Drugs & Alcohol

Multiple stars of the 'Real Housewives' franchise are coming forward to defend Andy Cohen against Leah McSweeney's allegations -- and they're all leaning into the idea each cast member is personally responsible for her actions.

Luann de Lesseps, who costarred with Leah on 'RHONY,' talked to us Wednesday on "TMZ Live" about Leah's lawsuit against Cohen, Bravo, the production company Shed Media, and Warner Bros. ... claiming they took advantage of her alcohol abuse issues.

Leah claims she was encouraged by Cohen and others on and around the show to drink all in the name of creating better content for the program.

Luann, speaking from personal experience, didn't feel that was the case for her ... saying of course alcohol and parties are part of the 'Housewives' world, but no one ever forced her to take up a glass.

In fact, she says she doesn't think anyone can make a person drink, instead believing personal responsibility plays a key part in addiction recovery -- an issue Luann also dealt with while shooting for the show, having gone to rehab multiple times.

As for Leah's allegation Andy does cocaine with the housewives ... Luann says she's never seen or heard about that, and adds it's not in his character.

LDL says she's now in the "driver's seat" with alcohol consumption and touring with a new cabaret show -- and insists you don't have drink to have a good time on 'Housewives.'

She further vouches for Andy, saying she doesn't believe he'd force anyone to drink like Leah's claiming -- a sentiment echoed by another former 'RHONY' star.

Dorinda Medley -- who appeared on the show from 2015 to 2020 -- tells us she feels terrible for Andy, and questions why Leah decided to come back for a second season of 'RHONY' and an 'Ultimate Girls Trip' if she felt so uncomfortable.

Medley added she'd jump at the chance to get back on 'Real Housewives' ... saying she's had nothing but good experiences with Andy and Bravo and she's gained so much by being on the show. She also said adults need to be held accountable for their own actions.

And, a non-New Yorker -- Cynthia Bailey formerly of "Real Housewives of Atlanta" fame -- also stood by Andy, telling us at LAX, she was never forced to drink or ever believed Andy was using cocaine as McSweeney claimed.

CB says she sympathizes with addicts, but adds people who know they have substance abuse problems need to make smart choices -- like turning down cocktails if they know they have a problem

BTW ... another former Bravo star, Brandi Glanville, is also threatening to sue Andy for an inappropriate comment he allegedly made.

Andy Cohen ha sido golpeado con una demanda por una ex integrante de "Real Housewives of New York", la estrella Leah McSweeney, quien está alegando el mismo tipo de cosas que Brandi Glanville.

De acuerdo con documentos legales obtenidos por TMZ y presentados el martes, Leah, que también protagonizó el "Housewives' spinoff 'Ultimate Girls Trip", afirma que los productores junto con Bravo, NBC Universal Media y otros crearon un ambiente tóxico de trabajo en donde se explotaron su salud mental y su consumo del alcohol para "vender el drama".

Ella continúa alegando que Andy y otros la presionaban para consumir alcohol durante su tiempo en el programa, a pesar de que sabían de su lucha contra la adicción. Como ejemplo, Leah señala un mensaje de texto que recibió de su compañera de "RHUGT", Marysol Patton diciendo: "Me gustaría que todavía estuvieras bebiendo", algo que Leah tomó como una clara referencia a su recién descubierta sobriedad.

La ex estrella de la telerrealidad también afirma que el anfitrión de "Watch What Happens Live" consumía cocaína con otras esposas y estrellas de Bravo y supuestamente premiaba a las que participaban consumiendo drogas con buenas ediciones en televisión.

Un representante de Andy Cohen le dice a TMZ: "Las afirmaciones en contra de Andy son completamente falsas".

Fuentes con conocimiento directo también le dicen a TMZ que muchas de estas afirmaciones han sido expresadas por Leah anteriormente y, según su conocimiento, las acusaciones fueron encontradas inexactas. Las fuentes también nos recuerdan que Andy no ha sido un ejecutivo en Bravo desde 2013, por lo que técnicamente no es ni siquiera su jefe ni tiene la última palabra o más influencia que cualquier otro productor que trabaja en la franquicia.

