Island Boys Get Offer To Fight On Boxing Reality Show ... $1 Million On The Line

The Island Boys will have an opportunity to show off their hands -- and secure the bag -- 'cause Flyysoulja and Kodiyakredd just got an offer to be cast on a boxing competition pitting social media stars against each other in the squared circle.

The new reality show is called "Ultimate Social Boxing" ... and will pit 32 social media stars against one another as they attempt to fight their way to the top, and the winner will receive $1 million!

TMZ Sports talked to LiveOne founder Rob Ellin (brother of 'Entourage' creator Doug Ellin), and one of the people behind the show. Ellin is currently beginning to cast the series.

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EXPAND YOUR BRAND
TMZSports.com

Two of those spots ... well, Rob would like the Island Boys to enter the competition.

"We want you. It looks great. It looks energetic. It looks like those guys have those promotional skills. Again, to have that energy of becoming a true brand. Steve Austin, right? The Rock. Hulk Hogan. You want dolls made of you? You want a career? You wanna build brands? You want to own tequila companies? Yeah, sure. But, you better get yourself into boxing shape," Ellin said.

Of course, the bros blew up after their song, "I'm An Island Boy" exploded in popularity last year.

And, they've seemingly taken up boxing lately ... showing off their skills (😬) on social media, doing bag and mitt work.

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BOXING BOYS

Boxing and entertainment have become more intertwined over the last few years ... and particularly since Jake Paul burst onto the boxing scene.

Paul flipped the sport on its head in many ways ... but that could only happen because, like him or not, Jake's a talented fighter.

Are the Island Boys? We may soon find out.

Barney Thompson In 'Pretty Woman' 'Memba Him?!

New York native Héctor Elizondo was no stranger to the cameras when he landed the role of Barney Thompson -- the hotel concierge of The Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills -- in the classic 1990 romantic comedy "Pretty Woman."

Héctor shared the big screen with A-list actors including Richard Gere as the successful millionaire businessman, Edward Lewis, Jason Alexander as the creepy lawyer, Philip Stuckey ... and of course Julia Roberts as the lady of the night who turned into the ultimate love interest, Vivian Ward.

Héctor is also known for his roles in "Chicago Hope," "Runaway Bride," "Young Doctors In Love" and "Georgia Rule."

Guess what he looks like now at 85 years old!

Laugh Factory Comedy Club Ups Security After Attack On Chappelle

The Laugh Factory, one of the meccas of standup comedy in Los Angeles, is beefing up security ... and it's in response to the attack on Dave Chappelle and the Oscars slap.

Honchos at the famous comedy venue on Sunset Blvd. tell TMZ not only have they put up a sign in support of Dave, but they're also going to great lengths to protect comics after what happened during Dave's set Tuesday night at the Hollywood Bowl.

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SNEAK ATTACK
TMZ.com

Remember ... an attacker jumped on stage and lunged at Dave, slamming him to the ground before running around the stage and eventually catching a beating. The guy had a replica gun with a real knife attachment.

We're told the new security plan at the Laugh Factory features more security guards both inside and outside the venue, including plainclothes guards in the crowd tasked with preventing anyone from rushing the stage.

Somehow, Dave's attacker got the gun/knife into the Hollywood Bowl and past metal detectors, and we're told the Laugh Factory is now using a metal detector at the front door for the first time ever.

The Chappelle attack also prompted a staff meeting at the Laugh Factory ... with leadership blaming the incident on the Will Smith slap at the Oscars, seeing it as some sort of copycat effect, combined with a lack of criminal charges for Will.

We're told the venue was already planning to beef up security due to the Oscars incident, but Tuesday's attack at the Hollywood Bowl put the plan into action immediately.

Dave Chappelle Photo of Gun/Knife Held by Attacker

This photo shows how scary it must have been for Dave Chappelle Tuesday night at the Hollywood Bowl, because the gun/knife that was thrust toward him looked like it could have fatal consequences.

The knife is affixed to the barrel of the gun, like a bayonet. As we reported, the gun was a replica but the knife is real ... real deadly if the attacker had actually used it when he jumped on stage and lunged at Dave, slamming him to the ground.

The big question ... how on earth did the 23-year-old assailant get the gun/knife past the metal detector? Our LAPD sources say there was one entrance area where the metal detector could be circumvented. That itself is a HUGE problem.

As you know, a bunch of people, including Jamie Foxx and Busta Rhymes, pounded on the guy ... who was injured and taken to the hospital. He was arrested for assault with a deadly weapon.

