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"The Challenge" star Johnny Bananas is overseas helping as many Ukrainian refugees as he can, and says the heartbreaking effort is shining a light on just how good we have it here in the U.S. of A.

Right now, Johnny's splitting his time between Poland and Ukraine -- he's joined a humanitarian convoy with the Humanosh Foundation, and earlier this week helped deliver 3 ambulances and 3 vans loaded with food, military gear and medical equipment.

He says the mission's made him realize American issues pale in comparison to what Ukrainians are facing.

With people in the U.S. currently upset about soaring gas prices and inflation at the supermarket -- Johnny thinks we should imagine a world where there is no gas to be found!

Johnny says Americans have gotten "too comfortable," and coming to a war-torn country like Ukraine really put things into perspective for him.

BTW ... the Humanosh Foundation is a nonprofit that provides shelter and aid to refugees and soldiers.

Last week Johnny's friend called asking if anyone he knew with a big platform would be willing to help show the world the good the nonprofit is trying to accomplish.

Chris Johnson is opening up on the shooting that took his friend's life -- and severely injured the NFL star -- explaining he feared his professional football career was over.

The 36-year-old former All-Pro sat down with journalist Omar Kelly and Brandon Marshall for an episode of the ex-Pro Bowlers' "I Am Athlete" show ... and detailed the March 2015 morning where CJ2K's was shot in the shoulder, and his friend was murdered.

"We're at the red light, just happened so quick. Just hear windows shattering, next thing you know I'm in the car, one of my other friends in the back seat, my other friend driving," Chris says.

"So I'm sitting there and the next thing you know, I look to the left, I see one of my friends, he's leaning on the horn. He gone. I shake him like wake up, wake up. Outta there. I call my homeboy in the back seat, he's talking to me whatever. So whatever, we go to the hospital."

Chris' friend Rollie died in the shooting.

Johnson, who played 10 seasons in the NFL, and was one of the best running backs of his era, was badly injured as a result of the shooting ... and feared it'd end his football career.

"When I got shot, it went collarbone, shoulder bone, rib, all that. So at this time, now I'm on bed rest. So probably like three weeks after I get shot, my nerves start messing with me. Now my hand goes out like, so painful. I can't use it. If I touch something, it's burning sensational."

"So now I can't use my hand, my right hand is my dominant hand. I can't use my hand so I'm like damn, my career over with."

Chris tells Brandon he was only in Florida to attend a concert put on by a friend who was about to head to prison for several years ... so CJ wanted to hang and say goodbye to his buddy.

However, the night took a turn for the worst ... and Chris nearly paid with his life.

Identical twins Brent and Shane Kinsman were 5 years old when they ran across our screens while playing Kyle and Nigel Baker -- a boisterous set of twins who made up two of the dozen Baker children in the 2003 film 'Cheaper By The Dozen.'

The OG family comedy was packed with big named stars including Hilary Duff, Steve Martin, Bonnie Hunt, Dax Shepard and Ashton Kutcher were also cast in the movie.

Recently graduating from college, The Kinsman twins are now 24 years old and have plans to step back in front of the camera soon.

Trevor Noah's response to Kanye West hurling a racial slur at him is filled with compassion for what he sees the rapper becoming -- a situation the 'Daily Show' host calls heartbreaking.

Trevor went right to the source, posting a comment on Ye's IG that seeks to deescalate their feud -- initially pointing out how much of a positive impact West has had on his life.

Then Trevor tugs at Ye's heartstrings, saying ... "You're an indelible part of my life Ye, which is why it breaks my heart to see you like this."

Trevor says he doesn't care if Kanye supports Donald Trump or roasts Pete Davidson, then adds ... "I do however care when I see you on a path that's dangerously close to peril and pain."

Keep in mind, Trevor left this comment on Kanye's since-deleted post where he called Trevor a "k**n" ... which Kanye posted in the wake of Trevor warning Ye's feud with Kim Kardashian and Pete could turn violent.

Trevor urges Kanye to understand there's a difference between fighting for his family, and simply fighting his family -- because he doesn't want to wake up one day to news Kanye did something terrible.

As we reported ... Julia Fox told us her ex-BF is harmless, and just expressing himself as an artist when he goes after Pete and Kim online. However, Trevor says he'd rather be the idiot who takes Kanye's words seriously and speaks out ... as opposed to staying silent and later regretting it.

