'The Wizard of Oz' Thief Who Stole Ruby Red Slippers Comes Clean ... He Won't Be Lion to the Judge
A Minnesota man who apparently didn't know right from wrong now knows witch from witch ... because he's about to fess up that he stole Dorothy's ruby red slippers.
76-year-old Terry Jon Martin, who pled not guilty to stealing maybe the most iconic piece of movie memorabilia ever, is expected to change his plea to guilty Friday, because he had a crisis of conscience.
The shoes -- central to the plot of "The Wizard of Oz" -- were ensconced in the Judy Garland Museum in her hometown of Grand Rapids, Minnesota, until 2005, when someone stole them. It was a big enough case for the FBI to jump in, and the feds recovered the shoes in 2018.
The case went unsolved until this year, when Martin was arrested and charged with theft of a major artwork.
Martin's attorney, Dane DeKrey, says his client -- who is in failing health -- has decided to come clean and confess, saying, "I think Terry is facing his own mortality and I think when people are reaching that point in their life, they cut through the pleasantries and talk turkey."
The shoes, which had magical qualities in the 1939 musical, were insured for $1 million, but valued at an estimated $3.5 mil.
Well, maybe he's not a heel after all.
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Britney Spears Father Won't Read Upcoming Memoir
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Jamie Spears is not concerned in the slightest with the contents of Britney Spears' upcoming memoir ... he's not even going to bother reading the book.
A source close to the Spears family tells TMZ ... Jamie's not sweating what Britney has to say about him in her new book, "The Woman In Me," because she's already trashed him both in court and on social media, once saying she hoped he'd spend the rest of his life in jail.
In addition to Britney's book ... his ex-wife, Lynne, and Britney's younger sister, Jamie Lynn, both released memoirs detailing how Jamie was an absent father during Britney's upbringing ... which coincided with his struggles with alcohol. In other words, they've all pretty much said everything, so what else is there to know?
Fact is ... Jamie's already taken ownership of being a bad dad when Britney grew up, but when she was in dire straits back in 2008, Jamie came to L.A. to help her and stayed for the next 13 years as her conservator.
Britney's lawyer, Matt Rosengart, has alleged Jamie fleeced her for millions of dollars during that conservatorship, and Britney might be addressing that as well. But our sources say so far, Rosengart has not gotten a single penny from Jamie, in part because almost all the expenditures were court-approved.
Short story ... we're told Jamie has no clue what made the final cut in Britney's memoir ... and he's not interested in finding out because he lived through it and knows the truth.
The memoir is set to come out Oct. 24 ... and while it may be a page-turner for some, it won't be for Jamie.
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Sophie Turner Unfollows Priyanka Chopra Ditches Nick Jonas' Wife Amid Divorce From Joe
Sophie Turner has removed Nick Jonas' wife, Priyanka Chopra, from her Instagram feed ... clicking the "unfollow" button as the actress' divorce from Joe Jonas moves forward.
The "Game of Thrones" star no longer follows Priyanka as of Friday, although it's unclear exactly when she gave Nick's wife the boot.
It also looks like Priyanka doesn't follow Sophie on IG, either -- but Sophie still has Joe and Nick on her list of follows ... as well as their brother, Kevin, and his wife, Danielle.
The sisterhood ran pretty deep between Sophie and Priyanka, BTW ... the former Bollywood actress was a bridesmaid and flower girl at Sophie and Joe's wedding in Las Vegas back in 2019 -- an honor that's not given to just anyone.
Priyanka even spoke highly about her connection to Sophie and Danielle ... saying over the years that they are her "family by proxy," since she grew up without a sister.
As we reported, Joe filed for divorce at the beginning of September ... and what followed was a tense battle over custody for weeks. Sophie even filed a lawsuit against Joe, claiming he was illegally refusing to let their kids go with her to England.
TMZ broke the story, the 2 found common ground earlier this week, striking a deal in their child custody case, showing signs that a final settlement was looming. On Wednesday, Joe filed to dismiss their divorce case in Miami and settle in private.
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Taylor Swift Let's Go, Travis!!! Arrives to Chiefs Game
UPDATE
6:08 PM PT -- Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's mom, Donna, look thick as thieves ... because Taylor gave Donna one of her famous friendship bracelets.
