Usher Brings Down The House With 'Mom' Speech At NAACP Awards
Usher won big at the NAACP Image Awards Saturday night, lassoing statues for Entertainer of the Year and the President's Award -- but it was his speech of sheer gratitude for his mom that took everyone by storm.
The R&B singer stepped up to the podium at the 55th annual ceremony at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles after NAACP President and CEO Derrick Johnson bestowed Usher the coveted President's Award.
During his acceptance speech, Usher delivered his passionate words about his mom, Jonnetta Patton, giving her full credit for his successful career.
Usher told the star-studded audience that his mom taught him the purpose of being able to speak to the world through his music.
He also highlighted that his mom overcame the male-dominated entertainment industry and brushed up on her boardroom skills to cut the best deals for her son, putting him on top of the industry.
At several points, the emotional crowd clapped for Usher, showing their approval of him. But Usher didn't stop there ... he also mentioned women in the industry often do not get the recognition they deserve.
The singer also took home the Entertainer of the Year award, beating out Colman Domingo, Fantasia Barrino, Halle Bailey and Keke Palmer -- that award was given to him by none other than Oprah Winfrey, too.
The Usher wins were well deserved ... as you know, Usher has been killing it lately with his Las Vegas residency which he closed out at the end of last year -- not to mention a memorable performance at the 2024 Super Bowl.
Other honorees at the NAACP Awards included Fantasia for Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture and "The Color Purple" for Best Motion Picture. Queen Latifah hosted the event.
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Lindsay Lohan This is Me in 2024!!! ... Pushin' Baby Stroller in Bev Hills
Well, this certainly proves times change ... Lindsay Lohan is pushing a baby stroller!!!
LiLo was out and about in Bev Hills Saturday, along with 8-month-old Luai and hubby Bader Shammas, and a few other family members.
They hit up an L.A. institution -- La Scala -- for a little lunch. The restaurant was super famous back in the day, and speaking of back in the day ... it's amazing how Lindsay has reset her life from the early days of TMZ.
She's a mom and a wife and seems serene and happy. She's also acting again, with some success.
Later that day, Lindsay and Bader hit up another celeb hotspot ... Giorgio Baldi for some grub.
That's a nice Saturday, for sure.
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CHRIS APPLETON DATING HARVARD GRAD POST-DIVORCE New Fling Not Part Of the Biz!!!
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Chris Appleton has moved on from his ex-hubby Lukas Gage ... and is now dating a new guy who has no ties to Hollywood.
Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... the celeb hairdresser, known famously for having Kim Kardashian as his client/BFF, is now casually dating a regular dude -- who happens to be a bona fide hottie -- named Federico.
The two were first photographed in public together during Oscars weekend at L.A.'s famous Chateau Marmont.
Our sources tell us the pair hit it off after crossing paths through mutual friends about a month ago, and right now they're keeping things laid-back and just seeing where it takes them -- pretty much how everyone rolls when they're vibing with someone new.
We're told after Chris' split from Lukas, he was open to something completely different and this is a welcomed change he’s not dating someone in the Hollywood scene.
While it's unclear exactly what field Federico works in, he's a smarty pants as we're told he's a graduate of Harvard ... so one can assume he has a pretty solid gig career-wise.
Chris is definitely feeling good about moving forward, and it sounds like Federico's fitting right in with his crew -- we're told he's even met some of Chris' pals, who are giving him a thumbs up!
As we reported ... Chris called it quits with Lukas in November, just 6 months after their quickie Vegas wedding at the Little White Chapel officiated by Kim K. Chris listed "irreconcilable differences" as the reason for the split. The couple did have a prenup.
Chris and Lukas are making moves post-split ... Lukas went all-in and hopped on Hinge in January to find new love -- but now he says he's all about dating himself.
It's all about self-love, right?
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Paris Hilton's Ex-BF Chris Zylka 2nd Engagement Goes Boom!!! Hailee Lautenbach Ends It
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Paris Hilton's ex-boyfriend Chris Zylka is no longer engaged to actress Hailee Lautenbach ... TMZ has learned.
Hailee tells TMZ ... "Ending the engagement was the best decision I've ever made in my life." And, if that response sounds familiar to anyone -- it was nearly identical to a statement Paris dropped to Cosmo UK after she and Chris called off their own engagement in 2018.
As for when the split occurred? Sources say Hailee and Chris ended things back in January ... shortly after the duo moved to L.A. together from Portland, OR.
