PETA Pissed At UConn ... Furious Over Goat Handling At Auriemma Ceremony

UConn's live goat gift to Geno Auriemma on Wednesday night has infuriated animal rights activists ... with PETA telling TMZ Sports it didn't think the scene was cool at all.

Officials for the organization said in a statement to us on Thursday it was apparent to them the goat was under duress as a handler brought it onto the Harry A. Gampel Pavilion court to celebrate Auriemma's 1,217th career victory.

112124_geno_auriemma_kal
GOAT FOR A GOAT
SNY

PETA claimed the goat "was visibly anxious" -- and to make matters worse, it said the person leading it "either didn't notice or didn't care that his collar was digging into his neck."

Jason Kelce Autograph Seeker Goes Nuclear ... 'You P***y, F*** You!!!'

112124_jason_kelce_kal
FACING THE PHOTOGS
TMZSports.com

A man seeking a Jason Kelce autograph on Thursday night went ballistic on the former NFL star ... calling him a "p***y" and screaming out "f*** you" repeatedly, but Travis Kelce's big bro admirably deescalated the situation -- and the tense moments were all captured on video by TMZ Sports.

The wild scene played out just a couple hours ago in Hollywood ... as Jason was leaving an appearance on "Jimmy Kimmel Live!"

Several autograph seekers had camped outside of the studio in an effort to snag the former Philadelphia Eagles player's John Hancock as he departed ... but when Jason bypassed them all and headed for his car -- one of the signature hunters snapped.

Shohei Ohtani Wins MVP Award ... Makes History With Dodgers

Shohei Ohtani keeps doing things no baseball player has ever done.

The Dodgers superstar unanimously won the National League's Most Valuable Player award Thursday, becoming the first full-time designated hitter to take home the hardware.

In his first season with the Dodgers, Ohtani became the first big leaguer to have 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases in a single season. Ohtani's 54 homers were top in the NL and his 59 stolen bases ranked second in all of MLB.

LeBron and Bronny Opening Game Jerseys Hit Auction

A major piece of LeBron and Bronny James history is up for grabs ... with the jerseys the father-son duo wore in their season-opening game hitting the auction block TOGETHER -- and, yeah, they ain't gonna come cheap.

The one-of-a-kind memorabilia set is available via Sotheby's ... and has already reached $70,000 with almost two weeks left for bidding.

Both jerseys are believed to have been worn for the Lakers' first game of the 2024-25 campaign against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Oct. 22 ... which L.A. won 110-103. LeBron scored 16 points in the contest ... adding four assists and five rebounds.

Tina Knowles No Worries About Beyoncé & Netflix ... 'God Is Gonna Be There'!!!

112124_tina_knowles_kal
IN NETFLIX WE TRUST
TMZ.com

Tina Knowles isn't sweating Beyoncé's upcoming live performance on Netflix, despite the streamer's past glitches ... as she believes there will be a holy presence during the Christmas day production.

We caught up with the Knowles matriarch outside ABC Studios in NYC this week, where we asked for her opinion about Netflix's inaugural streaming of 2 Christmas Day NFL games ... Bey will be the halftime performer at the game in Texas.

Though the big red N caught flak during its recent Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul fight -- many  outages and disruptions were reported -- Tina made it clear she's confident ahead of her daughter's holiday halftime show.

Cuba Gooding Jr. Jussie Smollett's Prosecution Was Sensationalized 'Climate We're In'

112124-cuba-gooding-jr-kal
CHANGE IS IN THE AIR
TMZ.com

Cuba Gooding Jr. understands what Jussie Smollett went through in his ongoing ordeal with the justice system after the Illinois State Supreme Court's ruling today ... pointing out how celebrities endure sensationalized treatment in the public eye.

The controversial actor stopped by "TMZ Live" Thursday to discuss Jussie Smollett's conviction being overturned today ... and, Cuba says Smollett's experience shows the climate we're in today.

Gooding adds he knows how tough it is to go into a courthouse as a celebrity ... pointing to the intense public reaction to every twist and turn of a trial before a final outcome is delivered, and in its aftermath.

Gisele Bündchen 'No Perfect Roadmap' To Life ... Amid Pregnancy

Gisele Bündchen is sharing some words of wisdom amid her pregnancy ... with the supermodel opening up on how there's "no perfect roadmap" to living a full life.

Tom Brady's ex-wife shared the motivational note on Thursday ... accompanied by a picture of her soaking in rays with a mug in hand.

The 44-year-old was clearly in the mood to inspire ... with the message being while there's no instructions on how to do it, being happy, healthy and positive is all that matters.

Wendell Smallwood Ex-NFL RB ... Charged With 3 Felonies

Former NFL running back Wendell Smallwood -- a one-time Super Bowl champion -- has been charged with three felonies, TMZ Sports has confirmed.

Court documents we obtained show federal prosecutors hit the 30-year-old on Oct. 28 with one count of wire fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to defraud the IRS.

The feds claim the charges stem from Smallwood defrauding government agencies during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Daniel Jones Blame Me For Giants' Bad Season ... 'I Gave Everything!"

