Ariana Grande Leaving Scooter Braun and Management Company HYBE

Published | Updated

Ariana Grande is making a change in managers ... she's leaving Scooter Braun.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... the singer is leaving both Scooter and his management company, HYBE. One source put it this way, "Scooter's team is spinning the story. Ariana is leaving both Scooter and Hybe. There is absolutely no truth to her staying."

Scooter has been managing Ariana for years, and she's one of his biggest clients.

Ariana's departure comes on the heels of another big-name exit for Scooter ... Demi Lovato already peaced out. Idina Menzel also left back in January.

Ariana has unfollowed Scooter on social media, so it doesn't seem it's particularly amicable.

Braun has said he's stepping back from day-to-day management and, as we reported, he was negotiating with several clients, including Ariana, for a new structure ... but Ariana says she's now gone.

There have been rumors Justin Bieber might be leaving, but we're told Justin is still under contract with Scooter's company and they are negotiating a possible new deal. We're told Ariana might still have an existing contract with Braun so we don't know how that will play out.

Ariana's a big name on the open market now, and it will be interesting to see who becomes her next manager.

Stay tuned ...

Madonna I'm Working Out After Health Scare ... Riding Bike Through NYC

Published | Updated
083123-madonna-bike-kal
back in the saddle

Madonna is getting back into the groove after a critical illness threatened her life ... she's exercising again, and appears to be back in good health.

The singer hopped on a bicycle for an outdoor workout Wednesday, pedaling around New York City with a few friends, including her personal trainer.

Madonna's bike ride took her through Central Park and onto Manhattan streets, where she road down a few city blocks ... zipping around town.

As you can see in the videos, Madonna's looking pretty fit and active here ... a good sign after a severe bacterial infection that landed her in the ICU.

Remember ... Madonna was rushed to a hospital at the end of June, so she's only about 2 months removed from the illness that forced her to postpone her 'Celebration' tour.

Madonna says she feels lucky to be alive after her health issue, and she looks pretty lively on a bicycle ... she's definitely stronger than when we saw her last month ... all good signs before she starts touring in October over in Europe.

50 Cent Suspect in Criminal Battery ... After throwing Mic, Hitting Spectator

Published | Updated
083123-50-cent-kal 8/30/23
HURLED INTO THE CROWD
UPDATE

12:23 PM PT -- 50 Cent's attorney, Scott Leemon, tells TMZ ... "Let's be very clear, as I told LAPD this afternoon, my client Curtis (AKA 50 Cent) would never intentionally strike anyone with a microphone. Anyone saying something different doesn’t have all the facts and is misinformed."

UPDATE

8:00 AM PT -- TMZ has learned ... 50 Cent is now a suspect in a criminal felony battery report. Power 106 radio host, Bryhana Monegain, was the woman hit and she filed a police report Wednesday night. Law enforcement sources tell us ... they believe 50 threw the mic at his crew in the production area and hit the victim. The victim told cops 50 looked directly at her before throwing the mic, so at least, according to her, 50 knew she was there. Bryhana went to the hospital with a laceration on her head.

UPDATE
083123_bryhana_monegain_kal
TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL

50 Cent went all Cardi B during his concert in Los Angeles, throwing his broken microphone in frustration into the crowd ... hitting a fan smack dab on the head.

The rapper hit the stage at Crypto.com Arena Wednesday night as part of his "Final Lap" tour 2023 ... and, during the performance, he was handed several mics that didn't work, which was clearly triggering.

Check out the video ... Fitty struts out onstage with a mic in hand to join YG, who is belting out a song. Suddenly, Fitty turns to one side of the stage and hurls the mic, striking a woman in the head.

Sources who were present tell TMZ ... Fitty wasn't targeting the woman, but still, he beaned her good. A source connected to 50 says the woman wasn't supposed to be in the restricted area ... but unlike the mic, that argument doesn't fly.

Photos of the victim surfaced on Instagram, showing a gash in her forehead and bloody towels wrapped around her neck.

We've reached out to Fitty's camp ... so far, no word back.

073023-cardi-b-drink-kal 7/29/23
MAKIN' A SPLASH

You may recall ... Cardi B was involved in a similar incident in which she angrily tossed her mic at a fan, who threw a drink at her during a Las Vegas show. The mic ricocheted off something and hit another person standing nearby. That person filed a police report, but Cardi was cleared.

