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8/22 -- We've learned the drinking driver is Michael Pettersen, a prosecutor with the L.A. County D.A.'s Office who's been on a leave of absence since January 1, 2017.

It looks like a joke -- but this was very real.

Legendary radio DJ Big Boy was rear-ended by a VERY drunk driver in Calabasas ... and when he confronted the man, the guy pulled out a VODKA BOTTLE and started chugging while still behind the wheel.

It all went down Tuesday at 2 PM -- Big Boy was driving his Nissan Armada when he was smashed from behind.

The DJ appeared to be okay -- but couldn't believe his eyes when he saw the other guy pull out the bottle.

"He just crashed into me and he's in the car drinking," Big Boy said ... "He is still in the car, still drinking!"

A bystander told the driver to put the booze down -- but he refused.

Cops ultimately got to the scene and pulled the man out of his BMW -- his pants fell down ... and then he did, too.

We're told the man was transported to a local hospital where he was being checked for injuries and most likely undergoing blood alcohol tests (though you can guess what they're gonna show).

The area where the collision occurred is right near The Oaks -- one of the most prestigious, elite communities in L.A. where stars like Khloe and Kourtney Kardashian own homes.

Justin "Bobby" Brescia is thrilled to be working with a smaller cast on "The Hills" reboot ... 'cause he says Lauren Conrad and Kristin Cavallari killed the good vibes on the original MTV series.

We got Justin in NYC Monday leaving the Four Seasons Hotel ... and he suggested LC and Kristin were difficult to work with -- so he's glad the 2 aren't joining him on the reboot, "The Hills: New Beginnings."

Justin tells us ... there were "s****y people" involved in the original show, which ran for 6 seasons from 2006-10 ... and says the new cast is way better.

The new show features Audrina Patridge, Heidi Pratt, Whitney Port, Spencer Pratt, Stephanie Pratt, Jason Wahler, Frankie Delgado and Justin.

LC and Kristin aren't coming back for different reasons. LC is focusing on her family and business ventures. Kristin is under contract with E! for her own reality show.

Justin says the condensed cast is happy and they all have positive vibes.

Stefan Karl Stefansson -- the actor who played Robbie Rotten on the popular children's show "LazyTown" -- will have a performing arts academy built in his honor ... TMZ has learned.

The Stefan Karl Academy & Center for the Performing Arts will be constructed and launched next year in Switzerland. It's the actor's dream project.

Stefansson died Tuesday after a long battle with cancer ... and we're told he was hammering away at curriculum details for the academy during his final hours.

The project will be a celebration of Stefan's life and contributions to the world of humor and human expression. The academy will focus on training young people in the history and skills of expression across multiple genres. The campus will include a theater, which will host live performances.

Stefan dreamed of opening a performing arts center for years. He envisioned humor as the center piece of the academy's mission.

Stefan's wife, Steinunn Olina, will provide creative leadership in opening the academy.

Anthony Scaramucci says Omarosa trying to burn President Trump with his own words is likely to backfire ... 'cause we've already been there and done that, and nothing happened.

We talked to the Mooch about Omarosa's supposed 200 secret White House tapes that she's been slowly leaking over the past couple weeks, and he just doesn't think there's anything she has that'll do serious damage to 45. Like he points out ... if the Access Hollywood tape couldn't bring Trump down, nothing probably will at this point.

Oh, and don't forget everything else Trump openly said or reportedly said over his near two-year presidency -- from calling African countries s**tholes and referring to NFL players as SOBs, to implying neo-Nazis are "very fine people," and, of course, calling LeBron James dumb ... there's a lot of controversial statements out there.

Forget every NFL player ever that's rocked No. 26 in their careers ... 'cause Clinton Portis says HE put that digit on the map -- and he's downright HAPPY Adrian Peterson chose it in D.C.!!

Portis dominated the Redskins' backfield from 2004 to 2010 -- and he did it the whole time in the two-six ... a number Washington just gave to A.P. after signing him Monday.

Portis tweeted after hearing the uniform news, "put some R E S P “I” C T on my #! I love AP but damn it’s plenty jerseys to pick from! DOUG,BRUCE ,DAN 👀 thanks lower management."

But, Portis tells us that was all just a joke ... and he's actually HONORED the future Hall of Famer is rockin' the number he says he helped make cool for guys like A.P., Le'Veon Bell and Saquon Barkley to wear today.

In fact ... Portis tells us he's so fired up about Peterson's jersey choice ... he's got a message for the tailback heading into his first Redskins game this week.

Aretha Franklin shockingly left no will behind ... which is surprising given her circumstances.

According to court documents obtained by TMZ, the singer died "intestate" -- meaning she had no will at the time of death.

It's especially surprising given that she has a special needs son named Clarence who needs financial and other forms of support for his entire life.

Aretha was ill for several years, but apparently did not see the end coming ... or possibly a will was low on the priority list.

