Carlee Russell Terminated From Spa Job ... Co-Workers Pissed Over Kidnapping Tale
Carlee Russell's bad week just got worse ... because she was just fired from her job in Alabama.
Russell got sacked Friday from the Woodhouse Spa in Birmingham after her claims of being kidnapped have come under major scrutiny since she resurfaced alive and well one week ago, according to the New York Post.
Her former boss, Stuart Rome, told the media outlet ... Russell's former co-workers are furious with her because they feel they might have been duped.
Rome said his employees have reason to be annoyed ... they were super busy at the spa the Saturday Russell disappeared, but still found time to hand out fliers over their concerns for her well-being.
Cops Say Carlee Russell Searched Amber Alerts, Movie 'Taken' Prior to Disappearance
What's more, the spa received an influx of negative social media posts from trolls, blasting management for employing Russell, which has resulted in many terrible reviews. Rome said business is now so bad he's "just trying to keep the doors open."
Rome also said his workers spent an entire day deleting the nastygrams and closing down the comments sections on the company's Facebook and Instagram pages.
7/19/23
As we reported ... police held a press conference Wednesday, poking holes in Russell's kidnapping story while revealing she searched the internet for information on Amber Alerts and the abduction film, "Taken," before she vanished. Cops also poured cold water on her assertion she saw a child wandering alone along the highway.
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Barbie Doll Values Skyrocket with Movie Buzz ... Says 'Pawn Stars' Toy Guy
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Everyone's seeing pink as "Barbie" takes over theaters, but collectors and resellers of the famed dolls are thinking green ... according to a man who collects toys for a living.
Pop culture expert and collector Joel Magee -- a frequent guest on "Pawn Stars" -- tells us the interest in Mattel's flagship doll has been high ever since the movie promotion took off. He says fans don't just want a movie ticket, they want the source material for themselves.
Joel loves that a toy which debuted in the '50s is just as popular today, and feels there are gonna be some rare editions of Barbie coming out of retirement, and onto auction blocks, thanks to the movie.
For context, Barbies that had been going for $100 last month are seeing markups around $150 today, and that's the cheap stuff. The one everyone's after is the 1959 debut doll -- which is going for anywhere between $15k to $20k today!
BTW, Joel -- AKA "The Toy Scout" -- knows his stuff when it comes to Barbie and beyond ... he's been in the game for 30 years, traveling across the country making deals on vintage toys and collectibles.
He also just wrapped a massive Disneyland auction with Van Eaton Galleries ... where over 1,400 theme park goodies from the past left his collection and went on the auction block.
BTW, Joel's got some advice for folks on both ends of the Barbie doll market -- make those deals NOW!
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Commanders Legend Brian Mitchell A Team Name Change? I'm Sure Fans Would Support It!!!
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If Magic Johnson does, indeed, change the Commanders moniker in Washington ... former star running back Brian Mitchell tells TMZ Sports he's sure fans would be in favor of it.
Magic -- who was part of a group that officially bought the D.C. franchise from Dan Snyder for $6.05 billion this week -- floated the idea of a name swap during an interview shortly after the deal went through.
"Everything is on the table," the NBA legend told TODAY's Craig Melvin.
The NFL’s Washington Commanders has been sold to a group led by billionaire Josh Harris and a group that includes NBA legend @MagicJohnson. @CraigMelvin sat down for an exclusive interview with Johnson to talk about ushering in a new era for the team. pic.twitter.com/Y3NvWjU9j9
— TODAY (@TODAYshow) July 21, 2023 @TODAYshow
When we spoke with Mitchell -- who played in Washington for 10 years -- about it all on Friday ... he made it clear he doesn't believe there would be many Washington fans who would be opposed.
"I think people had started to like the Washington Football Team [name]," the former All-Pro said. "Then you change it to a name that I don't think many, many people voted on or cared for. And, so, if it wanted to change, I don't think you'd have a lot of uproar with people."
