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Christmas wrapped up nearly two months ago, but Floyd Mayweather still did his best Santa impression outside of the Lakers game on Tuesday night ... doling out $100 bills to kids!

It was a super generous act for the legendary boxer ... who said, "I'm all about giving back to the kids" as he forked over cash to youngsters who were trying to sell candy bars at Crypto.com Arena.

In total, Floyd handed over $400 or $500 to the kids ... and he didn't blink an eye parting ways with the money -- adding, "The kids out here selling candy, they ain't doing nothing wrong."

Floyd then promised to repeat the gesture "every time" he sees them at the games going forward.

It should be noted ... Mayweather did not take any candy in return for the cash, a sign that he's taking his upcoming exhibition match later this month pretty dang seriously.

All Aretha Franklin's family's asking is for the Motion Picture Academy to show Jennifer Hudson a little R-E-S-P-E-C-T ... and its failure to even nominate her isn’t sitting well with them.

Aretha’s niece, Sabrina Owens, tells TMZ she’s disappointed about the Oscar snub because she feels JH did a fantastic job in the biopic, "Respect" -- one worthy of recognition, and feels her aunt would’ve agreed.

She also says the film project was Aretha’s baby while she was alive -- she was heavily involved in shepherding it to production, and even hand-picked Jennifer for the lead role.

Sabrina explains ... her aunt was a perfectionist who took pride in her work, and would’ve liked to see an Oscar nod for Jennifer’s turn.

Ditto for Brenda Franklin Corbit, Aretha’s first cousin and former backup singer. She tells us she’s heartbroken about Jennifer being left out, adding the Academy made a huge mistake ... as she feels JH poured her heart and soul into the role and knocked it out of the park.

And get this ... Brenda even suggests Aretha would’ve been seriously upset about the exclusion because she definitely had Oscar on her mind while putting the whole thing together.

It kinda goes without saying, but Brenda hopes Jennifer knows the Franklin family at large thinks she made Aretha proud ... and they consider her one of their own.

The Hudson snub is one of many that people are up in arms about. In addition to her, Lady Gaga fans are crying foul for her not getting a nom for "House of Gucci."

Fact is there's always disappointment with the Academy after Oscar noms come out -- can't win ‘em all, after all -- but dissing the Queen of Soul?

Wouldn't it be perfect if ya didn't have to worry about school or work after a Sunday filled with awesome playoff football??

Well, if it were up to Congressman Tim Ryan, you wouldn't -- 'cause he tells TMZ Sports he believes everyone should have Mondays off during the NFL playoffs!!

"Every Monday during NFL playoffs we should have federal holidays," Ryan tells us. "I mean, you shouldn’t have to go to work or school after some of these football games. You kidding me?!"

Of course, Cincinnati's public schools announced last week that staff and kids would have the day after the Super Bowl off to celebrate (or mourn) the result of Sunday's big game.

Ryan -- who's a native of Ohio --  is prepared to take that move a step further ... saying that should be the norm for everyone during the playoffs!!

Finally -- some politics we all can agree on ... now make it happen!!

There's more. Ryan -- a representative for Ohio's 13th congressional district -- is a lifelong Browns fan ... and although his team won't be playing in Super Bowl LVI, Tim made it very clear who he'll be rooting for.

“You gotta go with Joe [Burrow]," Ryan said, "1000 percent."

Before this funny fella was making audiences laugh with his hilarious characters and sketch comedy, he was just another sweet smiling boy posing for his school photo in Sherman Oaks, California.

This cute kid's career was jumpstarted when he was cast in the role of a lifetime as a member of an iconic ensemble crew. He is known for his original characters, classic impressions, and even a dance move that launched into a full-fledged film ... in which he starred alongside another comedy legend.

Now, you can livestream him as he competes on "Celebrity Big Brother."

Fresh off his apology for repeatedly using the n-word, Joe Rogan says he's a victim ... because that compilation video was only put together as a "political hit job," and yet, he's found a silver lining.

The latest episode of the "Joe Rogan Experience" dropped Tuesday, and opened with Joe expressing "relief" a few days after posting his lengthy mea culpa. Joe admits the video showing him saying the full, uncensored epithet on his podcast was "good, because it makes me address some s**t I wish wasn't out there."

While comedian Akaash Singh gave JR props for admitting his mistake, Rogan clearly questions the motives of the people who resurfaced the old clips.

What's interesting is ... Joe isn't shying away from racial controversies. He dove right in again, openly questioning fellow comedian Awkwafina for finally addressing criticism she's faced for using a so-called "blaccent."

Caleb Kennedy -- a finalist on the last season of "American Idol" - was arrested Tuesday for felony DUI ... cops say he crashed his car into a building, killing someone inside.

The South Carolina Highway Patrol tells TMZ ... Caleb was behind the wheel of a 2011 Ford pickup truck when the vehicle struck a building on a private drive.

Police say there was a person inside the building who sustained fatal injuries as a result of a collision. Caleb was arrested and charged with felony DUI resulting in death ... and the 17-year-old is still in police custody.

As you can see, photos from the crash scene show a truck lodged into what appears to be a detached garage ... and there's a ton of damage.

