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Forget diamond pendants ... Univ. of Kansas quarterback Jalon Daniels pulled up to Big 12 Media Day with something far cooler around his neck -- a mini-TV that plays his highlights!!

The Jayhawks signal-caller paired it with a crisp, tan suit and red tie ... telling reporters his whole inspiration for the chain was to pay homage to his journey to stardom at KU.

"Just a reminder to everyone I'm walking around, this is what I do," he said as the piece showed him piling up yards. "I like to play football. I like to play quarterback. I like to score touchdowns."

TMZ Sports has learned ... Daniels got the bling from Ivy J Jeweler in Los Angeles -- after the QB's dad saw store owner Gambit wearing a similar one earlier this year.

Gambit said Daniels hit him up just after his pops told him about it ... and the jeweler got to work right away on creating the junior a custom piece.

We're told Jalon's drip is made with 18 carats of VS diamonds ... and also features his "JD6" logo. It all sits on a Cuban link ... and according to Gambit, it cost around $50K.

As for the live pendant, Gambit tells us it's interchangeable -- saying Daniels can upload up to four minutes of any video he wants on it. It all charges like an Apple watch too, Gambit added.

"You can literally have a new chain every day," he said.

Gambit said Daniels -- who threw for 2,014 yards and 17 touchdowns last season -- is the first college athlete to rock his tech chain ... though he has made several other similar pieces for NBA players and UFC stars. He's now hoping the attention Daniels' piece gets opens the door for more football-playing clients.

There's still a major piece of the puzzle missing on Season 11 of "Vanderpump Rules," because we've learned Raquel Leviss is still NOT signed on.

Sources with direct knowledge of the negotiations tell TMZ ... Raquel's people are "talking" to Bravo, but the deal is not done.

There have been various media reports indicating Raquel has already signed on. Those reports are not accurate. They're still negotiating.

Our sources say there's one thing that remains paramount in any possible return to "VPR" -- Raquel's mental health.

As we reported, Raquel has been in a mental health facility since mid-April, in the wake of all the fallout and hate as a result of Scandoval.

The cast has been shooting -- sans Raquel -- over the last week or so. They were all together Tuesday night at Sur in WeHo, shooting and arguing as per usual.

Bun B is the latest rap star to join the Taylor Swift fan club after a chance encounter left him starstruck!!!

The Underground King was out in NYC Tuesday night when he ended up at a Questlove party full of good vibes and food … as it was a cannabis-infused cuisine from Chef Nikki Seward.

Filmmaker Joseph Patel convinced Bun to take a photo with someone named "Taylor" as he headed out, which turned out to be the Taylor.

Bun says his TS intro measures up to the times he met ex-Prezzie Barack Obama and Beyoncé … and thinks it might be time for him to apply for Swiftie membership!!!

Flavor Flav also recently caught that same spirit after both meeting Taylor, and attending one of her "Eras" Tour shows this spring.

The Public Enemy rapper told us he experienced similar to what Bun shared … a warm presence that left him floored.

Dakota Fred Hurt, one of the stars of the Discovery show, "Gold Rush: White Water," is dead after a brief battle with brain cancer.

Dakota Fred died Tuesday, according to a statement from his family ... this only 4 months after he was diagnosed with stage 4 brain cancer. The fam says Dakota Fred fought his cancer battle "courageously" and died with loved ones by his side.

Dakota Fred's loved ones say they are remembering Dakota Fred as someone who "touched many lives and was loved and supported by many" ... while 'Gold Rush' says "his joy for life and adventure was contagious."

Dakota Fred got his start gold mining in North Dakota way back in the day, and that's how he ended up mining for gold in Alaska on 'Gold Rush.'

He appears in the show's first 4 seasons.

A fan favorite, Dakota Fred and his son, Dustin, returned to the franchise in 2018 with their own spinoff show, "Gold Rush: White Water," this time dredging for gold in whitewater collection pools at the base of Alaskan waterfalls.

Dakota Fred was 80.

Sam Smith was all about bringing extra to the "Barbie" movie premiere across the pond ... as in, lots of extra material to complete their look.

The singer showed up to Wednesday's European premier in London rocking a crewneck with 16 XL written across the front. Unclear if that's the actual size of the gear, but it's a BIG fashion statement nonetheless.

As you can see, Sam paired the super baggy top with, what else, super baggy jeans ... so baggy, in fact, you couldn't even see their feet.

