Artificial Intelligence Existential Threat to U.S. Democracy ... Expert Urges Action!!!

051723_gary_marcus_kal
THE DANGERS OF AI
TMZ.com

Artificial Intelligence poses some serious risks and could potentially threaten the very fabric of our democracy ... so says AI expert Gary Marcus, who is urging Congress to implement strong guard rails.

Gary joined us on "TMZ Live," a day after he testified before Congress ... warning about the future of AI machines and urging them to take local, national, and global measures.

051723_gary_marcus_senate
GROWING CONCERNS

Having worked extensively with AI, he feels morally responsible for warning the public about the risks ... and there are plenty. He agreed some genies are already out of the bottle -- all the more reason to slow the technology with regulations.

Gary says that while some large language models are here to stay, chatbots pose a serious threat. He emphasizes that this technology has the power to influence ways of thinking and manipulate users ... and that boils over to the political realm and threatens our democracy.

051223_fake_cnn_kal_v2
MAKING FAKE NEWS

Remember, even former President Trump shared a doctored Anderson Cooper clip from the CNN town hall. That one wasn't AI, but it makes you wonder how much worse it could be if someone used AI to distribute misinformation. Of course, some of this tech has already infiltrated the music industry.

Gary says it's only a matter of time before these machines surpass us humans ... so the time to act is now.

Elon Musk Corrected by Twitter After False Statement About TX Shooter's Neo-Nazi Ties

Not even Elon Musk can escape Twitter's community notes -- aimed at dispelling misinformation and lies on the platform -- though one note, correcting Elon himself, has seemingly disappeared.

The Twitter honcho sat down with CNBC Tuesday in an interview that's making a lot of noise ... namely because of what Elon falsely stated about the gunman who killed 8 people at an outlet mall in Allen, Texas earlier this month.

It was widely reported, and confirmed by The TX Dept. of Public Safety, that the shooter had neo-Nazi tattoos and beliefs, and wore a patch that said, “RWDS,” an acronym for Right Wing Death Squad.

However, Musk claimed to CNBC, "there's no proof he is" a white supremacist and, "We should not be ascribing things to white supremacy if it's false."

One Twitter user noticed Elon's gaffe, and posted the CNBC clip with the caption, "Musk doubles down on his claims that there's no evidence the Allen, Texas mall shooter had white supremacist beliefs."

051723_elon_musk_kal
DOULBING DOWN
CNBC

That tweet was quickly flagged by Twitter community notes, with a footnote that read, "Texas police have confirmed that Allen mall shooter "had neo-Nazi tattoos and beliefs" and wore a patch signifying "right wing death squad."

While the community note was present Tuesday night, it had been deleted by Wednesday morning ... though it's unclear why, or if Elon had anything to do with getting it removed, as it only served to correct something he falsely stated.

San Francisco Shoplifter Shooting Video Shows Moment Alleged Thief Is Killed ... No Charges Filed

051623-WALGREENS-KAL
SHOT BY SECURITY
San Fransisco D.A.

A security guard fatally gunned down a shoplifter at a Walgreens in San Francisco ... and the entire violent encounter was captured on surveillance video.

San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins released the footage Monday to show why she declined to bring charges against Michael Earl-Wayne Anthony for killing Banko Brown at the store on April 27 in what Anthony says was self-defense.

The video starts off with Anthony blocking Brown -- carrying a bag of alleged stolen items -- from exiting the store. Anthony then goes after Brown, repeatedly punching him and placing him in a chokehold.

At one point, Anthony lifts Brown off his feet and throws him to the floor, getting on top of him as the two thrash around. Finally, Anthony lets him up, prompting Brown to grab the bag of merchandise and start for the exit. At the door, Brown whirls around and appears to make a move at Anthony, who then pulls a gun and opens fire, killing the alleged thief.

