Money

Lil Baby seemingly has no problem paying his share to Uncle Sam ...  the Atlanta superstar dropped insightful bars about his A1 tax standing on both his features that dropped Friday.

On "False Idols," the newest entry in The Weeknd's playlist from his HBO series "The Idol," Baby flexes his number-crunching skills ..."The money keeps comin', the feelin' is great I pay eight-figure taxes/No more section eight/I was workin' my wrist tryna see what it take."

Baby's wealth of knowledge bled over to his artist Rylo Rodriguez's new "Been One" album via the track "Real Type" and he warned the streets about the IRS' wrath ... "Penny pinchin' peons, hope you n***** paid your taxes/You the type to never have it with you, really catfish!!!"

This will blow your mind -- an official from the government of Italy contacted Mark Zuckerberg about staging a UFC fight against Elon Musk at the most legendary battleground in the world ... Rome's Colosseum ... TMZ Sports has learned.

Sources with direct knowledge tell us ... the Minister of Culture reached out to Zuckerberg a few days ago about staging what could be the biggest fight in the history of the world in the most fabled fight theater in history.

Our sources say both Elon and Mark would love for the fight to go down at the Colosseum.

We're told Zuckerberg's people passed on the message to UFC Prez Dana White, whose people contacted the Minister.

As for the venue itself -- one of the 7 Wonders of the World -- there have not been large events held inside the nearly 2,000-year-old amphitheater in hundreds of years, and only a few hundred spectators can be seated in temporary seating within the theater.

Sir Paul McCartney performed inside the Colosseum in 2003 for an exclusive charity show before 400 people who paid up to $1,500 -- but other than that, all other concerts have been held just outside the structure.

It's unclear where a Musk vs. Zuck fight would go down -- inside or outside.

Multiple sources with direct knowledge tell us if you're gonna bet on whether this fight goes down ... wager that it's happening. We're told both Musk and Zuck are "all in," and have been negotiating with Dana about the details of a fight daily ... multiple times each day for more than a week.

The biggest obstacle is height and weight disparity, although both men have no issue with it. The question ... if the fight were to go down in Vegas -- which was the goal until the Colosseum offer surfaced -- the Nevada Athletic Commission would have to sign off. Given that Zuck is 5'7" and weighs 145, and Elon towers over him at 6'2" and weighs 230, it's a little problematic. Nevertheless, this would be an exhibition fight, so the rules might bend.

Now that Italy is interested, it opens up so many more possibilities.

Originally Published -- 6/29 9:39 PM PT

"Vanderpump Rules" is already shooting Season 11, but the person who is the centerpiece of all the drama -- Raquel Leviss -- just began negotiating with Bravo this week, and there are complications in sealing the deal ... TMZ has learned.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... Bravo, production and Raquel's team began talking about a new contract just 3 days ago. We don't know the specifics of what was discussed, but it's standard operating procedure in the entertainment biz to make salary item #1.

Whatever terms they have already discussed, it appears none were deal-breakers, because the negotiations are continuing.

Now the problems.

Our sources say Bravo did not want to even begin negotiations while Raquel was getting treatment in the mental health facility she's called home for more than 2 months.

The reality -- if Bravo jumps the gun, makes a deal and brings her back too early, they could face legal peril if she backslides.

So, you ask ... why did they begin negotiating THIS week? The answer -- because our sources say, Raquel will leave the facility "soon." That gives production the green light to start the negotiations.

Now here's the practical problem ... the longer 'VPR' rolls cameras, the harder it's gonna be to integrate Raquel into the storylines. No one wants to pressure her to come back too early, but they want a show with lots of drama. A source connected to the show tells us ... production is ready when she is ready.

Stay tuned ...

Nike is gearing up to relaunch Kobe Bryant's line with the Swoosh, the sportswear giant's CEO announced to investors on Thursday ... and fans won't have to wait long, products are expected to drop before the end of August!

CEO John Donahue spoke on an earnings call this week, where he announced some seriously awesome news ... "It's going to be an exciting summer as we set the stage to relaunch the Kobe brand in advance of Kobe Day on 8.24," JD said.

