Meghan Markle Uses Royal Title to Lobby U.S. Senators

Meghan Markle is lobbying hard for paid paternity leave -- an issue that could be a deal-breaker in the impending infrastructure vote on Capitol Hill -- and she's been cold-calling U.S. Senators ... but oddly, using her royal title.

Apparently, New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand gave Markle the cell phone numbers of 2 key Senators -- Susan Collins and Shelley Moore Capito, both Republicans. Markle followed through with a phone call, which showed up as a blocked number.

Moore Capito told Politico, "I'm in my car. I'm driving. It says caller ID blocked. Honestly, I thought it was Senator Manchin, his calls come in blocked."

Moore Capito says she answered and the caller then ID'd herself ... "And she goes, 'Senator Capito?' I said, 'Yes.' She said, "This is Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex."

A similar call was made to Collins, who also answered. Collins said, "I was happy to talk with her, but I'm more interested in what people from Maine are telling me about paid leave."

Markle has been active behind the scenes, writing both House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer to push for passage of the bill. She wrote, "I'm writing to you at this deeply important time -- as a mom -- to advocate for paid leave ... on behalf of my family, Archie and Lili and Harry."

So, who knows ... maybe this is Meghan's entry into good ol' U.S. politics.

Aaron Carter Days Away from Son's Birth ... Name Will Be Nod to MJ!!!

Aaron Carter is about to be a first-time father -- a baby that’s due any day now, and the kid's name will honor Aaron's relationship with Michael Jackson.

The singer tells TMZ ... his fiancée, Melanie Martin, has been expecting a baby boy for quite some time now. Her due date is Nov. 18, but he says they're ready for her to pop anytime between now and then.

Aaron says they've already decided the kid's name will be Prince Lyric Carter, which is a nod to MJ.

As you probably know, Aaron and Michael were close ... and he tells us the King of Pop -- who he considered a friend and mentor -- used to call him the Prince of Pop. Sooo, there ya go.

Anyhow, the young Prince-to-be might be arriving via c-section because of some high-risk factors for Melanie. We're told she has anemia and ulcerative colitis, plus the baby was in breech position -- feet first -- for the first 6 months of the pregnancy ... but he's back in a normal position now.

The couple says they're nervous, but mostly thrilled for Prince's arrival ... especially after Melanie suffered a miscarriage last year.

We're told Melanie's folks will be in L.A. for the birth -- however, AC might be flying solo as far as extended family support. As you know, he's estranged from his brother Nick. Aaron says he's reached out to both his brother and other family members, but it's been crickets.

Celeb Auction Burgundy's Undies, Rachel Green's Clothes & More Up for Grabs, Helps Vets

If Hollywood memorabilia's your thing -- don't miss this chance to bid on relics from 'Anchorman,' 'Friends' and a George Clooney watch ... all in the name of helping vets.

Indeed, the cause is a great one. A nonprofit called Homes for Our Troops is holding its 5th annual Veteran's Day Celebrity Auction starting Nov. 4 and running through the 14th ... and they've got some neat stuff on the table here, which can technically be yours.

Among some of the coolest items ... Jockey briefs as seen on the set of "Anchorman 2," which are autographed by the great Will Ferrell himself. If you're not quite brave enough for that -- there's also something for 'Friends' lovers, especially fans of Rachel Green.

'Friends' autographed clothing from Jennifer Aniston's personal collection are also on the auction block.

There's more than just attire here though for bidding purposes ... other items that HFOT has in its collection this year include a "Suicide Squad" script signed by the cast, a special Snoopy watch from George Clooney's own collection, a guitar with Jon Bon Jovi's John Hancock on it ... and a WHOLE lot more.

All in all, we're talking upwards of 130 personalized items and experiences that can be yours to claim -- and of course, the money's going toward putting our brave men and women who've served and returned injured into specially adapted custom homes.

The event will be co-hosted by famous faces like Jake Tapper, Mindy Kaling, Wynonna Judd, Don Cheadle and others -- like we said, it all kicks off Nov. 4 right here. Don't miss out!

