Controversial S#!T

Carolina Panthers owner David Tepper is going to have to bust out his check book -- he was just fined $300k for chucking his drink toward a group of fans during Sunday's loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars.

The billionaire hedge fund manager -- the richest owner in the league -- was spotted dumping his beverage in anger after an apparent exchange with a group of supporters amid the 26-0 blowout ... and the whole thing was caught on video.

The clip is short ... and it's unclear what led to the incident.

The NFL announced the punishment on Tuesday ... labeling the incident "unacceptable conduct."

Tepper -- who bought the Panthers in 2018 for $2.3 billion -- released a statement following the news ... saying, "I am deeply passionate about this team and regret my behavior on Sunday."

"I should have let NFL stadium security handle any issues that arose. I respect the NFL’s code of conduct and accept the League’s discipline for my behavior."

It's been a disastrous 2023 season for the Panthers -- they're 2-14 and will not have their first-round pick next season.

ESPN is apologizing for showing a woman drop top during its broadcast of the Sugar Bowl on Monday ... saying the NSFW footage should have never seen the light of day.

Football fans were left stunned after the network aired a clip from Bourbon Street while returning from a commercial break in the Washington Huskies vs. Texas Longhorns matchup ... which featured the lady's negotiation for a set of beads by exposing her breast as the camera made its way down the iconic area.

It's common for TV crews to show b-roll of the host city's landmarks during games ... and given the College Football Playoff contest between the No. 2 and 3 seeds was played at New Orleans' Superdome, Bourbon Street is an understandable choice.

But producers probably didn't take into account how things can get a bit raunchy around there ... which was made clear by the video that went viral shortly after it made its way to millions of viewers' screens.

ESPN is owning up to it all ... releasing a statement on the flub to the Associated Press.

"We regret that this happened and apologize that the video aired in the telecast," ESPN P.R. guy Bill Hofheimer said.

Los aficionados quedaron atónitos cuando el canal emitió un clip al regresar de comerciales en el juego de los Washington Huskies vs Texas Longhorns, donde se pudo ver a una mujer mostrando sus pechos en cámara.

Es común que los equipos de televisión muestren los lugares emblemáticos de la ciudad anfitriona durante los juegos, y esta vez el juego se realizó en el Superdome de Nueva Orleans... Bourbon Street es una opción comprensible.

Pero los productores probablemente no tuvieron en cuenta que las cosas se pueden poner un poco subidas de tono, lo cual quedó claro en el video que se hizo viral poco después de llegar a las pantallas de millones de espectadores.

ESPN ha publicado una declaración sobre la metedura de pata a Associated Press.

"Lamentamos lo sucedido y pedimos disculpas por la emisión del video", dijo Bill Hofheimer, relaciones públicas de ESPN.

Blake Shelton is being dragged online for his prerecorded New Year's Eve performance ... and some are saying it's an embarrassment to country music.

Here's the deal ... Blake was featured on CBS's "New Year's Eve Live: Nashville's Big Bash" in what was billed as a live show, but folks figured out it was prerecorded and then trashed him.

Blake and Trace Adkins reunited for the CBS show, singing some of their oldies like "Hillbilly Bone" and "Hell Right."

Thing is ... Blake's performance aired only a few minutes before he took the stage in real life at a casino in Oklahoma.

Fans quickly caught on and ripped the network and Blake for double-booking ... firing off some angry tweets.

One user said Blake was "an embarrassment to country music" ... while another said Blake and Trace's duet was "one of the dumbest songs."

Blake's legit live gig went down at Oklahoma's WinStar Casino ... where he performed his hits to much better reviews.

Meanwhile, Blake's wife Gwen Stefani was working too ... she had a gig over in Las Vegas ... and it was live.

Britney Spears decided imagery was more powerful than words ... so she posted a couple of pics of her 2 sons without saying anything.

Sean Preston and Jayden James were front and center on Britney's last Insta posts of the year. The pics go back to happier times ... Britney and her kids holding some pups and looking super happy.  And then 2 pics just showing them goofing around.

