You Might Want to Rethink

Meghan Markle's struggles adjusting to Royal life are getting ZERO sympathy from someone in the 'Real Housewives' world ... that'd be Bethenny Frankel, who's got choice words for the Duchess.

The 'RHONY' star absolutely shredded Meghan Sunday just hours before her tell-all interview with Oprah was set to air on CBS ... invoking Justin Timberlake in telling her to take her woe-is-me moment and basically shove it.

Bethenny writes, "Cry me a river...the plight of being a game show host, fairly unknown actress, to suffering in a palace, w tiaras & 7 figure weddings for TWO WHOLE YEARS to being a household name w @Oprah on speed dial, fetching 7 m for interviews, hundreds of millions in media deals. Thinking face #MARRY"

On Saturday, Bethenny aired out even more of her grievances over the coverage the interview was getting ... saying, "Not since @MonicaLewinsky interview, have people been obsessed with a young female interview like this #MARRY interview. Remember the famous lip gloss?"

Someone replied to her with a collage of headlines past about how her staff had reportedly been catty towards her right out the gate ... and that's what set Bethenny off anew.

She continued with her tirade, going on to say she gives Harry a break here -- as she doesn't feel he's the one pulling the strings for all this press the couple is now receiving ... something he's repeatedly said he's not a big fan of in light of what happened to his mother, Diana.

BF ended her thoughts with one last apparent shot at Meghan, writing ... "I chose reality tv, to work towards making $, to be scrutinized & criticized. I took the trappings & the beatings along with it. It’s a rose w petals & thorns. People beg to enter the often toxic institution I signed up for. That WAS the life I chose. You can’t play stupid & smart."

A brawl broke out at a Bath & Body Works in Arizona, where the employees of all people are the ones who stepped in ... and proceeded to whoop on a woman.

Check out this insane fight that broke out over the weekend at the Fashion Square Mall in Scottsdale -- where a middle-aged woman is said to have been causing a ruckus inside with another customer before s*** hit the fan.

The person who shot this claims the lady was standing too close to another customer and they started arguing ... something she says the workers tried deescalating.

At some point, somebody put hands on the other ... and all hell broke loose. You see an employee start to go at it with the blonde woman, while her co-worker rushes over to help ... knocking everyone over in the process. Not too far away, another woman gets into it with yet another worker.

Eventually, a male employee steps in to break it up -- and he orders the women who were fighting to get the heck out of their establishment. The blonde lady tells him to stop touching her, and then says she ain't leaving 'til she can get her purse amid the commotion.

Somebody else got a different angle, and it looks like they shot some of what precipitated this. Sure enough, this older white woman is indeed arguing with an African-American woman ... and you hear some politically charged rhetoric. The African-American woman calls the white woman "trailer park trash" ... and it's downhill from there.

Unclear if this had anything to do with it -- but we should note, the main character here doesn't seem to be wearing a face covering. We reached out to this location and BBW HQ as well ... the Scottsdale store had no comment, no word back yet from corporate.

Idaho is attempting to pass legislation that would make it illegal for government entities to enforce mask mandates -- something folks there are celebrating by rolling out burn barrels and having their children fan the flames with actual face coverings.

The supposed state-wide protest happening Saturday is being dubbed #FreeIdaho or #BurnTheMask -- and it was organized, in part, by Idaho State Representatives Dorothy Moon and Heather Scott ... who plugged the event earlier this week in a joint video they filmed.

The politicians say they support the "grassroots" movement to show disapproval of different mandates that have gone into effect across the state over the past year. There's no state-wide mask mandate, but about 9 counties and 10 ID cities have such emergency orders.

A website they published for this cause also laid out a number of different "burn sites" all throughout Idaho -- with a major one being held right outside the Idaho Capitol steps.

Check out these photos that show several different adults and families encouraging their kids to grab surgical masks by the handful and toss them into the flames of metal barrels with fire inside.

It's pretty eerie to watch ... because the kids, who probably don't know any better, laugh with glee as they get rounds of applause for each time they throw a mask into the embers.

Of course, the pandemic is far from over ... and while the cases are dropping nationwide and Idaho's only had about 1,800 confirmed deaths related to COVID ... it's no time to abandon mask-wearing entirely, something some states are choosing to do as the vaccines roll out.

Like we said, about a dozen Republicans in the Idaho state legislature intro'd a bill this past week that would outlaw mask mandates, including in schools and universities. Private businesses would still be able to enforce mask-wearing, however, if passed.

A bill being proposed in California would make it illegal to advertise certain sections of retail stores as just for boys or just for girls ... including clothes and toys.

