could eat, and it triggered a heated argument ... with one of the passengers insisting, "We do not want to eat. We don't need food. We want to take off ... We just want to go."

There were other reasons the flight attendants were suspicious of the 4 passengers in first, along with 2 others in business class.

The plane taxied to the runway and was close to taking off when the World Trade Center was hit and the airport shut down. United 23 went back to the gate and was evacuated -- the plane was empty and locked. Twenty minutes later, people on the ground saw 2 uniformed people running in United 23's passenger cabin. Authorities came a short time later, opened the door and found the hatch -- that led from the belly of the plane to the cabin -- was open.

The pilot believes those 2 people may have been there to remove weapons or other incriminating evidence. We don't know what was removed from Flight 23, but we do know someone put box cutters in the first-class seat pockets in the plane parked next to United 23 ... a plane that was not scheduled to take off at that time. The United 23 pilot believes those boxcutters were intended to be on his flight but someone confused the 2 planes.

The FBI interviewed the flight attendants later that day and even took them to a lineup at the Port Authority to see if they could ID the 4 passengers.

Don't book hotel rooms in Las Vegas just yet, Jets fans ... Packers legend LeRoy Butler tells TMZ Sports even with Aaron Rodgers -- "ya'll ain't going to no Super Bowl."

In fact, according to the Hall of Famer, NY won't even break .500 this season with Rodgers!!!

Butler gave us his prediction on Friday -- just a couple days after Rodgers made it known he wants to be traded from the Packers to the Jets -- and he's warning NY fans, be careful what you wish for.

Don't get it twisted, Butler thinks Rodgers can still sling the pigskin -- "you can blindfold Aaron flat-footed, and he'll hit a mosquito" -- he just thinks the way the quarterback is handling this offseason won't lend itself to big wins later in 2023.

"I'm going to say this," Butler told us, "I was on a team that went to two Super Bowls -- your team gotta be close."

"I don't know if Aaron Rodgers is going to be there the whole offseason to gel with the top Rookie of the Year wide receiver [Garrett Wilson] ... I don't know if he's going to be there to go to the clubs with Breece Hall. I don't know."

Butler said he's expecting it all to lead to only eight wins for the Jets in '23.

"And then, you have to waffle again if he wants to play for 2024," Butler said.

Butler added he's not been pleased with the way Rodgers has handled his impending exit from Green Bay -- straight up saying some of the signal-caller's words have come across as "disrespectful."

He added that he's happy the team can finally move on from the Rodgers saga with Jordan Love -- predicting GB will win nine or 10 games this season.

Ja Morant's publicity problems are now costing NLE Choppa, whose new song was all set to be featured in a Powerade commercial ... that is, until the NBA star flashed a gun on camera.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ Hip Hop ... NLE's newest track, "Mo Up Front," was set to lead Ja and Powerade's "What 50% More Means" ad campaign. The TV spot was going to highlight the NCAA's March Madness tournament.

Those plans were scrapped, of course, in wake of Ja's infamous gun-waving video and subsequent eight-game suspension from the NBA ... thereby screwing NLE out of the commercial placement for his track.

Despite missing out on the national exposure, we're told the Memphis rapper is still a fan of Ja, and maintains a relationship with his hometown Grizzlies. He walked the team out onto the court for their home opener, so he's a diehard.

NLE is scheduled to partake in the team's celebrity basketball game on March 20 to benefit St. Jude's hospital. As for the music ... we're hearing he still has mo' heat in the can.

Leon Edwards may officially be UFC champion, but Kamaru Usman says Rocky knows who's truly the best 170 lb. fighter, and it's not him ... it's "The Nigerian Nightmare."

35-year-old Usman joined Babcock on the TMZ Sports TV show (airs weeknights on FS1) ... just days before his highly-anticipated rematch in London against 31-year-old Edwards.

"At the end of the day when you are at home and you look at yourself in the mirror, you know who you are, you know if you're the best and you know if you're not the best," Usman said.

"There's nothing that he can tell himself that 'I'm the best' because you haven't proven that. Of course, you threw the Hail Mary and it landed and you have that belt but deep down inside, he knows what I've done to his heart and this Saturday, I'm gonna remind him."

