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The transgender woman who took a serious beating at Kanye West's Rolling Loud set last week is blasting the attack as transphobic ... while also explaining what exactly led up to it.

Blu Linares -- the 22-year-old who was seen in a wild brawl last week while Ye performed here in L.A. -- tells TMZ that she believes the violence she endured that night is directly connected to her gender identity.

She says she feels the men she sparred with singled her out for unintentionally bumping into them -- explaining that in the mosh pit-like environment, she was getting pushed around -- despite plenty of other concertgoers packed in the tight space doing the same thing.

Once she inadvertently made contact, Blu tells us the guys hurled transphobic remarks at her ... while trying to paint her as the aggressor when they were the ones to pounce first.

Blu shows us some of the injuries she suffered during the melee -- one deep gash between her eyebrows is especially bad, as you can see. Despite everything, she says she's OK.

Moving forward, Blu's planning to meet with some attorneys to weigh her options ... but also notes she most likely won't be taking any legal action. Blu emphasizes to us she wasn't the one starting the fight -- instead, she says she was being bullied and stood up for herself.

You'll recall ... Kanye West's set at Rolling Loud descended into a violent mosh pit, with Blu bloodied and battered in the midst of it all. While she got thrashed, she also held her own.

Kim Kardashian might feel like an also-ran these days in comparison to Bianca Censori -- who's the "it" girl right now -- but in terms of who's getting searched more ... it's the OG.

We were curious which of these ladies people were flocking to their computer screens to see more of these days -- figuring it might be BC because of all these wild outfits and style choices she's been flaunting lately with Kanye West -- but as turns out ... we were wrong.

According to some basic Google Trends data ... it would appear Kim K is actually the one who's been searched more on the platform over the past 90 days -- a period in which Bianca's popularity, visibility, and mainstream appeal has unquestionably soared.

Take a look at this chart for yourself to see the results -- it shows that Kim (in red) has had more consistent and more prevalent searches dating back to Dec. 19 ... and while Bianca has had lots of peaks over the past few months, Kim's beating her more often than not.

The data also shows how the searches between these ladies -- with their full name being the key terms in question -- break down across the entire U.S. ... and KK tops BC in all but 1.

Looks like the state of Wyoming has had more "Bianca Censori" Google searches than "Kim Kardashian" in the past 90 days ... which is a bit random. But hey, they like what they like!

Then again ... Kanye did have a whole ass ranch out there, so maybe it's just Ye love.

In any case, there's no question that Kim's more popular than Bianca as far as Google's concerned -- but even for a tool like Semrush (which specializes in keyword research and analysis, and which we have access to) Kim takes the cake there as well ... kinda handily.

We ran their respective first and last names on that as well -- and Semrush crapped out some interesting insights ... namely, over a 12-month period, Kim has a monthly average of 1 million searches for her name ... whereas Bianca clocks in at 673k in the same window.

The Semrush breakdown also notes Kim's name is one of the most challenging keywords to compete for online -- pegged at 100% difficulty, while Bianca sits at 53% currently.

Kim's average searches -- again, just for their first and last names together, as a unit -- are much more flush and level over a 12-month span in terms of trending ability ... and Bianca's searches are more up and down, with very high highs and low lows. So, more scattered.

Point is ... it would appear Kim's years of branding and name recognition are paying off when it comes to what people are looking up online as it pertains to her and Bianca -- which we suppose makes sense, since she's a legacy celeb and has been around for ages now.

Bianca, on the other hand, is fairly new to the Hollywood scene ... so her numbers are pretty impressive considering where she came from -- relative obscurity, that is.

While Kim might still be the Queen of Google and online searches, it would appear -- at least on the face of things -- that Bianca is still the people's champ right now. Room for both!

One of the UK's most popular Kate Middleton look-alikes is addressing the conspiracy theorists who think she's actually the woman in the new vid of Prince William and his wife -- and she has a solid alibi for her whereabouts.

Heidi Agan tells TMZ she was working at the head office of a dance school in Northamptonshire on Saturday -- which is about 80 miles from the Windsor Farm Shop. So, as Shaggy would put it ... Heidi says "it wasn't me" in that footage first posted Monday by TMZ.

Although it's not necessarily surprising conspiracy theorists are wondering if she was involved ... as Heidi says she was confused for being Kate during a recent outing -- she says the place erupted when people thought the MIA princess had surfaced.

