'RHOC' Gretchen Rossi, Slade Smiley Slammed for 'Capitalizing' on Son's Death Source Calls It a Smear
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5:43 PM PT -- A source close to the 'RHOC' couple tells TMZ ...Michelle's accusations are absurd and need to stop, because this clearly hurts Slade ... who lost a son here. We're told Slade had taken every opportunity to be with Grayson, despite being denied access to his boy, allegedly by Michelle, hundreds of times.
Our source also tells us there are texts and emails to back this up -- namely, Slade asking to see Grayson, only to be shut down time and again ... including, we're told, one instance where Slade and Skylar tried and failed to see him a week before he passed.
We're told Slade is devastated that he had to say his goodbyes at the morgue, and that no parent should ever have to be put through that. Our sources say Michelle should be ashamed for trying to smear them during a time of grief/healing.
'Real Housewives of Orange County' alum Gretchen Rossi and her fiancé, Slade Smiley are getting dragged through the mud for paying tribute to Slade's late son ... because the biological mother claims Gretchen and Slade haven't even been around for him in the last decade.
Slade's ex, Michelle Arroyo tells TMZ ... Gretchen's recent social media posts about the loss of 22-year-old Grayson are disrespectful -- saying the couple has "grossly misrepresented the true nature of their relationship with Grayson, which was virtually nonexistent."
Grayson passed earlier this month after a long battle with brain cancer -- something he fought since he was 6. Since his death, Gretchen's been posting nonstop about how heartbroken she is, but Michelle is calling BS.
She tells us Gretchen hasn't made the effort in the past 10 years to see him ... calling a so-called relationship "nonexistent."
On top of that, Michelle, who has lost her home, business, and life savings while solely taking care of Grayson’s needs, says she can't keep quiet any longer about Slade's years of "inexcusable behavior and neglect," adding Grayson desperately wanted a relationship with his dad.
Michelle adds she had to hire lawyers to get Slade to cough up his child support payments -- claiming he still owes $152K in support, with his last payment coming in back in 2019.
Her family started a GoFundMe to help with the cost of a memorial to properly honor Greyson ... as well as to cover the outstanding medical expenses half of which Slade is responsible for but has never paid.
Originally Published -- 12:50 AM PT
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'Bachelorette' Alum Josh Murray Pumped For Senior 'Bachelor' ... Probs Better Than the OG!!!
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Josh Murray has high hopes for a new 'Bachelor' spinoff about senior citizens finding love ... and he laid out some compelling reasons why the show might be better with older folks.
We got the 'Bachelorette' and "Bachelor in Paradise" alum at LAX, where gave us an insider's perspective on the upcoming series, "The Golden Bachelor".
ICYMI, "The Bachelor" producer, Mike Fleiss recently announced the new series is in the works, and that, naturally, created a lot of curiosity within Bachelor nation.
Josh tells us he's all in for the new show because, in his words ... old people need loving too, and there's a better chance they'll find it on a reality show than younger people.
Josh's prediction is the series will be a lot more genuine as older bachelors and bachelorettes won't be out for fame or money ... and will actually sign up just to find love.
He also thinks the hometown visit episodes would get a fun new twist -- instead of meeting parents, suitors can get the stamp of approval from kids or even grandkids!
And, don't get him started on the fantasy suites episode -- he's envisioning a stash of little blue pills.😂
Fair to say he's pumped to see it, and if the series is a hit, Josh is up for making a comeback ... several years from now, of course!
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'REAL HOUSEWIVES' JEN SHAH Bye Bye to the Boujee Life!!! Inside Her Federal Prison
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Jen Shah's now spending her next 6.5 years behind bars, and TMZ has learned just how she'll be occupying her time ... and let's just say, she won't be working on her glam.
Jen's now locked up at FPC Bryan in Texas, and according to the prison camp's handbook, obtained by TMZ, inmates have a seriously rigorous schedule day after day ... starting with a 6 AM wake-up call.
In addition to bein' an early riser, it looks like Jen will have to keep her cell in tip-top shape ... which includes making her bed, removing trash and sweeping the floor.
A majority of each day will be focused on work ... stuff like food service or factory jobs. Unclear which job Jen will have to do, but we assume it won't be anything remotely close to the telemarketing scheme that landed her in prison.
