John Singleton Daughter Wants Restraining Order Against Family Friend
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EXCLUSIVE
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3:30 PM PT -- The judge has denied Justice's request for a restraining order ... for now. According to the legal docs, there'll be a hearing at the end of the month to determine if Avance will be ordered to stay away.
The docs also shed light on why Justice sought out the protection -- she claims Smith broke into her late father's property last week and took his belongings. She also accuses him of threatening her while John was in the hospital, both by text and in person.
Justice claims Avance is "uncontrollable" and she fears he could be physically violent.
John Singleton's family war is getting serious, and the latest battle is between his daughter and one of his old friends ... TMZ has learned.
According to new legal docs ... John's daughter, Justice, has filed for a restraining order against Avance Smith. Family sources tell us Smith was a very close longtime friend of John's -- so close, John commonly referred to him as his cousin. Smith also worked as a security guard for John from time to time.
It's unclear at this point why Justice wants court-ordered protection from her father's friend.
What's interesting is her request comes one day after Singleton's mom, Shelia Ward, filed an emergency request for control of his assets ... specifically because someone had gone into John's locked office and taken valuables.
We don't know that Avance has anything to do with that allegation.
As we reported, other members of John's extended family have grown suspicious about some of the circumstances surrounding his death -- such as how he initially got to a hospital back in April, and who was with him in the hours before that.
They've hired a private investigator to help them find answers.
Originally published -- 2:13 PM PT
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Arnold Schwarzenegger Security Stops Bike Theft Busts Out Taser!!!
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Breaking News
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Arnold Schwarzenegger made a clean getaway when his bodyguard got into a showdown -- that involved a taser -- with an alleged bicycle thief outside of Gold's Gym.
The bizarre confrontation went down Friday in Venice, CA, just as Arnold was wrapping up his morning pump.
Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media.
We're told he was inside the gym when a man with a bandana on his face came up on the rack outside and tried to steal Arnold's gold bike. The Governator had his own private security parked nearby in an SUV keeping an eye on things, and they sprung into action.
One of Arnold's guards busted the potential thief by pulling a Taser on his ass. While they stood a few feet apart, Schwarzenegger swooped in, grabbed his wheels and took off.
We're told the guy eventually left and no cops were involved. Arnold didn't want to file a report.
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John Singleton Suspicions Arise Over His Death ... Family Hires P.I.
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EXCLUSIVE
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The hours leading up to John Singleton's hospitalization, which preceded his stroke and eventual death, are unaccounted for ... according to members of his family circle who are digging for answers.
Sources close to the famed filmmaker tell TMZ ... some of the mothers of his children are very suspicious of the events leading up to John checking himself into the hospital in mid-April. As we reported, he had just returned from a trip to Costa Rica at the time.
We're told nobody seems to know how Singleton got to the hospital -- he didn't drive himself, no friends or family are saying they took him, and there are no Uber or Lyft receipts to confirm how he arrived.
Even stranger ... our sources say hospital staff told family members John just sort of appeared out of nowhere in a wheelchair ... and he seemed pretty out of it.
TMZ broke the story ... Singleton was experiencing leg pain when he checked himself in, and then he suffered a massive stroke while hospitalized on April 17. He remained in a coma until his death on April 29 at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in L.A.
Our sources say the mothers of John's children believe there's more to the story, and that's why they've hired a private investigator. We're told they want to know what John was doing beforehand, who he was communicating with, and whether someone knew he was in bad shape and could have done something sooner to help him.
Meanwhile, John's family also seems to be on the brink of a nasty legal war.
His mother, Shelia Ward, just filed docs this week to immediately take control of his estate, claiming someone close to him took stuff out of his locked office and his other valuable property is at risk.
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Adrian Grenier I'm the Leader of World-Saving Trio ... 'Catfish' Nev Disagrees
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EXCLUSIVE
- 362 shares
Adrian Grenier's on a mission to save planet Earth, and he's in very good company ... but he says let's not forget about the unsung heroes making the world a better place too.
We got the actor and environmentalist outside his Museum of Plastic in NYC -- which teaches about the harm plastic bottles wreak in nature and how to go plastic-free -- and asked him about Robert Downey Jr.'s new Footprint Coalition launched to clean up the world.
Grenier's the opposite of cynical -- about Downey Jr.'s plan or human beings in general -- and says it's time to really start trying to change things for the better.
