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Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have left Los Angeles for greener pastures ... in the lush, super-exclusive city of Montecito ... and the Oprah connection seems undeniable.

Montecito realtors with knowledge tell TMZ, the couple went into escrow in July and the deal closed about a week ago.  We're told they spent around $10 mil, which got them a lot more house than they'd get in L.A.

It seems Oprah may have helped guide their path. We're told she helped put them in contact with Tyler Perry, who let them live in his Beverly Hills estate while they got their SoCal sea legs.

Oprah, who has a massive, incredible estate in Montecito and clearly loves it, has a connection to Harry ... they co-produced a documentary on mental health.

Montecito is a relatively small, quiet community near Santa Barbara. Interest in living there has exploded since the pandemic hit the U.S. Lots of people from L.A., Dallas and New York are picking up and moving there.

Lots of celebs live in Montecito, including Ellen, Scooter Braun, Dick Wolf, Drew Barrymore, Patrick Stewart, Rob Lowe and many others.

As for Meghan and Harry, we're told they bought a secure, gated estate. These properties have plenty of land ... in some cases up to 50 acres, although most of that is hillside. But, the properties have lots of flat land, so Archie can play away.

Jerry Jones says the Cowboys might be backing off his "toe the line" national anthem kneeling policy ... with the Dallas owner telling media members Wednesday he's considering a new rule.

The 77-year-old, who has famously threatened to cut players if they kneel during the pregame song, now says he's going to have an open dialogue with his team over the policy.

Jerry told reporters he's currently trying to find a way that pleases both protesters and staunch flag supporters when it comes to the team's newest anthem kneeling rule.

"Somewhere in between there," Jones said, "as we get together with our team, as we discuss with the team, somewhere in between there is how we're going to handle it."

Jerry says he's been in contact with several powerful people over how the Cowboys should move forward with the policy ... saying both past and current U.S. presidents have shared their feelings with him on the matter.

"I have talked to literally double handfuls of very, very engaged people," Jones said. "I have had input from ex-presidents, I've had input from presidents."

"I've had input from a cross-section of our players, former players and I will continue to have input. This is a very serious matter."

Wendy Williams and Kevin Hunter have tied up another loose end following their divorce ... but didn't make the dough they'd hoped to on the deal.

The ex-couple finally closed on the sale of their New Jersey mansion -- which they called home for years -- after putting it on the market in August 2019.

Though it was originally listed for nearly $2 million, it sold for $1.475 mil ... quite a significant price cut.

Jamie Silverman, who exclusively repped Wendy and her ex-husband in the sale, tells TMZ ... the reason for the price reduction was the COVID-19 pandemic.

Jamie says the buyers are a young family who are very excited about the property -- calling it the home of their dreams -- and are also fans of Wendy's ... so they were stoked when she dropped by to pay them a visit and wish them well.

Along with a sweet deal, the family's getting an awesome place to live ... the pad's 5,700 square feet with 5 bedrooms and 4 bathrooms, including a master suite with huge walk-in closets, plus a marble bath, jacuzzi and steam shower.

A maskless Tennessee State Trooper went on a major power trip, going face-to-face with a man not accused of any crime ... before allegedly tearing away the man's face covering.

Andrew Golden says this went down Monday near the Tennessee State Capitol building as he was recording state troopers who had pulled over a motorist. He says he kept a safe distance away on a public sidewalk before State Trooper Harvey Briggs -- who was not involved in the traffic stop -- threw a fit.

Check out the video ... Briggs, who again is NOT wearing a mask, warns Golden about cursing in front of him. Golden, who kept recording, asked Briggs "why his hand is on his gun" ... and the cop said, "Because that’s the way it always is."

Golden claims Briggs then stepped on his foot -- all without wearing a mask, mind you -- and then, suddenly, ripped Golden's mask off his face. He immediately called out Briggs for it ... and you hear Briggs deny it as he walked away saying, "I'm tired of you people making stuff up."

