Exclusive

Cardi B's microphone-turned-weapon during her recent Las Vegas show is now getting tossed onto an auction block ... and it's all for a good cause.

The mic Cardi hurled into the crowd at Drai's Nightclub actually belongs to an audio production company called The Wave in Sin City, and the owner tells us he decided to auction it off to benefit a couple of charities.

Scott Fisher tells TMZ … it was pretty easy to track down the mic after the show, because the white tape across the bottom of it says "MAIN," and it still works despite Cardi chucking it into the crowd. Scott says his company provides audio support for most of the major nightclubs in Vegas, including Drai's.

Videos of Cardi B throwing the mic have gone viral ... and as we first reported, she's now listed as a suspect for battery because a woman who says she was struck by the mic went to police and reported the incident.

As you probably know by now ... Cardi B was performing during a scorching hot day, and had asked the crowd to douse her with water to cool her off, but later she lost her cool when someone threw a cup full of liquid and ice at her, retaliating with the mic toss.

The starting bid on the eBay listing is $500 and Scott says the mic originally cost $1,000 ... so it will be interesting to see where the winning bid lands.

Mike Holston, the internet sensation famously known as The Real Tarzann, says the Chinese zoo being accused of trotting out a human in a bear suit actually has the real deal in captivity.

We got Mike at LAX and asked him about allegations a zoo in eastern China is fooling folks with a man in a suit.

This viral video shot at the zoo is certainly fueling that speculation -- but Mike says the animal shows all the signs of being an authentic sun bear.

The rumors got so out of hand, the zoo was forced to defend itself, and Mike says it's not uncommon for bears to stand on their hind legs, which is one reason why the video had folks thinking something was afoot.

Instead, Mike says the bear is just showing the animal's natural agility ... and it's only standing up to beg for food from humans. See what happens when ya feed the bears!

It's interesting ... Mike says he's interacted with all sorts of wild animals across the globe, but he'd be more afraid to be trapped with an American than a sun bear.

He's got a host of reasons why humans, particularly Americans, are most dangerous in the animal kingdom. For example, he says wild animals never lie about their feelings. 🤔

Method Man won't be walking anyone's runway anytime soon, but his "Power Book II: Ghost" castmate LaToya Tonodeo thinks the rap legend should embrace his newfound status as a Hollywood heartthrob!!!

TMZ Hip Hop linked with LaToya at LAX on Tuesday who told us she's happy Meth is getting looked at in a different light, but understands as a woman what it's like to be treated like a piece of meat and wanting to shy away from being propped up in the public eye.

The Wu-Tang Clan rapper was recently profiled for "Men's Health" magazine and he totally railed against being called a sex symbol. His reasons were pretty simple: he doesn't think he's doing anything special to provoke such a title ... save for working out 500-lb dumbbells on occasion.

He also shared how his nutrition routines, something LaToya credits him for sharing with her on the 'Power' set ... educating her about proper dieting and protein shakes in her own fitness journey.

LaToya says as long as fans and admirers respect Meth's boundaries, all should end well.

Lisa Marie Presley's house has sold in record time -- with a new buyer now in escrow just a couple days after it hit the market.

Celeb realtors Robb and Nikki Friedman announced Lisa's Calabasas home -- where she lived for a little bit before passing away earlier this year -- is currently in escrow ... pretty wild considering they listed the place Friday.

As far as what it sold for ... the Friedmans say they got top dollar for the place, remember -- it was listed at $4,679,000.

Like we said ... Lisa was renting the place since 2020, and had intentions of buying it herself before she died. In the wake of her death, the Friedmans did some renovations -- and it seems like their work and investment paid off.

It's a nice pad ... with 6 bedrooms, 7 bathrooms and all the bells and whistles of luxury. There's a home theater inside, a wine cellar, a pool and lovely mountainside views.

Stephen Amell is explaining why he supports his union, SAG-AFTRA, but doesn't support leadership's decision to strike ... he believes that's not the only way to hammer out a good deal.

The "Arrow" star joined us Tuesday on "TMZ Live," and shared his thought process behind opposing the strikes in Hollywood, and admitted he's walking a fine line between supporting his union and wanting to work.

Stephen says SAG-AFTRA absolutely should fight for a better contract for its members ... but instead of marching in picket lines outside studios, he recommends getting back to the table to negotiate with the studios.

While Stephen's been one of the only actors to speak out against the strike, he tells us dozens of his colleagues are privately reaching out to him ... and he says his fellow actors agree with his strike outlook, even if the outside noise is against him.

