Jack Harlow Lands Lead Role ... In 'White Men Can't Jump' Reboot

Jack Harlow's acting career is poppin' -- the rap star just reportedly landed the lead role in the "White Men Can't Jump" reboot ... after his FIRST EVER audition.

The "Nail Tech" MC will play Billy Hoyle, which was Woody Harrelson's role in the original film back in 1992, according to Deadline.

23-year-old Harlow -- who has zero acting experience -- apparently wowed producers from the jump ... helping pave the way to his first on-screen gig.

Of course, the OG flick starred Harrelson and Wesley Snipes -- which followed the story of two on-court rivals who team up to start hustling people on the court.

Harlow is known to be a pretty solid hooper in real life -- he's been in numerous celebrity basketball games over the years ... most recently, the NBA Celeb Game during All-Star Weekend in Cleveland, where he showed off his range with multiple 4-point plays.

The reboot is produced by Kenya Barris and his Khalabo Ink Society banner ... and executive produced by NBA star Blake Griffin, NFLer Ryan Kalil and Noah Weinstein of Mortal Media.

The project was first announced in 2017 ... and a release date has not been revealed at this time.

'Downton Abbey' Massive Fire Erupts at Yorkshire Set

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HISTORY UP IN FLAMES
Stuart Booth

A high-profile film set used in the hugely successful "Downton Abbey" and "Peaky Blinders" series is currently engulfed in flames ... after a massive fire broke out in Yorkshire.

Reports say the fire broke out midday Thursday at the historic Dalton Mills building in Keighley, West Yorkshire. Video from the scene shows the scope of the inferno, and there are allegedly more than 100 firefighters on hand to battle the blaze.

As for the actual building, it was once the largest textile mill in Yorkshire, but fans of the show have come to recognize it as the backdrop for the feature film "Downton Abbey" and the Netflix show "Peaky Blinders".

The first episode of "Peaky Blinders" aired in 2013, and the series is currently on its 6th season.

The set was also used for the historical drama film, "Downton Abbey", which was released back in September 2019.

It's unclear what may have started the fire, but local residents have been advised to keep their windows and doors closed to help prevent damage from the huge clouds of smoke billowing into the air.

Kim and Kanye Custody Agreement Likely Informal ... He'll See the Kids When He Wants to

The big issue remaining in the Kim and Kanye divorce is child custody, and his new lawyer hedged in court Tuesday on how it will shake out ... but we're told it's highly likely it'll end up so that Kim will be home base and Kanye can see his 4 kids pretty much whenever he chooses.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... based on Kanye's schedule, which involves significant global travel, the typical custody arrangement spells out in detail who gets the kids and when is simply impractical.

For instance, they've attended birthday parties and other functions together as a family, without any kind of formal structure. It's possible they'd create a structure for XMAS, Thanksgiving and other holidays, but Kanye is a global traveler because of his various businesses, so planning ahead may be unrealistic.

Our sources say as crazy as the divorce has been, the custody issues for the most part have been handled peacefully. Whenever Kanye's in L.A. and wants to see the kids, Kim has facilitated it. For example, the other day Kanye wanted to take one of the kids to a basketball game, and Kim gladly obliged. In other words, there's an open-door policy when it comes to custody.

Kanye also typically gets the kids every Sunday for his Sunday Service.

It's been a bitter pill for Kim to swallow at times. You may recall, when Kanye took Saint and North to the Super Bowl a few weeks ago -- in full mask -- there were some boos, which isn't great for the kids. Nevertheless, it never became an issue for either Kim or Kanye.

Our sources say it will get super messy if Kim and Kanye get too specific with custody arrangements. They can always go back to court if it becomes acrimonious, but for now things have been peaceful, and the thinking is ... don't rock the boat.

CM Punk Left A Bloody Mess ... During AEW Dynamite

Blood. Everywhere.

CM Punk was oozing from the forehead and hanging from the ropes during AEW Dynamite on Wednesday ... and it was all at the hands of his fan-turned-nemesis MJF!!

The two wrestling superstars met ahead of their big dog collar match at Revolution on Sunday ... and it was anything but civil.

For those who haven't been keeping up with the epic feud, MJF recently handed his former idol his first-ever loss in AEW ... and they've traded insults back and forth ever since.

MJF had previously opened up about how he worshiped Punk as a kid and was so hurt when he quit wrestling ... even shedding a tear as he talked.

Fast forward to Wednesday, when Punk tried to extend an olive branch over the situation -- which was met with a kick in the nuts and a piledriver.

Real soap opera stuff.

