Influencers

Jake Paul took matters into his own hands to make sure his girlfriend's wax figure is just like the real thing ... cupping its ass and comparing it to the human Jutta Leerdam right on the spot!!

The Problem Child just posted footage of his visit at Madame Tussauds in the Netherlands this week ... where he got a truly up-close look -- and feel -- of his superstar athlete GF's recently opened exhibit.

Jake walked right up to the figure, squeezed its behind and then turned to the real Jutta ... and proceeded to grab her tush as well.

The Olympian laughed and pulled his hand away ... but you can tell she appreciated his dedication to the cause.

If the video wasn't enough indication that Paul's a big fan of the completed project, he even rapped about it on his newest song, "Witness" ... saying, "Madame Tussaud’s wax figure of my girl do that mean I got 2 oooo?"

Paul and Leerdam have been enjoying their time together in her home country following his big win over Nate Diaz ... and the boxer's even been hitting up her recent training sessions.

Lionel Messi was back on the pitch in Florida for the first time in nearly a month Wednesday night ... and, as has become tradition, celebs flocked to see him -- including Floyd Mayweather and Alix Earle, who got VIP treatment at the game.

The new MLS superstar had maybe his quietest night since joining Inter Miami -- scoring zero goals in a 0-0 tie against Nashville SC -- but A-listers were spotted throughout DRV PNK Stadium in Fort Lauderdale enjoying the GOAT in action nonetheless.

Mayweather and Earle, flanked by NFL superstar Jaylen Waddle, got prime seats and field access as guests of Miami mogul David Grutman.

Ken Griffey Jr. even showed up too ... though he chose to grab a media credential instead of suite seats -- opting to shoot the game with his camera instead of rubbin' elbows in the stands with the stars.

At one point, however, the MLB legend was able to link up with Mayweather -- who was also with friend Lionel Khoury -- sharing an embrace with the boxer and getting in a pic.

Unclear how much facetime all of the celebrities got with Messi -- the soccer player was, after all, busy trying to scrape out another win for his squad -- but everyone was grinning ear-to-ear throughout the night nonetheless.

They'll all have to wait a bit to do it again -- Messi's not set to play in Ft. Lauderdale 'til Sept. 9 now -- unless, of course, they want to fly out to Los Angeles this weekend to see him vs. LAFC.

Popular TikToker Pinkydoll is brushing off accusations she's lightening her skin online, but Vic Mensa thinks the issue is much bigger than just a simple camera filter.

TMZ Hip Hop got the Chicago rapper Tuesday outside Dash Radio, and he shared his insight on the subject -- as it turns out, his new song tackles the very same topic!!!

On "Blue Eyes," Vic lyrically details the internal struggle he had as a kid yearning to be a lighter complexion ... even admitting he yearned to be white, at one point.

Vic doesn't know Pinkydoll, but says he knows her scenario all too well, telling us the dark vs. light skin debate precedes everyone's lifetime ... and Pinkydoll was programmed to follow European beauty standards since birth, whether she's aware of it or not.

Pinkydoll's explanations for her skin color looking so different on TikToK vs. real life have been an all over the place. She blamed it on being in and out of the sun when we spoke to her at LAX -- but on Wednesday's "TMZ Live," she said it was lighting and a filter to make her "look more Japanese."

Vic says he won't cast judgment on Pinkydoll or anyone like her, but thinks it's best for everyone's mental health to learn to love themselves as they are.

The famous TikTok lady you see acting like computer game characters on "LIVE" says she isn't trying to trick anyone into thinking she isn't Black ... despite claims of critics and some visual evidence.

We got internet sensation Pinkydoll at LAX Tuesday, where we asked what she made of people being demonstrably shocked over her recent appearance onstage at the 2023 Streamy Awards ... where she did her whole "NPC" shtick while presenting an award.

If you're unfamiliar ... it's a big fad on TikTok, and other live-streaming apps, where hosts repeat silly catchphrases and mimic a non-player character from video games -- something gamers apparently LOVE watching, so much so, they send her digital gifts and money!

Pinkydoll is easily the most recognizable face in that world lately ... but, as you can see here on camera, she's a dark-skinned African-American woman -- and looks quite different from how she usually does on her NPC livestreams, where her skin's much lighter.

