You Might Want to Rethink

The security guard seen on video accosting 'Bachelorette' alum Michael Garofola last month is now facing 3 charges, including one for allegedly committing a hate crime.

TMZ's learned cops picked up the guard, a man named Ernest Anwuri, and he's been charged with felony battery, and felony vandalism for allegedly damaging Michael's cell phone during the altercation.

Beyond the physical action, Anwuri's words also got him in trouble. We've learned he's been hit with a misdemeanor hate crime charge. You’ll recall ... Garofola said Anwuri went on a rant about Jewish people during the incident. For what it's worth, Michael isn't Jewish.

Some of that is referenced in the video Michael was able to shoot.

We broke the story ... Garofola started recording when the guard allegedly flew into an anti-Semitic rage after Michael told him he should be wearing a mask. In the video, you see the guy charging toward Michael while spewing something about "the Jews."

Michael claims Anwuri then snatched his iPhone, threw it down and punched him in the head.

Michael's best known for finishing fifth on Desiree Hartsock's 'Bachelorette' season. He also appeared on "Bachelor in Paradise" and "The Bachelor Winter Games."

Michael tells us, "As a new resident of L.A., the last thing I expected was to be physically attacked in the parking garage of my own residential building ... While my injuries will eventually heal and my damaged property will eventually be replaced, I am just glad that a person who holds so much hatred in his heart for certain groups of people has been brought to justice and will no longer be a threat to anyone else he encounters.”

The woman who made a huge mistake by substituting Gorilla Glue Spray Adhesive for her normal hair spray is at her wit's end ... so the glue brand's coming to the rescue.

If you missed it ... Tessica Brown made jaws drop on TikTok when she revealed her hair's been rockhard for about a month since her glue spray snafu, and she tells TMZ she's embarrassed, stressed, and starting to get scared.

Like Tessica says in her video ... she can't wash out the glue, she can't even shave it and it's getting tighter on her head ... which is causing headaches.

She's considering going to the ER, but Gorilla Glue might save her a trip. The company tells us the quickest possible remedy is rubbing alcohol.

GG says ... "The less aggressive solvent for her hair/scalp would be rubbing alcohol to try and saturate her hair and then gently comb it out and shampoo." Of course, it's not that simple.

Gorilla says if Tessica's hair's been stuck for a month, it's "likely fractured at the root, but we certainly hope for the best."

Tessica too! She told us she's gonna try the rubbing alcohol soon. Best wishes, girl!

Oh one more thing, as a PSA of sorts -- DO NOT USE GORILLA GLUE ADHESIVE SPRAY ON YOUR HAIR. The company makes it clear that all of its products are considered permanent, and the packaging states it too. Tessica can testify it works.

A Virginia state senator is making a big stink about the perils of marijuana as her state's legalizing it ... but she's getting laughed out of the digital building over it.

State Senator Amanda Chase tweeted Friday that mortality rates and overdoses in Virginia were sky-high ... apparently all due to marijuana. She didn't cite a source for that info, but went on to plug her gubernatorial run in a stand against legalization.

She writes, "We have a drug problem in Virginia, and legalizing marijuana will only lead to more marijuana overdoses and deaths. Democrats want more marijuana deaths. As your governor I would never allow marijuana to be legalized."

Her lofty claims about weed came the same day the Virginia legislature passed a bill to legalize ganja for use and sale starting in 2023. It's heading to incumbent Governor Ralph Northam's desk next week, and he's already indicated he'll sign it into law.

Again, we don't know where State Senator Chase is getting her alleged overdose stats -- but a lot of folks online aren't buying what she's selling. The jokes started flying at her expense, with folks saying they overdosed on weed ... and were forced to eat as a result.

One guy wrote, "I once overdosed on the marijuana and it took 6 cupcakes and a bag of pistachio nuts to bring me back from the brink. I still get munchies. #survivor."

Tons of others were on the same tip. Here's the thing though ... weed can apparently kill a person. We looked into it, and according to studies by the National Institutes of Health's NCBI -- which tracks this type of stuff in the U.S. -- marijuana has been linked to deaths ... although the numbers are hazy.