Of course, Edwards was dominated for most of their UFC 278 in August 2022 ... and went into the fifth and final round needing a knockout to win the belt. In stunning fashion, Leon landed a perfectly placed/timed left round kick to Kamaru's head with just over one minute left in the fight, ending one of the best title runs in welterweight history.

We asked Usman if he planned to approach the fight differently ... perhaps using his wrestling more as a way to mitigate Edwards' striking ability.

"[Leon] has no answer for what I bring to the table as a mixed martial artist. Why change anything?" Kamaru responded.

"Of course, be mindful and keep your damn hands up so you don't get kicked in the head again but at the same time, I believe I'm the better mixed martial artist and this Saturday I can't wait to prove it again to the world!"

Kamaru and Leon are knotted up at one win a piece. The winner of Saturday's fight not only wins the trilogy but will leave the welterweight champ.

"I think the world knows who the better mixed martial artist is, and I can't wait to go in there and prove that on Saturday."

UFC 286 goes down from London's O2 Arena -- in Edwards' backyard -- Saturday afternoon!

We also talked to former UFC heavyweight champ Francis Ngannou about his good friend Kamaru's upcoming title fight, and while The Predator has respect for Leon, there's no doubt about who he's pulling for at UFC 286.

Avril Lavigne is looking iced out these days ... and the new, flashy jewelry around her neck comes courtesy of her new bf, Tyga.

Eric Mavani, a celebrity jeweler out of New York City, tells TMZ ... Tyga gifted Avril the custom diamond chain Thursday, and the piece is worth $80K.

Avril's already posted selfies flaunting the chain and was spotted wearing it Thursday night in Los Angeles.

We're told the bling features 50 carats of white diamonds, black diamonds and pink sapphires. Diversity matters! 💎😂

As you can see, the chain features several pendants ... one with Avril's first name, two with the letter "A" imposed over a pink heart, and a pair of skulls and crossbones with pink ribbons.

We're told Tyga reached out to Eric three weeks ago, right before Paris Fashion Week, to make the piece.

The timing is worth noting ... because Tyga and Avril started hanging out a lot more when they were in Paris, kissing for the cameras and strolling through the streets hand in hand.

TMZ broke the story ... Tyga and Avril are still in the early stages of dating, and they're not putting any labels ... like girlfriend/boyfriend on anything, at least not yet.

It will be interesting to see if the expensive diamond gift changes that.

Matt Barnes has a simple message for NBA players following Ja Morant's gun video controversy -- DON'T SNITCH ON YOURSELF -- telling TMZ Sports hoopers don't need to document their every move on social media.

Barnes expressed support for Morant while outside Dash Radio this week ... but he thinks his strip club gun video can be a cautionary tale for other guys in the league as they try to navigate their personal lives while being recognizable athletes.

"Don't tell on yourself and watch out for cameras," Barnes said. "The second you step out of your house you're being recorded these days. So just stay cognizant and be aware of your surroundings."

Morant found himself in hot water with the league after he brandished a gun on Instagram Live earlier this month ... which led to an eight-game ban.

Morant entered a counseling program shortly after apologizing for his actions ... and recently said he met with therapists, got reiki treatment and worked on anxiety breathing during his time away from the game.

Barnes told us he isn't ready to give up on Ja or his career, saying the guard is "one of my favorite players in the league" ... adding Morant "got a little ahead of himself with some stuff."

"That happens when you're young and the world [is] at the palm of your hand."

"I love Ja. I love what he brings to the table. I just want to send him love. Let him know we love him. We miss him and we need him back."

"Last of Us" actor Storm Reid isn't letting a bunch of anti-LGBTQ+ internet trolls rain on her parade, telling us no matter how much they bash the show's inclusive episodes ... she knows it's important to tell those stories.

We caught up with the talented young actress Friday at LAX. If you missed it, she had a guest role on episode 7 of the insanely popular HBO series where she played Riley, the best friend and love interest of the show's star Ellie ... played by Bella Ramsey.

Of course, the episode received a ton of praise, but there were also lots of people who thought it was unnecessary for "Last of Us" to include a lesbian plot.

Storm says not only are the stories told on "Last of Us" very real, but they're also purposeful ... and she's choosing to ignore the folks who can't see that.

