Ramona Singer Worried Eboni Will Label Her Racist ... Uneasy About 'RHONY' Reunion

Ramona Singer's apprehensive about the 'Real Housewives of NYC' reunion taping, because she believes Eboni K. Williams is going to try to make her look racist ... TMZ has learned.

Sources close to production tell us ... Ramona recently went to 'RHONY' producers to express her concerns about potential racial talks during the reunion -- specifically, that Eboni might attack her and frame her as a bigot.

We're told Ramona attempted to negotiate terms in order to avoid topics such as race during the Bravo special, but producers shot that down and said they'd never agree to that.

Our sources say Ramona accepts that, and has no plans to dodge the reunion -- she just wanted producers to know how she feels.

Of course, there's been a lot of drama surrounding the reunion already ... as it was scheduled to film in early August, but got bumped to September. Fans are speculating it's either due to low ratings or strife among the cast, but we're told it's simply due to "scheduling conflicts."

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WATCH YOUR MOUTH
Bravo

We broke the story ... Eboni fired back at those blaming the ratings slide on her race convos, saying it's on producers to decide what makes the final cut.

Eboni also appeared to throw shade toward her fellow housewives Thursday, when she posted a photo of her and Crystal Kung Minkoff -- the first Asian-American housewife on 'RHOBH' -- and wrote, "These deranged bigots are just mad AF that their days of dominance are coming to an end."

She included the hashtag #TimesUpOnWhiteSupremacy too, but didn't call out anyone by name.

Ramona's reps declined to comment, and reps for Eboni haven’t gotten back to us.

Stars and Scars You Be the Judge

Britney Spears has the attorney she wanted, and J Lo and Ben are doing some 8-figure house hunting -- but COVID's making a comeback in some places. So, we gotta ask ...

Britney's Conservatorship In One Year ...

J Lo & Ben's Reunion ...

Bennifer 2.0 Will Get ...

Chrissy Teigen In 'Cancel Club' ...

Mac & Cheese Ice Cream Craze ...

Lamar Wants Back With Khloe ...

Bezos' Blue Origin Launch ...

New COVID Mask Mandates ...

Deontay Wilder's Fiancee Calls BS On Tyson Fury's COVID ... 'He's Buying Time!!!'

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BELIEVE IT WHEN I SEE IT
TMZSports.com

Deontay Wilder's fiancée, Telli Swift, is calling Tyson Fury's COVID diagnosis straight up BS ... telling TMZ Sports the boxer's tryna buy time -- 'cause he ain't ready to go toe-to-toe with her man, the Bronze Bomber!

The Fury-Wilder trilogy fight was set for July 24 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas -- after Wilder actually went to court to compel Fury to take the 3rd fight.

But, the bout was postponed ... due to Fury recently testing positive for COVID-19.

We spoke with Swift at an event for her non-profit, Boxing WAGS Association, in El Segundo ... and we asked for her and Deontay's take on Fury's illness -- and Telli didn't hold back."

"You've trained so hard, blood, sweat, and tears and then for someone to have COVID and Deontay’s fight with torn biceps, broken fingers, burns on his arms, and he still fought," Swift says.

"So, I just feel like with COVID and you have sixteen days until the fight, he should still be able to fight and make it happen."

In fact, Swift thinks the 32-year-old heavyweight champ is tryna use COVID as a way to dodge Wilder ... saying it's just an excuse to give him some time.

"I don’t think that he’s ready. I think he’s buying time, and I just feel like he feels Deontay is at the best looking-wise."

Of course, Wilder and Fury fought to a draw in 2018 ... and Deontay lost the 2nd fight in 2020 via TKO.

Swift added, "Personally, I don’t believe anything that he says. So, I don’t believe anything that he says, and that’s that."

And, you can forget about Wilder boxing anyone else during the wait, Swift -- who got engaged to Wilder in 2018 -- tells us he's only focused on Fury.

"Deontay’s mind ... he eats, sleeps, lives Tyson Fury. So, he’s ready for Tyson!"

Fight goes down October 9 -- and if you thought the giant heavyweights had beef before ...

