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The first assistant director on the set of "Rust" -- who handed Alec Baldwin the gun that was ultimately fired at Halyna Hutchins -- just took the stand in the armorer's trial, and he cried.

David Halls testified on behalf of the prosecution Thursday in New Mexico -- where they're going after Hannah Gutierrez-Reed on manslaughter charges ... and he gave a detailed description of his last interaction with Halyna before she died on set.

It's incredibly emotional ... he says Halyna told him she couldn't feel her legs before she passed -- and DH sheds some tears here.

The prosecution also had a producer on the film, Ryan Winterstern, testify Thursday. Prosecutors say Hannah previously claimed she spoke to 2 producers named Ryan and Nathan and told them she needed additional armorer time with Baldwin concerning his cross draw.

Remember ... Alec was working on his cross draw in the scene when his gun went off and shot a live round, hitting Halyna and ultimately taking her life. Prosecutors say Hannah shares at least some of the blame because she was responsible for the guns on set.

Anyway, Ryan was asked straight up if he remembers having that conversation with Hannah ... and he testified he didn't recall her ever bringing that to his attention, and said he probably would remember such a convo if it had occurred.

Meanwhile, in testimony from Wednesday, prosecutors asked line producer Gabrielle Pickle if she ever expressed concerns to Hannah about firearms being left unattended on set.

Gabrielle testified she twice raised the issue with Hannah ... in person and also via email.

Asked if she suggested a way of fixing the issue with unattended firearms on the "Rust" set, Gabrielle testified she proposed a logging system to Hannah, where the firearms would be checked in and checked out with each use.

Gabrielle testified Hannah shot down the suggestion ... allegedly telling Gabrielle it was "too complicated" and that Hannah was working with her own system for keeping track of the guns.

As we reported ... the prosecution's opening statement was all about Hannah being at fault for the live round that killed Halyna.

Prosecutors said Hannah did not follow proper gun safety protocols on set ... claiming she regularly left guns and ammo just lying around the set, and even allowed live ammo to infiltrate the production.

For her part, Hannah's lawyers have said she was tasked with multiple jobs on set -- armorer and prop assistant -- which was a lot to ask of her at just 24 years old.

Jenelle Evans is getting into the details of the attempted break-in at her North Carolina home -- and the story she tells is absolutely horrific ... making clear, she's lucky to be alive.

The former "Teen Mom" star hopped on TikTok Thursday to get into what she experienced last weekend -- and she says this all unfolded in the middle of the night while she was at home with her 14-year-old son, Jace.

Jenelle says this random guy -- who she says she's never seen before, and who was not her husband -- was all of a sudden on her property and attempting to get into the house.

She goes on to describe her waking up Jace, huddling together and calling 911 ... all while this unidentified man tried yanking her sliding glass door open, which she says was only prevented by a stick blocking it from the floor.

Jenelle does say she had a gun with her ... but notes, she didn't want to use it if she didn't have to -- not wanting to put her boy through that type of trauma. In the end, she says the guy only stopped once he realized she was with her teenage kid, and he apologized.

She says he told her he was at the wrong house -- but Jenelle calls BS, saying she lives out in the country on a 10-acre property ... and she suspects he was there to do her harm.

Jenelle also says she's got this guy on camera, and is working with cops as they investigate. She says she'll post this footage soon in hopes that people online can help track him down.

The one thing she didn't clarify ... where was her hubby, David Eason? No word on that.

Police in North Carolina have taken a man into custody after he allegedly shot a college employee ... and their confrontation with the suspect was all caught on video.

Greenville police officers said the alleged gunman -- identified as 38-year-old Savell Hightower -- was taken into custody after they say he shot an East Carolina University employee outside a local elementary school in what they're currently calling an unprovoked attack.

Police say the alleged victim encountered a man on a bike before that man apparently fired at him at least five times. The 27-year-old ECU employee sustained non-life-threatening injuries.

Fast-forward a bit ... and cop cars flying down the street apparently drew the attention of a local citizen who started to film through his windows as a man calmly rode by the house on a bike.

It appears he caught the moment two police cars pulled up with officers hopping out, guns drawn and pointed at the man on the bike. It looks like the cops open fire though it's unclear from the video if the man is firing back -- though police say he did fire at officers.

Somehow, the suspect was reportedly uninjured, and cops say they managed to get him into custody without further incident.

Hightower is reportedly booked on multiple charges, including attempted murder counts, assault with a deadly weapon, and possession of a stolen firearm.

