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The Mississippi day care workers who put on horror masks to scare children deserve hard time for the pranks ... so says one of the children's mother.

Katelyn Johnson's 2-year-old son is one of the kids in the viral video showing day care workers scare the living crap out of toddlers, and she tells TMZ her boy and his classmates are all traumatized.

The parent says her son's too young to be able to communicate what he's feeling, but he's showing trauma by his actions ... Katelyn says the little guy's having a hard time going to bed at night and is regressing in potty training, which she blames on his strong reaction to the horror mask.

As we reported ... upset parents pushed hard for the day care workers to be hit with felony child abuse charges, and Katelyn tells us she agrees the charges are appropriate.

Katelyn says she wants the 4 women hit with felonies to serve between 6 and 12 months ... saying the video is just a tiny peek into what she says was a regular occurrence.

Katelyn says she's not considering filing a lawsuit, because she thinks the women won't ever be rehired and won't be able to pay a damage award. But, she says other parents want to wait and see what happens with the criminal case before deciding on legal action.

Katelyn says she's trying to help her son heal through positive reinforcement. She says she's using a sound machine and night light to try and help him sleep, reassuring him their home and their family are a safe place.

Katelyn says they're back to square one with potty training ... telling us her boy almost had it down before the trauma set him back.

Stacey Abrams is leaning into her celeb connections to rally support ahead of election day -- which landed her on stage with Latto to deliver a message about abortion rights in Georgia.

The candidate for Governor came out during Latto's Saturday night gig in ATL, and not coincidentally, she came out as the rapper performed "Pussy" ... the anthem she wrote after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.

Abrams was kicking it with backup dancers as Latto did her thing -- and carried a "my body, my choice" sign over her head the whole time.

When the song was over she got on a mic and told the crowd ... "I just want to remind you that if you believe in my body, my choice, I need your vote," Abrams said.

Playing to the crowd, Abrams referenced Latto's mega-hit as she yelled, "I need your big energy. Let’s get it!"

Last week Abrams debated her opponent, Georgia's current Governor Brian Kemp, and early voting has already opened in that state.

Robbie Coltrane, who played Hagrid in the 'Harry Potter' films, died from several health issues ... the most dire dealing with infections, heart issues and his weight.

Robbie reportedly died after multiple organ failure ... according to his death certificate. The document also says he'd been battling sepsis, a lower respiratory infection as well as blockages in his heart.

As if that wasn't bad enough -- the actor's death certificate indicates he'd previously been diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes and obesity.

As we reported, Robbie died earlier this month at the age of 72 ... he was in a hospital at the time, near his home in Scotland.

Gavin DeGraw was forced to pull the plug at the last minute on a show for the Boys & Girls Club -- his team says he was sick as a dog, but he's already planning to make good.

Sources connected to the fundraiser tell TMZ ... Gavin was booked to perform last weekend at the 2022 "Enchanted Masquerade" Chrysalis Ball for the Boys & Girls Clubs in Collin County, TX.

The club serves upwards of 5,000 kids, and Gavin's performance was the first big in-person event they'd planned since COVID shutdowns. So, that's why organizers were so bummed when Gavin had to cancel on the very day of the event.

Our sources tell us the singer's team notified the Boys & Girls Club that Gavin had fallen so ill, he had to be hospitalized ... and wouldn't be able to make it to the event.

We're told event organizers had already spent $20k in production costs, and they ended up using the band originally booked for their after-party to replace Gavin.

It is unclear what Gavin's illness was -- our sources say his appearance fee will be returned, but the Club won't get the production and rider costs back.

Understandably, there were some disappointed folks at the fundraiser.

DeGraw's team says he's since made a full recovery, and while he regrets having to cancel ... he hopes to come back and support the organization soon.

Jake Paul is giving those picking Anderson Silva to win on Oct. 29 enough time to reconsider ... telling TMZ Sports they're going to lose all their money!!

We spoke with the Problem Child -- who's currently the betting underdog against the former UFC champion -- about his highly anticipated upcoming bout ... and despite having a ton of respect for his opponent, Paul tells us he's out for blood once they hit the ring.

"I'm knocking this guy out," Jakey P says ... adding the fight won't last past five rounds. "I'm promising everyone that."

