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Chris Pratt wore a shirt that repped the "Don't Tread On Me" flag, which has now been labeled by some as "racist" and something white supremacists use ... but that's not entirely accurate.

Here's the deal ... Chris was out in L.A. with his wife, Katherine Schwarzenegger, earlier this week ... and he was wearing a navy t-shirt with the American flag on it and a rattlesnake superimposed, sitting atop the phrase "Don't Tread On Me." It's a mash-up of Old Glory and the Gadsden flag. 

Chris has been criticized over the past few days for repping the flag and the slogan -- originally created during the Revolutionary War as a message from the American colonies to England. It has since been adopted by the Tea Party and other far-right political groups. 

The Gadsden flag has also been used by some white supremacists in recent years -- most notably in 2014 when the bodies of 2 dead police officers were draped with the Gadsden flag that also bore swastikas. It's also been seen in the same company as confederate and Nazi flags.

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission ruled in 2016 that the flag alone could be viewed as racial harassment in the workplace, depending on the context. While it noted the flag doesn't have racist origins, today it can be "sometimes interpreted to convey racially-tinged messages in some contexts." The agency called for further investigation.

The reason why Chris Pratt is being called out might have to do with a Yahoo UK article that flat-out called his wardrobe a "white supremacist" shirt ... making the leap many other outlets wouldn't.

A bunch of big celebs like a bunch of Presidential candidates ... so they're funding a bunch of candidates with the hope one of them makes a move on January 20, 2021 ... to 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.

We've done some digging and found the top several Democratic presidential candidates all have their share of celebrity backers, but a handful are sharing the love ... or hedging their political bets.

For instance, according to filings by the 2019 Federal Election Commission ... Barbra Streisand donated $1,000 each last quarter to the campaigns of Elizabeth Warren, Cory Booker, Amy Klobuchar, Beto O'Rourke, Kamala Harris and Pete Buttigieg.

The Katzenbergs -- both Jeffrey and Marilyn -- dropped $2,800 each (the max one-time donation) on those same 6 candidates ... except substitute Kirsten Gillibrand for Klobuchar.

Anna Wintour's donated to at least 4 candidates, so far -- $2,800 to Mayor Pete, Harris and Beto and a grand to Gillibrand.

Shonda Rhimes donated $2,800 to Booker and Warren last quarter, and the same amount to Harris and Gillibrand the quarter before that.

Finally, Ryan Murphy is Team Harris to the tune of $5,500 and Team Buttigieg for $2,800.

Bernie Sanders is noticeably absent from this list, but he's received donations from stars like Shailene Woodley, Josh Hutcherson and Milla Jovovich ... it's just that none of them double-dipped with anyone else as far as we can tell. And, of course, he has the public support of Cardi B.

As for Joe Biden ... his donation numbers from last quarter aren't in yet.

As we told you ... Mayor Pete's got a wide variety of celebs supporting him, as does Elizabeth Warren, and there's still a lot of time for more of that sweet Hollywood money to pour in.

The real-life Peter Parker is staying true to the comics -- cuddling up with a beautiful blonde who's reminiscent of Spidey's first love, and who's also a big fan of beer!

"Spider-Man: Far From Home" star Tom Holland was spotted Sunday hanging out with a mystery chick at British Summer Time Hyde Park Festival in London, where the pair could be seen double-fisting beers and what appeared to be water cups as they went off to watch music acts. 

We're told Tom and his lady friend were spotted watching The Black Eyed Peas and Robbie Williams at different points. Based on what we see here, things seem pretty romantic between 'em.

The woman is definitely rocking a Gwen Stacy vibe, and was pretty handsy with Tommy boy ... putting her arm around his waist, and even giving him a pat on the booty. As they strolled along, they got closer and closer -- practically linking arms.

Funny enough, Tom's way more of a smooth operator here than he is on camera opposite Zendaya -- who plays MJ. As Petey P, Tom's a goofy, awkward teen navigating love. 

Here, he's more like notorious playboy Bruce Wayne (pardon the Marvel-DC crossover).

Pete Buttigieg may have lost some early steam in his campaign to nab the Democratic nomination for president ... but Hollywood's still got his back big-time.

According to filings by the 2019 Federal Election Commission ... contributions for Mayor Pete have been pouring in from celebs since he announced his 2020 presidential run -- with well over 30 Hollywood types forking over cash to the South Bend Mayor.

Among the names ... Gwyneth Paltrow ($2,800), Anna Wintour ($2,800), Mandy Moore ($3,818.86), Tom Ford ($5,600), Larry David ($2,800), Kevin Bacon ($2,800), Michael J. Fox ($2,800), Frances McDormand ($3,000), Matt Bomer ($2,800), Jeffrey Katzenberg ($2,800), Marilyn Katzenberg ($2,800) and John Stamos ($1,000).

