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A former 'Bachelorette' producer is calling BS on the idea that ABC was blindsided by Taylor Frankie Paul’s physical violence allegations involving her ex, Dakota Mortensen ... telling us there’s just no way that slipped through the cracks.

We spoke with Michael Carroll on "TMZ Live" Wednesday ... and he says back in his day, casting was unbelievably strict -- with deep background, medical, and psychological checks on every contestant ... adding that anyone with charges like that against her would’ve been an automatic no.

Catch the full clip, 'cause Michael doubles down, telling us current producers were fully aware of who the 'Secret Lives of Mormon Wives' star was. In his view, this wasn’t a surprise -- it was a setup ... calling it a publicity grab.

Stumped filling out your March Madness bracket?! Dan Dakich is here to help ... giving us his picks ahead of the NCAA Tourney tip-off -- just don't expect a whole bunch of upsets, or Cinderella runs!

TMZ Sports caught up with the longtime college hoops coach turned host of Outkick's Don't @ Me podcast, who says the tournament feels top-heavy with only a handful of teams that can actually win it all -- and he’s riding with the big dogs.

“I’ll take my chances with Duke and Michigan,” Dakich said, adding Florida’s right there, too. “I think one of those teams wins it.”

Zendaya and Robert Pattinson's new film "The Drama" is being marketed as a fun wedding flick ... but TMZ has learned that's a rom-com bait-and-switch -- and a dark plot twist is shocking the hell out of unsuspecting viewers.

The movie, produced by A24, is about a couple, played by Z and Pattinson, who are a week out from their wedding when they play a game with friends in which everyone admits the worst thing they've ever done.

And, when Zendaya's turn comes around, she drops a bombshell that's full-on shock and awe.

Warning: Major spoilers ahead!

'Secret Lives of Mormon Wives’ star Taylor Frankie Paul told a counselor she didn't recall much after drinking vodka during her alleged 2023 attack on her ex, Dakota Mortensen, and that counselor determined she was a "problem drinker" ... at least temporarily.

TMZ obtained a 2023 substance abuse and mental health assessment filed as part of Taylor’s criminal case. The counselor who interviewed the reality TV star said Taylor showed up on time and was “smiling and friendly.” The report said Taylor was willing to share information “about the event that brought her in for the assessment.”

Taylor denied having any past or present drug use or prescription drug abuse. The counselor noted, however, that Taylor’s score on an alcohol screening test indicated she was an “intermediate problem drinker.”

3:36PM PT -- A source close to Nicole tells us … Louis also agreed not to allow Huda to meet their son and that Nicole knew Huda was unstable and insecure from the very beginning.

We’re told Louis was living with Nicole and their son, and when she asked him not to allow someone who he just met to track their son’s whereabouts, Huda "went crazy on him." According to our source, after everything happened in February, Louis told Nicole she was right the whole time, down to her asking him not to let Huda know where his and Nicole’s lives.

Our source tells us Louis stayed with Nicole for the whole week after this incident. We’re told Nicole made sure Huda never met their son and that Louis encouraged Nicole to file the restraining order and sent Nicole texts between Huda and him.

Louis Russell was on "Too Hot to Handle," not "The Ultimatum" ... but he says his ex gave him one concerning their kid -- break up with Huda, or you can't see your son!

In court documents, obtained by TMZ, Louis claims his ex-girlfriend, Nicole Olivera, has "unreasonably" cut off all contact between him and their son, Luka ... despite Louis saying he agreed not to have his girlfriend Huda Mustafa with him during their visits.

According to the papers, Louis alleges Nicole is using Luka "as a bargaining chip" and has threatened to move out of state. He expands further ...

Bravo is firing back at former 'Real Housewives of Atlanta' star Brit Eady’s $20 million battle over alleged sexual harassment, TMZ has learned.

The network called Brit’s complaint "an attempt to rewrite history -- and her own contractual commitments, because she no longer likes the consequences of joining a popular and long-running reality series well known to feature authentic, unscripted dialogue, conflict, drama, and confrontation, along with many other dynamics of a group of women.”

Bravo said Brit was not misled, and “she certainly was not victimized by” them. As we previously reported ...

Desmond Scott’s ex Marissa Springer is spilling on their whirlwind fling ... and says from the jump, he was throwing some serious money at her and spoiling her like it was no big deal.

Marissa sat down with TMZ’s Charlie Neff and told us things escalated fast ... claiming the very next day after we broke the clip of their steamy make-out session, he handed over his credit card and told her to go wild.

Check the clip -- she breaks down exactly what she bought and whether she hit the $25K limit he gave her -- but now says it all feels a little different in hindsight. Marissa suspects the shopping spree may have been hush money, especially since he was in the middle of a very public split from his wife Kristy Scott ... and didn’t even show up for the spree himself.