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SNEAK ATTACK
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Dave continued his show and was uninjured, but he was clearly shaken up.

Scary times.

'The Masked Singer' Hydra's Head Had to Be Sawed-Off ... To Reveal Penn & Teller!!!

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HELPING HYDRA
Fox

No magic tricks necessary for Penn & Teller's big unmasking moment on "The Masked Singer" -- instead, it was a laborious process full of panic and mayhem!!!

Our sources say when the legendary comedy duo was revealed as the celebs inside the Hydra costume, stagehands had an issue deconstructing the costume at the moment of truth.

We're told it was a chaotic scene backstage, with folks scrambling to figure out what to do, and in the end ... the costume department made a very last-minute decision to completely cut off the middle head of the three-headed costume.

Our sources say the head was literally sawed-off ... and it basically ruined the costume.

Besides hacking off the head, we're told the costume department accidentally sliced a wire cutting off all the electricity used for Hydra ... making the eyeballs that once lit up completely useless.

Now, all this drama mostly played out off-screen when Penn & Teller were revealed earlier this season -- and our sources say producers panicked when they saw the head being sliced off. Despite the big reveal, they still had more filming to do with the costume -- like reshoots, promos and cutaway camera angles.

Fortunately, the wardrobe department's really handy with superglue -- we're told they meticulously pieced together Hydra's head, and it actually worked!!!

Make sure to check out this season of "The Masked Singer" on FOX!

Ludacris Gets Honorary Degree at Georgia State U.!!!

Ludacris is officially a Panther for life -- he just got some southern hospitality at his alma mater Georgia State University: an honorary degree in Bachelor of Science in Music Management!

The 'Fast & Furious' legend addressed more than 800 master’s degree graduates on Wednesday to kick off the school's Commencement Week.

Despite attending GSU for a couple of years, Ludacris isn't your average college dropout. He actually left the Music Management program in the mid-90s ... because he signed a record deal with Def Jam Records and released his 2000 breakout single "What's Your Fantasy."

The rest is hip hop history. Luda would go on to release several multi-platinum albums and become a staple in Hollywood (including the aforementioned multi-billion Fast & Furious' franchise) and a happily married father of four.

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LEARNIN' LUDA
Georgia State University

Still, with all his success, Luda was clear to let the graduates know his heart never left the campus and signing to Def Jam was a "once-in-a-lifetime" opportunity.

He saluted GSU for not only having its first African-American President in nearly a century, but also for graduating more African-Americans than any other university in America!

Congratulations to everyone ... time to celebrate with chicken and beer!

Amber Heard Here's the 1st Time Johnny Hit Me ... Says He Slapped Her 3x

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HERE'S HOW IT STARTED
UPDATE

2:21 PM PT -- Amber says once on a flight to Russia, she and Johnny decided to take MDMA and Johnny convinced a female flight attendant to do the same. Amber says the flight attendant became comfortable with her, touching her, which pissed Johnny off.

UPDATE

Amber claims Johnny then slammed the attendant's wrist on a table, telling her not to touch Amber. Amber says the whole thing triggered memories from her own experiences with Depp.

UPDATE

1:36 PM PT -- Amber just detailed the time Johnny allegedly searched her entire body for drugs ... and it got emotional.

UPDATE
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AGGRESSIVELY SEARCHED
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She described the incident as a cavity search, saying Johnny poked around the inside of her vagina looking for cocaine he believed she was hiding from him. Amber said she would never hide cocaine in her body, because she didn't like drugs.

UPDATE

Amber told the jury the alleged incident went down on a group getaway to Hicksville Trailer Palace in Joshua Tree, CA ... and she says Johnny did the alleged cavity search in one of the trailers, even ripping one of her favorite dresses in the process.

UPDATE

She says she just stood there staring at a light in the trailer and didn't tell him to stop.

UPDATE

Also during her testimony, Amber recalled an incident where Johnny allegedly grabbed a teacup Yorkie while they were driving and held the pooch out the window of the moving car and started howling.

UPDATE

12:16 PM PT -- Amber just described the first time Johnny Depp allegedly hit her ... and it was tearful testimony. Unclear what year this supposedly happened, but she says they were on a couch and that he was drinking -- on top of that, she says she also believed he'd been using coke ... based on a jar of the stuff she claims was on the table nearby.

