Titanic Sub Teen Who Died Hoped to Break Rubik's Cube Record

The teenager who died aboard the Titanic submersible had high hopes for his future -- including breaking a world record ... which he seemed primed to do.

19-year-old Suleman Dawood -- one of the five passengers who perished in OceanGate's Titan sub last week -- had been on record as wanting to set a new benchmark ... namely, solving a Rubik's Cube thousands of feet below the ocean's surface and being the one to have done it at the deepest depth, around 12,000-plus feet under the sea.

062623_suleman_dawood-kal
GOIN' FOR THE RECORD

A video that his family shot -- which is now making the rounds -- shows him cracking the toy puzzle relatively quickly ... at about 19 seconds. For the Titanic voyage, he wanted to do that in the sub.

Reports say his father even brought a camera to capture the moment, so it was definitely on his mind.

062623-christine-dawood-kal
SUPPOSED TO BE ME
BBC

Of course, his family was incredibly proud of him ... and the guy had a lot of life to live.

His mother, Christine Dawood, recently did an interview with the BBC ... and it's heartbreaking. She says she was nearby when they initially went missing last Sunday and spent torturous days hoping against hope.

062023_amazon_children_HULU_kal
TMZ INVESTIGATES
TMZ.com

Sadder than that ... Christine says it should've been her on the sub instead of her son. She explains that the plan was for her to go with her husband, Shahzada, but she gave up her spot to her son at the last minute because he apparently really wanted to go.

In hindsight, Christine says she regrets that ... and goes on to say she misses her family.

Christine also says she and her still-living daughter have vowed to learn to solve the Rubik's Cube in honor of Suleman.

Authorities have said their sub imploded in the Atlantic, and all of its riders are believed to be dead. The question of when exactly that became known and why it wasn't communicated sooner is still being scrutinized even now.

Lil Uzi Vert & JT Couple Quarrels At BET Awards JT Throws Phone … Team Denies Ice Spice Caused It

Lil Uzi Vert and his City Girls girlfriend JT got into a heated argument during the BET Awards ... with many fans believing Ice Spice is to blame for the fight.

Video circulated of JT from the show Sunday night whacking Uzi Vert with her phone multiple times, accusing him of being a "groupie."

062623-lil-uzi_jt-kal
PHONEY PUNCHES

Fans speculated she was pissed about Uzi's performance during the BET Awards where he shouted out Ice Spice, rapping, "I got a nice wife/Wig came off twice/She got a little afro, she looks like Ice Spice."

Sources inside JT's camp tell TMZ Hip Hop her blowup with Uzi had nothing to do with Ice  ... she had become frustrated when she lost her seat after the audience shuffled around. We're told JT loves Ice and there's not even a shred of beef between them whatsoever.

A fan recount of the altercation appears to confirm the musical chair's confusion. Ice can also be seen explaining her side of the situation.

Uzi and JT left the building together without another scene ... seemingly confirming they're good.

We covered it all in the latest episode of The TMZ Podcast, available on all podcast platforms.

Pro Hockey Player Alex Graham Dead At 20

Alex Graham -- a pro hockey player in England -- tragically died over the weekend ... his team, the Sheffield Steelers, announced. He was just 20 years old.

Graham's org. revealed the sad news in a statement on Monday -- saying it's "devastated" over the passing.

Further details surrounding his death, however, were not released.

"Everyone at the club is heartbroken by the news," team officials said, "and wish to pass on our thoughts and condolences to Alex’s family, friends and teammates."

"It would be appreciated if Alex's family could be provided time and space to take in the enormity of this tragic situation in the days ahead."

Graham first debuted for the Steelers back in 2019 ... and had just signed his first pro contract with the team in May. He was considered by many to be one of the franchise's future stars.

Graham had also played for Great Britain's Under-18s and Under-20s teams ... and in a statement Monday, Ice Hockey UK officials also mourned his passing.

062023_amazon_children_HULU_kal
TMZ INVESTIGATES
TMZ.com

"The news has come as a huge shock to everyone in UK ice hockey, including all of his team-mates," the organization said. "This is a difficult time for so many people and our thoughts are with everyone affected by this devastating news."

RIP.

