Ben Affleck I Didn't Wanna Be a Social Media Hubby ... But I Caved

Ben Affleck had a major ask of Jennifer Lopez before getting back together with the superstar -- keeping their relationship off social media ... a demand he didn't win.

The actor shared his privacy demand in his wife's new Amazon Prime documentary -- "The Greatest Love Story Never Told" ... which puts their whole relationship under a microscope -- which is why his confession is ironic. Ben initially wanted J Lo to keep their rekindled romance under wraps.

He explains, "Getting back together, I said, 'Listen, one of the things I don’t want is a relationship on social media.'" However, he then realized he wasn't being fair -- noting Jen heavily uses social media and has hundreds of millions followers.

Once he considered this, Ben says he caved -- adding ... "It’s sort of like, you’re gonna marry a boat captain and you go, 'Well, I don't like the water.'" BA finished by saying ... "We're just two people with different kinds of approaches trying to learn to compromise."

Of course ... Bennifer first got together in 2002 -- but called things off for good by 2004 ... or, so we thought at the time. They got back together almost 20 years later and started again.

TMZ broke the story ... the former flames rekindled their love story in 2021 -- getting married that next year in a lavish ceremony in Georgia. Since then, they've been inseparable.

While Ben says he's relented on the no-social-media stance -- it appears Jenny has at least somewhat respected his original wishes ... as he only pops up occasionally on her social media accounts.

In fact ... Jennifer confirmed in her doc that her husband isn't really a fan of the spotlight -- but called him her muse for her ninth studio album, "This Is Me...Now." So, he was front and center for this project -- whether he liked it or not, and he seems to be cool with it.

Ben may've been a reluctant participant ... but he certainly assisted in bringing to life the final product -- as it was his idea to capture every single behind-the-scenes moment.

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He might not like all the attention ... but everyone sure loves him, FWIW.

Indiana Pacers 8-Year-Old Belts Out Anthem At Game ... Epic Rendition!!!

An 8-year-old girl belted out an ultra-passionate rendition of the national anthem at a Pacers game earlier this week ... and it was so epic, the team praised it as an "unmatched" performance!

The youngster's name is Kinsley Murray -- and after gaining fame for singing pregame anthems all across the country -- Indiana tapped her to grab the microphone just prior to its tip-off on Monday against the Toronto Raptors.

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Murray -- decked out in a red, white and blue dress -- first sang "O Canada" ... before she began her confident version of "The Star-Spangled Banner."

Check out video from the Gainbridge Fieldhouse court ... Murray attacked all of the high notes with a whole lot of flare -- and the crowd roared every time.

Afterward, the Pacers took to TikTok to applaud the show.

"The passion. The oufit," the team wrote. "This anthem performance was unmatched."

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Murray, though, has been crushing the song long before the NBA world got its glimpse of her this week ... as she's been croonin' at games since she was at least 6 years old!!

In fact, Murray cruised over to the Dayton vs Davidson game the night after her Pacers show ... to wow the crowd in Ohio.

Unclear what game's up next for Murray ... but something tells us an "American Idol" audition might be down the road.

Travis Scott L.A. Mansion Sitting on Massive Hillside Crack

Travis Scott is in a perilous position, with his Brentwood, CA mansion sitting atop a HUGE fissure in the land below.

The crack formed after record-breaking storms saturated the soil in the L.A. area, and the hills of Brentwood were hit particularly hard.

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At least 5 homes are in peril of slipping off the hillside, but no evacuations have been ordered ... at least so far.

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The Fire Dept. told local residents the cracks are just on the surface -- about 4 feet of topsoil, but obviously with more rain that could change.

Geologists and the L.A. Dept. of Building and Safety are assessing the area, and they're pretty confident the entire hillside won't come down, but that doesn't mean the homes are safe ... especially because more rain is predicted this week.

Travis' $23.5 million home appears safe -- for now -- but when a hillside develops massive cracks, there is always cause for concern.

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Aside from immediate peril, cracks like this often have a devastating impact on property values. Think about it ... a prospective buyer sees the fissure and figuratively runs for the hills.