Those naysayers flocked to the show's public forums to leave negative reviews, and even went so far as to rank it as one of "the worst" episodes of the season. Perhaps not shockingly, they also hated the third episode, which featured two gay characters.

BTW ... Storm says if there's ever an opportunity for Riley to come back for season two, she's 100% in for an encore!

Lance Reddick, famous for his work on HBO's "The Wire" and the "John Wick" movie franchise has died ... TMZ has learned.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... Lance's body was discovered at his Studio City home Friday morning around 9:30 AM. His cause of death is currently unclear, but our law enforcement sources say it appears to be natural.

Lance had been doing a press tour for the fourth installment of the 'John Wick' franchise -- he plays Charon in the movie -- and had a guest appearance scheduled for next week on Kelly Clarkson's show.

Lance posted a selfie video on social media Wednesday morning, appearing to be at home with his dogs instead of attending the 'Wick 4' premiere in New York City ... though he never mentioned why he wasn't going to the premiere.

Before his work on 'Wick,' Lance was best known for playing fictional Baltimore Police Department officer Cedrick Daniels on the hit HBO series "The Wire" ... with his character appearing in all five seasons.

Lance also had recurring roles on a bunch of popular TV shows ... including "Fringe," "Bosch," "Oz" and "Lost."

In addition to his success on TV, Lance also acted on the big screen outside the 'Wick' franchise ... with credits in films like "Angel Has Fallen" and "Godzilla Vs. Kong."

Lance has some unreleased projects in the works ... he plays the Greek god Zeus in the upcoming Disney+ series, "Percy Jackson and the Olympians."

Born and raised in Baltimore, Lance earned a music degree from the University of Rochester and he got his MFA from Yale.

Lance was 60.

Cher is once again looking to unload her massive Malibu mansion ... putting the estate she's called home for decades back on the market, at a reduced price.

Real estate sources tell TMZ ... the pop icon's oceanfront property is now going for $75 million, which is a sizable reduction from the original $85 million price tag.

Remember, Cher listed the home back in October, but it never sold and was taken off the market ... and on Friday afternoon it was relisted.

The Italy-inspired home is a true beauty ... with just about all the bells and whistles you can imagine, including a home gym, infinity pool, home theater and tennis courts.

The home rests on 1.7 acres and overlooks the Pacific Ocean ... and the grounds are dotted with 40 palm trees, plus a fountain and a courtyard.

The main residence features 7 bedrooms, most notably the primary suite, which is decked out with two closets and a meditation room.

And, get this ... apparently, there's a climate-controlled wig room storing up to 100 hairpieces ... where else are you going to find one of those?!?

Cher originally bought the place way back in 1989, plunking down $2.95 million.

Tyra Banks is hanging up her ballroom outfits, and slipping into serious business attire ... she's calling it quits at "Dancing with the Stars" to pursue her passion as an entrepreneur.

We got the supermodel Thursday on her way out of Whole Foods in Santa Monica when she dropped the bombshell about ending her time at 'DWTS' -- the show she's hosted since 2020.

TB recently launched her SMiZE & Dream ice cream internationally, but now she's focused on bringing it to the U.S. soon -- she says her heart and her soul are in business, and had some proof in her shopping cart.

She showed us the goods she just bought to do some taste testing for future ice cream flavors. Like the woman said, she's dead serious about research and development!

Of course, Tyra's been a fixture on TV for years, from "America's Next Top Model" to "The Tyra Banks Show" and more. She says she'll work on TV in the future, but it'll be more on the side of producing, not hosting.

"Vanderpump Rules" fans hoping to see behind-the-scenes drama from Raquel Leviss' perspective on the cheating scandal might be disappointed -- so far, she's barely speaking on camera ... TMZ has learned.

Sources close to production tell TMZ ... show honchos scrambled to get camera crews together once we broke the news of the split and the drama that followed. They'd already wrapped for this season, but the new goal is to edit the so-called "Scandoval" into later episodes.

While we know Tom Sandoval and Ariana Madix have been filming, including a scene they shot together in the hours after she found out he was cheating with Raquel ... it hasn't been that way with Raquel.

