Donald Trump Jr. Grossly Downplays Rittenhouse Killings ... 'We All Do Stupid Things at 17'
Kyle Rittenhouse shooting and killing 2 protesters with a semi-automatic rifle is just one of those stupid things all teens do ... at least that's Donald Trump Jr.'s absolutely shocking theory.
President Trump's oldest son shared that offensive take during an "Extra" interview with ex-'Bachelorette' star Rachel Lindsay ... who asked why his father still hasn't condemned Rittenhouse's actions.
Don Jr. says they're waiting for due process and don't want to jump to any conclusions -- which is ironic considering his dad does that all the time. Yet, he clearly defended the 17-year-old charged with 2 homicides.
8/25/2020
Trump Jr. says if he puts himself in Rittenhouse's position ... "Maybe I shouldn't have been there. He's a young kid. I don't want 17-year-olds running around the street with AR-15s. Maybe I wouldn't have put myself in that situation, who knows. But, we all do stupid things at 17."
When Lindsay called him out for minimizing the incident, Don replied ... "Really stupid, fine."
The truth is ... Jr. and his daddy have no qualms whatsoever about condemning demonstrators against systemic racism and police brutality without getting all the facts straight. So, Don Jr.'s excuse for failing to condemn an alleged killer speaks volumes.
Rittenhouse has been charged with murdering 2 people and injuring another during the protests in Kenosha on August 25.
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Drake It's Adonis' 1st Day of School ... Make Me Proud, Kid!!!
Drake just hit another milestone of parenthood by sending his son to his first day of school, and it looks like papa made sure his own flesh and blood was fresh and ready for it.
Drizzy posted a photo Wednesday of 2-year-old Adonis about to hop into a waiting SUV, which was going to take him to class. You can tell his pops was pretty proud of the moment, as he captioned the pic ... "First Day Of School...The World Is Yours kid 🌍"
As for Adonis, he's laced up from head to toe ... rocking freshly braided cornrows, a black hoodie, matching pants and what might be some black Air Force 1s (don't quote us on that). Point is ... AG is ready to take preschool by the reins decked out in a sweet fit.
Here's another interesting aspect -- it looks like Adonis might be with dad over here in North America, possibly in Toronto.
In any case, Drake's son got mad love on the Gram ... most notably from 21 Savage, who said Adonis was on his way to being a great. He commented, "Already got a chauffeur 🐐."
That he does, that he does.
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NBA's Iman Shumpert Teyana Gave Birth In Our Bathroom ... Again!!!
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For the second time in 5 years, Teyana Taylor has given birth in her home bathroom -- and once again, everyone is healthy!!!
Taylor's NBA star hubby Iman Shumpert broke the news ... saying baby Rue Rose was born on Sept. 6 at 3:28 AM.
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"Now ... when we buy homes, we always find a bathroom with great energy ... but not in a million years would you be able to tell me we’d deliver both of our daughters in a bathroom without the assistance of a hospital!"
Shumpert continued, "Our newest edition entered the world in the water and came out looking around and ready to explore! A healthy child. A little sister. Another daughter."
"Black love wins....again. Welcome babygirl...we love you!"
Remember, Shumpert called 911 back in 2015 when Taylor went into labor in their home ... and ultimately gave birth at their home.
Shumpert personally delivered that child -- Iman Tayla Shumpert Jr. -- and used a pair of headphones to clamp the umbilical cord!
As for the new baby, Rue Rose already has an Instagram page ... with almost 60,000 followers!!
Congrats to everyone!
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Elderly 'Karen' Mad & Racist Over Sidewalk Chalk ... Husband Can't Get Her to Leave!!!
Being a "Karen" has no expiration date, because an old woman proved she could play the role with the best worst of them when she freaked out over kids using sidewalk chalk and made a racist comment toward their father.
The unlucky dad shared video of his contentious encounter with the angry lady and her husband, which seems to have gone down this weekend in California.
It starts with elderly "Karen" -- who has barged into the father's garage -- shouting "You son of a bitch!" at him after he tells the couple to report him to the homeowner's association where they live.
Sounds like she must be pissed about something egregious right? Nope ... turns out, it's all over the guy's children using sidewalk chalk on what he says is a public street within their complex.
