Reality TV

With Chris Harrison stepping aside for Matt James' "After the Final Rose" ceremony, it's up in the air who will fill his shoes -- but we've learned it might be someone outside the franchise.

Sources directly familiar with the production tell TMZ ... ABC appears to be seeking someone who's not part of 'Bachelor' nation to replace Harrison for the swiftly-approaching shoot. That means no former bachelors, bachelorettes or their suitors ... no matter how popular they are.

Essentially, our sources say producers now seem to have their sights set on someone without ties to the series -- but who's still part of ABC's talent pool. That said, they did make a run at one alum.

We're told Rachel Lindsay -- the first Black 'Bachelorette' -- was asked to take up the mantle, but she declined. She's publicly suggested they consider FS1 sports analyst Emmanuel Acho -- who's not only Black, but also outspoken on issues of race. Let's face it, that's going to be a major topic when cameras roll for 'ATFR.'

Despite Rachel's endorsement, Emmanuel's rep tells us no one's reached out to them yet.

Fans have also been clamoring for Tayshia Adams -- the second-ever Black 'Bachelorette' -- to step up in Harrison's place. She's been vocal about the show's racism controversy lately, but producers have not tapped her

It's unclear if ABC's specifically looking for a POC for this gig -- but all signs seem to point to that being highly considered. It's gonna be a sensitive episode ... not just because of the Harrison fallout, but a potential faceoff between Matt and Rachael Kirkconnell, who's rumored to be the winner.

'Real Housewives of Atlanta' star Sheree Whitfield is free to love whoever she wants ... now that the guy she wants is free from prison!

Sheree's boyfriend, Tyrone Gilliams, tells TMZ ... he was released from prison in Kentucky last week and ever since then he's been spending lots of QT with Sheree. We're told they've mostly been spending time in Philly ... going out and enjoying cheesesteaks, naturally.

We're told Sheree's helping him acclimate back into life on the outside ... which includes helping him catch up with the latest technology.

True 'RHOA' fans know Tyrone and Sheree dated briefly nearly a decade ago, but he cut off contact when he realized the feds were going to indict him in a wire fraud case. Tyrone was ultimately sentenced to 10 years back in October 2013.

They reconnected around her birthday in 2016, and decided to start dating again -- which meant communicating as much as possible, and Sheree visited him in prison.

Things went south, though, in 2018 when Tyrone says he lost an appeal ... so they stopped dating.

Now that Sheree's single and he's scored an early release -- due to COVID spreading in prison -- he says the time was right to rekindle that old flame.

The pesky murder hornets that made it to North America last year are NOT all dead and gone -- in fact, a battle's being waged to contain the danger.

We spoke to renowned Washington state beekeeper Ted McFall Tuesday on "TMZ Live" about the new Discovery Channel documentary, "Attack of the Murder Hornets." He says enough have made it over here now to the point that different nests have developed.

Pros like Ted are addressing the crisis now ... however, he fears if they don't get it under control quickly, the U.S. honeybee population could be in serious jeopardy -- which eventually impacts our food supply too.

You might not realize it, but honeybees are a HUGE part of what keeps a lot of our crops growing at the rate they do. Murder hornets can easily wipe out colonies of bees, and that's why they're such a menace.

You'll recall, scientists in Washington state set out on a weeks-long mission late last year to snatch up as many murder hornets as they could find in one woodsy section of Washington, right on the Canadian border.

They thought they'd gotten them all in that one fell swoop, but had to go back later to retrieve a lot more of these hornets ... including hundreds of queens!

Turns out, those weren't the only ones out there -- and now, a black (and yellow) cloud hangs over the area.

'Bachelor' Matt James is finally opening up about Chris Harrison excusing historical racism and Rachael Kirkconnell's racist behavior ... calling it incredibly disappointing and devastating.

Matt didn't mince words expressing his disappointment in Harrison over how he conducted himself in an interview with Rachel Lindsay -- the first black 'Bachelorette' -- as they discussed photos showing Kirkconnell attending a 2018 antebellum south party.

The 'Bachelor' said, "Watching Chris's failure to receive and understand the emotional labor that my friend Rachel Lindsay was taking on by graciously and patiently explaining the racist history of the Antebellum South, a painful history that every American should understand intimately, was troubling and painful to watch."

Matt said he's glad the controversy has, at least, sparked critical conversations and raised important questions ... but he's still in the middle of processing all of this as a few more episodes remain on his season of "The Bachelor." He also thanked 'Bachelor Nation' for their solidarity on an issue that has left former black contestants divided on how to proceed with the host's future.

The return of "The Real Housewives of Miami" will not feature the return of 2 big names from its original run -- Lea Black and Joanna Krupa.

