Reality TV

Erica Mena won't be on MTV's waves anymore, 'cause she called a Black woman a monkey on one of their biggest reality shows ... and the network's fired her over it.

The longtime 'Love & Hip Hop' fixture was cut loose from her current iteration of the popular show -- this according to the official 'Love & Hip Hop' account itself ... which just announced her departure Saturday.

The message reads, "The Love & Hip Hop franchise has never shied away from hard conversations in our community. Working hand-in-hand with our partners, viewers will see the impact of Erica Mena's remarks play out in the final three episodes of the season."

They add, "Effective immediately, she will not appear in the next season of Love & Hip Hop Atlanta." It's unclear if this means Erica won't/can't appear in other 'L&HH' series ... there are a lot of versions of it, and she's bounced around from coast to coast since way back in 2011 -- when she first started to appear in the franchise.

The news comes on the heels of a recent episode that aired, showing Erica fighting with fellow costar Spice -- with whom she gets into it over fractured family dynamics ... and whether her son loves her or not. Spice suggested he didn't ... and it sent EM into a rage.

During the brouhaha -- which saw Erica flip a table -- Erica called Spice a monkey ... and that appeared to rub people the wrong way on set. BTW, Spice is Black ... and Erica is Afro-Latina, coming from Puerto Rican/Dominican ancestry ... which complicates this a bit.

Anyway, that exchange drew a lot of backlash, with many calling for Erica's job ... and it sounds like the 'L&HH' honchos have given in to their demands. Strangely enough, now their decision is catching some flak as well ... as some argue the whole thing feels calculated.

Namely, many are accusing 'L&HH' producers of being exploitative -- having had this footage for a while, airing/marketing it for views ... and seemingly only responding to the public reaction. In any case ... Erica's out of there -- capping off a turbulent 2 weeks for her.

Remember, she was just arrested a little while ago for a brawl at an Atlanta club that allegedly resulted in her attacking police officers. Other 'L&HH' stars were busted too.

Shanna Moakler is narrowing down Travis Barker's "urgent family matter" that has Blink-182 postponing concerts ... she says the kids they have together are safe and sound.

The drummer's ex-wife told a photog in Los Angeles Friday that Travis' family issue doesn't involve their son or daughter, and she says tons of folks have been reaching out to her for clarity.

Shanna says whatever Travis is dealing with that forced him to leave scheduled tour stops in Europe and return to the United States ASAP must be serious ... and she's praying everything is good with Travis, his immediate family, Kourtney Kardashian and their pregnancy.

As we reported ... Blink-182 suddenly postponed three shows due to an unspecified "urgent family matter" involving Travis.

Kourtney's pretty far along in her pregnancy with their first child ... and Travis posted photos of a prayer room before the concert news broke ... though no one is saying what caused the postponement.

But, Shanna's reporting everything is good with her side of Travis' family ... so that narrows it down a bit.

Paul Staehle's family is worried sick about him ... because he's a world away over in the Amazon and now appears to be lost in Brazil.

The "90 Day Fiancé" star's mom, Edna, tells TMZ ... Paul has been traveling in Brazil since the end of July, but on Thursday morning he sent his family some alarming texts.

We're told Paul told his mom he needed her help and was lost in the South American country ... telling her needed a boat and giving her contact info for a few folks he said might be able to help him get out of his situation.

It's pretty alarming on its face, and Edna says Paul has since gone radio silent ... she can't get in contact with him and it appears his phone is off, lost signal or is out of battery.

Paul's mom says she reached out to the folks Paul said could help him ... but she hasn't heard squat from them either.

Meanwhile, Paul's wife Karine is alerting her family in Brazil that her famous husband might need assistance ... we're told she's in the United States and doesn't know if Brazilian authorities are actively searching for Paul.

Karine is also clouding the picture with some cryptic posts about him ... seemingly adding to his mother's angst.

TMZ broke the story ... Paul and his son were named in a missing persons police bulletin in 2022 in Kentucky, but they eventually turned up.

Kim Zolciak says it wasn't Kroy Biermann's idea to sell their house that is teetering on the brink of foreclosure ... it was hers.

Kim hit up Il Pastaio Friday night, and she said flat out ... the decision to sell their home was mutual.

TMZ broke the story, Kroy has filed for divorce a second time, although Kim has been acting like it's only a matter of time before he pulls the plug on it again. She's been wearing her wedding ring -- though not last night -- and is pooh-poohing the notion they're really getting divorced.

