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'15 Minutes of Shame' documentary subject Emmanuel Cafferty says he was canceled after fidgeting with his fingers got misinterpreted as him throwing up the "white power" hand gesture ... and he says his life's been derailed ever since.

Cafferty joined "TMZ Live" Tuesday ... 16 months after he was unceremoniously axed from his dream job at the San Diego Gas & Electric company, mere hours after someone took a picture of him while his arm was hanging out the window of his company truck.

The picture, Cafferty says, caught him cracking his knuckles one by one and fidgeting with them -- but the person who took the picture posted it, accusing Cafferty of making the "OK" sign that's been adopted by white supremacists.

The picture was also taken less than 2 miles from a Black Lives Matter protest, and just days after George Floyd was killed.

Cafferty, who is Mexican-American, says he was swiftly suspended without pay before ultimately getting fired. He says he's furious this all happened even after the person who originally posted the photo deleted his account along with the picture, and later admitted he might have misinterpreted the gesture.

The ordeal Cafferty, and many other people, have gone through is the subject of the new HBO Max documentary produced by Monica Lewinsky. It's an in-depth look at what she calls the public shaming epidemic ... aka cancel culture.

Bam Margera's struggles with substance abuse put himself and anyone around him in harm's way ... at least according to the "Jackass" franchise director.

Jeff Tremaine -- who's shepherded the "Jackass" movies for years now -- claims in new legal docs he loves Bam like a brother, but says he's had a front-row seat to Bam's vices and it hasn't always been pretty.

According to the docs, obtained by TMZ, Jeff says whenever Bam's intoxicated he's a danger to himself and others ... and he claims Bam's recent behavior has brought a dark cloud over the movie franchise.

Jeff's responding to Bam's lawsuit over his firing from the upcoming 'Jackass 4' ... as we first told you, Bam claims he was forced to sign an agreement that he claims amounted to psychological torture and got the boot when he didn't live up to the conditions.

In the docs, Jeff says Bam voluntarily signed the sobriety commitment agreement but stopped cooperating with his wellness program in July 2020 and began taking illicit amphetamines. Tremaine claims the "Jackass" fam tried to find a way for Bam to be in the movie, but Bam's wellness coach shut them down ... and Paramount Pictures ultimately dropped the ax.

As we've told you ... it's been a very rocky year for Bam, who has publicly beefed with the "Jackass" crew, with Tremaine even getting a restraining order against him.

All hell broke loose when several WNBA players threw wild punches outside a day club in Atlanta earlier this year ... and now, one of the women involved is apologizing.

The video is insane -- Atlanta Dream All-Star Courtney Williams is seen getting in an all-out brawl in front of a local food truck back in May ... squaring up and going after several women throughout the violent incident.

Williams' teammate, Crystal Bradford, also appears to be in the middle of the scuffle, kicking and throwing punches at the same time.

Another former Dream player, Kalani Brown, was reportedly involved as well ... trying her best to break up the fight.

Williams posted the fight video on YouTube over the weekend ... where she cracked jokes and made light of the situation, before deleting it off her page.

Now, the ex-South Florida star is apologizing for the post ... tweeting out a statement on Monday.

"I want to sincerely apologize for the video posted yesterday," Williams said. "I would never want to represent myself or the organization in a negative way."

"I’m learning everyday so I ask for grace as I’m growing. Again I apologize to all attached, and I will be better moving forward."

The Dream released a response to Insider, saying, "The behavior in the video is unacceptable and does not align with our values as an organization."

Dog the Bounty Hunter is skipping a scheduled gig with fans to keep grinding on his search for Brian Laundrie -- speaking to how seriously the guy's taking this manhunt.

A rep for Duane Chapman tells TMZ ... Dog will NOT be appearing this weekend at Hazzard Fest in Tennessee, where he was booked for a celeb meet-and-greet alongside the likes of folks like 'Duck Dynasty' stars, 'Swamp People' stars and other A&E famous faces.

Dog's presence at Hazzard was announced in mid-September ... and he was probably booked well ahead of that. However, in light of his recent involvement in the Laundrie search ... we're told he's forgoing Hazzard to keep working -- which is his top priority right now.

In his place ... Dog's son, Leland Chapman, will show up and shake hands on behalf of his pops.

