Candace Owens Fired from Daily Wire Over Alleged Antisemitism

Candace Owens was fired from her hosting job at the Daily Wire because her bosses were fed up with what they viewed as her repeated promotion of antisemitism ... TMZ has learned.

The conservative media company announced Friday morning that it was parting ways with Candace, and while no official reason was mentioned ... sources with direct knowledge tell us it was squarely over what the Daily Wire honchos saw as antisemitism, and the firing went down early this week.

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TAKING A JAB
Fresh and Fit Podcast

Candace and fellow Daily Wire host Ben Shapiro have had a very public feud recently on social media over their opposing views on the Israel-Gaza conflict -- and we're told the last straw for the DW was her March 8 appearance on the "Fresh and Fit" podcast.

The hosts were talking to Candace about the rift with Ben, and every time Ben or his wife -- who is Israeli -- was mentioned the show dropped a cha-ching sound effect, an obvious nod to the antisemitic trope about Jews and money.

While Candace didn't say anything to besmirch Ben, we're told the feeling was she didn't say anything to defend him or call out the antisemitism. To be fair, it's unclear whether she heard that sound effect while recording the podcast.

We're told Daily Wire execs had previous conversations with Candace in an attempt to understand her position -- as they didn't want to censor her -- but they felt the podcast incident crossed the line.

As one source in the know put it, Candace often bragged about being one of the best communicators in media, so the DW execs felt "she knew what she was doing."

We're also told Shapiro was not involved in the decision to fire Candace, and he doesn't have any power to do so.

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TRYING TO CHOOSE PEACE
The Breakfast Club

Candace addressed her feud with Ben when she was on "The Breakfast Club" Thursday, saying she was not anti-Israel or antisemitic ... she's simply against all forms of genocide. A source connected to Candace insists the same, telling us "She's obviously not an antisemite."

We've reached out to the Daily Wire and Candace's reps for comment ... but no word back yet.

Kendrick Lamar Disses Drake and J. Cole ... On Future, Metro Boomin Song

Kendrick Lamar took some shots at both Drake and J. Cole this week with yet another sneaky feature ... and it's clear he doesn't consider them to be in his league.

The diss was heard on Future and Metro Boomin's new album, "We Don't Trust You" ... where Kendrick is featured on the track "Like That" -- and he goes in on Drizzy and Cole in his verse, where it's obvious he's talking about them.

Kendrick didn't take too kindly to Drake and Cole's "First Person Shooter" song that launched their joint tour -- where Cole and Drake were very kumbaya and buddy-buddy -- K.dot kinda spat in both of their faces ... rapping, "Yeah, get up with me, f*** sneak dissing/'First Person Shooter,' I hope they came with three switches."

KL continues ... "Think I won't drop the location? I still got PTSD // Motherf*** the big three, n****, it's just big me // N****, bum, what? I'm really like that // And your best work is a light pack // N****, Prince outlived Mike Jack // N**** bum, 'fore all your dogs gettin' buried."

Definitely not so subliminal ... Kendrick is going straight for Drake and Cole.

Remember, on Drake and Cole's "First Person Shooter" duet ... Cole rapped, "Love when they argue the hardest MC/Is it K-Dot? Is it Aubrey? Or me?/We the Big3 like we started a league, but right now, I feel like Muhammad Ali."

Drake decided to cut Kendrick out of the equation in his verse ... "Who the GOAT? Who you bitches really rooting for?/Like a kid that act bad from January to November, n****, it's just you and Cole."

Now, Kendrick is saying there aren't 3 GOATs ... there's only one, and it's him.

Fans are scrambling to know what went wrong ... Drake co-starred on Kendrick's debut album "good kid, m.A.A.d city" and brought him along on his 'Club Paradise' Tour to elevate his career. So, they've been friendly over the years.

Cole and Kendrick were once in hot pursuit of doing a joint LP together -- and he and Metro Boomin were recently in the studio together too.

Metro's been beefing with Drake for months ... but Future and Drake won a Grammy together last year.

Gotta wonder what soured their situation so soon???

