Ride Me

The National Transportation Safety Board will formally announce Tuesday the probable cause of the helicopter crash that killed Kobe Bryant and eight others.

Investigators have been working the case for more than a year ... but the NTSB says it will formally announce its findings at a virtual board meeting that will be live-streamed to the public on Feb. 9.

In the days following the crash, the NTSB said preliminary findings showed no outward evidence of engine failure.

Months later, NTSB officials said the pilot, Ara Zobayan, may have been disoriented when the aircraft was caught in deep fog.

The NTSB said in June it found evidence showing Zobayan thought he was ascending over the fog, when in reality, the helicopter was going downward.

Autopsy results showed Zobayan was NOT on alcohol or drugs at the time of the crash ... and NTSB investigators said Zobayan’s girlfriend told them he was in great shape before the accident.

Unclear if there's new evidence to refute the earlier theory, but it seems likely to us the NTSB will confirm its earlier findings.

Along with Kobe and Zobayan, seven others -- including Kobe's daughter, Gianna, and friends Alyssa Altobelli, Keri Altobelli, John Altobelli, Christina Mauser, Payton Chester and Sarah Chester -- perished in the Jan. 26, 2020 crash.

Kevin Hart's new muscle car is packing more power under the hood than his last one that wrecked ... and this souped-up ride's got some critical, upgraded safety features.

Kevin's new set of wheels -- a revamped 1970 Dodge Charger dubbed "Hellraiser" -- has an insanely powerful 1,000-horsepower Hemi engine. And, with all that HP it has potentially life-saving, 4-point racing seat belts and a roll cage.

Remember ... Kevin's 1970 Barracuda did not have a 5-point harness and roll cage, which car experts say could have spared him the horrendous injuries he suffered in Sept., 2019, when his friend crashed in the Malibu Hills. KH needed spinal surgery and lengthy rehab.

Sounds like the "Hellraiser" could leave Kevin's old Barracuda in the dust ... his new ride has power for days under the hood ... a 7.0-liter Hellephant 426 Hemi Crate engine with 950 lb-ft of torque routing through an 8-speed automatic transmission!!!

"Boy is getting out of this Dr. Seuss, Monopoly-ass car!"

Hassan Whiteside went IN on Jabari Parker's ride as the Kings prepped to leave for L.A. on Tuesday ... clowning the hell out of the Sacramento star's vintage whip in the parking lot!!

"Where you get that from?" Whiteside asked Parker. "Cat in the Hat? That s*** fuchsia! Fuchsia!"

FYI -- the car is pretty cool to at least SOME people ... it appears to be a light pink, 1950 Chevrolet Carryall that we're sure cost Parker some pretty big coin.

But, didn't matter to Whiteside ... 'cause the grill sesh just kept on going!

"Hey, Jabari!" Hassan said. "You a trendsetter, man. A trendsetter!"

All the guys seemed to love the jabs -- everyone within earshot was cracking up!!

Of course, the Kings could certainly use the levity, they haven't had exactly the best start to the season ... going 5-9 through the first 14 games.

Maybe a little roast sesh is what's needed to turn the tide?!?

By the way, if this all sounds familiar ... it's 'cause it kind of is -- remember just a few weeks ago when Kyle Kuzma cracked on Anthony Davis for his whip?!

Move over Tom Hanks, there's a new Viktor Navorski here to awkwardly (and illegally) live inside an American airport for months on end ... so say authorities out of Chicago, anyway.

A California man named Aditya Singh was arrested this weekend when prosecutors say United employees discovered he'd secretly made O'Hare Airport his home for 3 whopping months ... by using a legit staffer's credentials.

Singh claims he was afraid to fly for fear of catching COVID-19. He’s been charged with felony criminal trespass to a restricted area of an airport and misdemeanor theft.

Prosecutors say Singh had arrived at O'Hare from Orange County in October 2020 ... and, at some point, swiped someone's discarded credentials and shacked up in the restricted secure zones, where only employees are allowed.

Other passengers who shuffled in and out over the next few months apparently gave the guy money and food to survive.

Singh's reportedly a college graduate with a master's degree in hospitality. It's unclear why he'd flown to Chi-Town in the first place, but the judge presiding over his case finds it as bizarre as you do right now.

