Discriminated Baltimore Mom & Son Apology's Not Close To Enough ... Hires Civil Rights Attorney

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The African-American woman who was denied entry to a Baltimore restaurant because of her son's t-shirt is shunning the establishment's apology ... because the incident traumatized her 9-year-old boy.

Marcia Grant and her spokesperson, Michelle Watts, tell TMZ ... the restaurant, Ouzo Bay, has a well-established practice of discrimination, and an apology from the restaurant group rings hollow at this point and does nothing for Marcia and Dallas.

The way they see it ... why would Marcia and her son, Dallas, accept an apology at this point? The restaurant wouldn't allow him to sit down due to a dress code it very clearly -- thanks to Marcia's video -- did NOT apply to a white child.

Watts tells us this was Dallas' first bout with blatant discrimination, and it's had a major impact on him ... one his mother fears will change him forever.

We're told the family has no plans to ever eat at an Atlas Restaurant Group property again, and Marcia's retained civil rights attorney Donte Mills.

Watts says it's obvious from the video ... the only difference between Dallas and the white kid, who was allowed to dine at Ouzo, is their race. They were both wearing very similar clothing.

As for the restaurant manager who turned away Marcia and Dallas ... Watts says his actions show how much people need to learn about the deep, lasting effects of racist acts.

The Atlas Restaurant Group says it fired 2 managers because of the incident, revised its dress code policy and will "continue to implement our diversity and inclusion training."

Watts tells us no decision's been made yet about a lawsuit, but that's clearly on the table.

Ariana Grande Throws Herself 27th B'Day Bash!!!

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Ariana Grande
MIDSOMMAR BIRTHDAY GIRL

Ariana Grande threw what kinda sounds like an oxymoron but it's not ... an intimate birthday bash for herself.

Ariana hosted the party Friday night for a few of her close family and friends, to celebrate turning 27. Trucks traversed her Hollywood Hills street all day, delivering supplies and decorations for the shindig.

Ariana's guest list included, of course, her boyfriend, Dalton Gomez ... as well as her mother and brother Frankie Grande. Ariana and Dalton are Instagram official ... so it's, official. Ariana and Dalton have pretty much been inseparable during self-quarantine ... if self-quarantine is still a thing.

In all, it appears around a dozen people showed up for the party.

The theme of the party was "Midsommar." She showed off a flower crown, mimicking the May Queen scene in the flick.

Security was heavy during the party. Hired muscle blocked off the street, but the trappings of the party could be seen by all the neighbors.

'I ❤️ NY' Artist Milton Glaser Dead at 91

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Milton Glaser, a super famous graphic designer who created one of the most iconic campaigns for a city has died on his 91st birthday.

Glaser was embedded in pop culture in the '60's and '70's. In '67 he fashioned a poster of Bob Dylan with wildly-colored hair and it sold millions. But, his biggest splash came with the “I ❤️ NY” logo, which it seems was subsequently printed on about a trillion t-shirts.

Glaser's wife, Shirley, said the cause of death was a stroke and renal failure.

Glaser was big in commercial art, which went hand-in-hand with advertising. He was considered one of the boldest artists in his field -- swinging for the fences with radical and colorful designs. One of the boldest ... he created art for a 1968 Olivetti typewriter ad. He used a piece of 15th century art featuring a grieving dog and strategically placed an Olivetti at the feet of the dead nymph the dog was mourning.

As for the “I ❤️ NY” campaign ... it was launched in 1977 to promote tourism when New York really needed it, and it was a sensation. What's amazing ... he sketched the image on the back of an envelope with a red crayon while sitting in the back of a cab. The logo helped define the Big Apple.

And, check out his modesty ... he told The Village Voice back in 2011 ... “I’m flabbergasted by what happened to this little, simple nothing of an idea."

After 911, Glaser modified the design to ... “I ❤️ NY More Than Ever,” but this time the heart had a bruise.

And, there's this great quote ... “I’m a person who deals with visual material whatever it is — architecture, an object, a set of plates, wallpaper — right now I’m doing T-shirts.”

Glaser was 91. RIP.