Pretty ingenious way to get in tight with the family, right?!?
5:00 PM PT -- Taylor Swift is watching the game from Travis Kelce's suite ... sitting next to his mom, Donna.
It's the same suite Taylor was in the first time she watched Travis and the Chiefs play ... so we'll see if she's a good luck charm again, and it seems she's cool with Travis' mom, which is always important.
Taylor Swift is officially in the building, ready to watch Travis Kelce and the Kansas City Chiefs in person for the third time in four weeks.
Swift just walked into Arrowhead Stadium, where Travis and company are set to take on Russell Wilson and the Denver Broncos. Taylor walked through security with a giant smile on her face while wearing a red Chiefs jacket.
Taylor's had a wild 24 hours ... shutting down The Grove shopping center in Los Angeles Wednesday for the premiere of her "Eras Tour" movie.
Taylor posed for pics, chatted with fans and even spent some time with Beyoncé at the premiere. She hopped on a jet out of L.A. and arrived in Kansas City just a few hours ago for the big game.
As we reported, Travis' status was previously "questionable" for the game, as he was battling an ankle injury ... but he's officially gotten the green light.
Taylor previously attended Travis' Week 3 matchup against the Chicago Bears, then followed the team to New Jersey to watch them play the Jets in Week 4. She skipped out last weekend when the team was in Minnesota.
While Taylor and Kelce have been relatively quiet on their relationship status, we've heard from sources the two had been hanging out for months before she attended his first game.
We should note ... the Chiefs haven't lost since Taylor was first in attendance, so we'll see how this one plays out.
Originally Published -- 4:33 PM PT
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Sam Asghari Not Dating After Britney Divorce Not Nervous at All Over Upcoming Memoir
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Sam Asghari says he's got no worries over Britney Spears' memoir, and he knows because he's already read it.
We got Sam out in Bev Hills Thursday, and despite their acrimonious split, he has nothing but kind words for Britney and her soon-to-be-released memoir. He says he's extremely proud of her.
Sam apparently is spared Britney's slings and arrows, because he says he's excited for the book's release. Given their explosive relationship, it's kind of surprising.
Now as for dating, Sam says that's not happening now. His life is all about acting and stunt training.
As we reported, Sam filed for divorce from Britney in August after 14 months of marriage --sources told us Sam believed she cheated on him with a staffer at her home ... and alleged footage showed them in a compromising position together.
We were told all communication was cut off between them since the divorce, but the way he's talking, it sounds like things may have smoothed over.
One caveat ... even if Sam read the book, he may not have seen the final version. We're told Britney made some changes after they split.
Stay tuned.
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Taylor Swift Fans Selling 'Eras' Premiere Swag ... Popcorn Tin For $100!!!
Taylor Swift's fans are passionate and entrepreneurial, already cashing in on their free goodies from her 'Eras Tour' film premiere by hawking little things like a popcorn tin and cup ... for a couple hundy!!!
The 2,200 Swifties lucky enough to have been invited to the worldwide debut of Taylor's movie Wednesday night in L.A., hopped on eBay the next day in hopes of pocketing some extra dough -- pawning off souvenirs they got at the theater.
For instance, that popcorn bucket Beyoncé and Taylor were eating out of when Bey made her surprise appearance -- not the actual one, but one like it -- could fetch a hefty profit.
These sellers are no joke, BTW ... some are asking up to $250 for 2 items -- adding a drink cup to go with the popcorn bucket. Most listings, though, are around $100 right now, and a couple of them even include the tote bag and poster fans also got.
Remember, they got all of this stuff for free -- so, any amount they get is a profit.
Here's the kicker, the bucket and cup aren't even exclusive to the big event -- in fact, they're the same ones the general public can buy at all AMC Theaters, where the flick is playing exclusively.
The tin only costs $19.89 at the theater -- a nod to her 2014 album title and its upcoming rerelease -- and the large cup is $11.99.
It's worth mentioning, those souvenir collectibles -- ones not Taylor-related -- normally sell out really fast at theaters. Adding her to the mix means demand for the items will be through the roof. Good luck, Swifties!
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Jason In Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood 'Memba Him?!
