Religion/ Spirituality

It's officially Easter Sunday, folks ... so as you're divin' into whatever you gave up for Lent, take a look at some big names having a grand ole time with the Pope himself!

Arnold Schwarzenegger, Kelly Clarkson, and soccer legend Diego Maradona are just a few shaking hands and chatting it up with Pope Francis -- and it looks like the celebs certainly love him.

Martin Scorsese was blessed to be in the Pope's presence ... even kissing his hand out of respect!

Aretha Franklin got the chance to sing "Amazing Grace" in front of the Pope at the World Meeting of Families in 2015 -- an opportunity we're sure she didn't want to pass up.

U2's Bono seems to be deep in a conversation with PF -- who's seen here in a wheelchair.

Michael K. Williams' family is trying to move on from the trauma they've endured since his overdose, and his nephew says that process includes hoping the heroin dealer who sold the fatal batch to Michael finds help behind bars.

The late 'Wire' star's nephew, Dominic Dupont, tells TMZ ... the dealer's going to need God and everything that comes with believing in a higher power to make it through a lengthy prison sentence.

As we reported ... 39-year-old Irvin Cartagena pled guilty Wednesday to one count of conspiring to distribute drugs in connection to Michael's fatal 2021 overdose ... cutting a plea deal in exchange for a prison term between five and 40 years.

Dominic found his famous uncle dead from an overdose in the actor's Brooklyn apartment, and he watched Wednesday as Cartagena entered his plea.

He says Cartagena is likely to spend decades in a cage because of poor choices, and hopes he uses the time to get himself together.

For Dominic, justice in Michael's death is complicated. He says he's an advocate for justice -- just as his uncle was -- but adds, "People have to be held accountable and responsible for the decisions they make."

Michael's nephew says Wednesday's court proceedings amounted to a sad day for the family ... and there are no winners in this situation because nothing will bring back Michael.

Moving forward, Dominic says society needs to do a better job helping people dealing with addiction, as well as finding successful ways to reduce the influx of drugs on America's streets.

Kanye West's private Christian school only feeds students one thing for lunch, sushi, and they apparently have to eat it on the floor without tables or chairs ... this according to a new lawsuit.

Ye and his Donda Academy are being sued by two Black women who say they were fired from teaching positions at the school for two reasons -- retaliation for sounding the alarm on alleged education, health and safety code violations -- and for their race.

According to the lawsuit, obtained by TMZ, the women say they were the only Black teachers employed by Donda Academy when they were hired full-time earlier this year ... and they say it didn't take long for them to notice numerous health and safety violations, unlawful educational practices and extremely unusual rules at Kanye's school.

Among the alleged issues ... the women say the only lunch option available for students is sushi, every single day, and students are not allowed to bring any outside food or drink, except for water. The suit claims Kanye spends $10,000 a week on sushi.

What's more, the teachers claim Kanye did not allow crossword puzzles or coloring sheets at Donda Academy, classes could not take place on the second floor because Kanye is "afraid of stairs," and Ye didn't want children using forks or utensils.

The suit alleges Kanye did not allow artwork to be hung on walls, and no one was allowed to wear jewelry ... simply because he "did not like jewelry."

The teachers even claim Kanye didn't allow chairs, forcing children to sit on foam cushions or stand, while teachers were relegated to standing or using a stool.

Donda Academy, the suit says, required everyone to wear all black from head-to-toe ... and Nike and Adidas brands were forbidden.

The teachers claim the school doors were physically locked from the outside during the school day, and students weren't allowed to go outside until they went home ... with the entire school, pre-kindergarten through 12th grade, taking lunch and recess at the same time indoors.

The suit claims Donda Academy didn't have a janitor or a school nurse ... and there were no trashcans outside classrooms or in the kitchen. Meanwhile, they say student medications were stored in a closet with other expired medications just scattered around unsecured.

And, get this ... the teachers claim there are no lesson plans or proper disciplinary procedures in place, resulting in students going undisciplined for multiple instances of bullying and physical assaults against peers and teachers.

