Controversial S#!T

James Kennedy's not taking questions on his recent arrest ... keeping quiet on what exactly went down last week while out in public Sunday.

The reality TV star was leaving the Long Beach Airport after flying back from his Milwaukee gig last night when photogs caught up with him ... asking a series of questions

Watch the clip ... the interviewer asks how he's holding up, what exactly happened last Tuesday, etc. -- but, James ignores him, searching for his car instead.

Quentin Tarantino's got a whole lot more than a hateful eight coming after him ... he's got a whole army of pissed-off fans slamming him -- 'cause he took aim at "Yellowstone."

Here's the deal ... on a recent episode of "The Joe Rogan Experience," Tarantino talked about watching the hit Western TV show -- explaining he loves the genre and gave the show a chance.

But, after watching a couple seasons, QT says he was compelled by the show while watching ... but realized when he wasn't in front of the screen that the show is simply a soap opera.

The mysterious drones that invaded New Jersey and have the state on edge are driving up some gun sales ... in addition to being a major topic of conversation in firearm shops, TMZ has learned.

Here's the deal ... over the past month, there've been hundreds of sightings of drones in the Jersey sky -- with some said to be as big as a car -- and it seems no one knows where they are coming from or their purpose.

TMZ contacted several gun stores around the state ... we hear some people are getting strapped 'cause they are unnerved by the drones.

Billie Eilish didn't want to be the "bad guy" at her concert ... continuing to sing one of her hit songs after taking a bracelet to the face.

The singer-songwriter was performing in Glendale, Arizona Friday night as part of her "Hit Me Hard and Soft" world tour ... when she sat at the front of the stage -- belting out her Oscar-winning track, "What Was I Made For?"

Watch the clip ... Billie's right in the middle of the heartfelt tune when something blue -- which appears to be a bracelet -- smacks her just below the eye, temporarily stunning her.

It takes a lifetime to build a good reputation, and a single moment to ruin one ... and Shawne Merriman says that's exactly what 49ers LB De'Vondre Campbell is about to experience!

"I think his reputation is done. I'd be shocked if another team decides to pick him up after the season because he now is going to be deemed unreliable," the retired former All-Pro told Babcock on the TMZ Sports TV show (airs nightly on FS1) on Friday.

Of course, we're referencing an incident in the 3rd quarter of the Rams vs. 49ers Thursday Night Football game when the 9-year NFL vet refused to enter the game once Dre Greenlaw, who just replaced him in the starting lineup, went down with a leg injury.

Admiration for the man suspected of murdering the UnitedHealthcare CEO is not just perverse ... it's dangerous, Michael Moynihan tells TMZ.

The renowned journalist told "TMZ Live" ... the level of joy and satisfaction a portion of the country felt when Brian Thompson was killed last week is deeply disturbing ... but not nearly as grotesque as people fawning over Luigi Mangione.

MM contends our society is clearly in a "sick place" ... and most of the people who see Mangione as a folk hero are too young -- and uninformed -- to really consider the twisted logic of the heinous crime.

Lily Phillips' tearful reaction had nothing to do with regret over sleeping with 100 men in 24 hours ... telling TMZ she was merely exhausted after the sexcapade.

The OnlyFans model, who made headlines for her recent sexathon, tells us ... she got emotional and broke down into tears in the aftermath of her feat due to fatigue -- and guilt that not all of the guys got to have their promised 5 minutes with her due to logistics.

She emphasizes she has zero regrets ... and is as dedicated as ever to try and break the record of sleeping with 1,000 men in 24 hours. Another woman holds the world record -- 919 men at a 2004 event.

Luigi Mangione admirers looking for merch celebrating the suspected killer of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson need to look elsewhere ... 'cause Esty has pulled a lot of gear with his infamous face.

Even before he was identified, Thompson's killer was cheered by some as a folk hero -- but that movement got turbo-charged when Mangione was arrested and charged ... and fan-made merch flooded the e-commerce site.

However, as of Thursday morning, most of the prior Mangione items -- including shirts, cups and even a Christmas ornament -- are gone ... their pages now read, "😔Sorry, this item is unavailable."

Jay-Z is getting no mercy from 50 Cent, who pounced on the RocNation honcho for stepping out in Hollywood amid the lawsuit claiming he raped a 13-year-old girl.

50 wasted no time trolling ... moments after he saw Jay not only show up at Monday night's premiere for 'Mufasa,' but he happily posed for photos alongside Beyoncé and Blue Ivy, who are both in the 'Lion King' prequel.

In a post he's since deleted, 50 Cent captioned an image of the Carters at the premiere with ... "Jay said they said I rapped [sic] a kid, everybody get dressed we going to see Mufasa LOL.”

There was already a "Countdown" to Beyoncé and Blue Ivy's appearance at the "Mufasa" premiere before Jay-Z was hit with a sexual assault allegation ... so, all eyes were on the red carpet to see if the mother-daughter duo actually showed up Monday night. Not only did they show up but Jay-Z accompanied them.

All three family members were in attendance at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, where "The Lion King" prequel film had its highly anticipated premiere.

Their appearance spoke volumes in the wake of the troubling allegations against the Carter patriarch.

Anthony Edwards' potty mouth just cost him some dough -- the NBA just fined the Minnesota Timberwolves star $25K for using "profane language" during a postgame interview.

Joe Dumars, the NBA's Executive Vice President and Head of Basketball Operations, announced the punishment on Monday ... three days after AE dropped the f-bomb while analyzing the Wolves' 107-90 win over the Golden State Warriors.

Even though the words were complimentary of his teammates, Dumars said the two-time All-Star's comments wouldn't fly ... resulting in the hefty fine.

A jarring event took place in NYC on Saturday ... when an apparent look-alike contest was held -- and very much attended -- for the suspect who killed the UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in cold blood this week.

Online reaction to the gathering is a mixture of shock and celebration ... putting a fine point on how polarizing the murderer has become.

Several people in Washington Square Park came dressed in clothing that resembled what the suspect -- who remains at large -- wore when he fatally shot Thompson outside his hotel.

Zach Collins better get ready to open his wallet ... 'cause it's likely going to cost him big time for flipping off a referee after being ejected from Friday's game.

Here is the deal ... the Sacramento Kings dominated the Spurs in San Antonio with a 140-113 victory ... but it was what happened while the game was still in reach that's making headlines.

Zach -- the Spurs' power forward -- flew off the handle after he was ejected following a series of fouls ... and he got so pissed over it, he flipped referee Michael Smith the bird.

Jaylen Brown is paying the price for how he celebrated his insane dunk over Detroit Pistons forward Isaiah Stewart ... with the league hitting him with a hefty fine over it all.

The play in question went down with 12 seconds to go during the Celtics' win over Motor City on Wednesday night, with Brown hitting a nasty poster on Stewart to get the TD Garden going crazy.

In the moment, the 28-year-old emphasized the highlight by making a throat-slashing gesture toward Stewart -- and it turns out the NBA wasn't a fan of the move ... 'cause the league announced he will need to fork over $25K for "making an inappropriate gesture on the playing court."

Ellen DeGeneres is making lemonade out of lemons ... with her skincare line that's got super ironic branding.

The talk show legend has a new ad out for Kind Science ... which is funny, considering she got canceled from Hollywood for being unkind. What's in a name, anyway?!?

Ellen's playing nice here though, at least for the cameras in her living room ... plugging her anti-aging products alongside Portia de Rossi.