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Shakira seems to get along with super fast and successful guys ... 'cause after hitting it off with Tom Cruise at the Miami Grand Prix, the superstar singer was spotted hanging out with Formula 1 champion Lewis Hamilton on a boat!!

Rumors have been swirling around the "Hips Don't Lie" artist's love life following her appearance at the big race over the weekend ... with reports saying the "Top Gun" actor was smitten with her.

But it appears Hamilton may be zooming into P1 in the race for 46-year-old Shakira's heart ... 'cause the potential couple spent some quality time together on his boat Wednesday.

The two reportedly met at Cipriani restaurant in Miami after Sunday's event ... and it must've gone well, as Shakira made her way to Lewis' Florida crib just days later.

In pics of the trip, 38-year-old Lewis, who was wearing a black tee with the sleeves cut off, is shown being a gentleman and offering his hand as Shakira made her way onto the watercraft ... with the driver's friend, fencer Miles Chamley-Watson, standing nearby.

No word on whether they're just friends or if there's a romance brewing ... but Shakira is available after her split from soccer star Gerard Pique, and Hamilton appears to be single as well.

The couple responsible for the ire of millions of people on the internet after they licked a tub of ice cream and seemingly left it on a grocery store shelf faked it all for clout ... TMZ has learned.

A spokesperson for the Virginia State Police tells us they've determined Tequan Hines and his girlfriend, Asia, did in fact purchase the tub of ice cream after they filmed themselves licking it at a local grocery store before placing it back in a freezer.

Of course, this means Tequan only posted the video for views ... and he got just that, after it went viral earlier this week.

The clip, which was first posted to Tequan's Instagram and then deleted, shows Tequan Hines and his gf grab the Blue Bunny ice cream, take a lick and then put it back.

TMZ broke the story, cops in Virginia were made aware of the video by a ton of pissed-off people -- and opened up an investigation into the incident.

As it turns out, no crime was committed ... though we better hope the video didn't serve as some inspiration for any copycats.

Babyface fans are enraged the plug was pulled on his latest performance, something he seemed to blame on the show's headliner, Anita Baker -- which is odd, because the actual villain is technology ... and time.

Anita and Babyface's tour stopped in Newark, NJ Wednesday night, and slowly turned into a nightmare for fans. The show was delayed 2 hours, and when it finally started the audience was told there were "technical issues" and Babyface, the opening act, would not be performing. The boos rained down immediately.

The fan rage really boiled over, though, when Babyface posted a message explaining why he didn't go on, saying ... "I was asked not to perform in order to give Ms. Baker her space and time to perform her show in its entirety."

After that, the comment section was lit, with many folks teeing off on Auntie Anita ... accusing her of all sorts of diva-ness.

However, sources involved in the production tell TMZ ... the "technical issue" was a problem with the massive video wall for Anita's set -- we're told the touring company could not get it to work properly -- and there were also sound problems.

After such a long delay, the whole show was up against curfew -- the concert had to end by 11 PM -- and tough decisions had to be made. We're told there was a discussion about Babyface shortening his usual 1-hour set, but ultimately that didn't happen.

Anita did go on around 9 PM and perform her full set, but she still had to combat audio issues ... and those crappy video screens.

As for why Babyface seemingly shaded Anita so badly ... it's a mystery. Our sources say there have been no signs of tension between them during the tour, which started back in January. We've reached out to his camp, but no word back yet.

Paul Walker's only child, Meadow Walker, is taking the torch from her late father ... making a cameo in the latest chapter of the 'Fast and Furious' franchise.

Meadow is making her first appearance in one of the 'FF' movies, sharing a preview Thursday of her cameo in the upcoming "Fast X."

Paul's daughter was only 1 year old when the OG "The Fast and the Furious" was released ... and Meadow says she grew up on set watching her dad, Vin Diesel, Jordana Brewster, Michelle Rodriguez, Ludacris and others on the monitors.

Meadow says ... "Thanks to my dad, I was born into the fast family. I can't believe now I get to be up there too. With those who have been around to see me grow up."

Paul's daughter adds ... "I am so blessed to be able to honor my father's legacy and share this with him forever."

Meadow thanked director Louis Leterrier for getting her involved in the franchise. Louis is also set to direct 'Fast & Furious 11' so it will be interesting to see if Meadow gets another cameo.

Kim Zolciak isn't letting her ongoing divorce war with Kroy Biermann stop her from taking care of the couple's 4 kiddos ... still going full mommy mode to keep things as normal as possible ... despite the fact her estranged husband is gunning to take the kids.

Check out the pics, obtained by TMZ, showing Zolciak driving her Range Rover Wednesday to pick up her son, Kane, from school. Our sources say this is a regular occurrence, but something Kim wants to continue to do in order to keep the kids comfortable and calm.