His bail was set at $1,000, and IF he posts it, he's also barred him from stepping foot in the airport for the time being. So, even if he can get himself out between now and his next court date in late January ... it doesn’t sound like he can hop on a flight home.

Got a James Harden jersey and a dirty whip?? You're in luck, 'cause one Houston car wash is giving out free washes in exchange for #13 Rockets threads!!

The 2018 MVP is officially a member of the Brooklyn Nets after a blockbuster trade on Wednesday ... forming a super team with Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving.

I Car Wash in H-Town came up with a solution for sad fans ... by taking their now-useless jerseys and offering their top tier wash in return, as ABC13 reported.

So, what's gonna happen to all the Harden jerseys?? TMZ Sports spoke with owner Sean Qureshi, who says he's hoping to TORCH 'EM ALL when JH returns to Houston as a Net.

"My plan is to burn them," Qureshi said. "I'm gonna make sure with local fire department just to make sure everything is on the up and up. But if they allow me to, whenever Harden comes back for the first game with the Nets, I'm burning them all that day."

Quereshi says he's preparing for around 50 fans to take him up on his offer ... meaning he expects to lose money in the promotion.

Mitt Romney endured a mighty long 4-hour plane ride to our nation's capital, because he was basically flying Air Trump -- a loud group of Trump supporters calling him a "traitor" to his face.

The Utah's GOP Senator got on a flight Tuesday headed for D.C., where he was confronted by backers of the Prez who asked him if he planned to stand against certifying the 2020 Election results ... something a handful of other Republicans vowed to do Wednesday.

Mitt stands firm ... telling them no, flat-out -- and explaining he's going to follow the process laid out by the Constitution. They basically threatened to vote him out in a future primary, but ya gotta see how the Senator handled it. Pretty cool customer.

However, the real chaos started inside the cabin of the aircraft -- it appears there were at least 2 different times while Mitt was in his seat that several other passengers literally jeered at him, chanting "TRAITOR!" over and over and over again.

Of course, it's no surprise Senator Romney's taking heat -- but it's different seeing it play out in public like this, especially from his own constituents. He's long spoken out against Trump, especially lately as it pertains to trying to contest the election without rock-solid evidence.

At least we know the guy's consistent 🤷🏽‍♂️

Tyler Perry wanted to vote in the Georgia runoff THIS BAD ... he hopped on a jet and flew all the way to Georgia to cast his ballot in person ... because his absentee ballot never showed up.

Tyler says he waited and waited for more than a month for his absentee ballot, but for some reason it never came. Tyler was in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, so he hopped on his jet and flew to the Peach State so his voice could be heard, along with more than 3 million others who cast ballots.

Tyler got his prize ... the "I voted" sticker which he proudly displayed.

He raised the issue Monday, asking Georgians ... "Hey Georgia, Is anyone else having this problem? I ordered my absentee ballot on December 2nd. I’m told it was mailed on the 4th. I still don’t have it!" Stacey Abrams responded to him, and Tyler answered back.

He replied, "Hey @staceyabrams, I flew home because I didn’t get it. I will be there early in the morning. Too important to miss. Too important to miss!"

What's unclear ... how many other Georgians didn't get their ballot. It's also unclear why this is happening.

Justin Combs just wanted to party, but he didn't obey Miami's rules of the water -- so instead, he ended up getting ticketed and towed away from the party. Bad form.

Miami Beach PD tells TMZ ... Diddy's son got busted for operating a jet ski more than 30 minutes after sunset Monday night on Biscayne Bay, and to make matters worse -- we're told neither he nor 2 passengers riding with him were wearing life jackets.

Both things are against the law, so police tell us Justin was issued multiple citations and the Miami Beach PD Marine Patrol towed him back to land to ensure his safety.

We're told this went down around 8 PM, and a witness on the scene tells us Justin was on the jet ski with 2 women heading to a yacht off Star Island to hang out.

We're told cops got to them before they could board the boat, though. It's unclear if they found another way to the yacht later on ... or if they had to settle for partying on land.

