American Idol

Phillip Phillips' family says the singer left them high and dry after winning "American Idol" -- refusing to help them out financially -- and now, they've been forced to sell their cherished family business ... Phillips family sources tell TMZ.

The Phillips family-owned Albany Sporting Goods and Pawn -- which has been in the family for 24 years -- is scheduled to hit the auction block on December 1st ... and we're told, Phillip's dad hopes to use the profits to cover the family's mounting debt.

We're told Phillip's dad hopes to bring in between $200,000-250,000 during the auction.

We're told Phillip's family has reached out multiple times to the singer for financial help since he hit it big, but Phil has blown them off.

According to Phillips family sources, the family's especially hurt by the singer's radio silence -- since they spent a ton of money on travel expenses so they could see Phillip compete on "Idol."

A month after his "drunken mistake" with former "American Idol" contestant Brittany Kerr, Jason Aldean walked the red carpet at last night's Country Music Association Awards with his wife Jessica.

As TMZ first reported, Aldean made out with Kerr at a bar on the Sunset Strip ... despite having a wedding ring on his finger ... because, you know, he's married.

Both parties apologized for the incident and Kerr was forced to shut down her Facebook page due to the negative reaction.

Aldean was nominated for three awards last night ... but went home empty-handed.

"American Idol" producer Nigel Lythgoe is adamant ... the bitter feud between Mariah Carey and Nicki Minaj is as real as it gets -- and his proof lies in simple logic.

He added, "I would only do ANYTHING for ratings a month before the show went out. They've got my timing wrong."

President Barack Obama has a message for Nicki Minaj and Mariah Carey -- GIVE PEACE A CHANCE!!!!!

The war at the "American Idol" judges' table was escalated all the way to the Commander In Chief this weekend when POTUS appeared on Michael Yo's radio show.

"I think that they are going to be able to sort it out," Obama said ... "I am confident."

Obama continued, "I'm all about bringing people together, working for the same cause. I think both outstanding artists are going to be able to make sure that they're moving forward and not going backwards."

And when asked who's his favorite, Obama actually picked a side -- replying, "Mariah. She's actually done some events for us. I've gotten to know her and Nick [Cannon]. She's a wonderful lady."

He added ... "Nicki, I don't know, but I've got her on my iPod."

Jennifer Hudson knows a thing or two about "American Idol" ... which is why it's very interesting that she's calling total BS on the war between Mariah Carey vs. Nicki Minaj.

"I don't believe it," Hudson told us at LAX this weekend ... adding, "I think it's just for ratings for the show."

Hudson isn't just a former "Idol" finalist -- she's appeared on the show multiple times over the years ... and even performed on "A.I." back in April.

And Jennifer ain't the only superstar who thinks the judges' feud is fake -- "The Voice" star Cee Lo also thinks the fight could have been staged for publicity.

Not every judge on "American Idol" wants to shoot Mariah Carey (yet) ... the diva had dinner last night in the Valley with the dawg himself, Randy Jackson.

Brittany Kerr has been called a lot of things since she was spotted getting hot and heavy with country star Jason Aldean -- most of which we can't repeat -- but now she has a chance to cash in on that infamy ... as a reality TV star.

TMZ has learned the former "American Idol" contestant has received an offer from Wag TV -- the company behind shows like "How Do They Do It?" and "Ancient X Files" -- to star in her very own show.

We're told Wag sent an offer letter to Brittany, touting their relationships with TLC and A&E, in an effort to lure her into doing a show with them.

We're told the basic premise would be to follow Brittany's efforts to break into the music biz.

Don't hold your breath though -- our sources say Brittany will likely turn down the proposition.

First time for everything.

Steven Tyler is caught in the middle of a raging dispute between his former manager and current lawyer ... a dispute that has now turned into a major lawsuit.

Here's the way it went down ... Kovac Media Group served as Tyler's personal manager. They negotiated a great deal for the Aerosmith frontman to judge "American Idol." At some point, Kovac brought in a lawyer -- Dina LaPolt, to help negotiate a new deal for Tyler at the end of last season.

Kovac claims LaPolt was the ultimate Benedict Arnold, trashing Kovac to both Tyler and the honchos at "A.I." The lawsuit Kovac filed against LaPolt -- obtained by TMZ -- alleges she sucked up to "A.I." execs by disclosing Kovac's negotiating strategy, which ironically also hurt Tyler.

As for what that strategy was -- the suit claims Kovac was gunning to get Tyler an additional 6-8 million bucks in the current season.

According to the suit, LaPolt was so poisonous and underhanded, Tyler fired Kovac and kept her. The suit claims LaPolt screwed the negotiations up so badly, "A.I." offered Tyler no raise and he decided to walk, but he got a severance check from "A.I." and agreed to give Kovac its fair cut. The suit claims LaPolt screwed Kovac out of that commission as well.

