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Multiple stars of the 'Real Housewives' franchise are coming forward to defend Andy Cohen against Leah McSweeney's allegations -- and they're all leaning into the idea each cast member is personally responsible for her actions.

Luann de Lesseps, who costarred with Leah on 'RHONY,' talked to us Wednesday on "TMZ Live" about Leah's lawsuit against Cohen, Bravo, the production company Shed Media, and Warner Bros. ... claiming they took advantage of her alcohol abuse issues.

Leah claims she was encouraged by Cohen and others on and around the show to drink all in the name of creating better content for the program.

Luann, speaking from personal experience, didn't feel that was the case for her ... saying of course alcohol and parties are part of the 'Housewives' world, but no one ever forced her to take up a glass.

In fact, she says she doesn't think anyone can make a person drink, instead believing personal responsibility plays a key part in addiction recovery -- an issue Luann also dealt with while shooting for the show, having gone to rehab multiple times.

As for Leah's allegation Andy does cocaine with the housewives ... Luann says she's never seen or heard about that, and adds it's not in his character.

LDL says she's now in the "driver's seat" with alcohol consumption and touring with a new cabaret show -- and insists you don't have drink to have a good time on 'Housewives.'

She further vouches for Andy, saying she doesn't believe he'd force anyone to drink like Leah's claiming -- a sentiment echoed by another former 'RHONY' star.

Dorinda Medley -- who appeared on the show from 2015 to 2020 -- tells us she feels terrible for Andy, and questions why Leah decided to come back for a second season of 'RHONY' and an 'Ultimate Girls Trip' if she felt so uncomfortable.

Medley added she'd jump at the chance to get back on 'Real Housewives' ... saying she's had nothing but good experiences with Andy and Bravo and she's gained so much by being on the show. She also said adults need to be held accountable for their own actions.

And, a non-New Yorker -- Cynthia Bailey formerly of "Real Housewives of Atlanta" fame -- also stood by Andy, telling us at LAX, she was never forced to drink or ever believed Andy was using cocaine as McSweeney claimed.

CB says she sympathizes with addicts, but adds people who know they have substance abuse problems need to make smart choices -- like turning down cocktails if they know they have a problem

BTW ... another former Bravo star, Brandi Glanville, is also threatening to sue Andy for an inappropriate comment he allegedly made.

A naked woman went on a mini rampage in L.A. this week -- attacking folks at Venice Beach ... but another lady was equally ready to throw down, with medieval weapons no less.

This wild incident was captured Monday by witnesses in broad daylight, with this woman who was butt-naked going berserk on the boardwalk near the beach. Check out this video obtained by TMZ ... the nudist squared up with another gal, who had a spiked club.

The woman in the black tank top swung the bat at her rival, who retreated as she defended herself. They went back and forth for a bit ... and this birthday suit-babe kinda did a catwalk at one point.

The other lady then struck the naked woman with the baton before throwing it at her. The nude woman then picked it up and started running at the woman as well as other people, threatening them with the club, it seems.

The fully-clothed woman then retrieved a second baton ... and they battled on the pavement. Witnesses told us the insane altercation carried on for around 6 minutes without any police response, and some others were accosted and threatened in the mix as well.

Una mujer desnuda causó un mini alboroto en Los Ángeles esta semana, atacando a la gente en la playa de Venice Beach ... Pero otra señora estaba igualmente dispuesta a derribarla y con nada menos que armas medievales.

El salvaje encuentro fue capturado el lunes por los testigos que presenciaron a esta mujer desnuda enloquecida en el paseo cerca de la playa. Echa un vistazo a este video obtenido por TMZ, la nudista se enfrentó con otra chica que se defendió con un club de púas.

La mujer de camiseta negra blandió el bate contra su rival, que retrocedió mientras se defendía. Ambas fueron de un lado para otro durante un rato, mientras la mujer desnuda se exhibía sin problemas durante su pleito.

