Ruth Bader Ginsburg Dead At 87

Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the backbone and soul of the liberal wing of the Supreme Court and an iconic American figure has died.

Ruth died Friday from complications from cancer ... according to multiple reports.

RBG was known for her fiery dissents and intense work ethic. Ruth didn't miss a single day of work until this January, a striking fact considering she's battled 3 kinds of cancer since being appointed to SCOTUS by President Clinton in 1993.

Ruth was the first female Jewish Justice, and the second of four women to ever sit on our nation's highest court. She filled the seat vacated by retiring Justice Byron White.

A pop culture icon, RBG is the subject of the biopic, "On The Basis of Sex," which stars Felicity Jones as a young Ginsburg and Armie Hammer as her husband. Ruth has a cameo in the film.

Before she became the Notorious RBG ... Ruth was a high school twirler who also played for her school orchestra at James Madison HS in southeast Brooklyn, graduating in 1950.

Ruth earned her bachelor's degree from Cornell University. She got married and became a mother before starting law school at Harvard. RBG transferred to Columbia Law School, where she graduated at the top of her class.

RBG turned to academia after law school. She was a professor at Rutgers and Columbia, teaching civil procedure as one of the few women in her field.

She became one of the leaders of the women's equality movement ... arguing many landmark cases before the Supreme Court and winning almost all of them. When she began practicing, SCOTUS never rejected a sex-based law, but that all changed when Ginsburg mounted challenge after challenge.

She famously represented a female soldier who was denied housing, medical and dental benefits because the law required if a woman was applying for benefits her husband had to be substantially financially dependent on her. The Court saw it Ruth's way, ruling the law unconstitutional by an 8 - 1 margin.

In one gripping moment during oral argument, she quoted famed abolitionist Sarah Grimke telling the justices, "I ask no favor for my sex: All I ask of our brethren is that they take their feet off our necks."

President Jimmy Carter appointed Ruth to the U.S. Court of Appeals in 1980, where she served until her appointment to SCOTUS.

She was adored by all ... from her fellow Justices, to her law clerks to her staff. One of her closes friends was her intellectual rival -- Justice Antonin Scalia.

Ruth did not get one wish. She dictated a statement to her granddaughter a few days back ... "My most fervent wish is that I will not be replaced until a new president is installed."

Trump could nominate someone to fill Ginsburg's seat before the election. It's unclear if he could push it through, although he does have a slim majority in the Senate, which must confirm the nomination.

Ruth is survived by her daughter, Jane, and her son, James. Her husband of 56 years, Martin, died in 2010.

Ruth was 87.

RIP

Kroy Biermann Claps Back Over Pic of Brielle on Lap ... No Time for 'Ignorant' Trolls!!!

THEY'RE ALL SICK TROLLS
TMZ.com

Kroy Biermann says he doesn't give a crap what "uneducated" people think about his daughter, Brielle, sitting on his lap in a photo, and his wife's reaction is even harsher.

We got Kroy, Brielle and Kim Zolciak-Biermann Thursday at LAX, and asked them about the recent online backlash to Brielle posting a pic of herself sitting on Kroy's lap while celebrating his birthday.

The disgusting comments were pretty swift, and typical for the Internet, with trolls wondering if Brielle slept with her stepdad. Ya couldn't blame Kroy if he's pissed about it, but watch ... he's surprisingly calm and cool. Kroy told us he knows its just "ignorant" idiots with too much time on their hands.

Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media.

Brielle, though, was still visibly heated, and told their haters to "get a f**king job." She also wanted everyone to know -- Kroy's an incredible man and father.

Remember, Kroy -- who married Kim back in 2011 -- filed paperwork 2 years later to legally adopt Kim's 2 daughters from a previous relationship.

Now, papa Kroy might've been reserved, but check out Mom's reaction. It's about as direct as one can get, and pure Kim.

Terry Bradshaw I'm Alpha on Fam's TV Show, Like Kris ... But, Lemme Ask My Wife!!!

I'M TOP DOG ... I THINK
TMZ.com

Terry Bradshaw says he's the undisputed Kris Jenner of his family's reality TV show ... but he still wants to double-check on his alpha status with his wife!!!

