Gwyneth Paltrow is protecting herself and her loved ones against coronavirus -- let's face it, she knows a thing or 2 about pandemics.
The "Contagion" star braved her local farmers market Sunday in Pacific Palisades, wearing latex gloves and practicing social distancing as she came home with a haul of fresh veggies.
Gwyneth's husband, Brad Falchuk,ditched his gloves and mask as they got closer to home, but only when there was no one around.
As you know ... California is under a "safer at home" mandate as we attempt to slow the spread of COVID-19. You can leave your house for food and farmers markets are still open, but there's no sampling.
L.A.'s Mayor, Eric Garcetti, is calling this a make-or-break week for Angelenos and he's been chiding folks for flooding the beaches and parks despite orders to say 6-feet apart ... but Gwyneth's setting a good example for all.
Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media.
Gwyneth says we're all on a learning curve as we adjust to the new normal, but she adds it's important to take the new rules seriously and not abuse freedoms.
Say this for Gwyneth ... she practices what she preaches!
Jennifer Lopez's ex-boyfriend -- who she dated for nearly a decade -- has died ... TMZ has learned.
J Lo's high school sweetheart, David Cruz, died Saturday in Mount Sinai West Hospital in Manhattan ... this according to the NYC Medical Examiner's Office. We're told David died of heart disease -- no other info was immediately available.
Jennifer and David got together when she was just 15 (he's only a year older than her, BTW) and they dated for about 10 years before calling it quits in the mid-'90s as J Lo's fame was skyrocketing.
David and Jennifer did attend a few events together back in the day -- when she wasn't well known -- they sure looked like a happy couple.
David's partner of 18 years, Isa, tells us, "He was kind and loving. He never held on to anything and was always very open. He was a devoted father, he helped raise his step-son who is now in the Marines. He loved the Yankees and Knicks. He loved going to the theatre with me. My favorite moment was family date night, because it wasn't just special for me but for the kids as well. He always made sure to end things with an 'I love you.'"
Great news for Charles Barkley ... the NBA legend says he does NOT have the coronavirus -- saying his test results came back negative Monday morning.
"I’d like to thank everyone for reaching out and expressing your concern and support," Chuck said in a statement. "You all be safe and please take the necessary actions to help ensure your well-being."
The 57-year-old was concerned earlier this month that he might have contracted the virus ... this after he said he experienced flu-like symptoms after some cross-country traveling.
Barkley told his "NBA on TNT" co-hosts on March 12 he wasn't feeling well ... and that he was self-quarantining just in case he did have the virus.
But, Charles said he's all good this week ... "I’ve received my COVID-19 test results this morning & they are negative."
Of course, Chuck is one of the lucky ones ... several in the NBA world HAVE tested positive for the virus already this month, with Kevin Durant and Marcus Smart confirming their cases last week.
Target has a target on its back, legally speaking ... the retail giant is being sued over the effectiveness -- or lack thereof -- of its store-brand hand sanitizer to combat coronavirus.
A man named Mardig Taslakian from Los Angeles filed a class-action lawsuit against Target and its super popular store brand, Up&Up, claiming the company deceptively markets its hand sanitizer "to eliminate 99.99% of germs" when there's no proof to back that claim.
According to new legal docs, obtained by TMZ, Taslakian has beef with Target marketing its Up&Up-brand hand sanitizer as comparable to Purell ... which is dealing with its own lawsuit over allegedly misleading claims.
Taslakian claims the same January 17, 2020 warning letter the FDA sent to Purell -- that there's no scientific data to support its germ-killing effectiveness -- should also apply to Target.
According to docs, Taslakian says that "by comparing its less expensive in-house private label product" to Purell’s more expensive hand sanitizer ... Target misleads customers into thinking its hand sanitizer is as effective as Purell's "and can therefore prevent disease or infection from, for example, Coronavirus and flu, along with other claims that go beyond the general intended use of a topical alcohol-based hand sanitizer."
Although, Taslakian is accusing Target of insinuating its sanitizer combats coronavirus ... the product never makes such a claim.
Taslakian want damages, including punitives, and an order stopping Target from making the claims on the bottles. We’ve reached out to Target, so far no word back.
Kim Kardashian's beauty line is putting a pause on its operations because of the coronavirus -- telling customers their orders won't show up on their doorstep anytime soon.
KKW Beauty made the announcement Monday, saying because of statewide health orders being imposed in California ... they're temporarily closing the company's fulfillment center, where they ship out products. That means they can't guarantee any delivery dates at this time.
The company does say that as soon as shipping is allowed to resume, any customers' order in limbo at the moment will receive top priority. And, for anyone who doesn't wanna wait that long, KKW Beauty says it'll let folks cancel unshipped orders at any time for a full refund.
