Remember when we told you Cher was secretly planning to attend a taping of "Dancing with the Stars" to support Chaz and Cher's rep SWORE it wasn't true??? Well ...

Cher's rep is taking issue with a TMZ story, in which we said she's going to show up for at least one taping of "Dancing with the Stars" ... but we know that is precisely her plan.

Cher's rep, Liz Rosenberg, is saying Cher supports Chaz but has no plans to be at the show.

But here's the deal -- Cher's friends say that's not what the singer is saying.  Cher says she will indeed be at one of the tapings but doesn't want to make a big spectacle in advance, and that's why she won't say which day she'll show up to support her son.

Cher is saying it's important for her to show up to support Chaz, especially with the criticism over his participation on the show.

Cher will make a surprise appearance on "Dancing with the Stars" to support her son, Chaz Bono ... TMZ has learned.

Sources connected with both Cher and Chaz tell TMZ ... the criticism over a transgender contestant has given Cher even more resolve to stand behind Chaz.

Cher is not saying which day she'll show up, but has made it clear she will be in the audience for at least one show.

And, we're told, Cher's motive is NOT to drive votes for her son -- rather to make a statement of support and a statement against what she considers to be bigotry.

Chaz Bono is opening up about his difficult journey of physically transitioning from a woman to a man -- confessing he remembers virtually nothing from his childhood.



In the documentary "Becoming Chaz" ... Bono talks about the increased sexual appetite he gets from hormone injections.

Chaz nervously admits he doesn't remember anything about the early years ... adding, "I was just thinking about 'The Sonny and Cher Show' ... you're not thinking about reality."

"Nightline" will air clips tonight on ABC ... and the full documentary premieres Tuesday on OWN at 9PM.

Cher just RIPPED Donald Trump in front of 200,000 people -- calling the man a boob-chasing idiot and a "pompous a**hole" ... on her Twitter account.




Cher didn't stop there -- blasting off another tweet immediately after: "Donald Trump ( mr chapter11) is Only a Mean Spirited BAD ACTOR who couldn't find his ass with both hands & a map!"

Cher's attack comes in the wake of Trump taking credit for forcing the White House to release Obama's birth certificate. FYI -- Cher is a very outspoken Obama supporter.

Cher, 64, made sure It was a starry, starry night at the "Burlesque" premiere in Madrid last night ... thanks to a very see thru top.


Christina Aguilera kept things under wraps and just let Cher shine.

Singer/actress/icon Cher, 64, and her birth mother Georgia Holt, 83, shared the spotlight in Hollywood on Thursday.



Question is ...

Living, breathing pop icon Cher, 64, and incessant platinum blonde diva Christina Aguilera, 29, both kept a straight face at the premiere of their new film Showgirls 2 "Burlesque" in L.A. on Monday.


Question is ...

TMZ has learned ... the U.S. Secret Service just closed in on a woman accused of operating a serious credit card scheme ... and many of the alleged victims are major Hollywood mega-stars.


According to an affidavit filed in United States District Court, a witness claims Jennifer Aniston, Cher, Liv Tyler, Melanie Griffith, Anne Hathaway and Scott Speedman were all violated -- or at least their credit cards were -- by a woman who ran a swanky salon in Beverly Hills called the Chez Gabriela Studio.

According to court documents, Maria Gabriella Perez is accused of ripping off the credit card information from her ultra-wealthy clients ... and "fraudulently [charging] approximately $280,000 worth of charges in a one year period."

According to the docs -- Perez swindled $214,000 from Liv Tyler alone.

Perez was arrested on federal fraud charges -- and is due to appear in court in L.A. later today.

UPDATE: Perez had listed some flattering quotes from her famous clients on her website -- including one from Cher that reads, "Gabriela is my favorite ass kicking facialist."

Perez also posted several personally autographed photos of her celeb clients ... including one from Jennifer Aniston that reads, "Dearest Gabby, Thank you for always being so good to me!"

UPDATE #2: According to the documents, Melanie Griffith has already stated that she is willing to "cooperate with an investigation and testify if needed."

UPDATE #3: Cher's rep tells us the icon was not a victim in the alleged scheme -- and does not know why she was named in the affidavit.

Here's baby Gaga pop singer Ke$ha at some event in Tokyo last week (left) -- and pop icon Cher at the Oscars in 1986 (right).



Tik tok, girl.