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Barack Obama's attitude toward his mega birthday bash -- which still looks pretty mega at this point -- seems to pretty much be ... forrrrrreeeeeget about it.

The ex-Prez was seen playing a round of golf Saturday on Martha's Vineyard with pals, not too far from where he'll be holding his big shindig later tonight -- which is still expected to host scores of people ... this in spite of him claiming to have scaled it back.

The apparent contradiction to his announced plans doesn't seem to be bothering BO one bit, though -- 'cause the dude was all smiles on the links.

Check out these pics of 44 fore-ing it up in grey, and taking some big swings on the fairway -- he looks about as polished as ever ... even when he shanks one, which he didn't appear to do a whole lot of here. Looks like he was mindful of blisters, too ... wearing bandages on his gloveless hand.

These are the same good-time vibes we saw at last night's leadup to the party -- where a crap ton of people (upwards of 300, we're told) came out for a pre-game of sorts ... laughing it up at a house Barry seems to have rented for the festivities. This, in addition to the giant tent he has on standby for the night of, we might add.

After a raucous night of fun, it would seem Barack had energy and then some for a game.

As we've reported ... people on the island are pissed over the multi-night gatherings for a number of reasons -- not the least of which include roads being blocked off for locals.

NASA says it needs some guinea pigs to test out what life on Mars would be like for a year -- right here at home -- and they're asking for regular Earthlings to help out.

The space agency put out a want ad this week, asking for "healthy, motivated" U.S. citizens and/or permanent residents to sign up and volunteer for a year-long simulated experience ... which will apparently put 4 lucky participants together in a 3D printed bunker-like environment.

NASA has an idea of what the fake 1,700 square-foot Mars fort (of sorts) will look like ... something like what you see above.

Anyway, sounds like they're going to be doing a few of these "missions" -- with the first set to begin in Fall 2022 and take place at NASA’s Johnson Space Center, where they'll recreate Mars conditions and put these folks through different tests ... for, like, research and whatnot.

Some of the things one might expect to be dealing with while there ... handling resource limitations, equipment failure and other environmental stressors. There's also the strong possibility NASA will make you go through simulated spacewalks, scientific research, use of virtual reality and robotic controls and "exchanging communications" ... as they put it. 👀

There might be some pay, it seems ... but the amount isn't specified in NASA's press release. But, still, it's kinda cool ... right??? BTW, we know we said ordinary people are wanted -- but that's isn't entirely true ... NASA is seeking the best and the brightest for these simulations.

Our boots on the ground just spotted House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Rev. Al Sharpton who are both staying at area hotels.

Barack Obama's 60th birthday party kicked off Friday night at a resort near his home in Martha's Vineyard, and if the pre-party is any indication, the real party Saturday night will be way bigger than previously thought.

Judging from photos on a balcony, there was quite the crowd Friday ... it seems at the very least dozens of people showed up.

Residents on Martha's Vineyard tell TMZ, the Island is crawling with guests who will be attending the formal party inside a tent on the Obama's estate, and that includes a bunch of celebs including John Legend, Chrissy Teigen, Don Cheadle, Tom Hanks, Rita Wilson, Kim Fields, Dwayne Wade and Gabrielle Union. Others expected to attend are Jay-Z and Beyonce, George Clooney and Stephen Colbert.

It's unclear how many people will attend the big party tonight, but residents say it's way bigger than an intimate family and close friends soiree. Based on the number of people who have descended on the Island, residents think several hundred people may show.

Although the Obamas are loved by many on Martha's Vineyard, some residents are angry that their Island has been upended by the party. They say Secret Service has been ordering people around and blocking roads. They're also concerned about the Delta variant ... which has become an issue in Massachusetts as well as everywhere else in the country.

Tonight should be interesting.

An American Airlines pilot is upset his photo was used in a story about a pilot who went off the rails during an announcement to passengers revealing he had been molested as a child.

The audio is alarming ... passengers listened as the pilot explained how his life spiraled out of control and how he became a sex addict with encounters with both men and women. It sounds like he's pushing religion in the audio, but it's not clear. It's a deeply disturbing video ... a pilot seemingly unhinged, on a plane full of passengers.

Several blogs posted the audio with a photo of a pilot ... a black bar covering a portion of his face. The American Airlines pilot in the photo is Rodrigo Ribeiro. It's clear to anyone who knows Rodrigo ... it's a photo of him. Problem is ... he was NOT the pilot who made the announcement.

American Airlines owns the photo which it had posted several years before, celebrating Pride month.