It's going on at least 2 years since Britney's even seen her sons. They made it clear a while ago, they did not want to see their mom while she was acting out on social media, because they found it embarrassing.

Britney went after them after they suggested she needed mental health treatment ... she essentially called them ungrateful freeloaders.

The kids left for Hawaii several months ago with their dad, Kevin Federline ... a move to which Britney did not object. We're told the kids now text her occasionally, but there has been no face-to-face contact for 2 years ... maybe longer.

Britney seems ready to repair at least a few of her relationships ... Lynne Spears has visited Britney a few times recently, and Brit's in contact with Jamie Lynn.

As for her dad, Jamie, Britney posted a throwback pic of him with the kids the day TMZ broke the story Jamie had one of his legs amputated because of a terrible infection, but our sources say she has not reached out to him.

El nuevo especial de Dave Chappelle en Netflix es más de lo mismo en términos de apuntar a las personas transgénero. Sin embargo, está ampliando su alcance hacia las personas con discapacidad también.

En su nuevo show, "El Soñador", Dave sale a bromear sobre las personas trans de nuevo, esta vez contando una historia elaborada sobre el compromiso de Jim Carrey en el set de "Man on the Moon" y explicando cómo eso le recordó a las personas trans de hoy.

Tendrás que ver el especial para ver cómo conecta los puntos, pero básicamente ve paralelismos en lo comprometido que estaba Jim fingiendo tanto como lo hace la comunidad trans.

Ese fue el primer gran chiste que contó Dave, y aunque prometió dejar de hablar de los transexuales justo después, procedió a hacer aún más chistes sobre ellos durante el resto de "The Dreamer". Bromeó sobre escribir una obra acerca de una mujer trans cuyo pronombre era "n****" y que muere de soledad porque los liberales blancos no saben cómo hablar con ella.

Luego continuó diciendo que si alguna vez lo encarcelaban, esperaba que fuera en California, donde podría identificarse como mujer y ser encarcelado con mujeres, donde luego dijo que haría que otros reclusos le "chuparan esta polla de chica que tengo", sin tener que dar explicaciones.

Esos fueron sus chistes trans... pero también se fue en contra de las personas con discapacidad -incluyendo al ex-congresista Madison Cawthorn- y dijo que iba a empezar a burlarse de ellos porque "no son tan organizados como los gays" y le encanta "golpear hacia abajo".

Hubo mucho más... incluyendo sus pensamientos sobre la bofetada Will Smith/Chris Rock en los Oscar, aunque esa parte se siente bastante suave en comparación con esto.

Dave incluso nombró a Lil Nas X hacia el final de su set de una hora, diciendo que LNX se enfrentó a él por no estar en un video musical suyo, a lo que Dave terminó reflexionando acerca de que todos los niños en la escuela tenían un sueño, y Lil Nas X quería ser el gay más gay del mundo, deslizarse por una barra de stripper en el infierno y chupar el d*** del diablo.

De hecho, suena bastante incendiario, pero parece que Dave estaba yuxtaponiendo el "sueño" de Nas X con el suyo propio... que es un poco el tema principal de este especial, que se puede llegar a lo grande.

Aunque los chistes contra los transexuales suenan mal, no parece que estén provocando la misma tormenta de fuego que provocó su especial de 2021 hace dos años, cuando fueron casi el centro de atención. Será interesante ver cuáles son las consecuencias, si las hay, una vez que la gente lo vea por sí misma.

Dave Chappelle's new Netflix special is more of the same in terms of targeting transgender people -- but he's expanding his reach on marginalized people, roping in disabled folks too.

In his new show, "The Dreamer," DC comes out swinging right out the gate to joke about trans people again ... this time telling an elaborate story about meeting Jim Carrey on the set of "Man on the Moon" and explaining how that reminded him of trans people today.

You'll have to watch the special to see how he connects the dots -- but basically, he sees parallels in the very-committed pretending Jim did in that movie and the trans community.

