Politix

Taylor Swift es la mayor estrella del mundo, así que no es de extrañar que pueda desencadenar un conflicto entre dos naciones soberanas, y todo por el lugar donde actuará el próximo fin de semana.

Así es la cosa, T-Swift está en Singapur en este momento, luego de haber completado los primeros tres de seis conciertos en el país. No cabe duda que le va muy bien en el sudeste asiático.

¿Y las razones del enojo?... al parecer las autoridades de Singapur negociaron que Taylor no actuará en otros territorios de la región, por lo que Singapur es un destino de viaje obligatorio para los Swifties Asiáticos.

Un legislador en las Filipinas no está entendiendo esa parte, criticando públicamente al gobierno de Singapur por no ser exactamente un buen vecino.

El político filipino Joey Salceda está llamando al departamento de asuntos exteriores de su gobierno para protestar por la subvención supuestamente otorgada a Swift para mantener un acuerdo de exclusividad con Singapur.

Salceda le dijo a un medio local que se supone que los gobiernos son amigos, por lo que, en su mente, esto es una traición muy hiriente de parte del gobierno de Singapur.

A propósito, el Primer Ministro de Tailandia Srettha Thavisin respalda la afirmación de Salceda, con Sky News informando que dijo que le preguntó AEG, la empresa detrás de la gira de Tay por qué ella no iba a venir, y le dijeron todo sobre el acuerdo de exclusividad.

Taylor claramente no está dejando que toda la mala sangre arruine su estado de ánimo, porque ella se mantiene centrada en sus espectáculos, ofeciendo varias actuaciones impresionantes para todos los Swifties que viajaron para verla.

Taylor Swift's the biggest star in the world ... so it's no shock she can kick off a conflict between two sovereign nations -- and all because of where she's performing next weekend.

Here's the deal ... obviously, T-Swift's over in Singapore right now, having just completed the first three of six concerts in the country. After her next three shows, she's outtie 5000 on Southeast Asia.

The reasons this is drawing ire ... a deal was reportedly brokered by Singaporean authorities that Taylor would not perform in other territories in the region thus making Singapore a must-travel destination for Swifties in Asia.

Well, one lawmaker in the Philippines ain't having that ... publicly calling out the Singaporean government for not exactly being neighborly.

Phillippines politician Joey Salceda is calling on his government's foreign affairs department to protest the grant allegedly given to Swift to keep an exclusivity deal with Singapore.

Salceda told a local outlet that the governments are supposed to be friends ... so in his mind, this is a very hurtful betrayal by the Singaporean gov.

BTW ... Thailand's Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin backing up Salceda's claim -- with Sky News reporting he said he asked AEG, the company behind Tay's tour why she wasn't coming, and they told him all about the exclusivity deal.

Taylor's clearly not letting all the bad blood ruin her mood though ... 'cause she's staying focused on her shows -- putting on several impressive performances for all the Swifties who traveled to see her.

Bill Maher was HYSTERICAL Friday night, with a message to Joe Biden ... embrace your old fart self!!!

The 'Real Time' host made a barrage of solid points, in particular -- When the Prez says he's sharper than ever, no one's buyin' what he's selling.

Or, as BM says, Joe's so old his bad kid with a drug problem is 54!

So, Bill says he should stop riding bikes and hopping on TikTok. Hillary tried it and it didn't work for her.  BTW, thanks for the shout-out, Bill!

Fact is, old people vote way more than the youngins. So appeal to the "Matlock" crowd and advertise on CBS.

And then ... Bill had a brainstorm for Thursday's State of the Union, and it's genius. Biden should appear before the joint session of Congress ambling up to the stage with a walker.

Fashion icon Iris Apfel -- famous for her quirky outfits and unique looks -- has died.

The style icon passed away Friday at her home in Palm Beach, Fla ... this according to her reps. An official cause of death wasn't announced -- but the assumption is that she died of old age via natural causes.

A socialite from New York, Iris became a fashion icon in her 80s and 90s ... affectionately calling herself a "geriatric starlet." Iris' style was an eclectic mix ... combining haute couture, vintage hippy-inspired looks, bohemian styles and super bright colors.

Iris was a fixture on the fashion scene, often rubbing elbows with celebs at big-time events ... wearing her trademark circular glasses. She was also ever-present and always relevant ... considered one of the most photographed women in fashion history.

A jack of all trades, Iris was a professor, brand ambassador, interior designer, textile guru and, later in life, a social media star. She was quite accomplished too ... having done White House restoration work for nine presidents in her lifetime -- so yeah, she'd worked a lot.

