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Before this super stoked little kid was bringing cheers from the crowds as a top-notch athlete playing for the National Football League, he was just another happy baby with a bright future growing up in Illinois.

Even though this mini man is now six feet tall and 225+ pounds he still has those adorably deep dimples and an infectious smile ... if you can get past his big burly beard.

His parents clearly knew what they were talking about when they put on that crimson sweatshirt with the phrase, "Be nice to me I might be rich & famous one day."

Brian Cox says Russian actors and entertainers should absolutely stand up to strongman Vladimir Putin over the Ukraine war ... even if they risk their careers by speaking out.

We got the "Succession" star Tuesday at LAX and asked if it is really worth it for celebrities in Mother Russia to support Ukraine over Putin.

Brian says there are definite pitfalls ... he says folks in Russia could be convicted of treason if they go against Putin ... but with so much at stake, he says it's a necessary gamble.

Remember ... Brian first brought up the pickle many Russians find themselves in during the SAG Awards, when he said it's a shame Russian celebs are being muzzled by Putin.

It's hard to fault anyone for being apprehensive about crossing Putin ... but Brian says he would absolutely speak out, hypothetically, though he admits it would be easier given his age and already long career.

Juli Boeheim -- the wife of legendary college basketball coach Jim Boeheim -- was robbed at gunpoint in Syracuse on Tuesday, according to local reports.

Boeheim was sitting in her car in the Destiny USA parking lot at around 2 PM ... when a minor approached her and started a conversation, per Syracuse.com.

A short time after, cops say the boy pointed a gun at Boeheim, reached into her car and grabbed her purse.

The boy then ran off with the purse and fled the scene with two accomplices in a car that was reported stolen, according to the report.

Luckily for Boeheim, she was not injured during the incident.

A search for potential suspects is underway ... and Syracuse cops are asking for anyone with additional information to call 315-442-5222.

Juli is co-founder of the Jim and Juli Boeheim Foundation, which helps young kids fight cancer in the New York area.

Juli and Jim first met at the Kentucky Derby in 1994 ... and were married in 1997.

The Major League Baseball season will not be 162 games long this year ... commissioner Rob Manfred is now canceling contests after the league and its players failed to ratify a new collective bargaining agreement.

Manfred made the announcement on Tuesday afternoon following days of negotiation talks in Florida ... telling reporters, "I am going to cancel some regular-season games."

"We worked hard to avoid an outcome that's bad for our fans, bad for our players, and bad for our clubs," Manfred said.

The MLB commish said he will cancel the first two series of the season ... and insinuated there could be far more cancellations if the two sides don't strike a deal soon.

Manfred said both the league and its players worked tirelessly over the last week to try to get a deal done in order to avoid this outcome ... and he said the MLB provided a proposal that he believed was more than fair.

"The unfortunate thing," he said, "maybe the most unfortunate thing is that agreement, the one we've offered to our players, offered huge benefits for our fans and for our players."

No word on where talks go from here and when the parties will sit at a table again ... but if the negotiations stall again -- Big League action could be paused indefinitely.

Rough day for baseball fans everywhere.

"Tick, Tick...BOOM!" star Andrew Garfield is looking to celebrate with Lin-Manuel Miranda after winning Best Actor at the HCA Film Awards ... by tripping on shrooms!

Andrew was on stage Monday night at the Hollywood Critics Association's prestigious awards ceremony ... giving thanks after being awarded "Best Actor". During his speech, he looked to  TTB director Lin-Manuel Miranda ... heaping praise on him for his direction on the project.

"That's f****** crazy ... that we get to be here while you're breathing," Andrew said to the "Hamilton" playwright.

He ticked off what they'll do together to celebrate ... notably, mushrooms! He says they'll take some caps while watching "Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar" ... quite the combo.

Andrew was up against some tough competition this year ... with Benedict Cumberbatch, Nicolas Cage, Peter Dinklage, and Will Smith nominated for the same category. In the end, his riveting portrayal of "Rent" playwright Jonathan Larson took home gold -- and rightfully so.

Dua Lipa might be on Cloud 9 over her success with her smash hit song, "Levitating," but there's one band that wants to kick in the gravity ... because they're suing her over it.

