Netflix

"Selling Sunset" is getting an upgrade ... the real estate office from the Netflix show is carving out a bigger footprint, and taking over the space next door.

Our sources tell us The Oppenheim Group's flagship office in West Hollywood -- where the streaming series shoots all the office banter -- is expanding, and construction is already underway.

As you can see, scaffolding is up in front of the office building adjacent to the current "Selling Sunset" HQ ... and we're told the Oppenheim bros are taking over the property and knocking down a wall to make the current office bigger.

Tourists and locals driving past the office, which sits on the Sunset Strip, might have noticed a ton of activity there this week ... with movers and construction crews hard at work.

Office supplies are being boxed up and carried out. but we're told it's just to clear the space for the renovations and expansion.

It appears new signage may be part of the office facelift ... the current sign has vanished, at least for now.

We also got "Selling Sunset" star Romain Bonnet at Sunset Plaza and asked him about the expansion .... and he told us he's helping oversee construction on the new and improved office.

Remember, Romain's a project manager on the show and is also married to another cast member, Mary Fitzgerald.

The Oppenheim Group office has been the backdrop of the hit Netflix series for all of its 5 seasons ... and it's since become a tourist attraction.

"The Last of Us" fans are talking about a new stand-out actor in the season finale -- a giraffe from the Calgary Zoo might be shopping for an agent after making its acting debut!

TMZ has learned the giraffe used in the episode is a 13-year-old bull Masai giraffe who normally resides in the Canadian zoo, where goes by "Nabo" ... and his big moment on camera came in a pivotal scene.

Diehard fans of the post-apocalyptic series will recognize the scene as a recreation from the original video game -- Joel played, by Pedro Pascal, and Ellie, played by Bella Ramsey, stumble upon the beautiful creature, and it becomes a moment of pure bliss.

We're told Nabo is one of many giraffes at the Calgary Zoo, but he is the tallest resident to roam the establishment ... so, maybe that's why he got the nod.

He seemed to be a star in the making because his birth was well-documented and celebrated back in 2015 at the zoo.

Our sources say the scene was actually filmed at the zoo, which makes sense, considering the show is mainly filmed in Alberta, Canada.

We can assume their new costar made it a breeze for Pedro and Bella to get into character for the scene.

D.L. Hughley is pushing back against folks who say Chris Rock deserved to be slapped by Will Smith for making fun of Jada Pinkett Smith ... he finds the narrative extremely ironic.

The comedian ripped into The Root's Candace McDuffie, who went on CNN and claimed Chris had it coming after years of targeting Black women with his jokes, saying she's got it all twisted.

D.L. says Chris isn't punching down on marginalized women, as Candace believes, but rather making fun of celebs who put their business out in the streets ... he says it's all fair game.

The irony for D.L. ... Candace thinking the violent slap was justified while a comedic response goes too far, and everyone's allowed an opinion except for the man who actually got smacked in the face on live TV.

Joe Exotic says the hit Netflix series surrounding his life is the worst thing that's happened to him, because it made the public believe he tried to kill Carole Baskin -- and yet, he's forgiven everyone, including Carole, as he faces the possibility of dying in prison.

We spoke to Joe Friday, he called in from federal prison in Fort Worth, TX ... and said what "Tiger King" became is what ruined his life. He says all the content he filmed was for a separate project -- years before 'TK' -- and after that producers used his interview, and added everyone else in the series to create a fake "conspiracy to kill Carole."

He says it was all done to get TV ratings, and he maintains he's the innocent victim of that production plot.

As we reported, Joe's currently battling cancer that's believed to have spread from his prostate to his bladder ... and as he faces his own mortality -- he recently signed a do-not-resuscitate order -- he says he's found a way to forgive Carole and even Jeff Lowe.

When it comes to Carole, Joe chalks their rivalry up to good business maneuvers -- he says it's common in the animal rescue industry -- and admits both he and CB benefitted from going after each other.

Joe gave us some insight into his day-to-day behind bars -- saying depression is yet another struggle for him. He also says he's shacked up with some interesting characters over the years ... including cartel leaders and Ted Kaczynski, AKA the Unabomber.

As for what's next, he says he's still holding out hope he'll be released from prison, and wants to tie the knot with his fiancé Seth Posey. He also talked about the fact he's officially running for President in 2024 as a Libertarian, and told us why he's the man for the job ... even though he's behind bars.

Donnell Rawlings says there are no winners in the Chris Rock and Will Smith beef ... and he's hoping Chris' recent response will finally put an end to the saga.

We got Donnell at Gelson's Tuesday and asked him about Chris finally addressing the Oscars slap in his Netflix special, which Donnell says should even the score.