RONNIE ORTIZ-MAGRO Sues Jenn Over Vegas House ... Make My Ex Sell the Place!!!

Ronnie Ortiz-Magro is dragging his ex, Jenn Harley, to court ... and he wants to force a sale of the Las Vegas home they used to share.

According to a new lawsuit ... the 'Jersey Shore' star claims he and Jenn borrowed money from a bank to buy the house when they were still together -- but he claims she recently stopped making payments on the loan, even though she's the only one who lives there now that Ronnie moved out.

In the docs, obtained by TMZ, Ronnie claims Jenn hasn't made a loan payment since July, and he's also not sure if she's paying the HOA dues or utilities.

What's more, Ronnie claims Jenn made some home improvements he didn't know about and failed to pay for the work. As a result, he says there are now liens on the property.

According to the docs, Ronnie wants to sell the place, but claims Jenn refuses to cooperate. So, now he wants a court to force the sale so he can get his cut of the proceeds.

Jenn's lawyer, Michael Cristalli, tells TMZ ... Ronnie and Jenn agreed it's her house and she paid Ronnie for it, plus she pays the mortgage and invested six figures into improvements.

Cristalli adds ... Jenn tried to finalize financing on the house to get Ronnie off the mortgage, but he refused, and now Ron "wants a windfall that he is not entitled to."

Chris Johnson Titans Still 'Team To Beat' ... Despite Henry Injury

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A BIG LOSS
TMZSports.com

A shot at a Titans Super Bowl title did not end when Derrick Henry got injured Sunday ... so says Chris Johnson, who tells TMZ Sports Tennessee is still "the team to beat."

Of course, most disagree with CJ2K ... considering Henry -- who's expected to miss the rest of the season after foot surgery Tuesday -- was the leading rusher in the league and by far the Titans' best player before his injury.

But, Johnson says he doesn't expect a dip at all from the Titans going forward ... saying there's just too many playmakers on the roster to allow that to happen.

"We got a good quarterback," the ex-Titans star said. "We got two good receivers out there. So we should be all right."

Johnson tells us he expects to see Tennessee turn into more of a passing team ... though he did say he's confident if the team needs to rely on the newly signed Adrian Peterson, it can do that as well.

"Adrian's been able to show that he's been able to come in and can contribute to whatever team that he goes to," Johnson said.

The former running back explained a Titans' Super Bowl run is still more than possible ... and even delivered an uplifting message to downtrodden Tennessee fans.

The first game without Henry is slated for Sunday night against the Rams -- who, by the way, just added Von Miller to the roster this week.

Good luck!

Redfoo from LMFAO 'Memba Him?!

Hollywood royalty Redfoo (birth name is Stephen Gordy) was in his early 30s when he joined forces with his nephew Sky Blu to create the iconic musical group LMFAO ... which shot to fame in 2009 after they released their debut album "Party Rock" in 2009 that included the hit songs "I'm In Miami Bitch," the Lil Jon jam "Shots" and the affirmative anthem "Yes."

Redfoo now spends his days living a healthy life at his vegan ranch and working on his forehand technique while exercising on the tennis court.

Guess what the shuffling singer looks like now in his mid-40s!

'The Masked Singer' Bull Makes Strategic Move ... Distances From Skunk

The Bull is on the move as "The Masked Singer" moves into the final stages ... and it sounds like he's starting to feel the pressure heating up.

Sources tell TMZ ... Bull overheard his competitor, Skunk, rehearsing in the trailer next to his and immediately recognized her voice, and how good it is!!!

That intel seemed to spook Bull, who promptly asked producers to move trailers, so he wouldn't get psyched out before the upcoming semifinal.

We're told producers found another trailer down the lot from Skunk, so Bull could keep his head in the game.

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CHARGING AHEAD
Fox

Now, we'll see if the move pays off, or if Bull still buckles under the mounting pressure.

Stay tuned ...

John Legend & Chrissy Teigen Kim Needs a Guy with Big Laughs ... Pete Checks That Box!!!

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FUNNY GUYS GET THE GIRL
TMZ.com

John Legend and Chrissy Teigen say there's one specific thing about Pete Davidson that could be the key to wooing Kim Kardashian -- his enormous funny bone.

