Politix

John Shahidi, who manages the popular podcasters the Nelk Boys, is the driving force behind Donald Trump considering adding a modern twist to the White House Press Briefing room ... and he's telling us how this media landscape-altering idea came about.

John joined us on "TMZ Live" Tuesday and explained why the President-elect seems responsive to his grand idea to credential bro podcasters for the administration's upcoming daily media briefings.

Trump hit the podcast circuit hard during the election and John says that helped him gain traction with younger generations of voters, particularly men, who consume podcasts as opposed to traditional news outlets ... like the ABCs, CNNs and NBCs of the world.

There could be game of musical chairs in the White House Briefing Room, because it sounds like Trump may be replacing some of the traditional media reporters with bro podcasters.

Donald Trump Jr. was chitchatting with cohost Michael Knowles on his podcast, "Triggered With Donald Trump Jr.," when the subject came up.

Don Jr. said, "I was on the plane with my father ... and we were talking about the podcast world and some of our friends and Rogan and guys like you." The convo was about adding them, other podcasters and other non-traditional media types to the Briefing Room.

Special counsel Jack Smith is moving to dismiss his federal election interference case against President-elect Donald Trump over the January 6th Capitol riot.

In new legal docs, obtained by TMZ, Smith asks U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan to throw out the case against Trump before he's inaugurated.

Smith says there's a long-standing Justice Department policy forbidding prosecution of a sitting president.

Barron Trump is taking some time off from New York University to be with family during the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday -- and he was seen front and center with his President-elect dad Donald and his mom Melania.

Barron was seated around a table in Mar-a-Lago -- Donald's Palm Beach, Florida estate -- with the 47th President, Melania and her father, Viktor Knavs, Barron's grandpa.

Check out the video, which was shot Saturday night ... Barron -- Donald's youngest son who's a freshman at NYU -- is looking spiffy in his dark suit and tie alongside DT, who's wearing a matching outfit.

Justin Trudeau's not living in a love story with some Canadian citizens right now ... 'cause while he busted a few moves at Taylor Swift's Toronto concert, Montreal experienced some pretty scary rioting.

Here's the deal ... just as JT was singing his heart out and dancing with a few people in Rogers Centre Friday night, pro-Palestine protests evolved into full-scale rioting as people in masks bashed windows with hammers and lit cars on fire.

The videos are harrowing ... and, many people are calling out Trudeau for taking the night off while Montreal appeared overrun with protesters.

Dana Carvey's "Saturday Night Live" impression of Elon Musk upset the tech mogul ... and, even the comedian has to admit he doesn't really sounds like the guy.

Here's the deal ... Dana and David Spade were chatting about an old 'SNL' memory on a recent episode of their "Superfly" podcast -- with Dana telling a story about how a hair dryer basically turned into a blowtorch and burned his locks.

Spade cracks a joke about Elon thinking a blow dryer turned flamethrower is a good idea ... and, DC does his impression -- immediately followed by saying he "can't do Elon Musk very well, but I can do something that sounds not like anything."

Matt Gaetz had one hell of a whirlwind couple of weeks that began with him under consideration as Donald Trump’s attorney general ... and ended with him hawking vids on Cameo.

Here's the deal -- the former high-profile Florida congressman made headlines after DT picked him to be his attorney general ... a decision that shocked plenty of people given MG has been dogged by sexual misconduct allegations.

Days later ... Gaetz withdrew from consideration so as to not be a "distraction" for Trump.

Taylor Swift never had a shortage of famous people attending her concerts ... and Friday night was no different as Justin Trudeau popped in to see her performance in Canada.

The Canadian Prime Minister showed up at the Rogers Centre in Toronto, where Taylor took to the stage for one of her customary hours-long sold-out shows. And did we also mention that it was amazing?

Trudeau seemed to think so, because he was hyped up the the max just before Swift took to the stage, to say the least.

Bill Maher went off the rails Friday night over liberals who are boycotting Trump family members during the holidays.

The "Real Time" host got down and dirty over folks who view their political opponents as enemies and not worthy of company.

He has a great story ... writer Larissa Phillips and her husband -- both Brooklyn liberals -- moved to upstate New York and had a swarm of neighbors who were Trumpers. Their fear turned into gratitude when they saw how their non-like-minded neighbors ended up being caring people. Bill's words -- "It's almost like there are fine people on both sides."

Ice Cube unleashed his 11th studio album "Man Down" on Friday, featuring several hip hop titans -- but probably none more appreciative than Killer Mike!!!

The reigning Grammy Rap Album of the Year winner lent his lyrical touch to Cube's "Man Down" closer "Ego Maniacs" with Busta Rhymes, and told his fans the collab checked off a bucket list mark ... he's been holding onto since the 8th grade!!!

