Kids

A statue honoring baseball icon Jackie Robinson was stolen from outside a youth baseball facility in Kansas this week ... and cops are now searching for the scumbags who ran off with it.

Local police shared surveillance footage of the heist that went down at League 42's McAdams Park in Wichita early Thursday morning ... which appears to show someone cut the Robinson tribute at the ankles, put it in the back of a truck and flee the scene.

Wichita PD shared an image of what's left of the Dodgers legend's bronze figure ... just two feet standing on top of a home plate.

The station said the "community is devastated" over the vandalism ... and is calling on anyone with information regarding its whereabouts to come forward.

"The actions of those individuals who had the audacity to take the statue of Jackie Robinson from a park where kids and families in our community can gather, learn the history of Jackie Robinson, an American icon, and play the game of baseball should upset all of us," Wichita Police Chief Joseph Sullivan said.

"What troubles me even more is that this theft occurred just before the beginning of February, which marks the start of Black History Month."

"Our city wants the statute returned. We also want the individuals who robbed our community of a treasure to be held accountable for their actions."

League 42 was created in 2013 to help children in Wichita learn the sport without worrying about high registration fees ... with hundreds signing up each year. Robinson's trailblazing career and breaking the MLB color barrier served as inspiration for the organization.

Before this sweet girl in her red sweater turned into a singer and songwriter from Tennessee, she was just grinning from-ear-to-ear ... proudly showing off her babydoll, taking dance lessons and leading her church choir.

After briefly attending Lipscomb University where she studied communications and marketing ... she decided pursuing music was her true passion! This country-pop star is Unapologetically herself, and you can see so with her candid posts on social media.

Need one more hint? She holds the title for being the only female country artist to hit #1 with three consecutive singles.

Antes de que esta dulce chica con su jersey rojo se convirtiera en cantante y compositora de Tennessee, sólo sonreía de oreja a oreja... enseñando orgullosa su babydoll, tomando clases de baile y dirigiendo el coro de su iglesia.

Tras una breve estancia en la Universidad de Lipscomb, donde estudió comunicación y marketing, decidió que la música era su verdadera pasión. Esta estrella del country-pop es ella misma sin complejos, y eso se nota en sus sinceras publicaciones en redes sociales.

¿Necesitas una pista más? Es la única artista country femenina que ha alcanzado el número uno con tres sencillos consecutivos.

Anthony Ramos ha sido fichado para interpretar una versión con actores de "Bob el Constructor", pero la jugada está levantando críticas porque su personaje, al parecer, va a ser explícitamente latino.

La cosa es así, Anthony Ramos fue anunciado como el protagonista de la nueva película de juguetes de Mattel, para interpretar al propio Bob. Aunque en el comunicado de prensa que está circulando se dice que el nombre real de su personaje es en realidad "Roberto".

La descripción oficial de la trama dice: "Cuando Roberto 'Bob' viaja a la encantadora isla de Puerto Rico para un importante trabajo de construcción, se enfrenta a cuestiones que afectan a la isla y profundiza en lo que significa construir. El viaje de Bob celebrará las vibrantes y coloridas texturas de las naciones latinas del Caribe y su gente".

La otra gran noticia de esto es el hecho de que la compañía cinematográfica de Jennifer Lopez, Nuyorican Productions, está ayudando a hacer este proyecto, por supuesto, ella misma también es latina.

Así que la pregunta es, ¿por qué de repente hacemos que "Bob el constructor" sea hispano?

Sin duda, eso es lo que muchas personas se están preguntando en Internet en este momento, por no hablar de un montón de memes y chistes sobre este giro sorpresa en el programa de dibujos animados que ha existido durante años. Lo más importante es que Bob siempre ha sido percibido como un personaje blanco.

Ahora, sin embargo, parece que J Lo y compañía quieren reimaginarlo por alguna razón y digamos que hay reacciones mixtas frente a la decisión. Algunos están a favor, argumentando que no debería importar la raza o etnia de Bob, pero otros están llorando y afirmando que esto es "woke" casting.

Lo que es peor aún, algunos incluso están sugiriendo que hacer Bob Latino podría ser un poco racista, jugando con los estereotipos y convirtiendo a un personaje que nadie pidió.

