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Peng Shuai gave her first non-Chinese run interview about her apparent disappearance last year, insisting all is well ... but it sure sounds like she had a gun held to her head.

The ex-tennis star and women’s doubles champ did an interview this weekend with French outlet L’Equipe in Beijing -- where the 2022 Winter Olympics are currently being held -- and during the sit-down, she once again denied ever accusing any Chinese government official of sexual assault, while also downplaying speculation that she’d vanished shortly thereafter ... even though both definitely seem to have happened on the face of things.

When asked about the initial allegation she’d posted on the Chinese social media app Weibo, Peng is quoted as saying it was “an enormous misunderstanding,” while also flat-out rejecting she’d ever even made such a claim -- despite clear evidence she, in fact, had ... via screenshots of her quickly-deleted statement at the time.

Shuai says, “Sexual assault? I never said that anyone made me submit to a sexual assault.” But when pressed about the world having seen the OG post and asked why she’d deleted it, PS answered ... “Why? Because I wanted to.”

You'd think they'd ask why she posted it in the first place, but apparently ... no such follow-up question was allowed, and they moved on to other topics.

We should mention ... although this interview was done with a publication that wasn’t state-run by the Chinese government, they still very much had a hand in how this was playing out -- as Shuai is said to have been accompanied by a Chinese Olympic official during the chat and the questions were submitted ahead of time, on the condition they print her remarks verbatim ... according to L’Equipe.

Shuai thanked everyone who expressed concern for her when she appeared to have vanished from public view after posting that claim -- but then said this ... “I never disappeared. It’s simply that many people, like my friends and among them, those from the IOC, sent me messages and it was completely impossible to respond to so many messages.”

In addition to all this, the IOC also announced that its Prez, Thomas Bach, had had dinner with Shuai in Beijing ... noting she appeared okay. The IOC, however, refused to weigh in on whether they felt she was under duress or not ... insisting it wasn’t their place to do so.

Spotify has called out Joe Rogan for "incredibly hurtful" comments, but they are holding firm ... he still has a place on its platform.

Spotify CEO Daniel Ek wrote a memo to staff, saying, "There are no words I can say to adequately convey how deeply sorry I am for the way The Joe Rogan Experience controversy continues to impact each of you."

Ek then zeros in on Joe, saying, "Not only are some of Joe Rogan's comments incredibly hurtful -- I want you to make it clear that they do not represent the values of this company. I know this situation leaves many of you feeling drained, frustrated and unheard."

It seems the comments are directed at Rogan using the n-word -- the full word -- on his podcast, although the COVID controversy may well be part of it.

And then, Ek pivots, explaining, "While I strongly condemn what Joe has said and I agree with his decision to remove past episodes from our platform, I realize some will want more."

Now the support ... "And I want to make one point very clear -- I do not believe that silencing Joe is the answer. We should have clear lines around content and take action when they are crossed, but canceling voices is a slippery slope."

Ek says his company will invest $100 million "for the licensing, development, and marketing of music and audio content from historically marginalized groups."

Philadelphia Eagles safety Anthony Harris just made an 11-year-old fan's dream come true ... when he escorted her to a daddy-daughter dance in Texas after her father passed away last year.

Audrey Soape -- a huge Harris fan -- tragically lost both her dad and grandpa recently ... so her mother reached out to the safety in hopes of having him step in to escort her to the school event.

Of course, Audrey's mom, Holly, knew it was a long shot ... but after the Eagles were eliminated from the playoffs, Harris' schedule opened up -- and he came through for Audrey!!

"I just asked if he would come, if he'd be willing to come," Holly said, according to local reports. "And he said, 'not only will I come, I want to make sure she feels like a princess.'"

Audrey said she got the big news a week before the dance was set to take place ... and she was nervous she'd mess up while dancing with Anthony.

But, judging by the pics -- taken by Vember Photo -- of the event, it was a massive success ... and Harris succeeded in making the night extra special for her by paying for her dress, shoes, and make-up.

On top of that, the 30-year-old also had a car with a driver come to the house and pick her up!!

Harris told NBC 10 in Philadelphia he was "just trying to be a human ... Trying to take off the helmet, trying to take off the cape of what I do professionally and just show some sympathy for that family and try to show some support there."

Crikey!!! Robert Irwin, son of the beloved "Crocodile Hunter," almost had a croc turn the tables on him ... as he narrowly avoided getting eaten while attempting to feed it.

Steve Irwin's kid was in the crocodile enclosure at Australia Zoo with Casper ... the 12-foot leucistic (nearly white) saltwater crocodile that was not-so-friendly as handlers tried to see if it was comfy in a new habitat. Rob wanted to see how Casper would react during a feeding ... a sort of audition for a new show.

