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Sen. Ted Cruz fell victim to a seemingly obvious social media hoax during Hurricane Hilary ... because he truly believed there was a shark swimming through Los Angeles' flooded streets.

The U.S. Senator from Texas quote tweeted an image of a shark cruising through what seemed like a flooded L.A. freeway, and added his own technical assessment ... "Holy crap."

Well, good ol' Ted took the bait, hook, line, and sinker ... he'd reposted a Tweet from Barstool's Dan Katz, who claimed the shark photo was taken by a friend of his driving along L.A.'s 405 freeway.

Problem is ... the image is actually edited, and it's popped up a bunch over the past decade, usually when hurricanes hit the U.S. -- with the initial posting coming back in 2011 when Hurricane Irene slammed Puerto Rico.

Ted spends a lot of time on Elon Musk's app and the shark post went viral Sunday as the storm was dumping tons of water on California, but Ted somehow missed the community note giving context.

Interestingly, the shark photo also went viral during hurricanes in Ted's home state.

Ultimately, Ted realized he had been duped ... though he seemingly explained his thought process by saying, "In LA, you never know ..."

Taylor Swift is no stranger to the fact she draws a crowd ... making sure her team met with local cops before Jack Antonoff's wedding to prep for the crush of fans showing up to catch a glimpse of their favorite singer.

Beach Haven Police Chief James Markoski tells TMZ ... security for the singer and her producer pal met with the department 2 weeks before the weekend wedding, and Jack's wedding planner paid for 3 additional officers to be on duty during the event.

We're told 2 viewing areas were set up for fans outside the Long Beach Island bash in New Jersey -- cops also shut down 3 intersections to prevent cars from getting near the folks in the designated areas, hoping to get a peek of the celebs.

For those unaware, a fishing competition and a block party were going down in the area at the same time ... but we're told there were no arrests, tickets, or major injuries that went down during all the ruckus.

As for the swarm of fans, Markoski tells us they stuck around for nearly 12 hours, showing up around 2 PM and getting out of there after Taylor finally left the wedding around 1:30 AM.

Britney Spears is working fast to put Sam Asghari behind her … surrounding herself with a ton of shirtless men, all vying for Brit's attention.

The pop star posted the racy video on Instagram, showing one guy trying to lick Brit’s leg all the way up to her thigh. You can hear the cameraman order him to, “Start at the boot, bro..”

The video then jumps to Brit being hoisted up by 5 bare-chested men around a pool. Brit seems more than satisfied, punctuating the moment with “Okay cool!"

Brit wrote in her caption, 'When you go to meet up with a so called "friend" and drive an hour for chicken! Then you have to wait in the car and need to use the bathroom.”

She continued. “So what does a b**** like me do?! I put my green dress on and show up at my friends! I invited my [favorite] boys over and played all night!”

On Sunday, Britney also posted a topless video on Instagram. Of course, this all followed last week’s drama when Sam Asghari filed for divorce from Britney, citing irreconcilable differences.

Since then, it’s been all downhill for the exes, who are no longer talking to one another.

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

Chrisean Rock is setting the internet ablaze, because she blazed up while pregnant ... and while many fans are up in arms about the baby's safety, others are actually supporting her right to light up.

On Sunday, social media users debated a recent clip from Chrisean and Blueface's reality show "Crazy In Love" ... where the two are having a mild disagreement as Chrisean blows billows of smoke in the kitchen.

Blueface seemed more concerned about money, informing Chrisean she did not accumulate $10 million in her last round of paydays -- but plenty of viewers expressed concern for the unborn child, and launched into anti-Chrisean tirades.

The CDC strongly advises against smoking while pregnant, but her actions aren't illegal and Chrisean still had some folks supporting her.

As fans argued amongst themselves, Blueface and Chrisean were able to squash their immediate differences to attend Jason Lee's birthday party Sunday night in Los Angeles.

