Gayle King on R. Kelly's Ex Azriel Was Lying to Me, You Say??? ... Get Better, Sweetheart

I WANT THE BEST FOR HER
TMZ.com

Gayle King doesn't seem surprised in the least that R. Kelly's ex-girlfriend is now confessing she lied to the CBS anchor, but more importantly ... she wishes her well in her recovery.

We got the longtime news personality Saturday night in Miami and asked about Azriel Clary recently giving a tell-all interview to The Sun ... in which she completely flips on R. Kelly and says she lied to Gayle back in March of 2019 while characterizing their relationship.

GK says it's not a bombshell to learn about the confession -- sounds like she didn't believe her at the time, even though Azriel was very forceful in denying any misconduct.

Check it out ... Gayle tells us what she wants for Azriel going forward, and it looks like Azriel's well on her way to getting to a good place as she reunites with her fam.

Interestingly, there's no mention of Joycelyn Savage here -- mostly 'cause there's not much to say. As you know, she still seems to very much be in R. Kelly's corner these days.

Quavo & Takeoff Offset Did What He Had To w/ Punch ... What Would You Do?!?

CHIVALRY ISN'T DEAD
TMZ.com

Offset's rap partners are defending their buddy after he let the fists fly when someone sprayed champagne on his wife -- and their rationale is basically ... WWYD?

That's pretty much what Takeoff and Quavo told us Saturday in Miami, where all the rappers are hanging out in the days ahead of Super Bowl LIV. We asked 'em if they'd caught what had happened to Offset and Cardi in a club the night before ... sure enough, they had.

As we reported ... Cardi was on the receiving end of some bubbly early Friday morning, and Offset reacted by literally jumping into the crowd with an airborne punch.

SAY IT, DON'T SPRAY IT
TMZ.com

According to the Migos boys, the move is fair game when your significant other is involved. Takeoff says Offset "did what he had to" with the way he responded, and Quavo turned it around and asked our camera guy what he would do if it was his wife.

Long story short ... they got his back, and don't seem to have an issue with his immediate turn to violence. The dudes even suggest it was kinda chivalrous. Hmmm ... noted!

Jeff Bezos My Girlfriend's Brother is Suing Me ... Is That Right???

UPDATE

8:37 PM PT -- Lauren Sanchez's attorney, Terry Bird, just gave us the following statement on her behalf: "Michael is my older brother. He secretly provided my most personal information to the National Enquirer -- a deep and unforgivable betrayal. My family is hurting over this new baseless and untrue lawsuit, and we truly hope my brother finds peace."

Now, this is awkward ... the brother of the woman who's dating the richest man in the world is suing him. Welcome to the life of Jeff Bezos.

Michael Sanchez, the brother of Jeff's GF, Lauren Sanchez, claims Bezos defamed him by falsely claiming Michael was the source of graphic texts, some containing nude images of Jeff.

Michael, who says he was Lauren's "dutiful brother and manager" at the time the texts were released, says he cooperated with authorities during the investigation but was ultimately "scapegoated."

ICYMI, the feds reportedly said last week there was evidence Michael was the source of the graphic messages and got $200k in return for his services.

Michael says as a result of Bezos' statements, he suffered substantial harm. He says he was subjected to an FBI raid at his house in full view of the neighbors, he's received backlash from friends and business associates.

And, no surprise ... Michael's suing for punitive damages, saying "in an amount appropriate to punish and make an example of defendants." BTW, Jeff made $13 billion yesterday.

He's suing both Bezos and P.I. Gavin de Becker for unspecified damages.

We reached out to Bezos' people ... so far, no word back.

Originally Published -- 7:21 PM PT

Mase Blasts Diddy for Grammys Speech And $20k Publishing Deal

Mase, one of Diddy's biggest Bad Boy Records stars, is coming for blood ... calling the mogul a hypocrite for his Grammys speech, and for keeping him under a horrible contract.

The "Mo Money, Mo Problems" rapper went off on Diddy Friday saying it's ironic Bad Boy's honcho is calling on black artists to take back control of their art -- because Mase claims Diddy keeps his own artists "enslaved," purposely starves them and subjects them to his "horrendous business model."

On a personal level, Mase is pissed about the $20k he says Diddy paid him for his publishing rights more than 20 years ago, when he debuted at the age of 19.

WE DEMAND RESPECT

As you know ... Diddy gave a 50-minute speech while accepting an Industry Icon award at Clive Davis' pre-Grammy gala at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. He was also at Jay-Z's Roc Nation brunch earlier that day, toasting black billionaires and black excellence.