The 4-time Super Bowl champion joined us on "TMZ Live" Thursday and we asked him who comes off as top-dog on "The Bradshaw Bunch," his family's new show, debuting tonight on E!.

Ya gotta see his answer because it's amazing ... Terry tells us he's probably going to be the alpha, but then looks off-camera to make sure his wife Tammy approves!

Hilarious, TB. Just hilarious.

'Bradshaw Bunch' follows Tammy, Terry, their 3 daughters and their significant others ... living on the family's Oklahoma ranch. The show is following in the footsteps of "Keeping Up with the Kardashians" -- which, as you know, is ending next year -- and the NFL legend told us he's fully aware his fam might be coming along at the perfect time

Terry says this new 'Bunch' is gonna be chock-full of humor and good times ... 2 things the country needs right now. As for who's really the alpha?

Our guess is as good as Terry's, so watch and find out for yourself.

Bill Belichick On Mom's Passing ... 'She Was A Great Woman'

REST IN PEACE
UPDATE

12:23 PM PT -- 9/17 Bill Belichick just opened up on the passing of his mother ... and while the NFL coaching legend was clearly somber about the death, he said he was pleased she got to live a full life.

UPDATE

"She had almost 99 years of very long and happy life," Belichick told reporters Thursday. "And so, she'll be with my dad now."

UPDATE

Bill says he received plenty of messages from coaches and personnel around the league -- including his opponent this week, Seahawks coach Pete Carroll.

UPDATE

"She was a great woman," Bill said of his mother. "I certainly learned pretty much everything from my parents."

Sad news ... Bill Belichick's mother, Jeannette, died Tuesday of natural causes -- multiple media outlets confirmed. She was 98 years old.

The Patriots legend was close with his mom ... and in an NFL Films documentary back in 2017, she famously said she knew Bill would get into coaching when he was just 2 years old.

Jeannette met Bill's father, Steve Belichick, in the 1940s when the two worked together at Hiram College in Ohio. They married in 1950 ... and had Bill in 1952.

The New England coach, who was raised by Jeannette and Steve in Annapolis, MD, has often credited his parents for his success -- which includes 6 Super Bowl titles with the Pats.

Bill has helped carry on his parents' legacy over the years ... he made a donation to Hiram College in 2015, 10 years after his father's passing -- which led to the school renaming parts of the campus after Jeannette and Steve.

Two of the couple's grandkids, Bill's sons Steve and Brian, now work with Bill on his New England staff.

RIP

Originally published -- 9/16 6:54 AM PT

Hemsworth Brothers So Long, Bro Pad!!! Selling Their Beach House in the 'Bu

The Hemsworth brothers -- Chris, Liam and the eldest, Luke -- are looking to sell their family beach house ... for a possible six-figure profit.

The Aussie trio of Hollywood actors has listed the Malibu property they share for a cool $4.9 mil. That's nearly $1.5 million more than they paid for it 4 years ago.

It's unclear why the dudes are unloading their brotherly digs, but the 4,612-sq.-ft, sleek and modernized, beach pad has been left unchanged since they bought it ... but that's a good thing.

It comes with 4 beds, 4 baths and a nice open floorplan that includes a spacious media room, a chef's kitchen and a wine cellar.

Out back there's a scenic dining deck and a sauna, along with gardens that lead to a nice backyard ... perfect for siblings to do a little roughhousing. Just not these siblings anymore.

Eric Haskell of The Agency holds the listing.

Carole Baskin If Commercial Leads to Missing Husband ... Great 'Side Benefit' to 'DWTS'

STAYING POSITIVE
TMZ.com

Carole Baskin says she's totally on board with the commercial seeking to find Don Lewis ... even though her missing husband's fam thinks she might have something to do with his disappearance.

We got Carole leaving rehearsals Wednesday for "Dancing With The Stars," and our photog asked her about the spot that aired during her 'DWTS' debut ... begging the public for help finding Don, and asking if Carole was involved.

Carole's answer is pretty interesting -- she told us it would be "wonderful" if the Don mystery was solved, especially if the clue came as a result of her being on 'Dancing.' In fact, she sees it as a "side benefit."

