WHOOPI GOLDBERG RABBI INVITES 'THE VIEW' TO FILM AT MUSEUM of Tolerance

Now here's an idea ... filming "The View" at the Museum of Tolerance to show support for the Jewish community and educate viewers about the Holocaust.

Rabbi Abraham Cooper from the famed Simon Wiesenthal Center in L.A. tells TMZ ... he'd love to have the show air live at the Museum of Tolerance. He thinks a special week-long visit to the Museum -- which focuses on the Holocaust -- would be enlightening, and he thinks given what was said on the show, the network has to show some accountability.

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WE NEED TO EDUCATE
TMZ.com

Ok, let's back this up for a minute. Rabbi Cooper thinks it's absurd to even suggest Whoopi Goldberg is anti-Semitic. She's been a tried-and-true friend of the Jewish community for decades.

That said, the Rabbi thinks her comment that the Holocaust was not racially-based was way out of bounds, and since she said it on the show ... the show should take steps to educate the audience.

It's an interesting take ... especially since the Prez of ABC News came out and proclaimed her network was a big supporter of the Jewish community.

Rabbi Cooper also has an opinion about Whoopi's 2-week suspension -- an opinion that is at odds with many others in the Jewish community. He thinks the suspension is appropriate, because he thinks accountability is important.

The head of the Anti-Defamation League and many others beg to differ, saying Whoopi apologized, recognized the error in her ways, and that should be the end of it.

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THE CONTROVERSIAL COMMENTS
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Fact is ... lots of people think this is ABC reacting out of fear -- since Sharon Osbourne was suspended for defending Piers Morgan's take on Meghan Markle, ABC felt it had to do the same with Whoopi.

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I WAS WRONG
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There's another way of looking at it ... that both Whoopi and Sharon shouldn't be suspended for stating their opinions on live, opinion-based TV. If neither said what they said from a place of malice, then why the suspensions? In Whoopi's case, she actually gave a mea culpa, so it's unclear exactly what the ABC President expects her to reflect on.

Cooper says one of his colleagues has a relationship with Whoopi, and they've reached out to her for a meeting. Since Whoopi seems to already get what she did, it's unclear what the point of the meeting would be.

2022 folks.

Kevin Smith I Went Vegan After Heart Attack ... My Kid Plotted to 'Flip' Me!!!

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NO MEAT NEEDED
TMZ.com

Kevin Smith says there were 2 main factors in his decision to stop consuming animal products ... his near-fatal heart attack, and his daughter's master plan.

We got the director leaving Crossroads Kitchen in L.A. -- one of the most famous vegan joints in town -- and asked him if the vegan lifestyle is the secret to his vastly improved fitness.

Kevin's looking pretty good these days, and he explains how he made some big changes in his life after suffering that massive heart attack back in 2018.

He says after learning he had a full blockage in a major artery -- which caused the widowmaker heart attack -- he sat down with a nutritionist, and finally followed his daughter, Harley, to the vegan side.

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I THOUGHT IT WAS NOTHING

Kevin, who initially thought he was having a reaction to spoiled milk when he had the heart attack, is only eating plant-based products these days and he tells us why he'd never followed Harley's lead before.

The way Kevin explains it ... she was pretty Machiavellian about it, but he's grateful she was.

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HQS should be proud -- her pops insists he's never going back to his old eating habits. Mission accomplished, Harley!!!

Cornel West Ye's a Genius, But Wrong About BHM ... Jokes Put Down the 'Symbolic Crack Pipe!!!'

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GET REAL, Y'ALL!!!
TMZ.com

Kanye West's desire to rename Black History Month is totally off the mark ... according to noted philosopher Cornel West, who's taking a moment to ring the school bell for Ye.

We got the former Harvard and Princeton professor Thursday at L.A.'s Sunset Plaza, and took a deeper diver with him into Ye's announcement that "FEBRUARY IS NOW BLACK FUTURE MONTH" ... instead of BHM.

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Well, Prof. West started out by giving Mr. West some props, calling him a genius ... but adding he's "confused" in many ways. Cornel says the idea that BHM is only about Black people's past is misguided. Check out his explanation, but the Prof. says it's very much about the future as well.

