'Black Panther' Director Ryan Coogler Wrongly Targeted as Bank Robber
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Ryan Coogler tells TMZ ... "This situation should never have happened. However, Bank of America worked with me and addressed it to my satisfaction and we have moved on."
Bank staffers mistakenly thought Ryan Coogler was staging a robbery -- so they called cops, and the famed director actually ended up in handcuffs ... briefly.
According to an Atlanta PD report, obtained by TMZ, Coogler was detained after stopping in a Bank of America to make a transaction back in January -- a completely legal transaction, mind you, but that's not how one teller took it.
Coogler walked in rocking shades and a COVID face mask -- not uncommon, of course -- but he handed the teller a withdrawal slip that had a note written on the back.
We're told his message read, "I would like to withdraw $12,000 cash from my checking account. Please do the money count somewhere else. I'd like to be discreet." Understandable, considering the amount of money he was getting ... but this led to the teller thinking something suspicious was going down, and cops were called for an attempted robbery.
When officers arrived, they detained 2 people waiting outside for Ryan in an SUV -- and then went in and brought RC himself out in handcuffs.
After an investigation, the police say this was all just a huge mistake ... and the fault lies with the BoA employee, who's described in the report as a pregnant Black woman.
According to the report, when the teller went to make the transaction on her computer, it triggered some sort of an alert. So, she told her boss Coogler was attempting to rob the bank, and they called 911.
In the end, cops realized this was a screw up, and Ryan had actually done nothing wrong. Sounds like Ryan wasn't too pleased ... the report notes he asked for badge numbers of all the responding officers once everyone was released.
He's been in GA a lot over the past year, filming the sequel to "Black Panther," which itself has been a drama-filled process with cast injuries and alleged COVID conspiracy talk.
And now ... this.
Originally Published -- 1:00 AM PT
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Morgan Wallen ACM Awards Are OK With N-Word Use ... Says NAACP Nashville President
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Morgan Wallen's warm reception at the ACM Awards is proof country music is complicit in his use of the N-word ... so says the NAACP Nashville chapter president.
Sheryl Guinn -- president of the Nashville chapter -- tells TMZ ... by welcoming him back into their community, the genre's embrace of Wallen destroys artists' accountability.
The ways she sees it -- people in country music believe Morgan just needed to have enough time pass until people lose their outrage. However, Sheryl says time does not heal all wounds.
She thinks the Academy of Country Music banning Morgan from its 2021 ceremony had no impact ... they never addressed how the N-word is a symptom of the underlying inequality and bigotry. She points to the fact Wallen's album went on to do huge numbers.
JANUARY 2021
As we reported, Wallen was caught on camera hurling the n-word during a rowdy night with friends back in February of 2021.
Sheryl tells us she hasn't seen the country artist make enough of an effort to show his fans why using the N-word is a bad thing. She acknowledges he donated $25K to her division of the NAACP, but says the money doesn't help his followers understand systemic racism.
The last time we spoke to Sheryl, she shared her thoughts on Wallen's 'GMA' interview with Michael Strahan back in July ... saying his words came from a place of embarrassment, and he was sorry for being caught, as opposed to being sorry for spewing a hateful word.
Now, she admits she doesn't know what action Wallen and the country music community should take, saying "I don't know what to tell people who have all the privileges and rights in the world ... but they can figure it out."
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Kelly Clarkson Strikes Divorce Settlement with Ex-Husband She Gets Custody, He Gets Support
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Kelly Clarkson and Brandon Blackstock have FINALLY settled their bitter divorce case, and Kelly's walking away with the lion's share of assets, although he's getting a pretty penny in support.
L.A. Superior Court Judge Scott Gordon has just signed off on the terms. Kelly will have primary custody of their 2 kids. Brandon, who lives in Montana, will have the kids one weekend a month ... at least for now.
Speaking of Montana, as we reported, Kelly will keep the Montana ranch, but Brandon is allowed to live there until June 1. He must, however, pay her rent -- $12,500 a month.
If Brandon moves from Montana to another state, the custody arrangement will be reevaluated.
As we reported, Brandon challenged their prenup, but after a trial the judge affirmed its validity -- and that was a big win for Kelly. We're told she makes around $20 mil a year, and that's all hers.
Brandon will get spousal support -- $115,000 a month -- but that ends in January 2024.
