Bam Margera Son His Motivation for Sobriety ... Finally Talking to Phoenix
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Bam Margera's son Phoenix is inspiring him to detox and sober up following a psych hold ... and his estranged wife is allowing him to talk to their kid again.
Nikki Margera's attorney, David Glass, tells TMZ ... she's given the green light for Bam and Phoenix to start communicating, and they're talking over FaceTime while Bam's in rehab.
We're told Bam's FaceTime sessions with Phoenix are being modulated by one of Bam's therapists ... and, so far, things are going well.
Sources familiar with the situation tell TMZ ... Bam is still in treatment at one of Lamar Odom's rehab facilities, and Nikki is not talking to him on the FaceTime calls.
There's been a lot of bad blood between Bam and Nikki ever since she filed for legal separation, including a series of angry texts Bam recently sent her, so it's not a surprise she's staying off the calls.
Our sources say Bam usually dominates the FaceTime convos with 5-year-old Phoenix, with Dad typically going on for about 5 minutes.
As we first reported, Bam's been detoxing since June 7 ... this after LAPD put him on a 5150 psychiatric hold following a video rant where he threatened to end his life if he couldn't see his son.
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Russell Simmons Father's Day From HELL Kimora Calls Him Out, Kids Throw Shade
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Russell Simmons had a Father’s Day worth forgetting … as his estranged family is accusing the music mogul of being a gaslighting expert who’s rattled their last nerves.
The day took a sour start when Russ' oldest daughter Ming effectively burned her dad and wished her MOTHER, Kimora Lee Simmons, a Happy Father’s Day.
Russ was apparently feeling left out from the Father’s Day love … and shared a not-so-cryptic post on IG blaming his estranged wife Kimora for making him jump through hoops to be a father to his kids.
Unfortunately for the Def Jam Records co-founder, his kids didn't see it that way and continued to drag him.
On Monday, Kimora went live and explained the issues with Russ run deep, she says she's had Russ blocked on social media for a long time, yet he still continues to post like they’re good friends.
His daughter, Aoki, also shared a ton of rancid text messages between her and Russ — and a muted video of him raging manically on FaceTime. She told her followers she also is at her last resort with mending the relationship.
The family seems to think he’s suffering from some sort of mental issue … and refuses to get checked out.
We reached out to a rep for Russ ... so far, no word back.
We covered the drama in the latest episode of The TMZ Podcast, available on all podcast platforms.
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Shanna Moakler Kourtney's Pregnancy ... No Surprise, I've Known for Weeks!!!
Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker are really good actors ... at least that's what his ex-wife, Shanna Moakler, is strongly insinuating with her reaction to the couple's "surprise" pregnancy announcement.
As we reported, Kourtney shocked a stadium full of Blink-182 fans Friday night when she held up a sign reading, "Travis, I'm Pregnant." Trav also seemed genuinely shocked by his wife's handwritten banner.
Enter Shanna ... who was asked by a follower Saturday on social media if she had anything to say about the happy moment. The model said she was "very excited" for them, but reportedly added another, more bitter, comment ... "I've known for weeks. This is not new news to me."
It appears she's since deleted that comment ... which could mean it was BS, or Shanna got cold feet about blowing up the spot for Kourtney and Travis.
Either way, you get what she's hinting -- that Trav and Kourt were just putting on a good show for the fans in the middle of his concert, and they both already knew Kourtney was expecting ... because if his ex-wife knew, he had to know.
An isolated camera view of Travis when the shot of Kourtney's sign first went into the stadium's big screen, sure seemed to reflect genuine surprise for him.
Travis and his ex-wife have 2 kids together -- daughter Alabama and son Landon -- so, Shanna certainly could be privy to any big family news.
Bottom line, though ... Kourtney and Travis' already blended family of 6 kids is growing by one -- regardless of who knew what when.
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Kim & Kroy No Chance of Working Things Out ... 'Hate Each Other'
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Anyone holding out hope that Kim Zolciak and Kroy Biermann might find some common ground during their nasty divorce should just give up ... cuz it just ain't happening.
Sources with direct knowledge tell us the estranged couple has stopped all direct communication ... only having a back and forth using their lawyers.
