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One of the ritziest, most exclusive celeb joints in L.A. is secretly inviting people to an in-person New Year's Eve party, asking them to keep it on the low ... but to also spread the word.

The restaurant in question La Scala, and it's their Bev Hills location that's doing this "speakeasy" thing. They've apparently been slipping invites in to-go orders for a NYE dine-in event ... and they're being cutesy with it by slugging it as a '20s-era Prohibition blowout.

An invite of theirs was recently posted online, which reads ... "We are considering taking reservations for New Year's Eve Dinner. Inside. If this is something you'd be interested in, please let us know as soon as possible."

The message goes on ... "If enough interest we'll contact you back to secure your reservation. Please keep this discreet, but tell all your friends." So ... not a secret at all.

La Scala's plans are on the radar of Beverly Hills city officials -- who are issuing a harsh rebuke, but not much else at this point in the way of threats to shut this thing down.

The official rep for the City of Beverly Hills says, "We understand this is an incredibly difficult time for all of our businesses, however the County Order does currently prohibit indoor and outdoor dining, including in the City of Beverly Hills." Cool ... but is that it???

Time will tell if La Scala is able to move forward with their shindig -- you'd imagine cops would step in and try to stop it -- but at this point ... it could fall into a grey area, like so many of these lockdown measures we've seen defied this year, including around L.A.

BTW, La Scala is one of these legacy restaurants in Hollywood ... it's been around since forever, and some of the most famous faces in history have stopped by for a meal or two. People like Frank Sinatra, Cher, David Geffen, Khloe Kardashian, Lamar Odom, Barbara Walters and so many more have visited ... until recently, that is.

Now, this is creative ... a handful of Clubhouse users put on a live production of 'The Lion King' -- complete with a full cast and choir -- and THOUSANDS of people dropped in to listen live.

Organized by executive producer and director Noelle Chesnut Whitmore -- along with the assistance of a full crew, including voice actors/singers and others -- the performance is a two-show event that kicked off Saturday ... which entailed a matinee at 12 PM PT, and a later show at 5 PM PT. It appears to be free ... but ya gotta have Clubhouse to catch it.

Word is, auditions were held organically on Clubhouse itself ... and a ton of super talented people prepped for a live reading of the Disney animated classic, including those famous numbers we all know and love. And as it turns out, it sounds pretty decent too!

One such actor, Lee-Lonn (one of the guys playing Simba), posted a video of him rehearsing for 'I Just Can't Wait to be King' -- and it's obvious these folks are taking it pretty damn serious ... it comes off almost movie-like. So yeah, they're pros here at work.

The afternoon show is over, but like we said ... there's an encore coming up in just under an hour. At one of its peaks, there were reports of upwards of 5,000 Clubhouse users listening in live (on mute, of course) ... including tons of kids and families.

The problem -- if you haven't signed up for Clubhouse yet (which appears to still be in the beta phases of development), ya might have to wait until next time ... because the admin team has to approve you and your username before you can hop on, and that takes a bit.

The good news ... some people are capturing parts of the performance and posting (which is technically against their rules) -- so we can all at least get a taste of the treat in play. Not only that, but there's talk of other famous productions that might get the Clubhouse treatment -- like 'A Raisin in the Sun' for example, so more shows are on the horizon, it seems.

It might be worth your while to sign up -- Clubhouse is all the rage these days, and a ton of celebs are constantly dropping in and chatting with folks about a variety of topics. Celebs like Kevin Hart, Damon Dash, Joe Budden, Tyrese, Bow Wow and countless others have accounts and have made appearances ... with complete strangers tagging along for the ride.

The Nashville explosion that rocked downtown sent shards of glass and rubble flying all about in neighboring businesses -- including this one ... which was just a few short yards away from the blast.

TMZ has obtained new video captured from inside a sports bar named Buffalo's -- which sits at 2nd Ave and Commerce Street ... literally right down the block from where the RV in question blew up in a ball of fire. It's clear from this clip -- the impact was absolutely immense.