Rick Ross respects hustle ... but he's saying Remy Ma has gone too far! The Biggest Boss is going after Remy and her network for a movie that he says rips off his nickname and music.

ICYMI ... Remy is planning to release a film called "The Biggest Boss" on her platform, The Remy Network. Now -- according to a letter sent by Ross's attorneys and obtained by TMZ -- Rick is claiming the project features the unauthorized use of his music and trade name and demanding they halt the project from going forward.

Not only that ... Ross says it's confusing fans into thinking he has something to do with the movie, citing comments on social media.

Some guys let themselves go in retirement … but Blake Griffin clearly hasn’t!!!

The former NBA star hit the beach with his fiancée, Francesca Aiello, and let’s just say -- the dude is still in peak form. Griffin went shirtless for the outing, rocking a pair of green shorts and showing off his ripped, tanned physique as the couple strolled along the sand.

Francesca -- a swimwear designer who owns Frankies Bikinis -- was just as eye-catching … stunning in a patterned bikini while the two held hands and soaked up the sun, with their dog tagging along for the beach day.

Jesse James' wife Bonnie Rotten received what she may view as a rotten bunch of bail conditions that'll keep her under tight restrictions, requiring her not to threaten or attack her husband -- according to new court documents.

TMZ obtained the docs from Hays County Court in Texas, and they lay out the conditions while Bonnie is out of custody on $3,000 bond ... which she must fully comply with if she wants to stay out of the clink.

In the docs, Jesse is listed as a "protected individual" -- and Bonnie is expressly prohibited from committing any "family violence, indecent assault or abuse, stalking or trafficking against [him]." There's more.

Production on "The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives" kept viewers in the dark about serious abuse claims involving Taylor Frankie Paul ... TMZ has learned.

Sources connected to the series tell TMZ ... during filming of the Season 3 reunion, Dakota Mortensen accused Taylor of being abusive toward him ..., but we're told that entire exchange was cut and never made it to air.

However, a production source with direct knowledge tells us ... they BOTH hurled allegations of physical outbursts at each other. The volatile exchange was cut for air because the back-and-forth had nothing to do with the season they just shot.

The "Baywatch" reboot is officially underway, and star Brooks Nader told us she had a lot to learn ... Brooks says she needed someone to give her swimming lessons -- so she got the hottest trainer ever!

We caught up with Brooks on set Wednesday ... and after admitting she didn't grow up swimming and never had any lessons, she assured us she's making up for it.

She joked, "I'm an Olympic swimmer now!"

The model says she's taking acting lessons as well ... and if she acts as well as she takes pictures, we're in for the best show ever! Just watch our video ... we have the first shots of Brooks and Livvy Dunne in the iconic skintight red swimsuits.

A mansion once belonging to Antonio Brown has hit the market ... and if you happen to have a spare $4 million hanging around -- it can all be yours!!

TMZ Sports has learned the pad -- located along Lake Keystone in Odessa, FL -- was listed for sale on Wednesday. AB owned it until he gave it up as part of his bankruptcy proceedings to pay back his creditors

The over 13,000-square-foot property, which includes climate-controlled garages for 11 vehicles, comes with six bedrooms and eight bathrooms ... and you're not gonna believe what all is packed inside the pad.

Neo had nothing to hide when he appeared before the L.A. County grand jury, which is hearing evidence on the death of Celeste Rivas ... we've learned he never pled the 5th.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... Neo answered all the questions posed by L.A. County D.A. Beth Silverman, who is presenting evidence to the grand jury.

TBH ... it seemed to us he took the 5th, because he only appeared for 40 minutes. And remember, Silverman had him arrested in Montana and hauled back to L.A. because he had failed to appear and testify. In addition to that, law enforcement sources were suspicious that Neo may have accompanied D4vd on that mysterious, middle-of-the-night trip to a remote area of Santa Barbara last Spring. Our sources now say Neo was not in the car. And there's more ...

Chris O'Neal -- who played Kevin Reed in Nickelodeon's "How to Rock" -- was arrested Monday ... TMZ has learned.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... deputies responded to a burglary call in Malibu at 5:45 AM. We're told the caller stated they viewed security camera footage and saw three adults inside the home.

According to our sources, officers were told the suspects entered through the rear, manipulating the cameras so that the caller couldn't see what happened afterward.

Dakota Mortensen was waving red flags to ABC about his baby mama, Taylor Frankie Paul, ahead of her time on "The Bachelorette" ... TMZ has learned.

Two sources in Taylor's circle tell us Dakota had conversations with 'Bachelorette' producers before she started filming to warn them about her behavior and past abuse ... but production pressed forward.

In fact, we're told producers were even interested in having Dakota appear on her season in some capacity ... though we hear he didn't end up filming. And that's not all.