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American entrepreneur and TV personality Brent Bolthouse was 36 years old when he was cast as Heidi Montag's boss on MTV's "The Hills" from 2006 to 2009. Brent famously fired Montag from Brent Bolthouse Productions during the show's 4th season, after Heidi was allegedly tossing one back at a work function.

Brent contributed to the series' drama along with narrator and star Lauren Conrad as the fashion student who journeyed from Laguna Beach to Los Angeles, Heidi Montag as Lauren's bubbly bestie and party girl, Spencer Pratt as Heidi's 'bad boy' boyfriend and Whitney Port as Lauren's work buddy at Teen Vogue.

Jay Leno is breaking down the car fire that sent him to a burn unit with second- and third-degree burns ... and he's pretty cool when talking about the fiery episode.

The comedian sat down for an interview with NBC News' Hoda Kotb and told her how some mechanical work on one of his vintage cars turned ugly in the blink of an eye.

Jay says he was in his Burbank garage last month working on a 1907 White Steam Car, trying to unclog a fuel line. He says he told his friend, Dave Killackey, to blow some air through the fuel line when suddenly he was hit with a face full of gas ... and it only got worse from there.

Jay says his face caught fire when the car's pilot light ignited the fuel ... and he yelled to his friend, "I'm on fire."

Fortunately, Jay says Dave was Johnny on the spot ... pulling him out of harm's way and jumping on top of him to smother the fire.

Jay's back to business as usual already ... he's pretty casual in recalling the scary situation ... which jives with how he's been since the accident, like when he went back to the same garage just 10 days after the incident and was cracking jokes to photogs.

The "Jay Leno's Garage" host canceled some gigs while he was in the hospital but when he was released from the burn center he went right back to what he does best ... making folks laugh, even at his own expense, returning to his weekly Sunday night gig in Hermosa Beach.

A Las Vegas woman found herself in a sticky situation with cops after she allegedly stole a super expensive watch and hid it in her genitals.

Police were called to the Aria hotel Sunday in Las Vegas, according to 8 News Now ... after a man claimed he was cuddling 33-year-old Sarah Richards, and she continually insisted he take his Rolex off while they laid together.

The alleged victim told cops he put the watch under his pillow and continued to drink wine at Richards' request -- but he says when he noticed it missing, she "went into a panic" and left. He says he followed her all the way down to the lobby where he alerted security -- before PD arrived.

According to the reports, police couldn't find the Rolex at first, but eventually located it in her genitals. She's now looking at grand larceny charges.

Cops are saying Richards had a preliminary hearing in town Monday ... in a case where she's facing residential theft and burglary charges for allegedly taking someone's watch back in June. The person in that case apparently told police he thought he was drugged at a hotel.

Megan Thee Stallion is in court for the second day of Tory Lanez's shooting trial ... letting cameras know how she's feeling as fans cheer her on outside the building.

Megan stepped into a DTLA courthouse Tuesday ... giving a thumbs up when asked how she was doing. The rapper was also asked if she's nervous about the trial, but shakes her head at that one.

Meg had a bunch of fans in her corner, too ... with a group of her supporters holding up banners and signs -- and even wearing shirts that all say "We stand with Megan."

Not everyone is backing the Megan train, though -- as she walked into court, one person shouted out, "Why you lying on that boy?" No reaction from Meg and co., though.

As we reported, Tory's trial kicked off Monday, with both sides laying out what they say happened the night Meg was allegedly shot in the foot. Prosecutors clearly say Tory pulled the trigger, while Tory's attorneys have laid out alternative theories, including pointing out some possible fighting between Kelsey and Meg that night.

Megan will reportedly testify at some point during the trial -- but it's unclear when she'll take the stand.

Lil Fizz wants to make sure one thing is VERY clear ... it's not his naked butt that's making the rounds on social media, despite what some people may claim.

ICYMI ... there's an explicit video that's blown up on social media that shows what appears to be a man showing off his area where the sun don't shine. Those sharing the video claimed the video was Fizz, and a leak from his OnlyFans account.

However, Fizz got on IG Tuesday to address the video, saying, "This is crazy, the levels these chicks will go to, to try and destroy and ruin you."

