TMZ.com

The next TV bachelor to make the ladies swoon as they compete for his love is none other than ... Dennis Graham! Dennis Graham??? You're damn straight.

It makes sense if you think about it -- he's single, rich, lives in L.A., loves to party and ... oh yeah, his kid is one of the biggest performers in the world. Who's not lining up for a shot at being Drake's stepmom???

Sources close to Dennis tell TMZ ... at least 2 TV networks agree he's quite the catch -- he's in serious talks to land a show chronicling his search for a soulmate.

We're told viewers will also get a glimpse of Graham's life of luxury ... clubbing, driving expensive cars and of course, all the fringe benefits of being Drake's pops.

Our sources say Dennis had multiple meetings -- with his partner and reality TV guru David Weintraub -- last week to pitch the project, and there's strong interest from Vice and WE tv. He's expecting a signed deal sometime next week.

As for potential contestants on Dennis' dating show ... he's famously ducked revealing his age, so the ladies will have to be cool with that. Also, we're not saying this is a lock but remember ... Drake is consistently single. Ya can't rule out a mother-daughter double date.

Courteney Cox is filled with gratitude and can't stop thanking the photographer who ran out onto treacherous Pacific Coast Highway and saved her 2 pooches.

Courteney was leaving Giorgio Baldi restaurant Thursday night in Santa Monica and ran into the photog who scooped up her 2 Cavalier King Charles Spaniels after they bolted from her Malibu mansion onto the PCH.

Mind you ... Courteney profusely thanked the photog Wednesday after he handed off the dogs to her, but the appreciation was in full bloom at Giorgio Baldi. Matter of fact -- watch the video closely -- she definitely hands him something that seems to be a cash reward.

The photog is really gracious ... making it clear he didn't want anything in return for saving her dogs -- not even a photo.

Oprah paid tribute to Nobel and Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist Toni Morrison by reading some of her literature and sharing a great anecdote about their first meeting.

Toni's celebration of life was held Thursday at The Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine in Manhattan. Angela Davis, Fran Lebowitz, Jesmyn Ward -- along with Oprah -- stepped up to the pulpit to honor their friend.

Oprah talked about the first time she met Toni -- during a gathering in Maya Angelou's backyard, of all places -- and called it "One of the great thrills of my life." That's despite the fact Oprah admitted saying something a little embarrassing to the celebrated author -- watch the clip, the story got big laughs.

To close out her time, Oprah recited a passage from Toni's 1977 work "Song of Solomon" ... and, again, the audience burst into applause.

Toni died in August of complications from pneumonia while surrounded by her loved ones.

Toni was perhaps best known for her 1987 best-seller, "Beloved." She was a renowned figure in literature for her novels that spoke to the African-American experience. "Beloved," "Jazz" and "Paradise" made up a loose trilogy -- with the first book being adapted into the 1998 film starring Oprah and Danny Glover.

There's MORE sand in that hour glass, after all -- "Days of Our Lives" ... the soap opera just got renewed for its 56th season on the heels of the cast being released from their contracts.

Sources involved in production confirmed the long-running sudser got the good word Thursday from executive producer Ken Corday. The green light means the cast doesn't have to sweat the bad news they got just 10 days ago.

As we reported, producers let all the actors out of their deals, but the show was still scheduled to air through the end of this season ... in summer 2020. They've taped that far ahead.

You'll recall ... Chrishell Hartley, who plays -- or played (spoiler alert) -- Jordan Ridgeway on the soap, told us the situation wasn't as dire for 'Days' as it seemed, and she predicted more episodes after the current well ran dry. Turns out, she was right!

Brad Rutter says he came out on top in previous battles with fellow "Jeopardy!" champ Ken Jennings thanks to a little luck, but Ken got the biggest break of all ... from the TV gods.

Rutter -- the highest money winner of all time on the game show -- joined "TMZ Live" Thursday to talk about his storied rivalry with Jennings ... which is set to be renewed on the upcoming 'Greatest of All Time' tournament.

Brad reminds us his past matchups with Ken were very close and could have gone either way, but points out that you make your own luck too. So, yeah ... fair to say he's suggesting he's a LITTLE better, and that's why he's slightly favored over Jennings.

Despite their history, and the fact Rutter's never lost a match (to a human, anyway), Jennings is the more famous of the 2 "Jeopardy!" champs.

Why? Brad has a pretty solid explanation -- face time equals fame ... and Ken was lucky to get more of it.

It's all in good fun, of course ... Brad tells us he and Ken are friends outside the show, and a very notable butt-kicking they both received brought them closer together. Like we said, Brad's undefeated ... if you don't count robots.

Rutter also says Alex Trebek is doing an astounding job hosting the game show despite dealing with pancreatic cancer ... and marvels how he seems to be getting better.

"Jeopardy! The Greatest of All Time" will air in January, and it should be noted -- recent phenom James Holzhauer will be the third champion looking to take the title from Brad and Ken.

Jamie Lynn Spears and the cast of "Zoey 101" are finally back together for a reboot ... but it's for another beloved show Nickelodeon brought back to life.

