R. Kelly Asks Judge To Ban Jurors Who've Seen 'Surviving R. Kelly' Doc From Trial

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R. Kelly wants anyone who has seen the 'Surviving R. Kelly' docuseries to be banned as a potential juror in his trial ... saying there's no way they can give him a fair shot.

R. Kelly and his team filed a motion Monday to disqualify jurors who have seen any portion of the docuseries, as his 2nd federal trial begins in Chicago.

According to legal docs obtained by TMZ ... "any potential juror who has watched any portion of this docuseries must be disqualified for cause on whether they can be fair, too great a risk exists that such a juror would base their verdict on matters not introduced into evidence in the courtroom".

Kelly's facing charges of child porn and obstruction of justice ... and his alleged victim from his infamous 2008 case is expected to testify.

The docs state, "Any potential juror who has seen any portion of Surviving R. Kelly is prejudiced where there's no scenario which an individual exposed to the contents of Surviving R. Kelly can be impartial."

In other words ... his camp says there's absolutely no way anyone who has seen any parts of the doc can be fair, and they shouldn't be allowed to be jurors in the case.

His team claims there are episodes that talk specifically about his 2008 prosecution, in which he was acquitted ... and they say the docuseries also includes allegations that the government has said won’t be featured in this trial.

Jury selection is expected to begin Monday.

Trevor Bauer Assault Accuser Sues MLB Star ... For Battery

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12:51 PM PT -- 8/11 -- Bauer's attorneys, Shawn Holley and Jon Fetterolf, released a statement to TMZ Sports ... saying, "Lindsey Hill’s claims were judicially disproven last August following a hearing regarding a DVRO petition filed in bad faith."

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"She 'materially misled' the court and could not meet the lowest burden of proof in our justice system -- because her claims were false."

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They added ... "She is being sued for defamation to be held accountable for her lies and the damage it has caused. Her countersuit is a regurgitation of her judicially disproven claims and yet another attempt by Ms. Hill to defame Mr. Bauer and seek to profit from her lies."

Trevor Bauer's assault accuser is firing back at the MLB star after he sued her earlier this year ... filing a countersuit for battery against the Cy Young winner in Los Angeles.

Lindsey Hill, from San Diego, filed a lawsuit for sexual battery and battery in federal court on Tuesday, again alleging 31-year-old Bauer beat her up on two occasions during sex, punching and choking her.

Bauer's always adamantly denied the allegations, maintaining he and Lindsey had a consensual, sexual relationship. The L.A. county district attorney's office investigated Hill's claims and opted not to file charges against the Dodgers pitcher. A judge also denied Hill a restraining order, calling claims in the petition "materially misleading"

In Hill's newly filed civil lawsuit, she claims her "life has been turned into a nightmare by a powerful man who mercilessly battered her and counted on facing no consequences whatsoever for his despicable conduct."

Lindsey claims Bauer got physical with her on two occasions ... in April and May of 2021.

"Last year, disgraced Major League Baseball player Trevor Bauer violently and sadistically abused Hill in the most appalling manner imaginable, sexually battering and battering a defenseless woman."

Hill doesn't specify how much she's seeking in damages.

Back in April 2022, Bauer sued Hill claiming she made up the damaging allegations in an effort to derail his career and secure a payday for herself.

Despite not being charged criminally, Bauer was hit with one of the longest suspensions in MLB history ... two years without pay. Trevor immediately appealed the suspension .. which is still ongoing.

He'd be eligible to return about 20 games into the 2024 MLB season.

Originally Published -- 8/10 10:41 AM PT

Ja Rule Fires Back At Fat Joe ... I Wasn’t Cosigning Irv Gotti’s Ashanti Disses!!!

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Ja Rule is defending his name against Fat Joe’s scorn … after Joe Crack accused him of being a passive participant in Irv Gotti’s explosive “Drink Champs” interview about sleeping with Ashanti.

Fat Joe recently took to Instagram ... calling out both Irv and Ja — referencing Gotti as a straight “sucka” for kissing and telling about his previously unknown relationship with Ashanti.

But the Terror Squad leader didn’t let Ja off the hook either … slamming him for not silencing Irv before the interview got outta control.

The Murder Inc. rapper hopped in the comments of Hollywood Unlocked on Tuesday to defend his own rep writing, “STOP saying I didn’t defend sis and all women when I clearly told Gotti stop calling Ashanti/women the B word same way I told Joe at Verzuz watch the interview before you talk sh*t… NOW LEAVE ME TF OUT THESE GROWN FOLK BUSINESSES… ❤️”

Irv has been taking all sorts of heat since the interview aired, a moment that Joe says tarnishes Irv’s credibility regardless of his legendary work with Jay-Z, DMX and Murder Inc.

