'Black Panther' Director Ryan Coogler Wrongly Targeted as Bank Robber

UPDATE

6:20 AM PT -- Ryan Coogler tells TMZ ... "This situation should never have happened. However, Bank of America worked with me and addressed it to my satisfaction and we have moved on."

Bank staffers mistakenly thought Ryan Coogler was staging a robbery -- so they called cops, and the famed director actually ended up in handcuffs ... briefly.

According to an Atlanta PD report, obtained by TMZ, Coogler was detained after stopping in a Bank of America to make a transaction back in January -- a completely legal transaction, mind you, but that's not how one teller took it.

Coogler walked in rocking shades and a COVID face mask -- not uncommon, of course -- but he handed the teller a withdrawal slip that had a note written on the back.

We're told his message read, "I would like to withdraw $12,000 cash from my checking account. Please do the money count somewhere else. I'd like to be discreet." Understandable, considering the amount of money he was getting ... but this led to the teller thinking something suspicious was going down, and cops were called for an attempted robbery.

When officers arrived, they detained 2 people waiting outside for Ryan in an SUV -- and then went in and brought RC himself out in handcuffs.

After an investigation, the police say this was all just a huge mistake ... and the fault lies with the BoA employee, who's described in the report as a pregnant Black woman.

According to the report, when the teller went to make the transaction on her computer, it triggered some sort of an alert. So, she told her boss Coogler was attempting to rob the bank, and they called 911.

In the end, cops realized this was a screw up, and Ryan had actually done nothing wrong. Sounds like Ryan wasn't too pleased ... the report notes he asked for badge numbers of all the responding officers once everyone was released.

He's been in GA a lot over the past year, filming the sequel to "Black Panther," which itself has been a drama-filled process with cast injuries and alleged COVID conspiracy talk.

And now ... this.

Originally Published -- 1:00 AM PT

Sign Language Interpreter A Real WHOOOOO Dunnit!!! Owl Poops On Sign Language Interpreter

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SH***Y DAY
Youtube/Annastacia Palaszczuk MP

A wise owl figured out how to commandeer a news conference by crapping all over a sign language interpreter, and it's hilarious!

The poop went down in Brisbane, Australia Wednesday ... Deputy Premier Steven Miles was giving a speech about recent flooding as the sign language interpreter dutifully translated his comments, and then ...

The owl was super strategic ... waiting for just the right moment to descend from a tree and plop a giant dump on the interpreter.

It's hard not to laugh at the mess, but even funnier is how civilized the reaction is ... it's almost like someone spilled a drop of tea on someone's coat.

The interpreter removed his jacket and cleaned his face, and the press conference continued.  No one was the wiser ... except the awesome owl!

NBA's JaVale McGee Fan Ejected ... After Calling NBAer 'Bitch'

In the latest edition of NBA Players vs. Fans -- JaVale McGee got in a heated back-and-forth with a spectator in Orlando on Tuesday night ... after the guy unleashed a series of F-bombs and called him a "bitch."

The man -- we're assuming he's not a Suns fan -- was sitting close to the Phoenix bench as he started jawing at McGee.

In the clip, you can see Suns center Bismack Biyombo motioning to have the guy thrown out of the arena ... and it's because he seemingly continuously yelled "f*** you" at McGee during a timeout.

If you listen closely, it appears another fan says, "Way to go, JaVale, you f***ing bitch," in the background of the video.

Building staff eventually made its way over to the guy who got into it with McGee ... and let him know he had to leave the game -- which pissed him off even more.

"F*** you, bitch," the guy said to McGee, who could clearly hear him.

Another fan appears to ask, "Aye, JaVale, you called me a p***y?" in the video as well ... although it's unclear if the two men were together or if it was a completely different interaction.

Of course, McGee isn't the only hooper to get a fan kicked out of a game this season --Lakers stars LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony also had fans booted for taking it too far.

'The Challenge' Jordan Wiseley I'm Driving Supplies To Ukraine Army ... Felt I Had To Help Somehow

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DOING THE RIGHT THING
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"The Challenge" star Jordan Wiseley wanted to find a way to help the crisis unfolding in Ukraine, so he flew to neighboring Poland ... and now he's got a key role in the war effort.

Jordan's staying about a kilometer from the Ukraine border at a small border crossing in Poland, along with his actor roommate Kevin Pasdon, and they're crossing the border in a truck and delivering crucial supplies to Ukrainian troops.

