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Several S.F. Giants players and coaches -- including manager Gabe Kapler -- knelt for the national anthem Monday ... and Donald Trump took aim at them afterward, calling it all a "great disrespect."

Here's the deal ... before the Giants took on the A's in an exhibition match in Oakland, Kapler and a few others decided to kneel during the pregame song to protest social injustice.

One of the players involved in the demonstration was Mike Yastrzemski, the grandson of legendary Boston Red Sox Hall of Famer Carl Yastrzemski.

The MLB praised the Giants for the move ... defending the team on social media from critics and writing, "The players and coaches are using their platforms to peacefully protest."

When one Twitter user said the team should not politicize the game ... the MLB responded, "Supporting human rights is not political."

Giants brass also weighed in on the kneeling ... celebrating the team for the moves as well, with president Farhan Zaidi saying "we're proud of our players and staff."

"We support those who knelt to peacefully protest racial injustice and those who stood to express love of country," Zaidi said. "We do not see these as mutually exclusive sentiments and believe the freedom to express both is what our country is about."

But, just hours later, President Trump chimed in on Twitter ... and he was furious to see the kneeling protests return to sporting events.

"Looking forward to live sports," Trump said, "but any time I witness a player kneeling during the National Anthem, a sign of great disrespect for our Country and our Flag, the game is over for me!"

Doesn't seem the comments are going to deter baseball players ... 'cause in San Diego on Monday night, Angels pitcher Keynan Middleton also took a knee and raised his fist during the anthem.

Joe Exotic's old 'Tiger King' zoo might have human remains buried there after all -- at least that's what Jeff Lowe thinks -- and some cadaver dogs are allegedly pointing there.

Sources familiar with the situation tell TMZ ... Jeff contacted the same company that visited the GW Exotic Animal Park a couple weeks back for a second opinion, and this time FOUR cadaver dogs came and gave a positive alert.

We're told the hounds -- 4 different dogs at 4 different times -- picked up the scent of human remains ... once again, by the alligator pit.

Our sources say the company swears by the accuracy of its dogs and believes the local sheriff's deputies didn't take this seriously earlier in the month, and handled the excavation incorrectly to boot.

We broke the story ... 2 cadaver dogs were previously brought to the zoo as part of an episode of Zak Bagans' "Ghost Adventures" and picked up a scent near the same gator pit.

However, law enforcement found no human remains -- just some animal bones that appeared to be the skeleton of small animal with a tail -- and considered the matter closed.

Our sources say Jeff and co. want officials to come by again for a more thorough investigation ... because the cadaver dog owners are doggone serious something's up.

As we reported, sources connected to Joe say he scattered ashes from several bodies on the property -- because the people who died wanted it that way -- but that's it.

Breonna Taylor's mother tells TMZ Sports ... she's VERY aware of the NBA and WNBA stars who are constantly keeping the spotlight on her daughter's killing -- and she's hoping it finally leads to justice.

"Everyone raising their voices for justice are what keeps this family going each day," Tamika Palmer tells us.

"What is being done by the NBA and the WNBA is amazing. Now, it’s time for the attorney general to listen, to charge everyone responsible for Bree’s murder and to get overdue justice."

"Bree should be with us. The world was a better place with her."

Tamika is specifically referring to pro ballers like LeBron James, Russell Westbrook, Tobias Harris, Dwight Howard, Kyrie Irving and more who have spoken out publicly to put pressure on Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron to charge the police officers who shot and killed Breonna in March while executing a no-knock warrant.

In the WNBA, the entire league is wearing warm-up shirts with Breonna's name as a tribute.

And, get this ... Tamika was also involved in a zoom call over the weekend with more than 30 NBA players, according to family attorney Lonita Baker ... who tells us they all spoke about how to continue to use their platform to get results.

We're told Chris Paul and Carmelo Anthony were just 2 of the players on the call -- and at one point, CP3 discussed how players were considering not playing this season to keep the focus on social justice issues.

Iowa-born actor David Anthony Higgins is best known for his role as the wacky Lucky Aide employee, Craig Feldspar -- who's deeply in love with his coworker, Lois -- in the super funny family sitcom, "Malcolm in the Middle."