The only catch is your order has to have been placed on or after March 16, 2020 -- when most nationwide coronavirus policies started to take effect -- in order to be eligible for the refund.
KKW Beauty says it'll continue to keep its customers and fans updated on all its social media feeds, and will push forward with beauty tips and other content in the meantime.
Vin Scully's kids are going the extra mile to ensure we don't lose the legendary broadcaster to COVID-19 ... the former Dodgers play-by-play man says they won't even hug him during the pandemic.
"We have a pretty large master bedroom, so they can sit quite a few feet away just to say hello,” 92-year-old Scully told the L.A. Times. “But there’s no hugging and kissing or nothing like that."
Vin Scully can still connect and comfort in a manner unmatched by any other sports figure in L.A.'s history.
And, man, do we need some connecting and comforting.
It's a pretty awesome and selfless gesture from the children ... because at 92, Scully could be affected gravely if he were to be exposed to the coronavirus.
But, Scully says he's all healthy and good right now ... and says social distancing and self-quarantining are ensuring that stays the case.
"We’re trying very hard to follow the rules," Scully said. "And then the kids are scared that they're going to bring in something that will just blow me away. So it’s a very difficult time to go without hugs."
Scully -- who famously broadcast Dodgers games for more than 60 years -- says he misses baseball dearly during these times ... but says once mitts start popping again, we'll know we've beaten the virus.
"I hope and pray that baseball will start up," Scully says. "That will be so wonderful -- that will be a rainbow after the storm, that, yeah, things are going to get better.”
It's been nearly 2 weeks since Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson stunned the world into accepting coronavirus is no joke by revealing they'd tested positive, but the good news is they're finally feeling better ... and Tom's offering some encouragement.
Hanks says it has been 2 weeks since they first experienced symptoms of COVID-19 -- fever, body aches, some chills for Rita -- and they've gotten past them.
As we reported ... the couple went into self-isolation right away, and Tom's touting the process as the right way to beat the coronavirus, because it works.
He says ... "You don't give it to anyone - You don't get it from anyone. Common sense, no?"
Tom adds this is going to take a while and we are going to have to "give up some comforts" for the greater good, but if we do ... "this, too, shall pass."
Take awhile is right ... on Sunday, U.S. Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin said we can expect the coronavirus quarantine to last up to 12 weeks.
NBA star Rudy Gobert says he's suffering from some awful side effects of the Coronavirus ... claiming he's lost his sense of both taste AND smell since his diagnosis.
"Loss of smell and taste is definitely one of the symptoms," the Utah Jazz center said Sunday. "Haven’t been able to smell anything for the last 4 days."
But, Gobert had seemed to be recovering well ... until this weekend, when he revealed he's having trouble tasting and smelling things.
"Anyone experiencing the same thing?" Gobert said.
According to reports, others with the virus have said they share similar issues ... although the CDC and WHO say the most common symptoms are fever, cough, fatigue and respiratory problems.
Rudy has apologized for carelessly exposing others before he was officially diagnosed ... and has since implored people to practice self-quarantining and social distancing to help stop the spread of the virus.
New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Paytonis doing better 1 week into his battle with coronavirus ... saying Monday he's "feeling okay."
The 56-year-old started displaying symptoms of COVID-19 last Monday ... saying he had a low-grade fever with fatigue, chills and general flu-like malaise.
But, Payton -- who officially tested positive for the virus last Thursday -- said in an interview with Michael Strahan on "Good Morning America" he's gotten better every day since.
"When I went in last week on Monday ... certainly felt like I had the flu," Payton said. "Just as we all would know what that feels like where you just want to lay in bed and not doing anything."
"And, then gradually, during the course of this week, I would say I've progressively gotten a little better each day. I haven't had to deal with any respiratory issues."
Payton says he's still feeling the effects of the virus, though ... telling Strahan that shortly after he begins to exert energy -- like on household chores -- it ain't long before he wants to get back in bed.
"You might get up and start working on a section of the house or cleaning the dining room or something and then in about 20 minutes, you just feel like you want to lay down again and take a nap."
Payton -- who says he's still conducting Saints draft prep with his staff via video conference calls -- stressed to Strahan the importance of people following social distancing rules to help stop the spread of the virus.
"Man, there's some common sense here," Payton said. "There's too much science right now and there's too much data for us to be ignoring that."
Tekashi 6ix9nine is so desperate to escape the coronavirus he'd rather take his chances outside of prison than risk the disease killing him while he's locked up.
6ix9ine's attorney, Lance Lazzaro, wrote a letter to the judge Sunday night citing serious concerns for Tekashi's wellbeing behind bars. Lazzaro says Tekashi suffers from asthma -- making catching coronavirus that much more serious -- and he wants him out ASAP.
