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Travis Scott's announcement about his new charitable project is a blatant attempt to clean up his image after the Astroworld tragedy ... at least according to some of the plaintiffs, who want the judge to stop him from tooting his own horn.

Family member of Ezra Blount, the 9-year-old killed in the Astroworld crush, are pissed about Travis launching his Project HEAL initiative ... or at least they don't think he should be allowed to publicize it through the media. As we reported, Travis announced this week he'd be pouring $5 million into several charitable efforts.

Ezra's father and mother have filed docs asking the judge to amend the gag order put in place last month ... to specifically block Travis from making such announcements, which they feel will taint the potential jury pool in their lawsuits against Travis.

The dad, Treston Blount, calls Project HEAL nothing more than a "highly sophisticated marketing campaign." He points out Travis and his team issued a "look at me" press release to all TV and print media in Harris County, Texas ... the exact place from which the jury will be selected.

Here's the twist, though ... Travis' legal team feels it's Blount's attorney who violated the gag order by publicly disparaging Travis for Project HEAL. In their response, they say Travis was merely continuing his "long history of giving back to his hometown" -- however, Blount's attorney characterized it as Travis trying to say, "Look at me, I'm a good guy."

President Biden is continuing to tighten the screws on Russia, announcing a ban on Vodka, caviar and diamonds imported from the country.

On Friday, 46 announced that he -- along with the nations that make up the EU and G7 -- will revoke Russia's "most favored nation" trade status ... allowing the U.S. and other allies to impose higher tariffs on Russian imports.

The downgrade will also put a ban on Russian vodka, certain seafood and Russian diamonds.

We should note, Russian vodka makes up a small percentage of vodkas on the shelves in the U.S. ... a few Russian-made brands include Russian Standard, Beluga Noble Russian Vodka and Beluga Noble Russian Gold Vodka.

Back in 2019, Russia was the 26th largest goods trading partner of the U.S. ... the majority of those goods being Russian oil and gas -- which Biden banned earlier this week.

Not even a 29-point loss to his former team could stop James Harden from getting in some quality time with Travis Scott, Meek Mill and Lil Baby ... 'cause the Sixers superstar went out with the his rapper friends right after the game.

The Beard had a less-than-stellar performance against the Brooklyn Nets on Thursday ... scoring 11 points and going 3-17 from the field.

But, the bad night only lasted on the hardwood, 'cause the 32-year-old was spotted out celebrating a friend's birthday out in NYC at Sei Less restaurant shortly after the L ... and everyone was all smiles.

The trio of bros were spotted singing and cheering as cake with sparklers was delivered to their friend.

La Flame and Lil Baby were also courtside for the lopsided contest at the Wells Fargo Center ... but appeared to be in great spirits nonetheless.

It was a rare public outing for Scott, who's remained pretty lowkey since the Astroworld Festival tragedy.

Of course, Harden and Lil Baby are really close -- they were together for Paris Fashion Week during the offseason, and drop insane amounts of money on each other for their birthdays.

James is also tight with Travis -- they've partied together in the past ... and the former MVP even starred in his music video for "way back" in 2017.

Tarek El Moussa and Christina Haack being on the same page is a rarity these days, but the exes, and their HGTV bosses, are in lockstep about pulling the plug on "Flip or Flop" ... TMZ has learned.

Sources familiar with the situation tell us ... Tarek and Christina's contracts for the show were up, but talks had already begun for a new season when the former couple had second thoughts about their 11th season.

Our sources say the decision had nothing to do with any specific incident or flop in ratings -- all parties involved just wanted to end the series on a high note.

It doesn't hurt that Tarek and Christina each have solo projects now with the network. Translation: Neither really needs "Flip or Flop" now that she's got "Christina on the Coast" and he has 'Flipping 101.'

Our sources point out ... working with an ex is not always ideal, and that's proven true for them. Remember, TMZ broke the story when Tarek lost it on Christina during a shoot last July. We were told he snapped because she was telling him it was time to start filming.

As you know, the exes announced they were splitting in December 2016, but still signed on for the next season of the show that made them famous. Tarek filed for divorce the following month, which was finalized a year later.

Tinder rolling out background checks isn't a response to Simon Leviev's alleged handiwork -- detailed in "Tinder Swindler" -- but if it prevents similar cases from happening, the app will be thrilled.

Tinder just announced this week it will require the new background checks for users, but we're told the program has been in the works for some time. A spokesperson for Match Group -- owners of Tinder, Match.com and Plenty of Fish -- tells TMZ ... the criminal background check feature was something users have been demanding for a while.