Production sources tell TMZ ... the timing simply doesn't work out for Lea, an OG Miami Housewife, because she spends several months out of the year on the opposite coast at her L.A. home.

As for Joanna -- who starred on seasons 2 and 3 of the show -- we're told she has no interest in coming back ... plus, she no longer calls Miami home. She says as much herself, telling TMZ ... "In 8 years I have grown a lot as a person and my priorities in life have changed especially after having an amazing little girl. I love to work, I have great and long-lasting TV shows in Poland, and continue doing other projects."

She adds this about 'Real Housewives' ... "Women need to uplift and support each other and I would never at this point in my life consider doing a show that would cause me stress and engage in unnecessary drama. I wish everyone luck and huge success that will be part of the reboot." Lea didn't get back to us with official word, but we know she's not participating.

Our sources say over the past couple months, casting producers have reached out to several other former 'RHOM' cast members to gauge their interest in the reboot ... but it's shrouded in mystery who's in and who's out, other than Lea and Joanna.

Rumors are swirling Larsa Pippen may return, and there could be some notable newcomers ... like Phil Collins' ex, Orianne Cevey.

It looks like "Selling Sunset" star Christine Quinn will have a new storyline when the hit show returns to Netflix for season 4 ... 'cause TMZ's learned she's pregnant.

Sources close to the couple tell TMZ ... Christine and her tech millionaire hubby, Christian Richard, are expecting their first child together. Our sources say Christine -- who proudly wears the villain badge -- is well past her first trimester in the pregnancy.

No word yet if they're having a boy or a girl. Christine and Christian's marriage in December 2019 was featured in the season 3 finale.

As true "Selling Sunset" fans know ... Christine, as is her nature, went all out with extravagant overtures at her DTLA wedding ... like wearing a glitzy black wedding dress and having black swans at the ceremony.

"1000-Lb. Sisters" star Tammy Slaton got left in the dust by her on-screen boyfriend, Jerry, after revealing she was pansexual -- but the guy didn't dip over that ... TMZ has learned.

Jerry Sykes tells us ... yes he did leave Tammy and end their relationship -- as depicted in Monday night's episode on TLC -- but it's not for the reason everyone may think ... namely that she revealed she's attracted to all types of people, which seemed to throw him off.

You'll recall ... Tammy made the reveal, which was teased in a clip over the weekend. Jerry seemed especially dumbfounded Tammy said she'd date a transgender person. Once the episode aired, viewers found out he ended up breaking things off and moving out.

Not only did it upset Tammy, but viewers were left wondering about the timing -- y'know, since Tammy had just come out and been honest about her sexuality earlier in the episode. He wants to set the record straight though ... this ain't over pansexuality.

Jerry says he needed a break because he felt guilty about a previous relationship -- his marriage, no less -- and had to make amends there before he could proceed with Tammy.

As of February -- some three to four months AFTER the pansexual episode was shot -- we're told Jerry and Tammy were still not romantically involved. It's unclear if they're still communicating at this point ... but whatever he had to deal with then is still being handled.

Jerry's at-home drama lies in his estranged wife, Kia Russell-Rucker Sykes ... who tells TMZ she found out about Jerry's relationship with Tammy through TV and friends -- which came as news to her when she first learned about it, sometime during season 1 last year.

Kia says they separated, and she believes Tammy's a homewrecker. That said, she says she and Jerry still talk ... and that he helps her out financially. Seems like they're on decent enough terms -- especially since Jerry came back to deal.

'Bachelorette' star Clare Crawley and Dale Moss are hanging out again after their break-up ... hitting a bar in Florida less than a month after going their separate ways.

TMZ's obtained these pics of Clare and Dale inside Nokomo's Sunset Hut in Nokomis, FL ... we're told they walked in together Tuesday and even hugged a few times.

Folks who were there tell us Clare and Dale downed a couple of Moscow mules as they hung out by the bar for about 45 minutes, then they left together and walked down the waterfront.

No reports of hand-holding, but you can see in the pics ... there was no social distancing going on between them.

It's pretty interesting to see Clare and Dale enjoying each other's company once again. Remember, he ended their long-distance relationship last month ... after she quit in the middle of her season of "The Bachelorette" because she knew she wanted to be with him.

A dancer who once appeared on "Dance Moms" has been arrested for sexual battery on 2 of his underage students.

25-year-old Kevin Cosculluela was arrested on multiple counts of sexual misconduct last week in Orange County, FL ... including sexual activity with a 16 or 17-year-old child. He's also facing charges of solicitation of a minor and lewd and lascivious conduct.

According to the arrest warrant, the guy allegedly abused 2 underage dance students in 2020, one of whom he's accused of engaging in oral sex ... and allegedly exchanging nude photos with the other.

