Chris Brown and Rihanna are dangerously close to getting back together, sources close to the ex-couple tell TMZ -- but the singers' friends are desperately trying to keep them apart .. for their own good.
According to sources, Rihanna is still head over heels for Chris -- despite that fateful night 3 years ago when he brutalized her -- and if it weren't for the media and her fans, she would already have taken him back.
We're told Chris also has extremely strong feelings for Rihanna -- current girlfriend be damned.
Now, sources tell us, Rihanna and Chris' friends are terrified they'll get back together -- and they're doing everything they can to prevent a possible reunion.
According to sources, friends on BOTH sides have expressed extremely strong reservations to Ri and CB about spending so much time together ... warning it's a terrible idea ... personally AND professionally.
Buffalo Bills linebacker Shawne Merriman came face to face with police in Vegas this morning ... after a friend alerted hotel security that the NFL star may have harmed himself ... but it turned out to be a case of a simple over-reaction.
Law enforcement sources tell us ... officers were dispatched to Merriman's room at the Cosmopolitan Hotel after the friend claimed he had received startling text messages from Shawne ... which made the friend fear for Shawne's safety.
But when cops arrived to the room ... we're told they talked things out with Shawne and quickly concluded he did not pose a threat to himself or others.
Sources tell us Merriman also denied sending any texts about harming himself.
We spoke with Shawne's rep ... who told us, "It was an over-reaction on the part of whoever called. Shawne was fine."
The rep adds, "He had taken some cold medicine and was having breathing issues ... Shawne's physical safety was never in jeopardy."
Daniel von Bargen -- who played Mr. Kruger in "Seinfeld" -- is clinging to life in an Ohio hospital after shooting himself in the head Monday morning in a failed suicide attempt ... and TMZ has the horrifying 911 tape in which he calls for help.
Daniel tells the 911 operator, "I've shot myself in the head ... and I need help."
The operator asks if it was an accident -- Daniel replies, "I was supposed to go to the hospital and I didn't want to." Daniel says he's diabetic, explaining, "They were supposed to amputate at least a few toes."
The operator asks where the gunshot wound is -- Daniel replies, "I shot in my temple."
Law enforcement officials confirm they were dispatched to von Bargen's Cincinnati apartment complex a short time later -- and when they arrived, you can hear them on the 911 tape ... yelling at Daniel to keep his hands where they could see them.
Von Bargen -- who also played Chief Grady in "Super Troopers" -- was transported to a nearby hospital where he is currently in critical condition.
During the call, Daniel goes into even more graphic detail about his condition. Listen at your own discretion.
Pilar Sanders says her estranged husband Deion and his daughter Deiondra mind-tricked her into believing she really is a "worthless, gold diggin' ho" ... so she's suing them both for $200 MILLION.
The suit was clearly triggered by Deiondra's Twitter rant earlier this month ... in which she trashed Pilar as a "gold diggin' h*e" ... and publicly accused her of cheating on Deion.
In her lawsuit, Pilar claims Deiondra and Deion have been attacking her with various "emotional weapons" for years ... including dominance, humiliation, isolation, threats, intimidation, denial and blame.
Pilar claims the Twitter rant was just another example of the humiliation she was forced to endure during the marriage ... adding, "[Deion and Deiondra] even persuaded [Pilar] that she was and is worthless, a 'gold diggin' ho, and that no one else would want her."
Pilar also claims the two would intimidate her by leaving various weapons on display around the house and "hurting pets."
The details of the alleged animal abuse are not explained in the suit.
Pilar is demanding $150 MILLION in punitive damages and $50 mil in actual damages. Her attorney Larry Friedman tells TMZ Pilar also wants a public apology -- and adds ... she "passed a polygraph test confirming" she didn't cheat on Deion.
Meanwhile, the divorce proceedings are still underway.
Deion's lawyer Jody Johnson says Pilar's suit is bogus -- and added, "Continued efforts to extort money and negatively impact the children will not be rewarded by Mr. Sanders." She also says Deion is looking forward to a "quick and private resolution of the divorce."
There's a big, fat problem on the set of "TheBiggest Loser" -- TMZ has learned nearly all of the remaining contestants have walked off the show and are threatening to quit after learning about a secret "twist" that could seriously affect their shot at the $250,000 grand prize.
Multiple sources connected with the show tell us ... the mutiny took place this week ... when the losers got word that producers were considering bringing back previous contestants to compete for the grand prize.
We're told most of the current contestants were pissed -- feeling it was unfair that prior losers would get a second bite at the apple ... so they banded together and decided to protest by walking off the show in the middle of shooting an episode.
