Celebrity Health

Lil Reese has reportedly taken another bullet in his hometown of Chicago -- this less than two years after he almost died from being shot not too far from the Windy City.

The rapper was among three people shot Saturday morning in a parking garage in the River North neighborhood, where a shootout appears to have gone down among a group of men ... with all of them supposedly shooting at each other, according to local outlet CWBChicago.

When cops arrived, per CWB, they found three guys who'd suffered gunshot wounds -- plus a stolen Dodge Durango found littered with bullet and crashed at the site. Chicago PD tells TMZ two of the men were transported to one hospital, and another was hospitalized elsewhere. Two are reported as being in critical condition, and the third in serious condition.

It's unclear what Reese's status is at this point ... we're still working to confirm he was involved and how he's holding up.

CWB reposted a video that purportedly captures the aftermath, showing up and apparently detaining someone. CPD tells us there are two possible offenders in custody right now.

Unclear what might've sparked the violence -- but in any case, it's not great news for Reese ... who had just gone through something similar in late 2019, when he was shot in the neck and miraculously survived. The situation then was reported as eerily similar to this one.

Reese is perhaps most famous for his work with Chief Keef -- notably, being featured on the latter's hit 2012 single, "I Don't Like" and his own single, "Traffic."

BTW, Reese is only 28.

Joe Exotic believes he may have prostate cancer, among many other ailments, and he's begging President Biden, Vice President Harris and others to step in and help.

Joe says his PSA count came back very high for prostate cancer. He seems to say it's clear he has prostate cancer, because he says, "The prison has approved testing to verify what state it is in." It appears there has been no diagnosis by a doctor.

Joe's lawyer, John M. Phillips, tells TMZ, Joe is scheduled to undergo further testing in prison, however, the facility is limited in what it can do. Phillips is trying to get Joe a new trial.

Joe says he's riddled with disease ... "I have lost a tremendous amount of weight, the mouth sores are out of control, I throw up more than I eat. I don't want anyone's pity, what I need is when John Phillips gets the evidence he is working on, I need the world to help him get President Biden, VP Harris and the Attorney General to listen to the evidence."

He's asking again for the elusive pardon so he can go home and get medical treatment.

Scary scene on the Chicago White Sox's diamond Friday ... reigning AL MVP Jose Abreu and Royals star Hunter Dozier were injured after colliding at full speed on the field.

The play happened in the second inning of the first leg of the Sox's doubleheader with Kansas City ... when Dozier hit a pop-up just feet from home plate.

As the Royals 3rd baseman, though, put his head down to run to first ... Abreu came sprinting in with his eyes toward the baseball in the sky.

The two then crashed into each other ... knocking heads and shoulders -- before crumpling to the ground.

You can see in the slow-mo footage from the dugout ... the collision was VIOLENT -- and the two laid on the infield in pain for several minutes.

Both players were eventually helped off the field and forced from the game. It's unclear if they've suffered any significant injuries from the collision.

Covering the White House looks way different today -- there are very few face coverings in the Press Room as the government and the news biz react to the new CDC guidelines.

During Friday's press briefing at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave., all staffers were mask-free. Ditto for almost all of the reporters who were present. Looks like 2 or 3 holdouts were still taking precautions, and everyone was still practicing social distancing.

No such concerns over at 30 Rock in NYC, though. "Today" hosts Savannah Guthrie and Hoda Kotb are getting way closer than they've been in more than a year, and they're absolutely giddy about it.

They kicked off Friday's show sitting right next to each other, and even held hands for a bit. Viewers have gotten used to seeing TV hosts seated at least 6 feet apart during the pandemic, but the CDC's flipped things back to pre-COVID ... for some, anyway.

As you know, the CDC's new guidance says fully vaccinated Americans have the green light to ditch masks and eliminate social distancing outdoors AND indoors -- but not everyone's rushing back to total "normalcy."

Check out the folks over at 'GMA' ... anchors Michael Strahan, Cecilia Vega and George Stephanopoulos were still socially distanced during Friday's show -- perhaps reflecting a big difference in the corporate policies for ABC and NBC.

As we showed you, after President Biden's milestone speech Thursday from the Rose Garden, he and VP Kamala Harris couldn't mask their joy over the CDC's new guidance as they hugged and laughed ... sans masks.