But, MJF didn't stop there -- he then punched Punk in the head with his Dynamite Diamond Ring ... causing him to gush blood everywhere.

"You stupid, stupid old man," MJF said in Punk's face. "I'm a snake. The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world he doesn't exist."

"And this Sunday at Revolution, I'm going to show you and all these mindless sheep that I am the devil himself."

Punk was then pulled up on the rope by the chain and collar attached to his neck ... visibly struggling as Shawn Spears continued to yank.

The epic showdown takes place on Sunday ... and we're expecting fireworks.

Melinda French Gates Epstein Was 'Evil personified' ... His Relationship with Bill Led to Divorce

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EVIL EPSTEIN
CBS

Melinda French Gates has left no doubt ... she was appalled at Bill Gates' friendship with Jeffrey Epstein, whom she described as "evil personified."

Melinda told Gayle King Thursday on "CBS Mornings" ... Bill's relationship with Epstein was definitely a factor in their divorce. You gotta hear the way she describes that relationship -- the disgust in her voice is loud and clear.

Melinda said, "I did not like that he had meetings with Jeffrey Epstein, no. I made that clear to him."

She also tells King she met him a grand total of one time, and it creeped her out ... "I wanted to see who this man was and I regretted it from the second I stepped in the door ... he was evil personified. I had nightmares about it afterward."

She says her heart breaks for the young women who suffered at the hands of Epstein ...  and she says she made her feelings very clear to Bill.

Melinda makes it clear there are still hard feelings between her and Bill ... she says they have a working relationship but are not "friends."

TMZ broke the story ... when they initially planned on announcing the divorce in March 2021, Melinda and their kids went to a private island, anticipating a media onslaught -- and Bill was not invited. The family was furious at him ... we're told largely because of his alleged relationships with other women.

Bill and Melinda announced their split in May after 27 years of marriage. In her divorce petition, their marriage was ​​"irretrievably broken." The divorce was finalized in August.

Roman Abramovich Selling Chelsea FC ... Donating Proceeds To Ukraine Victims

Russian billionaire Chelsea FC owner Roman Abramovich has announced he's selling his beloved soccer team ... and, in a surprising move, he said he'll donate all of the proceeds to victims of the war in Ukraine.

The soccer club's boss explained his decision in a statement Wednesday ... saying he believes unloading the team is in "the best interest of the Club, the fans, the employees, as well as the Club's sponsors and partners."

In his statement, Abramovich said the net dollars from the sale will go to Ukrainian relief efforts ... adding he hopes the funds will help war victims as well as "the long-term work of recovery."

The news comes on the heels of Abramovich -- an oligarch --  reportedly being pressured to sell the team due to his rumored ties to Vladimir Putin.

The oligarch has been friendly with the Russian leader for years ... and with many pushing for sanctions for those who might have the ear of Putin, some believed Abramovich's soccer club was on the verge of being seized.

Experts expect Chelsea FC to sell for around $3 billion ... and given that Abramovich bought the team in 2003 for around $200 million, hundreds of millions of dollars could soon be on the way to Ukraine.

"Please know that this has been an incredibly difficult decision to make, and it pains me to part with the Club in this manner," Abramovich said. "However, I do believe this is in the best interest of the Club."

'Mob Wives' Renee Graziano Getting Treatment for Pill Addiction 'The Hills' Jason Wahler Helps

Renee Graziano is getting the help she needs to kick a pill addiction she's been battling for years -- and doing it side by side with another reality TV vet, no less ... Mr. Jason Wahler.

The "Mob Wives" star tells TMZ ... she recently linked up with her "The Hills" compadre and his foundation, Red Songbird, to get treatment for a number of issues she's suffered from since her 20s -- namely, being hooked on prescribed sleeping meds.

We're told just last month, Dr. Drew put her in touch with Jason -- who's since been brought into the fold over at Songbird ... which Renee says has been working wonders in getting her back to a good place.

She tells us a lot of these issues stem from anxiety, depression and former abusive relationships -- which included sexual assault -- and because of her new regimen ... her life is finally getting on track in a healthy and productive way.

In addition to having one-on-one chats with Songbird staffers to talk through her issues, RG is also delving into EMDR -- Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing ... allowing someone to deal with old wounds, but from a safe distance. It also gives recipients a new perspective on how to deal with the hurt.

Renee also gets therapy ... joining processing groups, anger management sessions, wellness discussions and other meetups that help keep her grounded.

We're told Renee came into treatment in California on Feb. 6, and that she's about a month sober at this point -- with no plans to leave until she feels grounded.