Tennessee's Dept. of Safety and Homeland Security tells us it's "in the process of reviewing the matter."

Ozuna is moving on up ... to a massive mansion in Miami.

Our real estate sources tell us the "Caramelo" singer is the new owner of a 5-bedroom, 6-bathroom crib in Miami's coveted Coconut Grove neighborhood. We're told Ozuna dropped a cool $5,475,000 for the 7,200-square-foot pad, which is nestled in a lush, half-acre lot littered with palm trees.

The modern mansion is like a mini resort ... it's decked out with a pool, putting green, basketball court and a large outdoor patio. Ozuna's new place also features floor to ceiling windows, a home theater, a chef's kitchen and a summer kitchen.

Ozuna's already taking advantage of the home gym too.

The pad comes furnished, and as you can see in the gallery, there's tons of artwork and paintings throughout.

Ozuna's the second celeb to call this place home ... we're told it used to belong to former NFL linebacker and University of Miami football star Jon Beason.

Lourdes Alatriste of Engel & Völkers Miami held the listing.

Donald Trump was not happy with Bill Maher's show last Friday night, and we're guessing it's because Maher delivered a blistering fake eulogy of 45.

Trump tweeted, "Watched @billmaher last week for the first time in a long time. He's totally SHOT, looks terrible, exhausted, gaunt and weak. If there was ever a good reason for no shutdown, check out this jerk. He never had much going for him, but whatever he did have is missing in action."

Well, check out why Trump's so upset. The eulogy was as brilliant as it was biting.

FACT ... Maher and co. have figured out how to do COVID shows better than anyone else in show biz. The show is shot from his backyard, but they've figured out a way to keep it super lively with hysterical, fake audience reactions, great transitions and super interesting convos.

8/24 is now officially "Kobe Bryant Day" in Orange County!

The Orange County Board of Supervisors voted on Tuesday to honor the late Lakers legend -- and the measure passed with flying colors.

"During his career, Kobe Bryant’s numbers on his jerseys were 8 and 24, therefore a fitting day to celebrate his legacy would be August 24," the resolution said.

Of course, Kobe lived in Orange County for most of his 20-year career with the L.A. Lakers ... and his family stayed there even after he retired.

Kobe was well-liked around town -- and was seen several times playing the role of Good Samaritan when he spotted car accidents.

So, when Kobe -- along with daughter Gianna and 7 other people -- passed away in a January 26 helicopter crash, officials wanted to make sure to honor his legacy.

"Kobe Bryant was a basketball legend that inspired so many globally to pursue their dreams and taught us that hard work truly pays off," the resolution says.

Officials even spell out how fans can celebrate KBD -- "By engaging in community building, helping young people in need, encouraging aspiring youth to follow their dreams, and living by Bryant's words: 'The most important thing is to try and inspire people so that they could be great in whatever they want to do.'"

FYI, Kobe's #8 and #24 jerseys were both retired by the Lakers -- he's the only player in franchise history to have two numbers hanging in the rafters.

A hotel worker in Brazil earned office bragging rights when he not only warded off an insane attacking customer -- he sent the guy running off with his tail between his legs.

The incident reportedly went down in the city of Varginha, and allegedly started because the guest -- who WAS wearing a face mask -- refused to allow a COVID temperature scan as he checked in.

As you can see in the security footage ... the hotel employee's holding the scanner at the beginning, but sets it down before an argument erupts.

It looked like the customer was gonna walk out, but then he stormed back in and violently swung a chain holder at the worker ... then went behind the counter for some hand-to-hand combat. Big mistake!!!

The hotel worker immediately squared up to defend himself against the guest's punches and unloaded a series of blows himself. He even gets the guy to the ground and continues to pummel him, before the guest was able to retreat.

The NBA will allow players to FINALLY bring guests into the Bubble environment in Orlando ... but not EVERYONE will be allowed in.

