Florida residents are gunning for all the ammo they can get their hands on with just hours to go before the state's stay-at-home order goes into effect.
We got this pic of the handgun ammo aisle at Academy Sports + Outdoors in West Melbourne, FL. As you can see, anyone looking to load their 9mm, .38 or .45 caliber weapon is S.O.L. -- however, we're told the store still had shotgun shells.
Mind you, this was just one hour after Gov. Ron DeSantis issued the stay-at-home order to slow the spread of the coronavirus. The mandate goes into effect at midnight Thursday.
Floridians have been arming up all week -- we're told ammo supplies have been low for days, and as soon as stores restock, they're selling out. According to reports ... more than 10,000 Floridians filed paperwork to get a background check, and gun stores have had long lines.
Jennifer Lopez and Alex Rodriguez just beat the buzzer ... squeezing in one final gym workout before Florida goes on lockdown, and using their pull to make it happen.
The engaged duo slipped out of a gym Wednesday afternoon in Miami after getting what we imagine to be some very exclusive access. Florida had already ordered most gyms closed -- in fact, the door to this gym even said it was closed.
There was an exception for gyms with a capacity of 10 or less -- so, J Lo and A-Rod likely had a private training session -- but even that has to end Thursday.
Governor Ron DeSantis announced a statewide shelter in place order just a few hours after Alex and Jen wrapped up at the gym. It goes into effect Thursday at midnight.
They did play it safe on the way out ... with their security guards wearing masks and wiping down door handles and other surfaces they might touch.
While some J Lo fans might argue her booty is essential business ... we don't think that would fly with the Governor's Office. Then again, he did leave beaches wide open for spring break amid the pandemic.
2:50 PM PT -- Governor Ron DeSantis might have just helped out the megachurch pastor who got busted for holding a massive service this weekend, 'cause he just issued clear, statewide guidelines on what is and isn't essential businesses amid their just-announced quarantine order ... and turns out, gathering in places of worship is one of them. How 'bout that?
UPDATE
Yes ... in a crazy turn of events, on Wednesday DeSantis issued mandatory stay-at-home guidelines that are no longer suggested, but required. In the official public document outlining what's what and what sort of public activities are permitted, the Gov. made sure to get churches and the like in there right at the top. Going out to care for a loved one is 4th.
UPDATE
It's wild, 'cause Pastor Rodney Howard-Browne just got picked up by cops in Tampa this week for allegedly violating public health rules. Now, it looks like the state's top dog is saying otherwise, which begs the question ... what's the D.A. gonna do there?
UPDATE
You would think the charges would be dropped by default, but it might be more complicated than that. It'll also be interesting to see if an apology of some sort will be issued to him for jumping the gun.
UPDATE
As for allowing massive public gatherings like church services and deeming them essential ... Florida, man. That's all we can say 😑
The Florida pastor who got hauled in by cops for hosting a megachurch service despite quarantine and stay-at-home orders is doubling down ... insisting he did NOTHING wrong.
The Tampa-area minister is Rodney Howard-Browne, and he took to his own podcast/telecast shortly after being released Monday night to explain why he did what he did -- namely, put hundreds of people's lives at risk by hosting the service.
RHB has a lot to say, but the gist is that he was simply exercising his First Amendment right -- i.e., freedom of religion and separation of church and state. His logic is bizarre. Watch.
There's more though ... Rodney goes IN on the media, sounding very Trump-like by suggesting a lot of outlets are hyping the threat of coronavirus and fear-mongering to get everyone scared and panicked. BTW ... more than 800 people in the U.S. died Tuesday.
One interesting note ... it sounds like Rodney here thinks the charges he was brought in on -- which he incorrectly calls First Amendment violations -- will be resolved shortly.
He says he's willing to do interviews, but only once his lawyers and theirs (the county/state's) have a chat and put this matter to bed. He also talks TMZ a bit. 👀
One last thing ... the guy shows ZERO remorse for his actions, insisting he had no choice. Wrong again, Rod -- but go ahead and tell us why you think that is. We're listening ...
"Tiger King" star Carole Baskin claims Netflix made her out to be a monster and an alleged spouse killer -- and while she still denies that, she is revealing new info about her late husband.
Carole bashed the Netflix producers Wednesday for what she characterizes as "lies and innuendos" from people she says are not credible whatsoever. She's especially miffed they suggested she's mixed up in her husband, Don Lewis' mysterious death.
In a post on her Big Cat Rescue website, she drops some alleged tea about Don's final months before he disappeared, and what she describes as erratic behavior.
Carole heavily implies Don had Alzheimer's disease, and even claims he was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. She says he was an avid dumpster diver in his final days, and would even bring random homeless people over to sleep at their home. She also claims he began defecating on their property grounds, adding he was a sex addict.