Stephen's also caught the attention of SAG leadership ... and he said he's meeting with them later on Tuesday. He told us his goal for the meeting is to show union leaders he supports them while also offering up alternatives to striking.

It's becoming more clear why Angus Cloud's family says he was struggling so much with the loss of his dad ... because his father's life was cut short after a very quick battle with cancer.

65-year-old Conor Hickey, Angus' dad, passed away on May 18 -- a social media post reshared by the "Euphoria" star's mom, Lisa, said he died "after a brief fight with cancer."

Lisa shared her own thoughts in June after his memorial service -- saying, "His cancer moved quickly which was devastating to all who loved him, but there is comfort in the fact that his pain wasn't prolonged."

TMZ broke the story, Angus died at his family home Monday, with Oakland PD and Fire Dept. responding to a 911 call from Lisa about a "possible overdose," claiming her son didn't have a pulse.

Angus' family told us he's been struggling with the loss of Conor, whom they say was his "best friend," adding Conor was buried just 1 week before. Angus posted about his dad a couple of weeks ago, letting him know he's missed.

A source close to the family told us Angus had been struggling with severe suicidal thoughts after getting back from the burial in Ireland ... and he was staying with his family to try and work through the grief.

Angus' cause of death has yet to be determined.

Jennifer Hudson is sending some love Common's way ... saying he's quite the looker and, at least, strongly hinting all the speculation about them being an item is true.

We got Jennifer leaving Il Pastaio in Bev Hills Monday, and when we let her know the 2 of them make a damn cute couple, she didn't deny the love connection.

Here's the thing ... sources tell TMZ they've been together for months, but when we ask her to confirm, she's mostly mum about their relationship -- but check out the glowing compliment she gives the guy.

As we reported, Jennifer and Common first sparked dating rumors in February when they went to Nobu in Malibu together ... and they were spotted hanging out here and there in the months before.

We also got pics of them taking a stroll in a Chicago suburb in May -- total relationship vibes.

You'll recall, Common was dating Tiffany Haddish before Jennifer, but they split in 2021. While Common called the breakup "a mutual thing," Tiffany says that's BS -- saying he was drifting away before it ended.

Taylor Swift is sharing the wealth from her wildly successful Eras Tour ... in the form of six-figure bonuses for the truckers hauling her equipment all around the country!

Our Taylor sources tell us she gifted each trucker working her tour $100,000 ... handing out the bonus checks before her Saturday show in Santa Clara, CA.

We're told the folks getting the money are production truck drivers who have been hauling Taylor's equipment for The Eras Tour ... there are around 50 truckers for her U.S. tour, which means Taylor just shelled out about $5 million.

Our sources say the checks were an "end of the tour" bonus ... remember, the United States leg is coming to a close next week when Taylor plays a series of gigs at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood before moving down to Mexico.

Taylor's nationwide tour has raked in $1 billion in sales ... and when the dust settles, she could end up having the highest-grossing tour of all time!!!

Truck drivers aren't the only ones getting a slice of the pie in the form of bonuses.

Our production sources tell us Taylor also bonused band members, dancers, lighting and sound technicians, caterers, and others. It's unclear how much the non-truckers received, but we're told it was a "very generous amount."

Bottom line ... it pays to work for Taylor.

Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy is making any pizza lover's dream come true -- assembling some of the most famous pie joints for a massive festival ... and he's dubbing it the biggest of its kind.

El Pres -- who's reviewed more than 1,000 pizza places over the years -- spoke with TMZ Sports about his latest venture in the food industry ... the One Bite Pizza Festival, which is slated to go down September 23.

"I'm super psyched about it," Portnoy said. "I've always wanted to do a pizza festival, but I never gave it a ton of thought, because I didn't think it was possible."

But after brainstorming with his partner, Medium Rare -- the company behind events with guys like Shaquille O'Neal, Travis Kelce, and Rob Gronkowski -- Portnoy put together a roster of restaurants that he deems the best of its kind.

"Anybody who's a pizza fan, if you go look at the list of the pizza places that are involved in this, there has never been a better assembling of pizza places in the world ever."

"We have the top of the top of the top pizza places all participating."

Portnoy's foray into the biz started over an office convo about whether he could eat pizza every day for the rest of his life -- he made reviews of the spots he visited, made an app to help users find his top-rated restaurants, and even created his own frozen pie brand.