He continued, "Wow unbelievable! Ya'll have a happy holiday, that is NOT ME!"

Diddy is reaffirming his love for Yung Miami following Akademiks' labeling of the City Girl as a "side chick" after the Bad Boy mogul announced he just welcomed a new baby girl into the world.

In a pair of tweets Tuesday, Diddy denied Miami was ever a side chick ... even dishing out a new nickname for her -- "Shawty Wop."

Diddy also promised to pop up at any house of someone who "hurts" those he loves ... a fitting threat because Akademiks has been inviting people to visit him in Jersey.

Ak and Miami were tussling on Twitter Monday ... when "Grown-ish" actor Luka Sabbat entered the chat -- only to be dragged for filth by Ak on Twitch during a quasi-homophobic rant.

As we told you earlier in the week ... Diddy welcomed a new baby girl by the name of Love Combs with 28-year-old cyber security pro Dana Tran.

President Biden has signed a bill into law that works to permanently protect same-sex and interracial marriages -- although the Supreme Court still might have something to say about it.

Dubbed the "Respect for Marriage Act," the bill codifies protections for married couples of all races and sexual orientations and requires the federal government to recognize these marriages in all 50 states ... which, for now, is already the law of the land.

The bill was passed in the House with a vote of 258-169 and in the Senate ... 61-36. Some Republicans got onboard for the legislation -- but far from a majority in either house.

To celebrate the occasion, the White House hosted an event on the South Lawn with several guests and even some music acts to help ring in the moment. Sam Smith, who identifies as nonbinary, was one of those artists who performed ... singing their hit "Stay With Me."

Cyndi Lauper, who appeared during Tuesday's press briefing, also took the stage for her classic song, "True Colors." There were a couple other acts, including a gay choir. Senator Chuck Schumer and Rep. Nancy Pelosi also delivered remarks, as did guest speakers.

During the signing ceremony, Biden called the move a huge deal for Americans everywhere, emphasizing the importance of being able to marry anyone you love, and the significance of having that right protected by law under the federal government.

The Respect for Marriage Act is meant to serve as a safeguard against possible reversals of key Supreme Court cases that weighed in on these issues in the past -- namely, 2015's Obergefell v. Hodges and, of course, 1967's Loving v. Virginia. The former promised gay couples the same marriage rights as heterosexual couples, and the latter did the same for interracial couples.

The bill was drafted shortly after SCOTUS' reversal of Roe v. Wade -- wiping away a federally-protected right to an abortion. There was then fear SCOTUS would go after Obergefell and Hodges too -- especially after Justice Clarence Thomas suggested cases like these needed another look as well in his controversial written opinion.

The spawns of LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony brought out all the stars on Monday night ... 'cause a slew of A-listers hit up a H.S. gym in L.A. -- all to catch a glimpse of the NBA stars' sons go at it on the hardwood.

Sierra Canyon, led by Bronny and Bryce James, hosted Kiyan Anthony's school, Christ The King, in a nationally televised basketball showcase in Chatsworth -- and, as expected, the matchup lived up to expectations ... both on and off the court.

LBJ, Melo, La La Anthony, Kim Kardashian, Khloe Kardashian, Scottie Pippen and more all had front-row seats for the action ... and the kids didn't disappoint.

Bronny and Bryce pulled off the big win, 62-51 ... with the older James having a great game, logging 12 points, six rebounds, three assists and two steals. Kiyan, meanwhile, had eight points in the loss.

The moment appeared to be surreal for both LeBron and Carmelo ... as 20 years ago, the two faced off against each other in a high school basketball showcase as well.

The two future Hall of Famers were spotted chatting throughout the night -- and the proud dads posted a bunch of pics on their social media pages chronicling it all.

In fact, the guys even took a group pic with their sons!!

The Beverly Hills mansion where mobster Bugsy Siegel was shot and killed is up for grabs ... it just hit the market with a nearly $17 million asking price.

The home is 7,092 square feet with five bedrooms and five bathrooms ... and it's where Bugsy was infamously shot dead 75 years ago, with someone firing an M1 carbine through the front window, fatally shooting the mobster in the head as he was reading the newspaper in the living room.

