Drake Plays Hero for L.A. ... First Show Almost Didn't Happen, Y'all

081323-drake-forum-kal
THE SHOW MUST GO ON
TMZ.com

Drake made a startling confession to his fans in the City of Angels on night #1 of his L.A. stint -- telling them the debut show almost didn't happen ... but that he insisted it did.

The rapper was performing Saturday night at Kia Forum -- the first of 4 shows at this venue, and the first of 6 total that he'll be down here in Los Angeles. While onstage, he talked to the crowd ... and said there was some issues before showtime, which nearly derailed things.

081323-drake-forum-sub-kal-wm
STAGE TECH
TMZ.com

Check out this video, obtained by TMZ, where he explains what was going down hours before the doors were set to open ... Drake says his team was saying there were some logistical issues they were facing in setting up the stage and the production at large.

Drake says due to this, they were telling him the show was probably going to have to be canceled -- but he put his foot down ... and demanded they find a way to make it happen.

Obviously, they did ... because the show went on as scheduled, albeit a bit late -- but which Drake and 21 Savage made up for by staying later ('til about midnight or so, we're told) to do their complete set. Based on what we can gather ... the concertgoers were appreciative.

It's cool to hear Drake talk about L.A. and what it means to him/why he moved mountains to make the show happen. He says this has been like a second home to him ... and that the city has a special place in his heart. Bottom line ... he didn't wanna let Angelenos down.

And, frankly, it's a huge relief The Forum gig wasn't nixed ... because it could've possibly spelled trouble for the other dates at this venue. Of course, the recent cancelation of his concert in Memphis comes to mind -- where there, too, were production issues that forced him to skip the show. It sounds like a similar situation almost unfolded here as well.

Fact is, Drake's concerts for his 'It's All a Blur' tour are pretty elaborate ... especially with the stage design and all the props he uses -- including a lot of giant/high-tech effects.

With all that in mind, we suppose L.A. should count itself fortunate that Drake powered through and went on with the show. There's a lot that goes into these concerts, and it ain't always easy to make it all come together. So kudos, Papi ... much appreciated!

Mark Zuckerberg Moving on from Elon Fight ... This X Dude Ain't Serious

Mark Zuckerberg is tired of waiting for Elon Musk to get ready to rumble, so he's moving on -- so says the Facebook founder himself.

The techie billionaire announced Sunday he was throwing in the towel on the planning process, saying it was clear to him that EM wasn't serious about duking it out ... evidenced, at least in Mark's eyes, in all the excuses Elon has offered to postpone this thing.

Post by @zuck
View on Threads

MZ writes, "I think we can all agree Elon isn't serious and it's time to move on. I offered a real date. Dana White offered to make this a legit competition for charity. Elon won't confirm a date, then says he needs surgery, and now asks to do a practice round in my backyard instead."

The backyard thing is new news -- and pretty eyebrow-raising if true. Mark adds, "If Elon ever gets serious about a real date and official event, he knows how to reach me. Otherwise, time to move on. I'm going to focus on competing with people who take the sport seriously."

Mark has kinda been teasing this move for a while now ... consistently refuting Elon's characterization of things, and alleging that the Twitter honcho was stonewalling on purpose.

In fact, it wasn't too long ago that Mark said he wasn't holding his breath for Elon -- and despite EM trying to hype up the fight just this past week (by mentioning the prospect of Italy as a venue), it sounds like Mark's throwing cold water on the whole thing ... calling BS.

It was a cool would-be event while it lasted, we suppose ... and time will tell if Mark pulling the plug like this will force Elon to actually commit -- but if he doesn't, it might be over.

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

Woman From In-Flight Freak-Out Tiffany Gomas' Emotional Apology ... No Excuse For Profanity

0811-Tiffany-Gomas-Plane-Outburst-Woman-1920-
TEARFUL APOLOGY

Tiffany Gomas, the woman from the viral in-flight freak-out, is apologizing for her epic meltdown ... telling us she let her emotions get the best of her.

Addressing the viral video for the first time on camera, an emotional Tiffany tells TMZ ... there's no excuse for freaking out on a plane full of people and causing everyone to have to deplane and be delayed.

070423-airplane-kal JULY 2023
STRESSED OUT
TikTok / @texaskansasnnn

Tiffany also says her rant could have done without the excessive profanity -- she infamously screamed, "That motherf**** back there is not real" -- and she's especially sorry to all the parents onboard who were left to explain the situation to their kids.

