Ricky Martin He Will Testify Against Nephew Insists No Romantic or Sexual Relationship
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Ricky Martin will appear virtually in court Thursday to adamantly deny claims by his 21-year-old nephew they had a sexual relationship ... TMZ has learned.
Sources with direct knowledge tell us ... Ricky will appear Thursday before a judge in Puerto Rico via Zoom. We're told he will directly address the judge and vigorously deny he had any romantic/sexual relationship with the nephew who has claimed such a relationship went on for 7 months.
We're told Ricky will also squarely challenge the nephew's account that the singer allegedly stalked and harassed him.
As we reported, the nephew got a temporary restraining order last Friday, prohibiting Ricky from having any contact with him. The restraining order was ex-parte, meaning neither Ricky nor his team was in court to rebut the allegations. The judge will now decide whether to extend the restraining order.
There have been reports that Ricky could face up to 50 years in prison if he's charged with an incest-related crime, but our sources say there is no such criminal investigation ... just the civil restraining order.
As we reported, Ricky's lawyer has said the nephew suffers from mental health issues, which Ricky's brother has backed up online.
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NBA's Miles Bridges Pleads Not Guilty ... To Felony Domestic Violence
1:19 PM PT -- 7/20 -- Bridges showed up in court and pleaded not guilty to all three charges on Wednesday. He's due back in court for another hearing in the case next month.
NBA star Miles Bridges has been charged with felony domestic violence and child abuse in Los Angeles after allegedly beating the mother of his kids ... in front of the children.
TMZ Sports broke the story late last month ... the 24-year-old former Charlotte Hornet turned himself in to authorities in L.A. the day after the alleged incident. He was ultimately released after posting $130K bond.
Now, Bridges has been slapped with "one felony count of injuring a child’s parent and two felony counts of child abuse under circumstances or conditions likely to cause great bodily injury or death."
Controversial L.A. District Attorney George Gascon addressed the charging of Miles, saying “Domestic violence creates physical, mental and emotional trauma that has a lasting impact on survivors,”
Gascon continued ... “Children who witness family violence are especially vulnerable and the impact on them is immeasurable. Mr. Bridges will be held accountable for his actions and our Bureau of Victim Services will support the survivors through this difficult process.”
The details surrounding the alleged incident aren't entirely clear, but sources previously told us Miles and his GF were involved in an argument that turned physical.
Mychelle Johnson, the alleged victim (Mychelle identified herself), claims she was injured from the alleged attack ... saying she was diagnosed with multiple injuries including a "brain concussion, closed fracture of nasal bone, contusion of rib, multiple bruises, strain of neck muscle."
Mychelle also posted photos of the alleged incident.
At the time, Johnson said ... "I don't need sympathy," Johnson added. "I just don't want this happening to anyone else, I just want this person to get help, my kids deserve better."
The 6'7" forward is scheduled to be arraigned in Los Angeles on Wednesday.
If convicted, Bridges faces years in prison.
Originally Published -- 7/19 05:12 PM PT
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Joe Rogan 'Maybe Just Go Shoot the Homeless' ... Under Fire for 'Joke' Intended As Political Jab
Joe Rogan's back in extremely hot water for making a pretty horrific crack about shooting unhoused people in L.A. -- and even though he'll probably say people missed his point, he's getting ripped for the "joke."
Joe fired off the comments on the most recent episode of "The Joe Rogan Experience" ... he was discussing L.A.'s crisis with comedian Tom Segura, and griping about homeless people's belongings being strewn around public areas.
Tom chimed in that all that stuff is personal property, and you can be arrested if you attempt to remove a homeless person's possessions. Rogan's response is why this exchange has gone viral.
He said, “You’d get arrested. Hilarious. But, they wouldn’t arrest you if you shot somebody. Maybe you should just go shoot the homeless people.”
The remark's stirred a firestorm on social media, where folks are accusing Rogan of inciting violence against people living on the streets. Others have labeled the convo "disgusting," "repulsive" and tone deaf -- joke or not.
Now, the full context -- Rogan used that comment as a launching point to complain about L.A. County D.A. George Gascón, who's been widely criticized for being soft on certain crimes ... even when firearms are involved.
That part of his argument is clearly lost now in the uproar over his absurd, yet tasteless, comment.
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Trina Niece Shot And Killed In Miami
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Trina's family is reeling after the devastating loss of her niece, who was shot and killed in Miami ... TMZ has learned.
Sources close to Trina confirmed with TMZ that her niece, who the rapper endearingly referred to as Baby Suga, was killed Tuesday night ... telling us she was in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Law enforcement sources say it appears the teen was visiting the area, they're still investigating the circumstances surrounding the shooting to determine if the attack was random or targeted.
Suga and 2 other women sustained gunshot wounds during the incident ... the condition of the other 2 is not currently known.
