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Chad Johnson says Jen Harley's making him look like an a**hole after their Vegas hookup, which he claims is unfair ... but he also wants to squash any brewing beef with her ex, Ronnie Ortiz-Magro.

The former 'Bachelorette' bad boy was leaving the gym Monday night in the San Fernando Valley when he addressed the fallout from the video of him making out with Ronnie's ex ... specifically, Jen alleging she was plied with booze and set up.

Chad says that's "crazy ridiculous" and claims Jen admitted to him, her manager made up the "set up" story to help her save face ... but he says he's getting screwed in the process.

Chad's pretty adamant it was just a wild, fun night in Sin City and Jen knew what she was doing -- so he wishes she would just come clean.

At the same time ... Chad feels like he needs a sit-down with Ronnie, with whom he used to be bros, and says he WILL talk to the 'Jersey Shore' star. Even Chad can admit making out with a friend's baby mama is a "major f**k-up on my part."

Sounds like Chad should work on his apology a little bit before he makes the call, though ... because he's still coming off as a guy who believes he's been victimized.

Put yourself in Ronnie's shoes (scary, we know) and watch.

Okay, EVERYBODY REMAIN CALM ... but U. of Nebraska president Ted Carter may have just spilled the beans on the return of the Big Ten football season ... saying an announcement is coming Tuesday night!!!

The revelation was made via a hot mic at a presser minutes ago ... when Carter was speaking with the University's National Strategic Research Institute director.

"We're getting ready to announce the Huskers and Big Ten football tonight," Carter said.

"Oh really?!," Bob Hinson said. "I heard that that was happening."

LISTEN -- like we said, do NOT panic ... but this sure as hell sounds like the season has been saved, according to the moment captured by KETV NewsWatch 7 in Omaha.

It's been an uphill battle for the conference -- with others like the SEC, Big 12 and ACC deciding to play through the pandemic ... and Big Ten and Pac 12 voting to wait.

The move resulted in a lawsuit filed by 8 Nebraska players against the Big Ten ... who claimed the conference didn't follow the proper protocols in coming up with its decision.

Kanye West is on the attack -- against Universal, Sony and the NBA -- claiming they are enslaving Black people and he's trying to save them ... but somehow, Taylor Swift gets brought into the mix too.

Kanye's latest Twitter diatribe is focused on the music industry and the NBA, which he compares to "modern day slave ships." Ye seems to be encouraging rappers, singers and basketball players to free themselves from their business contracts and instead ... buy land and property, as suggested by his following tweets.

Though Kanye -- AKA "the new Moses" -- started tweeting late Monday night, he's continued Tuesday morning ... and that's where Taylor comes in.

Ye posted a long message from someone -- possibly a lawyer or business partner -- offering advice on how he can move forward in his relationship with Universal and Sony.

The person suggests they could follow in Swift's footsteps and either try to buy his masters or rerecord them ... but makes sure to point out Kanye's would probably be worth a lot more.

It's all moot though ... because Kanye says he's done with "any form of business" with the media giants.

It was bound to happen, and it looks like the ball is already rolling ... the 19 Black families who pooled their money to start their own town might soon be reality TV stars too.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... leaders from what will hopefully one day be known as Freedom, GA have been bombarded in the past few days by a flurry of inquires from production companies looking to get their stories, lives and mission on camera.

We're told the two women who kick-started the idea -- Renee Walters and Ashley Scott -- have been running point on these discussions, and it sounds like they (along with several other members of their community) are down to get something going ... and soon.

Our sources say the production companies that've reached out have solid reps in the industry, and have worked with the likes of A&E, Oxygen, Lifetime, HGTV and other big networks that run programming on just this type of stuff ... family, home improvement, etc.

Here's the kicker ... we're told that the folks working to bring Freedom, GA to fruition are coming in with some terms of their own -- namely, they want to OWN this content and the rights behind it, not to mention control how it's edited and aired to the masses.

Our sources say Walters, Scott and co. feel it's important to have a say in how they're portrayed, 'cause they really don't want this to be slimy and full of cheap thrills -- but instead, have it be uplifting, while putting Black folks in a positive light.

And, as far as story lines ... there's A LOT. Scott works in real estate and home renovations -- while balancing family life -- and Walters does the same while working in the special needs community. Plus, there are 15 other families willing to participate ... 2 have opted out.

