America's Got Talent

Mel B's become a major thorn in the side of "America's Got Talent" producers, who now want to kick her to the curb ... and Queen Latifah's their first option to replace her.

'AGT' production sources tell TMZ ... Mel's been butting heads with people on set and producers think she comes with too much "baggage" for the amount of money the Spice Girl's getting paid. We're told the situation worsened while Mel was enmeshed in her intense divorce from Stephen Belafonte.

You'll recall ... she's feuded on camera with Simon Cowell ... tossing a drink at him, but we're told there's been even more tension behind the scenes.

We're told producers wanna replace Mel with Queen Latifah by next season. One potential hurdle is the fact QL's under contract with the FOX series, "Star."

Jeff Dunham's got high hopes for the kid ventriloquist who won season 12 of "America's Got Talent" ... because he knows her folks want what's best for her.

The famed ventriloquist and comedian tells TMZ ... 12-year-old Darci Lynne Farmer's fantastic with her puppets, but also has fantastic parents. Jeff thinks that's vital for a child star in showbiz, and with their guidance ... Darci could be the next Shari Lewis.

As for teaming up with Darci for a ventriloquism duet ... he's down with it, but says he'll have to clean up his act a little.

Dunham also took a moment to adjust his screen for some not-so-subtle reason ... check it out.

Dream scenario for a bunch of kids pouring cups of lemonade ... Simon Cowell rolling up in his Bronco with a bunch of dough!

Simon and girlfriend Lauren Silverman stopped at the makeshift stand which the squad set up on a corner in Beverly Hills ... pretty genius.

Going rate for a cup is usually a quarter and it looks like Simon and Lauren handed over much more than that without taking any lemonade, so it was purely a donation.

New Orleans Saints long snapper and star magician Jon Dorenbos is "resting comfortably" after open-heart surgery on Tuesday -- this according to Dorenbos' former NFL coach.

Dorenbos -- who crushed it on "America's Got Talent" -- was diagnosed with an aortic aneurysm during his physical for the Saints last week ... which prompted the emergency surgery.

Eagles head coach Doug Pederson gave an update on his ex-player's condition, saying, "Everything went well yesterday with surgery and he's resting comfortably."

"Just wish him and his family well, our prayers are with him and hope for a speedy recovery."

The NFL vet shared a video of his friends and family before going under the knife, saying, "Thank you to my beautiful amazing wife, my family, my friends and videos like this. This brought out some tears. I feel the love and support."

Get well soon, Jon!

A trade to the New Orleans Saints may have saved Jon Dorenbos' life -- because the longsnapper just learned he has a very serious heart condition that was discovered during a team physical.

Dorenbos -- who dominated as a magician on "America's Got Talent" -- was traded from the Philadelphia Eagles to the Saints back in August and had to undergo a medical exam as part of the deal.

Saints coach Sean Payton just told the media ... doctors discovered the 2-time Pro Bowl player had an aortic aneurysm that will require immediate heart surgery.

Payton says, "It's a pretty serious condition."

Dorenbos is 37 years old -- and the news could signal the end of his NFL career -- but who cares as long as he gets healthy.

#GetWellSoon

"America's Got Talent" champ Landau Eugene Murphy Jr. won't face charges at this time for allegedly hitting his baby mama with a golf club ... TMZ has learned.

The domestic violence case against the season 6 winner of 'AGT' was dismissed without prejudice Wednesday ... meaning the case could still be reopened pending further investigation and discussions with the victim.

As we reported ... Landau was arrested in July for misdemeanor domestic battery and assault after an alleged brawl with his GF at the time, and was accused of striking her under her eye with a club.

Murphy says he is no longer in a relationship with the woman, but the 2 have a child to raise and "we both want our son to realize that his parents love him."

Mel B hurled a cup of water at fellow 'AGT' judge Simon Cowell and then stormed off the set in the middle of a live show, after he made a reference to a very sensitive subject ... her marriage.

Simon was critiquing a contestant when he began using a simile, comparing his performance to Mel B's honeymoon ... lots of anticipation, but no delivery.

That was all she wrote ... Mel B smiled at first but apparently had to be coaxed back onstage a few minutes later.

She's been dealing with a disastrous breakup with estranged hubby Stephen Belafonte, so it hit too close to home.

Angelica Hale and Angelina Green, the 10 and 13-year-old singers who earned the coveted Golden Buzzer on "America's Got Talent" this season, are both bound for the finals and if either gal wins, they could make $1 million just off records.

We got a hold of the contracts that detail their exclusive recording, publishing and merchandise deals with Syco, the entertainment company owned by Sony and Simon Cowell.

Here's the breakdown ... the winner gets a $100k advance off the bat for their first album. Those advances jump to $100k-$200k for the second album, $100k-$225k for the third, $100k-$250k for the fourth and $100k-$275k if there's a fifth LP made. And that doesn't even include royalties.

They won't be spending it all in one place though ... 15 percent gets stored away in a trust till they turn 18.

Mel B wanted to tell the world she's single ... but to paraphrase Bill Clinton, "single" doesn't always mean single.