Donnell, who is super close with Chris, is slamming the folks who didn't like the way Chris joked about the incident ... claiming it was old news by now. He says no one has the right to put a timeline or restrictions on how comedians can respond.

Of course, some folks are pissed at Chris ... like The Root senior writer Candace McDuffie, who feels Chris had the slap coming to him following years of jokes she feels targeted Black women like Jada Pinkett Smith.

Donnell thinks anyone who has a problem with Chris' jokes is insane, because as they say ... they're just jokes. He's also not buying the theory jokes incite violence on any particular group.

As for Will, DR says he should be able to take a joke because Chris was able to take the slap.

While Donnell tells us Chris and Will have yet to speak to each other, he's hoping they can both get closure on the matter ... after Chris' verbal "clap back."

Chris Rock can, and should, joke about whoever he wants -- especially after being slapped by Will Smith -- even if some feel it's at Jada Pinkett Smith's expense ... according to 2 fellow comics.

We talked to Bill Bellamy and Jeff Dye Tuesday on "TMZ Live," and both defended CR's right to joke about the sitch, even if he did so somewhat mercilessly during his latest Netflix special ... which is now drawing the ire of some Black women.

Candace McDuffie, a senior writer for The Root, went so far as to suggest Chris actually had the slap coming to him after years of jokes she feels targeted Black women.

That's not how Bill and Jeff feel about it, though ... they're squarely on Chris' side, with BB telling us the dude used his own platform and creativity to address it as best he could, without violence.

Plus, there's the financial benefit -- Netflix paid a boatload for his "Selective Outrage" special.

But, even on the issue of whether Chris has it out for Jada and/or Black women ... Bill says he doesn't believe that to be the case. He says Chris takes shots at everyone, and sometimes certain groups might catch a stray.

It's nothing personal, just the business of being funny ... that's Bill's perspective anyway.

Now, Jeff -- who's hosting our new game show, "Who the Bleep Is That?" -- was a bit more forceful in his repudiation of suggesting Chris deserved what he got ... saying such a notion is insane, and disavowing the idea of anything or anyone being off-limits in comedy.

Chris Rock deserved to be slapped by Will Smith at the Oscars last year, and he may even be due for another round -- so suggests one writer who focuses on Black issues.

The Root's Candace McDuffie -- a senior editorial staffer for the G/O Media-owned online publication -- came on CNN to discuss the aftermath of Chris' Netflix special ... where he eviscerated Will and Jada Pinkett Smith for the hit seen around the world in 2022.

According to her, Chris was simply being held accountable by Will at the time for attacking a Black woman -- which McDuffie says is part of a larger pattern in this country, and which she says Chris has been guilty of in his comedy even before targeting Jada's alopecia.

As for how she feels about Chris' response nearly a full 365 days later ... well, the way she's talking here -- it almost sounds like she's just as angry with Chris yet again, saying he called Jada out of her name (he didn't once say her name, but did call her a "bitch" and refer to her as a "predator" in the special). In McDuffie's eyes, CR hasn't learned his lesson.

Don Lemon ever-so-gently pushed back on McDuffie, asking how she would respond to people who might say she's advocating for violence with this take ... and that Chris should, perhaps, be afforded a pass since he was going after Jada/Will in a stand-up comedy environment.

Her final thought is this ... as much pain as Will was in during the Oscars slap -- which Chris also addressed -- McDuffie feels like Chris was hurting just as much during his own special. She says there was more rage and resentment than there was humor ... from her POV.

Of course, this view isn't exclusive to McDuffie. There are many online who feel like Chris had the slap coming -- and even more who aren't happy that he continued to tear Will/Jada down for the sake of retribution and a laugh. On the flip side, just as many loved it.🤷🏽‍♂️

Jeff Ross says Chris Rock is walking away with the 'W' in the Will Smith Oscars slap saga -- and he commends his friend doing so without using his hands, just a silver tongue.

We got the comedian Monday in L.A. after he'd flown back from Chris' live special in Baltimore ... and he said the whole event was just as epic as it looked and sounded on TV.

Jeff, the famed roast master, says Chris got the better of Will and Jada Pinkett Smith in the end ... and he's pretty high on how Chris handled it, even if it did take a year to address. However, he points out the special touched on a lot more than just the Smiths ... and he was impressed by its overall message.

He did have a fave bit, BTW ... the one about Beyonce and Jay-Z, which he says might be the joke of the year. We can't do it justice here -- you gotta see the special -- but it's basically about Bey being so hot she could get Jay no matter what her job was. Not so much for him, though.

Rock addressed the elephant in the room Saturday night during his live Netflix special, "Selective Outrage," leaving no doubt that he's still pissed at Smith for smackin' him on live TV as the world watched.