In fact, the NO ENTRANCE list is the most interesting part!!

First off, the guest list will open up to players beginning after the 1st round of the NBA playoffs (which is approaching fast).

The league sent a memo to teams, obtained by ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, laying out the criteria for entrance.

"Four guests per player, but can be exceeded for children," Woj says.

"Guests can travel on team charters following testing. Guests will be allowed to attend games."

There will be strict quarantine protocols for guests before they're allowed inside the bubble ... similar to what the players are already going through.

But, here's where it gets interesting ... the league is clearly trying to prevent players from bringing in random people they meet on social media for booty calls. Aka, no randoms from Tinder!!!

"Any individual the player has not previously met in person or with whom the player has had limited in-person interactions [will not be granted access]."

The league cites a hypothetical example of a person who would NOT be allowed in -- "[someone] known by the player only through social media or an intermediary."

Get it? Seems pretty clear to us!

Woj says other people NOT allowed inside include "agents, trainers, massage/physical therapists, personal chefs and tattoo artists."

Sorry, no new ink inside the bubble!

Once inside, Woj says "Each player is allowed one ticket per playoff game for a guest -- plus an additional admission for a child (32 inches and below)."

Gilbert Arenas recently told us he's been talking to players who are griping about not being able to get booty while inside the bubble.

With the Pac 12 and the Big Ten shut down for 2020 -- sources tell TMZ Sports there are serious discussions about having 2 football seasons in 2021, 3 months apart.

The proposed plan, according to our sources would be a season that runs from February to April -- followed by 3 months off.

The 2nd season would kick off in August and run through the rest of the year ... on the normal college football schedule.

All of this is predicated on the notion that it will be safe to play again by the spring. In other words, there needs to be a real plan on the handle to handle the COVID threat. A cure would be nice.

With PAC 12 programs shut down until at least January, coaching staff can NOW start to focus on recruiting top players for the Fall 2021 season ... and coaches aren't wasting time.

There are other issues facing major college programs regarding how to handle players currently on campus -- keep them around or send them home?

One source tells us ... it will be up to players if they want to stay on campus or return to their homes. With most classes available online and no team practices allowed until January, some players will see no reason to stay.

But, with scholarship athletes still getting lodging and food plans covered by the schools, some are expected to stick around.

Another issue ... several programs are expecting some of their top players to opt out and prepare for the NFL Draft instead of waiting out the college football season.

As one source put it, "It's a smart move for some players with so much money at stake."

Kurt Cobain rarely ever signed his full name to anything which is why a signed home insurance policy is making for a very rare, yet macabre auction item.

The folks over at Goldin Auctions are brokering the sale of this super-rare document featuring the late Nirvana frontman's full signature -- Kurt D. Cobain. He usually signed his name simply Kurt. The Chase Bank insurance company letter is dated 74 days before the guitarist was found dead in his Seattle home.

Yes, the policy was for that house ... where Kurt killed himself on April 8, 1994.

Kurt owned that home for just a couple of months before his untimely death. As rock historians know, this is where he went shortly after fleeing rehab in California to begin a drug binge that ended with Kurt's suicide by a 20-gauge shotgun.

The auction lot-- currently owned by Inscriptagraphs Memorabilia and expected to fetch over $100k -- also includes original photos of what the house looked like before portions of the house burned down in a fire.

We're told the memorabilia company plans to give a portion of their proceeds to a suicide prevention organization.

Goldin Auctions describes this auction as "insanely rare" ... and it comes on the heels of last month's record-setting item.

Ty Ruff, famous for competing on a bunch of MTV reality shows, got busted for DUI in Los Angeles early Tuesday morning ... TMZ has learned.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... cops pulled over Ty around 2:30 AM after officers say they observed his 2011 Mercedes Benz swerving over traffic lines and doing about 20 MPH over the posted speed limit.

Our sources say Ty bombed field sobriety tests and was well over the legal limit with a 0.12 BAC. He was arrested for misdemeanor DUI, and released without bail a few hours later.

