Viral

Brian Laundrie might have been pedaling along a country road -- purposely out of public view -- on a rickety old bike ... that is, if you buy what someone says they see in this video.

Check out this clip, obtained by TMZ, which one witness tells us was shot from a surveillance camera on the outskirts of his property on October 9 in Dunnellon, FL -- a tiny town, about three hours north of Laundrie's hometown of North Port, where his family resides.

We're told there are several acres of rural land behind this guy's property, which is apparently where this footage was taken ... along what we're told is a rugged sugar sand path that hardly anyone ever ventures down ... on foot or anything else.

Weirdly enough, this unidentified guy was cruising down the trail on a bicycle ... and having a difficult time at it, as you can see. He's riding with an oversized backpack on, and heavy clothing ... and in the homeowner's eyes, was trying to lay low.

Add on the fact this mystery man -- at least at first glance -- appears to bear a passing resemblance to Laundrie in the face ... and we might have a legit sighting on our hands.

We're told this video was submitted to the FBI for review, as the property owner felt it was enough of a match to flag it. Then again ... we've seen a lot of these that turn out to be red herrings, and some folks have even had run-ins with the law over a mistaken identity.

A Black woman who'd allegedly just been beaten up by a group of kids received even more brutality from a cop -- an interaction that was captured on video ... and is disturbing to the core.

Video appears to show 34-year-old Shantel Arnold getting dragged by a Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office deputy last month. The woman had reportedly been attacked by a group of boys in her Louisiana neighborhood beforehand -- but it looks like the cop is roughing her up, instead of helping her.

Video has since gone viral ... it shows the cop trying to pull the woman up off the ground by the arm, which he does -- only to slam her back down by yanking her hair ... allegedly ripping some of her braids out of her scalp in the violent process.

According to witnesses, the deputy was cruising up alongside Arnold as she was walking home from a scuffle with the boys -- whom she claimed were bullying her over her size. She stands at 4'8" ... and often gets this sort of treatment, per reports.

This deputy reportedly asked her what had happened, but Arnold didn't wanna talk to him -- asking that he leave her alone.

Arnold was ultimately taken to the hospital for her injuries, and we're told she wasn't arrested or charged for anything. JPSO's internal affairs office is investigating the incident ... although, it's unclear if the officer has been placed on leave. He has yet to be identified.

There is such a thing as too skimpy for Hooters -- the restaurant is reversing course on a new uniform they were trying to get their girls to wear ... this after being called out.

You might've heard about this over the past few days -- there was a ton of outcry from Hooters hostesses, waitresses and others who've gotta put on the already-bare outfits ... 'cause a new uni was dished out, which were pretty much thong-style panties.

The bottoms were very short, and provided little to no coverage of any employees' cheeks -- the overall consensus was ... they might as well have us in bathing suits here.

Different Hooters girls took to TikTok and demonstrated just how short the new bottoms were, comparing them to the old set ... which at least went down to the very top of their thighs. A lot of the girls were outraged, saying the wedgie-inducing booty shorts were sexist, and not what they signed up for when first taking the job.

Some folks pushed back, saying the shorts weren't really all that different -- but after this whole thing went viral ... it's quite clear they were, especially since Hooters is doing a U-turn.

A company rep clarified their uniform policy Sunday to Business Insider, saying ... "As we continue to listen and update the image of the Hooters Girls, we are clarifying that they have the option to choose from traditional uniforms or the new ones." Hooters added, "They can determine which style of shorts best fits their body style and personal image."

It also sounds like the revealing shirts may be changing as well -- Hooters went on to say that it "appreciates the feedback, both positive and negative, regarding a more accommodating and inclusive image policy on tattoos, jewelry, nails, hairstyles as well as new uniform options -- to include new top styles, shorts and the addition of socks."

Washington is requiring all state employees be vaccinated by Monday -- but one trooper quit ahead of the deadline with a sobering final sign-off ... and harsh words for the governor.

22-year vet Robert LaMay -- who worked for the Washington State Patrol -- hung it up over the weekend, issuing one final thank-you to his coworkers and peers on the official dispatch system ... while also taking a big shot at Gov. Jay Inslee, who's enforcing the mandate.

Check it out ... LaMay, who's apparently unvaccinated, gets on the radio and says this will be his final time in a WA state patrol car, all because he's been deemed "dirty," as he puts it.

