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A first look at Bill Skarsgård in the remake of "The Crow" is out ... and fans are pissed -- blasting the over-the-top body art, unkindly comparing him to Jared Leto's Joker.

Here's the deal ... Bill's the lead in a remake of the gothic cult classic hit movie from 1994 -- and the first pictures of his revamped "Crow" character just dropped Wednesday via Vanity Fair. There's a lot of set photos they have ... but everyone's focused on this money shot.

FYI ... "The Crow" follows a murdered man who comes back to life to enact his revenge against the men who killed him and his fiancée -- which is it has this dark, noir-esque vibe. The whole film is basically a fantasy revenge flick ... with memorable makeup/costumes.

In the OG film, the eponymous character -- played by Bruce Lee's son Brandon -- wore black leather jackets and bodysuits, and white face makeup made him look more like a corpse, but overall his look was pretty understated ... especially when compared to Bill's version. That's how the internet seems to feel about it anyway!

Just check out the pics ... Bill's got the leather and white face/body makeup -- as well as a series of unseemly and sorta cartoonish tattoos ... including a giant eye in the middle of his chest and the word "Lullaby" written above his right eyebrow.

All of these tats have fans thinking about another outlandish character look ... namely, Leto's Joker in "Suicide Squad" who literally had "Damaged' written on his forehead -- just so the audience wouldn't miss that particular character trait, we guess.

Point is, fans are super upset ... with some even going as far as saying this concept of the character spits in the face of Brandon's memory.

If you don't know ... Brandon was actually shot and killed on "The Crow" set after a prop gun fired an uncleared bullet fragment from a previous scene at him. No one was criminally charged, but his mom Linda Lee Caldwell successfully sued filmmakers.

Safe to say ... fans are pretty protective of Lee's character and his legacy -- and they're pretty sure Skarsgård's look is only going to hurt the memory of Brandon and "The Crow" -- that's what some are saying about this.

LAPD officers had an unexpected face-off with an unleashed dog that attacked one of their horses -- which ended with one of the officers beating the pooch ... and it's sparked a fierce debate.

Check out this video that's gone viral ... 2 cops are seen patrolling Melrose Ave. in L.A. while on horseback -- when, all of a sudden, an unleashed dog runs into frame out of nowhere and begins to nip at the legs of the police horse, which still has one of the officers on it.

In response to the attack ... the other cop on the scene jumps down from his own horse ... and begins swinging his baton at the canine -- and he seems to make contact a few times.

The dog tries to dodge the hits, and it continues to go after the horse -- which begins to buck and get uneasy. Of course, the officer who's sitting up there is trying his best to steady the animal and get it under control ... but it's a tricky situation, to say the least.

Eventually, the presumed owner of the dog runs onto the scene and collects his pooch -- but he too has trouble with it ... and the officer on the ground gets one last good swing on the dog before it and its owner run off. At that point, everything settles down.

Now, we have some more info here that'll hopefully shed light and provide context -- including whether this fell onto the LAPD's radar at large, and what exactly happened in the end. Law enforcement sources tell us this incident actually happened a good year or so ago ... even though the video is just now making the rounds online.

We're told the dog and the two horses ended up being alright, and that the horses were checked on by a vet afterward. Our sources tell us the dog actually jumped out of a car window there on the street, which is why it didn't have a leash on ... so kind of a freak thing.

Our sources the civilian/owner did not get cited over this, and we're told everything sorted itself out once all the parties were able to talk. We're also told the owner wasn't mad.

That's not to say the internet isn't pissed about this ... 'cause a good chunk definitely is.

The situation has prompted mixed reactions online -- with many coming to the cop's defense, especially since L.A. has pretty clear leash laws. If you don't know, pet owners are required to keep their dogs on a leash in public at all times -- as it's prohibited for them to roam free.

Others, of course, are crucifying the cop here ... saying he completely overreacted and was harming the dog for no good reason. These are mostly the animal lovers/animal rights camps.

We had some debate about this here in our own office ... and we figured we'd present our arguments for people to digest. On the one hand, the dog was unleashed and caused a problem right then and there that could've become more dangerous.

Still ... the brutality the officer inflicts here just feels like too much for folks who can't stand to see animals suffer -- including some in our own ranks, who are passionate about this.

We suppose we'll just pose the question ... who's in the wrong here, the cop or the owner?

Una niña de 8 años cantó con gran pasión el himno nacional en un partido de los Pacers a principios de esta semana, ¡y fue tan épico, que el equipo lo elogió como una actuación "sin igual"!