No baseball was played at Dodger Stadium on Sunday due to Hurricane Hilary ... but a swimming meet coulda broken out -- 'cause the epic storm nearly flooded the historic venue.

As the squall made landfall in Southern California, it pelted Los Angeles with so much rain, it left L.A.'s ballpark covered in water.

Footage shot from up above the downtown stadium shows the parking lot surrounding the site was underneath feet of water ... though, thankfully, it appeared the diamond and its surrounding seats survived the inclement weather.

Of course, the Dodgers moved their Sunday afternoon game against the Marlins to Saturday ... so there were no issues with the team's schedule -- though it's unclear if the effects of the weather will impact L.A.'s next slate of games at Dodger Stadium next week.

As for Hilary, it's still bombarding the southwestern U.S. with rainfall ... causing major flooding on roadways and severe damage to buildings elsewhere.

Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck are officially one year into marriage -- the honeymoon's over -- and she's marking the milestone with a sneak peek of a new song all about him.

On Sunday night, the singer posted a couple shots from their wedding day -- both of them rocking massive smiles, of course.

In her caption she dropped some lyrics from her upcoming track, "Dear Ben Part II" ... saying, "Dear Ben, Sitting here alone / Looking at my ring ring / Feeling overwhelmed / It makes me wanna sing sing / How did we end up here / Without a rewind / Oh my, This is my life."

She threw in a couple of hashtags, too -- one being the song's title, and the other reading, "This Is Me Now," the name of her upcoming album where the track will live.

You'll recall, the OG track, "Dear Ben," came out over 2 decades ago ... on the album, "This Is Me ... Then."

As we reported, Ben and Jen tied the knot in Las Vegas in July 2022, but threw the big party at Ben's beautiful 87-acre property in Georgia the following month -- it seems she's counting the anniversary based on the GA bash, not their legal marriage day.

BTW, J Lo's upcoming album -- which doesn't have an official release date -- will be her first since "A.K.A." in 2014.

Britney Spears fans eager to get their hands on her memoir won't get a glimpse into the downfall of her marriage with Sam Asghari ... TMZ has learned.

It was back in July when Britney announced her book, "The Woman in Me" had finally gotten a release date of October 24. Obviously, fans were thrilled ... but there's been a huge development in Britney's life since that announcement.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ there won't be any changes made to the memoir to reflect Britney's divorce ... we're told the book will be released as is.

In fact, our sources say 2 weeks ago, Britney gave her final sign-off on the book, meaning she had no right to demand any further changes.

What's more, our sources say since the news of Britney's divorce broke, presales for "The Woman in Me" have only increased ... though it's likely those fans don't realize the divorce drama won't be included.

We've spoken with someone directly involved with the book who tells us Sam is featured in it, but their relationship is not the main crux of her story -- it's more about Britney's early life, career and journey out of her conservatorship.

The lawyers going after NBCUniversal and Bravo with both barrels over alleged mistreatment of their reality stars have turned up the heat even higher ... demanding the companies release these stars from what the lawyers call a draconian confidentiality agreement.

Attorney Bryan Freedman fired off another letter to the companies, claiming the NDAs violate California law, which prohibits companies from forcing employees to sign NDAs prohibiting them from disclosing unlawful conduct.

As for the unlawful conduct Freedman alleges ... racism, sexism, sexual violence, revenge porn, child labor violations, forced intoxication, and psychological, emotional and physical abuse.

Freedman wants NBCUniversal and Bravo to fully release their reality stars from their NDAs, but at a minimum acknowledge they can discuss alleged illegal conduct during production.

The attorney, along with co-counsel Mark Geragos, has been blasting NBC claiming the networks are manufacturing mental instability by plying cast members with alcohol while depriving them of food and sleep. Freedman also says they have deprived cast members of mental health treatment even when they display alarming signs of mental deterioration.

We reached out to NBCUniversal ... so far, no word back. NBC issued a statement previously, saying they're “committed to maintaining a safe and respectful workplace for cast and crew on our reality shows.”