SEEKING JUSTICE
Law Offices of Phillips & Hunt

As we reported ... Don's daughters, former assistant and family attorney appeared in the commercial Monday, mentioning Carole by name, asking the public to send tips to their hotline and reiterating the $100,000 reward.

John Phillips, the Lewis family attorney, and law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... since the commercial aired, lots of people have called in to their tip line, but there's nothing solid yet.

As you know ... Carole, who has always maintained her innocence in Don's case, also told us someone made certain she knew about the spot 10 minutes before she hit the dance floor ... but she said the news didn't rattle her ballroom game.

We did ask her one question about her 'Tiger King' nemesis, Joe Exotic ... and  Donald Trump potentially pardoning him. You can guess her response, but ya gotta see how she expressed it.

Kathy Hilton In Talks to Join 'RHOBH' As Series Regular!!!

Kathy Hilton has an important decision to make ... we've learned she's been invited to get in on the action in the upcoming season of "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills."

Production sources tell TMZ ... 'RHOBH' producers have approached Kathy about joining the show. She wouldn't be brought on as a full-time cast member, instead, we're told she'd be a "friend of the show" and make regular appearances.

The offer's out, but we're told Kathy hasn't made a decision ... our sources say she's definitely interested, but hasn't decided if she'll pull the trigger.

The move would make sense for Kathy, who has longstanding ties to the show.

As you know, Kathy's sisters with 'RHOBH' star Kyle Richards and former star Kim Richards, plus Kathy's appeared on the show in previous seasons.

And, there's this ... there were rumors last year about Kathy joining the show, and Kyle said she would be happy to have another sister on "RHOBH." She says Kathy's super funny and would be a great addition.

Paris Hilton's mom was never a housewife or "friend of the show: ... most of her appearances were short and sweet, but now Kathy's got a real chance to be one of the gals.

Stay tuned.

'Storage Wars' Star Dan Dotson Son's Alleged Shooter Arrested ... Son Up & Walking

Good news comes in 2s for "Storage Wars" star Dan Dotson -- the man suspected of shooting his son, Garrett, has been arrested and TMZ's learned Garrett is quickly on the mend.

A spokesperson for the Lake Havasu City Police Department tells TMZ ... detectives located the suspect, Garret Wilder, around noon Tuesday and arrested the 21-year-old without incident. We're told cops served a search warrant at the home where they found Wilder and recovered a handgun along with a single spent shell casing.

We're told Wilder was charged with 2 counts of aggravated assault, drive-by shooting, misconduct involving weapons, disorderly conduct with a weapon and endangerment. He's being held on $1 million cash-only bond.

As for what exactly led to the shooting early Sunday morning -- cops say Garrett had a heated exchange of words with Wilder, who was in his car. Wilder eventually fired one shot from a pistol, striking Garrett in the abdomen.

As we reported, he was airlifted to a Las Vegas trauma hospital where he's in stable condition. Our sources say Garrett's actually up and walking already, which is pretty amazing ... considering doctors said the bullet hit a main blood vessel and fractured his spine.

After he came out of surgery, Garrett was able to move his foot ... a very positive sign. He was moved out of ICU Sunday night and no longer needed a ventilator.

We're told Garrett's spoken to his mom and dad several times already and they're hopeful he'll be released in the next week or so. Due to COVID, Dan and Laura haven't seen their son at the hospital. Right now they're trying to figure out Garrett's long ride home from Vegas to California.

Cardi B Amending Divorce Docs ... She Wants it Super Amicable

UPDATE

7:22 AM PT -- 9/16 -- Cardi's officially filed the amended divorce docs, and they now say they want the court to enforce whatever arrangement she and Offset reach. Like we said ... she wants Offset to have joint custody and she will not seek support from him. In the new docs, she also "reiterates her desire for an amicable resolution."

Cardi B wants a divorce from Offset, but she wants it to be friendly, and had no idea her lawyer filed documents that made it sound highly contentious.

As we reported, Cardi's lawyer filed legal docs asking for legal custody and primary physical custody of 2-year-old Kulture. That's a screaming sign Cardi has issues with Offset's parenting, but we're told that is NOT the case.

