9/3/2010 11:57 AM PDT by TMZ Staff
Studies have shown ... workplace romances have a pretty high success rate -- so maybe that's why Jennifer Aniston went on a dinner date with her "Cougar Town" co-star Josh Hopkins last night.

Aniston -- who will be guest starring on "Cougar Town" this season -- was photographed riding shotgun in Hopkins' ride after a romantic chow-fest at Madeo in Hollywood.
Of course, Jen was also reportedly spotted at a one-on-one dinner with Lindsay Lohan's ex-BF Harry Morton earlier this week. So, the question is ... is Jen hungry for a man ... or just hungry?
Filed under: Jennifer Aniston, Josh Hopkins, Paparazzi Photo, Hook Ups, Gossip / Rumors, Developing Stories
9/2/2010 4:30 PM PDT by TMZ Staff
Ellen Pompeo is putting her foot down over a growing Internet con-toe-versy ... claiming a photo that surfaced recently -- which appears to show the actress with 6 toes on each foot -- is totally bogus.

The photo in question (top right) seems to be an optical illusion -- because based on another photo of the same foot (bottom right) Ellen only has five toes.
In fact, one of the Executive Producers on "Grey's Anatomy" -- Shonda Rhimes -- tweeted, "Pompeo and I are still laughing. She says to tell everyone the rumors are wrong -- she has SEVEN toes on each foot!"
Go ahead. Count 'em yourself.
Filed under: Ellen Pompeo, Gossip / Rumors, Paparazzi Photo
9/2/2010 10:40 AM PDT by TMZ Staff
Michael Lohan is trying to put an end to allegations he fathered an illegitimate daughter 15 years ago ... and to clear his name, he's turning to the expert in daddy DNA drama -- Maury Povich.

Sources tell TMZ ... Lohan is currently talking to "Maury" producers about going on the show and taking a paternity test to prove he never impregnated Kristi Kaufmann ... who claims she had an affair with Mike in the '90s.
Lohan tells TMZ Kaufmann has demanded child support in the past ... and even changed the child's birth certificate to bear Michael's last name ... which would make the kid Lindsay adjacent.
Who's your daddy, Michael?
Filed under: Michael Lohan, Maury Povich, TV, Gossip / Rumors
8/31/2010 10:00 AM PDT by Johnny Lopez
Pretending to act somewhat surprised they were being photographed, Spencer Pratt made his way to his "estranged" wife Heidi Montag's villa in Costa Rica yesterday to once again exchange the dogs they have joint custody over.

No word who will retain rights to Spencer's Ewok beard or Heidi's bandaged nose in the divorce.
Filed under: Spencer Pratt, Heidi Montag, Heidi & Spencer, Paparazzi Photo, Pets, Gossip / Rumors
8/23/2010 12:50 AM PDT by TMZ Staff
The Heidi Montag sex tape saga has exposed a glaring hypocrisy in the world of celebrity sex tapes -- straight sex trumps beautiful, innocent, glorious girl-on-girl action.

Sources close to the Heidi sex tape deal tell TMZ ... Vivid Entertainment is only slightly interested in the rumored video with Montag and the Shannon Playmates. They are, we're told, way more interested in the Speidi videos.
We're told Vivid honcho Steve Hirsch is very clear ... the money tape is the one featuring Heidi and Spencer Pratt -- a tape he believes could surpass Kim Kardashian's sex tape in sales.
To sum it up ... video of Spencer Pratt is somehow more appealing than video of naked Playboy Playmate twin sisters. What is this world coming to?!?!?!?
UPDATE: Kristina Shannon tells TMZ she is "100% positive" that she is not in any sort of sex tape with either her twin sister Karissa Shannon or Heidi Montag.
Kristina adds, "I'm saddened by the situation with Heidi and my sister."
Filed under: Heidi Montag, Spencer Pratt, Karissa Shannon, Kristina Shannon, Heidi & Spencer, Gossip / Rumors
8/13/2010 3:30 PM PDT by TMZ Staff
A passenger on Steven Slater's JetBlue flight tells TMZ there was no evidence of any altercation between Slater and a passenger before the now-famous flight attendant got on the loud speaker and then got on the slide.

