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This is NOT the replacement co-host Sheryl Underwood or anyone else at "The Talk" had in mind, and yet, there he is ... Mr. Cockroach hogging the spotlight!!!

It all went down during Monday's episode as Sheryl was introducing a segment about an unruly Delta Air Lines passenger on a flight from LAX to the ATL. Little did she know there was an unruly guest in the studio ... slowly creeping in her background.

It didn't seem to bug Sheryl ... but probably only because she didn't see it. La Cucaracha was several feet behind her, silently climbing a wall on set.

"The Talk" films in the massive CBS Studio Center in Studio City, so let's be real ... there's gonna be an invading critter every now and then. This one just happened to find his key light.

Could have been much worse ... just ask former VP Mike Pence.

Then again, Sheryl might have handled it like a boss ... a la President Biden fending off that cicada last week.

Christina Haack, formerly Anstead, is slowly but surely moving on from her estranged hubby ... 'cause she just sold the house they shared before splitting up.

Our real estate sources say the "Flip or Flop" star sold her Newport Beach house on Wednesday after a couple of months on the market. As we first reported, Christina listed the home with an asking price of $6M.

Our sources say she reduced the price by half a million bucks before ultimately pulling the trigger to sell it for $5,350,000.

The 5-bedroom, 4 1/2-bath mansion's a beaut ... featuring a resort-like master bedroom and a sprawling backyard equipped with a relaxing pool to handle the summer heat.

The home is also not far from local O.C. beaches and yacht clubs. TMZ broke the story ... Christina is on the hunt for a new crib in the same area but closer to the coast with a view of the Pacific.

Christina and Ant shared this place with their blended family, but he recently told People she made the right decision to sell the house because it has tons of memories and, he imagines, she'd want to have a fresh start.

The cast of ''Real Housewives of Orange County' is about to look a whole lot different, with some very familiar faces NOT returning for the new season ... TMZ has learned.

Production sources tell us the show is set to start production in July, but cast members Braunwyn Windham-Burke, Kelly Dodd-Leventhal and Elizabeth Lyn Vargas will not be a part of the production.

It's currently unclear if it was a decision by Bravo to not bring the women back or if it was a mutual thing ... but either way, they won't be on camera. We're told some women -- including those who are making a return -- learned of the network's decision early Tuesday night.

As for the women returning -- we're told Shannon Beador, Gina Kirschenheiter and Emily Simpson will all be back. We're also told Heather Dubrow -- wife of "Botched" Doc Terry Dubrow -- will make a return to the series, she was previously on seasons 7-11.

As we reported, Dodd came under fire back in January when she was spotted mocking COVID at a restaurant with friends, leading a group cheers, while someone in her group appeared to call the gathering "super-spreaders."

Not-so-fun fact about Batman -- he doesn't go down ... or so we've learned after DC Comics dropped the hammer on an oral sex scene in the "Harley Quinn" animated series.

Producers of the HBO Max adult animated series really tried to push the envelope, but co-creator Justin Halpern says he was told by DC he "absolutely cannot do that" because a) heroes don't do that, and b) how are they supposed to sell Batman toys if the hero's performing oral sex?

Halpern told Variety they get a lot more creative freedom when it comes to writing and developing villains -- they can do pretty much anything -- but there are all kinds of rules for the superheroes.

He says the cunnilingus confrontation went down during production of the upcoming third season of 'Harley.' BTW, you gotta love their retort to the DC suits. According to Justin, "So, we said, ‘Are you saying heroes are just selfish lovers?’"

You might notice DJ Khaled is now trending, with many fans joking that he's actually the Caped Crusader. If you're wondering why, look it up -- there's only so much we can say here.

Joe Exotic has a new venture that could put him in high spirits -- he's launching his own cannabis line all while doing hard time in federal prison.

The 'Tiger King' star cooked up the idea last July and the wheels have been in motion ever since. His attorney, Brad Small, tells TMZ ... they have a deal locked for Joe to partner with Tango Hotel Charlie Group, LLC and Cannaxxs LTD to launch Joe Exotic Cannabis.

