Awards / Awards Shows

Matthew Stafford's wife, Kelly, just went in on everyone who's giving their opinion on the quarterback's Hall of Fame status ... clapping back at the doubters and saying the signal-caller is nowhere near done yet.

Following the Rams star's big win over the Cincinnati Bengals in Super Bowl LVI on Sunday -- the debate was on ... is Stafford a Hall of Famer or not?

Some said yes ... but the majority -- including future Hall of Famer Richard Sherman -- appeared to say no, and Kelly had big issues with that talk.

Stafford's wife took to Instagram late Tuesday evening to blast the discussion ... saying, "We shouldn't be talking about the HOF because he isn't done playing this game."

She added, though, if you don't currently think he belongs in the Hall -- she said he's going to prove you wrong in the upcoming seasons.

"So let's table this talk until he actually retires," she said. "Thank you."

For what it's worth, the talk of Stafford's potential Canton bust was brought up even before the win in the Big Game, with Torry Holt telling TMZ Sports he didn't believe Stafford was on his way to the Hall just yet.

Seems Kelly could truly care less -- saying in her post she's confident Matthew will change minds eventually.

Super Bowl LVI MVP voters got it wrong -- Aaron Donald should've gotten the honor, not Cooper Kupp ... so says Calais Campbell.

The NFL star was adamant about it while leaving SoFi Stadium on Sunday night ... telling TMZ Sports he truly believed Donald deserved the award more than Kupp.

"Cooper Kupp did a great job, he's worthy," Campbell said. "Aaron Donald played an amazing game. He should've been Super Bowl MVP."

Kupp did score the game-winning touchdown -- and he finished the night with 92 receiving yards on eight catches -- but Donald had two sacks and helped force an incompletion on Joe Burrow's final pass of the night.

Campbell clearly believed that was enough to overtake Kupp for the award ... telling us, "He went and earned it today."

In fact, Donald had such a good game ... Campbell said the night put him "in the conversation" for best defensive player ever.

As for the possibility that Donald could retire following the game, Campbell told us he's hoping that doesn't happen ... saying he's not done seeing the Rams superstar yet.

All Aretha Franklin's family's asking is for the Motion Picture Academy to show Jennifer Hudson a little R-E-S-P-E-C-T ... and its failure to even nominate her isn’t sitting well with them.

Aretha’s niece, Sabrina Owens, tells TMZ she’s disappointed about the Oscar snub because she feels JH did a fantastic job in the biopic, "Respect" -- one worthy of recognition, and feels her aunt would’ve agreed.

She also says the film project was Aretha’s baby while she was alive -- she was heavily involved in shepherding it to production, and even hand-picked Jennifer for the lead role.

Sabrina explains ... her aunt was a perfectionist who took pride in her work, and would’ve liked to see an Oscar nod for Jennifer’s turn.

Ditto for Brenda Franklin Corbit, Aretha’s first cousin and former backup singer. She tells us she’s heartbroken about Jennifer being left out, adding the Academy made a huge mistake ... as she feels JH poured her heart and soul into the role and knocked it out of the park.

And get this ... Brenda even suggests Aretha would’ve been seriously upset about the exclusion because she definitely had Oscar on her mind while putting the whole thing together.

It kinda goes without saying, but Brenda hopes Jennifer knows the Franklin family at large thinks she made Aretha proud ... and they consider her one of their own.

The Hudson snub is one of many that people are up in arms about. In addition to her, Lady Gaga fans are crying foul for her not getting a nom for "House of Gucci."

Fact is there's always disappointment with the Academy after Oscar noms come out -- can't win ‘em all, after all -- but dissing the Queen of Soul?

Andy Cohen is going all out to celebrate his new star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame ... breaking bread with Ricki Lake and joking about making love to his fellow TV legend.

We got Andy leaving Craig's in WeHo with Ricki, not long after his Friday ceremony on Hollywood Blvd ... and he was over the moon ... and for good reason.

Andy and Ricki make for a power lunch ... and as he put it to our photog ... "legends only, bitches!!!"

It's a huge achievement for Andy ... getting the 2,711th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame ... and he jokes about making love to Ricki to celebrate ... to which she says, get in line!!!

The "TMZ Tour" also got Andy in the middle of his acceptance speech on Sunset Blvd ... and he even broke from his prepared remarks to acknowledge the bus!

The NBA just unveiled the newly-designed Kobe Bryant Trophy, which will be awarded to the All-Star Game MVP later this month, and Vanessa Bryant said she's in love with it.