Yeah, she kinda went all scorched earth on him. She also claims Don was no millionaire when they met -- as suggested in "Tiger King." Sounds like he did have a vast portfolio when he disappeared though.
In her post, Carole also attempts to discredit almost everyone who spoke about her in the documentary -- and addresses concerns viewers had with how she and her current husband, Howard, run their business.
There's a bottom line though, and it's essentially this ... she says she did everything she could to help find Don when he disappeared, and even questions "Tiger King" director Eric Goode's intentions in allegedly attempting to vilify her.
She says if people want the truth and even more context than what she's offering, they can peep it here.
Pete Buttigiegsays it's inspiring to see the leadership coming from state and local governments during the pandemic -- something he says the White House is lacking.
Mayor Pete joined us Wednesday on "TMZ Live" and praised the decency, compassion and informed decisions being displayed by governors, and even mayors. He thinks President Trump's been doing the exact opposite.
The former Presidential candidate says it doesn't even feel like we have a President any more -- despite daily virus briefings from POTUS. Pete says it's all about proper messaging ... not so much about Trump's hair.
NY Governor Andrew Cuomo is getting a lot of praise for the way he's handled his state's astronomical COVID-19 stats. As a result, many are hoping he can make a late run to become the Democratic nominee -- but Mayor Pete is sticking with Joe Biden, telling us why Obama's VP would make a much better Prez than Trump.
As for Pete's new facial hair and buzz cut 'do? Well, check out Wednesday's "TMZ Live" ... 'cause we dug into his quarantine-life changes.
O.J. Simpson -- who most people believe got away with murder -- is publicly accusing Carole Baskin of GETTING AWAY WITH MURDER!
WHAT. IS. HAPPENING!?!?!
Juice says he finally got around to watching "Tiger King" -- and one thing is clear to him ... he's convinced Carole Baskin fed Don Lewis to her animals.
"There's not a shred of doubt in my mind that that lady's husband is tiger sashimi right now," O.J. said ... "I'm just saying."
Of course, Carole has ADAMANTLY DENIED having any involvement in Don's disappearance -- but O.J. ain't buy-in' what she's sellin' based on what he saw in the Netflix documentary.
There's more ... Simpson -- who's interestingly wearing gloves that fit -- plays the race card.
"White people!! What's with you and wild animals?! Leave them animals alone!"
Simpson made the video just after a round of golf at an open course in Nevada, where he's obviously still on the hunt for the real killer.
Southern California still doesn't quite get the need to social distance from one another, because a popular farmers market in Santa Monica was teeming with shoppers who were awfully close together.
These pics were snapped Wednesday AM, as folks mostly on the westside of L.A. scramble for fresh groceries. The person who took the photos tells TMZ ... he was not allowed in because it's members-only, but he saw lots of shoppers very close together.
There have been other problems in the L.A.-area. As we reported, Katherine Schwarzenegger got the Brentwood Farmers Market shut down by Mayor Garcetti-- at least temporarily -- after big crowds gathered over the weekend and clearly were not practicing social distancing.
Ditto the beaches in L.A. County. During the first week of the self-quarantine, the beaches were crammed with people. They have been shut down.
Hiking trails have also been closed because so many people were trying to get exercise at the same time.
The big complication is going to come when the people who contracted the virus and are healthy again start going out in public. At some point, it's gonna be hard to figure out who to stay away from.
Joe Exotic's actually way more disturbing than the 'Tiger King' documentary makes him out to be, at least according to the guy who lived at the zoo for a year and helped make Joe a star.
Producer Rick Kirkham joined us Wednesday on "TMZ Live" and said the wildly-popular Netflix series is frighteningly accurate -- but still only scratches the surface of Joe's crazy lifestyle.
Check out the video ... Rick recalled the time "a poor old woman drove in with a horse trailer" asking Joe to take over caring for the horse on the grounds of his zoo in Oklahoma. He claims Joe told her he'd offer the horse lots of green pasture -- but as soon as she left, he instead did something horrifying.
If you've seen the documentary, you'll recall Rick produced Joe's online reality series and even gave him the nickname Tiger King. He says Joe even wanted him to record the horse incident. As fans know, almost all of Rick's footage burned up in a mysterious fire at the zoo.
Rick also has some strong feelings about Carole Baskin ... and the allegations she was involved in her husband's unsolved murder.
Safe to say, after everything he saw firsthand, Rick's no fan of Joe or Carole.
Dr. Will Kirby wants his fellow medical pros to quit hoarding crucial supplies, and make the sacrifices needed to fight the coronavirus pandemic.
The celebrity dermatologist joined us Wednesday on "TMZ Live" and sounded the alarm -- hospitals and first responders are in desperate need of face shields, masks and gloves ... items generally known as PPE, personal protective equipment.