They say the company teamed up with non-profit organization Garbo back in 2020 to create a system that works for all users. The rep points out this partnership started well before the doc debuted this year on Netflix.

The process brings up offenses that are relevant to safety, and that includes financial crimes. They tell us it's a great way for women to get a deeper look into their matches. And, while they didn't create the system for him, they say someone like Simon would be flagged instantly.

As you know, 'Swindler' was all about Simon and some of his alleged victims, who claim he tricked them out of more than $10 million after meeting them on the dating app ... and then ghosted them once he got what he wanted.

Since the doc dropped, Simon's had quite the ride ... he got banned from most dating apps, allegedly earned $30K on Cameo, and got a criminal court complaint filed against him from the wealthy family to which he claimed to belong.

Tragic news in the baseball world ... former MLB pitcher Odalis Perez died on Thursday night after he apparently fell off a ladder in his home.

He was just 44 years old.

Perez's attorney, Walin Batista, confirmed the news to ESPN ... explaining Perez's family believes the former Los Angeles Dodger slipped down a ladder in the Dominican Republic.

"Around 7 p.m., his brother Cristian Perez arrived at the house and found Odalis lying in the patio," Batista told the outlet. "We don't know yet the cause of his death, but everything seems to indicate Odalis slipped down a ladder. This is a tragedy."

The Dodgers and the Nationals -- two of Perez's former teams -- both mourned Perez's passing on social media on Thursday night ... with both organizations sending their condolences to the former left-handed pitcher's family and friends.

Hall of Famer Vladimir Guerrero also expressed sadness over the news in an emotional tweet.

"I keep the memories of the moments we were able to share," Vlad said. "May God take you to a good place."

Perez made his debut in the Big Leagues with the Atlanta Braves in 1998 ... and he went on to play 10 more years in The Show for the Dodgers, Royals and Nationals.

Jussie Smollett was just sentenced to 150 days in Jail for his elaborate hoax on the streets of Chicago ... and Jussie went off on the judge, telling him if he dies in prison it's not suicide. It got so intense, Jussie was taken into custody and left with his fist in the air.

Judge Linn just handed down the sentence ... which also includes 30 months felony probation, $120,106 restitution to the city of Chicago and will pay a $25,000 fine.

Judge Linn pointed to Jussie's testimony during trial, when he talked about his life ... and he talked about social justice and how much it meant to him and his family.  And, the judge noted the irony and hypocrisy that Jussie engineered a hate crime hoax.

Judge Linn says Jussie wasn't motivated by money ... he did it because he craved the attention and thought he could boost his profile by tapping into the social justice movement in America. He said he just wanted to make himself more famous, throwing himself a "national pity party."

The judge called Jussie arrogant, selfish, narcissistic, and he did damage to real victims of hate crimes. Victims are always reluctant to come forward, and Jussie did them no favors. The judge says Jussie lied ... lied and lied repeatedly about the incident.

The judge made it clear he was not sentencing Jussie to satisfy public opinion ... it was purely a matter of what Jussie did.  The judge said there was nothing he could do that would be worse than what he did to himself, saying Jussie destroyed his life by his shenanigans.

Jussie declined to speak in open court before sentencing ... his lawyer advised against it.

Jussie's 92-year-old grandma got on the stand to plead for leniency, and she launched on the media for not reporting the story accurately. She called him a "justice warrior," who has been steeped in social activism for years. She told the judge, if he sends Jussie to prison he should send her along with him.

The lawyer for the City of Chicago made it clear ... this was not a victimless crime, saying more than 30 Chicago cops investigated the case and had to review more than 1500 hours of surveillance video. They went door to door in the freezing cold to get to the bottom of the case. They amassed more than 1,000 in overtime, and it caused fatigue and stress. The lawyer also said Jussie has made real hate crime victims hesitant to come forward.

Jussie's lawyer made a series of arguments during the hearing, imploring the judge to throw out the verdict. Notably, his lawyer argued because of the pretrial publicity by City officials -- including the Police Commissioner -- Jussie did not enjoy the constitutional protection of being presumed innocent. The judge rejected that argument.

The judge also turned thumbs down on the argument Jussie was entitled to a public trial and that, his lawyer argued, was not the case. The special prosecutor fired back, even during a pandemic, the trial was open to reporters and also, the defense didn't want cameras in the courtroom during the trial, so it's rich they're making this argument now.