Scientists say ingesting too much -- as in edibles -- in one sitting can cause overdoses/death, especially in kids. Other deaths are related to the effects of marijuana ... for instance, car crashes or work accidents.

But, again, these instances are rare, and those stats wouldn't be relevant to the alleged marijuana scourge happening in Virginia ... according to Chase, anyway.

Elon Musk is giving Dogecoin major street cred in the tech/finance world -- but says while it's got potential to be the king of crypto ... ya might not wanna go all-in on this gamble.

We got the Tesla chief out Friday night at BOA in WeHo ... where he was signing a slew of autographs and posing for pics, masked up. Man, it's been a while since we've seen this.

Anyway, we got to talking to him about the new cryptocurrency that's all the rage these days -- Dogecoin, which Elon and other celebs have been propping up lately ... this as traders (both amateur and otherwise) have been praying for it to go "to the moon."

Elon tweeted Doge is the "people's crypto" and he doubled down with us -- saying that the will of the people will determine its worth, and that he's down to give it some exposure if it facilitates Doge's growth to that end. BTW, Dogecoin has risen by some 600% since last year ... it was once trading at well below a penny -- and it's gotten as high as 8 cents of late.

So, yes ... it could very well be the next Bitcoin -- which is worth $40k these days -- but Elon does note the fact that Doge doesn't have a cap or finite limit hurts it in the long run.

He also gives some great advice to new investors looking to get into the crypto game -- and it basically amounts to this ... sure, roll the dice ... but not all your dice. Watch for yourself.

One last thing -- Elon tells us crypto appears to be where money's headed, but the question still remains ... which one will come out on top??? He vouches for Dogecoin as having a shot at being top ... well, dog. What started out as a meme/joke could be your next bank.

Chris Hemsworth has turned Australia's one-time sleepy beach town of Byron Bay into the new Hollywood -- at least that's how locals feel about it ... and they're pissed.

A new report by news.com.au details the disdain longtime residents of Byron Bay have for the Hemsworths -- especially Chris, who's made the area his permanent home -- due to the fact he's drawing more and more celebs, and the baggage that comes with it.

Aside from Chris, other celebs who occasionally live and/or rent or own homes in town now include Zac Efron, Mark Wahlberg, Natalie Portman, Matt Damon, Olivia Newton-John, Nicole Kidman, Jack Johnson, Melissa McCarthy -- just to name a few. And don't get us started on those stars who visit early and often ... which runs the gamut of the rich and famous.

Sacha Baron Cohen and Isla Fischer have swung by of late, and so do Aussie stars like Sam Burgess, Katie Richie, Michelle Bridges. It's become a who's-who type place -- which many normie residents resent ... since the vibe of their once quiet town is now inundated with limos, tourists, paparazzi, soaring housing prices and commercialism like it's never seen.

One person described being kicked out of their home because their landlady wanted to turn the crib into an Airbnb -- which is emblematic of what a lot of Byron Bay locals say is happening ... they're getting priced out and pushed out of a town they know as home.

Ironically, the news.com.au article depicts Chris Hemsworth -- whose fortress of an estate has apparently become a landmark for navigation -- as a man who's not so much of the people. He's rarely spotted around town, and keeps his family and affairs private.

Suzanne Somers and her husband learned a scary lesson Friday during a live stream at their home ... Three's NOT company.

Suzanne was doing a Facebook Live makeup tutorial for her fans at her Palm Springs home when an intruder somehow made it up their private driveway and into their house. The 74-year-old "Three's Company" star was visibly startled when she noticed him and then tried to figure out his intentions ... all the while as fans watched.

As her husband, Alan Hamel, looked on, Suzanne engages the intruder, who says he's terrified and claims ghosts were following him. She asks his name and he obliges ... Aaron Carpenter.

She tells Carpenter he should not be in her home ... and Alan echos the sentiment.