C-Dub says he thinks Ye understands this concept, because he hears it in his music -- but, for some reason, he loses it outside of the studio. Or, as he put it, "There's a sense of which his artistry is so much more profound than his rhetoric."

It's clear he's got love for Ye, though -- he wonders if they're distant relatives -- and he compliments one of Kanye's tracks, in particular ... before playfully urging the rapper to "get off that symbolic crack pipe."

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Yes, Cornel came in hot with the jokes. BTW, he also dropped some jewels for T-Pain, who told us he doesn't think there should be a Black History Month anymore.

Ok. Pencils down, class!!!

Davey "Lardass" Hogan in 'Stand By Me' 'Memba Him?!

Portland-based actor Andy Lindberg is best known for playing the conniving kid Davey "Lardass" Hogan -- who enters the Great Tri-County Pie Eat with the intention of creating a barf-o-rama amongst the viewers and his peers in Gordie's campfire story -- in the iconic 1986 coming of age film "Stand By Me."

Lindberg shared the big screen with some of the biggest stars in the '80s including Wil Wheaton as the pistol-wielding storyteller, Gordie Lachance, Jerry O'Connell as the safety first friend, Vern Tessio, Corey Feldman as the four-eyed companion with a looney dad, Teddy Duchamp ... and of course River Phoenix as the brave younger brother, Chris Chambers.

Guess what he looks like now!

Rebel Wilson Gets Protection From 'Delusional' Man ... CLAIMS THEY HAVE KID TOGETHER

Rebel Wilson is getting court-ordered protection from a man she claims keeps showing up at her home, imagining they have a son together and leaving gifts and letters.

Rebel's lawyer, Susan Haber, beelined it to court for a temporary restraining order ... to protect the singer from a 39-year-old man she claims has been harassing her for months.

According to new legal docs, obtained by TMZ, Rebel claims the guy somehow found her secluded Los Angeles home and dropped off a handwritten note falsely claiming they have a 20-year-old son together.

Rebel says the note described how they met at a club in 2001 and conversed, kissed and "we both know what happened thereafter" ... but Rebel says it's complete BS because she's never even met the guy.

In the docs, Rebel says the guy's also showed up at the home to leave behind handwritten notes to their fictional son ... as well as some strange gifts.

Rebel claims one of those gifts was a small, stuffed penguin with a card that says "love."

In the docs, Rebel says the man is "delusional by creating in his mind a fictitious history of a relationship he had, and wants to continue to have" with her ... and she fears for her safety, claiming he won't stop harassing her unless a court intervenes.

The judge granted Rebel's temporary restraining order ... and now the guy must stay 100 yards away from Rebel and not make any attempt to contact her.

SoFi Stadium Officials Face Scrutiny ... After 49ers Fan Brutally Beaten In Parking Lot

Law enforcement officials are facing serious backlash ... after failing to inform the public about a 49ers fan who was allegedly assaulted in the SoFi Stadium parking lot during Sunday's NFC Championship game.

According to the L.A. Times, it took 3 days for authorities in Inglewood to acknowledge the incident even took place ... and Thursday, officials were met with skepticism over why they didn't tell the public sooner.

40-year-old restaurant owner Daniel Luna is believed to be the man who was the victim of the heinous assault, according to the report.

Police Lt. Geoffrey Meeks said Los Angeles County Fire Dept. paramedics found Luna wearing a Niners jersey 30 minutes after the game started ... but it's unclear when the attack actually happened.

Of course, the timing is inauspicious for Los Angeles County -- the area is set to host Super Bowl LVI in the coming weeks -- which leads many to believe that authorities weren't as quick to release information surrounding the event out of fear of a PR nightmare.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ Sports no suspects have been identified in the case ... but police launched an investigation into the matter sometime around 7 PM Sunday night, according to the report.

Officials at SoFi Stadium did, however, say they were "aware and saddened by the incident," and they were working with law enforcement officials throughout the course of their investigation.

"Our thoughts are with Mr. Luna’s friends and family during this difficult time."

Story developing ...