And, Heidi has been busier than ever thanks to the constant speculation regarding Kate's whereabouts. The pro look-alike says normally her work is busy when the royals are busy -- whether that's because of weddings, pregnancies, etc.

However, despite Kate stepping back from the spotlight, Heidi claims she still has a lot of requests coming in.

As for how she feels about the conspiracy theories -- Heidi thinks the speculation has gone a bit too far and has sympathy for the Duchess of Wales. She personally thinks Kate is fine and is simply recovering from abdominal surgery ... just as the Palace announced back in January.

While Kate is a public figure, Heidi believes the royal has a right to her privacy when it comes to her medical records, and reminds fans the Princess isn't public property.

She points to the lack of information as the fuel for the increasingly wild theories ... especially since King Charles was so forthcoming with his cancer diagnosis.

The Mother's Day photo was just icing on the cake ... since it was likely meant to squash any concern, but did the exact opposite.

Dr. Dre was enshrined on the Hollywood Walk of Fame this week -- something some of his best buds in the music biz made sure to attend ... including Snoop Dogg and Eminem.

The legendary producer -- who's had a storied career in and out of hip hop, having touched so many facets of the genre and the music industry at large -- got his very own star cemented into the ground Tuesday in an awesome ceremony that was packed with celebs.

In addition to SD and Slim Shady, lots of other titans in rap showed up to pay their respects for the Doc -- including Big Boy, Jimmy Iovine, 50 Cent, Kurupt and lots of others too.

It looks like a handful of them even shared some kind words for Dre ... and rightly so -- the guy has helped launch the careers of so many veterans in the game, so a lot of people owe much of their fame and fortunes to him. Dude's been finding talent for literally decades.

Just a refresher on some of the albums Dre has produced throughout his career -- in case you weren't already aware of what he's done. DD's worked on classics like "The Chronic," "2001," "The Slim Shady LP," "California Love," "Murder Was the Case," "Doggystyle," and countless others.

Dre is a highly decorated artist too -- he's been nominated for Grammys dozens of times over the years ... and has won 7 times, not to mention a Lifetime Achievement Award with the N.W.A.

We talked to Dre's son Curtis Young after the WOF ceremony, and he explained why he thought his dad was more than worthy to be recognized -- and he makes good points.

All in all, he's considered one of the best music producers of all time ... so it was probably about time he got his star, and his flowers. He received both on Tuesday ... it's Dre day.

Longtime NHL player Chris Simon -- known as one of the most ferocious and scary athletes on the ice -- has died at 52.

Simon played 15 seasons in the National Hockey League, including stops with the Colorado Avalanche, Washington Capitals, Chicago Blackhawks, Calgary Flames, and New York Islanders where he was a feared enforcer, racking up over 100 fights and nearly 2k penalty minutes throughout his decade and a half career.

The NHL Alumni Association broke the news of Simon's death on Tuesday, saying ... "Chris was never afraid to stand up for his teammates, and played a key role in the dressing room. He was a beloved friend, father, brother, and son."

Simon's pro hockey career started in 1990 when the Philadelphia Flyers selected the Canadian native with the 25th overall pick in the NHL Draft.

CS won a Stanley Cup title with the Avalanche in 1996.

Chris also played in the Ontario Hockey League and eventually joined the Kontinental Hockey League before retiring in 2013.

Simon was most known for being a dog on the ice ... and having the backs of his teammates. In fact, he was suspended eight times during his NHL career for a total of 65 games.

Unfortunately, Simon's death comes just hours after news of Konstantin Koltsov's passing ... a suspected suicide.

He was 52.

Dan Schneider is addressing the allegations in the new Nickelodeon doc that paints him as a monster and wildly inappropriate with some in the cast ... and he's taking accountability.

The one-time Nickelodeon honcho sat down with former "iCarly" actor BooG!e Tuesday to offer up his formal response to toxic workplace claims made against him and the shows he created ... which was just addressed in full on the new documentary that's going viral.

Check it out ... DS says it was very hard for him to watch the new docuseries ... acknowledging some of his past behavior as embarrassing and regretful.

He added ... "I definitely owe some people a pretty strong apology."

The former TV exec -- who was the showrunner on several Nick shows back in the day -- realized how his actions impacted those who worked for him. He says he'd never do some of the on-set shenanigans he pulled back then today -- explaining ... "I’m embarrassed that I did it then. I apologize to anybody that I ever put in that situation."

