Ride Me

Lyft is dropping the hammer on this customer who went on a racist, profanity-laced rant against a driver ... and yes, face mask rage triggered this disgusting display.

The incident went down Tuesday night in Issaquah, Washington where the Lyft driver, David Kangogo, picked up a guy named Joe and his female companion -- but Joe allegedly refused to put on a face covering, which is Lyft policy.

The video -- recorded by David -- starts with the couple getting booted, and Joe asks David if he knows what a "sand n****r is." You also see Joe's companion tell him to shut his trap, because she is also recording the conflict on her phone.

The woman yelled, "We expected a Lyft ride home. That's what we expected" -- to which David replied, "Just put on your mask."

Joe still wasn't down for that, and instead threatened to urinate in David's car ... before hurling the racial slur again. David left Joe and his epithets on the curb and left without any physical violence.

Once Lyft saw the vid, the company reacted quickly by permanently banning Joe.

President-elect Joe Biden and First Lady-in-Waiting Jill Biden got a little exercise in Saturday before the transition team assembled in Delaware.

Joe and Jill breezed past reporters on their bikes as they said hello, a warm greeting that has not been forthcoming over the last 4 years.

A phalanx of Secret Service agents followed closely behind, which is an interesting sign, right? Although Donald Trump will not concede the election, the Secret Service is certainly acknowledging Biden's the next Prez.

Trump came as close as he's come Friday to acknowledging he may have lost the election, but it's virtually unthinkable he'll concede outright.

TMZ broke the story ... Trump stands to make a fortune -- like other past Presidents -- making speeches for at least a million dollars a pop. Sources also say Trump may be eyeing his own broadcast network which he can use as a megaphone for the next 4 years and then run again in 2024.

One day, we'll be able to zip through tubes at super-fast speeds like "The Jetsons" -- and that day is coming sooner than later thanks to Sir Richard Branson's company ... which just tried it out with humans.

Virgin Hyperloop announced Monday it had successfully tested a Hyperloop ride with a couple of passengers -- 2 company execs -- over the weekend out at their Las Vegas test site.

The track -- which is, in fact, completely tubular -- only runs about 500 meters or so, and because of that ... the pod was only able to reach up to 100 MPH.

Normally, according to techy lore, a full-blown hyperloop track should (theoretically) be capable of firing down a cylinder at around 600 MPH -- which is faster than a freakin' airplane. Unfortunately, this test didn't quite get there ... but by all accounts, it was a huge first step.

If you're unfamiliar with what a hyperloop system is exactly, it's basically propelled by magnets -- with zero friction on the vehicle you're actually traveling in. So, in other words, you're pretty much hovering ... and because of that, sky's the limit as far as speed. Again, in theory.

There are other companies and wizzes that have eyed getting into the hyperloop market -- like Elon Musk, for example -- but with Virgin ... it seems they're the first ones through the gate on this endeavor. There's other hyperloop-like tech already in use in places like Japan and Germany ... where some of their train systems use magnetic tracks.

It's not quite like this though, and if Virgin continues to roll out passenger tests with more success -- not to mention building out their track for faster speeds -- it could open a whole new mode of transportation, the likes of which we've never seen but were always promised.

One of President Trump's helicopters is up for grabs -- but, weirdly, he and his team don't seem to be looking for a specific price ... instead, they're putting the ball in a buyer's court.

DT currently owns three Sikorsky S76-B helicopters -- plus other private aircraft not associated with the White House -- and one of those choppers has found its way to an aerial retailer via Aero Asset, which is hawking the thing out of a hangar in New Jersey.

The funny thing ... there's no asking price, the listing just says "Make offer." So, basically, DT appears to have gone the route of Craigslist and will pretty much take what he can get!

Granted, the market value for one of these helicopters of the same year is said to be anywhere between $700k-$800k, with other estimates coming in closer between $1 mil and $2 mil for newer models. All in all, Trump probably wouldn't haul in more than $1.5M at best.

Sources confirmed to TMZ this was, in fact, Trump's Sikorsky -- which he'd been seen riding in the recent past ... including trips made during his 2016 campaign, as well as appearances for "The Apprentice" once upon a time. It even used to bear his last name along the tail.