Dr. Kirby -- who is a lead Doc at LaserAway -- doesn't mince words, saying any Bev Hills, Hollywood or L.A. cosmetic surgeon refusing to donate their stockpile of PPE is straight-up selfish and cowardly.
He suspects they've been slow to donate because they're hoping to open their doors again in a few weeks. Watch the clip ... he acknowledges the economic risk, but says it's time to band together and sacrifice.
Houston Texans long snapper Jon Weeks wanted to thank 1st responders for all their hard work during the COVID-19 pandemic ... so he sent them free lunch -- FROM WHATABURGER!!
The NFL player, along with his adorable daughter, sent burgers, chicken tenders and pies to the Houston Emergency Response Center and several fire departments Tuesday ... and accompanied the food with an awesome thank you video.
Houston Texans Long Snapper Jon Weeks donated Whataburger lunches to Houston Emergency Center employees today and several Houston Fire Stations as well! Thanks for your support! @HoustonTexans@Whataburgerpic.twitter.com/VMlGRGjeMA
"Thank you for everything that you guys are doing," said Weeks, who's been playing for the Texans since 2010. "Thank you for being there on the front lines making the ultimate sacrifice to protect us to make sure that we're safe."
Weeks added, "We hope that you guys can enjoy lunch on the Weeks family today."
In total, we're told Weeks copped 125 burgers, 125 chicken tenders, 75 cherry and apple pies and 80 cookies from Whataburger for the hard-working people ... and they couldn't have been happier about the awesome gesture.
"The firefighters were very thankful," Houston Fire Department spokesperson Sheldra Brigham told TMZ Sports. "Not just for the Whataburger (which we love in Texas!) but the fact that Jon took the time to record a special message made the gesture even more special."
Reportedly, eight Houston firefighters have tested positive for COVID-19 recently, with many still awaiting testing results in quarantine.
But Brigham tells us Weeks' action brought the crew some much-needed joy, saying, "Lunch and a special message from Jon definitely gave us all something to smile about."
A spokesperson for the emergency center added, "The staff is very grateful that they were even thought of."
Even online gamblers are sinking their claws into the 'Tiger King' -- and bookies have a strong hunch about who should don the mullet and leg brace in a feature film.
The oddsmakers at SportsBetting.ag have a list of A-listers they want folks to place bets on to play Joe Exotic ... who's become a worldwide phenomenon with the Netflix documentary. Their first choice won't surprise you much, but the underdog might.
The odds-on favorite is ... Kevin Bacon! If you place $100 on him, you'd only get $150 if he landed the role. Next is Ed Norton, who'd earn you $250 on a $100 bet. After that, it's Billy Bob Thornton and David Spade, who'd pay out $300 and $400, respectively, if they were cast.
Btw, there’s a catch ... the film’s gotta be released by 2021 or sooner.
Of course, the gambling world offers equal opportunity ... to lose your money ... so folks are also weighing in on who plays Joe's archnemesis, Carole Baskin.
The favorite is Wendi McLendon-Covey (Deputy Johnson from 'Reno 911!') at an even split of +100 -- so you'd break even on a $100 bet. Down the line in order from most to least likely to land the part -- Allison Janney at +300, Kristen Wiig at +300, Jennifer Coolidge at +500 and finally, Laura Dern at +600.
There's other interesting 'Tiger King' categories over at MyBookie -- stuff like whether Joe will get a presidential pardon and will Carole be found guilty of murdering her husband.
Nick Cannon still has Nipsey Hussle in his thoughts and all over his classic car ... thanks to this sweet new artwork.
Nick recently got his 1964 SS Impala's trunk repainted with a custom tribute to the late rapper -- who was gunned down in South L.A. a year ago Tuesday. It's pretty clear, for Nick ... the Marathon continues, indeed.
We're told the actor/host/rapper/comedian commissioned Jr's Kustoms to do the airbrush paint job about 2 months ago ... apparently in anticipation of the anniversary. At the moment, the car's sitting in Nick's Ncredible Motorsports warehouse in Los Angeles.
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Interesting that Nipsey is still top of mind for Nick ... who made a vow of sorts shortly after the murder.
At the time Nipsey had been working on a documentary about Dr. Sebi -- a controversial self-described healer, who claimed to have the cure for several fatal ailments.
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Nick implied he would pick up the baton and actually finish the film about Sebi and dropped a trailer for the project Tuesday ... we're told he's close to finishing the whole thing up.
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Still, here's hard proof Nipsey's vision and legacy are still a priority for Nick.
Joshua Tree is finally joining a long list of parks closing its trails to hikers and bikers ... just days after the area was besieged by quarantine-fleeing Angelenos.