General Mills has been hit with a class-action lawsuit claiming Cheerios contains a harmful pesticide ... which some angry customers say definitely ain't good for the heart!

In the docs obtained by TMZ, plaintiff Steven Epstein alleges that GM has been manufacturing, marketing and distributing the hugely popular oat-based cereal brand without making it clear that it's laden with dangerously high levels of a particular pesticide known as chlormequat chloride ... which he claims independent studies have confirmed to be present.

In the docs, NY native Epstein says when he bought a box of Cheerios from the store in January, he had no reason to suspect that it contained chlormequat chloride based on the product's advertising, marketing, and listed ingredients.

He says chlormequat is linked to causing problems with fetal growth and the nervous system.

Epstein claims that if he had known that Cheerios contained dangerous levels of the pesticide and the potential harm that could result from ingesting it, he either wouldn't have purchased it at all or would have been willing to pay significantly less for it.

So now, Epstein is trying to put together a class action ... and is looking for millions in damages for what he claims are material misrepresentations and omissions in marketing the popular cereal.

Lizzo is pushing back on the notion she turned down a cameo for the new Jennifer Lopez movie ... and it sounds like she would've come aboard if she knew about it.

Here's the deal ... J Lo revealed all the celebs who allegedly passed on roles in her recent flick "This Is Me ... Now" in a Prime Video doc about the making of her new album ... and Lizzo's name came up as being "unavailable."

However, Lizzo's singing a different tune, literally. In a TikTok post, Lizzo claims no one told her about the movie offer. She doubles down, claiming she wasn't asked to be in the flick.

No hard feelings from Lizzo though ... she looks into the camera and tells J Lo she loves her. So, she's not really bent out of shape -- but it does raise an eyebrow, no doubt.

Remember, in the 'Greatest Love Story Never Told' doc, J Lo tells her love story through her eyes ... but it sounds like the casting journey was full of twists and turns.

Among the celebs J Lo's teams said passed on the flick ... Lizzo, Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande, Jason Momoa, Jennifer Coolidge, Vanessa Hudgens, Snoop Dogg, SZA, Bad Bunny and Anthony Ramos.

Most of the stars had legitimate conflicts ... Taylor was doing her 'Eras' tour and Ariana was filming "Wicked" across the pond ... but J Lo claims Khloé Kardashian backed out of a cameo at the last second.

Despite her reps saying a bunch of people passed on the project -- two people so far have come forward to refute that ... JC talked to a pap just yesterday and denied any knowledge, and now -- Lizzo's saying she, too, had no clue about this.

Of course, J Lo did manage to bag a couple big names ... including Sofia Vergara, Jane Fonda, Keke Palmer, Post Malone and Trevor Noah.

All's well that ends well, we suppose ... but it is weird that there are two different accounts of this.

Drake's honoring the mother and daughter who died tragically after a recent show in St. Louis ... while also making another sweet gesture to somebody battling cancer.

During his Buffalo, NY concert Wednesday night at KeyBank Center, Drake took time to share an emotional message with the crowd, saying ... "You never know what somebody else's reality will be when they walk out of this building,"

He also encouraged fans in the audience to show love to a total stranger, which people did.

Drake's mind and heart were heavy as he was clearly referring to Laticha Bracero and her daughter, 21-year-old Alyssa Cordova, adding …"Rest in peace to that young mother and her child."

The tragic moment was caught on video ... the mother/daughter duo were leaving Drake and J. Cole's St. Louis concert on the early morning of February 14 when a car struck them at a high rate of speed.

Police say the man they allege was operating the vehicle, Monte Henderson, ran several red lights before the collision and charged the 22-year-old with two counts of involuntary manslaughter and two counts of armed criminal action.

Drake's first of his 2 Buffalo shows wasn't all somber though ... he peeped a fan in the crowd waving a sign that said “Beat stage four cancer just in time for Drake #godsplan.”

The rapper made the concert trip worth the woman's while -- he blessed her with $25k just like he did in the actual "God's Plan" video.

The woman suing Diddy for an alleged sexual assault she claims happened when she was in high school has to reveal her identity ... the judge just ruled she can't keep her identity under wraps as a Jane Doe if the case moves forward.

According to new legal docs, obtained by TMZ, Diddy's accuser can no longer remain anonymous if her case against Diddy survives his attempt to get it dismissed.

