Britney Spears Bessemer Files to Drop Out of Conservatorship ... Doesn't Want to Deal with the Mess
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1:26 PM PT -- Bessemer Trust just filed legal docs doing what we told you they would do ... drop out of Britney Spears' conservatorship.
According to the docs, Bessemer says when it agreed to sign on, Britney was on board with the conservatorship. In fact, they say Britney herself signed off on Bessemer and the docs include her signature.
They say as a result of her testimony last week, they heard her say she objects to the conservatorship and wants to terminate it ... [Bessemer] has heard [Britney] and respects her wishes."
Bessemer acknowledges the news we broke yesterday ... that they never assumed the role of co-conservator because the proper paperwork had not been filed. As a result, they have done nothing and will continue to do so. They also say it won't upset the applecart because there is already a conservator of the estate -- Jamie Spears.
The financial institution appointed by the judge to become co-conservator of Britney Spears' estate is bowing out before it even gets started ... TMZ has learned.
Sources with direct knowledge tell us ... Bessemer Trust has decided it does not want to get involved because it's become gun-shy over all the controversy surrounding the conservatorship.
As one source put it ... Bessemer feels the circumstances surrounding Britney's conservatorship have become a "hornet's nest" ... so it's bailing.
Our sources say Bessemer doesn't want to deal with Jamie Spears, but there's more. It has issues, we're told, with Britney's lawyer, Sam Ingham, along with all of the public outcry over her case ... especially after Britney's courtroom cry for help last week.
That means, at least for now, Britney's dad will remain sole conservator of her estate.
We broke the story ... the judge denied attorney Ingham's request to suspend Jamie from estate conservatorship duties back in November. However, the judge did approve Bessemer being made co-conservator along with Jamie, but it still hasn't taken effect yet because Ingham waited until a few days ago to file the necessary documents for that to happen.
It'll all be a moot point now ... because Bessemer's getting out.
Originally published -- 11:10 AM PT
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Britney Spears Judge Denies Move to Oust Jamie
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Britney Spears's lawyer asked the judge in her conservatorship case to boot her father Jamie Spears as the conservator of her estate, but a judge just shot that down and says Jamie stays -- at least for now.
Britney's lawyer, Sam Ingham, actually asked the court to suspend Jamie from conservatorship duties back in November and the judge denied the request back then. We're told Ingham wanted Jamie replaced by Bessemer Trust, which would have become the sole conservator of her estate, but the judge wasn't having it.
Ingham, for whatever reason, just let things sit for months -- he was supposed to file certain papers for Bessemer's new role to take effect. Finally -- just recently -- Ingham filed legal docs that Bessemer be made co-conservator. The judge just approved that, but also said Jamie will stay as co-conservator himself. The judge also reiterated that Ingham's request to suspend Jamie was denied.
It's important to note, the judge signed this order keeping Jamie in place AFTER Britney's testimony last week.
As you know, Britney wants Jamie out entirely, so it's pretty clear her lawyer will file another motion to remove Jamie.
By the way, everyone has been assuming Bessemer has been acting as co-conservator of Britney's estate for months, but turns out that's not the case. Actually, Bessemer still isn't a co-conservator -- certain documents must still be filed before the judge's order takes effect.
Bottom line ... Jamie has been and continues to be the sole conservator of Britney's estate.
To be continued ...
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Britney Spears Personal Conservator Responds to Dad's Claims ... She Has No Marriage or Baby Restrictions
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10:55 AM PT -- Montgomery's responded to Jamie's finger-pointing, claiming her primary goal since she took over as Britney's personal conservator in Sept. 2019 has been "to assist and encourage Britney in her path to no longer needing a conservatorship of the person."
According to Montgomery's lawyer ... Britney's desire to get married and have a baby has never been impacted by the conservatorship while Jodi's been conservator of the person, and says she's always been there to honor Britney's wishes and look out for her best interests.
TMZ's confirmed that in a conservatorship like Britney's, this is true ... she has the right to marry and plan a family and a conservator cannot restrict her rights in these areas.
Jodi's attorney says she's been nothing but a "tireless advocate" for Britney and her well-being, and has followed California's Code of Ethics as her conservator to the letter of the law.
As for Britney's finances, Jodi's lawyer says that's really Jamie's domain, not hers. She says, "Ms. Montgomery has advocated on Britney’s behalf for any expenditures that Britney has requested as well as for expenditures recommended by Britney’s medical team. Not every requested expenditure has been approved. Jamie Spears, as conservator of the estate, has a duty to make decisions in the best interests of the estate, and sometimes that has meant requested expenditures have been denied or limited."