"Come back to this interview, everyone, after the fight, and they'll say, 'Wow, he predicted the future,'" he added. "I have a crystal ball in my room and I can see it."

Jake says he's excited to prove people wrong on Saturday night ... and has a message for those putting their hard-earned money on Spider.

"You shouldn't have done it. You should've invested into something else."

"And everyone who bet on me?? Good stuff, man. You're gonna have some dough, maybe a new car, maybe your rent paid."

Jake also dishes on those downplaying the fight considering Silva is 47 years old ... and he explains why it's actually an advantage for Anderson.

Robert Englund's looks over the years are like a dream!

Here is a 44-year-old version of the long-time scary moviemaker looking quite supernatural during the "Horror Hall of Fame" Gala at Universal Studios back in 1991 (left). This was just a few years before he reprised his role of Freddy Krueger in "Wes Craven's New Nightmare."

And, 31 years later the iconic thrill-seeker recently brought his scariest pose to a film festival in Spain (right). He may not be in his signature striped sweater, fedora and razor-claw glove ... but he still cuts up the competition with one glance.

"One, two, Freddy's coming for you!"

The question is ...

"Love Island USA" star Timmy Pandolfi is still reelin' from his reality show win ... and says his relationship with Zeta Morrison is still going strong long after the season ended ... and he says keeping things real was a key to their success.

We got the personal trainer leaving Equinox in L.A. Friday ... telling us he's got no complaints from his time on the dating competition series ... and filling us in on how things are goin' with his boo, Zeta.

As for their big W, TP says it's all about being who they really are on camera ... noting the growth of their "pure relationship" had a lot to do with the absence of social media and dating apps.

Fans of the show know Timmy and Zeta were Day 1's on the latest season ... with the cast often referring to them as the "mom and dad" of the group. The 2 stayed strong and went home with $100K in the end -- and, of course, each other.

Underneath this screaming and weeping caricature is a long-time actor who could definitely slaughter you in a round of wrestling, and when he's not playing the role of deputy sheriff, you can personally find him on Insta always committing and showing his love for horror.

Even though this buffy guy is most known for his thrilling film roles, he took a jab at the romance genre with Drew Barrymore in the late 90's. It's probably safe to say that this spooky figure has never been kissed.

Rainer Schaller -- who owns Gold's Gym, among other brands -- is missing alongside his family after their plane disappeared overnight ... with officials all but confirming they're dead.

A private plane carrying Schaller, his partner Christiane Schikorsky, their children and a reported fitness trainer are listed as the five passengers who have gone unaccounted for since their aircraft vanished off the Costa Rican coast while traveling from Mexico Friday.

Reports say the plane lost all communication with a control tower while it was flying near Barra del Parismina in the Caribbean Sea -- and now, the Costa Rican Coast Guard is saying they've found several pieces from what they believe is the wreckage, including at least 2 bodies.

The identities of the two corpses have not officially been announced just yet, but some reports say Costa Rican officials are declaring Schaller among 6 people (pilot included) that are presumed dead at this point. A search is still underway to find the others ... some personal belongings, like luggage, have been retrieved in the open sea though.

Schaller is the founder and CEO of the RSG Group -- which runs and operates a string of gym chains across the world, including McFit, John Reed and of course ... Gold's, which he acquired a couple years ago after it filed for bankruptcy in the pandemic.

While all are notable names in the fitness world, Gold's in particular is incredibly popular here in the States -- with some famous clients utilizing its services over the years, like Arnold Schwarzenegger, Clint Eastwood, Muhammad Ali, Hillary Swank and so, so many more.

Beyoncé fans are mad at Kelis for not getting as upset at 2 women playing with her hair as when she flipped her lid over Bey allegedly using her music without permission.

The latest Twitter fracas is underway now ... the Beyhive is seriously voicing their displeasure over a video the "Milkshake" singer posted that shows her having her braids felt up by a couple ladies in Singapore, where Kelis is apparently visiting at the moment.

The clip shows Kelis seated at an outdoor table with a friend, who's filming, when these two gals start to caress and feel on her braids ... without notice or permission.

Kelis is taken aback but rolls with it, playing with their hair in return, and kinda letting them have their way -- they seem pretty fascinated with her 'do. While she looks confused, it doesn't seem Kelis is all that fired up about the awkward encounter ... more so amused.

