Hot Felon Jeremy Meeks Talks Acting Next to Mentor Ptosha Storey's Showing Me How!!!

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ON THE RIGHT PATH
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Jeremy Meeks has gone full Hollywood after leaving behind his life of crime -- now, he's got a vet who's taken him under her wing ... one Ptosha Storey, who's raving about her protégé.

We got the former "hot felon" -- who became internet famous for his attractive mug shot way back when -- at LAX Monday ... and he was telling us all about his new showbiz career ... including a slew of movies and TV shows he's been acting in over the past few years now.

We've caught him at the airport before, but here ... he had company. Ptosha was right next to him -- and she too was singing Jeremy's praises the whole time -- like, very much so.

Check it out ... we get into a long convo about the craft of acting, and what exactly JM does to get into character -- and, perhaps just as important, how PS has shown him the ropes after a long and storied career of her own ... which dates back the '90s.

As you can see, Ptosha has nothing but good things to say about Jeremy -- who she says is a naturally gifted actor ... which she believes has to do with his many life experiences.

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THE STORY OF ME-EEKS
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We also asked Jeremy how he gets into character for his projects these days ... and the dude is blunt, saying he has to go to dark places at times -- and it's not always so easy to shake that. Sounds like a straight-up future Oscar winner, if you ask us!!!

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It's a pretty fascinating convo -- for starters, you can tell Ptosha truly believes in Jeremy, and the guy is very clearly grateful for her support and wisdom. As for an update on that biopic series, he's been wanting to make happen ... no real update just yet, at least not right now.

He's staying busy nonetheless, though.

Gilbert Arenas Strength No Issue For Wembanyama ... NBA Big Men Suck

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ALWAYS ANOTHER LEVEL
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Victor Wembanyama's incredibly slight build won't stop the number one pick from kicking ass starting game one, according to former NBA star Gilbert Arenas, who flat-out says today's big men suck (with a couple of exceptions).

"If you can get buckets, you can get buckets. It doesn't matter how strong you are," Arenas told Babcock on the TMZ Sports TV show (airs weeknights on FS1).

"He only has two people in the position that he's going to be guarding, you got [Joel Embiid] and [Nikola Jokic]. That's six games a year. That's gonna be real tough for you. Other than that there's no one in your position. Everyone sucks. Everyone's trash."

"You have [Brook Lopez], undersized Al Horford, you got [Pascal Siakam,] they're playing him at center now. You don't have no one that's really gonna challenge you and your size. For the most part you should be fine. You should be perfectly fine."

Of course, the nearly 7'5" French phenom, who is listed at 230 lbs., was drafted with the first overall pick during last week's NBA Draft. Some people have questioned whether Wemby can be effective given his current frame.

Frankly, Gilbert thinks that's crap ... given the way the game is now played.

"From who, Siakam is gonna break him? Who's gonna break him at the center?" Arenas asked.

"They're thinking the NBA is Shaq, [Alonzo Mourning], Yao Ming, no. There's two to three centers he has to worry about, other than that it's a cakewalk through the center position."

Lydia In 'Mrs. Doubtfire' 'Memba Her?!

Canadian actress Lisa Jakub was only 14 when she was cast to play Lydia Hillard -- the eldest of the three Hillard kiddos, who helps her siblings navigate through their parents' divorce -- in the 1993 family film, "Mrs. Doubtfire."

Lisa shared the big screen with the late Robin Williams as the funny father-turned-nanny, Mrs. Doubtfire, Sally Field as the more stern and stressed-out parent, Miranda, Matthew Lawrence as the sporty middle child, and Mara Wilson as the third and youngest child.

Today, Lisa is all about mental health, staying active and is a certified yoga teacher.

Guess what she looks like now!

Barbie MALIBU DREAMHOUSE BACK ON AIRBNB ... Ken's Hosting Free Stays!!!

Calling all Barbie girls -- Barbie's IRL Malibu Dreamhouse is going back up on Airbnb -- and this time, Ken's hosting two FREE overnight stays!!!

The life-size Dreamhouse -- located in the heart of Malibu, of course -- just got a pretty pink glow-up, and it's going to be listed on Airbnb a couple of days before the anticipated movie hits theaters.

