It was business as usual for Tom Brady on Tuesday ... the GOAT continued workouts with his new teammates -- this despite a COVID-19 outbreak on the Bucs roster.
TB12 got in the sweat sesh with about two dozen Tampa Bay players down at Berkeley Preparatory School in Florida for around two hours ... according to the Tampa Bay Times.
And, as you can see in a pic from the workout, TB12 was all smiles ... even though some of his new squadmates (presumably the ones NOT at the workout) have recently contracted coronavirus.
Over the past week, the Bucs confirmed several players and coaches tested positive for COVID-19 ... and the NFL warned teams to be careful about going through private workouts amid recent surges in positive cases.
Unclear what social distancing steps Brady and the Bucs took to limit possible exposure at their Tuesday practice ... but what we do know is Tom is at least very aware of the pandemic.
Remember, Brady was booted from working out at a closed public park at the beginning of coronavirus lockdowns ... and he's since helped donate SERIOUS cash to those affected by COVID-19 with his famous All-In Challenge.
As for how the Tuesday work went, regardless ... Brady posted about the effort on social media afterward, talking all about his sweat-soaked shirt.
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12:16 PM PT -- Another profound speech was just given by Ebenezer Baptist's own minister, Raphael Warnock, who said what happened to Rayshard Brooks was just a small piece of a much larger issue in America ... namely, mass incarceration, which he likened to modern-day slavery.
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The reverend gave a powerful eulogy for Rayshard, in which he invoked the story of Moses telling Pharaoh to let his people go, and how African-Americans are in a similar situation now. Warnock then said police brutality is not the end all be all -- he said the criminal justice system at large was the beast that needed to be fed ... and police killings were simply a byproduct to that end -- the feeding of the machine, if you will.
Warnock then got to Rayshard's situation itself, noting that the possible reason he might've tried running before getting shot was because he himself was on probation ... and figured making a run for it would be better than falling right back into the system he'd just escaped.
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The reverend then pivoted to the concept of records, saying that people with a record -- criminal or otherwise -- are often used by God, which the Bible documents well.
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Rev. Warnock, like Bernice King, called on people to continue protesting for justice ... but also made sure to urge people to make the biggest statement come Nov. 3 -- by hitting the voting booths.
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Rayshard's funeral service came to an end shortly thereafter with a prolonged musical performance from the choir ... capping an incredibly well put-together event that properly honored the man from start to finish.
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11:15 AM PT -- Dr. Martin Luther King's daughter, Bernice King, just delivered a powerful speech at Rayshard's funeral -- this after friends and family delivered remarks as well -- and she says his death will NOT be in vain, going on to call on protests for Black Lives Matter to continue until the movement's demands are met and true justice is achieved.
The reverend began by saying Rayshard did not have to be killed, and that the officers could have simply let him go home. She went on to point other historic dates in history that also fall on June 12 -- the day Rayshard was killed -- and then connected the dots personally ... saying she, too, knew the pain of losing a father to racial violence.
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She went on to say that MLK himself said the Brooks family's struggle was, in fact, everyone in the community's struggle ... and that his word of "No justice, no peace" still rings true even today -- even in the city of Atlanta, which she said is considered a black Mecca.
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Reverend Bernice then said it clearly ... the next step to healing this nation is NOT more diversity or inclusion, it is acknowledging directly that Black Lives Matter -- and that a revolution of values is absolutely essential to make things right going forward.
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Bernice said that the demonstrations happening should not and will not cease until true equity is reached, and true reform takes place. She also called for reparations and an end to voter suppression -- ending by saying righteousness will prevail one way or another.
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She received a standing O for her words, which sounded eerily similar to those once spoken by her own dad. Like father, like daughter ... no doubt.
Rayshard Brooks is being laid to rest with a home going ceremony in one of Atlanta's most historic churches ... and TMZ is streaming the service live.
The procession is getting underway Tuesday morning at the Ebenezer Baptist Church, where Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. once served as co-pastor for years. Rayshard's casket actually arrived at the church on Monday for a public viewing ahead of Tuesday's funeral service.
His golden casket was brought in by pallbearers wearing "Here 2 Serve" t-shirts. During the viewing, his casket was open, and his widow, Tomika Miller, reached out to touch her husband at one point.
