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Bill Maher is taking it on the chin for bringing back 'Real Time' in the middle of the writers strike ... with one Writers Guild leader insisting Bill's misguided move won't weaken the union's labor stoppage.

WGA negotiating committee member Greg Iwinski joined us Tuesday on "TMZ Live" to push back against Bill's assertion that bringing back his show was necessary to help non-union staff members who are also feeling a severe financial crunch due to the strike.

Greg says Bill is not facing the same economic pressure as most crew members in Hollywood ... and he says he hasn't seen or heard of Bill helping the 'Real Time' crew pay for rent or groceries during the nearly 5-month-long strike.

Actually, Bill says he has provided "some assistance" to his staff ... but adds, some of them are still struggling, and that's why he's returning without his writers.

Meanwhile, Greg says the union is hustling -- with financial backing from some A-list celebs -- to support everyone affected by the strikes, including crew members who aren't writers ... and he rattled off several of those efforts.

His overall point is ... Bill could join those efforts, instead of crossing the picket line.

As we reported ... Bill announced Wednesday his show is returning later this month without writers, saying it was time to bring non-union folks back to work -- and the WGA quickly responded with plans to picket outside Bill's show.

While Greg's taking a pretty diplomatic approach here, actress Ellen Barkin had plenty of expletives for Bill when our photog got her in the Big Apple.

Bill's been critical of the strike recently and even called for California Governor Gavin Newsom to step in and do something to bring an end to the stalemate.

Offset's been defending his love for Michael Jackson heavy, and now it's easy to see why -- his new album cover finds him, effectively, channeling the King of Pop in explosive fashion!!!

On Thursday, Offset officially confirmed his "Set It Off" album's October release date while premiering the cover art, which shows a screaming Offset dressed like MJ -- black sequin suit, one glove, highwater pants and sparkly white socks -- getting blown away from an exploding building.

Cardi B recently told the world Offset has an MJ tattoo that stares her dead in the face when she's engaged in a certain sex act with her hub, and he told us he's keeping it ... no ifs, ands or shamones about it!!!

The album's been delayed for nearly a year ... first due to a legal battle with Quality Control Records that was eventually settled, and again after Offset's brother-in-Migos Takeoff was killed in November.

He recently got things back on track by enlisting Cardi for his new single "Jealousy" and sources close to the project tell us it won't be her only appearance on the album.

Tory Lanez will remain behind bars after being found guilty of shooting Megan Thee Stallion ... his request to be released on bond pending his appeal was just denied.

For those unaware, Tory was asking a judge in Los Angeles to let him live with his son and wife instead of staying behind bars while his appeal plays out.

Tory had a hearing Thursday about his request, but a judge said no dice -- noting Tory's convicted of a violent felony, has a history of violating court orders, and isn't a U.S. citizen as reasons for the thumbs down.

Tory's defense argued the last point, saying the Canadian rapper is in America legally on an active work visa and has no reason to go back to Canada ... but that didn't seem to sway the judge.

As we reported, Tory was given his sentence last month -- being handed a decade behind bars after facing over 22 years.

He was found guilty of 3 charges last year ... negligent discharge of a firearm, assault with a semiautomatic firearm, and carrying a loaded and unregistered firearm.

Tory spoke out after his sentencing ... continuing to claim he's innocent, saying he was "wrongfully convicted."

The infamous 2020 clip, obtained by TMZ, showed Megan limping near their vehicle with a trail of blood behind her.

Here's the first video of Jonathan Majors playing the hero in real life ... getting right in the middle of an intense high school fight to break things up while several other people just watched.

TMZ obtained the video showing 2 female students trading serious blows Monday afternoon at Hollywood High School, which happens to be directly across the street from an In-N-Out ... and that's how Jonathan got involved.

The actor was grabbing lunch when he saw the girls, and decided to rush into the middle of the melee to rip the girls apart, urging them to calm down and telling them it isn't worth it to fight.

