'Porky's' Star Tony Ganios Dead at 64 ... Heart Attack After Surgery

Tony Ganios -- famous from "Porky's" and a ton of other cult classic films -- has died.

The actor's fiancée, Amanda, tells us Tony passed away Sunday at a NY hospital -- this after he was taken in on Saturday and was found to have been suffering a severe spinal cord infection. We're told he went into surgery, but suffered a fatal heart attack the following day as he was recovering.

Amanda says Tony was on his way to a dialysis treatment Sunday morning when he went into cardiac arrest ... and we're told he was experiencing organ failure too. Amanda says his death came so suddenly, and she's absolutely shattered right now ... explaining they were just planning their wedding last week. They'd been together for a couple for at least 9 years.

She posted a sweet tribute to Tony online, writing ... "The last words we said to each other were "I love you." Love is an understatement. You are everything to me.  My heart, my soul and my best friend. #I love you #tonyganios."

Tony will best be remembered for his lead role in the 1981 film, which went down as a fan-fave sex comedy flick and developed a cult following. "Porky's" also went on to churn out several sequels ... including "Porky's II: The Next Day" and "Porky's Revenge!" -- both of which he starred in.

Of course, fans know him as Meat Tuperello ... one of the guys trying to lose their V-cards at a brothel, and who ended up playing peeping Toms. The shower scene from the movie is probably one of the most iconic in the raunchy comedy category of movies.

While "Porky's" was arguably his biggest flick/franchise ... Tony was in a handful of other memorable films as well -- including 1979's "The Wanderers," in which he played Perry.

Other movies of his include "Back Roads," "Continental Divide," "Body Rock," "Die Hard 2," "Rising Sun," "The Taking of Beverly Hills" and more. TG had been in shows as well -- such as "The Ring of the Musketeers," "Wiseguy," "The Equalizer" and "Scarecrow and Mrs. King."

He appears to have left showbiz behind in the '90s ... but he certainly left his mark on pop culture. In fact, film producer Sean Clark had some kind words for Tony upon hearing about his passing.

SC wrote, "Sad to hear of the passing of Tony Gainos aka Meat from Porky's This photo is from 20 years ago with Tony and Porky's co-star Scott Colomby Although I had many business conversations with him over the years I would not say he was a friend."

He adds, "I did not know him well at all. However he was a nice guy and it's a shame he passed just 2 weeks away from the big Porky's reunion at Cult Classics Weekend in Bastrop TX in which he was supposed to attend. So with that said I'm sorry for OUR loss."

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Amanda tells TMZ Tony had been working and active in the final years of his life. He was 64.

RIP

Kansas City Shooting Prosecutors File Murder Charges ... Against Two New Adults

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new charges announced

Two adults who've been linked to the Kansas City mass shooting are now facing murder charges and other serious counts ... something just announced by KC prosecutors.

Lyndell Mays and Dominic Miller were both hit with 2nd-degree murder charges Tuesday ... and they're also up against armed criminal action and unlawful use of a weapon charges on top of that. These guys are different than the two teens who were charged last week.

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It's a stunning development, as we're just now learning about the fact that cops even had these two men in their custody. Last we heard ... they only had 3 people detained, including two juveniles.

Now, however ... we know there are at least 4 people total at this point being implicated in this crime. Prosecutors say they're not releasing mug shots yet 'cause these 2 men are still recovering in the hospital.

Prosecutors went on to say that there might be other people arrested and charged in the case -- but for now, they're starting here. They note that the 2 juveniles are being prosecuted by a different court ... and their identities will not be released since they're underage.

It's unclear how old the two adult men are -- and it's also unclear when these two guys came onto the cops' radar. But something interesting officials noted is that these two dueling factions -- remember, they say this all started with an argument -- did not know each other.

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MOMENT OF DISPUTE
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Prosecutors note evidence suggests this heated exchange led to a firearm being drawn by Mays ... which then led to others pulling their firearms almost immediately afterward, including one by Miller. After the shots rang out -- prosecutors say Miller's weapon ended up being the one that hit Lisa Lopez-Galvan ... although they're pinning her murder on both guys.

TMZ broke the story ... there were teenagers caught on camera on the scene Wednesday just before shots rang out -- and eyewitnesses tell us they believe they were involved.

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SHOTS FIRED
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While our eyewitnesses say they never saw any of the teens open fire ... they claim the person or persons they were facing off with, off-camera, did unload the first shots.