According to Michigan law, Aretha's 4 kids will share equally in her estate.

Aretha died on August 16 at her Detroit home surrounded by friends and family after a long battle with pancreatic cancer. The Queen of Soul's death occurred on the same calendar day as "The King" Elvis Presley's ... albeit 41 years later.

As expected, Franklin's passing sparked an outpouring of emotion, sympathy, tributes and love from countless celebs ... including the Obamas, who said of Aretha -- "every time she sang, we were all graced with a glimpse of the divine."

Aretha's family has scheduled a multiple-day celebration of her life next week, beginning with an open casket memorial at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History in Detroit. Her funeral will then be held August 31 at the Greater Grace Temple -- just for close friends and family.

Jim Brown says he's throwing his support behind President Donald Trump -- even though he knows he'll be vilified in the black community.

The NFL Hall of Famer appeared on "The JT The Brick Show" on Fox Sports Radio and since he's met with so many Presidents in the past, he was asked how he felt about Trump.

"I should be criticizing Trump on every level because he does certain things that call for criticism but when I look at television I see all these announcers become experts and they're pointing the fingers and they're not doing a doggone thing but pointing their fingers, I find myself really pulling for the president."

"Now, that would make me very unpopular in the black community, very unpopular with a lot of Americans ... but I think that there are certain good things that are coming out of this Presidency because we've never seen anything like it."

He added, "I mean there's confusion. A lot of people are retiring. A lot of people are giving their opinions and we have to really dig deep down inside to come with the right kind of an answer."

Brown -- who also doubled down on his stance against NFL kneelers -- also had this to say to people who believe he's not a good American.

"I believe that I have to work on myself first to be as good a person as I could be to back up my country as best as I know how."

"And the second situation I should be helpful to those people who need help that don't have life as good as I have it and if I do those two things, I think I'm making my contribution."

Brown famously went to Trump Tower right after Trump won the election to talk about how he can make a positive impact in the black community.

Floyd Mayweather also famously met with Trump during the transition but he has since distanced himself from the president. Brown clearly feels differently.

2:55 PM PT -- Trump weighed in on the verdict as he landed in West Virginia for a rally, and he wasted no time distancing himself from the whole proceeding.

Paul Manafort had a bad day ... a jury found him guilty of 8 counts -- 5 tax fraud charges, 1 charge of hiding foreign bank accounts and 2 counts of bank fraud -- which could land him up to 80 years behind bars. He was not acquitted on a single charge but the jury deadlocked on 10 other counts. The judge declared a mistrial on those 10 counts.

As we reported ... his downward spiral started last August when the FBI stormed Manafort's house in Alexandria, Virginia to seize docs related to Robert Mueller's investigation into Russia interference of the 2016 U.S. presidential election.

Manafort surrendered to the FBI a couple months after and was indicted on multiple federal charges ... including laundering more than $18 million through foreign banks which was used to fund his lavish lifestyle.

1:15 PM PT -- We just FaceTimed with Post, who told us he doesn't like flying to begin with and he was super scared. Now that's he's on the ground, he needs alcohol!! Post tweeted too, saying, "i landed guys. thank you for your prayers. can't believe how many people wished death on me on this website. f**k you. but not today."

12:53 PM PT -- Post's plane just touched down safely at Stewart International Airport in New Windsor, NY.

12:26 PM PT -- The plane is about to land. We're told there are 9 fire trucks, at least 25 personnel and 12 ambulances on standby.

11:31 AM PT -- Post's plane has been diverted to another airport in New York, it will continue to hover above and burn fuel until landing.

Post Malone is currently onboard a plane that's set to perform an emergency landing after two of the plane's tires allegedly blew out after takeoff.

Malone and his team left from Teterboro Airport in New Jersey Tuesday headed to London. A law enforcement source at Teterboro tells us the private plane's tires blew off during takeoff and the pilot circled back around to perform an emergency landing.

In air traffic audio -- obtained by TMZ -- the pilot makes it clear, they've lost a tire, and asks for permission to circle above ... he also makes it known there are 16 people on the plane.

Our source says air traffic control then informed the pilot to continue flight to Massachusetts in order to burn more fuel for a safer possible crash landing. We're told the plane had 3,700 gallons of fuel to burn.

A video -- obtained by TMZ -- shows emergency personnel on the ground in Teterboro in position for the plane before it was decided they should land it elsewhere.

Post performed at Monday's MTV VMA Awards with 21 Savage and Aerosmith. The rapper also won Song of the Year for "Rockstar."

The actor who played Robbie Rotten on the popular kid's show "LazyTown" has died after a long battle with cancer ... TMZ has learned.

A spokesperson for the family of Stefan Karl Stefansson tells us the actor died Tuesday surrounded by friends and family. We're told Stefan had battled bile duct cancer for two years before his death.

