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Actor Samm Levine was just 19 years old when he shot "Not Another Teen Movie" -- starring as the Asian-influenced character Bruce -- a high school freshman who is parodying Jim Levenstein from 'American Pie' and Daniel LaRusso from 'The Karate Kid.'

Samm shared this iconic role with Cody McMains who played the little brother of Chyler Leigh AKA Janey Briggs, as well as A-lister Chris Evans, the high school jock who falls in love with the nerdy-hot girl -- a parody on "She's All That."

21 years later, Levine recently celebrated his 40th birthday.

One mystery contestant on "The Masked Singer" isn't looking to make any more friends ... pissing off fellow masked celebs with maybe the biggest entourage ever.

Backstage sources at 'TMS' tell us ... in the past 6 seasons, they've never seen a contestant show up with a crew this big. Usually, celebs roll solo at rehearsals to avoid revealing their identity, but this person seems unconcerned, opting to bring a massive group with them!

Friends, managers, beauty and hair team, family members... this contestant rolls deep.

We've also learned that the sheer size of this celebrity's entourage has pissed off other contestants backstage ... one contestant in a trailer close to them complained to producers about the noise coming from the giant posse ... turning relaxing downtime into a giant headache.

Our sources won't reveal which contestant rolls with the giant entourage -- not wanting to give away who this might be -- so fans will have to come to their own conclusions for the time being.

Here's the most unlikely reaction to Russia's invasion of Ukraine -- a "rapper" spitting bars in a TX city council meeting about killing Putin and riding hard for Zelensky.

Alex Stein, best known as internet comedian Primetimestein, heated up Tuesday's meeting in Plano, Texas by dropping some seriously anti-Putin lyrics to the council members -- and you can tell from their faces ... this wasn't the meeting they expected.

Armed with a Bluetooth speaker, Alex rapped ... "Gas prices are way too high, Putin’s got to die, put a bullet in Putin’s head."

The council members weren't exactly feeling it -- not a single head was bobbing, but Alex persisted for more than 2 minutes.

Alex wrapped up by thanking the council, and shouting out Sen. Lindsey Graham for calling on the Russian people to assassinate Putin.

As Graham put it earlier this month, "The only way this ends is for somebody in Russia to take this guy out. You would be doing your country and the world a great service."

Congressman Mike Quigley is applauding President Volodymyr Zelensky for standing up to Vladimir Putin, and says the Russians -- and maybe the world -- seriously underestimated Ukraine's leader.

The U.S. Rep from Illinois joined us Wednesday on "TMZ Live" after he'd witnessed Zelensky state his case to Congress for more military assistance to defend his country from Putin's invasion ... and came away impressed.

Rep. Quigley says Zelensky's courage has managed to unite NATO in only a few weeks, despite the fact Ukraine is not even a member nation, and he's proving Putin made a huge miscalculation by taking him lightly.

As we reported ... Zelensky made an impassioned speech to Quigley and hundreds of his fellow colleagues in Congress, pleading for the U.S. and NATO to help to impose a no-fly zone over Ukraine in hopes of stopping the Russians from bombing civilians.

Rep. Quigley's Chicago constituents include a neighborhood known as Ukrainian Village, and he's had conversations with Zelensky prior to today's speech.

D.L. Hughley just took the gloves off in his online battle with Kanye, and ... well, on a level it's hilarious.

For starters, D.L. mused, "Kanye do you know how horrible you gotta be to make a #Kardashian date a white man! #TeamDl."

D.L. wasn't done ... "Ye is at it again huh?? Welp at least I wasn’t crying on the phone about how big Pete’s Peter is! If you want her back instead acting up why don’t you try doing some d**k ups! #TeamDl"

D.L. was triggered by Kanye's comments Wednesday morning, when he posted a pic of D.L. in fatigues and said, "This grown ass man picked this outfit out himself Is he influential or under the influence???"

Now, here's where DL may have crossed the line a bit ... "Kanye how dare you talk about the way someone dresses, look at you!! All those people in your head and not one of em got a Macys card? #TeamDl"

As you know by now, Kanye has gone in hard on D.L., Trevor Noah and, of course, Kim and Pete. D.L. posted over the weekend, "You can tell when people surround themselves with real ones. REAL ONES in your corner would NEVER allow you to threaten a man or his family, especially in a public forum."

