TMZ.com Home

Paul McCartney is doubling down on what happened to the Beatles -- insisting John Lennon broke up the band ... something history has long roped Paul into over the years.

The iconic rocker felt compelled to set the record straight again -- his version of it, anyway -- in an upcoming episode of BBC Radio4's 'This Cultural Life,' as reported by the Guardian, and he puts the blame squarely in John's corner ... claiming the guy walked in one day and announced he was parting ways with the group, adding JL wanted to break loose.

PMC was emphatic about who was at fault, saying ... "Stop right there. I am not the person who instigated the split. Oh no, no, no. John walked into a room one day and said I am leaving the Beatles. Is that instigating the split, or not?" He adds, "This was my band, this was my job, this was my life, so I wanted it to continue."

He goes on to say the other 3 bandmates -- Ringo Starr, George Harrison and himself -- were left to pick up the pieces ... and were even told to keep quiet about it as legal and business matters played out behind the scenes.

Eventually, McCartney made a public announcement in 1970 that he was leaving the band -- the first member to publicly do so -- and since then, he's been accused of being the the driving force to the dissolution.

Of course, Paul's told this story before -- saying John was responsible, that is -- but never quite like this. More often than not, PMC tends to characterize it as a sad chapter, albeit one of growth -- seeing how John met Yoko. Now, however, he's firmly pointing the finger.

The timing here is also interesting ... Saturday marked what would've been John's 81st birthday, and Paul actually threw something up on IG to honor him. He posted a black and white photo of the two of them on their guitars, writing ... "Happy Birthday thoughts for John - Paul."

Some 24 hours later, word of him kinda bad-mouthing his old pal leaks -- a man who isn't here to defend himself. As you know, John was killed in 1980 by Mark David Chapman.

Timothee Chalamet is set to douse himself in chocolate and meet Oompa Loompas -- he's playing Willy Wonka in his early days, and showing off his new look ... which is ... cool???

The actor just posted a photo of himself on set for this new flick he's been cast in ... simply titled, "Wonka," which is basically a prequel to "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory." Of course, that means we're gonna see a young Bill ... and Tim's giving us the first glimpse.

It shows TC in costume, wearing a Wonka-esque burgundy coat, scarf and a brown top hot. A second photo features him reaching for a tiny little present. Tim's caption reads, "The suspense is terrible, I hope it will last ..."

He's staring slyly ... kinda mischievous-like, which is also pretty Wonka-y. It also seems he'll be rocking his signature long, wavy locks -- so this is certainly more in the vein of Gene Wilder's turn as the titular character than Johnny Depp's ... which was its own animal.

Of course ... you have to respect that Depp's/Tim Burton's take was totally different -- both in appearance and expression of the famed Roald Dahl character. Gene's depiction is the OG, obviously, but we must say ... the 2021 portrayal, at least thus far, seems a little ... plain.

That's not to say it won't be good by any stretch -- it'll probably be solid, considering there'll reportedly be a ton of dance and musical numbers ... for which Tim trained. Plus, the guy's got chops ... even though this will be a new role for him unlike any other he's taken on.

Most of his movie parts up until now have been dramatic and relatively low-key (ish) -- and he hasn't had an opportunity to get zany or off the wall ... which you'd think he certainly will have to be here. Gene did it to perfection, Depp held his own -- now, Tim's up to bat.

Word is ... Warner Bros. (which also distributed the Burton flick) has had Timmy in mind for this project for a while, and finally locked him down after a lot of scheduling issues. So, they obviously see something in him.

Southwest Airlines blames weather and tower issues for nearly 2,000 of their flights getting nixed this weekend -- but many think the real reason is ... a pilot strike over vaccines.

Here's the deal ... upwards of 1,800 SA flights (and counting) were straight-up canceled between Saturday and Sunday all over the country -- leaving even more would-be passengers stranded or without air travel for the holiday weekend.

Southwest has said poor weather conditions in FL and subsequent air traffic control roadblocks there were responsible for the mass cancelations -- but the FAA pushed back, admitting Friday was a bit of a mess in Jacksonville ... but noting Saturday/Sunday seemed fine. Other airlines also reported significantly less cancelations over the same time period.

So ... what gives??? It appears somebody's not being forthright on why so many Southwest flights continue to stay grounded -- but there's a theory that might have some credence.

On Friday, Southwest's pilot union filed legal docs seeking to halt a vaccine mandate that went into effect last week -- following Biden's order for federal workers and/or contractors, which applies to the airline. That was left unresolved heading into the weekend, it seems.

While Southwest hasn't spoken on a possible strike ... the union itself shot down the notion they were to blame, saying ... "[W]e can say with confidence that our Pilots are not participating in any official or unofficial job actions." Then ... some major shade.