Hollywood's rallying behind Habitat for Humanity L.A. ... with Amber Heard, Tina Knowles and Lance Bass leading the way to raise some good money for a great cause.

Amber, Tina and Lance are just some of the many celebs who are helping the org raise awareness and funds through a social media campaign dubbed #Hammertime. The funds will help build homes during the COVID-19 pandemic for families in the Hollywood community who can't afford it. Some of the dough will also be used as valuable resources for families in need.

Scores of other celebs, including Tori Spelling and Holly Robinson Peete, have signed up to help launch the social campaign. For every $25 or more donated to HFH L.A., donors can get a special steel hammer created by Redline Steel ... a veteran-owned, American-made hammer perfect for hammering away while building a new home.

Jo-An Turman, VP of entertainment partnerships at Habitat L.A., tells TMZ ... "these beautiful gifts will help the org continue to build hope, homes and address the need for affordable housing."

Two teens are taking "Cheer" star Jerry Harris to court for grooming them into sending nude photos and demanding sexual favors ... those are the allegations in a new lawsuit filed on their behalf.

The plaintiffs are minor twin brothers who are part of the cheerleading community in Fort Worth, TX -- where they say they first encountered Harris around 2018 at high-level competitions and became acquainted. From there, things allegedly turned sexual fast.

According to the docs, obtained by TMZ, the brothers were starstruck by Harris when first getting to know him, as he was already a well-respected cheerleader on the champion Navarro college team, and had also filmed for Netflix's "Cheer" documentary.

In the lawsuit, they claim Harris almost immediately began taking them into his inner circle, befriending them on different social media platforms ... and, eventually, soliciting "booty pics" from them -- exploiting the fact they were both gay.

The docs say the boys reluctantly complied at times with Harris' requests, but go on to claim his requests became more frequent and more offline ... meaning he would allegedly solicit sexual acts from them in person, while also allegedly sending sexually explicit photos and video to them too.

In one alleged instance in 2019, one of the brothers claims Harris led him to a bathroom during a cheer competition and cornered him in a stall, where he allegedly begged the kid for oral sex. The boy says he managed to take off when his bro and teammates blew up his phone.

Mind you, at the time during these interactions ... the boys say they were just 13 and 14 years old, and that Harris was over 18. They also claim they've discovered other minors Harris has allegedly harassed, while adding he's been allowed to remain as a high-level coach and mentor at several different cheer organizations despite his alleged "past and ongoing sexual abuse of children." Some of these organizations, including United States All Star Federation and Varsity Spirit, are also defendants in the lawsuit.

You're about to enter another dimension of sound and sight ... and mind. That, or you're just walking into a tire ad courtesy of a flying billboard -- you tell us.

So, supposedly, there was a UFO sighting out in Rutherford, New Jersey Monday night over the MetLife Stadium, near a freeway where a bunch of cars appeared to stop dead in their tracks to catch a glimpse of what's either the start of an alien takeover ... or just a blimp.

Check it out ... the guy filming here doesn't seem quite sure what to believe, and if we're being honest -- neither are we!!! From his angle, it could certainly pass for a UFO ... one straight out of a movie, which actually makes it a bit harder to believe on its face.

Alright, now time for a little reality check (or one people want you to buy into) ... a bunch of folks are saying that was no UFO sighting at all, but nothing more than the good ol' Goodyear flying over the Giants-Steelers MNF game.

Yeah, sorry ... we're gonna score this one for the non-believers -- 'cause the full context of an NFL game going on makes it clear it's for sure one of Goodyear's famed blimps with its LED board on the belly.

However, we have encountered what we believe might be a legit UFO sighting earlier this year in CA ... where SOMETHING zipped by up in the sky at lightning-quick speeds. That, or it was just a super-fast fighter jet doing some aerial maneuvers up there.

That one might give ya pause, but as for the Jersey sighting. Just a blimp, folks. No offense to Goodyear ... or the Giants, who lost their home opener.

The family of Don Lewis -- Carole Baskin's millionaire husband who went missing in 1997 -- is cutting in on Carole's first night of 'DWTS' ... asking the public for help finding him.

Don's family and attorney John Phillips bought time to air a commercial during Carole's "Dancing with the Stars" debut. We're told the spot will implore the public to send tips regarding his mysterious disappearance ... featured, of course, on 'Tiger King.'