He also gets $45,600 a month in child support. Although he only gets the kids 1 weekend a month, the amount reflects the overhead he has to pay to ensure the kids can stay comfortably. Kelly's lawyer, Laura Wasser, can go back into court and ask for an adjustment if, say, Brandon moves somewhere else and the overhead expenses changes.
She's also paying him $1.3 million as part of the settlement.
It's pretty ironic ... on the heels of getting the settlement finalized, Kelly sang "I Will Always Love You" at the ACM Awards Monday night. If she was singing to anyone, it was clearly Dolly Parton and not Brandon.
The judge restored their single status back in September. The judge also removed Blackstock from Kelly's name, and she filed to go by Kelly Brianne. Brianne is her middle name, and although professionally she'll still be known as Kelly Clarkson, legally she is trying to drop Clarkson. It appears she made the change because she is not a fan of her father.
Finally, case closed.
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Travis Scott Launches Project HEAL ... Donating $5 Mil for Community Initiatives
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Travis Scott is giving back -- chipping in millions for community-based initiatives that'll help out students, aspiring creatives and even future concert-goers.
The rapper is launching what he calls Project HEAL -- which is a multi-tier effort that's going to pour a ton of cash toward causes Travis sees as important. As far as the amount here ... we're talking $5 million, and he's dispersing that money on multiple fronts.
For starters, $1 mil is being earmarked for HBCU scholarships -- and it sounds like he'll be using his previously-established Waymon Webster Scholarship Fund to allocate, manage and disperse these awards for underserved but high-achieving Black scholars.
Scott and co. aim to assist at least 100 students with this dough, aiding them in getting over the finish line in their senior year. The academic criteria ... averaging a 3.5 GPA or higher.
There's more ... the rest of the $5 million is being divvied up for a few different enterprises, including establishing/providing free mental health programs for vulnerable kids ... as well as expanding his creative design program -- offered through his Cactus Jack Foundation.
He's also allocating funds to make sure music fans are safe at shows going forward ... something that touches him personally. That money will go to the U.S. Conference of Mayor's Task Force on Event Safety ... with a tech-driven approach toward that end.
Of course, Astroworld comes to mind -- where 10 people died as a result of injuries sustained during Travis' set -- the causes of which are still under investigation. As we've reported, several victims and victims' families have filed lawsuits against Travis, Live Nation and others.
This is one of the first public philanthropic initiatives Travis has launched since the tragic concert last November.
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Aaron Rodgers Back With The Pack!!! ... Not Retiring After All
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11:50 AM PT -- Aaron Rodgers is breaking his silence on his return to Green Bay ... saying he's "very excited to be back" ... but shutting down several details surround the deal.
"Hey everyone, just wanted to clear some things up," Rodgers tweeted. "YES I will be playing with the @packers next year, however, reports about me signing a contract are inaccurate, as are the supposed terms of the contract I 'signed.'"
Rodgers didn't specify the correct numbers ... but it's only a matter of time until we find out.
Breathe easy, Green Bay ... Aaron Rodgers is coming back.
The star quarterback's BFF Pat McAfee just announced the news ... saying, according to sources, Rodgers is slated to return to the Packers for at least the 2022 season.
McAfee said the 38-year-old seriously considered retirement -- but ultimately chose to return to Wisconsin after all.
McAfee added that reports of a new, mega, 4-year, $200 MILLION contract for the QB were "not accurate" -- though the ex-NFL player did not elaborate on what Rodgers' new deal (if there is one) will be.
As we reported, Rodgers had been feuding with Green Bay brass prior to the 2021 season -- upset over a variety of personnel moves -- and many felt it would ultimately be his final one in the green and yellow.
But, the two sides appeared to build a bridge throughout the 17-game season ... and Rodgers seemed much happier with the org. in recent months.
Rodgers is coming off his second straight MVP award -- and his recommitment to the team is expected to sway star receiver Davante Adams to return as well.
Story developing ...
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Drake Buy My Hidden Hills Estate ... You Only Live Once!!!
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Drake is looking to unload his "Yolo Estate" -- TMZ has learned he just listed the Hidden Hills mansion, and the place looks like a luxury resort.
Champagne Papi actually owns 3 homes right next to each other in the exclusive neighborhood, and they are all for sale ... if the buyer wants more than just the 12,500 square foot main home, for which he's asking $14.8 million.
The main residence is an English Tudor, and it comes with all the bells and whistles ... like 6 fireplaces, a wine cellar, tasting room and a theater that seats 25.
