Damar Hamlin Plays First Game for Bills ... Since Cardiac Arrest

Damar Hamlin is back on the football field, in a playing capacity, for the first time since his life-threatening cardiac arrest incident earlier this year ... and he's looking like his old self.

The Bills safety hit the gridiron Saturday for Buffalo during a preseason game, in which he appeared for just a little bit of time ... a couple possessions, but in that time he was able to show off his talent and, more importantly, that he's ready for NFL-caliber play again.

From what we could see, there was no hesitancy in Damar's intensity -- and he certainly wasn't shying away from tackles ... something he's expected to do a lot of as a safety.

Like we said ... DH didn't play for long, but it was a huge milestone to see him back in uniform and in a real game, making his months-long comeback complete. Based on his performance this weekend, it's likely he'll be playing regularly this upcoming season.

As for the team itself, they knew how big of a moment this was ... and suggested as much with a clip they posted, showing Damar taking the field/being embraced by his teammates.

It's been a long road to recovery, but it's one Damar has taken in stride. With the help and encouragement of his loved ones, his teammates and, of course, medical professionals ... he's been slowly getting back into playing shape -- and finally got the all-clear, too.

Considering his heart had to be restarted after taking a hit in a game against Cincinnati -- it's kind of a miracle that he's here today, let alone playing the same game at the same level.

Good to see ya back, DH. ❤️

Right-Wing Music Boom New 'Anthem' from Unknown Artist ... After Aldean's 'Try That'

Jason Aldean was able to get a little juice out of his right-leaning song -- and now, another guy's doing the same thing ... but he isn't even close to as famous, which is interesting.

The dude's name is Oliver Anthony, and he's a man-of-the-land living in Farmville, Virginia -- however, he's also a musician ... and a song he just released, "Rich Men North of Richmond,: is catching fire among conservatives all over the country ... in just a 24-hour window, too.

The reason ... the track (and the music video, too, it seems) is resonating with folks in a grassroots kind of way -- seeing how he's performing it out in the woods, and in a very stripped-down environment. Plus, yes ... OA definitely has talent -- a unique sound, indeed.

Now, as for the actual lyrics ... they seem to walk the line between the everyman, working-class American POV and far-right sentiments -- depends on how you look at it, we suppose.

Oliver addresses D.C. politicians -- without explicitly identifying a party -- sucking Americans dry and wanting total control of their lives ... while going on to lament social ills, including seemingly slamming the welfare system. He also appears to reference Jeffrey Epstein. 👀

In the wake of Oliver uploading this to streaming platforms, it looks like it's been spiking in sales -- with some sites showing it's #1 on iTunes ... meaning it's been purchased a crap-ton since it went up, but doesn't necessarily account for streaming numbers. Not yet, anyway.

Several right-wing influencers are praising Oliver's song/his passion, and some politicians are chiming in as well with a big thumbs up -- including Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene.

As for Oliver, he's overwhelmed by the attention -- saying he'll be performing locally for the time being. It remains to be seen if 'RMNOR' will have the same chart success Aldean recently experienced, but based on the groundswell already ... it's certainly possible.

This is a pretty fascinating trend we're seeing -- it appears when right-wingers perceive something (like a song) they think addresses their grievances/perspectives, they lean into it ... and, from the small sample size we've noticed, it can be effective in the marketplace.

Capitalism, baby ... it reigns supreme.

Tom Brady Daddy Duty At Blackpink Show ... Before Flying To Birmingham City Match

Busy 24 hours for Tom Brady -- the retired NFL superstar was swarmed by fans at a local pub while supporting his new English soccer team on Saturday ... but first, he took his daughter to a BLACKPINK concert in the States.

TB12 was among the Blinks for the K-pop group's sold-out show at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on Friday ... with one fan snapping a shot of the seven-time Super Bowl champ soaking in the experience.

Brady admitted he was a bit out of his element at the show ... joking on X that the image was, "the most 'dad takes his daughter and her friends to a concert' picture ever taken 😂😂😂."

