Ukrainian Olympian Auctioning Off Silver Medal Money Going To War Efforts

Ukrainian Olympic gymnast Ruslan Mezentsev is auctioning one of his most precious belongings -- his silver medal -- and donating all the money to his home country ... so they have money to fund the fight against Russia.

Mezentsev competed in the men's artistic all-around competition in Sydney in 2000 ... personally taking part in the floor exercise, pommel horse, and still rings.

Ruslan scored a total of 28.725 ... bringing the team's total to 230.306, good enough for a silver medal. The Ukrainians finished just 1.613 points behind China ... who won the gold.

Now, that silver medal is on the auction block at RR Auction ... where it already has 8 bids. The current price is $3,000 ... but expect that to rise!

Mezentsev -- who's now 41 years old -- is from a town called Kropyvnytskyi in central Ukraine.

RR says not only will all of the money from the sale be donated to the war funds ... but even the buyer's premium (the money that typically goes to the auction).

So, if you're in the market for an awesome piece of sports memorabilia, and you want to help Ukraine ... bidding ends July 21!

Cyndi Lauper Son Arrested For Being in Stolen Car

Cyndi Lauper's son may have just wanted to have fun ... but cops say he broke the law when they found him inside a stolen vehicle.

The NYPD tells TMZ ... 24-year-old Declyn Lauper -- a rapper with more than 2 million Instagram followers -- was taken into custody early Thursday morning after cops say they found him in the driver's seat of an illegally double-parked Mercedes.

We're told police ran the plates as part of their investigation, and the plates came back as registered to a different car. After checking the VIN number, they say the Mercedes he was in had been reported stolen 2 years ago.

Declyn was taken to a nearby police station and booked for felony unauthorized use of a vehicle.

The artist, who has a music career under the name Dex Lauper, posted about the incident alongside some choppy videos of the supposed arrest.

We're told he was released with a desk appearance ticket to return to court at a later date.

Babes On Boats Yachts Of Summer Fun!

The stars have their sights set on being total babes on boats this summer, and considering this is the time for the rich and famous to hone in on their 'high-life' skills and the finer things in life ...  why not sail under the sun and soak in some luxurious fun?

Relishing in the summer spirit, Kylie Jenner, Bethenny Frankel and Kourtney Kardashian are putting all hands on deck and making waves through the open waters and sharing all the action on social media.

Pull up the anchor and shove off while you cruise through our gallery of hot ladies rockin' the boat!

Seas the day!

Xzibit To Estranged Wife I'm Struggling Financially ... Outraged Estranged Wife Wants Spousal Support

Xzibit thinks it's absurd for him to pay his estranged wife spousal support ... he says he's struggling to make ends meet while she's living in their $3 million home with her new boyfriend.

The "Pimp My Ride" star just filed a response to Krista Joiner's legal docs seeking spousal support in their divorce ... X says he simply doesn't have the cash because a huge chunk of his income dried up during the pandemic.

According to the new docs, obtained by TMZ, Xzibit says he's no longer the breadwinner he was before the divorce ... claiming he hasn't worked in Hollywood since 2019, isn't getting any money from his cannabis ventures and lost tons of income when COVID scuttled the concert scene.

X says in the docs he's "struggling to make ends meet at the same time trying to uphold being a public figure, pay my own expenses and provide for my son."

Xzibit paints Krista as someone who is doing just fine without spousal support ... he says her recent income was around $175,000 a year and claims she's living in their home with her new boyfriend and the man's kids.

X says Krista's boyfriend has been bragging about the digs on social media, filming a pilot in the home and taking down Xzibit's artwork and recording plaques.

Xzibit says he asked Krista to agree to sell the home after she filed for divorce in February ... but he says she only recently agreed to unload the property and now the housing market is starting to cool.

X says the home is estimated to be worth $3,715,600 ... but he thinks they could've sold for a higher figure if she played ball earlier, and says they had to take out short-term loans to pay the mortgage pending a sale.

Oh, and get this ... Xzibit claims Krista went behind his back to obtain a new lease on a 2021 Bentley and signed for the lease under his company name, Xzibit Inc., even though she's not an exec there. He also alleges she forged his name on a check for the down payment.

X says he told Krista to return the Bentley because he couldn't afford the car and insurance payments, but says she refused and hid the car for 8 months before it was repossessed in January ... only a few weeks before she filed for divorce.

What's The Big Frigin' Difference?!

There are 'No Rules' on how to find the discreet differences in these pics of 'Tomorrow X Together's' boy band members Yeonjun and Taehyun. Grab your best boy-bander dancing shoes and see if you've got what it takes!

