Paparazzi Photo

Ben Affleck didn't kick anyone yesterday and was merely trying to get the paparazzi to back off ... because they were scaring his daughter ... this according to sources close to the Oscar winner.

Ben was holding 4-year-old Seraphina yesterday when they encountered a large mass of paps. According to our sources, the photogs got too close for comfort and little Seraphina started crying because she was afraid.

According to our sources, Ben asked the paps (none of whom work for TMZ) twice to back off and when that didn't work ... he said "You need to be this far away" and swung his leg to demonstrate.

Our source says Ben never had any intention of kicking anyone and he was merely trying to protect his daughter from the paps ... who he feels have been getting more and more aggressive.

Justin Bieber turns 19 today ... so he walked down the streets of London in half his birthday suit, lamely showing off his baby abs and his ultra-cool training boxers.

The drop-crotch pants, and the Vanilla Ice fade haircut was just too cool for school. The only saving grace ... he wasn't wearing that stupid hat.

The pic was snapped after his performance, as he walked to his hotel.

Someone needs to hang this kid upside down from a balcony.

Suge, are you listening?

Leonardo DiCaprio did something almost unheard of in his world ... date a normal chick he strolled through an airport without covering up his million dollar face.

With a hat and shades giving him the bare minimum protection from flashbulbs, the 38-year-old "Django Unchained" star held his head up high -- and unobstructed -- as he made his way through Narita International Airport in Tokyo on Friday.

Looks like commercials aren't the only thing celebs will do in Japan that they won't do anywhere else.

We're not saying James Gandolfini inhaled ... we're just saying he's unusually chill when it comes to talking about his recent visit to a famous marijuana dispensary.

TMZ broke the story ... James and a friend were photographed at The Farmacy in Venice, CA.

We're told he was just window shopping, but when we ran into James and his wife leaving dinner at E Baldi in Bev Hills last night -- we had to ask about his trip, or ... tripping.

We asked James if he was "just curious" about the effects of passing the dutch -- and if he's into edibles or tokin' up?

You gotta see his response, and note the giggles.

Ben Affleck's smooth mug surfaced Thursday ... the first time since shaving his career-defining beard Sunday night at an Oscars after-party.

With some scruff starting to grow back, the 40-year-old rocked a 5 o'clock shadow as he arrived for a TED conference in Long Beach on Thursday.

TMZ broke the story --- one of the first things Ben did after "Argo" won Best Picture was take a razor to his critically-acclaimed beard in the bathroom hallway at Craig's restaurant.

Now he really is as slick as everybody says.

1:58 PM PT -- The woman has been identified!!! She's actress Erin Cahill from the ABC show "Red Widow." We're told Erin and Seal met two days ago at a charity function.

Seal has broken the seal ... or so it appears ... passionately embracing a beautiful mystery woman in L.A. yesterday.

Sources close to the singer tell TMZ, the woman is NOT his publicist, his assistant, his manager, or anyone else professionally related to him ... which TOTALLY MEANS THEY'RE BANGING.

It's the first time he's been seen out with another woman since he and supermodel Heidi Klum split last year after 7 years of marriage.

A week after news surfaced of the demise of her eight-year marriage to Josh Brolin, Diane Lane was spotted out for the first time ... newly single and ready to mingle.

The gorgeous "Unfaithful" star stepped out for a night on the town with her best celebrity girlfriends Laura Dern and Ted Danson's wife Mary Steenburgen.

Diane filed for divorce two weeks ago from Josh, citing irreconcilable differences.

Kim Kardashian and Kanye West just made more than a million bucks in a month, but they're so rich they're not even cashing in ... TMZ has learned.

We broke the story ... Kim and Kanye bought a $9 million, Bel Air, CA mansion on January 30th. It hasn't even been a month, and they've received 3 offers from people who want the estate so badly ... they're willing to pay A LOT more. The highest offer -- $10.5 million.

Sources directly connected to Kim and Kanye tell TMZ ... the couple turned all 3 offers down -- they're already deep in the throes of remodeling and they plan to move in a few months from now. There's a report out that they sold the estate -- not true.

The main house will be 14,000 square feet. After all, they're having a baby.

James Gandolfini got a taste of L.A. beach life yesterday ... by moseying through a Venice pot shop.