That was the first big joke Dave told, and while he promised to stop talking about trans folks right after ... he then proceeded to make even more cracks about them throughout the rest of "The Dreamer." He joked about writing a play about a trans woman whose pronoun was "n****" and who dies of loneliness because white liberals don't know how to talk to her.

He then went on to say that if he ever got incarcerated, he'd hope it'd be in California -- where he could identify as a woman and be imprisoned with females ... where he then said he'd make other inmates "suck this girl dick I got," without having to explain himself.

That was the gist of his trans jokes ... but he also jabbed at people with disabilities -- including a crack at ex-Congressman Madison Cawthorn -- and said he'd start making fun of them because "they’re not as organized as the gays" and he loves "punching down."

There was a lot more material, of course ... including his thoughts on the whole Will Smith/Chris Rock Oscars slap -- but all of that felt pretty tame compared to this stuff.

Dave even name-dropped Lil Nas X toward the end of his hour-long set -- saying LNX confronted him for not being in a music video of his ... to which Dave ended up pondering something to the effect of ... out of all the kids in school who had a dream, Lil Nas X wanted to be the gayest gay in the world, slide a stripper pole in hell and suck the devil's d***.

Indeed, it sounds pretty inflammatory -- but it seems Dave was juxtaposing Nas X's "dream" with his own ... which is kinda the running theme of this special, that you can make it big.

While the anti-trans jokes do sound bad, they don't appear to be kicking up the same firestorm his 2021 special did 2 years ago ... when they were almost the entire focus. It'll be interesting to see what the fallout is here, if any, once people watch it for themselves.

It was a not-so-happy birthday for LeBron James after the NBA legend was seemingly robbed of a three-pointer in a close game on his 39th Bday.

LeBron and company were in Minnesota Saturday night with the clock winding down, LeBron hoisted up and made what he thought was a three-pointer to tie the game at 107 with only 2 seconds and change remaining.

However, the referees said LeBron's foot was on the three-point line, making the score 107-106 in favor of the Timberwolves.

The play was then reviewed, and it appeared to show LeBron's foot was, in fact, behind the three-point line ... but the officials remained unchanged, which understandably set James off. The Timberwolves went on to win the game 108-106.

After the game, LeBron didn't hold back, talking with reporters, he said, "It’s obviously a 3. My foot is behind the line. I mean, you can see the space between the front of my foot and the 3-point line. You can clearly see a white, the wood on the floor, there’s a space in between the front of my foot and the 3-point line. So, you know, Stevie Wonder can see that, champ."

He continued, "It’s super frustrating in the sense of what the hell we got a replay for? What do we have replay for if even the replay gets it wrong? It’s like, who’s the part of the replay center? Like, do we got robots in there that's making the Teslas? What’s going on? If you don’t see that, that is clear, that is clear."

Gypsy Rose Blanchard se ha convertido en una gigante de las redes sociales, acumulando millones de seguidores y posiblemente preparándose para hacer una fortuna.

Gypsy tiene ahora la friolera de 4.7 millones de seguidores en Instagram. Acaba de publicar sus cuentas de Snapchat y TikTok en su página de Instagram. Además, ella tiene 1.4 millones de fans TikTok.

Ella publicó esto: "Acabo de unirme a SnapChat, estos avatares son impresionantes!" También realizó un especial de Lifetime.

Ella tenía una página de Instagram, pero no era nada fuera de lo común. De eso a 1.2 millones hay mucha diferencia, y lo ha hecho en un período de tiempo muy corto.

En cuanto al futuro... ella se está preparando para hacer un paquete en redes sociales, lo cual es interesante. Antes de que la encerraran casi nadie podía ganarse la vida en las redes sociales, pero los tiempos cambian.

También está trabajando en algún tipo de programa/documental/reality show para A&E.

Por ahora, Gypsy está disfrutando de las cosas simples de la libertad después de cumplir siete años entre las rejas por el asesinato de su madre. Se hace selfies y visita McDonalds y Burger King.

​Gypsy Rose Blanchard has become an instant social media giant since her release ... amassing millions of followers and possibly setting herself up to make a fortune.