The two performers were dressed to the nines and put their best foot forward as they made their way to the 'Good Morning America' Stage in New York City, performing their hit song 'Good Boy Gone Bad.'

Can you stay in sync with the two performers and spot the distinctions?

**HINT: There are THREE differences in the above Tomorrow X Together photos!*

Jenifer Lewis Finally Got My Hollywood Star ... Gonna Sleep Next to It!!!

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THE GREATEST AWARD OF ALL
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Jenifer Lewis says her new star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame is the biggest award of her illustrious career ... and she loves it so much, you'll be able to find her there every day.

We got the "The Mother of Black Hollywood" author and "Black-ish" star Friday as she was leaving her ceremony and asked what her fixture on the Walk of Fame means to her.

Jenifer tells us the star is way more important than a trophy for a show or performance, because it's forever lasting.

Jenifer's got great company on the WoF -- her star is parked right next to Katharine Hepburn -- and she jokingly says she's going to sleep next to it every night and drive by every day, telling folks not to step on her good name.

On a more serious note, Jenifer tells us she's overwhelmed with appreciation for the career milestone -- recalling all the work, on camera and off, that went into getting to this point ... including taking care of her bipolar disorder.

Her famous friends showed her serious love at the ceremony ... including Brandy, director Debbie Allen, 'SNL' alum Vanessa Bayer, composer Marc Shaiman and former "Amen" star Roz Ryan.

Congrats, Jenifer!!! Well deserved.

John Cena & Shay Shariatzadeh Hit Swanky Club In Canada ... On Wedding Weekend

John Cena and Shay Shariatzadeh -- two years after legally marrying -- are finally getting the blowout wedding bash that was postponed by COVID ... and TMZ Sports has a photo of the couple!

The photograph captured 45-year-old Cena and 33-year-old Shay as they headed into The Vancouver Club -- one of the nicest venues in the city -- Friday afternoon in Canada.

It's unclear if John and Shay were headed to the actual wedding ceremony or a rehearsal.

Shay -- who is from Vancouver -- wore a white halter cut, backless dress ... and John rocked a navy suit with camel-colored oxfords.

As we previously reported, the couple tied the knot during a private ceremony in Tampa on October 12, 2020. Unfortunately, the pandemic put a damper on the couple's plans ... and they couldn't have a big party to celebrate the nuptials.

Fast forward to this weekend ... and it's finally time to bring the family and friends together, for what's expected to be a star-studded event.

John and Shay began dating in 2019 ... following Cena's split with former fiancée Nikki Bella in 2018.

It's no surprise John and Shay wound up taking a walk down the aisle. The relationship seemed destined for success from the start ... proof being a makeout sesh at a local restaurant shortly after they began seeing one another.

Congrats, again!!

Ivana Trump Cause of Death Blunt Impact Injuries ... After Falling Down Stairs

Ivana Trump's cause of death has been revealed as blunt impact injuries to her torso ... the result of a fall down stairs inside her home.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ the autopsy was completed Friday. As we told you, cops got a call just after 12:30 PM ET Thursday to Trump's NYC apartment saying Ivana had gone into cardiac arrest.

As news of her death broke, former President Donald Trump, who was Ivana's second husband, said the following, "She was a wonderful, beautiful, and amazing woman, who led a great and inspirational life. Her pride and joy were her three children, Donald Jr., Ivanka, and Eric. She was so proud of them as we were all so proud of her. Rest In Peace, Ivana!"

Ivana and Trump married in 1977 and split in 1992, their relationship made headlines at one point when Donald had an affair with Marla Maples.

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MOURNING MOTHER
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Shortly after her death on Thursday, Ivana's son, Eric Trump, was spotted outside her home ... telling photographers, "A very sad day."

Ivana was 73.

Kate Bosworth Files For Divorce

Kate Bosworth is dropping the curtain on her marriage ... because she just filed for divorce.

The actress beelined it to Los Angeles County Superior Court on Friday and filed to divorce her husband, director Michael Polish, after nearly 9 years of marriage ... according to online records.

Kate and Michael tied the knot back in August 2013 with a wedding ceremony in Montana after a couple years of dating ... but last August she announced they had separated.

Now, Kate's made the first move to end the marriage in the eyes of the law. The former couple did not have any children together, which would presumably make the divorce less complicated.

Kate and Michael were photographed together at an event in May, and when she announced their separation she said their "love will never end."

Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media.

