Ben Affleck, Matt Damon Sonny And Phil!!! ... Actors Begin Shooting Sonny Vaccaro Biopic

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Ben Affleck and Matt Damon transformed into Phil Knight and Sonny Vaccaro for the first time on Monday ... and the moment was apparently so big, Jennifer Lopez had to pop by to show her support.

The A-list actors officially kicked off the first day of filming for their new Vaccaro biopic this week in Burbank, Calif. ... with both donning costumes to get into their roles.

Affleck -- who's playing Knight in the untitled movie -- wore a wig and a button-down shirt, while Damon got into Vaccaro character by poppin' on a polo and some khakis.

J Lo, meanwhile, was seen on set supporting her man and his best buddy ... looking on during filming and hanging with Ben during breaks.

As for the movie itself ... it's got no official release date yet, but it promises to tell the story of Vaccaro, Knight and Nike's pursuit to sign Michael Jordan to a shoe deal back in the 1980s.

If you're unfamiliar, Vaccaro -- a sneaker salesman -- ultimately helped Nike land Jordan through a relentless chase of the hoops star ... paving the way for the apparel company to become the giant in the shoe industry that it is today.

Affleck, in addition to starring as Knight in the movie, is also directing it ... while Damon is writing and producing the flick as well as playing the role of Vaccaro.

Dustin Johnson Resigns From PGA Tour ... To Play In Saudi-Backed LIV League

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Dustin Johnson's days of playing on the PGA Tour are over -- at least for right now -- the golf superstar just announced he's resigning his membership in order to play full-time in the Saudi-backed LIV league.

DJ broke the news during a meeting with media members at Centurion Club near London on Tuesday ... just days before he's set to tee it up for the first time at a LIV Golf Invitational Series event.

"For right now," Johnson said, "I resign my membership from the Tour. I'm going to play here for now, and that's the plan."

The new league -- which is backed by the sovereign wealth fund of Saudi Arabia -- has been controversial, due to the country's past record of human rights violations.

Golfers who have defected to the league have been accused of taking loads of cash to play and effectively help the country "sports wash" that track record.

In addition, the PGA Tour has not been friendly about the rival league ... threatening suspensions and bans for golfers who accept the invite to play in it.

Johnson -- who reportedly received around $125 million to golf in the new league -- said the decision to leave the Tour ultimately came down to "what's best for me and my family."

Now ineligible for the Ryder Cup, Johnson said he was unsure if he'd be allowed to participate in golf's major events from here.

Other golf superstars, meanwhile, have joined in Johnson's decision to play in the league -- most notably, Phil Mickelson revealed on Monday he, too, has accepted the invite. He has not, however, formally resigned from the Tour yet.

Top golfers Louis Oosthuizen, Graeme McDowell, Kevin Na and Sergio Garcia have joined as well. Tiger Woods, however, reportedly turned down a "nine-digit" offer to play.

The first of seven initial LIV events begins on Thursday in England.

Tito Ortiz Safe Stolen, House 'Ransacked' ... In Burglary

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More details are emerging about the burglary at Tito Ortiz's Southern California home ... cops say people at his residence claimed thieves "ransacked" the UFC legend's house, and stole a safe.

According to police documents, obtained by TMZ Sports, a caller reached the Huntington Beach Police Dept. at around 9:54 AM on Friday ... claiming Ortiz's home had been burglarized.

The docs show the person alleged the home was "ransacked" and that a "safe is missing." The person also said a window on Ortiz's balcony had been broken.

As we reported, multiple officers were seen at Ortiz's Huntington Beach home for hours on Friday investigating the scene.

No word yet on if any arrests have been made -- but we're told Ortiz was not home at the time of the incident, and is safe.

In the documents, cops say Ortiz's neighbors told them they would review their surveillance cameras with the hopes of helping them catch the culprits.

Ortiz -- who grew up in Huntington Beach and fought in the UFC under the nickname "The Huntington Beach Bad Boy" -- provided us a short and sweet comment on the situation.

"Welcome to Biden's America. Beware, it's going to get worse."

'Tiger King' Star Doc Antle Indictment Unsealed ... Allegedly Laundered $500k+

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7:32 AM PT -- 6/7 -- Doc's attorney Ryan L. Beasley tells TMZ ... "The government appears to be grandstanding on the issue of bond because of all the media coverage.