And, there are others who opened their wallets for Pete, including Brad Falchuk, Sean Hayes, Caroline Kennedy, Ryan Murphy, Sarah Silverman, Ted Danson, Sharon Stone and George Takei. 

Looks like $2,800 seems to be the magic number -- the max one-time donation. Funny enough the largest one-time contribution we found in the famous batch of donors -- $6,600 -- was one Cooper Hefner -- the guy running Playboy Enterprises. The smallest donations came in at $250. 

Pete may be behind in the polls, but he's still one of the most popular Democratic candidates -- raising more than $24m this past quarter.

BTW, he's not the only Dem who's got Hollywood in his corner ... Senator Elizabeth Warren has a healthy amount of support as well -- Amy Schumer, Rosie O'Donnell, Scarlett Johansson and others plunked down cash -- raising a total of just over $19m over the course of this last cycle. 

Drake Bell thinks Austin Butler has all the right features to play Elvis Presley on the big screen ... but his biggest challenge will be singing like the king of rock 'n roll.

We got the "Drake & Josh" star in New York City after news broke Austin got the nod to play EP in Baz Luhrmann's movie about the icon. Drake, a self-proclaimed Elvis fanatic, says it's going to be a tough call whether his fellow Nickelodeon alum should attempt to really sing Elvis classics, or just lip-sync.

He's a bit of an expert on the topic, because Drake rattled off several other actors who were in Austin's shoes -- Kevin Spacey as Bobby Darin, Rami Malek as Freddie Mercury and Taron Egerton as Elton John.

Vocal abilities aside ... Drake says he's glad Austin got the part -- beating out Ansel Elgort, Miles Teller, Harry Styles, Aaron Taylor-Johnson and a last minute push from G-Eazy -- because he's got the right look.

Drake's a little bummed he never got a casting call though ... and ya gotta see his Elvis impersonation!

Sarunas Jackson is totally down with the James Bond franchise casting a black woman to take over the role of 007 ... no matter what the true motives are behind the monumental decision.

We got the "Insecure" actor at LAX and our photog asked about reports that Lashana Lynch is being cast as 007 in next year's Bond 25 movie. Sarunas says it's amazing, even if money is the driving force behind the change from a traditionally white male lead.

Sarunas says the shift is great for black girls and black women ... and he thinks decision makers are finally recognizing they've been leaving out a key demographic -- and it's spending power.

If you think you saw Vanessa Hudgens walking with Elvis Presley in L.A. Monday afternoon, you're sorta dead-on ... since her BF is about to step into the king's blue suede shoes.

The former Disney star was hand in hand with Austin Butler on the heels of the big Hollywood casting news -- he's playing Elvis in an upcoming biopic, and beat out heavy hitters like Ansel Elgort, Miles Teller and Harry Styles.

The decision to go with Austin caught some folks by surprise -- fact is, he's relatively unknown compared to his competition, but looks at these pics and it's easy to see why he was tapped for the role. Dude's got the hair and the look working!

His appearance and acting skills obviously impressed director Baz Luhrmann and co. enough to land the potentially career-changing gig.

As for Vanessa, she wrote on social media Monday that she was "OVERRRR THE F***ING MOOOOOOOOONNNNN" for her man, with whom she's been with since 2011.

BTW, just 'cause you might not have heard of Austin before today ... that doesn't mean he's a hound dog in the acting game. He's been in the biz since 2006, having appeared in numerous hit series like 'Ned's Declassified,' "Zoey 101," "Life Unexpected," "Switched at Birth," "The Carrie Diaries," "The Shannara Chronicles" and tons of other shows and movies.

Every blockbuster fight needs a big-time promoter ... and Floyd Mayweather tells TMZ Sports he's the guy for Justin Bieber's potential fight against Tom Cruise!!

As we previously reported ... there have been serious talks about setting up a fight between the 25-year-old singer and the 57-year-old movie superstar after Biebs playfully tweeted about wanting a piece of TC last month. 

Dana White -- who was tagged in Bieber's initial post about the dream fight -- has said he'd be down to make it happen and predicts it would be the biggest fight in UFC history.

Enter Mayweather -- who says he wants NOTHING to do with training either celeb for the possible fight ... but wants EVERYTHING to do with the money involved.

"If they bring me in as a promoter, then I can talk about it. But until then, I gotta stay in my lane. Gotta stay in my business."

Remember, Mayweather used to be super tight with Justin Bieber -- he even let the pop star walk him to the ring for a few of his fights. Floyd even trained Bieber to box at one point.  

But, the two had a falling out back in 2017 ... and haven't really spoken since. 

