TMZ.com Home

The "Athlete Of The Year" isn't Super Bowl champ Tom Brady or gold medal-winning gymnast Suni Lee ... it's Simone Biles, according to Time Magazine, who ironically receives the accolade for NOT performing.

It's a controversial pick (check Twitter) by Time ... who selected the 24-year-old, 4x Olympic gold medalist as the recipient of the prestigious honor.

Of course, Biles pulled out of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics after struggling with mental health issues, including the "Twisties" -- where a gymnast becomes disoriented in the air (dangerous when you're tumbling in the air) -- causing her to pull out of the Games.

At the time, Biles tearfully explained her decision to withdraw, explaining she was seeing a therapist to help battle her "demons," saying "I have to focus on my mental health and not jeopardize my health and well-being."

Biles was widely celebrated by fellow athletes and fans across the country for putting a spotlight on mental health.

However, there were also detractors who say Biles flat-out quit on her team and country ... insisting there's nothing to celebrate.

Count teammate Suni Lee -- who recently was named "Athlete Of The Year" by Sports Illustrated (along with swimmer Caeleb Dressel) -- firmly on the side of those who say Biles positively changed sports forever.

“What Simone did changed the way we view our well-being, 100%. It showed us that we are more than the sport, that we are human beings who also can have days that are hard. It really humanized us.”

And, Biles is adamant she wouldn't change a thing about how she handled Tokyo.

“I was torn because things weren’t going the way I wanted," Simone told Time, saying, "But looking back, I wouldn’t change it for anything.”

Slim 400 -- an up-and-coming rapper in the California hip-hop scene -- has been shot and killed in L.A. ... TMZ has learned.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... Slim was gunned down Wednesday night in Inglewood. It's currently unclear what led to the shooting and how many suspects were involved.

Born to military parents in Germany, Slim moved back to Los Angeles as a young child and was raised in Compton. The rapper was later discovered and signed by the now nonexistent Pu$haz Ink music label -- the same one made popular by YG and DJ Mustard.

Slim narrowly escaped death back in the summer of 2019 when he was shot 9 times in L.A. Slim claimed he was ambushed in the attack while visiting family in Compton.

Slim 400 was just 33.

RIP

Chelsea soccer player Samantha Kerr ain't fond of fans on the field --- 'cause she straight-up leveled an intruder who interrupted a match this week ... and the video is wild.

It all went down Wednesday night during the 87th minute of the Champions League match between Chelsea vs. Juventus ... when a man in a black jacket and grey sweats walked onto the pitch and tried to get selfies with the players.

His attempt had consequences, 'cause when he walked towards the Chelsea forward, she hit him with a ferocious body check that sent him flying to the turf.

The crowd was very impressed with the 28-year-old's maneuver, yelling "ooooohhh" while the fan was laid out on the ground.

He eventually got up and ran away ... when security finally came through and took him away.

The crazy part?? Kerr was actually penalized for the defensive stop on the intruder ... receiving a yellow card from the refs.

Chelsea manager Emma Hayes spoke about Kerr's actions ... saying, "it should serve as a reminder to us all in our stadiums and with our stewards we've got to put out player protection first."

Drake and Ye wouldn't be getting ready for tonight's huge Larry Hoover benefit concert at the L.A. Memorial Coliseum if music mogul J. Prince hadn't stepped in to broker their peace treaty ... and he's telling TMZ how he pulled it off.

The Rap-A-Lot Records honcho says there was nothing easy about getting the 2 hip-hop giants to lay down their swords after years of sniping that got incredibly personal. When J. Prince joined us on "TMZ Live," he said his choice of words mattered more than ever.

You'll recall ... Prince was side by side with Ye when he recorded a video last month, extending an olive branch to Drake by asking him to join him for a concert that would raise awareness for Larry Hoover's case, in particular, and for criminal justice reform in general.

After that, he got both men face-to-face at Drizzy's Toronto mansion, and Prince says he had to use a "special lingo to reach these guys' hearts."

He says he stressed to Drake ... he had a chance to set an example for all of hip-hop about how to settle beefs peacefully. As he put it to us, "this is a situation that could save lives."

