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Jada Pinkett Smith admits she had a relationship with August Alsina, but takes issue with his claim Will Smith gave permission ... because she and Will say it wasn't necessary, at that time.

Jada and Will sat down for her "Red Table Talk" show which streamed Friday on Facebook and admitted Jada did, in fact, have an "entanglement" with August around 4 and a half years ago ... after Jada and Will had quietly separated. At the time, Jada said she thought the separation was going to be indefinite and didn't think Will was ever going to talk to her again.

In that time, Jada says she and August -- with whom the Smiths were good friends -- started dating. She said initially it was about August's health and trying to help him heal.

As for August's claim, Will gave Jada his blessing ... that's not the case because the only person that could give permission is Jada herself and, remember, she and Will were separated. Near the end of their convo, Jada said she never felt this was a transgression, either.

They laughed and even invoked one of Will's famous lines when they said, in unison, "We ride together, we die together. Bad marriage for life."

As we reported ... August not long ago sat down with The Breakfast Club's Angela Yee and said he had been in a relationship with Jada after being introduced to her by her son, Jaden, in 2015. August said it lasted quite some time.

An NC racetrack owner is being called "horrific", "shameful" and even a downright racist ... and it's all because he advertised the sale of "Bubba Rope" in the wake of NASCAR's noose incident.

Here's the deal ... Mike Fulp, a 55-year-old who owns 311 Speedway in Stokes County, NC -- threw up an ad on Facebook earlier this week for "Bubba Rope."

In the post -- which has since been deleted -- Fulp wrote, "Buy your Bubba Rope today for only $9.99 each, they come with a lifetime warranty and work great.’’

The ad was immediately hit with backlash ... with people outraged over the insensitivity, considering everything Bubba Wallace had just gone through regarding a garage rope pulldown at Talledega Superspeedway over the weekend.

A spokesperson for NC Governor Roy Cooper ripped the post apart in a statement to the Winston-Salem Journal, saying, "This incident of racism is horrific and shameful."

"North Carolina is better than this.''

Hundreds of people also took to social media to blast Fulp ... calling him a racist and threatening to boycott his track's events.

Multiple attempts to reach Fulp for comment by multiple news outlets have been unsuccessful.

Per the Winston-Salem Journal, NAACP officials are now looking to see if bringing criminal charges against Fulp over the post is a possibility.

"It is horrible that someone would post something of that nature," Reidsville NAACP chapter president Jeff Crisp said. "It's just absolutely unnecessary in these times of tension."

An event at Fulp's 311 Speedway, titled "America We Stand" on Facebook, is still scheduled to take place Saturday night.

Customers inside a Target store were sent running for their lives after a man intentionally drove his car into the retail giant, planted fake explosives and live streamed himself in the act.

It all went down in Hammond, Louisiana Friday where cops say Walter Allbritton III used his SUV to plow through the front doors of the store before crashing into a register. A man recording the crash immediately ran through the Target warning other customers to run and get out.

Allbritton went live on Facebook to record the crash and allegedly dropped a fake explosive device in the store once his vehicle stopped.

The incident triggered a massive police response and after arresting Allbritton, cops allegedly found fake explosive devices at multiple other scenes around the area.

He's been hit with a ton of charges including terrorism, attempted aggravated arson, aggravated assault with a vehicle and manufacturing and possession of a delayed action incendiary device.

Sean Reed's father is afraid his son's police-involved shooting death will be swept under the rug, and the officers who opened fire won't be held accountable.

Sean's pops, Jamie Reed, tells TMZ ... he is afraid his son's name is being overshadowed by all the attention surrounding George Floyd and the nationwide protests, and fears it could spell doom in his quest for justice.

Mr. Reed makes it clear he is NOT knocking the protests or outrage over Floyd's death. However, it's been more than a month since his son was gunned down in Indianapolis, while live streaming, and he's concerned Sean's case isn't getting the spotlight it deserves.

Jamie hopes people won't forget Sean was shot dead by Indy cops, because if attention on the case fades, it will be too easy for the officers involved to quietly get off the hook.

