Viral

Taryn Manning is so sick and tired of the Karens of the world ... she's ready to play one in an effort to bring their racist behavior to a screeching halt.

The "Orange Is the New Black" star hopped on "TMZ Live" Wednesday to discuss why she's embracing the villainous role in director Coke Daniels' new film aptly dubbed "Karen White" ... about a racist white woman who terrorizes her new Black neighbors. Yeah, sounds painfully familiar.

Taryn says she actually wants you to hate her in the film, not only because it means she did a great acting job -- but because she's hoping it shows how desperately society needs to change and embrace racial equality.

Coke says his script will dig deep ... in an effort to better understand the psychology behind people who act this way in real life. Don't get it twisted, he's not trying to justify the behavior -- he wants to illustrate how outrageous micro-aggressions can lead to racism and violence.

A Nebraska man had a helluva pitch for his local City Council leaders -- making no bones about the fact that so-called "boneless" chicken wings are the scourge of society.

This is a real thing that recently went down in Lincoln, NE -- where a well-to-do citizen, Ander Christensen, got up during the public comment section to air his grievances about this widespread problem that he felt was ruining a way of life for Americans.

At first, it sounds like he's talking about a major social issue -- like LGBT rights, racism or something -- but instead, he pivots to poultry ... as in chicken wings. Watch for yourself.

The man gave a passionate speech about how the phrase "boneless chicken wings" absolutely must be retired in Lincoln, across menus from all over the city's many restaurants. Why??? Because he says it's a bald-faced lie, straight up.

He makes some great points -- basically, boneless chicken wings are really just mini chicken tenders ... but restaurant-goers continue to live in a fantasy. He's got some alternative names in mind -- and they're not half bad. BTW, the dude is dead serious here ... or so it seems.

Laugh if you must, but don't clip this guy's wings just yet ... clipping the name will do just fine.

Boxing superstar Ryan Garcia just caught the first L of his career ... and it wasn't at the hands of Tank Davis or Luke Campbell -- he got beat up by some TikTok stars!!!

Okay ... so, that's not true at all. BUT, the 22-year-old phenom *did* hit the gym with the uber-popular social media stars Dixie D'Amelio and Addison Rae on Wednesday ... and they all took part in the "Body Shot Challenge!!"

Of course, we've seen Garcia's viral trend in the past with guys like Logan and Jake Paul ... where they put on a body pad and take hits from the 20-0 fighter.

Only this time, Ryan put on the pads and let Dixie and Addison fire off some punches for a solid 6 seconds before begging for mercy!!

And, the Oscar goes to ...

Hey, we get it!! The video wouldn't be nearly as fun if Ryan didn't ham it up for the camera.

Fun fact: the trio has a combined 51.2 million followers on Instagram ... and 97.9 MILLION followers on TikTok.

Ya can't deny Dixie and Addison's skills, though -- both ladies can land a serious punch!!

The runner who smacked a TV reporter on the butt during a race in Georgia last year just plead guilty to sexual battery ... and he'll now be on probation for the next year, TMZ Sports has learned.

Thomas Callaway was facing up to 1 year behind bars after he was arrested last December for slapping WSAV-TV's Alex Bozarjian while she was reporting live from the Enmarket Savannah Bridge Run.

Video of the incident was alarming ... Bozarjian was speaking to the camera when Callaway ran up from behind and hit her hard. You can see in the footage, she was visibly stunned.

Bozarjian later admonished Callaway on Twitter, saying, "You violated, objectified, and embarrassed me" ... and, eventually, she went to law enforcement to press charges.

44-year-old Callaway was ultimately hit with a charge of sexual battery ... and court records show he pleaded guilty to the misdemeanor count on Tuesday.

Per the records, Callaway was sentenced to 1 year of probation and also ordered to complete 200 hours of community service. Callaway was also hit with over $1,000 of fines and fees as well.

We've reached out to Callaway's attorney for comment, but so far, no word back yet.

Callaway -- reportedly a teen church youth minister and a Boy Scout leader -- had previously apologized for the incident ... saying on national TV days after the race, "There was a misjudge in character and decision making."

David Blaine's awe-inspiring, "Up"-inspired stunt went off without a hitch … though it wasn’t without some truly tense moments.