J. Prince was quick to give Hoover himself credit for suggesting the concert ... and Larry Hoover Jr. echoed that when we saw him Wednesday in Los Angeles. He says his father -- who's been locked up since 1995 for a murder, drug conspiracy and extortion -- didn't want to see Drake and Ye possibly lose their lives to violence.

Nicki Minaj is calling the woman accusing her and her husband of harassment a bold-faced liar -- claiming there are holes in her story that NM and co. believe totally discredit her.

The rapper's attorney filed legal docs, obtained by TMZ, responding to Jennifer Hough's lawsuit from August -- where she claimed Nicki, Kenneth Petty and a gaggle of lawyers were on her case ... trying to get her to recant her attempted rape claim against Ken ... which she made in the '90s and for which KP was convicted.

Long story short ... Nicki's legal team is calling BS on Hough's allegations, going so far as to ask the court to sanction her for what they say are blatant falsehoods, which they think she hurled in an attempt to score a payday from Nicki.

The crux of their argument lies in a couple different inconsistencies they say lie within Hough's account of things -- namely, her claiming she had to change her phone number due to the alleged harassment she was receiving from Nicki, plus the claim Nicki's team had reached out to her brother with a $500k offer if she recanted in a written statement.

On the phone issue ..,. Nicki's attorney says Hough actually texted Nicki after claiming she needed to change her number and move back in June 2020 to block Nicki and her people from contacting her. Nicki says the text read "US Marshalls are asking questions!!!" The lawyer draws a conclusion from this -- Hough wasn't actually trying to hide her number from Nicki at all (contrary to what she alleges). Nicki's team thinks it makes it clear she wasn't scared and is just looking for a payday.

There's also the issue of an interview Hough gave earlier this year, which the attorney says differs from what she alleged in court docs. In the interview, NM's lawyer says Hough noted her brother told her somebody had reached out with a $500k offer if she talked to a lawyer repping Petty. NM's lawyer said the allegation in the lawsuit that Nicki was behind the offer is merely speculation that gave her a reason to try to sue Nicki.

There are probably a handful of "Happy Days" fans who are walking away from one Henry Winkler-themed auction thinking one thing ... aaaayyyyeeeeee, jackpot!!!!

Bonhams -- an auction house -- had all the Fonz goods anybody who's watched the show could ever want and put it up for sale this Wednesday, with the spoils going to the highest bidder. And boy, did people throw down.

Among the most prized items -- the 1949 Triumph Trophy 500 motorbike that Winkler (aka Fonzie) actually rode on the show, which went for a whopping $231,562. That's staggeringly more than what it was expected to fetch ... just $80k-$120k.

The sale also offered an opportunity to match the Fonz's style, down a T -- HW's actual costume from the show was also on the auction block ... going for $75,312. The outfit came with the signature brown leather jacket, 2 white t-shirts, jeans ... and a pair of black leather biker boots, which were worn throughout the first 5 years.

There was a lot more Fonzie stuff up for grabs too -- including a pair of mechanic overalls that Winkler wore on the show, an Army shirt he rocked as Fonz and cowboy boots he once donned. All those went for about $14k, $2k and $1k, respectively.

A portion of the proceeds from the sale will be donated to “This Is About Humanity,” a charity run by his daughter Zoe, which raises awareness and funds for families separated at the US-Mexico Border.

The entire collection is a sight to behold, and clearly drew the attention (and wallets) of 'Happy' adorers ... who seemed more than willing to pony up for some sweet memorabilia.

The attack on Pearl Harbor is one of the great tragedies in American History -- certainly no laughing matter, but West Coast comedians dished out their best jokes to raise a healthy buck for a museum honoring the historic event ... and by healthy, we mean 7 figures.

The Laugh Factory held a virtual telethon on Tuesday -- marking the 80th anniversary of Pearl Harbor -- out here in Hollywood ... where comics like Paul Rodriguez, Sherri Shepherd, Dane Cook, Alonzo Bodden, Donnell Rawlings and Aida Rodriguez, to name a few, came out for some standup in the name of fundraising for the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum.

The museum is in Honolulu, where the siege actually occurred -- and the money raised is going straight to them, so they can keep it up and put up even more tributes to the heroes who fought and died.

Anyway, the whole thing ended up being a huge success ... with sources telling us that around $1.63 million total was raised since last weekend -- when this whole campaign kicked off. A majority of that money, we're told, was gifted by an anonymous donor ... supposedly a legend in the aviation world. On Tuesday itself, our sources say around $300k was donated.