Kroy stated in his divorce petition he wants sole custody of their four kids -- he wants them to live with him, though he didn't specify where. Our Kim sources say despite what Kroy insinuates in the docs, both Kim and Kroy are still living under the same roof with their children.

TMZ broke the story, both Kim and Kroy filed separate divorce petitions, a clear indication things are getting very nasty behind the scenes.

Kroy is asking for both sole legal and physical custody of the kids, without any mention of visitation for Kim. He's also asking she vacate their family home, the same one that went into foreclosure earlier this year.

For her part, Kim's asking for sole physical and joint legal custody of the kids, with visitation for Kroy.

We were the first to report the estranged couple is in serious financial trouble, owing more than $1 million to the IRS ... in his divorce docs, Kroy requested Kim maintain all financial records -- including expense reports as well as income and tax records.

Important warning for all Internet pranksters -- licking ice cream and putting it back in a grocery store freezer can have serious consequences, as cops are now investigating a recent viral clip showing just that.

A spokesperson for the Portsmouth Police Department in Virginia tells us a ton of pissed-off people recently made them aware of the video of Tequan Hines and his gf, Asia, grabbing a quart of Blue Bunny ice cream and licking it.

The rep says cops are currently investigating the video to figure out which store the incident might have occurred at, adding, "Thus far no business has come forward as a victim in our jurisdiction."

However, the consensus online is Hines and Asia live in the Portsmouth area ... as indicated in their social media profiles.

As we reported, the video -- first posted and then deleted by Tequan -- blew up on social media, with many calling for the pair to be arrested and charged for the disgusting act.

It's still unclear as to whether or not Tequan and Asia eventually paid for the ice cream, but they clearly felt the heat online ... deleting their original posting.

BTW ... if the couple ends up getting in trouble, they wouldn't be the first.

Back in 2020, D’Adrien L’Quinn Anderson pled guilty to criminal mischief for licking some Blue Bell ice cream and was sentenced to 30 days behind bars.

Peloton has issued a MASSIVE recall on its ever-popular exercise bikes ... because instead of people breaking a sweat during a workout, some are breaking bones.

The company ordered the recall Thursday of about 2.2 million of the PL01 model ... according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, the seat posts can break while users take a ride, creating a serious fall risk and other injury hazards.

Peloton says there have already been 35 reports of the seat post breaking and detaching during use, with 13 reports of injuries like a fractured wrist, bruises, and even cuts due to folks falling off the bikes -- yikes.

For those unaware, this isn't Peloton's first time recalling products ... it did the same in 2021 for 125K treadmills following children-related injuries, and even one that tragically died.

The company had to do damage control after "And Just Like That..." featured the shocking death of Mr. Big while riding a Peloton, which obviously isn't a great look. In response, they poked fun at the whole thing with a pretty cheeky ad campaign.

Jacklyn Zeman, famous for her role on "General Hospital" for more than 40 years has died.

Frank Valentini, the executive producer of 'GH' made the announcement Wednesday, writing, "On behalf of our General Hospital family, "I am heartbroken to announce the passing of our beloved Jackie Zeman. Just like her character, the legendary Bobbie Spencer, she was a bright light and true professional that brought so much positive energy with her to work."

Valentini continues, "Jackie will be greatly missed, but her positive spirit will always live on with our cast and crew. We send our heartfelt sympathy to her loved ones, friends, and family, especially her daughters Cassidy and Lacey."

Zeman was a staple on the show for decades, first joining the show in 1977. She also made television appearances on shows like "Chicago Hope."

Jacklyn is credited with more than 850 episodes of "General Hospital" to her name. It's currently unclear how she died.

She was 70.

Someone's about to live like a champion -- a very wealthy World Series champion -- 'cause Braves legend Chipper Jones just unloaded his gigantic mansion in Georgia for $11 MILLION!!

The estate was built in 2013 and sits on 37 wooded acres in Canton, only 13 miles northeast of Atlanta ... where the Braves star was one of the greatest players of his generation.

The gated estate has eight bedrooms, nine baths, a nine-car garage, and entertainment for days including a home theater, game room, dirt bike track, and a 4-stall horse barn.

BTW, the stable has a 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom apartment inside, as well.

But, perhaps the best perk is the heated Olympic-sized pool on the mansion grounds!

The interior features floor-to-ceiling windows, hardwood floors, natural stone, and high ceilings.

The Jones property was listed by Katie McGuirk of Ansley Real Estate for $15 million in 2022, but after months on the market, the crib finally sold this week for $11M. Jones bought the property in 2018 for $9.25M.

Now, why would Jones let this beautiful place go? We're told he's simply downsizing.