Bugsy never owned the Bev Hills estate, he was leasing it for his mistress Virginia Hill when she worked for the mob ... and his murder is still unsolved.

The living room where Bugsy was shot is two levels with hand-painted cathedral ceilings and a fireplace overlooking the property's patios and gardens. The home features white marble and wood floors, with iron railings leading up the front staircase and hand-painted tiles in the entryway.

The master suite has two large closets and a private veranda ... and the backyard is decked out with an alfresco dining area featuring a BBQ, fire pit, pool and spa.

The estate is listed for $16,995,000 ... and it's changed hands several times since Bugsy's murder, with the last sale going down in 2003, when it was purchased by Beverly Hills plastic surgeon, Dr. Joel Aronowitz, and his wife, Fiona Chalom.

Shaquille O'Neal was forced to sell his share in the Kings earlier this year, but the Big Fella tells TMZ Sports he's interested in getting back in the owner's box ... but this time, he wants to be "heavily involved!"

O'Neal joined Babcock on the "TMZ Sports" TV show (airs weekdays on FS1) ... where the Hall of Famer was asked about potential ownership interest in the Phoenix Suns, an organization Shaq previously played for towards the end of his career. While Shaq made it clear there hasn't been movement with the Suns, he does wish to own an NBA team.

"I haven't had any discussions with my partners, so I can't make the statement yet, but we're still looking to be heavily involved in purchasing an NBA team," Shaq told us.

A few months back Shaq again told us he was interested in buying Robert Sarver's Phoenix team, but didn't wish to bid against Jeff Bezos (or "Big Man JB," as Shaq calls him), who was reportedly interested in acquiring the team.

But, now Bezos has his sights set -- along with Jay-Z -- on the Washington Commanders.

Speaking of football ... we asked Shaq if he had any interest in owning an NFL franchise.

"Yeah, but this time around when I purchase a team, I want to be heavily involved. I would like it to be in a place where I'm living at. If it ain't the Dolphins, the Cowboys, or the Raiders, and those teams are way too expensive for me, but my main man JB can write that check!"

Sports franchise ownership isn't new to Shaq. He owned a small piece of the Sacramento Kings, which he sold in January (he had a conflict with another business). O'Neal originally bought into ownership 2013. Vivek Ranadive, an Indian-American business executive, is the majority owner.

We also talked to Shaquille about his epic Super Bowl party, Shaq's Fun House ... considered by many the best party in all of Super Bowl week! O'Neal made the announcement with TMZ Sports ... the 5th year in a row he's thrown the star-studded event.

"We're just gonna have a great time. This is the 5th year. Prior to even doing Shaq's Fun House, I would attend all the Super Bowl parties and it's just a bunch of standing around and talking," Shaq said, and it wasn't all that fun.

Enter Shaq and his partners.

"We wanted to bring the top DJs in, the top performers in, we wanted to bring some circus acts, some carnival rides, some food trucks. Just want to have a great time."

In addition to Shaq DJ'ing, Snoop Dogg and Diplo will also be performing.

Drake isn't afraid to fall in love, and now he's got an insanely flashy piece of jewelry to prove it -- a necklace with 42 engagement ring diamonds -- for all the times he's wanted to propose.

Celebrity Jeweler Alex Moss tells TMZ ... Champagne Papi's new piece is called "Previous Engagements," a tribute to all the women Drizzy contemplated asking to marry him, but never went through.

In total, we're told the piece's 42 stones count for 351.38 carats in diamonds. On top of all the ice, it's made using 18K white gold and was set using the eagle claw technique.

Alex tells us the entire thing took 14 months to complete and was built by hand in NYC ... though he won't reveal how much it cost.

Drake debuted it at Lil Baby’s birthday concert in Atlanta last Saturday at State Farm Arena.

Grant Wahl's brother is backtracking on his belief the soccer reporter was killed while covering the World Cup in Qatar on Friday ... saying he no longer suspects foul play was involved.

Eric Wahl has been providing updates to his Twitter in the days following the tragedy ... and on Tuesday, he cleared the air on his accusations.