BTW, this effort to honor vets and fallen soldiers had a special cameo -- the late Bob Hope's own daughter, Linda, was on hand to deliver a few remarks ... carrying on her father's legacy of spreading humor and joy among our armed service members.

Baby Slice -- aka Kevin Ferguson Jr. -- is putting his MMA career on hold ... 'cause the fighter just signed a deal with Celebrity Boxing, the org.'s CEO tells TMZ Sports.

29-year-old Slice, 3-3 as a professional mixed martial arts fighter with Bellator, recently part with the promotion ... announcing he was transitioning to the boxing ring.

Well, that's now officially official, 'cause Damon Feldman tells us he's signed Ferguson Jr. and is in the process of finding an opponent for him.

Baby Slice will likely fight early next year.

Of course, Baby Slice's dad Kimbo Slice -- who passed away at the age of 42 in June 2016 -- was an absolute legendary streetfighter turned pro MMA star.

Slice rose to fame fighting in backyards across south Florida ... almost always brutally beating his opponent.

Although he wasn't traditionally trained until later in his life, Kimbo more than held his own in the cage ... even beating Ken Shamrock in 2015.

We're told Baby Slice's opponent could be a reality star ... but that he's open to any celeb who wants to step up.

Before this giggling girl was lighting up the screen by scoring lead roles in film and television, she was just another precious pipsqueak cheesing for the camera in Los Angeles, California.

This smiling sweetheart may be known for her hilarious role in a classic romantic comedy -- where she acted opposite to the hilarious Will Smith -- but she has stolen the screen in lots of action films as well. She has even starred in a giant video game franchise that was adapted for the big screen.

She has also dabbled in the music industry in her early career, as well.

As the "Masked Singer" finale heats up, former contestant Hunter Hayes -- who was Astronaut on the show -- has a special message for Bull ... and TMZ's delivering it.

Next week, we will see who takes the winning spot, and our 'Masked' sources tell us Bull's chosen to perform Hunter's tune, "Invisible" because he feels a strong connection to it.

That prompted the singer/songwriter to record this heartfelt pep talk before Bull steps into the ring for his final performance.

In the video, Hayes congratulates Bull on getting this close to the title, saying ... "I'm excited for you and for the world to hear your voice." He also made sure to thank him for fighting for his song selection.

Apparently, Bull wants to win so bad, that he is overwhelmed with nerves... we'll see if Hunter's words of inspiration are enough to help him take home the W.

Lamar Odom says he's given up 3 vices after splitting with his fiancée ... insisting he's no longer doing drugs, watching porn, or dating women.

42-year-old Odom broke up with Sabrina Parr late last year ... just months after the couple was engaged to be married. In light of the split, Lamar says he's made some major changes in his life.

"A year ago yesterday I left my ex-fiance' at the W Hotel in Atlanta without notice. When she realized I was gone back to my home in San Diego she was livid. I received over 250 calls and text messages over the course of last December from her wanting to fix us. We were toxic. Independently and collectively," the former star hooper wrote on social media.

Odom says he "hated being alone" ... and "sought solace in marijuana and a slew of random women, not loving any of them, not really wanting to be with any of them, but it beat being lonely."

Then Lamar says he had an epiphany.

"One day, my soul opened up, light bulb went off and I wanted and needed to change for ME! My team had worked hard to get me a fresh start. I had to honor that 🙏🏽"

Odom knew it was time to make some serious life changes ... and that's exactly what he says he did.

"Today, I am free. Drug free. Pornography addiction free. Marijuana free. Relationship free. I am rebuilding a relationship with myself. With my family. I am focused on my faith. My growth. My brand. I am a legend. I own that. I am a recovering addict. I own that too."

It's a big step for the former NBA All-Star.

Of course, Odom overdosed and nearly died after a night of hard partying at Dennis Hof's brothel in Nevada back in 2015.

Lamar has vowed to live a sober life in the past ... but has sometimes struggled to stay clean.

That is, until now, Lamar says ... and it's clear he appreciates the support.

"I truly love you all for loving me"

The countdown is on -- with about 24 hours remaining until Drake and Kanye reunite as performers -- and crews for the spectacle are working 'round the clock to finish up the massive stage.

