Humor

Chris Rock has the Internet up in arms over a joke he made comparing his possible return to The Oscars with Nicole Brown Simpson's vicious murder.

Rock performed Sunday in Phoenix where he reportedly told the audience coming back to host the 2023 Oscars would be like asking Nicole Brown Simpson to go back to the restaurant where she ate before she was brutally murdered in 1994.

Some people on social media have accused Rock of being misogynistic and cracking jokes at the expense of a woman, similar to the criticism he got for the Jada Pinkett joke. Others on social believe Will should have slapped Chris harder.

It was 6 months ago when Will Smith got up on stage and slapped Chris after the comedian made a joke about Jada's shaved head.

Chris Rock later said he was unaware Jada suffered from alopecia.

Tiffany Haddish got up close and personal with Usher this weekend -- receiving the serenade treatment that also teetered into touchy-feely territory.

The actress/comedian was in attendance for Usher's Vegas residency show Friday night, where she had a great seat toward the front ... but which got a whole lot better when he and his team actually invited her up onstage.

Seems like he knew she was in the crowd and wanted to giver something special ... she got it and then some. Check out the video -- TH looks like a kid in a candy store up there.

As you can see ... Usher did a little dance with Tiff, grinding up on her backside and her totally leaning into it. He's also singing to her -- and eventually, has her sit down on a table on stage as they begin to act out a skit. Tiffany's a pro, so she rolls with it all to a T.

Sure looks like she had a good time -- it's also just crazy to see that Tiffany seems pretty star-struck up there. Just speaks to the fame and allure that Usher holds to this day.

Another thing this confirms ... Usher's residency show is still the hottest thing in Sin City.

Aries Spears took some very personal shots at Lizzo as it pertains to her weight and appearance -- but the internet is on her side ... rushing to her defense en masse.

The comedian did an interview with "The Art of Dialogue," and when they posted a snippet of it on Friday ... all hell broke loose on Twitter. We will say this ... what Aries opined on is pretty mean and the tone of it completely overshadowed the point he was trying to make.

AS was asked if he thought Lizzo's music was a standout in this day and age -- but he immediately pivoted to an insult. He says he can't get over the fact that she "looks like the s*** emoji" ... and then continues to say she has a pretty face, but a terrible body.

Aries goes on to say the praise she and others -- whom he considers fat/unhealthy -- is ass-backwards ... adding that if people really cared, they'd send a different message to these same stars (like Lizzo) ... one that's a bit more health-conscious and honest.

Bill Maher echoed similar sentiments, but did so more tactfully. Here, Aries gets down in the gutter ... and he's paying for it with some of these Twitter responses on Lizzo's behalf.

Many are pointing out the irony of Aries criticizing Lizzo's weight, noting he himself isn't the best shape -- AS also pointed that out as well, FWIW. Still, he's being met with the same viciousness he tossed out in Lizzo's direction ... with many mocking his own looks.

Others are even arguing Lizzo is in tip-top shape -- seeing how she can dance, sing and play the flute within any given set. They say being "fat" doesn't mean being unhealthy.

George Lopez is all for getting his comedy out into the world by any means possible -- but he claims streaming giant Pandora never even bothered to license his comedy specials before streaming them ... which is why he's dragging them to court.

The legendary comic just filed suit against the radio streaming giant, claiming they've exploited his copyrighted material -- namely, his standup from 2 different specials -- without first getting a proper license to distribute it.

According to the docs, obtained by TMZ, George alleges Pandora has been streaming upwards of 37 works of his contained in 2001's "Right Now Right Now" and 2003's "Team Leader," which are 2 of his stand-up specials that became albums.

There are 18 chapters on the former, and 19 on the latter ... so essentially, George is saying Pandora's ripped off the entirety of each special and streamed it without his permission ... and, perhaps more importantly, without paying him.

You can tell he's pretty fired up about this too, because he's got a fiery introduction to this suit.

His attorneys write, "Pandora not only did not obtain any license for the Works but admitted that it did not do so in SEC filings, and admitted that it would very likely face copyright infringement liability as a result. But Pandora did what most goliaths do: it decided it would infringe now to ensure it had this very valuable intellectual property on its platform to remain competitive, and deal with the consequences later. Later is now."

