Money

Louie Anderson just got off the set of "Coming To America 2" ... and he says Eddie Murphy's sequel is so good, it's gonna join the three comma club!!!

We got Louie Thursday at LAX, coming back to L.A. after shooting his scenes in the ATL. Louie says he's now wrapped, but he couldn't stop talking about the flick.

Our photog pressed for specifics, but Louie was mum ... NDA's and such. He does, however, drop some hints about the plot and his character ... ya gotta hear what he says!!!

As we reported ... Eddie and Arsenio Hall were in full regalia recently as Prince Akeem and Reverend Brown ... and Louie sings the praises of the film's costume designer, Ruth E. Carter, predicting she's a shoo-in for another Academy Award.

Seriously, Louie says his time on set was the greatest experience of his acting career ... high praise from a guy who's been in Hollywood for 35 years!!!

J.J. Watt is giving the 2-year update on his massive Hurricane Harvey relief fund ... saying the donations have helped repair and rebuild more than 1,100 homes in the area!!

Of course, the Houston Texans superstar initially started a campaign to raise $200k in the wake of the natural disaster that resulted in more than $127 billion in damage.

The efforts spread all over the country ... and Watt eventually raised more than $37 MILLION to help rebuild the city.

Watt shared an update on where that money is going on Thursday ... saying the donations have helped clean, repair and rebuild over 1,183 homes.

On top of that, there have been over 971 childcare centers and after school programs that have helped more than 108,000 kids.

Watt adds that the relief fund has served 239 MILLION meals to victims of the hurricane ... and has been able to provide physical and mental health services to nearly 9,000 victims.

But, Watt didn't just raise a ton of money for relief efforts ... he was on scene personally helping families move back into their homes, like this video he shared back in January 2018.

"None of this would be possible without your generosity," Watt says. "Thank you for continuing to shine a light on the beauty of the human spirit."

Jenny Craig has a new license to splurge after unloading her enormous beach pad.

The weight-loss guru sold her Del Mar, CA beachfront home for a whopping $22 million. A huge figure ... considering she bought the place back in 1986 for a relatively paltry $3.25 million.

The 5-bedroom, 7-bathroom pad sits on 7,625 square feet and it spans an impressive 80 feet of ocean frontage. The wraparound beach deck is just steps away from the blue Pacific and sweeping views from La Jolla to San Clemente.

The compound also features tons of privacy and an impressive driveway that can accommodate up to 18 cars. If you wanna stay away from the salt ... soak up the sun in the pool and spa. There's also a full-size culinary indoor-outdoor kitchen.

Mel B's ex-husband says she needs to share the fat wad she earned on tour with her Girls, 'cause it's A LOT ... and he deserves a cut to help care for their kid.

Stephen Belafonte filed new docs asking a judge to modify how much Mel pays him monthly for child support -- currently $5,000/mo. -- because he says she recently raked in a massive amount of money from this year's Spice Girls reunion tour.

How much we talkin'? Stephen says Mel alone, by her own admission in court records, made around $2.4 million.

We broke the story ... all the singers stood to make upwards of $3 million each by getting together again on the road. Scary Spice's payday was a little short of that, but still enough for Stephen to come a-knockin'.

In the docs, obtained by TMZ, Stephen claims Mel has tried to skirt including that dough as part of her regular income. He says, instead, she reported it as a one-time sum. Stephen's calling BS and wants some of that income increase should translate to a child support boost to $17,394 per month. He's also demanding she cover his attorney's fee.

Of course, Mel and Stephen already settled their divorce with agreed-upon payments and a custody schedule, but they're going back to court next month to hash this one out.

Chester Bennington's music is currently worth more than $8 million ... according to new legal docs filed by his widow.

Talinda Bennington submitted an appraisal detailing some of Chester's assets to the probate court overseeing his estate. The docs, obtained by TMZ, show his music rights are worth $8,140,719.

The biggest chunk of that are his cut of current and future music royalties ... worth $5.2 million. Another $1.5 mil is attributed to his net share of publishing rights, and $1.3 mil in songwriter performance rights.

