Drugs & Alcohol

Lamar Odom has vanished and everyone in his life fears the worst -- that he's off somewhere on a drug binge ... TMZ has learned.

Sources connected to the NBA star tell us people on Lamar's side, and on the Kardashian side have not been able to find Lamar or contact him for nearly 72 hours -- and we're told the main concern is he's hiding out while doing crack cocaine.

As TMZ first reported ... Khloe Kardashian threw him out of the house Wednesday after attempting an intervention which Lamar squarely rejected.

We've already told you Lamar's been battling addiction for at least 2 years -- and even reluctantly agreed to go to rehab in San Diego a year ago ... although he bailed after 3 weeks.

Our sources tell us Lamar has gone off the hinges since basketball season ended and he became a free agent.

We're told his drug addiction is the core reason why his marriage to Khloe has fallen apart.

Short story ... everyone's worried.

3:00 PM PST: We spoke to a rep for Lamar who says Lamar is fine, however he would not say anything about his whereabouts.

Lamar Odom has been deep into crack cocaine for at least 2 years ... TMZ has learned.

TMZ broke the story ... Lamar has gone off the rails with drug use ... which is the principal cause of the crisis in his marriage to Khloe Kardashian. As we reported Lamar went to a rehab facility a year ago this month and stayed for 3 weeks before bailing -- and we're told the problem was crack.

Sources say Lamar's crack use was extreme before he went to rehab, but he cleaned up his act during the basketball season that just ended. Sources say shortly after he hung up his jersey, he started again with a bang.

As we reported ... Khloe threw Lamar out of the house a few days ago after he rejected an attempt at an intervention.

It's unclear how Lamar's problem will affect his basketball career.

R&B singer Anthony Hamilton was popped for a DWI early Sunday morning, TMZ has learned.

Cops pulled Anthony over around 2:30 am in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina for speeding -- but then suspected he was under the influence and arrested him on charges of driving while impaired.

He was released from jail later Sunday morning.

Anthony is famous for his 2003 hit "Comin from Where I'm From". Recently he wrote the song "Freedom" for "Django Unchained."

The marriage of Khloe Kardashian and Lamar Odom is in crisis, and TMZ has learned ... the core reason is hardcore drug abuse.

Multiple sources familiar with the situation tell TMZ ... Lamar has had a problem for 2 years. It got so bad, last August Khloe pressured Lamar to go to rehab. Lamar went to a facility in San Diego, but he was so resistant Khloe hired private investigators to secretly stand guard at the rehab place to make sure he didn't leave. The P.I.s stood guard 24/7.

Our sources say Lamar constantly threatened to leave and Khloe made several visits to prevail upon him to stay. We're told after 3 weeks, Lamar left for good.

We're told Lamar actually stayed clean once he left rehab and was able to play well for the Clippers this past season. But when the season was over, sources say Lamar slipped deep back into hardcore recreational drugs.

As for reports that Lamar was cheating recently, we're told Khloe is convinced it happened, and she feels she's been hit with a double whammy ... but drugs are the main problem.

As for divorce ... neither Khloe nor Lamar has contacted a lawyer. As one source put it, "Khloe is more concerned about saving Lamar than ending her marriage."

We're told the situation has become dire. Sources tell us ... within the last 2 days, the entire family staged an intervention, trying to convince Lamar to go back to rehab, but he wouldn't have any of it.

In fact, on Wednesday morning, right after the failed intervention, Khloe threw Lamar out of the house and as you see from the pic (above), one of Lamar's friends is loading Lamar's stuff in his car as Lamar watches.

Lindsay Lohan was such a pro on the set of "Eastbound & Down" ... its star Danny McBride wants to take her talents with him ... to a show he's developing for HBO.

Sources close to LL tell TMZ ... while guest starring on "E&D" Danny -- a.k.a. Kenny Powers -- and LiLo really hit it off. Danny was so impressed with her work he had several serious talks with her on set about a new show. He wants her to star in it.

We're told the show is being developed by McBride and his producing partner Jody Hill. It will be in the same comedic vein as "Eastbound" ... but revolve around a high school.

Our sources say Lindsay loves the idea and is hoping it works out.

Mike Tyson has not been living the sober life ... not by a longshot ... in fact he says his alcohol addiction is so dire he's on the "verge of dying."

Tyson dropped the bombshell at a press conference Friday in New York ... telling reporters he's been lying to everyone for years about staying sober.