As for the Jason connection, Wahler has had substance abuse issues of his own in the past, with more than a dozen arrests. He said back in 2019 that at age 18-23 he was a "womanizing alcoholic" and went to 12 different rehab centers. He's now dedicated his life to helping others.

BTW ... Renee was booked for DWI in January after hitting a parked vehicle and rolling over on the road ... and allegedly told cops she'd taken Adderall earlier in the day. She tells us that arrest didn't push her to get help ... she'd already been planning for it.

'DWTS' MAKSIM CHMERKOVSKIY Reunites With Wife in America ... After Escaping Ukraine War

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RELIEVED, YET FURIOUS
LionsShareNews / BACKGRID

Maksim Chmerkovskiy has made it to safety in the United States after fleeing war-torn Ukraine ... and he just reunited with his wife at the airport.

Check out this emotional video of the "Dancing With The Stars" alumni Wednesday at LAX ... you can see he's happy to see his better half, Peta Murgatroyd, after a harrowing experience in Europe ... and they share a long embrace and kiss.

Maksim is clearly impacted by what he witnessed in the middle of war ... and he says he's just trying to process all that just happened in Kyiv, where bombs are exploding.

It's scary ... Maksim says when he was in Ukraine he was told to get a gun and watch YouTube videos on how to use an AK-47 ... but he says he opted to document everything for the world to see, using his iPhone as a weapon instead of a firearm.

Maksim's also got some strong words for Russian strongman Vladimir Putin ... wishing him a similar fate as Adolf Hitler.

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It's the culmination of a long journey for Maksim as he flees his native Ukraine and the Russian invasion devastating his countrymen.

Maksim, who lived in Ukraine until he was 14 and then recently returned to Kyiv to work on a dance competition show, documented much of the daring journey on social media ... first sharing a video of him on a balcony in the capital while sirens blared around him.

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Stuck in Kyiv as Russian forces surrounded the city, Maksim spent time in a bomb shelter before boarding a train bound for Poland. The train ended up being packed to the gills, and during the journey to Warsaw he says he witnessed a boy say goodbye to his dad.

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About 16 hours ago, Maksim boarded a plane from Poland ... and now he's reached safety in the USA.

Maksim's obviously going through a lot of emotions ... and he's thanking everyone in his country who took up arms, the neighboring countries offering support, and the news media on the ground in Ukraine.

DMX's Fiancée Opens up about life after his death On 'It's Tricky With Raquel Harper'

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DAILY STRUGGLE
It's Tricky with Raquel Harper

DMX's fiancée Desiree Lindstrom opened up on "It's Tricky with Raquel Harper" about how she's been after her beau's passing ... and how things are going with their son, Exodus.

"My life changed so fast," Desiree told Raq. "Holidays get lonely ... because Earl was my family, but I do have Exodus and I try to make the best of it, because I know that's what he would've wanted me to do."

The emotional discussion is tough for her ... but she thanks everyone that's checked on her and their son. She thinks X's fans played a big part in keeping her going in the months following his death.

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"FOREVER X"
Courtesy of BET

TMZ broke the story ... the legendary rapper was rushed to the hospital following an overdose. After a week of being on life support last April, he passed away ... survived by his 15 children.

At his celebration of life, tons of artists came to say goodbye -- Ye, Swizz Beatz, and Nas were just a few. Desiree gave a tear-jerking speech about how much he meant to her ... ending it with "Forever X."

You can hear the full episode of "It's Tricky with Raquel Harper" on Apple, Spotify, Google -- or wherever you get your pods -- she'll have new ones every week.

'Wheel of Fortune' Fail Pressure Just Too Much for Me!!! No Feather in His _a_

The "Wheel of Fortune" contestant who missed what many consider the most obvious answer ever says the bright lights played a role in his historically unforgettable moment on the show.

Christopher Coleman -- one of the 3 'Wheel' contestants who failed to solve ..."ANOTHER FEATHER _N YO_R _A_" -- tells TMZ ... the pressure and scrutiny were just too much in his big moment.

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WHEEL OF WOES
TMZ.com

It wasn't just the stress of trying to solve the puzzle in crunch time, though ... Christopher says it had been more than 30 years since he last heard the idiom, "another feather in your cap."

By now you have probably seen the clip of Christopher spinning the wheel and guessing "G" before getting another crack and guessing "D" -- neither of which were in the phrase.

As Christopher explains, he guessed "G" because he thought the last word was "bag," but meant to say "C" when he guessed "D" ... a mistake he chalked up to being up against the clock.

