Met Gala

A private jet carrying Chris Brown was forced to make an emergency landing in Burbank yesterday after the cockpit filled with smoke after takeoff ... TMZ has learned.

We've confirmed ... Brown boarded a Gulfstream 3 jet in Burbank and was headed for Teterboro, NJ ... so he could attend the Met Gala event.

But sources tell us ... roughly 7 to 8 minutes into the flight, everyone on board began to notice smoke filling the plane.

One source told us, "It was A LOT of smoke ... everywhere."

The pilot immediately turned the plane around and performed an emergency landing back at Burbank airport.

We're told the passengers were scared ... but the pilot was cool, calm and collected ... and couldn't have handled the situation better.

Here's the crazy part -- after the plane touched down, Brown decided he STILL wanted to get to the Met Gala event in NY ... and boarded ANOTHER private jet within an hour of touching down.

Brown eventually made it to Teterboro ... but he didn't make the Met Gala event. However, he DID make it to an after-party, where he arrived with a smile (see picture above).

Question is ... would YOU get back on a plane after an emergency landing?

Hows this for flattery -- Rihanna just tweeted a pic of Nicole Richie with a caption that reads, “This bitch makes me throw up" ... and she meant it AS A COMPLIMENT!

RiRi was commenting on a recent pic of Richie sporting a short grey hairdo (see below) -- taken at the Met Gala, where the theme was "punk."

So how does the vomit comment translate to a compliment? Turns out, Rihanna meant the outfit was "sick" -- in a good way -- and she even included the hashtag, "#bestdressed."

So there ya have it ... next time someone says you make them feel queasy -- just say "thanks."

Tom Brady made a bold statement with an absurd new hairdo last night -- I don't care what I look like because my wife is an absurdly hot supermodel!!

Last night at the Met Gala in NYC, Tom -- alongside Gisele Bundchen -- debuted a monstrosity of a 'do we're dubbing the POMPA-HAWK (half pompadour, half mohawk)!

We're guessing Gisele is the evil genius behind the pompa-hawk, which is fitting ... because you'd have to have Gisele on your arm, and Tom's face to even attempt this hairstyle.

So, we gotta ask ...

Vogue editrix Anna Wintour and Katy Perry were also among the party crew spotted in the pics posted on Pharrell's blog -- as for Stedman, he was nowhere to be seen.

Brooke Shields is squaring off against Kiefer Sutherland ... and it's getting ugly fast.

Shields' reps tell TMZ the man Kiefer headbutted Monday night in no way did anything to Brooke that would have warranted the alleged attack.

As we reported, witnesses say Proenza Schouler designer Jack McCollough knocked Brooke to the ground at an after-party for the Met Costume Institute Gala in NYC Monday night. But Brooke's rep says "nothing happened to her," adding "Jack did nothing inappropriate. It's not clear what caused Kiefer to do what he did."

Witnesses say Kiefer went up to Jack and demanded he apologize to Brooke. Jack allegedly pushed Kiefer and Kiefer then headbutted Jack.

But Brooke's reps tell us Jack, who designs clothes for Brooke, "did absolutely nothing to her."

But here's where the plot thickens. We asked the rep, "Did Jack touch her?" Their response -- "We don't know."

We're told Brooke will be interviewed by cops Wednesday.

Stay tuned ...

Law enforcement sources tell us Kiefer Sutherland headbutted a man in New York City Monday night, causing lacerations on the man's nose -- all while defending the honor of one Brooke Shields ... so he says.

It happened at an after-party for the Met Costume Institute Gala Monday night. We're told witnesses say the alleged victim -- Proenza Schouler designer Jack McCollough -- allegedly knocked Brooke Shields over and Kiefer saw it happen. The witnesses say Kiefer went over to the man and told him to apologize to her. At that point they say McCollough pushed Kiefer and the actor responded with a headbutt.

A police report was taken and the incident is under investigation.

Complicating it for Kiefer -- he's on probation in L.A. for a DUI, and one of the terms is that he obey all laws. No word on whether L.A. prosecutors will pursue the matter.