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'Real Housewives of New York City' star Eboni K. Williams says all her talk about racial issues on the show has nothing to do with their poor TV ratings ... she says that's all on producers.

Eboni tells TMZ she shouldn't be the scapegoat for a declining TV audience just because she doesn't make final cut decisions about what ends up airing ... but the producers do.

The way Eboni sees it ... 'RHONY' has tackled tons of sensitive issues over the years -- like mental health, alcoholism, bankruptcy and divorce -- so race shouldn't be any different.

If you didn't know ... 'RHONY' TV ratings are down, and fans have been speculating all season it's because Eboni seems to lay it on thick.

Sources close to the cast tell us some cast members are also tired of that storyline coming up on every episode. We're told they think 'RHONY' should be light-hearted, fun entertainment ... with a bit of drama, of course -- but Eboni says that's not up to her or her castmates.

There's clearly a rift growing, as Eboni says she feels demonized by some of the 'housewives' and some viewers. She adds ... if some of her castmates didn't show up for shoots with microaggression, there wouldn't be a need for the constant race discussions.

Something's gotta give.

The famous Versace Mansion is now the scene of a death investigation -- this after cops in Miami say they found 2 dead men inside one of the luxury hotel rooms.

Miami Beach Police say they got a call Wednesday afternoon from the Versace Mansion -- housekeeping told cops staffers they had discovered 2 dead bodies inside a room.

MBPD says cops and fire rescue responded to the Versace Mansion and found the bodies ... and now detectives are investigating.

As you know, the Versace Mansion is extremely popular with celebs looking to party or spend the night ... and it's where Gianni Versace was infamously shot and killed by gunman Andrew Cunanan on July 15, 1997.

It's unclear if the 2 deaths have any connection to the macabre anniversary.

Since Gianni's murder ... his mansion has since been transformed into The Villa Casa Casuarina -- a luxury boutique hotel with 10 guest rooms.

Safaree and Erica Mena's bitter divorce has gone from mudslinging to bleach pouring ... according to Safaree, who claims she destroyed his expensive sneakers and motorbikes.

Safaree filed docs asking the judge to hold the 'Love & Hip Hop' star in contempt for violating their domestic relations standing order, which prohibits them from harassing each other or destroying each other's property during the divorce.

In the docs, obtained by TMZ, Safaree says Erica did him, and his stuff, dirty back on May 23, just 2 days after she filed for divorce. He alleges she damaged $30k worth of custom sneakers by pouring bleach on them and cutting the laces.

That was just her warm-up, allegedly. Safaree claims Erica also destroyed 2 motorcycles and a four-wheeler motorbike by pouring paint all over the motorcycles, and directly into the exhaust pipes and gas tanks of all the vehicles. He says her goal was pretty clear -- render his beloved bikes useless.

Safaree points out Erica was 8 months pregnant, with their second child, when all this alleged mayhem went down -- and he claims their home security cameras recorded all of it, and he's more than happy to turn that footage over to the court.

He wants the judge to force Erica to reimburse him around $50k for the damage.

Besides the money, Safaree also mentions the possibility he'll report her to law enforcement -- he's considering pursuing felony charges for criminal destruction.

He adds, Erica's attempting a narrative in the public that she's overwhelmed with taking care of their newborn, but apparently “has ample time to engage in disruptive and intentional acts to vilify and disparage” him. He also claims she has changed the locks and security codes on the home they shared.

Erika Jayne was on a pandemic walk with Kyle Richards, and as soon as her mask came off ... the tears started flowing over allegations her divorce is a total fraud.

"The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" star had a couple of emotional breakdowns on Wednesday night's episode, but the big one came at the park with Kyle ... when she let out how lonely and overwhelmed she's feeling.

If ya don't recall ... Erika filed for divorce from her attorney husband, Tom Girardi, in November, but shortly afterward she was sued for allegedly hiding assets in a "sham" divorce. Not long after that, Tom's assets were frozen and he's under criminal investigation amid accusations he stole money intended for the families of those killed in the 2018 Lion Air Flight 610 crash in Indonesia.

But, Erika denied her divorce is a sham to Kyle -- mind you, this was shot months ago -- and says she could not have predicted what's happened to her. She's also clearly stressed over the fact she's a possible target of a federal criminal probe ... and feels like a pariah.

