Maybe take this as a sign of hope, that things can slowly get back to some sort of normal, because some of the folks in Wuhan, China -- where the coronavirus first spread -- are once again able to enjoy themselves with a night of relatively safe dancing.
More than 100 people gathered in the middle of the city Saturday night and it was choreographed for the times -- everyone was spaced 6-feet apart and it seems everyone was wearing a mask.
It's something of a tradition in Wuhan ... mass dances at night. The music ranges from EDM to Japanese pop ... even a little square dancing is mixed in.
Wuhan was in full lockdown for 2 1/2 months, but that ended April 8. There have been some new cases since people re-emerged from their homes, but it's not massive.
We knowPauly D is a hot draw in the DJ booth, but we didn't know he was THIS hot -- as in, someone throwing down six-figures to watch him in action!!!
The 'Jersey Shore' stud is super pumped up about raising $200,500 for the All In Challenge -- raising money for food charities -- and he came on "TMZ Live" Wednesday to explain why it could be a great deal for the winner.
Pauly's gonna teach the high bidder how to mix it up on the 1s and 2s, plus take them and a few friends for a night on the town. Even he admits, he didn't know what he could offer for the All In Challenge, at first -- considering Meek Mill donated a freakin' Rolls-Royce!!!
But, the highly in-demand DJ told us the winner's not just getting a party experience for that $200k. Yes, there will be bottle service, custom jerseys and wild parties, but more importantly ... the DJ lessons he's giving could mean a new high-paying career for the winner.
Speaking of the Sin City party scene -- Pauly says he's got his ear to the streets in Vegas, hoping for a shred of good news about the future reopening. He also admits it's really hard to keep social distance in his biz.
APRIL 2020
TMZ.com
While the pandemic's hitting lots of people where it hurts -- Pauly says he's already canceled 30 shows -- celebs are making a difference with the All In Challenge.
The brainchild of 76ers partner Michael Rubin has raised $32 million and counting. A chunk of that is thanks to David Blaine. The famed magician's fan experience -- flying to your home for a private show -- went for $220,000, but it was a 3-way tie. Blaine decided to go to all 3 winners' homes, so that's $660k for charity!!!
As for Pauly ... yes, the tuition at Pauly D U. is expensive, but it's for a great cause.
Going to concerts in the near future might require rocking a neon spacesuit straight out of Daft Punk's closet, if an L.A. designer's vision comes true.
It's called the Micrashell, a prototype for a personal protective suit that would allow people to once again attend large public gatherings without having to worry about social distancing ... thanks to a built-in ventilation system.
The suit's the brainchild of Miguel Risueno -- head of inventions at the L.A.-based design studio, Production Club -- who says he was inspired to get to work in March after he saw spring breakers in Florida blowing off coronavirus stay-at-home orders to party.
He says he wanted to come up with something that would support both the public health and folks in the music industry out of work due to the pandemic ... with a simple mix of safety features and smartphone tech solutions.
Risueno says he doesn't want it to feel like a medical device -- hence the colors -- but the airtight suit functions like one with a ventilation system he says works like an N-95 respirator with a replaceable filter.
The dome of the suit also includes some crazy audio tech, allowing users to customize who they talk to and control what they can listen to via software and an accompanying app.
Oh, and it's only for the upper body -- which makes bathroom breaks a lot easier -- and can be easily sanitized thanks to cut-resistance fabric.
Until there's a vaccine and everyone's past the fear of the coronavirus, the Micrashell might be the best solution to enjoy live music
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But, here's one other option -- a drive-in social distancing concert was held in Germany this weekend, with tons of cars packed in tight but nobody allowed to get out.
The fact people are willing to sit in car fumes and deal with a potential traffic jam to attend a concert speaks volumes ... it might be this way or the highway until everyone's immune to COVID-19.
Translation: C'mon scientists, we need that vaccine!!!