Sean's dad says his son's case helped kick-start the country's renewed focus on police brutality, and he sees it as a big reason why people are once again looking into alleged police brutality and corruption.

Sean's father hopes his son's legacy will be the reason for fundamental change in the Indianapolis Police Department, and other PDs across the country, and he's encouraged by the fact there are still protests and gatherings at the scene of Sean's death.

Oprah Winfrey wasn't supposed to be the commencement speaker for this year's graduates, but she's trying to inspire the Class of 2020 to rise above their unprecedented circumstances.

O addressed high school and college graduates across the U.S. Friday as part of Facebook's plan to honor graduating students in lieu of physical ceremonies, which have been canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Oprah acknowledged this is not the graduation any of them envisioned but said that's what makes them special ... heading into a real-world filled with even more uncertainty than usual.

She tells them ... "Never has a graduating class been called to step into the future with more purpose, vision, passion and energy and hope."

Friday's event was hosted by Mindy Kaling and B.J. Novak and also featured appearances by DJ Khaled, Cardi B, Awkwafina, Lil Nas X, John Mayer, Matthew McConaughey, Miley Cyrus and many more.

Oprah's inspirational for sure. If we can offer a few words of our own ... with every crisis comes opportunity. There will be new ways of living, conducting business and socializing. For graduates who had plans that were torpedoed by the virus, figure out where there's a hole in the marketplace -- where you can provide a service of value. The reality in crisis ... ingenuity usually rules.

Barack Obama's slated to speak Saturday, and it all leads up to National Graduation Day on May 17.

An NBA photog claims LeBron James stole his picture and posted it on social media without permission ... and now, the guy is PISSED, suing the Lakers superstar looking for payment.

The photographer's name is Steven Mitchell ... and he says back on Dec. 13, 2019, he shot a SICK photo of LBJ dunking on Meyers Leonard in a Lakers vs. Heat game in Miami.

The problem? Mitchell says he noticed LeBron took the image shortly after the game and threw it up on his Instagram and Facebook pages without Mitchell's consent.

Some photogs don't mind the publicity ... and Bron was clearly appreciative of the art, captioning the pic, "What.A.Time.To.Be.Alive and I’m LIVING with Pure Joy! Thank you 🏀."

But, Mitchell clearly wasn't happy LeBron didn't reach out first ... and now, he's suing the NBA legend.

According to court docs obtained by TMZ Sports, Mitchell is asking for any cash LeBron might have made off the post. Alternatively, Mitchell's seeking up to $150k for each time Bron used the pic.

Dope pic, though.

We reached out to Bron's camp for comment -- so far, no word back.

Ninja, ZeRo, Ronda Rousey???

Yep, the WWE Superstar just inked a deal with Facebook Gaming ... and Rousey is set to stream exclusively on FB.

Ronda made the announcement on Thursday ... saying, “Gaming has always been a huge part of my life, and I can’t wait to share that passion with my millions of fans on Facebook Gaming. Through my streams, people can hang out with the real me, not the ‘character’ version of myself they’re used to seeing, though the ‘Rowdy One’ can’t always be contained.”

“In recent years, games have been a great way for me to keep my mind active when my body is too sore or tired to move."

"One of my favorite gaming memories happened when I was 11 years old and encountered an Articuno on Pokemon Blue for the first time. I was awestruck and thought she looked like an angel," Rousey says.

"Looking back at that same image now, I’m amazed how powerful our imaginations can be and how gaming encourages us to imagine what our reality could be instead of just accepting it for what it is—a skill that has helped me in my fighting and entertainment careers countless times.”

Facebook has been heavy into gaming lately ... signing some of the biggest gamers to 7-figure deals -- and they obviously see Ronda as someone with a huge audience and credibility as a gamer.

Remember, Rousey is in Mortal Kombat 11 ... where she plays the iconic character, Sonya Blade.

Mark Zuckerberg has more money than one could ever possibly spend, but he's still pinching pennies ... and his hunt for a bargain brought him to Costco.

Check out this pic of the Facebook founder and CEO in the TV aisle of the budget store in Mountain View, CA ... it's not exactly the place you'd expect to find a multi-billionaire. He seems to be in the market for a monitor.