TMZ's learned Spears and several of her former castmates reunited Thursday on the set of "All That" ... the long-running sketch comedy show from the '90s that returned to TV this summer with an all-new cast.

It's unclear if Jamie and company were filming for an episode of the "All That" reboot or if it's some sort of promo shoot ... but it definitely suggests a 'Zoey' revival is close to becoming a reality.

We broke the story in July ... Spears was in talks to reprise her iconic role, as the grown-up mom version of Zoey a decade later. A bunch of cast members even got together for dinner amid talks the show was coming back.

Our sources say the entire cast is willing to make the reboot happen, but negotiations with the network still haven't gotten off the ground. We're told there are some meetings planned for next week.

Along with featuring Spears ... "Zoey 101" is known for helping launch the careers of stars like Victoria Justice and Austin Butler. The original "All That" is known for launching the careers of Kenan Thompson, Amanda Bynes and Nick Cannon.

Dustin McNeer -- best known for appearing on cycle 22 of "America's Next Top Model" -- has been arrested for allegedly assaulting a woman believed to be his girlfriend ... TMZ has learned.

Cops arrested McNeer Wednesday in Charlotte, NC after a 21-year-old woman reported him for domestic assault the day before ... according to police docs.

The model turned bodybuilder was booked on 2 misdemeanor charges -- one count of assault on a female, and one count of injury to personal property. Sources close to the situation tell us the female is McNeer's GF.

Cops say she told them the incident happened on November 8, and she suffered minor injuries, but did not get any medical treatment. She also claims her iPhone was also damaged during the alleged confrontation.

McNeer's being held on a $500 bond.

Dustin appeared on 'ANTM: Guys & Girls' in 2015 and finished in 7th place. He's since moved on to the world of bodybuilding.

The top 3 "Jeopardy!" contestants to ever win big are going head-to-head (to head) on TV -- and one guy who had a great run thinks he knows what sorta questions will be asked.

We spoke to Austin Rogers -- who had a 12-game winning streak in 2017 -- and he mused with us over what Alex Trebek and his crafty writers are gonna ask Ken Jennings, Brad Rutter and James Holzhauer come Jan. 7 for "Jeopardy! The Greatest of All Time."

It's exactly what it sounds like -- these guys have amassed the most cash out of anyone on the show, and it's time find out who's the true king in a 3-way face-off. As for what'll be asked -- or answered, rather -- Austin tells us the "Jeopardy!" crew will get diabolical.

Fact is, Austin says the writers know exactly how to tailor the topics for these three -- and he believes they'll be throwing pop culture curveballs instead of ancient history softballs.

Check it out -- Austin even weighs in on who he thinks has an edge here among these titans of trivia, and it sounds like our boy, James, is in the driver's seat with his scattered approach in hunting for Daily Doubles ... and his go big or go home wagers.

Good luck, fellas!!!

Safaree knows how to motivate his wife ... spending a fat stack of cash on a necklace for Erica Mena's birthday, a present that also serves as inspiration to restart her business.

Safaree's new wife celebrated her 32nd bday earlier this month, and we've learned he showered her with gifts, including a custom pendant and necklace worth $42,750.

The piece bears the name of Erica's clothing and jewelry line, Her. Safaree commissioned Eden Diamonds to make the pendant, which features rose and white gold alongside 28.5 carats of VS 1/2 clarity diamonds.

Sources close to Erica tell TMZ ... she's relaunching her jewelry line in the first quarter of 2020, this after she completely shut down the business in the wake of finding out one of her employees was allegedly embezzling.

The days don't have to be numbered for "Days of Our Lives," because there's still a way to keep the show going strong according to one of its stars ... but it's in the hands of the fans.

We got Chrishell Hartley -- she plays Jordan Ridgeway on the long-running soap -- out in Studio City, and she's got some advice for folks who don't want to see the 'Days' end after its upcoming 55th season.

Chrishell tells us it's important for fans to tune in as much as possible the day of the show to give ratings the best boost ... and just keep watching! Hartley seems very optimistic the famous sudser's not going anywhere ... despite the recent contract news.

As we reported ... the NBC soap is going on indefinite hiatus after season 55 and released its entire cast from their contracts, meaning they're all free to get new jobs.

Hartley says they should definitely do that, because the nature of the soap biz allows actors to come and go ... and nobody is ever really gone. She includes her Jordan character in this assessment.

All in all, Chrishell doesn't believe the situation is as dire for 'Days' as people think, and she predicts there will be more episodes after the current well runs dry in Summer 2020.

Kathie Lee Gifford's definitely not wistful over her old gig at NBC ... but she's still got love for all her old friends there.

The famous TV host was leaving the NBC building in NYC Tuesday afternoon when we asked if she misses her morning news days with 'Today' as the cohost of the fourth hour, "Today with Kathie Lee and Hoda."

In a word ... nope!

Kathie tells us she misses the people, but not the work, and she's very happy doing what she's doing now ... so don't expect an NBC comeback.

