Karamo Brown says he can finally speak freely about feeling used over the infamous and controversial "Queer Eye" traffic-stop prank ... but some are calling BS on his new explanation of events.
Here's the deal ... in the first season of the reboot in 2018, the guys were pulled over by a cop in the South ... they were all clearly freaked out, but it turned out the officer was a part of the show. At the time, KB said he wanted to be in the driver's seat and even though he got scared, he was more than grateful for the dialogue it started.
Flash forward to this week ... Karamo told PEOPLE producers forced him to drive that day because they wanted to see the look of pure fear on a Black man's face while being pulled over in the South ... and he wasn't actually grateful for any of it.
Duane Ollingerspent the final days of his life battling pneumonia in a Texas hospital ... TMZ has learned.
Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... the star of Discovery Channel's "Mystery at Blind Frog Ranch" had been admitted to a hospital in Amarillo and was in the ICU when he died.
Sources say Duane had also been battling ALS, which was an underlying condition. However, we're told pneumonia is what ultimately led to his death.
Charles Oakley and James Dolanaren't the only feud in Knicks nation -- the beloved hooper is also beefing with his former teammate, legend Patrick Ewing -- and Oak tells us there's no hope for salvaging the relationship.
"For Patrick not to be man enough to come and talk to me after having his back for 10 years, he's a coward," Oakley told Babcock of his longtime teammate and friend.
We followed up, asking if the relationship could be repaired.
The mystery surrounding influencer Ashlee Jenae's death has officially come to a close ... because authorities in Tanzania have ruled the 31-year-old died by suicide days after getting engaged.
Police say the investigation is now complete after Ashlee -- whose real name was Ashly Robinson -- was found unconscious inside her villa at a luxury resortin April during what was supposed to be a birthday getaway with fiancé Joe McCann.
The Tanzania Police Force says a hotel employee entered Ashlee's villa during a routine evening check after getting no response at the door and found her hanging inside a wardrobe. Investigators say she was suspended from the closet's clothing rail using a robe belt the hotel provides for guests.
Initial documents from April listed her immediate cause of death as cerebral hypoxia caused by strangulation and suffocation.
The investigation into Ashlee Jenae's death is officially over ... and nowher fiancé Joe McCannis breaking his silence after police in Africa concluded he didn't kill her.
In a statement to TMZ, Joe used an old Swahili proverb -- "The heart is like a forest. One cannot see into it" -- before saying ... "Today's official announcement from Tanzanian authorities that my soulmate Ashly Robinson died by suicide does not lessen the tragedy of her death."
Joe continues ... "I miss Ashly every moment of every day and the pain of being without her will never go away. A sudden loss of this magnitude is not something I can simply get over."
As we reported, Tanzanian police concluded their investigation into Ashlee's death and determined the she died by suicide, ending a months-long investigation that began in April after Ashlee -- whose real name was Ashly Robinson -- was found unconscious at a Zanzibar resort while on vacation with Joe, celebrating her 31st birthday.
Rep. Andy Ogles says he's "mind blown" over a staffer he claims fired off a tweet on the Congressman's account, saying there's no place for homosexuality in America -- but Andy won't say if he shares the sentiment.
Charliegot the Congressman from Tennessee Thursday on the Hill, and he called the tweet "stupid" and "inappropriate." But Charlie pressed, asking him several times if he agreed or disagreed with the comment, and Ogles bobbed and weaved to avoid answering.
As Charlie noted, Ogles has made similar comments in the past about other groups, such as Muslims. The Congressman doubled down in that tweet, but remained firm ... a staffer wrote the homosexuality tweet, not him.
So then the question ... if the staffer wrote a hateful comment about homosexuals, why just a simple reprimand? Watch the video for his answer.
'Real Housewives of Atlanta' alum Kim Zolciak is using an alleged text from estranged husband Kroy Biermann's female friend as evidence in their bitter divorce ... TMZ has learned.
The alleged text was sent from Kroy's ex, named "Bri" to Kim's new boyfriend, Kyle Mowitz ... but the message appears to be meant for Kim.
The text reads, "Just tell Kim that she needs to watch her back when it comes to Maria [redacted]. She had sex with Kroy and tells him everything. She basically sends [redacted] to Kim's house to be a spy. She even told him that [redacted] spent 10K on your credit card and sent it to her house."