No word on what sorta offers -- if any -- the person tapped to sell this has received thus far, but it looks like Trump's chopper here has been on sale since at least August, so quite a while. It's also got all the fixings of a typical piece of Trump property, with gold seatbelts and custom flooring and upholstered leather. Still, no one seems to have wanted to bite.

Gervonta Davis' rep has issued an official "no comment" in regards to claims the boxing star was involved in a hit-and-run crash in Baltimore early Thursday morning.

Here's the deal ... cops are investigating a hit-and-run incident that took place around 2 AM in South Baltimore -- where witnesses told officers a Lamborghini blew through a red light and hit another vehicle.

There is police scanner audio where cops describe the car in question as a 2020 Lamborghini with no tags.

Local reports out of Baltimore say the car is a Lamborghini Urus, a very expensive SUV. There is footage of Davis driving off in a tricked out Urus with no tags after his victory over Leo Santa Cruz on Saturday.

When cops arrived at the scene, the car responsible for the crash had fled -- despite several people sustaining injuries in the wreck.

We spoke with police who told us they would not comment on if Davis was a suspect.

Gervonta was reportedly celebrating his birthday at a nearby nightclub before the hit-and-run crash. The club is located less than a mile from the crash scene.

At this point, Davis has not been arrested or charged with a crime. The investigation is ongoing.

As for the victims, we're told everyone in the car sustained at least minor injuries. One person was transported to a hospital.

Marshmello's custom truck is making news for all the wrong reasons -- it was stolen from a dealership, and taken on a joyride that turned into a police chase and eventually a crash.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... the hitmaker's truck was stolen from a local Ford dealer Wednesday while it was getting serviced. We're told the keys were in the truck ... allowing the suspect to hop in and hit the town.

We're told L.A. County Sheriff's Deputies, and later CHP, tried to pull over the truck for reckless driving but the suspect took off ... kicking off a wild police chase through Los Angeles. The driver's ultimate demise? Taco Bell.

After pulling into a Taco Bell parking lot ... it tore out and crashed into a utility pole while trying to make a turn. The suspect was arrested for felony evading and possession of a stolen car.

TMZ broke the story ... Marshmello dropped around $500k back in early 2019 for his pimped out truck that features Rolls-Royce lights. The Ford Super Duty is a whopping 26-feet long with 2 extra wheels for a 6x6 conversion and a freaking TRAIN HORN.

Looks like Marshmello's going to need to find a place to repair the truck's damages. But, maybe find a different dealership.

Melvin Gordon issued an apology to his Broncos teammates and the entire city of Denver for his DUI arrest earlier this month ... saying straight-up, "I am sorry."

The running back was accused of drinking and driving back on Oct. 13 ... after cops say they pulled him over for doing 71 MPH in a 35.

In the police report, obtained by TMZ Sports, the arresting officer claimed Gordon had slurred speech, watery eyes and reeked of booze.

Gordon was eventually hit with 2 DUI charges and a speeding violation over it all ... and, when he spoke with reporters Wednesday for the first time since the incident, he apologized vehemently for the arrest.

"Because of legal things, I haven't been able to publicly go out and say what I needed to say just from me to you guys to put it out," Gordon said, "I am sorry that I was even in the situation."

"I don't want people to feel like, 'Oh, because Melvin didn't say anything or he didn't speak on it, he just don't care. He's not apologetic about the situation.' That's not the case at all."

Gordon continued, "To the people of Denver and everyone I just don't want anyone to feel like I just don't care and, you know, 'Oh, he got his money, he don't care.' I do and not happy that I was in the situation."

"But, it's something I just wanted to let you guys know that you could put out to the people for me."

Gordon -- who signed a 2-year, $16 million contract with the Broncos in March -- is now facing league discipline and could be hit with a suspension this season over the arrest.

George Clooney and Rande Gerber's famous Casamigos Halloween party's got a unique twist this year -- screw the lime, they've got a whole truck!!!

The founders of the famous tequila brand won't be putting on their annual Halloween extravaganza this year -- COVID strikes again -- but they're not killing off their party spirit. Instead, they've prepped a 26-foot, custom-wrapped truck featuring a Halloween-themed image of George and Rande, or ... Cloober, if you will.

