TMZ Live

Israeli-American rapper Kosha Dillz has urged those determined to take a public stand on the Israel-Palestine conflict to show empathy for those suffering -- namely, Israelis, Palestinians, Jews, and Muslims.

Kosha tells TMZ ... Susan Sarandon and "Scream" star Melissa Barrera losing Hollywood gigs as a consequence of speaking out about the turmoil is nothing compared to those directly affected by the war.

As we reported, Melissa joined Susan as the latest Hollywood casualty ... being 86'd from "Scream VII" after sharing controversial statements, including an IG Story where she seemingly alluded to a longstanding trope about Jews controlling the media.

As per the celeb examples ... Kosha adds: "It goes to show some of the people saying things don't have any skin in the conflict ... because they feel the need to say something, but they're not directly involved."

However, Kosha notes that society has made it acceptable for people to praise the terrorist organization Hamas as "freedom fighters," ... adding he was shocked at the opinions of those he interviewed at both pro-Israel and pro-Palestine rallies.

He met someone who was actually from Gaza ... praising him as the "kindest person" he had encountered.

"We need a voice for the voiceless ... but not all voices are for the voiceless," he says.

There's a mystery illness going around affecting dogs all over the country -- and it can turn deadly if owners aren't careful -- which is why one vet has a lot of good advice to offer.

Dr. Lindsey Ganzer -- a longtime vet and the CEO of North Springs Veterinary Referral Center in Colorado -- explained what people can do for their pooches as this inexplicable disease circulates throughout the U.S. and puts doggos under the weather.

The symptoms for this mystery affliction are similar to what humans might consider a common cold -- but in this case ... they tend to linger a lot longer, and in some rare cases -- have even led to doggy death.

Dr. Ganzer has a good explanation for what this new illness is and what it isn't -- notably, she says while it starts out by resembling kennel cough ... it can end up taking a slightly more sinister turn by plaguing canines with pneumonia, if it goes untreated.

President Biden's lighting up the Internet with his fiery birthday cake poking fun at his age -- but that won't get him over the electoral hump with the young'ns ... so says a seasoned journo.

Technology reporter Taylor Lorenz -- who covers all things digital for the Washington Post -- weighed in on Joe getting a little cheeky this week to celebrate his 81st birthday ... with a jokey post that ended up fueling endless memes online.

Everybody, it seems, made cracks ... some were light-hearted, others were a little more serious -- but according to Taylor, none of it really helps the Prez in the long run for 2024.

As she put it on Tuesday's "TMZ Live," Biden and his staff are missing the mark on how to connect with Gen Z -- mistakenly thinking that viral content and memes alone will be enough to get a full base of potential voters to pull the lever for him come next November.

Lorenz says that's not gonna do it, unfortunately -- and that Joe needs to connect with young people on a more fundamental, serious level ... through policy that helps their lives.

There are a number of issues she thinks JB's out of touch with when it comes to this specific demographic -- everything from the economy to housing and healthcare ... and even the war between Israel and Hamas. On that topic, too, she says Joe's not reflecting their view.

Of course, there are also the Biden stumbles and fumbles that happen all too often -- including recently mixing up Britney Spears and Taylor Swift -- that Lorenz says aren't serving him well.

Bottom line ... TL thinks Joe's gotta sharpen up and engage 20-somethings with substance, if he wants to rely on their support at the polls ... 'cause right now, the gimmicks aren't cutting it.

News flash ... lab-grown diamonds are REAL diamonds and there's really no difference between man-made rocks and their natural counterparts ... according to a famous jeweler.

Jean Dousset, a descendant of Cartier founder Louis Francois Cartier, joined us on "TMZ Live" Friday and schooled us on lab-grown diamonds ... explaining why they are indeed a diamond in every sense of the way.

JD says even the most seasoned gemologists cannot tell the difference between lab-grown and natural diamonds ... and they're both graded on the same scales under the same rules and principles.

It's pretty interesting to consider ... seeing as there's controversy surrounding engagement rings these days. Based on what Jean's telling us here, it sounds like a man would be able to safely pass off a lab-grown diamond engagement ring as a natural one and the woman would never know.

Of course, Jean says most couples are shopping together for rings nowadays and he's not advocating for people to get engaged on a lie ... but the window of opportunity is definitely there.

