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Gayle King had some breaking news brought to her for once -- she got told that a bear was roaming around outside of Oprah's house ... and no, she couldn't sneak a peek.

The CBS News anchor is quarantining at O's pad in Santa Barbara, and as such ... she documented the message delivered to her by mogul's own guards who are standing watch at the crib. Long story short ... there was a black bear outside, and they wanted her to stay put.

You gotta watch how Gayle receives the word though -- it's pretty freakin' hilarious. While she seems shocked at hearing there's a fully-grown bear out there, she also sounds equally intrigued.

Unfortunately, the security personnel stands firm ... telling her she really shouldn't venture out to get a look. And, don't worry, Oprah herself was notified as well -- doesn't appear she was home for the bear scare ... a phenomenon we've been seeing a lot more of lately.

Maybe the fact people are cooped up indoors is reason enough for these fuzzy creatures to be a little bit bolder these days. That, or maybe they just got a whiff of some leftover grub.

That usually brings 'em out ... even to the homes of the rich and famous, apparently.

A 90-year-old man in Colorado just lifted a huge weight off his shoulders he'd been carrying around for many decades ... he just came out to his gay daughter.

Kenneth Felts says he used his time in quarantine to write a series of memoirs, which opened the flood gates to some old memories locked deep away ... and he finally decided to tell his daughter his truth.

It's super touching ... Kenneth says he finally feels "free" after opening up to his daughter, Rebecca, about his very first love -- a man named Phillip.

And, get this ... Kenneth is coming out 25 years after his daughter told him SHE was gay.

Part of his newfound freedom, Kenneth says, is proudly wearing rainbow shirts and hoodies ... and sprucing up his graying hair with a little dash of blue.

Kenneth says he spent most of his life as a straight man, and never planned to come out ... until lockdown gave him a chance to reflect.

Rebecca says she's just happy her father can finally be himself, something Kenneth admits he had to hide because homosexuality was illegal in the 1950s, when he met Phillip in California before his marriage.

Britney Spears is still seeing her sons, Jayden and Sean, without any pushback from Kevin Federline amid the new wave of concern raised by the #FreeBritney folks.

Sources close to the situation tell TMZ ... if Kevin ever felt any concern about Britney's state of mind, he would try to take legal steps to end -- or at least reduce -- her visitation with their boys, but he doesn't think she poses a risk.

Our sources say Kevin is confident their boys are healthy and safe when they're at their mom's home -- which is about 30 percent of the time -- and he's not the least bit influenced by the persistent buzz from some fans who claim Britney should be freed from her conservatorship. There are always other people at the home when the boys visit ... making Kevin feel that much more comfortable.

As we've reported ... some Britney fans think she's being held against her will, but we've been told there's no truth to this. Our sources say Kevin is not going to weigh in on Britney's state of mind, because he's not an expert and sees no benefit in sharing his opinion.

Bottom line ... Britney's going to keep seeing the boys with no resistance or concern from their father.

Charlie Balducci -- best known for his time on the MTV reality show "True Life" -- has died ... TMZ has learned.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... Balducci was found unresponsive in his bed Saturday. He was last seen around 2 AM that morning and they found him on his right side of his bed later that evening around 9 PM. Paramedics responded, but pronounced Charlie dead at the scene.

We spoke to Charlie's mom who tells us Balducci passed away unexpectedly since he didn't exhibit any kind of sickness. She said the last words he spoke to her were that he's happy to have his boys, who are 17 and 19, respectively.

Balducci was a trailblazer of sorts as a pioneer of reality TV. In 2001, Balducci allowed MTV cameras to follow him 4 months before getting married to Sabrina ... resulting in one of the most infamous rants ever caught on TV.

On the day he was set to get married, the limo driver was running late, prompting Balducci to threaten the limo driver, "I will gut you like the piece of s**t you are" and "I'll hunt you down like cattle."

Charlie and Sabrina were one of 3 couples featured on the reality show "True Life: I'm Getting Married." They were discovered during a dress fitting after Sabrina said a woman came up to them saying they were hysterical. And when the opportunity to appear on the show came up, Balducci jumped all over it.

Charlie and Sabrina were married for over a decade and had two children together.

He was 44.

Regis Philbin's final resting place will be at the Notre Dame campus -- fitting because the guy was an absolute Fighting Irish superfan!

A spokesperson for Notre Dame confirms ... Philbin's funeral service will take place at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart at the campus in South Bend, Indiana.

