Coronavirus

Lottie Moss' joke she and her friends are super-spreading COVID-19 -- which they illustrated on camera -- didn't score any laughs, and now she's apologizing.

The model, Kate Moss' younger sister, posted an apology Monday, saying she screwed up by partaking in what she thought was care-free goofing with some of her girlfriends in London. Lottie and co. pretended to make out and openly called themselves super-spreaders.

Naturally, that pissed of a lot of people, who called her out for taking the pandemic lightly.

In her mea culpa post, Lottie said ... "I just wanted to come on here and say I am so sorry for saying I was a super spreader." She explains someone on the live feed made the comment and that she repeated it without thinking, but emphasizes she's not a super-spreader and does not condone anyone spreading a virus as deadly as this one as haphazardly as she did on camera.

She continues, "I was out for dinner with 4 friends 3 of which are in the same household and under the government guidelines - as I live alone - I am allowed a support bubble of 4."

Lottie goes on to sincerely apologize for the insensitive joke, while mentioning that she sometimes forgets she's a public figure who's gotta watch her actions. The 22-year-old model adds, "I am still young and dumb and learning."

Meghan Markle's so inspired by stories of compassion she's witnessing through the pandemic, she decided to make a surprise appearance to honor those very heroes.

The Duchess of Sussex made an unscheduled appearance on CNN's 'Heroes' special Sunday night to thank "individuals (who) stood up and made sure the most basic needs of our communities were met. They made sure those around them did not have to suffer in isolation."

It's the first time Meghan has made a public statement since her op-ed in the New York Times last month, revealing she'd suffered a miscarriage in the summer. She and Prince Harry -- who left their royal roles in March -- have kept a low profile since moving to California, but still found ways to help here.

TMZ broke the story ... the couple quietly delivered quality food to needy folks back in April. Then, at the start of the school year, they dished out school supplies to students in need.

JoJo Siwa made a holiday wish come true for a very special little fan ... and Santa Claus couldn't help but pop in to spread even more cheer.

The YouTube star teamed up with Make-A-Wish and Macy's for a virtual hangout with 5-year-old Ainarah from Virginia, who has a neuromuscular disorder. Ainarah’s wish was to chat with JoJo, but the singer did her one better -- they're now forever linked as friends with matching bracelets.

We're told the adorable little girl and JoJo also chatted about music, fashion and what they want for Christmas ... before the big guy from the North Pole dropped in.

Being in a pandemic sucks for everyone, but foster kids across the country are finding it especially tough ... and it's heartbreaking.

Julie Brown, the Executive Director of Holy Family Services -- the oldest adoption agency in Southern California -- tells TMZ there's a 50 percent decline in the number of people volunteering to foster kids from the same time last year.

She says surging COVID cases have scared potential foster parents ... for obvious reasons.

And, it gets worse ... COVID is keeping some foster kids from visiting their biological families. As you may know, some of these kids are from loving families that just don't have the resources to care for them. The fact these kids can't visit their birth families during the holidays has created anxiety and depression.

Janice Goldwater, founder and CEO of Adoptions Together in the Washington metro area, tells us they try really hard to get children into adoptive homes by the holidays, but travel restrictions and work-from-home difficulties have derailed their placement process. Sadly, this means more kids will be stuck in foster care or group homes this year ... and spend another holiday without a family of their own.

Foster kids are also being left out in the cold when it comes to Xmas festivities. Houston's Ascension Child and Family Services rely on donations to throw Christmas celebrations for the kids, but funds are way down this year. We're told the kids in their care are really struggling emotionally.

A gym owner in New Jersey seems to be daring the governor and local authorities to come at him (bro) -- saying he's gotten over a million bucks in fines for staying open ... something he says he'll continue to do no matter what.

The guy's name is Ian Smith, co-owner of Atilis Gym in Bellmawr -- where he and his partners have been fully opening their doors to the public ... despite state mandates that limit the number of people in gyms and mandatory mask-wearing. He's enforced none of it.

His defiance has been an ongoing saga over the past several months of the pandemic -- but a new video Smith released might as well be a clear line in the sand he's drawing.