Reynolds, McElhenney, Michael B. Invest In Alpine Formula One Team

The paddock just got a bit more crowded -- Ryan Reynolds, Michael B. Jordan and Rob McElhenney are hopping on Formula One's massive rise in popularity and investing in the Alpine Racing team!!

Renault, Alpine's parent company, announced the news on Monday ... saying Otro Capital, RedBird Capital Partners and Maximum Effort Investments (which includes the trio of actors) are taking a 24% equity stake in the organization ... which is worth $218 million.

Otro Capital's Alec Scheiner will get a seat on Alpine's board of directors as part of the deal.

This is yet another sports venture for RR and RM, who famously bought Welsh soccer team Wrexham AFC back in 2020. Reynolds was also recently interested in purchasing the Ottawa Senators, although his bid did not move forward.

Alpine couldn't be more thrilled with the deal ... saying the partnership "will bring successful sports & media experience and operational expertise in building high-growth companies."

Alpine is currently fifth in the Constructor standings this season with drivers Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon ... who are notably covered in the hit Netflix series, "Drive To Survive."

F1 has reached new heights in America in recent years ... with the sport adding races in Miami and Las Vegas.

The investment now gives Alpine an estimated $900 million valuation.

Patti LaBelle BET Tribute to Tina Turner Goes Awry ... Appears to Forget Lyrics

062623-patti_labelle-kal
i'm trying y'all ...
BET

Tina Turner got the tribute treatment at the BET Awards from Patti LaBelle -- but it seems the R&B legend didn't know the late icon's own lyrics onstage ... and it played out live.

The singer was doing an homage to Tina Sunday night during the broadcast ... undoubtedly a huge moment in the show considering TT passed away last month. Patti was a natural choice to sing her songs -- but in the middle of her performance, she stumbled.

Check it out ... while PLB was cranking out Tina's classic hit "The Best," she paused for a bit and said she couldn't see the words. It got a laugh from the crowd, and Patti carried on as best as she could. However, her confession definitely spurred a lot of head scratches.

On its face, it looked like Patti was reading the lyrics somewhere off in the distance ... and hadn't actually memorized them. That was later confirmed to be true by BET itself.

062023_amazon_children_HULU_kal
TMZ INVESTIGATES
TMZ.com

A rep for the org says, "It was an extraordinary privilege to celebrate the life and legacy of Ms. Tina Turner at BET Awards 2023. Having the incomparable Ms. Patti LaBelle on our stage honoring one of her contemporaries was an equal privilege."

They tried covering for her, adding ... "Due to the crowd's enthusiasm, the teleprompter was obstructed, obscuring Ms. LaBelle’s view of the lyrics. Nonetheless, we couldn’t be more grateful to Ms. LaBelle for lending her incredible talent to this moment."

Like we said, no true harm or foul -- and it ended up being a funny moment big picture. But, truth be told, some were kinda disappointed in Patti for not being better prepared ... especially in a big tribute to another musical great on such a grand stage.

BTW, this ain't the first high-profile mishap Patti's suffered ... remember back in the '90s when she was singing for the Clinton White House, and her whole "backup singers" fiasco??? Yeah, that one wasn't really her fault ... but this sure does have echoes of that.

Better luck next time, eh?

Paige Spiranac Rips Hypocrites ... After Shirtless Baseball Players Go Viral

Paige Spiranac says the reaction a pair of shirtless baseball players got for a viral video over the weekend showed off a sexist double standard ... and she wasn't one bit pleased to see it.

The golf star -- who's gained fame for both her swing and her looks -- unloaded on the situation in a fiery tweet on Saturday morning.

She reposted footage of the Savannah Bananas players dancing on the diamond without their tops on ... and said female commenters who praised the men in the clip but bash her when she wears revealing clothing are nothing more than hypocrites.

"Interesting how different the reaction is online when men choose to show off their bodies," the 30-year-old said.

"Not one comment on this video calling them attention whores or sluts. Just a ton of women saying baseball is now their favorite sport but those same women harshly judge me."

"The hypocrisy," she added. "lol."

In her meteoric rise to becoming the most-followed golfer on Instagram -- Spiranac has had to deal with trolls in her comments regularly. They often go after her for the low-cut tops she wears -- and the photos that she posts in them.

But, she's made it a point to call them out frequently -- usually taking to Twitter to defend herself.

