Kim Kardashian Playing It Cool With Kanye ... At Saint's B'Ball Game

Kim Kardashian was keeping the peace with her ex Kanye West on Friday ... despite their obvious tension over how to raise their kids.

KK and Ye showed up at their son Saint's basketball game in LA last evening, and they acted like everything was hunky dory between them.

Check out these images obtained by TMZ ... Kim and Kanye were smiling as they posed for photos snapped by their fans. Kanye went one step further, putting his arm around Kim at one point.

Pretty bold move considering their 7-year marriage ended in a bitter divorce in 2022. Their four young children created much of the tension between the former couple.

TMZ broke the story ... . Kim and Kanye are not seeing eye to eye on how to raise Saint, North, Chicago and Psalm. The main issue has to do with where the youngsters are going to school.

Kanye wants them out of Sierra Canyon School, whereas Kim wants them to stay enrolled. There's also the added stress of Kanye's antisemitic rants praising Hitler and the Nazis.

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UNITED FOR KANYE
Instagram / @djpharris

But now it seems Kim is playing nicely with Kanye and his current wife, Bianca Censori. You may recall, Kim recently showed up alongside Bianca at Ye's listening party for his new rap record, "Vultures 1."

Kim and Bianca seemed pretty chill together. Nice to see everyone getting along.

Blake Lively 'Sorry Kate' ... Didn't Mean To Poke Fun

Blake Lively is apologizing to Kate Middleton for mocking the princess' now infamous photoshopped image before Friday's big cancer reveal.

The actress posted a message to Instagram hours after Kate told the world about her cancer diagnosis in a video released by Kensington Palace – the home of Kate and Prince William's family.

Blake started off by saying she needed to get something off her chest even though no one would care considering the atomic bomb Kate had just dropped.

But Blake dove in ... writing she created a "silly post around the 'photoshop fails' frenzy, and oh man, that has me mortified today."

She added, "I'm sorry. "Sending love and well wishes to all, always.”

Of course, Blake was trying to make up for posting a clearly edited image promoting her beverage biz, Betty Buzz, which highlighted an unusually large thumb and a floating lemon.

Blake was referring to Kate's edited "Mother's Day" photo that triggered a hodgepodge of theories about what was wrong with the Princess of Wales.

Bill Maher Warning to Dems ... Kill Identity Politics, Or You're Gonna Lose

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Identity Crisis
HBO

Bill Maher makes a super compelling case that pandering to racial groups is a sure way to lose elections ... because all these identities in America are now blurred beyond recognition.

The 'Real Time' host lasered in on Democrats who try to sell voters on what makes us different, and he says they're barking up the wrong tree because our country has blended.

As BM says, 1 out of 5 newlyweds are now in interracial marriages, which produce multiracial children, and that's just one of many examples he offers.

Beyond that, Bill notes we no longer fit into nice, neat boxes. For example, the #1 country song is Beyonce's. Forty-one percent of Dems live with someone who owns a gun. And, as Maher muses, there's even a "Gays for Trump" org because everybody knows gays love a good drag queen!

Maher says it's no surprise Joe Biden's losing Black voters by the day, because they and other groups generally no longer make identity the trigger for casting ballots.

It's a super interesting take ... have a look.

Kanye West Demands Music Industry Refer to Him as 'Ye'

Kanye West is asking major players in the music industry to respect his decision to go by his legally changed name "Ye" ... TMZ has learned.

In a letter obtained by TMZ ... Kanye's chief of staff, Milo Yiannopoulos, fires off a strong message to big players in the music industry -- including streamers, publishers, lyric websites and more -- with a demand that the rapper be referred to as Ye moving forward.

As Milo puts it ... Kanye didn't come to the decision to change his name lightly, as he is aware he's sacrificing brand value that comes with "Kanye West." Still ... the Grammy winner considers it a "slave name" and wants to ditch the moniker across all platforms.

He adds ... "Ye is a Black man in America who wants the right to full self-determination just like everyone else."

Remember ... Kanye officially changed his name to Ye back in October 2021. The artist had a judge sign off on him adopting his longtime nickname as his legal moniker years after speaking in favor of the name's Biblical ties.

Kanye told radio host Big Boy in 2018 that he preferred Ye since it was the most commonly used word in the Bible -- which wasn't actually an accurate statement, FWIW.

Still, Ye isn't the first artist to change their name ... as Diddy, Snoop Dogg, Prince, Bow Wow and Ke$ha have all switched up their public personas in the past.