Our sources say she's only filmed one scene since the drama broke, a scene with Tom at her apartment in North Hollywood. Since then she's been staying with family members in hopes things would die down.

TMZ broke the story ... up until this week, Raquel had ignored show producers about attending the reunion episode set to film later this month. However, that recently changed, and our sources say she's become more open to participating in the reunion and telling her side.

The college hockey player who pushed a woman's wheelchair down the stairs at a Pennsylvania pub last weekend has been banned from the establishment ... TMZ Sports has learned.

Nate Sanders -- the security manager at Sullivan's Pub and Eatery in Erie -- tells us ... Carson Briere, the son of Philadelphia Flyers interim general manager Daniel Briere, is no longer welcome at the bar after security camera footage showed him pushing Sydney Benes' wheelchair down a flight of stairs on Saturday night.

According to a GoFundMe page organized by Sanders ... Sydney is a double amputee that requires a wheelchair to be mobile while she's learning to use her prosthetics. Nate told us he assists Sydney with getting around whenever she visits Sullivan's.

Sanders said that should Carson step foot inside Sullivan's moving forward following the ban ... he's prepared to get law enforcement involved if necessary.

Carson -- a junior center on Mercyhurst University's ice hockey team -- has apologized for his actions ... calling them inexcusable. He's since been suspended from the team as the school investigates the incident further.

Police have also launched their own probe into the matter.

Kylie Jenner and Travis Scott want to make their son's name change official in the eyes of the law ... TMZ has learned.

The famous parents filed new legal docs, obtained by TMZ, asking to switch the kiddo's name from Wolf Jacques Webster to Aire Webster.

The docs say Kylie and Travis are both on board with the change ... and they both signed the petition, which is now making its way through the courts.

In the docs, Kylie and Travis say they "regret the initial name choice of Wolf Jacques Webster. Now that Petitioners have had the chance to spend time with their baby, they believe the name Aire Webster is a better fit."

Remember ... Kylie and Travis announced in March 2022 they were scrapping their boy's original name, Wolf, because they felt like it didn't suit him. He had only been born a few weeks prior to the change of heart.

In January, a few weeks before the boy was set to celebrate his first birthday, Kylie revealed his new name, Aire. The name is of Hebrew origin and it reportedly means "Lion of God."

Kylie and Travis' first child is named Stormi ... so Aire fits in with his older sister's name.

Matt Barnes is way behind on child support payments ... a judge just ordered him to fork over more than six figures in back payments to his ex-wife Gloria Govan.

According to new legal docs, obtained by TMZ, the former NBA baller owes Gloria $133,976.54 in past-due child support payments.

It appears Matt hasn't been shelling out child support for quite some time ... because as we first reported back in 2018, Matt's monthly child support bill was slashed from $20,000 to $7,500.

The exes have two teenage twins, Carter and Isaiah, together ... and Gloria went to court claiming he hasn’t been keeping up on the payments.

Remember ... Matt and Gloria finalized their divorce way back in 2016, after just under two years as husband and wife.

Furman shocked the world and busted a ton of brackets with its huge win over four-seed Virginia in the first round of the NCAA tournament ... and the school's best player ever couldn't be happier!!

TMZ Sports spoke with Paladins legend Frank Selvy about No. 13 Furman advancing to the second round of the tourney on Thursday ... and he says the victory was "the best win all-time at Furman."

Furman sealed the win over the Cavaliers after intercepting a pass with just seconds to go ... and JP Pegues pulled up from three to give the Paladins the 68-67 win -- the program's first tourney victory in nearly 50 years.

"We all went crazy over that because we thought we lost," the former No. 1 overall NBA Draft pick added.

Of course, Selvy famously scored 100 points in a game in 1954 ... which remains a single-game record to this day.

He says Pegues' game-winner brought back memories of his historic night.

"It reminded me of my 100-point shot when I made it from midcourt with time running out, with a couple people guarding me. I threw it up from midcourt, and it went in for the 100 points."

Selvy had a ton of praise for Paladins coach Bob Richey ... saying, "He knows more about basketball than any coach I’ve ever seen. The formations and the executions of plays and everything, great guy."

Selvy says he hasn't spoken to the team ... but if he had the chance??

"I would just tell them how proud I was of them and keep it going."