Viral Sign Language Interpreter Celebs Propel Huge Career Boost ... After Gig With D.C. Mayor

The sign language interpreter who went viral for his good looks is finding work easier to come by now ... thanks to celebs like Halle Berry.

Billy Sanders, now affectionately known as #ASLbae after signing for Mayor Muriel Bowser during the riots, tells TMZ ... he's getting tons of job requests -- double his normal workload -- with inquiries pouring in from all over the country and even overseas.

Billy says he's tickled by all the attention he's getting from Halle and a bunch of popular TikTokers ... and he hopes the spotlight shining on him encourages more minorities to pursue careers as ASL interpreters.

Before his newfound fame, Billy was already pretty popular on the music scene ... working concerts with go-go bands and Kirk Franklin before the pandemic. Now he's getting hit up by hospitals, urgent care centers, non-profits, major conferences and even mental health facilities .. all of whom want a piece of Billy!

While Billy's physical appearance is behind his viral fame, he says his job is more than just looking good on camera ... and he wants to help young, Black men major in ASL in college.

Celebrity 2021 Hot Shots New Year, Same Sexy Shots!

It's a new year, but not everything needs to change! These sexy stars are kickin' off 2021 in the best way they know how ... and that's with their always amazing hot shots!

From sexy stars on vacay to poolside pics and much more, there are plenty of stars heating things up this year!

Celebs such as Stassie Karanikolaou, Jennifer Lopez, and Salma Hayek are just a few of the stars to name that are starting it off just right.

Take a look through our gallery of celebrity 2021 hotshots to see all the other famous faces that are ringing in the new year with their best pics!

Something to celebrate!

'Jeopardy!' Alex Trebek's Final Sign Off ... 'See You Again Next Week'

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ONE FINAL GOODBYE
Jeopardy!
UPDATE

5:52 PM PT -- In a heartbreaking final moment of Alex on "Jeopardy!" ... Trebek thanks viewers for watching and says he'll see them again next week. Sadly, Alex ended up dying 10 days later without filming another episode.

This one hits hard -- "Jeopardy!" paid its final respects to Alex Trebek with the airing of the last episode the legendary host taped.

The show aired a 90-second video tribute thanking the late host for his 37 seasons of service to the show before he passed away in November. The video showed Alex's highlights throughout the decades and it was set to Peter Allen’s “Once Before I Go.”

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REMEMBERING ALEX TREBEK
Jeopardy!

The final message at the end ... "Dedicated to Alex Trebek. Forever in our hearts. Always our inspiration." This week was the last week of Alex's slate of new episodes, which he shot back in October.

When the show starts airing again on Monday ... there will be a slate of guest hosts, with Ken Jennings up to bat first. In the meantime, the show's searching for a permanent replacement.

Alex, who had been hosting "Jeopardy!" since 1984, died in November after a long battle with stage 4 pancreatic cancer. He was 80, and is already so missed.

Originally Published -- 1/8 4:43 PT

Capitol Insurrection FBI Investigating Inside Job ... Capitol PD, Building Staff Under the Microscope

The FBI has reasons to believe the mob of Trump supporters who stormed the Capitol not only premeditated the assault, but might have been aided by police and staffers in the building ... TMZ has learned.

High ranking sources inside the Capitol Police Dept. tell TMZ the FBI is looking at several facts that stink of an inside job. For starters, the Bureau is puzzled by the ease with which the mob found its way to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's office.

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WALK THIS WAY
Shaun King / Twitter

It's not off any main hallway or next to other Congressional offices ... in fact, the path to get to the entrance is maze-like and not open to the public like other parts of the Capitol. The rioters who took it over -- vandalizing it and stealing a laptop -- got there within 10 minutes of entering the Capitol.

We're told the FBI feels someone must have provided a roadmap for them to find it that quickly. Remember, the Capitol has been closed to the public since March due to the pandemic so it's not like these guys could have been casing it to plot their path.