Floyd didn't back Justin when we spoke with him ... but he didn't exactly praise him either. 

Tyrese's former whip is hitting the market ... he's looking to unload a tricked-out Jeep Wrangler on his way out the door from Voltron Motors, the company that pimped his ride.

Tyrese cofounded Voltron Motors back in 2016 after investing in the customizing co. that did some sharp work on 2 Jeeps for "Fast and Furious 8." After he came on board, the company souped up a Jeep Wrangler with all kinds of bells and whistles for its new honcho.

Now that Tyrese is leaving VM, he's selling that super sick set of wheels for a cool $109,000.

A normal 2016 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Sport woulda cost ya a mere $30k or so -- but Tyrese's Voltron Rebel Jeep would make Paul Walker proud. It's an absolute beast, with a supercharged V6 engine producing an estimated 325 horse power and 300 foot-pounds of torque!!!

It's got a custom matte white exterior, a lift kit, rhino rack, two-piece rebel sportback hardtop, GD3 Grid off-road wheels, power running boards, front trac bar and a Fab Fours grill, fender and bumper.

The interior is pretty badass too ... a custom suede headliner and a bumping sound system featuring a 500-watt subwoofer amplifier to blow out your ears, and anyone nearby too.

Sources close to the situation tell TMZ ... there's no bad blood between Tyrese and Volton Motors. He's only leaving because he wants to put his time and his money into Voltron Entertainment, where he'll produce and release films.

MI6 special agent 007 is getting a new face -- and, apparently, a new gender too ... because actress Lashana Lynch is reportedly set to take on the mantle in the upcoming Bond flick.

According to multiple outlets in the UK, the "Captain Marvel" star -- who played Brie Larson's best air force pal in the 2019 blockbuster -- will become the new 007 in what is being described as a "popcorn-dropping moment" in the franchise's 25th installment. 

The reports say that Daniel Craig -- who is still the same old James Bond we know and love -- is brought back from retirement at one point in the movie and introduced to Lashana's character, who's inherited his old code name. Supposedly, she keeps it too.

Per the reports, Craig tries to seduce Lashana on camera to no avail -- and it seems like her character might be the main protagonist in any Bond films going forward.

The move to get a fem 007 installed is reportedly thanks to one of the writers -- Phoebe Waller-Bridge ... who also had a hand in writing "Killing Eve" (a female-led spy thriller that airs on BBC). One movie insider is quoted as saying this about the new Bond movie ... "There are spectacular chase sequences and fights, and Bond is still Bond but he’s having to learn to deal with the world of #MeToo." Alrighty then!!!

Considering all the issues that have plagued the production thus far -- from this and this -- the pivot to a strong, black female lead has gotta be some refreshing news for fans.

Scarlett Johansson appears to be backtracking on her feelings about withdrawing from a movie where she was playing a trans person ... now saying she outta be able to play whoever the hell she wants.

ScarJo opened up about politically correct casting to As If magazine (without directly mentioning her now-debunked role in "Rub and Tug"), saying ... "You know, as an actor I should be allowed to play any person, or any tree, or any animal because that is my job and the requirements of my job."

She added, "I feel like it’s a trend in my business and it needs to happen for various social reasons, yet there are times it does get uncomfortable when it affects the art because I feel art should be free of restrictions," going on to say ... "I think society would be more connected if we just allowed others to have their own feelings and not expect everyone to feel the way we do."

Her thoughts on the issue are catching fire on social media (in a bad way) -- folks are tearing her apart for apparently believing she was perfect for the "Rub and Tug" role, with some folks calling her privileged and tone-deaf.

Interestingly enough, Scarlett's been involved in other casting controversies as well -- including in 2017 when she starred in "Ghost in the Shell," which was originally written with an Asian protagonist when it debuted as a Japanese manga series.

When she was called out for getting involved in that production, she apologized and said and she never wanted to feel like she was playing a character that was offensive to others.

Fast-forward to 2018, when she pulled out of "Rub and Tug" and issued a mea culpa of sorts, implying she'd learned a lot from the trans community about the importance of casting trans actors in trans roles ... contradicting what her rep said earlier about non-trans actors playing trans people to critical acclaim.

Now, it seems like she's flip-flopping again ... and it ain't going well. Tell us how you really feel, ScarJo.

The screaming, moaning, panting and table-banging emanating from a New York deli weren’t for a piece of meat you could actually taste … they were part of an ORGASM CONTEST!!!

Katz's Deli in the Lower East Side hosted a fake orgasm contest Friday afternoon in honor of the 30th anniversary of Meg Ryan's iconic scene in "When Harry Met Sally" ... ya know, when she's losing it during a meal with Billy Crystal.