El nombre de la niña es Kinsley Murray, y después de ganar fama cantando himnos antes de los partidos en todo el país, Indiana le pidió que tomara el micrófono justo antes del inicio del juego el lunes contra los Raptors de Toronto.

Murray, que estaba ataviada con un vestido rojo, blanco y azul, primero cantó "O Canada", antes de comenzar su confiada versión de "The Star-Spangled Banner".

Echa un vistazo al video desde la pista del Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Murray alcanzó todas las notas altas con mucho brío y el público respondió entusiasta en todo momento.

Después, los Pacers tomaron a TikTok para aplaudir el espectáculo.

"La pasión. El oufit", escribió el equipo. "Esta interpretación del himno fue inigualable".

Murray, sin embargo, ha estado impresionando con su canto mucho antes de que el mundo de la NBA pudiera tener un vistazo de ella esta semana. ¡La chica ha estado cantando en los partidos desde que tenía al menos 6 años!

De hecho, Murray acudió al partido entre Dayton y Davidson la noche después de su actuación con los Pacers para impresionar al público de Ohio.

An 8-year-old girl belted out an ultra-passionate rendition of the national anthem at a Pacers game earlier this week ... and it was so epic, the team praised it as an "unmatched" performance!

The youngster's name is Kinsley Murray -- and after gaining fame for singing pregame anthems all across the country -- Indiana tapped her to grab the microphone just prior to its tip-off on Monday against the Toronto Raptors.

Murray -- decked out in a red, white and blue dress -- first sang "O Canada" ... before she began her confident version of "The Star-Spangled Banner."

Check out video from the Gainbridge Fieldhouse court ... Murray attacked all of the high notes with a whole lot of flare -- and the crowd roared every time.

Afterward, the Pacers took to TikTok to applaud the show.

"The passion. The oufit," the team wrote. "This anthem performance was unmatched."

Murray, though, has been crushing the song long before the NBA world got its glimpse of her this week ... as she's been croonin' at games since she was at least 6 years old!!

In fact, Murray cruised over to the Dayton vs Davidson game the night after her Pacers show ... to wow the crowd in Ohio.

Incluso los fans de la canción "Texas Hold 'Em" de Beyoncé están comentando su similitud con el tema principal de "Franklin", unos dibujos animados de Canadá, y su cantante Bruce Cockburn le dice a TMZ que no se está atribuyendo ningún crédito sobre su éxito.

Por si no lo sabías, el single country de Beyoncé fue comparado con el tema de "Franklin", poco después de su lanzamiento el 11 de febrero.

Muchos usuarios de TikTok e incluso algunos DJs de radio han insistido en que la canción número # 1 del country tomó prestado mucho de "Franklin", tanto es así, que algunos de los TikTokers están recibiendo más de 5 millones de visitas en sus posts.

Sin embargo, Bruce no cree que Beyoncé tenga que pedir disculpas y le dice a TMZ: "Creo que "Texas Hold 'Em" de Beyoncé es una buena canción. Por desgracia, no puedo decir que haya participado en su composición".

Y añade: "La sensación rítmica es similar a mi tema para la serie de televisión "Franklin", pero para mis oídos, ahí se termina la similitud. "Texas Hold 'Em" es su canción, y le deseo mucho éxito".

¿Quizás Bruce sabe que no debe cruzarse con la BeyHive?

Para los que no conozcan "Franklin", el programa infantil de dibujos animados se emitió en Canadá entre 1997 y 2004. El programa seguía las divertidas aventuras de la tortuga protagonista con sus compañeras del bosque.

Ahora bien, Bey debe haber tenido 16 años cuando se estrenó "Franklin", así que dudamos mucho que conozca la serie infantil, pero con sus coautores podría ser otra historia.

Los 3 compositores acreditados, además de Bey, son Elizabeth Boland, Megan Bulow y Nathan Ferraro y ninguno es de Nashville o Texas.

¡Son canadienses!

Ahora, mantengan la calma un momento... no estamos diciendo que sea una prueba de plagio, pero la conexión con Canadá hace que sea un poco más probable que los compositores escucharan "Franklin" o que se hayan inspirado.

Even fans of Beyoncé's "Texas Hold 'Em" are calling it out for its similarity to the "Franklin" cartoon theme sung by Bruce Cockburn ... and while he gets the comparison, he tells TMZ he's making no claim on her hit.

