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Britney Spears' recent post deserves another look ... 'cause it seemed like an innocent throwback with her sis, but it might've been a coded dig at her mom.

The 42-year-old singer-songwriter took to Instagram Saturday afternoon to share a sweet pic from back in the day with her sister Jamie Lynn Spears ... showing BS in a black turtleneck with JLS pulling off 2000s chic in her brown cap and bright orange T.

Brit captioned the pic, "Throwback!!! I can't stop laughing" followed by some laughing emojis. She even went as far as tagging her sister in the caption ... so it seems the two may even still be on speaking terms!

However, another family member was also in the photo, but didn't make the cut on Spears' IG grid ... 'cause Lynne Spears is off to the left in the actual pic!

Here's the full photo from way back in 2002 ... and there's Lynne in the bright red top, pearly-white smile on her face.

So why didn't she make the cut on Instagram ... there are any number of innocuous reasons for the exclusion like Britney only wanted to show her and Jamie's faces -- both of which are highlighted by rather funny expressions. Or, perhaps, the full pic wouldn't fit on Insta, so Britney was forced to cut Lynne out.

But, with all the turmoil in Brit's family from the past -- and the fact that Spears didn't even mention cutting her mom out in the caption -- it's always possible the two had another falling out despite their attempts at reconciliation.

We broke the story ... Britney and Lynne started working through their issues weeks before Mama Spears attended her daughter's 42nd birthday celebration at the beginning of December.

Everything seemed to be heading down the right path ... with Lynne expressing hope her daughter would come to Lousiana for Christmas to keep the good times rolling.

Since then though, we haven't heard a peep ... which suggests the wheels may have fallen off their relationship though we certainly don't know anything for sure.

On a brighter note ... Jamie Lynn seems to be back in Britney's good graces! We knew a reconciliation between the two was also taking place back in December though the actress wouldn't tell us anything when we caught up with her at LAX.

So, it seems we'll just have to wait and see if Lynne has anything to say about getting the axe from Brit's pic.

Scary moment in "The Situation" household ... as a Ring camera shows Mike Sorrentino's son choking on his favorite pasta.

The "Jersey Shore" mainstay shared the clip via social media on Saturday ... documenting a nice family dinner Thursday night that quickly evolved into a nightmare scenario.

A family meal starts out innocently enough ... with Mike sitting at the table and his 2-year-old son Romeo sitting in the chair beside him. The little guy puts a bit of pasta pesto gnocchi in his mouth -- and that's when things take a turn.

Romeo's almost immediately in distress ... coughing and starting to cry -- and Papa Mike's on his feet within seconds, checking in on his eldest child before Romeo collapses into a hunched-over position.

One of the two adults Sorrentino is with can be heard clearly saying "He's choking, he's choking" with a woman who appears to be Mike's wife Lauren heading to the kitchen for some water.

MS smacks his son on the back repeatedly, trying to dislodge the food from his windpipe which seems to work eventually ... with Romeo letting out a loud cry as his mother seems to use some kind of tool to get the food out and pulls him into a tight embrace.

The father-of-three posted a couple pics of his kids after the vid ... and gave more details on the ordeal -- basically saying Romeo got the pasta stuck in his throat while applauding himself and his wife for staying calm despite the horror of the moment.

The Rock may be cooking in the WWE once again ... but some fans aren't super happy about it -- 'cause it seems his return has knocked a major storyline off track.

Here's the deal ... last night, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson got into an intense staredown with current Undisputed WWE Universal champ Roman Reigns at the end of ESPN's WWE SmackDown -- an insane moment seemingly setting up a match between the two wrestlers.

Indeed, rumors have been floating around today that they will fight in the next couple of months -- maybe at WrestleMania in early April -- and the online response ... is a bit lukewarm if we're being totally honest.

Sure, there are diehard Rock supporters who want to see their champ-turned-actor wipe the floor with Reigns ... but a lot of people are pointing to recent Royal Rumble winner Cody Rhodes and asking why it seems his story's now taking a backseat to The Rock's.

