TMZ TV HOT TAKES Major Bummer For Jonathan ... Bill Maher, Simone Biles

Jonathan Majors is down in the dumps, Bill Maher is making a bold prediction and Simone Biles is rubbing salt in a wound ... all this on today's TMZ TV Hot Takes.

TMZ Live

073124_tmz_live_majors_kal_3
DOUBLE STANDARD AT PLAY???
TMZ.com

First up on "TMZ Live," Harvey and Charles explained why Jonathan is feeling heartbroken over Robert Downey Jr.'s upcoming Marvel movies.

Olympic Sprinter Cathy Freeman 'Memba Her?!

Aboriginal Australian sprinter Cathy Freeman was in her early 20s when she sprinted her way to the top of the leaderboard at the Summer Atlanta Olympics back in 1996 -- and making a triumphant return four years later to the 2000 Summer games in Sydney.

Freeman specialized in the 400 meter event with a personal best of 48.63 seconds, which to this day still ranks her as the eighth fastest woman of all time. And at the 2000 Olympics, she took the crown for her 400 meter specialty and lit the Olympic Flame!

Guess what she looks like now in her 50s!

Sharon Stone I Went To Turkey ... All I Got Was This Black Eye!!!

Sharon Stone is one tough cookie ... because she powered through a black eye on a European getaway.

The "Basic Instinct" star just shared a photo showing what appears to be a massive shiner covering one of her eyes ... which she apparently suffered on vacation in Turkey.

Sharon says ... "This trip has been tough; but I'm tougher."

Alleged 9/11 Mastermind Cuts Deal with Prosecutors ... To Avoid Death Penalty Trial

Three accused terrorists -- including the alleged mastermind behind 9/11 -- just cut a deal with federal prosecutors to avoid a potential death penalty ... tying up a years-long saga.

Khalid Shaikh Mohammed as well as two of his alleged accomplices -- Walid Muhammad Salih Mubarak bin Attash and Mustafa Ahmed Adam al-Hawsawi -- have agreed to plead guilty to conspiracy charges as it pertains to the 2001 attacks ... and instead of a lengthy death penalty trial ... they'll just serve life sentences.

These guys have been held at Guantanamo Bay since 2006 -- first being held at secret CIA prisons -- and there's been years of proceedings to have them face the many charges over the deaths of thousands of Americans.

Tiffany Haddish I Used To Sell My Panties Online ... Claimed They Were Halle's

Tiffany Haddish is a hustler ... because she used to sell her used panties online, under the guise they belonged to Halle Berry.

The actress/comedian revealed one of the ways she used to make money when she was struggling to make ends meet ... explaining her side hustle on the "We Playin' Spades" podcast this week.

073124-tiffany-haddish-kal
DIRTY MONEY
We Playin' Spades

Tiffany says she would post an ad on Craigslist back in the day, claiming to be Halle's housekeeper ... and she says folks would shell out $300 for panties they thought belonged to HB.

Weston Cage Pleads Not Guilty To Attacking Mom ... Says 'She Needs Help'

Weston Cage and his mom, Christina Fulton, are still at odds ... trading barbs through the media as his felony assault case moves forward, with an official plea on the books.

Nicolas Cage's son pled not guilty Wednesday to a charge of assault with a deadly weapon, stemming from his alleged beatdown of his own mother -- a startling allegation that surfaced back in May ... when TMZ first broke the story.

073124-weston-cage-kal
BACK AT YA, MOM
TMZ.com

We got Weston on his way out of a downtown Los Angeles courthouse on the heels of his not guilty plea -- and our photog asked him about what Christina had told us on her way into court ... namely, that she was hoping Weston would get the help she thinks he needs.

Pete Davidson Getting Mental Health Help ... At Wellness Facility

Pete Davidson is checking into a mental health facility -- his latest attempt to get himself right ... TMZ has confirmed.

Sources with direct knowledge tell us the comedian and 'SNL' alum has entered a wellness facility in order to focus on his mental health -- although, the details on where exactly he's getting treated and for how long are scarce at the moment.

The news -- first reported by People -- comes as Pete's upcoming comedy gigs were being canceled left and right ... he had 8 scheduled shows scattered across the country over the next 3 months that have since been nixed.

San Diego Comic-Con Human Trafficking Bust Results in 14 Arrests

A human trafficking sting operation at San Diego Comic-Con resulted in more than a dozen arrests and nearly as many victims recovered ... this according to Cali's top attorney.

California AG Rob Bonta's office released an update Wednesday confirming law enforcement officials conducted a three-day long operation from July 25 to July 27 while the event was going on ... noting big events tend to attract human traffickers.

According to officials ... law enforcement personnel masqueraded as sex buyers to identify and contact trafficking victims -- while also posting online ads to solicit and then arrest alleged Johns and would-be sex traffickers.

50 Cent Claims Jay Tried to Ice Him Outta SB ... And Bey's Got the Recording Academy in the Bag!!!

50 Cent says his appearance at the 2022 Super Bowl Halftime Show almost didn't happen ... suggesting it was because Jay-Z tried turning his company Roc Nation into Block Nation.

