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Gypsy Rose Blanchard being free will do more good than bad for those suffering from Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy -- so says an org focusing on the rare behavioral disorder.

Andrea Dunlop, Founder of Munchausen Support -- the only nonprofit dedicated to helping victims and families impacted by Munchausen by Proxy -- tells TMZ ... she wishes Gypsy healing and peace after everything she went through at such a young age, and can't wait to hear her perspective.

She adds, "While we don't condone her actions with respect to her part in her mother's murder, she has served her time and has every right to share her experience in her own words, and it will undoubtedly shed light on this little understood form of abuse to the millions of people who have been captivated by her story."

Dunlop also tells us Munchausen by Proxy is actually far more common than people might be aware of -- and they think Gypsy's unique POV will actually lead to thousands of others coming forward to share their own stories of survival ... obviously a positive result.

Some of these lesser-known cases are covered in Dunlop's podcast, 'Nobody Should Believe Me,' and the org says more will likely surface now that Gypsy's back on the outside, and ready to share her history with the condition.

Bottom line ... yes, Gypsy did a bad thing -- but now that she's paid her debt to society ... she can clearly become an invaluable resource for others who might be silently suffering in a similar situation.

Dunking is definitely in Bronny James's DNA ... the star USC freshman looked just like his pops LeBron as he threw down a rim-rocking alley-oop during Wednesday's game!

The 4-star recruit added a highlight to his college basketball reel during the first half of USC's home game against California at the Galen Center in downtown Los Angeles.

Trojans star and future top lottery pick Isaiah Collier stole the ball and pushed down the court, throwing a sweet lob to Bronny for the two-handed jam.

The crowd went crazy!

James ended up dropping 10 points in the 82-74 win, their 7th of the season.

Bronny, since debuting for USC in mid-December, is averaging 7.5 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 1.7 assists.

It wasn't just college hoops fans who went wild over the dunk ... so did dad. LeBron posted video on his Instagram like a proud papa.

Watching the clip, you surely see similarities -- especially in the number 6 jersey -- with how the James' move ... despite Bronny being a few inches shorter than his father.

Not to play favorites with his kids, the NBA legend also shared a highlight from his younger son, Sierra Canyon star Bryce James, who also dunked in his game last night ... which the Trailblazers won 91-52.

Tom Sandoval's back in his all-too-familiar villain role ... he's under fire from fans and castmates for interacting with a captive tiger, and PETA is schooling him on why it's bad for big cats.

The animal rights organization fired off a letter to the "Vanderpump Rules" star after footage emerged showing him inside an animal enclosure at Tiger World Thailand, where a tiger put its massive front paws on Tom's shoulders.

In the letter, obtained by TMZ, PETA scolds Tom for the photo op ... explaining, "When popular folks like you pose with wild animals, people are moved to support pay-to-play animal experiences, for which big-cat cubs are torn away from their mothers prematurely and denied their freedom as well as anything remotely natural and important to them."

More specifically, PETA's also schooling Tom on tigers ... it says wild tigers avoid humans and are naturally solitary and reclusive, adding, "Any human interaction with big cats poses dangers for both humans and the felines, and captive big cats have attacked and killed their captors and visitors."

While Tom walked away from the visit physically unscathed ... he's taking heat online from fans and his 'VPR' cast members, Lala Kent and James Kennedy.

A Seahawks fan says Marshawn Lynch turned into Beastmode outside of a Seattle bar over the weekend ... smashing his phone during an altercation.

The Hawks supporter's name is Jose Lozano ... and he tells TMZ Sports the incident all happened in front of Xtadium in downtown Seattle on Sunday at around 1:30 AM.

Lozano says he tried to get a pic with Lynch inside of the bar earlier in the night -- but was denied by the Seahawks legend's friends ... who told him straight up, "No pictures."

However, when Lozano spotted Lynch outside of the establishment a short time later, he made one final attempt to get the former Seattle tailback to stop for a photo before he called it a night.

In video from the scene, you can see Lozano approach Lynch -- who's wearing a Beastmode sweatshirt -- and yell, "Marshawn! Beastmode! Let me a take a --."

Suddenly, though, Lynch appears to lunge at Lozano's phone -- before the footage cuts out.

Lozano tells us once the camera stopped rolling, Lynch grabbed his phone and screamed, "Y'all mother f***ers are weird," before he busted up the device with his hands. Eventually, Lozano said he was able to get the phone back just prior to Lynch leaving the area.

Lozano tells us he didn't realize his phone -- an iPhone 14 that he purchased just a few months ago -- was broken until several minutes had passed, but he said he has no intentions of going to police now over the incident because he's such a huge fan ... although he did say he wished Lynch hadn't been so "rude."

This, of course, is not the first time Marshawn has been accused of swiping at fans' phones ... back in 2017, he smacked a phone from a man's hands while out at LAX.