See, right before The Rock came out for his staredown ... CR talked about taking RR's title from him -- a right to challenge Cody earned by winning The Royal Rumble just last week -- and then seemingly stepped aside as he introduced The Rock to the crowd as if to indicate DJ's getting the chance instead of him.

That's all kinda shocking for fans ... 'cause Rhodes has been on the road to Roman for a while now while The Rock only recently hopped back into the ring.

As we previously reported ... Dwayne called out Roman Reigns back in early January during a surprise appearance on RAW during which he asked if he should be sitting at the "head of the table."

So it seems clear The Rock wants the title ... and that's where people are starting to voice their frustration -- because it sounds like the WWE's not really interested in furthering Cody Rhodes' journey anymore. Basically, they've backed a different dawg in the ring, and -- based on the X trend -- fans just aren't totally on board.

The major question here ... is it fair for fans to voice their frustration with The Rock at all? After all, the guy's not writing his own storylines as far as we know, and he's a legend in the sport, so it makes sense the WWE wants to use him.

But, Johnson recently joined the TKO Group board -- the governing body of the WWE and UFC -- and he now holds "The Rock" trademark ... so you could say he's got a lot more agency than your average WWE superstar.

Plus, Johnson's got a bit of a rep as someone who gets what they want in Hollywood. When he was working on "Black Adam," for example, he said he worked his magic to make a standalone film instead of first appearing in "Shazam!" ... a departure from the OG plan.

Dua Lipa really stepped out of her comfort zone with her major role in the new movie, "Argylle" ... hopefully, she won't be too discouraged by box office numbers.

If you don't know ... "Argylle" centers on an author who writes secret agent novels -- and whose life becomes one after her latest book starts to reflect real-world events.

However, most of the buzz around the movie's centered less on the plot and more on the cast -- Henry Cavill, Bryce Dallas Howard, Sam Rockwell, John Cena, Ariana DeBose, Catherine O'Hara, Samuel L. Jackson, Dua ... the list just goes on and on.

But, even an army of stars can't seem to save "Argylle" from the dreaded box office bomb. The first weekend for the comedy-thriller's not going well according to The Hollywood Reporter ... which reports the film grossed just $5.6 million on Friday in the United States and it headed for an estimated $16.5 million domestic opening

The overseas numbers look just as bad for the flick ... with those markets expected to rake in just $16.9 million -- a poor opening for a movie with a blockbuster budget like "Argylle."

Multiple outlets report the film cost $200 million to make .. and, that's not including the marketing budget -- probably another huge sum given the massive commercial campaign the team at Apple launched.

As for what happened, that seems obvious ... early reviews of the movie weren't flattering and may have convinced prospective moviegoers to skip a trip to the cinema. The movie's currently got a 37% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes though audiences are rating it at 65%.

Now, Dua's inclusion in the flick's specifically important here ... because she doesn't do much acting. This is really only her second role listed on IMDb where she's played a character -- she was also a Barbie in "Barbie" but so was half of H'Wood.

So, a box office blow in her first real major role may negatively impact her career prospects ... or maybe not. She's still one of the most popular singers in the world.

Police say they've arrested a suspect in the viral dognapping case ... but, unfortunately, they haven't found the dog yet.

The Los Angeles Police Department announced Saturday they've arrested Sadie Slater ... a 21-year-old L.A. resident on a robbery charge for her alleged involvement in the crime. Her bail is set at $70,000, according to the LAPD.

We've confirmed the arrest with law enforcement sources ... who added they've been trying to find out the dog's location from the suspect.

Remember ... the victim Ali Zacharias was eating lunch in DTLA last month when a woman came up, grabbed her dog Onyx's leash, and started to walk away with him. Ali gave chase before the alleged thief jumped into a car.

AZ leaped onto the hood of the thieves' getaway car and was driven around for several blocks, fearing for her life before the vehicle made a sharp turn and loosed her from the front.

We spoke with Ali earlier this week ... who told us police were starting to take her case seriously when all of the media attention spotlighted it.

Well, cops are certainly taking it seriously ... with their first suspect in custody.

Brad Pitt's aging like fine wine ... or perhaps a fine White Claw -- 'cause he stepped out in Florida in a Gen-Z-approved 'fit.

