The TMZ Podcast

Awkwardness was in the air at Disneyland this weekend, where the studio forged ahead with their "Haunted Mansion" premiere amid the SAG strike ... without any of the cast in sight.

The premiere went down Saturday at the Anaheim park -- in front of the actual Haunted Mansion ride, no less. Like we said, none of the major stars who act in the film showed up -- obviously, they're showing solidarity with their union, which went on strike last week.

In their place, a bunch of randos walked the carpet instead ... including a handful of Disney cast members who were dressed up as 'HM' ghosts and even just regular Disney characters. There were also some influencers there -- Holly Madison and other Playboy-adjacent people -- plus some Disney Imagineers and composers/BTS folks tied to the movie as well.

The big names who were notably missing ... Lakeith Stanfield, Danny DeVito, Owen Wilson, Tiffany Haddish, Jamie Lee Curtis, Jared Leto, Winona Ryder, Rosario Dawson ... and every other cast member. One person who did show was director Justin Simien.

He did some interviews with press, and said he was feeling "ambivalent" over the fact his cast couldn't speak for themselves ... while also expressing support for their cause.

Simien also addressed Disney chief Bob Iger's recent comments about the ongoing strikes -- where he said the union's demands weren't "realistic," while lamenting the fact they were hurting showbiz at large -- and JS walked the line ... saying he'd be happy to talk to BI to see where the gap is between what he wants and what actors at large are asking for.

It's a little unclear why Simien attended the "Haunted Mansion" premiere. We know he's part of the DGA, which recently struck its own deal with studio heads, and presumably ... he's obligated to go to this sort of stuff, despite the fact he says he's standing with the actors. Christopher Nolan did something similar at the UK "Oppenheimer" premiere last week.

In any case, he did his best to appease both sides, it seems. Dude's sorta stuck between a rock and a hard place right now ... as are a ton of other directors caught in this conflict.

Considering how empty this event felt -- ya gotta wonder if other studios will scrap their own premieres in the coming months. A lot of summer blockbusters already did their press, but there's still several big-budget flicks slated to be released through the rest of the year.

Vanna White is awesome!!! She jumped on the TMZ Celebrity Tour Bus Saturday in the middle of her ice cream run, and who knew her son was so hot!

Vanna and 29-year-old Nikko had just hit up Jenni's Ice Cream shop in Bev Hills when our tour guide spotted her. Vanna jumped on the bus and had loads of fun with our guests.

TMZ broke the story, she's demanding at least half of what Pat Sajak makes if she'll continue her more than 40-year reign on the show. Pat makes around $15 million -- Vanna makes $3 mil and hasn't gotten a bump in 18 years. Remember, even "Wheel" refers to her and Pat as "the stars of the show," not distinguishing between the two.

If Vanna exits at the same time Pat hangs it up, it leaves the show without any familiar faces.

Everyone connected to the negotiations has gone radio silent, although a few weeks back a source with direct knowledge described the negotiations between Vanna and Sony as "very difficult."

New video taken the night that Russell disappeared in Alabama appears to show the moment she pulled over on a highway to help a child ... this before mysteriously vanishing.

According to AL.com, the surveillance footage -- which was just published Saturday -- was recorded by an online company that captures and archives live traffic footage ... and it looks like they caught the exact moment that the 25-year-old came to a stop on the shoulder of I-459 in Hoover, Alabama Thursday night ... when she was first reported missing by her family.

It's a disturbing story ... cops say Russell called 911 that night to report seeing a lone child walking along the interstate, and she came to a screeching halt herself to get out and help.

Russell is said to have also been on the phone with her brother's GF, who says she heard Carlee calling out to the child ... asking if they were okay. Then, she claims to have heard Carlee scream before the phone dropped, with only the sound of traffic being heard after.

When police arrived to the scene ... they found her car and belongings -- including her phone, but Russell was nowhere to be found. Ditto for the kid she reported seeing.

Now, in the wake of this new footage -- which police say they have and are examining -- people are picking it apart ... and some even claim to see something that could give a clue as to what happened. In many people's eyes ... this looks to be an abduction via luring.

