Rachel Leviss Scored Over $350k For 'VPR' ... Despite Bethenny Frankel Claim She Made Intern $$
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5:30 PM PT -- Lisa Vanderpump confirms our report, and then some … saying Rachel Leviss made a whopping $361k on season 10 of ‘VPR’
Rachel Leviss made a killing on the last season of "Vanderpump Rules," TMZ has learned ... which makes Bethenny Frankel's claim Rachel made less than her interns a bunch of BS.
Sources familiar with the situation tell TMZ Rachel made more than $350k for season 10 of the show -- nearly $20k an episode for a total of 19 episodes -- so certainly not chump change.
ICYMI, Bethenny told Rachel on her "Just B" podcast Wednesday that her own interns make more dough than Rachel did on 'VPR,' which came as a shock to Rachel.
APRIL 2023
Fans online slammed Bethenny's interview as embarrassing, and reminiscent of Howie Mandel's unhinged interview with Tom Sandoval back in April -- focusing more on his mustache than the cheating scandal.
Folks also pointed out the fact Bethenny didn't seem prepped for the interview, and she even admitted on the podcast that she had never watched the Bravo show and had only seen clips online after taking interest in Rachel and Scandoval.
So Bethenny either had no clue what Rachel really made, or she's completely overpaying her interns ... 'cause $350k ain't bad.
7/20/23
You'll recall, Bethenny and her attorneys have been hearing from dozens of NBC reality stars after firing off a legal threat earlier this month, claiming production employees have been tormenting the shows' castmembers. She's even been fighting for reality stars to unionize.
We covered the story on the latest episode of The TMZ Podcast, available on all podcast platforms.
Originally Published -- 8:52 AM PT
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NeNe Leakes Sued Over Swagg Boutique Store ... Ya Owe Us Rent!!!
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NeNe Leakes is being taken to court over her shop, Swagg Boutique ... her former landlord says she owes a bunch of dough in unpaid rent.
According to the docs, obtained by TMZ, NeNe's being sued by her landlord at Sugarloaf Mills -- the shopping center where her women's clothing store once stood. The landlord says Leakes first signed a lease agreement back in 2017 and then extended it for another year in 2021.
However, the landlord claims she vacated in January 2022, when the term ended, but never paid off the balance of $22,900 owed under the lease.
The landlord allegedly sent NeNe a letter last month, telling her to pay up to avoid any legal woes -- but says she never ponied up the money.
So now NeNe is being dragged to court ... and the landlord wants damages to cover the back rent plus its attorney's fees.
For those unaware, the 'RHOA' star's Swagg Boutique stores shut down in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic ... and it reportedly wasn't long after finally reopening that she began holding "going out of business" sales at her multiple locations.
We've reached out to NeNe's rep for comment ... so far, no word back.
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LISA VANDERPUMP PUMP RESTAURANT FINDS NEW HOME ... Right Next To TomTom
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Lisa Vanderpump's restaurant is back in action ... about a month after PUMP closed down, the famous eatery appears to have found a new home just a few doors down.
Lisa's iconic PUMP Restaurant Lounge signage popped up Monday in West Hollywood, right next to TomTom ... the restaurant she co-owns with Tom Sandoval and Tom Schwartz.
The pics and sign seem to have all the makings of Lisa's new location.
Remember ... Lisa's landmark WeHo restaurant closed down in July, and the place was packed with fans before the official closing date, with the cast of "Vanderpump Rules" even filming a farewell scene before the location shuttered.
TomTom and the new PUMP are just three doors down from the OG Pump ... so Lisa didn't have to look far for a new location.
Meanwhile, back at the OG Pump, there's a chain link fence with a black tarp covering the property ... a stark contrast to Lisa's new digs.
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'RHOC' STAR HEATHER DUBROW Back Off Celebs Using Ozempic ... Miracle Drug Is Next Botox
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"Real Housewives of Orange County" star Heather Dubrow is defending celebs who use diabetes meds to slim down ... and she's predicting Ozempic will end up a lot like Botox.
We got Heather in New York City and our photog asked her about Bravo star Jeff Lewis poking fun at 'RHOBH' star Kyle Richards as a "lesbian on Ozempic."
