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Shaun Weiss — famous for playing Goldberg in “The Mighty Ducks” — was just arrested again … another chapter in a tragic downward spiral. Police in Marysville, CA say Weiss was busted for residential burglary and being under the influence of methamphetamine Sunday around 7 AM. Cops say they responded to a call for a burglary in progress and when they arrived on the scene, found Weiss ransacking a car in the home’s garage. During the arrest, cops say Weiss displayed symptoms of being under the influence of meth and told officers he did not live in the home and the car wasn’t his. Weiss was booked into Yuba County Jail, and his bail has been set at $52,500. You’ll recall … Weiss posed for a sad mug shot back in August 2018 when he was arrested for public intoxication, also in Northern California. He spent a few hours in the drunk tank and was released but not cited. As we’ve reported, Weiss has been stuck in a downward spiral in recent years … he was busted for petty theft in 2017 before being busted for meth possession days after his release from jail. He checked into a rehab facility after his drunken bust, and then was busted in December 2018 for shoplifting. Weiss’ friends have been trying to get him help … and it looks like he needs it now more than ever. Read Full Article

The graffiti artist dubbed “Penis Man” could be facing hard time after a SWAT team took him down in Phoenix … potentially ending a looooong string of vandalism. Yes, crime size matters. Cops in Tempe, AZ say 38-year-old Dustin Shomer is behind the “Penis Man” spree — the words have been tagged all over Arizona State dorms, local businesses, municipal buildings and even the famous “A” landmark above the campus … dating back to November. Shomer was arrested last weekend, and charged with 16 counts of aggravated criminal damage, 8 counts of criminal damage and 1 count of criminal trespass in the first degree. The suspect says he was taken in a pretty ballsy raid — 25 heavily armed SWAT officers swarming his apartment complex before arresting him at gunpoint. However, the alleged “Penis Man” says he’s getting the shaft … because he claims he’s just a copycat, and the REAL “Penis Man” is still at large. He told the Phoenix New Times, “I’m not the original. There are hundreds of copycats with very distinctively different handwriting.” Translation: Cops grabbed the wrong penis, man. If we had a nickel!!! Read Full Article

Kobe Bryant’s high school will honor the NBA star with a 33 second moment of silence at Tuesday night’s basketball games … to honor the man who used to wear #33. A rep for Lower Merion High School in the Philadelphia area tells us the boys and girls varsity teams will take on Upper Darby High at the Kobe Bryant Gymnasium starting at 7 PM. This is the first home game for the LMHS Aces since Kobe’s death — and school officials plan to address the community before the games tip-off. “Principal Sean Hughes will read a statement on behalf of the school community. The statement will be followed by 33 seconds of silence, as 33 was the number worn by Mr. Bryant when he was an LM Aces player.” School officials ultimately decided NOT to cancel the games because they believe Kobe would WANT the players to compete. In fact, head basketball coach Gregg Downer met with the players in private on Monday and said — “Kobe would want the balls bouncing, the sneakers squeaking and you doing what he loved and what you love.” Kobe played for LMHS from 1992 to 1996 — where he racked up 2,883 points and led the team to a state championship in 1996. After his stellar high school career, Kobe went straight to the pros — drafted 13th overall in the 1996 NBA Draft. Kobe’s #33 high school jersey was retired by Lower Merion in 2002 at a ceremony attended by his parents, teachers and even Shaquille O’Neal. Read Full Article

Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth are officially single in the eyes of the law … because we’ve learned their divorce is now final. According to new legal docs obtained by TMZ, a judge has already put their John Hancock on the former couple’s divorce settlement. TMZ broke the story … Miley and Liam worked out all the details of their divorce back in December, and their lawyers — disso queen Laura Wasser repping Liam and Judith R. Foreman repping Miley — quietly worked through stumbling blocks to submit the paperwork to the judge. It’s a pretty quick divorce … Miley and Liam have no kids, she’s keeping their pets and our sources say there’s a prenup, which makes dividing property a helluva lot easier. Liam’s the one who filed to divorce Miley back in August, citing irreconcilable differences … and now they are both single. Miley has been very public about her new relationship with singer Cody Simpson, and Liam has been a little more on the DL with his. Read Full Article