Aun así, como la red ha dicho antes, todas las acusaciones se investigan sin importar qué.

Leah está demandando por daños y perjuicios no especificados. Alega que la producción la discriminó sobre la base de su conocido problema con el alcohol y otros asuntos y no hizo ningún tipo de acomodamiento durante su tiempo en los programas.

La demanda se produce en medio de otro drama de "Real Housewives" para Andy, quien fue acusado de acoso sexual por Brandi Glanville, integrante de "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" y "Housewives' spinoff 'Ultimate Girls Trip".

Por si se lo perdieron, la semana pasada los abogados de Brandi enviaron una carta a NBC Universal amenazando con una demanda. El mandamás de Bravo fue acusado de invitar a Brandi a presenciar un encuentro sexual con otra personalidad de Bravo por FaceTime.

Andy respondió rápidamente a las afirmaciones de Brandi escribiendo en X que todo el asunto había sido una broma que se fue de las manos. Sin embargo, reconoció que la situación era inapropiada.

Andy Cohen has been hit with a lawsuit by former 'RHONY' star Leah McSweeney ... and she's alleging the same sorts of things as Brandi Glanville.

According to legal docs filed Tuesday, obtained by TMZ, Leah -- who also starred on the 'Housewives' spinoff 'Ultimate Girls Trip' -- claims the producers ... along with Bravo, NBC Universal Media and others created a toxic work environment where her mental health and alcohol use disorder were exploited all in the "name of selling drama."

She goes on to allege Andy and others were pressuring her to consume alcohol during her time on the show -- despite knowing of her addiction struggles. As one example, Leah points to a text message she says she got from 'RHUGT' costar Marysol Patton saying, "I wish you were still drinking" -- which Leah took as a clear reference to her newfound sobriety.

The reality TV alum also claims that the "Watch What Happens Live" host uses cocaine with other Housewives and Bravo stars -- and allegedly rewards those who participate in the drug use with good TV edits.

A rep for Andy Cohen tells TMZ … "The claims against Andy are completely false."

Leah is suing for unspecified damages, claiming the production discriminated against her based on her known alcohol problem and other issues and failed to make any accommodations during her time on the shows.

This lawsuit comes amid other 'Housewives' drama for Andy -- who has been accused of sexually harassing "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" and 'RHUGT' alum Brandi Glanville.

ICYMI ... last week, Brandi's lawyers sent a letter to NBC Universal threatening a lawsuit -- in which the Bravo honcho was accused of inviting Brandi to watch him hook up with another Bravo personality over FaceTime.

Andy quickly responded to Brandi's claims ... writing on X that the whole thing was a joke that has been blown out of proportion. However ... he did acknowledge that the situation was inappropriate.

Buddy Duress, best known for starring opposite Robert Pattinson in the Safdie Brothers hit "Good Time," has died ... according to his brother.

Christopher Stathis confirmed the news to People Tuesday saying Buddy died back in November ... a death Christopher attributes to cardiac arrest brought on by drugs.

Duress has several credits on IMDb including "Person to Person," "The Great Darkened Days," "Beware of Dog," "Flinch," "Funny Pages" and "Heaven Knows What."

Buddy dealt with drug abuse and legal issues for much of his adult life it seems. He met director Josh Safdie after his release from NYC's Rikers Island prison -- where he did time for drug charges -- and filmed his part in "Heaven Knows What."

After that, he was rearrested for not going to rehab.

Josh and his brother Benny Safdie asked Buddy to journal his experiences in prison -- which partly served as a basis for "Good Time" according to the Los Angeles Times.

It appears Buddy still has 2 more projects set to be released posthumously ... "Mass State Lottery" and a short film called "Skull" should be coming out over the course of the next year.

He is survived by Christopher and his mother Jo-Anne.

Buddy was 38.

La cuenta de X de Mathew Perry fue hackeada por estafadores que intentaban llevar a cabo un esquema de donación de criptomonedas a través de un sitio web fraudulento... esto según la misma fundación.