Kate's been posting a ton of pictures with Justin Long recently on her social media accounts ... including a photo of the actors locking lips.

We reached out to reps for Kate and Michael ... so far, no word back.

Erica Mena & Safaree Sell Their Georgia Home ... Following Divorce

Erica Mena and Safaree are officially over, and parting ways from the house they once called home.

A real estate source tells TMZ Erica and Safaree sold their GA home Friday to TV Executive and producer Carlos King for $1.3 million. The home has a pool, master bedroom complete with balcony and plenty of space to lounge and entertain.

As we reported, the "Love & Hip Hop" star filed divorce docs back in May of 2021 after less than 2 years of marriage ... Erica was pregnant with the couple's second child at the time.

In the docs, Erica asked for primary custody of their 1-year-old daughter, child support and use of the home on her own.

Douglas Parson Jr. held the listing.

Transgender Swimmer Lia Thomas Nominated For NCAA Woman Of The Year ... By University of Penn

Lia Thomas, the openly transgender NCAA championship swimmer, has been nominated by the University of Pennsylvania for one of the most prestigious awards in college athletics ... NCAA Woman of the Year.

UPenn nominated 22-year-old Thomas for the honor ... designed to recognize "female student-athletes who have exhausted their eligibility and distinguished themselves in their community, in athletics and in academics throughout their college careers."

Thomas, of course, was dominant this season for the Ivy League school -- even winning the 500-yard freestyle event at the NCAA championship meet (she defeated Olympic silver medalist Emma Weyant by nearly 2 seconds) ... but it wasn't without controversy.

Lia, prior to transitioning, was a member of the men's swimming team at UPenn ... however, Thomas didn't enjoy nearly the same success.

Many people, including 16 people from Lia's own team, penned a unanimous letter to university officials asking them to support stricter rules for Thomas and other future transgender athletes.

"However, we also recognize that when it comes to sports competition, that the biology of sex is a separate issue from someone’s gender identity," the letter read, "Biologically, Lia holds an unfair advantage over competition in the women’s category, as evidenced by her rankings that have bounced from #462 as a male to #1 as a female.”

As a result of the backlash, the NCAA did alter rules governing transgender athletes ... however, the regulations -- which would've prevented Lia from competing so soon after transitioning -- were not in effect last swim season.

Thomas is one of 577 athletes (each eligible university or college can nominate up to two women) across divisions I, II, and III ... comprising women from 23 different sports.

Kamala Harris Husband's Ex Granted TRO ... Alleged Stalker Giving Bunch Of Letters, Packages For VP

The mother of Kamala Harris' stepdaughter has been granted a temporary restraining order that protects both her and her daughter ... after she claims a man tried to use her to get letters to the VP.

According to legal docs, obtained by TMZ, film producer and Prettybird CEO Kerstin Emhoff -- who used to be married to Harris' husband, Doug Emhoff -- was granted the TRO last week, which requires 68-year-old Ralph Manning Scott to stop all contact and stay a football field away from both her and her 23-year-old daughter Ella.

Kerstin claims Scott approached her front door last year, handing Ella an envelope and asking her to deliver it to "Kamala."

Kerstin says she doesn't know him at all, nor did she give him her address info ... making her so frightened, she sold her home and moved somewhere else.

She claims Scott found out she was moving and says she saw him outside her home just a day after moving into the new place.

Kerstin also claims Scott's been sending a bunch of letters, greeting cards, and packages to both her home and work addresses, appearing delusional as he writes about his supposed connections to JFK and Tom Hanks ... and says he's lonely and without a family.

Scott was at the center of a similar incident in 2018, involving Gavin Newsom and his family -- and even allegedly got inside their home by telling one of Newsom’s children he was a friend of the family and a son of JFK.

NBA YoungBoy Not Guilty In Federal Gun Case

UPDATE

1:07 PM PT -- A spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Los Angeles tells TMZ, "We believe the evidence presented in this case supported the charges brought by the grand jury. While we are disappointed with the verdict, we respect the jury’s decision."

UPDATE

11:28 AM PT -- YoungBoy's attorney, Andre Belanger, tells TMZ the rapper put his head down and started to cry when the verdict was read ... it's been a stressful and emotional situation for him. In walking out of the courtroom, Belanger tells us YB exclaimed, "I was never guilty of this."

NBA YoungBoy has just been found not guilty in his federal gun case.

The verdict, confirmed by both NBA's lawyer Andre Belanger and the U.S. Attorney's Office comes after a 3-day trial ... the jury found him not guilty of a charge of illegal firearms possession over a loaded handgun found in his car last year.