We recently spoke to Judge Mathis, who even went a step further and says Ashanti wouldn’t be foolish to pursue legal action if the fallout from the interview was causing her any stress.

When it rains it pours and it's currently hurricane season in Gotti's world, unfortunately.

Judge Mathis Ashanti Should Gag Irv Gotti’s Revenge Rampage

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Judge Mathis thinks Ashanti should put an end to Irv Gotti’s recent comments, which include spilling the deets on their past sexual relationship.

If you missed it, Gotti recently disclosed intimate details about his former relationship with Ashanti to the hosts of "Drink Champs." Among some of the claims, Irv says Ashanti's song, "Happy" was created after they had sex ... as you can imagine, a lot of Ashanti fans were pissed.

Judge Mathis was out in NYC Monday, and told our cam he'd advise Ashanti to send Irv a cease-and-desist or even go to court for a gag order. JM says he's not so sure about the validity of Irv's claims, but if Ashanti feels she's being defamed, she should put a legal end to it.

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We should say, Ashanti hasn't yet said anything publicly about her relationship with Irv since the Drink Champs interview dropped ... but it's clear where Judge Mathis stands.

WWE Exec John Laurinaitis Reportedly Fired ... Amid Misconduct Probe

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Longtime WWE executive John Laurinaitis -- recently caught up in a report alleging Vince McMahon paid hush money to former employees -- has reportedly been terminated by the promotion, according to PWInsider.

Laurinaitis -- a former wrestler who served in multiple roles with the company since 2001, including Head of Talent Relations -- was terminated recently, likely within the last week, per the outlet.

The split with Laurinaitis was handled quietly behind the scenes, the outlet reports ... and comes on the heels of McMahon's resignation as chairman and CEO of the sports entertainment conglomerate.

Laurinaitis's future with the company has been in doubt since The Wall Street Journal published the report ... accusing now 76-year-old Vince and John of engaging in inappropriate behavior with WWE employees.

Vince -- the face of WWE since 1982 -- has been accused of paying multiple women he allegedly had relationships with "hush money" ... in exchange for their silence.

"The board’s investigation, which began in April, has unearthed other, older nondisclosure agreements involving claims by former female WWE employees of misconduct by Mr. McMahon and one of his top executives, John Laurinaitis, the head of talent relations at WWE, the people said," a June WSJ article read.

Laurinaitis -- brother of late "Road Warrior Animal" Joseph Laurinaitis -- started as an in-ring performer with WWE ... before moving over to management.

As a result of WWE's investigation, Laurinaitis was removed from his role with the company ... and placed on administrative leave in June.

WWE has not publicly announced Laurinaitis' termination.

'CHEER' STAR JERRY HARRIS Prison Life Nothing to Cheer About

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Jerry Harris, star of Netflix's "Cheer," is getting a new routine ... and TMZ has a glimpse into his life in federal lockdown.

Jerry is about a month into his 12-year prison sentence in his child pornography case. He was recently transferred to a federal prison in Oklahoma City, where his daily life will be a huge culture shock.

Jerry's going to need to find a new way to stay active, because the only fitness opportunities are basketball, handball, walking and lifting weights.

Other ways to pass the time include hobby craft programs, board and card games, group discussion, letter writing and TV viewing ... but the inmates don't get to pick what's on the tube.

Jerry's got a new bedtime too ... lights go out at 11:30 PM on weekdays and 1 AM on weekends ... but there's no sleeping in ... he's gotta be dressed and out of his cell by 6 AM.

It's unlikely Jerry will make many friends on the inside ... guys who plead guilty to child porn aren't exactly welcomed by other inmates ... but he can see visitors on weekends and federal holidays.

Jerry's also hanging up the cheer uniform for standard prison garb, which he's got to wear from 6 AM to 4 PM during the week.

Outside those hours, he can wear clothes purchased through approved channels. Oh and he's getting a new barber too, one of his fellow inmates.

The Netflix money might come in handy ... Jerry can spend up to $360 a month at commissary ... or he can work and make well under 50 cents an hour.

'Ferris Bueller' Star Edie McClurg Allegedly Elder Abuse Victim ... Caregiver Allegedly Sexually Assaulted

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10:45 AM PT -- 8/3 -- The judge just granted a temporary restraining order, Ramos cannot contact Edie and must stay at least 100 yards away from her and her home. Not only that, it's been ordered Ramos must move out and not return. There's a hearing scheduled for next month.