AMERICAN AIRLINES ANTISEMITIC FLYER IN HEADLOCK ... Kicked Off Plane!!

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FLIGHT FIGHT

An American Airlines flight descended into total chaos when an antisemitic passenger spewed a seriously hateful insult at a flight attendant before ending up in a headlock.

You gotta check out this wild clip -- the guy in the blue striped shirt totally loses it even before the flight from Tampa to Philadelphia takes off Tuesday ... he's hurling hate left and right, accusing everyone of ganging up on him.

But, when he drops an antisemitic slur on a flight attendant, you can see the shock on everyone's faces ... but he doesn't care and goes on to yell, "I'm trying to get to my home country, and you all people made it harder for me to get to my home country!"

It gets even crazier when he gets into a scuffle with another passenger -- the guy in the blue hoodie -- accusing him of touching him. They get in each other's faces, and there's plenty of machismo posturing, before the dude in the hoodie takes charge and puts the antisemite in a headlock!

Further backup arrives with the woman in a backward hat trying to calm things down, saying she's a cop ... and turns out the hoodie guy is too.

As he applied the headlock, he yelled, "Now put your hands down and don't touch anybody" ... before escorting him to the plane's exit.

The Tampa International Airport Police Department says an arrest was made around 5:30 PM Tuesday, right outside the plane. He was reportedly arrested for disorderly intoxication and 2 counts of battery.

Ben Affleck Clean-Shaven Look for 'Accountant 2' ... Throwback Vibes!!!

Ben Affleck is looking a lot younger these days -- and it probably has to do with the fact that he's gotten rid of his face hairs ... all just in time for a new movie he's working on.

The actor was out and about in L.A. Thursday rocking a whole new mug -- and by that, we mean he was totally clean-shaven ... having lost his full salt and pepper beard, which he's been sportin' for quite a while now.

Now, Ben's got nothing but his bare skin out in the wild ... and we gotta say, he looks fresh!

Dude's got a cool 'fit on as well -- color-coordinated, per usual -- and he even had a basketball in hand that he was bouncing around as he strolled. Indeed, BA's got a pep in his step ... and something tells us him shaving might have something to do with it.

Frankly, he looks like a 30-something all over again ... albeit, with a more mature vibe.

If you're wondering why Ben lost the beard -- it appears directly tied to the start of production for his new movie, 'The Accountant 2,' which reportedly started filming this week. With him playing the lead character again (who was also clean-shaven), the face trim makes sense.

Like we said, Ben hasn't had a fully shaven face like this in quite a bit -- lately, he's been letting his facial hair grow ... which is why he was almost unrecognizable in these pics.

Of course, we'd recognize that handsome face anywhere with or without whiskers -- the real question now is ... what does the missus at home, Jennifer Lopez, think about it?

Ben Affleck Looks Better ...

And, perhaps more importantly ... does he look better shaven or covered in fur???

Kanye West Films Bianca in Sexy 'Fit ... Laid Out on Emperor-Size Bed!!!

Kanye West is changing things up when it comes to showing off his wife Bianca Censori, ... instead of parading her around in public, he's got her laid out on their massive ass bed.

The rapper uploaded a short video Thursday of Bianca wearing a sheer milk-colored lace bodysuit with a pair of stiletto heels -- and as you can see ... she's very comfy as she maintains a frozen position with her leg bent, and her phone covering her face.

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Bedtime For Bianca
Instagram / @ye

It feels like part-art installation, part-portrait subject ... it's also a little weird, to be honest.

Bianca is simply lying back on a gigantic white bed -- which is extra wide, and fit for a freaking emperor -- while holding her phone in front of her face. Ye, meanwhile, is just standing over her and recording in silence ... with car noises outside and low breathing.

His IG post was a departure from his usual antics with Bianca. Not that Ye hasn't filmed her posing half nude indoors before – but lately the two have been on the move bringing their risque act to a city near you.

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GETTIN' GRUB AT THE GROVE
BACKGRID

Just this week ... Ye showed off Bianca's incredible bod all around Los Angeles, hitting The Grove, a tanning salon and an ice cream shop. Bianca sported various tight, revealing outfits while Ye, fully clothed, stayed right beside her, protectively holding her hand.