The truck's gonna be making stops all over L.A. to visit FOCs -- friends of Casamigos -- who are having safe, in-home celebrations.

Fans of the brand who live in L.A. can get in on the action too. The grand prize winner will get a visit from the truck. To enter, fans must take a photo of themselves in their most creative costume, tag Casamigos in the photo and include the hashtags #CasamigosHalloween and #Contest.

Those not in L.A. can still give it a shot, but your prize will be a sweet swag bag instead. Sorry, Rande and George gotta watch mileage on the truck.

Casamigos legendary Halloween ragers have entertained Justin Timberlake, Kim Kardashian, Harry Styles, Jessica Alba, Kendall Jenner, Zoe and Lenny Kravitz and many more. Last year's had a scary number of celebs.

With Election Day fast approaching, lots of folks will be looking for ways to get to their polling places, which is where Lyft comes in ... with a major assist for thousands of voters.

A rep for the rideshare co. tells TMZ ... their team has already helped mobilize nearly 30,000 people with a transportation plan on Nov. 3. They're also helping voters to make sure they're registered.

Might seem like small potatoes, but since every vote counts in this election -- it's actually a big deal. Lyft says they've achieved this via their Voting Access Hub, along with countless partnerships in a comprehensive push to get out the vote.

Lyft's also offering sweet deals on Election Day for folks who need a lift to the polling place.

It'll be cheaper than usual to use Lyft that day -- and it could be straight-up free, depending on your circumstance. Lyft says it's offering 50% off one ride with a $10 max discount, one way. The code to get the discount is 2020VOTE.

For folks in underserved communities, they'll have the opportunity to get a ride on the house.

Lyft is partnering with orgs like Nike, More Than a Vote, Vote.org, Black Women's Roundtable, Sony Music Group, Plus 1 Vote ... and even John Legend, who's focusing on getting transportation for formerly incarcerated people who are eligible to vote.

There IS something worse than a SoCal traffic jam -- try getting caught behind a semitruck as powerful wind tosses it like a rocking chair, nearly tipping it over right in front of you!!!

The incredible footage shows the big rig leaning and rocking in the wind, and as you can see, at one point the entire trailer was lifted up on one side as it came oh so close to falling over.

Erik, the guy who shot the video, tells us he was driving onto the 210 Freeway Monday in Fontana, CA -- an hour east of L.A. -- when he noticed the semi struggling to cut through the strong Santa Ana winds, which gusted up to 96 MPH that day.

Erik says he started filming the semi, thinking it was only a matter of time before it blew on its side. He was dangerously close to being right.

The worst part for Erik was there was already bumper-to-bumper traffic on the freeway due to multiple other semis flipping in the wind.

NASCAR driver Kyle Larson will have a NEW team when he returns to the track in 2021 -- signing with Hendrick Motorsports, 6 months after his infamous n-word incident.

The 28-year-old driver had been fired by his old team, Chip Ganassi Racing, after he hurled the n-word during a virtual race back in April ... and many wondered if he would ever race again.

But, Hendrick Motorsports announced Wednesday they've signed Larson to a multi-year contract to drive the #5 car in 2021.

As we previously reported, NASCAR had initially suspended Larson for the incident -- but later announced he was reinstated and eligible to race again beginning on Jan. 1, 2021.

"Hendrick Motorsports is a championship organization that has set a high bar for performance and for how its drivers represent the team and its partners,” Larson said in a statement.

"My goal is to win races, be a great teammate, continue my personal efforts to grow, and hold myself to that high standard personally and professionally."

Larson says he knows there is a high bar for him to be successful both on and off the track. He also says team owner Rick Hendrick was one of the few people who stood by him in the aftermath of the racial incident.

"Mr. Hendrick is one of the people who extended a hand to me over the past 6 months. Our initial conversations were not about racing. He cares about me as a person and wants to see me succeed beyond driving."

"I can’t put into words how grateful I am for the commitment, the faith and the confidence from him and everyone at Hendrick Motorsports."

For his part, Rick Hendrick says Kyle is "unquestionably one of the most talented race car drivers in the world."

"More importantly, I have full confidence that he understands our expectations and will be a tremendous ambassador for our team, our partners and NASCAR."

Silento's so famous he needed to drive 143 MPH to lose 10 cars following him after leaving the club ... at least that's what cops claim the rapper told them when they busted him.

