After selling their old mega-compound to Ryan Seacrest for $49 million, Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi are really downsizing ... into a cozy $18 million mid-century modern Beverly Hills estate.

In their new "modest" digs, Ellen & Portia will have to find a way to make due with 8,500 square feet featuring 4 bedrooms, 6 baths, a commercial kitchen, several patios and only one rectilinear swimming pool, according to The Real Estalker.

While their new crib is still ridiculously awesome -- the place has a tree in the middle of the living room --  the ladies will be packed in like A-list sardines compared to the 9,200 square foot mansion, 3 guest houses and 2.7 acres they just sold to the "American Idol" host.

Times are tough for everyone in this economy ... except Ryan Seacrest.

It's official ... Ryan Seacrest is the owner of Ellen DeGeneres' epic, Beverly Hills estate. 

We've learned title was officially transferred to Ryan on Wednesday.  

We have now learned exactly what Ryan paid for the property. Ellen listed it at $49 million, and although one of our sources told us Ryan paid close to the asking price, we have now confirmed Ryan paid just under $39 mil. 

We broke the story Ryan snagged the estate, which covers a city block and is just shy of 3 acres.  In addition to the 9,200 square foot main house, there are 3 other houses on the property.  The gym is the size of a large health club.

As for Ellen, she bought the main house from "Will and Grace" producer Max Mutchnick for $29 mil and then purchased the surrounding properties.  Bottom line ... we're told Ellen lost money on the deal, but given the real estate slump, she still did ok.

Forbes says Ryan raked in $59 mil last year, so he can afford it.

Ryan Seacrest has snagged Ellen DeGeneres' amazing Beverly Hills estate, which was listed for a cool $49 million, and he paid close to the asking price ... TMZ has learned.

Seacrest, who is reportedly worth $125 million and rakes in $45 million a year (these reports are sometimes off -- he probably makes more) ... will be the proud owner of the 9,200 square foot main house, 3 guest houses, and a couple of cement ponds. The estate sits on 2.87 acres -- for Bev Hills, that's huge. It basically covers an entire block.

Our sources say Ryan is paying within a couple of million dollars of the asking price. The deal is in escrow and it will close this week.

One realtor -- Kurt Rappaport -- repped both Ryan and Ellen in the deal ... nice commission.

The house was formerly owned by Max Mutchnick, co-creator of "Will and Grace." Ellen paid $29 mil, but then purchased the adjacent properties.

It pays to have 20 jobs.

A very sick Ryan Seacrest made it through "American Idol" last night, but in the process he may have infected every single person who shares the stage with him.

We broke the story -- Ryan came close to bailing on the show. He had a terrible stomach virus, was throwing up the night before and all day yesterday, and went through 2 IV bags in a matter of hours. He didn't make it to the rehearsal and Nigel Lythgoe was ready to step in.

Take a look at the video. He hugs and kisses Jennifer Lopez, hugs Randy Jackson and Steven Tyler, puts his arm around Jessica and shakes her hand, puts his arm around Skylar, shakes Joshua's hand twice, puts his arm around Phillip and does the same with Hollie.


If only Rene Russo were in the audience ...

4:50 PM PDT -- Sources tell TMZ ... Ryan is going to go for it ... although they will have puke buckets on the stage ... just in case he loses it.


Ryan Seacrest feels like crap ... so much so he missed the rehearsal for "American Idol" tonight, and sources connected with the production of the show tell TMZ ... Ryan may be MIA for the first time in the 11-season run of the show.

We're told Executive Producer Nigel Lythgoe stepped in for Ryan during the dress rehearsal this afternoon.

Sources say Ryan had an IV in his arm, and is fighting "a bad stomach bug." We're told he was throwing up all last night and today.

Ryan was not at the rehearsal and it's unclear if he'll do the show. If he doesn't, Nigel is ready to step in.

As for whether Ryan decides to take the stage ... let's just say one of the songs on  the show tonight is Queen's "The Show Must Go On."

