Drugs & Alcohol

Brittney Griner is adding another accolade to her resume ... the Phoenix Mercury star has just won AP Comeback Player of the Year honors -- some nine months after she returned to the United States from Russian detainment.

The Mercury announced the award on Tuesday ... revealing the 6-foot-9 center would share the hardware with Lynx forward Napheesa Collier, who came back to Minnesota this season after sitting out last year to give birth to her first child.

As we reported, Griner was arrested in February 2022 after Russian authorities said she had hash oil in her luggage at an airport. She was eventually sentenced to nine years in prison in the case, though she was set free following a prisoner swap for arms dealer Viktor Bout.

A couple months after she landed back on U.S. soil -- she signed a one-year deal with the Mercury -- and she shined in her return to the hardwood ... averaging 17.5 points, 6.3 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game.

The season wasn't without its lows, however ... she did battle injuries, and she took a few games off for a mental health break. She also infamously had a run-in with a troll at an airport.

But, she was selected to her ninth WNBA All-Star team regardless ... and last week, when reflecting on the season, she told media members, "I tell you one thing, it's not good being at the end of the standings but it's better than where I was a year go, that's for sure."

Earlier Tuesday, Breanna Stewart took home AP Player Of The Year honors ... while Aces star Alysha Clark won Sixth Woman of the Year. Sun honcho Stephanie White won Coach of the Year ... and 2023 first overall pick Aliyah Boston won Rookie of the Year.

Los Nelk Boys están siendo arrastrados a los tribunales por una broma de YouTube que salió mal. El conductor de entrega de marihuana que trataron de engañar los sorprendió con una demanda muy real.

Según los documentos obtenidos por TMZ, un hombre llamado Nicholas Aliff afirma que él es el repartidor de hierba en la broma del falso laboratorio de metanfetamina de los youtubers. En el vídeo no estaba contento con la broma y amenazó con demandar, y ahora parece que va a seguir adelante.

Aliff afirma que los Nelk Boys pidieron hierba y él acabó entregando la mercancía en un almacén cerca de Los Ángeles, donde los bromistas de YouTube habían montado un falso laboratorio de metanfetamina y contratado a un actor para que interpretara a un policía que empieza a hacer una redada antidroga antes de aceptar un soborno.

El hombre dice que pensó que el actor era un policía de verdad y que no sabía que le estaban gastando una broma hasta que los Nelk Boys le dijeron que era una broma. Dice que razonablemente se enfureció por la broma y empezó a gritar a los chicos, cuando su seguridad lo agarró por detrás y lo estranguló, causándole lo que afirma son graves lesiones físicas y emocionales.

Aliff afirma que los Nelk Boys lo atrajeron como a un cordero al matadero hacia su falso laboratorio de metanfetamina con la intención de asustarle y captar su reacción de sorpresa ante la cámara. Dice que le pareció tan real que pensó que el falso policía podría dispararle.

Ha interpuesto una demanda por agresión con lesiones, detención ilegal e imposición de angustia emocional, y va a por los Nelk Boys por daños y perjuicios.

The Nelk Boys are being dragged to court over a YouTube prank video gone wrong -- the marijuana delivery driver they tried to trick is flipping the script on them with a very real lawsuit.

According to docs obtained by TMZ, a man named Nicholas Aliff claims he's the weed delivery guy in the YouTube stars' fake meth lab prank. In the video, he wasn't happy about being pranked and threatened to sue ... and now it looks like he's following through.

Aliff claims the Nelk Boys ordered weed and he ended up delivering the goods to a warehouse near Los Angeles, where the YouTube pranksters had set up a fake meth lab and hired an actor to play a cop who starts to make a drug bust before ultimately accepting a bribe.

The guy says he thought the actor was a real police officer, and he had no idea he was being pranked until after the fact, when the Nelk Boys told him it was all a joke. He says he reasonably became irate over the prank and started yelling at the guys, when their security grabbed him from behind and put him in a chokehold ... causing what he claims are severe physical and emotional injuries.

