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Kanye West has his sights set on Moscow -- where he reportedly wants a powwow with the Vladimir Putin, not to mention a vast plan to establish roots in Mother Russia.

Ye is gunning for a meeting with the Russian President, and also wants to do a series of Sunday Service shows in the man's country fairly soon -- sometime in the spring or summer, in fact ... this according to Billboard, who spoke to KW's biz associate, Ameer Sudan.

Sudan says Ye's schedule will dictate when this all happens, but assures Billboard that the wheels are already in motion to broker a face-to-face between Putin and Kanye.

Sounds like a lot of this is going to be handled by some Russian friends Ye has apparently cozied up to of late -- tycoon real estate developer Aras Agalarov and his son Emin Agalarov ... the so-called "Trumps of Russia," and clients of attorney Scott Balber, whom Sudan says is also helping Kanye make this happen. Unclear if Balber reps Ye personally.

Anywyay, speaking of Emin -- who's actually an aspiring musical artist himself -- Kanye is said to be intent on helping him blow up here in the States via collaboration, so says Sudan.

There's more ... Sudan says Ye's business relationship with the Agalarovs will bear lucrative -- with deals he says they're working on that'll supposedly send his net worth sky-high, north of $10 billion, he claims. So, in other words ... Ye is all in on Russia, it seems.

Sudan went so far to say that Kanye would be making the area a "second home," telling Billboard the guy plans to spend a lot of time out there going forward. As for where those Sunday Service concerts would happen -- word is, he has the Crocus City Hall in mind, and will invite President Putin as his guest. It's a big venue ... capable of seating over 7,000.

Other options are being considered too, per Billboard, like the Grand Sports Arena at the Luzhniki Olympic Complex, where the Olympics were once held. Capacity there is 80k-plus.

One last thing ... Sudan says Kanye is aware of the international strife between the U.S. and Russia -- namely, Putin encroaching on Ukraine, among other things -- but had this to say about it ... "This is Ye, Ye is going to get there regardless. What are they going to say? He's going to be a special guest of the Agalarovs."

He adds, "Kanye knows what's going on more than the average human being, he's well aware of things. And it's nothing against the United States or to cause conflicts, but Ye is Ye -- he can't be controlled."

Novak Djokovic is making sure he's ready for next week's Australian Open despite uncertainty he'll be allowed to remain in the country -- hitting practice courts hard Down Under on Tuesday.

The tennis superstar was spotted getting in a lengthy workout at Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne ... hitting balls and sweating just six days away from the start of the big tournament.

Of course, Djokovic needs all the practice he can get ... considering he was cooped up in a hotel for nearly a week after Australian authorities tried to bar him from entering the country.

Djokovic and law enforcement feuded over his COVID-19 vaccination exemption status ... but after the 34-year-old won a key appeal on Monday, he was let into the country so he can gear up for The Open.

And, by the looks of things, Djokovic seems to be ready to defend his title. In the photos, Novak appears to be in good shape.

Djokovic is still not 100 percent certain about his status for the event ... Australian authorities are still exploring the possibility of canceling his visa a second time -- which could lead to a three-year ban from the country for the tennis player.

Welp, now he's got 100 of 'em -- Jay-Z is fuming the feds refuse to release to a man who's served 14 years for weed, and says one of the government's reasons for holding him ... involves a leftover prison meal.

Jay's Team Roc is taking up the cause of a guy named Valon Vailes ... who's serving a 20-year prison sentence for intent to distribute more than a ton of marijuana. Vailes, who was convicted in 2007,  reached out to Jay-Z last year asking him to help him get a reduced sentence -- but in new court docs, Team Roc says the feds won't budge over some "ticky-tac" prison offenses.

Team Roc attorney Alex Spiro says Vailes more than meets the terms for compassionate release, but in docs he says federal prosecutors won't allow it because Vailes dared to ... wait for it ... sneak some leftover chicken from the prison mess hall to his cell.

Seriously. Cold-ass chicken ... that's what we're talking about?

If that wasn't petty enough, in the docs -- obtained by TMZ -- Spiro says Vailes is also getting dinged for merely using a piece of his prison uniform as "workout equipment."