4:40 PM PT — The NTSB revealed the helicopter was not equipped with a black box, nor was it required to be. There was, however, an iPad on board used for flight itinerary, weather conditions and other flight elements that investigators will look at. The NTSB is also asking the public for photos of the weather in the area Sunday morning to determine flying conditions. The L.A. County Sheriff’s Office has created a perimeter around the crash site — with officers on ATV and horseback — to make sure no one gets close to the wreck. 3:48 PM PT — The NTSB is minutes away from a press conference about the crash … we will have the whole thing live here. The pilot of the helicopter carrying Kobe Bryant, his daughter and 6 other passengers got in big trouble with fog — they seemed to abort the trip and tried returning home, barely clearing one mountain range, but never slowed down … this according to the flight tracker and several experienced helicopter pilots in the L.A. area. As we reported, the pilot had to circle near the Downtown L.A. area — near the L.A. Zoo — for 15 minutes because of bad weather ahead. As we reported … the LAPD had grounded its helicopter fleet because of fog at around the same time Kobe’s helicopter took off. The pilot was following a visual flight plan and was cleared by the tower to proceed north, toward Thousand Oaks where Kobe was taking his daughter for a basketball game. When he got to the Calabasas area, the fog became blinding. As we reported, the pilot was way too low —  at 1,250 feet. The pilots we spoke with say it’s clear based on the abrupt change on the flight tracker … the pilot panicked and quickly ascended to 2,000 feet. We’re told he cleared a mountain range by 100 feet, and the pilots we spoke with say he was so low he almost certainly saw the tops of the mountain. The pilots we spoke with — all of whom have extensive experience — say based on the flight tracker and the accident scene, they believe the pilot felt he had cleared all of the mountains and was proceeding to head back when he hit another mountain. The pilot clearly did not know there were mountains ahead because he actually descended from 2,000 feet to 1,700 feet … presumably to go under the fog. Even more baffling, we’ve been told the pilot was extremely experienced flying in that area — and was even a flight instructor. One seasoned helicopter pilot told TMZ, he could not understand why Kobe’s pilot would have maintained a speed of 161 knots in such dense fog. One of the benefits of a helicopter is you can go much slower — even 15 mph — to gingerly avoid terrain if you’re uncertain. Our sources say the chopper was sophisticated and had an altitude warning signal to pull up, but it was too late. As we said, he was doing 161 knots and didn’t slow down. The helicopter hit the mountain at that speed. Several of the pilots we spoke with say the pilot should have gone up to clear the fog, rather than down. To that end, we’re told the pilot could have slowed down to almost a stop as he turned, but didn’t. Originally published — 11:35 AM PT Read Full Article

Kobe Bryant’s most passionate fans are flocking to the Lakers team facility to say goodbye to the NBA legend … with thousands of supporters signing a massive tribute to Mamba. The video is incredible … huge whiteboards featuring Kobe’s face have been placed outside the UCLA Health Training Center in El Segundo so fans can share words for Bryant. Along with the messages, photos of Kobe, ballons and flowers have added up outside the team building. The tribute spans at least 100 feet … and sits right outside the facility’s entrance. Fans have been honoring Bryant and his daughter, GiGi, in front of Staples Center as well … with some even throwing paper balls into a trash can and yelling “Kobe,” like most people did growing up. Kobe, GiGi and 7 others were killed in a tragic helicopter crash on Sunday. As we reported, there have been talks that the future Hall of Famer’s memorial service could be held at the L.A. Coliseum, as Staples could be too small. #RIP Read Full Article

