LaMelo Ball Sued By Publicist ... You Stiffed Me Out Of Millions In Puma Deal!!!

A publicist is suing LaMelo Ball ... claiming the NBA star owes her MILLIONS after he signed a lucrative contract with Puma but never gave her her cut of the deal.

Amber Johnson spelled out the allegations in a new lawsuit, obtained by TMZ Sports, claiming Ball hired her back in 2019 to score business deals, but he screwed her over a short time later.

Johnson says she worked with Ball to get him on a video game streaming show -- and things went so well, Ball and his reps asked her to work with them going forward.

In her suit, Johnson claims as part of their working relationship, Ball and his camp agreed to give her a 10 percent cut of any deal she found for the hooper. She also says they agreed to reimburse her for any out-of-pocket expenses that she incurred while working on projects for Melo.

Johnson claims a short time later, she helped Ball sign a contract with streaming service "Caffeine."

Following that deal in 2019, Johnson says she began talking to Puma about working with Ball as well.

In her suit, Johnson says she helped facilitate communication between Melo and the giant shoe company ... which she says ultimately resulted in a $100 million contract for Ball.

But, Johnson says she never got her cut of the deals she delivered to the star. She also says she was never reimbursed for $4,800 in expenses from helping Ball on various other projects.

She's asking for damages in excess of $10 MILLION.

We've reached out to reps for the Charlotte Hornets superstar for comment, but so far, no word back yet.

Lamar Odom Tristan's 'Corny' for What He Did to Khloe ... But She's Gonna Be Alright

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WELL WISHES
TMZ.com

You can tell Lamar Odom still has love for his ex-wife, Khloe Kardashian, based on what he's saying about her recent embarrassment at the hands of Tristan Thompson ... and telling us what'd he do to comfort her.

We got the former NBA superstar Wednesday at the Atlanta Fish Market in Buckhead, and he said he hasn't reached out to Khloe since TT copped to getting another woman pregnant.

LO says he and Khloe haven't seen each other in a long time, but he feels like this would be a great time to be able to give her a hug.

Rocking a fur coat as he and his manager, Tonita B, entered the restaurant ... Lamar echoes what a lot of people have said about Khloe being a strong woman -- and he also told us what advice he'd give her ... if he had the opportunity for a face-to-face.

While we asked directly about Tristan, Lamar clearly didn't want to discuss him ... simply saying "he's corny" for what he did. TT and Lamar have butted heads in the past, like earlier this year after Lamar left a comment on a Khloe post.

Of course, Lamar's had his challenges over the years -- including his nearly-fatal OD in 2015 -- and other substance abuse struggles, but he seems to be on the straight and narrow lately.

Khloe and Lamar got married in 2009, and Khloe filed for divorce in 2015 ... but she withdrew the filing when he suffered his OD so that she could make medical decisions on his behalf while he was in a coma. The divorce was finalized in 2016.

As for any possibility of a reunion with his ex, Lamar explained why chances are slim to none, but added ... it would be a "blessing" in his life.

Bob Saget Privately Helped Child with Scleroderma ... Donations to Find Cure Pouring In

Bob Saget very privately turned a personal tragedy in his life into a mission to spare others similar grief ...  and a 9-year-old girl named Sophie Anne and her parents are forever grateful.

Sophie Anne is afflicted with Scleroderma, a group of rare diseases that involve the hardening of the skin and connective tissues. It's a disease that took the life of Bob's sister, Gay, who died in 1994 at age 47.

Bob became a tireless advocate and fundraiser for the Scleroderma Research Foundation, but we found out he also reached out to families suffering from the illness to offer comfort and support.

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Bob found out about Sophie Anne roughly 2 years ago, after she was diagnosed.  Her parents, Martha and Jeff Seaman, tell us they felt they were in the middle of the ocean without any lifeline, when suddenly, Bob came into their lives.

Bob sent the little girl personalized videos, always with comfort and hope ... "We are going to find a cure, sending lots of love."

Bob knew how the disease affects an entire family, so he offered support to Sophie Anne's sister with a school paper. The paper she chose to write, "Bob Saget: My Everyday Hero." We're told Bob was incredibly patient and candid about his life ... spending more than 30 minutes with her on the phone.

It didn't stop there. Just a few months ago, Bob invited Sophie Anne's parents to his show in North Carolina. He comped their tickets, meals and brought them backstage after his show.

The Scleroderma Research Foundation is benefiting from the massive goodwill embodied in Bob. More than 1,200 people have donated a total of more than $80,000. And, people are learning about the disease because of Bob's good work.