In case you didn't know ... Beyoncé's country single was transposed with the theme for "Franklin" -- a Canadian-produced kids' show -- shortly after it dropped on February 11.

Many TikTok users, and even some radio DJs, insist the country #1 song borrows plenty from "Franklin" -- so much so, some of the TikTokers are getting upwards of 5 million views on their posts.

Yet, Bruce doesn't think Beyoncé needs to lasso up an apology -- he tells TMZ, "I think Beyoncé’s 'Texas Hold 'Em' is a good record. Unfortunately, I can’t claim to have had any part in writing it."

He adds, "The rhythmic feel is similar to my theme song for the 'Franklin' TV series, but to my ears, that’s where the similarity stops. 'Texas Hold 'Em' is her song, and I wish her success with it!"

Perhaps Bruce knows better than to cross the BeyHive?

For those unfamiliar with "Franklin" ... the animated preschool series aired in Canada between 1997 and 2004. The show followed the titular turtle's aminated adventures with his fellow woodland creatures.

Now, Bey would've been 16 when "Franklin" premiered -- so, we highly doubt she's familiar with the kiddo show, however her co-writers on the track might be a different story.

The 3 songwriters credited, in addition to Bey, are Elizabeth Boland, Megan Bulow and Nathan Ferraro ... all of whom are not from Nashville or Texas.

Yup, they're Canadian!

Now, hold your Texas horses ... we're not saying that proves any plagiarism -- but the Canadian connection does make it slightly more likely the songwriters heard "Franklin," and could have been inspired.

A Kentucky couple's nuptials became a one-stop shop for love and convenience ... taking place in a gas station bathroom.

Tiana Abney tells TMZ about how she and her partner Logen went from joking about it to actually saying "I do" in the famous "disco bathrooms" of the HOP Shops convenience store in Verona, KY ... pulling the whole thing off in a matter of 3 weeks.

They tell us the gas station didn't just provide the venue -- on Valentine's Day, no less -- they covered the whole shebang, with expenses totaling between $700 to $800!

And, if that wasn't sweet enough, they threw in a wedding cake!

As you can see by the pics, there was quite the turnout to Tiana and Logen's bathroom ceremony -- from parents and siblings to friends, cousins and coworkers, everyone they knew seemed to be there.

The gas station even closed the restrooms for a whole 2 hours to accommodate the ceremony ... offering free fountain drinks to other customers as a token of appreciation for the inconvenience -- which seems counterintuitive when ya can't go pee, but a nice gesture, nonetheless.

There is a limit to the HOP Shops hospitality, though ... no lifetime discounts for the newlyweds. With the price of gas, that would've been the ultimate wedding gift!

On its website, HOP Shops bragged the wedding is a reminder "love knows no bounds and that true romance can be found in the most unexpected of places."

Kara Swisher es realista sobre la inevitabilidad de la inteligencia artificial y está ofreciendo consejos francos sobre cómo debemos navegar por esta tecnología en constante evolución.

La famosa periodista de tecnología, que acaba de publicar su nuevo libro "Burn Book: A Tech Love Story", se unió a "TMZ Live" el martes, donde dio una advertencia sobre lo que está por venir en el terreno de la inteligencia artificial.

Kara nos dice que la inteligencia artificial no se irá a ninguna parte y aunque siempre ha habido propaganda falsa, la IA está haciendo casi imposible distinguir lo falso de lo real.

Por eso cree que el gobierno debe entablar un diálogo con las empresas tecnológicas sobre algún tipo de regulación, algo que ya hace con otras industrias.

A Kara no le entusiasma la idea de que todas las creaciones de inteligencia artificial estén amparadas por la libertad de expresión y todas las protecciones que conlleva. En cambio, le gustaría ver a más gente siendo demandada por daños.

Por ejemplo, Taylor Swift fue víctima hace poco de la aparición de imágenes falsas de ella en Internet en lo que podría ser calificado como contenido porno, y si demandara a los creadores, Kara dice que eso podría disuadir a futuros actores.

Kara Swisher is getting real about the unavoidability of artificial intelligence ... offering up candid advice on how we should navigate the ever-evolving technology in the future.

We got the famed tech journalist -- who just released her new book, "Burn Book: A Tech Love Story" -- Tuesday on "TMZ Live," where she issued a warning about what's to come for AI.

Kara tells us artificial intelligence isn't going anywhere -- and while fake propaganda's always been around, AI is making it almost impossible to distinguish phony info from the real thing.

Which is why she thinks the government needs to start a dialogue with tech companies about regulation ... something it does with other industries.