George wants an accounting of all profits made from streaming his stuff and is looking to collect big damages. In the alternative, he's looking for statutory damages totaling $5.5 million for the alleged infringements.

Bill Maher has a warning ... online shopping is taking a not-so-hidden toll on America ... and he makes a case that going OG shopping is better for your head and the planet.

The "Real Time" host went scorched earth on people who like to order 9 pairs of pants to find the one that fits just right ... only to return the other 8. Those boxes go somewhere ... yep, landfills, oceans ... not good.

The visual tells the story ... buy a small item, it comes in a big box. Buy 3 items ... you get 3 big boxes. When you add it up, it's kind of an environmental disaster.

And, then there's the human toll ... Americans don't leave their homes like they used to because it's easier to push a button than to start a car and drive to a mall. Thing is ... Americans have become way more isolated, and it's taking a mental toll, because we are social creatures who increasingly have stopped socializing.

Thing is ... Kanye West may have figured all of this out with his latest creation at Gap stores ... the containers in which you find his designs have attracted customers ... people who might otherwise just sit on their sofa and order away.

Fat Joe is taking his legendary storytelling skills to the theatrical stage this fall … via a one-man show à la the same kind Mike Tyson did a couple of years ago!!!

And to sweeten the pot, the show will feature a special introduction from his good friend Dave Chappelle to kick things off!!!

Roc Nation and Magic Lemonade will go half on the co-production duties and filmmaker emeritus Chris Robinson will direct the entire shindig.

Joe Crack tells TMZ Hip Hop, he’s “not holding back” on the keeping it real moments … which should range from topics like him getting kidnapped in Africa, recording with the late, great Big Pun, and serving a jail sentence for tax evasion back in 2013.

“The world will be getting Fat Joe at his most authentic, vulnerable, and comedic self on that stage,” Joe continued. "I’ve always taken pride in my storytelling, but we’re about to take it to the next level. I’m grateful to Dave Chappelle, Roc Nation and Magic Lemonade for their support in sharing my story and helping make this one-man show the biggest event ever.”

We’re also told a crop of Joe’s family, friends and closet collaborators will also supply personal interviews for the event ... making the affair that much more intimate.

And naturally, his multiplatinum rap catalog will play an integral role in the presentation.

Joe is arguably one of hip hop’s greatest storytellers on and off the mic … and his one-man show should coincide with the release of his memoir, “The Book Of Jose” which drops on November 15.

Aaron Rodgers is going all-in on his Nicolas Cage obsession -- the superstar quarterback now has a bust of the actor's head in his locker ... and he showed it off to reporters on Tuesday.

38-year-old Rodgers was all smiles as he brought the Cage head down from the top shelf of his changing space to give a closer look ... chatting it up as folks in the crowd got their jokes off.

Some said the bust doesn't really resemble Cage ... but we gotta admit -- it looks pretty spot-on. Another joked there was a camera inside it ... and uh, yeah. Let's hope not??

The 4-time MVP's been really leaning into his inner Nicky C recently -- as we previously reported, he even showed up to Packers training camp fully dressed as the Cameron Poe character from "Con Air."

It's clear Rodgers is having a lot more fun at the start of this season -- something he says was a result of his use of the psychedelic ayahuasca two years ago.

Dave Foley sorta bit the hand that feeds a bit this weekend -- taking a shot at the streaming company that's hosting his old sketch show ... claiming Amazon is ruining planet Earth.

The comedian/actor was on hand Sunday at the Beverly Hilton hotel, where the HCA TV Awards were underway and handing out trophies for shows ... both on traditional TV and on streaming. He won for his newest season of 'Kids in the Hall,' which was revived for a 6th season this year on Amazon Prime -- this after the OG show's been off the air for decades.

During his acceptance speech for Best Streaming Variety Sketch Series, DF thanked a bunch of people in very off-the-cuff remarks -- and along the way, remembered to thank Amazon.

Watch ... Foley sarcastically mentions Amazon, saying despite polluting the planet/ruining the environment -- they make some great TV, so yippee! It's kinda funny, but big picture ... it's a little cringeworthy ... especially when you consider Dave literally has a working relationship with them now, as they're financing/producing the new season(s) of his series.