Steve-O, Chris Pontius Jet Ski Accident Caught On Video!! ... Lawyer Looking For Witnesses

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STUNT GONE WRONG

There's new alleged video proof that supports a man's claim he was injured during a Jet Ski stunt gone wrong involving "Jackass" stars Steve-O and Chris Pontius.

TMZ broke the story, Michael Vicens-Segura is suing the veteran stuntmen for an incident he says, left him badly injured, suffering a gash on the side of his head.

In the video, you can see Vicens-Segura in the water between the vessels just before they take off, once the Jet-skis moved, Vicens-Segura was allegedly struck by the cable connecting the two when it snapped.

The aftermath is intense, and Michael is clearly in a lot of pain.

Michael says the whole thing happened in Puerto Rico in 2018 when the two guys and movie producers planned to do some kind of "Jet Ski Tug of War" ... which basically meant two guys would operate the jet ski in opposite directions.

Michael's attorney, John Phillips, now says ... "We provide this video looking for witnesses and people who know about the creation and execution of this stunt. If you have information, please contact us."

Vicens-Segura says he had to get a metal plate in his head and his life has been completely changed by the incident ... he is asking for more than $12 mil in damages.

"Jackass Forever" is scheduled to come out in theaters this weekend ... though it's unclear if any of the stunt will be featured in the movie.

WWE's Blair Davenport Suffers Awful Leg Injury ... Jumping Off Top Rope In Match

Scary moment during a WWE NXT UK match Thursday ... Blair Davenport suffered a gnarly leg injury after she jumped off the top rope and landed on the ground awkwardly.

Davenport was competing against fellow wrestling star Meiko Satomura in a Japanese Street Fight for the NXT UK Women's Championship ... when disaster struck.

During the match, Blair climbed to the top of a ring post, jumped, and then slammed her feet onto the back of Meiko, who was outstretched on the apron.

But, when Davenport hit the ground just after that, you can see in video, her ankle and knee crumpled below her body.

Davenport was hurt so badly, she screamed in pain. The ref then immediately ended the match.

"This is really hard to see," one announcer said. "When any competitor gets hurt, regardless of how physical this match was, it's tough to watch."

Satomura -- the reigning champ -- looked concerned the entire time while Davenport received assistance from the medical staff.

Blair posted an update on her Twitter account following the match ... showing a picture of her on crutches and in a walking boot.

"Whoops😬 BRB ✌" she said.

Unclear what the extent of the injury is or how much time she'll have to miss ... but Davenport's reputation as one of the toughest in the biz means don't count her out just yet.

Super Bowl S.I. Party Cost Nearly $3 Million ... 'Bigger Than Ever'

Super Bowl party season is right around the corner ... and one of the most hyped events of the weekend is looking to one-up itself -- with a nearly $3 million budget!!

TMZ Sports spoke with David Spencer of Talent Resources Sports, which helps put on the annual Sports Illustrated bash during Super Bowl Weekend ... and he tells us the S.I. bash will live up to its reputation this year -- especially after COVID-19 prevented the party from happening in 2021.

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IT'LL COST YA
TMZSports.com

"We've been known to throw some premiere events in our 15-year history, and super honored to be back in L.A. and doing something bigger than ever," Spencer tells us.

This season, the event is slated to have names like Kygo, Jack Harlow, Frank Walker and more on board to get the vibes going ... and the crowd will be filled with the biggest celebs, athletes and models like years past.

With all that being said, tables for the party come with quite the price tag -- we're talking 5 figures -- but it's for good reason.

"It's an expensive event to produce," Spencer adds. "We're almost up to the $3 million mark for that event alone, so it's a tough ticket."

On top of the S.I. party, Spencer tells us about the Super Bowl viewing party at Jimmy Goldstein's iconic L.A. mansion ... and he says the event (which comes with a $1,500-$2,000 ticket) will be super COVID-19 safe ... and catered by local hotspot Craig's!!

But, Spencer warns everybody trying to attend the Goldstein watch party -- good luck finding a ticket.

Dan Snyder Denies Touching Woman at Work Dinner ... After Ex-Staffer's Claims on Capitol Hill

New name, same horrifying allegations for the Washington Commanders -- Dan Snyder was accused on Capitol Hill of inappropriately touching a female employee at a work dinner, but the owner is vehemently denying the allegation.

