Kelsea Ballerini & Chase Stokes Hold My Hand ... We're Going Honky-Tonkin'!!!

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NASHVILLE DATE NIGHT
TMZ.com

Kelsea Ballerini and Chase Stokes are hanging out in her home state ... and we've got them looking cute and getting flirty on date night.

The country music singer and "Outer Banks" star went out Tuesday night in Nashville, hitting up Robert's Western World for a little bit of live music with their dinner.

We got this video of Kelsea and Chase sitting face to face at a table ... and he leans in to whisper in her ear before putting his hand on top of hers. Fair to say, things are moving along for the new couple.

Folks who were there say it was clear they were enjoying each other's company over an appetizer -- no kissing or any other heavy PDA, but they were vibing, chatting and generally getting along well.

Sounds like this could've been one stop on a night of honky-tonkin' in downtown Nashville ... because they were only at Robert's for about 30 minutes before they left.

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HAVIN' FUN
TMZ.com

TMZ broke the story ... Chase confirmed he and Kelsea are an item, after they kicked it at the National Championship football game at L.A.'s SoFi Stadium. He told us she's a sweet girl and they're having a good time together.

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IT'S OFFICIAL?!

Based on their Nashville night, that all checks out!

Report: Dani Alves, Soccer Star Detained In Spain ... On Sexual Abuse Charges

Brazilian soccer star Dani Alves was reportedly detained Friday in Spain ... where he's being held on sexual abuse charges.

Alves, 39, is accused of inappropriately touching a woman under her clothes without consent (in Spain, sexual assault can cover anything from groping to rape) in a Barcelona nightclub on New Year's Eve, according to reports.

The woman filed a report after the alleged incident ... and once local police were made aware of the situation, they took witness statements.

Alves -- a champion with several clubs, including Barcelona, Juventus and Paris-Saint German -- has denied any wrongdoing, claiming he's never even met the alleged victim.

"I would like to deny everything first," Alves said. "I was there, in that location, with more people, having a good time. Everybody knows that I love to dance. Having a good time, but without invading the space of others."

"I'm very sorry, but I don't know who that young lady is. I don't know who she is. I've never seen her in my life."

Despite Alves' denial, state prosecutors are asking that Alves be jailed without bail. Alves will appear before a judge at a later date ... who will determine what happens next in the case.

Bryan Kohberger Dined at Moscow Restaurant Where 2 Victims Worked

Idaho murders suspect Bryan Kohberger grabbed a bite or 2 at a restaurant where 2 of the slain students worked, and he did so not long before the murders were committed ... according to a former employee.

The restaurant's called Mad Greek, and the ex-staffer -- who wasn't identified -- told People Kohberger visited the downtown Moscow eatery at least twice. Madison Mogen and Xana Kernodle, 2 of the 4 victims, worked as servers there, but it's unclear if they ever had any direct interactions with Kohberger.

The employee says there wasn't anything suspicious about Kohberger at the time, although his order stood out, which is why they remembered him -- he reportedly asked for a vegan pizza, wanting to make sure no animal products were used in it.

Kohberger also "slid into one of the girls' DMs several times," according to a different source who told People the messages simply said, "Hey, how are you?" over and over again. The person didn't say which one of the 3 female victims Kohberger messaged.

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HEARING THE CHARGES

As we reported, the search warrant for Kohberger's home, obtained by TMZ, noted there was a significant amount of blood spilled in the murder house ... and police seized items with dark red and brown stains from his apartment.

Police also say a "possible animal hair strand" was found at his home, which could be huge if it matches hair from a dog that was in the students' home at the time of the murders.

Britney Spears Justin Timberlake On Her Mind ... Sucky Tattoo On Her Arm!!!

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TATTOO TIME!!!

Britney Spears has clear regrets ... about a tattoo, and about her ex, Justin Timberlake -- she's even posting throwback pics of him -- which can't feel great for her husband, Sam Asghari.

She posted a video of herself getting inked up while in Maui, but never revealed the finished product. As Brit put it, "Can’t show it because it sucks 😂😂😂 !!! Like really really sucks !!! S–t 🙈🙈🙈 !!!”

