TV

Toosii thinks Nicki Minaj was totally snubbed in Netflix's female rapper documentary trailer, and says you don't have to be a woman to appreciate her greatness ... he literally grew up on her music!!!

We caught the "Favorite Song" rapper out in Hollywood, and he weighed in on the uproar over the forthcoming "Ladies First" ... which touted virtually every prominent rapper except for Nicki (and surprisingly Missy Elliott) in the preview scenes.

Toosii proudly reps Gen Z and remembers Nicki being the only woman in hip hop popping when he was a kid -- a sentiment J. Cole literally just shared with Kevin Hart.

Lil Baby also agrees and recently proclaimed Nicki to be the G.O.A.T. when it comes to female rappers, as her accolades speak for themselves.

Sources close to the production of "Ladies First" relayed to us that Nicki does indeed appear in the 4-part docuseries, but Toosii says producers screwed themselves by leaving her out of the trailer. He says they should be so honored to have the queen.

Inga Swenson, famous for her work in the early 1980s ABC sitcom "Benson," is dead.

The actress died Sunday night in Los Angeles as a result of natural causes ... her son, Mark, tells TMZ.

Inga's son says her husband, Lowell Harris, was with her when she died at a board and care facility. We're told Inga's heath had been in decline for the past 6 months, so her death did not come as a shock to the family.

Inga famously played German cook Gretchen Kraus on "Benson" ... appearing in over 150 episodes over seven years and earning three Emmy nominations for her work.

"Benson" was a spin-off of another TV sitcom, "Soap," where Inga had a multi-episode role as Ingrid Svenson.

In addition to "Benson," Inga also starred on Broadway ... and her performances as Lizzie Curry in "110 in the Shade" and Irene Adler in "Baker Street" resulted in two nominations for the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical. She's a trained lyrical soprano.

Inga acted in two movies in 1962 ... with a pair of supporting roles in "Advise and Consent" and "The Miracle Worker," where she plays Helen Keller's mother.

She married Lowell, a sound engineer, in February 1953, and the couple had two children, one of whom already passed away ... and in 1998 she retired from Hollywood.

We're told she wanted to be cremated and have her ashes buried with her late son in San Rafael, CA.

Inga was 90.

The 2023 Emmy Awards are officially on hold as the actors' and writers' strikes continue to freeze everything in Hollywood.

The Television Academy had to pump the breaks on its September 18 ceremony date, according to the New York Times -- and it could be pushed as far out as January ... a move the outlet's source said was "most likely."

The final date is reportedly going to be hammered out in the next few weeks ... and Fox, which is broadcasting the Emmys, was looking at postponing the show last month if the writers stayed on strike through July.

As you know, the writers aren't alone anymore on the picket lines -- WGA put pens down in early May, and SAG-AFTRA joined the cause on July 14 after its negotiations stalled with the studios.

The world of "Barbie" is mourning the death of Bill Cunningham, the original voice of the famous Ken doll in the 1960s.

Cunningham died at his L.A. home on July 15, but news of his passing first surfaced Thursday in a report published by Deadline. His cause of death was not disclosed.

CESD Talent Agency, which Cunningham co-founded, issued a statement praising Bill as being "among the great innovators and gentlemen of the talent representation business."

The company also noted Bill's major contributions in his chosen field and described him as a "gregarious, classy man who made a positive impact on all those he represented and employed."

Bill began doing voice-overs after he returned from military service in World War II. He got his first big break on NBC’s "Voices of Walter Schumann" and "The Tennessee Ernie Ford Show." He also sang on soundtracks for Hollywood movies produced by Fox, Paramount and Warner Bros.

His career skyrocketed in 1961 when he was tapped to be the voice of Barbie's boyfriend, Ken, after the Mattel toy company created the iconic dolls.

Bill was 96.

Jeremy Allen White isn't letting his divorce from Addison Timlin cause him a lack of appetite ... because he was photographed chowing down with a couple buddies.

"The Bear" and "Shameless" star seemed to be having a good ol' time with his boys Thursday as they strolled up to All Time restaurant in L.A., where they grabbed some grub.

Check out these photos, obtained by TMZ, which show Jeremy looking ripped in a tank top while casually chatting with his friends.

TMZ broke the story ... Addison filed for divorce in May after more than 3 years of marriage. The situation is complicated because the now estranged couple share two young daughters -- Ezer, 4, and Dolores, 2.