In the docs, obtained by TMZ, cops say the alleged victims met Cosculluela at a dance studio called Peaches Dance and Music in Orlando -- where they claim he took them under his wing for private lessons.

Police say one of the girls claims things escalated between them -- they started talking more, and eventually moved things over to Snapchat. The girl claims he got her to his apartment and talked her into performing oral sex. She claims that happened twice.

The other alleged victim says things never got physically sexual with Cosculluela -- but does allege he solicited nudes from her, and that one time ... he got on top of her while they were clothed on his bed.

Both alleged victims claim he would become angry and verbally abusive whenever they refused his demands, and they were afraid of him.

Monday night's 'Bachelor' had all the usual stuff -- cocktail party, a group date, and a couple rose ceremonies -- but there was NO reference to the fact host Chris Harrison is stepping away.

'Bachelor' Matt James went about his reality dating show biz as usual, and there was no statement -- from producers, ABC or Harrison -- addressing Harrison's alleged excusing of historical racism.

As we've reported ... Harrison has stepped away from his 'Bachelor' duties amid the backlash he's received since his Extra interview last week with former 'Bachelorette' Rachel Lindsay, during which many people believe he downplayed current contestant Rachael Kirkconnell's past. She was photographed at a southern plantation-themed party in 2018.

Now, most of Matt's season has already been filmed -- so Harrison's absence won't be felt on camera until the 'After the Final Rose' episode. Still, many fans expected a statement added either before or after last night's episode.

Many fans and even its current cast have vowed to not watch the rest of this season in solidarity with the perceived mistreatment of cast members of color. Then again, the presence of Kirkconnell -- who advanced to next week's hometown visits -- might attract more viewers.

Teresa Giudice and her boyfriend just took a big step in their business relationship ... they bought a home together ... so Joe who?

The "Real Housewives of New Jersey" star and her BF, Luis Ruelas, are listed as the owners on the property record for a $3,350,000 for a pad in Montville, NJ.

A source close to Teresa tells us Luis invests in real estate, and the couple's latest venture is an extension of that. We're told Luis plunked down the cash for the home and Guidice will likely act as the property manager.

The home is 7,728 square feet with 7 bedrooms plus a library, theater, gym, 6-car garage and a pool decked out with waterfalls, a slide and a cabana.

Teresa didn't have to look far for the nearly 6-acre estate ... it's just 3 homes down from the property her brother, Joe, and sister-in-law Melissa recently sold.

Our sources tell us Teresa and Luis are NOT currently living in their new home, and it's unclear if they plan to move in at some point or try and flip it. Real estate's generally a solid investment.

Chris Harrison excusing historical racism has left former Black contestants from the franchise divided on how to proceed with the host's future -- some say he needs teaching, others want him gone for good.

We spoke to several Black 'Bachelor' and 'Bachelorette' alums from recent years, and the consensus is they're disappointed with the longtime host's downplaying of Rachael Kirkconnell's past ... which many have called straight up racist.

We're told Chris' apparent lack of interest in understanding why Rachael's prior actions were upsetting ... came off as him talking down to the Black community.

So, what does that mean for his future on the shows? Well, Marshana Ritchie ('Bachelor,' Season 12) and Leslie Hughes ('Bachelor,' Season 17) tell us Harrison needs a long break, and a lot education on Black history ... plus, sensitivity training before he returns.

Marquel Martin ('Bachelorette,' Season 10) and Robyn Jedkins ('Bachelor,' Season 17) both think Chris should be given a second chance -- and probably shouldn't be burned at the stake, but they add ... he needs to do better at understanding the Black perspective before speaking on these issues again.

Fan fave Mike Johnson ('Bachelorette,' Season 15) says he wants to see Chris do work in the African-American community before coming back, while genuinely attempting to connect to Black viewers ... who might see the show as skewed toward white audiences.

Now for some of the harsher takes, courtesy of DeMario Jackson ('Bachelorette,' Season 13) and Jubilee Sharpe ('Bachelor,' Season 20) ... they both want Chris gone permanently.

DeMario and Jubilee tell us they don't think Chris should be allowed to return as host, and that 'Bachelor' execs should turn the page entirely ... both in a new host, and a new environment within the franchise that's more inclusive of POC, from the top-down.

Jubilee says she sensed producers tended to focus more on the white, blue-eyed/blonde contestants more than anyone else. DeMario echoed that to us, and went on to say it was time 'Bachelor' producers truly cater to Black people if they really want to make them part of the fan base. Up to now, he feels it's been a lot of pandering.

Tammy Slaton, one of the stars of "1,000-lb. Sisters" has come out as pansexual.