Iris enjoyed a long and full life ... just yesterday, she celebrated her latest birthday, putting her a couple years over the 100-year mark.

Tommy Hilfiger is remembering Iris as "a world-famous fashion icon because of her incredible talent not only as an artist, but as an influencer."

Hilfiger adds ... "She has had an amazing effect on so many people with her huge heart and magic touch with everyone she meets. She will go down in history as an innovator and a leader in the world of textiles, style and innovation!"

Iris is survived by her caregivers, Jennifer and Juliet, her agent Lori Sale, her lawyer Emerson E. Burns and her friends and family. She was 102.

4:22 PM PT -- Tom Porto, the attorney for Ariel Young and her family, just released a statement on Britt Reid's commutation to TMZ Sports ... saying simply, "What’s different between this criminal defendant and every other criminal defendant in the state of Missouri?"

Ex-Kansas City Chiefs assistant coach Britt Reid -- Andy's son -- just had his three-year prison sentence commuted to house arrest.

Missouri Governor Mike Parson made the surprising decision on Friday ... a little over a year after Reid was thrown behind bars for his role in a DWI crash that left a 5-year-old girl, Ariel Young, with life-altering brain injuries.

A spokesperson for Parson explained the move in a statement to media outlets ... saying, "Reid had completed his alcohol abuse treatment program and has served more prison time than most individuals convicted of similar offenses."

As part of his commutation, Reid will remain on house arrest until October 31, 2025. He'll have to abide by a lengthy list of conditions in order to avoid being thrown back in prison, however -- including working at least 30 hours a week, submitting to random drug screenings, and completing at least 10 hours a month of community service.

Reid is also forbidden from making contact with Young or her family members.

Reid was first hit with criminal charges in the case after authorities said he got drunk days before the Chiefs vs. Buccaneers Super Bowl in 2021 and slammed his pickup truck into the back of a car Young had been riding in.

Authorities alleged Reid was going 83.9 MPH in a 65 MPH zone just before the wreck, and had a BAC of .113 two hours following the accident.

Dash cam footage captured at the scene showed Reid was wearing a Chiefs COVID mask and a Chiefs sweatshirt in the minutes after the crash.

Reid lost his job with Kansas City's NFL franchise a short time later ... and didn't work in the league again before beginning his sentence in November 2022.

We've reached out to an attorney for the Young family for comment, but so far, we haven't heard back yet.

Alexei Navalny -- Russian President Vladimir Putin's chief political rival – certainly didn't die in vain as illustrated by these emotional images from his Friday funeral in Moscow.

Navalny was celebrated by thousands of people – some holding flowers – as his body was laid in a closed coffin and carried inside the Church of the Icon of the Mother of God Soothe My Sorrows, where they opened it up for people to see him.

 His line of supporters was truly extraordinary, stretching several blocks.

Many of the mourners defied orders from Russian authorities to not take photos of the procession or the service. Someone posted a picture on Navalny's YouTube channel showing his body in repose shrouded by flowers inside the church.

His parents were present, carrying lit candles. But his widow, Yulia Navalnaya, and his two children, Daria and Zakhar, did not attend the funeral, likely for security reasons.

Meanwhile, four hundred people have been detained by Putin's police force, including some for merely displaying flowers at Navalny's various memorial sites

As you know, Navalny died February 16 while imprisoned in a penal colony north of the Arctic Circle. During a walk, Navalny suddenly felt sick and collapsed unconscious. Paramedics responded and gave him medical assistance, but they were unable to revive him.

His official cause of death has not been disclosed, but his mother, Lyudmila, was told by prison officials Navalny suffered "'sudden death syndrome." The condition causes heart problems that can lead to sudden cardiac arrest and death.

Yet, most people believe Putin was responsible for Navalny's passing. The Russian dictator jailed Navalny – his most vocal and ardent political opponent.

Dr. Phil isn't afraid to voice his concerns about a red flag in the political arena -- and that'd be Joe Biden's apparent difficulty remembering things ... and his cognitive ability at large.

The TV star and medical professional stopped off at "TMZ Live" Thursday to chat about his new book, "We've Got Issues: How You Can Stand Strong for America's Soul and Sanity" -- and the convo eventually turned to Biden's doctor recently claiming he was fit for duty without needing a physical or neurological exam.

He declared this with conviction, despite many public examples of him forgetting basic deets.

Of course, Biden's all-clear raised eyebrows among some -- including Phil ... who tapped into his days practicing in brain, central nervous system, and cognitive ability fields to weigh in on the situation.

With this in mind, he tells us POTUS if didn't have anything to hide regarding his brain power, he would theoretically have no issue undergoing a transparent neurocognitive test.