You gotta watch Suzanne's reactions as she turns off-camera to talk to Carpenter and gives a dramatic, frightened look into the camera as she glances back.

The intruder clearly seems off but non-threatening as he apologizes for interrupting her show.

Suzanne tells Carpenter he shouldn't be in her home and asks Alan for help in getting him the heck out.

It's not quite over. The intruder says he has a gift, but Suzanne says she's not interested.

He eventually leaves the home and Suzanne says she's calling the cops. We contacted the PD and they said no one reported the incident.

Morgan Wallen's sister says her brother knows he did wrong, he's a good person who wants to do better, but adds he doesn't deserve all the hatred.

Ashlyne Wallen says Morgan is now keenly aware, hurling the n-word is abhorrent, but says it "did not come from a place of hate or malicious intent."

She goes on to say, "There are 3 things you should ever do about a mistake: admit it, learn from it, and don't repeat it." She says her older brother now knows this is the path he must choose.

Ashlyne thinks people have gone way overboard canceling him, saying, "I do not believe the pure hate he has received is beneficial to the situation in anyway. There is criticism he is receiving that is positive and educational -- this should continue to happen, as it will help him grow and learn from his mistake. But, making a comment out of pure hatred about someone that you do not personally know, based on a short clip of him at a low point in his personal life, is unwarranted."

She says her brother is fundamentally a good person and there should be some recognition of this ... "Please remember that he is a human being capable of doing good and bad, just like everyone else on this Earth. Believe me, he is well aware of his wrongdoing and will be making changes in his life to rectify his actions in any way that he can. But the way he is being portrayed at the moment is simply not who he is as a human being."

Ashlyne takes a shot at cancel culture, saying it "leave[s] no room for forgiveness and growth."

Morgan has been shut down by iHeartRadio, Country Music Television, Big Loud Records, SiriusXM, Cox Media Group, the Academy of Country Music and Emmis Communications, among others.

Steve Aoki partied like it was 2019 Friday night, because there was absolutely no evidence of a pandemic.

The famed DJ headlined at WTR Tampa Pool inside the Godfrey Waterfront Hotel, in front of a massive, mostly maskless crowd ... you see a few masks, but that's about it. As for social distancing ... haha.

Steve broke open bottles of bubbly and sprayed the crowd, zeroing in on a few folks who got special attention and a giant gulp of champagne.

The show lasted for hours ... from midnight to 3 AM Saturday in the rollup to the Super Bowl.

There's lots more in store. Migos will play a day party Saturday followed by concerts by Diplo and 50 Cent later in the evening.

The event producers tried keeping everything COVID safe with various demands ... "Social distancing procedures will be strictly enforced, face masks will be required for all staff & guests, wellness and temperature checks will be mandatory for entrance, sanitizing stations will be placed throughout the venue, and continued cleaning protocols will provide regular sanitizing.”

Tory Lanez had a big bash Thursday night at the same venue ... again, it was packed to the gills with almost no masks in sight, and forget social distancing.

Morgan Wallen's not just losing airtime and award nominations as a result of dropping the n-word -- he's being canceled everywhere ... even the cardboard cutout biz.

The country singer's cardboard likeness -- which shows him smiling in a fancy green blazer -- is no longer available at Celebrity Cutouts. A rep for the website tells TMZ ... "We are currently in the process of removing all our Morgan Wallen products."

Morgan merch is quickly disappearing elsewhere online as well, including the popular e-commerce platform Teespring ... which now goes simply by Spring.

Spring -- which allows independent creators to upload and sell their own designs -- tells us it has strict guidelines prohibiting "hateful rhetoric and offensive language."

Though Spring says it's not affiliated with Wallen nor does it sell his official merchandise, it will "continue to flag and remove any designs which violate our policies, including items related to Morgan Wallen."

We broke the story ... Wallen casually used a racial slur last weekend after coming home from a night out in Nashville, which was caught on video by a neighbor.

