Bill Maher On L.A. Rebuild Why Can't They Cut Thru Red Tape When We're Not On Fire?!?

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WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT THIS
TMZ.com

Bill Maher has a question for California Governor Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass ... why does it take a massive disaster for the state to cut red tape?!?

Bill joined us on "TMZ Live" and we asked him about the heat Newsom and Bass are catching over the response to the devastating wildfires in Los Angeles, and what it's going to take for L.A. to rebuild.

The 'Real Time' host says Newsom and Bass absolutely deserve to be held accountable for what Maher feel are a series of blunders that exacerbated the disaster ... and he says now is absolutely the time to have a conversation about their actions, or lack thereof.

Jennie Kim This That Birthday Girl Mantra!!!

Jennie Kim is way more than just "One of the Girls," but that especially rings true this week ... 'cause the BLACKPINK singer and rapper is celebrating another trip around the sun!!

The global superstar had an action-packed year as a 28-year-old -- from launching her new single, "Mantra," to performing on "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" and working on her debut album during her K-pop group's hiatus to focus on individual endeavors.

There's even more lined up for Jennie in her 29th -- she's locked in a spot in the Coachella 2025 lineup ... and she's slated to reunite with Jisoo, Lisa and Rosé for a BLACKPINK comeback.

NFL Agent Leigh Steinberg Darnold's The Guy In Minnesota ... Despite Bad Playoff Game

Sam Darnold didn't torpedo his chances at a big payday after two bad games to finish the season ... at least that's what NFL super-agent Leigh Steinberg thinks -- telling TMZ Sports he believes the Minnesota Vikings will stick with him as the franchise quarterback.

Darnold -- the No. 3 overall pick in 2018 -- had a career resurgence in the 2024-25 campaign ... throwing for more than 4,300 yards and 35 touchdowns as he led the Vikes to a 14-3 record.

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need to make a choice

His hot streak fizzled out down stretch, though ... with the team's Super Bowl dreams coming to an end after a poor outing against the Los Angeles Rams in the Wild Card round on Monday.

'90s R&B Singer Jon B. 'Memba Him?!

American R&B singer Jon B. was in his early 20s when he busted out his silky smooth vocals and perfectly manscaped facial hair -- crooning his way to the forefront of the awkward '90s R&B scene.

His 1995 debut album featured hit songs, "Pretty Girl" and "Someone to Love" ft. Babyface -- which hit the top ten on the Billboard Hot 100 and even received a Grammy nomination.

Yes he's got some pipes, but he also writes music ... In 1996, he co-wrote the single "Say You'll Be There" for the Spice Girls.

Guess what he looks like now in his 50s! 

Donald Trump's Inauguration Hires Pricey Security Co. ... We're Taking No Chances!!!

Donald Trump's inauguration ceremony is relying on a private security company ... and Uncle Sam is paying a pretty penny to keep the incoming President safe.

TMZ obtained federal procurement docs that show the Secret Service has hired a company called Arcus Group LLC to help out with Monday's inauguration. The company scored an $8.1 million contract for the job ... and the firm is tasked with securing the perimeter.

Sounds like taxpayer money is being put to good use here ... Arcus Group boasts they are specialists in temporary security perimeters for high profile situations ... and Trump's inauguration fits the bill.

L.A. Fires Starving Pets Struggling To Find Food, Water

Pets who have been separated from families displaced by the Los Angeles wildfires are fighting for their lives ... because there are limited ways for them to get food and water.

The heartbreaking situation is playing out in Pacific Palisades and Altadena, where people's pets have been left behind to fend for themselves in the rubble.

No food or water is being left for the cats, dogs and other pets who survived the fires ... according to Chris Valles from Los Angeles County Animal Care and Control.

Robbie Williams 'Better Man' Haters Going Apes*** ... Couple Wed by Brit at Screening Defends Biopic

The couple Robbie Williams "wed" at a screening of his new movie "Better Man" aren't monkeying around, telling the haters to hang around and reconsider ... even if the movie is a total bomb.

Haldun Uluç Ülgen tells TMZ ... he and his fiancée Amy Willoughby couldn’t care less the British singer's biopic tanked at the box office -- they loved it! And he assures us it’s got nothing to do with being "married" by Robbie, who's been an ordained minister since 2002.

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Haters gonna Hate
TMZ.com

Haldun's surprised the movie didn’t leap over the box office competition, but he believes that's because people aren't branching out for something fresh and original -- though he admits RW doesn't have the star power here like he does in the UK.

Drake's UMG Lawsuit His Lawyers Think Kendrick's From Oakland!!! (Ooops???)

Forget the issue of Drake's street cred (just for a moment), because it's his lawyers who clearly know very little about Kendrick Lamar ... the guy who wrote the song they're suing UMG over.

A big part of Drake's 81-page defamation lawsuit over "Not Like Us" refers to the danger the diss track created for the Toronto rapper -- as the song "repeatedly suggests that violence should be used against Drake because he is a pedophile," and "the Recording repeats 'wop, wop, wop, wop' and then says Lamar will 'f**k 'em up.'"

But this is where Drake's legal team gets out over its skis, writing ... "Later, the Recording threatens that if Drake comes to Oakland, where Lamar grew up, he will not make it out alive: 'I think that Oakland show gon' be your last stop.'"