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"I have never in my 20 years of practicing federal law witnessed the government move for detention on a case such as this. He should have been offered something. Asking for Detention is inappropriate under the circumstances."

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"The government agreed to an unsecured bond for one of the codefendants in this case who is facing the exact same penalties.  Codefendant: William “Bill” Dallas. He got a $75k unsecured bond."

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"Doc has no criminal record, has lived in SC with his family for decades, and owns/operates a thriving business in SC that employs over 22 people on any given day. There is no reason to believe that he is a flight risk or danger to the community. This sounds like PETA pulling the strings of the DOJ."

Doc Antle has been mixed up with some shady business dealings involving huge sums of cash that crossed over into illegal territory -- at least according to federal prosecutors.

The 'Tiger King' star's federal indictment was unsealed Monday -- this after he was arrested by the FBI last week in South Carolina -- and his charges are spelled out clear as day. He's facing 2 money laundering counts ... and is accused of having laundered upwards of $500k with an employee/business partner of his who was in on the alleged plot.

Per the docs -- obtained by TMZ -- Doc and this employee, Andrew Sawyer, were soliciting people as early as 2019 to help launder money through a check-writing scheme in which they'd get cash upfront and write a check back to the person ... minus a fee for helping clean the money.

The feds allege Doc and Sawyer had a 15% washing fee ... and that the guys laundered around $505,000 between February and April of 2022. The FBI says they had 2 undercover informants working the case -- and claim to have tons of incriminating audio recordings and tapes of both men.

We'd already been told his bust had to do with alleged money laundering, but now we're getting the full breadth of the case -- and it's pretty insane. They make Doc sound like a regular white collar crook ... albeit one who lives in a lot of greenery.

As you know, Doc runs a wildlife preserve down in Myrtle Beach ... where he houses a ton of different animals in a zoo-like environment. Unfortunately for him, the operation there has also been the subject of much scrutiny since he was put on the map via 'Tiger King.'

In fact, Doc had previously faced criminal charges on the state level for alleged wrongdoing at the Myrtle Beach Safari -- Virginia's AG hit with an indictment of their own, alleging he was trafficking lion cubs across state lines ... which Doc denied at the time.

He's also gotten heat from PETA for letting celeb guests swing by and interact with the animals on a very personal level. Still, PETA never had any real power to make him change his practices.

Doc's due to show up in court on Monday to hear the charges against him -- although, it's unclear if he's going to enter a plea or not. The first count carries a max sentence of up to 20 years in prison.

Originally Published -- 6/6 12:44 PM PT

Skylar Grey Paid for Divorce by Selling Her Catalog ... Eminem & Diddy Classics Included!!!

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Skylar Grey, known for penning the Eminem & Rihanna classic "I Love The Way You Lie" and Diddy's "Coming Home," no longer owns those songs as a result of a bitter divorce with ex-husband Todd Mandel.

Skylar made the sad revelation she had to cash out on her song catalog in order to pay the divorce settlement. She says the majority of her earnings went to taxes ... and her ex-husband's bank account.

She told Variety ... although she'll no longer receive royalties when the songs are used in movies, TV, etc, she still considers the song "her babies," regardless of who owns the rights.

As a veteran artist, it's hard not to see her point. She's appeared on Eminem's last few albums and also has credits with Celine Dion, Nick Jonas, Ciara, G-Eazy, and more.

Skylar's divorce was a particularly nasty split. TMZ broke the story back in 2017 – when she filed a restraining order after accusing him of monitoring her every move with hidden cameras in their home.

Losing "Love the Way You Lie" is a pretty heavy blow -- the song is certified Diamond and has more than 2 billion YouTube views.

However, with the weight of debt lifted, Skylar is pushing forward with her new self-titled album ... aka songs she owns.

Aaron Donald Not Retiring ... Re-Works Rams Contract

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3:42 PM PT -- Donald just posted a video message confirming he is indeed back, telling Rams fans he's "getting the chills just thinking about" a possible championship repeat.

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Rejoice, Rams fans ... Aaron Donald is coming back!

Arguably the best defender in the NFL has re-worked his contract with the Rams, putting him in line to come back for his ninth season in 2022.