As Jordan explains, he felt drawn to the crisis and recently bought plane tickets to Poland with Kevin ... and while they landed last week without a plan, they knew they would find a way to pitch in, and they did.

Jordan and Kevin say their U.S. passports are being put to good use ... the travel docs allow them to cross into the country with relative ease, unlike other truck drivers who came to help from countries in the European Union.

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MOVING FORWARD
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It also helps Jordan knows how to use a manual transmission ... he says he grew up driving all sorts of vehicles back in the States ... and Jordan's tale of how they got their gig is pretty incredible.

While the deliveries are being made to Ukraine military forces, Jordan and Kevin are not exactly running firearms here ... they say they are delivering essential items, like food, blankets and gasoline.

There's also a bunch of manual labor involved ... they've got to load up the trucks each day with boxes, then unload them once they make it to their drop spots in Ukraine.

Jordan and Kevin have been on the ground in Poland and Ukraine since March 3, and they're not sure when they will leave ... but they tell us why their Ukrainian comrades are confident Vladimir Putin's invasion will be foiled.

Jackson Mahomes Bombarded With Selfie Requests ... At Bieber Concert

Love him or hate him, Jackson Mahomes had the crowd buzzing at the Justin Bieber concert on Tuesday ... with fans rushing over to get a pic with the NFL superstar's brother.

The 21-year-old TikTok star showed up at Crypto.com Arena right before the "Peaches" singer took the stage for his second L.A. show this week ... and was immediately met with a swarm of concert-goers asking for a selfie.

We're told Jackson was happy to fulfill all the requests and was polite to all the fans before making his way to his floor seat.

Mahomes has been a polarizing figure recently -- getting backlash for dumping water on Ravens fans and dancing on a tribute to late NFL legend Sean Taylor.

He's also been accused of clout-chasing by a local K.C. bar and scamming a care package out of a snack company ... which he's publicly denied.

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BIEBER BROS OUT
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As for the concert, Mahomes got to watch Biebs sing and dance his ass off for more than an hour and a half ... including a special guest appearance by The Kid Laroi, who joined JB to perform their hit, "Stay."

Mahomes recently opened up about making the move from Kansas City to Los Angeles ... and if that ends up happening, he better get used to the selfies.

Heath Freeman 'Bones' Actor's Autopsy ... Shows Overdose on Several Drugs

"Bones" actor Heath Freeman died from an overdose of multiple opioids and narcotics, including fentanyl and cocaine ... according to the medical examiner's report.

Heath was found dead in his Austin, TX home last November, and the Travis County Medical Examiner says he had a lethal cocktail of booze and several drugs. Specifically, the report says fentanyl, cocaine, hydrocodone, oxycodone and alprazolam (generic Xanax) were in his system. The manner of death is listed as an accident.

According to the report, he was found unresponsive in his bed ... after apparently partying very hard the night before.

Heath was pronounced dead at the scene, and the report notes cops found oxy and alprazolam pills in his home.

Freeman was featured on a number of shows during his career -- like "ER," 'NCIS,' and "The Closer" -- but he's best known for playing Howard Epps ... a recurring character for 3 years on "Bones."

Bryant Vs. Wagner Topless Fan Throws Drink On Man ... In Wild Skirmish At Game

The NEC men's hoops championship game on Tuesday night turned ugly ... after a shirtless fan escalated a huge skirmish in the stands by throwing his drink on another man.

The wild scene all went down with just minutes left in the Bryant vs. Wagner tilt in Rhode Island ... when Bryant fans appeared to get into it with Wagner supporters.

Broadcast cameras captured the scuffle in the seats ... and you can see, punches were thrown -- before a fan with no top on chucked the remnants of his drink at another man.

It looked like a couple Wagner players tried to jump into the fracas too -- but fortunately, it seemed they were all held back before they could get physically involved.

The game was delayed roughly half an hour over the melee ... and one Wagner player, guard Will Martinez, was ejected after video replays showed he was trying to race into the stands.

Cooler heads ultimately prevailed ... and Bryant went on to win the game easily, securing the championship and locking down its first-ever trip to this month's NCAA tournament.

"I don't know how it started, why it started, what took place," Bryant coach Jared Grasso told reporters following the game and the fight. "Thankfully our guys were not a part of it."