Twitter was perplexed to see Pinkydoll is actually darker in the flesh ... and some accused her of trying to purposely bait people into thinking she's some race other than Black.

She's strongly denying that, though, telling our camera guy she's proud of her melanin -- and she offers an explanation for the obvious skin tone difference. Now, whether you buy it ... that's up to you.

One thing that isn't debatable is Pinkydoll's NPC personality is bleeding over into real life ... watch the video, 'cause it feels like we were talking to a bit of a robot in person.

With that said, she makes clear this profession is paying the bills and then some -- and she's gonna keep doing her thing, even though a ton of wannabes are hopping on her bandwagon.

Mmmm, ice cream ... thanks for the roses! 😋

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

Bryce Hall is riding high after his huge Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship victory earlier this month ... but there's one thing that's still leaving a bad taste in his mouth -- his loss to Austin McBroom.

The internet superstar joined Wyld and Stephanie on the "TMZ Verified" podcast this week ... and while he made it clear he wants to relax for a bit before getting back into fight talks, he said he has an idea of what he wants to do next.

"Austin McBroom again," Hall said. "Even though he doesn't have the draw. I would just say that for my own personal ... like, I know what I can do now."

Of course, Hall fell to McBroom via TKO at Social Gloves' YouTubers vs. TikTokers event back in 2021 ... with the former admitting after the bout that he wasn't much of a fighter.

Things are drastically different now -- Hall is fresh off beating Gee Perez via second-round TKO at BKFC 48 ... and it's safe to say he feels a rematch with McBroom would go in his favor a second time around.

"I can take Austin McBroom again."

There's more -- Hall also revealed some big names hit him up in the DMs after his win over Perez ... including Jake Paul's most recent foe, Nate Diaz, who gave him props for beating a then-undefeated fighter.

Hall also said fellow internet star Deji has been in his DMs ... which is no surprise, 'cause he hasn't shied away from making his intentions known on social media.

TikToker VonViddy has taken his own life ... and his final video to fans is haunting, all about the ups and downs of his life -- talking about how he hopes to be remembered.

Von, whose real name is Joe Muchlinski, died Monday after "losing his long battle to mental illness" ... according to his sister, Martha.

In his final video, posted Sunday, Joe talks about the type of guy he wants to be remembered as, citing his music and comedy as a couple of strong points in his life. He also highlights some of his struggles -- saying he doesn't want folks to remember him "as an addict and an alcoholic who put his family through hell."

He ends his final TikTok by saying how thankful he is for the opportunities he's had over the years ... noting he has an abundance of peace and love for his fans.

Folks in both Joe and Martha's comment sections are sharing their grief for the loss of Joe after Martha's sad news -- one wrote, "Von Viddy we love you. Thank you for all of the laughs. Truly heartbreaking 💔."

Joe garnered over 170k followers and 8.7 million likes on TikTok, sharing his original music and comedy bits since 2020.

He was 32.

RIP.

YouTuber Fousey had a frightening interaction with cops while live streaming ... cussing out officers and being taken in for a mental health evaluation.

Fousey was streaming on Kick Tuesday night at the InterContinental Miami hotel -- you can hear him screaming at a police dispatcher on the phone as someone from his team tries to get him to calm down.

Fousey tells the dispatcher someone's been harassing him, or possibly even threatening to kill him ... and in an attempt to get cops to hurry to his hotel room, he tells them he has a gun pointed at his head and is begging officers to speed over there.

Cops eventually arrive and end up cuffing Fousey after all the ruckus -- and as he calls them "dumb as f***."

Miami PD tells TMZ ... cops did not arrest Fousey, but determined he needed to be brought to the hospital for a mental health evaluation. Sources close to the situation tell us he's been the victim of constant harassment, threats, and swatting -- and it's taken its toll.

The claim of constant harassment seems to be supported, as at least one other streamer was live around the same time and calling the cops on Fousey -- telling dispatch he's armed.

For those unaware, Fousey's fans have been concerned about his mental health lately ... after freaking out when he said the n-word on a live stream marathon earlier this month while rapping along to J. Cole's "Love Yourz."

