'The Voice' Lawsuit You Booted Me ... Even Though Michelle Obama Invited Me
A guy who says Michelle Obama invited him to a taping of "The Voice" is suing NBC after claiming the network treated him like a criminal, and now he struggles to find work.
Greg Duncan says The Office of the First Lady back in 2016 invited him to a taping honoring military veterans. He says he went through 2 security screens and an agent from the U.S. Secret Service told him to enjoy the show.
But in docs -- obtained by TMZ -- Duncan says he was later approached by NBC's security and Sheriffs and told to scram. He says no explanation was given and only that the Secret Service ordered him gone.
Duncan says he had a meeting set for June 17, 2016 with the Secret Service to get the low-down on why he was booted. Problem is ... Duncan, who says he's a commander with the U.S. Coast Guard, says he showed up to NBC's lot the day before for a commercial shoot but was told he's permanently banned.
Duncan says he was told he resembled a "lookout" for a group that got a hold of wristbands to gain unauthorized admission. Duncan says NBC got the wrong guy and NBC's ban has hurt his ability to get a job. He's suing for unspecified damages. We've reached out to NBC, so far no word back.
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2 Chainz on Walmart I Should Sue Over Dabbin' Santa!!!
2 Chainz says he's still on the fence over taking Walmart to court for allegedly ripping off his Dabbin' Santa sweaters ... but sounds like he's leaning toward a phone call to his lawyers.
We got the rapper at LAX and asked if he was following through on his thinly-veiled threat to sue Walmart for selling sweaters that look almost identical to his OG concept from 2015.
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He doesn't completely reveal his plans, dropping "we'll see" a few times -- and added his sweaters are all about charity. The insinuation is clear: What the hell is Walmart doing with the cash from theirs?
Bottom line on the lawsuit -- 2 Chainz told us turnabout is fair play.
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Danielle Bregoli Hires Tiger Woods' Attorney ... Cashes Probation Break
Danielle Bregoli's got big-time money now ... which means hiring big-time help to clear up big-time legal issues comes easier, too.
The 'Cash Me Outside' girl just hired attorney Doug Duncan ... the same guy that repped Tiger Woods in his DUI case. Doug joins Danielle's OG legal muscle, Scott Richardson, in her ongoing legal battles in Florida -- including a case where she allegedly stole her mom's purse and car.
The 14-year-old was slapped with a 5-year probation back in May after pleading guilty to multiple charges, including 2 counts of grand theft ... she was also hit with a curfew that included needing a parent with her after 5 PM.
Danielle and her attorneys were in court Thursday where we're told a judge agreed to modify Bregoli's curfew so that her management team be considered a guardian.
Sources close to Bregoli tell us the slightly lax new rules will allow Danielle to spend more time in the studio and expand her work travel, too.
We smell a tour.
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'Last Chance U' Star RB Isaiah Wright: Murder Case Going to Grand Jury
The fate of the "Last Chance U" football star accused of murdering an 18-year-old man will be in the hands of a grand jury -- the murder case is moving forward in just a few weeks.
Isaiah Wright was a stud running back at East Mississippi Community College -- and came off as a really happy, sweet kid on the Netflix docu-series.
But in real life ... cops say he was involved in the stabbing death of 18-year-old Caleb Radford, who was attacked and killed in Blount County, Tennessee back in July.
Wright and his brother Camion were among 4 suspects arrested in the investigation. Officials dropped the case against Camion, but not Isaiah.
The 20-year-old is still locked up in Tennessee -- along with the 2 other suspects. Isaiah has been in custody since September.
Court officials tell TMZ Sports ... Isaiah's case will be heard in front of a Circuit Court Grand Jury on January 12. The jury will decide if there is enough evidence to indict him.
Attempts to reach a rep for Wright were unsuccessful.
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Joe Giudice His New Prison's Like a 4-Star Resort ... Brunch & Yoga Included
Joe Giudice has a pretty cush prison stay ahead of him while he's locked up in Pennsylvania -- the place is like a damn resort ... even though it's got its own "deal breakers."
Like we told you, Joe was transferred from a federal prison in Fort Dix, New Jersey last month to a low security correctional facility in Allenwood, PA. Now, TMZ has learned exactly what's in store for him there -- and we gotta say ... it sounds nice for the pen.
First off, Joe gets access to a wide variety of food and products. He can buy stuff like butter pecan ice cream, a mackerel fillet, Thai tuna steak, and cappuccinos.
He can also buy Neutrogena shampoo, an MP3 player, and Skullcandy earbuds -- like we said, luxury living. If that doesn't convince ya, consider he also gets brunch every weekend, and can participate in yoga, fitness classes, bocce ball and even flag football.
There are some ground rules, though. He's only allowed 5 guests at a time per visit -- and none of them can wear makeup or anything sexy. Sorry, Teresa ... save it for Mexico.
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Chrissy Teigen Craving to do More with New 'Cravings'
Chrissy Teigen built a massive following with just 1 cookbook ... and now it looks like she's ready to build an empire around it.