While Tiffany says she's laughed at all the memes being spawned from her worst moment, she says it feels invasive to have her lapse in judgment captured on camera and broadcast for the entire world to see.

Tiffany got teary-eyed and choked up, thanking her family and friends for giving her support as she figures out how to deal with the fallout ... and she hopes her story serves as a reminder of the importance of mental health.

Lil Durk False Report of Active Shooter Creates Chaos

UPDATE

11:48 AM PT -- The United Center tells TMZ ... "We are working closely with authorities to investigate all incidents from last evening at the WGCI Summer Jam show. It became apparent for all involved that ending the show early was in everyone's best interest as the safety of our guests and employees is a priority.

UPDATE

"We are thankful that initial incident reports were false and that guests exited the facility safely."

Lil Durk did not finish his show Saturday night, because cops descended on the venue after receiving reports of an active shooter.

081323-lil-durk-kal
RUNNING FOR THEIR LIVES

Durk was nearing the end of the concert at the United Center in Chicago Saturday night, when pandemonium erupted as the crowd ran for the exits.

Cops showed up with rifles, on the hunt for a shooter, but Chicago PD said it turned out to be a false alarm. Chicago is on high alert these days, where shootings have become tragically commonplace.

As the some of the concertgoers left the arena, they helped themselves to some merch ... whoever was working the merch stand apparently ran with the rest of the crowd.

Lil Durk posted about the show after and shouted out the fans who stole the merch.

There were no injuries reported and no arrests were made. We reached out to the United Center ... so far no word back.

Originally Published -- 6:21 AM PT

Drake Hey, My Son's Here So No Bra-Throwing, Please!!!

081323-drake-no-bras-kal 8/12/23
LET'S KEEP IT PG Y'ALL
TikTok / @therealkduece

Drake went braless during his concert in Inglewood Saturday night ... and it's all because of his kid.

Drake performed his first of 4 shows at the Kia Forum in Inglewood, and fans did what they've been doing recently at all of his concerts ... throwing bras in his direction. Drake at first was dismayed by at least one of the garments at the edge of the stage, kicking it off after dismissing it as a "glue-on."

He then urged the crowd to stop with the bras, revealing his 5-year-old son Adonis was backstage ... he told his fans, "I can't talk about titties tonight in L.A. because my son is at the show for the first time ever."

081323-drake-adonis-kal
SON SERENADE
Instagram / @champagnepapi

Drake did take a sweet moment to serenade his son and the crowd ate it up!

073123-drake-kal 7/30/23
MIND BLOWING BRAS

No bra action, but it was a really good show.

'Cotton Eye Joe' Song Derails Montreal Tennis Match!!!

A nail-biting tiebreaker at a professional tennis tournament was interrupted thanks to "Cotton Eye Joe!"

The match was as close as it gets at the semifinals of Montreal's National Bank Open ... Jessica Pegula and Iga Swiatek were trading points, with Pegula ahead 4-3 in the tiebreaker.

As the ball was in play, everyone in the venue heard "If it hadn't been for the Cotton Eye Joe" blaring from the speakers ... the chair ump immediately suspended play.

You hear the announcer kinda shocked, but musically knowledgeable, telling the audience, "Oh wow, 'Cotton Eye Joe' just came on mid-rally."

The point was replayed and in the end, the interruption may have changed the momentum, because Pegula never scored another point and Swiatek won 7-4, taking the second set.

Fear not, Pegula fans ... she won the match in the third set.

That damn Joe!

Latest Flash Mob Brazen Smash-and-Grab at Nordstrom

081323-smash-and-grab-kal
SHOP 'TIL YOU DROP

A brazen smash-and-grab went down Saturday in the San Fernando Valley, when around 50 folks stormed a Nordstrom store and looted the place nearly dry.

A number of the looters were masked and wearing hoodies, which makes it look premeditated.

People were grabbing everything that wasn't nailed down ... clothes, purses, everything they could carry. It was almost like watching "Supermarket Sweep," except they weren't grabbing cans of soup.

The looters hit a very well-trafficked complex -- the Westfield Topanga Mall, so it was particularly stunning it went down there.

These flash mobs have been hard at work in the L.A. area, most recently at the Yves Saint Laurent store at Glendale's Brand Mall. Looters took around $300k worth of merch.

In both cases looters fled in numerous vehicles.

