Money

After more than a year of bitter arguing that included lawsuits and public feuds, PGA Tour is merging with Saudi-backed LIV Golf ... and a lot of the players are pissed!

The stunning announcement was made Tuesday morning, with the companies saying they'll form a new, yet-to-be-named organization -- news that some of the PGA Tour players say totally blindsided them.

Collin Morikawa, the 18th-ranked player in the world, clearly had no idea the merger was in the works, Tweeting ... "I love finding out morning news on Twitter"

Another pro, Wesley Bryan, expressed anger over the merger.

"Love finding out info on twitter. This is amazing. Y’all should be ashamed and have a lot of questions to answer."

Bryan fired off another message ... "I feel betrayed, and will not be able to trust anyone within the corporate structure of the PGA TOUR for a very long time"

Tuesday's announcement was especially shocking because of the disdain the organizations have had for one another since LIV launched.

Aside from just being a business dispute, a lot of Americans were against LIV because of its tie to the Saudi Arabian government. In fact, LIV Golf is backed by Saudi's Public Investment Fund (PIF), controlled by the Crown Prince. A majority of the 9/11 hijackers (15 of 19) were from the country.

Jay Monahan, Commissioner of the PGA Tour, once posed the question ... "Have you ever had to apologize for being a member of the PGA Tour?," in response to blowback on American golfers who took large checks from LIV.

Monahan was talking about several high-profile former PGA Tour players who bolted for LIV, including Phil Mickelson who reportedly received around $200 million to join the org. Dustin Johnson left too, reportedly getting $125 million. Brooks Koepka reportedly got $100 million.

Not all players took the big money ... Tiger Woods reportedly turned down a whopping $800 million offer, while Rory McIlroy reportedly said no to $500 million.

Josh Flagg is now the proud owner of an impressive Miami Beach pad ... making it clear he's out to grow his property portfolio with a real estate shopping spree.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... the "Million Dollar Listing Los Angeles" star and his business partner/best bud Adam Rubin of Carolwood LP are in escrow on the $4.45 million Mediterranean-style villa -- and the 3,309-square-foot home is a beauty.

The property includes some sweet perks like a spa, cabana and obligatory pool ... along with a large outdoor area built for entertaining friends and loved ones.

It looks beautiful as is, but we're told Josh and Adam plan to completely remodel ... and they'll use the finished product as a crash pad when they're in the 305 for business. They clearly wanted it badly, because they dropped cash to nab it!

North Bay Road -- where the home's located -- is one of the most coveted places to live on Miami Beach, with some mansions topping $100 million! Some famous folks who have lived in the affluent neighborhood in the past and present include Matt Damon, Jennifer Lopez, Phil Collins, and Dwyane Wade.

TMZ broke the story, Josh, who's with Douglas Elliman, bought a massive Bev Hills mansion last year for $9.2 mil.

We're told Josh was seen as recent as last week shopping for property in NYC and L.A.

Josh and Adam are co-investors in several deals including commercial real estate and food and beverage establishments like Cha Cha Matcha, Pops Bagels, Zabs Hot Sauce and Happy Hour Seltzer.

Apple's newest fancy gadget -- an AR headset -- could be a massive hit, but considering recent tech history, it might be a huge flop ... so says one plugged in journo.

We're talking about Apple Vision Pro -- which Tim Cook and co. unveiled Monday as their latest "game-changer" ... and, yes, it took the internet/Twitter by storm. It's an augmented reality device that you slip over your face (much like traditional VR headsets).

The difference here ... the real world is only slightly digitized -- with iPhone screens/apps popping up in front of your eyes, almost making them seem like they're integrated into your actual reality.

The footage and photos they showed off at the big Apple showcase from their Bay Area HQ definitely made it look cool, but the question is ... will anyone actually buy into this???

Welp, according to tech reporter Ian Sherr ... the odds might be in Apple's favor for this one. He came on "TMZ Live" to break down the new toy -- and he says while it certainly has the potential to flop, similar to Meta's Oculus headset, he thinks it might actually catch on.

Ian says the fact Vision Pro offers a decent blend of reality with augmented reality, along with the functionality and addictive entertainment we get in smartphones ... might be enough to set it apart from previous headset failures.

