Money

The comic had just wrapped a show in Boston on Sunday when a member of his security team noticed the woman crying in the audience.

The woman insisted she was leaking "tears of joy" ... after laughing for the first time since doctors told her she's in desperate need of a new kidney.

The security team brought the woman backstage to meet with Katt -- and he was so moved by her story, he excused himself from the room ... only to reappear moments later with a folded up sheet of paper.

When the woman opened up the bindle, she was shocked to find ten 100 DOLLAR BILLS ... along with a note that read, "God never leaves."

Then came more tears of joy.

TMZ spoke to the woman who says the gift was an "awesome surprise" ... because, at first, she thought Katt's package was full of weed.

Aaron Maybin's career took a surprising turn for the better last night -- 'cause after the linebacker was 86'd from the Cincinnati Bengals on "Hard Knocks," demand for his artwork went through the roof ... TMZ has learned.

Maybin's demise from the team was chronicled on the HBO docu-series last night -- along with his passion for painting. Cameras rolled as he worked on two pieces ... and his stuff was actually pretty good.

In fact, after the show ... Maybin tells TMZ his online gallery had “one of, if not THE biggest nights” of sales he’s ever seen.

AM says he was bummed out that his release from the team was televised -- telling us, "I turned my phone off last night, I just didn’t want to talk to anyone.” But when he turned it back on, Aaron says he was bombarded with messages from people asking how to get their hands on his artwork.

Maybin says he's feeling much better about his future today -- saying, "Regardless of whatever happens football-wise, I'm probably gonna make more money in my art career."

Kanye West is about to get pounded by a woman -- Gloria Allred.

Allred just said she's repping the photog Kanye attacked at LAX last month and says she's filing a lawsuit against the rapper.

What's complicating things for Kanye -- the L.A. City Attorney is currently mulling over whether to prosecute Kim K's baby daddy for vandalism and battery in connection with the attack. Up to this point the likely outcome was that -- even if a criminal case were filed -- the photog would make a financial settlement and the case would go away.

It's possible Allred will try to score a big payday for the photog and the case would still be dropped, but let's be honest ... this case will be high profile ... which is Allred's sweet spot. Short story -- the chances Kanye will be prosecuted just got way bigger.

Gloria's holding a news conference at 1 PM PT. We'll be livestreaming.

The best part of Kylie Jenner's Sweet 16 party this weekend? LEAVING ... because on their way out, 150+ guests received insane parting gifts -- in the form of luxury goodie bags valued at over $1000 each -- and TMZ has pics of the loot.

Kylie rung in the big 1-6 this Saturday at the AT&T Building in L.A. with her family and other celebs -- like Drake and Big Sean -- and seeing as she's hitting her peak in life, Kylie naturally pulled out all the stops.

But the parting gifts were the coolest part -- the youngest Kardashian family member handed out swag bags filled with 808 headphones, iPod speakers, Kardashian brand makeup, jewelry from her own jewelry line, gift cards, and a bunch of other crap.

Each bag is valued at more than $1000 a pop -- and with over 150 guests at the shindig, that's a big investment in trinkets.

But it probably didn't come out of Kylie's pocket -- fact is, the Kardashian/Jenner name is such a big deal, vendors undoubtedly donated their stuff for free hoping to get their brands in the press. And congrats, it worked.

Still doesn't beat hosting your Sweet 16 in your uncle's friend's Greek restaurant basement. Opa!

High school marching bands are NOT to be trifled with -- just ask one Chicago woman, who claims she was attending a charity event for Dwyane Wade's foundation last year ... and took a beating to the head with a bass drum mallet.

Andrea Alexander filed the lawsuit against Wade's World (EXCELLENT!) claiming she had an aisle seat at the foundation's "Chicago Has Talent" event last year when a high school marching band blared and crashed its way past her.

Alexander claims the aisles were so narrow, one of the band's bass drummers whacked her in the head with his bass drum mallet ... causing her "severe and permanent injuries."

Alexander says its Dwyane's foundation's fault for negligently allowing the band to play in the narrow aisles ... and she wants at least $50,000 to make up for her pain and suffering.

Sean Combs is a corporate tyrant who had the audacity to force an unpaid intern to ... gasp ... GET COFFEE ... this according a new lawsuit obtained by TMZ.