Inmates are also prohibited from wearing anything that isn't government-issued -- AKA nothing designer. The only jewelry allowed is a wedding band and a religious necklace, but those can't be worth more than $100 each.
Based on the show, we're comfortable in saying none of Jen's jewelry qualifies.
As we reported, Jen reported to the prison on Friday to begin serving her sentence ... after pleading guilty last July to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud in connection with telemarketing.
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'Real Housewives' Jen Shah Surrenders to Texas Prison ... Doing Time for Wire Fraud
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"The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City" star Jen Shah is getting processed for intake at the federal prison where she just arrived to serve her sentence for a telemarketing scandal.
Jen surrendered to begin her 6.5 years behind bars ... arriving at FPC Bryan in Bryan, Texas. Her lawyers had previously requested that she report to FPC Bryan, so it all worked out.
As we reported, the reality star pled guilty in July to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud in connection with telemarketing. Prosecutors said she was targeting and scamming people out of cash with the scheme.
Feds wanted her locked up for 10 years, listing off numerous reasons why she's the "most culpable person charged in this case."
She was sentenced in January -- along with 6.5 years in the pen, Jen will also do 5 years of supervised release once she gets out.
She got emotional in court, apologizing for what she did, adding ... "With the proper medication I can now see what happened."
Her sentence came with some special conditions post-lockup ... most notably she'll have to participate in a mental health treatment program.
Jen did an interview with White Collar Advice shortly before reporting to FPC Bryan. She talked about why it took her a year to admit she was guilty, what she's going to bring to prison with her and her plans to document everything she experiences.
BTW, Jen got tatted up Wednesday before surrendering ... inking the names of her husband and sons on her arm. Her son Omar also got one -- the Hawaiian word for "child."
Maybe the fresh ink will make her look hard for the clink!
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KIM ZOLCIAK AND KROY BIERMANN GEORGIA HOME IS IN FORECLOSURE ... Heading To Auction Block
Kim Zolciak and Kroy Biermann are having trouble at home ... as in, their Georgia mansion is in foreclosure ... and the property could soon be sold to the highest bidder.
Kim and Kroy's Alpharetta mansion was heavily featured during her time on "Real Housewives of Atlanta" and the couple's own reality show, "Don't Be Tardy" ... but now, Truist Bank has hired a law firm to handle the foreclosure.
We're told Kim and Kroy's estate, which sits along the 18th hole of the Manor Golf & Country club, will be auctioned off March 7 from the steps of the Fulton County courthouse.
Kim and Kroy, who used to play for the NFL's Atlanta Falcons, bought the home way back in 2012 for $880,000 ... and it's 6,900 square feet with 5 bedrooms and 6.5 bathrooms. The place is decked out with a pool, waterfall, spa, basketball court and elevator.
Truist Bank reportedly began foreclosure proceedings on the property back in August after the couple defaulted on their mortgage.
Online realty websites estimate the home is worth between $2.5 million and $2.66 million.
We reached out to Kim's camp ... so far no word back.
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'NAKED & AFRAID' CONTESTANT My Penis is Still a Working Unit ... Survived Flame Exposure!!!
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FEBRUARY 2023
The "Naked And Afraid" contestant who burned the tip of his penis on hot coals has a very positive health update ... especially if you're his wife!
Sam Mouzer, a survivalist featured on the Discovery series, tells TMZ ... his penis is fully working again after his grueling -- and super cringe to watch -- medical emergency.
February 2023
TMZ broke the story ... Sam's burning moment was captured as he filmed his episode for the new season -- an ember popped from the campfire, scorched his family pride and prompted him to scream out in pain.
'Naked & Afraid' Contestant Burns Penis On Hot Coals, Captured on Video
Sam tells us he and fellow contestant, Lilly, were getting peppered with hot coals that fateful night in New Mexico ... and it was only a matter of time before one landed in the wrong spot.
Bullseye!!! He says it actually felt like putting out a cigarette on bare skin.
Sam says the pain was sudden and sharp, then the discomfort deepened and his penis started throbbing. Heard enough?
The good news ... Sam's back home in the United Kingdom after surviving 21 days in the Wild West, and he's having sex with his wife again. He also says the wound didn't get infected, so he's got a special 'thank you' for the show's medical staff.