As for suspects -- we're told the FBI is looking at Capitol Police officers and many other Capitol staffers, such as engineers, plumbers and janitors.

We're told another image raising eyebrows at the Bureau are those videos of a few police officers opening gates and removing barricades to give the hoard easy access to the Capitol.

Our sources say some officers could be charged with cowardice -- legally defined as failure to take proper police action. Additionally, we're told the rioters -- and anyone who aided them -- could also be charged for threats and menacing against Congress ... because the House and Senate were in session when the mob breached the building.

We're told the feds are also extremely motivated to find the people responsible for attacking Capitol PD officer Brian Sicknick ... who later died from his injuries.

We're told the FBI and the National Security Agency are using cell phone tower data, and state-of-the-art digital imaging systems to help ID people who were in the Capitol during the insurrection -- that includes rioters, Capitol staffers.

The FBI particularly wants to know if any off-duty Capitol Police officers were in the building, and if so, why.

President Trump No More Tweetin' ... Permanent Suspension!!!

President Trump no longer has to worry about character counts or typos in his tweets, because Twitter has deemed him too dangerous for its app ... and booted him PERMANENTLY.

Twitter made the call Friday to ban the outgoing Prez, after temporarily suspending him earlier this week following his comments about the Capitol riots he's accused of inciting.

According to Twitter ... it's now a permanent ban for Trump "due to the risk of further incitement of violence."

The decision comes after Facebook and Instagram also extended Trump's suspensions from one day to indefinite.

Twitter says ... "In the context of horrific events this week, we made it clear on  Wednesday that additional violations of the Twitter Rules would potentially result in this very course of action."

It then claimed 2 of Trump's tweets from Friday were the last straw in its decision to pull the plug on his account. The first tweet read ... "The 75,000,000 great American Patriots who voted for me, AMERICA FIRST, and MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN, will have a GIANT VOICE long into the future. They will not be disrespected or treated unfairly in any way, shape or form!!!"

This was followed up by Trump tweeting that he would not be attending the inauguration on Jan. 20.

So, Twitter came to this conclusion -- "Due to the ongoing tensions in the United States, and an uptick in the global conversation in regards to the people who violently stormed the Capitol on January 6, 2021, these two Tweets must be read in the context of broader events in the country and the ways in which the President’s statements can be mobilized by different audiences, including to incite violence, as well as in the context of the pattern of behavior from this account in recent weeks."

It should be noted ... Trump's personal Twitter account -- the one he uses regularly -- is the one that got suspended. His official POTUS account is still active ... for now.

Kyle Rittenhouse Feeling 'Free as F***' at Wisc. Bar ... Drinking a Beer

Kyle Rittenhouse -- the teenager charged with homicide in the Kenosha, WI killings -- seems to be flaunting the fact he's no longer in jail as he awaits trial ... based on his t-shirt anyway.

Rittenhouse -- who just turned 18 -- hit up a bar in Mt. Pleasant, WI earlier this week with his parents and enjoyed a beer ... according to our sources. As you can see ... he was sporting a shirt with the phrase, "Free as F***."

If you're wondering how he was allowed to drink alcohol, you're not alone ... but it's actually allowed per Wisconsin law if a person under 21 is with a parent, guardian or spouse of legal drinking age.

Nonetheless, it seems someone was concerned about Rittenhouse's presence in the bar, because the Mount Pleasant PD tells us they got a call about him being there. We're told the caller believed it may have been a violation of his bond agreement.

Cops say they looked into it and learned Rittenhouse was at Pudgy's Pub on Tuesday afternoon with a parent, and relayed the info to the Kenosha County DA's Office. We're told an investigation determined he had not violated his agreement.

As we reported ... Rittenhouse was released from custody in late November on $2 million bail. The money was raised mostly by donors -- including actor Ricky Schroder -- who have lauded the teenager as a patriotic hero.