Sources tell us ... show honchos have shut down production for at least a week while they figure out how to handle the situation.
Carrot Top is sick of being compared to a ginger Arnold Schwarzenegger ... telling TMZ he's dropped 30 pounds in an effort to return to physical normalcy.
C.T. was at Boa in Hollywood last night ... when he told us he's given up weight lifting for the time being to focus on cardio so he can shed the diesel muscle mass.
When asked if he was sick of being buff, Mr. Top replied, "It didn't fit my style."
FYI -- here's Carrot back in 2008 (below) ... so ... yeah, we approve of the new look.
Judge Stephanie Sautner's zero-tolerance, no-BS attitude saved Lindsay Lohan's career -- at least that's what the actress is telling friends.
Sources close to Lindsay tell TMZ, LiLo wasn't a big fan of Sautner in the beginning -- but she now realizes that without Sautner laying out a blueprint for success ... she never would've gotten her act together.
We know ... the judge met with the prosecutor and Lindsay's lawyer, Shawn Holley, before LiLo was sentenced and decided it was unwise to do what the other judges had ordered -- requiring Lindsay to perform hundreds of hours of community service within a year.
The judge and Holley realized Lindsay needed more rigid structure -- each month she'd be required to come to court and show she's completed the latest installment of community service, and if she didn't she was going directly to jail.
It worked.
What's more ... Lindsay actually gets it and realizes the only reason new opportunities have surfaced -- including "Saturday Night Live" and a new Liz Taylor movie -- is because producers are watching and think she's turned it around.
Lindsay is in court today at 10 AM PT. We're told she performed her latest installment of community service at the morgue and she'll get another glowing review from Judge Sautner.
Bam Margera spent Fat Monday in the custody of the New Orleans Police Department ... after the "Jackass" star got arrested for getting a little too crazy during a Mardi Gras party.
TMZ obtained photos of Bam being escorted into a police station Monday after he was detained by 3 officers in the French Quarter.
We reached out to Bam and asked if he was officially arrested ... and he replied, "Yeah, I was swimming in a pool with my clothes on at Mardi Gras."
He added, "Not really a good story ... but that's what happened."
Sources tell us Bam was soaking wet when he was taken into custody ... and was handcuffed at the scene.
Bam has since been released -- so far, it's unclear if he was charged with a crime.
Rapper Fabolous got a record number of people wasted last weekend in Atlanta -- dropping $45,000 on 120 BOTTLES of champagne at a nightclub ... and it was all a favor for his good friend.
Sources tell TMZ, Fab bought the bottles of Rosé Moët as a present for his buddy -- who was celebrating his birthday at Club Compound in Atlanta last Saturday.
The bottles were delivered in a golden bath-shaped litter by club personnel -- you know, that wheelless carriage thing royalty travels in ... usually carried on the shoulders of their half-naked royal subjects.
According to sources, Fab was hosting the event -- and decided to show everyone in the club a good time by comping the endless flow of booze.
Paula Abdul just learned a valuable lesson in court ... don't let random women slip and fall in your driveway -- because it could cost you $900,000.
TMZ broke the story ... a woman named Jill Kohlsued Abdul back in 2009 -- claiming she took a nasty fall in Paula's driveway, during a taping of the former "American Idol" judge's reality show "Hey Paula" ... and it paid off ... big time.
Jill's lawyer Robert Rodriguez Clayton tells TMZ, Paula has agreed to cough up $900,000 in damages over the incident as part of a settlement.
But Jill didn't just sue Paula -- she also went after the production company behind the reality show, which, Clayton tells us, has since agreed to pay up $100,000.
In total, Jill's making off with a cool $1 million.
Aubrey O'Day's big mouth has landed her in hot water again ... only this time it's not because of what she said ... it's what she sang.
The "Celebrity Apprentice" contestant is being sued over a segment in the finale of her Oxygen reality show, "All About Aubrey" ... in which she sings on top of a track produced by her friend Adonis Shropshire.
Here's the rub -- according to the suit, Adonis created that particular beat for ANOTHER artist and didn't have the right to pass it on to Aubrey.
Now, the company that claims it owns the beat is suing Aubrey, Oxygen and Adonis ... alleging they all contributed to the alleged beat jackery.
The company is suing for unspecified damages -- and an order preventing Aubrey from performing the song ever again.
Bam Margera spent Fat Monday in the custody of the New Orleans Police Department ... after the "Jackass" star got arrested for getting a little too crazy during a Mardi Gras party. 