Philbin -- who graduated from ND in 1953 -- will be buried at the Cedar Grove Cemetery, which is on campus. No date has been set.

University spokesman Dennis Brown confirmed Sunday that Philbin, who died Friday of heart disease, will have a funeral service at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart and be buried at Cedar Grove Cemetery on campus. The date has not been set.

We're also told the Notre Dame is considering different ways to honor Regis during the football season due to the fact he was such a massive supporter of ND football ... and really all ND sports.

He used to passionately talk about ND football on every platform he could -- remember when he brought the Leprechaun on "Regis and Kelly?"

In fact, Philbin was such a big ND supporter, he famously donated $2.75 million to the University in 2001 to create the Philbin Studio Theater, a performance art venue on campus.

Notre Dame president Rev. John Jenkins praised Philbin in a statement,

“Regis regaled millions on air through the years, oftentimes sharing a passionate love for his alma mater with viewers," Jenkins said.

"He will be remembered at Notre Dame for his unfailing support for the university and its mission, including the Philbin Studio Theater in our performing arts center."

As we previously reported, Philbin early Saturday after suffering a heart attack at his home.

He was 88.

RIP

Two icons. One photo.

Colin Kaepernick and Dr. Dre struck a pose together to send a message -- taking a knee during a recent get together ... and LeBron James approves!

"Defiant," Dre wrote about their photo posted Sunday night. Unclear when and where the pic was taken. We're working on it.

The pic was praised by stars like LeBron, Caron Butler, Busta Rhymes, Kevin Durant and more.

Colin and Dre have been in business together for years -- Colin had an endorsement deal with Beats by Dre starting way back in 2013.

And, by the way, Beats by Dre recently signed Bubba Wallace -- the only Black driver in NASCAR's top series.

"No one should ever be asked to apologize for standing up for what’s right," the company said after signing Wallace earlier this month.

"We are proud to welcome @bubbawallace to the Beats by Dr. Dre family."

As we previously reported, Colin is still dead serious about trying to get back into the NFL -- and has been training almost every day to stay ready.

A few teams mentioned they're interested in the QB -- but so far, no one has brought him in for a workout.

Because Gotham hasn't been through enough in 2020 ... the Joker's popping up his colorful head for some summer hijinks. Naturally.

Somebody dressed as the Clown Prince of Crime himself was spotted this morning riding a jet ski on the East River, in broad daylight no less. He cruised up to a group of bystanders who were recording him this weekend and flaunted his ride, his costume and makeup -- which we're on point -- then sped off.

As for which iteration of the Joker this fella went with -- probably the most popular among today's Batman fans ... Heath Ledger's portrayal from "The Dark Knight." He did it on camera more than a decade ago, but the look still holds up today.

If 2020 hadn't already brought a real-life pandemic that's killed nearly 20,000 in NYC alone, the sight of the Joker arriving in town might have fazed more citizens.

BTW, fun fact -- it seems like this jet skiing Joker has an annual tradition of hitting the water, assuming it was the same guy riding out on the East River with the same exact outfit in 2019.

He was spotted by some other New Yorkers around this time last year, and actress Olivia Wilde even seemed to confirm that she, too, had seen the Joker zipping along out there.

Senator Tom Cotton has just out-Trumped Trump, calling slavery "a necessary evil" that allowed America to develop, and he wants to retaliate against schools that teach the real history of slavery.

The Republican Senator from Arkansas put it this way ... “As the Founding Fathers said, it was the necessary evil upon which the union was built, but the union was built in a way, as Lincoln said, to put slavery on the course to its ultimate extinction."

So, in essence, what he's saying is that slavery was needed because it served a purpose but the plan was to eventually end it.

It gets even more outrageous. Cotton wants to withhold federal funds from public schools that promote an initiative by the New York Times called the 1619 Project. It was established in 2019 to mark the 400th anniversary of enslaved Africans coming to America. The point of the project is to tell the real story of slavery and the contributions of African Americans ... something public schools don't do at all.

Cotton says he rejects the notion systemic racism in America is engrained in America from the beginning to the present ... something that otherwise seems firmly established.

Post Malone is taking steps to turn his favorite drinking game into big biz ... we've learned the wheels are in motion for a world beer pong league!!!

The "Beerbongs & Bentleys" rapper is looking to lock up the rights to "World Pong League" ... and Post and his legal team have gone so far as to file for a trademark on that name.