The judge in the case denied the woman's motion to proceed anonymously ... but her identity will remain a secret at least until after the court decides whether to dismiss the case.

Diddy is trying to get the lawsuit against him tossed, and Thursday's ruling means if Diddy loses his motion to dismiss the case, the proceedings will move forward with the accuser's real name on the documents.

As we reported ... this Jane Doe filed suit against Diddy back in December 2023, claiming she was only 17 years old when Diddy and others sex trafficked and gang raped her. The woman alleges this all occurred way back in 2003 ... and she was among many people who came forward with old accusations against stars in NY late last year.

Diddy and his co-defendants argued they would suffer prejudice if the accuser got to remain anonymous while their identities were widely reported ... and it looks like they were able to convince the judge.

Dr. Phil isn't afraid to voice his concerns about a red flag in the political arena -- and that'd be Joe Biden's apparent difficulty remembering things ... and his cognitive ability at large.

The TV star and medical professional stopped off at "TMZ Live" Thursday to chat about his new book, "We've Got Issues: How You Can Stand Strong for America's Soul and Sanity" -- and the convo eventually turned to Biden's doctor recently claiming he was fit for duty without needing a physical or neurological exam.

He declared this with conviction, despite many public examples of him forgetting basic deets.

Of course, Biden's all-clear raised eyebrows among some -- including Phil ... who tapped into his days practicing in brain, central nervous system, and cognitive ability fields to weigh in on the situation.

With this in mind, he tells us POTUS if didn't have anything to hide regarding his brain power, he would theoretically have no issue undergoing a transparent neurocognitive test.

Biden's memory loss has become prime material for online roasting sessions -- especially among Republicans -- and even Jon Stewart couldn't resist taking a jab at him during his recent "The Daily Show" return to the hosting chair.

In fairness, JS also went after his opponent -- roasting Trump for being unable to remember basic stuff ... which is a pretty crucial trait to have if you're running the country.

Just don't ask Dr. Phil to throw his hat into the presidential ring anytime soon. He tells us he's been approached for the important gig several times, but he just doesn't know enough about politics to take it all seriously. With that said, he is exploring politics more lately.

1:47 PM PT -- Shohei Ohtani just revealed more about his wife during a meeting with media members out at spring training on Thursday ... saying the two knew each other around three or four years before tying the knot.

The baseball star also said she had "nothing to do" with his decision to leave the Angels and join the Dodgers this offseason.

Shohei Ohtani is officially off the dating market ... the MLB superstar revealed late Wednesday night he's now married!!!

The Dodgers' designated hitter said in a post on his Instagram page his new spouse is "someone from my Native country of Japan who is very special to me" ... although he did not reveal the person's name.

"I am excited for what is come," he wrote ... before adding, "thank you for your support."

Ohtani included a picture of his adorable dog, Decoy, on the announcement as well.

Of course, it's now the second time in the last three months the 29-year-old has told the world of a life-changing event on IG ... back in December, he shared he was moving on from the Angels to the Dodgers for the foreseeable future.

That announcement got over two million "likes" on the social media app ... and so far, it's appeared to be a great decision for the two-way player.

Ohtani homered in his first spring training game with the team earlier this week, and he looks poised for a huge 2024 -- even if he won't pitch this year while recovering from elbow surgery.

Only about three more weeks until the at-bats actually count for L.A. ... get that popcorn ready!

Adam Sandler's just like the rest of us ... turns out, not even he can keep his cool around Taylor Swift.

Speaking on SiriusXM's "Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend," Adam and host Conan discussed how 21st-century celebs didn't quite leave them fangirling like the ones from back in the day did -- but according to the actor ... one modern star broke that rule -- Tay Tay!!

Adam explained that he still gets "a little f***ing jumpy" around the singer cause of what she means to his teen daughters Sadie and Sunny ... and he doesn't want to risk blowing their chance to have an awesome experience by acting all awkward around TS.

In fact, it's like his comedy movie characters come to life when he's trying to get Taylor's attention ... 'cause he says he's super loud and excited!!

Conan totally got where Adam was coming from here, BTW ... adding TS was on a whole other level now with her superstardom reaching crazy heights and her Travis Kelce romance hitting headlines.

Adam went on to compare Swift's success to "Beatlemania" in the '60s ... adding she has so many smash hits, and there's not a word his kids don't know.

He's had plenty of opportunities to sing along with them, too ... last year, he took his daughters to Taylor's "Eras" tour in L.A., and they also hit up the "The Eras Tour: The Movie" premiere. So yeah, AS is a well-anointed Swifite via proxy, thanks to his kids.