Anthony told cops that he ordered Brown to give back the stolen goods, but Brown refused and became aggressive. He also told police Brown threatened to stab him, although it was later determined Brown did not have a knife. Anthony said he ultimately shot Brown after he thought Brown -- upon turning around at the exit -- was going to take a run at him.

D.A. Jenkins clearly believed Anthony's story of self-defense because she did not charge him with a crime and released the security footage, police reports and witness accounts to prove to the public that she made the correct decision.

But not everyone was convinced.

Shamann Walton, a member of the SF Board of Supervisors, issued a statement, calling Brown's death an execution and questioning whether there was any perceived threat.

'Godfather Of Poker' Doyle Brunson Dead At 89

Doyle Brunson, best known as "The Godfather of Poker" and one of the most dominant figures in the game, has died.

Brunson passed away Sunday, according to his agent, Brian Balsbaugh. His cause of death was not disclosed.

Balsbaugh posted a statement to Twitter from Brunson's family ... "It is with a heavy heart we announce the passing of our father, Doyle Brunson. He was a beloved Christian man, husband, father and grandfather."

The message continued, "We’ll have more to say over the coming days as we honor his legacy. Please keep Doyle and our family in your prayers. May he rest in peace."

Brunson was affectionately named 'Texas Dolly' after the press misinterpreted a similar nickname, but the label stuck. With his unique moniker, Brunson won 10 World Series of Poker tournaments, second only to Phil Hellmuth's 16 victories.

The Texas-born, cards competing icon also secured back-to-back world championships -- in 1976 and 1977 -- and was later inducted into the 1988 Poker Hall of Fame.

Brunson was the first player to ever win $1 million in poker tournaments, earning him the “Godfather” title. He also penned a popular book called, "Super System," which detailed poker strategies and was instrumental in luring people to the game.

At his last poker championship in 2016, Brunson came in sixth, but his poor performance did not stain his reputation as arguably the best player ever.

His influence even touched those beyond the poker world. Actor James Woods tweeted in part, "This one is a heartbreaker. Doyle Brunson, the greatest poker player who ever lived, has cashed in his chips. A gentleman and a genuine legend."

britney art 2
TMZ INVESTIGATES

Brunson was 89.

RIP

Donald Trump Posts Fake Anderson Clip ... Trump Ripped CNN a 'New Ass****!!!'

051223_fake_cnn_kal_v2
MAKING FAKE NEWS

Donald Trump's piling on CNN in the wake of his town hall by posting a doctored clip of Anderson Cooper saying Trump owned CNN during the event ... but with far more colorful language.

Trump is clearly relishing the fact CNN is getting tons of blowback from the left for giving him a platform -- and he spiked the football with this fake video of Anderson reacting to the end of the town hall. As the crowd roars for Trump, you see Anderson say "That was President Donald J. Trump ripping us a new ass****."

Put politics aside, for just a moment, and the clip is pretty hilarious. However, it's also a stark reminder of just how petty and self-congratulatory Trump can be.

Trump didn't produce the spoof -- it was uploaded by YouTube user, "Borg Clone" -- but the ex-prez clearly endorses the message ... which is that Trump's getting the last laugh on the network that hosted him.

051223-anderson-cooper-kal
WHAT WAS THAT
CNN

As we reported ... Anderson Cooper, the real one, addressed the backlash against CNN by saying viewers shouldn't wall themselves off from Trump, or any politician, just because they hate their policies or personality.

We're sure Anderson still stands by that, but Trump's sophomoric showboating has gotta make it a little harder.

Anderson Cooper Blasts Trump While Defending CNN ... After Town Hall Outrage

051223-anderson-cooper-kal
WHAT WAS THAT
CNN

Anderson Cooper's bashing former President Donald Trump for "disturbing" behavior and remarks during CNN's town hall -- but he's also responding to the waves of people dragging the network for giving Trump a platform.

He addressed the outrage Thursday night as tempers continue flaring over Wednesday's town hall by calling out Trump's "lie after lie after lie," and inappropriate name-calling toward moderator, Kaitlan Collins, amongst other shocking moments.