A group of former employees was in D.C. to speak with the House Committee on Oversight and Reform on Thursday ... and several women broke down in tears describing the harrowing experiences within the organization.

Melanie Coburn -- who worked as a cheerleader and in the marketing dept. -- claims Snyder hand-picked women to join the team based on their looks, and not talent.

Coburn also claims she was invited to Snyder's Aspen, Colorado home with other colleagues for an "awards trip" ... and after a night out, she was forced to go in the owner's basement and stay there. She claims another colleague later told her it was due to the men bringing back prostitutes.

Tiffani Johnston -- another former cheerleader, who had not previously spoken out -- claims Snyder touched her inner thigh under the table, as well as her lower back, during a team dinner ... and attempted to convince her into his limo at the end of the evening. Johnston said she tried to report the interaction to a supervisor, but was instructed to keep her mouth shut.

A former video production manager -- Brad Baker -- claims Snyder ordered employees in 2008 to put together an X-rated highlight reel of cheerleaders called the "good bits" ... which featured uncensored footage that had not been retouched to exclude accidental nudity.

During the meeting -- which was not under oath -- a Congresswoman pressed Baker on some offensive Tweets he'd allegedly posted, one of which included a crude comment about a female sports reporter "dressing like a whore." Baker responded ... whatever he'd tweeted had nothing to do with his experiences working with the team.

Ana Nunez -- the former coordinator of business development -- says her 8 years with the team was filled with fear of being sexually harassed.

As we previously reported, the NFL conducted an investigation into multiple claims of sexual misconduct within the organization ... which resulted in a $10 million fine. The league, however, did not make the findings public.

Snyder, in a statement to TMZ Sports, says the claims made on Thursday are simply not true.

"While past conduct at the Team was unacceptable, the allegations leveled against me personally in today's roundtable - many of which are well over 13 years old - are outright lies," Snyder said.

"I unequivocally deny having participated in any such conduct, at any time and with respect to any person."

"Tanya and I will not be distracted by those with a contrary agenda from continuing with the positive personnel and cultural changes that have been made at the Team over the past 18 months, and those that we continue to make both on and off the field."

Snyder says the Commanders have been making strides in fixing the workplace environment over the past 18 months ... and will continue to make an effort to improve.

Kanye West I'm the Birthday Bagman!!! Birkins for Everybody

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FOX SQUAD CELEBRATION
@ksace_ , @sarapplemaliki, @bendraghi / Instagram

Kanye West has not only bagged a girlfriend, he's bagged all of her friends. Let us explain.

Ye took GF Julia Fox and her friends out for a birthday bash at Lucien in New York City, and following tradition Julia -- who turned 32 -- opened her presents with considerable excitement as Kanye and Co. looked on.

He got her some jewelry which we're pretty sure is super expensive, but that wasn't the extent of his gift-giving. Everyone at the table -- Julia and her pals -- all got Baby Birkins. It's good to know Julia, especially now!

Seems there was a dress code for the soiree ... all black.

Julia followed tradition, blowing out the candles on her birthday cake. Lots of desserts came out ... one after the other.

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DINNER WITH YE

Kanye and Julia also hit new hot spot, Sei Less, before the night was over. The two were joined by the likes of Dave Chapelle and Fivio Foreign ... where Kanye played songs from his upcoming Donda 2 album.

Of course, it was a madhouse when Ye left the building, with fans, cameras and autograph seekers all wanting a piece.

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Kanye and Julia have been together for more than a month now, and they've not hidden their relationship. We got pics of them a few days back making out in front of the camera. Depending on the day, Kanye has either moved on from Kim or he's persisting in his full-court press to win her back.

Super Bowl Mask Mandate Health Officials Warn Fans ... Hurry Up & Eat!!

The Super Bowl is just 10 days away and health officials in Los Angeles are warning all you sneaky fans plotting a way around the mask mandate ... don't even think about it!!

L.A. County -- where the game will take place on February 13 -- requires everyone over 2 years old at large scale events over 5,000 people, regardless of vaccination status, to mask up ... except when chowing down.