Important to note, these numbers don't take into account Chester and Talinda's properties, bank accounts and other assets ... it's just a current appraisal of his music assets.

TMZ broke the story ... Chester hanged himself in his home in 2017. He was survived by his 6 children and Talinda.

Lori Loughlin and her husband showed up in Boston as a super united front, prepared to tell the judge they want the same lawyer to rep them in their college bribery case.

These pics were snapped as Lori and hubby Mossimo Giannulli arrived Monday at the airport in Beantown after flying in on a private jet.

They'll be in court Tuesday for a hearing ... to inform the judge they will waive any possible conflict of interest by having the same lawyer rep them both. It doesn't always happen this way ... sometimes, couples get separate lawyers and it turns ugly when they start finger-pointing at each other. Clearly not the case here.

As we reported ... both Lori and her hubby pled not guilty after prosecutors slapped them with a number of charges -- including conspiracy to commit money laundering that carry significant prison sentence. Prosecutors claim they paid upwards of $500k in bribes to get their daughters into USC. Lori and Mossimo claim they had no idea the scheme was to get the girls in on a rowing scholarship, despite snapping pics of them on a rowing machine.

If convicted, both Lori and Mossimo face a maximum of 40 years in prison.

Felicity Huffman chose a different path ... she pled no contest to conspiracy and money laundering and prosecutors are recommending 4 months behind bars.

The trial for Lori and Mossimo is set for early 2020.

"Black Ink Crew" star Alex Robinson is coming after the boss and a member of his family ... suing for $1 million over a vicious beating caught by VH1 cameras.

According to new legal docs obtained by TMZ ... Robinson is suing "Black Ink Crew" star Ceasar Emanuel and Emanuel's costar/cousin, Teddy Ruks, for battery ... claiming they jumped him back in October 2018.

In docs, Robinson says they physically attacked him and struck him with a closed fist over and over. He also claims the beatdown left him with permanent pain and disability. He wants more than a million bucks.

The bad blood between Alex and Ceasar reached a boiling point last season during a pre-wedding party for a coworker. Long story short ... you see Ceasar pummel Alex while Teddy comes from behind and joins the attack. A brawl erupts ... leaving Alex with a HUGE bump on his head.

It didn't end there ... just days later, cameras followed Alex being rushed to the hospital where doctors told him he suffered significant tendon and ligament damage to his back.

Fast forward a few episodes ... Ceasar admits on camera hiring a P.I. to follow Alex to determine if he was faking the injury. Ceasar said the P.I. confirmed the injuries were real, and he felt terrible about practically putting Alex out of business ... since he can no longer sit and tattoo anymore. Ceasar said he was told Alex can't even pick up his son anymore.

Taylor Swift tripled down in an interview that aired Sunday, saying she's determined to get her OG music back, one way or the other.

Taylor appeared on CBS' "Sunday Morning," and made it clear ... she's going to rerecord the songs that made her famous. As we reported, Taylor surrendered any claim to the masters for her 6 original albums. The masters are owned by Big Machine, and she went ballistic when she found out Scooter Braun bought the company for $300 million.

Taylor made it clear ... she had no idea Scooter -- with whom she has a big problem -- was going to plunk down the cash for BM. She says she learned about the sale when the news broke online.

'Baywatch' hotties Donna D'Errico and Krista Allen got a super sweet offer -- $300,000 to fly to Dubai and make a quick speech -- but turned out to be too good to be true ... because it was courtesy of the same scammers who tried to rip off Dog The Bounty Hunter.

Here's the deal ... reps for Donna and Krista were contacted by people purporting to be from the office of Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan -- the Deputy Prime Minister of United Arab Emirates -- offering the ladies a fat payday in exchange for speaking at an economic empowerment convention for small business owners in July and rubbing elbows with dignitaries.

Donna and Krista's people got contracts emailed to them with all the deets, and it looked legit on its face ... but once the women signed, things got super sketchy.

Organizers in "Dubai" said they had difficulty wiring funds to Donna and Krista and started asking for more personal information. Huge red flag. Another catch -- organizers were asking Donna and Krista to donate half of the funds back to the organization.

