Rob Gronkowski I'd Retire If Forced To Decide Now ... 'I Would Say No'

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IF I HAD TO CHOOSE...
TMZSports.com

If he had to make the decision today ... Rob Gronkowski says his football career would be over -- telling TMZ Sports he'd retire if the NFL made him choose right now.

"If they're like, 'Rob, you've got to decide right now, right this second if you're playing next year,' I would say no right now," Gronk said. "I would be like, 'No, I'm not playing.'"

The tight end -- who joined Babcock and Mojo on the "TMZ Sports" TV show (nightly on FS1) -- said he's just too beat up right now following his 11th season in the league to go ahead and definitively move forward with Year #12.

"If I had an answer right now," Gronk said, "it would be no."

Good news for the Buccaneers, though ... Gronk does not have to decide at this moment -- and he acknowledged his mind could change in the next couple of weeks.

The future Hall of Famer tells us once his body's healed and he's had some time to reflect on the season, the answer could very well turn into a yes.

"I just want to heal completely, see where my thoughts are from there," Gronk said. "Just let things settle down -- got to just heal a little bit. Fix all the bumps and bruises."

As for if Tom Brady's upcoming decision about his future could affect Gronk's, Rob tells us it all could play a role -- though he has to do what's best for him first and foremost.

There's more, Gronk also told us he does not think the Bucs' messy breakup with Antonio Brown played a role in their early playoff exit ... saying the locker room was full of too many veterans to let it affect them that negatively.

"There's so many experienced pros in our locker room," Gronk said. "It's not like we have a young locker room or anything like that."

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GETTIN' THE PARTY STARTED
TMZSports.com

We also talked to Gronk about his partnership with Groupon. The superstar tight end teamed up with the company to give one extremely lucky fan a chance to literally celebrate the Super Bowl at Rob's actual house in Foxborough.

As you might expect from Rob ... the house is awesome. It's nearly 5,000 square feet of awesomeness ... and if you're fortunate, you and your buddies could be posting up on Gronk's couch when the big game rolls around on February 13.

Good luck!!

Guess Who This Brunette Boy Turned Into!

Before this handsome mini-man was making audiences laugh with his kooky television characters, he was just another smirking sweetheart ready for his school portrait in Waterloo, Iowa.

This cute kid got his start when he and his two best friends formed a hilarious comedy group ... they rose to fame with their online antics and eventually earned a well-deserved spot on a lineup of Comedy Central shows.

Now, this comedian has shown off his singing voice in pitchy pictures and even scored a role alongside John Goodman in an off-beat, dark comedy streaming on HBO.

Can you guess who he is?

Barry Bonds Misses Hall Of Fame In Final Year ... Ortiz Elected Instead

Barry Bonds -- one of the greatest hitters and outfielders in MLB history -- had the Baseball Hall of Fame doors slammed shut in his face on Tuesday ... as he was not voted into Cooperstown in his final year on the ballot.

Bonds -- who was getting Hall consideration for the 10th and last time -- was ultimately denied by a group of baseball writers who believe his connection to performance-enhancing drugs overshadowed the brilliance he displayed on the diamond.

The argument for Bonds' enshrinement into the Hall of Fame is simple -- the former San Francisco Giants outfielder put up jaw-dropping numbers throughout his storied 22-year career in the big leagues.

BB is the all-time leader in home runs (762), owns the single-season home run record set by a player, is a 14-time All-Star and won seven NL MVPs -- by far the most in MLB history.

On another note, Sammy Sosa and Roger Clemens also fell short of the 75% of votes needed to be formally inducted into the MLB Hall of Fame. David Ortiz -- one of Bonds' contemporaries -- did receive the percentage of votes needed to make it in.

FYI, Ortiz -- aka "Big Papi" -- got in on his first try ... and although David had a legendary career with a ton of home runs (541) and multiple World Series titles, he wasn't the player or defender Bonds was.

Bonds still has a chance at making the Hall via the Today’s Game Era ballot in December ... but it will fall into the hands of a 16-person group that focuses on bringing contributors from 1988-2016 into Cooperstown.

The San Francisco Giants put out a statement, saying, "We remain hopeful that he will gain election into the National Baseball Hall of Fame through the next phase of the voting process."

Ozzie World's Oldest Male Gorilla Dead ... COVID Possibly to Blame

Ozzie, the world's oldest male Gorilla has died ... and because he was among a group of the primates who tested positive for COVID last year, it's possible the disease could be to blame for his eventual demise.