Brandon Thomas Lee and his brother Dylan unloaded their gorgeous Malibu home this week ... scoring $3 million for the pad.

TMZ has learned ... the remodeled 5-bed, 5-bath house sold Wednesday, and they got their asking price. Tommy Lee and Pamela Anderson's sons had the 2,634 square foot property on the market for 2 months.

The house -- within walking distance of Las Flores Beach -- is smack dab in the heart of Malibu, and was renovated from the ground up.

Inside, it's got lots of new touches and furnishings ... including Western doors and windows throughout.

With no houses on either side and a landscaped backyard, this place is perfect to get a tan and some privacy at the same time.

The Lee bros' home was featured on "The Hills: New Beginnings," as the show followed Brandon kicking off his career in modeling and acting.

Troy Aikman appears to believe the hammer the NFL dropped on Calvin Ridley for betting on NFL games was too strong ... telling TMZ Sports the one-year ban "seems like an awful lot."

Ridley was just suspended for the entire 2022 season ... after the NFL says he bet on contests while away from the Atlanta Falcons on the non-football illness list this past November.

Ridley said the totals of his bets were only $1,500 -- and while he reportedly bet on Falcons games, he was said to have never bet against his team.

Still, the NFL barred the star receiver for all 17 of next season's games, and left the door open to banning him even longer.

When we asked Troy this week for his thoughts on the length of the suspension -- he seemed to think the league could have, and perhaps should have, gone softer.

"On the one hand, you have the league encouraging everybody to gamble," Aikman said, "and yet, here Calvin Ridley is suspended for an entire season."

The Dallas Cowboys legend said he does see the NFL's side of the situation, saying the league should take betting on games very seriously ... but he added, "When you look at it against some of the other suspensions, I would agree that it seems like an awful lot."

On tonight's finale of "Joe Millionaire: For Richer or Poorer" Kurt Sowers does find love, but TMZ has learned there's another plot twist -- one you won't see on the show.

So, this is where we give you the ol' SPOILER ALERT ... just in case you're on the west coast and don't wanna find out how it ends until you see it on FOX.

Alright, for everyone else ... here's the big upset news: Kurt chooses Amanda Pace in the finale, and not Carolyn!!! That's the first shocker, and the second one is ... Kurt and Amanda are already dunzo!!!

A source close to the former couple tells TMZ ... they called off their relationship back in December, not long after the show wrapped filming in the fall.

For those keeping score or laying wagers, the pairing only ended up lasting about a month and a half.

We're told there wasn't anything specific that caused the split ... instead, they simply realized their relationship wasn’t going to work outside of the show as their lives were heading in different directions. Simply put ... they just weren't a great match, romantically.

We're told it had nothing to do with the fact Amanda found out what viewers have known all season -- that Steven McBee is the millionaire 'Joe,' and Kurt is, well ... not.

And, just like that, Kurt's back on the market and looking for love. Our sources say he's confident he will meet the right person outside of reality TV.

Many fans of the show speculated on social media he'd chosen Carolyn, the other fan favorite. We know what you're thinking, but no ... we're told he's not rebounding with her.

It's time to get "Down" because it's 3/11 Day ... a day to celebrate the legendary rock band 311. The group consists of lead singer Nick Hexum, guitarist Tim Mahoney, bassist/vocalist Aaron Wills aka 'P-Nut', DJ/vocalist Doug "S.A." Martinez and drummer Chad Sexton.

If you are part of the '311 Nation' you most definitely jammed to "Amber", "All Mixed Up", "I'll Be Here Awhile", and "Prisoner."

The group dates back to the late '80s ... but March 11, 2000, marked the first year celebrating this epic holiday. And for your 4-1-1 ... or for today's sake 3-1-1, the band's famous name arose after the original guitarist Jim Watson was arrested for streaking in Omaha, Nebraska.

As the band grew from the ground up, they worked their way to headline at local venues and eventually started touring internationally.

Emilio Delgado -- the actor best known, and beloved, for his role as Luis on "Sesame Street" -- has died ... TMZ has learned.

Delgado's wife, Carol, tells TMZ he passed away Thursday surrounded by family at his home in NYC. We're told Emilio had recently been in hospice care ... he was diagnosed with the blood cancer Multiple myeloma in December 2020.

Carol says Emilio was still a working actor right up until the pandemic -- playing the lead in "Quixote Nuevo" -- a theater production that had a 3-city run before things were shut down. He also recently did some voiceover work in January 2022.

