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Eric Clapton and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. consider themselves rebels in their respective fields -- but those worlds collided in a big way this week in an effort to raise cash ... and a lot of it.

The rocker performed at a private show Monday night in L.A. -- where EC plugged in his amp and started strumming at a ritzy estate in Brentwood. No word on who exactly hosted -- but it sounds like the place was packed ... 'cause the show raised $2.2 million.

Mind you, this was definitely a political thing ... namely, raising money for RFK Jr.'s presidential campaign -- and Eric was the leading talent and, apparently, the big draw.

Tickets for this event were damn pricey -- starting on the low end at $3,300 just for entry and going as high as $6,600 for a little facetime with the candidate himself. Unclear how exactly the ticket sale tiers played out ... but clearly, enough people showed up to 7 figures.

We're told that of the money raised -- $1 million went straight to Kennedy's campaign, and the other $1.2 million went toward a PAC that's supporting him.

RFK Jr. was grateful for Eric's help in all this, saying ... "I am deeply grateful to Eric Clapton for bringing his musical artistry and rebellious spirit to my gathering."

He added ... "I sometimes think that in our divided society, it is music rather than any kind of intellectual agreement that has the most potential to bring us together again. Eric sings from the depths of the human condition. If he sees in me the possibility of bringing unity to our country, it is only possible because artists like him invoke a buried faith in the limitless power of human beings to overcome any obstacle."

Cleveland Cavaliers president Koby Altman appeared to have serious balance issues during his OVI arrest over the weekend ... seemingly struggling through several field sobriety tests before being put in cuffs, police video obtained by TMZ Sports shows.

Altman -- who joined the Cavs in 2012 -- was pulled over in Cleveland around 9 PM on Friday ... after troopers say they witnessed his white 2022 Lexus make a traffic violation.

During the stop, officers claim Altman was close to causing an accident and showed signs of impairment.

Video shows Altman attempt the walk-and-turn, one-leg stand and eye tests ... and at one point, he claimed the officers were messing up his performance.

Altman -- who turned 41 on Saturday -- explained to cops he was an exec with the Cavs ... and said he was tired after returning from an overseas trip and lengthy dinner earlier in the night, admitting to having a few drinks.

When officers asked Altman to submit to a breathalyzer, he refused ... and he was handcuffed.

Altman was ultimately charged with committing a marked lanes violation and operating a vehicle while impaired. His attorney submitted a not guilty plea on his behalf in court on Tuesday.

Altman was director of pro personnel with the Cavs when they won the NBA Finals in 2016 ... before taking over the team one year later. He made several impactful trades during his tenure ... and drafted stars like Darius Garland and Evan Mobley.

Bijou Phillips has made the decision to end her marriage with Danny Masterson, less than two weeks after he got 30 years to life for rape.

According to legal docs, obtained by TMZ, Bijou filed to end things Monday in a California court. Her attorney, Peter A. Lauzon, tells TMZ, "Ms. Phillips has decided to file for divorce from her husband during this unfortunate time. Her priority remains with her daughter."

He continues, "This period has been unimaginably hard on the marriage and the family. Mr. Masterson was always present for Ms. Phillips during her most difficult times of her life. Ms. Phillips acknowledges that Mr. Masterson is a wonderful father to their daughter."

Bijou stood by Masterson throughout his rape trial and re-trial ... even accompanying him at his sentencing hearing.

Danny was convicted on two counts of rape in May, but the jury was hung on the 3rd count. He was first charged back in 2020, with the 3 women saying the incidents went down between 2001 and 2003.

Bijou and Danny have one daughter together, born in 2014 ... and reports stated Bijou was devastated after his sentencing. In a letter used as a character reference in his sentencing hearing, Bijou called Danny, "a life-saving partner to me.”

As we reported, Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis received a ton of heat for letters of support they wrote for Masterson, speaking to his character and their friendship with the actor. Both issued an apology in the wake of the backlash, and Ashton stepped down from his position within the anti-child sex abuse org he co-founded.