The primary bedroom suite is fit for a king ... that alone is nearly 2,000 square feet, and it features a partner's spa with marble soaking tubs.
The property is decked out with a huge swimming pool, swim-up bar, 80-foot long rock waterslide, spa grotto and waterfalls. Yeah, waterfalls.
Oh, and there are also courts to play tennis, basketball and sand volleyball ... plus a horse stable and an equestrian ring. Scared of riding real animals? Drizzy's got ya covered because the place comes with a mechanical bull.
For anyone who is all about the YOLO life, Drake is also selling the 2 estates next door, making for a 6.7 acre compound at the end of a cul-de-sac. You can have all 3 properties for a sweet $22.2 million package deal.
Rayni Williams and Branden Williams from The Beverly Hills Estates hold the listings.
While Drake's unloading his properties in Hidden Hills, he isn't moving out of L.A. altogether ... he recently bought a huge pad in Beverly Hills.
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Fred Durst Hit in $3,000 Backyard Heist!!! But Cops Get Back His Stuff
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Fred Durst almost lost thousands of dollars worth of stuff to a thief who got into his yard, but thanks in part to security cameras ... all that gear is back in his possession, and alleged crook's in custody.
Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... a 30-year-old man walked through a gate onto Fred's L.A. area property Friday and made his way to the backyard, where he stumbled across a Tesla charger, a violin and a few other things. Apparently, he thought the Limp Bizkit frontman was running some kinda 5-finger discount program, because cops say he jacked all of it.
We're told the stuff was valued at about $3,000.
Our sources say the guy also tried to break into the house, but wasn't able to because everything was locked. Cops say Fred wasn't home at the time, but his family was.
Cops were eventually called, and although the suspect had left by then ... he wasn't out of the woods. Cops say he was spotted later that same night, and arrested by cops thanks to video FD had of the incident.
The man was booked for felony grand theft, and we're told Fred's stuff was returned safe and sound. Cops don't believe Durst was specifically targeted, and he tells TMZ he's just grateful nobody was hurt.
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Antonio Brown Kanye West And I ... 'Extremely Serious' About Buying Denver Broncos
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MARCH 2022
Antonio Brown says he and Kanye West are dead serious about their efforts to buy the Denver Broncos ... telling TMZ Sports they're working hard to get a real deal done.
Brown and Ye have become best buds ever since the NFL star was booted from the Buccaneers in January -- and in their newfound bromance, Ye named Brown the president of one of his biggest ventures, Donda Sports.
And, as one of Brown's first actions in the exec role, he said back in February he wanted to purchase the Broncos.
When we got the free agent receiver out in Los Angeles just days ago, he told us the goal is still on their minds, and it's a legitimate one, explaining he and Ye are "extremely serious" about making it all happen.
"Tell Roger [Goodell] to call me," Brown said. "We're working on it ... We're working towards getting it done."
The Broncos just recently went up for sale, and many believe the price tag to ultimately land the team could be around $4 BILLION. If somehow the two are able to get that change together, a sale to Ye and Brown would also have to be approved by the rest of the owners in the league.
In the meantime, while they work on getting a deal in Denver done, Brown and Ye have more immediate goals of rockin' the Rolling Loud music festival in Miami in July.
Brown promised the two would put on a show at Hard Rock Stadium -- and added that he's hopeful his connection with Ye someday leads to a Grammy.
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Bethenny Frankel INITIATIVE RAISES $35 MILlion FOR UKRAINIAN refugees
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Philanthropist Bethenny Frankel's effort to help displaced Ukrainians is raising huge amounts of money, and now she's focused on finding ways to distribute the aid, quickly and safely.
Bethenny was on TMZ Live Monday with a huge update -- her Bstrong initiative (in-partnership with Global Empowerment Mission) has received $25 million worth of aid donations and supplies, with another $10M given in cash ... and the total is still climbing!
She says the supplies are going to an undisclosed location in Ukraine -- kept under wraps for safety concerns -- and they're also operating out of massive warehouses in Poland and Hungary. The goal is to use these hubs for those in need and have them serve as a space for organizations to pick up supplies as needed.
She also tells us the $10M in cash will go towards refugee relocation ... saying it's not about keeping Ukrainians happy in their own country anymore. She says the goal is to get them out safely, which will be more accessible with the money raised.