Long story short, it's clear Dog is taking this assignment to heart ... and, as it turns out, he plans to see it through 'til the end -- no matter how long it takes, we're told. His rep says Dog will stay on Laundrie's trail so long as viable tips come in, and there's still belief he may be out there and alive.

For the time being, that certainly seems to be the case ... at least according to Dog himself, who told us Monday that he does think Brian is still breathing, and surviving in the wilderness ... but perhaps struggling along the way.

TMZ broke the story, Dog has gotten offers for a potential TV series to be made out of his search for Laundrie -- but that's secondary to the task at hand, which is tracking the guy down and bringing him to justice.

Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen just told a room full of lawmakers Mark Zuckerberg's company is just like Big Tobacco ... and she wants government oversight.

Frances is testifying before Congress Tuesday and she just ripped into her former employer ... saying FB deepens divides, destabilized democracies and makes young girls and women feel bad about their bodies.

A former product manager at Facebook, Frances says FB is shaping people's perception of the world by manipulating what folks see on their feeds ... calling the influence FB wields "frightening."

As we first told you ... Frances is being hailed as a "patriot" by Sen. Elizabeth Warren, who told us Haugen is saving our democracy with her "60 Minutes" interview and testimony before Congress.

Jaguars owner Shad Khan is clearly furious with Urban Meyer for his bar antics over the weekend ... calling the head coach's actions "inexcusable."

Just 1 day after Meyer apologized after video surfaced of him dancing with a woman -- who wasn't his wife -- Khan laid into the team's headman, essentially saying the coach is now on thin ice.

"What I will say is his conduct last weekend was inexcusable," Khan said, adding he did have a meeting with Meyer over it all.

"I appreciate Urban's remorse, which I believe is sincere. Now, he must regain our trust and respect."

Footage captured a blonde woman grinding on Meyer at an Ohio bar over the weekend ... and Meyer told reporters Monday he was sorry for it all.

In his talk with media members, the 57-year-old said he was "stupid" to put himself in that situation.

"I should not have myself in that kind of position," said Meyer, who's been married to his wife, Shelley, since 1986.

Khan added in his statement Tuesday he's "confident" Meyer will now learn and rebound from the situation.

Cassie Laundrie is sticking to her story -- namely, that the last time she saw Brian was during a family camping trip after he'd returned to Florida (sans Gabby Petito) ... which she says was totally normal.

The guy's sibling spilled what she maintains she's known and currently knows to 'GMA' Tuesday -- saying she last spoke to Brian in person on Sept. 6 ... while he and their parents went camping at Fort De Soto Park in Pinellas County, FL. Cassie says she and her own family dropped in very briefly and then left ... not thinking anything was amiss.

She even shared a couple photos she says she took of Brian that day ... with him hanging out with her kids (his nephews), and sure enough -- he looks cheerful and nonchalant.

Cassie says she was not aware that Gabby had not returned with him at that point, and in hindsight ... wishes her bro would've come to her first, instead of going to his parents. Speaking of them ... Cassie flatly denies knowledge of any involvement on their behalf.

With that said, she does openly wish that IF they do know something or helped him in any way ... that they come forward and tell the truth, as she says that would be true justice for Gabby.

Cassie repeats much of what she said during an interview earlier this week, when somebody grilled her with much of the same questions ... if not more intensely.

There too, she denies knowing his current whereabouts ... and maintained the same camping story, while clarifying she's been cooperative with law enforcement. The one thing everyone has failed to ask (or broadcast) is ... what did Brian say about Gabby during that trip, and where did he say she was while hanging with his fam?

DaBaby killing a man wasn't even nearly as offensive as him going after the LGBT community, which torpedoed his career ... a disparity Dave Chappelle says doesn't sit well with him.

The comedian's got a new stand-up special on Netflix, and right off the bat ... he starts making jokes about DB falling from grace after going on a homophobic rant, which Dave notes might've been more of a cardinal sin than actually ending someone's life.

Of course, he's talking about a legal case DaBaby was wrapped up in some years ago -- when cops say he was involved in a fatal shooting at a Walmart in North Carolina ... something DB himself has said was done in self-defense, and for which he skated.

Watch what Dave's going for here ... he's suggesting that pissing off the gay community these days is a way bigger deal -- and could end your career faster -- than actually killing.

