Last year, they engaged in the best boxer-on-octogenarian fight ever ... but now legendary sportscaster Larry Merchant says he and Floyd Mayweather are "the best friends ever."

You'll remember ... Merchant and Mayweather really got into it during their post-fight interview last September ... when Merchant famously screamed, "I wish I was 50 years younger and I'd kick your a**."

But Sunday afternoon in Los Angeles, Merchant said he and Floyd buried the hatchet over the weekend in Las Vegas and each apologized for what went down.

As for Justin Bieber's appearance at the Mayweather-Cotto fight ... Merchant said he was "trying to get some face time on television. I think he needs it badly."

We're not sure Merchant knows who the Biebs is.

CBS is clashing with ABC over a new reality show -- claiming ABC's newest reality project "Glass House" is a "Big Brother" rip-off ... and if ABC doesn't pull the plug on it stat, CBS will sue.

Lawyers for CBS fired off a cease and desist letter to ABC on Friday, claiming "Glass House" -- about contestants living in a house, filmed round-the-clock, and voted out by viewers -- is strikingly similar to "Big Brother."

CBS says it's no coincidence either -- claiming 18 former "Big Brother" staffers are now working on the new ABC project.

CBS writes, "In the strongest possible terms, we must admonish ABC and anyone involved in the development or production of `Glass House' that they will be acting at their own peril if they continue to proceed in this manner."

ABC had no comment.

Orlando Magic superstar Dwight Howard tells TMZ ... he's been in constant contact with head coach Stan Van Gundy since his back surgery ... saying they've spoken "a bunch of times" since the playoffs began.

Dwight was on a walk in Beverly Hills today ... when we asked how life has been since he underwent back surgery in L.A. for a herniated disk last month.

"Sad" ... Howard said ... adding, "Just a little sad that I can't be in Orlando with my teammates in the playoffs."

"I went back and forth with the doctor for a couple of days ... and he just said, 'Dwight I need you to stay here, I don't need you to go back home, I don't need you traveling on the plane ... anything.'"

"I feel like I'm in jail," Dwight said ... "I just really wish I could be there for my teammates."

Dwight says he's been watching every game and speaking with teammates since he's been sidelined ... "supporting them, telling them what they need to do."

But then the bombshell -- Dwight says he's been talking with Coach Van Gundy "a bunch of times since the playoffs began" ... shocking since Stan believes Dwight has been trying to get him fired from the head coaching job.

As for rumors that Dwight faked his injury ... Dwight says it's all B.S. -- claiming the fragment that was floating in his back was the largest fragment his world famous surgeon has ever seen.

"I would never quit on my team, I would never quit on my fans."

More tan-on-tan aggression -- this time it's "Tanning Mom" firing back at Snooki ... claiming the reality star is "the biggest a**hole in the world" for criticizing her life decisions.

Patricia Krentcil -- who's been under fire for allegedly taking her 5-year-old daughter to a tanning salon -- was out in New Jersey yesterday ... when someone asked about the comments Snooki recently made to "Extra" -- "that b**ch is crazy."

Tanning Mom shot back ... saying, "She's the biggest a**hole in the world. She's fake, she's fat, her t*ts are fake, she's disgusting."

Yet, after all that ... she continued, "When this is all said and done, I'd like to meet up with 'Snoopy'."

Yes, she called her Snoopy ... and she probably owes Charles Schultz an apology.

Those in glass houses shouldn't throw stones ... especially when that house is an abortion clinic ... so says a "Toddlers & Tiaras" mom who's PISSED Vanessa Williams went off about pageant parents in a recent interview.

FYI -- Williams recently appeared on "Anderson" and when asked about the child pageant world said, "When the child is screaming and saying, ‘I don’t want to do this. I don’t feel like doing it.’ When they are using special juice to get them hyped ... that’s not my world and I would never have my kids do that.”

The comments didn't fly with "Tiaras" star  Wendy Dickey -- aka Paisley's mom -- who says she was personally offended ... and lashed back:

"Posing nude and having an abortion is 'not my world' and I would never have my kids do that ... so easy on the judging Vanessa!"

Dickey is clearly referring to the revelations Williams makes in her new book -- in which she admits she got an abortion in high school ... and explains how she appeared in Penthouse.

We reached out to Williams ... but so far, no response.

"Basketball Wives" producers are taking their feud with cast member Jennifer Williams to the next level ... the show's big-wigs are currently in talks to file a lawsuit against  the "BB Wife" for publicly trashing the show.