'KITH' originally ran from 1988 to '95 over the course of 5 seasons, which aired in a variety of places ... from HBO to CBC TV and, eventually, CBS. You can now stream the old episodes for free on Amazon Prime ... as well as Pluto and The Roku Chanel.

Deion Sanders is feeling "complete" on his 55th birthday ... 'cause the NFL legend hilariously got hooked up with some new fake toes to replace the appendages he had amputated this year!!

The Jackson State football HC got the gag gift from his pal, Sam, on Monday ... and shared the whole gift-giving on his Instagram story.

The Hall of Famer was chilling in the JSU facility when Sam handed over some massive rubber feet ... which featured veins to make 'em look real.

Sanders -- who had two toes cut off earlier this year -- didn't get pissed about the personal jab ... instead, he laughed it off and said, "I like that!!

"Y'all got jokes!! Thank you. I really feel complete now."

But, Sam better watch his back ... Sanders clapped back, "I'mma kick some butt today, starting off with you Sam."

As for the color of the feet -- Sam says Deion had previously joked he wanted two white prosthetic toes ... so he figured he'd do his part.

As we previously reported, Sanders had to get surgery on his left foot due to a longtime injury he suffered during his 14-year NFL career.

He got the procedure done last fall, but suffered complications and had to go under the knife eight more times ... including removing two toes in March.

Sanders has been in good spirits since -- from dancing to working out and celebrating his 55th birthday on Aug. 9.

Comedian Teddy Ray's death this past week shocked the entertainment industry, and we've learned his cause of death was an apparent drowning.

The Riverside County Sheriff's Office tells TMZ they responded to a call Friday morning around 10 AM at a private residence in Rancho Mirage, where a maintenance worker reported finding a man floating in the swimming pool.

Cops arrived and discovered Teddy dead in the pool. RCSO tells us there were no obvious signs of foul play. It's unclear whose pool the comedian drowned in -- the Coroner says he lived in Gardena, CA -- a good 2 1/2 hours away from the desert.

We're told investigators will wait for all results from Teddy's autopsy before determining an official cause of death.

Ray was known for appearances on 'Wild 'n Out,' 'How to Be Broke' and 'Pause with Sam Jay' on HBO ... plus his work on MTV's 'Messyness.' He was an all-around funny guy, and had great timing and delivery with his jokes and gags. TR did both scripted and unscripted work to aplomb -- and tributes were pouring in all weekend upon word of the sad news.

Comedy Central wrote, "Teddy Ray was a hilarious and beloved performer. He’ll be deeply missed by the entire comedy community.

Teddy was a comedian of man talents -- improv, skits/sketches and old-fashioned stand-up at a very high level. He'd been in showbiz dating back to 2011. He has 17 credits to his name, scattered across multiple projects.

Teddy was 32.

File under: Big man problems.

Shaquille O'Neal proved his size is no match for furniture ... 'cause the Big Aristotle broke his chair while giving relationship advice to women, and the viral moment was caught on video!!

The hilarious mishap happened on an episode of Shaq's "The Big Podcast" -- when O'Neal and his co-host, Nischelle Turner, were talking about what leads people to ghost each other ... when disaster struck!

Shaq offered his response ... leaning back and stretching then suddenly, you hear a crack and a look of concern on the face of the gentle giant.

"I broke the chair, I broke the damn chair," O'Neal said to Turner, who was in awe at what she just witnessed.

50-year-old Shaq -- who stands over 7 feet tall and weighs over 300 pounds -- laughed about the blunder. However, O'Neal knew the jokes would fly once the Internet saw the footage.

O'Neal admittedly struggled with his weight during the pandemic ... but the big fella has been making strides to get back on the right track, including exploring options like going vegan.

Comedian Flame Monroe seemed to be one of the few members of the transgender community who supported Dave Chappelle over his jokes about trans people ... and the two finally met.

Flame's rep Cammie Johnson tells TMZ ... she flew out to Ohio from L.A. to see Dave for the first time Thursday ... meeting up at his show at the Wirrig Pavilion in Yellow Springs that night.

Flame, who describes herself as "a comedian that happens to be transgender," was there to support Dave -- unclear if they hung out before or after the show, but we're told this was a long time coming.

