Money

Ed Oliver was just saved from a VERY expensive catastrophe ... 'cause the NFL defensive lineman's chain fell off while swimming in Lake Erie over the weekend -- but, thankfully, a diver came through in the clutch and found it!!!

Oliver's neighbors shared the awesome story this week ... explaining they had been out boating Saturday when Oliver's ice accidentally fell to the bottom of the body of water.

"It popped right off his neck," Oliver's neighbors said.

Fortunately for Ed -- a 1st-round pick in 2019 -- his neighbors were able to get pro divers out to look for it ... and they got it back!

The folks at Discover Diving WNY were able to search the floor to recover it ... and 23-year-old Oliver was over the moon about it -- posing for a happy pic afterward!

The funniest part of it all?!? The diver who found the chain had to try it on for a sec ... snapping a pic in the water shortly after coming back up to the surface.

No word on how much the piece cost, but Oliver is making $4.8 million a year ... so odds are pretty good it wasn't cheap!

Madonna has gone back in time ... for a sexy video shoot in the middle of Times Square.

The Material Girl looked like a version of her former self on the set of what we're told is a spot for the upcoming MTV Video Music Awards ... featuring a NYC taxi cab right out of the '80s.

Madonna arrived at Times Square at 3 AM for the shoot with her much-younger boyfriend, professional dancer Ahlamalik Williams, along with her entourage.

As you can see ... Madonna was rocking a platinum blonde wig, trench coat and high heels for the gig, in which she throws some cash in the cabbie's face and walks away with that classic swagger of hers.

We're told it was raining on and off so Madge had to take some breaks to stay dry, and the shoot wrapped up at 6 AM.

Master P's looking out for the people of New Orleans who've been devastated by yet another hurricane ... by sending them some clean water.

The business mogul -- who hails from NOLA -- was out in Beverly Hills Tuesday when we asked how he's planning to help his city, and he says his water company, LA Great, is providing aid to those who've been impacted ... especially the most vulnerable.

Master P tells us he's also looking into other ways to send relief and make sure people are getting fed too, while asking everyone to send prayers and come together to help in any way they can.

Though New Orleans' bolstered levees and floodgates held up against Hurricane Ida's force to protect the city against the same type of destruction as Hurricane Katrina 16 years ago ... the storm still left a million people without power and resulted in 4 deaths.

Jake Paul's retirement lasted a whopping 25 hours ... 'cause the YouTube superstar-turned-boxer says he's officially back in the fight game again.

"Updated status: I’m coming out of retirement," Paul tweeted on Tuesday.

Hey, we tried to warn ya -- there was a super slim chance Jake was actually retiring for good when he claimed he was walking away from the sport on Monday ... especially since he's poised to get a FAT paycheck from the Tyron Woodley fight.

Just as expected ... Paul is back.

Remember, "retiring" really doesn't mean much in boxing and MMA -- a ton of guys have gotten back in the ring after calling it quits.

The legend Muhammad Ali retired a couple times ... and George Foreman and Randy Couture are among others who stepped away before changing their mind.

More recently, Conor McGregor has retired at least 3 times in his career ... and that may very well be the guy Jake is channeling with this latest publicity stunt.

Jake's quick return now opens the door for a Woodley rematch ... which Paul claims could happen as long as Tyron holds his end of the deal and gets the "I Love Jake Paul" tattoo.

Britney Spears says her dad is trying to extort her on his way out of the conservatorship and she's not having it.

According to new legal docs, obtained by TMZ, Britney points out her father's already admitted it's in her best interests for him to step down as her conservator, and she says he's trying to hold her up for more money from her as a condition to leave.

Britney's legal team claims Jamie is asking for around $2 million -- some of which will go to pay his lawyers and her former business manager Tri Star. Britney's lawyer, Matt Rosengart, fired this warning shot in the docs ... "The status quo is no longer tolerable, and Britney Spears will not be extorted."

Britney says Jamie should just resign now instead of slow-playing his exit ... and if he doesn't step down from his post, she says the court should suspend him from the conservatorship on September 29.

TMZ broke the story ... Jamie agreed earlier this month to step down as Britney's conservator, but only after working with the court to ensure an orderly transition.

Britney's saying Jamie's right about the need to leave the conservatorship, but she wants it to happen sooner rather than later.