Sources connected to Cardi and with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... Cardi did not know the lawyer was positioning her case this way. We're told she wants Offset to have joint custody of Kulture and is determined to have an amicable, co-parenting situation. Our sources say Cardi is in touch with her lawyer and the document will be amended to reflect her wishes.

Her divorce petition also says she wants child support. Our sources say she does not want any support from Offset ... in the financial department, she's the Bank of Cardi.

Offset has yet to respond to the divorce petition.

Originally Published -- 9/15 7:26 PM PT

Breonna Taylor's Family Historic Settlement a Good Start ... But We Demand Full Justice!!!

JUSTICE FOR BREONNA
WDRB

Breonna Taylor’s family and legal team are giving praise to the City of Louisville for reaching a historic settlement in her wrongful death case, but they’re making it crystal clear their mission’s not changed … they want full justice for Breonna, and for the cops who killed her to be arrested and charged.

Attorney Ben Crump says the huge financial settlement has helped assure that Breonna’s death won’t be swept under the rug like so many black women before her, but equally important is the comprehensive police reform to be instituted to prevent future tragedies like Breonna’s.

Crump claims the $12 million settlement is the largest amount ever for a Black woman in a wrongful death case involving police, and may be the largest ever for a Black person in America. He attributes the victory to all the people who have been protesting and fighting for justice.

The civil rights attorney calls it a “landmark step on the journey to justice,” but he’s not backing down from his demand that KY Attorney General Daniel Cameron immediately brings charges against the cops who shot and killed her. Crump says he wants charges this week -- at the very least, a charge of second-degree manslaughter.

Crump says, “We want full justice, not just partial justice,” and is also calling for all charges to be dropped against nonviolent protesters who were arrested for demanding justice for Breonna.

Tamika Palmer, Breonna’s mother, echoed Crump's words by saying the settlement is just the beginning of getting full justice for her daughter … and it’s time to move forward with criminal charges.

Breonna’s mom says, “Her beautiful spirit and personality is working through all of us on the ground … please continue to say her name.”

Finally, Tamika Mallory from Until Freedom put the pressure on Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer, challenging him to fire every police officer involved in Breonna’s death “on the spot” in the event that they aren’t charged by AG Cameron.

MAKING BIG CHANGES
WDRB

Earlier in the press conference, the Mayor listed off multiple facets of police reform to be implemented within the Louisville Metro PD as part of the settlement, including new programs to create positive community relations between citizens and cops … and social workers supporting police on certain calls.

Fischer also confirmed there will be major changes coming in how search warrants get approved, and new protocols for making sure cops are accountable for their actions, are properly investigated, and receive proper training. The mayor also confirmed the settlement amount of $12 million to Breonna’s estate.

News of the settlement in the case broke Tuesday morning, with reports the Louisville metro government had agreed to pay out millions of dollars and implement multiple reforms regarding law enforcement -- including a requirement that commanders approve all search warrants before they go to a judge.

As you know ... Taylor, a 26-year-old EMT, was shot and killed by Louisville Metro Police officers on March 13 while they were executing a no-knock warrant.

Though no criminal charges have been brought against the cops who shot Breonna, her family sued the city in April.

Attorney Sam Aguilar has expressed frustration with the City's response to Breonna's case. As for the wrongful death settlement he says ... "the fact that they've been willing to sit down and talk significant reform was a step in the right direction and hopefully a turning point."

Kentucky AG Daniel Cameron has responded to public criticism about the investigation into the death of Breonna, saying it's ongoing and does not have to follow a specific timeline.

Cameron insists his office has "endeavored since day one to find the truth and pursue justice" and he's not working on a deadline ... but will make an announcement whenever the investigation concludes.

Originally published -- 6:53 AM PT

Carole Baskin Informed About Don's Fam 'DWTS' Commercial ... Minutes Before Dance

SEEKING JUSTICE
Law Offices of Phillips & Hunt
UPDATE

7:09 AM PT -- 9/15 -- Carole tells TMZ ... someone made sure she knew about the commercial 10 minutes before going out on the dance floor. She adds, "And you can see that it did not keep me from bringing the best performance of my two weeks of learning."

UPDATE
UPDATE

5:45 PM PT -- Carole's mentioned by name in the commercial, which just aired during 'DWTS.'