He went on ... "Kanye supposedly has all these goons who will kill for him, but not one of them will get his prescriptions filled?"

D.L.'s parting shots, "Kanye ain’t it funny how you can explain my jokes, but not your behavior? #TeamDl."

Jussie Smollett is taking Lent very seriously this year, choosing to give up food while behind bars ... and he's intending to stick to it for nearly 5 more weeks.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... Jussie's fasting for spiritual reasons and hasn't eaten anything since Lent started on March 3, a full week before he started serving his sentence in Cook County Jail -- and he's continued the fast behind bars.

We're told all he's ingested is water, and while his plan is to keep that up until Lent ends on April 17, Easter Sunday ... he's taking things "one day at a time."

Our sources say Jussie remains in good spirits, noting this is not a hunger strike or protest to his imprisonment. Remember, Jussie made a point to repeatedly say, during his sentencing, he is not suicidal.

He's nearly 2 weeks into the fast, and we're told he's still physically okay and in "good spirits." Cook Co. Sheriff's Office says it can't comment on religious or spiritual practices of individuals, but did say jail staff monitors all inmates to "ensure their health and wellness."

On Wednesday, his brother, Jocqui said Jussie had been moved out of the psych ward thanks to fan support, with #FreeJussie circulating online.

While he claimed his brother was kept in a restrained bed during his time in the ward, a rep for the sheriff's office says that wasn't the case and denied Jussie's bed had any restraints.

We're also told he was moved out of the ward because health services needed space for another detained person, and the decision to move him was made by medical professionals.

Britney Spears' family secrets and sexy photoshoots have come to a very abrupt halt ... as the singer's Instagram account mysteriously disappeared off the site.

On Wednesday, Brit's IG disappeared without a trace, meaning she's losing her ability to speak out -- and show off -- like she normally does ... as you're aware, Britney used her social media to talk about family drama, the conservatorship, and love for fiancé Sam Asghari.

Confusion is moving fast among fans, with no answer yet as to why she's dropped off. Sam also has yet to comment publicly on her disappearing act.

A few weeks ago, Britney posted about her big return to Las Vegas -- as a tourist instead of a performer -- saying she loved being "treated as an equal" for once ...none of her recent posts foreshadowed a deletion.

While she used her platform to talk about the high points in her life, she's been known to use it as a weapon against those that hurt her ... making a lengthy post separate from her Vegas story, Britney went off at the entire entertainment industry, saying she was on the clock 7 days a week with little privacy.

She said, "I gave my all when I worked only to be literally thrown away … I was nothing more than a puppet to my family yet to the public I just performed on stage and did what I was told to do."

We have reached out to Instagram for comment ... so far, no word back.

Norman Reedus won't be shooting down any zombies in the near future, 'cause the guy hit his head bad enough to put him out of commission for a bit ... TMZ has confirmed.

Reedus' rep tells us the actor suffered a concussion Friday on the set of "The Walking Dead" -- although it's unclear if it happened while filming or not. There's also no word, thus far, on what exactly happened and how severe it was.

It couldn't have been too bad, though ... we're told Norman's already been discharged from the hospital, and his rep says NR is "recovering well" and set to return to work soon.

Norman's in the middle of production for what is supposed to be the final season of the long-running series -- this before his own spinoff goes into production, which is expected to start sometime this year or perhaps next.

News about Norman having been injured first broke Tuesday via comic convention the Fandemic Tour, which noted he'd been hurt and had to cancel a scheduled appearance ... without elaborating on what exactly had gone down.

As you probably know ... Norman's been with 'TWD' since the very beginning, and with the offshoots in the works, ya gotta figure everyone's happy to hear he's okay.

Pete Davidson wants things to be permanent with Kim Kardashian -- no matter how things turn out in the end -- he's gotten her name BRANDED on his chest ... not just tattooed.