Bottom line from Britney's lawyers in the docs ... "The world heard Ms. Spears’s courageous and compelling testimony. Britney Spears’s life matters. Her well-being matters. Every day matters. There is no basis to wait."

Britney's attorney, Mathew Rosengart, tells us, "Britney Spears will not be bullied or extorted by her father. Nor does Mr. Spears have the right to try to hold his daughter hostage by setting the terms of his removal. This is not about him, it is about the best interests of his daughter, which as a matter of law, mandate his removal."

He continues, "Even putting aside the legal issues requiring his prompt removal, if he loves his daughter, Mr. Spears should resign now, today, before he is suspended. It would be the correct and decent thing to do."

Want a pair of Michael Jordan's skivvies??

If your answer is "Yes," ... you're weird. BUT, you're also in luck, 'cause one of the G.O.A.T.'s old pairs of draws just hit the auction block!!!

We're serious -- the MJ-worn grey and black boxer shorts are up for sale via Lelands ... with a starting bid of $500!!

And, get this -- the auction company says there is evidence they were, in fact, worn by His Airness -- Lelands saying this priceless pair "shows definite use."

Okay settle down, nasties ... the proof is the loose threading in the shorts!!!

So, how did Lelands get their hands on Jordan's boxers?? It turns out John Michael Wozniak, MJ's old bodyguard (who was featured in "The Last Dance") had them all these years!!

But don't worry -- there's no way the draws will smell ... there's still a dry-cleaning tag on the inside of the underwear!!

The undies aren't the only pair of MJ apparel on the block ... you can also bid on everything from Jordan's cashmere coat to suits to button down dress shirts and belts -- all gifts from Wozniak.

New Orleans Saints and Pelicans owner Gayle Benson is doing her part to help ensure Louisianians gets back on their feet after Hurricane Ida ... donating $1 MILLION to storm victims.

Benson and the Saints announced the charitable act on Monday -- saying they're praying for those impacted by the hurricane that has wreaked havoc on Louisiana since it made landfall over the weekend.

"As South Louisiana and the Gulf Coast begin to assess the significant damage inflicted by Hurricane Ida, please know our prayers are with all of those who have suffered from the impacts of this historical storm," Benson and the Saints said.

"We have great faith in the resilience and strength of our community and look forward to doing everything in our power to help lead in the recovery."

Benson and the Saints say the $1 million will go to their Gulf Coast Renewal Fund ... and they urged others to join in with donations as well.

"We will continue to be in close communication with governmental and community leaders to determine where aid and assistance can most effectively be directed," Benson said.

The Saints added that the Superdome suffered only "minor damage" in the storm ... and they're hopeful it won't impact any part of their upcoming regular season schedule.

"We know how much winning games can unite and inspire people in our region," the Saints said, "and we can't wait to take advantage of that responsibility and opportunity."

Ric Flair's barbed wire bat -- the one he used to smash and bloody Mick Foley's face at SummerSlam in 2006 -- just sold for nearly $20K at auction.

TMZ Sports has learned the Lucille-like bat, which was on the block at Goldin Auctions, was bid on 17 times ... and ultimately raked in $19,680.

The starting bid was $3,500.

The match is pretty iconic ... Flair repeatedly hit Foley in the face with the bat, turning him into a bloody pulp. But, Ric wouldn't stop, demanding Mick say, "I quit!"

It was the culmination of a rivalry between Naitch and Foley that lasted more than a decade.

As for the bat itself ... it's an Alex Rodriguez model Louisville Slugger C271 -- wrapped in barbed wire.

And, you know the bat's legit ... 'cause it's coming directly from the folks at WWE -- who have also included a letter of authenticity.

There's more really cool wrestling memorabilia that sold ... like Big Boss Man's match-used nightstick from SummerSlam in 1988. It sold for $6,765.

There's also Brutus Beefcake's shears from his '89 SummerSlam match ... when he teamed up with Hulk Hogan and took on Randy Savage. The scissors went for $8,400.

Ellen DeGeneres just expanded her real estate portfolio ... scooping up a home in Beverly Hills.

Our real estate sources tell us the talk show host dropped a cool $8.5 million for the 5-bedroom, 4-bathroom home.

The place is 4,614 square feet and it looks like a fixer-upper. Real talk ... the home looks dated. It was built way back in 1961 and has been through at least one renovation.

Ellen closed escrow on the place Friday. It's got a pool, fire pit, chef's kitchen and lush gardens. Some of the rooms are even heated by furnaces.