Virgil WWE Legend Dead At 61

WWE legend Virgil -- famous for being the "Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase's personal bodyguard and assistant -- has died, his family announced Wednesday. He was just 61 years old.

Virgil -- real name Michael Jones -- dealt with serious health issues in recent years ... including several strokes and a dementia diagnosis.

Jones made his wrestling debut in 1985 ... and would go on to compete for promotions like Championship Wrestling Association, where he won the heavyweight title, as well as tag team championship with Rocky Johnson.

He then moved to the WWE, where he gained popularity alongside DiBiase ... often carrying his money and protecting him from opponents -- before eventually turning on him at Summerslam 1991 and defeating him at WrestleMania VII.

After a brief stint with the National Wrestling Conference, Jones debuted with WCW under the name Vincent, becoming a member of nWo as the head of security.

He'd continue to work with Hulk Hogan and other notable stars before his departure in 1999.

Jones briefly returned to WWE in 2010 as Ted DiBiase Jr.'s bodyguard ... and went on to make several appearances as Soul Train Jones in AEW.

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Those close to Jones say he passed away peacefully at the hospital.

WWE released a statement on Jones' death ... saying, "WWE is saddened to learn that Michael Jones, known to WWE fans as Virgil, has passed away."

"WWE extends its condolences to Jones' family, friends and fans."

RIP.

Babe the Barbarian Naked Lady Brawls at Venice Beach ... Duels with Spiked Clubs!!!

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A naked woman went on a mini rampage in L.A. this week -- attacking folks at Venice Beach ... but another lady was equally ready to throw down, with medieval weapons no less.

This wild incident was captured Monday by witnesses in broad daylight, with this woman who was butt-naked going berserk on the boardwalk near the beach. Check out this video obtained by TMZ ... the nudist squared up with another gal, who had a spiked club.

The woman in the black tank top swung the bat at her rival, who retreated as she defended herself. They went back and forth for a bit ... and this birthday suit-babe kinda did a catwalk at one point.

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The other lady then struck the naked woman with the baton before throwing it at her. The nude woman then picked it up and started running at the woman as well as other people, threatening them with the club, it seems.

The fully-clothed woman then retrieved a second baton ... and they battled on the pavement. Witnesses told us the insane altercation carried on for around 6 minutes without any police response, and some others were accosted and threatened in the mix as well.

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We're not sure how all this ended, but we've reached out to the cops for comment ... so far, no word back.

LIAM GALLAGHER SLAMS ROCK & ROLL HALL OF FAME NOMS 'Mariah Carey?! Bollocks!'

Liam Gallagher says a lot of the people who've been nominated for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame this year don't deserve to be there -- taking aim at hip-hop/ R&B acts specifically.

The singer is nominated along with Oasis this year -- but he slammed the inclusion of artists who have barely dipped their toes into rock territory -- recently telling The Sunday Times, "As much as I love Mariah Carey and all that, I want to say, do me a favor and f*** off."

LG likened MC's inclusion in the category to tossing him into the rap hall of fame. In his mind, it just doesn't make sense to have non-traditional rock acts in the Hall.

He didn't stop there either ... Liam claims he's done more for rock 'n' roll than "half of them clowns on that board."

In addition to Oasis and Mariah Carey, the other nominees this year include A Tribe Called Quest, Sade, Mary J. Blige, Cher, Sinead O'Connor, Ozzy Osbourne, Dave Matthews Band, Eric B. & Rakim, Foreigner, Peter Frampton, Jane's Addiction, Kool & the Gang and Lenny Kravitz. So, it's definitely not your typical rock 'n' roll lineup, that's for sure!

BTW, this is the second time Liam's vented about the topic  ... he wrote on X earlier this month: "F*** the Rock n Roll hall of fame its full of BUMBACLARTS LG x" -- also telling a fan in the comments not to waste their time voting.

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The HOF definitely has mixed it up in recent years when it comes to the types of inductees they usher in. In 2022, Dolly Parton was inducted, and they even got Eminem in there as well ... so yes, they clearly do consider outside genres to be rock and roll.

Unclear if Liam is gonna show up for the ceremony or not ... from the sounds of it, he might not be well-received after all this s*** he's been talking.

