Sha'Carri Richardson Gunning To Put On 'A Show' After Ban ... Racing In Aug. Event

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Sha'Carri Richardson won't race in the Olympics ... but she has committed to running again in August -- and she says she's now gunning to put on "a show" at the event.

The 21-year-old -- who was left off the Team USA roster this month due to a failed weed test and subsequent suspension -- will compete in the Prefontaine Classic in Oregon on August 20-21.

The event will likely be the first she runs in following the conclusion of her ban -- which formally ends on July 28.

And, Richardson is hoping to prove she's still one of the most elite runners in the world at the venue ... saying in a statement Monday, "I'm looking forward to running fast and putting on a show."

Event organizers say Richardson has signed up to compete in the 100 and 200-meter races.

As we previously reported, Richardson had been a favorite to medal at the Tokyo Olympics later this month ... but she was suspended 30 days after she tested positive for marijuana following last month's Olympic Trials.

Richardson explained she had consumed the drug to help her cope with losing her biological mother.

USA Track and Field officials, though, still left her off the team, saying, "All USATF athletes are equally aware of and must adhere to the current anti-doping code, and our credibility as the National Governing Body would be lost if rules were only enforced under certain circumstances."

Richardson told TMZ Sports just days ago that she was at peace with the USATF decision ... saying she's "accepting of it."

NJ Man on Racist Rant Neighbors Bracing for His Return ... Amped Up Police Presence

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The guy who unleashed a racist diatribe on his Black neighbor, and invited protestors to his front door will find more cops outside his house and a community on edge when he comes home.

Edward Cagney Mathews, the NJ man arrested over his viral racist meltdown, has neighbors bracing for his return ... with his HOA telling us they're preparing a beefed-up security plan in case things go haywire -- like they did when he was arrested last weekend.

We're told there will be an amped-up police presence too ... on the block, and right outside Mathews' place, which will be monitored 24/7.

The Essex Place Community HOA tells us they're working closely with prosecutors and police to make sure everyone's safe when Mathews comes home ... which could be as soon as Tuesday, when he has a hearing to decide his bail.

Remember, a huge mob of protestors descended on his home, throwing things at him as cops were taking him into custody.

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HISTORY OF RACIST REMARKS

It doesn't seem like the outrage will blow over easily ... as we first told you, prosecutors are digging into past allegations of similar incidents involving Mathews.

If you're wondering, the HOA says it has no authority to kick Mathews out of the community. So for now, they're just buckling up and bracing for the worst.

NFL's Mike Hughes Vomited All Over Teammate's Car During '19 Stop ... Police Video Shows

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NFL cornerback Mike Hughes blew chunks all over his former teammate Jayron Kearse's Mercedes while Kearse was being arrested for DWI back in 2019 ... and the gross scene was all captured on police video.

The footage was just released to TMZ Sports this week ... and it's pretty nasty -- showing Hughes vomiting multiple times while cops arrested Kearse, Hughes' then-Minnesota Vikings defensive backfield-mate, on October 27, 2019, in Minneapolis.

You can see in the video, after cops pulled over Kearse for allegedly bypassing a barricade and illegally driving on a highway that was closed off for construction at around 3:15 AM, Hughes began throwing up from the backseat of Kearse's car.

In the footage, it's clear as day, as cops detained Kearse ... Hughes continuously opened the rear passenger door and unloaded the contents of his stomach.

The video shows cops saying they believe Hughes was yacking due to having consumed too much alcohol earlier in the evening.

Kearse, meanwhile, can be seen in the footage appearing to bomb field sobriety tests ... and at one point, one officer says in the video the football player failed a breathalyzer test too.

In the clip, cops say Kearse had a BAC of .124, well above the legal limit of .08, so they arrested him -- and when they went back to check on Hughes in the car, they say they found a loaded gun in the vehicle beneath Hughes' feet.

Fortunately for Hughes, cops say Kearse ultimately fessed up to owning the firearm without a permit ... so Hughes didn't end up in any trouble.