TMZ has obtained a series of photos taken Wednesday inside L.A. Memorial Coliseum where the Free Larry Hoover event is scheduled to go down. You can see a massive, elevated platform in the middle of what is usually a grass field.

Sources with direct knowledge say a crew of more than 200 workers has been going nonstop to get the stage finished. We're told the show's budget -- an estimated $10+ million -- counts for the stage construction/production, space rental, security, event staffers and more.

As for Thursday night's show, our sources say it'll be an "environmental experience," the largest ever created -- and feature incredible projections throughout. Construction crews have even been seen pouring concrete to build up the foundation.

Obviously, Drake and Kanye haven't rehearsed inside the stadium yet, but we're told they've been doing so off-site -- and a dress rehearsal will happen before the real deal Thursday.

Legendary wrestler Blackjack Lanza -- who was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2006 -- has died at 86 years old ... Vince McMahon announced Wednesday.

"Our hearts go out to the family and friends of Jack Lanza," the famed WWE honcho said in a statement on his social media page. "He was a man's man, respected and beloved by all."

No cause of death has been revealed.

Lanza began his wrestling career in the early 1960s, and gained fame after he formed a tag-team partnership with Blackjack Mulligan.

The two -- who went by the moniker "The Blackjacks" -- became one of the most legendary duos in wrestling history ... eventually going on to star in McMahon's World Wide Wrestling Federation in the 1970s.

Lanza ultimately retired from wrestling in the 1980s ... but continued to work with McMahon and the WWE for years.

"His loyalty and dedication will never be forgotten," McMahon said.

Lanza had a huge impact on today's biggest wrestling stars ... with Triple H calling Lanza a legend after the two had a meeting back in 2016.

"One of the greatest minds in the business," Triple H said at the time, "thank you for letting me sit under the learning tree."

He added on Wednesday -- "Certain talent will seek certain agents for advice, but EVERYONE sought out Lanza’s."

"The sweetest man but incredibly tough & 100% dedicated to making us better. Jack often didn’t tell you what you wanted to hear, but ALWAYS told you what you needed. I’ll miss you dearly my friend.

The prosecutor in Jussie Smollett's case raised a lot of eyebrows during his closing argument, by using the phrase "monkeyed around" while referring to the famous defendant.

Prosecutor Dan Webb was trying to make a point that Jussie kept a noose around his neck for a long, long time until police showed up at his apartment. He told the jury Jussie "monkeyed around" with the rope.

The phrase led to groans from Jussie's family ... with several of them shaking their heads in disgust. The jury heard and saw all of this play out ... and it certainly didn't score points for the prosecution that tried to prove the alleged racial attack on Jussie was fake.

This isn't the first time the prosecutor got schooled for a racial misstep. Just 2 days ago Jussie called him out in court for reading some of his texts and using the full n-word. The prosecutor actually backed down and had Jussie read the texts.

Flavor Flav's domestic violence incident from October is all wrapped up and dealt with in the eyes of the law -- he copped a plea to a lesser charge, and is happy to close the book.

The rapper's misdemeanor domestic battery charge was dropped, and Flav pled no contest to one count of coercion. He was fined $640. He will not serve any jail time.

His attorneys, David Chesnoff and Richard Schonfeld, tell TMZ, "Today the domestic violence charge against Mr. William Drayton (Flavor Flav) was dismissed. Mr. Drayton acknowledged the nonviolent act of grabbing a phone during the incident in question, a misdemeanor, and the case was closed by the court."

They add, "Mr. Drayton and his family are grateful to bring an amicable close to this matter and appreciate everyone's support as he continues his one-year journey of sobriety."

As we reported ... Flav was arrested in October after out in Nevada, this after cops got a call about a domestic incident at his home.

Scott Peterson, the man who was convicted of killing his pregnant wife Laci Peterson and their unborn child in 2002, has just been resentenced to life in prison... TMZ has learned.

As we previously reported, Peterson's death sentence was thrown out last year, after the state Supreme Court determined that jurors who personally disagreed with the death penalty were dismissed. The case was sent down for resentencing.

He was originally convicted and spent more than 15 years on death row in California.

As you may know, Peterson killed 27-year-old wife and their unborn son Conner, when Laci was 8 months pregnant on Christmas Eve, 2002.