TMZ.com

As if losing the election wasn't enough, folks can stick it to Donald Trump again by pushing the button to blow up one of his old casinos.

Here's the deal ... the former Trump Plaza casino in Atlantic City is scheduled for demolition next month -- pretty close to when Trump leaves the White House -- and for the right price, someone gets to bring down the joint.

The auction is doubling as a fundraiser benefiting the Boys & Girls Club of Atlantic City, and the mayor's hoping the big prize hauls in over $1 million.

Yeah, politicians think people hate Trump that much -- and there are roughly 80 million people who'd agree with that.

Trump's former casino opened its doors way back in 1984, when AC was actually popping, but it shuttered in 2014 and the property has descended into such a bad state that demolition work is already underway.

The rest of the crumbling structure will be demolished Jan. 29 -- 9 days after Trump's Presidential run comes to an end. Boy, January's gonna suck for him.

Atlantic City's got a love-hate relationship with Trump ... the mayor remembers some of the city's iconic moments happening at the Trump Plaza casino, including tons of big boxing matches, but he also didn't forget Trump mocking AC on his way out of town ... so the auction makes sense.

Adam Carolla supports the recall effort gaining steam against Gov. Gavin Newsom -- because he says the guy's a tyrant, and that Californians should snap out of his BS spell.

We talked to the comedian Tuesday in Burbank, CA, where he was about to head into a restaurant his friend owns for a little sit-down meal ... almost out of protest, it seems. It's pretty clear ... Adam thinks the new shutdown orders are ridiculous, and he explains why.

In his eyes, there's just no proof to connect outdoor dining to massive outbreaks of coronavirus cases -- he thinks Newsom's just throwing crap at a wall and doing what he wants ... behavior of an unhinged king, which Adam says Newsom is not.

He also speaks to Californians, telling them to stop acting like sheep by blindly taking orders ... without thinking about the logic, or lack thereof, behind them.

Adam then pivots to a recall effort that's been picking steam in recent days. It's a grassroots movement started by people who are furious with Newsom over his closing of small businesses -- especially restaurants -- as well as what many call hypocritical behavior, as he was recently spotted maskless at a ritzy indoor shindig in Napa.

Might sound crazy, but the petition already has more than half the necessary signatures needed to get the issue on a ballot soon -- and word is Newsom's camp is nervous.

Joe Biden's inauguration ceremony will be covered by a security company, that Uncle Sam is paying handsomely, to keep the President-elect safe -- and by the looks of everything they're equipped to do, he'll be in good hands.

TMZ obtained federal procurement docs that show the Secret Service has hired a company called Showcall Security Services to help out with the inauguration in January. The company scored a $7.5 million contract for the job ... and it sounds like they'll be worth every dime of taxpayer money.

Turns out, a division of Showcall, named Checkmate, is what'll be deployed here -- and a glance at their specialties shows why they cost a pretty penny. Checkmate boasts "temporary deployable security assets" that create "hardened perimeters," which can stop vehicle-borne threats and attempted weapons hand-offs of people who get past checkpoints

Checkmate also notes they design and provide "robust access control programs and cutting edge surveillance and threat detection systems" that use data analytics -- so top-notch stuff.

But, wait ... there's more.

Other services Checkmate offers for large-scale events include (but aren't limited to) ... anti-scale fencing, a mobile command post, all types of tactical barriers, golf carts and gators, light towers, traffic control, mobile power generation, tenting and perhaps most useful of all ... portable bathrooms!!!

Kamala Harris knows better than anyone the historic moment that's about to take place after she takes her oath of office -- not just for her, but also for her our nation's first Second Gentleman.

The VP-Elect talked about the emotions she's feeling as she becomes the first woman to hold the office ... and the word that seems to be ringing in her head is "responsibility."

Kamala told Robin Roberts on 'GMA' ... saying she'll be thinking about the responsibility that comes with the job, and also about her mother. She said, "I was raised by a mother who said that to me all the time. She said, ‘You may be the first to do many things, make sure you’re not the last.’ That’s how I feel about this moment."

President-elect Joe Biden's inauguration is getting scaled back due to the coronavirus pandemic ... with safety protocols aiming to prevent a superspreader scenario.

Biden's own Presidential Inaugural Committee just announced some of the changes for January's ceremony, which will have an "extremely limited" footprint. The PIC also says the parade following the swearing-in will be "reimagined."