Morgan Wallen ACM Awards Are OK With N-Word Use ... Says NAACP Nashville President

Morgan Wallen's warm reception at the ACM Awards is proof country music is complicit in his use of the N-word ... so says the NAACP Nashville chapter president.

Sheryl Guinn -- president of the Nashville chapter -- tells TMZ ... by welcoming him back into their community, the genre's embrace of Wallen destroys artists' accountability.

The ways she sees it -- people in country music believe Morgan just needed to have enough time pass until people lose their outrage. However, Sheryl says time does not heal all wounds.

She thinks the Academy of Country Music banning Morgan from its 2021 ceremony had no impact ... they never addressed how the N-word is a symptom of the underlying inequality and bigotry. She points to the fact Wallen's album went on to do huge numbers.

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PROFANE GOODBYE
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As we reported, Wallen was caught on camera hurling the n-word during a rowdy night with friends back in February of 2021.

Sheryl tells us she hasn't seen the country artist make enough of an effort to show his fans why using the N-word is a bad thing. She acknowledges he donated $25K to her division of the NAACP, but says the money doesn't help his followers understand systemic racism.

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IT'S PLAYFUL
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The last time we spoke to Sheryl, she shared her thoughts on Wallen's 'GMA' interview with Michael Strahan back in July ... saying his words came from a place of embarrassment, and he was sorry for being caught, as opposed to being sorry for spewing a hateful word.

Now, she admits she doesn't know what action Wallen and the country music community should take, saying "I don't know what to tell people who have all the privileges and rights in the world ... but they can figure it out."

Troy Aikman Shaking Up Booze Industry Check Out My New Beer!!

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LOW CAL' AND LOCAL
TMZSports.com

From Super Bowl champion ... to champion of beers?!

Troy Aikman tells TMZ Sports he's gunning to do just that ... explaining he's hoping his new, ultra-healthy beer line he's launched shakes up the booze industry.

The Dallas Cowboys legend and three-time SB winner is still super fit at 55 years old ... and when he set out to create a new line of suds recently, he wanted to make sure it matched his healthy lifestyle.

So, Troy tells us he spent loads of time perfecting the ingredients and the taste -- and he ultimately came up with "Eight" beer, which he says is now one of the best products on the market for health nuts looking to enjoy the occasional glass or two.

"It's a lifestyle brand is what it is," Troy said of the beer. "I work out. I'm very mindful of my health and wellness and what I put in my body, but yet I also feel that there are moments in life -- times with friends and family -- that need to be celebrated."

"This beer doesn't compromise all the hard work and effort that's put in during the week, and that's why I like it."

Troy tells us there's no adjuncts in the booze -- it's free of corn, rice, syrups and extra sugars -- saying it's made of simply "100 percent organic grains."

Troy says the can -- which has a cool design that's a nod to his old jersey number -- comes with just 90 calories and 2.6 carbs.

Aikman says the beer is only available in a few restaurants and bars in Texas for now -- though it'll hit store shelves in the Lone Star State beginning in April.

And, if it all goes well after that, Troy tells us his fingers are crossed that it goes nationwide at some point.

"I sure hope we do," Aikman said. "I hope we do. That'd be a good conversation."

Full interview airs tonight on the "TMZ Sports" TV show on FS1 ... where Aikman talks the Russell Wilson blockbuster trade, Calvin Ridley's suspension for betting on football, and Aaron Rodgers returning to the Packers.

Who's thirsty?!?

Susan and Sharon in 'The Parent Trap' 'Memba Her?!

English child actor Hayley Mills was only 14 years old when she landed the role of the long-lost identical twin sisters Susan Evers and Sharon McKendrick -- who meet at summer camp and create hijinx after swapping homes -- in the 1961 classic movie "The Parent Trap."

While HM took on the gig of both daughters in the twinning movie ... The OG 'Trap' movie also included Maureen O'Hara as the loving mother, Maggie McKendrick ... and Brian Keith as the ranch living father, Mitch Evers.

Hayley Mills was also cast as the title role in the 1960 Disney film "Pollyanna" and one of the Jesus spotting siblings, Kathy Bostock, in the 1961 drama "Whistle Down the Wind."

Guess what she looks like now at 75 years old!