Bethenny's 11-year-old daughter Bryn has been helping out too ... making artwork to raise some cash for the cause! She made an exclusive set of paintings depicting the Ukrainian flag, and NY Mets owner Steve Cohen bought 5 of 'em right off the bat!
But, she says what's been most inspiring is the way everyday Americans are pitching in to help like she's never seen before.
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NFL Star Calvin Ridley Suspended Entire 2022 Season ... For Betting On Games
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1:21 PM PT -- According to NFL reporter Albert Breer, Ridley did bet on the Falcons -- but did not bet against them.
Breer added that Ridley placed the wagers between Nov. 23 to Nov. 28 -- over two weeks after he was placed on the NFI list.
1:03 PM PT -- Ridley just tweeted about the ban, admitting he bet $1,500 ... though he insisted he does not "have a gambling problem."
The NFL has just banned Atlanta Falcons star receiver Calvin Ridley for the ENTIRE 2022 season ... after investigators say he bet on games.
The league just announced the suspension ... saying in a statement Ridley bet on NFL games in the 2021 season "during a five-day period in late November."
Ridley was away from the team on the non-football illness list at the time of the betting, the NFL said in a statement.
The league added that an investigation showed there were no signs "that any game was compromised in any way."
"There is nothing more fundamental to the NFL's success -- and to the reputation of everyone associated with our league -- than upholding the integrity of the game," commissioner Roger Goodell said in a letter to Ridley notifying him of the ban.
"This is the responsibility of every player, coach, owner, game official, and anyone else employed in the league. Your actions put the integrity of the game at risk, threatened to damage public confidence in professional football, and potentially undermined the reputations of your fellow players throughout the NFL."
Goodell continued, "For decades, gambling on NFL games has been considered among the most significant violations of league policy warranting the most substantial sanction. In your case, I acknowledge and commend you for your promptly reporting for an interview, and for admitting your actions."
The NFL noted Ridley can apply for reinstatement in February 2023.
Ridley is widely regarded as one of the best receivers in the NFL -- piling up 3,342 receiving yards in just 49 games. He missed most of last season while battling mental health issues.
Originally Published -- 12:43 PM PT
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Patrick Mahomes Fake Super Bowl Rings Seized By Feds ... Part Of $345K Bust
A plan to sell counterfeit Patrick Mahomes Super Bowl rings has been thwarted ... feds just announced they seized a bunch of fake K.C. Chiefs title bling in a huge bust in Louisville.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced Monday that officers intercepted a package that they say contained a small fortune-worth of fake Mahomes merch as well as other counterfeit sports memorabilia.
According to the CBP, the package -- which came from China and was heading toward Florida -- contained 30 fake Tampa Bay Buccaneers Super Bowl rings, 110 fake Atlanta Braves World Series rings, 10 fake Milwaukee Bucks NBA championship rings and 80 fake Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl rings.
In a photo of some of the seized "jewelry" ... you can see Mahomes' name was engraved on some of the merch, along with his number and the words "Chiefs Kingdom."
The CBP said in total, the package was worth $345,000.
Of course, interceptions like these have become commonplace ... in fact, back in January, feds say they seized 56 shipments of 1,382 fake sports championships and trophies, estimated to be worth around $1 million had they turned out to be legitimate.
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Rams' Terrell Burgess Surprises Mom With New SUV ... 'That's Yours!!'
L.A. Rams safety Terrell Burgess brought his mom to tears after surprising her with a brand new SUV -- and the emotional moment was all caught on video!
The 23-year-old pulled up on his mother, Ingrid, over the weekend with the new whip ... capturing the big surprise.
His mom was in complete shock -- saying, "Is this why you're so late today?!" when she noticed the new silver Chevy SUV parked in the street.
That's when the tears started rollin' ... with Burgess' mom asking, "Are you serious?! Oh my goodness!"
"It had 19 miles on it," the former Utah Utes star says, "but we drove all the way over here so kinda bumped up a little bit."
"That's yours. Appreciate you, thank you, love you! That's yours!"
It's unclear exactly how much the SUV cost, but Burgess joked the gift covers future holidays for the next couple of years.
"Happy Birthday! Merry Christmas! Happy Mothers Day for the next 8 years!"
Burgess -- a third-round pick in the 2020 draft -- logged in 18 tackles and 1 pass deflection before suffering a season-ending injury in Week 7 of the 2021 season.
But, you can bet mom will be pullin' up in her new ride to watch her son defend the Super Bowl title with the Rams next year.