As we reported, LAPD and the feds attempted to pull over a vehicle the rapper was in last March on an outstanding federal warrant.

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SEARCHING FOR YOUNGBOY
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The guy apparently didn't give up easily -- a short pursuit went down, but once the car stopped, cops said the rapper bolted on foot. Police set up a perimeter and brought in a K-9 to help find YoungBoy. The gun in question was found in his vehicle.

He was released on a $500K bond from federal prison back in October, but the judge ordered him to sit in home confinement in Utah until his trial date.

Support was shown for the rapper leading up to his sentencing -- a swarm of fans surrounded the court entrance in L.A. Friday as they awaited the verdict. Floyd Mayweather also showed up to court this week.

Brittney Griner Holds Up Pic of WNBA All-Stars in Russian Court Lawyer Says Cannabis Was Medical

UPDATE

11:09 AM PT -- A new photo shows Griner holding up a photo of the WNBA All-Stars wearing Brittney's #42 jersey at last weekend's All-Star Game.

Brittney Griner, wearing a Nirvana T-shirt, was back in court Friday, where the WNBA star's attorney told the judge BG, who's being tried on a drug charge, was prescribed cannabis for medical use ... the same substance she was caught carrying.

Griner's lawyer, Maria Blagovolina, told the court on Friday, "The attending physician gave Brittney recommendations for the use of medical cannabis."

"The permission was issued on behalf of the Arizona Department of Health," she added.

Blagovolina also submitted tests to the court ... showing 31-year-old Griner underwent testing to ensure she complied with anti-doping regulations, and the results revealed the hooper didn't have any prohibited substances in her system.

Griner appeared in court last week, bringing a photo of her wife, Cherelle, to the proceeding ... where she plead guilty to drug possession.

While addressing the court, Griner told the judge it wasn't her intent to break the law ... she simply packed hastily, and forgot about the cannabis.

Griner faces up to 10 years in prison ... but reps for the Phoenix Mercury star told us they're hopeful her guilty plea will be the beginning of getting Griner freed from Russian custody.

For now, Brittney's detention has been authorized to go through Dec. 20, according to the Associated Press, and although she plead guilty at last week's court hearing, Russia's justice system differs from the United States ... meaning the trial is to go through the beginning of August.

Griner's next hearing is scheduled for July 26.

Originally Published -- 7:17 AM PT

'Jersey Shore 2.0' House Cleared After Production Comes To Halt ... Lights, Equipment Pulled

It's becoming more and more apparent ... MTV's "Jersey Shore 2.0" won't resume production for a while -- at least not in the intended house -- as a ton of equipment was pulled from the location.

Sources tell TMZ ... production crews were back at the Atlantic City pad Wednesday taking down lights and removing cameras from the home. Our sources say it only took the production crew about 4 hours to get everything out.

We're told producers were also seen taking down no parking and permit signs that were dated from the beginning of July to August 6 ... and cases were loaded up with gear behind the home. Two security guards were stationed outside the house as producers and crews moved quickly to pack up.

Our sources say even the house next door, where show producers were shacked up was seen getting packed up and cleared out.

We broke the story ... earlier this week MTV's newest project came to a sudden halt less than a week after pre-production started. One source told us production details were being worked out while MTV would only say the production was "paused."

Tiger Woods Emotional At The Open ... Breaks Down In Tears On Course

Golf fans, try not to get teary-eyed watching this ...

Tiger Woods broke down while out on the golf course Friday morning, appearing to cry on the 18th fairway just before formally missing the cut at The Open -- and video from the scene is very emotional.

Woods -- who made it a goal to return to St. Andrews this year for the British Open after badly injuring his leg in a Feb. 2021 car crash -- struggled throughout the first two days of the tournament, and did not qualify for weekend play.

So, on his last hole of his second round on Friday, he received a massive ovation from the crowd in the stands -- and he couldn't hide his emotions.

Cameras captured Woods wiping away tears for several moments as he walked toward his ball near the green.

Tiger was eventually able to gather himself, and he went on to make a par -- finishing the event with a score of +9.

It could be the last time Woods ever competes in another Open at St. Andrews -- and he said afterward that's why he got so emotional out on the course.

"I don't know if I'll be physically able to play another British Open here at St. Andrews," said the 46-year-old, who's previously won two Opens at the famous course. "I certainly feel like I'll be able to play more British Opens. But, I don't know if I'll be around when it comes back around here."

"So, the warmth and the ovation at 18, it got to me."

#Respect

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