The reason people believe that -- aside from the eerie details of the case -- has to do with a bright yellow light that can be seen in this footage ... which darts south in the video at a rapid speed, but then goes dark. Unclear what the light may be -- but it seems suspicious.

Her family has been sounding the alarm since, asking the public to help bring her back ... and there's even been a huge reward offered for her return, now increased to $50,000.

Cops released a new photo of Carlee -- seen above, where she's got short hair -- and say this is a more accurate depiction/what she may have looked like the night she went missing.

Time apparently doesn't heal all wounds for Future ... 'cause the rapper just seemingly dissed the hell outta Russell Wilson in his latest song.

The Atlanta M.C. dropped the controversial bar in his "Turn Yo Clic Up" collab with Quavo on Friday ... rapping in his verse, "I got it out the field, f*** Russell."

Future hasn't shied away from his thoughts on his ex-fiancée and mother of his child, Ciara, moving on with the NFL quarterback ... going in on the now-married couple multiple times in interviews.

Remember, Future Hendrix bashed Ciara for having Russell around Future Jr. early in their relationship ... telling "The Breakfast Club" in 2015, "You don't bring a man around your son."

"You've known this man for a few months and you're bringing him around your kid? Who does that?"

He later went in on Russell in 2019 ... saying he's not a real man in their relationship.

"He not telling her, 'Chill out with that on the internet. Don't even talk to him. I'm your husband. You better not even bring Future's name up!" he said on Apple Music.

"If that was me, she couldn't even bring his name up. She know that. She couldn't even bring her exes names up."

Russell and Ciara have been married since 2016 ... and they have two kids of their own.

Wilson has since become a father figure for Future Jr. as well ... even spending a lot of time working on their football skills together.

Russell doesn't seem bothered by Future's constant gripes -- this past Father's Day, he said, "Future, Sienna & Win ... I Love You Forever! Glad we get to raise them together Momma! @ciara."

Dylan Mulvaney is back on U.S. soil after leaving for Peru "to feel safe" from all the Bud Light backlash ... posing for pics with all worries seemingly behind her at an L.A. film festival.

The transgender influencer -- dressed in a sheer striped top -- popped up Thursday at Outfest, an LGBTQ+ film festival at the Orpheum Theater ... showing up for the screening of "Aristotle And Dante Discover The Secrets Of The Universe."

Dylan's not in the flick, but it's directed by trans filmmaker Aitch Alberto -- marking the first time in Outfest's 41 years projects made by trans artists have both opened and closed the festival, so it's a pretty big deal.

If you haven't been following along, Dylan's resurfacing comes after she took a solo trip to Peru to do some healing ... shedding light on how messed up she felt it was she had to leave her native country just to feel safe.

Remember, folks went into a frenzy after Dylan and Bud Light partnered up for some promotion, with Anheuser-Busch reportedly losing more than $27 billion amid the outrage.

Dylan later claimed the company didn't have her back when a slew of hate came her way ... although, a spokesperson for AB said it is committed to the partnerships it's forged over the years -- including the LGBTQ+ community.

There's nothing but an empty set behind the wizard's curtain on the set of "Wicked" ... looking more like a ghost town as the SAG-AFTRA strike begins.

The Buckinghamshire village that Universal transformed into some vibrant sets for the Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo-led musical has become a dreamland for the cast and crew hard at work on the production ... but as the actors' strike went into effect Friday morning, the hundreds of cast and crew are nowhere to be found.

FYI, this movie has been brewin' since first announced back in 2016 -- obviously COVID was a big setback, but things were finally moving smoothly for the blockbuster before the strike.

HBO's "House of the Dragon" is also a project that's shooting overseas, but while that production's still going forward, don't think that makes the stars a bunch of scabs.

For those unaware, the actors in the 'GoT' prequel operate under the UK's local union, Equity -- which has strict rules against striking in solidarity with other unions like SAG-AFTRA.

"Wicked" is slated to come out next November ... but who knows if the team will be able to defy the gravity of the strike in time for its release.