It's interesting ... Kathie just made her return to her old stomping grounds this week for the first time since leaving the show in April, and told her pal, Hoda Kotb -- who now hosts the show with Jenna Bush Hager -- she's happier than ever.

As for why ... Gifford moved to Nashville, and she says the people and the culture there are just so much kinder, and the atmosphere is more joyful and fun.

Kathie's also expressed a desire to produce Christian movies, which she's been doing with the Hallmark Channel, and has a Christmas flick called "A Godwink Christmas: Meant for Love" coming up.

Tyler Christopher -- best known for his appearances on "General Hospital" over the course of 20 years -- may have had too much fun celebrating turning 47 ... because he ended up in jail.

The soap star was arrested in Martinsville, Indiana Monday night -- on his 47th birthday -- and booked for public intoxication. According to Morgan County Jail records ... he's being held on $225 cash and $1,000 bond.

As far as we can tell ... Tyler hasn't been released yet.

Based on his mug shot, Christopher's changed his look quite a bit since he left his role on another popular soap opera, "Days of Our Lives," earlier this year ... and not for the better.

Tyler played Stefan DiMera on 'Days' from December 2017 until leaving the series this past March. Before that, he played Nikolas Cassadine on 'GH' off and on from 1996 to 2016.

All that pales in comparison to the best fun fact about Tyler though -- he was married to Eva Longoria from 2002 to 2004.

Happy birthday, bud?

It's feeling like the end of days for the stars of "Days of Our Lives" -- the entire cast just got released from their contracts.

TMZ has confirmed the producers of the more than 50-year-old soap opera let all their actors out of their deals ... meaning they're all free to get new jobs, but it doesn't necessarily mean the show's definitely sunk.

The NBC sudser, which is about to begin season 55, is going on indefinite hiatus. The network is expected to decide in early 2020 whether to bring it back for season 56.

The good news for 'Days' fans ... the soap shoots 8 months in advance, and there's going to be enough episodes in the bank when the show halts production at the end of November to last through Summer 2020. Whew.

So, to be clear ... "Days of Our Lives" -- which first aired in 1965 -- has NOT been canceled. Not yet. It's possible they'll bring everyone back, if the network re-ups, but at lower salaries.

We've reached out to NBC ... but no word back, so far.

Sean Spicer finally got the boot from "Dancing with the Stars" ... this after weeks of low scores, though you'd never know it from President Trump's tweets.

POTUS' former White House Press Secretary was eliminated Monday night during the Boy Band & Girl Group Night episode, which was the quarterfinals. The elimination round came down between Sean and fellow contestant Lauren Alaina.

The writing had been on the wall for weeks now as Spicer's performances continually kept earning low scores from the judges ... but fan votes kept him alive. Until they didn't.

Trump, as he's done pretty much all season, took to Twitter and urged his base to vote for Sean. But then, oddly, Trump deleted the tweet after Spicer's elimination.

POTUS followed up with a new tweet saying, "A great try by @seanspicer. We are all proud of you!"

Spicer had been dancing with fill-in partner Jenna Johnson after his partner, Lindsay Arnold, was forced to miss the last couple of weeks due to the passing of her mother-in-law.

Alex Trebek got super emotional after a "Jeopardy!" contestant honored the host with a heartfelt message on the final round of Monday's game show ... choking up as he read the guy's answer.

The beloved game show host could barely hold back tears during the "Final Jeopardy" round when contestant Dhruv Gaur wrote an answer that tugged at Alex's heartstrings.

"We love you, Alex," Gaur wrote after being stumped on the answer ... drawing a heart to symbolize the word love.

Alex read the answer, choked up and thanked the contestant for his kind gesture, pausing a moment to collect himself before moving on with the show.

We broke the story ... Alex was diagnosed earlier this year with stage 4 pancreatic cancer, though he has no plans to retire. Trebek is undergoing a second round of chemo, and he has yet to miss a show.

Ted Bundy's murder kit is coming back to haunt Zak Bagans -- because Utah government officials are now dying to know if the kit actually belongs to them.

A rep for the Utah State Archives tells TMZ ... the spooky murder kit Zak recently bought could possibly be state property and IF that's the case, it was never Zak's to purchase.

What's more ... the Archives dept. has contacted the Utah State Attorney General's Office to discuss any legal options it could take to formally repossess the murder kit, and all documents and records related to the case.

TMZ broke the story ... the "Ghost Adventures" star bought a treasure trove of dangerous items seized from Bundy's infamous Volkswagen Beetle. The kit had been in former Salt Lake Co. Sheriff's detective Jerry Thompson's possession until his wife sold them to Zak.

The kit included 2 mismatched gloves, a flashlight, orange wire, Glad trash bags, a brown gym bag, white clothesline rope and strips of bed sheets used for tying up his victims.

Sources close to Zak tell TMZ ... the ghost aficionado feels he bought the collection free and clear. Plus, he feels the person he bought it from was the legal owner of the kit.

The Archives rep makes it clear ... "If these are government records, we certainly would love to have them in the custody and care of Utah State Archives."