Jay and Team Roc are incensed because they say Vailes, who's now 56, has been a model inmate in every way possible -- he's earned his GED -- and has a "mentally ill" brother at home who needs a caretaker. Vailes' mother had been taking care of the brother, but she died in 2020.

In his letter to Jay, Vailes discussed his frustration with watching corporations and individuals make billions off legalized marijuana, while he rots in prison over it.

Antonio Brown appears to be showing some regret over his infamous, shirtless breakup with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers ... admitting his wild outburst was unprofessional and unnecessary.

AB touched down in Los Angeles Monday afternoon after a week of living it up in NYC ... and just hours after his flight to the west coast, he hit up hotspot Craig's for a bite to eat with his new buddy, Kanye West.

But, before he went inside, the Super Bowl champ had a quick convo with the camera guys about his bizarre departure from last Sunday's game ... and he seems to wish he had handled himself differently.

"It probably wasn't necessary or professional," AB said ... all while keeping a smile on his face.

It's an interesting admission -- AB had previously been giving the middle finger to the Bucs since the breakup ... claiming they were trying to force him to play with an ankle injury prior to his exit.

Despite all the drama, AB has shifted his focus to music ... and has been linking up with some huge names like Fabolous after his season ended.

As for why he dined with Kanye? Rumor has it the rap legend wants to collab with AB on a track.

Kanye West and Julia Fox certainly know how to attract attention, hitting one of the most-trafficked celeb spots in L.A. for a dinner date night ... all while kinda-sorta matching their outfits.

The two arrived separately to Craig's Monday night, Kanye wearing his signature hoodie, jeans, sunglasses and boots -- while Julia wore similar colors -- with a tight jacket, jeans, heels and what appears to be a Balenciaga handbag.

It's the first time we've seen the new couple together on the West Coast -- they were up and down the East last week in both Miami and NYC -- hitting dinner, doing an impromptu photoshoot and Kanye dressing his new boo in Balenciaga.

However, it wasn't just Ye and Fox at Craig's Monday, they were joined by former Tampa Bay Buccaneer Antonio Brown, who is reportedly going to be making music with Ye in the near future.

No word on what the table conversation consisted of, but with that trio, there's certainly a wide scope of possibilities.

Jimmy Kimmel remembered Bob Saget Monday night ... in an emotional monologue that left him in tears.

Jimmy broke down as he reminisced about Bob ... describing his friend as "the sweetest man" as he gave us a glimpse into his character ... “He always had a compliment. He’d write sometimes just to tell me he loved me and I know he did that for many people … He had something funny to say about everything and nothing bad to say about anyone."

He read one of Bob's emails, reflecting on their families and kids ... "One night soon let’s go out and have some meat and some good damn drinks and talk about how lucky we are that we have them."

Saget was 65 when he died in his hotel room Sunday in Orlando. As we reported, although the cause of death will not be known for several months, investigators say there is evidence Bob might have died from a heart attack or stroke.

BTK killer Dennis Rader might consider himself a good person deep down -- but his appetite for grisly tales behind bars might suggest otherwise.

The infamous murderer -- who brutally took the lives of 10 people between ‘74 and ‘91 -- dishes on his favorite reading materials in some of his handwritten letters ... and his selections are pretty dark.

The correspondence, obtained by TMZ, date back to 2012 ... and in one letter Rader describes his day-to-day life in prison and the fact he was deep into a popular book that had been adapted for the big screen the previous year -- Stieg Larsson’s “The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo.”

If you’re not familiar, it’s a very violent story ... chock full of murders and torture (and even rape) including one killing eerily similar to what Rader is said to have done to at least one of his victims -- tying them up and hanging their bodies in the air.

The weird reads don’t stop there -- Rader goes on to confess in his letters that he was also enjoying another book called “The Fear Index,” which is rife with murder. Like we said, he may think he’s a sweet, wholesome guy with some murderous slip-ups here and there -- but that's not at all reflected in the literature he was devouring, almost exclusively, behind bars.

There’s a lot more revealed in Rader’s letters ... like the fact he misses the smell and taste of a fresh-off-the-grill steak, one from Peter Luger’s specifically. Also, he’s a homebody ... writing he doesn’t go out to the prison yard much.