What's more -- the two still live under the same roof, but in separate wings of the house, while still sharing their 4 young kids between the two of them. Our sources says there's absolutely zero chance the pair will ever get along again, things are just that bad.
When speaking of their relationship, our source says, "They hate each other. It's very contentious." We're told the whole thing has been messy for their family, and will continue at least until the divorce is finalized and Kim and Kroy can legally go their separate ways.
TMZ broke the story, Kim filed docs earlier this week defending herself as a mother and accusing Kroy of being mentally and emotionally abusive over the years.
Kroy's taken his own jabs at Kim, too, accusing her of having a serious gambling addiction and asking the judge for sole physical and legal custody of the couple's children.
Of course, the divorce has been nasty from the beginning ... both filed separate divorce petitions on the heels of TMZ learning the couple is in the hole with the IRS for more than $1 million.
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Tori Spelling & Dean McDermott End 17-Year Marriage with 'Great Sadness'
6:35 AM PT -- 6/18 -- Dean McDermott's post announcing the split has been taken down. It was deleted at some point on Saturday, just hours after he put it up. Interestingly, Tori Spelling still hasn't said anything about them breaking up.
Stay tuned ...
Tori Spelling and Dean McDermott are calling it quits on their nearly two-decade marriage.
Dean announced their breakup Friday night on social media, saying ... "It’s with great sadness and a very very heavy heart that after 18 years together and 5 amazing children, that @torispelling and I have decided to go our separate ways, and start a new journey of our own."
The Canadian actor added ... "We will continue to work together as loving parents and guide and love our children through this difficult time."
It doesn't appear either party has filed anything in court yet.
So far, Tori has been mum about the split ... but, to Dean's point about co-parenting, the now estranged couple was photographed celebrating their daughter Stella Doreen's 15th birthday earlier this week at the Beverly Hilton.
They also share 4 other kids ... Hattie Margaret, 11; and sons Liam Aaron, 16, Finn Davey, 10, and Beau Dean, 6,
As you might recall, the "Beverly Hills, 90210" alum tied the knot with Dean back in 2006, and they renewed their vows 4 years later ... but their relationship has been rocky throughout.
In fact, Dean admitted to cheating on Tori, explaining that he was "out of control" and "sex was an escape." The couple even talked openly about Dean's infidelity on their own reality show, "True Tori."
For years now, there have been rumors they were heading toward divorce so Dean's announcement is not a total shock.
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Ne-Yo Not Back With Ex Wife After Affair ... Relationship Strictly Biz
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Ne-Yo is NOT back with his ex-wife Crystal Renay despite their recent public outing together ... we're told things are strictly professional, and the two are cordial.
Here's the deal ... Ne-Yo and Crystal raised eyebrows this week when they were both on hand for a public appearance at the opening of their restaurant chain's newest location, prompting speculation they had reconciled after an affair that wrecked their marriage.
Sources familiar with the situation tell TMZ ... Ne-Yo and Crystal are definitely not back together and they were both at the restaurant opening because they are co-owners and it's in their contracts.
We're told Ne-Yo and Crystal are both dating and seeing other people ... as well as co-parenting their three children.
TMZ broke the story ... Crystal divorced Ne-Yo last year after he had a child with another woman.
Our sources say Ne-Yo has a certain amount of appearances he has to make for the restaurant chain they share, Johnny's Chicken and Waffles, and Crystal is heavily involved in the business' day-to-day operations ... which is why they were both at the grand opening in midtown Atlanta.
It sounds like Ne-Yo and Crystal will keep bumping into each other in the future ... they're planning to open three more locations, but that doesn't mean they're getting back together over dinner.
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Kroy Biermann Hit With Lawsuit For Unpaid Rolls-Royce Bills ... Amid Ugly Divorce With Kim Zolciak
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8:05 AM PT -- Kroy's attorney, Marlys Bergstrom, tells TMZ, "Mr. Biermann never imagined that he would find himself in this position, having a car repossessed. But this is the fallout when folks find themselves spending way beyond their means. Kroy retired and no longer receives that NFL salary… I don’t think anyone told Kim."