Fran Drescher is clapping back against criticism she hung out with Kim Kardashian at a publicity event in Italy amid contract negotiations between actors and studios.

The President of SAG-AFTRA addressed the controversy -- specifically a 'selfie' she took with Kim K --  during a press conference Thursday announcing thousands of actors were going on strike while bringing all TV and film production to a grinding halt.

Drescher insisted, "That wasn’t a selfie," adding, "I’m a brand ambassador for a fashion company and so is Kim. I had only met Kim seconds before that publicity picture was taken."

Fran continued, "It had nothing to do with being at a party or having fun – it was absolute work … We work, that’s what we do."

The photo, snapped at the Dolce & Gabbana soiree, was shared on social media and it quickly went viral, causing all the turmoil.

One actor tweeted, "We're asking to be better compensated by the studios and Fran Drescher is mugging for the cameras in Italy. The optics look f---king terrible."

Another one wrote, "Hey @frandrescher, why are you gallivanting around when our strike is looming? Super bad look."

During her speech Thursday, Drescher -- former star of the sitcom "The Nanny" -- also mentioned she regularly stayed in touch with SAG-AFTRA colleagues in L.A. while she was in Europe.

SAG-AFTRA actors are facing a load of rules as the strike goes into effect ... and we're talking about everything, from acting on camera to even tweeting about projects.

TMZ has obtained a copy of the rigorous guidelines the 160,000 union members are required to follow until the strike ends ... and it cites the expected no-nos like acting, singing, and doing motion capture work in front of a camera.

But that's just the tip of the iceberg, because they also aren't allowed to do any voice acting, narrating, or re-recording their voice for a scene, also known as dubbing.

In addition, performers can't attend costume fittings, makeup tests, or rehearsals and they can't audition for upcoming projects.

There's also a ban on promotion, in every form -- they can't do interviews, tours, fan expos and conventions, podcast appearances, award shows or even post about a project on social media.

It appears pre-recorded promos are fair game for the studios, but SAG-AFTRA's asked publicists to add a disclaimer in front of pre-deadline press junkets so some actors don't come off as scabs down the line.

Stand-ins and background actors in the union are also forbidden from crossing that picket line ... leaving options incredibly limited for any shows or movies staying in production. Also, anyone not in SAG-AFTRA that crosses the line won't be getting future entry into the union.

San Diego Comic-Con, arguably the biggest pop culture fan event of the year, is already feelin' the heat of the SAG-AFTRA strike ... because some of the hottest panels have already backed out.

The West Coast's biggest convention has already seen a handful of cancelations -- "The Rookie" pulled the plug on its scheduled signing event and and "That '70s Show" is no longer hosting its anniversary panel.

Prime Video's "Good Omens" also had plans to do both a panel and a signing, but has instead pivoted to hold an advanced screening for fans, showing its season premiere.

There are loads of other panels and meet and greets set to go down when SDCC starts up next week, including shows like "Abbott Elementary" and "What We Do in the Shadows" ... but time will tell if it all goes dark.

For those unaware, one of the many rules union actors have to follow involves staying away from conventions and fan expos ... so there's a high chance other actors will follow in dropping out.

There were already talks of studios pulling the plug before Thursday's strike call ... with Marvel being a big name that already said it wouldn't hold its big presentation.

Hollywood is officially shut down ... the union representing actors is now on strike, which means actors will join writers on the picket lines for the first time in more than half a century.

SAG-AFTRA's national board met Thursday morning and voted unanimously to strike after its contract ran out Wednesday night, following a 2-week extension at the end of June to keep negotiations with the studios going.

Both sides of the battle agreed Tuesday to have a federal mediator join negotiation talks in a last-ditch effort, but that failed to get the union and the studios on the same page.

You'll recall, roughly 98% of union members voted in favor of a strike last month if a deal wasn't struck ... and that vote came weeks after the Writers Guild stopped working.

SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher called the studios' responses to their demands "insulting and disrespectful" after the contract expired ... adding, “Until they do negotiate in good faith, we cannot begin to reach a deal.”

There are some pretty strict rules that come with this strike ... starting at midnight tonight, actors cannot work on film and TV projects across the globe -- actors also aren't allowed to do any promotions for upcoming projects ... which includes press junkets and premieres.