Check it out ... the 60-year-old slayed in an all-white ensemble on Thursday complete with a couple of the younger generation's favorite accessories -- a bucket hat and Crocs.

If you don't know ... the younger generation is obsessed with looks like these -- especially Crocs which has partnered with properties like NASCAR and Pixar to appeal to young audiences.

Matched to a fuzzy sweatsuit, BP looked not only stylish but comfy as hell while hopping into his black SUV.

Now, as to why Brad's sporting this fun, contemporary style ... we've got a few ideas -- starting with his six kids.

The movie star's got six kids he shares with ex-wife Angelina Jolie ... the oldest, Maddox, is 22, and the youngest, twins Knox and Vivienne, are 15 -- so, it's entirely possible he's trying to match their own fire styles.

On top of that ... our boy Brad's got more rizz than almost anyone in the celeb dating game right now -- he's been linked to the likes of Emily Ratajkowski and Nicole Poturalski since his 2016 divorce -- and he's got a new lady in his life.

She's not pictured in these photos ... but we know he's been dating Ines de Ramon -- a jewelry designer with exquisite taste. So maybe Brad's upping his style game with some newer outfits to keep impressing her.

Not that he's got to keep doing that ... the couple have reportedly been dating since late 2022 and we've seen them lookin' madly in love at his 60th birthday back in December.

There's an old joke Pitt's a man who always matches his GF ... so we'll have to see if Ines tries to pull off the tracksuit too!

Dr. Phil McGraw's known for helping families iron out their issues, and now he's taking on his biggest challenge yet ... trying to fix U.S. immigration.

The television therapy star visited the Southern border in Texas on Friday to film upcoming episodes of "Dr. Phil Primetime" -- a new primetime show he announced a few months ago which will reportedly follow a similar format as his OG "Dr. Phil."

DPM walked the fence down in Eagle Pass, TX and filmed several interviews with border agents while also stopping to take some pics with border patrol officers ... all while railing against the current administration's immigration policy.

McGraw's specifically calling out Vice President Kamala Harris ... pointing out she's America's immigration czar -- but claiming she's only actually visited the border with Mexico one time since she ascended to the VP job.

What's interesting here ... Dr. Phil isn't taking the "all or nothing" stance many conservative politicians and commentators have staked their reputations on ... instead, he said he's actually in favor of immigration and knows immigrants drive the U.S. economy forward.

But, McGraw explained, that doesn't mean there isn't a problem at the border ... saying we need to "teach people how to treat us" instead of showing undocumented migrants that "they do not need to follow the rules at our border" -- adding it's a slippery slope from ignoring immigration laws to migrants breaking laws once they're in the country.

As for those people against "America First" policies ... McGraw said they need to remember putting themselves -- or in this case, your country -- first isn't the same as being selfish.

FWIW ... the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol reported a nearly 40% increase in border encounters from fiscal year 2021 to fiscal year 2023 -- and that appears to be growing in subsequent months with encounters over the last 3 months of 2023 topping date from the same months in previous years.

Jay-Z held a pre-Grammy soiree Friday night ... bringing out a small contingent of big-name stars to party hard with the rap mogul, including Kim Kardashian and Odell Beckham Jr.

Kim K and her sister, Khloe, arrived separately from Odell and the other celebs, namely Karrueche Tran, Quavo, Lil Uzi Vert, and Corey Gamble.

Jay-Z and Corey were filmed leaving The Bird Streets Club in West Hollywood -- and everyone looked stunning, to say the least!

Kim looked hotter than ever -- decked out in her black leather ensemble.

We're told Kim quietly left the shindig later on, climbing into her blacked-out Range Rover parked near the garage.

Our sources tell us ... Kim's primary security guard was seen standing outside the SUV -- but the SKIMS magnate was never eyeballed while she was supposedly inside the vehicle. There was also some talk about Odell being inside the garage with Kim, but that's not confirmed.

Of course, this only fueled rumors that Kim and Odell might be more than just friends. You may recall, Kim sparked chatter among people that she was dating Odell when she showed up at his 31st birthday party last year. For now, though, it's all just speculation.

