Chris Cornell's Wife Speaks to Congress About Opioid Crisis ... 'Chris's Death Was Not Inevitable'

Published | Updated

Chris Cornell's widow is speaking out about the opioid crisis in America and sharing her firsthand knowledge about the impact addiction has on families.

Vicky Cornell was on Capitol Hill Monday to share her personal story of her husband's tragic death. She told the Bipartisan Heroin and Opioid Task Force ... "The part that hurts most is Chris’ death was not inevitable, there were no demons that took over. Chris had a brain disease and a doctor who unfortunately, like many, was not properly trained or educated on addiction."

She also emphasized the need to address overprescribing of addictive Rx meds.

Vicky added ... "We must integrate addiction treatment into our health care system -- no more false narratives about the need to hit rock bottom, no more secret societies, no more shame -- we must educate health care providers on how to treat addiction and best support recovery."

As you know, Chris died by suicide in May 2017 in a Detroit hotel room following a concert. The Medical Examiner said he had a variety of drugs in his system, including a sedative, barbiturates and Ativan.

Vicky blamed his doctor for prescribing a recovering addict a drug to relieve pain without close supervision ... which she believes led to a relapse.

Her mission is to stop similar situations for recovering addicts ... and she hopes Congress listened.

Jussie Smollett 'Empire' Execs Don't Believe 'Attack' Staged Over Salary Issues

Published | Updated

If "Empire" money was Jussie Smollett's motivation to allegedly stage an attack, he certainly never showed his cards to the people who could actually make it happen.

"Empire" production sources tell TMZ ... none of the brass -- producers or EPs -- heard even a whisper from Jussie grousing he was underpaid. Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson said Jussie staged the "attack" to raise his profile and get more per episode.

Our sources say, if Jussie was upset about his salary, he kept it to himself. He was in the middle of a long-term contract and the executives, who are in a position to bust the deal or sweeten the pot, say neither Jussie nor his reps ever asked.

Jussie was pulling in a reported $125,000 per episode. We're told that's on par with actor Bryshere Y. Gray, who plays his brother, Hakeem. Taraji P. Henson and Terrence Howard reportedly make $250,000 an episode.

We're told Jussie's main focus recently was the release of new music. He was upset his first album didn't do well and was stressed out over the debuts of his new songs and music videos.

Dak Prescott Dog Attacks Neighbor ... Quarantined

Published | Updated

Dak Prescott's pit bull is being held by authorities in Frisco, Texas -- after it escaped the QB's home and bit a neighbor, cops confirmed.

According to the Frisco Police Dept., officials received a call from a neighbor on Monday around 10:51 AM to report a loose pit bull fighting with another dog through a fence.

The neighbor claims she tried to intervene and break up the fight -- but Dak's dog snapped at her -- causing enough damage that she was transported to a local hospital.

Officials say the woman's injuries are not life-threatening.

Cops determined the pit bull -- along with another dog that got on the neighbor's property -- belonged to the Dallas Cowboys QB ... and had escaped his house while he wasn't home.

Investigators determined the dogs got out through an unsecured door.

Here's where things get serious for Dak -- cops called Frisco Animal Services which captured the animal and brought it to a nearby animal shelter where it will remain in quarantine for 10 days.

Cops say the incident is being classified as a Class C misdemeanor -- punishable by a $500 fine.

But, we've seen a ton of cases like this before where the victim follows up with a civil lawsuit -- just look at the Blake Griffin situation in Los Angeles.

Dak's other dog was also captured and returned to a person at the QB's home. That dog isn't accused of biting anyone. It's a good dog.

R. Kelly Germany Gig Axed Days After Sex Abuse Charges

Published | Updated

R. Kelly will not be bringing the house down at the Ratiopharm Arena in April ... because he's no longer booked for the concert.

The venue in Neu-Ulm, Germany canceled its contract with the singer's tour organizer Tuesday, this after Kelly was charged with 10 counts of aggravated sexual abuse.