A rep for Trina tells TMZ, "We kindly ask that everyone please respect the privacy of Trina and her family at this devastating time."
Baby Suga, whose real name was Toni Chester, was only 17.
RIP
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Trayvon Martin Another Black Teen Claims Attack in Same Town ... Parents File Lawsuit
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The men who allegedly attacked a Black teen in the same city where Trayvon Martin was killed are being taken to court.
The teenager's parents are suing Howard Hughes and Donald Corsi over the June incident ... where they claim the 2 men and other unidentified adults stopped their son's car while he was simply visiting a friend's house in a Sanford, FL neighborhood.
According to the docs, obtained by TMZ, Columbus and Niko Jones allege their kid was doing nothing more than driving along with a friend in the passenger seat ... when, all of a sudden, the group of locals launched into them with animosity.
The parents claim the adults, including Hughes and Corsi, hurled insults and threats at the 2 minors ... and eventually, started physically trying to halt the car. According to the Joneses, this came in the form of swinging a traffic cone at one of the doors, and hurling a large rock shattering the rear window.
At this point, the Joneses claim both kids got out, scared for their lives ... with the friend allegedly seeing one of the adults brandish a gun in the crowd, and Hughes allegedly saying they had a permit to do so -- while also insulting their son by calling him a "dumbass."
Soon, the cops showed up … and arrested Corsi and Hughes on a number of charges, including battery and damaging property.
Now, they have a civil case on their hands as well -- the Joneses are suing for assault, infliction of emotional distress, false imprisonment and more.
They're asking for an unspecified amount in damages.
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'Honey Boo Boo' Undergoing Weight-Loss Surgery ... I'm Tryin' To Get Healthy, Y'all!
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Alana Thompson, better known as reality TV's "Honey Boo Boo," is working her way toward a healthier version of herself by gearing up for a weight loss procedure.
Alana's manager Gina Rodriguez tells TMZ ... the reality star will be heading to NYC -- Queens, specifically -- in late August to have surgery after her 17th birthday.
She's getting a suture sculpt endoscopic sleeve from weight loss doctor Steven Batash, which can set someone back about $13K. As for why Alana's going this route -- we're told she's currently 275 pounds, and wants to get down to 150.
We're told she's trying her best to live a healthier life -- trying diets and increasing her exercise over the past year -- but hasn't gotten the results she hoped she would.
Alana's worried the weight she's put on is genetic, and sees this procedure as the only way to get rid of it.
As for support, she's got plenty ... her sister and new guardian, Pumpkin, has her back and signed off on Alana getting the procedure.
Alana's BF Dralin Carswell also is on her side ... he's going to get the same procedure done for himself too, as it's something they wanted to do together.
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50 Cent New Horror Flick Too G-G-Gross ... Cameraman Passes Out!!!
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50 Cent and director Josh Stolberg have an instant promo for their upcoming horror flick, "Skill House" ... it's so terrifying, even the film's crew is losing consciousness on set!
TMZ Hip Hop obtained this footage ... it's the camera operator's reaction while filming a particularly bloody scene, and whoever's behind the lens has a weak stomach ... because he passed out on the spot.
The clip opens up with an extremely bloody actor and you can see the camera become wobbly almost immediately as the cameraman loses consciousness (but thankfully not his lunch!).
If you're squeamish too, you get why the guy went down -- 50 still couldn't believe it when he shared the gory story on Instagram ... and he was just getting it secondhand.
We're told Fiddy wasn't on set at the time but several other cast members, including Amira Mertaban, were present -- Amira was actually the first person to rush to the cameraman's side. Medics stepped in, and we're told the camera guy is fine ... he'll be back on set to finish the film.
Hollywood SFX legend Steve Johnson is credited (or blamed) for creating the gut-wrenching scene. He and Stolberg -- who worked on the last 2 'Saw' movies -- seem hellbent on pushing the limit on "Skill House."
Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media.
The movie's being produced by 50 Cent and co-stars Bryce Hall, of TikTok fame, and UFC icon Paige VanZant.
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Sesame Place Black Child Isolating with Family Member ... After Being Traumatized by Alleged Racial Snub
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One of the Black girls who allegedly got snubbed by a character at Sesame Place is still reeling from the incident ... and is now isolating with a family member to regain stability.
B'Ivory LaMarr -- the attorney for the family whose kids interacted with Rosita at Sesame Place -- tells TMZ ... the girl in question has been traumatized by the incident, and is staying with her grandmother so she can be shielded from the publicity in a safe environment.
LaMarr tells us the little girl has been overcome with emotion, crying and upset because she can't understand why Rosita would treat her differently than white kids.
One of the things we're told ... she asked her mother in the immediate aftermath whether she'd done anything wrong ... seeing how the Sesame mascot refused to touch her or the other Black girl, but had interacted with white girls just moments earlier.
