Paris Hilton PETA Rips Her Over New Puppy ... Dogs Aren't For Retail Therapy!!!

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Paris Hilton is getting called out by PETA for getting her new dog from a breeder instead of an animal shelter or adoption service ... and PETA's not pulling punches.

A rep for the animal rights organization tells TMZ ... "Paris Hilton has apparently been living under a rock for the past decade, because a day in an animal shelter would have shown her just how many Chihuahuas already need homes, and five minutes on Petfinder would turn up thousands more, including puppies."

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NEWEST MEMBER OF THE FAMILY

The outrage comes after Paris showed off her latest addition to her family of pets ... a teacup chihuahua, who Paris says is related to her late dog, Harajuku Bitch.

Paris apparently got the pooch from Foufou's Teacup Puppies Inc ... according to their website, they get puppies from breeders, and that's the issue for PETA.

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The PETA rep adds ... "PETA knows that retail therapy is what Paris loves best, but we ask her to keep the shopping to baubles and bags and give an animal a chance to be 'sliving' by adopting."

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It's unclear if Paris bought the dog herself or if the breeder gave her the pooch as part of a collab ... but regardless, PETA isn't happy with how Paris is promoting the biz. These dogs go for around $6k and up.

Paris' new puppy is getting a similar reaction from PETA as Pete Davidson did when he recently got a Cavapoo puppy from a pet store.

Pete later went scorched earth on PETA, leaving an expletive-laden voicemail in response.

We reached out to Paris' camp ... so far no word back.

Hit-Boy & Big Hit We Coached White Actors to Use the N-Word ... Drastic Times Call for Drastic Content!!!

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Hit-Boy and his dad Big Hit are on a mission to make the most impactful hip hop possible ... even if it means exercising their freedom of speech to a point some will call controversial or even offensive.

We caught the Hollis family out at Dash Radio while they were promoting their critically acclaimed joint album, "Surf or Drown 2."

The project has birthed multiple videos directed by ThirdEyeRaz ... but none more controversial than the visual for "Police," which depicts a role reversal of America's color lines.

Team Hit and their crew portray police officers who arrest white citizens who mouth off the song's lyrics for the camera, n-words included -- which they tell us was a very intentional creative choice.

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Big Hit even says a few actors declined to star in the video -- because it required using that word -- but they coached their assembled crew through the scenes ... as they felt the video was important to reflect the current social climate.

It's a topic that Big Hit can relate to ... having been released from prison a few months ago after serving 9 years for an L.A. hit-and-run.

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He tells us he's already landed a collab with Snoop Dogg and recorded multiple albums worth of music with his Diamond-certified son.

Looks, and sounds, like the sky's the limit for the father-son duo!!!

'Power' Star Gianni Paolo Lil Meech Disses Don't Faze Me ... I'm All 'Bout Coi Leray!!! 😍

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50 Cent's 'Power Book II' and "BMF" cast members have been enjoying a healthy rivalry, but to hear Gianni Paolo tell it ... Lil Meech needs the back-and-forth way more than he does.

TMZ Hip Hop recently linked up with the real-life Brayden Weston rocking his G-G-G-Unit gear out in West Hollywood ... and he assures us he enjoys the constant mudslinging between sets but says it really only benefits 'BMF's juice.

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Last week, Meech and the "BMF" crew stunted on Gianni and the rest of the 'Power' cast by posting in a private jet they say 50 got exclusively for their travels.

As you know, "BMF" is the autobiographical tale of ex-drug kingpins Demetrius and Terry Flenory ... and Gianni thinks the show is staring its expiration date in the face, despite 50's wish for both shows to go for at least 6 seasons each!!!

Gianni tells us he's proud Meech was able to escape the nepo-baby tag but thinks 'Power II' will go the distance on-air.

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Switching gears to his love life, Gianni says he'll only enter a relationship if it's with one Coi Leray ... which might be a one-sided dream for now.

Gianni says he slid into Coi's DMs -- instantly jumping to the topic of marriage, and was left on read for his troubles.

Girls is players too in 2023 ... gotta try harder for the prize!!!

Kevin Costner's Estranged Wife $51K Child Support Just Isn't Enough ... Kids Can't Live Off Crumbs!

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Kevin Costner's estranged wife is fighting for more child support ... scoffing at the $51,940 monthly figure he's currently offering, saying it's not even close to enough dough.