Megan Fox is firing back at the people who are blasting her for sharing a GoFundMe for her friend's cancer-stricken father ... saying the haters don't understand the full story or her relationship with the friend.

The actress took to social media Thursday to explain why she is helping crowdfund for her nail technician's ailing father ... instead of ponying up the money herself, as some folks online think she should.

Megan says her nail tech didn't want her money because it would create an uncomfortable dynamic in their working relationship ... and ditto for the woman's other celeb clients.

In her IG story, Megan also questions her haters' emotional intelligence ... and ends by calling them psychos.

As we reported ... after Megan shared the GoFundMe, donations started to pour in ... but some folks questioned why Megan was asking other people for money instead of just covering all the medical expenses herself.

Rep. Tim Burchett says he's determined to get to the bottom of several disturbing UFO allegations ... and that means digging deeper into the bombshell claims that just came out in Congress.

The U.S. Congressman from Tennessee joined us Thursday on "TMZ Live," and we asked how he and other lawmakers intend to follow up on former Air Force intelligence officer David Grusch's suggestion murders were committed as part of a government conspiracy to hide evidence of extraterrestrials ... including recovered spacecraft and non-human lifeforms piloting them.

Rep. Burchett says he's hoping to get into a super secret room with Grusch to get specific details on who was allegedly killed as part of a UFO conspiracy ... and to get more info about what kind of alien craft our government might have in its possession.

Remember ... Wednesday's historic Congressional hearings on UFOs included some bombshell testimony from Grusch, and Burchett explains the meaning behind a term that kept coming up -- "SCIF," short for Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility -- and why it's so important here.

Rep. Burchett is among the lawmakers most determined to share information on UFOs, and possibly alien life -- and he says some of his colleagues have actually seen UFOs, but were scared to come forward.

Page Kennedy is feeling the burn of the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike ... not only putting a damper on his upcoming summer blockbuster, but also reminding him how crappy royalty checks are!!!

TMZ Hip Hop caught up with Page, who says he's in shambles over the strike, which is affecting his upcoming film with Jason Statham "Meg 2: The Trench" ... a real bummer because he says he almost drowned filming the project.

Page reprised his role as "DJ" from the first 'Meg' thriller, but tells us he wasn't fully prepared to film scenes in the ocean -- at one point, he swallowed more water than his gills could handle. Luckily, the crew was able to usher him to safety.

The veteran actor/rapper has dozens of film credits under his belt, but echoed the sentiments of many actors who say their ever-shrinking residuals aren't cutting it -- and he even showed us some of his checks to drive home that point.

For example, his one-episode appearance on FX's popular Western drama "Justified" paid him $123 ... while his time on the short-lived FOX series "Backstrom" just netted him $59.

It might not be a get-rich-quick option, but Page says his love for acting is still there ... even if he feels execs like Disney CEO Bob Iger wear their greed on their sleeves!!!

He's also in the trenches with the picketers every day, and is back in his rapper bag with a new album, "A Book of Pages," slated for an August 4 wide release.

Selena Gomez appears to be extending an olive branch to her organ donor and one-time friend, Francia Raisa, wishing her a happy birthday after their recent falling out.

Selena took to social media Wednesday to wish Francia happy birthday, posting what appears to be an old photo of them along with the caption ... "Happiest of birthdays to this special human beings. No matter where life takes us, I love you. ❤️ @franciaraisa."

It's a noteworthy post from Selena ... Francia recently revealed their relationship was broken ... so this could be a sign Selena wants to patch things up.

The outstanding issue ... Francia took offense to an interview where Selena said the only person she was close to in Hollywood was Taylor Swift.

Selena's answer didn't sit right with Francia, because the two former child actors go way back and she donated a kidney to Selena in 2017.

Francia unfollowed Selena after the interview and still does not follow her on IG ... so it will be interesting to see if the birthday post moves the needle.

Kevin Spacey is cleared of sexual assault charges in his UK trial -- a London jury just found him not guilty.

The verdict was handed down in Southwark Crown Court Wednesday in London after 2 days of jury deliberation.

Spacey was originally facing 13 counts including sexual assault, indecent assault, and causing a person to engage in a sexual activity without consent. The 4 indecent assault charges were dropped, with the judge citing its removal as a "legal technicality." He was found not guilty of the remaining charges.

It's a huge victory for Spacey, who had been facing the possibility of life in prison if he'd been convicted.