Actress Edie McClurg has been victimized by a self-described longtime friend, who attempted to take her out of state and marry her, despite the fact that she suffers from dementia ... this according to new legal docs.

The docs, obtained by TMZ, state a man named Michael L. Ramos has been living at Edie's L.A. home as the 76-year-old actress battles dementia. According to the docs, Ramos, who is unemployed, has 'finagled' his way into Edie's life and attempted to move her out of California in order to marry her, despite knowing she lacked mental capacity.

Edie, who is under a conservatorship, got protection from a judge -- according to the new docs -- who ordered Ramos to stand down on his alleged marriage plan.

The docs go on to say, Ramos allegedly sexually assaulted Edie's caregiver, and a police report has already been filed with the LAPD.

The docs note Edie and Ramos have never been romantically involved, but the caregiver is fearful he may have been sexually assaulting Edie and -- given her condition -- she may not even realize what was happening.

The judge in the conservatorship case had allowed Ramos to live in Edie's home to provide her with companionship, but the lawyer for the conservatorship is now asking for an order to remove him.

TMZ broke the story ... Edie's family went to court back in 2019 to ask for the conservatorship, claiming she'd been living with a male companion who was verbally abusive and tried to influence the handling of her estate by getting her to sign documents.

Edie has been a staple in Hollywood, appearing in show like "Planes, Trains and Automobiles," and has done voiceover work in movies like "The Little Mermaid," "A Bug's Life," "Cars" and "The Rugrats Movie."

Originally Published -- 8/2 1:41 PM PT

Mystikal Arrested for Rape, DV in Louisiana

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Mystikal stands accused of rape again in Louisiana ... and he's back behind bars after a weekend arrest.

A rep for Ascension Parish Sheriff's Office tells TMZ ... the rapper was booked and processed Sunday on a first-degree rape charge, as well as charges related to domestic abuse, battery by strangulation, false imprisonment and property damage.

We're told no bond has been set, and he has yet to see a judge. As for what allegedly happened to spur this latest arrest ... the Sheriff's Office says their deputies responded to a hospital over a reported sexual assault, and interviewed the alleged victim themselves.

Based on that interview and apparent minor injuries that cops say this person sustained ... they felt there was enough there to go pick up Mystikal and slap the cuffs on him. The investigation is ongoing.

BTW, Mystikal has faced similar allegations in the past -- including somewhat recently. You'll recall ... he was charged with rape in the same state back in 2017 -- but beat the case when the charges were dropped for lack of evidence.

He was also accused of sexual battery in 2003, to which he pled guilty and served 6 years of hard time. We've reached out to his reps for comment, so far no word back.

Bob Dylan Accuser Drops Sex Abuse Suit

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Bob Dylan's sex abuse accuser is now singing a different tune -- she's dropped the lawsuit in which she claimed he had molested her back in 1965 when she was only 12.

As we reported back in August, the woman, identified only as J.C., filed a federal suit in Manhattan alleging Dylan plied her with drugs and alcohol, then escorted her to his Chelsea Hotel apartment and had sex with her while she was underage. She also accused Dylan of a pattern of abuse ... saying he used threats of violence to get what he wanted.

But, her allegations went out the window Thursday when she abruptly withdrew the suit after recently firing her lawyers.

Dylan's attorney, Orin Snyder, took a victory lap, telling TMZ ... "This case is over. It is outrageous that it was ever brought in the first place. We are pleased that the plaintiff has dropped this lawyer-driven sham and that the case has been dismissed with prejudice."

In a letter filed with the court Wednesday, Snyder attacked the accuser's credibility ... highlighting that she erased key text messages.

Dylan had maintained his innocence from the beginning, vowing he would vigorously defend himself. We reached out to the accuser's reps for comment ... so far no word back.

Gwenyth Paltrow Hey Hailey, I f***ed your Father!!! ... True Bathroom Humor

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Gwyneth Paltrow told a crappy joke to Hailey Bieber about sleeping with her father, Stephen Baldwin ... in a bathroom of all places, creating an awkward on-camera moment between the two.

The Oscar-winning actress appeared Wednesday on Hailey's vlog, "Who's in my Bathroom," and everything seemed normal going in.

Hailey gave a rousing introduction to Gwyneth, who walked out with a smile and warmly embraced the model.