According to new legal docs, obtained by TMZ, Christine Baumgartner calls Kevin's child support proposal "completely inappropriate" ... saying he apparently expects their kids to live well below his means when they're with their mother.

Christine claims Kevin spends $240,000 a month on himself and the kids when they're with him ... a huge contrast to the $51,940 he's expecting her to need to take care of the kids when they're with her.

Kevin's estranged wife says the almost $52K simply isn't enough to provide for the kiddos ... pointing out it's well below the $65,000 per month she says Kevin was getting for renting out a guest house at his $100 million beachfront compound, where the family lived together.

Christine says there's just no way she can give their kids the life they're accustomed to on $52k a month ... claiming it's not enough to find similar housing or keep up their lifestyle.

In the docs, Christine says at the current figure the kids would be in for a big step down once she moves out of Kevin's home ... she says the kids are used to living at the beach and in a gated neighborhood, two things she doubts she will find at $52K a month.

Christine says she needs the money for more than just rent ... rattling off a bunch of other expenses like utilities and TV bills.

Kevin's estranged wife says the kids are used to having a team of people hired to maintain the home and the property ... including assistants and helpers who handle schedules, grocery shopping, food prep, cleaning and cooking.

Remember ... Christine's requested $248k for child support, with Kevin's accountant saying some of her expenses include more than $100k for her own cosmetic procedures and boutique shopping.

Bottom line ... Kevin and Christine are far apart on what they think she needs to support the kids.

2023 Home Run Derby Champ To Receive 3-Pound Chain ... Filled With Over 1,000 Stones!!!

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The 2023 Home Run Derby champion will be walking away with a whole lot more than bragging rights next week ... they'll be getting a sweet new chain, too!!

The MLB revealed on Wednesday it's giving the event's winner some bling for the second straight season -- and this year's iteration of the jewelry is awesome.

According to the league, it weighs three pounds and features over 1,000 stones.

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MAJOR LEAGUE BLING

It also has a centerpiece made of recycled glass and 75 carats of white and yellow Swarovski Crystal embellishments. And, get this, the center even spins!!!

There will be eight guys gunning for it on Monday night at T-Mobile Park in Seattle -- Luis Robert, Pete Alonso, Mookie Betts, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Adolis Garcia, Randy Arozarena, Julio Rodriguez and Adley Rutschman.

Last year's winner, Juan Soto, will not be involved -- but he sure seemed to enjoy the 2022 version of the drip after he locked it all up at Dodger Stadium.

So, who will get it this year? Derby starts at 5 PM PT ... getcha popcorn ready!

Birdman Jokes On You, Druski ... I'm Buying You Out Kevin Hart You're Next!!!

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Druski thought his Coulda Been Records label was set to get a boost after taking an IG meeting with Birdman ... but their one-on-one left him thinking otherwise.

The Cash Money Records head honcho didn't appear to be in character when he turned the tables on Druski, accusing him of toeing the copyright infringement line with his CBR imprint, which Birdman says sounds too close to the Cash Money Brothers slogan of "CMB."

The logo similarities are also too sus for the mogul's liking.

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The comedian attempted to plead his case by name-dropping Lil Wayne and Drake, but didn't sound like he was sticking to a script as he stammered in Birdman's stone face.

Birdman lightened the mood a bit when he referenced his infamous Breakfast Club interview, and told Druski to put some "respek" on his name ... but also made an offer it doesn't sound like Druski has the option to refuse.

Birdman proposed for Cash Money Records to be Coulda Been's owner and financier in exchange for Druski's elevation.

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The rapper also sent a stern warning to Kevin Hart for unspecified issues ... and promised to deliver him the smoke in due time.

If you can't beat 'em, might as well join 'em ... especially if you owe them!!!

Taylor Swift Evidence Suggests Dad Had Info on Catalog Sale Days Before it Even Happened

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Taylor Swift's dad apparently knew there were some important happenings taking place concerning Big Machine Label Group just days before his daughter's catalog was sold to Scooter Braun.

In an email, obtained by TMZ, Scott Swift provides help into a "data room" for Ithaca -- the company that purchased BMLG (and Taylor's music) for $330 million. The timing of the email -- June 26, 2019 -- is interesting considering the company sale happened just a couple days later. DailyMail was first to break the news of the new details.

Sources with direct knowledge tell us the data room was used to include info about upcoming deals and happenings within the company -- and would have almost certainly included info about the $330M sale.