Bergstrom continues, "When it comes to finances, Kim is detached from reality; every month Kroy has to scratch enough money together to pay the mortgage to save the home from going into foreclosure; they are getting collection notices and now, lawsuits on behalf of creditors. Kim continues to spend money on online gambling, wine, and things that are NOT necessities, but luxuries. Well, now they have one less luxury item."
Things just went from bad to worse for Kroy Biermann … not only is he embroiled in an acrimonious divorce with Kim Zolciak, but he’s now being sued for allegedly missing lease payments on a Rolls-Royce.
According to new court docs, obtained by TMZ, the ex-NFL linebacker hasn’t paid a dime in months to BMW Financial Services to lease the company's 2020 Rolls-Royce Cullinan.
The docs say BMW execs demanded Kroy return their $400,100 luxury SUV, but he thumbed his nose at them and kept it.
The suit also includes the purported lease agreement signed by both parties and goes into detail about Kroy's failures to make his monthly payments.
From July 2020 to July 2023 ... BMW claims Kroy was supposed to turn over $5,297.64 each month for 36 months, totaling $190,715.04.
But Kroy often came up short, the docs say ... and, more recently, he just didn't pay at all. BMW also points out Kroy's last payment was made all the way back in September 2022.
As a result, BMW is asking for a "writ of possession" in the suit ... translation: give us back our damn vehicle, Kroy!! They also want the money they've lost out on.
Meanwhile, Kroy has been battling his estranged wife, Kim Zolciak, in divorce court over their finances and custody of their 4 young kids. In legal docs, the 'Real Housewives of Atlanta' alum has accused Kroy of smoking too much weed ... and Kroy has called out Kim for her alleged gambling addiction.
We've reached out to Kroy's attorneys for comment about the lawsuit ... so far, no word back yet.
Originally Published -- 6:26 AM PT
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Kevin Costner Says Wife Won't Move Out ... Despite Prenup Terms
Kevin Costner says his estranged wife Christine is refusing to pack her stuff and leave their home despite the clear terms of their prenup ... claiming he's already given her well over a million bucks to find a new place.
According to the docs, obtained by TMZ, Kevin says according to their prenup, Christine had 30 days to vacate the home he owns when she filed for divorce on May 1, but she still hasn't left.
The docs say Kevin's now asking for the court to get her out, and adds she shouldn't be able to stay in the house ... only using her position as leverage to make Kevin agree to her "various financial demands."
Kevin claims he's already given her a whopping $1.2 million per his obligations under the prenup -- and says overall, the amount he's shelled out has grown to around $1.45 million ... money she now has available to lock down a new place.
The docs even say he'd be open to contributing as part of his child support obligations $30K per month for a rental house and is willing to advance another $10K for her moving costs.
As we reported, Kevin insists he owns all 3 of their homes, and their long-standing prenup -- signed back in 2004 -- specifically stated she had to fully vacate upon filing for divorce.
TMZ broke the story, sources familiar told us Christine's filing last month was a huge shock to him -- adding it was a pretty devastating move ... so something like this might be giving Kevin an even bigger headache.
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Kim Zolciak Kroy's a Liar, I'm a Great Mother!!!
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Kim Zolciak is firing back at her estranged husband, Kroy Biermann, defending her abilities as a mother and accusing Kroy of years of emotional and mental abuse.
Kim's attorney, David Beaudry, issued a blistering statement to TMZ Tuesday, telling us Kroy's attempt to paint Kim as a bad mother is not only misleading and harmful to the reality star, but to the couple's young kids, too.
Beaudry continues, "The emotional and mental abuse Kim has suffered from this man for so many years has taken a toll on her and, most heartbreakingly, their children. Kim has always been an extremely devoted mother to her children; they are her entire world and she is always there to love and support them every step of the way."
Finally saying, "She refuses to allow Kroy to paint her as something she is not for his own gain. Kim looks forward to the day we can appear in court and solve these issues once and for all."
As we reported, Kroy filed docs earlier this week stating he was concerned Kim may go on "The Real Housewives of Atlanta" and talk about their divorce.