Curiosamente, hay incluso un puñado de personas que sugieren que Jen y todos los demás deberían haber desarrollado / adaptado a otro personaje "trabajador" de los dibujos animados que ya está escrito como un latino, a saber, "Handy Manny". ¿Por qué no hacer que Anthony lo interprete?

Cómo están digiriendo las personas esta noticia es, sin duda, una bolsa de gatos y suponemos que la identidad racial de Bob está, técnicamente, en el ojo del espectador.

Anthony Ramos has been tapped to play a live-action version of 'Bob the Builder' -- but the move is turning heads ... 'cause his character is apparently going to be Latino, explicitly.

Here's the deal ... AR was announced as the lead of Mattel's newest toy-to-movie offering, meaning he's going to play Bob himself -- although, in the press release that's going around ... it says his character's real name is actually "Roberto."

The official description of the plot reads ... "When Roberto 'Bob' travels to the enchanting island of Puerto Rico for a major construction job, he takes on issues affecting the island and digs deeper into what it means to build. Bob’s journey will celebrate the vibrant and colorful textures of the Caribbean Latin nations and their people."

The other big news from this is the fact that Jennifer Lopez's movie company -- Nuyorican Productions -- is helping make this thing ... of course, she herself is also Latina.

So the question ... why are we making 'Bob the Builder' Hispanic all of a sudden???

That's certainly what a lot of people online are asking right now -- not to mention a bunch of memes and jokes about this surprise twist on the cartoon show that's been around for years. The biggest takeaway is that Bob has always been perceived as a white character.

Now, however, it looks like J Lo and co. wanna reimagine that for some reason -- and let's just say there are mixed reactions to the decision. Some are for it, arguing it shouldn't matter what race/ethnicity Bob is ... but others are crying foul and claiming this is "woke" casting.

Worse yet ... some are even suggesting that making Bob Latino might just be a little racist -- playing into stereotypes and turning a character on its head, which nobody asked for.

Funny enough, there are even a handful of folks suggesting Jen and everybody would've been better off developing/adapting another "worker" cartoon character who's already written as a Latino ... namely, 'Handy Manny.' Why not just have Anthony play him?

How people are digesting this is for sure a mixed bag -- and we suppose Bob's racial identity is, technically, in the eye of the beholder. We'll say this ... it does sorta feel like a reach.

Un oficial de policía de Arkansas saltó a la acción como un superhéroe al rescatar a un niño de un estanque congelado y todo fue capturado en video.

El registro de las cámaras del sábado pasado muestra al Oficial de Policía de Jonesboro, Troy Ellison, corriendo a ayudar a un niño que se había caído a través del hielo en un complejo de apartamentos al sur de la ciudad, saltando por encima de una barrera de madera antes de arrastrarse lentamente hasta el agujero.

El cuerpo del niño estaba sumergido, sus brazos apenas podían agarrarse del borde de la ruptura, pero el oficial Ellison mantuvo la cabeza fría y le aseguró repetidamente que todo iba a estar bien mientras se abría paso hacia él.

El policía llegó hasta él y parece que al principio le costó sacarlo del agua. Afortunadamente, los bomberos llegaron a la escena en ese momento y le lanzaron una cuerda desde el borde del estanque, que él agarró mientras el grupo tiraba del otro lado hasta que el oficial y el niño estuvieron seguros.

Medios locales informan que el niño fue llevado al hospital para ser revisado por lesiones, aunque su identidad no ha sido revelada al público.

An Arkansas police officer jumped into action like a superhero and rescued a child from an icy pond ... and it was all caught on video.

Body cam footage from last Saturday shows Jonesboro Police Officer Troy Ellison rushing to aid a young kid who'd fallen through the ice at an apartment complex in the Southern city ... hopping over a wood barrier before crawling slowly across the fractured expanse.

The kid's body's submerged at this point -- arms barely gripping the edge of the rupture made when they fell in ... but Officer Ellison keeps a cool head and repeatedly assures the child they'll be alright while making his way toward the hysterical kiddo.

TE reaches the kid and seems to struggle pulling him up and out of the water at first. Thankfully, firefighters arrive on the scene at that point and toss him a rope from the edge of the pond -- he grabs it, and the group on the side pulls him and the child to safety.

Local outlets report the child was taken to the hospital to be checked for injuries though their identity has not been released to the public.

