Kevin Costner Divorce Christine Testifies ... That Wasn't My BF in Hawaii!!!

Christine Baumgartner says Kevin Costner's got it all wrong, the man who gave her $20k -- who also happens to be friends with Kevin -- is not her boyfriend.

Christine testified during Thursday's divorce hearing in Santa Barbara and got into her July trip to Hawaii, where she was photographed with Josh Connor.

As we reported, Josh is a longtime friend of both Kevin and Christine, and sources close to Josh and Christine told us they were not dating.

She backed that up on the stand, saying point blank Josh is not her BF -- and added that  while in Hawaii, she shared a room with a longtime female best friend.

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BIG ISLAND STROLL
BACKGRID

TMZ broke the story ... Kevin referenced Christine getting $20,000 from "her boyfriend" ... and Christine did testify that Josh gave her that sum because she was worried about money. She tearfully said she gave $10k to her mother, and eventually returned the other $10k back to Josh.

She also discussed the $40k/month Montecito rental she's moving into Friday. Her attorney asked how close it is to the water, and Christine said, "You can't walk there with a surfboard."

As we first reported, Christine groused in documents, that the rental home is on the mountain side of the freeway with no scenic view or beachfront access. She testified she's only renting it for 6 months because she doesn't know what the outcome will be of the divorce.

Sen. Mitch McConnell Cleared to Work After Freezing Up Again ... Doctors Blame Concussion

Senator Mitch McConnell has the green light to return to work after his second time freezing up in front of reporters, but this time doctors think they know what's causing it.

According to a statement from Dr. Brian P. Monahan, 81-year-old McConnell was consulted and the doc talked with his neurology team, with Wednesday's evaluation determining, "he is medically clear to continue with his schedule as planned."

Monahan continues, "Occasional lightheadedness is not uncommon in concussion recovery and can also be expected as a result of dehydration."

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ANOTHER FREEZE
WLWT5

The checkup comes on the heels of the Kentucky legislator talking to reporters Wednesday in Covington -- he was asked about the possibility of running for office again, which was when he took a long pause and appeared to zone out.

Even after aides walked up to help him, he continued to appear frozen. His camp later said the Senator "felt momentarily lightheaded" and would be "consulting a physician prior to his next event."

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THE TENSE MOMENT

The same thing went down last month while on Capitol Hill, as McConnell stopped dead in his tracks, mid-sentence.

July's incident didn't come with a medical evaluation -- not one that was publicly announced, at least -- so, the doctor's remarks this time certainly start to connect the dots.

Remember, McConnell was admitted to a hospital and was being treated for a concussion back in March after taking a fall at a hotel in Washington, D.C.

While certain aspects of his injury weren't detailed, the concussion was a big part of it -- and it seems he's still suffering from it today.

Madonna I'm Working Out After Health Scare ... Riding Bike Through NYC

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back in the saddle
TheImageDirect.com

Madonna is getting back into the groove after a critical illness threatened her life ... she's exercising again, and appears to be back in good health.

The singer hopped on a bicycle for an outdoor workout Wednesday, pedaling around New York City with a few friends, including her personal trainer.

Madonna's bike ride took her through Central Park and onto Manhattan streets, where she road down a few city blocks ... zipping around town.

As you can see in the videos, Madonna's looking pretty fit and active here ... a good sign after a severe bacterial infection that landed her in the ICU.

Remember ... Madonna was rushed to a hospital at the end of June, so she's only about 2 months removed from the illness that forced her to postpone her 'Celebration' tour.

Madonna says she feels lucky to be alive after her health issue, and she looks pretty lively on a bicycle ... she's definitely stronger than when we saw her last month ... all good signs before she starts touring in October over in Europe.

Kevin Costner Christine Has Committed 'Relentless Jihad' in Divorce

Kevin Costner has come out swinging in his divorce from Christine Baumgartner, claiming she has become so unreasonable she has engaged in a "relentless jihad" against him ... and he threw in that her "boyfriend" gave her thousands in cash.

Costner is in court right now, along with Christine, fighting it out over how much child support he must pay her.

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HEADING TO COURT
TMZ.com

The actor claims Christine is bubbling over with animosity, accusing him of being a cheapskate when in fact he has shelled out way more than a million dollars since she filed for divorce.

