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The prosecutor who put Jeffrey Dahmer behind bars is pushing back against the narrative Netflix puts forth in its new show -- namely, that cops ignored obvious clues because the case involved gay and/or Black people.

Former Milwaukee D.A. Michael McCann -- who personally prosecuted Dahmer in the '90s -- tells TMZ ... the notion that MPD officers turned a blind eye to Dahmer's victims because of their race or sexual orientation is ludicrous, despite what "Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story" portrays.

The true crime drama is getting a lot of buzz right now, and while McCann says he hasn't seen it yet ... he's aware of how Netflix and co. are playing things -- very anti-cop and leaning into perceived racial and homophobic bias throughout the episodes.

McCann is flatly denying that characterization, saying neither race nor sexual orientation had influenced how police investigated Dahmer. He insists if they'd known they had a serial killer in their midst, they would've moved in immediately to put a stop to it ... regardless of the victims' backgrounds.

He explains Dahmer's M.O. simply didn't allow for them to discover the truth any sooner than they did in 1991 -- when one of his victims escaped and brought cops to Dahmer's apartment.

McCann notes Dahmer didn't leave a lot of obvious evidence lying around, and covered his tracks well.

He also thinks there's something to the fact that Dahmer's victims were men -- saying women who went missing back then were investigated by assuming the worst. On racism and homophobia generally, he acknowledges it's been a problem historically in law enforcement ... but is still adamant that it played no role in how officers went about handling Dahmer.

Of course, not everyone will buy what McCann's selling here ... especially seeing how Glenda Cleveland -- played by Niecy Nash -- alerted Milwaukee PD to Dahmer's behavior many times before he was eventually captured. Many suspect cops wrote her off because she was Black.

Lizzo's making musical history with a damn near ancient instrument -- she's now the first person to play a crystal flute that once belonged to one of America's founding fathers!!!

The singer unveiled the big surprise during her show Tuesday night in D.C. -- the ultra-rare flute was made in 1813 and used to belong to James Madison ... AKA U.S. President #4.

She was pretty nervous about even holding the flute, much less playing it, and told the crowd ... as only Lizzo could, "Bitch I'm scared."

Lizzo played her first note and the crowd went WILD -- she followed it up by twerking while playing some more. Take that, Madison!!!

She shared her excitement online after the show, too ... telling her followers she's the "first and only person" to play this flute. She adds, "I WILL NEVER BE OVER IT."

Lizzo got an invite from Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden earlier this week to visit "the largest flute collection in the world" while in town ... and the singer took her up on it, adding "I'M PLAYIN THAT CRYSTAL FLUTE!!!"

Cara Delevingne is looking incredible as she gets back to work showing off a new fashion collection -- and that could be a heartening sight for friends who've been worried since a couple weeks ago when they say she was in a very bad way.

Cara was out at a Paris Fashion Week party Tuesday for her Cara Loves Karl collection ... a gender-neutral line she announced last month, inspired by her close friendship with the late designer Karl Lagerfeld.

The model posted a similar fit on Instagram Tuesday -- also from the collection -- and got a ton of love from her fans in the comments.

Of course, this outing comes after one of Cara's closest pals, Margot Robbie, was visibly distraught earlier this month shortly after leaving Cara's home.

Sources with direct knowledge told TMZ ... Cara's been struggling for a while -- initially with mental health issues, but now the people closest to her believe she needs rehab, too.

We're told Margot and other friends have been advocating for her to get into a treatment program.

Katie Couric, a TV icon, is battling breast cancer.

The 65-year-old former "Today" show anchor just revealed she was diagnosed in June. Cancer is no stranger to Katie ... she lost her first husband, Jay Monahan, to colon cancer in 1998. Her sister died from pancreatic cancer and her mother-in-law died from ovarian cancer. She said, "My mood quickly shifted from disbelief to resignation. Given my family's history of cancer, why would I be spared? My reaction went from, "Why me? to Why not me?"

Katie said, "Every two minutes, a woman is diagnosed with breast cancer in the United States. On June 21st, I became one of them. As we approach #BreastCancerAwarenessMonth, I wanted to share my personal story with you all and encourage you to get screened and understand that you may fall into a category of women who needs more than a mammogram."

She went on to describe her struggle ... "I felt sick and the room started to spin. I was in the middle of an open office, so I walked to a corner and spoke quietly, my mouth unable to keep up with the questions swirling in my head."