Danica Dow's days on "Vanderpump Rules" are numbered, IF her costars get a say -- they want her out due to allegations she got violent with an ex-BF ... TMZ has learned.

Sources on the show tell us a majority of the cast -- including longtime stars on the series -- think Danica's potentially dangerous and more trouble than she's worth after the court drama between her and Brett Willis, this past week.

We're told other members of the cast have seen volatile behavior from her that makes them think Brett's allegations could be true. Specifically, our sources say she was seen pushing Brett while they were working at SUR and shooting season 8 of 'VR.'

We're told cutting Danica out now wouldn't hurt any storylines -- she was a new character this year and wasn't playing into the bulk of drama.

It's unclear what producers are thinking about Danica or Brett's fate on the show. He's also been a very minor character who was only introduced through Danica.

As we reported ... Brett ran to court last week claiming multiple instances of Danica allegedly using violence upon him, including clawing up his neck, biting his arm and ripping his clothes. On the flip side, she alleged he broke into her house to damage her belongings.

Judges signed off on both of their requests to have the other stay away from each other -- but it sounds like the 'VR' cast is believing him more than her.

Tekashi 6ix9ine is in a cast after breaking his wrist in a bizarre accident at home.

Tekashi tells TMZ ... he went downstairs to grab a bite around 3 AM Tuesday when he tripped over his 1-year-old French bulldog, Poppy, and injured himself as he tried to break his fall.

6ix9ine says his hand got caught in the stairway banister and he broke a bone in the back of his wrist. He tells us he felt pain, but didn't know his wrist was broken until later in the morning when he woke up and it was still hurting.

69 says he went to the doctor and X-rays revealed the fracture. Tekashi posted video of his arm and wrist getting wrapped, and he tells us he will spend the next 3 to 5 weeks in a cast.

Australia actor Jason Gann gained fame in OZ for his joint-loving leg-humping canine character, Wilfred ... but shot to stardom internationally in 2011 after the show, "Wilfred," was remade stateside on FX.

Jason Gann starred alongside a cool cast of actors on the American version of the show including Fiona Gubelmann as the dog owner and hot blonde next door, Jenna ... and of course, Elijah Wood as the pet-friendly lawyer, who crushes on Jenna and has some hilarious hallucinations with Wilfred, Ryan Newman.

Gann wasn't just an actor on the shepherd show ... Jason was also credited with writing and producing the dark comedy.

Joe Biden has finally picked a Vice President ... California Senator Kamala Harris will be joining him on the ticket.

The presumptive Democratic candidate announced his VP running mate Tuesday, and the choice is historic. Harris will become the first black female vice presidential candidate in the history of this country.

Biden appeared to signal Harris as his running mate back in July, when a reporter got a peek at his cheat sheet during a news conference and at the tip, it had Harris' name with the words ... "don't hold grudges."

Of course, the "grudges" note references their first debate, where Harris attacked Biden for his stand against school bussing ... something that Harris benefited from during her school days.

Harris was in a somewhat unique position among the various women Biden was considering. She has executive experience, both as a District Attorney and California Attorney General. That's a huge asset for Biden, and for voters.

Given Biden's age, a Veep who can step into the role is a reality and, some say, a necessity.

It's interesting ... just Monday, Charlamagne and Diddy warned Biden ... if he didn't pick a black female, he'd lose the election.

The one problem Biden has with Harris ... both have been criticized for their stance on crime. Biden's support of the '94 crime bill had dogged him, while Harris took some shots during the debates over prosecuting marijuana cases which disproportionally affected African-Americans.

Biden's big decision comes ahead of a big week for the Dems ... the Democratic National Convention kicks off Monday, and Biden will accept the party's nomination Thursday from Delaware, where he will deliver his virtual acceptance speech.

Now, buckle up and wait for President Trump to tweet about Biden's pick in 3 ... 2 ... 1.