Biz Markie Dead at 57

Rapper Biz Markie -- most famous for his iconic hit "Just a Friend" -- has died after a series of complications from diabetes that he's been fighting for more than a year ... TMZ has confirmed.

A family source tells us Biz passed away in a Baltimore hospital at 6:25 PM Friday night. We're told his wife, Tara Hall, held his hand as he took his last breath ... and the nursing staff was there to support his family, telling them how strong he was through his fight.

A rep for Biz tells us, "We are grateful for the many calls and prayers of support that we have received during this difficult time. Biz created a legacy of artistry that will forever be celebrated by his industry peers and his beloved fans whose lives he was able to touch through music, spanning over 35 years. He leaves behind a wife, many family members and close friends who will miss his vibrant personality, constant jokes and frequent banter."

TMZ broke the story, Biz was hospitalized last summer for an ailment his rep told us was related to his Type II Diabetes. At the time, the rep said, "He is receiving the best care from an amazing team of medical professionals and we remain positive about the outcome."

However, his condition remained somewhat of a mystery until April when Big Daddy Kane made an appearance on The Breakfast Club, telling the show's hosts Biz was doing better, and in a physical rehab facility.

Throughout his hospital stay, rumors swirled Biz was in a coma, but our source says that was never the case.

Born in Harlem, Biz first made a name for himself, nationally and internationally, in 1989 when his single "Just a Friend" became a Top 40 hit in multiple countries and went platinum.

The rapper's career took off after that ... he acted, did comedy, DJ'd and produced music.

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lemme tell you 'bout our situation
TMZ.com

The last time we got Biz was at Reagan National Airport in DC where he joked about the unique way he paid off a debt to 50 Cent.

Biz was just 57 years old.

RIP

What's The Big Frigin' Difference?

Don't let these two almost identical images of Thomas Doherty have you feeling confused! Take a ride through these mysterious photos and try to see if you can figure out what sneaky switches have been made to try and trick you!

The actor was seen out and about during a bike ride through New York City earlier this week ... and we have made a few changes to the original photo! Use your detective skills and take one more good look around the photo as you try to find the differences between the two super similar snaps.

**HINT -- There are THREE differences in the above photographs!**

Soulja Boy Accuser Gets 3 Yr Restraining Order ... Sexual Assault Civil Suit Ongoing

Soulja Boy has agreed to stay the hell away from a woman accusing him of sexual assault and battery ... according to new legal docs obtained by TMZ.

The woman filed for a restraining order in L.A. court back in January ... and the rapper agreed to a 3-year domestic violence restraining order, which will expire on July 16, 2024.

Neither party appeared at the restraining order hearing. They were instead repped by their attorneys. The woman who wants Soulja to stay away from her is the same woman who sued Soulja back in January claiming he hired her to be his personal assistant, then raped and assaulted her for nearly 2 years.

As we first reported ... Soulja -- who went up against Bow Wow in last month's "Verzuz" battle -- is alleged to have started abusing her shortly after he hired her in December 2018. She claimed it started with him sending unsolicited nudes before evolving into a romantic relationship that went south when he got violent.

He allegedly pushed her out of a car, and forced her to walk 5 miles. She also claims Soulja sexually assaulted her, and "expressed remorse" by paying her $1,000.

He vehemently denies the allegations, but her lawsuit is still pending.

Stars With Good Spirits ... Refreshing!

It looks like happy hour in Hollywood is a 24 hour a day affair!

Stars like Kendall Jenner, Vanessa Hudgens, Bella Hadid, Nicole Williams English and plenty of others have been laying out with a drink by their side!

Whether it's a margarita, Aperol spritz or even the ever-illusive piña colada ... these bikini babes know how to have a good time with a drink in their hand!

Jordyn Woods, Larsa Pippen, Francesca Farago, and Sailor Brinkley-Cook are just a few other celebs to name that have been getting their drink on!

You don't have to be 21+ to take a look at all the other sexy stars that have been mixing things up by scrolling through our gallery of bikini babes sippin' on cocktails!

Cheers!

Grimes Elon's GF Will Be an 'Alter Ego' Judge ... First Avatar Singing Competition Series!!!

