You Might Want to Rethink

Sheryl Crow is taking a bold stance in the country music world -- saying it's time performers and fans reconsider their outlook on guns, especially semi-automatic ones.

We got Sheryl at LAX Thursday and asked her how the country music community will respond to the Las Vegas mass shooting. Her answer was anything but vanilla, and she certainly wasn't trying to placate country music's conservative base.

Michael and Dina Lohan plan to sue a U.S. senator who conjured up Lindsay's drunken past to lash out at a CEO.

The incident went down at a congressional hearing Wednesday as the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee grilled former Equifax CEO Richard Smith about the credit reporting firm's recent massive hacking.

One of the committee members asked, "Why in the world should you get a no-bid contract right now?" ... which was followed up by Senator John Kennedy of Louisiana, "You realize to many Americans right now, that looks like we're giving Lindsay Lohan the keys to the mini-bar."

As we've reported, Lindsay's struggled with drugs and alcoholism and has been open about it, and has changed for the better.

But her parents are FURIOUS and tell Gossip Cop they plan to sue Kennedy. Michael told the outlet, "His comment and analogy was inappropriate, slanderous and unwarranted. How dare he associate Lindsay with this case? Tell me, does he have a family member or friend with a former addiction problem?"

We've reached out to Senator Kennedy's office, so far no word back.

BTW ... just our opinion, but Dina and Michael don't have legal standing to sue ... it's all Lindsay, and so far she's been radio silent.

Cam Newton is straight-up apologizing for a comment he made to a female reporter that many branded sexist and belittling ... going so far as to make a video for it.

Cam posted the apology video Thursday evening, saying after careful thought he realized his word choice on Wednesday was degrading and disrespectful to women.

As we reported ... Cam told Carolina beat writer Jourdan Rodrigue that he found it funny a female was asking him about routes after her question about that. He got a TON of backlash since, and even lost his sponsorship with Oikos Greek Yogurt.

In the vid, Cam goes on to say he sincerely apologizes to anyone who was offended ... and that it wasn't his intention to do so.

He even made a plea to young fans of his to be better than him and to do better than him. It's a serving of humble pie at its finest ... but we'll let Cam speak for himself.

NeNe Leakes just put Kim Zolciak's daughter in check over a video that makes it look like NeNe has bugs in her house -- and now she's dragging Kylie Jenner into the mess.

Brielle Biermann posted a video she shot throwing major shade at NeNe's house -- bitching about the bathroom and some nasty looking bugs. NeNe immediately responded with an epic, expletive-laced rant. Here's a taste:

"We don't have roaches! If you found 1, u brought it with u or it fell outta yo funky pu**y! Please know I will get You all the way together when you start f**king wit me and mine! Go somewhere and let the air outta those fake lips, fake titties and fake ass because you will never be @kylejenner."

Yeah, she spelled Kylie wrong, but she was on one ... it happens.

NeNe added, "You had to stoop so low and be so disgusting #racisttrash #jealous #KKK #thirsty you better run yo ass back to a child's place."

The father of the man O.J. Simpson killed is not sitting in the wings as Simpson tries to capitalize off his crimes ... because TMZ has learned Fred Goldman has already run to court to coral the cash.

Ron Goldman's dad just filed legal docs to divert any money Simpson makes from "interviews, shows, presentations or exhibitions" ... to satisfy the civil wrongful death judgment, which has now swelled to around $100 million.

TMZ broke the story ... Simpson is secretly autographing football helmets and he may have been selling photos since his release from prison last week.

Dan Bilzerian begged cops to hand him a gun as the Las Vegas shooter sprayed bullets at concertgoers ... and it resulted in a heated confrontation.

Dan -- who flaunts his arsenal of weapons -- has been skewered on social media for running from the massacre. That's why this video is so interesting ... Dan actually wants to join forces to take down the murderer, but cops weren't having it.

Listen closely ... Dan asks a heavily armed Vegas cop for one of his guns, and the cop recoils ... he seems insulted that some random guy would dare ask him for a weapon.

Dan pulls out his wallet, appearing to show cops he has the right to pack heat, and screams, "Give me a gun!" The cop fires back, "No, get the f*** away from me right now."

O.J. Simpson's having no problem finding work after prison ... he's already back in the autograph biz, and that could be a BIG problem.

Check out the pic, showing O.J. singing a ton of memorabilia in a private room at a Las Vegas hotel Tuesday night, and he plans to do the same Wednesday night. We're told he was in the room for 2 hours signing a variety of items, including USC and Buffalo Bills helmets.

The gear will most likely be sold to auctioneers.

Now here's the rub. O.J. owes a whopping $100 MILLION to the Goldman and Brown families -- the original judgment was $33.5 mil, but 22 years of interest really adds up.

If Simpson makes money, it's subject to seizure to satisfy the judgment. The families have gotten almost nothing from Simpson in the 22 years, and O.J. has made it clear ... he has no interest in paying.

If he were to take money under the table to avoid paying the judgment, he would be violating federal tax laws. If he violates the law, his parole can be revoked and he can be thrown back in prison.

Cat ... meet mouse.

Cam Newton owes a female reporter a big apology -- for disrespecting her during a news conference because she's a woman ... and the reporter is justifiably upset.

The Carolina Panthers QB was taking questions from the media when Jourdan Rodrigue asked how he felt about WR Devin Funchess being more physical when running his routes.

Newton laughed and then said, "It's funny to hear a female talk about routes."

