TMZ has obtained a letter that Melissa Smith -- Jesse James mistress #2 -- faxed to Sandra Bullock's agent on Sunday, apologizing for her alleged affair with Jesse ... and it's pretty audacious.


Smith wrote to Sandra, "I felt I needed to reach out to you and tell you how deeply sorry I am for everything that you've been through."

Smith goes on ... "And I know nothing I can say in this letter is going to make the pain of my actions go away." 

And the mea culpa continues: "... I am sorry for any hurt or pain that I have caused you.  My actions of engaging with a married man are unforgivable.  I never meant you any harm."

Smith continues, "I compromised my beliefs on several occasions and as a result will never forgive myself."

Melissa closes the letter, "Please contact me if you wish to discuss on the phone or in person."

Don't wait by the phone, honey.

One of Lindsay Lohan's former close friends tells TMZ virtually all of her friends have just thrown in the towel.

The ex-pal, who requested anonymity but we know was very close to Lindsay, says, "talking to Lindsay is like talking to a wall -- and if you ever say anything negative to her, she cuts you off."  The friend described her as "a lost cause."

As for getting Lindsay help, the friend says several of Lindsay's buddies have tried reaching out to her mother, Dina -- but mama is in denial.

Michael Lohan tells TMZ tomorrow is D-day for Lindsay Lohan -- either meet with him or he's going to court.  But the meeting now has a curious string attached.


Michael says he's been communicating with Lindsay since he went on TMZ Live last Thursday -- telling her he will not take legal action to protect Ali from Lindsay nor will he go to court for a Britney-like conservatorship IF she sits down with him face-to-face and hashes things out. 

Here's the catch.  On TMZ Live, Michael said he wanted to sit with Lindsay and Ali -- just the three of them ... no one else.  Now he's telling us he wants to sit with Lindsay and his lawyer.  BUZZKILL.

Last Michael told us, he was hiring attorney Lisa Bloom -- a very good, very smart lawyer, and daughter of Gloria Allred.  Lisa also just happens to work for an entertainment TV show.

So why suddenly throw a high-profile lawyer in the middle of a father/daughter heart-to-heart?  And where's Ali Lohan in all of this?

Will Lindsay meet with Michael?  Will Michael go to the L.A. County Department of Children and Family Services to get Ali out of Lindsay's clutches?  Will Michael try and become the 2010 version of Jamie Spears by becoming conservator/father of the year?  Will Michael leave town?  Will Michael go to Hyde tonight?

Stay tuned ...

Kate Gosselin's new TLC show "Kate Plus 8" is all systems go -- because the local Department of Labor says the kiddies have been cleared to continue their careers as reality TV stars.


A rep for the Pennsylvania Dept. of Labor and Industry tells TMZ the correct paperwork for the show was submitted and approved ... and said, "The proper steps have been taken and the kids are permitted for 'Kate Plus 8.'"

But according to the rep, nothing has been submitted for Kate's other TLC spin-off "Twist of Kate" -- which could mean the kiddies may not be joining Kate on that one.

That's probably a good thing ... because 5-year-olds shouldn't have to work two jobs.

Tiger Woods played a round of golf yesterday at the Isleworth Country Club as he gets in shape to play the Quail Hollow Championship in Charlotte, NC next week.


Much like he was at the Masters, Tiger is the betting favorite next week as well.

Lindsay Lohan was axed from a movie because she's not "bankable" -- this according a source connected with the production of the flick.

Lindsay was slated to star in "The Other Side," a movie about a grad student working on a deserted island.

David Michaels, the writer/director, tells TMZ, "Our team simply chose to move on from Lindsay and we'll soon be announcing a replacement."

But sources connected with the film tell us the people financing the film were skittish about relying on Lindsay.

The movie also stars Woody Harrelson, Giovanni Ribisi, Dave Matthews and Alanis Morissette.

And there's this twist ... at one point Brittany Murphy was attached to the movie.

Lindsay's rep had no comment.