Sam's not in the movie, instead they're singing on the "Barbie" soundtrack ... with a song called "Man I Am," dropping next week, at the same time the Greta Gerwig film hits cinemas back here in the States.

Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling, meanwhile, were on the other end of the fashion spectrum ... Ryan went with a mint green suit, and Margot wore pink once again, as she has throughout her movie promotion.

Barbie fanatics may recognize Margot's outfit inspiration ... she channeled a doll from way back in the day, "Enchanted Evening" Barbie.

Dog The Bounty Hunter's lesbian daughter is apologizing to trans influencer Dylan Mulvaney in the wake of her father's homophobic rant, where he appeared to threaten Dylan.

Lyssa Chapman, who starred on Dog's reality TV show, tells TMZ ... she would like to send her apologies to Dylan and the trans community as a whole, and her heart breaks over Dog's hateful comments.

The apology comes on the heels of an interview Dog gave Tuesday, where he launched a homophobic tirade and took shots at Dylan and Bud Light.

In reference to Dylan, Dog said ... "People playing church all led to Bud Light. Is that right? Get that punk down. Rebuke Satan out of him and just give him a couple black eyes. That's exactly and I mean that. If I ever see him, I'm dropping him."

Lyssa says Dog's comments are not in line with her father's character (though he more than doubled-down) ... she feels that's not who Dog is and she says she's trying to find out why he said such nasty things.

Dog's daughter tells us they spoke on the phone after the interview, and she says it was mostly just them yelling and talking over each other ... the conversation, she says, was far from productive.

Lyssa says Dog's comments do not reflect the morals he taught her growing up ... and she loves him, but worries he's watching too much cable news.

Dog's other daughter, Bonnie Chapman, also released a statement aimed at her father, saying, "Jesus loves everyone and would strongly denounce this non-accepting rhetoric. It is utterly repulsive to to advocate violence against our transgender community, and it is equally repulsive to invoke Jesus' name in vain to support such views.

Great news ... the child that took a Vladimir Guerrero Jr. line drive to the forehead during Monday night's Home Run Derby is now doing OK.

Sources close to the situation tell TMZ Sports ... despite how bad things looked after the youngster was rocked in the noggin by a baseball in left field at T-Mobile Park, the kid was treated immediately on-site -- and was doing so much better on Tuesday, he was actually able to attend the All-Star Game in the evening.

We're told the boy's parents were present in Seattle to comfort him following the whole ordeal.

It all initially appeared like it could have been much worse ... because after he was hit by the Guerrero Jr. shot, the kid crumpled to the ground in pain.

He was later seen with a bandage on his head -- though he was, fortunately, able to walk away from the stadium under his own power.

Tom Sandoval and Ariana Madix can't avoid each other -- they're back to sharing the same space publicly for the first time since the explosive "Vanderpump Rules" reunion, and yes ... producers got it all on camera.

The whole 'VPR' cast flocked to SUR Restaurant in WeHo Tuesday, where James Kennedy was DJing -- apart from Tom and Ariana, Tom Schwartz stepped in ... as did Katie Maloney and Scheana Shay. Sources on the scene tell us the boss lady, Lisa Vanderpump, was there too, hosting a dinner for the whole gang.

Tom and Ariana weren't spotted together while at the spot, but they were for sure under the same roof ... so there's gotta be some tension there.

Sandoval might have dodged Ariana, but he and Scheana got into a pretty intense argument -- it's hard to hear most of the conversation, but at one point you definitely hear her shout, "If you hadn't f***ed Raquel" ... before storming away.

As we reported, TMZ obtained footage of the Toms getting into a bit of a heated argument this week as the cameras rolled, so it seems the beating Sandoval's been taking since his affair with Raquel Leviss will continue into the next season.

In other words ... they're giving 'VPR' fans exactly what they want.

Michael Jordan clearly ain't sweating the damage he caused by commenting on his son's relationship with Larsa Pippen ... 'cause he was seen looking as carefree as ever on Tuesday, puffing a cigar while on a boat in Italy.

His Airness was out in Capri just hours after Larsa said he "traumatized" her by stating publicly that he didn't approve of her relationship with Marcus Jordan ... and check out his demeanor, he certainly didn't seem too remorseful about it all.

MJ lit up a stogie while cruising through Italian waters with his wife, Yvette Prieto, before he took to land to get some shopping in.

The NBA legend not once seemed down while in the sun ... in fact, the guy appeared to be nothing but chill.