He tells us there are already many anonymous superheroes out doing their part, but he's fine with a celeb being the face of the movement ... whether it be RDJ, Leonardo DiCaprio or, of course ... himself.
As for the hierarchy of that trio of environmental crusaders ... it's up for debate. Adrian's buddy, 'Catfish' star Nev Schulman, has a pretty strong opinion, though. Check out the clip for the rankings.
Also, check out this plastic PSA from Lonely Whale, the organization cofounded by Grenier.
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Princess Love Not Leaving 'L&HH' ... Starring In Show's New Ad Campaign
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EXCLUSIVE
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Princess Love fans rejoice ... Ray J's wife is NOT leaving 'Love & Hip Hop' ... quite the opposite, actually, she's starring in the franchise's biggest ad campaign of the year!!!
Princess raised eyebrows a few weeks ago when, out of the blue, she announced she was leaving the reality show ... but we've learned she's not going anywhere.
Sources close to the famous couple tell TMZ ... Princess had an issue with the show's production schedule and producers, and that's why she threatened to leave 'L&HH' in the dust. In the end, cooler heads prevailed, and now she's front and center in a major show promo.
We've obtained video and photos of Princess Love and Ray J on set for a new crossover ad campaign between VH1, MTV and the upcoming 'Fast & Furious' movie ... and it's pretty awesome.
Princess and Ray J are starring alongside 'Jersey Shore' alums Pauly D and Vinny, who are promoting their new MTV show ... and the ads are gonna make it look like the reality stars are in the new blockbuster.
The couple's manager, David Weintraub, tells TMZ, "Starring in L&HH is a rollercoaster, when you ride that ride, there are days when you want to be in the show and some days you want to quit. Love always prevails and sometimes you just have to shoot it."
VH1 and MTV wanted their BIGGEST stars for the promos, and that's why Ray J and Princess Love were picked. Seems like it was enough to sweeten the pot and keep Princess rocking with 'L&HH.'
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Charlamagne Tha God Trump Apology To CP5 Wouldn't Help ... He's Got To Deal With His Own Karma
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EXCLUSIVE
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Charlamagne Tha God thinks Donald Trump doesn't need to apologize to the wrongfully convicted Central Park 5 ... he says Trump already made his bed, and now he needs to sleep in it forever.
We got Charlamagne in NYC Thursday and asked him if Trump should say sorry for infamously taking out a huge newspaper ad calling for the death penalty after Trisha Meili, the Central Park jogger, was attacked.
The famous radio host says an apology wouldn't help the CP5 or their families, it would only benefit Trump, by cleansing his soul. Thing is ... Charlamagne thinks Trump doesn't have a soul and doesn't care about bad energy or karma, so he's not holding his breath and waiting for a mea culpa from the Prez.
Charlamagne didn't just rip POTUS ... he also turned his ire towards Linda Fairstein, the former head of the Manhattan D.A.'s Sex Crimes Unit who helped investigate and prosecute the CP5.
"The Breakfast Club" host is fully on board with the #CancelLindaFairstein movement in the wake of Netflix's limited series on the CP5, "When They See Us" ... and Charlamagne essentially equates her to Satan.
He's not expecting an apology from Linda, either, as she's mostly remained silent despite stepping down from several powerful positions in New York following her blistering profile in the new series.
There is one thing Charlamagne is certain will happen to Linda ... and the picture he paints of her last days is anything but pretty.
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Brad Pitt Puts Organizers on Notice ... Stop Using Me as Face of Straight Pride!!!
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EXCLUSIVE
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6/7 5:57 AM PT -- Brad Pitt has officially been scrubbed from the Straight Pride website.
Brad Pitt is no mascot, but ESPECIALLY not for the notorious upcoming Straight Pride Parade ... and he's doing what he can to put a stop to the idiocy.
As you may have heard ... a small group of straight men in Boston -- in an apparent retort to June being LGBTQ Pride Month -- have announced an upcoming parade to "celebrate the diverse history, culture, and contributions of the straight community."
Currently, their website claims this community has adopted Pitt as its mascot, and congratulates him for being "the face of this important civil rights movement."
Of course, this is total BS, and sources close to Brad tell TMZ his team has reached out to the Straight Pride Parade organizers, demanding they stop using his name and likeness for their event.
If they don't do it soon ... we're told further action could be taken.