According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, Donald's new deal with L.A. contains a $40 million raise. A.D. is now set to make $95 million between now and 2025.

The staggering figure is a record for non-quarterbacks, Rapoport reported.

Of course, Donald is worth every penny, he's a three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year who played a huge role in the Rams' Super Bowl win in February.

Through 127 career games, Donald has logged 98 sacks and 448 combined tackles -- both extremely impressive totals, considering he plays defensive tackle.

Donald had been pondering retirement after the Super Bowl -- but it's clear, the Rams' elite roster and the new loads of cash have drawn him back to the game.

Sean McVay's June just keeps getting better and better!

Originally Published -- 2:08 PM PT

Dave Chappelle Donating Buffalo Show Ticket Sales To Families of Mass Shooting Victims

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Dave Chappelle is giving back following his weekend performance in Buffalo, NY ... making what will be a sizeable donation to families of victims who were killed in that city's recent mass shooting.

Chappelle hit the stage Sunday at the Shea's Performing Arts Center, and we've confirmed he's giving all the money from his ticket sales back to the Buffalo community directly affected by the May 14 tragedy.

It's a 3,000-seat venue, so the final check Dave cuts for the families should be impressive. The decision to do the stand-up gig in Buffalo was last minute -- Dave announced it on Wednesday and the tickets sold out within an hour.

As we've reported, at least 10 people were killed, most of whom were Black ... after a man opened fire with a semi-automatic weapon at a Tops Friendly Market grocery store.

The 18-year-old gunman drove several hours across NY state to the predominately African-American neighborhood. He not only went live on social media during the attack, but beforehand he'd posted a manifesto declaring himself a white supremacist.

He was taken into custody, and has since pleaded not guilty. The FBI is investigating the case as a federal hate crime.

Steve Harvey I Should Do All My Breakups On IG!!! Jokes About Lori & Michael B. Jordan Split

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FIGURING IT OUT

Steve Harvey didn't wait too long to start crackin' jokes about his daughter's breakup with Michael B. Jordan ... and admits he might've learned a new way to avoid another costly divorce.

Steve talked about his daughter Lori Harvey parting ways with MBJ on his morning show Monday ... and can't help himself from getting in a laughing mood while doing so.

He says his kids are teaching him to "get out early" from relationships ... and even thinks a breakup on social media is the way to go -- citing court costs as a dealbreaker. Don't forget, the guy's been divorced 2 times, and had quite the fight in court back in 2018.

Steve's ex-wife Mary sued him for $60M over mental anguish, saying she was suicidal in the wake of their 2005 divorce. The judge just threw out her case, because it belonged in front of a judge in Texas ... where the divorce was handled.

Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media.

As we reported, Michael and Lori reportedly split after being together for over a year ... the reason is still unknown, but the two hadn't posted about each other online in months.

Lori seems to have scrubbed her socials, removing any trace of MBJ ... so, yeah.

Johnny Depp Dropping $$$ on Indian Food!!! Celebrates Big Win

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Johnny Depp broke the bank on Indian food while overseas ... spending the night with his closest friends to celebrate his massive win over his ex-wife Amber Heard.

Johnny and co. hit up Varanasi -- a restaurant in Birmingham, England -- Sunday night, and they did way more than just order a few apps to share. The joint's Operations Director Mohammed Hussain tells TMZ Johnny's bill was in the neighborhood of 50,000 British pounds, or about $60k.

We're told Johnny was joined by pal Jeff Beck and 20 other hungry friends, and the place was closed down to the public so they all could dine in peace.

Mohammed says he was shocked Johnny was stopping by his place, and says the actor was an extremely humble guy ... the two even chatted it up for a while in his private office.

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HERO'S WELCOME!

As you know, Johnny's been livin' like a rockstar in the U.K. after his big W in court ... missing the verdict but taking his time overseas to celebrate.

Johnny has said the jury gave him his life back, and a big part of his life has been music. In fact, when Johnny came to Hollywood, his goal was to become a rock star, not an actor.

'Top Gun: Maverick' Paramount Sued Over Film Rights That Story Is Our Family's!!!

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Tom Cruise never would've been flying high in 'Top Gun' or its sequel if it wasn't for a story that the films are based on, the rights to which have lapsed ... this per a new lawsuit.

