TMZ.com Home

Jesse Palmer is the new permanent host of "The Bachelor" ... replacing Chris Harrison, who was cut loose after his racism scandal.

The move keeps it all in the family, so to speak ... because Jesse's a former 'Bachelor' himself, and now he'll be the face of the ABC franchise for its upcoming 26th season.

Jesse says he's humbled by the opportunity to return to the show as host, and he's looking forward to offering the next 'Bachelor' advice as production is about to begin.

Some of that advice might involve being certain about names of the women in the rose ceremony -- something Jesse learned the hard way in 2005 in one of the show's most infamous moments.

TMZ broke the story ... Chris says he has no hard feelings over his 'Bachelor' exit, telling us he's happy to have his Mondays back and seems at peace with the end of his era.

Chris hosted both shows in the franchise for 2 decades, but he found himself embroiled in scandal this year after he excused historical racism during an interview with ex-'Bachelorette' Rachel Lindsay.

Bill Cosby thinks R. Kelly got a raw deal with a guilty verdict in his federal sex crimes case ... and he's blaming Gloria Allred and systemic racism.

We got Cosby's spokesman, Andrew Wyatt, at Avra in Beverly Hills and asked what his client's reaction was to Kelly's conviction on all 9 counts. He told us Cosby said, "The guy was railroaded."

Naturally, Gloria is drawing most of Cosby and Wyatt's ire ... she represented alleged victims in both Cosby's case and Kelly's, and Andrew says she's running a familiar playbook.

As we reported ... R. Kelly was found guilty Monday on 9 federal counts, including racketeering, sex crimes, kidnapping, obstruction of justice and human trafficking.

While, Kelly's looking at 10 years to life when he gets sentenced in May, Wyatt told us he doesn't think the disgraced singer will actually be sentenced, because an appeals court will overturn the conviction.

He's confident Kelly will walk free one day, just like Cosby, but there's a big difference between their cases.

Cosby's release from prison wasn't about his guilt or innocence -- it happened because the D.A. screwed him on a deal he'd made to avoid prosecution. Far as we know, Kelly didn't have any such deal.

Jon Jones allegedly pulled his fiancee's hair and then headbutted a police car, leaving a dent in the hood and chipping paint, during his Las Vegas arrest early Friday morning, TMZ Sports has learned.

According to a Vegas Metro PD arrest report, cops were called to Caesars Palace around 5:08 AM for a "domestic disturbance" in a hotel room ... involving a white female who was "bleeding from her nose/mouth" and a "black male adult who is a professional MMA fighter."

When police arrived, they spotted Jon walking near the hotel, where they stopped and detained him.

Cops say 34-year-old Jones became "irate and smashed his head onto the front hood of the LVMPD patrol vehicle," leaving a medium-sized dent, as well as chips in the paint.

While handcuffed, police say Jones experienced a wide range of emotions. At one point, cops say he threatened to sue the department for handcuffing him on the biggest night of his life.

FYI, Jones' 2013 fight with Alexander Gustaffson was inducted in the UFC's Hall of Fame only hours before his arrest.

The officers also claim Jon joked about wanting to fight all the cops, to see if he could take them all on at the same time.

Police say they then interviewed the alleged victim, Jon's fiancée, Jesse, and the mother of his 3 kids, who claimed she was asleep when Jones came back to their room after a night out in Vegas with his friends.

Jesse told police "Jon came back and was not very happy." When they asked her if things turned physical, she replied "Umm not too physical but a little bit yeah."

When cops asked what she meant, Jesse said, "he touch the back of my head and pulled my hair a little bit but he did not hit me or anything."

However, cops said they noticed blood on her lip, which was also swollen. Jesse told cops it was because they were dry. Police also say they saw blood on her sweatshirt.

Cops checked Jon and Jesse's hotel room, and say they saw blood on the bedsheets.

When detectives were leaving the scene, they note Jesse was concerned about when Jon would be released from county jail.

As for who called the police, Jesse went down to a security booth to ask for an additional room key around 4:30 AM. A security guard said she saw blood on her person, and asked Jesse if she was okay. The guard claimed Jesse then began to cry and said she was scared to return to her room.

