Posted Nov 20th 2009 3:13PM by TMZ Staff
Joe Francis has cojones. He's taking on Uncle Sam in court over a small bill -- around $34,000,000.
TMZ has obtained legal docs Francis filed in federal court, asking a judge to order the feds to release his money the government has frozen.
The IRS issued a tax lien against Francis earlier this month to the tune of $33,819,087.14. According to the new docs, the government went in and froze Joe's accounts over at UBS and Morgan Stanley. Joe told TMZ the accounts total $100 mil.
The "Girls Gone Wild" chief wants the judge to release the money, stat.
Joe says the frozen accounts have put him on the brink of bankruptcy.
Filed under: Celebrity Justice, Exclusives, Joe Francis
Tags: girls gone wild, GirlsGoneWild, joe francis, JoeFrancis, lein tax, LeinTax, uncle sam, UncleSam
Posted Nov 20th 2009 1:27PM by TMZ Staff
Miley Cyrus won't have to find $4 billion to pay off all the Asians in Los Angeles -- a judge officially let the singer off the hook in a lawsuit over that offensive "Hanoi Montana" photo she took earlier this year.
This morning, a judge threw out the case filed by an Asian woman named Lucie Kim -- on behalf of all the Asians in L.A. -- who claimed the photo was offensive and Miley should have known the media would get its collective hands on it.
After the photo went public, Miley apologized a bunch of times and then went on a campaign of sushi dinners.
Kim claims she's considering filing an appeal to the judge's ruling.
Filed under: Celebrity Justice, Miley Cyrus
Tags: hanoi montana, HanoiMontana, lawsuit, lucie kim, LucieKim, miley cyrus, MileyCyrus
Posted Nov 20th 2009 12:39PM by TMZ Staff
Britney Spears' paparazzo ex boyfriend was just sentenced to 45 days in county jail after pleading no contest last month to leaving the scene of an accident.
But it's not as bad as it seems ... Adnan Ghalib gets ONE day credit for time already spent behind bars. Score!
Ghalib will also be placed on formal probation for 36 months, has to complete 52 weeks of anger management classes and 45 days of Caltrans (hard labor).
This all stems from an incident back in February, when Ghalib allegedly ran over a process server with his car. Ghalib was initially charged with three felonies: assault with a deadly weapon, battery and hit-and-run, but the first two charges were dropped as a part of his plea deal.
Filed under: Celebrity Justice, Britney Spears
Tags: adnan ghalib, AdnanGhalib, britney spears, BritneySpears, jail, paparazzi
Posted Nov 19th 2009 7:09PM by TMZ Staff
Eddie Cibrian is suing "Life & Style weekly" for more than $1 million, for allegedly defaming him over his relationship with LeAnn Rimes.
According to the suit ... obtained by TMZ ... Cibrian claims the stories the mag published "falsely portray Eddie as being unfaithful to Ms. Rimes, as currently being in a romantic relationship with Ms. Jancan, and as having abandoned his children."
Scheana Jancan is an aspiring actress and according to the mag she and Eddie were hooking up. The title of the article: "Eddie is Cheating on LeAnn Already."
story developing
Filed under: Celebrity Justice, Exclusives
Posted Nov 19th 2009 6:43PM by TMZ Staff
James Caan has filed for divorce from Linda -- for the second time.
James had filed back in 2005, but called off the divorce a month later, claiming they had patched things up.
Now, James has filed again in L.A. County Superior Court, citing irreconcilable differences.
They have two minor children together.
James is no stranger to divorce -- Linda is his 4th wife.
James' rep just gave us the following statement: "We have two beautiful kids together and will remain great friends. Everything will be fine."
Filed under: Celebrity Justice
Tags: divorce, james caan, JamesCaan, linda caan, LindaCaan
Posted Nov 19th 2009 5:00PM by TMZ Staff
Chris Brown is in court today for a progress report hearing.
Brown pled guilty to assaulting Rihanna back in June -- and was sentenced to 180 days of hard labor plus a bunch of other stipulations, including one year of domestic violence counseling.
UPDATE 2:10 PM PT: All done -- the judge is satisfied -- next progress report hearing is scheduled for February 18.
UPDATE 2:08 PM PT: Brown has also completed 7 of his 52 domestic violence classes.
UPDATE 2:05 PM PT: Brown's progress report was just handed to the judge, which showed he has completed 100 hours of community service already.
UPDATE 2:04 PM PT: Here we go!
UPDATE 2:03 PM PT: Brown and one bodyguard are now sitting in the courtroom.
Filed under: Celebrity Justice, Chris Brown
Tags: chris brown, ChrisBrown, court, hearing, progress report, ProgressReport, rihanna
Posted Nov 19th 2009 4:40PM by TMZ Staff
Chris Brown is about to show up in court for his probation progress report in the Rihanna case.
Sources say Brown will tell the judge he's on track with his community service -- performing 4 days of it every week. We're told he'll also say he's attending one anger management course a week.
Filed under: Celebrity Justice, Chris Brown, Exclusives
Tags: anger management, AngerManagement, chris brown, ChrisBrown, community service, CommunityService, rihanna
Posted Nov 19th 2009 3:10PM by TMZ Staff
"Cocaine" is never free ... neither is Taylor Swift, John Fogerty and the Harper Valley P.T.A. -- this according to the secret agents who claim they caught an Idaho sports bar playing music they hadn't paid for.
As TMZ first reported, BMI -- the enforcers of music royalties -- sent a spy to The Sports Cellar bar in Idaho to see if they were playing music they hadn't paid for the rights to use ... and according to court documents, this is what they heard:
-- Cocaine
-- Amarillo By Morning
-- Harper Valley P.T.A.
