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Lyft is dropping the hammer on this customer who went on a racist, profanity-laced rant against a driver ... and yes, face mask rage triggered this disgusting display.

The incident went down Tuesday night in Issaquah, Washington where the Lyft driver, David Kangogo, picked up a guy named Joe and his female companion -- but Joe allegedly refused to put on a face covering, which is Lyft policy.

The video -- recorded by David -- starts with the couple getting booted, and Joe asks David if he knows what a "sand n****r is." You also see Joe's companion tell him to shut his trap, because she is also recording the conflict on her phone.

The woman yelled, "We expected a Lyft ride home. That's what we expected" -- to which David replied, "Just put on your mask."

Joe still wasn't down for that, and instead threatened to urinate in David's car ... before hurling the racial slur again. David left Joe and his epithets on the curb and left without any physical violence.

Once Lyft saw the vid, the company reacted quickly by permanently banning Joe.

Cori Bush got elected to represent Missouri's 1st congressional district ... but she's also reppin' working-class folks who can't afford a designer business wardrobe.

We got the Congresswoman-elect out in D.C. Tuesday and asked about the response she's received since revealing she's hitting up thrift shops to get the professional clothes needed for her new job.

Bush tells us her situation has resonated with people who come from regular means like her and helped them feel heard ... and she's happy it's also made them feel like thriftiness is nothing to be ashamed of.

The incoming Missouri Representative isn't the only bargain hunter on Capitol Hill either. All 4 members of "The Squad" have shared tips for dressing on a budget, with AOC suggesting ... "Thrifting, renting, and patience as you get your closet together sis."

A guy who wanted to chow down at an IHOP without a face covering wouldn't take "no mask, no service" for an answer -- because cops say he went to town on the staff with a knife.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... this wild incident went down Tuesday in Queens where surveillance video captured the horrifying scene. At first, you see the customer in the waiting area with another guy -- although, we're told there were at least 3 men who rolled in together.

Looks like a staffer's telling him to mask up, which seems to piss him off. He gets up to argue, and appears to leave the building -- but when the whole crew comes back, he's way more agitated.

The video shows the guy who allegedly refused to put on a mask storm back into the IHOP and charge past a table and other waiting customers ... apparently trying to get at someone off-camera.

While trying to get a hold of that person, the guy reaches over and grabs something from his friend -- cops say it was a knife -- and then chases some workers through the restaurant. Toward the end of the video, he actually swings at someone before booking it.

According to our sources, the man swung at a 40-year-old female employee and cut her arm, which required stitches.

Sen. Lindsey Graham says his fist bump seen 'round the world -- with VP-elect Kamala Harris -- oughta prove he won't treat the incoming administration as enemies ... with one huge caveat.

We got the South Carolina Senator Wednesday on Capitol Hill, and he dished on that viral moment captured between Harris and him on the Senate floor Tuesday ... her first day back after her successful campaigning with President-elect Joe Biden.

While many found their brief, quasi Covid-safe exchange shocking ... Graham tells us the American public's got it all wrong. He says the notion he wouldn't work with a Biden-Harris administration just because they're Dems is nonsense.

He added he actually likes Kamala a lot ... and told us why. However, he also dropped a big IF on us as far as reaching across the aisle.

Sounds like Sen. Graham and co. are holding out hope President Trump can still overturn the election results ... even though Trump's string of failed lawsuits make it all but a done deal.

With that said, LG seems to be signaling he'll have an open mind once the drama comes to a final conclusion.

Travis Scott wants to make sure he not only gives back to his community, but helps to put kids on a track for future success -- and he plans to do both through his own nonprofit.

Trav just launched The Cactus Jack Foundation ... and its first order of business is rolling out the Waymon Webster Scholarship, named after his grandad -- who's an HBCU alum.

In light of that, this scholarship is going to be exclusively available to students currently enrolled in a handful of HBCUs -- namely, Morehouse College, Howard University, Texas Southern University, Grambling State University (where his mom went) and Prairie View A&M University ... that's his grandfather's old stomping grounds.

The scholarship will cover tuition costs for students who are facing financial hardship and who are affected by the pandemic -- Travis will handpick the recipients.

Travis tells TMZ ... "My grandfather wanted me to take it all the way through college, I feel there is a power in education so to be able to give someone the opportunity to fulfill that dream as my papa thought for me is amazing."