Kobe Bryant’s public memorial could be such a massive event, organizers are considering holding it at the famous L.A. Coliseum because the Staples Center simply isn’t big enough. Our sources tell us … a meeting took place this week to discuss where Kobe’s eventual memorial might go down in the coming weeks or even months. People who were in the room say a few venues were considered — some made more sense than others. Of course, the Staples Center is considered “The House That Kobe Built” — but it only holds around 20,000 people … and judging by the massive response to his death, organizers feel they should be ready for a MUCH larger crowd. The Coliseum holds roughly 80,000 people — and the surrounding parks are capable of holding many, many more. It seems the most logical option at this point. The Rose Bowl was also brought up as a possible venue — since it holds nearly 91,000 — but we’re told Pasadena is just too far away. Our sources say no official decision has been made yet, but the conversation is underway. As for Kobe’s funeral service, no decisions have been made about that either. It could be some time before the memorial is booked because everyone in Kobe’s immediate life is still shattered and reeling from the tragedy. Kobe was just 41 when he died Sunday. His daughter, Gianna, who also passed away in the helicopter crash, was only 13. Read Full Article

Blac Chyna’s gotta write a fat check to her former landlord for allegedly bailing on her lease and not paying rent … because she didn’t even bother to fight the lawsuit against her. According to new legal docs obtained by TMZ … BC’s been ordered to fork over nearly $72,000 to Michael Kremerman, who sued her for unpaid rent and damages to the rental home. It’s a default judgment, meaning the judge ruled for Kremerman because Chyna never responded to the suit. As we first reported … the landlord filed suit against Blac Chyna back in April, claiming she bolted on her lease 5 months early, didn’t pay a dime after leaving and removed fixtures and equipment from the pad. The landlord said BC was $48,546 in the red, and he sued for that amount plus interest and attorney’s fees … hence the $72k judgment. The expensive lesson here for Chyna — no such thing as free rent. Read Full Article

