You Might Want to Rethink

Cybill Shepherd -- one of Elvis Presley's famous exes -- says Austin Butler will probably kill as the King, but it won't be a walk through Graceland based on what she remembers.

The famous actress, singer and model -- who was an "It" girl in the '70s, and who briefly dated Elvis during his Vegas days -- told a photog at LAX Saturday that Austin will likely be great as her old flame. She's seen a photo of him, and suggests he's a dead-ringer.

However, when it comes to portraying the life of Elvis on the big screen ... Cybill says it best here -- "I think it's a rough row to hoe." That means it ain't gonna be an easy role.

As to why, Cybill shares an interesting story that she played a role in -- and that she later learned the full alleged details about. She says she read a book that detailed Elvis' life and, allegedly, while the King had her in one room of his Sin City hotel ... he'd also have two other women on the same floor. Cybill makes a crack about that ... seems like she believes it.

Speaking of womanizers in Hollywood, Cybill sheds some light on some of the most famous men she turned down -- including Jack Nicholson, De Niro and Les Moonves -- and gives an interesting reason as to why she snubbed those dudes in their heyday.

Ava DuVernay oughta meet the woman she accused of belittling a young black man by cutting off his dreadlocks before going nuclear on her ... so says the kid himself.

We talked to Kobe Richardson Saturday at the Crushers Club in Chicago -- the same place that received a $200k from Meek Mill but quickly came under fire this week after an old photo of its founder, Sally Hazelgrove, cutting Kobe's locks resurfaced.

He doubles down in support of Sally -- and even tries to play peacemaker between she and Ava -- whom Kobe thinks aren't very different, despite the tense flare-up on Friday. Kobe also clarifies once again ... the decision to cut off the locks was his, not Sally's.

ICYMI ... a photo of Sally cutting Kobe's locks off went viral upon news that Meek was donating to her non-profit. A lot of people cried foul, suggesting the place wasn't worthy of Meek's cash ... as many felt Sally, and her org by association, were racially insensitive.

What really ticked people off was Sally's caption with the photo, which read ... "And another Crusher let me cut his  dreads off! It's symbolic of change and their desire for a better life!"

That rubbed a ton of folks -- including the renowned filmmaker and TV producer, Ava -- the wrong way ... and Sally quickly issued a mea culpa for sharing the photo all those years ago. But even Sally's apology came under attack, and Ava took up the #LocLife campaign as a result ... urging black people to share their love of their locks, and disavowing Sally.

Well, Kobe says Ava and co. have the wrong idea about the woman ... and he even credits his life to her, saying he'd probably be in jail or dead if it wasn't for Sally and Crushers Club's help. He says he's been shot 14 times, and credits Crushers Club for helping him recover.

As far as Ava, he thinks she and Sally actually have a lot more in common than Ava might think ... and he says she should meet Sally to see the good work she's doing for herself.

You'd think Lori Loughlin would have something to smile about after Felicity Huffman got away with a relatively light sentencing rec from prosecutors -- but she's not happy here.

The 'Full House' star was seen attempting to hide her face behind a yoga mat Saturday as she left a class in Westwood and strolled  through a parking lot back to her car ... clearly not wanting to give paps a clear shot of her mug. At least not straight-on, anyway.

Well, they got a side profile ... and based on what we see here -- Lori doesn't seem as happy-go-lucky as her daughter, Olivia Jade, was at Disneyland on Friday.

As we reported ... prosecutors this week recommended just 1 month of prison time for Felicity ... this after they'd previously recommended anywhere between 4 and 10 months.

That move could potentially be good news for Lori and her husband, Mossimo Giannulli, as it appears the feds are backing down from their tough-guy stance ... which could bode well for Lori and co. Then again, they're fighting the charges -- havin pled not guilty in their case -- so it might backfire. Time will tell if prosecutors go light on her too with a new plea deal.

U.S. doubles tennis star Mike Bryan pretended to load his racket like a gun and shoot a line judge over an incorrect call ... and the guy was fined $10,000 for the gesture.

It all went down Sunday at the U.S. Open ... when Bryan challenged an "in" call during his doubles match against Federico Delbonis and Roberto Carballés Baena.

Turns out, Bryan was right to protest -- the replay showed the ball was out -- and as part of his celebration for the successful challenge, he pointed his racket at a line judge and pretended to shoot.

Bryan was immediately hit with a code violation for unsportsmanlike conduct ... with chair umpire Mariana Alves telling him, "I don't think that was appropriate."