Mitchell, though, did caution that it might be a lot for some fans to swallow. After all, it would be the fourth name the team's had since 2020.
Then again, Mitchell made it clear ... "you spend six billion, you get the right to name it whatever you want to name it!"
Potential team name change aside, Mitchell said he was fired up for Magic and the rest of the new owners to take control ... telling us he sees it all as "clean slate" for the Commanders to finally grow on.
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Tekashi 6ix9ine & Kodak Black We Gettin' Shaka Laka $$$!!! Boosie Reacts Like a Family Member Died
Tekashi 6ix9ine is back to dissing his opps -- and he's convinced Kodak Black to join him along for the ride ... and the team up has left Boosie Badazz utterly dejected!!!
The jaw-dropping alliance was unveiled Friday, and marked 6ix9ine's switch from Spanglish rhymes back to hardcore gangsta talk. Kodak makes it clear his loyalty is mostly to money in the opening lines of his verse, as associating with a "snitch" is typically bad for business.
Kodak did appear to show Tekashi some allegiance by dissing his rival Anuel AA with the opening question "How you lose your bitch to a snitch?" ... a reference to the song's other costar, Yailin la Mas Viral, who happens to be Anuel's ex and Tekashi's new flame.
Messy is as messy does but Kodak sees it as one big payday ... it's not like they're not moving weight like Scarface or anything!!!
Wack's been co-managing Tekashi's career as of late and emerged as the track's orchestra ... saluting Atlantic Records and 10K Projects for clearing the record for the streets, and a vape company for funding the entire shebang, very well he adds.
The song still has to prove itself on the charts, but a livid Boosie Badazz hopped on IG Live ahead of its release to diss the entire collab ... but was mainly hurt over Kodak Black's inclusion, as it goes against Boosie's beloved street code.
Boosie says Kodak's now susceptible to becoming gay for working with Tekashi and went on to claim incarcerated Hot Boys rapper B.G. knows secrets about Kodak he's going to spill whenever he gets freed. For crying out loud, Boosie!!!
There hasn't been any confirmation on how much Tekashi and Kodak got cashed out for the track but Boosie says there's no amount of money that Kodak should've accepted ... he actually turned down a billion dollars when we asked him about Gunna!!!
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Jamie Foxx Back at Work!!! 1st Time Filming Since Hospitalization
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Jamie Foxx is back in front of cameras for the first time since his medical crisis, and we've learned getting back in the saddle was a piece of cake for the Hollywood vet.
Sources tell TMZ ... Jamie shot a brand new BetMGM commercial Wednesday in Las Vegas at the Aria Resort and Casino, and after almost 4 months of recovery and rehab he was in amazing shape -- showing no signs of physical ailment.
We got some behind-the-scenes pics from the shoot, and he looks pretty focused while sitting in the cockpit of a golden F1 race car. We're told the ad will begin airing just before the NFL season kicks off.
ICYMI, Jamie posted a pic from the shoot Thursday, tagging BetMGM and saying "We got BIG things coming soon." His daughter, Corinne, shared a BTS shot of them together, saying she's really proud of her pops.
Hockey legend Wayne Gretzky also got some face time with Jamie. The Great One is in the ad, too, and described the shoot as ... "One of the best nights of my life with the greatest person. Big things coming soon."
7/11/23
As we reported, JF was spotted out and about earlier this month -- hittin' golf balls at Topgolf, recovering lost purses in Chicago, and breaking a sweat on the pickleball court.
Jamie was working on a Netflix film in Atlanta back in April when he had to be rushed to a hospital for a still undisclosed medical emergency. He was later moved to Chicago to begin a lengthy physical rehab process.
Great to see him back doing what he does best!!!
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Daymond John SKIMS $4 Bil Value Beyond Kim's Name ... Thinks It's Going Public!!!
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Daymond John says Kim Kardashian's name and celebrity is not the reason her popular clothing line Skims is now being valued at $4 billion ... he says product quality is the key.
