Reality TV

"The Masked Singer" is off and running -- and so are their wild card contestants ... one of whom locked lips once upon a time with Jenny McCarthy. Question is ... who??? 👀

Here's the deal ... we've learned there will be two costumed crooners on Thursday's episode that come out of left field and are unpredictable in every sense of the word ... making 'em way harder to figure out than perhaps any other masked singer in the past. But ... we have a really good clue.

Production sources tell TMZ .... one of these wild cards actually made out with JMC in the past. Now, that isn't to say you can look at Jenny's dating history and figure it out, because, let's face it ... making out and dating are not necessarily one in the same. HOWEVER, we're told it could be someone she dated ... emphasis on COULD.

There's the Jim Carrey era, the Brian Urlacher days ... and then the Chris Hardwick rumors from MTV's 'Singled Out' days. We're not saying for sure it's any of these guys  -- but this is something of a road map.  The question ... is this the right road?

BTW, related but unrelated ... there's this new costume this season that it's absolutely wild -- and unlike anything any of us have seen before.

They call it ... Mother Nature, and it looks like just it sounds. Word is, the 'Masked Singer' team has been trying to get this puppy showcased for years. We're told producers felt the getup might be cursed, because they tried it twice before but each time the contestant had to drop out right before the show for personal reasons -- one was a Golden Globe-nominated actress and the other was a 2-time Emmy-winning actress -- but now, it's finally happening.

Kim Kardashian is heading into Studio 8H at 30 Rock to do it 'Live' -- she'll be appearing on 'SNL' this season.

Kim's taking up hosting duties for an episode to air October 9 for the upcoming 47th season.

There's also this ... Kim's accompanying musical guest will be Halsey -- who's hosted before. She's been featured a handful of times as the music act, but handled hosting in early 2019. So, Kim can lean on her for some tips.

This seems impossible, but none of the Kardashians have ever hosted with the "Live from New York" crew ... Kim will be the first. Aside from acting in several skits, the thing everyone will be watching for is her opening monologue.

As for how this came together ... we know Kim and Kris Jenner had a face-to-face with 'SNL' honcho Lorne Michaels just last month in Bev Hills -- something their team played down by saying it was just a simple catch-up. Obviously, there was more wheeling and dealing going on during their convo.

Some of the other hosts for this season include Owen Wilson, Rami Malek and Jason Sudeikis. Musical guests include Young Thug, Brandi Carlile and Kacey Musgraves.

It also goes without saying, this is a little risky for Kim ... as she and her family -- including Kanye -- are frequently lampooned by 'SNL.' There's an entire running sketch they've brought back a handful of times over the years, where cast members play Kardashian sisters.

Nicole Richie is probably wishing for a fire extinguisher on her 40th birthday ... because her hair was set ablaze during her birthday dinner.

The actress posted a video Tuesday showing herself blowing out the candles on a cake to ring in the big 4-0 -- and all seemed to be going well, until she reached the final candle ... and flew a little too close to the sun.

Some stray strands of her locks made contact with the flame below, and the fire quickly jumped onto her body and started climbing up. It actually looks like the other side of her head might've caught fire as well -- but that was quickly put out by someone nearby.

However, her right side was still caught in the flame ... and she starts to scream as it spreads. The video cuts out before we can find out what happens next -- but we're assuming NR is okay.

Her caption to this read, "Well... so far 40 is 🔥." Pretty jokey, so you gotta figure she walked away from this relatively unscathed. Still, pretty freaky nonetheless.

Mama June's estranged BF appears to finally be getting the help he needs ... 'cause we've learned he's checked into rehab.

According to new legal docs, obtained by TMZ, Geno Doak was hospitalized in Fort Pierce, Florida earlier this month. It's unclear why he landed in the hospital, but we do know doctors there referred him to a recovery center in South Carolina, and he checked into that facility on Monday.

In the docs, the director of the center says Geno will be a resident in the long-term intensive program and be required to make a minimum of a 120-day commitment. But, he also has the option to stay for up to a year if necessary.

The program is designed to help individuals develop their capacity for a healthy transition to sober living ... and all residents are required to eventually seek employment and are encouraged to assume responsibility of themselves and their recovery.

The documents were filed to loop in the judge from Geno's crack cocaine case. As we reported ... Mama June and Geno were both busted outside an Alabama gas station back in March 2019 and charged with felony drug possession.

While their relationship status had remained unclear for months, it was back in August when June announced Geno was no longer a part of her life, so many fans assumed they split.