The most interesting nugget in the docs ... Kevin says Christine has been deceptive in terms of how much money she has, referencing $20,000 "her boyfriend recently gave her." The docs don't identify the boyfriend, but sources familiar with the case say Kevin believes the man is Josh Connor, one of Kevin's good friends who recently took a trip to Hawaii with Christine.

Sources connected to both Christine and Josh have denied the 2 are in a romantic relationship.

Kevin claims Christine has secretly taken $105,000 from him to pay her lawyers. He's also re-alleged she has padded her child support bills by including hundreds of thousands of dollars for her plastic surgery, private trainers and "unallocated credit card expenses" which were for her, not their kids. In fact, Kevin claims her plastic surgery bills alone total $188,500 a year.

Costner says Christine -- who originally asked for $248,000 a month in child support -- has padded the bill simply because Kevin can afford it, and it has no relationship to their kids' needs.

Kevin has claimed the actual amount she needs is around $63,000 a month.

Costner, who says Christine has been engaged in "baseless character attacks" on him, says she's more than capable of getting a job, saying, "She has no plans to seek employment or engage in any income-generating activity." He accuses his 49-year-old estranged wife of demanding enough child support so she doesn't have to work again.

A judge has temporarily ordered Kevin to pay $129,000 a month. The hearing, which will go through tomorrow, will end with the judge establishing the exact amount the actor must pay.

Jake Paul I'm A Wax Man!!! Grabs Fake Jutta's 🍑

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(P)ASSING THE TEST

Jake Paul took matters into his own hands to make sure his girlfriend's wax figure is just like the real thing ... cupping its ass and comparing it to the human Jutta Leerdam right on the spot!!

The Problem Child just posted footage of his visit at Madame Tussauds in the Netherlands this week ... where he got a truly up-close look -- and feel -- of his superstar athlete GF's recently opened exhibit.

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Jake walked right up to the figure, squeezed its behind and then turned to the real Jutta ... and proceeded to grab her tush as well.

The Olympian laughed and pulled his hand away ... but you can tell she appreciated his dedication to the cause.

If the video wasn't enough indication that Paul's a big fan of the completed project, he even rapped about it on his newest song, "Witness" ... saying, "Madame Tussaud’s wax figure of my girl do that mean I got 2 oooo?"

Paul and Leerdam have been enjoying their time together in her home country following his big win over Nate Diaz ... and the boxer's even been hitting up her recent training sessions.

Whether it's the real Jutta or the wax version, it's safe to say Jake is in love!!

50 Cent Suspect in Criminal Battery ... After throwing Mic, Hitting Spectator

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HURLED INTO THE CROWD
TikTok / @polyboy.steezy
UPDATE

12:23 PM PT -- 50 Cent's attorney, Scott Leemon, tells TMZ ... "Let's be very clear, as I told LAPD this afternoon, my client Curtis (AKA 50 Cent) would never intentionally strike anyone with a microphone. Anyone saying something different doesn’t have all the facts and is misinformed."

UPDATE

8:00 AM PT -- TMZ has learned ... 50 Cent is now a suspect in a criminal felony battery report. Power 106 radio host, Bryhana Monegain, was the woman hit and she filed a police report Wednesday night. Law enforcement sources tell us ... they believe 50 threw the mic at his crew in the production area and hit the victim. The victim told cops 50 looked directly at her before throwing the mic, so at least, according to her, 50 knew she was there. Bryhana went to the hospital with a laceration on her head.

UPDATE
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TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL
TMZ.com

50 Cent went all Cardi B during his concert in Los Angeles, throwing his broken microphone in frustration into the crowd ... hitting a fan smack dab on the head.

The rapper hit the stage at Crypto.com Arena Wednesday night as part of his "Final Lap" tour 2023 ... and, during the performance, he was handed several mics that didn't work, which was clearly triggering.

Check out the video ... Fitty struts out onstage with a mic in hand to join YG, who is belting out a song. Suddenly, Fitty turns to one side of the stage and hurls the mic, striking a woman in the head.

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YEETED THE MIC

Sources who were present tell TMZ ... Fitty wasn't targeting the woman, but still, he beaned her good. A source connected to 50 says the woman wasn't supposed to be in the restricted area ... but unlike the mic, that argument doesn't fly.

Photos of the victim surfaced on Instagram, showing a gash in her forehead and bloody towels wrapped around her neck.