12:05 PM PT — Officials say they have recovered three bodies from the crash site — but have not specified on the IDs of those bodies. Officials worked well into the night on Sunday but had to suspend the search due to darkness and safety concerns. The search resumed Monday morning. No word on if any other bodies have recovered in Monday’s search. 6:11 AM PT — 1/27 — All 9 people on the helicopter have been identified … Kobe Bryant (41), Gianna Bryant (13), John Altobelli (56), Keri Altobelli, Alyssa Altobelli, Sarah Chester (45), Payton Chester (13), Christina Mauser and the pilot, Ara Zobayan. Mauser was an assistant coach of the Mamba girls’ basketball team. 5:55 PM PT — TMZ Sports has obtained some of the last photos taken of Kobe Bryant with his daughter, Gianna, and it’s clear they both had basketball on the brain in one of their final moments together. The pics were shot Saturday at Kobe’s Mamba Sports Academy in Thousand Oaks, where Gigi’s Mamba team played two 8th grade girls games that day. You can see KB watching carefully from the sideline as Gianna was on the court. At one point, Kobe was seen giving his kid some tips. It’s unclear if he’s the head coach of her current squad or not, but he was definitely in coaching mode from what we can tell. We know he’s coached other teams she was on in the past. Kobe said Gianna had aspirations to be in the WNBA, and by all accounts … she was well on her way to getting there. One thing that’s pretty obvious from this snapshot moment is that they were both fierce competitors and loved the game they played. 4:56 PM PT — The Mayor of Costa Mesa, Katrina Foley, just confirmed the identity of one of the other victims in the helicopter crash … girls basketball coach Christina Mauser, who’s married to Tijuana Dogs singer Matt Mauser. Matt also confirmed the news himself. On Facebook, he wrote … “My kids and I are devastated. We lost our beautiful wife and mom today in a helicopter crash. Please respect our privacy. Thank you for all the well wishes they mean so much.” 4:30 PM PT — L.A. weather was extremely foggy Sunday morning, and law enforcement sources tell us even LAPD air support was grounded because of it. Flight tracker data shows Kobe’s chopper appeared to first encounter weather issues as it was above the L.A. Zoo. It circled that area at least 6 times at a very low altitude — around 875 feet — perhaps waiting for the fog to clear. We know the pilot contacted the control tower at Burbank Airport around 9:30 AM PT, and the tower was aware the pilot had been circling for about 15 minutes. The pilot eventually headed north along the 118 freeway before turning to the west, and started following above the 101 freeway around Woodland Hills, CA. At around 9:40 AM they encounter more weather — as in seriously heavy fog — and the chopper turned south. This was critical, because they turned toward a mountainous area. The pilot suddenly and rapidly climbed from about 1200 feet up to 2000 feet. However, moments later — around 9:45 AM — they flew into a mountain at 1700 feet. Flight tracker data shows they were flying at about 161 knots. 3:49 PM PT — Michael Jordan has spoken on Kobe’s death, saying … “I am in shock over the tragic news of Kobe’s and Gianna’s passing. Words can’t describe the pain I’m feeling. I loved Kobe — he was like a little brother to me. We used to talk often, and I will miss those conversations very much.” He adds, “He was a fierce competitor, one of the greats of the game and a creative force. Kobe was also an amazing dad who loved his family deeply — and took great pride in his daughter’s love for the game of basketball. Yvette joins me in sending my deepest condolences to Vanessa, the Lakers organization and basketball fans around the world.” 3:01 PM PT — The players, coaches and families at the Mamba Academy were obviously emotional when they heard the news about Kobe’s death … but came together for a moment of silence and prayer. Some of the Academy leaders addressed everyone at the facility — encouraging them to support each other, grieve together and honor Kobe by living good, quality lives. Kids, parents and fans left a shrine to Kobe outside the Academy’s doors. 2:40 PM PT — Officials say they believe 9 people were on board — 1 pilot and 8 passengers — and there were no survivors. Still unclear why the chopper crashed but an investigation is underway. 2:42 PM PT — Authorities say responders had to hike to get to the crash scene. When they finally got to the incident site, it was clear no one survived. 2:08 PM PT — Barack Obama says, “Kobe was a legend on the court and just getting started in what would have been just as meaningful a second act.” “To lose Gianna is even more heartbreaking to us as parents. Michelle and I send love and prayers to Vanessa and the entire Bryant family on an unthinkable day.” 1:48 PM PT — Authorities near the crash site are about to hold a news conference, detailing the fatal incident. We will be streaming the whole thing live. The start time has been pushed to 2:30 PM PT. 1:46 PM PT — Shaquille O’Neal just posted a tribute to Kobe … saying, “There’s no words to express the pain I’m going through now with this tragic and sad moment of loosing my friend, my brother, my partner in winning championships, my dude and my homie.” He continued, “I love you brother and you will be missed. My condolences goes out to the Bryant family and the families of the other passengers on board. IM SICK RIGHT NOW!” 1:19 PM PT — We’ve obtained the dispatch audio in which you can hear the operator directing emergency personnel to the crash scene. 1:12 PM PT — Rick Fox’s attorney confirms the former Laker was NOT among those on board the helicopter, despite rumors that circulated suggesting he was. At least one of the other passengers HAS been confirmed, John Altobelli. He’s a baseball coach at Orange Coast College. 12:49 PM PT — President Trump just tweeted about Kobe’s death … saying, “Reports are that basketball great Kobe Bryant and three others have been killed in a helicopter crash in California. That is terrible news!” 12:35 PM PT — Kobe’s daughter, Gianna Maria Onore — aka GiGi — was also on board the helicopter and died in the crash … reps for Kobe tell TMZ Sports. She was 13. We’re told they were on their way to the Mamba Academy for a basketball practice when the crash occurred. The Academy is in nearby Thousand Oaks. Kobe Bryant died in a helicopter crash in Calabasas Sunday morning … TMZ Sports has confirmed. Kobe was traveling with at least 3 other people in his private helicopter when it went down. A fire broke out. Emergency personnel responded, but nobody on board survived. 5 people are confirmed dead. We’re told Vanessa Bryant was not among those on board. Eyewitnesses also tell us that they heard the helicopter’s engine sputtering before it went down. As you can see, flames and smoke covered much of the scene from the wreck. The official cause of the crash is currently under investigation. Kobe has famously used a helicopter to travel for years — dating back to when he played for the Lakers. He was known for commuting from Newport Beach, CA to the STAPLES Center in DTLA in his Sikorsky S-76 chopper. KB is survived by his wife, Vanessa. Together, they have four daughters — Gianna, Natalia and Bianca and their newborn, Capri. Kobe and Vanessa got married in 2001 after meeting in 1999. A memorial to Kobe has already sprung up outside of Staples Center, where Kobe played for years. Kobe has recently been spotted out at NBA games with his daughter, Gianna — a rising star basketball player herself. Their youngest daughter, Capri, was just born in June 2019. Celebrities from all over the world and all parts of entertainment are paying tribute to Kobe on social media. Tom Brady, President Trump, Dwyane Wade and more. Kobe is widely considered one of the greatest NBA players of all time — making 18 All-Star teams during his 20-year career with the Lakers. He was a first-round pick in the 1996 draft, winning 5 NBA championships, 2 NBA Finals MVPs and he was the league MVP in ’08. He was on 15 All-NBA Teams, 12 All-Defensive Teams and led the league in scoring for two seasons. He ranks fourth in the NBA for all-time regular season scoring and all-time postseason scoring. He also repped the USA in a number of Olympics appearances, for which he helped secure gold medals twice. The Lakers famously retired both of Kobe’s jerseys, numbers 8 and 24 … the only player in team history to receive that honor. Kobe’s accomplishments stand far outside of the basketball world. He won an Oscar for his short film, “Dear Basketball,” in 2018. He was also involved in a handful of charitable efforts — including being an ambassador for the After-School All-Stars, which provides after-school programs to kids across the U.S. He also partnered with China to help launch the Soon Ching Ling Foundation — an org that earmarked funds for education and health programs. He was a bit of a business mogul too, starting a venture capital firm with his biz partner, Jeff Stibel. Kobe also started Kobe Inc., and invested in sports drinks, among other things. The champ also put out a book called, “The Mamba Mentality: How I Play” in 2018. It was a best-seller at the time. Kobe also dabbled in music — he rapped for a number of years on and off. On Saturday, LeBron James passed Kobe as third on the all-time NBA scoring list. He paid tribute to Bron on Instagram — his last post — by saying, “On to #2 @kingjames! Keep growing the game and charting the path for the next.” At age 34, Kobe became the youngest player in NBA history to surpass the 30,000 point mark. Speaking of putting up points, the guy was notorious for his 81-point game against the Toronto Raptors in 2006. It was one of the greatest performances in modern NBA history. Another major highlight from his long career was his final game in 2016 against the Utah Jazz, when he dropped 60 points and went out with a bang to help his team win. It was especially moving considering his injury-plagued years, which started in 2013 when he tore his Achilles tendon. He was 41 years old. RIP Originally Published — 1/26 11:24 AM PT Read Full Article

