Ariana Grande's Ex Dalton Gomez Smooching Maika Monroe ... After Finalizing Divorce

Ariana Grande's ex-husband, Dalton Gomez, is certainly enjoying the single life ... he was locking lips with actress Maika Monroe right on the heels of officially ending his marriage.

According to DeuxMoi, Dalton and the "It Follows" star were packin' on the PDA this past weekend -- the person who snapped the photo claims they were friendly with others at Jumbo's Clown Room ... a "bikini bar" in Los Angeles.

Maika and Dalton were apparently making out quite a bit, and barely trying to hide it -- the witness says the apparent couple would look around to see if anyone was watching before goin' back at it.

Dalton's clearly moved on from Ariana -- TMZ broke the story, the former husband and wife finalized their divorce on Friday, just weeks after they simultaneously filed for divorce.

As we reported, Ariana handed Dalton $1,250,000 as part of the settlement instead of spousal support. He's also getting half of the proceeds from the sale of their L.A. pad, and Ariana will have to cough up another $25k for his attorney's fees.

We were told there's a "strong mutual love and respect" between them ... and as you know, Ariana's already moved on from Dalton to her "Wicked" costar, Ethan Slater.

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DISNEY DATE NIGHT
TMZ.com

No, we haven't seen them suckin' faces at a strip club, but they did venture to Disney World last month. Not exactly the same vibe.

Did Ariana Grande and Dalton Gomez move on too soon after their separation? Vote below.

Toni Braxton Poses In The Nude For 56th Birthday

Singer Toni Braxton is looking STUNNING at 56, and she's gotta know it ... which is why she shared a racy snap of herself to celebrate her birthday.

The R&B star posted the nearly-nude shot on Saturday, as she turned 56 -- captioning the hot shot, "In my birthday suit..."

Folks in the comments sounded off with their "Happy Birthday" wishes ... and took the time to point out how great she looks. As one person put it, "Best BDAY photo EVER!!"

Toni's been through the wringer lately -- as we reported, she underwent a procedure last year after doctors found an 80% blockage in her main coronary artery ... which could've resulted in a fatal heart attack.

She also suffers from lupus and lost her sister, Traci, to cancer last year ... something she actually attributed to a slip in checkups with the doctor.

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TAKE YOUR TIME
TMZ.com

We got Toni in NYC earlier this year, filling us in on how grateful she was months after going under the knife -- and telling us why Traci's passing made her just think she was sad, not sick.

Happy birthday, Toni -- looking GREAT!

Tom Sandoval Dancing With Mystery Woman ... Nashville Bar Pickup?!?

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NEW BOO???
TMZ.com

Here's Tom Sandoval putting the moves on a woman he took an interest in at a Tennessee bar ... dancing with her before leaving together.

TMZ obtained video of the "Vanderpump Rules" star hitting the dance floor with a mystery brunette ... and it looks like there were sparks.

Folks who were there tell us Tom was at Dierks Bentley's Whiskey Row in Nashville, where Tom first approached the woman as she was dancing with her friends.

We're told the woman seemed hesitant at first, but then she started dancing with Tom ... and they started warming up to one another and things got wilder and wilder as they danced for about 30 minutes.

As you see in the video, it's a little awkward at first as they try and feel each other out ... with Tom trying to get her to twirl.

Sounds like they may have hit it off though ... because we're told Tom and the woman ended up leaving together. We don't know where they went.

The last time we saw Tom out was in early September when he was leaving a bar in West Hollywood with singer-songwriter Tii ... holding hands and interlocking fingers as they went back to his place.

No word about how things worked out with Tom and Tii ... but he's not known as a one-woman man.

Do you think Tom Sandoval will announce a new relationship in the next 6 months? Vote below.

Rihanna Dancin' Up on A$AP for 35th Bday ... After Drake's 'FATD' Diss

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best you ever had?!?

