Britney Spears Shelling Out $10K Per Month For Sam's New Apartment

Sam Asghari packed up his belongings and left Britney Spears, but that doesn't mean he has to foot his own bill for his new living quarters -- Britney's the one picking up the tab, TMZ has learned.

Sources connected to the estranged pair tell us Britney's paying $10,000 a month for Sam's new pad in one of the most high-end apartment buildings in Los Angeles.

We're told $10k is the cost of a standard unit in the high-rise, but Sam was able to work out a deal for a better apartment at the base price.

Sam and Britney had an acrimonious breakup, so on the surface it seems surprising she'd foot the bill for his living quarters. But our sources say Britney's handlers thought it wise to make the gesture. As we reported, Sam's lawyer is making sounds he will challenge the prenup, and it will almost certainly end with Britney writing a check to Sam. Sources say the amount will be several hundreds of thousands of dollars in the end.

Our sources say Britney and Sam still aren't talking ... though as we first reported, they've at least come to an agreement on their dogs. Sam gets the Doberman, Porsha, and Britney gets their remaining 4 dogs -- including the Australian Shepherd, Sawyer, and new puppy, Snow.

Britney's system of support continues to dwindle, with only her attorney, Mat Rosengart, and manager, Cade Hudson, remaining ... but sources tell us she's recently expressed a desire to mend things with her dad, Jamie Spears.

The thought seems shocking, considering Britney's history with Jamie and the conservatorship, but our sources say Jamie's had serious health issues -- and Britney wants to make things right before it's too late.

Chrissy Teigen Angry Customers Review-Bomb New Wagon Collab

Chrissy Teigen's got 4 young kiddos of her own, so her latest collab on a wagon with Wonderfold would seemingly be a hit ... but that's not how customers are seeing it, review-bombing the product's online page.

Chrissy's limited edition W4 Petal Pop Stroller Wagon retails for $999 with a pink flowery design. The product was released Wednesday, and was an almost immediate sellout ... but the internet trolls still had their way, flocking to the comment and review section to attack.

At the time of this post, 40 of the wagon's 46 reviews were 1-star ... and it's got an overall rating of 1.5 out of 5 stars.

As for why the nastiness, some just don't like the design, while other people are still bringing up Chrissy's past incidents of online bullying. One review reads, "There is no way this company purposefully chose such a vile person to work with. To sell a product with its purpose to be used with CHILDREN, you chose a “woman” who told a CHILD (Courtney Stodden) to kill herself?!"

Another writes, "I would never use a wagon with her name on it. Even if it wasn't cheap and tacky looking," there's also, "The colors are not great.. looks like cotton candy threw up on an ice cream cart. That price?! Absolutely insane! Don’t even get me started on collaborating with someone so vicious and horrid as Chrissy T… in such poor taste! Wonder gold shame on you!! Lost my business!"

At this point, the reviews seem unfair, as Chrissy's apologized for her past online behavior, took some significant time off and hasn't been a bully in years. Nonetheless, there's still people who just won't let it go.

Burglary Suspect Chugs Gasoline As Cops Pull Guns in Arrest

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GAS GUZZLER
Seattle Police Department

A bizarre scene in Seattle as a burglary suspect decided to chug from a can of gasoline as cops moved in for his arrest.

The footage is wild, you see a guy sitting inside a truck parked in a garage as cops shout commands for him to get out of the vehicle. The guy takes a swig of the gasoline, as officers inform they're about to break a window, which doesn't really phase the alleged crook.

Once the glass is broken, the dude takes another gulp before officers wrestle the gasoline away from him, drag him out of the truck and into handcuffs.

Unclear what the alleged burglar thought he'd accomplish with the stunt, though at one point during his arrest it sounds like he says, "Shoot me" ... so it could've been an attempt at self-harm.

As for how the whole thing started -- a spokesperson from the Seattle, WA Police Department says they got a call from a 17-year-old girl Friday about a man trying to break into her parents' home.

In the body cam footage, you see officers force entry into the home, search for the girl and eventually find the suspect in the garage ... where the gasoline scene unfolds.

