for the kids

Miley Cyrus raises nearly $30,000 for migrant families in 24 hours

Within 24 hours of launching a fundraiser aimed at uniting migrant children who have been separated from their families, Miley Cyrus and her Happy Hippie Foundation have raised nearly $30,000.

The Facebook fundraiser began on Monday.

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"Happy Hippie and I believe EVERYONE has the right to be with their families and deserves a safe place to call their home. Thousands of migrant children remain detained and separated from their families RIGHT NOW," Miley said. "These are children and families who are escaping violence in their home countries and want a future where they can be safe and together."

She urged her fans to donate to the fundraiser in which funds will be used to get migrant families legal representation in their quest to be reunited. The money, she said, will go directly to the Kids In Need of Defense nonprofit.

Miley's goal was set at $35,000 and has already raised more than $29,000.

Post-surgery health

Danny Bonaduce's wife shares update on actor's condition after brain surgery

Danny Bonaduce's brain surgery was successful.

On Monday, June 5, the actor's wife, Amy Bonaduce, shared an update on Danny's health condition after the medical procedure.

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"It's been a long day but I just wanted to let you guys know that Danny's surgery went according to plan and he's doing well," she tweeted. 

The "Partridge Family" alum's health was a mystery for some time. In April 2022, he took a leave of absence from his Seattle-based radio show due to an illness. By summer of that year, he lost his ability to speak clearly or walk unassisted, as he needed a cane for movement.

"I'd seen my dad have a stroke, and it was the same thing," he shared on "Good Morning America" at the time. "I couldn't walk. I couldn't keep my balance. I slurred really badly. I couldn't remember anything. I was hoping for a diagnosis, but did not get one."

Finally, after meeting with "100 doctors," Danny was diagnosed with hydrocephalus, a debilitating condition that puts harmful pressure on the brain's tissues via water on the brain, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke

Following the diagnosis, Danny and Amy listed their $1.6 million Seattle home because the layout was no longer safe for him.

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Earlier this week, Danny spoke to TMZ about his health, saying his brain scan "doesn't look too good." However, he suspected that he'd feel significantly better after the surgery. 

"I don't want to get my hopes up too much that I'll be cured," he said. "I don't mean to be a sorry guy, I'm not a sorry guy but I will be completely bummed out if this doesn't work."

Still, Danny wanted to keep things in perspective and hopes he'll soon be able to everyday tasks. 

"I can't walk currently. I just can't," he said. "I'm never going to run track. I'm never going to box again, but if I can get from here to the kitchen on my own, bravo."

Following the surgery, the actor now has a shunt on his head that will drain fluid from his brain and relieve pressure.

Pooch problem

Comedian 'not sorry' for lashing out at PETA after being criticized for buying a dog at a pet store

As far as Pete Davidson is concerned, PETA is barking up the wrong tree.

The animal rights organization recently ripped the former "Saturday Night Live" star for purchasing a dog at a pet store, as opposed to adopting a pooch from a shelter. After doing so, Pete gave the organization a piece of his mind. 

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On Monday, June 5, the comedian left a visceral voicemail for Daphna Nachminovitch, PETA's Senior VP of Cruelty Investigations. In that message, obtained by TMZ, Pete says he's "severely allergic" to dogs so he has to get a cavapoo, a nearly hypoallergenic breed that doesn't shed.

Pete said he wanted to get the dog for his mom, as her previous four-legged pal recently died. 

The "Bupkis" star accused the organization of "creating news stories" because it's "boring" and "tired." He then used some vulgar language to conclude the message. 

Like Pete, PETA wasn't backing down. 

"If Pete had done his research, he would know that there's no such thing as a hypoallergenic dog, that at least a quarter of dogs in shelters are purebreds, and that Petfinder has listings for homeless dogs of every breed under the sun, including the one he purchased," the animal rights organization said in a statement. 

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While PETA was upset with Pete, the company still felt for his family. 

"Our hearts go out to the Davidson family for the loss of their dog," the statement said, "but Pete must know in his heart that there's no excuse for buying a dog and propping up the puppy mill industry when millions of dogs await loving homes in shelters, and we hope he'll do the right thing and adopt next time."

Pete, though, has seemingly not regrets about the voicemail he left, as he stressed that he and his family were devastated by the loss of his mom's dog. 

"I haven't seen my mom and sister cry like that in over 20 years. I was trying to cheer up my family. I was already upset that the store had filmed me without my permission or acknowledgement," he said. "Then this organization (PETA) made a public example of us, making our grieving situation worse. I am upset. It was a poor choice of words. I shouldn't have said what I said, but I am not sorry for standing up for myself and my family."

