TV

Claudia Jordan says there's plenty of money to go around on "Wheel of Fortune" to pay both incoming host Ryan Seacrest and mainstay Vanna White what they deserve ... and Ryan shouldn't have to give up salary to keep Vanna.

The TV and radio host tells TMZ ... she's not in the camp of people online who are calling for Ryan to take less money so the game show can pay Vanna what she's demanding.

Claudia says it's not like a pro sports team trying to stay under a salary cap ... she says there's tons of advertising money pouring in, and 'Wheel' has plenty in its coffers.

TMZ broke the story ... Vanna is fighting with Sony for a huge raise after only making $3 million a year for the last 18 years ... she wants half of Pat Sajak's current $15 million paycheck, or else.

Claudia's well-versed in the game show biz ... she was on "Deal or No Deal" and she says women like Vanna are just as important to the shows as guys like Pat and Ryan.

Michael Imperioli isn't happy with the Supreme Court's decision in further allowing business owners to turn away customers from the LGBTQ+ community ... making his outrage clear.

The former "Sopranos" star took to social media this weekend to blow off some steam over the mega-ruling that came down Friday -- with a majority of the justices siding with a web designer who refuses to work on a gay couples wedding sites on religious grounds.

In the end, they said she has every right to refuse gay couples her services ... on account of the First Amendment. Remember, another ruling for a wedding cake shop owner also seemed to back that up ... albeit in not nearly as clear terms as this one was. In any case, MI's pissed.

He posted a photo of the web designer in question with a headline attached, and then added this commentary ... "i’ve decided to forbid bigots and homophobes from watching The Sopranos, The White Lotus, Goodfellas or any movie or tv show I’ve been in."

Mike adds, "Thank you Supreme Court for allowing me to discriminate and exclude those who I don’t agree with and am opposed to. USA ! USA!" He went on to say hate and ignorance were not a legitimate POV ... and America was becoming dumber by the minute.

The response he's getting to this is interesting ... seems like a lot of people who agree with the high court's decision are not on board with his take, and many appear shocked he was this passionate about the topic.

Welp, Michael's made no bones about where he stands on this -- and considering that conservatives appear to be boycotting anything they consider "woke" ... ya gotta wonder if they'll take him up on his suggestion and stop watching his TV shows and movies.

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's Hollywood future is in a precarious state right now -- but you wouldn't be able to tell by the way they're carrying themselves ... happy-go-lucky.

The ex-Royal couple were flashing nothing but smiles Friday as they left an office building in Santa Barbara -- where they were holding hands on the way out and radiating positivity ... well, at least Meg was anyway. Harold was a bit more stoic ... keeping his head low.

No matter ... because they were clearly putting on a united front as a guy -- who's presumed to be a bodyguard of some sort -- trailed closely behind and they entered a waiting SUV. As far as their outfits go ... perfect for a sunny SB day, complete with shades to boot.

The message they seem to be telegraphing here is ... nothing wrong over here, we're fine!

Of course, all the reporting about them lately has been anything but. As we know, they got the boot at Spotify ... and were labeled "grifters" by one of the top dogs at the company.

Not just that, but there are rumblings of Netflix not being happy with them too ... and supposedly giving them an ultimatum that demands higher-quality content, and pronto. Pair that with Meghan's recent no-deal at Dior ... and it would seem there's turbulence ahead.

It's interesting that their demeanor here is so positive. You could argue that's very much in line with the latest story being pedaled about their alleged mindset -- namely, that they're sorta burying their heads in the sand and pointing the finger elsewhere for their woes.

There's word of a new doc about Africa that Harry's working on for Netflix, and you gotta figure Meg's busy cooking something up too. Based on their vibes here, perhaps they're confident those projects will work out and get 'em back in Tinseltown's good graces.

Hidden behind this star-studded stud with the busting biceps is a former footballer turned Hollywood personality who started popping up on TV shows like Chris Rock's "Everybody Hates Chris." And today, you can catch him kickin' it on the big stage with Simon Cowell.

Aside from his athletic skills, he's also known for his pec-poppin' dance moves ... he's clearly not afraid of sharp objects as he's seen here holding a cactus, and he had a Rottweiler with razor-sharp-teeth in "White Chicks!"