The teachers claim when they tried to run the alleged issues up the flagpole, they were threatened not to reach out to Kanye.

The women say they were ultimately fired ... and they're blaming their termination on retaliation and racial discrimination. They also claim their paychecks were often short up to $2,700 per pay period ... so they're suing Kanye and Donda Academy for money.

We reached out to Kanye's camp ... so far no word back.

Bill Maher wants his day ... a day he will share with 100 million Americans -- Atheist's Day.

The 'Real Time' host chose the Easter egg roll up to one of the holiest of religious days to push for a national day where 1/3 of the American population can "recommit ourselves to observable reality."

Bill has always scoffed at religion, calling it a cult, but he's now gone further.  Why, he asks, do we celebrate so many religions with national holidays yet atheists are ignored in a country where inclusion is the goal?

He's incredulous people are made to feel ashamed if they don't believe in God, or even if they're just unsure to the point they won't buy into organized religion.  He points out former President Obama has referred to himself as a "secular humanist" -- sounds like code.

And then he bores in on what he says is the absurdity of it all ... people worship a "mythical daddy figure who judges and condemns you for being the exact person he made you."

Gospel music vet Kim Burrell is claiming her music is therapy to Beyonce's ears ... or at least it was when her marriage with Jay-Z was on shaky ground.

Kim's confessional came in an interview with "We Sound Crazy!" back in October, but for some reason, this particular clip started making the rounds Thursday.

KB rolled the calendar back to 2017 when Jay recorded his last album "4:44," a project riddled with apologies to Bey for his infidelities.

Kim provided background vocals for the highly emotional title track -- a feature personally requested by Jay, as he came to align Bey's bad moods with Kim's music blaring through their house.

According to Kim's convo ... Bey even locked herself in a room for 11 hours while playing nothing but Kim's music, but came out refreshed and ready to resume the marriage.

Jay allegedly said he just had to meet the woman who lifted his wife's spirits and hence, the "4:44" collab was immaculately conceived!!!

Fans on social media grew upset with Kim for spilling the Carter family secrets, but she did note she and Jay spoke for "4 hours" ... and there were certain details from the convo she would never share!!!

Jonah Hill was in no chatty mood Tuesday night -- beelining it to his car after dinner ... and ignoring questions about Kanye West.

The actor was in the middle of a brisk walk as he left dinner at Giorgio Baldi in Santa Monica, exiting by himself ... and getting ready to drive away by himself, but photogs were waiting for him outside and ready to flash and talk.

Check it out .... Jonah wasn't having any of it. The dude tells one of the paps to clear the way so he can get to his ride, and then he was asked about Ye.

The photog asked the obvious ... how do you feel about changing KW's POV on Jews -- something the controversial artist said this past weekend on social media. Remember, he insultingly attributed JH's performance in '21 Jump Street' for making him Jew-friendly again.

It would appear Jonah might agree with just about everyone else on the issue ... namely, it's utterly ridiculous -- and not even worthy of a discussion. That's what we can glean, anyway.

We will say this ... Jonah seemed to be somewhat in a good mood -- flashing a big smile as he left Giorgio, which is encouraging. As you may have heard ... the guy's been going through some mental health stuff lately.

Dramatic new video captured the Nashville mass murderer blasting their way into an elementary school and roaming the halls with an assault weapon before fatally shooting 6 people, including 3 children.

Check out the security footage, released late Monday by the Metropolitan Nashville PD, showing Audrey Hale driving through a parking lot at Covenant Church/School with 2 assault-type rifles and a 9MM semiautomatic.

After parking a Honda Fit, Hale walked up to the school entrance and opened fire at the doors, shattering the glass windows. The shooter then crouched down to slip through one of the shot-out windows to enter the school.

Hale then maneuvered through the hallways with their rifle, wearing military fatigues and a red baseball cap turned backward. Hale opened several doors and entered rooms looking for prey. Throughout the video, you can see lights flashing from the school's alarm system.