Jamie Spears has fired back at his daughter's allegations he has taken away her freedom and even her right to marry ... he says that all falls on his successor.
Jamie filed legal docs claiming he has not had ANY involvement in Britney's personal conservatorship -- meaning making personal decisions on behalf of Britney -- for nearly 2 years.
Furthermore, he says he hasn't even spoken to his daughter in a long time because "he has been cut off from communicating with her."
Jamie lays any blame for the restrictive rules on the current personal conservator, Jodi Montgomery. He says when Britney's lawyer filed docs to appoint Montgomery, he claimed at the time Britney did not have the mental capacity to make decisions about her medical treatment and therefore it was left to the conservator of her person -- now Jodi Montgomery. Jamie says bluntly, the court never found she was unable to consent to medical treatment and the court never made such an order.
The upshot -- Jamie claims it was Britney's own lawyer, Sam Ingham, who has been seeking to take away his client's right to make medical decisions on her behalf and vest those decisions solely in Montgomery's hands.
According to the legal docs, "Ms. Montgomery has been fully in charge of Ms. Spears' day-to-day personal care and medical treatment, and Ms. Montgomery has made all decisions related to those matters."
Furthermore, Jamie says if Britney has been restricted from marrying or having a baby, it's on Jodi Montgomery, not him. In fact, Jamie says he consented to Britney's marriage when she got engaged to Jason Trawick in 2011 ... but, as you know, they broke up in 2013 before tying the knot.
In another document, Jamie's lawyer says, "Mr. Spears believes it is important for the integrity of the conservatorship proceedings and in the best interests of Ms. Spears for the Court to order an investigation into the issues and claims raised by [Britney] at the June 23, 2021 status hearing."
Jamie's lawyer goes on ... "Either the allegations will be shown to be true, in which case corrective action must be taken, or they will be shown to be false, in which case the conservatorship can continue its course."
The lawyer says, "It is not acceptable for Conservators or the Court to do nothing in response to Ms. Spears' testimony."
Originally Published -- 6:57 AM PT
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LeBron James Parties With MGK, Don Cheadle To Celebrate 'Space Jam'
A super team of celebs showed up for LeBron James' big night -- with the NBA superstar hosting a bash to celebrate "Space Jam: A New Legacy."
King James showed up at Six Flags Magic Mountain Tuesday night for the huge event ... with names like Don Cheadle (who stars in SJ2), G-Eazy, Tiffany Haddish, MGK, Megan Fox and Olivia Rodrigo coming through to party.
Of course, the flick is set to release on July 16 after YEARS of hype ... so it's only right to kick things off with a fun time.
Chris Brown and Tyga even took part in a hoops shootout challenge ... and while Breezy had no issue finding the bottom of the net, the "Splash" rapper was definitely not making it splash on the court.
Hey, we're just playing with ya, Tyga ... we're all trying to have a good time.
Bron's family also popped up for the party -- with the 4-time champ and his wife, Savannah, cuddling up as they watched the action on the court.
BTW -- Bronny is looking TALL!!
Other stars like Diplo, Zedd and Duckwrth were there ... so in case the aux cord gave out, there woulda been plenty of options to keep the music going.
Good times.
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Marilyn Manson 4th Woman Sues for Sexual Assault ... He Denies It
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Marilyn Manson's being sued by another woman -- making her the fourth in 2 months -- for sexual assault and sexual battery, and the lawsuit contains many more disturbing allegations, all of which Manson and his team strongly deny.
According to new legal docs, obtained by TMZ ... model Ashley Morgan Smithline claims the shock rocker began contacting her in 2010 via social media and told her he wanted to cast her in an upcoming film project ... and developed an obsession, calling her "the perfect girl for him."
She claims he flew her to L.A. in Nov. 2010, and asked her to move into his apartment ... which she did, and she says they began a consensual sexual relationship.
However, Smithline alleges days after moving in with Manson, she "awoke from unconsciousness with her ankles and wrists tied together behind her back and [Manson] sexually penetrating her." She claims she told him no multiple times but he told her to shut up, and squeezed her ribs so hard it caused injuries ... along with injuries to her vagina.
According to the docs ... she was sexually assaulted by Manson again the same month, after he choked her and forced her on a bed. Smithline claims he "grabbed a knife next to the bed and began cutting [her] shoulder, inner arm, and stomach." She says she went into shock, and still has scars from the cuts.
On another occasion, she claims he broke her nose during forced sex.