That's where Beyoncé stans are jumping in ... chiding her for not showing the same amount of gusto for these women as she did for Bey's sample in "Energy" from her new album ... which used a part of Kelis's hit song, supposedly without being properly cleared.

You'll recall, Kelis was very public with her resentment over that. She called it disrespectful/ignorant ... and suggested Bey was somebody in the biz who had no soul or integrity. It was harsh, but it worked -- because Beyoncé yanked the sample and reworked the song in the end ... just one of many problems she had with the roll-out at the time.

Now, in light of this latest Kelis news ... some are saying Kelis is "all bark, no bite" -- among other mean comments -- suggesting this is objectively more objectionable, and that she picks and chooses when to get angry ... and may have a problem with Beyoncé, specifically.

Meghan Markle might've thought her "Deal or No Deal" days were chock-full of misogyny -- but she was pretty into the deals she found in Montecito Friday ... or a lack thereof, rather.

The Duchess was shopping at a swanky luxury boutique in her backyard with a friend and security guard/driver in tow. She was looking pretty chic, but apparently wanted some new threads from a place she was happy to advertise on the way out ... bag-flashing for days.

The store she went to is quite high-end -- so much so, you can't even view their catalog on the web for a price point. All they seem to offer in their "Shop Online" category are gift cards, ranging from $100 to $1000 ... so that gives you an idea of how uppity it is.

In other words ... she probably didn't get much of a deal here, not like her briefcase days -- when she says she felt objectified over her looks and made out to be a "bimbo."

Anyhoo -- check out how Meghan handled herself when she was getting out of there ... she tries to open the door for herself, but her driver insists on getting it, which she lets him do.

It's interesting ... this is apparently one of the things that the Royals and/or their staff had a major problem with while she was working for them -- namely, that she broke a ton of little protocols ... including taking the lead or getting her own door, stupid stuff like that.

A monkey, believed to be the pet of a deceased man, apparently couldn't let go -- and we mean that literally, 'cause it was holding on to the body like he might come back to life.

Check out this footage that was purportedly taken in Sri Lanka, where a guy's funeral is taking place and his body is laid out in an open casket with people all around. There's also a langur perched on the edge looking down onto what some are saying is his owner/master.

No way to verify this, really, but it certainly seems to jibe with what the primate is doing here ... caressing the man and trying to wake him up, almost like it's mourning itself.

At one point, the langur leans down and appears to kiss the man's face -- and later, it even grabs the guy's arm and tries to shake it a bit. When people try pulling the monkey away, it stands firm and refuses to go easily ... and the sweet moment is moving people online.

If there is actually a prior relationship between these two like the internet is suggesting ... then it's pretty eye-opening. You always hear about creatures being able to feel sadness and loss, and this would seem to confirm that.

The Rock's new movie features a cameo from Henry Cavill's Superman at the end -- which looked like the headless horseman before the real McCoy got hired. Also ... spoilers ahead!

Per THR ... the last-minute addition was actually something WB and the creatives behind "Black Adam" -- Dwayne's debut superhero flick -- had conceived even prior to getting HC onboard, which manifested in them shooting the post-credits scene with a stand-in.

That body double, however, was reportedly silhouetted and obscured in post -- to where they entirely hid his face, only showing part of a guy in Superman's costume -- because they hadn't struck a deal with Cavill yet ... even though the intention was to bring him back.

They reportedly shot the scene in a matter of minutes earlier this year and did test screenings of it -- with the headless Superman at first -- to which fans responded incredibly positively. That confirmed to producers ... they had to get Henry, one way or another.

The DP who helmed 'BA' responded to the great feedback ... "Wow, this is 100 percent going to work. Now they need to figure out if they can get the guy with the head to be there."

If you haven't heard by now ... Cavill is returning to the DCEU for at least one more 'Superman' movie (and perhaps more) after a Herculean lobbying effort by The Rock.

Reports say he moved mountains to broker a deal to get everyone's favorite MoS back into the picture, despite pushback from some studio heads ... namely, Walter Hamada, who was dead set on moving on from the Zack Snyder era, regardless of fans who voiced otherwise.

Now that WH is outta there, though, it seems the new WB -- operating in conjunction with Discovery -- is willing to try Cavill one more time. No pumpkin noggin fill-ins needed either!