Scary Spice -- in a jumpsuit probably better fitted for an 'X-Men' premiere -- gushed over an Air Force Academy group's performance on Tuesday's live "America's Got Talent" show at the Dolby Theater in Hollywood.

Check it out ... Mel dished her analysis before blurting out, "And yes ... I am so happy to be single right now."

A couple of things. She's still married to estranged husband Stephen Belafonte. And, as we reported ... Mel's dating a Beverly Hills cop and is head over heels for the guy. He's with her all the time.

It's the new single.

Mel B is either smitten or paying homage to baby daddy Eddie Murphy, because she's dating the guy he played in one of his iconic movies ... a Beverly Hills cop.

Sources in the know tell us she's been seeing a guy on the Beverly Hills PD for a few months. She's moved at lightening speed ... splitting with husband Stephen only months before she started dating the officer.

They met through mutual friends. She started dating him immediately and it took only a matter of weeks before he was staying at her home 5 - 6 nights a week. She's nuts about him.

This is a little eerie. Our sources say one of the reasons she likes him around so much is that he carries a gun, and she's scared of estranged hubby Stephen Belafonte. TMZ broke the story, Mel B has a restraining order against Belafonte, and one of her concerns is that she says he has a gun he's not allowed to possess because of a prior crime.

They're keeping the relationship "low key" ... both for his sake and hers. We're told his life is "complicated." But that hasn't stopped him, however, for showing up to tapings of "America's Got Talent" -- in plain clothes. He has also accompanied her to a number of social engagements.

Not everyone in Mel B's life thinks it's a swell idea she's dating the guy ... partly because of him and partly because she just got out of a bad relationship.

Still ... there's something symmetrical about Mel B going for a Beverly Hills Cop.

Nick Cannon says his and Mariah Carey's daughter is a natural born star 'cause her musical talent runs deep in her veins ... but it's unclear who he thinks passed it on.

We got Nick Wednesday in NYC, where we asked for his take on Monroe's stage performance next to her mom -- and his baby mama -- Mariah. He's not surprised she killed it ... like he says, it's in the genes.

What he's not totally clear on is whose genes he's talking about. As you know ... Mimi's the singer in the fam. And, while Nick raps, he definitely doesn't have her pipes.

"America's Got Talent" contestant Dr. Brandon Rogers was a gem of a talent before his tragic death ... as you can see in his audition episode, which just aired.

Dr. Rogers' family wanted the audition to run, showing the young doc humbly taking the stage only to wow the crowd and all 4 judges with a fantastic cover of Stevie Wonders' "Ribbon In The Sky."

He gets a standing O from the judges -- even Simon Cowell.

We broke the story ... Rogers was killed in a car accident last month after his friend fell asleep at the wheel and veered off the road.

An "America's Got Talent" champ was arrested this week for domestic violence after he allegedly attacked his baby mama with a golf club.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ, Landau Eugene Murphy Jr. -- who won season 6 of 'AGT' -- was arrested Monday night in Whitman, West Virginia for misdemeanor domestic battery and domestic assault.

We're told they got into it when he told her he was leaving her ... which escalated into an argument about who would care for their 6-month-old baby. That's when Landau allegedly started slapping her and then struck her under her left eye with a golf club. The brawl spilled outside, where he allegedly slammed her head on the sidewalk.

She was treated at a hospital, and cops later arrested Landau. He was released the same night on a $3,500 bond.

As for Landau's side ... his manager says the fight was sparked when the singer came home and found his home trashed -- he claims by the girlfriend. He says she destroyed the house with a golf club ... then attacked him with the club and a knife. He claims he was only defending himself, and apologized for the incident.

"America's Got Talent" contestant Dr. Brandon Rogers was riding in the front passenger seat of a car when it veered off the road, leading to his death ... TMZ has learned.

According to the Maryland State Troopers, officers responded around 4:30 AM Saturday for a car that had crashed into a tree. Brandon was one of 2 passengers in the vehicle, plus the driver.

Cops say the driver walked away unscathed, but both passengers were hospitalized. As we first reported ... Brandon died Sunday from his injuries.

His audition episode on 'AGT' has yet to air, and producers are undecided on whether they'll release it on schedule next month.

A standout contestant on "America's Got Talent" has died just weeks before his episode was scheduled to air ... TMZ has learned.

Sources close to the production tell us 29-year-old Dr. Brandon Rogers died over the weekend in a car accident. We're told the crash occurred in Maryland Saturday. Brandon was taken to a hospital where he died Sunday.

Brandon was a fantastic singer who was discovered by 'AGT' producers who saw him on Instagram covering Boyz II Men's hit song, "On Bended Knee." The band even shouted him out on social media, asking fans if they thought they should bring him on tour with them. Sure enough ... they did.

Production sources tell us no decision has been made on whether or not to run the episode. It's scheduled to air next month. The family tells TMZ they would love for the episode to air.

Howie Mandel thinks it's not too soon to joke about Mel B's divorce drama -- as evidenced by the nanny "news" he broke to us.

We got Howie heading into the Laugh Factory Wednesday night, and he told our photog it will be business as usual when "America's Got Talent" returns because he knows how to keep Mel B cracking up.

We'll see if she digs his nanny material, but if that doesn't work ... Howie says he's got a backup plan.