Geno was sentenced to 16 months in Macon County Community Corrections. He wasn't going to physically be behind bars, but had to follow a set of rules.

For instance, he was supposed to relocate from Florida to Alabama within 30 to 45 days of his July sentencing date ... but he failed to do so.

Farrah Abraham has her heart set on attending law school, possibly in the Ivy League -- on the heels of her Harvard beef -- and she says Harvard's fiercest rival is interested.

We got the former "Teen Mom" star at Debbie Durkin's EcoLuxe Lounge event at the Beverly Hills Hilton, and asked about her law school prospects. The headline here is Farrah's not soured on Ivy schools after experiencing what she calls "educational abuse" in Cambridge, MA ... and she might get the ultimate revenge at Yale.

Farrah says she's a wanted woman now that she's secured her transcript from Harvard, and she told us -- with a straight face -- Yale and several other law schools are recruiting her.

Laugh if you want, but Farrah does have a Bachelor's degree from the Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale which at least makes her eligible to apply at Yale.

While she seems open to giving the Ivy League another chance, it sounds like Farrah's leaning toward staying close to home in California ... because she thinks she would fit in better on a diverse campus. Plus, what Cali girl wants to brave a New England winter?!?

As we first told you ... Farrah trashed Harvard over what she says was a horrible experience with their online program, and even threatened a lawsuit.

Farrah tells us what type of law she would like to practice one day. Here's a hint: Anything goes!

As for her Harvard litigation -- sounds like that's on her back burner for now.

Rapper Mo Fayne's going to spend a long, long time behind bars, but if he expects a sigh of relief after his release he better think twice ... 'cause it won't be easy sailing once he's out.

According to legal docs, obtained by TMZ, the "Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta" star will be on a tight leash when he's done serving his 17.5-year prison sentence for his role in a PPP loan fraud case.

Pretty much everything in Mo's life will be under scrutiny during his 5 years of supervised release after he gets out of prison. One of the conditions is that Mo will have to participate in a mental health treatment program.

He'll also have to take part in a substance abuse treatment program and submit to testing to determine if he has used a prohibited substance. But, that's not all.

The rapper must also make full and complete disclosure of his finances and submit to an audit of his financial docs at the request of his probation officer. And, things will be a little complicated if he wants to get a new credit card because Mo needs the approval of his probation officer to incur new credit charges or open additional lines of credit.

As we first reported ... the 38-year-old was sentenced to 210 months in prison after he pled guilty to 6 counts, including bank and wire fraud. He's also been ordered to pay a huge restitution bill ... totaling a cool $4,465,865.55.

Ronnie Ortiz-Magro admits he violated his probation by getting arrested for alleged domestic violence, but this must be his lucky day -- because the judge is giving him another shot.

The 'Jersey Shore' star appeared in a Los Angeles courtroom Friday, where he admitted to his probation violation, which could have meant immediate jail time -- but, instead, the court's making this a teachable moment for Ronnie.

We got Ronnie going into court and he told our photog he was hoping for good news ... and he definitely got some.

You'll recall, the D.A.'s Office said Ronnie violated probation in his domestic violence case with his ex Jenn Harley ... when he got arrested for an alleged incident with Saffire Matos, his latest GF.

On Friday, the judge ordered Ronnie to take 26 parenting classes, and there's now a 3-year protective order in place so he can't harass or intimidate Saffire. The judge also gave him credit for completing a rehab program in Florida, so he won't have to spend 30 days in jail.

As we first told you ... Ronnie claims he's since cleaned up his act and he's getting ready to return to the reality TV show that made him famous.

Ronnie's attorney, Scott Leemon, tells TMZ ... they're happy the court was satisfied with Ron's completion of a rehab program. We're told Ron's now been sober for 5 months and is deciding to continue with counseling as he focuses on being a better family man.

Melissa and Joe Gorga are saying goodbye to some of the best views NJ has to offer ... 'cause they've put their crib on the market.

The 'RHONJ' stars are selling their 7-bedroom, 5-bathroom mansion in Toms River, NJ for $2.9 million. Helluva deal considering the traditional, 2-story home offers picturesque panoramic views of the Barnegat Bay and 165 feet on the Bayfront.

The home, sandwiched between 2 mega-mansions, sits in a cul-de-sac ... so it offers decent privacy. But, the best part, the 17,424-square-foot lot offers room for the new owner's boat! Yep, boat lift and dock included.

Not in the mood for a boat ride or saltwater swimming? Enjoy the backyard with a huge pool.

The place oozes luxury thanks to a spectacular chandelier and ritzy light fixtures throughout.

