Warhol's Marilyn Monroe Record Auction Coming ... $200 Mil Is a Girl's Best Friend Too!!!

One of the most famous Marilyn Monroe images, painted by the late great Andy Warhol, is going up on the auction block, and it's expected to set a pretty amazing record ... as in $200 million worth of amazing!!!

You heard that right ... Christie's auction house in London is putting the painting up for auction in May, and the expected 9-figure price tag would make it the most expensive piece of 20th-century art ever sold.

If things go the way Christie’s thinks it will ... the sale would top the value of Picasso's piece, "Women of Algiers," which fetched $179.4 mil about 7 years ago.

This particular Warhol is known as "Shot Sage Blue Marilyn" -- there are 5 other versions in this Monroe series, each in a different color.

It comes from a collection owned by Swiss siblings, and all the proceeds will go to their Thomas and Doris Ammann Foundation, which benefits children causes.

If the painting goes for $200 mil ... it will nearly double Warhol's previous auction record -- $105 million for a painting called "Silver Car Crash (Double Disaster)."

Already, the buzz about the Marilyn auction has brought back interest in all things Warhol, and his Netflix doc is trending again.

On top of breaking a record for 20th-century art, if sold at this price, it would make it the second most expensive artwork overall to ever sell at auction ... runner-up to a $450 mil Leonardo da Vinci piece!!

Wendy Williams Heads to Miami After Declaring She's Ready to Work

Wendy Williams is back in South Florida, hopping on a commercial flight in the NYC area hours after insisting she'll be ready to do her show again ... once she deals with some "private things."

We got these pics of the beloved talk show host in Newark Airport, where she was catching a flight to Miami. Witnesses tell us Wendy was traveling with her son, Kevin Hunter Jr.

As you know, Wendy's been battling multiple health issues for several months. We're told she was holding Kevin Jr.'s arm at times last Thursday night, and it appeared he was guiding her as they made their way to their flight.

One good sign, though ... Wendy wasn't using a wheelchair, which is major progress over the last few times she'd been out in public. She had been at a wellness center in Miami last year, so it's possible that's where she was heading.

Once arriving in Miami around 12:30 AM, Wendy was overheard talking to a fan who'd asked about her making a return to TV ... and she said she's in the process of getting her show back, and working things out with her money.

That jibes with what she'd said last week on 'GMA' -- that she'll be ready, willing and able to do her show again once she takes care of some personal matters.

As for the money, Wendy claimed Wells Fargo denied her access to her accounts and filed documents saying she has "several million dollars" that have been frozen due to alleged financial exploitation.

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KEEPIN' IT MUM
TMZ.com

As we've reported, "The Wendy Williams Show" found a permanent replacement in actress and comedian Sherri Shepherd at the beginning of February.

By the end of the month, show producers announced the end of Wendy's show and the launch of Sherri's. We talked to Sherri the day before the cancelation when she still referred to herself as a "temp" host.

Liziane Gutierrez IG Model On The Ground in Ukraine Delivers Meds with Soldiers

Instagram model Liziane Gutierrez is doing her part to help the people of Ukraine, with boots on the ground to help the military deliver medicine and medical equipment to hospitals in need.

Gutierrez tells us she connected with a charity group shortly after the war started, and arrived in Poland last week. Over the weekend, she made the trip to Chervonohrad, Ukraine -- about 2 hours away -- and has been working with the military to deliver the vital supplies to hospitals.

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DESOLATE DELIVERY

As for what the shipments include -- Liziane says it's everything from pain meds to syringes and even an ultrasound machine -- all from Austria.

She says the hospitals are still fully functioning, for the most part, but the city streets of Chervonohrad are entirely empty -- as most residents have fled.

Gutierrez is among a long list of entertainers and influencers to help the people of Ukraine ... as we reported, Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher were recently personally thanked by President Zelensky for helping to raise $35M for the country.

Michael Bublé Talks Tunes and TikTok ... 'I'm More Worried About Followers'

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TUNES AND TIKTOKS
TMZ.com

Michael Bublé may be best known for his vocals, but now he jokingly says he could ditch his singing career for TikTok ... after newfound success on the app.