Some traditions are still soldiering on ... the PIC says Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris will take their oaths outside the Capitol.

The stage construction is chugging along, but most folks won't be there in person to soak in the historic ceremony when the stage is set ... Biden's PIC is urging the public not to travel to the National Mall for a huge gathering. Instead, folks are being encouraged to participate in inauguration activities from the comforts of their own homes.

So don't anticipate a gathering like the one we saw 4 years ago for Donald Trump ... and it definitely won't look like the first Barack Obama inauguration.

Joe Biden officially has big plans on Jan. 20, 2021 -- now that all 50 states have officially cast their Electoral College votes to make him the 46th President of the United States.

Electors cast their votes Monday across the country, confirming the winning total for President-elect Biden ... 306 for him, and 232 for now-outgoing President Trump.

Nevada -- one of the battleground states -- cast theirs first Monday morning, and all the other states followed shortly thereafter ... including Georgia, Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Arizona -- all states that Trump lost and has fought, unsuccessfully, to overturn the results in court.

Trump and his legal team filed several lawsuits all throughout the country, claiming election fraud, unfair vote counting and invalid ballots ... but failed to present any hard-hitting evidence. Pennsylvania was the one place they had a little bit of steam, but that was sucked away quickly when the Supreme Court refused to hear the case.

Of course, it's been a long and rancorous road getting here -- Trump has refused to formally concede ... and he's sent Rudy Giuliani to do a lot of his bidding on this issue, only to see him come up short and contract COVID in the process.

Trump has said, on camera, that if the Electoral College did its thing, he'd bow out. That might be true, but absolutely no one's expecting him to deliver a concession speech.

Offset says he is not planning to get vaccinated for coronavirus -- and his reasoning all boils down to trust and fairness.

We spoke to the Migos rapper Saturday in Bev Hills, and straight up asked if he'd take the COVID vaccine ... which is on the verge of being distributed to the first group in the coming days.  He's blunt and to the point -- he's planning on passing.

Offset mentions a viral photo that's been making the rounds ... showing a few people with their faces frozen in a distorted position, with their mouths slightly open.

The photos were supposedly taken of a few volunteers who were inoculated with the Pfizer vaccine.  The online chatter -- these were some of the side effects. The word from Scientists -- the side effects are generally mild, flu-like symptoms.

The FDA DID acknowledge 4 Pfizer volunteers were struck with a bout of Bell's Palsy -- but the government agency notes there was no way to conclusively link the vaccine to the development of their temporary facial paralysis. Still, people got freaked out.

Same goes for Offset -- who tells us that he simply doesn't trust the government (for the most part) and that even Barack Obama being willing to get vaccinated on video isn't enough to sway him. Offset then pivoted to a different train of thought.

Check it out ... he starts talking about how celebs and politicians get special treatment when it comes COVID therapeutics and medical treatment -- and he wouldn't feel right getting vaccinated ASAP knowing there are others just as deserving who get lesser treatment.

He also talks about the fact that the government at large hasn't done enough for the Black community to convince him they have his and his people's best interest at heart. What he touches on here is a huge problem too, BTW -- only 40% or so of the African-American community say they'll take the vaccine, and even less (14%) say they trust it.

That probably stems from several things, not the least of which includes the Tuskegee experiments, in which 600 Black men were shockingly deceived and mistreated.

It's a complex and pervasive issue in the community -- a view people in power are trying to reverse. It's also why Dr. Tony Fauci recently made a point to say the vaccine was developed, in part, by a Black woman.

Joe Biden's wife, Jill Biden, should stop insisting on people calling her "Dr." because her doctorate is meaningless ... so argues a writer, who's getting destroyed over his hot take.

Essayist Joseph Epstein penned a bizarre piece for the Wall Street Journal this weekend that's being called sexist, misogynistic, belittling ... and every other name in the book -- and rightly so, because he publicly asks the future First Lady to "drop the doc."

The op-ed is titled "Is There a Doctor in the White House? Not if You Need an M.D." -- and his opening graph is a doozy (in a bad way). Epstein writes, "Madame First Lady -- Mrs. Biden -- Jill -- kiddo: a bit of advice on what may seem like a small but I think is a not unimportant matter. Any chance you might drop the “Dr.” before your name?"