Donahue, nor Nike, expounded further, so specifics surrounding Kobe's brand are still unclear.

A relaunch wasn't always a foregone conclusion. The longtime partnership between Nike and Kobe/KB's estate came to an end in April 2021 when a new contract could not be agreed upon.

Fast forward to March 2022 ... when Vanessa Bryant announced the estate reached a new deal with Nike, restoring one of the most successful partnerships in shoewear history.

At the time, Vanessa said of the new agreement ... "We're excited to announce our partnership with Nike is going to continue! I am so proud that my husband's shoes are still the most worn by players on NBA courts and that the demand for his shoes remains so desired by his fans around the world."

Bryant continued ... "With this new partnership, fans will soon be able to have access to Kobe and Gigi Nike products for years to come and with Nike donating 100% of the net proceeds yearly for Gianna’s shoes to our Mamba and Mambacita Sports Foundation."

Since the reunion, the releases from Nike have been sparse. There were Kobe 4 and 6's released on a limited basis, but there haven't been any major drops.

Kodak Black didn't let a quick stint in the slammer jack his groove ... the "Super Gremlin" rapper made bail and quickly hit up a charity event where he raised thousands of bucks!!!

Bradford Cohen, Kodak's lawyer, tells TMZ Hip Hop, his client was released from the Broward County jail only 40 minutes after being booked. He was arrested for failing to check in for a mandatory drug test.

Kodak almost immediately put the short jail stint in his rearview... jamming out to his classic, "No Flockin'" record ... as G Herbo looked on. He drew a big crowd and everyone was celebrating.

The money raised went to the Innocence Project, which works to free people wrongfully convicted of a crime.

The concert went down inside the Pompano Beach Amphitheater ... with performances by Herbo, Rico Cartel, iCandy and Sniper Gang.

Legendary musician John Fogerty has put his stunning Westlake Village home on the market -- but any fortunate son would have to cough up $20 million.

John's 18,600-square-foot home sits on 22 acres in the Hidden Valley gated community and has breathtaking panoramic views of the mountains and nearby Pacific Ocean.

He's put a $19,995,000 price tag on it, and it comes with some cool features -- not 1, but 2 recording studios, a home theater, and a wine wall.

There's also some great landscaping, a courtyard, and the obligatory pool.

The Creedence Clearwater Revival founder and lead singer bought the place a decade ago, spending just shy of $9M. We're told his wife Julie completely rebuilt, redesigned and reimagined it to become the stellar property it is today.

Kevin Costner's estranged wife is getting out of Dodge amid a swirl of allegations and counter-allegations in her bitter divorce ... and she's taking 2 of their kids with her.

Christine Baumgartner flew out of LAX Thursday, getting dropped off at the airport by a car service and walking into the terminal with a cup of coffee and some luggage.

It looks like the July 4th holiday weekend is coming at the right time for Christine ... the past two months have been rife with divorce drama, and now she's fighting Kevin over money and a place to live, among other things.

This has gotta be a quick trip ... she's got to be back in Santa Barbara Wednesday for a big court hearing, where Christine will contest the prenup.

TMZ broke the story ... Christine wants $248,000 a month in child support, but Kevin's accountant says those expenses include more than $100k for her own plastic surgery, in addition to boutique shopping, ATM withdrawals and more.

Gwendolyn Osborne is applauding Vanna White for holding out for a bigger slice of the TV game show pie ... telling us the "Wheel of Fortune" staple deserves way more money.

The former "Price Is Right" model joined us on "TMZ Live" Thursday and we asked about Vanna's salary demand -- at least half of the salary Pat Sajak gets -- $7.5M.

Gwendolyn is fully on board, saying Vanna deserves it, and in the process, she's helping lots of other women.

But, then we asked, what if Sony says final offer -- $4.5M -- should Vanna take it or walk? Watch the wheels turn in Gwendolyn's head.

TMZ broke the story ... Vanna has made $3 million a year for the last 18 years, without a single raise, and wants a big payday when Ryan Seacrest comes aboard as the new host.

Isaiah Rodgers will be away from an NFL field for the foreseeable future ... the league just suspended the Indianapolis Colts defensive back indefinitely for violating its gambling policy.