Un enlace que se anunció recientemente cuado la dirección de los posibles donantes para hacer contribuciones a la fundación del actor fallecido, en realidad los llevaba a un sitio falso, pero la Fundación de Matthew Perry no ha perdido el tiempo llamando a la estafa como totalmente falso, mientras que obtener el control de sus redes sociales de nuevo.

Escribieron en Insta el lunes: "Hemos recibido informes de que la página oficial X de Matthew ha sido hackeada y está dirigiendo a los usuarios a un sitio fraudulento que solicita donaciones a través de criptomoneda". Esto a modo de aviso para que la gente no caiga en la trampa.

También aclararon que MatthewPerryFoundation.org era el único sitio legítimo asociado con la fundación y que NO se debe confiar o donar a ningún otro.

En cuanto a los estafadores detrás del post fraudulento, su identidad sigue siendo un misterio y tampoco se sabe en este momento cuántas personas podrían haber donado a través del enlace y cuánto podrían haber perdido. El post en cuestión ha sido retirado de X.

La Fundación Matthew Perry fue creada para proporcionar apoyo a aquellos que luchan contra la adicción, una causa que estaba cerca del corazón del difunto actor.

Compartió con valentía sus propias luchas contra el alcohol y la adicción a los opioides, incluso documentando con franqueza su propio viaje de sobriedad en sus memorias de 2022, "Amigos, amantes y la gran cosa terrible".

TMZ publicó la historia. Perry murió el pasado mes de octubre después de que su asistente encontró su cuerpo flotando en una bañera de hidromasaje en su casa del área de Los Ángeles.

Mathew Perry's X account was hacked by scammers trying to pull off a sneaky crypto donation scheme through a fraudulent website ... this according to his foundation.

A link that was recently advertised as directing would-be donors to make contributions to the late actor's foundation actually led them to a copycat site -- but The Matthew Perry Foundation has wasted no time calling out the scam as totally bogus, while gaining control of his socials again.

They wrote on IG Monday ... "We have received reports that Matthew's official X page has been hacked and is directing users to a fraudulent site soliciting donations via cryptocurrency" ... going on to urge people not to fall for the trap by sharing the fake social media post.

They also clarified that MatthewPerryFoundation.org was the only legitimate site associated with the foundation -- and that any others should NOT be trusted or donated to.

As for the scammers behind the fraudulent post, their identity remains a mystery for now ... and it's also not known at this point how many people might've donated through the bunk link and how much they might've lost. The post in question has been taken down from X.

The Matthew Perry Foundation was set up in MP's name to provide support to those battling addiction, a cause that was close to the late actor's heart.

He bravely shared his own struggles with alcohol and opioid addiction, even candidly documenting his own sobriety journey in his 2022 memoir, "Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing."

TMZ broke the story ... "Friends" star Perry died last October after his assistant found his body floating in a hot tub at his L.A. area home.

Former Las Vegas Raiders cornerback Damon Arnette claims reports of his recent arrest for meth and gun possession are straight-up wrong ... insisting the whole thing is a giant misunderstanding.

Arnette's most recent legal trouble made waves on Monday ... with multiple outlets stating the former first-round pick was busted in Richardson, Texas on Jan. 6 and charged with possession of less than a gram of meth and unlawful carrying of a firearm.

The 27-year-old's attorneys released a statement to TMZ Sports shortly after the news broke ... and they are adamant Arnette's name will be cleared.

"Our client, at the time of the stop, was unable to provide law enforcement with his prescription for a lawful medication," Jason Lampert and Thomas Wynne said. "The arrest was predicated on Mr. Arnette being unable to prove the medication was prescribed, had he been able to do so at the time of the stop, there would have been no arrest for either the controlled substance or the firearms."

"Our offices are working with the local law enforcement to rectify this matter before any charges are brought by the District Attorney’s Office."

In other words, Arnette's team believes once the methamphetamine charge is sorted out, the gun charge will be handled as well ... as it's legal in Texas to carry a weapon without a license.

It's not the first time the former Ohio State star made headlines for the wrong reasons -- he was released from the Raiders after making threats and flashing firearms on video in 2021 ... and has had multiple off-field incidents.