Smithline claims they continued dating until January 2013. She says Manson frequently threatened her life, kept her confined to a dark space, physically abused her, called her anti-Semitic names and implemented torture tactics to maintain control over her.
Along with sexual assault and sexual battery, she's suing for intentional infliction of emotional distress and false imprisonment.
As we've reported ... Manson has also been recently sued for sexual assault by "Game of Thrones" actress Esme Bianco, his former assistant Ashley Walters, and an unnamed accuser.
A spokesperson for Manson tells TMZ, "We strongly deny Ms. Smithline’s claims. There are so many falsehoods within her claims that we wouldn’t know where to begin to answer them. This relationship, to the limited extent it was a relationship, lasted less than a week in 2010."
The spokesperson claims Manson has not seen Smithline since 2010.
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British Influencer Oli London I'm Getting Death Threats ... After Identifying as Korean
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The British influencer who elected to undergo 18 surgeries to look like BTS singer Park Jimin says they're facing tons of backlash ... including threats against their life.
Oli London, who identifies as non-binary and changed their name to Jimin, tells TMZ ... they're getting flooded with death threats and they're scared for their life.
Jimin -- the influencer, not the singer -- tells us they're also getting hateful comments from folks telling them to commit suicide, and claims others are threatening to gun them down.
As you know, Jimin is identifying as Korean after going under the knife 18 times for a variety of plastic surgeries including extensive work on their eyes and a brow lift.
It's interesting ... the influencer claims most of the attacks are coming from liberal white people, while Republicans and people struggling with identity issues have been largely supportive.
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Kelly Clarkson See Her New Colonial-Style Home in L.A. ... Big Buy After Big TV News
Kelly Clarkson's about to have a new daytime TV slot ... and she's got a new home to go with it.
The talk show host and former "American Idol" winner just dropped $5.445 million on a beautiful, Colonial-style home in the Toluca Lake neighborhood of Los Angeles ... just minutes from Universal Studios Hollywood in the valley.
It seems Kelly's planting some deep roots in L.A. on the heels of the announcement that "The Kelly Clarkson Show" will take over the time slot currently held by Ellen DeGeneres after the 19th season of her show concludes.
Clarkson's new property purchase came just days before she finally unloaded her mega-mansion in Tennessee for $6.3 million. As we told you ... it had been on the market since 2017, and went through a couple of huge price slashes before she unloaded it.
She also currently has a mansion in Encino, CA -- just a few miles west from her new digs -- listed for $9 million ... so Kelly's been just as busy in real estate business as showbiz lately.
As for her new home in Toluca Lake ... it's 5,000-square-feet with 5-beds and 7-baths, including the guesthouse, and comes with a chef's kitchen, a rotunda-style breakfast nook and a fireplace. The outside has it all too -- swimming pool, spa, tennis court and gazebo.
Congrats on your new talk show slot, Kelly ... and your new pad.
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Tyler, the Creator Drops $500k for Sick, Shiny Bling ... Celebrates New Album!!!
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Tyler, the Creator dropped a boatload o' cash ... for 2 tiny but shiny suitcases and one bellhop to carry 'em.
The rapper is celebrating the release of his new album "Call Me If You Get Lost" with a ridiculously expensive chain and pendant. The total cost ... a whopping $500k, but ya gotta see the extensive work that went into producing it.
The man behind the masterful work is celeb jeweler Alex Moss, who tells TMZ ... Tyler hit him up about 7 months ago to get started on the piece, and it took him 4 months just to find the colored diamonds for it.
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We're told Tyler gave Alex a reference for what he wanted, and they tweaked the design together. You can see the pendant is the bellhop toting 2 suitcases.
As for the meaning behind it ... unclear, like a lot of things with Tyler. We're told the rapper didn't tell Alex much, as he wanted to keep it a mystery. He can check that box.
No mystery on the hefty price tag, though -- the piece has more than 186 carats in diamonds, 60 carats in sapphires and a whopping 23,515 stones were hand-set!!!
Hell, the suitcases even open and close.
Tyler, who is seen wearing the piece in his "JUGGERNAUT" music video, is known for rewarding himself in the most spectacular ways.
As we reported ... TTC balled out with a pendant of his album and alter ego "IGOR" back in December 2019. That piece was also dripping in a variety of diamonds and made out of 18k gold.
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Ariana Grande Crushes 'Little Shop' Karaoke Duet
Ariana Grande singing karaoke in any capacity might seem unfair -- but that's especially true when she gets a number that lets her show off her pipes as this famous duet did.
AG was filmed hanging out with friends and crooning along to "Suddenly Seymour" from "Little Shop of Horrors" ... in which she took up singing duties for Audrey (Ellen Greene) while a pal handled Seymour's lines (performed by Rick Moranis in the movie version).