David Anthony Higgins was cast alongside some hilarious actors including Frankie Muniz as the title character, Malcolm, and Bryan Cranston and Jane Kaczmarek as the manic parents, Hal and Lois.

Higgins got his start in the entertainment biz in the early '90s when he scored the role of Joe Farrell on the iconic ABC sitcom, "Ellen," with Ellen DeGeneres.

A man out for a bike ride spit on a woman -- on camera -- and apparently called her a racial slur ... according to Canadian cops, who've tracked him down and arrested him.

The racist incident went down Saturday at a park in Calgary ... and video clearly shows the cyclist spitting on a woman passing him on a skateboard. You also hear the man hurl a racial slur against Asian people.

The Calgary Police Service says Justin Williams spit on other folks and used more slurs during his bike ride, and even threatened a witness with a weapon when confronted. Cops says he's been arrested and charged with 3 counts of assault and one count of possession of a weapon dangerous to the public.

Tamar Braxton was seething mad with her TV network bosses leading up to her apparent suicide attempt -- that's what her boyfriend claimed during his 911 call.

According to the recorded call Tamar's boyfriend, David Adefeso, explained to the dispatcher ... the singer had been having trouble with WeTV -- and he explained how the issues came to a head before last Thursday before he found her unresponsive in their hotel room.

According to David's 911 call -- made Thursday night from the Ritz Carlton in downtown L.A. -- Tamar also left a note before her apparent attempt to take her own life, and he claims she was mixing alcohol with medication she uses to treat anxiety and depression.

Tamar's reality show, "Braxton Family Values," airs on WeTV and she's reportedly been upset with producers for using her childhood trauma -- alleged assaults and rape -- to boost ratings.

As we reported ... EMTs found Tamar unconscious inside her room when they arrived, and she was rushed to the hospital. She's since improved to stable condition.

Kanye West has the proverbial snowball's chance in hell to win the 2020 Presidential election  -- but still, it never hurts to be prepared ... which is why Madame Tussauds already has a presidential bust of the guy.

The famous wax museum has a tradition of making clay head sculptures of our nation's leaders -- they made one for Donald Trump 4 years ago before he won the presidency -- and now they made one for Mr. West.

Hey, you never know -- better to have it on deck and ready to go if the ultimate upset goes down. We've seen it happen before.

Now, bear in mind the sculptures are not the full, colored-in wax statues you might see at any one of its museums around the world. These are different -- we're told they actually place the presidential heads in an Oval Office exhibit.

Here's another thing -- our sources say MT and co. have only done a head-to-head presidential "face-off," if you will, one other time ... and that was for Hillary Clinton and DT. Now, they're running it back -- but oddly enough, they opted for Ye before sculpting Joe Biden.

It's true ... we're told Madame Tussauds' team has not yet completed the Biden bust, but they say should he win, they'll knock it out.

Just goes to show where people's heads are at these days 🤷🏽‍♂️

Heather McDonald and former 'RHOC' star Jim Bellino are on the same page, legally speaking -- they've settled his lawsuit against her ... TMZ has learned.

According to a joint statement released by Jim and Heather ... they've "reached a settlement of the dispute on mutually satisfactory terms." The joint statement also says Heather "never intended to cause any of the damage" to Jim's reputation or that of his business.

Jim, the ex-husband of 'RHOC' star Alexis Bellino, sued the comedian in June 2019, claiming she "shamelessly dished and peddled unsubstantiated gossip" about his divorce with Alexis on an episode of Heather's podcast, "The Juicy Scoop."

Heather, who used to appear on "Chelsea Lately" before starting her podcast, previously secured a victory in the defamation suit back in March, when a judge granted her motion to dismiss the lawsuit ... but Jim appealed.

The longtime police chief of Davie, Florida is outta work ... he quit his post after allegedly blaming a sheriff's deputy's COVID-19 related death on the guy being gay.

Dale Engle, who'd been on the force 22 years, resigned this week in a letter to his staff, saying he was proud of the town he'd served and the work he'd done -- but his departure comes on the heels of him getting placed on administrative leave.