They add... "Our Pilots will continue to overcome SWA management’s poor planning, as well as any external operational challenges, and remain the most productive Pilots in the world."

On the record, they're denying any sort of protest -- but there are reports, citing airline sources, that a massive "sickout" went down, and that ripple effects are still being felt.

George Clooney is shooting down any notion of diving into politics -- saying he doesn't want the stress ... while also noting Joe Biden deserves a break after Trump's presidency.

The actor sat down with BBC's Andrew Marr Sunday to plug his new movie, "The Tender Bar," and eventually ... they got to talking about President Biden and ex-Prez Trump -- the former of whom GC says will need time to clean up the mess he says DT left behind.

Marr noted Biden's poll numbers are down -- in the wake of Afghanistan and other issues -- but George brushed those off as fleeting and ever-changing. He likened the U.S. today as a battered child, and that thinking they'll be okay on the first day of school is foolish.

Bottom line ... George says there's a lot of healing that still needs to happen, and that these repairs will take time. So, Biden not fixing things ASAP is NBD to him -- and he backs him.

Speaking of Trump ... Clooney also dishes on what Donald was like back in the day -- saying he was nothing but a knucklehead chasing girls. He also says Trump despises his staunchest supporters ... rural folks from middle America, who come out in droves to his rallies.

Adrien Broner was sitting in a jail cell early Sunday morning -- 'cause the guy got picked up by cops in one state ... for being wanted in another.

The boxer was arrested and booked around 1 AM, getting hauled into the Kenton County Jail in Kentucky ... where he posed for this mug shot. The charges he got rung up on upon entry ... fugitive from another state, from which a warrant was required.

No word on the circumstances of how cops stumbled upon Broner to begin with, but they did.

It's unclear exactly what case this warrant stems from -- but it does originate in Cuyahoga County (where Cleveland is) ... and could well be in relation to a lawsuit he lost in that jurisdiction about a year ago, when a woman claimed he'd assaulted her in a nightclub.

That case has been ongoing for quite some time -- and Broner was even tossed into jail late last year after the judge found him to be in contempt for failing to pay an $800k judgment and comply with the rest of his requirements. At the time, he claimed he was broke.

He's had other run-ins with the law since then -- in Ohio as well, no less -- but the assault suit appears to be his only one in Cleveland. Per online court records, Broner has failed to enter a treatment program ... spurring the warrant.

Kim Kardashian has a message for Debra Messing ... you don't have to be an actor to kill it on "Saturday Night Live."

Kim came out of the gate with some shocking humor ... "I'm a Kim, not a Karen. Somehow [my mom] just knew. I don't know how she saw that coming, and not Caitlyn."

And then, there's this ... Kim said one thing she isn't is a gold-digger, "Honestly, I'm not even sure how you become one. So, I asked my mom's boyfriend, Corey."

And, she went on and on with jabs at her fam ... “[I'm] so much more than just a pretty face and good hair, and great makeup, and amazing boobs, and a perfect butt.  I’m so much more than that reference photo my sisters showed their plastic surgeon.”

Kanye wasn't spared, at first saying how grateful she was to be married to him and then slamming the brakes by saying she's divorcing him because of his personality!

There were sex tape jokes, O.J. Simpson jokes ... almost no one escaped her line of fire.

Of course, the writers killed it, but Kim was shockingly relaxed and ... well, really funny.

The skits were also mostly hilarious -- A "People's Kourt" where she settled lame family disputes.

Kris and Khloe made cameos and Halsey played a hilarious Kendall.

Lots of celebs also joined in -- Blake Griffin, John Cena, Chris Rock, Tyler C, Chase Crawford, Amy Schumer and Jesse Williams.

Tom Cruise may be one of the biggest movie stars in the world, but Saturday night he was just a fan at a baseball game.

Cruise hit up Oracle Park in San Francisco where the Giants squared off against the Dodgers, where he paid $1k for a seat. You gotta watch the video ... as fans notice him and start fawning ... Cruise handles it like a pro. He's gracious, even chatty with everyone.

At one point, he takes to a dude behind him and they talk about where the guy is from, and Tom is fully engaged.

There were celebs on hand ... Tom and Danny Glover hugged it out between innings.

He was also seen fist bumping fans, and everyone seems stoked.

BTW ... in one of the photos you see what looks like an injury on the side of his face, near his ear. Could be a remnant from the latest "Mission Impossible" movie.

Tyson Fury just knocked out Deontay Wilder in the 11th round ... in what was one of the greatest heavyweight fights of all time! Which, of course, was followed by an epic after-party.

The fight was amazing ... 33-year-old Fury dropped 35-year-old Wilder in the 3rd round. Deontay beat the count ... and despite being on shaky legs, made it through the end of the round.

