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Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene is scheduled to be the next big guest on "60 Minutes" this weekend ... and Twitter sure ain't happy about it.

The controversial Georgia congresswoman was tapped as one of the big interviews on the weekly magazine news program, with none other than Lesley Stahl taking on the challenge of talking to her on camera. The official "60 Minutes" account teased their time together.

Their description of MTG was weirdly flattering ... at least that's how many took it, and it left a lot of folks sour. "60 Minutes" writes of Rep. Greene, "Georgia Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, nicknamed MTG, isn’t afraid to share her opinions, no matter how intense and in-your-face they are. She sits down with Lesley Stahl this Sunday on 60 Minutes."

Of course, political pundits and journos on the bird app have been crying foul for the past 24 hours ... openly wondering why CBS would think it's a good idea to sit down with Greene.

The reason they're asking, of course, is because MTG has, at times, apparently shown support for the Jan. 6 insurrection, displayed transphobia, advocated for a new national secession ... and continued to support President Trump, among many other issues.

For her part, Greene actually signaled that the interview went well ... shouting out Stahl for being a trailblazer in journalism, and for giving her fair questions. MTG wrote, "It was an honor to spend a few days with the legendary icon Leslie (sic) Stahl and talented crew @60Minutes. Leslie (sic) is a trailblazer for women in journalism. And while we may disagree on some issues, I respect her greatly. Tune in tomorrow 7 pm ET on CBS."

A death metal concert became a calamity Friday night after a vicious storm ripped through an Illinois auditorium, killing one person and injuring 28 others.

The packed show at the Apollo Theater in Belvidere, IL, kicked off about 30 minutes before the massive storm rolled into town, causing the roof to collapse onto some of the more than 260 concertgoers.

Morbid Angel, Revocation, Crypta and Skeletal Remains were all scheduled to hit the stage, but the roof came crashing down and people got trapped underneath the wreckage.

Check out video that surfaced online ... showing the aftermath of the destruction during the mad rush to find victims under the debris.

Firefighters responded to a "mass casualty" incident around 7:30 PM.

Belvidere Fire Chief Shawn Schadle announced one person was killed and over two dozen were injured.

Five of the surviving victims were seriously hurt, five others suffered minor injuries, and 18 more sustained moderate injuries. All 28 were hospitalized.

Everyone who attended the performance was accounted for by 10:15 PM.

Economists who suggest California pay $800 billion in reparations to Black citizens are weighing a ton of factors beyond just ancestry ... and the Vice Chair of San Francisco's reparations committee says, all things considered, it's actually pretty fair.

Tinisch Hollins joined us Thursday on "TMZ Live" Thursday, giving us a look at the many things reparations advisory committees take into account while coming up with estimates -- including things like the racial wealth gap, housing discrimination practices such as redlining and loss of property due to race.

While the $800B number was suggested for the state, San Fran is considering a separate payment -- possibly $5 million per eligible person -- and she acknowledges the big dollar figures create "sticker shock" ... for everyone, whether you're pro or against.

As we reported, Gov. Gavin Newsom's been pushing this for a few years, looking to determine how much Black CA citizens could potentially receive in reparations.

Tinisch says it's also important to remember the numbers reflect value, not necessarily cash payouts -- she gave us a couple other ways it could be distributed.

Colleges in China are giving students a spring break mission -- don't just hook up, get to know each other and maybe even fall in love ... as the country's seeing a drastic decline in birth and marriage rates.

Nine colleges, all run by the Fan Mei Education Group, are asking students to use their annual week-long hiatus to "get in touch with nature, and with your heart feel the beauty of spring," and most importantly ... "Go fall in love."

The schools have a heavy focus on romance this time around, although the break's been an annual event since 2019 ... just without the boning angle.

The love-making plea comes at a pretty fitting time -- China's facing massive dips in marriage and birth rates, and the country's been going all-in on getting those numbers back up ... with this college instruction being one of the latest methods.