He's also partnered with The Parson's School of Design to bring a Cactus Jack program to the city of Houston and will offer an online certification program to students around the county through scholarships.

The rapper dropped out of the University of Texas at San Antonio as a sophomore to pursue his music career, but he clearly still sees the value in higher education.

A white woman had the audacity to show up to her Black neighbors' front door with a Taser in hand ... and then scold them for "acting like Black people."

This went down Monday in the NorCal city of Discovery Bay ... in a gated community. The Jones family says their neighbor -- an older white woman -- wandered up to their porch with her dog in one hand and stun gun in the other!

You have to watch the conversation she has with Gerritt Jones -- which he recorded on a security cam -- and see how much restraint and respect he showed, despite not receiving any himself.

Long story short, the woman accused him and his family of letting their pit bull roam free and allowing it to go after her tiny pooch ... something Gerritt denied. The woman tries telling him to keep their dog inside, but Gerritt says he's gonna continue walking his dog, because he has every right to do so.

That's when the woman started telling Gerritt he's got a Black family in an all-white neighborhood ... and they should act accordingly. One of Gerritt's family members started recording on her phone, and you can see this woman's stun gun front and center. When asked why she had it, she claimed it was protection from their dog ... which wasn't outside at that time.

WHOA!!!

Los Angeles Chargers rookie Justin Herbert just chopped it ALL off on top ... with the QB debuting a brand-new look on Wednesday.

The 22-year-old signal-caller has made a name for himself since his Oregon days for his skills on the field ... but was just as attention-grabbing when the helmet came off.

Matter of fact, the guy had such great flow ... he got an endorsement deal from Head and Shoulders!!

But, that is all a thing of the past ... with Herbert straight-up buzzing it all off.

So ... why?!

"No particular reason," Herbert told reporters. "It was just time and it was getting too long, so it was time to cut it."

JH added it had nothing to do with the Chargers' 3-game losing streak ... saying he's not a superstitious guy.

"Honestly, it was just getting long and time to cut it."

Walmart is going from always low prices to almost no prices for at-home COVID-19 tests that they'll drop off at your pad via drone ... if you're in a certain area, that is.

Here's the deal ... two Walmarts in El Paso, TX and Cheektowaga, NY are doing a pilot program in which there's no pilot at all -- sending free COVID test kits to folks that live within a mile radius of their stores, and doing so through a nifty drone delivery service.

It's pretty simple -- people can hop online and fill out a questionnaire to get the nasal swab test sent to their home, where they can administer it to themselves in private ... and then send the whole thing back to a Quest Diagnostics lab, which is also on the house.

Walmart is saying this is all same-day from the time you request it online -- they're also saying asymptomatic people can get tested without issue ... a huge relief for those who've wanted to get tested, but have been turned away on the ground.

Eventually, you'll get your results back through an app. So, in other words, you'll never have to leave your living room to see if you're positive or negative. No lines, no waits ... and no having anyone awkwardly watch you get a stick jammed up your nostrils.

As for why Walmart's doing this in these specific locations -- it could be any number of reasons ... not the least of which might pertain to the infection rates. In El Paso, for instance, cases are at an all-time high ... some are even calling it a new epicenter.

It's so bad inmates are collecting bodies and placing them in mobile morgues -- and there are at least 10 of those already up and running.

A parking spot brawl quickly morphed into violent road rage ... ending with a car crashing into a bakery celebrating its grand opening, and it was all caught on video.

The insane incident went down Monday in Queens where a group of men were throwing hands in the middle of the street over a parking spot. The video picks up with one man stuck in a headlock while another man wields a bat, swinging it like crazy.

You see the bat-wielding gent land several shots before everyone appears to walk away. Keyword ... appears. That's when all hell broke loose ... with the dude taking a whack at the Audi's front bumper. That's when the man behind the wheel floors it and mows down the man with the bat ... violently hurling him onto the sidewalk before crashing into Rainbow Bakery. The bakery had just opened for business Monday.

Cops say 3 women and a man -- including a bakery employee -- were hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries. Jie Zou, the man behind the wheel, was arrested for assault and reckless endangerment. Jonathan Zhang, the passenger in the Audi, was also arrested for assault.