Rittenhouse is charged with killing 2 protesters and wounding a third during the civil unrest in Kenosha following the shooting of Jacob Blake. He was 17 at the time, and was captured on video shooting 2 of the 3 alleged victims ... then walking toward police, who did not even detain him.

SoHo 'Karen' Arrest Entire Incident Reflects Racial Injustice ... Say Alleged Victim's Parents, Ben Crump

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"THIS IS FOR EVERYONE"
TMZ.com

Miya Ponsetto's arrest for attempted robbery -- after attacking a 14-year-old boy and accusing him of stealing her phone -- isn't nearly enough, according to the child's parents ... who insist racism was involved in the incident.

Keyon Harrold Jr.'s mom and dad -- Kat and Keyon Sr. -- joined us on "TMZ Live," along with their attorney, Ben Crump, to address Ponsetto being taken into custody ... more than 2 weeks after her altercation with the teenager at a SoHo hotel.

But, the so-called SoHo Karen's arrest led to a much bigger discussion about ongoing examples of racial injustice in the country, which Crump says was also highlighted during the historic events in the Capitol this week.

As for the incident with Ponsetto and Harrold Jr. ... Keyon's parents say he's still in therapy to deal with the aftermath. His mom and dad are worried about PTSD, and Kat describes the trauma as something her son doesn't deserve ... same goes for countless people of color before him.

Kat goes on to lay blame on the SoHo hotel for its role in Ponsetto's attack on her son, claiming it enabled her to lay hands on him.

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ATTACKING A 14-YEAR-OLD
NYPD Detectives

As we reported ... Ponsetto has denied her attack of Harrold had anything to do with race -- instead, her lawyer says it was anxiety-induced -- and our law enforcement sources say she will not be charged for any sort of hate crime.

Instead, it's possible Ponsetto will be hit with a charge of attempted robbery of the teenager's phone, and as you know ... it's just one of the many legal issues she is dealing with right now.

Kim Kardashian It's Our Last Time Filming 'Keeping Up'

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THAT'S A WRAP

The last supper is here for "Keeping Up With The Kardashians" ... Kim Kardashian and her fam are about to sit down for lunch on the final day of filming.

Kim just posted video from the final day on the set of 'Keeping Up' ... showing the final time the reality show crew is setting up microphones for Kim, Khloe, Kourtney, Kendall, Kylie and Kris.

It looks and sounds bittersweet ... Kim tells her audio technician not to cry as the Kardashians get outfitted with mics for the final time after 14 long years.

Kim's also showing off the elaborate table set up for a final family meal ... the place settings for each family member are super cute, with personal emojis for everyone from Saint West to Scott Disick. Oh, and there's tons of flowers too.

As you know ... the Kardashians are pulling the plug on 'Keeping Up' this year after 20 seasons on E! ... and now they're heading over to Hulu.

Capitol Riots Alabama Man Arrested ... 11 Molotov Cocktails in Truck!!!

An Alabama man seemed to be gearing up for mass destruction and murder at the Capitol Building on Wednesday ... at least based on what cops say they discovered in his truck.

Lonnie Coffman has been arrested and charged with possession of destructive devices and carrying an unlicensed gun ... but that doesn't tell the half of it.

According to legal docs -- obtained by TMZ -- Coffman approached cops and told them he was trying to get to his vehicle -- a red pickup -- the same suspicious vehicle they had received calls about.

Cops say he asked them if they found the bombs, and upon searching his truck ... they found 11 mason jars containing an unknown liquid with a golf tee in the top of each jar, cloth rags and lighters. AKA -- Molotov cocktails.

They also discovered one M4 Carbine assault rifle with rifle magazines loaded with ammunition ... and a black handgun on the front passenger seat. Cops say he also had 2 guns in his pockets when he was detained.

According to the docs ... while questioning him, he told them the mason jars contained "melted Styrofoam and gasoline." ATF officers say this mixture has the effect of napalm.

