Stephen Colletti from 'Laguna Beach' 'Memba Him?!

The OG of the OC Stephen Colletti brought the best out of high school surfing, girls, reality (well that's questionable) and straight-up DRAMA from his days on MTV's "Laguna Beach."

Known as the beach town's hot surfer boy, he was the instigator of one of the most iconic high school love triangles which obvi included himself, the sassy hot junior Kristin Cavallari and the quiet wholesome senior girl, 'LC' aka Lauren Conrad.

Stephen would later go on to act in shows like "One Tree Hill," "Hit the Floor," and was Taylor Swift's love interest in her music video "White Horse."

See what the rad star looks like now!

Will Smith LAPD Was Ready to Arrest for Slap Show Producer Details Backstage Drama

The LAPD was standing by and ready to arrest Will Smith for putting hands on Chris Rock at The Oscars -- but Chris waved them off, saying he was fine -- according to the show's producer.

In a preview clip for his interview with 'GMA,' Oscars' honcho Will Packer says LAPD officers were ready to arrest Will if Chris so wanted, detailing the conversation that happened backstage directly following the slap.

033122-will-packer-kal
LAYING OUT HIS OPTIONS
ABC News

In the clip, Packer tells T.J. Holmes cops were prepared to go and get Will from the crowd and make an arrest for battery ... letting Chris know he could press criminal charges against Will.

ABC 3/27/22
TAKIN' NO DISRESPECT
ABC

At one point, Packer claims Chris was being dismissive of what police were telling him ... and he says he told the comedian to let cops finish their spiel before making a decision.

In the end, Chris decided against pressing charges, and Will was allowed to remain front and center at The Oscars, where he won the award for best actor and gave a tearful speech.

0330-chris-rock-audio-art-tmz
STILL PROCESSING IT ALL
Variety

Will's since apologized for the slap and foul language ... but at his show Wednesday night, Chris revealed he's still processing what went down and will talk about it later on his comedy tour.

Tune in tomorrow to "Good Morning America" for more of T.J. Holmes’ interview with Will Packer.

Joe Exotic Files For Divorce from Dillon

UPDATE

3:20 PM PT -- Joe is apparently desperate to get out of his marriage, tweeting, "Dillon, please just sign it and go away."

Joe Exotic is giving up on his marriage while he sits behind bars ... because he just filed for divorce.

The 'Tiger King' star filed divorce docs Thursday after more than 4 years of marriage to Dillon Passage ... and in the docs, obtained by TMZ, Joe says the marriage is irretrievably broken.

Joe and Dillon have been estranged for about a year ... as we first told you, Dillon called Joe in prison last March and told Exotic he wanted out of the relationship and divorce was on the table.

But, Joe is the one actually pulling the trigger on the divorce ... his legal team says Dillon never followed through on his divorce threat.

TMZ broke the story ... Dillon's already moved on with a new boyfriend, and Joe is looking for love too.

Joe and Dillon tied the knot on Dec. 11, 2017 ... 2 months after Joe's previous husband, Travis Maldonado, died after accidentally shooting himself.

In the docs, Joe says he's in need of alimony in the form of a lump sum and says he wants to change his name from Joseph Allen Maldonado-Passage back to Joseph Allen Maldonado.

Joe's divorce attorney, Autumn Blackledge, says Exotic hopes he and Dillon "can both move on with their lives and divorce quickly and amicably."

Bruce Willis 'Worst Performance' Razzie Rescinded After Aphasia Announcement

Bruce Willis is no longer the recipient of this year's "Worst Performance" Razzie -- the org is pulling the title after learning the actor's battling a debilitating condition.

Willis had 8 films from 2021 highlighted within Razzie's "Worst of Hollywood" ceremony over the weekend. However, it was his work on "Cosmic Sin" that earned Bruce "Worst Performance."

Unfortunate timing for the Razzies ... just a few days later Bruce's family announced he'd been diagnosed with aphasia, a disease that hinders a person's ability to communicate and understand language.

On Thursday, Razzie co-founders Mo Murphy and John Wilson said in a statement, "If someone's medical condition is a factor in their decision making and/or their performance, we acknowledge that it is not appropriate to give them a Razzie."

Hence, they're taking back the award.

As we reported, Rumer Willis, broke the sad news, posting, "We wanted to share that our beloved Bruce has been experiencing some health issues and has recently been diagnosed with aphasia, which is impacting his cognitive abilities." She says her dad has stepped away from acting as a result.