Originally Published -- 6:18 AM PT

Trace Cyrus Miley's Bro Drags Women On OnlyFans ... Catching Major Heat for It

Published | Updated
UPDATE

10:25 AM PT -- Trace Cyrus is doubling down on his thoughts about OnlyFans models ... writing on X on Thursday, "I stand on everything I said. I’ll never read another response to anything I post on here." He says most folks in his replies aren't smart enough to make a valid argument.

UPDATE
UPDATE

What's more, Trace claims he's been getting nothing but praise on Instagram for making the same stance, and thinks the fact that OF creators are on X means that's where the hate is coming from -- claiming people are just "triggered."

Miley Cyrus' brother, Trace, is getting destroyed for harsh comments about women working on OnlyFans -- he thinks they're killing their chances of ending up with a good guy.

The Metro Station guitarist and vocalist launched his anti-OnlyFans rant Wednesday, saying the women who earn cash on the site "have lost their chance of ever settling down with a good guy with morals."

Trace thinks OnlyFans models will call guys with standards "insecure," but will get attention from other men online, "so they think they have options."

It's a long, bizarre and rambling attack ... Trace even calls guys who pay for content on the platform "desperate" losers. Plenty of people in the comments lit him up, though, calling his rant "so embarrassing."

Farrah Abraham even called him out, saying "Balance & Brand is real... forget limited Insecure mindsets."

Trace responded to Farrah with a heavy dose of sarcasm ... "I've been defeated. The most intelligent woman of this generation has put me in check."

BTW, some are pointing out a bit of irony in his discography -- Metro Station's 2007 hit, "Shake It" is all about getting women to do as the title suggests, and having sex with them ...  as long as they're not OnlyFans models, apparently.

For more viral news, tune in to the TMZ Verified Podcast. Dropping every Thursday on all podcast platforms.

Originally Published -- 8:47 AM PT

Taylor Swift My Concert's Now a Movie!!! ... Coming to AMC Theaters

Published | Updated

Taylor Swift fans in North America are getting the chance to relive her "Eras" tour -- or witness it for the first time -- because the show will soon be coming to the big screen!

The singer announced the big news Thursday morning, saying her insanely popular tour has been "the most meaningful, electric experience of my life so far and I’m overjoyed to tell you that it'll be coming to the big screen soon."

Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media.

TS says her concert will hit AMC theaters across North America Friday, October 13 -- Taylor's lucky number. It'll be a long one ... every minute of her 3+ hour show will be projected on the big screen. She's asking fans to dress up and bring those friendship bracelets along.

The flick will play at least 4 times a day on Thursdays through Sundays at EVERY AMC location in America, as well as big theaters in Canada and Mexico.

And you can even enjoy the show with some Swift-themed popcorn buckets and cups, too.

Now the best part -- tickets go for $19.89 a pop for adults and $13.13 for kids and seniors ... way cheaper than the thousands some fans paid to see her in person.

Amy Sedaris Called Out for MJ Birthday Post ... 'Let's Not Glorify Him'

Published | Updated

Amy Sedaris celebrated Michael Jackson on his birthday this week -- but some aren't happy about her giving him a shout-out ... proving he's still divisive, even today.

The actress threw up a major bday tribute to the late entertainer Tuesday, which marked what would've been his 65th birthday if he was still alive. She attached a bunch of MJ clips, showing off his talent and iconic cultural moments in showbiz ... including music videos.

Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media.

She wrote, "On what would've been his 65th birthday, let's all groove to some of the timeless music that @michaeljackson made." Amy also added the hashtag #heavenlybirthday.

Clearly, she's a fan of the guy -- at least on the professional front -- and felt it was appropriate to honor him 14 years after his death ... but many of her followers were pissed.

There's a handful of naysayers who don't approve of Amy giving Mike the spotlight ... and, yes, it all has to do with his controversial history of being accused of sexually abusing minors -- something MJ denied throughout his life, and for which he was famously acquitted.

Still, that doesn't mean people are over it ... and they let Amy know in her comments. One person wrote, "Let's not glorify him anymore." Another chimed in, saying ... "We still out here celebrating pedophiles, smh." Even Bravo's Andy Cohen commented, writing ... "Oops!"

Now, Amy doesn't appear to have responded to any of these folks ... but the fact a good amount of people are responding this way is a testament to an unspoken rule among A-listers in Hollywood -- don't talk about Michael, and just leave it to the normies. FWIW, Mike has many, many defenders online ... but not very many who are notable public figures.

