Kathie Lee Gifford says there will be a "revolt" at NBC if the powers that be allow Matt Lauer to leave the "Today" show, telling TMZ ... she'll do whatever it takes to keep him around.

Kathie Lee was leaving Rockefeller Center in NYC Monday morning when she made it clear -- she thinks Matt has been unfairly demonized in the media in the wake of Ann Curry's firing.

Kathie tells us, she wanted to buy a full page ad in an NYC newspaper defending her longtime co-worker, but Matt talked her out of it.

Bottom line, if Lauer ever gets ousted ... Kathie no happy.

The Mighty Morphin Power Rangers reunion was BOTCHED … producers offered insulting money for a lame cameo and were impersonal JERKS about the whole thing … so says Karan Ashley, the 2nd yellow ranger -- who’s also declining to attend.

Ashley ranted for 45 minutes Thursday on the audio blog Uncensored Radio about how poorly the 20-year reunion effort was handled. Her chief beef ... participating would burn 5 days from her schedule ... but she claims producers only offered to pay for 2.

“I’m not trying to help someone make another billion dollars,” she says, “and you’re not even going to pay me for my time? It’s disrespectful. It’s just wrong.”

As TMZ previously reported … original Blue Power Ranger David Yost says he declined because producers harassed him for being gay … and original Black Power Ranger Walter Jones followed suit in support of his friend.

Ashley says a couple of those producers are still there ... and their outreach was pathetic. Instead of inviting all 10 ranger actors personally, she says, producers sent a typo-infested mass email -- offering nothing more than a cameo -- then didn’t respond for WEEKS to those who expressed interest.

What’s WORSE … Ashley says producers later UNINVITED certain cast members who were excited to take part, citing “budgetary reasons.”

We reached out to the Power Rangers people -- so far, no word back.

We already love Mariann Gavelo's redonkulous ass -- and now we love it even more -- because the smokin' hot actress tells TMZ her dumps like a truck are 100% real ... and getting bigger every day.

It was a moment for the history books ... Mariann displayed her booty at the Maxim Hot 100 party this week, but it was so spectacular ... an argument erupted in our newsroom: COULD IT BE REAL?

Mariann -- who's appeared in "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" and "Casa De Mi Padre" -- tells TMZ those cheeks aren't fake. She says, "My bottom is real ... Real!!!"

She explains, "I used large diapers as a kid. Seriously, the older I get, the bigger it gets." Hooray!

As for people (like us) who only comment on her curves, Mariann has a little message ..."Don't you like my face too?"

Um ... yes. yes. yes. yes. yes.

"The Partridge Family" star David Cassidy is learning the hard way ... it's never a good idea to stiff your lawyers, no matter how dreamy you are (allegedly) ... because they'll sue your bell-bottom pants off.

David -- aka the Justin Bieber of his day -- is being sued by Rodier & Rodier law firm, which claims David racked up $134,221.50 worth of legal bills from 2006 to 2011 ... but never fully paid them off.

In fact, the lawyers say the former teen idol has only coughed up $25,000 to date -- and now they're asking the court to force David to fork over the remaining $109,221.50 ... plus interest.

A rep for David tells TMZ ... "There seems to have been a misunderstanding between them which I believe will be amicably resolved."

We're guessing with a check.

"Modern Family" star Ariel Winter is throwing DISS after DISS at her birth mom ... making it clear, she wants NOTHING to do with her biological life-giver ever again.

As you know, 15-year-old Ariel has been at war with Chrystal Workman for the past year -- and even got a judge to strip her mother of custody in 2012 after claiming she was subjected to emotional abuse.

Now, Ariel is pouring salt in the wound -- by making public statements in which she makes it clear, her mother is dead to her ... and her older sister Shanelle has filled the emotional void.

When asked about her family yesterday, Winter told People.com, "My sister is the most amazing woman I've ever met in my life. If I could be half the woman she is ... she's kind of who I want to be like."

Did you catch the thinly veiled dig at her mom? If not, check out what she Instagrammed on Mother's Day:

"Happy Mother's Day to my amazing mister, Shanelle Gray. I know everyone is going to ask what a mister is, so I'll explain. It means mom/sister to me."

She continued, "She's my best friend ... She's also the most incredible mother. I am so blessed and lucky to have her."

Translation -- Ariel's over Chrystal ... and from what we're told, she has good reason. How's THAT for a modern family?

 

David Benioff is one sick bastard ... 'cause the "Game of Thrones" co-creator tells TMZ he was actually LOOKING FORWARD to shooting the Bobbitt-ing of Theon Greyjoy scene for "quite some time."

Benioff -- who runs "G.o.T." along with D.B. Weiss -- was leaving the gym in L.A. yesterday when we asked ... as a man, how difficult was it to produce that crazy brutal de-penising scene??

