The TMZ Podcast

Alec Baldwin continues to embarrass Santa Fe New Mexico authorities who charged him with involuntary manslaughter ... because he may have been right all along when he insisted he never pulled the trigger on the gun that killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.

The prop gun Baldwin used back in 2021 had been modified, this according to the L.A. Times ... the trigger mechanism had been changed which increased the probability it could have misfired without Baldwin pulling the trigger.

Baldwin insisted he never pulled the trigger, something prosecutors and even the FBI disputed. The D.A. made a big deal of its theory that pulling the trigger was a major component of its case ... a case that has now gone up in flames.

What's unclear ... when did authorities learn of the modification on the gun? And how could it be ... Baldwin was charged before the authorities properly examined the weapon to understand exactly what happened.

The involuntary manslaughter case against Baldwin is being dropped ... less than 2 weeks before the trial is set to begin. The case was widely criticized, in no small part because the D.A. somehow felt an actor was responsible for checking the work of an expert armorer.

Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the armorer on the set, remains the only person charged with involuntary manslaughter.

Alec Baldwin has been vindicated in the "Rust" shooting case ... at least criminally, because the New Mexico prosecutors will drop the involuntary manslaughter case against him ... sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ.

We're told Baldwin has been informed the case against him is over. Attorneys Alex Spiro and Luke Nikas were expected to wage legal war in less than 2 weeks ... but the D.A. blinked in a big way.

Frankly, it makes a lot of sense. The D.A. has charged armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed with involuntary manslaughter, presumably because she's the expert, so it doesn't make a whole lot of sense why an actor would double-check her work.

Beyond that, although Baldwin is an executive producer on the movie, he's not the one making day-to-day decisions.

As you know, the accidental shooting took the life of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.

The case against Baldwin will be dismissed without prejudice, meaning it could be filed in the future, but that seems to be little more than a face-saving move by the D.A.

Spiro and attorney Luke Nikas tell TMZ ... "We are pleased with the decision to dismiss the case against Alec Baldwin and encourage a proper investigation into the facts and circumstances of this tragic accident."

Frank Ocean's out at Coachella as a result of an ankle injury, but Benny Blanco says his much-maligned performance still left him inspired.

TMZ Hip Hop caught the decorated producer out Wednesday afternoon in Bev Hills, and he offered a much different take from the majority of Coachella attendees who felt Frank's show was a bust.

Benny says he saw Frank live and thinks the "Channel Orange" singer, hands down, had the best set of Coachella Weekend 1 ... and he insists all the internet chatter won't sway his opinion.

The guy's worked with Snoop Dogg, SZA and Lizzo in recent months, so his ears have to count for something ... even if he's going against popular opinion. 🤷🏽‍♂️

The quality of Frank's set might be up for debate, but with his exit from the festival, it's definitely a one-of-one now.

TMZ Hip Hop broke the story ... Frank suffered two fractures and a sprain in his left leg, prompting festival organizers to replace his headlining slot with Blink-182.

Taylor Swift's ex-boo Joe Alwyn is at least tryin' to shake it off ... surfacing in public for the first time since news broke of their split.

The actor was spotted Thursday in central London ... nearly 2 weeks after the world found out their 6-year relationship was over. He was taking some calls while strolling and, honestly, the dude looks like he ain't getting much sleep.

Hard to say if the frazzled look is related to life A.T. (after Taylor) -- he could be upset about the breakup, or he could just be enjoying his new life as a single guy.

As you know, their split rocked the world of Swifties, but it was reportedly an "amicable" ending. Of course, that isn't always how things go for TS -- with her often taking the drama of a nasty breakup and turning it into a hit song.

Following the split, we've seen Taylor out a few times in NYC, even grabbing dinner with her pal Jack Antonoff ... and putting in some work at a recording studio -- all as she's neck-deep in her Eras Tour.

If you compare their public outings ... Taylor at least seems to be handling the life change a little better than Joe.

Here's some awkward foreshadowing of 'Scandoval' ... a "Vanderpump Rules" scene off the editing room floor showing Ariana Madix, Tom Sandoval and Raquel Leviss joking about being in a ménage à trois!

It's a wild vid, knowing what we know now ... it shows all 3 of 'em posing for pics together in a hot tub before Raquel says these photos must stay on Tom's phone, and can't be shared with anyone.