Rodrigo was understandably upset ... being a pilot is a reputationally-based job ... in other words, reputation is everything, and if Rodrigo's fellow pilots and bosses think he was the one who made the announcement, it could derail his career.

Rodrigo says he worked with American to help him get the photo removed from the blogs, but it lingered there for days. People he knew were getting in touch with him, asking if he was OK and if there was anything they could do to help him.

The photo was finally removed Saturday from at least one of the blogs, and Rodrigo wants people to know -- it wasn't him on that audio.

American Airlines tells TMZ the pilot who made the announcement was in uniform but not flying the plane that day. The airline says he got on a mic and began speaking. The airline says the story was posted on a number of blogs and it has tried to get it taken down.

O.J. Simpson has some cajones on him -- saying with a seemingly straight face that he won't return to Los Angeles out of fear of running into the actual person who murdered his ex-wife.

The disgraced ex-NFL'er -- who was acquitted for the murders of Nicole Brown and Ron Goldman, but found liable in a civil suit shortly thereafter -- dished his thoughts on visiting the City of Angels anew in a wide-ranging interview with The Athletic ... and he says he doesn't entertain it for one very specific, ass-backward reason.

O.J. is quoted as saying ... "I have trouble with L.A.," going on to add, "People may think this is self-serving, but I might be sitting next to whoever did it. I really don’t know who did this."

That's pretty much what his hesitation boils down to -- that he might, perhaps, end up running into the "real" murderer ... and maybe get murdered himself. At least that's how it sounds on its face here. BTW, O.J. had more to say on the so-called one who got away.

He says, "I figured eventually somebody would confess to something, you know? I had one suspect I told my lawyers to look at. I still think he might be involved, but I can’t talk about it." O.J. also feels he lives a "good life" now in Vegas -- despite what people may think.

While O.J. was limited to just Nevada after getting parole, it appears the guy's been given a longer leash over time -- with reports saying he's gone to Florida of late to visit his kids, with permission from his P.O., of course. So, it does seem he could come to L.A. if he wanted.

Tank is ecstatic that his early tunes are finally seeing the light of day, officially, alongside Aaliyah's catalog ... this in spite of the drama behind the scenes.

The R&B crooner broke down what this moment means for him Saturday morning when we ran into him at LAX, and he said it quite succinctly ... not only is this a re-introduction to fans (new and old) but it's also an opportunity to make up for lost time ... financially.

Check out his response ... Tank makes no bones about the fact that he's missed out on a lot of dough over the years considering his first 3 albums weren't streaming or on digital platforms. He's not sour over it, but notes a wrong is finally being righted ... and he's glad.

As for Aaliyah's music, and her family's apparent opposition to it being released without their blessing ... Tank says he understands, but that it's perhaps a blessing in disguise -- as he notes, as so many others have, that a whole new generation will get to know her anew.

That acrimony aside, Tank's just happy people will finally get schooled on late '90s/early 2000s R&B ... a chapter from which he DID exist pre-2010 -- and cranked out great music.

Dennis "D.T." Thomas -- Kool & The Gang's longtime saxophone player -- has died.

The band announced the news Saturday, saying he passed away peacefully at his home in New Jersey. No cause of death was revealed.

They had kind words for their dear friend, though, writing ... "An original member of Kool & The Gang, Dennis was known as the quintessential cool cat in the group, loved for his hip clothes and hats, and his laid-back demeanor."

K&TG added this ... "A huge personality while also an extremely private person, Dennis was the alto saxophone player, flutist, percussionist as well as master of ceremonies at the band’s shows." They went on to discuss some of his greatest moments with Kool and co., including his prologue solo on their '71 hit "Who's Gonna Take the Weight."

Another fun fact -- the dude was actually their stylist, so says the band. Apparently, he crunched numbers for them too -- they say, "In the band’s early days, Dennis also served as the 'budget hawk,' carrying the group’s earnings in a paper bag in the bell of his horn."

Like they mentioned, Dennis was a founding member ... having helped form the band in the '60s, and staying with them ever since. He's been along for the ride through five decades plus.

D.T. was one of three founding members still alive before today -- now, there are only 2. He was 70.

You've heard of people falsifying their vaccine cards to avoid having to get the jab -- but here's another example of the same exact thing ... in the opposite direction.

The AP reports that a small handful of Americans have been caught red-handed trying to lie about their vaccination status -- this in order to receive a third booster shot before it's officially approved by Uncle Sam ... all because they're freaked out about the rising variants.