The supermodel just applied to lock down the trademark, "Cravings," to use on a bunch of home goods. The name comes from her 2016 cookbook "Cravings: Recipes for All the Food You Want to Eat." According to the docs, Chrissy's looking to slap "Cravings" on housewares like kitchen appliances, hair dryers, bed linens, towels, comforters, window treatments and more.
Chrissy appears to be branching into the blogosphere, too. Docs show she also applied to use "Cravings" for the name of a blog dedicated to homemaking, lifestyle, cooking and, of course, recipes.
Looks like she could be the next Martha Stewart.
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'Hollyweed' NYE Prank Won't Happen Again ... If Cops Have Their Way
Don't count on the Hollywood sign reading 'Hollyweed' come New Year's Day like it did last year, 'cause the area's gonna be crawling with cops ... TMZ has learned.
Law enforcement sources tell us security is getting ramped up big time around the Hollywood sign on New Year's Eve to avoid another prank -- like the one Zach Fernandez pulled earlier this year.
We're told there will be extra officers assigned to patrolling the sign on Dec. 31, with more frequent police drive-bys up the hill as well as occasional helicopter fly-bys.
Sources say the LAPD's Hollywood division will have all hands on deck on NYE, and some of those officers will be tasked with monitoring surveillance cameras around the sign itself.
Fun fact: Recreational marijuana is gonna be legal in CA come Jan. 1, 2018 ... just sayin'.
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NBA's Ben Gordon Catches Huge Break In Robbery Case
Ex-NBA star Ben Gordon can breathe a LITTLE easier ... because he will NOT be charged with a felony stemming from his November robbery arrest in Los Angeles.
TMZ Sports broke the story ... 34-year-old Gordon was accused of flashing a knife and roughing up a manager at his old apartment complex in an effort to get his 4-figure security deposit back. (FYI, Gordon reportedly made $84 mil during his NBA career).
Gordon fled from the scene and then returned AFTER cops had arrived -- they arrested him on the spot. He was booked for felony robbery.
Now, we've learned the L.A. County District Attorney has rejected the felony case -- and kicked it over to the L.A. City Attorney to consider filing misdemeanor charges instead.
So, it's a huge break for Gordon ... but he's not out of the woods yet.
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Nick Cassavetes Out to Lunch with Daughter Day After Custody Win
Nick Cassavetes and his daughter are back together in L.A. ... and grabbed some lunch to celebrate their reunion.
"The Notebook" director and his 12-year-old girl, Barbie, were spotted at Jerry's Deli in Studio City Saturday ... just a day after an Oklahoma judge awarded Nick lawful custody of her.
We broke the story ... Cassavetes' ex, Heather Wahlquist, squared off with Nick in an Oklahoma courtroom Friday, asking the judge for an emergency order to keep Barbie in her custody. The judge rejected her request.
So Nick and Barbie look copacetic in California now, but the custody battle ain't over -- they're back in a California family law court January 18.
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Offset Woman Claiming He Impregnated Her She's a Liar and an Extortionist!!!
Offset is threatening a woman who's been claiming all over social media he got her pregnant ... claiming she's trying to extort him for a fortune ... TMZ has learned.
Cardi B's fiance hired the powerful law firm Manatt, Phelps and Phillips, which sent Celina Powell a no-nonsense cease and desist letter, revealing she has demanded $50k and in return ... she will get an abortion.
The letter goes on to say her claim he got her pregnant is false and that she has made similar false allegations she's hooked up with other celebrities.
The lawyers say Powell's rants on social media have cost Offset great financial harm ... some businesses have pulled the plug on deals he was making with them.
The letter claims she is not only making financial demands as a money grab, she's doing it to increase her social media profile.
The lawyers make it clear ... stop making any further statements about Offset ... or else.
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Nick Cassavetes Wins Custody of Daughter Barbie
Nick Cassavetes has won a major victory -- he has his child back after claiming his baby mama stole their child from him ... TMZ has learned.
Nick appeared in an Oklahoma courtroom Friday to square off with Heather Wahlquist over 12-year-old Barbie. Wahlquist was asking the judge for an emergency order to allow her to keep Barbie in her custody, despite the fact that it's a California case. The Oklahoma judge rejected her request.
Nick has claimed Heather and her mother essentially stole Barbie and went on the run, despite the fact that the California custody order gave him physical custody effective December 18.
Barbie went back into chambers with the judge for about a half hour, and after their talk the judge told Nick he was the one who had current lawful custody, so they left the courtroom together.
The famed "Notebook" director tells TMZ Barbie is back in L.A. with him.
Heather had claimed Nick neglected Barbie while he had custody and she returned recently with a bacterial infection. She made other claims as well but the Oklahoma judge rejected them.
The fight isn't over. They're back in a California family law court January 18.
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'The Wire' Star Wendell Pierce Assault Case Closed
Wendell Pierce is happily closing out 2017 by officially -- and finally -- kissing a bizarre 2016 episode goodbye.