Vanna White has signed on for 2 more years as the cohost of "Wheel of Fortune," and she'll take home a lot more cash this time around, but we've learned things are far from settled.

Sources connected to Vanna tell TMZ, she received a "substantial pay increase" from the $3 million per year she was making for nearly 2 decades. She had not gotten a raise for 18 years.

As we reported, Vanna's pay paled by comparison to Pat Sajak, who is pulling in $15 mil per season.

Vanna's lawyer, Bryan Freedman, was in what were told were "very difficult negotiations" with Sony. Freedman wanted Sony to cough up at least half of what Pat is making.

Now this is interesting ... our sources say Sony had a clause in the new contract, releasing the studio from any claims Vanna might have, but Freedman insisted that the clause be removed ... and it was.

We're hearing Freedman is mulling over a possible gender discrimination lawsuit against Sony based on the disparity in pay. It's an interesting claim ... the show begins with the announcer saying, "Here are the stars of our show, Pat Sajak and Vanna White!" They come out arm-in-arm ... and at least visually there's no difference in status between the 2. In terms of pay, there is a huge difference.

Season 41 began filming last week ... it will be Pat's final season. Season 42 will have Ryan Seacrest at the reins.

Danny Masterson's wife Bijou Phillips was all-in when it came to supporting her husband in the weeks before she filed for divorce, writing a character reference in his rape trial sentencing.

Bijou sent a letter to Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Charlaine Olmedo, ahead of the disgraced actor's sentencing earlier this month -- much like those sent in from Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis -- pleading for a lighter sentence to come her husband's way.

In it, Bijou said he was a "live-saving" man who spent his time during his rape allegations farming to help support his family -- and pointed out the ways he helped young actors stay away from the dark side of fame -- another thing Ashton and Mila noted in their letters.

She also said she still couldn't accept that he raped 2 women ... something he was found guilty of months before.

Bijou reportedly let out a wail in the courtroom when he was found guilty back in May ... Judge Olmedo had to tell her to keep her composure or step out of the courtroom.

Ray J and Bobby Brackins made good on their $25,000 promise to boost the bank account of the best mechanical bull rider in their contest, a hefty payday for just a few minutes of fun.

TMZ Hip Hop obtained video of the Ray-hosted event that went down on September 16 inside San Fran's Westwood bar, which we're told was so jampacked the owners made an exception and played hip hop all night when the airtime is generally reserved for country music.

A woman named "JC" took home the grand prize and it's not hard to see why it was an easy choice ... we're told not only was she the only one of the 7 contestants to stay on the bull-bot but she did it with flair by taking off her shirt and spinning it like a helicopter, which helped her seal the deal.

Even Ray couldn't hold on very long but the crowd wasn't there to see him be a matador -- he put on a full show and apparently, the crowd was loving each track he performed!!!

Ray and Bobby are using the fanfare to saddle up their latest linkup, "On Top," into the Billboard stratosphere.

Kevin Costner and Christine Baumgartner seemed destined to fight out their divorce for months to come in court -- but now that anger-fueled ride's come to a screeching halt with their settlement ... which makes this look-back at how they got here all the more eye-popping.

Going all the way back to early May -- when CB first filed to end their marriage -- this uncoupling had all the markings of being ugly, starting with the fact her decision to divorce Kevin completely blindsided him.

What proceeded over the next 5 months amounted to one of the nastiest celeb divorces in recent memory ... despite the fact they had a prenup in place.

Pretty much from the jump, Christine indicated she had plans to challenge the validity of the prenup -- starting with the fact she put up a fight about moving out of their house ... even though the prenup required her to get out if she were to divorce him.

After A LOT of back and forth in court and a judge's ruling ... Christine did move out by the court-ordered deadline in late July. Keep in mind, Kevin said he'd already given her over a million bucks to get her own pad.

In addition to the housing drama ... there was the acrimonious issue of child support, which had been challenged by Christine since the beginning. At first, she'd asked a judge to make Kevin pay a whopping $248,000/month to support their 3 teenage kids.