There's also a majestic fireplace in the living room and a 2-car garage.

Freddie Combs -- the minister who became a fan favorite on the second season of "The X Factor" thanks to his heavenly voice -- has died ... TMZ has learned.

According to his wife Kay ... Freddie died last Friday surrounded by friends and family at a hospital in Florida. She tells us his death was not Covid-related, but the result of kidney failure.

Kay says Freddie was diligently working on his weight loss over the past 11 years -- he had weighed over 900 lbs, getting all the way down to 385 lbs. -- and she's very proud of him. Sadly, she says she knew he was going to pass the day before he did, adding ... "I have so much gratitude to be his wife for 25 years and to be his best friend."

You may recall ... Freddie wowed the judges and audience during his 'X Factor' audition in Season 2 of the U.S. series, as the 540-lb. minister belted out a beautiful rendition of "Wind Beneath My Wings."

Simon Cowell and L.A. Reid promised to back him if he promised to get healthy, lose weight and get out of his wheelchair ... and Freddie vowed to do so.

Though he was eliminated shortly after, his story inspired many folks because he'd already lost more than 400 lbs. since 2009 ... when he topped 920 lbs.

Freddie and Kay, who struggles with weight issues as well, were also featured on a 2010 TLC special called "Ton of Love."

He was 49.

Kat Von D's tattoo parlor must have 9 lives ... a car slammed into the barbershop right next door to her place -- and while it's total deja vu to Kat, the barbers just kept on cutting through the crisis.

The former "L.A. Ink" star owns the famous High Voltage Tattoo in West Hollywood, and the pigment parlor just missed getting smoked by a wayward car Tuesday -- by just a few feet, it ended up crashing into Trendsetters Barbershop.

That would seem like a pretty good reason to call it a day, but this is Hollywood, baby ... and the show must go on!

As you can see, barbers were still cutting heads on one side of the shop ... while a silver Infiniti and smashed glass was on the other.

It's not the first time Kat's tattoo shop has narrowly avoided an outta control vehicle. As we reported, way back in 2007, the business next to Kat's was hit by a truck. It's the same exact address as the barber, but back then it was an Edible Arrangement store.

Jenn Harley won't be dragged into court over her domestic violence case from earlier this year -- because the charges have been dismissed.

According to the Clark County District Attorney's Office ... prosecutors are dropping the 2 criminal counts they'd filed against her this summer -- assault with a deadly weapon constituting domestic violence (a felony) and misdemeanor battery constituting domestic violence.

Unclear why they're letting it go -- we're trying to get clarity from the D.A. -- but in any case, Jenn is walking free from this one.

You'll recall, Harley -- who shares a daughter with "Jersey Shore" star Ronnie Ortiz-Magro -- was arrested and subsequently charged after her now ex-BF, Joseph Ambrosole, claimed she pointed a gun at him and threatened to pull the trigger during a nasty altercation while out on the town.

He also alleged she dropped the n-word repeatedly while doing so. This, of course, followed what we were told amounted to Jenn driving off with Joseph's car and leaving him behind following an argument they had at an establishment.

All the fighting was supposedly over Jenn's drinking -- something she'd addressed by checking into rehab. Her attorney, Michael Cristalli, had also told us the domestic violence charges against her wouldn't stick because they were "unsubstantiated."

The funeral service featured in the Netflix reality comedy series "Buried By The Bernards" is being accused of a colossal screwup ... a family claims they were sent the wrong ashes.

Alfred Velasquez tells TMZ … his mother, Anita Velasquez, died in February from kidney failure and was cremated through R. Bernard Funeral Services in Memphis, the place featured on the Netflix show.

The Velasquez family claims they picked up the ashes from the funeral parlor in March, but when they went to spread them on their late mother's birthday in July, they noticed a tag with a different person's information.

We're told the Velasquez fam had traveled all the way to Florida to spread the ashes in the ocean as one of Anita's last wishes, and when they noticed the issue, they reached out to the funeral home.

The family claims they were told the company would look into it and get back to them ... but we're told the funeral home called back and said the family had the correct ashes.

Nevertheless, the company offered to reimburse him $2,000 for the funeral expenses.

The family's since made a complaint with the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance and we're told the family is considering their legal options.

According to legal docs, R. Bernard Funeral Services says the family received the correct ashes, but another person's papers were accidentally placed inside the urn.

We reached out to the funeral service ... so far, no word back.

"Tiger King" zookeeper Erik Cowie doesn't have any family ... meaning his body could go unclaimed at the medical examiner's office following his death. Enter Jeff Lowe.

