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Ben McKenzie says celebrities should not be selling digital currencies ... instead, he says they should stick to the usual stuff, like overpriced water, so folks won't go belly up.

The former "O.C." star joined us on "TMZ Live" Thursday and we asked him about the huge ad blitz from celebs who were pushing crypto during the Super Bowl and beyond ... only for the market to crash.

Ben's since written a book about the rise and fall of crypto, "Easy Money," and he's got some strong opinions ... like how celebrities should never be giving financial advice.

Ben thinks all the folks featured in those Super Bowl ads for crypto ... like Tom Brady, Lindsay Lohan, and Larry David, just to name a few ... would be better served selling car insurance, soap and H2O.

For Ben, the big difference here is the unregulated status of cryptocurrency ... plus the fact celebs are not licensed financial advisors ... and he feels Hollywood contributed to what he sees as the largest Ponzi scheme in history.

Tons of folks lost money when the crypto boom went bust and lots of folks got sued ... and Ben says fraudsters used the lure of celebrities to reel in marks.

Ariana Grande is dating one of her "Wicked' costars ... TMZ has learned, following her split with hubby Dalton Gomez.

Sources with direct knowledge tell us she and Ethan Slater -- who plays Boq in the film adaption of the Broadway musical -- started dating several months ago during production of the flick.

It was back in March when a photo circulated, showing Ariana and Ethan next to each other as the cast of "Wicked" celebrated Michelle Yeoh’s Oscar win in London.

TMZ broke the story, Ariana and Dalton have yet to file divorce docs -- though our sources say those are coming -- but their relationship has been over since January. We're told Ariana and Dalton remain friendly, and he's been dating as well.

As for Ethan, he's been married to singer Lilly Jay since 2018, and they welcomed a son last year. Our sources say Ariana and Ethan did not start dating until after he separated from Lilly.

Ethan's a talented dude, working as an actor, singer, composer and writer. He got his big break recently as SpongeBob Squarepants in the Broadway musical -- for which he earned a Tony Award nomination.

Vanna White has negotiated her deal with "Wheel of Fortune," but only the celebrity version, not the syndicated show, and we're told Sony has made it clear ... they're not receptive to her demands.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ, Vanna's lawyer, Bryan Freedman, negotiated Vanna's deal for "Celebrity Wheel of Fortune." Turns out that deal was up, but her contract for the syndicated show goes for another year, so first things first.

We're told Freedman told Sony Vanna wanted 50% of what Pat was making, but Sony would not disclose Pat's salary for "Celebrity Wheel." We hear Pat makes just north of $400k an episode. In the end, we're told Vanna settled for $100k an episode, which we're told was a "meaningful bump" from her last contract.

As for the syndicated show, we're told negotiations are halted because of the writers' strike, but the parties are far apart.

TMZ broke the story, Vanna has asked for half of what Pat Sajak makes, which we're told is around $15M a year. Vanna has made $3M for the last 18 years with no salary increase.

Our sources say Freedman asked Sony to use a third party who knows the game show space to evaluate Pat and Vanna's roles and importance on the show, and then come up with a "fair figure." We're told Sony turned thumbs down to that request.

We're told one of the problems ... Sony believes they ended up paying Pat too much and they don't want to use his salary for comparability. Apparently, that hasn't sat well with Team Vanna.

As one Vanna source put it, "It's gonna get ugly if they [Sony] don't get more serious."

We covered it all in the latest episode of The TMZ Podcast, available on all podcast platforms.

The home Las Vegas cops raided in connection with the Tupac Shakur murder case was lit up with police lights in the dead of night, creating a chaotic scene ... seen in this new video.

TMZ obtained dramatic footage from Monday night's SWAT operation when Vegas Metro PD descended on the quiet Henderson, NV neighborhood around 10 PM ... honing in on one house and shouting for the people inside to come out with their hands up.

Watch for yourself ... you hear an officer talking through a megaphone, telling a woman to drop her cigarettes and comply with his demands.

Eventually, he starts to bark orders at a man as well ... telling him to turn around, put his hands in the air, and walk backward. It's unclear if these 2 people were the only ones inside, or if they were detained or arrested.

As we reported ... cops were executing a search warrant, but we still don't know what their probable cause was to obtain that warrant. Once inside, though, they seized hard drives and photos of possible suspects in Tupac's murder ... according to an ABC News report.

TMZ broke the story ... the house is owned by Paula Clemons, who's married to a former Crip named Keefe D. For years, he's claimed his nephew, Orlando Anderson, fired the fatal shots at Pac just off the Vegas Strip in 1996, and that he was in the car with him at the time.

