Sources connected with the "American Idol" negotiations tell TMZ Kara DioGuardi has judged her last contestant on "American Idol" -- because she's been fired.
We're told the show will be going back to a three-judge format and assuming all deals are finalized, the judge's panel will consist of Randy Jackson,Jennifer LopezandSteven Tyler.
We're told the only way Kara could get a reprieve is if the J-Lo deal falls apart -- but we're told that deal is done.
Ellen DeGeneres announced earlier Thursday that she was leaving the show after just one season.
Sources close to Oksana Grigorieva say she's going broke trying to battle Mel Gibson -- and, in fact, TMZ has learned Oksana's already had to take out a loan to pay her high-powered legal team.
Multiple sources tell us that Oksana took out a loan just to make partial payment to her attorneys ... and she's also maxed out credit cards to fund what's become a legal World War with Gibson, who's hired three law firms. Legally speaking, it shapes up like David vs. Goliath.
People connected to Oksana claim Gibson cut off almost all support payments back in May when the mediation talks ended -- and Oksana turned her back on a $15 million agreement. Currently, we're told, Mel's only paying child support to the tune of $5,000 per month.
If Oksana's getting limited financial support from Mel -- and we know she isn't working -- then here's the obvious question: where's she getting money to live day to day?
We're told Oksana's seeking retroactive support payments from Gibson.
Hours after a judging spot opened up on "American Idol" last night -- Steven Tyler was already in Hollywood taking on questions about Ellen's replacement.
As we previously reported, Tyler is expected to fill the spot -- along with Randy Jackson and Jennifer Lopez -- once the deals are finalized.
Neither Tyler nor "Idol" have confirmed -- but Tyler is in town and FOX does have their big TCA event on Monday ... so you do the math.
TMZ has learned the woman accused of slashing Leonardo DiCaprio's face open with a drinking glass back in 2005 has been extradited back to the United States ... where she will finally face justice.
Sources tell us 40-year-old Aretha Wilson took a flight from Canada to Los Angeles last night accompanied by law enforcement officials. We're told she's currently in custody awaiting trial.
As we previously reported, Wilson is accused of hitting DiCaprio in the face during a house party in the Hollywood Hills in 2005. The party was at the home of Rick Salomon -- Paris Hilton's sex tape partner.
Authorities claim Leo needed 17 stitches to close up his face and ear.
Wilson -- who had been arrested in L.A. and charged with assault with a deadly weapon -- fled the country after the alleged attack.
Ian Benardo -- the guy suing "American Idol" for $300 million -- has filed a police report with the NYPD claiming he's received multiple death threats since filing his lawsuit.
In the police report, filed yesterday and obtained by TMZ -- Benardo claims he's received "numerous phone calls and emails from restricted and blocked numbers threatening his life."
Benardo tells TMZ, he's been getting 5-10 threatening phone calls an hour -- from people threatening to slit his throat and calling him "the biggest embarrassment to our country" and a "cancer to the world."
According to Benardo, one caller even said he "can't wait for him to die of AIDS."
As we previously reported, Benardo -- who famously yanked the mic from Dane Cook's hand during the live finale this year -- is now suing "Idol" claiming producers told him to "gay it up" for his appearance on the show ... and then ruined his career.
Laurence Fishburne's 19-year-old daughter is making a serious push to break into Hollywood -- and she's doing it with a hardcore sex tape.
TMZ has learned Montana Fishburne is starring in a porno flick for Vivid Entertainment-- explaining, "I've watched how successful Kim Kardashian became and I think a lot of it was due to the release of her sex tape."
Unlike the celeb she admires -- Montana is not arguing that her tape was stolen or obtained illegally.
We're told the flick is set to be released in August.
Tiger Woods isn't the only person involved in his sex scandal who's under performing lately -- TMZ has learned mistress #20ish Devon James was pulled from a "celebrity" boxing match last night because she failed a pre-fight physical.
James was scheduled to get in the ring with Susan Finklestein -- the woman who posted a Craig's List ad offering sex for Philadelphia Phillies tickets ... and Screech was supposed to ref the fight.
But just before the fight -- scheduled to go down in New Jersey -- we're told EMT's determined Devon's blood pressure was too high and expressed concern over her poor performance in the eyeball reaction test.