Police say Hale fatally shot three 9-year-old students identified as Evelyn Dieckhaus, Hallie Scruggs and William Kinney. Hale also shot and killed three adults in their 60's: Cynthia Peak, a substitute teacher; Mike Hill, a custodian; and Katherine Koonce, the head of school.

Cops responded to the scene after receiving 911 calls. When they arrived, the officers were met by Hale shooting at them from a second-floor window of the school. The police were not injured.

Officers quickly cleared the school of students and personnel and made their way up to the second-floor common area. That's where two cops shot and killed Hale.

Nashville Police Chief John Drake said Hale randomly gunned down people in the school after coming into contact with them.

Drake also said Hale was a former student and resented having to attend the school, which was "why this incident occurred."

The chief also said police recovered a manifesto written by Hale, who detailed preparations for the attack and listed other potential targets. He did not reveal the contents.

Kanye West says he's done a 180 on his views about Jewish people and is no longer an antisemite -- thanks to actor Jonah Hill.

The rapper took to Instagram Friday night to announce that he was watching the 2012 film, "21 Jump Street," starring Hill and Channing Tatum, when he had his epiphany about the Jewish race.

Kanye said, "Watching Jonah Hill in 21 jump street made me like Jewish people again. No one should take anger against one or two individuals and transform that into hatred towards millions of innocent people."

He continued, "No Christian can be labeled antisemite knowing Jesus is Jew. Thank you Jonah Hill. I love you."

Kanye's statements are hard to swallow, given his recent professed love for Hitler. He went on a prolonged, scorched earth campaign against Jews as he alluded to issues he had with some execs in the music biz.

And, it was all very ugly. Kanye went on "Infowars" hosted by conspiracy nut Alex Jones and praised Hitler and the Nazis. Ye also hung out with white nationalist Nick Fuentes and the two even flew to Mar-a-Lago for an infamous dinner hosted by Donald Trump.

During an interview with Piers Morgan, Kanye doubled down on his antisemitic remarks, but clarified that he was only referring to Jews who had done him wrong. This was in reference to an earlier remark he made about going "death con 3" on Jews. Again, hardcore antisemite.

His comments led to a crushing downfall. Kanye became a pariah of sorts within Hollywood and the music industry. His close friends dropped him like a bad habit. And he lost major business deals with Adidas and Balenciaga.

He also had his honorary college degree ripped from him by the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. A watchdog group called StopAntisemitism named Kanye "Antisemite of the Year" in 2022.

The Chicago Blackhawks will not wear Pride-themed warm-up jerseys for Pride Night on Sunday, according to a report ... citing security concerns for their Russian players after the country passed an anti-LGBTQ law making it illegal to promote "gay propaganda" in Russia.

According to the Associated Press, the Blackhawks -- who've worn Pride warmup jerseys before -- ultimately decided against wearing the jerseys this season for the April 12 celebration after consulting with security officials ... who took into account president Vladimir Putin's newly-expanded law which makes it illegal for anyone to promote gay relationships as "normal."

Of course, the Blackhawks call Chicago home ... but the team has several Russian players on the roster, including defenseman Nikita Zaitsev, who is a Moscow native. There are also players on the team with family members living in Russia.

Chicago's decision comes just days after San Jose Sharks goalie James Reimer refused to participate in his team's Pride event, saying his Christian beliefs won't allow him to wear a Pride-themed jersey.

“I have a personal faith in Jesus Christ who died on the cross for my sins and, in response, asks me to love everyone and follow him," Reimer said. "I have no hate in my heart for anyone, and I have always strived to treat everyone that I encounter with respect and kindness.

"In this specific instance, I am choosing not to endorse something that is counter to my personal convictions which are based on the Bible, the highest authority in my life. I strongly believe that every person has value and worth, and the LGBTQIA+ community, like all others, should be welcomed in all aspects of the game of hockey."