Cooper acknowledged the anger toward CNN, saying people have every right to never tune in to the network again -- but then defended CNN by pointing out a cold, hard truth: Whether you like it or not, DT is the Republican frontrunner for president, and shutting out someone because you don't share their beliefs just isn't a healthy reality.

As you know, many called for CNN to boot Trump from their network ahead of Wednesday night's town hall -- especially after he was found liable this week in his battery and defamation trial with E. Jean Carroll.

051023-donald-trump-kal
THEY'RE INFECTED
CNN

As for why CNN viewers, or Trump haters, shouldn't look away -- Anderson says the roaring applause during some of Trump's bombastic comments should strike fear in people, as he says it was a sampling of roughly half the nation.

For what it's worth, the town hall drew more than 3 million pairs of eyeballs -- way higher than CNN's typical viewership around the same time, so the country was definitely watching it all go down. For better or worse.

Massive Peloton Recall 2.2M Exercise Bikes Seat Posts Breaking, People Gettin' Hurt!

Peloton has issued a MASSIVE recall on its ever-popular exercise bikes ... because instead of people breaking a sweat during a workout, some are breaking bones.

The company ordered the recall Thursday of about 2.2 million of the PL01 model ... according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, the seat posts can break while users take a ride, creating a serious fall risk and other injury hazards.

Peloton says there have already been 35 reports of the seat post breaking and detaching during use, with 13 reports of injuries like a fractured wrist, bruises, and even cuts due to folks falling off the bikes -- yikes.

For those unaware, this isn't Peloton's first time recalling products ... it did the same in 2021 for 125K treadmills following children-related injuries, and even one that tragically died.

121221_ryan_reynolds_kal_1 12/12/21
"TAKE ANOTHER RIDE"
Peloton

The company had to do damage control after "And Just Like That..." featured the shocking death of Mr. Big while riding a Peloton, which obviously isn't a great look. In response, they poked fun at the whole thing with a pretty cheeky ad campaign.

Peloton's lookin' more and more like a dangerous game ... maybe it's time to take a hike, literally.

Elon Musk Makes Play for Don Lemon on Twitter After Tucker Carlson Launch

Elon Musk is making a push to land a Don Lemon show on Twitter, just as Tucker Carlson's started his own show on the platform -- and Elon's goal seems to be balancing right and left.

Elon made his pitch to Don Wednesday morning with a tweet inviting him to do a show on the bird app. He included a dig at CNN's ratings, saying, "Maybe worth a try. Audience is much bigger."

The move comes after Tucker's Tuesday video tweet, announcing he'd be launching a "new version" of his TV show on Twitter -- a move that was quickly welcomed by the platform's owner.

tucker twitter 5/10/23
TUCKER RETURNS

Elon boasted, "On this platform, unlike the one-way street of broadcast, people are able to interact, critique and refute whatever [Tucker] or anyone may say."

He also made it clear he's not involved in Tucker's show or programming -- "We have not signed a deal of any kind whatsoever. Tucker is subject to the same rules & rewards of all content creators."

Of course, Don and Tucker were fired from CNN and Fox News, respectively, on the same day last month. On the heels of Carlson's announcement, Elon said he wanted more content creators, "particularly from the left" to follow suit.

He clearly thinks Don should be one of them.

BTW ... TMZ broke a story about News Nation pushing hard to land Lemon and Carlson. We're told the cable channel's cooled on both of them due to the news about Tucker's racist text messages, and Don's low ratings at CNN.

Donald Trump Goes Nuclear on E. Jean Carroll, Judge ... After Losing $5 Million Jury Sexual Abuse Verdict

051023_trump_1612389
IT'S A SCAM

Donald Trump ripped into his perceived enemies Tuesday night after a jury found him liable for sexual abuse and defamation in the E. Jean Carroll civil trial.