Seems Zuck's just like the 99 percent -- aside from his estimated net worth of $77.7 BILLION -- looking for a deal during a holiday shopping spree.

Most members of the three comma club would send an assistant to handle such pedestrian tasks, but not Mark ... instead, he's rolling up his sleeves and braving the outside world with his wife, Priscilla Chan.

No word if Mark and Priscilla also hit up Ross Dress For Less -- there's one in the same shopping mall -- we're guessing they got their fill of bargains at Costco.

Justin Trudeau's mea culpa over his blackface scandal continues, but this time he's saying sorry face-to-face ... to a much younger audience.

The Canadian Prime Minister was a guest on a Facebook Watch show called "New Mom, Who Dis?" where he was asked questions by a small group of school children ... including a couple uncomfortable questions from black twin girls.

One of the twins first asks Trudeau why he painted his face brown, and he responds by admitting it was the wrong thing to do because it hurt people ... and he's learned that now.

But, then the other twin asks a follow-up -- "But, did you paint your nose and your hands brown?"

Trudeau says "yes" and repeats it was wrong and hurtful, and apologizes to all the kids and people he hurt. He also says he's used this as a teaching moment for his own kids ... urging them to be respectful toward each other and not tease or discriminate.

Mark Zuckerberg is rallying his Facebook troops for what he believes will be war with Sen. Elizabeth Warren ... IF she makes it to the White House.

Zuck laid out his battle plan during a July meeting with Facebook staffers ... according to The Verge, which obtained this audio. During the chat, Zuckerberg says Warren is out for blood, and wants to break up companies like FB, and ... "If she gets elected president, then I would bet that we will have a legal challenge, and I would bet that we will win the legal challenge. And, does that still suck for us? Yeah."

The face-off with Warren is over the 2016 election interference ... and it's clear Zuckerberg believes she's not ready to let it go -- even though the Federal Trade Commission already hit FB with a $5 billion fine.

Sen. Warren's already firing back at Zuckerberg, saying she wants to fix the "corrupt system" that allows his company to engage in "illegal anti-competitive practices."

The guys who got millions of people hyped about storming Area 51 this month are telling their tinfoil hat-wearing followers to STOP -- and just get weird with them in Downtown Vegas, instead.

We spoke to Matty Roberts and Frank DiMaggio on "TMZ Live" -- they're the original Facebook event planners who are now organizing a free music festival instead of an illegal raid -- and the two of 'em explained why they had to change up their viral plans.

ICYMI, Matty's Facebook page amassed over 2 million people, who said they were down to break into the mysterious military facility come September 20. Of course, they were going to be met by the heavy hand of the law if they did ... so the chiefs reconsidered.

Instead of an assault on the premise, Matty and Frank decided to bring people together over music instead -- initially planning a festival in neighboring Rachel, Nevada.

Well ... those plans fell through too. MR and FD say the people they thought would be providing infrastructure in the middle of nowhere had gone AWOL, so they wisely decided to relocate closer to the Earthlings(ish) of Sin City. You can tell in this clip they're trying to avoid becoming Fyre Fest 2.0 ... Mojave Desert edition!

Mark Zuckerberg's summer of Man vs. Wild 2019 is in full swing up in Lake Tahoe -- where he's now a boating captain ... with a little assistance from the crew, of course.

The Facebook founder and CEO was at one of his two new Tahoe waterfront estates Saturday -- properties he reportedly dropped around $60 mil for this past winter -- and Zuck was getting briefed on a new operating system ... it's called HowToSteerVessels 2.0™.

Eyewitnesses tell us Mark and some pals were being taught how to steer this boat, and that he even got behind the wheel at one point as it drifted away from the dock.

It must've been a successful outing, 'cause we're told Mark and co. had the boat out on the water for a few hours before returning to shore. Now, it's unclear if MZ owns this thing -- it's possible he's just learning how to drive on it and someone was doing him a favor.