The U.S. Open later fined 41-year-old Bryan $10k ... with U.S. Tennis Association spokesman, Brendan McIntyre, telling the New York Times, "We thought it warranted that amount."

When contacted about the gesture and the fine by the NY Times ... Bryan released a statement apologizing for the act.

"We won the point and the gesture was meant to be playful. But, given the recent news and political climate I understand how my gesture could be viewed as insensitive."

Bryan added, "I promise that I will never do anything like this again."

Kyle Richards says Camille Grammer's dead wrong by suggesting she shut out CG for another season of 'Real Housewives' -- however, we're sensing there's no love lost here.

We got the 'RHOBH' star Tuesday night as she left Craig's in WeHo, and our camera guy asked Kyle straight-up ... was Camille's non-vite back for Season 10 Kyle's doing, as Camille herself claimed on Twitter just last week? Kyle shoots down that notion completely.

She tells us that she doesn't know why Camille might've said that, as Kyle claims there isn't any bad blood between the two of 'em. Kyle also denies that it's "her show" now.

We ask a follow-up question about Garcelle Beauvais being cast for the forthcoming season -- and becoming the first black woman to star on 'RHOBH' -- and Kyle says she couldn't be more thrilled ... adding that she's gonna kill it as a main housewife.

It's interesting ... rumors have circulated that during the taping of Season 9's reunion show earlier this year, Camille made some eyebrow-raising comments that didn't air, including an alleged comment about not having to apologize for being a white woman.

Not saying one thing might have to do with the other, but the timing of everything certainly makes you wonder if that might've been tied to Camille not being asked back.

WARNING: If you hear a chopper outside covering a massive bike race near your house, TAKE THE WEED PLANTS OFF THE ROOF!!!

That's the lesson some poor marijuana enthusiast in Spain learned the hard way ... when his rooftop weed farm was exposed on live TV.

It all went down during the Vuelta a Espana race on Saturday ... when a TV crew helicopter was following the cyclists as they raced through Barcelona.

At one point, you can see a rooftop with a BUNCH of green plants ... and someone decided to snitch to the cops that it looks like pot.

Police say they acted on the tips, raided the building and ultimately seized 40 PLANTS!!!

Despite the score, cops say they have not made any arrests but they're investigating.

In Spain, it's legal to have weed for personal use -- but it's been outlawed for commercial purposes.

Dramatic twist of events in Chris Jericho's famous stolen belt case ... cops say they found the wrestling legend's hardware -- but then quickly backtracked, and said they didn't!!!

As we previously reported, after winning the AEW championship on Saturday ... Jericho filed a police report with the Tallahassee PD in Florida on Sunday, claiming his belt was jacked.

The story is confusing ... but according to police docs, Jericho says there was some kind of mix-up involving his limo driver at the airport that led to his belt's disappearance.

Fast-forward to Wednesday morning ... when cops heroically announced on social media they found the belt, with a picture of what appears to be a TPD officer holding the hardware!!!

But, when TMZ Sports called to confirm the news ... they would not say if the belt had been indeed found, saying only, "It's still an open and active investigation."

Then, the department deleted the social media post AND the picture of the found belt ... which has us all wondering, WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?!?!

Either way, doesn't seem Jericho's all that concerned about it ... dude just posted a vid of him sipping champagne in a hot tub!!!

Cops say they'll make an announcement about the belt later Wednesday ... so stay tuned.

A gigantic bull pulled a Ron Artest at an event in Spain -- leaping into the stands to go after the fans in an attempt to save his own life.

It all went down during a festival in Caparroso, Spain -- when the bull entered the ring and seemed to know its own fate ... ultimately deciding it was better to make a break for it.

We should say ... it's unclear if the event was a proper bullfight or a rodeo-style thing (without the matador and the stabbing), but what we do know is these things don't typically end well for the bull.

The bull lept over a wall and into the crowd before charging out of the stadium and onto the streets -- where spectators began running for their lives (oh, how the tables turned!).

The local mayor says the bull was eventually captured -- though its fate is unknown.

As we previously reported, a different bull went after a matador during a bullfight in Spain last month -- goring the dude in the groin before he was eventually killed.

R. Kelly is finally out of solitary confinement and will join the general population, even though prosecutors called BS on his isolation woes.

The singer's attorney, Steven Greenberg, tells TMZ ... Kelly was moved Tuesday and claims the singer was only kept in solitary by prison officials as a form of punishment -- due to his celebrity and the prurient nature of his alleged crimes.