Heather feels like Jeff crossed a line by joking about someone's meds ... ripping him for joining a growing trend she's labeling as "Ozempic shaming."
The way Heather sees it ... Ozempic should be treated just like medications for heart conditions and cholesterol ... basically, it's nobody's beeswax what medications one may or may nor be taking.
The diabetes drug is popular in Hollywood as a weight-loss solution ... and it's becoming a lightning rod of sorts, drawing warnings from folks like Jillian Michaels and Heather's own husband, "Botched" star Dr. Terry Dubrow.
But, Heather's comparing Ozempic hysteria to the first days of Botox ... she says the injections were shunned when they first came out, but now they're pretty standard, and she tells us why she's predicting a similar arc for Ozempic.
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'Botched' Star Terry Dubrow My Wife Saved My Life!!!
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Dr. Terry Dubrow gets emotional thinking about how his wife, Heather, sounded the alarm when he suffered subtle, stroke-like symptoms, and were it not for an argument and her persistence, Terry might not be here today.
The "Botched" star was on "TMZ Live" Wednesday to give us the blow-by-blow on what went down last Thursday at L.A.'s famed restaurant, The Ivy. Terry says he briefly started to slur his speech, which deeply concerned his spouse.
As Terry explains, Heather insisted on calling 911, which infuriated Terry -- he didn't think it was a big deal. An ambulance came, checked him out and said he was ok, but that wasn't good enough for Heather ... she insisted he get checked out at a hospital.
He made a rash decision to head home alone, but Heather didn't stop pestering him, and even got their circle of doctor friends to hound Terry and convince him to get to a hospital.
As we reported ... Terry was diagnosed with having suffered a transient ischemic attack (TIA) which can be a precursor to a full-blown stroke.
Not just that, but doctors found a patent foramen ovale (PFO) -- a heart condition which can be incredibly dangerous. So, long story short, it was well worth his while to seek immediate medical treatment.
This is not lost on Terry whatsoever ... in fact, he's incredibly grateful to Heather -- and says she quite literally saved his life that night, despite his protests and insistence he was fine.
He's giving her major props in this interview, and it sounds like she deserves all the credit in the world. Terry also tells us the lesson he learned -- it's pretty fascinating.
BTW, we got Heather, too, Wednesday in NYC ... and she addressed the video of Terry and her arguing in front of The Ivy on that fateful day. She has no regrets, pointing out that when it's life or death ... appearances go out the window.
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'Bravo' Star Jeff Lewis Jokingly Jabs Kyle Richards ... She's a 'Lesbian on Ozempic'
Jeff Lewis called Kyle Richards a "lesbian on Ozempic," and while he was certainly joking ... it's a toss-up as to whether the 'Housewives' star herself is laughing.
The famous interior designer -- known for appearing on Bravo's "Flipping Out" -- made the flippant comment on Andy Cohen's show "Watch What Happens Live" ... where they were running a silly segment called 'Jeff, What's Your Issue?' and flashing through faces of people.
Eventually, they landed on Kyle ... and Jeff made the crack, feigning outrage that she didn't tell him she was into women and that she was taking the diabetes weight-loss medication. You could tell it still had an impact though ... 'cause Andy was left blushing on the spot.
Heather McDonald was also on set for this moment, and she ran with the gag ... joking that one of Ozempic's side effects is that it makes people gay. Jeff, who's gay, kept going with it, and the whole thing was dealt with in a light-hearted manner, all told.
Of course ... Jeff's zing comes on the heels of recent speculation Kyle might be dating female country singer Morgan Wade ... this after spending a ton of time with her on the road, and right around the time she separated from her husband, Mauricio Umansky, no less.
Since then, we've learned that's not the case ... and that the reason Kyle's been hanging out with Morgan so much is because of a documentary she's producing about the artist's life.
Still, people have had their opinions about Kyle and Morgan regardless ... something they're well aware of, and which they leaned into in MW's latest music video -- poking fun at all the rumors.
We'll see how Jeff's remarks land with Kyle, who hasn't responded. Not yet.
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Kyle Richards Appearing In Morgan Wade's Music Video ... Mocks Dating Rumors!