Still, Nigel tells TMZ, "I'm sending my rehearsal tape to "X-Factor." I could be the next Steve Jones. Not as handsome but just as good. Literally!"

Pitbull is invoking the little known 'Seacrest Defense' in his legal battle with Lindsay Lohan -- claiming in new docs that if Ryan Seacrest didn't sue him for mentioning him in a song ... LiLo shouldn't either!

As TMZ first reported, Lindsay is suing Pitbull (along with Ne-Yo and Afrojack) for namedropping her in the song "Give Me Everything." She claims the lyric –– "I got it locked up like Lindsay Lohan" -- caused her "irreparable harm."

In legal docs filed this week in New York, Pitbull responded to the suit and pointed out that he rapped about Seacrest in the same song -- and noted Ryan not only didn't sue, but Pitbull performed the song as part of a New Year's Eve show ... hosted by Seacrest!

Translation -- Seacrest has a sense of humor, Lindsay does not.

Pitbull also cited the lesser known First Amendement in his bid to get the case dismissed. 

A judge has yet to rule.

Screw the brutal, face-smashing beating in 2009 ... Chris Brown is the HOTTEST R&B artist out right now -- which is why Rihanna says she reached out to CB to collaborate on two new songs.

Rihanna called Ryan Seacrest this morning on KIIS FM, explaining her choice to record two duets with the man who brutalized her three years ago -- "I reached out to him about doing ‘Birthday Cake’ because that’s the only person that really -- it made sense to do the record. Just as a musician -- despite everything else -- that was going to be the person."

She said, "I thought about rappers, and I’ve done that so many times, and the hottest R&B artist out right now is Chris Brown. So I wanted him on the track."

It's not personal ... it's business ... right? 

A Persian woman who filed a lawsuit, claiming she was forced against her will to play the role of a bad girl on the new show "Shahs of Sunset" has settled her beef -- but we've learned she's walking away with a big fat nothing.

Sources connected with the dispute tell TMZ ... under the terms of the confidential settlement, producers have agreed to cut Kathy Salem out of the premiere episode of the Ryan Seacrest-produced show, which airs Sunday on Bravo.

According to the suit, Kathy claims she was verbally abused at a fancy Hollywood Hills party and then attacked by a gaggle of Persians, one of whom tried to rip her top off.

But here's the deal ... We're told producers didn't like her storyline anyway, so she wasn't going to make the cut.  We beg to differ -- the storyline sounds kind of awesome to us.

And, we're told, Kathy got zilch by way of money.

As for the show, we hear it's epic.

Sacha Baron Cohen took shameless promotion to a whole other level on the red carpet of the Oscars tonight -- not only did he show up dressed as his character from the upcoming movie "The Dictator" ... but he spilled an urn filled with fake ashes of Kim Jong Il all over Ryan Seacrest on live television.

Props to Seacrest though ... as he always does, Ryan took the whole thing in stride. 

Ryan Seacrest devoured 100+ buffalo wings while watching football?!! Harvey believes ... while others aren't convinced, but just in case -- Ryan's off our Super Bowl party invite list.

"American Idol" reject Shaun Kraisman's pro singing career might be off the table -- but TMZ has learned, he already has a potentially lucrative back-up plan ... impersonating Ryan Seacrest for a living.

You probably recognize him -- he's the guy from Wednesday night's episode who's a dead ringer for the "Idol" host ... right down to the way he talks. It's scary.



Shaun didn't make it to Hollywood (his audition was ... less than stellar) ... but he's unfazed -- telling us, he got such a positive reaction from his Ryan Seacrest impression on Wednesday night's show, he has decided to pursue a career as a Seacrest impersonator.

Shaun tells us, he has already booked a gig with a local radio station to do his Ryan act -- and is currently reaching out to as many people as possible to get his new career off the ground ... friends, managers, agents.

His ultimate goal -- Shaun says he wants to host parties, shows, you name it ... all doing the Seacrest thing. Way to aim high.