Can you guess the buff bro decked out in red, white and blue?!

Pete Davidson and Colin Jost seemingly bought a ferry together as a joke -- but, now one of those new owners says turning a profit on the damn thing is of the utmost importance.

The 'SNL' alum dished about the $280k Staten Island boat buy with Seth Meyers on a recent podcast episode -- in which he goes into detail about what led up to him partnering with Colin on this in the first place ... and where things stand now more than a year after.

Take a listen for yourself ... Pete acknowledges what he's said about going in on this ferry in the first place -- namely, that he and CJ were both stoned out of their minds when they decided to do it.

Before long, the purchase became reality ... and Pete says Colin called him up one day to talk business -- and to collect on his end of the bargain. PD says he was sent a link to wire over a deposit ... and suddenly, he was straddled with a massive ferry with no real plan.

Not to worry, though ... Pete and Colin have apparently devised a business model for their ferry that they're hoping to manifest -- including turning it into a one-stop shop entertainment hub ... complete with a concert venue, a movie theater, a restaurant and hotel rooms too.

Pete even says he and Colin have commissioned computer-generated mockups of all this ... and says it's well underway, although it's still years in the making. Like, 5 years specifically.

When Seth Meyers marvels at how well thought out their ferry future is, Pete quips -- "Yeah, we have to cause we’re in the hole." To what extent, exactly, is unclear ... but it seems Pete and co. certainly wanna get a return on investment -- because as he says, "Now I'm like stuck with a f****ing boat."

Amanda Bynes continues to battle her mental health problems, but there's some good news ... she's now out of a psychiatric facility with a plan in place for her to stay healthy and safe.

Sources with direct knowledge tell us ... Amanda checked out of a mental health facility late Friday, nearly two weeks after she was admitted. Both Amanda and her medical team felt she's made the right steps toward getting back to living independently.

Obviously, Bynes isn't totally in the clear -- as her mental health is an ongoing battle -- but there's now a plan in place to make sure she does everything to get her illness in check.

For starters, our sources say she'll start outpatient care ... with a medical professional checking in daily.

We're told Amanda will also be monitored to make sure she's taking her daily meds and continues to stay in a good headspace.

TMZ broke the story, Amanda called LAPD June 17 to report she was in distress and felt she could do herself harm. Officers responded with a mental health specialist who determined Amanda needed to be placed on a psych hold ... where she remained until Friday.

Of course, the incident is just one in a long history for Bynes ... but the important thing is she's been able to self-identify when she's in trouble.

As we first reported, Amanda was seen walking near DTLA without clothes earlier this year, flagging down a car and calling 911 to get some help. She was placed on a mental health hold back then as well ... and it lasted for several weeks.

Lil Baby seemingly has no problem paying his share to Uncle Sam ...  the Atlanta superstar dropped insightful bars about his A1 tax standing on both his features that dropped Friday.

On "False Idols," the newest entry in The Weeknd's playlist from his HBO series "The Idol," Baby flexes his number-crunching skills ..."The money keeps comin', the feelin' is great I pay eight-figure taxes/No more section eight/I was workin' my wrist tryna see what it take."

Baby's wealth of knowledge bled over to his artist Rylo Rodriguez's new "Been One" album via the track "Real Type" and he warned the streets about the IRS' wrath ... "Penny pinchin' peons, hope you n***** paid your taxes/You the type to never have it with you, really catfish!!!"

Alan Arkin, the Oscar and Tony-winning actor, most famous for playing Edwin the grandfather in "Little Miss Sunshine, has died.

Alan's sons confirmed the actor died Friday morning at his home, telling People, “Our father was a uniquely talented force of nature, both as an artist and a man. A loving husband, father, grand and great grandfather, he was adored and will be deeply missed.”

The legendary actor started as a stage performer, joining Chicago's Second City comedy troupe as an early member before making his Broadway debut in 1961 in "From the Second City" ... picking up a Tony 2 years later for his work in "Enter Laughing."

Alan's worked consistently through the decades -- most notably in films like "The Heart is a Lonely Hunter," receiving an Oscar nomination for his performance ... as well as other projects like "The In-Laws," "Argo," and "Little Miss Sunshine," for which he won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor.