The Canadian singer joined "TMZ Live" and talked about working on his upcoming 11th studio album and  ... a possible TikTok career!

Michael has had worldwide success since dropping his debut, self-titled album in '03. In January, he dropped his single "I'll Never Not Love You" ... which is a sequel to his 2009 hit "Haven't Met You Yet."

So far, he's sold 75 million albums, but he believes his latest one "Higher" is his best one yet. Although the album is slated for Friday, Michael is very excited about another hobby he's seemingly mastered overnight -- TikTok.

He tells us, he loves interacting with fans on the app, but it's more important for him to try to get more followers than his wife ... only partially joking. Back in September, he got an impressive 31.5 million views on his first video, after his wife convinced him to join.

Bublé has garnered 1.7 mil followers and 14.7 mil likes ... but, insists his wife is still winning the competition. Luckily though, he knows quite a bit about winning ... with 11 Grammy noms and 4 wins since '08.

As for "Higher", Michael says he got the help of some famous friends … including Paul McCartney, who gave his blessings for him to cover his song -- "My Valentine." Paul ended up working on the entire album and being accredited as a producer.

MB says Paul came to play, and he simply "has the ability to take good and turn it into great."

"Higher" will be available March 25th ... tune in to "TMZ Live" for the full interview.

Chael Sonnen Hit With 11 Charges ... Over Alleged Hotel Fight

Chael Sonnen ain't in the clear over his alleged role in a hotel fight after all ... TMZ Sports has learned he's just been hit with 11 charges -- including one felony -- over the December 2021 incident in Las Vegas.

According to court records, prosecutors filed the charges against the UFC legend last week ... hitting him with felony battery by strangulation and 10 other misdemeanor battery charges.

In the docs, officials accuse Sonnen of roughing up six people -- including one woman -- during some sort of altercation at a Vegas hotel on Dec. 18.

Officials say in the docs Sonnen choked a man, punched and/or struck a woman, and punched and/or kneed others in the head and face during the incident.

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LED AWAY BY COPS
TMZSports.com

We obtained video shortly after the alleged altercation, showing Sonnen being led away in handcuffs.

As we previously reported, Sonnen had initially been slapped with 5 battery citations over the alleged fight ... but a judge in Nevada dismissed the case in January after the Clark County District Attorney told us "the citation’s notice to appear failed to comply with the legal requirements as set forth by Nevada law."

The case was dismissed in January "without prejudice" -- meaning the state could refile the charges if they chose to -- which it clearly opted to do earlier this month.

We reached out to Sonnen's team for comment ... so far, no word back yet.

The 44-year-old was a legend in the Octagon -- beating Rampage Jackson, Wanderlei Silva, Shogun Rua and Michael Bisping in his career -- and he's since gone on to become one of the top MMA analysts in the world.

Stella Carlin in 'Orange Is the New Black' 'Memba Her?!

Australian actress and model Ruby Rose intrigued us all when she was locked up on the crazy popular prison show as the side-shaved Stella Carlin for season 3 of Netflix's hit show "Orange Is the New Black" back in 2015.

She shared the screen with lead actress Taylor Schilling who played the poorly adjusting inmate, Piper Chapman and Laverne Cox as the salon boss, Sophia Burset.

Rose was also an MTV Australia presenter and co-hosted "Australia's Next Top Model" in 2009 as well as "The Project" until 2011.

Today Ruby enjoys lounging around and hanging with her fur-babies.

Guess what she looks like today with spikey hair!

Kylie & Travis Our Baby's Name Isn't Wolf Anymore ... Didn't Seem to Suit Him

Kylie Jenner and Travis Scott are going back to the drawing board on baby names ... she says they are changing their newborn son's name from Wolf.

Kylie made the announcement Monday, explaining she and Travis just really didn't feel like the name suited their son, who is not yet 7 weeks old. So, he can't say he was attached to Wolf.

It's unclear what Kylie and Travis are calling their boy now -- she's only saying it's not Wolf and they wanted folks to know because Kylie is apparently tired of seeing him referred to by that name.