He goes on ... "'Dr. Jill Biden' sounds and feels fraudulent, not to say a touch comic. Your degree is, I believe, an Ed.D., a doctor of education, earned at the University of Delaware through a dissertation with the unpromising title 'Student Retention at the Community College Level: Meeting Students’ Needs.'"

Then the proverbial dagger ... "A wise man once said that no one should call himself 'Dr.' unless he has delivered a child. Think about it, Dr. Jill, and forthwith drop the doc."

Epstein goes on to lay out a theory that folks who get their PhDs and other doctoral degrees in the humanities or social sciences -- and then tack on the "Dr." before their names in correspondence thereafter -- are considered "bush league" in contemporary university circles ... at least from what he's heard.

Not only that, but JE says getting a doctorate degree these days just isn't as hard as it once was -- and, therefore, isn't nearly as prestigious, despite still being hailed as a high achievement. To him, it's pretty darn easy, especially if it's outside the science realm.

He ends his diatribe by saying, "As for your Ed.D., Madame First Lady, hard-earned though it may have been, please consider stowing it, at least in public, at least for now. Forget the small thrill of being Dr. Jill, and settle for the larger thrill of living for the next four years in the best public housing in the world as First Lady Jill Biden."

Mark Cuban is disgusted by the images of members of Congress showing up to the White House in ballgowns and tuxedos ... when millions are homeless, starving and unemployed.

The "Shark Tank" star was irate when he saw our video of Steve King, Jim Jordan, Doug Lamborn and others yukking it up Thursday night before entering the White House.

It's really outrageous ... Democrats blame Republicans, Republicans blame Democrats for the stalemate, but their job is to reach agreements -- to compromise, but that hasn't happened for months. As a body, Cuban and others think the entire Congress has acted shamefully.

Rep. Andre Carson's 5-second pause, when asked if he'll get vaccinated against COVID-19, underscores the hesitation most African-Americans have ... but he believes that can change.

We got the U.S. Congressman on Capitol Hill Thursday and he addressed the new study showing only 14% of African-Americans trust the vaccine will be safe -- in short, he's not surprised.

The congressman brought up America's ugly history when it comes to medical research on Black citizens -- most notably the Tuskegee experiments with syphilis on 600 Black men.

However, Andre also pointed to the work of Dr. Kizzmekia Corbett ... the African-American scientist who helped develop one of the COVID-19 vaccines.

He believes that will help start the "healing" process necessary for African-Americans to trust vaccines, but stressed ... it's just a start.

Kim Kardashian's influence can be a huge asset in rolling out transformative changes to L.A.'s criminal justice system ... so says new D.A. George Gascon, who's ready to work with her.

The freshly sworn-in L.A. County District Attorney says he and Kim share a lot of the same viewpoints about prison reform, and he believes her reach will be vital to spread their message ... especially to young people.

Gascon tells us he respects the commitment Kim's demonstrated to changing the system, and he wants her help in fully re-imagining it for the better.

On that note ... Gascon's already taken major steps to get the ball rolling, which is why Kim shouted him out in the first place and grabbed his attention.

During his first days on the job, he called for ending the death penalty -- something very important to Kim -- eliminating cash bail for non-violent crimes ... and ordering a cease of prosecuting first-time offenders for misdemeanors.

Gascon explains why he feels these changes are so important, and will lead L.A. away from defaulting to putting people behind bars -- and instead aim to help and rehabilitate them.

Killer Mike says playing identity politics won't pay off for Democrats and Kamala Harris -- instead, he says she'll have to lean into the progressive movement if she wants the presidency.

We spoke with the rapper and activist Wednesday on "TMZ Live" about the upcoming run-off elections in Georgia that will determine who controls the Senate during Biden's term -- but also about the widely held belief the VP-elect will run for Prez in 2024.

Mike says Dems would be wise to stop worrying about how to frame Harris as a candidate 4 years from now, and focus on the present. He also feels it's clear a progressive agenda -- as championed by his fave candidate, Bernie Sanders -- is actually needed and more widely supported than Dems think.

He tells us the Pineapple Saloon & Grill owner in L.A., whose plea for help went viral, is the epitome of that -- and says he's looking to make things more equal for all.

Speaking of that, Mike also tells us the pandemic has crystallized the need for healthcare-for-all, and Andrew Yang's universal basic income concept.

The Run the Jewels rapper stresses that it's time for Democrats, in general, and Kamala specifically to step up for the Black community on a number of issues -- because that's how she can secure that support when she runs for the top job.

