Religion/ Spirituality

The star players on Kanye West's Donda Academy basketball team will not be able to showcase their talents on one of H.S. hoops' biggest stages this year ... and it's all because of Ye's controversial antisemitic comments.

The Scholastic Play-By-Play Classics announced Donda has been scrapped from this season's schedule ... claiming West's "words and actions violate our values as a company and a country, and what we seek to ensure at all of our events -- a spirit of diversity, sportsmanship, inclusion, equity and mutual respect."

The tournament -- which has five national locations -- is a huge deal at the high school level ... and has hosted future NBA superstars like LeBron James, Kobe Bryant and Kevin Durant in the past.

Donda was originally slated to compete at the December 11 event in Louisville.

It's a huge bummer for the whole roster of kids -- including five-star guards Robert Dillingham (who's committed to Kentucky) and AJ Johnson ... as well as the other players on the squad who are also ranked nationally.

Scholastic Play-By-Play feels for the young athletes ... adding, "While we are firm in our reasoning for this decision, it does not diminish our heartache and regret for Donda's hardworking athletes who will lose out the most as a result of Kanye's actions."

"Unfortunately, we cannot in good conscience host an organization founded and directed by Mr. West at our events."

B.o.B is finally responding to the 2016 flat-earth controversy that threw his career out of orbit ... and he's still, rather defiantly, dropping a diss-fueled track titled "Ted Talk."

B.o.B. tells TMZ Hip Hop the 6+ years since he released his viral song "Flatline" has rattled his perspective a bit, leading to more confusion.

Naturally, we asked if he still believes the Earth is flat, and he said ... "I've heard so many theories at this point from all the people that have come my way I don't know what to believe anymore.

"Neil Tyson said it’s an oval, let’s just go with that for now"

The new song-video mashup finds B.o.B's alter-ego Bobby Ray giving himself a tongue-lashing as they tackle the flat-earth fallout ... which mirrors the wackiness of a sci-fi thriller with twists and turns.

Bobby Ray questions throwing away their career to prove a point and should have left all the conspiracies to YouTuber Eric Dubay ... something everyone can probably agree on in hindsight.

The track includes B.o.B's admission he fumbled the bag turning down 2 offers from CBS -- one to appear on "The Late Show With Stephen Colbert" to explain his antics and another to have his own series.

Let B.o.B tell it, the whole plot was created by the media to take him down ... calling out Comedy Central and Complex after they allowed scientists Neil deGrasse Tyson and Bill Nye to slice and dice him online.

He even says NASA started attending his concerts to pass out pamphlets containing accurate information -- and he really pissed off The Root when he stated he'd never seen a slave ship in his lifetime.

He also still has bitter bars for Charlamagne Tha God and Lil Duval for their viral reactions to his flat-earth comments, and unlike Kanye West, laments being called an anti-Semite after saying he identified with the rants of Holocaust conspiracy theorist David Irving.

Kanye West's antisemitic remarks have already sparked one radical group to show face -- but what may come next is of even more dire concern for the Jewish people ... so says one man who advocates for the community.

Ivan Wolkind -- an exec of the Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles -- came on 'TMZ Live' Monday to explain the ripple effect Ye's words are already having ... and where it could lead from here, potentially resulting in real-world violence.

He says the freeway signs and mailed flyers that made the rounds this weekend are just the first of possibly more steps that he fears will be escalating in nature the more people start to see this as normal ... especially with someone as famous as Kanye leading the charge.

Wolkind also tells us that, unfortunately, he and his org have already started to issue warnings to Jewish people and Jewish institutions in and around L.A. as it pertains to keeping an eye out for troubling behavior that could signal imminent danger or threats.

Kim Kardashian is joining members of her family and millions of others in condemning hate against the Jewish community ... coming on the heels of Kanye West's antisemitic words sparking controversy across the country.

Kim just posted on social media ... writing, "Hate speech is never OK or excusable. I stand together with the Jewish community and call on the terrible violence and hateful rhetoric towards them to come to an immediate end."

Of course, the comments come just days after Kanye's "death con 3" comments towards Jewish people ... something that's cost him a number of job opportunities.