Coffman's been arrested, and cops say -- based on security footage -- he was seen leaving the vehicle parked near the Capitol building on Wednesday morning.

As we've reported ... police have begun rounding up and arrested other rioters, including Richard Barnett -- the Arkansan man who was photographed with his foot up on Nancy Pelosi's desk.

SoHo 'Karen' Arrested Over Cell Phone Attack ... Charged With 4 Felonies

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ponsetto appears via zoom
TMZ.com
UPDATE

3:01 PM PT -- Prosecutors in New York are charging Miya with 4 felonies ... attempted robbery, endangering the welfare of a child, attempted grand larceny and attempted assault.

UPDATE

2:11 PM PT -- Miya has just made her first appearance in Ventura County court before a judge, via Zoom.

UPDATE

6:36 AM PT -- 1/8 -- Miya denied racially profiling Keyon Jr. in an interview with Gayle King hours before her arrest. The interview was so tense that at one point Miya essentially told Gayle to shut it.

UPDATE

Miya says she admits she could have approached the situation differently "and maybe not yelled at him like that and made him feel some sort of inferior way and making him feel as if I was like hurting his feelings."

UPDATE
UPDATE

She added, "I consider myself to be super sweet. I really never meant to hurt him or his father, either." But, when Gayle pressed Miya about the context of her actions, Miya responded, "How is one girl accusing a guy about a phone a crime? Where’s the context in that? What is the deeper story here?"

UPDATE

When Gayle intersected, Miya told Gayle, "Alright, Gayle. Enough."

UPDATE

7:54 PM PT -- Law enforcement sources tell us Miya went anything but peacefully. We're told officers attempted to pull her over 3 blocks from home, but she refused. Once in her driveway, officers had to physically pull Miya out of her car and in the process, she attempted to slam the door on a deputies leg, we're told she will likely face additional charges of resisting arrest.

UPDATE

Ponsetto is being held without bail as she'll be extradited to NYC.

SoHo 'Karen' Miya Ponsetto's wrongdoing on the other side of the country has finally caught up with her in Los Angeles ... she was just taken into custody.

Law enforcement sources tell us they arrested Ponsetto Thursday in a joint effort by the Ventura County Sheriff and NYPD. We're told she's expected to be charged with attempted robbery for falsely accusing and assaulting a 14-year-old black child.

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ATTACKING A 14-YEAR-OLD
NYPD Detectives

As we reported, officers from the NYPD were looking for Ponsetto after video surfaced showing the 22-year-old attacking a 14-year-old who she had accused of stealing her cell phone at the Arlo SoHo hotel in NYC. She tried to take the boy's personal phone during the attack, ridiculously believing it must be hers.

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HOTEL RAMPAGE
@keyonharrold / Instagram

Ponsetto left to California shortly after the December 26 incident, laying low with her mom, but was spotted outside a McDonald's just last week.

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NO APOLOGIES
@LionsShareNews

Ponsetto has a history of run-ins with the law including 2 DUI busts in 2020 and getting arrested with her mom in February for allegedly being drunk in public at the Peninsula hotel in Bev Hills.

As for the 14-year-old who she attacked, Keyon Harrold Jr., his father tells us the family is seeking trauma therapy for their son.

Ponsetto's attorney, Sharen H. Ghatan, tells us the attack wasn't racially motivated, but instead a result of an anxiety attack. As for her phone ... that was later found in an Uber and returned to her.

Ghatan says she was unaware of Ponsetto's arrest, but says, "Miya has not grasped the severity of her circumstances. She is expressly disregarding advice and has gone rogue."

Ghatan continues, "I had an in-person meeting with Miya today, and after seeing her in person, I was able to determine she is simply unwell. She is emotionally and mentally fragile. I was forced to cancel national interviews due to my concern of her wellbeing and lack of understanding of the process. I am here to guide her as legal counsel - but if she is unwilling to take my advice, there is not much more I can do."

