Carole Baskin Used Big Cat Rescue Funds to Purchase $895K Home/Office
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Carole Baskin bought a home late last year ... with funds from her Big Cat Rescue org ... TMZ has learned.
Carole and her husband Howard got the Odessa, FL house for $895,000. The deed, obtained by TMZ, lists Big Cat Rescue as the property owner. There is no mortgage evident from the deed, so it appears the property was purchased outright with Big Cat Rescue funds.
BCR is a charitable org and Carole is the CEO. Carole tells TMZ, she bought the place after she and Howard sold their sanctuary/headquarters and moved the cats to the Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge in Arkansas.
Melania Trump Donald's Warm, Fun ... He Makes Me Laugh!!!
Melania Trump's got nothing but nice things to say about her husband ... she says he has a great personality and is funny.
The former First Lady went on Fox News and was asked if she could share anything about Donald Trump that people don't know ... and her answer was interesting.
Melania says DT is a super great guy ... describing him as warm and fun ... two adjectives lots of folks don't necessarily associate with our former Commander in Chief.
Aurora Mayor To Donald Trump Our City Is Safe, Not Some 'War Zone' ... Spare Us The Gang BS!!!
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The mayor of Aurora, Colorado is pushing back on Donald Trump ahead of the former president's campaign rally in town ... saying Trump's assessment of immigration issues in the city is way overblown.
Trump's campaign called Aurora a "war zone" in a Tuesday statement announcing Friday's rally ... claiming an influx of migrants is bringing chaos and fear to the city, with a Venezuelan gang terrorizing apartment complexes and forcing locals to flee their homes.
The campaign announcement makes it sound like Trump's going to keep fanning the flames and paint Aurora as a once-promising city besieged by dangerous migrants ... but the town's top elected official says, not so fast.
Mike Coffman, Aurora's Republican Mayor, said in a statement ... "The reality is that the concerns about Venezuelan gang activity have been grossly exaggerated."
Viral videos from back in August showing armed gang members allegedly taking over entire apartment complexes in Aurora -- part of the Denver metro area -- became a big talking point during the Trump campaign ... but Coffman says the situation is not as dire as Trump makes it seem.
Coffman says, "The incidents were limited to several apartment complexes in this city of more than 400,000 residents."
Despite the fact check, Coffman is welcoming Trump with open arms, and Coffman wants to use the visit as "an opportunity to show him and the nation that Aurora is a considerably safe city -- not a city overrun by Venezuelan gangs."
A source tells TMZ ... Coffman's office has NOT had contact with Trump's camp yet, but the Mayor's offer to show Trump around town and give DT a police briefing still stands. For the moment ... the only coordinating has been for security.
Mayor Coffman has no plans to attend the rally, we're told.
The rally's Friday ... and it will be interesting to see if Trump tones down the anti-immigrant rhetoric.
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'The Office' Star Jenna Fischer Details Breast Cancer Battle
"The Office" star Jenna Fischer has opened up for the first time about her breast cancer battle ... sharing she's now cancer-free after going through surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation.
The actress felt inspired to share her story for Breast Cancer Awareness Month, posting on IG Tuesday with a big smile and rocking her "patchy pixie" cut, revealing all about her diagnosis of stage 1 triple-positive breast cancer back in December 2023.
Jenna opened up about her tough treatment journey -- starting with a lumpectomy to remove the tumor in January, then diving into 12 rounds of chemo in February, and wrapping it up with 3 weeks of radiation in June.
Melania Trump Donald Made First Move ... While on a Date With Another Woman!!!
Melania Trump is recalling the first time her now-husband, Donald, made a pass at her ... revealing 45 went about the flirtation in an unconventional way.
The former First Lady shared the memory in her memoir, titled "Melania," confessing Donald approached her at a 1998 Fashion Week party ... while on a date with someone else.
As Melania put it ... the former prez made his way over to her at the industry event, even though he was escorted by an "attractive blonde woman" that evening.
Anderson .Paak Soaking Up Purple Rain ☔ Inside Prince Airbnb
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Anderson .Paak has found the perfect pad to house his musical genius -- Prince's "Purple Rain" house-turned-Airbnb in Minneapolis!!!
The Grammy Award winner and a few pals got the grand tour exploring the Purple Rain House on Monday, where he did everything short of purifying himself in the waters of the bathroom spa.
AP couldn't resist banging on the drums and keys -- and you gotta think how ill it would be if he and The Purple One were able to engage in a jam session.
Diddy Rape Accuser's Ex Claims She Offered 'Bribe' ... $3 Mil If You Back My Story
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Diddy's latest accuser -- who's suing him for allegedly raping her and recording it -- tried to get her now-ex-boyfriend to corroborate her claim by paying him 7-figures, according to the ex ... TMZ has learned.
Thalia Graves is suing Diddy and his head of security, Joseph Sherman, for allegedly raping her back in 2001 -- and in the suit, she says she was dating one of Diddy's employees who was shown a video of the alleged incident.
However, TMZ has seen a November 2023 text exchange between Thalia and the man who was her BF, and in it, she reveals she's planning to sue Diddy "because he's the one that has the money."
Rihanna I'm Seeing Red ... This Is What You Came For
Rihanna's turning up the heat in her new clothing drop ... looking absolutely savage in a red hot set of underwear from her latest Savage X Diesel collab.
RiRi's clothing line worked with Diesel on new lingerie, and she's showing off the goods ... with a heavy emphasis on fishnets.