Fact is, high-visibility stars tend not to address the topic one way, or another these days -- and it seems obvious why ... there are still countless individuals who believe all his accusers.

Seeing how Amy is bucking that trend and giving him love regardless is interesting ... she seems able to separate the art from the artist -- that, or she believes he's innocent, period.

The abuse allegations persist in 2023 ... namely, through the claims of Wade Robson and James Safechuck, who are pushing lawsuits through the CA court system.

Thanks to an appeals court, they'll now have their allegations heard anew by a judge ... this after both suits were initially tossed. Wade and James are going after MJ's companies ... claiming they had a duty to protect them as kids.

Paris Jackson Ripped by Fans for No MJ Birthday Post ... I've Gotten Death Threats

Published

Paris Jackson is defending herself after not wishing her dad, Michael Jackson, a happy birthday on social media -- a choice that has some fans telling her to kill herself.

The singer did post Tuesday -- which would've been MJ's 65th birthday -- about the extreme reaction of fans, saying some had been coming after her all day for not paying tribute to her pops online, which she thinks is ridiculous.

She says her dad was never into birthday celebrations, and he'd go to great lengths to keep his big day a secret ... but despite her honoring MJ's past wishes over the years, Paris points out the drastic things she's been hit with when she doesn't post about him on his birthday.

FYI, Paris goes on to share a clip from her concert on Tuesday, where she actually paid tribute to Michael with the crowd ... before reminding her followers big celebrations are something he was totally against.

Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media.

As we reported, actress Amy Sedaris caught flack for honoring Michael online for his birthday -- with many commenters taking anger in the fact that she's paying tribute to a singer who had a controversial past of allegedly sexually abusing minors.

Seems like folks are gettin' mad whether you post about MJ or not.

Travis Scott I'm Going All Over For 'Utopia' Tour ... But I'm Not Doing Houston

Published | Updated

Travis Scott is ready for a nationwide tour performing his new album ... and he's making a couple tour stops in Texas, with one notable exception ... Houston.

The rapper just announced dates and cities for his upcoming "Utopia" tour, and he's got shows in almost every major American market, except for the place where his infamous Astroworld concert left 10 dead and dozens injured.

Travis going with a full tour -- 26 stops in the U.S. plus two in Canada -- makes it seem like he's not sweating Astroworld all that much ... but it's interesting he's skipping Houston in favor of two other shows in Texas, performing in Austin and Dallas instead.

110621_astroworld_ambulance_kal 11/5/21
NAVIGATING THROUGH THE CROWD

Of course, a grand jury in Houston recently decided against indicting Travis on criminal charges for the deadly November 2021 concert in H-Town.

Travis is still facing some civil lawsuits in Houston over Astroworld, and with that in mind it seems his hometown is not safe territory ... at least for this tour.

The Houston omission is pretty glaring, though ... and it's the subject of a lot of comments on Travis' social media post announcing the tour.

Adele Vegas Fan Sorry Not Sorry for Standing You Could Have Too!

Published | Updated

The guy who got chastised (and then defended) at Adele's concert is sorry the people behind him were bothered -- but says they have legs ... and should use them next time.

082823-juan-pablo-lastra-kal
I'M SORRY, BUT ...

We talked to Juan Pablo -- who went viral after Adele stood up for him Saturday night in Vegas, this after security and other guests were trying to muzzle him -- and he tells TMZ he doesn't really have any regrets about how he handled things that night.

082823-adele-fan-kal
THE FULL INTERACTION

JP says he does feel bad for those who might've been blocked by him standing up in front of them -- but in the same breath, tells us they could've stood up too ... solving the problem.

The video he took of himself -- on a selfie stick, which some found obnoxious -- is one he hopes to hold on to forever ... that's what he's telling us, anyway. While critics have accused him of clout-chasing, Juan says he was just trying to preserve a memory in real-time.

Listen to what he wants Adele to know in the wake of all this ... he's clearly very grateful -- and can't thank her enough for making him feel included and not like a troublemaker.

BTW, it sounds like all's well that ends well -- 'cause after the whole incident, he actually made peace with the security guard who was talking to him ... posing for a selfie with the guy. Juan tells us the dude wasn't even all that confrontational -- and was just trying to get him to settle down a bit.