In one instance, a 26-year-old grad student named Gina Welch admitted to the AP that she'd successfully gotten her third booster already ... by simply going to a clinic and telling 'em it was her first. Her rationale boils down to ... I've done the research and I'm sick of waiting.

It's unclear if the healthcare system/her insurance company has caught on over the discrepancy yet -- but even if they have, it's too late by now ... Welch was able to prance in and get the damn thing without much checking or hassle, it seems. Ditto for at least 900 others in the country, who appear to have already triple-dipped for inoculation, so says AP.

It would appear some folks -- a vast minority at this point -- are fed up with having to respond to government entities ... which admittedly move slow on this sorta thing. That's pretty ballsy -- but it's also incredibly telling ... for a multitude of reasons, really.

For one, our own healthcare experts -- including Dr. Fauci -- have, indeed, said that a booster will likely be needed in the future to ward off Delta, Lambda and all these other COVID variants that are springing up ... and they're even working on rolling that out for the elderly and immuno-compromised right now. 'Til then, the rest of us gotta get in line.

Tinashe is fully Team Britney ... something she made crystal clear to our photog Friday night in Hollywood.

The singer was leaving TAO when we asked about Brit ... and there's a special reason. The 2 collabed on a 2016 song, "Slumber Party." What's interesting, the song was recorded in the middle of Britney's conservatorship.

Tinashe made it clear ... she'd love to do another collab with Britney, and sent her love through our camera lens.

She's clearly on the Free Britney train, though she didn't get specific. As we reported, the battle over the conservatorship is heating up, with Jamie Spears filing legal docs Friday saying Britney's own personal conservator, Jodi Montgomery, said she was concerned about the singer's mental health and even talked to him about a possible 5150 involuntary psychiatric hold.

You punch a horse ... you're outta the Olympics.

That's what happened to a modern pentathlon coach when she put hands on Saint Boy during the jumping competition.

Annika Schleu was having big problems controlling Saint Boy ... who appeared spooked. Her German coach, Kim Raisner, was trying to help Annika, but the horse wasn't cooperating.

The way the competition works ... the riders only have 20 minutes with the horse before the competition ... she apparently had never ridden Saint Boy before, and the horse wasn't having it. In fact, the rider before Annika also had big problems ... Saint Boy wouldn't trot on command and even bucked.

Enter Annika, who was the leader in the competition when she entered the arena in tears, clearly knowing the ride would be super difficult.

That's when Kim allegedly punched Saint Boy ... unclear if the point was to get the horse to obey commands or if it was just frustration. Nevertheless, officials disqualified her from the Games. BTW ... Kim competed in the event at the 2004 Athens Olympics.

The race did not go well for Annika ... Saint Boy meandered around the course and refused a couple of jumps.

Annika used her whip to get the horse to comply, to no avail. Saint Boy cleared 4 hurdles but the 5th was a fail, which eventually took Annika from 1st to last.

Bob Odenkirk has found a silver lining in a major medical scare he suffered last week ... he feels like a real-life Jimmy Stewart character from "It's a Wonderful Life."

Bob is on the mend after collapsing on the New Mexico set of "Better Call Saul." It was extremely serious at first, with a very uncertain outcome. But, Bob's rebounded in a big way, and he's clearly moved by the love and concern from family, friends and fans.

He says he's filled with gratitude from the outpouring of concern and support ... “I am doing great. I’ve had my very own “It’s a wonderful life” week of people insisting I make the world slightly better. Wow! Thank you, I love everyone right now but let’s keep expectations reasonable!”

Lots of stars, including his "Breaking Bad" co-star Bryan Cranston, were super concerned after the July 27 heart attack, and Bob couldn't be more grateful for his recovery.

Barry, an owl in the Who's Who of Central Park residents, has tragically died.

The nocturnal creature was struck by a maintenance vehicle early Friday in the Park. It didn't have a chance. It was flying low to the ground, looking for food, when it was struck at around 2:30 AM.

Barry was a fixture in the Park, much to the delight of runners, bird watchers and others who meandered their way around.  Officials issued a sad statement ... "It's with a heavy heart we share that a barred owl, a beloved Central Park resident, passed away early this morning. The barred owl's presence in Central Park brought so much joy, reminding all of us that the Park is a vital greenspace for all New Yorkers, including the wildlife that call it home."

The bird watchers were devastated, issuing their own statement.

"We are saddened to learn that our beloved BARRED OWL died last night in an accidental collision with a @CentralParkNYC maintenance vehicle. We will miss her wondrous and beautiful presence in the park."