We've reached out to Fitty's camp ... so far, no word back.

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MAKIN' A SPLASH
Twitter, TikTok / @j_blizzyy

You may recall ... Cardi B was involved in a similar incident in which she angrily tossed her mic at a fan, who threw a drink at her during a Las Vegas show. The mic ricocheted off something and hit another person standing nearby. That person filed a police report, but Cardi was cleared.

Originally Published -- 6:18 AM PT

Kanye West's Wife Bianca Censori Stunning Newly Resurfaced Photos ... Eye-Popping Bikini Snaps

Bianca Censori had no problem turning heads even before she hooked up with Kanye West, and newly resurfaced photos put her incredible physique on full display for the whole world to see.

Check out the images from a 2021 modeling shoot, which, in one of them, shows Bianca looking amazing in her black thong bikini and mirrored sunglasses. Her series of sexy pictures were posted to Sasha Bianca's Instagram page as part of the swimwear brand's summer collection that year.

Meanwhile, Bianca is currently on vacation with Kanye in Italy, and, like her fashion shoot, she hasn't left much to the imagination, gallivanting around the country in sheer bodysuits revealing her breasts.

As for Kanye, he recently had a wardrobe malfunction, displaying his butt crack while aboard a river taxi in Venice with Bianca.

Trace Cyrus Miley's Bro Drags Women On OnlyFans ... Catching Major Heat for It

UPDATE

10:25 AM PT -- Trace Cyrus is doubling down on his thoughts about OnlyFans models ... writing on X on Thursday, "I stand on everything I said. I’ll never read another response to anything I post on here." He says most folks in his replies aren't smart enough to make a valid argument.

UPDATE
UPDATE

What's more, Trace claims he's been getting nothing but praise on Instagram for making the same stance, and thinks the fact that OF creators are on X means that's where the hate is coming from -- claiming people are just "triggered."

Miley Cyrus' brother, Trace, is getting destroyed for harsh comments about women working on OnlyFans -- he thinks they're killing their chances of ending up with a good guy.

The Metro Station guitarist and vocalist launched his anti-OnlyFans rant Wednesday, saying the women who earn cash on the site "have lost their chance of ever settling down with a good guy with morals."

Trace thinks OnlyFans models will call guys with standards "insecure," but will get attention from other men online, "so they think they have options."

It's a long, bizarre and rambling attack ... Trace even calls guys who pay for content on the platform "desperate" losers. Plenty of people in the comments lit him up, though, calling his rant "so embarrassing."

Farrah Abraham even called him out, saying "Balance & Brand is real... forget limited Insecure mindsets."

Trace responded to Farrah with a heavy dose of sarcasm ... "I've been defeated. The most intelligent woman of this generation has put me in check."

BTW, some are pointing out a bit of irony in his discography -- Metro Station's 2007 hit, "Shake It" is all about getting women to do as the title suggests, and having sex with them ...  as long as they're not OnlyFans models, apparently.

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

Originally Published -- 8:47 AM PT

The Rock, Oprah Donate $10 Million For Maui Relief ... Launch Fund

Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and Oprah Winfrey are stepping up to help those affected by the recent wildfires in Maui ... launching a $10 million fund to financially support thousands of residents.

Johnson and Winfrey announced the initiative Thursday morning ... saying after brainstorming a bit on how they could offer assistance, they decided to kick-start the People's Fund of Maui.

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HELPING MAUI

The initiative is designed to put money directly in the pockets of those impacted by the devastating fires in Lahaina and Kula, which includes the many who lost their homes and were forced to evacuate.

Johnson says people can apply to receive $1,200 a month as they recover ... and he's hoping more donations pour in overtime to add to their own massive contribution.

"We are honored to start this campaign with $10 million dollars and ask for your help in donating to those who have lost their homes," Johnson said. "We thank you in advance for your contribution. "

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HELP FROM OPRAH
Instagram / @Kakoo_Haleakala

Oprah -- a part-time resident in Maui -- has also been doing her part by visiting evacuation shelters and handing out supplies over the past few weeks.

Man Driving a Bull Pulled Over with Huge Passenger ... Mind the Horns!!!

