Michael Irvin Files $100M Lawsuit ... Sues Misconduct Accuser, Renaissance Hotel

Published | Updated

Michael Irvin filed a scathing $100 million lawsuit against the woman who accused the NFL legend of misconduct, alleging he's being "railroaded" with false accusations that are ruining his career.

The lawsuit, obtained by TMZ Sports, was filed Thursday afternoon ... after Irvin says the hotel where he was staying concocted a plan to turn him into the next victim of "cancel culture" over something he says never happened.

"Rash and thoughtless actions can have severe consequences. Marriott [parent company of Renaissance Hotels] apparently did not appreciate these simple truths when, in a rush to judgment, its employees and management inaccurately and inflammatorily accused Mr. Irvin of misconduct to the National Football League," the lawsuit reads.

According to the lawsuit, witnesses (in the above photo) backed Irvin's initial claim that he "casually exchanged pleasantries" with the employee ("Jane Doe"), "shook her hand, and went to his room alone."

However, once Irvin and his team became aware of the allegations, they say they attempted to provide witness accounts to the hotel in an effort to rectify any misunderstanding, but they say the Renaissance refused to listen.

In fact, the lawsuit accuses the hotel manager of reporting the alleged incident to the NFL "with the intention of damaging that relationship and canceling [Irvin]."

Levi McCathern, Michael's attorney, says his client's reputation has not only been damaged, but he's also lost out on money -- canceled appearances -- as a result of the false allegations.

Irvin is seeking in excess of $100,000,000.

The Hall of Famer's attorney tells us ... "It is clear Michael is the latest victim of our cancel culture where all it takes is an accusation to ruin a person’s life. Michael looks forward to clearing his name in court and hopes the Court of public opinion will see the truth come out as well."

Of course, 56-year-old Irvin was yanked from NFL Network's Super Bowl coverage after a hotel employee complained about Michael's alleged behavior during a brief interaction Sunday night.

The specifics of the accusers allegations are still not known publicly.

Irvin, one of the most popular media personalities in sports, was set to be one of NFLN's and ESPN's faces of their Super Bowl coverage.

We reached out to Marriott, who owns the Renaissance Hotel, for comment ... but so far, no word back.

Rihanna Praises Patrick Mahomes ... After B. Marshall Prank

Published | Updated
020923-rihanna-brandon-marshall-kal
BIG MEANIE

Seems Patrick Mahomes' is Rihanna's favorite quarterback, after all ... 'cause just one day after former NFL star Brandon Marshall clowned the NFL MVP, RiRi made it clear she's a huge fan of Patrick!

"I am so sorry you went through that [Patrick]. I still think you're great. [Brandon's] a hater!"

27-year-old Mahomes was at a Super Bowl media event on Wednesday when the Marshall, a 6x Pro Bowler, grabbed the mic and asked Patrick how he felt about Rihanna saying he was her favorite QB.

Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media.

The only problem ... she never said it. 😂

Rihanna's reaction to the prank ... "That is so mean. [Brandon] is mean, ok? I am so sorry you went through that, okay."

020923-rihanna-kal
CHALLENGES ON CHALLENGES

Of course, it's not just Mahomes who will be busy come Sunday night.

Rihanna is performing during the highly anticipated SB halftime show ... and as PM said, there are lots of people, including his own family members, who are more pumped for RiRi than the football game.

Patrick Mahomes ... Rihanna's fave!

Ice Cube Rips Billboard as BS ... Their Top Rappers List Ain't S***!!!

Published | Updated

According to Billboard, Ice Cube is the 18th greatest rapper of all time ... but the Don Mega doesn't have a f**k to give the publication!!!

We caught up with Cube at LAX, and he couldn't be more UNimpressed with his placement at #18 on the list ... dismissing Billboard's hip hop authority as a staff, chart and magazine!!!

Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media.

Billboard released the final rollout of its list on Thursday, ranking Jay-Z at #1 and featuring Eminem, Drake and Nicki Minaj amongst the top 10 ... but Cube still didn't care.

Cube dismissed the BB editors even further for snubbing his Mount Westmore bandmate Too $hort altogether -- while the rest of the group, Snoop Dogg and E-40, did make the rankings.

The N.W.A pioneer has never been one to bite his tongue when it comes to critics, and he told us all these silly lists "are like a**holes: they all got one and they all stink."

Cube says he'll stick to his own list. Check out the vid to see where he ranks himself!

021023_tv_clips_ice_cube_kal
BURNING QUESTIONS

Darren Waller Recruits Rodgers To Raiders 'If You Come, It's Gonna Be Lit!!!'