'Real Housewives' star Kyle Richards and her estranged husband, Mauricio Umansky, are still on good terms during their separation -- they're back together to take their family on an end-of-summer vacation.

The whole fam looks to be enjoying each other's company on the Amalfi Coast -- Kyle and Mauricio's 23-year-old daughter, Sophia, shared some pics Sunday, writing, "Last night in Positano 🧡."

One of the shots shows the entire family together on a boat, and everyone -- including Kyle and Mauricio -- is all smiles!

As we reported, the couple separated last month after being married for 27 years ... but they've said any talk about them getting a divorce is untrue.

They did, however, admit they've had a rough year.

They're also still living under the same roof, and have remained playful online -- he posted some shirtless pics of himself last month, saying he was out of shape 6 years ago, and she jokingly responded, "Must be Ozempic."

Kyle's also been dealing with persistent rumors she's dating country singer, Morgan Wade ... and the ladies have had fun with the gossip, appearing as love interests in Morgan's new music video, "Fall in Love with Me."

New Orleans Saints head coach Dennis Allen gave a positive update on Jimmy Graham after his recent "medical episode" that led to his arrest ... saying the tight end is a bit "shook up" over Friday's incident -- but overall, he's doing better.

Coach provided the info to reporters after the Saints beat the Los Angeles Chargers in their preseason matchup on Sunday ... and even though Graham did not suit up for the game, Allen said things are going in the right direction.

"Jimmy's with us," Allen said. "He's healthy, he'll have some more testing to go on, but look, he's a little shook up, but yet overall, he's doing OK."

Prior to kickoff, Allen said the team is thankful the situation wasn't more serious medically.

"I think he's in a good spot, but we're going to rest him tonight."

TMZ Sports broke the story -- Graham was arrested after cops say he was wandering in traffic near a Newport Beach resort. He was booked on suspicion of being under the influence of a controlled substance and resisting, delaying and obstructing a police officer.

Video prior to Graham's arrest shows the Pro Bowler evading hotel security ... with witnesses saying he hid in bushes prior to making a run for it.

Tesla is being dragged to court over a deadly car crash ... a woman is blaming Elon Musk's company for her husband's death, claiming his Model 3 burst into flames on impact with a tree.

According to a new lawsuit, obtained by TMZ, Jiyoung Yoon claims her late husband, Jyung Woo Hahn, died when his 2020 Tesla Model 3 malfunctioned, crashed into a tree and burst into flames.

Jiyoung claims the incident happened in March 2022, when her husband was driving on the Palisades Interstate Parkway in Rockland County, NY.

In the docs, Jiyoung says her husband survived the initial impact but was unable to escape his Tesla and was ultimately consumed by fire.

She claims the Model 3 was defective in design, manufacture, and warning ... she says it was not crashworthy, making it "unreasonably dangerous for its designed and intended purposes."

Jiyoung is going after Tesla for damages ... and she wants the suit to go to a jury trial.

No shirts were necessary for Novak Djokovic following his Cincinnati Open win on Sunday ... 'cause the tennis star ripped the tee right off his chest in celebration of his big victory!!!

Just seconds after the 36-year-old won a grueling, 3-hour-and-49-minute match over Carlos Alcaraz in Ohio ... he ditched his top to commemorate the occasion.

At first, Djokovic dropped to the ground in disbelief over his thrilling win ... and then, after sharing an embrace with Alcaraz, he decided to tear the polo straight off his body.

Djokovic ripped the piece from his neck down -- revealing a shredded bod -- and everyone in attendance loved it.

Of course, the celly was much deserved ... Djokovic needed every ounce of his talent to beat Alcaraz in a final that featured 90-degree heat and multiple lengthy rallies.

Afterward, Djokovic told media members the evening was "one of the exciting matches I've ever played in any tournament."

"It felt like a Grand Slam," he said.

Djokovic became the oldest man to ever win the event ... locking up a victory over Alcaraz for the first time since the 20-year-old beat him at Wimbledon last month.