12:23 PM PT -- Atlanta PD tells TMZ ... their officers actually ended up responding to two massive street gatherings this weekend, and it sounds like one of them was what we're seeing here on video.
UPDATE
We're told that cops responded to a noise complaint just before midnight Saturday, and found a large party had moved outside, where at least 100 people were gathered and parking violations were aplenty. The police started to disperse the crowd, and eventually started issuing tickets ... which we're told really got people moving and outta there.
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Crazy enough, APD says a lot of those people from that block party went to another location -- and the cops then had to respond to that and break it up as well! Now, as for these speed racers in the clip Tigger posted -- APD wouldn't confirm if their officers specifically dealt with it ... but they do say cops DID intervene in what was described as a "gathering of vehicles and people," which the cops then proceeded to disperse too.
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We're told officers saw a lot of people driving recklessly, and once they started directing traffic and doling out citations ... the group eventually began to leave accordingly. We might not have seen them on video, but yes ... the 5-0 was out there doing their thing.
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11:27 AM PT -- Chicago was not the only city to hit the streets and rage this weekend -- a lot of folks down in Atlanta did the exact same thing (with motorcycles and other whips to boot), which was all posted by BET's Big Tigger ... who was sorely disappointed in what he saw.
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Check out the video BT put up, showing a massive amount of people congregating outside at night to watch what sounds like a bunch of race cars, quads and dirt bikes do donuts and put on a good old-fashioned sideshow. Looks like a scene out of "The Fast & Furious."
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He wrote of the scene, "Good Morning and Happy Sunday... this is alarming and disappointing on so many levels..." going on to say that we gotta do better together.
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One person who does NOT see it that way is one Waka Flocka -- who posted a pretty eyebrow-raising message on his own social media page that seems to side with the quarantine quitters. The rapper wrote, "Why people mad at others for going outside 🤷🏽♂️" He added a caption to that too, saying ... "Shut TF up." Okay then, thanks Waka!
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As if it didn't get crazy enough with the party, a fight erupted right on the street, and it was the opposite of social distancing.
Their defiance defies logic, but here it is ... another super-unsafe party in Chicago in the midst of a still untamed pandemic.
A throng of folks hit the streets of West Chi-Town Saturday night for a rager. A woman twerked on the hood of a car as the crowd roared its approval.
Chicago has been hit hard by the coronavirus outbreak, and Mayor Lightfoot pled with Chicago residents Saturday not to defy the doctors and scientists. It's one thing to go out and get exercise, adhering to social distancing ... it's another to pack in like sardines, which is a surefire way to spread the virus.
4/25/2020
Tink Purcell Facebook
The Mayor has cause for deep concern. Late last month there was a shocking scene at a Chicago house party where it seemed impossible to cram one more person inside. As you know by now, high concentrations of people -- like at funerals or celebrations -- can cause an explosion of COVID-19 cases.
The Mayor has also echoed what is now a known fact ... the virus is hitting minority communities disproportionally hard.
Beyonce's remix of Megan Thee Stallion's hit, "Savage," has everybody feeling a bit better during the pandemic ... but especially the founder of an IG Live strip club she name-checks on the track.
Justin LaBoy's the guy who started Demon Time -- a virtual stripper stage where women dance for celebs and norms alike -- tells TMZ how stunned he was to find out Bey knows about his biz ... and felt compelled to give it a shout-out.
TMZ.com
If ya don't know ... Shaq, The Weeknd, Kevin Durant, Meek Mill, Drake, Lil Yachty, Yo Gotti, Diplo and Jake Paul have all signed in for Demon Time shows, but LaBoy says it took some time for it to be socially accepted. As he puts it, some celebs were using burner phones at first to watch the action.
Now that it has Beyonce's stamp of approval, though, LaBoy's expecting a big boost. Several million have already heard her sing, "Hips TikTok when I dance, on that Demon Time she might start an OnlyFans."