En un momento dado, la señora de negro le lanzó el bastón a su contrincante. La mujer desnuda luego lo recogió y comenzó a correr detrás de ella, así como otras personas.

Luego, la mujer completamente vestida recuperó su segundo bastón y lucharon en el pavimento. Los testigos nos dijeron que el altercado se prolongó por unos 6 minutos sin ninguna respuesta de la policía, y otros fueron abordados y amenazados también.

Incluso los fans de la canción "Texas Hold 'Em" de Beyoncé están comentando su similitud con el tema principal de "Franklin", unos dibujos animados de Canadá, y su cantante Bruce Cockburn le dice a TMZ que no se está atribuyendo ningún crédito sobre su éxito.

Por si no lo sabías, el single country de Beyoncé fue comparado con el tema de "Franklin", poco después de su lanzamiento el 11 de febrero.

Muchos usuarios de TikTok e incluso algunos DJs de radio han insistido en que la canción número # 1 del country tomó prestado mucho de "Franklin", tanto es así, que algunos de los TikTokers están recibiendo más de 5 millones de visitas en sus posts.

Sin embargo, Bruce no cree que Beyoncé tenga que pedir disculpas y le dice a TMZ: "Creo que "Texas Hold 'Em" de Beyoncé es una buena canción. Por desgracia, no puedo decir que haya participado en su composición".

Y añade: "La sensación rítmica es similar a mi tema para la serie de televisión "Franklin", pero para mis oídos, ahí se termina la similitud. "Texas Hold 'Em" es su canción, y le deseo mucho éxito".

¿Quizás Bruce sabe que no debe cruzarse con la BeyHive?

Para los que no conozcan "Franklin", el programa infantil de dibujos animados se emitió en Canadá entre 1997 y 2004. El programa seguía las divertidas aventuras de la tortuga protagonista con sus compañeras del bosque.

Ahora bien, Bey debe haber tenido 16 años cuando se estrenó "Franklin", así que dudamos mucho que conozca la serie infantil, pero con sus coautores podría ser otra historia.

Los 3 compositores acreditados, además de Bey, son Elizabeth Boland, Megan Bulow y Nathan Ferraro y ninguno es de Nashville o Texas.

¡Son canadienses!

Ahora, mantengan la calma un momento... no estamos diciendo que sea una prueba de plagio, pero la conexión con Canadá hace que sea un poco más probable que los compositores escucharan "Franklin" o que se hayan inspirado.

Even fans of Beyoncé's "Texas Hold 'Em" are calling it out for its similarity to the "Franklin" cartoon theme sung by Bruce Cockburn ... and while he gets the comparison, he tells TMZ he's making no claim on her hit.

In case you didn't know ... Beyoncé's country single was transposed with the theme for "Franklin" -- a Canadian-produced kids' show -- shortly after it dropped on February 11.

Many TikTok users, and even some radio DJs, insist the country #1 song borrows plenty from "Franklin" -- so much so, some of the TikTokers are getting upwards of 5 million views on their posts.

Yet, Bruce doesn't think Beyoncé needs to lasso up an apology -- he tells TMZ, "I think Beyoncé’s 'Texas Hold 'Em' is a good record. Unfortunately, I can’t claim to have had any part in writing it."

He adds, "The rhythmic feel is similar to my theme song for the 'Franklin' TV series, but to my ears, that’s where the similarity stops. 'Texas Hold 'Em' is her song, and I wish her success with it!"

Perhaps Bruce knows better than to cross the BeyHive?

For those unfamiliar with "Franklin" ... the animated preschool series aired in Canada between 1997 and 2004. The show followed the titular turtle's aminated adventures with his fellow woodland creatures.

Now, Bey would've been 16 when "Franklin" premiered -- so, we highly doubt she's familiar with the kiddo show, however her co-writers on the track might be a different story.

The 3 songwriters credited, in addition to Bey, are Elizabeth Boland, Megan Bulow and Nathan Ferraro ... all of whom are not from Nashville or Texas.

