Posted Nov 12th 2009 10:50AM by TMZ Staff
Carrie Prejean just accused Donald Trump of personally weeding out the ugly chicks from the Miss USA pageant -- and for once ... she's not entirely off base.
TMZ obtained an audio tape recorded during the pre-show screening portion of the 2009 pageant, in which Trump can clearly be heard exercising "The Trump Rule" -- which guarantees a certain number of "beautiful" women will advance in the contest.
On the tape, Trump explains that when he "bought" the Miss USA pageant, "the most beautiful people were never chosen. And I went nuts." So, according to the audio, Trump implemented "The Trump Rule" -- in which he and his staff of "professionals" would select "almost half" of the women who would automatically make it into the first round of the contest.
Click here... it's not over yet
Filed under: Pageantry, Carrie Prejean, Exclusives
Posted Nov 12th 2009 9:40AM by TMZ Staff
The photographer who ended up on the wrong end of Mike Tyson's fist says Mike got in 4 good punches and blood was gushing "like a water fountain."
Pap Tony Echevarria claims:
- He wasn't disrespectful or aggressive
- Mike was initially in a good mood but turned sour when the pap asked about his wife
- Tyson became more agitated when he couldn't find a bathroom and saw the photog shooting him
As we previously reported, Tyson and the photographer were both busted for battery.
Filed under: Celebrity Justice, Paparazzi Video, Talk Sports, Fights, Exclusives
Posted Nov 12th 2009 9:30AM by TMZ Staff
Carrie Prejean's ex-boyfriend -- the guy to whom she sent the XXX solo video -- tells TMZ Carrie and company called him last week and tried getting him to "lie" and say she was 17 when she shot the video.
During an audio interview with TMZ, the man -- who asked us not to reveal his identity -- says Carrie sent him the video when they were involved with each other in 2007. He says Carrie sent him numerous explicit videos and insists the one in question was shot when she was 20.
We have verified this is indeed the guy to whom Carrie sent her solo video -- which ultimately torpedoed her settlement with Miss California USA.
These are the pictures he took with Carrie during a long, romantic weekend in San Diego.
Carrie's rep could not be reached for comment.
Filed under: Celebrity Justice, Photo Galleries, Pageantry, Carrie Prejean, Exclusives
Posted Nov 12th 2009 9:25AM by TMZ Staff
It's all fun and games until someone gets outed as a rat -- so the lawyer for Hollywood Hills Burglar Bunch suspect Nick Prugo wants his client kept far, far away from the people he snitched on.
Prugo just showed up for his arraignment in L.A. criminal court.
We're told Prugo's lawyer is pissed that a sealed affidavit was released last week, revealing that his client blew the whistle on the six other people who were allegedly involved in the burglaries of Lindsay Lohan, Audrina Patridge, Rachel Bilson, Orlando Bloom and Brian Austin Green.
We've learned Prugo's lawyer will file legal docs today asking the judge to try Prugo separately from the other suspects.
And there's this: Prugo was put into protective custody when he was labeled a rat. Among the many death threats he's received ... "Snitches get stitches."
Filed under: Burglar Bunch
Posted Nov 12th 2009 9:22AM by TMZ Staff
This is what it looks like when Mike Tyson punches you in the face.
Paparazzo Tony Echevarria got into it with Tyson yesterday afternoon at LAX. Both men were arrested. Tyson was taken to the police station ... Echevarria went to the hospital.
Tyson's lawyer, David Chesnoff, claims the photog was harassing Tyson, his wife and kid. Chesnoff claims some photogs followed the ex-champ into the bathroom, though he didn't say if Echevarria was one of them.
The photog got 5 stitches.
Pretty ironic -- his t-shirt says, "Live Long."
Filed under: Celebrity Justice, Paparazzi Photo, Talk Sports, Fights, Exclusives
Posted Nov 12th 2009 12:50AM by TMZ Staff
Britney Spears is admitting to being a devil-worshiping Satan fanatic who embraces a "new world order" ... at least according to her Twitter page.
Turns out her Twitter account was hacked by a cyber-demonic force this morning ... and we're not talking about Sam Lutfi. Along with giving "Glory to Satan," the background to her page has gone from images of her "3" video ... to pyramids inscribed with the name of the alleged secret society Illuminati.
Chances are unless new world order and Illuminati are the names of indie bands, Brit has no clue what those terms mean. And as for the praise for Lucifer, everyone knows Britney doesn't speak in tongues ... she lip-synchs.
Filed under: Britney Spears
Posted Nov 12th 2009 12:40AM by TMZ Staff
UPDATE 8:33 PM PT: Cops tell TMZ Tyson was released on his own recognizance.
UPDATE 8:13 PM PT: Tyson has been booked for misdemeanor battery and his bail has been set at $20,000. The photog was also booked on misdemeanor battery -- Tyson claims the photog got so close he actually made contact with the boxer.
TMZ has learned Mike Tyson has been arrested at LAX airport for battery after a bloody confrontation with a paparazzo outside the United terminal. We're told Tyson punched the pap in the face and there is blood everywhere.
We're told Tyson was at a ticket counter at the United Airlines terminal when the incident occurred. The photographer got punched in the face, hit the ground, got up and began walking, leaving a trail of blood. An LAPD spokesperson said the photographer suffered a minor laceration to the forehead.