Adele was obviously fine with his level of enthusiasm, so his advice to the seat-fillers might be the best thing they can to enjoy themselves ... stand up and sing, it's Adele!

We covered the story on the latest episode of The TMZ Podcast, available on all podcast platforms.

Elvis Presley Revolver Sells At Auction For $200K

Published

Elvis Presley's gun collection is in demand ... 'cause someone dropped six figures on one of his revolvers, with the final bid more than doubling what it was expected to fetch at auction.

The late singer's Smith & Wesson Model 53 double-action revolver was up for sale through Rock Island Auction Company, and they tell us the winning bid came in at $199,750.

Elvis received the gun as a gift in November 1976, just 9 months before he died, and it's loaded with custom features marking the Bicentennial.

The revolver is customized with five-pointed stars and a bald eagle holding a Betsy Ross American flag, plus the Liberty Bell ... and "1776-1976" is inscribed in gold near the muzzle.

As we first reported, Elvis' gun was expected to fetch at least $60,000 at auction ... but a bidding war broke out.

The King of Rock and Roll reportedly owned 37 firearms and a machine gun ... and interest appears sky-high.

Adele Fan She Defended Hit Record ... Was Just Standing/Singing

Published | Updated
082823-adele-fan-kal
THE FULL INTERACTION

The guy Adele defended this weekend in Vegas appeared to be getting hassled by security without due cause -- but he recorded the whole incident, so it's now clear why security came over, and why she stood up for him.

The fan in question goes by @juanp_lastra on TikTok, and he was filming himself Saturday night while attending Adele's Vegas residency at Caesars. As you can see -- he was very much into the festivities ... standing up and belting out every lyric while she performed.

On its face, this would seem like NBD -- it is a concert after all -- but it looks like some folks behind him were bothered by him blocking their view ... one of 'em came up and told him so.

Juan here was sorta shamed into sitting down and piping down for a bit -- but it wasn't long before he was up and singing again. Once again, someone came up to him to address it -- only this time, it was a security guard working the venue.

That's when Adele spoke up and asked what the heck was going on ... noting that she'd been seeing him get bothered the whole time she was up on stage. At first, security didn't appear to notice she was talking to them -- but as soon as they did, they dropped it.

Of course, this fella was ecstatic Adele came to his defense, and thanked her online -- but he's re-ignited the ol' debate about how amped a fan can/should be at concerts.

Waiting for your permission to load TikTok Post.

Quite a moment, indeed -- and once again, it proves Adele loves her loyal supporters.

It's just the latest example of her connecting with her fan base, and explains why people love her. Remember, she had other highlights this weekend too ... so this was the cherry on top.

Jason Momoa Moshin' With Metallica Fans ... Epic New Clip!!!

Published | Updated

Jason Momoa's status as a loyal and rockin' Metallica fan is secure with this video showing the dude taking on a hectic mosh pit with a swarm of other fans at the band's L.A. concerts.

Check out the clip, obtained by TMZ -- the "Aquaman" star was in the mix with hundreds of Mighty Met faithful Sunday night at SoFi Stadium ... and as the group's moving in a big circle, you can see the actor with a huge smile on his face.

He also shared a clip on his IG story of him heading into the crowd ... and he sounded thrilled as hell, singing along to "Fight Fire with Fire" while jumping into the chaos. Safe to say he was exactly where he wanted to be.

Waiting for your permission to load TikTok Post.

As we reported, Jason was jumping all over the place as Metallica's opener, Pantera, took to the stage Friday night. Apart from JM, folks like John Travolta, Tom Sandoval, and Tommy Lee also enjoyed Friday's L.A. rock fest.

FYI, things can get a little dangerous in a mosh pit, but come on ... who's really gonna mess with Momoa??

Elton John Briefly Hospitalized in France ... After Falling at Home

Published

Elton John is on the mend after taking a nasty fall at home, and getting admitted to a hospital this weekend.

The singer got treatment Sunday night in Monaco after taking a tumble at his villa in Nice, France. It's unclear what caused his fall, but it was obviously serious enough for Elton to feel he needed to be seen by a doc.

The injury, and whatever treatment he got, required an overnight stay ... as he wasn't discharged until Monday morning -- something his rep confirms to TMZ.

Elton's rep says the hospital stay was just a "precautionary measure," and adds ... "Following checkups, he was immediately discharged this morning and is now back at home and in good health."

EJ's been vacationing in France over the summer with his husband, David Furnish, and their kids. He's been enjoying retirement since his final tour performance in Stockholm.