Katie underwent surgery back in July. She started radiation treatment early this month.

Navy SEALs are apparently using performance-enhancing drugs en masse -- a phenomenon under the microscope after a recent death -- and now ... the branch is cracking down.

This all came under increased scrutiny after 24-year-old SEAL trainee Kyle Mullen died suddenly earlier this year while he was participating in the training program ... specifically, during Hell Week, where would-be SEALs are put through extreme conditions.

While Mullen's mother denies her son was on any type of steroid/PED that could've adversely affected his health -- paraphernalia found in his car shortly after his death has caused concern among Navy brass, spurring them to request more testing to detect this stuff.

There's a list of banned substances -- including PEDs -- that the Navy doesn't want its recruits using ... even though, in reality, it seems many of them are. Mullen's mother told CNN that her son relayed this to her while he was alive ... that more often than not, prospective SEALs were juicing up for competitive advantages in the elite program.

Officials believe this problem goes beyond just human growth hormone, BTW -- the PED problem is said to be rampant and wide-ranging ... which is obviously worrying, seeing how much this stuff has been found to be bad for the average person's health, increasing heart rate and blood pressure levels beyond normal -- and that can lead to death.

After Mullen's death, other cadets were ordered to undergo urinalysis to test for PEDs, but the Navy wants blood testing approved (and funded) because they believe this issue needs to be weeded out and strictly forbidden.

A Naval senior officer told CNN ... there is "beyond a reasonable doubt that a significant portion of the candidate population is utilizing a wide range of performance-enhancing drugs."

It's not every day you can wakeboard in the street ... so when the weather from Hurricane Ian caused a huge flood, a Florida man was there with his board!

A bystander in Marathon, Florida caught the performance on video ... where a pickup truck,  submerged in water, pulled the wakeboarder through the flooded streets.

There were even spectators there ... cheering on the wakeboarder.

Even though it looks fun (heck, is fun), Hurricane Ian is no joke. The storm could bring 155 MPH winds when it slams into Florida on Wednesday, according to Weather.com.

Last week, Hurricane Ian struck the Cayman Islands and Cuba, leaving at least 2 people dead in Cuba and millions without power.

This is the second major hurricane of the 2022 season.

Several sporting events in Florida, and even South Carolina, have been postponed due to the severe weather, including UCF's game, originally scheduled for Saturday game, that's been moved to Sunday.

As of now, the Buccaneers-Chiefs game is still on for Sunday night at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, but an NFL spokesman said the league is "monitoring the storm and continuing to talk to both teams."

Amy Schneider's going from winning "Jeopardy!" to just flat out winning in life -- the historic TV champ says she's hitched, and she actually did it on the Q.T. quite a while ago.

Amy revealed her marriage news on her social media, where she announced ... "Genevieve Davis and I are delighted to announce that on Monday, May 9, we were married in a small private ceremony at the Alameda County Recorder."

The newlyweds said they'll be doing a more "traditional wedding next summer, but our lives have been much too busy this year to get very far in planning it, and we couldn’t wait that long to proclaim our love and commitment to each other."

They posted photos of the civil ceremony with the caption ... "A year ago today, I was in LA, waiting to fulfill a dream. The year since has been full of good days, but by far the best one was May 9th, when Genevieve and I got married. Without her, none of the other good days would have happened. I’m so lucky to share my life with her!"

Schneider had a historic run as the trivia champ, racking up 40 consecutive wins and earning $1.3 million. It placed her second on the all-time champions' list -- only behind G.O.A.T. Ken Jennings -- and up there with the best of the best.

Schneider was the first woman on "Jeopardy!" to ever cross the million-dollar mark, and the first trans woman to qualify for the "Tournament of Champions" show ... which will air later in October.

She got engaged to her wife in February, and now they're riding off into the sunset.

Post Malone made his grand return to the stage after being hospitalized for his hard fall ... and while he might not have performed at 100%, the crowd was lovin' every minute.

The singer took the stage at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland Tuesday night ... thanking the packed crowd early on for coming out -- and repeated his explanation as to why he pulled the plug on Saturday's gig.

Folks in the crowd tell TMZ ... Post didn't seem to be fully healed -- his singing seemed labored throughout his set. They could hear him taking deep breaths.

