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Tyler Shields makes money by burning tons of it to create his art ... and a rare Louis Vuitton trunk is his latest victim.

The shock photographer nailed the final shot in his "Provocateur" series when he set fire to the trunk valued at $15,000. While millions of women would cry at the sight ... Shields calmly took pictures of the event.

Shields has also destroyed a Birkin bag and a vintage Rolls-Royce in the name of his art.

You can pre-order Tyler's latest artwork book which features celebs like Emma Roberts, Colton Haynes, Marilyn Manson and Lydia Hearst -- none of whom are on fire ... we're guessing.

The LAPD is increasing its uniformed presence at Sunday's Emmy Awards in response to the New York City bombing ... well-placed law enforcement sources tell TMZ.

We're told after the bomb exploded Saturday night, LAPD brass contacted its rank and file and told them to be on standby in case a credible threat surfaces. As of this post we're told no credible threat exists.

Our law enforcement sources say the LAPD already had a massive ring of security around the venue, but they have added to the visible presence with more uniformed officers to deter anyone who might be set on doing harm before, during or after the ceremony.

"Yo Gabba Gabba" allegedly delivered a special message to one father when they humiliated him in front of his kids and then nailed him in the head with a water bottle ... so says the very angry dad.

According to an email sent to organizers at the "We Are LA Family Music Festival," Todd Elliott claims he took his daughters to the StubHub Center in Carson, CA Saturday for the charity event, when they found themselves backstage searching for a bathroom.

Todd says the staff gave him wrong directions ... and he ended up in an elevator with the cast of Yo Gabba Gabba and two handlers as they were headed to the stage to perform.

Todd claims he tried getting off the elevator with his daughters, but the characters and staff refused to make room. The situation escalated and Todd claims one of the characters hurled a water bottle at the back of his head in front of witnesses, including his daughters.

It's unclear if the alleged culprit was Muna, Foofa, Brobee, Toodee, Plex, or DJ Lance Rocks.

We're told Todd did not file a police report ... but he wants an apology from all involved.

We reached out to Yo Gabba Gabba ... so far no word back.

"Modern Family" star Ty Burrell ain't messin' around when it comes to his beloved football team ... saying if it comes down to the Rams gettin' a W ... or winning an Emmy, he's blue and gold all day.

Charmian Carr -- who played Liesl Von Trapp in 'The Sound of Music' -- has died after complications from dementia.

According to her rep, the eldest Von Trapp sister died Saturday after battling a rare form of the disease.

After 'The Sound of Music,' Carr left showbiz to become an interior designer ... and took on famous clients, like Michael Jackson.

She is survived by her siblings, two children, and four grandchildren.

Surveillance video captured the explosion Saturday night that left at least 29 people injured.

The video was shot across the street from the blast. Authorities say the blast was clearly intentional but they aren't calling it terrorism, at least not yet.

A second device was found 4 blocks away -- a pressure cooker with wires and a cellphone attached in a garment bag. It did not detonate.

The Game exploded in anger at Sean Kingston after Kingston jumped to Meek Mill's defense in what has turned out to be a vicious war.

Game called Kingston every name in the book, including a boldface liar for accusing him of beating him up and stealing a $300k chain back in June at a nightclub. Meek apparently told Kingston Game was behind the attack and cops ended up interviewing Game before clearing him.

Kingston posted a video Saturday telling Meek to keep his head up and don't let Game get to him.

That set Game off in a big way.

Kingston followed up with a video that's ... hard to understand.

Coolio passed off his arrest for trying to take a loaded firearm onto a plane as "a little misunderstanding."

Coolio posted a video of him chowing down on orange chicken at P.F. Changs after he was released from jail.

TMZ broke the story ... TSA flagged the gun in a book bag and a member of his crew took the fall, saying it was his. Coolio boarded the plane but cops got wise, yanked him off and arrested him for possession of a firearm by a felon.

The rapper was undeterred, vowing to make it to Indio, near Palm Springs, for Sunday's "I Love the 90s" concert.

He should have driven.

Lil Wayne wants someone to show him the money -- and not in a fun "Jerry Maguire" way -- he wants to know how Birdman tore through $70 mil ... dough he says they were supposed to share.

Lil Wayne says Universal Music Group advanced Birdman $100 million for a distribution deal, but not nearly enough of that money fell into Weezy's pockets ... according to legal docs obtained by TMZ.

He's clearly pissed because, on paper anyway, he and Birdman are partners on Cash Money/Young Money. He claims Birdman's admitted spending approximately $70 mil of the advance on royalties, marketing and recording expenses -- but now Wayne wants to see receipts to back that up.

Translation: Time to open the books, Birdman.

And here's all you need to know about why Wayne's $51 million lawsuit is dragging ass. Birdman's camp says it's already handed over 22,015 pages of docs to Wayne's lawyers!

Team Weezy says none of those pages included details on how the $70 mil was spent.

Paul Johansson is gonna have to keep his distance from his baby mama and their kid after she claims he went ballistic over a food allergy scare.

Mercedes Connor, the "One Tree Hill" star's mother to Paul's 5-year-old son, claims she and Paul got into a blowout in August when their boy started coughing after eating a cookie. She says their son suffers from a severe peanut allergy.

Mercedes claims in legal docs Paul snatched the kid and attempted to leave her house with him ... accusing her of not giving him his medicine, and even putting hands on her before taking her phone and bolting.

Mercedes says Paul returned their kid after a neighbor stepped in -- but adds she was left shaken from the incident ... just one example of abuse she says was building for years.

Matt Walsh, who plays the Director of Communications on Veep, has a pretty evolved view of the state of privacy ... which is that it pretty much doesn't exist anymore.

Jim Carrey showed how it's done when he was mobbed by fans during Emmy weekend.

Jim was at the Showtime Party Saturday night at Sunset Tower hotel in WeHo when a gaggle of fans were vying for selfies. It's a tough road to navigate when you're going somewhere ... deciding who gets a pic and who doesn't, and looking gracious to all.

Vanilla Ice has made peace with Delta, which is a good thing, because if there were lingering hard feelings the rapper wouldn't have been treated to one of the greatest pop up concerts at LAX!

You'll recall last month Ice went ballistic at a Delta counter after he missed his plane, insisting the person working the counter didn't call the flight.

Things changed in a big way Saturday ... Ice was all smiles when a Delta staffer came from out of nowhere and laid down some awesome R&B notes.

Model slash entrepreneur Dolly Castro's best muscle is in her smile -- KIDDING!! Although it's open for debate.