Country music folks by and large rebuked him immediately afterward -- notably fellow singer Mickey Guyton -- and he's been banned from various media platforms, pulled from the airwaves, disqualified from the 2021 ACM Awards, and his label suspended his contract.

Sen. John Thune says becoming President used to be the dream for Senators, but now the bloom is off the rose ... the job's less about being qualified and a good leader and more about being famous and loud ... like a certain ex-President.

The Republican Senator from South Dakota was at the Reagan National Airport in D.C. Friday when he took a thinly veiled shot and Donald Trump ... suggesting the presidency is far less appealing due to the celeb and social media-obsessed culture.

Thune tells us the "kind of person" who would be successful as Commander in Chief these days has to run a different type of campaign than traditional methods, have a big online following ... and be more "ostentatious" than presidential.

It's a pretty stunning statement coming from a Senator, who even cites a John McCain quote about how every Senator aspires to become Prez .... until they're embalmed.

Sure seems Thune's not down with aspiring to POTUS status ... so don't expect him to throw his hat in the ring for 2024, but his take seems like it also applies to other senators as well.

The SoulCycle instructor who described herself as an "educator" in order to get the COVID-19 vaccine may have committed a crime ... but we've learned it's unlikely she'll be charged.

Stacey Griffith's looking at a possible perjury charge -- or a charge of offering a false instrument for filing -- if it's shown she knowingly submitted a false statement on the vaccine eligibility form ... this according to the New York State Dept. of Health.

Both charges are misdemeanors, and if convicted ... she'd face up to 1 year in prison and a fine of up to $1,000.

A law enforcement source connected to the matter tells TMZ ... it would be rare for prosecutors to charge someone with a crime under these circumstances.

Our source says Griffith could easily make the case she thought she legitimately qualified for the vaccine. In other words, she is a teacher ... and although her conduct clearly violates the spirit of the rules ... it probably falls short of criminality.

As we reported ... Griffith caught flak after sharing a since-deleted photo of herself getting the first dose of the Moderna vaccine, while most school teachers have still not been vaccinated in NY.

She apologized afterward, claiming to have made a "terrible error in judgment."

Dr. Anthony Fauci's urging to "lay low" for Super Bowl weekend didn't get to Tory Lanez or a few hundred others partying hard in Tampa ... with zero distancing or masks.

The rapper held a pre-Super Bowl soiree Thursday night at WTR Pool in Tampa where fans packed in and swarmed around the stage where Tory was performing -- loudly singing along to his hits.

What pandemic, right?

Now, Tory's event isn't the only game in town when it comes to crowded parties -- and everyone knows Florida's been wide open for months. Even though it was held outdoors ... health officials have insisted for some time now that even while outdoors, social distancing and face coverings are essential.

It's interesting though ... promotions for the bash noted, "Social distancing and mask guidelines will be strictly enforced as per city guidelines."

As we reported, Dr. Fauci urged Americans earlier this week to cancel Super Bowl LV parties ... fearing nationwide super-spreading events.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene just got the old heave-ho ... she's been tossed from her two House committees after she embraced conspiracy theories and violence against Democrats.

The House voted to remove MTG from her committee assignments Thursday by a margin of 230-199, with 11 Republicans supporting her removal.

Now, the newly-elected Congresswoman from Georgia is no longer sitting on the Budget Committee and the Education and Labor Committee.

MTG spread false claims that the 2018 school shooting at Florida's Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School was a "false flag" or a hoax. Her old Facebook activity also suggests she supported executing Dems like Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton and Nancy Pelosi.

There's been a growing chorus for Greene's expulsion from Congress, and D.L. Hughley told us he wants to see her expelled, prosecuted and never allowed to hold public office again.

Donald Trump -- the man who is about to stand trial for provoking an insurrection that could have brought down our government -- has resigned from Hollywood's labor union ... calling it "un-American."

Trump fired off a letter of resignation to SAG-AFTRA President Gabrielle Carteris Wednesday ... this after the union's board was in the process of holding a hearing to boot him from the org.

In his letter, which is everything you would expect from Trump, he writes ... "I no longer wish to be associated with your union ... You have done nothing for me."