We're told the exes are no longer living together, which is not a given these days -- yes, we're looking at you Tom Sandoval and Ariana Madix.
Their split comes almost a year and a half after Chris popped the question -- infamously without a ring -- before the Seattle marathon in 2022.
They struck up a romantic relationship after first meeting on the set for the movie "Model House" ... which awkwardly enough, is coming out on April 5. Something tells us you won't see them sitting side-by-side to promote it.
This is Chris' second attempt at heading to the altar. Remember, in January 2018, he proposed marriage to the Hilton heiress -- of course, that time he did have a ring ... a 20-carat sparkler to be exact.
The engagement was short-lived, however, as Chris and Paris called things off by November of that same year.
Paris went on to marry Carter Reum in 2021, and they've had 2 kids together.
Meanwhile, Chris is back on the market.
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Lucky Ladies In Green Bikinis Guess Who!
Today's your lucky day because these famous females are rockin' green bikinis, and in celebration of St. Patrick's Day, see if you can guess who's showcasing their shamrocks in the pinch-proof pics!
Dip into this pot o' gold and see who's been stirrin' things up on social media with their revealing pics! From Eva Longoria to Kylie Jenner .... it's obvi these luscious ladies give zero lucks in their itsy bitsy teenie weenie green bikinis!
Check out our glorious gallery of green bikini babes and see if you're lucky like a four-leaf clover 🍀 ...
Let the shenanigans begin!
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Jason Tartick Zips Lips on Kat Stickler Rumors ... Keepin' Love Life Private
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Jason Tartick says he's trying to keep his love life more private these days ... and he's sticking to that resolution so far -- 'cause he's dodgin' Kat Stickler questions.
We spoke with the financial guru/television personality Wednesday in NYC, asking him about all the online buzz about his entanglement with social media star Stickler ... but JT's not kissin' and tellin' -- if he's kissin' Kat at all, that is!!!
Instead of addressing the rumors head-on, Tartick decided to plug his podcast "Trading Secrets" ... saying she's a guest on an upcoming episode. That did nothing to cool rumors.
Jason says he's trying to keep his romantic life closer to the vest these days, pretty much leaving all the Kat Stickler talk at that.
Rumors began to catch heat after gossip site DeuxMoi shared an anonymous tip about the two going out for some grub. Of course, KS apparently recorded a podcast episode with Tartick -- so maybe it was just a business dinner? Nah.
Either way ... it seems Jason's ready to move on in the dating world -- or, at least he seems to be thinking about it based on our convo with him. Pretty big news given he and his ex-fiancée Kaitlyn Bristowe broke things off just seven months ago.
The pair broke their news to their thousands of followers in an IG post ... saying they respected each other, wanted to remain friends, and would co-parent their two dogs together.
BTW ... Jason's also got advice for all the influencers who might be affected by TikTok possibly getting banned in the U.S. -- check out the vid for that helpful hint.
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TMZ TV Recap Meghan King Defends Olivia ... Mauricio Umansky, Dak Prescott
The weekend's almost over, so why not look back at what we covered on TV last week?
TMZ Live
Kicking things off on "TMZ Live," Harvey and Charles discussed Meghan King's staunch defense of Olivia Rodrigo for handing Plan B birth control at her St. Louis concert ... something that sparked outrage and backlash among many across the country.
MK doesn't think Olivia has anything to apologize over, but Olivia changed her tune regardless.
TMZ on TV
Next up, "TMZ on TV" ... where the gang talked about this cool effort that 'RHOBH' star Mauricio Umansky is involved in that entails building affordable housing for folks in need.
He was actually at a build site on Thursday with his own daughter ... pretty cool stuff!
TMZ Sports
Finally, we land on "TMZ Sports," where Babcock and Mojo talked Dak Prescott's new claim.
Check your local listings for when TMZ is on in your area or catch up on past episodes!
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Celebrity Scramble Guess Who!
Hidden behind this cute squishy face is an actor/singer who landed his first movie role in "The Beat Beneath My Feet" starring Luke Perry. He usually comes with a chiseled jawline and a charming English accent, so beware of the incoming clues and see if you can unscramble the unknown figure.
No question he's worked with some of Hollywood's hottest stars ... he played Cinderella's prince charming and cozied up to Camilla Cabello. And, his newest film premiered yesterday where he plays the love interest of Anne Hathaway's character.