There are many other examples of Bob's kindness, but this one really stands out.

Jason Momoa and Lisa Bonet Announce Divorce ... 'We Are Parting Ways In Marriage'

Jason Momoa and Lisa Bonet are heading for a divorce after more than 4 years of marriage ... they're not using the word, but the message is clear ... they are "parting ways in marriage," and it sounds like COVID and all the craziness in America took its toll.

The celeb couple announced the shocking news Wednesday on social media ... with a shared statement explaining their decision to part.

Jason and Lisa say they've "felt the squeeze and changes of these transformational times" ... and are "feeling and growing from the seismic shifts occurring." They're not specifically saying COVID, politics, division, etc. played a role, but you can read between the lines.

They say they wanted to go public so they can go about their lives with "dignity and honesty." Jason and Lisa say they are freeing each other to "be who we are learning to become."

They started dating way back in 2005 and got hitched in October 2017. They have two kids together, Lola Iolani Momoa and Nakoa-Wolf Manakauapo Namakaeha Momoa.

Jason and Lisa say their devotion to their children is "unwavering" ... so it sounds like co-parenting will stick.

Conor McGregor Ireland Bar Attacked ... Cops On Hunt For Suspects

Conor McGregor's popular bar in Ireland was attacked Wednesday night -- reportedly being hit by Molotov cocktails -- and now, cops say they're on the hunt for suspects.

According to The Sun, criminals threw two petrol bombs at McGregor's The Black Forge Inn in Dublin last night, and also left two pipe bombs near the watering hole's entrance as well.

A rep for McGregor tells TMZ Sports the UFC superstar was NOT inside of the building while it all went down. No word yet if he was an intended target in the attack.

"No one was impacted," the rep said, "and the pub is open and busy as always."

Ireland authorities confirmed to TMZ Sports there was "an incident of attempted criminal damage" near the Dublin pub ... but, thankfully, they added, "No damage was done to the premises."

Cops said they're now searching for any leads, and are urging any witnesses with video to contact them ASAP.

McGregor -- who bought The Black Forge Inn over two years ago -- has been spotted at the bar several times this month ... even posting footage from inside of the venue just hours before the attack happened on Wednesday.

Sundance Fest and Hotels Yeah, We Canceled It, But Sorry ... NO REFUNDS!!!

Hollywood execs and celebs who were planning to attend this year's Sundance Film Festival are in for a rude awakening ... because the event was canceled just days beforehand and now they stand to lose a boatload of cash.

This year's Sundance was scheduled for Jan 20-30 as a hybrid event with both in-person and online events ... it was expected to bring out filmgoers from around the U.S., volunteers and, of course, celebs and Hollywood honchos.

Well, that was until the festival was canceled only 15 days before the curtain was raised, due to the explosion of COVID. We're told hotels and Airbnb jacked up the prices like crazy -- $3k and up for some rooms and suites -- and now we're told a lot of them are not giving refunds.

Likewise ... Sundance organizers are not offering refunds to folks who paid to attend in person. Instead, attendees can either gift their packages to someone else or turn the money spent into a tax-deductible donation to the Sundance Institute.

Back to the hotels ... one example is Auberge Resorts Collection, which was charging $3,798 per night for some of the suites ... and guess what, it's non-refundable. The hotel is telling guests to come anyway and enjoy the skiing, or just reschedule.

When COVID strikes this way, a lot depends on what's in the contract.  If there's an "Act of God" clause, although it's not clear there have been successful arguments that money should be returned.

Something to think about in COVID times.

Austin Rivers Ben Simmons' Sixers Career Is Over ... Doc Wanted To Keep Him

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NOT HAPPENING
TMZSports.com

Ben Simmons' time in Philadelphia is up ... at least that's what Austin Rivers truly believes, telling TMZ Sports he doesn't see the 3-time All-Star suiting up for the 76ers ever again.

Of course, the Denver Nuggets guard's dad, Doc, has been trying to mend the relationship between Ben and the Sixers org. for months now ... but BS has yet to play a minute of hoops for Philly this season.

And when we asked Austin about the situation, he says he doesn't see Simmons playing for the Sixers ever again.

"No man, probably not. I don’t think so," Rivers answered. "If he hasn’t suited up by now, then I don’t think so."

Austin says his dad and the team have done everything in their power to retain the 25-year-old ... despite Simmons' desire to be traded.

"S***, they tried, bro," he said. "Look how long it’s been. I think they tried to keep him. He wants to go somewhere else obviously."

Rivers ultimately wishes BS well saying ... "I just want the young man to be happy. He’s talented. He’s a great player."