Before this adorable blonde boy in overalls turned into a musical machine, he was just sittin' on his momma's lap, growing up in Florida listening to rap music and was a DJ for local radio stations during the late 90's.

You've seen this cool dude behind the DJ booth for over two decades, and there's no question he's worked with the music industry's hottest stars ... Justin Bieber, Britney Spears and Snoop Dogg just to name drop a few.

When he's not spinning disks, he enjoys sharing his adventurous lifestyle on the 'gram!

Antes de que este adorable chico rubio se convirtiera en una máquina musical, estaba sentado en el regazo de su madre, creciendo en Florida, escuchando música rap y siendo DJ para emisoras de radios locales a finales de los 90.

Llevas más de dos décadas viendo a este tío tan guay detrás de la cabina de DJ y no hay duda de que ha trabajado con las estrellas más candentes de la industria musical... Justin Bieber, Britney Spears y Snoop Dogg, entre otros.

Cuando no está pinchando discos, le gusta compartir su estilo de vida aventurero en las redes sociales.

Nia Long just got what she wanted in her custody battle with Ime Udoka -- a judge made it so she'll get monthly support ... plus, a majority of the parenting time for their child.

The actress and NBA coach -- who split up in 2022 amid claims of infidelity -- came to terms in court Monday ... with a judge signing off on a custody agreement that hashes out who's paying who, and who their son will live with/spend most of his time with.

Per the docs, obtained by TMZ, it's actually Nia who'll be receiving monthly child support -- and even though the court said she might be entitled to upwards of $56k ... the 2 parents ended up landing on about half of that, with Ime agreeing to pay her $32,500/month.

The couple went through their financials -- as did the court -- and found Ime makes way more money coaching the Houston Rockets right now than Nia does ... noting he's got more than $400k in net monthly disposable income, whereas she's only got about $20k.

Now, in terms of custody ... they'll continue to share joint legal custody -- but Nia will get sole physical custody with reasonable visitation for Ime as time and scheduling permits.

They note in their docs that Ime is constantly traveling with the team, and this arrangement works better for everyone. Everything else pertaining to their kid, Kez, is pretty even-Steven.

Remember, Nia had filed for pretty much exactly this situation back in August -- and earlier this month, she and Ime had come to these exact terms in a settlement. Now, she's got it all in writing with a stamp of approval ... with the court entering the judgment, making it official.

Before this California kiddo turned into a singer and actress, she was just diggin' into her birthday cake -- with the blue frosting on her face to prove it -- and kickstarting her acting career when she was just 10 years old!

You've seen her take the stage as a Barden Bella with Rebel Wilson, but she's also no stranger to voice acting ... ie: in the Spider-verse! But, when she's not working on her music or studying her scripts ... you may see her on the sidelines cheering on her team ... the Buffalo Bills.

Antes de que esta niña californiana se convirtiera en cantante y actriz, ya estaba disfrutando de su tarta de cumpleaños, con el glaseado azul en la cara para demostrarlo y comenzando su carrera como actriz cuando solo tenía 10 años.

La has visto en el escenario como Bella Barden con Rebel Wilson, pero tampoco es ajena a la actuación de voz, es decir: ¡en el Spider-verso! Pero, cuando no está trabajando en su música o estudiando sus guiones, puede que la veas en la banda animando a su equipo... los Buffalo Bills.

Ja Rule is excited to be an uncle once again -- through Ashanti and Nelly's pending bundle of joy, and he thinks parenthood will be a cinch for them.

TMZ Hip Hop caught up with Ja Thursday in NYC, where he told us he's been tracking the news updates on his forever collaborator/friend just like everyone else.

Now, Ja stopped short of confirming the baby buzz is true -- but Ashanti and Nelly have, seemingly, leaned into the reports they're expecting their first child together.

They still won't say for sure, so much like Halle Bailey and DDG, we might just have to wait and see if the stork delivers.

Ja's had several youngins of his own, so, naturally, he had some advice for Ashanti and Nelly on how best to raise their little tyke ... assuming there's really one in the oven.

BTW, JR's also expecting -- not a tiny human, but the release of his first album in well over a decade.

He told us fans can expect a project reminiscent of "all" of his previous sounds.

Ja Rule está emocionado de ser tío de nuevo a través de Ashanti y Nelly, quienes posiblemente van a tener un bebé, y piensa que la paternidad se les dará súper bien.