BTW -- Lindsay was out at Chateau Marmont and Trousdale last night. Photo of her leaving below. Not too difficult to understand where Mr. Michaels was coming from.

Bret Michaels is awake, in good spirits and talking ... TMZ has learned.

Ambre Lake, the Season 2 winner of "Rock of Love," tells TMZ she's spoken with people who are close to Bret who say he's stabilized and conscious. 

Lake's tale matches another contestant who has also spoken with Bret's bandmates.

We're told the next 24 to 48 hours are critical -- Bret will be closely monitored.

Charlie Sheen's marriage to Brooke Mueller is on life support, but Brooke has not decided to move out of the house or end the marriage ... at least not yet.


"Brooke is absolutely frickin' ballistic that he is seeing this hooker while she is working on the marriage," a source very, very close to the situation tells TMZ.

Photos surfaced last week of Charlie wearing a disguise and allegedly leaving a high-end hooker's apartment, something Charlie's rep denies. 

Several magazines are reporting that Brooke has moved out of the house and the couple is splitting, but we're told that hasn't happened. One source says, "Brooke's stuff is still at the house.  She spent the last two days living at a spa, but she hasn't moved out and she hasn't split with Charlie."

The source adds, "She's absolutely crazed that her children's father would shave his head, put on a disguise, wearing pajama bottoms and come out of a hooker's house so that some day his children will see this."

Brooke is telling people, "I've had it" -- but we're told she had not decided to leave Charlie. They are still talking and texting multiple times a day.

The "Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains" star who was arrested for battery in Louisiana yesterday claims the whole thing is a "misunderstanding" -- and is considering taking legal action against the cops who busted him.

A source close to Russell Hantz tells TMZ the reality star was partying near a bar he owns in Lafayette, LA Friday morning when some random partygoer told cops they saw Hantz push a woman.

We're told the alleged victim was a member of Hantz's party crew and she told cops that Hantz never touched her. But according to our source, cops told Hantz that because they had a witness statement, they were going to arrest him anyway.

We're told Hantz believes the cops mistreated him during the incident -- and now he's considering taking legal action against the arresting officers.

Eddie Murphy's ex-wife is desperately trying to evict Kim Kardashian's ex-husband from her 9,200 sq. foot mega-mansion in Calabasas, CA ... all because the guy is allegedly more than $100,000 behind in rent.



TMZ has obtained eviction papers filed by Nicole Murphy, in which she claims music producer Damon Thomas has been habitually skipping out of his $30,000 monthly rent payment to live in the ultra-exclusive Southern California community where Britney Spears and other stars call home.

According to the docs, filed last week in L.A. County Superior Court, Murphy claims Thomas is behind a grand total of $114,500.

But TMZ spoke with Thomas, who tells us he's actually trying to buy the home -- and the rent dispute is the byproduct of a nasty negotiation.  Thomas also tells us he has since paid his debt to Murphy.

Calls to Murphy's reps were not returned.

Randy Quaid claims the man he trusted as his business manger and lawyer betrayed him by engaging in "gossip mongering."

Quaid and wife Evi filed a lawsuit -- obtained by TMZ -- in which the couple claims they hired Lloyd Braun, who runs an entertainment website that has run stories on the Quaids.

According to the suit, Braun, an attorney, sealed numerous business deals for Randy and became a close friend of the family. 

The suit claims Braun -- in his position at the website -- inappropriately capitalized on his relationship with the Quaids for his own financial benefit by posting photos and information about the couple.

The Quaids are in the middle of a criminal mess after allegedly skipping out on a $10,000 bill at a resort near Santa Barbara.

The Quaids allege Braun also refuses to fully account for the profits from various films and other business deals Braun negotiated on their behalf.

We left messages for Braun. So far, no word.

UPDATE:  Braun's attorney, Patty Glaser, tells TMZ, "The alleged facts are palpably untrue.  Lloyd
Braun hasn't represented these people for more than a decade and the files were turned over to other entertainment lawyers when Lloyd left the practice of law."