Ratiopharm says, "Regarding the new and objective facts, we have decided to cancel the contract" ... and has removed ads for the April 12 show. Fans who want ticket refunds are instructed to contact the tour operator where they were purchased.

Kelly's still scheduled for an April 14 show at the Sporthalle Hamburg arena, but it's reportedly in the process of being axed as well.

R. Kelly's attorney, Steven Greenberg, is still holding out hope all is not lost in Germany though, telling TMZ they could ask the judge for his passport back and permission to travel to the country for work.

Kelly's adviser, Don Russell, tells us ... "R. Kelly is committed to honoring any of his contractual obligations local and abroad within the law. It would be unconstitutional for the courts to immerse him in potential lawsuits that would result in more lawsuits by forcing him to breach his obligations based on allegations."

He adds ... "The potential revenue he could generate from these performances will assist him with his ongoing legal battle.”

Interestingly enough -- the singer is still booked for gigs in Australia, New Zealand, Sri Lanka and the Netherlands.

022519_r_kelly_kal
CHAOTIC RELEASE

As we reported ... Kelly got out of jail Monday after entering a not guilty plea to all 10 counts of sexual abuse and posted $100k bond. His financial issues are far from over, however ... because he has to pay about $160k in back child support very soon ... or else he's going back in.

He's also looking at possible additional charges after Michael Avenatti turned over a second sex tape allegedly showing Kelly having sex with the same 14-year-old girl who was in the first tape.

Floyd Mayweather Cool with Tyga ... After Gun Incident at Birthday Party

Published | Updated
022619_floyd_mayweather_kal_2
NO SUCH THING AS BAD PUBLICITY

Floyd Mayweather says he ain't mad at Tyga for trying to pull a gun at his birthday party over the weekend -- in fact, Floyd says the rapper will still be invited to the next big bash.

We broke the story ... Tyga was physically removed from Floyd's 42nd birthday party at the Sunset Room on Saturday night after getting into a heated altercation with another man inside the event.

022419_tyga_kal_2
VIOLENTLY REMOVED

Our cameras captured a FIRED UP Tyga as he reached into his security guard's gun holster and tried to grab the pistol. Fortunately, the quick-thinking guard snatched the gun from Tyga, preventing what could have been a deadly situation.

Our sources tell us ... Tyga was furious after being accused of missing payments on a fancy Maybach car. He flipped out. Tyga says the two sides later talked things out and everything is cool now.

So, when we saw Mayweather at Ace of Diamonds in L.A. on Monday night, we asked if Tyga will be blacklisted from future Floyd events.

"I don't care that Tyga got in a fight in my party ... guess what?! It was good publicity for my party!"

Floyd also says he'll be invited back for the next shindig -- and doesn't really seem too worried about possible gun violence.

After all ... it's not the first time Floyd's been close to a situation involving firearms. Remember, last year someone opened fire on Floyd's entourage in Atlanta, striking his bodyguard, Greg La Rosa.

Fortunately, Greg recovered from the attack. No one else was injured -- however, no arrests have been made.

Cara Delevingne Postmates' $25,000 Customer ... Here's What She Orders

Published | Updated

Cara Delevingne is just like the rest of us, hitting up Postmates for some grub on the go ... the only difference is, she spends way more on deliveries than your average Joe.

Cara is one of Postmates' most dedicated customers ... because the company tells us she started getting deliveries back in 2014 and has since dropped $25,000!!!

The "Suicide Squad" star is being featured on a Postmates series, The Receipt, which profiles big-spending celebs, their favorite orders and weirdest requests.

Cara's first order was for a bottle of Jack Daniels on Halloween night, and she's since racked up more than 482 orders, for 1,038 items, from over 234 stores!!!

Cara's favorite spots to order from include: Go Greek Yogurt, Pink Dot, Pinkberry, Taco Bell, Domino's and Shake Shack. Her most ordered item ... the "To-Go Lite" omakase from SUGARFISH.

