Money

Judge Judy's birthday wish list was a little steep for her husband, but she says he did his best -- and, let's be real ... she can easily buy anything she wants, anyway.

We got JJ and her hubs, fellow jurist Jerry Sheindlin, Monday at the Montage in Bev Hills and wished her a happy birthday ... and she dished on what he got her.

It seems Jerry came up a bit short on the brand new Aston Martin she requested, but ya gotta see his pretty hilarious explanation for getting her the next best thing.

Speaking of gifts, our photog gave Judge Judy a birthday card and a lifetime pass to take a TMZ Celebrity Tour. We won't hold our breath, though, sounds like she's a little too busy to take advantage anytime soon.

Judy's now 77, but she's still signed on to do her show for a couple more years and like she tells us ... retirement's not really her jam.

Suge Knight could be in prison for the rest of his life, but he doesn't want to go out a broke man ... so he's entrusting Ray J to cash in on his name.

Sources close to the former Death Row Records boss tell TMZ ... he's signed over his life rights to Ray, with the expectation he'll make the right decisions with Suge's story and make some money for him and his family while he's behind bars.

We're told Knight's been friends with Ray J for decades and trusts his business acumen and ability to choose the right projects for film, TV, book publications and more.

Our sources say a documentary on Suge and his famous record label is already being developed ... as well as a project about Tupac Shakur and there are discussions of bringing Death Row back.

On the latter, we're told it's a longshot that would require additional investors ... but Suge's letting Ray take the reins on exploring the venture.

Of course, all of this is huge for Ray J and his bank account too ... which is a nice follow-up to the lucrative $1 million deal he inked in August to get people to invest in the weed biz.

Looks like he's now in charge of 2 major enterprises -- not to mention side hustles in the headphones and scooter industries ... so business looks good.

Suge, meanwhile, is serving hard time for at least the next decade. As we reported ... he struck a 28-year plea deal in his murder case last year, but got credit for time served and with prison overcrowding, he could be released in a little more than 10 years.

JWoww hired a home improvement contractor to lay tiles at her Jersey mansion, but she kicked him out for being high as a kite ... this according to a new lawsuit.

According to legal docs obtained by TMZ ... JWoww hired Anthony Dai to do some work on her home, but when he got to the job site she claims he was clearly under the influence. JWoww says the contractor was so impaired she asked him to leave when he finally showed up at 10 PM.

And, get this ... JWoww claims the contractor was so out of whack, he left behind his cell phone and wet saw.

In the suit, JWoww claims she gave the contractor a $1,250 check upfront and purchased the tiles herself, but she stopped payment on the check due to his failure to get the job done.

According to the docs, it was apparently too late -- the dude cashed it -- and the check cashing company sued her for the money.

Brian Bosworth says he's actually on the NCAA's side when it comes to the controversial Calif. bill that would help athletes get paid ... telling TMZ Sports it's a BAD idea!!

"When you're in college," Bosworth says, "you're going to college to get an education."

Of course, the Boz is the LAST guy we expected to have this take ... remember, at Oklahoma, he famously blasted the NCAA by wearing a "National Communists Against Athletes" shirt at the 1987 Orange Bowl.

But, when we got the ex-LB out at Reagan Airport over the weekend ... he told us he's now on the org's side in its fight against a bill that would force it to stop punishing athletes who get paid.

"You got some guys on the team that have star status, and other guys on the team that are going to feel shafted," the Boz says. "I don't think it's a good idea to put levels like that on the team."

Instead, Bosworth's solution to the whole problem is simple -- just give athletes in both women's and men's sports the same stipend ... and let that be all the pay they need.

"Everybody gets the same thing across the board," Bosworth says.

Dr. Paul Nassif dropped a small fortune to spoil his new wife, Brittany Pattakos ... with some ritzy bling leading up to their wedding.

The star M.D. from "Botched" commissioned Harakh Mehta of Harakh Jewelers to get the ball rolling ... first with a massive engagement ring that cost Nassif around $165k. Mehta tells us the engagement ring -- pure platinum, BTW -- is practically an iceberg ... 3.15-carat center stone stealing the show (behind Brittany, of course).