Aliff says the Nelk Boys lured him -- like a lamb to slaughter -- into their fake meth lab with the intention of frightening him and capturing his shocked reaction on camera. He says it felt so real, he thought he might get shot by the fake cop.

He's suing for assault and battery, false imprisonment, and infliction of emotional distress ... and going after the Nelk Boys for damages.

We reached out to the Nelk Boys ... so far no word back.

For more viral news, tune in to the TMZ Verified Podcast. Dropping every Thursday on all podcast platforms.

Una celebración se convirtió en caos cuando una boda en Rhode Island terminó en una pelea sin cuartel con los agentes de policía... y todo está en video.

Media docena de miembros de la fiesta de la boda fueron detenidos la madrugada del domingo después de una pelea con la policía fuera de un restaurante de Newport. Las imágenes muestran cómo el incidente pasó de una interacción tensa a un combate brutal.

En el vídeo, los puñetazos lanzados por ambas partes vuelan y se conectan y una mujer con un vestido naranja —que la policía identificó más tarde como Alexandra Flaherty— se ve pateando a un policía en la ingle.

Otra mujer de la boda queda inconsciente y cae al suelo cuando un agente la reduce.

En el informe obtenido por TMZ, el policía dice que la mujer estaba por alcanzar su arma de fuego cuando se dio la vuelta y le lanzó un puñetazo que conectó con su mandíbula. La policía dice que la mujer —más tarde identificada como Rachael Onik— finalmente tomó conciencia y fue detenida.

La policía dice que el marido de Rachael, David Onik, inició todo el asunto luego de que se le negara la entrada a un bar. La policía dice que David se puso violento con el personal del bar y llamaron a la policía.

La policía dice que cuando los oficiales llegaron a hablar con David, su esposa "comenzó a meterse en el incidente y a no cooperar" y cuando un oficial trató de hacerla retroceder, tropezó en la calle empedrada. Ahí es donde el vídeo recoge y se desata el desastre.

Las imágenes también muestran a un hombre con traje y corbata al que la policía identificó más tarde como Robert Nash, golpeando a un policía en la cara, tirándolo al suelo y golpeándolo después.

Celebration turned to chaos as a Rhode Island wedding party got into an all-out brawl with police officers ... and it's all on video.

Half a dozen members of the wedding party were arrested early Sunday morning following a melee with cops outside a Newport restaurant ... and footage shows the incident escalating from a tense interaction to straight-up combat.

In the video, punches thrown by both sides fly and connect ... and a woman in an orange dress, who police later identified as Alexandra Flaherty, is seen kicking a cop in the groin.

Another woman in the wedding party gets knocked out cold ... hitting the deck when an officer throws her to the ground.

In the police report, obtained by TMZ, the cop says the woman was reaching for his firearm when he turned around and threw a punch connecting with her jaw. Police say the woman, later identified as Rachael Onik, eventually became conscious and was arrested.

Cops say Rachael's husband, David Onik, started the whole thing when he threw a fit after being denied entry to a bar. Police say David got physical with bar staff, who called the cops.

Police say when officers arrived to talk to David, his wife "began injecting herself into the incident and becoming uncooperative" ... and when an officer tried to move her back, she tripped on the cobblestone street. That's where the video picks up and all hell breaks loose.

Footage also shows a man in a suit and tie, who police later identified as Robert Nash, punching a cop in the face, taking him to the ground and then pummeling him.

"Pawn Stars" cast member Corey Harrison had bloodshot eyes, a blank stare, and reeked like booze during his DUI traffic stop ... so says the cop who busted the reality star.

TMZ broke the story, Harrison was arrested for DUI early Friday morning in Vegas on his way home. According to the police report, obtained by TMZ, Corey was driving his white Ford F250 pickup and unable to maintain his lane ... at times swerving into the bike lane.

Cops say when they pulled Corey over and made contact, he smelled like booze and had bloodshot eyes, but explained his truck sometimes pulls to the right.

The report states officers gave Corey a field sobriety test and asked he provide a blood or breath sample. When Corey allegedly replied he should "probably ask for his lawyer" the officer informed him they'd get a search warrant for his blood, and if he did refuse his driver's license would be revoked.