His lengthy list of credits also includes projects like "The Kominsky Method," "Inspector Clouseau," "Edward Scissorhands," "The Rocketeer," "Will & Grace," and "Glengarry Glen Ross."

TMZ broke the story, he suffered a stroke in 2015, although there was no major damage.

He was 89.

Before this pretty ballerina in her white tutu turned into a television personality and actress, she was just exploring the concrete jungle with her three younger siblings, rehearsing for her dance recitals and growing up in Brooklyn, New York.

Kicking off her career in radio, she landed as a host on MTV's "Total Request Live" aka "TRL" during the early 2000s. She's also acted in movies like "Two Can Play That Game" with Vivica A. Fox and Gabrielle Union ... as well as "Think Like A Man" with Kevin Hart.

Need one more clue? Just ask her bestie Kim Kardashian!

Shaquille O'Neal and Charles Barkley are gonna love this -- Kenny "The Jet" Smith has landed back on the beaches of Miami ... and he brought along the stunning Aline Bernardes for another relaxing day in the sun.

The "Inside The NBA" cohost and his lady first made waves back in May when they were spotted out in Florida together ... which, naturally, had his TV buddies cracking jokes left and right for the next few days.

Luckily for Smith, the NBA season is over ... so he can enjoy his free time with the model without worrying about the guys cracking jokes in front of a national audience.

Smith and Bernardes appear to be really into each other -- they were closer than ever as they rocked their swimsuits and went for a soak in the water on Thursday.

While their first trip to the beach was pretty chill, there was more PDA this time around -- Aline wrapped her arms around the NBA champ as they walked deeper into the ocean.

It looks like the return to the beach was entertaining for both ... they smiled from ear-to-ear throughout the day.

Dr. Michael Eric Dyson's is livid six justices have upended affirmative action in this country, saying Black people are getting screwed all over again.

The Vanderbilt University professor joined us on "TMZ Live" Thursday and ... excoriated Chief Justice John Robert's and the 5 justices who joined him, ruling affirmative action violates the Equal Protection Clause of the Constitution.

Dr. Dyson argues Black people have always been denied opportunities in America, specifically because of their race, so there's no way to right that wrong without taking race into consideration.

The impact of the SCOTUS decision is seismic ... private and public universities can no longer consider race as a factor in admissions. Many supporters of affirmative action fear white and Asian students will now be significantly favored in higher education, at the expense of other minority groups. The decision will clearly have repercussions in the workplace.

Gwendolyn Osborne is applauding Vanna White for holding out for a bigger slice of the TV game show pie ... telling us the "Wheel of Fortune" staple deserves way more money.

The former "Price Is Right" model joined us on "TMZ Live" Thursday and we asked about Vanna's salary demand -- at least half of the salary Pat Sajak gets -- $7.5M.

Gwendolyn is fully on board, saying Vanna deserves it, and in the process, she's helping lots of other women.

But, then we asked, what if Sony says final offer -- $4.5M -- should Vanna take it or walk? Watch the wheels turn in Gwendolyn's head.

TMZ broke the story ... Vanna has made $3 million a year for the last 18 years, without a single raise, and wants a big payday when Ryan Seacrest comes aboard as the new host.

Ariana Madix is back in front of the cameras once again ...spotted for the first time filming for the latest season of "Vanderpump Rules."

AM was out in Los Angeles Wednesday as 'VPR' began shooting for season 11, shooting a scene with Katie Maloney as they shopped at BTS Thrift Store.

Sources connected to the show tell TMZ ... they filmed for about 3-4 hours, browsing for some items to put in their new sandwich shop, Something About Her in West Hollywood, which we're told will be a big part of their storyline this season.

Our sources say while filming, they picked up some fine china, glassware, and other cute knickknacks for the shop.

Hours later, we're told Lisa Vanderpump, her husband Ken Todd, Tom Schwartz and James Kennedy filmed late in the evening at TomTom in West Hollywood.

TMZ broke the story, there's still no word on if Raquel Leviss, who Tom Sandoval cheated on Ariana with, will be coming back to the show. Sources tell us production and Raquel's team are working on getting her back to the show and filming, but she's still at a mental health facility.