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I'M GONNA WIN THIS

As we reported, Taylor has maintained she didn't know the sale was even happening until it was finalized and made public. Scott Swift has said he did not participate in any shareholder calls about the sale because they were under strict NDA, and he didn't want to know anything that might jeopardize his daughter's career.

We've also seen a copy of that NDA, which appeared to be standard in its guidelines.

However, Big Machine's CEO Scott Borchetta released a statement shortly after Taylor said she'd been left in the dark, calling Scott out ... "I guess it might somehow be possible that her dad Scott, 13 Management lawyer Jay Schaudies (who represented Scott Swift on the shareholder calls) ... didn't say anything to Taylor over the prior 5 days."

BTW ... Jay still works on Taylor's management team to this day.

We also reported Scott Swift cashed in to the tune of $15 million on the catalog sale as he owned a percentage of Big Machine when it was sold.

A source close to Taylor tells us, "In 2020, the ability to evaluate any opportunity for Taylor to purchase her catalog was conditioned on signing a gag order NDA prohibiting her from ever speaking the truth about Scooter and the situation. Taylor has completely moved on from this saga, and has turned what started out as an extremely painful situation into one of the most fulfilling creative endeavors of her life."

However, our Scooter sources dispute the part about the NDA and gag order ... telling such an order just doesn't exist.

The Taylor source continues, "She re-recorded 3 albums and has 3 more to go. She’s looking forward to the release of her new album tonight."

Taylor drops her version of "Speak Now" at midnight.

Titan Submersible Implosion OceanGate Suspending All Operations

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OceanGate is pressing pause in the wake of the Titan submersible's fatal voyage to the Titanic shipwreck ... the company says it's halting all operations.

In a statement Thursday, OceanGate says it's suspending all exploration and commercial operations in the wake of last month's tragedy, which killed OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush and four others.

As you know, Stockton was piloting the Titan submersible when it imploded during a dive to the famed shipwreck ... killing everyone on board, including British billionaire Hamish Harding, French researcher/diver Paul-Henri Nargeolet, Pakistani businessman Shahzada Dawood and his son, Suleman.

OceanGate has several other submersibles aside from the Titan, but the company says none will be going below the surface any time soon.

The Titan wreckage was recently recovered from the bottom of the Atlantic ocean ... along with presumed human remains.

It's unclear when, if ever, OceanGate will resume operations.

Samuel L. Jackson Acupuncture, Cupping Sesh ... Aboard Magic's Yacht

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Magic Johnson's annual yacht vacation has somehow gotten even MORE lavish ... Samuel L. Jackson just revealed the boat trip now features acupuncture sessions!!!

Johnson, Jackson and a few of their close pals set sale yet again for their yearly European vacay earlier this month -- hitting the French Riviera this time -- and the "Pulp Fiction" star showed there's truly no expense spared on the getaway.

In photos that Jackson posted to his Instagram page Thursday morning ... you can see he got healing needles injected into his skin -- all while he was relaxing and soaking in rays on one of the boat's decks.

Samuel clearly knew the moment was one dripping with luxury -- 'cause he captioned one of the pics with the words, "Accu in da Sun!!"

"DAAYUUUM!!!!" he added.

The treatments didn't stop there, though ... he also got some cupping therapy done right on a lounge chair as well!!

Of course, the extravagant amenities shouldn't surprise anybody ... Johnson's been going all out for the summer trip for nearly a decade.

This year's yacht is called "Phoenix 2" ... and the 296-footer comes with all of the expected bells and whistles -- including jacuzzis, a gym, an outdoor cinema, a swimming pool, and so much more.

Jackson's clearly been in awe of it -- and for good reason ... its price tag to rent for just one week is about $1.2 MILLION!!

Kim Kardashian $70 Mil Malibu Mansion Is My 'Pinch Me' Moment

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KIM'S DREAM HOUSE

Kim Kardashian can buy just about whatever she wants on the planet, but one recent purchase, in particular, has become a true dream moment for her.

Kim showed off her new $70 million Malibu mansion on Thursday's new episode of "The Kardashians" telling fans, "This has been a dream of mine forever, and it's just one of those pinch me moments where I can't believe I achieved a goal that I really didn’t think was realistic."

Kim's also got big plans for the crib ... revealing it's gonna be a "party house" before laughing and adding it'll also be used for a ton of time with her family and kids.