Trevor also addresses the racial epithet, telling Kanye, "Don't ever forget, the biggest trick racists ever played on black people was teaching us to strip each other of our blackness whenever we disagree."

As we reported ... Kanye's attack on Trevor was part of the reason he's been suspended from using Instagram.

Trevor's comment ends with some comedy to lighten the mood ... he says Kanye's diss was actually funny and wishes Ye well, hoping they can laugh about the beef one day.

Folks on the set of 'NCIS' are getting sick ... and sources say the mystery illness has more than a dozen people who work on the show puking.

The long-running CBS program is currently filming in Valencia, CA just outside of L.A. ... and one source tells us at least 18 people on set fell ill Thursday morning.

One show exec told us they have been having Zoom meetings to figure out how to message what happened to everyone involved.

A CBS source tells TMZ it appears to be something like food poisoning, which the source describes as a minor illness with "mild symptoms."

So far, we're told the source of the illness is not known.

We're told they are still in production.

Zac Efron continues to prove he's been able to maintain one of the best bods in Hollywood for years ... taking a shirtless jog on the beach in Costa Rica.

The actor was spotted with some friends -- both male and female -- in Central America this week, unclear if he's down there for biz, pleasure or both ... but he's doing it all in a swimsuit.

Zac's been quite the globe-trotter over the last few years, including his Netflix project "Down to Earth with Zac Efron" where he worked to find healthy, sustainable ways to live.

You can see in the pics, at one point Zac busts out a camera and also takes a dip in the water -- so at the very least, he was shooting some content.

Logan Paul's wrestling Rey Mysterio and his WWE Superstar son Dominik in less than 3 weeks ... but WrestleMania might not be the last time you see Paul in a squared circle 'cause he tells TMZ Sports he's down to wrestle on a regular basis.

... but, only if the WWE fans want him.

We talked to the 26-year-old YouTuber and combat sports star ahead of his WrestleMania 38 tag team match (more on that later) ... and asked Logan how training was going with his tag team partner, The Miz.

"Bro, I am so ready, it's ridiculous. I'm not kidding, I'm very good at this sport. It comes so natural to me. I've been training but honestly bro, it's light work," Paul told us.

FYI, The Miz told us a few weeks ago Logan was an "Absolute natural."

We asked Logan if he'd consider signing with WWE ... and wrestle on a regular basis.

"To be honest, I don't think it's up to me. I think it's up to the fans. I think it's up to the fans to see if they agree with me thinking I'm good," Paul said.

"I think I'm good, I'm f**king biased though because I'm me. If they like my performance and they like what I can bring to the table, then maybe I'll entertain that convo."

And, if the fans want him?

"Yeah, absolutely. It's fun, dude. It's really, really fun. I just got done with training this morning and I come back like 'Yo!' Yeah dude, it's awesome."

Logan -- who boxed Floyd Mayweather last year in an exhibition bout -- says he's been training with The Miz leading up to the Mania matchup.

"He's an awesome partner and mentor. Obviously, he's been in this business forever and is a star himself, so having him by my side to kind of like handle me through the basics is fantastic. I'm learning quick and the more I learn, the quicker I'm learning. It takes me one attempt at a thing before I got it and once I know the ins and outs of the sport, I mean sky's the limit, to be honest."

As much as he loves The Miz, we asked Logan if he'd ever team up with his brother Jake.

"That's a fantastic idea. I never thought about it. That's a great idea, oh my God. Yeah, man I could definitely see that happen. Sheesh, that'd be nutty!"

WM 38 goes down April 2 and 3!

Some of Hollywood's biggest names are in the spirit -- rockin' green to celebrate St. Patrick's Day. Warning: Images may contain green beer and Guinness.

Olympic athlete Simone Biles shared green bikini shots while on vacation in Turks and Caicos -- while Danny Trejo, made special holiday donuts at his L.A. restaurant ... rainbows and Lucky Charms included!!!

Of course, we can't forget "Too Hot To Handle" star Francesca Farago, who did an entire shamrock photo shoot for the occasion.

Other celebs went out all for the holiday ... John C. Reilly was the international guest of honor at the St Patrick's Day parade in Dublin, Ireland.

Pretty special moment for John and all of Ireland, really. This year marks the first time in 2 years they've had the celebration there ... due to COVID.