Kearse, though, was taken to the station and ultimately hit with five misdemeanor charges, including DWI and possession of a pistol while under the influence of alcohol.

27-year-old Kearse -- who left the Vikings following the 2019 season to play for the Detroit Lions -- went on to strike a plea deal with prosecutors in the case back in February 2020.

He's since signed on to play for the Dallas Cowboys in 2021.

24-year-old Hughes, meanwhile, stayed with the Vikings through the 2019 and 2020 seasons after the incident ... but he was traded in May to the Kansas City Chiefs.

Both Hughes -- a 1st-round pick in the 2018 NFL Draft -- and Kearse were teammates in Minnesota from 2018 through 2019.

Wendy Williams on Slain TikToker Owes Apology for Mocking Swavy ... Says His Mom & Brother

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Wendy Williams made light of the murder of TikTok star Swavy on her TV show -- something for which his mother and brother say she now needs to apologize ... because she painted him in a bad light and outright disrespected him too.

We spoke with Swavy's mom and older sibling -- Chanell Clark and Rahkim Clark, respectively -- about the segment Wendy did earlier this week on-camera ... where she introduced Swavy to her audience by comparing social media followers, and throwing up a not-so-flattering photo of him -- this before getting to the lede ... namely, him being killed.

You can see the clip for yourself ... and it's obvious why Chanelle and Rahkim are upset -- not to mention scores of people who watched this at home, who were outraged by her handling of such a sensitive topic. The Millers are in the same boat, as it turns out.

Check out our interview ... Rahkim takes the lead on explaining why Wendy's words were so hurtful. As he points out -- this isn't just another celebrity news gossip story she may normally cover in her day-to-day lineup ... this is their own flesh and blood, and it's real life for them.

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you guys know who this is???

As angry as he is, it's probably nothing compared to Chanelle -- whom, BTW, says she saw her son get shot in Delaware Monday, and was actually with him during his last breaths. She flat out tells TMZ ... Wendy owes her/the fam a huge sorry for discussing her boy that way.

The Millers say they felt Wendy misrepresented Swavy as a thug or as someone who dabbled in the street, and that couldn't be further from the truth. So, they're demanding a full mea culpa ... and a correction for good measure.

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Fact is ... the young man was already blowing up online, but his mother and brother feel she exposed him to a whole new demographic in the worst possible way -- tarnishing his legacy.

Wendy doesn't appear to have responded to the backlash just yet.

Disney's Jungle Cruise Ride Update Revealed Coast-To-Coast ... Loses All Signs of 'Natives'

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Disney has a new Jungle Cruise look at its theme parks -- this after catching flak for what some said were racist depictions -- and they did away with any and all offending robots.

The honchos at Disney unveiled this week an update to their Jungle Cruise rides at both Disneyland and Disney World ... which were getting re-tweaked over the past year and change after a ton of people demanded they lose the so-called "natives" along the OG path.

The Mouse House posted a BTS video showing the process of what went into reworking the ride -- and the engineers reiterated what Disney said in a statement ... namely, that they wanted to remain faithful to what everyone loves and remembers about Jungle Cruise voyages of the past, while also being inclusive/respectful/accurate over depicting cultures.

What that, apparently, amounted to in the final product -- based on video they posted of the updated Jungle Cruise ride -- is no trace of the indigenous people that used to be seen along the way.

Most of those indigenous people were portrayed as Black -- but they were also made out to look like what some have characterized as "savages" ... something that's been done time and again dating back to the 20th century. Dr. Seuss even used to portray indigenous people in the same fashion ... always drawing them with super dark skin and exaggerated features.

It appears none of those depictions are still around in the new ride -- but there are still Black people featured. Only now, they're seen as part of the exploration squad ... as opposed to being seen as the scary, cannibal-esque bad guys threatening the cruise passengers.

The call to revamp Jungle Cruise came on the heels of Disney announcing they were also giving their Splash Mountain rides a facelift ... with the OG animatronics also being called racist and perpetuating deep South tropes. They took care of that, and now ... this too.

Up next -- Peter Pan and their Native American robots. Just kidding ... maybe.

