Reality TV

No, Kim Kardashian and Kylie Jenner did NOT apply for unemployment benefits ... but some goon in Michigan managed to defraud the state out of thousands of dollars using the famous names.

So, check this out ... someone filed a couple of unemployment claims back in May 2020 under "Kimberly Kardashian" and "Kylie Jenner" with an address in Traverse City ... four hours northwest of Detroit.

Thing is ... nobody checked if the claims were legit before paying "Kimberly" and "Kylie" some 8 weeks of backdated unemployment pay ... to the tune of more than $7,000 each.

The payouts, BTW, hit the bank accounts just days before the state's fraud management software flagged the claims because the agency needed additional ID verification. But by then it was too little, too late.

Apparently, the unemployment agency's been rife with fraud. As the Detroit News first reported ... the agency approved thousands of claims at the height of the pandemic well knowing nearly 10% would be fraudulent claims.

So, why approve all the claims? Because if the agency had to sort through it all and ID fraudulent claims it would have held up thousands of legit claims.

And that's how this "Kardashian" and "Jenner" got paid ... not to mention some other goofball's fraudulent claim ... which included copies of a fake ID with a photo of "The Office" star John Krasinski.

"American Pickers" will remain a one-man show for the foreseeable future ... 'cause TMZ's learned it has no plans to bring back Mike Wolfe's ex-cohost Frank Fritz, and it has nothing to do with their fallout.

Sources close to the production tell TMZ ... Frank stepped away from the show a while back to deal with health problems that required back surgery. This, on top of already dealing with Crohn's disease. Frank hasn't appeared on the show since a March 2020 episode.

When Frank stepped away, we're told the show had to go on. They continued filming with just Mike at the helm.

Frank had been a staple on the show since 2010, but recently said he hasn't spoken to Mike in 2 years ... and his old cohost didn't reach out after the surgery. Frank's since lost nearly 70 pounds through exercising in an effort to have a better handle on his Crohn's battle.

It's no secret the ex-'Pickers' duo hasn't gotten along for years, but our sources say Frank's only off the show because he left to tend to his health. Although, he recently said he'd like to be back, we're told producers feel the show's doing fine with solo Mike.

Frank's speculated Mike's angling to get his own brother, Robbie, as a cohost -- he has been on the show lately -- but we're told that's not happening either.

The only replacement Mike's made in his life so far is with his new girlfriend ... after his wife filed for divorce.

Sheree Whitfield's in talks to rejoin the cast of "The Real Housewives of Atlanta" after a few seasons away, but only if she's guaranteed lotsa screen time ... TMZ has learned.

Sources close to production tell us she's been communicating with 'RHOA' producers over the past several weeks about coming back, but reports that she's 100 percent confirmed to return are inaccurate.

We're told it's looking good, but she only wants to be part of Season 14 if she's cast as a regular housewife again ... and won't sign on the dotted line unless producers are on board with that.

You might recall, Sheree was a full-time housewife during seasons 1 through 4, but returned in season 8 as a "friend of the show." She regained full-time status for seasons 9 and 10 before leaving once again.

As we first told you ... Sheree got back together with her old BF, Tyrone Gilliams, earlier this year after he was released from prison. Our sources say her relationship with him will be a major storyline if Sheree returns, and that she wouldn't have even considered coming back if he was cut out of the picture.

Tyrone was sentenced to 10 years in 2013 for wire fraud, but got sprung early due to COVID. He's still on home confinement in Philadelphia, so he'd only be featured when Sheree's visiting.

"Songland" winner Greg Scott is baffled and justifiably upset the Jonas Brothers' new track is replacing his song as NBC's Olympics anthem ... but even worse, he says he's heard nothing but crickets from the Peacock.

We got the season 2 "Songland" winner Friday outside Mastro's in Bev Hills, and wanted to get some clarification on why his song "Miracle" -- the track that won NBC's songwriting competition show -- got shelved in favor of the Jo Bros.' "Remember This."

In short, Greg's confused about the ordeal and adds nobody at NBC has reached out to clear it up. In fact, he says he found out about the 'ol switcheroo on Twitter. Oof.

ICYMI ... "Miracle" was selected by Bebe Rexha as the winner of the series back in April 2020. Bebe said she would cover the track and it would then be used to promote the summer Olympics on the network. It should be noted, the episode was taped before the COVID-19 pandemic forced the 2020 Games to be postponed.