That's probably exactly what Sam is saying about the Justin pics Brit posted right before her tattoo video. They were throwbacks to JT and Brit in 2001 wearing matching basketball jerseys, and the caption said, "When we used to shoot hoops TOGETHER … that’s when miracles happened."

It wasn't all gushing, though ... she also said, "I came out of my mom’s stomach just like we all did !!! Psss … why always cast me out ??? I’m equal as all !!!"

Brit didn't leave up the cryptic, yet definitely critical, Justin post for too long. That one's been deleted, but she left up the tattoo vid.

As you'll recall, Britney accused Justin last year of using her name to gain serious popularity ... referring to his hit, "Cry Me A River," as a way to blast her publicly for their split.

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DINNER DISASTER
TMZ.com

All the public reminiscing about her ex, can't sit well with Sam ... who was just publicly defending her.

As we reported, eyewitnesses told TMZ Brit was acting "manic" while out to dinner last week -- and video showed her sitting alone at the table and speaking incoherently.

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DISRESPECTFUL DINNER
BACKGRID

Sam later said his wife was just freaked out by fans taking photos of her, and he denied leaving her in the restaurant. Chivalry at its best.

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TACKY TATTOO

So, why's wifey thinking about Justin? 🤔

Sam Asghari Explains Britney Episode ... Denies Bolting, 'Manic' Behavior

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DISRESPECTFUL DINNER
BACKGRID

Britney Spears did not have a "manic episode" in a restaurant this weekend -- as had been described to us -- nor did her husband run out on her, according to the man himself.

Sam Asghari explained things to a pap Sunday, who asked him about what went down Friday night in Woodland Hills ... where we got video of Britney covering up her face, and talking gibberish, after somebody tried recording her while she was dining.

Despite an eyewitness insisting she was acting erratically and that Sam had bolted in anger ... SA says all he did was briefly leave to go get the car.

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DINNER DISASTER
TMZ.com

Sam says folks get a little camera-happy when they see Britney in public and can't help themselves in attempting to film her -- something he says is unfortunate, but which he also acknowledges as coming with the territory for the type of fame BS has.

The main takeaway here, though ... he's saying things didn't go down the way they were initially characterized. He does say, however, Britney was frustrated ... and that's why she was acting the way she did.

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CUTTING UP THE FLOOR
Instagram / @britneyspears

Britney herself also appeared to deny any sort of manic behavior ... taking to IG the next day to post a video of herself, and questioning the story altogether. She was flipping the bird a lot in this clip -- so we clearly know how she feels about the whole thing.

Kanye West New Mystery Woman is to Dine For ... Break Bread in Bev Hills

Kanye West appears to be getting quite comfortable with the new mystery woman he's been spotted with around Los Angeles ... sharing a meal and good conversation.

We've obtained a photo of Ye and the mystery blonde Monday inside the Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills. We're told the pair seemed quite comfortable, chatting while they ate. Unclear why, but Kanye's been spotted at that hotel a lot lately -- so it's possible he's calling it home these days.

The blonde is the same woman he was seen with as they entered the hotel earlier this week -- we don't yet know who she is, but we haven't seen them together outside of the recent sightings. So, if they're indeed an item, it's a new thing.

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BACK ON THE SCENE
TMZ.com

As we reported, Kanye was previously linked to Julia Fox and Chaney Jones, but both relationships seemed to drop off before getting serious -- at least for Ye. Remember, Chaney did get that tattoo. Oops!

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FROM THE MOUTH OF KANYE
InfoWars

Ye's been rather MIA since his appearance on Alex Jones' "InfoWars" where he announced his love for Hitler and Nazis.

While he didn't have much left to lose as far as his business deals -- Adidas already cut ties -- the disgusting pro-Hitler comments seemingly ended any remaining public momentum Ye might have had moving forward.

A$AP Rocky Clowns Rihanna's Manager No Sleeping on the Job!!!

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ASLEEP ON THE JOB
BACKGRID

A$AP Rocky caught Rihanna’s manager trying to sneak in a couple of winks as they chowed down on a post-Golden Globes dinner … so he whipped out his phone to clown the dude!