According to the docs, obtained by TMZ, Post wants his "World Pong League" to operate official beer pong tournaments, competitions, events and exhibitions.

And, just like the NFL, MLB or NBA ... ya gotta have merch! Post plans to put the league moniker on beverage glassware, drinking glasses, plastic cups, game tables, cup racks, balls and every piece of casual sportswear -- including boxer shorts -- under the sun.

Basically, everything you could possibly associate with sport of (drinking) kings and queens.

As you know ... Post is a huge beer pong fanatic, and he loves to raise the stakes. PM won $50,000 playing pong with Tyla Yaweh.

We're told the "World Pong League" is the brainchild of Post and his manager, Dre London, but the idea is only in its infant stages -- meaning, all you amateurs still have time to practice.

Aim well and drink wisely, friends.

Michael Jordan's super-rare, game-worn, signed Bulls jersey from his rookie year in Chicago just hit the auction block ... and you guessed it, His Airness' uni top could bring in $500k!!

MJ -- who was drafted 3rd behind Hakeem Olajuwon and Sam Bowie😬 -- rocked the red mesh size 42 Rawlings jersey multiple times during the 1984-1985 campaign ... where he averaged 28.2 points per game, led Chi-town to the playoffs, and won Rookie of the Year.

The jersey just hit Goldin Auctions block ... and they tell TMZ Sports they believe it could rake in up to $500,000.

Of course, the value of MJ items has exploded following the success of ESPN's "Last Dance" docu-series.

Everything from Jordan's personal checks, to baseballs he signed as a youth ballplayer have been selling for exorbitant prices.

Michael's rookie jersey won't be any different ... bidding starts now.

Good luck!

Any Jimi Hendrix collectible is significant, but this rare electric guitar oozes with so much history ... it's no wonder it'll fetch a HUGE sum of money when it goes up for auction.

The folks over at Kruse GWS Auctions are in possession of Buster's early 1960s Japanese Sunburst electric guitar that's expected to snag at LEAST a cool $50,000. That's the minimum bid but GWS expects to fetch a historic amount ... and here's why they just might.

Legend has it the guitar god used this exact axe shortly after he returned home from the U.S. Army in 1962 and moving to Clarksville, Tennessee. While he was there, Jimi played the Chitlin' Circuit with some incredible talent -- like Sam Cooke and Ike and Tina Turner.

Jimi's brother, Leon Hendrix, has said "that was the last time that Jimi sounded happy." Leon recalls, "I remember Jimi calling me from New York saying he so broke he can't even pay attention. He pawned his guitar and his friends got him one."

When Jimi moved to London in 1966, he left this guitar in NYC at the apartment of one of his best friends. Cut to 54 years later and the winner of this bid will also get a letter of provenance from Leon, who will also have a private lunch with the winning bidder.

BTW ... there will be TONS of other cool items up for auction, like Prince's custom purple boots, Elvis Presley's owned and worn Neo-style sunglasses, Tom Hanks "Cast Away" costumes -- and perhaps the greatest ... Muhammad Ali's custom white terrycloth "World Champion" robe!!!

Jussie Smollett's alleged "attackers" picked up some of their possessions seized by cops over a year ago -- including a large gun -- but the judge said they still gotta wait for a couple more infamous items.

Abel and Ola Osundairo were granted permission by the court to get back many of their belongings no longer considered to be pertinent to Jussie's case ... including a shotgun, a safe, household supplies and their clothes.

However, according to legal docs ... authorities are still holding several items connected to the 2019 alleged fake attack on Smollett -- most notably a black face mask and a red hat.

As you'll recall, the brothers were seen on security footage buying some of the items the day before the "attack" on Jussie.

The brothers' attorney, Gloria Rodriguez, says they both went to the Chicago PD evidence pickup spot earlier this month to get their stuff ... but left with less than they thought they'd get.

As you can see ... Abel's carrying 2 gun cases, but we're told one is empty. That's because, according to Rodriguez, another shotgun was misclassified in the paperwork, but they hope to get that back soon.

Also, Rodriguez says there's a third firearm -- a 9MM -- the cops kept because it was in the brothers' safe. According to the legal docs, prosecutors and Jussie's defense are allowed to review the contents of the safe before they go back to Abel and Ola. The brothers did already get back the actual safe.

We're told Smollett's camp has not been given a chance yet to review the remaining safe items for his upcoming criminal trial.