Regardless, the old woman -- sounds like her real name is Caroline -- is incensed ... so much that her husband can't get her to walk away without further incident.
That's too bad, because the "Karen" decides to make a racist comment about the dad having "slanted eyes" and questions whether he really lives there and is married to the mother of the kids.
After another couple minutes of jawing at the father and threatening to make his kids clean up the chalk, the guy insists they get the hell out of his garage ... but "Karen" gets in one last kick.
The man claims he finally had to brandish a knife to get the husband to escort his old lady out.
He also claims there are no rules with his HOA about sidewalk chalk.
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Brian Austin Green Don't Worry, Ms. Hoffman ... Teacher's Wi$h List is On Me!!!
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Brian Austin Green is leading by example when it comes to truly appreciating school teachers ... 'cause he's put his money where his mouth is.
The "90210" star made one preschool teacher's life in Collingswood, NJ a helluva lot easier when he dug into his own pocket and paid off her Amazon Wish List of school supplies, and the awesome gesture couldn't come sooner with kids beginning classes next week.
The preschool teacher, Amy Hoffman, tells TMZ ... a few days ago she was watching Brian's first Instagram Live show that went on for almost 40 minutes. But, in the final 6 minutes or so, Brian talked about his kids and how they're handling virtual learning. He emphasized, now more than ever, the important role teachers play in our everyday lives.
And, with that in mind, Hoffman -- who normally has around 15 kids in her class -- says she decided to tag BAG on social media and direct him to her Wish List. And, get this ... Hoffman says that same day, Brian paid off her list, which came out to a little under $500.
Hoffman tells us with the COVID-19 pandemic, teachers are in desperate need of more school supplies because, unlike normal times, kids can't and shouldn't be sharing supplies.
Hoffman tells us she usually has a school supply budget of about $250 ... but teachers, on a good day, still have to pay out of pocket expenses to cover what they need. But, in the midst of the pandemic, teachers need individual tool kits more than ever -- crayons, markers, paper, etc. -- for every student to avoid potential spread of the virus.
We're told supplies started trickling in soon after BAG covered the expense.
There are TONS of teachers out there who need the exact same kind of help. And, just like Hoffman, one teacher in Illinois tried a similar approach ... but she hit up Amazon's head honcho, Jeff Bezos.
Fun fact, I’m a teacher and emailed Jeff Bezos my Amazon Wish List to help me prepare a COVID safer Kindergarten. I never received an acknowledgment from him and of course not a single item to help.
— Maria Hardy (@MariaDHardy) August 26, 2020 @MariaDHardy
Unclear if Bezos, the world's first $200 billion man, came through. Maybe she shoulda just hit up Brian.
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Taco Bell Wi-Fi Users GoFundMe Cash for Little Girls ... To Be Used for Long Haul
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The little girls who had to use a Taco Bell's Wi-Fi for school have been blessed with thousands of dollars in donations -- money that'll be put to good use ... TMZ has learned.
Jackie Lopez, the woman running the GoFundMe page soliciting funds for the family in the viral photo, raised $142k-plus thus far ... and a good chunk of that will go toward the children's education.
Two students sit outside a Taco Bell to use Wi-Fi so they can 'go to school' online.
— Kevin de Leόn (@kdeleon) August 28, 2020 @kdeleon
This is California, home to Silicon Valley...but where the digital divide is as deep as ever.
Where 40% of all Latinos don't have internet access. This generation deserves better. pic.twitter.com/iJPXvcxsLQ
Lopez says the girls' mom, Juana, plans on starting a college fund for her three kids -- two of whom were seen sitting outside of a Taco Bell with their laptops and notepads. The third child is only a year old, but Juana's focusing on the long play.
Juana also wants to use some of the money for therapy for her kids. She says the family's been in and out homelessness and it's likely had an effect on the kids, so she wants her daughters to talk to a professional.
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Juana's now looking to buy a mobile home in Salinas. On top of that, Lopez says Juana will upgrade the ice cream cart she uses for work ... one of many things she does to earn a living.
You'll recall ... the photo of Juana's two girls caused quite a stir. Elected officials said it was emblematic of the digital divide in minority communities, and clearly folks were concerned.