Kroy Biermann Worried Kim Zolciak Will Talk Divorce on 'Real Housewives ATL'
He's asked the court to set up some sort of protection for their 4 kids while the divorce proceedings move forward.
Kroy claims he's tried his best to protect the kids, but says Kim's constantly talking in an "abusive" and "derogatory tone" about the divorce when they're all around.
To say the split has been nasty would be an understatement -- for starters, each filed their own petitions for divorce -- and there's a massive struggle over custody. What's more -- Kim's accused Kroy of having an issue with smoking too much pot ... and he says she's a gambling addict.
Buckle up ... it's far from over.
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Kroy Biermann Worried Kim Zolciak's Gonna Drag Him On 'Real Housewives: ATL'
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Kroy Biermann knows his estranged wife, Kim Zolciak, has zero filter when it comes to talking drama on camera, and he's worried about how it might impact their children.
According to new legal docs, obtained by TMZ, the former NFL star filed a motion to appoint a guardians ad litem -- meaning someone who would essentially make sure the best interests of the kids are represented during the divorce proceedings.
Kroy claims he's tried his best to keep the estranged couple's minor kids -- Kroy Jr., Kash, and twins Kaia and Kane -- away from all the noise Kim's been making about their split, but adds she's constantly dragging him and talking in an "abusive" and "derogatory tone" about the divorce.
He's also concerned Kim will use her 'Real Housewives of Atlanta' outlet to garner more attention ... noting she's already alleged he smokes too much pot to take care of the kids, something he insists she has no proof to support.
Kroy doesn't hold back -- saying she's the one who's not paying enough attention to their kids lately and has been spending too much time on virtual slot machines ... adding one of the few times she does pay attention is when she lets them gamble on her account.
What's more, he says he's concerned she's taking videos of herself while driving with the kids in the car, and says he's picked up most of the slack since they let go of their nannies and chefs ... although he does say Kim has made a few meals for the kids like chicken fingers and frozen pizza.
TMZ broke the story, Kim recently posted a pic of herself with some 'RHOA' cast members -- leading many to speculate she was back to filming on the show. However, our sources say the photo was taken a few months back -- before the split -- and Kim only filmed a cameo.
All in all, Kroy thinks it's in the best interest to appoint guardians ad litem to rep the minor children during the increasingly nasty split.
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Earl Thomas, Ex-Wife New Police Video Shows ... Couple Armed With Gun, Knife During Heated Dispute
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The heated dispute between former NFL star Earl Thomas and his ex-wife three years ago did, indeed, involve a gun and a knife ... and the situation was terrifying -- new police video shows.
In the footage, obtained this week by TMZ Sports, you can see as cops responded to a disturbance at an Airbnb in Austin, Texas back on April 13, 2020 ... Thomas and his former partner, Nina Thomas, were arguing in a parking lot with weapons in their hand.
In Nina's grasp was a blade -- while in Earl's was a pistol ... and you can hear in the video, cops were desperate to get them to drop both when they arrived on the scene.
"Drop it now!" one officer said on the video while pointing his firearm at the couple. "Drop it!"
The footage shows both Thomases put their weapons down ... and then they both lay face-first on the asphalt.
Cops then slowly approached the two with their guns drawn -- imploring them to stay down.
"This is my wife," the former Baltimore Ravens safety can be heard saying in the clip. "She caught me cheating."
Added Nina, "I caught my husband cheating, officers."
"Whatever you do," one of the cops responded, "don't reach for that knife."
After a few tense moments, Nina was placed in cuffs without issue and taken to a different part of the parking lot for questioning. Earl, who was shirtless, was also put into custody without issue and moved away from Nina in the lot as well.
During ensuing questioning, Nina can be heard in the body camera video saying she and her sister-in-law had gone to the Airbnb earlier in the evening in order to confront Earl and his brother about cheating on them at the residence with other women.
"So," she said during the interview, "my husband has been leaving -- we've been having problems. He's been leaving off and on all weekend. And he said he was hanging with some buddies. And I didn't believe that, because we've had issues in the past. So I hacked his Snapchat and found his location here."