UPDATE

The spot features Don's three daughters explaining how much they love and miss him and why they need to know what happened to him.

UPDATE

Don's former assistant says his loved ones are just asking for justice, and the family lawyer says they deserve answers and asks the public if Carole was involved.

UPDATE

The family mentions their $100,000 reward and drops a number for their tip line.

The family of Don Lewis -- Carole Baskin's millionaire husband who went missing in 1997 -- is cutting in on Carole's first night of 'DWTS' ... asking the public for help finding him.

Don's family and attorney John Phillips bought time to air a commercial during Carole's "Dancing with the Stars" debut. We're told the spot will implore the public to send tips regarding his mysterious disappearance ... featured, of course, on 'Tiger King.'

We're told the spot will run during the first 'DWTS' commercial break of Monday night's premiere. It features Don's 3 daughters Gale, Lynda and Donna, plus his former assistant, Anne McQueen, and the family attorney ... who all allege Carole has something to do with Don's disappearance.

As you know ... Carole is getting ready for her big 'DTWS' debut ... and we're told Don's family feels her participation in the dance competition series undermines the ongoing investigation into his whereabouts and is a "grossly insensitive" decision by the show's producers.

Carole has always maintained her innocence in Don's case.

Originally published -- 9/14 12:38 PM PT

Britney Spears I've Got No Desire to Perform Now ... Fights Dad's New Conservator Hire

UPDATE

6:06 PM PT -- Britney's dad just fired back ... in new docs, obtained by TMZ, Jamie claims Britney's objections to the appointment of the conservator are full of factual misstatements.

UPDATE

Jamie's asking the court to hold a hearing to weigh the facts.

Britney Spears is furious with her father for trying to rehire a man she claims is "uniquely unsuited" to manage her estate, and who made a fortune off her for years.

Andrew Wallet served as co-conservator of Britney's estate from 2008 to 2019 and, according to the pop star, was paid millions of dollars for his service ... including a $100,000 payout in March 2019 when he quit the job.

In docs filed Monday, Britney says she's done performing, at least for now, and she needs to keep her expenses in check and make "difficult budgetary choices going forward." Britney says she believes her dad, Jamie, is ignoring her financial situation by attempting to bring Wallet back on board.

Britney says Wallet was paid nearly a half a million dollars a year for the last 5 years he worked for her, and feels he's just way too expensive.

As we've reported, Britney and Jamie have been in a nasty battle over her conservatorship -- she no longer wants him to be the sole conservator of her estate, and has suggested a financial institution, not Wallet, should join him as co-conservator.

TMZ broke the story ... in a hearing last month, the status of Britney's conservatorship remained unchanged. Our sources said one of the main issues is Britney's mental illness has allegedly made it difficult for her to make important life decisions ... and she's been in rough shape for the last year.

Originally published -- 4:56 PM PT

'Storage Wars' Star Dan Dotson Son Shot in Lake Havasu ... Life Saved in Surgery

The son of "Storage Wars" star Dan Dotson got shot and had to be airlifted to a hospital for surgery ... but he's expected to survive.

Dan shared the troubling news Sunday on Twitter, saying he got a call his son, Garrett, was shot in Lake Havasu, Arizona. Dan said Garrett was stable at first, but then things got worse a few hours later.

Garrett's mom, Laura, tells TMZ ... her son was walking his date to a car when he heard someone say something and then he got shot. She said he was able to call 911 himself and rushed to a local hospital ... where doctors determined the bullet hit a main blood vessel to his heart and also fractured his spine.

Laura says the injury was so bad he had to be airlifted to a Vegas trauma hospital ... and during the flight a doctor's hand was in Garrett's chest to stop the bleeding. She says the move saved his life.

We're told he's now out of surgery and was able to move his foot, which is a very positive sign.

Dan wrote ... "Thank you to the surgeon that saved my son from bleeding out on the air trip to Vegas Thank you everyone for the prayers & positive thoughts thrown our way. Garrett is out of surgery & is expected to survive."

We reached out to law enforcement about the shooting. Police say no arrests have been made yet, but they are actively investigating.

