Drake Chugs Bubbly After Winning BBall Title ... 'I Did What Kobe Did!'
Drake brought his IG moniker "Champagne Papi" to life on Tuesday -- winning a title in the Sanctuary Basketball League -- and he celebrated by sprayin' bubbly everywhere!!
The victorious moment was all caught on video -- when his NTIG teammate hit the game-winning shot in the SBL title game right on Drake's basketball court in his Toronto mansion.
"I did what Kobe did in Game 7 against the Celtics. Shots not falling, you play f*****g defense." 😂 @Drake and his OVO team win back-to-back championships in his SBL league 🏆 pic.twitter.com/u4LnpAWo4v
— Complex Sports (@ComplexSports) June 15, 2022 @ComplexSports
Drizzy and his squad went nuts after securing the dub ... cueing up the champagne showers.
And, Drake paid homage to the late Kobe Bryant for his game strategy ... saying he channeled his inner Mamba Mentality.
"I did what Kobe did in Game 7 against the Celtics," Drake said, "Shots not falling, you play f*****g defense!"
BTW, Drake launched the SBL league last year ... and now is a 2-time champ, after his team again won the 'ship.
Like Drake says, "I'm going back to back."
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'Halo Infinite' Ape Badge For Juneteenth?!? Changed After Backlash
The video game developer for "Halo Infinite" is under fire for rolling out a new nameplate to honor Juneteenth ... folks are enraged the customization was named after an ape.
The folks over at 343 Industries apparently thought it would be a good idea to title the nameplate -- a palette adding a red, black and green colorway to a player's username -- "Bonobo" ... which is an endangered primate.
Problem is ... folks were angry with the association of apes with Juneteenth, considering the racist and discriminatory history between those words and Black people.
As you know ... Juneteenth is now a federal holiday, commemorating the day the last enslaved Americans got the news President Lincoln had abolished slavery.
In response to the backlash, the video game developer renamed the nameplate to "Freedom" and then to "Juneteenth."
343 Industries says the nameplate was originally named "Bonobo" in reference to a developer tool -- and they claim it was an oversight on their end.
Bonnie Ross, the founder and head of 343 Industries, says once they were made aware the nameplate "contained a term that was offensive and hurtful" they immediately made a change with a game update.
Ross adds ... "We are a studio and franchise that is committed to inclusivity where everyone is welcome and supported to be their true self. On behalf of 343, I apologize for making a celebrated moment a hurtful moment."
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Bam Margera Reported Missing After Fleeing Rehab
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Cops are on the lookout for Bam Margera after he bolted from a Florida rehab facility he wasn't allowed to leave ... TMZ has learned.
According to a Delray Beach police report, the rehab facility's manager reported the 'Jackass' star missing on Monday. The manager says Bam told him he was unhappy with the place and their services ... so he was splitting, which he apparently did.
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The report notes Bam told the manager that instead of staying there, he'd be checking himself into a different rehab center in the area ... and then left the premises in a black sedan.
According to the manager, Bam was there under a court order, and the staff was concerned he seemed to be leaving without authorization.
In any case, the staff also said Bam didn't appear to be a danger to himself or others. Cops did go looking for him that day but, so far, they've come up empty-handed.
Bam Margera Completes One Year Drug and Alcohol Treatment Program
Sources close to Bam tell TMZ ... he was currently staying at a sober living facility and had recently got into an argument with his wife. We're told he did have issues with the facilities' restrictions and made the impulsive decision to leave.
Last month Bam had broken his wrist and elbow in a skateboarding accident and was blaming the facility for not setting up his physical therapy appointments.
As we've reported, Bam had recently completed a year of treatment for his substance problems, and had been doing well. Right now we are told, friends and family are working on getting him back to the facility, and back on track.
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Amber Heard I Still Love Johnny ... Even After Court Loss
Amber Heard says she has a lot of mixed feelings about Johnny Depp post-trial, but one of those feelings is apparently love ... even after all of the nasty back and forth.
The final clip from actress' sit-down with "Today" aired Wednesday, and a range of topics was covered ... including where her ex lies in heart. According to Amber, JD is still near and dear, to some degree -- despite the fact he took her to court and won $8.35M.
Savannah Guthrie references Amber's own words about Johnny -- a statement in which she said she still has love for him -- and asks if it's true today. AH says it is.