We're told Joe's been directly involved in the biz through calls and emails with his attorney. The deal includes the various companies ponying up the dough with Joe's name attached to the products.

Small tells us the products include CBD edibles and will be sold in dispensaries throughout California, Colorado and Oklahoma. While recreational THC is legal in Cali and Colorado, only medicinal is kosher in Joe's old OK stomping grounds.

We're told part of the reason Joe's doing this is to help people who need cannabis to ease their pain from various ailments.

Small says the launch will happen within weeks, and a share of Joe's profits will go towards captive tiger care. As we reported ... Joe said in the year since the Netflix docuseries 'Tiger King' dropped his life had been a living hell.

The crew that kept up with the Kardashians for nearly 15 years got a proper goodbye along with the reality series ... in the form of a fun, heartfelt video highlighting all the good times.

Kris Jenner, Kim Kardashian and her sisters, Khloe and Kourtney, all shared thank you tributes to the people behind the cameras for 20 seasons of 'KUWTK' ... folks they say are considered forever family.

The 'Krew Wrap Video' was shared by Cesar Castillo -- a member of the production team -- who said the series finale brought a 14-year journey to an end for many of them ... in which they made a lot of memories.

As the montage shows ... 'KUWTK' took the crew all over the world -- from South Africa and Bali to Rome and The Maldives -- as well as to events like the Cannes Film Festival and Kanye's tour.

There were also the spin-off shows with Kourtney, Khloe and Lamar Odom ... and so much more. As Kim says ... these people captured all their best and worst moments and knew and kept all their secrets.

Bill Maher went deep Friday night with blistering words for young people, super-woke folks and Kevin Hart ... diagnosing all of them with a severe case of "progress-o-phobia."

Maher -- a take-no-prisoners liberal who is not afraid to call out like-minded individuals who he says go way too far -- lambasts Americans who complain things have never been worse.

The 'Real Time' host makes a solid case ... we have achieved progress in race relations, gay rights, drug policies, and on and on, yet there's a sizable contingent who believe we've hit rock bottom.

Bill calls out Kevin Hart in particular, who told the NY Times, "You're witnessing white power and privilege at an all-time high." Maher tears that apart with examples of past atrocities like Tulsa, KKK violence and massive, forced segregation.

He's quick to mention ... there's still racism, police violence, the works, but things are better than before.

And, this is where B.M. tears into Gen Z, informing them there was actually a world before they were born, yet they are unwilling or unable to contextualize their grievances.

NBC's competition show "Ultimate Slip 'N Slide" almost had to change the title to "Run 'N Don't Shart" ... after multiple crew members came down with a serious case of diarrhea.

So get this ... the workers reportedly came down with bubble guts on the heels of at least one person on set testing positive earlier this month for giardia -- an intestinal infection caused by a parasite.

The crew was filming in the San Fernando Valley before production was shut down indefinitely. According to The Wrap, things were so bad, some crew members collapsed in pain, while others raced into port-o-potties.

A source close to production confirmed to TMZ ... a number of people reported gastrointestinal symptoms and upset stomachs. We're told it's unclear exactly how many, but it was enough to halt production.

Our sources say the studio paused production on June 2 when it was made aware of the giardia case, and, in coordination with various health departments ... production worked with an environmental lab to test the water on location.

We're told the pond, slide pool, water truck and restroom sinks all tested negative, but a positive test came back on Thursday. They had been shooting for 7 weeks with one week left to go. Btw, we're told the hosts, Bobby Moynihan and Ron Funches, are fine.

A rep for Universal Television Alternative Studios, the production company behind the NBC show, tells TMZ ... the health and safety of everyone on its set is its number one priority, so out of an abundance of caution it has made the decision to stop production at the current location. They're trying to figure out where and when to complete the shoot.

If you've ever wondered who hunts down poachers and pirates in international water, and brings them to justice ... you're looking at him, and he has a crazy story to tell.