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SHOTGUN STEER
News Channel Nebraska

This is 100% no bulls*** ... besides what was left all over a modified taxi pulled over by cops because of the suspicious passenger riding shotgun -- a massive bull out for a joyride in Nebraska!

Norfolk Police got a call Wednesday morning about a man driving down a highway with a cow ... and while officers expected to see a calf -- it is Nebraska, after all -- footage from News Channel Nebraska shows they grossly underestimated.

Check it out -- it looks like the driver modified his ride so the big Watusi breed of cattle, named Howdy Doody, can cruise down the road right next to him instead of gettin' towed.

It looks like the driver, named Lee Meyer, and Howdy were in a state parade over the weekend ... because a banner on Lee's car read, "Nebraska’s Big Rodeo Parade: Best Car Entry.”

One thing, though, looks like Lee's driving scared the you-know-what outta Howdy, and he dumped all over the ride!!! Hope they've got BIG carwashes in Nebraska.

Don't worry, Howdy didn't get cuffed or hoofprinted at the police station -- cops let 'em both head home after the traffic stop. Just another day for Howdy and Lee, we're guessing.

Taylor Swift My Concert's Now a Movie!!! ... Coming to AMC Theaters

Taylor Swift fans in North America are getting the chance to relive her "Eras" tour -- or witness it for the first time -- because the show will soon be coming to the big screen!

The singer announced the big news Thursday morning, saying her insanely popular tour has been "the most meaningful, electric experience of my life so far and I’m overjoyed to tell you that it'll be coming to the big screen soon."

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TS says her concert will hit AMC theaters across North America Friday, October 13 -- Taylor's lucky number. It'll be a long one ... every minute of her 3+ hour show will be projected on the big screen. She's asking fans to dress up and bring those friendship bracelets along.

The flick will play at least 4 times a day on Thursdays through Sundays at EVERY AMC location in America, as well as big theaters in Canada and Mexico.

And you can even enjoy the show with some Swift-themed popcorn buckets and cups, too.

Now the best part -- tickets go for $19.89 a pop for adults and $13.13 for kids and seniors ... way cheaper than the thousands some fans paid to see her in person.

Kyle Richards I'm Having a Tough Time ... Over Splitting with My Husband

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A LOT TO PROCESS
Amazon

Kyle Richards is opening up about her separation from longtime hubby Mauricio Umansky, admitting it's been "very hard."

The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star did a Q&A fan chat on Amazon Live Wednesday, providing new insights into her break up with Mauricio after 27 years of marriage.

Kyle went on to explain she and Umansky are still in love and continue to co-parent their 4 kids.

She said, "Obviously, we care about each other a lot. You saw, here we are on vacation together," referring to their current summer getaway in Europe as a family.

As we reported, Kyle and Mauricio separated last month after 27 years of marriage -- despite admitting they've been going through a rough year together, they both denied the rumors that they were getting a divorce.

We've also seen them hanging out with the rest of their fam during their vacay ... cheesing on a boat in Positano with their kids last week.

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

Ricky Martin Strikes Divorce Settlement With Jwan Yosef

Ricky Martin and Jwan Yosef have reached a divorce settlement.

According to court documents, obtained by TMZ, the former couple entered into an uncontested written agreement. Details have not yet been disclosed, but at the very least, we know they'll both be declared single once the judge signs off on their agreement.

Last month, Martin and Yosef jointly announced they were calling it quits after 6 years of marriage.

In a statement, they wrote, "We have decided to end our marriage with love, respect and dignity for our children and honoring what we have experienced as a couple all these wonderful years."

They went on ... "Our greatest desire now is to continue having a healthy family dynamic and a relationship centered on peace and friendship to continue the joint upbringing of our children, preserving the respect and love we have for each other."

The pop star shares two young children with Yosef - daughter Lucia and son Renn. Martin also has twin sons, Matteo and Valentino, both of whom he's raising as a single parent. All four kids were born via surrogates.

Jay-Z Top Lawyers to Defend Man In Wrongful WI Applebee's Arrest

Jay-Z and his legal eagles are jumping to the defense of a Wisconsin man wrongfully, and violently, arrested -- and although cops know they nabbed the wrong guy ... he's still facing charges.

TMZ Hip Hop has learned Jay-Z's Team ROC org has enlisted powerhouse lawyer Alex Spiro to rep Jermelle English Jr. and his family ... in hopes of getting all charges dropped, and possibly to sue the Kenosha PD.

