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James Gunn is wiping his butt with Michael Rooker's face ... literally.

The "Guardians of The Galaxy" director says the nationwide scramble for toilet paper due to the coronavirus pandemic has forced him to go deep into his reserve stash ... and he's finally using some custom TP he originally got as a gag gift for his frenemy.

James says he bought a bunch of toilet paper rolls with Michael's face on them as a joke a couple Christmases ago, and even though he put them in all the bathrooms of his house, he never thought he'd see the day they would actually be put to use.

But, desperate times call for desperate measures.

As you know ... James and Michael worked alongside each other during the 'Guardians' movies, and they often gave each other loads of crap, but in a fun kinda way.

Now, James is using Michael's mug to clean up his own crap. It's the circle of life, or something like that.

If you live in India and the coronavirus doesn't kick your ass, the police might ... if you're caught venturing out of your home during a mandatory 21-day lockdown.

Video has emerged of cops in India violently attacking and punishing residents in the streets after Tuesday's declaration by Prime Minister Narendra Modi that nobody is allowed to leave their homes ... not for any reason.

Naturally, many of the 1.3 BILLION folks in one of the world's largest countries panicked and flocked to stores to stock up on food and supplies, but in some cases ... they were met with extreme force by authorities ordering them back to their homes.

Officers wearing surgical masks can be seen beating people breaking the rules, while it appears others gathered up groups of violators and made them do pushups.

Either way, the behavior of the cops seems contradictory to social-distancing guidelines.

Though the violence was captured on video, a New Delhi police spokesman has denied any sort of police brutality.

On Wednesday, there were more than 600 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in India, but the number is expected to rise.

L.A. County's decision to leave firearm stores open during the coronavirus is already leaving one business owner with more customers than he could ask for ... many of whom are newbies to the gun game.

Burbank Ammo & Guns owner David Schwartz tells TMZ ... he is one of a few gun shops in the area that has seen lines out the door and around the corner lately, as people flock in to pick up a piece for protection. Interestingly, he also says many are first-time buyers.

Novices or not, Schwartz says he is cleaning up big time on the panic buying going on right now ... telling us his sales per day are way up, as much as 750%. The guns selling the most ... 9mm pistols and shotguns.

Those aren't the only items folks are picking up though -- Schwartz says people are snatching up just about anything they can get their hands on, ammo included. The main rationale he says he's hearing from those walking in his door ... protecting their homes at all costs. It's fascinating ... seems like buyers anticipate massive chaos and eventual looting.

BTW, Schwartz is being responsible with the frenzy ... he says he encourages customers to social distance while in line, and only lets a limited number of people inside at a time.

In any case, Schwartz might have to thank some County bigwigs for the uninterrupted cash flow. Earlier this week, L.A. County Sheriff Alex Villanueva said he was going to be shutting down all local gun shops, as he believed they weren't essential businesses.

Pastor Joel Osteen is still firing on all cylinders, albeit remotely, in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, but he's not about to commit to opening up for business on Easter Sunday, unless the "authorities" say it's safe.

Osteen appeared on "TMZ Live" Wednesday and said the Lakewood Church in Houston is going through what the rest of the country is experiencing. Everything's been unrooted, and we're finding new ways to do old things.

For Joel's part, he's doing online services, and he's shattering records ... so many people want in. So, we essentially asked if this shakes peoples' belief system. His answer is interesting.

As for going back to normal, Joel says it's gonna take time and he'll listen to the authorities and won't let people back in until it's safe. As you know, Trump said his hope is to pack the pews for Easter Sunday.

Our money's on other authorities -- like doctors and scientists.

Slim Thug is imploring folks in Houston -- and young people everywhere -- to start taking coronavirus seriously, and he hopes his diagnosis is a wake-up call.

The H-town rapper joined us Wednesday on "TMZ Live" and told us too many people in his hometown are taking the pandemic lightly, and it's time for everyone to open their eyes to the danger. In fact, Houston and surrounding Harris County have seen a surge in COVID-19 cases this week.

Slim said he was being super cautious weeks ago, wearing gloves and masks, but he still managed to contract the virus ... and his worst fears were confirmed with Tuesday's positive test.

He said he can tell people continue to bury their heads in the sand because some think he's getting paid to say he has the virus. Houston finally issued a "stay at home" order Wednesday, but Slim says he was shocked to see spring breakers earlier this month packing nightclubs.

Bottom line for Slim ... the fact he got infected despite actively trying to protect himself should make people think twice about refusing to stay at home.

Kylie Jenner just made a massive donation to help in the efforts to get the coronavirus under control ... giving $1 million.

Jenner's donation will be used to buy hundreds of thousands of face masks, face shields and other protective gear to be used by healthcare professionals working the frontlines.

Dr. Thais Aliabadi -- who delivered Stormi -- thanked Jenner for the generous gift Wednesday, saying, "I am speechless, my eyes are filled with tears of joy and my heart is overwhelmed with gratitude. I made a wish to the Universe to gather protective masks for our brave healthcare workers and today my dream came true."

She continues, "I have never felt more blessed to be a doctor, as helping our brave ER and ICU workers feels just as gratifying as helping my own patients. From the bottom of our hearts, THANK YOU Kylie Jenner. You are my hero. This generous donation will help save many precious lives. Our world is a better place with you in it. I love you so much."

Kylie joins a growing list of celebs to make serious donations to the efforts ... Arnold Schwarzenegger also donated $1 million and companies like Apple and Yelp have pledged masks and money to the fight.