Many businesses and provinces have reportedly been trying to come up with other effective ways to boost the stats ... like implementing a 30-day paid marriage leave or campaigns looking for city women to hook up with older rural men. We smell a reality show!

Looks like all the schools participating are vocational schools, specializing in aviation -- so go do your homework and join that mile-high club!

The Nashville mass shooter was reportedly torn up over the death of a close friend months before unleashing a murderous attack at a Christian school.

Audrey Hale was totally devastated after Sydney Shere Sims was killed in a car crash in August, former classmate Samira Hardcastle told NBC News.

Hale "definitely admired" Sims as they together attended Isaiah T. Creswell Middle School of the Arts and the Nashville School of the Arts, Hardcastle said.

Maria Colomy, one of Hale's former teachers at another school, recalled that Sims' untimely death was an emotional wrecking ball for her former student.

Colomy paraphrased Hale's social media posts about the accident, stating something to the effect that Sims was "all that mattered" and "I'll miss you forever."

As we reported ... Hale went on a bloody rampage at Covenant School on Monday, fatally shooting three 9-year-old students and three employees in their 60s.

Two Nashville police officers shot and killed Hale on the second floor of the private elementary school.

Cops said Hale penned a manifesto detailing the school attack and identifying other potential targets.

Police Chief John Drake said Hale -- a 28-year-old biological female who identified as male -- was a former student at the school and resented having to attend classes there.

Neil deGrasse Tyson is amused by Elon Musk and others who think AI technology is a threat to humanity ... he thinks the doomsday bunch are watching too many movies.

We got the famed astrophysicist at LAX Wednesday, and he snickered at Musk, Steve Wozniak and 1,100 others who sounded the alarm in an open letter that AI has become a "dangerous race" that could imperil our very existence ... they want a 6-month moratorium on AI development to assess the risks.

The way Neil sees it ... it's nothing new. We have seen the twists and turns triggered by the technological revolution for more than 100 years. When jobs get replaced by machines, people find new jobs. And here's the big point ... if AI eventually takes over all jobs, we can all go to the beach. After all, going to work is not embedded in our DNA, so society could reimagine how humans live.

The beach vs. work ... so who you rootin' for?

The growth of AI technology is going too far too quickly and dangerously -- at least, according to tech giants Elon Musk and Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak ... who've joined a huge group of leaders asking developers to temporarily call it quits.

Musk, Wozniak and more than 1,100 others in the technology industry all signed an open letter from Future of Life Institute ... calling out developers of AI software, because they might not be aware of the "catastrophic" risks that can come with it.

The concerned leaders call the rapid growth a "dangerous race," and they're asking labs to take a 6-month break to allow for further risk assessment on AI. They're also asking the government to intervene if developers refuse to pause.

The signees go on to point out that competing AI labs are pushing hard to develop the best version out there, and might not be aware of what could come from it ... with the eerie possibility that AI could soon no longer need human interference to make its own decisions.

Others standing with Musk and Wozniak are Andrew Yang, the co-founder of Pinterest, professors from across the nation, and loads of AI researchers.

Keep in mind, Elon co-founded the company OpenAI, which created ChatGPT ... one of the leading AI programs currently available to the public. So, if HE wants to slow down AI, it's gotta make you think.

Black Californians are owed upward of $800 billion due to decades of discriminatory and racist practices that set back generations -- so say experts in a formal suggestion.

Gov. Gavin Newsom spearheaded efforts, starting in 2020, to determine what African-Americans in the Golden State might stand to receive if Cali decides to pay reparations ... and this astronomical number is what a group of economists is spitting out.

There's a whole task force dedicated to this issue, BTW ... consisting of state lawmakers focused on 5 key areas -- the taking of property by the government, devaluation of Black-owned businesses, housing discrimination, mass incarceration/over-policing and general health.