Clearly, Greg was under the impression the song would still be used to promote the Games in 2021, and NBC suggested as much when "Miracle" was used in a commercial confirming the games were pushed to 2021.

Fast forward to now ... Greg says he's bummed because the promotion could have been a life-changing achievement.

We asked if he thinks it's a coincidence the J Bros. track emerged as the chosen anthem last month ... and one month after NBC announced a new competition series featuring the brothers.

Greg has strong feelings about that, and while he isn't shading the Jonases -- he does wish the network stuck to what he'd been told.

Ramona Singer's apprehensive about the 'Real Housewives of NYC' reunion taping, because she believes Eboni K. Williams is going to try to make her look racist ... TMZ has learned.

Sources close to production tell us ... Ramona recently went to 'RHONY' producers to express her concerns about potential racial talks during the reunion -- specifically, that Eboni might attack her and frame her as a bigot.

We're told Ramona attempted to negotiate terms in order to avoid topics such as race during the Bravo special, but producers shot that down and said they'd never agree to that.

Our sources say Ramona accepts that, and has no plans to dodge the reunion -- she just wanted producers to know how she feels.

Of course, there's been a lot of drama surrounding the reunion already ... as it was scheduled to film in early August, but got bumped to September. Fans are speculating it's either due to low ratings or strife among the cast, but we're told it's simply due to "scheduling conflicts."

We broke the story ... Eboni fired back at those blaming the ratings slide on her race convos, saying it's on producers to decide what makes the final cut.

Eboni also appeared to throw shade toward her fellow housewives Thursday, when she posted a photo of her and Crystal Kung Minkoff -- the first Asian-American housewife on 'RHOBH' -- and wrote, "These deranged bigots are just mad AF that their days of dominance are coming to an end."

She included the hashtag #TimesUpOnWhiteSupremacy too, but didn't call out anyone by name.

Musical heavy-hitters Alanis Morissette and will.i.am are teaming with Grimes and FOX to reinvent the singing competition show ... as they all serve as judges on "Alter Ego."

Elon Musk's GF is making a rare TV appearance for the new series, which will have aspiring singers trying to wow the judges -- like most singing shows, but this one's got a twist. They won't perform as themselves ... but as their dream avatars.

The idea is "Alter Ego" will give singers a chance to show how they've always wanted audiences to see them ... with the help of motion capture technology.

98 Degrees singer Nick Lachey will also be on the judges' pane, and Rocsi Diaz is set to host.

If the premise sounds a little out there, well ... that's what folks thought about "The Masked Singer" too. For that matter, the same has been said about Grimes and Elon ... but they don't seem to mind.

Caitlyn Jenner is between a rock and a hard place, but she's trying to make the most of it -- appearing on Australia's 'Big Brother' while still trying to become Governor of California.

Sources close to Caitlyn tell TMZ ... her trip Down Under to participate in "Big Brother VIP" will in no way stop her current campaign. Critics are ripping her decision to shoot the series, claiming it shows she's not focused.

We're told she made the commitment to do 'BB' before deciding to run for governor ... so she's simply honoring her contract.

Meanwhile, some Aussie's are also not happy with Caitlyn flying to Sydney to take part in the reality show ... while the country's current COVID flight restrictions limit locals from traveling.

Many have expressed their outrage, feeling Caitlyn got special treatment to fly to the country while Aussies desperate to fly to visit loved ones aren't able to do so.

Jenner has reportedly begun her mandatory 14-day quarantine before filming begins for "Big Brother VIP." We've reached out to see how long she anticipates filming, and when she plans to return to the U.S. ... no word back yet.

Whitney Collings -- one of the early members of TV's "Bad Girls Club" -- died from a toxic mix of booze and hard drugs ... including fentanyl and cocaine.

According to her death certificate, obtained by TMZ, Whitney's immediate cause of death was acute intoxication by the combined effects of fentanyl, cocaine, alcohol and clonazepam ... which is a prescription medication used to prevent/control seizures and prevent panic attacks.

Whitney died at Melrose-Wakefield Hospital in Boston. The manner of death is listed as accidental and she was buried in Peabody, MA on December 10.

Interesting side note: Her occupation is listed as sales in the cannabis industry. Recreational weed is legal in Massachusetts.