He claimed it was an accident, and sat down with us on the "TMZ Verified" Podcast, telling us all the reasons why he deeply regretted saying the racial slur.

He also told his followers earlier this month he was going to go to the doctor after his close friends and family wanted him to get a mental health evaluation.

IShowSpeed made his return to YouTube on Friday ... and the popular streamer got real about his infamous wardrobe malfunction -- begging his viewers to stop trolling him over the incident.

Speed was emotional as he got back in front of the camera -- initially going berserk on those incessantly calling him "IShowMeat" ... before calming down and speaking from the heart.

"This is truly an embarrassing f***ing moment for me," said Speed -- who has more than 19 million followers on the platform. "Lately these past days and hours, I've been suffering very mentally, bro. Genuinely, bro."

"At the end of the day, I'm still a human being, bro, and one of my worst fears that I never even wanted to happen."

"This depressing, bro," he added. "You guys don't know the feeling, bro, what I'm feeling right now."

Speed says his viewers can keep mocking him all they want ... but they're missing the bigger picture, as he has younger siblings who found out about the incident.

"Sometimes I ask why this s*** happen."

Despite Speed's pleas, his chat was flooded with steak emojis and other comments throughout his stream ... and at one point, he left the camera to compose himself.

As he tried to go about his gaming, Speed was bombarded with even more trolls as he got on Roblox ... and while some people had encouraging words, he explained there's no one who has been through the same thing.

TMZ Sports broke the story -- Speed was NOT banned from YouTube following the incident ... as the platform told us he would be able to return to streaming despite it all.

As for how his penis got exposed to begin with, Speed explained he didn't have any clean underwear ... so there's that.

Lil Tay is in line for a comeback on the heels of her death hoax ... because there have been significant developments in her mother's custody battle with Tay's dad.

Angela Tian's attorneys Lorne MacLean, K.C., and Fraser MacLean, tell TMZ ... the viral star's father, Christopher Hope, has been ordered to cough up approximately $275,000 in back child support, dating all the way back to 2014.

We're told he'll also have to continue to pay monthly child support going forward -- Tay's only 14.

What's more, the lawyers say Angela has sole decision-making power, Tay's primary residence is now with her mother and she has court authorization to relocate with Tay outside of Vancouver, if she chooses.

Remember, it was Christopher who got a court order in 2018, requiring Tay to leave L.A., return to Vancouver and stop making online content. Now, Angela's lawyers are saying that's changed ... they say the court's orders will help Tay advance her career.

Angela tells us this is a HUGE win for Tay and her, saying the extended custody battle has put them "in a constant state of severe depression." She says Christopher's "disgusting financial motivation" has been a massive weight she's glad is finally lifted.

She continues, "I have been financially ruined fighting for my daughter’s rights and freedom which should have never been taken away to begin with. We have won our case in court and my children and I can finally move on from this nightmare. My daughter can pursue and achieve her dreams on her own terms, and we are finally a happy family again, together."

As we reported, Angela and Christopher had widely different ideas for Tay's career back when she reached the peak of her viral fame, when she was just 8.

Christopher said he wanted a more traditional career path -- stuff like singing and acting. But, with her mom at the helm, Lil Tay might be back online in no time.

TMZ broke the story, news of Tay's death -- posted on her IG last week -- wasn't true at all ... and we were told her account was taken over by someone else. A spokesperson for Meta confirmed it had indeed helped Tay regain control of her account.

We've reached out to Christopher for comment about the custody changes, but he said he had no comment.

We covered Lil Tay's custody drama on the latest episode of the TMZ Verified podcast, available on all podcast platforms.

Heidi Klum's daughter definitely got it from her mama ... looking absolutely stunning in a skimpy swimsuit as she vacations on her father's luxury yacht.

Leni Klum slipped into a tiny blue and orange bikini Wednesday for a boat day in the South of France with her biological dad, ex-Formula One team manager Flavio Briatore.

As you can see, the 19-year-old model has curves for days, proving those Klum genes are strong!!!

When Leni wasn't working on her tan or generally looking hot as hell, she was jumping off the boat into the beautiful blue Mediterranean water ... and it seems everyone on board was having a blast.