The "Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae)" rapper was arrested Friday around 3 AM in DeKalb, County Georgia after cops claim they clocked his 2020 BMW X3 sports SUV doing 143 MPH on Interstate-85, which is a 65 MPH zone.

According to the police report, obtained by TMZ, cops say they observed the car slowing down, changing lanes and swerving before pulling it over. Cops say when they approached the SUV, Silento rolled down the window, handed the cop his driver's license and said, "We ain't do nothing wrong."

The cop begged to differ ... telling the rapper his radar gun clocked him driving at dangerous speeds. Cops say when they asked him why he was driving so fast, Silento pulled the famous card and said "people be following me everywhere I go."

And, get this ... cops say Silento -- who said he'd just left a club where he was promoting his new track, "DXB Money" -- claimed he had the right to drive at those speeds and justified it this way -- "If there is like 10 cars following me, I can do 143 because I am not a regular person."

That answer apparently didn't fly with cops ... who arrested Silento for 1 count of exceeding speed limit, 1 count failure to maintain lane, 1 count of reckless driving and 1 count of improper stopping. He was taken to DeKalb County Jail.

Elon Musk has said he's moving shop -- as in Tesla shop -- to the Lonestar State, but he said something Friday night that made us wonder if the plan's still a go.

We got the Tesla/SpaceX honcho in WeHo Friday night at Boa, and asked about a couple of things. Our photog wanted the lowdown on Elon's plan to divest himself of his worldly possessions, ala John Lennon's "Imagine."  We specifically asked about the legendary home he sold that was once owned by Gene Wilder.

Elon told us he sold it to Gene's nephew, on condition -- that he retains its character. Elon sold it under market, possibly because he's a big Wilder fan -- we're guessing "Willy Wonka."

As we reported, Elon's shedding 2 massive homes in California ... Gene's home which was listed at $9.5 million and another estate listed at $30 million.

As for the move ... it seemed Elon was moving to Austin, and he said a few days ago he planned to open a Tesla giga-factory in Texas.

But, Friday night we ask Elon, "Is that why you sold the house because you're taking Tesla out of California. Are You Leaving?" He replies, "No, I'm not."

Nobody circles the wagons AIR like the Buffalo Bills!!!

A proud Bills Mafia member took their fandom to new heights on Friday ... by perfectly tracing the iconic logo with their flight pattern ... and the end result is pretty freakin' cool!!!

Ironically enough, Josh Allen and the gang are prepping to face off against the god-awful New York Jets this weekend ... but that didn't stop this pilot from showing support from high up in the sky!!

You can catch the tracker here to see the whole thing in action ... and it appears the masterpiece took about an hour and a half to finish!!

As for the guys on the ground, it's been a solid season so far -- the Bills are 4-2 and sitting pretty at the top of the AFC East and can basically coast into the playoffs.

Not so bad of a 2020 for those crazy, table-assaulting, Zubaz-donning fans!!

Divert your eyes, Porsche lovers -- this crash during a speed test of the new electric model is gonna hurt.

A man in Turkey got behind the wheel this month of a Porsche Taycan Turbo S -- it's an all-electric whip, so it's fast as hell, and he seemed so giddy about it he had a camera rolling. The speed test starts off just fine ... topping out around 120 mph ... but it had an ugly, dangerous ending.

Less than 20 seconds after hitting the throttle ... BOOM!!!

For some reason, the guy went hurtling into a roundabout and lost control. He was lucky enough to survive ... the Taycan was not as lucky. You can see significant damage to his ride and the concrete.

If you're gonna steal from Paige VanZant's Jeep -- at least have enough common courtesy to shut the door when you're done!!!

... especially in the middle of a rainstorm!

The MMA fighter says someone tried to ransack her vehicle Tuesday night -- but didn't shut the driver's side door when they finished ... and now the inside of her car is soaked!

"Listen, if you’re going to break in to my car -- please shut the door," Paige said.

The Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship star says she didn't leave anything of value in her car -- so no big loss. But, it sucks when someone breaks into your car -- you feel violated.

The good news for Paige ... karma caught up with her while picking up coffee later that day -- when someone picked up her check in a random act of kindness.