The guard then claims Jesse and Jon's youngest child said "can you call the cops?"

Jones -- who told police he never got physical his fiancée -- was ultimately arrested for misdemeanor domestic battery and felony tampering with a vehicle.

Jon has a court date scheduled next month.

Sen. Ted Cruz is proud to back the #FreeBritney movement, and did so Tuesday on Capitol Hill ... saying there are better options than a conservatorship for Britney Spears, and others in her situation.

The Senator from Texas raised Britney's case in calling for reform on conservatorship law -- and railed against the fact a grown woman "can't make basic decisions about her own life."

Cruz said, "Even though she's a mother, to this day she can't make basic decisions about her own life, her own career, her own health or her own finances." He added, "It seems that at each critical juncture, the legal system has been designed not for her benefit but to trample on her rights."

Cruz's solution? Instead of conservatorships, he'd like to see, among other things, the ability for someone in Britney's position to form a support network of people they know and trust ... and consult this group in the course of making their decisions.

Cruz also went off about allegations Britney was forced to get an IUD to prevent her from having a baby -- a claim she made while testifying back in June. The Senator says, "That is not somebody else's choice to make. That is grotesque."

Many would call that statement about a woman's reproductive rights ironic, at best, and hypocritical at worst ... due to Cruz's support of Texas' new anti-abortion law.

A renowned psychiatrist says he was asked earlier this year to determine if Britney Spears was overmedicated to the point she wasn't lucid ... and he makes an interesting case on how the conservatorship should end ... with one string attached.

Dr. Charles Sophy appeared on "TMZ Live" Tuesday and revealed around 8 or 10 months ago someone on Britney's team approached him to come and evaluate her medication.

Sophy says there was clearly a concern Britney was being excessively pumped full of drugs ... to the point she was not able to clearly speak for herself.

Sophy declined the invite ... because he didn't want to get involved in what he felt was a power struggle over the conservatorship. But, the good doc felt bad for Britney because he says IF she was in fact overmedicated it creates a vicious cycle she can't escape.

Dr. Sophy had an interesting idea ... end the conservatorship but attach one string -- that Britney must check in with the court from time to time to make sure she's taking her meds.  Otherwise, she should be free to live her life on her own terms, without a conservatorship.

Jamie Spears and Britney's lawyer, Mathew Rosengart, have been going at it in legal docs, and Wednesday's hearing promises to be contentious.

R. Kelly being found guilty on all counts in his federal sex crimes trial is something Lizzette Martinez never thought would happen, but after more than 25 years ... she's rejoicing justice has been served.

Lizzette tells TMZ she was overcome with emotion when she heard the singer was found guilty, because she met him when she was 17 ... so she's spent more than half her life dealing with the aftermath of his abuse and the backlash of speaking out against him.

Lizzette says she now feels happiness, not just for herself, but all of the survivors of R. Kelly who've gone through hell. She adds ... the jury's decision finally shows the women Kelly hurt matter more than he does.

Finally, Lizzette believes the outcome for R. Kelly sends a message to society, in general, that this kind of behavior will no longer be tolerated.

As we reported, Kelly was found guilty Monday on 9 federal counts -- including racketeering, sex crimes, human trafficking, obstruction of justice and kidnapping -- and is looking at 10 years to life when he's sentenced in May.

Britney Spears' lawyer has taken off the gloves in his war with Jamie Spears, calling him a "reported alcoholic and gambling addict," and that's just for starters.

Attorney Mathew Rosengart has gone on the attack, after Jamie filed legal docs challenging the person Rosengart has tapped to replace Jamie temporarily as conservator of Britney's estate.

TMZ broke the story, Jamie claimed CPA John Zabel is unqualified to assume that position, but Rosengart's new legal docs refer to Zabel as a "highly-esteemed, nationally-recognized, award-winning CPA with an impeccable record of serving in positions of trust."