"That doesn't mean buy a bucket of popcorn and eat it for two hours. Actively eating and drinking," a SoFi Stadium executive said according to Fox 5 in San Diego, adding, "We are on to you."

Officials say they're ready to crack down on any of the 70,000+ fans who will ascend on the $5.5 billion stadium next Sunday ... but admitted it's a monumental task.

"It's a challenge. It's a very large building but we are prepared and ready to go," the NFL's head of live events said, continuing ... "We have had two years of experience of planning under COVID and we're extremely confident in the plans that we have in place."

Now, let's be honest ... this is a rule that is virtually impossible to enforce. How do you determine who's eating slow? What's even considered slow? And, how do you deal with the sheer number of people?

In fact, just last weekend during the NFC Championship Game against the 49ers at SoFi Stadium, California governor Gavin Newsom landed in hot water when he was caught taking a photo with Magic Johnson -- without a mask.

Los Angeles mayor Eric Garcetti also took a maskless photo with the Lakers legend ... but don't worry, he said he was holding his breath (he said this with a straight face).

In addition to requiring the masks, event staff will also require fans to show vaccination proof prior to entering the stadium. The stadium has also been outfitted with hundreds of hand sanitizers.

Bottom line ... Inglewood mayor James Butts Jr. says despite the pandemic, "This is going to be one of the safest, most glamorous Super Bowls in the history of Super Bowls."

'Chrisley Knows Best' Cast Member Threatens Suicide ... Todd, Savannah Desperately Try to Help

"Chrisley Knows Best" cast member Nic Kerdiles -- who at one point was engaged to Savannah Chrisley -- is alive today, because she and Todd Chrisley sprung into action as Nic was having an alleged mental breakdown ... while brandishing a gun.

The father and daughter can be heard on a panicked 911 call, obtained by TMZ, made Monday night outside a home in Nashville. Law enforcement sources tell us the call came in for a suicidal man, who had a gun to his head.

Todd and Savannah believed Nic was in the grips of a psychotic episode.

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911 AUDIO

You can hear Savannah screaming in the background of the 911 call -- made by a friend on scene -- as she pleads, "Please, no!" You can also hear someone, who we believe is Todd, yelling, "Look at what you're doing to her!"

The caller tells the 911 operator Savannah was able to smash a window to get inside to her ex-boyfriend, but cut her hand in the process. Eventually, the Chrisleys were able to get the gun away from Nic ... and he agreed to sit in Todd's Range Rover until cops arrived.

You can hear the caller indicate Savannah's ex needed to get some help in treatment, and while cops were unable to tell us what happened once on scene ... there's no indication he was arrested.

Nic famously proposed to Savannah on an episode of "Chrisley Knows Best" a few years ago, but the relationship eventually came to an end.

We reached out to a rep for the Chrisley family, but didn't hear back. Todd, Nic and Savannah posted a video Wednesday night saying Nic had combined alcohol and medication ... which led to the terrifying incident.

Damon Arnette Allegedly Pointed Gun At Valet ... 'Give Me My Mother F***ing Keys!'

NFL player Damon Arnette allegedly pointed a semi-automatic pistol at a valet in Las Vegas and demanded his Mercedes SUV keys, yelling "give me my mother f***ing keys," according to a police report obtained by TMZ Sports.

25-year-old Arnette -- a 1st round draft pick -- was arrested on Friday, January 28 on Las Vegas Blvd. after cops received a call about a man who allegedly pulled a gun after becoming irate with a valet at the Park MGM resort.

Las Vegas Metro PD say they located Arnette driving a black G-Wagon around 6 PM on Las Vegas Blvd. When they pulled him over, they say they located two guns in the car. One of the weapons was found on a passenger (a Glock 36), and the other was found next to where Damon was seated.

As for the incident that led to the arrest ... a Park MGM employee said he retrieved a prompt to retrieve the Benz. However, when the valet delivered the car, he asked to see Arnette's ticket -- which he said he'd lost. That's when Damon allegedly lost it, yelling "give me my mother f***ing keys!"