American Airlines Lady Taped to Seat ... Alleged Mental Health Scare

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A woman who allegedly had a mental health episode aboard an American Airlines flight appears to have been taped down after freaking out in the air ... and the crew's drastic response is getting some side-eye.

This video was captured by TikTok user @lol.ariee a few days ago, during a late-night AA flight that she says was taking off from the Dallas-Fort Worth Airport and was in the air for about 2 hours. During that time ... a situation unfolded that caused a bit of a panic.

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According to the TikToker, flight attendants started frantically running up and down the aisles at around 1:30 AM, locking bathroom doors and securing the scene for something that was happening up near the front. She says no one said anything ... just hush-hush whispering.

Eventually, she says the captain got on the intercom, and told everyone to stay in their seats 'cause of the problem toward the front, which he apparently said they were handling. When they eventually landed, this user captured the aftermath ... a woman duct-taped to her seat, with her mouth also taped -- who was crying out as passengers passed her to deplane.

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As the TikTok user exited the plane, she recorded paramedics who were standing by with a stretcher. She later posted other videos saying she'd heard the woman was trying to actually get out of the plane during the flight, and seemed to be having an episode of some sort.

Sources familiar with the situation confirm that latter account to us ... saying the woman was, indeed, going ballistic. But, we haven't heard about her allegedly attempting to open doors or anything. In any case ... people are openly wondering if AA handled this the right way.

If she was actually having a breakdown of some sort ... some have questioned if restraining her in that manner might actually do more harm than good. Of course, others have pointed out that, in a scenario like that, the crew has to do what they must to keep people safe.

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As for American, a rep for the company tells us this ... "While in flight from Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) to Charlotte (CLT) on July 6, the crew on board American Airlines flight 1774 reported a potential security concern after a customer attempted to open the forward boarding door and physically assaulted, bit and caused injury to a flight attendant." They add, "For the safety and security of other customers and our crew, the individual was restrained until the flight landed at CLT and could be met by law enforcement and emergency personnel."

We've also heard the woman was taken to a hospital for an evaluation, and that she's on AA's no-fly list until further notice. The flight landed successfully without further incident.

Matt Damon on 'Stillwater' Research for Role Was 'Eye-Opening' On MAGA, Work/Life Culture

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Matt Damon says the research for his role in "Stillwater" -- in which he plays an oil-rig worker -- was a major wake-up call on red-state culture ... something that could well earn him an Academy Award.

The actor recently dished on what went into learning about his character for the Oscar bait-y flick -- which got rave reviews and even a standing O at the Cannes Film Festival the other day -- and he says what he gleaned from the roughnecks of Oklahoma was "eye-opening."

Watch how Matt characterized the experience during a panel Q&A following the screening of his upcoming movie in France. He explains how he and director Tom McCarthy spent a good amount of time down in the South ... where they got the lay of the land, literally, from guys who do the job day in and day out -- getting a sense of their lifestyles, their POVs on life/family and, of course, their politics as well ... which Matt didn't discuss with disdain.

If anything ... he's got the opposite sentiment, saying the people he was around -- not to mention his character, Bill -- own who and what they are ... even on the issue of MAGA.

It's a pretty fascinating take on what many may perhaps write off without a second thought -- the minute you bring up Trump and his supporters ... a lot of folks will tune it all out.

Not Matt, though ... the way he talks about his encounters down there makes it seem like there's some good people around -- regardless of their politics -- and that they're more nuanced than how they're made out to be a lot of the time. To which we say ... obviously.

BTW, this film isn't necessarily a slice-of-Oklahoma-life type of a project -- where Matt immerses himself in method acting or anything. It's actually an action thriller -- a la, "Taken" -- with the oil-rig/middle America stuff as the backdrop. Still ... word is, Matt's turn here is getting tons of buzz, as they're saying he's "unrecognizable" on screen.

Looks like it'll be a good one -- and with the Republican factor thrown in, we're sure it'll be the subject of some chatter once it hits theaters. "Stillwater" is set to come out later this month.