As we reported, Kim met with Ivanka Trump for a 3-hour dinner in Beverly Hills Sunday night. An insider at the restaurant told us Kim shared how deeply concerned she's been about Kanye's recent antisemitic statements.

What's more, a rally in L.A. Saturday supported the rapper's comments, with members of the group throwing up Nazi salutes at passing drivers.

Khloe Kardashian is publicly sending her support to the Jewish community amid Kanye West's continued antisemitic rants ... becoming the first to do so in her family.

The youngest of the OG 3 sisters reposted a simple statement which reads ... "I support my Jewish friends and the Jewish people." Pretty straightforward, but powerful at the same time -- especially since it's her ex-brother-in-law fueling the hate against Jewish people.

Her remark comes as Ye's bigotry sparks rallies in his name with neo-Nazis coming out of the woodwork in all sorts of forms throughout Los Angeles.

None of the other Kardashians, Kim included, have spoken up about the issue so far ... instead, it seems like they're just giving Kanye the silent treatment.

Khloe might be the first KarJenner to pipe up, but she's certainly not the first A-lister in general to say something about the wave of antisemitism.

Sofia Richie, Reese Witherspoon, Julianne Moore, Jennifer Aniston and several others reposted the same message Khloe did, but also expressed their horror and anger over the images of that Nazi rally over L.A.'s 405 freeway.

For his part, Kanye continues to get further and further isolated -- both professionally and socially -- but his biggest business partner, Adidas, is feeling the heat the most right now.

They've remained silent throughout this whole mess.

Kanye West has just had one of his most important relationships in the fashion world ended ... Balenciaga has reportedly cut ties with Ye.

According to Women's Wear Daily, Kering, the French fashion house parent company to Balenciaga has released a statement saying, "Balenciaga has no longer any relationship nor any plans for future projects related to this artist."

While the statement did not expand further, you have to imagine the decision was made after Kanye's repeated antisemitic attacks and controversies over the past few months.

Kanye and Balenciaga have a long history, and most recently partnered for a Yeezy Gap Engineered by Balenciaga collection that sold like wildfire.

Kanye also opened Balenciaga's Paris Fashion Week show, walking the runway -- and generating a ton of attention for the brand.

Of course, Kanye still has a multi-billion-dollar deal with Adidas -- a partnership the brand has reportedly said was "under review."

Ari Emanuel, CEO of William Morris Endeavor, has some stern advice for any companies still doing business with Kanye West ... telling them to back out of their deals following his antisemitic comments.

Emanuel issued the warning in an op-ed posted by the Financial Times Wednesday ... urging companies associated with Kanye to stop working with him -- including streaming services like Apple and Spotify that have his music available on their platforms.

He even points to Parler -- a conservative-leaning social media app that the rapper is planning to purchase ... telling them to refuse the sale.

Emanuel talks about Kanye's impact on society, writing "He is a pop culture icon with millions of fans around the world ... and among them are young people whose views are still being formed. This is why it is necessary for all of us to speak out. Hatred and antisemitism should have no place in our society, no matter how much money is at stake.”

Howard Stern is ripping Kanye West apart ... comparing him to Adolf Hitler while calling the rapper and his fans out for using mental health as an excuse for his racist outbursts.

Howard didn't hold back on the latest episode of his SiriusXM radio show ... referring to Kanye's recent interview with Chris Cuomo -- saying "you gotta hear the s*** this guy's into".

The host was hesitant about giving any more energy to the rapper ... but draws a shocking -- and ironic -- comparison, saying "Kanye used to be fun crazy. Now he’s like Hitler."

He then poses this idea to Kanye -- "If a newspaper article doesn’t point out the fact that you’re some sort of designer or genius, maybe that’s not because they’re Jewish, but maybe because they just don’t put that much thought into who the f*** you are and what your business is."

As we reported, Kanye's been digging a DEEP hole over his antisemitic comments ... telling Piers Morgan his "death con 3" comments towards Jewish people were racist, and meant for it to be taken that way.

