NYC Councilman Erik Bottcher Diddy Losing Key to the City a 'No-Brainer'

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SHOULD BE A NO-BRAINER
TMZ.com

NYC Councilman Erik Bottcher is taking a far more direct stance than Mayor Eric Adams regarding Diddy's key to the city -- he wants to yank the honor, and stat.

Erik jumped on "TMZ Live" Wednesday, and said taking away the honor is a "no-brainer" in the wake of the Cassie beatdown video. EB says Diddy has no right to be in the company of Nelson Mandela ... the Nobel Peace Prize recipient who received a key back in 1990.

The Councilman says, "It would be bad enough if it was just the video, but [Diddy] put out a statement before accusing these women of lying, accusing them of looking for a payday. So, it's despicable and consequences need to follow."

Graceland Judge Blocks Auction ... Lending Co. Drops Claim on Elvis' Estate!!!

update

12:35 PM PT -- Now it's a total victory for Riley Keough ... as Naussany Investments and Private Lending has withdrawn all claims on Graceland, with prejudice -- meaning it can't be refiled.

In a statement, the company said it meant no harm to Riley ... who's insisted all along that the alleged loan to her mother was a total fraud.

Elvis Presley's Memphis home is staying in the family ... a judge just blocked the scheduled auction of Graceland by approving the restraining order Elvis' granddaughter, Riley Keough, requested.

Michael Schumacher Family Gets $217k Settlement ... Over AI Interview

The family of Formula 1 legend Michael Schumacher received a substantial settlement from a German magazine recently ... being awarded a $217,000 check after the publication printed an AI-generated interview with the former Ferrari driver and tried to play it off like the real thing.

As we previously reported, Die Aktuelle ran the controversial cover story back in April 2023 ... claiming it secured the first feature with Schumacher following his 2013 ski accident that resulted in a serious head injury and left him in a coma for months.

At the very end of the article, the outlet fessed up to the interview being fugazi ... but that didn't stop the seven-time champion's family from taking legal action.

According to ESPN, the family confirmed the payout from Die Aktuelle's parent company, Funke Media Group.

Following the backlash, Funke fired the editor-in-chief in charge ... and apologized for the error of judgment.

Of course, Schumacher has lived a private life following the ski accident ... which is why the feature story was so surprising at first glance. He hasn't been spotted in public in more than a decade.

KILLER WHALE Body Slammed on Video

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SEA SLAM

A New Zealand man thought it would be a brilliant idea to body slam a killer whale -- but the stunt was not only dumb but also seriously irresponsible, and he's now paying the price.

Check out the clip -- the man goes full WWE ... launching himself off a boat near the coast of Auckland and landing inches from an adult orca and its calf.

As you can see ... the 50-year-old daredevil, who hasn't been identified, yells out in delight he touched the orca and eagerly asks his boatmates if they caught his wild encounter on camera.

TMZ TV Hot Takes Riley Keough Fights Graceland Foreclosure ... Cam'ron, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. & Kyle Busch

Another big day of stories ... and we've got the best clips from our shows to catch you up. Check out the hottest takes from Tuesday.

TMZ Live

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FIGHTING FORECLOSURE
TMZ.com

First up on "TMZ Live", Harvey and Charles break down Elvis' granddaughter, Riley Keough, fighting the foreclosure sale of Graceland.

REP. JASMINE CROCKETT Hawking MTG Insult Merch!!! Calls Out Oversight Chair

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CHECKING THE CHAIRMAN
TMZ.com

U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett isn't holding back, still ... she's putting the House Oversight Committee Chairman in checkmate after she clashed with Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene over their physical appearances.

Speaking to TMZ Tuesday, Jasmine says she's lost hope for MTG, who hurled the "fake eyelashes" jab that set off last week's epic Congressional spat -- but as for Chairman James Comer's call not to boot Greene ... she's taking major offense to that.

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CAT FIGHT !!!

JC says she's all about following the rules in Congress and expects her fellow legislators to do the same -- which is why she was disappointed to find out Rep. Comer was sticking by his decision to give Greene a pass.

LaMelo Ball Sued By Young Hornets Fan's Fam ... Allegedly Drove Over, Broke Kids Foot W/ Car

LaMelo Ball and the Charlotte Hornets are at the center of a new lawsuit filed in North Carolina ... after a woman claims her 11-year-old son tried to get an autograph from the NBA star, but was left with a bad injury instead.

The alleged incident went down on October 7 after the Hornets were beaten by the Boston Celtics at Spectrum Center in Charlotte ... when Angell Joseph waited near the player exit, hoping to get a moment with the 22-year-old hooper.

Instead of stopping and signing for the young fan, Angell's mom, Tamaria McRae, says LaMelo just drove off ... and in the process, ran over her son's foot, breaking it.

Diddy Sued By Former Model Who Claims Drugging, Sexual Assault

Diddy is facing yet another lawsuit filed by a former model who claims the disgraced mogul enticed her with promises of career advancement, but she claims his plan was far more sinister.

Crystal McKinney claims in the suit, obtained by TMZ, in 2003 -- when she was 22 -- she was invited to a Men's Fashion Week event at Cipriani Downtown in NYC. She met Combs at the event and he invited her back to his studio.

She says shortly after their arrival, Combs and several colleagues were drinking Hennessy and passing around joints. She took a hit, which she said was "very powerful," and felt as if she was floating. She claims the joint had been laced with a narcotic or other drug.

Ex-'Southern Charm' Star Kathryn Dennis Arrested for DUI

UPDATE

12:23 PM PT -- Berkeley County Detention Center just released Kathryn Dennis' mug shot.