Food isn't the only thing Cara gets from Postmates ... she once ordered a box of nails and a hammer, and her most expensive purchase was a $326 vacuum!!!

The good news for Cara's Postmates spending habits ... she doesn't come close to Post Malone and his $40k tab.

Roman Reigns Leukemia in Remission!!!

Published | Updated

Roman Reigns just gave cancer the Superman punch ... 'cause the WWE Superstar announced his leukemia is in remission!!

Last October, the 33-year-old -- who was originally diagnosed with leukemia in 2008 -- gave up his universal title and walked away from the ring to focus on his battle with cancer.

RR returned to Monday Night 'Raw' last night to officially announce the great news ... saying "THE BIG DOG IS BACK!!!"

"I said I was going to swing for the fences ... We did better than that, y'all," Roman said to a bunch of fans shouting his name in support.

"We didn't just swing for the fences. We hit a home run. So when I tell you this, I'm so grateful and so humbled and so honored to announce this ... The good news is, I'm in remission, y'all!!"

Reigns says he intends to use his platform to raise awareness for those dealing with similar diseases ... but also hinted at making a full return at a later date.

It wasn't just an announcement night for Reigns ... he also got in on the action -- saving Dean Ambrose from a 4-on-1 attack!!

"I said it before, I'm gonna say it a lot ... thank you," Reigns said after Raw. "I didn't really get a chance, 'cause I'm not gonna lie, I was nervous. It was overwhelming just to hear the response ... they actually cheered me, crazy."

Tyga Threatened Men Over Maybach Repo Before Nightclub Dragging

Published | Updated

Tyga got booted from Floyd Mayweather's birthday bash over 2 very common issues for the rapper -- money and the repo man.

Witnesses inside the Sunset Room tell TMZ ... moments before Tyga got dragged out of the club, he was approached by several men from whom he had leased a white Maybach -- and not in a friendly way.

We're told Tyga had a deal to pay $6,000 a month for the Maybach, but he fell behind on his payments and the men had the luxury car repo'd last month. So, when they crossed paths at the party, an argument erupted and Tyga started threatening the men.

022419_tyga_kal_2
VIOLENTLY REMOVED

You know what happened next ... security grabbed Tyga by the neck, dragged him out of the club and onto the street, where Tyga tried to pull a gun off his bodyguard.

As for why Tyga got so heated -- we're told he feels the Maybach was unlawfully repossessed.

Tyga's been down this road before ... it's the second Maybach he's lost to the repo man, and he also had a Ferrari swiped.

The good news ... it's all water under the bridge now, because Tyga says he's made-up with the men and the bouncer.

Jason Biggs Tara's Got it Wrong ... I Love Stifler!!!

Published | Updated

Jason Biggs is shutting down the rumor -- started by Tara Reid -- that he's got beef with Seann William Scott ... 'cause he says it's all love between Jim and The Stifmeister.

We got the 'American Pie' star shuffling his way into a waiting car at LAX Monday night, where we asked him about Tara's recent comment at a pre-Oscar gala last week ... when she said Jason and Seann would have to get along for 'AP5' to happen.

Jason tells us he has no idea what Tara's talking about, and her suggestion couldn't be further from the truth. He says he's cool with Seann, and loves the guys from the cast.

The last time Jim, Stif and the rest of the East Great Falls gang got together on camera was for 2012's "American Reunion" ... so it's been a minute since we got some fresh pie.

While he says he'd be down to run it back for part 5, we won't hold our breath based on how fast Jason hightailed it here.

CJ Franco Hotter Than Fyre For Festival Fail Photos

Published | Updated

It's taken a couple of years, but something good is coming out of the Fyre Festival debacle ... courtesy of CJ Franco, who's showing us what could have been down in the Bahamas.

The model slipped into a barely-there bikini for this super sexy photo shoot with Chris Applebaum ... and their Fyre Fest theme has us hoping Ja Rule really can successfully pull off version 2.0.