As the famous illusionist launched from the ground in Arizona attached to 52 colorful balloons -- one of which was actually an experimental aircraft -- he gave his daughter, Dessa, a gift and embarked on "Ascension" ... his latest death-defying stunt reminiscent of the classic balloons scene with the old man and his house in the 2009 Disney/Pixar film.

During the early part of Blaine's climb, he spoke with Dessa and told her he felt like he was floating, and kept repeating to viewers how incredible his view was … saying it didn’t even seem like he was on Earth.

As he reached certain levels of altitude, David would drop weights and various parts of his balloons contraption to aid in the rise, and then he pulled down his parachute and attached it to his body mid-air.

After he was connected and secure, Blaine increased his ascension and went through a rigorous breathing technique to get his oxygen levels right and prepare for his giant drop.

At one point during his constant climb, Blaine told his crew he was proud of them and that he’s never felt more confident about any stunt he’s pulled off … adding to the dramatics.

He then spoke with his daughter one last time and reminded her of the training they did together to prepare him for the cold air as he entered class A air space.

Finally -- after several more minutes of prep, and at above 24,000 feet -- he released the balloons.

It was edge-of-your-seat stuff for sure, but David’s descent from a free fall to pulling the chord on his parachute went smoothly. The only hiccup was Blaine couldn’t manage to magically appear at his target landing spot … but he improvised and landed safely not too far away.

"Ascension" accomplished!

For the stunt -- which was originally planned for earlier this week in NYC -- Blaine had to become a licensed hot-air balloon pilot. However, he moved it to Arizona, saying it was very complex and he needed a couple more days to prepare.

A Ukrainian woman was waiting in the wings for her chance to shine after a family vacation, and took it in a bizarre way when their plane touched down.

Check out this passenger aboard a Ukraine International Airlines flight that had just returned from Turkey this week -- she just had to get off the plane one way or another, and opened an emergency exit to do just that ... John McClane style.

In the video, the woman literally pops out of the exit and starts taking a little stroll along the plane's wing, not looking to jump or anything ... but to simply stretch her legs and get some fresh air.

That's what she told airport authorities anyway when they questioned her about this ... that she was hot and wanted to cool down. Doesn't seem like the folks at UIA bought it though, because apparently her own kids were reportedly already deplaned when she did this.

So, in other words ... it may very well have been a stunt for kicks. In any case, the woman is banned from flying with them ever again -- the captain also apparently called in the cavalry to deal with her ... airport security, border patrol and airline cops, the works basically.

A woman went flying into the air when a boat exploded in Italy ... and ya gotta see the video.

The blast happened recently in the Italian port of Ponza, an island in the middle of the Tyrrhenian Sea, with the boat bursting into flames while it was getting refueled.

As you can see, the woman hands the fuel hose over to a gas station attendant moments before the explosion, which catapults her off the stern, into the air ... and eventually crashing down into the water.

The attendant was also thrown by the blast and had to hop into the water to avoid flames. Another man and woman aboard the boat had to leap to safety as the vessel kept burning.

It's pretty incredible ... Italian newspaper La Repubblica says everyone escaped without serious injuries -- just bruises for the 2 people on board.

Ben and his associates just fleshed out their thoughts even further in a scathing rebuke of local Louisville law enforcement officials who appear to have tried getting her ex-BF, Jamarcus Glover, to falsely pin her as part of a crime syndicate ... this AFTER she'd died.

Ben and co. write, "This is why the Black community has no trust in America’s justice system. It’s enormously ironic that the accused drug dealer here acted with honor, refusing to falsely discredit Bre after her death -- even when offered the temptation of no prison time for lying, while prosecutors and police acted in the most egregiously dishonest and dishonorable way possible."

Ben goes on to say the police have already killed Breonna once, and now they're trying to do it again by killing her reputation and her good name. He adds, "Disgusting behavior by those who are supposed to be the protectors of justice."

The family of Breonna Taylor is rattled by the news of the shocking plea deal offered to her ex-boyfriend, according to their attorney, who adds ... they're losing even more confidence in Kentucky authorities.

Ben Crump came on "TMZ Live" Tuesday to discuss the bombshell news about local prosecutors in Louisville seemingly trying to smear Breonna with a false claim she was a criminal. That came out in a plea deal offered to her ex-BF, who was arrested on drug charges.

Crump says he's not buying prosecutors' claim the plea deal was merely a draft whipped up early on in negotiations. He tells us it's yet just another piece of evidence that local authorities were trying to sweep Breonna's killing under the rug from the very beginning.