Gib Mendelson tells TMZ ... he was sitting in the middle of the plane, near an emergency exit. Gib says, "The first indication we had of the issue was his [Steven] coming on to the PA system with his diatribe. I did not see anything that precipitated the meltdown."
Gib adds Slater was in a bad mood during the flight -- "He obviously had a bad day."
As we first reported, authorities have not yet identified the passenger who allegedly went for the overhead bin prematurely and then cussed out Slater. Several people involved in the investigation tell us flatly ... they doubt Slater's story.
Filed under: Steven Slater, Gossip / Rumors
8/13/2010 11:55 AM PDT by TMZ Staff
Fantasia Barrino was spotted outside her North Carolina home yesterday -- alongside the married man who she allegedly had an "adulterous affair" with ... but the two weren't alone.

The two reconnected just one day after Fantasia was released from the hospital ... following an aspirin overdose.

But here's the rub -- the emotional rendezvous was all caught on tape by a camera crew that was clearly working with Fantasia and Antwaun Cook ... possibly for her reality show.
Filed under: Fantasia Barrino, TV, Developing Stories, Antwaun Cook, Gossip / Rumors, Paparazzi Photo

8/13/2010 9:25 AM PDT by TMZ Staff
Steven Slater may have made up the whole story about a passenger attacking him on the JetBlue flight ... this according to sources involved in the investigation.

Sources are telling us investigators still have not identified the elusive female passenger who allegedly went off on Slater ... curious to say the least.
We're told the airline and Port Authority investigators are not at all convinced the incident ever occurred. As one source connected with the investigation put it, "Crazier things have happened."
One source familiar with the situation tells TMZ investigators think some of Slater's story just doesn't track.
Slater's lawyer could not be reached for comment.
Filed under: Steven Slater, Celebrity Justice, Gossip / Rumors
8/11/2010 6:28 AM PDT by TMZ Staff
There's a photo making the rounds this morning featuring Jesse James hanging out with a woman said to be Sandra Bullock on Monday ... but TMZ has learned, it definitely ain't Sandy.

The photo in question shows Jesse walking into West Coast Choppers with a mystery brunette lady ... but the photo only shows the couple from behind -- meaning NO FACES.
But sources at WCC tell TMZ that Sandra has not been around the shop for a long while ... and she definitely wasn't there on Monday.
So who's the mystery woman??? Sources at WCC tell us she's Hildie Katibah
(pictured above) ... the head of Pay Up Sucker Productions ... which is affiliated with Jesse's bike business.
So, sorry to all those people rooting for a reunion, but it hasn't happened ... yet.
Filed under: Jesse James, Sandra Bullock, Hildie Katibah, Paparazzi Photo, Gossip / Rumors
8/9/2010 1:55 PM PDT by TMZ Staff
Fantasia Barrino says she is "not responsible" for breaking up a marriage ... despite allegations from a North Carolina woman named Paula Cook who claims Fantasia made sex tapes with her husband.

Fantasia's manager, Brian Dickens, just released a statement saying the former "American Idol" champ is "certain that she is not responsible for the deterioration of the Cook's marriage."
The statement goes on to say, "Fantasia will weather this storm with the dignity and grace that she has exemplified throughout a life in which she has repeatedly overcome obstacles and challenges.
Fantasia's faith in God, herself and family remain as strong as ever."
As we previously reported, Paula Cook just filed for divorce from her husband Antwaun. In the court docs, Paula accused the guy of having a "covert adulterous affair" with Barrino ... and believes they "recorded their illicit activity."
UPDATE: Fantasia's lawyer, Gena Morris, is officially on the attack -- telling TMZ, "Mrs. Cook gratuitously included claims about Fantasia to sensationalize that litigation and to insure that her tale would be picked up by tabloids."
Morris added, "The fact that she would seek such publicity in a case involving her children is particularly disgraceful.”
Filed under: Fantasia Barrino, Gossip / Rumors, American Idol
8/7/2010 11:32 AM PDT by TMZ Staff
Court documents filed this week by a woman in North Carolina allege her husband had an affair with former "American Idol" champ Fantasia Barrino -- and that the two made a sex tape.

According to docs obtained by WCNC, Paula Cook filed for child support against her estranged husband Antwaun Cook last week and cited an alleged affair between Cook and Barrino. She claims the two met at a T-Mobile store and, beginning in August 2009, began their "covert adulterous affair."
Cook goes on to claim, "Throughout the course of their adulterous affair ... Defendant/Husband and Ms. Barrino have at times recorded their illicit activity."
Rumors of an affair between Barrino and Cook have been around for months -- and Barrino has always denied them.
Calls to Fantasia's management were not immediately returned.
Filed under: Fantasia Barrino, American Idol, Developing Stories, Gossip / Rumors