In his new cover story with The Hollywood Reporter ... 50 claims Roc Nation attempted to keep him off the Emmy Award-winning spectacle alongside Dr. Dre, Eminem, Snoop Dogg, Mary J. Blige and Kendrick Lamar.

In fact, 50 says Em turned renegade and threatened to remove himself if 50 got banned ... "Eminem wouldn’t do it without me," he recalled to the outlet.

CARRIE UNDERWOOD CLOSE TO FINALIZING DEAL FOR KATY PERRY'S 'AMERICAN IDOL' GIG

Katy Perry’s out at "American Idol" -- and Carrie Underwood is very close to filling in her seat ... TMZ has learned.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... Carrie and her team are in the final stages of locking her into a contract to appear on the hit ABC show -- and if all goes smoothly, the former 'Idol' winner will soon join Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie as the new judge.

What's also interesting about this news ... Carrie actually has an appearance scheduled on 'GMA' this upcoming Friday -- for their summer concert series -- but of course ... an official announcement could come that day as well. As you know ... ABC is the parent company.

Mark Curry Take It From Me, Tyler Perry's Movies Are Funny Billion-Dollar Brand Doesn't Lie!!!

073124_mark_curry_kal
DO WHAT YOU DO
TMZ.com

Tyler Perry recently fended off critics of his low-rated new film -- but Mark Curry says he need not argue with these folks ... 'cause the man's legacy and earnings speak for themself.

We caught up with the veteran comedian out in NYC this week -- and he vouched for TP's funny bone when it comes to his movies ... after all, the iconic Madea character helped spark his billion-dollar empire and Mark says he has no reason to change for anyone.

Tyler recently swatted down critics after his latest movie "Divorce in the Black" but was egged with a rare 0% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

'Power Rangers' Actor Hector David Jr. Wanted by Cops ... Allegedly Pushed Man Down

Hector David Jr. -- an actor best known for his role on "Power Rangers" -- is a suspect in a misdemeanor battery case ... and we're told he's wanted by Idaho police.

Nampa PD in Idaho tells TMZ ... cops are looking for the former Green Power Ranger for allegedly shoving an elderly man down in a parking lot over the weekend.

073124_elderly_attack_suspect-kal
THE HORRIFYING FOOTAGE

Video of the alleged attack's been going around online after NPD posted it to their official Facebook account. In it, a man in a Patriots jersey walks up and pushes a man using a walker over before hopping in his truck and driving off.

Rihanna Snubbed By Young Soccer Fan ... Asked Singer To Take Pic Of Him W/ Christian Pulisic

History has been made ('cause surely this has never happened before) ... a young soccer fan completely blew off Rihanna, asking the superstar singer to TAKE a photo of him with Christian Pulisic, instead of including RiRi in the pic!

Talk about something the young guy will later regret. 😆

The unintended snub happened over the weekend at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx ... where AC Milan played an international friendly  against Manchester City.

Donald Trump I'm the Best Prez for Black People Since Lincoln!!!

073124_donald_trump_nabj_kal
A ROUGH START
NABJ

Donald Trump is in the hot seat right now, as he's being put to task for his controversial past ... though, he thinks his record is pretty impressive -- comparing himself to one of history's most famous U.S. presidents.

Trump was at the National Association of Black Journalists Annual Convention Wednesday morning in Chicago, where he had a Q&A with 3 journalists ... in front of a packed ballroom of convention attendees.

Right out the gate, Trump was questioned for his seemingly racist rhetoric and prior associations with White Supremacists. 45 did NOT appreciate the line of questioning  ... as he slammed the introduction as "rude" and accused the NABJ of inviting him to speak under false pretenses.

Elon Musk Bring It On, Maduro ... Accepts Venezuelan President's Fight Challenge

Elon Musk's talking tough once again ... accepting Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro's invitation to brawl -- one year after he vowed he'd fight Mark Zuckerberg.

President Maduro called out Musk on national television this morning ... challenging Musk to fisticuffs in a bizarre rant where he told Elon anyone who came up against him "dries up."

073124_venezuela_elon_kal
FIGHTING WORDS

You should watch the video for yourself ... but, ultimately Maduro's making it clear -- EM only needs to name a time and place for the brawl, and Maduro will come ready to kick his ass.

Trump Assassination Attempt New POV Shows Shooter On Roof ... Visible, Close To Stage!!!

073124_thomas_matthew_crooks_roof_kal
RUNNING ACROSS THE ROOF
Fox News Digital

Shocking new video filmed by one of the victims at the Donald Trump rally shooting shows just how close Thomas Matthew Crooks was to Trump ... and it's incredible the Secret Service missed him.

The footage, obtained by Fox News, shot from the bleachers behind Trump, shows Crooks moving quickly along the roof of the American Glass Research Building, disappearing and then popping back up ... minutes before squeezing off 8 shots.

It's the first video showing Crooks and Trump in the same frame ... and this new vantage point illustrates just how close the rooftop was to where Trump was on stage.