We don't know for certain Paula or Keefe are currently living at Henderson home. Neighbors in the area tell TMZ the couple they've seen in the house moved there in 2016.

We're told they've always been nice, saying hi to folks ... with no suspicious behavior.

TMZ also knows cops were here at this address for about 2 hours conducting the search. The big unanswered question is whether they found anything that could close the Tupac murder case.

Joe Manganiello has filed for divorce from Sofia Vergara ... TMZ has learned.

Joe's lawyer, disso queen Laura Wasser, filed legal docs late Wednesday citing the usual irreconcilable differences.

The docs reveal there is a prenup, and they will each keep the assets they accumulated during their 7-year marriage. Wasser has a reputation for defending prenups, and our sources say Sofia is not going to contest it.

Since they have no kids, it seems like a pretty straightforward divorce.

Speaking of kids, we're hearing a big reason Joe has filed is their conflict over having children -- he wants them, she does not.

Joe and Sofia will each cover their own lawyers' fees.

The date of separation is listed as July 2, 2023.

Jason Aldean's hit song, and its accompanying music video, about small towns in America is sparking huge debate across the country ... and, now the NAACP is joining the convo.

The Tennessee chapter of the civil rights org is strongly condemning the country singer -- President Gloria Sweet-Love tells us Jason's tone, his message and the imagery he's using are all deeply offensive to people of color, especially Black people.

Sweet-Love says the Tennessee State Conference NAACP, as an organization, finds the song/music vid for "Try That in a Small Town" awful and racist.

She adds, in their eyes, the lyrics are bad enough, but Aldean's adding insult to injury by filming the video in front of the Maury County Courthouse in Columbia, TN ... where a Black man was lynched in 1927.

Making matters worse -- GSL says the KKK has recently been hanging flyers in that town as well, and Aldean's project is only adding unneeded fuel to a fire.

Sweet-Love goes on to say she believes Aldean's track is clearly promoting racism and violence, adding Tennessee doesn't need that -- instead, she says the focus of artists should be uniting people, and protecting their children and communities.

While Aldean seems to be inviting rancor ... Sweet-Love says he should, instead, apologize now -- echoing what a lot of others have said about this, including Sheryl Crow.

As we've reported ... JA himself has vehemently denied promoting any racism or violence in the song -- and says it only reflects the community he's familiar with ... not to mention sentiments he says people he knows share. In other words, he ain't walking back anything.

CMT has already yanked the song/vid from rotation ... and Sweet-Love says TN's NAACP chapter appreciates that gesture, telling us it was the right move all things considered.

Oscar De La Hoya is weighing in on one of the best fights in years -- Errol Spence vs. Terence Crawford -- a fight The Golden Boy agrees is as close to evenly matched as a fight could be ... but that doesn't mean the boxing legend doesn't have a prediction!

"I think it is a 50/50 fight," De La Hoya told us in NYC on Wednesday ... before giving us his pick.

"I like Crawford, I've always liked Crawford. I mean, I love Spence, but Crawford has more of the elusive style, more combinations. It's gonna be a good fight. If Spence wins, he's gonna knock out Crawford. If Crawford wins, it'll go to decision."

Vegas seems to agree with the boxing legend ... Crawford is a small favorite in the bout, heading into fight week around -160 (wager $160 to win $100).

Of course, it's the fight boxing fans have been talking about -- clamoring for -- for years ... and it's just a week and a half away, going down July 29 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

Spence, 33, is undefeated with a record of 28-0 with 22 knockouts. He's the unified welterweight (147 lbs.) champion, holding the IBF, WBC, and WBA belts.

As for Crawford, he too has never lost ... and comes into the fight with a 39-0 record with 30 knockouts. "Bud" is also a champ, holding the WBO welterweight belt. He's been champion in three different weight classes.

There's more with ODLH. We also talked to the boxing Hall of Famer about the Tyson Fury and Francis Ngannou "money grab" boxing match, scheduled for October.

ABC will not edit out Jason Aldean's controversial hit, "Try That in a Small Town," on Wednesday's "CMA Fest," but viewers will not see a frame of the music video ... sources tell TMZ.

"CMA Fest" was filmed between June 8th and 11th at various venues in Nashville. Aldean was one of the headliners, who sang the song that was rising on the charts.

The song has become a lightning rod because of the lyrics combined with the newly-released music video, with images of Black Lives Matter protests, flag burning, and aggression toward police. The music video was also shot outside the same courthouse where there was a brutal lynching years ago. Folks on social media have ripped Aldean, claiming his song is a right-wing dog whistle.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ, ABC will air Aldean's performance but none of the music video will appear in the show. For the record, the music video was released after the festival. ABC could have used the music video in the show open or promos, but our sources say the network has taken a hard pass on that.