A band called Artikal Sound System just filed suit against the British pop star -- who's absolutely blown up over the past couple years of the pandemic with the help of her new album, and this track by extension ... one that's dominated the charts and streaming game.

Unfortunately for DL ... these guys are claiming she ripped off the catchy tune from their own reggae song, "Live Your Life," which they dropped in 2017 ... to some notable success.

This is a simple allegation of copyright infringement. According to the docs, obtained by TMZ, Artikal simply states ... Dua and her team heard their earworm pre-2020 (when they started writing "Levitating") and trotted out a carbon copy.

There's nothing laid out in their claim to explain *why* they believe that to be the case ... but presumably, that'll get hashed out in court as this thing plays out.

We'll say this ... the two songs do sound awfully similar, especially the chorus. Different lyrics, obviously, but the beat comes across as damn near the same -- and Artikal obviously felt strong enough about this to sue.

In addition to Dua herself, Artikal has named Warner Records (her label) and others as defendants -- and they're asking for any profits they may have made off of "Levitating," plus damages.

Bethenny Frankel is commanding an army of her own -- hundreds of people tasked with saving Ukrainians as Russia invades their homeland, and how she does it is a remarkable lesson in efficiency.

The philanthropist and entrepreneur joined "TMZ Live" Tuesday to talk more about her Bstrong initiative, which is raising millions and sending aid to the war-torn country. Bethenny had announced her partnership with Global Empowerment Mission, pledging $10 mil in food, medical aid and other supplies.

All of that aid's being boxed up in her South Florida warehouse ... but on top of that, Bstrong continues to raise even more cash -- more than $5 million -- to help fleeing Ukrainians at the Poland border relocate. As for how she's pulling off this extraordinary humanitarian effort -- Bethenny tells us it's all about being "efficient and lean," and knowing where help is most needed.

She adds, for anyone looking to donate their cash to her initiative, your money certainly won't go to waste 'cause her team is on the ground working.

It's no surprise Bethenny's among those leading the charge ... she says she's gotten lots of training in relief efforts for natural disasters, like tropical storms in Texas, the Caribbean and the Australian wildfires. She says her history of putting on big productions, with many moving parts, has helped hone her get-it-done mindset.

Kobe Bryant was one of the most clutch players in the NBA, but he REALLY came through for Chandler Parsons during his rookie year -- 'cause the newly retired hooper says the Black Mamba once paid a $22,000 bill for him at a famous L.A. nightclub!!

Parsons joined former NBA players Stephen Jackson and Matt Barnes on their "All The Smoke" podcast this week ... where he shared how the encounter with Bryant went down.

Chandler says Kobe approached him in the fourth quarter of their game against the Lakers in 2012 ... telling the rookie he'd take care of him later that night if his team was spending more time in L.A.

Parsons says he got a text from none other than Kobe himself later that night ... confirming he arranged reservations for Chandler and his teammates at The Supper Club L.A.

When it was time to pay the bill at the spot, Parsons says the waitress walked up and gave him the check ... which came with a hefty price tag at the time.

Parsons admitted on the show he was worried that Bryant stuck him with the bill ... thinking it could have been some sort of rookie hazing into the NBA fraternity.

But, much to his surprise, the waitress told Parsons to "sign for Mr. Bryant" ... 'cause Kobe already took care of the tab.

The coolest part of the story is Parsons says he still has the text messages from Bryant ... proving that Kobe, indeed, did lookout for him after all.

Kim Kardashian's divorce case will be front and center Wednesday as she asks a judge to formally restore her single status, and the wild card is Kanye West, whose lawyers have raised a weird issue about their prenup.

TMZ broke the story ... Kanye's lawyers filed legal docs claiming prenups in California after 2002 are presumed invalid. It's weird because Kanye himself has NEVER suggested their prenup -- which kept almost all their property separate during their marriage -- is anything other than valid.

As for prenups being presumed invalid ... that's not exactly true. The law says a prenup is presumed invalid IF one of the parties who signed it challenges its validity ... Kanye has not done that, so it's unclear why the lawyers are suggesting it.

What's more ... even if Kanye challenged the prenup, he'd have to show either it was not entered voluntarily or it was "unconscionable." Kanye had a lawyer represent him when the prenup was signed, so it's hard to imagine it wasn't voluntary. As for it being unconscionable, Kanye made a fortune during the marriage and all that money is his ... so this doesn't make sense either.