Airbnb says Ken will host two lucky winners for individual overnight stays on July 21 and 22 ... the listing goes up July 17 at 10 AM PT and Airbnb says two people will be selected and can bring a friend for a free night at the real-life Barbie house.

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PINK PALACE
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The 2-bedroom, 2-bathroom pad is 3 stories and it's decked out with a private theater, hobby room, outdoor disco dance floor, hot tub, and an infinity pool ... not to mention sweeping views of the Pacific Ocean.

Remember, the Dreamhouse went on Airbnb back in 2019 with a $60 nightly price tag to honor the 60th anniversary of the iconic doll, and the property has since overgone a makeover ... so this is an even better deal!!!

To celebrate the super rare listing, Airbnb says it's going to make a donation to Save the Children ... and the lucky winners also get to take home their very own set of yellow-and-pink Impala skates and surfboards.

Good luck!!!

Cardi B Lashes Out at Offset After He Says She Cheated

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C'MON NOW

Cardi B is publicly ripping Offset a new one after the Migos rapper announced to the world Cardi's allegedly cheated in the past.

If you missed the post-and-delete from Offset Monday, he wrote, "My wife f***** a N**** on me gang yall n***** know how I come."

Clearly peeved by his post, Cardi lashed out on Twitter Spaces only hours later denying the claims and saying even if she wanted to cheat on Offset, it's next to impossible because she's just too famous.

She even went as far as to say she'd smack Offset upside the head with a bottle if he made the claims to her face. Cardi referred to Offset as the "country man" to her followers and even alluded to him suffering some sort of downward spiral.

What's not clear is where Cardi and Offset's marriage currently stands -- but things don't seem great.

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TOGETHER FOR TAKEOFF
BET

Cardi was conspicuously absent from Offset's side at the BET Awards last night, which was an emotional gut-wrencher after he publicly reconciled with Quavo to pay tribute to their late bandmate Takeoff.

Cardi also stayed home for Offset's big Paris Fashion Week.

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As for fans, they're largely on Cardi's side. Offset's infidelities have their own storyline at this point and many people think the only thing he deserves is a tiny violin.

Nicki Minaj Sued Over 'I Lied' Beat ... Sources Say She Never Even Touched Production!!!

A new lawsuit accuses Nicki Minaj of straight-up stealing the beat for her song "I Lied" from another artist ... a scenario sources close to Nicki say is impossible considering she didn't handle the song's production.

The rapper, along with mega-producer Mike Will Made It, is being sued by Julius Johnson, who says the music playing under the vocals on Nicki's track from "The Pinkprint" sounds like a carbon copy of a song he created years before she dropped "I Lied."

However, our Nicki sources tell us she wasn't hands-on with the beat, saying, "Clearly Nicki is a lyricist, so the claim in terms of production will obviously have to be addressed by the applicable parties."

As for those applicable parties, it appears Mike Will was the one who brought Nicki the beat.

As for the history, Johnson claims he published his song, called "onmysleeve," on YouTube in September 2011 ... 3 years before "I Lied" came out.

In the docs, Johnson claims he had the beat on a hard drive when he attended the Art Institute of Atlanta ... and he says in 2013 the hard drive was taken from a studio session without his consent.

Johnson claims associates of Nicki and Mike Will Made It were at the Institute around the same time and believes they somehow got their hands on his missing hard drive.

When Nicki released "I Lied" in December 2014 it obviously gained attention ... and Johnson claims when he finally heard her song in 2022, he immediately recognized the similarity to his beat ... insisting that, aside from the lyrics, Nicki's track has basically the same underlying instrumentation and beat as his track.

He's going after Nicki and Mike Will Made It for the profits they earned off his song ... and wants a judge to order them to stop using it or at least give him credit on "I Lied" for his contribution.

A rep for Nicki had no comment.

Ray Lewis Emotional Speech At Son's Funeral ... 'We Will See You Again'

Ray Lewis gave a powerful speech at his son's funeral on Saturday ... fondly remembering his child less than two weeks after the 28-year-old's tragic death.

The Pro Football Hall of Famer, wearing all white, spoke for several minutes at the service inside of the Calvary Orlando Church in Florida ... as dozens of mourners listened on intently.