The Fulton County State Court tells TMZ ... the assault case against "The Wire" star is now closed after Wendell successfully completed a diversion program that included community service and counseling classes.
TMZ broke the story ... the 'Wire' star was arrested in May 2016 for allegedly assaulting a Bernie Sanders supporter after a heated argument turned physical at an Atlanta hotel. Wendell was ultimately arrested for simple battery ... but it's now a thing of the past.
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Stan Lee Missing $300k Cops Investigating Forged Check
Stan Lee's checking account is $300k light, and cops are on the hunt for the perp who swiped the cash ... TMZ has learned.
We're told the Marvel Comics legend filed a report with Beverly Hills PD Tuesday after one of Stan's business partners discovered the money had been withdrawn without his knowledge. After some digging, it was discovered a $300k check was written to a merchandising company, Hands of Respect, for a "loan."
Sources tell us neither Stan or his money managers wrote or authorized the transaction, and Bev Hills PD is investigating the case as a check forgery.
We're told Stan's people believe this might be an inside job -- someone within the foundation wrote the check in an attempt to keep the cash themselves.
Either way, it's not a very nice bday gift for the comic book icon ... who just turned 95 on Thursday.
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Bruno Mars Sued By Rap Trio ... You Funked Us Up With 'Uptown Funk'
Bruno Mars and Mark Ronson are under fire for their Grammy winning single, "Uptown Funk" by a rap group who claims the song is just way too similar to their 70s hit.
A female rap trio named The Sequence released the single "Funk You Up" in 1979 ... a hit that was the third rap song ever to reach Billboard's Top 50 Singles. In court docs, obtained by TMZ, the group claims Mars' hit has "significant and substantially similar compositional elements" of "Funk You Up."
Mars and Ronson have faced several lawsuits stemming from the single ... most recently in September.
The Sequence is asking for a jury trial and unspecified amount of money from Mars -- and songwriter Ronson -- who penned the track.
We reached out to a rep for Bruno ... so far, no word back.
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NBA's Avery Bradley Paid Big Money to Silence Sexual Assault Accuser ... Denies Allegation
Detroit Pistons player Avery Bradley entered into a confidentiality agreement with a reality star who accused him of sexual assault earlier this year -- and at one point, negotiations got as high as $400k, TMZ Sports has learned.
But Bradley's attorney tells TMZ Sports he adamantly denies all wrongdoing -- and only entered into the agreement to prevent false information from being made public.
Here's what we know ... the allegation stems from an incident on May 23 in Cleveland, Ohio. The woman involved claimed Bradley sexually assaulted her while she was passed out drunk.
Bradley was a member of the Boston Celtics at the time of the incident. The Celtics were in Cleveland to play the Cavs in the Eastern Conference Finals.
After the incident, the woman contacted Bradley and accused him of assaulting her. The two sides came together to work out a deal to keep her quiet and prevent her from releasing any video, photos or audio.
At one point in the negotiations, the parties considered resolving the matter for $400,000 ... but it's unclear what number Bradley ultimately agreed to pay. We're told the final figure was high.
We spoke with Bradley's attorney Brian Wolf of Lavely & Singer who tells us, "Mr. Bradley absolutely denies having engaged in wrongdoing whatsoever. The confidentiality agreement specifically refutes and denies the validity of all allegations of any wrongful conduct by Mr. Bradley. The sole purpose of the agreement was to protect the reputation and privacy of Mr. Bradley and his family."
Wolf adds, "My office will take all appropriate action against all persons involved in the wrongful disclosure of this agreement. We will conduct a thorough investigation into who is responsible for this wrongful disclosure."
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'My Big Fat Greek Wedding' Mom Store was Ready to Bust Her ... 'Cause She Allegedly Shoplifted Before
Lainie Kazan had a whole shoplifting routine down before she was caught red-handed, which is why the store was ready at the exit as she allegedly tried to shoplift on Xmas Eve ... sources at the store tell TMZ.
We're told the mom from "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" came into the same Gelson's supermarket where she was arrested for petty theft on Christmas Eve at least a couple times before and stole stuff ... before she eventually got busted.
Gelson's employees told us they saw a pattern with Kazan -- she would fill up her basket and pretend to walk toward the checkout line, but would then make a quick exit out the door as another group of customers was leaving. We're told security footage backs this up.
Workers were ready for her the last time she came in, and notified the folks in loss prevention ... who were waiting to bust her at the exit. We're told they waited for Kazan to get outside before nabbing her.
As we reported ... her cart had about $180 worth of groceries, and we're told it included cleaning supplies (Comet and Pledge), a hot rotisserie chicken, tomatoes, some Jell-O ... and uncured pepperoni.
We reached out to Kazan ... her attorney, Mark Werksman, tells us the store didn't give Lainie a chance to pay for her items before it made moves to get her arrested, calling it a misunderstanding. Werksman also denies Lainie ever stole from Gelson's in the past. He says Gelson's "overreacted and didn't give her a chance to pay."