Ellen was always the more impressive of the pair from the iconic scene -- and that proved to be true here as well. Not to say her friend singing for Rick was bad or anything ... but Ari just shined through for some weird reason. It's almost like she's a pro.
BTW, her hubby, Dalton Gomez, was by her side for the impromptu show ... cheering her on after she hit that final note on "SEYMOUR IS YOUR MAN."
And, don't worry, no kiss here between Ari and the friend like they do in the play/flick. Although, we're sure the actual mister and missus smooched at some point in the night.
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Christina Aguilera Voices Support for Britney ... 'She Deserves All of the Freedom Possible'
Christina Aguilera is lending her voice in support of Britney Spears, calling what the singer has allegedly endured "unacceptable" and urging those in control to let her live her life.
Aguilera posted a series of tweets -- along with an old photo of herself and Britney -- Monday night. Xtina started in saying, "These past few days I’ve been thinking about Britney and everything she is going through. It is unacceptable that any woman, or human, wanting to be in control of their own destiny might not be allowed to live life as they wish."
These past few days I’ve been thinking about Britney and everything she is going through.
— Christina Aguilera (@xtina) June 29, 2021 @xtina
It is unacceptable that any woman, or human, wanting to be in control of their own destiny might not be allowed to live life as they wish. pic.twitter.com/NRhNwcJaD3
The singer then spoke to the allegations Britney made last week in claiming she was unable to get married or have children under the conservatorship, saying, "Every woman must have the right to her own body, her own reproductive system, her own privacy, her own space, her own healing and her own happiness."
Aguilera continued, "The conviction and desperation of this plea for freedom leads me to believe that this person I once knew has been living without compassion or decency from those in control."
Xtina's message of support comes nearly one week after Britney's stunning court testimony in which she told a judge she wanted out of a 13-year conservatorship without getting a mental evaluation.
In her statement Monday, Christina gave a nod to her former friendship with Britney, saying it was clear the woman she once knew has not been given the compassion she deserves.
She finished with, "To a woman who has worked under conditions and pressure unimaginable to most, I promise you she deserves all of the freedom possible to live her happiest life. My heart goes out to Britney. She deserves all the TRUE love and support in the world."
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Dionne Warwick New Meditation Biz Sounds So Right!!!
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Dionne Warwick's smooth sound has made her a music icon, and it's also why she's perfectly suited for her new biz venture ... which is all about bathing in sound. Seriously.
We're told Dionne will soon open a sound bath center dubbed The Ohm Zone in partnership with her son Damon, and "Sweet Tooth" star Dania Ramirez ... who's also known for her role as the Avion girl and Turtle's GF on "Entourage."
For the uninitiated ... a sound bath is a type of meditation exercise complemented by musical techniques to form soothing, overlapping vibrations.
It's also known as sound healing, which helps release stress, anxiety, depression ... ailments that could trigger more serious conditions like heart disease and diabetes.
The triple Ds -- Dionne, Damon and Dania -- are setting up shop in Venice, CA, and we're told the building is set up like a private spa and healing temple. The experience will be soothing, and include a customized frequency for you to listen to while relaxing in a bath.
The whole experience lasts about 90 minutes.
We're told Dionne got into this shortly after her son's widow-maker heart attack in 2016 -- both of them started learning about and applying the holistic treatment.
And, given Dionne's decorated career in music, it made perfect sense for her to jump on this opportunity.
We're told the sound bath center had previously been used as a recording studio ... and Dionne and co. have plans to eventually use parts of the building for that again.
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Britney Spears Gimme More Maui!!!
Britney Spears is living her best life in Hawaii ... soakin' up every minute of her Maui vacay.
The singer just shared some fun videos of her Hawaiian getaway, and she looks like she's having a blast on the island. Britney's showing off her body in a skimpy red bikini, making angels in the sand and playing in the ocean.
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Britney is definitely practicing aloha ... saying she likes the sounds of the waves at night and listening to people laughing from her hotel balcony. She adds, "there's a togetherness here and it's endless!!!"
As we first told you ... Britney and her boyfriend, Sam Asghari, hopped on a private plane to Maui last week in the wake of her explosive court testimony on her conservatorship, and they looked like they were having a great time right out of the gate.
Remember, Britney claimed she's been threatened to have her Maui vacations denied if she doesn't go to therapy, and she complained about feeling trapped by the conservatorship.
6/24/21
Britney and Sam have been all smiles since they boarded their private flight to Hawaii ... she previously posted some funny videos from their jet, playing around with filters and acting silly.