Aldean has defended the song, saying it has nothing to do with BLM but rather it's an anthem honoring neighbors helping each other in small towns.

Clearly, not everyone's buying it, but enough people are to propel the song to #1 on iTunes.

A former detective who worked on The Notorious B.I.G. murder case -- which overlapped with Tupac's murder -- says Vegas PD might finally be able to close the infamous case ... especially in light of whose home they raided.

Greg Kading gained extensive knowledge of both Pac and B.I.G.'s murders while he was with LAPD, and joined us Wednesday on "TMZ Live" to offer insight into the Henderson, NV raid. We broke the story ... Vegas cops searched the home of Paula Clemons Monday night, and they say it was in connection with the still-open Tupac murder case.

Paula's husband is a guy named Keefe D, and Kading says Keefe has spoken openly about his involvement with Tupac's murder for years now -- alleging his nephew and fellow Crip Orlando Anderson was the trigger man that fateful night in 1996.

Kading says Keefe first confessed to this way back in 2009, during a police interview conducted by Kading. He says they struck a deal with Keefe, so they couldn't use the info he provided to prosecute him -- but he says that deal went out the window the moment Keefe started telling his story in public.

Kading suspects Keefe still thinks he's safe from prosecution, but the fact cops now appear to be zeroing in on him -- or at least, his loved ones -- will probably make him realize he's mistaken.

As for why Vegas cops are jumping on this now -- Kading tells us they might have been working on this in recent years, and only now have all the pieces lined up to prosecute someone.

WWE legend The Iron Sheik died of cardiac arrest last month ... this according to his death certificate, obtained by TMZ Sports.

Officials said in the document that Sheik -- real name Hossein Khosrow Ali Vaziri -- also suffered from congestive heart failure as well as hypertension before his passing.

The manner of death was ruled to be natural.

As we reported, Sheik passed away in Georgia on June 7 ... at 81 years old.

His family and friends called him "a true legend, a force of nature, and an iconic figure who left an incredible mark on the world of professional wrestling" following his death.

His good pal, Sgt. Slaughter, also remembered him fondly in an interview with TMZ Sports.

Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, meanwhile, posted a video tribute to Sheik in remembrance ... calling him "Uncle Sheiky" -- while recounting a story back when he was a rookie wrestler.

The former heavyweight champ was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2005 ... and he'll forever be known as one of the greatest heels to ever step in the squared circle.

RIP

Yo Gotti's co-ownership of MLS soccer team D.C. United has opened new doors for the "Rake It Up" rapper ... making a trip to the White House to hang with the First Lady!!!

The CMG boss kicked off his MLS All-Star Week on the South Lawn of the White House Monday as an invited guest. Gotti was part of a youth soccer clinic designed to raise awareness for the sport with future generations.

Sources tell TMZ Hip Hop that Gotti and Jill Biden had a great chitchat on the South Lawn about his own children's growing love for soccer ... and he connected with officials from the Biden-Harris Administration throughout the day.

Gotti joined D.C. United in 2021 and has been proactive in ingraining himself in the soccer community.

We're told he'll be joining the TV booth for the MLS All-Star Game later this evening, as 2 D.C. United players and their coach Wayne Rooney are on the roster.

Post Malone is a man of his word, fulfilling a promise made to a huge fan who'd gone through a life-altering medical episode, and we've got the pics from the super sweet face-to-face.

The whole thing started last year when Garrett Belanger's sister Taylor made a Tik Tok detailing his story and Post responded. Garrett, a longtime Post Malone supporter, suffered a brain hemorrhage in 2022 -- and he's been slowly (but surely) recovering following a coma.

Post actually sent Garrett a bunch of merch and a video last August -- not long after he came out of the coma -- telling him to hit him up whenever he was ready to come to a show and rock out ... and on Monday, he finally got that chance at Post's concert in Buffalo, NY.

On Monday, Garrett, his sister Taylor, family and friends took Post up on his offer -- getting to enjoy the singer's show. We're told not only did PM get them regular tickets ... but he and his camp rolled out the red carpet for Garrett and his loved ones with VIP tickets and a backstage meet and greet.

The photos are pretty awesome -- you can see Posty and Garrett hugging it out, and Garrett looks absolutely stoked. While he can't talk or walk just yet ... Taylor says Garrett can communicate by blinking now, and he was more than aware he was meeting his idol.

In addition to the meet-and-greet ... the family brought Post a Garrett's Army shirt that he put on while posing for the pictures. Considering how long this has been in the works ... it's truly full circle.