She'll have some famous neighbors ... among them, Adele and Cameron Diaz.

It's the second home purchase in as many months for Ellen ... as we reported, she threw down $2.9 million back in June for a 2-bedroom pad in Santa Barbara.

Ellen's pretty familiar with Bev Hills real estate ... she recently sold a 2-story monster of a property she bought from Adam Levine.

Offset is going from Main Street to Wall Street -- and he's doing it with his wifey by his side ... as they celebrate their music publishing company going public.

The rapper couple was on hand Monday at the NYSE in Times Square to do the honors of ringing the opening bell. Well, Offset did anyway ... but Cardi B was right there too for moral support. They posed for some photo-ops too as they hyped their new venture.

If you hadn't heard, Offset and the Migos' music catalog now belongs to Reservoir Media -- or RSVR -- which has snapped up a ton of masters and rights for a variety of artists in recent months, this as they were ramping up for an IPO last month.

The company hit the exchange in July, but now -- a month later -- the Wall Street heads invited Offset, Cardi and other Reservoir investors for a belated celebration ... and let 'em have some fun with the age-old bell-ringing tradition in the process.

We got Offset on his way out, and he made it pretty clear that this is something he's excited to be a part of -- not just because it's one the first female-led businesses of its kind to put itself out there, but because there's something in it for him and other musicians.

The idea behind Reservoir, it seems, is putting the power of publishing and control back into the actual artists' hands, and based on what Offset says here ... he's all about that.

As people continue to scramble to flee Afghanistan, so too are a number of four-legged allies ... and one guy's nonprofit is in desperate need of a major donor to make it happen.

His name's Joshua Hosler, President of Veteran Sheepdogs of America ... which is working frantically right now to help evacuate dozens of military dogs used by U.S. service members and others in and around Kabul, which don't seem to have many options for getting out.

He posted a TikTok video explaining the dire sitch -- with a photo of a ton of carrying crates in front of a chopper. Josh says this is just a fraction of the dogs left behind in the mass pull-out. There are military personnel on the ground that Josh is currently working with to coordinate a rescue, but the bottom line is ... he needs resources (like a 737 plane) which ain't cheap.

JH shoots his shots with the multi-millionaires and billionaires of the world -- including guys like Musk and Gates -- who could presumably cut a check for at least $1.67 million to fund an aircraft that could accommodate all these dogs to land somewhere outside the country.

Sounds like some active armed forces members are vouching for him online -- telling folks he isn't a fraudster or anything of the sort, and that he and his cause do, in fact, need all the help (and money) they can get ... thanking him for his sainthood in the process.

Based on @VetSheepdogsUS's tweets, it seems like things are coming down to the wire. The account last wrote some 8 hours ago, "We were told just now if the dogs aren't on the plane we will be forced to leave them in hanger! WE NEED A MIRACLE!"

Jennifer Lopez was letting it all hang out this weekend for Dolce & Gabbana -- and that goes doubly for her outfit ... which you almost could've scanned yourself at a checkout line.

She was down in Venice Saturday for a fashion show put on by the luxury brand -- and they decked her out in the ultimate Your Highness getup that they had on the rack ... a flowery 3-piece ensemble consisting of black pants, a crop top and a freakin' cape (Batman-style).

Sure looked good on her, no doubt -- but as Jen made her way down a dock to a waiting boat along St. Mark's Square en route to the shindig ... an unremoved price tag flashed.

Yep ... you could clearly see the barcode attached to the inside of the cape -- and while the actual price wasn't visible, it still looked pretty tacky. Of course, this is something JL was likely lent for the ball-like event ... but a label like this makes it all the more obvious. Oof ...

Jenny didn't seem to mind, though ... because she didn't really see it or notice, it appears. And, with a faux pas like this, "ignorance is bliss" is definitely the motto. See no evil, right?!

Young Thug must've been a huge fan of the "SimCity" video game series as a kid ... 'cause the tiny town he envisions building feels like an awesome mini metropolis.

So, here's the deal ... the rapper turned 30 earlier this month and among the fancy gifts that came his way were 100 acres in the greater Atlanta area ... gifted to him by his manager, Geoff Ogunlesi.

Atlanta realtor, Trey Williams, helped Geoff lock down the land deal and the plan's for Young Thug to subdivide the property with the name, "Slime City." Trey tells TMZ ... YT wants to build really nice homes, a waterpark, perhaps a camping site and so much more.

