Wrestling Champ Navid Afkari Sentenced to Death In Iran ... Over 2018 Protests

An Iranian wrestling champ is slated to be executed over his alleged role in a 2018 protest against the government ... and now people from all over the world are begging for mercy.

The Islamic Republic of Iran's Supreme Court confirmed 27-year-old Navid Afkari received TWO death sentences for participating in protests against the government's economic policies.

Afkari is a decorated wrestler in Iran who has medaled in multiple national tournaments, according to several reports.

Navid and his 2 brothers were each charged with more than 20 different crimes -- including "attending illegal gatherings, assembly and conspiracy to commit crimes against national security, and insulting the supreme leader."

All 3 men were found guilty -- but Navid is the only one set to die for the alleged crimes.

His brothers each received lengthy prison sentences -- and were ordered to receive 74 lashes.

In addition to his death sentences, Navid is also set to receive 74 lashes.

Navid's mother made a video condemning the sham trial against her sons ... calling it an "unjust court hearing full of lies."

"My sons were not able to defend themselves at all."

Also, The Human Rights Activists News Agency says it has a letter from Navid explaining how Iranian authorities used torture to extract confessions.

In the purported letter, Navid says his captures used a plastic bag to cover his head and poured alcohol into his nostrils.

No word on when Navid will be executed -- but watchdog groups are calling for foreign governments to intervene quickly ... before it's too late.

Joe Rogan Emotional Reaction to Chadwick Boseman Death ... 'F**k, I'm Tearing Up'

"Sucks so hard that some a-holes live forever and some really cool people die young."

That's Joe Rogan keeping it honest on the death of Chadwick Boseman ... saying he was crushed when he heard the news of the actor's death.

"I just looked at the news and said, 'F*ck!!!!'" Rogan said on SiriusXM's "Unlocking the Cage with Jimmy Smith."

"Just instantly, "F*ck. That guy was cool."

Didn't seem like Rogan knew Boseman personally -- but it's clear from the interview Joe had a tremendous amount of respect for the "Black Panther" star ... for what he did both on and off the screen.

"He was such a brilliant guy."

Rogan says he understands the impact the movie "Black Panther" had on the Black community -- and credits Boseman for playing the lead role to perfection.

"He was so perfect in the role -- as a human being outside of the movie, he was so perfect."

So, when Rogan learned Boseman passed away Friday after a secret 4-year battle with colon cancer, he could barely contain his emotions.

"It also speaks to his character that he suffered in silence like that and he didn’t make a big deal of the fact he was trying to get through cancer. It's a bummer man."

RIP

Kanye West I Spent $50 Million on Sunday Service

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INVESTED IN JESUS
Cannon's Class

Kanye West spared no expense putting on his Sunday Service ... he claims it cost a whopping $50 MILLION to pull it off!!!

Ye recently sat down with Nick Cannon for a segment on Nick's podcast, "Cannon's Class," and they started talking dollar figures, with Kanye boasting he's richer than Donald Trump.

Kanye says he burned through a ton of cash on his Sunday Service in 2019 ... with the $50 million being spread around for choir uniforms, flights, operas and all the other operating expenses that went with it.

At first glance, that number sounds way overblown.

However, remember ... Sunday Service traveled around the country last year, with stops at Coachella, Skid Row in Los Angeles, Houston, Howard University in D.C., the family home in Calabasas, his ranch in Wyoming, The Forum in Inglewood, Louisiana, Chicago, Ohio, Joel Olsteen's Lakewood Church and even Jamaica.

Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media.

There were construction costs too ... for the Sunday Service on Easter at Coachella, bulldozers moved tons of earth to make a huge hill for the performance.

Ye says the cash was taken out of funds set aside for marketing his Yeezy shoes ... Kanye says he didn't need to spend all the marketing dough on the kicks -- Yeezy's sell themselves, he says -- so instead he used it to put on Sunday Service.

$50 million ... that's a lot of holy bread.