The league revealed the piece Thursday morning ... announcing the new award has four levels, all designed to pay tribute to the Black Mamba.

The first level has 24 stars -- symbolic of the #24 Kobe donned in the second half of his career. The level measures in at 7 inches tall, which pays homage to Bryant's 2007 All-Star Game MVP honor.

The second level features 10 stars, which represent the number KB wore when he played for Team USA in the Olympics. Its 9-inch height is a hat tip to Bryant's 2009 ASG MVP award.

Of course, Kobe won 5 NBA championships in his career with the Los Angeles Lakers ... so the trophy has five stars on the third level.

On the fourth level, the league said "a single star represents Kobe’s NBA MVP Award in the 2007-08 season." The NBA also noted its 2-inch height is emblematic of his two Finals MVP awards.

The mastermind behind the design, Victor Solomon, said in a statement Thursday he worked "tirelessly" to make the piece ... and in an IG post, Vanessa said she resoundingly approved of it.

"I love everything this trophy represents," Vanessa wrote, "all of my husband’s hard work and dedication ~ Mamba Mentality 👑🐍💪🏽 Thank you @NBA & @victorsolomon."

Add Dave East to the list of people upset with Barry Bonds being kept out of the Hall of Fame by baseball writers ... telling TMZ Sports it would be "f***ed up" if he doesn't make it to Cooperstown.

We caught up with the NYC rapper on Friday ... and asked how he felt about Bonds not making it into baseball's "sacred" Hall on his 10th and final try ... and his chances at ever getting in.

"I think that will be f***ed up if he not," East said. "He a legend. So, I think it'll be f***ed up if he not. He should be."

Dave was short and to the point ... but his responses echo the sentiments of many who believe Bonds' resume absolutely warrants a nod into baseball's historical museum.

Of course, Bonds failed to reach the required 75% of votes needed for enshrinement .... but still has a chance to get voted in if he lands on the Today's Game ballot in December.

Other notable names such as Roger Clemens and Sammy Sosa were also up on the ballot ... but, like Barry, failed to garner the percentages of votes needed to cement their spot in the Hall.

While Bonds, Clemens, and Sosa undoubtedly had Hall of Fame-worthy careers ... many believe they are being kept out because they're all inextricably linked to the use of performance-enhancing substances.

One of Bonds' contemporaries, David Ortiz, however, received the support he needed and managed to get in on just his first try.

Brandy Norwood is being dragged to court over a $45,000 ring she was supposed to wear at the American Music Awards ... a ring that's allegedly gone missing.

Brandy and her stylist, Ashley Sean Thomas, are being sued by Elle B. Mambetov, a fashion designer and Beverly Hills store owner.

In the lawsuit, obtained by TMZ, Mambetov claims Brandy's stylist approached her last year about borrowing jewelry and clothes for the singer to wear at the November Awards show ... and the designer let them borrow some outfits and a Dreamboule Big Bang Diamond Ring.

Brandy and her stylist allegedly never returned the ring ... and the designer claims it's valued at around $45k. She says in her suit Brandy's stylist told her it was last seen on the piano at Brandy's Calabasas estate.

Brandy didn't wear the ring or the outfit to the AMAs ... but we're told it's not all that uncommon, because stylists usually put together many different options for celebs.

The ring is 18-karat rose gold, with a sapphire crystal dome and black volcanic stone.

The designer's going after Brandy and her stylist for the value of the ring plus other damages ... claiming she's suffered financial losses and emotional trauma.

We reached out to Brandy and her stylist ... so far, no word back.

Affion Crockett is remembering late actor Sidney Poitier as a "king" ... and thanking him for kicking open the door and paving the way for Black entertainers.

We got the comedian at LAX and asked how he's remembering Sidney ... and Affion says he wouldn't have a platform today without Poitier changing the landscape of how Hollywood viewed Black men.

Affion says Sidney was more than a trailblazer ... also remembering him as a prolific actor and orator, and marveling at the way he carried himself and represented his craft.

As we reported ... Sidney died at the age of 94, and tons of tributes are pouring in for the first Black man to win an Oscar for Best Actor.

The Golden Globes are, indeed, happening this year -- but there'll be some major changes ... including where you can catch it, and who will (or won't, rather) be there to bear witness.

A release Tuesday states the Globes are going to be livestreamed this year, where winners will be announced for their respective categories. The big difference, of course, is that NBC will not be carrying the broadcast ... nor will any other major network.