The 43-year-old from Iceland was a fixture on "LazyTown" over the course of 10 years ... starring alongside Julianna Mauriello, who played Stephanie. Stefansson's last episode on the show was its finale in 2014.

Stefansson was first diagnosed with cancer in 2016 but after surgery it appeared he was on the path to recovery. However, it returned in 2018 and was inoperable.

In a statement in March, Stefansson said, "It's not until they tell you you're going to die soon that you realize how short life is. Time is the most valuable thing in life because it never comes back. And whether you spend it in the arms of a loved one or alone in a prison-cell, life is what you make of it. Dream big."

He is survived by his wife and 4 children.

Madonna tried (and failed) to adequately pay tribute to Aretha Franklin at the VMAs this week -- and while many of Aretha's fans are pissed ... the woman's own kin isn't.

We spoke with one of Aretha's nephews, Tim Franklin, who says the family was not upset over Madonna's awkward VMAs speech about how Aretha led her to who she is today. It was long-winded and rambling ... but more importantly, all about herself and not Aretha.

Tim tells us not only are the Franklins not mad, but they believe Aretha herself would not have been upset either. While they didn't catch Madonna's misfire, their point is this ... Aretha's far bigger than any kind of tribute, and her fans shouldn't be so sensitive. She wouldn't have been, according to Tim.

Madge herself addressed the controversy Tuesday, saying her "tribute" was never meant to be a full-blown thing or production. She says she was instructed to share a personal anecdote about Aretha, and that's exactly what she did. Considering the tight restraints of a televised award show, Madonna says ... "I could never do her justice in this context or environment."

As we reported ... Aretha died last Thursday from advanced pancreatic cancer. Tributes of all forms have been coming in from across the country since she passed.

Lamar Odom says it's a miracle he's alive -- revealing he had 12 strokes and 6 heart attacks while he was in a coma from his 2015 drug overdose.

Th ex-NBA star spilled his guts about the incident to Kevin Hart while sitting in an ice bath for KH's YouTube show, "Cold as Balls."

"All my doctors that see me say I'm a walking miracle," Odom said while shivering in the ice tub next to Hart.

TMZ Sports broke the story ... Odom was rushed to a hospital on October 13, 2015 after he was found unconscious at Dennis Hof's Love Ranch South in Pahrump, Nevada.

Blood tests showed Odom had cocaine in his system at the time of his overdose. There were times doctors didn't think Odom would survive -- but somehow, he managed to pull through.

Since recovering, Odom has been to rehab and says he's now fully sober and over his addiction.

In fact, Odom told Kevin Hart he feels grateful to be alive -- joking about how it beats the alternative.

During the "Cold as Balls" segment, Odom also joked about the brothel and opened up about how much he appreciated Khloe Kardashian stepping up and handling his care while he was unconscious.

"It was big," Odom said about Khloe.

Odom -- who was legally married to Khloe (but separated) at the time of the overdose -- had tried to get back with her after he got better ... but she had moved on.

Give Shaun Weiss this -- he's got a helluva sense of humor. Check out how the guy who played Goldberg in "The Mighty Ducks" announced checking into rehab.

Shaun posted an emotional but also hilarious message Tuesday on Facebook announcing he's checked into a long-term rehab center. TMZ broke the story ... Shaun was busted earlier this month for public intoxication. Shaun spent a few hours in the drunk tank and, though he wasn't cited, his arrest did produce this incredibly sad mug shot that had his fans feeling bummed for him.

Shaun wrote, "At this time, in an effort to break free from the self destructive patterns of behavior and drug abuse that have landed me at rock bottom, (to be real... BELOW rock bottom. Even rock bottom is like 'holy sh!t, how'd you get all the way down there?') I have checked in to a well reguarded, long term rehabilitation center. I have surrendered to the reality that without immediate treatment my life is in eminant danger. My spirit was until recently depleted, weak and shrouded by darkness has been renewedby the overwhelming out-pouring of love and support from fans of my early work as an actor."

Nicki Minaj can't top Travis Scott on the charts ... but she's got him beat when it comes to hosting a radio show.

Nicki WENT OFF on Travis during her Tuesday "Queen Radio" show ... giving the rapper the "Hoe N**** Of The Week" award and continuing to bash Travis and baby mama Kylie Jenner for what she says are unethical practices in promoting his new album.

Tell us how you really feel, Nicki!!!

Nicki is still SALTY about losing the no. 1 spot in album sales to Travis -- she's been griping about it all week -- and it doesn't sound like she'll get over 2nd place any time soon.

It's not all hate -- Nicki says she loves Kylie, Stormi, Kim and the rest of their fam -- but the Queen doesn't want to let Travis off the hook.

Nicki isn't afraid to air out dirty laundry ... even if other rappers are scared.

She's also been more than willing to stir up controversy this week ... 'cause she's now calling herself the new and improved Harriet Tubman.