We're told the jeweler also created not one but 2 wedding bands for Brittany -- 2 full eternity diamond bands totaling 1.24 carats crafted in pure platinum. Price tag -- around $9k.

So, why 2 wedding bands? Mehta says, "We specially crafted two bands rather than one to surround the engagement ring which marked the two milestones in their life."

Mehta tells us it took around 4 months to make the rings. The doc proposed to Brittany back in June and they tied the knot in L.A. followed by a reception in Santorini, Greece earlier this month.

BTW ... Nassif sang to Brittany at their wedding. And, no ... he didn't botch it!!!

Justin Bieber decked out his multi-million dollar home with some cartoon artwork before listing it on Instagram ... and he got it on the cheap.

We're told Justin reached out to Idiot Box Art owners Emily Bright and Tamara Martin to purchase a bunch of art inspired by his favorite animated characters and his clothing line ... and the collection is valued at just $4,000.

As you can see ... Charlie Brown and a swagged out Bart Simpson are part of Justin's haul, plus some custom Drew pieces -- including a LEGO man standing 6-feet tall!!!

TMZ broke the story ... Justin's been contacted by at least 5 prospective buyers -- one a billionaire from a very famous family -- since announcing on Instagram the home was for sale. We're told it's worth about what Justin paid last year -- $8.5 million. But, several realtors now tell us the house could fetch in the 9's because Justin's name has marquis value ... go figure.

All of the new art pieces are made of hand-cut wood, covered with acrylic paint and finished with a coat of resin ... and they're from the same folks who hooked up Chief Keef with $40k of '90s nostalgia.

DaBaby is helping a homeless mother climb out of poverty after shouting out her hat business on social media ... because her products are now flying off the rack.

Since DaBaby pimped Amanda Rose's beanie biz on Instagram, following a chance meeting at his pop-up shop in Atlanta, the 23-year-old mom tells us she's received over 4,000 orders for her handmade hats.

DaBaby's clout is pretty enormous ... Amanda tells us before getting the rapper's endorsement, she was barely making ends meet with 3 to 4 orders per month.

Amanda, who's been living out of a 1999 Nissan Maxima with her son Nick, waited outside DaBaby's pop up for 3 hours hoping to meet him and sell him a hat. When she finally got inside, DaBaby delivered way more than just a single order.

It's pretty crazy ... DaBaby gave her $1,000 on the spot and filmed a quick hit for her hat biz, Lovely Stitching. With thousands of orders flowing in within a matter of hours, Amanda rushed to create a website, and she tells us she's saving up to rent an apartment.

NFL breakout star James Bradberry has been balling OUT OF HIS MIND this season ... and he's telling TMZ Sports his biggest motivation for putting in all that extra work -- getting a FAT new contract!!!

The 26-year-old Carolina Panthers cornerback is widely considered one of the biggest bargains this season ... considering he's still on his rookie contract (4 years, $3.69 million) and has racked up 3 INTs and 30 tackles.

Yeah ... he's a beast.

We spoke with Bradberry about going HAM during his contract year ... and he admits it's given him some extra oomph when he takes the field.

“I’d be lying if I said no," Bradberry tells us. "Definitely it’s always on my mind. And, you know, it just helps me play better. And, if I play good then the team does well. It helps on both ends."

And, what's really gonna make you root for this guy??? How he's gonna spend his money when he inks his new deal.

“The number one goal for me is to retire my mom. You know, my mom she’s worked hard. She’s pretty much a single parent for me and my sister. She’s taking care of my grandmother right now as well. So, if I can retire her, that’s my number one goal right now."

So, let's go Panthers ... PAY THIS MAN ALL THE MONEY!!!!

The Game just lost his appeal for a new trial in a civil suit in which he was accused of sexual assault ... so he's still on the hook for more than $7 million in damages.

According to legal docs obtained by TMZ ... the rapper was denied a new trial by a federal appeals court in Illinois.