Polish-American actress Zuzanna Szadkowski shot to stardom after she landed the role of the Waldorf family's wacky maid, Dorota Kishlovsky -- who gets wrapped up in all the drama revolving around the Upper East Side elite -- on the long-running CW drama "Gossip Girl."

Zuzanna Szadkowski was cast alongside an epic group of young actors including Blake Lively as the BFF, Serena van der Woodsen, Taylor Momsen as the fashionable friend, Jenny Humphrey ... and of course, Leighton Meester as the Constance Billard it girl, Miss Blair Waldorf.

Szadkowski can more recently be spotted on "Worth," "Minyan" and "Loserville."

XOXO.

Take this with a big grain of salt, BUT ... we may have a legit UFO sighting on our hands here, people. Give it a gander and decide for yourself.

This footage was taken Sunday out in Long Beach, CA -- about 25 minutes south of central L.A. -- and it appears to show a UFO-like object in the air bolt across the sky at lightning-quick speed and disappear out of frame -- all while of-this-world fighter jets fly above.

The person who shot this insists it is not altered or edited at all -- if you buy that, then you gotta ask what the hell it is that zips across the camera's frame if only for a moment. Watch it as many times as you need to -- we even slowed it down/paused it for a close-up view.

If you look (and listen) carefully, you can see a black dot -- perhaps in a saucer shape, although it's hard to tell by how high it is -- flash across the screen and disappear.

At first glance, one could argue this looks like anything but a flying saucer -- could be a raisin, a fly or nothing at all. OR ... it could very well be aliens checking in on us (again?).

As for the jets you can hear in the background as well, we're told they were out there in LB flying around for no apparent reason for about 10 minutes or so. Unclear if their presence had anything to do with this alleged UFO sighting, but hey ... they could be related.

There's been other purported sightings in that area too of late -- about a couple weeks ago, someone posted another video of a strange object flying in the sky around sunset. They claim this was shot from about 2 miles away and at a height of 1,000 feet, more or less.

The YouTube user also says the thing disappeared on him when he stopped filming, but you don't see any of that on camera. Could just be a kite on a super long string -- or ... ALIENS!!

One last thing to consider ... the New York Times did a story this past week about Pentagon bigwigs working in their UFO Unit (yes, they have one of those). One of the subcontractors who used to work for the feds told the paper he recently briefed a Defense Dept. agency about "off-world vehicles not made on this earth" that they'd retrieved over the years.

One of the first "YOU'RE OUTTA HERE" calls of the 2020 MLB season just went down in St. Louis, and the usual faceoff between manager and umpire is so very 'rona-hilarious.

Pitcher Derek Holland got tossed by home plate umpire Jordan Baker Sunday in the team's game against the Cardinals, because he was sitting in the stands. That pissed off his manager, Derek Shelton ... who stormed out to the field to give the ump a piece of his mind.

Watch though ... before Shelton and Baker get into each other's faces, they both remember to throw on their face masks before barking at each other. You can even see Shelton step away from Baker as they square up, seemingly trying to keep his distance.

It's pretty hilarious ... normally, managers and umpires are touching noses over an on-field decision like this, but because of the MLB's strict new guidelines, they can't even do that anymore.

A Vietnam veteran took a nozzle-full of pepper spray right to the face as he confronted federal officers in riot gear who've now taken to the streets of Portland.

The incident was captured Saturday night by journalist Andrew Kimmel, and it shows Mike Hastie peacefully confronting the authorities -- some of whom are said to be Homeland Security Border Patrol agents recently deployed by the White House.

Mike is telling them about his service in 'Nam, where he says he was a medic ... and where Americans committed atrocities against the Vietnamese people, something he says the agents and their generation know nothing about. He was keeping his distance and being peaceful -- simply voicing his opinion to the squad in front of him. Not being threatening at all.

And yet, that didn't stop one of the agents from pepper spraying him right in his face, point-blank and walking off like nothing happened. It went down almost like a hit of sorts.

Mike retreated -- clearly injured by the spray, which was all over his face and eyes -- but he kept up his rant, continuing to get his message across as the officers shipped out. We gotta say for someone who just got a dose of that in their eyeballs, the dude stood tough.

This is just a small example of the chaos that has overtaken the streets of Portland over the past week or so -- where cops and feds alike are deploying tear gas and pepper spray to break up the civil unrest that's been unfolding. In most cases, like this, the method is completely unnecessary and a blatant use of excessive force ... which can be heinous.