Back to Jay's celebration, everyone who attended seemed to have an awesome time as they geared up for the Grammys. The Grammys, of course, are Sunday and expected to showcase some iconic performances.

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce are being courted by a Las Vegas strip club ... not to work the poles, but to party their faces off if his team wins the Super Bowl across the street.

Larry Flynt's Hustler Club in Las Vegas is offering Taylor and Travis what the strip joint's calling a Topless Touchdown Celebratory Package ... and it's valued at $1 million.

So long as Travis and the Kansas City Chiefs beat the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LVIII at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas -- which is being played across the street from the Hustler Club -- the package is theirs for the taking ... and it's on the house.

Here's what $1 million gets ya inside the strip joint ... unlimited access to the $10K per hour Mohney Suite, an Ace of Spades champagne bottle parade, and $50K for Taylor and Travis to make it rain.

Oh, and that's not all ... roundtrip limo transportation is included, plus Taylor and Travis get a VIP Platinum Lifetime Membership to HC ... which gets them free lap dances for life.

Frankly, this is a Hail Mary from the Hustler Club ... it's hard to envision Taylor and Travis taking them up on the offer ... but then again, Travis wore a Vegas strip club shirt after a regular season win over the Las Vegas Raiders.

Brittany Rose, the GM of the club, tells TMZ ... “We are used to catering to a-list celebrities and athletes alike so we can ensure their discretion will be met while partying inside our venue.”

Shooters shoot, right?!?

Even if Taylor and Travis turn 'em down, there's a good chance the Hustler Club is going to have a few Swifties in the house.

The gentlemen's club is currently auditioning Swifties for positions.

Jon Bon Jovi and Bruce Springsteen gave everyone a big treat Friday night, rockin' and rollin' on the same stage in front of a star-studded crowd!

The two New Jersey music icons performed together at the Los Angeles Convention Center to honor Jon's artistic career and charity work as he received an award for MusiCares Person of the Year.

Many celebs were in attendance, namely Paul McCartney, Sammy Hagar, Jelly Roll, Shania Twain, Melissa Etheridge, Robert Kraft, and Jim Gaffigan.

All of them got to kick back and enjoy the Jersey boys playing one of Jon's most memorable tunes, "Who Says You Can't Go Home."

Check out this video, obtained by TMZ ... Jon first introduced the person he called his "mentor" and "hero" before Bruce walked out on stage with an electric guitar. After Bruce hugged Jon, the rockers went straight into the song, dazzling the audience.

Other footage shows comedian Jim Gaffigan dressed as a 1980s version of Jon with a huge head of hair. Jim gave Jon a light-hearted roast, making everyone crack up.

Then Jon, Sammy, Shania, and others hit the stage to sing a rendition of Bon Jovi's "Livin' On A Prayer."

Jelly Roll also honored Jon in a solo capacity, performing his 1988 hit, "Bad Medicine."

Bill Maher has not changed his tune about the problems with young people ... he says one of the root problems is the musical messages pumped into their brains.

The 'Real Time' host made his case that the music industry has been singularly obsessed with the almighty dollar and the things it can buy. BM says back in the day ... there were only a handful of songs about the pursuit of cash.

These days, Bill says, the charts are flooded with the pursuit of all the goodies money can buy. Even in a country where "Rolex on a Redneck" is a big hit!

He says there's a sociological element when it comes to rap. The Black community was denied access to wealth and opportunity for so long, when it finally started seeing some inclusion, rappers flaunted their success.

But, as Bill says, the money obsession in music is everywhere ... and growing. E.g., Bruno Mars' "I Wanna Be a Billionaire So F***ing Bad."

And Bill says these musical messages get burned into the brains of teens ... like the first time you saw your father coming out of the shower!

Get ready for Taylor Swift's Super Bowl, and boy, did Justin Timberlake step in it. So we gotta ask ...

Kanye West's outbursts have led some people to question his fitness as a parent ... even wondering if Kim Kardashian should put guardrails on her ex-husband's interactions with their 4 kids, while others say it would be outrageous to curtail Ye's interactions with his children.