Crump says the plea deal proves they were out to dirty up Breonna's character and says that's shaken her family's trust Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron will get them justice in the case.

He tells us bluntly -- Breonna's family is losing faith in the process, and not only because Cameron still has not announced charges against the officer involved in Breonna's killing.

Crump tells us there's no reason a clear answer shouldn't be reached in the next couple weeks, and insists the family only wants one thing -- equal treatment under the law. Plain and simple.

Turns out those baby sharks aren't nearly as fun-loving as that song suggests -- you gotta see how this one locked onto a beachgoer's arm ... even AFTER he got out of the water!!!

This crazy video comes from Florida's Jensen Beach, where a guy was swimming Sunday when a baby shark attacked him in the water.

As you can see ... the lil oceanic beast -- possibly a nurse shark -- latched on and wouldn't release its jaws, forcing the guy to just hold it calmly to avoid further injury.

You can hear a witness say that if the guy can flip the shark upside down it would disorient it and make it let go, but every time he moves the shark clamps harder.

So instead, according to the guy who posted the vid, the man was taken to the hospital to remove the shark ... and he's okay.

A group of people has been on the ground after the Beirut blast, finding lost pets and reuniting them with their owners ... and the video is about as feel-good as it gets.

The org is called Animals Lebanon, and they just recently posted a series of clips of different pet owners -- mostly of cats and dogs -- being reintroduced to their furry family members. The team was literally on the streets these past few weeks finding animals that may have run away or been injured in the blast, and then tracking down their families.

The pay-off is a joy to watch ... the animals are oftentimes just as excited -- if not more so -- than their humans, especially some of these dogs ... wagging tails and jumping up and down after recognizing a familiar face. The cats are happy too, just less demonstrative ... as usual. Still, it's awesome to see.

Animals Lebanon says it's reunited more than 100 owners with pets and adds, "These guardians had lost so much, many were injured and they were so grateful and happy to see their pets again."

Remember, the explosion that rocked the city literally blew out windows, rocked buildings and homes ... and absolutely scared the bejesus out of people (and animals, too). It also killed more than 100 people, and left several others severely injured.

Government officials said a fire broke out at a warehouse storing a ridiculous amount of ammonium nitrate, setting off the nuclear bomb-like explosion. They're still investigating how that was allowed to happen, and figuring out how to pick up the pieces.

An Iranian wrestling champ is slated to be executed over his alleged role in a 2018 protest against the government ... and now people from all over the world are begging for mercy.

The Islamic Republic of Iran's Supreme Court confirmed 27-year-old Navid Afkari received TWO death sentences for participating in protests against the government's economic policies.

Afkari is a decorated wrestler in Iran who has medaled in multiple national tournaments, according to several reports.

Navid and his 2 brothers were each charged with more than 20 different crimes -- including "attending illegal gatherings, assembly and conspiracy to commit crimes against national security, and insulting the supreme leader."

All 3 men were found guilty -- but Navid is the only one set to die for the alleged crimes.

His brothers each received lengthy prison sentences -- and were ordered to receive 74 lashes.

In addition to his death sentences, Navid is also set to receive 74 lashes.

Navid's mother made a video condemning the sham trial against her sons ... calling it an "unjust court hearing full of lies."

"My sons were not able to defend themselves at all."

Also, The Human Rights Activists News Agency says it has a letter from Navid explaining how Iranian authorities used torture to extract confessions.

In the purported letter, Navid says his captures used a plastic bag to cover his head and poured alcohol into his nostrils.

Joe Biden and Kamala Harris are breaking into the digital space like never before ... infiltrating Animal Crossing to reach a younger demographic, which is kinda genius.

The Biden-Harris campaign linked up with Nintendo to make some virtual merch available for the first time on their uber-popular game Tuesday, which 'New Horizons' users can now cop. IYKYK ... frankly, AC folks are always looking for new ways to spruce up their islands.

Among some of the items you can now swoop up -- via specific QR codes -- are three different Joe Biden campaign signs, which you can throw out onto your in-game lawn, PLUS ... an American flag-themed aviator glasses sign, which is another signature Biden token.

Of course, you can customize your character's look -- and some folks have recreated Kamala and Joe in the game itself. So yeah, your island can now feature some political ideologies ... something Animal Crossing hadn't broached before.