But before the quarterback could get "DDU-DU DDU-DU" out of his head, the guy was already hopping across the pond to catch Birmingham City's matchup against Leeds United ... and fans went bonkers when he showed up at a watering hole near St. Andrew's.

Brady's appearance at the pub was met with singing and cheering ... and it's clear he was loving every second of it.

TB12 got the VIP treatment at the match (as he should, he owns part of the organization) ... greeting kids on the field and enjoying the contest from a suite.

As we previously reported, Brady joined forces with the football club earlier this month ... becoming chairman of the advisory board.

Brady's presence might've brought the Blues some good luck ... 'cause Birmingham City ran away with the 1-0 win.

Now get some sleep, Tom.

Kansas Newspaper Marion County Record Raided ... Over Leaked DUI Intel

A Kansas newspaper was raided by cops after leaked DUI intel made its way to the publisher -- and many are calling it a chilling attempt at censorship over freedom of the press.

The Marion County Record was paid a visit Friday by the local authorities ... who were executing a warrant that had been signed by a judge, giving them the green light to confiscate a ton of items -- including computers, phones, hard drives and other data.

The reason law enforcement stormed the place -- not to mention the home of the publisher, Eric Meyer -- is due to a complaint a restaurateur in town filed ... namely, accusing the Record of identity theft/unlawful use of a computer in putting together a piece about her.

It's a complicated backstory -- but, essentially, this woman (Kari Newell) and the newspaper have apparently had some bad blood of late ... and, in the aftermath of that, the Record says it recently obtained a tip about her past, revealing she'd once gotten a DUI and had driven without a license thereafter. This info could've hindered her business prospects.

While investigating the tip and confirming its veracity, the Record's publisher, Meyer, concluded the info was likely coming from Newell's husband ... whom she was in the middle of divorcing. In other words, questionable motives ... so he decided to pass on it altogether.

However, he did more than just that ... he actually alerted cops to the fact that this information had been leaked to them -- although it's unclear why. In any case, it backfired.

It seems Newell became privy to the fact Meyer and co. had fallen into possession of this information, and believed they'd done so illegally ... something the Marion County Record denies. Nonetheless, she went to the cops and filed a complaint ... which escalated into a full search warrant that Marion County District Court Magistrate Judge Laura Viar signed.

The warrant lists a number of objects that law enforcement -- which consisted of just about 7 people total, the entire force in that little town -- were entitled to seize ... and they did. It goes without saying ... journalists far and wide are crying foul, and saying this is an outrage.

21 Savage Attends Beyoncé Concert In Atlanta ... Belts Out Her Tunes From Crowd

Did anyone know 21 Savage was such a HUGE Beyoncé fan? Well he is, and so much so the rapper was belting out her hits all night at her concert in Georgia.

21 posted several videos on Instagram showing his love for Bey’s music as she performed to a packed audience at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, part of her wildly popular Renaissance World Tour.

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SAVAGE SING-ALONG

Check out the footage … 21 is having a blast singing along to Bey’s “1+1” and "Dangerously In Love 2" from the crowd — and maybe a little too much fun because he seems a bit out of tune.

But that’s ok — it’s all just barrel of laughs.

By the way, 21 hits the stage with Drake at Kia Forum in Inglewood, CA, tonight so maybe Bey’s show was just a warm-up for him.

LIL TAY META HELPED GET ACCOUNT BACK FROM HACKER

Lil Tay really did have her Instagram compromised by someone who used the page to falsely claim she was dead ... Meta tells us they helped get the account back in her hands.

There's been serious doubts about the social media personality's story after it turned out this week's shocking news of her death was all a hoax ... but a spokesperson for Meta says Lil Tay is being truthful about not being able to access her IG.

Remember ... Lil Tay's fake death was announced Wednesday morning on her Instagram ... with the statement saying her "sudden and tragic passing" was an "unbearable loss," and claiming her family was in complete shock.

It appears the alleged hackers didn't stop at a social media announcement ... before the ominous post Wednesday, TMZ was contacted by someone claiming to be a rep for Lil Tay's family with a full press release and said she and her brother had died at their mother's home in Vancouver.