The comedian launched into the segment this way...“You all know what happened to me, getting smacked by 'Suge' Smith, everybody knows, everybody f--king knows. I got smacked like a year ago… And people are like ‘Did it hurt?’ It still hurts. I got ‘Summertime’ ringing in my ears.”

But, don't ever ask Rock to sit for an interview with Oprah Winfrey or Gayle King 'cause he ain't doing it. “I’m not a victim baby, you will never see me on Oprah or Gayle crying. You will never see it…. It’s never going to happen. F--k that s--t, I took that s--t like Pacquiao" -- a reference to boxer Manny Pacquiao.

Rock also compared his situation with Smith to David and Goliath. He said Smith was a lot bigger than him and even played Muhammad Ali in a movie. "You think I auditioned for that? I played Pookie in ‘New Jack City.’ I played a piece of corn in ‘Pootie Tang,'" Rock joked.

Then Rock skewered Smith's wife, Jada, accusing her of doing something "f--king lowdown" by having an affair with her son's friend -- and then discussing it with her husband on her Red Table Talk.

Rock said, "We’ve all been cheated on, everybody in here been cheated on. None of us has ever been interviewed by the person who cheated on us on television… Why the f--k would you do that s--t? She hurt [Will] way more than he hurt me."

Continuing along those lines, Rock said, "Everybody called [Will] a bitch. And who’s he hit? Me! A n**** he know he can beat. That’s some bitch ass sh--!”

Rock said he didn't strike Smith back "because I’ve got parents! And you know what my parents taught me? Don’t fight in front of white people!”

The funnyman wrapped it up with...“They say, ‘words hurt.' You gotta watch what you say because ‘words hurt.’ Anybody who says ‘words hurt’ has never been punched in the face."

Sounds like Will still has more work to do to patch things up with Chris.

Kelsea Ballerini and Chase Stokes are making public appearances as a couple now, and they're all smiles about it ... despite her messy divorce drama with Morgan Evans.

KB and CS hit up the New York Rangers game Thursday night at Madison Square Garden ... and during their time in the stands, Chase grabs her by the chin for a kiss ... real romantic stuff.

The couple seems to be in great spirits -- while we've seen them all over each other at LAX, and havin' a great time at a Nashville honky tonk ... this is the first time they've both gone to a public event as a duo. That we know of, at least.

Of course, Kelsea being on cloud 9 comes on the heels of some serious turmoil between her and her ex-husband. The drama didn't end when she and Morgan called it quits last year, because Kelsea dropped an album on Feb. 14 about the end of their marriage.

What's more, she went on the "Call Her Daddy" podcast last week -- digging deeper into her side of what she saw as a nasty split, blaming him for forcing her to do stuff like give up half the house or cough up alimony.

As we reported, her recent comments got a public response out of Morgan, who said she's leaving out "what really happened."

He kept things pretty vague, but there are reports Kelsea cheated on Morgan back in 2019 with The Chainsmokers member Drew Taggart. Kelsea allegedly told Morgan about it in 2021, which led to the divorce.

Obviously, it's become a messy situation, but Kelsea and Chase still look pretty happy!

Hold your tomatoes -- Tom Brady is NOT pursuing a full-blown second career in stand-up comedy, but the recently retired NFL superstar might still be making people chuckle at his expense in the future, TMZ Sports has learned.

Sources with direct knowledge tell us ... recent reports of TB12 wanting to venture into the funny business are bogus. The 7-time Super Bowl champion is, however, in talks with Netflix to be the center of a roast special ... with a working title, "The Greatest Roast of All Time."

It's a bummer for anyone who wanted to see more of Brady dancing and singing like he did in his "Saturday Night Live" monologue in 2005 ... but for now, his focus is on being with his family before joining Fox Sports in 2024.

As Brady previously said, he will spend his year off "catching up on other parts of my life that need some time and energy" before honoring his 10-year, $375 million broadcasting deal.

Christina Applegate was a standout at the SAG Awards Sunday ... not because of her nomination --- but because of her courage.

The awesome actress -- if you have any doubts, watch "Dead to Me" -- is dealing with her multiple sclerosis diagnosis, and showed up with a cane with a powerful message.

As she entered the Fairmont Century Plaza in Century City, CA with her 12-year-old daughter Sadie, she was clutching a cane with the initials, "FU MS."

Christina was up for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series ... she said earlier this month it likely would be "my last awards show as an actor probably, so it's kind of a big deal."

As we reported, Christina revealed her multiple sclerosis diagnosis back in 2021 ... calling it a "strange journey," but one she's on with the support of others that share her condition.

She also dragged the disease late last year when she got her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame -- flashing her painted nails with "FU MS" emblazoned on them.

Unfortunately, Christina didn't take home gold at the SAG Awards, but the outpouring of support she's been receiving has been heartwarming.