Greenberg tells us that although R. Kelly will be in gen pop -- which is normally considered more dangerous, especially for high-profile inmates -- he claims there are going to be security measures in place that should keep his client safe.

We're told R. Kelly will now be allowed 10 non-attorney visits instead of the previously allowed one. He'll also have a longer leash for phone calls and emails.

Perhaps most important -- for R. Kelly it seems -- is the fresh air he'll be able to experience now with other prisoners during rec time. He'll get to hit the yard if he wants.

Now, prosecutors confirmed R. Kelly was being moved to gen pop in a court filing of their own -- but added he was only in solitary briefly and at his request.

In the docs, obtained by TMZ, state prosecutors say R. Kelly had previously asked to be placed in a secluded wing of the prison called the Special Housing Unit with no cellmates, at first. They say he eventually did get cellmates.

Prince Harry is defending his use of private jets, saying that on the rare occasions he might opt for one ... it's only for the well-being of his family.

The Duke of Sussex and his wife, Meghan Markle, have received some heavy criticism lately for cruising around in gas-guzzling private jets ... they took them at least twice in August.

At a presentation in Amsterdam Tuesday -- where PH was discussing a new environmental project within the travel industry called Travalyst -- he told reporters that he actually spends 99% of his life travelling the world by commercial plane.

However, he went on to say ... "Occasionally there needs to be an opportunity based on a unique circumstance to ensure that my family are safe. It's generally as simple as that."

You'll recall ... Elton John went to bat for Harry and Meghan when they came to visit him in the South of France, backing up Harry's words here by saying their private jet use was necessary for security reasons. The couple also flew private to Ibiza shortly before that.

For Harry, he says balance is the key with his private jet use -- adding that if he has to use a private flight, he works to offset his CO2 output (without getting specific). He says he wants to make that a regular thing in tourism and other travel in general.

Debbie Allen says Lara Spencer made lemonade out of her lemon of a joke about Prince George liking ballet ... but now it's time for everyone to grow up when it comes to guys dancing.

The dance legend was at LAX when we asked about Lara's on-air apology for making fun of Prince William and Kate Middleton's son ... she applauds her for having the courage to own up to her mistake.

Debbie says the ordeal highlights a bigger issue -- there should be no shame for men in the dance game. Allen wants folks to educate themselves and gives a great example of a legendary man who took dance to broaden his horizons and inspire creativity.

Debbie suggests, if it worked for that guy ... we should all take note.

As for Spencer's blunder, Allen's not going to hold it against her ... even if other big names in the dance community -- notably Abby Lee Miller -- are less forgiving.

Paul Mooney isn't leaping at the opportunity to show his face in public after being accused of misconduct with Richard Pryor Jr. -- the comic just pulled out of a show -- and we're told he'll be taking the next few weeks off.

Mooney was set to take the stage Wednesday in Atlanta at the ATL Comedy Theater, where he was serving as the MC for the night in a long lineup of comedians. But, a sign outside the venue made it clear ... PM wasn't going to show.

The sign reads, "ATTENTION!! Paul Mooney is NOT on show tonight due to health reasons. We will transfer purchase to Faizon Love or Donnell Rawlings. Let box office know."

It's unclear what exactly that means, as neither Donnell or Faizon are booked to perform at the Comedy Theater anytime soon. Either way, sounds like refunds are a no-go.

A rep for Paul tells us the allegations recently made by Richard Pryor's former bodyguard have seriously stressed Mooney out ... and he needs to lay low for awhile. We're told he'll be canceling all of his scheduled appearances in the next few weeks until things simmer down.

As we reported ... Pryor's former security guard alleged that Mooney had had sex with Pryor Jr. when he was young, and that when Richard found out .... he wanted Paul dead.

RPJ appeared to address the situation himself when we ran into him in NYC this week. He didn't name Paul, but said he had been molested as a teen ... no further specifics.

Of course, Paul has vehemently denied the allegation ... saying there's no truth to it whatsoever. He says he and Richard remained friends for years.

This is bonkers -- a woman whipped out a grinding saw to break into a Botox clinic this past weekend ... and it was all caught on camera.

It went down in a Houston burb Friday night at the Botox RN MD Spa, where police say a lady pulled up, tried opening the doors after hours ... and upon realizing they were locked shut, went back to her car and busted out the power tool to get inside.

The surveillance video shows the entire thing play out, and it's as wild as it sounds. The woman -- a petite blonde who appears relatively young -- is cool, calm and collected the entire time ... even as she saws her way through the entry and crawls inside.