The "Shark Tank" biz mogul joined us Friday on "TMZ Live," and dove into the numbers behind the new Skims valuation -- nearly $1B higher than last year's valuation!
Daymond says Kim's name being attached to the clothing line certainly helps, but based on what he's seeing and hearing, the value lies more in the affordable pricing and quality being delivered to consumers ... who might not even care about the Kardashians.
In other words, people aren't buying $750 million worth of Skims annually just because Kim is the face of the brand, though her advertising prowess and fame still bring a lot to the table.
Daymond's got answers for folks wondering why Kim's company is skyrocketing ... he breaks down the math, and sees a MUCH bigger number than $4 bil on the horizon.
Keep in mind, Skims has only been around since 2019 ... and while it's been funded privately, up to this point, Daymond's calling it now -- get ready to see it traded on the stock market.
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Magic Johnson I'm Open To Changing Commanders Name ... After Buying Team
Magic Johnson's officially the new owner of the Washington Commanders ... and one of his first orders of business might very well be to change the team's name.
The NBA legend -- who was part of a group led by Josh Harris that formally purchased D.C.'s NFL franchise for $6.05 billion this week -- left the door open for a moniker switch when he was asked about the possibility during a sit-down interview with TODAY's Craig Melvin this week.
"Everything is on the table, right?" Johnson said. "Especially after this year. We'll see where we are with the name."
The NFL’s Washington Commanders has been sold to a group led by billionaire Josh Harris and a group that includes NBA legend @MagicJohnson. @CraigMelvin sat down for an exclusive interview with Johnson to talk about ushering in a new era for the team. pic.twitter.com/Y3NvWjU9j9
— TODAY (@TODAYshow) July 21, 2023 @TODAYshow
Washington initially changed its longtime moniker back in 2020 ... after Native American groups and others found it offensive. They swapped to the "Washington Football Team" for two seasons ... before eventually landing on the Washington Commanders in 2022.
But, the new name hasn't been loved by many fans ... and the accompanying uniforms and logos haven't been all that inspiring for the fanbase either.
Johnson, though, made it clear he, Harris and the rest of the new owners have yet to make a decision either way.
"I can't say that right now," he said.
Regardless, Johnson told Melvin he's so stoked that the purchase was officially approved by the NFL this week ... saying, "It's the biggest thing I've ever done in my life. It's a lifelong dream."
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Adam22 Antonio Brown's A 'Piece Of S***' You Disrespected My Wife!!!
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Adam22 says there's no way he's letting Antonio Brown anywhere near Lena The Plug ... telling TMZ Sports the ex-NFL superstar better have security if they ever cross paths -- 'cause he's "pulling up."
AB caused quite a stir when he publicly hit up the popular podcaster on Twitter earlier this week ... saying he wanted to be "next" after Adam's porn star wife filmed a sex scene with another man, XXX actor Jason Luv, for the first time in their seven-year relationship.
We caught up with Adam outside the "No Jumper" studio in L.A. on Thursday ... and he's pissed off over AB's antics -- calling it blatant disrespect.
"Let me explain something," Adam tells us. "My wife worked with a trained adult male porn star, and it's not like she's up for grabs for any horny dude in the industry whose career has fallen apart who wants to get some."
As it turns out, Adam claims AB's team reached out to his people in hopes of setting up an interview over the whole interaction ... and he was down to make some "good content" with the Super Bowl champ -- that is, until he asked for $5,000 to make it happen.
"I was like, it's not happening," Adam tells us. "He must be broke, or something. I looked him up on Google, it says he's worth like $20 million. But, I mean, he's out here scrounging up, trying to get $5,000 out of me to do the interview."
"I'm like, why am I gonna give you $5,000 for disrespecting my wife on Twitter, you piece of s***?"
While Adam makes it clear Lena's work doesn't open the door for other guys, he mentions a guy he would consider way before he ever grants AB his wish -- controversial personality Andrew Tate.