So far, at least 10 states have completely lifted their mask mandates on the heels of the CDC's announcement, but several others, like NY and Cali, aren't celebrating just yet.

Robert De Niro is headed home after suffering an injury while working on Martin Scorsese's highly-anticipated upcoming project with Leo DiCaprio.

Production sources as well as sources connected to De Niro tell us the actor hurt his leg during filming of "Killers of the Flower Moon" in Oklahoma. He boarded a flight late Thursday for his home in New York City and plans to see a doctor Friday. The extent of the injury is unclear.

As for whether it'll delay production, a source close to De Niro tells us the actor was already planning to go home for a few weeks, but a production source tells us crew members were told they'll have Friday off because of the injury ... so it's possible there were still a couple scenes for De Niro to shoot.

The Apple Original film -- based on the nonfiction book by David Grann about a series of murders in Oklahoma in the '20s -- is set to wrap late this year or early 2022. It's reportedly got a budget of around $200M with an impressive cast beyond DiCaprio and De Niro that also features Jesse Plemons and Lily Gladstone.

Chris Weidman is simply not a human being ... 'cause the UFC star is up and WALKING just 3 WEEKS after suffering his horrific leg injury!!

Yeah ... the dude is pretty much a damn superhero at this point.

The 36-year-old former middleweight shared an incredible recovery update on Thursday ... showing his ability to walk on the same leg he snapped while attempting a kick on Uriah Hall just 17 seconds into their fight at UFC 261 on April 24.

Weidman underwent successful surgery to repair the damage a few days later ... and was told he wouldn't be able to walk on his leg for at least 8 weeks.

But, he's been busting his ass nonstop during recovery ... and proved he only needed a 1/4 of the time to start putting pressure on his leg!! INSANE!!

The video is wild -- Weidman uses crutches to slowly walk, but is clearly putting a bit of weight on his wrapped right leg.

"We are moving!! #progress #recovery #theallamerican," Weidman said on Instagram.

The All-American has made great strides in such a short amount of time -- even using an anti-gravity treadmill to help his progress.

It's a great sign for Weidman -- after all, his training partner/friend Stephen Thompson said the ex-champ WILL return to fighting when he's recovered.

Mel B appears beaten, broken and trapped in a disturbing new video made to raise domestic violence awareness, and it has some people drawing connections to the singer's past.

The Spice Girls singer co-stars in the short film, "Love Should Not Hurt" by classical composer Fabio D’Andrea. Mel plays the role of a woman seemingly living a wonderful life in a mansion out in the country -- but behind closed doors, she's being battered and held captive by her partner ... played by Sam Mackay.

At the end of the short film, Mel's character -- shown with a bruised and bleeding face -- attempts to flee ... as alarming statistics about women being subjected to physical or sexual violence are displayed.

Though it's not explicitly suggested, Mel B's appearance in this video -- a collaboration with the UK org., Women’s Aid -- elicits an alleged violent chapter of her life with ex-husband, Stephen Belafonte.

Mel, who split from Belafonte in 2017, claimed he abused her throughout their 10-year marriage and previously described it as a "reign of terror."

Ronnie Ortiz-Magro says he's stepping away from 'Jersey Shore' in the wake of his domestic violence arrest ... he says he's seeking treatment for mental health issues.

Ronnie says he talked with honchos at MTV and they all agreed ... Ron needs a break to seek treatment for issues he says he's ignored for too long. He says he's finally ready to face his struggles head-on ... and he says his top priority is to be healthy so he can be the best man and best father he can be for his daughter.

TMZ broke the story ... Ronnie won't be charged in his recent domestic violence case, but his arrest for the alleged incident with his girlfriend could trigger legal problems because he's on probation.

You'll recall ... Ronnie's GF, Saffire Matos, called the cops following an argument that allegedly turned physical, but after his arrest she went on social media to downplay the allegations.

Ronnie also has a long history of domestic violence issues with the mother of his child, Jenn Harley.

Ronnie filmed scenes for the upcoming "Jersey Shore: Family Vacation" reality show, but it appears he was not included in the trailer. It's unclear if his scenes will be cut, and the series is set to premiere June 3.