As we first told you ... the baby's full name at birth was Wolf Jacques Webster and it's on the kid's birth certificate, so there will be a legal process to changing his name.

Little baby boy Webster's middle name, Jacques, is actually Travis' birth name ... so it will be interesting to see if his parents only change one name, or wipe the slate clean and start all over from scratch.

So long, Wolf, it was nice to know ya.

Deshaun Watson Spotted With GF At Music Fest ... After Browns Trade

Deshaun Watson may be a Cleveland Brown, but he's still in the city of Houston (for now) ... the QB was spotted out with his girlfriend Jilly Anais at a music festival on Saturday.

The blockbuster trade shocked the entire NFL last week for several reasons -- some questioned the controversial move, considering the mountain of sexual misconduct lawsuits filed by massage therapists.

The mixed feelings didn't stop Watson from going out to support Anais' rap performance ... as she opened up for 2 Chainz at the Texas Smoke Break Fest in Houston.

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FYI, Anais was originally supposed to perform at the Toyota Center for Chris Brown's tour ... but the show was canceled during soundcheck.

"I am so thankful my team and I were still able to perform what we spent months preparing for," Anais said via IG on Sunday.

"I thank God that through the unimaginable we held it together and came out on top!"

In the video, you can see Watson -- wearing a button-down shirt and a dark cap -- right there to see her shine ... and the couple left the event looking happy as ever.

Watson and Anais have been dating since 2019 ... and despite all the allegations that started in 2021, the 26-year-old has made it clear she's gonna stick by his side.

Amanda Bynes Conservatorship Will End ... Judge's Tentative Ruling

Amanda Bynes is less than 24 hours from personal freedom -- a judge just set the stage for the end of her conservatorship.

According to new legal docs obtained by TMZ, the judge for the case issued a tentative ruling Monday saying Amanda's conservatorship is "no longer required."

While it's a tentative ruling, there is a court hearing scheduled for Tuesday morning and it's almost a certainty the judge will make it official ... because no one is objecting to Amanda's petition to end her conservatorship.

Remember ... the former child star was placed under a conservatorship back in 2013, following a string of bizarre episodes brought on by what she has said is bipolar disorder. Amanda says she's been sober for several years now, thanks in part to getting support through AA.

She filed the docs last month to end the 9-year conservatorship, a move her father and mother -- who is Amanda's conservator -- fully support.

As we first told you, Amanda is gearing up for some big life changes once her conservatorship ends ... including moving into her own place with her fiancé.

Ukraine Vibrant Country Before Invasion ... Putin Stamps Out Beauty

The war in Ukraine is heartbreaking on so many levels ... millions fleeing their once-tranquil homeland, and images from before the invasion show the brutality of Russian aggression.

Ukraine was a vibrant country before Vladimir Putin brought war to their land, and it's interesting to look back at life for Ukrainians before they saw their cities bombed to ruins.

In a Spring without war, Mariinsky Park would serve as a romantic backdrop for a date ... a popular place for people to gather, and even kiss on a park bench.

Putin's invading Russian forces mean there's no more bike rides through downtown Kyiv ... which means Ukrainians are missing their annual Spring Festival Retro Cruise ride, where women liked to dress in retro outfits and tool around town.

We hear a lot now about the capital city, Kyiv, but Ukraine is so much more ... there's a beautiful town called Vylkove along the Danube Delta near the border with Romania, which is the Ukrainian version of Venice. The town's streets are a bustling network of streams and canals, and folks would get around by boat.

And then, there's Lviv, a popular tourist destination with its cobblestone streets and well preserved architecture.

Ukraine's a beautiful country with lots of potential ... and now it's being reduced to rubble.

Megan Thee Stallion Record Label Sues Her ... Last Album Didn't Count, You Owe Us!!!

UPDATE

2:49 PM PT -- Meg just tweeted about the lawsuit, saying, "Greedy ass men. First the man over my label said I don’t make him any money … now he counter suing trying to keep me on his label because he wants to make more money lol if I ain’t making you no money why not just drop me?"