Kyle Richards is teaming up with Morgan Wade for the country singer's new music video ... a move the two say is intended to poke fun at rumors they're currently dating.
Morgan shared a behind-the-scenes look at her new music video for her song, "Fall in Love with Me," which dropped on Friday. She says the vid comes next week, and it looks like Kyle is front and center.
The gals say the internet's gonna go nuts over it, with the singer saying folks always assume she's dating whoever is in her music videos ... so they thought what better way to have some fun with the rumors than to put Kyle in one of them!
They chat about how the 2 became friends and even joke around about the different fits Kyle wears for the vid -- clearly, they get along pretty well together.
You'll recall, rumors have been flying about them dating ever since her split from Mauricio Umansky ... but Kyle's been pretty adamant about them being just friends.
We learned earlier this week that Kyle's been producing a documentary about Morgan's life, so they've obviously been getting closer as a result ... so the music video appearance seems like the perfect fit!
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Kyle Richards Producing Documentary on Morgan Wade's Life
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Now we know why Kyle Richards has been in Aspen at the same time as her good friend country star Morgan Wade ... Kyle's spreading her wings and producing a documentary on Morgan's life.
Morgan performed Sunday night at Belly Up in Aspen ... and everyone in the audience signed releases allowing the footage shot to be used in a production.
We've learned the production puts the spotlight on Morgan's life ... the highs and lows -- from her rise to stardom to overcoming substance abuse. It also focuses on the 28-year-old cancer issues -- she has a gene that makes her at high risk for ovarian and breast cancer. She'll be getting a double mastectomy in November -- presumably the doc will chronicle that journey.
Kyle is not only the executive producer of the doc, she appears on camera as well. And, Kyle was actually shooting footage of the concert during Sunday's show.
54-year-old Kyle is venturing into new territory, producing and whatnot. Congrats!
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Kenya Moore Sends Good Vibes to Kim Zolciak ... After Calling Divorce Drama Fake
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"Real Housewives of Atlanta" alum Kenya Moore's changing her tune -- she's now sending well-wishes to Kim Zolciak ... after previously claiming Kim might be lying about her divorce/no-divorce drama.
We got Kenya in NYC, where she said seeing the police body cam footage of Kim and Kroy Biermann during a domestic dispute made her rethink the situation.
After seeing them hurl accusations at the cops, Kenya says divorce just isn't an easy thing to navigate, especially with kids involved.
Kenya, who's been going through her own divorce since 2021, still questions how legit Kim's "divorce" filing really was -- but she's seen enough to send her best to the Biermanns, regardless.
The shift to kindness comes not long after she tweeted Kim lies "through her plastic teeth."
'RHOA' fans know it's been an up-and-down relationship between Kim and Kenya for a while, with most of the drama playing out on camera -- but after seeing the body cam, she's singing a slightly different tune ... for now.
BTW, Kenya also gave us her take on her estranged hubby Marc Daly being pissed about their kiddo, Brooklyn, being present during an 'RHOA' fight. Sounds like there's a cease and desist in Marc's future!!!
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Teresa Giudice Doubles Down on Sofia Vergara Hate ... Mocks Spanish Accent
Teresa Giudice loves to slam Sofia Vergara over a years-old incident that left her sour -- once again recounting the selfie snub story ... and again mocking Sofia's background.
The 'RHONJ' star was telling the old tale to her cohost, Melissa Pfeister, on their podcast 'Namaste B$tches' -- presumably because SV is back in the news with this divorce between her and Joe Manganiello. As such, Teresa thought it'd be good to bring this thing back up.
As she explained back in 2017 -- when this went down -- Teresa says she was at some event, where Sofia was also present. At the suggestion of their publicists ... Teresa and Sofia were supposed to take a picture together -- but TG claims Sofia threw a big fit about it.
In fact, she alleges Sofia was pretty rude in expressing her disapproval over the selfie ... apparently asking her own publicist why she'd been asked to do this with Teresa.
Obviously, that pissed Teresa off ... and she's again saying Sofia should've been nicer -- because, in Teresa's mind, she comes from humble beginnings. Here in this latest podcast clip, she's not as explicit (or xenophobic) as she was in 2017 when she told this same story.