Mind you, the economists here considered only 3 of these categories in coming up with the $800B figure -- leaving out property taken and the devaluation of businesses for now -- which means the final estimate could be much higher. In any case, the task force will hear this new total Wednesday and take it under consideration in a scheduled meeting.

Considering there are about 2,537,000 Black residents in California -- based on 2022 U.S. Census numbers -- that would translate to each getting about $315k, more or less. That number could be different, however, based on criteria for who receives reparations.

Those would include being a certain age (18), being a resident of CA for a certain amount of time and being a descendant of an enslaved person and/or freed Black people in the U.S. as of the 19th century ... among other benchmarks, the state of California could set.

Of course, opponents would cite the obvious in pushing back on this -- namely, California was never a slave state. Also, they say taxpayers shouldn't have to foot this kind of bill for practices that were in place a long time ago ... even though Newsom and co. say otherwise.

Now, whether the reparations suggested are actually enacted is a whole other ball game. The task force would need to agree on a final number, and then send it over to the state legislature ... where it would have to be drafted into a bill and passed in both chambers. After that, Newsom himself would have to sign it.

Dramatic new video captured the Nashville mass murderer blasting their way into an elementary school and roaming the halls with an assault weapon before fatally shooting 6 people, including 3 children.

Check out the security footage, released late Monday by the Metropolitan Nashville PD, showing Audrey Hale driving through a parking lot at Covenant Church/School with 2 assault-type rifles and a 9MM semiautomatic.

After parking a Honda Fit, Hale walked up to the school entrance and opened fire at the doors, shattering the glass windows. The shooter then crouched down to slip through one of the shot-out windows to enter the school.

Hale then maneuvered through the hallways with their rifle, wearing military fatigues and a red baseball cap turned backward. Hale opened several doors and entered rooms looking for prey. Throughout the video, you can see lights flashing from the school's alarm system.

Police say Hale fatally shot three 9-year-old students identified as Evelyn Dieckhaus, Hallie Scruggs and William Kinney. Hale also shot and killed three adults in their 60's: Cynthia Peak, a substitute teacher; Mike Hill, a custodian; and Katherine Koonce, the head of school.

Cops responded to the scene after receiving 911 calls. When they arrived, the officers were met by Hale shooting at them from a second-floor window of the school. The police were not injured.

Officers quickly cleared the school of students and personnel and made their way up to the second-floor common area. That's where two cops shot and killed Hale.

Nashville Police Chief John Drake said Hale randomly gunned down people in the school after coming into contact with them.

Drake also said Hale was a former student and resented having to attend the school, which was "why this incident occurred."

The chief also said police recovered a manifesto written by Hale, who detailed preparations for the attack and listed other potential targets. He did not reveal the contents.

A Mississippi meteorologist had a raw reaction to the deadly tornados that just tore through the state -- saying a prayer live on the air ... which has now gone viral.

WTVA 9 News' Matt Laubhan was bringing in weather updates Friday evening as word of massive storms touching down was starting to spread. He was explaining what the city of Amory -- in the northeast part of MS -- could expect to see when he took a pause.

Check it out ... it's pretty shocking to see how he reacts to an incoming tornado that clearly has him concerned. He even pauses and invokes Jesus' name -- asking him to help them.

Even before he said his prayer, Laubhan was getting into the weeds and being fully transparent with viewers -- telling them that while he might predict what's gonna happen, they have to be prepared for the worst. He also pulled up helpful interactive tools onscreen.

His whole broadcast was coming from the heart, and you can see how much he cared about the folks on the ground. It's a humanizing moment ... the Internet certainly appreciated it.

As for the aftermath ... upwards of 26 people are reported dead after tornados tore through much of Mississippi, causing massive destruction. The gusts these tornados came with were at their highest ... going as fast as 166 MPH to 200 MPH. So, a full-blown natural disaster.

A Pennsylvania chocolate factory exploded in broad daylight Friday, killing two people and injuring eight others ... and the images of the blast are just INSANE.

