Exclusives

Michaels is a contestant on this season's "Celebrity Apprentice" and, ironically, Trump says Michaels' scrappiness is the best thing he has going for him.

As Trump put it, "He turns out to be an amazing competitor and ultimately that is the thing that could save his life."

Michael says he's been communicating with Lindsay since he went on TMZ Live last Thursday -- telling her he will not take legal action to protect Ali from Lindsay nor will he go to court for a Britney-like conservatorship IF she sits down with him face-to-face and hashes things out.

Here's the catch. On TMZ Live, Michael said he wanted to sit with Lindsay and Ali -- just the three of them ... no one else. Now he's telling us he wants to sit with Lindsay and his lawyer. BUZZKILL.

Last Michael told us, he was hiring attorney Lisa Bloom -- a very good, very smart lawyer, and daughter of Gloria Allred. Lisa also just happens to work for an entertainment TV show.

So why suddenly throw a high-profile lawyer in the middle of a father/daughter heart-to-heart? And where's Ali Lohan in all of this?

Will Lindsay meet with Michael? Will Michael go to the L.A. County Department of Children and Family Services to get Ali out of Lindsay's clutches? Will Michael try and become the 2010 version of Jamie Spears by becoming conservator/father of the year? Will Michael leave town? Will Michael go to Hyde tonight?

Stay tuned ...

A rep for the Pennsylvania Dept. of Labor and Industry tells TMZ the correct paperwork for the show was submitted and approved ... and said, "The proper steps have been taken and the kids are permitted for 'Kate Plus 8.'"

But according to the rep, nothing has been submitted for Kate's other TLC spin-off "Twist of Kate" -- which could mean the kiddies may not be joining Kate on that one.

Bret Michaels is awake, in good spirits and talking ... TMZ has learned.

Ambre Lake, the Season 2 winner of "Rock of Love," tells TMZ she's spoken with people who are close to Bret who say he's stabilized and conscious.

Lake's tale matches another contestant who has also spoken with Bret's bandmates.

"Brooke is absolutely frickin' ballistic that he is seeing this hooker while she is working on the marriage," a source very, very close to the situation tells TMZ.

Photos surfaced last week of Charlie wearing a disguise and allegedly leaving a high-end hooker's apartment, something Charlie's rep denies.

Several magazines are reporting that Brooke has moved out of the house and the couple is splitting, but we're told that hasn't happened. One source says, "Brooke's stuff is still at the house. She spent the last two days living at a spa, but she hasn't moved out and she hasn't split with Charlie."

The source adds, "She's absolutely crazed that her children's father would shave his head, put on a disguise, wearing pajama bottoms and come out of a hooker's house so that some day his children will see this."

The "Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains" star who was arrested for battery in Louisiana yesterday claims the whole thing is a "misunderstanding" -- and is considering taking legal action against the cops who busted him.

A source close to Russell Hantz tells TMZ the reality star was partying near a bar he owns in Lafayette, LA Friday morning when some random partygoer told cops they saw Hantz push a woman.

We're told the alleged victim was a member of Hantz's party crew and she told cops that Hantz never touched her. But according to our source, cops told Hantz that because they had a witness statement, they were going to arrest him anyway.

TMZ has obtained eviction papers filed by Nicole Murphy, in which she claims music producer Damon Thomas has been habitually skipping out of his $30,000 monthly rent payment to live in the ultra-exclusive Southern California community where Britney Spears and other stars call home.

According to the docs, filed last week in L.A. County Superior Court, Murphy claims Thomas is behind a grand total of $114,500.

But TMZ spoke with Thomas, who tells us he's actually trying to buy the home -- and the rent dispute is the byproduct of a nasty negotiation. Thomas also tells us he has since paid his debt to Murphy.

Randy Quaid claims the man he trusted as his business manger and lawyer betrayed him by engaging in "gossip mongering."

Quaid and wife Evi filed a lawsuit -- obtained by TMZ -- in which the couple claims they hired Lloyd Braun, who runs an entertainment website that has run stories on the Quaids.

According to the suit, Braun, an attorney, sealed numerous business deals for Randy and became a close friend of the family.