A rep for the campaign says they wanted to take advantage of a platform that literally reaches millions and which facilitates community. They add, "As we enter the final campaign stretch towards November, this is one way we are finding new creative and innovative ways to meet voters where they are and bring our supporters together."

This woman wanted to catch some ZZzz but instead had a SSssslithery nightmare after a 4-foot snake crawled into her throat!!!

The horrifying video was taken in Russia where doctors treated a woman who was rushed to the hospital saying she was not feeling well. She had claimed -- brace yourself -- a snake slithered into her mouth when she fell asleep in her yard. What the hell, Russia???

You can see from the video ... doctors are horrified after pulling the serpent out of her mouth. They're also terrified it's one long-ass snake ... relatively speaking considering it was apparently inside a WOMAN'S THROAT.

It's unclear if the snake was dead or alive at the time of extraction. Also, we can't confirm this vid is totally legit -- either way it's a totally terrifying sight.

The Ministry of Health in Republic of Dagestan is reportedly investigating the video and the chief doctor at the hospital where this allegedly went down said she was unaware of doctors performing the procedure at her facility.

A gas station clerk in Texas allegedly refused service to a Black man for having an out-of-state ID and hurled a racial slur at him -- and the video proves every retail transaction is an adventure these days.

This altercation went down at a Circle K in Cypress after midnight, where we're told the pissed off customer was trying to buy tobacco products.

The person recording says the clerk -- an older white woman -- asked for his ID, then asked him to remove his mask, but refused to sell to him anyway ... purportedly because he had a Nebraska ID.

That's when all hell breaks loose, and when the vid begins the customer is yelling at the clerk, threatens to "pop" her and accuses her of calling him the n-word.

His anger escalates and he begins to throw items around the store and on the floor, and as the clerk tells him to leave ... she also calls him a "f***ing n****r."

We're told the customer left and it doesn't seem like cops were called, but we've reached out to law enforcement to confirm. Circle K declined to comment about the incident.

Unfortunately, this is just the latest example of racial tensions in America leading to another disturbing altercation. No such thing as a boring sale anymore.

WARNING: THIS VID WILL RAISE YOUR BLOOD PRESSURE!!!

Here's PGA Tour star Ian Poulter putting a VERY EXPENSIVE Ferrari at risk all for a silly trick shot video ... and it's nerve-racking as hell!!

The 44-year-old golfer -- who made the clip to try to create some buzz for a credit card company -- pulled his whip out of the garage and then took aim at it with a ball and a wedge.

FYI -- the car appears to be a LaFerrari Aperta ... which can cost around $2 MILLION -- and yeah, it's tough not to sweat watching this!!!

Poulter, though, was able to chip the golf ball through the tiny windows on the ride no problem ... and like a boss, he got back in the car, revved it up and took off.

Pretty freakin' cool, huh?!

For his part, Poulter admitted the whole thing was a big-time adrenaline rush ... saying, "How else would I practice playing with Ryder Cup pressure."

There is a new, despicable revelation in the Breonna Taylor investigation ... prosecutors tried to smear her by offering her ex-boyfriend a plea deal that could have turned a 10-year sentence into probation if he agreed to say Breonna was dealing drugs, and it's flat-out false.

Documents have surfaced showing that Jamarcus Glover, Breonna's ex who is charged with drug trafficking and gun charges, was offered the deal if he'd say Taylor was part of an organized crime syndicate trafficking drugs into Louisville. There is absolutely no evidence to support this, but attorney Sam Aguiar, who reps Breonna's family, says, "The fact that they would try to even represent that she was a co-defendant in a criminal case more than a month after she died is absolutely disgusting."

Prosecutors for the Commonwealth said the offer was part of a "draft" during the negotiations ... and it was squarely REJECTED by Glover. Cops got a search warrant for Breonna's home as part of a wide investigation into Glover and another man. Police claimed Glover went to Breonna's apartment in January, picked up a package and went to a "known drug house."  Here's the reality ... NO drugs or money were found at Breonna's home, and she was never implicated in Glover's alleged drug dealing.

The short story ... it seems the effort was to smear Breonna to take the heat off authorities. Remember, the cops who shot her 8 times lied and said she suffered no injuries when in fact she died from her injuries.

It's shocking prosecutors used this tactic ... but apparently they did.