Check it out ... it's him in the middle of his packed gym -- where no face coverings can be seen -- and he's going through typed-out cue cards that lay out what's been going on there. He says the gym has over a million dollars in fines ($1.2 mil to be specific) and the township continues to fine him around $15k a day every day he breaks the rules.

Smith also writes that he and his partners have even been arrested for flouting the regulations -- but adds ... he simply doesn't care, and will keep on keepin' on.

He then takes aim at Gov. Phil Murphy ... saying he'll probably see this video and fine him again, but watch -- Smith is calling him out, because he makes it seem like the fines are meaningless and anything short of forcibly locking the place up with chains won't stop him.

It poses a very real and serious question -- how much authority do local governments and state governments have in getting their citizens to comply, and what do you do when even a MILLION DOLLARS isn't enough to sway someone to act right??? It's a tricky predicament.

Kim Kardashian is exhausted -- having to collect four different Elf on a Shelf dolls every day until Christmas -- so she waved her wand and gave 'em "COVID," and then put the toys on a healthy timeout.

The reality star posted a hilarious video on Instagram Sunday, showing her four children's own elves in glass jars -- where she says they'll remain until at least the 23rd so they can quarantine ... this because she just needs a break from all the EOAS household fun.

It's freaking funny ... Kim wrote up a note for her little ones -- North, Saint, Chicago and Psalm -- which makes it seem like it's from the elves themselves. It says, "We are on a 10 Day Quarantine! We still have our magic and will be back to flying around in 10 days."

Sounds like this will do the trick and give Kim and co. some peace of mind -- she says she's tired of having to remember to collect all 4 of these things from all over the house, so she took things into her own hands and deemed them to be riddled with COVID. Don't worry, kiddies ... something tells us they'll make a full recovery -- even if it's less than 14 days.

If you're unfamiliar, Elf on a Shelf is a popular holiday tradition. It's based on a book of the same name and entails you putting your own elf in secretive places throughout your home to "spy" on people for Santa, to make sure they're nice throughout December.

There's been a new twist to the meme/game, and celebs have gone to town on it this Christmas season. Instead of an elf, they're putting other celebs and/or movies and characters that rhyme with their own name, and photoshopping them onto their shoulders.

For example ... Elizabeth Banks plopped Tom Hanks as Forrest Gump onto her shoulder, and dubbed it Hanks-on-Banks. Reese Witherspoon got in on the fun too, and did "Grease"-on-Reese. Ryan Seacrest did Luke Bryan-on-a-Ryan, and Mariah Carey did Jim Carrey-on-Carey ... and J Lo's actually had a few ideas that she loved. She compiled her favorites in a post.

Offset says he is not planning to get vaccinated for coronavirus -- and his reasoning all boils down to trust and fairness.

We spoke to the Migos rapper Saturday in Bev Hills, and straight up asked if he'd take the COVID vaccine ... which is on the verge of being distributed to the first group in the coming days.  He's blunt and to the point -- he's planning on passing.

Offset mentions a viral photo that's been making the rounds ... showing a few people with their faces frozen in a distorted position, with their mouths slightly open.

The photos were supposedly taken of a few volunteers who were inoculated with the Pfizer vaccine.  The online chatter -- these were some of the side effects. The word from Scientists -- the side effects are generally mild, flu-like symptoms.

The FDA DID acknowledge 4 Pfizer volunteers were struck with a bout of Bell's Palsy -- but the government agency notes there was no way to conclusively link the vaccine to the development of their temporary facial paralysis. Still, people got freaked out.

Same goes for Offset -- who tells us that he simply doesn't trust the government (for the most part) and that even Barack Obama being willing to get vaccinated on video isn't enough to sway him. Offset then pivoted to a different train of thought.

Check it out ... he starts talking about how celebs and politicians get special treatment when it comes COVID therapeutics and medical treatment -- and he wouldn't feel right getting vaccinated ASAP knowing there are others just as deserving who get lesser treatment.

He also talks about the fact that the government at large hasn't done enough for the Black community to convince him they have his and his people's best interest at heart. What he touches on here is a huge problem too, BTW -- only 40% or so of the African-American community say they'll take the vaccine, and even less (14%) say they trust it.

That probably stems from several things, not the least of which includes the Tuskegee experiments, in which 600 Black men were shockingly deceived and mistreated.