But, when TMZ contacted police in the Vancouver area as well as family members, everyone was totally in the dark.

Lil Tay's family gave us a statement from her Thursday, which said she was very much alive and that, "My Instagram account was compromised by a 3rd party and used to spread jarring misinformation and rumors regarding me, to the point that even my name was wrong."

Tay also thanked Meta for helping to get her Instagram account back, and the phony death statement has since been scrubbed.

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CATCHIN' UP WITH LIL TAY
TMZ.com

A Meta company spokesman confirmed Tay's account, telling us they did help her get her IG back from the hacker.

Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media.

It will be interesting to see if Lil Tay becomes more active on IG now ... she hasn't posted since June 2018, despite having over 3.5 million followers.

For more influencer news, tune in to TMZ Verified the podcast. Dropping every Thursday on all podcast platforms.

Selena Gomez & Francia Raisa Friendship Back On Track ... Amid Rumors Of Friction

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GIRLS NIGHT
BACKGRID

Selena Gomez enjoyed a girl's night out with her kidney donor, Francia Raisa, in L.A. Friday, putting to rest any rumors of tension between them.

The two were mobbed by paparazzi wildly snapping photos and shooting video after they had dinner at Giorgio Baldi restaurant in Santa Monica.

Selena and Francia, both dressed to the nines, disappeared into the back of a waiting car, which then drove away.

Their get together comes at an interesting time. Despite their up and down relationship over the past year, Francia recently told a photojournalist there was no bad blood between her and the singer/actress. It appears she was right on the mark, given last night's outing.

As we've reported ... Selena and Francia were longtime friends who first met at an event many years ago while they were actors in separate TV shows.

In 2017, Selena revealed she needed a kidney transplant because of her battle with lupus. Francia stepped up and offered one of hers to Selena, who was happy to accept, and the kidney transplant was a success.

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Then, five years later, Selena told a reporter Taylor Swift was her only real friend in Hollywood, prompting Francia to write "interesting" in the comments section of an Instagram post discussing the matter.

Selena responded, "Sorry I didn't mention every person I know." Still, it created some friction between them and rumors started circulating they were no longer buddies.

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IT'S BEEN SQUASHED
BACKGRID

But, this past March, Selena said she "never ever, ever, be more in debt to a person than Francia." Coupled with Francia's latest statements on their relationship and now the dinner, it looks like everything is hunky dory with them.

We covered the drama on a recent episode of The TMZ Podcast, available on all platforms.

Bosnian Bodybuilder Rampage Kills 3 People, Injures 3 Others ... Live Streams Violent Rampage

A bodybuilder went on a killing rampage in Bosnia, fatally shooting 3 people, including his ex-wife ... even worse, he live streamed the entire violent escapade.

Nermin Sulejmanovic had his phone camera turned on as he streamed 3 separate videos to Instagram, capturing his demented murder spree Friday in the northeastern Bosnian city of Gradacac.

In his first video, Sulejmanovic boasted he was about to carry out a live execution before showing his badly beaten former wife on a porch.

He said, “Look, when you’re dealing with a whore who reports you to the police,” trailing off before using a gun to shoot her in the head.

He then told his IG followers he was the dad of the woman's kid, who was crying in the background, and she was preventing him from seeing the child for close to a week.

Sulejmanovic filmed two additional live feeds while he was being chased by the police and bragged that he killed two other people off camera. Prosecutors later confirmed Sulejmanovic shot a man and his son to death on the street.

In the end, Sulejmanovic also shot and wounded a police officer, another man and a woman before taking his own life.

Police said at least 12,000 people watched Sulejmanovic's terrifying live streams. Investigators have not established a clear motive for the violence.

Morgan Wallen Ditches Famous Mullet ... Shaves Head For Ohio Concert

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END OF AN ERA
TikTok / @hollyrudisill

Morgan Wallen made a pretty bold move before his concert in Ohio Friday ... because he's now completely bald -- as in no hair!!!

The country music singer walked out onstage at Ohio Stadium in Columbus after he shaved off his famous mullet with his head looking like a cue ball.