Kevin, of course, scoffed at that ... insisting the realistic number was probably closer to $63k/mo. -- and while he had to cough up $129k/mo as an interim amount, the judge ultimately sided with him on this matter, ruling the $63k was enough to sustain the children.

Amid all this mudslinging and money talk, the Costners went on vacation -- 2 different ones, actually ... and their kiddos got to enjoy respective trips with Mom and Dad. Christine took them to Hawaii for a week, and then KC flew them out to Aspen for some QT.

Come August, it was back to the lawyers' table ... with both Kevin and Christine sitting for a deposition to settle the issue of whether Christine "understood" the prenup she signed way back before their 2004 wedding ... something she and her lawyers argued might not have been totally clear to her.

Kevin and Christine showed up dressed to the nines for that depo ... and then testified all over again in court to hash out more points, including money, rumored partners and more.

In the end, a judge sided with Kevin on this as well -- saying the prenup was clear, and ordered Christine to pay a little more than $14k to cover Kevin's attorney fees for litigating this minute detail.

Christine then signaled she wasn't done nitpicking ... asking for more cash from Kevin to cover her attorney fees, which she estimated at $885k.

That was the latest barb just a few days ago ... and there appeared to be no end in sight. Then, just this week, Christine and Kevin buried the hatchet in a surprise move.

As we reported ... they settled, the terms of which are being kept private for now. While Christine seemed to be taking L after L in court, it sounds like she might've clocked a small win in the end -- as our sources tell us she walked away with more dough than what she was due under the original terms of their prenup.

A decorated 40-year veteran is opening up about how combat missions forever changed his brain function, and he says his experience is a cautionary tale for all service members and the doctors who treat them.

We talked to General Gregg F. Martin Tuesday on "TMZ Live" about his just-released memoir, "Bipolar General: My Forever War with Mental Illness" ... which chronicles his personal battle. As he explains -- bipolar disorder can actually develop over time.

Conventional wisdom is bipolarity is something you inherit, but Gen. Martin says it's not that simple. He says doctors told him the gene for bipolar disorder was dormant in his brain, until the stressors of repeated combat missions in Iraq triggered it.

The General says his manic episodes were devastating ... and, in some cases, he literally thought he was Superman. It wasn't until he was diagnosed as bipolar, 11 years after leaving Iraq, that he got on the right meds and learned how combat impacts the brain's biochemistry.

Gen. Martin says he's not alone -- far too many vets in this country have gone through the same situation ... but he adds the Veterans' Affairs Department is aware, and on the lookout for symptoms of bipolar disorder among combat troops.

He's hoping his story brings the issue to the forefront and destigmatizes the topic of mental health within the military.

Tamar Braxton told cops her car was "completely trashed" by thieves ... getting emotional just looking at it, as seen in the body cam footage.

The footage, obtained by TMZ, shows the singer chatting with officers Monday morning about what she says happened -- explaining it's gonna be tough to figure out everything they took.

At one point, Tamar takes a peek in the car before having to look away, saying she might cry just based on the condition of the vehicle. The cop eventually opens the door, showing some clutter on the passenger side -- but the rest of her vehicle's interior isn't visible.

Tamar says she usually locks her car, but admits she came down the night before to get something out of it, and isn't totally positive if she locked it back up.

BTW, Tamar says the culprits oddly enough left a computer behind when they took off.

Shannon Beador's DUI isn't the only allegedly booze-fueled arrest that's gone down in the world of 'Real Housewives' ... a handful of folks from the series have been accused of and busted for similar offenses in the past.

As you know, video appears to show Shannon slamming her car into the side of a house in Newport Beach over the weekend. Law enforcement sources tell us she was trying to pretend she was walking her dog when cops arrived ... but was arrested and booked for DUI and hit-and-run.

But, Shannon's ordeal is just the tip of the 'Housewives' iceberg.

TMZ broke the story, Kim Zolciak's 20-year-old daughter, Ariana, was booked in Georgia last year for 3 separate charges ... misdemeanor DUI driving under the influence of alcohol, misdemeanor improper lane change, and underage alcohol possession.