Nipsey Hussle Family Frustrated Over 'Marathon' TM ... Claims Crips Co. Not Cooperating

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Nipsey Hussle's family's stuck in an odd limbo with a Crips company -- over a trademark -- and it's got them worried something shady's going on.

Sources close to the late rapper tell TMZ ... his family's legal conflict with the Crips LLC -- yes, the gang's gone corporate -- over the rights to Hussle's "The Marathon Continues" slogan has carried on, leaving family members frustrated.

Here's the deal ... the Crips organization filed a couple trademarks for the phrase in 2019 -- one for clothing and one for various services. Shortly afterward, however, it apologized and vowed to back off, saying it would not get into a legal battle with the family ... which has several 'Marathon' trademarks of its own related to Nip's clothing store.

So, it seemed like all would be well, but according to our sources ... the Crips didn't take any action to withdraw its filings, which forced Nip's family to lawyer up and file oppositions to the trademark applications.

The good news for the family ... the Crips didn't fight the opposition to the clothing trademark application by the deadline, so the application was deemed abandoned earlier this month.

There's a good chance the same thing will happen with the other application too, but we're told Crips LLC has gone silent about the issue ... which hasn't been helpful for the family.

Kanye West Yeezy Gap is About to Blow Up!!! Stocks Surge After New Deal

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UPDATE

3:51 PM PT -- The Yeezy effect is already happening ... GAP stock is surging over 18 percent on the heels of Kanye's new deal.

UPDATE

Kanye West has until 2030 to fulfill his mission of providing clothing for the masses ... and he just might make Gap cool again, in the process.

The rapper and his fashion company just landed a 10-year deal with Gap to launch a new clothing line called Yeezy Gap. The retailer -- widely known as a mall brand -- will introduce the Yeezy merch in the first half of 2021 in its stores and online.

Yeezy's design studio says its plan is to make "modern, elevated basics for men, women and kids at accessible price points" and of course ... Kanye will call the shots, including deciding how his clothes will be marketed at Gap.

The mega retail deal reportedly starts this month and comes with the option to renew at the 5-year mark ... at which point Gap expects YZY to be generating $1 BILLION in sales.

To put that in perspective ... the struggling retailer only hauled in a total of $4.6 billion globally in 2019. But, considering Kanye's Yeezy shoe line topped $1 billion in sales last year ... it's certainly possible.

The collab between the rapper and the retail chain is a long time coming for Kanye -- in 2015 he declared he'd like to be the "Steve Jobs of the Gap," and said he dreamed of being its creative director. He also worked there as a teen.

Some things are just meant to be.

Originally Published -- 6:44 AM PT

Daymond John Yeezy Gap Big Win for the Culture ... Now Give Ye a Seat on the Board!!!

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Daymond John
JUST GETTIN' STARTED

Kanye West's new Gap deal isn't only huge for budget-conscious consumers ... Daymond John says it could also be a game changer for Gap's corporate culture ...if it's smart, at least.

The "Shark Tank" star helped us follow the money on the Yeezy Gap 10-year deal ... breaking down how it could greatly benefit customers, Gap and Kanye. On Friday's "TMZ Live," Daymond said the new partnership will give the masses access to so-called "knockoffs" of Kanye's high-end, high-priced designs.

That's the obvious W for the public, but DJ added ... the real win for Kanye goes well beyond dollars and cents. He says for the amount of revenue Ye stands to make for Gap -- it's already estimating a BILLION annually -- the rapper/designer deserves a seat on the corporation's Board of Directors.

That possibility couldn't come at a more opportune time for Gap, as corporations nationwide are desperately trying to diversify their staff -- from top to bottom -- in response to the protests demanding racial equality.

Daymond -- whose FUBU brand also had Gap ties, courtesy of a late 90s LL Cool J commercial -- says Gap can take a huge step forward by adding Kanye to its Board.

Man knows what he's talking about, because it turns out the 'Shark' is in super-high demand with more than a dozen corporations right now.

As for whether he's accepting any of the offers -- watch the clip, Daymond explained what he's demanding ... and it's a lot more than just a seat for himself.

