Reality TV

NBC and Bravo got together with major cruise lines and ripped off the idea for a "Top Chef" special from 3 producers who are now suing the networks ... and crying racism -- this according to a new lawsuit.

According to the court docs ... the three accusers pitched a reality show called "Walk the Plank" to Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines and Celebrity Cruise Lines. Thirteen chefs would compete against each other on a cruise ship with the winner becoming the ship's Executive Chef.

The cruise lines rejected the idea, but soon after that NBC announced the release of "Top Chef - Chefs At Sea" -- in conjunction with the cruise companies ... according to the docs.

The producers say they're especially galled by the alleged screw job because they say NBC's networks have an agreement with the National African American Leadership Organizations to increase diversity.

NBC hasn't responded to a call for comment.

The producers not only state in the docs that 2 of them are African-American -- they add that even though the third producer is not ... she is married to a Black man.

Michael Lohan has hired Casey Anthony's lawyer to stop the bleeding ... the vaginal bleeding of his pregnant baby mama who Michael claims her jailers are grossly mistreating her.

Attorney Jose Baez is now gunning for a court order forcing the jail to properly treat Kate Major's vaginal bleeding. Lohan claims Kate started bleeding this week -- on 2 separate occasions -- but both times she was taken to an infirmary and sent back to her cell.

Michael says there were no specialists to treat Kate and all they did was an ultrasound which showed a heartbeat ... but Michael says, "You know damn well if someone has vaginal bleeding while pregnant that's indicative of a miscarriage."

Michael also claims Kate -- who is behind bars over a DUI -- was forced to carry her property back to her room while she was still bleeding.

Baez will almost certainly attempt to get an order forcing the prison to have Kate examined and treated by a specialist.

The duo used to be besties. One of the most epic videos TMZ ever shot was when Paris took her new best friend Kim -- whom we had never seen before -- to Hyde back in 2005. They sauntered past Paris' enemy/former BFF Tara Reid ... who defeatedly watched from behind the velvet rope as the duo entered.

But Kim got famous -- even more famous than Paris -- and the relationship went in the dumper. In 2008, Paris bashed Kim during a radio interview saying her butt "looks like cottage cheese stuffed in a trash bag."

5:00 PM PST -- Sources close to Michael Johns tell us he went to a doctor on Thursday to check out the pain he had been feeling in his ankle ... the swelling and bruising had made their way up to his leg.

Doctors didn't find any problems however -- so they cleared him to go home.

We're told the next afternoon at his friends apartment ... Johns' body was found on the couch unresponsive. When paramedics arrived, he was already dead.

"American Idol" finalist Michael Johns died Friday at the age of 35.

The singer's death was caused by a blood clot in his ankle ... sources tell us he had twisted his ankle earlier and was in a great amount of pain.

People close to Johns tell us ... it appears the ankle injury triggered the clot. We're told he died in his sleep.

The singer placed 8th in Season 7 (2008) and following his exit from the show he continued to record music. He recorded an album -- "Hold Back My Heart" in 2009.

He'd also done a tremendous amount of charity work with former executive producer Nigel Lythgoe.

Lythgoe tells TMZ, "He was a great talent and dear friend. My boys and I are devastated."

Johns was married to Stacey Vuduris. They married in 2007.

The singer's family says, "Our family is devastated by the passing of our beloved Michael, a wonderful husband, son, brother, uncle, and friend. We appreciate the outpouring of love and support we have received from all corners of the globe."

The last time we shot Michael he was in great spirits.

Kanye even performed some of his songs -- including "Black Skinhead"

Bloom arrived once Bieber was already inside -- and according to Page Six J.B.'s people put the screws on organizers to keep Orlando out. The actor never got inside.

So sad.

Linda Hogan's ex-BF Charlie Hill claims she made him do a bunch of grunt work for free -- and we uncovered photos of him breaking a sweat aboard her yacht ... during their happier days.

TMZ broke the story ... Hill is suing Hogan for $1.5 mil, claiming she never gave him a dime for all the labor he put in during their 4-year relationship.

In these 2010 pics ... Charlie's relegated to hauling in a hose on her yacht -- aptly named Alimoney (bet Hulk Hogan must love that).

The Love Boat this ain't.

"Party Down South" producers are scrambling to fill a giant hole ... TMZ has learned Lil Bit -- one of the show's biggest stars -- has quit, and it has nothing to do with money.

Sources close to Taylor "Lil Bit" Wright say she told producers she's quitting because she fears for her safety with all the craziness that goes on in the house.

We're told she also has strong religious beliefs and feels the show undermines her relationship with Jesus.

The rest of the cast has already signed contracts to return for season 3, and we're told producers are furious they have to replace LB now ... because it's like having to find a new Snooki at the height of "Jersey Shore's" popularity.