One thing Kara's not keen on is the notion all AI creations fall under free speech, and all the protections that come with that tag -- instead, she'd like to see more people sue for damages.

For example, Taylor Swift was recently victimized when phony X-rated/NSFW AI images of her surfaced online -- and if she were to sue the creators, Kara says that might deter future bad actors.

Un hombre se prendió fuego frente a la embajada israelí en Washington D.C., al parecer, en protesta por el conflicto en Oriente Medio.

Imágenes del manifestante han estado circulando en línea en medio de su acto de auto-inmolación, y se informó que fue llevado de urgencia al hospital con lesiones que amenazan la vida.

Funcionarios de bomberos de D.C. habrían dicho a The Independent que el hombre se prendió fuego por la tarde y fue extinguido por el Servicio Secreto de los Estados Unidos.

El video capturado desde el exterior de la embajada parece mostrar las secuelas de la protesta, y se puede ver a los investigadores buscando en la zona.

El escuadrón de bombas del Departamento de Policía de Metrolitan también fue llamado para comprobar un vehículo sospechoso en la zona, pero en última instancia, dijo que no contenía material peligroso.

El New York Times informó de que el hombre se identificó como un soldado en servicio activo de la Fuerza Aérea, mientras que otros medios de comunicación afirman que dijo: "No seré más cómplice del genocidio" antes de iniciar el fuego.

Todo esto parece una enorme protesta contra el conflicto entre Israel y Hamás que actualmente asola Oriente Medio. Todo empeoró cuando agentes de Hamás atacaron un festival de música matando a cientos de inocentes y tomando rehenes el 7 de octubre de 2023.

Israel respondió lanzando una guerra total contra Hamás en Gaza y las tensiones entre ambos bandos -y sus partidarios- se han disparado desde entonces.

A man set himself on fire outside of the Israeli embassy in Washington D.C. ... apparently protesting the conflict in the Middle East.

Pictures of the protester have been circulating online in the middle of his act of self-immolation, and he was reportedly rushed to the hospital with life-threatening injuries.

D.C. fire officials reportedly told The Independent ... the man lit himself ablaze in the afternoon and was extinguished by United States Secret Service.

Video from outside of the embassy seems to show the aftermath of the protest ... with investigators searching the area.

The Metrolitan Police Department's bomb squad was also reportedly called to check out a suspicious vehicle in the area, but ultimately said it did not contain hazardous material.

The New York Times reported the man self-identified as an active duty Air Force soldier while other outlets claim he said, "I will be no longer complicit in genocide" before starting the fire.

This all seems like one huge protest against the conflict between Israel and Hamas currently raging in the Middle East, kicked off when Hamas agents attacked a music festival -- killing hundreds and taking more hostage on October 7, 2023.

Israel responded by launching an all out war against Hamas in Gaza, and tensions between the two sides -- and their supporters -- has been high in the aftermath.

Britney Spears is showing some love to the great Janet Jackson on Instagram ... while her feud with Justin Timberlake rages on.

The singer-songwriter wrote a loving tribute to JJ in a since deleted Instagram post, thanking Janet for breathing continued life into her dreams while saying she's always looked up to her.

She wrote the emotional message on a screengrab of Jackson' self-titled album, "Janet" released back in 1993.

While it might have just been an innocuous tribute post to another music legend, Britney's got some common ground with Janet ... in that Justin Timberlake won't apologize to either of them.

Remember ... during a show in New York City at the end of last month, Justin told the crowd he was going to apologize to "absolutely f***ing nobody" before singing "Cry Me A River" -- a clear dig at Brit, but Janet fans assumed that meant her as well.

Justin and Janet will be forever linked for their fateful 2004 Super Bowl Halftime show where Justin ripped Jackson's costume revealing one of her breasts to the crowd -- something he chalked up to an accident at the time.

However, he apologized to both Britney and Janet back in 2021 ... after the documentary "Framing Britney Spears" aired on Hulu, saying he had inadvertently benefited from misogynistic institutions and felt he needed to say sorry for that.

Of course, Britney and Justin have been on especially bad terms after the fake-out apology ... with Spears basically calling Timberlake a crybaby in a basketball-related post.

Maybe Britney's trying to collect allies in her war with JT ... or maybe she's just sending love to a fellow artist.

Either way, Britney's post certainly got fans' eyebrows raised.

Cam Newton appeared to get in a fight with a group of guys recently ... and it was all caught on video.