Musical heavy-hitters Alanis Morissette and will.i.am are teaming with Grimes and FOX to reinvent the singing competition show ... as they all serve as judges on "Alter Ego."

Elon Musk's GF is making a rare TV appearance for the new series, which will have aspiring singers trying to wow the judges -- like most singing shows, but this one's got a twist. They won't perform as themselves ... but as their dream avatars.

The idea is "Alter Ego" will give singers a chance to show how they've always wanted audiences to see them ... with the help of motion capture technology.

98 Degrees singer Nick Lachey will also be on the judges' pane, and Rocsi Diaz is set to host.

If the premise sounds a little out there, well ... that's what folks thought about "The Masked Singer" too. For that matter, the same has been said about Grimes and Elon ... but they don't seem to mind.

"Alter Ego" premieres this fall on FOX.

Damon Dash JAY-Z Won't Let Me Sell ROC-A-FELLA Stake!!! Judge Sides with Jay

Damon Dash just took another L in court at the hands of Roc-A-Fella and Jay-Z ... but their legal war's far from over, and they could be duking it out again soon.

A federal judge just shot down Dash's bid to get a temporary restraining order which would have blocked Friday's meeting of the record label's shareholders -- a meeting where Dash claimed Jay would try to pass bylaws restricting Dame's ability to sell his stake in RAF.

According to legal docs, obtained by TMZ, Dash says he's trying to sell his 1/3 interest in Roc-A-Fella, but claims Jay's trying to do anything he can to block him.

Dash claims he recently learned of a Friday afternoon meeting between Jay and the third RAF founder, Kareem Burke, and he raced to court to get a judge to stop it.

But, the judge denied DD ... and instead, told him he could sue later if he takes issue with whatever comes out of Friday's meeting.

It's another legal setback for Dash ... as we previously reported, a court temporarily blocked Damon's attempt to sell Jay-Z's debut album, "Reasonable Doubt," as an NFT.

Richard Sherman Hit With 5 Criminal Charges ... NFL Star 'Deeply Remorseful'

UPDATE

2:16 PM PT -- Sherman just showed up to court and, with his attorney, pled not guilty to all the charges.

UPDATE

What's interesting, Sherman entered and exited the courtroom while holding hands with his wife -- the same woman who made 911 calls to cops on Wednesday morning begging them to get the NFL star under control.

UPDATE
UPDATE

Sherman wore a grey suit with a black shirt and no tie, while also wearing a black COVID mask.

UPDATE

He appeared to be in fairly decent spirits given the circumstances ... and had a cordial talk with the prosecutor in the courtroom before the hearing began, telling her he's feeling "all right."

UPDATE

Sherman is expected back in court for another hearing in the case next month.

UPDATE

11:35 AM PT -- Sherman is finally opening up about the incident, saying he is "deeply remorseful" for his actions.

UPDATE

"I behaved in a manner I am not proud of," the NFL star said Friday. "I have been dealing with some personal challenges over the last several months, but that is not an excuse for how I acted."

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"The importance of mental and emotional health is extremely real and I vow to get the help I need. I appreciate all of the people who have reached out in support of me and my family, including our community here in Seattle."

UPDATE

Sherman added, "I am grateful to have such an amazing wife, family and support system to lean on during this time."

Prosecutors have just hit Richard Sherman with five charges -- including DUI and criminal trespass -- after he allegedly melted down at his in-laws' home on Wednesday morning.

Officials just made the announcement, explaining all five charges are misdemeanors.

They also said they expect Sherman to appear in court for an arraignment hearing later Friday and plead not guilty to the charges.

The five counts levied against Sherman are as follows, according to prosecutors:

-Driving While Under the Influence

-Reckless Endangerment of Roadway Workers

-Criminal Trespass in the Second Degree – domestic violence

-Resisting Arrest

-Malicious Mischief in the Third Degree - domestic violence

As we previously reported, Sherman is accused of driving drunk, crashing his car, and then exploding at his in-laws' home in Redmond, Wash. just after 12 a.m. on Wednesday.

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"COME THROUGH, B****!"