From the aftermath of her divorce to pining for her sons, Britney Spears has a lot of things on her mind right now ... but her music career ain't one of 'em.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ recent reports of Britney being in the early stages of her 10th studio album are not true ... and there's absolutely nothing music-related in the works for the star right now.

We're also told Charli XCX and Julia Michaels' camps aren't communicating with Britney's team ... despite outlets claiming they'd been tapped to pen tracks for the "Womanizer" hitmaker.

A musical comeback may not be her priority right now ... but our sources tell us she may change her tune in the future.

Britney's music took a major back seat over the last few years ... as she famously tried to break free from the shackles of her conservatorship

Her efforts paid off ... but came at the expense of her relationship with her dad, Jamie Spears -- although it looks like she's been extending an olive branch to him lately ... especially after news of his leg amputation.

Before this warm and snuggled-up New York City baby turned into a comedian, writer and actress, she was just fresh out of the baby tub -- ready to pose for the camera -- and heading off to Towson University and earning her theatre degree.

While she's providing comedic relief in theaters, her hubby is busy teaching her how to cook (as seen on their cooking reality television show). And, when she's not on stage crackin' jokes, she's a doting mother to her son, Gene.

Need one more clue? "Snatched" with Goldie Hawn.

A Las Vegas judge took a beating as she sentenced a man Wednesday for felony battery -- the convict broke free, and viciously took her down to the ground.

The insane incident went down at Clark County District Court, where Judge Mary Kay Holthus was giving 30-year-old Deobra Redden his sentence. Redden's attorney reportedly asked Holthus to give his client probation, but she wasn't budging.

After Holthus made a comment about him needing to "get a taste of something else," Redden leaped over the bench and attacked her, causing chaos in the courtroom.

Multiple people, including the bailiff, quickly stepped in to subdue Redden as screaming and fighting continued -- some even landed punches on Redden before the madness came to an end.

Sources told 8 News Now that Judge Holthus hit her head, but was alright after the scary ordeal.

Redden reportedly has had a number of run-ins with the law, and has even been before Judge Holthus in the past.

He was previously in front of her to face destruction of property charges, and he also served a year in prison on a separate domestic battery charge.

Rascal Flatts' J.D. Rooney has been off the radar for a long while -- but he's back to clear the air on his personal life ... and addressing the rumors he was transitioning to a woman.

The country artist posted a lengthy update on X Wednesday, where he opened up about where he's been, what he's been going through and what's NOT true about his personal journey ... namely, he debunks a rumor that he was undergoing sex reassignment surgery.

Rooney starts his open letter to fans by apologizing for being MIA over the past few years or so, and then adds ... "First off, I am alive! There have been so many rumors and opinions thrown around about me - but I’m finally healthy and ready for the world. And NO, I’m not transitioning to be a woman.  That thought has never entered my mind. Nothing against the trans community whatsoever but I needed to set the record straight."

The famed guitarist goes on to say he hit rock bottom in September 2021 when he got busted for a DUI in Tennessee -- a wild incident TMZ covered in great detail at the time.

Rooney says after that, he went away to Utah to get clean ... a process he says took a lot out of him, but from which he came out the other side sober and better than ever. JDR reflects on what he says his alcoholism caused ... like major rifts in his relationships.

Like we said, J.D.'s doing much better now -- adding, "My life has been changed forever - and I’m grateful for the change. I’ve been sober now for almost 28 months come this Jan 13. I never believed I could actually live my life without drinking. It had become such a huge part of my daily and nightly routine ... God intervened and helped me to get my life back."

He thanks fans/supporters for the prayers and well-wishes -- and dishes those back to 'em in return ... hoping everyone has a great 2024, which he certainly seems to be having himself.

Angus Mitchell, the only child of world-famous hairstylist Paul Mitchell, has died ... TMZ has learned.

Law enforcement sources tell us they got a call just after 6 AM Wednesday to Angus' home in Honolulu for a male who appeared to have drowned in a pool. We're told Angus was pronounced dead at the scene. At this time, there's no official cause of death.

Angus had spent Tuesday night with friends at his home, sharing a video of himself enjoying Hawaiian music with others.

Angus is the co-owner of John Paul Mitchell Systems, which was founded by his father back in 1980. He inherited his dad's stake in JPMS and its schools after his dad's death from pancreatic cancer in 1989.

Angus went to school for hairstyling, but once said most of what he learned came from his pops -- he worked in Hawaii for a number of years before opening the Angus Mitchell Salon in Beverly Hills in 2010.

Apart from traveling the world on behalf of JPMS, Angus also made a name for himself as an educator ... as well as a model and spokesman for MITCH -- a men's line under the JPMS brand.

He married Michelle Raab on the island back in 2010, and remarried twice ... once with Sian, whom he shares 8-year-old Dylan with, and his current wife, Mara.