Rocky and Rihanna were out in Santa Monica at their favorite eatery, when Rocky got the heads up Roc Nation exec Jay Brown was snoozing in the car ... a magic moment for professional and amateur photogs like Rocky.

Jay was out cold and at a point, Rocky decided enough was enough, so he waived off the cameras and knocked on the hood ... which served as a wake-up call.

Rihanna was nominated at the Globes for “Best Original Song in a Motion Picture” for the track “Lift Me Up” from the “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” soundtrack.

The song lost out to “Naatu Naatu” from the Indian film “RRR” ... but RiRi still turned heads inside the Bev Hilton … decked out in a gown by Daniel Roseberry.

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SLEEPING ON THE JOB

The stage is now set for Rihanna’s big Super Bowl Halftime performance next month, where she’s admitted to having a few pregame jitters.

TikTok Star Bryce Hall Punches Vegas Security Guard ... Busted For Battery

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TAKEN DOWN
TMZ.com

Bryce Hall seems to have put his boxing skills to the test in Sin City, punching a nightclub security guard in the head, and it's all on video -- an incident that could land him in some legal trouble.

TMZ obtained the footage, shot Friday night in Las Vegas outside XS nightclub at the Wynn, showing the TikTok star getting physical with security -- including a punch to the side of the guy's head.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... LVMPD responded to a call from XS and police ended up citing Bryce with two counts of battery and one count of trespassing, all misdemeanors. We're told the case will be submitted to the District Attorney.

As for what sparked the fight ... we're told Bryce and a friend were kicked out of the club during a Calvin Harris performance after being invited up to the DJ booth.

In the video, you see Bryce throw the punch ... and it then takes four security guards to take him to the ground.

Remember ... Bryce is famous for his TikTok account, but he's also boxed before ... getting destroyed in a June 2021 boxing match against fellow social media star Austin McBroom.

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Bryce use to live in Los Angeles, but bought a house in Las Vegas in 2022. He also attended and posted at the AVN awards over the weekend.

We reached out to Bryce ... so far, no word back.

DAVE & BUSTER'S Co-Founder Suffered Stroke Months Before Apparent Suicide

James "Buster" Corley, one of the co-founders of the Dave & Buster's chain, suffered a traumatic brain injury months before his apparent suicide according to his daughter.

Kate Corley tells TMZ ... her father suffered a stroke 4 months ago that affected his communication skills, and the part of his brain associated with personality.

As we reported ... Buster died Monday, on his 72nd birthday, from what cops are calling an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. Police in Dallas say he was shot in his home before being taken to a local hospital where he died.

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Buster's daughter is remembering her dad as "someone who cared about people, full of life, charismatic" ... and she wants people to focus on his legacy as a D&B co-founder and not his death.

She adds, "Having him as a dad was epic. I got to see personally how many people he helped and an industry he created. He treated everyone the same, everyone mattered to him no matter who it was. The first thing he did when he retired was thank his wife and always said he could not have done it without her. He is a legend and the coolest person on Earth.”

James opened the first Dave & Buster's in Dallas way back in 1982, along with his business partner David Corriveau and went on to open more than 140 locations across the country.

James was 72.

RIP

If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org.

Dave & Buster's Co-Founder James 'Buster' Corley Dead at 72 In Apparent Suicide

James "Buster" Corley, one of the co-founders of the Dave & Buster's restaurant chain, has died … TMZ has learned.

A rep for D&B confirmed Corleys’s death, telling TMZ he’ll be remembered as "an innovative and creative force" with a "pioneering spirit."

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OUTSIDE JAMES' HOUSE
TMZ.com

Cops say they responded to a Dallas, TX home Monday, James’ birthday, to find a man suffering from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. He was transported to a hospital where he died.

The rep for D&B adds ... "Buster’s passion for hospitality, his demand for excellence, and the deep care he had for his team members were unparalleled. Our hearts go out to his family at this difficult time and while we will miss his wise counsel and his easy laugh, the legacy he and Dave built endures."