NFL's Earl Thomas Held At Gunpoint By Wife In Violent Standoff, Cops Say
"I was calling, I was texting," she continued. "And I didn't know which room it was, and then from pictures, I recognized the lights inside. And I just so happened to turn the handle and the door was open."
Nina -- who had a cut on her hand -- also told the officers that she had brought Earl's gun to the location in order to scare him. She insisted it was not loaded while adding that she had grabbed the knife from the Airbnb during the dispute.
She said she and Earl had been involved in pushing and shoving during the altercation -- and told the cop, "My brother-in-law did get physical with my sister-in-law."
"I don't know exactly what happened because I was dealing with my own husband."
According to police documents, Nina also told cops at the scene that after she and her sister-in-law found Earl and his brother "naked in bed with other women," she pointed the gun at Earl's head, stating "that she took out the magazine thinking that the gun could not fire." But, cops said in the docs Nina was "unaware that the gun had a round in the chamber."
In the docs, officers said Earl was able to wrestle the gun away from her ... and eventually, the argument spilled out into the parking lot -- where cops intercepted them.
Nina was ultimately arrested and booked for burglary of a residence with intent to commit aggravated assault with a deadly weapon -- family violence. Earl was not arrested.
The former Seattle Seahawks star -- a Super Bowl champion and three-time All-Pro -- downplayed everything in a video in the days following the incident, saying, "Stuff like this happens." The two -- who were married in 2016 -- then continued to work on their relationship for several months ... before Nina filed for divorce from him later in 2020.
As for her criminal case, Nina had several court hearings on the matter in the months following her arrest ... though it was all eventually dismissed in 2021.
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'RHOA' Kim Zolciak I'll Be Back on Real Housewives ... But You Won't Hear About My Divorce!!!
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Kim Zolciak knows how to promote herself, teasing a comeback to "The Real Housewives of Atlanta" on the heels of her divorce, but fans aren't gonna get the tea on her split ... TMZ has learned.
Kim shared a group pic Thursday with 'RHOA' OG cast members Sheree Whitfield, Lisa Wu and DeShawn Snow. "See you soon 🎥 @bravotv #RHOA". Of course, fans immediately began to speculate Kim was brought back on the show because of her divorce with Kroy Biermann.
Sources with direct knowledge tell us … Kim's got a cameo on the upcoming season 15 of the series, which is currently airing on Bravo. We're told Kim will appear on the show in a small capacity and when she filmed with the other ATL ladies, it was several months ago before the divorce.
Sources connected to the show tell us 'RHOA' is not currently in production and there are currently no conversations being had between Kim and producers to bring her on full-time or to cover the fallout between her and Kroy.
TMZ broke the story ... Kim and Kroy filed for divorce after 11 years and 4 kids.
As we reported, the former NFL star accused Kim of having a gambling problem and she's accused him of being a pothead who needs to take a drug test. Remember, Kroy has asked for sole physical and legal custody of their kids while Kim is asking for primary physical custody.
On top of that, the estranged couple is dealing with financial issues ... deep in the hole, owing more than $1 million to the IRS.
We covered it all in the latest episode of The TMZ Podcast, available on all podcast platforms.
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Bam Margera Angry Texts to His Ex ... Calls Nikki 'Gold Digger' After 5150
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Bam Margera getting treatment at Lamar Odom's wellness center can't come fast enough for his estranged wife, who says she got some very aggressive texts after he was released from a psych hold.
Nikki Margera's attorney, David Glass, tells TMZ ... "Bam has started texting since his release from the 5150 hold, but the content quickly turned abusive, calling Nikki awful names, saying she is the cause of all his problems, even saying she’s a 'gold digger.'"
David says Nikki's still hopeful Bam's upcoming treatment will help him learn to take responsibility for himself -- adding she also hopes he'll learn how to communicate without being abusive.
Bam's attorney, Peter Thompson, says Bam was pissed after finding out Nikki's filed docs asking for $15,377 in child support, spousal support and $50K in attorney's fees.
Thompson tells us, "Bam continues to support her and Phoenix even though she won’t even allow a phone call or FaceTime with Phoenix. He just wants to see his son and continues to come up against a brick wall on that. Contact would go a long way in getting this resolved."