Kim is set to appear on Ellen Wednesday, and in a preview clip, she and the talk show host talked about Pete's ink. It was over the weekend when some eagle-eyed fans noticed what they thought was a "Kim" tattoo on Pete's chest.

Turns out, Pete went above and beyond ... actually getting Kim's name branded with a hot iron on his body. Kim says Pete chose to make it permanent "like a scar" so he couldn't ever have it removed like regular tattoos.

Not only that, Kim also revealed Pete's got two other tributes to her on his body ... including one tattoo that reads, "My girl is a lawyer."

The gesture may seem dramatic, but Pete's got a lot of tats, and uses them to express things happening throughout his life ... so tributes to Kim make sense.

Of course, things have really heated up between the couple since we first saw them together last year ... and just this weekend, Pete stood up to Kanye, calling Kim a great mom and asking Kanye to meet face-to-face and talk about settling their beef.

Traffic jams happen in Costa Rican jungles too, or at least they do when a zip-lining kid suddenly crashes into ... a freakin' sloth!!!

Ya gotta see this video ... the kid hops on the zip line, and starts to pick up some serious speed, when about 12 seconds into his journey he slams into a sloth that's also moving down the cable -- but, naturally, at a sloth's pace.

The boy comes to a screeching and jarring halt in a head-to-head collision ... and the sloth hangs on for dear life.

Everyone looks a little shaken up, but no one appears to be seriously injured, though the sloth seems a little ticked off at the humans before slowly keeping it moving along the zip line.

The incident went down Sunday in La Fortuna, Costa Rica ... an area known for its zip lines and suspended bridges which offer views of lakes and volcanoes, and apparently up-close encounters with sloths.

Kanye West is turning his anger toward Trevor Noah now ... firing off a racial slur after Trevor warned Ye and Kim Kardashian's feud could turn violent.

Ye was up at 5 AM PT to post Trevor's pic and caption it with the mocking and racist lyrics, "K**n baya my lord k**n baya K**n baya my lord K**n baya Oooo' lord K**n baya."

Clearly, Kanye had seen last night's 'Daily Show' where Trevor addressed the ongoing feud between Kim, Ye and Pete Davidson.

He said while it's true Kim loves publicity, it can also be true that she's being harassed by her now ex-husband.

Trevor compared it to his own mother getting shot by Trevor's stepfather ... and suggested society stop making jokes about Kim and Ye's divorce. He added, "Do we wish to stand by and watch a car crash when we thought we saw it coming?"

Kanye's racist rebuttal to Trevor's commentary comes days after he posted an angry video accusing Kim of keeping their kids away from him, and Pete and Ye's text exchange ... where Pete allegedly said he was "in bed with your wife."

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky made his case to the United States Congress Wednesday for more aid in defending his homeland, and he zeroed in on the closest American equivalencies -- Pearl Harbor and 9/11.

Zelensky spoke by zoom to members who were not in the House Chamber -- where they usually have joint sessions of Congress -- they were all in the Capitol Visitors Center Congressional Auditorium. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi introduced Zelensky with the same words she uses to intro our own Prez -- "It is my high privilege and distinct honor to present to you President Volodymyr Zelensky. She ended her introduction with "Glory to Ukraine." She tried to get members to chant the phrase, but they didn't.

Members were riveted as members heard Zelenksy's plea for aid. He presented a heartbreaking video of the toll the war has taken ... buildings bombed, civilians killed, buildings destroyed. It was difficult to watch, but it powerfully made his point.

Zelensky also invoked the name of Martin Luther King Jr., by quoting from the "I Have a Dream" speech.

Just a side note ... Zelensky's background in the entertainment industry can't be ignored. Presenting a highly-produced, emotional video with a solemn music bed.

Zelensky, who initially spoke in his native language, switched it up and spoke English, as he explained his country was fighting not just for its own freedom but for the freedom of Europe. He made the point freedom is not always internal ... it depends on what goes on around you.

He made it clear ... his people will not give up.

Marilyn Miglin, the "Queen of Makeovers" on Home Shopping Network and whose husband was killed by serial killer Andrew Cunanan has died.