If you recall ... producers of VH1's hit series were PISSED after Williams filed a lawsuit against fellow cast member Nia Crooks after she slapped Williams in the face while taping an episode.

Now sources tell TMZ  -- producers are ready to take their own legal action after Williams went on a media rampage and blasted "BB Wives" alleging the show portrays African-American women negatively.

According to our sources, producers feel Williams' show-bashing is in violation of her contract -- which forbids cast members from doing any media appearances or press without approval, or speaking negatively about the show. We're told they feel she is "ruining the brand" they worked so hard to build.
 
Let the mudslinging begin.

Two days after calling "Voice" judge Christina Aguilera "a bitch" on the radio in New York, one of the guys from The Wanted seemingly apologized in one breath ... and then took another shot at her in the next.

After a guest appearance on the show, the band went on 92.3 NOW in NYC and said, "She's a total bitch. She might not be a bitch in real life, but to us she was a bitch."

Talking outside the Mondrian Hotel today in Hollywood, the one who calls himself Tom was asked about his Xtina comments ... and in back-to-back sentences he said, "We shouldn't have said it, to be honest with you. We just think manners cost nothing, you know what I mean?"

Neither does humility. 

Octomom Nadya Suleman has a competitive uterus ... because she doesn't want any would-be baby machines taking a shot at her birthing title ... and she's sick of them trying.

Octo had some competition recently from Mexico's NueveMom -- who claimed to be pregnant with 9 babies. Her story might not be true, but if it is ... it could have shot Octo's record for most children delivered at a single birth to survive straight out the window.

Octo tells TMZ she's tired of all the Octofakes lately, telling us, "No one will ever take my Octo title, I’m in the Guinness Book Of World Records!"

She goes on to call NueveMom "a fraud" and says she "shouldn't be making a joke about raising a large family. It’s a serious job and takes a lot to take care of my children. She disgusts me."

Pot ... meet kettle.

Say what you will about Kim Kardashian ... but she doesn't hold grudges, because our spies tell us she made peace last night with the actor who has been trashing her -- Jon Hamm.

Kim and Jon were both on a special live version of "30 Rock" Thursday night.  Kim had a pretty small part but she slayed everyone at the end (take a look at the video).


Jon Hamm was also on the show, did his thing.  You'll recall Jon went after Kim with a vengeance last month, saying Kim was stupid and a "f**king idiot."

But after the show last night, we're told they both spoke to each other and, as Kim told a friend, "We laughed it all off." Kim also said Jon was "very sweet and very respectful."

We love show business. It's so phony.

Rosie O'Donnell believes ... if Lindsay Lohan doesn't change her life ... she will end up just like Whitney Houston ... dead.

Rosie went back on the "Today" show this morning to expand on why she doesn't believe Lindsay should have been cast as Liz Taylor in an upcoming Lifetime movie ... or ANY role for that matter.

Ro suggested Lindsay is heading down a similar path as Whitney ... and believes the only way she can be saved is if she takes time away from the ruthless Hollywood machine.

Ro also explained why she feels obligated to speak out about Lindsay .... saying, "Watching Whitney Houston's funeral I remember thinking, 'Why didn't more people say what they knew?' We all knew."

She continued, "We watched 'Being Bobby Brown' ... it was like watching Sid and Nancy ... they were people in the throes of addiction. But all anyone cared about was that the show was getting ratings."

"To look at Lindsay Lohan, you can't help but feel for her ... and I do not think she's untalented, I think she's quite talented."

Lindsay Lohan is in utter shock after Rosie O'Donnell bashed her on live television yesterday -- telling friends, she's always had a great relationship with Rosie ... or so she thought.

Sources close to LiLo tell TMZ, there was never any bad blood between the two actresses -- in fact, Lindsay and Rosie were always on great terms ... Lindsay would even say hello to Rosie whenever she saw her at various events. Rosie was always nice to her.

According to sources, Lindsay always had a special fondness for Rosie -- because one of Lindsay's first ever talk show appearances was on Rosie's old show back in 1998 ... when a 12-year-old Lindsay was promoting "The Parent Trap."

But even though she's surprised ... Lindsay isn't upset -- because Rosie's not the only person who doubts Lindsay's comeback ... starting with her upcoming Liz Taylor role.

As far as Lindsay's concerned -- Rosie's just another hater she's gotta prove wrong.