As for the argument Kanye's lawyers are making -- that his social media posts blasting Pete Davidson and Kim are hearsay -- Kanye himself has never denied posting. In fact, he's said the opposite -- that his account was not hacked. Besides, it's kinda irrelevant whether he posted or not ... Kim simply wants the divorce to become official and then work out custody and any property issues that remain.

Our sources say Kanye has not been working with his lawyers, other than to make his position clear he doesn't want a divorce, but the lawyers haven't really produced any evidence that would carry weight in tomorrow's hearing. And, we're told it's highly unlikely he'll show up for the hearing.

Ukrainian UFC fighter Maryna Moroz -- who is fighting in 5 days -- has a message for Russian President Vladimir Putin as his troops invaded her homeland, killing soldiers and innocent people ... "F**k you, bitch! I love my country. Don't touch Ukraine!"

TMZ Sports talked to 30-year-old Moroz less than a week before she's scheduled to fight Mariya Agapova, an MMA fighter from Kazakhstan, as Ukraine is mercilessly attacked by Putin's military.

Maryna was born in Vilnohirsk, Ukraine in September 1991 ... almost exactly the time Ukraine gained its independence as the Soviet Union dissolved.

Now, that independence is threatened ... and Moroz is understandably scared/worried by what's happening back home.

"It's hard time for Ukraine. I want to support my country, my president, whole army in Ukraine, and I want to say we don't want war. I worry about my family right now."

The situation is so bad, MM says her dad has begun making explosives at home.

"My dad makes home grenades."

Despite the tragedy surrounding her, Moroz fights Agapova Saturday night at UFC 272 ... and she hopes to show how tough Ukrainians are as people.

"I will be fighting and I show that Ukraine people are strong, and my flag will be in the Octagon."

"Euphoria" star Sydney Sweeney looks like she's taken ... wearing a huge rock on her ring finger, in what can only be assumed to be an engagement ring.

It's hard to miss the flashy diamond ring Sydney's rocking on THAT finger ... check out the pics of Sydney chatting up a friend Monday in Los Angeles, the new bling really stands out.

Sydney's not only debuting a new ring ... but also some red hair. So, two really big life changes here.

It's the first time Sydney's been seen with the diamond ring, she's continuously remained mum on her relationship with her likely new fiancé -- Jonathan Davino. Davino's family owns 14th Round and Finalbell ... a device technology and packaging company.

The couple reportedly started dating back in 2018 -- though Sydney's never confirmed their relationship -- but they've been linked and were even photographed together last summer smooching on a yacht.

Sydney, who stars as Cassie on HBO's "Euphoria" and Olivia on "The White Lotus"
is 24 years old ... Jonathan is reportedly 37.

This would be her first marriage.

Joe Burrow is spending his offseason the right way ... by playing golf with Kendall Jenner's boyfriend, Devin Booker, and his old Ohio State teammates after losing Super Bowl LVI.

Burrow hit the links with D Book in Scottsdale, Arizona recently .... where Joey B's teammate, Sam Hubbard, and 49ers star defensive end, Nick Bosa joined in on the fun.

Hubbard, a defensive end for the Bengals, took to social media to share a few images of the trip as they enjoyed some nice weather out on the course ... followed by a group dinner after.

The Bengals, of course, are still trying to recover from their disappointing 23-20 loss to the Rams in the Super Bowl ... and what better way to do that than having some quality tee time!!

Of course, Sam, Nick, and Joey Franchise all went to Ohio State -- though Burrow would finish his career with the LSU Tigers, where he led them to a national title after defeating Clemson in the 2019 season.

But, it was those OSU and Ohio roots that forged the basis of the foundation for Sam's relationship with Joe ... and it's spilled over into their professional careers.

While the Bengals season is over, the Suns and Booker are still playing ... and with the best record in the NBA, Phoenix looks poised to make a serious run at an NBA championship.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had fellow European leaders on their feet after pleading for entry into the EU ... this after a devastating attack on the country's second-largest city.