Campbellsville University 18-Yr-Old Wrestler Strangled To Death ... Allegedly By Teammate

A Campbellsville University wrestler was been tragically killed after his teammate allegedly strangled him to death in their dorm, according to police.

The fatal incident happened over the weekend at the central Kentucky campus when Campbellsville Police say they responded to a call for an unresponsive male in the school's living quarters.

The call was for 18-year-old freshman wrestler Josiah Kilman ... who despite rescuers' efforts, was pronounced dead at a local hospital.

Shortly after Kilman passed away, officials got an arrest warrant for Charles Escalera ... for murder. Escalera was also a wrestler on the Tigers team.

The 21-year-old Oklahoma native wasn't on the loose for long ... he was captured after police received a call of a suspicious male inside a barn near the Taylor County line several hours later.

"Escalera was taken into custody by Kentucky State Police without incident," CPD said.

Escalera, who is being charged with second-degree murder and burglary, is currently being held at Taylor County Detention Center. His bond was set at $2 million.

Kilman's family set up a GoFundMe to raise money to help transport the wrestler back to his home state of Montana for a proper burial which they say will cost over $10K.

People have responded with generous donations for the hurting family ... they've already amassed over $68K.

"Our family will be eternally grateful for any assistance that you may be able to provide," a Kilman family spokesperson said.

"Thank you for helping them in their time of need."

Rebecca Ferguson Mystery A-List Costar ... Screamed at Me On Set Once

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Rebecca Ferguson says she once got berated by an A-list costar who she refuses to work with ever again -- and while she didn't name names ... she did exclude two people, which has left the internet rife with guesses.

The actress dished this tea on the "Reign with Josh Smith" podcast -- and she was responding to a question about a time when she owned her voice and took control of her situation ... which led to this wild anecdote about a mystery fellow cast member.

Rebecca doesn't ID them, nor does she implicate gender, but what she does say is that this actor she was working on the film with was absolutely horrible ... allegedly yelling at her.

She says they were frustrated while they were doing scene work together, and they'd apparently hurl insults at Rebecca -- openly questioning her acting methods and tenacity ... while also noting they were the number 1 person on the call sheet. So, a big star basically.

Rebecca goes on to explain that nobody had her back on that set, but eventually ... she found her own inner strength and told this actor to f*** off -- and apparently even demanded that the person turn around while she recited her own lines.

In other words, she didn't wanna be in the same space as this person, and it sounds like she put her foot down while shooting. The big question ... who the hell is this awful person???

Like we said, Rebecca went out of her way to protect this celeb's anonymity -- but she did give some clues ... including the fact this supposedly happened in the last 10 to 12 years. Of course, the internet is rife with speculation on which costar this could possibly be.

We should note ... RF explicitly said it wasn't Hugh Jackman and it wasn't Tom Cruise. Technically -- with the parameters she's described -- there's only a select few actors it could possibly be We're not gonna name anybody and fuel speculation ... but folks seem to know who the options are here, guy or girl.

One person who's stepped forward to seemingly distance himself from this drama is The Rock -- who starred opposite Rebecca in 2014's 'Hercules.'

He responded, "Hate seeing this but love seeing her stand up to bullshit. Rebecca was my guardian angel sent from heaven on our set. I love that woman. I’d like to find out who did this."

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So, that's one person down ... and a handful of others left as the would-be culprit. Just goes to show -- not everyone in Hollywood is all that sweet -- at least according to Rebecca.

Play nice, everyone.

'Good Time' Actor Buddy Duress Dead at 38 ... Brother Points to Drugs

Buddy Duress, best known for starring opposite Robert Pattinson in the Safdie Brothers hit "Good Time," has died ... according to his brother.

Christopher Stathis confirmed the news to People Tuesday saying Buddy died back in November ... a death Christopher attributes to cardiac arrest brought on by drugs.

Duress has several credits on IMDb including "Person to Person," "The Great Darkened Days," "Beware of Dog," "Flinch," "Funny Pages" and "Heaven Knows What."

Buddy dealt with drug abuse and legal issues for much of his adult life it seems. He met director Josh Safdie after his release from NYC's Rikers Island prison -- where he did time for drug charges -- and filmed his part in "Heaven Knows What."