In other words, this one gives you more to do than just play games ... which has, by and large, been what other VR headsets have been able to produce thus far. Here, Ian says Apple might've struck the right balance to give people a truly unique experience.

Plus, he notes Apple has gambled big in the past and won people over, despite initial doubters ... like there are now.

As for the price tag, it wasn't announced when we were talking to Sherr -- but it's since been revealed ... a whopping $3,500, which is A LOT.

Time will tell if folks wanna shell out that much just to close themselves off from the outside world. Another option, they could just go and buy an old Google Glass for much cheaper ... which, as many online have rightly noted, is essentially the same as this ... circa 2013.

World-class DJ Paul Oakenfold is breaking his silence after a former personal assistant sued him for sexual harassment, claiming he masturbated in front of her ... but, he says it didn't happen.

Paul addressed the allegations Monday on social media, saying ... "Let me be absolutely clear: I categorically deny any and all claims of improper conduct. Respect, integrity, and consent are values I hold dear, and I have always treated everyone with the utmost professionalism."

Oakenfold -- who many consider the godfather of electronic music -- adds ... "It is disheartening to see these baseless accusations, which appear to be nothing more than a calculated attempt to tarnish my reputation and extort money."

According to the lawsuit, obtained by TMZ, the woman claims Paul exposed himself and masturbated in front of her while she was on the job. She even claims he masturbated in her car and once pleasured himself in front of her 4 times in a single day.

The 24-year-old woman says she took a job at a management company and was assigned to be Paul's personal assistant in October, and she claims he pleasured himself in front of her on her first day ... and on 3 other occasions.

In the docs, the woman says she reported the alleged incidents to her bosses and was told she couldn't resume working if she didn't sign an NDA. She claims she eventually signed the NDA under duress and returned to work but says she was no longer assigned to Paul.

The woman claims she was given fewer hours and was ultimately laid off in March ... and now she's suing Paul and others for unspecified damages.

Paul's rep tells TMZ ... "Although she was not officially employed by him nor did she serve as his full-time assistant, it's important to note that Oakenfold had minimal contact with her, and they barely had any face-to-face interactions. He doesn’t even recall her name."

The rep also tells us Paul hasn't been served the court document.

Wanna have a trophy case like Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton?? Now's your chance ... 'cause Formula One is auctioning off awards from the canceled Emilia Romagna Grand Prix to support flood relief in Italy.

F1 is currently taking bids on some seriously rare, autographed items ... with all proceeds going to the Emilia-Romagna Region's Agency for Territorial Safety and Civil Protection.

The 2023 pole position award, the first, second, third place and constructor trophies, as well as a podium bottle of champagne are all up for grabs ... but they're not gonna come cheap.

The pole position award is currently going for more than $47,000 ... and with the first place trophy getting nearly $25,000 in bids so far.

All drivers and team principals put their John Hancocks on each piece ... making them even cooler for any F1 fan's collection.

The May 21 race was scrapped due to severe rainfall that rocked the northern Italy area at the time ... with fears there was no way to safely host the weekend's festivities.

F1 has already stepped up to help recovery efforts ... with the org. donating 1 million euros last month.

Ice Spice and Latto both had the same idea when it came down to celebrating their big-time looks at this year's Hot 97 Summer Jam ... as we've learned they ended up at the same NYC hot spot to get turnt!!!

Sources close to both camps tell TMZ Hip Hop ... Ice and Latto ended up at Sei Less restaurant with their respective parties, and we're told Latto's long-rumored flame 21 Savage eventually joined her private room of 20 people to toast to the occasion!!!

Latto was still buzzing with the hysteria of her Summer Jam performance ... where Cardi B brought her out to perform their new collab, the "Put It On The Floor (Remix)" and her good mood was felt firsthand by the dining staff ... as we've learned she tipped waiters a whooping $2k tip to accompany the $6k bill.

Not to be outdone, we're told Ice also celebrated in her own separate private room ... just hours after being surprised by Rob Markman, on the Summer Jam stage with her first RIAA certification... a Gold plaque for her blowup single "Munch."