Amber was also asked if she feels like Johnny has succeeded in ruining her globally -- as he alluded to over text once -- and she says yes, going on to say she feels like he could sue her again if she isn't careful.
Savannah asks about Amber's young daughter and how she plans on explaining this to her one day ... Amber says she'll tell her the truth, and be okay with it knowing she did the right thing, as she believes she's on the right side of history.
At one point in the full interview, Amber is asked about credibility -- including her $7 million pledge to the ACLU, which she hasn't completed -- and while she notes she shouldn't have had to make that to be believed, AH acknowledges that might've played a factor in the jury ruling against her. As Savannah notes, the trial was all about character and trustworthiness.
The entire interview will air on "Dateline NBC" this week in what the network says is extra, unaired footage touching on evidence Amber believes should've made it in the case.
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'Fake Klay Thompson' Breaches Warriors Security ... Prank Caught On Camera
7:46 AM PT -- 6/15 -- Daws -- AKA the Klay Thompson impersonator -- posted video of the moment he breezed through multiple layers of security at the Warriors' home arena (Chase Center) ... until the moment where he literally walked on the court hours before an NBA Finals game, and launched a bunch of shots.
A Klay Thompson impersonator has been BANNED for life from Warriors home games ... after he allegedly fooled arena personnel into believing he was the Golden State star, allowing him access to not just the building, but also the basketball court.
"Banned bc I walked past 5 layers of security guards (who willingly let me through security without asking for ID) & shot around on the court for 10 minutes," Dawson Gurley announced on social media.
And, Daws isn't kidding about the ban ... he posted a photo of a letter from a Warriors executive laying out his punishment.
"You deliberately deceived Chase Center building personnel by impersonating a GSW employee," the letter read, in part.
The disciplinary letter goes on to say Daws -- who isn't denying the allegation -- can't ever come back. They also threatened him with a trespassing charge.
For his part, Daws thinks the suspension is BS! He says he actually had a ticket for the game ... saying it isn't his fault security didn't stop him.
"I also spent 10K on tickets which they are not refunding. Why should I be banned because their security is incompetent?" Dawson asked his followers.
10 bands is obviously a lot of money to waste. But, the Klay impersonator says he doesn't have any regrets.
"Was it worth it to lose 10K on tickets and be banned for life? Absolutely. I was an NBA player for 10 minutes bro."
During those 10 minutes, Daws even had time to take a photo.
It's not the first time Gurley's received attention for impersonating the All-Star. He pranked fans during the 2018 NBA Finals, sitting courtside, dressed as Klay. That video has millions of views.
Side note: the real Klay Thompson had 21 points in Monday's game 5 win. The Warriors are one game away from winning an NBA title.
Originally Published -- 6/14 8:24 AM PT
Megan Thee Stallion Tory Should Go to Jail ... For Shooting Me
Megan Thee Stallion is hopeful that Tory Lanez is not only found guilty for allegedly shooting her, but that he's thrown behind bars as well.
Meg -- who's in the middle of a criminal case involving Lanez in which he's alleged to have shot her in the foot in 2020 -- did an interview with Rolling Stone, in which she touched on the legal matter ... and says she wants him to serve time.
In her most detailed interview to date, Megan Thee Stallion talks about the aftermath of the July 2020 shooting, the disparagement she sometimes sees from trolls online, and her life now. https://t.co/KSJZJGASXS pic.twitter.com/5eLNpxHcZv
— Rolling Stone (@RollingStone) June 15, 2022 @RollingStone
She says, "I want him to go to jail," adding ... "I want him to go under the jail." MTS said this after reflecting/questioning why the case is dragging out so long.
As you know, Tory has denied Megan's accusations and pled not guilty to the charges against him. While there've been bumps throughout -- including him being temporarily remanded to custody for violating a protective order -- it seems the case is going to trial in September.
Megan claims her foot was injured during the shooting -- saying she had to undergo surgery, and couldn't walk for days. She says, "Both of my legs wrapped up. I could not walk. I still have bullet fragments in my feet right now. I was very scared that I was not able to be Megan Thee Stallion no more. And, I was f***ed up."
Megan also addressed the other witness in the matter -- her ex-best friend, Kelsey Harris -- saying she feels like she's sided with Tory in the aftermath. An even more triggering result, she says, is the social media backlash she's received from people who don't believe her.