Majors is obviously a lot bigger than both of the combatants, but that doesn't slow them down, as they continued attacking each other even while he was in the middle. Eventually, he gets them fully pulled apart and gets the situation under control.

Unclear where school faculty was during the brawl, but it's a good thing Majors decided to step in. We're told after the video cut, both girls went their separate ways.

We spoke to Jonathan in West Hollywood hours after the fight, and he told us he just wanted to make sure those involved didn't get hurt, and hoped the girls were doing ok after what went down.

Desiigner just got sentenced in his mid-flight masturbation case, and now he'll have to register as a sex offender.

According to the docs, obtained by TMZ Hip Hop, the judge ordered the "Panda" rapper to register as a sex offender going forward, in addition to the other conditions of his 2-year probation ... such as participating in a psychiatric evaluation and drug testing.

Desiigner is also barred from owning or possessing firearms and must perform 120 hours of community service.

TMZ Hip Hop broke the story ... Desiigner pleaded guilty to indecent exposure after he was accused of whipping out his willie in the presence of flight attendants back in April during a flight back from Japan.

According to the initial charging documents, he told the arresting federal agents he didn't get much "cootie" overseas.

Whoopi Goldberg set up a pretty awkward moment on "The View" ... asking former White House staffer Alyssa Farah if she was pregnant while live on television.

The bizarre moment went down Thursday -- Whoopi was deep in a conversation about a completely different topic when she abruptly changed gears, asking the former Press Secretary if she was pregnant.

The question seemed to come out of left field, and it dropped Alyssa's jaw, telling Whoopi she wasn't pregnant. BTW, Alyssa's been married to Justin Griffin since 2021.

She says her mother-in-law was in the crowd, so it ain't the best time to bring that up ... and eventually asks what most women would after a Q like that -- "Do I look pregnant??" As if it wasn't awkward enough, Whoopi replies, "Yes."

For the record, Whoopi claims it was more about a glow she saw with Alyssa, and never clarifies if she meant a stomach bump ... but asks for some forgiveness for the wild call-out.

As we reported, Whoopi's caught flack over the years for comments made on the show -- she got suspended last year after saying the Holocaust wasn't about race. She doubled down on her views months later, only to apologize again not long after.

Sylvester Stallone is just like one of The Beatles ... at least, when in Rome, because he was completely bombarded by a sea of fans while on a trip with his family.

The "Rocky" star was met with hundreds of folks while spending time overseas. The actor was visiting with his wife, Jennifer Flavin, and their 3 daughters -- and the whole fam got a security detail that was workin' hard to keep them safe.

Sly's fiasco is a sight ya rarely see these days ... so the crazy scene is one we're sure his whole family won't soon forget.

As we reported, Sylvester was touring Vatican City last week when he got the opportunity to meet Pope Francis -- someone who ended up being a big fan of Sly's work!

The 2 even did a bit of shadowboxing together during their brief exchange ... clearly a pretty awesome moment for both of them.

Hunter Biden has just been indicted on gun charges ... and his alleged drug use is a factor in the case.

Federal prosecutors in Delaware indicted President Biden's son on three counts related to gun possession while using narcotics ... according to court documents.

Hunter is charged with one count of False Statement in Purchase of a Firearm, one count of False Statement Related to Information Required to be Kept By Federal Firearms Licensed Dealer, and one count of Possession of a Firearm by a Person who is an Unlawful User of or Addicted to a Controlled Substance.

HB is accused of filing a form claiming he was not using illegal drugs in October 2018 when he bought a Colt Cobra revolver ... and of being in possession of a gun while using narcotics.

The indictment comes after Hunter's plea deal on tax and gun charges imploded back in July ... and the charges are being brought as House Republicans continue to investigate Hunter's finances.

A Girl Scout troop in Texas had to swim for their lives on a recent camping trip ... when a 14-foot alligator emerged from the depths while the kids were playing in a lake.

Terrifying video shows the massive gator rising to the surface and charging towards the girls, who start screaming as horrified onlookers note the size of the reptile.