Well, he got a big reaction, but not the ending he wanted -- Casper started snapping and lunging toward Rob, but completely ignoring the food that was thrown at him. Rob had to pull the ripcord, yelling "Bail, bail, bail!!!" ... as the team rushed in to help him to safety.

Comedian Heather McDonald fell hard during a show in Tempe, Arizona, but it was no joke ... it was a medical emergency.

Eyewitnesses tell TMZ ... the former "Chelsea Lately" star was headlining the sold-out show, when she delivered her second joke ... "I'm vaxxed, double vaxxed, boosted ... and flu shot and shingle shot and haven't gotten COVID and Jesus loves me most."

As soon as she delivered the joke, she just collapsed and hit her head on the floor. Everyone thought at first it was all part of the act, but it was not. She was conscious, but clearly, all was not well. An EMT and a nurse happened to be in the audience ... they rushed up on stage to provide first aid.

The 911 call came in as a seizure, but no one really knows yet. An ambulance came and paramedics tended to Heather.

Heather tells TMZ ... she felt somewhat dizzy when she was on stage and then just collapsed. She says it's never happened to her before.

She passed on the ambulance ... she says her sister-in-law -- who was in the audience -- took her to the hospital.

Heather says she got a cat scan as well as other tests, but so far it's unclear what caused her to faint. She says her head really hurts and she's very tired.

Ever the trooper, she says she feels horrible about abruptly ending the show.

Heather tells us she never had COVID and, as she said in her set, she's fully vaxxed and boosted.

We wish her well.

If Rihanna and A$AP Rocky need any help coming up with a name for their new baby, there's another rapper who has them covered -- Remy Ma.

We caught up with the rapper/mommy leaving Won World Studios in NYC, and she suggested Rihanna and Rocky name their baby something that starts with the letter 'R' ... like their names.

Hmm ... now what name would Remy suggest??? 🤔

As far as Rihanna being a new mom in the music biz, Remy says she can absolutely have it all ... ya know, a great career, a new baby, a family, etc.

As a mom of a 3-year-old, Remy says sometimes it's hard but women can do everything … "We wear all the hats. We run things. We run the world, as Bey says." She adds ... when you love something -- like your family and your career -- ya just make it happen.

And if RiRi needs any examples ... she gives a nod to herself and Cardi B.

Unless you've been comatose recently, you know by now ... Rihanna and A$AP are expecting their first child together.

It never rains in Southern California ... but at least one L.A. strip club is expecting huge showers daily in its venue during Super Bowl week -- telling TMZ Sports it believes it's going to be a "mad house" in the buildup to the Big Game.

Seventh Veil -- one of the hottest strip clubs in the Hollywood area -- says it's seen it before -- with its manager, Leo Betancourt, telling us it happened when the NBA All-Star game came to Los Angeles in 2018.

"We had 40 girls a night when we had the All-Star Game a couple years back," Betancourt said. "We were super packed."

"It's going to be busy the whole week before the Super Bowl because it's not like people are going to fly in on Sunday. It's going to be a mad house!"

Because of that, Betancourt tells us he's planning to have "as many girls as I can for that weekend" out of his roster of 100+ dancers.

Popular strip club Crazy Girls, meanwhile, is taking a different route for the busy week ... with a rep there telling us their focal point is "quality over quantity" for their Super Bowl guests.

"We intend to more so focus on giving all of the Bengal fans and NFL supporters a good time and great experience in Los Angeles," the rep said, "and enjoy the Crazy Girls Experience."

For the male strip clubs, Detention Ultra Lounge -- which hosts one of the Hollywood Men Shows in Anaheim -- is predicting an overwhelming weekend despite being located 26 miles from L.A.

The clubs aren't the only ones anticipating a jam-packed week ... entertainment agency Spotlight Strippers -- which provides female and male exotic dancers to private parties -- is also expecting high demand in the leadup to the Rams vs. Bengals tilt.

"We're expecting a higher than average call volume during that weekend," the agency said, "which we are looking forward to."

Kylie Jenner and Travis Scott have welcomed their second child to the world, and .... it's a boy!!!

Kylie announced the birth of her son Sunday, saying the kid was born on Wednesday -- and indicating the baby's sex by posting a blue heart. The photo she posted to break the news features what appears to be Stormi's hand reaching out and touching her little brother.

KJ also tagged Travis in the post. No word on a name yet -- but we're sure that'll be forthcoming.

As we reported ... the Kylie pregnancy news broke in August after a few weeks of speculation and internet sleuths finding signs almost daily that she was expecting.

Not long after the cat was outta the bag ... Kylie officially announced her pregnancy herself with an emotional video documenting the early stages and featuring Travis, Stormi and Kris Jenner.

Kendall later revealed that her sister broke the big news to her the old-fashioned way ... by calling her up and showing her the sonogram.