UPDATE

She goes on to explain that she asked him about a tattoo on his arm, and he said it read "Wino," which Amber says made her laugh because she thought he was joking. Suddenly, she claims he slapped her across the face -- which left her stunned. She testifies that he slapped her a second and third time as well, allegedly saying ... "You think you're a funny bitch?" Amber says she hoped and prayed he was gonna say "kidding" at some point.

UPDATE

When that didn't happen and she realized he was dead serious, she says she started to leave -- which made him start to bawl and apologize. She says he was on his knees asking for forgiveness, explaining that he thought he'd "put the f***er away," referencing a "monster."

UPDATE

She says she left the house, but that they spoke privately later ... where he vowed he'd never hit her again -- so she stayed with him. From there, she says things became violent between them regularly ... claiming Johnny would often drop in on her and accuse her of infidelity ... and often strike her during fights, despite her denying his accusations.

UPDATE
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HAPPIER TIMES
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11:49 AM PT -- Amber's describing how Johnny came on strong when they filmed 'The Rum Diary,' saying he was the one who kissed her first. Once they circled back a couple years later for the press tour -- she says they embarked on a whirlwind romance that was hot and heavy ... and for which she says she was head over heels at first in the early stages of their relationship.

UPDATE

She references a "bubble" in which they dated -- apparently they were together in secret at the time -- and Amber says she was overwhelmed with the lavish gifts and worldwide destinations he invited her to see with him. Basically, things were great in the beginning.

UPDATE

11:23 AM PT -- Amber's first words under oath were emotional ones -- her lead attorney asked what she made about the fact that she was here in court over this matter ... and AH held back tears as she described how horrifying and painful it was for her to relive this chapter of her life.

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CHOKED UP ON THE STAND
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Sounds like she's upset about the fact that some people she knew back then have spoken ill of her ... getting into the details of a private life she shared with then-husband, Johnny. Amber also briefly spoke about the U.K. trial a bit -- noting she was the star witness there ... and hates that she's having to go through this all over again on the biggest of stages.

UPDATE

So far, she's going through her early life and explaining how she landed in L.A. ... going through the same sorts of beats and motions that Johnny did, at first, when he testified. Amber is also recounting how she first encountered Johnny during "The Rum Diary."

Amber Heard has started testifying in Johnny Depp's defamation case -- the first opportunity she's had to tell her side of the story during the trial ... and it will be interesting to see if she can turn things around.

Johnny's ex-wife is on the stand, with her attorneys asking her questions first. They'll presumably guide her through a completely different narrative than the one JD's legal team has laid out thus far with their witnesses and even their own client.

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"YOU'RE F**KING KILLING ME"

As you know ... Johnny's side has presented him as the real victim of domestic violence -- as opposed to the other way around -- with the actor claiming Amber would often pick fights and even resort to violence when things escalated. He's insisted he never struck her.

Johnny's witnesses have also backed his story ... with friends and workers who were around in those days saying they, too, never saw any marks on Amber during the period she claims she was being hit. Three LAPD officers have testified to the same ... which was major.

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MADE-UP MAKEUP???

Now, it's Amber's turn ... and she's got a lot of ground to make up -- not just for the jury, we're sure, but in the court of public opinion ... which seems to be firmly on Johnny's side.

It'll be interesting to see how she responds to the most damning pieces of evidence that have been introduced thus far -- including the mystery of poop in Johnny's bed, the makeup mix-up that kicked this whole thing off ... and her admitting on tape to hitting her then-hubby.

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CRUEL AND GROTESQUE

Of course, people also wanna hear how she explains the fact Johnny got his finger cut off. He says it was injured when she threw a vodka bottle at him -- and we know she's denied that before ... but here, we'll probably get to hear the gory details from her POV all over again.

If Amber can come off as believable and compelling on the stand, it could have a big impact on the jury ... because as we said, she has not been painted in the greatest of lights at this point.

Originally Published -- 11:05 AM PT

BRIAN DUNKLEMAN Glad I Didn't Kill Myself After 'Idol' ... 'Letting Go of the Anger'

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NAVIGATING DARK TIMES
TMZ.com

Brian Dunkleman says he was "suicide adjacent" after quitting his hosting gig on "American Idol" ... but looking back, he says his fears and depression were unnecessary, and he's finally in a great place.

Brian, who co-hosted with Ryan Seacrest in season 1, joined us on "TMZ Live" Wednesday and told us why he was in such a dark place when he left the smash hit show, and why he later found out things weren't as grim as he originally thought.