We also asked if the torture will ever stop -- and while Benioff wouldn't give a definitive answer, he did give us this:

"All I can say is ... we love Alfie [the actor who plays Theon] but we also enjoy torturing him."

One more fun fact -- apparently there's a casting director who gets to screen all the naked extras for the show. Ya gotta hear our photog beg David for a job as her assistant.

Pretty funny.

Angela Kinsey's career on "The Office" might be over, but she'll always have her favorite "Office" memory -- one that includes Jews and Jamaica.

Kinsey was leaving the WME agency building in Bev Hills last night -- along with her "Office" co-star Craig Robinson ... when Angela revealed her favorite moment in the show's history.

We did some digging and actually found the clip -- THEY WERE SO YOUNG!!! (And also, we almost forgot Steve Carell was on the show!)

R.I.P. Dunder Mifflin.

Wade Robson just said on TV ... he never forgot what Michael Jackson did to him -- he just didn't know it was wrong until recently ... but Wade's testimony in 2005 suggests if he didn't forget, he might have been lying.

Robson said on "Today" Michael performed sexual acts on him and vice versa when he was a child.

Wade told Matt Lauer on "Today," "I've never forgot one moment of what Michael did to me but I was psychologically and emotionally completely unable and unwilling to understand that it was sexual abuse."

But we've looked at the trial transcript from the 2005 molestation case, and Wade was asked very specific questions about the physical contact he had with MJ.

Prosecutor Ron Zonen grilled Robson on cross examination and asked very specific questions:

--    Zonen:  Mr. Jackson would periodically kiss you.
--    Robson:  No   
--    Zonen:  Periodically hug you?
--    Robson:  Yes
--    Zonen:  Touch you?
--   Robson:  Hug me.
--   Zonen:  Did he ever kiss your lips
--   Robson:  No
--   Zonen:  On occasions you stayed in bed with Mr. Jackson would you ever cuddle in bed?
--   Robson:  No
--   Zonen: Would you lie next to one another?
--   Robson: No
--   Zonen: Would you touch?
--   Robson:  No

Short story ... Robson says he "never forgot" anything Michael did to him ... he just didn't know it was wrong.  So if he never forgot, did he lie on the stand or is he making it up now?  Fair question.

The Power Rangers reunion gets less mighty by the day ... now it's the BLACK Power Ranger who says he won't go-go ... in part out of respect for the Blue Ranger's beef with producers.

As TMZ previously reported ... Blue Power Ranger David Yost declined an invitation to reunite the original cast, saying the producers harassed him for being gay when he was on the show from 1993-1996.

Now original Black Power Ranger Walter Jones tells TMZ he was treated pretty badly, too ... and he's following his friend's lead.

"I'm very sorry to disappoint the fans as I would have loved to be a part of it," Jones tells TMZ. "David, who I still keep in touch with regularly, is a very great guy and it would have been fun to work together again on something we helped originate."

But sources close to the situation tell TMZ the alleged abuse isn't the only factor ... that both Yost and Jones are holding out in part because the show isn't offering enough money to make up for the way producers treated them.

For those keeping score at home, the reunion of the original cast is dwindling fast ...

Green Ranger: IN ... Jason David Frank ... aspiring MMA fighter confirmed he'll attend.
Red Ranger: MAYBE? ... Austin St. John ... went on to be an EMT/firefighter in WDC.
Pink Ranger: MAYBE? ... Amy Jo Johnson ... still a working actress.
Blue Ranger: OUT ... David Yost ... says producers were homophobic bullies.
Black Ranger: OUT ... Walter Jones ... says he was abused ... and is supporting Yost.
Yellow Ranger: OUT ... Thuy Trang ... died in a car accident in 2001.

Go Go ... SCREW YOURSELVES -- that's the message the Blue Power Ranger sent to producers who asked him to participate in a reunion episode, claiming he's still pissed about the homophobic "abuse" he endured back in the day.

David Yost -- an openly gay actor who was on the show from 1993 to 1996 -- says he was contacted to appear on an episode of "Power Rangers Megaforce" ... along with other members of the original cast.

But Yost kicked the offer to the curb like it was a member of the Putty Patrol -- explaining on Twitter that he's "Done with abusive relationships."

As TMZ previously reported, Yost had major beef with "Rangers" brass back in the day, claiming he quit the show after years of negative abuse. Specifically he says producers called him the F-word.

The company behind "Rangers" never officially responded to Yost's allegations -- but one producer told us Yost had always been a "pain in the ass" on the set.

This just in ... CONNIE CHUNG JUST POPPED OUT OF A CAKE!

OK, so it wasn't the traditional "chick in a bikini" jumping out of a cake ... but still pretty fun to watch.

It all went down during a taping of the 2,500th episode of the "Maury" show -- airing on Friday -- when Connie decided to surprise her husband in front of a live audience.

Povich was genuinely excited by Connie's surprise -- but dude had nothin' on the "You're Not the Father" guy. Watch ...