At one point, the couple headed to a private business meeting that wasn't so private. Bianca put her assets in full view, rocking a tight nude tube top that pushed out her cleavage and neon nylon stockings that accentuated her butt.

As you know ... the two have taken their eye-popping display around the world and as far away as France and Italy. And, there doesn't seem to be any end in sight.

Whether it's out in the street, or in the bedroom ... Bianca's on a pedestal!

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Jake Paul Boxing Mike Tyson ... 'Biggest Fight The World Will Ever See!!!'

Jake Paul believes his boxing match against Mike Tyson is one for the history books ... saying the upcoming event with the combat legend will be "the biggest fight the world will ever see."

The Problem Child made the eye-popping statement on his latest episode of "BS with Jake Paul" this week ... in response to Conor McGregor's recent claim that there's a lack of interest in the bout.

Jake says the social media stats prove the UFC superstar is wrong ... and considering the whole thing will be available to Netflix's 260 million subscribers, it could go down as the most-watched event in the sport's history.

In fact, when he was asked if the Tyson fight would do better than Conor's Pay-Per-View fight against Floyd Mayweather ... Jake said it will undoubtedly outperform the 2017 spectacle.

"It'll be more viewed, 1,000%," Jake said. "For sure."

Jake made note of the fact they won't be able to compare PPV numbers, as the fight is free on the streaming service ... but in terms of eyeballs, he's going to run circles around Floyd vs. Conor.

FYI -- Conor's foray into the ring with Floyd had 4.3 million PPV buys ... and TBE's fight against Manny Pacquiao (the best-selling fight of all time) saw 4.6 million purchases.

Jake said the coverage leading up to the July 20 bout backs his stance ... and there are 10x more articles about the Tyson event than Conor's last fight announcement.

"No fight ever has done these numbers in terms of face-off views, Instagram reels," Jake said. "Just on our main pages alone, it's like 50-60 million Instagram views on both of our posts. Not to mention every single other sports page posting it, that's never happened in the history of the sport, to reach those numbers."

"So this is, in my mind, the biggest fight the world will ever see."

Jake said there's no need for anyone to be jealous ... 'cause, at the end of the day, he's helping the entire industry.

There's a lot more in the episode ... Jake also revealed he offered Tommy Fury a rematch, but his nemesis turned it down due to money.

He also weighed in on a potential exhibition with Ryan Garcia ... and he believes he'd pick the dude apart.

Donald Trump NY Estate Primed to Be Seized ... Amid Huge Fraud Judgment

Donald Trump seems unable to come up with the cash he needs to keep fighting his fraud case judgment -- and now, the AG is getting ready to seize one of his massive properties.

The ex-Prez's 230-acre estate in Bedford, NY -- known as Seven Springs -- appears to be in the crosshairs of Letitia James, who recently filed legal docs indicating her office is prepared to pounce on this property ... possibly the first of many in an effort to collect on the nearly half-billion judgment Trump is on the hook for after losing his bank fraud trial last month.

Online records show James' office filed to enforce the judgment in Westchester County -- which is where Seven Springs is -- signaling that law enforcement is gearing up to seize this property first if DT can't come up with the bond they need to pony up by month's end.

The fact James filed the judgment in Westchester County effectively acts as a lien on Trump's property -- and many expect her to continue snatching up his assets until the $355 million he owes is paid. In order to appeal this judgment, Trump needs to come up with even more money ... a whopping $464 million, which he's struggling to secure with a bond.

Seven Springs is so big that it actually spans three different towns there in the county -- and it oozes luxury ... with carriage houses all throughout, in addition to the main mansion.

The Seven Springs estate is one of Trump's many properties -- and there are a lot of people who believe James is prepared to seize even more if need be ... including, possibly, Trump Tower.

Here's the twist, and it just surfaced ... there's gonna be an IPO for Truth Social, and Trump could score north of $3 BILLION, but he won't be able to sell his stock for 6 months.

Stay tuned ...