Check out the gallery ... CJ's bringing back the festival's infamous "gourmet" cheese sandwiches, and her shots with Evian water are guaranteed to make anyone thirsty.

As you know ... tons of people got burned by Billy McFarland's fraudulent festival, but CJ's here to ease a bit of their pain. It's not money in your pocket, but it's the best we can do.

You might remember CJ as the ex-GF of Kate Beckinsale's ex, Len Wiseman -- or recognize her from this flaming hot shoot and her features in Maxim, FHM and GQ.

Note to Ja Rule: make sure to get CJ on board for your hot model promo shoots when/if your Iconic Festival becomes a real thing.

UFC's Matt Hughes Hit with Restraining Order Wife Claims Domestic Violence

Published | Updated

UFC legend Matt Hughes has been ordered to stay 500-feet away from his wife -- who claims Matt has physically attacked her multiple times and once threatened to shoot her.

It's all part of court docs, obtained by TMZ Sports, in which Audra Hughes describes a disturbing pattern of violence and abusive behavior beginning in 2017.

Remember, the UFC Hall of Famer nearly died when a train struck his truck in a June 2017 accident that left Hughes with a serious brain injury.

But, Audra says shortly after he recovered from the trauma in September or October 2017 ... he roughed her up badly in the shower.

Audra claims she refused to give Matt his truck keys, saying, "I told him he can't have them because he shouldn't drive due to his DAI (brain injury)."

She alleges Matt then snapped ... choked her -- and asked her for the code to his gun vault.

When Audra refused again ... she says Matt choked her again, smashed her head against the shower wall and screamed, "This is what choking is!"

Audra says nearly a year later on July 21, 2018 ... Matt told her, "I'm going to f*cking shoot you," because she took his phone, claiming, "he was communicating with multiple women."

Audra also says just a few months later, on Dec. 12, 2018 ... Matt hit her in front of her son, their daughter and her step-dad after she accused him of texting other women.

Audra filed for a restraining order the following day ... and a judge has since ordered the fighter to stay at least 500-feet away from Audra and their children.

There's more ... Matt's twin brother, Mark Hughes -- a retired MMA fighter who competed at UFC 28 in 2000 -- has also filed for a restraining order against the 45-year-old, alleging Matt roughed up his son and tried to destroy his tractor.

Mark says the two had a disagreement over which brother actually OWNS the tractor ... and when Matt saw Mark's 15-year-old son driving it sometime later on Sept. 23, 2018 -- he lost it on the kid.

Mark alleges Matt grabbed his son, shook him and told him that's his "f*cking tractor."

Mark also says a week later on Sept. 30, 2018 ... he believes Matt doused the tractor and its surrounding area in gasoline -- and suspects he was trying to destroy it.

Mark filed for a restraining order the next day ... which a judge granted -- ordering Matt to stay away from his brother and his family.

Matt was a 2x UFC Welterweight Champion and piled up a career 45-9 record with victories over legends including Georges St-Pierre, BJ Penn and Matt Serra.

He was recently recognized as a guest of honor on January 14, 2018, at UFC Fight Night in St. Louis.

We reached out to Matt's rep for comment ... so far, no word back.

TMZ Live Jussie Smollett Evidence ... $3500 Check for Fitness, Not Attack

Published | Updated

HERE'S THE RUNDOWN
  • Tyga Grabs For Gun After Club Melee
  • R. Kelly Finally Faces Justice
  • Jordyn Woods Blames Booze For Tristan Hookup
  • Robert Kraft: Still Partying Amid Prostitution Scandal

Samuel L. Jackson Sure, Trump's Done More for Black People ... Cuz He's Got The Biggest Plantation!!!

Published | Updated
Samuel L Jackson
PRESIDENTIAL PLANTATION

Samuel L. Jackson says Donald Trump was spot-on when he bragged he's done more for African Americans than Presidents past ... and it's all thanks to Trump's massive "plantation."