"We will see you again," the ex-Baltimore Ravens star said to his child, Ray Lewis III, during his speech.

Lewis also spoke about how he'd watched his son over the last 28 years ... adding, "The referees thought I was crazy running up and down the sideline."

Lewis' good friend, Dallas Cowboys legend Michael Irvin, was also in attendance ... and he said after the ceremony his "heart bleeds" for Ray and the Lewis family.

"NO FATHER should ever have to bury his son!" Irvin said on his social media page. "There is NOT anything, anyone can say to ease this depth of pain. Just know this MY BROTHER, we love you and God has you."

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In his post, Irvin also shared a video from the funeral ... showing that a montage featuring clips and pictures of Ray and his son was displayed.

Following the ceremony, some of Lewis' family members and closest friends gathered at the repast at Lake Mary Preparatory School, where they posed for a smiling photo.

As we previously reported, Lewis III died on June 14 ... after cops say he accidentally overdosed.

Ray hadn't spoken publicly about the death until Saturday's service.

RIP.

Netflix We're Bringing 'Titanic' Back, Y'all ... Uhhh, Too Soon???

The wreckage from the Titanic submersible tragedy hasn't even settled yet, but some are jumping at the opportunity to get Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet back on screens ... including Netflix.

The streaming giant recently announced James Cameron's 3-hour epic is hitting their service starting July 1. Of course, it's not entirely clear if "Titanic" was already scheduled to be part of their new offerings ... or if this is in response to OceanGate.

If you look online ... people definitely have their opinions, and many believe Netflix added this as a last-minute play to capitalize on all the interest in the story -- and there's a lot.

Indeed ... many are accusing Netflix of doing this way too soon. Despite all the jokes and mockery that's been aimed at the victims of the submersible, it would seem there's still a fair amount of people who feel like their memory should be honored -- at least for now.

BTW, "Titanic" isn't the only deep-sea project they're airing in July -- there's a new doc they're also promoting called "The Deepest Breath" ... and that too is getting a double take.

Now, while many suspect Netflix did this as a way to jump on the submarine saga ... some reports have suggested the licensing deal for "Titanic" was already set -- and that it was actually known it would be part of their July slate even before the sub went missing.

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If that is, indeed, true ... another question being posed -- would it be appropriate to yank 'Titanic' for sensitivity purposes??? Something tells us Netflix isn't primed to do that.

As you know -- 5 people onboard the Titan submersible died after authorities said the vessel imploded underwater ... and much sooner than everyone initially thought. There's been a lot of scrutiny about the safety concerns in the lead-up to this ill-fated dive.

The irony of "Titanic" resurfacing for at-home viewing is the fact that its director has been so outspoken about the Titan's voyage ... sounding off and suggesting hubris was afoot.

One last thing ... there interest in the "Titanic" movie right now is at an all-time peak -- the flick is trending as the #4 offering on Amazon Prime ... so yeah, people are engaged.

Madonna Sells Swanky Hidden Hills Pad North of $20M!!!

Madonna has unloaded her beautiful Hidden Hills mansion ... and the Queen of Pop is making a fortune on the sale, TMZ has learned.

Madonna recently sold her ray of light for a whopping $23M. Her estate initially hit the market with a $26M price tag before reducing it to $23.5M. The buyer got her to shave off half a mil, so here we are.

Madonna is still making a sold profit ... TMZ broke the story, she picked up the place from The Weeknd back in 2021 for $19.3 mil.

The stunning estate sits on 3 acres and comes in at over 12.5K square feet ... with 9 beds and 11 baths. It has some great perks, like a glass wine cellar, theater, music lounge (obviously), a study, and a really neat no-edge, saltwater pool out back.

Trevor Wright of The Beverly Hills Estates held the listing.

We reached out to The Beverly Hills Estates, but they had no comment.

Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly identified the buyer of Madonna's house. The new owner of the house is in fact Huang Mai. 

Kim Zolciak Calls 911 on Kroy ... Says He's Threatening Kidnapping Charges!!!

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911 AUDIO

Kim Zolciak called the cops on her estranged husband, Kroy Biermann, earlier this month -- and it was all because he allegedly accused Kim's friend of kidnapping their young son.

