Awards / Awards Shows

The people who select the Oscar nominees clearly HATE Ben Affleck, 'cause he didn't get a Best Director nod for "Argo" this morning ... but it WAS nominated for "Best Film."

So, did Ben really get snubbed??? Depends who you ask -- here's how the argument is breaking down in the TMZ newsroom:

Matt -- Yes, Ben was snubbed ... "Argo" was as good as the other movies that were nominated. As a director, "Argo" was very well done. I think he was snubbed because of who he is.

Kelly -- No, Ben did NOT get snubbed ... sometimes you're nominated, sometime's you're not ... Ben has a long career ahead of him. He'll be fine.

Shevonne -- No, Ben's not that great.

Max -- I don't think he was snubbed because I know nothing about directing.

Harvey -- Yes, Affleck's being snubbed because people are fawning over him too much ... I think there's a lot of jealously in the Academy.

Van -- HUGE snub ... it was a well-directed film and it was enjoyable, one of his best. Incredibly well paced.

Octomom is so excited her solo porn tape got nominated for four AVN Awards, she plans on going to the ceremony in Las Vegas ... and she expects to go home a winner.

Octo tells TMZ she was "completely surprised" that she was nominated for Best Celebrity Sex Tape, Best Solo Release, Best DVD Extras, and Best Marketing Campaign for her film "Octomom Home Alone."

The mother of many says she feels she has a good chance to take the Celebrity award, telling us, "I don't consider myself a celebrity, but I have never heard of the other people nominated. So I'm pretty sure I have a good chance of winning."

Octo says she views the show as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity ... since she doesn't plan to make another video ... ever.

Something we all can be thankful for.

Trying to keep up with the status of the relationship between Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez is proving to be maddening -- as the on-again/off-again (repeat 7x) couple was on again last night after the American Music Awards.

Bieber and Gomez didn't show up to the AMAs together, but they did walk hand-in-hand into Bootsy Bellows nightclub in West Hollywood for an AMA after-party.

As TMZ first reported, Gomez's main beef with Bieber is the fact he tends to hang around A LOT of supermodels. Our sources say Biebs is starting to think they're better off as friends.

But if he is trying to win her back, Jenny McCarthy did him no favors last night by practically molesting him on stage after handing him an award.

Jamie Foxx knows it takes a lot to measure up to Miami Heat forward Chris Bosh ... like a chair.

The 44-year-old actor pulled a Tom Cruise by jumping onto some furniture to pose for a pic with the 6'11 NBA star at the GQ Men of the Year party in L.A. on Tuesday.

Country studs Kenny Chesney and Tim McGraw put on their matching cowboy hats to accept awards at the CMAs on Thursday.

Question is ...

A month after his "drunken mistake" with former "American Idol" contestant Brittany Kerr, Jason Aldean walked the red carpet at last night's Country Music Association Awards with his wife Jessica.

As TMZ first reported, Aldean made out with Kerr at a bar on the Sunset Strip ... despite having a wedding ring on his finger ... because, you know, he's married.

Both parties apologized for the incident and Kerr was forced to shut down her Facebook page due to the negative reaction.

Aldean was nominated for three awards last night ... but went home empty-handed.

Joe Jackson FLASHED A HANDGUN to a room full of people at a recent event in Vegas ... and told the crowd it's just like an American Express card ... he doesn't leave home without it.

The bizarre moment all went down while Joe was at the Tuscany Hotel and Casino in Vegas this weekend to be honored at the Black Music Awards (apparently that's a thing).

Joe was introduced by his friend -- Majestik -- who told the crowd a story about Joe confronting Michael Jackson's bodyguards two weeks before MJ's death.

During the alleged confrontation, Majestik says Joe flashed his gun at the guards and said -- "If I hear you all givin' my son drugs or doing anything illegal with my son ... I'ma kill all of you."

When Majestik turned the mic over to Joe -- JJ corroborated the story ... saying, "It's very true. Every word he said."

Then Joe told the crowd ... "I carry a piece everywhere I go ... I'm gonna show it to you."

Joe proceeded to open up his suit jacket, revealing a handgun holstered by his hip. Joe explained, "I've been threatened a lot of times and so I need to be safe."

**WARNING -- THIS VIDEO CONTAINS EXPLICIT LANGUAGE**

A video has surfaced showing rapper Gunplay getting his head slammed into a metal barricade outside the BET Awards Sunday night in Atlanta -- and it appears 50 Cent was part of the violent mob.

The clip shows 50 in the parking lot with his crew -- and out of nowhere, a massive brawl breaks out ... with rapper Gunplay on the receiving end of a ferocious attack.

Gunplay weathered the initial onslaught and managed to fight back, even though he was largely outnumbered.

It's hard to see in the shaky footage if 50 threw a punch -- or got involved at all -- but someone can be heard on camera saying, "That was 50 fighting too!" Gunplay called in to TMZ Live Monday, saying 50 Cent was involved in the action ... but was "hiding behind security."

We reached out to 50 for comment, so far no word back -- but G-Unit rapper Mike Knox (who appears in the clip) said in a radio interview this morning, "The only thing I can tell you is [Gunplay] was in the wrong place at the wrong time and he was acting a certain kinda way that he shouldn't have been actin' ... So, he got dealt with ... He got his ass kicked."

Gunplay says he absolutely DID NOT fire a gun at the BET Awards ... but claims he DID beat up a member of 50 Cent's entourage ... and says he wants to "kill" everyone in the G-Unit crew.