Leni being on Flavio's boat is notable too, and not just because of her swimwear.

Heidi's eldest did not have her biological dad in her life for much of her upbringing, though they reconnected a few years back and from the looks of this outing ... they're getting along well.

Mom being one of the most famous and successful models ever means Leni's got some big ... shoes to fill.

Popular gamer and internet personality IShowSpeed showed a lot more than speed during his recent YouTube live stream ... accidentally exposing his junk in front of thousands of viewers.

The super-famous streamer -- who has 19.4 million subscribers on the platform alone -- was playing "Five Nights at Freddy's," when he decided to stand up and thrust in front of the camera as the character "Chica" appeared on screen.

"Oh, Chica, I miss you," Speed -- real name Darren Watkins Jr. -- seemingly said during the stream. "I'm about to f*** you, Chica. Oh s***, this d*** up in you, baby."

But during his excitement, Speed's penis slipped through his shorts ... and he was immediately horrified.

"Oh my God, oh my God," Speed said before appearing to cut the stream short.

It could be bad news for Speed -- YouTube has strict guidelines regarding nudity ... and he could face banishment from the platform depending on how the company interprets the mishap.

As of this post, his account is still live ... but his stream was removed from his page.

The timing is pretty crazy -- Speed just made his big return to streaming after taking a few weeks off to deal with a medical emergency involving his eye.

We've reached out to Speed and YouTube for comment.

Canelo Alvarez says Jake Paul needs to come back down to earth ... praising the Problem Child for what he's been doing in the boxing ring, but making it clear he's got no shot against him in a professional fight.

The 26-year-old former Disney star has been calling out the champ for years -- most recently, Jake said he had his sights set on Canelo after defeating Nate Diaz via unanimous decision earlier this month.

Alvarez -- who initially ripped the Paul bros for having a "lack of respect" for the fight game in an interview with TMZ Sports back in December 2020 -- has since warmed up to the social media superstars getting into boxing ... but when asked if Jake could ever get to his level, Canelo said it's time for a reality check.

"My level is other level," Canelo told Mirror Fighting this week. "But look, I think he needs to enjoy what he's doing, and that's it."

"He needs to calm down and start calling out people with other levels. I think he needs to focus on what he's doing. He's doing good things."

Canelo added Jake should stick to guys like Nate ... saying, "he needs to enjoy that."

Canelo also addressed getting called out by Conor McGregor ... and it sounds like he, too, won't get his wish -- at least for now.

Tan Mom is throwing her hat in the ring to become the next U.S. Senator from the state of Florida.

Patricia Krentcil, the government name we assume she'd use in D.C., filed paperwork Monday with the Federal Elections Commission to officially run for U.S. Senate in 2024.

Tan Mom's Senate campaign comes on the heels of her latest reality TV show, "Tan to 10," a docuseries following her attempt to quit tanning as part of what she calls an "extreme life makeover."

Patricia says she forged a bond with the LGBTQ+ community during her life makeover and she wants to use those connections to spark change in Washington D.C. with her Senate bid.

Tan Mom -- a frequent guest on "The Howard Stern Show" -- is going up against incumbent Senator Rick Scott, so she's fighting an uphill battle here ... but she's already launched her campaign website and is running as a Republican based out of Boca Raton, naming her producers Gregg Maliff and Adam Barta as her campaign managers.

A single mother to 5 children, Tan Mom says her campaign platforms include LGBTQ+ equality and bringing diversity back to the classrooms -- both hot-button issues in the Sunshine State -- and she's aiming to connect with voters during a slew of upcoming community appearances,

Tan Mom tells TMZ ... "I know that I am different. And I have suffered for it. But us all being different is what makes this country so amazing and unique."

Lil Tay really did have her Instagram compromised by someone who used the page to falsely claim she was dead ... Meta tells us they helped get the account back in her hands.

There's been serious doubts about the social media personality's story after it turned out this week's shocking news of her death was all a hoax ... but a spokesperson for Meta says Lil Tay is being truthful about not being able to access her IG.