Kroy's lawyers have a different take ... they're saying Kroy is as serious as a heart attack ... he wants out.

At least from the filing, it looks pretty nasty.  He wants sole custody of their minor children and exclusive use of their home, for as long as they have it.

Kroy locked Kim out last month and left her pillow on the doorstep.  She called the cops.

The stars have been workin' their hineys off and deserve a time-out to toss up their pretty little tootsies and have a relaxing Labor Day weekend! So, sit back and treat yourself to these beautiful babes taking it easy in lounge chairs.

Where there's a cushion, there's a Kardashian ... all 5 sisters can be seen with their famous buns planted in the sun ... and, both Gigi Hadid and Jordyn Woods followed suit ... mellowing out from their usual grooves to firmly situate themselves!

Kyle Richards is opening up about her separation from longtime hubby Mauricio Umansky, admitting it's been "very hard."

The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star did a Q&A fan chat on Amazon Live Wednesday, providing new insights into her break up with Mauricio after 27 years of marriage.

Kyle went on to explain she and Umansky are still in love and continue to co-parent their 4 kids.

She said, "Obviously, we care about each other a lot. You saw, here we are on vacation together," referring to their current summer getaway in Europe as a family.

As we reported, Kyle and Mauricio separated last month after 27 years of marriage -- despite admitting they've been going through a rough year together, they both denied the rumors that they were getting a divorce.

We've also seen them hanging out with the rest of their fam during their vacay ... cheesing on a boat in Positano with their kids last week.

Ne-Yo's ex, Monyetta Shaw-Carter, is opening up about what led to their breakup -- at least from her POV, it was about overcrowding in the bedroom ... as in, too many threesomes!!!

Monyetta was a recent guest on the "Haus of Aaron" podcast, where she poured some alleged tea, claiming Ne-Yo reneged on his promise for them to star on "The Real Housewives of Atlanta" as a couple ... out of fear his music career would be tarnished.

As for the threesomes ... Monyetta says she was open to allowing others to participate in the bedroom, but saw red flags when Ne-Yo attempted to make it a regular thing.

Monyetta says she was totally down for it a couple times a year, but any more than that made her feel inferior in the relationship ... so, she cut her losses.

We just spoke to Jidenna about having multiple sex partners -- as he's been using his own experiences with polygamy to drive his music. His expertise is pretty much aligned with Monyetta's POV ... if the woman's unhappy, things likely won't last.

Josh Seiter says he didn't correct the fake death post about him for a full 18 hours because his priority was figuring out who hacked into his Instagram account ... it's all very puzzling.

The ex-'Bachelorette' star appeared on "TMZ Live" Wednesday and we peppered him with questions about the long, long period of radio silence ... both from him and his family.

Josh says he was trying to manage a ton of texts and calls from concerned friends/family, which raises the question ... why didn't someone he called tell media outlets -- including TMZ -- the death post was a hoax?

Fact is ... we called Josh just after the death announcement was posted, but didn't get a call back until the next day. We also called family members, and they either hung up or said "no comment."

He recognizes he's going to get scrutinized, but he says he handled it the best way he knew how and is standing firm -- he was hacked.

Kim Kardashian isn't keepin' up with her former hubby, Kanye West ... because we've learned she isn't the least bit concerned about his recent wardrobe malfunction overseas.

Sources close to Kim tell TMZ ... she isn't staying up to date on Ye and his personal business -- unless, of course, it's on the topic of co-parenting.

For those unaware, there were reports Kim was embarrassed and disturbed after Kanye's naked butt was exposed while on vacation with his boo, Bianca Censori ... but our sources say any talk about Kim being concerned is simply untrue.

We're told she sees Ye's crack slip as an unfortunate wardrobe malfunction, but sources note Kim wishes him and Bianca the best as they continue to enjoy their Italian getaway.

As we reported, Kanye and Bianca were on a water taxi in Venice on Monday when he likely felt a breeze from behind ... but he didn't seem to care, because he wasn't doing a lot of adjusting while taking a ride.

Kim Zolciak is, at least publicly, acting like there's hope she and Kroy Biermann can resolve things, and he'll pull his divorce docs again, but he's not seeing it that way at all ... TMZ has learned.

We heard from Kim -- who was still wearing her wedding ring -- Monday at LAX, and she gave off very optimistic vibes when asked if Kroy might have a change of heart about his second divorce filing.

Well, we asked Kroy's legal team if he had any plans on pulling the divorce ... and they didn't mince words. Kroy's attorney, Marlys A. Bergstrom, tells us, "No, at this time, he is still moving forward with the divorce action."