TMZ obtained audio from the 911 call Kim placed on June 16 in Alpharetta, GA. In her chat with the dispatcher, Kim says she's stressed out about her husband flipping out ... claiming he accused her friend of trying to kidnap their son.

The backstory is a little murky ... but essentially, KZ explains that she'd signed off on her girlfriend to take her son on a playdate. However, based on Kim's description, it sounds like when Kroy caught wind of this, he lost it and threatened to file a kidnapping report against the woman who was picking up their son.

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Kim says this caused not only her friend to freak out, but also left Kim's son in tears ... and Kim tells the dispatcher she's going to pick up her son. It's a strange call -- obviously, it doesn't seem to be an emergency -- something Kim acknowledges herself.

BTW ... Kim also accuses Kroy of stealing her bag, which she says is full of divorce docs.

Based on police records, it appears nothing came of this at the time. Kim ends the call by telling the operator she'd call them back if she needs further assistance -- but, on its face, she seems to have just wanted to put this on the cops' radar ... which is exactly how the police noted it in their write-up. They didn't follow up on this address in the aftermath.

Now, when it comes to Kroy's side of things ... sources tell us this was just a case of bad communication. We're told Kroy had no idea their son, KJ, had gotten the green light to go to a rodeo with his friend/their mom. Our sources tell us Kroy's deeply distrustful of the woman who took KJ -- for reasons unexplained -- which is why he was on edge.

We're told when Kroy learned KJ was under the supervision of this woman -- he called her up, but apparently felt like he wasn't getting his point across. At one point, our sources say Kroy demanded she brings KJ back ... she allegedly hung up on him -- which is what led to him threatening to file kidnapping charges over it. He never did, though.

Kroy, we're told, also denies stealing any bag from Kim. The divorce gets nastier.

Mark Zuckerberg I Didn't Call Chael Sonnen About Musk ... After UFC 300 Claim

Chael Sonnen was talking out the side of his neck when he claimed Mark Zuckerberg personally called him to reveal the Elon Musk fight would go down at UFC 300 ... so says a rep for the Meta CEO, who tells TMZ Sports no such phone conversation ever took place.

The former UFC star made the wild declaration on "The MMA Hour" earlier Monday ... saying Zuck dialed him up to share a major update on his proposed fight with the Twitter honcho during his appearance on the show.

"Zuckerberg contacts me because he saw your tweet that I'm coming on," Sonnen said. "Zuckerberg has told me that he has agreed to fight Elon Musk at UFC 300 and it was a very big deal."

Sonnen swore up and down that he was 100% serious ... adding, "That just happened. [My producer] Ethan is my witness, my son, Thero, my dog, Duke. This is a shoot."

While a Zuck vs. Musk fight could very well happen at UFC 300 next year for all we know, a spokesperson for the Facebook co-founder was quick to shut down any talks of a phone chat with the former contender -- saying, "I have confirmed with Mark that he did not call Chael Sonnen."

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THE BIGGEST FIGHT IN THE HISTORY OF THE WORLD
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Things have been picking up steam after the two billionaires traded public jabs all last week ... and UFC honcho Dana White told us both sides are dead serious about fighting.

In fact, Dana thinks it could be the most successful fight in history ... and has the potential to rake in three times the amount of Pay-Per-View buys than Floyd Mayweather and Conor McGregor.

Here's hoping the fight actually happens.

Lindsay Lohan Having A Boy!

Lindsay Lohan's first little bundle of joy is almost here, and the actress will in fact be havin' a boy ... TMZ has learned.

Sources with direct knowledge tell us Lindsay and her husband, Bader Shammas, are expecting the little dude, and pretty soon -- we're told she's very close to giving birth.

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As we first reported, Lindsay's mother, Dina, will actually be by her side in Dubai for the birth ... and some of Lindsay's siblings will also be overseas around the same time as the birth to meet their new nephew.

Remember, the "Freaky Friday" star made the expecting announcement back in March ... with a swarm of support from fans and friends online.

Lindsay and Bader spent some time with her family in April -- marking the first time she had been with her mom and other members of her fam all together in at least 7 years.

As for the happy couple, they got married last year after sparking a romance just before the pandemic ... and now the 2 have something very exciting to look forward to very soon.