Megan says she limits herself to 15 minutes of social media, but even then -- she sees people's cruelty toward her, which she says tears her up inside, even if she doesn't show it.
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Kenan Thompson Files for Divorce ... Exes Sharing Child Custody
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'SNL' star Kenan Thompson is taking the next step in his separation from his wife of 11 years ... filing divorce docs and hammering out custody of their kids.
According to online records, Kenan filed last month in New York to make his announced split from Christina Evangeline all legal. TMZ broke the story back in April that the couple had separated and were successfully co-parenting their daughters Georgia and Gianna. We're told the couple had been secretly separated for a few years.
Sources connected with the former couple tell us Kenan and Christina agreed to share 50/50 custody -- and they are still living close to one another in NYC to make the custody arrangement easier for everyone involved, especially the kids.
Kenan and Christina tied the knot way back in 2011, saying their "I dos" at an aquarium in Atlanta.
As for why they split, our sources have said they simply grew apart as the years progressed.
Professionally, they lead much different lives. While Kenan's always been in the spotlight ... first as a child star on Nickelodeon, and now the longest-running 'SNL' cast member ... Christina works as an interior designer.
We're told the divorce has been amicable, and they're both putting their kids first.
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Hailey Bieber Justin's Getting Better Every Day After Facial Paralysis
Hailey Bieber says Justin is on the path to recovery from Ramsay Hunt Syndrome, and believes the support from fans has played a big role in him getting better.
Hailey updated JB's condition Wednesday on 'GMA' ... where she said her husband's looking to make a full recovery from the condition that paralyzed half of his face. She says he's feeling better with each passing day.
She also thanked fans for being so understanding throughout his ordeal -- Justin had to pause his world tour -- and Hailey added they've been getting lots of advice from people who've dealt with RHS before.
As we reported, Justin revealed a virus in his ear left the right side of his face paralyzed ... he posted a video Friday showing the effects and telling fans the condition was the reason he'd postponed several shows.
JB's battle with RHS comes on the heels of Hailey's own medical scare back in March when she suffered a mini-stroke ... and needed a medical procedure to close a hole in her heart. She says she's been giving her body the time it needs to recover.
TMZ broke the story ... Hailey was rushed to the hospital after suffering stroke-like symptoms. Doctors found a small blood clot in her brain, and also diagnosed something called PFO, a small opening in the heart.
Been a rough medical year for the Biebers, but Hailey says she's finally starting to feel like herself again.
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MLB Ump Nate Tomlinson Struck In Face By Trout's Broken Bat ... Leaves Game Bloodied
Scary moment on the MLB diamond Tuesday ... an MLB ump was struck near his eye by a shattered bat -- but somehow, it appears the official is going to be OK.
The frightening scene happened in the ninth inning of the Dodgers' game against the Angels in L.A., when Mike Trout was at the dish looking to bring the Halos back from a 2-0 deficit.
Scary moment in LA.
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) June 15, 2022 @BleacherReport
The home plate umpire is struck in the face by Mike Trout's broken bat 😳 pic.twitter.com/8pieLT7mKB
On a 3-2 count, Trout smacked a ball so hard, his bat shattered ... and a large piece of the splintered lumber hit home plate ump Nate Tomlinson right in the face.
You can see in video from the game's broadcast, Tomlinson was nearly stabbed in the eyeball by the bat's jagged edge, and he immediately crumpled to the ground.
Home plate umpire Nate Tomlinson is hit with a broken bat from Angels Mike Trout in the face and would leave the game in the 9th against the Dodgers during a MLB baseball game at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles. @dodgers #dodgers @angels #angels @mlb #mlb #baseball @billplunkettocr pic.twitter.com/869n1sdIA3
— Keith Birmingham (@photowkb) June 15, 2022 @photowkb
Trainers raced to Tomlinson's aid, and video shows he was bleeding from several areas of his head.
Tomlinson was forced to leave the game -- but, fortunately, he walked off under his own power. Second base umpire Laz Diaz eventually filled in for Tomlinson for the last few outs of the game.
Trout, who ultimately singled on the play, was left stunned by the scene. His Angels would go on to lose the game, 2-0.
Get well soon, Nate.