Yup, they're Canadian!

Now, hold your Texas horses ... we're not saying that proves any plagiarism -- but the Canadian connection does make it slightly more likely the songwriters heard "Franklin," and could have been inspired.

Dan Dakich says college basketball fans advocating for the end of court-stormings need to relax ... telling TMZ Sports the solution to the problem is super simple.

According to the former Hoosiers star ... all schools need to do in order to avoid issues with the end-of-game fan rush is beef up police presence on nights where it's likely to happen.

"The biggest deterrent is you get the cops -- the police -- big bright jackets," Dakich, host of Outkick's Don't @ Me said, "you surround the [losing] team, and no one's coming."

Dakich explained the protection from cops would still allow students to celebrate their universities' biggest in-season achievements while keeping the most vulnerable safe. And, if schools fail to properly prepare for the potential outcome and things do get out of hand, he thinks hefty fines would make sure they stay on top of things.

"You've got to make it hurt," Dakich said of the penalties. "You've got to make it a million."

Of course, many in and out of the sport have called for an end to the longstanding tradition after Kyle Filipowski was injured by Wake Forest supporters after they rushed the floor following an 83-79 win on Saturday.

In fact, Jay Bilas -- an ESPN analyst and a former Duke player -- suggested citations or even arrests should be imposed in order to stop the madness.

But, Dakich -- who actually had one of his players sustain a serious injury in a court-storming situation during his time as Bowling Green head coach -- made it clear ... he's entirely opposed to all of that.

Diddy's latest accuser is being questioned on several key things after filing a lawsuit full of heavy allegations of sexual misconduct ... but his attorney has all the answers.

Rodney Jones' attorney, Tyrone Blackburn, is firing back after people started questioning his client's claims ... with the first being Rodney's allegation that Diddy forced him to watch a video involving Stevie J having sex with another man.

Remember, Stevie J told us earlier today that all the allegations concerning him were totally bogus -- and an adult film star Knockout has since come forward and said he's the man in the now-viral pic from the supposed sex tape and not SJ. So ... what gives, right?

Tyrone tells TMZ the video in question was allegedly provided to Rodney by Diddy himself, and we're told Rodney's sticking to his story that Diddy told him it was Stevie J -- that's what he's alleging anyway.

In terms of who it actually is ... Tyrone says his client only knew what was allegedly relayed to him when it first fell into his lap during his time with Diddy.

Tyrone also offers an explanation over another question that's been raised -- namely, why Rodney made no mention of sexual assault in his GoFundMe page a few weeks before the lawsuit was filed Monday ... where he literally tried to raise funds in an attempt sue Diddy after claiming he screwed out of royalties and publishing rights on Diddy's latest album.

Tyrone tells us, "Victims of sexual assault respond to their trauma in very different ways. There is no uniformity in response to sexual trauma."

He adds ... "Mr. Jones is a father and Christian. He was willing to sacrifice his rights concerning his assault, in an effort to protect his dignity and the dignity of his family. Mr. Combs was made aware of Mr. Jones' claim for assault from the moment Mr. Jones made his intentions to sue clear."

Tyrone explains the main reason Rodney started the GFM was to pay his previous attorney ... who was hired to assist with collecting the publishing and royalties money. Since then, his claims against Diddy have obviously expanded in scope ... and now Tyrone's involved.

Lastly ... Tyrone also addresses speculation that Rodney isn't the man with Cuba Gooding Jr. in a snap that was included in the complaint as purported evidence -- where the actor is allegedly seen cozying up with another dude, which the suit says is Rodney.

Tyrone's straight-up dismissing the conjecture that it ain't Rodney ... 'cause he says it 100% is. He actually claims they've got the video proof to back up their claims here.

Despite some holes people have tried poking in Rodney's narrative -- his attorney is remaining steadfast ... and insisting his client is telling the truth.

Los Eagles podrían sustituir a U2 como el próximo gran grupo en presentarse en la Esfera, es decir, si las negociaciones llegan a buen puerto, TMZ ha indagado.