Biden-Harris Campaign Rolls Out Merch on Animal Crossing 'JOE' Signs for Your Island!!!

Joe Biden and Kamala Harris are breaking into the digital space like never before ... infiltrating Animal Crossing to reach a younger demographic, which is kinda genius.

The Biden-Harris campaign linked up with Nintendo to make some virtual merch available for the first time on their uber-popular game Tuesday, which 'New Horizons' users can now cop. IYKYK ... frankly, AC folks are always looking for new ways to spruce up their islands.

Among some of the items you can now swoop up -- via specific QR codes -- are three different Joe Biden campaign signs, which you can throw out onto your in-game lawn, PLUS ... an American flag-themed aviator glasses sign, which is another signature Biden token.

Of course, you can customize your character's look -- and some folks have recreated Kamala and Joe in the game itself. So yeah, your island can now feature some political ideologies ... something Animal Crossing hadn't broached before.

A rep for the campaign says they wanted to take advantage of a platform that literally reaches millions and which facilitates community. They add, "As we enter the final campaign stretch towards November, this is one way we are finding new creative and innovative ways to meet voters where they are and bring our supporters together."

The campaign also recruited some top gaming influencers to plug the new Biden-Harris merch on Animal Crossing this week. The saying used to be ... seize the day, now ya gotta seize the technology too.

Shocking DUI Cops Let Falling Down Wasted Man Leave After He Hit 3 Cars!!!

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3 SHEETS TO THE WIND
Fox LA

LAPD is investigating what you will see is painfully obvious in this bizarre video ... a dangerously intoxicated man -- who couldn't even stand -- smashed into parked cars, and yet somehow cops did NOT arrest him.

It's all on video ... the guy is stumbling and mumbling on the scene when cops arrived to see his Dodge Charger had swiped several parked cars in L.A.'s Los Feliz neighborhood on Aug. 22. Whatever he was on ... he was struggling to stay upright as he spoke to the owners of the other cars and exchanged info with them. He nearly fell on his face right in front of a cop who, for some reason, seemed to ignore the behavior!!!

The witness who shot this video is stunned in disbelief as the cops tell the victims to contact their insurance ... as they simply let the wasted guy walk -- sorta -- away. People on the scene were pissed, and with good reason.

LAPD says it's looking into what happened here, but it seems pretty obvious. Cops asleep at the wheel ... much like the Charger driver, whose car was simply towed from the scene.

Unreal!!!

Shocking Video Doc Pulls 4-Foot Snake Out of Woman's Throat!!!

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SNAKEY SITUATION

This woman wanted to catch some ZZzz but instead had a SSssslithery nightmare after a 4-foot snake crawled into her throat!!!

The horrifying video was taken in Russia where doctors treated a woman who was rushed to the hospital saying she was not feeling well. She had claimed -- brace yourself -- a snake slithered into her mouth when she fell asleep in her yard. What the hell, Russia???

You can see from the video ... doctors are horrified after pulling the serpent out of her mouth. They're also terrified it's one long-ass snake ... relatively speaking considering it was apparently inside a WOMAN'S THROAT.

It's unclear if the snake was dead or alive at the time of extraction. Also, we can't confirm this vid is totally legit -- either way it's a totally terrifying sight.

The Ministry of Health in Republic of Dagestan is reportedly investigating the video and the chief doctor at the hospital where this allegedly went down said she was unaware of doctors performing the procedure at her facility.

Sounds a little sssssuspect.

President Trump Cops Who Shoot ... They're Like Golfers Who 'Choke'

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HEARTLESS COMPARISON
Fox News

President Trump says cops who use deadly force and shoot someone are exactly like nervous golfers who can't sink the last shot ... seriously, he compared the two.

DT sat down for an interview with FOX News' Laura Ingraham Monday night, and while discussing high-profile police incidents lately -- especially with Black men -- Trump brought up Jacob Blake ... saying the officer who fired 7 times might as well have been Tiger Woods on a bad day.