Kathryn Dennis is facing some serious legal trouble after getting busted Monday night for driving under the influence in South Carolina ... TMZ has learned.

Cops in Goose Creek, SC booked the former "Southern Charm" star after they say she was involved in a 3-car collision. In documents obtained by TMZ, a responding officer described Kathryn's alleged state at the accident scene as appearing impaired with "glossy eyes and an odor of alcohol coming from her person."

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BEFORE THE DUI

This is her first offense with drinking and driving ... though it isn't her first run-in with the law.

Derek Chauvin Hit with $9M Lawsuit ... Allegedly Used George Floyd Force On Woman

Derek Chauvin -- the disgraced police officer convicted of murdering George Floyd -- is facing new troubling allegations that sound painfully similar to what the world witnessed nearly 4 years ago.

In documents obtained by TMZ ... a woman named Patricia "Patty" Dawn Welch Day claims Chauvin and Ellen Jensen, another Minneapolis police officer, used excessive force on her during a January 2020 incident.

Patty alleges Chauvin and Jensen "violently yanked" her from her vehicle without justification and threw her to the ground -- which she says caused her to fracture her tooth, injure her arm and shoulder, and sustain other injuries ... all before being handcuffed.

Rapper Cam'ron Interview With CNN Goes Sideways ... Diddy-Cassie To Blame

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WHO BOOKED ME FOR THIS ???
CNN

update

11:30 AM PT -- A source familiar with the situation tells TMZ … Cam'ron's rep was fully aware and briefed about the segment and topic ahead of his interview on CNN NewsNight with Abby Phillip.

9:53 AM PT -- Cam'ron isn't apologizing for his behavior during last night's wild CNN interview.

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CHESS NOT CHECKERS
It Is What It Is

On his "It Is What It Is" sports show he cohosts with former Bad Boy rapper Ma$e, the Harlem rapper said CNN only contacted him to talk BS, so he gave them just that -- a BS interview!!!

Cops: Rashee Rice Alleged Assault Victim No Longer Wants To Press Charges

The photographer who initially accused Rashee Rice of assault now no longer wants to press charges against the Kansas City Chiefs star, according to the Dallas Police Department ... but an investigation remains ongoing.

The photog first alleged that Rice clocked him during an altercation outside of Lit Kitchen in Dallas on May 6 ... but the DPD said in a statement he recently signed an affidavit of non-prosecution.

It doesn't necessarily mean Rice is now in the clear -- the DPD said a probe into the allegations is still moving forward -- although a case against the NFLer now no doubt got substantially more difficult to prove.

GRACELAND Elvis' Home in Foreclosure ... Riley Keough Cries Fraud, Fights Sale!!!

Elvis Presley's granddaughter, Riley Keough, is fighting tooth and nail to prevent Graceland from being sold in a foreclosure auction -- a move she claims is based on fraudulent documents.

Riley -- who inherited Graceland from her late mother Lisa Marie Presley -- filed docs to block the foreclosure auction of the historic Memphis property, which is set to go down in just 2 days.

The notice of the sale says the foreclosure is based on Lisa Marie having signed docs to borrow $3.8 mil from a company called Naussany Investments and Private Lending, and she apparently used Graceland as collateral.

Julia Fox Slams Diddy Assault Video ... My Heart Goes Out to Cassie

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I FEEL FOR CASSIE
TMZ.com

Julia Fox is vocalizing her support for Cassie in the wake of the Diddy assault video ... sounding deeply disturbed while discussing the triggering footage.

We caught up with the actress on the streets of NYC Monday, where she weighed in on the Diddy-Cassie saga ... which had a major update last week. As we reported ... hotel security footage from 2016 surfaced on CNN Friday, showing the rap mogul beating on his ex.

Diddy has since apologized for the incident, calling it one of the darkest times of his life ... but JF isn't showing him so much grace -- instead slamming the whole thing as "disgusting."

Charlamagne Tha God Diddy Apology Nastier Than DeLeón Tequila ... Wishes Cassie Had A Gun!!!

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JUST SORRY YOU GOT CAUGHT
The Breakfast Club

Charlamagne Tha God, Jess Hilarious and DJ Envy of "The Breakfast Club" are showing Diddy no mercy for his "apology" for assaulting Cassie -- and they think he's only sorry because he got caught!!!

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NO EXCUSES

Diddy's apology video -- posted Sunday morning -- earned him "Donkey of the Day" from Charlamagne on Monday. CTG's angry reaction included him advocating for Cassie's 2nd Amendment rights, wishing she had been armed and ready in 2016 when Diddy assaulted her in the hotel hallway.

'Breakfast Club' was simulcast for years on Revolt, the Diddy-cofounded platform, prompting some viewers to accuse the hosts of showing favoritism ... claims they shot down along with Diddy's credibility during the segment.

Diddy Can't Say Cassie's Name in Public ... Barred by Settlement

There are lots of reasons to drag Diddy over his video apology -- the public outrage is still fresh over what he did to Cassie -- but when it comes to him not saying her name in the mea culpa ... there's a legal reason he couldn't.

As you know, Diddy and Cassie reached a settlement one day after she filed her sexual assault lawsuit against him in November -- and sources familiar with the agreement tell TMZ ... it includes a very strict NDA, which prevents both of them from speaking about each other in public.

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NO EXCUSES

You'll notice -- since the release of the 2016 beating video -- you have not seen or heard Cassie trashing Diddy, as you'd expect.