Vanna White has got Sony spinning these days because she won't continue on "Wheel of Fortune" unless she makes at least half of what Pat Sajak has been making ... sources tell TMZ.

Sources with direct knowledge of the negotiations say Vanna is clear -- she's the cohost of the long-running show, so the pay disparity between her and Pat needs to be squarely addressed. Point of fact ... they're introduced this way on 'Wheel' -- "Here are the stars of our show, Pat Sajak and Vanna White."

So they're introduced as equals, but their salaries are anything but. We've confirmed Vanna's salary -- $3 million a year. And get this -- we've confirmed that's what she's made for the last 18 YEARS. She has not gotten a single pay increase in all that time.

Pat reportedly makes around $15 million a year. Vanna isn't asking for that, but we're told her lawyer, Bryan Freedman, is demanding half the amount Pat makes.

One source connected to Vanna put it this way ... "After 41 years as a model employee and more the face of that show than him [Pat], asking for 50% of what he makes seems like a no-brainer."

Sony, we're told, is not on board, at least not yet. One source with direct knowledge described the negotiations as "very difficult."

Our sources also say Vanna feels like the issue is bigger than her. As one source says, "She feels like it's a statement for all women."

We're told Vanna wants to stay on the show, but if she doesn't get what she believes is "a minimum of what is fair," that's a real possibility.

Sony may be in a tough spot here because Vanna provides continuity when Ryan Seacrest takes over for Pat a year from September. It's pretty clear ... they don't want to lose Pat and Vanna at the same time.

We covered it all on the latest episode of The TMZ Podcast, available on all podcast platforms.

Pat Sajak is easing into retirement in Hawaii by rocking out -- but that's not really the takeaway from this musical outing of his. The real question is why is Air Supply -- which is an AWESOME band -- is playing in a joint in Hawaii and not Vegas?

This clip of the "Wheel of Fortune" host catching the 1980s soft rock group at a jazz club in Honolulu Wednesday is something to behold -- 'cause it's absolutely freaking hilarious.

Check out the footage, obtained by TMZ, which shows PJ sitting front row at the Blue Note alongside his family -- where none other than Graham Russell and co. were up on stage, jamming out to a relatively small crowd. Hey, a gig's a gig.

As you can see, the Supply boys were doing their thing -- but it seems like they may have lost Pat's interest at one point, 'cause the dude was totally zoning out and picking at his fingernail.

Now, as for Pat ... this little vacay comes on the heels of his recent bombshell ... namely, he's retiring from hosting 'Wheel' after this upcoming season and hanging it up after more than four decades on the TV game show.

BTW, Pat's sitting next to his daughter, Maggie, who's occasionally stepped in for Vanna White when she was on vacation. There were reports Maggie was angling for the big job that's now going to Ryan Seacrest. Speaking of Vanna, we've learned she's holding out for at least half the amount Pat makes, or else.

Anyhoo, while Pat may have nodded off during one section of their show ... the dude gave them their props a little bit later -- cheering with the rest of the crowd who gave them a round of applause.

In any case, the dude appears to be ready for life post-'Wheel.' He just might need to find some other entertainment on the island.

A source close to the track's production informs us the E-40 collab was produced by his son Droop-E. It's a family affair!!!

Tiffany Haddish's rap career appears to be back in full swing -- evidenced by a pair of new songs she previewed last night ... one featuring E-40 and the other with Lil Jon.

TMZ Hip Hop obtained footage of the superstar comedian showcasing her new jams at the Hollywood Unlocked Impact Awards over the weekend from inside The Beverly Hilton ... make no mistake, there's nothing funny about her music, it's the real deal.

Lil Jon opens his track, urging everyone to drink and party until the club closes. Yeahhhh!!!

The E-40 track kept the same energy, sounding like an ode to big butts as the legendary rapper instructs listeners to look over their shoulder to peep both right and left cheeks.

We must admit that Tiffany holds her own on the track with her playful lyrics.

The HU awards brought out the likes of Babyface, Chloe and Halle Bailey, Law Roach, Muni Long, and Eric Bellinger. The outlet's founder, Jason Lee, tells us the turnout was nothing short of opulent ... as he thinks the culture is in critical condition.

Well by the sounds of her latest venture, Tiffany is doing everything she can for a cultural revival.