He was clearly in pain ... grabbing on his ribs, walking and dancing almost in slow motion around the stage. At one point, Post took his shirt off and the crowd saw that his ribs were wrapped in what looked like ACE bandages.

Regardless of his performance, the audience was giving him TONS of props ... especially after taking such a nasty fall last weekend.

As we reported, Post suffered a fracture in his rib cage as a result of the fall.

The late Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins was honored in a massive way in Los Angeles -- with stars including Miley Cyrus, Joan Jett, Brian May -- and more taking the stage ... but it was a unique cover from Dave Chappelle that had fans talking.

The concert marathon, which didn't end until 1 AM, went down at the Kia Forum in L.A. Tuesday night -- it was the second show to honor Hawkins, with the first happening in London earlier this month.

Check out the video of Dave, he took the stage with Dave Grohl and the rest of The Foo Fighters for the cover.

However, fans were treated to some other truly special performances. Grohl played 'Bad Reputation' with Joan Jett and Travis Barker, Miley hit the stage with Def Leppard, Motley Crue performed, Pink did 'Barracuda' with Nancy Wilson, Alanis Morissette performed with RHCP drummer Chad Smith ... and then at 11:45, The Foo Fighters took the stage to play some of their hits.

As we reported, Hawkins' son Shane got on the drums during the London show ... he did the same during the L.A. tribute to play "Hero."

Actor Robert Cormier, best known for his portrayal of Finn Cotter in "Heartland," died last week after an apparent fall, this according to his family.

His sister, Stephanie, told the Hollywood Reporter that Robert passed away Friday in an Ontario, CA, hospital from injuries he suffered during the fall. No official cause of death has been released.

An online obit described Robert as an "athlete, an actor, and a great brother" who loved to help others and always wanted to achieve more. It ended with ... "Rob's memory will live on through his passion for art and film."

Growing up in Toronto, Robert would tell his dad to call him "Robbie Van Damme" after his favorite actor, Jean-Claude Van Damme. Robert was a bartender before he got his big break in TV, landing roles in "Heartland," "Ransom," "American Gods" and "Designated Survivor." He also made a splash as Kit Jennings in the popular Netflix series "Slasher."

UPtv — which streams episodes of Heartland — released a statement on IG, calling Robert "an amazing talent, gone too soon," next to a photo of him with costar Amber Mitchell.

The network added ... "We are deeply saddened to learn of his passing. Our sincere condolences go out to his friends, family, and co-workers."

Robert is survived by his parents, Robert and Lisa, and 3 sisters Brittany, Krystal and Stephanie.

He was 33.

Tekashi 6ix9ine's recent brawl in Dubai won't be his last one ... not if the DJ he punched that night has anything to say about it!!!

TMZ Hip Hop caught up with the DJ, Lucasdirty ... who wants to resolve the whole thing mano a mano in a real boxing ring.

Lucasdirty's looking to finish what started last weekend ... he tells us he was alerted by the club's management that 6ix9ine was indeed in the building, so he was asked to spin his tunes.

He refused, though, because he says 6ix9ine's music goes against his core beliefs and morals -- and that's what sparked the nightclub melee captured on video.

You can see how things blew up ... 6ix9ine approached the DJ booth 10 minutes after getting rejected, some words were exchanged and then the club was flipped upside down.

Now, Lucasdirty is looking ahead to the recently announced exhibition fight between Floyd Mayweather and YouTuber Deji this November in Dubai, and sees it as the perfect opportunity to settle his differences with Tekashi.

Lucasdirty doesn't even fancy himself a boxer, but he's willing to put on the gloves if it means punching the rainbow.

The iconic cottage from "Hocus Pocus" is coming to life ... the Sanderson Sisters are opening up their home to two lucky guests, who can try to cast some ancient spells.

In celebration of the upcoming release of "Hocus Pocus 2," the witches are hosting a super rare overnight stay at their Salem, MA home, which has been frozen in time for 300 years.

The famous cottage from the OG Disney movie is being recreated into an Airbnb for one night only ... and 2 guests can relive their favorite moments from the Halloween classic for only $31!!!

If you're lucky enough to snag the spot, a night inside the "Hocus Pocus" home will have you feeling like Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy.

The timeworn cottage is nestled in the woods and it will be pretty spooky ... the home's got creaky wooden floorboards and cupboards filled with ingredients primed for a witches' cauldron.