As for the Savannah Bananas and their stunt ... Spiranac made it clear she had no issue with the way the dudes have been featuring their bods during their Harlem Globetrotter-like games -- saying, "I think their content is fun and they bring new people into the game!"

Kylie & Travis Not Back Together ... Get Along as Co-Parents

Kylie Jenner and Travis Scott certainly have a history -- with two kids to prove it -- but they're not working on getting back together ... and are happily co-parenting their little ones.

Sources close to the former couple tell us Kylie's primarily the one with 5-year-old Stormi and 1-year-old Aire -- they both live at Kylie's house -- but Travis can see the kiddos as much as he wants.

Travis spent his Father's Day with Stormi in London -- so she's jet-setting with Dad as well.

Fans speculated Travis and Kylie might be working on their relationship when both were at Stormi's pre-k graduation earlier this month ... but our sources say it was solely to support their daughter.

Obviously, Kylie's fam has played a big part in helping with Stormi and Aire -- but Travis' family sees the kids as much as possible ... and also attended Stormi's graduation.

060723_kardashian_graduation_kal
THE GRADUATION GANG'S ALL HERE
TMZ.com

As far as we know, Travis isn't currently dating anyone new -- though he's popped up at a couple of SZA's shows on her European tour. Kylie's been tied to Timothée Chalamet, grabbing food and hanging out at each other's places, but there's no indication things have gotten super serious.

Kylie and Travis have split and gotten back together in the past ... so there's a chance it happens again, but our sources say this time it feels more permanent.

2023 BET Awards Celebs Party Hardy ... Behind The Scenes

Rap royalty descended on the 2023 BET Awards Sunday night ... and the celebratory event went off pretty much without a hitch and everyone seemed to be having a blast.

The bevy of stars hit up the Microsoft Theater in L.A. to pose for photos in their fancy getups before heading inside to enjoy the show.

Major attendees included Ice Spice, T.I., Quavo, Offset, Busta Rhymes, Yo Gotti, Master P, Latto, Chrisean Rock, Angela Simmons, Moneybagg Yo, YTB Fatt, Sexyy Red and Brooklyn Nikole.

Behind the scenes ... the hip hop greats were yukking it up and partying their butts off, which we're sure lasted long into the night around town.

During the awards ceremony, there were a few surprises -- one of which came when the two surviving members of Migos -- Quavo and Offset -- paid tribute to their slain bandmate, Takeoff.

Another memorable moment was when Busta teared up while giving an acceptance speech after receiving a lifetime achievement award.

Then there was Patti LaBelle, who initially botched her tribute to the late singer Tina Turner, forgetting the words to Tina's smash hit, "The Best." But Patti made a quick recovery and ended her performance on a high note.

062023_amazon_children_HULU_kal
TMZ INVESTIGATES
TMZ.com

All in all ... it was a fabulous night with terrific music.

We covered the biggest moments from the BET Awards on the latest episode of The TMZ Podcast, available on all podcast platforms.

Sarah Ferguson Duchess of York Diagnosed with Breast Cancer, Undergoes Surgery

Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, went into surgery after learning she had an early form of breast cancer.

The Duchess, the ex-wife to Prince Andrew, went under the knife after a routine mammogram revealed her diagnosis. She was released from the hospital Sunday and is receiving ongoing medical care while recovering with her family. She still lives with Andrew.

Sarah's doctors told her the prognosis is good. The surgery was described as successful, thanks to the early catch. A friend told The Sun Sarah's extremely thankful for the medical staff.

Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media.

She was missing from last week's Royal Ascot event at the Ascot Racecourse, and now we know why. Sarah took to social media Monday ... thanking everyone for their support.

Sarah -- or "Fergie" -- was once married to King Charles' brother, Andrew ... but they divorced in 1996 after a decade of marriage.

She did, however, keep the title of Duchess after the split.

Stars Over 80 Keep On Pushin' As The Years Go By!

Harrison Ford sees age as just a number, sayin' he's got no plans to retire despite turning 80 ... so here are some other senior celebs who have also hit the big milestone without stopping!

Good ol' Indiana Jones isn't alone when it comes to timeless talent -- Martha Stewart's still cooking at 81, and looks GREAT doing it, while Morgan Freeman's appearing in countless projects as the years go on ... with 6 more in production!