As for the planned parade ... the morons in charge say it will be a one-day event sometime in August, and they are requesting the same route as the Boston Pride Parade.
The parade has unsurprisingly been met with scorn and has a lot of folks shaking their damn heads, but here's what Boston native and 'Captain America' star Chris Evans thinks about it.
Wow! Cool initiative, fellas!! Just a thought, instead of ‘Straight Pride’ parade, how about this: The ‘desperately trying to bury our own gay thoughts by being homophobic because no one taught us how to access our emotions as children’ parade? Whatta ya think? Too on the nose?? https://t.co/gaBWtq2PaL
@ChrisEvans
Originally Published -- 6/6 1:39 PM PT
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John Singleton Mom Wants Control Of Estate Pronto ... His Property's At Risk!!!
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EXCLUSIVE
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John Singleton's mother wants control of the late director's estate STAT ... she claims her son's property is being snatched up by someone close to the family.
According to new legal docs obtained by TMZ ... Singleton's mother, Shelia Ward, says someone is after John's valuable art collection, comic book trove and tons of his personal items ... and she says that person went into his locked office and basically took a bunch of stuff.
In the docs, Shelia claims her son's valuables were locked in his home office after his death ... but she says someone recently went in and removed some things.
According to the docs, Shelia claims the person who took the stuff has keys to John's house and boat ... but it's not clear who the individual is.
Shelia is asking for control of the estate so she can "restore order," secure his assets and have the final say when it comes to his property.
John died April 28 at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in L.A. after being taken off life support following a massive stroke.
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Sophie Turner Wanna Be an X-Men, Conan? Let Me Slap the Hell Outta You!!!
Sophie Turner's giving new meaning to the term "slapstick" ... at the expense of Conan O'Brien's face!
The "Dark Phoenix" star was on "Conan" Wednesday night, and told him and Andy Richter about a drinking "game" called Tequila Slaps she played with her fellow 'X-Men' stars. Pretty simple rules: take a shot of booze and someone slaps the crap outta you before you can even swallow.
Conan seemed game, but grew apprehensive as the shots were poured. Still, he knows a good bit when he sees one -- ratings, baby -- and stood up to face Sophie the Slapper.
It went down exactly as she said it would, but the look on Conan's face at the moment of contact was priceless.
Sophie was immediately regretful -- seriously, it was an incredible slap. Conan's review? The most excitement he's felt in a long time.
Now ya know ... if you see Joe Jonas out in public with a bruised cheek, or handprint on his face -- he and wifey were probably just doing shots!
Of course, Sophie plays Jean Grey, aka Phoenix, in the next installment of the 'X-Men' franchise ... which hit theaters Friday.
We can't imagine who would dare to slap Phoenix, but Sophie says her costars did ... including the guys.
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John Singleton 'Snowfall' Finale Delivers Tribute ... His Baby Boy Makes Acting Debut!!!
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EXCLUSIVE
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John Singleton will get a fitting tribute on his last big project ... and it was no small feat to pull it off.
"Snowfall" -- the FX series Singleton co-created that chronicles L.A.'s crack epidemic in the '80s -- did an entire rewrite of the upcoming third season's finale to incorporate a young John character into the story ... based on his pre-"Boyz n the Hood" days.
Sources close to production tell us everyone involved really wanted to honor him this way, and worked very hard with little time to make it happen.
There's more -- we're told Singleton's 1-year-old son, Seven, will make a cameo in episode 10 as well ... which would have made his father ecstatic.
Our sources say John always had his boy on set and expressed his wish to eventually have him appear on "Snowfall" ... so producers checked that off the list too.
Little Seven spent some time with the show's stars between takes, and you can see ... he definitely upped the cuteness factor of the gritty drama.
As we reported ... Singleton died in April almost 2 weeks after suffering a stroke. He was 51.
Season 3 of "Snowfall" premieres July 10, so we're told the finale featuring the young John character and the appearance of John's son will air September 11.
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'When They See Us' Linda Fairstein Resigns from Nonprofit Org
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EXCLUSIVE
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5:19 PM PT -- A rep for Safe Horizon tells us, "After careful consideration, Lina Fairstein has made the difficult decision to resign from the Safe Horizon Board of Directors. We thank her for her decades of pioneering work on behalf of victims of sexual assault and abuse. For more than 40 years, Safe Horizon's top priority has been empowering victims and survivors."