The suspect was treated by paramedics and then taken to King County Jail and booked for residential burglary.

Kobe Bryant Statue To Be Unveiled In Feb. ... On Symbolic Date

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LAMENTING THE LEGEND

Kobe Bryant's long-awaited statue finally has a release date -- the Lakers legend's wife, Vanessa, just announced the five-time champion's tribute will be unveiled outside Crypto.com Arena on a special date -- 2/8/24.

"As you know, Kobe played his entire 20-year NBA career as a Los Angeles Laker," Vanessa said in a video from the team facility.

"Since arriving in the city and joining the Lakers organization, he felt at home here playing in the City of Angels."

"On behalf of the Lakers, my daughters and me, I am so honored that right in the center of Los Angeles, in front of the place known as 'The House That Kobe Built,' we are going to unveil a statue so that his legacy can be celebrated forever."

Feb. 2, 2024 is truly symbolic -- Kobe wore Nos. 8 and 24 during his Hall of Fame career ... and his daughter, Gigi, donned No. 2 throughout her time on the court.

There are rumblings Gigi may be honored in some capacity as well ... although renderings of the project have not been released.

Kobe will join fellow Lakers superstars like Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Shaquille O'Neal and more ... who have gotten their own statues outside the venue in years past.

Kobe and Gigi tragically died in a helicopter crash in Jan. 2020 ... and fans have been wanting a permanent tribute outside the arena for years.

The ceremony -- which will take place before the Lakers host the Denver Nuggets -- will undoubtedly be an emotional one.

Polo G & Trench Baby Arrested For Kidnapping, Robbery, Assault ... Hours After Police Raid

Polo G and his brother Trench Baby's problems didn't end after a police raid at their home -- in fact, they only got worse -- TMZ Hip Hop has learned the two were arrested for several felonies AFTER they were released from the raid.

Burbank Police tell us Polo and TB had outstanding warrants for kidnapping, assault with a deadly weapon, and robbery, stemming from a report filed last April.

Officers waited for the pair to be released from LAPD custody, and then nabbed them for the warrant around 10:30 PM on Wednesday.

We're told Polo was released from Burbank Jail around 4:30 AM on Thursday after posting a $100K bond.

As for the raid, our sources tell us the "Pop Out" rapper was released on his own recognizance in that case. Trench Baby posted $100k for the Burbank case and another $100k for bail in the LAPD case.

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PLACED IN CUFFS
TMZ.com

TMZ Hip Hop broke the story, LAPD officers swarmed in heavily and removed everyone from the home.

We reached out to Polo's legal team on the latest case ... so far, no word back!

Drew Barrymore Crazed Fan Returns, Gets Arrested ... Went to Her Hamptons Home

Drew Barrymore can't seem to get away from an alleged stalker, because the dude popped up at her Southampton estate, days after freaking her out at an NYC ... but this time cops busted him.

Law enforcement sources confirmed to TMZ ... there is an "ongoing investigation" into Chad Michael Busto showing up uninvited Wednesday at Drew's Hamptons farmhouse.

According to the New York Post, which first reported the story, Busto went house-to-house in search of Drew's $6 million property. After he found it, Busto walked onto some steps outside before police took him into custody. Drew was apparently not home at the time.

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UNEXPECTED VISITOR

The scary incident comes 2 days after Busto struck fear into Drew as she was interviewing singer/actress Reneé Rapp at the 92NY in Manhattan. Busto, who was in the packed crowd, ran up to the stage and screamed at Drew, "You know who I am, I need to see you at some point."

Video shows security guards quickly responding and escorting Busto out of the venue, but he was not arrested. During the commotion, Drew and Renee held onto each other as they zipped offstage, only to return a short time later to finish their chat.

Vivek Ramaswamy Emerges Victorious In Republican Debate ... New Poll Says

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FIRST ROUND FIREWORKS
Fox News

Vivek Ramaswamy channeled his inner Donald Trump and became the breakout star of the first 2024 Republican presidential primary debate in Wisconsin Wednesday night, at least according to a new poll.