Tom Cruise Crash Lands at Wimbledon Finals ... Hunt-Esque W/ Costars!!!

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Nothing gets the blood going like a Wimbledon Finals match -- unless Ethan Freakin' Hunt himself stops by for a visit ... in which case, it's next to impossible not to strap in and HODL.

That's exactly what happened Saturday in London ... where none other than Tom Cruise himself dropped in for the ultimate round between tennis stars Ashleigh Barty and Karolína Plíšková ... with his 'M:I 7' leading lady costars, Hayley Atwell and Pom Klementieff, in tow.

It's rumored Hayley and Tom are actually dating right now -- and based on their body language before and during the match ... that may very well be true. They seemed chummy.

Anyway, the cameo made for a lot of fanfare ... people gave it up for Tom and co., offering up rounds of applause and stopping for photo-ops, etc. Of course, TC was graceful -- waving to the crowd ... and looking dapper as hell doing it. What else would you expect, right?

Interestingly ... the dude didn't seem too concerned with masking up, and neither did his cast members (or the Wimbledon audience at large). That's fine though -- the Wimbledon folks' mask policy is like a lot of other event venues lately ... ya must provide proof of vaccination, or a recent negative COVID test -- plus, wear masks while roaming the grounds.

So, it's all kosher. And, thankfully, it is ... otherwise the love-all spectators might've gotten a taste of what the 'Mission: Impossible' crew did last year while breaking protocol on set.

Gold standard, baby!!! 😅

Upstate NY Cop Punches Woman Square in Throat During Wild Walmart Arrest

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A police officer from upstate NY is on leave after he punched a woman he was arresting right in the throat -- knocking her flat on the ground ... and it's all on video.

The DeWitt Police Dept. released body cam footage -- which they spliced together -- showing what led up to the scuffle inside an East Syracuse Walmart on July 4 ... where the cops were dispatched on reports of women fighting inside, and allegedly using pepper spray.

When the cop in question showed -- who has since been ID'd as Rory Spain -- he tried separating the quarreling parties ... and ended up restraining the lady he ultimately punched, Tyreana Edmonds, with handcuffs. As he attempted to lead her away, things escalated.

In the video, you see Edmonds apparently try and bite Officer Spain's arm ... after which, he cocks his arm back, with his fist balled up, and unloads on the front of her neck. The punch lands, and Edmonds is tossed back ... falling hard to the ground after absorbing the blow.

You can hear people around who are filming react in outrage ... and when they approach, Officer Spain tells them to get back. He and his fellow officers arrested her and others involved in the prior altercation ... and they all face multiple charges over this.

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Edmonds has reportedly also been hit with 2nd-degree attempted assault of a police officer ... presumably because of what appeared to be her going for his skin. As for Officer Spain, he's on paid administrative leave while the department investigates ... which is SOP.

TikTok's Addison Rae Backlash for Landing UFC Reporting Gig 3 Mos. of Journo School!!!

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Addison Rae is either UFC's newest live event reporter, or she's trolling hard -- or perhaps both ... because she's touting what seems to be a new on-camera gig, which has got a lot of journalism student advocates pissed.

The TikTok star posted photos of herself at what seems to be a UFC event -- perhaps a teaser to Saturday's UFC 264, where McGregor and Poirier are set to face off -- but it's unclear where or for what exactly. In any event, Addison made it seem like she'd been hired.

As she posed all dolled up on the red carpet with a UFC tarp behind her, she wrote ... "I studied broadcast journalism in college for 3 whole months to prepare for this moment."

Definitely a tongue-in-cheek caption, we're sure ... or so it seems. Addison appears to be poking fun at the fact that she dropped out of LSU -- where she's said to have been studying journalism -- to pursue her social media career (which was obviously a good idea).

Although she thought it was funny ... a lot of people online didn't. Twitter users piled on top of her (digitally) for what they perceived as an unjust and unwarranted HR move on UFC's part ... assuming she's actually on their payroll. They suggested Addison was undeserving, as opposed to a journo student who slaved away for 4 years for an actual degree.