Speaking of what he calls his “cave” ... other writings from BTK paint a peculiar lifestyle, in which he says he sleeps on the floor, uses his bed as a desk, guzzles cold coffee throughout the day ... and even bird watches as a hobby. On the fitness front ... Rader says he tries exercising daily, by either running in place and/or doing multiple sets of push-ups.

DR also fancies himself an artist of sorts -- his letters are packed with sketches and doodles ... some of which you can look at above.

Jeremy Piven is having a hard time grasping the fact he'll never see Bob Saget again ... telling us he'd just reached out to his friend and former costar days before his sudden death.

We got the 'Entourage' star leaving The Henry Monday in L.A., and asked how he will remember Saget, who once worked with him on the hit HBO series.

Jeremy says Bob was a rare breed in comedy ... a sweet, kind man who also had a serious edge to his humor, and never felt too big to mentor others.

TMZ broke the story ... Bob was found dead Sunday in the Orlando Ritz-Carlton hotel, the day after performing about 2 hours away in Jacksonville.

Jeremy says it's all very surreal because he had just tried to get in contact with Bob a few days ago, but had not heard back from him. You can see it in the video, he's still struggling to wrap his head around the loss.

Bob was 65, but Jeremy says he had a "vibrant spirit" ... telling us it's making his death even more shocking and confusing. As for the torrent of love and support from people in show biz -- Jeremy says it's proof of Bob's real impact on fellow celebs.

Someone's about to have trouble falling asleep -- the infamous home from the OG "A Nightmare on Elm Street" has a new owner, who's dropping $2,980,000 to toss and turn ... TMZ has learned.

Aside from being a kickass location for a Halloween party ... the 3 bedroom, 4.5 bath L.A. home has some impressive features like walnut floors, spacious backyard patios, a pool and a bed that devours you whole!!!

Kidding. The infamous bed from the classic horror film was not included -- that would cost way more than $3 mil.

Despite its place in Hollywood horror history, the home screams peaceful suburban bliss ... and was originally listed around Halloween for $3,250,000.

You can see in the photo gallery, the sellers really leaned into the whole Freddy Krueger thing to market the home.

The 2 story pad does come with a bonus -- a detached guest house with its own kitchen, covered patio and full bathroom.

We don't know who snagged the iconic home, but they are in for a treat ... and maybe a trick or 2. Their new favorite song?

Video of Antonio Brown's infamous meltdown that led to his eventual cut from the Bucs is getting the NFT treatment ... and it can be all yours, if you've got some serious coin laying around.

TMZ Sports has learned ... footage of Brown's Jan. 2 blowup at MetLife Stadium has been turned into an NFT -- and it will go up for auction on Jan. 13.

We're told the non-fungible token is expected to garner a bunch of bids -- and, considering just how viral the video went following its posting on social media, the final price could get into 7 figures.

The tweet alone garnered over 11.5 million views ... and, given how similarly viral NFTs have sold in the past, the expectation is the winning bidder could pay in the area of $1.5 MILLION to own the piece.

A hefty price tag, we know ... but the clip is now entrenched in NFL history.

As we reported, Brown was kicked off the Bucs following the shirtless jaunt ... and it very well could end up being the last time the potential Hall of Famer is seen wearing an NFL team on a gameday again.

Los Angeles local Mary Page Keller was only 25 years old when she landed the starring role of the catering cutie Laura Kelly -- who shares the show with her on-screen boyfriend and writer Ben Coleman -- on the late '80s TGIF television show "Duet."

MPK continued her role as Laura after "Duet" was spun into another American sitcom "Open House" where she was newly single and third-wheeling it with Alison LaPlaca as Linda Phillips and Chris Lemmon as Richard Phillips.

Keller continues to act and can be spotted on more recent shows like "Pretty Little Liars" and "Hart Of Dixie."

Moniece Slaughter is being ordered to stay away from a person who claims the "Love & Hip Hop" star attacked them at a birthday bash for Cardi B.

According to new legal docs obtained by TMZ ... the partygoer claims Moniece went on the offensive at the event, trying to punch them before throwing a drink at them and striking others with the beverage.

In the docs, the person also says Moniece has been using her fame to harass them ... smearing their name with false allegations.