While Khloe and Kim tour the property in the episode, Khloe calls it an oasis.

As for Kim, you gotta hand it to her ... she's built an empire with a billion-dollar fortune. She says the home "Represents to me all the hard work I put in and enjoying fruits of my labor, new energy, looking forward to creating so many memories here."

As we reported, the home is massive with 7,450 square feet of living space on 3 acres of land located in the area known as Malibu's 'Billionaire's Beach.'

Lisa Vanderpump PUMP Restaurant Gone, But Not Dead ... Moving Staff to TomTom

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Lisa Vanderpump's iconic West Hollywood restaurant PUMP's doors are closed, but that doesn't mean the brand is done, according to Lisa ... who's filling us in on what's next.

Lisa tells TMZ ... she's not shelving the PUMP brand, and fans of the longtime hot spot could see it in a new location at some point in the future.

She says she's taking some of her longtime PUMP staff -- bartenders, the chef, and others -- over to TomTom, which she co-owns with Tom Sandoval and Tom Schwartz.

LV says she loves her crew and is thrilled to have them move just 3 doors down to TomTom. What's more, we're told some of the popular menu items from PUMP are coming over, too ... although it's unclear which ones will make the final cut.

BTW, Lisa says all of the bougie PUMP furniture will go to a warehouse she uses for personal belongings ... because none of it fits the decor at TomTom.

As we reported, the WeHo landmark restaurant started getting the ol' teardown on Tuesday, the day before its official closing date.

The building was PACKED over the holiday weekend as the "Vanderpump Rules" crew filmed a farewell scene.

Trinidad James Love Drake's New Pink Nails ... But I'm On Another Level!!!

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NAILED IT!!!

Trinidad James is a big fan of Drake getting a fresh coat of pink for his fingernails before heading out on tour -- and he's offering to help take Drizzy's manicure to the next level.

We got the "All Gold Everything" rapper Wednesday at LAX, and asked him about Drake's unveiling of his new look.

Trinidad's been getting his nails painted and bejeweled for years ... and he's thrilled to see another mainstream artist like Drake joining the ranks. We've seen Lil Yachty and Machine Gun Kelly do their nails, but Drake's the biggest hitmaker to jump on the wave.

The way TJ sees it ... there's a gender stigma around manicures, and he says it's good for Drake to break out of the box.

As we reported, Drake showed off his pink nails Monday on social media ... right before starting his highly anticipated tour with 21 Savage.

Get this ... Trinidad says some of his nail sets cost $7,000 and he gets his nails done 4 times a month. We're confident the cost wouldn't scare off Champagne Papi if he were inclined to do that kinda upkeep.

Trinidad repeatedly told us he's Drake's spirit animal ... and, as such, he's got a tip on how he can take his manicures a step further.

Kevin Costner vs. Christine Baumgartner Judge Orders Her Out by July 31 ... Big Sign Prenup is Valid

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5:05 PM PT -- TMZ has just obtained the judge's written ruling, and he squarely rejected Christine's arguments that Kevin was trying to unfairly kick her out of their house, saying her points are "without merit." Christine had argued she "will move in due course, but this is a major undertaking and can only be accomplished with careful planning ... " The judge didn't buy it.

Kevin Costner just won big in court today, and the implications for his bitter divorce from Christine Baumgartner are even bigger ... because it looks like the judge is inclined to rule their prenup is valid.

The judge enforced a provision of the prenup which says, in the event a divorce petition is filed, Christine has a certain number of days to vacate the family home -- that date is July 31.

Christine's lawyers have argued the date is unfair because she doesn't have enough time or money to find an adequate place to live. Her attorney asked for an extension to August 15.

Kevin's attorney, disso queen Laura Wasser, has taken the position a deal is a deal, and it's right there in the prenup. Today the judge agreed.

There's an even bigger consequence to the judge's ruling. A hearing on the validity of the prenup is set for November, and given the acrimony in this case, Christine and her lawyers are expected to wage legal war to have the prenup declared invalid.

The judge's ruling today is squarely predicated on language in the prenup, so it seems the judge is inclined -- perhaps more than inclined -- to enforce the prenup, which would be a huge win for Kevin.

BTW ... the implications are financially dire for Christine, because if the judge rules the prenup is valid, she has to return the $1.5 million Kevin gave her. She'll also have to pay Kevin's attorney's fees incurred for defending the prenup.