It's likely a devastating blow to Kim, and unless Kroy's holding back information from his lawyer ... the estranged couple is definitely not on the same page about their future.

TMZ broke the story, Kim and Kroy filed separate divorce petitions back in May, but eventually worked things out and decided against the split in July.

However, s*** hit the fan for the couple this month, prompting Kroy to file for divorce once again.

If Tom Brady ever wants to add another ring to his collection, he's a perfect candidate for "The Bachelor" ... so says the dating show's host, Jesse Palmer, who tells TMZ Sports the G.O.A.T. would be a "legendary" lead.

The former NFL quarterback and Season 5 star of the ABC series believes there are actually a couple signal-callers who could go from throwing the pigskin to handing out roses -- Brady, Justin Herbert and C.J. Stroud.

In fact, Palmer says the handsome Chargers standout would be a "producer's dream" ... 'cause they could pay for all the dates and trips throughout the season with help of his $262 million contract!!

"You actually could not script a better setup," Palmer says. "That would be incredible for ratings, and also amazing for our budget."

Herbert has kept his dating life pretty private ... and despite a few rumors, he hasn't gone public with anyone during his NFL career.

Same goes for Stroud ... so Palmer thinks the No. 2 overall pick to the Houston Texans could also thrive in finding love as he kicks off his NFL career.

Brady has gotten back in the dating game after his divorce from Gisele Bündchen was finalized last October ... and was recently spotted enjoying his time with model Irina Shayk.

But Palmer says the 7-time Super Bowl champion gets his stamp of approval to be on the show ... as long as Irina gives the go-ahead as well.

"There is the Irina Shayk issue," Palmer adds. "But if she's willing to kind of just chill out for a couple months of filming, I think we're solid."

Palmer says the show could film at any of Brady's houses ... which would also be a huge positive.

"Again, very budget-friendly. Tom Brady would be good."

We also talked to Jesse about College Colors Day coming up on Friday ... and he breaks down how fans and alums can show school pride ahead of the new season, and score a chance to win tickets to the national championship game in the process.

Jenelle Evans is dealing with every parent's nightmare -- her son Jace has gone missing twice in the last two weeks -- getting cops involved to help track him down.

Jenelle's manager, August Keen, tells us 14-year-old Jace left Jenelle's North Carolina home Monday to roam around their extensive property. After several hours without contact, Jenelle became worried and couldn't find her son ... forcing her to get the police involved.

Fortunately, we're told, Jace was located at a gas station about 10 minutes from Jenelle's home. However, we're told it's unclear if Jace was with friends or just wandered solo.

TMZ broke the story, cops were on the hunt for Jace earlier this month after he left school and couldn't be found. He was later located safely ... and Jenelle said the whole thing happened because she took Jace's phone away after he acted up in school.

Erika Jayne used Secret Service agents and American Express to extort money from a Hollywood designer, ruining his life and career in the process ... so says a new lawsuit.

The 'Real Housewives of Beverly Hills' star and two Secret Service agents are among those being sued by Chris Psaila, who claims Erika corrupted the agents and had them prosecute him over her claims that his costume company fraudulently charged her over $800,000.

According to the lawsuit, obtained by TMZ, Psaila claims Erika gave him and his store, Marco Marco, permission to charge her card for costumes and services he designed, created and provided for her performances ... and he says Erika's estranged husband, Tom Girardi, was the account holder and she was an authorized user.

Psaila claims he started working with Erika in 2014 and everything was kosher until she falsely claimed Psaila had racked up $800k to $900k in fraudulent charges on her credit card from 2015 to 2016.

Psaila insists Erika got every piece of clothing and services from these charges.

In the docs, he claims Erika and Tom weaponized the Secret Service to maliciously prosecute him ... believing the former couple bribed agent Robert Savage, then the head of Secret Service's Los Angeles office, to criminally investigate Psaila and ultimately charge him with crimes.

Psaila also claims AMEX accepted Erika's false statements of unauthorized charges and refunded Erika and Tom over $787k without giving the designer an opportunity to dispute her claims ... and he says AMEX told the Secret Service Erika was a victim of his fraud.

In his suit, Psaila claims Tom and Savage had a cushy relationship ... and he says Savage had his own "history of falsely billing for advance Presidential location scouting trips" that eventually forced him out of the Secret Service.

Psaila claims Tom bribed Savage to investigate him by agreeing to represent Savage in a lawsuit against Volkswagen, while also promising to pay Savage $100k when the investigation in Psaila started.