The biotech businessman went toe-to-toe with his fellow conservative candidates onstage at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee -- and emerged victorious with a 28 percent approval rating from voters in the Daily Mail poll.

Ron DeSantis slid into the second spot with 27 percent approval. Former Vice President Mike Pence came in third with 13 percent. The other candidates -- Tim Scott, Nikki Haley, Chris Christie, Doug Burgum, Asa Hutchinson -- all polled in the single digits.

Of course, Trump was nowhere to be found because he's, by far, the Republican frontrunner, electing instead to do an interview with Tucker Carlson that aired on X, formerly known as Twitter.

During the two-hour debate, Vivek was thrust into the spotlight during several heated exchanges with his rivals, especially Christie, who compared him to "ChatGPT" -- a form of Artificial Intelligence technology that allows you to have human-like conversations and more with a chatbot.

Vivek also stirred controversy when he was the only candidate to raise his hand after being asked if they would not support an increase in funding for the war in Ukraine.

At one point, the conversation turned to climate change and Vivek labeled it a hoax, prompting boos from the crowd.

He was also quick to put up his arm when asked about whether the candidates would support Trump if he were convicted in any of his four criminal cases.

Vivek is clearly a big fan of Trump, but now that his polls are going up, it could create some tension between the two.

Michael Blackson Slow Down, Nick Cannon ... You're Gonna Have 3,000 Grandkids!!!

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THE JOKES WRITE THEMSELVES
TMZ.com

Michael Blackson says Nick Cannon's provided him with a lifetime of material -- and he's never gonna stop ribbing him for having 12 children ... and counting!!!

We linked up with Mike Wednesday in West Hollywood, and asked about 50 Cent going viral for ribbing Nick's personal population boom during a recent Forbes interview.

Mike's not offering any sympathy, and, in fact, tells us he's eager to see the day his old "Wild 'N Out" pal's struggling to take care of a few thousand grandchildren!!! 😂

He jokes Nick has to stagger visitations on FaceTime, and if it sounds like he's going in a little hard ... it ain't gonna stop. Mike says he's sticking to the comedian's code, so Nick (and his fam) will have to catch these jokes forever!!!

Nick's also sticking to that code -- he was publicly poking fun at 50's weight just a few months ago, so expect more back-and-forth in due time.

Mike will be here for a good time and long time, thanks to his new series "The Michael Blackson Show."

We also got the proud Ghanian's take on Afrobeats -- which, he says isn't exactly killing hip hop, but is definitely having its moment.

Tan Mom Patricia Krentcil First Senate Campaign Vid ... Fix Healthcare, Support Drag Queens!!!

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TAN MOM 2024

Tan Mom Patricia Krentcil's run for the U.S. Senate is all about fixing healthcare, fighting for drag queens and, in general, having compassion for your fellow Americans ... principles she's laying out in her first campaign ad.

In the video, obtained by TMZ, Patricia lets Florida voters know she's changed a lot over the past decade, much like the rest of the country ... and says losing her husband to cancer and being in a medically induced coma opened her eyes to the Medicare and Medicaid struggles of millions of Americans.

On top of that, Patricia says she knows what it's like to look different -- saying drag queens shouldn't be targeted and harassed for being who they are.

She goes on to add they can be amazing role models for kids ... a pretty unique platform for any GOP candidate, these days.

As a mother of 5 kids growing up in a divided country, Patricia thinks she's more than qualified to tackle the nation's hot-button issues.

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GOIN' AGAINST THE GRAIN
TMZ.com

While Patricia's running as a Republican with views far left of most Republicans -- she joined us last week on "TMZ Live" to fill us in on her reasoning for choosing that party.

Kevin Hart I'm In Wheelchair After Muscle Tears ... Injured Racing Ex-NFL RB

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THIS IS 40
Instagram / @kevinhart4real

Kevin Hart says he needs to sit his butt down in a wheelchair because he can't walk anymore ... the result of trying to race an athlete and tearing some core muscles.