The way Brian tells it ... he was left twisting in the wind without a contract after season 1, and started abusing drugs and alcohol because he was severely depressed.

Brian feared he made a massive mistake when he quit the show to pursue an acting career, and the decision haunted him for years -- Howard Stern famously compared him to Pete Best, who left the Beatles before the band got huge.

But, BD says when he co-hosted the 'Idol' series finale (on FOX, anyway) back in 2016, he ran into one of his former bosses, and learned the network was going to drop him for season 2, anyway ... a huge weight lifted from his shoulders.

Now, Brian says he's cleaned up his act, he's doing standup comedy and improv, and he thanks his new documentary on Amazon Prime, "Dunkleman," for helping him heal from past traumas ... which, as he explained to us, go way beyond 'Idol.'

Now, he's not only glad he never followed through with his darkest thoughts, but he also has an important message for anyone fighting to overcome depression.

Great to see Brian bouncing back

Dave Chappelle Alleged Attacker Wrote 'Dave Chappelle' Rap About Folks Being A joke!!!

The same guy who allegedly rushed Dave Chappelle on stage also used the comedian as the inspiration behind his own rap career ... naming a song after DC.

You heard that right ... Isaiah Lee, the 23-year-old allegedly responsible for the attack, is a self-proclaimed rapper by the name of NoName_Trapper. He actually has a song on his 2020 album titled, "Dave Chapelle' on Spotify.

The song's lyrics are puzzling, mostly repeating, "laugh at you n****s a joke."

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HOURS BEFORE THE ATTACK

Lee also has a decent social media following, with 32k followers, and only follows 80 people ... Dave being one of them. He posted a bizarre video of himself yesterday with a filter to give himself a bloody nose and devil horns.

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SNEAK ATTACK
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As we reported, Lee rushed and tackled Dave while he was onstage at The Hollywood Bowl Tuesday night -- holding what we're told was a replica gun and knife.

Dave Chapelle took a hard hit and fell to the ground, before Dave's team stepped in and gave the guy a severe beatdown ... Jamie Foxx was also in the melee, and got some hits in too.

Lee certainly got roughed up, and was booked for felony assault with a deadly weapon. He's now being held on a $30K bond.

Ray J Kim K Sex Tape 'Leak' Concocted ... Me, Her & Kris Involved

Ray J is speaking his truth about his ex, Kim Kardashian -- and that would be ... the infamous sex tape "leak" that put her on the map wasn't an accident at all, but a planned event and the Kardashians were in on it.

The singer spilled the alleged beans to DailyMail.com -- telling the outlet he's furious the Kardashians have essentially accused him of holding an unreleased sex tape over their heads ... and that he was the one who leaked the OG tape in the first place.

He insists the truth is the exact opposite -- namely, that the "leak" wasn't that at all ... but a systematic deal brokered between himself, Kim and Kris Jenner and Vivid Entertainment.

Here's how it allegedly went down, according to Ray J ... he says that while he and Kim were dating, he jokingly floated the idea of putting out a sex tape of theirs in the wake of Paris Hilton's video leaking -- which elevated her status and celebrity.

While he claims he didn't really mean it, Ray alleges Kim jumped on the idea ... going to her mom, talking it out and then getting the wheels in motion on the whole thing, which he says he was not really privy to until it came to signing away the rights.

Ray says he and Kim both signed a contract, and the rest is history.

Here's the fascinating thing ... the guy claims all the original sex tape footage -- including a SECOND one he says they shot in Santa Barbara that is unreleased thus far -- has always been in Kim's possession ... in a Nike shoebox under her bed.

Ray claims he's never been in possession of any copies, and that he's been fuming over the fact the Kardashians have made it seem of late he had more footage and that he was on the verge of releasing it. He did, in fact, give Kanye West a computer and hard drive with some personal content between him and Kim ... but argues there was nothing explicit on it.

One other thing ... it sounds like the Kardashians themselves might've triggered his rage here with their new Hulu series. In one of the first few episodes, Kim and co. apparently joke about Ray putting a dildo in her butt, which he's irate over ... saying they made him look bad.

It'll be interesting to see how the Kardashians respond, especially since Kris/Kim have long denied being involved in the release of the tape ... despite most people not believing them.