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BEN'S A BEAST
TMZSports.com

As we previously reported, Doc told us he'd love to have BS back with the Sixers. But so much has transpired since then ... and with neither side budging, it certainly feels like Austin's right.

BTW -- Austin recently got engaged ... so we asked him who would be a dream performer he wants to see at his wedding ... and he's got some big names in mind.

Janey Briggs in 'Not Another Teen Movie' 'Memba Her?!

East Coast actor Chyler Leigh was still a teenager when she was cast as the nerdy girl Janey Briggs -- who has her swan moment at John Hughes High School and transforms into the school hottie -- in the super funny 2001 spoof film "Not Another Teen Movie."

Jaime Pressly as the rude cheerleader, Priscilla, Eric Christian Olsen as the bro-y best friend, Austin ... and of course Chris Evans as the hunky football star in a whip cream bikini, Jake Wyler.

Leigh can more recently be spotted on top TV shows like "Grey's Anatomy" and "Supergirl."

Guess what she looks like now at almost 40!

Kevin Hart, Meek Mill, Michael Rubin Team Up For $15 Million Donation ... Aid to Thousands of Philly Kids

Kevin Hart's now on a Philly dream team -- joining Meek Mill and Michael Rubin to give back to their community with a $15 million donation to benefit students in the greater Philadelphia area.

The "Championships" rapper and 76ers partner added Kevin to the mix for another big charitable push -- pooling their funds to support 5,000 students from underserved communities who are attending private and parochial schools.

We're told the $15 mil donation will back the students at 110 schools for the 2022-23 school year.

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CHRISTMAS CAME EARLY

As we've reported ... Meek's made a tradition out of playing Santa for Philly kids each Christmas -- but he's also put forth a year-round effort to support education in his hometown.

He and Michael launched a $2 million scholarship fund for Philly students back in December 2020, providing youth with critical resources during the pandemic.

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GIVIN' BACK

The duo partnered with REFORM Alliance just last month, hosting a special VIP experience for more than 25 children negatively impacted by the criminal justice system -- the kids went to a 76ers game, and even got to shoot around on the court.

Now, Kevin -- another born and raised Philly guy -- is in on the charitable efforts, and together they're upping the ante ... big time.

Machine Gun Kelly Engaged to Megan Fox ... 'and then we drank each other’s blood'

UPDATE

10:19 AM PT -- 1/13 -- We spoke with Stephen Webster who tells us MGK came to them about 3 months ago to start work on the ring ... a surprising timeline considering the two have only been together a year and a half.

UPDATE

Webster says the ring was "created in 18ct white gold with a D color antique-cut Diamond, and an untreaded Columbian Emerald, perfectly matched pear-shaped gems, surrounded by colourless natural Diamond pavé”

UPDATE

We were approached by Colson to create a very special ring that had true connections to both Megan and himself. Over the three months of working together on the ring Colson mentioned that Megan’s birth stone is Emerald which he wanted to incorporate in some way along with a Diamond, his birth stone.

UPDATE

The resulting ring actually consists of two rings which, by the use of magnets buried within the Gold, are attracted to each other and sit together perfectly on the finger, a detail that is both modern and quite extraordinary. Created in 18ct white gold with a D colour antique-cut Diamond, and an untreaded Columbian Emerald, perfectly matched pear-shaped gems, surrounded by colourless natural Diamond pavé” - Stephen Webster, MBE

Machine Gun Kelly and Megan Fox are soon to be Mr. and Mrs. ... getting engaged with a pretty baller ring and allegedly celebrating by drinking each other's blood???

MGK made the announcement Wednesday, with the caption, "yes, in this life and every life” beneath the same branches we fell in love under, i brought her back to ask her to marry me."

The whole thing went down at Dorado Beach Ritz-Carlton in Puerto Rico ... a spot the two have visited before.

Megan too posted a video of the engagement, saying, "Somehow a year and a half later, having walked through hell together, and having laughed more than I ever imagined possible, he asked me to marry him."

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But, it's how she ended her post that has people confused "…and then we drank each other’s blood."

It's certainly not the first time these two have swapped some bodily fluids, MGK has worn a necklace in the past with a drop of his now-fiancees blood in it.

He says he designed the ring with Stephen Webster, with Megan's birthstone, the emerald, and his birthstone, the diamond. Continuing, "set on two magnetic bands of thorns that draw together as two halves of the same soul forming the obscure heart that is our love."

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ROCK FROM THE ROCKER
@machinegunkelly / Instagram

Megan and MGK met in 2020 while filming the movie "Midnight in The Switchgrass" and have seemingly been inseparable ever since.