None of this sat well with Mase, who said he offered Diddy $2 million in cash just a few days ago to buy back his catalog. He claims Diddy told him he had to match a European man's offer and "that would be the only way I can get it back."

Mase -- who signed with Bad Boy in 1996, retired in 1999 and returned in 2004 -- added, "You bought it for about 20k & I offered you 2m in cash. This is not black excellence at all. When your own race is enslaving us. If it's about us owning, it can't be about us owning each other. No More Hiding Behind 'Love.' U CHANGED? GIVE THE ARTIST BACK THEIR $$$$. So they can take care of their families."

Mase has feuded with Diddy in the past ... and in 2009 Mase tried getting out of his deal with the label.

Brooklyn MC Sauce Money, who's worked with Diddy and Jay-Z, also took a swipe ... saying he watched Diddy's speech, and "I respect the message, just not coming from him."

We've reached out to Diddy's camp for comment, but so far no word back.

Damn. Can we just run it back ...

Super Bowl LIV FAA Threatening $30,000 Fines ... For Flying Drones

The FAA says it will DROP THE HAMMER on drone fliers at Super Bowl LIV in Miami this weekend ... threatening $30,000 fines if people are caught flying the toys near the Big Game!

Drone-flying has become a super popular hobby in America ... especially in Miami where there's a whole hell of a lot of stuff to record from the sky.

But, the FAA is deeming Hard Rock Stadium as a NO-FLY ZONE for this weekend's 49ers-Chiefs matchup ... and if people are caught flying anyway, the punishment is pretty severe.

The FAA says fines could not only reach $30K ... but criminal prosecution is on the table as well.

Yeah, better put those drones in the closet for the weekend.

As for the official rules of flying near the game if ya wanna push it ... the FAA says no drones will be allowed without permission within a roughly 34-mile region around the stadium.

But, good news ... the drones can be broken out shortly after the game -- the FAA says the temporary flight restriction will be removed at 11:59 p.m. ET.

Happy flying!

Minnie Mouse Heads Roll in Fight with Security ... Cops Want to Chat

SIDEWALK SCUFFLE
@pretty_prinnn

Minnie Mouse was in no mood to be sweet with a security guard who was jawing back and forth with her ... and she wasn't shy about dropping haymakers.

The surreal scene went down on a street in Las Vegas, where a woman in a Minnie costume took off her mouse head to throw down with a woman apparently working security.

In the video, it appears the woman in the security jacket lunges at Minnie ... and it's all downhill for her after that. Minnie throws and lands a series of violent punches, before getting on top of the woman to continue pulverizing her.

Mickey tries to jump in and break it up but appears to get popped once himself ... meanwhile, Goofy mostly looks on in dismay.

Eventually, the 2 women are separated and Minnie yells, "I ain't no bitch, bitch!" before taking off with Mickey. It's a pretty stark contrast from her usual, "Aren't you sweet" catchphrase.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... Vegas cops are aware of the altercation and want to speak with both parties, but there's no investigation until either of them comes forward.

NBA's Marcus Morris Apologizes For Using Sexist Insults ... to Rip Jae Crowder

NY Knicks player Marcus Morris is backpedaling in a BIG way after using anti-women insults to attack Grizzlies player Jae Crowder.

Morris ripped Crowder for stealing the ball and shooting a 3 with just seconds to go in a 127 to 106 ass-kicking at Madison Square Garden ... saying the move was "unprofessional."

And, that's when the sexist insults began to fly ...

"I think dude is just, he plays the game a different way. A lot of female tendencies on the court," Morris said following Wednesday night's game.

"Flopping, throwing his head back the entire game. It’s a man’s game and you just get tired of it. Obviously, at the end that was very unprofessional."

There's more ... "His game is soft. He’s soft. That’s how he carries [himself]. It’s just very woman-like."

Yeeesh.

Obviously, people were PISSED at Morris for the ridiculous comments ... and he issued an apology a short time later on social media.

"I apologize for using the term 'female tendencies,'" Morris said ... "I have the upmost respect for women and everything they mean to us."

Maybe a woman should have copy edited his statement ... he would have known the word is "utmost" not "upmost."

Anyway, he continued ... "It was a Heat of the moment response and I never intended for any Women to feel as though in anyway I’m disrespecting them."

"Again I apologize with my comments."

'Floribama' Star Nilsa Prowant Window-Smashing Rampage ... Caught on Camera!!!

ABSOLUTELY SMASHED
MTV

Here's MTV's "Floribama Shore" star Nilsa Prowant flying off the handle and smashing a car window to pieces during a drunken arrest ... and ya gotta see the damage!!!