TMZ broke the story ... Whitney died on December 3 at the age of 33. Her mother revealed the news on Facebook, saying "I am completely broken and will never get over this. Life is so unfair. She was kind with a big heart."

Christina Haack and Ant Anstead have already moved on to new relationships following their divorce ... and now we know what goodies they're bringing with them.

TMZ's obtained new legal docs showing the division of property among the ex-couple, which show the "Flip or Flop" star got to maintain ownership of 4 California properties and one in Tennessee.

According to the docs ... Christina also got a Range Rover and a Bentley, and got to keep her wedding ring.

Ant's walking away with 100 percent ownership of his businesses -- including a media production company -- and SEVEN vehicles ... a Range Rover, Land Rover, 2019 Lotus Type 62, Alfa Romeo Tipo, 1958 Porsche, Ford Mustang and a Comet.

As we previously told you ... Christina and Ant's divorce was finalized last month, and the 2 will be sharing custody of their 1-year-old son, Hudson. Neither has to fork over any dough for child or spousal support either.

Since the divorce news, the exes have revealed they are both dating someone else already.

'Real Housewives of New York City' star Eboni K. Williams says all her talk about racial issues on the show has nothing to do with their poor TV ratings ... she says that's all on producers.

Eboni tells TMZ she shouldn't be the scapegoat for a declining TV audience just because she doesn't make final cut decisions about what ends up airing ... but the producers do.

The way Eboni sees it ... 'RHONY' has tackled tons of sensitive issues over the years -- like mental health, alcoholism, bankruptcy and divorce -- so race shouldn't be any different.

If you didn't know ... 'RHONY' TV ratings are down, and fans have been speculating all season it's because Eboni seems to lay it on thick.

Sources close to the cast tell us some cast members are also tired of that storyline coming up on every episode. We're told they think 'RHONY' should be light-hearted, fun entertainment ... with a bit of drama, of course -- but Eboni says that's not up to her or her castmates.

There's clearly a rift growing, as Eboni says she feels demonized by some of the 'housewives' and some viewers. She adds ... if some of her castmates didn't show up for shoots with microaggression, there wouldn't be a need for the constant race discussions.

Something's gotta give.

Safaree and Erica Mena's bitter divorce has gone from mudslinging to bleach pouring ... according to Safaree, who claims she destroyed his expensive sneakers and motorbikes.

Safaree filed docs asking the judge to hold the 'Love & Hip Hop' star in contempt for violating their domestic relations standing order, which prohibits them from harassing each other or destroying each other's property during the divorce.

In the docs, obtained by TMZ, Safaree says Erica did him, and his stuff, dirty back on May 23, just 2 days after she filed for divorce. He alleges she damaged $30k worth of custom sneakers by pouring bleach on them and cutting the laces.

That was just her warm-up, allegedly. Safaree claims Erica also destroyed 2 motorcycles and a four-wheeler motorbike by pouring paint all over the motorcycles, and directly into the exhaust pipes and gas tanks of all the vehicles. He says her goal was pretty clear -- render his beloved bikes useless.

Safaree points out Erica was 8 months pregnant, with their second child, when all this alleged mayhem went down -- and he claims their home security cameras recorded all of it, and he's more than happy to turn that footage over to the court.

He wants the judge to force Erica to reimburse him around $50k for the damage.

Besides the money, Safaree also mentions the possibility he'll report her to law enforcement -- he's considering pursuing felony charges for criminal destruction.

He adds, Erica's attempting a narrative in the public that she's overwhelmed with taking care of their newborn, but apparently “has ample time to engage in disruptive and intentional acts to vilify and disparage” him. He also claims she has changed the locks and security codes on the home they shared.

Erika Jayne was on a pandemic walk with Kyle Richards, and as soon as her mask came off ... the tears started flowing over allegations her divorce is a total fraud.

"The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" star had a couple of emotional breakdowns on Wednesday night's episode, but the big one came at the park with Kyle ... when she let out how lonely and overwhelmed she's feeling.

If ya don't recall ... Erika filed for divorce from her attorney husband, Tom Girardi, in November, but shortly afterward she was sued for allegedly hiding assets in a "sham" divorce. Not long after that, Tom's assets were frozen and he's under criminal investigation amid accusations he stole money intended for the families of those killed in the 2018 Lion Air Flight 610 crash in Indonesia.

