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Pharrell's latest feat as Louis Vuitton's creative director is a $1 million dollar crocodile-skin handbag, which some might call high fashion -- but PETA insists it's a barbaric display of animal cruelty!!!

TMZ Hip Hop obtained an open letter Tuesday, penned by PETA's Senior VP Lisa Lange and addressed to Pharrell, which reads ... "Dear Pharrell, This is an invitation the likes of which you’ve never been offered before."

The correspondence is filled with references to Pharrell-produced hits, yet there's nothing joking about it as Lange says ... "When you were made men’s creative director of Louis Vuitton, we hoped animals would get lucky and that you would choose vegan fabrics, which are the preference of today’s ethical and environmentally conscious consumers. But we aren’t happy to note your newest design, the "Millionaire" Speedy bag, which is crafted from crocodile skin, because when it comes to animals being used for fashion, it isn’t beautiful—it’s abuse."

Lange also accused the Neptunes' superproducer of sitting idle as the crocs get mutilated for their skin -- a complaint she also recently leveled at Offset for his birthday bag blowout for Cardi B.

The letter continued, "A PETA Asia investigation found workers at LVMH’s suppliers cutting live crocodiles’ necks open and ramming metal rods down their spines while they were still conscious. Another investigation revealed that workers at facilities supplying LVMH struck pythons repeatedly on the head, suspending them in the air, inflating their bodies with water, and disemboweling them -- even as they moved about."

Lange wants Pharrell to go to a crocodile factory farm, where she says bags like the Millionaire Speedy are made ... and she's warning it won't be a fun trip to the zoo.

In her words -- "You’d want to bring along nose plugs and high boots to wade through fetid, waste-filled water. If we go to an indoor tank, also bring a flashlight, because you won’t see daylight. There are no blurred lines here. Killing wildlife for a bag isn’t cool—it’s cold. Are you up for this trip?"

An internal investigation of Alan Ruck's electric truck has found no indication of malfunction prior to his crash into a pizza shop in Hollywood.

A spokesperson for Rivian tells TMZ they checked the data on the vehicle and found the truck performed as designed, there was no indication of malfunction, and they are fully cooperating with local law enforcement’s ongoing investigation of the incident.

As we first reported, the LAPD's main theory of what caused the wreck focused on the actor's flashy new high-tech Rivian R1T getting the better of him.

As we reported, cops speculated the truck's innovative features may have been to blame as the star was not under the influence, distracted, or otherwise impaired during the accident.

If you didn't already know, the truck features three all-wheel drive systems -- meaning it can go from 0-60 MPH in a bolt.

Taylor Hale -- the first Black woman to win "Big Brother" -- says the show certainly has a racism problem, but thinks there's an easier way to deal with it besides outright canceling.

We talked to the reality show winner, who took home an $800k cash prize last year, in L.A. about what she made of a recurring theme on 'BB' lately ... namely, white contestants continuing to say problematic things about fellow Black competitors year in and year out.

Taylor says she's definitely aware of that trend but doesn't think it's unique to the famous CBS series. On the contrary, she says it's simply a microcosm of American society.

Interestingly enough ... TH also doesn't think the racism and/or microaggressions -- of which she fell victim to on several occasions -- are a cardinal sin in and of themselves in the context of the show. In fact, Taylor says it's a strategic tactic that could be used to win.

What she does take issue with, however, is when people get called out for it ... only to try and deny any wrongdoing. In her eyes, if folks just owned their bad behavior and chalked it up to competition ... they'd probably come out on the other side relatively unscathed.

It's a fascinating take ... basically, Taylor sounds like a realist here -- noting that racism absolutely exists, but also pointing out that people showing their true biased colors in the course of the show isn't as big a deal as Twitter makes it out to be each season.

Case by case, of course ... sometimes contestants say/do things that are actually cancelable -- and when they do, they're booted ASAP. Taylor says 'BB' handles all this well enough.

Former NFL player Matt Ulrich -- who won a Super Bowl with the Indianapolis Colts in 2006 -- has died, Jim Irsay announced Wednesday. He was 41 years old.

Details surrounding his death have not been revealed at this time.

Irsay shared his condolences on X just minutes ago ... saying even though the offensive guard was with the team for a short time, his presence was felt throughout the organization.