Of course, back on July 2, Michael seriously rocked the boat when it came to his son's romance with Larsa ... saying emphatically that he didn't approve of it all -- presumably due to Larsa's former relationship with Scottie Pippen, Michael's former Bulls teammate-turned-enemy.

On her and Marcus' "Separation Anxiety" podcast Tuesday, Larsa said the statement really hurt her ... telling Marcus, "I didn't think it was funny."

"There's nothing funny about it," she continued ... before adding, "I was kind of embarrassed."

Marcus, though, said Michael reached out to the two after making the remarks -- and told them he said it all in jest ... and he actually had no problem with the relationship.

Alex Murdaugh seems to be getting the brush off from his son Buster after his conviction in his sensational double murder case ... at least according to a new audio recording.

From a maximum security prison, Alex phoned Buster and had a chat with him, but the conversation seemed cold and distant -- and lasted all of 43 seconds.

As you know, Alex was convicted of brutally murdering his wife Maggie and younger son Paul at their South Carolina home and is now serving two life sentences.

Check out the recording, recently obtained by FITS News, which captured the May 16 discussion between Alex and Buster, who right from get go appears ready to hang up and move on with his life.

Alex opens the dialogue with a sweet greeting, "Hey buddy." But Buster gives a hurried response, “Hey I don’t have a whole of time I just boarded a ferry to go back to Hilton Head Island from Daufuskie (Island).”

The killer then admits he's been trying to get in touch with Buster -- clearly with little success -- and a man named Jim, apparently referring to his lawyer Jim Griffin. Alex asks Buster to have Jim contact him.

Buster gives a curt response, “Mm-kay." Alex inquires about something else related to Jim, but Buster claims he can't understand what his father is saying due to the phone line crackling.

Alex ends the icy exchange by professing his love for Buster, adding, "Proud of you."

Lactose intolerant customers beware, Burger King in Thailand is pushing the limits of dairy, dropping a new burger without any patty ... and 20 slices of cheese!!!

This ain't a joke -- the Thai extension of the fast food company announced the "Real Cheeseburger" Sunday ... buns filled with nearly 2 dozen slices of American cheese.

The chain's social media blast says the cheesy exclusive is only available until Thursday, and it's going for 109 Thai baht -- just over $3 USD.

Folks in Thailand apparently couldn't wait to get their hands on a dietician's worst nightmare, with social media going nuts over the limited-time grub.

BK diners have posted mostly negative reactions already, as you can imagine -- one said the mountain of cheese was a lot, while another called the burger "too intense."

Unclear if this controversial dish will make its way to Burger Kings in the States ... but ya gotta admit, it's pretty insane.

Britney Spears is still furious with Victor Wembanyama's security ... calling his use of physical force in Vegas last week completely unnecessary -- while demanding he issue a public apology.

The "Toxic" singer opened up about the situation Tuesday in a video posted to her Instagram ... after she says she heard a local radio host say she deserved to be hit in the face for touching Wemby.

She called out the station for the opinion ... explaining in all her years of touring and being in public around rowdy fans -- her security team has never taken things that far.

"I've been with the most famous people in the world -- *NSYNC at one time," she said. "Girls would like literally throw themselves at them. On my way into the place, actually, I was knocked down by like three 12-year-olds trying to get my picture. My security not one time touched them or even came near them."

"Point being," she continued, "I didn't appreciate the people saying that I deserved to be hit, because no woman ever deserves to be hit."

In her video, Spears also recounted the July 5 scene from her perspective once again ... saying she was backhanded so hard in the face that she went down to the floor and needed to be picked up by her best friend.

Of course, video TMZ obtained showed she never hit the ground after being struck -- though the sunglasses on her face were knocked to the floor.

She went on to say the San Antonio Spurs star's security apologized to her at her table inside Catch restaurant at The Aria some 30 minutes following the incident ... but he, Wemby and the team have yet to publicly say they're sorry -- something she clearly wants.

It's the second time in the last week Spears has spoken about the incident ... she previously wrote a lengthy note on Instagram, saying all she had wanted from Wembanyama outside the eatery was to "congratulate him on his success."

As we reported ... Las Vegas Police investigated the incident, but decided against filing charges.

Wembanyama, meanwhile, went on to play in two games in the NBA's Summer League in Vegas with mixed results following the incident. He's since been shut down by the Spurs in anticipation of the upcoming season.