The security footage from inside shows 4 different angles from within the building -- all of which documented the moment shock waves from the explosion came roaring through their building early Christmas morning ... sending window fragments and debris in every direction.

The apparent bombing seems to have been orchestrated to go down in the wee hours -- right before 6:30 AM, based on what we're seeing here -- which is fortunate for the Buffalo's team ... because it doesn't look like anyone was inside yet. If they were, they would've almost certainly been seriously injured, or possibly killed by the explosion or flying debris.

Of course, there are reports of 3 injuries -- but, thankfully, none of them critical. Law enforcement has identified one person of interest, and agents are at his home now investigating ... but so far, nobody is in custody. It's likely the suspected bomber is dead.

As for Buffalo's ... they're especially in need of some help right now. Not only were they struck hard by the pandemic and new COVID measures in Davidson County, but their staffers have also been affected by natural disasters from earlier this year -- and now, this mess.

They got a GoFundMe set up to help hold over hourly employees' living expenses as upper management figures out the next steps. Any and every little bit helps, we're sure.

The person who intentionally set off a massive explosion in Nashville has apparently died -- because authorities say they aren't actively searching for anyone who might be directly responsible ... which would be standard operating procedure if they were alive.

Cops and federal official held a news conference Saturday with an update on where things stood after an RV blew up in downtown and caused devastating damage ... and the main takeaway here is that there's no manhunt underway for the culprit, which is telling.

Considering law enforcement came out early and said this appeared intentional means somebody's to blame -- and there's no way in hell cops and agents wouldn't be pounding the pavement if they thought the person who did this might still be walking free.

Tie that with the fact that officials have also said it looks like they've found possible human remains at the scene -- that leads one to believe that the culprit was blown to smithereens.

Here's another thing that makes us think the bomber is a goner ... he was referred to as the "ultimate Scrooge" by the U.S. Attorney there -- that's not the tone one takes when your man is on the run.

Now, cops have said they're pursuing over 500 tips for possible leads about others who might've been involved ... and there's a report there is one person of interest. A raid's going down at a Nashville-area home, where neighbors apparently saw a similar looking RV parked in recent weeks.

There've been no reported arrests ... just a lot of speculation. Cops say there are no more active threats they're aware of either -- which also points to the fact this was probably a successful suicide bombing, and an isolated incident.

The how and why are still unknown -- but law enforcement is scrambling for answers.

The equivalent of a snack bar -- or perhaps even a food truck -- has surfaced in the ancient city of Pompeii ... and by the looks of it, those Romans sure liked their chicken and duck.

Archaeologists publicly unveiled a discovery Saturday in the ruins of the one-time flourishing Italian city -- which was buried under volcanic ash in an historic eruption nearly 2,000 years ago -- and it amounted to a street food vendor set-up that's incredibly well-preserved.

The technical term for it is "termopolium" -- Latin for hot drinks counter -- but it would appear the Romans served more than just beverages out of this thing ... diggers uncovered traces of really old animal parts in the counter wells you see here ... fish, pork, snails, beef and other protein that were apparently dished out to paying customers once upon a time.

Not just that, but check out the fresco paintings on the front and sides of this bygone eatery -- the Romans depicted chickens, mallards, dogs (supposedly as a warning, they say) and even an angel-looking figure. So yeah, they knew how to advertise their goods/services.

Some other related items that archaeologists found ... a bronze drinking bowl, ceramic jars for soups and stews, wine flasks and amphora (a long jar/vase used for transporting a variety of crops and/or food). It just goes to show once more -- the Romans were pretty damn advanced before things came crumbling down, but most of us already knew that.

Ace Hood -- one of DJ Khaled's former artists -- was given an awesome Christmas gift to celebrate his success since going fully independent ... and it comes courtesy of his wife, who's got the perfect way to explain it.

The Florida-based rapper was greeted with custom commemorative plaques from his wife, Shelah Marie, on Christmas Day ... which she documented from her camera. She had them made special for him, as they account for the millions of streams he's racked up since leaving the grasp of Universal Music Group and all its subsidiaries (including We the Best).