TMZ Hip Hop se reunió con Ja el jueves en Nueva York, donde nos dijo que ha estado siguiendo las noticias de su colaborador y amigo de toda la vida como todo el mundo.

Ahora, Ja se detuvo en confirmar que el rumor del bebé es cierto. Ellos todavía no lo dicen con seguridad, por lo que al igual que Halle Bailey y DDG, puede que solo tengamos que esperar y ver si la cigüeña hace una entrega.

Ja ha tenido varios hijos, por lo que naturalmente tenía algunos consejos para Ashanti y Nelly sobre la mejor manera de criar a su pequeño, suponiendo que realmente hay uno.

Por cierto, Ja Rule también está esperando, pero no a un pequeño ser humano, sino el lanzamiento de su primer álbum en más de una década.

Nos dijo que los fans pueden esperar un proyecto que recuerda a "todos" sus sonidos anteriores.

1/20 10:23 AM PT -- Rick Harrison posted a tribute to Adam on his Instagram saying "You will always be in my heart! I love you Adam. 💔"

Fans and celebs left supportive comments on his post, including Donald Trump Jr., who stated "I'm so sorry man."

And, his brother Corey also took to Insta to post a sweet message with a pic of the two in the tub together as kids.

6:46 PM PT -- The Harrison family tells TMZ ... "Our family is extremely saddened by the death of Adam. We ask for privacy as we grieve his loss."

Rick Harrison's son Adam has died under tragic circumstances ... TMZ has learned.

A rep for the 'Pawn Stars' reality star tells us Adam recently died from a fatal overdose ... and we're told the family only just found out today. At this time, it's unclear where Adam was exactly when he passed -- and the specific circumstances are also unknown at this time.

Las Vegas Metro PD tells us they're investigating the case.

Adam is one of Rick's three kids -- all boys -- and he's been mostly off the radar in terms of Rick's show and store. Word is ... Adam helped out at the World Famous Gold & Silver Pawn Shop once upon a time -- but has since stepped away to do his own thing.

He doesn't appear to have been featured in any of the episodes from what we can see.

Rick had two kids with his first wife Kim ... Corey and Adam -- and he also had a son, Jake, with his second wife, Tracy.

While Rick's oldest son Corey is heavily involved in "Pawn Stars," first appearing on the reality show way back in 2009, Adam mostly remained out of the spotlight.

With Adam never really getting involved on the show, there's not a lot known about him ... though some folks have claimed he made a living as a plumber. We've heard he worked professionally in some kind of trade, but no word on what kind of job specifically.

Adam was only 39.

RIP

6:46 PM PT -- La familia Harrison le dice a TMZ: "Nuestra familia está muy triste por la muerte de Adán. Pedimos privacidad mientras lloramos su pérdida".

El hijo de Rick Harrison, Adam, ha muerto en trágicas circunstancias ... TMZ ha averiguado.

Un representante de la estrella del reality 'Pawn Stars' nos dice que Adam murió recientemente de una sobredosis fatal y que la familia acaba de enterarse hoy. En este momento, no está claro dónde estaba Adam exactamente cuando murió y las circunstancias específicas también son desconocidas por ahora.

Las Vegas Metro PD nos dice que están investigando el caso.

Adán es uno de los tres hijos de Rick, todos hombres, y ha estado en su mayoría fuera del radar en términos del espectáculo de Rick y su tienda. Se dice que Adam ayudó en el World Famous Gold & Silver Pawn Shop alguna vez, pero desde entonces se había alejado para hacer sus propios proyectos.

No parece haber aparecido en ninguno de los episodios por lo que podemos ver.

Rick tuvo dos hijos con su primera esposa Kim, Corey y Adam, y también tuvo un hijo, Jake, con su segunda esposa Tracy.

El hijo mayor de Rick, Corey, ha estado muy involucrado en "Pawn Stars". Su primera aparición  en el reality show fue en 2009. Pero Adam se mantuvo siempre fuera de los focos.

Como nunca se involucró realmente involucrarse con el programa, no hay mucha información sobre su vida, aunque algunas personas han afirmado que se ganaba la vida como plomero. Hemos oído que trabajó profesionalmente en algún tipo de comercio, pero no se sabe qué tipo de trabajo en concreto.

Adam solo tenía 39 años.

Que en paz descanse.