Celebrity Rehab

LeAnn Rimes belted out some tear-jerking tunes last night ... marking her first public appearance since checking herself into a treatment center last month.

The country singer took a break from her 30-day recovery center -- where she checked in on Aug. 29 for "stress and anxiety" -- to perform at the Eau Claire Regional Arts Center in Wisconsin.

Rimes played a full 70 minute set despite her recent breakdown -- which stemmed from a public battle with a group on Twitter ... who kept blasting Rimes for her relationship with Eddie Cibrian.

Bobby Brown is out of rehab and doing well ... so says the singer ... who is adamant he did not leave rehab early, as has been reported.

As TMZ first reported, Brown checked into a rehab facility last month to battle problems with alcohol. Brown left the facility after only two weeks, which he explained yesterday was part of the plan all along.

Brown performed last night in Orlando with the fellas from New Edition and says he is now 22 days sober.

2:20 PM PT -- An autopsy conducted on Saturday was inconclusive and the cause of death is pending toxicological test results.

"Real World" star Joey Kovar died after taking what could turn out to be a lethal mixture of Viagra, cocaine and alcohol ... law enforcement sources tell TMZ.

Our sources say ... Thursday night, just before midnight, Joey went to a woman's house in Chicago Ridge, Illinois, told her he'd been doing cocaine ... and asked her to drive him to a location where he could score more coke. The woman, Stacey Achterhof, rebuffed his request, and asked him to stay at her place.

We're told Joey, who was also fueled up on alcohol, took "some Viagra" and messed around with Stacey ... but they did not have sex. At some point Stacey fell asleep, and when she awakened early Friday morning she found Joey bleeding from the nose and ears.

Law enforcement sources tell us ... his eyes were also "blackened" -- something that frequently occurs when someone ODs. Law enforcement sources tell us they suspect Joey had an aneurysm.

Stacey was interviewed extensively by cops on Friday. We're told she says she saw Joey take Adderall and Xanax in recent weeks -- and multiple sources close to Joey tell us although they were prescribed, he often took more than called for by doctors.

There's no indication, at this point, Stacey will be charged with a crime.

Joey Kovar -- the troubled "Real World" star who appeared on "Celebrity Rehab" -- was found dead at a friend's home near Chicago this morning ... and family members believe drugs are to blame ... TMZ has learned.

Kovar was 29 years old.

Kovar's rep tells TMZ ... Joey was discovered by a female friend early this morning who noticed blood coming out of Joey's ears and nose.

The woman called 911 ... and authorities rushed to the scene where he was pronounced dead.

Kovar had famously battled drug issues -- and sought help for cocaine and ecstasy during his stint on "Celeb Rehab."

While on "Real World: Hollywood," Kovar entered rehab halfway through the season for alcohol and drugs, admitting he'd struggled with substance abuse for years. It was a pretty powerful moment on the show.

Kari Ann Peniche's estranged husband claims the couple's 10-month old baby tested positive for meth ... and now he's begging a judge to strip Kari's custody rights ASAP claiming the "Celebrity Rehab" star poses a serious threat to their child's health.

Justin Williams has filed documents in L.A. County Superior Court ... claiming he took his 10 month old son for a hair follicle drug test earlier this month after he began to suspect Kari Ann had fallen off the wagon and was using drugs around the kid.

Justin says the tests came back POSITIVE for meth.

In the docs, filed by his attorney Marlo Van Oorschot, Williams says he was initially concerned because the baby "has a habit of sucking on Kari Ann's hair and clothes and I became concerned that he could be affected by drug residue."

Justin also claims he found evidence that Kari -- who's struggled with addiction in the past -- had been using drugs in the past 2 months.

Now, Justin believes the baby is in danger when he is with Kari Ann ... explaining, "I do not want him to continue to be exposed to smoke from meth or to accidentally ingest illegal drugs while with Kari Ann."

Justin is demanding sole legal and physical custody -- and wants to BAN Kari Ann from any sort of unsupervised contact with the kid. He also wants Kari Ann to submit to weekly drug tests ... and if she tests positive, he wants the judge to revoke her visitation entirely.

The cast of "Jersey Shore" hit up a bar last night in their first outing of the new season, and while the recently rehabbed Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino was there ... he didn't touch any alcohol ... TMZ has learned.

The Situation has publicly said that he was not in rehab for alcohol -- but as TMZ first reported ... his trip to Cirque Lodge was indeed for both prescription pills and alcohol.

Now get this ... not only did The Situation (and a pregnant Snooki) abstain from alcohol, it appears the entire cast did as well, in an apparent showing of solidarity.

It's a huge contrast from prior seasons, and especially interesting given that the bar is the same place where a drunken Snooki got knocked out by a fierce punch. The cast was actually sitting outside the bar on a patio.

Charlie Sheen's ex-wife Brooke Mueller has once again checked herself into rehab for substance abuse -- sources close to Brooke tell TMZ.

According to sources, Brooke entered the undisclosed in-patient treatment facility a few weeks ago, following a puzzling visit to Charlie.

A source close to Charlie tells TMZ, Brooke recently came to his L.A. home and seemed out of it -- so much so Charlie felt she needed to be checked out by an addiction specialist.

We're told Brooke left before Charlie had a chance to get her examined by a professional. Brooke then decided to seek out substance abuse treatment on her own -- it's unclear why.

Brooke previously entered rehab earlier this year following her December cocaine arrest in Aspen.

Rehabbed Disney queen Demi Lovato says ... she was often seduced into going into fancy nightclubs and high profile restaurants because promoters gave her free drugs and booze.