As for whether the two comedians will collab on a project, the jury's still out.

As you know, Dave took some serious heat after telling jokes about the trans community during his Netflix special, "The Closer" ... some people were up in arms and the fallout continued for months. Recently one of his shows had to be moved at the last minute after the venue pulled the plug.

Remember that hot pink Michael Jackson hoodie Pete Davidson wore courtside as Stephen Curry broke the all-time three-point record at Madison Square Garden??

The look just got a lot more iconic ... 'cause TMZ Sports has learned the comedian just got the Marcel Zago-designed threads signed by the Golden State Warriors superstar!!

Of course, the former "SNL" star hilariously stood out like a sore thumb when Steph broke Ray Allen's NBA three-point record on December 14 ... jumping to his feet and cheering after Curry hit #2,974 in front of the packed arena.

Considering Pete's pink look will forever be in the background of the special moment, we're told his people reached out to Steph's memorabilia partner, USA Sports Marketing, in hopes of getting the hooper to sign the hoodie ... and Steph happily obliged!!

USA Sports Marketing -- Steph's memorabilia partner -- tells us they received the sweater from Pete's camp to have Curry sign it ... and the 4-time NBA champ thought the idea was hilarious.

Curry and USA SM posed together with the hoodie ... and we're told it's going back to Pete, who will probably hold onto it forever.

"Have you ever seen a fat 90-year-old?" That's the question Bill Maher asked in a diatribe about obesity in America ... which he says is a full-blown catastrophe that is wrongly being embraced by America.

The "Real Time" host has talked about it before, but he really leaned in Friday night, scoffing at a USA Today story that said, "Scientists haven't yet figured out how to solve obesity." Bill was beside himself, saying it's about as obvious as the nose on your face.

He railed on body positivity, saying there's a movement in America to rewrite science to fit ideology, adding "fat is now celebrated."

He quotes a New York Times article, which says "Poor diet is the leading cause of mortality in the U.S." So, Bill says, anyone who embraces obesity has blood on their hands.

He was incredulous that Adele was dragged for losing weight ... which he says is just crazy.

As he puts it ... "Healthy at any weight is an unchallenged lie."

Kim Kardashian and Pete Davidson are calling it quits on their relationship after 9 months together ... TMZ has confirmed.

Sources close to the couple say the pair decided to end things, and according to E!, who first reported the split, the pair's constantly busy schedules and distance apart made it really hard to keep up their romance.

As we reported, Pete had recently been spending lots of time down in Australia, where he's filming a movie, and Kim's balancing traveling and working around the World all while raising her 4 kids in Los Angeles.

Kim recently flew Down Under to see Pete after some time apart, but it's not clear if that's when the two decided to pull the plug on their relationship or if it was more recent.

TMZ broke the story ... Kim and Pete were first spotted together back in October when they hit Knotts Berry Farm in L.A. with some pals. From there, Kim visited Pete in his hometown of Staten Island, where the two dined on pizza and pasta at one of Pete's local spots.

After that, the relationship seemed to take off ... the two took vacations together, and were constantly jetting coast to coast to spend weekends in NYC and in L.A.

It was in April when Kim and Pete made their red carpet debut together at The White House Correspondent's dinner.

While we hadn't seen them together as of late, Kim recently posted a set of flirty pics of her and Pete -- seemingly reminding the world they were still a thing.

Move over, Backstreet Boys, there's a new boy band in town -- introducing the Backstreet Bills!!!

Rookies on Buffalo's offensive line ripped their shirts off and gave a heartfelt rendition of "I Want It That Way" as part of their introduction to the team on Thursday ... and honestly, we're impressed!!

Tanner Owen, Alec Anderson and the guys alternated the classic lyrics as superstars Josh Allen and Co. watched the performance ... with the QB even turning on his iPhone flashlight to replicate a lighter.

There was also a bit of dancing going on -- proving the guys were truly giving 100% out there, even if they didn't have an empty airport to use for the big performance.

Rooks have been showing off their pipes recently as part of the yearly tradition -- as we previously reported, Eagles top pick Jordan Davis wowed the crowd with his cover of "Mary Jane" by Rick James just a few days ago.