It's all tongue-in-cheek, of course, but DC's making a point he seems to believe ... that what DaBaby did wasn't really that big a deal -- considering his overall history. Some might agree, but others certainly don't -- as what DaBaby said at Rolling Loud was, in fact, awful.

Dave acknowledges that as well ... saying that the guy even crossed a line for him personally -- seeing how Dave says he often makes cracks at the expense of the LGBT crowd. But, in (his) perspective, Dave believes something's amiss by the severe fallout DB has faced.

Sarah Silverman is tired of non-Jews playing Jews on camera -- be it on TV or in film -- and says amid all the cries for representation in casting ... the Jewish people are left out, and the anti-Semitism points directly at Hollywood.

The comedian usually jokes around, but there's no laughing matter about this ... according to her. Sarah, who's Jewish, says Hollywood has long been in the practice of putting gentiles (non-Jewish people) into roles for Jewish folks -- especially those whose "Jewishness" are a big part of their identity.

Take Joan Rivers, for example, whom Sarah notes is set to be portrayed by Catholic-raised Kathryn Hahn in an upcoming limited series. There are way more instances of this, though.

SS points to Rachel Brosnahan playing Mrs. Maisel (who's Jewish), Tracey Ullman as Betty Friedan, Felicity Jones as Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Margo Martindale as Bella Abzug.

Along with a lot of these portrayals, Sarah says anti-Semitic tropes and stereotypes are often played up as well on camera ... including what she describes as prosthetics to make someone's nose bigger, a heavy New York accent with Yiddish undertones and beyond.

When Andy Ruiz gets a full backside tattoo, the boxing star goes all in -- neck, back ... and even butt cheeks!

The former heavyweight champ showed off new back ink Monday ... and it's HUGE -- stemming from the top of his neck to the bottom of his bum.

Ruiz got the piece done by Ish Tattoos ... and it's some seriously impressive work -- especially considering Andy's 6 feet 2 and nearly 300 pounds.

The tat artist documented some of the work on his social media page ... saying it took two full sessions to complete.

Ruiz got a big warrior with wings inked under his previous "Victorious" tat ... and he also added a neckpiece with the bible verse, "Corinthians 15-57."

Andy was clearly happy with the results ... captioning a photo of the artwork, "Back and cheeks done hahaha. Thanks to my boy Ish Tattoos."

Unclear when we'll see Ruiz show off the new ink next in the ring ... he's coming off a big May victory over Chris Arreola -- and is reportedly gunnin' for Luis Ortiz or Charles Martin next.

Dog the Bounty Hunter's return to TV is imminent ... or so it seems based on the interest he's garnering since joining the manhunt for Brian Laundrie.

Sources familiar with the situation tell TMZ ... Dog's been contacted by multiple networks over the past several days that have expressed a desire in resurrecting a television show with him as the star.

We're told Dog caught these TV folks' attention when he joined the search for Gabby Petito's fiance and instantly began trending ... so now they're shooting their shot to get him back on the small screen doing what he's known for.

Our sources say since Dog has been on the manhunt for Laundrie, there's been no filming involved other than his wife, Francie, documenting some of it on her cell phone.

We're told if a new Dog show gets launched, Francie's footage may be used ... and she'll be involved in the series with him.

Dog tells TMZ ... when he joined the Laundrie manhunt, he didn't have an ulterior motive trying to land a TV show. He says he was in the middle of his honeymoon when news broke Brian was missing, and he only got involved "because of my unique skill set and the fact I was only an hour away from where he was last seen."

He adds that he's gotten close to the Petito family and truly wants to help them get closure. That said, if his recent actions spark interest in a new TV gig ... he tells us he'll consider it, because he still enjoys that.

BTW ... we just spoke to Dog on "TMZ Live," and he's adamant Laundrie is alive -- but probably not well -- and using his survival skills to evade capture in the Florida Everglades.

The Supreme Court Justices just returned to work -- beginning work on cases related to Roe v. Wade -- and the court is on lockdown, surrounded by cops investigating a security threat.

U.S Capitol Police say a suspicious vehicle is parked near the Supreme Court Building, and they have officers all over neighboring blocks ... shutting off all traffic in the area. Tensions are running high -- Monday was the Court's first day back in session, and with Roe v. Wade on the Justices' front burner for the current term, there are immense security concerns.

There are reports the vehicle is an SUV parked at the front of the building, and that the driver refused to move when cops told him to do so.