But, Erika denied her divorce is a sham to Kyle -- mind you, this was shot months ago -- and says she could not have predicted what's happened to her. She's also clearly stressed over the fact she's a possible target of a federal criminal probe ... and feels like a pariah.

She tells Kyle ... "And, you would be shocked at how quickly people turn on you, how quickly people distance themselves from you."

Erika seemed to be on a spin-doctoring mission ... she also FaceTimed with Kyle and Lisa Rinna during the episode to say how horrible she was feeling about being sued, and all of the allegations swirling around her.

She reiterated that her divorce is not a sham and things being said about her were wrong ... and also claimed she "wouldn't f***ing know" how to hide assets anyway.

"Seeking Sister Wife" star Dimitri Snowden appears to have been abandoned yet again ... 'cause his OG wife just declared herself single.

Ashley Snowden announced her "truth" on Wednesday saying she's single. She didn't include any other deets on what her sitch is with Dimitri or what led to the split, but her Instagram post included a massive caption which included "that may make this world a kinder place for everyone, especially people who are experiencing trauma."

She kicked off the IG post saying, "My truth, because misinformation is harmful: I'm single and grateful for life." It should be noted ... Ashley and Dimitri were never legally married. Instead, they apparently opted for a spiritual union. They had called themselves husband and wife on the TLC reality show.

The former couple were recently in the limelight when Dimitri's other wife -- legally, btw -- Christeline Petersen filed for a restraining order against Dimitri and Ashley.

As we reported ... Christeline accused Dimitri of domestic abuse and also claimed Ashley shoved and threw a bottle at her while also being verbally abusive. The judge ended up dissolving the restraining order she filed against him.

The whole ordeal ultimately led Dimitri to file for divorce from Christeline back in May ... claiming she "abandoned their marriage" and "he doesn't know her whereabouts."

Joe Exotic just caught a potential break, and while he's not walking out of prison today ... he might get out a little bit sooner.

The federal appeals court in the 'Tiger King' star's case just upheld his conviction for murder-for-hire, but there's a silver lining ... his 22-year sentence has been vacated, and he'll be resentenced.

According to legal docs obtained by TMZ ... the appeals court reviewed Joe's case and upheld the conviction, but determined the U.S. District Court for the Western District in Oklahoma City made a technical error by not grouping the 2 murder-for-hire convictions at his sentencing.

So, Exotic's original sentence will be tossed, and the case is getting sent back to the lower court ... where he'll likely receive a shorter sentence now.

That's the good news, but ... even after the grouping error is corrected, he's looking at a sentence in the range of 17-21 years. Joe was convicted of murder-for-hire after all.

Still, Joe's legal team is celebrating the W. His appellate lawyer, Brandon Sample, tells us he's pleased with the appellate court’s decision. He says, "I knew when I agreed to represent Joe that an appeal would be difficult, but I also knew that the law was on Joe's side."

Sample adds, "I am optimistic that the decision today is but one of many more victories to come for Joe—and his eventual freedom."

"Bling Empire" will have a bit of a different look for the upcoming second season ... because Chèrie Chan and Jessey Lee tell us they're leaving the Netflix show.

Chèrie and Jessey tell TMZ ... they've decided to move on to focus on their family, business and other endeavors. As 'Bling' fans know, Chèrie proposed to her baby daddy, Jessey, on the season one finale, so now they're engaged with 2 kids.

Chèrie and Jessey tell us they're grateful for being on the first season of the Netflix series and they wish "Bling Empire" success in season 2 and beyond.

There was already speculation the couple wouldn't be coming back for season 2, and the fact is they don't have any real financial incentive to remain on the show. If ya didn't know ... Chèrie is an heir to a denim empire.

Kim Kardashian just landed the big one -- in modeling, at least -- for her shapewear line, and TMZ's learned she took matters into her own hands to make it happen.

If you haven't heard ... Kate Moss, one of fashion's biggest names for decades, is the new face of SKIMS this summer. The news is a major deal because she doesn't normally do campaigns like this ... not even for Victoria's Secret.

Sources close to Kim's company tell us ... the boss lady reached out directly to Kate, because she's always considered her THE fashion icon and it's been Kim's dream to work with her.

Fortunately, as Kim herself tweeted, they've had a good rapport since meeting in 2014 and becoming friends ... and Kate said yes to her SKIMS pitch.

We're told Moss shot the campaign a few weeks ago in London, just before the gal pals were spotted on the Pope's turf in Vatican City.