Kansas City officials say the investigation is still ongoing, and that they intend to hold everyone who participated in the tragedy responsible. At the moment, this is where they're at.

In addition to Lisa's death ... at least 22 others suffered gunshot wounds that day.

Memphis Mom Busted for Child Neglect Pics of Daughter Waxing Adults?!?

A woman in Memphis was reportedly arrested after allegedly having her young daughter wax the vaginas of adult women -- something she appears to have posted online.

30-year-old Jasmine Moss was booked last week on child neglect charges after cops say they received complaints about her posting graphic images on social media that allegedly depicted her 5-year-old daughter working at her waxing business.

Screengrabs of posts that Moss allegedly threw up on her business account, @jasminedemiracle, quickly started to circulate last week ... and they caused quite a stir.

In two different photos ... you see a little girl standing in front of what appears to be two different women with their pants/underwear off ... and their legs spread wide open. One picture, which is incredibly graphic, shows the girl wearing gloves and applying wax to a lady's crotch area.

The purported posts have captions that seem to reflect she's proud of her little girl, saying "When I say I'm passing down Deed & LLCs to my creations I mean that!"

If they are indeed authentic, it's stunning because the mom appears to say she had the kid do this for a total of 24 different clients starting at 7:25 AM, and had her going for 8 hours.

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Now, it looks like mama bear is in jail ... and she's set to appear in court Wednesday.

DC Young Fly Need My Stolen Bag Back... Jacky Oh!'s Death Cert Was In There!!!

DC Young Fly is graciously asking the person responsible for swiping his bookbag to return it pronto ... because its sentimental value outweighs the financial gain in this caper.

Apparently, DC had a gig at the Hollywood Improv last night but discovered his bag had gone missing following the let-out of the show -- and he suspects it got taken by a thief.

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BRING THE BAG BACK

The comedian/actor hoped on IG this morning with a passionate plea for the bag to be returned to him ... and it's incredibly sad, because he says there was something inside that was of the utmost importance to him.

According to DC, no cash or jewels were taken but, as it turns out, the backpack actually contained the death certificate of his girlfriend, Jacky Oh!, with whom he had 3 children.

As we reported ...Jacky died last May due to complications from cosmetic surgery and like we told you, no foul play was suspected in her death. It was just a tragic accident.

DC's not asking for anything crazy here ... he literally just wants his bag back, and is hoping his message reaches the right people and that they'll do the right thing and return it.

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His fellow comedians D.L. Hughley and Earthquake have since joined him on IG in spreading awareness for the stolen property.

Porn Star Kagney Linn Karter Gruesome Suicide ... Killed Herself w/ Shotgun in Mouth

update

11:14 AM PT -- Parma PD tells TMZ ... Kagney Linn Karter's mother is the one who called in to report the suicide, and we're told there was a note left at the home where this occurred -- although, cops say they don't know the contents of it.

We're told there's no sign of foul play, and no signs of drugs were found at the scene. It's unclear who the shotgun that was used belonged to.

Kagney Linn Karter's suicide was as horrific as one could imagine -- involving a self-inflicted gunshot wound ... from one of the most high-powered firearms around.

According to Cuyahoga County officials, the former porn star died by suicide last week -- and her official cause of death is listed as an intraoral shotgun wound. What that means in layman's terms ... she put a shotgun in her mouth and pulled the trigger.

No other details about her death have surfaced just yet ... but Parma PD is investigating.

The gruesome update is absolutely gut-wrenching for her loved ones and fans, no doubt -- and it appears to have come out of nowhere ... especially when you consider she'd posted a happy photo from a beach in Florida just a few days prior to the incident.

Of course, since leaving the porn biz behind ... Kagney had moved to Ohio, where she opened a pole dancing studio and had become friends with other people in the community.

Her friends started a GoFundMe for her mother, who's handling funeral arrangements.

In the GFM description, Kagney's inner circle claims she'd battled mental health issues for years -- something her immediate family hasn't commented on or confirmed. If true, though ... it would certainly help explain the tragedy. On the face of things, she seemed OK.

On a grim note, word of Kagney's suicide happens to fall on a noteworthy date. Tuesday marks what would've been Kurt Cobain's 57th birthday ... and he, too, died by suicide under similar circumstances. Kurt took his own life, and also used a shotgun to the head.