Die-hard fans might already be aware of this -- but the original 'Top Gun' from '86 is based on an article written by a guy named Ehud Yonay ... who wrote a very detailed piece in '83 about fighter pilots in the Navy. Yonay says Paramount snapped up the rights at the time by brokering a deal with him ... and it's well-known the film is based on his story.

That copyright claim Paramount secured at the time had an exclusive ownership period of 35 years ... Yonay's widow and son say they sent Paramount a notice that terminated the studio's rights to the story in January 2020.

The family alleges that Part 2 -- which they insist contains elements of their late dad/hubby's original tale -- wasn't technically completed until May 2021, and they claim it's clearly derivative of Yonay's story.

The timing here is key -- several reports suggest filming for 'Maverick' wrapped in 2019 ... but it will be interesting to see if Paramount claims post-production was completed before January 2020, which the Yonays assert was the cut-off date if Paramount wanted to crank out another 'TG' based on the old license.

Anyway, due to the box office success of the sequel -- upwards of hundreds of millions, globally -- the family is now suing for an injunction to stop Paramount from infringing on the story and, of course, damages. We reached out to Paramount, no word back.

Tom isn't being sued personally.

Benny The Butcher New Merch Profits Going To Buffalo Shooting Victims

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Benny The Butcher is doing his part in helping his Buffalo hometown move forward after a white supremacist gunman murdered 10 people at the local Tops Friendly Market grocery store in May.

Benny and his Black Soprano Family team linked with designers Kat & Nolan Cartwright for a limited edition t-shirt drop with 100% of the profits going to the Buffalo Survivors Fund.

The shirts, which honor all 10 victims with their names, are available now, retail for $40, and only 200 of them were made.

To further emphasize the moment, he also released the new single "Welcome To the States," a political rap record (that flips Kendrick Lamar's "We Cry Together") and details racism and even gives a subtle shoutout to Young Thug and Gunna's ongoing legal drama.

The shooting dampened spirits nationwide ... but particularly hit home for the Griselda rapper, who regularly shops there with his family, as it's only a few minutes from his home.

Because of the incident, his middle-school-aged daughter has yet to return to school.

The accused suspect has since pled not guilty to the murders.

American Airlines Flight Attendant, There's a Fly in My Salad!!!

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NEW TOPPINGS!
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9:28 AM PT -- A rep for American Airlines tells TMZ ... "“We’re concerned about this report, as what the customer is describing is not up to our standards. We are investigating this matter and are working directly with our catering provider in Frankfurt. A member of our team has reached out to the customer to apologize and learn more about their experience.”

You always hear about how bad airline food is — but this is a whole new level … yuck.

Check out this video posted by a man who says he hopped an American Airlines flight from Frankfurt to Dallas-Fort Worth last week — riding business class, no less — and found tiny little bugs crawling around in his salad.

The greens were packaged separately and wrapped in plastic wrap, and sure enough … there seems to be something, or things, squirming around in there.

The passenger griped ... “The business class was over $10,000 round trip and this is the quality of service. Food with live bugs being served and a staff that simply laughed it off and asked if I wanted a different salad.”

He tagged AA too, and they responded — saying they’d flag it to the appropriate team and that it would be addressed.

Next time, pack an extra protein bar. 🤢

Originally Published -- 7:22 AM PT

Kristin Cavallari Jabs at Jay Cutler After Divorce Comments ... I've Been Partying for 2 Years!!!

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Jay Cutler's getting one-upped in the post-divorce celebration department by his ex Kristin Cavallari ... who says Jay's got a lot of catching up to do, and also hints he's already violated their settlement.

We caught up with Kristin at LAX, and asked for her thoughts on finalizing the divorce from the ex-NFL star ... who commented about it this week on his "Uncut with Jay Cutler" podcast. Jay boasted about his bank account not really taking a hit in their divorce, and added, "When the settlement came through, I threw a party."

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CUT THE CHECK

Well, Kristin was pretty much mum to our camera guy on the settlement. In fact, she told us she doesn't think she's allowed to discuss it ... hinting there's a non-disclosure agreement and Jay shouldn't be blabbing either.

Now, as for Jay being in party mode -- well Kristin didn't hold back on that topic. We asked if she'll throw her own post-divorce bash, and she said "I've been partying for 2 years straight" ... a not-so-subtle reference to the divorce filing in April 2020.