The 61-year-old was found dead at Zoo Atlanta Tuesday, President and CEO Raymond B. King said of Ozzie's loss, "While we knew this time would come someday, that inevitability does nothing to stem the deep sadness we feel at losing a legend."

According to FOX5 in Atlanta, zoo vets noticed Ozzie began to lose his appetite last week -- but continued to offer him care and encourage him to eat and drink.

It was in September of last year when Ozzie was among at least 9 of Zoo Atlanta's gorilla population to test positive for COVID. The animals exhibited symptoms similar to humans -- including runny nose, coughing and sneezing.

Ozzie first arrived in Atlanta in 1988, and was part of a scientific milestone when he became the first gorilla to get a blood pressure reading. He held the title of oldest male gorilla, but Fatou -- a 64-year-old female at Berlin Zoo -- is still the oldest living gorilla.

At Zoo Atlanta, Ozzie is survived by 3 sons, a daughter, a granddaughter, a great-granddaughter and a great-grandson... but his lineage stretches across other zoos in the U.S. and Canada.

A necropsy will be performed to determine his exact cause of death.

RIP

Kim Kardashian No New Ray J Sex Tape ... On Laptop Kanye Retrieved

There's apparently only one Kim Kardashian and Ray J sex tape in the Universe ... and while Kim's thankful Kanye recently retrieved a laptop with footage from Ray, we're told there's nothing sexual about the unseen content.

Kanye made waves during his Hollywood Unlocked interview Monday when he shared he'd delivered the device to Kim during her recent stint on 'SNL,' causing her to cry happy tears when she saw it.

Many speculated the laptop contained a rumored second sex tape between Ray J and Kim -- but a rep for Kim tells us that's just not the case -- "After review, there was nothing sexual unseen, only footage on the plane on the way to Mexico and footage at a club and restaurant on the same trip. Kim remains firm in her belief that there is no new second tape that exists." Page 6 first had the statement.

Sources close to Kim tell us while the sex tape has been a source of embarrassment, she won't forget Kanye's gesture in retrieving the material from Ray J.

The source notes that both Kim and Kanye are sensitive as co-parents, and how the continued talk of the tape may affect their kids, "Especially when it's continued to be brought up in a way that's thoughtless and intended to cause more pain."

Interestingly -- it's been Ray J's former manager, Wack 100, who teased the existence of a second sex tape since last year -- and Kanye's been hanging with Wack lately. Kanye says he had met with Ray in Florida and was given the laptop.

It sounds like Kim wants to leave the sex tape stuff behind, with her rep telling us, "After 20 years, she truly wishes to move on from this chapter with focus instead on the positive things she continues to do as a mother, entrepreneur and advocate for justice reform.”

Snoop Dogg I'll Say it, Sade's My Dream Collab ... I'm Putting It Out There!!!

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COLLAB OF THE CENTURY
BACKGRID

Snoop Dogg has a huge gig on Super Bowl Sunday -- sharing the stage with Dr. Dre and co. -- but he has a different collab floating around in his head ... doing a song with Sade!!!

Check out this video of Snoop chilling in his Inglewood studio with some friends, and when someone asks if there's anyone left in music he wants to work with ... he only hesitated to take a hit of his joint before wistfully announcing it's Sade.

When the topic came up earlier this month, Snoop's revelation got a huge reaction in the room -- everyone thought it was a great idea, and encouraged him to make it happen. What's really interesting here is ... the Doggfather and Sade have some history.

You gotta see his story about the first, and only, time he's seen the "Smooth Operator" singer in concert -- apparently she had some crazy effects and even disappeared at a point -- but, even better, is what almost happened backstage at the show!

Now, Snoop -- who's about to crush the Super Bowl Halftime Show with Dre, Eminem, Mary J. Blige and Kendrick Lamar -- makes it clear there's no plan for Sade and him to record ... at least not yet. He definitely hoping this video gets him a step closer to his dream duet.

In his words ... let's "put a bat signal in the air."

If you're wondering what kinda track Snoop would wanna do with her? Well, he's a big fan of her smoothed-out loved songs -- one in particular.

Soooo ... your move, Sade!!! We're officially looking out for this epic pairing. 👀👀

Aziz Ansari Clowns Rodgers' COVID Vax Stance ... 'He Read Some Articles'

Add Aziz Ansari to the list of people going after Aaron Rodgers -- the "Parks and Rec" star just roasted the hell outta the QB ... saying no one should be surprised about his COVID vaccine stance because he's a football player.