Now, Dave is bringing all his favorites in one place for people to chow down on some slices ... all while enjoying tunes from Teddy Swims, Barstool band Pup Punk and DJ IRIE.

The One Bite Fest goes down September 23 in Coney Island ... so fans have plenty of time to make room in their stomachs.

"There hasn't been ever in the world a bigger grouping of the best pizza places. This is it."

Angus Cloud -- famous from "Euphoria" -- has died at his family's home in Oakland ... TMZ has learned.

The actor's family tells us ... "It is with the heaviest heart that we had to say goodbye to an incredible human today. As an artist, a friend, a brother and a son, Angus was special to all of us in so many ways."

They continue, "Last week he buried his father and intensely struggled with this loss. The only comfort we have is knowing Angus is now reunited with his dad, who was his best friend. Angus was open about his battle with mental health and we hope that his passing can be a reminder to others that they are not alone and should not fight this on their own in silence."

And finally, AC's family says this ... "We hope the world remembers him for his humor, laughter and love for everyone. We ask for privacy at this time as we are still processing this devastating loss."

The family isn't saying anything yet about the exact nature of his death, they seem to be suggesting it had something to do with his struggle to cope with his father's passing.

Angus was a rising star in Hollywood, and will perhaps best be remembered for his breakout role in the hit HBO series -- from 2019 to 2022 he starred as Fezco, the sometimes drug dealer/guardian angel for Zendaya's character, Rue Bennett.

His other credits include roles in movies like "The Line," "North Hollywood" ... to mention appearances and cameos in music videos from artists like Becky G, Karol G and Juice WRLD. He's got 2 projects that are due to come out.

The last time we talked to Angus was in March 2022, when he was staunchly defending his show against accusations that it glorified drug use. In his view, he felt like "Euphoria" only showed the brutal reality that teens and young adults are dealing with in modern-day America.

Angus was just 25.

RIP

If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org.

The house Aretha Franklin grew up in now belongs to a new family, and it looks like they're gonna have as much luck there as she did -- 'cause they got a great deal on the place.

According to property records the Detroit property officially transferred hands last Wednesday when the sale closed. We're told the buyers are not celebs, just normal folks who ended up snagging the home for quite a bit less than what it was listed for a couple months ago.

Remember, it hit the market in May for $379,900 -- that was after it was originally listed in January, and then taken off the market. Welp, the new owners negotiated their way down to a final offer of $355k.

Like we said, it's a helluva bargain ... 'cause the property itself actually has a lot to offer.

It's a 6-bed, 5-bath residence with 6,000 square feet of living space, and it's got a solid brick foundation with a lovely interior. There are fireplaces throughout the pad, and you can even fit in an extra 1-bedroom unit upstairs.

As far as Aretha's ties to this address ... she lived here in her formative years, age 5 to 18. She famously came back to visit the home in 2011, reminiscing on fond memories.

The crib could use a little bit of work, no doubt -- you'll recall, it was actually abandoned for a little while, but all in all, a great investment ... especially considering it's connection to the Queen of Soul.

Justin Gaethje got congratulations messages from all kinds of people following his big win over Dustin Poirier ... but maybe the most notable to call was Donald Trump, who actually sent an invitation to the UFC star to golf with him as part of his well-wishes chat.

Gaethje said the former POTUS gave him a ring shortly after his stunning KO victory on Saturday night ... telling TMZ Sports the call was "awesome."

"He f***ing loves fighting, man," Gaethje said of No. 45. "He loves it."

The 34-year-old tells us ... Trump said he was proud of the performance that Gaethje put on -- while also saying "how impressive of a show it was."

Then, Gaethje said Trump told him he wanted to tee it up with him whenever he's in New York or Florida next.

Of course, the two have formed a good bond over the years ... you'll recall, Gaethe actually attended one of Trump's presidential rallies back in 2020 -- where Trump shouted out him and other UFC fighters in attendance during his speech. Seems their relationship has only grown stronger since.

As for what's next for Gaethje aside from a potential 18 holes with DT ... he told us there are plenty of options on the table -- including Charles Oliveira, Islam Makhachev ... and, yes, maybe even Conor McGregor.

Of the trio, Gaethje seemed to want Oliveira the most (assuming he's able to beat Makhachev in their title fight in October) -- telling us he'd love to avenge the loss he suffered at UFC 274 in 2022.

Pete Davidson is back on the road doing what he does best ... making people laugh, something his fans are clearly anxious to see, considering he's got back-to-back sold-out shows.