Sending a message

Talk show host clarifies 'twisted' words over claim she said 'I wish my mother was dead'

Drew Barrymore maintained she "never" said she wished her mother, Jaid Barrymore, was "dead," and the actress has accused the media of twisting her words.

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"I have been vulnerable and tried to figure out a very difficult, painful relationship while admitting it is difficult to do while a parent is alive. And, for those of us who have to figure that out in real time cannot wait, as in they cannot wait for the time, not that the parent is dead," Drew said in a passionate Instagram message. "Don't twist my words around or ever say that I wish my mother was dead. I have never said that. I never would."

"In fact, I go on to say [in the interview] that I wish I never have to live an existence where I would wish that on someone because that is sick," she said.

In an interview with New York magazine, which was published on June 5, the "ET" actress spoke of the complicated relationship she has with her mother and said she marveled at friends who'd been able to work through parent deaths. 

"All their moms are gone, and my mom's not. And I'm like, 'Well, I don't have that luxury.' But I cannot wait," Drew said in the interview. "I don't want to live in a state where I wish someone to be gone sooner than they're meant to be so I can grow. I actually want her to be happy and thrive and be healthy. But I have to f****** grow in spite of her being on this planet."

Reflecting on her comments later in the interview, she said, "I dared to say it, and I didn't feel good. I do care. I'll never not care. I don't know if I've ever known how to fully guard, close off, not feel, build the wall up."

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Drew's difficult relationship with Jaid is well-documented. The "Charlie's Angels" actress became emancipated from her mother and father, John Drew Barrymore, at the age of 14 after a trip to rehab and a year-and-a-half stay at a California mental health facility. Drew often accused her mother of bringing her to parties as a child and exposing her to drugs and alcohol. 

Still, Drew doesn't "blame" her mom for the difficulties in her life. 

"I choose very consciously not to see my life as things that have been done to me," Drew told New York magazine. "I want to see it as the things I did and chose to do. I'm not attracted to people who lay blame on others. I don't find it sexy."

She's back

'Britain's Got Talent' singing legend returns to stage after stroke left her speech 'almost unintelligible'

Susan Boyle returned to the stage for the first time in four years this weekend, and also for the first time since suffering a stroke. 

The singer, 62, appeared on "Britain's Got Talent" on Sunday, June 4, to sing Les Misérables' "I Dreamed A Dream," which was her audition song back in 2009. The fact that she was able to sing at all was rather impressive, as her speech was left "almost unintelligible" following a stroke last year, a source tells DailyMail.com.

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After performing, the reality TV legend said it was "great" to be back on the show that launched her career.

"It's extra special for me actually because last April there I suffered a minor stroke and I thought it would be crazy to be back on stage and I have done it," she said. 

The Mail claimed that Susan, who was found by her personal assistant after suffering the stroke, has had intensive vocal coaching over the past year while learning to speak clearly again. 

"The PA came over to see her that morning, they often go out for breakfast together but as soon as she saw Susan she realized that they needed to go straight to hospital. She was able to walk but had a dropped face and was slurring her words. She was capable of speech but it was hard to work out what she was saying," the source said. 

An inconsolable Susan quickly felt that her singing career was finished due to her health. Over the past 14 years, Susan has sold 25 million records, and her "BGT" audition has been viewed on YouTube more than 261 million times.

Prior to Sunday, Susan hadn't performed since 2019.

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"All she has ever wanted to do is sing and she was at that point convinced that her career was over. She was devastated, very deeply upset as well as being ill," the source said. "She hired a private speech therapist once the crisis was over and she was out of hospital. Since then she has been seeing him a few times a week plus doing homework in between and also seeing her regular vocal coach."

The source concluded, "She has worked very hard to get to the point where she could perform last night although we are not quite back to the point she was before the stroke." 

Brutal murder

Body of missing soap star found in trunk encased in cement in Brazil

The body of Jefferson Machado, a South American soap star who has been missing for four months, was found encased in cement, stuffed in a trunk and buried in the ground, according to a media reports. 

Brazilian authorities confirmed that Jeff's remains were found deeply buried in the backyard of a home in Campo Grande, Brazil. The actor's family also confirmed the news on Facebook

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Jeff, who starred on the Brazilian religious telenovela "Reis," was first reported missing in late January after his eight dogs were found alone and abandoned — something friends said Jeff would have never intentionally done. Prior to the grisly discovery, Jeff had not been seen or heard from since Jan. 27, 2023. 