After that, he was rearrested for not going to rehab.

Josh and his brother Benny Safdie asked Buddy to journal his experiences in prison -- which partly served as a basis for "Good Time" according to the Los Angeles Times.

It appears Buddy still has 2 more projects set to be released posthumously ... "Mass State Lottery" and a short film called "Skull" should be coming out over the course of the next year.

He is survived by Christopher and his mother Jo-Anne.

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Buddy was 38.

RIP

Prince Harry Loses Court Battle Over UK Security You're a Commoner Now!!!

UPDATE

10:41 AM PT -- A spokesperson for Prince Harry announced he will appeal this decision.

Prince Harry has been waging war with the British government over the fact they yanked his publicly-funded security in the UK ... but a judge flipped him the bird once and for all.

A decision was made in the drawn-out case that's been going on since 2022 -- with the London High Court ruling Wednesday in favor of the Home Office after PH had attempted to overturn a decision made that downgraded his level of protection across the pond.

Remember ... when he and his wife, Meghan Markle, stepped down from their Royal posts -- the red coats turned their back on them too -- revoking top-level police officer security details a full-time working Royal might normally be afforded. Harry cried foul and sued over this.

Like we said, this has been going on for a long time ... but it's finally reached its conclusion -- and the Duke's walking away with an L.A. judge saying there was nothing unlawful or unfair about the way this conclusion was reached by the Home Office.

There doesn't seem to be much detail in terms of the rationale here -- all the judge reportedly said in the docs was that this move was reasonable and legal ... and that the alternative for Harry -- a tailored, less formal security detail if/when he's in the UK -- is also appropriate.

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Mind you, Harry had already lost another battle on this security front -- he had tried arguing that he should be able to pay for high-level cop security ... but he got turned down there too.

Harry's whole gripe boiled down to him feeling like his family wasn't safe in the UK if they couldn't get the royal treatment in terms of security -- and now, it sounds like the government and the High Court are flatly telling him ... you're not a Royal anymore, bro. Deal with it. 🤷🏽‍♂️

Originally Published -- 5:36 AM PT

'Euphoria' Star Hunter Schafer Handcuffed In NYC Protests Israel-Hamas War

Hunter Schafer -- one of the stars of the TV show "Euphoria" -- was taken away in handcuffs Monday while protesting the Israel-Hamas war in NYC ... this during President Joe Biden's visit.

Check out the photo ... Sporting a t-shirt that read "Cease Fire Now" -- obviously calling for an end to the fighting going on in Gaza -- the actress was escorted away by an NYPD officer with her hands cuffed behind her back at Rockefeller Plaza in Midtown Manhattan.

Schafer was one of 33 "Jewish Voice For Peace" protesters arrested Monday afternoon and issued two summonses for trespassing and disorderly conduct. Both charges are less serious violations of the law.

Schafer, who plays Jules on "Euphoria," was protesting the military fight in the Gaza Strip between Israel and Hamas. The two rivals began their latest battle October 7, 2023, after Hamas terrorists invaded the Jewish state, slaughtering 1,200 Israelis during a sneak attack.

Since then, Israel has waged a violent and deadly conflict against the militants, who control Gaza and the Palestinians living under their rule. Many Palestinians have lost their lives, sparking anger and protests around the world, including in the United States.

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Yesterday, videos posted to social media showed the "Jewish Voice" group sitting in the lobby of Rockefeller Center while waving banners that read "Jews to Biden: Stop arming genocide” and “Lasting cease-fire."

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President Biden addressed this issue with reporters while stopping at an ice cream shop in Manhattan with 'Late Night' host Seth Meyers. Biden said his national security adviser has been working behind the scenes with the warring parties and was hopeful there would be a cease-fire between Israel and Palestine by next Monday.

Kanye West Wifey Shows Off Bare Vagina, Butt ... During Paris Fashion Week

Kanye West's wife, Bianca Censori, is at it again -- and by that, we mean she's in the mood to go nude ... and this time, she's making a fashion statement among the French.

Bianca and Ye were out and about Tuesday in Paris, where it's fashion week there ... and where BC was definitely letting it all hang out -- only here, she was doing it below the belt -- a little different than how she normally rolls when she's baring it all upstairs.