Biden's memory loss has become prime material for online roasting sessions -- especially among Republicans -- and even Jon Stewart couldn't resist taking a jab at him during his recent "The Daily Show" return to the hosting chair.

In fairness, JS also went after his opponent -- roasting Trump for being unable to remember basic stuff ... which is a pretty crucial trait to have if you're running the country.

Just don't ask Dr. Phil to throw his hat into the presidential ring anytime soon. He tells us he's been approached for the important gig several times, but he just doesn't know enough about politics to take it all seriously. With that said, he is exploring politics more lately.

Robert Downey Jr. is the front-runner to win the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor -- but one Academy member is openly admitting ... he's voting for him because he met him in person.

The Hollywood Reporter did their annual writeup that polls anonymous AMPAS members to see what their thought process is going into the new Academy Awards -- which are a couple weeks away -- and one of them was candid on their thoughts about RDJ.

This member said they were voting for Bob ... but it sounds like it might have more to do with his personality than his actual performance -- which is a little disheartening to hear.

They say, "I was torn between Mark Ruffalo and Robert Downey Jr., and even though it’s cheesy I’ll be real with you: I met Downey at an awards season party, we had an interaction that I did not initiate, and it tipped the scales for me."

This anonymous voter adds ... "Campaigning matters! What’s really great about him as an actor, in this film and so many others, is his ability to be believable all the time. I loved watching him turn as the story turned on Strauss."

In other words ... they liked RDJ's work in "Oppenheimer," but a little schmoozing went a long way with this person when they met Rob in real life. So, no ... it's not all on merit, it seems.

The reason that kinda sucks ... well, in a perfect world -- you'd like to think people who vote at the Oscars are only looking at what they see on screen, and are judging off of that. But, as this person is confessing, there are some politics involved in this process.

This mystery Academy member calls it campaigning ... another word for it is, lobbying.

While Downey Jr. has been considered a shoo-in from the start -- yes, his performance is actually spectacular and worthy of recognition -- this is the type of stuff you don't really wanna hear if you're Ruffalo, Robert De Niro, Sterling K. Brown or Ryan Gosling.

Robert Downey Jr. es el favorito para ganar el Oscar a Mejor Actor de Reparto, pero un miembro de la Academia está admitiendo abiertamente que va a votar por él porque lo conoció en persona.

The Hollywood Reporter hizo su escritura anual de las encuestas anónimas que los miembros de la Academia realizan para observar su proceso de pensamiento de cara a los nuevos Premios de la Academia, que son solo en un par de días, y uno de ellos fue sincero sobre sus pensamientos acerca de Robert Downey Jr.

Este miembro dijo que iban a votar por Bob. Aunque esto podría tener más que ver con su personalidad que con su interpretación, lo que es un poco desalentador de escuchar.

Ellos dicen: "Yo estaba indeciso entre Mark Ruffalo y Robert Downey Jr, y aunque es cursi voy a ser honesto con ustedes: Conocí a Downey en una fiesta de la temporada de premios, tuvimos una interacción que yo no inicié y eso inclinó la balanza para mí."

Este votante anónimo añade: "¡La campaña es importante! Lo particularmente genial de él como actor, en esta película y en tantas otras, es su capacidad para ser creíble todo el tiempo. Me encantó verlo a medida que la historia avanzaba en torno a Strauss".

En otras palabras: les gustó el trabajo de Robert Downey Jr. en "Oppenheimer", pero la balanza se inclinó un poco cuando conocieron a Rob en persona. Así que no, no es solo por el mérito, al parecer.

La razón por la que esto cae mal es que ... Bueno, en el mundo perfecto te gustaría creer que las personas que votan en los Oscar solo se fijan en lo que ven en la pantalla. Pero, como confiesa esta persona, hay algo de política en este proceso.

Este misterioso miembro de la Academia lo llama campaña, otra palabra para ello es el lobby.

Aunque Downey Jr. ha sido considerado favorito desde el principio -su actuación es realmente espectacular y digna de reconocimiento- estas no son las cosas que quieres oír si eres Ruffalo, Robert De Niro, Sterling K. Brown o Ryan Gosling.

Hunter Schafer -- one of the stars of the TV show "Euphoria" -- was taken away in handcuffs Monday while protesting the Israel-Hamas war in NYC ... this during President Joe Biden's visit.

Check out the photo ... Sporting a t-shirt that read "Cease Fire Now" -- obviously calling for an end to the fighting going on in Gaza -- the actress was escorted away by an NYPD officer with her hands cuffed behind her back at Rockefeller Plaza in Midtown Manhattan.