Published
020923_darren_waller_kal
WHAT HAPPENS IN VEGAS...

Derek Carr out ... Aaron Rodgers in?

If No. 4 is definitively on his way to being traded from Vegas this offseason ... Raiders star Darren Waller is making it clear, he wants Rodgers to replace him.

In fact, the tight end is downright recruiting the Packers star to Nevada while under the assumption that Carr's a goner ... saying at Jay Glazer's Super Bowl party in Arizona this week, "If you come, it's gonna be lit!"

Waller added in his pitch that Las Vegas is a better place to be than Green Bay "in most cases."

"If he comes," Waller said of Rodgers, "I'd be a happy camper."

Of course, there's a lot of pieces that would have to fall into place to make Waller's wish come true. First, Carr would have to be traded. Then, Vegas would have to make a swap with the Packers for Rodgers.

But, Carr already appears to be on the verge of being moved -- he just met with the Saints this week. And, all signs seem to be pointing toward Rodgers being jettisoned from Green Bay too (that is, if his isolation retreat leads him to one more year of football).

As for where Carr could end up -- Waller told us he thinks the signal-caller might go to one of three spots ... two of which are in the AFC.

'Old Spice' Guy In Super Bowl Commercials 'Memba Him?!

Published

American actor Isaiah Mustafa was 35 years old when he first started playing the main character in the "The Man Your Man Could Smell Like" campaign back in 2010.

During the 2010 Super Bowl XLIV (New Orleans Saints vs. the Indianapolis Colts), Isaiah obtained instant fame after millions saw him parading around in nothing but a towel -- with his rockin' bod on full display -- promoting Old Spice products.

In 2011, Italian actor and model Fabio Lanzoni accompanied Isaiah in the Old Spice ads, and Terry Crews followed suit in 2015 ... now that's a muscle showdown!

"Hello ladies, look at your man ... now back to me!"

Guess what he looks like now!

'Little People, Big World' Zach Roloff Undergoes Brain Surgery ... 'Scary 72 Hours'

Published | Updated

Zach Roloff, known from the show "Little People, Big World," took a pretty frightening trip to the hospital ... getting emergency brain surgery.

His wife Tori gave fans an update on the "scary 72 hours" on Thursday ... saying Zach underwent an emergency shunt revision operation. She also shared some pics of him in the hospital, hooked up to monitors while his head's wrapped up.

She says she's hoping for a quick and easy recovery, and thanks everyone for their prayers -- adding Zach's a "rockstar" for everything he's gone through. She also gives a shoutout to the neurosurgeon team for their huge help.

Tori even gave a big thanks to Zach's mom, Amy, for holding down the fort -- and Amy responded, "You're a trooper as well Tori. I'm glad I could be here so you could be there with him 💙."

For those unaware, Zach's shunt was put in to help drain cerebrospinal fluid ... he's had it since he was a kid, and even had corrective surgery for it way back in 2006 -- during the first season of the hit reality series.

Jerry 'The King' Lawler Out Of ICU After 'Massive Stroke' ... Returning Home To Rehab

Published | Updated

Jerry "The King" Lawler continues to make positive strides on his road to recovery ... the WWE legend is no longer in Intensive Care after suffering a "massive stroke" this week.

A rep for Lawler provided an update on the 73-year-old's condition Thursday ... saying, "Jerry is out of ICU & will return to his Florida home for outpatient rehab."

Lawler's doctors are hopeful the Hall of Famer will make a full recovery with proper rehabilitation ... which is great news for fans concerned with his health.

As we reported Wednesday, Lawler, who had a near-death experience during Monday Night Raw in 2012, gave a thumbs up from his hospital room ... signaling to fans he was in good spirits.

WWE icon Jimmy Hart visited the legendary commentator while he was in the hospital ... and the two took a picture together while they bonded over wrestling history.

Lawler was rushed to the hospital after he suffered the stroke earlier this week ... but his friend and former announcing partner, Jim Ross, did his best to quell any concerns about his health.

Lawler has received an enormous amount of support from the WWE community ... with former WWE superstars like Nikki and Brie Bella expressing their support for him.

Ben Affleck, Matt Damon Phil Knight, Sonny Vaccaro In Action ... 'AIR' Trailer Drops

Published | Updated

Months after best buds Ben Affleck and Matt Damon hit the set of their new movie, AIR, portraying Phil Knight and Sonny Vaccaro, the trailer for the highly anticipated biopic documenting the rise of Nike just dropped!

The upcoming movie, also starring Jason Bateman, Viola Davis, Marlon Wayans and Chris Tucker, is based on Knight and Vaccaro -- who brought Michael Jordan to the Swoosh.