The LAPD is investigating the latest smash-and-grab.

Republican Presidential Candidate Vivek Ramaswamy Goes All Eminem Onstage ... During Iowa Campaign Stop

Vivek Ramaswamy — a 2024 Republican Presidential candidate — is beating Donald Trump in at least one category — rapping!!

The fresh-faced businessman turned politician hit the stage at the Iowa State Fair during a campaign stop Saturday — and he wowed the packed crowd by belting out Eminem’s 2002 hit, “Lose Yourself.”

Check out the video … Vivek just kills it, grabbing the mic and spitting out the lyrics Slim Shady-style as the song played over the sound system. The fans loved it ... and some probably thought Vivek gave Em a little run for his money as a hip hop artist.

Before launching into his performance, Vivek revealed to the audience Em’s tune is his fave on the campaign trail; he always strolls out on stage to it, but this is the first time everyone has gotten a good hard look at Vivek's musical chops and he's pretty kick-ass.

Vivek is also kicking butt in the polls ... some recent assessments put Vivek in third place in his bid for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination.

Of course, Trump is beating all of his opponents by double digits … but Vivek is holding his own and people for sure enjoy his rap.

'RHOC' STAR HEATHER DUBROW Back Off Celebs Using Ozempic ... Miracle Drug Is Next Botox

080923-heather-dubrow-kal
OH-STOP-IT

"Real Housewives of Orange County" star Heather Dubrow is defending celebs who use diabetes meds to slim down ... and she's predicting Ozempic will end up a lot like Botox.

We got Heather in New York City and our photog asked her about Bravo star Jeff Lewis poking fun at 'RHOBH' star Kyle Richards as a "lesbian on Ozempic."

080923-jeff-lewis-kal 8/8/23
CRUSHING KYLE
Bravo

Heather feels like Jeff crossed a line by joking about someone's meds ... ripping him for joining a growing trend she's labeling as "Ozempic shaming."

The way Heather sees it ... Ozempic should be treated just like medications for heart conditions and cholesterol ... basically, it's nobody's beeswax what medications one may or may nor be taking.

The diabetes drug is popular in Hollywood as a weight-loss solution ... and it's becoming a lightning rod of sorts, drawing warnings from folks like Jillian Michaels and Heather's own husband, "Botched" star Dr. Terry Dubrow.

021523-jillian-michaels-kal 2/15/23
HEAVY TOPIC
TMZ.com

But, Heather's comparing Ozempic hysteria to the first days of Botox ... she says the injections were shunned when they first came out, but now they're pretty standard, and she tells us why she's predicting a similar arc for Ozempic.

NFL's David Montgomery, Girlfriend Dog Maims Neighbor's Pet ... In Bloody Attack

David Montgomery and his girlfriend's offseason move to Detroit didn't get off to an auspicious start ... TMZ Sports has learned one of the couple's dogs was involved in a bloody biting incident just days after the new Lions running back got settled into his new Michigan home.

According to police documents, officers were called out to Montgomery's new Grosse Pointe Shores residence on June 4 ... after his and his GF's pitbull mix, Lola, was accused of escaping the house and attacking a smaller dog on the sidewalk.

081023-david-montgomery-kal
CONCERNING BITE

In police body cam footage from the scene ... Montgomery's girlfriend -- Tatum Causey -- can be heard explaining to officers that she was in the backyard when she realized her pooch had gotten out.

"I go inside, literally opened the door and I said, 'Anybody see Lola?'" she told an officer at the scene. "So, I'm looking in the backyard for her -- she normally stays right in the backyard -- but when I walk out, I see my brother carrying her."

The owners of the dog who claimed Lola bit their pup said in an incident report that during the attack, Lola grabbed their animal's leg and would not let go.

"I heard our dog's leg break," one of the complainants wrote in the documents.

The owners said they suffered bite wounds and lacerations of their own during the attack. They added that their pup was diagnosed by the vet with two leg fractures. They also claimed it required stitches.

Causey -- who has a child with Montgomery -- was charged with misdemeanor harboring a vicious dog over the incident ... though court records show she pleaded not guilty to the count at a hearing in late June. The records show she's due for another hearing on the matter in September.

As for Lola, Causey shared an emotional tribute post to the dog one month after the biting incident that seemed to indicate the animal had passed away.

"So many quiet days just filled with your unconditional love," she wrote on the IG post. "You are and always will be the best. My soul dog, I love you forever and ever my Lola Bear."