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She continues, "My lawyers asked him for an expense report (money 1501 supposedly has spent on ME)… why this grown ass man put his jewelry and chains on there… lord free me from this joke a** label."

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Finally, "I choose not to say nothing back abt court and address sh*t online but im getting tired of being painted the BAD GUY 2/47 the last girl on 1501 mad at this man too!"

UPDATE

1:36 PM PT -- Megan's attorney Brad Hancock tells TMZ ... "This is yet another absurd attempt by 1501 to disregard Megan's album and squeeze more money and more free work out of her for as long as possible. We will ask the court to protect Megan from this type of abuse."

Megan Thee Stallion isn't walking away from her record label without a fight -- 1501 Certified Entertainment is suing, claiming her last "album" actually wasn't an album ... and she owes more recordings and a lot of money.

The label's countersuit, filed Monday, calls out Megan for her "Something for Thee Hotties" album release last year. Megan had sued 1501 back in February to declare the record fulfilled her contract.

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Not so fast, according to 1501 ... which calls the record nothing more than a compilation of old, previously-released material. According to docs, obtained by TMZ, the label says 'Something' is "made up of 21 recordings and includes spoken interlude recordings on which MTS does not appear as well as several previously-released recordings."

As far as any new MTS material on the "album" -- 1501 says there's a mere 29 minutes worth of it, and to them, that's not enough to qualify as an album under her deal.

In the suit, the label says Megan is well aware any album she makes must include at least 12 "new master recordings of studio performances," and they have to be previously unreleased. Most importantly, 1501 says it has to approve all the tracks ... and it claims that didn't happen when Megan put together "Something for Thee Hotties."

Now, 1501 Certified Entertainment wants the judge to declare, once and for all, that 'Something' doesn't count as an album under her contract. If that's the case, she would owe the label 2 more albums.

The label also wants a full accounting of what Megan's made from "collaborations, sponsorships, endorsements, and side engagements" ... because she would owe the label a cut of that revenue. 1501 claims she's never revealed those numbers, and believes its share of those deals could exceed $1 million.

Originally Published -- 12:35 PM PT

SCOTUS Nom. Ketanji Brown Jackson Judge Shouts Out Her Family ... At Confirmation Hearing

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PROPS TO THE FAM
Fox News

Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson is about to undergo a grilling this week as her SCOTUS confirmation hearings begin, but before that ... she's putting the spotlight on her loved ones.

The U.S. federal judge -- who President Biden nominated as the best person to next serve on the high court -- finally got a chance to speak Monday on Capitol Hill after hearing from senators on both sides of the aisle about what to expect over the next several days.

During her long-awaited opening remarks ... Jackson took a tender moment to acknowledge her family and how much they've meant to her in getting to this potentially historic milestone.

If confirmed, she would become the first Black female justice to serve on the bench -- and with that in mind, the judge gave it up for her hubby of 25 years, Patrick, as well as her daughters, Talia and Leila, whom she thanked in what made for a pretty emotional scene.

It was reflective of when Biden first announced her as his pick ... there, too, she took time to honor her brood.

As for other highlights from Day 1 ... it was a mixed bag of both praise and prefacing of expectations.

Dems gave props to Jackson for making it this far and possibly becoming a trailblazer. Meanwhile, Republicans preemptively brought up what they're anticipating -- namely, being accused of racism for asking tough questions.

They also made sure to repeatedly promise ... they would NOT do to her what they claim Democrats did to Brett Kavanaugh during his confirmation hearing -- which they label a character assassination. This, of course, before they've even asked her one question.

Yep, sounds like this is gonna be a bumpy ride. Buckle up!

Lorenzen Wright Man Convicted Of Killing Ex-NBA'er ... Gets Life In Prison

Lorenzen Wright's family finally got some justice on Monday ... 51-year-old Billy Ray Turner was convicted of murdering the former NBA player, and was sentenced to life in prison.

Wright, the 7th overall pick in the 1996 NBA Draft, was killed in July 2010 in his hometown of Memphis. Lorenzen had gone missing days earlier ... before his decomposing body was discovered in a marshy field.