Lil Bit thinks producers are floating it out that she's holding out for a big payday, but we're told she wouldn't do the show again for a million dollars.

A source close to the show tells TMZ producers feel they have a great cast in place and are confident the show will be just fine.

Michael Strahan and Nicole Murphy have called off their engagement ... just one day before he's inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Strahan's rep says it's all about 2,475 air miles -- he lives in NYC and she's in L.A. and it's just too difficult. It's especially hard because they're both real busy.

Murphy was married to Eddie Murphy ... and Strahan divorced Jean Muggli in 2006.

We shot the "Hollywood Exes" star last month after Strahan was threatened by a homeless guy with a knife -- and she seemed in the dark. Now we know why.

Lisa Vanderpump's famous Bev Hills restaurant Villa Blanca has been hit again with a sexual harassment suit.

Pastry chef Martha Diaz filed a lawsuit -- obtained by TMZ -- in which she claims her manager touched her vagina, called her a fat, ugly whore, showed her porn on his phone and left pornographic pics in her locker.

Diaz claims she complained to upper management and does not mention the "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" star by name, although she does say she complained to "upper management and ownership."

Lacey Wildd -- the reality TV star who recently underwent her 36th plastic surgery -- squeezed herself into a pink bikini Friday on a beach in Florida.

Wildd is a 46-year-old mother of six (let that sink in) and has had 12 boob jobs alone ... going from an A-cup to the ridiculous LLL-cups she flaunted today.

She's been on TLC's "My Strange Addiction" and is set to appear on the new E! series "Botched."

As far as those shows are concerned, Wildd's a natural.

"Ice Road Truckers" star Tim Zickuhr is clearly a guy who cares about his hair ... his fetish for follicles got him arrested ... and it's only the 2nd weirdest thing he was busted for this year.

Cops tell us ... they responded to a disturbance call earlier this month at a pet hotel in San Dimas ... and found a drunken Zickuhr arguing with an employee and demanding they pony up his pooch. Turns out he doesn't even have a dog.

Cops couldn't help but notice Zickuhr had a shopping cart ... filled with Rogaine, hair straightener, shampoo, a hairbrush and an assortment of booze. Police were understandably suspicious because the errant items were laying in the Albertson's cart -- no bag, no receipt.

Police went to the nearby grocery store, determined he stole the items and arrested him for shoplifting. Zickuhr spent 3 days in the pokey.

The arrest still doesn't compare to Tim's arrest back in April -- allegedly involving a hooker, kidnapping and waterboarding. Maybe let Tim tell it ...

Federal agents had to swoop in to help the high-caliber cowboys from Discovery's "Sons of Guns" locate a shipment of weapons -- including one incredibly destructive machine gun -- that got lost in the mail.

TMZ has learned the gun shop on the show -- Red Jacket Firearms -- recently sent some of their custom machine guns from Baton Rouge to Las Vegas for an event. One of the guns is nicknamed "Master Blaster" for good reason -- it combines a Saiga 12 gauge shotgun with a MAC-11 sub-machine gun!

Sources connected to RJF tell us some of the guns were leased from third parties, and when RJF's shipment back to Baton Rouge got delayed ... the owner of the weapons got pissed and snitched to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms.

We're told the owner reported the guns as missing, and ATF agents sprung into action to locate the weapons -- which are legal and licensed.

Turns out it was just a normal mail snafu -- however, we're told production on the TV show was halted until they got the all clear the guns were safe and sound.

Boys and their toys.

"Party Down South" star Ryan "Daddy" Richards was investigated for rape and CLEARED ... after cops viewed 20 hours of videotape.

A woman partied with the cast in Athens, GA in April ... first in a local bar and then in a house the show rented. She reportedly told police someone gave her an already opened beer and that's all she remembered. She says the next thing she knew she was naked under a bed sheet with a camera in her face.

The police report lists Richards as a suspect, but we've now obtained documents which make it clear ... after an investigation cops concluded the allegation is unfounded.

Show sources tell us after reviewing 20 hours of footage -- along with interviewing cast and crew -- cops determined she was conscious and partying along with everyone else.

As for why the case was pursued ... the woman went to the hospital the day after the party and a nurse concluded there was evidence of sexual assault.

Daymond John scored a great role in Hollywood, but it hardly makes up for his biggest regret on "Shark Tank" -- the missed opportunity that cost him $20 mil!

"Big Brother Israel" house guests have MUCH more to worry about than eviction -- producers have them running into a bomb shelter when the violence between Israel and Palestine gets particularly dangerous.

The show has not stopped production since fighting escalated earlier this month, and has actually installed alarms in the house that alert house guests to seek shelter. They sounded twice during the first week of use.

In one instance, contestants were seen scrambling throughout the house and into the safe area.

It's a clear relaxing of the rules that normally cut off contestants from the outside world -- but clearly a necessary change.