Dan even agrees some of the questionable jokes written for his shows should be cut right now ... insisting he wrote the quips with children in mind -- and that there was no ill intent.

Through his reps, Dan has denied claims that the shows he oversaw purposefully sexualized its child stars -- like Ariana Grande, Amanda Bynes and Jennette McCurdy, among others.

His spokesperson stated Monday ... "Everything that happened on the shows Dan ran was carefully scrutinized by dozens of involved adults, and approved by the network. Had there been any scenes or outfits that were inappropriate in any way, they would have been flagged and blocked by this multilayered scrutiny.”

Drake Bell -- who spoke out about being molested by Nickelodeon dialogue coach Brian Peck in 'Quiet on Set' -- credited Dan as an ally after he spoke out about the abuse.

In the new sit-down, Dan talks about Drake and Peck as well ... getting emotional doing so.

He says he was devastated when he learned of Brian's behavior ... explaining he did not hire the dialogue coach for the network, but has regrets nonetheless on having him around. He even revealed that he helped Drake's mother pen her statement for Brian's sentencing trial.

Some *NSYNC fans think all the other guys are at Justin Timberlake's beck and call these days amid these little mini collabs they've been doing... but Joey Fatone says that's BS.

We got the boy band singer at LAX on Monday and asked him all about their recent gig with JT in L.A. amid his latest album drop -- where there's a song that features *NSYNC, serving as just the latest team-up they've done in the studio ... with fans wanting the real thing.

Of course, our photog asked about the prospect of a proper reunion for *NSYNC ... and Joey gave us the standard line of not-now-but-maybe-one-day, which we've heard for months.

Basically ... Joey says everyone's busy, so there's no official coming-together happening in the near future -- but does acknowledge that if they were to get in the studio again for brand new music in 2024, it'd probably sound something very much like their new track "Paradise."

He also says that *NSYNC doesn't mind coming together for JT when they can. Although, when our camera guy asked if they're on call for Justin these days -- as some online have suggested -- he shot that notion down entirely ... saying that's not the dynamic here.

Joey tells us he understands why some might draw that conclusion -- remember, not only did *NSYNC cameo on JT's new album, but did the same for his new 'Trolls' movie too -- he assures us that the group has turned down Justin's requests before ... many times, in fact.

As our camera guy puts it ... the *NSYNC guys are NOT Justin's industry booty call -- despite what some might assume. Joey makes it very clear ... they're all booked and busy in their own respective careers, so when they collaborate ... it's only 'cause it works for everyone.

Gradey Dick is denying any tomfoolery was involved in his jersey exchange with Anthony Black ... telling reporters he simply wanted to show love to his buddy.

The Toronto Raptors and Orlando Magic rookies went stupid viral with their postgame trade over the weekend ... with many pointing out the suggestive phrase their last names spelled out when they posed for a pic (hint: Black's surname came first).

Dick was asked about all the hoopla on Tuesday ... and he swore up and down it was nothing more than two longtime friends reconnecting.

"That's my guy," Dick said at practice. "I've been playing against or with him around since middle school days. So, that's been my guy for a long time."

Dick defended the move ... adding, "Guys jersey swap with their boys. That's my friend."

When asked if he has any other jersey swaps lined up, Dick said he only has one criteria.

"If I played with them growing up and they're my guys, then I'll jersey swap with them. Nothing more to it."

While Dick's reasoning behind choosing Black for the popular tradition checks out, it's pretty clear the guys purposely positioned themselves to have a bit of fun ... especially considering it appeared they orchestrated the whole thing before smiling for the cameras.

Cola Boyy, the pop singer and songwriter who collaborated with the likes of The Avalanches and MGMT despite his spinal issues, passed away Sunday ... and his family is reeling from the loss.

The musician's father, Joseph Urango Jr., is now speaking to TMZ about the heartbreaking chain of events leading up to the passing of his son, a.k.a, Matthew Urango. He says it was Matthew's twin brother who made the devastating discovery -- he'd gone to check on Cola in bed and found he wasn't breathing.

Joseph says paramedics were called, but it was, tragically, too late and Cola Boyy was pronounced dead at the scene.

We're told CB was on oxygen while at home, and he was still hooked up to it when his brother found him.