The ungrateful person behind the suit is Rashida Salaam -- who claims she took a gig as an unpaid intern for Bad Boy Entertainment from January 2012 to May 2012 and couldn't BELIEVE the kinds of work they had her do for free:

-- answering telephones
-- getting lunch and coffee for paid employees
-- making deliveries
-- gift-wrapping presents
-- decorating the office during holidays

Just torture ...

Salaam probably has a real case, thanks to recent changes in the law regarding unpaid internships (no more free labor for course credit) ... but we're guessing she's probably hurting her chance at landing a full-time gig with the company by filing the suit.

Filthy rich Brendan Fraser can easily afford to pay his ex-wife $50,000 per month in alimony ... despite his whining ... so says Brendan's ex-wife.

TMZ broke the story ... Fraser filed legal docs in Connecticut earlier this year, asking the court to lower his $50,000-a-month alimony payment because he couldn't afford it anymore.

Fraser said he was in the red roughly $87,000 every month -- mostly because he wasn't booking new acting jobs.

But Brendan's ex Afton Fraser is firing back her own legal docs ... claiming Brendan's raking in tons of cheese from several recent films like "Extraordinary Measure" and "Furry Vengeance" (instant classics).

She also says Brendan's reported net worth -- $25 million -- is justification alone to keep the alimony order in place.

FYI, there's a provision in Brendan and Afton's divorce agreement that will allow for a reduction in alimony payments, but only if Brandon earns less than $3 million a year.

Dear celebs, take a lesson from your God Al Pacino ... the legendary actor was slapped with a tax lien and then immediately PAID IT OFF ... like you're supposed to do.

The State of CA hit Pacino with the lien in May, claiming he still owed $31,706.04 in back taxes for the years 2009 and 2011. Rather than sit on the debt like some celebs, Pacino took action and cut a check ... like a champ.

The lien was officially released on July 31. And that's how it's done.

Now, let's all pay tribute to his greatness ...

50 Cent says he got SCREWED in court recently because the judge was a rap-hating RACIST ... and now he wants the allegedly bias ruling overturned ... this according to court docs.

Earlier this year 50 and company called Sleek Audio were embroiled in a bitter lawsuit. 50 claimed Sleek owed him over $261,000. Sleek said otherwise. The case went to arbitration -- a binding process in which an arbitrator picks the winner.

Bad news for 50, the arbitrator sided with Sleek (the final $$$ judgement was kept under wraps).

But 50 refuses to go gently into that good night ... and is taking the battle to federal court -- claiming the arbitration judge discriminated against him because he's black, associates with controversial African-American figures AND because he's a high profile rap artist.

Specifically ... 50 says the bias ran so deep the judge didn't allow him to cross-examine witnesses and refused to look at evidence pertaining to the case. Pretty bold claims.

He wants the award axed ASAP and is asking for a new hearing ... where he says he'll prove the judge was out to get him from the get go.

Sleek fired back too ... claiming 50's allegations of racism are a desperate attempt to avoid the arbitration decision and get it brought before an actual court.

"ER" stud Eriq La Salle has conquered TV ... TV movies ... films ... books and now, he's conquered real-estate -- unloading his Beverly Hills mansion for $4.3 MILLION MORE than he paid.

La Salle -- best known as Dr. Peter Benton on that show that launched George Clooney -- bought the casa way back in 1988 for a mere $1.7 million. He sold it this month for $6 MILLION!!!!

Our real-estate sources tell us ... Eriq chose to sell now, because he's looking to downsize.

The Tuscan-inspired villa is worth every penny ... 6,000 square feet, 4 bedrooms, 5.5 baths, pool, spa, roof top deck, wine cellar, weight room, panoramic views of LA ... not to mention Eriq had the place redone in 2006, so everything is in tip-top shape.

FUN FACT: 1988 is the same year Eriq's fist major movie -- "Coming to America" with Eddie Murphy -- hit theaters. Soul Glo, bitches ...

Courteney Cox still looks pretty hot with her new accessory -- a cast -- protecting the wrist she broke in Mexico last week.

TMZ broke the story … Courteney snapped a bone in the middle of her Cancun vacation. Her people say she lost her balance and she used her wrist to break her fall.

If you were considered the #1 villain in America ... a dog fighting, law breaking bad guy ... would you pay $111K for an image makeover? Michael Vick sure did ... and it was the best money he ever spent.

TMZ has obtained court documents from Vick's bankruptcy case which show the NFL star paid top dollar for an elite crisis management team in the wake of his dog fighting scandal in 2007 ... and the documents read like a playbook on how to resurrect a shattered image.