The medical marijuana dispensary -- The Farmacy -- is almost as famous as Muscle Beach, and gets a lot more traffic. Tons of celebs are among the clientele.

A source close to James tells us ... James and his buddy had never been inside a marijuana shop, so they cruised in. We're told James doesn't have a medical marijuana card, so weed was off-limits, but he spent time perusing the holistic aisles and left without buying anything.

He should check out that methadone clinic in Bev Hills. It's fabulous!

Her name is Heather ... and she made her first public appearance with Arnold during a romantic dinner date in Santa Monica over the weekend.

The next day, the two met up for a brunch ... and everybody knows there's no such thing as a platonic brunch.

Sources tell TMZ ... Heather is not your average physical therapist ... she's worked with a myriad of professional athletes including UFC badass Georges St-Pierre.

It's unclear if Heather is actually treating Arnold ... but one source close to the Governator tells us, "She is not in the normal group of people who treat him."

Plus, THEY BRUNCHED TOGETHER.

We smell romance ... and huevos rancheros.

Former child actor Ricky Schroder -- famous for his role on the 80s sitcom "Silver Spoons" -- assaulted an LAX airport worker in the middle of a busy terminal this week ... all because she wouldn't let him board with 3 bags ... at least that's what the woman told police.

Law enforcement tells TMZ ... airport police were called to the scene early Monday morning following the alleged altercation.

The woman's story ... she was checking boarding passes when Ricky attempted to go through security with three bags ... when the limit is two.

The airport worker says Ricky then slapped her hand when she reached for his boarding pass.

When cops arrived, they interviewed both parties. No arrests were made and no report was taken.

Ricky's lawyer, Marty Singer, tells TMZ ... the woman was rude and confrontational when she told him he had too many bags. Singer says the woman hit Ricky's hand and his phone went flying. Ricky lunged to grab his phone and she screamed, "Assault!"

Singer says there are independent witnesses to corroborate Ricky's story and if Ricky did what she said he would have been arrested.

TMZ obtained video of the scene moments after the confrontation ... in which the worker tells her side of the story.

Adding to the "Jersey Shore" star's understated glamour were exposed bad tats, a surgical scar and black fabric loosely strung on to resemble some sort of dress shorts thing.

Call us suspicious ... or conspiracy theorists ... or whatever ... but we may have found proof that Suri Cruise is actually using a TINY BODY DOUBLE to fool the media!!!

Exhibit A -- Suri getting out of an SUV in NYC this weekend wearing a beanie, blue bubble jacket, leggings and brown Uggs.

Exhibit B -- Another little girl who sorta looks like Suri getting out of the exact same SUV wearing an IDENTICAL OUTFIT ... with a different colored beanie.

So what does it all mean??? Is Suri trying to dupe the media? Is the other girl in on some sort of diabolical plot? Or ... are they just friends who like to wear the same clothes?

We know, that's ridiculous ... IT'S TOTALLY A BODY DOUBLE!!!

Looks like Arnold Schwarzenegger may have officially moved on from estranged wife Maria Shriver ... 'cause the former Governator was spotted having dinner with a hot mystery blonde in Santa Monica over the weekend.

Ahnold and the unidentified lady friend were all smiles as they dined alone at Babalu restaurant on trendy Montana Avenue.

Although Shriver filed for divorce in 2011, last month the former Governator told a German newspaper he was still in love with Maria and hoping to reconcile.

As we've been reporting, Arnold was trying to get Maria back for a long time, but our sources say months ago they both threw in the towel and all that's left is settling money stuff. So the whole, "I'm in love with her and I want her back" thing doesn't really ring true.

FYI -- Arnold had a date with another hot woman back in July and they were making out in the restaurant.

Just in case you didn't love Jennifer Lawrence enough already, here she is flipping off the media moments after winning her Oscar for Best Actress last night.

Fresh from falling down on the way to the stage at the most important moment of her career -- and then playing it off perfectly in her speech -- the gorgeous 22-year-old "Silver Linings Playbook" star jokingly flipped the bird in the press room at the Academy Awards.

Take that, Argo f**k yourself.

"The O.C." and "Gossip Girl" fans everywhere exploded when word got out that Seth Cohen and Blair Waldorf were dating ... and now we have the first photo of them as a couple.

Adam Brody and Leighton Meester -- as they are known to their friends and family -- were spotted out in Venice, CA yesterday ... looking every bit like an item.