-- Long As I Can See the Light ... by John Fogerty
-- She Thinks My Tractor's Sexy
-- Here Without You
-- Should've Said No .. by Taylor Swift
-- I Get It
-- Five Dollar Fine
-- Gotta Get Me Down Home
After the recon mission, BMI, Taylor Swift and several recording artists filed a lawsuit against the bar for copyright infringement.
So why would the secret agents for BMI target little podunk bars? Because they're sending a message to every small joint in the county -- Big Brother is always watching.
Filed under: Celebrity Justice, Music, Taylor Swift
Tags: bmi, cocaine, harper valley pta, HarperValleyPta, john fogerty, JohnFogerty, lawsuit, taylor swift, TaylorSwift, the sports cellar, TheSportsCellar
Posted Nov 19th 2009 1:14PM by TMZ Staff
Paris Hilton has lived with BF Doug Reinhardt a grand total of five months, and already the LAPD, the L.A. City Attorney and the L.A. City Council have gotten involved in her very noisy life.
Law enforcement sources tell TMZ the LAPD has received numerous noise complaints against Paris and Doug and cops are fed up. We're told from now on when anyone at the house breaks the law, there will be "tickets or arrests."
Neighbors -- one of whom calls Paris "a monster" -- have called their city councilman complaining about the way Paris disrupts the neighborhood with noise, out-of-control parties and fighting. The councilman contacted the City Attorney's office who is now dealing with the neighborhood complaints.
One member of the local patrol tells TMZ he's all too familiar with Paris etiquette. He was called out to her old neighborhood for the same problems.
We're told cops went to the Paris/Doug homestead yesterday to have a sit down with the boisterous couple, but they weren't there -- or, they were hiding.
Filed under: Celebrity Justice, Paris Hilton, Exclusives
Tags: called, cops, doug reinhardt, DougReinhardt, fight, lapd, los angeles, LosAngeles, noise, paris hilton, ParisHilton
Posted Nov 19th 2009 1:10PM by TMZ Staff
Jacksonville Jaguars legend Jimmy Smith pled guilty to possession of cocaine yesterday ... and was sentenced to spend the next six months in residential lockdown.
The former NFL star was arrested in Florida back in April, when cops pulled him over for having excessive window tinting ... then found coke, pot and drug paraphernalia in his car.
The other three charges Smith was facing -- possession of marijuana, using or possessing drug paraphernalia, and operating a vehicle with a suspended license -- will all be dropped as long as he plays by the rules.
Smith was also sentenced to 18 months probation, his license was revoked until his probationary period is over, he has to pay $1,000 in fines and complete weekly counseling and random drug screenings during his six months under house arrest.
Filed under: Celebrity Justice, Talk Sports
Tags: busted, jacksonville jaguars, JacksonvilleJaguars, jimmy smith, JimmySmith, mug shot, MugShot, nfl, sports stars, SportsStars
Posted Nov 19th 2009 12:15PM by TMZ Staff
Tila Tequila's lawyer blames his client's meltdown on former BF Shawne Merriman.
Attorney Cyrus Nownejad tells TMZ he thinks the "domestic violence" incident with Shawne in September may have "pushed her over the edge."
Nownejad acknowledges something is seriously wrong with Tila and he's trying to figure out how to get her some help.
Tila just took down her Ustream, showing her dancing nude and talking crazy in front of the camera. She also went off on Shawne and his alleged drug use.
Tila is suing Shawne for $1.5 mil over the September incident..
Filed under: Celebrity Justice, Exclusives, Tila Tequila
Tags: cyrus nownejad, CyrusNownejad, lawsuit, naked, naked video, NakedVideo, rant, shawne merriman, ShawneMerriman, tila tequila, TilaTequila, ustream
Posted Nov 19th 2009 11:19AM by TMZ Staff
Tila Tequila has stripped down naked to go on a bizarre, rambling rant -- live on her Ustream page.
We're told Tila has been at this for hours ... ranting about everything from her personal hygiene to her case against San Diego Chargers linebacker Shawne Merriman -- calling him a "woman beater."
She continued, "I am an angel ... because I am here to save the world with my army."
Tila also claims "this is the last time I'll ever be on ustream ever again."
Earlier in the rant, Tila said, "People call me an attention whore .. or whatever ... but excuse me I'm a grown ass woman and I'm confident in myself ...I think a woman's body is a beautiful thing ... that's why I'm a lesbian ... I was born naked ... anybody who is against that is gay and in denial."
Filed under: Celebrity Justice, Tila Tequila
Tags: naked, rant, shawne merriman, ShawneMerriman, tila tequila, TilaTequila, ustream
Posted Nov 19th 2009 10:02AM by TMZ Staff
Senator John Kerry's daughter, Alexandra Forbes Kerry, was arrested early this morning on suspicion of DUI ... law enforcement sources tell TMZ.
It went down in Hollywood at 12:40 AM. Alexandra, a 36-year-old film producer and director, was pulled over for a traffic stop, then arrested and booked at LAPD's Hollywood station. She was released at 5:25 AM.
Cops tell us Alexandra violated a traffic law which got their attention. They then conducted a field sobriety test and it appeared she was under the influence of an intoxicant. She was then placed under arrest. At that point, cops asked her to take a preliminary alcohol screening test in the field, but she refused.
Cops took her to the station and then conducted a formal blood alcohol test which showed a level of .06. Under California law, the legal limit is .08, but a driver can still be prosecuted -- even under a .08 reading -- if the vehicle is being operated unsafely due to alcohol.
The inside word -- the L.A. City Attorney probably won't prosecute Alexandra because generally they won't go after people with under a .08 unless the driving is really crazy.
Filed under: Celebrity Justice, Drunks, Politix, Exclusives