The partygoer beelined it to court last week, and a judge signed off on a restraining order against Moniece.

Tons of celebs were at the party ... including Offset.

The protective order requires Moniece to stay at least 100 yards away from her alleged victim ... and MS is barred from contacting or harassing them, although the judge stopped short of barring all social media comments.

We reached out to Moniece's camp ... so far, no word back.

Bob Saget's family was desperately trying to get a hold of him, not knowing he'd died in his hotel room -- and cops are now painting a more complete picture of what they found there.

An Orange County Sheriff's Deputy noted in his official report that Bob was discovered by a Ritz-Carlton Hotel security staffer who'd been sent to the room on the Saget family's request ... after they'd made several unsuccessful attempts to reach him Sunday.

In the docs, obtained by TMZ, the deputy notes this staffer knocked on Bob's door multiple times before going in around 4 PM ET ... only to find all the lights off. Upon entering the bedroom, they found Bob lying face-up on the bed, with his left arm across his chest and right on the bed.

The staffer says he was cold to the touch ... and when they checked for signs of breathing or a pulse, none was detected.

Upon arriving, EMS personnel pronounced Bob dead on the scene.

Another interesting tidbit, the Ritz was able to pinpoint that Bob had last entered the room at 2:17 AM. He was scheduled to check out later that same day. He tweeted this message and photo shortly before that, at 12:42 AM, showing himself onstage in Jacksonville ... about a 2-hour drive from Orlando.

The deputy points out there were no signs of foul play or trauma. Bob's next of kin was listed as his wife, Kelly Rizzo, who was notified about his death.

Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith -- who started three games for Seattle this season -- was arrested early Monday morning on suspicion of DUI in Washington ... TMZ Sports has confirmed.

A spokesperson for the Washington State Patrol tells us ... Smith was pulled over at around 2 AM in King County -- just hours after the Seahawks returned home from beating the Cardinals in Arizona on Sunday.

According to law enforcement, Smith was initially stopped for speeding ... and was booked into the King County Jail a short time later.

Records show he was released after about seven hours in custody.

Further details surrounding the arrest are unclear ... we're working on it.

Smith played in a total of four games this season while Russell Wilson was out with a finger injury. He recorded a 1-2 record and logged 702 passing yards and five TDs.

The former 2nd-round pick is slated to be a free agent this offseason.

Connecticut high school hockey player Teddy Balkind tragically died after a skate cut his neck during a game last week ... the Connecticut Office of the Chief Medical Examiner announced Monday.

Officials formally ruled Balkind's death as an "accident" ... revealing the cause as an "incised wound of neck."

Balkind was just a 16-year-old sophomore.

As we previously reported, the horrifying incident happened during St. Luke's game vs. Brunswick School in Greenwich last Thursday ... when authorities say Balkind fell to the ice and was accidentally crashed into by an opponent.

According to the Greenwich Police Department, Balkind was taken to the hospital ... but died there from his injuries.

The two schools expressed deep remorse following the tragedy ... with Balkind's St. Luke's school closing on Friday and reopening on Monday with a "special schedule."

NHL teams and players, meanwhile, honored Balkind at their games over the last few days ... with the L.A. Kings holding a moment of silence for Teddy on Saturday.

For the first time ever, surgeons transplanted a heart from a genetically modified pig into a human patient, in order to save his life ... If all goes well, this could be the start of life-saving treatment for many patients in dire need.

57-year-old David Bennett received a heart like no other ... He was ineligible for a human transplant and, while doctors couldn't guarantee the transplant would work, the surgery was a matter of life or death, so he rolled the dice.

“It was either die or do this transplant. I want to live. I know it’s a shot in the dark, but it’s my last choice,” he said before undergoing the 7-hour surgery Friday at a Baltimore hospital.

The FDA had approved the operation for emergency use, since David had no other options.

Though it's still unclear if the transplant will actually take, he seems to be doing well days after the surgery... And, docs at the University of Maryland Medical Center say his transplant showed a heart from a genetically modified animal can work inside a human body without immediate rejection.

That's great news, because in the past such transplants failed because the patient's body would reject the animal organ. Now, Maryland surgeons used the heart from a pig that had received gene-editing ... to thwart rejection.