Drake may say he's over Rihanna -- but she's the one who truly seems to have moved on ... just peep how happy she looks celebrating A$AP Rocky's big birthday weekend!

The songstress and her baby daddy were raging Friday night after hitting the town on the East Coast to ring A$AP's 35th born day ... which was actually on Oct. 3. Nothing like a prolonged party though -- and that's exactly what RiRi and AR had on their hands here.

It appears to have been an adult-only rager ... sans any sign of their 2 little ones. As far as where exactly they were -- apparently, they started in the Big Apple, and made their way to a go-kart joint in Jersey City after -- though, unclear if that's where this shindig went down.

In any case ... they were living it up big time, dancing up on each other and boogeying on down with their close friends nearby. Rihanna, specifically, made sure to bust out the moves.

We must say, post-delivery of her 2nd son in August -- she's looking pretty damn good ... and about as spry as ever. And dare we say ... she's still hot as hell, despite what Drizzy might be claiming now.

Of course, we're referring to the shots he took in his new song 'Fear Of Heights' -- where he lamented the fact people felt he hadn't moved past RiRi ... while also claiming he'd been with way hotter women than her -- and also, he suggested A$AP was "stuck" with Rihanna.

In the wake of his latest dig at his ex ... Drake's been getting dragged across the coals by Rihanna fans -- who were quick to point out how obsessed home boy was back in the day. Remember, he infamously declared his love for her on live TV during the 2016 VMAs.

They actually dated for a bit after that ... but it didn't last, and the relationship fizzled.

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DRAKE AND RIRI ON THE 'VMAS'
MTV

A couple years later, Rihanna kinda shaded Drake in a Vogue cover story ... saying this about the status of their relationship, "We don’t have a friendship now, but we’re not enemies either. It is what it is." The outlet also noted her "eyes glaze[d] over with cool indifference."

She hasn't talked much about him since, but Drizzy's still going on about her ... a mom of 2, who's in a committed relationship ... and who's billionaire fashion mogul.

Time to turn the page, eh?

Halloween Costumes Barbie, Little Mermaid Hot Sellers

If there's a competition for the most popular Halloween costumes, Barbie and Ariel, the "Little Mermaid" are queens of the hill this year -- and everything related to those characters is flying off shelves.

A rep for HalloweenCostumes.com tells TMZ ... those 2 themes have been knocking it out of the park for 2023, as expected with the popularity of their movies -- especially "Barbie" -- this year.

For Barbie, the company's officially licensed costumes have been selling 9x as much as they did last year ... and the site's "Barbie-Inspired" looks have also boosted 40%.

As for Ariel, her styles are up nearly 70% in 2023, too -- and the company is just hoping its inventory will be enough to get 'em through the spooky season!

Believe it or not, the movies aren't the only hot topics in the world of Halloween costumes ... we're told there's been a major spike in interest for Beyoncé and Taylor Swift looks -- obviously because of their extremely popular concert tours.

HalloweenCostumes.com has responded to the concert craze by making costume guides for each option -- a combination of some of the site's items that, when put together, make for a pretty great look-alike.

So if you wanna spend this Halloween with a life on tour, under the sea, or in plastic ... ya better act fast!

Mike Perry I'm Ready To Fight Logan Paul 👊 If Dillon Danis Doesn't Show

Mike Perry
"IV'E BEEN PREPARING"
TMZSports.com

Logan Paul and Dillon Danis are scheduled to fight in less than a week ... but there's real concern the fighter-turned-internet won't actually show up for the scrap. If he doesn't, "Platinum" Mike Perry says he's ready to step in and whoop some ass!

32-year-old Perry joined Mike Babcock on the TMZ Sports TV show (airs weekdays on FS1) this week ... and walked us through his role as a backup fighter for the highly anticipated event.

"I'm preparing for a fight like normal like I'm the one fighting," Platinum told us ... but of course, there's a good chance he never throws a punch.