Producers released a clip of an upcoming show, in which Tammy opens up to Jerry, her boyfriend of 2 years, saying, "It means love is love," adding, "I would date anybody, whether they're transgender, straight, gay."

Tammy's sister, Amy, and her husband, Michael, are seated at the restaurant along with Tammy and Jerry.

Tammy explained in another interview how she came to her realization ... "I always thought I was bisexual, and then I started talking to one of my friends and she told me she was pansexual, and I asked her kind of what it meant."

She goes on ... "It means you love everybody, not just the same sex. And I was like, 'Well, I guess I am too," because I wouldn't mind being with someone who's transgender, or whatever."

Chris Harrison is stepping away from 'Bachelor' duties -- including moderating the 'After the Final Rose' ceremony -- and is once again apologizing for defending a contestant's alleged racist past.

The longtime 'Bachelor' host issued a new, lengthier apology Saturday ... this after he posted a quick one on Instagram a couple days ago that many felt was not up to par in addressing his recent remarks. Some said he was dismissive and excusing of racist behavior alleged against Rachael Kirkconnell -- one of the final few women vying for Matt James' heart.

Chris' statement is much more heartfelt than perhaps his initial remarks. He says ... "I have spent the last few days listening to the pain my words have caused, and I am deeply remorseful. My ignorance did damage to my friends, colleagues and strangers alike."

He goes on to say by excusing historical racism, he defended it ... and now realizes that was wrong, especially doing so in an interview with none other than Rachel Lindsay, the franchise's first Black 'Bachelorette.' He says he's been educated and open to being taught more about this topic, and promises to be more mindful about these issues in the future.

That said, Chris also broke some news about his time on camera ... saying, after consulting with ABC execs, he's decided it's best if he skips the 'After the Final Rose' ceremony, where the lead man/woman gets to reflect in front of a live studio audience.

It's unclear how long Chris plans to be absent from the series -- usually, 'The Bachelorette' starts taping immediately after 'The Bachelor' wraps. In any case, he's taking some time off.

Now, as for what the heck this is really all about ... Chris basically stepped up to defend Kirkconnell after old photos of her at a college antebellum party surfaced -- which many say celebrates the South's racist past, and is part of Confederate culture. It's a bad look.

There's also a TikTok video out there that chronicled Kirkconnell's social media history -- including stuff she'd posted and liked in recent years ... and there appears to be a lot of pro-Trump stuff, Confederate flag backdrops, MAGA shots and Blue Lives Matter posts.

She's also alleged to have made fun of white friends of hers in high school for dating Black guys -- but the evidence for that seems to be a little thin and less documented.

She'd been mostly silent over all the outrage that had been building, until Friday ... when she issued this statement and an apology -- copping to some of the social media activity, but not all of it.

Kirkconnell says a lot of the posts and behavior she engaged in occurred when she was young, and says she's a different person now ... realizing the hurt she inflicted. She notes her apology doesn't mean she's deserving of forgiveness, but she's asking for it anyway.

Bam Margera just went on a nearly 10-minute tirade -- about his own suicidal thoughts, and about being pissed he's been shut out of "Jackass 4."

Bam railed against the studio and producers behind the 'Jackass' franchise ... claiming they used his ideas for the new film, but didn't include him in it. He begged fans, "If anybody cares about me don't go see their movie" -- and asked for money to make a competing project.

As you can see in the series of videos Bam posted, which have since been deleted, things took a very serious turn when he talked about previously having suicidal thoughts. He said things got so bad ... his wife, Nikki Boyd, found him online searching how to tie a noose. At one point in one of the videos ... he appears to almost throw up.

Bam, who in the past has struggled with substance abuse, said 'Jackass' put him through hell for a year and a half ... and he claims he was forced to take anti-depressant pills while filming past projects. He says he found happiness again after moving to San Diego and getting off those meds.

Now, it's highly relevant that Bam admitted to chugging a glass of wine and 7 beers before posting these videos, he said he found it ironic he couldn't be in "Jackass" because he claims he was told he was being a jackass on TMZ. He also referred to himself as a villain.

Kim Kardashian sent a flowery token of appreciation to hospital staff who've been on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic for nearly a year now.

Sources with knowledge tell TMZ ... Kim had a photoshoot earlier this week for an upcoming project, with an abundance of gorgeous flowers on a set designed by celeb florist Jeff Leatham.

Instead of just tossing the flowers out after the shoot was over, we're told they whipped up dozens of bouquets and delivered them to frontline workers at the USC Verdugo Hills Hospital ... along with a thank-you note.

Hospital CEO Keith Hobbs presented the early Valentine's Day gifts to his staff, including RN Catherine Pradt and several others.