Cube's socially aware lyrics inspired a nation of millions to rap with an edge, KM included ... and it was only a matter of time before the cosmos connected them.

Kataluna Enriquez -- the first openly transgender Miss Nevada USA -- is speaking out against Congress forcing members to use the bathroom according to biological sex ... calling the whole fight totally disgusting.

We chatted with the 2021 Miss USA pageant contestant Thursday ... and, she tells us she finds the whole fight over which bathrooms to use tired -- saying it's far less important than the other issues the country is facing.

Enriquez applauds Congresswoman-elect Sarah McBride -- who will begin her first term as Delaware's lone member of the House of Representatives in January -- for agreeing to the bathroom ban ... showing she's focused on her mission despite the hate.

4:02 PM PT -- President-elect Donald Trump is wasting no time finding a new nominee for Attorney General after Matt Gaetz withdrew from consideration ... and Trump is going with Pam Bondi.

Trump only waited about 6 hours after Gaetz dropped out to announce his new pick. Bondi is the former Attorney General of Florida.

It's back to the drawing board for President-elect Donald Trump ... he's got to nominate someone else for U.S. Attorney General after his first choice, Matt Gaetz, withdrew his name today.

The former Congressman from Florida just announced on X he is pulling out of consideration to become Trump's AG.

Gaetz says ... "While the momentum was strong, it is clear that my confirmation was unfairly becoming a distraction to the critical work of the Trump/Vance Transition. There is no time to waste on a needlessly protracted Washington scuffle, thus I'll be withdrawing my name from consideration to serve as Attorney General. Trump's DOJ must be in place and ready on Day 1."

Donald Trump's incoming press secretary's a woman of few words ... 'cause we asked her for her reaction to Ellen DeGeneres and her wife Portia de Rossi leaving the U.S.A. -- and, all we got was a lot of LOLs.

We reached out to Karoline Leavitt for her reaction to ED and PdR ditching their former Montecito abode for the UK ... and KL responded "HAHAHA."

If this is a sign of things to come when Karoline's standing behind the Presidential Seal, a whole lotta White House reporters better find another way to fill column inches.

Afrobeats megastar Davido has some words for Black Americans who think the grass is greener in the African pastures ... it ain't, and let him tell ya, you're gonna be drowning in oil!!!

Davido was a recent guest on "The Big Homies House" podcast, where he ripped the notion of Black people, especially those upset over the Presidential election, fleeing for the Motherland, especially his own beloved Nigeria.

“It’s not cool back home…The economy now is in shambles,” Davido complained to host Big Homie Kodaq, and pointed out how African citizens are being reamed ... buying the homegrown oil for more than the people who get it imported!!!

Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi's big move news may've just surfaced, but it seems the couple has been settling down in the UK for some time.

The talk show legend and the actress were spotted taking in an acoustic set at a pub in the Cotswolds last week ... enjoying an intimate performance by The Corrs while visiting with singers Natalie Imbruglia and James Blunt.

Check it out ... Ellen and Portia were beaming while dressed in matching black turtlenecks, enjoying a night out at the Farmer’s Dog Pub --  which is owned by British TV personality Jeremy Clarkson.

10:05 AM PT -- Special Prosecutor Dan K. Webb has issued a statement, saying he's disappointed with the Illinois Supreme Court decision and respectfully disagrees with overturning Jussie Smollett's criminal conviction. Webb made it clear the court's decision has nothing to do with JS' guilt or innocence and he categorically believes Smollett is guilty of perpetrating a hate crime hoax against the city of Chicago.

He also pointed out the court's ruling had nothing to do with his 2 years of work on the case because he was appointed to his special prosecution role 5 months after Cook County D.A. Kim Foxx made a plea deal with Smollett. And Webb says it was that plea agreement that led to the "unprecedented" resolution initially in the case, which was the driving factor for the Supreme Court's decision today. In other words, Webb says he did nothing wrong.

9:10 AM PT -- Jussie's attorney, Nenye Uche, tells TMZ ... Jussie is "very pleasantly surprised," even "ecstatic." Uche emphasizes the court decision was unanimous.

He points out in the age of social media, courts need to push back and defend the rule of law and due process -- watch the video, he has some suggestions about how to address that.

A deal's a deal, and that means Jussie Smollett's conviction in the hate crime hoax case is now reversed, and he cannot be tried again ... according to the Illinois Supreme Court.

Illinois' high court ruled Thursday that Jussie's deal with Cook County prosecutors -- when they originally dropped the case against him -- had to be honored. State's Attorney Kim Foxx struck a plea deal with the actor, requiring him to forfeit his $10,000 bond, and do 15 hours of volunteer community service.

The court's ruling says because Jussie held up his end of the deal -- he actually did 18 hours of service -- he should not have been subject to a second prosecution. That's when he was convicted of felony disorderly conduct and sent to jail, briefly, until he appealed the decision.