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"X Factor" -- the freshly cancelled singing competition show -- didn't help its chances of survival by booting a contestant who could have become the next Justin Bieber.

17-year-old John Lindahl auditioned for the show back in 2011, and eventually got kicked off in the second round.

Apparently ... Epic Records honcho L.A. Reid -- who was also an 'X Factor' judge at the time -- saw something the show didn't, because he immediately signed the Bieber look-alike to a sweet 5-album deal.

We got hold of the legal docs showing John is getting a $300K advance for his first album, and gets a pay hike for each subsequent album ... which could eventually land him up to $800,000.

Da Brat just got swept up in the immigration mess ... because a juror in her civil trial LIED about being a citizen and now the trial has been derailed and the fraudulent juror is in jail.

The rapper is being sued for allegedly cracking a rum bottle over the head of a former Atlanta Falcon's cheerleader.

One of the jurors is a legal resident of Atlanta but NOT a U.S. citizen. But the dude lied to the judge and swore under oath 3 TIMES he was a full-fledged American.

The judge was LIVID ... berating the juror as he declared a mistrial and then holding him in contempt and then ordering him hauled off to the slammer.

BTW ... the bogus juror cost the county $25K.

Stay tuned for Cheerleader vs. the Rapper ... round 2.

Marc Anthony may be 110 pounds wet ... but in the money department he's a world champ, because he's just acknowledged he rakes in $1.25 million every single month.

Anthony filed legal docs -- obtained by TMZ -- in his nasty child support fight with ex-wife Dayanara Torres. The former Miss Universe wants her monthly support for their 2 sons upped from $13K a month to $113K a month.

Marc had to disclose his income, and his portfolio is impressive. He says he's worth $20.8 million ... of which $260K is in cash. And none of that is in stocks or bonds.

He says he's paying $18K a month in child support in other relationships ... we're guessing that's for the twins he had with Jennifer Lopez.

Dayanara has bitched in legal docs that she was forced to sell her home and live in a crappy, 1,200 square foot San Fernando Valley apartment while Jennifer Lopez was living high on the hog.

Marc Anthony responded in his own legal docs ... Dayanara is a piss poor money manager because she can afford way better than a hovel since he gives her $28,416 a month in spousal and child support.

Go ahead and laugh ... we all did the first time, too ... but the hip hop version of Billy Ray Cyrus' "Achy Breaky Heart" is a huge hit on urban radio -- even beating out Drake on Billboard's rap chart.

Billy Ray clearly feels urban vindication ...with a smug look of satisfaction as he waved the new Billboard chart from the window of his SUV.

"Achy Breaky 2" -- featuring Buck 22 and Billy Ray -- debuted at number 11 on the Hot Rap songs chart -- edging out Drake's "Worst Behavior" at #12..

BTW "Achy Breaky Heart" was a number 1 hit on the country charts for five weeks in 1992 ... the year Miley was born.

Lindsay Lohan just kicked a nanny's ass.

A nanny sued Lindsay -- claiming she was pushing a baby stroller in West Hollywood when LiLo recklessly drove her Maserati smack into her -- but she just folded like the cheap suit she takes to the dry cleaners.

TMZ broke the story ... Nubia Del Carmen Preza filed the lawsuit back in 2012 for personal injuries -- the baby was not hurt. But the case lingered and the nanny just threw in the towel ... that she uses to clean the kitchen.

The fates are pretty much sealed for two cast members on "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" -- we're told producers are gunning to replace them next season ... because they're just not exciting enough.

Sources tell TMZ, there's a 95% chance Joyce Giraud and Carlton Gebbia won't be back for Season 5 -- they're just not involved enough in the series' story lines to justify their coveted spots in the cast.

We're told it became obvious Joyce and Carlton weren't jiving during the reunion show taping earlier this month -- all the other women had great chemistry ... and Joyce and Carlton were clearly outsiders.

But the feeling's not mutual -- at least for Carlton, who tells us, she'd love to return for Season 5 if she gets asked back.