The statement continues, "We believe every victim deserves access to safety and support and will continue working toward that reality."
2:37 PM PT -- Fairstein has just resigned from her position on the board with Safe Horizon, but also insists she's the one who's been done wrong by the Netflix series, "When They See Us."
Fairstein sent a letter to Safe Horizon saying the program "depicts me, in a fictionalized version of events, in a grossly and maliciously inaccurate manner."
The NY Post first published details from Fairstein's letter, in which she said she was leaving Safe Horizon's board to avoid becoming a "lightning rod to inflict damage on this organization."
However, she took a parting shot, saying the group's CEO "declined to meet with me to learn the truths behind the inflammatory and false narrative depicted in a movie."
She also described the #CancelLindaFairstein movement as a "mob-mentality reaction."
Linda Fairstein, a key figure in the wrongful prosecution of the Central Park 5, is facing a new backlash -- the nonprofit organization she worked on for nearly 20 years wants her canceled ... TMZ has learned.
Ever since Ava DuVernay's Netflix series, "When They See Us," debuted over the weekend, Fairstein has been feeling the heat. She was head of the Manhattan D.A.'s Sex Crimes Unit in 1989 when the 5 boys were convicted ... and her role in coercing confessions is sparking renewed outrage.
Sources at Safe Horizon -- a nonprofit aiding victims of abuse and violent crime in NYC -- tell us its staffers are incensed the former prosecutor's been allowed to remain on the board for so long, considering her checkered past.
We're told the animosity began when the CEO held a meeting on May 21 where nearly 100 directors were informed about the Netflix drama and Fairstein's connection to it.
We're told some staffers didn't even know Fairstein was on the board of directors, and when they found out tempers quickly flared. Many questioned why she was allowed on the board of an organization that mostly serves minorities.
Felicity Huffman plays Fairstein in "When They See Us" which documents her controversial role in getting the 5 boys -- all black or Hispanic -- to confess, under heavy duress, to the 1989 rape and attack of a Central Park jogger.
We're told Safe Horizon staffers accused Fairstein of racism and demanded her immediate dismissal, but the CEO asked for time to evaluate.
Our sources say a majority of Safe Horizon's directors are fed up, and plan to take legal action this week to get Fairstein 86'd if the CEO won't do it.
As we first reported, Central Park Five exoneree Raymond Santana believes Fairstein -- who became a successful author -- is finally getting what she deserves. That includes the growing boycott of her books and publishers.
As he puts it, "Even if it's 30 years later, she has to pay for her crime."
Originally published -- 1:00 AM PT
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Jonas Brothers Suckers for Total Mayhem!!!
The Jonas Brothers mania is very, very real -- almost 15 years into the game, and the premiere of their new documentary drew a crazy crowd of wild, screaming fans.
Joe, Nick and Kevin had to feel better than ever about their decision to reunite when they showed up Monday night outside L.A.'s Regency Village Theatre to celebrate the documentary, "Chasing Happiness."
The Jonas fellas weren't alone, either -- Kevin and Nick were accompanied by their wives, Danielle and Priyanka Chopra, while getting off the bus ... and the ladies got the rockstar treatment too.
Sophie Turner didn't arrive with her hubby, Joe, but rest assured she didn't miss the movie -- she just met him on the way in ... and she also looked fantastic.
The Brothers announced the release of their Amazon documentary a few months ago, and it officially premieres Tuesday on the streaming platform. Big week for them, as the album, "Happiness Begins," drops Friday.
The documentary focuses on the guys' relationships -- so plenty of Sophie, Priyanka and Danielle -- and the group finally coming back together after the long hiatus.
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'The Notebook' Director Damn it, What Do I WANT?! A Buyer for My H'Wood Hills Pad!!!
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EXCLUSIVE
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Nick Cassavetes is looking for someone to forget about "The Notebook" -- just for a moment -- and grab their checkbook instead ... because his baller crib is on the market.
The famed director is listing his incredible Hollywood Hills mansion for sale at $4,799,000. The 4,370 square-foot house features 5 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms and it sits on a 20,436 square-foot lot in the exclusive Mt. Olympus neighborhood.
It's rare to find privacy up in the Hills, but this beaut offers that and more -- heated pool and spa plus walls of sliding glass doors that open to the patio. The views are incredible too ... on a clear day, ya just might see heaven -- or at least the Pacific Ocean. That's a close second.