Bill Maher is sidelined from his show this week because he's tested positive for COVID-19 ... but, strange as it sounds, there's some good news here.

The 'Real Time' host has little reason to be worried because a rep for HBO says Bill is fully vaccinated, and he's feeling fine. The rep says, "Bill tested positive during weekly staff PCR testing for COVID" but says he's totally asymptomatic.

Remember, the COVID vaccines don't guarantee you won't get infected, but are highly effective in shielding you from serious illness and hospitalization. Bill's a perfect example of that.

HBO says no other staff or crew members have tested positive for the virus and Friday's show will be rescheduled for a later date ... the network says they've taken all COVID safety measures seriously.

Bill's guests this week were supposed to be Neil deGrasse Tyson, "World War Z" author Max Brooks and "Hardcore History" podcast host Dan Carlin.

President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris can't mask their joy over the CDC's new recommendation that fully vaccinated people can ditch their face coverings -- indoors and outdoors ... it's all over their faces!

The Prez delivered a speech in the Rose Garden a bit ago on the heels of the CDC's announcement, calling it a great milestone and a great day after more than a year of pandemic anxiety, and yes ... mask fatigue.

Biden went on to applaud the success of the COVID vaccine rollout in the U.S. and promisingly low coronavirus numbers. After his speech ... Joe and Kamala walked off side-by-side with huge smiles -- easy to see without face coverings.

POTUS and the Veep weren't the only ones in D.C. showing elation ... we got Congressmen Eric Swalwell, Greg Pence and Michael Guest on Capitol Hill palling around, maskless.

We asked them about the petition to rename the Ronald Reagan Airport after JoJo Siwa, and despite Swalwell being a Dem and the other 2 guys being Republicans ... they all reached a consensus.

California's thankfully seeing a major dip in COVID cases and deaths, but roller coaster thrill-seekers are still required to follow serious safety guidelines ... rules some health care workers say are ridiculous.

Not only do Disneyland, Six Flags Magic Mountain and Legoland all require riders to keep their masks on through the duration of the ride, they're also leaving entire rows empty and splitting up party sizes to ensure social distancing ... guidelines put in place by the state.

Dr. Ashish Jha -- the Dean of Brown University's School of Public Health -- appeared on "TMZ Live" Thursday and scoffed at the requirement to have empty cars on roller coaster rides. He says it simply makes no sense.

Dr. Jha also has a couple pointers for those with children who are concerned about their well-being since they're still unvaccinated ... and hopefully, it provides some peace of mind.

Of course, when it comes to roaming the park, there's an argument to be made that safety precautions are necessary because of unvaccinated people, but Dr. Jha says a roller coaster is a whole different animal. BTW, the CDC just came out with new guidelines ... people who have been vaccinated don't have to wear masks indoors or outdoors.

Great news from Ryan Garcia ... the undefeated boxing superstar says he's making serious progress in his struggle with mental health issues ... and seems focused on returning to the ring!

The 22-year-old had called off his big July 9 fight against Javier Fortuna a few weeks ago -- after realizing he was suffering from a serious bout with anxiety and depression.

"I have decided to take some time off to focus on becoming a stronger version of myself," Garcia said back in April.

The fighter spent some time in Hawaii with his girlfriend Drea Celina Garcia and their newborn baby girl ... and now seems to be in a much better place.

"With the help of my support team and my family, I’m making steps forward," Garcia posted Wednesday on social media along with a video of himself in the boxing gym.

"Why anxiety and depression hit me like a truck and why I’m still recovering I’ll never know. But I’m trying to cope with the issues I’m having!"

Garcia then referenced the boxing video and said, "This bag is my anxiety and I’m swinging with my full intent to destroy it!!"

Garcia is getting plenty of support from his famous friends including Canelo Alvarez, who recently told TMZ Sports he's pulling for Ryan to get healthy and return to the sport he loves.

Horrible news out of the WNBA ... NY Liberty star Asia Durr will miss the entire 2021 season because she's still reeling from the effects of COVID.

The 24-year-old shooting guard -- the #2 overall pick in the 2019 WNBA Draft -- missed the entire 2020 WNBA season due to the effects of COVID. She has previously talked publicly about how the virus wreaked havoc on her body, putting her basketball career in jeopardy.