We're told the spot will run during the first 'DWTS' commercial break of Monday night's premiere. It features Don's 3 daughters Gale, Lynda and Donna, plus his former assistant, Anne McQueen, and the family attorney ... who all allege Carole has something to do with Don's disappearance.

As you know ... Carole is getting ready for her big 'DTWS' debut ... and we're told Don's family feels her participation in the dance competition series undermines the ongoing investigation into his whereabouts and is a "grossly insensitive" decision by the show's producers.

Carole has always maintained her innocence in Don's case.

At least some Girl Scouts are doing things a bit differently during the pandemic -- little girls can still participate in person -- but their parents gotta sign a COVID-19 waiver first ... and acknowledge the virus could result in death.

TMZ has learned the Girl Scouts of Northern Illinois are requiring parents and guardians to sign a special waiver in order for girls to attend in-person events.

According to the waiver, obtained by TMZ, the doc is designed to protect the Girl Scouts organization from legal liability if any child or parent gets sick and/or dies from COVID-19 while participating in any GS activities.

Girl Scouts of Northern Illinois tells TMZ ... in-person troop meetings, gatherings and activities are NOT required for girls to participate in Girl Scouts, but the waiver is necessary for smaller groups that prefer meeting in real life.

If parents and guardians are wary of signing a waiver and sending their child off to an in-person event in the middle of a raging pandemic, Girl Scouts of Northern Illinois tells us they offer a variety of programs and ways for girls to connect and experience the Girl Scout Leadership Experience online in a contactless environment.

We reached out to Girl Scouts of America to see how many branches are using similar waivers ... so far, no word back.

Leah McSweeney is the new star who became a fan favorite on Season 12 of "The Real Housewives of New York City," but she might be a one-and-done sensation ... unless Bravo ponies up.

Sources close to the show tell TMZ ... Leah is only being offered a "minuscule" pay raise for the upcoming 13th season of 'RHONY' -- which would be her second -- and she feels disrespected.

We're told the breakout 'Housewife' is holding out for an offer she feels is more deserving, considering what she brought to the table in her debut season ... and she won't return until she gets it. The clock is ticking, though -- the new season's supposed to start shooting in a week or 2.

Our sources say McSweeney made $3k per episode last season, which netted her about $60k, and she feels Bravo is trying to underpay her with a similar offer for Season 13.

Interestingly, the holdout comes on the heels of Leah updating her Instagram bio to show powerhouse talent agency, WME, is now repping her.

For those who don't know ... Leah got on the show through her relationship with Tinsley Mortimer, and fans felt she was a refreshing and exciting addition. Getting naked and throwing tiki torches around the pool at Ramona Singer's Hampton's crib will do that for ya!

A family of "Edward Scissorhands" fans scooped up the Boggs house featured in the movie, and instead of getting it at a slashed price ... they ponied up a little extra to seal the deal.

We broke the story ... the Florida home used for exterior and interior shots in the 1990 Tim Burton cult classic -- starring Johnny Depp and Winona Ryder -- went on the market last month for $224k, with new colors and renovations.

It didn't take long for it to generate interest from multiple buyers, but we're told one family with kids pushed the hardest and bought the house for $6,000 above asking price.

Turns out, the buyers love the movie and the husband grew up in the area. We're told he had watched some of 'Scissorhands' being shot in the Tampa suburban town of Lutz back when he was a kid.

Our sources say the famous movie home got about a dozen offers in its first week on the market, and officially closed last week.

The 1,432-square-foot residence comes with 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms, including a completely remodeled master bath. Along with the upgrades, it still boasts some original charming attributes from the film ... like the kitchen cabinets and countertops.

Steve Nash says his haters will NOT be his motivators with the Brooklyn Nets -- telling TMZ Sports he's too busy working to worry about outside noise.

And, there has been A LOT of noise ... with current and former NBA players, coaches, analysts and fans criticizing the Nets for hiring Nash over a qualified Black candidate.

So, when we saw Nash leaving Lilia in Brooklyn over the weekend, we asked if he's using the backlash as fuel to succeed.

"No," Nash told us straight-up ... "I'm busy trying to build something and collaborate with my staff."