A purported autopsy report circulated last month claiming to have the full gory details of Kurt's death scene. We haven't been able to confirm the authenticity of it, but it looks real.

In any case ... it's absolutely terrible to hear, and counts as yet another high-profile suicide.

RIP

If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org.

Originally Published -- 8:50 AM PT

NBA's Haywood Highsmith Sued By 21-Year-Old ... Your Unsafe Driving Cost Me My Leg

The 21-year-old who lost his leg during a car accident involving Haywood Highsmith earlier this month is now suing the NBA player ... claiming the hooper's careless driving caused the entire tragedy.

Alekxei Pino filed the lawsuit on Friday in Florida ... alleging he was helping assist a stranded motorist on Feb. 6 in Miami when Highsmith barreled into him in his 2021 Audi A5 at a high rate of speed.

Pino claims in the suit Highsmith was going over the roadway's legal speed limit before he hit him ... causing an above-the-knee amputation.

Pino also claims he suffered other significant injuries in the crash ... and has since undergone numerous medical procedures to address the damage.

Pino's attorney, Manuel Dobrinsky, said in a statement this week his client is actually still in the hospital recovering ... "with a very long road of rehabilitation ahead of him."

Pino and his lawyer are asking for unspecified damages but estimate it will be in excess of $50,000.

Pino's family, meanwhile, has also set up a GoFundMe, hoping to raise $100,000 to help him with the recovery process.

As we previously reported, cops said in a police report Highsmith was traveling 45 MPH in a 40 MPH zone before the accident a short time after the Heat beat the Orlando Magic at the nearby Kesaya Center.

Cops stated in the docs they believed drugs and alcohol were not involved ... though they did say Highsmith may have been distracted by unknown circumstances. They ultimately cited him for careless driving.

The Heat said in a statement following the crash that their "hearts go out to those who were injured."

Highsmith sat out of the Heat game the night following the wreck ... although he returned to the floor on Feb. 11 against the Celtics, and played 23 minutes.

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He logged time in the Heat's two other contests prior to the NBA's All-Star break -- scoring 16 points on Feb. 14.

FL. CAR WRECK DEPUTY SAVES Infant with Emergency CPR ... Wild Body Cam Video!!!

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THE horrifying FOOTAGE
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Dramatic body cam footage shows the chilling moment a Florida sheriff deputy rescued an infant from a mangled car wreck -- and her survival is being attributed to his CPR.

As you can see in the footage, Charlotte County Deputy Sgt. Dave Musgrove was cruising along the state highway near Englewood on the night of Feb. 8 when a motorcycle sped past over 100 mph and crashed into another vehicle up ahead seconds later.

Upon arriving at the scene ... Musgroves wastes no time removing the toddler from the booster seat, handing the child over to the passenger of another vehicle he flags down -- this as the baby's mother pleads for him to help her kid.

He then gets to work removing the six-month-old infant from the car seat ... but it proves more of a challenge with the motorcyclist wedged directly on top.

Of course, the situation is every parent's worst nightmare ... evident by the panicked background shrieks of the mother asking whether her child is alive or not.

It quickly becomes clear the baby isn't breathing -- and once he officially gets the baby out of the car, Deputy Musgroves begins performing chest compressions on her in a race against time ... and thankfully, there's soon a pulse!!

Fort Myer's WBBH reported that the baby is now in ICU at a St. Petersburg hospital with a brain injury. The baby's mom, Kayleigh Foley, praised Musgrove as a hero, gushing to the publication, "He is such a genuine person."

Sheriff Bill Prummell also praised Musgraves ... saying in a statement, "The actions of Sgt. Musgrove are to be commended. His poise and calm demeanor in a scene of chaos and tragedy ultimately saved the life of a beautiful child."

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Unfortunately, the motorcyclist didn't survive.

DAKOTA JOHNSON Not Sweatin' 'Madame Web' Flop De Vacaciones Con Chris!!!

Dakota Johnson's new superhero movie bombed at the box office -- but she's not trippin' ... 'cause the water in Mexico is fine, especially with her boyfriend right next to her.

The actress stripped down to a white halter neck-style swimsuit as she cooled off with her man Chris Martin in the beachy waters of Puerto Vallarta Sunday -- continuing her IDC tour by proving not even a major film flop was gonna ruin her good time.

The couple could be seen recharging on a sunlounger ... before Dakota dried off with a towel after a refreshing dip in the ocean.