We got John and Chrissy outside her office Wednesday and our photog asked what they make of Pete and Kim going on a secret dinner date in his hometown of Staten Island.

Chrissy, who is one of Kim's friends, says being funny is doing a lot for Pete ... and she says it's a quality that drew her to John.

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Buddy-buddy
TMZ.com

TMZ broke the story ... Kim and Pete grabbed dinner Tuesday night at his favorite Italian restaurant ... a rendezvous that comes on the heels of them working closely on "Saturday Night Live" and hitting up a SoCal amusement park together.

The way John sees it ... what girl wouldn't want to fall in love with a funny guy?!?

Kim's past could also be working in Pete's favor ... Chrissy says KK needs someone to make her laugh after some intense months with estranged husband Kanye West, and Pete definitely fits the bill.

The 'SNL' star also famously coined the phrase "big d*** energy" ... and Chrissy admits BDE might be at play here.

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EVERYONE WANTS TO KNOW!
TMZ.com

While Chrissy's not willing to say Pete and Kim are definitely an item ... she's got an answer ready if they ever ask her and John out on a double date.

DaBaby Rolling Loud Backs New Tour ... Says He's Grown From Homophobic Rant

DaBaby is going back on tour after his homophobic comments, and it's all backed by Rolling Loud -- the festival where he made those remarks -- which believes he's a changed man.

Here's the deal ... DaBaby just announced a 22-show tour presented by Rolling Loud called "Live Show Killa Tour." The rapper's touting it as "THE SHOW YOU THOUGHT YOU'D NEVER SEE AGAIN" ... clearly jabbing at people who wanted him canceled.

A rep for Rolling Loud tells TMZ ... RL supports second chances and believes DaBaby has grown and learned from his experience, and everyone will be welcome at the shows.

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THE HOMOPHOBIC COMMENTS
Rolling Loud

As you know ... there was a massive backlash against DaBaby after the homophobic rant at Rolling Loud in Miami -- he was dropped from the lineup of a few festivals.

But, he returned to a Rolling Loud stage last month in NYC, where he joined his buddy 50 Cent as a special guest.

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DA RETURN

Sources close to DaBaby tell TMZ ... he inked the tour deal with RL prior to his appearance with Fiddy, but no earlier than a month ago.

Bottom line, DaBaby is not canceled ... at least not by Rolling Loud. Based on the reception he got in NYC, a large number of fans would agree.

'Rust' Movie Shooting Halyna's Husband Hires Attorneys ... Wrongful Death Suit WILL Be Filed

The husband of "Rust" cinematographer Halyna Hutchins has lawyered up, and is preparing to file a wrongful death lawsuit ... TMZ has learned.

Matthew Hutchins retained the services of Panish | Shea | Boyle | Ravipudi ... according to the L.A.-based law firm. The firm's website says its attorneys specialize in personal injury and wrongful death litigation ... so clearly, Halyna's tragic death is in their wheelhouse.

Sources familiar with the situation tell us the lawsuit will be filed on behalf of Halyna's spouse and their child, and there will be multiple defendants.

The Santa Fe County District Attorney and Sheriff's Department continue to investigate Halyna's death, and while no criminal charges have been announced ... they say all options are still on the table.

Halyna is survived by Matthew and their 9-year-old son, Andros. The law firm had no comment beyond saying it was now on the case.

As we reported, attorneys for the head armorer, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, are now theorizing that a disgruntled cast member intentionally put one or more live rounds of ammo in a box of dummy rounds.

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WE NEED ANSWERS
TMZ.com

They admit Hannah loaded the gun Alec Baldwin eventually fired, accidentally killing Halyna ... but say she had no idea she'd placed a live bullet in the revolver's barrel.

TMZ broke the story ... the "Rust" production's insurance policy limits payouts for death or injury on set to $6 million. That's the total for any injuries -- keep in mind, director Joel Souza could also file a claim for his injury from the shooting.

Joe Exotic My 'Aggressive Cancer' is Back ... Wants Prison Release for Treatment

Joe Exotic's health is taking a major turn for the worse as the disgraced zookeeper remains behind bars ... telling fans he has "aggressive cancer."