Morgan wore a red baseball cap ... but it couldn't hide the fact all of his hair was missing in action.

Check out video that surfaced on Tik Tok ... Morgan stopped to mention his new look in between songs, making light of the situation by saying, "I didn’t like the long hair anymore so I shaved it off." The crowd just hollered and laughed.

But some of his fans weren't having it and expressed their unhappiness with his transformation.

One person wrote on X (formerly Twitter) ... "Finding out Morgan Wallen cut his hair off just ruined my night."

Another said, "Morgan Wallen cut his hair I can't speak for 5 to 7 business days."

Duran Duran's Andy Taylor Expects To Live 5 More Years ... Thanks To Cancer Drug

Duran Duran guitarist Andy Taylor shared some good news about his battle with prostate cancer ... he's says he's expected to live 5 more years thanks to a new drug.

Taylor -- who joined the British rock band in 1980 -- told BBC News he was contacted by a scientist who suggested Lutetium-177 -- a "nuclear medicine" -- to treat his stage 4 prostate cancer.

The scientist noted Lutetium-177 only attacks cancer cells in the body because it can't see healthy cells.

Taylor claims he first tried the drug six weeks ago and it seems to be working. He said, “It kills stage four cancer in your bones. And so what it’s effectively done is extend my life for five years.”

Although Taylor was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2015, it took seven years for the news to leak out.

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A MESSAGE FROM ANDY
MAX

You may recall, Duran Duran front man Simon Le Bon made the stunning revelation onstage as the group was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame last year. Taylor was noticeably absent, but Le Bon read a statement from him explaining his health issues.

Glad to hear Andy is seeing some progress in his cancer fight. Fingers crossed.

Cardi B Thrown Mic's $100K Sale Falls Through

The nearly six-figure transaction for the microphone Cardi B chucked into her crowd, sparking a police investigation, has hit a snag ... we're told the winning bidder didn't pay up.

Here's the deal ... Cardi's infamous microphone was being auctioned on eBay and the bidding war came to an end Tuesday with a $99,900 winning bid ... or so it seemed.

Scott Fisher, the mic owner running the auction, tells TMZ … unfortunately, his suspicions came true and the winning bidder failed to pay for Cardi's mic.

We're told the person who placed the winning bid had 48 hours to fork over the cash, but didn't respond to multiple messages ... so Scott still has the mic. The proceeds from the auction were supposed to benefit charity, and Scott says he's exploring his options ... including sending a purchase offer to the second-highest bidder.

LM Cases, a case company in Ohio, heard about the story and hooked him up with a mic case for whoever ends up with it.

Scott says if the other top bidder doesn't end up buying the mic, he's considering selling it privately.

There's quite a story behind the mic ... as we reported, Cardi was performing at Drai's Beachclub in Las Vegas when she asked the crowd to splash her with water, only to get pissed when someone later tossed ice and liquid on her, resulting in the mic toss.

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MAKIN' A SPLASH
Twitter, TikTok / @j_blizzyy

Cardi was then named a suspect for battery when a woman who claimed the mic hit her went to police ... but the rapper was ultimately cleared by officials.

Stars and Scars You Be the Judge

The Alabama riverboat brawl was unbelievable and troublesome, and Tory Lanez remains unapologetic even after getting sentenced to 10 years. So we gotta ask ...

Alabama Riverboat Brawl ...

Tory Lanez's 10-Year Sentence ...

Travis Scott Performing W/ Kanye ...

Tyrese Suing Home Depot For $1M ...

Gisele Bündchen And Jiu-Jitsu Instructor ...

Lil Tay's Fake Death Announcement ...

Naming Your Kid Barbie After Movie ...

O.J. Simpson Blasting Henry Ruggs' Sentence

Zuck/Musk Fight ...

Kelly Slater Surf Community Will Support HI Wildfire Victims ... Plans To Send Supplies, Money

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HORROR IN HAWAII
TMZSports.com

The wildfire disaster in Hawaii is breaking hearts across the world, including those in the surfing community ... and, according to Kelly Slater, it's now planning to step up in a big way to help victims -- by sending boats, supplies and cash.