However, in the 4th ... the Bronze Bomber finally connected with a hard, straight right, sending Fury to the canvas. Tyson got up ... and Wilder pressed the issue, unloading a combination on Fury, again dropping him. The Gypsy King survived.

The middle rounds mostly belonged to Fury ... as Wilder appeared to be the more tired man.

In the 10th, Fury connected with a heavy right that knocked down Deontay. Again, Wilder showing incredible heart, got up ... and actually ended the round with a flurry of punches, pinning Fury into the corner.

In the 11th, with Wilder down on the scorecards, Fury again landed a big right, sending Deontay to the canvas.

The ref didn't count ... immediately stopping the fight.

It was the third time the boxers faced each other in the ring. Their first fight was declared a draw. Fury KO'd Wilder in the rematch. And the third fight again belonged to Fury ... now the #1 heavyweight in the world, without question.

The fight was absolutely electric ... and both men displayed amazing will and determination.

As for the ring walks ... they were also extravagant.

The Las Vegas crowd was star-studded ... with everyone from Magic Johnson, Michael Strahan, Shaquille O'Neal and Vince Vaughn sitting ringside.

Social media was also buzzing ... with stars like LeBron James tweeting about the instant classic.

"HELLUVA FIGHT!!! CLASSIC #FuryWilder3," the NBA superstar said.

After the fight, Fury -- as is tradition for the Gypsy King -- belted out a rendition of "Walking In Memphis" ... remixed for Vegas.

Tyson also said he attempted to bury the hatchet with Wilder ... but claimed Deontay wouldn't shake his hand. Fury said he was going to pray for Wilder.

Brian Laundrie's street is home to a media circus and tons of drama ... but people aren't afraid to be his new neighbor, because some folks are moving in just a few doors down.

Alisha Colligan and Tony Gustitus, who represent one of the top real estate teams in North Port, FL, tell TMZ ... despite the media frenzy outside Brian's house, people are still swooping up houses on his street.

In fact, the real estate agents say they just closed on a new home Monday that was purchased for $379k ... just a stone's throw away from the Laundrie house.

We're told the buyers were from out of state and expressed interest in the home prior to the Laundrie and Gabby Petito media madness, which apparently didn't turn them off.

Brian's new neighbors even got a first-hand look at what it's like right now on the block, where tensions are running high between neighbors and protestors, even leading to a fight.

We're told the buyers flew in for a walk-through at the house last week and closed on the home, despite warnings about the media frenzy, easing fears for the real estate agents who worried the Laundrie case might scuttle the deal.

It's interesting ... we're told the Laundrie situation doesn't appear to be having a negative effect on the housing market in North Port, where home sales are still on the rise.

Morgan Wallen is a bro, so it's no shock he got a wild reception onstage Saturday night in the City of Brotherly Love.

Wallen was a surprise guest during the Eric Church concert. Wallen walked on stage and told the capacity crowd, "What's going on, Philadelphia?!!?"

Church had been singing Wallen's song, "Sand in My Boots," when Wallen walked out to roaring applause and cheering,

The duo then sang more of Wallen's songs, including "Whiskey Glasses," "Somebody's Problem," "Silverado for Sale," and "Quittin' Time."

It's an interesting pairing. Wallen has long called Church his musical hero -- and Chruch even offered words of encouragement after Wallen dropped the n-word after a night of partying.

Church said at the time, "That was indefensible ... I was heartbroken when it happened.  I think Morgan's trying to work on that and on himself. And I hope he does." Wallen dropped out of sight for several months to deal with it.

Wallen is getting ready for 4 shows this fall ... 2 in Alabama, one in Georgia and another in Tennessee.

Chumlee is a whole new man ... after practically losing an entire man's weight.

The guy from "Pawn Stars" tells TMZ ... he was tired of struggling with his weight, which constantly fluctuated 100 pounds at a time. He says it had been a years-long battle and he felt it was time to make a drastic change after getting all the way up to 350 pounds in January 2019.

That dramatic change started the following month when he went in for gastric sleeve surgery ... a popular weight-loss procedure in which a large portion of the stomach is removed to create a smaller stomach pouch.

This, of course, reduces the quantity of food one can eat while making them feel fuller even when consuming less food. The stomach size is brought down to about the size of a banana.

As you can see, Chumlee's looking slim at 190 pounds now. He says he went through the 160-pound transformation because he wanted to not only get healthy, but stay healthy ... unlike his years of yo-yoing.

Chumlee, who got the procedure done at Blossom Bariatrics in Vegas, says now that he's slimmed down he's committed to maintaining his weight by embracing a lifestyle change ... eating clean, healthy food and getting his sweat on.