LaMarr says he and the family are working on setting her up with therapy sessions.
As for what's on the horizon ... we're told a Change.org petition has been set up to ID the person in the Rosita costume ... with the goal of accountability. LaMarr previously told us they're also mulling over a lawsuit.
As we reported ... similar videos have now surfaced -- Sesame Workshop has apologized and promised more bias training.
There's going to be a press conference today in NYC, outside Sesame Workshop, to discuss the matter.
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Charles Johnson Ex-NFL 1st-Round Pick ... Dead At 50
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Charles Johnson -- a former NFL first-round draft pick and Super Bowl champion -- has died at 50 years old.
The North Carolina high school he had been working at as an assistant athletic director confirmed the sad news on Tuesday ... writing in a tweet, "RIP Coach. You will be missed by so many, especially your Husky Family."
No cause of death has been revealed.
RIP Coach. You will be missed by so many, especially your Husky Family. #RIPCJ #HuskyFamily pic.twitter.com/JUfkjELMMB
— Heritage Huskies (@heritagehsfball) July 19, 2022 @heritagehsfball
Johnson was taken by the Pittsburgh Steelers at #17 overall in the 1994 NFL Draft -- just a few picks after the Colts took Marshall Faulk -- and he went on to have a solid pro career.
The 6-foot, 200-pound wide receiver played nine years in the league for the Steelers, Eagles, Patriots and Bills ... piling up 4,606 receiving yards and 24 TDs in his career.
Johnson ended up being a part of Tom Brady's first-ever Super Bowl win -- he was on the 2001 New England team that beat Kurt Warner's Rams at SB XXXVI.
He left the NFL following the 2002 season.
RIP.
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'90 Day Fiance' Barber Featured on Show ... On Most Wanted List for Murder
A barber featured on "90 Day Fiancé" is on the run from an alleged murder case … and he’s now one of the country’s most wanted men.
Michael Anthony Baltimore landed on the U.S. Marshals Service’s 15 Most Wanted list last month for what authorities say was a killing he commissioned in Carlisle, PA — where he allegedly shot and killed his barbershop boss, Kendell Cook, and injured another man in the process.
The agency says Baltimore is wanted for assault, homicide and parole violation charges — noting he has an extensive criminal history and should be considered armed and dangerous.
There are 3 different rewards being offered by just as many agencies … $25k, $10k and $2,000, respectively.
As for what exactly might’ve led up to the alleged shooting, local reports suggest Baltimore had been beefing with Cook for years … which is interesting, because they were depicted as chummy on the show.
Each of them was featured in a handful of episodes during 2019’s "90 Day Fiancé: Happily Ever After?" fourth season -- as side characters -- where their friendly banter was filmed in the shop.
The couples on for that season were Jay and Ashley, Nicole and Azan, Chantel and Pedro, Colt and Larissa and others. Talk about a plot twist.
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'The Cult' Concert Singer Ian Astbury Breaks Up Fight ... How Dare You Put Fan in Chokehold!!!
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The Cult lead singer Ian Astbury took a take-no-prisoners approach during his performance Tuesday night ... jumping into the crowd to break up a scuffle, then calling out the aggressor on stage.
Ian was belting out the song, "Rain," at The Anthem in Washington D.C. when fireworks erupted. Apparently, a tall guy in the front was blocking the view of the guy behind him, and the 2 got into it. Based on what Ian says the tall guy put the other fan in a chokehold.
You see in the video, obtained by TMZ, Ian comes down from the stage and breaks it up, then hugs the guy who was put in the chokehold.
Ian jumps back onstage and finishes the song, but he's not done with the tall guy.
Ian goes on a tirade, talking about how he was once knocked out by a member of the Hells Angels. He then warns the tall dude he's skating on thin ice. The other guy apparently left.
The band finished the set and the crowd loved it.
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Kodak Black Oxy Pills In Recent Arrest were Prescribed... Meds Help Ease Pain from Shooting, Prison Assault
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Kodak Black claims he had a perfectly good reason for having several oxycodone pills when he was busted last weekend … his legal team insists he needs them to deal with serious pain.
Kodak's attorney Bradford Cohen tells TMZ ... the "Super Gremlin" rapper has battled chronic pain after getting shot in February during a scuffle in L.A. over Super Bowl weekend. Cohen says Kodak was prescribed pain pills to take as necessary to deal with that injury.
What's more, prior to the shooting, Kodak alleged he was assaulted by guards during his stint in a Kentucky federal prison, before Donald Trump commuted his sentence and released him. We're told he suffers ongoing pain from the attack and the meds help with that pain.
Cohen says he's handed over proof to prosecutors that the pills were legally prescribed, in an effort to resolve the matter STAT.