LaBoy says his new stripper service is the wave of the immediate future ... until there's a coronavirus vaccine. Watch his explanation -- it makes sense, especially in light of the expected changes at traditional strip clubs.
As we reported ... Bey's collab with Megan Thee Stallion is not only the talk of the music world, but it's going to a great cause. Both women are donating their share of proceeds to benefit Bread Of Life COVID-19 relief efforts in their hometown of Houston.
Wild house parties like the recent ones in Chicago won't be allowed to continue uncontrolled under quarantine -- cops are taking notice and taking steps to shut 'em down.
Those Chi-town ragers -- one with 1,000 guests, and another with a stripper getting swarmed -- were so packed, social distancing was impossible. Then again, face masks were rare at both events, so the guests clearly didn't care about COVID-19.
Cops, on the other hand, are very concerned about slowing the spread of the virus.
4/25/2020
Marlena Ellis Facebook
Our law enforcement sources tell us cops in big cities across the U.S. are NOT putting up with the dangerous practice, and they're starting to crack down more ... especially knowing there will be huge parties as it gets warmer.
We're told the Chicago, Los Angeles and New York Police Departments -- not to mention the L.A. Sheriff's Department -- are putting their ears to the ground and their eyes on social media to track down any emerging sardine-like get-togethers or turn-ups. That's right ... 5-0 is actively monitoring live feeds and trends, so if it starts to get poppin' and gets posted online -- like that stripper party was -- they'll probably see it.
4/25/2020
Tink Purcell Facebook
We're told if the parties get too big and they're clearly violating basic quarantine guidelines, guests better not be surprised when cops come knocking to break it up. They might even start dinging people with citations too, depending on the circumstances.
Just for reference ... NYPD's dished out 190 summons and made some 22 arrests thus far pertaining to this exact behavior; LASD has cited 41 and arrested 3, and Chi-Town's at 13 citations and 18 arrests over flagrant breaking of social distancing. More to come, we're sure.
Bottom line, if your blowout party is so lit it's trending ... you might get a ticket to go with your buzz.
Forget the thirst trap -- this packed house party in Chicago featuring a stripper is more like a potential coronavirus trap with all the guests blatantly ignoring quarantine guidelines.
It turns out there was even more reckless behavior going down in Chi-Town over the weekend -- this party seemed to have several dozen guests swarming around a stripper wearing a top, but nothing down below. The partygoers, packed in shoulder-to-shoulder, made it rain on her and even got a little handsy.
That might be great for her bottom line, but not so great for health. The video shows no one was thinking a thing about COVID-19, face coverings or maintaining six feet between each other.
This is clearly a trend -- as we reported, another Windy City house party had more than 1,000 guests... even as the city struggles to flatten the curve, and combat the disproportionate COVID-19 mortality rate in the black community.
4/25/2020
Tink Purcell Facebook
As we reported ... Chi-Town officials slapped the owner with fines, and cited her for disorderly conduct -- namely, violating the state's stay-at-home orders.
Meanwhile, the stripper party had the potential to get even bigger. A woman who appears to be the homeowner was on video -- live on Facebook, mind you -- inviting anyone watching to come through.
Unclear if city officials will track her down and fine her ass too.
The Chicago house party that streamed live with at least 1,000 guests potentially spreading the coronavirus is gonna cost the building's owner.
TMZ confirmed Chi-Town officials have hit the owner with fines, and cited her for disorderly conduct -- namely, violating the state's stay-at-home orders. The fees will be determined by the court at a later date ... and a city alderman said the owner's been put "on notice."
Reports also say the woman's adult kid was to blame for the dangerous party. Apparently he had keys to the place and disarmed the alarms for the rager. Unclear if his ma knew what he was doing, but officials say he's previously thrown at least one other party this size.
Chicago's mayor, Lori Lightfoot, had some strong words for everyone who attended the event, saying eventually everyone who participated will be held accountable. She hammered the partygoers, saying ... "What happened in that scene was just foolish and reckless. There’s got to be a level of personal responsibility for that. Millennials aren’t children."