Three months ago a police union accused Chief Engle of saying a Broward County Sheriff's Deputy who'd died from complications due to COVID had no one to blame but himself.

Specifically, the union claimed Engle flew off of the handle when some officers complained about a lack of safety measures to protect them from the coronavirus. During his rant, the union alleges Engle said BSO Deputy Shannon Bennett -- a 12-year vet himself -- contracted the virus and died as a result because he was a “homosexual who attended homosexual 'sexual' events."

Move over, Max Scherzer ... the Nats are now relying on Dr. Anthony Fauci to pump in a fastball on Opening Day -- the team says it's tapped the COVID-19 expert to throw out the ceremonial first pitch Thursday!

It's a huge honor for Fauci ... the guy is a self-proclaimed Nationals superfan -- and WA team officials say they couldn't be happier he accepted their invite to help kick off their season this week.

"Dr. Fauci has been a true champion for our country during the COVID-19 pandemic and throughout his distinguished career," the Nats said.

"So it is only fitting that we honor him as we kick off the 2020 season and defend our World Series Championship title."

Fauci will take the bump just minutes before the Nats host the New York Yankees at Nationals Park in D.C.

Unclear what Fauci's arm looks like from 60 feet, 6 inches ... but we ain't expecting any 50 Cent type shenanigans during the pregame ceremony.

Remember ... 79-year-old Fauci was quite the athlete back in the day -- running the point for Regis H.S. in NYC in 1958.

In fact, President Trump even praised Fauci's athletic ability a couple months ago at a White House briefing!

Britney Spears' old digs -- the home that served as the backdrop when the singer went into free fall, shaved her head and ended up being involuntarily committed -- is back on the market, and anyone who still has millions of bucks can now get it for a steal.

The pop singer's former Beverly Hills mansion -- where she lived after her divorce from Kevin Federline until 2012 -- is up for grabs for $6.8 million ... a pretty significant reduction from $9 mil when it was put up for sale in 2018.

The 7,500-sq.-ft Italian villa-esque home comes with 6 bedrooms and 6.5 baths, but it's mostly known for its fortress-like qualities ... making it a draw for celebs and other rich folks looking to live in one of the top gated communities in L.A.

The property's described at "virtually paparazzi-proof" by "Million Dollar Listing" star Matt Altman. It's listed by him and his bro, Josh.

Of course, with all the security comes a LOT of luxury and frills ... including a home theater, a chef’s kitchen with a breakfast nook, a massive master bedroom with a balcony, high ceilings and an open floor plan.

The outside boasts a saltwater swimming pool, an in-ground jacuzzi, firepit and entertaining area ... along with a detached guest house for any Kato Kaelin types.

Kanye West's first presidential rally didn't help him get on the ballot in another important state ... he just missed the cut in South Carolina.

Kanye's campaign missed Monday's deadline to get on the November ballot in SC ... Chris Whitmore, Director of Public Information for the South Carolina State Election Commission tells TMZ.

Kanye is running with the independent Birthday Party, which gave him a hard 12 PM ET deadline to get the 10,000 signatures needed as a petition candidate, but we're told the State Election Commission didn't hear a peep from Ye or his campaign -- no traditional signatures and no digital signatures.

As we reported ... Kanye tried to grab enough signatures over the weekend, even asking folks to sign up over social media, and held a wild campaign rally that alarmed, upset and concerned his friends and the Kardashians.

None of that moved the needle, apparently.

Kanye's hopes of being on the state's ballot are pretty much dashed ... there is no write-in option for voters in South Carolina and the only way Yeezy could be on the November ballot now is as a legit party candidate (Republican, Democrat, Libertarian, Green, etc.) and that ain't happening.

For those keeping score at home ... Kanye's on the ballot in Oklahoma, but he's now whiffed in SC, Florida or Michigan.

A woman climbed into an alligator pit with her young son, who wandered freely near dozens of gators while she tried to fetch her wallet ... and a bunch of kids watched in horror.

The wild scene played out at Safari North Wildlife Park in Brainerd, Minn. with stunned onlookers watching the mother and son risk life and limb. As you can see, the woman's wallet was floating Saturday in the middle of a small pond, chock full of gators ... and her daring son was dangerously gung ho to get it back.