Sources connected to Pete tell TMZ he's out of rehab, and doing some standup gigs this week. We're told he has 2 shows Tuesday at the Improv in Dania, FL ... in the Fort Lauderdale area. If ya don't have tickets already, sorry, they're all gone.

It's unclear when Pete left the medical facility that he checked into back in late June for mental health reasons -- but, he's obviously feeling well enough at this point to get back to performing.

It's been a bumpy time for PD ... he's juggling movies, TV, sponsorships, a new GF, and lots of other stuff in the wake of leaving 'SNL.'

And, don't forget, he just sorted out his legal issues for ramming his car into a Beverly Hills home earlier this year.

As we reported, he's doing a diversion program -- which requires him to do 50 hours of community service -- and, if he completes that the incident will be expunged from his record.

On top of all that, he had a contentious, and very public, face-off with PETA over a puppy he bought for his mother.

We'll know soon enough if he's up for discussing any of these recent trials and tribulations in standup routine ... but ya gotta figure some of it's gonna get a mention.

Despite the one-sided affair inside the boxing ring Saturday night ... Shawn Porter tells TMZ Sports he truly believes Errol Spence can bounce back and beat Terence Crawford in a rematch down the line.

Of course, after what went down at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, many people have a different opinion ... considering Bud completely picked apart the previously unbeaten fighter for most of the nine rounds that the two went at it.

Crawford landed 185 punches and knocked down Spence three times. Sixty percent of his power shots connected as well -- and the fight was eventually halted because Crawford kept tagging Spence repeatedly with a flurry of huge blows.

Porter, though, says if Spence exercises his rematch clause and the fight moves into a higher weight class ... he says Errol's actually got a good chance of winning it.

"Errol Spence has the ability to make adjustments," said Porter, who fought both Crawford and Spence in his career. "He has the ability to come in stronger, especially at 154 [pounds], and, mentally, he's so strong that I think it's just now a wrinkle on his career and I think he wants to fix that wrinkle."

The lawyer for the family of the 10-year-old boy who died at Travis Scott's Astroworld concert is blasting the rapper's team for accusing cops of trying to sabotage his new album with the release of their investigation.

Bob Hilliard, the lawyer representing the family of the late Ezra Blount, tells TMZ ... "For an artist making his living with music, these are stunningly tone-deaf comments about this preventable tragedy that took so many lives and injured so many."

Ezra was trampled to death at the concert and his family's lawyer is not taking kindly to the spin coming from Travis' camp.

As we first reported, one of Travis' attorneys said the release of the Houston Police Department's 1,266-page investigation was intentionally timed to hurt "Utopia" ... a stance one of Travis' reps later doubled down on.

The Blount family's attorney feels quite the opposite, telling us ... "Of course they would only focus on how the report's release date hurts their album sales instead of the facts contained inside of the report."

One of the notes tucked inside the report catching the attention of the Blounts' attorney are text messages from a contract worker, warning an event organizer that, "Someone's going to end up dead," after seeing people get crushed in the crowd.

While Travis was not charged with a crime, Ezra's family is among those who are suing the Houston rapper ... and their attorney says the police investigation is "damning" and shows Travis is among those at fault for their child's death.

Hilliard adds ... "For Mr. Scott to allow his lawyers and spokespeople to make the reckless and untrue statement that just because he was not indicted means he's blame-free is arrogant and insulting to the memory of 10-year-old Ezra as well as the other victims of this terrible night."

Tyler Herro is spending some of his offseason giving back to the community ... sharing his knowledge with a bunch of kids at a basketball camp in Los Angeles -- and he brought Glen "Big Baby" Davis along for the fun!!

TMZ Sports has learned the Miami Heat guard and former NBA big man pulled up to the Yavneh Hebrew Academy last week ... and got an epic welcome as they spent time with the young hoopers.

The kids went completely crazy ... and we're told they got to do some basketball drills and get things signed by the NBA stars.

They also got some advice on how to become basketball players, just like Herro and Davis.

"We had to listen to our coaches, we had to listen to our teachers," Davis said. "We had to put in the time."

We're told Big Baby even offered his services to be the varsity team's basketball coach this upcoming season ... for free!!

Of course, Davis is an NBA champ and had nine successful seasons in the league. He even has some coaching experience ... leading the Charlotte Purple Jackets in The Basketball League.

Herro, on the other hand, won't have the time ... as the former Sixth Man of the Year is heading into his 5th season with the Heat after signing a 4-year extension for $130 million last season.