American actor and stuntman Kane Hodder was 33 when he was first cast to play Jason Vorhees -- the revenant zombie with a machete ... disguised with a hockey goalie mask for disguise at Crystal Lake -- in the horror/thrasher film "Friday The 13th Part VII: The New Blood" back in 1988.
Kane slayed his way through the dreary set with Lar Park Lincoln as the 17-year-old with psychokinetic powers who mistakenly freed Jason from being chained to bottom of the lake, Tina Shepard and Kevin Spirtas, who rented a cabin next to Tina's ... and also survives Jason's murder attempts.
Hodder portrayed this character four times in the 'Friday The 13th' franchise.
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Black Cat Halloween Costumes Litter-ly All Over ... Hollywood!
These luscious ladies didn't scratch their heads when optioning the classic black cat Halloween costume over the years ... clearly clawing into their frisky and feline selves!
Bringing you all the luck this Friday the 13th ... Vivica A. Foxx, Chrissy Teigen, Lele Pons and Nicola Peltz Beckham are just a few of the wild women slaying in cat ears and looking oh so purrrfect, but which pretty pussycat is playing naughty ... and who is playing nice kitty?
Ready to attack in black, Kim Kardashian donned an all-black cat costume, lookin' fierce and feisty with her kitty cat ears and sharp teeth ... rawr!
And, Lindsay Lohan has always been down for a "Freaky Friday," but she switched it up after a Halloween shindig, showin' peace and love to the paparazzi... rockin' some lace with fake blood on her face!
These women are owning their cattitude, and their black cat costumes are top pawformance!
Have a frisky Friday the 13th!
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Taylor Swift Rocking $112 Erin Andrews Jacket ... To Travis' NFL Game
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Taylor Swift's helping out Erin Andrews while supporting Travis Kelce and the Kansas City Chiefs ... wearing a jacket from the sportscaster's clothing line to the NFL game.
Sources close to Erin tell TMZ … the NFL broadcaster sent Taylor some items from her WEAR by Erin Andrews clothing line in the hopes Taylor would wear something in the future, and Taylor came through.
We're told Taylor's windbreaker jacket retails for $112 ... and as you can see, it's got the KC Chiefs logos and patches all over the place ... so Taylor fits right in at Arrowhead Stadium.
Taylor's at her third Chiefs game in the last four weeks ... and she's once again cheering on Travis from his suite ... and hanging out with his mom, Donna.
The Thursday Night Football game is part of a whirlwind 24 hours for Taylor ... last night she was in Los Angeles for the premiere of her 'Eras Tour' concert movie, which shut down the world-famous outdoor shopping mall, The Grove.
While Erin's not besties with Taylor or Travis, she does have a connection to the couple ... back in August, Erin played matchmaker on her podcast and suggested the two hook up.
Taylor's fans always seem to snag her outfits ... whatever she wears usually sells out within days of her being seen wearing it in public ... so Erin's gotta be thrilled.
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Post Malone Surprises Fans with Appearance At Cowboys-Themed Raising Canes Restaurant
Post Malone has found a way to combine two things he holds near and dear -- the Dallas Cowboys and chicken fingers -- while also giving some of his fans the surprise of a lifetime.
Posty made a surprise visit at the grand opening of the Post Malone-and-Cowboys-themed location of Raising Cane's in Dallas Thursday. The rocker sported a custom Dallas jersey while posing for pics with fans, and of course, eating some of those tasty chicken fingers.
The location, which just opened today, comes complete with the blue and white Cowboys color scheme -- and a giant Cowboys star as you enter the Drive-Thru that stands 32 feet tall.
Post played a big role in getting the location together, and there are even some silhouettes of his most famous stage poses around the restaurant's exterior.
Not a bad spot to cheer on your favorite squad and fill your stomach all at the same place.
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Jada Pinkett Smith 2Pac Was My SOULMATE ... But We Never Hooked Up!!!
Jada Pinkett Smith is gushing about her love for Tupac Shakur again, but this time she's using language that feels like a slight against Will Smith -- the husband she hasn't really been with for 7 years.
The actress is set to release her tell-all memoir, and on Thursday, spoke to Christal Jordan for RollingOut ... and called the late rap icon her one true "soulmate," despite 19 years of marriage to the Fresh Prince.