Jussie Smollett and his fiancé Jabari Redd will not make it down the aisle … they're officially over less than a year after Jussie popped the question ... TMZ has learned.
Sources close to the situation tell TMZ ... Jussie called off the engagement with Jabari within the last couple of weeks.
We’re told Jussie is focused on moving on and his music career.
Gene Simmons and his wife, Shannon, are being sued over a car accident ... but she says the lawsuit against them is just a money grab.
The KISS frontman and his better half are being sued by Evan Brenner, who claims he suffered severe injuries in July 2024 when their vehicles collided on Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles.
According to the suit, obtained by TMZ, Brenner, who says he was behind the wheel of a Tesla, claims he suffered severe injuries to his body and shock to his nervous system, resulting in great discomfort and pain.
Brandi Glanville isn't looking in the rearview mirror -- 'cause she tells TMZ there is absolutely zero chance she'll ever return to "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills."
The TV firecracker climbed aboard the TMZ Brunch Bus tour alongside her 'Unfiltered' podcast cohost James Maas and didn't mince words ... saying she'd much rather do a game show than jump back into a reality TV world where people wind up "going to jail or getting divorced."
Catch the full clip, 'cause Brandi gets refreshingly honest about where she's at these days ... opening up about rebuilding her confidence after a difficult stretch of dealing with facial issues, anxiety, and stepping away from the spotlight.
Jermaine Jackson is speaking out now that he's been ordered to cough up millions to his rape accuser ... claiming the judgment is void due to a slew of errors.
According to new court docs, obtained by TMZ, Michael Jackson's older brother says the default judgment in favor of plaintiff Rita Butler Barrett needs to be thrown out because she sued him under his obsolete former name and never effectively served him the lawsuit.
He argues he was sued as "Jermaine Jackson" ... but says he changed his name legally in the state of California to "Jermaine LaJuane Jacksun" all the way back in 2013 -- so she should have figured that out and sued him under his correct name.
Tanya Brown, the sister of Nicole Brown Simpson, wants the NFL to make a major change ahead of a painful milestone ... bench O.J. Simpson's iconic No. 32 jersey number and turn the focus back to Nicole and Ron Goldman.
Speaking to TMZ ahead of the June 12 anniversary of Nicole and Ron's murders, Tanya says the number remains deeply tied to trauma for many people connected to the case.
"It's also the 32nd year of Nicole and Ron's murders," Tanya tells us. "Every time I see someone on the field with that number, it brings me back and I have trauma."
Gay porn star Drake Von is firing back at allegations he strangled his female partner ... blasting the criminal charges against him as a bunch of crap!!!
In a statement, Von — whose real name is Dawson Bacon — tells TMZ ... "All allegations are false, charges will be dropped, and it was all a misunderstanding." He adds, "Content will be made soon about it" and tells us it's all a "Publicity stunt 🥴."
Nevada authorities view the situation much differently ... as we first reported, Von was arrested Tuesday after cops in Las Vegas claimed he tried to strangle his female partner at a palatial million-dollar home. Police would not disclose further details.
Former boxing champ Victor Ortiz is making his Bare Knuckle Boxing debut next month ... and he tells TMZ Sports it would be a dream come true to handle business and then face off with massive names like Terence Crawford and Canelo Alvarez next!!
We ran into the 39-year-old fighter at the Humble Warrior Gym in Beverly Hills on Wednesday ... and he explained why he decided to join forces with BKB ahead of his July 18 bout with Dominic Salcido.
Ortiz said after prayer, a three-week fast, and looking over the offer, God told him it was the move ... and here he is, gearing up for a big night at the Novo in DTLA.
Alix Earle is adding another credit to her growing résumé -- 'cause TMZ has learned she's been tapped for Benson Boone's latest music video.
Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... Benson personally asked Alix to appear in the video for his new song, "The Time of My Life," and she was all in.
We're told cameras are set to roll very soon, and Alix is excited to be part of the project.
Milagro "Gramz" Cooper says forcing her to pay Megan Thee Stallion's court judgment now would create a major financial burden ... so she's asking a federal judge to hit pause while she fights the case in a higher court.
According to new court documents obtained by TMZ, Milagro wants to delay payment while she appeals the ruling from the lower court. She argues there are still major issues with the case that should be reviewed.