Now, you might be thinking ... did she really need a dose of Botox THAT badly? Well, maybe. Cops say she stole an undisclosed amount of anti-aging products, and made a clean getaway after riding off in her whip.

Sugar Land police are looking for the lady, and asking the public for any help in ID'ing her. She was driving a grey Mercedes SUV, probably has zero wrinkles or crow's feet ... but lacks ability to show facial expressions.

Diane Warren is offering up her catalog of insanely popular, award-winning music to any candidate running for Prez -- with one BIG exception ... yep, it's you-know-who.

We got the legendary songwriter Tuesday in L.A. and asked if she'd be open to letting some Dems blare her tunes on the campaign trail -- seeing how she's a staunch supporter of the party and all. Turns out, she's declaring open season on her work ... come one, come all!!!

That's right ... Diane tells us that ANY presidential candidate who runs as a donkey is free to use the songs she wrote, if they want a little hype at their public events. She's even got suggestions.

On the Republican side ... not so much. President Trump absolutely CANNOT touch her tracks ... paws off, DT.

Of course, Trump has been asked by several marquee musicians to STOP playing their tracks at his events -- everyone from Pharrell and The Rolling Stones to Prince's estate and pretty much everyone else in between has demanded that their sounds be muzzled at Trump events.

Unfortunately for them, Trump has the legal right to crank any song he wants, so long as it's in a public space and in the U.S. of A. Mick Jagger explained what a bummer it was.

Unclear if Diane's aware of this loophole -- or if Trump is even into her music at all -- but it's the thought that counts, right? Hell yeah ... nothing's gonna stop us now!!!

Dave Chappelle has worked Michael Jackson back into his stand-up -- and he's flat-out rejecting claims made by the accusers.

DC's new comedy special, 'Sticks & Stones,' just dropped on Netflix, and Dave had a few things to say about our society -- namely, celebrity cancel culture ... which he kicked off by defending MJ, saying he doesn't believe Wade Robson and James Safechuck ... the 2 accusers featured in the HBO doc.

Dave flat-out says, "I don't believe these motherf***ers" after describing part of their allegations in "Leaving Neverland" in graphic detail, calling the scenario "gross."

Chappelle doesn't get into exactly why he doesn't believe them, but he does jokingly note that he's a classic "victim-blamer" ... saying that if he'd heard Michael molested the kids, he'd wonder ... "Well, what were those kids wearing at the time?"

Dave goes on to joke ... IF Michael did in fact sexually abuse Wade and James, they should've felt honored and used it as bragging rights.

He also cracks ... "I know it seems harsh, but somebody's gotta teach these kids -- no such thing as a free trip to Hawaii. He's going to want to look at your butthole or something." Dave used a similar premise to joke about MJ in 2004, almost beat for beat.

Dave touched on A LOT of other topics pertaining to cancel culture (there's no shortage of content these days) ... taking time to defend Kevin Hart's LGBTQ moment ahead of the Oscars this year, going to bat for Louis C.K. again ... and addressing R. Kelly.

You might recall ... the producer for the Lifetime docuseries "Surviving R. Kelly" told the media that Dave had refused to participate in her project. He sets the record straight though.

He says Dream Hampton casually asked him about appearing on 'Surviving' once, and never brought it up again ... which he completely forgot about until he saw her parading his name around in the press, suggesting he was hiding from the controversy.

Dave says it straight-up -- the only reason he didn't come on to talk about the troubled singer is because, "I don't know this n**** at all." Got it, thanks Dave.

John Travolta mistook a famous drag queen for Taylor Swift at the VMAs -- and if you wanna know how he got so confused ... go straight to the queen herself!

We got Jade Jolie -- a former contestant on "RuPaul's Drag Race" -- Monday night after the award show and asked her about the awkward moment onstage right after TS won Video of the Year. John, very awkwardly, tried handing the Moon Man to Jade.

Ooops!! Taylor ... the real one ... wasn't even onstage yet.

As you can see (and as Jade acknowledges) ... she's a dead ringer for Taylor, whom she calls her "goddess" and "queen." But, while talking to us, Jade got all wrapped up in her own Swiftie fandom ... and even started talking 'Game of Thrones.'

You can tell by her mood here that Jade wasn't that offended by the case of mistaken identity -- she's clearly overjoyed to have shared in the glory of a VMAs win. The look-alike -- and a bunch of other notable gay and trans people -- appeared in Taylor's video for "You Need to Calm Down."