Check out video, obtained by FOX 29 Philadelphia, showing the moment the R.M. Palmer Co. factory detonated as if a bomb went off during rush hour, while cars drove along a highway nearby. A thick cloud of smoke rose up in the air as large chunks of debris flew every which way. It almost looked like a scene out of a Hollywood movie.

West Reading Borough Police Chief Wayne Holben confirmed two people were dead and nine more unaccounted for. Firefighters were combing through the wreckage in the hopes of finding the missing people alive.

Eight victims were rushed to a local hospital. Five were released after treatment and two were admitted in fair condition. Another victim was taken to a different medical facility, but there was no word on that person's condition.

As of this morning, investigators were still looking into the cause of the explosion. Holben said residents were no longer in danger, but urged them to steer clear of the area around where the factory once stood.

Tyre Sampson was only 14 when he fell to his death from an Orlando amusement park ride, and now the company behind the attraction is making a donation in his honor.

Trevor Arnold, attorney for the Orlando Slingshot, put out a statement Friday, which marks the one-year anniversary of Sampson's death ... saying we "will be establishing a $100,000 donation by contributing $20,000 over five years to the "Tyre ‘Big Tick’ Sampson Foundation," which was set up by Tyre's mom to support school athletic programs in his memory.

He continued, "We know this donation is a very small gesture compared to the unexplainable tragic loss of Tyre one year ago today. But, it is our hope that this contribution will bring some comfort to Tyre’s family and serve as a positive reminder of Tyre for those student-athletes it supports."

As we reported ... 14-year-old Tyre died last year after falling from the 430-foot-high Orlando amusement park ride at ICON Park. It appeared Tyre was too big for the ride, yet he was still able to get on.

He was a gifted athlete, with a promising future ahead of him. During a presser, his dad said his football team was number one in the country at the time of his death.

Kayleigh Scott, a transgender flight attendant famous for appearing in a United Airlines commercial, is dead ... and it appears to be a suicide.

The 25-year-old was found dead Monday in her Denver, CO apartment ... the same day she posted on social media about planning to end her life.

In the Instagram post, Kayleigh wrote ... "As I take my final breaths and exit this living earth, I would like to apologize to everyone I let down. I am so sorry I could not be better. To those that I love, I am sorry I could not be stronger. To those that gave me their everything, I am sorry my effort was not reciprocated."

The post was flooded with comments from concerned fans, with many saying they were calling police in Denver to conduct a welfare check.

Kayleigh's post also continued ... "Please understand that me leaving is not a reflection of you, but the result of my own inability to turn myself for the better. To Ashley, Cynthia, Regine & Sophia. I am so sorry. Please remember me for the good memories we have shared, and never for my downfall. I will see you all again on the other side."

Her sister, Ashley, commented on the IG post confirming Kayleigh's death.

Kayleigh famously shared her transition story in a 2020 United Airlines commercial for Trans Day of Visibility ... thanking the airline for helping her transition.

Police in Denver are investigating ... and the city's medical examiner will determine an official cause of death.

Kayleigh was 25.

RIP

Stephen Smith's mom fired off a letter to the FBI about the mishandling of her son's death investigation, saying he was murdered for being gay and naming Buster Murdaugh as a possible suspect.

Sandy Smith sent the 4-page letter to the Federal Bureau of Investigation in 2016, hoping the agency would take over the case from local South Carolina authorities, whom she believed had covered up critical evidence in the case.

As you know, Stephen was found dead in the middle of a country road in Hampton County near the Murdaugh family estate on July 8, 2015. Police initially thought Stephen's death was a "homicide" because there were no signs he'd been struck by a vehicle. Yet, the pathologist who performed the autopsy ruled that it was a hit-and-run, but Stephen's manner of death was left undetermined.

In the letter, obtained by FITSNews, Sandy wrote Stephen's older brother, Christopher, was told by a classmate that Buster Murdaugh allegedly killed Stephen with a baseball bat because Stephen was gay. Buster is the eldest son of convicted killer Alex Murdaugh, who is serving life in prison for murdering his wife and younger son.