He goes on to recount the good times he had on the job, while thanking his colleagues for getting him home safe each night -- and, finally, ending his remarks with, "Jay Inslee can kiss my ass." He drops the mic on his lap ... waiting for someone on the other end.

Eventually, the dispatcher jumps on and goes through a list of his contributions as a trooper ... also thanking him for his service. It's somewhat unceremonious, which he acknowledges.

Of course, this paints a stark picture of what a lot of law enforcement officers -- and others -- across multiple states are facing -- and there's rumblings mass firings/resignations could be coming as more and more vaccine mandates go into effect over the coming weeks.

Even on the federal level, vaccine mandates are being hotly discussed and debated -- especially among airlines ... which got roped into President Biden's order since they contract with the federal government. And yet, not every airline will play ball -- like Delta.

Johnny Depp might be considered a pariah in the U.S. -- but the guy's still got the love and support of LOTS of fans outside the country, especially in Italy ... where he's a rock star.

Check out these clips of JD showing up Sunday to the premiere of his new animated TV series, "Puffins," at the Rome Film Festival ... hitting the red carpet with a swarm of people cheering him on and singing his praises from afar as he graciously waved and played along.

You can tell Johnny is grateful for these folks having his back ... taking his time to acknowledge everyone, bowing down to them at one point, and blowing kisses to everyone screaming his name. Usually, celebs might just pose for the cameras front and center, but here ... he gave everyone on the outskirts a nod of appreciation.

Even on his way out -- through the back of a building, presumably where the premiere was held -- there was a mob of people waiting for him ... and there, too, he gave them the time of day. Eventually, he got into a waiting SUV -- but didn't seem to be in a hurry to scram.

It's a fascinating dynamic -- especially as it relates to his public perception on the home front ... where the guy has claimed he's been blacklisted and ostracized over his defamation case in the UK, which effectively saw him branded as a "wifebeater" against Amber Heard.

He was quickly fired from projects he was attached to at the time -- and hasn't been able to land a mainstream Hollywood gig since ... and yet, many Europeans still welcome him with open arms -- while seemingly harboring hostility toward AH ... as we've recently seen.

Perhaps they're not as inclined to believe what's been alleged against him -- even after a court case didn't go in his favor ... with another one on the horizon.

This is just insane ... a woman not only went nuts on a plane to push her COVID conspiracy theory ... she brought her own mic along for the ride.

Check out the video ... she launches mid-flight into a rambling, incoherent tirade over her  COVID conspiracy theory. She proudly announced her beliefs to the captive audience on the plane ... and with the assist from the mic, her voice was amplified for all to hear.

At one point she immodestly boasts how she's not bad to look at, as the passengers are clearly expressing their displeasure.

The passenger who shot the video hilariously confesses they paid for wifi on the plane so the video could be quickly posted. Big thank you from TMZ!

It's unclear what happened once the plane landed, but as everyone knows by now, flying has become a s*** show with tirades and fights an everyday occurrence.

Jonathan Goodwin's horrific car stunt gone wrong was every bit as shocking as it sounded -- which you can now see here in video of the accident that's gut-wrenching to watch.

TMZ has obtained footage of the moment the stunt got underway Thursday during an 'AGT: Extreme' rehearsal, and the moment Goodwin got sandwiched between two cars ... resulting in a massive fireball to explode, and Goodwin being rushed to the hospital in critical condition.

Check out the clip -- you see the professional daredevil hanging mid-air in a straight jacket ... with the two vehicles also suspended on each side of him. When they release the cars -- which then start to swing toward Goodwin -- they unhook his harness as well.

Goodwin was supposed to fall underneath the cars before they collided, but the timing was off ... and he was crushed between them as they came together. After that, he fell to the ground and hit his head -- but this video, fortunately, doesn't show any of that gnarly aftermath.

As we reported ... Goodwin was unresponsive at first, and folks on the set of the production thought he'd been killed. He did eventually come to, however, while being airlifted to a nearby hospital, where he underwent surgery. We know he was taken to a trauma unit, but his condition remains unclear at this point.

Michael Caine ain't hanging it up just yet in the acting department -- this despite the fact that he strongly suggested he would be ... doing a 180, which has fans sighing with relief.