She tells Kyle ... "And, you would be shocked at how quickly people turn on you, how quickly people distance themselves from you."

Erika seemed to be on a spin-doctoring mission ... she also FaceTimed with Kyle and Lisa Rinna during the episode to say how horrible she was feeling about being sued, and all of the allegations swirling around her.

She reiterated that her divorce is not a sham and things being said about her were wrong ... and also claimed she "wouldn't f***ing know" how to hide assets anyway.

To say the "Jackass" star known as "Poopies" had a crappy time filming a "Shark Week" special is a huge understatement -- a shark attacked him, and although he survived ... it's taken a huge emotional toll.

Sean McInerney got bit while attempting a dangerous stunt -- a wakeboard jump over shark-infested waters -- for Discovery Channel's collab with the "Jackass" guys. It's clear from this footage, and Poopies' own words, he came terrifyingly close to death.

Poopies knows it, for sure -- watch him relive the frightening ordeal he went through as his jump came up short, and he landed in the shark pit. He says a Caribbean reef shark almost immediately clamped down on his hand.

Poor guy broke down crying as he remembered feeling this was gonna be the end for him.

Fortunately, the nearby safety medic sacrificed his own safety, and Poopies is sure that's the only reason he's alive to tell the tale.

Zaila Avant-garde's on the roller coaster of a lifetime after winning the National Spelling Bee, and her next stop just might be 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. -- we just hope it goes smoother than her NYC visit.

We got the newly-crowned champ and her mother, Alma Heard, Wednesday after landing at LAX, and -- like most of us -- our photog was duly impressed by the 14-year-old wonderkid who just became the first Black American teen to win the event.

We had to ask if she was getting the same perks as most sports champions ... namely, an invitation to the White House. You gotta see her response ... Zaila's first thought was to be super-considerate of President Biden's time, but then mom revealed something might already be in the works. #Fingerscrossed.

Hey, she's already getting invited all over the place -- it's Hollywood this week, but last week she was at the ESPYs in NYC, and Zaila told how things went a little haywire there.

Italian model and actress Elisabetta Canalis was only 30 years old when she became a household name in the U.S. after she was whisked around the world in a 2-year relationship with America's favorite A-lister George Clooney.

Shortly after Canalis and GC split in 2011 Elisabetta took the stage of "Dancing with the Stars" but was quickly eliminated after only two episodes.

Even though she faded from the Hollywood scene and married a doctor in 2014 and had a daughter a year later ... Elisabetta is looking hotter than ever and is still rocking some barely-there bikinis!

Britney Spears is hoping it's "out with the old and in with the new" in her conservatorship -- a new hearing in the case is going down, and her new hand-picked attorney will have the spotlight.

The judge in Brit's conservatorship will hear arguments Wednesday in downtown L.A. on several issues -- the most important one to Britney -- is who will be her attorney going forward.

Like we first told you ... Britney's longtime lawyer, Sam Ingham, filed paperwork seeking to get out of the case, and she's already decided she wants former federal prosecutor Mathew Rosengart to be her new attorney.

TMZ broke the story ... Britney wants to hire Rosengart, of Greenberg Traurig, LLP, and he's expected to make an appearance before the judge to make his pitch for getting the job. We're told he'll argue she has a right to choose her own attorney on her own accord, without her father, Jamie, getting in the way as conservator of her estate.

Keep in mind, Jamie's probably a bit conflicted because Rosengart will likely seek to remove Jamie as conservator of Britney's estate.

We're told his plan is to explain how Britney has a constitutional right to Due Process ... which includes being able to select counsel of her choice. That certainly exists in a criminal case, and it’s likely Rosengart will argue that the conservatorship is similar to a criminal case because it deprives Britney of her personal liberty.

Remember ... the last hearing had all kinds of fireworks ... as Britney testified before the judge -- accusing her family of using her and controlling her life via the conservatorship, including allegedly forcing her to tour.

She claims she hasn't been able to get married or have any further kids -- which she apparently wants with Sam Asghari -- and made it clear ... she wants to be done with the conservatorship..

We're monitoring the proceedings as they go on, plus the commotion outside -- as there are #FreeBritney protestors who've gathered, like they have done for months now. There are also protestors gathered in D.C.

Stay tuned ...

Legendary guitarist Jeff LaBar, famous for playing in the rock band "Cinderella," has died.