Dave Chappelle Tackled, Slammed on Stage at Hollywood Bowl Attacker Pulls Gun on Comedian

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SNEAK ATTACK
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UPDATE

12:36 PM PT -- Dave is fully cooperating with the police investigation ... according to his spokesperson Carla Sims. Despite the bizarre violence, she says Dave "refuses to allow last night's incident to overshadow the magic of this historic moment."

UPDATE

The history is that Chappelle's 4-night engagement at the Hollywood Bowl ties him with Monty Python for most headlined shows for a comedian at the venue. The 4 sold-out shows drew 70,000 fans.

UPDATE

6:14 AM PT -- The name of the man who attacked Dave is 23-year-old Isaiah Lee, he's being held on $30,000 bail.

Dave Chappelle's Hollywood Bowl performance Tuesday night came to a temporary screeching halt when someone rushed the stage and attacked the comedian, and it was especially scary because we've learned the guy pulled out a gun.

It went down toward the end of Dave's show -- part of the "Netflix Is A Joke" festival -- when a man in the audience somehow got on stage and manhandled Dave, tackling him violently and slamming him on the hard stage.

Dave Chappelle Tackled, Slammed On Stage At Hollywood Bowl By Man With Gun
STILL STANDING
TMZ.com

Law enforcement tells TMZ, the attacker actually pointed the gun at Chappelle as he rushed him. We're told the gun was not real, it was a replica of a semi-automatic. It also weirdly had a knife attached to the gun.

And ... the question cops are asking this AM ... how did this guy get past the metal detector?

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BOO'D AND BROKEN
TMZ.com

An eyewitness tells TMZ ... the attacker got up and started running as a swarm of people went after him. He was running around the screen on the stage when, as the eyewitness put it, "the mob caught up with him and beat the crap out of him, stomping on him." The eyewitness says Jamie Foxx and Busta Rhymes got a few licks in.

We're told Dave was ok but the attacker was injured and taken by stretcher to an ambulance. We're told he's currently in the hospital. LAPD sources tell us, the man was arrested for assault with a deadly weapon.

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LEAVING THE VENUE
BACKGRID

Dave continued with his act, telling the audience, "I don't know if that was part of the show. I grabbed the back of that n***** head, his hair was spongy, absorbent."

Now get this ... after the attack, guess who was there? Chris Rock! He was one of Dave's special guests. As Chris walked on stage, he hugged his pal and said, "Was that Will Smith?"

It's unclear who the attacker is or why he did it, but the show went on as planned.

Originally Published -- 3:25 AM PT

Johnny Depp Rockstar Welcome As He Arrives to Court, Amber Expected to Testify

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EMBRACING THE FANS
TMZ.com

Johnny Depp's supporters are out in full force -- showing the actor a ton of love as he arrives for court -- on the day Amber Heard is expected to take the stand.

Depp just got to the courthouse in Fairfax, Virginia where close to 50 fans, mostly women, greeted him with everything from posters with positive messages to flowers. Johnny clearly took notice, waving to and thanking everyone with a big smile on his face.

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DISTURBING DETAILS

Of course, things inside the courtroom aren't as peachy -- with more shocking testimony that happened Tuesday -- including accusations Depp did a "cavity search" on Amber once when checking if she had any cocaine.

The entire trial has been full of wild claims, and Johnny's team rested its case earlier this week ... it's expected Amber will finally take the stand Wednesday.

Amber's legal team tried to get the whole thing dismissed after Johnny's team rested ... but the judge wasn't having it. A rep for Johnny told us on the decision, "Numerous witnesses have testified that Ms. Heard engaged in psychological, verbal and physical abuse towards Mr. Depp and we are pleased at Chief Judge Azcarate’s ruling to continue with the trial after Mr. Rottenborn failed to convince the court that there was reason to dismiss the case."

We'll see what Amber has to say.

The Kidd Creole Rap Legend Gets 16 Years In Prison ... For Fatal Stabbing

The Kidd Creole -- a rap pioneer from Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five -- just got a lengthy prison sentence for his conviction in the stabbing death of a homeless man.

Manhattan D.A. Alvin L. Bragg Jr. announced the rap legend's sentence Wednesday ... 16 years in state prison, followed by 5 years of post-release supervision.

As we reported ... The Kidd Creole was convicted of first-degree manslaughter last month, for fatally stabbing a homeless man with a steak knife.

The incident went down in August 2017, when prosecutors say The Kidd Creole was walking past the man on the street and they exchanged words, with TKC walking past the man before turning back, confronting him face-to-face and stabbing him twice in the torso.