In the letter -- obtained by TMZ -- Lazzaro also reveals Tekashi was diagnosed with bronchitis and sinusitis late last year and was hospitalized for treatment.
According to Lazzaro, the rapper has recently had shortness of breath, but prison officials won't let him see a doctor.
Tekashi has only a few months left of his 24-month sentence ... but Lazzaro says Tekashi can't risk staying locked up any longer ... his life is on the line.
President Barack Obama sent a heartfelt, admiring letter to blues legend B.B. King just a month before he died, and the unique piece of history can be yours for ... for a pretty penny.
The personally signed piece of White House stationery -- equipped with the presidential seal on top -- was sent to an ailing King in April 2015 as he was dealing with multiple health issues caused by high blood pressure and diabetes.
Obama wrote he had heard of B.B.'s challenges and wanted to send him his "warmest wishes during this trying time."
44 went on to heap praise upon "The King of the Blues," saying, King had touched hearts, moved souls and lifted spirits for decades ... clearly, Barack was trying to do the same for B.B.
Obama ended the letter by saying he and Michelle were thinking of him and sending prayers.
This wasn't the first connection between the African-American icons ... the 2 shared the stage in 2010 at the National Christmas Tree Lighting.
The letter's up for grabs at Moments In Time via King's granddaughter Sylvia Williams, who says her mother gave it to her years ago. She says B.B. never imagined there would be a president of color in his lifetime ... let alone receive a personal letter from one.
King died in May 2015 -- just over a month after Obama sent this letter -- from vascular dementia caused by a series of small strokes as a consequence of his type 2 diabetes. Before he died, his daughters claimed he was a victim of elder abuse by his longtime manager -- and even alleged he may have died by poisoning -- but his autopsy showed no evidence of that.
Obama's get-well letter to King can be purchased for $17,500.
5:39 AM PT -- 3/23 -- Australia is following Canada's lead ... after a phone meeting early Monday morning, Aussie officials say they will also NOT send a team unless the Games are postponed.
UPDATE
"Our athletes now need to prioritize their own health and of those around them, and to be able to return to the families," a rep said.
Canada ain't playin' around ... demanding officials postpone the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo for a year -- or they will NOT compete.
The Canadian Olympic Committee and the Canadian Paralympic Committee have fired off their ultimatum to the International Olympic Committee ... saying they have "made the difficult decision to not send Canadian teams to the Olympic and Paralympic Games in the summer of 2020."
The Canadians feel the coronavirus pandemic isn't just a risk to athletes -- but families and spectators as well.
"With COVID-19 and the associated risks, it is not safe for our athletes, and the health and safety of their families and the broader Canadian community for athletes to continue training towards these Games," the joint statement read.
"Containing the virus must be our paramount concern. We are in the midst of a global health crisis that is far more significant than sport."
As we previously reported, multiple Team USA sports -- including Gymnastics and Swimming -- feel the same way. They are also calling for the IOC to postpone the games.
However, the IOC says they're giving themselves 4 weeks to analyze the situation before making a final decision.
3:48 PM PT -- 3/23 As for his case in L.A. ... the District Attorney's office announced Monday it has started the process to get Weinstein to the West Coast. A rep says a detainer was filed March 13 to bring Weinstein to L.A. to face rape and sexual assault charges.
UPDATE
It is not yet clear when exactly Weinstein will arrive and an arraignment date has not yet been set.
Harvey Weinstein has tested positive for coronavirus ... TMZ has confirmed.
Sources tell us that the incarcerated former movie mogul has, indeed, been confirmed as one of two inmates at the Wende Correctional Facility in New York to have the viral infection. He was moved to the prison recently after being taken to Rikers Island following his rape and sexual assault conviction earlier this month.
It's unclear when exactly Weinstein might've contracted the virus, but we're told he's been in isolation since he was taken to Rikers a few weeks back. Our sources also say he hasn't had contact with his family or lawyers since the diagnosis.
The reality -- Weinstein is among the most at risk for serious symptoms.
Weinstein has looked incredibly frail of late, making appearances in court with the help of a walker and aides. He's also been hospitalized in New York a couple different times over the past month or so -- complaining of chest pains and receiving cardiac treatment.
Weinstein might just be the tip of the iceberg in NYC and NY State prisons -- at least 19 inmates in NYC prisons and 12 employees have coronavirus, the NYC Dept. of Corrections announced Saturday. It's unclear what might be happening at a state-wide level.
A rep for the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision -- which currently has custody and supervises Weinstein -- tells TMZ ... "With each confirmed case, DOCCS worked with the Department of Health to identify any potentially exposed individuals in order to provide notifications and to stop the spread of the virus."