Remember ... Lil Tay's fake death was announced Wednesday morning on her Instagram ... with the statement saying her "sudden and tragic passing" was an "unbearable loss," and claiming her family was in complete shock.

It appears the alleged hackers didn't stop at a social media announcement ... before the ominous post Wednesday, TMZ was contacted by someone claiming to be a rep for Lil Tay's family with a full press release and said she and her brother had died at their mother's home in Vancouver.

But, when TMZ contacted police in the Vancouver area as well as family members, everyone was totally in the dark.

Lil Tay's family gave us a statement from her Thursday, which said she was very much alive and that, "My Instagram account was compromised by a 3rd party and used to spread jarring misinformation and rumors regarding me, to the point that even my name was wrong."

Tay also thanked Meta for helping to get her Instagram account back, and the phony death statement has since been scrubbed.

A Meta company spokesman confirmed Tay's account, telling us they did help her get her IG back from the hacker.

It will be interesting to see if Lil Tay becomes more active on IG now ... she hasn't posted since June 2018, despite having over 3.5 million followers.

Social media personality Lil Tay is very much still alive -- claiming her Instagram account was compromised -- and used to spread "jarring misinformation" about her and her brother's death.

In a statement provided to TMZ from Tay's family, she tells TMZ, "I want to make it clear that my brother and I are safe and alive, but I’m completely heartbroken, and struggling to even find the right words to say. It’s been a very traumatizing 24 hours. All day yesterday, I was bombarded with endless heartbreaking and tearful phone calls from loved ones all while trying to sort out this mess."

She also says, "My Instagram account was compromised by a 3rd party and used to spread jarring misinformation and rumors regarding me, to the point that even my name was wrong. My legal name is Tay Tian, not "Claire Hope"."

Tay thanks Meta for helping to get her Instagram account back, and the phony death statement has been removed.

What's still unclear is why it took Tay 24 hours to get word out she's alive, especially because she says she was aware her account was hacked ... and was getting phone calls about her "death."

On Wednesday, TMZ contacted police in the Vancouver area as well as family members who were totally in the dark, and knew nothing of her passing. Now we know why.

Tay's fake death was announced Wednesday morning on her Instagram ... the statement said her "sudden and tragic passing" is an "unbearable loss," adding her family is in complete shock.

The statement also claimed her brother died, "Her brother's passing adds an even more unimaginable depth to our grief."

Lil Tay got her fame as the "World's Youngest Flexer" that rapped and showed off a lavish lifestyle across social media. She's garnered 3.2 million followers on Instagram, but hadn't posted on the account since 2018.

You'll recall, Tay was caught in the middle of a nasty custody battle between her parents, Angela Tian and Christopher Hope -- one we were told had been going on in court since 2018, around the same time the influencer went radio silent online.

TikTok star "Uncle Chris" -- famous for the Yeet Baby videos -- is getting treatment in a mental health facility after a difficult several months ... which all led up to his alleged disappearance.

As we reported, Chris Rooney's family went to the cops last week after they couldn't get in touch and feared the worst. A short time later, officers told us Chris had been located safe, but it was unclear what led up to his family's report.

Now, Rooney's family is explaining what happened behind the scenes, saying, "As many of you know, his life the last 6 months has been nothing short of difficult. What you all witnessed leading up to his disappearance was all of his emotions coming to a head."

Those following along with Chris' life likely knew he had recently separated from his wife -- at times talking about it on social media.

What's more, his family says, "Prior to his disappearance he had seen the movie "Sound of Freedom," and like many others, he was sick to his core over it. This prompted him to post links to raise money for the cause of ending child sex trafficking. To many of you this may have seemed odd, but he genuinely wanted and still wants to help this cause."

Chris's family says he wasn't acting like himself, and when they couldn't get in touch with him, they feared the worst ... calling the police to make a missing person's report.

Thankfully, they learned he was in the mental health facility several hours later -- where he remains -- and is getting the treatment he needs.

Chris also released a statement, saying, "Unfortunately, there was nothing anyone could do to help me. It is something that I have to work on and am going to make it my life's mission to not only get myself healthy but also others. If there is one thing I have learned during this time, there are a lot of hurting people in this world and I am going to do everything I can to help them."