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SHOCKING AND BRUTAL
Raysean White via TMX.news

It was so outrageous and tone-deaf, even Ingraham tried to steer him away, but Trump stuck to his guns ... and said cops who use lethal force are like golfers who "choke."

Trump did question whether the Kenosha officer, Rusten Sheskey, could've done something else other than shoot -- like tackling him -- but the comparison he made is still shocking and utterly lacking in empathy. As you know, Blake is paralyzed from the waist down.

As if that's not bad enough ... Trump's going to Kenosha Tuesday, ignoring the advice of state and local officials who desperately want him to stay away.

Racist Clerk Hurls N-Word at Customer ... Circle K Responds

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CONVENIENCE STORE SLURS
TMZ.com
UPDATE

12:35 PM PT -- 9/3 -- A rep for Circle K tells TMZ ... they're taking the accusations very seriously and add it does NOT condone racism or discrimination of any kind. The rep goes on to say the convenience store has "investigated this incident and are reaching out to the customer to let him know we are taking appropriate action." They wouldn't say what kind of "appropriate action" they're taking.

A gas station clerk in Texas allegedly refused service to a Black man for having an out-of-state ID and hurled a racial slur at him -- and the video proves every retail transaction is an adventure these days.

This altercation went down at a Circle K in Cypress after midnight, where we're told the pissed off customer was trying to buy tobacco products.

The person recording says the clerk -- an older white woman -- asked for his ID, then asked him to remove his mask, but refused to sell to him anyway ... purportedly because he had a Nebraska ID.

That's when all hell breaks loose, and when the vid begins the customer is yelling at the clerk, threatens to "pop" her and accuses her of calling him the n-word.

His anger escalates and he begins to throw items around the store and on the floor, and as the clerk tells him to leave ... she also calls him a "f***ing n****r."

We're told the customer left and it doesn't seem like cops were called, but we've reached out to law enforcement to confirm. Circle K declined to comment about the incident.

Unfortunately, this is just the latest example of racial tensions in America leading to another disturbing altercation. No such thing as a boring sale anymore.

Originally Published -- 9/1 7:55 AM PT

Chadwick Boseman His Death Can Help Save Lives ... Colon Cancer Orgs Say

Chadwick Boseman's still playing the hero, because his life story's inspiring people to take action ... in the ongoing fight against colon cancer.

Several leading organizations focused on beating colorectal cancer -- the third leading form of cancer in both men and women in the U.S. -- tell TMZ ... the "Black Panther" star's shocking death instantly brought about a massive increase in awareness, donations, and love for those dealing with it.

Anjee Davis, President of Fight Colorectal Cancer, tells us along with a huge outpouring of grief for the actor, her org got a major boost in social media engagements and support ... which resulted in raising nearly $10,000.

She says the funds will go toward research to seek better treatment options and a cure for colon cancer, but just as important ... she hopes the heightened awareness pushes people to get early screenings, look into their family history of cancer, and be on alert for signs and symptoms.

Likewise for Michael Sapienza, CEO of the Colorectal Cancer Alliance, who says Chadwick's death -- at 43, after a 4-year cancer battle -- has already brought on "the most monumental change" to how people view the disease.

Though the Marvel superhero chose to keep his battle shielded from the public, Sapienza's encouraging the public to be more open to discussing colon cancer to shed the stigma ... especially since it's increasingly affecting younger people like Boseman.

Cindy Borassi, Interim President for the Colon Cancer Foundation, also points out the increasing impact on younger Americans, and adds, to make matters worse ... screenings have gone way down due to the pandemic.

She tells us it sometimes takes a "larger-than-life personality" like Boseman to boost outreach, awareness and support, and while it's tragic ... that's what is happening here.

Borassi says donations to the org have increased at least 300 percent since Friday, and she believes his death will result in huge companies like Disney and Marvel joining forces in the effort to eradicate colon cancer.