Fuentes directas nos dicen que la icónica banda de rock está en conversaciones para servir potencialmente como el próximo talento en presentarse en el impresionante escenario de Las Vegas.

Se nos dice que, si bien The Eagles están en conversaciones en este momento, un acuerdo no está en su lugar todavía - y no está claro cuándo exactamente las cosas podrían llegar a su fin.

Una cosa que sí sabemos es el calendario que los organizadores tienen en mente para una posible residencia de Don Henley y compañía. Suponiendo que todo funciona estarán presentándose en otoño/invierno.

Eso coincide con la gira de despedida que los Eagles anunciaron el año pasado apodada "The Long Goodbye", que se supone que comenzará en septiembre en Nueva York. Tienen programados varios conciertos por todo el país que durarán hasta mediados de noviembre.

Suponiendo que todo sale bien estaría programado para comenzar a actuar en la esfera en algún momento a finales de noviembre, y probablemente seguiría tocando por ahí durante unos meses.

Bono y los chicos han estado ocupando el espacio de la Esfera desde octubre y sus últimos espectáculos serán este fin de semana, marcando cerca de 4 meses de música.

Por supuesto, las críticas de la Esfera han sido espectaculares y la gente dice que es realmente una de esas cosas que tienes que ver para creer. Por dentro y por fuera.

Una última cosa, los Eagles han estado de gira con una orquesta en vivo últimamente... esperemos que lleguen a tocar de esta manera en la Esfera.

En términos de dinero, no se sabe cuánto ganarían los músicos de "Hotel California", pero se dice que U2 ha estado ganando unos cuatro millones de dólares por concierto.

The Eagles might be stepping in to replace U2 as the Sphere's next big legacy act -- that is, if they can hammer out these negotiations they're currently involved in ... TMZ has learned.

Sources with direct knowledge tell us the iconic rock band are in active discussions right now to potentially serve as forthcoming talent to fill in at Sin City's newest music venue ... which would be a big deal, seeing how there's only been one so far in its big debut.

We're told that while The Eagles are in in talks at the moment, a deal isn't in place yet -- and it's unclear when exactly things might get finalized.

One thing we do know is the timeframe organizers have in mind for a would-be residency for Don Henley and co. assuming everything works out ... we're told they're thinking Fall/Winter.

That jibes with the Eagles' farewell tour they announced last year -- dubbed 'The Long Goodbye' -- which is supposed to kick off in September out in NYC. They have a number of shows scheduled all over the country, and those are supposed to run through mid-November.

Assuming this timeline ends up falling into place the way our sources say they might -- it would appear they'd be slated to start performing at the Sphere sometime around late November, and would probably keep on jamming out there for a few months.

Bono and the boys have been occupying the Sphere space since September, and their final shows are going down later this weekend ... marking about 4 months worth of music.

Of course, the reviews for the Sphere have been spectacular ... and people say it's truly one of those things you have to see to believe. Lots of cool visuals going on inside (and out).

One last thing ... the Eagles have been touring with a live orchestra lately -- and while it remains to be seen if something like that would manifest at the Sphere ... it's possible.

In terms of money, no word on how much the 'Hotel California' musicians would snag for something like this ... but U2 is said to have been raking in about $4 million a concert.

Kourtney Kardashian y su marca de suplementos de salud Lemme, experimentaron un robo muy extraño la semana pasada. Alguien lo robó, ¡y dejó una nota de rescate!

Fuentes directas le dicen a TMZ que un camión que Kourtney usa para enviar productos de su marca Lemme, fue robado de las instalaciones este fin de semana pasado en el Valle de San Fernando.

Nos dicen que esto sucedió en las instalaciones logísticas que Kourtney y su equipo utilizan para los productos Lemme, y este camión contenía más de $4 millones de dólares en Lemme Burn, uno de sus productos más vendidos en la línea Lemme.