It's a complex and pervasive issue in the community -- a view people in power are trying to reverse. It's also why Dr. Tony Fauci recently made a point to say the vaccine was developed, in part, by a Black woman.

This is insane ... a family was kicked off a United Airlines jet and banned for life ... all because their daughter refused to wear her mask ... AND SHE'S 2!

Eliz Orban and her husband boarded the jet from Denver to Newark with their little girl. The parents were masked up and tried hard to get their daughter to wear the mask, but she wasn't having it. Watch the video ... Eliz's husband pretty much did everything he could ... to no avail.

That's when a flight attendant came up to them and announced they were being booted from the jet. Eliz's husband tried explaining he did his best, and he was more than willing to cover his daughter's face, but the flight attendant wouldn't budge. They had to go.

Now get this ... United wouldn't remove their luggage from the cargo hold, and that included their daughter's car seat. And, on top of that, Eliz says United has permanently banned them from flying.

These are the mixed messages that are driving folks crazy. Governors are keeping pre-schools open because they say small kids don't pose much of a risk, yet this happens. The CDC has recommended children at the age of 2 or older should wear face masks, but this kid is right on the cusp at 2.

San Diego strip clubs are intentionally violating California's stay-at-home order, and one of Joe Biden's cabinet picks is laying down the gauntlet ... shut down, or else.

California Attorney General Xavier Becerra, who will become the Secretary of Health and Human Services next month, fired off a letter to the owners of Pacers Showgirls International and Cheetahs Gentlemen’s Club, making it clear they have crossed the legal line.

The letter reads, “Specifically, the Regional Stay at Home Order requires that restaurants, including your clients’ restaurants, may continue to operate for carry-out and delivery services but may not offer indoor or outdoor dining or other services that cause people from different households to come into contact for extended periods of time and thereby increase the risk of transmission of COVID-19.”

We're told Becerra and his office were acting on behalf of orders from CA Governor Newsom and the California Dept. of Public Health ... aka they weren't carrying out the orders independently.

Now the threat ... “Therefore, MIDWAY AND F-12 are hereby ordered to cease and desist from operating in violation of the Regional Stay at Home Order.”

Becerra promises the State will go to court to shut the strip clubs down if they don't comply.

Fact is ... not all judges are sympathetic to the State. A Superior Court judge issued an injunction last month, siding with strip clubs that were prohibited from providing live entertainment under a public health order.

These images could foretell the end of the pandemic -- trucks have never looked so awesome!!!

FedEx and UPS trucks rolled out of Pfizer's Kalamazoo, Michigan parking lot, carrying massive amounts of vaccine doses.

Fact is ... FedEx and UPS are competitors, but they've put all that on ice ... speaking of which, the vaccine vials are being kept in sub-freezing temps to maintain their efficacy.

The trucks will be headed to 145 sites that will receive their shipments between Monday and Wednesday. If you've got Xmas presents you're sending by FedEx or UPS ... they are behind all the vaccines in priority ... and thank God for that.

The precious cargo is being guarded by U.S. Marshals, just in case.

There aren't nearly enough vaccines yet to inoculate all Americans ... that will happen sometime in the spring. Problem is, to achieve herd immunity, 70% of Americans must get the shot, but it looks like around 40% aren't going to do it ... at least that's their current thinking -- because of safety issues and mistrust -- and both issues are real and have to be addressed.

Ashanti and Keyshia Cole may not face off with a hit-for-hit throw-down after all -- because the former says she's contracted COVID-19 ... but not all hope is lost just yet.

Ashanti announced Saturday that she's got the coronavirus, taking to IG to write ... "Hey y'all I can't believe I'm saying this but I tested positive for COVID-19. I'm ok and not in any pain." Then ... a sliver of hope for fans who were dying to see her on Verzuz.

She says, "I'm actually down to do the verzuz from my house... we're trying to figure it all out!!! No word from Keyshia yet on that front, but if they could salvage the battle and still move forward ... that'd be pretty incredible, as people have been waiting on this for weeks.