The Capitol Records signee released "Munch (Feelin' U)" in July 2022 through Worldstar Distro ... and the rest is now history on a trophy for her wall!!!

Danny Bonaduce's recent health scare and upcoming brain surgery has forced him to list his stunning home ... telling us the property is just too dangerous for him to navigate in the wake of his struggles.

Bonaduce's 2,178 square-foot Seattle home -- with views of the entire city -- just hit the market for $1.6 million. It's a 3-bedroom and 3-bathroom with a chef's kitchen, massive walk-in closet, and a place Danny thought he'd live in forever until a mystery illness changed his life.

TMZ broke the story, Danny will undergo brain surgery Monday for a condition called hydrocephalus ... a neurological disorder caused by a buildup of liquid in the brain.

Danny tells us the disorder makes it hard for him to move at all, and the home just has too many stairs and rooms for him to get around safely. He and his wife, Amy, recently moved into their condo downtown where living is easier.

As for the house he just listed, Danny bought it back in 2015 for $1 million, and it's got premium appliances and outdoor decks with views of the Space Needle ... scenery Danny says he's gonna miss, but knows it's for a better way of living.

The new 'Spider-Man' movie went gangbusters at the box office this weekend -- hauling in a bundle ... and proving that having 2 studio parents for this IP might actually be best.

Of course, we're talking about "Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse" ... which took the top spot by a mile over the past three days -- with a final tally of about $120.5 million in ticket sales domestically. That's the 2nd best box office of 2023 ... behind 'Super Mario Bros.'

It's easily the money-maker of the summer thus far ... and the good news is that it exceeded expectations by a ton. 'Across the Spider-Verse' was projected to bring in just $80M-$90M ... but it blew well past that, and lands as one of the best-performing 'Spider-Man' flicks ever.

Not just that, but the reviews are off the charts ... with many calling it the best 'Spider-Man' installment and 'Spider-Man' story told in modern times. So, what do we make of all this???

There's a couple takeaways -- which Twitter seems to somewhat agree with -- and the first is ... Sony holding on to some of the 'Spider-Man' rights over the years has, perhaps, turned out to be for the best. Clearly, they partner with Marvel for all things Spidey ... but many say they've kept the character/IP grounded, despite Disney's overly-grand CBM aspirations.

The other fascinating element here is that Sony/Disney has been able to achieve true diversity in a character that has long been considered a typical white male in Peter Parker.

With the Miles Morales character -- who's Black/Puerto Rican -- there's a new face to Spider-Man (not to mention all the other Spider-Men in the movie) ... and there was little to no outrage over it. Of course, a lot of that might have to do with the fact that Miles and co. are comic canon ... so shout out to the writers who created these characters a long time ago!

It's interesting ... there've been a number of actors who've played Spider-Man (both live-action and animated) over the years -- but Tom Holland says Shameik Moore's Morales might, in fact, be the best out of all of them. He said as much anyway in a recent interview.

Jonathan Majors and Meagan Good are going strong overseas ... popping up in Morocco, where they're shopping for pottery.

TMZ obtained these photos of Jonathan and Meagan perusing a pottery shop in Fez, Morocco.

Folks who were there tell us the couple stopped by a shop called Art Naji, where they appeared to take an interest in a fountain and a fireplace.

The shop hails itself as the biggest handmade factory shop of pottery and zellige, Morrocan tiles, in the country ... and we're told Jonathan and Meagan seemed to be negotiating a deal with staff, though it's unclear if they pulled the trigger.

Instagram model Liziane Gutierrez and her 10-lb pooch fell victim to some nasty crooks who not only broke into her home but decided they also needed to mace the pup in the process.

Check out the video, obtained by TMZ, showing 3 men break into Liziane's Vegas home Thursday night through a back door. You see her maltese, Duchess, approach the intruders in a friendly manner only to be blasted with pepper spray.

From there, the men rush upstairs and into Liziane's bedroom, ransacking her closet and making away with Gucci bags, a Rolex, a gold chain and designer sneakers.

Thankfully, Liziane was at the gym at the time of the incident ... but she tells us the men made away with over $50K in luxury goods. She called the cops as soon as she got home.