"I am heartbroken to hear of the passing of Matt Ulrich," Irsay said in a heartfelt post. "Matt was with us only two seasons, but left his mark on many."

"Great guy, I hear he was a great dad---and he was a Super Bowl champ.  My prayers to his family. 🙏"

Ulrich was a star athlete at Streamwood High School in Illinois ... receiving high honors in football and shot put before attending Northwestern.

Ulrich -- who went undrafted -- joined Indy in 2005 ... appearing in 10 games in his career, winning it all alongside Peyton Manning and Co. at Super Bowl XLI.

He started a fitness company in retirement ... and also ventured into business.

A fundraiser was set up to support Ulrich's family following the athlete's sudden death ... with nearly $30,000 being raised over the past 18 hours.

Tom McMakin -- the CEO of Profitable Ideas Exchange, where Ulrich worked -- donated $20k for the cause. TMZ Sports spoke with McMakin ... and he said Ulrich had the biggest heart in Montana.

"Matt had love and energy for everyone he met," McMakin said ... adding Ulrich was heavily involved in the community by coaching his kids' football teams and providing speed and strength training for young athletes.

McMakin also praised Ulrich's brain and leadership -- assisting on multiple boards for causes throughout the area and raved about his success in the office.

"An NFL lineman is usually scary ... but Matt immediately put you at ease," McMakin said. "He was a gentle giant."

Tom also commended Ulrich for continuing to focus on his health following his playing days ... pointing out the athlete had lost 40 pounds in recent years and was in "peak condition."

As for why he decided to make the substantial donation, McMakin said, "He helped build our company and he was the heart and soul to the business. It's the least we could do."

Shawn Mendes is moving on from Camila Cabello with a mystery "Señorita," ... who he got cozy with during a dinner date.

The "Stitches" singer was joined by an unidentified brunette at the E.P. & L.P. Rooftop & Restaurant in West Hollywood Tuesday -- with the source telling TMZ the pair were instantly touchy-feely upon entering the eatery.

Check out the snap for yourself ... his companion has her arm tightly slung around him -- a possible attempt to ward off other admirers?

Marking her territory or not, we're told the duo was smiling, canoodling, and chatting the night away -- basically doing everything but locking lips ... so the potential new lovers may be taking things slow.

An hour and a half later, Shawn and his plus one left the venue together, it was added to TMZ.

This is Shawn's first romantic link since splitting with ex-Harmonizer Camila in June.

They initially began dating in 2019 ... even quarantining together during the pandemic before calling it a day in November 2021.

Earlier this year, they gave their romance another stab ... enjoying a steamy snog at Coachella and some hand-in-hand strolls in the Big Apple.

Kim Kardashian knows how to draw a big crowd, and an even bigger guest list ... calling on some high-profile celebs to show up at her big collab between SKIMS and Swarovski.

KK's event went down in NYC Tuesday, at the opening of the jewelry company's new store on Fifth Ave ... and the grand opening doubled as a celebration of its recent team-up with Kim's fashion brand.

Kim wore a shiny -- and revealing -- crystal top, with a skirt to match ... which was on top of a pair of her Swarovski x SKIMS boxers. She also showed up in a sparkling, custom taxi with the brand's logos on it, sticking with the night's theme.

Kim certainly had backup star power ... Serena Williams, Jeremy Pope, Billy Porter, Lake Bell, La La Anthony, Ashley Graham, Jasmine Tookes, Teyana Taylor, Madelaine Petsch, Georgia May Jagger and more all pulled up to the big event.

Even Kim's "American Horror Story" costar, Emma Roberts, made an appearance -- taking a night off from being a scream queen to support her pal.

SKIMS seems to keep moving up and up, despite already appearing to dominate the fashion industry -- she recently launched a line just for men, and the company became the NBA's official underwear partner.

Jeezy sat down with Nia Long for an hour-long conversation about several weighty topics -- including his divorce from Jeannie Mai -- but many viewers think he's still speaking in code about the split.

According to Jeezy, he and Jeannie attempted counseling sessions to fix what he deemed was broken in the marriage ... but ultimately he told Nia the damage had been done and being "responsible for himself" was the best course of action.