"Hosting? Plan a super spread." That's the tone-deaf holiday advertisement that's got an East Coast supermarket chain bending over backward to say sorry for its brain fart.

Giant Food ran the full-page ad in its own magazine, slapping the slogan in bold letters in front of a backdrop of grub synonymous with sharing ... including a shrimp cocktail platter, fruit tart and a cheeseboard.

The advertisement is encouraging folks to host holiday parties and entertain guests with foods that are easy to get your hands on and share -- but it's doing so using a phrase synonymous with COVID-19 outbreaks ... and as the virus is surging around the country. Basically, a horrible time for a "super spread."

As you know, health and government officials across the country are discouraging folks from getting together for large gatherings with Thanksgiving and the holidays fast approaching ... warning against potential super-spreader events.

The supermarket chain -- which has stores in Delaware, Maryland Virginia and D.C. -- should have known better ... after all, they're operating in Joe Biden and Dr. Fauci's backyards ... and now it's apologizing.

Barack Obama was feeling nostalgic talking to Oprah about his new book -- reminiscing on what he missed most about being President ... and his answers might surprise you.

44 sat down for a chat with O on her Apple TV+ show, "The Oprah Conversation," in which they discussed his latest written project -- "A Promised Land" -- and also took a trip down memory lane about the perks that a Commander in Chief gets to enjoy.

He admitted flying on Air Force 1 and Marine 1 is an unmatched experience -- and one he sincerely misses -- because of the exceptional staff, and not having to wait around to get somewhere.

Barack also said he always took joy walking into the Oval Office -- where he says he could feel the ghosts of Presidents past all around him -- and he revealed his favorite view from the White House.

And, of course, BO says he got a kick out of the intimate White House performances they'd put on every now and then for free -- with some marquee acts swinging by, like Paul McCartney ... who famously sang The Beatles' "Michelle" to the First Lady in 2010.

Wichita State basketball coach Gregg Marshall has officially resigned following an investigation into claims he physically and verbally abused players.

But, he's not leaving empty-handed -- the school says it reached a settlement to pay out $7.75 million to the coach over the next 6 years.

The move is effective immediately. Assistant coach Isaac Brown will take over as interim head coach.

Marshall -- who has previously denied the allegations of abuse -- issued a farewell statement on Tuesday regarding his decision to step down.

"This was a difficult decision, but one I feel was necessary for my family, the university and, most importantly, the student-athletes."

Marshall continued, "I remain grateful for my years spent at Wichita State. I wish to thank the coaches, student-athletes, the university, the community, and all of Shocker Nation for their unending dedication, support and loyalty."

Wichita State athletic director Darron Boatright said the decision to accept Marshall's resignation "is in the best interest of the university, its student-athletes and the WSU community."

As we previously reported, the University launched a probe into Marshall following disturbing allegations from former Shockers players including Shaq Morris -- who claimed the coach punched him in the face TWICE during a 2015 practice.

Six players, who were on the team then, reportedly backed up Shaq's story including NBA's Fred VanVleet who refused to practice the next day until Marshall apologized, which he did.

Morris also said Marshall choked his assistant coach Kyle Linstead during practice in the 2016-17 season.

The 57-year-old coach was also accused of making racist comments to players -- he allegedly made an "Indian howling noise" at Isaiah Bear-Chandler, who is Native American.

Following the Stadium report, Marshall denied all allegations of wrongdoing saying he "never physically struck a player or colleague" -- and attacking the report as "character assassination."

Marshall began coaching the Shockers in 2007 -- and has since led the team to 7 NCAA tournament appearances, including a run to the Final Four in 2013.

Elon Musk had a great day on Wall Street to start the week -- helping him leapfrog Mark Zuckerberg on the list for world's richest and landing him in a comfortable third overall.

The Tesla and SpaceX executive saw his overall net worth skyrocket late Monday by a whopping $15 billion after the S&P announced it was bringing his automaker company into the fold among the most prestigious companies on the market.

It'd been a long time coming. Folks anticipated this to happen a few months ago ... but it didn't 'til just now, causing Tesla's stock to jump 14% in after-hours trading. As a result, Elon's personal value -- seeing how he owns a good chunk of stock -- also bumped up.