He confessed, "I wanna change my life, I wanna live a different life now. I wanna live my sober life. I don't wanna die. I'm on the verge of dying, because I'm a vicious alcoholic."

Tyson -- who has been in and out of rehab over 3 times -- said he's been drug and alcohol free for 6 days now and never wants to drink again.

The 47-year-old former champ was in New York to promote his upcoming fight card with Iron Mike Productions.

Dean "The Dream" Meminger -- who helped the NY Knicks clinch the 1973 NBA title -- was found dead in his hotel room Friday ... wearing his championship ring.

Meminger was found unconscious inside his NYC hotel room by staff members after failing to check out. He was pronounced dead on the scene. There were no signs of trauma. A witness reportedly saw "white stuff" oozing out of his nose.

Meminger had long suffered from drug addiction, including cocaine, even in his pro-basketball days. He almost died in a rooming house fire where he was allegedly smoking crack back in 2009.

The 65-year-old was a first round draft pick back in 1971.

"Hell's Kitchen" champ Ja'Nel Witt tested positive for cocaine ... and that's why she wasn't allowed to accept the head-chef position at Gordon Ramsay's restaurant in Vegas ... TMZ has learned.

Talk about blowing a huge opportunity ...

Sources extremely familiar with the situation tell us ... Caesars Palace required Witt to submit to a drug test in order to take the job as head chef at the Gordon Ramsay Pub & Grill, the position she earned after winning Season 11 of "Hell's Kitchen" earlier this year.

FYI -- Caesars has a notoriously strict drug policy ... and requires all employees to submit to drug testing.

But Witt bombed her test -- one source tells us she "failed miserably" -- and when Caesars found out ... they quickly kicked her ass to the curb.

But there is a silver lining for Witt -- we're told she WILL receive the $250k salary ... despite the fact she won't spend a single day in the kitchen.

Fun Fact -- $250,000 can buy roughly 10 kilos of cocaine ... depending on the quality.

12:25 PM PT -- A rep for T.I. tells TMZ, the incident did NOT occur on T.I.'s bus ... in fact, the rapper was not even aware of the incident. Which leaves two other possibilities.

More drama for the Lil Wayne/2 Chainz/T.I. tour buses -- law enforcement sources tell TMZ, a female fan says she was invited on board one of the vehicles after the show in OKC this week ... and an entourage member punched her in the face, breaking her jaw.

The alleged attacker isn't named in the police report -- but the victim says her jaw was broken in two places ... and the damage is so bad she required surgery to repair it, and her jaw is now wired shut for six weeks while it heals. The victim says she'll be on a liquid diet for the entire time.

Here's the story ... the victim told police, the unidentified entourage member had been hitting on her during the concert ... and invited her on board one of the rappers' buses after the show.

The victim says she took the guy up on his offer -- but when she showed up with her girlfriend, he stuck his hand down her shirt and grabbed her breast.

The victim says she slapped his hand away and he turned around and punched her in the jaw, sending her flying out of the bus door. She says she landed on her back on the pavement with blood pouring out of her mouth.

According to the police report, the entourage member ran off, and the victim was taken to the hospital.

A rep for the Oklahoma City PD tells TMZ, the incident is under investigation. So far, no arrests have been made.

Wiz Khalifa's pal Curren$y was fully on the guest list for his recent wedding ... and the rapper fully intended to be there for Wiz and Amber Rose -- but then something came up.

Like a lighter ... and some weed. Ok, a lot of weed.

1:35 PM PT -- 2 Chainz has just been released from jail, and flipped everyone off in the process. Being the businessman he is, he also told everyone to buy his album.

12:37 PM PT -- 2 Chainz just tweeted, "This sh*t will make u go crazy, our bus gets pulled 1 a week and they always say I smell weed I need to search ur bus. Sh* gets tiring"

12:30 PM PT -- Law enforcement sources tell us, drugs WERE found on the bus ... but they wouldn't specify which, or how much.

Rapper 2 Chainz was on board the tour bus involved in a police standoff in Oklahoma last night ... and he's already been arrested in connection with the incident.

TMZ broke the story ... 2 Chainz' tour bus was pulled over in OKC around midnight after police noticed its taillights were out. When they approached the vehicle, cops say they noticed signs of drug use and attempted to board the bus.

But the bus driver locked the police out, insisting they obtain a warrant first.

Police did just that and eventually entered the bus hours later, where they arrested 11 passengers for "interfering with the police process," including 2 Chainz.

It's unclear if they face additional charges.