Nuestras fuentes nos dicen que un individuo (o individuos) parecen haber hackeado el sistema de la instalación y se abrió camino en la propiedad con documentación e identificación falsa y nos dicen que, literalmente, condujo fuera del lote impune.

Aquí está la parte más loca, nuestras fuentes dicen que una nota de rescate fue enviada digitalmente por este grupo y exigió un pago a cambio de la mercancía de Kourtney.

Nos dicen que un gran informe de robo con la aplicación de la ley se presentó sobre esto y la policía está investigando.

Un representante Lemme nos dice: "Nuestro equipo está trabajando en estrecha colaboración con las fuerzas del orden para investigar el robo. Mientras tanto, estamos implementando planes de contingencia para minimizar cualquier impacto a nuestros clientes y socios minoristas".

Kourtney Kardashian and her partners at her buzzy health supplement brand Lemme experienced a crazy heist last week -- 'cause someone jacked their s*** ... and left a ransom note!

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... a truck stationed at a facility that Kourtney and co. are using to ship out product for her Lemme brand was stolen from the premises of the warehouse it was at this past weekend, out in the San Fernando Valley here in SoCal.

We're told this happened at the logistics facility Kourtney and her team use for Lemme products -- and this truck that was taken contained upwards of $4 million worth of Lemme Burn ... one of her top-selling products in the Lemme lineup.

In terms of how exactly this happened ... our sources tell us an individual (or individuals) appear to have hacked the facility's system and made their way onto the property with false paperwork and identification ... and we're told they literally drove off the lot scot-free.

Here's the craziest part ... our sources say a ransom note was digitally sent by this group, and it demanded payment to get all these pricey capsules back in Kourtney's possession.

We're told a grand theft report with law enforcement was filed over this ... and cops are now investigating.

A Lemme rep tells us ... "Our team is working closely with law enforcement agencies to investigate the theft. In the meantime, we are implementing contingency plans to minimize any impact to our customers and retail partners."

3:08 PM PT -- Kristin Cavallari just took her relationship to the next level, going IG official with her new boo in a cute selfie. She captioned the post, "He makes me happy."

Kristin Cavallari has a new stud in her orbit -- and it looks like she brought the young buck with her on vacation south of the border ... and TMZ has the first picture of this hunky fella!

Check out this photo we obtained, which was taken last Friday down in Cabo -- where we're told she'd just landed with dude ... whom we've identified as 24-year-old model Mark Estes. Eyewitnesses tell us this is them on the tram at the airport in Cabo heading to customs.

Even before this, though, we're told Kristin and Mark were very flirty on the flight over -- showing a lot of PDA ... and certainly looking like a couple.

Sources familiar with the situation tell us Kristin and Mark have been spending time together for about a month now -- but it's unclear if things are exactly romantic or not.

We're told Kristin was down in Mexico last week to work on her Uncommon James jewelry line ... and our sources say Mark tagged along for the quick trip. No word on how exactly they met ... but we're told they're hanging out right now, and that it ain't that serious.

Remember ... the last high-profile relationship Kristin was in -- post-Jay Cutler, of course -- was actually Tyler Cameron ... another model who's hobnobbed in and around Hollywood.

Doesn't look like Mark's as famous as him ... but he's definitely just as good-looking.

Billy Porter se está despidiendo de su casa de Nueva York después de expresar los problemas financieros que tuvo durante la huelga de SAG-AFTRA este verano, según ha averiguado TMZ.

Fuentes familiarizadas con la venta le dicen a TMZ que la estrella de "Pose" puso en venta su casa de 4 dormitorios y 4,5 baños el martes, por una suma de $2.5 millones. La propiedad se encuentra a 70 millas de Nueva York, en la ciudad costera de Bellport Village en Long Island y tiene más de un acre de extensión.

Si bien puede parecer una suma elevada, cada centavo lo vale. La casa viene con un patio exterior precioso, una piscina climatizada, un gimnasio en casa y su propia casa del árbol. La propiedad también ofrece más de 4.500 pies cuadrados de espacio habitable en terrenos bien cuidados.