Rosengart finds it rich that Jamie is blasting Zabel, saying Jamie has "zero financial background or experience in financial matters, who previously filed for bankruptcy and has a Domestic Violence Restraining Order currently in effect against him."

Rosengart's legal docs challenge Jamie's request for fees for himself and Jamie's lawyers. He calls Jamie incompetent and rails on what he says is "abuse of his daughter (which evidently goes back to her childhood), and the dissipation of Estate assets."

Ex-NBA star Chris Webber is bringing more weed business to his hometown -- by opening a $50 million cannabis facility in Detroit.

Of course, Webber is already in the weed industry -- he launched a $100 million equity fund with JW Asset Management to help minority entrepreneurs in the cannabis industry earlier this year.

Now, he's taking it one step further and building Players Only Holdings -- a 180,000 square foot facility featuring a 60,000 square foot cultivation, a dispensary and a cannabis consumption lounge.

The $50 million dollar location -- that will be owned by Webber and Lavetta Willis -- will also be a training spot that will focus on cannabis cultivation, creative content and management, branding and real estate.

The awesome compound just broke ground on Tuesday and is expected to be finished in March 2022 ... with plans of expanding the cultivation by 80,000 square feet later on.

Webber's also expanding Cookies Campus -- his cannabis training program in California -- to the Motor City ... and the 5-time NBA All-Star is excited to bring this opportunity to his hometown.

"We will create, foster and provide a cannabis ecosystem that celebrates diversity, creates jobs, and benefits this community – focusing intensely on those who are being left behind," Webber said.

Phoebe Bridgers cost a record producer a lot of money by spreading lies about him on social media ... this according to a new, multimillion-dollar lawsuit.

The indie rock singer is being sued by record producer Chris Nelson for defamation, and he claims she seriously hurt his bottom line by falsely accusing him of being a violent abuser.

According to the lawsuit, obtained by TMZ, Nelson claims Phoebe started spreading lies about him on her Instagram page back in October, accusing him of grooming, stealing, violence and abuse, among other things. He claims Bridgers and his then-girlfriend had a consensual sexual relationship dating back to 2018.

In his suit, Nelson says after he broke up with his then-girlfriend, Phoebe and the woman continued their relationship. He claims Phoebe and the ex then started trashing him, saying Phoebe directed her 500,000 followers to his ex's IG page, where the ex accused him of racially motivated violence, hate crimes, fraud, robbery and hacking women's email accounts.

Nelson, who owns the famous Sound Space recording studio in downtown Los Angeles, is going after Phoebe for at least $3.8 million in damages.

Gabby Petito's family is speaking out about her death and the ongoing manhunt for her fiancé, Brian Laundrie ... and they want Brian to turn himself in to law enforcement.

The Petito family and their attorney held a press conference Tuesday in New York, announcing a foundation in her name and calling on Brian to emerge from wherever he is and give himself up.

As we reported ... Dog the Bounty Hunter is hot on Laundrie's trail, alerting cops to a Florida campsite possibly linked to Brian and his parents.

The Petito family are welcoming Dog's help, and asking everyone to help find Brian just like folks helped find Gabby's body.

Laundrie's been missing for weeks and he's officially a wanted man after the feds issued an arrest warrant last week and charged him with unauthorized use of a credit card right around the time Gabby went missing.

There have been a few potential Brian sightings, like the trail cam footage in Florida and doppelganger sighting in Canada ... but so far nothing concrete.

The Petito family isn't expecting any help from the Laundrie family in locating Brian ... saying the Laundries didn't help them find Gabby.

As you know ... Gabby was found dead in Wyoming's Grand Teton National Park earlier this month. Her family held a candlelight vigil this past weekend and also laid her to rest with an emotional funeral service.

Dina Lohan's going to spend some time behind bars ... after copping a plea in her DWI case.

A spokesperson with the Nassau County D.A.'s Office tells TMZ ... Lindsay Lohan's mom pled guilty to operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated and leaving the scene of an incident without reporting it.

We're told Dina will have to spend 18 days in jail and will then be on 5 years probation. She also must participate in a victim impact panel and take part in an alcohol program.