Now, people know their contributions will go toward a life-changing cause.
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Little Jenny in 'Big Fish' 'Memba Her?!
Child actor Hailey Anne Nelson was only 8 years old when she landed the role of the little shoe-tossing Jenny -- who lives in the picturesque town of Spectre with her father the Mayor -- in Tim Burton's 2003 tall tale "Big Fish."
Hailey Anne Nelson was cast alongside an impressive batch of actors including Missi Pyle as the welcoming Spectre blondie, Mildred, a little Miley Cyrus as the witch-hunting, Ruthie, Helena Bonham Carter as the older version of Jenny and the all-seeing-eyeball Witch ... and of course Ewan McGregor as the big fish himself, Ed Bloom.
More 'Memba Thems!
Chadwick Boseman Marvel Star's H.S. Creating Scholarship In His Honor
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The tributes to Chadwick Boseman keep pouring in, and the latest honor for the late "Black Panther" star is all about education.
Walter Mayfield, principal at T. L. Hanna High School in South Carolina where the actor attended, tells TMZ ... they're forming the Chadwick Boseman Memorial Scholarship for a yearly honor to a deserving student.
Mayfield says the goal is to create a sustainable scholarship for years to come, and the school is aiming to raise $100k toward that end. The principal says a bunch of people have already reached out about contributing in Chadwick's honor -- without even publicizing the idea yet -- so they're off to a good start.
We're told the school is trying to work with Boseman's family on the plan -- Mayfield feels it's essential they be involved to help formulate criteria for the award.
Chadwick's former H.S. basketball coach, Wayne Jones, is pushing for the school to retire the number he used to wear -- 32 -- in his memory.
He tells us the cinematic superhero was an all-around solid player on the court who played 4 years on the varsity squad ... and could do a little bit of everything. T. L. Hanna has never retired a number before, but Principal Mayfield says this is the time to consider it.
If the Boseman scholarship gets up and running, it will be the second one in honor of a T. L. Hanna legend ... the first is James "Radio" Kennedy. His scholarship goes to a student pursuing a career in special ed.
As we told you ... Chadwick's South Carolina hometown is also set to honor him soon.
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Kourtney Kardashian & Scott Disick Exes Spending More Time Together ... But They're NOT a Couple
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Scott Disick has more time on his hands following his split from Sofia Richie, and he's spending a lot of it with Kourtney Kardashian ... but the exes aren't getting back together.
Sources close to Scott and Kourtney tell TMZ ... they're NOT a couple, even though they've been hanging out more since his breakup with Sofia.
We broke the story ... Scott and Sofia called it quits last month ... this time for good.
As you know ... Scott and Kourtney hit up Nobu in Malibu over the weekend, where they ate under the same roof as Sofia. Sushi by the ocean is a hot date for a lot of folks, but we're told not so for Scott and Kourtney.
Our sources tell us Scott and Kourtney still consider themselves a family and co-parenting their 3 children is a priority for both. Hence, the time they spend together, even when the kids aren't there, is still all about fam.
Consider their recent trip to Lake Coeur d'Alene in Idaho. We're told the kids had a blast, and Scott and Kourtney realized it's good for the fam and they want to do more of it.
These family outings were rare when Scott was dating Sofia.
While our sources say it's highly unlikely Scott and Kourtney will ever get back together as a couple, well, as presidential candidates like to say ... never say never.
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NBA's Trevor Ariza Accused of Child Abuse Adamantly Denies Allegations
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The mother of Trevor Ariza's 12-year-old son claims the NBA star has physically abused their child on multiple occasions and she's demanding a restraining order on the child's behalf, ASAP.
But, Ariza says the allegations are patently false -- and he's fighting back in court docs of his own.
The 35-year-old Portland Trail Blazers star opted out of the NBA restart in the Orlando bubble -- reportedly to spend time with his son.
Ariza and the mother of his child, Lana Allen, have been locked in a custody battle for a while.
But, Allen recently filed new court documents in Los Angeles accusing Ariza of carrying out a pattern of domestic violence against the child, dating back to 2019.
The details are graphic -- but the allegations are that Ariza, a strong, pro athlete, clearly crossed a line when dishing out corporal punishment on at least two occasions.