The Trump campaign's "star witness" about alleged voter fraud denies she was boozing before her now-infamous testimony ... which is always a great sign it went well.

Melissa Carone has spoken out about last week's Michigan hearing led by Trump lawyers Rudy Giuliani and Jenna Ellis, in which Melissa stole the show with her unfounded claims and unhinged behavior.

At one point, Giuliani even appeared to try to reel her in -- to no avail -- and people speculated she might have been intoxicated.

Carone insists she wasn't though, telling "Inside Edition" she'd go under oath to prove it. She says that's just her personality, and even though she's been widely mocked for it -- including on 'SNL' -- she seems cool with it.

What's not cool is that despite Giuliani being hospitalized for COVID-19 after the public hearing, and Ellis also testing positive, Carone's refusing to quarantine ... even though she sat right next to them without a mask.

This defies a local county order that anyone in direct contact with someone who tests positive for coronavirus must quarantine ... but Carone doesn't seem to care.

Isaac Wright Jr. -- who was wrongfully convicted and sentenced to life in prison -- is now running for Mayor of NYC, and says he'd welcome Kim Kardashian's counsel in overhauling the city's justice system.

Isaac joined "TMZ Live" Tuesday and said there's no question about it ... Kim K's platform and her influential power would be a huge boost, not only for his campaign ... but for his goals if he wins next year's election.

His incredible life up to this point is already famous -- wrongfully convicted on drug charges in 1991, Isaac was sentenced to life in prison ... but studied as a paralegal while inside and proved his innocence in 1996. His story is the inspiration for the 50 Cent produced show, "For Life" on ABC.

Kim K and Wright are kinda on the same team already ... fighting for criminal justice reform and prisoner's rights. Isaac helped overturn 20 wrongful convictions, along with his own, just as Kim's successfully helped several inmates get clemency or overturned convictions.

Isaac acknowledges Kim's not only getting it done due to her celebrity -- he says she gets in the trenches ... and says that's the kind of people he wants working with him once he's elected.

One thing the coronavirus pandemic won't dramatically change is President-elect Biden's inauguration ceremony -- although there will be a few COVID safety measures in place ... TMZ has learned.

A rep from the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies -- which oversees the swearing-in process -- tells TMZ, the team is still planning to hold the big event in-person ... not virtually.

We're told the JCCIC is going to require masks and social distancing for everyone sitting on the dais with Biden -- which you'd expect -- but the Committee is also considering imposing mandatory testing for anyone who will be in the Prez-elect's immediate vicinity.

The stage construction is in full swing and, at this point, a pivot to a virtual ceremony or one significantly scaled back on head count is not in the works. However, a lot can change between now and January 20, as far as the pandemic's concerned.

We're told the congressional committee is still weighing how to go about ticketing, hoping to make it safe, but also inclusive.

Now, as far as the folks who wanna gather on the National Mall and watch the inauguration -- the District of Columbia has already laid out ground rules. It's requiring masks and distancing ... which most likely will translate to a limited capacity.

Outside of the Inauguration, DC already has pretty strict regulations for out-of-town travelers ... including negative tests, and a 14-day quarantine if you're coming from certain states.

Regarding the parade that usually follows the swearing-in, we're told that falls on the city as well. The D.C. Mayor's Office tells us they are planning for a parade as well the other inauguration traditions.

Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump are apparently looking to become Sunshine State residents like their old man is said to be -- 'cause they reportedly spent a fortune on a plot of land there.

Trump's daughter and son-in-law recently threw down upwards of $30 million to snap up space in the exclusive Miami neighborhood of Indian Creek Island ... this, per Page Six.

The outlet reports they actually purchased a lot of land that used to belong to Julio Iglesias -- and that they got almost 2 acres of dirt to play with which is right on the waterfront. PS says the couple plans to build an estate on the grounds, and that the sale closes in 10 days.

Indian Creek Island is heavily guarded too, BTW -- there's a small police force that works just there, protecting only 29 homes in the community, which boasts neighbors like billionaire Carl Icahn, ex-football coach Don Shula, Adriana Lima, and other CEO and business tycoons who are uber-rich. That's the company Jared and Ivanka will keep while there.

Speaking of that, it doesn't sound like they're planning to permanently establish roots in Florida -- unlike Donald, who's rumored to be getting out of NYC completely and heading off to Mar-a-Lago once his presidency is over.