DJ Boof, durante mucho tiempo disc jockey de "The Wendy Williams Show", dice que la gente en el estudio no entendía el alcance de la enfermedad de Wendy y él piensa que sus familiares son los únicos que pueden ayudarla.

El ex colega de televisión de Wendy se unió a nosotros el lunes en "TMZ Live" y nos dijo que ha sido triste ver a su amiga ir por el camino del deterioro cognitivo.

DJ Boof dice que la gente en "Wendy" sabía que algo estaba pasando con ella, pero no se dieron cuenta de lo realmente enferma que estaba. Tenía problemas con el abuso del alcohol y finalmente fue diagnosticada con afasia y demencia como Bruce Willis.

Un nuevo documental de Lifetime, "¿Dónde está Wendy Williams?", pone de relieve sus luchas con el consumo excesivo de alcohol y algunos de sus arrebatos contra la gente en el programa y DJ Boof nos dice que sabía que Wendy necesitaba ayuda mucho antes de que el programa saliera al aire.

Hay algunas dudas acerca de quién está mejor equipado para ayudar a Wendy, si su familia, su círculo íntimo o la mujer que es la tutora legal de Wendy, y ahora hay un acalorado conflicto entre esas partes.

Boof dice que se ha mantenido en contacto con Wendy desde que su programa fue cancelado en 2022, y ella desapareció del ojo público, diciéndonos que la última vez que la vio en Miami parecía estar muy bien.

La familia de Wendy está en Florida, incluyendo a su hermana y su hijo, y DJ Boof nos dice por qué cree que es el mejor lugar para ella en el futuro.

DJ Boof, longtime disc jockey for "The Wendy Williams Show," says folks in the studio didn't understand the extent of Wendy's illness... and he thinks her family members are the only ones who can help her.

Wendy's former TV colleague joined us Monday on "TMZ Live," and he told us it's been sad to see his friend going down the road of cognitive decline.

DJ Boof says people on 'Wendy' knew something was going on with her, but they didn't realize just how sick she truly was ... namely, issues with alcohol abuse, and eventually, being diagnosed with aphasia and dementia like Bruce Willis.

A new Lifetime documentary, "Where is Wendy Williams?" highlights her struggles with excessive drinking and some of her outbursts against people on the show ... and DJ Boof tells us he knew Wendy needed help long before the program aired.

There's some question about who is best equipped to help Wendy ... her family, her inner circle or the woman who's Wendy's legal guardian -- and there's now a heated conflict between those factions.

Boof says he's kept in touch with Wendy since her show was canceled in 2022, and she vanished from the public eye ... telling us when he last saw her in Miami she seemed to be doing great.

Wendy's family is down in Florida, including her sister and her son ... and DJ Boof tells us why he thinks that's the best place for her moving forward.

Donald Trump dice que no le lanzaría un salvavidas de inmigración al Príncipe Harry si fuera elegido Presidente de nuevo, sugiriendo que sería abandonado a su suerte y tal vez deportado.

El polémico candidato habló con el Daily Express -un medio del Reino Unido- el fin de semana en el evento CPAC en Maryland y aclaró que no le gusta el duque de Sussex, y muy claramente dijo que el estatus migratorio de Harry podría estar bajo escrutinio.

Trump dice: "Yo no lo protegería. Ha traicionado a la Reina y eso es imperdonable. Estaría solo si dependiera de mí".

Terminó criticando a la administración de Biden por lo que él caracteriza como blanda en general -más sobre eso en breve- añadiendo: "Creo que han sido demasiado permisivos con él después de lo que ha hecho".

Ahora, lo que Trump parece estar aludiendo aquí es esta batalla del Departamento de Seguridad Nacional en la que el Príncipe está involucrado indirectamente. Un grupo de vigilancia ha demandado al gobierno federal en un intento de obtener documentos de los papeles de inmigración de Harry y solicitud de su visado.

Como usted probablemente sabe, el hombre todavía no es un ciudadano de EE.UU. y el año pasado, confesó en sus memorias que había consumido una serie de drogas antes de venir al país.