"To be totally fair, Andrew Tate might be at the level where we would consider it," Adam says. "Antonio Brown, to me, is basically a homeless person."
"The idea that I'm gonna let this piece of s*** f*** my wife, it's not happening. And, I'm not giving you $5,000 for an interview, either."
As for Lena's reaction, Adam says she laughed it off ... 'cause she had no idea who AB is.
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Channing Frye R.J. Ran Up $36k Tab On My Card!!! ... Before 2005 Draft
Channing Frye had a "welcome to the NBA" moment before he even made it to the league ... 'cause he claims Richard Jefferson racked up a whopping $36,000 tab on his credit card the night before he was drafted!!
The pair of Cavs champions/former Arizona Wildcats detailed the 2005 rager on their "Road Trippin'" podcast this week ... when RJ invited Frye and his crew of 20-30 friends to go clubbing in the Big Apple.
The former No. 8 overall pick says the group included a ton of ex-Arizona guys like Gilbert Arenas and Luke Walton, Nets and Knicks players and fellow class of 2005 draftee "David Lee's punk ass" (RJ's words, not ours) ... but there was no issue with rolling deep, 'cause Jefferson had clout in the city after helping the Nets reach the NBA Finals.
"Richard, for lack of a better term, ran that demographic of New York," Frye says.
Once they got inside the club, it was bad news for Frye ... who willingly handed over his card to RJ after he asked him to "hold the table."
As it turns out, Frye says the massive group ended up partying on his dime the whole night ... with the final damage coming out to a mind-blowing $36,000!!
"They swipe it, they swipe it," RJ says. "He's just getting crushed. And this is kind of like a rookie hazing."
Channing rightfully freaked out over it all ... explaining, "The NBA money hadn't even got into the ozone yet, and my phone is blowing up."
"My s*** is still college s***, I don't even have an NBA check yet!!"
RJ insists he was looking out for his guy the whole night ... saying he was acting as a security blanket in case things went south.
Frye went on to make more than $68 million over the course of his career ... so don't worry, he definitely recovered.
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Spurs' Sandro Mamukelashvili Surprises Fam W/ New Electric Car ... 'I'm So Blessed!'
Out with the old, in with the new!
That's what Spurs' Sandro Mamukelashvili did to his family's car ... replacing their old SUV, a black Nissan Murano with a brand new electric car ... and the surprise was captured on video!
The Spurs forward, who starred at Seton Hall University, re-signed with San Antonio (1 year, $2 million) in March -- and he's putting his money to good use ... copping a white electric Volkswagen ID4.
Sandro's family was extremely happy and even took the new whip out for a spin.
"Surprising my family with a new car," the 24-year-old wrote on Instagram. "I’m so blessed to be in this position. MAMU FAM 💪🏼❤️."
The story is extra sweet because the family has been through a lot. Sandro's dad Zurab is a cancer survivor ... and he was living overseas in Georgia while Mamu was hooping at The Hall. In 2020, when #16 ranked SHU was playing #21 ranked Butler at The Rock in Jersey, Mamu knocked down an incredible game-winning shot ... and it happened to be the first game his dad was able to attend in nearly a year.
SANDRO MAMUKELASHVILI. AT THE BUZZER.@SetonHallMBB gets a huge W over Butler 🔥🔥
— SNY (@SNYtv) February 20, 2020 @SNYtv
(via @BIGEASTMBB) pic.twitter.com/8dUTqjsC9D
"As soon as he drew up the play, I was like, “I’m gonna make this.” When I did, all I did was stare at my father the whole time," Mamu told the NY Post at the time.
"He was pointing at me, and I was pointing at him. I feel like it was one of the proudest moments he had."
Enjoy the new ride, pops!
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Larsa Pippen, Marcus Jordan Major PDA On Golf Course ... Putter There, Babe!!!
Forget the PGA, Larsa Pippen and Marcus Jordan were all about the PDA at a golf tournament Thursday ... touchin' and smoochin' each other all over the course.