We got Samuel L. Monday at LAX and asked him about Trump's shot at Spike Lee in which Trump said, "Be nice if Spike Lee could read his notes, or better yet not have to use notes at all, when doing his racist hit on your President, who has done more for African Americans (Criminal Justice Reform, Lowest Unemployment numbers in History, Tax Cuts,etc.) than almost any other Pres!"

Jackson shot back ... essentially calling Trump a slave owner.

Samuel L. presented Spike with the director's first Oscar Sunday night for "BlacKkKlansman." Lee took a dig at Trump during his acceptance speech, urging voters to "do the right thing" in 2020.

R. Kelly Out of Jail ... Comes Up with $100k Bond And Hits Up McDonald's

Published | Updated
022519_r_kelly_kal
CHAOTIC RELEASE

R. Kelly is a free man again -- it was total pandemonium as he walked out of jail -- and he'll have to pay off a 6-figure child support tab almost immediately if he wants to avoid getting locked up again.

Kelly's $100k bond -- 10% of his $1 million bail -- was finally posted Monday after he appeared in court and entered a not guilty plea to all 10 counts of aggravated sexual abuse. As he walked out of jail, wearing his blue down coat, Kelly was swarmed by photogs and reporters.

There also seemed to be a number of protesters yelling at Kelly, calling him a pedophile and asking how he'd feel if someone urinated on his daughter -- but they used more colorful language.

Sources in Kelly's camp tell us he paid the bond with a bank cashier's check ... so, there won't be any issues with his check clearing.

Although Kelly's out, he's staring down another deadline. TMZ broke the story ... he has to pay about $160k in back child support to his ex-wife, Drea Kelly, by March 6. If he doesn't, it's right back to County lockup.

The Kelly sources tell us he plans to make arrangements to pay the child support by next week, so he can focus on his criminal defense ... and avoid jail.

It's possible he could be facing additional charges after attorney Michael Avenatti dropped an additional bombshell -- a NEW tape showing Kelly having sex with the same 14-year-old girl from the other tape. Avenatti has now turned over both tapes to Cook County prosecutors.

5:05 PM PT -- R. Kelly made a pit stop after leaving jail, stopping off at McDonald's for some quick eats.

We're told Kelly ordered a quarter pounder meal with BBQ sauce on the side, washing it down with a soda and some coffee. We're told Kels got cream and sugar with his coffee, but he went back to the counter and asked for more.

We're told the singer sat down and ate with his team inside the fast-food restaurant for about half an hour, and they left after a small crowd began to gather.

022519_r_kelly_kal 2/25/19
NOT LOVIN' IT

Kelly paid for his team's order, and we're told the bill was under $50.

R. Kelly Got the Full Buffet During Weekend Lockup

Published | Updated

R. Kelly's got a full plate of problems right now -- but at least he also had a full plate of decent grub while he was in the hokey waiting to be released on bond.

The singer got sprung from jail Monday after his lawyers posted the necessary $100k he had to cough up to fulfill his $1 million bond. The question on everyone's mind since he turned himself in on Friday though ... what the hell did Kels eat behind bars???

We now have the answer based on the Cook County Jail's monthly menu, which TMZ has obtained. We gotta say ... it sounds like he ate pretty well this past weekend.

Here's what R. Kelly was fed on Saturday and Sunday for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Saturday:

B -- Breakfast square, bread, jelly, margarine, drink mix (whatever that is), applesauce

L -- Cured turkey, bread, egg (just one???), chips, cookie, mustard, drink mix

D -- Meatballs, teriyaki sauce, fluffy rice, carrots, bread, margarine, pudding and milk

Sunday:

B -- Breakfast square, bread, jelly, ginger snap, peanut butter, drink mix

L -- Turkey salami, bread, cereal, cookie and salad

D -- House fried rice, mixed veggies, bread, margarine, iced cake and milk

Not exactly the "Chocolate Factory" or anything, but hey ... at least it's still hot and fresh out the kitchen. Too soon???