Mayor Lightfoot added, "Millennials -- many of `em -- are in their 20’s. They’re fully functioning adults. And, we expect adults to act responsibly -- particularly at a time of a pandemic."
If you had any doubt cases of coronavirus are about to explode because of reckless conduct, check out this video and all doubts will be swiftly erased.
1,000 people ignored the stern warnings of doctors and scientists in a city that has been ravaged by the virus ... and jammed into a house on the westside of Chi-Town.
You see what looks like around 100 people in just one room, dancing as music blares in the background. The rest of the house was also packed with people. It goes without saying but there is no visible social distancing ... none.
One of the partygoers told MTO News, "I'm not worried about [the coronavirus] . . . but if I didn't have it before, I probably got it now. Oh well."
Fact is ... things are coming apart at the seams. Scores of Los Angelenos were out and about Saturday, and anecdotally we can say ... the majority were not wearing masks.
Tom Brady and Gronk just got a personal welcome from none other than the Mayor of their new home -- Tampa, Florida -- but it didn't come without a warning to both.
Mayor Jane Castor penned her open letter, telling the Boston expatriates/ex-patriots about the awesome things they can do in her fair City, but then she schooled the G.O.A.T., saying, "Tom, my apologies for the miscommunication when you arrived – not the best first impression. But, given my law enforcement background, I couldn’t help but have someone investigate the sighting of a G.O.A.T. running wild in one of our beautiful city parks. No harm – no foul, and thanks for being a good sport."
And, then there's Gronk. Mayor Castor wrote about one of the largest parades in the city, which is pirate-themed, saying, "You must be ready to pARRGHty ... but not too hard (I'm talking to you Gronk), as Super Bowl LV is the following weekend and we need to keep our eye on the prize -- a dent free Lombardi trophy!"
But, Her Honor wasn't done, adding, "There is plenty for you to do as well Gronk. Although we have to socially distance right now, in no time you will be able to enjoy our nightlife and eclectic neighborhoods ... Just remember 'No Shirt, No Shoes, No Service' is still in effect around here." Gronk, you've been warned!
And, then a message to both ... "We are so glad to have you here. While most people retire and come to Florida, you came out of retirement to head our way. That shows the competitive mindset we are used to, while sticking it to the AARP at the same time. Looking forward to growing used to the Gronk Spike!"
Brady had an interesting week. As TMZ reported, he went to visit one of his new coaches and ended up walking into the wrong house -- it's kind of a Stepford community -- and came face-to-face with a very shocked dude.
But, talk about an endgame ... here's what the Mayor obliquely offered -- "Tom, It’s Tampa Bay. You win us a Super Bowl and we’ll discuss Tampa Brady."
The world's BIGGEST DJ kept the party going during quarantine on Thursday ... with Shaquille O'Nealhosting a virtual DJ sesh from his house ... and he had some major guests tuning in!!
The 7'1" NBA legend -- AKA DJ Diesel -- put his skills on the 1s and 2s to the test for his 16 million followers ... playing a set that'll distract everyone from the coronavirus.
Tourists won't have much to do on the Las Vegas Strip even if the Mayor gets her way ... things are not looking good this year as far as Sin City nightlife is concerned.
Here's the deal ... while Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman may want her city to open back up for business ASAP, several people connected with Vegas nightlife tell us they are not on the same page.
The clubs we're talking to are all telling us the same thing ... they're being cautious in putting plans together, pool parties are unlikely to return this summer and things aren't expected to be back to full force until 2021.
Our Vegas nightlife sources tell us ... club owners will be following the lead of Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak and not the Mayor, who doesn't even have jurisdiction over the Strip. The Governor will ultimately decide when establishments can reopen and the clubs will fall in line with the hotels.