"This guy makes a living getting hit in the head," the 38-year-old said during his Netflix standup special, "Nightclub Comedian," this week. "Can we cut him a break?"

Of course, this all stems from the Green Bay Packers star's choice against getting the jab ... as well as his decision to follow Joe Rogan's instruction to fight COVID-19.

Rodgers has been on the receiving end of hate by a lot of big names -- from Howard Stern to Jon Stewart and even President Joe Biden -- and Aziz mockingly showed sympathy for the MVP in his special.

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WHAT FEELS RIGHT FOR ME
The Pat McAfee Show

"People hate that guy," Ansari said. "It's like alright. Calm down!"

"He's a football player! He read some articles, he got skeptical, he did some research. Are you stunned he came to the wrong conclusion?"

He continued ... "This poor guy. It's like we're all in high school and we're making fun of the quarterback for doing bad on the science test."

Aziz calls out Rodgers for trying to pull a quick one in telling reporters he's "immunized" rather than vaccinated ... saying he came off as arrogant.

"He was out there like 'Oh, I'm a critical thinker.'"

"I don't think he's an idiot though, okay?! I don't think him, Nicki Minaj, any of these people are idiots. I just think they're trapped in a different algorithm than you are."

As for Rodgers, he recently spoke out on the backlash he's faced ... saying he's been censored for having a different opinion ... and throwing shade right back at POTUS.

Cardi B Thank You to the Jurors for Big Win!!! Awarded Another $1.5 Mil

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GIVIN' THANKS
Dennis Byron

Cardi B is feeling super grateful to a lot of people now that her libel trial is wrapped up ... and she's also walking away with a lot of money, thanks to the jury.

Cardi spoke out as she was leaving federal court in Atlanta Tuesday ... after a hearing to determine punitive damages in her case against YouTuber Tasha K. As we reported, Cardi won big in the case yesterday -- the jury found Tasha liable for all 3 claims against her for telling several damaging lies about Cardi.

The rapper was flanked by her attorneys as she thanked the jurors for reaching a "fair" decision, and she even thanked the media for encouraging her through the trial. She said reporters helped keep her strong while dealing with the "emotional distress."

She also shouted out her attorneys for nearly 3 years of work on the case.

As we told you ... Cardi was awarded $1.25 mil yesterday, and today she got an additional $1.5 million in punitive damages, plus $1.3 million for her attorney's fees.

Now, whether or not Tasha K has that $4 mil to pay Cardi ... well, that's a whole other Oprah.

'RHOSLC' Jennie Nguyen Fired By Bravo!!! ... Following Racist FB Posts

Jennie Nguyen has just gotten the boot from Bravo. The Real Housewives star will no longer be a cast member on the show ... something folks have demanded, after some of her allegedly racist posts started making rounds on social media.

In an Instagram post, the network acknowledged it failed to take action once some of Jennie's offensive posts came to light ... but from here on out, execs say she will NOT be filming on "The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City".

As you know, the (now former) real housewife came under fire once her Facebook posts from 2020 began to resurface on social media. During the Black Lives Matter protests, Jennie re-shared and posted tons of photos and memes that some folks saw as a direct attack on Black Americans.

The post (above) is just one example. She also reposted and shared posts that mentioned phrases like "BLM Thugs" and "Violent Gangs" ... in other words, mocking the BLM movement.

Other housewives have come out and condemned Jennie's posts and even talk show host Andy Cohen called them very disgusting and upsetting. Now, the network seems to have hopped on that train, canceling the RH star.

Patrick Mahomes' Fiancée I'm Being 'Attacked' After Bubbly Celly ... I'm A Winner, Haters Are Losers!!!

Patrick Mahomes' fiancée is clapping back at the hate she's gotten for making it rain champagne after the Chiefs' big overtime win ... saying anyone who has an issue with her celebration is a big loser.

Brittany Matthews was criticized by some on social media for uncorking a bottle of bubbly inside her suite and spraying it all over fans at Arrowhead Stadium ... with some pointing out the possibility some spectators may not have wanted to be drenched in alcohol in the freezing temps.

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CHAMPAGNE CELEBRATION
@brittanylynne / Instagram

Others also claim that the celly might have been a bit excessive -- despite the game being incredible -- considering it was the divisional round.

Matthews responded to the backlash on Twitter this week ... saying she's sick of being ridiculed for her every move.