As we've reported ... Game lost the lawsuit filed by Priscilla Rainey -- a former contestant on his 2015 reality show, "She's Got Game," who accused him of sexual assault -- and an Illinois court ordered him to pay her $7.13 mil.

Rainey claims Game was high on drugs and reached inside her dress, "forcefully reaching his hand inside her dress to rub her bare vagina and buttocks." Game called her "a thirsty Gatorade mascot of a transvestite."

Game appealed the initial ruling, but on Thursday the appeals court affirmed the lower court's ruling, slamming Game for blowing off the trial by not showing up and calling his conduct towards Rainey "deeply reprehensible."

Kanye West's crusade to corner the market for his Sunday Service gear just got shot down by the trademark gods ... of the U.S., anyway.

Ye applied for exclusive ownership of the mark, "Sunday Service," to slap it on clothing, dresses, footwear, headwear, jackets, loungewear, scarves, shirts, socks and tops. But, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office shut him down because, basically ... someone's already working that corner!!!

According to the docs, obtained by TMZ, someone else already registered the name -- and therefore Kanye using it would likely cause confusion in the marketplace.

We broke the story ... Kanye applied for the trademark in July. He'd started selling gear even before that, on Easter Sunday, to coincide with his performance at Coachella. He was hawking hoodies for $165 and $225 a pop and socks for $50.

Since then, his Sunday Service events have become a weekly attraction all over the country -- from Wyoming to Queens, NY -- attracting big crowds and celebs.

Michael Strahan's not holding up his end of the child support deal he struck with his ex-wife, and it's going to take him more than half a mil to square up ... at least according to her.

Jean Muggli Strahan claims in legal docs ... the former NFL superstar's on the hook for some big-time equestrian expenses for their twin teenage daughters -- Sophia and Isabella -- along with owing hundreds of thousands in back child support.

Jean says a huge chunk of what Strahan owes her is to cover their daughters' horseback riding bills ... which she claims amount to $450,802 since 2017. According to the docs, Michael agreed to go halfsies with Jean but hasn't paid up ... so she's seeking more than $225k from him.

In docs he filed, Michael says he never agreed to such an arrangement.

On top of that, Jean claims Michael has underpaid child support since 2010 ... because the monthly amount he pays hasn't been adjusted for cost of living. The docs say she wants $321,654 in back support to make it right.

In his filing, Michael admits part of their agreement does call for cost-of-living adjustments -- but adds, the language about how to come up with that number is "vague and indefinite." Translation: We need to agree on a formula to come up with the correct number.

That being said, by Jean's current calculation ... she's looking to get more than $547k.

We broke the story ... the exes were in a Manhattan court last month to face off over their previous settlement.

Michael and Jean married in 1999 but split in 2006, and the judge eventually awarded Jean $15.3 million in their divorce and ordered him to pay $18k/month in child support.

However, that amount was decreased to just under $13k a month in 2009 ... according to the docs.

Jean claims his monthly income is way more now than it was in '09, due to his gigs on "FOX NFL Sunday" and "Good Morning America," among other projects ... so he can afford to increase his child support again. She wants him to pay $18,378 a month going forward.

The estate of Bernie Casey no longer has a legal cloud hanging over its head ... it's settled a lawsuit from a woman alleging he attacked her the week before he died.

According to new legal docs obtained by TMZ ... the former NFL-star-turned-actor's estate has settled with Cheryl Castillo for a cool $250k. Cheryl had previously claimed she and Bernie were husband and wife but has since filed docs clarifying they were never married and only lived together.

In docs, the estate agrees to pony up the dough once it sells off Bernie's house. The settlement also allows Cheryl to live in the house until it's sold.

TMZ broke the story ... Cheryl sued the "Revenge of the Nerds" star back in June 2018 claiming Bernie violently tackled her to the ground just 1 week before his death in September 2017.

Cheryl alleged she got into an argument with Casey over their cars when he suddenly grabbed her by the arm and tackled her to the ground "as though [she] was a football player."

Casey -- who was U.N. Jefferson, the Tri Lambdas' leader, in 'Nerds' -- was a Pro-Bowl wide receiver for the L.A. Rams in the '60s.