Gypsy now has an eye-popping 4.7 million followers on Instagram. She's just pushed both her Snapchat and TikTok accounts on her Insta page. BTW she has 1.4 million TikTok fans.

She posted this ... "Just joined SnapChat. These avatars are awesome!" Also – she pushed the Lifetime special on there yesterday as well.

She had an Instagram page, but it was static at 1.2M upon her release, so she's gained millions in a super-compressed period of time.

As for the future ... she's setting herself up to make a bundle on social media, which is interesting. When she was locked up, almost no one could make a living on social, but times change.

In the money department, she's also working on some kind of show/documentary/reality show for A&E.

For now, Gypsy is enjoying the simple things of freedom after serving 7 years behind bars for the murder of her mother. She's trying her hand at selfies, and hitting up McDonalds and Burger King.

Adult film producer and porn star Michael Lucas is getting some serious blowback from some people in his industry for writing his name on a missile targeted for Hamas.

Lucas posted earlier this month, "Hahaha I actually asked to write my name," and he included a pic of his John Hancock on the rocket.

Several porn stars have said they will no longer work for his studio. Shahrokh Mosavinejad fired back, "Anyone who thinks writing notes on missiles is some kind of sick flex is an accessory to murder and genocide of innocent #Palestinian civilians in my book."

Porn star Sean Xavier wrote, "I don’t want to draw more attention to the post; I find it both saddening and reprehensible. For those that are inquiring, I will no longer be promoting my work with that studio, nor accepting future offers to work with them."

Lucas has been a staunch supporter of Israel for years. One of his movies, "Men of Israel," featured an all-Jewish cast ... the first of its kind in the industry.

Paula Abdul's claims of sexual assault against 'American Idol' producer Nigel Lythgoe are wholly untrue, and they'll be fought off vigorously in court ... so says the man himself.

Nigel tells TMZ ... "To say that I am shocked and saddened by the allegations made against me by Paula Abdul is a wild understatement. For more than two decades, Paula and I have interacted as dear -- and entirely platonic -- friends and colleagues."

He adds, "Yesterday, however, out of the blue, I learned of these claims in the press and I want to be clear: not only are they false, they are deeply offensive to me and to everything I stand for."

NL finishes by saying ... "While Paula’s history of erratic behavior is well known, I can’t pretend to understand exactly why she would file a lawsuit that she must know is untrue. But I can promise that I will fight this appalling smear with everything I have."

Nigel doesn't elaborate on the "erratic behavior" he's referring to -- but it does seem to be a thinly-veiled jab at her alleged affair with ex-'Idol' contestant Corey Clark from way back in the mid-2000s ... which she's always maintained did not happen.

TMZ broke the story ... Paula filed her bombshell suit against Lythgoe Friday, alleging she'd been sexually assaulted by him on at least two occasions -- not to mention allegedly being harassed by him on others.

She claimed that in the early seasons of 'Idol,' Lythgoe grabbed her breasts and genitals in an elevator they were in while out on the road for regional auditions ... this while allegedly tying to kiss her. She also claims he forced himself onto her at some point during her judging stint on 'So You Think You Can Dance' after inviting her to his home to talk shop.

Welp, Nigel is denying all of it ... and says Paula's making the whole thing up. None of the other talent from either show has spoken up on this just publicly ... at least not yet anyway.

Gary Oldman is considered one of the greatest living actors alive today -- but if you take his own review of his work, it's all pretty trash ... especially as it pertains to 'Harry Potter.'

The Academy Award-winning thespian -- who's range knows no limits -- recently got candid on the 'Happy Sad Confused' podcast over how he feels about some the roles he's taken over the years, including Sirius Black in the 'HP' film series.

He played Black for a total of 4 films ... but as he looks back now, GO says he thinks his acting was actually "mediocre" -- and when the host scoffed, Gary freaking doubled down!

The reasoning behind this apparently lies in the fact that he didn't know his character was going to be killed off. As Gare explains here, he didn't read ahead in the books -- the way the late Alan Rickman did -- and says he would've played Black differently if he'd known.

