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Bill Maher begs to differ with the maxim, "There's no time like the present," because he says the past is being unfairly dragged.

Maher made a case against the concept of "presentism" -- making moral/ethical judgments about the conduct of people in the past based on current norms.

His argument is laced with some pretty hysterical jokes, like people who think they're better than George Washington because they have a gay friend and GW didn't. As he said, if GW were alive today, he'd probably have gay friends and if the people today were alive back then they wouldn't.

Now speaking of Washington -- whose legacy is tarnished by the fact he was a slave owner -- Maher tries to make the case that -- despite the fact slavery is horrendously wrong -- it has been the norm throughout history, pointing to the Egyptians, the Romans, the Greeks, the British ... and then he lands an hysterical joke, which you gotta watch.

As he put it half jokingly, human beings are generally terrible people.

Short story -- he thinks judging people from the past using current standards is stupid, and we shouldn't start altering, dismissing or ignoring history to conform to present values.

Rajon Rondo has settled a lawsuit in Los Angeles, according to court filings ... stemming from a 2020 incident where the NBA star was accused of assaulting a woman in a parking lot.

In docs obtained by TMZ Sports, the attorney for the plaintiff, Toktam Jorshari -- who sued Rondo for assault and battery -- filed a notice in an L.A. court, indicating the parties had reached a settlement.

Now, a judge must dismiss the case ... which should be a formality.

We broke the story ... Jorshari sued Rondo after claiming she was injured during an altercation with the hooper and his GF outside an apartment complex in July 2020.

In the suit, Jorshari alleged the former Clippers PG was upset about how close her car was parked to his pricey, $300k Rolls-Royce ... which she says led to Rondo's GF attacking her.

TMZ Sports obtained video of the incident (which didn't have audio) ... and Rondo appears to nudge the woman with his elbow, causing Jorshari to confront his GF.

Jorshari claimed she suffered injuries from the confrontation ... after being punched in the face and head multiple times by Rondo's GF

At the time, Jorshari's attorneys said of the incident ... "no man should ever put their hands on a woman."

"Especially an NBA basketball player with superior height and strength. The video speaks for itself," they continued.

Rapper Tee Grizzley's not only mourning his friend, PnB Rock ... he's also got drama at home after burglars made off with $1 million in bills and bling.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... burglars smashed a window at Tee's house about 2 weeks ago in his Porter Ranch neighborhood outside Los Angeles. We're told the jewelry alone they found was worth more than a mil, and they also walked away with a ton of cash.

According to the police report, no one was home at the time of the break-in, and there's an open investigation.

Tee's havin' a rough time these last few weeks -- as you know, PnB was shot and killed Monday while eating lunch at a Roscoe's Chicken and Waffles. The murderer, who's still on the loose, stole several diamond chains off the rapper.

Tee released the music video for part 4 of his "Robbery" series the day after Rock's death, opening with a "Rest In Heaven" message for PnB.

FYI, the track has nothing to do with Tee or PnB's situations ... it's a fictional story he'd been working on before either incident happened.

Even Hollywood's biggest stars get a little salty from time to time ... and they're using their own fish-eye lenses to share their underwater moments straight from Davy Jones's locker!

Australian actor Chris Hemsworth went down under and popped a squat, while pro dancer Derek Hough flexed his mussels while he took over, what looks to be like, King Triton's throne. And, Shaun White and Nina Dobrev were mer-maid for each other after a couples snorkel sesh.

Take a deep dive into our gallery of stars hangin' under the water.

Mykelti Williamson says John Oliver's dissection of 'Law & Order' as pro-cop propaganda is too serious for his own good -- 'cause at the end of the day ... it's showbiz, baby.

We got the veteran actor -- who recently had a starring role on "Law & Order: Organized Crime" -- responding to JO's anti-Dick Wolf rant while he was leaving LAX ... and his response to John's very serious critique of the long-running franchise is a dash of real talk.

The truth, according to Mykelti, is that DW -- the creator of 'Law & Order' -- is a class act ... especially when it comes to telling authentic stories about POC, so there's that.

On the issue of 'L&O' depicting police in too rosy a light, Mykelti is sorta giving an eye roll here -- first noting the show has attempted to tackle real-world issues within their plots (which is true) and secondly ... rightly pointing out 'L&O' is good old-fashioned entertainment.

As he explains to our photog, the truth is ugly and complicated -- with people already getting their fill of reality in their day-to-day lives ... and looking to TV for some escapism.

He also suggests that people aren't tuning into 'Law & Order' for virtue signaling ... they just want a tight 43 minutes of a cop chasing down a bad guy and cracking the case -- a formula John thinks has been rinsed and repeated for far too long, unrealistically.

But, Mykelti -- who, BTW, is also doing big things outside of TV with his Warrior Recovery Program for vets/first responders -- thinks this debate's more simple than John's making it.