"They told me all the way up until the point where if Danis gets into the ring, answers the bell, and walks out of the ring to say that he was there and showed up, I would still get in the ring and fight Logan."

Obviously, that's unheard of ... but this is an event like we haven't seen before.

The trash talk between Logan (and fiance Nina Agdal) and Dillon has been so intense, the supermodel filed a lawsuit against the former Bellator fighter and got a restraining order against him.

Paul previously told us there's a clause in Dillon's contract that fines him a substantial amount of money if he doesn't show up and fight.

If DD does show up and fight, Mike says he's willing to corner him for the fight ... if he doesn't have a team with him.

"My coach even said something to me today, what if Danis comes and he needs help in the corner, and I corner him?"

If Perry isn't fighting in the ring, or coaching in the corner, he says he just may beat someone up in the stands. 😅

"I might fight that night in the crowd. Who knows who's gonna be there. Who knows who's gonna do some stupid stuff!"

Who fights and where ... we'll find out in 5 short days!

🥊🥊🥊🥊

5ive Band Member Ritchie Neville Let's Squash Beef With 98 Degrees ... We Can All Share a Beer!!!

The boys from 5ive say they want to drop their longstanding beef with rival boy band 98 Degree s... even though Nick Lachey's group once again called them out live on-air.

5ive singer Ritchie Neville tells TMZ ... the band genuinely wishes 98 Degrees well and wants the best for the guys and their families.

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BOY BAND BEEF
Geena the Latina & Frankie V Morning Show

This is coming on the heels of 98 Degrees slamming the British boy group earlier this week ... Nick and the group did a radio hit promoting their upcoming shows with two boy bands they get along with, All-4-One and O-Town, but then the convo took a turn when 98 slammed 5ive, once again bringing up their decades-long beef.

98 Degrees and the hosts ripped 5ive for being the worst boy band ever ... recalling bad blood dating back to the '90s. Nick and the guys have done this before, previously calling out 5ive on Andy Cohen's show, which prompted a strong response from former 5ive member Abz Love.

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SO LAME!!!
Bravo

But Ritchie tells us ... "They can carry on the beef and immaturity if they want. We're just getting on with our lives, playing gigs and raising our children."

According to Ritchie, the longstanding beef started when 98 Degrees went over to the United Kingdom in the '90s for the "Smash Hits" tour, where they shared the spotlight with 5ive, a new band at the time from London.

Ritchie says the rivalry grew out of both bands competing for the audience's love on tour, and he says 5ive won an audience vote and went to the Smash Hits Poll Winners Party -- a televised British awards show. He says 98 Degrees got jealous and had beef with 5ive ever since.

RN tells us ... "We were all kids then, I was 18. I understand losing is hard sometimes but it's a shame that we are now grown men still carrying on this beef."

Over two decades later, Ritchie is ready to bury the hatchet ... he says 5ive only wants peace with 98 Degrees and the bands should drop the grudge and go out for a beer.

Violet Baudelaire In 'A Series Of Unfortunate Events' 'Memba Her?!

Australian actress Emily Browning was 15 years old when she played Violet Baudelaire -- the highly intelligent orphan who takes over as mom, looking after her two younger siblings -- in the movie "A Series Of Unfortunate Events" back in 2004.

Emily shared the big screen with Jim Carrey as the smelly uncle and villain who prays on young and wealthy orphans, Count Olaf, Liam Aiken as the smart younger brother navigating through the death of his parents, Klaus and Meryl Streep as the grammar-fanatic, Aunt Josephine.

Jude Law and Catherine O'Hara are also a part of the adventure/fantasy film.

Guess what she looks like now!

Biden Administration Put on Notice ... After Bombshell Iran-Israel News

President Biden's administration may or may not be shocked to hear Iran was supposedly instrumental in the lead-up to the attack on Israel ... the implications of which are dire.