Megan was previously married to Brian Austin Green, the two have three kids together. MGK has never been married, but has a daughter.

Originally Published -- 1/12 3:23 PM PT

Joe Judge Needs Beer & Pizza After Giants Firing ... Gets Massive Order Delivered To NJ Home

Forget ice cream and movies ... Joe Judge is getting over his New York Giants breakup with beer and pizza -- and a whole hell of a lot of it!!!

The former G-Men head coach -- who was canned on Tuesday following two abysmal seasons with the team -- ordered a boatload of 'za and suds to his New Jersey home on Wednesday, presumably to help drown out his newfound sorrows.

Pictures, taken by a photo agency, show the newly unemployed 40-year-old had nine boxes of pizza as well as several cases of Michelob Ultra and Coors Light delivered to his place. We're also told Judge had flowers arrive on his doorstep as well.

No word yet on if anyone is joining Judge in the pity party -- or if the massive amounts of food and booze are strictly for Judge.

But, if the latter is the case, and it seems excessive -- it quite frankly might not be.

Judge had a brutal two-year stretch as head man of the Giants -- going 10-23 -- and things got so bad, New York co-owner John Mara said Wednesday this year was his "lowest moment" with the team.

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TOTAL EMBARRASSMENT
New York Giants

It doesn't get much rougher than this to start off the New Year ... here's to hoping the beer buzz and the pizza food coma help out!

BRANDY NORWOOD SUED DESIGNER CLAIMS $45K RING IS MISSING ... Brandy Denies Involvement

UPDATE

12:59 PM PT -- 1/13 -- Brandy is denying all involvement, with a rep for the singer telling TMZ ... "Brandy never saw the ring and has no knowledge of it ever being in her presence. It was never a part of her look for the event."

UPDATE

9:01 AM PT -- A rep for Ashley Thomas tells TMZ they deny the allegations and that he "looks forward to presenting the facts in the appropriate forum."

Brandy Norwood is being dragged to court over a $45,000 ring she was supposed to wear at the American Music Awards ... a ring that's allegedly gone missing.

Brandy and her stylist, Ashley Sean Thomas, are being sued by Elle B. Mambetov, a fashion designer and Beverly Hills store owner.

In the lawsuit, obtained by TMZ, Mambetov claims Brandy's stylist approached her last year about borrowing jewelry and clothes for the singer to wear at the November Awards show ... and the designer let them borrow some outfits and a Dreamboule Big Bang Diamond Ring.

Brandy and her stylist allegedly never returned the ring ... and the designer claims it's valued at around $45k. She says in her suit Brandy's stylist told her it was last seen on the piano at Brandy's Calabasas estate.

Brandy didn't wear the ring or the outfit to the AMAs ... but we're told it's not all that uncommon, because stylists usually put together many different options for celebs.

The ring is 18-karat rose gold, with a sapphire crystal dome and black volcanic stone.

The designer's going after Brandy and her stylist for the value of the ring plus other damages ... claiming she's suffered financial losses and emotional trauma.

We reached out to Brandy and her stylist ... so far, no word back.

Originally Published -- 1/12 4:35 PM PT

'Rust' Armorer Sues Halyna Would Be Alive If I Was in That Church ... Live Ammo Not My Fault!!!

The head armorer on "Rust" says the fatal shooting would never have happened if she was in the church with Alec Baldwin and Halyna Hutchins ... according to a new lawsuit.

Hannah Gutierrez Reed just filed suit against Seth Kenney, the man whose company supplied the ammunition used on the set ... but she's also laying some blame on Alec and assistant director Dave Halls.

While Alec and Halls are not defendants, Hannah claims in the docs ... Baldwin did not respond to her request to schedule a cross draw training session for the movie's gun scenes. As we've reported, Alec was doing exactly that -- a scene where he draws the gun across his body -- when Halyna was killed.

According to the suit, filed by attorney Jason Bowles, Hannah claims she loaded the gun used in the church scene with what she believed were dummy rounds, and gave the gun to assistant director Halls, who told her he would be sitting with the gun during rehearsal.

Hannah claims she left the church, and within 15 minutes, Halls handed Baldwin the firearm. That's when Halls called out "cold gun" ... signifying it was not loaded with live rounds.

In the docs, Hannah claims it was not a scheduled rehearsal with Baldwin, and it was protocol for Halls to inform her if Baldwin was going to be filming or practicing the gun move. She says that didn't happen.