Bella Hadid never shies away from throwing on a bold look ... and you can always count on her wearing accessories to compliment her outfit. Take in these candid moments during New York Fashion Week and see if you can spot the differences between these two stylish shots.

Looking fire in a red and yellow tie-dyed shirt, the supermodel stepped right off the runway and onto a New York City sidewalk where photogs captured her every last move. Can you tie-in the changes made in these two images?

'Real Housewives of OC' star Shannon Beador's ex-husband is waving the white flag on another marriage ... because he just filed to divorce his new wife.

David Beador booked it to court Thursday and filed to divorce Lesley Beador after only 23 months of marriage.

According to the docs, obtained by TMZ, David's going with irreconcilable differences as the reason for the split ... and he lists the date of separation as Sept. 15, the same day he filed for divorce. Dude wastes no time.

David and Lesley have a 19-month-old daughter together, Anna Love Beador, and he's seeking joint physical and legal custody.

As for spousal support -- he doesn't wanna pay her any. He also says they have a prenup.

David and Lesley got married in October 2020, and Anna was born less than 4 months later.

"Welcome to Sweetie Pie's" star, James "Tim" Norman is guilty of setting up his nephew's murder ... according to a Missouri jury.

The former reality TV star was convicted of three counts -- murder-for-hire, conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire, and conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud -- after the jury deliberated for 3 days.

As we've reported, Norman was busted by feds who accused him of orchestrating the killing of Andre Montgomery, his nephew. Prosecutors said Norman masterminded the 21-year-old's slaying. Andrew was shot and killed on March 14, 2016.

Prosecutors said Norman -- who owns Sweetie Pie's restaurant -- tried to cash a $450K life insurance policy taken out on his nephew after working with a woman named Terica Ellis to pull off the murder.

Ellis was also charged with conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire and has pled guilty. She'll be sentenced next month.

Tim and Andre both starred on the OWN network show "Welcome to Sweetie Pie's", which is about the popular soul food biz in St. Louis. They starred alongside Miss Robbie -- Andre's grandmother and Tim's mom.

Zoe Lister-Jones is pulling the plug on her marriage ... because she just filed for divorce from her director husband.

The "New Girl" star beelined it to court Thursday and filed to divorce Daryl Wein after 17 years together, including 9 years of marriage.

According to the docs, obtained by TMZ, Zoe is citing the usual irreconcilable differences as the reason for the split.

Zoe revealed last year she had separated from Daryl, explaining how they were going in and out of an open relationship. Now, she's made the first move to get a divorce, listing Feb. 1, 2021 as the date of separation.

ZLJ and DW did not have any minor children ... and she wants to end the court's ability to award spousal support. As for their property, Zoe is asking the judge to keep things simple and confirm the judgment for legal separation filed back in May 2021.

Stacey Abrams says there's a threat to democracy underway in her state of Georgia, and several others, due to laws making it harder for folks to vote -- which she believes tears at the very fabric of American democracy.

The voting rights activist is running for Governor in the Peach State and she joined us on "TMZ Live" Friday to discuss the roadblocks she says lawmakers are putting up for voters there.

Stacey says Georgia's incumbent, Gov. Brian Kemp, is on the record saying his frustration with how Georgians voted in the 2020 presidential and U.S. Senate elections -- flipping from red to blue -- prompted him to sign new laws ... which she says intentionally make it tougher for people to cast their votes.

There are growing concerns nationally about the GOP's full-court press to install Secretaries of State who could potentially certify an election for a candidate who actually lost at the polls -- but Stacey says voter suppression is an equal, if not greater, concern.

The way she sees it ... limiting ballots and people's access to voting is just another way to change election outcomes -- not as overt as rigging, but just as effective.

Stacey says Georgia is a prime example of these dynamics at work ... she says Georgia's Sec. of State, Brad Raffensperger, is getting credit for refusing to commit election fraud back in 2020, but she says he's a "very strong proponent of voter suppression."

Hear ye, hear ye ... royal subjects shall not drop trou to honor Her Majesty the Queen.

Ya wouldn't think it was necessary to make such a decree, but it is after the wild scene that went down in the hours-long line to see Queen Elizabeth II's coffin.

As you know, QE2 has been lying in State this week in London's Westminster Abbey, and according to cops one mourner who showed up Wednesday got way outta line. The man was reportedly arrested for exposing himself to mourners who'd come to pay their respects to Queen.

Some people have been waiting as long as 12 hours, slowly and patiently waiting their turn to walk past Queen Elizabeth II's coffin -- but this yahoo created even more of a spectacle when he attempted to escape cops by jumping into the River Thames. It was not a successful getaway.

Law enforcement says ... the 19-year-old guy flashed 2 women while he was also in line. One of the alleged victims is said to have noticed him inching closer to her before feeling something touch her -- she then turned around and caught him in the act.

When cops fished him outta the river, he was charged with 2 counts of sexual assault and 2 counts of breaching a sexual harm prevention order. He's already pled not guilty.