As any great director would have it, Nick's realtor put together this awesome video to give you the full experience of living here. All ya need is a few mil to make it happen!
Cassavetes is repped by Linn Renee Sivertsen at The Agency.
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Fab 5 Freddy on Central Park 5 No Forgiving Fairstein Until She Apologizes ... Same Goes for Trump!!!
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EXCLUSIVE
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Fab 5 Freddy says Linda Fairstein was "evil" to the Central Park 5, and until she says sorry for her misdeeds ... she deserves every bit of backlash she's getting.
We got the hip-hop legend outside a West Hollywood cafe, and asked about Ava DuVernay's new Netflix series about the case, "When They See Us." As a native New Yorker, Freddy said he remembers the case well -- specifically how the boys were convicted in the media, even before the verdicts.
Freddy says Fairstein -- as head of the sex crimes unit of the Manhattan D.A.'s Office -- knowingly ruined the kids' lives by interrogating them under duress to get false confessions. He says she needs to admit that publicly if she wants the public's forgiveness.
Even though all 5 were exonerated in 2002, Fairstein has maintained she got the case right.
Freddy says that's why he's also backing the #CancelLindaFairstein. She went on to become a successful author, and the movement calls for boycotting publishers and distributors of her books ... east until she shows contrition.
He's also pissed about Donald Trump, who infamously took out newspaper ads at the time calling for NY State to reinstate the death penalty for the Central Park 5. Freddy says the now-President should be big enough to apologize now.
Fat chance ... Trump said in 2016 he still believes the wrongfully convicted men are guilty, despite all evidence to the contrary.
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Kevin Spacey Surprise Appearance in Court ... Lawyer Says Prosecution's Holding Out
9:09 AM PT -- A few key takeaways from Monday's hearing:
-- Spacey's legal team wants to get its hands on the alleged victim's actual phone because they believe they can extract messages they claim were already deleted, and excluded from the digital date the prosecution turned over.
-- Spacey's lawyers also want to get a hold of the alleged victim's mother's phone, because they believe that too could contain messages or information that could help Spacey's case.
-- The defense implored the judge to send the case to trial ASAP, as they believe the prosecution is inadequately prepared ... and filed charges prematurely without having their ducks in a row. Unfortunately for Kevin and co., that ain't gonna happen. The judge said the nature of the case and the juror selection process alone won't allow the trial to started until the fall, at best.
Kevin Spacey caught a lot of people by surprise Monday -- showing his face at a pretrial hearing in his groping case.
The disgraced actor is in a Massachusetts courthouse right now facing off with a judge in a pretrial hearing, which pertains to evidence his legal team has been trying to obtain from the prosecution team -- namely, cell phone data from the alleged victim.
Spacey's attorney gripes that the prosecution had access to the alleged victim's phone in late 2017 for about two weeks, and did not disclose that fact to the defense until very recently ... which Spacey's lawyer is pissed over. He believes there's exculpatory evidence on that phone that can help prove Spacey's innocence, and that the prosecution was purposely hiding it.
Even crazier ... Spacey's attorney claims that messages were deleted from the phone that made reference to the alleged victim's "frat boy" tendencies, and he was never made aware of that until now. He also says a lot of messages and screenshots on the guy's phone have been "cleansed" and deleted that could hurt their case. Long story short ... he's outraged.
KS has been a no-show for the majority of hearings in this case, so he surprised everyone by showing up suited and booted Monday morning. The last time he was in court was January, when he was arraigned in the case ... in which he pled not guilty. He popped up in L.A. a couple months later.
Originally Published -- 8:46 AM PT
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Miles Teller What's Good for the Goose ... is Good for the Gander!!!
Miles Teller is done filming "Top Gun: Maverick" ... so it's time for some serious R&R with his smoking hot GF.
Miles and his model GF, Keleigh Sperry, are vacationing in Maui giving EVERYONE a salty taste of the envy bug ... thanks to his chiseled bod and her flawless bikini figure. Miles is clearly keeping up his buff bod after pumping iron for the film. Ditto for the porn 'stash!!! Miles, of course, will play the son of Nick "Goose" Bradshaw.
Check out the pics ... Keleigh's looking drop dead gorgeous as usual in a tiny bikini. There's plenty of PDA and a fant-ass-tic view of the longtime couple. #BeachBodGoals