Eventually, the decision was made to yank her from the fight -- and she was replaced by some other non-famous person. Screech, however, was still allowed to ref the fight.
Dina and Ali Lohan left Lynwood Jail on Thursday carrying bags of letters and books that Lindsay Lohan's remaining fans have mailed to the incarcerated former actress.
An army of top-heavy platinum blondes (and a few brunettes too) duked it out Wednesday in L.A. -- and it was all to jockey for a position on a new reality show ... to find Anna Nicole Smith's replacement.
The guy behind the show -- Anna Nicole's former personal designer Frank Rodriguez -- wants to find the next model for his clothing line ... and if it weren't obvious from the photos ... he wants her to look a whole lot like Anna.
Lindsay Lohan's doctors could be the target of a prescription drug investigation launched by the Attorney General of California ... if the man in power responds to Michael Lohan's newest request.
TMZ has obtained a letter that Michael's attorney Lisa Bloom fired off to AG Jerry Brown yesterday -- in which they "respectfully request an investigation" into the "unscrupulous doctors" who "overprescribe medications to [Lindsay] ... in violation of California law."
In the letter, Lohan argues that Lindsay is an addict ... but due to a "giant legal loophole" ... she can legally get high on pills as long as she can score a prescription.
Lohan and Bloom note that Brown is committed to investigating and prosecuting docs who fraudulently prescribe meds -- and cite the Anna Nicole Smith case currently underway in L.A.
Brown wouldn't confirm if his office has received the letter yet -- but promises that his team will thoroughly investigate any "credible" claim that is brought to his attention.
The producer accusing Casey Affleck of sexual harassment held "key production documents" hostage while she negotiated for more money on the film Casey was directing ... this according to legal documents.
In the filing, Affleck's attorney Marty Singer attached documents -- including an email -- in which Amanda White seems to admit to keeping the papers while she attempted to get a higher fee for her work on "I'm Still Here: The Lost Year of Joaquin Phoenix."
In the email -- sent to Casey on April 12 -- White says, "I really feel that in good faith, the documents you refer to are my work product, so I would prefer to hold them in trust until we can get the matter of my deal resolved."
In the legal papers, Affleck's attorney refers to White's refusal to return the production documents as "extortionate" -- while White's attorney claims the documents "were insignificant and not needed for months."
White joined the project in December 2008. Sources connected to the production tell TMZ that she began trying to renegotiate her salary in January 2009.
We're told White quit in April 2009, but her compensation negotiations continued until October when her attorneys ended talks.
White filed her sexual harassment suit earlier this month.
As one source put it, "It seems odd that it took 15 months for them to bring this up, and it only happened after negotiations on her compensation stalled."
TMZ has learned Foxy Brown was in the middle of massive brawl tonight in the lobby of a New York City apartment building -- and she narrowly missed her second run-in with cops in just over a week.
Witnesses say Foxy was visiting someone at a luxury high-rise on 43rd Street when the fight broke out. A source tells us that Foxy was throwing down with several people in the lobby. It's unclear at this point what sparked the brawl.
We're told it took more than 10 people to break up the fight, and the NYPD eventually showed up on the scene -- but Foxy fled before the officers arrived. No arrests were made.
According to a source, one of the people Foxy fought with was her manager. When we called her manager she would only say, "No comment."
Eight days ago Foxy was arrested in NYC for allegedly mooning a neighbor and violating a protection order. She's been charged with public lewdness, harassment, and criminal contempt in that case.
It's one and done for Ellen DeGeneres -- she's leaving "American Idol" after her first season as a judge on the show ... claiming it wasn't the "right fit."
Ellen just tweeted, "Dim the lights ... I've voted myself off American Idol."
Ellen claims she came to her decision, "a couple months ago" -- and admits, "It was hard for me to judge people and sometimes hurt their feelings."
She concludes, "I am very grateful for the year I had. I am a huge fan of the show and will continue to be."
UPDATE: TMZ has confirmed reports that "Idol" is tapping Jennifer Lopez. We're told the ink may not be dry on the deal yet, but J.Lo is definitely the pick ... and the deal is all tied to Ellen's departure.