Nike was launched in 1972 (Knight started another running company in the 60s), and was the opposite of the powerhouse it is today. The business began to grow, but really exploded when Vaccaro, played by Damon, got Jordan to sign with Nike.

Davis plays Michael's mom, Deloris Jordan.  Tucker plays Howard White, a Nike exec.

It's not the first time we've seen the guys in character ... back in June, we got photos from the set. Jennifer Lopez was even there supporting her man, Ben.

Back then, the guys received a mixed reaction ... but now that the trailer's out, fans seem excited about the movie!

But, they're not alone. We spoke with the real life Sonny Vaccaro last year, and he was pumped for the film.

"I'm 83 years old. It was complete surprise to me. It's an unbelievable honor and I believe in what they're going to do is going to be the truth on the film," Vaccaro told us last October.

100722-sonny-vaccaro-on-movie-kal 10/15/22
WHAT AN HONOR

"This is the best thing that I could have ever imagined."

It's obviously not the first time Damon and Affleck have teamed up together for a movie ... they've done it a bunch, including in the critically acclaimed "Good Will Hunting."

"Air" hits theaters on April 5.

Vanessa Hudgens Glowing After Engagement ... So Is The Massive Diamond Ring!!!

Published | Updated

Cole Tucker clearly spared no expense when he asked Vanessa Hudgens to marry him ... 'cause the actress was seen rockin' her new engagement ring this week -- and it's HUGE!!

Hudgens was spotted with the bling while out grabbing a bite to eat with her family in Los Angeles on Wednesday -- and it ain't hard to see her MLB player beau picked out some fine jewelry for his future bride.

Sporting an oversized sweatshirt, sweats and slippers ... the diamond on the "High School Musical" actress' left hand stood out like a sore thumb -- appearing to be nearly the size of her knuckle!!!

Hudgens has only had the ring for a few months now -- the couple only got engaged at the end of 2022 -- but check out her smile, she's clearly loving it and the engagement life.

Hudgens and Tucker initially began dating in 2020 -- and have become inseparable ever since ... with Hudgens attending plenty of his baseball games, and Tucker spending most of his offseasons with her.

Just recently, Hudgens glowed about Tucker ... saying in a sappy Instagram post, "I'll stop the world and melt with you."

She added two emojis ... "❤️🥰."

Awwwwwww!!!

Kobe Bryant Signed MVP Jersey Sells For $5.8 Mil ... At Auction

Published | Updated

The signed, game-worn jersey from Kobe Bryant's 2007-08 NBA MVP season -- the only year he won the award during his career -- just sold for $5.8 million at an auction!!

Sotheby's tells TMZ Sports ... the Bryant jersey set a new record for Kobe-related sports memorabilia sold at auction, and is the second-most valuable basketball jersey to ever hit the market.

Bryant wore the jersey for 25 games in '07-'08 ... averaging 28.3 points, 6.3 rebounds and 5.4 assists while leading the Lakers to the NBA Finals for the first time since Shaquille O'Neal left.

Kobe also wore the jersey the same evening he was awarded the regular season Most Valuable Player Award on May 7, 2008 ... and during Game 2 of the Western Conference Semifinals.

"This jersey is iconic in a way we seldom see in sports artifacts," said Brahm Wachter, Sotheby's Head of Streetwear and Modern Collectables.

Experts initially expected the jersey to sell for anywhere between $5-7 million.

Sotheby's recently sold LeBron James' 2013 Game 7 NBA Finals jersey for $3.7 million in January -- and Kobe's MVP season jersey is in that same rarefied air.

Bryant and the Lakers lost to the Celtics in 6 games in the Finals ... but the jersey he wore during his MVP season and the performances he put up in it are cemented in NBA history.

Rihanna SB LVII Prep Madness ... 39 Different Setlists, Last-Minute Changes!!!

Published | Updated
020923-rihanna-kal
CHALLENGES ON CHALLENGES

Rihanna wants to make sure she gets her Super Bowl LVII halftime performance 100% correct ... working through 39 different setlists to get it right.

The music superstar discussed her everchanging plans on Thursday during an Apple Music press conference to pump the big show.

Rihanna told panel moderator Nadeska Alexis she hasn't been afraid to take charge, as there's a lot riding on this performance, including her own reputation.

Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media.

The singer says trying to condense hours worth of musical greatness into a 13-minute set has been damn near impossible, but Rihanna says there are a lot of people who are involved working to make it successful.

She says her bossy side has surfaced on several occasions -- making small changes such as where her guitar players should stand.