Ariana's lawyer told us she was "involved in a minor fender bender," and said officers "incorrectly concluded she was impaired by alcohol. That was not the case. She wholly denies these allegations."

Dorit Kemsley's husband, PK, was busted for DUI in 2021 after CHP officers said they saw his Bentley weaving in traffic on L.A.'s 101 freeway. His attorney told us he had a glass of wine at dinner before driving, and regretted not finding another way home.

Law enforcement told us PK blew a .081 blood alcohol in the field, but blew a .076 when he arrived at the police station. The legal limit is .08 BAC, and we were told the level change led prosecutors to decide to not charge him.

'RHONY's Luann de Lesseps was arrested in 2017, being hit with a slew of charges after her alleged drunken rampage -- including battery on a law enforcement officer, resisting arrest with violence, and 2 counts of corruption by threat.

She allegedly told cops, "I'm going to kill you all," and later struck a plea deal for that case ... but authorities say she later violated her probation by drinking mimosas.

Kim Richards also got busted back in 2015, allegedly reeking of booze and slurring her speech while being dragged out of the bathroom by cops at the Polo Lounge inside the Beverly Hills Hotel.

She was charged with trespass, resisting arrest, battery on a police officer, and drunk in public. She eventually completed her probation.

Quite a long and wild list of arrests ... but it's 5 o'clock somewhere.

Do you think Shannon Beador's DUI/hit-and-run will affect her chances of staying on the 'Real Housewives' franchise? Vote below.

With the Tory Lanez shooting trial in the rearview and a new collab with Cardi B in the books, Megan Thee Stallion's comeback is imminent.

In a new interview with Billboard published Tuesday, Meg confirmed she was closing all "old chapters" and looking forward to the future ... which includes a new album and partnership with Hot Cheetos.

Meg promised to deliver nothing but tea -- in the form of her music and revealed she is now co-producing songs with her longtime collaborator LilJuMadeDaBeat.

"Expect a lot of rawness, a lot of realness, a lot of s*** talking. Just know I’m coming and I hope everybody ready," she warned.

Meg expressed constant mental breakdowns during the Tory trial but told BB that physical fitness was the key to her sanity, something she recently shared on IG in a viral workout video.

2 people are reportedly dead after being hit by a bolt of lightning on a beach in Mexico ... and the horrifying incident was caught on video.

The ordeal went down in Michoacán Monday, along the country's Pacific coast -- as the weather got super nasty. You can see someone packing up an umbrella, just before the strike.

After the first person is hit, you can see the lightning appear to travel along the sand to the other person ... both of them collapse, causing nearby folks to scream in horror.

According to Spanish outlet MARCA, the victims were a man and a woman -- one was a tourist, and the other sold hammocks. The outlet says the woman was killed instantly at the scene, and the man later died at the hospital while receiving treatment.

Odds for a person to get hit by lightning are rare, at about 1 in 15,300.

Rihanna and A$AP Rocky are doting new parents once again -- proudly showing off their latest bundle of joy to the world ... with one of the cutest photo shoots ever.

The musical power couple -- who just welcomed their latest son, Riot Rose, in August -- posed for some incredible shots at home ... with both the new 1-month-old baby, and their other kiddo, RZA.

We gotta say, the Mayers look super happy and gotta be one of the best-looking crews in all of Hollywood.

Mama and Papa Bear definitely took a similar fashion theme. RiRi is sporting a royal-blue look -- with the denim button-down -- and dad's got a pair of jeans on ... with a splashy green flannel to bring it all together.

Young RZA was also wearing jeans, BTW ... his whole getup is honestly freaking adorable.

As for Riot ... let's just say he's giving his big bro a run for his money in the cuteness department. The proud parents had him swaddled up in a blanket -- but underneath, the baby was decked out in a salmon-colored onesie.

Also worth noting, this is the first time we're seeing Rihanna since she popped. It probably goes without saying -- but she's looking damn good.

YouTube is cutting off Russell Brand's cash flow in response to rape and sexual assault allegations against him -- the platform's suspended him from making money off his videos.