Can you determine who this handsome fella is?
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Shakira Gerard's Career Came First ... Sacrificed For Love
Shakira fans have been waiting almost a decade for a new album ... and her ex Gerard Piqué may be to blame -- at least, according to Shakira herself that is.
The singer-songwriter sat down with the Sunday Times for an interview published Saturday ... where she revealed she actually put her career on pause to support Gerard turning his playing days in Barcelona.
Shakira explained she made a lot of sacrifices in the name of love -- one we know didn't last -- deciding to take care of the kids rather than focusing on her music.
Of course, Gerard and Shakira broke up during the summer of 2022, with rumors of infidelity swirling as the pair went their separate ways.
Shakira's path has taken her out of Spain and down to Miami where she's made fast friends with David Beckham -- who she said she knew back before she started dating Gerard, when DB played for Barcelona's rival, Real Madrid.
The Colombian star said she's in constant contact with Victoria Beckham ... and she's hoping to take her son Milan to a soccer match down in Miami -- leaving dear old dad totally out of the equation.
Shakira stayed above the whole Piqué fray during the interview BTW -- though she did admit it seemed like cosmic justice that one of his old soccer rivals Sergio Ramos presented her with a Latin Grammy.
She also skipped over talking about her tax fraud case -- instead choosing to focus on her first studio album in seven years, "Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran" which translates to "Women No Longer Cry" ... bit of a wink and a nudge to a certain ex?
In any case, seems Shakira's finally focused on herself again ... and Gerard better be on the lookout for bitter fans who might've wanted an album a bit sooner.
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James Charles Congress Too Focused on TikTok ... Bigger Problems to Fix!!!
Congress' potential TikTok ban isn't sitting right with some people ... especially influencers it's going to affect like James Charles -- who absolutely trashed the government.
The controversial social media star was at the 35th annual GLAAD Awards and -- while walking the red carpet -- he was asked about the potential TikTok ban that just passed through the House of Representatives.
“We’re starving. People are dying. People are in jail for marijuana charges. We’re in a war that we should not be in...and TikTok is our most pressing concern? I don’t think so.”
— Pop Crave (@PopCrave) March 16, 2024 @PopCrave
— James Charles on the TikTok ban bill pic.twitter.com/3Wk8tsdQOv
Charles didn't mince words ... doing on an expletive-laden tirade that's sorta taking social media by storm at the moment where he laments the number of issues the U.S. is facing -- and makes it clear he doesn't think TikTok is one of them.
JC points out that the TikTok bill is relatively new to the discussion table ... whereas lots of other bills have languished in front of the governing body for years.
James says -- if nothing else -- that should show people Congress really can get things done ... but, only when it's something that truly benefits them.
Charles says this is exactly why people need to get out and vote ... especially important given that it's an election year, he says.
U.S. House PASSES bill forcing on requiring TikTok to divest from China or face U.S. ban, 352-65. pic.twitter.com/K8NrCw50ti
— CSPAN (@cspan) March 13, 2024 @cspan
As we reported ... the bill calls upon ByteDance, TikTok's parent company, to sell off the social media platform or lose access to the American market anyway -- and it passed in a rare bipartisan landslide, moving to the Senate on the back of a 352 to 65 vote.
Anyhoo, Charles' reaction to the bill's passing is generating some buzz online ... and -- while most people agree he's in the right -- many of them are giving him kudos begrudgingly ... oftentimes making it clear they're not big fans of his.
You know the government is so bad when James Charles has a point pic.twitter.com/Fen76y6bIs
— Lasagna Taylor Joy (@Ryan_Balthazor) March 16, 2024 @Ryan_Balthazor
Hey, sometimes ya gotta give it up when someone seems to be speaking for a whole generation.
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Greg Vaughan Soap Opera Star Hospitalized ... Fluid in Lungs From Altitude Sickness
Greg Vaughan's recovering after a scary illness sent him to the hospital ... and, it turns out it's all because he got too high, too fast.
The soap opera star -- best known for playing Eric Brady on nearly 1,000 episodes of "Days of Our Lives" and Lucky Spencer on over 600 episodes of "General Hospital" -- posted a couple photos from earlier this week of him hooked up to an oxygen machine.
Vaughan assured fans he was doing just fine before but had to rush to an urgent care after getting hit with a really bad case of altitude sickness.