As we reported ... Chadwick's passing has inspired numerous tributes from friends and fans, and action-figure memorials from kids who love and miss him.

Naomi Osaka Breonna Taylor Mask to U.S. Open ... More Tributes Planned

Tennis superstar Naomi Osaka wore a Breonna Taylor tribute mask to her 1st round match at the U.S. Open on Monday ... and says she's got more tributes planned.

The 22-year-old has been very outspoken about social justice issues lately -- and even "boycotted" a match at a different tournament last week in the wake of the Jacob Blake shooting.

So, when she arrived at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York City, she rocked the Breonna mask to help "spread awareness" about the Taylor case.

"I'm aware that tennis is watched all over the world, and maybe there is someone that doesn't know Breonna Taylor's story," Osaka said.

"Maybe they'll like Google it or something. For me, just spreading awareness. I feel like the more people know the story, then the more interesting or interested they'll become in it."

26-year-old Taylor was shot and killed at her apartment back in March when Louisville cops executed a no-knock warrant. Her boyfriend says he fired a warning shot because he thought the officers were intruders but they returned fire, striking Taylor 8 times.

After Osaka won her opening match Monday against Misaki Doi, she said she has 6 more masks she plans on wearing throughout the tournament to honor other victims of police brutality.

"It's quite sad that seven masks isn't enough for the amount of names, so hopefully I'll get to the finals and you can see all of them."

Osaka is expected to return to the court Wednesday to take on Camila Giorgi.

Joe Exotic My Face On Your Crotch New Underwear Line is Fly!!!

Joe Exotic is launching an underwear collection from behind bars ... and the 'Tiger King' has his mug plastered across the fly!!!

The boxer briefs are part of Joe's "REVENGE" collection with streetwear brand Odaingerous ... and this fashion drop is pretty damn bold.

As you can see, there are some fun options ... one's got Joe's face on the crotch of some leopard print, another's a bright orange tiger print and there's also a mix of tiger print and baby blue, not to mention red tiger print. Pretty much what you would expect from Joe the fashionista.

Hawking outrageous underwear is kinda Joe's thing ... back in 2013, long before his Netflix fame, he started selling 'Tiger King' undies ... but they didn't have his face on them.

If Joe's previous "REVENGE" capsules are an indication, these boxer briefs are gonna sell like hotcakes ... remember, his soft launch in May sold out in a matter of hours and raked in over $20,000 in online sales.

Odaingerous says the boxer briefs are 100% cotton to keep "your unmentionables fashionably stylish and secure."

Consider this a very hard launch, with a very significant date ... the boxer briefs go on sale Sept. 7 -- the 2-year anniversary of Joe's arrest.

Charli XCX Lists H'Wood Hills Crib for $3.65 Mil!!!

Singer Charli XCX is giving up her 1920s English Tudor-style crib ... and someone can scoop it up for a pretty good deal in the Hollywood Hills.

The "Boom Clap" singer -- who also collaborated with Iggy Azalea on "Fancy" -- put her place on the market for a cool $3,650,000. The tri-level crib has 4 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms and tons of charm thanks to floor-to-ceiling diamond-paned windows, hand-carved dark wood doors and beams ... plus 3 brick fireplaces.

The whole home is 4,423 square feet with a pretty sick master suite ... featuring canted ceilings and a chic chandelier. Fan of speakeasy style? Check out the large lower level with its own entrance and movie theater.

There's lots of outdoor space too. Take the party outside to the expansive deck where there's a hot tub and surrounding gardens.

Christine Hameline of RE/MAX Elite is the listing agent.

'Too Hot to Handle' Francesca Heating Up with Another Reality TV Star

Francesca Farago has moved on from her "Too Hot to Handle" fling with Harry Jowsey and linked up with another hot TV bachelor ... Jef Holm.

Sources close to the situation tell TMZ ... the 'THTH' star is now dating Jef, who was a star on Emily Maynard's season of "The Bachelorette" back in 2012 and, very briefly, her fiance.