The Wall Street Journal published a bombshell report Sunday, citing multiple sources from within Hamas, Hezbollah and even a European official with knowledge ... all of whom say Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps worked with Hamas in planning the ambush.

This alleged coordination dates back several weeks, apparently ... with talks going as far back as August and several reported meetings taking place in Beirut between all the parties. In addition to Iran being involved, WSJ reports that Lebanon's Hezbollah was in the mix.

The intention in all this, per WSJ, was two-pronged ... Iran apparently wanted to manufacture a "multi-front threat" against Israel -- this as the country grappled with its own internal politics, while disrupting U.S.-brokered peace talks between Saudi Arabia and Israel.

When asked directly about whether the U.S. had any knowledge of Iran's alleged involvement in directing the Hamas-led attack ... Sec. of State Anthony Blinken denied knowing anything about it, saying there was no evidence on their end that was, in fact, the case.

A separate U.S. official said the same thing to the WSJ ... but the outlet is insisting people overseas are saying differently. If what they're saying is true -- it's troubling on many fronts.

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UTTER DEVASTATION

For one, it would be an indictment on U.S intelligence ... but it would also indicate that a broader conflict in the Middle East is looming -- with Israel having already gone on the record to say they would retaliate if it was found that Tehran sanctioned this Hamas move.

Time will tell if this account is confirmed ... but it sounds like this might the beginning of a volatile situation that's prolonged and ugly, with the U.S. likely getting roped in even further.

'Food Network' Chef Michael Chiarello Dead at 61 ... Following Allergic Reaction

Michael Chiarello, a celebrity chef, died this weekend ... and it was apparently sudden.

The former "Food Network" star passed away Saturday while being treated at the Queen of the Valley Medical Center in Napa, CA -- and, as it turns out, his hospitalization is the result of a fatal allergy attack ... this according to his own company.

Gruppo Chiarello announced Sunday what led up to their founder's death, saying an acute allergic reaction resulted in anaphylactic shock. They also say he was surrounded by friends and family in his final moments. It's unclear if the allergic reaction was food-related.

The team adds, "We deeply mourn the loss of our beloved patriarch Michael," the Chiarello family said in a statement. "His culinary brilliance, boundless creativity, and unwavering commitment to family were at the core of his being. He brought people together through the joy of shared meals, fostering lasting memories around the table."

Gruppo Chiarello finishes by saying, "As we navigate this profound loss, we hold dear the moments we cherished with him, both in his kitchens and in our hearts. His legacy will forever live on in the love he poured into every dish and the passion he instilled in all of us to savor life's flavors."

The star chef had a long run on TV, with his show "Easy Entertaining With Michael Chiarello" airing for 10 seasons on FN. He was also featured on hit series like "Top Chef," "Chopped," "The Next Iron Chef" and others ... not to mention appearances on other talk shows.

He's survived by his wife, Eileen, and his four children. Michael was 61.

RIP

Issa Rae Name Botched at CultureCon ... Audience Corrects Speaker

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issa mistake!

Issa Rae is pretty famous these days, which is why this mispronunciation of her name probably stung badly for spectators of this live interview ... and why they spoke up.

The triple threat star -- famous for her show 'Insecure' -- was doing a sit-down Saturday at the CultureCon conference in NYC ... where she was about to answer questions from moderator Glenda McNeal, who's a bigwig over at AmEx.

As McNeal intro'd Issa ... she kinda botched her first name, calling her Ih-suh as opposed to Ee-suh (the correct way to say it). Just as quickly, she was informed by the crowd.

Take a look for yourself ... there was a chorus of "Issa" from the audience, with multiple people shouting out and interruption McNeal's train of thought to let her know she'd said it wrong -- and it clearly took the speaker by surprise, and ditto for IR herself.

McNeal corrected herself, and then apologized ... saying she'd made a mistake, noting she was part of the Black community and meant no harm. Issa seemed to find it hilarious.