The D.A. says a group of tourists found the man bleeding in the street ... he was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Meanwhile, prosecutors say TKC fled the scene and went to his office, changing clothes and cleaning the knife in a sink. The D.A. says The Kidd Creole left the place after about 15 minutes, boarding the subway and tossing the knife in a sewer near a Bronx subway station, which was recovered the next day by NYPD and led to his arrest.

'Toddlers and Tiaras' Kailia Posey Died by Suicide Family of 16-Year-Old Says

"Toddlers and Tiaras" star Kailia Posey tragically took her own life at the age of just 16, her family says, in a gut-wrenching statement.

Posey's family tells TMZ, "Although she was an accomplished teenager with a bright future ahead of her, unfortunately in one impetuous moment, she made the rash decision to end her earthly life."

The family is devastated, listing everything Kailia had ahead of her and her accomplishments during her 16 years, saying, "She won countless crowns & trophies after competing on the pageant circuit her entire life ... Her highly acclaimed talent as a contortionist had already led to professional touring job offers, and she had recently been selected to be a cheerleader at her high school next fall.

Not only that, Kailia's family says she had a love for aviation, and had plans to continue to work in the entertainment industry while pursuing her goal of a commercial pilot's license.

TMZ broke the story, the 16-year-old who first found fame on the popular TLC show -- even becoming a popular GIF as 'Grinning Girl' -- died Monday in Washington. At the time, her mom posted, "I don't have words or any thoughts. A beautiful baby girl is gone. Please give us privacy as we mourn the loss of Kailia. My baby forever".

Her family has set up a fund, at the Whatcom Community Foundation in her name with the goal of providing resources to help students in crisis.

If you or someone you know is thinking of suicide, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-TALK.

Drake DMs Troll's Wife After Defending Ja Morant's Dad ... 'I'm Here For U Ma'

PSA for all the Internet trolls out there -- if you come at Drake, he WILL DM your significant other ... and the 6 God proved it during a heated debate over NBA star Ja Morant's dad.

Here's the deal -- Drizzy hit the Instagram comments to defend Tee Morant over a meme criticizing his support for the Grizzlies guard throughout the playoffs, which some have deemed "annoying."

Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media.

Drake was having none of it -- saying, "Imagine your son makes the league and he’s Ja Or Melo (Ball) or Lonzo (Ball) all you can do is be elated and competitive and over supportive and it’s a right of passage to that the OG’s talk s*** 😂😂😂😂."

"I know I’mma be this way even if my son is in a rubix cube competition 😎."

One troll thought it would be wise to crack back at Drake by referencing the rumor he doesn't write his own songs ... saying, "ya son prolly play with ghost writers."

Big mistake -- 'cause Drake fired right back in the most ruthless way possible.

"I just followed your girl cause she prob miserable and needs some excitement in her life."

Sheesh.

And, get this -- Drake wasn't kidding ... because the troll later posted a screenshot of his wife getting a DM from Champagne Papi himself, which read, "I'm here for u ma."

Chalk this one up as a win for Drake ... and a teachable moment for anyone else looking to go after him.

As for Tee, he clapped back at the negativity surrounding his support for Ja ... wearing a "Proud Supportive Black Dad!!!" shirt for Memphis' huge win over the Warriors.

Dolly Parton & Eminem Part of R&R HOF Class of 2022 ... Join Eclectic Group

Dolly Parton's change of heart was well-received by the powers that be at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame -- she's joining a diverse group of first-rounders ... including acts like Eminem.

The legendary country singer was announced as one of 7 artists who are going to be inducted into the Hall later this November -- and she actually helps make up a good handful of stars who just became eligible for the first time this year.

The other musicians being let in right off the bat ... Lionel Richie, Duran Duran, Carly Simon and, of course, Slim Shady. Dolly's in that mix as well -- this after announcing a U-turn. The other 2 artists who'll be inducted are new wave duo Eurythmics and Pat Benatar.

You'll recall ... DP first said she was declining the offer to be inducted, explaining that the R&R HOF just wasn't her style and surprisingly, that she felt she hadn't earned the right -- which is patently false. Her request was a bit late -- the Hall didn't take her off the ballot.

In light of that -- and after some more thought, it seems -- Dolly ended up changing her mind and accepting the nomination ... and now, she'll be accepting the full-blown honor of being part of the Class of 2022.

Sometimes, you just gotta accept your flowers -- humility be damned. Congrats to everyone ... especially Dolly, who's more than deserving to be enshrined.