As for the Blackhawks, they have yet to officially announce the decision.

Lil Uzi Vert is telling everyone concerned about his “I make a City Girl believe in Satan" lyrics to take a chill pill ... he's deep into his music craft, and not cozying up to the devil.

TMZ Hip Hop chopped it up with Uzi out in Bev Hills, where he confirmed the track he previewed at Rolling Loud California -- making it go viral -- will be on his upcoming album, "Pink Tape" ... which he promises will drop in a couple of months.

According to Uzi, he was just metaphorically speaking when he mentioned Satan, and his girlfriend JT didn't blink at the line -- he says she was in the studio when he recorded the track.

His overall point ... they're just lyrics, not real-life beliefs!!!

The song still managed to ruffle feathers in the music community ... 50 Cent's G-Unit soldier Tony Yayo rebuked Uzi's lyrics due to his religious upbringing when we spoke to him last week ... and Summer Walker sent out a stern warning as well.

Uzi says he too has a religious background, but now that he's a grown-up, he doesn't bite his tongue when it comes to delivering his own bars.

Russell Wilson and Ciara spent time inside a prison last week -- singing and dancing with over 300 inmates -- and the trip was so emotional ... Ciara actually appeared to be moved to tears.

The Denver Broncos star and the "Level Up" singer headed out to Everglades Correctional Institution in Florida to help lead a prayer with incarcerated men ... and you can see in video of their visit, the couple immersed themselves fully with the inmates right away.

Wilson read the group a bible verse ... before Ciara sang to the crowd. God Behind Bars, the org. that helped facilitate the trip, said it was all very powerful.

"The voices of the incarcerated were so loud, it felt like it could be heard by the entire prison," org. officials said in a social media post. "In a place so easily filled with so much division, there was a moment where Incarcerated men put their arms around each other and prayed for those struggling with anxiety and depression."

Wilson also shared his own video from the visit, showing him singing along loudly with inmates -- some of whom are serving life sentences -- to a popular gospel song.

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's kids' Royal titles have been up in the air for months, but the Sussexes have now made their heart's desire clear -- they want their kids to be recognized as tied to the throne, which King Charles is now officially honoring.

H and M revealed Wednesday they christened their daughter, Lilibet, last week here in California ... during an intimate, private ceremony in Montecito. In the announcement, the couple noted Lilibet was blessed, and will henceforth be known, as "Princess Lilibet" -- a new update to how she's been referred to, publicly, up until now.

The young princess was christened by Rev. John Taylor, the Archbishop of Los Angeles as revealed by People Mag. Another interesting nugget ... apparently, Charles, Camilla, William and Kate were invited, but did not attend.

It's unclear when the invite was extended, but it was sent.

In light of Meghan and Harry now using their daughter's birthright title -- something she was legally afforded when Charles ascended to the throne -- Buckingham Palace has responded ... and says its website will also be updated with those titles for Lilibet and Archie.

While Harry and Meghan haven't said anything about their son, specifically, it seems BP is taking this move as clear evidence they want both their kids to enjoy their Royal titles ... so instead of calling them Master Archie and Miss Lilibet, they're now Prince/Princess, officially.

Charles hadn't said much about the titles -- there were reports he was eager to slim down the number of titles and to keep them inside the family (the working family, it seems) ... and that he was supposedly considering stripping Archie and Lilibet of their status. But, he never did it.

In fact, one could argue Charles has been playing things by ear as Harry and Meg have rolled out project after project -- culminating with him inviting them to his coronation, despite them bashing him and the institution. In response, they've played their own hand.

Looks like the Royals are trying to play nice ... at least from the outside looking in.

For more royal drama, tune into our podcast "Spilling Royal Tea," dropping every Thursday wherever you get your podcasts.

Tony Yayo isn't vibing with Lil Uzi Vert's recent performance where he chanted he "made a City Girl" believe in Satan -- in fact, Tony doesn't even wanna touch the topic with a 10-foot pole!!!