Shelah writes, "When @acehood was last on a major recording label they were excellent about celebrating wins. Ace has so many plaques in the house from that era. Since Ace went independent, he hasn’t received any plaques for his projects. Ace is too damn talented not to have his flowers while he can smell them."

She goes on to explain that the plaques honor his first two independent projects -- 'Trust the Process' and 'Trust the Process II: Undefeated' -- while adding, "because in this house we don’t wait on the validation we want — we give it ourselves. I love you @acehood."

You can tell how much it meant to Ace ... he was damn near tearing up as he unpacked the sweet gift. It's also symbolic of how tough independent artists have it if they're not part of the massive machine that is a major record label. Not only do you not get formally recognized anymore ... but most albums ya might put out afterward get dubbed "mixtapes."

This kid needs driver's ed, stat. And, while he's at it, a conscience would also be helpful.

The teenager was driving his mom's car and, apparently, sideswiped a car in what looks like a mall parking lot ... we think it's in Alabama.

The kid drives away after being asked for insurance info, then crashes into another car before exiting and jogging off.

The kid tells the lady whose car he struck, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to. It's my mom's car." For the record, not meaning to hit another car is still negligence.

Well, the law requires the kid to exchange info with the other driver. But, when she asks for his insurance card and says she's calling the cops, he gets in his Honda SUV and flees, but not for long. The kid then annihilates a pickup truck.

It's good to know ... Canadians are now as crazy as us folks in the U.S. of A.

A group protesting the COVID vaccines dressed like zombies, kinda ... they had white masks, white hazmat suits ... the works, as they proselytized at the Fairview Mall in Toronto.

With an assist from a loudspeaker, they screamed, “Everyone loves the pharmaceutical companies” ... "Obedience is love ... questioning vaccines is murder ...  you are not essential. Big business is essential. The government is essential. The government is life. ...  questioning masks is murder ... thinking for yourself endangers the common good.”

It was peaceful, as zombies tend to be sometimes. At the end of the protest, for unsafe measure, they hugged and screamed, "Good job, everybody!"

Taylor Swift's status in Nashville just took a hit ... she's been bumped from one of Music City's landmark attractions, and replaced by Brad Paisley.

Taylor's held court for a while now with some of country's biggest superstars on the iconic mural at Legends Corner on Lower Broadway in Nashville. The mural features 14 icons ... including Reba McEntire, Willie Nelson and Dolly Parton.

But, artist Tim Davis is making some changes ... out with the old and in with the new. The artist reportedly said Taylor's image is being retired and 3 other stars, including Brad, will join the mural. At this point, it's unclear who else will appear on the mural.

The news, of course, did NOT sit well with Swifties. One person tweeted her disgust about the news, saying ... "Nashville really just PAINTED OVER @taylorswift13 in the legends corner mural on Broadway... she is a country music legend and so what if she moved over to different genres?? Confused why they didn't just make the mural bigger."

Sir Elton John's showing Santa how it's done ... slipping into an over-the-top version of St. Nick's suit to spread some holiday cheer by reminding fans he'll be back in 2021.

The Rocket Man went all out, adding a cape and mini Christmas wreath glasses to the typical jolly man's getup -- and with a real jingle bell in hand he delivered some highly anticipated news about his postponed final tour.

Elton wished everyone a safe Christmas, but then added he can't wait to get back on the road. Remember ... his Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour was interrupted by the coronavirus pandemic. He says he hopes he can resume in September 2021 in Berlin and then the U.S. and Canada. #CrossYourFingers.

You'll recall back in 2018, Elton announced it would be his last tour ... which would include 300 dates across 5 continents and go all the way through 2023.

Getting in the holiday spirit's nothing new for Elton. Earlier this month, he rocked this same outfit, accompanied by his 1974 holiday classic, "Step Into Christmas" ... for an epic TikTok clip. That one featured his whole fam getting into their holiday attire.

Mariah Carey's got the world celebrating Christmas like it's 1994 ... her classic song, "All I Want for Christmas is You," just set a record on Spotify.

