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Will Smith says the Oscars slap on Chris Rock was an explosion of anger that was years in the making ... but also seemed to partially put the blame back in CR's court.

The actor was on "The Daily Show" with Trevor Noah Monday and once again tried breaking down what led up to him storming the stage to strike Chris across the face during the live broadcast. He says flat out ... it stemmed from rage going back to his childhood.

Will explains how he went back to being the little boy who used to watch his father beat his mother, and that he was going through things that night ... which erupted in violence.

He also makes a plea to the audience, telling them to be nice to each other ... because you never know another person's troubles, which almost felt like an excuse for the slap -- before WS explicitly noted, it doesn't justify his behavior.

Trevor, who admits some bias as Will's pal, ate it up.

Trevor says he doesn't believe what Will did is a reflection of who he really is -- and in the end, puts a bow on the convo by saying everyone makes mistakes. Will got emotional.

The reason he's going around talking about it again is because he's on a press run for his new movie, "Emancipation," which may well see him in contention for another award next year.

Of course ... the question of whether it's too soon for Will to make a comeback is top of mind, but he's forging on with his 2023 Oscar campaign anyway -- asking Hollywood to forgive and forget. The flick comes out in December.

A top Qatari official just made a shocking admission ... estimating between 400 to 500 migrant workers died while working on projects tied to the FIFA World Cup, significantly higher than previous official figures indicated.

Hassan Al-Thawadi -- chief of the iconic soccer event -- disclosed the amount during an interview with Piers Morgan on TalkTV Monday ... saying hundreds of migrant workers died as a consequence of World Cup labor.

"Between 400 and 500," Al-Thawadi told the British reporter in a response that appeared off the cuff, adding, "I don't have the exact number. That's something that's being discussed."

"One death is too many. It's as simple as that."

Prior to Al-Thawadi's interview, the death toll was said to be around 40 ... with a large majority of those coming being non-work related deaths (think sickness instead of worksite accident).

It's possible Qatar is still not being forthcoming with the true statistics. In fact, other reports have estimated thousands of workers have died during W.C. prep. The conditions under which the mostly foreign-born work staff operated were also reportedly abysmal.

Despite admitting to the hundreds of deaths, Al-Thawadi claims the health and safety standards have improved since they won the bid to host in 2010.

"I think overall the need for labor reform in itself dictates that yes, improvements have to happen."

"This was something that was recognized before we bid. The improvements that have happened aren’t because of the World Cup. These are improvements that we knew that we had to do because of our own values"

The mother of the alleged Club Q mass murderer was arrested just after the shooting ... for going ballistic in her apartment and then going off the rails with cops.

Laura Voepel was allegedly screaming at the top of her lungs at 3:30 AM ... 3 1/2 hours after authorities say her son took a rifle and killed 5 people at the LGBTQ nightclub and wounding 17 others.

According to official documents, cops were on scene at her apartment when she was "warned multiple times to stop yelling or she would be arrested for disorderly conduct."

Cops say she continued her rant, and when officers tried to arrest her she became combative and physically resisted them.

Voepel was charged with resisting arrest and disorderly conduct.

Aaron Carter's going back to his home state, where his family intends to spread his ashes ... and some of his remains will be alongside his mother's when she eventually passes away.

Aaron's mom, Jane, tells us the family is planning to scatter Aaron's ashes in the ocean sometime in the spring, and they will be spread in the Florida Keys with some remains from his late sister, Leslie Carter.

We're told the family plans to save some of Aaron and Leslie's ashes so they can later be buried with Jane.

Aaron's mom says his remains are still with his twin sister Angel. Interestingly, she also told us Aaron's fiancée Melanie Martin will not be part of the family's ceremony next year in the Keys.

TMZ broke the story ... Aaron was cremated after his housekeeper found him dead in the bathtub at his Lancaster, CA home earlier this month.

Law enforcement also discovered canisters of compressed air scattered about -- AC publicly struggled with huffing and substance abuse throughout much of his adult life.