Sam says he did come home with a little souvenir ... a very small blemish on the tip, which he refers to as his "Naked And Afraid" tattoo. Sounds like lots of contestants have them, he was just unlucky enough to get his in a very delicate area.
Given the chance to do it all over again, Sam's choosing a cup as his survival item. 😭
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Kim Kardashian I'm All For Ending Death Penalty ... PA Governor's Right!!!
Kim Kardashian is applauding Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro's call to abolish capital punishment in his state.
Gov. Shapiro urged state lawmakers to end the death penalty in Pennsylvania in a Thursday announcement, with Kim quote tweeting the Governor's social media post on the subject and adding a trio of applause emojis.
In the thread, Gov. Shapiro says he won't allow Pennsylvania to execute any inmates during his term. He goes even further, calling for the death penalty to be repealed in Pennsylvania.
Kim Kardashian Meets with Inmates in Solitary Confinement at Pelican Bay
There hasn't been an execution in Pennsylvania since 1999, but Gov. Shapiro says an execution warrant landed on his desk last week ... and he's the first Pennsylvania Governor to formally ask the State Assembly to abolish the death penalty.
Kim's got a long history of fighting for inmates on death row all across the country ... working to stop their executions. There are 27 states with the death penalty on the books, including, at least for now, Pennsylvania.
Remember ... Kim went to bat for Oklahoma death row inmate Julius Jones in 2020, and the following year Jones had his life spared and instead saw his death sentence commuted to life without parole.
Previously, Kim lobbied Texas to stay the execution of inmate Rodney Reed ... visiting him behind bars in 2019 before he was going to be executed. Reed's execution was delayed and he no longer has an execution date as his case is reviewed.
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Ex-MTV Star Connor Smith Wanted for Trying to Meet Girl Under Age of 15 For Sexual Encounter in IL
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Connor Smith -- a former MTV star from "Are You the One?" -- is again being accused of trying to engage in sex acts with a minor ... and now, cops are looking for him.
The ex-reality show contestant -- who was prominently featured on 'AYTO' way back in 2015 -- is wanted in the state of Illinois ... where the Lake County Sheriff's Office says they've issued a warrant for his arrest on suspicion of trying to meet a child for a sexual encounter.
According to LCSO, Smith interacted with an undercover detective online for the past several weeks ... thinking the cop was a girl under the age of 15, and allegedly sending explicit material of himself -- and then planning to meet up with the fake kid to engage in sex acts.
Smith is accused of driving to a rendezvous point on Feb. 9 -- where he allegedly scheduled to pick up the would-be teen -- and at this point ... the Sheriff's Office says their officers moved in to apprehend him. However, they say Smith successfully fled in his pickup truck.
The following day, Lake County obtained a warrant for his arrest -- on felony charges of traveling to meet a minor, grooming and disseminating harmful material -- with a judge signing off on a million-dollar bond if he were to be captured and arrested.
LCSO says Smith indicated to them that he'd actually surrender, but note ... he hasn't done so yet. Now, they're warning the public about him -- and asking for tips on his whereabouts.
Here's the most troubling part about this ... Smith was arrested on a similar charge 2 years ago -- this after he allegedly raped a 16-year-old girl in Indiana. The account that the alleged victim gave police was brutal ... and he ended up getting picked up in neighboring Chicago.
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'Naked & Afraid' Contestant Burned My Penis Sleeping Next to Fire ... Just the Tip, Though!!! 😬
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February 2023
Turns out there is something worse than being dropped into one of Earth's most extreme environments with no food, clothes or water -- and it involves a survivalist's penis and an open flame!!!
The painful crisis unfolds on the upcoming season premiere of Discovery's "Naked And Afraid" ... when hot coal pops from a fire -- set for heat and survival -- and lands on the tip of UK contestant Sam Mouzer's penis, which he refers to as his "little soldier's helmet."
TMZ has video of the indecent incident ... Sam and fellow contestant, Lilly, are sleeping naked next to the flame when Sam suddenly screams out in pain. Talk about unfriendly fire.
While Sam worries his little soldier is going to look like it got blasted with buckshot after spending 21 days in America's Wild West, medics were on hand to provide some pain relief.
Check out the clip ... Sam's somehow able to keep a sense of humor as the medical staff did their thing down below.