100422-rihanna-kal 10/4/22
BIG GAME ENERGY

We spoke to Rihanna about her pregame jitters back in October and it appears she still has them.

She openly admitted she had some hesitation taking the gig after giving birth to her baby back in May, and lamented over the lack of work/life balance to spend with her child.

Ultimately, the "Umbrella" singer says it was an honor to be put in a position to represent Barbados, immigrants and Black women alike ... and plans on incorporating plenty of her native Caribbean culture into the show.

Jay-Z, A$AP Rocky and T.I. are all heavily rumored to make cameo appearances also. We'll all know for sure come Sunday in Arizona!!!

Britney Spears Friends & Family Planned Intervention 'I'm Afraid She's Gonna Die'

Published | Updated

Britney Spears has been struggling with her mental health and substance abuse, and both problems are now dire enough that people closest to her planned an intervention ... TMZ has learned. As one source in regular contact with Britney told TMZ, "I'm afraid she's gonna die."

Multiple sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... people around Britney have become alarmed by her erratic, volatile behavior. We're told she's taking meds that "hype her up." Our sources say she's been "flying off the handle" with increasing regularity and is not taking the medications that stabilize her.

Our sources say her manager rented a house in the L.A. area for several months and the plan was to take an unsuspecting Britney to the house, where her husband Sam Asghari, her manager, an interventionist and doctors would be present, in an attempt to convince her she needed help. We're told Jamie Spears, Lynne Spears and Britney's 2 sons were not involved. The plan was for the intervention to go down Tuesday.

We're told the plan was for Britney to live in the rented house for as long as 2 months while she received both medical treatment and psychological counseling.

That plan changed Tuesday ... we're told Britney became "somewhat aware" of the plan and for some reason it all changed and the intervention idea was scrapped. We asked multiple people connected to Britney and Sam why the plug would be pulled given her condition -- we got no answers.

Our sources say Britney agreed to meet with a doctor -- we don't know if it's a physician or a therapist. We're told Britney met with the doctor Wednesday late afternoon and it "went well."

011423_britney_spears_kal 01/14/23
DINNER DISASTER

TMZ broke the story, Britney was spotted at a restaurant near her home last month where witnesses tell us she was acting "manic." In video, obtained by TMZ, Britney can be heard rambling incoherently.

As you know, Britney was placed in a conservatorship for 13 years after being involuntarily committed twice. The conservatorship ended in November 2021 ... in no small part because of the #FreeBritney movement. The judge did not order a medical evaluation before ending the conservatorship ... despite the fact doctors regularly weighed in before the court over the 13 years.

Dallas Stars Fan Socked In Face At Game ... After Saying N-Word

Published | Updated
UPDATE

11:03 AM PT -- Chad Marchman, a Dallas Stars fan who was sitting in a seat just feet below the altercation at the game, tells TMZ Sports ... the fracas all initially started due to some confusion over who was in whose seats.

UPDATE

Marchman said the man in the Benn jersey had been annoying people in the section after being asked to move -- before he was ultimately punched.

UPDATE
dallas stars fight
MULLET POWER
UPDATE

In Marchman's footage of the aftermath of the haymaker, you can see the initial puncher suffered a bloody lip. You can also hear the man in the Benn jersey repeat the n-word.

UPDATE

Ultimately, according to Marchman, arena security got involved to separate everyone ... before the Benn fan was ejected from the area.

A Stars fan was socked in the face by a huge haymaker at Dallas' game on Wednesday night ... with the massive punch coming after the guy said the n-word.

The altercation went down just a few seats from the American Airlines Center ice ... when a man in a Jamie Benn jersey stopped watching the Stars vs. Wild tilt -- and began jawing with another fan behind him.

No word on why their beef initially began -- but the dude in the green No. 14 uni was clearly furious. At one point, he challenged the other fan to a fight ... saying, "How 'bout you step down here and I'll box your ass."

The guy in the black polo didn't respond -- and that's when the Benn fan, who's white, muttered the n-word.

"All right then," he could be heard saying. "Stay the f*** up there. Dumbass n****."

Almost immediately after the word left his mouth, the fan in the black shirt, who's also white, threw a right hand that landed flush. It actually appeared to briefly knock the Benn fan unconscious.

The two scuffled for a few moments following the blow -- before another woman raced in and threw a bevy of punches of her own.

Eventually, other fans stepped in before the altercation became even more violent.

It's unclear how the situation was resolved -- we've reached out to cops to see if any arrests were made, but no word back yet.