TMZ Hip Hop caught the G-Unit rap star Tuesday in NYC, and he thinks Uzi took things too far during his Rolling Loud California set ... and really didn't have advice for Uzi's girlfriend, JT of City Girls, about whether she should run for the hills.

Yayo tells us he grew up in the church, so he's allergic to all things Satanic ... a stark contrast to the strong critique R&B superstar Summer Walker leveled at Uzi.

Summer questioned whether he's actually the devil's advocate, or just following the trend in rap that pumps up "demons" at every turn.

Prince Harry is ready to unpack his emotional baggage with a controversial trauma expert at a virtual conference ... and now he's getting some serious pushback.

The Duke Of Sussex will sit down Saturday with Dr. Gabor Maté for an "intimate conversation" about "living with loss and the importance of personal healing," according to Harry's website. After the discussion, viewers can ask the men questions during a live Q&A set up by Random House -- the publisher of Harry's new book, "Spare."

Problem is ... Maté has previously compared Hamas to heroic Jews who fought the Nazis in Warsaw, Poland, during WWII. Maté has also labeled Israel's leaders as terrorists.

Rabbi Abraham Cooper of the Simon Wiesenthal Centre blasted Harry for his affiliation with Maté. Cooper told the Jewish Chronicle: "Whoever made the arrangements to have this individual appear with Prince Harry, did him no favors. If Prince Harry knew this man's record and still chose him for the interview, our Centre would criticize the prince for such an inappropriate choice."

As we reported, Harry has been hocking his book about his life struggles. His memoir covers his deteriorating relationship with the Royal Family over their treatment of his wife, Meghan Markle. Harry and Meghan, as you know, moved out of Buckingham Palace and now live in a mansion in Oprah country -- AKA Montecito.

The Royal Family reportedly plans to watch Harry's convo with Maté, who has his own disturbing story growing up in Nazi-occupied Budapest in 1944. When Maté was just five months old, his maternal grandparents were among the Jews murdered in Auschwitz. He was also ripped away from his mother and turned over to his aunt, who kept him hidden until the war ended.

Harry and Meghan were seen out together for the first time since the release of "Spare" at hot spot San Vicente Bungalows, a members-only club for date night.

For more royal drama, tune into our podcast "Spilling Royal Tea," dropping every Thursday wherever you get your podcasts.

Nick Cannon says it's not up to him how many kids he ends up having ... he's leaving it to a higher power.

Nick told "Entertainment Tonight," "God decides when we're done, but I definitely got my hands full." The father of 12 says his procreating prowess could last for decades ... "And I'm so focused. I'm locked in. But, when I'm 85, you never know I might [have more]."

His latest addition is Halo Marie ... the proud mom being Alyssa Scott.

And, of course, there's Legendary, Rise, Onyx, Golden, Powerful, Zion, Zillion, Beautiful Zeppelin, Moroccan and Monroe ... hard to keep track.

It's Pancake Day, and if you're thinking about chowing down on baked batter and syrup -- well, you're not alone ... because Hollywood is already way ahead of you.

Check out these fancy food pics of your fave celebs indulging in a classic breakfast staple -- everything from the single flapjack to a short stack ... in The Rock's case, a tall one. The dude burns like a million calories a day through his insane workouts, so it balances out.

He ain't the only one who likes to pig out on these things ... other stars who've posed with pancakes over the years run the gamut -- and include everyone from Jeff Bezos to Ciara, Nick Offerman to Justin Timberlake and lots of others in between.

Just to name-drop a bit ... Busy Philipps, Rita Ora, Joe Manganiello, Karlie Kloss, Jonathan Bennett and Russell Wilson all seem to enjoy themselves a cake or two now and then.

In other words ... celebrities are just like us, even early in the morning.

BTW, fun fact about Pancake Day -- it's not just another random made-up holiday. In fact, it carries some religious importance, especially among Christians and Catholics. It's a day for feasting before the first day of Lent begins when people often fast in preparation for Easter.