The wild video picks up with Nilsa giving revelers the middle finger and spewing profanities as she climbs into the back of a taxi cab after a night of partying in St. Petersburg.

Nilsa's talking to cops after flashing onlookers in public, and you hear an officer standing outside the taxi tell her she's free to go if she calms down.

All of a sudden, Nilsa becomes belligerent ... she starts pounding the rear driver's side window with her fists, and when she starts kicking the glass, it shatters!!!

After the glass flies everywhere, sirens wail and police swarm, with cops ordering Nilsa to get out of the car before leading her away in a pair of handcuffs.

We broke the story ... Nilsa was arrested and booked for disorderly conduct and exposure of sexual organs.

The arrest is real bad news for Nilsa, but great for her producers -- who got some killer content for the episode airing tonight at 8/7c on MTV.

Of course, that won't mean crap to a judge. Too bad, so sad, Nilsa.

Ryan Seacrest, Mark Cuban Harry & Meghan Could Strike It Rich ... Take it From Us Titans!!!

JUST THE BEGINNING
TMZ.com

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry aren't going to be left penniless -- FAR from it actually, according to Ryan Seacrest and Mark Cuban ... so long as they follow this advice.

The two titans of industry -- who've successfully forged their own paths in entertainment and sports, and branded themselves masterfully -- sat down for the new, TMZ/FOX special, "Harry & Meghan: The Royals In Crisis," to share their thoughts on PH and MM's financial future in entertainment.

As you might've heard, the former Royals are kinda on their own now. And, life ain't free!!!

The question ... can they make an honest buck, and if so, how? Seacrest says it all depends on what they have to offer, which may come as a surprise to both the public and maybe even themselves, especially Harry. Bottom line, RS thinks there's untapped potential there.

Mark Cuban is right there with him ... saying, if Har and Meg play their cards right, they could be just as successful and wealthy as the Obamas, if not more so.

ALL PART OF THE PLAN
TMZ.com

FOX's one-hour special gets into more than just what lies ahead for them though ... it's also a deep dive into what got them here to begin with. Piers Morgan has thoughts on that.

Check it out ... he makes no bones about how he believes Meghan manipulated her way to the top, only to strip his country's Prince away from his people and family. Oof, harsh!

Renowned writer Afua Hirsch has a different take, however, with which many others agree.

Get ready for fireworks! 'The Royals in Crisis' airs on FOX Wednesday at 8 PM ET/7 PM CT.

'Bachelor' Couple Stripped of $1M-Dollar Prize ... From DraftKings Contest

'Bachelor' stars Jade Roper Tolbert and her hubby costar, Tanner Tolbert, just lost out on a million bucks from an online betting competition -- and it seems things weren't on the up-and-up ... according to DraftKings.

DraftKings released a statement Saturday saying that -- after a multi-week investigation on claims of cheating and rigging the standings -- they have updated their leader board on the Wild Card competition they held back in early January.

The company stops short of calling Jade and Tanner cheaters or any other such accusation, but it's pretty clear ... they found something fishy in the way they won the top prize.

They say rather ambiguously, "All customers affected by the updated standings will be notified directly. It is our general policy not to comment further on such matters." You'll recall ... Jade and Tanner were accused of being in cahoots to win the million bucks.

They flat-out denied it at the time, telling us in essence ... they're just lucky. But, per those hawkish online gambling wizzes, the 'Bachelor' pair appeared to coordinate their max-out 150 lineups to increase their chances of winning. That's a clear violation of the rules.

As for where the money ended up ... some guy who goes by the username spclk36. CONGRATS, SPCLK!!!!

Boosie Badazz Attn: White Rappers ... Stop Saying N****!!!

PROPER PUNISHMENT
TMZ.com

Boosie Badazz here with a PSA for all the white rappers thinking about dropping an n-bomb in their next rap ... prepare to get a knuckle sandwich, unless you use it in one specific way.

We got Boosie at LAX and asked him about the white rapper who went viral for saying "n***a" in a battle rap and getting punched in the face.

In case you missed it ... William Wolf's black opponent cold-cocked him after he used the term in front of a room fool of black folks.

'Power' Star Rotimi Calls Tariq's Real-Life Death Threats ... 'Twisted Flattery'

CHILL OUT
TMZ.com

"Power" star Rotimi is not worried one bit about his costar getting real-life death threats ... and his explanation makes a lot of sense.