CNN
As you know ... Mayor Goodman raised eyebrows this week by suggesting workers in her city could serve as virtual lab rats to see if shelter-in-place orders are worth it, but she would not commit to standing on the casino floor herself.
Until there is a steady downward trend in the number of coronavirus cases and deaths, our sources say things are in a holding pattern in terms of reopening Vegas, and it's all a waiting game.
One source tells us they're targeting June for the earliest date to reopen some clubs, but it will only be smaller venues with a capacity well under 1,000 people. Frankly, that sounds like a dream more than reality.
We're told the chances for late-summer pool parties are slim, and things won't be back to normal until summer 2021, even if attendance this summer is cut back significantly and other safety measures are put in place, like temperature checks and workers wearing gloves and masks.
It's not just nightlife and day parties at pools, Chippendales tells us they have no official plan to reopen the male revue and bring back live performances.
As for headliners on The Strip, don't hold your breath. Several big-time music honchos tell us they will not make any deals for their clients in the foreseeable future.
Chippendales says they are waiting on word from The Rio hotel to see what will happen moving forward, and they will follow the hotel's lead.
For now, the closest you're going to get to Vegas is online gambling and virtual lap dances.
Jim Jones is blazing it up on 4/20 and you can join his smoke session ... everyone's invited, including celebrity guests like Fabolous,JadakissandKevin Hart!!!
Jim's celebrating the stoner holiday with a couple virtual smoke outs, and you can burn with him and his celeb friends on Zoom when the clock strikes 4:20 PM on the East Coast and West Coast.
The "We Fly High" rapper is hosting the smoke sessions with his business partner, Alex Todd, and they're also celebrating the one-year anniversary of their luxury cannabis brand, Saucey Farms & Extracts.
Anyone can join the smoke sesh on Zoom, and there's also a fundraiser in the online chat for COVID-19 relief efforts so you can get two birds stoned at once, or something like that. All the money raised will be used for masks for the homeless.
Jim's supposed to be joined by celeb guests like Kevin, Jadakiss, Fabolous, N.O.R.E. and more ... and they're gonna be answering questions from fans and giving away Saucey merch, plus tickets to future Jim Jones and Dipset shows.
BTW ... Kevin's not gonna be smoking, but still ... 4/20 BLAZE IT!!!
1:58 PM PT -- If there's one person you would think could get through to Blueface about the dangers of having a bunch of strippers at his house, it'd be his manager ... but even that guy says there's no getting through to his client, so far.
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TMZ.com
UPDATE
TMZ spoke to Wack 100 -- who handles Blueface and several other artists' business affairs -- and he tells us Blueface has told him straight up ... he doesn't believe all the hype with coronavirus, despite Wack telling him time and again that it's an issue he should take seriously.
UPDATE
Wack says he's tried giving the kid good advice, but at the end of the day ... he's only his manager, and the rapper's technically a grown-up -- so he's gonna do what he wants to do. Still, Wack says he'll try and talk to Blueface after this latest episode to set him straight.
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Wack 100 does end on somewhat of a cautious note, saying Blueface is pretty emblematic of the youth at large -- if you don't find a way to communicate the seriousness of the situation, they'll probably continue blowing it off, 'cause it's NBD to them.
Well, this is super irresponsible ... Blueface threw a party for a group of strippers -- or as he would say, drunk strippers -- and it was beyond reckless as the women broke into a realty-show-worthy physical fight.
It went down at the rapper's California estate Saturday. Blueface, with the Instagram handle @bluefacebleedem, posted this vid of a bunch of women in bikini tops and g-strings.
They were there to shoot a music video, but there is NO SOCIAL DISTANCING ... quite the opposite. The video begins with the women in a circular formation with Blueface smack-dab in the middle.
It then devolves into a physical fight that violates every safety measure Dr. Fauci and so many others have urged everyone to follow. The women had each other by the hair ... in one case one of the women had her wig pulled off.