As for Tuesday's ceremony, it's meant to be a more private affair with some noteworthy speakers ... including MLK's daughter, Rev. Bernice A. King, as well as Rev. Raphael G. Warnock -- the senior pastor at Ebenezer Baptist, who's supposed to deliver the eulogy.
On Friday, June 12, Rayshard was approached by two APD officers after he was found asleep in his car and partially blocking the line at Wendy's drive-thru. After a lot of cordial back-and-forth interaction, for about 30 minutes, the cops tried to handcuff Rayshard place him under arrest.
When Rayshard resisted, a struggle ensued, and he broke free with one of the officers' tasers ... which he pointed back at them as they gave chase. Officer Garrett Rolfe then opened fire and struck Rayshard twice in the back. He also allegedly kicked him after he was down.
Rayshard later died from his injuries -- and the Wendy's where and the officers tussled was burned to the ground the next day as intense protests sprung up in Atlanta.
The Fulton County D.A. announced murder charges against Officer Rolfe. His partner, Devin Brosnan, faces less severe charges ... aggravated assault, specifically. Both men have since turned themselves in for booking. Brosnan, for his part, has denied wrongdoing.
If Rolfe is convicted, the death penalty would be on the table for sentencing.
Former adult film star Ron Jeremy is now accused of raping 3 women and sexually assaulting a fourth ... after the L.A. County D.A. announced the charges.
District Attorney Jackie Lacey announced Tuesday her office had charged Ron Jeremy with 3 counts of forcible rape, 3 counts of forcible penetration by a foreign object, 1 count of forcible oral copulation and 1 count of sexual battery. The charges relate to 4 separate incidents dating back to 2014.
According to the D.A.'s office ... a 25-year-old woman claims Jeremy forcibly raped her at her home in WeHo back in May 2014. Prosecutors also say Jeremy allegedly sexually assaulted 2 women on separate occasions at a WeHo bar in 2017.
A 30-year-old woman claims Jeremy forcibly raped her at the same bar in July 2019. Arraignment has been set for later this afternoon, and prosecutors want his bail set at $6.6 million.
If convicted, the 67-year-old faces a possible maximum sentence of 90 years to life in state prison.
Malcolm Gladwell says the George Floyd killing is a tipping point for changing police culture in America ... but the solutions won't be simple, they will be long and hard.
"The Tipping Point" and "Outliers" author joined us Tuesday on "TMZ Live" and explained why simple solutions won't be enough to change the way police work is conducted in this country. He agrees, as many have said, Floyd's death was the catalyst Americans needed to stand up against police brutality -- but he warns fixing the problem won't be as easy as firing cops or reducing their budgets.
Malcolm also says it's not enough for good cops to simply step in when they see bad cops doing something wrong. Changing the "chain of command" culture is a theme he addressed in "Outliers" with a brilliant look at Korean airline pilots and what caused a series of crashes.
MG -- who just debuted a new season of his "Revisionist History" podcast -- says tackling policing issues will require a much harder look at deep cultural questions.
He reminded us there are 18,000 police departments across the country ... and in order to fix police culture on the whole, ya gotta visit each department and work with officers to help them be better at their jobs.
The good news, Malcolm says ... is that the nationwide activism in response to the George Floyd case has been a long time coming.
It's more like the not-so-Immaculate Conception now -- a botched restoration of a famous Baroque painting has left the artwork unrecognizable, and its private collector stunned.
Here's the deal ... a private art collector in Spain shelled out $1,355 to get a famous painting of the Immaculate Conception -- by Baroque artist Bartolomé Esteban Murillo -- cleaned up by a furniture restorer. Unfortunately, the job was a total botch!!!
The amateur restorer made 2 attempts to fix the art, according to Spain's Europa Press, but as you can see ... it only got worse and worse. We shoulda put a graphic warning on this image for art fans.
The artistic disaster is drawing comparisons to other recent restoration attempts in Spain, where there are no laws governing who is allowed to restore artwork, no matter their skill, or lack thereof.
For example, take this botched 2012 restoration of a prized fresco painting of Jesus Christ by an elderly parishioner of a church near Zaragoza ... she tried to paint over it and now it's infamously known as, "Monkey Christ."
And, just last year, a 16th-Century statue of St. George, which stood at a church in Navarre, drew headlines after an alleged restoration some say looks like a Playmobile figure.