Police say Sherman tried to violently break into his wife's parents' house ... and after cops confronted him at the scene -- they say he became non-cooperative and began fighting them.

Cops say they were eventually able to take him down with the help of a police K9 ... and put him in jail, where Sherman ultimately spent close to 2 days.

The 33-year-old NFL star was eventually released without bail late Thursday afternoon.

Story developing ...

Originally Published -- 11:32 AM PT

Kanye West Still Hot & Heavy with Irina ... 'Cooling Off' Rumors Denied

Kanye West and Irina Shayk are very much in a relationship despite reports to the contrary, and rumors she turned down an overseas trip with him are nonsense ... TMZ has learned.

Sources close to the couple tell us they're still dating, just as they have been for months, and recently spent the Fourth of July weekend together in San Francisco -- and not in hiding either. We're told the couple dined out together at the fancy restaurant, Mourad.

Afterward, Kanye took off to Paris for the Balenciaga show during Fashion Week. Page Six reported he wanted Irina to go with him but she declined -- however, our sources say that's not true. We're told Ye hadn't invited her because it was a quick business trip, he flew in and out of Paris the same day.

The Irina-free trip sparked speculation their relationship was "cooling off" -- but we're told things are as hot as ever.

As we first told you ... the musician and supermodel have been together for months, though word of their relationship didn't break until after they hung out in France for his 44th birthday, and hopped on a private jet back to the States together.

It was the first visual evidence of Kanye or Kim Kardashian seeing other people since she filed for divorce back in February.

South African Surfer Suffers Horrific Injuries In Shark Attack ... Gruesome Photos

A South African man suffered horrific injuries after being viciously attacked by a shark while surfing along the country's coastline this week ... and the photos of his wounds are gruesome.

It happened on Wednesday in Jeffreys Bay ... when 40-year-old Jason Lammers had a terrifying encounter in the water with a shark.

Lammers' surfing buddy, Mark Krieger, tells TMZ Sports the scene was very scary ... saying when he pulled up to the surf spot, Lammers was out of the water and bleeding profusely in a nearby parking lot after being bit.

According to the National Sea & Rescue Institute, Lammers suffered wounds to his right leg and torso -- and in photos that Krieger took of the injuries, you can see it all looked pretty dire.

The pictures show Lammers had deep bite marks in his body -- and in one of the photos, you can see the shark even took a chunk out of Lammers' surfboard while trying to chomp on him.

There's good news, though ... Krieger says after Lammers was treated by the NSRI and transported to a nearby hospital -- he's somehow doing well!

In fact, Krieger tells us his pal is in such good spirits -- they made him a shark attack cake to celebrate the recovery!!!

Officials in the area, meanwhile, closed the beach following the attack ... and the NSRI warned surfers and swimmers to be cautious around the area going forward.

6-Year-Old Girl Dragged by School Bus in Scary Video ... Fired Driver Facing Civil Trial

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THE TERRIFYING INCIDENT
WAVE-TV LOUISVILLE

A terrifying video has surfaced showing the moment a 6-year-old girl in Kentucky was dragged by her school bus for 1,000 feet ... while the driver remained oblivious to what was going on.

The video of the incident -- which went down in 2015 -- is expected to be shown in Jefferson County Court as part of a civil suit against the driver, Melinda Sanders, and the school district. The video -- first obtained by WAVE-TV Louisville -- starts with the little girl exiting the bus ... but then things go horribly wrong when her backpack gets caught by the doors.

You can see the girl desperately trying to get the bus driver's attention ... but the driver takes off and doesn’t seem to check if the girl had properly exited the bus first.

In the video ... a student's seen standing next to the bus driver but the student doesn't notice the girl's little body being dragged. The bus even makes a left turn and you can hear cars honking at the bus.

The driver tells a student to sit down and THEN seems to finally notice the little girl's caught in every parent's worst nightmare. The bus driver was promptly fired after the incident.

As for the child ... she reportedly suffered severe nerve damage and PTSD and has needed multiple surgeries. The family's suing for unspecified damages.