The legendary British actor clarified what his future professional plans were Saturday ... saying he is NOT retiring, while his rep also tells Variety that he's actually reading two scripts right now for potential projects down the road.

MC tweeted, "I haven't retired and not a lot of people know that." He also issued a more formal statement saying he's been waking up at 6 AM for 50 years to make movies, and he has no intention of chucking his alarm clock now.

The about-face stance comes about 24 hours after he caused a firestorm of sadness among movie lovers, telling a couple BBC radio hosts on "Kermode and Mayo's Film Review" that he hadn't worked in 2 years, and that he wasn't able to walk very well because of his health.

When asked directly if this upcoming feature of his, "Best Sellers," would be his last role ... the dude said yeah, probably. He noted he hadn't gotten any good offers for roles of late, and pointed out that he's 88 ... acknowledging there aren't too many films with 88-year-old leads.

Seems he's had a complete change of heart overnight, because he's totally backtracking now and saying he's gonna keep at it ... which, we're sure, fans of his are overjoyed to hear.

Gabby Petito's grieving parents paid a visit to a place their daughter visited shortly before she was murdered.

Joseph Petito posted a photo of Jenny Lake in Wyoming. The scenery is stunning ... with snowcapped mountains lining the area around a beautiful lake in Grand Teton National Park.

"I now know why you came here," Joseph wrote on Twitter. "#gabbypetito has a beautiful view from now on. Love you, and miss you."

The lake is near where Gabby's body was found. As we reported, the Teton County Coroner concluded Gabby died from manual strangulation sometime around the end of August.

Gabby's parents made the trip to recover her remains, which have been cremated. They're coming back to New York this weekend with the urn.

Brian Laundrie has still not been named a suspect in Gabby's death, although that seems to be more for strategic reasons. He is wanted for fraud, which would allow authorities to arrest him.  He's not been seen for a month, and the area authorities have been searching has not produced a single shred of evidence.

Adele's new single's already getting some of the best possible pub -- and so is she -- thanks to one of her besties ... this dude Drake.

As you may know ... this is the singer's first new music after a 6-year absence, and after dropping her single "Easy on Me" Thursday, Drake gave it a shout-out ... along with some surprising insight about their relationship.

Champagne Papi posted a photo of Adele on his IG story and wrote, "One of my best friends in the world just dropped a single" ... while adding a smile emoji, hearts and "WOIIIIIII" to show his awe for it.

Now, we've known Adele and Drake are friends for awhile now -- you'll recall she attended his birthday party in 2019 after her divorce -- but it's a bit of a surprise they are in the BFF zone.

But, perhaps we should have known, because back then Drake also shared a photo of himself with Adele along with a caption about "unbreakable bonds I have in my life from incredible people."

Anyway, Adele's new song is the first release from her upcoming fourth studio album, "30." As we reported ... she gave her fans a sneak peek of the song last weekend during her first-ever Instagram Live, and yes -- she's still got it.

The famous Banksy painting that got shredded after someone bought it for $1.4 million just got sold again at auction ... and it set a record price for the mysterious artist.

The gavel went down Thursday at Sotheby's in London and the piece, called "Love is in the Bid," had a winning bid of $25.4 million. It's a record auction price for a Banksy.

The art includes the original spray-painted image of a girl reaching up for a heart-shaped balloon on canvas, which was famously shredded, hanging halfway out of an ornate frame.

As we reported ... the original painting titled "Girl With Balloon" went for $1.4 million at a Sotheby's auction back in 2018, and once the gavel dropped the canvas slid down the frame, which became a shredder, cutting the work in pieces.

The audience at the OG auction was stunned, and while the buyer was "surprised," they didn't back out of the deal.

It's a good thing they didn't ... because they just got a major return on that investment. That's one way to make a quick $24 mil!!!

"Squid Game" is the No. 1 show on Netflix in 90 different countries ... but North Korea's blasting it as a "sad reality of a beastly South Korean society."

The North Korean propaganda website, Arirang Meari, chimed in with its review of the survival-game drama ... claiming the show "gained popularity because it exposes the reality of South Korean capitalist culture."

The site went on to claim the show exposes "a world where only money matters -- a hell-like horror." The site views South Korea's capitalist culture as a place where "corruption and immoral scoundrels are commonplace."

The propaganda site also reportedly cited unnamed South Korean film critics saying the series shows an "unequal society where moneyless people are treated like chess pieces for the rich."