Stern also goes after Kanye's defenders who are pointing towards his mental health struggles as an excuse  ... "If he’s so mentally ill, why don’t they appoint a conservator over his money like they did with the poor Britney Spears?”

Ice Cube is denying he's the one who influenced Kanye West's antisemitic thoughts, saying Ye roped him into the whole saga out of nowhere.

Cube's speaking out after Ye name-dropped him in the "Drink Champs" episode, when he said IC "set me up for this" and influenced him to be on this "antisemitic vibe" -- going on to say that he was going "finish the job" ... suggesting Cube laid the groundwork.

Well, the NWA star is distancing himself now ... taking to Twitter to clear up the linkage and writing, "I hate that my name was dragged into this Drunk Champs bull****. I don't know what Ye meant by his statements, you're gonna have to ask him."

He adds, "I didn't put the batteries in his back. Please leave my name out of all the antisemitic talk. I'm not antisemitic and never have been."

We should note ... Cube's been accused of antisemitism before, both from years ago -- when he released "No Vaseline," and referred to Jerry Heller as a "white Jew" and a "devil" that should have a bullet in his "temple" -- as well as bizarre stuff he was posting in 2020.

He's also publicly backed Louis Farrakhan, who's considered a well-known antisemite.

Despite that, he's now saying ... he didn't go out of his way to make Kanye say the things he's been saying lately, and wants his name dissociated from this mess.

Kanye West defies logic ... he says he doesn't wish harm on Jewish people -- despite saying he's "going death con 3" on Jews -- as he seems to be saying Jews in high places in Hollywood have screwed over Black entertainers.

Kanye was leaving the screening of Candace Owens' new doc Wednesday ... the photog asked about the film, and Kanye seemed stunned he wasn't asked about his antisemitic remarks right out of the box.

Ye makes it clear ... his comments in the last week were thought out and intentional. He seems to have personal grievances with Jews who run entertainment companies that he says have wronged him and other Black entertainers. What he doesn't explain ... is he raising the issue because he thinks the execs who did him wrong did so because they're Jewish?

Pope Francis' sneaker game is about to be on point ... 'cause the pontiff just got some dope custom Nike Blazer kicks featuring his coat of arms -- and a one-of-a-kind wooden shoe box.

TMZ Sports has learned ... Father Jim Sichko wanted to gift Pope Francis something "special and unique" while visiting the Vatican this week ... and not the same ol' kinda present he gets all the time.

So, he hit up True Blue Customs out in Lexington, Kentucky a few weeks ago to put some kicks together for the Pope ... and they delivered!

The finished result are some Nike Blazer Mid 77' Vintage kicks painted white and yellow/gold -- the same colors as the Pope's flag -- and a detailed portrait of his coat of arms displayed on the sides.

The Pope's name is also painted on the back ... and they came with a custom wooden shoe box.

True Blue Customs says it only took 10 hours to make this exclusive package ... and it's going down as one of their favorite projects.

"Pretty crazy," True Blue Customs tells us about designing the Pope's gift.

"I've done shoes for tons of celebs over the years but hard to top this one."

It seems like the Pope loved the gesture .. 'cause the 85--year-old was all smiles when Father Jim hand-delivered them to him on Wednesday.

Gisele Bündchen is trying to feel better after separating from her husband Tom Brady ... visiting a spiritual healer to get back on track.

The supermodel paid Dr. Ewa a return visit Friday in Florida, sporting a prayer necklace and carrying a box from Amazon on her way into her spiritual intervention.

Ewa came armed with some Tupperware filled with yellow soup, and two cups.

Again, no wedding ring for Gisele ... she hasn't been spotted wearing it recently, but we should note -- she rarely wore the thing even before leaving Tom.

TMZ broke the story ... Gisele recently separated from Tom, declaring their marriage was over. She's been threatening to divorce him several times over the years, with football as the core issue.

Gisele's living in Miami while Tom plays another NFL season in Tampa ... and we've seen her hitting the gym a lot, even taking her kids to a workout amid her search for a divorce lawyer.