Schafer was one of 33 "Jewish Voice For Peace" protesters arrested Monday afternoon and issued two summonses for trespassing and disorderly conduct. Both charges are less serious violations of the law.

Schafer, who plays Jules on "Euphoria," was protesting the military fight in the Gaza Strip between Israel and Hamas. The two rivals began their latest battle October 7, 2023, after Hamas terrorists invaded the Jewish state, slaughtering 1,200 Israelis during a sneak attack.

Since then, Israel has waged a violent and deadly conflict against the militants, who control Gaza and the Palestinians living under their rule. Many Palestinians have lost their lives, sparking anger and protests around the world, including in the United States.

Yesterday, videos posted to social media showed the "Jewish Voice" group sitting in the lobby of Rockefeller Center while waving banners that read "Jews to Biden: Stop arming genocide” and “Lasting cease-fire."

Hunter Schafer, una de las estrellas de la serie de televisión "Euphoria", fue esposada el lunes mientras protestaba contra la guerra entre Israel-Hamas en Nueva York, durante la visita del Presidente Joe Biden.

Echa un vistazo a la foto, la actriz llevaba una camiseta que decía "Alto al fuego ahora", en alusión al llamado a poner fin a los combates en Gaza. En la imagen se ve cómo es escoltada por un oficial de la policía de Nueva York con las manos esposadas en la espalda en Rockefeller Plaza en el centro de Manhattan.

Schafer fue una de los 33 manifestantes de "Jewish Voice For Peace" detenidos el lunes por la tarde. La actriz recibió dos citaciones por allanamiento y alteración del orden público. Ambos cargos son violaciones menos graves de la ley.

Schafer, quien interpreta a Jules en "Euphoria", protestaba contra la lucha militar en la Franja de Gaza entre Israel y Hamás. Los dos rivales iniciaron su última batalla el 7 de octubre de 2023, después de que terroristas de Hamás invadieran el Estado judío y masacraran a 1.200 israelíes durante un ataque furtivo.

Desde entonces, Israel ha librado un violento y mortífero conflicto contra los militantes, que controlan Gaza y a los palestinos que viven bajo su dominio. Muchos palestinos han perdido la vida, lo que ha desatado la ira y las protestas en todo el mundo, incluido Estados Unidos.

Videos publicados ayer en las redes sociales mostraban al grupo "Jewish Voice" sentado en el vestíbulo del Rockefeller Center mientras ondeaban pancartas en las que se podía leer "Jews to Biden: Stop arming genocide" y "Lasting cease-fire".

Kara Swisher es realista sobre la inevitabilidad de la inteligencia artificial y está ofreciendo consejos francos sobre cómo debemos navegar por esta tecnología en constante evolución.

La famosa periodista de tecnología, que acaba de publicar su nuevo libro "Burn Book: A Tech Love Story", se unió a "TMZ Live" el martes, donde dio una advertencia sobre lo que está por venir en el terreno de la inteligencia artificial.

Kara nos dice que la inteligencia artificial no se irá a ninguna parte y aunque siempre ha habido propaganda falsa, la IA está haciendo casi imposible distinguir lo falso de lo real.

Por eso cree que el gobierno debe entablar un diálogo con las empresas tecnológicas sobre algún tipo de regulación, algo que ya hace con otras industrias.

A Kara no le entusiasma la idea de que todas las creaciones de inteligencia artificial estén amparadas por la libertad de expresión y todas las protecciones que conlleva. En cambio, le gustaría ver a más gente siendo demandada por daños.

Por ejemplo, Taylor Swift fue víctima hace poco de la aparición de imágenes falsas de ella en Internet en lo que podría ser calificado como contenido porno, y si demandara a los creadores, Kara dice que eso podría disuadir a futuros actores.

Kara Swisher is getting real about the unavoidability of artificial intelligence ... offering up candid advice on how we should navigate the ever-evolving technology in the future.

We got the famed tech journalist -- who just released her new book, "Burn Book: A Tech Love Story" -- Tuesday on "TMZ Live," where she issued a warning about what's to come for AI.

Kara tells us artificial intelligence isn't going anywhere -- and while fake propaganda's always been around, AI is making it almost impossible to distinguish phony info from the real thing.

Which is why she thinks the government needs to start a dialogue with tech companies about regulation ... something it does with other industries.

One thing Kara's not keen on is the notion all AI creations fall under free speech, and all the protections that come with that tag -- instead, she'd like to see more people sue for damages.

For example, Taylor Swift was recently victimized when phony X-rated/NSFW AI images of her surfaced online -- and if she were to sue the creators, Kara says that might deter future bad actors.