The Leap Year's like a bonus round of fun that rolls around once every four years, and this squad of celebs are ready to seize the extra day on Feb 29!

First, we have DJ Steve Aoki taking his celebration to a whole new level by getting Pikachu involved in Japan.

Then check out Serena Williams serving us with a serious vacay high jump, while fellow tennis player Maria Sharapova has the perfect approach to her winter wonderland setting.

"Selling Sunset" stars Mary Fitzgerald and Romain Bonnet make the leap for luxury on a Bali beach.

"Pitch Perfect" star Skylar Astin makes a splash ... hurling himself into the crystal-clear waters of Jamaica.

Kimora Lee and Russell Simmons' daughter, Aoki Lee Simmons, rounds things off by soaring to new heights ... all thanks to a trampoline.

Safe to say ... people seem to be happy to jump around on a leap year.

Kim Kardashian is upset Kanye West has again resorted to blasting out their disagreements on social media ... and she believes what he's doing is harmful to their children.

Sources familiar with the situation tell TMZ ... Kim is not pleased Kanye went on Insta Wednesday night, telling the world he wanted their kids out of the school they're attending in L.A.

Kanye said, "KIM TAKE MY KIDS OUT OF SIERRA CANYON NOW IT'S A FAKE SCHOOL FOR CELEBRITIES THAT ARE USED BY 'THE SYSTEM'"

Our sources say ... Kim enrolled their kids at the school for 2 very good reasons -- 1. it's a "fantastic school," and 2. their children need consistency in their lives.

One source said, "The only solution Kanye has offered in protest to the school -- that the kids have been at since pre-school -- has been placing them with unaccredited teachers and his own unaccredited Donda school which has been riddled with lawsuits."

The source noted Kim did allow their kids to go to Donda for after-school activities but stopped when the school shut down.

What's more ... we're told Kanye told his kids school isn't necessary, something that has frustrated Kim.

And there's this ... we're told Kanye doesn't see his kids often -- sometimes for months at a time, and Kim believes strongly that their children need consistency ... which is what she is providing for them. Kanye is leading a nomadic life, jumping from Japan, Italy, France, Saudi Arabia, etc., and she is the home base that makes the kids secure.

One source said frankly, "Kim is frustrated with his constant public attacks and naming of the school because it creates safety and security concerns each and every time for their children."

Rick Harrison's son, Adam Harrison, died from an accidental overdose of fentanyl and methamphetamine ... TMZ has learned.

The Clark County Office of the Coroner/Medical Examiner tells us that the cause of death has been ruled an accident for the "Pawn Stars" personality's son, who died in Las Vegas last month.

TMZ was the first to report Adam's passing ... after a rep for RH shared that Adam had died from a fatal OD. The Harrison family told TMZ shortly after his passing ... "Our family is extremely saddened by the death of Adam. We ask for privacy as we grieve his loss." At the time -- the Las Vegas Metro PD told us they were investigating the case.

As we reported ... Adam was struggling in the days leading up to his death -- with former roommates telling cops that AH was displaying erratic and strange behavior before allegedly barricading himself inside a guest house where he was staying. He reportedly had just been released from jail after serving 3 months behind bars -- although we don't know the cause for his incarceration.

Adam -- one of Rick's three boys -- kept mostly out of the limelight ... having stepped away from helping out at the World Famous Gold & Silver Pawn Shop. Adam is Rick's kid from his first marriage to ex-wife Kim, with whom he also shares son Corey.

The "Pawn Stars" leading man later welcomed son Jake with his second wife, Tracy. Corey and Jake are regulars on his reality show -- but Adam did not appear on camera.

On losing his son, Rick shared on Instagram, "You will always be in my heart! I love you Adam."

Adam was 39.

Former Illinois football star Tip Reiman had the most memorable quote of the NFL Combine so far ... telling reporters he believes birds are not what they seem!!

For those who aren't in on the joke ... the "Birds Aren't Real" movement made waves a few years ago, when a guy named Peter McIndoe created a satirical conspiracy that winged animals are actually spy drones for the U.S. Government.

A bunch of people joined in on the troll job ... and now, it's even made its way to professional football.

Reiman -- who had 203 yards and three touchdowns last season -- revealed his allegiance with the movement on Thursday ... hitting reporters with several questions that support his stance.