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Shawn Stockman Boyz II Men's Biggest Snub ... Amy Winehouse LOL'D at Collab Idea!!!
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Even huge hitmakers like Boyz II Men get rejected -- that's showbiz, as they say -- and Shawn Stockman says one of his group's denials came from none other than Amy Winehouse.
We spotted the B2M singer in Bev Hills Tuesday during the TMZ Celebrity Tour, and he was cool enough to hop on our bus to chat with fans about his R&B group's peaks and valleys.
Shawn says, back in the day, their team had reached out to Amy suggesting she do a song with Boyz II Men. You gotta see him explain how that went over with British singer -- but, let's just say at least they made her laugh.
That being said, lots of other artists -- including contemporary rappers -- are down with the group's hits, and Shawn told us why they're open to working with everyone in the industry.
As you know, the R&B group, now consisting of Shawn, Nathan Morris and Wanya Morris gained international success in the 1990s.
They've won 4 Grammys, and Billboard recognized them as the biggest boy band from 1987 to 2012 -- and, btw, they're on tour this summer.
BTW, Shawn grabbed his guitar and gave the bus a little show, singing a solo acoustic version of "I'll Make Love To You" ... which spent 14 weeks at #1 back in 1994. Still, one of the biggest slow jams ever!
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'RHONJ' Joe Gorga No Regrets About Ranting at Tenant ... He Should Hustle to Pay Rent!!!
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Joe Gorga doesn't deny it, he knows he totally lost it on one of his tenants, but he stands by his actions ... telling us he doesn't do well with folks who don't work hard.
The 'RHONJ' star says he has no regrets about how that confrontation with the tenant went down, because he was genuinely upset, and wanted the guy to feel exactly the way he did. Mission accomplished, we think.
You'll recall, JG recently got into a screaming match with the tenant ... who Joe and his attorney claim hasn't paid rent out of his own pocket in 4 years and owes nearly $50K.
He doubled down, saying what pissed him off most was he gave the guy an opportunity to better himself by giving him a place to live ... and feels like he took advantage of the situation.
Joe insists the tenant is trying to "beat the system" instead of finding a job to pay rent.
For his part, the tenant says the state of NJ paid a large portion of the rent through a COVID relief program -- which he qualified for after losing his restaurant manager job during the pandemic.
All in all, Joe admits the guy's failure to pay rent didn't really hurt his pockets, but his behavior could hurt another family ... and he wanted to teach the guy a lesson.
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Blueface I'm Dropping Swaggy P in the 3rd Round!!! Predicts KO of Nick Young
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The upcoming celebrity boxing match between Blueface and former NBA star Nick Young isn't too chummy, and won't be very long -- the "Thotiana" rapper is vowing to put Nick to sleep early!
Make no mistake about it, Blueface has already won the July 30 bout in his mind, because he tells TMZ Hip Hop ... "The Famous Cryp is about to be even more famous ... Nick's going down in the 3rd!"
Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media.
Earlier this week, TMZ Sports hashed out the details: the proud L.A. natives will both have home ring advantage inside Crypto.com Arena where they will be on the undercard for the Social Gloves event where YouTubers Austin McBroom and AnEsonGib are the main event.
Speaking of YouTubers, Blueface has a history of sizing up social media stars for a fight.
WE GOT AN EVEN BIGGER FIGHT AFTER THE #BOXING EXHIBITION ENDS!@bluefacebleedem throwing BOMBS!
— FITE (@FiteTV) July 24, 2021 @FiteTV
See #BKFC19 on #FITE
Order HERE: https://t.co/htnOiICcNA pic.twitter.com/3pxMW7kqdC
Remember, he bashed TikToker Kane Trujillo's face in (as well as a random ring-crasher) during a July 2021 bare-knuckle fight.
Ex-NFL star, and part-time rapper, Le'Veon Bell is also on the card for July 30, but he's still waiting for a challenger.
As for the fight for L.A.'s unofficial celeb belt (which isn't a thing, yet) ... the physical stats are in Swaggy's favor, but Blueface has him beat in-ring experience.
If nothing else fails, Drake should have a field day placing wagers!
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The Kid LAROI Goes Up, Slams Down on Spine ... Scary Injury Playing Hoops
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The Kid LAROI might have to lay off pick-up basketball games while he's touring ... especially after taking a fall so hard, it's painful just to watch.