Naturally, folks on social media are having a field day at Christopher's expense ... but he's calling for some empathy and has a message for all the trolls out there.

Pat Sajak has come to the contestants' defense ... and Christopher echoed many of Pat's comments, saying folks at home don't know what it's like to be in the middle of a nerve-wracking game, and it's easy to poke fun from your couch.

Christopher is owning up to his mistakes though ... he says he should have just solved the puzzle when he finally figured out the answer, instead of taking a risk on another spin and going bankrupt.

Despite the viral fail, Christopher says going on 'Wheel' fulfilled a lifelong dream and he appeared on the show in memory of his grandmother, Lucy, who recently passed away.

In a strange twist, Christopher did win a trip to Saint Lucia, and Lucia translates to his grandma's name.

Tyson Fury Tells Klitschkos, Lomachenko To 'Never Surrender!' ... I'd Do Same For USA & UK

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FOLLOW FURY'S LAWS
TMZSports.com

"Keep fighting boys! Never surrender!"

That's heavyweight champion Tyson Fury addressing Vladimir Putin's Russian invasion of Ukraine ... voicing support for star boxers like Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko, Wladimir Klitschko, Vasyl Lomachenko and Oleksandr Usyk.

TMZ Sports talked to the 33-year-old boxing superstar about the unprovoked war ... and the "Gypsy King" even said if the fight came to the US or UK, he'd be right there, gun in hand.

"Two laws, love your woman and fight for your country. So they should be fighting for their country. Why not? If the war comes to the United States or United Kingdom, then I'll be joining. Don't worry about that. We all will! Why ain't we gonna defend our own land? C'mon, behave yourself."

Some people have been surprised the boxers -- who are all famous and wealthy -- have put themselves at great risk of harm or death by fighting Putin's forces.

But, Tyson makes a great point to rebut the notion the boxers are risking too much by fighting alongside the military.

"What's money got to do with it? You got no homeland to go back to, all the money in the world's no good to you. You can't spend it."

We also talked about more optimistic topics ... like Fury's return to the ring!

Of course, Tyson is just a few months removed from his trilogy fight with Deontay Wilder. The first fight was a draw ... and TF won the last 2 bouts by knockout.

Now, Fury is set to take on fellow UK star, Dillian Whyte on April 23 at Wembley Stadium in London.

Tyson also addressed a possible letdown after the Wilder fights, packing 100K fans into Wembley, being the hardest punching heavyweight of all-time (he makes his case) ... and last, but not least, he calls Whyte another word for a kitten.

Rapper Lil Mama 'Memba Her?!

New York City native Lil Mama (real name Niatia Jessica Kirkland) was only 17 years old when she shot to stardom after she released her Billboard charting first -- and only -- album 'Voice Of The Young People' back in 2008 ... which included the smash single "Shawty Get Loose," -- plus "G-Slide (Tour Bus)" and of course "Lip Gloss."

Lil Mama continued her success by pivoting into hosting and acting roles and could be spotted on shows like "America's Next Top Model" and "The Reel" ... but her standout acting credit was her role as Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes in the 2013 VH1 Biopic "CrazySexyCool: The TLC Story."

Guess what she looks like now in her 30s!

Kanye West I'm Burying Pete Davidson Alive ... Bizarre New Music Video

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JABS AT "SKETE"
@kanyewest / INSTAGRAM

Kanye West appears dead set on burying Pete Davidson -- or at least the cartoon version -- he just imagined the burial of his ex-wife's boyfriend in a music video for a song where he rips the 'SNL' star.

Ye just dropped the music vid Wednesday for his song "Eazy" with The Game. The track features the verse, "God saved me from the crash, just so I can beat Pete Davidson's ass" ... and the video shows animated Pete being buried alive by Kanye.

The video -- interestingly debuting on the very day the judge declared Kim and Kanye single -- is mostly clay animation and at one point, Kanye's character is dragging a body tied up by ropes with a bag over the head. Kanye then pulls off the bag to reveal Pete's face and sprinkles some rose seeds over his head.

Later in the video, Pete's got roses coming from his head, and the roses are loaded into the back of a pickup truck. The whole thing is a creepy connection to the truckload Kanye sent Kim Kardashian for Valentine's Day.

Kanye's not done sending not-so-subtle messages to Kim's BF ... the last 3 frames in the video feature another jab at Pete.

Ye ends with this ... "EVERYONE LIVED HAPPILY EVER AFTER / EXCEPT SKETE YOU KNOW WHO / JK HE'S FINE."

