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One of Kenny Rogers' longtime friends did NOT know when to fold 'em, because he allegedly produced an unauthorized DVD of Kenny's farewell tour ... and now his estate is suing.

The estate claims Kelly Junkermann, an employee and friend, went rogue after he recorded Kenny's last tour and tried to release a DVD called "Kenny Rogers -- The Gambler's Last Deal."

According to legal docs, obtained by TMZ, the estate claims Junkermann convinced the singer to let him shoot the farewell tour -- but Kenny made it crystal clear the footage would be for Kenny's personal use only ... and NOT for commercial release.

The estate claims Junkermann ignored that condition and went ahead and made a DVD filled with "priceless and irreplaceable audio, video, photographic and audiovisual content that were compiled over the course of Kenny Rogers' decades-long career."

What's more ... the estate claims Junkermann made repeated requests for approval to use the content, but was repeatedly denied verbally and in writing. The estate is adamant Junkermann knew he had no right to go forward, but still struck a deal with a distributor.

Earlier this year, the estate says it blocked the release of the DVD but it cost nearly $290k in legal fees to get it done. So, they're suing for damages and for an injunction blocking Junkermann's DVD from ever coming out. They say it's not up to Kenny's standards and would damage his brand.

Hidden within this brow-raising photo is an award-winning singer who got her start in the music industry as a songwriter.

Since the beginning of her career this talented star has released 7 studio albums ... And has continued to release music as she and her husband, who is the quarterback for the Seattle Seahawks, have grown their family.

The mother of three welcomed her third child earlier this year.

WWE superstar, reality TV legend ... and now, wedding singer?!

The Miz tells TMZ Sports he's ready to add that last item to his resume ... saying he deserves the role at Alexa Bliss' and Ryan Cabrera's upcoming nuptials -- 'cause he helped set them up!!

The 40-year-old has been buds with Cabrera for nearly two decades -- and after he met Bliss through the WWE, he says he basically helped bring the two together.

Now, as somewhat of a reward, he says he's gunnin' to belt out some tunes at their impending reception!!

"Ryan played mine and [my wife] Maryse's wedding, like he played our first song -- our first dance," The Miz told us. "So, I think it's only right for me to return the favor."

And, if it ends up going down ... The Miz says don't expect him to be all that bad!!

The WWE star says all the lessons he learned putting out his "Hey Hey" diss track prior to WrestleMania this year should give him a leg up if it comes time to grab the mic at the wedding.

"To have me play your wedding, he did it for me, I should do it for him!" The Miz says. "It's just tit for tat."

As for the newly engaged couple, The Miz says he's straight-up thrilled they've found love with each other ... telling us, "They're happy. That's all that matters!"

Oh the virus outside is frightful ... and your beard grows so delightful ... And since we've no place to go ... Let it grow! Let it grow! Let it grow!

2020 doesn't show signs of stopping ... And your beard could use some chopping ... but the standards are turned way down low ... Let it grow! Let it grow! Let it grow!

When we finally kiss goodnight ... How I'll hate how it's the new norm ... But if you really grow it right ... All day at home you'll be warm!

A large group of biz owners in Erie County, NY called the local authorities' bluff when they tried shutting down their get-together ... and sent Johnny Law packing.

This went down Friday night at a CrossFit gym called Athletes Unleashed in Orchard Park -- not too far away from Buffalo -- where upwards of 100 local businessmen and women congregated to discuss how to navigate the state's new COVID-19 guidelines ... which again are limiting hours, customers and access in NY.

While these folks were having their meeting -- with most people not wearing masks -- Erie County Sheriff's Deputies and Health Dept. officials made their way inside and attempted to disperse the crowd ... saying they were in violation of Gov. Cuomo's new 10-person-or-less rule for public gatherings.

What happened next is nothing short of shocking ... the crowd actually stood their ground and demanded the cops and county workers beat it -- which they did.

They were chased off in dramatic fashion, with the angry mob chanting "Get out!" and "We will not comply!" as they followed the Sheriff's deputies and others out into the parking lot and all the way back to their vehicles ... like dogs with their tail between their legs. It's cringe-worthy to see -- the cops pretty much folded.

An American Airlines flight encountered one of the most terrifying things a plane could go through mid-flight -- one of its windows started looking like a spider web ... and it happened in the cockpit, no less.

Check out these wild photos TMZ obtained of an AA flight that was on its way to Cleveland, OH Saturday ... something apparently struck the cockpit's windshield and damn near shattered it to pieces.

BTW, this happened midway through the trip ... the plane was forced to turn around for an emergency landing in Chicago.

The passengers didn't know anything was amiss, until the captain got on the intercom and said it looks like they hit something and the window was cracked. The pilot reassured passengers the plane was still fully operational ... nonetheless, it was really scary.