Aaron's sister Leslie, who starred in the family's reality TV show "House of Carters," died back in 2012 when she was only 25 years old ... and we're told her husband, Mike, has her ashes.

Jane also tells us Lance Bass recently reached out to Nick and Angel, offering the Carters the use of his Los Angeles home for a memorial service for Aaron ... but we're told the family paused those plans because people have made death threats against the family since Aaron's death.

A U.S. Marine Corps vet was the star of the show at the Laker game on Monday ... when she filled her prosthetic leg with beer and chugged it on video!!

The whole thing was displayed on the scoreboard during L.A.'s matchup against the Indiana Pacers ... when Annika Hutsler took advantage of her very first NBA game in epic fashion.

The fans in attendance clearly loved the stunt ... cheering her on as she downed her drink.

The move resulted in Hutsler earning the title of "fan of the game" ... which came with a $100 gift card.

Hutsler -- who enlisted in the USMC in 2017 -- decided to have her leg amputated in 2019 after several attempts to have a tumor removed from her foot ... and has since transitioned to careers in acting, modeling and sports.

In fact, she won silver medals in the 100-meter and 200-meter wheelchair races at the U.S. Department of Defense Warrior Games.

Jonah Hill is gunning to legally change his name, but you won't need to call him anything different -- it just means lots of paperwork for him ... or his assistant.

According to docs, obtained by TMZ, the actor -- whose real name is Jonah Hill Feldstein -- filed a petition this week in L.A. to legally drop Feldstein from his name. So, he's just making his stage name official.

The docs say Jonah simply wants the name he's publicly gone by for years to be his legal handle. It is all the rage these days.

As we reported, Aaron Paul, whose last name is actually Sturtevant, also filed for a legal change to Paul earlier this month.

AP's wife Lauren, and their son Ryden Caspian, also want to change their last names. One big happy, legal Paul family.

Clarence Gilyard, the actor who played the wisecracking computer hacker in the film, "Die Hard," has died.

Gilyard passed away after a long battle with an unspecified illness, according to media reports. His death was announced Monday by the University of Las Vegas, Nevada, where he had worked since 2006 as a Fine Arts professor.

His 30-year career in Hollywood landed him major roles in popular TV series, from the '80s and '90s ... notably, "Matlock," and "Walker, Texas Ranger." He worked with stars like Andy Griffith and Chuck Norris. He also scored his first big screen role as Sundown in "Top Gun."

Gilyard's breakout role was playing Theo in the OG "Die Hard." Theo was the sardonic tech wizard who took over a Los Angeles skyscraper with terrorists and hacked into a vault, attempting to steal $640 million in bearer bonds. In one scene, the terrorists bomb an LAPD vehicle and Theo famously cackles, "Oh my god, the quarterback is toast!"

UNLV Dean Nancy J. Uscher remembered Gilyard this way ... "It is with profound sadness that I share this news. His students were deeply inspired by him, as were all who knew him. He had many extraordinary talents and was extremely well-known in the university through his dedication to teaching and his professional accomplishments."

Uscher went on ... "His generosity of spirit was boundless - he was always ready to contribute to projects and performances however possible."

Gilyard was 66.

Elon Musk is going to war with Apple over Twitter ... but his verbal assault appears to be falling on deaf ears ... for now.

Musk posted a series of angry tweets Monday, directing his rage at Apple and its CEO, Tim Cook, over their treatment of the social media giant, which Elon recently purchased. But, Apple showed no interest in engaging with the billionaire.

Right from the start, Musk seemed annoyed ... "Apple has mostly stopped advertising on Twitter. Do they hate free speech in America?"

When he didn't get a response, Musk angrily asked, "What's going on here?," and tagged Cook's official Twitter account. But, Cook either ignored Elon or didn't see his tweet.

In any case, Musk continued his attack ... "Apple has also threatened to withhold Twitter from its App Store, but won’t tell us why."