Prosecutors alleged Wright's ex-wife, Sherra Wright, hired two other people, including Turner, to commit the murder by luring Wright to the field under the guise they were there to meet someone who owed his ex money.

Turner, who pled not guilty to first-degree murder, attempted murder, and conspiracy, was found guilty by a jury after only 2 hours of deliberation.

The judge sentenced BRT to life in prison for the murder charge. He will again go before a judge sometime in the future where he'll be sentenced for the other two charges.

As for Sherra, she previously plead guilty to facilitation of murder and facilitation to commit first-degree murder and was sentenced to 30 years in prison in July 2019. She will be eligible for parole after only 9 years.

Lorenzen Wright was McDonald's All-American in high school, an All-American at the University of Memphis, and played 13 seasons in the NBA for the Clippers, Hawks, Grizzlies, Kings and Cavaliers.

Ben & Jen Honey, We're Home ... Visit New $50M+ Estate

Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck are already taking steps to make their new mid-$50M house a home ... visiting the property with family and snapping pics inside the massive estate.

We're told the two spent more than 2 hours at the Bel-Air estate over the weekend, but they didn't go alone -- J Lo's daughter, Emme, tagged along -- as did the couple's security team.

Ben was spotted snapping pics inside the 20,000 sq ft pad, just before heading out again with the fam. Unclear if Ben wanted the pics for some design ideas, or just to show friends ... but either way, the home is spectacular.

The sale is significant in more ways than one for the couple ... you gotta assume there's an engagement on the horizon followed by an over-the-top wedding.

Of course, $50M can get you a lot -- even in Bel-Air -- the house is decked out with a home theatre, a gym, multiple kitchens, an infinity-edge pool with a view ... just to name a few.

The whopping estate was first listed by Texas Billionaire Todd Lemkin at $65 mil.

Viral Tesla Crash Cops Offer Cash To Find Driver

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TESLA TAKEOFF

Cops are desperate to get info on the driver involved in a now-viral video of a Tesla flying over a residential street, resulting in a dramatic collision ... offering a cash reward for their identity.

The video looks like a movie stunt, shot in Echo Park over the weekend, with the car driving full speed up over a hill and flying through the air. The LAPD calls the incident a misdemeanor hit and run ... and posting a $1,000 reward to anyone with info on the driver's whereabouts.

LAPD says, "the rental driver of a black 2018 Tesla S-BLM decided to perform a dangerous stunt, at Baxter Street and Alvarado Street, where he collided with several trash cans and two parked vehicles."

The Tesla was destroyed as a result, and a parked Subaru suffered major damage to the rear.

The event spread on social media after bystanders posted their footage online. While rumors about the mystery driver have circulated, police say they have "no description of the driver, and the Tesla was abandoned at the scene."

The incident reportedly occurred during a Tesla meet-up event, organized online.

Police are encouraging anyone with information on the driver to contact the LAPD with details ... and to collect their reward.

Zelensky's Ex-Press Sec. His Background is Multifaceted ... That's Why He's So Good!!!

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MORE THAN A COMIC
TMZ.com

Volodymyr Zelensky's former press secretary says the guy's a good leader during war for a couple of reasons  -- including the fact he's a legal eagle.

We talked to Iuliia Mendel Monday -- who served as the Ukrainian President's spokesperson for two years after he was elected in 2019 -- and she told us what she and the rest of Zelensky's team saw in him then that the rest of the world is witnessing firsthand now.

For starters, she reveals that Zelensky was actually a lawyer in his past life -- before he was even a comedian/actor -- and that certainly plays into why he's so savvy in this difficult time.

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Mendel explains her former boss' diverse background has helped him navigate what's going on with Russia ... and why he's even been willing to head to the front lines of the fighting to show support both to his troops and people, but also to negotiate as needed.

Then comes a somewhat difficult question ... what if all the backing from the world that Ukraine has received thus far simply isn't enough to fend off the Russians?

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A third world war looms ...
CNN

She answers that with poise and class, telling us what Ukraine needs ... and what it'll settle for when it comes to reinforcements. Zelensky himself has made clear he'd love boots on the ground, but there's an alternative Mendel lays out that might be a middle ground for all.