Her iconic Xmas track on Christmas Eve set the all-time record for the biggest, single-day stream in Spotify history with 17.223 million streams, according to Chart Data which provides daily music stats from various sources.

Needless to say ... Mariah woke up to the news pretty stoked. She tweeted on Christmas Day and said, "I know people think I'm making "coin" (lil secret: artists make very little from streams) but the real reason I'm sitting here in astonishment & gratitude is seeing the joy this little song I wrote brings to people. THANK YOU & MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!"

The track was a smashing success when she dropped it in 1994 as part of her "Merry Christmas" album. While Mariah said artists make very little from streams one thing's for sure ... the track has brought her TONS of coins since its release.

Back in 2017, the song made Mariah a whopping $60 mil. That would be roughly $2.6 million per year. It's unclear if Mariah's hauling in the same amount every year ... but millions worldwide are undoubtedly still hitting play.

After all, it's a classic.

One of the COVID vaccines is just swell for folks who dabble in face fillers ... but this is the bad kind of swell.

Turns out some people who got cosmetic facial fillers have had unique side effects to the Moderna vaccine ... swelling and inflammation.

A few patients had cheek fillers 6 months before getting inoculated. One patient had lip fillers 2 days after getting the vaccine.

As for why it happens, doctors say the vaccine puts your immune system into overdrive, and when it spots a substance that is not a natural part of the body it attacks, and that's what causes the inflammation.

Although this info is sure to send L.A. into panic mode, fear not, because the symptoms subside with steroids and anti-histamines.

Doctors say the side effects are not severe and should in no way inhibit people from getting the vaccine.

A police dog took a bite out of crime -- literally -- on Xmas Eve.

The incident went down Thursday afternoon in Ontario, CA, just outside L.A. Cops spotted a stolen car on the 15 freeway and tried stopping the driver, to no avail.

The car eventually stopped on the freeway and cops tried negotiating with the suspect for at least 10 minutes ... before unleashing the K-9.

You see the dog leap through the driver's side window and latch on to the suspect's arm.  The suspect tried fighting off the dog, but the dog had other ideas. A bunch of officers came in for the assist and took the suspect into custody.

Props to this man who saved this poor deer stranded on a frozen reservoir ... with the daring rescue caught on video.

Gil Lencour was heading home for a lunch break Tuesday in Wisconsin Rapids when he noticed the deer struggling in the middle of a frozen reservoir. The quick-thinking dude zoomed home to grab a leash and called a buddy for an assist.

Gil says when he got to the deer it was clear the leash wouldn't do the trick. his backup plan was the ol' heave ho ... pushing the deer as it glided to solid ground.  The deer suffers from bad manners -- it did not turn around to say "Thanks" before scampering into the woods.

Gil's buddy, John Moss, began recording after it became apparent John had the situation under control.

Kevin Spacey has delivered his 3rd annual Xmas Eve message, and this one is about people who have reached out to him contemplating suicide.

Spacey, who's had his own troubles with alleged sexual misconduct, starts his message on a park bench and then begins walking and talking about folks who he says have contacted him this year, fed up with life during COVID times.

He explains how he reassured them that things get better ... he believes that, he says, from personal experience.

Spacey's annual message began in 2018, with a super weird message delivered as Frank Underwood, his character from "House of Cards." He said he was owed due process before people judged him.

Spacey followed up in 2019 with an encore from Underwood, but this message was lighter ... saying he's made big changes to his life.

Shemar Moore has come down with COVID-19 ... and he's hoping this will be the end of a really bad year-and-a-half for him.

The "S.W.A.T." actor said when he started feeling lousy, he thought it was just food poisoning. The test he took Wednesday showed otherwise ... he had the 'rona.

As for symptoms, well, pick one -- chills, all-day aches. Shemar can still smell and taste, so he's not suffering the worst.

Shemar isn't doing that bad ... he's at home wrapping presents.

Shemar was fatalistic about his illness ... "I have to accept test results... I feel fine now...but I have to be responsible!!!! My Xmas n New Years is clearly not gonna be the best... my last year and a half has not been the best... but I WILL BE OKAY!!!!"