We've reached out to reps for Montgomery -- who signed a three-year, $18 million contract with Detroit in March after four seasons with the Chicago Bears -- for comment on the situation, but so far, no word back yet.

Lionel Richie Nixes MSG Show Cites Crappy Weather

Bad weather threw a monkey wrench into Lionel Richie’s plans to perform at Madison Square Garden in NYC.

The iconic R&B singer was set to hit the stage with Earth Wind & Fire Saturday night — but the act of nature derailed their sold out show and an hour after it was supposed to start Lionel made his disappointing announcement.

Lionel posted on X (formerly Twitter), “Due to severe weather and being unable to land in the NY and surrounding areas, I’m unable to make it to the show tonight.”

He went on, “I’m so bummed. We are rescheduling the show to Monday Aug 14. Can’t wait to perform for you all. Tickets for tonight’s show are valid for the show on Monday.”

The 20,000 strong audience was totally bummed too. Video from inside the venue shows fans booing as an MSG official announces the show had been canceled.

But come August 14 —  Lionel will have them hooting and hollering.

Sara Allaby Jamaica Hot Shots Giving You A Rum For Your Money!

Kick back and relax cause this week's hot shots are spreading all the island vibes because Influencer Sara Allaby ... AKA ShoppingBagSara ... jammed out in a crazy sexy swimsuit while hanging with her feet in the sands of the Jamaican shore.

When Sara isn't baking in the sun along Runaway Bay, she loves jamming out to live concerts and music festivals, bringing the full-court press to NBA games and traveling the globe looking for the best beaches.

She couldn't Caribbean any hotter right now!

Be sure to check back in all summer long to see who will be melting down your modems with our Summer Hot Shots Features from around the world!

Jonny Fairplay Cracks Tiki Torch Over Wrestlers ... At Tennessee Strip Club

080923_jonny_fairplay_kal
TIKI TORCH'D

Jonny Fairplay has gone from one reality TV world to another -- now, the guy's doing wrestling gigs, except you won't see him in WWE ... try a strip club.

The ex-"Survivor" star made a public appearance last week in Johnston City, TN -- where he got hired to show face (and muscle) at a place called Mouse's Ear ...  where exotic dancers are normally onstage, only here ... it was amateur 'Wrestlemania.'

Indeed, you can get a sense of what Jonny and co. were up to in these videos we obtained. He's very much playing the heel in front of the crowd, while the two "wrestlers" opposite of him -- Bam Bam Bundy and Lucky Larson -- are talking trash ... wondering how he's making dough these days post-"Survivor."

Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media.

JF didn't take that too kindly, as it turns out ... 'cause he ended up hitting both of them in the back with the strip club equivalent of a folding chair -- namely, a freaking TIKI Torch!

Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media.

It's pretty goofy, and obviously, no one was hurt ... but this is something we might start to see Jonny do more regularly. Funny enough, he actually has dabbled in the wrestling world for years now (even pre-"Survivor") ... and is a huge fan of the sport.

Unclear what promotion Jonny might be with in this instance. Maybe something like WWTT?

Carly Rae Jepsen Good Genes Or Good Docs?!

Carly Rae Jepsen's looks over the years are STILL 'bangin!'

Here is a 26-year-old version of the pop singer -- stage-ready with her beautiful blue eyes poppin' -- opening for Justin Bieber at Rogers Centre in Toronto, Canada back in 2012 (left). This was the infamous year her hit song "Call Me Maybe" went viral across the globe!

And 11 years later ... the now 37-year-old Carly Rae has been on the road -- recently dazzling in sheer during her Lollapalooza performance and was rockin' a new look and a fresh blonde 'do earlier this month (right).

Ms. Jepsen is always down for a "Good Time," but the question is ...

Carly Rae Jepsen ...

Rachel Zegler 'Hating' on 'Snow White' ... Compared to Halle's ❤️ of Ariel

Rachel Zegler has shown what many are calling a deep disdain for the story of 'Snow White' -- morphing one controversy into a new one ... and now, Halle Bailey's getting dragged in.

Here's the deal ... we already know folks have been outraged about the forthcoming Disney reimagining for months now, whether it's because of Zegler's race ... or 'cause they didn't cast many "dwarfs." On all fronts, the live-action remake has been called "woke" by some.