The National Parks Service announced effective immediately the popular park in the Coachella Valley area is closed to ALL visitors until further notice. The park, of course, is completely shutting down in an effort to help slow the spread of COVID-19.
As we first reported ... Joshua Tree National Park was flooded with TONS of out-of-towners a little over a week ago, much to the chagrin of local neighbors. The park initially closed its visitor's center on March 18 and then closed its campgrounds on March 21.
But bored Angelenos couldn't keep their asses home anyway despite a "shelter at home" order by Gov. Gavin Newsom, thus forcing the National Parks Service's hand.
The closure comes a day after coronavirus cases in San Bernardino County hit 125, with four deaths.
One more time for the people in the back ... STAY HOME!!!
That's what Lowe wants us to believe ... and now PETA is calling on the NBA legend to cut ties with the Oklahoma zoo owner ASAP claiming he's just as bad as Joe Exotic.
If you recall from the Netflix doc, Lowe owns the Greater Wynnewood Animal Park in Oklahoma ... and just a few weeks ago, the zoo posted a screengrab which appears to show a FaceTime call between Shaq and Lowe.
"One of the nicest guys in the World," the G.W. Animal Park posted on Facebook on March 21 ... "Shaq facetime’d a few minutes ago to see how we were doing and if we need anything. We love you too buddy."
Shocking, considering Shaq just went on his podcast a few days ago and tried to distance himself from the park and former owner, Joe Exotic.
In fact, Shaq said he "stopped going" to the zoo when he found out what was really happening behind the scenes.
Now, PETA is begging the NBA legend to disavow Jeff Lowe the same way he disavowed Joe Exotic ... firing off a letter to Shaq explaining their position.
"It appears that the equally problematic wild animal exhibitor Jeff Lowe is now claiming to have your support, PETA said to Shaq.
"Lowe is no different from Joe Exotic when it comes to harming animals."
PETA points out Lowe "has a long history of violations of the federal Animal Welfare Act" -- and there's still an active warrant for Lowe in Nevada stemming from Lowe's failed tiger-petting business (which was also mentioned in the Netflix doc).
"It's clear that you love tigers, and we hope you will dissociate yourself from people who profit from abusing, breeding, and exploiting them," PETA said to Shaq in the letter, obtained by TMZ Sports.
"Will you please make it clear right away that you don't desire to have an ongoing relationship with Lowe? As long as he continues to use your name to support his abusive business, you will be tied to animal suffering."
"Instead, please help these tigers. Help us shut down these hellholes, move the animals to reputable sanctuaries, and keep them out of the hands of abusers."
We've reached out to Shaq for comment. So far, no word back.
Disney isn't letting its most loyal customers off the hook because its parks are closed -- they're still getting charged, but the company's trying to make good.
The Mouse House sent an e-mail to its Annual Pass members this week -- who, BTW, shell out big bucks for these passes each year -- telling them their scheduled monthly payments will continue like normal. Mind you, all Disney theme parks around the world are closed due to the pandemic.
It's a pretty crappy situation -- Disney doesn't give people the option of canceling and getting their money back ... at a time when a lot of people are hurting for cash. We've heard of one family being forced to shell out hundreds each month on their passes, despite asking to have their payment obligations paused or completely axed outright.
A Disney operator told them the same thing this e-mail is saying ... no way out, pony up. That, of course, puts a lot of people in a tough spot, as they struggle to make ends meet right now.
Disney is offering a consolation ... Pass Holders will get the days they're missing out on now tacked on to the end of their expiration date.
As for the cost ... a top-end annual pass at Disney World comes in at $1295 (before tax) and top-end at Disneyland is $1449 ... or just over $105 per month after a downpayment of $179.
Call it a lockdown within the lockdown -- U.S. prisoners will be kept inside their assigned cells for the next 14 days in an effort to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
The Federal Bureau of Prisons announced Tuesday night its new guideline will go into effect beginning Wednesday ... calling for all inmates in every prison across the nation to be secured in their assigned cells/quarters to decrease the spread of COVID-19.
This is BOP's Phase 5 plan as it desperately tries to combat the outbreak in prisons across America. BOP also says -- to the extent practicable -- inmates will have access to programs and services offered under normal operating procedures, such as mental health treatment and education.
After 14 days, if BOP deems it necessary ... it can choose to extend the lockdown. BOP will also work with U.S. Marshals to "significantly decrease incoming movement" to its prisons.
The new directive comes on the heels of the chief doctor at NYC's biggest jail, Rikers Island, telling the Washington Post a "public health disaster [is] unfolding before our eyes" ... and just one day after California announced it's releasing 3,500 inmates early as officials fear overcrowding could spark an outbreak of the deadly disease.