Even Mick Jagger, who will be celebrating the big 8-0 next month, still has the moves ... just like he did when the Rolling Stones debuted back in 1962.

Countless others fit the same bill as these legends -- like Clint Eastwood, Rita Moreno, Al Pacino, Patrick Stewart, Michael Caine and James Earl Jones!

062023_amazon_children_HULU_kal
TMZ INVESTIGATES
TMZ.com

This lovely bunch isn't a group of geezers -- they're some of the most successful folks in their fields ... so why slow down??

Migos Reunion Quavo And Offset Honor Takeoff ... With BET Awards Performance

062623-migos-kal
TOGETHER FOR TAKEOFF
BET

The Migos reunited at the 2023 BET Awards Sunday night ... but the trio was now a duo, and they honored their late bandmate, Takeoff, with an emotional performance that brought the house down.

Quavo and Offset surprised everyone when they hit the stage an hour into the event at the Microsoft Theater in L.A. to pay tribute to Takeoff, who, as you know, was fatally shot at a bowling alley last November. The alleged killer, Patrick Xavier Clark, was indicted last month for Takeoff's murder.

Decked out in all-black leather, the two Migos kicked things off by diving into "Hotel Lobby," a song produced by Quavo and Takeoff, as the crowd went wild.

Special effects sent the show to the outer limits with a spaceship appearing on a large screen, which eventually took off as flames shot up from the stage. A massive image of Takeoff then morphed onto the screen behind Quavo and Offset while they were singing and dancing.

The pair then cranked out the Migos biggest hit, "Bad and Boujee," which rocketed to No. 1 on the Billboard charts and was nominated for best rap performance at the 2018 Grammys.

By any musical standard, it was a memorable moment and the first time Quavo and Offset appeared onstage together since Takeoff's death.

062023_amazon_children_HULU_kal
TMZ INVESTIGATES
TMZ.com

Question is ... will Quavo and Offset carry on the Migos torch as a duo?

We covered it all in the latest episode of The TMZ Podcast, available on all podcast platforms.

'My Three Sons' Dawn Lyn Facing Massive Medical Costs After Health Scare ... Husband Starts GoFundMe

Former child star Dawn Lyn, known for playing Dodie Douglas on "My Three Sons," has had quite the financial nightmare after brain surgery last year, and on the heels of a new medical crisis ... her husband's asking fans to help them with a mountain of expenses.

As we reported, Dawn fell into a coma last October, following brain tumor removal surgery. Her former costar, Stanley Livingston, announced at the time she was fighting for her life. Her husband, John Reese, tells TMZ ... things got worse on Sunday when she fell unconscious and had to be rushed to ER.

John says Dawn was in critical condition, but doctors finally stabilized her, and she remains in ICU.

He says her initial surgery, last year, was covered by insurance, but a problem ensued that created a financial disaster.

Dawn developed bacterial meningitis after being discharged from the hospital ... and after 8 months, she moved to a facility where she continues to receive daily therapy. John says insurance paid upwards of $2M, but they were stuck to cover the remaining balance, which continues to mount.

John says she still needs constant medical care -- well beyond what he can provide personally until he retires. John set up a GoFundMe to help cut the steep costs they're now facing.

062023_amazon_children_HULU_kal
TMZ INVESTIGATES
TMZ.com

He says he has never asked for money before, but they've exhausted almost all of their savings and will have to sell their home and remaining assets if they don't get help.

John says it's her goal to get home in a few months and get healthy enough to act in a movie, which starts production in 2024.

Britney Spears Fans PO'd She No-Showed Glastonbury ... During Elton John's Set

The Glastonbury Festival has come and gone -- and with it, so too have the dreams of Britney Spears fans vanished ... this after they expected to see her take the stage.

Elton John headlined Sunday, and throughout his set ... there was a lot of chatter online that Britney might, perhaps, come out and perform with him as a special guest. The song everyone thought they'd duet together ... their 2022 collab, 'Hold Me Closer.'

As the show went on, however, it became clear to folks ... BS wasn't going to show up. That became even more evident when Brandon Flowers was trotted out for 'Tiny Dancer.'

The reactions were pretty funny -- people on the Bird app were (jokingly?) up in arms over the fact BF was tapped instead of Britney ... and that all the anticipation amounted to nothing.