Walmart All Lives Matter T-Shirt Sparks Outrage ... Calls to Yank All Anti-BLM Items

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UPDATE

2:05 PM PT -- It appears Walmart has removed the link for the shirt.

Walmart's under fire for selling All Lives Matter and Blue Lives Matter gear on its websites ... but the company says a third party seller's to blame, and it's looking into it.

The outrage began to spread Tuesday on social media, when people noticed the Walmart Canada site was featuring a black, All Lives Matter t-shirt and some other Lives Matter slogan gear along with its Black Lives Matter items.

Walmart Canada responded to the criticism by saying, "This item is sold and shipped by a third party seller. We've forwarded your comments to the appropriate department to look into further. Thank you for bringing this to our attention."

Of course, this didn't stop customers from firing their own complaints, saying the availability of these items goes against the Black Lives Matter movement and the items are dogwhistles to those who really don't want to end racism and police brutality.

The company later added in a statement, "We stand against any form of racism or discrimination. We promote listening, seeking to understand and embracing individual differences." It says it's reviewing its third-party marketplace items to make sure they comply with its terms and conditions.

Several All Lives Matter t-shirts are also available on Walmart's U.S. site, being sold by a company called Old Glory.

Another third-party company called Trendy USA sells counterpoint "All Lives Matter?" tees, with the tagline ... "If All Lives Really Mattered To You, We Wouldn't Be Protesting. BlackLivesMatter."

Baltimore Restaurant Restaurant Apologizes to African-American Mom/Son ... For Shocking Discrimination

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A Baltimore restaurant is apologizing to an African-American woman and her son, who were clearly the victims of discrimination when the manager refused to seat them ... for reasons that made no sense.

The Atlas Restaurant Group was reacting to cell phone video shot by Marcia Grant as they tried to get a table at the Ouzo Bay restaurant. You hear the manager tell them they can't be seated because her son's wardrobe violated the restaurant's dress code.

Here's the problem ... there was another child in the restaurant -- a white child -- who was allowed in and he was dressed almost identically to Marcia's son.

The manager was unmoved, but unable to explain the different treatment.

Atlas Restaurant Group said they were “sickened," adding, "While dress codes across Atlas properties are the result of ongoing input from customers, in no way are they intended to be discriminatory." Atlas now says children under 12 accompanied by a parent will no longer be subject to a dress code.

Atlas said the manager has been placed on "indefinite leave."

Rob Gronkowski Gives New Bucs Uniform A Smooch ... 'That Is Beautiful'

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It was love at first sight for Rob Gronkowski and his new Tampa Bay Buccaneers unis ... with the superstar giving his threads a big ol' kiss after getting his hands on 'em for the first time.

It's been a rough week for New England fans -- first, the Bucs showed off their new quarterback, Tom Brady, in a non-Patriots jersey for the first time in 20 YEARS.

It was Gronk's turn on Thursday ... with the tight end donning his new uniform, which continues to pile on the pain for Pats Nation.

The Bucs shared video of the moment Gronk saw his threads in person for the first time ... and the dude fell head-over-heels.

"That is beautiful," Gronk says ... "Wow, that's real nice."

Of course, Gronk retired after the 2018 season ... but is making a comeback with his boy, TB12, in Tampa.

But, Gronk won't get back to business without one final party -- he's hosting a VIRTUAL bash with his buddy Shaquille O'Neal to raise money for the NAACP and the Boys And Girls Club.

Gronk and Shaq are planning to face off in a bunch of challenges -- including a dance-off -- with special guests DaBaby, Diplo, Carnage and more ... so yeah, it's a party.

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Sophie Turner & Joe Jonas Baby Bumpin' Down Melrose ... Shopping for Three!!!

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Sophie Turner is reaching the bulging baby bump stage ... and she might be getting a head start on shopping for her bundle of joy.

The 'Game of Thrones' star and her husband, Joe Jonas, hit up Melrose Ave Tuesday afternoon, strolling down the famous shopping street and showing off her growing baby bump, which is pretty prevalent these days.