A$AP Rocky is clear ... he did NOT shoot A$AP Relli ... pushing back against his accuser, whom Rocky says is simply trying to make a cash grab.

The rapper's acclaimed lawyer, Joe Tacopina, tells TMZ ... "Rocky didn't commit a crime. It was an extortion attempt by a former associate, who threatened to make false criminal accusations if Rocky didn't pay him."

Remember ... A$AP is accused of firing shots at A$AP Relli during a dispute in Hollywood back in November, with Relli claiming bullet fragments caused a hand injury. Relli is suing Rocky over the alleged incident, and Rocky is also facing felony firearms charges.

Tacopina tells us he has 2 eyewitnesses who back Rocky's story ... not only that Relli wasn't hit by bullet fragments, but that no shot was even fired. In other words, Tacopina says Relli has made up the story in a "get-rich-quick scheme."

Rocky hired Joe because a couple of his friends -- YG and Meek Mill -- were also successfully repped by Tacopina.

Tacopina says both the civil and criminal cases against his client are slam dunks ... "What will become abundantly clear in the upcoming months, based on facts and evidence, is that Rocky is innocent of these charges."

The former marriage of Safaree and Erica Mena is officially dissolved -- they've finalized their divorce terms ... TMZ has learned.

Legal documents obtained by TMZ show the judge signed off on the divorce September 12, after the exes came to their agreement through arbitration. Among those terms ... Safaree will dole out $4,305 a month in child support.

Allow us to jog your memory ... Erica filed for divorce in May 2021 and the two have been living separately since, sharing joint custody of their 2 young children.

The pair already unloaded their sprawling $1.3 million Georgia mansion in June and, with the marriage officially over, the docs say Erica will again go by her maiden name.

The "Love & Hip Hop" power couple were married for less than 2 years when Erica claimed Safaree was cheating while she was pregnant with their second child, and she allegedly trashed his stuff ... effectively flushing the marriage for good.

Cara Delevingne's friends say she's in a bad way -- struggling with issues that go beyond substance abuse -- and their desperation to get her help is becoming increasingly obvious.

One of the model's closest friends, Margot Robbie, was visibly distraught this week shortly after leaving Cara's L.A. home.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ there's good reason Margot's emotions came pouring out that day. We're told Cara's been struggling for a while now, initially with mental health issues, but now the people closest to her believe she needs rehab too.

We're told Margot and other friends are advocating for Cara to immediately get into a treatment program that includes mental therapy as well as substance abuse treatment.

You might recall, Cara and Margot went on vacay together in August ... traveling to Spain with other friends to celebrate Cara's 30th birthday, and since then she's appeared increasingly erratic in public.

Last week, she looked totally disheveled and seemed confused after initially boarding one of Jay-Z's private jets in Los Angeles. The flight never took off, and she got off it 45 minutes later.

The day Margot went to visit Cara ... she was supposed to be at her own NY Fashion Week event. She never made it to NYC.

A surfer's day on the waves quickly turned into a fight for his board -- 'cause a sea otter stole it from him as he was dippin' in the Pacific Ocean, and refused to give it back!!

The wild scene all happened off the shores of California on Monday when an otter plopped itself onto Nick Ericksen's ride as he was hittin' the waves.

Video shot by one of Ericksen's friends showed despite all of the surfer's efforts to displace the animal -- it wasn't budging.

The two then engaged in a standoff for several moments -- with the otter in absolutely no mood to get back in the water.

At one point, Ericksen managed to get the otter off the board for a few seconds -- but it climbed back on and, again, didn't want to leave.

Finally, another surfer came to the rescue ... and pulled the board away long enough for Ericksen to hop back on it.

The whole thing was pretty funny -- but also a little scary, 'cause the pissed-off otter followed the surfer for a while!!!

According to one of Ericksen's friends, the surfer had considered getting an otter tattoo recently, "but this may have changed his mind."

The death of a famous Philadelphia drag queen is getting national attention ... due to the tragic manner in which she died.

25-year-old Valencia Prime passed away after performing as part of a drag show ... according to Shaniyah Banks, an investigator for Philadelphia Medical Examiner's Office.

A rep for Philadelphia PD tells TMZ they got a call about someone who had collapsed at Tabu Lounge & Sports Bar around 11:15 PM Monday night ... they were pronounced dead just before midnight.

We're told the causes of death were determined to be cardiovascular disease, diabetes and obesity.

The venue paid tribute to Valencia, posting a statement online about "the loss of a very bright and rising star in the performance community." They also said they're talking with her family about hosting a show in her honor in the future.

She's been met with tributes left and right since her passing ... drag queen Brittany Lynn wrote on Facebook, "You will be sorely missed ... keep twirling, ma'am," while drag artist Aloe Vera said, "I love you with everything in my heart Valencia. Rest in power.”

Valencia was 25.