Of course, Apple didn't respond ... but such a move would restrict some new users from downloading the Twitter app -- which Musk referred to as "censorship."

Elon finally moved on after taking a few more jabs at Apple, which also failed to elicit a reaction.

Apple is among several big corporations to have pulled ads from Twitter since Elon bought the company for $44 billion in late October. General Mills, Pfizer and Volkswagen have also paused their advertising to evaluate the changes to Twitter under Musk's new leadership.

Kanye West stormed off from a podcast interview after the host challenged his negative views on Jewish people ... and it's all on video.

Ye went on Tim Pool's podcast Monday, where he was joined by radical right-wing extremist Milo Yiannopoulos and controversial and proud white nationalist Nick Fuentes ... and it didn't take long for the conversation to get uncomfortable.

Kanye starts railing on the Jews and after a few minutes of ranting, Tim starts to push back in the slightest way ... and that's all it takes for Ye to hop out of his chair and bolt for the exit.

Later on during the podcast, a producer says Ye, Milo and Nick all left together in a car ... claiming Ye told producers he wasn't angry with Tim, but his issue was getting cut off.

Tommy Lee's dealing with a new break-in at his crib ... no sex tape was taken this time, but the suspects did make off with some strange items and left his home looking like a hotel room after a Mötley Crüe party.

Cops alerted the Crüe drummer there had been a break-in at his Calabasas area home last week ... according to our L.A. Sheriff's Dept. sources. Tommy hasn't been living in this house, he's actually selling it, but he rushed over to check out the damage once he got wind of the burglary.

We're told, someone got in through a back glass door, and absolutely trashed the inside of the home.

LASD says the thief, or thieves, broke glass, lamps and even one of Tommy's side gates. As for what they stole -- just a bathroom mirror and some cabinet handles.

Remember, way back in 1995 ... a contractor infamously stole a sex tape -- yes, that one -- from Tommy and his ex-wife Pamela Anderson's home.

So far, there's been no arrest in last week's burglary, but the total damage/loss is estimated to cost the rock star drummer around $5K.

As we've reported, the rock star drummer listed the beautiful home back in September for a second time ... after having no luck with a sale in May of 2020.

Unfortunately for Tommy ... he's in good company when it comes to recent celeb burglary victims. TMZ broke the stories of Megan Thee Stallion and Nas' homes being hit while they were out of town, and Arsenio Hall's pad was hit twice while he was home.

Sean Taylor's half brother saw no issues with the Commanders' memorial of the late Pro Bowler on Sunday ... telling TMZ Sports the whole thing was "an honor" -- and he's expecting more to be added to it as time goes by.

Washington officially unveiled the Taylor tribute at FedEx Field on the 15th anniversary of the free safety's tragic death just before the team kicked off its game against the Falcons.

Fans poured out in droves to see it ... but many found it underwhelming -- noting it was simply a wire mannequin covered in mismatched gear.

But, when we got Jamal Johnson out at Reagan Airport in D.C. on Monday -- he told us it was all fine by him.

"It was greatly appreciated and an honor that his legacy lives on in D.C.," Johnson said ... adding, "I was at a loss for words."

Of the criticism, Johnson said "everybody is entitled to an opinion," but he noted he doesn't expect this to be the end of the Commanders' homages to Taylor.

"I don't feel like that's the finished process of it," Johnson said. "That's just a step."

Taylor was drafted by Washington in 2004, and went on to play four seasons in D.C. -- before he was tragically shot and killed in Miami.

Before this laid-back chick turned into a singer and a TV personality, she was just getting her feet wet in the music industry with her older brother in Oakland, California before making the big move to Los Angeles to pursue her dreams.

This cute kid started out her career as a backup vocalist for MC Hammer, but she's collaborated with music legends including Missy Elliott and Lil' Kim. Aside from her accomplished music career, she starred in a reality television show on the BET network and most recently hosted a one-on-one talk show on FOX.