Of course, Jones has been a beloved Atlanta resident since the Braves selected the third baseman as the first overall pick in the 1990 MLB Draft ... and during his 19 seasons, he became an 8-time All-Star, a 2-time Silver Slugger winner, an MLB batting champ, NL MVP, and a World Series champ.

The Braves retired his No. 10 jersey and he was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2018. He's currently the Braves' assistant hitting consultant.

Charlize Theron is sending a crystal clear message to anyone bashing drag queens for being themselves ... saying she'll "f*** up" whoever accuses them of being a danger to kids.

The actress joined dozens of celebs in the recent "Drag Isn't Dangerous" telethon, and while she offered up plenty of kind words of support to drag queens, she followed those up with a threatening message.

She highlighted several dangers in America -- especially gun violence -- as real reasons to panic ... and by contrast, says watching a drag queen lip sync for their life should only bring people some serious serotonin.

Charlize is a big advocate for the LGBTQ+ community, in general, but it's also personal. Her 11-year-old adopted daughter, Jackson, was born male before identifying as female ... which Charlize has fully supported.

For those unaware, "Drag Isn't Dangerous" is fighting back against numerous bills in various state legislatures that focus on banning drag -- like the one passed in Tennessee, shutting down drag shows statewide. Fourteen other states have also introduced similar anti-drag bills.

The org already crushed its original $250K goal on its GoFundMe and is well past $580K as of Thursday morning ... and all proceeds go to nonprofits focused on LGBTQ+ activism.

"Selling Sunset" star Chrishell Stause and her boo, G Flip, have taken their romance to the next level ... tying the knot after one year of dating!!

According to People, Chrishell and the 28-year-old Australian musician recently made things super official ... and CS hinted at their new matrimonial status Wednesday night.

The reality star posted a reel, featuring a compilation of clips of the couple spending time together, and ended with a photo of them locking lips down the aisle. She added G Flip's latest song "I'll Be Your Man" -- a romantic tune inspired by, and for Chrishell.

In the caption, CS gushed all about her partner, saying ... "Love doesn't always go as planned. Sometimes it's immeasurably better."

"Be Your Man is out now & linked in stories. If you ever get the pleasure of meeting G, know that you are meeting one of the kindest, funniest &  most talented hard working people out there. Please go stream! I love you so much @gflip ❤️‍🔥 #BeYourMan"

You'll recall, Chrishell first confirmed she and G, who's nonbinary, were an item last May during the "Selling Sunset" reunion special ... months after her relationship ended with Jason Oppenheim.

Chrishell said she was originally just supposed to be in their music video but wound up falling in love. Since then, the two have been inseparable ... going out and spending lots of time together.

And, we'll definitely be seeing more of them ... G Flip will be on the upcoming season of "Selling Sunset," which drops later this month.

Congrats!

Jay-Z's dropping "The Blueprint 4," but it's not a new album ... it's his plan for opening a casino in Times Square, and he's going all out to get New Yorkers on board with it.

Through Roc Nation, Jay penned an open letter to NYC, explaining why he believes his company's partnership with Caesars Palace should be awarded a contract to launch a casino in the heart of Times Square.

In the letter, published Thursday in several NY newspapers, Roc Nation leans hard into all the positives its proposed Caesars Palace Times Square would create for "everyday New Yorkers," as well as the city's businesses.

The casino would reportedly be built on the top 8 floors of an existing Times Square skyscraper, smack in the middle of Broadway's famed theater district. Some theater owners and producers are vehemently opposed to the casino, but Roc Nation says its bid includes $115 million for "diverse theater programs" to aid Broadway employees.

Jay and co. say their organization will put the "well-being of New Yorkers at the top of their agenda." The insinuation is their competition will not, and they're up against several other high-profile bidders ... including Wynn Resorts and Mets owner Steve Cohen.

Each has proposed casino plans in different NYC locations -- Caesars and Jay's is the only one in Times Square.

The man linked to the infamous 2005 death and disappearance of Natalee Holloway in Aruba will finally get his day in a U.S. court for allegedly extorting her mother.

Joran van der Sloot has long been suspected of killing Holloway, who was 18 when she vanished during a high school trip to the Caribbean Island in May 2005. Holloway was last seen leaving a bar with van der Sloot, who was interrogated by police at the time, but never charged with her disappearance. A judge declared Holloway dead in 2012. The case, which garnered worldwide attention, remains unsolved to this day.

But, van der Sloot is now facing some accountability. The feds have formally charged him with fraud in the Holloway matter and will be extraditing him to Alabama from Peru, where he is serving a 28-year prison term for the unrelated strangulation murder of student Stephany Flores in 2010.

That same year, van der Sloot was indicted on federal charges of wire fraud and extortion by a Birmingham, AL, grand jury for trying to solicit $250,000 from Beth Holloway on the false promise that he would tell her what happened to her daughter and where to find her body.