Spain's Professional Association of Restorers and Conservators (ACRE) ripped the country's government in a statement, condemning a lack of restoration regulation and calling the Immaculate Conception incident not a restoration, but a "vandalism."
ACRE says ... "We should be alarmed by the fact that part of our heritage is disappearing due to these disastrous interventions."
No, sadly, not Washington's NFL team -- but rather the lesser-known candy ... which Nestle now says is getting a makeover due to the racist implications of the moniker.
In a statement released Tuesday ... the candy company said it'll do away with the "Red Skins" name because it's straight up "out of step with Nestle’s values."
"This decision acknowledges the need to ensure that nothing we do marginalises our friends, neighbours and colleagues," Nestle officials said.
In addition to "Red Skins", the company also says it's canning the "Chicos" name for its jelly candy ... citing the racial undertones there too.
Props to the org. for realizing the ignorance and vowing to swiftly right the wrong ... but it all begs the question -- what is going on in the NFL?!
The Redskins -- who last week cut ties with their racist ex-owner George Preston Marshall by helping facilitate the removal of a stadium monument and FedExField lower bowl naming -- STILL refuse to acknowledge the need to reconsider their team name.
Despite many Native Americans finding it offensive -- and D.C.'s mayor calling for change -- owner Dan Snyder has repeatedly been reluctant to move on from the mascot.
So, could a candy company giving in finally be the catalyst that gets the NFL's gears turning on the issue???
1:31 PM PT -- A spokesperson for the airline tells TMZ it cannot comment on active litigation, but says ExpressJet (partner of United) "does not tolerate racism and we are investigating this incident to better understand what occurred onboard our aircraft in December."
Nathan Davis Jr. is taking United Airlines to court because he claims he was racially profiled on a flight and falsely accused of having a gun ... according to a new lawsuit.
The TikTok star and ''Detroit'' actor just filed suit against UA, alleging he was singled out and harassed by a flight attendant late last year while he was on his way from Houston to Tennessee. Nathan says listening to music escalated to him getting removed from the flight ... for no reason at all.
According to the docs, obtained by TMZ, Nathan says he was listening to music when one of the flight attendants told him it was too loud and that others could hear it. Nathan says others were listening as well, but he was the one reprimanded.
Nathan -- who has almost 9 million followers on TikTok -- says he complied but goes on to allege the lady circled back twice more in a rude manner and continued to tell him his music was too loud -- even though he disagreed and claims she even scolded him when the music was muted.
Eventually, Nathan says she snitched to the pilot ... and that's when s*** really hit the fan. He claims the plane turned around and the staff forced him to exit the aircraft in what sounds like a humiliating display. Nathan claims the captain even tried to take his cell phone, before ultimately ordering him to go back, get his stuff and get out for good.
That's when Nathan says a gun claim was made against him over the aircraft loudspeaker ... he claims it was shocking, reckless and false.
Nathan filmed some of the encounter, and while he was leaving the plane for the second time ... you can hear someone over the PA system say "He has a gun now." He instantly reacted.
We should note -- Nathan says he wasn't even approached by law enforcement over the false and inflammatory remark. He also says no further action was taken by the airline itself ... other than bumping him up to first class on a later flight.
Now, he's suing United ... claiming negligent hiring, assault, infliction of emotional distress, discrimination and more. He's asking a judge to award him damages of no less than $10 mil.
A cop enjoying his Starbucks Frappuccino says he got a nasty surprise halfway through, when he discovered a tampon floating around in his drink ... and there's now an official police investigation.
An off-duty LAPD officer purchased his Frapp Friday at a Starbucks inside a Target in Diamond Bar, CA. He used his police credit union debit card to buy the drink, and says he found the feminine hygiene product inside ... before marching back into the store to confront the staff.
We've confirmed the L.A. County Sheriff's Department took a report and is now investigating it as a possible food tampering incident. Deputies are pulling surveillance footage.
The L.A. Police Protective League is calling the incident a "disgusting assault on a police officer" and says it was "carried out by someone with hatred in their heart and who lacks human decency." They want whoever may be responsible exposed and fired. Fox 11 L.A. was the first to report this story.
Bubba Wallace confirms he has already been interviewed by the FBI as part of its investigation into the noose incident ... and he's blasting people who think it was all a hoax.