No harm, no foul big picture -- but it is a testament to something in the grand scheme of things. Fact is, we're reaching a point when perceived disrespect simply won't be tolerated ... especially among beloved celebs like Issa, who's star is growing brighter by the day.

Anyway, feel free to peep her interview in full ... interesting insights from her here.

Taylor Swift Skips Travis's Vikings Game ... Announcers Still Name-Drop

update

2:16 PM PT -- It's confirmed, Taylor skipped today's game. Jim Nantz just said, "In case you’re wondering, the seven words i never thought would leave my lips in my career, 'Taylor Swift is not at the game.' There are some broken hearted people I just saw in the stands. She was questionable all week, but it looks like it’s officially inactive for today."

Taylor Swift wasn't about to fly to Minneapolis this weekend to see Travis Kelce play -- which is now obvious in the fact that she's apparently nowhere to be found in the stands.

The Chiefs tight end is playing against the Vikings Sunday, and it's an away game ... so him and his teammates are out in breezy Minnesota here. As the broadcast began, there was no sign of Taylor anywhere -- nor was there any reporting of her being at U.S. Bank Stadium.

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SPEAKING OF SWIFT...
Courtesy of NFL

Of course, once kickoff got underway ... no cameras panned to her in a private box the way they've been doing for the past couple weeks. In other words, she ain't there, Swfties.

That didn't prevent the announcers from name-dropping TayTay -- they just couldn't help themselves. Once TK was shown walking onto the field, they said his strut resembled that of a "Swift walk" ... and they mentioned her once more a bit later during warmups.

One of the broadcasters said, "There's Travis Kelce, enough of the Taylor Swift talk, ok? this guy is the best tight end in all of football and he's showing up big for his team every week."

That's a little shady -- but by the same token, it reflects what Travis himself has said about all the hubbub ... namely, that it was enough already and the NFL needed to give it a rest.

Many might feel the same ... but the league's been loving all the hype, as have the TV networks that were lucky enough to carry her games. CBS kinda got screwed today ... darn.

Originally Published -- 1:39 PM PT

Greta Gerwig On To Next Project ... But It's Super, Super Scary!!!

Greta Gerwig is already circling her next movie -- but it ain't gonna be a walk in the park the way "Barbie" has been ... if anything, she makes it sound like the exact opposite.

The writer-director made an appearance Sunday at the London Film Festival -- where she went onstage for a sitdown interview with "Succession" creator Jesse Armstrong ... who asked her a bunch of questions, including what she had coming down the pike.

Gerwig didn't get into specifics about what exactly she was working on ... but confirmed she's already in the writing process for another feature, over which she's feeling apprehensive.

She says, "It’s hard and I’m having recurring nightmares." There's no video that's surfaced of her making this comment -- only recaps from outlets that were present -- so there's no real context as to the exact emphasis she placed on this, or what she even really means.

Some have characterized her remarks as feeling dread over re-entering the writing process ... but the quote on its own is a little strange, considering "Barbie" was light-hearted and easy viewing -- not to mention a complete home run crowd pleaser.

What we can surmise is that "Barbie 2" isn't what she's talking about. There's been no word on a green-lit sequel yet -- despite the OG's success -- any inkling of that would've leaked out by now if it was already happening. Then again, the WGA strike did just end -- so ... 🤷🏽‍♂️

Worth noting ... "Barbie" is Greta's first big mainstream blockbuster, and is incredibly different in tone from everything else she's worked on. She's got an indie background, and if her nightmare quip is any indication -- she might be headed into heavier waters for now.

Maluma Swats Away Fan ... Who Tries Grabbing At His Crotch

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WAY TOO TOUCHY

Everybody wants a piece of Maluma these days -- but that doesn't mean he wants folks going for a handful of the goods ... evidenced here in this video.

Check out this clip of the Colombian singer that made the rounds this weekend -- it shows him walking through a lower-level crowd during his concert at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Montville, CT ... getting pretty close to adoring fans, and maybe even too close.