The battle between Mark Cuban and Cole Beasley over the COVID vaccine is still going strong ... 'cause the Dallas Mavericks owner tells TMZ Sports he's still pushing for the NFL star to get vaccinated.

The two have gone back on forth on social media for weeks over Beasley's anti-vax stance ... and when we got Cubes out in NYC this week, he reiterated he desperately wants the Bills player to get the shots.

"Cole's a good guy, but, you know," Mark said, "getting vaccinated isn't just about you, it's about everybody else as well."

Cuban tells us he believes getting the vaccine is necessary to help protect at-risk people from contracting COVID-19 ... and he REALLY wishes Beasley would change his stance.

"There's 16.9 million cancer survivors in this country," Cuban said. "Three million-plus people who are immuno-compromised. And, when you don't get vaccinated, it's not just about you. It's about other people as well."

Of course, Beasley has dug his feet firmly in the ground on not getting the vaccine ... saying earlier this summer, "I may die of COVID, but I'd rather die actually living."

Beasley has been booed even at home this year in Buffalo over his comments ... but he's remained staunch in his beliefs regardless.

Kimberly J. Brown's looks are so good it's frightening!

Here's the 18-year old version of the "Halloweentown" actress -- who shared the screen with her Disney Channel original movie grandmother, Debbie Reynolds -- showing off her bright blonde hair at a film premiere in Hollywood back in 2003 (left).

And, 18 years later ... the 36-year old bangin' brunette looked timeless getting ready for spooky season with an appearance at Freeform's "Halloween Road" Preview Night in Los Angeles just last week (right). She looks so good you would think someone cast a spell on her!

Witch, please!

The question is ...

The 'Captain America' actress who told cops she killed her mother in self-defense just days before Christmas has been found incompetent to stand trial ... TMZ has learned.

According to court records ... Mollie Fitzgerald was found to lack competency to stand trial in late September. Her attorney, Jason Billam, tells TMZ ... she'll be returned to a state mental hospital for treatment.

We're told things are on hold for now, and her mental state will be reviewed every 90 days to see if she can regain competency to stand trial.

Billam tells us 3 mental health doctors stated their case and the court was satisfied with their findings. He said 2 of the 3 doctors concluded Mollie didn't have the ability to assist her attorney in providing a defense and she didn't understand what's happening to her.

That said ... Billam did say Mollie understands she's been charged with the murder of her mother ... and she also understands the roles her attorney, prosecutors and the judge play but gets confused about how the overall judicial process works.

The NFL season is in full swing and the new SoFi Stadium is getting football fans in the zone!

Los Angeles is chock full of celebrities lining up for yards to support their favorite teams who now call this field home ... including Don Benjamin, Sterling K. Brown, Kate Hudson, Leslie Mann, and Wiz Khalifa.

Rob Lowe, Rebel Wilson, David Arquette and Lance Bass are just a few other sporty stars cheering on the Los Angeles Rams and the San Diego Chargers.

SoFi Stadium had to delay its premiere events due to the pandemic back in 2020 ... but now it's making up for lost time with famous-filled seats and epic preparations for Super Bowl LVI.

Adele is returning to the big stage after a 6-year absence from music -- and if you were wondering if she's still got it in the vocals department ... here's confirmation that she does.

The singer previewed a snipped of her new forthcoming single, "Easy On Me," on IG Live this weekend ... playing a good 40 seconds of what seems to be the first verse and almost the hook. She cuts it off before it gets any better ... but the consensus is, so far so good.

The track is laced with a piano melody -- and Adele starts talking about how there's no gold in the river she's been washing her hands, but how she still maintains hope.

The song is also sung in the same soulful, operatic style that Adele has carved out for herself ... as she goes low, high and everything in between. This, of course, comes before she dives into what sounds to be a crescendo that'll probably top what we've heard here.

In other words ... Adele's pipes are still intact after years of no new music. If anything, she sounds as good as ever -- if not better. That's something people often wonder about when artists take long breaks from the scene when it comes to new studio sessions. Rihanna falls into that category ... Bieber recently did too, before coming out with his latest album.

Now, it's unclear if Adele was supposed to play this before the song's out next Friday ... because she (jokingly?) said her phone was blowing up, and that she was gonna get in trouble.

She's probably kidding ... and the snippet is likely part of a bigger marketing campaign to get buzz. Not that she needs it, really -- but hey, there's no such thing as bad pub for Adele. Especially when the product is as top-notch as this almost certainly promises to be.

Adele also took some fan questions ... and weighed in on #FreeBritney, Lana Del Rey and Harry Styles. She supports the first, loves the 2nd and thinks the 3rd is a "very sweet boy."