As we reported last Saturday, Kodak was stopped by Florida Highway patrol after his illegal window tint alerted their radar, where they uncovered 31 pills.
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LeBron, Kobe, Michael Jordan 1/1 Triple Logoman Card Hits Auction ... Could Surpass $3 Mil!!
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A mint, one-of-one Upper Deck Exquisite Triple Logoman card containing actual jersey patches from LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, and Michael Jordan just hit the auction block, and will sell for MILLIONS!!
The card went live on Goldin Auctions website Wednesday morning ... and it's one of the coolest and most sought-after cards in existence. That's because, aside from containing real memorabilia from the basketball legends, it's literally the only one of its kind.
Ken Goldin, CEO of GA, tells us the card could sell for upwards of $3 million. Bidding opens at $750K.
The front of the UD Exquisite features 3 NBA patches from game-used jerseys, worn by James, Jordan and Bryant. It's unclear exactly when they rocked the jerseys which ended up in the card ... but they were worn during real-deal NBA games.
On the back is a message congratulating the (very lucky and now wealthy) owner of the special card.
"You have received a Michael Jordan. LeBron lames and Kobe Bryant Game-Used trading card. On the front of this card are pieces of memorabilia that have been certified to us as having been used in an NBA game. We hope you enjoy this piece of basketball history, as we continue to keep you as close as you can get!" the card reads.
And, don't think Logoman's go for huge amounts of money. A LeBron James Logoman card recently sold for 2.4 million ... and that only had 3 King James patches (Cavs, Heat, Lakers jersey).
Of course, by almost all accounts, MJ, LeBron and Kobe are three of the greatest players to ever hoop. They've combined 10 NBA MVPs, 15 NBA championships, and 50 All-Star game selections.
Auction closes August 6. Good luck, bidders!
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'Vanderpump' Stars Tom & Katie Divorce Still Moving Along ... Find Buyer for Home
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'Vanderpump' stars Katie Maloney and Tom Schwartz are seriously close to unloading a major asset they shared in marriage ... finding a buyer for their home after filing for divorce.
Tom and Katie accepted an offer Tuesday for $2.45 million ... the sale hasn't been finalized just yet, but is almost certain to go through. The home was first listed last month for $2.75M, but the price was later slashed by about $150k.
As far as the house itself, the new buyer will be able to take advantage of all the cool features ... including a gorgeous outdoor pool, patio and backyard spa. It's got 4 bedrooms, 5 bathrooms and about 3,500 sq ft of living space.
As we reported, Katie filed for divorce from Tom about 4 months ago. Since then, they've been open about going their separate ways, which included getting rid of the house, as both felt it would be too much to maintain solo both physically and financially.
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At one point, Katie got Instagram to tell her fans just how hard it was to let go of the property, writing, "I hate goodbyes. And this one hurts a lot. The emotions and words are hard to pin down. Closing this chapter on my life feels like attending my own funeral."
Stephen Apelian of Coldwell Banker Realty held the listing.
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Terry McLaurin Commander Of The Club!!! ... WR Celebrates New Contract At Miami Hotspot
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Forget cars, bling and shopping sprees ... Terry McLaurin celebrated his new, massive Commanders contract extension by spending some of his newfound cash at a Miami nightclub!!
TMZ Sports has learned ... just a couple weeks after the wide receiver signed a huge $71 MILLION extension with Washington -- he hit up Mr Jones in South Beach to party hard.
McLaurin was there on Saturday night -- and at one point during the festivities, the club recognized his new, 3-year Commanders deal by writing a congratulations note to him on the video boards.
The club also posted McLaurin up in a makeshift helicopter -- all while clubgoers cheered him on.
Name a more iconic duo than @TheTerry_25 and ridiculous catches… I’ll wait.
— NFL On Prime Video (@NFLonPrime) July 17, 2022 @NFLonPrime
(via @NFL) | @Commanders pic.twitter.com/qxp5zRHuRI
Of course, the 26-year-old had every reason to party his ass off -- coming into the league as a third-round pick in 2019, the wideout was making right around league minimum to dominate for the Commanders the last three years.
So, the raise and the ensuing celebration are certainly well deserved ... congrats, Terry!!!
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Smith Jerrod In 'Sex And The City' 'Memba Him?!
American actor Jason Lewis was 32 years old when he was cast as Smith Jerrod -- a rising actor who eventually makes his big break and falls in love with Samantha Jones -- in HBO's "Sex And The City."
Jason was accompanied by fellow castmates Sarah Jessica Parker as Carrie Bradshaw, Kim Cattrall as Public Relations executive, Samantha Jones, Kristin Davis as art gallerist, Charlotte York, Cynthia Nixon as corporate lawyer Miranda Hobbes and Chris Noth as entrepreneur and financier, Mr. Big.
Jason also reprised his role in both "Sex And The City" films.