Kathie Lee Gifford is saying sayonara to the "Today" show ... after she reaches the 11-year mark.

Kathie Lee unveiled her play Tuesday on the show, and she and her co-host, Hoda Kotb, immediately dissolved into tears.

Kathie didn't say why she's leaving, but it's gotta be a blow to NBC. The 10 AM hour of "Today" was one of the most profitable shows for the network. It was doing consistently well, although it suffered a drop in rating during the Megyn Kelly tenure.

It's pretty remarkable ... Kathie was a phenom with Regis Philbin on their morning show, "Live with Regis and Kathie Lee." After leaving that show in 2000, she took a break. It's almost impossible to recreate magic in a bottle, and there were doubters when she went to "Today," but she proved them wrong ... really wrong.

Her last day will be her 11-year anniversary on April 7, 2019 -- and she is leaving to pursue music, movie and TV opportunities.

Kathie started her career as the "singing girl" on "Name that Tune" in 1977.

Nicki Minaj has a long history with her new boyfriend, because she first fell for him when she was a teenager -- and she feels he's changed since his checkered past. 

Sources close to Nicki tell TMZ ... her first relationship with Kenneth Petty happened when she was a 16-year-old living in Queens, and she calls him one of her first loves. As they say, what's old is new again ... she's been showing him off in pics from a romantic getaway for her 36th birthday.  

We're told Nicki understands Kenneth has a troubled past -- he's a registered sex offender convicted of attempted rape -- but she's confident he's matured since his time in NY state prison in the late 1990s. Nicki believes in second chances and has faith he'll be good to her.

As we reported ... Petty was convicted of first-degree attempted rape in April 1995, when he and his victim were both 16. Sources close to Nicki say the full context of the crime is Kenneth was dating the victim -- and her mother filed the charges because she didn't approve of him. 

Our sources say Nicki and Kenneth still have great chemistry, despite all the years between their relationships. We're told she was very stressed out before they got back together, but she's much happier since rekindling their romance.

We're told Kenneth's been treating her like a queen, and even planned the birthday trip. We're told Nicki's friends haven't seen her this happy with anyone in years.

Imitation is NOT a form of flattery when it comes to these wax creations, allegedly depicting Meghan Markle and Prince Harry. 

The fake Duke and Duchess of Sussex were unveiled Tuesday at Madame Tussauds in Berlin. You're not looking at wax statues -- those are real people wearing wax masks. Kinda like they do in 'Mission Impossible' ... except these are deeply disturbing and inaccurate.

The couple's been roaming the streets of an outdoor Christmas market -- 'cause nothing puts you in the holiday spirit like the sight of creepy, unblinking royals. As you know, Harry and Meghan are actually very attractive people ... so, we can't figure out how the masks got so screwed up.

Maybe Madame Tussauds hired Cristiano Ronaldo's infamous sculptor?

Anyway, check out the video of Meghan and Harry waxing 'round town ... and good luck getting 'em out of your nightmares. 

The campus of Cal State Northridge is bracing for the worst after a 2nd eerily specific threat of a mass shooting on December 12.

The latest threat was a menacing letter found Monday night in Sierra Hall of the SoCal campus. The letter says, "I'm killing as many motherf***ers as I possibly can." It specifically targets teachers and professors "for making students depressed and giving us bulls**t work."

The writer also claims to have co-conspirators who will open fire that same day at nearby Northridge Academy High School.

Last week there was graffiti found in the same building -- a swastika and the words, "Mass shooting in Sierra Hall 12/12/18" were scrawled on a wall. Additionally, a bunch of swastikas and the Dec. 12 date were found in multiple campus buildings ... with no specific threat.

CSUN administrators say the campus will be open Wednesday, but with increased police presence.

Last month's mass shooting at Borderline Bar and Grill in Thousand Oaks is just 20 miles west of CSUN.