"Have you ever seen a baby pigeon?" Reiman asked, according to Owen Riese. "How do we know that power lines aren't pigeon recharging stations?"

Some people think Reiman is actually serious ... comparing him to Aaron Rodgers, who's been known to rock a tinfoil hat from time to time.

But Reiman's take wasn't the only bizarre statement out of Indy this week -- Texas Tech standout Tyler Owens also told reporters he doesn't believe other planets exist ... adding some flat-earthers have a strong argument.

2:41 PM PT -- Rachel’s lawyer Mark Geragos tells TMZ … "This lawsuit is squarely about illegal behavior and those who traffic in it and enable it. Rachel has apologized for her part in an affair. That’s not a crime. Tom and Ariana are alleged here to have engaged in criminal acts. They then doubled down and used those actions to shame, bully, belittle, and intentionally try to destroy Rachel’s mental health."

Geragos adds, "The law makes it clear that recording someone without their consent and distributing that illegal recording is punishable by law; however, doing so while knowingly enticing them to engage in sexual acts deserves the harshest of penalties allowable under the law."

Rachel Leviss is taking Tom Sandoval and Ariana Madix to court -- and it mostly has to do with this intimate video she says they circulated with the cast.

The former "Vanderpump Rules" star just filed a lawsuit against her ex-lover and ex-friend -- both of whom were her costars for a long time before the Scandoval blew up last year -- and in her docs, obtained by TMZ, she's alleging a number of things ... including revenge porn.

Rachel claims Ariana became privy to at least 2 recordings that were on Tom's phone -- which she says depicted her in a state of undress and masturbating ... clips she alleges were taken without her knowledge or permission while she was involved in an affair with Tom.

In the suit, Rachel claims Tom must've recorded these FaceTime chats secretly ... 'cause she says she wasn't aware he had them saved. In any case ... RL says when Ariana stumbled across the footage ... she allegedly shared it with other 'VPR' cast members.

Rachel claims Ariana confronted her in March 2023 -- before the Scandoval officially broke -- and sent her the two illicit videos in question ... and AM allegedly said Rachel was dead to her.

She also claims Scheana Shay attacked her after this ... which led her to believe that Scheana had also seen the videos, not to mention other costars from the reality show.

In addition to these claims, Rachel alleges Bravo and the production company behind the show fostered an unsafe and hostile work environment for Rachel once the Scandoval broke ... allowing cast members to dogpile her and berate her during the reunion filming.

Worth noting, Rachel is not suing Bravo here ... just Tom and Ariana for now, and a bunch of unidentified Does whom she says might've been party to all this stuff.

Also worth mentioning -- her attorneys are the same ones who've filed suits on behalf of other Bravo stars of late. We've reached out to Tom and Ariana ... so far, no word back.

We covered it all on the latest episode of The TMZ Podcast, available on all podcast platforms.

Oprah is parting ways with WeightWatchers after nearly a decade ... a decision that comes on the heels of criticism about her proudly revealing she uses a weight loss drug.

The weight loss company made it clear in its official statement Wednesday there's no bad blood with Oprah ... and her departure from the Board of Directors isn't due to any disagreements with the company or anything related to the company's operations, policies, or practices.

WW's CEO Sima Sistani says, "While I and the rest of our directors will certainly miss her in our board meetings following the end of her current term, she remains a strong strategic voice and collaborator with WeightWatchers."

That being said ... Oprah's departure comes a few months after confessing to using weight-loss drugs in December -- the admission raised eyebrows, especially as she'd spoken out against medications like Ozempic and Mounjaro months earlier.

As we reported ... Oprah revealed she dropped 40 pounds in 2023, and part of her strategy involved medication prescribed by doctors -- but she's never revealed the drug's name.

Some people, most notably fitness guru Jillian Michaels, criticized O for not being transparent that WeightWatchers had invested in a popular weight loss drug. The speculation was Oprah stood to profit greatly from advocating for the use of such medication.

Oprah's actually directly addressing that criticism as she leaves the company -- WW says she's donating her 1.4% stake in WW to the National Museum of African American History and Culture to "eliminate any perceived conflict of interest around her taking weight loss medications."

BTW ... the announcement her bolting from WW is putting a hurting on the company's stock -- it plummeted more than 20% immediately after the news broke Thursday morning.

Wall Street's bottom line ... losing Oprah is never a good thing for any organization -- but Oprah's bottom line is she's in the best place she's ever been health-wise, both physically and mentally as she sheds pounds.