Still, he goes on to say that he often criticizes his past roles -- and while a lot of people try and give him praise ... Gary apparently doesn't get all the hype. Indeed, very harsh.

Ray Rice will be honored by the Baltimore Ravens this weekend in front of fans -- this almost 10 years after he infamously knocked out his significant other in an elevator.

The ex-star running back has been tapped to be the focus of Sunday's "Legend of the Game" ceremony at M&T Bank Stadium ... where they'll formally recognize his achievements both on and off the field during and after his time with the team, which ended in 2014.

His professional accolades are unquestioned -- 3-time Pro Bowler and a SB champ, among other impressive stats -- but the obvious question ... is he worthy of a spotlight after his horrific domestic violence incident? The Ravens seem to think he's earned a 2nd chance.

The team's own article on this major news is quoted as saying ... "Rice is being recognized for the player he was, and for the redemption he has worked towards. Out of the public eye, Rice has been working on himself, his relationship, and within the community."

On that front, it's true ... Rice has become an incredibly philanthropic person in and around Baltimore since 2014 -- having contributed to a number of charitable orgs, speaking on behalf of important causes (preventing DV) and contributing mightily to local youths' lives.

Rice has also acknowledged how wrong he was for punching his then-girlfriend/now-wife, Janay Palmer, which left her completely unconscious. He now says, "I truly understand why I was let go and why so many hearts changed. But hopefully people can see where I'm at now. They say people can change, right? I am not the same person I was 10-12 years ago. That's just not who I am." He says he's trying to be the best version of himself in 2023.

Ravens Prez Sashi Brown adds ... "He was also consistently in the community, giving back. Importantly, after Ray's incident he owned it. On his own accord, Ray undertook critical work within himself and to bring awareness to and educate others on domestic violence. Nothing will change his past or make it right, but Ray's work has allowed him to atone for his actions and rebuild relationships personally and professionally, including with the Ravens."

Ray has returned to Baltimore before for a 'LOTF' ceremony -- notably in 2018, when he attended on behalf of others being honored and received a warm welcome from fans.

John Salley vehemently disagrees with the NBA's decision to hit Draymond Green with an indefinite ban this month ... telling TMZ Sports the suspension was a complete overreaction.

The four-time NBA champion said this week he's in favor of sidelining Green for smacking Jusuf Nurkic during the Warriors vs. Suns game on Dec. 12 ... but he thinks the indefinite part of the punishment is simply taking things too far.

"You can have a conversation, give him a certain amount of games for him to simmer down and have intelligent conversations with him," Salley said of Green. "But to get rid of him indefinitely, I think that is a bigger thing."

Salley told us he loves Draymond's playing style -- which makes sense ... considering the 6-foot-11 former center was a part of the '80s/'90s "Bad Boys" Pistons squads -- and he clearly believes Green hasn't done much wrong to warrant the latest suspension.

"I would take Draymond Green every day and twice on Sunday," he said.

In fact, Salley told us the guy would've been a perfect fit on his old Detroit teams.

"I hope Draymond comes back and I love his play," Salley said. "And I know he wears a Bad Boy T-shirt under his uniform."

Jussie Smollett's legal troubles are far from over ... but it looks as though he's working overtime to get his career back on track.

The troubled actor was seen reuniting with "Empire" showrunner Brett Mahoney ... with the duo sharing a hug Thursday outside Crossroads Kitchen in Los Angeles.

The sighting triggered speculation of a possible future collab ... though any TV comeback is realistically a long way off for Jussie as he deals with his personal and legal worries.

Sources told us just before Xmas ... Jussie was still in the midst of a rehab stint for substance abuse ... after checking himself into an outpatient facility in back in October.

He recently lost his appeal after being convicted for lying to cops about the fake Chicago hate crime attack back in 2019.

Jussie's lawyers say they'll continue their fight in the Illinois Supreme Court, although there's no guarantee the Court will hear the case.

If the Court turns thumbs down on hearing the case, Jussie could return to jail as soon as January to complete his 150 day sentence ... he's only served 6 days.