Aretha Franklin's Surgery 'Successful'
Aretha Franklin underwent a successful surgery recently -- but no one really knows what for.
Franklin released a statement yesterday saying the surgery was "highly successful," but gave no other details.
About a month ago, she canceled a string of concerts and personal appearances at the advice of her doctor.
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Heather Locklear Hospitalized -- Bacterial Infection
Heather Locklear is currently hospitalized in California after coming down with a bacterial infection ... TMZ has learned.
Locklear's rep confirms ... the actress is now on antibiotics and will be released from the hospital later today.
Heather had just returned from Canada, where she finished shooting a movie called, "He Loves Me."
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Kim Kardashian's New BF in Mercedes Smash Up
Kim Kardashian's new boyfriend, Gabriel Aubry, was involved in a pretty nasty car crash yesterday -- one that left the front of his Mercedes all smashed up.
Cameras caught Aubry outside The Grove in L.A. -- moving stuff out of his banged up ride and into a waiting Lexus that came to pick him up.
It's unclear how the accident occurred -- but judging by the way Aubry was moving around after the wreck ... it appears he wasn't injured.
UPDATE: Now there's a Halle Berry connection.
There was word that the person who picked up Aubry was Berry's assistant -- but in the footage, we never see the person in the driver's seat.
Now, there's more proof ... we've found some recent photos showing Berry -- Aubry's baby mama -- riding in the exact same Lexus that swooped up Aubry.
As for Aubry's current GF Kim K. -- she was in NYC yesterday. Apparently, her assistant doesn't do car service.
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Kardashian 911 Call My Baby Has Hives, Threw Up
TMZ has obtained the 911 call from last week in which Kourtney Kardashian sounded the alarm that her 11-month-old son Mason was having an allergic reaction to peanut butter.
In the November 21 call, Kourtney is calm as a cucumber as she tells the dispatcher Mason has "hives on his face and he threw up."
An ambulance took Mason to a local hospital -- where he made a full recovery.
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Barack Obama -- Back Ballin'
President Barack Obama wasn't going to let 12 stitches in his lip stop him from hiittng the basketball court again today -- but this time he played with easier competition ... his daughters.
On Saturday night, Obama (right) went to see Howard University take on Oregon State, which just happens to be coached by Michelle's brother.
Basketball is in his blood.
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President Barack Obama -- Left in Stitches
President Barack Obama had to get 12 stitches in his lip after he got caught with an elbow during a game of basketball at Fort McNair earlier today.
Bet the guy who elbowed Barack is going to get audited hardcore next year.
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Kardashian Baby Hospitalized Over Peanut Butter
Ambulances raced to Kourtney Kardashian's Calabasas home last night after her 11-month-old son Mason suffered an allergic reaction ... and TMZ has learned it was all traced back to peanut butter.
Kourtney and Mason were transported to a nearby hospital -- while baby daddy Scott Disick followed in his car -- after Mason consumed some PB and "didn't react well to it."
We're told Kourtney placed the call to 911 and paramedics insisted that the baby should be taken to the hospital for further evaluation.
But this story has a happy ending -- we're told Mason was deemed "totally fine" -- and now the whole fam is back at home.
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Margarito's Manager: I Wanted to Throw in the Towel
There was ONE person in Antonio Margarito's corner this weekend who claims he wanted the fighter to bow out of the savage beatdown he was suffering at the hands of Manny Pacquiao ... but Antonio refused to listen.
Antonio underwent surgery in Dallas yesterday for a broken eye socket ... an injury that Margarito's manager Sergio Diaz Jr. claims he tried to prevent ... by pleading with Antonio to throw in the towel.
Sergio says Margarito was adamant that no one was to end the fight before the final bell -- and the entire team ultimately respected his wishes. But Sergio tells us he's blaming himself for not taking "more responsibility" ... adding, "I have to sit down with [Antonio]. We can’t let this go on next time."
Sergio tells us, the badass boxer has no regrets ... adding, "He wouldn’t have wanted anything different. Fight to the end."
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Angelina's Spider Bite -- The Puffy-Faced Evidence
Angelina from "Jersey Shore" blew up before her big contract-signing this afternoon -- girl claims she was the victim of an eyeball-biting spider ... and TMZ has obtained the swollen-eyed photos.
Angelina tells TMZ ... the chomping occurred sometime this morning ... and she's currently on her way to the hospital to get the rapidly-ballooning bite looked at.
As we previously reported, Angelina bailed on her contract-signing in Times Square today because of the injury -- after she and her music producer Andy Stein had finally hammered out an agreement to release the "Jersey" star's rap song in the next few days.
We're told she plans to sign the contract ASAP.
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Kite Surfer's Record Breaking Wipeout -- The Damage
No, that's not an x-ray of Wolverine's arm ... the appendage actually belongs to the brass-balled kite surfer who shattered his wrist last month while breaking the world speed record.