The former NFL quarterback's right in the middle of a group of guys who have jumped on him, and he's trying to hold them back without swinging back.

As they spun around, another man in a white t-shirt came up and threw a punch at Cam, a blow that appeared to make contact with someone.

Ultimately, Cam fended off these people long enough to receive help from others -- including a police officer who came in and backed several individuals away from Newton.

There's not a lot of context about what started the brawl which seems to have taken place at the B.E.S.T. Academy 6-12 in Atlanta.

It seems Cam was there for an event put on by his foundation C1N, a 7v7 league that plays tournaments all across the country.

Another angle of the brawl shows a couple of the guys shoving Cam around before the group goes flying off into an area covered by trees -- but, outside of that, it's unclear what might've set off such an explosive situation.

We've reached out to Cam's camp and Atlanta police ... so far no word back.

Billie Eilish always has time for her fans ... proving she's really a woman of the people by stopping the SAG Awards to sign an autograph -- directly on Melissa McCarthy's face!

The singer-songwriter and the actress hit the stage to present the award for Outstanding Female Actor in a Comedy Series ... and Melissa -- playing up her trademark comedic enthusiasm -- couldn't help but gush over Billie.

After excitedly rambling on about all the times she'd met BE, Melissa asked her to sign her chrome silver dress ... something Eilish turned down because she said she didn't wanna ruin the gown.

So, McCarthy upped the stakes ... asking if Billie would sign her face, an opportunity Billie hopped on without much delay.

She then went to town with black Sharpie on Melissa's forehead, covering her mouth while putting the final flourishes on her signature.

The two stars are clearly having a ball, 'cause it seems Billie couldn't help but crack up laughing during the bit.

Of course, Billie's at the ceremony 'cause she contributed to the soundtrack for "Barbie" -- which is up for four awards tonight.

Bad Bunny's got animal rights activists up in arms for a stunt during his new show ... and PETA's not horsin' around in their response.

ICYMI ... singer-songwriter kicked off his "Most Wanted" tour in Salt Lake City Wednesday night, and at one point he trotted out in style -- on the back of a horse.

Check out the video ... BB's in an all-denim 'fit on the back of a chestnut-colored horse heading out to the spotlight with tons of fans screaming for him.

PETA wasn't cheering Bad Bunny on though, posting the video to TikTok with a sharp condemnation attached in white lettering.

Their main point ... horses are skittish animals who have no business being near the loud noise and bright lights of a concert setting, and adding the horse, the crowd or even Bad Bunny himself coulda been hurt.

If all this feels vaguely familiar ... it's 'cause PETA's called out other artists for this exact same thing before. Notably, CeeLo Green, who fell off a horse last year.

Remember ... Green wanted to make an impact with his entrance to Shawty Lo's birthday party last April. The horse was clearly nervous at the time, jolted forward then slipped on the tile floor, spilling CeeLo from its back.

PETA told us at the time the fall was essentially inevitable ... for all the same reasons they think BB shouldn't have been on a horse. Loud noises and flashing lights and horses just don't mix.

Bad Bunny tiene activistas de derechos de los animales pisándole los talones.

El cantautor dio inicio a su gira "Most Wanted" en Salt Lake City la noche del miércoles, y entró al escenario con estilo... montando a caballo.

Échale un vistazo al video, él entra al escenario montando un caballo de color castaño mientras un montón de fans gritaban por él.

Sin embargo, PETA no estaba nada feliz con esto. Se puede leer una crítica aguda en una publicación de TikTok.

Su punto es que los caballos son animales asustadizos que no tienen nada que hacer cerca del ruido fuerte y las luces brillantes de un concierto, añadiendo que el caballo, la multitud o incluso el propio Bad Bunny podrían terminar heridos.

Si todo esto te resulta vagamente familiar... es porque PETA ya le ha llamado la atención a otros artistas por exactamente lo mismo. Recordemos el incidente de CeeLo Green, que se cayó de un caballo el año pasado.

Green quiso impactar con su entrada a la fiesta de cumpleaños de Shawty Lo el pasado mes de abril. El caballo estaba claramente nervioso en ese momento, se sacudió hacia adelante y luego resbaló debido al suelo de baldosas, tirando a CeeLo de su espalda.

PETA nos dijo que la caída era básicamente inevitable, y esas son las mismas razones por las que sostienen que Bad Bunny no debería haber llevado a un caballo al show. Los ruidos fuertes, las luces intermitentes y los caballos simplemente no se mezclan.