Allen claims she reported the alleged abuse to the LAPD, which documented the alleged injuries and looped in the Dept. of Child and Family Services.
In new court docs, Allen is requesting a restraining order against Ariza in hopes of keeping him away from the child.
She claims the child "fears" his father and is "not safe in his care."
Ariza has filed a response to the allegations -- strongly denying the accusations of child abuse and vowing to clear his name.
Ariza says it's Allen who's been alienating him from the child -- causing a rift in their relationship.
Ariza says, "what is occurring here is in fact [Allen's] abuse of the minor child by her relentless, cruel loyalty conflict for [the child], alienation campaign and selfishly driven attempts to interfere in father and son's relationship."
According to court docs, a custody trial is set for October. Both sides are gunning for custody of the child.
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Raptors' Fred VanVleet Reunites With Kids At Bubble 'I Love You, Daddy!!!'
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This is the most adorable video you'll see today!!
Toronto Raptors star Fred VanVleet reunited with his 2 kids after more than a month inside the NBA bubble on Monday ... and they were so excited to see their daddy, they ran right into his arms!!
Of course, players and families are starting to reconnect during the 2nd round of the playoffs ... with a limited number of loved ones allowed to enter the bubble after quarantining.
FVV's high school sweetheart, Shontai Neal, shared the emotional moment on Instagram ... showing 1-year-old Fred Jr. and 2-year-old Sanaa overly excited to see their dad on the Disney World campus.
The VanVleets have been supporting their dad from home ... with Sanaa cheering on Fred from home in a cute video last month.
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It's a reminder of what the players and teams sacrificed to restart the season ... and stars like LeBron James and Paul George have spoken about the challenges of being away from the real world.
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Tiffany Haddish Chokes Up Talking About Racial Injustice
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Tiffany Haddish says don't be fooled by loud-mouthed promoters of racism and hate -- especially toward African-Americans ... because they're outnumbered by good people.
Tiffany joined us on "TMZ Live" Monday, and she got choked up talking about events in Kenosha and Portland this past week, but some rays of hope surfaced.
While fighting back tears, she says that she considers herself an optimistic person ... but it only goes so far in the wake of all the strife and violence.
Tiffany, who's become a leader in the social justice movement ... thinks 15% - 25% of the country harbor extreme hatred toward blacks, but she seems to think there's security in numbers, and the numbers are in favor of racial equality.
Tiffany raised eyebrows a few weeks back on Carmelo Anthony's podcast when she said she's scared to have kids because she's worried about them growing up Black in America. She has a solution that is awesome and inspiring.
Speaking of awesome, Tiff's celebrating an Emmy nom for her Netflix special, "Black Mitzvah." Y'know her speech would be hilarious ... good luck!
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Taco Bell 2 little girls use Wi-Fi for school Get Help from Community
4:55 PM PT -- In a previous version of this story, a social media post stated the children were almost taken from the mother by local law enforcement for possible child endangerment and neglect.
A rep for the Salinas Police Department says that was inaccurate. The rep states, "The Salinas Police Department has never responded to the residence where the two girls live, and the Salinas Police Department had no contact with the mother regarding child endangerment, welfare check, or any other type of call for service."
They continue, "This family has endured a lot and it is fantastic that the community is willing and able to help."
A Taco Bell proved critical for two little girls who were briefly using its Wi-Fi for school -- something that sparked some true help from the community.
A photo of two young girls sitting outside of a Taco Bell in Salinas, CA -- just outside of Monterey -- recently went viral ... which shows them plopped down on the concrete with their laptops and notepads out, while two TB employees come out to talk to them. It's quite sad.
Two students sit outside a Taco Bell to use Wi-Fi so they can 'go to school' online.
— Kevin de Leόn (@kdeleon) August 28, 2020 @kdeleon
This is California, home to Silicon Valley...but where the digital divide is as deep as ever.
Where 40% of all Latinos don't have internet access. This generation deserves better. pic.twitter.com/iJPXvcxsLQ
The photo prompted a two-pronged response -- one group was utterly outraged at the lack of resources these kids had, understanding this is the best they could do in a desperate situation. On the other hand, some folks were concerned ... thinking it was neglect.