TMZ has obtained an X-ray of Rob Douglas' newly reconstructed, titanium wrist -- which he destroyed on October 28 when
while surfing at speeds of around 65 MPH.
We also have a picture of Douglas' post-surgery, stitched up wrist ... check that out at your own risk.
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Zsa Zsa Gabor Treated for 'Massive Blood Clot'
Paramedics have arrived to Zsa Zsa Gabor's Beverly Hills mansion -- after the actress' private doctor spotted what he believes is a "massive blood clot" ... this according to Gabor's rep.
We're told Zsa Zsa had complained about pain and swelling in one of her legs early this morning -- so Zsa Zsa's people asked her doc to make a house call.
The rep says the doctor discovered what appeared to be a "massive blood clot" in her leg -- and immediately called 911 after expressing concern that the clot could make its way towards Zsa Zsa's heart.
UPDATE: The ambulance has transported Zsa Zsa to the UCLA Medical Center.
Zsa Zsa's husband, Prince Frederic von Anhalt, tells TMZ she had a "bad infection" in her right leg and "no blood flowing" in her left leg.
UPDATE 8:30PM PST: Prince FvA says, "Looks like we are going to be home in the morning." He says Zsa Zsa is getting medication to treat a blood clot and an infection.
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Justin Bieber Injures Knee During Live Concert
Justin Bieber was limping on stage at his concert in Cleveland last night -- and sources close to the singer tell TMZ his people are hoping it's just a bad sprain.
The injury occurred midway through the concert -- but we're told Bieber soldiered through the pain and finished the show.
Sources close to Biebs tell us they will know more about the injury today.
Story developing ...
'Biggest Loser' Camper Injured in Malibu
A woman who enrolled at The Biggest Loser Resort just learned the hard way ... exercise can be a bitch.
The Biggest Loser Resort is a weight loss center in Malibu with ties to NBC and the show. We've learned a woman staying there was hiking on Backbone Trail in the Malibu area, when she fell off the trail and broke her ankle.
We're told an L.A. County Sheriff's Search and Rescue team assisted the L.A. County Fire Dept. in finding her, put her on a stretcher and rushed her by ambulance to a nearby hospital.
A rep for NBC says the woman was not a contestant on the show.
But who knew there was a Biggest Loser camp?
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The Girl Demi Lovato Punched
Demi Lovato's decision to seek treatment came after she punched a dancer who appeared on "America's Best Dance Crew" ... TMZ has learned.
Sources tell TMZ ... Alex Welch was on the receiving end of Demi's blow. Welch is a backup dancer on the Jonas Brothers Live in Concert Tour. She was also a member of Beat Freaks, which got the runner-up title on season 3 of "America's Best Dance Crew."
We're told Welch -- who had a pretty nasty shiner from the incident -- has been talking to lawyers and is considering legal action.
Sources close to Demi say she feels "awful" about her behavior and took personal responsibility for it by leaving the tour and seeking help.
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Gary Collins Arrest Warrant for Hit-and-Run
Gary Collins -- a former host of the Miss America pageant and "Hour Magazine" -- was allegedly involved in yet another alcohol-related car accident -- and now he's under investigation for hit-and-run ... TMZ has learned.
Law enforcement sources in Jackson, Mississippi tell us cops are getting a warrant for Gary's arrest, following an accident last night in which he allegedly struck another car, injuring a woman and her child.
We're told the woman told cops Gary -- who was going around 40 MPH -- got out of his car "clearly intoxicated," threw his hands up in the air and asked, "What are we waiting for?" The woman said the cops were on the way, but Gary then beat a hasty retreat.
Gary has had driving issues before. He's been arrested three times for DUI over the last 10 years. He beat the rap once and was convicted twice.
In the most serious case, a man died after Gary was driving drunk in 2007. Cops determined the accident was not Gary's fault, but he pled no contest and served 4 days in jail.
But the most bizarre ... Gary pled no contest after driving a motor home with a .29 blood alcohol level.
Calls to Gary's reps have not been returned.
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Demi Lovato Bullying is the Root Problem
The issues that Disney superstar Demi Lovato is hoping to tackle in her treatment center all stem from a painful history of being bullied ... sources extremely close to the singer tell TMZ.
We're told Demi's issues with bullies go all the way back to middle school -- where she felt her acting career made her a target. Our sources say Demi subsequently engaged in self-destructive behavior that is a manifestation of being bullied.
In fact -- back in 2008, Demi told Ellen DeGeneres that she was bullied so badly in 7th grade, she pulled out of her middle school and switched to a home school program.
As we first reported, Lovato just quit her international concert tour with the Jonas Brothers ... and admitted herself into a treatment center for "emotional and physical issues."