SCHP says the crash is under investigation.

You'll recall ... Caleb was one of the final 5 contestants last year on 'Idol' but he exited the show when a video surfaced showing him sitting next to someone wearing a Ku Klux Klan-like hood.

Before his unceremonious exit, Caleb wowed 'Idol' judges and fans with his rendition of Coldplay's hit, "Violet Hill," in what ended up being his final performance on the show.

Nelly is apologizing for a video of him receiving oral sex which, somehow, got posted on his social media -- and he says the old clip was never meant to see the light of day.

The "Hot In Herre" rapper started trending Tuesday on Twitter after his IG story briefly included an uncensored video of a woman performing oral sex. The video was quickly deleted, but not before folks were able to capture screen recordings and repost.

Nelly tells TMZ ... "I sincerely apologize to the young lady and her family, this is unwanted publicity for her/them. This was an old video that was private and never meant to go public."

As for how it ended up getting on his Instagram account?

Wanna ball out in Shaq-like proportions?! The NBA legend is offering an incredible "Ultra-VIP" package to his "Fun House" Super Bowl party in LA this weekend ... and it comes with a whopping $1 MILLION price tag!!

TMZ Sports has learned ... Shaquille O'Neal's yearly rage fest is providing a once in a lifetime experience for some super-rich party people ... and it comes with a round trip on a private jet, a VIP table ON the stage, Rolls-Royce Phantoms for transportation to the party and -- of course -- unlimited booze.

Shaq partnered with Wynn Nightlife in Vegas to put the whole deal together ... which means the group will get a dedicated security and host team via the resort.

Of course, there's no way an "Ultra-VIP" would have to wait in any sort of line ... so naturally, there's a special expedited entrance for the group.

But, the best part of the package?? The "Ultra-VIP" group will get the chance to take part in Shaq's DJ Diesel set.

The Fun House ain't only for the outrageously bougie -- everyone in attendance will get to experience carnival rides, food from L.A. hotspots, an open bar and music from Zedd, Lil Wayne, Diplo and Shaq himself.

There will even be fire-breathers!!

Shaq's party has had a ton of celebs attend in the past -- from Migos to Gronk to T-Pain to Patrick Mahomes -- and we're told this year's guest list is even bigger.

Raiders star rookie Nate Hobbs begged an officer to not arrest him during his speeding stop last month ... with police video showing the football player told the cop, "I've already been arrested two weeks ago!"

In the footage, obtained by TMZ Sports, you can see a Nevada State Police officer was livid with Hobbs on Jan. 16 in the Las Vegas area after he said he observed the guy going 110 MPH in a 65 MPH zone.

The cop can be heard chastising Hobbs in the clip after taking him out of his Mercedes ... saying the Raiders cornerback was putting everyone in danger by driving recklessly.

Hobbs tried to explain that he was in a hurry to make it to a football meeting on time ... but the officer was not pleased to hear that explanation.

"Why would you put yourself and everybody else out here on the roadway in extreme danger because you're going to a meeting?" the cop said. "Explain that to me."

When Hobbs apologized and insinuated it was a mistake ... the officer retorted, "Over 110 miles an hour? No signaling, cutting cars off, that's an honest mistake? No, that's a poor choice."

The cop then threatened to arrest Hobbs -- and that's when the Las Vegas player began pleading with him to reconsider.

Hobbs -- who had just been arrested for DUI in Vegas on Jan. 3 -- said, "I've already been arrested two weeks ago! I cannot be arrested again, sir. Please."

He added, "I'm begging you. I swear, I'm begging you."

Fortunately for Hobbs, the cop decided to not arrest him ... and instead hit him with a citation, towed his car and allowed him to leave.

Philadelphia Eagles safety Anthony Harris made 11-year-old Audrey Soape's night when he accompanied her to a daddy-daughter dance after her dad passed away, but the pro football player tells us it was also an incredibly "special moment" for him, too.

"I try to show fans my support whenever I can," Harris told Harvey and Charles on "TMZ Live," adding ... "It just kind of unfolded organically. Over the past few years, they’ve been following my career since I was in Minnesota."

Harris -- the NFL's interception leader in 2019 -- says Audrey's dad and grandpa recently died ... so as the dance approached, the Soape family asked Anthony if he'd like to attend.

Once it became clear Harris' Eagles were eliminated from the playoffs, the 7-year NFL vet told Audrey he'd love to escort her to the dance in Texas.

"I thought it would be a great way to uplift her and utilize my platform I’ve been blessed with to try and brighten people's day and be a blessing to others," the safety told us.

Once they arrived at the dance (in style -- Harris rented a car with a driver), Anthony says he had a blast.

"It was a great event. There was a ton of kids there. It was really nice, really cute to see other fathers there."

Harris later continued ... "I was just all about having fun. The DJ was playing a little bit of the Disney music. I wasn't quite familiar with some of those songs but I had fun embarrassing myself trying to sing those lyrics."

"But the dancing was fun. And seeing the energy of the other young ladies there and the fathers, it was a great time!"

Here's the moment Heather McDonald suddenly collapsed in the middle of her comedy set ... and the video looks, and sounds, painful.