Now, some may argue that DJ, perhaps, fled to Mexico to avoid all the 'MW' noise after it tanked this weekend. However, given her unbothered promo tour -- where she even admitted she hadn't watched the film much to the dismay of comic book fans -- something tells us she probably didn't even register how poorly it was received ... by fans and critics alike.

Safe to say ... Dakota didn't really put her best foot forward promoting the film -- at least on the face of it -- and the figures speak for themselves. Whether she's to blame for any of it though ... well, that's anyone's guess.

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I'LL SEE IT ... EVENTUALLY
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The running total for the six-day holiday weekend -- beginning Valentine's Day and ending on President's Day -- was just $25.8 million domestically and about the same amount globally ... definitely not up to par for a major superhero flick opening.

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In fact, The Hollywood Reporter put it down as the worst opening for a Sony movie featuring Spider-Man-related characters ... and the consensus seems to be the same across the board.

In the meantime, Dakota's living her life and doing her thing ... she's probably already forgotten she was even in this dud.

Girl Scouts Member Selling Cookies Robbed ... Thief Runs Off w/ Cash!!!

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Cookie Monster

UPDATE

12:27 PM PT -- Girl Scouts of Texas Oklahoma Plains tell TMZ they're "proud of the Girl Scouts at the booth for handling this situation safely and appropriately."

They continued, "Girl Scouts of Texas Oklahoma Plains will ensure the troop is not financially impacted by this loss. For those interested in supporting Girl Scouts, please find a cookie booth near you by entering your zip code at gs-top.org/findcookies. By purchasing Girl Scout cookies, you are supporting Girl Scouts with their goals of travel, camp, and community service."

A Girl Scout in Texas got her cash stolen by a thief who pulled a quick snatch-and-grab in front of a Walmart ... and the crime was caught on video, with cops on the case.

This awful incident went down last week in Fort Worth, where a young girl who was working a Girl Scouts booth with an adult who was briefly distracted while manning her table ... only to have some dude walk out the front door and grab her money bag in one fell swoop.

The guy makes a run for it, and by the looks of this video ... he got away in the moment.

You can tell the poor girl is absolutely stunned as she realizes what just happened -- wandering into the Walmart ... presumably to ask for help and get some answers. No word on how much money might've been in her bag -- but GS cookies can pull in a solid haul.

Anyway, Forth Worth PD is aware of this ... and they're asking the public for help in ID'ing the suspect -- a photo of whom they posted, and who they describe as a young man.

Obviously, it's a crappy situation ... but luckily, no one was hurt. Doesn't sound like the Girl Scouts org at large has addressed this yet ... however, ya gotta figure they're helping her out.

Like we said, cops are working the case and they're soliciting any tips or info to help track this guy down. Anyone with any insight is encouraged to contact a FW detective ... and they even cite the case number, #240311437. The suspect is still currently at large.

BTW, if you're wondering just how lucrative Girl Scout cookie sales are -- the org says they've raked in about $800 million a year nationally ... so there was probably a nice bundle in that little girl's purse.

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Pretty crappy, indeed.

Originally Published -- 8:26 AM PT

JON STEWART I SAID WHAT I SAID ABOUT BIDEN!!! Blasts 'DS' Return Backlash

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THE REVIEWS ARE IN
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Jon Stewart is standing by his roasting of Joe Biden in the opening monologue for his 'Daily Show' return last week ... while also mocking everyone who clutched their pearls.

In his second show back for the Comedy Central series Monday night, JS managed to find humor in even the most savage of online messages ... noting that those on X get worked up on anything at the drop of a dime -- even telling labradoodles to "go f*** themselves." So yeah, he's not exactly gonna be crying over the criticism.

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VERY BASIC THINGS
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Ex-MSNBC star Keith Olbermann and Mary L. Trump particularly took offense to Stewart's roasting of Biden and Donald Trump -- the latter even going as far as to label him "a potential disaster for democracy" as seen in the tweets displayed on the screen.

But JS fired back at the absurdity of the outrage surrounding his monologue ... "It was one f***ing show! It was just one f***ing show! It was 20 minutes. I did 20 minutes in one f***ing show! But I guess, as the famous saying goes: 'Democracy dies in discussion.'"

He sarcastically concluded ... "It was never my intention to say out loud what I saw with my eyes and then brain. I can do better!"

You'll recall ... JS marked his 'DS' return by discussing the upcoming 2024 election -- in particular, his biting commentary was aimed at POTUS' age and mental state.