The two sat down and began their chit-chat, and that's when things got really weird.

Gwyneth, who starred with Stephen in the 1994 film, 'Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle' with Hailey's dad ... referred to him as "great" and "so nice."

Hailey took the bait ... "I like hearing that. Imagine if you had some horror story. "He was terrible! It was a nightmare working with him!"'

Gwyneth then dropped the hammer ... "That would be bad. Or if I, like, f***ed your dad in the bathroom?"

Hailey tried to laugh it off, but she was visibly uncomfortable and delivered a word salad ... "I've had that happen to me actually. I don't know if he even knows that I know that. But, I've had that happen."

Gwyneth started laughing ... telegraphing it was only a joke ... "I didn't! I didn't!."

So, in the end, we ALMOST knew who was in Gwenyth's bathroom!

Kevin Hart Shames Ex-NFLer Over Nudist Colony Hobby With Wife ... 'You Hear Whatchu Sayin'!?!'

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Kevin Hart had a priceless reaction to ex-NFL player Channing Crowder's appreciation for nudist colonies ... going full roastmaster mode and clowning the dude on his own show!!

The ex-Dolphins linebacker opened up on his "The Pivot" podcast about how he and his wife of 11 years, Aja, like to take annual exhibitionist trips ... saying, "Once a year, we go to a nudist colony. We go to a place where like you walk in and everybody just gets naked and walks around."

Hart -- who was a guest on the podcast -- looked at CC in complete disbelief ... and asked, "You hear whatchu saying out loud, brother?!"

"Y'all just ... just hanging out, or y'all f***ing these people?"

Crowder admits there are some swingers around when they take their trips ... but explains they don't participate, they just "like being around naked people together."

When CC asks Hart if he's into that kinda stuff ... he shuts down the idea.

"To be honest with you, I have no desire to be around a bunch of people I don't know just sitting there naked," Hart said.

Hart then ends the funny convo with a joke, saying "I'm willing to bet a good number it ain't a lot of put-together people going through this little stage."

Hey, no shaming nudists over here -- to each their own ... but clearly, we aren't gonna see Kev in the buff anytime soon.

Elon Musk Denies Reported Affair ... I Haven't Had Sex in Forever!!!

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12:43 PM PT -- Elon's denying WSJ's report, responding to the article with a tweet and photo of himself and Sergey.

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Elon Musk is denying a report claiming he had an affair with a fellow techie billionaire's wife -- and claims the truth is ... he hasn't banged anyone in a while.

The Tesla chief responded to a WSJ story from this weekend, which cited sources saying Elon had hooked up with Nicole Shanahan, the wife of Google co-founder Sergey Brin. The paper says they had a fling in December 2021, when Nicole and Sergey were separated.

But, Musk's calling BS -- he tweeted Sunday he'd just seen Sergey at a shindig this weekend, and that he'd only encountered Nicole a handful of times in person ... none of which he says were romantic in nature.

Elon also says he's so damn busy lately, working long hours, that he doesn't have time for "shenanigans" -- also noting to some in his Twitter replies that he hasn't had sex "in ages."

We're not so sure about that -- fact is, dude is popping out kids left and right these days.

In any case, Elon says the entire rumor is nonsense and chalks up the Journal putting this out as another effort to hurt him and his company, calling it a short-selling ploy.

Nicole and Sergey haven't commented on the story -- another factor Elon says is suspicious ... namely, no one going on the record or being interviewed for the piece.

Originally Published -- 7:56 AM PT

George Foreman Two Women Are Extorting Me ... 'I Adamantly' Deny Their Sexual Abuse Allegations

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Boxing legend George Foreman says two women have made up claims that he sexually abused them ... all in an effort to extort him out of millions of dollars.

Sources familiar with the matter tell TMZ Sports ... a lawsuit against Foreman is expected to be filed in L.A. this week by two women whose fathers apparently had a friendship and working relationship with Foreman decades ago.

The suit, according to our sources, is expected to allege that Foreman sexually abused the women in the 1970s.

But, Foreman said in a statement on Wednesday that the allegations are flat-out not true.

"Over the past six months," Foreman said, "two women have been trying to extort millions of dollars each from me and my family. They are falsely claiming that I sexually abused them over 45 years ago in the 1970s."

"I adamantly and categorically deny these allegations. The pride I take in my reputation means as much to me as my sports accomplishments, and I will not be intimidated by baseless threats and lies."

Our sources say Foreman believes the suit and the allegations in it are all part of "a coordinated extortion plot" in which the women have asked him since January to pay them $12.5 MILLION each.