Gigi Hadid Viral Post Provides Career Boost For Model Nanga Awasum

The New York City model who went viral for her chic outfit is finding work easier to come by now, thanks to her biggest fan ... Gigi Hadid.

Here's the deal ... Gigi was riding around NYC Thursday when she saw a woman crossing a street, and she snapped a pic and posted it on her Instagram story, saying the woman was her "inspiration of the day."

The woman in the photo is a model herself, Nanga Awasum, who tells TMZ ... Gigi's viral post is quickly helping her book new gigs, including a job with Maybelline and a brand ambassador partnership with Nasty Gal.

Nanga also tells us a pair of major modeling agencies reached out to try to sign her ... and folks on Twitter are petitioning to get her on "Gossip Girl," because she's tweeted about wanting to act on the show.

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STARSTRUCK

Nanga's viral moment was quite serendipitous ... she says she was leaving a Nike set when Gigi spotted her. Naturally, Nanga didn't even really like her outfit, and was self-conscious about the look.

She was actually shopping for something to change into when other customers came up to her and told her she was going viral on Gigi's IG story.

Nanga tells us Gigi is one of her favorite models, and she's been dishing out some industry advice since their chance meeting.

Gigi's approval means the world to Nanga ... as a Black model in NYC, she says she hears "no" all the time from folks in the industry, and to have one of the biggest models in the world shout her out makes her feel validated.

Fun fact: Nanga's sister, Azah Awasum, won't hear the big Gigi news for a while ... she's currently in the "Big Brother" house.

Caitlyn Jenner I'm Still Running for Governor!!! 'Big Brother' Was Prior Commitment

UPDATE

11:14 AM PT -- Sources close to production tell us ... Caitlyn will be in Australia for a total of 3 weeks -- 2 weeks quarantining per the country's COVID rules, and one week filming the show.

Caitlyn Jenner is between a rock and a hard place, but she's trying to make the most of it -- appearing on Australia's 'Big Brother' while still trying to become Governor of California.

Sources close to Caitlyn tell TMZ ... her trip Down Under to participate in "Big Brother VIP" will in no way stop her current campaign. Critics are ripping her decision to shoot the series, claiming it shows she's not focused.

We're told she made the commitment to do 'BB' before deciding to run for governor ... so she's simply honoring her contract.

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"RESTORING THE DREAM"

Meanwhile, some Aussie's are also not happy with Caitlyn flying to Sydney to take part in the reality show ... while the country's current COVID flight restrictions limit locals from traveling.

Many have expressed their outrage, feeling Caitlyn got special treatment to fly to the country while Aussies desperate to fly to visit loved ones aren't able to do so.

Jenner has reportedly begun her mandatory 14-day quarantine before filming begins for "Big Brother VIP." We've reached out to see how long she anticipates filming, and when she plans to return to the U.S. ... no word back yet.

Originally Published -- 9:38 AM PT

Chrissy Teigen Family's French Bulldog Pippa Dead ... She 'Died in My Arms'

Chrissy Teigen, John Legend and their entire family are mourning the loss of their beloved French bulldog.

Chrissy announced Pippa's passing Thursday night, saying her beloved little Pippa "just died in my arms, not long ago." She got sentimental in an emotional IG post ... remembering the day she picked her up from Florida and documented their trip home.

She said, "[Pippa] was a sassy broad - loved her pearl necklace and never took sh*t from ANY new dog we brought in. Our road dog with Sade, a tour dog for years. [W]e loved her so much. We love you sweet girl. I know you’re giving puddy hell up there. Thank you for giving us your whole life."

Puddy was Chrissy's 9-year-old English bulldog that died in 2018.

John also shared the devastating news ... posting a pic of Pippa "living her best life" because she's "on the road with her dad, wearing pearls." He called Pippa "smart, fancy" and a dog who "didn't take any sh*t."

Pippa was 10 years old.

Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media.

The family's sad news comes on the heels of Chrissy saying how much it sucks to be part of the "cancel club" following her cyberbullying scandal.

Chrissy added, "Going outside sucks and doesn’t feel right, being at home alone with my mind makes my depressed head race." Losing Pippa ain't gonna help.