Now, a new anger is taking shape this weekend ... and it all has to do with resurfaced press remarks Zegler made back in September (almost a year ago) while promoting the film, alongside her costar Gal Gadot. No, not the blue carpet Variety interview ... the EW one.

In this Q&A -- which, again, is several months old at this point -- Zegler confesses to having only seen the OG 'Snow White' once as a child ... and not liking it because she thought it was scary. She says she never watched it again -- at least, not until she was cast.

After seeing it anew ... it sounds like Zegler was turned off by what she saw -- the way she's described the cartoon, it comes across as dated and, perhaps, even regressive for women ... that's certainly how Zegler views it anyway, and she's made that clear in fierce terms.

The problem ... it seems her attitude toward the old 'Snow White' -- kinda bashing it -- has turned a lot of people off ... and not just conservatives either! There are a good handful of (seemingly) normal women who are speaking up and rolling their eyes over Zegler's take.

Waiting for your permission to load TikTok Post.

As one user put it ... some of the elements of the 1937 film (not to mention the original German fairy tale) are still appealing to certain women, even today. As you can see above, she laments the "girl boss" trend that some feel is being pushed by Hollywood these days. In short, this woman argues that some ladies still wanna be saved by Prince Charming. 😆

Enter Halle Bailey ... press interviews she was doing last year in the lead-up to 'Little Mermaid' are also being resurfaced right now, and they're being compared to Zegler's clips.

There are a lot of interviews Halle did at the time where she's talked about how much she loved "The Little Mermaid" growing up ... and how much influence Ariel, specifically, had on her as a Disney princess. Basically, Halle was a big fan of the IP and sounded grateful to give her own portrayal -- which, by and large, has been praised ... despite the loud haters.

The point of all this is that a question is now being rhetorically asked of Zegler ... if you hated the movie and the character of 'Snow White,' why sign on for this role at all?

She's recently said she wants nothing to do with all the chatter that's taken shape, but she'll undoubtedly do more press as the movie release date nears -- so we'll what she says then.

The rebooted, live-action "Snow White" is set to come out sometime in the spring.

Billy Porter Again Slams Harry Styles' Vogue Cover Calls Anna Wintour 'Bitch'

Billy Porter is back to slamming Harry Styles for being the first man featured in a dress on a Vogue cover -- resurfacing old gripes ... and taking down Anna Wintour while he's at it.

The actor, who's gay, dished to the Telegraph about his problem with Harry being tapped as the poster boy of genderfluid/non-binary fashion back in 2020 -- which, at the time, kicked up a lot of controversy and opinions ... including some fiery ones from Billy himself.

You might recall ... Billy said he was actually the catalyst for the men-in-dresses trend that's been percolating in Hollywood of late -- and lamented the fact that HS was picked over him.

He added, "He doesn’t care, he’s just doing it because it’s the thing to do. This is politics for me. This is my life. I had to fight my entire life to get to the palace where I could wear a dress to the Oscars and not be gunned down. All he has to do is be white and straight."

Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media.

After that, Billy apologized on the 'Late Show,' telling Stephen Colbert he didn't mean to dirty up Harry's name with his opinion -- and that the conversation was bigger than just him.

Now, after more than 2 years ... BP is re-airing his grievances, and he's again insisting Harry is, in fact, straight -- despite HS having yet to publicly label himself or his sexuality.

Billy says, "It’s not Harry Styles’s fault that he happens to be white and cute and straight and fit into the infrastructure that way. That's why he's on the cover. Non-binary blah blah blah blah. No. It doesn't feel good to me. You're using my community -- or your people are using my community -- to elevate you. You haven't had to sacrifice anything."

In other words, Billy is echoing long-standing queerbaiting claims Harry has endured for years now. Many argue he plays coy about his sexuality -- especially when it comes to his fashion sensibilities -- to cater to the LGBTQ+ community. Based on his dating history, though ... it seems like the dude's strictly into the ladies. That's certainly how it appears, anyway.

Billy gets one last dig at Vogue's EIC ... alleging that in the lead-up to Harry's cover issue, she approached Billy and asked for his advice on advancing style pioneers in the LGBTQ+ community, and BP says he responded with this ... "That bitch said to me at the end, 'How can we do better?' And I was so taken off guard that I didn't say what I should have said."

He adds, "Use your power as Vogue to uplift the voices of the leaders of this de-gendering of fashion movement." Not long after, she went and tapped Harry ... and Billy's still fuming.