Instead, Hannah says Alec began practicing the cross draw from his shoulder holster to get the proper camera angles with Halyna ... and that's when the shooting happened.

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I AIMED AS DIRECTED
ABC News

She claims Alec would have learned safe gun practices with the cross draw, but he never responded to her request to train him on that move.

Hannah also says she would never have let Alec point a gun at Halyna -- but she wasn't in the church to do so.

She's suing Kenney because she believes he had access to the set and knew the code to the prop safe where guns were stored.

In the suit she claims he and his company, PDQ Arm & Prop, were the production's primary supplier of ammunition -- so they alone should be liable for the live ammo that clearly found its way onto the set.

Ronnie Spector of The Ronettes Dead at 78

Ronnie Spector, the lead singer of the famed, girl group, The Ronettes -- famous for songs like "Be My Baby," has died.

Ronnie's family said she died Wednesday after a brief battle with cancer, in the arms of her husband.

The Ronettes were trailblazers ... the group formed in 1957 with Ronnie, her sister, Estelle and her cousin, Nedra.

Here's how big the Ronettes were ... in 1965, they were voted the third top singing group in England, trailing only The Beatles and The Rolling Stones.

The group's trajectory soared when they hooked up with legendary music producer, Phil Spector, who created the famous "Wall of Sound."

Among their hits, in addition to the 1963 smash, "Be My Baby," they scored with "Walking in the Rain," "Baby, I Love You," and "Chapel of Love." They also did a number of hit XMAS songs, including, "Frosty the Snowman," "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus," and "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree."

The Ronettes were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2007.

Ronnie married Phil Spector in 1968, but it was short-lived ... they separated in 1972. The way the story goes ... she fled their home barefoot because Phil had hidden all of her shoes to prevent her from leaving. He also put barbed wire around the perimeter of their home to keep her from escaping.

Ronnie, along with the other members of the group, sued Phil Spector in 1988 for unpaid royalties.

Ronnie had a resurgence of popularity in the mid-'80s... she sang on Eddie Money's hit song, "Take Me Home Tonight."

And, get this ... The Ronettes scored their second, top 10 hit just 2 weeks ago, when "Sleigh Ride" reached #10 on the Billboard Charts.

Ronnie remarried in 1982 to her manager, Jonathan Greenfield. They have 2 sons.

Ronnie was 78. RIP

Kim & Pete Ya, They're for Real ... Very Serious Date Night Embrace!!!

This should erase all doubt Kim Kardashian and Pete Davidson are the real deal -- the kinda PDA they put down during date night is the kind that screams: This. Is. Serious.

The couple was all loved-up -- holding hands, chatting and hugging each other tightly while waiting for ice cream Tuesday in L.A's Fairfax district. Nothing high falutin either -- they stopped by a Rite Aid after dinner for an ice cream dessert.

Interestingly, we really hadn't seen much in the way of PDA between the two during previous dates -- but what we saw last night was a clear sign their relationship is getting more comfortable and more intense.

TMZ broke the story ... Kim and Pete grabbed pizzas at Jon & Vinny's on Fairfax Tuesday night -- sitting at a back table and using the private entrance -- before heading out for Thrifty's ice cream at the Rite Aid.

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DESSERT DATE
BACKGRID

When things were still fresh with Pete and Kim back in November, lots of people assumed it was a publicity grab, but it's almost impossible to keep arguing that point now.

As we've reported, Kim's friends love Pete ... telling us he's charming, and Kim has a lot of fun with him. We're told the duo's still taking things relatively slow, but to us, a pizza and ice cream night on the town is as relaxed as you can get -- so things are going well. Very well.

Young Thug Goes Off on Pilot Cops Called for Runway Dispute

Young Thug's travel plans were quickly shifted after one man in his party allegedly didn't have the proper ID to fly -- causing the rapper to blow up on the pilot -- and ending with cops getting the call to the runway.

Young Thug was traveling with friends, including Gunna, Wednesday when the altercation went down. The group was supposed to take a private jet from Miami to New York, but that itinerary apparently hit a speed bump when one of the men traveling with TY didn't have the proper docs to fly.

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FEELIN' DISRESPECTED
@thuggerthugger1 / Instagram

As you see in the video, the pilot asked him to step off the plane before it took off ... but that wasn't the end of the problems.

The pilot informs YT someone traveling in the group made the flight attendant feel uncomfortable, and therefore they can't fly. It's never explained in the video exactly what happened to the flight attendant.

Cops were called to the scene, and law enforcement sources say everything was sorted out, and Gunna and Young Thug booked another plane to their destination.

No one was detained or arrested.