Sophie dressed up her bun in the oven with grey leggings, a crop top and plaid blazer. Kid's already more stylish than the average.

The expectant parents wore masks as they shopped around ... never too early to get a head start on baby stuff, even in a pandemic. Fortunately, stores on Melrose are open again, so Sophie can shop till she drops.

Peep Joe's Bruce Lee graphic tee ... makes ya wonder, is the baby kicking already? Of course it is!

Colorful Celebrity Quarantints ... Crazy Hairdos!

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With salons and barbershops taking a backseat, these stars had to take matters into their own hands over the last few months ... and they got a little creative with the colors!

Stars like Taylor Swift, Ruby Rose and Shaun White spiced up their quarantine with these eye-catching colors ... and plenty of other celebs have joined in on the pigment creations to make their locks pop!

Get a good look at all the stars that shared their new 'dos by scrolling through our gallery of colorful celebrity quarantints ... maybe grab some inspo for your next look!

If you're not diggin' it ... It'll grow on you.

Kanye West Yeezy Does It, Kim ... I Want In on the Beauty Biz, Too!!!

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Kanye West is putting on his Yeezys and getting to work -- it looks like he's trying to expand his brand into the world of cosmetics and fragrances ... just like the women in his family.

According to new legal docs, Kanye's company recently filed for a "Yeezy" trademark to cover a plethora of beauty and skincare products. We're talking makeup, false eyelashes, facial masks, nail polish, moisturizers, bath gels, body oils, shaving cream, hair care products and perfumes, along with some hygienic products like toothpaste and deodorant ... and even scented pine cones and aromatherapy pillows.

If Kanye's successful, he'll be following in the footsteps of his wife Kim Kardashian's KKW Beauty line and sister-in-law Kylie Jenner's massively popular Kylie Cosmetics ... which includes Khloe's Koko Kollection.

It should be noted ... Kanye's tried to go this route before. Back in 2017, he filed similar docs to lock up the rights to DONDA brand cosmetics -- named after his mother -- but it never really got going.

Good luck this time around, Ye!

Starbucks Busts About-Face ... Allowing Workers to Wear BLM Attire

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Starbucks is now saying "my bad," and will allow employees to wear Black Lives Matter attire ... after getting intense backlash for banning it.

The coffee store giant announced Friday morning it's reversing its policy prohibiting workers from wearing anything highlighting the Black Lives Matter movement. And, to take things a step further ... Starbucks will distribute 250k BLM themed t-shirts to its employees.

The move comes just days after Starbucks said it feared employees wearing BLM attire could be misunderstood by customers and incite violence. But, after customers called for a boycott, Starbucks is now saying it hears their employees and supports them standing up for justice.

Starbucks announced, "Together with our Black Partner Network, we've designed a Starbucks t-shirt for every U.S. and Canada partner to express our solidarity during this historic time. Until these arrive, we’ve heard you want to show your support, so just be you. Wear your BLM pin or t-shirt. We are so proud of your passionate support of our common humanity."

It should be noted ... Starbucks hands out pins and special attire to celebrate LGBTQ rights and marriage equality even though there's a policy in place against wearing personal, political or religious attire.

It's not the first time Starbucks has been schooled on racial equality. You'll recall back in 2018 the coffee chain closed its stores for anti-bias training after 2 African-American men got hauled off to jail for hanging out and waiting for a friend inside a Starbucks in Philly.

The incident created an uproar and triggered protests.

Steve Kerr '97 Finals Bulls Shorts For Sale ... Nailed Title Winning Shot

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Steve Kerr's Chicago Bulls shorts -- rocked by the sharpshooter when he knocked down one of the most historic shots in NBA history -- just hit the auction block.

The white Champion brand shorts are from Game 6 of the 1997 NBA Finals ... where Michael Jordan's Bulls squad took on Karl Malone, John Stockton and the Utah Jazz.

The Bulls led the series, 3-2 ... heading in to Game 6 at the United Center on June 13, 1997. It was a super tight game that went down to the wire.