The movie star and comedian posted a hilarious video detailing his latest injury ... a torn lower abdomen and adductors ... which he says he suffered as a 44-year-old man running the 40-yard dash.

Kevin says he thought he could beat his friend in a race ... but the guy he was up against is former NFL running back Stevan Ridley, and now he's regretting even entertaining the thought he could actually outrun a pro athlete.

Sitting in a wheelchair on his porch, Kevin says the injury is one of the dumbest things he's ever done in his 44 years on earth ... and he says it's a sign he needs to slow down and act his age.

Kevin's hilariously questioning why he even raced Stevan in the first place ... joking he was trying to be the fastest man at the BBQ, and the comment section is filled with celebs chiming in.

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TOUGH JOURNEY

The fact Kevin's laughing about it makes it seem like he's not too concerned with his torn muscles ... after all, he's had serious back issues from a near-fatal car crash and went through a grueling rehab.

Still, Kevin's giving himself the title of the "stupidest man alive."

Britney Spears Slammed By Peta Over New Puppy ... Buying Dogs is Toxic!!!

Britney Spears has a new battle to handle. Along with a contentious divorce, she's now getting ripped by the animal rights warriors at PETA for buying a new dog, instead of rescuing one from a shelter.

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SAY HELLO TO SNOW!!!

The "Toxic" singer showed off her new puppy Wednesday on social media, introducing the world to an all-white puppy -- appropriately named Snow -- and while Britney's over the moon about her new family member, the folks over at PETA are not.

A rep for PETA tells TMZ ... "When influential people buy puppies, puppy mills cheer and animal shelters watch the homeless-animal crisis get even worse. With this one cutesy post, Britney Spears has sentenced countless deserving dogs in shelters to more days without love, a comfy bed to curl up on, or a chance at a real life."

Britney got Snow after her estranged husband Sam Asghari filed for divorce, and the former couple hammered out an agreement splitting up the 5 dogs they shared when they were together.

TMZ broke the story ... Sam's keeping their Doberman, Porsha, and Britney's hanging on to the other 4 pooches.

With Snow in the fold, Britney's back up to 5 dogs at home, but PETA is wagging a tail finger, saying ... "She could have been a force for good and adopted, but instead she chose to be toxic, and animals will pay with their lives."

Wordplay aside, PETA's pissed ... again. See? It's not just you, Pete Davidson.

Aaron Donald's Wife Gets Own Version Of SB LVI Ring ... Hoping To Start New WAG Trend!!!

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ONE FOR THE LADIES
Instagram / @moediamonds

Aaron Donald's wife just got her own version of a Super Bowl LVI championship ring ... and the bling commemorating her hubby's 2022 title is so sweet -- TMZ Sports has learned the jeweler is now hoping it starts a new trend among wives and girlfriends of pro athletes.

Erica Donald hit up celeb icemaker Moe Diamonds last year with the idea that she should have a piece similar to Aaron's -- after the Rams superstar got his for beating Joe Burrow and the Bengals in February 2022.

Moe says he was hoping it'd come out so nice, it'd start a new WAGs fashion statement. And, after he delivered it to her, he seems pretty sure it'll stick.

Moe says the ring is filled with VS-VVS diamonds, yellow and blue sapphires matching Rams colors ... and it also has an F-color marquise center diamond that looks just like a football.

The iced-out item also features Donald's initials, his No. 99 jersey number, the letters SBLVI, and palm trees to represent Los Angeles.

Moe added that the bling holds approximately 3 carats of diamonds -- and has been appraised at $17,000!

Moe -- who's made several pieces for the Donalds over the years -- said he's pretty confident this could now spark a movement amongst champion WAGs going forward.

"I created a lady's Super Bowl ring," Moe said. "Aaron Donald's wife was the first person to receive it for the Super Bowl the Rams won."

"We are working on making it a trend for the wives/girlfriends to get a ring."

Lord knows the women definitely deserve it!

Greg In 'Everybody Hates Chris' 'Memba Him?!

American actor Vincent Martella was only 12 years old when he first started playing the role of Greg Wuliger -- the easygoing painter and Chris' only friend -- on the CW's sitcom "Everybody Hates Chris" back in 2005.