Winifred, Sarah and Mary Sanderson promise not to swoop in on broomsticks and kidnap children ... but overnight guests can still try their hand at a few enchantments in the ancient spellbook.

Salem's famous for its witches ... and guests will also be able to visit the town's most haunted properties, before a special screening of "Hocus Pocus 2" back at the cottage.

Maryna Moroz is showing the world a different side of her and making history in the process ... becoming the first fighter in UFC history to be featured and pose nude for Playboy Centerfold.

The 11-3 MMA fighter has made a name for herself by punishing opponents inside the Octagon ... but Moroz tells us she's embracing and leaning into a sexier, gentler side.

"Before, I was a very closed person," Moroz said. "Now, America changed me, and now I'm open, and I feel more energy when I show nude pictures."

Maryna says whenever she would post content where she was showing her body, she noticed the responses she received were largely positive -- and she liked the attention.

Moroz was so eager to tell the world about her newfound opportunity with Playboy ... her manager had to tell her not to prematurely reveal the big surprise too soon.

Although Moroz is stepping into a new arena, she reminded the combat world that fighting remains at the forefront of her mind as she prepares for her upcoming bout against Jennifer Maia in November.

"My life is like train, my pictures, rest, food, and that's it," Moroz said. "Super big fight for me, and I'm ready for it because I work hard and focus is always in training. I love my job!"

Maryna told us she's happy that her scheduled fight with Maia is still on after it appeared to be in jeopardy, but she's equally ecstatic that she gets to work with Playboy.

Moroz knows that working with Playboy may be viewed as deviating from the norm for fighters, but she's not worried about public perception, and most importantly she's happy.

"Playboy is super big for me," Moroz said. "It changed everything in my life, and now I am different. I am a different person."

American singer and YouTuber Rebecca Black was just 13 years old when her song "Friday" went viral, becoming a banger for kids and adults all across the world and surfacing at the tops of music charts back in 2011.

The hit song first started to circulate slowly after it was released on iTunes, but became even more of a sensation around the world once the music video dropped on YouTube. The song's success landed the teen a live performance on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno."

"It's Friday, Friday, Gotta Get Down on Friday!"

Adam Levine and his pregnant wife Behati Prinsloo are still going strong after his cheating scandal ... in fact, things appear to be so good between the two, they hopped on a jet to take a trip together.

Adam and Behati took a private jet from Santa Barbara for an apparent couples getaway ... it's possible the two went to Las Vegas, because Maroon 5 just announced a residency in Sin City.

The couple doesn't look to be in turmoil over Adam's recent cheating scandal. Remember, five women came forward this month claiming to have engaged in various stages of DM conversations with Adam, with the first woman alleging a physical relationship with the singer, which Adam's denied.

Hopping out of an SUV before climbing aboard a private plane, Adam wore a vintage Sublime tee with ripped jeans and some neon Nike Air Force 1s ... while Behati paired a leopard-print dress with leather boots, covering up her baby bump with a jacket.

Maroon 5 is starting a Las Vegas residency in March at Dolby Live in Park MGM ... and in the interim, Adam's got a charity performance Saturday in Sin City to benefit Shaquille O'Neal's foundation.

We saw Adam and Behati put on a united front the day after he admitted he "crossed the line" by communicating online with multiple women ...  and they haven't shown any signs of a fractured relationship since.

Mankind is doomed, except for Usain Bolt.

Oregon State University just unleashed the fastest bipedal robot in the world -- a machine that is faster than the speed of light your average mall walker ... which just clocked a 100-meter dash with the time of 24.73 seconds!!

The star robo-athlete is named Cassie ... which was invented by the OSU College of Engineering. OSU says Cassie was built with knees like an ostrich and has no cameras or censors -- so it is basically blind.

The big single-entry race went down at the school's Whyte Track and Field Center ... and while it may not outrun the average human, the accomplishment is incredible for a robot.

FWIW ... Bolt's 100-meter world record is secure at 9.58 seconds.

As it turns out, Cassie has another major feat on its resume ... after running a 5k in 53 minutes back in 2021.

"Cassie has been a platform for pioneering research in robot learning for locomotion," project leader Devin Crowley said. "Completing a 5K was about reliability and endurance, which left open the question of, how fast can Cassie run? That led the research team to shift its focus to speed."