As for the game, the Stars were clearly unbothered by the ruckus in the crowd -- they were able to cruise to a 4-1 victory over Minnesota.

Originally Published -- 7:59 AM PT

Puppy Bowl Rescue Pups Invade TMZ Office!!!

Published | Updated
020923_puppy_bow_kal_v2
CHASING THE LOMBARKY

There's a super big game coming up, and we're not talking about the Super Bowl ... dozens of puppies will face off in the 19th annual Puppy Bowl and it's all for a great cause!!!

Dan Schachner -- the 12-year Puppy Bowl "Ruff-eree" -- joined "TMZ Live" Thursday, and while we love Dan, we're mostly thrilled that we got a visit from some furry and adorable reps for the upcoming game. Yeah, we're suckers for puppies, but these came on a mission.

Dan tells us, the event is all about raising awareness for rescuing dogs ... because shelter animals will be competing Sunday for the Lombarky Trophy. This year, more than 122 four-legged friends will play for either Team Ruff or Team Fluff ... and they hail from 67 different rescues and shelters across the country.

If you're interested in giving one a home, all the pups are adoptable & from Paw Works.

Look for stars like Tailen Hurts, Jimmy Kibble, and Josh Allenhound -- repping for Buffalo, of course -- come game day. Heck, they even got Tom Barky to come outta retirement!!!

Dan says there's a ton of pets who need homes, and that number only increased when folks returned to work after the pandemic.

This year's bowl is super special ... 11 pups with special needs will be featured. And it's the first time ever a dog from Dominica, West Indies will compete as well as a doggy from a Native American animal org.

If you're more of a cat person, there's even a kitty halftime show featuring cats from 3 different shelters.

The big game airs for 3 hours on Feb 12 on Animal Planet and Discovery+. Be sure to tune in for the pregame show!

Alec Baldwin Halyna Hutchins' Family Files Lawsuit

Published | Updated

Alec Baldwin has yet another lawsuit to deal with regarding the fatal "Rust" shooting ... family members of the late Halyna Hutchins are taking the actor and several others to court.

According to legal docs, obtained by TMZ, Halyna's parents and sister have named Alec -- as well as a slew of companies and individuals -- as defendants in the suit. Armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed is one of the many named.

The docs claim several safety protocols on set were ignored, including their insistence that Gutierrez-Reed should've been the only one handing Baldwin the gun -- NOT Assistant Director David Halls, who's also named as a defendant.

The family says Baldwin "cannot hide" behind Halls' alleged statement on set that the gun was "cold" ... adding a veteran actor like himself should've insisted that it was demonstrated to him or checked it himself.

What's more, the docs say the scene they were filming didn't call for Baldwin's gun to be cocked or fired at all -- and they say there was insufficient plexiglass in the building at the time of the incident, which could've ensured Hutchins' safety.

Hutchins' family is suing for loss of consortium, negligence, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and more ... and is seeking unspecified damages.

We've reached out to Baldwin and Gutierrez-Reed -- Hannah's lawyer, Jason Bowles, had no comment ... no word from Baldwin's team.

As we reported, Baldwin was charged with involuntary manslaughter last week ... with the D.A. listing many of the same reasons as to why he was hit with the charge -- also pointing out potential discrepancies in his multiple interviews following the shooting.

GloRilla Doused by Drink-Throwing Fans!!! Club Promoter Wants Back $30K Fee

Published | Updated

GloRilla's stay in the Bay Area ended in a fit of rage ... rage from fans who hurled drinks and spit at the "FNF" rapper when she exited her Oakland after party without performing.

The incident happened Wednesday night at New Karibbean City nightclub, and the video shows Glo and her team making their way to the door as drink lands smack dab on Glo's jacket, angering her and her friends.

One clubgoer yelled out, "F**k you, bitch!!" ... before someone on Glo's team cools her off with a few splashes from her glass to return the favor.

glorilla cam
VIRAL MOMENT

Promoter Con B of Insomnia Entertainment isn't taking responsibility for fans turning on Glo ... but tells TMZ Hip Hop he paid an exec at Glo's label CMG $30K to hear the Grammy-nominated star get lit and is expecting a full refund!!!

Sources close to the situation paint a different story, telling us Glo was never contracted to perform for that $30K -- a claim backed up by Glo's CMG boss, Yo Gotti after he got wind of the incident on Instagram!!!

We're told it was only a couple of rowdy fans upset she didn't perform -- not the entire club like the internet is projecting.

Glo is currently on tour and hit the Oakland club after her performance in San Fran earlier that night.

Con B says he still wants his $30K back, but we're guessing the fine print in the contract will determine how that goes.