Jourdan -- who covers the Panthers for the Charlotte Observer -- replied on Twitter, "I don't think it's 'funny' to be a female and talk about routes. I think it's my job."

When asked if anyone spoke with Cam after the incident she said, "I spoke with him after and it was worse."

Alex Morgan was "highly impaired" and yelling at Disney staffers in front of guests when she was thrown out of Epcot Center on Sunday ... this according to the incident report obtained by TMZ Sports.

We broke the story, Morgan, along with several MLS soccer players, was booted from the park after an incident at one of the bars on the premises.

Now, it seems Morgan's entire group was HAMMERED -- with Morgan allegedly bragging that she knows the Orlando SWAT team in an effort to pressure officers to let her go.

The report, filed by the Orange County Sheriff's Office, says they were initially called to the U.K. pub around 8:20 PM after MLS player Giles Barnes cut in front of another patron in line and got into a verbal argument.

The report notes Morgan's entire group was "impaired and verbally aggressive."'

Giles was escorted out of the pub and told not to come back.

As deputies were escorting Barnes out of the park, officers were called about the other members of the group making a scene.

"As we passed Space Ship Earth, I observed several people were being escorted to the front. They were all being very loud and belligerent towards staff around guests."

The deputy noted that Morgan was especially out of control -- "yelling, screaming and taking video and possibly pictures."

"She appeared to be highly impaired. Deputy Johnson heard Ms. Morgan make a loud verbal statement that she knows the Orlando SWAT team."

President Trump touched down in Puerto Rico, and promptly took a metaphorical crap all over the hurricane-ravaged island.

Trump, flanked by Melania and the island's Gov. Ricardo Rossello, held a news conference and fielded questions which is when he actually said, "I hate to tell you Puerto Rico, but you've thrown our budget a little out of whack."

He went on to ask Gov. Rossello what the death count was following Hurricanes Irma and Maria -- and said they hadn't been hit by "a real catastrophe like Katrina." Watch the video ... it's every bit as cringeworthy as it sounds.

Oh by the way, nearly half the U.S. territory is still without power or running water.

And this was the make good trip?

O.J. Simpson was no more a free man hours after being released from prison than he was in the pen ... according to the Juice himself.

Paps caught O.J. at a gas station Sunday just 5 hours after he walked out of Nevada's Lovelock Correctional Center ... and the ex-con explained why he still feels trapped.

Surprisingly, he doesn't seem to be super pissed about the paparazzi hounding him. If anything, he's more irritated by the fact he's been locked in a car for the first moments of his newfound freedom.

Oh, and in case you're wondering what's the latest with O.J. ... apparently nada. He says nothing's changed with him after 9 years behind bars -- we're just not sure if that's a good thing or not.

O.J. Simpson is just days from becoming a free man after nearly a decade behind bars, but he may not get out early Monday morning because of the media.

Officials for the Nevada Dept. of Corrections tell TMZ, if the release point -- 30 miles outside of Vegas -- is swarmed by media, O.J. will not be set free. As one prison official put it, "We don't want another Princess Diana situation" ... the fear being a chase that could result in injury or death.

The concern is not just Simpson. Prison officials say they're worried innocent bystanders might be mowed down in a chase.

Prison officials say they've been notified media from all over the world will be at the release point and they believe European media is even more aggressive than American paparazzi and think the line will almost certainly be crossed.

Tony Ferguson says he wasn't messing around when he threatened to fight Fabricio Werdum during a UFC media lunch on Thursday ... despite nearly a 100 POUND difference.

Fabricio exploded during the lunch -- shouting insults and threatened to backhand Ferguson during (what was supposed to be) a routine media event.

After the incident, Werdum said he felt disrespected by Ferguson -- and claimed the fighter had a "dark energy" about him.

Ferguson told TMZ Sports it was Werdum who was "rude" -- and if he really wants a piece, he'll gladly beat his ass in front of everyone.

[h/t MMA Fighting]

One of Usher's herpes accusers is firing back at his claim she assumed the risk of catching an STD when she got in bed with him -- and says there was nothing for her to assume.

Laura Helm is the accuser from Georgia who's suing him for $20 million -- and in new docs, obtained by TMZ, she says it's preposterous Usher is calling her out, saying she should've assumed STDs were a possibility when they hooked up.

Helm says that means she would have to have knowledge of the specific danger -- and there was no way for her to have that info because Usher kept his trap shut about it. Bottom line: consent to sex does not equal consent to risk of catching STDs.

Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver might be claiming some of his recipes are gluten-free -- but they're actually full of crap 'cause the label's not official ... according to a new lawsuit.

A non-profit called Gluten Intolerance Group of North America is suing Oliver for stamping some of his online recipes with a 'GF' symbol -- which they believe is a straight rip-off of their own label that they're saying is THE official gluten-free stamp of approval.

In the docs, obtained by TMZ, GIG says Oliver is purposely marking his recipes with this logo to make it seem like they've been certified gluten-free, which they argue is crowding their turf. They say he's misleading consumers, and could ruin their rep.

GIG's asking a judge to make Oliver yank his 'GF' online labels, as well as damages. We've reached out to the chef ... so far, no word back.

The woman Chris Brown called "too ugly" to party with him ... is open to raging with the singer again -- even though she accused him of battery.

We got Liziane Gutierrez Tuesday night at LAX, where we asked where things stood between her and Chris after settling her lawsuit against him. She's willing to let bygones be bygones.