There will be a vigil for Barry Monday near the hemlock tree it called home. That would have been Barry's 10-month anniversary in Central Park.

People left messages on the ground in memory of Barry.

Meghan Markle got a birthday gift from her father, a bouquet of roses, but it doesn't seem to be thawing their icy relationship.

Thomas Markle tells TMZ … he sent Meghan flowers for her 40th birthday, along with a personalized card that simply said, "Wishing you a happy birthday and brighter days."

We're told the bouquet featured a dozen red roses with 2 yellow roses in the middle, signifying Meghan and Prince Harry's 2 children.

Thomas says he specifically wanted to incorporate his grandchildren, Archie and Lilibet, in Meghan's birthday flower arrangement ... telling us he wants to be a part of their lives because it seems to him the kids don't have enough family around them in Montecito.

As you know ... Meghan and her father have a testy relationship, and Thomas doesn't get along with Harry either.

Meghan and Harry also have a huge rift with the Royal family, and as we reported, the royals tweeted her happy birthday from their official accounts in what came off like calculated moves meant to keep up appearances.

Thomas says he didn't hear a peep from Meghan after he sent the gift, but he says that's fine and he's just hoping she likes the flowers.

Shock G is being honored with a celebration of life in Oakland ... there's a day-long tribute coming up full of good deeds and good tunes.

Shock G's longtime manager, Atron Gregory, tells TMZ ... Oakland is celebrating the Digital Underground star with a city-wide event August 21, and the day kicks off with the late rapper's family and friends feeding about 2,000 unhoused community members.

We're told the late Shock had a passion for supporting those who have a hard time supporting themselves, and organizers wanted to honor his legacy by giving back.

From there, we're told there will be a motorcade traveling through Oakland en route to City Hall, which will play host to a Shock G tribute featuring live music, performances and speakers.

The celebration will wrap up with an afterparty at The New Parish in Oakland, with several DJs spinning tunes.

TMZ broke the story ... Shock G was found dead in a Tampa hotel room back in April from an accidental overdose.

Since his death, we're told surviving members of Digital Underground -- which was founded in Oakland -- and other musicians close to the group banded together to organize a celebration for Shock in Oakland ... working with Oakland City Council members and non-profits in the city to make it happen.

Jamie Spears broke his silence, saying Britney's personal conservator said she's 'mentally sick.' And, Wheaties now has to decide ... WHO'S ON THE BOX?!? So, we gotta ask ...

For the third time in the last 14 months, Ezekiel Elliott is being sued over an alleged dog biting incident ... and this time, the accuser is looking for more than $1 MILLION in damages.

In the new lawsuit, obtained by TMZ Sports, Jennifer Gampper claims she's one of Elliott's neighbors and says on May 20, 2021, she was attacked by one of his dogs near his Frisco, Texas-area home.

Gampper claims that while the company Perfect Synthetic Grass (which she's also suing) was performing landscaping work at the residence ... Elliott's pooch escaped the house and attacked her.

In the suit, Gampper says she suffered severe and permanent injuries ... but doesn't get more specific.

Gampper is asking for monetary relief of over $1,000,000.

As for Elliott, his attorney, Frank Salzano tells us he's concerned about Gampper, but that doesn't mean he's at fault.

"Mr. Elliott and his representatives are aware of the lawsuit filed on July 30th, which stems from a previously reported incident from May 21st of this year.  As Mr. Elliott expressed at that time, he was - and remains concerned - for the party involved."

"However, as in most disputes, there are extenuating circumstances to this matter which will impact the legal proceedings which we are not at liberty to disclose.  As such, we have no further comment at this time."

You'll recall, cops actually investigated the incident ... and said two people were injured in the alleged attack, listing Gampper as one of the "victims" in a report.

Cops added that three of the running back's dogs escaped that day ... and said they ultimately ended up issuing Elliott 3 citations.

As for the dog that allegedly bit Gampper -- Zeke's Rottweiler, Ace -- a court official tells us it had a "dangerous dog hearing" after the incident, and was ultimately required to be removed from the city.

Of course, this is far from the first time Ace and the rest of Elliott's dogs have been accused of being violent.

Remember, back in June 2020, a pool cleaner alleged in a lawsuit that Ace bit her arm and dragged her ... before the 26-year-old's two bulldogs began attacking her legs.

Court records show that case has since been closed. We reached out to the accuser's attorney in that case for further details, but so far, no word back yet.

Elliott was also sued earlier this summer, in June, when a pet resort employee claimed Ace viciously bit him too on March 25, 2021. That case is still playing out in the court system.