Marilyn's son Duke Miglin tells TMZ ... she passed away in Chicago Monday, surrounded by loved ones. Miglin died from complications from a stroke.

Miglin was a host of the Home Shopping Network for more than 25 years -- enticing 65 million viewers to fork over their credit cards for a slew of beauty products.

She founded a beauty company in 1963 -- Marilyn Miglin Cosmetics -- which became her empire, with 36 fragrances and perfumes. The company was valued at $50 million. She made the list of America's top 500 female business owners.

Miglin was also an activist ... using her later years to help burn survivors by offering beauty services to the facially disfigured, frequently visiting the trauma unit at the University of Illinois Craniofacial Center.

Chicago declared April 15 Marilyn Miglin Day to honor all the good deeds she did for the city. The Raoul Wallenberg Pediatric Day Hospital in Jerusalem named a burn and disfigurement unit after her in June 1998 ... recognizing her work with children.

Lee Miglin, her husband, was the 3rd murder victim of serial killer Andrew Cunanan in 1997 ... the man who went on to murder Gianni Versace. Miglin was found in the garage of their home, face covered in duct tape and wrapped in brown paper. His ribs were broken and his throat had been cut.

Following the killing, investigators noticed Cunanan slept in Lee’s bed, gave himself a shave, and ate from their refrigerator ... ultimately fleeing the house in the family car.

Miglin's story was highlighted in season 2 of "American Crime Story," with Marilyn played by Judith Light.

She leaves behind two adult children. She was 83.

Here's a new low for Vladimir Putin's monstrous minions -- drone footage shows Russian soldiers opening fire on an unarmed civilian as he was attempting to surrender.

The video, obtained by a German TV station, shows the Ukrainian man driving down a road when he spots Russian soldiers in a tank. The man pulled over and put his hands in the air but it didn't stop the Russians from executing him.

According to the German station ZDF ... this terrifying scene went down March 7 on a highway west of Kyiv. What's particularly chilling about the video is the fact the man seemed to be giving himself up. His hands were already up when he stepped out of his car.

The invaders couldn't care less, and mercilessly decided to shoot to kill.

The Russians showed zero remorse and tossed the man's lifeless body into a ditch on the roadside. A woman and child reportedly witnessed the entire scene, but it's not clear from the video where they were during the shooting.

A college basketball cheerleader allegedly flipped off an opposing team and then stormed off the court ... after she says one of the players called her a "bitch" and told her to "shut the f*** up."

The bizarre scene all went down last Friday during St. Bonaventure's men's college basketball game against Saint Louis ... when Bonnies cheerleader Hannah Koning says Billikens starting guard Jordan Nesbitt talked trash to her.

Koning claimed in a tweet that Nesbitt "looked me dead in the eyes" and "told me to 'shut the f*** up b****.'"

In video filmed by the outlet Mid-Major Madness shortly after the alleged incident, Koning can be seen furiously walking away from the court while a woman, who appears to be Koning's coach, looked angry on the hardwood as well.

In the caption on the footage, the outlet claimed the cheerleader had thrown her middle fingers up to the Billikens bench just before the camera started rolling.

The outlet added, "Nesbitt had been chirping the Bonaventure cheerleaders all games, calling them disgusting names ... He came up at the end and said some more."

We've reached out to St. Louis for comment on the situation, but so far no word back yet.

Netflix is giving viewers what they want -- and that would apparently be another taste of Volodymyr Zelensky's TV show that launched him into stardom ... and then the presidency.

The streaming giant announced Wednesday that 'Servant of the People' has been reintroduced to its library, saying ... "You asked and it’s back!"

It followed with a description of the show ... a teacher unexpectedly becomes President of Ukraine after a video of him complaining about corruption goes viral. Of course ... life ended up imitating art for Zelensky soon thereafter.

Netflix is running 2 seasons and change. This isn't the first go-round for "SOTP" on Netflix ... it was on its menu from 2017 to 2021.

There's intense interest in Zelensky, both with his ascendency to power and his evolution as a leader who now shows shades of Winston Churchill.

BTW ... the show is subtitled ... although there are moments when the cast breaks into English...