All in all, Bruce has been in more than a dozen flicks in the past 2 years -- and fans, and critics alike, are now looking at them with a much different perspective.

Red Hot Chili Peppers Walk of Fame Star Debut Gets Crazy ... Shuts Down Hollywood Blvd

The Red Hot Chili Peppers are feeling unlimited love from their fans ... folks are flocking to the ceremony for the band's Hollywood Walk of Fame star and the scene looks insane!!!

RHCP is being honored as we speak on Hollywood Blvd ... and it's causing such a ruckus the city decided to shut down the famous street to traffic.

Flea, John Frusciante, Anthony Kiedis and Chad Smith are a huge draw ... there's a huge throng of RHCP people crowding around the new star, plus a ton of cameras and a heavy police presence.

The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce looks like it's busting out all the tricks for this ceremony ... hiring the USC marching band and song girls to provide entertainment to those milling around on the streets.

033122-red-hot-chili-peppers-kal
STORMIN' THE STREETS
TMZ.com

Celebs in attendance include Woody Harrelson, George Clinton and Bob Forrest.

The Chilli Peppers are still huge in Los Angeles ... the band formed here way back in the 1980s ... and they're still super relevant. Flea is a fixture at Lakers games and other L.A. sporting events, and RHCP is about to release its 12th studio album, "Unlimited Love."

Congrats on the star!!!

Florida H.S. Track Meet Punched Runner Doesn't Want To Press Charges ... Cops Say

The runner who was sucker punched in the middle of a high school race in Florida last weekend does not want to press charges ... this according to officers at the race.

A spokesperson for the Osceola County Sheriff's Office tells TMZ Sports officers did attend the event over the weekend ... but say the punched runner did not wish to move forward with charges.

The spokesperson added that the other party involved in the incident -- the one who threw the punch -- also declined to press charges ... presumably over what appeared to be the runner making contact with him in the moments before the swing.

Cops did not provide further details.

As we previously reported, the wild scene all went down at the Tohopekaliga Tiger Invitational in Kissimmee on Saturday ... when an athlete appeared to punch a runner in a race after he seemed to be pushed by the boy earlier in the event.

The boys' schools have not provided comment on the situation.

No word yet on if the runner suffered serious injuries, but race results show he did not finish the run.

A rep for the Orange County Public Schools, meanwhile, told us they are cooperating with Florida High School Athletic Association officials as they try to determine what discipline, if any, needs to be handed down in the case.

Will Smith and Chris Rock Oscars Slap Too Violent For Viewers ... 66 FCC Complaints!!!

Will Smith slapping Chris Rock at The Oscars caused a ton of outrage for folks watching at home ... they flooded the FCC with complaints, calling for fines and even invoking BLM.

There were 66 pissed off viewers who felt compelled to fire off some emails to the feds about what they saw ... with most up in arms about the violent attack and voicing concern about what their kids saw and heard on TV.

TMZ obtained the complaints made to the Federal Communications Commission -- a U.S. government agency which regulates television -- regarding The Oscars broadcast ... and all 66 were focused on Will slapping Chris and shouting obscenities after the comedian made a wisecrack about Jada Pinkett Smith.

"The level of violence from one black man inflicted onto another over something he didn't like hearing is intolerable!! Are you tolerating this??? Thought black lives mattered?? Obviously not!! Is that your message???? Smith should be fined & suspended!!!!" ... a viewer from Michigan wrote.

ABC 3/27/22
TAKIN' NO DISRESPECT
ABC

Lots of parents complained about their kids witnessing an assault on live TV, claiming it led to some very uncomfortable conversations with their children, including one viewer in Oklahoma who says their kids asked them "if Black men are always violent?"

The slap even brought up memories of the Justin Timberlake and Janet Jackson wardrobe malfunction at the Super Bowl ... with a viewer from Texas writing, "Obviously, the Oscar's crossed a line last night. I should not have to worry about what my CHILDREN are going to hear during the Oscar's presentation. Not delaying the broadcast for whatever reason was a FAILURE on your part. There needs to be fines and people need to be fired over this. Have we not learned anything in the decades since the Super Bowl debacle? Overall, you have a simple job. Do it!"

Poring over the FCC complaints, it's clear these folks would have asked Will to leave the award show ... which, as we first reported, never happened.

'Jeopardy!' Champ Amy Schneider Visits White House, Second Gentleman ... Discusses Trans Visibility

"Jeopardy!" Champion Amy Schneider took a trip to The White House to meet with Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff, discussing the importance of trans awareness on the Transgender Day of Visibility.