RFK JR. to ALICIA SILVERSTONE Here's $400 for (Vegan) Cheesin' with Me!!! Muenster Campaign Refund

Here's some Gouda news for Alicia Silverstone -- her staunch support of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for president isn't going unnoticed, as the campaign just handed her some cheddar!

The "Clueless" star apparently pitched in to help with catering one of RFK Jr.'s campaign events in L.A. ... dropping $427.25 to get Vromage -- a fancy L.A. vegan cheese shop -- to provide hors d'oeuvres.

TMZ pulled a Federal Elections Commission filing -- under "report of receipts and disbursements" -- which states the Kennedy campaign committee fully reimbursed Alicia for fronting the cheesy tab.

Last June, Alicia publicly endorsed RFK Jr., applauding his vision of "peace, unity, and justice for all."

As for the food she chose to cater the event, Alicia's long been a vocal advocate for her vegan lifestyle -- and being in L.A. and all, it's no shock she has a fave vegan cheese shop to satisfy her plant-based palate!

In fact, the actress' been singing Vromage's praises for years ... blogging about the shop and sharing snaps of delicious meals featuring dairy-free cheese on social media.

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From cruelty-free eats to politics, you better brie-lieve Alicia's spreading her values one delicious bite at a time!

John Legend Bird We're Pet-Sitting ... Will Likely Become Permanent 😢

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birds of a feather
TMZ.com

John Legend says that the bird he and his family are now taking care of will very likely become a permanent member of the household ... but it's under sad circumstances.

We got the singer out in L.A. Thursday -- where we chopped it up about this new macaw he and his wife Chrissy Teigen have recently welcomed under their roof ... something they've documented on social media, introducing the feathered friend to everyone as Audrey.

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AUDREY, THE LEGEND

The kids seem to love it, but there's a bit of heartbreaking backstory as to how Audrey even came into their possession ... and it involves John's father-in-law, Ron.

As JL explains to us here, the Legend family is just pet-sitting at the moment as Ron battles some serious health issues -- ones that John tells us candidly will likely lead to his passing in the not-too-distant future. Because of that, the fam's prepared to take Audrey in.

As John puts it ... Audrey will likely live longer than Ron big picture, so they're getting used to having her in their company -- just the latest pet that they've brought into the fold.

Speaking of animal companions ... John talked about dog walking and dog poop -- something he says he has no problem picking up, as he says he's been doing it for years after living in NYC. As the owner of several pooches himself ... he says he's a vet at this now.

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John also tells us that if you can handle raising a pet, you can probably do anything.

Good to know he's got room for one more at the crib. 😊🦜

Red Hot Chili Peppers' Flea Relists L.A. Home for Just Under $7M

Flea is looking to make an almost $3 million profit on his L.A. area home after listing it for a hefty price ... TMZ has learned.

The Red Hot Chili Peppers founding member put his SoCal estate back on the market Tuesday -- asking for $6.997 million for the residence. Remember, the bassist first nabbed the over five-acre estate in 2018 for $4.25 million. He previously tried to unload it back in 2022.

Still, after taking a closer look at the listing's gorgeous photos, it's clear the home is worth every penny. The residence, which sits north of downtown L.A. in La Crescenta, boasts five bedrooms, five bathrooms, and over 1,350 square feet of living space.

The abode is broken up into two residence spaces. There's the main house, which was constructed in the 2000s, that features two bedrooms, two bathrooms, and striking mountain views.

Sitting above the main residence is the property's original house, which was built in 1953 and includes two bedrooms and an additional bathroom. If you've counted only four bedrooms so far ... you're correct, as there's also a one-bedroom cabin on the five acres that border the Angeles National Forest.

Sounds like a perfect property for anyone looking to have long-term guests or wanting some serious privacy from others.

The amenities are pretty impressive too, as there's a 50-foot-long lap pool and a catering kitchen. Where do we sign up?

Sherri Rogers with Compass and Branden Williams with The Beverly Hills Estates hold the listing.

UFC's Michael Chandler Confirms McGregor Fight Is On!!! 👊 ... Goin' Down This Summer

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COMING THIS SUMMER
TMZ Sport

News confirmed! Conor McGregor vs. Michael Chandler is finally happening!