The jet was greeted by fire trucks and other emergency vehicles. It taxied to the gate and the relieved passengers disembarked.

After an hour's wait, passengers boarded another plane and were off on their merry way. American tells us they're looking into the incident.

Hopefully, Sully was on standby ... just in case.

Jeremih is gonna be alright -- at least that's what his family is signaling after revealing he's out of the ICU and on his way to recovering after coming down with COVID-19.

The R&B singer's family tells TMZ ... Jeremih has been transferred out of the ICU he was being treated at last week and is now going to spend the rest of his recovery in a regular hospital setting, where the "true healing" is set to begin.

We're also told the fam thanks everyone for their thoughts and prayers during this health scare -- there was no shortage of people sending good vibes his way ... including a ton of artists he's collaborated with over the years, like 50 Cent and others.

The update is fantastic news, as it appeared Jeremih's health was going downhill and fast last weekend, when we learned he was on a ventilator after having been admitted for intensive care. The prognosis sounded quite grim, but now ... it's almost like a 180.

It's unclear if Jeremih still has the virus -- or how long he's even had it ... but the fact he's being treated normally now seems to mean the guy will be okay after all.

Anyone looking to get schooled in sarcasm, irony or satire ... check out Brian Williams going full Jonathan Swift on President Trump's COVID response, and Geraldo's praise for the Prez.

The MSNBC anchor ended his broadcast Friday night by mocking Geraldo Rivera over-praising Trump's handling of the virus on 'FOX & Friends' ... which Brian then proceeded to piggy-back on and take it to a whole new level of ass-kissing.

If you take BW at his word here, it sounds like he's completely on Trump's side -- but, as his remarks go on ... it becomes clear he's doing nothing but making fun of the Prez, because everything he's saying isn't true. Watch for yourself, it's a riot.

Brian says it's possible we aren't giving Trump enough credit for his FDR-like commitment to eradicating the virus and the relief efforts he's fast-tracked to help people struggling. He also asks where would we be without Trump's constant lecturing to the American people that masks are crucial and must be worn.

Then comes the full farce ... Brian goes on to compare what Trump Steaks did for the hungry, what Trump Water did the for thirsty, and what Trump University did for the uneducated -- comparing all that to what Trump did here with 'rona.

The Wet Bandits are once again being chased off a property by young Kevin McCallister this holiday season ... because somebody went to extreme lengths to bring 'Home Alone' to life at their own crib ... almost quite literally.

The house in question is decked out in perhaps the most EPIC Christmas decoration set-up ever ... with this home-owner going above and beyond to recreate some of the most iconic scenes and snapshot moments from Macaulay Culkin's 1990 comedy classic.

They even have life-size figurines of the three main characters -- little Kevin's up on the roof with his memorable paint can booby trap ... while Marv and Harry try to make a run for it from the porch below. Not exactly how things played out in the flick, but close enough.

If you'll recall, Kevin actually throws the paint cans from inside the huge Chicago-based McCallister mansion, tossing 'em over the stair banister and hitting each crook in the head to send them toppling back down to the first story.

There's more décor from the movie all over the house -- including the Michael Jordan cardboard cutout that Kevin used to make the bandits think someone was home ... plus the front page of the newspaper showing that Marv and Harry had escaped from prison. Whoever shot this also had the good sense to throw Brenda Lee's 'Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree' as the background music ... a prominent song featured in 'Home Alone.'

Oh, and who could forget the classic line from the fake noir film Kevin used to scare people -- like an unwitting pizza boy -- as well ... 'Angels with Filthy Souls,' which had the best tagline ever?!? That makes a cameo here too, in spirit (and signage).

Accused killer Kyle Rittenhouse got some help from a few famous people this week, and as a result, he's free on bail.

Ricky Schroder made a "significant contribution" which led to Rittenhouse posting $2 million cash bail ... this according to Rittenhouse's famed lawyer, Lin Wood. We're told Schroder contributed $150,000 to the bail fund.

Wood posted a photo of his client and Schroder, saying, "Thank you, All Donors. Thank you, All Patriots. Thank God Almighty."

In addition to Schroder, MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell also donated and attorney Wood thanked both Schroder and Lindell for "putting us over the top." We're told Lindell donated $50,000.

Lukas Gage just wanted to audition for a part in a new project, but he had to deal with a rude director who talked crap on his apartment in a Zoom fail.

The video is equal parts awkward and, well, humorous ... the director thinks he's on mute as he starts picking apart Lukas' surroundings.

Thing is ... Lukas heard it all, and squarely calls out the director. But, the dude is super clever ... rather than getting angry, Lukas gets on board with the director, saying he could afford a better place if he gets the gig.

Lukas has appeared in big shows like "Euphoria," but like lots of folks these days he needs a job to pay the bills.

BTW, it's not even Lukas's apartment ... he's in a hotel on location in Hawaii for another gig.