The kid came up empty, but momma stormed in to make the rescue -- and about the only smart move she made was figuring out a way to distract the sharp-toothed animals long enough to grab her floating wallet.

Fortunately, mother and son survived, so we can all have a good laugh now about someone else's kid yelling "s*** happens" to sum up the adventure.

The zoo's not laughing though.

Sources close to the wildlife park tell us staffers did not know about the incident until the video started going viral, and park honchos are very disturbed. We're told the zoo wants to press charges against the woman for child endangerment, if she's identified.

Teresa Giudice is heartbroken for the New Jersey judge who sent her and her hubby to prison ... after what appears to be a targeted murder at the judge's home.

The 'RHONJ' star's attorney, James Leonard, tells TMZ ... Teresa was "devastated" by the news this weekend -- namely, that a gunman disguised as a FedEx employee made his way into Judge Esther Salas' home and shot and killed her son. Judge Salas' husband was also shot but survived.

Leonard says, "Knowing Teresa the way I do, I think if she were to have an opportunity to see Judge Salas, I think she would hug her and pray with her." He doesn't believe his client will attend the funeral but says Judge Salas and her family are in Teresa's thoughts.

He adds, "This is such a horrific tragedy, I know that the entire legal community is shocked and devastated and praying for Judge Salas and her family."

Judge Salas, who was not injured in the gunman's attack, presided over Teresa and Joe Giudice's criminal cases back in the day -- sentencing her to 15 months in prison, and Joe to 41 months behind bars.

Well, this is nuts ...

Mark Cuban and Sen. Ted Cruz are calling each other out about everything from the NBA's handling of anthem protests to China ... but the focus seems to be on who's got the bigger balls.

It all started when a radio talk show host from Texas tweeted at the Dallas Mavericks owner that if any of his players kneel during the national anthem when the season resumes next week, he won't support the team anymore.

Cuban responded -- "Bye" ... adding, "The National Anthem Police in this country are out of control."

"If you want to complain, complain to your boss and ask why they don't play the National Anthem every day before you start work."

That's when Ted Cruz chimed in ... saying, "Really??!? NBA is telling everyone who stands for the flag, who honors our cops and our veterans, to 'piss off'? In Texas, no less? Good luck with that."

Cruz didn't tag Cuban in his tweet -- and Cuban called him out for it ... saying, "Have some balls for once @tedcruz. Speak to me. It's my tweet."

That's when Cruz replied with another BALLS shot!

"Speaking of balls, tell us what you think about China. I’ll wait."

Of course, Cruz is referring to the NBA's massive problems with China in 2019 -- after Houston Rockets G.M. Daryl Morey tweeted out support for protesters in Hong Kong.

China essentially blackballed the NBA over the tweet -- and the league is still reportedly scrambling to smooth out its relationship with the country.

So, Cruz decided that's where he'd focus his attack on Cuban on Monday morning.

"Let’s try simpler. Mark, tough guy, can you say 'Free Hong Kong'? Can your players put that on their jerseys? Can you condemn the CCP’s concentration camps w/ 1 million Uyghurs? Can you say ANYTHING other than 'Chairman Mao is beautiful & wise'?"

Nothing back from Cuban yet -- but guess you could say the ball's in his court????

KJ Smith's enjoying her time in quarantine, because thanks to Tyler Perry ... she's able to work, make new friends without worrying about her health ... and the food's good too!

The "Sistas" star joined "TMZ Live" Monday to describe what life's been like inside Perry's massive studio complex in Atlanta, where she's been the past couple weeks filming her BET dramedy series.

KJ says the cast and crew are undergoing consistent COVID-19 testing, which makes her feel safe and secure, and everyone's being treated with their best interest in mind ... beyond just focusing on the business side of things.

On that note ... the actress says the bubble-like setup for shooting "Sistas" is allowing everyone to make real human connections they wouldn't otherwise make if it was a traditional Hollywood set.

KJ even called the experience fun ... and said on set they all refer to it as "Camp Quarantine."