Jeezy expressed how he was saddened over the situation, but never actually explained exactly why he filed for divorce from Jeannie.

Let's keep it real, that's what fans really wanted to know -- especially after sitting through the entire hour-long chat.

Clearly, Jeezy's not ready to give up those nuggets just yet, which makes sense when you consider the divorce isn't settled yet.

As we reported last week, Jeezy just dropped his 29-track double album, "I Might Forgive ... But I Don't Forget," highlighted by the song "Don't Cheat" ... a theme he kept reiterating throughout the interview.

On the flip side, both Jeezy and Nia unpacked a lot about their traumatic upbringings and failed relationships. Nia's currently battling for custody with her ex, Ime Udoka, after his NBA cheating scandal earlier this year.

Nia also admitted to solely dating drug dealers in high school, which gave her a different perspective on men.

Matthew Perry has been laid to rest alongside some of the biggest stars in Hollywood -- but it looks like his loved ones want to keep his grave's exact location under wraps for now.

TMZ has learned where, precisely, the late "Friends" star's burial plot is at the Forest Lawn cemetery in Hollywood Hills -- where his former costars and family members came together last week to honor him during an intimate funeral.

As it turns out, Matt's casket has been placed within the walls of the Sanctuary of Treasured Love ... a private section on the grounds that's gated off and secluded.

The reason for that privacy and security has to do with who else is buried there -- including Carrie Fisher, Debbie Reynolds, Michael Clarke Duncan and Ronnie James Dio -- among other big celebs.

Now, Matt's there too ... but like we said, it would appear his family isn't quite ready to have the public come flocking just yet.

Following Friday's service, there was a huge flower arrangement left in memorial at Matthew's gravesite -- which was there until as recently as Monday. However, on Tuesday, those same flowers were gone, and his burial plot is relatively bare -- as seen in these pics.

Matthew's burial spot has yet to be officially marked, but headstones are usually completed and installed on the gravesite sometime later.

As we reported ... Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, David Schwimmer and Matt LeBlanc were among the select few who came to say farewell to their dear friend and longtime cast member.

The funeral service looked incredibly solemn ... capping off a heart-wrenching week where everyone was seeking answers to explain his sudden and shocking death.

There still are no official answers, and likely won't be for several weeks or months, but what we do know is Matt was on the straight and narrow, substance-wise, before he died and in a great place personally and professionally.

A former National Women's Soccer League player flashed a Nazi salute while driving by a pro-Israel rally this month ... and her ex-team is now condemning her actions while distancing itself from her.

Stefany Ferrer Van Ginkel -- who played for Angel City FC in 2022 -- gave the "Sieg Heil" salute from the passenger seat of a car while another pro soccer player, Samim Haydari, drove her through Beverly Hills.

Part of the incident was captured on video ... and in the clip, you can hear demonstrators shouting at the pair of footballers, "Shame on you!"

It's not clear, however, what led up to the interaction.

Angel City FC released a statement shortly after the video was posted on X ... saying, "Stefany Ferrer Van Ginkel (stefvangi21) does not play for Angel City Football Club, nor has she been affiliated with the club since November 2022. We condemn her recent actions and statements."

For their part, Van Ginkel and Haydari reportedly released an on-camera apology on Monday night.

According to KTLA, Haydari said, "I know we have approached the situation with hate and made it worse with our actions" ... before adding, "We acted childish." Van Ginkel, the outlet reported, did not speak in the clip.

A Canadian woman had a "whoa baby" moment after giving birth to her little boy, who turned out to be ENORMOUS!!!

Late last month, Britteney Ayres welcomed her 14-pound, 8-ounce infant measuring precisely 21.65 inches at Cambridge Memorial Hospital in Ontario. She and her husband, Chance, named their fifth child, Sonny, who is more than double the size of an average tot.

Sonny, who was delivered by cesarean section, is already shattering records, scoring the highest birth weight of any baby at the hospital since 2010.

The couple was so excited they went on Good Morning America to talk all about their new bundle of joy.

Chance said, "Never in our wildest dreams did we think he'd be that big," while Britteney called Sonny a "blessing." She added that she was happy to be at home with her "good support system" after her stay in the hospital.

Sonny will now get to hang out with his four other siblings: Chance, 6, Everett, 5, Lucky, 3, and older sister, Marigold, 1.