The couple attended DJ Khaled's inaugural "We the Best Foundation Golf Classic" in Miami ... and the two -- as they've been for most of the past few months -- were inseparable.
They shared a golf cart for most of the day -- planting kisses on each other while riding from hole to hole. They could hardly keep their hands off each other on the greens as well ... getting in embraces in between putts.
Jordan, though, was able to separate himself from Larsa for at least a few minutes to get his ball up and down the fairways -- and his swing didn't look too bad!
His attire wasn't shabby either ... check out the sweet, pink Jordan 4 cleats he sported for the occasion!!
As we've previously reported ... Jordan and Pippen began their romance in late 2022 -- and despite Michael Jordan's apparent disapproval of it all, they've been going as strong as ever.
In fact, Pippen said on her and Marcus' "Separation Anxiety" podcast earlier this month she's "never been this happy with anyone."
Sorry, Scottie.
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Ben McKenzie Rips Celebs For Pushing Crypto ... Leave It To Finance Pros!!!
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Ben McKenzie says celebrities should not be selling digital currencies ... instead, he says they should stick to the usual stuff, like overpriced water, so folks won't go belly up.
The former "O.C." star joined us on "TMZ Live" Thursday and we asked him about the huge ad blitz from celebs who were pushing crypto during the Super Bowl and beyond ... only for the market to crash.
Ben's since written a book about the rise and fall of crypto, "Easy Money," and he's got some strong opinions ... like how celebrities should never be giving financial advice.
Ben thinks all the folks featured in those Super Bowl ads for crypto ... like Tom Brady, Lindsay Lohan, and Larry David, just to name a few ... would be better served selling car insurance, soap and H2O.
For Ben, the big difference here is the unregulated status of cryptocurrency ... plus the fact celebs are not licensed financial advisors ... and he feels Hollywood contributed to what he sees as the largest Ponzi scheme in history.
Tons of folks lost money when the crypto boom went bust and lots of folks got sued ... and Ben says fraudsters used the lure of celebrities to reel in marks.
Ben's taken the issue in front of Congress and now he's written a book about it all ... so it's interesting to hear his takeaways here.
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Finesse2Tymes Wanted For Rental Car Theft ... It's Been 4 Months!!!
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Finesse2Tymes is being accused of living out his rap name ... as Houston cops say he stole a rental car, and he's been brazenly driving it around the city for months!!!
According to the court docs we obtained, a man named Ronald Bell rented an Infiniti QX80 SUV on Feb. 28, 2023 from a Houston-area Enterprise location ... marked with a return date of March 10, 2023.
Authorities say the return date came and went so Enterprise sent Bell a notice to bring it back.
Cops say when they finally got in touch with Bell, he fessed up to Finesse being the one actually driving the vehicle.
The report states Bell set up a three-way call with Enterprise and the Rap-A-Lot Records rapper on April 20, where Finesse told the rental car employee his money was tied up in a Zelle twist-up but would have the vehicle returned in a few days.
The docs say when Finesse failed to return the Infiniti by April 24, Enterprise reported the vehicle, valued at $72k, as stolen and HPD issued a warrant for his arrest.
To make matters worse, cops say the stolen rental car continued to be spotted floating around the Houston area ... including a well-known recording studio in the area.
On April 25, HPD questioned a woman outside the studio, who told them she had recently been hired by Finesse days prior to run errands.
Finesse, whose real name is Ricky Hampton, is now facing a felony theft charge. Would've been cheaper just to renew the rental agreement, no?
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Vanna White Partial Deal Signed with 'Wheel' 'It's Gonna Get Ugly if Sony Doesn't Get more Generous'
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Vanna White has negotiated her deal with "Wheel of Fortune," but only the celebrity version, not the syndicated show, and we're told Sony has made it clear ... they're not receptive to her demands.
Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ, Vanna's lawyer, Bryan Freedman, negotiated Vanna's deal for "Celebrity Wheel of Fortune." Turns out that deal was up, but her contract for the syndicated show goes for another year, so first things first.