"I am, and always will be, guided by my faith and trust in God," Foreman said. "I will work with my lawyers to fully and truthfully expose my accusers' scheme and defend myself in court. I don't pick fights, but I don't run away from them either."

Foreman -- a former two-time heavyweight champ who went on to create the George Foreman Grill -- piled up a 76-5 record in his boxing career. He reportedly has a net worth of around $300 million.

Ne-Yo Passed on Lucky Daye ... He Didn't Respect My Bed!!!

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Ne-Yo is a famous conductor of talent and as fate would have it, he crossed paths with Lucky Daye long before the "Roll Some Mo" singer became a Grammy winner.

However, things didn’t pan out between them on the professional level, because of a very personal matter. Ne-Yo revealed what went down when he went on Fuzzy West and Quincy Harris' "FAQ" Podcast.

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He says he recruited Lucky in hopes of signing him, and even had him write Jaime Foxx’s part on 2008’s “Miss Independent Part 2” ... aka “She Got Her Own.”

In an act of friendship, Ne-Yo says he gave young Lucky access to his crib while he was away on business -- but with one very important restriction: do NOT treat my master bedroom like an OnlyFans set!

Well, according to Ne-Yo that's exactly what Lucky did, and that's when he knew their partnership was over.

Luckily, Mr. Daye bounced back … signing with RCA/Keep Cool and winning the 2022 Best Progressive R&B Album Grammy for his “Table for Two” LP.

As for his side of the Ne-Yo's bed story -- Lucky's been radio silent.

Ne-Yo is back with a new album titled “Self-Explanatory” this Friday with features from Yung Bleu and Trippie Redd, but not surprisingly … no Lucky Daye! 😱

'Cheer' Star Jerry Harris Sex Offender Registration, Treatment Program To Follow Prison Sentence

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"Cheer" star Jerry Harris will have a lengthy list of rules to follow after doing time for his child pornography case ... including completion of multiple treatment programs.

According to legal documents, obtained by TMZ, Harris' registration as a sex offender will be just the tip of the iceberg.

The terms of his supervised release require him to participate in a mental health program, and take any meds prescribed by the treatment provider.

On top of that, he'll also have to go through a sex offender treatment program, which might include psychological and physiological testing.

In addition to the treatment, there's an obvious criterion -- Harris is forbidden from coming into contact with the minors involved in his case.

As you know, Harris was sentenced to 12 years in federal prison last week after a string of his friends and supporters read statements about the disgraced reality star's character.

He was facing up to 50 years after pleading guilty to one count of receipt of child pornography, and one count of traveling with the intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct. Prosecutors had recommended a 15-year sentence, so the judge showed some leniency.

Report: Vince McMahon Agreed To Pay $12 Million Hush Money ... To Four Women

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Vince McMahon -- longtime chairman and chief executive of WWE -- agreed to pay $12 million in "hush money" to 4 different women over a 16-year time period, according to a report from the Wall Street Journal.

The paper claims all of the women were formerly associated with WWE ... and all signed agreements with McMahon preventing them from discussing their relationship with the now 76-year-old billionaire.

One of the reported settlements included a $7.5 million payment to a former wrestler ... who according to WSJ, claimed McMahon coerced her into giving him oral sex. Ultimately, Vince allegedly declined to re-sign the wrestler to a new deal after she refused further sexual encounters.

In 2018, the wrestler and her lawyer allegedly approached McMahon and negotiated a $7.5 million settlement in exchange for her silence.

There were two other previously unknown, alleged payouts made by Vince to former female employees. Each of those women reportedly received around $1 million. Those instances reportedly occurred around 2006 and 2008.

The new report comes on the heels of another WSJ story which led to McMahon voluntarily stepping down from his post at the helm of the wrestling promotion. In that instance, Vince reportedly agreed to pay a former WWE paralegal $3 million after they had an affair following her hiring in 2019.

WWE's Board of Directors -- where Vince sits as the director -- recently hired an outside law firm to investigate the allegations. Despite being at the center of the inquiry, McMahon has said he's "committed to doing everything in my power to help the Special Committee complete its work."

It's unclear what the latest developments will mean for that investigation.

Meanwhile, Vince's daughter, Stephanie, is back with the company as interim CEO and interim chairwoman after briefly taking a leave of absence "to focus on family."

Of note, McMahon has been seen regularly on WWE programming since the initial report of a payout came to light ... making appearances on both "Smackdown" and "Raw."