Lori Harvey and actor Damson Idris are pulling the plug on their year-long relationship ... but they're still on good terms, saying they've got "love and respect" for one another.

They announced their separation in a joint statement that reads, in part, "We are at a point in our lives where our individual paths require our full attention and dedication."

Their announcement, through The Hollywood Reporter, added ... "We part ways remaining friends with nothing but love and respect for each other and the time we shared together.”

The model and the "Snowfall" star first set off dating rumors last December when they dined together in West Hollywood ... and they confirmed their relationship the following month, as they left her January birthday bash hand in hand.

She recently wished Damson a happy birthday back in September ... writing on her IG story, "I love youuuu."

Damson now joins Lori's list of high-profile exes, which includes Future, Diddy, Trey Songz, Dutch soccer player Memphis Depay, and Michael B. Jordan. Pretty good company, if ya believe in consolation prizes.

Timbaland is facing the backlash head-on after his "muzzle joke" aimed at Britney Spears -- he's apologizing to her and her fans, who had a riotous response when his remark went viral.

On Tuesday, during a TikTok streaming session, Timbaland admitted his faults, saying ... "I’m sorry to all the Britney fans, even to her" -- and added he was in the wrong for attempting to block her right to speak out.

Fans thought Timbaland's reaction to Britney's "The Woman in Me" memoir -- particularly the bits about Justin Timberlake -- was in poor taste.

While on a panel last week with 9th Wonder at the Kennedy Center for Performing Arts, Timbaland quipped JT needed to "put a muzzle" on Britney, blaming today's social media climate for her actions.

Fans thought Timbaland was being insensitive and he saw their perspective, and when some of them asked if he respects women, he fired back a hearty "hell yeah."

JT and Tim go way back -- but so do JT and Britney. In her book, she says they both decided to have an abortion when she got pregnant back in 2000 ... among other shocking revelations from her heyday.

Charlie Sheen is finally giving his blessing to his 19-year-old daughter Sami Sheen having an OnlyFans account -- according to her mom, the money's too good for even dear ol' dad to object.

Remember ... while Sami's mother, Denise Richards, was thrilled with the teen joining the adult subscription service over a year ago -- even launching a page for herself -- Charlie publicly fumed, urging his child to keep things "classy."

But Denise is now divulging Charlie changed his tune after discovering Sami had purchased a flashy Mercedes AND moved into a new home with her OF earnings.

Former Playboy bunny Denise said to Bethenny Frankel on her 'Just B' podcast Tuesday that while Charlie is now happy with her life choices, Sami is not cool with how public he's been about her risqué online career pursuits.

Sami is now a pro at OF ... sharing sexy content, without nudity, 3 months after she turned 18 last year.

At the time, Charlie told Page Six: "I do not condone this, but since I'm unable to prevent it, I urged her to keep it classy, creative and not sacrifice her integrity."

Mom, on the other hand, praised Sami for having the confidence she wished she had when she was her age ... and then felt inspired enough to start her own OF.

9:39 AM PT -- A source close to Kim Zolciak says the police never spoke to Kim and Kroy Biermann after the report was made, and the reporting person allegedly doesn't even live in the neighborhood.

Kim Zolciak and Kroy Biermann are in the doghouse with law enforcement yet again ... after some pissed-off neighbors called the cops after one of the estranged couple's dogs nearly attacked a kid.

Alpharetta, GA cops got a call last week about the Biermann dog from a woman who said it was off its leash ... the woman claimed this wasn't the first problem with the dog.

The caller told dispatch the dog "almost attacked her kids" last month, telling officers the pooch chased them -- but thankfully, no one was injured.

Given what allegedly went down, the caller said seeing the dog roaming without a leash was concerning, telling dispatch the dog is "super aggressive and never confined."

Kim and Kroy's dogs -- Stone and Sinn -- were apparently the topic of discussion in a Facebook group as well -- with a conversation posted on IG account @Thegoodthebadandthefake6 concerned parent saying a dog had tried to "tackle and attack" their kid, who was riding a scooter.

Folks chimed in, pointing the finger at the estranged couple and saying -- "It may be [Kim and Kroy's] dog. He is usually behind the gate in the front yard, but sometimes their driveway gate is open."