The 'Tiger King' star says he recently had a biopsy performed on his prostate, and doctors let him know the results Wednesday. He says he doesn't want sympathy, instead, he wants his voice to be heard and for an immediate release so he can get treatment at home.

Joe's attorney, John Phillips, tells TMZ ... he plans to file a motion requesting compassionate release from his federal prison in Texas. It sounds like JE's condition must be pretty bad, because Phillips added that any delay in getting their motion before a judge could prove fatal.

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While Joe is hopeful cancer treatment can help, it appears he's also acknowledging the outlook could be grim, noting if treatment doesn't work, he'd like to, "enjoy what life I have left with my loved ones!"

True to form, Joe also mentioned Carole Baskin on Wednesday, saying he's sure "Carole will have her own party over this!"

As we reported, Joe said he was "ready to die" in August after fears his cancer had spread to his pelvis and stomach.

Obviously, it's still too early to know what kind of treatment Joe will get, but he's certainly stayed busy behind bars ... helping to launch a weed line and underwear line, while still fighting to prove his innocence.

H.S. Hockey Students Banned Over 'Suck Our D***' Chants ... Aimed At Female Goalie

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DISGUSTING CHANT
LiveBarn

A group of high school students in Penn. have now been banned from attending hockey games this season after they chanted "suck our d***" and "she's a w****" at a female goalie during a match last week.

The deplorable moments all went down when Mars Area H.S. took on Armstrong H.S. at Belmont Sports Complex near Kittanning on Thursday ... when several students decided to hurl vile words at the Mars goalie.

In a video from the game, the chants can be heard loud and clear -- and the footage shows they lasted for several seconds each.

In an interview with Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Mars coach Steve Meyers said his players heard the words from ice level -- and they actually left his goalie in tears.

After the game, Armstrong principal Kirk Lorigan said he was "appalled" by the actions of his students ... and took swift action against them, banning the entire student body from attending future games this year.

Lorigan added that he and other school officials are working to identify individual students who participated in the chants at the game ... intimating further punishment could be on the way at the conclusion of the probe.

"It's certainly an unfortunate and embarrassing situation," Lorigan said ... "I'm disgusted by it."

Lorigan also said he's apologized to Mars and their goalie over it all.

"We will continue to do our best to change these behaviors," Lorigan said. "This should not happen to anyone, anywhere, in any school district in the United States."

AOC Parents Who Are Anti-CRT Are Turning a Blind Eye to Our History

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ALL HISTORY IS IMPORTANT
TMZ.com

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez thinks folks who oppose Critical Race Theory in schools are burying their heads in the sand when it comes to the country's history ... which ain't always pretty.

We got the U.S. Congresswoman from NY Wednesday on Capitol Hill, and asked for her thoughts on CRT -- a hot-button issue that played a role in several elections that went down Tuesday, especially Virginia's gubernatorial race.

Watch what AOC has to say about this ... in her mind, refusing to embrace a Critical Race Theory-based curriculum is akin to willfully ignoring how racism impacted the nation from its inception.

The one thing she hints at, but doesn't quite verbalize, is that CRT makes the leap of framing racial dynamics in the present ... discussing how some institutions are *still* steeped in racism, and how that affects people of color today.

Truth is, there are a lot of people who don't understand what Critical Race Theory is at all ... or have been misinformed about it. And, as AOC notes here, it's been weaponized to really trigger some people -- especially parents.

With that in mind ... check out what she says when we ask if adding some star power to history books could bring the conversation to the forefront in a less hostile way.

Hannah Gutierrez-Reed Her Lawyer Insists ... Didn't See (Or Hear) Any Target Practice

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WE NEED ANSWERS
TMZ.com

Hannah Gutierrez-Reed -- the armorer on for "Rust" -- didn't hear or see anything that would make her think target practice (with live rounds) was taking place ... so insists her attorney.

Jason Bowles joined us Wednesday on "TMZ Live" to clarify a few things he said earlier in the day -- the most important of which being his suggestion sabotage might've been at play here ... and that someone slipped a live bullet in a dummy rounds box on purpose.