His family believes his passing was related to his health issues. IYDK, Cola Boyy was born with spina bifida, scoliosis, and kyphosis, but he never let his health hold him back ... proudly referring to himself as the "disabled disco innovator."

The coroner is now investigating to determine the cause of death.

Joseph emphasized the magnitude of losing his son ... adding he had a deep love for his fans, bandmates, and especially his family.

Cola Boyy's label, Record Makers, was first to announce his passing, describing him in their tribute as "quite a soul, a man with no age, a childlike spirit with the musicality of an old legend."

He had an undeniable stage presence right from the start when he began releasing music in 2018. He had also just wrapped up work on his next album and was gearing up to share it with the world this summer.

Most importantly, Cola Boyy was a trailblazer for disability-rights advocacy ... telling TMRW Magazine society wanted disabled people to be timid and docile, which at times weighed him down but never stopped him from achieving his dreams.

He was 34.

Travis Kelce's apparently got his eyes on taking his tight end to a new seat ... he's now reportedly in talks to become a game show host in the very near future.

The Kansas City Chiefs star and Prime Video reps are working to hammer out a deal that would make the three-time Super Bowl champion the face of a "Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader?" reboot, according to Variety.

The outlet reported Tuesday, however, that it's far from a foregone conclusion ... as there's at least some concern on the suits' end that Kelce wouldn't be able to do the gig properly if he continued his NFL career.

Jeff Foxworthy hosted the first iteration of the show on Fox way back in 2007. John Cena then picked up hosting duties years later when a new version of the program landed on Nickelodeon.

The show was a popular one -- as it, in part, tested adults' knowledge of information generally taught to elementary school students.

Variety reported Tuesday the new Prime Video version would feature celebrity contestants.

Of course, if Kelce does score the role ... it'd hardly be his first foray into the television world. He was once the center of a reality dating show called "Catching Kelce." He also famously hosted "Saturday Night Live" last year. And, don't forget, he's on-camera weekly with his brother, Jason, for their ultra-popular 'New Heights' podcast.

If Kelce's sweating the talks, he's not showing it much ... 'cause he's rumored to be down in the Bahamas with Taylor Swift at the moment -- and, yeah, kinda hard to focus on business there.

12:21 PM PT -- Jonathan Majors' lawyer Priya Chaudhry tells TMZ ... "This is no surprise. Mr. Majors is preparing counterclaims against Ms. Jabbari."

Jonathan Majors is being taken back to court by his ex-girlfriend Grace Jabbari -- who's now suing him over the assault case ... and some other stuff she claims went down beforehand.

Jabbari just filed suit against Majors ... and in the docs, obtained by TMZ, she's getting into a lot more detail about other alleged instances that she claims occurred before the March 2023 incident that landed him in criminal court, and which ultimately ended with a conviction.

In GJ's lawsuit, she claims the alleged abuse she endured at the hands of Majors started as early as 2021 after they'd started dating -- specifically pointing out a time at the end of that year which she says became the first she started to fear him and his temper ... this after she mentioned a previous relationship, which she says pissed him off and led to a verbal attack.

There are other alleged instances of abuse that she cites -- including a claim that Majors threw her into a shower wall after he got angry with her, while allegedly proceeding to throw objects, like candles and other miscellaneous items.

She goes on to claim Majors assaulted her in London on a number of occasions while he was in town filming "Loki." Jabbari also claims simple things like having company over or laughing on the phone with her mother would anger him and cause him to fly off the handle ... with her alleging he'd smash her headphones, or at times even her head.

Jabbari cites one alleged instance in which she claims that Majors got so angry with her that he slammed her head against a marble floor and even allegedly strangled her.

She claims it was during this time in London that he gave his Coretta Scott King diatribe.

Eventually, Jabbari brings up the incident from March 2023 ... again repeating her claims that he hit her in the car when she tried to look at his phone over a text from another woman.

She goes on to claim that he twisted her fingers in the car, and that when he got out and she followed ... he threw her back in "like a football."

All of this was discussed at length during the trial, and in the end ... the jury convicted Majors over what the jury saw from the evidence outside of the vehicle. Here, however, she's doubling down again in a lawsuit -- insisting he assaulted her in the car and claiming it was the boiling point of what she alleges was a lengthy relationship littered with abuse.

As we reported ... Majors was convicted of misdemeanor assault and harassment in December, and he's currently awaiting sentencing -- even though his team has filed to have the conviction tossed.