According to court documents, van der Sloot reached out to Beth and asked her for a $25,000 down payment to escort her legal advisor, John Kelly, to her daughter's gravesite in Aruba. van der Sloot, the docs say, also demanded that Beth pay him the rest of the money after Kelly identified Natalee's remains.

But, Beth smelled a rat and contacted the FBI, which set up a sting operation. Here's how it allegedly worked: Beth sent $15,000 to van der Sloot via wire transfer. She also wired $10,000 to Kelly, requesting that he personally deliver the money to van der Sloot, which Kelly did.

van der Sloot then allegedly brought Kelly to the purported burial site, but it turned out to be one big scam. Natalee's corpse wasn't there.

That's when the FBI closed in on van der Sloot and prosecutors eventually filed charges against him.

Addressing van der Sloot's extradition, Beth Holloway released a statement, which read in part, “It has been a very long and painful journey, but the persistence of many is going to pay off. Together, we are finally getting justice for Natalee."

Having a rough Thursday morning? This will certainly cheer you up ...

Shaquille O'Neal and Charles Barkley got a case of the giggles on the set of "NBA On TNT" on Wednesday night ... and the two cracked each other up so hard, it's impossible not to laugh out loud while watching them.

The NBA legends began chuckling right after Ernie Johnson had spoken about the injury Anthony Davis suffered against the Warriors in the Lakers' playoff loss at Golden State ... and check out the video, even though they tried like hell to stifle the giggles -- they just couldn't stop.

Every time one of the two appeared composed, the other one busted out a huge laugh. It alll looked like a scene straight of a middle school classroom.

And, at one point, even Kenny Smith joined in too!!

Johnson eventually got control of the chaos on set, and Barkley resumed breaking down the Lakers' 121-106 defeat as if nothing had happened.

It's unclear what had all the guys in stitches ... some say they were laughing over the way Davis needed to leave the court following his head injury -- though neither has addressed that speculation publicly.

Whatever it was, though, it all made for some pretty great two minutes of television.

Will Forte says Hollywood writers might be on the picket line longer than anticipated if they can't get the kind of money they used to ... which has changed a lot due to technology.

The 'SNL' alum was showing support Wednesday with protesters outside of Sony's HQ in Culver City -- and he chopped it up with us about one of the key sticking points in the WGA's negotiations with studio execs ... namely, a sharp decrease in residuals earned in TV.

As Will explains, writers used to get extra cash every time their work aired -- that's on top of their going rate to do the job. However, in the era of streaming-first programming, those residuals have mostly gone down the drain.

Not just that, but Will says there are fewer episodes per season being made these days. Whereas a regular season on cable or a network back in the day used to run 20+ episodes -- streaming shows now are much shorter, clocking in at about 10 episodes a season or less.

Bottom line ... writers have gotten screwed on getting paid on multiple fronts -- which is one of the big reasons why this strike is happening ... among other factors, like AI, staffing, etc.

Considering the media landscape has changed drastically in the past 10-15 years ... Will predicts this impasse will last for a little while. There are some major corrections writers are demanding in any new agreement -- and the studios are gonna need to meet them halfway.

The question ... how long will this go on? Content is getting cranked out at a way faster pace than the last strike, so studios presumably have stuff in the vault and can hold a while.

Jake Paul doesn't step in the boxing ring for another three months, but he's already got his sights set on his next opponent after Nate Diaz ... and it's none other than Conor McGregor!!

The Problem Child -- who's fighting Diaz on Aug. 5 in Dallas -- laid out his plans to Babcock on the "TMZ Sports" TV show on FS1 ... saying he fully intends to knock Diaz out (something Conor never did), and then lock in a fight with Notorious.

Of course, Nate and Conor have one of the greatest rivalries in UFC history ... and with their series tied up at one win a piece, Diaz wants to take care of business against Jake and then revisit his old nemesis one last time.

But, Jake says he's going to spoil Nate's plans of a trilogy fight by jumping him in line for a shot at Conor ... and he thinks McGregor will have "no choice but to make the biggest fight in combat sports."

Paul -- 6-1 as a pro boxer -- understands Conor would need permission from UFC honcho Dana White to make the fight happen ... but he seems optimistic that the money would do enough talking to get him to agree.

Remember, Jake has gone after a fight with McGregor a few times in the past ... trolling the UFC superstar nearly every chance he's gotten over the years. McGregor has fired back from time to time too -- but they haven't been able to mix it up in a ring.

If a fight does eventually go down, Jake says he's hopeful it'd be a boxing match ... but he told us he ain't opposed to MMA either.

"We can do a two-part series," the 24-year-old said. "One boxing, one MMA in PFL. Make it happen, no problem."

What do you say, Conor???