Sources tell us, producers are already on the hunt for replacements ... you listening, Joanna?

This is WhatsApp co-founder Jan Koum in Spain with his girlfriend ... celebrating Facebook's $19 BILLION purchase of his company, and his 38th birthday.

Real talk last week after a Dru Hill show in DC -- the 90s R&B group said they're still kickin' for one reason and one reason only ... to put food on the table for their families.

The singers were sitting for an interview Wednesday with AOSTL media group reporter Donna Jones -- she tried to ask how the guys deal with the ups and downs of a music career ... and Sisqo tried to give a thoughtful response ... but his pal Nokio cut him off.

We won't ruin it ... but Nokio doesn't mince words.

A gay-bashing supervisor at "CSI" tormented a crew member with homophobic slurs and crude drawings of penises ... because he THOUGHT the worker was a homosexual ... according to a new lawsuit.

Donald Perdue -- a set painter on the show -- claims his supervisor, Jeremiah Redclay, engaged in a 5-year campaign of brutal harassment ... calling him "fa***t" and "c***sucker" and hanging "sexually disgusting" drawings of gay sex at Perdue's workstation.

In his lawsuit, Perdue -- who claims he's straight -- says the harassment started when he heard Redclay refer to certain actors on the show as "d***suckers" ... and he asked Redclay to stop.

And this is weird ... Perdue claims Redclay lunged toward his genitals on one occasion and when Perdue pushed him away he claims Redclay responded, "Come on Mucho, you know you want it."

Perdue claims Redclay retaliated by making him a laughingstock at work ... which he endured for 5 years before leaving the show on a medical leave.

Perdue says he's the victim of discrimination ... simply because his boss THOUGHT he was gay.

Akon knows how to spoil a birthday ... pocketing $125K to sing at a rich businessman's private party in Kuala Lumpur ... then allegedly canceling two days before his performance.

Patrick Grove -- an Aussie tech entrepreneur living in Malaysia -- claims he booked Akon for the private birthday bash last April ... working out all of the logistics with Akon's people and paying $125K in advance.

But Grove says he learned two days before the event the "Smack That" singer would be a no-show ... and was told it was because Akon wouldn't be anywhere near Malaysia because his Australian tour had been canceled.

Bad news for Mike Vick ... his friend Bow Wow won't be helping him sell special hair brushes to black people ... after a high-profile business deal fell through, TMZ Sports has learned.

It was just last year that Vick announced plans to release a line of "wave brushes" called WaveMasterz -- brushes that come complete with a mirror on the back so users can ensure they look fresh at all times.

Bow Wow was reportedly involved in the project ... and at one point, his name was on the top of the WaveMasterz website ... but now, the rapper tells us the plans have changed.

"It was supposed to go down," Bow Wow said ... "but all deals don't go down the way you want them to."

Bow Wow says he didn't want to spread himself too thin -- since he's already involved in a clothing line, a vodka line and hosting "106 and Park" on BET.

BW -- who was at Last Kings clothing store in L.A. -- said there are no hard feelings between him and the QB ... explaining, "Michael Vick is still a close friend of mine, I wish him the best."

DMX says his estranged wife is suffering from delusions of grandeur -- telling TMZ, she insists on living in a house she can't afford, refusing to pay a single bill ... and that's why the bank is rearing its ugly head.

TMZ broke the story ... DMX's house in fancy Mt. Kisco, New York is in foreclosure after the rapper stopped paying the mortgage in 2008.

The house is in DMX's name -- but the rapper tells us, he stopped living there in 2005 and his wife Tashera agreed to take over all financial responsibilities related to the home, including mortgage payments.

X claims Tashera then withdrew $100,000 from his bank account while he was in jail -- without his permission -- and didn't even use it to pay the mortgage. He says he has no idea what she actually did with the money.

He tells us, "I told her she is living above her means, that you can't still live on the same block as Martha Stewart and Chevy Chase, you gotta downgrade, but she refuses to do so because the house is in my name. She doesn't give a f*** about my credit."