Another thing Jabbari is suing Majors for is defamation -- alleging he tarnished her reputation by claiming she lied about the physical abuse during interviews he did pre- and post-trial.

We've reached out to Majors' camp for comment ... so far, no word back.

11:57 AM PT -- Riley Strain's family just held a press conference, announcing they've enlisted the help of the United Cajun Navy -- a nonprofit that helps in this sort of effort -- while reiterating the need to get more resources on the case ... and also thanking Nashville PD for their work thus far.

Police went on to say that they've been inundated with tips and leads from various sources, but none have resulted in anything concrete in terms of locating Riley and there is no indication of foul play.

Riley Strain's family is 100% confident that their loved one is still alive somewhere -- and they're frustrated with cops' search efforts ... demanding extra boots on the ground.

We talked to the Strain family spokesperson, Chris Dingman, Tuesday and he told us straight up ... Riley's parents, simply don't believe their son is dead -- this despite most of the public starting to assume that's the case at this point.

Even though it's been well over a week since Riley first vanished in Nashville after bar hopping with his friends -- Dingman says the family is hopeful ... but more than that, they're irked that much of Nashville PD's investigating has been focused mostly on the river nearby.

There's a few reasons why Dingman says the Strains feel this way -- for one, he says the river just isn't that deep, and it doesn't appear to have been roaring on the night he disappeared. So, in their eyes, him falling in and being swept away doesn't seem plausible.

Dingman also tells us that from the family's POV, cops haven't turned over every possible stone in trying to track him down -- claiming there are businesses along the river bank with surveillance video that weren't approached until very recently ... so, slow going at best.

While the Strains appreciate the police's help and diligence thus far -- we're told they think it's time to call in the cavalry and get extra assistance in helping find Riley sooner rather than later.

Nashville PD has already said they're prepared to call in the feds if it proves necessary. Dingman says the Strains think that time has come ... and that the sweep for Riley needs to expand well beyond just the river search that's been going on these past few days.

Of course, Riley's bank card was found there -- which is probably why this is a focal point in the effort -- but Dingman says his mom and dad want other possibilities looked into.

He doesn't have an exact idea of where he may be or what happened to him, but based on eyewitness accounts that continue to crop up day after day ... it sounds like people might've possibly been with him during the last known moments of him being out and about.

The other odd thing that's not quite tracking for the Strains is that when Riley was walking by the police officer -- he came across as coherent and normal, but other surveillance videos captured him looking inebriated and out of it. So the family doesn't know what's what here.

The one thing they do know ... they want answers, and soon. The Strains have been in Nashville for several days now -- and the longer Riley is missing, the more anxious they get.

Riley was last seen on March 8, and there's been no sign of him since. Cops are encouraging anyone with helpful info to call 615-742-7463.

12:14 PM PT -- The San Diego County Sheriff's Dept. tells TMZ that a call came in for medical aid around 1:30 PM PT Monday -- and that when deputies arrived, fire officials were already providing lifesaving measures for Karen Houghton ... who sadly passed away.

Unclear what medical incident precipitated the call.

Kris Jenner's sister, Karen Houghton, has died ... TMZ has learned.

Law enforcement sources tell us Karen was reported as deceased to San Diego County officials Monday in San Marcos, CA. The exact circumstances of her passing are unclear, but we're told county officials are attributing her death to natural causes for now.

Karen was Kris' only sister -- sharing parents MJ and Robert Houghton -- and was born three years after the famed momager. Karen and Kris grew up in San Diego together, living predominantly with MJ after her divorce from the girls' father.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ Kris is very upset over the passing of her sibling -- and is also concerned about Karen's mother and niece. This is MJ's first loss of a child, so obviously it's devastating. We're told the family at large is rallying around each other.

Kris addressed Karen's death on social media as well, with a sweet tribute that touched on their history and relationship ... remembering Karen fondly.

Despite the Kardashians' very public life, Karen has not played a major role in their reality TV fame ... as the sisters have had a somewhat complicated relationship over the years.

Karen went public with their issues back in 2014, alleging in an interview that Kris had changed since skyrocketing to A-list status. She also infamously weighed in on Kris' high-profile divorce from Olympian Caitlyn Jenner ... seemingly siding with her ex-in-law.