"I just wish I could do what I want without getting attacked every week," Matthews said.

When another user replied by saying anyone against the celebration has "clearly never won anything before" ... Brittany replied, "Accurate."

For what it's worth, several members of Chiefs Kingdom came to Brittany's defense ... pointing out she has every right to celebrate how she wants.

The haters will be rooting for the Cincinnati Bengals to upset the Chiefs and send the Mahomeses home without a celebration ... but if that doesn't happen, expect Britt to double down.

Adele Show Postponed Over Disputes, Not COVID, Sources

Adele says her Vegas residency was postponed because of a massive COVID outbreak on her crew, but multiple sources connected to Caesars Palace claim the real reason the show is on ice is because Adele's displeased with the production.

Our sources say Adele was unhappy with various set pieces, a choir, the sound system and other items associated with the show. Several sources say they could not satisfy her production demands ... they say she felt numerous elements "were not good enough."

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WRECKED BY COVID
@adele / Twitter

That said, we're told the folks at Caesars were "shocked" when Adele canceled at the last minute. Mind you, crews have been hard at work on every aspect of the show since at least December. One source said this was not a matter of them trying to pull it together in the 11th hour -- we're told Adele wasn't ever satisfied with the results.

As for COVID, our Caesars sources say they can't speak to Adele's crew, but the Caesars' crew was ready, willing and able, and they say they can't understand why she waited until the last minute to pull the plug.

We've reached out to her camp for comment, but no word back yet.

The singer said she and her crew had been awake for 30 straight hours to right the ship, but at the last minute, it proved too much.

Our sources say Caesars is hoping to pull off at least some of Adele's February slate of shows.

Janet Jackson Claims MJ Bullied Her Over Weight ... Called Her 'Pig, Hog' as Kids

Janet Jackson's revealing a painful aspect of her tight relationship with Michael Jackson -- claiming he brutally taunted her about her weight, and she says it had a lasting impact on her.

Janet opens up about her brother in the upcoming documentary, "Janet," and reportedly says Michael teased her by hurling insults like "pig, horse, slaughter hog'' during their childhood.

That might sound like typical sibling jabs -- she does say they both laughed at the time ... but JJ also says it hurt her deep down.

The 2-part docu-series premieres Friday night on A&E and Lifetime, and shows Janet discussing her weight issues, and much more about Michael -- including the molestation accusations against him and how they impacted her career.

Janet also gets into her marriages and relationships with James DeBarge, Rene Elizondo Jr., Jermaine Dupri and Wissam Al Mana ... the father of her son.

As for Michael's cruel remarks -- according to Daily Mail, Janet says in the doc ... "When you have somebody say you're too heavy, it affects you."

Janet and Michael were famously very close -- she's said Michael and Randy Jackson were the siblings she bonded with most -- but it looks like the "Janet" docuseries is about to reveal a new facet of their relationship.

Peter Dinklage Slams Woke 'Snow White' Reboot ... Calls it 'Backwards' Story

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"WHAT ARE YOU DOING???"
WTF with Marc Maron
UPDATE

2:22 PM PT -- Disney has responded, saying "To avoid reinforcing stereotypes from the original animated film, we are taking a different approach with these seven characters and have been consulting with members of the dwarfism community. We look forward to sharing more as the film heads into production after a lengthy development period."

Peter Dinklage thinks Disney going woke for "Snow White" misses the mark entirely -- ‘cause the story itself is offensive, especially toward little people.

The "Game of Thrones" star -- who was born with a form of dwarfism -- slammed the reboot that’s in the works right now ... telling Marc Maron on his podcast that he thinks the Mouse House is being hypocritical and disingenuous.

On the one hand, Dinklage says they’re clearly trying to be progressive by casting Rachel Zegler, who’s Latina, as Snow White ... but by the same token, he explains they’re still making a movie based on a "f**king backwards" story.

PD goes on to mention the fairy tale is, in essence, about seven dwarves who are painted as primitive and mystical creatures, saying they live in a "cave" ... which isn’t quite right (they live in a cottage in the woods) but ya get his point.

Of course, Snow White has also been called ableist over the years ... especially as it relates to Dopey, who’s portrayed as a naive idiot. In fact, all the dwarves are treated as children by SW, both in the movie and the OG fairy tale, which is what Dink’s beef really seems to be about.

He says, "Have I done nothing to advance the cause from my soapbox? I guess I’m not loud enough." Seems like he's half-kidding here, but still ... you can tell he's irked by this.