The NASCAR driver appeared on "The View" on Tuesday -- one day after an inspiring performance at Talladega -- and was asked how he felt about theories the noose was "staged" by NASCAR to garner more support for the Confederate flag ban.
"It offends me that people would go to those measures but again, I'm not shocked," Wallace said.
.@BubbaWallace on those who believe the noose incident was staged: “It’s simple-minded people like that, the ones that are afraid of change, they use everything in their power to defend what they stand up for... instead of trying to listen and understand what’s going on.” pic.twitter.com/FikMntalwO
"People are entitled to their own opinions to make them feel good and help them sleep at night."
Bubba says law enforcement is all over the case -- "I can now say I've talked to the FBI ... never thought that would happen!"
As we previously reported, Al Sharpton is concerned investigators are dragging their feet ... and he's demanding answers ASAP.
As for the emotional displays of solidarity at Talladega on Monday -- when all of the competing drivers rallied behind Bubba's car -- Wallace says he was truly moved by the support.
"Every time I watch that video I get emotional and get chills," Wallace said.
.@BubbaWallace tells us his fellow NASCAR drivers and their teams rallying around him before yesterday’s race shows “that love is way stronger than hate.”
Wallace says they may hate each other on the track, but off the track, the drivers and crews are like a family ... and he's proud to be a part of the NASCAR team.
A homeless man, asleep on the sidewalk, is now recovering from burns suffered when some asshat threw fireworks at him, and NYPD is asking for help to ID the perp.
Video of the disturbing incident shows a man on a Harlem sidewalk throwing lit fireworks at the homeless man in the early morning hours of Monday. They weren't little firecrackers either, because there was a pretty big explosion.
Police were called to the scene around 4 AM and found the 66-year-old man with burns to his back and leg. He was taken to the hospital and is said to be stable.
We're told cops are using the social media vid as part of their investigation, and Chief Rodney Harrison is asking anyone with info pertaining to the suspect's identity to call NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline.
NYPD sources tell us it's unclear what type of firework was thrown at the man.
New York, along with Los Angeles, has seen a surge in fireworks activity and complaints in recent weeks. NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio is expected to announce a crackdown Tuesday.
A Baltimore restaurant is apologizing to an African-American woman and her son, who were clearly the victims of discrimination when the manager refused to seat them ... for reasons that made no sense.
Black child denied entry to Atlas Restaurant in Baltimore, Ouzo Bay location.
Child was denied entry for “dress code” while mother points out other child with same attire on.. pic.twitter.com/FPrlYoYast
The Atlas Restaurant Group was reacting to cell phone video shot by Marcia Grant as they tried to get a table at the Ouzo Bay restaurant. You hear the manager tell them they can't be seated because her son's wardrobe violated the restaurant's dress code.
Here's the problem ... there was another child in the restaurant -- a white child -- who was allowed in and he was dressed almost identically to Marcia's son.
The manager was unmoved, but unable to explain the different treatment.
Atlas Restaurant Group said they were “sickened," adding, "While dress codes across Atlas properties are the result of ongoing input from customers, in no way are they intended to be discriminatory." Atlas now says children under 12 accompanied by a parent will no longer be subject to a dress code.
Atlas said the manager has been placed on "indefinite leave."
You are so criminal to MEEEEEEE ... is probably what cops said to the guy who once played Alfalfa when they busted him for allegedly sucking up air duster cans.
Yes, Bug Hall -- who had the lead role in the 90s "Little Rascals" movies -- was arrested over the weekend in a Weatherford, TX hotel ... where cops responded to a call for a possible OD.
Weatherford PD tells TMZ ... one of Bug's family members actually called in asking the police to check on him. They did, and when he opened up the door ... the cops say they saw a TON of air duster cans -- used for keyboards -- all over the room.
WPD says officers asked Bug if he'd been inhaling from the cans ... and claim he admitted it. They arrested him on the spot for misdemeanor possession for use to inhale or ingest a volatile chemical. We're told Bug didn't put up a fight.
In case you didn't know, what Bug is accused of is called huffing and it's super dangerous, and criminal too.
Bug's continued acting since his days romancing Darla in "Little Rascals." He's had several one-off roles on TV shows throughout the 2000s -- but obviously seems to be on hard times now.
The Arizona church hosting President Trump's Tuesday rally overplayed its hand by claiming it's got tech to zap away COVID-19 ... so say the owners of that technology.