Other notable mentions include Jeff Ross ... sharing a throwback photo with his late pal Donny Davis dressed as a leprechaun.

Sharon Osbourne is ready to talk again in front of cameras -- she's joining a new network in England where she'll be able to share her opinion, and her new TV home has a familiar ring.

Sharon was just announced as an on-screen talent for the soon-to-launch UK network, TalkTV ... which is the same network that will air a new Piers Morgan hosted show during primetime.

Sharon and Piers appeared in a quick promo for the upcoming show ... easy to tell they get along without issue.

The network says Sharon will be a panelist on a show about current events, and it's called "The Talk," coincidentally enough.

Of course, Sharon got booted from "The Talk" on CBS after defending Piers following his controversial attack on Meghan Markle ... and she recently told us she would never go back to CBS, even if they unloaded a Brinks truck in front of her house.

Violinist Vera Lytovchenko is opening up about her astoundingly brave performance in a Ukrainian bomb shelter, and despite deadly attacks in her hometown ... says she won't back down to the Russians.

Vera, a member of the Kharkiv City Opera Orchestra, joined us Thursday from Kharkiv, where 21 civilians had been killed earlier in the day. While Vera and most of her neighbors are sheltering, she's tugged at heartstrings around the world with a performance that's gone viral.

She told us on "TMZ Live" she got the idea to play music in her local bomb shelter from one of her violin students ... who did the same thing in a train station. Vera says she thought, "This young girl, 18 years old, is so brave. I can do something like this."

She hoped it could make a difference and keep people's minds off of the horrors of the Russian invasion ... and after posting some clips she found her comment section flooded with powerful messages.

Vera says she's been told her music is helping fellow Ukrainians who feel alone in these uncertain times.

The war literally hit too close to home for Vera recently when a bomb went off near her apartment. She's used social media to show the destruction.

Even in the face of that danger, she explained why she'll never leave Kharkiv. Saying her grandmother's grave is a few blocks away.

Vera is working with a friend to raise money for local musicians who've been affected by the war ... and says the money raised will help rebuild the music college, the conservatory and even go to struggling music students.

Jack Dorsey is making another big donation ... and this time he's sending money to organizations helping with the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine.

The former Twitter CEO and founder just donated $7 million to benefit Ukrainians impacted by Vladimir Putin's war, and he's spreading the dough around evenly to 7 different initiatives.

The money is flowing through Jack's fund Start Small, LLC ... and it's the same fund he's used before to donate $3 million to Colin Kaepernick's legal defense initiative and $1 billion to COVID-19 relief.

Jack's $1 million donations are going to the following organizations:

- Nova Ukraine ... a humanitarian aid workgroup on the ground in Ukraine since 2014, run by a group of Silicon Valley-based Ukrainians who work in the tech industry

- CARE ... a crisis fund providing food, water, hygiene kits and more to 4 million Ukrainians, with an emphasis on women, families and the elderly

- World Central Kitchen ... a collection of chefs and others serving thousands of fresh meals to Ukrainians

- Sunflower of Peace ... a group distributing first-aid kits, medicine and medical instruments to paramedics and doctors in war-torn areas of Ukraine

- Razom ... crisis relief workers providing life-saving medical supplies and humanitarian aid and helping Ukraine rebuild

- Mery Corps ... a global team of humanitarians providing emergency cash assistance and connecting people on the move with information, like where to access basic services and find safe routes in Ukraine, Romania and Poland

-GlobalGiving ... a crisis relief fund supporting humanitarian assistance in impacted communities in Ukraine and surrounding regions where refugees are fleeing

Kim Kardashian's estranged husband has used social media as a vessel to launch attacks on her and Pete Davidson -- and although Kim says it's tough, she tries to "take the high road" -- keeping their kids in mind.

Kim is set to sit with Ellen DeGeneres Thursday, where she tackles everything from the happiness she's found with Pete Davidson to the struggles she's facing with Kanye in the wake of their divorce.

Ellen tips her cap to Kim, saying it's impressive the mother of 4 is able to hold off on publicly going after Kanye -- the way he's done to her.

Kim says she learned a lot from her own mom and dad -- who went through a divorce -- and that she'll always be somewhat protective of Kanye because he's the father of her kids.