The famous scene was filmed inside the deli known for its pastrami sandwiches ... so diners were challenged to recreate the big O in front of a lunchtime crowd. Prizes were on the line.

Ya gotta see our video ... women are going absolutely wild at tables inside the restaurant, giving their best bedroom performances and pulling out all the tricks in the book. No help needed.

Seriously, this is the type of thing you need to see and hear to believe. 

We're hoping you've never experienced a fake orgasm in real life -- and we're pretty sure you've never seen one in a deli -- but let's be real, you probably have ... and here's definite proof women know how to fake it.

Disney has decided to honor Cameron Boyce by canceling its "Descendants 3" red carpet premiere event ... and instead will donate to a charity close to him in his honor.

Disney tells us the company will make a donation in Cameron's name to the Thirst Project ... a nonprofit that helps deliver clean water to communities around the world. Cameron helped raise more than $30k for that organization ... one that was close to his heart.

Disney said, "We are proud to be part of Cameron Boyce's legacy by showcasing his talents on screen but we are cancelling the red carpet premiere event for 'Descendants 3' scheduled for July 22 and instead, The Walt Disney Company will make a donation to the Thirst Project, a philanthropic organization to which Cameron was deeply committed. Thank you for understanding."

Cameron appeared in every 'Descendants' film. He played Carlos, Cruella De Ville's son. He began his Disney career in 2011 on the series "Jessie" and also appeared in "Jake and the Never Land Pirates" and the Disney XD series "Gamer's Guide to Pretty Much Everything."

The company said, with permission from the Boyce family, the Disney Channel will dedicate the telecast of "Descendants 3" in Cameron's memory.

As we first reported ... Cameron, who died in his sleep, suffered from epilepsy. He was only 20 years old.

Doggonit ... even when Ryan Gosling runs errands it's dreamy.

The "First Man" star was out Tuesday giving his new pooch -- which appears to be a Doberman -- a look at life in the lap of luxury .... with a good grooming sesh in Beverly Hills. Now get this ... most owners clip the Doberman's ears and tail ... a process dubbed dock and crop. But, it appears Ryan's taken the road less traveled and opted NOT to do that.

Some think docking and cropping your dog is not particularly humane just to give it a certain look. So, props to Ryan for keeping it real. BTW ... it appears Ryan got the Doberman sometime earlier this year ... and just over 2 years after his beloved George died.

Ryan was incredibly close to his mixed-breed dog .... which died in December 2016 at the age of 17. The movie star had said in the past George wasn't a real dog and once said, "I think he felt like being a dog was beneath him" because George wouldn't do tricks or sit on command.

Rip Torn, Emmy-winning actor and comedian, is dead.

Rip, perhaps best known for his role as Artie on HBO's "The Larry Sanders Show," died Tuesday. No cause of death has been released yet. 

He won an Emmy for his 'Larry Sanders' role, and was nominated 6 more times for it. He was also an Oscar nominee in 1984 for "Cross Creek." 

Rip made his film debut in the 1956 film "Baby Doll." From there, he began a prolific and decades-long career on stage and screen.

Torn's work on "The Larry Sanders Show" garnered him a whole new generation of fans, who would go on to enjoy his character work as Zed in the first two 'Men in Black' films. He also had memorable roles on "Will & Grace" and "30 Rock."

His full name was Elmore Rual Torn Jr. ... but he started going by the nickname Rip when he was a kid. Fun fact ... his cousin is iconic actress Sissy Spacek.

He is survived by his wife Amy, his 6 kids, his sister Patricia, and his 4 grandchildren.

Rip was 88. 

PETA's celebrating a legal W that it hopes will be a big step in putting an end to using live animals in movies ... and it got some cash to boot.

The animal rights org will receive a "substantial payment" from Paws for Effect, the company that trained the puppy, Shelby, for her starring role in "A Dog's Way Home" ... which came out in January.

We broke the story ... Shelby's owners sued PETA for defamation in February, claiming the organization went on a smear campaign against Paws alleging it had racked up citations under the Animal Welfare Act.

Paws claimed PETA was wrong and was lying, but now the company's officially walked it back and has asked the court to dismiss the case.

According to the legal docs, obtained by TMZ, Paws now says what PETA accused it of was "substantially true" and admits it has "on several occasions over a period of several years been cited by the United States Department of Agriculture for violations of the federal Animal Welfare Act."

Paws offered to pay for PETA's legal fees and then some, and PETA accepted. PETA says Paws has also pledged to not exhibit or broker wild animals as part of its business in the future.

PETA's Senior VP, Lisa Lange, adds that the org is "pleased to have one less player involved in such exploitation" and vows to "keep exposing exhibitors' behind-the-scenes conduct until Hollywood ends the use of live animals and embraces the many types of realistic and humane alternatives."