Joe Exotic has apparently made up his mind -- he will die behind bars and refuse further treatment -- because his medical team believes his prostate cancer spread to his bladder.

In a letter obtained by TMZ, Joe says he's recently had a lot of blood in his urine and has been bleeding a lot during his prostate cancer treatments. Joe met with his urology specialist Wednesday who thinks Joe's cancer has spread to his bladder.

While Joe says his specialist wants him to go through some testing to be 100%, he's decided he won't seek treatment, writing, "I want to stay here and just let it take its course.”

It's unclear just how much longer Joe has to live, but he makes one thing very clear -- he won't stop his fight for justice, saying, “The world has to know just how corrupt our justice system is … If I have to be the one to die innocent in here fighting for the truth maybe people around the world will finally speak up for the truth for once.”

TMZ broke the story, Joe recently wrote up a new will, leaving everything to his fiancé, Seth Posey, who he met over the internet.

Joe's clearly still got Seth on his brain, ending his most recent letter by saying, "I could care less about dying, my birthday is coming up soon and all I want is to see Seth.”

Get ready "Outer Banks" fans ...  the Netflix hit is back for a 3rd season, and we've got a behind-the-scenes sneak peek ahead of all the antics from the cast.

As expected, Chase Stokes is returning to the teen drama series as John B. Routledge -- aka ringleader of the Pogues gang -- along with Rudy Pankow as JJ Maybank.

The cast seemingly took plenty of time to hang while on breaks from shooting ... posing like old friends in a series of photos we've obtained.

Madelyn Cline will be making a comeback as Sarah Cameron and Jonathan Daviss will return as Pope Heyward ... ditto Carlacia Grant as Cleo, who will now be a regular on the show.

By the looks of the BTS pics, the cast was sure to mix in some fun while working all those hours to deliver the drama to fans.

Netflix has already announced some new faces in the cast, including Andy McQueen, Lou Ferrigno Jr., and Fiona Palomo.

Josh Flagg isn't backing down when comes to calling out the "Selling Sunset" crew -- and while he admits they might have actual real estate licenses, he insists they're still far from the real deal!!

The 'Million Dollar Listing' star joined "TMZ Live" Tuesday to dig deeper into his ongoing beef with Jason Oppenheim's Netflix crew. Josh fired the first shot, claiming the 'Sunset' folks were mostly bogus because they didn't have licenses.

Josh cleared the air with us ... saying whether or not they have licenses isn't really the issue, it's more about their selling prowess, or lack thereof.

He proudly pointed out the folks on his show "actually make a ton of sales," and have been doing so for a long time.

JF says the "Selling Sunset" team just needs to be transparent, and in his mind, that means telling the audience they're NOT about real estate ... they're about drama and entertainment.

Ya want real estate, he says check Bravo for 'MDLLA.'

Of course, Oppenheim himself told us there's no real beef with Josh despite his opinion of the show, and Josh didn't deny that. Instead, he clarified there's no animosity behind his remarks, just brutal honesty.

Josh Flagg doesn't think all of the stars on 'Selling Sunset' are legit real estate agents, and a few ex-cast members are weighing in ... along with Jason Oppenheim, who's at the center of this.

ICYMI ... the 'Million Dollar Listing' star posted a video reviewing the most cringe moments from season 5 of 'Sunset' -- and based on his snarky commentary, it's clear Josh doesn't think too highly of the hit Netflix reality show.

If his words weren't clear enough, his caption was ... "If you’d like to watch a real estate show with licensed agents, make sure to watch last nights episode of MDLLA on @peacock. If you want to watch actors pretend to be agents, tune into my newest YT video (Link in bio) where I review Selling Sunset. @estatemediala."

None of the agents currently on 'Sunset' have said anything just yet, but 2 former ones -- Christine Quinn and Maya Vander -- did, and they seem to agree.

Vander says she definitely had her license when she was on the show, while Quinn doesn't say one way or the other. However, she's squarely on Josh's side about the real focus of 'Sunset.' She responded, "The joke is on y'all if you think Selling Sunset was ever about Realestate."

CQ later clarified who on the show has licenses, from what she knows -- she name-dropped Maya, Davina Potratz and Chelsea Lazkani, and added she wasn't sure about the extras.

Now, we got Oppenheim himself to chime in on this too ... and he downplayed the apparent animosity between Josh's show and his own, telling us they're really good friends and that this was nothing but some light ribbing that's not meant to be taken seriously.

He also definitively said that all of his agents have their licenses and that everyone knows that. To be frank, we're not so sure Josh agrees. If he does, he's doing a great acting job in his attack on Jason's show.

Like we said, none of the current cast members have directly responded to Josh's insinuation some of them aren't licensed agents.