The 45th President posted a series of videos to his Truth Social platform, condemning Carroll, the judge and jury in the case and New York City where the trial was held.

As you probably know, Trump was ordered to pay Carroll $5 million in damages for abusing her in a Bergdorf Goodman dressing room in the '90s and then defaming her years later by calling her a liar.

In the footage, Trump first directed his ire toward Judge Lewis A. Kaplan, labeling him a "Trump-hating, Clinton-appointed judge, who went out of his way to make sure that the result was as negative as it could possibly be."

The 2024 Republican presidential frontrunner also said the jury was from an "anti-Trump area," meaning NYC, a place where he could never get a fair trial. BTW ... the verdict was unanimous and quick.

Trump then said he would appeal the jury's decision because he doesn't know Carroll from a hole in the wall. He went on to say the trial was a "scam" and "political witch hunt" (No surprise there). He also said the verdict was a "disgrace to our country."

And he wasn't done yet. Trump described Carroll as a liar whose case was financed by Democratic operatives, but it wasn't clear who he was referring to. He also mentioned fighting back against “this stuff,” implying a rigged justice system, so the country doesn't fall into an abyss.

050523-donald-trump-kal October 2022
DONNIE'S DEPOSITION

As for why the jury ruled against him ... jurors heard him via taped deposition say for a million years male celebs have groped women, adding "unfortunately or fortunately."

Of course, Trump's legal woes might only just be starting. Last month, he was criminally indicted in the Stormy Daniels hush money case in Manhattan.

040423-trump-cnn-kal 4/4/23
DONALD VS DANIELS
CNN

He also faces possible criminal charges in two federal cases involving the January 6th riots and for allegedly pilfering classified government documents.

Trump could also face a criminal indictment in Fulton County, Georgia, over his purported role in trying to overturn the 2020 presidential election.

Allen Texas Mall Shooter Had SS, Swastika Tattoos

The suspect in the deadly shooting rampage at a Texas mall didn't keep his hateful beliefs a secret ... tattooing the Nazi swastika on his body and spreading sick messages on a Russian social media platform.

Mauricio Garcia, the gunman accused of gunning down 8 people and wounding others Saturday at an outdoor mall, had a large swastika tattooed on his chest ... plus a "SS" tattoo on his arm.

Garcia's alleged social media profile is reportedly chock full of hateful rants targeting women and minorities ... plus posts praising Adolf Hitler and neo-Nazis.

In one of the alleged social media posts, Garcia shows off a bulletproof vest with Punisher patches and one patch embroidered with "RWDS" ... which is short for "Right Wing Death Squad."

As we reported, the deadly shooting went down Saturday at the Allen Premium Outlets in Allen, Texas -- where video appears to show the gunman pulling up in a car, hopping out and firing into a crowd of shoppers.

The shooter was killed by a police officer and cops say the motive for the shooting is still unclear.

Allen, Texas Active Shooter at Outlet Mall ... Gunfire Heard on Video

UPDATE

4:29 PM PT -- New dashcam footage appears to show the moment the gunman started firing off shots at shoppers -- and it looks like he just pulled up, hopped out and started in on a rampage.

UPDATE
UPDATE

The video is chilling. You also seem to see another car pull up right next to it -- although it's unclear if that someone trying to intervene, or another bad actor in this tagedy.

UPDATE

In any case, authorities are now saying the shooter is dead. An official body count hasn't been released.

An active shooter has been reported at an outdoor mall in the Dallas-Fort Worth, TX area -- and videos are starting to surface showing the fear and chaos as people run for their lives.

Police said Saturday that they're responding to reports of someone opening fire at the Allen Premium Outlets, and are warning to public to steer clear of this area ... as the situation is fluid. First responders could be seen rushing to the scene and evacuating patrons.

Clips have made the rounds on Twitter, which show tons of bystanders booking it toward the parking lot and out of buildings -- this while multiple gunshots are heard being fired off.