As for Duchess, she was taken to the vet -- given a bunch of baths and some medication for her lungs and eyes -- we're told she's still having a tough time recovering and isn't yet back to 100% ... though things are looking good.

Aaron Gordon is a helluva basketball player and apparently one whale of a teammate too ... 'cause TMZ Sports has learned the Nuggets star gifted Jamal Murray a sick diamond pendant before the start of this week's NBA Finals.

We're told AG was so thrilled over the way Murray's helped lead Denver this season ... he hit up Mile High Jewelers to make a custom piece to show his appreciation.

Gordon wanted the new bling to represent Murray's signature on-court celebration ... and the jeweler certainly delivered.

You can see the piece features a bow and arrow ... with Murray's initials and jersey No. 27 in it. We're told it's all filled with 10 carats of white and blue VVS diamonds.

We're also told it took 10 days to make, which is an expedited time as Gordon wanted to be sure Murray had it before the start of the NBA Finals on Thursday.

And, check out the video, Murray was pumped to receive it earlier this week!!

"[Aaron] wanted to show his appreciation for his outstanding play, effort and being a great teammate/brother during his time in Denver," the jeweler told us.

Murray is certainly deserving of the present from Gordon -- the 26-year-old averaged 20 points, 6.2 assists and 4 rebounds per game in the regular season ... and has absolutely balled out this playoffs.

Ezra Miller may actually be back as The Flash soon enough, 'cause there's already a script for a would-be sequel ... which will presumably be activated based on how the 1st one does.

Variety reports that 'The Flash 2' is signed, sealed and delivered -- and on standby -- courtesy of "Aquaman" screenwriter David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick ... noting Warner is inclined to use it if a sequel is greenlit, which we won't know until after "The Flash" debuts.

The outlet also goes on to say that Johnson-McGoldrick's script features continued cameos from Michael Keaton's Batman and Sasha Calle's Supergirl ... who are both in the upcoming flick. The word of mouth for 'Flash,' which is coming out in a couple weeks, is at peak levels right now ... with many hyping it as one of the greatest superhero movies of all time.

As for Ezra ... well, the director of "The Flash," Andy Muschietti, has already gone on the record to say he would recast them if a sequel was in the cards ... praising Ezra's work as Barry Allen as a one-of-a-kind performance that's made for them in any future installments.

The problem -- at least from some fans' POV -- is that Ezra is very problematic ... on account of all the crimes/misdeeds they've been alleged of carrying out over the past few years.

Just to name a few ... alleged assault, alleged grooming, alleged breaking and entering, alleged harassment ... among other things. Several of these incidents have resulted in arrests -- and wild police body cam footage too -- as well as a plea deal for at least one of these.

Of course, Ezra has also apologized for their erratic behavior ... and went on to cite mental health issues, as well as saying they'd seek the professional help they need to get better.

That ended up being good enough for Warner, which opted not to recast Ezra and move forward with the release of "The Flash" as is. Interestingly, Variety also reports that Ezra is going to skip all of the press ahead of the movie ... and will only make a brief appearance at the Los Angeles premiere the week of. Press for this movie, in general, has been virtually non-existent and it seems Warner will continue with that strategy ... opting instead for a bunch of ad buys and other promo, like screenings ... of which there's been several now.

Despite Ezra ducking their head and laying low ahead of "The Flash," the movie is projected to do pretty well at the box office -- at the moment, it's on track for a $75 mil opening.

Some are crying foul over Ezra getting this pass -- not to mention an almost guaranteed sequel -- and feel like they're being afforded an opportunity others who've been accused of wrongdoing, like Jonathan Majors, aren't enjoying. Granted, JM is with a different studio and hasn't lost his Marvel job just yet ... plus, his case is a bit different than Ezra's sitch.

Jemele Hill denies that an alleged demand for Joe Rogan-level money from Spotify is the reason for her exit from the audio giant ... although, it seems clear she is, in fact, leaving.

The longtime sports reporter/media personality is said to be negotiating a split from Spotify, where she's exclusively hosted her all-issues podcast -- "Jemele Hill is Unbothered" -- since 2019. Several outlets are reporting that she's now seeking a new home for her show.