Will the music biz follow Ye's orders? To Ye, or not to Ye, that is the question.

Lindsay Lohan Ireland Hoping For Tourism Bump ... After 'Irish Wish' Goes #1

Lindsay Lohan's a leading lady once again, and the Irish are celebrating ... 'cause they're hoping her new flick is the lucky charm they need to boost tourism in that country.

A rep for Tourism Ireland -- an official arm of the Irish government -- tells TMZ ... their team is super excited that Lohan's new movie "Irish Wish" came outta the gates #1 on Netflix, and they've got fingers crossed that it inspires people to travel to the Emerald Isle.

We're told they think their homeland looks magnificent in the film, and they appreciate how the directors added some iconic locations -- like Killruddery House and the Cliffs of Moher -- to the movie.

Tourism Ireland is also looking at the impact other movies and TV shows have had on tourism in the country. They note the spike their neighboring nation of Northern Ireland got after "Game of Thrones" filmed there -- and tons of people apparently hit up Inis Mor and Achill Island to see "The Banshees of Inisherin" locations.

Stars and Scars You Be the Judge

Kate Middleton has come out with what has really been happening, and it's so sad ... and, the Ohtani scandal is riveting, don't you think? So we gotta ask ...

Kate Middleton's Cancer Diagnosis ...

Taylor Taking Travis To Joe Alwyn Vacation Spot ...

Apple Sued For Not Making iPhone Compatible For Competitors ...

Dodgers Pitcher Shohei Ohtani Gambling Scandal ...

Whose Side You On Over Michael Jackson Estate ...

Ben Affleck Looks Better ...

Erykah Badu Attacking Beyoncé Over Braids ...

Better Catch ...

Conor McGregor, The Next Arnold?

Arena Football League We Want Johnny Football ... Says Commish Lee Hutton

Comeback SZN 2.0 could be on the horizon ... 'cause there's one organization clamoring to get Johnny Manziel to suit up once again -- the Arena Football League!!

That's right -- the AFL is relaunching in 2024 under new leadership ... forming 16 teams for a 10-game season.

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Jonesing for Johnny
TMZSports.com

TMZ Sports spoke with new AFL commissioner Lee Hutton III -- the first black pro league commish in United States history -- on the exciting times for the country's favorite sport ... and he's eyeing some big names to join in.

"Absolutely," Hutton said. "Some of them have received personal [direct messages] from me. I reached out to Johnny Manziel. So, Johnny, I'm a Texas guy. So, if you're ready to come back and indoors -- because you did very well -- we will take you. We will find a spot for you."

31-year-old Manziel was one of the most electric players on the gridiron once upon a time ... winning the Heisman in 2012 and eventually going in the first round of the NFL Draft two years later.

But things fizzled out ... and the former Texas A&M superstar bounced around to the CFL and other leagues before walking away from the sport for good.

Manziel has been open about his struggles with addiction and mental health ... but it appears he's doing much better and is on a good path, so perhaps he gets the itch to give it another go??

Regardless of whether Manziel hops aboard the AFL ship, Hutton -- an attorney for high-profile cases and celebrities -- said there are exciting times ahead for the org ... and they're expecting to satisfy fans' hunger for football throughout the year.

Hutton added he's been picking the brains of former owners, coaches and commissioners of the AFL ... and everyone's been super helpful as he transitions into the new position.

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A Lot Of Responsibility
TMZSports.com

Hutton also explained what kind of players his league is looking for (outside of Manziel) ... and revealed former NFLers are already reaching out in hopes of continuing their plans.

What's The Big Frigin' Difference?!

Yes, you can find 50 Cent "In da Club", but can you locate the discreet changes in these two shots of him outside the club? In order to notice the differences, you may wanna adjust your lens.

Celebrating Dr. Dre's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame earlier this week, the iconic rapper hit up "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" with Snoop Dogg and Dre. And, of course he was decked out in "a lil' bit of this, a lil' bit of that" ... but his bling ain't ringing true.

"Go, go, go, go, go, go, go shawty!"

**HINT: There are THREE differences in the above 50 Cent photos!**

TMZ TV Recap Kate Middleton's Cancer News ... Candace Owens Fired, Conor McGregor

It's the weekend, and what better to unwind than touch base on our TV show topics?!

TMZ Live

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REVEALING HER STRUGGLE
TMZ.com

Let's start with "TMZ Live," where the biggest news of the day dominated our entire show -- namely, the fact Kate Middleton publicly announced she'd been diagnosed with cancer ... and was now undergoing preventative chemotherapy ... this after weeks of speculation.