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JB's opponent wasn't let off the hook so easily -- Trump was also roasted for being unable to remember basic stuff ... which is a pretty key trait to have if you're running the country.

Nonetheless, Stewart's message advocating for new blood in politics is loud and clear.

ELON MUSK Patient with Implanted Brain Chip Controls Mouse with Thought!!!

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PROGRESS IS GOOD
X

The first-ever human to be fitted with Neuralink's brain chip can now move a computer mouse with thought alone -- this according to the tech billionaire Elon Musk himself.

The patient was part of the neurotech startup's first human test group and received the implant last month -- with Musk telling journalist Katherine Brodsky in an X Spaces event Monday they've recovered well and the progress on what they set out to achieve "is good."

He adds the patient is suffering "no ill effects" the company is aware of ...and can apparently move the mouse up and down to drag boxes on the screen just by thinking.

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ACCESSING HUMAN THOUGHTS
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The brain chip is called Telepathy ... and Elon previously explained it "enables control of your phone or computer, and through them almost any device, just by thinking."

The device consists of an electrode with more than 1,000 flexible conductors that can be etched into peoples' cerebral cortexes via a surgical robot. The electrodes are programmed to register thoughts related to motion in the truly groundbreaking technology -- and so far, it looks like it's doing its job!

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Neuralink's first human trial involved a person who lost the use of his limbs ... after the FDA cleared the way for this trial back in May 2023.

Taylor Swift Her Flight Tracker Lawyers Up ... Sends Pop Star Annoying Legal Letter

Taylor Swift got a response from the college student to whom she sent a cease and desist letter for tracking her private jet on Instagram – and his words definitely don't fly with her.

On Monday, Jack Sweeney took to the social media app, X, and posted a two-page letter he sent to the pop superstar, claiming he did absolutely nothing wrong by showing her flight path to the world.

In the caption next to the January 25 missive, Sweeney quoted lyrics from Taylor's 2017 hit song, "Reputation," writing, "Look What You Made Me Do."

That must have really gone over well with Taylor after her attorney, Kate Wright Morrone, fired off a legal threat to Sweeney in December.

In her cease and desist ... Morrone claimed Sweeney was engaging in "stalking and harassing behavior" by revealing Taylor's flight information in real-time on social media. Morrone warned that if Sweeney did not stop putting her famous client's safety in imminent danger, he would be subject to further legal action.

But Sweeney and his attorney, James Slater, weren't scared off, composing their own letter and mailing it to Morrone.

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FIGHTING BACK
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Slater wrote that Morrone cited no law that supports her cease and desist, except for stalking, which does not apply since Sweeney has never made a "credible threat" against Taylor.

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The attorney pointed out Sweeney merely uploaded publicly available data from the Federal Aviation Administration to track Taylor's plane movements.

In a nutshell, Slater said Sweeney -- a junior at the University of Central Florida – exercised his right to protected speech and has done nothing unlawful. He also noted Sweeney has posted online similar flight information for Elon Musk and some Russian oligarchs.

We'll be talking all things Taylor on the new "TMZ Swift-Tea Podcast" -- available on all podcast platforms.

Daytona 500 Huge Crash Wrecks Half The Field ... William Byron Gets The Win

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CHAOTIC CRASH
NASCAR

A massive crash marred the final laps of the Daytona 500 ... as 23 cars in total pinballed off each other in a wild mess toward the end of the famed race -- although the carnage ultimately allowed underdog William Byron to come out with the win.

The chaos happened with eight laps to go at Daytona International Speedway in Florida ... when Alex Bowman started the wreck by nudging Byron.

The bump caused Byron's No. 24 car to slide into Brad Keselowski's ... which set off a huge chain reaction of accidents.

Check out the replay from the race's broadcast ... more than half of the 40 vehicles in the field got caught up in the melee.

Somehow, Byron escaped it all unscathed ... and after another set of drivers wrecked a few moments after officials got the track all cleaned up, the 26-year-old was declared the winner.

Afterward, he celebrated like crazy ... telling reporters he couldn't believe it all was actually happening.

The race, meanwhile, was delayed a full day ... after rain forced NASCAR officials to move it from its usual Sunday start time to Monday.

While Pitbull could not perform his scheduled pre-race concert as planned ... The Rock still made it out to the festivities -- and fired up the crowd when he told the racers to start their engines.