12/11 2:00 AM PT -- The judge issued the TRO. Courtney's lawyer, Howard King, tells TMZ, "The escalating verbal harassment and threats of Sam Lutfi left no choice to Courtney and her family but to seek protection. The Cobains are grateful for the anti-harassment order issued by the Los Angeles Superior Court against Mr. Lutfi and the powers it provides law enforcement to assure that Mr. Lutfi terminates all contact with the family."  

Courtney Love has broken in a big way with her ex-manager, Sam Lutfi, and she's just filed to get a restraining order because she says he's harassing her and her family unrelentingly.

We've learned Courtney has just filed legal docs saying Lutfi has been demanding money from her for services he says he rendered ... and he is now so pissed off he's incessantly harassing her with emails, texts and phone calls.

Courtney also wants the judge to prohibit Lutfi from harassing her daughter Frances Bean and Courtney's sister.

The judge has yet to rule.

BTW ... both Courtney and Sam are being sued by Frances Bean Cobain's ex-husband, Isaiah Silva, for allegedly orchestrating a break-in at his house and trying to steal Kurt Cobain's famous 'MTV Unplugged' guitar ... which is in Isaiah's possession. 

Originally Published 12/10 1:36 PM PT

Kodak Black got down on one knee and gave a lucky woman a ring ... though it's unclear if he's engaged. Let us explain.

It went down Sunday night at Santa's Enchanted Forest in Miami. The 21-year-old rapper and the chick, Yung Miami from Miami-based rap duo City Girls, were near a concession stand when, out of nowhere, he kneeled ... presumably to ask her to marry him.

You see the crowd congratulate the couple after he puts what appears to be a purple Ring Pop on her digit. Yeah, a candy ring. Another giveaway it's a fake proposal ... Kodak places the ring on Miami's right hand.

Whatever the case ... you know Kodak's really into her. 

BTW ... check out Kodak's outfit. Pretty shweet.

A lot has happened to Meek Mill since he allegedly sent goons to jump Safaree Samuels more than a year ago -- and that's exactly why Safaree says it's all water under the bridge.

Our Raquel Harper chopped it up with Nicki Minaj's ex about her other ex, Meek, whom Safaree accused of orchestrating the would-be jumping that went down during the BET Awards last summer ... which Meek, of course, denied. 

Welp, Safaree's changed his tune since then ... saying he's seen just how much Meek's been through and how much he's grown as a person since walking out of prison. He even tells Raq they were recently in the same vicinity and things were copacetic. 

Funny how petty stuff like ex-girlfriends and verbal jabs fall to the wayside when s**t gets real. Also ... time sure does fly, right? 

Catch Safaree's full interview on the newest episode of "Raq Rants" which airs Tuesday on BET at 11 PM. On the West Coast, if you have Dish or Direct TV, it's on at 8 PM.

Before this happy human was entertaining audiences with his out-of-this-world acting, he was just another chuckling child growing up in Virginia, MN. Can you guess who he is?

Lil Xan briefly left his rehab facility to prepare for his post-rehab living arrangements ... TMZ has learned.

Sources close to the rapper tell us ... Lil Xan left rehab Saturday in order to go sign papers for a new house he bought in his hometown of Redlands, CA. The new crib is where he'll set up shop once he's completed in-patient treatment. We're told he'll have round-the-clock staff monitoring him to keep him on the straight and narrow. 

Xan wasn't allowed to fly solo for the house mission ... we're told a nurse from the rehab center accompanied him. After signing the house documents, he headed back to rehab on Sunday.

Remember, he just checked himself in last weekend to begin treatment, and our sources say he'll be there about another week. After that, he'll shift to outpatient treatment at home. We're told his new place has a studio, so he'll be able to work on new music. His album "Be Safe" -- inspired by his hero, Mac Miller, is set to drop next month. 

Xan had told us in mid-November he was immediately heading to rehab -- but he didn't begin until December. His camp says a scheduling mix-up with the facility caused the delay.