7:48 AM PT -- Cops have finally obtained a warrant and entered the bus ... and immediately placed several passengers under arrest for "interfering with police process" for locking the cops out of the bus.

We asked cops if 2 Chainz was one of the people on the bus -- to which we were told cops are not sure, but we're told the bus is "connected" to the rapper.

A tour bus connected to Lil Wayne's concert tour has been pulled over in Oklahoma and cops suspect there are drugs on board ... but the passengers have locked themselves inside and REFUSE to cooperate, TMZ has learned.

Law enforcement tells us ... the bus was pulled over around midnight because its taillights were out. And when officers approached the vehicle, they noticed signs of drug use and wanted to board the bus.

But the driver told cops he wasn't letting 'em on ... and locked the door ... and told cops they had to get a search warrant before he would unlock the doors.

It's unclear who's on the bus -- but we're told Wayne and T.I. (also on the tour) had left the city on private jets before the incident. 2 Chainz is also part of the tour -- but no word if he's on the bus.

Cops eventually towed the bus (with the people inside) to a nearby police training facility ... while they wait for a judge to issue a warrant.

They say weed can make you forget things ... like when your REALLY good friend is getting married -- just ask rapper Curren$y who blew off Wiz Khalifa's nuptials because he was too baked.

Curren$y -- a huuuge rapper who's worked with everyone from Snoop to Lil Wayne, Master P and, most famously, his close friend Wiz Khalifa -- was in NY for a hip hop awards show when he dropped a truth bomb about why he wasn't around when Wiz tied the knot with Amber Rose.

"We were totally like baked and I totally just smoked off my appearance," Curren$y said ... adding, "But he knows it's love and we definitely spoke and it's all good."

If anyone would understand, it's Wiz ... who's equally passionate about the green stuff. Just ask that one guy at the airport ...

Lindsay Lohan is fiercely defending her decision to hang with a friend who has an even more checkered past with drugs than her, and actually thinks it's a positive step for her recovery -- problem is ... she's delusional.

Sources close to Lindsay tell TMZ ... she doesn't understand why her shopping trip with Vikram Chatwal would raise concerns she's hanging with a bad crowd, and putting herself in danger of a relapse.

As we previously reported ... Chatwal was busted for drug possession in April, but avoided jail by agreeing to 12 months of in-patient rehab.

We're told Lindsay thinks Vikram is good company because, like her, he's been through several rehab stints ... and is currently in recovery.

Here's the flaw in that argument ... multiple drug counselors -- from reputable clinics -- tell us Lindsay's playing with fire by hanging with old friends connected to her partying ways.

Most counselors told us ... it's "not recommended" for recovering addicts to hang with another addict -- especially if it's been a short stretch since they got out of rehab.

Lindsay's been out for 22 days, and while it's unclear when Vikram was last in treatment ...his drug bust was just 4 months ago. Not to mention, neither volunteered for rehab, but had to be forced by a judge.

Omar Gooding -- host of Nickelodeon's '90s show "Wild & Crazy Kids" and a bunch of other stuff -- had a w-wild and crazy night on Tuesday ... TMZ has learned, the actor was busted for DUI.

Law enforcement sources tell us, Gooding -- the younger brother of actor Cuba Gooding Jr. -- was arrested early Tuesday AM in L.A. and was released hours later on his own recognizance.

Details surrounding the arrest are unclear.

In addition to "Wild & Crazy Kids," Gooding had leading roles on "Hangin' with Mr. Cooper" and "Smart Guy" (the show where Tahj Mowry plays a child genius). But c'mon, "Wild & Crazy Kids" was the best.

Here's a question: if Lindsay Lohan really did cut all her toxic friends out of her life ... why was she spotted hanging out with a rehabbing hotel magnate who was busted for heroin in April?

Lindsay and pal Vikram Chatwal were photographed out in NYC Tuesday, reportedly shopping together ... you know, buddy stuff.

But here's the thing: Lindsay told friends she had permanently excised all the bad influences in her life in order to focus on sobriety and kick her substance abuse issues once and for all ... so it's a little surprising to see her hanging out with this guy.

FYI, Chatwal was busted in April after cops say he tried to get on a plane with cocaine, weed, heroin and various prescription pills. He struck a plea deal that let him avoid jail if he completed 12 months of in-patient rehab.

According to media reports, Chatwal's been to rehab AT LEAST 4 times since 2009.

We're not telling Lindsay who to be friends with ... we're just asking the question.