As we reported ... SAG-AFTRA's board of directors overwhelmingly voted that Trump violated the union's constitution in the wake of the insurrection, setting the stage for a disciplinary hearing that could have resulted in the revocation of his membership.

Trump groused ... "I write to you today regarding the so-called Disciplinary Committee hearing aimed at revoking my membership. Who cares!"

Our SAG-AFTRA sources say the org hasn't decided if it will continue with the expulsion hearing in case he tries to re-apply. It's very much like the Senate's impeachment trial ... yeah he's gone, but they could still prevent him from ever trying to come back to 1600.

Trump takes tons of shots at SAG-AFTRA and its leader, saying he's "not familiar" with Gabrielle's work before rattling off his movie and TV credits, including "one of the most successful shows in television history, The Apprentice."

It's interesting Trump brings up "The Apprentice" ... he can't do the show again if he's out of the union.

On his way out the door, Trump also takes credit for helping the cable news biz and claims he created tons of union jobs at "MSDNC and Fake News CNN."

Morgan Wallen's been denounced and rebuked by the country music industry by and large for using a racial slur, but one group's not turning its back on him -- the NAACP.

Sheryl Guinn, President of NAACP Nashville, tells TMZ ... it seems to her Morgan's oblivious to the white supremacy that exists in this country -- despite all the recent examples, including the Capitol riots -- and she'd like the opportunity to educate the country singer.

Guinn says Wallen apologizing is a good start, but saying sorry doesn't mean a thing if he doesn't work to fix the issue that led to him dropping the n-word so casually.

The NAACP leader says some people are under the impression they can use the n-word if they think it's not being used in an offensive manner ... but obviously, that's not the case.

Guinn says the word needs to be removed from everyone's vocabulary, even if they're just talking to family, or in Wallen's case ... shooting the breeze with friends.

So, NAACP Nashville's inviting Wallen to have a conversation about what went down, and help him learn why his actions are hurtful. Guinn says the meeting would not be about condemnation ... but about love.

She adds that she'd be willing to meet with the country star privately or in a group setting -- whatever's more comfortable -- because she understands these talks are difficult to have.

Guinn tells us she also believes this could be a huge turning point for Wallen, and he could use his celebrity status for something truly progressive and impactful ... especially during these trying times.

We broke the story ... Wallen was recorded by a neighbor saying the n-word after coming home from a night out in Nashville. He apologized and took responsibility for it, but the fallout's been swift and significant.

The head of the organizing committee for the Tokyo Olympics, Yoshiro Mori, says he will NOT be stepping down ... just days after he made some super sexist comments about women.

The 83-year-old -- who's been trying to help keep the summer Games on schedule despite the pandemic -- was in a meeting earlier this week when he reportedly said he believes women talk too much.

Mori, according to the Japanese national newspaper, The Asahi Shimbun, said during the virtual meeting, "Women are very competitive. When one of them raises her hand, they probably think they have to say something, too. And then everyone says something."

He reportedly continued, "If we are going to have more women directors, someone has remarked, then meetings go on for a long time unless we restrict the comments. I'm not saying who that is."

The sexist comments were met with immediate backlash ... and the criticism grew so loud, Mori was later forced to apologize.

"The statement made at the Japan Olympic Committee was an inappropriate expression, contrary to the spirit of the Olympics and Paralympics," Mori said on Thursday.

"I am deeply remorseful. I would like to withdraw the statement. I would like to apologize for any unpleasant feelings."

Still, even with the mea culpa, there's been growing pressure on Mori to step down from his high-ranking role on the Olympics committee.

Mori, though, explained he will do no such thing ... saying, "I have been working hard and helped devotedly for seven years. I will not be stepping down."

The controversy is just the latest dark cloud surrounding the Tokyo Olympics ... the planned event has been marred by issues ever since the pandemic forced its postponement last year.

In fact, some believe the Games -- which are currently scheduled to kick off on July 23 -- will have to be canceled altogether due to COVID-19.