Amy spoke to reporters in the White House Briefing Room Thursday, saying she was invited to meet with Emhoff about advancing transgender visibility and equality in the country ... and on the national holiday that was proclaimed by President Biden the previous year.

033122_amy_schneider_kal
WHITE HOUSE VISIBILITY
C-SPAN

The trivia champ was eager to continue her mission spreading awareness of the transgender community, and her time spent with the Second Gentleman was a big step forward.

On the same day as Amy's meeting, Biden announced new measures that, hopefully, make more people feel accepted in the country ... including gender-neutral TSA scanners and the "X" gender option on passport applications.

As you'll recall, Amy was the first transgender "Jeopardy!" contestant to qualify for the show's Tournament of Champions, and is the most successful woman ever in the show's history ... winning 40 games in a row and pocketing $1.38 million dollars!

After her rise to fame, Amy quit her job as a software engineer and is looking to find something more educational for work. Go get 'em, Amy!

Ukraine Parliament Member Calls for Tighter Oligarch Sanctions ... Their Children Should Suffer Too

033122_inna_sovsun_kal
PUTIN CAN BE BEAT
TMZ.com

One of Ukraine's prominent politicians says western nations can do more than send military support ... they can financially stick it to the children of Russia's oligarchs in order to put pressure on Vladimir Putin.

Inna Sovsun is hunkered down near Kyiv, and joined us Thursday on "TMZ Live" ... as the Russian army attempts to fortify positions, apparently digging in for a much longer war than Putin anticipated.

As devastating as the war has been for her country, Inna tells us citizens -- male and female -- remain focused on defending their homeland ... even though they're painfully aware Russia might resort to using chemical weapons and ultrasonic missiles.

While no one expects Putin to stand down ... she hopes people around him will realize the price of war is too high, and that's where the U.S. and other western nations can help.

Sovsun says tough personal sanctions against Russia's political elites -- aka Putin's oligarch buddies -- are a start, but shutting down their children will also hit them where it hurts. She points out that the oligarchs' kids are still allowed into the U.S. and some are still studying in Great Britain.

Inna told us, "I want them to go back to mother Russia and suffer for the consequences of what their parents did."

She added, "We are on the right side of history here," ... and she wants the U.S. and other countries to be also.

Todrick Hall Sued For $60K in Unpaid Rent ... For Same Home He Claimed He Bought

Choreographer and former "Celebrity Big Brother" contestant Todrick Hall may not be a homeowner after all ... cause TMZ has learned, the dude's just been hit with a lawsuit for thousands in unpaid rent.

According to docs obtained by TMZ, Hall is being sued by Avi Lavian who claims Todrick failed to pay $60k in back rent, for his Sherman Oaks home. The suit claims, Hall is supposed to pay $30k per month in rent but is now around 60 days behind.

Oddly enough, the 36-year-old singer raved about buying the lush home and gave an elaborate tour on YouTube. He said ... "I have been wanting to buy a home for a very very long time, and this is a dream come true."

Check out the video of Todrick showing off his pad and all the cool amenities ... including an outdoor pool, a movie theater, an enormous walk-in closet and a bedframe decked in Louis Vuitton -- just to name a few.

You might recall Todrick from the reality show, "Celebrity Big Brother." He first gained national attention, after appearing on the 9th season of "American Idol" … he's done quite a few gigs since then, including appearing on "RuPaul's Drag Race" as a choreographer and judge, and working with huge stars like Beyonce and Taylor Swift.

Now, it looks like the homeowner life may not have really been a reality for the reality star.

We reached out to Todrick, so far, no word back.

Emily Bridges Trans Cyclist Disqualified Days Before Women's Race

Emily Bridges -- a British transgender cyclist -- was set to race in a women's event this weekend ... but that has changed after the Union Cycliste Internationale disqualified her on Wednesday.

According to British Cycling, the 21-year-old was eligible for the April 2 race due to the British Cycling Transgender and Non-Binary Participation policy.

But, the UCI informed them since she's registered as a male cyclist -- who started hormone therapy last year -- she could not compete.

"We acknowledge the decision of the UCI with regards to Emily's participation, however, we fully recognise her disappointment with today’s decision," British Cycling said in a statement.

"We believe all participants within our sport deserve more clarity and understanding around participation in elite competitions and we will continue to work with the UCI on both Emily's case and the wider situation with regards to this issue."