Morgan Freeman is on the mend from a nasty infection that derailed his plans to jet across the pond to promote his latest show.

The 86-year-old actor was forced to cancel a UK trip after he came down with a fever ... according to his rep, who says doctors told Morgan he was contagious. Obviously, that meant doing a bunch of interviews was out of the question.

Morgan was scheduled to do a media tour to promote the new Taylor Sheridan show, "Special Ops: Lioness" -- Morgan costars with Zoe Saldana and Nicole Kidman -- but he was notably MIA from the interviews and Tuesday's screening.

He was also supposed to appear with his costars on the BBC program, "The One Show" -- but his absence was something host Alex Jones (not that one) said she was completely "gutted" about.

BTW, Morgan's also been struggling with fibromyalgia since 2008, after getting hurt in an almost-deadly car crash.

He donned a black compression glove on his hand at this year's Oscars ... something he often wears for comfort after ending up with permanent nerve damage from the wreck.

The man who went on a violent, sexually charged rampage in Las Vegas over the weekend was drugged ... at least according to his family.

Brian Danilczyk downed a drink laced with hallucinogenics, causing him to slug a one-legged man at the Flamingo Hotel Sunday, his wife reportedly told the press.

Danilczyk then got naked and barged inside Harrah's Hotel and Casino, where he flaunted his genitals and danced on top of a poker table. Vegas cops wrestled Brian to the floor, arresting him for indecent exposure and disorderly conduct.

But his other half, Michele, placed blame for the crimes on someone else in a text message exchange with the New York Post. First, Michele described Brian as a "great person" who would never normally behave in such a way, insisting, "He is the victim."

Then Michele said the person who spiked her husband's drink is the real criminal, adding that Brian had a severe hallucinogenic reaction and has no recollection of what happened. She said they are working with doctors who have performed toxicology tests to determine the type of substance Brian consumed.

We've contacted Vegas police to check out Michele's story about the mysterious person who spiked the drink ... so far no word back.

Jamie Foxx's whirlwind recovery reveal is still in full swing in Chicago ... the actor was just photographed hitting the pickleball courts around town.

Check out the image posted on Instagram Tuesday night ... Jamie playing doubles with his partner against a couple of other dudes -- and they're clearly having a blast, laughing it up at the net together.

But, this is only his latest, happy moment ... Jamie's been having fun all over the Windy City lately, taking a ride on a yacht along the river, whacking golf balls at the driving range and even saving the day by returning a lost purse to a woman. He's also been spending quality time with his fam and close friends.

Nice to see Jamie in such good spirits and looking strong after everything he's been through the last several months.

From our vantage point, it appears Jamie is well on his way to full recovery while continuing his treatment at a physical rehab facility in Chi Town. As you know, Jamie suffered a medical emergency in April, which, to this day, still remains a mystery.

Leslie Van Houten is likely to kill again after being released from prison -- so says Sharon Tate's sister ... who's deeply offended California cut loose the former Charles Manson follower.

Debra Tate tells TMZ that she's disappointed in the criminal justice system in the state, and especially the governor's office ... which she thinks really dropped the ball in not fighting harder against Van Houten's release.

While Gov. Gavin Newsom said he isn't happy with the decision handed down by the Court of Appeals -- siding with the parole board releasing Van Houten -- he also said he wasn't going to push back, arguing it was a losing effort.

Debra says Newsom could've taken it to a higher court, which is true, and she's taking his surrender as a huge slap in the face to the families of Manson's victims.

As far as how those loved ones feel about Van Houten being a free woman again ... well, she tells us they're absolutely terrified because there's a fear she could resort to her killing ways again in a heartbeat.

Clearly, Debra doesn't buy the parole board's belief Van Houten's rehabilitated. Her rationale boils down to the nature of the crime itself, and the mindset Van Houten was once under. She says once somebody goes down that dark path, in her eyes, it's easy to go back.

Now, while Van Houten wasn't involved in the Tate murders -- remember, it was the LaBiancas she helped butcher -- she's publicly said she really wanted to be present for the slayings of Sharon and 3 friends.

Debra finds that very troubling, and says that's why she has every right to weigh in here.

She adds ... the victims' families are outraged Van Houten gets to live out the rest of her life outside of prison -- despite a life sentence they assumed would be imposed forever more.

Debra's been leading a charge to keep all the Manson family members locked up, with an ongoing online petition she's maintained for a while now.