Zelensky beamed in to address the European Parliament Tuesday, where he spent about 3 minutes addressing what he and his people are currently fighting for -- namely, freedom and sovereignty from Russia, whose forces unleashed a missile attack on an area called Freedom Square in Kharkiv ... destroying a building and killing at least 10.

Ukraine accused Russia of terrorism and war crimes as a result, and the destruction was top of mind for Zelensky Tuesday during his speech -- one that drew applause (and perhaps even tears) from representatives of several neighboring countries, who listened attentively.

Of the many memorable lines he said, Zelensky's mention of the price of freedom Ukraine was paying to preserve its borders was one he was happily willing to pay -- even as the situation becomes more dire by the day, and Russia's military closes in.

And yet, Zelensky said he'd fight to the death, if necessary, to make sure Ukraine is maintained ... this while also reasserting his request to be allowed entry into the EU as quickly as possible -- so that Ukraine can receive even more help, including on-the-ground reinforcements if necessary.

He also said that every square in Ukraine would be known as Freedom Square in the wake of Tuesday's attack -- finally issuing one final plea to ask the EU to stand with them beyond what they're already doing ... again, by granting them a membership to the EU ASAP.

UFC legend Cain Velasquez spent Monday night in jail ... TMZ Sports has confirmed the 39-year-old has been arrested and booked on an attempted murder charge.

Details surrounding the specifics of his arrest are unclear -- though law enforcement sources tell us the former fighter was involved in a shooting in San Jose at around 3 PM near a local high school.

In the alleged incident, one person was shot while another was arrested. Nothing further surrounding the circumstances of the situation has been released.

Jail records show Velasquez is still in custody as of Tuesday morning ... and has a court date set for Wednesday at noon.

Velasquez -- who was born and raised in Northern California -- is one of the best heavyweight MMA fighters in the history of the sport. During his reign, Cain beat everyone from Brock Lesnar to Junior dos Santos.

After parting ways following his last loss to Francis Ngannou, Cain spent several months with WWE (he's a huge wrestling fan).

Cain trains at the famed American Kickboxing Academy (AKA) gym with Daniel Cormier and Khabib Nurmagomedov, among other MMA stars.

Before getting into mixed martial arts, Velasquez was a star collegiate wrestler at Arizona State University. He was a 2x All-American.

Jesse Williams and his ex-wife, Aryn Drake-Lee, have reached a child custody agreement -- one that allows for him to do a Broadway play, and also gives him veto power on COVID-19 issues for their 2 kids.

According to docs, the exes were in court last week when the judge signed off on a few custody modifications. Although Aryn and Jesse maintain shared legal custody ... the judge denied her request to reduce his physical time with the kids -- presumably because he's gonna be spending a lot of time in NYC.

The former "Grey's Anatomy" star was hanging at a Knicks game back in January, but he'll be working in the Big Apple soon ... starring in the Broadway production, "Take Me Out" from March thru June.

As a result, the judge is now giving Jesse 4 consecutive days with the children -- 8-year-old Sadie and 6-year-old Maceo -- in NYC each month, and 2 of those days can be weekends.

Talk about a sign of the times ... the agreement also addresses how they will handle COVID disputes. The judge granted Jesse "tie-breaking authority" for 2022 if, for some reason, he and Aryn can't agree on things like vaccinations or face masks for the kids.

One more thing ... no flip-flopping on parenting time for Jesse. At Aryn's request, the judge agreed the actor can't cancel and then "uncancel" his scheduled daddy time.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has become a worldwide war hero, but long before he ascended to the Presidency -- he showed some mad skills on the dance floor.

Zelensky appeared on the Ukrainian version of "Dancing with the Stars" back in 2006, and he was awesome. The video, which has gone viral, shows Zelensky in a variety of costumes with moves that would impress a pro. That's not just our opinion, it's the judge's as well, because Zelensky won!

BTW ...  one of the dances features Zelensky with partner Olena Shoptenko, wearing blindfolds as they mentally counted steps, hitting their marks with perfection.

At the time he appeared on the show, Zelensky was starring in the political satire comedy, "Servant of the People." The show went off the air in 2019, the year Zelensky turned art into life and won the Presidency.

BTW ... before ascending to the Presidency, Zelensky voiced Paddington in the Ukranian version of both "Paddington" and "Paddington 2."