Jean's got his own jewelry store in West Hollywood and this year he started selling only lab-grown diamonds. He's previously designed engagement rings for Paris Hilton, Eva Longoria and Amy Adams and says couples can get more bang for their buck with lab-grown diamonds.

Model Erica L. Carrington is getting a lot of heat for her runway walk at her designer pal's funeral, but says she doesn't regret doing it one bit ... claiming it's exactly what her late friend would've wanted.

Erica joined us on "TMZ Live" Tuesday to talk about her moment at the "Red Carpet Viewing" of her friend and fashion designer, Vernest Moore -- revealing the entire weekend celebration was planned out ahead of time, with early talks coming from Vernest himself.

She says her decision to strut her stuff to his open casket is exactly how Vernest would've wanted to be sent off ... and she says those in attendance were on board with it too.

Erica says she still gets emotional thinking about the loss of Vernest, saying she was with him in some of his final moments, and admits her nerves got the best of her before making her mark at his viewing.

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JFK's assassination 60 years ago this month was not the work of a lone gunman, and Rob Reiner & Soledad O'Brien are naming names.

Rob and Soledad joined us on "TMZ Live" Thursday to talk about their new podcast, "Who Killed JFK?," which debuted Wednesday. They present a compelling case -- Lee Harvey Oswald did not act alone back on November 22, 1963.

The "All in the Family" star and mega-producer has been obsessed with the assassination since he was 16, when Kennedy was shot, and he's been doing deep research ever since. Rob previewed his theories with us, clearly suggesting there were rogue government officials who plotted to get JFK.

Soledad and Rob agreed ... much of the distrust Americans feel toward their government emanated from the Kennedy assassination.

There are CIA connections to the plot to kill Kennedy, and even President Lyndon B. Johnson -- who succeeded Kennedy -- had a significant role in the coverup, according to Rob.

The fascination with the assassination has hardly subsided ... there's even an auction going on to sell a portion of the infamous picket fence behind the grassy knoll.

Montana Tucker says she doesn't feel safe as a Jewish person in America ... and she fears the hate towards Jewish people online is part of a larger problem.

The singer joined us on "TMZ Live" Monday and told us her popular TikTok posts are now cesspools for antisemitic comments ... and it's only getting worse.

Montana, who had family members die in the Holocaust, says people feel emboldened to spew hate against Jews ... not only on social media but also in real life.

For Montana, her singing and dancing content is now littered with hateful comments from antisemites telling her she deserves to die simply because she's Jewish ... and there are even a few Holocaust deniers.

Montana says the hate is really bad right now as a result of the Israel-Hamas war ... but she says it's been brewing for a while, first ratcheting up last year when she posted a docuseries about Auschwitz, where her family died in concentration camps.

Things are so bad for Jewish creators on TikTok, Montana tells us she and others don't feel safe ... and she's leading a group of celebs pressuring the platform to crack down on antisemitism.

Montana also says lots of people coming after her in the comments are supporting Hamas ... even though it's a terrorist organization known for its awful treatment of LGBTQ+ people and women.

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Matthew Perry wanted to leave a lasting legacy beyond his fame as Chandler Bing ... in the form of a foundation dedicated to helping folks suffering from substance abuse.

Sources close to the late actor tell TMZ ... in the months leading up to his death, Matthew was in the early stages of creating the foundation ... akin to what Betty Ford did with her Foundation near Palm Springs.

While Matthew died before he could turn his dream into reality, our sources say several people close to him want to pursue the foundation in his honor ... and they're planning to move forward and get it up and running.

Remember ... Matthew was open about his history with substance abuse -- it's a big topic in his book -- and by all accounts he was sober, using pickleball as an outlet to help with his recovery.

Matthew wanted his legacy to be helping people who are struggling with substance abuse, and not his starring role on "Friends." The foundation could have done the trick.

Morgan Fairchild is reflecting on her time working with Matthew Perry on the "Friends" set, where she played his character Chandler Bing's mother ... praising him as an "incredibly talented actor" who "always had stars in his eyes."

Morgan's the latest in a long list of industry figures who've had nothing but kind words for Matthew, and she joined us Monday on "TMZ Live" to share her memories of his talent ... telling us he had a rare, impromptu ability to hilariously tweak lines for his character. BING-O!