GV says he took his kids to Breckenridge, Colorado for a skiing and snowboarding trip, but started feeling tired, congested, and short of breath just a day into what was supposed to be a fun, relaxing vacay.
Greg says he popped some NyQuil and drank a ton of Pedialyte ... but that didn't fix the problem, and he ended up heading down the mountain to seek some medical attention.
While he thought the issue wasn't going to be anything too serious ... Vaughan's lucky he didn't try and tough through this illness -- 'cause he says the oxygen level in his blood was at a paltry 54% and fluid was filling his lungs.
Vaughan says they hooked him up to a couple IVs and told him it was probably best he head for some lower altitude.
Greg's ultimately using his experience as a teaching moment ... telling people the Rockies are no joke -- so be careful on your next ski trip.
From "General Hospital" to generally hospitalized ... glad you're feeling better, Greg!
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Diddy Supporting Kanye at Rolling Loud ... 'WLM' Beef Wrapped Up???
Diddy and Kanye West haven't been on good terms for a while ... but, now it seems they might be mending their relationship -- 'cause Diddy pulled up to Kanye's Rolling Loud set!
The rapper/producer made a rare public appearance Thursday at the show in Los Angeles and walked into KW's performance alongside his twin daughters, Jessie and D'Lila Combs.
Check out the vid ... Diddy brought his whole crew to the set -- he always rolls deep -- and appeared to pull up as Ye's and Ty Dolla $ign's "Keys To My Life" played over the speakers.
Diddy and his son watching Ye perform at Rolling Loud 💀 pic.twitter.com/bLUvO9HvGM
— Ye Fandom (@YeFandom) March 15, 2024 @YeFandom
And Diddy made the evening a whole family affair ... 'cause he was also spotted in the back/side stage area with his son Justin while watching the controversial performance.
The show certainly had people up in arms ... 'cause instead of performing live, Kanye and Ty stood onstage and just played recordings of their songs -- leaving lots of fans disappointed.
Unclear how Diddy felt about the show ... or if he and Ye sat down for a conversation -- 'cause they kinda gotta clear the air about their viral 2022 beef.
Remember, Puffy sat down for an interview on "The Breakfast Club" where he called Kanye's hella controversial White Lives Matter t-shirts "tone deaf" back in 2022.
Well, Kanye didn't like that one bit, and he ultimately shared some private messages between him and Diddy -- including one where he accused Diddy of being sent by Jewish people to threaten him.
Diddy wanted to meet in person ... but Kanye called him a federal agent and threw in a big "f*** you" for good measure.
It was all pretty unhinged ... and it seemed the two hadn't made up -- at least not publicly. But, now with Puffy at the show, ya gotta wonder if some words have been said behind the scenes.
So are the two officially burying the hatchet ... or did Diddy's kids just really wanna see Ye? Vote below!
Diddy at Kanye's Show ...
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Teresa Giudice & Luis Ruelas Lockin' Lips Outside L.A. Eatery ... New 'RHONJ' Season Will Expose 'Liars'
Teresa Giudice and her husband Luis Ruelas look like they're in a never-ending honeymoon phase ... 'cause the pair just can't keep their hands off each other.
The lovestruck couple went out to eat at Nusr-Et Steakhouse in Beverly Hills Friday night, and they packed on the PDA ... lockin' lips for the whole block to see.
Check out the pics ... the duo's clearly connecting well here -- literally and figuratively -- while grabbing a high-quality bite to eat.
This season, they're putting *everything* on display. #RHONJ premieres on May 5th! pic.twitter.com/0tKS4N5SOA
— Bravo (@BravoTV) March 6, 2024 @BravoTV
It's all a bit shocking given one of the most recent 'Real Housewives' trailers ... which appeared to show them fighting amid supposed trouble at home -- including someone claiming Louie's blowing all their money.
A photog asked the couple about married life in light of all that, and the two had nothing but glowing comments to make about their relationship.
Ruelas said the two are so much better than good ... in fact, he says they're so happy people feel the need to try and tear them down.
Check out the vid ... TG says she's excited for the new season of "The Real Housewives of New Jersey" to come out because everyone telling lies about them will finally be exposed ... going as far as saying she's finally going to be vindicated.
Meanwhile, the happy couple's stayin' busy in L.A. with Giudice working on a project she's keepin' secret for now ... while Ruelas is rolling out Vinivia -- a new platform for influencers that he says could fill space left behind by TikTok.