What was interesting about Kylie's second pregnancy, is that she was a lot less private about it than her first. She got out of the house a lot more, and wasn't afraid to flaunt her baby bump in public either.

Kylie previously stated she felt pressure to have a second child and give Stormi a younger sibling, so now that she's done it ... the official Kardashian crew kids count is 11. And, Caitlyn Jenner's grandkids tally is up to 20!!!

Before this pipsqueak throwing up the peace sign was landing some of the most difficult tricks in the rink, she was just another baby with bangs training for the Olympics in Arcadia, California.

This cute kid is best known for representing the United States with her amazing figure skating skills ... she hasn't only made a remarkable impact for America in Winter Olympic Games, but also on the future of the sport itself.

She has won numerous bronze and silver medals over the course of her career but only has taken home the gold once.

Action Bronson added his signature to another random food item, but this time it wasn't a pizza crust ... it was an L.A. street hot dog!!!

Ya gotta see the video ... Action's leaving a show at the Hollywood Palladium and signing autographs when some fans come up and ask him to rate their street meat.

Action, who famously hosted a food show called "F***, That's Delicious," gives the guys something way better than a rating ... he uses his sharpie for a John Hancock, then tosses the pen skyward.

As you see, Action signs half the bun, along with some of the wrapping ... and the fans absolutely eat it up -- the autograph, not the dog, although they may have scarfed that down too.

Action, who is currently on his NBA Leather tour, is known for blending rap with food and signing all sorts of things ... like fan's faces and pizzas ... but this is the first time we've seen him leave his mark on a weiner.

Shawn Mendes went on a walk to remember -- one that we'll all be remembering, more like ... because the dude's totally shredded, and more than willing to show it off.

Check out these photos of SM on a stroll with some pals in Hawaii this weekend. As you can see, he's shirtless and putting his toned physique on full display -- this as he wore what appear to be sweat pants and a pair of sandals.

He also had a trusty walking stick on him ... which made for a good accessory for the whole man-in-nature vibe.

Shawn's been happy to flash his bod lately -- and you gotta figure he's doing it 'cause he's single and ready to mingle. Remember, he and his now-ex-GF Camila Cabello broke it off a few months ago ... this after dating for at least a couple years.

With that in mind, it's no wonder he's letting it all hang out ... 'cause what's not to like?!? Be it on the beach or in the great Hawaiian outdoors, Shawn seems ready to lose his top at moment's notice.

On another note ... it seems Shawn is pretty taken with the island landscape -- he posted some photos and video of him adventuring out there ... and even suggested he may make a move.

Kanye West is making shocking claims about Kim Kardashian -- now suggesting she's under the impression he wants to take her life ... this as it appears she's blocked his number.

Ye was at it again Sunday ... posting a fresh round of all-caps IG captions, taking aim at his estranged wife. Only this time -- he's making allegations that are straight-up disturbing ... actually saying Kim thinks he's got a bounty on her head.

His latest post features a screengrab of a text he seems to have sent to someone which reads, "Send me Kim's number." The caption that follows is this -- "YESTERDAY KIM ACCUSED ME OF PUTTING A HIT OUT ON HER." He then continues to describe how he feels, of late, that he's been accused of being on drugs, stealing from the Kardashians and also that he had to "BEG" to attend Chicago's birthday party a few weeks ago.

He adds, "NOW IM BEING ACCUSED OF PUTTING A HIT ON HER THESE IDEAS CAN ACTUALLY GET SOMEONE LOCKED UP THEY PLAY LIKE THAT WITH BLACK MENS LIVES WEATHER ITS GETTING THEM FREE OR GETTING THEM LOCKED UP IM NOT PLAYING ABOUT MY BLACK CHILDREN ANYMORE."

For the record ... there's no indication that Kim has accused Kanye of putting a hit out on her -- not that we can see, anyway.

And yet, there's more ... shortly before throwing out that wild accusation, Kanye posted another all-caps message -- only this one is purported to included exchanges he says he had with one of Kim's cousins.

His caption is pretty long here, but essentially ... he's saying that even members of Kim's own family -- outside of her immediate unit, that is -- are actually reaching out to him in private to agree about his stance on parenting. He also claims that in the same breath, they're kinda gaslighting him and asking for favors too ... like new Yeezys for their kids.

On top of putting Kim's family's business out there, Kanye also seems to be harping on a point he's been making a lot lately -- namely, the fact he feels his late mother ruined his relationship with his father, Ray. The two of them have rekindled in recent years ... which has been well-documented by Ye and co.

Throughout all these posts over the past several days, he's been saying he isn't going to let the same thing happen to him and his own children.

Joe Rogan getting called out for repeatedly using the n-word in the past is getting an expected whataboutism treatment -- with comparisons being made to Howard Stern.

Here's the deal ... in the wake of Rogan apologizing for his previous usage of the slur, fans of his are now up in arms over the fact that other famous people in Hollywood have also hurled it with impunity, including Stern ... who infamously did so on his old show.