Laughter really must be the best medicine, 'cause we can't figure out how he managed a smile.
The new season premieres Sunday and Discovery tells us Sam and Lilly are put through the wringer during 3 weeks in New Mexico ... where they get blasted with snake poop, deal with plummeting temperatures and are stung by scorpions.
Something tells us Sam, and his scorched tip, had the worst experience. 🔥
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'Flavor of Love' Star Deelishis Niece Killed In MSU Mass Shooting
Families are left devastated after a mass shooting at Michigan State University ... and "Flavor of Love" star Deelishis says her niece was among the 3 students killed.
Deelishis first posted Monday night, asking her followers to help locate her niece in the chaos following initial reports of the shooting. She wrote, "My beautiful niece @ariellediamond_ is a student at MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY… she was in her classroom in the same building as the active shooter and we have not heard from her."
She continued, "If you know her whereabouts please dm me … in the meantime my family and I ask for your prayers 🙏🏼❤️‼️ #MichiganStateUniversity #ArielleDiamond"
Unfortunately, her niece Arielle never made it out ... the reality star later pinned a comment by another family member that said, "my sweet beautiful niece... RIP baby girl".
As we reported, a gunman -- identified by police by police as Anthony McRae -- went on a shooting rampage at MSU Monday night ... killing 3 students and critically injuring 5 others.
Hours later, he died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Right now, cops are investigating the incident and have not yet found a motive for the tragedy.
RIP
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Bill Maher Women Have Been Played by Tinder But In-Person Dating Coming Back
Bill Maher is OLD-SCHOOL -- he says men as a group are like heat-seeking missiles when it comes to sex, whereas women prioritize communication as an entry point. He thinks women got the short end of the stick over the last 10 years, but it's changing.
The "Real Time" host delivered his Valentine's Day message Friday night, grousing that the phone has been used by men to satisfy their basic instinct ... and women have played along.
Bill generalizes that women like communication ... something that just doesn't happen when the options are either "yes" or "next."
But he says there's a new/old trend -- courting people in person -- and it's kinda hilarious. Markets that have narrow isles so people can feel each other's energy. His Home Depot story may piss off lots of people, but in fairness, it's really funny.
Oh, and there's this. He says the evidence was there all along. If any guy took notice of "The Bachelor" and 1,000 other dating shows, they'd know there's still a market for meeting at the market.
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Shawne Merriman 'Bachelor Bowl' Had More Action Than Pro Bowl ... It Was 'Crazy'
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Anyone looking to watch hard-hitting football should've tuned in to a dating show instead of the Pro Bowl ... so says ex-NFL star Shawne Merriman, who tells TMZ Sports he was blown away after watching "Bachelor" contestants duke it out on the gridiron.
In case you missed it, Lights Out and Antonio Gates coached up Zach Shallcross' ladies for a full-contact football game (dubbed the "Bachelor Bowl") during last week's episode ... with the winning team getting extra time with the bachelor.
We spoke with Merriman about his appearance on the popular show ... and he says he was shocked to find out the ladies were going to play REAL football.
"I thought it was gonna be like a two-hand touch, flag football kinda thing," Shawne told us in Phoenix. "I had no idea it was like a real game."
Of course, the NFL recently decided to switch the annual Pro Bowl to a flag football format ... which has fans split on whether it's as entertaining.
One thing's for sure -- Merriman says anyone tuning in to "Bachelor" got their fix of big hits and brutal blows.
"The Bachelor game was more physical than the Pro Bowl, which is crazy!!"
Merriman said he got to know all the women competing for Zach's love ... and admits "he's gonna have a problem" because every candidate is a great pick.
"He's gonna have a real issue."
Shawne -- who went to three Pro Bowls during his career -- went into detail about the NFL's all-star game ... and he said the event simply isn't as big of a deal as it used to be.
"It's unfortunate," Merriman said. "I hate to sound old school or sound like one of the older guys, but when we went to the Pro Bowl, it meant something. You wanted to showcase your talent. You were the best at that position."
Merriman says he could see the event getting canned altogether ... which is pretty sad because it used to be such a special time of the season.
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'Little People, Big World' Zach Roloff Undergoes Brain Surgery ... 'Scary 72 Hours'
Zach Roloff, known from the show "Little People, Big World," took a pretty frightening trip to the hospital ... getting emergency brain surgery.