One guy wrote, "Should we hire someone who busted their butt through college, and genuinely loves UFC and is hungry for an opportunity in journalism?? Nah, let’s hire Addison Rae because she’s popular for 'throwing it back' on tik tok." Funny stuff, no doubt.

With that said, we gotta wonder ... are people are overreacting here??? Yes, while it may seem AR has little to no experience in the field, and perhaps isn't as skilled or trained as others who've studied this at the university level -- the truth is, UFC probably doesn't care.

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At the end of the day, the company is in the entertainment biz -- and if bringing Addison on as a host helps 'em get eyeballs and sell PPV purchases for their product ... they're gonna do it!!! And, besides ... a hosting job like this really doesn't take much schooling anyway. 🤷🏽‍♂️

If she was getting a desk job at the NYT or something, we'd get the outrage -- but for something as frivolous as this ... it's nothing but eye rolls for the angered would-be reporters.

Surfside Condo Collapse Binx the Cat Rescued, Reunited

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A black cat from the 9th floor of the collapsed Miami condo apparently has 9 lives -- because it's been found alive and well ... and now, reunited with grateful family members.

Binx the cat belongs to the Gonazalez family, who reportedly lived in unit 904 of the doomed Champlain Towers South condo complex. The kitty was returned to the fam on Friday, complete with a news conference to announce the tiny sliver of good news amid the horrific tragedy.

As Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava put it, "I'm glad that this small miracle could bring some light into the lives of a hurting family today, and provide a bright spot for our whole community."

Officials say a volunteer found Binx near the destroyed building. Volunteers and animal control workers have been scouring to find any pets that might have escaped during and after the building collapse.

It's unclear if the Gonzalezes were home when the building shockingly came down early in the morning of June 24 -- but the great news is they're safe, and so is their beloved Binx.

The Mayor said it's been "16 long and extremely difficult days" for the community -- the death toll now stands at 86 -- so, they can use every bit of good news they can get.

Michigan Carnival Out-of-Control Ride Tipping Over ... Fairgoers to the Rescue!!!

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Some Michigan fairgoers jumped into action as a packed carnival ride was seconds from tipping over -- and it's pretty clear these folks earned themselves free cotton candy and churros ... for life.

Video of the terrifying incident shows the Magic Carpet Ride in full swing Thursday night at the National Cherry Festival in Traverse City. As nearly a dozen passengers yell for help, you can see the base of the ride start rocking wildly.

Nearby patrons were looking, wondering what to do ... until one of them ran over and jumped on the base. Several more people quickly followed suit, leaning in and weighing it down.

When the ride finally slowed to a stop, the crowd cheered and everyone got off safely. According to local reports, no one was injured and the ride was taken apart and scrapped by Friday morning.

The company responsible for the ride hasn't commented yet on what went wrong. Ditto for the festival organizers.

The Cherry Festival, now in its 95th year, got a visit from President Biden over the 4th of July weekend. Doesn't appear he got on the doomed Magic Carpet Ride. Ice cream cones are way safer ... and delicious.

Ohio State Trooper Saves Choking Driver's Life ... Guy Swallowed Weed!!!

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HIGHWAY HEIMLICH

A driver in Ohio got in serious trouble when he tried to avoid a weed bust by swallowing the green, and he's damn lucky the state trooper who pulled him over knows the Heimlich.

Law enforcement tells TMZ ... the crazy traffic stop went down in Portage County, when Trooper Charles Hoskin pulled over Stephan R. Elash for speeding. Police say he also wasn't wearing a seat belt, but that was the least of his worries

As you can see in Hoskin's dash cam footage of the July 3 stop ... he realizes Elash is having trouble breathing, so he tells him to step out to try to dislodge what's caught in his windpipe.

After a few Heimlich thrusts, the driver tries to throw up, but it's still not working. That's when Trooper Hoskin had to really apply some force ... which saved Elash's life.

You can see the driver admit he swallowed a gram of weed, and apologize to the officer. EMS checked him out and he was okay, medically. Legally? Well, he was cited for speeding, failure to wear a seat belt -- and yes, hit with a misdemeanor for marijuana possession. It's still illegal in Ohio.