Lil Pump still doesn't buy there's a pandemic and still refuses to wear a face mask -- but after JetBlue banned him, he's still flying commercial. What could go wrong?

Pump was at LAX Tuesday night getting ready to board a flight. Interestingly, he hopped out of a van without a mask ... which, of course, is mandatory at at LAX as COVID-19 cases surge in L.A., the new epicenter of the pandemic.

A photog immediately asked him if he's still gonna go maskless ... after the JetBlue incident. You'll recall, Pump got banned upon landing in L.A. because the airline says he gave crew members a hard time and refused to put on a mask during the flight.

Well, the rapper was flying Delta this time ... but watch the video, it doesn't seem like it's gonna go much better. Pump flat out says he doesn't even believe COVID-19 is a real thing -- and although he did pull up a covering over his face as he walked through LAX ... he's not even trying to wear it correctly.

You'll recall ... after the JetBlue incident, he raged out and said he would NEVER wear a face mask.

Ya gotta wonder how the folks, especially the crew, aboard his Delta flight felt when they saw him get onboard.

Diddy treated his mother to a lavish dinner party to celebrate achieving 80 years ... topped off with a boatload of cash and a new whip for her too.

The music mogul threw the fancy 80th birthday bash at an L.A. mansion Monday night for his mom, Janice, culminating with him handing her a big ol' check for $1 million ... which appeared to overwhelm her.

Diddy was just getting started with the gifts fit for the rich and famous, though -- because then he walked her out to the driveway ... and there was a brand new Bentley waiting for her.

Pretty epic move by Janice's son, who also had "Happy 80 Birthday" spelled out alongside the swimming pool outside ... just for good measure.

Diddy's party was even more special because Janice shares a bday with his twin daughters, D'Lila and Jessie, who turned 14.

The only downside to the affair was the large amount of maskless people in close proximity as COVID cases surge in L.A. County. It's likely the guests were tested beforehand, so we won't be party poopers.

Bill Bellamy says flying during a pandemic is inevitable ... he just wishes there was more accountability all around to help prevent what sadly went down on United Flight 591.

We got Bill out at LAX on Monday afternoon and talked to him about the man who died on a flight from Orlando to Los Angeles. It's a terrible situation for sure, but Bill says there are a few "security blankets" the airlines could implement to ease passenger's fears.

He tells our photog it would help if, for starters, people adhered to the honor system. Meaning, don't lie! If ya don't feel well, don't fly. But, he adds ... airlines need to get serious about COVID screenings, such as temperature checks.

As we reported ... United Flight 591 made an emergency landing in New Orleans but not before medics performed CPR. The man was later transported to a hospital where he died.

Bill says people who feel sick and board flights put the very same people who are trying to save their lives at risk.

Mariah Carey's plan to safely get from L.A. to Aspen for her annual Christmas vacay without risking COVID-19 exposure can be summed up with two words ... ROAD TRIP!!!

Diehard MC fans know the singer's known for taking this yearly trip with the kiddos, but with the pandemic still raging out of control ... the singer wanted to find a safe way to make the trip without taking to the sky. The solution? Hitting the road in a luxury RV.

We're told she kept the yearly tradition alive by renting a 2020 Prevost RV through Outdoorsy.com -- it's like the Rolls Royce of RVs -- and decking it out with Christmas decorations like wreaths and poinsettias before embarking on the 5-day trek. They ventured across a must-see scenic route that included stops in Red Rock Canyon and Zion before arriving Wednesday in Aspen.

The RV's pretty sick ... with 2 bedrooms. a spacious living area, full kitchen and multiple bathrooms. This kind of RV usually rents out for $150k a month ... so you know it's top of the line and very much Mimi-approved.

Mariah's been going to Aspen for a long time ... telling GQ last year she goes because she loves a snowy environment, gazing at the mountains and spotting shooting stars. The kiddos also interact with live reindeer and even Santa Claus pays a visit.

Adam Levine and Behati Prinsloo are celebrating a partnership with Ferrari that raised 6-figures for Save the Children, and raised Adam's heart rate with a thrilling test-drive.

The Maroon 5 frontman recently took a spin in Ferrari's new coupe, the Roma, and posted a series of videos showing just how psyched he was behind the wheel ... as he should be, and not just because of the car.