Seems like they're putting those rumors to rest ... happy smooching, you guys!
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Honey Boo Boo Mama's Got No Money For Me ... Jewelry Over My College???
"Mama June: Family Crisis" is staying true to its name ... 'cause Mama June and Honey Boo Boo are fightin' over money -- specifically cash for college.
On Friday night's episode of the hit reality TV show, Mama June told her daughter Alana -- better known as Honey Boo Boo -- that she didn't have the money to help pay for her college tuition ... info that totally shocked the rest of the family.
While MJ said during the ep that she couldn't give her daughter any money because she's still trying to rebuild her finances, Alana pointed out she spent money on her husband Justin Stroud's thick gold chains.
Alana's not the only one feeling like Mama June's cheaping out when it comes to her BTW ... her sister Lauryn "Pumpkin" Efird called out her mom for not helping Alana during a confessional.
Remember ... Lauryn and her husband Josh took on caring for Alana while Mama June was in the throes of her drug addiction -- so, it's not surprising LE's taking her sis' side on this one.
Honey Boo Boo basically summed up her feelings in a later confessional ... straight-up saying Mama could help everyone else, but when it came to her, she said her mom's never got anything for her.
BTW ... Alana started college back in the fall. She's studying nursing at Regis University in Colorado, and she says she got a $21,000 scholarship -- enough to make a dent in those college expenses for sure.
As for the dent in her relationship with Mama June ... unclear if they've worked that one out yet.
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Celine Dion Looks Terrific In New Family Pic ... Amid Health Disorder
Celine Dion is bouncing back from her debilitating health issues, posting a photo on Instagram that shows her looking strong with her three sons by her side.
On Friday night, the iconic singer uploaded the happy pic to her IG account, which captured Celine with a beaming smile, while standing with her arms around two of her sons as the third sat before them.
The siblings, Rene-Charles and twins Nelson and Eddy -- were also grinning ear to ear, seemingly indicating their mom is feeling better.
In the caption, Celine provided an update on the prognosis for her disorder, Stiff-Person Syndrome, after first recognizing that it was SPS Awareness Day.
Celine wrote that she was diagnosed with SPS in 2022 and has been trying to overcome the autoimmune disorder ever since, highlighting that it's one of the hardest experiences of her life.
But she gave hope to her millions of fans, saying that she is determined to one day return to the stage to perform and to "live as normal of a life as possible."
She also expressed deep gratitude for the love and support she has received from family members and other supporters. She ended with words of love and encouragement for anyone impacted by SPS, vowing to beat the disease together.
You may recall ... Celine was forced to pull the plug on her tour after she made a video announcement that she was suffering from SMS at the end of 2022. Her condition has prevented her from being able to perform.
However, she was met with a standing ovation last month at the Grammys when presenting Album of the Year -- an award that went to Taylor Swift.
Per Johns Hopkins Medicine ... SMS is defined as a rare autoimmune neurological disorder that most commonly causes muscle stiffness and painful spasms that come and go and can worsen over time.
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Elon Musk Compares Don Lemon To 'Wonka' Brat ... Amid X Show Drama
Elon Musk upped the ante in his ongoing beef with Don Lemon, comparing him to Veruca Salt — the bratty child in the 'Willy Wonka' films.
In a Friday night post on X, the billionaire mogul wrote, "Don 'Veruca Salt' [lemon emoji]" linking the former CNN moderator to the spoiled girl character, who whined about wanting things from her wealthy dad throughout the famous 1971 flick.
As you know, the bad blood between the two men stems from Elon canceling Don’s contract to host his own TV show on the X social media platform, which is owned by Musk.
Earlier this week, Elon got pissed at Don after they sat down for an interview that was scheduled to appear on X, but never did.
Don asked some questions that rubbed Elon the wrong way, prompting Musk to terminate the deal they had together before the show even aired.
Don then went on CNN – his former employer – to discuss what happened with host Erin Burnett. A few clips of the Elon interview were aired, giving a window into the line questioning that annoyed Musk. Hate speech on X and Elon's ketamine use were among the topics talked about.
The New York Post reported Friday that Don issued a list of demands to Elon during contract negotiations, including a free Tesla Cybertruck and $8 million with $5 million paid upfront.
We caught up with Don following the whole debacle and he told us X needs his voice on the platform.
Clearly, Elon doesn't think so.