As you can see, as people reach out to touch him ... somebody appears to reach for his crotch -- and it looks like they might've even made contact, to Maluma's chagrin.

Right away, he pulls back and kinda swats their hands away ... and gives 'em a little tsk-tsk. Unclear if it's a man or woman who got handsy -- but in any case, Maluma wasn't having it.

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FANS STRIKE AGAIN
TMZ.com

This ain't the first time Maluma's had to deal with overzealous fans -- it wasn't that long ago that he had to scold an audience member during a gig ... who threw a phone at him.

He was graceful then ... and he's once again shown restraint here too. Good on him.

Drake Warns Druski Over Birdman Troll ... You're Playing w/ Fire!!!

Drake's giving a warning to a social media star who's trying to pretend he's the boss of a new rap label, which feels eerily similar to Birdman's ... and which Baby doesn't like at all.

Of course, we're talking about Druski and his "Coulda Been Records" -- a brand he recently launched ... but seemingly just for jokes and content. The dude ran auditions and uploaded a ton of clips showing him denying would-be artists in hilarious fashion.

Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media.

Thing is ... Birdman himself isn't a fan of what Druski's doing -- and let him know about it in no uncertain terms over an IG Live chat -- warning him he's stepping on Cash Money's toes.

Fast-forward to this weekend ... and Druski's at it again, playing up a sketch/skit where he's brooding over one of Drizzy's new songs ('Daylight') where he raps a bar that Druski apparently wanted to use in one of his own (fake) songs ... "Standin' on business."

Check out Druski's upload ... it's pretty funny. He's fuming over the fact that Drake beat him to the punch -- and captioned his video "Cash Money vs Coulda Been BEEF CONTINUES." Obviously, Dru's kidding here -- the whole thing's a gag -- but Birdman isn't playing.

Baby responded in the comments, "Bro you still playin with a real gangsta SMFH" ... and Drake even chimed in, adding "Stunna bout to have you come up missing on Gladys."

Now, the Internet apparently can't tell if Birdman is being serious or not -- even though Druski obviously isn't -- but based on how Baby's reacting ... something tells us he means it. He posted more photos of Druski on his IG Story after this -- and he sure seems angry.

Remember, this manufactured feud came to a head a few months ago when Birdman confronted Druski about his Coulda Been endeavor -- and Dru tried to calm his down.

Since then, Druski's been leaning into it -- apparently getting a kick over the fact that he's gotten a rise out of Birdman over this whole charade -- and he continues to stir the CMR pot.

Be careful, bud ... not everything is fun and games. 😅

Will Ferrell DJs at USC Frat Party ... Before Big Arizona Win

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EYE OF THE TIGER

Will Ferrell reprised his role as Frank the Tank for a rager this weekend at USC -- only, this time, he was spinning records for the party animals ... and luckily, no streaking after.

The actor was spotted handling music duties at the Sigma Alpha Mu frat house in L.A. Saturday -- and based on the lighting ... it would appear this thing was a pre-game blowout that went down during the day, before kickoff in the evening.

There isn't much context beyond what you see in the clip ... it's WF with his shades on, blasting music from his turntable on a balcony -- with a bunch of college kids around.

Sounds like he was going old school with 'Eye Of the Tiger,' no doubt trying to pump everyone up before the big game against the University of Arizona -- which ended up turning into a nail-biter, going into triple OT and ending with a stunning victory for the Trojans.

As for what the connection is here ... well, Will's a USC alum and a known diehard fan -- has been for years. But more specifically, his 19-year-old son Magnus actually goes to USC right now ... and something tells us he might also be in this fraternity.

Assuming that's the case, you can put two and two together on Will's appearance here.

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JUST WHAT THE DOCTOR ORDERED
USC

The homie can do it all for his alma mater ... whether it's in a commencement speech or turning up the student body for a big matchup -- Will's got the Trojans covered on all fronts.

Fight on, indeed.