Nash understands the criticism -- he has no real coaching experience and admitted to "skipping the line" to land the Nets job. But, he also argued that he's extremely qualified saying last week, "I think leading an NBA team [as a player] for almost 2 decades is pretty unique."

There's more in our convo with Nash ... here are the quick hits:

TMZ Sports: Have you spoken with Kyrie Irving or Kevin Durant about the social justice movement?

Nash: "I haven't actually spoken with them about that," Nash says ... "but they know I'm an ally."

TMZ Sports: "Have you reached out to other coaches for advice?"

Nash: "I have."

TMZ Sports: Anyone, in particular, you can share?

Nash: "I can not."

TMZ Sports: "What's one goal you have in Brooklyn?

Nash: "Build a great environment for my players and make the community proud."

TMZ Sports: Were there any other teams you considered?

Before this brace face was a familiar funny female on your television screens, she was just another brown-eyed gal growing up in East Cleveland, Ohio.

This young woman rockin' gold hoops got her start making appearances on children shows including "That's So Raven" "Drake & Josh," and "Victorious." She later got cast as a hilarious series regular on an NBC show set on a college campus.

The comedian has also added her expertise as a guest judge on the panel of multiple reality shows -- even joining her ex-costar to guess the hidden celebrities on "The Masked Singer."

Britney Spears is furious with her father for trying to rehire a man she claims is "uniquely unsuited" to manage her estate, and who made a fortune off her for years.

Andrew Wallet served as co-conservator of Britney's estate from 2008 to 2019 and, according to the pop star, was paid millions of dollars for his service ... including a $100,000 payout in March 2019 when he quit the job.

In docs filed Monday, Britney says she's done performing, at least for now, and she needs to keep her expenses in check and make "difficult budgetary choices going forward." Britney says she believes her dad, Jamie, is ignoring her financial situation by attempting to bring Wallet back on board.

Britney says Wallet was paid nearly a half a million dollars a year for the last 5 years he worked for her, and feels he's just way too expensive.

As we've reported, Britney and Jamie have been in a nasty battle over her conservatorship -- she no longer wants him to be the sole conservator of her estate, and has suggested a financial institution, not Wallet, should join him as co-conservator.

TMZ broke the story ... in a hearing last month, the status of Britney's conservatorship remained unchanged. Our sources said one of the main issues is Britney's mental illness has allegedly made it difficult for her to make important life decisions ... and she's been in rough shape for the last year.

Rochester Mayor Lovely Warren is not letting retiring Police Chief La'Ron Singletary stick around for the rest of the month ... she just gave him the boot as the fallout from Daniel Prude's death in custody continues.

Warren announced Monday she fired Singletary, getting ahead of his plan to retire at the end of September, and suspended her communications director and top lawyer.

As we reported ... Chief Singletary announced his retirement last week in the wake of his department's deadly arrest of Prude, but planned to stick around a few more weeks.

Singletary won't get the chance to retire ... instead, Warren announced she axed him and suspended communication director Justin Roy and corporation counsel Tim Curtin for 30 days without pay after reviewing the city's role in Prude's death.

Warren says her initial review shows a "pervasive problem" in the Rochester Police Department, which she described as "one that views everything through the eyes of the badge and not the citizens we serve."

The Mayor says her review shows Prude's death "was not taken as seriously as it should have been by those who reviewed the case throughout city government at every level."

As you know ... graphic video of Prude's March 23 arrest shows the 41-year-old with a hood placed over his head by police. Cops are then seen pressing his face into the ground for 2 minutes until he stops breathing ... leading to his death a week later.

'Bachelor' star and former NFL player Colton Underwood better avoid his ex-girlfriend, Cassie Randolph, at least until he can plead his case in front of a judge ... TMZ has learned.

According to new court docs, a judge signed off on Cassie's request for a temporary restraining order against Colton, requiring him to keep at least 100 yards from her, her home, her work and avoid any contact or threatening behavior.

In October, he'll have a chance to appear at a hearing where he can argue his side of things ... but in the meantime, he has to steer clear of Cassie.

One last thing ... Cassie attached photos of the alleged tracking device she claims Colton stuck to her car in order to keep up with her whereabouts. It's a small, black contraption ... and she says it was taped to the bottom of the back bumper of her car.

As we first told you ... Cassie claims that -- in addition to allegedly trying to track her -- Colton was also bombarding her and others with harassing texts.