It's just another example of people ignoring warnings and intermingling in ways that can easily spread the virus.
BTW ... this isn't the first time this week Blueface has caused a stink. A few months back he went to Skid Row in L.A., jumped up on his SUV and started throwing cash so people could crowd around and grab the money off the ground. Lots of people felt it was humiliating, but others felt it was a charitable act so case closed.
Social distancing and other coronavirus restrictions can't break up college fraternities, which are embracing new hangouts in lieu of house parties.
Delta Sigma Phi Fraternity, which has 106 chapters, is still holding meetings every Sunday night, and frat bros are staying connected using Zoom ... according to the executive director and CEO, Phillip Rodriguez.
While huge frat house ragers are on hold due to the outbreak, Phillip says the Delta Sigma Phi bros are instead turning to virtual game and trivia nights to stay closely knit.
College campuses will remain empty for the rest of the semester, and while a fall return date is still up in the air ... Delta Sigma Phi is still planning to initiate new members, thanks to technology.
The frat says it's created an online portal, similar to Zoom, which connects up to 500 bros -- and it's already using the platform to hold online ceremonies for initiating new members. As for the future -- even if students aren't back on campus in the fall ... DSP is planning to initiate new members online.
The North American Interfraternity Conference has to sign off on that process and tells us virtual recruiting is very plausible.
As for the almighty dollar, the NAIC tells us frats still expect to collect membership dues, but bros could get a discount if traditional social events don't come roaring back.
2:39 PM PT -- Dak Prescott is speaking out about the event at his home on Friday -- claiming it was NOT a party, but rather a small "home dinner" ... though he insists it won't happen again.
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The Dallas Cowboys QB has been under fire ever since we posted footage from inside Dak's home showing a large food spread and multiple people feasting ... including Ezekiel Elliott.
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We were told there were as many as 30 people in the house at one point -- but Dak is saying the true number was fewer than 10.
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"I understand and accept that there are additional responsibilities and media scrutiny that come with being an NFL quarterback, but it is very frustrating and disappointing when people provide completely inaccurate information from anonymous sources, especially now,” Prescott told ProFootballTalk.
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"To set the record straight, I know that we all need to do our best to socially distance and like everyone else, I am continuing to adjust to what that requires, but the truth is that I was with fewer than 10 people for a home dinner -- not a party -- on Friday night. I am very sensitive to the challenges we are all facing and making sure to support the first responders and medical personnel and everyone else putting in long hours."
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"We are all at a time when we need to keep educating ourselves about the importance of health and isolation during this pandemic and I will continue to make sure to do my part by following the guidelines until we are approved to start returning to normal activities."
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There's more ... a photo of a set dinner table that we were initially told was inside the house was NOT in fact taken at Prescott's home.
UPDATE
Instead, the photo was taken at the restaurant that catered the feast as a way to show love to one of Dak's guests, who was celebrating a birthday.
Jerry Jones'son (who's also the Cowboys executive V.P.) called into 105.3 The Fan in Dallasand said the team spoke with both superstars after TMZ Sports posted photos from the party at Dak's Texas home on Friday ... and explained to them why the shindig was a TERRIBLE idea!
105.3 The Fan
"I think they're certainly aware now of how sensitive these situations are," Jones said on Tuesday ... "I don't think you'll be seeing that anymore."
We were told there were as many as 30 people at Dak's home at one point -- though sources close to Dak insist the number was closer to 10.
Either way, bad idea -- since officials have warned against unnecessary gatherings due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
"They're certainly guys that we have the utmost respect for, and I certainly know they understand the sensitivity of the situation we're in today," Stephen said.
"It's certainly very serious, and something that we know and certainly know they understand."
Tons of people have ripped the Cowboys stars over the party ... with former Dallas 1st-round pick Marcus Spears calling it, "one of the most disrespectful things I've seen in a long time."
For his part, Prescott has still yet to publicly comment on the issue.