Adam and his supermodel wife teamed up to bring one of the first Romas to the United States for a charity auction. The stunning whip has a price tag around $220,000, but it went for $750,000 in the Sotheby's auction!!! All proceeds went to Save the Children.

Adam owns a bunch of classic and exotic cars, but was NOT the lucky buyer at auction. However, Ferrari did let him and Behati experience the Roma during what looks like a ride around SoCal.

The Roma has 611 horsepower and a top speed of about 200 mph, and Adam put those ponies to work ... getting up to 182 km/h, or about 110 mph.

As for the charity auction, Save the Children has worked tirelessly during COVID-19 to make sure underprivileged kids have books, supplies and virtual learning tools -- so the money is certainly going to a great place.

Carjacking is a dangerous proposition ... just ask these 2 men who nearly got trampled by a pissed off driver, and it's all on video.

The attempted carjacking went down this month, and you see 2 men on a scooter trying to stop a car as it pulls out of a driveway. One guy pulls something from his waistband and points it at the driver's window and tries to open the door, but the car peels off.

The would-be car jackers give up, and hop on the scooter to try to make a quick getaway, but not before the driver of the car hits the brakes and comes flying down the street in reverse, and smashes into them.

The moment of impact did some heavy damage to the scooter, but the men survived and started running down the street. The car driver must've been seriously pissed off ... because they continued racing after the suspects as they tried to flee.

J Lo claims love don't cost a thing, but Cardi B's proving otherwise by handing Offset keys to a very rare Lamborghini for his 29th birthday.

The "WAP" rapper blindfolded her hubby Monday night and slowly walked him over to his birthday gift ... a Lambo Aventador SVJ 63 Roadster. The sticker price is a whopping $600k. Keep in mind, Offset just gifted Cardi a new Rolls-Royce for her bday -- so, sorry J Lo.

One look at the bronze-ish Lambo and Offset was stunned -- and even speechless for a sec -- but it didn't take long for him to erupt in celebration once he got a closer look at the SVJ.

The initials stand for Super Veloce Jota -- Italian for super-fast, and the 63 is for the number of them Lambo made. Cool car facts that Offset definitely knew.

Anyway ... the birthday celebration continued in what appears to be a nightclub, presumably in the Atlanta area, and the joint was packed. There seemed to be very few people wearing masks, and social distancing was non-existent.

A source close to the couple tells us COVID tests were taken and the party followed CDC guidelines in place for Atlanta.

Prior to kicking off the festivities ... Cardi B took to Instagram to honor her hubby saying, "Happy birthday Hubs ❤️ I wish you many more."

She added, "Thank you soo much for helping me these past months getting my business in line (somebbody gotta be the mean 1 😅 ) I ❤️ u. Let's turn it up tonight!!"

Well, that they did, as you can see in the video.

It's unclear if any testing went down prior to Offset's shindig, but it's interesting coming on the heels of the convo we had with him over the weekend about COVID-19 and the vaccine.

Tom Brady license plates are about to be a real thing in Florida -- and it's all for a great cause!!!

Florida officials have confirmed ... a license plate featuring Tom's image will go into production in the next few days/weeks as soon as 3,000 people commit to driving with it on their rides.

So, why??

State officials say it's part of an awesome idea by Tom's favorite charity organization, Best Buddies -- a nonprofit that helps people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Best Buddies reps say purchases of the specialty plate will lead to cash for the org ... explaining out of the $35 that it costs drivers to buy the plate ... $25 will go straight to the foundation.

And, because Tom has had such lengthy ties to the cause ... they say it's all the perfect win-win-win for all parties now that he's Tampa Bay's starting QB!

"With his recent move to Florida, we are incredibly excited to team up with long-time Global Ambassador Tom Brady for the new Best Buddies specialty license plate," the founder and CEO of Best Buddies International, Anthony K. Shriver, said.

"Since 2003, Tom has proven himself to be a committed advocate for individuals with disabilities, and we’re grateful that his commitment to our mission-driven initiatives will continue to create friendships, jobs, leadership development training, and inclusive living opportunities for people with special abilities here in the sunshine state."