The beloved Mexican-American actor was a pioneer in children's television, playing Luis, the 'Fix-It Shop' owner for a total of 40 years on the 'Street.' He took a brief hiatus from the show in the late 80s, but returned within a year.

He also performed in live theater throughout his career -- including some "Sesame Street" stage productions -- and has appeared at various conventions over the years.

Emilio was 81.

76ers fans greeted Ben Simmons with boos and trash talk as he took the court before Thursday's game ... marking his first return to Philadelphia since his trade to the Brooklyn Nets.

Remember, the 25-year-old guard made it clear he wanted out of Philly ... and was willing to lose out on millions of dollars as he refused to suit up for the Sixers this season.

Simmons finally got what he wanted last month ... after the Sixers traded BS, Seth Curry and Andre Drummond to the Brooklyn Nets in exchange for James Harden.

Simmons returned to Wells Fargo Center -- this time as a visitor -- in black and white gear for Thursday's matchup against the Sixers ... and despite being out with an injury, the fans let him hear it during pre-game shootaround.

In fact, the 3-time All-Star was heckled way before getting to the arena -- he was surrounded by an angry crowd while getting onto the team bus ... with one fan saying, "Ben Simmons, you stink!"

Fans were also booing Simmons outside the Four Season in downtown Philadelphia ... with one fan actually thanking him for the Nets trade.

"Thanks for James, man" one fan yelled.

Drake's highly coveted Hidden Hills estate is seeing huge interest after being put on the market Monday ... and it's drawing big celeb eyes, namely Britney Spears!

Witnesses on the property tell TMZ, the YOLO Estate was flooded with potential buyers on Tuesday -- holding showings for 20-30 guests -- and within that group was Britney Spears and her fiancé Sam Asghari.

It's unclear what drew Britney to the property, aside from it being one of a kind. The home does have a great recording studio ... maybe a sign of things to come from the pop icon?

We're told Britney was looking at the package deal -- the estate and the two neighboring properties -- creating the ultimate compound offered at $22.2M! She's certainly got the cash, being worth a reported $60M ... and she's got a house to sell that's worth a few million.

We're also told Caitlyn Jenner toured the estate Tuesday as well ... safe to say Drizzy caught everyone's attention!

As we reported, Drake listed the 3 homes on Monday ... The main mansion -- coming in at 12,500 square feet -- has an asking price of $14.8M and features a private theater, swimming pool with a bar and waterfalls, and tennis courts.

Drake won't have a problem selling his estate ... we're told the house already has a handful of serious buyers ... with expectations that there will be several offers by week's end.

Jeff Bezos is very particular about his family jewels and how they're framed -- he threw a fit before his historic spaceflight because his Blue Origin jumpsuit didn't make his crotch look too hot.

The Amazon founder was quite upset when he first slipped on the spacesuit for a photo shoot last July, complaining it was a bad fit around his junk ... this according to a new Bloomberg report.

Jeff didn't run to Amazon for a quick fix, though ... instead, he flew his personal tailor down to Texas for some alterations before the big launch. Ah, the perks of being in the triple comma club.

Remember ... Jeff and Richard Branson were in a space race among billionaires and Branson made it up first. Jeff blasted off in a Blue Origin rocket that many mocked for its phallic shape. Now that we know, ya could say the spacesuit issue was perfect foreshadowing for Jeff's spaceship!!!

When Jeff and co. made it back down to Earth, social media lit him up for rocking a cowboy hat at the news conference -- so, his concerns about how his crotch looked in the suit might have been warranted.

Former CIA operative Ric Prado says killing Vladimir Putin inside Russia isn't as easy as Sen. Lindsey Graham makes it sound, but he adds ... there is an opening, if the oligarchs want him gone.

Prado, who has more than 20-years experience in in the Agency, broke down what he believes his former colleagues can do to help Ukraine beat back Putin's Russian army. Many people, like Sen. Graham, have said the best option is getting Putin out of power ... and Prado's all for it too.

But, as he explained Thursday on "TMZ Live" ... killing Putin is easier said than done. For starters, he says Putin is well protected and his inner circle will do anything to keep him alive, because they're as good as dead if he's ever assassinated.

Ric also says Russian civilians don't stand a chance against Putin -- they just don't have the weaponry -- but oligarchs have the resources and connections to make Sen. Graham's wish come true.

He says the economic sanctions are squeezing the oligarchs ... and he'd like to see one or more of Russia's 100 billionaires put a bounty on Putin's head just to stop their own economic bleeding.