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Bubba Wallace finished the race in sixth place ... while fan-favorite Kyle Busch ended up 12th. Jimmie Johnson -- a two-time Daytona 500 winner -- nabbed 28th place after a wreck knocked him out early.

Adele Explains Famous Courtside Meme ... Blames NBA Film Crew!!!

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I Was Sulking

Adele finally explained why she was making such a goofy ass face at the NBA All-Star game a couple years back -- and, apparently, it all has to do with film crews defying her wishes.

The singer got into the story over the weekend at her Vegas residency and explained what's become one of the most famous Adele memes. You've seen it by now ... the camera cuts to her sitting courtside, but she's awkwardly looking around avoiding making eye contact.

Adele says an NBA film crew on hand had asked ahead of time if it'd be okay to record her during the broadcast, which she says she politely declined because she "really doesn't like being famous" and was content with her boyfriend Rich Paul doing the schmoozing.

Well, they ended up circling back and filming her anyway ... and that ticked Adele off.

Adele says that rather than engage with the camera like she was supposed to -- or how others might in the situation -- she decided to play dumb and just scan the arena, all aloof.

In terms of her very full lips -- another observation people have made about the now-viral clip -- Adele insists it's all-natural, noting she doesn't need filler. Anyway, the bigger point here is that she says she was sulking in the moment ... and expressing defiance against the NBA.

It's pretty funny that Adele thought she could go unseen/unnoticed at a star-studded event -- especially when she was seated next to the most prominent NBA agent in the league ... the dude who literally reps LeBron James and a crap ton of other high-level players.

Since then, Adele has continued to be pretty camera-shy out in public with Rich -- but when she's in her own environment in Vegas ... she's an open book, and very chatty.

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The many shades of Adele, everyone.

Taylor Swift Dinner Down Under with Sabrina ... Two's Company in Sydney

Taylor Swift doesn't have Travis Kelce around as she continues to tour in Australia -- but she'll be far from lonely as she ramps up for Sydney ... 'cause Sabrina Carpenter is there.

The two singers grabbed dinner Tuesday at a swanky hotspot in the city's Surry Hills neighborhood -- and as you can imagine, they were surrounded by fans and paps (and bodyguards) who were following their every move into the restaurant.

Taylor was dressed pretty casually, but was rocking some wavy hair here down under ... and SC wore a red getup, while rocking a big grin as she joined her gal pal for a meal.

Sabrina's been hired to open for Taylor for the next handful of shows -- including 4 in Sydney that start up Friday ... and another batch in Singapore, where they'll jet off to next. After that, TayTay's gonna switch up her opening act yet again ... and bring on Paramore for Europe.

In other words, she's back into the swing of things ... just like she was here in the States last year before she went public with Travis and started going to all his games in the fall.

Obviously, she rode that wave all the way to the Super Bowl ... which made for some memorable snaps -- but now, it's back to reality for her ... and thus far, Travis doesn't appear to have joined her on her international leg of the tour, and it remains to be seen if he will.

Of course, T-Swift still has Kansas City on her mind ... something she proved the other day by rocking a Chiefs SB hat -- so not all is forgotten as she delves deeper into the tour.

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The big question ... when's the next time she'll see her boyfriend, who's 9,000 miles away???

Sam Mendes Set to Direct 4 Beatles Movies ... POVs from Each Member

Major Beatles alert -- Sam Mendes will direct four different movies from each band member's perspective ... and all of them are apparently supposed to come out the same year.

The famed filmmaker was announced as being hired to helm what can only be called a massive undertaking in the movie biz -- namely, making four feature-length films ... with each one focused on a different Beatle, including Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, John Lennon and George Harrison.

Sony is the studio getting behind this -- they'll finance and distribute these flicks -- and not just that ... but the two living Beatles and the families of the late members are all on board.

All 4 members/their estates have given Sam and Sony the life and music rights for the respective scripted films -- and what he says he'll do is intertwine all their stories in an intricate web of storytelling to bring the band's full legendary history to life on the big screen.

The craziest part ... Sam and co. plan on releasing all 4 films in 2027, which is crazy.

BTW, a multimedia company the Beatles started way back when -- Apple Corps Limited -- is going to be a partner in producing these ... so yeah, everyone's coming together for this.

It goes without saying ... this will be the first time the Beatles, at large, are depicted in a film as a unit that wasn't a doc. In other words -- the definitive Beatles biopic(s) has arrived.

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Don't let us down!