Adults rushed to try to get the girls out of the water and on to shore ... with some of the scouts jumping from a dock and desperately swimming to safety.

One of the scouts, 11-year-old Ava Miller told KPRC news in Houston ... "I was thinking, this is the day I die. It was moving faster than us or about the same."

The scary incident happened in Lake Raven at Huntsville State Park in Huntsville, Texas ... forcing the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department to close the swimming area.

We've seen other alligator and human interactions end up with lost limbs ... but fortunately, no one was hurt here.

Ciara and Future share a child, legally and biologically speaking, but, if you ask her about his style of co-parenting ... be ready for side-splitting, nonstop laughter!!!

That's exactly what happened when Thembi of The Shade Room closed their interview by asking Ciara about how she and Future co-parent their 9-year-old son Future Zahir.

The question was an instant humor injection for Ciara -- but, for a moment, it seemed as if she was actually going to answer the question ... until she just erupted in more laughter, and then the giggles got the best of her and Thembi.

Of course, Future's been taking shots at Ciara's husband Russell Wilson in his music for years ... most recently in July when he lyrically tackled the QB on Quavo’s “Turn Yo Clic Up” with the bars, “I got it out the field/F*** Russell.”

So, Ciara's laughter could be seen as a tame, but hilarious, response to Future's lyrical jabs

Ciara and Russell are currently expecting their 3rd child together, sure to be a joyous occasion for the couple.

"All I can say is it’s been quite a party!"

That's bull riding champion J.B. Mauney ... who is retiring at the age of 36 after breaking his neck in a scary accident during a recent competition.

The accident happened over the weekend at the PRCA ProRodeo event in Lewiston, Idaho ...  and it was bad. J.B. was tossed from a bucking bull, and he landed right on his head/neck.

"I underwent surgery [at St. Joseph Regional Medical] on my neck which required a rod/plates/screws and the removal of a disc. Surgery went great," Mauney revealed on social media.

The 2x World Champion continued ... "Unfortunately with the surgery it ended my bullriding career, just wanted to let everyone know that I’m ok and now on the road to recovery!

J.B. also thanked the medical professionals who helped care for him.

As word spread that Mauney was hanging up his boots, stars from the sport have started reacting, from fellow cowboys to fans and even the Professional Bull Riders (PBR).

"The sport of bull riding will never be the same. Thank you for the countless memories and unforgettable moments!", the PBR said on Instagram.

Parker McCollum, country music star and bull riding fan, commented on Mauney's retirement post, writing a short and sweet message -- "The GOAT!"

Fellow rider Cody Nance also reacted, writing ... "Been great riding all these years with ya champ. You’ve inspired me and many others. I’m blessed for it. Enjoy your retirement and your beautiful family bro. It’s been a pleasure🔥👊🏼🔥"

*NSYNC fans are finally getting a taste of the group's brand new song that has all 5 guys joining forces in the studio to lay down a track for the new 'Trolls' flick.

The group's song is called "Better Place," and it's teased near the end of the latest trailer for "Trolls Band Together." It dropped Wednesday night, giving folks a glimpse of what's likely to become a new hit ... especially because they last recorded a song in 2002.

The movie, led by Justin Timberlake's character, is all about getting his former boy band back together, so *NSYNC obviously was a perfect choice. Their 1997 song, "I Want You Back," can also be heard in the new trailer.

Justin Timberlake, Joey Fatone, JC Chasez, Lance Bass, and Chris Kirkpatrick, all hinted at their song earlier in the day -- lip-syncing to a "Friends" scene about a big secret they can't spill.

Remember, TMZ confirmed rumors the group was jumping back in the studio to record a track for the new movie ... but we were told they don't have any plans to come out with a whole album or go on tour.

You'll recall, *NSYNC whipped fans into a frenzy Tuesday night at the MTV VMAs, where they appeared onstage to present the Best Pop Video award -- which went to Taylor Swift, who was fangirling to the max over the gang's reunion.