Ariana's reaction is pretty eye-opening -- "It looks like we're in a throuple." 👀

Tom and Raquel didn't have any visible reaction after she said that, but the timing of this scene is pretty shocking. Bravo aired the previously deleted clip ... which was shot last August in Mexico, where they were all attending Scheana Shay's wedding.

Twitter's having a field day with the clip -- some point out he couldn't keep his eyes off Raquel in the hot tub, while another called it "Beyond gross."

As we all know, Ariana later found out her words had some truth. We broke the story ... Tom and Ariana broke up after she discovered sexual texts between Tom and Raquel ... who'd been using code names on each other's phones to hide their affair.

We spoke to Tom this week, and he said he's happy Ariana's moving on ... referring to her hookup with a new guy at Coachella.

Shawn Mendes and Camila Cabello didn't just hook up for old time's sake at Coachella ... they seem fully back together, and we know that from a 3-second video shot Wednesday!

Shawn and Camila were hand-in-hand, strolling down a street in Santa Monica ... near a bank of restaurants.

As we reported, they met up at Coachella last weekend and were smooching, hugging and dancing ... but the prevailing view was it was a one-off after their breakup a year ago.

Not the case -- clearly. Here's the mystery ... did they just happen to see each other at Coachella, was there planning, and could they have gotten back together even before the music festival?

S&C first began dating in July 2019, and quarantined together during the pandemic.

There was lots of buzz he recently hooked up with his chiropractor, Dr. Jocelyne Miranda, but that doesn't appear to be the case ... Jocelyne was at Coachella with Shawn and saw it all -- highly unlikely they were anything more than friends.

Raquel Leviss had an awkward first encounter with Tom Sandoval's mom, who knew all about their secret affair ... and we're told the meeting wasn't even supposed to go down.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... Raquel took another trip to St. Louis -- Tom's hometown -- in January, following her first outing the month before. They were at a bar with his friends when the place abruptly had to close due to an ice storm warning in the area.

The group decided to take shelter at Tom's mom's house, which was nearby ... making it the first time Raquel had ever met her -- and yes, his mom Terri knew all about their affair.

We're told Terri wasn't cool with their situation but was cordial during the quick exchange. Tom didn't introduce Raquel as his GF, despite the fact Terri already knew.

The group ended up spending the night ... and Tom and Raquel ended up in the same room.

TMZ broke the story, Raquel made her first St. Louis trek at the end of December, with Tom giving her a tour of the city ... but we were told his family had no interest in meeting her, especially knowing what was going on behind the scenes.

Tom Sandoval claims a few of his cast members keep stoking the fire sparked by his affair with Raquel Leviss, and he's calling 'em out for it -- but he also says he's thrilled his ex Ariana Madix has a new man.

We got Tom Tuesday at LAX, and it's obvious he's feeling drained by the whole 'Scandoval.' Of course, most fans won't feel sorry for him, and what he told us probably won't help his case either.

He clearly has beef with some unnamed female "Vanderpump Rules" costars for "perpetuating" all the drama, at least that's how he sees it.

We also asked him about Ariana hooking up with a guy at Coachella over the weekend -- a guy she also drove to LAX for a farewell make out session. Tom, believe it or not, says he's totally cool with it ... and even seems genuinely thrilled for her.

He says all he wants is for Ariana to be happy. 🤷🏽‍♂️

Tom also doubled down on his frustration with Miraval Resorts and Spas in AZ.

Aaron Carter took prescription pills and huffed before his death, according to the autopsy results ... TMZ has learned.

The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner says its findings show Aaron drowned in the bathtub of his Lancaster home, but he took alprazolam -- generic Xanax -- and inhaled compressed difluoroethane ... which is the propellant used in cans of compressed air.

The report says he became "incapacitated while in the bathtub due to the effects" of the drugs and the huffing ... and, ultimately, he slipped under the water and drowned. Aaron's death is officially ruled accidental.

TMZ broke the story -- Aaron was found dead last November. Aaron's family claimed the coroner had told them there was no water found in his lungs, and they believed he had died of a drug overdose.

According to the autopsy report, there were multiple cans of Surf Onn compressed air found in A bathroom and bedroom. Additionally, authorities found several prescription bottles in the home.

Several clothing items were found near the bathtub -- including a beanie, sweatshirt and pants. A nozzle tip to one of the compressed air cans was found in a front pocket of that sweatshirt.