Jeff's first wife, Gaile LaBar-Bernhardt, tells TMZ ... Jeff was found dead Wednesday inside his apartment in Nashville.

We're told Jeff had gone off the grid the past few days, with friends and family unable to reach him, so his ex-wife went to go check on him ... and that's when she found him dead.

The cause of death remains unclear.

Jeff's son, Sebastian, who he shares with Gaile, is remembering his late father as his hero and idol ... and he shared some photos of all the fun times they had.

Cinderella was one of the biggest hard rock bands in the 1980s, famous for their big hair and smash hits “Nobody’s Fool” and “Don’t Know What You Got (Till It’s Gone)” ... the band’s biggest Billboard hit. Jeff replaced the band's OG guitarist Michael Schermick.

Jeff also launched a solo career, releasing one record called "One For The Road" ... and he also played in a smaller band with his Cinderella bandmate, Eric Brittingham, the "Naked Beggars."

LaBar was 58.

RIP

A 911 caller says Richard Sherman drank two bottles of hard alcohol and was threatening to kill himself before he was arrested on Wednesday ... new police audio, obtained TMZ Sports, reveals.

In the call, which was 4 minutes in length, a woman who ID'ed herself as Sherman's wife told dispatch the NFL star was "drunk and belligerent and threatening to kill himself."

The woman was frantic -- breathing heavily and speaking quickly -- and was pleading for dispatch to send officers to her home in Washington right away.

"I need officers here now!" the woman can be heard saying on the call. "He's trying to leave now. In the house, he was being aggressive. He was wrestling with my uncle. He's threatening to kill himself. He has sent text messages to people saying he's going to hang himself."

"And, he's saying that if the police show up -- please don't shoot is what I'm asking."

The woman continued, "He said if the police show up, he'll try to fight them."

The woman then can be heard saying she was worried that Sherman was going to leave the home ... telling dispatch, "It's Richard Sherman! Like, ma'am, this is, like, a f***ing emergency! I need officers here now!"

It should be noted the 911 dispatcher appeared annoyed and frustrated multiple times with the woman on the call ... telling her at one point, "Listen to me! I'm handling this! You need to stop telling me that!"

The caller eventually told the 911 dispatcher that Sherman had drank 1 bottle of vodka and 1 bottle of Hennessey ... and was concerned for everyone's safety.

As we previously reported, Sherman was arrested a short time following the call ... after cops say he tried to break into his in-laws' home in Redmond, Wash.

Chrissy Teigen says she's the newest member of "cancel club" -- and it's been an awful experience she can't wait to end.

It's been a few weeks since Chrissy's publicly commented on her cyberbullying scandal, but she says she can't stay silent anymore and needs to mix it up ... because she's "tired of being sick with myself all day."

According to Chrissy ... it's "weird to pretend nothing happened in this online world but feel like utter sh*t in real life." She says, "Going outside sucks and doesn’t feel right, being at home alone with my mind makes my depressed head race."

So, it seems she's desperately trying to snap out of it by opening up about how she's feeling ... especially how she feels about being "canceled."

Chrissy says, "Cancel club is a fascinating thing and I have learned a whollllle lot. Only a few understand it and it’s impossible to know til you’re in it."

She adds ... "And it’s hard to talk about it in that sense because obviously you sound whiney when you’ve clearly done something wrong. It just sucks. There is no winning."

That said, it certainly appears like Chrissy is trying to get a W ... at least with her followers, who she says she just needed to have an "honest moment" with.

As you know ... Chrissy's been embroiled in controversy ever since Courtney Stodden revealed they were the victim of Chrissy's cyberbullying years ago. Then, more bullying claims from Michael Costello and a few others followed ... and she hasn't spoken about it since.

Lamar Odom says things with Tristan Thompson "could have turned ugly" when the two ended up fighting over a steamy pic from Khloe Kardashian ... but cooler heads prevailed.

Khloe's ex-husband is speaking out for the first time since the social media spat last week, saying Tristan made a mistake by seemingly throwing a threat his way.

As we reported ... Lamar left a "hottie" comment on Khloe's outdoor shower pic, and Tristan was quick to respond by bringing up Lamar's nearly-fatal OD and warning him of what was to come if he didn't back off KK.