The big London premiere for "Oppenheimer" happened Thursday, and the studio pushed the event up an hour so stars like Cillian Murphy, Robert Downey Jr., Matt Damon, and more aren't going against union rules.

The massive cast stepped onto the red carpet, but they weren't present inside the theater -- with director Christopher Nolan saying they left to gear up for the strike.

Actors also can't participate in panel discussions, including those going down at the ultra-popular San Diego Comic-Con, which kicks off next week.

Actors and writers last joined forces on the picket line way back in 1960 -- for context, Ronald Reagan was the president of SAG at that time.

FYI, actors are asking for fair streaming residuals, improved working conditions, and increased minimum rates, among other things ... and as you know, the WGA began fighting for much of the same when it put pencils down at the beginning of May.

Disney CEO Bob Iger took a shot at writers and actors Thursday morning, saying they're demands aren't realistic -- adding the challenges they're adding to the industry are "very disruptive."

Tom Sandoval said a lot in what appears on the surface to be a goofy convo ... a lot about Ariana Madix, Raquel Leviss and even Adele.

Let's start with the goofy stuff. A photog mentioned how Adele's been on his radar, even mentioning the 'Scandoval' during one of her Vegas residency shows. Check out the tune he belts out ... we're guessing it's not gonna end up in Sin City.

As Tom was leaving IntoMeSea Spa in Santa Monica Wednesday with reality show alum, Billie Lee ... the photog pivots to a sore subject -- Ariana.

The question is innocent enough ... how does he think she'll do on "Dancing with the Stars?" Tom noodles on it, and he bends over backward to give his ex high praise. Interesting.

And, finally -- and most important -- the photog asked how Raquel is doing. Before he tells the photog he should ask her, Tom kinda slips and says, "I don't know." If he doesn't, that's pretty revealing.

He's mum on whether Raquel is coming back to the show. As we reported, no deal has been made. Raquel and Bravo are in negotiations, and we're told her mental health is paramount over any reality show.

Nathan Griffith can't seem to keep his hands off other people ... because he was just arrested AGAIN for a violent offense.

The former "Teen Mom 2" star was busted Wednesday in Las Vegas and booked into the Clark County Jail for battery by strangulation.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... Vegas cops received a call around 9:15 PM and responded to a home where Nathan was staying. After conducting an investigation, officers placed Griffith in handcuffs for allegedly committing the battery against a family member.

Nathan is no stranger to the criminal justice system. He's been arrested before for serious crimes, such as domestic violence and domestic battery by strangulation.

From 2013 to 2015, Nathan appeared on the reality show, "Teen Mom 2," and was best known for his tumultuous relationship with cast member Jenelle Evans.

The two had a child together and got engaged, but the marriage was called off because of the friction between them.

Getting back with his "Vanderpump Rules" cast members isn't going smoothly for Tom Sandoval -- new video shows him breaking down during their first night out together, but ya gotta wonder if they're crocodile tears.

Witnesses tell TMZ ... Tom was having a chat with his jeweler pal Kyle Chan at SUR Tuesday night in WeHo. As we reported, the whole cast -- except Raquel Leviss -- was there and, around 9 PM, things took an emotional turn.

Check out the clip, Tom starts wiping away his tears, but it's hard to tell what got him in his feels. Ariana Madix was only a stone's throw away from him, so that could've been a factor.

Another possibility, though, is ... producers told him to look distraught. The lighting wasn't great, so we're not gonna vouch for the authenticity of this cry-sesh. You make the call!

On the other hand, Ariana was looking pretty happy and chatting it up with the ladies at the same time Tom got weepy -- but separate 'VPR' cameras were rolling on both scenes.

Remember, Tom, Ariana, and other cast members all stepped into SUR to watch James Kennedy DJ and to grab dinner with Lisa Vanderpump ... marking the first time this season the whole cast has been seen under the same roof.

Scheana Shay got into it with Tom outside the restaurant that night, and you could hear her shout at him, "If you hadn't f***ed Raquel," before walking away.