TMZ on TV

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GIVEN THE BOOT
TMZ.com

Next up, we have "TMZ on TV," where the gang talked about conservative firebrand Candace Owens getting fired from the Daily Wire -- this amid claims she'd embraced antisemitism.

TMZ Sports

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UNDER INVESTIGATION
TMZSports.com

Finally, we land on "TMZ Sports," where Babcock and Mojo talked about Shohei Ohtani.

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

Celebs With Cherry Blossoms Bloom, Baby, Bloom!

There's a fresh floral scent in the air, so sharing these pretty pics of celebs with cherry blossoms is only fair! Budding light pink, dark pink and white flowers, there's been a bunch of famous blooming beauties bragging on the 'gram!

Just beneath these beautiful blossoms, famous faces like Kim Kardashian buddied up with Chicago in the flower's native land of Japan, TikToker Benji Krol sprung into a cherry-packed selfie, and last bud not least, Christina Milian and hubby Matt Pokora snapped a cherry tree selfie in Paris.

Put the pedal to the metal and check out our gallery of celebs with cherry blossoms ... thank you cherry much!

Nicole Eggert Sympathy for Kate's Cancer Journey ... Oncologist Weighs In Too

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GETTING PERSONAL
TMZ.com

Nicole Eggert -- who's battling cancer herself -- says she can sympathize with what Kate Middleton is now going through herself ... telling us there's a lot to juggle on this journey.

We talked to the actress Friday and she weighed in on Kate's announcement -- where she revealed she'd been diagnosed with cancer and was receiving preventative chemotherapy. Nicole, who has breast cancer, tells us there's a lot she can relate to with her own diagnosis.

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BREAKING THE NEWS
X / @KensingtonRoyal

For starters, NE says there's a lot of pressure having to weather this storm for public figures -- and perhaps even doubly so for someone like Kate ... who's a senior Royal.

Nicole says the public should lend her some grace during this time and not scrutinize as much as they have been ... because Kate will undoubtedly go through some changes in the near future, some of which she might not want to share with everyone despite the curiosity.

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FEELING FOR KATE
TMZ.com

There's another element to this as well, and that includes how to deal with parenting her three young children as she and William navigate these choppy waters ... something Nicole tells us will be no easy task.

Take a listen to how she describes this -- NE says Kate not only has to process her diagnosis and manage how her body feels throughout this ... but she'll have her children to worry about as well, which is why a solid foundation at home and help will go a long way.

Rihanna Rockin' New Short Haircut ... Livin' the Blonde Life!!!

Rihanna seems to be putting an age-old theory to the test ... finding out if blondes really do have more fun -- 'cause she's rocking a short, light new hairdo!

The singer-songwriter stepped out in Santa Monica Friday, and her new look was instantly noticeable -- RiRi's usually lettin' her long locks flow, but now ... she's trimmed most of it off.

Just check out the pics ... her hair's not even touching her shoulders at this point -- a pretty sharp contrast to the Rihanna we normally see these days ... who lets her hair fall all the way to her hips. That's the 'do she's been sporting lately, anyway.

Also, peep the jewelry ... Rihanna's iced out with a necklace, earrings and bracelets -- shining bright like a diamond while on her way to an important meeting. It definitely accentuates the blonde hair up top ... and we gotta say, she's pulling the whole look off and then some.

Rihanna's look is noticeably different from one of the last times we spotted her ... as she was leaving Mukesh Ambani's son's pre-wedding bash in India with a swag bag and at least $6 million for her performance on the special day.

No word on how A$AP Rocky feels about the fresh cut ... but when your lady's RiRi, it's hard to imagine you can criticize much about her -- 'cause she's a beauty through and through.

Diggin' the new look, Rihanna ... just in time for Spring, too!

Dolph Lundgren on 'Superman' Don't Know David Corenswet ... But Give Him A Chance!!!

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Give Corenswet A Shot!
TMZ.com

Dolph Lundgren's not against recasting an iconic character -- telling fans to give David Corenswet's Superman a chance ... even if he's not entirely sure who he is.

We talked to the action movie star in Los Angeles Friday, and asked him all about the DC Universe coming to an end -- 'memba, Dolph starred as King Nereus in the 'Aquaman' films -- and he says he's sad to see it go 'cause of his great time working on the flick.

DL name-drops a few of his costars from the flick before moving on to the outrage surrounding Henry Cavill being dropped as Superman for Corenswet.