Bridges -- who set a national junior men's record over 25 miles in 2018 -- is an example of the ongoing battle between transgender athletes and some people in sports who believe the athletes have an unfair advantage.

"We also understand that in elite sports the concept of fairness is essential," British Cycling said.

"For this reason, British Cycling is today calling for a coalition to share, learn and understand more about how we can achieve fairness in a way that maintains the dignity and respect of all athletes."

Several states in the U.S have banned transgender female athletes from girls' teams. In fact, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis denounced transgender swimmer Lia Thomas for winning an NCAA championship.

"By allowing men to compete in women's sports, the NCAA is destroying opportunities for women," DeSantis said, "making a mockery of its championships, and perpetuating a fraud."

Will Smith Academy Lied About Asking Him to Leave ... Sources

Will Smith was NEVER asked to leave the Oscars after he slapped Chris Rock. In fact, the opposite is true -- he was told by the producer of the show he could stay ... this according to sources with direct knowledge who were present.

As you know by now, the Academy said Wednesday they had asked Will to leave the Dolby Theater after the slap but he refused. Three sources who were at the ceremony and witnessed various conversations tell TMZ ... yes, after the slap Academy officials were backstage with Will's reps and there were heated conversations about what had gone down.

We're told there was a split among the officials ... some did want him booted, but others did not. There were various discussions during several commercial breaks, but they never reached a consensus.

ABC 3/27/22
TAKIN' NO DISRESPECT
ABC

We're told Will was aware there was talk about asking him to leave the theater. During one of the commercial breaks, we're told Oscars producer Will Packer walked up to Will and said, "We do not want you to leave" ... this according to our sources.

Will Packer walked up to Will Smith just after 8 PM, around 35 minutes after the slap. That's when he told Will he could stay, according to our sources. Will won the Best Actor Award around 5 minutes later.

032722-will-smith-speech-kal
I'M A PROTECTOR
ABC

It's interesting ... the Academy's first statement about the incident never even mentioned Will Smith by name. As the day went on and outrage grew, the Academy became more aggressive and went in hard on Smith, saying he took an aggressive stance and refused to leave.

Chris Rock Briefly Addresses Will Smith Slap ... At Boston Comedy Club

0330-chris-rock-audio-art-tmz
STILL PROCESSING IT ALL
Variety
UPDATE

6:10 AM PT -- 3/31 -- Chris confirmed the story TMZ broke ... that Chris has NOT spoken to Will Smith since the slap, saying during the second show, "I haven't talked to anyone, despite what you heard."

Chris Rock kicked off his comedy tour in Boston to thunderous applause, but he said he's still processing what went down at the Oscars so he'll talk about the slap later, but he did tease the crowd.

Chris played to a hyper-enthusiastic, sold-out crowd at the Wilbur Theater in Boston, and joked, "How was your weekend?" The crowd loved it.

He then said, "I don't have a bunch of s*** about what happened, so if you came to hear that, I have a whole show I wrote before this weekend. I'm still kind of processing what happened," adding, "So, at some point, I'll talk about that s***.  And it will be serious and funny."

ABC 3/27/22
TAKIN' NO DISRESPECT
ABC

So he didn't say whether he accepted Will Smith's apology, although as we reported, our sources say he has not talked to Smith and has not addressed Smith's Instagram mea culpa. Based on what we know, he's not accepting the apology, at least not now.

Chris walked out in a white suit to a huge ovation, and almost seemed surprised, exclaiming, "Whoa, okay!" The applause didn't subside, and Rock implored the crowd, "Yo, let me do the show!"

After Chris' brief opening comments, an audience member screamed, "F*** Will Smith!"

He then said, "I'm going to tell some jokes. It's nice to just be out." And then he launched into his act.

Get this ... the base price for tickets was $50, but after the slap, the price on the street approached as high as $8,000!

As we reported, the President and CEO of the Academy had told Will to leave the Dolby Theatre after the slap, but he refused, and the 2 honchos were, as one source put it, "apoplectic." They were screaming backstage at Will's rep ... it was an insane scene, we're told.

Originally Published -- 3/30 6:01 PM PT

Chris Robinson, The Black Crowes Sued By OG Drummer ... Over Unpaid Royalties

UPDATE

12:41 PM PT -- Gorman tells TMZ, "For more than five years, my attorneys and I have made repeated requests to review the Partnership's books to confirm the accuracy of royalty payments and my share, but Chris and Rich have consistently ignored my rights under the Partnership Agreement."