We pressed him on that, asking what evidence -- if any -- he and/or his partners had to make a claim like that ... and Bowles seems to take a somewhat softer stance here.

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SOMETHING IS OFF
NBC

Watch ... he explains they don't have a smoking gun, per se, and aren't pointing the finger at one person -- the possibility itself is there -- clear in the fact that a live round somehow made its way into a case that presumably only carried dummies, which are considered safe.

Of course, we also had to ask why the ammo was just out in the open if the weapons themselves were being guarded -- and Bowles has an explanation ... which makes sense.

He makes the point that dummies aren't dangerous, and don't necessarily need to be under a watchful eye at all times -- especially if no one is expecting a live round to enter the situation ... which he says is the case here. Namely, he's saying Hannah had no knowledge whatsoever of real bullets being anywhere near the set.

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911 AUDIO

That leads to the final puzzling mystery of ... if target practice was, indeed, going down as frequently as we've heard it was during off-hours, how is it she didn't hear it or hear about it???

Bowles response is this ... if that was actually happening, it must've been taking place very far away from where she ever was, because he's firm that Hannah knows nothing about it.

There are a still several unanswered questions, but Bowles at least offers some clarity ... from his client's POV, anyway.

Nick Lachey The Tech on 'Alter Ego' Will Transcend FOX's Singing Show

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SHOW OF THE FUTURE
TMZ.com

Nick Lachey says what we're seeing on FOX's new singing show, "Alter Ego," might be really cool onstage, but it could also be the future of entertainment ... period.

We got the 98 Degrees singer -- who's been tapped as one of the celeb judges for 'Ego' -- and asked how he's liking his role on this revolutionary competition series ... where contestants sing live, but appear as digital avatars.

It's such a unique concept, and if you listen to Nick here, you'll see the format has had an impact on him -- especially on the technology side, something he admits he doesn't fully understand ... but can appreciate nonetheless.

There's a funny comparison Nick makes between himself and his fellow judge, Grimes ... who he calls "half-robot" on a whole other level that he just hasn't reached.

Still, NL recognizes the potential for something bigger than just music ... pointing out a lot of real-life influencers already promote themselves as avatars. In other words, he's saying this is a bigger wave that will reach far beyond his show -- and FOX is just surfing it earlier.

The world is changing, and Nick's trying to keep up like the rest of us. Luckily, "Alter Ego" has arrived to make the transition easier. New episodes air Wednesdays at 9 PM ET!

'Rust' Shooting Live Ammo Differs From Dummy Round ... Weapons Safety for Film Expert Explains

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THE DIFFERENCE IS CLEAR
TMZ.com

There's some key differences to look for when checking a gun for live ammunition or dummy rounds ... and it sounds like it should be pretty hard to screw up ... at least in theory.

Steve Wolf, who has been working in SFX and props in films for several decades, joined us on "TMZ Live" Wednesday and literally showed us what the armorer on the "Rust" set should have been looking for.

As Steve explains, it's pretty simple to spot the difference with the naked eye ... dummy rounds have a dimpled primer on the bottom, something live ammunition does not.

Steve says there's another way to check what is going into a gun ... shaking and listening for sounds.

He says the dummy rounds are loaded with BBs and the live rounds are filled with gunpowder ... and the dummy rounds make a distinct noise when shaken and the live ammo is basically silent.

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SOMETHING IS OFF
NBC

The distinctions are important ... there was a fatal shooting on the "Rust" set ... and now lawyers for the armorer, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, are suggesting someone placed a live round in a box of dummy rounds ... and that live round bullet killed Halyna Hutchins.

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THE FINAL MOMENTS
NBC

Hannah's lawyers said she spun the revolver before the fatal shooting ... but it sounds like Steve is saying she should have noticed the live round, based on how the bullet looks from the bottom.

The armorer also claims she didn't know there were live rounds on the set ... despite what we first told you ... the gun from the shooting was allegedly used for off-set target practice with live rounds.

Steve offers his expertise again ... telling us why it would be awfully hard for folks on set not to notice the sound of real gunfire.