We're not kidding, BTW ... Bianca was low-key exposing herself A LOT in this getup. She's got see-through stockings on here ... and literally nothing else underneath, no undies at all.

Indeed, Bianca is going full commando in these pics ... and you can see everything.

Kanye, of course, doesn't seem to mind -- if anything, he appears to love having her dolled up and dressed down ... we know Ye has flaunted her body a number of times online.

We've seen some wild outfits from Bianca before -- including her in a full-blown birthday suit under a freaking raincoat -- but for some reason ... this one kinda takes the cake.

Remember, it was just last week that we saw Kanye and Bianca in Milan strutting their stuff at another fashion event -- so now, they're just hopscotching around Europe again doing their thing and posing for the camera.

Kanye is still promoting his album overseas ... this after finding it difficult to book venues here in the States for the types of listening events he likes to host these days. In Europe, it looks like he's a bit more well-received.

Of course, this entire time ... Bianca has been by Kanye's side, remaining loyal and steadfast.

She's also remained really, really naked -- but that's sorta par for the course now. Feels like we know a little well at this point -- and yet, she continues to shock and surprise us.

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Here's to Kanye's favorite "meal" on display for all to see ... cheers.

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Taylor Swift's Dad Pap He Allegedly Attacked Willing to Forgive & Forget, But ...

The photographer that Taylor Swift's father, Scott Swift, allegedly attacked in Australia this week says he's willing to put this whole thing behind them ... on one condition.

Ben McDonald -- the paparazzo who claimed Scott roughed him up Tuesday as he and Taylor's security team were trying to escort her to a waiting SUV in Sydney -- tells TMZ that all would be forgiven if Papa Swiftie just issued an apology.

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If Scott did that ... Ben says he'd accept it and drop all this, letting bygones be bygones.

Of course, Scott doesn't seem inclined to admit he did anything wrong -- remember, a rep for Taylor told us the paps that night were being very aggressive and claimed they were the ones in the wrong ... something Ben here tells us is BS.

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He insists the visuals speak for themselves -- and says he suspects the reason Taylor and her team (including her security detail) got so pissy is because they realized paps had figured out where they were after a ride on a yacht. Ben tells us he was just doing his job.

While Ben says the events of that night are well-documented, he does admit that he doesn't have any further proof that Scott punched him -- as he claims -- beyond the videos that are already out there ... including the one he shot himself, and another that has since surfaced.

In both videos, you cannot clearly see what Scott's doing ... but Ben's sticking to his claim that the guy got physical with -- as did Taylor's security guards, whom he alleges used their umbrellas on him. As we reported ... cops are investigating Ben's claims at the moment.

One last point of clarification we got from Ben. It's been reported he was involved in another high-profile pap run-in with none other than Nicole Kidman back in 2005 -- when she was reportedly granted a restraining order against him and another photog over alleged surveillance via a listening device -- but Ben tells us that story is old and sensationalized.

He denies planting any listening device near Nicole at the time ... and also notes that while she might've been granted a temporary protective order, a judge didn't find enough evidence to grant her a permanent one once they took a closer look at her claims.

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Bottom line ... Ben doesn't think he crossed any lines here, and claims Scott totally did.

Beyoncé's 'Texas Hold 'Em' 'Franklin' Theme Singer Loves It ... Despite Viral Comparisons

Even fans of Beyoncé's "Texas Hold 'Em" are calling it out for its similarity to the "Franklin" cartoon theme sung by Bruce Cockburn ... and while he gets the comparison, he tells TMZ he's making no claim on her hit.

In case you didn't know ... Beyoncé's country single was transposed with the theme for "Franklin" -- a Canadian-produced kids' show -- shortly after it dropped on February 11.

Many TikTok users, and even some radio DJs, insist the country #1 song borrows plenty from "Franklin" -- so much so, some of the TikTokers are getting upwards of 5 million views on their posts.

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Yet, Bruce doesn't think Beyoncé needs to lasso up an apology -- he tells TMZ, "I think Beyoncé’s 'Texas Hold 'Em' is a good record. Unfortunately, I can’t claim to have had any part in writing it."