It's unclear why they thought she'd be making it to Glastonbury in the first place ... there've been no concrete reports that was going to happen at all.

As for Britney herself ... she just got back from a vacay down in Mexico -- and has been busy posting her usual random content on IG Sunday, providing no real indication she was set to grab the mic or perform in front of thousands of people out of nowhere.

Anyone who's been paying attention knows that's likely not going to go down ... maybe even forever. As we've reported (repeatedly) -- Britney has no real interest in stepping into the spotlight again ... although she is gearing up for a recording comeback.

In other words, all of the fans who are hoping to see her live and in the flesh again are likely going to be let down. Britney doesn't even really venture out into the public anymore.

Another sign that this Britney pipe dream wasn't going to manifest at Glastonbury -- the fact that she's barely audible on 'Hold Me Closer' to begin with ... her vocals are faint and practically imperceptible. Yeah, it was cool to see her hop back into music ... but it was far from the true return to form everyone was expecting. That has yet to be accomplished.

In any case ... Elton sure drew a crowd. The audience for his set was absolutely packed! But when it comes to Britney ... well, we'll always have Vegas. A time to remember indeed.

Marshawn Lynch, Lance Armstrong Throw Flames On 'Stars On Mars' ... 'Say Hello To My Little Friend!!!'

Marshawn Lynch and Lance Armstrong turned the heat all the WAY up while out on "Mars" ... wielding some massive flamethrowers -- and the video of them chucking fireballs is awesome!!!

The dudes got armed with the weapons for a challenge on the latest episode of the Fox show, "Stars on Mars" ... and the former athletes sure seemed to love being fungus-killing pyros for a few minutes.

Check out the clip ... as Lynch went to extinguish his foe with a massive blaze, he channeled his inner Al Pacino -- screaming out, "Say hello to my little friend!"

Armstrong, too, handled the big gun well ... though he did note the thing was hot as hell!!

It was a cool change of pace for the guys ... because in last week's episode, some of the show's contestants were seen really feeling their separation from the real world.

In fact, Ronda Rousey actually broke down in tears while FaceTiming with her fam.

But, everyone seemed to enjoy the most recent hot challenge ... especially Lynch!!

The full episode airs Monday night at 8 PM ... better get that A/C crankin'!

K Camp Ice Spice Didn't Need XXL Freshman But She's Gotta Stay Grounded!!!

062323-k-camp-kal
GOTTA SLOW YOUR ROLL
TMZ.com

XXL Freshman alum K Camp fully understands Ice Spice's decision to skip this year's Freshman cover photo shoot -- but still recommends she keep a steady pace in the unforgiving rap game.

We linked with the Rare Sound CEO outside of Dash Radio this week, where he acknowledged Ice's red-hot rookie run. He tells us every rapper must choose their own path, but with Ice checking off all the boxes, she'll be good going forward.

TMZ Hip Hop broke the story ... the "Munch" rapper forfeited her XXL Freshman spot after she started getting booked for shows, left and right -- several festival gigs and a full tour supporting Doja Cat -- and couldn't lock in with all the mags requirements.

That being said, K Camp says blowing up too fast can hurt an artist, as the public can eventually grow tired and move on rather quickly.

Camp was in the 2015 XXL Freshman class, and admits it helped his career -- he signed to a major label and racked up several Platinum plaques.

062023_amazon_children_HULU_kal
TMZ INVESTIGATES
TMZ.com

He also told us no XXL class -- this year or even his -- can top the 2010s with J. Cole, Wiz Khalifa, and Freddie Gibbs!!!

Waiting for your permission to load Spotify album.

K Camp's currently on his independent hustle, pushing his "Spin the Block" EP. His message is clear -- whether you make the cover or not, you still gotta hustle!!!

Guess Who This Happy Baby Turned Into!

Before this adorable baby drooling on his yellow smock was spittin' beats and rapping on stage, he was just clapping his hands, flashing his pearly whites for the camera, and during his teen years ... was entering rap contests while growing up in Detroit, Michigan.

You've probably heard his popular song "I Don't F With You", but if you haven't ... he's worked with some of the music biz's hottest stars including Nicki Minaj and Drake. Through his music, his listeners have learned he's definitely "one man who can change the world."

Need one more hint? He's a proud father of one!

Can you guess who he is?