As of now, there've been no confirmed reports about injuries and/or fatalities from the authorities -- but some preliminary info that's starting to circulate suggests there may be as many as five victims so far. The Allen Premium Outlets is currently on lockdown.

Other video shows swarms of shoppers -- including families and children, all of whom are panicked -- forming lines as they trickle into the open area away from the shops.

One video in particular -- which is incredibly graphic -- is making the rounds and appears to show footage taken from a news helicopter that's on the scene -- which seems to show a string of bodies covered in tarps on the ground ... with blood seeping out.

It's unclear if the shooter is still at large, or if the scene is still active at this point. All Allen PD has said thus far is that they're there and dealing with it.

Originally Published -- 3:35 PM PT

Donald Trump Grabbing Women by P**** Nothing New ... 'Unfortunately or Fortunately'

050523-donald-trump-kal October 2022
DONNIE'S DEPOSITION

Donald Trump's infamous "Access Hollywood" quote isn't just locker room talk, apparently -- he repeated it while under oath for a deposition in the E. Jean Carroll case ... and added a pretty shocking clarification.

During Trump's depo -- recorded on video last October -- Carroll's attorney, Roberta Kaplan, is grilling him about his treatment of women, generally, and raises the hot mic remarks he made during the 2005 interview with Billy Bush: "And when you're a star, they let you do it. You can do anything, grab them by the p****. You can do anything."

The attorney asks, "That's what you said, correct?" ... and without blinking he responds, "Well, historically, that's true with stars. If you look over the last million years, I guess that's been largely true."

He then, stunningly, added ... "Unfortunately or fortunately."

100716_trump_kal_v6 2005
LEAKED CONVO

Trump was being deposed because Carroll is suing him for battery and defamation, and the trial is ongoing right now in NYC. Carroll claimed Trump raped her in the '90s, and he responded by calling her story a "hoax," and declaring she's not his type.

During the depo, he also called her a "nut job" and a "whack job."

Closing arguments are expected to begin Monday, unless Trump decides he wants to testify.

Accused University Of Idaho Killer Bryan Kohberger Talks His Way Out of Traffic Ticket ... In New Police Body Cam Footage

050523-bryan-kohberger-kal 10/14/22
OFF WITH A WARNING

Bryan Kohberger had an interaction with police exactly one month before the grizzly murders of 4 Idaho college students, and body cam video reveals how he schmoozed his way out of a ticket.

Police body cam footage shows Kohberger getting pulled over by a patrol cop on the Washington State University campus in October 2022.

What's striking about the nine-plus-minute video was just how nice and respectful Kohberger acted toward the officer. His demeanor belies any notion he would commit such a gruesome crime ... but authorities say that's exactly what he did.

The footage began with the officer walking up to the open driver's side window of a car in which Kohberger was seated behind the wheel.

The cop told Kohberger -- a WSU criminal justice graduate student at the time -- he was stopped for running a red light. Kohberger responded that he was forced to turn left because he got stuck at an intersection. The officer then schooled Kohberger on Washington state traffic laws, basically outlining for him what he did wrong.

Kohberger fully accepted the officer's reasoning, going so far as to apologize to her for asking too many questions. At one point, he admitted that he wasn't familiar with the traffic laws because he's originally from Pennsylvania.

After checking his license and registration, the officer let Kohberger go without writing him up. Of course, the cop had no clue that the following month Kohberger would be embroiled in a quadruple homicide involving four University of Idaho students.

As we reported, Kohberger allegedly slipped inside an off-campus home on November 13 and fatally stabbed Madison Mogen, Kaylee Goncalves, Ethan Chapin and his girlfriend, Xana Kernodle.

010523_bryan_kohberger_hearing_kal_v3 1/5/23
HEARING THE CHARGES

Kohberger was eventually arrested and charged with the murders after police discovered his DNA at the crime scene and unearthed more evidence pointing to his possible guilt. Investigators have not disclosed his motive.