The suit claims Braun -- in his position at the website -- inappropriately capitalized on his relationship with the Quaids for his own financial benefit by posting photos and information about the couple.

The Quaids are in the middle of a criminal mess after allegedly skipping out on a $10,000 bill at a resort near Santa Barbara.

The Quaids allege Braun also refuses to fully account for the profits from various films and other business deals Braun negotiated on their behalf.

We left messages for Braun. So far, no word.

TMZ broke the story that Lindsay is a suspect in the disappearance of a $35,000 Rolex. Law enforcement sources tell us they have a photo of the Rolex Lindsay is accused of stealing. We did some digging and came up with the photo on the left, taken April 14, showing Lindsay sporting a Rolex ... very possibly the same one a friend accidentally left at her house and is now at the center of the investigation.

Now take a look at the Rolex on the right. That Rolex was stolen from Lindsay last year -- allegedly by The Burglar Bunch.

The two Rolexes are similar but not identical.

The former "Survivor" producer -- Bruce Beresford-Redman -- suspected of killing his wife may now lose custody of his kids, because his parents have now made their move to get permanent guardianship ... TMZ has learned.

David and Juanita Beresford-Redman -- who now have temporary guardianship -- filed legal docs in L.A. County Superior Court asking to make them permanent guardians of the two children. They say Bruce wants it that way.

David and Juanita -- who filed papers without a lawyer -- say they are retired and in good heath, they've had a relationship with Alec and Camilia since birth, and are "able to devote ourselves to the care and nurture of our grandchildren."

David and Juanita say, "We are both well-educated, each with a masters degree ... we will be able to address questions that arise from our grandchildren..."

Those questions will surely include the murder of their mother, Monica, in Mexico. Bruce was detained but released and ordered to stay in the country pending the outcome of the investigation.

A former "Big Brother" houseguest was arrested this weekend after allegedly unleashing a ferocious attack on his pregnant girlfriend.

According to the Boston PD, cops responded to the home of Matt McDonald -- who appeared on BB Season 9 -- after his girlfriend showed up at a local police station to file a complaint.

Cops say Matt's GF -- who's currently 8 weeks pregnant with Matt's baby -- told them the two began arguing after the reality star accused her of cheating on him ... and that's when things got violent.

According to the police report, Matt's GF told cops he began strangling her and yelling, "I hope the baby dies and hope u [sic] have a miscarriage."

The GF claims the next day, Matt accused her of pouring water in his plasma TV -- and then proceeded to kick her in the collarbone, put her in a headlock ... and began punching her in the arms.

A week after Charlie boy unveiled his bald head, he was spotted in a Los Angeles area CVS last night -- pining over adult underwear and flipping through a tabloid magazine with him on the cover.

He bought some aspirin and a pack of razor blades. The adult diapers remained on the shelf.

One of the stars on "Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains" was arrested in Louisiana early this morning after cops say he attacked somebody at a street festival.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ Russell Hantz -- the runner-up from "Survivor: Samoa" -- was partying at the Festival International de Louisiane, when he allegedly "shoved" somebody to the pavement.

Cops say Hantz was immediately arrested by Lafayette City Police -- and taken to a nearby jail.

Hantz was eventually released.

TMZ has obtained video of the quickie wedding at the Little White Wedding Chapel -- a wedding that went down just hours after the bride and groom MET each other!

Lindsday Lohan's dad tells TMZ he will back off trying to get his daughter placed in a conservatorship if ... and only if ... she agrees to a sit down, and stat.

Michael Lohan says he wants a meeting with Lindsay and her lil' sis Ali ... no Dina, no lawyers, just his daughters.

Michael says if they agree, he won't go to the L.A. County Department of Children and Family Services and ask that Ali be removed from Lindsay's home. Michael said during TMZ Live yesterday he believed Ali was in danger by living with her older sister.

And, although Michael told us during TMZ Live he would ask a judge to place Lindsay under a conservatorship ... he now says he won't make that move either if Lindsay sits down with him.

One little stumbling block ... Lindsay isn't listening to anyone these days, and she's been Tweeting up a storm about how she blames her dad for everything bad in her life.