112124_daniel_jones_kal
GRATEFUL FOR GIANTS
SNY

New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones is owning up to his role in the team's rough season ... admitting he hasn't performed up to standard, despite giving his all on the field.

The emotional statement came after Thursday's practice ... as the Giants prepare to face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at MetLife Stadium on Sunday.

Jones -- who was benched on Monday after losing his fifth consecutive game -- started by reflecting on his time with the New York organization, telling the media playing for NYG has been a dream come true.

Jessica Simpson Big Family Reunion for Nephew's BDay ... But Where's Hubby Eric???

Jessica Simpson stepped out with almost all of her relatives for a celebratory dinner ... but one family member was noticeably absent -- her husband, Eric Johnson.

Check it out ... the singer hit the town in Los Angeles Wednesday night, as she stepped out for a 16th birthday party honoring nephew Bronx at Beverly Hills hot spot Mr. Chow.

Jessica was joined by a number of her loved ones, including sister Ashlee Simpson, brother-in-law Evan Ross, ex-brother-in-law Pete Wentz, dad Joe Simpson, and mom Tina Ann Drew, among others ... so, it was eyebrow-raising when EJ was nowhere to be found.

Ellen DeGeneres & Portia de Rossi Right at Home in UK Pub ... Before Big Move Reveal!!!

112124_ellen_portia_pub_kal
Spotted In The UK
Instagram/@thefarmersdogpub

Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi's big move news may've just surfaced, but it seems the couple has been settling down in the UK for some time.

The talk show legend and the actress were spotted taking in an acoustic set at a pub in the Cotswolds last week ... enjoying an intimate performance by The Corrs while visiting with singers Natalie Imbruglia and James Blunt.

Check it out ... Ellen and Portia were beaming while dressed in matching black turtlenecks, enjoying a night out at the Farmer’s Dog Pub --  which is owned by British TV personality Jeremy Clarkson.

Charles Leclerc Designs Custom Puma KIcks ... Check Out These Puppies!!!

If you thought Charles Leclerc was just a global brand ambassador for Puma, you're sorely mistaken ... the F1 superstar is now designing shoes, too!

But, sorry Ferrari fans ... these pair are a one-of-one.

The 27-year-old Formula 1 driver is in Sin City this week for the Las Vegas Grand Prix -- the second year of the highly anticipated street circuit in and around the strip -- when the 'Rari driver took a few minutes to design the kicks.

NFL Warns Teams After Mahomes, Kelce Home Burglaries ... Be Aware!!!

The NFL is putting its players on notice ... warning them this week to be on high alert following the burglaries at the homes of Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce.

The league issued a memo to all 32 of its teams on Wednesday, according to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero, after it determined the crimes that took place at the Kansas City Chiefs stars' mansions last month appeared to be the work of a larger group of skilled individuals who have burgled homes throughout the nation this year.

In his report, Pelissero stated one other NFL player, Dallas Cowboys defensive lineman Linval Joseph, was actually another recent victim of the suspected operation.

Austin Carr Drops S-Bomb During Interview ... 'A.C. After Dark!!!'

Cleveland Cavaliers legend Austin Carr is known for his trademark "Get that weak stuff outta here" phrase ... but he accidentally released the unedited version on Wednesday -- letting an S-bomb slip on live TV!!

Mr. Cavalier -- the team's longtime broadcast commentator -- was chatting with Tristan Thompson and Georges Niang after the Wine and Gold's 128-100 win over the New Orleans Pelicans ... and at one point, he asked the former his thoughts on one specific moment during the outing.

"Tristan, it looked like you got a little upset, the guy was trying to shoot the ball right in front of your face, it was like, 'Get that s***' -- oh, I mean ..."

Cristiano Ronaldo, MrBeast YouTube Collab Gets 3 Million Views ... Right After Release

Cristiano Ronaldo released a collab with YouTube superstar MrBeast titled "I Meet MrBeast To Break The Internet" ... and the two pretty much did just that, 'cause the video is getting millions of views!!

The international soccer superstar and internet sensation had the cameras rolling for a sit-down conversation on a wide range of topics -- with MrBeast offering some advice on how CR7 can grow his channel.

One could argue the Al-Nassr FC striker doesn't need much help ... as he already sits at 67 million subscribers after launching the channel just this past August.

Fitness Influencer Ripped To Shreds ... Over Mid-Flight Workout!!!

112124_plane_workout_kal
Moving About The Cabin
Jam Press

One flight had to handle some serious turbulence -- courtesy of a fitness influencer launching into an extreme "bodypump" workout, much to the horror of the other passengers, one of whom recorded the scene.

Barbara de Regil, a former Mexican soap star turned fitness queen with over 9M IG followers, decided to unwind on a long-haul flight by turning the aisle into her personal gym.

Most people usually stick to light stretching or a casual stroll up and down the aisle, but Barbara clearly has zero social anxiety, crowding other passengers' already-cramped personal space to get in her exercise.