We got Rotimi Friday out at LAX and we had to get his take on Michael Rainey Jr. -- who plays much-hated Tariq St. Patrick -- making light of the more than 300 death threats flooding his DMs on Instagram.

Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media.

Rotimi tells us he's sure the threats aren't really intended for Michael -- it's more about his character, Tariq, who many fans suspect shot his father, Ghost, played by Omari Hardwick. Rotimi, BTW, plays Dre ... one of Ghost's arch-rivals.

Massachusetts Woman Alleged Parking Lot Pooper ... Busted By Cops

A Massachusetts woman accused of repeatedly taking dumps in a parking lot is s**t outta luck ... she's finally in custody after essentially getting caught with her pants down.

Cops in Natick, Mass. say they've arrested 51-year-old Andrea Grocer after she allegedly made a habit of pooping outside a sporting goods store. She's being charged with 8 counts of wanton destruction of property.

Police say they started investigating the woman's alleged dirty habit in December after the store owner claimed he routinely found mounds of human feces in the parking lot.

Cops say they initially believed an animal was doing the damage, but investigators eventually found toilet paper and wipes in the area. Plus, the bowel movements were caught on surveillance footage, according to police ... but they say Grocer's license plate was always shielded from camera.

Police increased patrols in an effort to catch the serial pooper redhanded, and officers say they caught Grocer preparing to poop in the lot Wednesday morning around 7 AM.

You'll remember, a female jogger dubbed "The Mad Pooper" terrorized a Colorado neighborhood back in 2017 with her sneaky poops ... unclear if she served as any inspo.

Kansas vs. Kansas State Massive Brawl Breaks Out Suspensions Handed Down

GETTIN' PHYSICAL
ESPN
UPDATE

3:04 PM PT -- The Big 12 Conference just announced the official punishments for the brawl ... and it seems pretty light.

UPDATE

Kansas players Silvio De Sousa was suspended 12 games and David McCormack was suspended 2 games.

UPDATE

Kansas State's James Love was handed an 8-game punishment and Antonio Gordon was suspended 3 games.

UPDATE

Commissioner Bob Bowlsby released a statement on the incident ... saying “This kind of behavior cannot be tolerated and these suspensions reflect the severity of last evening’s events. I am appreciative of the cooperation of both institutions in resolving this matter.”

UPDATE

Worth noting -- all the players will be back from suspension in time for the Big 12 and the NCAA tournaments

UPDATE

10:11 AM PT -- Kansas coach Bill Self says Silvio De Sousa has been suspended indefinitely while the Big 12 investigates the altercation.

UPDATE

De Sousa was the player who held a stool over his head during the fight.

All hell broke loose at the end of the Kansas vs. Kansas State game on Tuesday ... with the players getting in a bench-clearing brawl.

It all got started in the closing seconds of the Jayhawks' 81-60 win ... when K. State's DaJuan Gordon stripped the ball from Kansas' Silvio De Sousa to try for a last-second bucket.

De Sousa ended up catching up with Gordon, stuffed his layup attempt ... and then proceeded to stand on top of his opponent.

The 2 players started going at it -- and then both teams rushed over to defend their teammates.

That's when MAYHEM ensued ... with players, coaches and other staff members getting involved. Punches were thrown, kicks and even one player thought about using a stool before an assistant coach yanked it from him.

Cops on the scene eventually broke up the fight after several minutes ... and both teams went to the locker room to cool off.

The craziest part??? The teams ended up having to come BACK out on the court to finish the last 0.1 seconds left in the game so K. State could shoot technical free throws.

Of course, there WILL be punishment handed down ... so it's just a matter of time before the teams find out the consequences of the melee.

Originally published -- 7:36 PM PT

Gwyneth Paltrow Tickled Pink About Goop!!! (Yeah, It's a Vagina Joke)

Gwyneth Paltrow is sliding right into promo mode for her new show about female wellness and empowerment, and as you can see -- she's highlighting vaginas. It's kinda her thing now.

GP was beaming Tuesday night in L.A. for a screening of her Netflix series, "The Goop Lab" ... which goes behind the scenes of her Goop biz, selling products tailored to make ladies feel good. Especially where it counts.

So, Gwyn striking a pose in front of a flower display that's a dead ringer for a vagina ... is no mistake. After all, this is the same woman hawking a candle that, allegedly, releases her own personal ... scent.

The whole idea of her biz is women shouldn't be afraid to take care of themselves in all respects -- especially when it comes to their sex lives. Clearly, she isn't scared of expressing her philosophy in creative ways.

In other words ... sometimes a rose, isn't a rose, isn't a rose. It can be other stuff too.

Old news is old news!
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