Aaron's fiancée, Melanie Martin, told us she thought drugs were what killed him -- you'll recall, he had a serious substance abuse problem in the years leading up to his death. As we previously reported, cops found cans of compressed air and prescription pills in Aaron's bedroom and bathroom.

Melanie told us there was a text exchange on Aaron's phone, saying he owed someone $800 for an unknown substance ... submitting the exchange to authorities for further investigation.

His mom, Jane, revealed a series of photos in early March from Aaron's bathroom the day he was found, believing it wasn't an overdose -- instead, calling it a crime scene and speculating that her son may have been a victim of foul play.

Jane said she had support from Aaron's family and friends to put the pics out there, wanting to bring the spotlight back to the case.

We covered it all in the recent episode of The TMZ Podcast, available on all podcast platforms!

Things between Ariana Madix and her Coachella boo are lookin' like more than just a festival hookup ... because nothing screams "serious" quite like taking someone to the airport.

Ariana was spotted once again with Daniel Wai Monday after their fun in the Indio sun ... and, again, they were making out -- curbside at LAX -- before he headed inside to jet off.

The pics, at least, make it seem like Ariana is really into this guy.

Setting aside the super-public PDA, Ariana drove him through infamous L.A. traffic to one of the busiest airports on the west coast -- talk about commitment!!!

As we reported, the "Vanderpump Rules" star was in full rebound mode over the weekend ... video obtained by TMZ showed Ari and the fitness coach lockin' lips pretty passionately while dancing the night away.

While some speculated this could've just been a fling, the LAX trip might be a sign it's a lot more legit ... 'cause gas ain't cheap!

Jonathan Majors reportedly had the door closed behind him by his management team ... getting dropped after last month's arrest for allegedly assaulting a woman.

According to Deadline, Majors' talent management company Entertainment 360 gave him the boot -- and the PR firm The Lede Company also pulled the plug on working with the actor.

Italian luxury fashion house Valentino has also uninvited Majors as its guest at this year's Met Gala ... according to the report.

All this rejection's coming after the "Creed 3" star was arrested last month in NYC for misdemeanor assault, aggravated harassment, attempted assault, and harassment after allegedly slapping his GF in a taxi.

Majors' lawyer Priya Chaudhry told us the alleged victim texted the actor after he got arrested to say ... "she was the one who used physical force against him."

And as you know, Majors has been working in Hollywood nonstop recently ... and he's set up to be the next big villain in the MCU. Deadline reports there have been no talks within Marvel to strip him of the role at this time.

When it rains it pours and, for Tom Sandoval, that just means more and more drama.

The "Vanderpump Rules" star took his seemingly never-ending cheating saga to Instagram Monday night and blasted Miraval Resorts and Spas for suggesting he would be staying at one of their locations this week.

Tom wrote, "I’m beyond disappointed in @MiravalResorts @MiravalArizona and their decision to post to their Instagram account this past weekend alluding to me staying there this week."

He continued, "They claim to be a refuge for wellness and betterment. But that is obviously false. They’d rather feed into the negativity and spectacle that has engulfed my life."

Tom went on to say that he planned a trip to the resort for some peace and quiet, but Miraval "isn’t the place for that." He also gave "a special shout-out to the general manager" for not taking responsibility for his team posting the message, which was in "poor taste."

In the since-deleted message, Miraval Arizona implied that Tom would be visiting its spa, sharing an image of an empty bar with a caption that mirrored the lyrics to VPR's theme song, "You know that it’s our time, these are the best days of our life."

To connect the dots ... Raquel checked into a mental health facility late last week, and fans speculated she was going to Miraval. Another rumor suggested Tom would be joining her. So it seems Miraval was playing into the speculation, and it seems Tom really had planned to be there.

As you know, Tom is in the crosshairs of a cheating scandal that has rocked the entire 'VPR' cast. TMZ broke the story in early March ... Tom blew up his 9-year relationship with girlfriend Ariana Madix after he had a torrid affair with fellow cast member, Raquel Leviss. Our sources say Madix, who's also a regular on the show, learned of the romance when she scrolled through Tom's cell phone and found inappropriate texts between him and Raquel.

Since then, Tom and Raquel have received major backlash from fans of the show and some of their cast members. Both have been struggling to keep their sanity through all the blowback they've received. We're told Raquel is currently seeking mental health treatment as a result of the fallout from the affair.