Hairstyling was in Angus' blood from the beginning -- although he once admitted the path he ended up going down as a career was "one of the more difficult" ones he chose.

Angus took home multiple awards over the years -- including #1 Platform Artist by Be magazine, a whole day named after him in Beverly Hills, and 3 awards on behalf of the Alternative Hair Show, which raises money for leukemia research.

Angus was 53.

Joe Jonas is not one to be left in the dust while his ex, Sophie Turner, moves on following their bitter split ... spotted boarding a private jet with a stunning model.

After ringing in the New Year in Los Cabos, the singer linked up with former Miss Teen USA titleholder Stormi Bree Wednesday ... which is sure to kickstart some romance rumors.

It's the first time we've seen the two together -- and they don't even follow each other on IG -- so they may be trying to keep things under the radar.

Either way, after some downtime in Mexico, it's likely Joe's heading home to NYC ... as Sophie has to drop their kids off to him on Jan. 7 after she spent Xmas and New Year's with them.

Unclear if the former "Game Of Thrones" star introduced the youngsters to her new BF, British aristocrat Peregrine Pearson, during the holidays.

The new couple were hot and heavy from the get-go ... kissing in Paris just one month after Joe filed for divorce from Sophie in September ... and later lockin' lips some more during a cozy London stroll in early December.

Joe's clearly taking things a little slower ... but it may just be a matter of time before he gets in some serious smoochin' with Stormi!

Iggy Azalea is calling it quits on the album she’s been working on for months -- most of them with Tory Lanez -- and she doesn’t know if she’ll return to music, because her heart’s no longer in it!!!

The Aussie-born rap star penned a lengthy note to her fans Wednesday ... blindsiding many in the process by declaring hanging it up was the best course of action for her in 2024.

Iggy denied she was bullied or pressured to drop the mic, but admitted she no longer loves expressing herself through music.

She says, "In truth what I’ve known for a long time is that I feel more passionately about design and creative direction than I do about song writing. To many of you that’s no shock to read. It shows in my work. 😢 ... Haha! Jokes aside, i do spend a lot more time on that part of things… because Im most confident at that."

The "Fancy" rapper then revealed she's no longer moving forward with her next album project -- she says production's been stalled for months, and there was 0% urge to finish it.

Iggy had been working with Tory in-studio throughout 2022 but their pairing obviously hit a skid when TL was found guilty of shooting Megan Thee Stallion, and sentenced to 10 years in prison ... a verdict Iggy did not like.

Without Tory steering the ship, Iggy spent much of 2023 teasing singles without delivering them ... which brings us to present day, and her waving the white flag.

The video of Ian Ziering brawling with a group of bikers in Hollywood tells the whole story -- at least according to one of the bikers who tells TMZ ... the whole incident was completely unprovoked by the motor crew.

We spoke to 2 men Wednesday on "TMZ Live" who sometimes ride with the 605 Minibike Gang, but are not members of the gang. They say Ian went from 0 to 100 all on his own, without any altercation prior to the video we've seen.

The 2 riders here go by Roy and Nocturnal. Nocturnal is the guy who was there on Sunday, and even recorded the video shot from behind Ian's SUV.

Nocturnal insists the group's first encounter with Ian was right there on Hollywood Blvd when the video starts.

He says 2 of his fellow minibikers were doing a legal lane split, and Ian purposely tried to prevent them from getting in front of his car ... even though they had every right to do so.

They say it appears Ian didn't like that ... and go on to allege he hopped out of his car to start a physical fight all on his own. If there was any incidental contact -- Nocturnal and Roy insist it was Ian's own doing ... and that he was the one who invited an ugly clash.

Nocturnal and Roy say they don't know why Ian might've escalated things the way he did -- especially with his young daughter right there with him -- but they theorize he was having a really bad day ... and let out his frustrations on the bikers.

As we first reported, LAPD is investigating the incident for felony vandalism -- for the bashing of Ian's windshield with a helmet -- and misdemeanor battery for the fight.

12:28 PM PT -- A spokesperson for the Davie Fire Dept. tells TMZ Sports ... they first received a call about the fire at Tyreek Hill's home at around 1:50 PM ET.

There were occupants inside the residence when the blaze broke out, the spokesperson said ... but all were safely evacuated and no one suffered any injuries.

The spokesperson added the fire is currently under control -- though it's yet to be determined what started it all.

12:06 PM PT -- Tyreek Hill and his wife have just shown up at the property.

The Dolphins star -- wearing a white T-shirt, sweats and a boot to protect his injured ankle -- looked concerned as he watched firefighters put out the blaze.

A Florida home belonging to NFL superstar Tyreek Hill has caught on fire ... and rescue crews are now on the scene working to put out the blaze.