Jemele's 'Unbothered' podcast network -- which features other Black podcasters -- is also shuttering. Reports say Spotify might let her out of her deal early, or simply let it lapse.

Now, for the controversy ... a conservative outlet, Outkick, framed this parting of ways as Jemele getting the boot after "daring the company to pay her or another black host $100 million" ... the same way they'd paid Joe for an exclusive deal (it turned out to be $200M).

If you read the article, you come to find out that the writer is referencing an old quote she gave the NYT last year about Joe's big contract, in which she said ... "What I would like to see is for them to hand $100 million to somebody who is Black." The way Outkick and other right-wing sites are reporting this is ... Jemele asked for that $100 mil, and was told no.

Well, she's pushing back on that ... taking to Twitter to bat down any notion that she gave Spotify an ultimatum, especially one that pit her against Joe. Of course, her quote from 2022 has clearly been taken out of context ... and she's setting the record straight on what's what.

Jemele says, "People: A lot of what’s been reported just isn’t true. My podcast hasn’t been cancelled. I never asked Spotify for $100M. This s*** is truly comical."

She goes on to say her podcast, for now, will continue -- adding ... "Next week’s guest is: Sabrina Elba. In the coming weeks: Blair Underwood, Kasi Lemmons, JR Smith, Kenny Latimore and more." Finally, she says ... "When I have something to say, I’ll say it."

Jemele also clarified further in a back-and-forth on Twitter with someone who was pointing out the quote to her, to which she responded ... "You should probably comprehend better, or maybe read the original piece -- which was about me wanting to see Spotify make that investment in prominent Black podcasters. I never told Spotify or the NYT, that I deserved  $100M. My deal at Spotify is pretty fair. This was about investment and growth."

Kaley Cuoco is lookin' to unload her gorgeous Los Angeles-area home a little over a year after picking it up ... and it comes with a pretty steep price tag.

The 'Big Bang Theory' actress has put her Agoura Hills pad on the market for a whopping $7 mil. She bought the place from Taylor Lautner last April for $5.25M -- and is now lookin' to score a profit.

Kaley's 5,647-square-foot house that sits on nearly 9 acres is tucked away in a gated community and was built back in 2020. Aside from some stellar, panoramic views, the place comes with a floating staircase, a speakeasy-style lounge, a 45-foot-long infinity pool, spa, and a bocce ball court!

Kaley did some renovations -- adding things like a wine wall, a wet bar, and some other cool exterior features.

Devin Haney's shining in both the boxing ring AND the dentist chair these days ... TMZ Sports has learned that after beating Vasiliy Lomachenko last month, the star-fighter copped some crazy diamonds for his teeth!!

We're told the undisputed lightweight champ reached out to famous jeweler JimmyBoi ahead of the May 20 Loma fight to have a grill made for him ... win, lose or draw.

Turns out, Haney was able to beat the Ukrainian fighter -- and then he was happily rewarded with the bling!!

The mouthpiece is fully iced-out ... we're told the set is filled with 17 carats of princess cut flawless clarity D color diamonds -- and also features 18k rose gold.

The 24-year-old was clearly pumped for it all -- showing it off in a recent selfie.

Adele is completely gutting the home she purchased from Sylvester Stallone ... and while she's starting over at the lavish Beverly Hills estate, one famous feature remains.

As you can see, the pricy renovations are in full swing, and the main house is getting a total transformation -- she's sheared off the whole 2nd story of the place!

Adele seems to be leaving the pool in place ... and notice the iconic Rocky statue rising up over the edge of the water, just like Sly had it when he lived there. However, she did away with the statue at the other end of the pool.

TMZ broke the story ... Adele bought the home from Sylvester last year, and she got it for a steal because it was originally listed at $110 million and then slashed to $80 million before Adele shelled out $58 mil for the estate.

That's right ... a $58 million teardown. Gotta love L.A.!

The property is one of the largest in Beverly Park, with 3.6 acres and sweeping views of the city. The gated community is riddled with celebs, and Adele is carving out her own slice of paradise.