Stern has also donned blackface in some of these instances -- but one that's making the rounds now is a sketch he did in 1993, where he was mocking the Ted Danson-Whoopi Goldberg incident.

With Stern playing the part of Ted -- and Sherman Hemsley portraying Whoopi -- the former drops the n-word A LOT as he lampoons the real-life event ... and right to the face of two Black people, no less. Indeed, it's pretty damn offensive ... even in the context of a skit.

Now, despite HS addressing this exact moment just a couple years ago -- when he said he regretted the Danson blackface gag, adding he'd grown as a person -- many Rogan defenders are resurfacing this clip again and asking ... well, what about Howard Stern?!?

Of course, they're totally missing the point ... namely, that Stern WAS, in fact, called out and just like JR has now done -- he, too, went on the air to apologize for it ... as there WAS outrage at the time, just like there is right now after people discovered Joe's past use.

There also seems to be a misnomer over the term "canceled" as it pertains to these two -- some seem to think that because Joe is the most recent one to be under the microscope ... he's getting silenced or de-platformed, and that Stern should suffer the same treatment.

The reality, though, is he most certainly isn't being censored. Spotify's made clear they're standing by their man (even though they have erased a ton of those controversial episodes with the n-word) ... and Joe doesn't realistically face cancelation, as it were.

Billie Eilish brought her concert to a full-stop halt over one fan who appeared to be in distress -- and if you're thinking about Astroworld Fest here ... well, so was she.

The singer was performing in Atlanta Saturday, where State Farm Arena seemed to be packed to the gills with fans -- especially down below near where she was performing ... and where one gal apparently started getting crushed in the pit.

Check out this video we got of the moment BE paused everything once she became aware of what was going on ... it seems the lady in question was having trouble breathing, and needed an inhaler.

Luckily, Billie actually had one on hand ... and instructed the stage crew to get it to her ASAP. While the fan was being attended to, Billie settled down the crowd, told them to take a deep breath and step back -- at the same time, noting she wants to take care of her own ... something she's made sure to do in past concerts of hers as well, dating back years.

Then came a shot at what was clearly aimed at Travis Scott, with Billie saying ... "I wait for people to be okay before I keep going." That got huge cheers from the audience.

Of course, she's referencing the fact that Travis' November set continued for several minutes after the event was declared a mass casualty event -- with many suspecting TS was aware of what was going on. He's strongly denied that, claiming ignorance to the severity of things.

What's interesting here is the fact that Billie is replacing Travis at Coachella this year. Although an official announcement has yet to be made, the cat's outta the bag -- he got bumped amid the controversy -- other headliners dropped out too, FWIW -- and BE's one of the new artists who've been tapped in their stead.

Tom Brady is the Greatest of All Time, and Kevin Bacon's here to make sure we all know it ... with a little message that's both literal and distracting!

The legendary actor took to TikTok Sunday with a tune he made up on his trusty ukulele -- performing it next to a bunch of his goats, no less, on a little farm he and his family own out in Connecticut.

Check it out ... the song isn't half bad at all, and neither is Kevin's pipes. The performance is especially impressive, considering he had two goats (plus a couple pigs) nibbling and needling him throughout the whole thing.

The song itself is all about TB12's retirement, and how amazed Kev seems to be by both the announcement ... as well as Tom's career at large. As captivated as he seems to be by the news -- his 4-legged friend next to him appeared even more dumbfounded by the show. 😅

BTW, this concert-from-the-farm thing is actually something Kevin does a lot. He regularly whips out an instrument and strums away with his farm animals by his side. They certainly seem to dig it ... and who wouldn't??? Kev and co. are actually pretty damn good.

Anyway, speaking of Tom Brady ... the guy himself had a bit of a message to share as well in the wake of him stepping away from football. He posted a video that talks about "Chapter 2" and how he's ready to embark on this journey.

Really, it was just a huge plug for his BRADY brand of clothing ... but the point is certainly made. Tom's diving into mogul mode, and based on the visual evidence -- he's locked in and ready to hawk some gear.

Kat Von D had a frightening night Saturday -- and frightening is a gross understatement -- an intruder was wandering around her house as she and her son slept.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... Kat was sound asleep at around 10:15 PM when something awakened her ... she saw a beam of light moving about the house.

Kat took her 3-year-old, dashed out and 911 was called. Police came with sirens blaring and searched the house ... and what they found was shocking.

A man in his 30's was upstairs, just walking around. It's unclear if he knows it was Kat's house or what his intentions were. He told cops he was buying the house and needed to use the bathroom.

Police took the guy into custody ... he was booked for residential burglary.

As for how he got in ... he jumped a fence. It's unclear if he came in through an open door or window, but there were no signs of forced entry.