There also won't be a large audience or any celebs in attendance.

You'll recall ... the NBC decision came down last year after some diversity controversy caused by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, which many felt hadn't done enough by 2021's show to nominate more people of color -- something they vowed to fix and work on going forward. It even became a running (awkward) gag throughout last year's ceremony.

They've made some strides since then ... but not nearly in enough time to find another home.

During the show, Kyle Bowser, Senior Vice President of the NAACP Hollywood Bureau will break down the "Reimagine Coalition," a movement to increase diversity across the entertainment biz. The coalition is a five-year initiative.

Of course, there will still be COVID precautions in place for the few who are able to attend and present, including proof of vax AND booster as well as a negative PCR test.

Besides that, we're told it'll be host-less and spectator-less ... this despite the fact there are some huge names up for awards. Some notable ones ... Leonardo DiCaprio, Denzel Washington, Mahershala Ali, Nicole Kidman, just to name a few.

However, the main focus of the show will be on the orgs the HFPA has worked with and sponsored over the years.

Jean-Marc Vallee, the director of "Dallas Buyers Club," "Sharp Objects," and "Big Little Lies," has died ... and it was both sudden and unexpected.

Vallee passed near Quebec City, at his cabin.

His producing partner, Nathan Ross, said ... "Jean-Marc stood for creativity, authenticity and trying things differently. He was a true artist and a generous, loving guy. Everyone who worked with him couldn't help but see the talent and vision he possessed. He was a friend, creative partner and an older brother to me. The maestro will sorely be missed but it comforts knowing his beautiful style and impactful work he shared with the world will live on."

Vallee was acclaimed in his field, and the awards underscore his achievements. He received an Oscar nom for editing "Dallas Buyers Club," and snagged 2 Emmys for directing and producing "Big Little Lies." "Sharp Objects" was nominated for Emmys 8 times over.

Vallee's big break came with "C.R.A.Z.Y.," which he directed and wrote.

Vallee is survived by sons Alex and Emile.

He was 58. RIP

Britney Spears is reminding fans what kinda voice she has -- and while she's looking forward to using it again in a studio, she's not ready to let go of her past anger at her family.

Britney posted a video Wednesday standing in front of her mirror and singing at the top of her voice -- not many lyrics, mostly an R&B-style vocal run. Her caption, though, is pure venom for her family ... she wrote, "I just realized this today guys … after what my family tried to do to me three years ago … I needed to be my own cheerleader 🤷🏼‍♀️ !!!! God knows they weren’t."

She posted a bunch of her accomplishments, apparently after a little Googling, she found she's sold 100 million records, 33 million albums and logged billions of online streams. That's the good news.

On the other hand, she says, "I’m here to remind my white 'classy' family that I haven’t forgotten what they did to me nor will I ever forget !!!!⁣"

As for what happened 3 years ago, Brit's likely referring to when her family allegedly put her back into rehab in 2019. Remember, she was just about to start her Vegas show, but needed to postpone it ... and her dad, Jamie Spears, had become very ill.

Britney also teased fans, saying ... "Pssss new song in the works … I’m gonna let you know what I mean 😉 !!!!!"

7-time Formula 1 champion Lewis Hamilton is now Sir Lewis Hamilton -- the racing superstar just received his knighthood from Prince Charles at Windsor Castle!!

36-year-old Hamilton first learned of the honor last December -- after matching Michael Schumacher's all-time record of 7 championships.

In case you're not up to speed on the honors, a knighthood is an award and title given to someone by the royal family for high achievement and service to their country within their respective industry.

Of course, the Mercedes driver has won more races than any other in F1 history ... and was on his way to securing a record-breaking eighth title this past Sunday, had it not been for a controversial decision at the end.

Hamilton had a lead wiped out when a safety car was deployed after a late crash ... allowing Max Verstappen to eventually catch up and pass him.

According to reports, the British racing star was heard saying, "This has been manipulated, man," on his car radio, but Hamilton later congratulated Max and his team after the race was over.

Wednesday's ceremony hopefully helped ease the loss -- Hamilton attended with his mother, Carmen, who watched as her son became just the fourth driver in Formula 1 history to be knighted.

Sonya and Dell Curry's relationship is still clearly fractured, 'cause Steph's parents sat in completely opposite sections for their son's record-breaking night Tuesday.

Dell had a seat near the hardwood at Madison Square Garden in NYC for the Warriors star's big game against the Knicks -- while Sonya sat in a different part of the arena several rows back.