His wife Tori gave fans an update on the "scary 72 hours" on Thursday ... saying Zach underwent an emergency shunt revision operation. She also shared some pics of him in the hospital, hooked up to monitors while his head's wrapped up.
She says she's hoping for a quick and easy recovery, and thanks everyone for their prayers -- adding Zach's a "rockstar" for everything he's gone through. She also gives a shoutout to the neurosurgeon team for their huge help.
Tori even gave a big thanks to Zach's mom, Amy, for holding down the fort -- and Amy responded, "You're a trooper as well Tori. I'm glad I could be here so you could be there with him 💙."
For those unaware, Zach's shunt was put in to help drain cerebrospinal fluid ... he's had it since he was a kid, and even had corrective surgery for it way back in 2006 -- during the first season of the hit reality series.
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TERESA GIUDICE MERCEDES STOLEN FROM NJ HOME
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'Real Housewives' star Teresa Giudice is down a set of wheels ... her Mercedes-Benz was stolen from her New Jersey estate, and now police are working to get the whip back.
Sources with direct knowledge of the investigation tell TMZ ... Teresa's luxury car was stolen overnight Monday, when intruders came onto her $3.35 million property in Montville, NJ and drove off with her Benz.
Our sources say police were called and cops are currently investigating the incident, as well as working to get the car back to the 'RHONJ' star.
As for which Mercedes was stolen, that's unclear ... Teresa has had a G-Wagon for a while, but her hubby, Luis, gifted her a white Benz sedan for Christmas in 2021 when they were still engaged.
The good news ... law enforcement already has some early leads, because we're told there is surveillance video from Teresa's home capturing the crime and the suspects on camera.
We reached out to Teresa's attorney, James Leonard, and he had no comment.
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'Bachelor' Star Rachel Recchia No, I'm Not Dating Clayton, But ... Clarifies Reunion Rumors
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Rachel Recchia is NOT back with Clayton Echard ... despite the 'Bachelor' stars suggesting their romance was alive and well in a recent video.
We got Rachel in Bev Hills where our photog asked if she was back together with Clayton, this after they seemed very cozy -- he had his arm around Rachel in "Bachelorette" Michelle Young's TikTok post.
While Rachel made it seem like things between Clayton and her were super complicated in the social media clip, the real story is different -- she tells us they're just friends.
As 'Bachelor' fans know, Clayton broke Rachel's heart in season 26 ... with Clayton confessing he slept with her and Gabby Windey before leaving both behind in favor of Susie Evans.
Rachel says it's taken a lot of time and a lot of healing to get over such a public diss.
Clayton's out of the picture, romantically, but Rachel still tried to keep it coy when it comes to her dating life. Although, we pressed for an answer, and she finally gave up the goods.
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'Pez Outlaw' Steve Glew I Want Jack Black To Play Me ... In Potential TV Series
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"Pez Outlaw," Steve Glew is thrilled his incredible story is hitting the mainstream thanks to a new Netflix documentary ... but he's got his eyes on bigger things, and already has a big-name celeb he wants to see play him on TV.
Steve tells TMZ ... he's been waiting 25 years for his story to be made into a documentary, and he's in preliminary talks to create a narrative TV show about his life ... and he wants to cast Jack Black as himself.
Netflix is getting rave reviews for Bryan & Amy Storkel's doc on Steve, "The Pez Outlaw," the story of how he made a ton of money selling rare Pez dispensers back in the day.
While Steve doesn't want to jeopardize his potential TV series deal ... our sources tell us Steve's in talks with CBS Studios and Andy Samberg's production company, Party Over Here.
Steve tells us why Jack would be the perfect actor to play him ... explaining he's the right guy to capture all of Steve's idiosyncrasies and bring him to life.
The Pez story is pretty wild ... Steve went to Europe in the '90s and smuggled back tons of rare Pez dispensers to sell to American collectors ... with some folks shelling out as much as $11,000 for a single dispenser.
Steve says he thinks the Netflix doc will inspire more folks to get into collecting Pez ... and he tells us why he warned current collectors to buy whatever they have their eyes on ASAP, before the documentary came out.
No word if Jack's a big Pez fan ... but Steve tells us what happened to most of his personal collection.