James opened the first Dave & Buster's in Dallas way back in 1982, along with his business partner David Corriveau ... with Dave winning a coin toss to have his name first.

Dave & Buster's went on to open more than 140 locations across the country ... combining food with video arcade games.

Cops say they are investigating.

James was 72.

RIP

If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org.

Dana White Nightclub Fight with Wife on NYE ... Dana Says, 'There's No Excuse'

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THE INCIDENT
TMZSports.com

Dana White and his wife got physical with each other on New Year's Eve, stunning onlookers in a crowded Cabo San Lucas nightclub ... an incident Dana says was, regretfully, fueled by booze.

The UFC honcho and Anne White, who've been married for 26 years, were celebrating Saturday night with friends in El Squid Roe ... but things took a turn shortly after they all welcomed in 2023 at midnight.

The couple and their group were in a VIP area above the dance floor, and when Dana leaned over to say something to Anne ... she reacted by slapping him across the face. Dana immediately slapped her back in the face, before friends jumped in and pulled them apart -- and it all played out in plain view of patrons down below.

Eyewitnesses in the club tell TMZ Sports ... Dana and Anne both seemed heavily intoxicated prior to the violence, and the video seems to bear that out, because things went from zero to 100 in an instant -- seemingly for no reason. Further, we're told the conflict was all over in less than a minute.

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'NO EXCUSE'
TMZSports.com

We spoke to Dana about the incident, and he admits he and Anne had been drinking heavily -- but quickly adds that's no excuse for him getting physical. He told us, "You've heard me say for years, 'There's never ever an excuse for a guy to put his hands on a woman,' and now here I am on TMZ talking about it."

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LAMAR OPENS UP

He says he's embarrassed by this "horrible" incident, and he and Anne have apologized to each other. He says they're "good," but their biggest concern now is for their 3 kids ... with whom they've already discussed the fight.

Meanwhile, Anne tells TMZ Sports ... "Dana and I have been married for almost 30 years. To say this is out of character for him is an understatement -- nothing like this has ever happened before. Unfortunately, we were both drinking too much on New Year’s Eve and things got out of control, on both sides. We’ve talked this through as a family and apologized to each other. I just hope people will respect our privacy for the sake of our kids."

Univ. Of Idaho Murders Idaho Police Looking Into New Lead ... 2 Victims Seen On Bar Video Before Slaughter

Idaho police have a new lead in the unsolved murders of 4 college students ... two of the victims were caught on surveillance video inside a bar just before the massacre.

The leaked footage -- which is actually a screen grab posted to Reddit -- apparently shows Kaylee Goncalves and Maddie Mogen with some guy in the Corner Club in Moscow, ID. Other young men are seen chatting and hanging out around them. Nothing seems out of the ordinary or nefarious. The time stamp on the image reads 1:32 AM on November 13, 2022.

A short time later, Goncalves and Mogen were driven by a private cab to their off-campus house, where they were fatally stabbed with their roommate, Xana Kernodle, and herboyfriend, Ethan Chapin. All four victims attended the University of Idaho.

Moscow PD tells TMZ ... detectives have previously analyzed video from the Corner Club, which is popular among the college crowd in town. But, police stopped short of saying they had reviewed and authenticated the latest footage.

As we reported ... cops have not identified a suspect or suspects, nor have they disclosed a motive in the baffling case. Detectives believe the killer(s) used a combat knife and may have escaped in a white Hyundai, which is currently being sought.

Andrew Cuomo, Kellyanne Conway Strange Bedfellows Go Italian ... A Penne for Your Thoughts???

Andrew Cuomo and Kellyanne Conway seemed like mortal enemies back in the day ... which is why this story is so curious.

The New York Post caught the former governor and former Trump honcho hitting up Il Postino Monday night in NYC's Upper East Side, with the ex-gov trailing KC as they left the Italian restaurant around 10 PM.

They were all smiles on the way out, rocking business casual outfits.

Cuomo and Conway were mum over the purpose of the dinner, but it's sure interesting ... Cuomo was effectively booted from office last year, and Kellyanne's former boss has certainly had his own issues, so there is some common ground.