Lovato finally opened up about her dangerous partying habits to U.K.'s "Fabulous" magazine ... strongly suggesting she was using drugs before entering rehab in 2010.

Lovato never admits to using a specific drug ... but when asked about the rumors of her cocaine use she replied, "I would come off stage in front of 18,000 people and suddenly be alone in a hotel room. I'd come crashing down and would try to find a way to recreate that feeling, to stay 'up'."

The 19-year-old also says it was easy to get her hands on illegal substances ... saying, "Promoters gave me drugs and alcohol in restaurants or clubs. They wanted me to come back so I would be seen there. They were basically kissing my ass."

"I thought they were my friends. I thought I was having fun."

Lovato completed treatment for bulimia, depression and self-mutilation in 2011 ... and says she now understands how lucky she is to have survived her darkest period.

The Situation was back to his normal routine yesterday in New Jersey -- driving around in his Lamborghini, hitting up the car wash, the gym, and a vitamin store.

As TMZ first reported, The Situation checked out of rehab earlier this week after spending a few weeks at Cirque Lodge rehab center in Utah, where he was receiving treatment for substance abuse.

We've been told producers plan on bringing in new cast members for the next season of "Jersey Shore," so they can slowly phase out Sitch and Snooki.

The show is set to begin filming this summer.

Tila Tequila is officially out of rehab ... after 30 days of intense counseling for her substance abuse and psychological issues ... TMZ has learned.

A rep for Tila tells TMZ, the reality star "has successfully completed her program in rehab and has safely made her way back home. She has fully recovered, and is currently spending time with her closest family and friends."

TMZ broke the story ... Tila agreed to enter rehab following a suicide scare in her L.A. home last month.

The Situation has CHECKED OUT of the Cirque Lodge rehab center in Utah ... where he was receiving treatment for substance abuse ... TMZ has learned.

TMZ broke the story ... Mike Sorrentino checked in to the famous treatment center several weeks ago ... claiming he wanted to "get control of a prescription medication problem I had due to exhaustion."

Sitch was spotted out moments ago at a nearby airport ... and even took a photo with a fan who happened to be on his flight.

Now comes the biggest test of all ... when Sitch re-enters the danger zone to tape the next season of "Jersey Shore."

Former Crazy Town singer and "Celebrity Rehab" star Shifty Shellshock is now conscious again -- after falling into a coma last week, TMZ has learned.

Sources tell TMZ, Shifty had been on breathing tubes since Thursday -- when he originally fell into a coma -- but was successfully taken off them last night.

We're told Shifty is now responsive -- even speaking sporadically -- but he's still not fully aware of his surroundings. He is still in the ICU.

As we previously reported, it's unclear what put the singer into a coma -- but several people close to him are convinced drugs were to blame.

While former "Crazy Town" singer Shifty Shellshock lay hospitalized in a coma ... his baby mama and his family were fighting in the ICU, according to the woman.

Jasmine Lennard, Shifty's girlfriend and mother of their 2-year-old son ... claims Shifty's family never said a word about him being in the hospital -- and she had no idea until friends told her yesterday.

As TMZ first reported, the former "Celebrity Rehab" star has been unresponsive in intensive care since last week ... and people close to him think drugs are to blame.

Jasmine tells TMZ she rushed to the L.A. area hospital Monday afternoon, but when she got to the ICU ... Shifty's sister grabbed her arm and other family members cursed at her. According to Jasmine things got so heated "security was eventually called and we were all separated."

Jasmine says she got to Shifty's room, but was never able to see him. She's furious about the family keeping her in the dark, and claims they are "blaming me for leaving him during Christmas for this relapse."

Shifty's mother and sister haven't responded to our phone calls.

Former "Celebrity Rehab" star Shifty Shellshock is currently in a coma in an L.A. hospital -- TMZ has learned.

According to sources, the former Crazy Town singer has been in the ICU since last Thursday and is completely unresponsive. It's unclear what put him there -- but people close to him believe it was drug-related.

Legendary hip hop producer Scott Storch is being sued by an aspiring singer ... who claims she paid Storch a ton of money to produce her album ... but he was too drugged out to get the job done.

The woman on the attack is Treena Ruberg ... who claims Storch -- who's worked with superstars like Dr. Dre, Beyonce, Justin Timberlake and more -- agreed to produce 6 songs for Treena in exchange for $45,000 back in October 2011 ... $30k of which she paid up front.

According to Treena's lawsuit, filed in L.A. County Superior Court, Storch acknowledged he had a previous drug problem ... but insisted he was now "cured of his past problem" and would be able to deliver the tracks by the end of November.

But Treena says Storch straight up lied ... claiming he "continued to have a drug addiction and other personal problems which rendered him incapable of producing any recordings."

Now, Treena says she wants her $30k back ... plus an additional $70k for all of the out-of-pocket expenses she incurred during the process ... including plane flights, studio time and having to hire another producer.

The Situation is in rehab not just for prescription drugs, but also for alcohol, TMZ has learned, and this turn of events could pose big problems for next season's "Jersey Shore."

Sources involved in the situation (sorry) tell us ... the Situation went through detox at a facility before he checked into Cirque Lodge in Utah, and the detox involved alcohol.

Our sources also say The Sitch is "very open" with other patients at Cirque about his drinking. He discusses how his club appearances escalated his alcohol use.

Now here's the problem for "Jersey Shore." The Situation and alcohol have been tied at the hip for 5 seasons. If the show allows The Situation to fall off the wagon to make the show better in season 6, they will look like crass enablers. If they don't let him drink, there's a good chance they will lose viewers.

Stay tuned.