The Big Apple doesn't want its residents banging like rabbits during the coronavirus outbreak -- so it's got a set of strict (and graphically specific) guidelines on how to get it on during these contagious times.
The NYC Health Department posted recommendations over the weekend on how folks can have sex, while keeping the risk of catching COVID-19 low. For starters, they say sex with another person probably isn't a good idea right now ... so, they suggest masturbating.
If you are going to have sex with someone else, they have recommendations on who to bang first. The department says if you must, sleep with someone you live with, and try NOT to screw anyone outside the household if you can help. They also say limit the number of partners you're hooking up with ... which probably means no orgies either. Aw, man!
The most graphic suggestions come in the form of rim jobs (anus to mouth contact) and oral sex too. They say don't eat ass right now -- it probably ain't safe -- and if you're gonna get slurped up by a partner ... use a condom or a dental dam to reduce saliva swapping.
The Health Dept. also notes ... if your partner's not feeling well, skip the sex. And, for all the online daters, keep the interaction there for now too. What a time to be alive!
4:18 PM PT -- It's back to the drawing board in D.C. for Congress -- with Senators failing to pass a stimulus package bill with a split vote of 47-47 Sunday ... this after the House already sent a version of the bill along and suspended their session in hopes the Senate could get it done.
UPDATE
Welp, amid fears of U.S. Representatives having to come back to D.C. to draft up a new bill and take a new vote again ... President Trump offered up a temporary remedy for everyone scared of catching coronavirus. During Sunday's press briefing, he said his administration wouldn't be opposed to let people work from home ... as in vote.
UPDATE
The question was lobbed to the Prez in the wake of Rand Paul and others quarantining after Paul's coronavirus diagnosis, and DT said it straight up -- he'd be cool with a temporary measure of voting remotely, not necessarily needing bodies in D.C. to do it.
UPDATE
That would solve the quorum problem for House members, a good amount of whom would have to be back in D.C. otherwise in order to get any official business done.
UPDATE
Unclear if Trump and his administration would have the final say over this -- it's probably a resolution that'd have to be written in Congress and voted on -- but it doesn't sound like he'd make a big fuss if both houses decided to go this route. Desperate times ...
There is a quiet panic going around behind the scenes at the House of Representatives because some members tell TMZ they sounded a warning 3 weeks ago about the Capitol being unsafe but they weren't heeded ... and now some fear they have the coronavirus.
The members we spoke with -- who only wanted to talk on background -- tell us, about 3 weeks ago when the problems associated with coronavirus started blowing up they began talking about limiting or excluding visitors from the Capitol.
It was an especially busy time, because the House was putting together spending bills and people were flying in from all over the country to lobby members. There were also lots of visitors who came by and interacted with a number of members. We're told the hallways were packed.
One congressman told us, "No one took this seriously. Leaders from both sides initially said they didn't want to panic people. We're told the leaders ultimately consulted the Congressional doctor, but as one congressman said, "He was scared to make a decision because he was afraid he would trigger a national panic."
A congressman we spoke with says he believes he has the virus and is exhibiting mild symptoms and he has self-quarantined. He also says, "I think lots of us [representatives] are going to get it."
The House is currently not in session, but there's a big problem. The Senate is in session and is hopefully going to pass a relief bill soon. The House members have gone home, and the only way they can approve the bill without flying to D.C. is if the vote is unanimous.
If one member wants to vote no on the bill, the traditional solution would be for members to fly to D.C. to cast their votes. But, putting 435 people on airplanes -- especially when there's fear some of the members have or were exposed to the virus -- it's super risky. We're told there's talk of flying 40 at a time or figuring out some way of keeping people away from each other.
No decisions have been made on what to do if the vote is not unanimous.
As for the other chamber ... as we reported, Senator Rand Paul has tested positive and incredibly he was at the Senate gym today swimming. The fact the Senate gym is open when gyms across the country have closed because a gym is a breeding ground for the virus ....well, it's just baffling.
'Bachelor' star Colton Underwood looked worse for wear when he emerged for the first time since announcing he tested positive for coronavirus.
The former leading man of the reality show surfaced Saturday from a home he's been staying at in Huntington Beach, CA ... and as he made his way out to the balcony, certainly looking like someone who was down and out and going through it -- COVID-19, that is. He revealed last week he'd tested positive for the novel virus.
Hood on, sad face ... his look here says it all. He's not happy right now.
Luckily, his girlfriend, Cassie, is right there by his side -- and it appears Colton's neighbors are well aware of his condition and are wishing him well. Cassie was photographed coming to the front porch to receive a bouquet of flowers someone had left there ... presumably for CU.
Colton eventually took the hood off and cracked a smile -- but it's pretty clear, coronavirus has taken its toll. Get well, bud.
