Ride Me

Just when you thought technology couldn't get any crazier, Dubai turns the corner in the jetpack game ... and their latest gizmo's got us thinking superheroes here.

The Crown Prince, Hamdan Mohammed, linked to a video Monday morning showing off a sweet flight path taken by pilot Vince Reffe --- referred to as Jetman Dubai -- who flies around the city with an incredibly advanced jetpack that lets him zip around like Iron Man.

Check it out ... the dude doesn't just hover (which we've seen before). He actually reaches high-level altitudes here -- supposedly, as much as 1,800 meters in the air. And, BTW, this thing is pretty damn fast ... he reached these heights in a matter of seconds.

Not only that, but the pilot even does some light aerobatics up there before eventually using a parachute to come safely back down. There's a GoPro-like camera attached to the wings of the jetpack, so you get an up-close-and-personal look at his journey. It's wild.

President Trump is pretty stoked to be at the Daytona 500 --  so much so, in fact, he might even get behind the wheel himself and zoom off into the night. Settle down, Donnie.

45's down in Florida right now taking in the annual NASCAR race with the First Lady, Melania, and while talking to a FOX Sports reporter, he made it clear he wants to drive again. It's funny and actually kinda interesting ... DT can't really do that anymore, huh?

In a somewhat rambling response, Trump calls Daytona "the great American race," going on to say he stopped by because he sees it as "almost a patriotism kind of thing." Well said!

Trump also gave a shout-out to the drivers, saying it takes great courage to drive in such a beast of a vehicle. Sounds like he wants to take one for a spin, actually -- joking he might hop in one himself and "get in this race." He won't, obviously, but imagine if he did 😅.

Another humorous moment during POTUS's Daytona day out -- he made sure to point out where exactly God is to the people listening to his opening remarks to kick off the event.

Wendi Williams, the woman whose reclined seat was repeatedly punched by a passenger on an American Airlines flight, is ready to pick another fight ... this time with the airline!!!

Wendi tells us she met with an attorney Friday to discuss legal options she can take against AA ... and she's threatening the airline with a defamation lawsuit!

Williams is bristling over what an American Airlines rep told TMZ -- that the whole seat-reclining incident started when she first reclined and knocked over the other passenger's drink. Wendi claims it never happened. BTW, even if she did, it would have been an accident and no big deal.

She believes she was slandered when AA accused her of being disruptive, spilling a drink and also all the things that the flight attendant said to her on the plane -- that she was the bad person in the dispute -- all defamatory, Williams says. BUT ... she's not interested in suing the passenger, although she's told us she'd like to see him prosecuted for assault.

Wendi also claims she was respectful to everyone else on the plane and didn't make a scene. Remember, she previously told us a flight attendant handed her a passenger disturbance notice for refusing to delete her video of the man behind her punching her chair.

As for the reclining-seat debate ... Wendi says the airlines should be the ones determining if it's an issue, not fellow passengers.

Wendi's also got another threat for AA ... telling us, "They have pushed me way too far, literally and figuratively." Them's fighting words ... as in lawsuit.

AA's drawing its own line in the sand ... a source at the airline tells us Wendi reached out Tuesday asking for compensation, but she won't see any money because AA sees this as a passenger vs. passenger dispute.

We're also told AA won't be referring the incident to authorities, and it's up to Wendi if she wants to go down that road.

Well, this is pretty shocking ... the head honcho at Delta seems to think the woman on the American Airlines flight who reclined her seat -- only to have the passenger behind her treat her seatback like a punching bag -- was out of line.

Delta CEO Ed Bastian appeared on CNBC's "Squawk Box" Friday, said it's an etiquette issue ... if a passenger knows a tall person is sitting behind them, they should ask permission before they recline. Presumably, that means if the person declines then the passenger can't recline.

That certainly isn't the way our users feel -- by a 2-1 margin they support the woman on an AA jet who put her seat all the way back, only to have the dude behind her attack the seat like a boxer in training.

To recline or not recline? To punch or not to punch? Two super pissed off American Airlines passengers have everyone asking those questions, and ultimately ... the FBI might have to get involved.

A woman named Wendi Williams, of all things, recorded this video of the guy sitting behind her on a Jan. 31 AA flight from New Orleans to Charlotte. She posted it last week, but now it's gone viral because you see the guy repeatedly punching her seat.

As for WHY wannabe-Tyson was treating Wendi's seat like a speed bag -- she says it's because she had the nerve to recline. We think it's relevant that his last row seat could not recline. At one point in the video he leaned forward and said something to Wendi that sounds like, "This is a turbulent flight." It's hard to make out over the jet engines, but whatever he said he was clearly jabbing, verbally this time, at Wendi.

Wendi says things got even more annoying when she reported him to a flight attendant ... who she claims "rolled her eyes," told Wendi to stop recording video, and gave Ali Jr. some rum for his troubles.

Wendi says she's escalating matters by pressing charges with the FBI against the "man who mistook me for a punching bag." She says American apologized, but hasn't accepted responsibility for the flight attendant fueling up Mayweather-in-training with booze.

BTW, Wendi also claims she's had to get x-rays, has headaches and lost time from work since going 12 rounds with her fellow passenger.