The Aussie rapper made an appearance at the Culture Kings store in Melbourne, and part of the store was shut down Sunday ... so he and his crew could do some shopping. Things took a turn, though, when he and his entourage decided to play hoops on the store's indoor court.
It was close quarters, for sure, and at one point The Kid jumped pretty damn high for the ball, only to trip over one of his pals ... and come crashing down right on his tailbone! Immediately, you could see he was in pain.
While a lot of fans thought he'd have to cancel his concert scheduled for that night, TKL stuck to that old adage -- the show MUST go on -- and got onstage that night ... with The Wiggles no less!!!
He certainly didn't look any worse for wear as he went HAM performing his childhood heroes' classics like "Big Red Car" and "Fruit Salad."
The Kid had already postponed the Melbourne concert the week before, so he knew he had to put on a great show, regardless of how sore his back must have been.
Plus, The Wiggles, bro. You gotta play hurt!
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Congressman Colin Allred U.S. 'Actively Negotiating' With Russia ... For Brittney Griner
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Congressman Colin Allred tells TMZ Sports the U.S. is calling Brittney Griner "basically a political prisoner" now in Russia ... and says because of it, government officials have formally begun negotiations with the foreign country to bring the WNBA superstar home.
We spoke with the representative out on Capitol Hill on Tuesday afternoon -- just hours after it was announced that Griner's detention in Russia would be extended until at least July 2 -- and he confirmed to us they've officially entered into talks with Russian leaders to try to get Griner back on U.S. soil.
"We're actively negotiating to get her out," Allred said. "Basically, we've acknowledged and we understand now that she is being held as basically a political prisoner."
"In some ways, that’s helpful," Allred continued, "because now we can just have a discussion on, 'What is it going to take for you to allow us to bring her back home?'"
It appears it'll be an uphill battle to make the negotiations work, however ... according to Russian state media outlet TASS, a Russian diplomat said on Tuesday the country will not consider a detainee swap for Griner until her case wraps in the court system.
It's unclear when that date might be -- she's been in custody since mid-February as her case continues to plod on -- but Allred told us they're still doing everything they can to make it sooner rather than later.
As for how Griner is doing while in custody, Allred said, "she’s as good as she could be under the circumstances, and the circumstances are not great."
He did say she is able to receive some messages from loved ones through her attorney.
"For all of us that have been working on this, in some ways we knew this was going to be where we ended up, negotiating for her release," Allred said, "but we're just hopeful that, in the meantime, that she can stay strong, understand that there's a lot of people that support her, and we're doing everything we can to get her home."
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Trash-Talking Teen In 'Bridesmaids' 'Memba Her?!
American actress Mia Rose Frampton was just 15 years old when she was cast as the fast-mouthed teenager -- who is shopping for her best friend's birthday gift but ultimately deals out some impressive insults to the store employee -- in the 2011 comedy film "Bridesmaids."
Mia was cast alongside some of 'SNL's best comedians like Kristen Wiig as the money-hungry and hilarious best friend of the bride, Annie Walker, Maya Rudolph as the bride-to-be, Lillian, Melissa McCarthy as the low-key smart sister of the groom, Megan, and Rebel Wilson as Annie's brutally honest roommate, Brynn.
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Britney Spears Fires Security Team After Wedding Day Chaos with Ex-Husband
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It's out with the old and in with the new for Britney Spears' security team ... canning the squad who allowed her ex-husband to not only crash the wedding, but get inside her home.
Sources close to the singer tell us she recently made the decision to fire the existing security team, and replace them with an all new bunch. The move isn't totally surprising, but we're told it happened quickly after Thursday's fiasco.
TMZ broke the story, Jason Alexander -- armed with a knife -- live streamed himself getting onto Britney's property and inside to the second level of her home, demanding to see her, on her wedding day. Fortunately, he wasn't able to make contact with the singer, and cops arrested him.
We were at the courthouse Monday for Alexander's arraignment on charges of vandalism, trespassing and battery ... but the judge also added a felony stalking charge and granted Britney a 3-year restraining order against Jason.
Britney's attorney, Mathew Rosengart, who had previously stated he would do everything in his power to make sure Britney was protected, also attended the hearing.
Rosengart told us he hopes the harsh sentence will deter any future copycats from trying to get into Britney's space.