As we reported ... Dina was busted back in January after cops say an outing at Outback Steakhouse ended with her t-boning another car outside the restaurant and leaving the scene.

Cops ultimately tracked her down at her Long Island home ... where cops say she fell on her face and accused the responding officer of pushing her. Cops said they detected a strong odor of booze on her breath and noticed Dina had glassy, bloodshot eyes too.

BTW ... Dina had a prior DWI in 2013 also in Long Island.

LeBron James just confirmed he is, in fact, vaccinated ... but he said he will not urge others to do the same, explaining, "That's not my job."

The NBA superstar broke down his feelings on the COVID vax at Lakers media day Tuesday ... saying to reporters he was initially skeptical of the shots -- but decided to get them after doing his research.

Still, James said he had no interest in pleading with others -- including his NBA peers -- to follow in his footsteps ... believing it's a decision each person must make on their own.

"We're talking about individuals' bodies," LeBron said. "We're not talking about something that's political, or racism, or police brutality. Things of that nature. We're talking about people's bodies and well being."

"So, I don't feel like, for me personally, that I should get involved in what other people should do for their bodies and their livelihoods."

James compared it to giving out job advice -- explaining he would never tell someone how to choose their own career paths.

"You have to do what's best for your family," LeBron said. "So, I know what I did for me and my family. I know some of my friends and what they did for their families."

"But as far as speaking for everybody and their individualities and things that they want to do, I don't feel like that -- that's not my job."

The Playboy Mansion is getting closer to looking like a classic party venue again, instead of the construction zone it's been for 2 years now.

These are some aerial pics showing the insane progress that's taken place at the iconic mansion after its massive facelift. You can see the roofs are no longer covered in plastic, and there are fewer piles of dirt scattered about -- always a positive sign on a construction site.

There's still quite a bit of work to be done, but the huge progress is undeniable. One legendary Mansion landmark is still visible -- the old grotto's still getting renovated. Some of the work includes adding "structural steel mesh" and replacing the walls.

As we reported, the mansion's overhaul was nearing 7-figures back in April 2020, and that was just the tip of the iceberg.

Some of the big-ticket items were the staff area and garage renovations for $400k ... and redoing the basement -- which included expanding the theater, golf simulator area -- cost $125k.

On the eve of Britney Spears' biggest conservatorship hearing, her father is loudly objecting to the guy she wants to replace him -- claiming he lacks the experience and wisdom needed to manage her $60 million fortune.

Jamie Spears has filed docs calling out John Zabel, the certified public accountant Brit and her attorney, Mathew Rosengart, have nominated to become temporary conservator of her estate. Jamie's objection is two-fold, the first part focusing on Zabel's resume.

In the docs, obtained by TMZ, Jamie says the only information Britney's team has provided about Zabel is that he's a CPA with senior "executive experience in finance and in the entertainment industry" -- and that just isn't cutting it for Jamie. He claims just because Zabel is an accountant, it doesn't make him “highly qualified” to be a fiduciary, especially as a conservator.

He goes on to warn that Britney's estate could be at significant risk, because Zabel would have to "hit the ground running" ... but since he lacks experience, he might royally screw it up.

In relation to that lack of experience ... Jamie takes a shot at Zabel for losing $1 million of his own money in a fraudulent real estate investment. It feels like a low bow, but Jamie's point is if he can't do due diligence for his own money, the court shouldn't entrust him with Britney's estate.

The other reason Jamie wants the judge to reject Zabel is ... he believes there's no reason for anyone at all to replace him, because there's no evidence he's done a bad job. As we've reported, Britney and Rosengart strongly disagree with that, and intend to lay out Jamie's alleged on-the-job failings Wednesday in court.

However, Jamie says in the docs, the judge's first order of biz should be dismantling the entire conservatorship, as he and Britney's team -- including her personal conservator, Jodi Montgomery -- have officially requested.

Jamie's logic is clear ... there's no need to name a replacement conservator, IF the judge simply does away with the whole conservatorship. That's a big if, especially because Britney, her father and her attorney want it done without a medical evaluation.