Wendy Williams says there are only two things a man must have to find the way to her heart ... good conversation, and a good chunk of change!!!

We got the beloved talk show host Thursday, moments after she received her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and our guy asked what it takes to snag a date with her.

Wendy didn't hesitate at all ... laying out exactly what she's looking for in the opposite sex now that she's living life as a single woman after filing for divorce from husband Kevin Hunter.

You'll recall ... Wendy brought a young hunk home from California back in June, taking him with her to New York City for shopping sprees and fancy dinners, but it seemed to all be on her dime.

John Smoltz's incredible Georgia estate -- complete with a baseball field, basketball court, football field, golf course AND a pool -- is hitting the market ... and it's listed at a whoppin' $5.2 MILLION!!!

Not only is the 19-acre property a sports fan's paradise ... it's also got a HUGE mansion with 10 bedrooms and 10 bathrooms!!!

The crib, listed by Harry Norman Realtors agent Alex McGraw, comes with several master suites, a chef's kitchen, multiple bars and an office.

There's also a room in the house called the "Gentlemen's Study" -- which we think is a super fancy way of saying "Man Cave."

And, if privacy is your thing, this place is locked up tighter than a drum -- double gates to keep out the riffraff and a gated parking court so nobody scuffs your Bentley.

Seriously, check out the pics. The place is awesome.

The Hall of Famer had the home built in 2002 -- and has put it on the market in the past -- but we're told he's more motivated than ever to sell!!!

According to the listing agent, the estate was appraised earlier this year ... and the asking price is way LESS than its appraisal value. So yeah, you're getting a steal!!!

Of course, Smoltz is an Atlanta legend and spent the majority of his career with the Braves, and reportedly made more than $135 MILLION during his 21-year MLB career.

One of Frank Lloyd Wright's most famous houses is off the market after a mystery buyer dropped a fortune on it ... making it the most expensive sale of a home designed by the legendary architect.

The Ennis House, which is located in the foothills of the L.A. neighborhood of Los Feliz, was built by Wright's son in 1924 for Charles and Mabel Ennis and is known as a unique masterpiece ... made almost entirely of granite blocks.

The property's been a hot spot for Hollywood filmmakers over the years, appearing in countless shows and movies ... including 1982's "Blade Runner."

The home has been through some hardships -- after suffering structural damage in the 1994 Northridge earthquake, it was neglected and deteriorated until it was purchased in 2011 and restored by supermarket billionaire Ron Burkle.

Burkle bought the place for $4.5 mil but pumped nearly $17 million into it to bring it back to a state of pure beauty, which means the new buyer actually got quite a bargain at the $18 mil purchase price ... especially since the asking price was $23 mil.

As for the specifics of the Ennis House ... it's over 6,000 square feet including the detached guest quarters, 3 beds, 3.5 baths and the main house features a gorgeous marble floor linking the various rooms.

There are hardwood floors and leaded glass windows throughout ... along with a fireplace, a vintage kitchen, a media room with a wet bar, a swimming pool, a koi pond and one hell of a view of the city.

The sale easily broke the previous record for an FLW house set by the Storer House in Hollywood Hills ... it went for $6.8 mil in 2013.

Pete Buttigieg is nipping at the heels of Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren when it comes to campaign donations -- thanks, in no small part, to Mayor Pete's strong celebrity backing.

We combed through 2019 Federal Election Commission filings to find which celebs keep cutting checks for Pete, Bernie and Liz ... and Buttigieg has the upper hand.

Alyssa Milano is leading the way for Mayor Pete after throwing down $3,050 this past quarter ... while Michael J. Fox, Jennifer Garner and David Hyde Pierce all plunked down $2,800.

Zachary Woods is right behind with his $2,500 donation ... and Pete got $1,500 from both Anthony Rapp and Emmy Rossum, plus $1,000 each from Ben Platt, George Takei and Christine Taylor.

Josh Holloway's wife, Yessica, chipped in $3,000 ... while Thomas Lennon contributed a little under $900, Cherry Jones and Meredith Baker added $200 and Harvey Fierstein gave $100.