'Titanic' Actor Lew Palter Dead At 94

Actor Lew Palter, who played business magnate Isidor Straus in "Titanic," has died.

His daughter, Catherine, told the Hollywood Reporter ... Palter passed away in May after a bout with lung cancer.

Palter was best known for his role as Isidor Straus -- the co-owner of Macy's -- who perished with his wife, Ida, aboard the Titanic in the 1997 James Cameron movie.

In his most famous scene, Palter cuddles with Ida -- portrayed by Elsa Raven -- on the bed inside their cabin as the massive ship sinks into the North Atlantic Ocean after hitting an iceberg.

Interestingly enough, the real-life Straus was actually the great great grandfather of Stockton Rush's wife, Wendy. Stockton was one of the 5 who died in the Titan submersible.

Before "Titanic," Palter appeared in various hit TV shows, including "Columbo," "Kojak," "Charlie's Angels," "The Brady Bunch," and "Hill Street Blues."

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Palter was 94.

RIP

Elon Musk I'm Training W/ GSP ... For Zuckerberg Fight

Elon Musk is pulling out all the stops in preparation for a fight with Mark Zuckerberg -- the Twitter honcho just accepted a training offer from UFC legend Georges St-Pierre!!

The shocking development in the potential billionaire brawl went down on Monday ... when Elon replied to GSP's public pitch to lend a hand in beating Zuck to a pulp in the Octagon.

"I'm a huge fan of yours and it would be an absolute honor to help you and be your training partner for the challenge against Zuckerberg 👊😁," GSP said on Twitter ... to which Elon responded, "Ok, let’s do it 🔥🔥."

It's a massive deal for Elon ... considering GSP -- the former welterweight and middleweight champion -- is arguably the greatest mixed martial artist of all time. In other words, Musk will be learning from the best of the best.

GSP -- whose background is karate -- trains at Tristar Gym in Montreal under head trainer Firas Zahabi ... one of the greatest minds in MMA.

GSP's record is 26-2 ... with his only losses coming against Matt Serra and Matt Hughes. He racked up wins over Nick Diaz, Michael Bisping, Dan Hardy, BJ Penn and Johny Hendricks.

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Zuck also has some star power in his corner -- Jon Jones recently offered his services to the Facebook co-founder, but it's unclear if he's going to take him up on it.

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Elon teaming up with GSP provides more evidence the fight may actually happen -- and as TMZ Sports previously reported, Dana White told us both sides are for real about getting in the Octagon together.

A fight date has not been set just yet ... but this thing is really picking up steam.

Jennifer Lawrence No, I Never Hooked Up With Liam Hemsworth ... Despite Miley's 'Flowers' Music Video Rumors

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DENY, DENY, DENY
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Jennifer Lawrence is puttin' a pretty juicy rumor to bed ... one that claims she was deep in an affair with Liam Hemsworth while he was still together with Miley Cyrus.

J-Law spoke her truth on Monday's "Watch What Happens Live" after host Andy Cohen asked if she had any connection to Miley's shade-filled "Flowers" music video -- one that folks believe is all about Liam cheating on Miley.

Many pointed fingers at the actress, but she's denying it all ... telling Andy she's happy to clear it all up, claiming they only smooched once and she didn't think there was any overlap between the lone kiss and his relationship with Miley.

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For those unaware, Jennifer admitted back in 2015 she planted one on Liam, jokingly saying on a past 'WWHL' episode that he's really hot, adding "What would you have done?"

In Miley's music video, some fans noticed the dress she wore looked a lot like the one Jennifer donned at "The Hunger Games" 2012 premiere, which she attended with Liam ... and there were rumors the 2 actors hooked up on set while filming that saga.

Sounds like Jennifer's up to debunk the wild theory -- may the odds be ever in her favor.

Migos Quavo & Offset Officially Cool ... Reunion Doesn't Signal New Music

Quavo and Offset stole the show at The BET Awards to honor Takeoff, and while the moment meant a lot for hip-hop, it doesn't mean fans should expect new Migos music any time soon.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ the former foes have actually been cordial behind the scenes for months. Obviously, Sunday night's performance was the first public display they'd worked things out ... but our sources say the reconciliation happened some time ago.

Of course, the next question fans want answered is what does the renewed friendship mean for Migos and the chances Quavo and Offset release new music together?