Rihanna's modeling a few of her new offerings ... with a foiled fishnet bustier up top, and a foiled fishnet string bikini panty down below.
Tekashi 6ix9ine I'm Squeaky Clean, Trouble Finds Me!!! Not Worried About Deal Clause
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Tekashi 6ix9ine isn't sweatin' the fine print in his new record deal ... which requires the rapper to stay out of trouble to keep his payday.
We caught up with the musical artist on "TMZ Live" Tuesday, where he explained why the special clause in his new contract doesn't have him worried. As he put it ... he views himself as a "squeaky clean" individual -- and trouble just happens to find him "all the time."
At the end of September, Tekashi 6ix9ine found himself in a heated exchange outside a nightclub in Miami, and was sued for revenge porn by an ex-girlfriend. So, here's hoping all this drama was settled before 69 signed on the dotted line!!!
Benzino Tupac Quad Studios Shooting, '95 Source Awards ... Helped Hip Hop's Downfall!!!
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Benzino remembers his relationship with Tupac Shakur as being a positive one but says the events that unfolded after they recorded their song permanently damaged rap as we know it!!!
TMZ Hip Hop spoke to Benzino amid his recent appearance on TV One's "Celebrity Crime Files" outlining the 1994 Quad Studios Shooting that left Pac with 5 gunshot wounds and a burning vendetta, against all odds.
Benzino actually recorded his "Killa" collab with Tupac and Freddie The Foxx aka Bumpy Knuckles (more on that later) at Quad Studios shortly before the shooting, and recalls Tupac surrounded himself with guys heavier in the street afterward.
Brooks Nader & Gleb Savchenko Get Hot and Heavy at Tattoo Parlor ... Kiss While Getting Inked!!!
Brooks Nader and Gleb Savchenko are going to have a hard time denying they're dating after this ... 'cause they went to a tattoo parlor together, and couldn't stop making out while getting new ink.
The "Dancing with the Stars" partners hit up Nautilus Tattoo in Hollywood Monday night and packed on the PDA ... sucking face in front of their tattoo artists, a couple friends and photogs.
Check out the video and the photos ... Brooks is lying down on a table getting tatted up when Gleb leans down and starts French kissing her ... before smooching on her neck and whispering in her ear.
Frances Bean Cobain, Riley Hawk Taking Our Lil' Pumpkin To The Patch!!!🎃
Frances Bean Cobain and her hubby Riley Hawk were in full-on doting parent mode this weekend, taking their newborn son Ronin Walker Cobain Hawk on a cute adventure to the pumpkin patch!
The first-time parents enjoyed a leisurely stroll, soaking up the cozy vibes at the festive event in Oceanside, California on Saturday, eyes fixed on their little one, with Riley sweetly cradling him in his arms.
They took their baby for a spin in the stroller around the fairground, and it looked like they were having the time of their lives as a happy little family.
The Flaming Lips Steven Drozd's Missing Teen Found ... 'Safe With Family'!!!
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UPDATE
11:21 AM PT -- The 16-year-old daughter of Flaming Lips drummer Steven Drozd has been found ... Seattle police confirm to TMZ.
Cops tell TMZ ... "[Charlotte "Bowie" Drozd] has been located and is safe with her family."
However, they provided no further details regarding the case.
This update comes after Katy Coyne, the wife of Flaming Lips frontman Wayne Coyne, announced on Instagram Tuesday that Bowie "was found safe outside of Seattle."
Charlotte "Bowie" Drozd, the 16-year-old daughter of The Flaming Lips drummer Steven Drozd, is missing -- but is not considered a "runaway" ... TMZ has learned.
Seattle police tell TMZ ... the investigation into Bowie's whereabouts is an "active missing person case" and is not considered a runaway case. This is a major distinction from earlier reports ... which classified Bowie as a missing or runaway juvenile.
When asked about possible foul play or self-harm ... police would only reiterate it is a missing person case.
Sage The Gemini Accused Of Sexual Assault Inside Of Chris Brown's House
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Sage The Gemini -- of "Red Nose" and "Gas Pedal" fame -- is being accused of sexual assault inside the home of his most famous collaborator ... Chris Brown!!!
LAPD sources tell TMZ Hip Hop a woman filed a police report Monday claiming to have been sexually assaulted by Sage back in September 2017.
The woman told cops she initially met Sage on social media, and he invited her to Chris' house.
Pete Rose Taken To Hospital Days Before Death ... Was Acting 'Different'
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Pete Rose was taken to the hospital by a friend just five days before his death, TMZ Sports has learned ... but after a battery of tests, doctors concluded he was healthy enough to go home.
We broke the story ... 83-year-old Rose was found dead at his Las Vegas home on September 30. Now, we're learning more about the circumstances surrounding his death.
On September 25, an associate of Pete's took him to the hospital 'cause she believed he was "acting different." Docs ran tests, but everything "appeared fine and did not show anything wrong with Pete."
Home Explosion Caught On Surveillance Cam!!! Man Injured, Power Knocked Out
A Long Beach, California neighborhood was rocked when a back house on a home lot suddenly exploded, leaving a man injured -- and the whole jaw-dropping moment was caught on surveillance video.
It all went down Monday, and the explosion was wild. Pieces of the accessory dwelling unit -- sometimes called a "granny flat" or "mother-in-law quarters" -- shot in every direction, damaging the second house on the property, cracking ceilings and shattering windows of nearby homes, with heavy debris slamming onto nearby cars.
The blast was so powerful folks living blocks away felt the rumble, and it even knocked out power in the area.