Captain Peter Hammarstedt joined "TMZ Live" Friday to give us the inside scoop on his crew's chilling, high-stakes mission to track down an illegal fishing boat called Thunder. He says they spent more than 100 days in dangerous, iceberg-filled water, and their efforts are the subject of the new documentary, 'Chasing the Thunder.'

The Captain explained why his organization, the Sea Shepherd Society, was after "the most notorious poaching vessel in the world" and details the extreme conditions his ship, Bob Barker, battled to keep up and try to capture it.

The pursuit crossed 3 oceans and covered more than 10,000 nautical miles ... and you gotta see Captain Pete's reveal of how it ended. It's absolutely wild, and shows you the kind of people he was up against out there.

James Corden is catching heat from more than 10,000 critics who say his popular 'Spill Your Guts' segment is racist against Asians ... and he's facing pressure to retire the game.

Here's the deal ... 'Spill Your Guts' is the recurring bit on Corden's 'Late Late Show' where he presents celeb guests with grub he describes as "horrific" or "gross" -- but the menu items are almost always from Asian cultures ... according to the folks who are demanding James kill the segment or change it.

In a petition circulating online, they accuse James of encouraging anti-Asian racism by "continuously mocking" the foods. They already have 11,000 signatures and counting.

The point of the game is to get celebs to answer tough questions, or eat the foods in front of them. The segment's been around since at least 2016, and it's featured the likes of Kendall Jenner, Harry Styles, Justin Bieber and Jimmy Kimmel ... just to name a few.

The folks behind the petition want Corden to drop 'Spill Your Guts' ... or at least to use food not rooted in other cultures. They also want an on-air apology from James and the 'Late Late Show.'

Pat Sajak says he doesn't mind losing another Emmy to the late, great Alex Trebek -- not only because Alex deserves it, but also ... Pat's learned to lower his expectations.

We got the legendary "Wheel of Fortune" host Wednesday in Bev Hills, and asked if he'd be cool with Trebek taking home top honors at this year's upcoming ceremony. Fact is, most see Alex as a shoo-in ... for his talent and for being the sentimental favorite.

Not too surprisingly, Pat told us he was more than fine with that ... because, honestly, what else is the guy gonna say? But, he took it a step further and echoed what Wayne Brady recently told us ... explaining he was actually rooting for AT, like most everyone else in the biz.

Now, when we pointed out the obvious -- namely, that Pat has lost to Alex in the game show host category for many years now -- he jokingly acknowledged it too ... comparing himself to soap opera star Susan Lucci, who was passed over for a Daytime Emmy a whopping 19 times before winning.

Like we said, PS seemed to mostly be kidding here, but he did promise to give us a HUGE scoop ... about his retirement!!!

Longtime 'Bachelor' host Chris Harrison is done with the popular reality TV dating franchise ... months after he sparked controversy by defending one of its contestants for her allegedly racist past.

After a 19-year run, Harrison will reportedly receive a massive payout to step away and keep quiet about his departure.

News of Harrison's permanent exit -- first reported by Deadline -- comes hours after the premiere of the 17th season of "The Bachelorette" hosted by Tayshia Adams and Kaitlyn Bristowe ... and just days after it was announced that David Spade and others would be guest hosting this summer's season of "Bachelor in Paradise."

Of course, Chris first stepped away from his 'Bachelor' duties indefinitely back in February, after he got immediate backlash for defending Rachael Kirkconnell's alleged racist past.

Many believed Harrison was dismissive and excusing of the racist behavior alleged against Rachael -- who was one of the final few women vying for Matt James' heart on the most recent 'Bachelor' season -- when he was interviewed by former 'Bachelorette' Rachel Lindsay.

After Chris's initial apology wasn't very well received, he issued a more heartfelt one, then later did it in person on 'GMA' ... and said he was committed to change.

Despite that, it seems he never made it back in the good graces of Bachelor Nation ... and Harrison reportedly reached a confidential settlement with network honchos late Monday night to say farewell.