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We've reached out to Lindsay's family, but there was no comment.

Dennis Rodman Wears Skirt To Pride Event ... Claps Back At Critics

Dennis Rodman pulled up to Houston's Pride parade on Sunday rockin' a skirt ... a move that apparently didn't sit right with some "fans," prompting the NBA legend to clap back online!

62-year-old Rodman shared several photos from the event along with the caption ... "Love will Always Win🌈Happy Pride #gaypride #loveislove #pridemonth"

The 5x NBA champ was wearing a green, pleated schoolgirl skirt, along with a black t-shirt, featuring a photo of Rodman's head, complete with his rainbow hair.

As you might expect given the current climate, some people weren't thrilled with Dennis' attire at the parade.

The Hall of Famer clearly heard some of the criticism ... and responded online, writing "Do your research guys #beenhim🦍," pointing to other times he's worn women's clothing, including the time he put on a wedding dress in 1996 to "marry himself."

While things were a little testy online, Dennis was all smiles at the Pride event ... taking pics and giving autographs to fans!

Rodman has long been an ally of the gay community ... often speaking out in support of LGBTQ causes and people.

Shark Attack Man Bitten, Dragged Off Boat

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SHARK SNAG
Instagram/@boca_grande_tarpon

In what could pass as an outtake from "Jaws" -- a guy was bitten by a shark and dragged off his boat during a fishing trip in Florida last week ... and the video is wild.

The clip shows a group of fishermen in the Florida Everglades, anchored in a marsh. You see one guy's rod in the water, and another guy (who's on camera) bends down and starts to lean over the side of the small boat they're all in.

As the dude starts to consider putting his hand in the water, one of his buddies tells him it's probably not a good idea. He's incredulous though, saying nothing will happen.

However, as soon as his fingers hit the water, a shark comes up and takes a bite! The fisherman yelps out in pain, getting dragged in and desperately tries getting back on board.

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Park rangers responded to the scene, and reports say the guy was airlifted to the hospital -- where he was treated for a hand injury.

As for the shark, it's unclear what species it was exactly -- but they say bull sharks and lemon sharks tend to swim in the area.

Barbie Real-Life Malibu Dreamhouse Gets Bright Pink Face-Lift!!!

Big-time Barbie fans are gonna LOVE the way her IRL Malibu Dreamhouse looks after a pink glow-up ... a renovation completed just before the anticipated flick hits theaters.

This oasis is the real deal -- overlooking the Pacific Ocean in the heart of Malibu -- and the new color really pops ... certainly what Barbie would've wanted.

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COME ON BARBIE LET'S GO PARTY
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Aside from the new makeover, the spot has some sweet decor sprinkled throughout the home ... with a theater, hobby room and a luxurious infinity pool.

The mansion took to Airbnb in 2019 with a price tag of just 60 bucks to commemorate the iconic doll's 60th anniversary.

Back then, the home had splashes of pink, but this new look is a completely different beast.

It's unclear if the face-lift is any sign the property will be back on the site ... but we're assuming the dream car, if up for grabs, will be sold separately.

Jake Paul Rippin' Dart During Gym Workout ... Getting Ready For Diaz!!!

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PUFF, PUFF, PUNCH
Instagram / @jakepaul

Jake Paul isn't worried one bit about having to go 10 rounds with Nate Diaz in August ... and he made that crystal clear by smoking a heater during a recent training session!!

The Problem Child shared the funny footage to his Instagram page on Monday ... showing him hitting the bag and ripping a cigarette while training in Puerto Rico.

"Getting my lungs ready for 10 rounds," Paul said. "August 5th. #PaulDiaz"

The two sides recently agreed to make the fight longer than the initial eight-round agreement ... which will make it the longest bout in both Paul and Diaz's careers.

Now, it's likely the 6-1 boxer pulled a Bill Clinton and didn't inhale anything ... but the message was still pretty obvious -- he's ready to go all 10 rounds against the former UFC star.

One thing's for sure, though -- Jake's opponent is no stranger to smoking, and he's very open about his love for cannabis ... so it could very well be a shot at Diaz.

The fight goes down in Dallas in just over a month ... so Jake's lungs have a bit of time to recover before entering the ring at American Airlines Center.