NFL officials announced the ruling on Thursday morning ... adding that two other players -- Colts tight end Rashod Berry and free agent defensive lineman Demetrius Taylor -- were also hit with the same punishments.

Titans offensive lineman Nicholas Petit-Frere, meanwhile, was banned six games for gambling policy violations as well.

Rodgers' punishment had been looming for weeks ... after he admitted earlier this month that he had broken the league's betting rules.

It's unclear exactly what all of the guys' violations specifically were -- the NFL didn't say when making its announcement -- but it did reveal Rodgers, Berry and Taylor will only be able to return to the gridiron if they petition for reinstatement at the end of this season.

While Berry and Taylor were viewed as more of role players ... the loss of Rodgers is a big one -- he's played in 45 games for the Colts the last three years, and has been a special teams ace in addition to a productive cornerback.

"I am very sorry for all of this," Rodgers said in a statement earlier this month.

Thursday's bans for gambling violations are hardly the first the NFL has doled out in the last year or so -- stars like Lions wideout Jameson Williams and Jaguars receiver Calvin Ridley have also been punished recently over the betting policy.

Kevin Costner says his estranged wife is living in outer space thinking she's entitled to $248,000 a month in child support, because some of her alleged "expenses" include her own plastic surgery ... according to court docs filed by Kevin.

Kevin's forensic accountant says in the new divorce docs, the expenses Christine Baumgartner uses to justify a quarter-mil a month are outrageous. One of the expenses Christine lists includes more than $100,000 in cosmetic surgery -- her own. There's also thousands of dollars in boutique shopping, huge ATM withdrawals and other expenses Kevin's people say have nothing to do with child support.

A lot of what Christine lists as expenses are on credit card bills ... including her own attorney's fees.

And, Costner's accountant says there are one-time expenses that have nothing to do with child support, such as construction loans.

According to the docs, Kevin has been paying all the expenses for the kids, and will continue to do so. He says the reasonable amount -- the amount he is currently paying ... $51,940 a month.

As we reported, Christine has now agreed to leave the family house and get a place of her own by the end of August. His lawyer, Laura Wasser, will appear in court on July 5 to make sure Christine is ordered out by the end of August, if not before. At that hearing, we're told Christine will contest the validity of the prenup, and Wasser will argue it's rock solid.

Vanna White has got Sony spinning these days because she won't continue on "Wheel of Fortune" unless she makes at least half of what Pat Sajak has been making ... sources tell TMZ.

Sources with direct knowledge of the negotiations say Vanna is clear -- she's the cohost of the long-running show, so the pay disparity between her and Pat needs to be squarely addressed. Point of fact ... they're introduced this way on 'Wheel' -- "Here are the stars of our show, Pat Sajak and Vanna White."

So they're introduced as equals, but their salaries are anything but. We've confirmed Vanna's salary -- $3 million a year. And get this -- we've confirmed that's what she's made for the last 18 YEARS. She has not gotten a single pay increase in all that time.

Pat reportedly makes around $15 million a year. Vanna isn't asking for that, but we're told her lawyer, Bryan Freedman, is demanding half the amount Pat makes.

One source connected to Vanna put it this way ... "After 41 years as a model employee and more the face of that show than him [Pat], asking for 50% of what he makes seems like a no-brainer."

Sony, we're told, is not on board, at least not yet. One source with direct knowledge described the negotiations as "very difficult."

Our sources also say Vanna feels like the issue is bigger than her. As one source says, "She feels like it's a statement for all women."

We're told Vanna wants to stay on the show, but if she doesn't get what she believes is "a minimum of what is fair," that's a real possibility.

Sony may be in a tough spot here because Vanna provides continuity when Ryan Seacrest takes over for Pat a year from September. It's pretty clear ... they don't want to lose Pat and Vanna at the same time.

We covered it all on the latest episode of The TMZ Podcast, available on all podcast platforms.

Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic is gunning to accomplish an incredible feat in the world of commercial space travel -- and if successful, puts him on a short list with the likes of Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos.