The bill, AB 1084, was just introduced into the California legislature late last month by Assemblymembers Evan Low of the Bay Area and Cristina Garcia of Los Angeles ... which aims to do away with gendered signage in big department stores of 500+ employees.

In other words, places like Target, Walmart or Kohls that sells childcare items, children's toys/products or children's wardrobe wouldn't be able to steer folks to certain sections based on sex -- it would just be a free-for-all ... where parents and kids could roam freely to what they liked. They'd also be prohibited from dividing the floor space up by gender.

There's more ... any websites these stores operate would have to change their categories too -- so instead of boys/girls (whatever) ... it'd read "kids," "unisex" or "gender-neutral." We should also note, some of these stores have already started designating certain sections of their floor as gender-neutral -- like Target, which apparently made the move in 2015.

As for why they're trying to make this official ... supposedly, for fairness and equity for kids, who might not like what a gendered section has to offer and want something from the other side. For example, low publicly cited an anecdote from a fellow staffer ... whose 9-year-old daughter was confused on why she had to go the boys toy section to get a science kit.

Oh, and if this passes ... it wouldn't just be a slap on the wrist for those who don't comply -- these big-box chains would be fined $1,000 each time they violate the would-be law.

The reactions to the bill -- which could be introduced in committee for discussion/voting as early as March 21 -- are quite mixed ... many are criticizing it as unnecessary and frivolous (especially amid a pandemic) but others support it and say it's a step in the right direction.

On the heels of Dr. Seuss being muzzled for racist depictions in a few books, another beloved childhood memory is also being called problematic ... one Pepe Le Pew.

The Looney Tunes character fell into the crosshairs of NYT columnist Charles M. Blow -- who wrote an op-ed titled "Six Seuss Books Bore a Bias" ... where he argued racism is deeply embedded into American culture (especially pop culture) and fed to kids at a young age.

He brought up cartoons like Speedy Gonzales and Mammy Two Shoes -- the former being another LT character he says pushed racist stereotypes against Mexicans and the latter being a Tom & Jerry character portrayed as a heavyset Black maid who speaks with a caricaturized voice. You usually just see her legs/feet ... but her full figure was depicted too.

Those two examples specifically address his race concern, but he threw in Pepe as well as another 'toon that telegraphed the wrong message ... saying the French skunk normalized and perpetuated rape culture. Of course, a lot of people had very different reactions -- some agreeing, and others lambasting Blow for suggesting a drawing could sway real-life behavior.

To that, Blow responded ... "RW blogs are mad bc I said Pepe Le Pew added to rape culture. Let’s see. 1. He grabs/kisses a girl/stranger, repeatedly, w/o consent and against her will. 2. She struggles mightily to get away from him, but he won’t release her 3. He locks a door to prevent her from escaping." It's true ... Penelope Pussycat was often in Pepe's clutches.

Still, some say he's reaching to make a point ... and that the cartoon was never meant to be interpreted that way, adding it was all in good fun and that no child would absorb Pepe's behavior as something to be mimicked. Fair enough, but the cartoon theory isn't novel.

The great Dave Chappelle once touched on this exact issue in a stand-up special of his, "Killin' Them Softly," where he TOO brought up Pepe Le Pew ... and flat-out called him a rapist. He discussed other kid shows that looked much different through an adult lens -- like "Sesame Street" characters ... which he hilariously compared to troubled adults.

Amanda Gorman, the poet who stole the show at President Biden's inauguration, says she went from hero to suspect, adding it's a reality of what Black girls are forced to endure.

Amanda was walking home Friday -- apparently in L.A. -- when a security guard seemingly felt she was a threat and followed her. When she got to her home, she says he demanded to know if she lived there because "you look suspicious."

Amanda says she showed the guard her keys and went inside, but that's not the end of the story. After the guard realized she lived there, there was no apology ... nothing.

Amanda says, "This is the reality of black girls: One day you're called an icon, the next day a threat."

To that Amanda agreed ... "In a sense, he was right. I AM A THREAT: a threat to injustice, to inequality, to ignorance. Anyone who speaks the truth and walks with hope is an obvious and fatal danger to the powers that be."

I do not like green eggs and ham ...

And, your reading is a sham, Kevin I am.

Rep. Kevin McCarthy appeared clueless as he read Dr. Seuss's "Green Eggs and Ham" out loud ... presumably in protest of the decision to yank 6 of the famed author's books because of racist images.

McCarthy apparently wasn't down with the decision, but his choice of books to read in defiance misses the point. Fact is ... "Green Eggs and Ham" was NOT pulled. The books that were pulled ... "And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street," "If I Ran the Zoo," "McElligot's Pool," "On Beyond Zebra!," "Scrambled Eggs Super!" and "The Cat's Quizzer."