Days after The Notorious told reporters he would fight Iron Mike this summer, 37-year-old Chandler joined Babcock on the "TMZ Sports" TV show (airs weekdays on FS1) ... and we asked him if McGregor was being truthful, or just blowing smoke.

"I've got the official announcement. It's happening this summer," Chandler said, adding, "I can't tell you the actual date, but it's happening this summer!"

We followed up ... so it's official?!

"We have an agreement. We are fighting this summer."

Ears, meet music.

Of course, the Michael and Conor fight has been in the works forever ... going back to mid-2023 when the men coached opposite one another on "The Ultimate Fighter."

So, Conor the coach has been relatively active ... but not necessarily the fighter. That's because in addition to shooting the highly anticipated "Road House" remake (which dropped yesterday on Prime), McGregor was also healing up.

Remember, McGregor gruesomely broke his lower leg during his UFC 264 scrap with Dustin Poirier in July 2021. That was his last fight.

As for Chandler, he too last faced Poirier ... in November 2022.

Bottom line, both guys are ready to get back in the Octagon ... and although the date isn't publicly known, it's not that far off (check out the clip -- we also talk about which weight class the fight will be contested in.)

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One Dude On My Mind
WWE

"It's been an interesting ride. It's been a fun ride. It's what I signed up for. But now we're getting darn close, man. We are getting really close. He's starting training. I'm starting training and we're going to collide this summer, so it's going to be a lot of fun."

TMZ TV Recap Michael Jackson's Family Drama ... Neuralink Milestone, Shohei Ohtani

We're finally at the finish line here at TMZ, and we're finishing strong with our TV topics.

TMZ Live

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FAMILY FEUD
TMZ.com

First, we got "TMZ Live" ... where Charles and Harvey talked about the brewing drama among Michael Jackson's surviving family members -- particularly, between his son Blanket and his mother Katherine ... who are at odds in court over attorney's fees and who should pay.

TMZ on TV

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REACHING A MILESTONE
TMZ.com

Next up, we got "TMZ on TV" ... where the gang discussed a miraculous breakthrough from Neuralink -- namely, its first human subject ... and they have video proving the tech works!

TMZ Sports

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OUT WITH THE OLD ...
TMZSports.com

Finally, on "TMZ Sports" ... Babcock and Mojo talked about the Shohei Ohtani scandal.

Check your local listings for when TMZ is on in your area or catch up on past episodes!

Guess Who This Silly Boy Turned Into!

Before this sweet boy with sneaky smile turned into an A-list star in Hollywood, he was just a London boy enjoying art class, thriving in his drama classes and gearing up to be an award-winning actor.

He made his film debut back in the late '90s playing opposite Stephen Fry, but perhaps you know him best from "Lord of The Rings" or "Pirates Of The Caribbean."

He's been with his lady since meeting at an award show after-party in 2016, and it's safe to say he likes the "taste of her cherry chapstick."

Can you guess who he is?

Gwyneth Paltrow Cool It On The Superhero Movies ... Losing Their Originality

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hinders quality !!!
YouTube / First We Feast

Gwyneth Paltrow's reminiscing on her glory days ... saying they don't make movies like they used to -- and blasting the superhero genre for saturating the market, despite being in many such flicks herself.

The Marvel star went on "Hot Ones" Thursday when host Sean Evans asked her about a comment "American Fiction" writer/director Cord Jefferson made at the Oscars ... basically, begging Hollywood to invest in smaller indie projects like his.

Welp, it seems like GP agrees ... saying she feels studios put more of their resources into big-budget superhero flicks these days -- and suggesting the work's suffering because of it.

Check out the vid for yourself ... Gwyneth kinda craps on the superhero genre for its lack of originality -- while adding it's impossible to cater to as many people as the studios try to while still being unique and full of substance.

Of course, Paltrow knows a thing or two about superhero movies ... she appeared as Pepper Potts -- Tony Stark/Iron Man's love interest in seven Marvel films -- so, she's been around the superhero block, which is why what she's saying is so surprising.