Jada Pinkett on 2Pac being her soulmate: She also says she and Tupac had past lives together.
— The Art Of Dialogue (@ArtOfDialogue_) October 12, 2023 @ArtOfDialogue_
(🎥 @RollingOut ) pic.twitter.com/YGPs0ir7P6
Jada's reason for never getting romantically involved with Pac is simple, at least to her -- she claims they didn't have any chemistry.
Even more confounding, Jada told Christal ... Pac had proposed marriage to her -- she turned him down, but ya gotta wonder why he was asking someone to marry him if they had zero chemistry???
Jada did explain she feels a "soulmate" isn't about romance.
Earlier this week, the longtime Hollywood couple revealed they actually called it quits on their marriage in 2016 -- splitting up in every way, but legally -- leaving fans confused about why they kept up public appearances.
Not to mention, totally putting Will's Oscars slap on Chris Rock in a new light!
Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media.
Jada's been unearthing her personal Pac memorabilia in the public eye for years -- which, for a lot of people, felt disrespectful to Will.
She claims all the questions will be answered when her book, "Worthy" drops on Oct. 17.
why are y’all so shocked about this jada pinkett smith shit? august alsina already told y’all what was up YEARS ago.. so the fact that so many of y’all let this part go over your head & bought into her false narrative is truly baffling😭😭😭 pic.twitter.com/RDLciSToyA
— augustalsinasburner (@augsburner) October 11, 2023 @augsburner
One person who's been vindicated by Jada's revelations this week is August Alsina ... who's been entangled in homewrecker storylines for years!!!
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'Teletubbies' The Sun Baby Is Expecting!!!
Jess Smith -- AKA the Sun Baby from the popular children's show, "Teletubbies" -- is expecting a little ray of sunshine of her own ... do ya feel old yet?
The former child star, who's now 27 years old, announced she's pregnant with her partner, Ricky ... posting shots of her ultrasound, and giving fans a first look at her child-to-be.
Fans of the series remember Jess playing the character for years ... overlooking Teletubbyland -- where Tinky Winky, Dipsy, Laa-Laa and Po all lived.
Jess appeared when the show debuted in 1997, starring when she was just 9 months old -- she stayed on the show until 2001 when she was no longer a baby in real life, obviously.
She claims she was cast on the show while being weighed at the hospital -- saying producers for the children's series were in the hospital looking for smiley, laughing babies to use for their new show, and Jess fit the bill perfectly.
BTW, there have been several spin-offs of the kids' show over the years ... but if producers are looking to make a proper reboot, we know just the baby for the job.
Congrats on the Tele-baby, Jess and Ricky!
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Warner Bros. Sued Over 'Harry Potter' Wand ... It Impaled My Kid's Eye!!!
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Warner Bros. is being sued by an angry mom who claims a 'Harry Potter' replica wand seriously injured her toddler's eye ... and she wants a huge check to cover the damages.
According to the lawsuit, obtained by TMZ, Jessica Perry says she bought a 'Potter' replica wand with a light-up pen function from a store and gave it to her kids ... only for it to end up impaling her 3-year-old's eye.
Jessica claims her older son was waving the wand around -- like wizards do in the movies and books -- when the metal writing portion of the pen ejected from the wand, flew across the room and pierced her younger son's eye.
In the docs, she says the pen ruptured his eyeball, nearly leaving him blind and forcing him to undergo a pair of eye surgeries.
She alleges the wand was defective, and Warner Bros. should have known about the risks ... because she says there's at least one online review describing a similar incident.
In the suit, Jessica claims her son had to use painful eyedrops which made him scream in agony ... and she says the eyepatch he had to wear frightened him so much, he could only sleep with his bedroom lights on.
She also says her little boy now has to guard against injuring his retina again ... which means for the rest of his life he can't play sports, roughhouse or have a normal life.
She's suing WB for several million dollars -- $8 mil in compensatory damages for her son's injuries and emotional distress, plus punitive damages.
We reached out to Warner Bros. ... so far no word back.