We're told Freedman told Sony Vanna wanted 50% of what Pat was making, but Sony would not disclose Pat's salary for "Celebrity Wheel." We hear Pat makes just north of $400k an episode. In the end, we're told Vanna settled for $100k an episode, which we're told was a "meaningful bump" from her last contract.
As for the syndicated show, we're told negotiations are halted because of the writers' strike, but the parties are far apart.
TMZ broke the story, Vanna has asked for half of what Pat Sajak makes, which we're told is around $15M a year. Vanna has made $3M for the last 18 years with no salary increase.
Our sources say Freedman asked Sony to use a third party who knows the game show space to evaluate Pat and Vanna's roles and importance on the show, and then come up with a "fair figure." We're told Sony turned thumbs down to that request.
We're told one of the problems ... Sony believes they ended up paying Pat too much and they don't want to use his salary for comparability. Apparently, that hasn't sat well with Team Vanna.
As one Vanna source put it, "It's gonna get ugly if they [Sony] don't get more serious."
We covered it all in the latest episode of The TMZ Podcast, available on all podcast platforms.
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Tom Brady Joins All-Electric Boat League ... I'm A Team Owner!!!
The G.O.A.T.'s getting a boat ...Tom Brady just announced he's joining a new electric boat racing league as a team owner!!
The former NFL superstar and the newly formed E1 World Championship league made the move officially official on Thursday morning ... revealing the ex-QB will now compete against teams owned by tennis star Rafael Nadal, Formula 1 star Sergio Perez, former soccer star Didier Drogba and more beginning in 2024.
The league promises to be packed with action ... featuring all-electric ships that move on tight courses at speeds of over 100 kilometers per hour.
Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media.
"UIM E1 World Championship combines several things l love," Brady said when announcing his ownership stake in the league ... "speed, intensity, being on the water, intense competition, and innovative leaders."
He added, "My message to our competition: be prepared for second place because we are aiming for the top! LFG!!!"
45-year-old Brady also said he was pumped that the league -- which is aiming to have 10 teams with mixed-gender pilots -- will be more environmentally friendly than other racing sports.
As for how Tom got started in the process ... he told CNN this week he fell in love with the boating culture following his move to Tampa Bay in 2020.
And, yes, he did say he plans to get behind the wheel of the boats sometime soon -- even though he won't be a pilot when official races begin next year.
"You're damn right I'm going to be in that cockpit at some point," Brady said. "I love speed! I love driving fast!"
Brady's been super active when it comes to dipping his toes into ownership groups since his retirement in February ... in addition to E1, he's also put his hands into the WNBA's Las Vegas Aces, Major League Pickleball and the Las Vegas Raiders.
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Powerball Winner California Strikes Gold Again ... $1.08B Ticket Sold In DTLA
Another lucky California resident is an overnight billionaire, courtesy of the Powerball -- and it comes less than a year after another CA dweller nailed down a $2.04 billion jackpot.
Wednesday's drawing came with a $1.08 billion prize, the 3rd-highest Powerball prize of all time. And, despite the 1 in 292.2 million odds, a ticket matching all 6 numbers was sold at Las Palmitas Mini Market in DTLA.
The blessed individual hasn't come forward as of Thursday morning, so we don't know if they opted for annual payments for the next 30 years -- roughly $34 mil a year -- or the 1-time payout of about $558.1 mil.
That's all before very steep taxes, of course, but they're still filthy rich.
As we reported, the big win comes about 8 months after super lucky Edwin Castro grabbed the last historic grand prize. The former boy scout and student-athlete snagged his life-changing ticket at a service center in Altadena, CA.
He's being sued by a man who claimed Edwin stole the winning ticket from someone else, although Powerball says it has no doubt Edwin's the rightful winner.
EC picked up a beautiful $25.5 mil Hollywood Hills mansion, just a month after collecting his winnings ... and you can bet the latest winner is somewhere making equally big plans.