After his remains were found, an attorney for Jeff's family released a statement indicating that the actor was strangled. The death, the lawyer admitted, was "brutal."

"It is with regret that I share the sad news of the passing of actor Jeff Machado, whose body was found with strangulation signs. This discovery confronts us with the cruelty present in our society, motivating us to seek truth and justice in the face of such impactful cases," Jairo Magalhães Pereira said. "Preliminary information indicates that the actor's body was found in a trunk, buried in a hole of considerable depth. This situation deeply saddens us and indignant in the face of the suffering faced by Jeff."

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The home where Jeff's body was found belonged to his friend. That unidentified friend is now a person of interest in the crime. 

"My commitment as a lawyer is to seek tirelessly for truth and justice. It is my responsibility to ensure that everyone involved in this brutal crime is held accountable and punished, and that Jeff's family finds the support they need to get through this very painful time," the attorney said. 

Jairo told Record TV Rio in Rio De Janeiro that Jeff's neck had a "line" in it and he was identified using fingerprints. 

"He had his arms tied behind his head and buried in a trunk that is very similar to the ones in his own house," he said.

Music future in flux?

Grammy winner contemplating quitting over hateful tweets

Lizzo is strongly considering putting music and touring in her rearview mirror after incessant online fat-shaming. 

The Grammy winner was livid after reading a social media comment from one follower this week. "How is Lizzo still THIS fat when she's constantly moving this much on stage?! I wonder what she must be eating," the cruel message said.

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In responding to the message, the "Truth Hurts" singer wrote, "JUST logged on and the app and this is the type of s*** I see about me on a daily basis. It's really starting to make me hate the world." 

She added, "Then someone in the comments said I eat 'lots of fast food.' I LITERALLY STOPPED EATING FAST FOOD YEARS AGO… I'm tired of explaining myself all the time and I just wanna get on this app w/out seeing my name in some bull****."

Not mincing words, Lizzo admitted to getting "heated" while saying her critics know "nothing" about her.

Lizzo continued to defend her body, claiming she eats clean and works out. She also stressed that she's trying to live healthy and not "BE smaller." The "Juice" songstress then spoke of her "hatred" toward Twitter.

"The Love definitely do not outweigh the Hate on social media… all because I'm fat???? This is CRAZY," she said. "Y'all don't know how close I be to giving up on everyone and quitting and enjoying my money and my man on a F****** FARM…"

"I hate it here," she said of Twitter.

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A "heated" Lizzo proclaimed that she "never" searches for her name, but her timeline is still littered with people commenting on her physical appearance. 

"I swear I just wanna look at dance videos and science news and this s*** comes in every day…," she said. 

Lizzo also took her feelings to Instagram while attaching a video from a recent concert where she hits at trolls. 

"I WILL NEVER SHUT UP ABOUT HOW DIFFICULT YALL MAKE IT FOR FAT PEOPLE TO SIMPLY EXIST. MINDING YOUR BUSINESS IS *FREE*," she wrote alongside the video. "IF THE INTERNET WAS LIMITED AND ONE COMMENT TOOK 24HRS TO POST I WONDER WHAT SOCIAL MEDIA WOULD BE LIKE."

In the concert video, Lizzo held up a sign that was given to her by a fan. It read: "I'm sorry people on Twitter suck. You are beautiful and special."

Court docs

Imprisoned reality star calls 'scorned gay lover' a 'liar' in appeal

During the heart of Todd Chrisley's fraud trial last year, a former male business partner claimed under oath to have had a secret affair with the reality TV star. Now, Todd and his wife, Julie Chrisley, are calling the man, Mark Braddock, a "liar."

In Todd and Julie Chrisley's 124-page appeal, they say Mark fabricated "everything" to cover up crimes. However, DailyMail.com reports the paperwork makes no mention of the alleged relationship Todd and Mark had in 2005.

"Braddock lied about everything [so] it was not necessary," the Chrisley lawyer told the U.K.-based outlet. 

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In the summer of 2022, the "Chrisley Knows Best" parents were found guilty of bank fraud and tax evasion. A few months later, Todd was sentenced to 12 years in prison while his wife was sentenced to seven years in prison for the same crimes; both also got another 16 months of probation and were ordered to pay more than $17 million in restitution.

In their appeal, the Chrisleys claim their fourth amendment rights were violated and insist that there was "insufficient evidence of the bank fraud counts" and "procedural errors." They also claim the prosecution "relied exclusively on the testimony of Mark Braddock" — which they say left a lot to be desired. 

"Braddock's testimony about Julie was sparse. He testified only that he had discussed with her whether certain documents looked real or not and the need to keep projecting a positive financial picture so Todd could keep getting loans," the Chrisleys allege. 