El grupo de vigilancia dice que esto es una clara admisión de que viola el protocolo de entrada de DHS y le están exigiendo la agencia que posee esos papeles que lo demuestre, pero la Seguridad Nacional está poniendo resistencia, argumentando que Harry tiene derecho a la privacidad. También dicen que podría haber sido mentira y esta "confesión" en el libro no equivale a una declaración bajo juramento.

Lo que Trump está dando a entender, al parecer, es que el DHS bajo su vigilancia sería mucho más firme, lo que podría -en teoría- terminar con el príncipe siendo expulsado de los EE.UU.

Donald Trump says he wouldn't throw Prince Harry an immigration lifeline if he was elected President again -- suggesting he'd be left to fend for himself ... and maybe get deported.

The ex-Pres spoke with the Daily Express -- a UK publication -- over the weekend at the CPAC event in Maryland ... and he made no bones about the fact that he doesn't like the Duke of Sussex, and very clearly said Harry's immigration status might come under scrutiny.

Don says, "I wouldn’t protect him. He betrayed the Queen. That’s unforgivable. He would be on his own if it was down to me."

He finished that sentiment by slamming the Biden administration for what he characterizes as going easy on Harry as it pertains to DHS controversy -- more on that in a bit -- by adding, "I think they have been too gracious to him after what he has done."

Now, what Trump seems to be alluding to here is this Dept. of Homeland Security battle that the Prince is involved in indirectly -- namely, a watchdog group suing the federal government in an attempt to obtain docs from Harry's immigration papers/application for his visa.

As you're probably well aware, the guy ain't a U.S. citizen yet -- and last year, he confessed in his memoir that he'd done a number of drugs before coming on over to the States.

The watchdog group says this is a clear admission that violates DHS entry protocol and they're demanding the agency fork those papers over to prove it -- but Homeland Security is putting up a fight, arguing Harry has a right to privacy. They also say he might've been BS'ing ... and this "confession" in the book doesn't amount to a statement under oath.

What Trump's implying here, it seems, is that the DHS under his watch would let the chips fall where they may ... which could, theoretically, end with PH getting kicked outta the U.S.

Lamar Odom has taken the reins of a New Mexico rehab facility ... and he's ready to give it some serious TLC to help those hit hard by the drug crisis.

The former athlete's manager tells TMZ ... the previous owner left the property to New Mexico Pastor Anthony Torres, with hopes of opening a treatment center. But when the pastor hit a roadblock with funding, he turned to Lamar, knowing he'd been involved in opening up rehab centers himself.

Lamar checked out the property -- which sits on an acre of land -- and the pastor decided to gift it to him with the intention of using it as a sanctuary for people battling fentanyl addiction.

We're told the property, once owned by the American Legion, is getting a whole new lease on life under Lamar's Odom Recovery Group.

Of course, Lamar's already made a considerable impact across different communities with his network of addiction treatment facilities. From Restoration Recovery in Sacramento to Compassions in Laguna Hills ... from Inner Minds Health in San Bernardino to Vanity Wellness Center in Woodland Hills ... he's covering some serious ground.

Lamar's not just stopping at addiction treatment -- he's also keeping busy in the dentistry world with his new venture, Oxy Dental.

Wendy Williams lo ha pasado realmente mal, y es más que evidente en el nuevo docu de Lifetime que acaba de estrenarse.

La ex presentadora de 59 años ha sido diagnosticada con afasia y demencia, el mismo diagnóstico que Bruce Willis. En el docu está claro que Wendy tiene problemas con el alcohol, donde se le puede ver tomando una botella entera de vodka.

El programa pone de relieve los efectos de la enfermedad, mostrando un comportamiento errático y frecuentes arrebatos a su personal.

Una de las partes más desgarradoras es cuando Wendy se muestra consciente de que está tratando con una enfermedad que está más allá de su control... se siente una terrible desesperanza.

La bebida fue un tema importante en el programa, con su manager expresando su preocupación al no saber cómo sacarla de la botella.

En el documental queda claro que Wendy está muy avanzada en su deterioro cognitivo.

El programa narra la progresión de la enfermedad. Su chofer da testimonios de lo que cómo Wendy comenzó a perder su capacidad para funcionar.