Kohberger is currently being held without bail in the Latah County jail while awaiting trial. He has denied any wrongdoing.

John Legend Hey Megyn Kelly, Here's The Attention You Ordered ... Chrissy Attack Is Desperate

050423-john-legend-kal
S.T.F.U. MEGYN
TMZ.com

John Legend is firing back at Megyn Kelly for going after his wife, Chrissy Teigen ... he says Megyn is desperate to get conservatives back on her side.

We got John at MÍRAME in Beverly Hills Thursday, and asked him about Megyn's negative reaction to Chrissy's outfit for the White House Correspondents Dinner ... and the singer didn't hold back.

John says Megyn's critique is a gross attempt for attention, which he says she needs now that she's no longer working for FOX.

What's more, John thinks Megyn is going after Chrissy in an attempt to win back Donald Trump supporters.

ICYMI ... Megyn ripped Chrissy's dress, labeling Teigen "elitist" for having "minions" and "serfs" holding the train of her dress. Megyn also chided Chrissy for exposing her underwear with a sheer fabric gown.

John says Megyn sounds desperate and should just shut up ... and he defends his wife as being kind, loving and down to Earth.

While John admits it's not normal to have people carrying someone's dress train down the street, he says it's just part of the deal when Chrissy goes to a big event.

NYC Subway Rider Killed Protesters Violently Clash with NYPD ... Chokehold Death Fuels Outrage

nypd protest MAY 2023
CLASHING WITH COPS
FNTV

New York City is a powder keg ... on the heels of a subway rider getting choked to his death, pissed-off protesters are going toe-to-toe with NYPD officers, and it's starting to get violent.

Demonstrations are going down on subway platforms and in the streets ... where cops attempted to detain one protester while several others rushed at the handful of officers who had to form a circle to fend off attacks.

The violence is simmering over the death of Jordan Neely ... a 30-year-old homeless man who was riding a subway train Monday afternoon when a Marine vet placed him in a chokehold for 15 minutes. The Medical Examiner has deemed Neely's death a homicide.

NYPD has said Neely appeared to be having a mental health episode, and had been pacing and shouting on the train. Cell phone footage shows the 24-year-old veteran wrestling Neely to the ground and applying the chokehold. He eventually went unconscious, and although paramedics transported him to a hospital, they could not resuscitate Neely.

Along with the protests, there's now a war of words between NYC Mayor Eric Adams and Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

AOC is ripping Adams for not calling the incident a murder. The Mayor issued a statement purely focused on Neely's mental health without mentioning the actions of the Marine which led to Neely's death. The medical examiner has already ruled it a homicide.

The Marine has not been named or arrested ... which is prompting numerous protests demanding justice for Neely, and criticizing Mayor Adams' treatment of the city's homeless.

Jimmy Fallon & Seth Meyers Extend Pay for Late Night Staff ... Amid Writers' Strike

Jimmy Fallon and Seth Meyers' late night talk employees won't be left high and dry during the writers' strike -- as one of Jimmy's staffers claimed -- as the network will cover their pay ... for the time being, at least.

NBC will now be paying staffers through the end of next week -- 1 more than originally reported. Both talk show hosts will be footing the bill one week further, too.

Employees for both shows will also reportedly have their healthcare benefits extended through September ... and the additional payout from Seth and Jimmy is similar to what they did for their workers during the pandemic. Deadline first reported the big development at NBC.

As we reported, Jimmy caught some flak Tuesday after tweets from 'Tonight Show' staffer Sarah Kobos went viral ... as she claimed Jimmy "wasn't even at the meeting this morning to tell us we won't get paid after this week."

Sarah said she was irked by a Met Gala interview where Jimmy said he fully supported his striking writers.

While NBC's move to extend pay will quiet some of the anger, for now ... but expect more tension the longer the strike continues, especially because it's not only writers impacted by the work stoppage.