Sandy said Buster and the classmate were smashing mailboxes around town when they came upon Stephen, and Buster "seized the opportunity."

Sandy also claimed Buster threatened to kill the classmate if he spoke out about what happened. The information was allegedly turned over to local investigators, but nothing ever materialized.

What's more, Sandy said Stephen was apparently dating "someone from a prominent family in the county who was hiding his sexuality." But, Stephen kept the person's name under wraps.

Sandy alluded to a secret romance between Buster and Stephen in the letter. The same allegation was highlighted by their former schoolmates in a recent Netflix series about the Murdaugh murders.

And then there's this ... Alex Murdaugh's brother, Randolph, called Stephen's dad immediately after his son's death, asking to work the case pro bono and act as an intermediary between the Smith family and police, according to Sandy. Randolph was the county solicitor at the time.

Sandy said Stephen's father accepted the offer, although he was confused as to why Randolph wanted to help and how he found about the case before his son's body had been identified. But, Sandy said, Randolph stopped calling her family after a few interactions and wound up not representing them.

In a recent twist, South Carolina Law Enforcement Division officials announced they're now investigating the case as a homicide.

As for the feds, it's not clear if they acted on Sandy's letter and looked into Stephen's death.

Stephen Smith -- the 19-year-old who was friends with Alex Murdaugh's son Buster and died 8 years ago -- was not killed in an accidental hit-and-run ... officials now say it was a homicide, and the change of heart has a link to the recent Murdaugh murder case.

The 19-year-old was found dead in the middle of a South Carolina road nearly 9 years ago.  At the time authorities called it a fatal hit-and-run, despite glaring evidence it was foul play. Among the evidence -- there were no car parts found at the scene, and Stephen's body had no injuries below the torso.

The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) announced they're reopening the case and investigating it as a homicide ... this based on new info they say they've gathered from the Murdaugh double murder case that just wrapped 2 weeks ago.

Unclear what exactly they've found or who it implicates ... but there's been widespread suspicion Alex Murdaugh's surviving son, Buster -- who was a former classmate of Smith's -- was possibly involved with him.

Buster addressed the speculation about him and Smith ... saying, "These baseless rumors of my involvement with Stephen and his death are false. I unequivocally deny any involvement in his death, and my heart goes out to the Smith family."

Smith's death case had actually been reopened in 2021, but SLED says they held off on announcing anything new until now due to the massive amount of attention on Alex Murdaugh's own murder case ... wanting to avoid ruining his chances at a fair trial. Now that he's been convicted, the word is out.

Smith's mother, Sandy, has been beating the drum about her son for quite a while now ... privately raising money to get his body exhumed/reexamined for a new autopsy.

The attorney for the family of the 19-year-old who was found dead years ago near Alex Murdaugh's home is telling us exactly why he won't accept the simple hit-and-run theory surrounding his death -- he believes it's cold-blooded murder.

Attorney Ronnie Richter joined us on "TMZ Live" Tuesday, making it clear Stephen Smith's mother is determined to get justice for her son, and the first step is exhuming Stephen's body for clues.

Ronnie ticked off a number of facts that clearly point to murder -- Stephen's body from the torso down had no injuries, there were no car parts found at the scene, his shoes were still on, he supposedly walked 3 miles in the dark without ever using his cell phone ... and there's a lot more.

As for looking into any possible Murdaugh connection, Ronnie isn't jumping to any conclusions the disgraced lawyer's family was involved ... although he's keenly aware the case was reopened as authorities were deep into the Murdaugh murder investigation. By the way, Stephen's body was found near the Murdaugh home.

Murdaugh's surviving son, Buster, knew Stephen and there have been rumblings in town the 2 had some sort of relationship. Buster released a statement Monday dismissing the rumblings and denying any involvement in Stephen's death.