BTW, Sinn bit their son, Kash, back in 2017 ... nearly blinding him.

But the dogs are obviously not Kim and Kroy's only problems ... as we reported, local cops have been called a couple of times to their home, and body cam footage from August showed how unpleasant things have gotten in their house recently.

A former MMA fighter used his combat skills to open a can of whoop-ass on a knife-wielding assailant in self-defense... and the dramatic scene was caught on video.

Javier Baez drove back to his Miami apartment complex after a night out on Halloween ... and spotted Omar Marrero screaming and brandishing a knife in the parking lot, according to WPLG News.

After Baez parked his car, Marrero reportedly walked over and started hitting his window with the knife.

Marrero then opened the driver's side door and tried to slash Baez, who got out to dial down the escalating tension.

But it didn't work ... Marrero kept swinging the knife at Baez and retrieved a second blade from his vehicle nearby.

Baez wasn't intimidated, though, reverting back to his days as a mixed martial arts fighter and making quick work of Marrero.

Check out the video ... Holding one of the knives, Marrero charges at Baez, who lifts him up and body slams him to the ground. Baez then disarms Marrero and puts him in a chokehold.

Baez later told a WPLG reporter, "Once I started putting the choke in, he kind of just let it go because no one is worried about anything else but breathing when you’re losing air."

Baez added, "I was able to hold him down with my knee and call the cops, and he woke up, cops came, and it was good, easy peasy!"

TMZ just turned 18, and yes -- we're ready to take you on an eventful stroll down memory lane that hits all the highlights, and the biggest stories we've broken over the years.

It's been quite the journey since we first launched in 2005, and we've changed a helluva lot too -- but the one thing that's remained the same throughout our nearly two decades is that we report big news about Hollywood ... and more often than not, we're first to do it.

Here's a recap of where we've been, the stories we've unearthed and where we go from here.

Mel Gibson's Antisemitic DUI Tirade (2006)

We'd covered some big stories before this, but breaking the Mel Gibson DUI story back in the summer of 2006 undoubtedly put TMZ on the map -- and for good reason ... what our reporting unveiled turned out to be absolutely nuts, not to mention very ugly.

TMZ got a hold of the original report taken by the arresting officer, and it detailed a wild scene when officers pulled Gibson over along the PCH near Malibu ... which erupted into a vulgar and antisemitic rant by the actor that targeted Jewish people over and over again.

Here's just a taste of what law enforcement heard that night ... "F*****g Jews ... The Jews are responsible for all the wars in the world." He also asked of one officer, "Are you a Jew?"

The Sheriff's Dept. tried covering up the story, telling us there was no such rant. But then we obtained 4 pages of the arresting deputy's report, in which the rant was described in detail.

Michael Richards Uses the N-Word (2006)

Michael Richards' notorious stand-up set at the Laugh Factory in November 2006 will go down in history for all the wrong reasons ... 'cause he dropped the N-word repeatedly, and TMZ got the first video of this low moment.

The "Seinfeld" star absolutely lost it that evening while performing in front of a moderate-sized crowd -- this after he was heckled by some audience members, which triggered him to launch into a horrifically racist tirade ... screaming obscenities and racial slurs.

He apologized, but the damage was arguably done -- his career was never quite the same.

Britney Spears' Shaved-Head Umbrella Incident (2007)

Britney Spears started to unravel in late 2006, but all that came to a (shaved) head in early 2007 when she took clippers to her noggin and cut off her famous long locks ... going for a bald look. The manic move prompted a lot of concern about her state of mind and well-being.

Of course, everything hit the fan just a few days later when she attacked paparazzi who'd followed her to an L.A. gas station -- getting out of her vehicle and rushing them with an umbrella, all of which was captured on camera.

We were the first outlet to publish the chaotic scene .... and it marked the beginning of a downward spiral for Brit, which culminated with her being thrust into a court-ordered conservatorship about a year later. In 2021, she was finally released from the conservatorship -- cheered on and supported by hordes of her fans in the #FreeBritney movement.

Since then, her erratic behavior has worried people all over again -- but her problems are nowhere near what they were in the mid-2000s ... so for now, relatively speaking, she seems to be doing OK.