As we reported, Spacey's been on trial in London for allegedly sexually assaulting 4 men from 2001 to 2013. The trial kicked off at the end of June, and he was spotted looking cheerful as he headed into court for the first day.

Prosecutors claimed Spacey performed oral sex on a man while he was asleep, was aggressively "touchy-feely" with one of his drivers, and even groped a man backstage -- something the alleged victim said was done "with such force it was painful."

A lot came out during the trial -- for starters, one of his alleged accusers compared him to his serial killer character in "Se7en" ... telling cops in a prerecorded interview the actor was "a bit like that. A bit creepy. Maybe not quite as bad."

Spacey took the stand last week, describing one of the accusers as funny and charming, describing himself as a "big flirt" and insisting what went down between them was gentle and consensual.

He admitted he really liked the man, but claimed he never knew he would "stab me in the back" 20 years later. Spacey said he thinks his 4 accusers were attacking him after regretting being intimate with him.

Elton John's name came up during the trial because one of the accusers claimed he was groped by Spacey while driving to the singer's annual White Tie and Tiara Ball in either 2004 or 2005.

The Rocket Man himself actually testified remotely during the trial, saying Spacey only attended 1 of his bashes in 2001, not 2004-05. Elton's husband, David Furnish, also said Elton's recollection of the timing was backed up by photos of the past events.

In closing arguments, Spacey's defense team told the jury, "It is not a crime to have sex, even if you’re famous" -- adding it's also not a crime to sleep with someone "of the opposite sex, because it’s 2023 and not 1823."

Snoop Dogg seems to be making a statement to Tinseltown about the SAG-AFTRA and Writers Guild strikes -- 'cause he's nixing 2 of his big shows here in solidarity with the union members.

The rapper announced the move Tuesday, writing ... "We regret to inform you that due to the ongoing strike and the uncertainty of when this will be over, we need to cancel the Hollywood Bowl show."

Snoop adds, "We continue to stand in solidarity with all of our brothers and sisters in the WGA and SAG/AFTRA during this difficult time and remain hopeful that the AMPTP will come back to the negotiating table with a REAL proposal and we can all get back to work."

Snoop's cancelation of his big L.A. concerts appears to be symbolic ... as he has other gigs lined up elsewhere around the country, which he did not address. Presumably, they're happening as scheduled.

Now, while Snoop's decision might seem like it's coming out of nowhere -- after all, musicians aren't impacted by the SAG/WGA strikes -- it actually tracks with some bold statements he's made lately demanding change in the recording industry.

He recently sounded off on modern-day artists getting stiffed on residuals in the age of streaming -- while also pointing out showbiz writers and actors are fighting over the same stuff in their strikes.

Bottom line ... he's quite privy to the struggle, and is most certainly in SAG/WGA's corner in the ongoing negotiations. Also worth noting, his Death Row guys are on board as well -- as a handful of Death Row artists and affiliates have been seen on the picket lines themselves.

Pete Davidson will be legally in the clear for smashing his car into a Beverly Hills home ... that's if he complies with certain conditions in the next 18 months.

The 'SNL' alum was charged with reckless driving last month. We've learned last week he entered a diversion program without pleading guilty or no contest to the offense.

Pete is required to do 50 hours of community service, which he can do in New York. We've learned he'll be allowed to put in the 50 hours at the New York City Fire Dept., where his father worked and died in the 9/11 tragedy.

Pete must also complete 12 hours of traffic school. He must also appear at a morgue for some education on what happens to people when they're victims of a reckless driver.

If Pete completes the requirements, there will be no criminal offense on his record. Score one for his lawyer, Mike Cavalluzzi.

The Truth is ... Paul Pierce just might not have it anymore -- showing in the latest episode of "Stars On Mars" that his body is nowhere near as limber as it used to be when he was an NBA superstar.

The former Boston Celtics forward joined the existing cast on the popular Fox show this week ... and it didn't take long for him to provide some hilarious laughs on set.

As he was getting familiar with Lance Armstrong's workout routine ... he noticed Tinashe was getting in some yoga on a couple of mats nearby.

Intrigued by the stretch sesh ... 45-year-old Pierce thought he might be able to do it -- and, spoiler alert, he couldn't.

Check out the clip ... while Pierce was kind of able to bridge his body similarly to the pop singer's -- he eventually began shaking, before he crumpled to the floor.

Everyone got a huge kick out of it -- including Pierce himself, who let out a big laugh.