The 51-year-old surfing legend explained the plans to TMZ Sports this week ... after flames have ravaged Maui and the Big Island during August.

"Everyone within our surf community is rallying to get boats in, supplies, donate money," Slater said out at LAX, "but that's all not organized yet."

The reason for the delay, according to Slater, is all the debris blocking the harbor, including boats that have caught fire near the piers ... as well as the lack of power in the affected areas.

"There's still a lot of people not in touch with family because they don't have cell towers and power there and they're blocked off on both sides actually," Slater said, "the north and southern side from Lahaina got blocked."

Slater -- who holds 56 championship tour victories -- says several of his friends have been impacted by the blazes ... with some even running for their lives.

"One friend lost everything he owns but he was able to save his dog and a backpack and that was about it," Slater said.

"I know at least two friends, right now, that lost their houses -- actually three. I just got a text about another one, but that's just the beginning."

As of Friday, Maui County Mayor Richard Bissen said as many as 55 people have been confirmed dead ... but, sadly, he believes the death toll "could go up."

What's The Big Frigin' Difference?!

Like "Thelma and Louise" ... you are on a mission to hit the streets and be thick as thieves with acting legend Susan Sarandon. Can you find the changes in these two shots before going over the falls?

The NYC native threw on her sneaks and picketed around her neighborhood -- along with countless other famous folks -- in support of the SAG-AFTRA strike. And, considering it was a hot summer day in the Big Apple, it's a good thing H2O was present ... Can you handle the switch-ups?

**HINT: There are THREE differences in the above Susan Sarandon photos!**

Montgomery Riverfront Brawl Online Stores Blowing Up With Fight Merch!!!

The Montgomery riverfront brawl is triggering ... in a financial sense, because retailers are cashing in with merch based on the viral fight, and the items are going like hotcakes.

Sites like Etsy, eBay and Amazon made it their business to start hawking brawl-themed merch almost immediately last Sunday -- the day after the Alabama fight went down, and these platforms are still surging with a bunch of creative options to buy.

Some of the things ya can scoop up include folding chair earrings and keychains, hoodies with photos from the fight, and even shirts that read, "Don't start nothing, won't be nothing."

One of the most common shirt designs says, "F*** around and find out," with a folding chair front and center ... pretty funny stuff.

JoeRyanDesigns on Etsy made an "Avengers Assemble" coffee mug with people portraying superheroes, like the man with the folding chair -- who's since been arrested -- and the company tells us its merch is going viral, just like the event that inspired it.

The site's seen a "massive increase" in traffic, which comes out to a 3,011% uptick in views.

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MONTGOMERY MADNESS

You'll recall, the internet was taken over by the insane clips from the fight ... and it looks like folks can't get enough of what went down -- 'cause now they wanna wear it!

Trinidad James to Tory Lanez Shoot Someone, You Go to Jail ... But Iggy Should Be Quiet!!!

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COMPLICATED ISSUE
TMZ.com

Tory Lanez still insists the system screwed him with a 10-year sentence for shooting Megan Thee Stallion -- but, that's just the consequence of the crime if you ask Trinidad James.

We caught up with Trinidad at LAX and his stance is clear: jail time should always follow the act of shooting someone in a criminal fashion, and since Tory was convicted ... Trinidad has no issue with the sentence.

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D.A.'S REMARKS

The "All Gold Everything" rapper used Kendrick Lamar's "Money Trees" lyrics ... "Everybody gon' respect the shooter/But the one in front of the gun lives forever" ... to summarize his POV.

Trinidad also tells us Iggy Azalea should've kept quiet, after her public support for Tory became a hot-button issue following the sentencing.

Iggy grew close to Tory while they worked on music prior to his trial, and wrote a letter to the judge asking for leniency -- a bad move according to Trinidad, but he still respects her right to have an opinion.

Jose Baez, Tory's lawyer, told us Tory's in the dumps after getting sentenced, and Tory himself remains defiant -- insisting he didn't shoot Meg.

Trinidad feels there's a silver lining for Tory ... more time to work on new music!!!