Donna and Krista slowly started putting the pieces together, feeling something was off ... and they eventually got cold feet.

Fortunately for them ... the 'Baywatch' babes never gave up their personal info, dodging a huge bullet ... just like Dog.

R. Kelly's desperate to retain the attorney who successfully defended Michael Jackson in his child molestation case ... so much so his team's hitting up anyone it can for financial help to pay what will become an enormous legal bill -- and it might be working.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... Kelly's industry contacts have been in touch with his team and expressed a desire to help with his legal fees.

We're told these people have agreed to anonymously help foot the bill so the singer can land attorney Tom Mesereau ... the guy who got MJ acquitted in 2005, the same year he got Robert Blake acquitted of murdering his wife.

Our sources say there's a big catch -- the money won't come in unless Kelly fires his current lawyer, Steven Greenberg ... so for now, it's all just verbal commitments. Greenberg, as we've told you, has called the whole situation "a complete load of crap."

Truth is ... Kelly will have to pull a Brinks truck up to Mesereau's office to land him. Just like in the New York federal case, the defense will require forensic experts, experts in sex trafficking, P.I.'s and on and on. That case alone will easily cost a million bucks to defend.

Of course, Kelly's also charged with various sex crimes in 3 other jurisdictions -- Illinois State, Illinois Federal and Minnesota State. We're hearing he might also face charges in Detroit and Atlanta.

Yung Miami is making sure her City Girls counterpart JT gets some love when she leaves prison ... because JT's gonna score some custom diamond jewelry!!!

We're told Yung Miami plunked down some serious cash for JT in the form of a pendant and chain to match her own City Girls bling ...  $52,000 to be exact.

We're told Yung Miami hit up Jewelry Unlimited about a month ago, and the bling took two weeks to fully craft. As you see, the pendant and chain sparkle with baguette and VS+ diamonds set in yellow gold.

The only difference from Yung Miami's matching bling ... hers is rose gold.

JT has been locked up at the Miami Federal Detention Center since June 2018, after turning herself in to authorities on fraud charges. We're told she's getting released in the next few weeks.

Gotta hand it to Yung Miami ... she knows how to welcome a girl back from the inside.

Terrence Howard's success heading into the final season "Empire" just bit him in the ass -- or should we say the wallet -- because a judge is ordering him to give his ex-wife a huge chunk of his TV earnings.

Michelle Ghent scored a 7-figure W Friday in Los Angeles Superior Court when the judge said enough is enough, and ruled Terrence must pay her $1.3 million. About $263k of that is reportedly back spousal support -- and another $1.05 million is based on the fact he's pulling in big money.

Terrence is reportedly now making north of $250k per episode of "Empire." Michelle and Terrence's money battles have been dragging on since 2013 -- and, by comparison, he was only hauling in somewhere around $120k per episode in 2015, when the show debuted.

TMZ broke the story, Michelle filed docs last year requesting her ex pay her more than $900k in back spousal support, so today's ruling -- first reported by the NY Daily News -- is a massive legal victory for her.

There's more bad news on the horizon for Terrence -- Michelle's attorneys fees.

On Friday, the judge said the fees looked "reasonable" and set a hearing for next week to determine exactly how much he'll have to pay -- but Michelle says the tab is expected to be more than $1 million.

Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino only has a few weeks left to serve on his prison sentence, but the 'Jersey Shore' ladies can't wait that long ... so they're exercising their First Amendment rights to make it happen NOW ... but they picketed at the wrong building!

JWoww, Snooki, Angelina and Deena made donning "Free Sitch" t-shirts and carrying picket signs to get The Situation out of lockup early, but there was one problem -- they don't quite have the clout of Kim Kardashian ... who actually got inside The White House.

The girls' effort to jawbone with Donald Trump proved futile, but it looks like they got their landmarks wrong, because they ended up picketing outside The Treasury Building. Last we knew, the Treasury Secretary can't pardon felons.

Hey, it's the thought that counts.

In true 'Jersey Shore' fashion, at least one member of the cast had to embarrassingly eat sh*t on camera ... unsurprisingly, it was Deena.