All the repeated tongue lashings -- which started during the reunion special taping -- could be pushing Sandoval over the edge, or he just knows 'VPR' is now the biggest reality show ... and he's got a role to play.

It's definitely no longer Prime day in Canada ... officials up north said this week they're recalling Logan Paul and KSI's popular energy drink -- due to its high caffeine content.

Health Canada announced the decision Wednesday ... saying at 200 milligrams of caffeine per can, Prime Energy needs to be pulled from store shelves.

Officials said the caffeine in each container -- which is equal to roughly two full cans of Red Bull -- is just too high ... coming in at 20 milligrams over the country's recommended limit of 180 per serving.

The move comes just a couple days after United States senator Chuck Schumer questioned whether the social media influencers' beverage should be sold in American stores as well.

The democrat argued that it posed a "serious health concern" for kids ... and he urged the Food and Drug Administration to investigate it all.

For their part, Paul and KSI have fired back ... noting that Prime Energy is different than the Prime Hydration beverage that they initially launched back in 2022.

The hydration one, they and the company reiterated, is for everyone ... while the energy version -- which dropped earlier this year -- is "not recommended" for anyone under 18 years old.

Paul recently created a sarcastic social media video where he attempted to demonstrate the difference between the drinks and water.

"As a brand," Prime officials added in a statement earlier this week, "our top priority is consumer safety, so we welcome discussions with the FDA or any other organization regarding suggested industry changes they feel are necessary in order to protect consumers."

All versions of the Prime drinks have become wildly popular since their debuts ... as the social media stars have aggressively advertised it to their legions of fans with a ton of success.

There's still a major piece of the puzzle missing on Season 11 of "Vanderpump Rules," because we've learned Raquel Leviss is still NOT signed on.

Sources with direct knowledge of the negotiations tell TMZ ... Raquel's people are "talking" to Bravo, but the deal is not done.

There have been various media reports indicating Raquel has already signed on. Those reports are not accurate. They're still negotiating.

Our sources say there's one thing that remains paramount in any possible return to "VPR" -- Raquel's mental health.

As we reported, Raquel has been in a mental health facility since mid-April, in the wake of all the fallout and hate as a result of Scandoval.

The cast has been shooting -- sans Raquel -- over the last week or so. They were all together Tuesday night at Sur in WeHo, shooting and arguing as per usual.

Britney Spears is still furious with Victor Wembanyama's security ... calling his use of physical force in Vegas last week completely unnecessary -- while demanding he issue a public apology.

The "Toxic" singer opened up about the situation Tuesday in a video posted to her Instagram ... after she says she heard a local radio host say she deserved to be hit in the face for touching Wemby.

She called out the station for the opinion ... explaining in all her years of touring and being in public around rowdy fans -- her security team has never taken things that far.

"I've been with the most famous people in the world -- *NSYNC at one time," she said. "Girls would like literally throw themselves at them. On my way into the place, actually, I was knocked down by like three 12-year-olds trying to get my picture. My security not one time touched them or even came near them."

"Point being," she continued, "I didn't appreciate the people saying that I deserved to be hit, because no woman ever deserves to be hit."

In her video, Spears also recounted the July 5 scene from her perspective once again ... saying she was backhanded so hard in the face that she went down to the floor and needed to be picked up by her best friend.

Of course, video TMZ obtained showed she never hit the ground after being struck -- though the sunglasses on her face were knocked to the floor.

She went on to say the San Antonio Spurs star's security apologized to her at her table inside Catch restaurant at The Aria some 30 minutes following the incident ... but he, Wemby and the team have yet to publicly say they're sorry -- something she clearly wants.

It's the second time in the last week Spears has spoken about the incident ... she previously wrote a lengthy note on Instagram, saying all she had wanted from Wembanyama outside the eatery was to "congratulate him on his success."

As we reported ... Las Vegas Police investigated the incident, but decided against filing charges.

Wembanyama, meanwhile, went on to play in two games in the NBA's Summer League in Vegas with mixed results following the incident. He's since been shut down by the Spurs in anticipation of the upcoming season.