Then, in 2016, Karen made headlines for undergoing a five-hour facelift in order to look more like the Kardashian-Jenner matriarch -- ultimately pleased with the results, at the time.

A family truce seemed to be confirmed in 2019 -- when Karen and Kris posed for a photo with their mom MJ and their respective daughters, Natalie Zettel and Kylie Jenner, at Christmastime.

However, Karen hasn't been spotted with the family in recent years, having kept a low profile out of the limelight. She worked as a part-time nurse and an author before her death.

Karen is survived by her daughter -- who she welcomed with ex-husband Mark Zettel -- mother, sister and several nieces and a nephew. She was 65.

RIP

Oprah Winfrey is opening up about the extreme lengths she's taken to lose weight over the years ... revealing she previously starved herself in order to drop some pounds.

The talk show legend discusses her years of yo-yo dieting in her new ABC special, "Shame, Blame and the Weight Loss Revolution," sharing that it took a liquid diet to help her lose 67 pounds -- which she famously marked in 1988 by wheeling out a wagon filled with fat during an episode of her talk show.

The revelation she's making in the special, though, is that celebration of weight loss was extremely short-lived -- Oprah now admits she began gaining the weight back almost the very next day after that show ... becoming the object of public ridicule.

Weight loss has become a major part of Oprah's brand, having previously become a brand ambassador for, and major investor in, WeightWatchers.

Everyone remembers her "I love bread" commercial, right?

Earlier this month, she stepped down from her position on the WW board of directors after nearly 10 years ... following her admission she's now using weight loss drugs.

Oprah says she left WeightWatchers to avoid a conflict of interest while making this new ABC special ... since WW is now doling out weight loss drug prescriptions.

Ryan Garcia just got super emotional on video ... crying as he tried to create a TikTok to thank his fans for their recent support.

The boxing star can be seen in the footage -- which was posted to his social media page on Monday -- listening to Hillsong UNITED's "Oceans (Where Feet May Fail)" ... before he suddenly starts to break down.

In the clip, Garcia tearfully explains that he's "been going through a lot lately," but his faith -- and the love from his supporters -- have helped him get through it.

Garcia noted he was torn up over the fact that despite trying to do good in his community -- some tried to muzzle him ... and even cancel his upcoming megafight with Devin Haney.

"I was trying to do something good, you know?" he said ... adding, "I love you guys. And I appreciate every one of you guys. And I love all you guys."

Garcia ended the vid by promising to address his fans again soon.

It's been a whirlwind couple of weeks for the 25-year-old ... especially when it comes to social media postings. Since announcing his April 20 tilt with Haney, he's shared bizarre messages and clips frequently on both his X and Instagram pages.

At one point following a series of unusual posts earlier this month, he actually vowed to no longer talk about anything but sports, boxing, and his fight with Haney.

Clearly, however, he's still making content ... although Haney's father and trainer, Bill, said on Tuesday he's sure Garcia is fine and the fight will go down as scheduled.

"No matter how many distractions, no matter the antics Ryan has displayed, I know the kid ain't crazy," Bill said.

The new Kate Middleton video -- showing her surfacing for the first time since Xmas -- is bogus, and it's NOT her ... so say a bunch of conspiracy theorists who claim to have receipts.

TMZ's video, shot over the weekend, shows what appears to be a healthy and happy Kate strolling out of a food store with hubby Prince William.

They point to Kate's height relative to William. In previous outings, they say Kate is shorter than she appears in the new video. In previous photos, Kate's eye line hits around William's neck, but in the new video, she's closer to his nose.

What's interesting ... in the old photo and new video, Kate is wearing flats, which leads folks online to believe the new video is a fraud.

Now there may be an explanation ... in the old photo, Kate seems a bit hunched over, whereas in the new video she's holding her head up high.

The social media crew also believes her hairline is different as is her chin. They say her chin seems stronger in the old photo. On the other hand, she seems thinner than before, which could account for her thinner facial features.

And, there's something else that leads online sleuths to believe the video was shot during Xmas, not over the weekend. Check out the shed covered in Christmas lights and garland. Thing is, we got a new photo shot Monday, and the lights and garland are still there.

Kate is recovering from abdominal surgery, so says the palace ... but her stride is strong as she carries a shopping bag out of the store.

We looked at the metadata on the new video -- which showed it was taken on Saturday near the royal couple's home in Windsor.

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