"You never give up, do you?" Djokovic told Alcaraz after the match. "I love that about you."

He went on to say he hopes to compete against the young star at the U.S. Open later this month.

Giannis Antetokounmpo has already made a ton of money in the NBA, but he's looking to rake in even more in retirement ... telling TMZ Sports he wants to take his talents to Saudi Arabia.

It's becoming quite the trend in sports ... with soccer and golf stars getting massive checks made out to them to play in the Middle Eastern country -- like Neymar, Cristiano Ronaldo and all the LIV Golf guys.

Giannis has cracked jokes in the past after seeing the offers being thrown at the biggest names in sports ... so when we caught up with him in L.A. this week, we asked if he was really down to suit up in Saudi Arabia after his NBA days.

"Of course," the 28-year-old said with a smile on his face.

"If the NBA worked out, maybe like a trade between the NBA and Saudi Arabia League, I'm there!" the champ said ... although it's unclear if he meant suiting up for a hoops team, or alongside his buddy Neymar on the soccer pitch.

Giannis isn't the only NBA superstar who likes the idea -- after French soccer star Kylian Mbappe was offered $776 million to play for Al-Hilal, LeBron James tweeted he was also heading to Saudi Arabia.

While it may all be in good fun, many see a serious issue with players going to Saudi Arabia for a big payday ... considering the country's history of human rights violations.

Mother Nature has a bone to pick with Los Angeles, not only sending Hurricane Hilary to the city of angels ... but hitting its residents with an earthquake at the SAME DAMN TIME.

That's right, just as Angelinos were trapped inside, watching their favorite Netflix shows, surfing social media or deciding where to order some Uber Eats, a 5.1 magnitude quake, centered in Ojai rocked the city.

Luckily, at the time of this post, there doesn't seem to have been any significant damage ... but the whole thing's gotta be scary nonetheless as rain continues to come down.

Most West Coast folks also got a firsthand taste of the earthquake warning system on their phones when an alert was blasted out reading, "Earthquake Detected! Drop, Cover, Hold On. Protect Yourself."

The National Weather Service has been using push notifications for the storm since it hit L.A. early Sunday morning. Just 2 hours before the earthquake alert went out, residents' phones blew up with a warning for flash floods in several areas.

For those unaware, Hilary, which has been downgraded to a tropical storm, made landfall in Mexico, while the neighbors to the north are getting rained down ... officials say it could be the most devastating storm to hit the state in years.

Bradley Cooper might be under fire after portraying Leonard Bernstein with what some are calling "Jewface" ... but some of the biggest Jewish organizations have no qualms with it.

The American Jewish Committee tells TMZ ... BC's look in the trailer for the upcoming biopic, "Maestro" -- where he's wearing an enlarged, prosthetic nose -- isn't offensive, adding, "We do not believe that this depiction harms or denigrates the Jewish community."

They say they're agreeing with Bernstein's kids, Jamie, Alexander, and Nina -- who said on X Wednesday that their pops had a big nose and "our dad would have been fine with it."

The Anti-Defamation League is echoing these opinions, telling us, "Throughout history, Jews were often portrayed in antisemitic films and propaganda as evil caricatures with large, hooked noses. This film, which is a biopic on the legendary conductor Leonard Bernstein, is not that."

As we reported, some folks online have skewered Cooper and co. for playing into the "Jewface" trope.

Before this kid in her Blue Jay hoodie turned into a singer and an actress making her feature film debut in "Power Rangers," she was just riding her rocking horse and growing up in Moreno Valley, California with her 3 younger siblings.

Her popularity and success have led to big collaborations with Christina Aguilera, David Guetta and other famous musicians. And for you wrestling fans out there, this artist opened WrestleMania 39 with "America The Beautiful," and she performed at Coachella this year!

"Dancing in the mirror and singing in the shower La-da-di, la-da-da, la-da-da!"