Remember, Kanye's been attacking Kim and Pete on social media ... and Kim mentioned the posts had caused "emotional distress" in her bid to become legally single.

Helen Mirren A Zelensky Film is Premature ... We Don't know How it Ends

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IT'S TOO EARLY
TMZ.com

Helen Mirren thinks the internet is jumping the gun over a possible film based on the war in Ukraine ... saying it's way too premature, because we don't know how the story ends.

We got Helen at LAX on Wednesday ...  and talked to her about the prospects of a film about Ukrainian President Zelensky and his bravery during the Russian invasion.

"Culture always responds to what is happening in the world," she tells TMZ. "The end of that story, we don't know yet, clearly."

Helen also weighed in on Jeremy Renner playing Zelensky -- it's making the rounds on social while she says she's not the one to make that call, she notes Renner is quite the actor -- more than capable for the challenge.

Helen mirrors the sentiment of her fellow actors -- supports Ukraine and the artists that have been affected by the conflict.

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FIGHTING FOR FREEDOM
CNN

As you know by now, Zelensky starred in "Servant of the People" playing a school teacher who was improbably elected president and became a heroic leader ... sound familiar?

Kim Kardashian I'm Officially a Single Woman!!!

UPDATE

11:28 AM PT -- There are reports Kim's paperwork was not filled out correctly. Point of fact -- the only error was that the documents mentioned Kanye as Kanye West, but after the docs were filed he changed his name to Ye, so the divorce docs were changed to reflect that.

UPDATE

In the end, no other conditions were imposed when the judge signed the order. Also, we're told Kim appeared on a video call that she shot from the closet in her home so there would be no distractions -- AKA her 4 kids!

Kim Kardashian's quest to become a single woman has become a reality because the judge has granted her request to end her marriage to Kanye West. Kim will hereinafter be known just as Kim Kardashian ... the West is gone.

Kim was on a video call for Wednesday's court hearing -- her lawyer, Laura Wasser was in court -- and Kanye was absent. Kanye's lawyer did not object to restoring Kim's single status, although his lawyer said he had 3 conditions -- 1. any right to get reimbursement of money that's supposed to be divided up will be preserved in case either of them dies ... the judge granted that condition.

There were 2 other conditions the judge rejected -- that Kim would not transfer any assets she had in trust, and if Kim remarries she would waive the "marital privilege." That privilege means a new spouse would not have to testify about communications he had with her. The judge said nope to that.

To close out the hearing, Kim answered a series of questions, known as the "prove up" which included, "Are there problems in your relationship?" and "Do you think your marriage can be saved with counseling?" Kim answered "yes" to the first and "no" to the other.

A source close to Kanye tells TMZ, he also wanted the divorce to be granted. He's now a single person as well.

TMZ broke the story, Kanye recently dropped his 4th divorce attorney, Chris Melcher ... we're told there was little communication between Kanye and Melcher, making the relationship extremely difficult. It's been just over a year since Kim filed for divorce. We're also told Melcher was whipsawed ... one day Kanye wanted the divorce, and the next day he wanted to fight for the marriage.

Kim's been asking the judge to restore her single status since December, when she stated in docs, "I very much desire to be divorced." She also said she'd asked Kanye to keep their divorce private, which he hadn't, and his social media posts had caused "emotional distress."

Kanye and his legal team had continued to resist, making arguments the couple's prenup should be presumed invalid and even calling into question whether Kanye actually wrote the nasty social media posts -- FYI, he claimed he hadn't been hacked.

Of course, Kim and her team felt like this was all a stalling tactic ... this as Kanye had continued his overtures in a bid to win her back, even if it meant attacking her and her new BF, Pete Davidson.

Originally Published -- 10:03 AM PT

Katie Meyer Stanford Soccer Star Dead At 22

Stanford women's soccer star Katie Meyer -- a Cardinal goalkeeper and a team captain -- has tragically died, the school announced Tuesday.

She was only 22 years old. No cause of death was revealed.

"Please join us in offering our deepest condolences to her parents and sisters," university officials said of Meyer in a statement. "We would also like to extend our heartfelt condolences to Katie's friends, hallmates, classmates, teammates, faculty and coaches."

School officials added that counseling has been made available all over campus to students and others who are grieving the loss.

Meyer -- described by the school as "a bright shining light for so many" -- was one of the Cardinal's best players ... and had helped the team win the NCAA women's soccer championship in 2019.

During that title game against North Carolina, she made two massive saves to help secure the victory. Her celebration afterward went viral.

Meyer was slated to be a redshirt senior on Stanford's team this season.

RIP.

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