Flames could be seen poking through the roof of the Southwest Ranches mansion throughout Wednesday afternoon ... and firefighters have been attempting to knock down the inferno with a water hose for much of the last hour or so.

Thankfully, a spokesperson for the Dolphins told media members neither Hill nor his family are in any danger. The Miami rep added Hill has left Fins practice to go get a handle on the situation.

Hill -- who was traded to the Dolphins prior to last season -- reportedly purchased the place in 2022 for nearly $7 million.

He's in the middle of an MVP-caliber season -- logging 112 catches for 1,717 yards and 12 TDs.

The Dolphins are slated to play in a pivotal game against the Buffalo Bills on Sunday night that will decide the AFC East.

Nigel Lythgoe is in the crosshairs of an investigation by the studio that produces his long-running show "So You Think You Can Dance" ... with his job possibly hanging in the balance.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... the embattled EP of the hit reality competition show is at the center of an internal probe being conducted by Sony Pictures Television -- which co-produces 'SYTYCD' under its subsidiary 19 Entertainment, alongside Dick Clark Productions.

We're told Sony's looking into recent claims of sexual assault and harassment made against Nigel -- who created 'So You Think' with Simon Fuller, and has served as an executive producer since its inception, not to mention a consistent judge until he stepped away in '22.

Of course, what Sony's investigating here is Paula Abdul's allegations -- which she made in an explosive lawsuit ... claiming she'd been sexually assaulted by Lythgoe twice, once in the early 2000s during her 'Idol' stint and again in the 2010s while she judged on 'SYTYCD.'

Remember, as it pertains to the latter allegation -- which is what Sony's concerned with here -- she alleged Lythgoe invited her to his pad to discuss work opportunities ... only to allegedly pounce on her in an attempt to kiss her. PA also claimed Lythgoe groped one of her assistants during her time on the dance show.

Lythgoe denies Paula's claims, saying they're "deeply offensive" to everything he stands for and totally false.

Our sources say that while Sony digs into this matter, no decision has been made on whether Nigel will be allowed to stay on as an EP. It also remains to be seen if he'll serve as a judge -- this despite the fact he was announced to return to his chair last month for Season 18 ... which will start airing in March. He wasn't a judge during this past season.

Kim Kardashian's mobile roleplaying game is closing its virtual doors ... marking the end of the app nearly a decade after it went live.

Kim tells TMZ, "I'm so grateful from the bottom of my heart to everyone who has loved and played Kim Kardashian: Hollywood in the past 10 years. This journey has meant so much to me but I’ve realized that it’s time to focus that energy into other passions. I want to thank the Glu team and the many people behind the scenes who have worked diligently on making it a success. I will be forever inspired by this community that we built together."

BTW, folks logging on to Kim and Glu Mobile's game, "Kim Kardashian: Hollywood," have now been met with an alert about the game's upcoming shutdown -- telling players the game "no longer offers in-app purchases and has been removed from app stores."

That's right, ya can't even go get the game for yourself if you're now interested, because it's completely vanished from Apple and Android's app stores.

Luckily, the notice says gamers can continue to use the game's features until April 8 ... "after which the game will become inaccessible. Thank you for supporting Kim Kardashian: Hollywood!" It's also got a countdown timer, leading to the shutdown.

For those unaware, KK and Glu teamed up to release the 2014 game which took players on a journey to A-list stardom ... with the goal of gaining fans by doing things like acting, modeling, making club appearances, and dating.

It also had an in-game currency called K-stars that would help players progress -- and the app made $1.6 million just 5 days after its June 27 release, despite ending up with some mixed reviews.

1:53 PM  PST -- The family just posted a second video of the little girl ... saying despite what the internet might think, they were NOT the ones who gave her the Slim Tea. Instead, they say it was sent from a "supporter" of their video page.

A clip of parents hoping to motivate their young daughter to lose weight -- by gifting her Slim Tea for Christmas -- is repulsing people viewing the clip on social media.

Take a look for yourself -- the excited youngster unwraps the gift to unveil a box of the slimming aid ... she's clearly too young to understand what it is, though her older siblings immediately catch on, and throw their parents looks of disgust.

Despite the siblings knowing the gift is inappropriate for a young child -- the dad behind the camera is undeterred, as he urges his youngest to be grateful for the gift.

The video shared to X drew intense scrutiny ... with one person commenting the parents bullying the girl for her weight was disgusting, as they were the ones responsible for feeding her in the first place.

Others say they've taken her childhood away from her ... making her aware of her body from a young age, and entitling people to comment on it by sharing it on social media.

When it comes to slim teas, the FDA doesn't recognize them as being effective -- and its key ingredients like caffeine and senna, which claim to detox the body, also don't have much evidence in aiding weight loss.

So, the video's disheartening on several levels -- the parents providing misinformation and possibly poor nutrition, but also the psychological impact on their young daughter.