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Mark and Todd had a falling out a decade ago, which is when Mark — whom the media has dubbed a "scorned gay lover" — blew the whistle on the reality TV duo. Prior to that, Mark and Todd were allegedly engaged in a consensual affair. While in court, Mark even claimed someone knew about the relationship, noting that he and Todd payed a blackmailer $38,000 to stay quiet.

Todd later addressed the claims on his "Chrisley Confessions" podcast. 

"What's insulted me the most is that, out of all these 54 years, for me to finally be accused of being with a man, it would be someone who looked like Mark Braddock," Todd said. "That is the one thing that is the most insulting. To say that I couldn't pull something better than that… There's better to be had by Todd Chrisley than that."

Todd called Mark a "toad" and "someone that looks like a thumb."

Props to you

Pee-wee Herman actor sues over alleged theft

Paul Reubens is suing a man whom he claims stole a collection of props from "Pee-wee's Playhouse."

The man, however, claims Paul doesn't own the items, which include, among other things, the Dog Chair, the Floory puppets, Mr. Window and several cue cards — all items that fans of the show will easily recognize. 

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The actor, who famously played Pee-wee Herman in movies and on TV for decades, claims he loaned items from "Pee-wee's Playhouse" to James Comisar and his memorabilia company, The Comisar Collection. The idea, Paul says in the lawsuit, was to display the items at the Museum of Television. Paul alleges that he and James agreed the "Pee-wee's Big Adventure" star would get the items back upon request. 

Paul soon discovered, however, that the museum does not exist.

He alleges that James has been keeping the items in his private collection, TMZ reports.

Paul also alleges that James gave him the cold shoulder — and claimed the props were gifted to him — after he demanded the items be returned. James even sold some items at auction and kept the money for himself, Paul says.

The actor is asking the court to force a return of the Pee-wee property. If the already-purchased items cannot be retrieved, he's willing to take $1 million, he says.

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James, meanwhile, has issued a statement countering Paul's claims: "I am sad to learn that Mr. Reubens has resorted to the threat of a lawsuit to improperly seek the return of items that he simply does not own. In addition to those items personally given to me by Mr. Reubens in lieu of sending them to the landfill, without conditions or promises, Mr. Reubens seeks the return of material that was the property of film studios, production companies, and individual creators — none of which he is entitled to," he said.

"Over the ensuing three decades, I have cared for, conserved, and preserved these items at my considerable expense — and with Mr. Reubens' complete and continual knowledge of their whereabouts. Beyond his baseless accusations, Mr. Reubens has simply not shown that any of these items are his property," he continued.

Paul is asking for an injunction to stop the sale of whatever props from the show are left. 

Ride or die

Pregnant reality star shares surprising reason she got booted from a theme park ride

Motherhood is not supposed to be amusing like this.

Stassi Schroeder claims she was kicked off an amusement park ride at Universal Studios in Los Angeles this week because she's expecting a child. 

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The "Vanderpump Rules" alum expressed her frustration on her Instagram Story on Wednesday, May 31, telling followers that she was ready to enjoy the "Secret Life of Pets" ride before things went sideways. 

"Don't worry about it, don't worry about it," she vented.

"They just had to stop the 'Secret Life of Pets' ride to kick me off because I'm pregnant. I'm not embarrassed or anything. Also it goes like negative two miles an hour," she later added

Universal Studios does have restrictions for women who are expecting — the theme park's website says expectant moms are prohibited from enjoying 10 attractions including the "Secret Life of Pets" ride. Page Six points out that Stassi was allowed to enjoy the "WaterWorld" stunt show and several other attractions at the park.

This past spring, Stassi and husband Beau Clark announced on Instagram that they are expecting their second child.

"Secrets stress me out," she wrote on social media while debuting her tiny-at-the-time baby bump. "Baby #2, I love you so much already."

The couple later announced that they are expecting a baby boy.

"I knew the whole entire time that we were having a boy," Stassi said on her  "The Good The Bad The Baby" podcast in March. "I kept saying it. I felt it. It was a vibe. I don't know how to f****** explain it."

Stassi and Beau share 2-year-old daughter Hartford, whom the former reality TV star recently called the "funniest, brightest, spunkiest, friendliest, sassiest, most confident, ketchup-loving girl out there."

"I love being a girl mom," Stassi previously said. "I love the idea of being surrounded by feminine energy. Two little girls. How f****** cool is that?"

Now, she and her husband of nearly three years are excited to discover "what it's like to have a son."