What's more ... Congress is debating a pretty important bill -- getting stimulus checks to suffering Americans, and here sits McCarthy reading Dr. Seuss.

"Entourage" star Kevin Connolly put the E in "eruption" after his car got towed at a flower shop ... and the store's banning him after the blow-up.

The manager of Nicolai Bergmann Flowers & Design in L.A. tells TMZ ... there’s a podcast studio next to the shop, and they claim Kevin's frequently parked his Tesla in their parking lot ... presumably while recording podcasts.

On Tuesday, the manager says the shop had enough -- after having left multiple notes on Kevin's car about jacking their parking -- so after it had been there more than an hour ... they called a tow truck.

Kev's car alarm was sounding as the tow truck left with his baby.

Shortly afterward, Kevin entered the flower shop -- captured on security camera -- and appeared to grow increasingly irritated while speaking to the staff.

We're told he asked where his car was and was told to call the towing company ... and that's when you see him getting really upset. Kevin appears to yell at someone as he's walking out, then delivers a couple of swift kicks to items near the exit.

The shop manager says the business is closing soon, but regardless ... Kevin is not allowed to come back to the store while it remains open.

The judge in the "QAnon Shaman" case is scratching his head over decisions made by the infamous defendant ... in particular, his decision to do a LONG interview with "60 Minutes+."

The accused insurrectionist, whose real name is Jacob Chansley, was called on the carpet by the judge for doing the jailhouse interview, which appeared on "60 Minutes+."

Chansley's lawyer told the judge yes, they did arrange for the interview, but felt everything was kosher. Apparently, the judge didn't see it that way.

Chansley, who says he's been in solitary since being arrested, said he was never violent inside the Capitol. He says his participation was "not an attack on this country" ... an interesting argument, given the images of him in the Senate Chamber.

He also says he's still loyal to Trump, despite being overlooked for a pardon. He makes it clear ... he did what he did at the former President's behest.

A couple claiming a Maggiano's seated all its customers of color in the back ... is getting an apology, but the restaurant chain also insists it wasn't segregating patrons.

Here's the backstory -- a Black woman named Dot claimed on Instagram she and her husband had reservations last weekend at the Maggiano's in Orlando, and when they showed up ... they were ushered all the way to the back of the joint.

That's when she says she noticed a "stark contrast from the patrons in the front of the restaurant, versus where we were being seated." Dot added ... "Guys….I s**t you not…this restaurant was segregated!!!!!!!!! In 2021!!!!!! Our minds were BLOWN!!!!!!"

Dot claims this pattern of seating people continued throughout their visit, and she posted a couple photos with her hubby to make her point. She also speculated that a nearby Trump rally that day may have factored into the restaurant's motivations.

While Maggiano's insists the seating situation had nothing to do with race, the restaurant chain still apologized, saying ... "We understand that two valued Guests felt unwelcome when they dined at our Maggiano’s restaurant in Orlando on Sunday, February 28, and for that we sincerely apologize."

As for an explanation, Maggiano's says it investigated the incident, and says the reason for the perceived segregation is because "a single large party of 30 African-American guests" requested to be seated together.

The restaurant says when Dot and her husband arrived, "our system suggested a table that was still occupied by Guests, which prompted the reassignment of their new table" ... which happened to be in the back.

However, Maggiano's acknowledges the table reassignment didn't make the couple feel welcome. It adds that it's going to work to ensure future seating arrangements "are not just computer generated but have a human touch."

Dot later revealed Maggiano's sent her a $200 gift card and the chain's President Steve Provost reached out to her.

Neil deGrasse Tyson just rained all over Baker Mayfield's alien parade ... saying the Cleveland Browns quarterback most likely saw a meteor -- NOT a UFO.

Booooooooo.

Remember, Mayfield tweeted with "almost 100%" certainty he and his wife saw a UFO Wednesday night ... saying they saw a "very bright ball of light going straight down out of the sky."

But, Tyson -- certified science nerd -- says Baker needs to come back down the earth ... and suggests the QB brushes up on his meteor knowledge.

"Okay, so what he should do is go look at what meteors look like and most of them look like simple shooting stars," Tyson said Friday on FS1's 'The Herd' with Colin Cowherd.

"But, the occasional one, the occasional BIGGER one is called a bolide. We have special words for them and they flash through the sky. It takes just half a second! It flashes through the sky and at the end, sometimes they explode."

In other words, don't expect an alien invasion just yet, Bake.

Tyson says there are a bunch of amateur astronomers who spend countless hours looking in the sky ... and there would be a lot more hubbub if it really were anything out of the ordinary.