We covered it all in the latest episode of The TMZ Podcast, available on all podcast platforms!

Country star Jessie James Decker is calling out United Airlines for its alleged treatment of her pregnant sister ... who, according to Jessie, was forced to get on her hands and knees to pick up some popcorn.

Even before Jessie sounded off, the incident went viral because her sister Sydney is married to Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Anthony Bass -- and he was first to rip into United, claiming flight attendants made his wife get on the floor to pick up the kernels their daughter dropped.

With the online backlash in full swing, Jessie's adding to it by revealing on IG that Sydney's "five months pregnant, high risk, and also traveling alone with her two small children."

Jessie continued ... "The flight attendant came up to Sydney with a trash bag, and a wet wipe, telling her the captain wants Syd to clean up every drop" -- adding they called the scattered food a safety hazard.

She says Sydney was left in tears after her clean-up duty ... and now there's a push on Twitter for United to apologize.

Many chalked it up to laziness on the attendant's part, but there are some people backing United -- one user tweeted, "Commercial airlines are not your children’s playground. Pick it up and take responsibility for your kids."

We covered it all in the latest episode of The TMZ Podcast, available on all podcast platforms!

Frank Ocean suffered a serious ankle injury after being involved in a bike accident on the Coachella grounds just days before he was scheduled to perform ... forcing a change to his production.

Sources close to the situation tell TMZ ... the accident occurred when Frank was at Coachella rehearsing his set. He wasn't onstage, though, we're told the mishap involved bikes used to roam around the Empire Polo Club grounds .. and it was serious enough for doctors to advise Frank's production be changed.

One of the major changes involved the use of an ice rink, which was built for Frank's set. Another source with direct knowledge tells us ... a casting director reached out to a bunch of L.A.-based hockey teams in March for an unspecified paid performance. Once the skaters got to the audition, they saw Frank in attendance.

We're told it became clear during the audition that it was for his Coachella set -- and over 100 hockey players were cast. They rehearsed on an elevated ice rink at Paramount Studios, and even got bused out to Coachella for a dress rehearsal the week before Frank's show.

The cast arrived at Coachella on Sunday, but were told the skating routine was scrapped. Instead, they joined Frank on stage as background dancers -- it was more walking than dancing, TBH -- and a source tells us they all got hooked up with custom Prada.

Questions surrounding why Frank arrived at his set late and how production will look for his Weekend 2 set still linger ... but we hope he's a fast healer.

Latto seems to have no problem picking at the scab covering her Nicki Minaj beef ... and debuted a new song at Coachella that has fans thinking she once again is firing at her!!!

The "Big Energy" rapper provided exactly that Sunday when she premiered a new track on the Sahara stage ... rapping ether like, “Bitches acting like they running shit, they really ran through” and “She thought I would kiss her ass, she mustn’t have took her meds.”

The biggest clues the song was about Nicki came during Latto's song-ending ad-libs ... "Say she got a problem, imaginary smoke/ Bitch, you said it’s up, then put on the floor”

She then walked off the stage yelling, “Pussy hoe… Let a bitch know, we tired of the subtweets this year” ... as she and Nicki's very public Twitter spat is still heavy fodder for her fans as well as the Barbz.

The two fell out after the 2022 Grammy Award noms were released -- where Nicki's "Super Freaky Girl" was absent while Latto's "Big Energy" record made the cut.

From there, an all-out war ensued, complete with leaked phone calls sparking a rift that still hasn't been resolved.

Tom Sandoval and Raquel Leviss went to great lengths to keep their affair out of Ariana Madix's sight, even creating fake names for each other on their phones, TMZ has learned ... despite Tom claiming she knew the warning signs.

Sources connected to the trio tell TMZ ... it was Tom's idea to create the code names, and Raquel was more than happy to go along.

They both picked basic names for each other -- he put the name "Jamie" in his phone. We don't know what alias she used for him.

Peeps close to Tom and Raquel shockingly knew about the fake names ... Tom even called Raquel "Jamie" to his friends on occasion. Not a smart move.

Ariana never cracked the code during their secret romance, but we're told she knows now.

Tom recently made an appearance on Howie Mandel's podcast ... claiming his affair was visible to Ariana, but she chose to turn a blind eye instead.