With 5 seconds left in the game -- and the Bulls trailing by 1 point -- the Jazz defense expected Jordan to attempt the game-winning shot.

However, Jordan kicked it out to a wide-open Kerr -- who nailed a 17-foot dagger of a jump shot -- securing the Bulls 5th NBA Championship.

FYI -- Kerr scored 9 points. Jordan dropped 39.

The shorts -- photomatched to ensure authenticity -- are on the auction block at Lelands Auctions.

Kerr -- who autographed the shorts -- has called the shot the most memorable moment of his 15 season NBA playing career.

The auction is currently underway ... and there have been multiple bids around $1,500.

But, expect the price to skyrocket before bidding closes late next week.

Reese Witherspoon Sued for Company's Dress Giveaway ... AKA Nice Deed for Teachers

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Reese Witherspoon is taking some legal heat for a dress giveaway to teachers during the early days of the pandemic, and the lawsuit reads like the ultimate case of no good deed goes unpunished.

Three women are putting together a class-action lawsuit against Reese and her Draper James clothing company for their highly-publicized offer on Instagram in early April, which stated ... "Dear Teachers: We want to say thank you. During quarantine we see you working harder than every to educate our children. To show our gratitude, Draper James would like to give teachers a free dress."

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According to the suit, the offer required participants to provide their personal information to the fashion line -- including contact information and sensitive education employment ID info -- within 3 days, and then all "winners" who accepted the offer would be notified by April 7.

Now, we should say the IG post clearly stated the offer was valid "while supplies last." However, the plaintiffs say the offer didn't make it clear Draper James only had 250 dresses to give away.

So instead, according to the lawsuit, the nearly 1 million teachers who provided their personal info were entered into a lottery with a slim chance of winning ... when they all believed they were getting free dresses.

The women suing point out that the total cost of the 250 dresses to be given away would only come out to an "estimated paltry $12,500 in actual cost" to Reese and her company ... "at a time when other individuals of [Reese] Witherspoon's renown were offering millions of dollars to COVID-19 victims."

Translation: Yes, you were charitable, but we wanted you to be WAY more charitable. Wow.

The lawsuit alleges Reese and her company also benefited from the publicity of the giveaway -- including shout-outs on "Today" and "Good Morning America."

Draper James' attorney Theane Evangelis tells TMZ ... "This lawsuit is an unjust attempt to exploit Draper James' good intentions to honor the teacher community by gifting hundreds of free dresses. The fact that supplies were limited, such that a free dress could not be provided to every teacher who responded, was disclosed and is no basis for a lawsuit."

She continues, "Draper James looks forward to defending this case, to continuing its efforts to acknowledge the extraordinary contributions made by teachers during this time of need, and to being vindicated in court."

The women are suing on behalf of all participants who accepted the Draper James deal ... and are seeking damages.

Michael Jordan, Jordan Brand Donating $100 Million To Racial Equality Orgs

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Michael Jordan and Jordan Brand have pledged to donate an incredible $100 MILLION over the next decade to fight racial inequality ... saying straight-up -- "Black lives matter."

"The Jordan Brand is us, the Black Community," Jordan and his company said in a joint statement. "Jordan Brand is more than one man. It has always been a family."

"We represent a proud family that has overcome obstacles, fought against discrimination in communities worldwide and that works every day to erase the stain of racism and the damage of injustice."

"The will, the work, the excellence the world has come to know is the result of one generation after another, pouring their dreams into the next. "

The statement continues ... "It's 2020, and our family now includes anyone who aspires to our way of life. Yet as much as things have changed, the worst remains the same."

"Black lives matter. This isn't a controversial statement. until the ingrained racism that allows our country's institutions to fail is completely eradicated, we will remain committed to protecting and improving the lives of Black people."

"Today, we are announcing that Michael Jordan and Jordan Brand will be donating $100 million over the next 10 years to organizations dedicated to ensuring racial equality, social justice and greater access to education."

Jordan recently spoke out over George Floyd's death ... saying, "I see and feel everyone’s pain, outrage and frustration."

"I stand with those who are calling out the ingrained racism and violence toward people of color in our country."

"We have had enough."