TMZ broke the story, Bam's been detoxing as of Wednesday's release and went with Lamar to one of his treatment centers. The former NBA star even checked in on Bam earlier in the week while he was under the psych hold.
The "Jackass" star posted a pic Thursday of himself with Lamar, saying he's starting his rehab journey.
Of course, the 5150 came after Bam posted an unhinged rant on social media last week ... threatening to smoke crack until he dies if Nikki didn't agree to let him see his son.
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'RHOC' Shannon Beador Posts Pic With Ex-Husband David ... Days After He Files to Divorce New Wife Again
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Fans of the 'Real Housewives of OC' started sounding the alarm when Shannon Beador was hanging with her ex-hubby David despite their tumultuous relationship ... and TMZ's learned their run-in came days after David once again filed to divorce his new wife.
Here's the deal -- Shannon posted a pic over the weekend of the 2 together, and while some took to the comments saying they were happy to see them still being pals, others shared some shock ... especially in light of their explosive 17 years together.
According to legal docs, obtained by TMZ, David filed for divorce again from his new wife Lesley at the end of May -- apparently just days before the chummy picture ... citing 'irreconcilable differences' as the reason for the split and listing May 23 as their day of separation.
TMZ broke the story, David did this same song and dance last year, filing to pull the plug in September on his marriage to Lesley before asking to dismiss the whole thing a month later.
As for the new filing, it's mostly the same as last time -- he says there's a prenup and is asking to terminate the court's ability to award spousal support to Lesley.
David's now asking for legal and physical custody of their 2-year-old, Anna Love, with visitation rights going to Lesley. He originally asked for joint custody last year.
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Bam Margera On Video Smiling and Arm Wrestling Day After Drug, Suicide Threats
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Here's Bam Margera without a care in the world the day after threatening to smoke crack until he dies ... laughing and arm wrestling while out at lunch.
TMZ obtained this video of Bam having an absolute blast Friday at Teca Restaurant in West Chester, PA. He's also sporting a bunch of new tattoos on his neck, face and legs.
Bam's pretty energetic in the footage ... laughing, smiling, joking and trying like hell to win an arm wrestling match -- using two hands against his opponent's one.
Folks who were there say the former "Jackass" star was super chatty, and told people he was getting lunch before hopping on a private jet to fly back to California and start rehab.
Bam was accompanied by a friend and a giant stuffed lion, for some reason.
His behavior here stands in stark contrast to the day before ... when he posted an emotional rant on social media threatening to smoke crack until he's dead unless he could see his son, Phoenix.
Remember ... Bam is desperate for a relationship with his kid, but his camp says Bam's estranged wife Nikki won't let him see their boy.
While he was at the restaurant, we're told Bam also talked about his son, Nikki, his current girlfriend and mixed in stories about going out the night before to a strip club. In other words, Bam was all over the place.
As for his claim about going to rehab -- we know lots of people in his life hope it's true.
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Kroy Biermann Hey Kim, I'm a Good Parent Too!!! Near Perfect Score On Test
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Kroy Biermann aced a good parenting test in the midst of his nasty divorce with Kim Zolciak ... and turns out he completed the course before she finished a similar one.
The former NFL star completed a mandatory course in Georgia -- "Parent Education For Separating/Divorcing Families" -- last month and he scored 99% on the quizzes and final exam.
Kroy filed a certificate of completion with the court, obtained by TMZ, and he got his work done before his estranged wife did.
As we reported ... Kim completed a seminar on "Navigating Family Change" on May 25 ... but Kroy's certificate shows he finished his online course May 17, a full week before Kim. BTW ... the course is mandatory for couples with kids seeking a divorce.
Remember, Kroy is asking for sole custody of the estranged couple's four kids ... Kim's asking for primary physical custody, so this is a full-on dogfight.
The course focuses on helping parents make divorce easier on children ... and it sounds like they need to apply the skills they learned.
The divorce has been exceedingly nasty ... with Kroy ripping Kim for what he says is a gambling addiction, while she claimed he's a pothead who needs to take a drug test.
Kim, Kroy and their kids are all still living under the same roof as the divorce chugs along ... putting the kids right in the middle of everything.