Corey eventually agreed to provide a breath sample, but the report states the breathalyzer at the jail was broken, so Corey allowed his blood to be drawn. The report does not state the results of the blood sample, but Corey was booked for DUI.

Jenelle Evans' first husband suffered an apparent overdose at his home in North Carolina ... and his wife's frantic call to dispatchers is chilling.

TMZ obtained audio of the 911 call Courtland Rogers' wife placed Aug. 28 from their home in Wilmington, and she says Courtland is showing signs of an overdose ... describing him as being naked on the toilet while making concerning gurgling sounds.

Courtland's wife says he locked himself in the bathroom while she was out of the house with their kids ... but she broke down the door to find him unresponsive.

The dispatcher tells Courtland's wife to try getting him off the toilet, and lay him flat on his back on the floor, but he's too heavy for her to move and she resorts to trying CPR.

As Courtland's wife desperately tries to revive him, she screams for him to wake up ... and tells the dispatcher she's unsure what drugs he took and there's no Narcan available to resuscitate him.

Ultimately, paramedics arrive ... and that's when the call stops.

Our law enforcement sources say Courtland survived, and no drugs or paraphernalia were found on scene when authorities arrived.

Corey Harrison, famous for his work on History Channel's hit show "Pawn Stars," was arrested for DUI in Las Vegas ... TMZ has learned.

Law enforcement tells TMZ ... the reality TV star was arrested in Sin City early Friday morning around 1 AM.

Corey Harrison tells TMZ ... he had flown back into town from Minnesota late Thursday and went to check on a few short-term rental properties he manages in Las Vegas.

Corey says he was driving and got pulled over, with the cop telling him it was because he was swerving. He says the officer asked him if he was drinking and he told the cop he had one drink 7 hours ago on his flight home.

Corey says the cop asked him to step out of the car and take a field sobriety test. He says he took the test and asked to take a breathalyzer, but claims the cop told him the breathalyzer was broken.

From there, Corey says the cop handcuffed him, explaining he had failed his field sobriety test. He says he was then hauled off to a police station where he claims another breathalyzer was not working.

Corey says police informed him he would be held in custody all weekend if he did not take a blood test ... and he says they took a blood test and cops released him about 8 hours later.

Robin Thicke looks like he was seeing blurred lines during a night on the town, stumbling into a potted plant ... and wrestling with his fiancée April Love Geary as she tries to get him to leave.

The singer appeared intoxicated Thursday night outside The Fleur Room in West Hollywood, and April certainly thought he was ... as she put it, "his bitch ass is so drunk."

The video picks up with Robin trying to grab a bag from April outside the club entrance, but she breaks away from him and hails a ride ... and then he stumbles on his way back into the club, falling into a bush.

April calls him out for being wasted, and says he's embarrassing them with his behavior ... telling the bouncer to not let him back inside.

Robin continues trying to get his hands on April's phone, for some reason, and they get into a physical struggle on the sidewalk as she pleads for him to quit.

Eventually, a black SUV pulls up and Robin holds April in a bear hug from behind as she struggles to get to the car. Robin is smiling and laughing the whole time, but April's clearly not amused as they finally climb into the vehicle.

Robin Thicke pareciera estar viendo líneas borrosas durante una noche de fiesta en la ciudad, en donde se lo vio tropezar con un arbusto y juguetear con su novia April Love Geary, mientras ella intentaba llevárselo a casa.

El cantante apareció intoxicado el jueves por la noche fuera de The Fleur Room en West Hollywood. En palabras de April, este "bitch ass" estaba súper borracho.

El video comienza con Robin tratando de agarrar una bolsa de April afuera del club. Ella se separa de él, llama a un conductor y luego Robin se tambalea en su camino de regreso al club, casi cayendo sobre un arbusto.

Ahí, April le llama la atención por estar tan borracho y le dice que los está avergonzando con su comportamiento. Al mismo tiempo, le dice al portero que no lo deje volver a entrar.

Robin insiste en su intento de agarrar el teléfono de April, por alguna razón, y se enzarzan en una pelea física en la acera mientras ella le suplica que la deje.