As you may know by now, Dinklage has made a name for himself over the past decade-plus ... turning in award-winning dramatic performances -- and really paving the way for little people to be taken seriously as actors.

Sounds like he thinks Disney is simply out to appease one group of people with their new take on "Snow White," but completely ignoring another ... and coming off as tone-deaf in the process.

Originally Published -- 8:32 AM PT

Tiffany Haddish Addresses DUI Bust with Fallon ... My Prayers Were Answered

Tiffany Haddish is laughing off her DUI -- well, sorta ... let's just say she's taking it in stride.

The comedian gave a little insight into what happened -- from her perspective, anyway -- during an appearance Monday on the 'Tonight Show' with Jimmy Fallon, to whom she described her Georgia bust with some humor to spare.

Jimmy asked if she was willing to talk about it, and sure enough, Tiffany was ... starting out the story by saying she'd been asking God for a new man in her life. Well, he answered her prayers, it seems, but might've overcompensated ... 'cause TH says she got more than she bargained for.

Instead of one man, Tiff says she was blessed with 4 ... and they were all in uniform -- which got a chuckle out of Fallon and the audience. She then says she's got a good lawyer and they're dealing with the sitch now, without elaborating much more about it.

TMZ broke the story ... Tiffany was arrested earlier this month when local residents in Peachtree City reported a driver who’d apparently fallen asleep on the side of the road. Cops eventually tracked down Tiffany's car, where they eventually got her in cuffs ... suspecting she'd been smoking weed. She was booked for DUI and improper stopping on a roadway.

The arrest follows Tiffany losing a number of friends and family, including her grandmother, her longtime producer, her dog and close comic pal Bob Saget.

Simone Biles Hits Insane Flips In Gym ... Twisties Cured?!?

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SIMONE SOARS
@simonebiles / Instagram

Simone Biles appears to be on her way to putting the twisties in her past ... 'cause she recently hit a bunch of insane flips in the gym, showing no signs of the mental block that plagued her in Tokyo.

Biles posted the videos on her social media page Monday ... revealing she's once again hitting some of the crazy stunts that made her an Olympics legend.

Biles did the tricks into a soft foam pit ... and captioned the footage, "did some flips the other day just to make sure."

No word yet on if Biles is officially 100 percent free of the infamous twisties that first hit her at the 2020 Olympics in July ... but the video is an encouraging sign nonetheless.

It's the first time Biles has been seen hitting the tricks since she said she was struggling to find up from down while performing the stunts on the sport's biggest stage.

Biles had said back in October she was still fighting the problem ... and noted she was keeping any twisting out of her routines during her performances in the Gold Over America Tour in the fall.

But, it appears Biles is inching closer to returning to her old form -- which, of course, is a super-positive sign for her potential return to the Olympics in 2024.

Arnold Schwarzenegger Car Accident Victim a Huge Fan ... 'God Bless' But I'm Hurting

One of the people involved in Arnold Schwarzenegger's multi-car wreck couldn't believe her eyes ... not only because of the movie stunt-like crash, but because she's a huge fan of his.

Habiba Muminova was one of the drivers who had a close encounter with Arnold's SUV in Friday's crash, and she tells TMZ ... she felt like she was "hallucinating" when Arnold exited his Yukon.

Habiba says Arnold's one of her favorite actors, and while she says, "God bless him," ... she's painfully aware this wasn't exactly a great way to meet him for the first time. Still, she says she's telling everyone what -- and who -- happened.

Habiba says she was just doing her job Friday -- driving patients to doctor's appointments -- when all of a sudden she was smack in the middle of an accident involving a movie star/former governor.

She says she was waiting at a red light to turn on Sunset Blvd when Arnold's SUV collided with a red Prius ... and before she knew it one of Arnold's back tires was smacking into her car, causing a harsh jolt.

Habiba says the initial impact was so strong, she thought she broke her spine.

With Arnold's SUV blocking her door, Habiba says she climbed out through the passenger side, where she was met by first responders and advised to get a ride to the hospital. Instead, she stayed put on the scene with the patient she'd been transporting.

She says she's now experiencing pain in her spine and back, from the shoulder down her left side and she's getting checked out by a doctor this week.

Habiba's concerned about her job moving forward -- she says her car is badly damaged, which will make it difficult, if not impossible, to drive patients around town.

She says she's reached out to an attorney for legal advice.

As we first told you ... law enforcement sources say police believe the accident was Arnold's fault, though he was not ticketed.