Originally Published -- 1/7 6:59 PM PT

Sen. Lindsey Graham Verbal Attack from Trumpers ... Repeatedly Called 'Traitor' & 'Piece of S***'

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ENEMY NUMBER ONE
@iheartmindy / Twitter

Lindsey Graham belatedly tried distancing himself from Donald Trump Wednesday night after the insurrection, and a group of hecklers just gave Graham even more distance between him and Trump.

The South Carolina Senator was trying to fly out of Reagan National Airport in D.C. Friday morn when he encountered a pack of fervid Trumpers pissed off at him for publicly breaking with the Prez.

As Graham's being escorted by security, he's repeatedly called "traitor" by the angry Trump supporters ... with one woman chanting "Audit our vote!"

Graham continues to get hit with a barrage of insults until he makes it to an exit, and the mob makes it clear ... he's on their s*** list.

010621_trump_supporters_chant_kal 1/5/21
GOIN' AFTER MITT

As we reported ... Mitt Romney also got the mob treatment from Trump supporters earlier this week on a flight to D.C. The Utah Senator is one of Trump's most vocal Republican critics.

There's a big difference between these 2 Senators on Trump's enemy's list. Mitt broke with Trump long ago. Lindsay's break is 2 days old, so he's kind of a man without a country because now both sides are pissed off at him.

Nancy Pelosi Rioter Arrested for Taking Over Pelosi's Office

Feds have arrested the guy they believe is the Capitol rioter who was photographed sitting at Nancy Pelosi's desk during the failed coup ... TMZ has confirmed.

Federal law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... feds arrested Richard Barnett in Arkansas and charged him with entering and remaining on restricting grounds, violent entry and theft of public property. Barnett is believed to be the guy who was photographed inside the House Speaker's office ... with his feet kicked up. He also seems to be the guy taking a selfie with Pelosi's mail and also left a note that read, "We will not back down."

After getting into Pelosi's office ... Barnett reportedly told a New York Times reporter, "I wrote her a nasty note, put my feet up on her desk and scratched my balls."

As we reported ... the FBI asked for the public's help to help them find the insurrectionists involved during Wednesday's deadly attack. The FBI asked for "tips and digital media depicting rioting and violence in the U.S. Capitol Building and surrounding area."

Barnett's allegedly one of just hundreds of President Trump supporters who breached security and stormed the Capitol ... triggering panic in the Senate and House Chambers before order was finally restored.

Pelosi's laptop was apparently taken from her office. No word on whether classified documents were on the computer. Likewise, the laptop and iPad of Rep Jim Clyburn's were also stolen.

When the dust finally settled ... 5 people died, including a U.S. Capitol Police Officer who reportedly died after a rioter threw a fire extinguisher at his head.

President Trump I'm Not Going to Biden's Inauguration Biden Says, Good Move!!!

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HE'S NOT INVITED ANYWAY
C-SPAN
UPDATE

12:18 PM PT -- Biden just addressed Trump's announcement about his plans to not show up to the Inauguration and the President-Elect's totally cool with it. In fact ... Biden says Trump's decision is "one of the few things him and I have ever agreed on."

UPDATE

BTW, as far as VP Mike Pence goes, Biden says the Veep's invited to the Inauguration. Pence had reportedly said he would attend the Inauguration, provided Biden extended an invitation. Boom, invitation granted.

It comes as no surprise after his actions this week, but President Trump is finally saying what we've suspected -- he will not attend the Inauguration of Joe Biden.

It's the first time since Andrew Johnson an outgoing U.S. President will not be attending the inauguration of the President-elect. Trump tweeted, "To all those who have asked, I will not be going to the Inauguration."

Of course, there's still a slim chance he won't even be POTUS by that time, as some members of Congress met after the Capitol riots about invoking the 25th amendment to remove him from office ... and there are impeachment talks again too.