El programa fue filmado desde agosto de 2022 hasta abril de 2023.

Un juez ha creado una tutela sobre las finanzas de Wendy, aunque los documentos están sellados, por lo que no hay detalles.

Wendy Williams has really gone through it, and it's more than apparent in the new Lifetime doc that just aired.

The 59-year-old former talk show host has been diagnosed with aphasia and dementia ... the same diagnosis as Bruce Willis. In the doc, it's clear Wendy has alcohol issues, downing an entire bottle of vodka.

The show highlights the effects of the disease, showing erratic behavior and frequent outbursts at her staff.

One of the most heartbreaking parts of the doc ... there were moments where Wendy is aware she is dealing with an illness that is beyond her control, and it all feels hopeless.

The drinking was a big issue in the show, with her manager expressing concern that he doesn't know how to get her off the bottle.

It's clear from the doc Wendy is well down the road of cognitive decline.

The show chronicles the progression of the disease, with her driver talking about what he saw as Wendy lost her ability to function.

The show was filmed from August, 2022 to April, 2023.

A judge has created a guardianship over Wendy's finances, although the documents are sealed, so no details.

Johnny Manziel says he withered from 210 pounds all the way down to 170 just months after his NFL career ended ... explaining his body morphed due to "a strict diet of blow."

The former Heisman Trophy winner opened up about his struggles following his Cleveland playing days during a recent, two-hour interview with Shannon Sharpe.

In the chat on the "Club Shay Shay" podcast ... Manziel admitted he was at nearly rock bottom once he had failed the Browns in 2015 at 23 years old -- so he turned to the Las Vegas party scene to pick him up.

Apparently, his trip to Sin City included a lot of cocaine ... something he says changed his figure into an unrecognizable one.

"At that point in time, man," Manziel said, "I would look in a mirror and I didn't see myself any different than when I was in Cleveland. Until I stepped on a scale at the Cosmopolitan Hotel in Las Vegas, I didn't realize I had lost 40 pounds at all."

"I remember these pictures came out," he continued. "I was like, 'Damn. What am I doing? Ah, whatever, we'll figure that out later. Let's go again.'"

Manziel said in addition to coke, he was also using OxyContin and Percocets.

Johnny Football went on to lament other parts of his life in his talk with Sharpe -- including his strained relationship with LeBron James.

After Cleveland had drafted the Texas A&M QB, LeBron signed him to his agency ... and throughout his time with the Browns, Manziel said the NBA superstar tried to take him under his wing. But, while battling poor play and subsequent depression, he said he pushed the hooper away.

"LeBron would text me every week to come over to the house and watch a game or play poker with the boys and just tried to be there," Manziel said. "And I was so depressed for the first time in my life that even my biggest role model and inspiration in my life couldn't get me out of bed to come and hang out with him."

Manziel added that he still feels to this day he let the future basketball Hall of Famer down.

Shaun Weiss has some fans thinking he relapsed on drugs ... but he says folks are reading way too far into a video he posted online.

The "Mighty Ducks" star shared a video Wednesday on Instagram, talking about how blessed he is to be paid to travel around and interact with fans ... but his physical appearance seemed to throw people off.

Shaun, who recently celebrated 4 years of sobriety, is looking kinda thin and he has a red substance smudged between his eyes ... leading some to wonder if he busted his head open, even though his caption says it's "consecrated ash from Sadhguru."

Shaun tells TMZ ... he's still 100% clean and has not relapsed.

He says he's doing great and has never been better, adding ... "If I ever need help I promise I will reach out to people. No going backward."

As for what's on his forehead, Shaun tells us it's from his "spiritual practice." He says it's supposed to "activate my third eye."

Shaun says he's getting into the inner engineering teachings of Sadhguru, a famous Yogi ... telling us, "It has been a game changer in terms of my overall balance and levels of joy."

The video that first sparked relapse concern among fans was on Shaun's page for about 5 hours until we talked to him ... and he's since uploaded a new video where he wipes off the red substance from his face and says he's fine and there's nothing to worry about.