Ahora bien, si se están preguntando por qué Billy se desharía de una inversión así, en agosto compartió que estaba teniendo dificultades financieras debido a la huelga de SAG, y dio a entender que este tipo de movimiento podría suceder.

En ese momento, dijo que una película y un programa de televisión en los que estaba trabajando se habían descartado debido a las protestas, las que duraron 118 días.

También está esto: Billy Porter y su exmarido Adam Smith anunciaron su separación el año pasado, y no sería la primera pareja de celebridades que vende su casa en medio de una división de activos.

Parece que Billy tendrá un nuevo comienzo cuando se concrete la venta.

Billy Porter is parting ways with his New York home after expressing financial woes during the SAG-AFTRA strike this summer ... TMZ has learned.

Sources familiar with the sale tell TMZ ... the "Pose" star listed his 4-bedroom, 4.5-bath house -- which is located 70 miles outside NYC in the beach town of Bellport Village in Long Island -- on Tuesday ... asking for a cool $2.5 million for the over one-acre property.

While it may sound like a pretty penny to some ... it's worth every cent. The house comes with a gorgeous outside patio, a heated lap pool, a home gym, and its very own tree house. The property also offers over 4,500 square feet of living space on well-kept grounds.

Now if you're wondering why Billy would part ways with such an ideal investment ... he actually shared back in August he was hurting financially, as a result of the SAG strike, and telegraphed this sort of move might happen down the line.

At the time, he said both a movie and a TV show he was working on got scrapped due to the protests ... which lasted a whopping 118 days.

There's also this ... BP and his ex-husband Adam Smith announced their split last year -- and they wouldn't be the first celebrity couple to sell their home amid a division of assets.

It looks like Billy will have a fresh start when the ink dries on his house sale.

Kara Swisher es realista sobre la inevitabilidad de la inteligencia artificial y está ofreciendo consejos francos sobre cómo debemos navegar por esta tecnología en constante evolución.

La famosa periodista de tecnología, que acaba de publicar su nuevo libro "Burn Book: A Tech Love Story", se unió a "TMZ Live" el martes, donde dio una advertencia sobre lo que está por venir en el terreno de la inteligencia artificial.

Kara nos dice que la inteligencia artificial no se irá a ninguna parte y aunque siempre ha habido propaganda falsa, la IA está haciendo casi imposible distinguir lo falso de lo real.

Por eso cree que el gobierno debe entablar un diálogo con las empresas tecnológicas sobre algún tipo de regulación, algo que ya hace con otras industrias.

A Kara no le entusiasma la idea de que todas las creaciones de inteligencia artificial estén amparadas por la libertad de expresión y todas las protecciones que conlleva. En cambio, le gustaría ver a más gente siendo demandada por daños.

Por ejemplo, Taylor Swift fue víctima hace poco de la aparición de imágenes falsas de ella en Internet en lo que podría ser calificado como contenido porno, y si demandara a los creadores, Kara dice que eso podría disuadir a futuros actores.

Kara Swisher is getting real about the unavoidability of artificial intelligence ... offering up candid advice on how we should navigate the ever-evolving technology in the future.

We got the famed tech journalist -- who just released her new book, "Burn Book: A Tech Love Story" -- Tuesday on "TMZ Live," where she issued a warning about what's to come for AI.

Kara tells us artificial intelligence isn't going anywhere -- and while fake propaganda's always been around, AI is making it almost impossible to distinguish phony info from the real thing.

Which is why she thinks the government needs to start a dialogue with tech companies about regulation ... something it does with other industries.

One thing Kara's not keen on is the notion all AI creations fall under free speech, and all the protections that come with that tag -- instead, she'd like to see more people sue for damages.

For example, Taylor Swift was recently victimized when phony X-rated/NSFW AI images of her surfaced online -- and if she were to sue the creators, Kara says that might deter future bad actors.