Folks wanting to hear the full track will have to wait until September 29, but portions of it are popping up on TikTok ... that's gonna have to satisfy the die-hards, for now!!!

Do you think *NSYNC should release a new album? Let us know by voting in our game below.

A couple of TSA agents were caught on video stealing money from passengers' luggage at a security checkpoint -- and now both are under arrest!!

The sticky-fingered suspects, Labarrius Williams and Josue Gonzalez, were on duty scoping out bags being scanned in Miami International Airport in late June and early July.

On both occasions, the Transportation Security Administration agents worked in tandem to snatch money from carry-ons stashed in bins on a conveyer belt, according to a police affidavit.

Check out the surveillance footage ... Williams and Gonzalez are standing at the carousel, using it to loot cash from a constant stream of other people's personal belongings. You can see the men stuffing their hands into the bags and shoving the bills into their pockets.

Former child star Austin Majors' tragic fentanyl overdose occurred while he was in transitional housing ... and officials say there was evidence of drug use found at the scene.

According to the coroner's report, obtained by TMZ, security at the facility where 27-year-old Majors was staying did a bed check around 9:30 PM on February 11, but he didn't answer. When they entered the room they found him unresponsive in his bed.

The report notes Austin was seen getting food hours earlier as he walked around the facility -- which provides temporary shelter for the unhoused.

The report also mentions security found 2 rolled up dollar bills, foil with a white crystal-like powder, pills and a shot glass with white powder residue. Cops collected all the items as part of the death investigation.

TMZ broke the story, the former actor's autopsy results -- released last month -- revealed his death was attributed to an accidental fentanyl overdose.

Howie Mandel is clearly a fan of the TMZ Celebrity Tour -- his shirt says it all -- but he's figured out a way to streamline the operation to just 45 seconds!

Howie was arriving at the 'AGT' shoot Wednesday in Pasadena, with a shirt emblazoned with the logo for our 2-hour show on wheels.

A  photog asked why he was wearing the TMZ Tee ... and by the look on his face he was a bit incredulous. For Howie, it was obvious. The comedian launched into his tour guide schtick.

Enter a woman who happened to be passing by ... Howie wrangled her to take the tour, though imploring her to keep her distance ... he is, after all, a renowned germaphobe.

You gotta watch the vid ... stupid us, we've been using buses for 10 years -- very comfy we might add -- but Howie figured out a way for normies to take the tour in just seconds.

Sean Penn went nuclear on Will Smith and the Oscars, wondering why he went to jail for assault while Smith got nothing but applause after assaulting Chris Rock.

Penn is still hot under the collar that Volodymyr Zelensky was not allowed to appear at the 2022 Oscars ceremony.

Penn angrily told Variety ... “The Oscars producer thought, ‘Oh, he’s [Zelensky's] not light-hearted enough.’ Well, guess what you got instead? Will Smith!. I don’t know Will Smith. I met him once. He seemed very nice when I met him. He was so f***ing good in ‘King Richard."

And then, Sean delivered the punch ...  "So why the f*** did you just spit on yourself and everybody else with this stupid f***ing thing? Why did I go to f***ing jail for what you just did? And you’re still sitting there? Why are you guys standing and applauding his worst moment as a person?”

Penn is referring to his 1987 conviction for attacking an extra on the set of "Colors," for which he served 33 days in jail.

Sean thinks had Zelensky appeared at the Oscars, the tone would have been different and Smith wouldn't have dared to cross the line ...“This f***ing bulls*** wouldn’t have happened with Zelensky. Will Smith would never have left that chair to be part of stupid violence. It never would have happened.”

Sean was so distraught, he wanted to destroy his Oscars, saying "I thought, well, f*** it, you know? I'll give them to Ukraine. They can be melted down to bullets they can shoot at the Russians."

Penn ended up presenting Zelensky with his own Oscars while on a visit in November 2022. In turn, Penn was presented with the Order of Merit by Zelensky.