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'Storage Wars' Rene Nezhoda I got Flo-Jo's Record-Breaking Cleats! Unearths Olympic Memorabilia
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"Storage Wars" star Rene Nezhoda scored big on his latest find ... unearthing tons of memorabilia that belonged to Olympic legend Florence Griffith Joyner -- Flo-Jo!
Rene tells TMZ ... his friend George bought Flo-Jo's storage locker 8 years ago in the San Diego area. Rene says he dropped several thousand dollars to take the Olympic content off his hands ... and the haul is impressive!
Rene walked away with Florence's Olympic jacket and even her signed track shoes -- the ones that she wore while breaking world records! As you'll recall, Joyner broke records in the 1988 Seoul Olympics ... for both the 100m and 200m dash! She took home 3 gold medals that year.
Also bought by Rene are rare photos, magazines featuring her, and autographed Flo-Jo Barbie dolls ... talk about a blast from the past!
Rene says he'll likely sell the pieces of history on eBay or through collectible auction house Heritage Auctions ... but if a member of Flo-Jo's family reaches out, he might work out a deal with them to return her personal items.
Flo-Jo died in 1998 after suffering a fatal epileptic seizure in her sleep. Apparently, her family paid the bills for the storage rental for years, but for some reason stopped, and that's why the locker went up for action.
The Flo-Jo locker haul will not be featured on season 14 of "Storage Wars," which premieres on March 8.
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Chris Brown Buy My Old Lambo ... It's $300k!!!
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Chris Brown's former ride is hitting the market ... and it's a super-fast sportscar Breezy customized himself!!!
The singer is the former owner of this 2012 Lamborghini Aventador and he's the one who picked out the Miami Blue paint, which is sure to turn a bunch of heads.
The current owner bought the car off Chris and is now selling it for just under $300,000 ... and we're told there's already been a ton of interest.
As you see from the gallery, the whip is freakin' awesome ... Chris picked out the black accents, which match the black rims and sleek black interior. The Lambo features a 6.5-liter engine, an upgraded suspension and only has about 16,000 miles.
The next owner is gonna wanna keep the Miami Blue paint job pristine ... and that should be easier to do thanks to the paint protection film already on the exterior panels.
Chris lives up in the San Fernando Valley, but now his Lambo is down in Los Angeles' South Bay ... where it's being sold by Hermosa Motors.
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Drake I Bet on the Wrong UFC Fighter ... Loses $275,000 Bet!!!
Drake lost a fortune on UFC's main event Saturday night, and the winner was quick to trash him by talking about his "s**tty" music.
Drake plunked down $275,000 on Jorge Masvidal, who squared off against Colby Covington. Unfortunately for Drake -- and Masvidal -- Covington won a unanimous decision, and it wasn't even close.
.@Drake has put over $275K on Masvidal ML tonight 😳 pic.twitter.com/AqmsUB2UPY
— br_betting (@br_betting) March 6, 2022 @br_betting
Covington was quick to trash talk ... "Let's talk about all the money that Drake lost tonight. He needs to go back to selling those s**tty albums to get back the money."
He wasn't done, adding, "Drake, you suck at sports betting. Go back to your s**tty little albums and rapping."
There was definitely an upside to the bet since Masvidal was the underdog. If Masvidal won, Drake would have pocketed a cool $1 mil.
BTW ... Covington and Masvidal hate each other. Masvidal said after the fight he fought like crap, then grudging giving his nemesis props ... "He's a bitch. The bitch can wrestle, though."
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Bethenny Frankel Foundation Raises $25 Mil for Ukrainians
Bethenny Frankel has done something pretty incredible ... she's raising $25 MILLION for Ukrainian relief, and she's not done.
As we reported, Bethenny's foundation -- BStrong -- has been raising cash for badly-needed aid. She says $10 mil has been earmarked to help in the relocation of Ukrainian refugees, and the remaining $15 mil will provide food, medical aid and other necessities inside the war-torn country.
Bethenny said, "We are partnering with different apparel companies, food companies, lodging companies to be announced later, to place these people in lodging."
This isn't the first humanitarian effort in which she's been involved ... her foundation has helped with various disasters around the world since 2017.
Bethenny told us on "TMZ Live" how the foundation works and what they're doing to help innocent civilians whose lives have been turned upside down or destroyed by Putin's war.
The foundation is still raising cash ... and every little bit helps.