The two never appeared to speak to each other, or even look at each other for that matter, despite Steph breaking Ray Allen's mark for most 3-pointers in a career early in the evening.

To his credit, Steph was able to find both of his parents following the record-setting shot ... handing the game ball to his pops and then going in another direction to share a long embrace with his mom just off the court.

As we previously reported, Sonya filed for divorce from Dell earlier this year ... and court docs showed the two did not have a clean breakup at all.

Both parties accused each other of cheating ... with Dell saying Sonya began dating a former New England Patriots player while they were still together.

And, if their actions toward each other Tuesday were any indication, it's obvious things still haven't been repaired between the two.

Kim Kardashian took home the Fashion Award at the 2021 People's Choice Awards last night ... and she thanked her ex, Ye ... YAY!!!

Last year's winner, Tracee Ellis Ross, presented the award to KK, who wore a skin-tight black jumpsuit, gloves and sunglasses -- as she sauntered down a long runway to accept.

The Kardashian was full of gratitude and said she felt honored to receive the award from Tracee. But, the nod to her estranged husband, Kanye, was by far the most interesting moment.

Kim said she felt inspired by so many people. But, she made sure to give her ex all his flowers ... "To Kanye," she said, "for really introducing me to the fashion world"

Kim explained she started off as a closet organizer and a stylist, so getting the honor felt like a "pinch-me moment" ... "I fell in love with fashion and I'm so inspired by so many people but again, this is like a dream that I get to wake up and wear these amazing clothes and try new things and take a risk."

It's pretty amazing ... Kim went from working behind the counter at the Dash store to launching her shapewear brand, Skims, which was valued at over $1 billion. And, of course, there's her beauty brands -- KKW BEAUTY and KKW Fragrance.

Balenciaga is clearly her thing ... you'll recall her all-black jumpsuit, gloves, and long pleated train that covered her from head to toe at the MET Gala -- yes, even her face.

Drake won't be partaking in the upcoming Grammy Awards -- despite being nominated -- because the guy just pulled his submissions ... TMZ has confirmed.

The rapper has withdrawn his 2 Grammy nominations -- one for Best Rap Album in "Certified Lover Boy" and another for Best Rap Performance in "Way 2 Sexy" -- after having gotten nods about two weeks ago.

A source close to Drake tells us the decision was made by Drake and his management team,  and the Grammys board respected it. Variety was first to report Drake's withdraw.

He's obviously no stranger to the award ceremony -- having racked up multiple wins over the years, including one in 2019 -- but Drake has also publicly noted he isn't a fan of accolades like this ... saying they're virtually meaningless.

He was also one of the first to speak up after The Weeknd was snubbed by the ceremony, saying, "I think we should stop allowing ourselves to be shocked every year by the disconnect between impactful music and these awards."

Of course, this move might have more to do with his involvement in Astroworld Fest than his stance on awards -- the guy's been relatively low-key since the tragedy, especially since he's been named in a few of the lawsuits that have surfaced thus far.

The island of Barbados is now an independent republic, and one of its leaders' first orders of business is crowning homegrown jewel, Rihanna ... a national treasure.

Monday marked an historic milestone for the Caribbean nation, as Queen Elizabeth II was removed as the head of state there and Barbados became its own independent body for the first time. It also served as an induction, of sorts, for RiRi -- who was dubbed an official national hero.

Prime Minister Mia Mottley -- who serves separately from the newly elected President, Sandra Mason -- bestowed Rihanna with the title, saying she had "commanded the imagination of the world through the pursuit of excellence with her creativity, her discipline, and above all else, her extraordinary commitment to the land of her birth."

Rihanna has done a lot for Barbados in several capacities -- not only does she rep her home in her music and elsewhere, but she's also served as an ambassador since 2018. Besides this latest honor, they've showered her with other accolades and gestures over the years -- including naming a street after her.

She's just the 11th Barbadian in history to be deemed a national hero.

Meanwhile, the rest of Barbados was celebrating the fact it no longer has to operate under the monarchy going forward, which was a long time coming. The island declared independence from the U.K. back in 1966, but remained one of its Commonwealth Nations.

For what it's worth ... the Royal Family was fully in support, sending Prince Charles down to make a speech praising Barbados' freedom -- a move that got mixed reactions due to the history of slavery and exploitation established by his ancestor, King James I, in 1625.

Barbados will continue to operate within the Commonwealth.