UPDATE

He continues, "I regret that it has come to this, as I remain incredibly proud of the music we created as a band, but their conduct has left me with no choice but to ask a court to order them to give me this information, which I'm entitled to under our partnership agreement and the law."

Chris Robinson and The Black Crowes are being sued by their drummer, Steve Gorman, over unpaid royalties ... according to legal documents.

The docs, obtained by TMZ, claim the accounting wasn't up to snuff when the band was cranking out albums ... allegedly resulting in Gorman missing out on royalties from their past albums. Gorman says he doesn't know exactly how much he's owed.

Gorman joined the reassembled group in 2005 after a 4-year hiatus, touring periodically with the band. The docs claim they recorded and released 3 albums in the mid-to-late 2000s during their time together and Gorman claims he was shorted for his work in the reunion era, either.

Gorman is suing Robinson and the band for back royalties.

The Black Crowes were signed by Def American Recordings in 1989, and dropped their first album, "Shake Your Money Maker" the next year. They released 5 more records before lead singer Chris Robinson announced his solo career in the summer of 2001.

We've reached out to reps for Chris Robinson and The Black Crowes ... so far, no word back.

Originally Published -- 8:51 AM PT

Shaquille O'Neal Threatens To 'Will Smith' Barkley ... In Hilarious Freestyle

033122_shaq_rap_1_1386749
SHAQ SPITTIN' BARS
TMZSports.com

Charles Barkley better keep his head on a swivel -- Shaquille O'Neal says he'll follow Will Smith's lead and slap the hell outta his TNT co-host ... dropping the playful threat in a hilarious freestyle rap.

The Big Aristotle made the comment at his surprise belated birthday party at Steak Market in Atlanta on Wednesday ... when the crowd of about 250 people asked him to get up to the DJ booth and give them a set.

033122-shaq-birthday-cake-kal
SUGAR SHAQ
TMZ.com

The NBA legend ended up grabbing the mic and spitting off the dome for about 10 minutes instead ... name-dropping his "Inside the NBA" friends and referencing the infamous Oscars moment in the process.

"Tomorrow I'm on TNT, with f***ing Kenny, with f***ing Chuck, I might Will Smith his ass I don't give a f***," Shaq raps.

Unlike the real interaction, everyone loved the reference ... cheering and laughing after Shaq dropped the line.

Now, Shaq and Chuck have had a playful rivalry for years ... with both Hall of Famers going back and forth at every possible opportunity.

O'Neal was letting the insults fly on more than just Barkley, though -- he even brought up LeBron James while dissing a dude's hairline ... which was a crowd favorite as well.

The whole bash looked fun as hell -- it was sponsored by D'usse, so you know the adult beverages were flowing.

Celebs like Bobby Valentino and 2 Chainz were also in attendance ... as well as a tiger.

As for Shaq's birthday, it was March 6 ... but hey, better late than never!!

Happy belated, big guy!!

Will Smith Academy Never Considered Forcibly Removing Actor after Slap

Will Smith was asked to leave the Oscars -- we know that -- but despite his refusal to leave the Dolby Theater after he slapped Chris Rock, forcibly removing him was never an option ... TMZ learned.

LAPD sources tell TMZ ... the cops who were inside the venue were never consulted about removing Smith ... something we're told that would have been done if the Academy wanted him out one way or the other.

As we reported, Academy President David Rubin and Academy CEO Dawn Hudson were "furious" at Will, and there was plenty of yelling backstage with Will's reps after the slap. As one source described it, the Academy honchos were "apoplectic."

ABC 3/27/22
TAKIN' NO DISRESPECT
ABC

Our sources say it didn't take long at all for the officials to make it clear they wanted Will out of the auditorium. The exact words used to his reps were unclear, but as we've reported, Will refused to exit.

The Academy could have buttonholed the Best Actor presenters and told them in advance ... if Will won, simply say he's not invited on stage and then quickly say "We'll be right back" and then they would go to commercial. That didn't happen, and we're told the reasoning was  the Academy officials felt it would make a bad situation even worse.

032722-will-smith-speech-kal
I'M A PROTECTOR
ABC

And, our LAPD sources say the officers on hand not only asked Chris Rock immediately after the incident if he wanted to file a police report, but we're told they followed up a second time and contacted Chris' rep and asked again ... both time cops were told Chris did not want to file.

The Academy is noodling what punishment to exact, and we're told it's "highly unlikely" they'll yank his Oscar. The more likely punishment would be denying him the right to attend next year and present the Best Actress Award.