Lundgren says he isn't familiar with David -- by name or reputation -- but he says fans always get up in arms when one of their fav characters ends up being played by someone else ... and they need to give the guy a chance to flex his superhero muscles.

It seems like Dolph doesn't know Corenswet's work very well -- and yet, he's very positive here, saying he's rooting for DC's newest Man of Steel ... which is pretty awesome.

That said, Dolph's very clear there's one character he doesn't want recast ... Apollo Creed, played by the late great Carl Weathers.

Lundgren -- who played Soviet boxer Ivan Drago in "Rocky IV" and fought Creed in the movie -- says no one can replace Carl. On the Superman front, though ... have it, he says.

'RHOP' Star KAREN HUGER Reeked of BOOZE AFTER CRASH ... According to Cops

Karen Huger was swaying and had a strong odor of alcohol on her breath following her frightening crash Tuesday night in Potomac, MD ... this according to the police report.

According to the report, obtained by TMZ, officers noted the 'Real Housewives of Potomac' cast member also had slurred speech and bloodshot eyes when they arrived on scene -- and they say she didn't answer when cops asked her twice how much she had to drink.

Officers also noted she had 2 closed bottles of the alcoholic beverage Stella inside her vehicle.

The report adds that while cops thought Karen appeared to be intoxicated ... she declined to undergo a field sobriety test or a breathalyzer.

Fire rescue, which also responded to the scene, tried to get her to sit on a stretcher -- but the report says she refused both the stretcher and any medical care.

According to officers, Karen also made it clear she did not wish to be recorded when officers told her she was on their bodycam footage.

She was ultimately arrested for DUI, and driven to the police station where she was issued citations ... and later released to her husband, Raymond.

As we reported ... cops told us Karen hit the median and a street sign late Tuesday night while driving her 2017 Maserati -- and a security guard in the neighborhood called the police after witnessing the whole thing.

Huger hasn't addressed the charges yet.

BTW, we spoke with Karen's 'RHOP' costar Candiace Dillard Bassett ... who filled us in on the folks showing her tons of support following her crash -- as well as what it might mean for Karen's future on the series.

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She's Being Supported
TMZ.com

Pretty interesting insight from a reality bedfellow ... take a look for yourself.

Nicki Minaj & Kenneth Petty On the Hook for $500k ... Over Security Guard Suit

Nicki Minaj and Kenneth Petty were accused of ambushing a security guard with violence a couple years back -- and it appears they ignored his lawsuit ... 'cause they now owe money.

The rapper and her husband had a default judgment entered against them Friday in L.A. County Superior Court -- this after a judge says they failed to respond to the lawsuit.

As a result, Nicki and Kenneth now have to pay up -- in the amount of $503,318.02.

We broke the story ... Nicki and Kenneth were sued by a guy named Thomas Weidenmuller -- who alleged Petty and Minaj roughed him up in 2019 at a concert she did in Germany.

At the time, Weidenmuller claimed Nicki had berated one of his security guards working under him, and he says he went to her to address it -- at which point, he alleged she threw a shoe at him. He says he dodged it -- however, the guy alleged Kenneth was waiting in the wings.

Weidenmuller claimed Kenneth socked him in the face and broke his jaw ... and he alleged he had 8 different surgeries to fix the damage. He sued in 2022 for hefty medical bills.

We've reached out to Nicki's camp ... so far, no word back.

Kate Middleton Lessons for Palace PR to Learn From Diagnosis Says Reporter Taylor Lorenz

Kate Middleton's cancer announcement came too little, too late and was completely mismanaged by Kensington Palace -- so says a reporter who knows all about social media.

We talked to Taylor Lorenz Friday on "TMZ Live," where she analyzed the effect Kate's health news might have online -- where all the conspiracy theories and speculation about her condition and whereabouts have been running rampant for weeks now.

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JUST BE DIRECT!
TMZ.com

Taylor says a reckoning of sorts is happening on social media after Kate came out and told the world about her cancer -- with a lot of people deleting their tweets and posts that were mocking the whole saga. Her coming out has certainly tamped down the speculation.

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BREAKING THE NEWS
X / @KensingtonRoyal

With that said, TL tells us there are still people that'll have their doubts about all this -- even in the wake of the health update -- and the reason, she says, is because the Palace has botched the rollout of this news ... something she says they should've just started with.

The fact that Kensington Palace appears to have tried to keep this secret and under wraps for as long as they did -- with missteps along the way, including the Mother's Day photo -- has only given skeptics more reason to lean into the theories and gossip about Kate.