The Justices are scheduled to hear arguments regarding Mississippi's abortion law later during this term ... and it could ultimately lead to Roe v. Wade being overturned.

It's unclear if the Justices were already in the building when police locked down the building.

Story developing ...

Brian Laundrie's sister says she doesn't have the slightest clue where he is ... and she says she simply doesn't know if her parents are in on his mysterious disappearance.

Brian's sister, Cassie, confronted a group of protestors outside her Florida home Monday ... telling them she hasn't seen Brian since he went missing and she's been cooperative with law enforcement.

Cassie says she's just as frustrated as everyone else with the case, and wants answers.

As you know, Brian fell off the grid last month ... and his parents are the last ones who saw him before he disappeared.

Dog the Bounty Hunter is searching high and low for Brian, even venturing to a remote island off the Florida coast, but so far he's struck out.

There's been a few alleged Brian sightings ... most recently a hiker claims to have seen Brian on the Appalachian Trail ... but nothing concrete.

Grimes boning up on some Karl Marx has America's Communist Party applauding the singer ... because they say she's advancing their cause.

A spokesperson for Communist Party USA tells TMZ that even though the singer has said she doesn't identify as a communist, the fact she was spotted reading "The Communist Manifesto" is a massive win for them.

As we reported ... Grimes was seen with the book over the weekend, following her recent split from billionaire baby daddy Elon Musk.

The CP Rep tells us even if the Grimes pics were just a publicity stunt, it's a textbook case of all publicity being good publicity.

The way the party sees things ... the first step to getting people to join the Communist Party is by making them reconsider our current political system. Through Grimes, folks will be inspired to read Marx and ultimately begin to question capitalism and the billionaires calling the shots ... like Elon Musk.

Fact is, celebrities have played a major role in changing American politics in the past decade. Bernie Sanders, a self-described Democratic-Socialist, entered the 2016 presidential race, and despite running as a Democrat, he was hardly supported by any Dems in Congress. Endorsements from stars like Sarah Silverman, Killer Mike and many more propelled Bernie into the mainstream ... and as Bernie grew, so did Democratic-Socialism.

Andrew Wiggins is making it clear -- he did NOT want to take the COVID vaccine ... telling media members Monday he felt like the NBA and the government "forced" him into getting the shots.

"The only options were to get vaccinated or not play in the NBA," Wiggins said. "It was a tough decision. Hopefully, it works out in the long run and in 10 years I'm still healthy."

The Golden State Warriors forward had fought tooth and nail to avoid getting the jab ... even at one point applying for a religious exemption with the NBA.

But, that was denied ... and with health officials in the Bay Area requiring anyone 12 or older to be fully vaxxed to attend indoor events -- Wiggins said he felt like he had no other choice but to take the vaccine.

"It's not something I wanted to do," Wiggins said after Golden State's preseason game Monday night. "But I was kind of forced to."

He added, "I guess to do certain stuff -- to work and all that -- I guess you don't own your body. That's what it comes down to. You want to work in society today, then I guess they make the rules on what goes in your body and what you do."

Despite getting the vax ... Wiggins told reporters he's hopeful others don't feel as much pressure as he did to take the shots.

"Hopefully there's a lot of people out there that are stronger than me and keep fighting and stand for what they believe," Wiggins said, "and hopefully it works out for them."

Fear not, Smash Mouth fans ... Steve Harwell's recent absence is due to health conditions, but he's on the mend and will soon hit the stage again.

A rep for the American rock band tells TMZ ... Steve had not been feeling well due to issues with cardiomyopathy and heart failure, which forced him to miss a few performances. Steve's had cardiomyopathy -- a form of heart disease where the heart muscle becomes enlarged and weak, making it difficult to pump blood -- since 2015.

Fans were speculating Smash Mouth fired Steve. Someone recently tweeted the band asking, "Hey @smashmouth did y'all replace your singer & not say anything?" Someone else wrote, "ok a couple things 1) @smashmouth did you really fire your singer and B) can I be your new singer."

The answer's an unequivocal "No" to all those questions. We're told Steve manages his heart condition with meds, but recently some issues came up and things needed to be adjusted. You'll recall he was rushed to the hospital in 2017 due to his heart condition.

The band's current singer is someone the band knows and was substituting for a few shows, but it's NOT a permanent move.