Kelly Clarkson Strikes Divorce Settlement with Ex-Husband She Gets Custody, He Gets Support

Kelly Clarkson and Brandon Blackstock have FINALLY settled their bitter divorce case, and Kelly's walking away with the lion's share of assets, although he's getting a pretty penny in support.

L.A. Superior Court Judge Scott Gordon has just signed off on the terms. Kelly will have primary custody of their 2 kids. Brandon, who lives in Montana, will have the kids one weekend a month ... at least for now.

Speaking of Montana, as we reported, Kelly will keep the Montana ranch, but Brandon is allowed to live there until June 1. He must, however, pay her rent -- $12,500 a month.

If Brandon moves from Montana to another state, the custody arrangement will be reevaluated.

As we reported, Brandon challenged their prenup, but after a trial the judge affirmed its validity -- and that was a big win for Kelly. We're told she makes around $20 mil a year, and that's all hers.

Brandon will get spousal support -- $115,000 a month -- but that ends in January 2024.

He also gets $45,600 a month in child support. Although he only gets the kids 1 weekend a month, the amount reflects the overhead he has to pay to ensure the kids can stay comfortably. Kelly's lawyer, Laura Wasser, can go back into court and ask for an adjustment if, say, Brandon moves somewhere else and the overhead expenses changes.

She's also paying him $1.3 million as part of the settlement.

It's pretty ironic ... on the heels of getting the settlement finalized, Kelly sang "I Will Always Love You" at the ACM Awards Monday night. If she was singing to anyone, it was clearly Dolly Parton and not Brandon.

The judge restored their single status back in September. The judge also removed Blackstock from Kelly's name, and she filed to go by Kelly Brianne. Brianne is her middle name, and although professionally she'll still be known as Kelly Clarkson, legally she is trying to drop Clarkson. It appears she made the change because she is not a fan of her father.

Finally, case closed.

Tony Hawk Severe Broken Leg ... In Skate Accident

Awful news from Tony Hawk -- the skate legend says he suffered a broken leg on Monday ... and it's so severe, he may never get back to 100% again.

The 53-year-old opened up about the setback in a lengthy Instagram post on Tuesday ... saying he's going to do whatever it takes to get back on the board again -- but it's not going to be easy.

"Yesterday sucked," Hawk said. "I broke my elbow 20 years ago and managed to make a full comeback; this recovery for a broken femur will be much harder because of its severity (and my age). But I’m up for the challenge."

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ROAD TO RECOVERY

We're told the injury happened while Tony was skating ... but unclear what exactly went down.

Tony says there's a bit of irony surrounding the accident, as it happened right before the release of HBO's "Until The Wheels Fall Off" ... a doc that details how and why he's continued to skate into his 50s.

Hawk has previously vowed to keep skating until he literally cannot anymore ... and says this injury will be the biggest threat to his ability to continue the sport he loves.

Despite the serious injury, Hawk's already planning his comeback ... and posted incredibly impressive visual proof of that with a pic and video showing him putting weight on the broken leg just one day later!!

Get well soon, Hawk.

UPDATE
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IT'S A VERY SERIOUS INJURY
UPDATE

Dr. David Abbasi, Orthopedic Surgeon, broke down Hawk's injury (based on the images Tony posted on social media) ... explaining the likely injuries, as well as the recovery time.

Bizarre Crimes How to Get a Head Thieves Steal Human Heads in Denver

What's in the box?!? Well, it depends who's asking ... because someone stole a box of disembodied human heads -- intended for medical research -- from a company truck in Denver.

And no, we're not kidding!!! Denver Police are investigating after they received a report on March 3 about a theft from a 'Freight Company' truck. Let's put it this way ... the thieves are in for the shock of their lives.

Police say, an unknown suspect or suspects stole a blue and white box of human heads from the parked truck. It happened about a week ago, but cops are now talking about it.

It's unclear if the thief knew the box had human heads inside, but cops say it had a label that said "Exempt Human Specimen."

The case is bizarre ... and has rightly spooked nearby residents.

So far, no arrests have been made ... and, police aren't sure what the suspect(s) might use the heads for or where the heads are headed.

That said, if anyone finds a box containing human heads, they are encouraged to call the Denver Police Department at 720-913-2000 ... after, of course, they come to.