After Elash's stop, the Ohio State Highway Patrol issued an important, though pretty obvious, warning -- "Don't try to swallow a bag of drugs prior to getting pulled over in an attempt to keep a trooper from finding them."

Tell that to the guys from "Super Troopers."

San Francsico Gay Men's Chorus We're Standing By Controversial Song ... In Face Of Death Threats

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A MESSAGE TO PARENTS

The San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus is not backing down from a controversial song in the wake of what they claim is a wave of death threats coming their way.

Here's the deal ... the SFGMC recently posted a song across social media where they satirically sing, "We'll convert your children," but they say it's being taken out of context and they're getting lots of hateful backlash, including violent threats.

The Chorus is laying the blame on "far-right conservative media" ... claiming the song's tongue-in-cheek humor is being lost on folks and instead used to "support a narrative that suits their intolerant and hateful needs."

Their intent with the "convert" line is a double-entendre -- when you hear the full song, they're singing they'll convert children "not to hate."

The SFGMC claims the death threats are coming their way in emails and social media comments, and the group says it won't be threatened and will not back down in the face of violence. The Chorus says it's working with national and local law enforcement to address the alleged threats.

The Chorus is sticking by the song, but they say they're making the video private so it's not easily copied and taken out of context on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and other websites.

Rory McIlroy Fan Ejected For Stealing Star's Club ... Bizarre Scene At Scottish Open

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A golf fan was booted from the Scottish Open on Friday ... after he stole Rory McIlroy's club straight out of the star's bag and began playing with it on a tee box.

The bizarre scene was captured on video ... and you can see in the footage, as Rory was gearing up to hit a tee shot on hole #10 at The Renaissance Club in North Berwick -- a fan casually walked up to the 32-year-old's bag and rummaged through it.

The guy initially tried to pull out Rory's driver ... but when it got stuck, he went back into the bag and snagged one of McIlroy's irons.

The man then began lining up as if he were going to swing ... all while Rory, Jon Rahm and their caddies looked on with perplexed expressions on their faces.

Eventually, event officials got the guy to give back the club ... but he still tried to walk off with Rory's famous dog headcover.

Security, though, was able to wrestle it away from the man ... before booting him from the area.

"Let me put it this way: you could smell the reason why he did what he did," Rahm said of the incident afterward, according to The Scotsman. "He was clearly not sober. I'm going to say it was vodka. I'm no expert, but he had a long night for sure."

Rahm added, "He probably thought it was a fun idea. And, to be fair, it was quite funny."

An event official said police are now investigating the incident.

As for Rory, he said he was unbothered by it all ... explaining, "It was a surprise, yes, but it was handled efficiently and everything's okay."

Shaquille O'Neal Pantless For Live TV Segment ... Nice Undies!!!

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We see London, we see France ... we see SHAQ'S UNDERPANTS!!!

Shaquille O'Neal is out to prove the quarantine look is still in style ... with the NBA legend going business up top, nothing on the bottom for a live TV segment!!

Of course, we've all been there at some point in the pandemic ... but the Hall of Famer had no problem showing off his skivvies while on air for NBA TV Thursday night.

The Big Aristotle had just finished his final segment of the 2021 season after the Suns beat the Bucks in Game 2 of the NBA Finals ... and decided to celebrate by hopping up and dancing like crazy!!

The 7'1", 330-lb. big man even pulled a Petey Pablo by taking his blazer off, twistin' it around his hand and spinnin' it like a helicopter.

O'Neal even started doing jumping jacks ... later admitting it made him "tired as hell."

The moment is hilarious ... and even his fellow "Inside the NBA" analyst pal, Kenny "The Jet" Smith, had to get in on the party -- although it appears he was fully clothed.

Hey, Shaq and Kenny deserve the break -- as Smith points out, it was basically 2 NBA seasons back to back, thanks to the pandemic.

Now, the guys can enjoy their extra free time in their underwear ... but hopefully we don't have to see it all over national TV next time??