At the moment, he's on pace to have a net worth of $117.5 billion ... way more than Zuck at $106b, which was edging Elon out not too long ago by about $4b, or so. The two people higher than EM on the list currently -- Bill Gates at $129b and Jeff Bezos $184b.

Some estimates as of Monday morning have Elon's net worth slightly lower because of what Tesla's trading at currently -- around $460 a share -- but either way ... he's in at #3.

It's been quite a ride for the tech wiz these past few days -- not only did he see his fortune balloon to new heights, he also saw one of his own rockets take 4 astronauts into space over the weekend ... a feat that promises to firm up SpaceX's role in future orbital travel.

After nearly a year and a half of beefing, Scooter Braun has said goodbye to Taylor Swift's master recordings ... unloading it for a pretty penny.

Scooter's company -- Ithaca Holdings LLC -- has reportedly sold the master rights to Taylor's first 6 albums to an unknown investment fund. The buyer reportedly dropped north of $300 million for the deal, which closed a couple of weeks ago.

The deal, first reported by Variety, includes Big Machine's client roster ... which includes Sheryl Crow, Florida Georgia Line, Thomas Rhett, Rascal Flatts and the trio formerly known as Lady Antebellum. The label will remain under Scooter and Scott's control.

It's unclear if the bad blood between Scooter and Taylor will dissipate ... there sure is a lot of bad blood. Remember, Scott's company bought Taylor's old label, Big Machine, back in June 2019. This, of course, pissed off Taylor, who ranted against Scooter for snapping up her early catalog ... claiming the move blindsided her and stripped her of her life's work.

Taylor, whose deal with BM expired in 2018, also accused Scooter of being an industry punk. And, when she tried to sing her songs at last year's American Music Awards ... Taylor claimed Scooter and Scott were blocking her.

But, it's not all bad news for Taylor, who as of this month is free to re-record songs from her first 5 Big Machine-issued albums. The goal here's for fans to stream her re-recorded version instead of the ones owned by the new owner. Same goes for commercial business ... like when TV shows/commercials, for example, decide which versions they want to license.

Bhad Bhabie -- just dropped a new music video for her first single since finishing rehab ... and she's got some big names helping her out.

Here's the deal ... the 17-year-old rapper, previously known as Danielle Bregoli, made a quarantine version of her "Do It Like Me" music vid, featuring special appearances from her celeb support system, including Demi Lovato, Blac Chyna, Pia Mia, Chief Keef, Charlie XCX and Lexy P.

As you can see ... her famous friends are singing and dancing from home for the new track -- her first since a 30-day rehab stint in June.

Sources close to Bhad Bhabie tell TMZ ... she's had an amazing support system sticking with her through her dark time, and all the celebs in the video believed in her and stood by her during rehab, which helped her get sober.

As we first told you ... Bhad Bhabie was focused on music and business after getting out of rehab, and quickly went to work on her new single.

Our sources say her friends wanted to show support for her sobriety ... so they recorded the clips used in the music vid.

Jeff Ross is going after the woman who's accused him of statutory rape when she was 15 ... and he claims she's trying to extort him.

The comedian's filed a defamation suit against Jessica Radtke, who made headlines earlier this year when an article came out in which she alleged Ross began having a sexual relationship with her in 1999.

According to the legal docs -- obtained by TMZ -- Ross admits he was a work acquaintance with Radtke at a New York comedy club, and he did have a consensual relationship with her ... but not until 2002, when she was an adult.

Ross says all of her accusations of having sex with her when she was a minor are "completely false," echoing his public denial of the allegations in June.

The comedian claims Radtke has been on a campaign to publicly attack him since 2017, but when her efforts to smear him in tabloids failed ... he says she made up the story about his underage relationship with her.

According to the docs ... this culminated with her creating a Facebook page in late 2019 called "Iwas15hewas33," which he says was done to defame him and get attention. Ross says she also "made the preposterous claim that she was Ross’s 'date' at a number of  high-profile public events, including celebrity roasts, that were attended by thousands of people."

He adds ... "To make her false allegations as salacious as possible, Radtke also falsely accused Ross of frequently having unprotected sex with her while she was underage and claimed Ross proposed to marry her."

According to the defamation lawsuit ... Ross says he has multiple witnesses to corroborate him not dating Radtke until she was 18.