Since the announcement that Keyshia and Ashanti would be the next artists to be featured in a Verzuz, the show was getting major pub and attention ... as it might be the most highly-anticipated one to date. Up until now, there haven't been too many females featured on Verzuz -- and the fan base has been clamoring for these two R&B titans to go at it.

Many note that the two women have hits for DAYS, and were eager to see who could crank out more ... and which ones would resonate with people more.

The show was supposed to get started later this evening -- at the moment, it's unclear if it'll get canceled, postponed ... or if it'll proceed. Assuming Ashanti's okay and quarantined in her house, you gotta wonder ... why the hell not???

Charley Pride -- the first Black man to break through in the country music scene -- has died from the coronavirus.

The legendary singer passed away Saturday in Dallas due to complications from COVID-19 -- this according to his PR team, which announced Charley's death. Sources tell us Charley was recently admitted to the ICU of a local hospital, where he was isolated from his family after his health took a turn for the worse.

We're told he was moved to hospice care, where he died with his wife, Rozene, by his side.

Charley was a trailblazer in country -- he's the very first Black artist to be inducted in the Country Music Hall of Fame, and quite literally paved the way for other African-Americans in the genre through the '60s, '70s, '80s and beyond.

He's sometimes referred to as the Jackie Robinson of country music, which is apt because ... Charley also played baseball professionally too.

Music-wise, CP broke onto the scene in the late '50s and early '60s with a string of country singles but no major hits. It wasn't until he released "Just Between You and Me" in 1967 that he truly broke through and received recognition, as it started climbing the charts.

Charley was nominated for a Song of the Year Grammy for the song -- and after that, things truly started rolling for him ... as he put out several chart-topping songs between the late '60s and mid-'70s, some of which reached #1 on Billboard's Hot Country Songs and charted on the Billboard Hot 100 list too.

Some of those hits included 'All I Have to Offer You (Is Me),' 'I Can't Believe That You've Stopped Loving Me,' '(I'm So) Afraid of Losing You Again,' 'Is Anybody Goin' to San Antone,' 'I'd Rather Love You,' 'I'm Just Me,' 'Wonder Could I Live There Anymore,' and then perhaps his biggest hit ever ... 'Kiss an Angel Good Mornin' ... which became his pride and joy.

The song won him several accolades and went on to be covered by other huge country stars like Conway Twitty, Percy Sledge, Roy Clark and others.

As his career rolled on, Charley racked up three Grammy wins and was honored with a Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award in 2020. He was inducted in the CMHOF in 2000 ... and is considered one of the most influential artists of any genre for his contributions to music.

Dolly Parton shared some kind words of remembrance for Charley shortly after news came down he'd died, writing ... "I’m so heartbroken that one of my dearest and oldest friends, Charley Pride, has passed away. It’s even worse to know that he passed away from COVID-19. What a horrible, horrible virus. Charley, we will always love you."

She ended by saying, "Rest In Peace. My love and thoughts go out to his family and all of his fans."

Charley leaves behind his wife, his three children and several grandchildren. He was 86.

Leonardo DiCaprio is being shielded almost as much as the new movie he's in these days -- 'cause he's on location ... and has a forcefield around his mug.

Leo was seen this weekend boarding a one-time naval battleship in Massachusetts next to his costar, Jennifer Lawrence, who was following closely behind ... while in full makeup and costume for the upcoming Netflix film, "Don't Look Up," in which they play scientists trying to warn the world that a meteor is on its way to blow up the Earth. Talk about timely, huh?

As you can see, both LDC and J. Law had protective face shields on -- so this is clearly them getting ready to shoot ... with coronavirus on-set guidelines in full swing.

It's interesting -- based on other photos from the production ... it appears a lot of the talent and crew members have opted for shields rather than traditional masks. Granted, it's probably a lot less obstructive ... and has less of a chance at ruining somebody's foundation.

In any case ... good to see they're being safe on set, and that Hollywood appears to be back in full swing. It's also good to see that one Matthew Perry -- who's one of several A-listers is in the star-studded film -- back in good health and hard at work. He was photographed on the 'DLU' set as well a couple of days ago alongside fellow costar Jonah Hill -- plus a Kid Rock look-alike to boot -- as they filmed a scene that looked like a political rally.