The 9-episode thriller pits cash-strapped contestants playing childhood games with deadly consequences ... and the last person standing taking home a pot worth $38 million.

The propaganda site is pissed about the plotline saying, "It is said that it makes people realize the sad reality of the beastly South Korean society in which human beings are driven into extreme competition and their humanity is being wiped out."

Netflix dropped "Squid Game" in September and it's the streamer's most successful show ever. BTW, North Korea levies stiff fines, and even prison, to anyone caught watching South Korean content. That the outlet's not a fan of the show should be no surprise.

The cemetery accused in a viral video of burying bodies on top of each other insists there's no nefarious tale from the crypt going on, because it's not what it looks like on camera.

Here's the deal ... a woman visiting her sister's plot at Laurel Grove Cemetery in New Jersey posted a video showing what appeared to be a fresh mound of dirt over her loved one's grave. She blasted the cemetery, accusing it of doubling up, and using the plot for someone else too.

Jessica Tawil, who posted the video that's making the rounds on TikTok, says the incident happened Monday, and she claims there was an extremely foul odor coming from the pile of dirt on her family's $12,000 plot, which she believes had been disturbed.

However, Laurel Grove Cemetery tells TMZ ... the video really just shows their process for routine maintenance on plots -- soil gets placed on the area before it's leveled, covered with topsoil, seeded and then covered with hay to protect the seed.

The family isn't buying that, and says they're exploring legal action and want to get the gravesite formally inspected. They claim they filed 2 reports with cops.

Prince William has some harsh words for the Elon Musks, Jeff Bezos' and Richard Bransons of the world ... focus on fixing this planet instead of exploring what else is out there.

The Duke of Cambridge blasted the so-called "billionaire's space race" and space tourism while speaking to BBC Newscast on the same day William Shatner made history by becoming the oldest person ever to go to space.

You can hear the disdain in William's voice while he also pleas with the sharpest minds to allocate their brains and resources to repair planet Earth. He said, "We need some of the world’s greatest brains and minds fixed on trying to repair this planet, not trying to find the next place to go and live."

It goes without saying ... William, whose Earthshot Prize will award roughly $70m over the next decade to those focused on saving this planet, says he has ZERO interest in taking part in space tourism. In fact ... he tells the interviewer how high he's been as a former pilot himself, and that was good enough for him.

William's shot at space tourism came on the day Captain Kirk and 3 other crew members hopped on Blue Origin's New Shepard capsule and successfully blasted off into space.

The crew experienced 4 minutes of weightlessness before parachuting back down to Earth. Shatner told Bezos it was "the most profound experience" of his life.

Kim Jong-Un is just like Limp Bizkit -- he's all about breakin' stuff ... 'cause the supreme leader of North Korea was all smiles as he watched soldiers smash bricks and concrete blocks off each other this week.

The video is nuts -- Kim is seen clapping and cheering from the crowd as a group of shirtless dudes destroy blocks off their chests with mallets and whack each other with massive sticks.

In another wild stunt, one dude broke himself out of chains wrapped around his body ... and another displays his martial arts skills by ducking out of harm's way.

Not really clear when these skills will come in handy -- but hey, ya never know.

Neil deGrasse Tyson thinks Demi Lovato needs a reality check, because their belief that using the term "aliens" is derogatory doesn't make any sense ... for many amusing reasons in his eyes.

The famed astrophysicist seems just as befuddled as almost everyone else over Demi's stance against calling otherworldly beings "aliens" -- Demi prefers saying "ETs" -- and even more so ... he thinks Lovato's being very presumptuous.

For starters, Tyson points out humans really haven't had any interactions with space aliens, so how the heck do we know what they're thinking or feeling? DO they even feel?!?

Also, Tyson wonders how Demi knows aliens would even be offended by the term -- unless there's a Rosetta Stone for English on the mothership!!!

Neil acknowledges Demi is being considerate -- to a fault perhaps -- and while he totally supports not calling human beings aliens, he's missing Demi's point. For once, we're on the same level with someone as brilliant as Neil!!! Feels good.

If you missed it, Demi made their controversial thoughts known during an interview promoting their new Peacock special called 'Unidentified' ... saying, "I think that we have to stop calling them aliens because aliens is a derogatory term for anything." TMZ broke it down on the latest episode of our podcast.