Finalmente, un todoterreno negro se detiene y Robin abraza a April por detrás mientras ella lucha por llegar al carro. Robin está sonriendo y riéndose todo el tiempo, pero a April no le hace ninguna gracia todo el espectáculo cuando por fin se suben al vehículo.

NFL tight end Jimmy Graham can enter the 2023 season breathing a sigh of relief -- TMZ Sports has learned the New Orleans Saints star will NOT face criminal charges following his training camp arrest.

We're told the Orange County District Attorney's Office decided not to move forward with the case due to insufficient evidence ... meaning Graham will not have any potential legal trouble hanging over his head stemming from the Aug. 18 incident leading up to Week 1.

We broke the story -- 36-year-old Graham was arrested near a Newport Beach resort after cops say they observed him walking in traffic. When they tried to take him into custody, he resisted.

We obtained video of Graham prior to the arrest ... showing staffers chasing him as he ran through the resort grounds.

According to the arrest report, officers believed he was under the influence of a stimulant ... but the team said Graham may have experienced a medical episode, as he was taken to a nearby hospital later that night.

Graham was booked on suspicion of being under the influence of a controlled substance and resisting, delaying and obstructing a police officer -- both misdemeanors -- but as of now, he's in the clear.

Graham -- who is making his return to the field after sitting out the 2022 season -- has since rejoined the team and made the 53-man roster.

Jim Tom Hedrick of "Moonshiners" has died ... TMZ has confirmed.

A family member of JT's tells us he passed away Wednesday morning in Robbinsville, NC -- although the exact circumstances are unclear. What we do know, per the relative, is that JT had kidney cancer and was receiving dialysis for a long time.

We're told Jim was in a nursing home for the last year, and photos of him in a hospital bed had been posted in recent months.

A statement from Sugarlands Distilling Co reads, "Jim Tom dedicated much of his life to the art of moonshining, becoming a legend in Appalachia along the way. Jim Tom’s well-earned reputation as one of the most skilled moonshiners in the South earned him a role on the hit television program Moonshiners, where his colorful personality endeared Jim Tom to the hearts of millions."

SDC goes on to say Jim Tom was one of the veteran moonshiners in the area who embraced them when they opened their doors ... and his stamp of approval went a long way.

Jim Tom appeared on several seasons of the long-running Discovery reality series -- which chronicles moonshiners running their illegal booze biz all throughout the Appalachian mountains. He joined during Season 2 in 2012 and stuck around through 2017.

He was known for his unique personality and manners of speaking -- not to mention his storytelling and, of course, his pristine skill at making homemade alcohol out in nature.

He was 82.

Lamar Odom's keeping it in the family ... he hired his son and daughter to work for his substance abuse treatment company, and he treated them to a company getaway.

Sources close to Lamar tell TMZ ... he's focused on strengthening his bond with his kids, and that includes getting his son, LJ, and daughter, Destiny, jobs at Odom Recovery Group.

Lamar's son is a marketing consultant ... we're told he's basically been mirroring Lamar, learning the ins and outs of the company so he can be Lamar's backup when needed.

Meanwhile, Lamar's daughter is a client representative ... she's responsible for taking down patients' information and making sure they're all set up when they start their recovery journeys. We're told both kids even participated in a commercial for the company, which will air on Hulu in various locations.

In recognition of their hard work on the job, we're told Lamar took his newest employees on a little vacation in Orange County, spending a few nights at an oceanfront property in Newport Beach.

Not a bad work perk!!!

The job opportunities and company vacations are all part of Lamar's attempt to reconnect with his kids ... and we're also told they've all been living under the same roof since the end of May.

Lamar definitely needs the help at his company ... Odom Recovery Group keeps expanding, he's added 14 new rehab centers to his portfolio and it's all hands on deck at work, with his baby mama Liza also helping out on the job.

Ex-NFL star Ricky Williams says the league is moving in the right direction by loosening its stance on cannabis in recent years ... but tells TMZ Sports he's hoping Roger Goodell's organization goes one step further by allowing teams to treat players with marijuana after games.