You'll recall ... Kristin and Jay called it quits after a decade-long relationship that started after they met at a Chicago Bears preseason game. They got married 3 years later and had 3 kids.

Now that it's over, sounds like they're both celebrating good times.

Owen Wilson Painful Pic of His Jacked Up Tesla ... No Tires or Wheels, Oh My!!!

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Step into Owen Wilson's shoes for just a moment, and imagine how it feels to walk out of your home to this scene -- your luxurious Tesla, freshly stripped by thieves! 😬

We got this shot of Owen's Tesla gently placed on blocks, after the crooks made off with all 4 tires and rims -- leaving him with no way to even drive his car to get it repaired. And, to make matters worse, it all happened while his car was parked right outside his Santa Monica house.

Luckily, the car didn't appear to have any other damages, but we're told he's gonna have to cough up an estimated $4k for the missing wheels. We're sure his insurance broker appreciates the paperwork.

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GROCERY RUN

TMZ broke the story ... Owen had parked his car on the street a few weeks ago, and when he went outside ... boom! Instant bummer.

Cops have opened a grand theft investigation, but so far no word on suspects.

Law enforcement sources tell us cops are scouring security cameras in the neighborhood for clues.

LeBron James Triple Logoman Card Hits Auction ... Could Fetch Over $6.6 Mil

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A one-of-a-kind LeBron James Triple Logoman card -- which many experts consider the most coveted modern collectible in the world -- is hitting the auction block ... and we're told it could sell for OVER $6 MILLION!!

TMZ Sports has learned that the card, which features 3 NBA logo patches from jerseys worn by the King, is expected to rival the all-time record of $6.6 million -- which a wealthy collector paid for a Honus Wagner T-206 card -- when it hits the block at Goldin Auctions on June 8.

Just the fact the Bron card is being talked about in the same breath as the T-206 Wagner -- considered the "Holy Grail" of trading cards -- is pretty incredible, but to think the Logoman could go for nearly $7 million is insane.

“The LeBron James Triple Logoman card is the undisputed holy grail of modern cards,” said Goldin founder Ken Goldin.

The three NBA logo patches on the front of the card come from a Cavaliers, Heat, and Lakers jersey ... each of James' three teams.

Triple Logoman cards are super rare ... only five were made by Panini as part of their 2020-21 "Flawless" collection. Only one LeBron TL exists.

The back of the card features a small certificate of authenticity ... and details LBJ's four NBA titles.

How badly do collectors want the card? Drake purchased 10 cases (at $46K each) as he attempted to track down the Triple Logoman Bron.

Drizzy -- who has gotten heavy into card collecting -- pulled several Michael Jordan rookie cards, but unfortunately, no dice on the LeBron.

Of course, if the Certified Lover Boy artist really wants it ... bidding starts Wednesday!!

Kobe Bryant Rookie Jersey Sells For $2.73 Million!! ... Game Worn During '96-'97 Playoffs

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Kobe Bryant's game-worn Lakers jersey from his first playoff series -- the only one publicly known/available -- just sold for a riiiiiiidiculous amount of money ... $2,735,546 million, to be exact!

The threads were on the block at SCP Auctions ... and after 26 bids, the purple and gold Lakers home jersey went for 7 figures.

As we previously reported, Bryant wore the jersey on at least five occasions ... including two home games during the 1996-1997 NBA playoff series against Karl Malone, John Stockton, and the Utah Jazz.

The playoff games were played on May 8 and May 10, 1997. On the 8th, the Lakers won 104-84. Bryant dropped 19 points in just over 19 minutes.

During game 4 on May 10, 1997, L.A. -- down two games to one -- was defeated 110-95. Mamba, who came off the bench that series, had a down game, scoring 9 points in 28 minutes.

It was some of the last losing Bryant -- who ultimately won 5 NBA titles -- would experience in the postseason.

SCP also had a rare -- likely one-of-one -- signed 1997 Precious Metal Gems Kobe card on the auction block ... which sold for over $403K!

The identity of the fan who put in the winning bid for the jersey is currently unknown ... but, we can confirm the person's wealthy.

The bank account may be $3 mil lighter, but whoever the buyer, they now own one of the coolest Kobe items to hit the block in a long time.