Vincent shared the screen with Tyler James Williams as the unpopular, young teen who wants to be liked by his peers, Chris, Imani Hakim as the annoying little sister, Tonya and Tequan Richmond as Chris's younger and much taller brother, Drew.

Terry Crews also played a role in "Everybody Hates Chris," and Chris Rock was both a producer and narrator for the comedic show!

Guess what he looks like now!

R. Kelly $500K Garnished from Royalties!!! Payback for His Victims

R. Kelly is still on the hook for more than half a million bucks in restitution to his victims -- but they’ll be getting a big check soon thanks to his old hits.

According to docs, obtained by TMZ Hip Hop, a judge signed an order garnishing the embattled singer's royalties ... as it was discovered Universal Music Group is holding a bunch of his royalties.

So, the company will now cut a check to cover Kelly’s restitution bill.

The order says Kelly's outstanding restitution balance is $506,950.26, and UMG just so happens to be sitting on 567,444.19 of his royalties -- more than enough to settle the debt.

As we previously reported, the singer is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence for various sex crimes.

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THAT'S NOT EVEN ME

Although his back catalog apparently still generates plenty of money, Kelly hasn’t had as much success with music recently.

You’ll recall, some of his new music leaked back in December before it was swiftly removed and he was dropped from RCA and Sony music imprints back in 2020 ahead of the trial.

Blueface Some Dude Stabbed Me!!! Gym Confrontation Captured on Camera

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THE ALLEGED INCIDENT
Instagram / @bluefasebabyy

Blueface is nursing fresh wounds suffered in the boxing gym when a guy whipped out a knife and stabbed him during an altercation that started on video.

The rapper, and pretty successful amateur boxer, was training Wednesday morning at a gym in L.A.'s San Fernando Valley when the attacker came into the gym. Security footage posted on Blue's IG shows the trainer, David Kaminsky, trying to get in between the man and Blueface.

It appears there was an argument about something, and Blueface decided he was through talking and hit the guy with several punches -- but then he appears to take something out of his pocket and charge back at Blueface ... the video cuts off before the stabbing.

Kaminsky tells TMZ Hip Hop ... things got heated quickly because the unknown attacker immediately started barking, "I'm gonna kill you" to Blueface as soon as he charged into the gym.

He tells us the guy stabbed Blueface in the leg, and then fled. Witnesses say the guy was in a black Tesla Model S and had a Rottweiler with him.

Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media.

Blueface's injuries don't seem life-threatening -- paramedics did show up on scene -- but he says he won't be able to compete in a boxing match he had scheduled for October 14.

Story developing ...

Rudy Giuliani Stone-Faced Mug Shot Surrenders In Trump Case

Rudy Giuliani's mug shot is in, and he certainly doesn't look like a happy camper after surrendering himself for Donald Trump's RICO case.

Giuliani gave the Fulton County camera the disapproving look Wednesday after he and fellow former election lawyer Sidney Powell walked into county jail for one of Trump's ongoing investigations.

RG agreed to a $150k bond, and Powell's was set at $100k. For those unaware, Giuliani's charged with things like engaging in criminal conspiracies and breaking Georgia's racketeering act -- Powell's facing similar charges.

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"ATTACK ON AMERICAN PEOPLE"

He gave his thoughts about agreeing to work with Trump years ago, especially in hindsight ... but he seems to have no problems with the connection they share.

As we reported, Trump said on Truth Social he will be turning himself in to Fulton County officials on Thursday -- the day after Giuliani and Powell. The announcement follows last week's indictment on 13 counts of 2020 election subversion under GA's Racketeering Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, or RICO.

Apart from Trump, 18 other defendants have been named in the latest case, with Giuliani and Powell being 2 of many ... also facing charges is the ex-president's former Chief of Staff, Mark Meadows.

FYI, Trump's also been indicted in 3 other jurisdictions for alleged incidents like mishandling classified docs, a hush money payment to porn star Stormy Daniels, and involvement in the January 6 riots.