Gunplay -- a rapper who's signed to Def Jam -- just called in to TMZ Live to talk about the madness at the BET Awards in Atlanta on Saturday ... where multiple fights broke out behind the scenes.

Gunplay tells us ... he "had to fight off five dudes" who he believes were members of 50 Cent's camp.

Gunplay says things got violent with 50's group because, "I never liked them and always wanted to kick his ass ... and I finally got the opportunity."

The rapper says 50 Cent WAS involved in the action ... but was "hiding behind security." Gunplay says he was trying to "break his f*ckin' neck."

Gunplay says he did manage to beat down one of the guys in 50's entourage -- "kicked one of their fat-asses ... kicked them off in the dirt." Gunplay says cops then rushed in and sprayed him with mase.

Gunplay -- who's friends with Rick Ross -- says his fight had nothing to do with Rick's altercation with Young Jeezy's crew at the BET Awards ... but explains, "We just goin' at it with everybody ... let's go kill 'em all."

The BET Awards brawl between Rick Ross and Young Jeezy took an army of guards to break it up and left a trail of destruction backstage -- and TMZ got the intense footage on tape.

In the video, security can be seen stepping in between the various combatants almost immediately, separating everyone before the fight got out of hand.

A shirtless Rick Ross can be seen yelling before being escorted away from the scene. Whoever Ross was yelling at tried to follow after him, but security stepped in before he could get there.

There was one casualty however -- a random mirror.

50 Cent wasn't too phased after attending the BET Hip Hop awards last night -- despite the 911 calls, alleged back-stage brawls and reported gun shots -- telling TMZ it was just a regular awards show.

We caught up with 50 arriving in NYC directly after attending the awards show in Atlanta. As TMZ previously reported, Atlanta Police were called after a crazy fight allegedly broke out between Rick Ross and Young Jeezy (and a few people reported hearing gunshots). We're also told 50 got into it with a rapper named Gunplay.

But when we ask 50 to explain the craziness surrounding the night's events, he said nothing happened except ... "They gave out awards."

A fight broke out backstage at the BET Hip Hop Awards tonight between Rick Ross and Young Jeezy that resulted in shots being fired .. sources at the awards tell TMZ.

According to our sources, Ross and Jeezy exchanged words backstage and started pushing and shoving each other. We're told BET security and bodyguards for each of the rappers eventually separated the two.

Our sources on the scene say that after the fight had been broken up, a member of Rick Ross' entourage pulled out a gun while in the parking lot and shots were fired.

We're told Jeezy and Ross are still at the awards, which are being taped tonight in Atlanta and air next month.

A spokesperson for the Atlanta Police Department tells TMZ, "Shortly after 7:15 pm Saturday, a fight broke out in the parking lot at the Atlanta Civic Center (where the BET Awards were being taped) between two groups. Atlanta Police Department officers on scene responded to break up the fight and used OC spray in the process. Individuals fled the scene. There were no arrests or reports of serious injuries. Reports of shots fired appear to be untrue." Our sources maintain shots were fired.

We're also told that 50 Cent got into it with a rapper named Gunplay, a protégé of Rick Ross.

Can't we all just get along?

It's awards season ... so naturally, Christina Hendricks' boobs dolled themselves up for a big night out at the Emmys!!

The boobs sat at a table with their "Mad Men" co-stars ... while sipping on champagne and snacking on some fancy desserts. They didn't win an award, but still a great time was had by all.

Sources say Christina was there too.

Taylor Swift doesn't just make guys feel small in her songs ... she also does it in photos.

While posing for pics at the Teen Choice Awards on Sunday, the 22-year-old maneater -- who is 5'11" tall before you factor in heels -- towered over heart throbs Zac Efron and Josh Hutcherson.

Taylor needs a man that's on her level.

1:00 PM PT -- Mindless Behavior just apologized for the diss, tweeting, "We meant no disrespect to our girl Lauryn Hill last night, it was a bad joke. We're big fans and hope you're not mad!"

Beyonce wasn't laughing when a boy band DISSED Lauryn Hill at last night's BET Awards ... in fact, Bey was so upset, she changed her acceptance speech (on the fly) to HONOR the former Fugee.

So let's start with The Diss -- Comedian Mike Epps and the group Mindless Behavior were co-presenting the award for Best R&B Artist when Mike jokingly tried to sing.

One of the members of the group quipped, "You sing BAD ... like Lauryn Hill's tax accountant bad."

The diss drew gasps from the crowd ... and pissed off Beyonce, who ultimately WON the award that was being presented.

But TMZ has learned ... B was so upset, she scrapped the speech she had prepared and defended Lauryn's honor instead ... saying, "I want to thank all the talented R&B women that came before me like Lauryn Hill and Mary J. Blige."

When B walked off stage, there was a woman waiting for her -- possibly a BET handler -- and B began to vent about the insult, saying the Lauryn Hill diss was "disrespectful" and "not cool."

The woman complimented Beyonce for adding Lauryn Hill's name to her acceptance speech ... to which Beyonce replied, "I just felt [the diss] was wrong."

You might think Chris Brown would be persona non grata at the official BET Awards after party tonight, but TMZ has learned the nightclub combatant was indeed invited and RSVP'd yes.

According to our sources, CB will be in attendance at the star-studded soiree going down at Playhouse in Los Angeles ... where Usher, Common, and Kevin Hart are among the anticipated guests.

We're told Brown's people told party organizers the singer will be showing up and that the invite came AFTER the events that went down at W.i.P. in NYC. In fact, the party tonight is being thrown by people connected to W.i.P.