Remember, he had emergency surgery a couple years ago for a serious gastrointestinal issue that left a hole in his stomach. He's also battled drug addiction for years -- but now seems to be on an upswing ... he's got a 'Friends' reunion on the horizon, and just recently got engaged.

Matt's also been promoting a new line of Chandler merch that he's hawking for charity. So the dude's doing really well these days, which is heartening to see.

As for this new movie everyone's buzzing about -- but also being hush-hush with -- something tells us it'll be pretty good. Like we said, the cast is second to none as far as star power -- it includes names like Meryl Streep (who plays POTUS), Timothee Chalamet, Chris Evans, Ariana Grande (yes, in an acting role), Kid Cudi (also acting), Ron Perlman, Cate Blanchett ... and a whole lot more. So yeah, the cards are stacked for this one.

Tommy 'Tiny' Lister's condition in the days before his demise was alarming -- but the guy was confident he'd be taken care of by the man upstairs.

Actor/rapper Chris La Vrar tells TMZ ... he was with Tiny Monday at the 'Friday' star's Marina del Rey home, where Tiny was recording a live stream video session with fans and fielding questions for a Q&A. Part of the convo was posted on social media -- and while you can see Tiny was not well here ... Chris says it was much worse up close in-person.

In the video, you see Tiny struggling to speak and breathe ... much like he had during his interview with Brandon Jay. Only difference here is that Tiny kinda nods off at various points, and his energy and focus are low compared to the rest of the chat room.

Good sport that he was, he did his best to engage with fans as best he could -- but Chris tells us that behind the scenes ... Tiny was startling him. He says the man was coughing nonstop, and when Chris asked if he was okay, 'Tiny' told him he was fine.

We're told Chris pressed to see if he felt like he needed to go to a doctor -- as Chris believed he did -- and Tiny responded ... "No, God's got me." Chris let it go.

BTW, as we reported, Tiny apparently contracted COVID 4 months ago, like many suspected -- Chris tells us it was confirmed, but Tiny believed he'd beaten it and gotten past the symptoms. As we can now see, that was not the case. After hanging out with Tiny for a couple hours and subsequently learning of his death days later -- we're told Chris is now concerned he might have COVID and plans to get tested ASAP.

An Ohio couple says they were brutalized by cops during a simple traffic stop for tinted windows, but the Police Chief says there's way more to this story than the video shows.

It went down in Hamersville, when cops stopped a car driven by a young woman who did not have a license. Her aunt, Tammy Hampton, came with her husband Carl to take the car back home. Police Chief Guy Sutton tells TMZ, Tammy was ordered to stay clear of the car the cops stopped but she defied orders. Tammy says she was cuffed, kicked in the legs and told she was being arrested for resisting.

That's when her 65-year-old husband got involved and things got hot. He told cops, "Get your hands off my wife," and things escalated into a wrestling/punching match. The Chief says his officers took Carl to the ground after he got in the face of one of the officers.

The cop pulled a stun gun, and that's when someone screamed Carl just had heart surgery, so the officer backed off. Carl was taken into custody for obstruction and resisting arrest. Carl suffered a black eye and abrasions, but did not need hospitalization.

Tammy and Carl were not taken to jail because of COVID concerns. They were given citations and released.

Tommy "Tiny" Lister said he was looking forward to taking the COVID vaccine just days before his death, but when you listen to him it's apparent he's got serious symptoms, including labored breathing.

TMZ broke the story ... Lister's body was discovered Thursday ... this after friends and family couldn't reach him the night before. They were worried because he had been ill for a week and it was worsening daily.

During Tiny's interview with Brandon Jay just 5 days before his death, you hear Tiny struggling as he speaks. He was attempting to clear his throat throughout the interview.

Tiny, who wore a mask, told Brandon on his podcast ... he had lots of things to do in life, and was eager to take the shot -- inspired by the 3 ex-presidents who agreed to get vaccinated publicly -- so he could get back to work shooting movies. He had a shoot scheduled this week but had to cancel it because of illness.

Tiny apparently had COVID 4 months ago. It's unclear if he was re-infected or if the virus hadn't left his body.

He was truly optimistic about the future, saying he planned to spend Xmas watching basketball and spending time with his daughter, Faith.