Someone at the scene tells TMZ ... the photographer got very close to Tyson before the boxer struck him. Our source says there's blood on the ground and Mike was taken away in a squad car. We're told an ambulance was dispatched at 4:39 PM to LAX and the paparazzo was transported to a local hospital.
Cops say Tyson and the photographer performed citizen's arrests on each other -- both are expected to be booked for misdemeanor battery. Cops also said witnesses backed both stories ... so that could get interesting.
If Tyson is prosecuted, given that he's a former boxing champ, the charge could end up being assault with a deadly weapon.
Tyson's rep says he was traveling with his 10-month old daughter when he was attacked by an overly aggressive paparazzi -- adding the boxer acted in self-defense to protect his child.
Story developing...
Filed under: Celebrity Justice, Paparazzi Photo, Talk Sports, Fights
Posted Nov 12th 2009 12:38AM by TMZ Staff
Those awful Balloon Boy parents are finally going to fess up to what we've all suspected for weeks -- that they're guilty of engineering the entire hoax.
Richard Heene's attorney issued a statement explaining how Richard will plead guilty Friday morning to an offense of attempting to influence a public servant -- a felony. His wife, Mayumi, will plead guilty to false reporting to authorities -- a misdemeanor.
The Heenes could receive jail time for the charges stemming from the infamous Oct. 16 incident, but Richard's attorney claims the prosecutor has only recommended probation.
The attorney also claims the couple agreed to the deal because Mayumi was afraid of being deported. The lawyer explained that she's currently a Japanese citizen and "any felony conviction or certain misdemeanors would result in her deportation, even though her husband and children are Americans."
Wonder if they would send her back in a balloon?
Filed under: Celebrity Justice, Balloon Boy
Posted Nov 12th 2009 12:33AM by TMZ Staff
Burglar Bunch suspect Nick Prugo just won another genius award -- taking a photo of himself wearing what looks to be Paris Hilton's stolen necklace ... then taking it one step further by taunting the heiress with a few choice words.
TMZ obtained the picture Prugo took of himself while flossing a "P" necklace which looks exactly like the one Paris -- one of the Burglar Bunch victims -- bought last year when she was dating Benji Madden.
Prugo even had the stones to write the following message on the pic: "Hey Paris, look familiar?"
Funny ... Prugo can ask Paris -- who was locked up a few years ago -- the same question if he ends up getting time as well.
Filed under: Paris Hilton, Exclusives, Burglar Bunch
Posted Nov 12th 2009 12:27AM by TMZ Staff
Lil Kim is allegedly one of the biggest flakes on Planet Earth. We're told she recently bailed on six gigs after pocketing her $20,000 fee ... then blamed it all on a nosebleed!
We're told a company called Abstrakt Visions Entertainment paid Kim $20,000 up front to make six club appearances in London between November 7 - 14.
Sources say Kim told Abstrakt she suffered a nosebleed in her hotel room the night before the first gig -- then got a call from Kim the next day saying she's heading back to the USA.
Kim's people tell us the nosebleed part is true -- but the real reason she bailed was because the promoters had poor planning skills and never even gave her a schedule.
Kim's crew says the rapper is gonna use the $20K to cover her travel expenses -- but she might wanna invest in a lawyer ... because Abstrakt told us they plan to sue.
Filed under: Celebrity Justice, Exclusives
Posted Nov 12th 2009 12:25AM by TMZ Staff
Like any crafty politician, Congressman Robert Brady (D-PA) has found a way to flip-flop on an important issue ... and we're talking about the Mohawk Challenge between Brady and Congressman John Hall (D-NY19) over who would win the World Series.
As we all know, Brady's Phillies lost ... but his press secretary tells TMZ: "The Congressman will not be shaving his head."
Here's the deal. Brady's peeps say the Mohawk Challenge was rendered null-and-void because the only person we could find to take the bet was Congressman Hall -- who happens to be mostly bald. So that technically doesn't make it a Mohawk Challenge, does it?
Now get this: Back when Hall accepted the challenge, he said instead of the mohawk he would shave off the precious few locks he had left -- which a few follically-challenged people in the TMZ newsroom considered a harsher punishment.
So, the question ....
Filed under: Talk Sports, Politix, Exclusives
Posted Nov 12th 2009 12:20AM by TMZ Staff
UPDATE: It appears the Nick Saban wedgie photo is not exactly as it seems...
After picking apart the photo, one of our super-observant reader, an apparent expert in collegiate backsides, pointed out that the headset is a dead giveaway the ass-grabber cannot be Saban. Instead, it appears to be one of Nick's assistants. Thanks for cracking the case.
Our deepest apologies ...
This is Alabama head football coach Nick Saban, battling with his tight end during his game against LSU this past weekend.
In the end, Saban emerged victorious.
Filed under: Talk Sports
Posted Nov 12th 2009 12:10AM by TMZ Staff
Known more for being a sex symbol in the '70s than his ability on ice, Ron Duguay played in the NHL for 12 years on teams like the New York Rangers, Detroit Red Wings, Pittsburgh Penguins and the L.A. Kings. Guess what he looks like now!
Filed under: Beauty, Talk Sports, 'Memba Them?!