Jessie James Decker is firing back at internet trolls ... calling them super lame for body shaming her ripped kids -- and her former NFL star hubby, Eric Decker, is cosigning on her message.

Jessie initially received the hate on her social media page on Saturday -- after she posted a photo of her three children looking shredded on a Mexico beach.

While celebs like Julian Edelman, Golden Tate and Kelly Rowland loved it -- other hecklers threw insults Jessie's way, accusing her and Eric of overtraining their kids ... and even digitally editing their bellies.

On Monday, Jessie took aim at the haters -- calling the allegations completely baseless.

"Being accused of photoshopping abs on my kids (I can’t help but laugh) or … the polar opposite over 'overtraining' our kids makes me realize how bizarre our world has gotten regarding the body and what’s normal and what’s not," she said.

"We preach about body positivity and acceptance but my kids having a mass amount of genetic and built muscle from athletics is 'weird'?"

The 34-year-old country singer went on to explain her kids, who are 8 years old and younger, are simply active -- saying one's in gymnastics, one is in love with football, and the other is a big dancer.

"I'm proud of my children and encourage them to live their dreams," she said. "So we'll see y'all at the 2032 Olympics, and wearing Bubbys jersey in the stands and dancing at Forrests rock concert✌️"

Babyface is hoping with a lower price, he'll be able to get his longtime L.A. home off his hands and to a new owner.

The R&B legend relisted his Bel Air Crest estate for $7.495 million Monday, a decent discount given the house was first listed at $8 million. The home sits in a private and gated neighborhood -- so there's plenty of security for the new potential buyers.

The 5-bedroom, 6-bathroom beauty features a gourmet chef's kitchen, premium appliances and a primary suite with a fireplace. A spa-like bathroom overlooks the backyard.

The lower level has a temperature-controlled wine room -- that looks like it's straight out of Italy -- two gym areas, a theater with seating for over 15 people ... and if you don't feel like taking the stairs, there's an elevator.

There's also a music studio in the home -- which makes a lot of sense for the star.

As we've reported, Babyface and his ex-wife Nicole Pantenburg split in July of 2021, after 7 years of marriage -- and the home was listed shortly thereafter.

The Portugal vs. Uruguay World Cup match was interrupted by an unexpected intruder on Monday ... when a man holding a rainbow flag stormed the pitch in protest.

The spectator made his move 50 minutes into the contest ... running at full speed before getting stopped by security and escorted off the grass.

Along with the rainbow flag, the man was wearing a Superman shirt that read "Save Ukraine" on the front ... and "Respect For Iranian Women" on the back.

Of course, homosexuality is illegal in Qatar ... and the stunt is sure to come with serious ramifications.

As we previously reported, journalist Grant Wahl said he was detained for nearly half an hour last week ... after World Cup guards took issue with his pro-LGBTQ shirt.

The spectator's message for Iranian women's rights also comes on the heels of Team USA's decision to alter the country's flag in support of the same cause ... which led Iranian state media to call for FIFA to boot America from the massive sporting event.

Pusha T is breaking his silence on Kanye West's recent timeline of rants and business decisions … suggesting it’s all been a distraction from what's otherwise been a stellar year for the VA MC.

Pusha admits Ye’s spiral in recent months is both disappointing and affecting him -- as he put it to the L.A. Times ... "As a Black man in America, there is no room for bigotry or hate speech."

Ye was in South Florida with controversial and proud white nationalists Nick Fuentes, and even took him along to dinner at Mar-a-Lago -- a stunt condemned by his former ally Donald Trump.

For fans who are wondering, Pusha didn’t completely cancel Ye ... in fact, he had praise for Ye’s musical tastes and creative vision in the studio.

Pusha himself has had a tremendous year, musically speaking … capped by his fourth album "It’s Almost Dry," which hit No. 1 on the Billboard 200, and featured several tracks produced by Ye.

The album also caused another Kanye rift -- over its inclusion of Kid Cudi ... a conflict where Pusha refused to choose a side.