"I think if there were aliens visiting, the astronomer community would catch it immediately."

Chris Harrison's apology might not have happened without a far-ranging conversation he had with author Michael Eric Dyson ... about historical racism and the perception of Black people in this country.

Dyson joined us Friday on "TMZ Live" to discuss the guidance he gave the embattled host of the 'Bachelor' franchise ... and says it was crystal clear to him how genuinely committed Chris was in trying to grapple with race.

He said, "You don't have to spend 50 days with somebody to get whether they're sincere or not and whether they're willing to put in the work. He was."

As we reported ... Harrison mentioned Dyson during his 'GMA' interview as one of the people he turned to for counseling after the backlash he got for excusing historical racism during an interview with ex-'Bachelorette' Rachel Lindsay.

Michael, who wrote "Long Time Coming: Reckoning with Race in America," says he believes Chris isn't just trying to get his job back, either. Instead, he says Chris "knew he had done something wrong, and he was extremely sad about that."

MED points to the fact, Harrison didn't just apologize to Rachel and the Black community -- but he also made sure to denounce the online trolls spewing hate at Rachel.

Scary situation for Chicago Bulls star Zach LaVine -- cops were called to his home Thursday night after an allegedly obsessed woman showed up at his door and refused to leave.

Our law enforcement sources tell us ... 25-year-old LaVine was at his residence when the woman arrived.

We're told Zach did not know the woman -- but she had traveled from another state demanding to have a conversation with the young superstar.

When asked to leave the property, we're told the woman refused -- so cops were called.

Once help arrived, we're told officers took her to a local hospital for a mental health evaluation -- she was not formally arrested and has not been charged with a crime.

We reached out to LaVine's camp -- so far, no comment.

It's been a big week for LaVine -- who was just named to the NBA All-Star team for the first time in his career.

Terrence Green, best known as Rigo on the 'Step Up' TV series, really stepped in it -- production sources say he mimicked pointing a gun at a cop, and now the network's dropping the hammer.

Sources close to production of the Starz show tell TMZ ... they were filming at the Atlanta courthouse this week when Terrence approached a police officer and used his fingers to gesture like he was pointing a gun at the cop's head.

We're told it seemed Green meant it as a joke -- albeit a tasteless one -- but everyone was appalled by it, including the officer.

A spokesperson for Starz and Lionsgate, which produces 'Step Up,' tells TMZ ... a thorough investigation of the incident's been done, and Terrence "will receive strong disciplinary action."

The rep adds ... "We do not condone any on set behavior, even a gesture, that suggests or simulates violence toward another individual."

Elon Musk has some expensive bugs to fix -- another unmanned test flight of a SpaceX rocket he hoped would go to Mars went up in flames.

SpaceX nearly completed the successful test flight Wednesday at its facility in South Texas. The plan is for this prototype spacecraft, called SN10, to eventually venture all the way to Mars -- but several minutes after a clean launch and return trip to Earth ... it exploded.

SN10's launch was delayed due to a sputtering engine earlier in the day, but fired up for lift-off around 3 PM PT. It completed its route -- which wasn't meant to go too far up -- and touched down again, seemingly without a hitch.

The official SpaceX broadcast cut out before folks at home could see it blow up, but other streams that were monitoring the action live sure caught the blast.

You can hear someone who was watching it talk about a methane leak, but SpaceX has not said what caused the blast.

We've seen this before with SpaceX's Starship test flights -- this exact thing happened last year at the same facility ... with the same result.

They gave it another go just last month, and the results were identical ... fireballs. Again, these were all unmanned launches.

Governor Andrew Cuomo is emphatically denying touching anyone inappropriately amid sexual harassment allegations ... and a new photo of him grabbing a woman's face.

The Gov. of NY held his first news conference Wednesday since former staffers, and others, accused him of making them feel incredibly awkward -- including claims he gave a woman an unwanted kiss, put hands on the face of another and asked super personal questions of a third.

Cuomo insists he never made inappropriate contact with anyone -- doubling down on his denial from a statement he put out over the weekend. With that said, he did once again acknowledge he might've been a little too chummy for comfort at times.

Still, he says he had no ill intent and didn't know he was making folks uneasy. Cuomo apologized for any times that might've happened.

He also said he completely supports a woman's right to come forward with their truths, and restated his commitment to cooperate with an independent investigation. New York's Attorney General has called for a third party to run the probe.

The first piece of physical evidence publicly presented against Cuomo was a 2016 video, resurfaced last week, showing him jokingly telling a reporter to "eat the whole sausage" in front of him at the New York State Fair. That woman isn't an accuser, but many found the video cringe-worthy in light of the allegations.