She once said, "Face down, ass up ... that's the way I like to have a good time" ... looks like she takes that motto on the road.

As we reported, the Sitch officially started his 8-month prison sentence for tax evasion back in January. He's due to be released September 12 ... no thanks to his castmates ... or the President.

New episodes air Thursdays at 8 PM ET/PT on MTV

Barack and Michelle Obama may soon become Kennedy adjacent because we've learned they're in escrow for a remarkable, mega-expensive, Martha's Vineyard estate.

Multiple island sources tell us the Obamas are in escrow for the estate owned by Boston Celtics owner, Wyc Grousbeck. The former Prez and First Lady have been renting the house this summer and loved it so much, we've learned they made an offer. The property is listed at $14,850,000. Our sources say they're paying less, but we don't know how much.

The estate -- incredible. It's 29 beachfront acres. The main residence is just shy of 6,900 square feet. It has 7 bedrooms, so Sasha and Malia have a place to crash, along with several of their friends. It has the obligatory pool, an outdoor fireplace, a chef's kitchen, vaulted ceilings and 2 guest wings. It has incredible views, especially while soaking in the second-floor balcony Jacuzzi.

The beachfront is private ... and comes with a boathouse.

Downside -- only a 2-car garage!!! Sorry kids.

The estate is listed by the realtors who dominate the area -- Tom LeClair and Gerret Conover. They did not return our calls.

The estate is currently in escrow and it's not a done deal just yet. We're told there are contingencies so it's possible it could fall apart, but we're told so far it's a go.

Paz de la Huerta, who's already accused Harvey Weinstein of rape, claims to have new explosive facts about him, but she's willing to keep it out of the courts -- IF he ponies up big time.

According to a demand letter obtained by TMZ ... the actress wants at least $2 million from the disgraced Hollywood producer or she'll file a new lawsuit against him. She's previously sued him over 2 alleged incidents in 2010.

To add some extra firepower, Paz is threatening more damaging allegations against Weinstein. Among them ... she claims Weinstein developed an "immoral and unwholesome interest in her sexually" when she was just 14, and working on the film, "The Cider House Rules."

The actress also alleges The Weinstein Company rented apartments in NYC that were used "exclusively for the illicit sexual activities of Harvey Weinstein" ... including a unit on the same floor of the building where she lived as a child.

She alleges this rental was used to track her as she grew and continued to offer her work ... and then he raped her when she came of age.

Even worse, de le Huerta suggests Weinstein's company -- including his brother, Robert -- knew about his proclivities and should have warned her.

As we reported ... Paz and her lawyer met with prosecutors last month, but so far the Manhattan D.A. has declined to criminally prosecute Weinstein over her allegations.

If she gets the multi-million-dollar settlement she wants, she promises not to file a new civil suit and to stop pushing for criminal charges.

The man who was punched in the face by Conor McGregor at a pub in Ireland is breaking his silence ... and he's BRAGGING that he can take a punch!!!

The victim spoke with the Irish Daily Star on the condition of anonymity -- and explained why he thinks Conor socked him with a left during an incident caught on video back in April.

"I am sitting on the bar stool just having a quiet pint with my friend then all of a sudden because I refuse his drink I get a punch," the man said ... "You don’t need that in life."

TMZ Sports broke the story ... Conor had been pouring shots of his Proper 12 whiskey to people at the Marble Arch Pub in South Dublin when one man refused ... and Conor let his fist fly.

The man took the punch like a champ -- with UFC star Stipe Miocic praising the dude's "chin of steel" -- and now the guy is bragging about his toughness too.

"Look-it, I can take a punch,” he told the Irish Daily Star.

Despite the way it played out on video, the man claims the punch really hurt and he was in pain for a week ... and went after Conor during his interview.

"He is a bit of a bully, a bully with money ... I'm glad people saw the video. I don't like him."

The man still has one major beef -- but it seems to be with the media. It was reported the guy was 60-years-old ... but the man wants to set the record straight.

"I'm 50."

As we previously reported, Conor has not been arrested or charged with a crime for the attack ... and cops in Ireland say they're still investigating, which is crazy because the whole thing is ON VIDEO!!!