Jeff tells TMZ ... he does NOT want Erik's body to be dumped in a mass grave just because he doesn't have a family. Jeff says he plans to give Erik a proper sendoff and will do so by claiming his remains.

We're told Jeff and Lauren plan to pay to have Erik cremated once the autopsy is completed. Soon after ... Jeff wants to have a memorial service at his zoo in Thackerville, Oklahoma.

They're considering having the memorial service streamed on Facebook Live so friends and fans can take part. The plan then is to spread Erik's ashes with his favorite cat that died last year. The Liger's name is Django.

We checked New York Law and it does indeed provide that when there's no family, a close friend can claim a body. Erik's remains have not been claimed as of Saturday at 9:58 AM ET.

TMZ broke the story ... Erik was found dead last week in NYC. Erik, a fan favorite on the Netflix documentary, was in town visiting a friend when he was found at her apartment.

Cesar Millan is in the throes of a lawsuit over his pit bull severely biting a promising gymnast, who alleged this dog not only has a history of extreme violence, it allegedly attacked and killed Queen Latifah's dog and he then, according to the lawsuit, tried to cover it up.

Lidia Matiss claims in 2017, she went to her mom's office building in Van Nuys, CA, a building she says is owned by Cesar. Lidia says she was visiting her mom, who worked for Cesar.

She says she encountered Cesar's pit bull, Junior, who was roaming the halls unsupervised and unleashed. She says the dog attacked her, repeatedly biting her on the legs, including her left calf. She went to the ER and it became apparent ... her injures were severe.

The lawsuit says Lidia was a "star gymnast" who performed at a Level 10 ... the highest level in the USA Gymnastics Junior Olympics Programs. She says she was being actively recruited by the University of Pennsylvania, but everything changed with the dog bite. She could no longer compete due to the extreme pain she was enduring.

Lidia -- repped by attorneys Omar G. Qureshi and Brian M. Adesman -- says Cesar knew Junior had a history of violence yet regularly allowed the dog to roam free. She says the dog had bitten several people and mauled several dogs, including one dog owned by Queen Latifah.

According to the lawsuit, Queen Latifah brought 2 of her dogs to Cesar's Dog Psychology Center in Santa Clarita, CA. She says Junior mauled one of her dogs to death, and Lidia claims Cesar covered it up by telling his staff to tell Queen Latifah the dog was hit and killed by a car.

Cesar filed an answer to the lawsuit, claiming, among other things, Lidia assumed the risk of being bitten because she knew of the danger. He also claims Lidia herself was negligent, although he doesn't say how.

Lidia says the bite left her impaired ... wounded, disfigured and she continues to suffer physical and emotional pain. She's suing for unspecified damages.

Kim Kardashian going to dinner mid-week isn't just a meal -- it's a head-to-toe fashion event ... especially when she's celebrating her friend's born day.

The middle K sis went out for a bite Tuesday night at Nobu in Malibu, where she was joined by her mom, Kris Jenner, and Corey Gamble ... who were all on hand to help celeb florist Jeff Leatham ring in the big 5-0.

Vanessa Bryant -- who is also very close with Leatham -- also shared a photo from inside the party with Kris and Corey.

Despite it being Jeff's day, it was Kim who upstaged everyone ... 'cause she showed up for chow in an eye-popping black ensemble, complete with a freakin' cape! Looks like she might've had a little 'Matrix' fever here or something.

Anyone else getting red pill vibes?

Anyway, cool to see her out and about -- feels like it's been a while since Kim's done dinner like this. She and Jeff are good palls ... they even rolled out a series of fragrances together earlier this year.

So, the occasion called for a "dress to impress" outfit and, as usual, Kim didn't disappoint.

Big Ed's had to go through some tumultuous times on reality TV to get there, but it looks like it's all worth it -- he's engaged to his girlfriend, Liz.

The former "90 Day Fiance" star and his GF were out at a nightclub last week in Santa Barbara, CA ... and Liz was flaunting a big rock on her wedding ring finger.

We're told they confirmed with folks there that they were getting married, and Big Ed was introducing Liz to people as his "beautiful fiancee."

If you aren't familiar ... Ed and Rose were the surprise breakout couple of '90 Day Fiance' in early 2020, but his controversial treatment of her ended with a breakup and an eventual apology from him.

Then, Big Ed met Liz and the 2 were featured on "90 Day: The Single Life" ... but their volatile relationship also ended with a split. They've clearly reconciled since then though ... and are getting hitched.