Lamar says he forgives Tristan because they don't really know each other, are both Black men and part of the NBA fraternity ... but he told "The Megan Pormer Show" the situation could have ended up a lot worse.

LO says he can't be rattled by some tough talk on social media, though ... and he's wishing Tristan the best.

As we first told you ... Lamar's looking to rekindle things with Khloe, who he was married to from 2009 to 2016, and he was shooting his shot with the IG comment.

"Seeking Sister Wife" star Dimitri Snowden appears to have been abandoned yet again ... 'cause his OG wife just declared herself single.

Ashley Snowden announced her "truth" on Wednesday saying she's single. She didn't include any other deets on what her sitch is with Dimitri or what led to the split, but her Instagram post included a massive caption which included "that may make this world a kinder place for everyone, especially people who are experiencing trauma."

She kicked off the IG post saying, "My truth, because misinformation is harmful: I'm single and grateful for life." It should be noted ... Ashley and Dimitri were never legally married. Instead, they apparently opted for a spiritual union. They had called themselves husband and wife on the TLC reality show.

The former couple were recently in the limelight when Dimitri's other wife -- legally, btw -- Christeline Petersen filed for a restraining order against Dimitri and Ashley.

As we reported ... Christeline accused Dimitri of domestic abuse and also claimed Ashley shoved and threw a bottle at her while also being verbally abusive. The judge ended up dissolving the restraining order she filed against him.

The whole ordeal ultimately led Dimitri to file for divorce from Christeline back in May ... claiming she "abandoned their marriage" and "he doesn't know her whereabouts."

Joe Exotic just caught a potential break, and while he's not walking out of prison today ... he might get out a little bit sooner.

The federal appeals court in the 'Tiger King' star's case just upheld his conviction for murder-for-hire, but there's a silver lining ... his 22-year sentence has been vacated, and he'll be resentenced.

According to legal docs obtained by TMZ ... the appeals court reviewed Joe's case and upheld the conviction, but determined the U.S. District Court for the Western District in Oklahoma City made a technical error by not grouping the 2 murder-for-hire convictions at his sentencing.

So, Exotic's original sentence will be tossed, and the case is getting sent back to the lower court ... where he'll likely receive a shorter sentence now.

That's the good news, but ... even after the grouping error is corrected, he's looking at a sentence in the range of 17-21 years. Joe was convicted of murder-for-hire after all.

Still, Joe's legal team is celebrating the W. His appellate lawyer, Brandon Sample, tells us he's pleased with the appellate court’s decision. He says, "I knew when I agreed to represent Joe that an appeal would be difficult, but I also knew that the law was on Joe's side."

Sample adds, "I am optimistic that the decision today is but one of many more victories to come for Joe—and his eventual freedom."

"Bling Empire" will have a bit of a different look for the upcoming second season ... because Chèrie Chan and Jessey Lee tell us they're leaving the Netflix show.

Chèrie and Jessey tell TMZ ... they've decided to move on to focus on their family, business and other endeavors. As 'Bling' fans know, Chèrie proposed to her baby daddy, Jessey, on the season one finale, so now they're engaged with 2 kids.

Chèrie and Jessey tell us they're grateful for being on the first season of the Netflix series and they wish "Bling Empire" success in season 2 and beyond.

There was already speculation the couple wouldn't be coming back for season 2, and the fact is they don't have any real financial incentive to remain on the show. If ya didn't know ... Chèrie is an heir to a denim empire.

Millie Bobby Brown's ex is apologizing for talking about their relationship in a live stream ... he says he was drunk and, rather than ramble on, should've shut his mouth.

TikTok star Hunter Echo just explained his side of the controversial live stream ... saying he was drinking and responded to negative comments the wrong way by continuing to talk about his past with Millie.

Hunter says he shouldn't have said anything at all and he's sorry ... but it's important to note he never apologizes to Millie or claims that what he says was untruthful. In fact, he doesn't even mention Millie by name once in the apology.

Remember ... Hunter recently alluded to having a sexual relationship with Millie when she was 16 years old and he was 20, going on Instagram Live and seemingly aiming crude comments about kinky sex acts at Millie.

As we first told you ... Millie's reps say, "Mr. Ecimovic’s remarks on social media are not only dishonest, but also are irresponsible, offensive and hateful. Instead of engaging in a public discourse with him through the press or on social media, we are taking action to ensure that he stops this behavior once and for all."