Team Roc, Roc Nation’s philanthropic arm, is releasing video it says graphically illustrates the inhumane conditions inside a notorious Mississippi penitentiary … as Yo Gotti continues fighting for federal assistance. These videos and photos were shot by inmates using contraband phones, according to Team Roc. The images include what looks like a knife fight between 2 prisoners, gruesome injuries, and horrific filth inside a cell. TMZ broke the story … Yo Gotti, with Team Roc’s support, is taking legal action over the conditions seen in the video. Most recently, they’ve filed for an emergency protective order in federal court — on behalf of dozens of inmates — and they’ve now added some of these photos to that filing. Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves just announced he will shut down one infamous section of the prison — which Team Roc’s attorneys say is grossly understaffed. Gotti says that’s an improvement, but a small one. He tells TMZ … “Governor Reeves’ plan to close down a Parchman prison unit that has caused devastating deaths is a necessary first  step. Beyond that, he must implement broader safety measures to address similar issues in other units and urgently provide inmates with medical attention. In the interim, we’re calling for the Department of Justice to step in, move the Parchman inmates to federal prisons and ensure their immediate well-being.” The federal court has not ruled on the protection order, which Team Roc refiled late Friday. Interestingly, Gov. Tate complained last week about inmates having contraband phones, and even blamed the violence on the phones. Clearly, several inmates are now using them to show the world what they say is happening inside Parchman’s walls. In addition to the federal protection order — Team Roc has filed a lawsuit against Mississippi prison officials demanding a plan of action to help the inmates. Read Full Article