Tim Bender -- the Chief Strategy Officer of CleanAir EXP, which sold the fancy air purification system to Dream City Church -- tells TMZ, the dudes who said they'd be 'rona-proof come Tuesday went overboard, and flat-out exaggerated about CleanAir's product.
He says that while their air purifiers theoretically can't hurt in helping fend off COVID-19 molecules, it actually hasn't quite been specifically tested to combat the disease.
What it has gone up against in a lab is 19's ugly cousin, COVID-229E ... which is said to be a surrogate of the big baddie, with a similar protein structure. Bender says in testing, ionized particles churned out via his system "neutralize" COVID-229E.
BTW, Bender tells us he would love to get in touch with the CDC to see if his air system can do some good on a larger scale -- but just hasn't been able to get in touch. He says he's hoping when Trump comes to town and hears all the buzz, it might help him make a CDC connect.
Sounds interesting, and maybe it will kick COVID-19's ass in testing -- but until then, CleanAir isn't trying to get ahead of itself. Unfortunately, one of its most recent customers, the Dream City Church, already has.
The two church leaders have taken down their giddy FB video, but some people who saw it might be thinking they're in the clear from coronavirus -- and CleanAir says they're just not. Not yet, anyway.
A Bay Area woman took out her social distancing frustration on a baby -- coughing and spitting into the kid's stroller ... all because she felt the mother and child were too close.
This sickening incident went down in San Jose, CA -- where an older white woman was seen entering a Yogurtland shop last Friday ... and was soon followed by a mother and her 1-year-old boy, who was in his stroller.
At one point, and seemingly out of nowhere, the older lady approached the mother and started coughing right onto the kid. The mother immediately tried to cover up her son.
Goes without saying ... this is straight-up not safe, and about as mean as you can get.
The woman walked out of the building as if nothing happened at all, but something criminal definitely DID happen ... so say cops. San Jose PD says it's on the lookout for the cougher, and are asking for the public's help to identify her.
According to the victim, the woman became upset that the mother was apparently not practicing proper social distancing, in her eyes. The mom also says the coughing lady seemed to get upset because she heard mom speaking Spanish ... insinuating this might have been a racially motivated.
D.L. Hughley's medical scare and subsequent positive COVID-19 test is triggering a major health inspection for the comedy club where he was performing.
A spokesperson for Nashville's Metro Public Health Department tells TMZ ... it's conducting a disease investigation of staff and customers in attendance Friday night at Zanies Comedy Club, where D.L. collapsed.
We're told the health department plans to conduct contact tracing ... getting in touch with everyone who was in the club to get them tested -- and ditto for anyone who had close contact with Hughley.
We're told everyone will be instructed to self-isolate for 14 days while their health is monitored daily by the disease investigators.
On top of that, we're told the Health Dept. has been in touch with Zanies since learning of D.L.'s positive coronavirus test to provide the club with guidance on cleaning and sanitizing.
We're told Director of Health Dr. Michael Caldwell has agreed to allow Zanies -- which has been temporarily closed since learning of Hughley's diagnosis -- to reopen Thursday after the venue has been thoroughly cleaned. An employee tells us the club already had a cleaning company come Sunday and wash the place top to bottom.
There's another catch too ... Zanies must comply with Public Health Emergency Orders for entertainment venues, including having the performer 15-feet away from the audience. In the video, it didn't look like D.L. had this distance on Friday night.
BTW, when the comedy resumes Thursday, Rob Schneider will take the stage for the first of 4 nights in a row.
So, Zanies will be open for laughs ... just at a distance.
A swimmer in Delaware clearly thinks Chuck Norris has got nothin' on him, because he tried subduing a shark with his bare hands ... apparently all for what could have easily been a fatal photo op.
The scene unfolded over the weekend at Henlopen State Park Beach. You see the swimmer dragging the shark in shallow water, and then, as people on the shore stand in shock, the swimmer opens the foreboding mouth of the shark. It's pretty clear ... the mouth trick was for the cameras.
Unclear what the swimmer did with the shark, but in Delaware fishermen/women are required to return them to the waters.
Either way ... aside from being dangerous, it's not a great idea to play with these creatures and scare them for the sake of Instagram.
Oh, in case you didn't get the Chuck Norris reference ... well, enjoy.