This after Trump was accused of inciting the storming of the Capitol, and his initial failure to condemn the rioters ... instead choosing to say he loved the insurrectionists and calling them special.

If Trump sticks with his plan ... he'll join John Adams, John Quincy Adams, and Andrew Johnson as the only presidents to refuse to accompany the incoming Prez.

Vice President Mike Pence is expected to attend Biden's inauguration.

Originally Published -- 8:27 AM PT

Activist Bakari Sellers Capitol Rioters Rep Real America ... Gotta Face it Before it Changes

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THIS IS OUR REALITY
TMZ.com

CNN's Bakari Sellers says America needs to look in the mirror after rioters waving Confederate flags ran through the halls of Congress because it says a lot about our country.

Bakari joined us on "TMZ Live" Friday and discussed one of the lasting images from Wednesday's attempted coup ... insurrectionists storming the Capitol waving Confederate flags and Trump flags.

It's a sight we haven't seen in 200 years -- a foreign flag paraded inside the Capitol -- and Bakari suggests the size of the mob that pulled it off proves this IS America ... or at least a painfully large part of it.

While President-elect Joe Biden says the chaos at the Capitol "does not represent who we are," Bakari thinks Biden and the rest of America have to admit it is so the country can move forward and find a way to coexist.

Bakari says the attempted coup will be the capstone of Donald Trump's legacy ... and he tells us why he thinks Trump and his most fervent supporters won't go away anytime soon.

Tommy Lasorda Dodgers Legend Dead At 93

Tommy Lasorda -- a Dodgers legend and arguably the most famous manager in MLB history -- has died, TMZ Sports has confirmed.

He was 93 years old.

The Dodgers released a statement Friday morning ... saying Lasorda suffered a sudden cardiac arrest at his California home and was transported to the hospital with resuscitation in progress.

He was pronounced dead at 10:57 PM Thursday night.

As we previously reported, Lasorda was admitted to a Southern California hospital back in mid-November in "serious condition" ... and required sedation. He was also put on a ventilator.

But, Tommy's condition improved over the past few weeks ... and just a few days ago, he returned home.

Though, tragically, Lasorda passed on Thursday.

"Words can not express my feelings," legendary manager Bobby Valentine said on Twitter. "A friend and mentor for 52 years is no longer with us. Tommy no one will ever fill the void you left. Thank you for everything. R.I.P."

Lasorda was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1997. He led L.A. to World Series titles in 1981 and 1988.

Lasorda also won Manager of the Year twice in 1983 and 1988.

"In a franchise that has celebrated such great legends of the game, no one who wore the uniform embodied the Dodger spirit as much as Tommy Lasorda," Dodgers president Stan Kasten said.

"A tireless spokesman for baseball, his dedication to the sport and the team he loved was unmatched."

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CATCHING UP WITH TOMMY
TMZSports.com

Kasten continued, "The Dodgers and their fans will miss him terribly. Tommy is quite simply irreplaceable and unforgettable."

Lasorda wasn't only a big deal on the baseball field ... he became an incredibly popular pitch man in the 90's -- starring in commercials for brands like Slim Fast.

RIP.

U.S. Capitol Riots Bloodied Cop Screams for Help As He's Crushed by Mob

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CRUSHED BY INSURRECTIONISTS
Storyful

Here's an up-close and graphic view of the kind of violence police were facing as the mob stormed the Capitol -- an injured officer screaming for help as the rioters crushed him between a riot shield and a door.

The intense video captures the moment insurrectionists tried to bully their way inside the halls of Congress, clashing with the Capitol Police Department and leaving one officer on the front lines fighting for his life.

The cop was bleeding from his mouth as he was pinned against a door guarding the entrance to the west side of the Capitol. You could hear the mob yelling "heave ho" as they attempted to push through the police line -- and officers were swinging batons and deploying pepper spray to keep them back.

The cops here put up a valiant effort ... but with the mob seemingly pouring in from all angles, other entrances were breached.