Pau Gasol Names Newborn After Kobe's Daughter ... Elisabet Gianna Gasol

Kobe Bryant's former teammate, Pau Gasol, just paid perhaps the greatest tribute to him and his late daughter, Gianna Bryant, by bestowing her name onto his own flesh and blood.

The former Laker announced the birth of his and his wife's first child -- a girl that they've named after Gigi. He also made sure to reference what Kobe has become known as in the wake of his death ... an awesome girl dad.

Pau broke the news in both Spanish and English, writing ... "Our little one has finally arrived!! The delivery went really well and we couldn’t be happier!! Elisabet Gianna Gasol 😍, a very meaningful name for our super beautiful daughter!! ❤️👨‍👩‍👧 #girldad."

He also posted a shot of him and Catherine McDonnell holding Elisabet's little hand, with the kid getting a firm grip on her mom's forefinger.

It's a great way to honor Kobe, who was Pau's teammate through some crucial championship runs in the late 2000s. He remained on the Lakers through 2014, so he knew KB and his family well.

Kobe and Gianna died, along with 7 others, in a helicopter crash in Calabasas last January -- devastating the NBA community and the world.

Clearly, Kobe meant a lot to Pau. Congrats on the new addition to your fam!

CoD Champs Crimsix & Shotzzy Let Your Kids Play Video Games ... It Made Us Super-Rich!!

DOIN' MY OWN THING
TMZSports.com

Call of Duty champs Crimsix and Shotzzy just won $1.5 MILLION playing video games ... and the CoD superstars have a message for parents of future esports players who want their kids to get a "real job."

28-year-old Ian Porter aka Crimsix and 19-year-old Anthony Cuevas-Castro aka Shotzzy are part of the Dallas Empire -- owned by Envy Gaming with investors like Post Malone -- who just took out the Atlanta FaZe in the 2020 CoD League championship.

Crim -- widely regarded as the greatest Call of Duty player of all-time -- says his mom and dad did NOT want him to become a professional gamer at first.

"[My parents] were super strict, super against it," Crim says.

"My parents made me have like a 3.8 GPA. I'm in AP classes. I did summer school so I could actually get off high school earlier, and play earlier."

Porter says he attended college and was on the Dean's List before dropping out of school, and telling his mom and dad ... "I'm gonna make more money than you guys this year!"

BTW, he's been out-earning them since.

Shotzzy says his mom was a little different ... she gave him time to pursue his dream, but told him he'd have to go to school and get a 9-to-5 if he wasn't successful with gaming.

"If your kid has a dream to become a video game player, let 'em be. Try to be not as strict and give it a couple of years and if nothing happens, then you can start being strict on 'em I guess," Shotzzy says.

"She gave me a couple of years and now I'm here."

"Here" is super-rich ... in addition to the $1.5 milli, the guys are paid a salary and have lucrative sponsorship deals.

Crim and Shotzzy also have huge fan bases ... and are regularly watched by millions of people.

So, mom ... less homework and more PS4????

Daymond John Kardashians Can Divide & Conquer ... $o Much on the Table!!!

THE GLOBAL TAKEOVER BEGINS
TMZ.com

The Kardashian/Jenner family's decision to call it quits on "Keeping Up with the Kardashians" means the world is now their oyster ... according to Daymond John, who has some suggestions on how they can take it over.

The "Shark Tank" star joined "TMZ Live" Friday to weigh in on Kris, Kim, Khloe, Kourtney, Kendall, Kylie and co. announcing the end of the popular series that launched them into superstardom, telling us if you thought that was a phenomenon ... you ain't seen nothing yet.

Daymond says this is a huge move and allows the ladies to divide and conquer the media market, and he predicts a global takeover is coming.

Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media.

As he points out ... the family now has several separate booming brands, and suggests the TV show may have actually been holding them all back from reaching full potential, business-wise.

The Kardashian clan combined has billions of followers as well, which is why Daymond suggests they could actually launch their own social media platform, or at the very least ... take some of that sweet streaming money.

After all, it's already proven to work for other big names ... the Obamas, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, etc.

Finally, just to show how incredibly far all the girls have come ... Daymond tells us a cool story about when he was responsible for product placement on 'KUWTK' in the early days.

They've all come a loooong way.

Old news is old news!
Be First!

Get TMZ breaking news sent right to your browser!