It's not exactly following President Trump's musings about drinking bleach, but it's in the ballpark ... 7 people are dead after drinking hand sanitizer ... because they ran out of booze.

It happened in Russia, where 9 people were apparently partying, and when the alcohol ran dry, they pulled out an antidote for coronavirus. But, these folks weren't interested in cleaning their hands ... they wanted a swig or 2.

The victims ranged in age from 28 to 69. Two more victims are in the ICU, in a coma.

The Russian government warned its citizens not to drink the sanitizer, which is manufactured inside the country.

Donald Trump Jr. is occupying his time with 2 things while he nurses his coronavirus -- Netflix and guns.

The President's son tested positive for COVID and is self-quarantining at his upstate NY cabin. He acknowledged Friday night, "Apparently I got the 'rona." He didn't seem convinced, adding, "Maybe it's a false positive, maybe not." He wants more tests.

As for how he's passing the time, he says he's looking for Netflix and e-book tips. He also is busy with his weapons, saying, "There are only so many guns I can clean before I get bored."

Trump Jr. says he's "totally asymptomatic" but would still follow protocols -- presumably, self-isolation.

He came at his online critics with this ... "I don't have the red eyes like they claimed I had for apparently using cocaine prior to my RNC speech," but then adding, "That is the world of the Internet. God knows I troll, and do my fair share of it, so I guess it comes back to me, in time, as well. That's the game.'"

Trump Jr. has shunned masks like his dad. As everyone knows, the President, First Lady, son Barron, have all tested positive, along with Trump Jr.'s GF, Kimberly Guilfoyle.

Jeezy's had enough of his culture being linked to guns, feuds, violence and death -- and he says his highly-viewed Verzuz episode was a chance to address those issues.

The rapper told us what the real takeaway should be from Thursday night's showdown with Gucci Mane ... which set a Verzuz record with nearly 2 million viewers. Jeezy tells us more than anything ... the unprecedented event presented an opportunity to reflect on what's been going on in Black culture.

Sadly, some of what's been going on has been shooting deaths of young artists, like King Von, Mo3, Pop Smoke and so many more ... not to mention Nipsey Hussle's murder last year.

Jeezy says THIS is the issue his people should be focusing on, and it's so much bigger and more important than his beef with Gucci. However, he's happy their battle allowed them to set an example.

As we reported ... this led to a peaceful resolution between Jeezy and Gucci over a 15-year beef sparked by the killing of Jeezy's friend Pookie Loc. It's pretty clear ... Jeezy wants what happened Thursday night to become the norm for young people -- in and out of the music industry.

Jeezy says the messaging on his new album, "The Recession 2," goes hand in hand with his powerful speech during Verzuz -- evolving and getting better.

He also hopes his album helps remind everyone what people have been fighting for in recent months following the killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and others.

There's also a more literal meaning to the album's title, and Jeezy talked to Big Boy about how business partners taught him what a recession is ... and why he was inspired to share that knowledge with his fans.

Forget fancy dinners with escargot ... there's a ton of free chicken nuggets waiting to be scarfed down by Charli and Dixie D'Amelio!!!

Here's the deal ... the TikTok stars almost got canceled after a million followers jumped ship following a family dinner that saw the sisters being bratty about the menu, specifically the snails. So, now they're getting what they really want ... dino nuggets!!!

The fine folks behind Charli and Dixie's preferred grub, Yummy Dino Buddies, tell TMZ ... they've seen the infamous clip of Dixie throwing up her escargot and Charli asking for dino nuggets instead, so they're hooking up the girls with coupons for the dinosaur-shaped nuggets!!!

The free nuggets are nice, but that's not all Charli and Dixie have coming -- we're told they're also getting Yummy Dino Buddies swag.

See kids ... if you complain about your private chef's food and act like a brat at the dinner table for the whole world to see, you get free stuff!!!

When Will Smith and Janet Hubert, the OG Aunt Viv, squashed their beef on the "Fresh Prince" reunion ... it showed exactly how far they've evolved as individuals.

That's the deep analytical response from Daphne Maxwell Reid, who played v.2 Aunt Viv, and she tells TMZ ... her heart all but melted when Will and Janet buried the hatchet after not talking for nearly 27 years. Will and Janet came face-to-face during the "Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" reunion that aired earlier this week ... and finally talked it all out.

Daphne clearly couldn't be more proud of Will, whom she says showed growth of spirit to essentially tell Janet ... he didn't know any better. Daphne, who had never met Janet until the reunion, commended Janet for apologizing and admitting she trash-talked him for years.

Remember ... Janet, who played Aunt Viv for the first 3 seasons of the hit sitcom, was open about her hatred toward Will and blamed him for getting fired. She said back in 2011 "there will never be a reunion ... as I will never do anything with an a**hole like Will Smith." Ouch.