A YouTube spokesperson said on Tuesday it's suspending the comedian-turned-influencer's account -- which has over 6.6 million subscribers -- which means he won't be able to cash in on the ads that play before and during his library of vids.

The company says Brand violated its creator responsibility policy -- which, in part, says a creator's off-platform behavior that's deemed potentially harmful to others can result in YouTube taking action.

This doesn't just affect Brand's main channel, BTW ... it also puts the kibosh on his other accounts raking in the dough, like Awakening with Russell, Football Is Nice, and Stay Free with Russell Brand.

As we reported, Brand is now facing claims from multiple women who claim to have been raped, sexually assaulted or abused by him from 2006 to 2013 ... with one alleged victim saying said she had toxic interactions with him when she was just 16 years old.

He was put on blast in 2 pieces, published on Saturday through The Times (UK) and Channel 4. Brand tried getting in front of the report by posting a video Friday on social media -- including his YT channel -- saying all of his sexual encounters have been consensual.

Rep. Lauren Boebert isn't to blame for her raunchy theater hookup -- her estranged husband is actually responsible for making her a horny single ... so says the man himself.

Jayson Boebert -- who's in the middle of a divorce right now with the Colorado congresswoman -- took to Facebook Monday to defend his soon-to-be ex-wife ... saying that people shouldn't pile on Lauren for her behavior, and instead come after him.

He addresses RLB's constituents, writing ... "I am writing to address the deep concerns circulating. Watching the attacks against Lauren, I feel the people should know the truth of our broken marriage and burden she has carried for too long."

Jayson goes on to praise Lauren as an exceptional mom, wife and grandmother -- adding that she was a wonderful spouse and partner in their marriage ... that is, before he shattered her trust by cheating. It seems he's attributing that to her decision to file in May.

He puts it quite plainly ... explaining, "This has been a devastating divorce that I hold all responsibility for. It upsets me that everyone believes she left me over fame or a new lifestyle. That is far from the truth. Then again, most of what’s said about our family is untrue. Another battle we have faced together for too long. Much of this is on me because the problem starts at the root. I am the root."

Jayson says he's put Rep. Boebert through the wringer, and believes it's because of this pain that she might've acted out this way. He then makes a personal overture to her personally, saying he stands behind her and condemns the attacks coming her way in the fallout.

One final plea to the public from JB ... "I am asking for you all to show grace and mercy towards Lauren in this troubling season. She deserves a chance to earn your forgiveness and regain trust. I have broke her down in so many ways, but she will come out stronger as she always does, and so will I."

As for Rep. Boebert herself -- she's reacted to Jayson's message, saying she appreciates his sentiments, but stops short of saying there's any sort of reconciliation on the horizon.

She's been handling this as well as she can -- taking responsibility and getting back to work in D.C. As she explained to us on camera yesterday ... no more dates for the time being.

It may be the most shocking turn of events this year ... the divorce war between Kevin Costner and Christine Baumgartner is now history, because they have SETTLED UP!!!

As improbable as a settlement seemed, there were signs it might happen. As we reported, Kevin's legal team, headed up by disso queen Laura Wasser, won a series of legal skirmishes, particularly in the child support department. Wasser submitted paperwork to the court saying Kevin's monthly obligation should be $63k a month. Christine wanted $248k a month, and after a 2-day evidentiary hearing in Santa Barbara earlier this month, Judge Thomas Anderle sided with Kevin.

The judge also made it pretty clear ... the prenup would be enforced, and if Christine challenged it she would have to repay Kevin more than $1 million and pay his attorney's fees for the prenup fight. Apparently, Christine saw the handwriting on the wall and agreed over the weekend to the terms of a 3-page settlement letter.

The 2 were married for 18 years and had 3 kids together. Christine filed for divorce back in May and asked for joint custody. Kevin also asked for joint custody. We don't know the details of the settlement, but it looks like Christine's $850,000 fee request is off the table.

Although the prenup is enforceable, our sources say Christine got more than what was prescribed in the doc ... for the sake of settlement.

Did not see this one coming.