Timothée Chalamet Date Night With Kylie In Paris!!!

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Hand In Hand
BACKGRID

Timothée Chalamet and Kylie Jenner were the picture of Parisian romance, lighting up the City of Love on their latest date night outing.

The couple had the lovey-dovey vibes rolling, hand in hand as they left Cyril Lignac's posh restaurant after a cozy dinner Wednesday -- enjoying some one-on-one time following his "A Complete Unknown" premiere.

Timothée took the lead, guiding his lady through the swarm of paps and onlookers ... all eyes were on them as they walked out together in full-on power couple mode.

Dave Grohl Whipping Up Chili for Families, Firefighters!!!

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FOOD FOR FIGHTERS
Instagram/@feedthestreets_la

Update

3:53 PM PT -- We caught up with Dave Grohl today in L.A. after his fire relief effort.

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SEE YA THERE???
TMZ.com

Dave Grohl spent his birthday putting others first, whipping up hearty meals for people affected by the L.A. wildfires and the brave firefighters battling the blazes.

Check out the clip -- Dave was stirring up a giant vat of chili Tuesday while volunteering with Feed The Streets Los Angeles, the group that's stepping up big-time to feed displaced families, inmate firefighters and other frontline workers in the wake of the recent devastation.

Feed The Streets shared an IG Story of Grohl in action, with another clip showing him pushing containers down the pavement to get those meals out to those in need.

Leonardo DiCaprio Donates $1M to Wildfire Relief Through Org

Leonardo DiCaprio is keeping up his philanthropic work, pledging $1M to support wildfire relief efforts amid the devastating Los Angeles wildfires.

The movie star made the announcement on social media on Wednesday, revealing the donation would be in conjunction with his organization Re:wild to aid both immediate needs and long-term recovery after the fires.

The org's Rapid Response Program is specially designed to address environmental disasters and emergencies. The initial aid will support the Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation, California Fire Foundation, World Central Kitchen, California Community Foundation, Pasadena Humane Society, and SoCal Fire Fund.

Philadelphia Eagles Fan My 'Dumb C***' Outburst Was Provoked!!!

The Philadelphia Eagles fan who was captured on video over the weekend calling a Packers supporter a "dumb c***" has finally broken his silence ... claiming Wednesday his outburst was provoked.

Ryan Caldwell said in a statement to the New York Post the video that showed him going off on a female Packer backer at Sunday's playoff game at Lincoln Financial Field did not tell the full story.

Caldwell insists what took place just before his vulgar rant was "banter" between all parties. He then strongly implied that Alexander Basara and his fiancée, Ally Keller, egged him on.

Shawn Johnson & Andrew East We Can Still Stick Our Moves!!! Pull Off Series of Acrobatic Stunts

Olympic Gold Medalist Shawn Johnson and her husband, former NFL player Andrew East, may be in retirement, but they're proving they've still got it ... one acrobatic challenge at a time.

The former athletes put their fit frames on display for a number of videos uploaded to social media, where they've tapped into their competitive spirit to pull off a series of acrobatic stunts.

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NAILED IT
Instagram / @shawnjohnson

Check it out ... a shirtless Andrew effortlessly lifts Shawn into the air ... just as she contorts her body and turns a full 360 degrees. It's flipping adorable, if we do say so ourselves!!!

L.A. Wildfires Topanga Resident Says Suspicious Hiker Was Arrested

The suspicious hiker who gave some bizarre answers to a concerned Topanga resident was questioned and arrested by police ... at least according to the guy who confronted him.

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FOR THE COMMUNITY'S SAKE
TMZ.com

We tracked down the Topanga man who recorded his interaction with the hiker and he joined us on "TMZ Live" Wednesday ... telling us the guy stuck out like a sore thumb and raised a ton of red flags.

The resident says his community is pretty tight-knit, so they know everyone ... and this guy was clearly not a local.

Unhinged Eagles Fan Ex-Employer Slams 'Dumb C***' Remark ... Calls Out Social Media Backlash

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APPALLED AND DISGUSTED

The Eagles fan who berated a female Packers supporter in Philly is officially out of a job ... with the hotheads' now-former employer calling out his behavior ... while also knocking people who have trashed their business online!

TMZ Sports spoke to BCT Partners co-founders Lawrence Hibbert and Dr. Randal Pinkett -- who appeared on Season 4 of The Apprentice -- who slammed ex-project manager Ryan Caldwell for his actions in a now-viral video where he called the Green Bay fan a "dumb ugly c***."

"I can't say enough about how abhorrent the behavior that we observed was and how upset I was in seeing someone who was at the time associated with our company displaying that kind of behavior," Pinkett said.

Spencer Pratt My Wife's a Global Pop Superstar!!! Hypes Up Heidi's Times Square Billboard

Spencer Pratt is one proud husband ... hyping up his wife Heidi after she landed herself a Times Square billboard amid their wildfire tragedy.

As you know, "The Hills" alum has been actively promoting Heidi's 2010 album "Superficial" as a way to bring in some money after their Pacific Palisades home burned to the ground last week during the raging wildfires in L.A.

Fans and celebrity friends have jumped on Spencer's musical bandwagon by constantly streaming the album, resulting in Heidi's music soaring on the charts -- and a coveted billboard in New York City's Times Square.