Miami Heat sharpshooter Roger Mason is a terrible judge of haircuts ... this according to a lawsuit obtained by TMZ Sports.

The man going after Mason is Brandon Daire -- the brother of Roger's baby mama ... and it's clear, they don't like each other.

According to Daire ... back in 2013, Mason asked court officials to keep Brandon away from his kid due to a pattern of bizarre behavior ... including an incident in which Brandon allegedly gave the kid really bad haircut.

Mason told the court ... the kid's hair was "sloppily shaved in some areas and un-shaved in other areas."

Mason claimed the two got into a nasty verbal argument about the 'do ... and Brandon cussed him out in front of the kid.

But now, Brandon is firing back ... saying Roger LIED about the incident and it damaged his reputation, both professionally and personally. Apparently, he stands by his barber skills.

Now, Brandon is demanding at least $10 million from Mason to make things right.

We've reached out to Roger for comment -- so far, no word back.

Famed choreographer Wade Robson -- who claims he was repeatedly molested as a kid by Michael Jackson -- wants the MJ Estate to ante up evidence they have of Michael molesting underage boys.

Robson has filed a claim with the Estate asking for money as a result of allegedly being molested between the ages of 7 and 14. In new legal docs -- obtained by TMZ -- Robson is demanding:

-- the names and other identifying info of all boys who were under 18 when alleged sexual misconduct occurred.

-- any settlements involving molestation that have not yet been made public.

-- any evidence of seduction -- even a failed attempt at molestation -- such as giving children wine ... aka Jesus juice.

The Estate has responded by saying all the info Robson wants is privileged. They also say the request is premature because they believe Robson waited way too late to file his claim.

Eddie Murphy does NOT own the name Murphy ... and an indignant comedian -- Brando Murphy -- is determined to prove that point with a new $50 MILLION defamation lawsuit.

Brando claims Eddie is hell-bent on destroying his career, which Brando thinks is rooted in absurd vanity.

It looks like Brando is trying out new material in his lawsuit, saying, "The name Murphy is of Irish decent ... and not exclusive to Eddie Murphy, a 'Black Man' of African Ancestry and a purported African American."

As for Eddie's grumblings that Brando tries to look and act like him, Brando fires back, "[i] did not create [myself] and that the way [I] looks is an act of GOD."

Brando says he never tried to pass himself as Eddie's son. He does not address the fact that he appeared in the stage act, Sons of Comedy, which also featured Richard Pryor's son.

BTW ... Brando also claims one of Eddie's people threatened to have him killed.

For his troubles ... Brando wants a modest $50 mil.

1:19 PM PT -- Get this ... Terrell WANTS RACHEL to pay for all of his legal costs and lawyer fees!!!!

The document show ... T.O. checked the box asking the judge to stick Rachel with the bill for his legal fees for the divorce.

FYI -- T.O. once signed a contract reportedly worth up to $49 MILLION.

Terrell Owens says his estranged wife is full of crap ... claiming they weren't happily married for 2 weeks before their relationship fizzled ... IT WAS ONLY 3 DAYS!!!

TMZ Sports has learned ... T.O. officially filed for divorce from Rachel Snider on February 14th (Happy Valentine's Day) ... seeking to end their short and deeply troubled marriage.

In the docs, filed in L.A. County Superior Court, Terrell acknowledges they were married on January 23rd ... but split up on the 26th.

Owens also claims they have no community property ... which is interesting, since Snider claims he only married her to get a loan on a $2 million home in Sherman Oaks, CA.

Snider insists the two were married for a full 2 weeks before she decided to leave him -- and claims they had a secret 5-year relationship before that. Days after they split, Snider was hospitalized for an apparent suicide attempt.

Interesting note -- T.O. filed the divorce documents "In pro per" ... which means he's acting as his own lawyer.

Which reminds us of an old saying in the legal world - "Any man who represents himself has a fool for a client."