Two men have been charged in connection with an alleged armed robbery that took place in the middle of a church service which was stopped short while two men allegedly jacked some jewelry from the bishop during their live stream.

2 men from Brooklyn -- Juwan Anderson and Say-Quan Pollack -- were charged with armed robbery for their roles in the July 24 incident ... according to Breon Peace, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York on Tuesday.

Peace's statement reads, "As alleged, the defendants brought guns into a place of worship, stealing from two members of the clergy, and terrifying the congregation in the process" ... adding, "to commit such an act during a religious service is incomprehensible."

Peace notes a 3rd suspect is still at large.

The incident was caught on camera during the service's live stream ... showing Bishop Lamor Whitehead stopping mid-service and quickly getting on the ground -- as two men begin to take items off his person.

Whitehead tells TMZ ... "Today is the start of healing. We will let the justice system continue to work as I continue to do what God has called me to do."

The Church of Scientology had a serious issue with Tom Cruise while he was with "negative influence" Nicole Kidman ... this according to a former church officer that was once high up in the religion.

Mike Rinder's new book, "A Billion Years: My Escape From a Life in the Highest Ranks of Scientology," is peeling back the layers of the always-secretive world of Scientology ... and Mike's revealing a time when the Church began to drive a wedge between Tom and Nicole.

Mike claims the church got worried when Tom began ignoring calls from Church honcho David Miscavige ... while away filming Kubrick's "Eyes Wide Shut" in London.

Miscavige was super worried he might lose his grip on Tom, so he sent a top exec to the UK to audit the actor -- meaning he'd be walked through the negativity in his life to become "clear" once again.

Mike claims Tom eventually returned to the fold, which caused a serious divide between him and Nicole. He says the Church was so threatened by Nicole's influence, they allegedly hired a PI to spy on her and tap her phone.

The Church denies the wiretapping claims ... telling Page Six, "Mike Rinder is an inveterate liar who seeks to profit from his dishonesty. He supports himself by orchestrating the harassment of his former Church and its leader through false police reports, incendiary propaganda and fraudulent media stories.”

The Brooklyn pastor who went viral for manhandling a woman during his church service says he and his family are the real victims ... and he's released security footage to prove his case.

Bishop Lamor Whitehead joined "TMZ Live" to explain his side of things after he came under fire for shoving a woman on Sunday, and removing her from the church. Previously, the only angle we'd seen was the live stream cam directed at the pulpit.

Whitehead says this new video shows the woman -- who appeared to be protesting the Bishop -- heading directly for his wife and 10-month-old baby while cursing at them.

We can't hear what she's saying on the security footage, Pastor Whitehead is insisting he felt the woman was a threat to his family ... and he adds the whole incident was set up by bloggers who take issue with the fact he's been known to hang with celebs.

In other words, he feels completely justified for getting physical especially because he feared she might have a weapon in a small purse that was under her arm.

He also says he never choked or scratched her, but he did grab her shoulder in order to escort her out to police ... despite her posting a huge scratch mark on her neck.

The Univ. of Oregon has issued an apology ... after some of its students were seen and heard chanting "f*** the Mormons" during the Ducks' game against BYU on Saturday.

The school released the mea culpa on social media on Sunday -- calling their fans' chants "offensive and disgraceful."

"These types of actions go against everything the university stands for, and it goes against the spirit of competition," the school said. "We can and will do better as a campus community that has no place for hate, bias or bigotry."

The chants broke out at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon following a Cougars touchdown in the second quarter of BYU's 41-20 loss ... with multiple people screaming the crass comments while clapping their hands.

Video shot by bystanders shows the chants were repeated at least one other time during the game.

Some fans in attendance were outraged -- and Utah's governor, Spencer Cox, slammed the Ducks supporters over it all following the game.

"Religious bigotry alive and celebrated in Oregon," he said on Twitter.

Cox later tweeted a heart emoji following Oregon's apology.

For its part, Oregon's student section -- dubbed the "Oregon Pit Crew" -- also tweeted an apology after the game, saying, "We do not condone or support any hateful speech directed towards one’s religion and are ashamed of those who participated."