Garrett's family has started a GoFundMe to help with his care and recovery.

The son of "Good Times" star John Amos is behind bars for allegedly sending threatening texts -- including images of guns -- to John's daughter ... the latest chapter in a family war over the actor's health.

According to the docs, obtained by TMZ, John's son, K.C., was busted last weekend after his sister, Shannon, claimed he sent her a slew of concerning texts, which she says made her fear for her life.

Shannon told West Orange, NJ police her brother texted about his supposed gang affiliations, showing a handgun and a rifle. She claims he also sent her videos of him firing a handgun in an open field, and wrote, "Gonna sleep much better tonight big sis."

According to Robert Florida, a spokesperson for the Essex County Prosecutor's Office ... Shannon said K.C. suffers from bipolar disorder, which has led him to believe she hired someone to kill him -- and now she's worried he might retaliate.

As we reported, Shannon started a GoFundMe last month for her father John, claiming he's been the victim of elder abuse.

However, John told us his daughter's lying, and he's not sure why she started the fundraiser. GoFundMe scrubbed the page after the "Roots" actor declined the cash.

After that mess, Shannon said K.C. no longer has authority to make medical decisions for John -- and she's sent him a cease and desist letter regarding online comments he's made about her.

Lamar Odom is expanding his business portfolio ... his newest venture aims to find affordable living for seniors in California, and he's crediting his grandmother with the assist.

The former NBA star's manager tells TMZ ... Lamar is partnering with Regency Palms Senior Living in Oxnard and Long Beach to start Odom Senior Care, which provide affordable and luxurious care for seniors.

We're told Lamar's inspiration is his 96-year-old grandmother, Florence, who now lives alone in the same Bronx apartment she's called home for a whopping 70 years.

He decided to get into the senior living biz as a way to help folks ... after running into some obstacles earlier this year while trying to find a new home for grandma.

The major issue Lamar sees with the current landscape -- adequate senior living is just too expensive, and he's determined to change the status quo.

He already has the 2 facilities in SoCal, and plans to expand to reach his ultimate goal of providing seniors with pre-negotiated rates in 1,000 communities -- an ambitious aim, for sure, but one he hopes to achieve by year's end.

This move comes on the heels of Lamar successfully launching the Odom Recovery Group to help folks find sobriety.

WWE Superstar Seth Rollins says he's in full support of the writers and actors striking in Hollywood ... but tells TMZ Sports there's a bit of a "silver lining" in the situation, 'cause it gives people a new opportunity to check out wrestling!!

Of course, SAG-AFTRA decided to join the Writers Guild of America on the picket line last week ... effectively shutting Hollywood down after tense negotiations with the studios.

Seth makes it clear he is siding with the talented actors and writers fighting for what they want ... but he welcomes any first-time fans to watch some wrestling in the meantime!!

"I know it's a difficult time for the actors and the writers," Seth said at LAX this week. "I believe they're doing the right thing asking for what they deserve. I stand by them.

"But it is a fortunate part of not being part of a union that we're able to still perform and, for our audiences and people who may not be familiar, now they get the opportunity to tune in and see what we're all about."

Seth added the new fans couldn't come at a better time ... 'cause the current roster of talent is the greatest its ever been.

We now know more about what happened when cops arrested the suspected Gilgo Beach serial killer -- we're told the guy didn't put up much of a fight.

Suffolk County Police Commissioner Rodney Harrison tells TMZ Rex Heuermann was taken into custody without issue .. and despite being suspected of committing heinous crimes, we're told Heuermann remained stoic throughout the process of his arrest.

Here's how it went down, per Harrison -- he says Heuermann was approached by detectives on the streets of NYC Friday ... who then told him he was under arrest. We're told Heuermann asked what for, and they told him it was for his alleged involvement in the Gilgo Beach murders from over a decade ago.

Harrison says Heuermann's response was interesting ... all he apparently said to the arresting officers was "I didn't do that" -- but we're told he did so in a very somber way. We're told he didn't shout or vehemently deny anything ... he just calmly said it wasn't him.

Harrison says they then threw on the bracelets, and that Heuermann didn't resist whatsoever -- he went peacefully and quietly with them. Commissioner Harrison tells us the detectives subsequently read him his Miranda Rights, and that he requested a lawyer.

Some believed his detainment was a bit more dramatic -- especially with footage that's been released showing police trailing him out and about -- however, it was anything but.

As we reported ... NY officials allege Heuermann is responsible for the 2010 deaths of Megan Waterman, Melissa Barthelmey and Amber Costello. Cops also suspect he may have murdered Marueen Brainard-Barnes -- the 4th victim -- but he hasn't been charged for that murder yet.