As you know ... Ye's spouted off numerous antisemitic comments -- saying he identifies with Adolf Hitler, fears Jewish "indoctrination" of his children, and is opposed to the kids going to a "Jewish school."

Now, in a new TMZ Investigates on FOX Monday night at 9/8 central ... experts in psychology, Kanye's friends, and others share their thoughts on how the couple is raising their kids.

One such expert is Dr. Kevin Cokley -- a Professor of Psychology at the University of Michigan -- who thinks Kim needs to sit their kids down and try to get them to understand they can love their father without approving of everything he says.

Others, including The Game, say it's absurd to worry about Kanye and his kids ... Game says Kanye loves them more than he loves himself.

Though some may want Kim to stop Kanye from seeing their two sons and two daughters -- especially as he struggles with bipolar disorder ... psychiatrist Dr. Kyle Smith says a person can't shield their kids from everything.

Smith says as long as Ye's not endangering the children ... Kanye is no different than other parents who have prejudices ... and that's a big group.

Teresa Giudice's daughter Milania is growing up fast right before our eyes ... 'cause she just turned 18!

"The Real Housewives of New Jersey" star celebrated Milania's big day Friday by posting a series of photos on Instagram showing her daughter's progression over the years on the reality show and behind the scenes.

The images begin with present-day Milania, appearing elegant and mature alongside her famous mom, both of whom are dressed to the nines. More snaps feature Melania as a cute little baby followed by a video and a pic of her dressed as a badass in scenes from 'RHONJ.'

Of course, Teresa wrote a lovely caption, wishing Milania a happy 18th birthday and showering her with compliments.

Teresa called Milania "my mini me" who has "blossomed into an incredible young woman with a heart of gold."

She also described Melania as loving, caring, and kind as well as someone who radiates beauty, takes pride, and works hard in everything she does.

Teresa ended by saying Milania is the life of the party who brings joy and laughter to all.

Now that's a doting mother. And even her father, Joe Giudice, sent his love to Milania from his home in the Bahamas.

In his IG Story, Joe posted a photo of father-daughter and a video montage of them with a gushing message on a baby pic of Milania that read, "Happy birthday Milana ❤️ Daddy loves you so much!!"

Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift clearly have the support of those in Kansas City's locker room ... 'cause Chiefs star Justin Reid tells TMZ Sports he's a huge fan of the pop star and her relationship with his teammate.

The K.C. defensive back said this week he has been able to interact with Swift since she and Kelce went public with their romance earlier this season ... and he had nothing but nice things to say about their encounters.

In fact, he said the 34-year-old "Love Story" crooner paid compliments to everyone he's seen her meet so far this year.

"She's very, very sweet," Reid told us ... "I don't understand why she's getting all the hate. She's an awesome person, awesome artist all around."

As for if Reid, Kelce and the rest of the Chiefs will get a private concert from Swift if they're able to beat the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LVIII next week ... Reid says he isn't exactly holding his breath on that one.

"I'm sure she'll be busy celebrating with her man," he said with a laugh.

Of course, it's not yet for sure if Swift will even attend Kelce's Big Game -- after all, she has a concert in Tokyo just a day before kickoff ... though given the way she's already traveled this year for Travis, it seems likely at this point.

As far as headbands go, Jimi Hendrix's one isn't just a piece of fabric, it's a massive chapter of pop culture history ... and bidders are now shelling out some serious $$$ to get their hands on it.

Heritage Auctions has listed the piece of clothing memorabilia that Jimi wore to a slate of legendary performances in the sixties ... and so far the bidding war's pushed the price tag to $13,500 -- and it's estimated to fetch up to $40,000.

Jimi's legendary red, blue, and white headgear graced the stage during 7 of his packed-out performances ... starting from Fillmore East, NYC, in 1969 to Memphis, TN, in 1970.

And, if that ain't enough to lure bidders ... there's an extra layer of value woven into this particular headband.

He wore it for his live performance of "Machine Gun" on New Year's Day 1970 ... you know, the one famously declared "the most brilliant, emotional display of virtuoso electric guitar playing I have ever heard" by concert promoter Bill Graham.

In fact, last year, Rolling Stones dubbed him the greatest guitarist of all time because of that very performance.