Ok, just a theory, but Cuomo has reportedly been making sounds about running again, and Kellyanne seems to be keeping her distance from Trump. She's a pro at running campaigns, so ...

Ex-NFL Star Willie McGinest Punches, Smashes Man with Bottle ... Video Captures Restaurant Beatdown!!!

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WILD WILLIE
TMZSports.com

Willie McGinest beat the hell out of a man at an L.A. hotspot -- an attack that got him arrested Monday -- and shocking video, obtained by TMZ Sports, shows him punching the guy in the face and later bashing him in the head with a bottle.

The wild altercation went down on Dec. 9 at Delilah in West Hollywood ... when the ex-NFL star and several of his apparent acquaintances could be seen in the footage unloading on a man who was sitting at a table at the popular lounge.

In the clip, you can see McGinest walking up to the guy and appearing to exchange words with him -- before landing a left hook straight to his face.

At least three other men could be seen in the video immediately jumping into the action -- landing a flurry of strikes on the man over and over again.

The punches rarely stopped for around 30 seconds -- despite bystanders' attempts to try to separate the men from each other.

At one point during the melee, McGinest appeared to pick up a bottle ... and then slam it into the man's head repeatedly. The 51-year-old former linebacker can be seen in the footage tossing it onto a nearby sofa, before finally walking away from the scene.

The man looked to be bloodied and bruised once the brawl stopped. He has yet to be publicly ID'd.

McGinest was arrested on Monday morning over the incident -- authorities said he was booked at 7:30 a.m. on a charge of assault with a deadly weapon. Jail records show the New England Patriots legend's bail was set at $30,000.

According to police, McGinest posted bond and was released from custody at 9:46 AM.

McGinest is considered one of the greatest players in Patriots franchise history ... he played for the org. from 1994 to 2005 -- winning three Super Bowls. He was inducted into the team's Hall of Fame in 2015.

McGinest has been working as a football analyst for the NFL Network in retirement. A spokesperson for the TV org. announced Monday that they're investigating the incident.

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NIGHTCLUB BRAWL

"Willie McGinest will not appear on NFL Network while we review the matter," the spokesperson added.

Kehlani & Letitia Wright Grind Time in London Club!!!

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DANCIN' THE NIGHT AWAY

Kehlani and 'Black Panther' star Letitia Wright turnt up in London last night ... and currently have the Internet buzzing with a mix of fever and FOMO!!!

Video surfaced Tuesday of Kehlani, artist Dreya Mac, DJ Noodles, dancer Emily Imagna and the rest of her clique partying it up inside Fabric London nightclub following her show at O2 Academy Brixton.

The Afrobeats vibes were on 10, and so were Kehlani's dance moves when she backed that thang up on Letitia!!!

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PARTYIN' IN THE DJ BOOTH

Kehlani's a single woman and the clip does look rather steamy. That said, the Internet seems to be convinced Letitia is dating model Eva Apio ... who was also in the building setting fire to the roof.

There will be plenty more opps for club hops soon.

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Kehlani is currently blitzing through Europe on her Blue Water Road Trip Tour ... Australia and Asia are on the hit list next!

Ray J The Company You Keep ... Dines with Kanye, Milo Yiannopoulos

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DINNER DATE
BACKGRID

Kanye West grabbed dinner with radical right-wing extremist Milo Yiannopoulos Sunday night, and one of the dinner guests -- Ray J.

A table for 6 was set at Giorgio Baldi in the Pacific Palisades area of Los Angeles. We don't know who else joined, but Milo told the hostess on his way in that Ray J was among the guests.

Despite the obvious connection between Kanye and Ray J -- Kim Kardashian -- it seems shocking Ray J broke bread with this group, given Kanye's antisemitic rants and association with white nationalists like Nick Fuentes.

As we reported, Kanye is in lockstep with Fuentes, dining with Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago and traveling cross-country with him.

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DOUBLE TROUBLE
TMZ.com

You gotta wonder what other Giorgio Baldi diners thought of Kanye and co. ... including Jay-Z, Beyoncé and Dustin Hoffman.