President Joe Biden was out on the campaign trail Monday, sitting down for an interview with Seth Meyers – and joking about potentially getting Taylor Swift's "classified" endorsement.

The 46th U.S. President sported his signature Aviator glasses while parked on a couch next to comedian Amy Poehler during his visit to "Late Night With Seth Meyers."  Of course, Seth was seated at his desk in front of Joe and the two covered a wide range of mostly political issues.

At one point, Seth told Joe that 18 percent of Americans believe he's working in "cahoots" with Taylor to reelect him in the 2024 presidential race against the Republican nominee, likely Donald Trump.

Seth showed a message Joe posted on the social media app, "X," after the Kansas City Chiefs beat the San Francisco 49ers 25-22 to win this year's Super Bowl. The one-liner read, "Just like we drew it up."

The host then asked Joe, "Now, can you confirm or deny that there is an active conspiracy here between you and Ms. Swift?"

Joe went along with the joke, replying, "Where are you getting this information? It's classified. But I will tell you she did endorse me in 2020."

Seth agreed, asking if Taylor would support Joe this time around. But Joe wouldn't give an inch, repeating, "I told you. It's classified."

Fun stuff from Commander in Chief.

Un hombre se prendió fuego frente a la embajada israelí en Washington D.C., al parecer, en protesta por el conflicto en Oriente Medio.

Imágenes del manifestante han estado circulando en línea en medio de su acto de auto-inmolación, y se informó que fue llevado de urgencia al hospital con lesiones que amenazan la vida.

Funcionarios de bomberos de D.C. habrían dicho a The Independent que el hombre se prendió fuego por la tarde y fue extinguido por el Servicio Secreto de los Estados Unidos.

El video capturado desde el exterior de la embajada parece mostrar las secuelas de la protesta, y se puede ver a los investigadores buscando en la zona.

El escuadrón de bombas del Departamento de Policía de Metrolitan también fue llamado para comprobar un vehículo sospechoso en la zona, pero en última instancia, dijo que no contenía material peligroso.

El New York Times informó de que el hombre se identificó como un soldado en servicio activo de la Fuerza Aérea, mientras que otros medios de comunicación afirman que dijo: "No seré más cómplice del genocidio" antes de iniciar el fuego.

Todo esto parece una enorme protesta contra el conflicto entre Israel y Hamás que actualmente asola Oriente Medio. Todo empeoró cuando agentes de Hamás atacaron un festival de música matando a cientos de inocentes y tomando rehenes el 7 de octubre de 2023.

Israel respondió lanzando una guerra total contra Hamás en Gaza y las tensiones entre ambos bandos -y sus partidarios- se han disparado desde entonces.

Donald Trump dice que no le lanzaría un salvavidas de inmigración al Príncipe Harry si fuera elegido Presidente de nuevo, sugiriendo que sería abandonado a su suerte y tal vez deportado.

El polémico candidato habló con el Daily Express -un medio del Reino Unido- el fin de semana en el evento CPAC en Maryland y aclaró que no le gusta el duque de Sussex, y muy claramente dijo que el estatus migratorio de Harry podría estar bajo escrutinio.

Trump dice: "Yo no lo protegería. Ha traicionado a la Reina y eso es imperdonable. Estaría solo si dependiera de mí".

Terminó criticando a la administración de Biden por lo que él caracteriza como blanda en general -más sobre eso en breve- añadiendo: "Creo que han sido demasiado permisivos con él después de lo que ha hecho".

Ahora, lo que Trump parece estar aludiendo aquí es esta batalla del Departamento de Seguridad Nacional en la que el Príncipe está involucrado indirectamente. Un grupo de vigilancia ha demandado al gobierno federal en un intento de obtener documentos de los papeles de inmigración de Harry y solicitud de su visado.

Como usted probablemente sabe, el hombre todavía no es un ciudadano de EE.UU. y el año pasado, confesó en sus memorias que había consumido una serie de drogas antes de venir al país.

El grupo de vigilancia dice que esto es una clara admisión de que viola el protocolo de entrada de DHS y le están exigiendo la agencia que posee esos papeles que lo demuestre, pero la Seguridad Nacional está poniendo resistencia, argumentando que Harry tiene derecho a la privacidad. También dicen que podría haber sido mentira y esta "confesión" en el libro no equivale a una declaración bajo juramento.

Lo que Trump está dando a entender, al parecer, es que el DHS bajo su vigilancia sería mucho más firme, lo que podría -en teoría- terminar con el príncipe siendo expulsado de los EE.UU.