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Our sources say as of now, there's not a plan in place to record anything as a duo -- the goal of the BET show was strictly to honor Takeoff, not a marketing ploy. In fact, it's still not even known if the two would ever use the Migos name again in releasing potential future projects.

What's more ... our sources say if Migos ever was revived, Quavo and Offset would never replace Takeoff with someone else.

TMZ broke the story, things were still nasty between Quavo and Offset during the Grammys in February when they got into it backstage ... but thankfully, that's now a thing of the past.

As we reported, the BET crowd erupted as Takeoff's verse from "Hotel Lobby" pumped through the speakers inside DTLA's Microsoft Theater before Quavo and Offset took over to perform the trio's signature breakout single, "Bad and Boujee."

Takeoff was shot and killed in Houston back in November. In May, Patrick Xavier Clark was formally charged with murder in the rapper's death.

Michael Jackson Molestation Allegations by Wade Robson Will Go to Trial

UPDATE

11:27 AM PT -- 6/27 -- In a joint statement, Wade Robson and James Safechuck tell us, "A sexual abuser’s passing does not deprive his victims of their day in court and, in turn, justice and healing. Michael Jackson is not sued personally in this case-his company is, and his company will have every opportunity to defend itself in the trial."

UPDATE

They continue, "We are pleased that the Court of Appeal has taken its time and considered all of the facts and applicable law in these cases. We look forward to oral arguments next month and the eventual decision of the Court of Appeal."

Michael Jackson will effectively be tried for allegedly molesting choreographer Wade Robson when he was a child ... TMZ has learned.

The California Court of Appeal just cleared the way for Robson to make his case -- alleging MJ molested him at the Neverland Ranch when Robson was between the ages of 7 and 14.

The issue -- Robson is suing Michael Jackson's corporation -- MJJ Productions, Inc. Jackson's company lawyers argued the company had no legal duty to protect Robson or anyone else from MJ because it had no ability to control him.

The trial court bought the Estate's argument, but the Court of Appeal begged to differ, and according to a tentative ruling -- which almost always becomes final -- the case will be sent back down for trial.

Robson claims when he came to the U.S. from Australia as a young boy, Jackson befriended him and sexually abused him.

In 2005, when Jackson was on trial for molesting another boy, Robson testified that he slept in MJ's bed with the singer but nothing happened.  He changed his story in 2013, filing a lawsuit against the company. He said he had testified falsely on behalf of Jackson due to "complete manipulation and brainwashing."

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A NEW DAY
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Another man, James Safechuck, filed a similar lawsuit against MJJ Productions and it too is before the Court of Appeal. Given today's tentative ruling, it appears Safechuck will also have his day in court.

Sources close to the MJJ Productions legal team tell TMZ ... the ruling has nothing to do with the merits of the case and they fully expect to prevail at trial.

Originally Published -- 6/26 4:23 PM PT

Kodak Black Booked Again At Florida Jail ... Released on $250K Bond

Kodak Black made a pit stop Monday at a Florida jail for around an hour … but his lawyer says it's actually a good thing for the rapper.

Bradford Cohen, Kodak's lawyer, tells TMZ ... Kodak's been on a tight leash during his pretrial release for his prescription drug case and he's supposed to regularly check in with authorities and take mandatory urine tests, but he failed to check in recently and they went to court Monday over the issue.

Kodak went on Instagram Live Sunday night and complained about his situation ... leading to concern among fans.

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Anyways, Kodak's lawyer says he argued in court to get rid of the stringent pretrial supervision ... and the judge agreed but also ended up increasing his bond from $75,000 to $250,000 ... and we’re told this is why Kodak had to go through the booking process again at the jail.

We’re told Kodak ended up posing for a new mugshot at the Broward County jail and posted the new bond before being released from custody. We're told Kodak was in and out of jail in under an hour and he had to pay $175k, the difference between his original bond and his new bond.

Kodak's attorney sees it as a win for Kodak because now the rapper will be able to travel and tour without the headache of checking in with pretrial services.

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As we reported ... Kodak was arrested in July 2022 and charged with trafficking oxycodone after police say they found 31 oxycodone pills in his car.

At the time, Kodak posted $75,000 bail and was released with pretrial restrictions in place ... including mandatory drug tests.

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Now, we’re told Kodak's free from those restrictions ... even if it meant spending part of his Monday in jail ... and he's scheduled to perform tonight.

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

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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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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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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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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.