The suit never mentions Tyler by name, but informed sources tell us he is indeed the artist who is at the center of the case. Tyler is not named as a defendant.

Kovac, which is represented by attorney Skip Miller of Miller, Barondess, LLP, wants a minimum of $8 million from LaPolt.

Nick Cannon is doing his husbandly duty to downplay the beef between his wife, Mariah Carey, and her "American Idol" judging partner Nicki Minaj ... telling our photog the whole thing has been blown out of proportion.

Nick broke out his thesaurus when we caught up with him at the Santa Monica Pier today as he tried to deflect attention away from the confrontations between Mariah and Nicki.

As a host of a talent show of his own, he managed to turn the question around and try and direct the focus on the good things that come from shows like "Idol" and "America's Got Talent."

Steven Tyler thinks the entire Nicki Minaj/Mariah Carey beef is being orchestrated by the show for ratings ... and as a former judge on the show, he's one to know.

Our photog spotted the Aerosmith rocker last night leaving an L.A. restaurant -- it's called Son of a Gun (we like the name) -- and when we asked him if the entire feud was BS, he scoffed and said ... well, watch the video and you'll see.

And just in case you had hopes the scarfed one might make an "A.I." return some day ... Tyler proclaimed he'd never go back.

"American Idol" could be a big hit ... apparently much to the dismay of producers who are trying to tame Mariah Carey and Nicki Minaj. So we gotta ask ...

Nicki Minaj was supremely disrespectful to Mariah Carey 2 years before she exploded on the set of "American Idol" this week ... TMZ has learned.

Nicki and Mariah teamed up in 2010 for a music video -- "Up Out My Face." Nicki wasn't nearly as big at the time -- Mariah was, and we're told she felt like she was helping launch Nicki's career.

B. Scott, who's big on the Internet, appeared in the video. He tells TMZ ... "Mariah went out of her way to be nice to Nicki and make her comfortable." But B. Scott says Nicki was a raving bitch, "making faces at her [Mariah] laced with rude comments under her breath."

B. Scott says he blew the whistle on Nicki by giving Mariah the low down. B. Scott says Mariah decided not to confront Nicki and acted as if nothing had happened.

A source close to Nicki tells TMZ ... B. Scott is a liar because, "He works as Mariah's stunt double and of course he would say things like that. He's worked for her for years."

B. Scott says he stayed in touch with Mariah and spoke with her Thursday night. Mariah says she wants to bury the hatchet with Nicki on "A.I." and focus on the contestants.

Mariah Carey got a full police AND umbrella escort on her way out of an "American Idol" photo shoot in Baton Rouge yesterday -- 'cause the only thing more harmful than angry rappers are those damn UV rays.

Carey had told Babwa Wawa that she bulked up her security team after Nicki Minaj allegedly threatened to shoot her with a gun during their blowup earlier this week ... and Thursday she proved she ain't messin' around.

Sources tell us ... Mariah and Nicki both participated in the shoot -- and even posed for pics TOGETHER. We're told the shoot was peaceful, but it's clear the hatchet is not buried.

Tomorrow, the gang has another round of auditions ... and that's when tensions really start to heat up.

"The Voice" judge Cee Lo Green is calling BS on Mariah Carey and Nicki Minaj's fiery feud -- telling TMZ, we're in L.A. ... practically EVERYTHING is fake in this town.

Cee Lo had just finished lunch in West Hollywood yesterday when we asked if he thought Nicki and Mariah's "Idol" fight was legit -- and he said, "This is Hollywood, California. Hardly anything's legit."

Nicki Minaj and "Her f*cking Highness" Mariah Carey have been ferociously going at it on the set of "American Idol."

Question is ...

Mariah Carey just made it clear -- TMZ was dead on when we reported Nicki Minaj threatened to shoot her.

Barbara Walters reported on "The View" today she spoke with Mariah, who said she was concerned because "Nicki walked off the set and multiple people heard Nicki say, 'If I had a gun I would shoot the bitch.'"

Walters says Mariah told her, for safe measure, she's hired extra security.

And, Walters adds, Mariah said Nicki has not apologized but told her she loves her ....HOWEVER, Nicki said they might be fighting again on "American Idol."

For her part, Nicki just tweeted, "I don't call tmz n Barbara Walters cuz I stand on my own two feet. Never needed an army. God is good. Insecurity is as cruel as the grave."

Minaj continued, "I guess it hurts 2 have the producers tell u to ur face that nicki is the best judge we've had since simon. Awww, poor u. Keep them lies cmn." So much for the truce.