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Hamas Attacks Israeli Soldiers Capture Palestine Militant ... Caught On Camera
A Palestinian militant was captured by Israeli troops during a news broadcast ... then blindfolded and whisked away while the cameras rolled on the intense situation.
Fox News correspondent Trey Yingst was with members of the Israeli forces on Thursday in Israel -- close to the grounds of the gruesome Supernova music festival massacre where 260 innocent people were murdered.
While reporting, gunshots ring out -- as Yingst and his camera crew ducked for cover, soldiers surrounded a man on the ground who was stripped down to his underwear.
They blindfolded him and escorted him away from the festival grounds ... a senior commander confirmed with Yingst that the nearly-naked man was a Palestinian militant who either came into the area from Gaza or had been hiding out in the area since Saturday's killings and kidnappings.
He says he'll likely end up being questioned ... which could shed even more light on the tragic Supernova incident.
As you know, Hamas terrorists hit Israel hard starting on Saturday, including a brutal attack on the festival ... where people like 22-year-old Shani Louk were kidnapped -- you'll recall, she was stripped naked and paraded by Hamas while her body was spat on.
Over 2,600 confirmed deaths have been reported since the fight broke out, including 27 Americans ... not to mention countless examples of destruction playing out.
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Ronnie Caldwell NSU Football Player Dead At 21 ... Shot & Killed In Louisiana
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College football player Ronnie Caldwell -- a junior safety at Northwestern State University -- was shot and killed on Thursday morning in Louisiana, police said.
He was just 21 years old.
According to the Natchitoches Police Department, the tragic incident happened near NSU's campus -- which is about three hours away from New Orleans -- at around 1:08 a.m.
Police say they were dispatched to a street near the university after 911 callers reported gunshots in the area. When officers arrived, they say they found Caldwell suffering from gunshot wounds ... and he was later pronounced deceased.
Cops say an investigation into the shooting is still ongoing.
The Northwestern State football team, meanwhile, canceled its Saturday game against Nicholls State after learning of the heartbreaking news.
"Ronnie Caldwell was a young man who had a bright future ahead of him on or off the football field," Demons head coach Brad Laird said on Thursday. "He was our voice in the locker room."
"Our hearts are broken and ache for Ronnie's family and friends. His loss will be felt here at Northwestern State, in Natchitoches and in his home."
NSU's Ronnie Caldwell was described as the "Voice of the locker room". Despite being injured, he helped coach the defense during the 2023 season🙏@NSUDemonsFB canceled their game against Nicholls Saturday. Decisions on the remaining games will be made as the season progresses pic.twitter.com/jMrkeDL1DI
— Dylan Domangue (@dylanMD16) October 12, 2023 @dylanMD16
Caldwell -- who transferred from Tyler Junior College after the 2021 season -- appeared in 11 games last season and finished seventh on the team in tackles. He did not play yet this season due to an injury he suffered in the preseason.
The Texas native was also a business administration major who helped coach a local youth baseball team over the summer.
Police are asking anyone with information on Caldwell's death to call cops at 318-357-3914.
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Israel Festivalgoer Shani Louk Boyfriend's Phone Sends Disturbing Messages ... 'I Spit On You' Texts After Hamas Attacks Festival
The phone belonging to the boyfriend of Shani Louk -- the artist and festivalgoer who was kidnapped by Hamas -- sent chilling texts after Saturday's attack ... including ones about spitting on people.
30-year-old Orión Hernández Radoux was reportedly with 22-year-old Louk at the Supernova festival near the Gaza Strip over the weekend when Hamas terrorists opened fire with guns and rockets, kidnapping those at the event.
Louk was one of many taken hostage, and it's believed Radoux -- who is still missing -- was kidnapped along with her. According to The Sun, his phone has been used to send threatening messages to his contacts in the days following the festival massacre.
The texts, written in Arabic, reportedly say things like, "Liberate Palestine," "God damn you," and "I spit on you."
As we reported, video from just before the Hamas attacks showed Louk having fun at the festival ... before she was taken, stripped naked, and spat on while being paraded in the back of a pickup truck.
Her mother, Ricarda, claimed she got word from an unnamed Palestinian that her daughter was alive after the terrifying ordeal ... and was getting treatments at a hospital in Gaza for major head injuries -- pleading for the German government to help get her out of there.