Branson's company is having its first commercial launch Thursday, dubbed Galactic 01. The VSS Unity is taking off from New Mexico attached to a carrier plane, eventually detaching and soaring about 3 times the speed of sound above the earth before coming back down.

Despite the commercial aspect, the trip is more about business than pleasure -- the space vessel will carry members of the Italian Air Force and a research engineer, collecting data while airborne.

As we reported, the VSS Unity turned Branson into the first billionaire in space in 2021 when he and a handful of others went into sub-orbital space ... paving the way for Thursday's big milestone.

The view inside the vessel was almost as cool as what they were seeing on the outside -- especially the look on Branson's face when the Unity shot toward space!

Kevin Costner's estranged wife says she will pack up and move out of their home under one condition ... he's got to pony up more dough.

According to new legal docs, obtained by RadarOnline.com, Christine Baumgartner says she will move out of the beachfront home in Carpinteria, CA on August 31 ... as long as Kevin provides financial support as determined by the court.

Christine claims Kevin wants her to find a new place to live ASAP without a financial plan in place ... and with three kids, she says it's not in their best interests for her to move into a new place until she knows how much money she's going to be getting from Kevin.

Remember ... Kevin says Christine has so far refused to move out of the home he insists he owns, and he says their prenuptial agreement makes it clear Christine had 30 days to vacate the home when she filed for divorce on May 1, a deadline she's already missed.

Kevin, as we've reported, already says he's shelled out $1 million for Christine to find a new place to live ... and he's been asking the court to get her out of the home, claiming she's using her position as leverage to make him agree to her financial demands.

In docs filed earlier this month, Christine asked a judge to force Kevin to pay $248,000 a month in child support ... a figure Kevin says amounts to highway robbery.

There's a court hearing coming up July 12, and Christine says when she finds out then how much she's getting from Kevin, she'll have a better handle on where she can move and will be out of the home by the end of August.

English actress and model Vanessa Angel was 29 years old when she was cast to play the role of Claudia -- the beautiful and funny girlfriend who hilariously schemes her way to winning lots of money -- in the comedy film "Kingpin" back in 1996.

Woody Harrelson starred as the kid who was raised to bowl before his hand is injured in a match, Roy, Bill Murray as the hustler and cocky bowler willing to do whatever it takes to win, Ernie and Randy Quaid as the Amish farmer who keeps his bowling talents hidden from his family, Ishmael.

Jake Paul put some of his enormous fortune to good use, buying a brand new Ferrari for nearly half a million bucks ... AND THEN HE BROKE THE CAR THE SAME DAY!!

The Problem Child, very much living up to his nickname, hit up Ferrari Puerto Rico in San Juan ... where he spent $421K on the new, very rare whip.

The Ferrari 296 GTB is pretty amazing. It goes 0-60 MPH in 2.7 seconds, and 0-100 in 5.1 seconds. It does the standing quarter mile at 9.9 seconds and has a top speed of over 200 MPH.

26-year-old Paul documented the purchase in his latest vlog ... picking up the car, and putting it straight to the test.

Yeah, no breaking-in period here.

Jake took the Rari to an open parking lot, turned the wheel, and stomped on the gas ... executing a bunch of donuts.

The 296 GTB didn't like Paul's driving -- with just about every warning sign flashing on the dash, including a warning that simply said ... "go to dealer."

It's unclear if Jake got the supercar fixed ... or just parked it in the garage of his new $15+ million mansion.

The big purchase comes at a time when Jake's company, Betr, is taking off. In fact, the company was valued at $300 million during a recent round of funding.

Jason Derulo wants everyone to follow their dreams and not be bogged down by following the silly rules drummed into their heads by their parents!!!

The "Swalla" singer checked in with "TMZ Live" as his new book “Sing Your Name Out Loud: 15 Rules for Living Your Dream" is flying hot off the presses.

Jason thinks the key to success is not to be afraid of failure. He says failed at the majority of the risks he's taken ... but still, the failures don't define him -- the successes do.

Michael Jordan, LeBron James and Kobe Bryant are his inspirations — for the sheer volume of shots they missed to achieve greatness.

Jason says he's living proof being fearless in life works, and his book is the blueprint.