Now, the NY Liberty has placed Durr on the full-season suspended list, noting it was a "personal decision."

But, Durr's issues are no secret -- she was featured on HBO's "Real Sports" back in January and spelled out how COVID has destroyed her life and career since she tested positive on June 8, 2020.

At the time, Durr said she had lost 32 pounds and experienced massive problems with her lungs.

"I couldn't breathe. I was spitting up blood. It was just lung pain that was just so severe. It felt like somebody took a long knife and was just stabbing you in your lungs each second."

She continued, "I woke up 2 o'clock in the morning, vomiting, going back and forth to the bathroom. I couldn't keep anything down."

Gov. Phil Murphy wants to see 4.7 million NJ residents vaccinated by the end of June, and he's offering liquid encouragement to get it done -- and, not shockingly, he says his plan's working, so far.

Murphy joined "TMZ Live" Tuesday to tout "Operation Jersey Summer" ... his campaign to help the state reach its vaccination goal. There's a long list of initiatives but he says the one getting all the buzz, pun intended, is the shot and free beer program.

The Gov. says that with the Garden State having one of the strongest and fastest-growing craft beer industries, it only made sense to incentivize residents with a free beer at any of the nearly 50 participating breweries ... IF they can prove they got vaccinated in May.

It's that simple ... and Murphy says so far the program's a hit with the young crowd, which he hopes will keep the state's rate of vaccination going in the right direction. He added that even though infection rates are dropping, and more people are getting out and about in warmer weather ... he doesn't want residents getting complacent.

That being said, Murphy does have one dispute with the shot and beer program. Watch the clip ... he was joking, but there's some potential for version 2.0 of "Operation Jersey Summer." Just sayin, Gov!!!

Take us out, Lil Jon!!!

Bob Baffert believes he's figured out why his Kentucky Derby-winning horse Medina Spirit tested positive for a banned substance ... and it all may stem from a case of dermatitis.

As we previously reported, Medina Spirit was popped for betamethasone in a post-race test ... begging the question, did Baffert cheat to win?

Bob issued a new statement Tuesday morning explaining why he believes MS tested positive ... and insists it has NOTHING to do with cheating.

Baffert says Medina Spirit developed a skin condition called dermatitis following the Santa Anita Derby back in April ... so he took the horse to a vet to get checked out.

Bob says the vet "recommended the use of an anti-fungal ointment called Otomax. The veterinary recommendation was to apply this ointment daily to give the horse relief, help heal the dermatitis, and prevent it from spreading."

Bob says his barn followed the recommendation and Medina Spirit was treated with the medication "once a day up until the day before the Kentucky Derby."

But here's the rub ...

"Yesterday, I was informed that one of the substances in Otomax is betamethasone."

"While we do not know definitively that this was the source of the alleged 21 picograms founds in Medina Spirit's post-race blood sample, and our investigation is continuing, I have been told by equine pharmacology experts that this could explain the test results."

In other words, Bob now seems to open to the fact he may have unwittingly given his horse a banned substance.

Question is ... shouldn't a legendary, experienced trainer know if there's a banned substance in medication before administering it?

Pro athletes in other sports are responsible for what they put in their bodies ... so shouldn't horse trainers share the same burden?

Good news Betty White fans ... more than a year into a pandemic and the Hollywood legend's still healthy and safe at home, but she's looking forward to summer when she can safely enjoy the outdoors and regain her freedom.

Betty's been keeping herself busy at home reading, watching TV and doing crossword puzzles ... so says her rep, Jeff Witjas. We're told there's one thing the pandemic has severely affected in her life ... her ability to regularly interact with friends face-to-face.

We're told, however, she still pens plenty of letters, makes phone calls and has limited visits with friends and loved ones through the window of her home.

Betty has always been a champion for animals, but currently has no house pets, so that's an empty spot in her life ... especially for a senior who is isolated from friends and family. She does, however, have a couple ducks on her property that we're told walk up to her door every day to say hello.

As for whether or not 99-year-old Betty's been vaccinated, Witjas is mum, saying it's a personal matter.

We're told it's unclear if and when Betty will ever return to work. But, after a Hollywood career that's spanned 60-plus years ... a break is well-deserved.