Here's how Sitrick & Company executed the greatest image makeover in NFL history:

Step 1 -- "Develop media list and identify friendly media sources."
Translation: Who can we most easily manipulate?

And the media outlets they chose to communicate with -- the "Today" show, "60 Minutes," People Magazine, Newsweek and "Larry King Live."

Step 2 -- Put Vick through intense media training "aimed at regaining initiative in PR war."

Step 3 -- "Prepare list of sympathetic parties in media and community" ... hey, ya gotta know who's on your side.

Step 4 -- Knowing when to shut up. On July 31, 2007 Sitrick advised Vick's legal team on "need to avoid further interviews ahead of planned PR offensive."

Step 5 -- Execute. Vick appeared on "60 Minutes" on August 16. He then faced the media in a news conference on August 27 ... and hit it out of the park, accepting blame, accepting punishment and vowing to learn from the experience.

He appeared on "Larry King Live" later that day.

When Vick emerged from his 19 months in prison, his image had been repaired enough that the Philadelphia Eagles gave him a shot with the team. Two years after that, Vick signed a contract worth up to $100 MILLION.

In the end, Sitrick's services ran Vick a cool $111,317.13.

Best money he ever spent.

Terrence Howard ain't got to go home, but he's gotta get the hell out of a NYC apartment -- 'cause the landlord has evicted him, and is now suing the actor for back rent ... TMZ has learned.

According to the docs, filed in Manhattan, Howard's lease on the West Broadway apartment ended back in November, 2012 -- but he kept living there until at least May of this year ... when he was formally evicted.

The landlord is now suing Howard for an unspecified amount of unpaid rent ... as well as legal fees.

This is America, and your medical insurance is a joke -- so says one personal trainer in Hollywood, who's now suing Rod Stewart and his son Sean ... after Sean allegedly attempted to use his med insurance to cover his physical therapy bills.

Randy Rene -- aka The Body Architect -- filed the small claims lawsuit against Sean for $5,440 for services rendered from March to May last year.

Sources close to the Stewarts tell TMZ, Sean hired Randy to help rehabilitate himself following a car accident in which he injured his lower back and shoulder.

When all was said and done, we're told Randy asked Sean for the money, but Sean told Randy to go through his medical insurance instead.

Randy insisted that wouldn't work, and now he's dragging the Stewarts to court. As for why Rod is involved, our best guess is Rod's name is on the insurance and Randy figures suing Rod too is the easiest way to get paid.

It's not the first time Sean was sued by a personal trainer -- back in 2008, some guy named Xavier sued Sean for 4 months of unpaid sessions.

What Jen Aniston doesn't like, Jen Aniston DESTROYS ... so says a contractor who claims Jen never paid him for building a deck at her Bel Air home ... a deck she demolished just days after it went up.

The "We're the Millers" star is being sued by J.R. Darnall Associates, Inc. -- which says it was hired to do some major renovation work to Jen's mansion back in October 2012 ... and worked on several projects until March 2013.

The contractor says there was never any problem with work or payment ... until Jen tapped the company to build a fancy $43,710 deck for a party on March 24, 2013.

The project was completed ... the party went off ... but the next day, the contractor says they received a call about a leak in the deck.

According to the lawsuit, filed in L.A. County Superior Court, the company says it offered to send an expert to the home to evaluate the situation -- but Jen had the deck ripped down before the expert could complete his inspection.

Now, the company says Jen has completely cut off all communication -- and still hasn't forked over the $43k for building the deck in the first place.

We called Jen's people for comment ... so far, no word back.

ANOTHER legal headache for Chris Brown -- Frank Ocean's cousin has sued the singer, claiming Brown's bodyguard PULVERIZED him during the brawl between the two singers earlier this year ... and Brown egged his thug on.

As we reported, a massive fight broke out between Brown, Ocean, and their entourages over a parking spot outside an L.A. recording studio back in January.

It's unclear who started it, but it got violent, and Frank's cousin Sha'Keir Duarte now says he was one of the worst victims ... thanks to Brown's hired muscle, a bodyguard named "Hood."

Duarte claims Hood punched and kicked the crap out of him, including at least twelve kicks to the body and several to the head, while he lay on the ground.

Duarte claims Brown spurred his bodyguard on -- yelling, "Get that n****r!" -- and even mocked Duarte when it was all over, saying, "You just got your ass beat and it's all on camera."

Duarte says he was permanently disabled following the attack, and now he's suing for unspecified damages.

We reached out to Brown's camp for comment. So far, no word back.