At the time, she said Sofia had an obligation to be kind because she was an immigrant ... and here, she again suggests the same thing ... making fun of her Colombian accent to boot.
Teresa seems to think that because Sofia came from a foreign country in Latin America ... there's an extra layer of humility she needs to express in her dealings with American stars.
A bad take then, and just as s****y now if we're being honest. Keep doing you, T!
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Kyle Richards Shops w/ Morgan Wade in Aspen ... All Business!!!
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update
12:55 PM PT -- As it turns out, there's a perfectly good explanation for why Kyle is hanging with Morgan in Aspen of all places -- and it's strictly business, as TMZ has learned.
Sources with direct knowledge tell us Morgan's actually got a show in town later this weekend, which explains why she's there herself. As for Kyle, we're hearing she's actually shooting a docuseries in Aspen as well ... so, it seems like their paths naturally crossed.
Folks are, no doubt, going to still speculate about KR and MW -- seeing how they've been hanging out a lot lately -- but on its face, it would appear they're just good friends.
Kyle Richards isn't putting out the fire over speculation about her and Morgan Wade -- in fact, she's kinda throwing gas on ... 'cause now, they're out in Colorado, just the 2 of 'em.
The 'RHOBH' star was spotted hitting the town in Aspen Friday with none other than Morgan tagging along, right by her side. In photos obtained by TMZ, you can see them cruising into a shop and perusing the shelves ... eyeing jewelry and other knickknacks strewn about.
We're told that while Kyle and Morgan did have a little entourage with them ... they were mostly left to their own devices, and didn't really leave each other's side during the pop-in.
Now, while they were definitely rolling together ... eyewitnesses say there were no clear signs of PDA between them during this outing. Still, though -- them continuing to hang out as much as they do (which is a lot) is further fueling rumors that they're a romantic item.
They've publicized their close friendship for about a year and a half now -- going on vacays together and whatnot ... but folks are thinking they're actually dating now, especially in the wake of Kyle's current separation with her longtime husband, Mauricio Umansky.
Kyle recently made it seem like she and Mauricio were working things out -- but in this instance ... the guy is nowhere to be found. So it's unclear where things stand, TBH.
Whether Morgan is Kyle's girlfriend or not ... at least she's in good company through all this.
Happy bargain hunting, you two.
Originally Published -- 12:03 PM PT
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Kim Zolciak, Kroy Biermann Hit Chili's As a Family ... Amid Renewed Drama
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Kim Zolciak and Kroy Biermann might be bickering again amid calling off their divorce -- but they're still breaking bread together, and doing it in public, no less.
TMZ has obtained photos of Kim, Kroy and their kids hitting a Chili's Sunday in Georgia, and they all sat in the same booth ... with eyewitnesses telling us mom and dad were right next to each other during their 45-minute meal.
While they might've been shoulder to shoulder, our sources tell us Kim and Kroy weren't interacting much. On its face though, it looks like they were playing nice as a family.
It's interesting they went to such a highly trafficked restaurant, especially amid some renewed bad blood we're hearing is brewing between them right now.
As we reported ... sources are telling us Kim and Kroy are fighting once more, this after some police body cam footage was released from earlier this year -- when they were still in the throes of their nasty divorce, which they've withdrawn from the courts.
Some harsh allegations were hurled on both sides during a police visit in May. Kroy claimed Kim had a gambling problem ... and Kim said Kroy might be suffering from a brain injury.
While they're not on great terms now (again) ... it seems Kim and Kroy can keep it together enough to still hit the town as a family unit, and put on a united front in front of other people.
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NeNe Leakes on Kim Zolciak Divorce Wasn't Play For TV Return ... But It May Help!!!
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NeNe Leakes isn't buying the theory dominating the internet ... Kim Zolciak and Kroy Biermann got into a super nasty divorce and then suddenly reconciled as a way to get back into reality TV.
We got NeNe at LAX and asked her about Kim and Kroy suddenly calling off their divorce, and if it was all just a ploy to return to "The Real Housewives of Atlanta" ... as lots of folks believe to be the case.
NeNe doubts Kim and Kroy would go to those lengths ... she thinks all the issues with their marriage were legit, as well as all the divorce drama we documented ... and she just can't imagine Kim and Kroy going down that road just to get on TV again.