English was charged with disorderly conduct and resisting arrest back in July, after Kenosha cops investigating a hit-and-run burst into the Applebee's, slammed him onto the ground and deployed pepper spray in the presence of his 1-year-old child.

Applebee's employees recorded video of the whole violent encounter.

The video shows officers repeatedly pummeling English as he lay on the ground ... prompting several protests in the local area, especially once the full details -- that cops grabbed a completely innocent man -- were uncovered.

The true hit-and-run suspects were actually found later hiding inside the restaurant’s bathroom.

Team ROC Managing Director Dania Diaz tells TMZ Hip Hop, “The reckless arrest of Jermelle English Jr. and the careless endangerment of his infant child by the Kenosha Police Department is an absolute travesty ... the Team ROC team is here to support Jermelle and his family through this traumatic experience, demand justice and hold the Kenosha police officers accountable."

Kenosha PD's Leo Viola tells us the department is still undergoing an internal investigation, and plans to be extremely transparent with the public once it's completed. He adds, the Dept. initiated its probe without any outside pressure.

Aside from the potential Team Roc-funded lawsuit from Jermelle ... the manager on duty at the time of the incident might also sue, as she claims she was wrongfully fired for making "Applebee's look bad."

LeVar Burton 'Jeopardy!' Didn't Want Me But CW Does for 'Trivial Pursuit'!!!

LeVar Burton's TV days are far from over, and ditto for expanding people's minds -- 'cause the dude is about to venture out on a Trivial Pursuit ... one that's almost a sealed deal.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... LeVar and his team are close to locking in terms on a new job he's been teeing up for a couple years now -- namely, as executive producer and host of the new Trivial Pursuit game show ... which is going to be aired on the CW.

We're told things are almost finalized between LeVar and the network, and that the series already has a 12-episode order. So, yes ... we're gonna see LeVar on the tube again in due time.

As for how all this came together ... well, our sources tell us that's actually all due to Hasbro -- the toy company that owns the rights to Trivial Pursuit, who initially brought him in.

We're told Hasbro honchos thought of LB after he got snubbed by Sony execs for the highly-coveted "Jeopardy!" hosting job -- which was a whole saga in and of itself. Remember, Sony never even approached him for the gig -- nor did they seriously consider him.

Obviously, Hasbro thought differently ... and the conversations kicked into high gear after the CW became attached to developing Trivial Pursuit into a game show. If you're unfamiliar, TP sees players answering a variety of trivia questions, touching on a bunch of categories.

It's kind of the perfect next chapter for the dude who hosted "Reading Rainbow."

Congrats!

SAG-AFTRA A-OK w/ Late Night Hosts' New Pod ... Just No Promoting, Guys!!!

The titans of late night are teaming up to talk shop on a new podcast -- all in an effort to support their striking employees -- and at least one union is totally cool with that plan ... on certain conditions.

A rep for SAG-AFTRA tells TMZ ... the just-launched "Strike Force Five" show -- featuring Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Kimmel, Jimmy Fallon, Seth Meyers and John Oliver -- is all good in their book ... assuming they stay within guidelines set forth by strike regulators.

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This is how a SAG spokesperson put it ... "As long as the podcast does not promote struck work, it appears to be in adherence with the SAG-AFTRA TV/Theatrical/Streaming strike rules. Given that it falls within the strike rules, it is fine for them to produce this podcast during the strike."

In other words, it sounds like the hosts have their blessing to proceed ... but they should probably steer clear of certain topics if they wanna stay in the actors union's good graces. Obviously, the podcast itself isn't a straight-up promo of anything, but the challenge will be not sounding promo-ish if they discuss a certain movie or show that's in the zeitgeist.

Considering that's what they do as part of their normal jobs -- talk about certain films/projects -- it might seem like it will be tough to stay in SAG's good graces ... but, remember, the pod isn't live. They can always edit if the convo strays into promo land.

The podcast is a good thing, big picture -- any money earned is being donated directly to the late-night hosts' own writers ... who, of course, haven't been working since May.

"Strike Force Five" is currently slated for 12 episodes, which will be hosted on Spotify. They haven't really said what they're going to talk about ... but ya gotta figure the ongoing strikes will be topic #1. The podcast launched Wednesday, and there's more to come.