Young Thug wants to host his annual "Slime Fest" on the property. Hence ... "Slime City." YT has hosted "Slime Fest" every year -- sans 2020 for obvious reasons.

Trey says Young Thug will include a dirt bike trail on the property ... where people who love riding bikes and 4-wheelers can cut loose.

Trey says Young Thug's already been chopping it up with architects and engineers. There are a few permits they're waiting on ... but as soon as they get the green light, it's game on.

We're told this is just one way Young Thug wants to give back to his community. Just recently the rapper bought his mom a new home in the ATL ... and he plans to do the same for his dad. As for how much YT dropped for the property ... Trey wouldn't say.

"FBOY Island" star Jarred Evans is reimagining the old adage "nice guys finish last" ... 'cause in the end, co-star CJ Franco chose him and their relationship's on 🔥🔥🔥.

Jarred tells TMZ ... he and CJ are most definitely still in a relationship since the HBO Max reality dating show finale aired 2 weeks ago, though the show was filmed in March and April in the Cayman Islands.

We're told, for now, Jarred and CJ are trying the whole long-distance thing. She's visiting him in Miami very soon. They've sporadically posted stuff on social media since the finale, but Jarred tells us that's all going to change soon ... vowing to post more on TikTok with CJ and pictures of them together.

Jarred makes it clear ... he and CJ are still very happy together. But, have they exchanged the 3 words every person in a relationship wants to hear? Not yet ... but Jarred did reveal a move to L.A. is imminent. Get ready, CJ!!!

For the uninitiated ... CJ had an up-and-down relationship with Casey Johnson, dubbed the "FBOY." When Casey got the boot from the show ... fans had a feeling she would still pick him. Nevertheless ... Jarred "the nice guy" entered the pic and CJ chose him.

The prize? Well, besides the blossoming relationship ... Jarred and CJ split the $100k pot. We're told he used it for his high-end tea company called Le Bon Thé.

Carole Baskin's closing the door on Joe Exotic's former zoo for good -- or at least for 100 years -- by selling the property with the stipulation it can't become a zoo again for a century ... and the owners can have nothing to do with 'Tiger King.'

A judge granted Carole's Big Cat Rescue sanctuary control over Joe's former Oklahoma exotic animal park in Wynnewood back in mid-2020 ... to satisfy the $1 million judgment she won against him in their notorious trademark lawsuit.

Carole previously vowed to sell the property on the condition the new owners would not use it as a zoo, and according to legal docs obtained by TMZ ... she did just that.

We got the paperwork showing Big Cat Rescue sold the property formerly known as Joe Exotic's G.W. Zoo for $140k in June to Francisco and Nelly Vazquez.

According to the deed, the Vazquez's are expressly barred from using the land to house exotic animals of any kind -- or as a zoo, wildlife park or menagerie -- for 100 years ... but there's more.

The new owners also can't name any new business on the property after anything related to its 'Tiger King' past ... including Joe Exotic, G.W. Zoo, anything with the word "tiger" or "big cat."

Our photog got Carole and her husband Howard out in Santa Monica where they were promoting a documentary, "The Conservation Game," and they confirmed the sale of the property and even had a suggestion of what it could be used for.

L.A. Clippers rookie Jason Preston has made his first big purchase after becoming a pro baller ... and it's not a house or a car -- but a new iPhone!!

The 22-year-old former Ohio Bobcats star was the Clips' #33 overall pick in the NBA Draft last month ... which secured him a 3-year, $4.4 million deal.

So, naturally, when we ran into the hooper out at LAX this week, we had to ask if he's treated himself to anything nice after making it big time ... and he dished on his favorite new toy.

"This phone," Preston said while showing off the new gadget. "I had an iPhone 7 before. I got a 12 now."

BTW -- the 6-foot-4 guard shot 43% from midrange and averaged 9 points and 4.8 assists per game during Summer League play ... and said he was able to chop it up with new teammates Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, who were there to support their rookies.

"They've been great!"

Of course, if you haven't heard of Preston's story, it's pretty incredible -- he averaged 2 points a game during his senior year of high school and nearly pursued a career in journalism before enrolling at a prep school, where he blossomed into a baller.

He later joined Ohio, where he had huge games against some notable basketball programs in the country ... impressing the Clippers so much, they took him with their first second-round pick.