The designer says Tom and Savage's relationship was not disclosed when he was facing prosecution and says the criminal case against him was ultimately dismissed nearly 5 years after it started ... but he says he suffered extreme emotional distress, financial harm to his business, plus extreme emotional, psychological, and physical injuries as a result of the ordeal.

Psaila is going after Erika, AMEX, Savage and others for at least $18.2 million.

A rep for AMEX tells TMZ ... "In late 2016, federal law enforcement contacted American Express regarding its investigation into fraud by Mr. Psaila. While it is our policy to not comment on the specific activity on an individual Card Member’s accounts, we followed our regular processes and procedures throughout this investigation as we dealt with law enforcement. We did not initiate the investigation, nor did we proactively contact law enforcement, and the information law enforcement requested from us was typical in fraud investigations. We did not play any role in the criminal investigation of Mr. Psaila or his business other than responding to inquiries from law enforcement."

We reached out to Erika ... so far no word back.

A truly bizarre series of events surrounding "Bachelorette" contestant Josh Seiter, as the former reality star is actually alive, claiming his Instagram account was hacked ... after a full statement was posted announcing his death.

Seiter just posted a video, proving he's alive and well ... telling his followers he'd lost access to his Instagram account for 24 hours.

It was Monday afternoon when a lengthy statement was posted to Josh's Instagram saying, in part, "It is with an extremely heavy heart that we share the tragic news of Joshua's unexpected passing. As all who knew him can attest, Joshua was an incredibly bright light in an increasingly dim world." That post has now been deleted.

Josh says whoever hacked his account was playing a "cruel joke" and mocking his previous struggles with mental illness. He apologizes for the pain the alleged hacker caused ... and says he and his team are working to determine who posted the message.

What Josh doesn't make clear is why it took him 20 hours to address the hack, as multiple outlets across the globe published the story based on the statement.

Seiter -- who was eliminated on the first week of Kaitlyn Bristowe's season of "The Bachelorette" in 2015 -- has been open and honest about his struggles with his mental health over the years -- including bouts of depression and anxiety.

Kim Zolciak and Kroy Biermann might be in the middle of yet ANOTHER divorce, but you wouldn't know it by looking at her hand and listening to what she's got to say.

The ex-'RHOA' star and her daughter, Brielle Biermann landed at LAX Monday and were asked all about Kim's pending case -- after Kroy recently re-filed divorce docs.

Check this out, 'cause it's interesting -- when KZ is asked if she and Kroy are truly dunzo -- she makes sure to flash her wedding band, which Brielle explicitly points out as still "on."

Kim says she already knew Kroy was going to file again, but indicates she's not really worried about it ... and that, perhaps, he'll pull the docs.

The photog presses Kim on some underlying issues that seem to be affecting her marriage -- like finances, for instance -- and the matriarch says those sorts of weigh on all matrimonies.

Brielle's also got some financial issues of her own -- TMZ was first to report she's on the wrong end of a lawsuit from a credit card company -- but she says that's been handled.

One last thing that stands out in the chat ... Brielle pitches a potential new Bravo show that she thinks could benefit all the 'Real Housewives' kids -- and if Andy Cohen was receptive to it in a recent meeting Kim says they had ... she could be back on reality TV one day.

Lots to digest with this one -- we'll see how it all shakes out, but Kim sounds optimistic.

Paul Pierce is opening up on the most terrifying experience of his life ... revealing his near-fatal stabbing in 2000 shaped him into the man he is today.

The Celtics legend reflected on his past in an emotional conversation on Monday night's episode of Fox's celebrity competition show, "Stars On Mars" ... explaining the Boston nightclub incident -- in which he was stabbed 11 times -- completely changed his point of view.

"I've showed endurance in my life because I never gave up," Pierce said in the clip. "I kept going and going."

The Truth added he was at the "lowest point in my life" when he got in the altercation ... saying, "I was like 23 years old, living my dream, and then all of a sudden I'm fighting death."

But, instead of letting the stabbing derail his journey, Pierce said it made him want to work even harder.

"Not only was it a low point, it was a high point for me, too. It changed my thinking, it changed my mindset, it changed how I lived."

Pierce compared the stabbing to his experience on the show ... as he spent the first few days struggling to gain any ground, but persisted and made it to the very end.

"It's kinda been my life, starting at the bottom and rising up."

Pierce went on to play every game of the 2000-01 season ... eventually bringing a championship to the Celtics in 2008.