Adele Defends Fan in Crowd Tells Security to Stop Hassling Him

Published | Updated

Adele continues to be the people's champion ... turning on her own security for bothering a fan of hers in the crowd, and stopping the whole show to do it.

The singer was performing Saturday at her Vegas residency -- getting ready to belt out "Water Under The Bridge" -- and right as she seemed ready to start crooning ... she came to an abrupt halt, telling the band to stand down as she addressed something out in the audience.

Watch ... Adele zeroes in on a man out in the seats that she can see is being hassled by security, and she wasn't having it -- demanding to know what was going on/what he'd done.

Adele says she noticed he'd been getting bothered by security almost the entire time she'd been on stage, and when she didn't get an adequate response ... she ordered the guards to leave the dude alone -- noting he was just there to have fun, as was everyone else.

Waiting for your permission to load TikTok Post.

There's another angle that captures the action from a further vantage point, and you can actually see the security guard in question. He's a bald guy, and he's aggressively talking to this man before Adele calls him out. Sounds like it might've been over him standing up.

As you can tell, the rest of the concert-goers were thrilled that Adele was defending her own ... and they cheered as she scolded the staff. Once again -- Adele speaks to the people.

Considering how beloved she is -- and how good she is at talking to audiences -- something tells us there might be something else in her future. This woman knows how to connect!

Beyoncé Chrome Outfit Request Leaves Fans Scrambling ... Etsy Stores Slammed

Published | Updated

Beyoncé's most loyal fans are in full panic mode after she asked them to wear chrome to her upcoming concerts ... and we've learned that's prompted a mad scramble online for silver clothing.

We spoke with several businesses on Etsy, and they tell us concertgoers have been messaging online shops, desperately trying to find the perfect outfit to please their queen, and one of the biggest challenges is getting it shipped, STAT!

We're told chrome outfits are sellin' like hotcakes, with items as expensive as a $112 shirt already low in stock.

Sequin Fans, one of the hot-selling companies -- says it's seen a 200% sales increase in silver apparel and a 400% bump in overall traffic.

Radiancy Designs saw more than 4 times its usual traffic after Bey posted her request, with 80% of that coming from folks searching "Renaissance Tour"-related keywords.

In case ya missed it, Beyoncé raved about her concerts thus far, and asked fans to celebrate her upcoming birthday by wearing "your most fabulous silver fashions" as her world tour nears the end.

Sounds like fans understand the assignment ... but maybe give them a little more of a heads-up next time, Bey!!!

Adele Praises Miley's New Song Tries Beyonce's 'Mute' Challenge!!!

Published

Busy night for Adele -- not only did she sing the praises of 2 of her contemporaries -- honoring them in unique ways -- but she continued to do her best Oprah ... and killed it.

The singer was performing Friday night at her residency show in Vegas, and there's a lot of footage making the rounds showing different highlights throughout the night ... including one moment where she gushed about Miley Cyrus, and tried her hand at being Beyonce.

On the former, check out this clip of Adele addressing the crowd and talking about how much she loves Miley's new track, "Used to Be Young," which is blowing up right now.

Adele says she's always been a fan of Miley's and adds that the song hit her in a very personal/emotional way. Welp, Miley caught wind of the compliment and responded Saturday, writing ... ".@Adele, I thought of you often while writing this song - always hoped that you would love it. This means the world to me. I love you. Mission accomplished."

There was another big moment during Friday's show ... Adele attempted to do the viral "mute" challenge that's been going down at Bey's concerts lately ... where she sings "Energy" and the audience goes completely silent when she hits the lyric, "Everybody on mute."

It's all the rage these days, and Adele wanted to see if her fans could do as well as some of the ticketholders for the "Renaissance" tour (especially Atlanta, who really did it best).

Unfortunately for her (and them, we suppose) ... the Vegas crowd wasn't up to the task.

No matter though, because Adele once again proved to be a great showman through and through -- yes, that means she stopped and chatted a lot throughout her performance ... and very much came across as a naturally gifted talk show host, not unlike an Ellen DeGeneres.

We mean that quite literally ... 'cause Adele was going around and interviewing audience members with a mic and everything -- and a certain one-on-one she had with an expecting mom is noteworthy to say the least. Take a listen for yourself ... Adele makes a revelation.

You hear that, Rich. Someone's got baby fever!