He adds, "The rhythmic feel is similar to my theme song for the 'Franklin' TV series, but to my ears, that’s where the similarity stops. 'Texas Hold 'Em' is her song, and I wish her success with it!"

Perhaps Bruce knows better than to cross the BeyHive?

For those unfamiliar with "Franklin" ... the animated preschool series aired in Canada between 1997 and 2004. The show followed the titular turtle's aminated adventures with his fellow woodland creatures.

Now, Bey would've been 16 when "Franklin" premiered -- so, we highly doubt she's familiar with the kiddo show, however her co-writers on the track might be a different story.

The 3 songwriters credited, in addition to Bey, are Elizabeth Boland, Megan Bulow and Nathan Ferraro ... all of whom are not from Nashville or Texas.

Yup, they're Canadian!

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Now, hold your Texas horses ... we're not saying that proves any plagiarism -- but the Canadian connection does make it slightly more likely the songwriters heard "Franklin," and could have been inspired.

For the record, the law allows for some level of inspiration, but how much? Well sometimes that's up to a jury. Ed Sheeran, Robin Thicke and Pharrell Williams will tell you that can be an expensive gamble ... sometimes ya win, sometimes ya lose.

KENTUCKY COUPLE GET HITCHED IN GAS STATION BATHROOM ... Fuelin' the Love!!!

A Kentucky couple's nuptials became a one-stop shop for love and convenience ... taking place in a gas station bathroom.

Tiana Abney tells TMZ about how she and her partner Logen went from joking about it to actually saying "I do" in the famous "disco bathrooms" of the HOP Shops convenience store in Verona, KY ... pulling the whole thing off in a matter of 3 weeks.

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They tell us the gas station didn't just provide the venue -- on Valentine's Day, no less -- they covered the whole shebang, with expenses totaling between $700 to $800!

And, if that wasn't sweet enough, they threw in a wedding cake!

As you can see by the pics, there was quite the turnout to Tiana and Logen's bathroom ceremony -- from parents and siblings to friends, cousins and coworkers, everyone they knew seemed to be there.

The gas station even closed the restrooms for a whole 2 hours to accommodate the ceremony ... offering free fountain drinks to other customers as a token of appreciation for the inconvenience -- which seems counterintuitive when ya can't go pee, but a nice gesture, nonetheless.

There is a limit to the HOP Shops hospitality, though ... no lifetime discounts for the newlyweds. With the price of gas, that would've been the ultimate wedding gift!

On its website, HOP Shops bragged the wedding is a reminder "love knows no bounds and that true romance can be found in the most unexpected of places."

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Bet the happy couple's gassed for their wedding pics!!!

Dan Dakich On Court-Storming Here's How I'd Fix It ... More Cops & Bigger Fines!!!

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Dan Dakich says college basketball fans advocating for the end of court-stormings need to relax ... telling TMZ Sports the solution to the problem is super simple.

According to the former Hoosiers star ... all schools need to do in order to avoid issues with the end-of-game fan rush is beef up police presence on nights where it's likely to happen.

"The biggest deterrent is you get the cops -- the police -- big bright jackets," Dakich, host of Outkick's Don't @ Me said, "you surround the [losing] team, and no one's coming."

Dakich explained the protection from cops would still allow students to celebrate their universities' biggest in-season achievements while keeping the most vulnerable safe. And, if schools fail to properly prepare for the potential outcome and things do get out of hand, he thinks hefty fines would make sure they stay on top of things.

"You've got to make it hurt," Dakich said of the penalties. "You've got to make it a million."

Of course, many in and out of the sport have called for an end to the longstanding tradition after Kyle Filipowski was injured by Wake Forest supporters after they rushed the floor following an 83-79 win on Saturday.

In fact, Jay Bilas -- an ESPN analyst and a former Duke player -- suggested citations or even arrests should be imposed in order to stop the madness.

But, Dakich -- who actually had one of his players sustain a serious injury in a court-storming situation during his time as Bowling Green head coach -- made it clear ... he's entirely opposed to all of that.

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"There's like a 10 court-stormings a month," Dakich said. "One time a Dukie a tweaks an ankle, and we're out of our minds!!"