It was clear her memories from the set of the hit NBC sitcom were overwhelmingly of the super-friendly actor bringing boundless energy to set -- all while sporting a big smile on his face.

Morgan added, Matthew was very professional and consistent with his joyful attitude on set, even during the times he was dealing with personal demons, such as his highly publicized battle with substance abuse.

Of course, with "Friends" having been such a monster hit for Matthew, the veteran actress was also sure to jog everyone's memory on his other acting credentials to showcase his talents.

She also praised him for baring his soul and helping others through his memoir, "Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing: A Memoir."

It certainly appeared as though Matthew had made another friend in Morgan.

As we first reported, the actor shockingly passed away Saturday just 2 hours after playing pickleball at Riviera Country Club near his home in Pacific Palisades.

Our sources have told us foul play is NOT suspected in Matthew's cause of death, and there were NO illicit drugs found at his home.

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From there, you'll get to indulge in sweet accommodations in a 2-bedroom luxury suite and get a pair of tickets to the show of your choice at the Yaamava' Theater, a state-of-the-art intimate performance center that hosts the biggest names in music.

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Cheryl Hines says The White House can no longer avoid husband Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s need for Secret Service protection ... not in the wake of 2 scary incidents at their home.

The actress and comedian joined us on "TMZ Live" Friday and told us she had a front-row seat to the intruder who attempted to get inside their home, not once but twice.

Cheryl says she was on Instagram Live at the family's Brentwood estate Wednesday morning when she looked out the window and noticed a strange man in the yard, being apprehended by security.

For Cheryl, it was an alarming moment hitting way too close to home ... and we don't just mean the fact it happened at their home. There's another dimension to this -- the Kennedy's tragic family history.

Robert was only 9 years old when his uncle, President John F. Kennedy, was assassinated in Dallas in 1963, and then just 5 years later his father, Robert F. Kennedy, was shot and killed in L.A. while running for President.

Cheryl says the home intruder underscores the need for RFK Jr. to have Secret Service protection and not just private security watching his back as he runs as an Independent in the 2024 Presidential Election.

She says they've tried to get President Joe Biden's Department of Homeland Security to authorize Secret Service protection for RFK Jr. but have been denied ... which she finds very puzzling.

DHS' explanation for rejecting the request, at that time, was RFK Jr. wasn't polling high enough -- at least 15 percent -- to warrant protection, but the most recent poll shows him pulling 19% in a 3-way race with Biden and Trump.

She's hoping Biden reconsiders and seems to think The White House may be denying RFK Jr. protection because of the very real chance he'll be a big factor in the outcome next year.

If that's the case, Cheryl says the White House can't ignore this latest incident ... which we first reported.

Mark Zuckerberg's Meta made sure to design Facebook and Instagram so they are super hard to quit, and the result has been bad for society ... at least that's the allegation from Tennessee's Attorney General, and 41 other AGs.

Jonathan Skrmetti, the Volunteer State's top cop, joined us Wednesday on "TMZ Live" to lay out why 41 states -- and Washington, DC -- are suing Facebook and Instagram's parent company for allegedly harming our nation's youth.

He says the social media apps are intentionally designed to take advantage of the way we're all wired -- making the platforms extremely addicting with features like infinite scrolling, reminders and notifications, just to name a few.

Skrmetti says Meta is fully aware the apps are hard to quit and bad for folks -- he says they cause sleep deprivation, anxiety, ADD, depression and potential suicide.

In his eyes, there's only so much parents can do to stop their kids from getting hooked on social media, and it's at a point now where the government needs to step in to make changes.

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TMZ is giving away the chance for you to visit Vegas like a true VIP, as part of our High Roller Sweepstakes ... spending 3 days at Palms Casino Resort like an A-lister!

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That's not all -- you'll get 24-hour butler service for 3 days and 2 nights in the Blush Suite at Palms Resort, which features VIP check-in, floor-to-ceiling windows, and a rose-gold beauty bar.

The grand prize winner will feel like a high roller with their own VIP table at Ghostbar on the 55th floor of Palms' Ivory Tower. You can also hang at the SOAK Pool with a one-day complimentary cabana.

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Here's how you enter ... watch "TMZ on TV" and "TMZ Live" weekdays through Friday to get the word of the day and visit https://tmzsweepstakes.com/ or text the word to 55225. The more you enter the more chances you have to win. It's that simple!

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