Of course, the 'RHOA' alum says Kim and Kroy's divorce would make for some TV gold ... and she says all the publicity and mudslinging will probably help Kim get back in front of cameras.
TMZ broke the story ... Kim and Kroy are working through their issues the old-fashioned way ... there's no couple's therapy ... they're just talking every day and relying on their shared Christian faith.
NeNe says God is a great healer so she's happy to see Kim and Kroy leaning on their faith ... and she tells us why Kim and Kroy's divorce turnaround is super similar to her ups and downs with Kim.
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Kyle Richards & Mauricio Umansky Share Light Moment On Instagram ... After Recent Separation
Kyle Richards and Mauricio Umansky might be separated ... but the two are still having fun at each other's expense.
Case in point ... Mauricio posted a series of recent Instagram photos looking buff with his shirt off inside a gym. In the caption, he admits he was fat and out of shape six years ago ... but his plan is to get more fit each year going forward.
Kyle then jumped in the comments section and playfully needled her hubby of 27 years, writing, "Must be Ozempic," with 2 laughing emojis. Maurico responded with three smiling and crying emojis.
Clearly, the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills stars were joking around about the controversial weight-loss medication.
Nice to see the pair sharing a light moment after they reportedly split earlier this month, although they haven't gone far from one another ... the couple are still living under the same roof as they try to iron out their differences and take care of their kids.
This latest interaction seems to put them in a good place. Keep it up.
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'Real Housewives of Potomac' Brutal Fight Goes Down in Club!!! Woman Slammed to Ground
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An absolutely insane fight went down between friends of "The Real Housewives of Potomac" cast members ... with fists flying and women getting yanked down by their hair in this crazy video.
This exclusive video, obtained by TMZ, shows the cast breaking up a fight between friend of the show Keiana Stewart and another woman, Deborah Williams while at Zebbie's Garden in D.C. Thursday night for Ashley Darby's fashion line launch.
According to the police report obtained by TMZ, Candiace Dillard Bassett told police someone threw a drink at her ... and Keiana says she was hit in the forehead with a glass before getting pulled down in the physical altercation.
You can see Candiace and Ashley clearly in the video, trying to break up the messy brawl ... which apparently resulted in some spilled blood. We're told cops responded, but no no arrests were made. However, police are still investigating.
Sources connected to the show tell us production had already wrapped when the fight went down, so the crew's cameras didn't capture the fight. As Julia Roberts would say ... big mistake, huge.
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Larsa Pippen 'Embarrassed' & 'Traumatized' ... Over MJ's Comments On Marcus Relationship
Larsa Pippen says she was not a fan of Michael Jordan's recent comments on her relationship with His Airness' son ... saying they were flat-out embarrassing and traumatizing.
Scottie Pippen's ex got real about the situation on the newest episode of her and Marcus Jordan's "Separation Anxiety" podcast ... saying that when MJ claimed last week that he didn't approve of her romance with his son -- it really, really bothered her.
While Marcus said he believed it was all blurted out in jest -- in fact, he suggested his dad may have been a little tipsy off tequila when he fired off the remarks -- she said she wasn't laughing at all.
"I didn't think it was funny," she said. "There's nothing funny about it."
"I was kind of embarrassed," she added.
Larsa explained that most of her issues with the comments stemmed from previous conversations she's had with Marcus and his family.
Larsa Pippen Says Michael Jordan Approves Of Relationship With Marcus
She said she had been ensured over and over again that there were no problems amongst the Jordans about their relationship -- and it had all led to her ultimately telling media members that Michael was OK with everything.
"I was like traumatized," she said. "I'm like, 'Oh, my God. What are we going to do?' People think I lied."
Marcus, though, said Michael reached out multiple times after he made the remarks and insisted he was OK with the couple. Marcus added that he believed MJ didn't outright say that last week because he didn't want it to fuel any speculation that the two were only dating in order to stick it to Scottie -- his former Bulls teammate who he's since had big beef with.
But Larsa said on the pod it's all water under the bridge at this point ... telling their audience she and Marcus have talked it out -- and they're moving forward united.
"I feel good right now," she said. "I feel like we talked it through."