Looks like "off with their heads" may have a whole new meaning ... 😳

Ukraine Dogs and Cats Rescued From Bombed Cities

The mass exodus from Ukraine has created a crisis with the pets residents had to leave behind, but in the middle of Putin's brutal war, some Ukrainians have stepped up to save the animals.

Katya Kurletz is on the ground in Ukraine, leading the efforts to track down dogs in destroyed cities and transport them to safety in Poland and Romania ... and she joined us on "TMZ Live" Tuesday to tell us about her dangerous mission.

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IF WE DON'T, WHO WILL?
TMZ.com

In the face of constant fear of encountering advancing Russian forces, Katya says she and others are doing everything they can to save Ukrainian pets from the rubble.

Katya tells us there are hundreds of dogs being evacuated ... and her group, Transform a Street Dog, still needs help transporting dogs and cats and finding them new homes.

It's pretty scary .... Katya tells us she saw a Russian missile destroy an entire block, but she couldn't let it derail her mission, because the blast left more pets in need of her help.

We've seen upwards of 1 1/2 million people flee war-torn Ukraine, including the elderly, and it's sad to think about the pets ... but there are some good folks out there looking out for the animals.

If you want to check out her effort, go to transformastreetdog.org.

Ukraine War No Mo' Joe for Russia!!! Starbucks Closing, McDonald's & Coke Too

UPDATE

2:20 PM PT -- Russians aren't taking the McDonald's shutdown well ... in addition to long lines to get a last bite before the closings, other citizens have reportedly started hawking their Mickey D's food online!!!

UPDATE
UPDATE

Black market fast food -- what could possibly go wrong??? BTW, Pepsi's now joined the movement, ceasing all sales in Russia.

Here's a sanction Russian citizens will feel immediately ... all Starbucks and McDonald's restaurants are shutting down there in protest of Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine.

Starbucks has about 130 locations in Russia and Ukraine and employs about 2,000 people. CEO Kevin Johnson says Starbucks will provide support for the workers, but all shipments of products will cease ... and all the branches are temporarily closing.

The McDonald's hit will be even bigger ... there are nearly 850 restaurants closing down, and they employ 62,000 Russians.

The golden arches have been in Russia for just over 30 years -- there were huge lines when the first Moscow restaurants opened in 1990, in the wake of the fall of the Berlin Wall and the Eastern Bloc.

Despite Mickey D's immense popularity there, CEO Chris Kempczinski says, "Our values mean we cannot ignore the needless human suffering unfolding in Ukraine."

Both companies had taken some heat for remaining open before today's announcements ... and other corporations are feeling the pressure now. Case in point, within an hour of Starbucks' pullout, Coca-Cola said it too will suspend all business in Russia.

As you know, the U.S. had announced economic sanctions that have crushed the value of Russia's currency. In addition, the U.S., and several other countries, are seizing the assets of Russia's oligarchs.

Originally Published -- 1:04 PM PT

Travis Scott Launches Project HEAL ... Donating $5 Mil for Community Initiatives

Travis Scott is giving back -- chipping in millions for community-based initiatives that'll help out students, aspiring creatives and even future concert-goers.

The rapper is launching what he calls Project HEAL -- which is a multi-tier effort that's going to pour a ton of cash toward causes Travis sees as important. As far as the amount here ... we're talking $5 million, and he's dispersing that money on multiple fronts.

For starters, $1 mil is being earmarked for HBCU scholarships -- and it sounds like he'll be using his previously-established Waymon Webster Scholarship Fund to allocate, manage and disperse these awards for underserved but high-achieving Black scholars.

Scott and co. aim to assist at least 100 students with this dough, aiding them in getting over the finish line in their senior year. The academic criteria ... averaging a 3.5 GPA or higher.

There's more ... the rest of the $5 million is being divvied up for a few different enterprises, including establishing/providing free mental health programs for vulnerable kids ... as well as expanding his creative design program -- offered through his Cactus Jack Foundation.

He's also allocating funds to make sure music fans are safe at shows going forward ... something that touches him personally. That money will go to the U.S. Conference of Mayor's Task Force on Event Safety ... with a tech-driven approach toward that end.

Of course, Astroworld comes to mind -- where 10 people died as a result of injuries sustained during Travis' set -- the causes of which are still under investigation. As we've reported, several victims and victims' families have filed lawsuits against Travis, Live Nation and others.

This is one of the first public philanthropic initiatives Travis has launched since the tragic concert last November.