The comedian just addressed the moment she fainted onstage during a sold-out show in Tempe, AZ ... sharing talking about the incident Tuesday on her podcast, "Juicy Scoop." We've received video from the segment showing the scary situation.

As you can see, Heather is just finishing up a joke when she collapses to the floor.

Heather says she's still not sure why it happened ... though she says she didn't eat before her weekend set and only drank half a Red Bull and some water. Heather also shot down rumors someone might have spiked her drink.

TMZ broke the story ... Heather fell hard onstage and hit her head, suffering a skull fracture.

Heather says she got a cat scan and a battery of other tests, all of which she says came back totally normal.

Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff is getting an up-close look at his Secret Service agents in crunch time -- a bomb threat in Washington D.C. forced them to whisk VP Kamala Harris' husband to safety.

Emhoff's Secret Service detail leaped into action Tuesday during his appearance at Dunbar High School in D.C. for a Black History Month event. An agent reportedly approached Doug and told him it was go time, and they went ... quickly.

Looks like DE was a pretty cool customer during the crisis.

Agents took care of rushing Emhoff out of the room ... while students and teachers were also evacuated. The White House says the building's been cleared and everyone is safe now.

It's unclear if there was a real bomb -- but the threat comes on the heels of dozens of other bomb threats at Historically Black Colleges and Universities around the country. The threats started coming in as Black History Month was beginning.

A UK zoo is calling in the big guns to get its monkeys some sexual healing ... yes, that means a Marvin Gaye impersonator doing his best to get the primates in the mood!!!

The Trentham Monkey Forest in England is doing mating season big this year, hiring the singer to perform some classic Marvin hits -- naturally including "Let's Get it On."

David Largie is the man doing the serenading inside the zoo's monkey enclosure -- and since it's mating season, Park Director Matt Lovatt said "We thought it could be a creative way to encourage our females to show a little affection to males that might not have been so lucky in love."

So, basically, they're hoping Marvin's songs can get even the loneliest of monkeys laid!

Makes sense ... these classics have been promoting human hookups for decades now.

The park is hoping all of this musical foreplay results in a record number of baby monkeys being born this year.

Wu-Tang Clan ain’t nothing to f*** with -- and neither is Ol’ Dirty Bastard’s widow ... 'cause now, she's taking the group's company to court.

Icelene Jones, the administrator of ODB’s estate, filed suit against Wu-Tang Clan Productions ... an org she says her hubby -- along with Ghostface Killah, Raekwon, and GZA -- signed a contract with back in 1992 ... which she alleges entitled those members to half of pretty much all the music they put out.

In the docs, obtained by TMZ, Jones claims that the agreement also obligated the company to pay ODB no less than 50% of net royalties from the exploitation of his image or likeness.

ODB died back in 2004, but his widow insists that the old contract still requires the company to continue paying Dirt McGirt's estate. However, Jones says she hasn't gotten what her late husband is owed ... and hasn't been able to get proper accountings from the company since at least 2011.

While she acknowledges at least a few payments have been made to her -- including a recent one for $130K back in July 2021 -- she alleges that’s nowhere near what’s actually due. Jones is claiming breach of contract and wants no less than a million bucks in damages.

Trevor Bauer will NOT face any criminal charges for allegedly punching and choking a woman unconscious during sex, TMZ Sports has learned.

We're also told the decision was made in part because of texts messages between the accuser and Bauer ... where she indicated she was looking for rough sex.

Remember, 30-year-old Bauer was accused of getting physical with the woman during two sexual encounters in April and May 2021 ... which the alleged victim claimed left her with bumps, bruises, scratches and other injuries.

As for Bauer, he's long been adamant he did absolutely nothing wrong ... saying the situation was nothing more than rough sex between two consenting adults.

Bauer -- expected to be one of the aces on the Dodgers staff -- only started 17 games last season ... after he was placed on administrative leave by MLB once the allegations became public.

Back in August, the alleged victim asked a court to grant her a permanent restraining order, protecting her from Bauer.

However, after several days in court, the judge ruled in Trevor's favor, and refused to order the restraining order.

"The Wendy Williams Show" has been a revolving door this season as the host struggles with various ailments, and now TMZ has learned a "'permanent guest host" is about to be named.

Multiple sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... Sherri Shepherd will take the reigns of the show beginning in September. Our sources say the deal is almost locked, and everyone involved expects it will be inked in the very near future.

Now, here's the way it will work. The folks who produce the show will be monitoring Wendy's progress between now and September. If Wendy gets better, there's an open door for her to return. If, however, it appears she is unable to return, then they would change the name of the show as early as September ... which will mark the 15th season of the show.

Our sources say the Fox Station Group -- which carries the show on its owned and operated stations ... is on board with the move.

Wendy stepped away from her show back in October after suffering "serious complications" from Graves Disease as well as a thyroid condition ... this all coming after she battled COVID-19.

Wendy's last appearance on the show came in July 2021, when she signed off at the end of season 13, telling fans she'd see them for season 14.

That never happened, but the show has since continued to air with a multitude of guest hosts including Bill Bellamy, Whitney Cummings and Leah Remini.