While Tinashe made it clear she's wary of the show's newest castmates ... it's gotta be hard to freeze out Pierce going forward after that display of athleticism.

Ariana Grande is dating a guy who plays SpongeBob SquarePants -- but it ain't the main one you're thinking of ... which is why the wife of the real SB is chirping up.

Fellow voice actor Jill Talley -- who's married to the man who's been voicing SpongeBob on TV for years now -- posted a clarification in response to an IG post from The Cut ... which ran with a confusing headline about AG's new boo, Ethan Slater.

It reads, "Is Ariana Grande Dating Spongebob Now?" and it also features a shot of Ariana and Ethan -- this of course after we broke the news that the 'Wicked' costars are together.

Naturally, The Cut's implication here is technically accurate ... but not totally clear in and of itself. Yes, Slater portrays a live-action version of SpongeBob on Broadway -- a role for which he's earned Tony noms. But he's NOT the voice actor who's been playing him forever now.

That's something JT wanted to set the record straight on, commenting on The Cut's post ... "Hi everyone, I’m married to Tom Kenny (who voices SpongeBob on the TV show). He is not dating Ariana Grande. I don’t know if Ethan Slater (who played SpongeBob in the musical) is or isn’t dating Ariana Grande. However, they’re both adorable and I totally ship it."

She added this on her own relationship ... "Just wanted to set the record straight. P.S. as for me and Tom Kenny -- we are celebrating our 27th wedding anniversary today."

In other words ... one dude shouldn't be mistaken for the other -- and for a minute, it sounds like they were. Good to know the OG SpongeBoy is faithful through and through.

Like we first told you ... Ethan and Ariana have been dating each other for a few months now -- making the timeline of things a little murky. We know she and Dalton Gomez had ended their relationship in January, but that they also gave it one last go in May during their 2-year anniversary. On the face of it, it seems like there might've been some overlap.

Luka Sabbat doesn't think artists should abandon tours, despite the current ticket sales decline ... because he still values the stage experience as a fan.

We caught the "Grown-ish" actor out in West Hollywood this week, in the aftermath of Lil Baby downsizing his nationwide tour ... while other star rappers such as Future and Toosii also shuttered shows this year.

Luka's big on the live show circuit ... he soaked up the Coachella Festival sunrays earlier this year but says he favors headlining tours, as artists can personalize their set with theatrics, as opposed to sharing a general stage.

He even broke out his phone and shared his current 🎶 favs for us!!! Destroy Lonely and electronic music are at the top of his playlists!!!

Rashad Bilal and Troy Millings of "Earn Your Leisure" agreed that tours are still vital when we spoke to them about the topic in NYC this week ... noting that many artists would sell tickets better if they teamed up and then hit the road.

Harry Styles has been on tour for, like, ever now, it seems -- but the journey's finally wrapping in Europe ... and his #1 fan was there in person to send him off in epic fashion.

Of course, we're talking about James Corden ... the now-former late night talk show host, who's a bona fide Harry stan -- and who actually showed up in the flesh on Saturday to help HS cap off his long-running "Love on Tour" at the RCF Arena in Reggio Emilia, Italy.

The comedian was actually among just a handful of famous faces on hand to watch Harry perform -- although he was certainly the most recognizable. Others included Rob Stringer, Kid Harpoon, Ben Winston, and additional members of Harry's close circle of friends and family.

Now, as for whether James just looked on from the VIP area ... well, not exactly. There's video of the dude getting right in the mix among HS' many fans -- dancing his face off.

Indeed ... the guy was absolutely living it up/singing along to Harry's set -- again proving he's crazy about the guy's music, which he's made very clear over the years in sit-down interviews with the singer ... or even in "Carpool Karaoke." Corden loves him some Styles.

As you know, Harry's been touring for almost 2 years straight now ... having traveled the world and packing out stadiums and venues all over, just about everywhere he's performed.

His time on the road has been memorable. In addition to his many eccentric outfits -- and, at times, wardrobe malfunctions -- he's also ... had lots of crap thrown at him onstage (some of which has made contact), helped fans do baby gender reveals, trotted out tons of big-name guest acts to sing with him, gotten quite sick, won Grammys ... and, of course, spurred many people -- including security guards -- to boogie down on the floor.

Offstage, he's made headlines as well ... including his relationship with Olivia Wilde -- which proved dramatic. And yes, his other romantic interests since have also turned heads as well.