On that first part, a handful of elected officials spoke out on the photo ... pointing out the digital divide among certain underrepresented communities. Salinas City Elementary School District copped to the fact the kids were their students and said they were already working to remedy the situation by providing them a hot spot with internet access.
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The fam was allegedly about to be made homeless by their landlord because of renovations scheduled on their unit.
Fortunately, enough people in the community pulled resources together and put them up in a hotel for the time being while they get back on their feet. They've even started a GoFundMe for them too.
Originally published -- 7:10 AM PT
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Chadwick Boseman Kids Honor Late Black Panther ... W/ Action Figure Memorials
Chadwick Boseman's impact on the youth cannot be overstated ... some children are remembering their fallen hero ... with action figure memorials.
Mark Ruffalo -- who starred opposite Chadwick in the 'Avengers' movies -- posted a couple of touching photos of two little boys holding their own versions of wakes for Black Panther with their toys, placing the Marvel figurines in a circle around a laid out T'Challa.
He writes, "This is his power and impact on the next generation. #ChadwickForever." Mark's right here -- other kids were doing this as well in other parts of the country, including one boy named Kian ... who created a casket for his Black Panther action figure.
MY BABY BOY AND THE AVENGERS HOLDING A MEMORIAL FOR BLACK PANTHER❤💪🏾#Wakanda4Ever pic.twitter.com/nYAnER23Ig
— King Westbrook (@KingWestbrook7) August 29, 2020 @KingWestbrook7
A guy named King Westbrook posted a photo of his son holding his own memorial outside their garage, with Kian throwing up a Wakanda Forever X-sign across his chest.
The proud papa says of his child, "Kian wanted to thank everyone from the bottom of his heart for all the loving and kind words given to him for this post." King goes on to add, "When he found out about Chadwicks passing, he was heart broken. But he knows death is a part for being human, and wanted to cope with losing his hero this way."
Just goes to show ... these movies are life changing for kids. And, they deal with tragedy -- like the death of the real-life Black Panther -- in their own creative ways.
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Dave Grohl Accepts 10-Year-Old Girl's Drumming Challenge ... Kicks It Back to Her
Dave Grohl just took up an awesome challenge from a drumming prodigy who's only 10 -- and he also put the ball back in her court ... which means there's more rockin' to come.
The Foo Fighters founder was called out by 10-year-old Nandi Bushell -- who's a bit of a percussion sensation across the pond. She did a cover of FF's "Everlong," taking care of Dave's drum section with incredible precision and flair. She then kicked it over to him.
Hey @Nandi_Bushell!
— Foo Fighters (@foofighters) August 29, 2020 @foofighters
Challenge accepted.
Haven’t played these songs in a loooooong time.....thanks for the inspiration!!!
Your move!!!
Your friend in rock,
Dave
(Thanks to my daughter, Harper for letting me borrow her drum set) pic.twitter.com/Ytq47CcZRC
Welp, Dave saw the challenge ... and picked up the baton. He did the same song digitally on his end with an assist from his daughter's drum set ... it's hard to say who won. Obviously, Dave's the OG and is just about flawless, but Nandi certainly held her own.
Anyway, the challenge didn't end there -- Dave dared her to try an older track he did with a supergroup he formed in 2009 called Them Crooked Vultures, featuring Josh Homme on guitar, John Paul Jones on bass and Dave, obviously, on drums.
It's called "Dead End Friends" ... and based on Dave's drumming here, it sounds like Nandi's got her work cut out for her. Your move, kid ... Dave and everyone else is waiting!
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Kite Festival Little Girl Hurled in Air in Terrifying Kite Mishap
A small child got the scare of her young life as she was lifted in the air -- WAY up in the air -- by a very large kite.
Video captured the incident at a kite festival in Taiwan. A 3-year-old girl was there enjoying the majesty of the long, flowing kites, when she became entangled in the strings of one of them.
The crowd watched in horror as the girl was propelled in the air by an orange kite ... high up in the air, as people on the ground watched helplessly.
The good news ... the kite eventually came back down to earth and the little girl -- who almost miraculously held on -- was scared but safe and unhurt.