Blame Halloween or Netflix, or both ... but a Texas pizzeria is cutting off a slice of the ghoulish Jeffrey Dahmer fascination -- which is pissing off some people and drawing others into the joint.

Capital Pizza in Lubbock is now proudly displaying an almost literal hot mess -- it's called the "Jeffrey Dahmer Special." Yes, that's a finger and eyeball surrounded by what looks like blood and guts.

It's not real, of course, but the imagery alone is making some people lose their appetite. The restaurant's manager tells TMZ ... one of his servers came up with the concept in honor of Halloween, and the immensely popular Netflix series.

He says the pie is just ramen noodles, pepperoncini garnish ... along with the prop body parts and a whole lot of fake blood. Even though it's not on the menu -- it's just a prop in the pizzeria's window -- many customers have complained it's in poor taste.

The manager says they've had it out there for about 3 weeks, and while they've had complaints, lots of other customers love it -- coming in to have their kids take photos with the display. It's spooky season, after all.

However, the marketing move comes amid lots of controversy over Dahmer being celebrated as some sort of folk hero -- instead of a mass murdering monster -- spurred by Netflix telling his story in what many deem a very sympathetic light.

Some fans who were hoping to see their favorite 2000s emo bands in Sin City this weekend are out of luck -- the date's been canceled ... all thanks to Mother Nature.

Organizers behind the "When We Were Young" festival announced Saturday that their same-day kickoff in Vegas was being nixed because of strong winds being cited by the National Weather Service -- this despite the gang saying they've been actively preparing for this.

It sounds like the gust speeds were simply going to be too high and dangerous -- upwards of 60 MPH, they say -- which has forced them to shut it down until tomorrow, Sunday the 23rd.

The show, for now, is supposed to carry on as scheduled for those ticketholders, as well as ones for next Saturday -- the 29th ... but the folks who had tickets for today will have to seek a refund, which festival honchos apologetically say will be issued within 30 days.

This year's lineup is jam-packed with bands that were all going to perform the same set times for both days -- including headliners Paramore and My Chemical Romance ... not to mention Avril Lavigne, Bring Me The Horizon, All-American Rejects, Jimmy Eat World, Dance Gavin Dance, Taking Back Sunday, AFI, We The Kings, Bright Eyes, A Day To Remember and more.

Kanye West is shrugging off brands cutting ties with him, and insists he can't be canceled -- but if he is, he says that only proves the dangerous antisemitic tropes he's been spewing.

The embattled billionaire held an oddly-timed news conference of sorts -- as he left his daughter North West's basketball game Friday night, he stopped to take questions from the crowd of paparazzi.

Right off the bat, Ye addressed Balenciaga dropping him ... saying it was no big deal to him because they weren't paying him anything. In fact, he dismissed the fashion giant's move as purely PR, saying ... "I think people just try to score points" -- and he thinks Balenciaga, LeBron James, Maverick Carter and "Drink Champs" host N.O.R.E. are all guilty of it.

He bemoaned the fact LeBron's producing partner Maverick had yanked "The Shop" episode he shot with them. Remember, Maverick said they pulled it because they didn't want to give Ye a platform to spew "hate speech."

N.O.R.E. did the same with the most recent 'Champs' episode where Kanye went on his antisemitic rant, including his claim the Jews who run Hollywood had screwed him over.

While the rapper and designer has already been widely called out for repeating many of the same theories Hitler did ... Kanye said something Friday night that was classic Nazism.

Ye claimed any backlash against him was only happening because of Jewish people. He said, "I want to talk about the Jewish comment. It's actually proving the exact point that I made. So many actors been bullied behind the scenes."

He then referenced the CEO of Endeavour talent agency's call for Hollywood to cut ties with Ye. He said, "So you got Ari Emanuel asking people to not do business with me. That's how this town been running for so so long. They'll mute you at all costs."

This new claim -- that anyone who denounces him is only doing so at the behest of Jewish people -- is EXACTLY, almost word for word, what Hitler and the Nazis said anytime there was international opposition to their tactics.

Let that soak in, and take note that Ye also strongly hinted he will indeed run for office -- he was wearing his 2024 cap. The whole interaction kinda looked and felt like a campaign stop.