Armie Hammer, Elizabeth Chambers Divorce Final ... Joint Custody, No Candy

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Armie Hammer is now a single man, because the judge just signed off on his divorce settlement with Elizabeth Chambers, and it seems they've resolved all conflicts.

According to legal docs, obtained by TMZ, Armie and Elizabeth share joint legal and physical custody of their 2 children.

As for child support, the docs say Armie will pay $1,500 a month in support. The docs go on to say he does not currently have an income, so presumably, that's why the support settlement is modest.

The parties both agreed to waive spousal support.

There was one conflict when it comes to social media. Armie did not want the kids to be included in either his or Elizabeth's social media posts. Elizabeth disagreed. They came to a compromise each parent could post using their discretion, in a "careful, appropriate and discrete manner."

And, there's this ... they agreed on candy! According to the docs, "It's not in the minor children's best interest to consistently have candy," so they agreed to lay off the sweets.

And, the docs say neither Armie nor Elizabeth shall introduce their kids to "a new romantic interest unless he or she has been in a significant and exclusive relationship with that person for at least 6 months."

Elizabeth filed for divorce, citing irreconcilable differences.

Victor Wembanyama Ticket Prices Surge For Rookie's Debut ... in NBA Summer League

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The Victor Wembanyama effect is real -- the most hyped prospect since LeBron James isn't just generating an uptick in regular season tickets sales ... fans are paying big money to catch a glimpse of the 7'5" phenom in the SUMMER LEAGUE!

Wemby -- who sat out the Sacramento Summer League games earlier this week -- is expected to make his NBA debut in the Las Vegas Summer League on Friday against the Charlotte Hornets.

Ticket reseller Gametime, which specializes in last-minute tix, tells TMZ Sports they're seeing a "huge demand for tickets" ... and they're going for significantly more than other summer league games.

We're told ticket prices for most games are 40 around bucks, but for Wemby, prices start at $186!

"The top-priced seats are going for $617 per seat," a Gametime spokesperson told us.

It probably shouldn't come as a surprise... hype around the 19-year-old prospect, who became the first French-born player to be drafted first overall, has been insane.

He can run, jump, shoot, defend ... all of it, at his absolutely massive size (he has an 8-foot wingspan!)

Not even LeBron is immune to the hype around Wemby.

"Everybody’s been a unicorn over the last few years, well he’s more like an alien," James said last season.

"His ability to put the ball on the floor, shoot step-back jumpers on the post, step-back 3s, catch-and-shoot 3s, block shots. He’s for sure a generational talent."

Wembanyama will have the eyes of the basketball world on him later this week ... but he won't be the only star playing in the game. Number two overall pick Brandon Miller (good enough to be the first overall pick in most drafts) will be across from Victor, playing for the Hornets.

Let's goooo!!!!!

Nelly Snags $50 Million Deal For Half His Catalog!!!

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Things are heating up for Nelly again, 'cause the dude's about to get a helluva lot richer after selling the rights to half of the music he's cranked out ... including his biggest hits.

Sources close to the rapper tell TMZ ... Nelly secured a $50 million deal for 50% ownership over his entire catalog -- which includes 8 albums and a ton of #1 singles that helped define pop culture in the 2000s.

We're told Nelly is teaming up with a company called HarbourView Equity Partners for this, which is forking over the dough to lock up some of his best-known songs ... such as, "Ride Wit Me," "Dilemma" and of course, "Hot in Herre." Obviously they're getting more than just that ... but those tracks are, by and large, the ones Nelly's perhaps best-known for.

In fact, a couple of these songs won him Grammys -- he snagged a statuette in 2003 for "Dilemma" (Best Rap/Sung Performance) and another that same year for "Hot in Herre" (Best Male Rap Solo Performance). He has another Grammy to his name for "Shake Ya Tailfeather."

No word yet on which parts of Nelly's catalog -- besides the above-mentioned singles -- now belong to HarbourView ... but considering the wide range of tunes he has under his belt ... you gotta figure there's more goodies in the vault that they'll now have a claim to.

It's a lot of money, obviously -- so it's great news for Nelly. Interestingly enough, things are going swimmingly for Nelly in other departments of his life ... including his business ventures, like his alcohol brand, MoShine.

Plus, he's not even done making music at this point in his career ... the guy produced a full-on country album, "Heartland," in 2021 -- and we're hearing part 2's on the horizon as well.

Congrats on the windfall, bud!!!