Of course, that's seemingly been more difficult lately ... Kanye's currently in Instagram timeout. TMZ broke the story, Ye's account was suspended for at least 24 hours for his violations of the app's community guidelines. We're told it's possible he could face more sanctions if his online harassment and bullying continues.

If Rep. Ilhan Omar wasn't a Marvel fan before, she is now ... as the studio announced its first-ever Muslim superhero to headline a series.

We caught up with the congresswoman in D.C. and she told us it was incredibly exciting ... not only seeing our world diversify but also seeing it reflected by Marvel.

Ilhan says representation on this scale is extremely significant ... especially for young folks, like her son, who loves watching superhero movies.

ICYMI ... Marvel Studios released its trailer for the newest Disney Plus series, "Ms. Marvel" ... and the hero is Kamala Khan, played by 19-year-old Iman Vellani. It's the first time a Muslim woman is being featured in an MCU project.

Being one of the first 2 Muslim women to serve in Congress, Ilhan notes diversity on all fronts makes all the difference ... and that includes gender, culture, ethnicity and religion.

Karen Fukuhara, famous for her starring role in Amazon Prime Video's "The Boys," says she was the victim of an anti-Asian hate crime.

Karen says the alleged assault went down Wednesday and came out of nowhere. She says she was walking down a street to pick up some coffee at a café when a random passerby struck her in the back of the head as they walked by each other ... she did not name the location of the alleged attack.

The actress says she hadn't even made eye contact with her alleged attacker and she "wasn't doing anything out of the ordinary." Karen says she's physically fine after the alleged attack, but says the force of the blow to the back of her head knocked her hat off.

Karen says she spun around and her alleged attacker was already walking away. She says she didn't confront him out of fear and says he started yelling at her.

KF says it's the first time she's been the victim of what she's calling a "hate crime" and she says she feels lucky the alleged attacker wasn't armed.

The alleged attack has Karen contemplating a self-defense class ... and she says she wants to bring awareness to the rise in attacks on women, Asians and the elderly.

Kanye West isn't letting his Instagram ban keep him down -- he appeared to be happy as ever at the Golden State Warriors game on Wednesday ... bringing his son, Saint, along for the fun.

Ye was all smiles courtside at the Chase Center as the Warriors took on the Boston Celtics ... posting up right next to Dubs co-owners Joseph Lacob and Peter Guber.

The "Eazy" artist was spotted chatting with Lacob throughout the game -- perhaps picking the guy's brain as he's openly talked about wanting to buy the Denver Broncos.

What's interesting -- Ye got in some serious quality time with 6-year-old Saint ... just days after he accused Kim of keeping him away from their kids. That's clearly not the case here ... as the dad-son duo wore matching all-black outfits at the event.

As we previously reported, Ye pissed off IG after his social attacks on Pete Davidson, Kim Kardashian, and Trevor Noah (to name a few) ... forcing the social media app to ban his account for 24 hours after violating hate speech, harassment and bullying policies.

It appears -- at least for a 48-minute NBA game -- Ye was able to hit the pause button on all the drama.

Justin Bieber was forced to take a seat Wednesday during his concert in the Mile High City ... but not because of the altitude ... because his concert went to crap.

It went down at Justin's Justice World Tour show in Denver at the Ball Arena.

JB was performing "Yummy" when the stage lights went out, video monitors went dark, sound equipment shut down, lasers went off, the large monitor behind him went out ... and only the pyrotechnics -- mini fireworks -- still worked.

Once things started to go sideways, Bieber stopped performing and just sat down on the side of the stage ... while technicians worked frantically to restore power.

JB was only a few songs into his set ... and it was no quick fix because JB didn't rise up for more than 15 minutes.

And, speaking of sitting, it didn't sit well with his fans, who plunked down hundreds of dollars and traveled miles. Making matters worse, the concert had already been postponed and downsized due to COVID.

The show resumed after a 30 min pause, but there were still tech issues. Justin powered through but didn't have all the bells and whistles, like some of the large video screens, lasers and stage lighting.

When he returned to the stage, Justin mentioned Hailey ... asking the crowd if they had "heard about my wife in the news, she's doing better." TMZ broke the story, Hailey was hospitalized last week in Palm Springs with a blood clot. As we reported, doctors at the time thought it was COVID-related.

Justin said, "Thank you for your patience, sometimes life throws you a curveball, not much you can do about it."

Well, 2 curveballs in a week are a bit much.