Kylie was also one of the first celebs to use their platform to urge fans to stay inside and quarantine. The Surgeon General made a plea to Kylie, Kevin Durant and others on TV as a way to reach a younger audience ... Kylie's got 167 million followers just on Instagram.

Tekashi 6ix9ine just got shut down ... a judge has denied his request to serve out the remainder of his prison sentence at home to avoid contracting the coronavirus, but it's not all bad news for him.

According to new legal docs, obtained by TMZ, the judge says the court lacks the legal authority to grant the request ... so his hands are tied. But, get this ... even though the judge's hands are tied, he implies Tekashi might want to take his chances and file his request instead with the Bureau of Prisons.

Tekashi's attorney, Lance Lazzaro, may do just that cause he tells TMZ he believes the judge's decision "is a strong recommendation to the BOP to release him immediately."

The judge also explained had he known at the time of sentencing there would be a global pandemic and Tekashi's health history made him vulnerable ... the court would have directed the final four months to be served in home confinement.

TMZ broke the story ... Lazzaro wrote a letter to the judge saying there was a serious concern for Tekashi remaining behind bars because he suffers from asthma, which would make catching the coronavirus that much more serious.

Elton John's trading his usual sold-out arena shows for something much simpler -- playing maestro for a series of living room concerts ... to help fight the coronavirus.

Sir Elton will be hosting iHeart Radio's 'Living Room Concert for America' next week. It's an hour-long FOX TV and online benefit concert to support heroic healthcare workers and first responders on the frontline of the pandemic.

The living room performers include Alicia Keys, Billie Eilish, Tim McGraw, Billie Joe Armstrong, Backstreet Boys, Mariah Carey and more.

The artists will each perform a set from their own homes -- recorded on their personal phones -- in order to continue practicing the "stay at home" and social distancing guidelines.

Viewers will be encouraged to donate to 2 charitable groups helping both COVID-19 victims and workers as part of the musical pledge drive. Those groups are Feeding America and First Responders Children's Foundation.

Jussie Smollett wants to move on from his alleged "attack" -- despite a pending trial -- and he's singing about it while on coronavirus lockdown.

Jussie just broke his social media silence Wednesday by singing and playing the piano. It's the ex-"Empire" star's first time posting anything in over 9 months, so this is a rarity.

Jussie sang Stevie Wonder's song, "A Place in The Sun." It's about moving on and finding a place in the sun where there's hope for everyone. Guess this is what's been on the top of Jussie's mind.

Seems Jussie considers his quarantine as dating way back to the alleged racist and homophobic "attack" ... because he says he's on day 421. We checked, and that marks the number of days since Jan. 29, 2019 ... when he made the allegation he was jumped in Chicago by 2 white men who yelled, "This MAGA country!"

Jussie also says ... "Hope y'all are staying safe. Spread love and kindness... not Rona."

Moving on won't be as easy as singing a tune ... remember, Jussie is gearing up for his new trial, and weeks ago he said "truth" will be his defense.

As we reported ... Jussie got re-charged for allegedly lying to police about the alleged hate crime -- after the State Attorney's Office dropped the original 16 charges against him.

Celebrity chef Floyd Cardoz has died because of the coronavirus ... this after checking into a hospital and succumbing to an infection, according to his family.

The "Top Chef Masters" star's death was confirmed to Indian media outlet, Scroll.in, with members of his family saying Floyd died Wednesday at a facility in New Jersey -- where he'd been getting treated upon returning from an international trip to Mumbai earlier this month.

He admitted himself after feeling feverish, and then later ... testing positive for coronavirus in New York, per Hunger Inc. -- the parent company that ran his restaurants abroad. Floyd also addressed his hospitalization on Instagram ... just a few short days ago.

Cardoz had been featured as a contestant on 'TCM' for several episodes in 2011. He also starred on "Iron Chef America," "After Hours with Daniel Boulud," "Reservations Required," "Worst Cooks in America," "Big Morning Buzz Live," as well as appearances on talk shows like 'Rachel Ray.'

Some of his fellow 'Top Chefs' paid tribute to him after hearing the news, such as Padma Lakshmi who wrote of her contemporary ... "@floydcardoz made us all so proud. Nobody who lived in NY in the early aughts could forget how delicious and packed Tabla always was. He had an impish smile, an innate need to make those around him happy, and a delicious touch. This is a huge loss..."

He was known for his Mumbai restaurants, the Bombay Canteen and O Pedro. Floyd also had restaurants in NYC.

Floyd was 59.

The coronavirus pandemic is taking lives worldwide ... and it apparently contributed to an Italian nurse taking her own life over the "heavy stress" of testing positive and possibly spreading it to others.

Daniela Trezzi -- a 34-year-old nurse who'd been treating patients at the San Gerardo Hospital in Monza in the very hard-hit region of Lombardy -- reportedly took her own life after spending a couple weeks at home sick.

She was presumably in quarantine after being diagnosed with COVID-19 earlier this month, but according to reports ... she had been working in the ICU of the hospital for days before Italy went on lockdown.

Trezzi was reportedly distraught over the notion she had spread the virus to other patients she worked on before she knew she had coronavirus herself.

Her hospital's general manager said she'd been home since March 10, but was not under surveillance. Her death is under investigation.

The National Federation of Nurses in Italy expressed "pain and dismay" over Trezzi's death, saying ... "Each of us has chosen this profession for good and, unfortunately, also for bad: we are nurses."

The federation added a similar instance of a nurse suicide occurred last week in Venice due to the "stress to which our professionals are subjected."