We're told Francesca and Jef met about a month ago through her friend, Casey Boonstra, instantly bonded over their reality show backgrounds and sense of humor ... and have been pretty inseparable ever since.

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HOT DATE

They are currently on a vacation together along with a group of friends in Utah -- Jef's home state -- and partying in his parents' boat. We're told they haven't yet discussed labels, though -- no one's saying bf or gf just yet.

Francesca's heading back to see family in Canada in a few weeks, so they'll get their first taste of a long-distance relationship ... but then she'll be back in L.A. where they both live.

As we told you ... Francesca's dating life became the subject of rumors last week when she was seen out with "Love is Blind" star Damian Powers, but we learned it was strictly a friendly business dinner. Damian is still with his GF, Giannina Gibelli.

Jef, on the other hand, has mostly been out of the spotlight since he got engaged to 'Bachelorette' Emily back on season 8. They called it off 5 months later.

Maurice Jones-Drew 'Stunned' By Jags' Fournette Cut ... 'How Are You Better Without Him?!'

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BETTER HAVE A PLAN
TMZSports.com

Jaguars legend Maurice Jones-Drew says he was straight-up "shocked" to see the team cut Leonard Fournette ... telling TMZ Sports he has no idea how the move improves Jacksonville's roster.

"Leonard Fournette is one of their best players on their team," MJD says. "How are you better without him?!"

"How does that happen?!" the former NFL running back added. "How do you get rid of this guy?!"

Maurice says even if Fournette had a locker room personality that team officials didn't love ... he still thinks the best move would have been to keep the star RB in a Jags uniform.

"To me, in this league, it's all about you have to have a talented team to win," says Jones-Drew, who's currently KILLING it as an NFL Network analyst. "You can't win in this league without talent."

Jones-Drew says if he were running the Jags ... he would've certainly kept Fournette on the roster despite his past ups and downs with the team.

In fact, Maurice says he would have found a way to keep guys like Jalen Ramsey, Dante Fowler and Yannick Ngakoue on the roster as well.

But, MJD insists he ain't mad at his former team for the moves ... and tells us he's still holding out hope his ex-squad can wrap up a perfect 16-0 season this year.

"Even though I'm upset and hurt by this move," MJD says, "because, again, as a Jags fan, I think all Jags fans we're kind of caught in this like 'what are we doing' type of thing -- I still believe in them."

George in 'George of the Jungle 2' 'Memba Him?!

Michigan-born actor Christopher Showerman is best known for his role as the vine-swinging king of the jungle, George -- who battles to balance his responsibilities in the wild and his family life with a wife and son -- in Disney's 2003 follow-up film, "George of the Jungle 2."

Chris Showerman stages the screen time with Julie Benz as his city-dweller wife, Ursula and Angus T. Jones (of "Two and a Half Men" fame) as his pint-size son, George Jr.

Fun fact: There's a running gag throughout the movie around the obvious change from Brendan Fraser's iconic character in the first film and Showerman's role in the sequel.

Guess what he looks like now!

Kamala Harris Brandy, Monica Have Great Voices ... Use Yours And Vote!!!

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MUTUAL ADMIRATION SOCIETY
Verzuz/Apple Music

Brandy and Monica started off their Verzuz rap battle with a very important message from a very special surprise guest ... Kamala Harris!!!

Joe Biden's running mate showed up at the start of Brandy and Monica's showdown Monday, and she reminded everyone why it's so important to vote in the upcoming election.

Senator Harris says Brandy and Monica have used their voices in a powerful way throughout their careers ... and she says everyone else can make an impact with their voices by voting.

Ya gotta see the video ... Monica's shocked when Kamala comes on the screen, and Brandy does a little fangirling. The respect and admiration here are definitely mutual.

Kamala makes her voting pitch, then says she's ready to sit back, relax and enjoy Brandy and Monica's showdown ... and she's even gonna sing along in her Howard shirt!!!