With that said, everyone knows Paltrow got her start in smaller-budget projects like "Se7en" and "Shakespeare in Love" -- for which she won an Oscar -- and she says the art reaches a higher form when less money is involved ... because real artists are allowed to take risks.

Gwyneth's one of many who seem burnt out on all the superhero flicks ... Paul Dano, Martin Scorsese, Jennifer Aniston, Francis Ford Coppola and others have spoken out against the genre in recent years -- with John Mulaney cracking jokes about it at the Oscars.

Bigger than all those stars, though ... audiences seem sick of superhero movies as well. Just look at the box office for "Madame Web" and "The Marvels" over the last six months or so.

You know something's wrong when you lose one of your own, like Gwyneth here ... time to rethink the formula!

Katherine Jackson Received Over $55M Since MJ's Death ... So Claims His Estate

Michael Jackson's mother has amassed a fortune since her son died -- to the tune of tens of millions, which is why she can pay for her own lawyers ... so claims MJ's estate.

A rep for the estate confirms to TMZ that they've filed legal docs in their ongoing dispute with Katherine Jackson over attorney's fees that she's trying to have the estate cover ... over a deal that the estate itself struck, which she's currently appealing.

TMZ has seen the paperwork ... and it lays out some financial info that, if accurate, is absolutely eye-popping.

In the filing, the estate claims there's a massive amount of cash and other benefits Katherine has received since Michael's death in 2009 ... with the executors of the estate alleging it all totals more than $55 million over the nearly 15 years.

A good chunk of that dough, the estate claims, comes in the form of a monthly allowance it says Katherine is afforded by MJ's estate, and totals more than $160k/month.

that allowance -- plus other cash payments -- amount to $33 million of the $55m total, according to the estate.

On top of that, the docs say Katherine is well taken care of by the estate ... which claims to have shelled out more than $15 million to buy and improve her luxury home, not to mention paying for her transportation and other perks -- like a private gardener, chef, and security.

The point of the estate executors laying this all out is to bolster their argument Katherine can afford to cover her own attorney's fees as she pushes forward with her appeal to fight a huge business deal the estate struck ... which she and Michael's son, Blanket, were fighting together until recently.

Unclear what exactly that deal is, but it appears to be related to the blockbuster deal the estate struck for Sony to buy half of MJ's music catalog for 9 figures.

We broke the story ... Blanket filed legal docs earlier this week that made clear he, too, felt Katherine should be covering her own attorney's fees for the appeal -- and that the estate shouldn't have to pick up the tab.

Blanket was on Katherine's side up until a judge ultimately ruled against them, and he decided it didn't make sense to go forward with an appeal of that ruling.

Blanket now says he wants out of the fight -- and that Katherine is on her own for the appeal.

We've reached out to Katherine's team ... so far, no word back.

Ricky Martin Dad Encouraged Him to Come Out ... But Team Said Don't Do It

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A HUGE WEIGHT LIFTED
Radio Andy / SiriusXM

Ricky Martin says his dad was all for him living his truth out loud ... telling him he needed to come out publicly -- this while his professional team tried to talk him out of it.

The singer sat down for an interview on Sirius XM's "Andy Cohen Live" when he opened up about deciding to come out as gay -- and he says not everyone was in alignment on whether or not he should let the world know.

Martin told Andy his professional team told him it wasn't a good idea to reveal himself as an openly gay man ... in fact, he says they were quite certain it could kill his career.

But, Ricky goes on to explain his dad understood the importance of coming out and pushed him to tell the world after his two sons were born in 2008 ... with his pops saying RM couldn't start out by teaching his children it's better to lie than be yourself.

In any case, Martin says he took his time formulating a letter to tell the world he was gay and then tweeted it out ... and he said he felt instant relief -- sobbing tears of joy.

Of course, Ricky's since had some very public relationships with men ... including his high-profile marriage to Swedish artist Jwan Yosef from 2017 ... until their divorce last year.

Anyhoo, Ricky's clearly living his life authentically now .. and it's all thanks to a little fatherly advice!