"I no longer suspect foul play," Eric said.

Eric also initially tweeted Grant may have experienced a pulmonary embolism and was in a non-shockable state, but later clarified it was not a PE ... and says the family will release the cause of death in due time.

As we previously reported, Eric shared a heartbreaking Instagram video shortly after the CBS Sports journalist's death last week ... claiming Grant was fully healthy at the time, and refusing to believe he wasn't murdered.

Eric stated Grant was receiving death threats for wearing a pro-LGBTQIA+ shirt in his honor to a World Cup match ... which led to his detainment for nearly 30 minutes.

Grant had disclosed his health issues in the week leading up to his death ... saying he believed he had a bad case of bronchitis, including a "death rattle" of a cough.

Larsa Pippen is sticking to her story, insisting to Andy Cohen she and Michael Jordan's son are just friends ... even as he sat just a few feet away from her on Andy's show.

The reality star played coy to the max on Monday night on 'Watch What Happens Live' -- where Marcus Jordan was in the audience ... for moral support, we're sure. 😉

Of course, Andy tried to grill her, asking Larsa what her ex, NBA Hall of Famer Scottie Pippen, thinks about her dating his nemesis' son.

Larsa totally tried to downplay it, telling Andy she has no idea what Scottie thinks about it, and says they've never discussed Marcus.

While she understands why people might have questions -- their 17-year age gap and the fact Marcus was a kid when Scottie and MJ were Chicago Bulls teammates -- Larsa says their families were never tight.

As we've reported ... Marcus and Larsa have been hanging out in public since September, often showing PDA around Miami, and looking every bit like a couple. Hell, the guy even flew to NY with her for Andy's show!

Demetrius "Lil Meech" Flenory Jr. -- the lead star in 50 Cent's hit 'BMF' series -- learned the hard way it's a bad idea to stash a gun in your carry-on luggage.

Lil Meech landed in a bit of hot water at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport on Tuesday ... after we're told authorities found him with a gun.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ Hip Hop Lil Meech was at the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport Tuesday when security discovered a firearm in his luggage. We're told deputies from the Broward Co. Sheriff's Office were called to the scene and arrested the actor.

As for the weapon, our sources say it was a Glock 19 9mm ... it wasn't loaded, but cops also found a 15-round magazine. Lil Meech did not have a carry permit.

Meech was transported and booked for introducing a firearm into the sterile area of the airport ... a felony. Apparently, the actor isn't alone in his mistake ... as we're told this was the 130th gun found at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood this year.

Jin, the oldest member of BTS, is officially an enlisted man -- the first singer from the international hitmakers to join the South Korean military under the country’s strict conscription laws.

30-year-old Jin reported to a training facility Tuesday in the Gyeonggi Province, close to the border with North Korea. Dozens of fans and journalists flocked to the area to catch a glimpse of the K-pop star as he entered the grounds.

His 5-week basic training course will include shooting a rifle and throwing grenades, according to the AP. Before Jin showed up at the training site, he posted a selfie, showing off his new buzz cut with a caption that read, "Cuter than expected."

As we reported ... BTS announced in October Jin would be the first of the seven-member boy band to serve in the South Korean military because he's the oldest. Jin is expected to complete his service by June 2024. Other BTS members -- ages 25 to 30 -- will eventually do the same, forcing the band into hiatus for several years.

Ronnie Turner, son of Tina Turner, passed away after a battle with colon cancer ... according to the L.A. County Coroner's Office.

TMZ has confirmed Ronnie's autopsy results, which say the 62-year-old actor died due to "complications of metastatic colon carcinoma." The coroner says the cancer was stage 4.

The report says Ronnie only struggled with cancer for 3 weeks before his death.

It's also determined Ronnie battled atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease at the time of death -- which is a buildup of fats and cholesterol in the arteries.

TMZ broke the story ... law enforcement got a 911 call Thursday morning from a person who said Ronnie was outside their home and having a hard time breathing. A few minutes later, he stopped breathing.

Paramedics rushed to the San Fernando Valley address -- where bystanders were attempting CPR, but those efforts didn't work and he was pronounced dead at the scene.