Madison Beer splurged for her personal assistant's 30th birthday gift ... and we ain't talking expensive booze or jewelry, more like luxury wheels.

The surprise reveal went down Monday night in L.A. after the singer and some friends celebrated her assistant's birthday. When dinner ended, Madison handed her assistant a bag, but it turned out to be empty. It was also a ruse.

Check out the vid ... you can see Madison pull out a key fob to a brand new Mercedes-Benz C300. Suffice it to say ... Madison's assistant was stunned and damn near speechless.

Helluva gesture, especially 'cause Madison knew about her assistant's car trouble for a while. We're told her assistant's 12-year-old whip kept breaking down. It's a car she used a lot to run Madison's errands and whatnot. Madison also knew her assistant's dream was to one day own a white Benz. Madison delivered, and then some ... a white-on-white model that tends to run upwards of $50k.

Goes without saying, Madison is super close with her assistant, and knew this would blow her mind. She was dead-on, as you can see in the video -- which also reveals a sweet new nickname for boss Beer.

Lori Harvey is lucky she escaped a sneak attack in a parking structure -- and if not for her quick-thinking skills her car might have been jacked ... TMZ has learned.

Steve Harvey's daughter had just parked her 2020 Rolls-Royce Cullinan at an apartment complex in Atlanta Wednesday night ... and made her way to the trunk to grab some stuff. That’s when the suspect crept up and ran to jump in the driver's seat.

According to the police report -- obtained by TMZ -- Lori told cops the suspect was a young black guy who tried to steal her ride. We’re told Lori actually ran toward him and struggled with him as he was sitting in the SUV ... but he pushed her away.

Lori told cops that's when she realized she could just walk away with the key fob to thwart the attempted auto theft -- because it can't be put in drive without it. We’re told she simply walked away nonchalantly.

As she did, a second suspect pulled up in a getaway car, hopped out, ran to the back of her Rolls and grabbed a red duffel bag. Both he and the first suspect jumped in their vehicle and fled.

Clean getaway, but according to the report they didn't get much. The duffel bag was the only item stolen, and it only contained some clothing.

Cops say Lori didn't complain of any injuries and refused medical treatment. She told police she was returning from Whole Foods, so cops are looking to see if any surveillance cameras may have captured the suspects tailing her into the lot.

Here's what you get for the man that has everything ...

Cristiano Ronaldo was surprised by his smokin' hot GF with a brand-new Mercedes for his 35th birthday ... and TMZ Sports has learned the whip cost nearly $1 MILLION!!

The insane present was given to Ronaldo after a dinner date in Italy on Wednesday night ... and CR7 -- a dude who's worth a BAJILLION dollars -- seemed legit stunned by the gift!!

The ride -- reportedly a 1-of-10 vehicle -- was draped in a red bow ... and Ronaldo's friends helped him celebrate it by dousing him in confetti and a rendition of "Feliz Cumpleanos."

Ronaldo's longtime GF, Georgina Rodriguez, said of the present in Spanish, "Congratulations to the man of my life! I can't wait to transport our love with your gift."

The ride is seriously insane ... it's got 800 horsepower, goes 0-to-60 in 2.9 seconds, and reportedly costs around $875,000!!!

Of course, Ronaldo is a huge car collector ... the dude reportedly owns around 20 super fancy rides -- so Georgina definitely won this bday.

'Vampire Diaries' actress Alice Evans lost her s**t on a YouTuber who claims she hit her car in a parking lot and drove away -- and the confrontation between the two is wild.

The vlogger is Kayla Lashae, and she captured the British star leaving her vehicle Monday afternoon in L.A. to berate Kayla after allegedly knocking her back bumper while trying to park next to her. Watch ... Alice goes ballistic over what she thought was Kayla's fault.

Alice's rationale ... Kayla had a massive vehicle parked in a compact space, and didn't allow Alice to easily get her vehicle in. Her actual breakdown of it is more ... well, impassioned.

FWIW, Kayla drives a Jeep Wrangler -- so yeah, it's a big car.

Now, Kayla tells us Alice actually backed into another vehicle during the botched parking job ... and then, allegedly, drove away without leaving a note or exchanging info with Kayla herself. Kayla says she filed a police report with LAPD as a result -- they're looking into it.

Billie Eilish is living in the fast lane ... such is life after hauling in 5 Grammys.

The 18-year-old singing sensation headed to the desert in the most northern part of L.A. County where she met up with a ton of rocket bikers for a photo shoot. There was also a cake on the set though it's unclear if the crew was actually celebrating or if it was part of the shoot. Billie's birthday, BTW, is December 18. Just so ya know.

Anyway ... Billie's also rocking a ginormous Moschino jacket. Unclear if she's trying to make a fashion statement or, again, if it's part of the photo shoot. Either way, when you bring home Grammys for Album of the Year, Record of the Year, Song of the Year, Best New Artist and Pop Vocal Album of the Year ... wear whatever the hell ya want!!!

Idris Elba's got some serious testicular fortitude ... 'cause his new car-stunt show really put his family jewels to the test.