Ricky -- who was suspended five times and missed a chunk of his career for violating the league's substance abuse policy -- believes society is going through a big transformation when it comes to accepting the benefits of cannabis and psychedelics ... and he's hoping the NFL follows suit.

FYI -- the NFL changed its marijuana policy in 2021 ... electing to only test players once a year and handing down less punishment if someone is popped for the drug.

Ricky is thrilled with the league's changed stance on cannabis but feels it would have great benefits for players if they were encouraged to use marijuana instead of pills during recovery.

"I think the next step, though, is at the end of a game, if we're on the plane ride home, the trainer is walking down the aisle and has two capsule cases -- one of Ambien, and the other one of Vicodin," Williams said. "And he's walking down the aisle and saying, 'Do you need any of this, do you need any of this?'"

"And the truth is, for football players, we do need something because it hurts, and you're all revved up and it's hard to calm down go to sleep. And I'd love to see cannabis as being one of those things that the trainer is walking down the aisle and offering to those players."

Ricky -- who legally changed his name to Errick Miron recently -- has been an advocate for the cause for decades ... and is outspoken on the positive effects cannabis had on his mental health throughout his career.

Now, Ricky's own lifestyle brand, "Highsman," is going strong ... and he said the whole experience has been nothing but positive.

Smash Mouth's lead singer, Steve Harwell, has died ... TMZ has learned.

The rock band's longtime frontman -- who was one of the original founding members dating back to 1994 -- passed away Monday morning at his home in Boise, Idaho as a result of liver failure -- this according to his manager.

We're told he was surrounded by family and friends and passed peacefully and comfortably.

TMZ broke the story ... Steve had been in hospice and was given only days to live this past weekend. As such, he was receiving end-of-life care at home with friends/family. We'd been told he succumbed to his health battles over alcohol abuse, among other ailments.

Remember, SH announced he was retiring from performing a couple years ago following a show in which he was found to have been slurring his words and acting erratic onstage.

His passing marks a tragic day for Smash Mouth fans -- of which there are many. His band skyrocketed to fame in the late '90s and early 2000s, on account of their album "Astro Lounge" ... which featured some of their most famous songs, like "All Star."

Of course, their involvement in the "Shrek" film put them on another level of fame -- as did their cover of The Monkees' hit song "I'm a Believer." Around this time, they were huge. Other notable tracks that Steve contributed to ... "Walkin' On the Sun," "Then the Morning Comes," "Can't Get Enough of You Baby," "Pacific Coast Party" and "Why Can't We Be Friends."

Steve dealt with hardships through much of his life -- his infant son died at only 6 months due to leukemia -- and he himself had been diagnosed with illnesses over the years too.

Despite this, he carried on with a smile and did what he loved in music and performing ... bringing joy to many, many listeners throughout his career. Steve was only 56.

Pour out a margarita for Jimmy Buffett, the legendary musician is dead.

The "Margaritaville" singer died Saturday surrounded by his friends, family, music and dogs, according to an announcement posted on his website.

The statement read ... "He lived his life like a song till the very last breath and will be missed beyond measure by so many."

We're told Jimmy had been sick for a while, and he was recently receiving hospice care.

As we reported ... Jimmy was forced to cancel a May show in South Carolina after being hospitalized at the last minute for an issue requiring "immediate attention."

The idol of all parrot heads everywhere, Jimmy was also forced to cancel a ton of gigs in 2022 because of health issues and a different hospital stay. He played Jazz Fest in New Orleans in May 2022 but had not been on stage a lot since.

In addition to "Margaritaville," Jimmy's been cranking out hits since the 1970s with classic tunes like "Come Monday," "Cheeseburger in Paradise," "Volcano," "A Pirate Looks at Forty," "Fins," "Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes" and "Why Don't We Get Drunk" ... just to name a few.

JB also collaborated with Alan Jackson for another huge hit folks love listening to when they pour a drink ... "It's Five O'Clock Somewhere."

Jimmy's brand reached way beyond music and his huge concert following ... he was also the face of the hotel and restaurant chain Margaritaville, and he even turned the experience into a cruise line.

Jimmy was 76.

RIP