Pamela Anderson's sex tape scandal with ex-hubby Tommy Lee is getting resurrected for the small screen ... something another ex of hers, Chuck Zito, is calling ... no bueno.

We ran into the actor and celeb boxing trainer -- who dated PA back in the 2000s -- and just had to ask about this new Hulu miniseries that's in the works ... in which Lily James and Sebastian Stan are portraying Pam and Tommy during their early years as a married couple.

More specifically, the series will focus on the period of their marriage when their infamous sex tape was stolen and peddled on the black market ... something they say they never saw a penny for, at first.

According to Chuck ... Hulu's probably doing wrong by Pam in revisiting a chapter that's more than 20 years old by now, and suggests making an entire show around those events is in bad taste -- especially if the couple themselves haven't signed off (which they haven't).

He makes the point that the whole saga is ancient history -- adding Pam probably doesn't care very much about it ... even joking that she seems more interested in rings these days. Oof ...

Of course, some of her closest friends are taking a stronger stance ... including Courtney Love, who claims the show is making Pam relive the trauma she went through ... going on to say the tape "destroyed" Pam's life, and calling the show exploitative and disgusting.

Wayne Brady is incredibly honored to be nominated for a Daytime Emmy alongside Alex Trebek ... but losing to him? Well, that'd be one helluva honor too.

We got the "Let's Make a Deal" host in Times Square, and wanted to get his 2 cents on being nominated alongside the late legendary "Jeopardy!" host for outstanding game show host.

Wayne, always the total gentleman, couldn't help singing Alex's praises.

Wayne said the fact Alex got nominated posthumously speaks volumes ... calling him the consummate professional and the kind of host who was smooth and always in control.

There are some other notable nominees ... like Steve Harvey for "Family Feud," Alfonso Ribeiro for "Catch 21" and Pat Sajak for "Wheel of Fortune." Wayne says there'd be no shame losing to any of 'em, but losing to Alex? Well, he did set the bar after all.

Alex was nominated almost 7 months after he passed away following his courageous battle with pancreatic cancer. Despite announcing the diagnosis in March 2019 ... Alex continued hosting into his 37th season.

Chrissy Teigen has pulled out of an acting gig in the wake of criticism over past bullying.

Chrissy had planned on doing voiceovers for an upcoming Netflix show, "Never Have I Ever" Season 2 ... well according to Variety, she's decided to take a pass on the gig.

“Never Have I Ever” follows a teenage girl who's a first-generation Indian American and her days in high school.

Teigen has been on the hot seat for going after Courtney Stodden, who married a 60-year-old when they were just 16. Chrissy had sent them cruel DM's, including -- "I can't wait for you to die."

She has repeatedly apologized and said she was a different person then ... seeking attention in the wrong way. She has been off Twitter and Instagram for nearly a month.

For her part, Stodden hasn't been very forgiving, calling Chrissy a hypocrite when she bowed out of Twitter for a time because of the bullying.

It's an interesting saga ... Chrissy is well-liked and very popular. The question ... will that goodwill eventually put all this behind her?

Bill Maher murdered last night with a hilarious take on the latest Jan 6 conspiracy theory ... that the insurrectionists were actually Democrats dressed up as Trump supporters to make the Prez look bad.

The "Real Time" host barely held it together with his show-and-tell ... beginning with a well-worn MAGA hat, followed by a MAGA hat with enhancements!

Bill just lost it with the meth teeth ... but there was more -- so much more, ending with the ladies getting some bling that might send shivers down the spine of the former VEEP.

It was hysterical ... Bill says the getup was courtesy of George Soros's home costume dept. As for who worked the sweatshop -- well, Bill and Tim Robbins, of course.

Then there was a book, instructing rebellious Dems on how to purchase a fake flag or 2.

Maybe the best ... the cleverly misspelled sign falsely ID'ing the rioters.

In all seriousness, 73% of Republicans actually believe this ... that what you saw on TV was a frame job by left-wingers. And, of course, they all think the election was rigged.