TMZ's obtained the first images from the actor's new show coming to Quibi. Idris and elite rally driver Ken Block are teaming up for an 8-episode series dubbed "Elba vs. Block." They'll go head-to-head in car stunts to see who can outlast the other.

It's unclear if these are death-defying stunts, but with names like "Wall of Death," "Car Tightrope" and "Flaming Obstacle Course" it sure as hell seems like it. In one of the images, either Idris or Ken drive a go-kart through a vertical loop.

The 'Hobbs & Shaw' star has gone on record to say he loves speed and counts himself as a "wheel man" ... and no doubt this new show puts him front and center in some grueling challenges.

ICYMI ... Quibi is short for "quick bites." It's the first-ever entertainment platform designed specifically for phones to deliver episodes and movie-quality shows in 10 minutes or less.

It launches April 6 with original content from Jennifer Lopez, Liam Hemsworth, Zac Efron, Kendall Jenner, 50 Cent, Steph Curry, Chrissy Teigen and Kristen Bell ... plus our own celebrity show with a TMZ edge.

Some crook thought he'd be a big shot breaking into Billy Joel's house -- which would've been bad enough -- but trashing the piano man's beloved motorbikes too ... just makes him a heartless prick.

Nassau County PD tells TMZ ... a burglary took place sometime between Saturday and Monday morning at a Long Island home, which sources tell us belongs to Billy. The cops say 12 motorcycles and a home office on the property had been vandalized.

The extent of the damage is unclear, but even a little is gonna sting Billy badly ... 'cause the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer absolutely LOVES his motorcycles.

He's a notorious gear head and owns a local bike shop with even more vintage motorcycles on hand. So, it's no secret around his native Long Island that he's got crazy love for his street machines.

Cops say it appears the burglar or burglars smashed through a glass door leading into the garage.

We don't know if Billy was home during the break-in, but we know he discovered the damage Monday morning and called cops.

DeSean Jackson will be honoring his friend and late-legend Nipsey Hussle whenever he's rolling through the streets ... tricking out a Rolls-Royce to pay tribute to the slain rapper.

D-Jax -- who repped the L.A. rapper all season with custom cleats -- is keeping his tribute going on the road ... by pimpin' his 2020 Rolls-Royce Cullinan interior in "Nipsey Blue."

Not only do the seats pay homage to Nip ... custom lighting on the doors projects Nipsey's face and logo on the ground whenever Jackson hops in his ride. It's pretty amazing!

The rims are also blue ... as well as the RR hood ornament, which also has a "One of One" logo for DeSean, with all the work done by Champion Motoring.

Nipsey was shot and killed outside his Marathon Clothing store in South L.A. back in March 2019 ... and DeSean has actively worked to keep his legacy alive ever since.

Jackson -- who also has a Nipsey diamond chain -- spoke out about the loss at the time, saying "Can’t b life !! How they even allow this to happen ?? Bro I remember us being young homies before all the fame and money two young south central kids connecting and making something out of our life’s and giving bac for our ppl & hood !!"

Rapper Pop Smoke, who features on Travis Scott's new album, "Jackboys," is taking that title too far, according to federal agents who busted him for allegedly transporting a stolen Rolls-Royce.

According to court docs, Pop Smoke was arrested Friday morning in New York on a federal charge of interstate transport of a stolen vehicle ... specifically a 2019 Rolls-Royce Wraith from Cali.

Law enforcement sources tell us Pop Smoke met the Rolls-Royce's owner in November at an L.A. recording studio, and they entered into a verbal agreement for Pop Smoke to use the car in an upcoming music video. In exchange, he would give the owner VIP treatment at a future show.

Our sources say the car's owner told Pop Smoke to return the car the next day. When that didn't happen, the owner tracked the car to Arizona using GPS, and then reported it stolen.

Yung Joc is proudly driving for a new rideshare company and tells us it's a fun way to make extra cash, while also teaching kids all about earning an honest buck.

In case you missed it ... the "It's Goin Down" rapper went viral this weekend when video surfaced of him behind the wheel of a new ride-hailing app in ATL called Pull Up N Go.

Yung Joc tells us he heard about the app from a friend, thought it sounded cool and decided to check another thing off his bucket list by signing up to be a driver.

While some passengers assumed Joc had fallen on hard times after recognizing him, he tells us his new side-hustle is actually his way of teaching an important lesson to the next generation.

New England Patriots star Julian Edelman was arrested Saturday night after allegedly jumping on the hood of someone's Mercedes ... TMZ Sports has learned.

Law enforcement sources tell us it went down this way ... Julian was in Bev Hills walking around at about 9 PM when for some unknown reason he hopped up on the car, causing damage.

Impressive, considering the 33-year-old reportedly needs surgery on his left knee during the offseason.

The bad news for Julian ... cops were in the area working a robbery case when someone flagged them down and gave them the lowdown.

Edelman was arrested, cited for misdemeanor vandalism and released. He left with his friends.

Our law enforcement sources say it was apparent to them Julian had been drinking ... which might explain a lot about the incident. He was at dinner earlier in the evening in Bev Hills Cantina FRIDA, along with Paul Pierce and Danny Amendola.