Shortly after the valet says things took a turn for the worst. The male employee claims he heard a gun cock, and when he looked up, Arnette was pointing the firearm at him, and again demanded his car.

Arnette eventually got his keys and left ... and police were called. Damon was pulled over and arrested shortly after.

Police say they viewed surveillance video from the casino ... and the video shows Arnette "took a handgun that was concealed from his pants and placed it in the drivers side interior door."

Police say "it appears that Arnette gets irritated and starts yelling at the attendant."

The argument continued, and LVMPD says "Arnette then appears to reach down and charge his pistol using both hands."

FYI, to charge a handgun is to cock the handle.

It gets worse for Damon. Police say they found 3 baggies of cocaine -- totaling 1.8 grams -- in his pocket. They asked Arnette about the powder, and he told them it was ketamine, but that it was not his.

Cops say they also located 13.5 ounces of what appeared to be marijuana (the alleged weed hasn't yet been tested). LVMPD says Damon admitted to having a large amount of pot in his car for personal consumption.

Arnette was eventually booked on 4 felony charges including carrying a concealed weapon, assault and drug possession.

It's not the first time he's been in trouble. Arnette was cut by the Raiders after a video surfaced where he appeared to threaten someone with a weapon.

Arnette is also being sued for an alleged hit and run where someone was seriously injured.

Damon was recently signed to a futures contract by the Chiefs ... but the team cut him after news of the arrest.

'RHOC' Elizabeth Vargas Happy to be Alive!!! Considering Buying a Gun After Terrifying Standoff

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TAKING IT IN STRIDE
BACKGRID
UPDATE

12:14 PM PT -- Geraghty was just hit with a multitude of charges from alleged incidents that span 3 days, starting back in December. He's been charged with felony extortion of property by force or threat, several gun charges -- including gross negligent discharge of a firearm -- couple injury on spouse of cohabitant as well as possession of a controlled substance.

UPDATE

We're told he could face upwards of 75 years behind bars for everything.

Elizabeth Vargas is happy to be alive, but considering ways to keep herself safe in the future after a scary incident that saw a former fling inside her home armed with a gun.

Vargas hit NOBU in Malibu Wednesday night, a mere 24 hours after cops rescued her from her Newport Beach home. She shares some intimate details of the scary incident, saying all she could think was "Please help me" when the man, Ryan Geraghty, entered her home.

Vargas -- accompanied by her manager David Weintraub and billionaire John Paul DeJoria -- says she's not a gun owner, but the whole ordeal has definitely made her consider becoming one. She says she also plans to run background checks on any possible future suitors, as unbeknownst to her, Geraghty was a felon.

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SURROUNDING THE HOUSE
TMZ.com

TMZ broke the story, SWAT team officers descended on Vargas' home Tuesday after the former 'RHOC' star called to report she was being extorted and believed Geraghty was coming to her home.

The two had briefly dated, and Geraghty had allegedly pressured Elizabeth to help him financially.

Somehow, Geraghty was still able to get inside, armed with a gun, and roughed Vargas up. He was eventually taken into custody and booked on a slew of charges including extortion and assault with a deadly weapon.

Colin Kaepernick Heckled On Way Out Of MSG ... 'You're A Bum'

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HECKLED BY THE CROWD
BACKGRID

A Colin Kaepernick hater heckled the former NFL star on his way out of Madison Square Garden on Wednesday -- calling the ex-QB a "bum" and saying, "You could never throw a football."

The jerk was heard loud and clear as Kaepernick left the Knicks game in New York and got into his ride ... with the man yelling twice, "You're a bum."

"Get in that car," the heckler added.

Kaepernick never acknowledged the man ... and quietly walked through a swarm of people on his way out of the NBA game and into the waiting car.

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Inside of the arena, Colin clearly had a much better time -- he sat next to Spike Lee, and was also spotted chatting it up with former MLB star CC Sabathia before tip-off.

During the game, ESPN Films announced a new docuseries was in the works about Kaepernick, with the production company saying Lee had been tapped to direct it. Officials promised it would tell Kaepernick's story in a way that's never been heard before.

Kaepernick, meanwhile, has said he still wants to play in the NFL again someday ... despite being out of the league since the 2016 season.