Ya gotta imagine when he gets it down, he'll shell out for something a bit nicer -- dude's worth an estimated $66 billion, after all. He can afford to be among Tahoe's finest, no doubt

It's interesting too ... Mark's been getting in the water A LOT over the past year or so, including what look like some cool ventures there in Tahoe this summer as well. He posted a photo last month of him paddle boarding on the lake and taking in a gorgeous sunset.

If you're one of the 1 million-plus people planning on storming Area 51 later this year -- you might wanna rethink that ... 'cause it ain't gonna be a walk in the park.

Law enforcement sources in the Nevada area -- where the notorious U.S. Air Force base is located -- tell TMZ that all the agencies that need to be aware of a potential raid on the premises are briefed and prepared for folks who might wanna try something come September.

The viral Facebook event caught fire last week with more than a million RSVPers who say they're down to head out there on Sept. 20 ... in hopes of learning the truth about alleged captured aliens on the base. 

We're told the right people are monitoring all this online chatter about a potential raid, and the way the powers that be see it -- anyone who tries to follow through will be met with serious obstacles.

First and foremost, we're told anyone who commits a crime in or around Area 51 -- including trespassing -- will be arrested and prosecuted to the fullest extent of local and military law. Our sources also tell us local cops will work together to curb any attempts to even wander near Area 51 property .. and they're prepared to use non-lethal force, such as tear gas and pepper spray.  

There are also natural hurdles folks will have to overcome. The route to get to Area 51 follows a narrow two-lane highway about 3 hours outside of Las Vegas ... and the terrain is rough to say the least. It's not really suited to withstand tens of thousands of cars. 

If cops and the landscape don't stop ya, the desert critters just might -- the terrain surrounding Area 51 is full of snakes, scorpions and other dangerous animals.

Jada Pinkett Smith is coming clean about one of her past addictions ... she says she couldn't stop watching PORN before starting a relationship with Will Smith.

Jada made the stunning revelation in Monday's "Red Table Talk" episode ... opening up about her "unhealthy relationship" with porn and saying she couldn't get enough adult videos when she was single and trying to practice abstinence.

The 47-year-old actress started talking porn with her daughter, Willow, and mother, Adrienne Banfield Norris, at the start of the show as they were all getting ready together backstage ... gotta be an awkward convo for any family.

Willow asks her momma if her porn fixation came from an emotional place ... and Jada says that's exactly what happened. Jada, who's been married to Will for almost 22 years, says she was feeling an emptiness when she got hooked on porn.

Monday's talk was about the effects of porn on relationships ... and Jada says she used to watch some hardcore videos she says were "profoundly disturbed."

Jordyn Woods feels her life is ruined because she's no match when it comes to the wrath of the Kardashians ... so she went to Jada Pinkett Smith because she felt she'd get a fair shake to tell her story.

Sources tell TMZ ... Jordyn believes the Kardashians -- especially Kim -- can break her in every way -- professionally, socially and monetarily. We're told she's been "despondent" since we broke the story she hooked up with Tristan Thompson. She feels like she has a Scarlet Letter plastered on her forehead.

As for going to Jada ... Jordyn is like family to the Smiths ... she calls Will her uncle. She feels Jada is one of the most nonjudgmental people she knows, and she has a huge platform on the "Red Table Talk" Facebook show.

We're told Jordyn wanted to tell her story and express her regrets.

How's the LAPD celebrating that Rams victory over the Saints? THEY'RE TALKING TRASH!!!

Right after that controversial ending in the NFC championship game, the LAPD reached out to their Nawlins counterparts on social media with some epic smack talk over that non-pass interference call that cost the Saints the game.

"Sounds like our friends at [The New Orleans PD] might be dealing with some robbery complaints after the #LARams⁠ ⁠defeated the @Saints," the LAPD said on Twitter.

"We would help investigate but A) it’s outside our jurisdiction, and B) we just don’t see enough evidence of a crime."

Translation -- SUCKS TO BE YOU!!

That's not all ... some people in New Orleans are so pissed off about the referee situation, that a local optometrist is offering free eye exams to all NFL zebras!

"We will GLADLY provide no cost eye exams to all NFL officials prior to next season to prevent the atrocity that occurred tonight," Louisiana Family Eyecare posted on its Facebook page.

"We would hate for someone else to feel our pain."