Bottom line ... Maui's got Britney feeling stronger.
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Fonzworth Bentley 'Memba Him?!
Atlanta artist Fonzworth Bentley (real name Derek Watkins) gained fame in the early 2000s as Diddy's assistant and stylish sidekick -- with his eye-catching signature accessories like umbrellas, suspenders, bowties and even a violin -- on reality shows like MTV's "Making The Band 2" and as the host of "From G's To Gents."
FB wasn't only a flashy-fashioned friend ... Bentley went on to work with a bunch of high-profile artists in the music industry including Outkast, Faith Evans, Lil Wayne and Kanye West, and even released his own album C.O.L.O.U.R.S. back in 2011.
Guess what he looks like now without all the extra accouterment!
More 'Memba Thems!
British Influencer 'I'm Finally Korean' ... Had 18 Surgeries to Look Like BTS Singer!!!
A British influencer elected to undergo surgery after surgery after surgery so they could look like BTS singer Park Jimin -- and says they no longer feel trapped, and identifies as Korean.
Lots to unpack here, but Oli London -- who identifies as non-binary -- said Monday they've been trapped in the wrong body for 8 years, but can now "be myself" because "I'm finally Korean."
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London's changed their name to Jimin, and says some of the 18 surgeries included extensive work on their eyes, and a brow lift.
They even spoke in Korean in parts of the video, and added ... "I know it's a little confusing, nobody has ever come out as Jimin or Korean, but this is something you guys know ... I've really struggled with identity issues with who I am."
Jimin -- the wannabe, not the singer -- said Korean is their culture, their home country and now they're happy to look Korean ... after at least $150k worth of surgeries over 8 years.
The racial transition, as Jimin puts it, is drawing lots of criticism -- to which they say ... "Being Transexual is the same as being TRANSRACIAL because you are born in the wrong body."
No word yet on how Jimin, the BTS frontman, feels about all of this.
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Jamie Lynn Spears I Love and Support My Sister ... Always Want Her to Be Happy!!!
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Jamie Lynn Spears is breaking her silence about her sister's conservatorship battle, saying she fully supports Britney -- and she's offended Brit's fans might be thinking otherwise.
Jamie Lynn explained why she waited a bit to speak on Britney's court hearing last week, saying she didn't feel it was her place until Britney had the chance to publicly say everything she wanted.
Now, she's voicing her support clearly, saying she's always loved, adored and supported her big sister and is only concerned about her happiness.
Jamie Lynn also seemed to distance herself from the rest of her family -- specifically those involved in Britney's conservatorship -- by saying, "I've made a very conscious choice in my life to only participate in her life as her sister."
She adds that she's always had Britney's back, despite what folks online have speculated. JL seemed to reference Brit saying she wants to sue her whole family ... when she said, "I'm not my family -- I'm my own person. I'm speaking for myself. I'm so proud of her for using her voice."
Regarding the conservatorship ... Jamie Lynn claims she encouraged Britney to hire a new counsel years ago, and says if Britney wants to end the conservatorship ... she fully supports it.
As you know, Britney made it very clear last week during her court hearing that she wants out, and also wants to take legal action against her family. She specifically railed on her father, Jamie, and her management team for alleged mistreatment, torment, abuse of power and other disturbing claims.
The day after Britney spoke publicly about her conservatorship case, she hopped on a private jet with her boyfriend, Sam Asghari, to Hawaii to get away from it all.
She's been quiet on social media during the trip, but you gotta figure she's seen Jamie Lynn's post. Question is ... will she react to it, publicly?
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Tekashi 6ix9ine Bails on Texas Concert ... You Don't Pay, I Don't Play!!!
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Tekashi 6ix9ine canceled his weekend show in Texas at the last minute, leaving fans in the dark about what happened ... and now he says it's because he was stiffed.
Tekashi tells TMZ ... he had a contract guaranteeing him $250,000 for a Sunday concert at the Humble Civic Center in Humble, TX, but he says he was only paid $70,000 in cash and didn't get the balance before the show ... which the contract required.
6ix9ine says he returned the $70k and got the hell outta Dodge ... never taking the stage.
Folks who were there tell us the venue opened the doors at 3 PM and fans waited around until 10 PM, when cops and security started forcing everyone to leave. We're told the venue didn't make any announcement about Tekashi before folks were booted.
Sounds like it was a big letdown for fans ... we're told some shelled out $500 for tickets, while others dropped $3,000 on VIP experiences.
We reached out to the venue ... so far, no word back.