Ellen DeGeneres Show

Ryan Lochte says he reached out to Michael Phelps for life advice after his drama in Rio -- explaining, "I knew he hit a low point in his life and he bounced back from it."

Lochte revealed the details to Ellen DeGeneres -- saying he was impressed by the way Phelps was able to rebound after his two DUI arrests ... and thought he'd be able to share wisdom.

"I knew his answer was gonna be really honest because of our relationship over the years," Lochte said.

"He said, 'It’s not what you did it’s what you do now that will shape who you are.'"

"I took that to heart and ya know that’s what I’m gonna do. I’m gonna better myself. Make sure I don’t make those mistakes and become a better person."

The entire interview airs Monday on 'Ellen.'

Taylor Swift dumped Calvin Harris in a phone call, which is stunning because she was pissed when Joe Jonas did the exact same thing to her.

Sources familiar with the situation tell TMZ, Swift called Calvin from Nashville at some point after his car crash to pull the plug on their relationship. We're told Swift was vague during the call, only saying she needed some space.

Calvin was thunderstruck because he was under what he thought was a clear impression that Taylor was in it for the long haul to help him recover. He didn't accept the news well ... we're told they haven't spoken since.

And get this ... Taylor put Joe Jonas on blast on Ellen's show back in 2008 ... when she called him out for an over-the-phone breakup.

Pot, meet kettle.

A Georgia woman has her t** in a ringer over a joke Ellen DeGeneres told on her show ... in fact she's so upset she's suing the talk show's producers for allegedly besmirching her good name.

In a segment called "What's Wrong with These Signs?" Ellen showed a real estate sign advertising a broker named Titi Pierce. Ellen assumed -- as we would -- it was pronounced "titty," but Titi says, "as grammar dictates," it's pronounced "Tee Tee."

Pierce says in her lawsuit ... no one has ever made such an error in her 35 years on planet Earth. As such, she's suing for defamation and invasion of privacy.

The realtor says, to add insult to injury ... she was on her way to a funeral when the segment aired and she got lots of mocking calls on her cellphone. She also says "The name-calling led to immediate ridicule and raucous laughter from the show's live and television audiences."

Pierce says she's suffered emotional distress, embarrassment and anger.

The man who was taken down by the NYPD while trying to win an 'Ellen' dance contest has just settled his brutality case with the city ... and he wound up with tens of thousands of dollars.

Alexander BOK took up Ellen's challenge in Times Square on Christmas Eve, 2014 ... furiously dancing behind some NYPD cops. You see in the video cops questioning him and as he walks away he gets thrown to the ground.

Although BOK unwisely decided to prank the cops 4 days after 2 of their fellow officers were assassinated, the NYPD opened an internal investigation. BOK also sued the city for $5 million.

Sources familiar with the case tell us the case has now settled for $33,000.

BOK's lawyer says the police review board found multiple officers acted improperly.

The guy shoved to the ground by an NYPD cop while filming a dance dare vid for "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" is now suing the city.

As TMZ first reported ... back in December dancer/prankster Alexander BOK was roughed up by NYPD cops while shooting his entry for Ellen's 'Dance Dare' contest ... but according to the docs ... BOK says he was simply exercising his right to get funky and there's plenty of precedent.

In the lawsuit, BOK says his dancing in the streets merely followed in the footsteps of Martha and the Vandellas, The Mamas & the Papas, Mick Jagger and David Bowie and, of course ... Dora The Explorer.

Dancing jokes aside ... keep in mind BOK pulled this stunt just days after two NYPD officers were shot and killed.

Here it is ... the unedited version of that viral video showing a guy dancing behind some NYC cops -- then getting shoved to the ground -- all so he could get on "The Ellen Degeneres" show.

Prankster Alexander BOK intended to send the vid to Ellen for her 'Dance Dare' contest -- but it all went awry when the cops got pissed. Alexander had posted a heavily edited version of the run-in ... complete with dramatic music.

The NYPD is looking into why an officer got physical with a guy who was filming a viral video for "The Ellen DeGeneres Show."

The dancer is Alexander BOK, and he bills himself as "your favorite prankster" ... that is unless you're one of the cops he attempted to bust a move on in the middle of a NYC street.

On Christmas Eve, Alexander tried to film an Ellen Dance Dare video -- entrants are supposed to dance behind people who don't know they're doing it. Alexander decided to try it on some unwitting officers.

Watch the video ... the officers start out questioning what the hell Alexander's doing -- and it sounds like they hurl a few insults at him too. Eventually, it looks like the cops dismiss him ... and, as he's walking away, one throws him to the ground.

TMZ has learned NYPD has opened an investigation into the incident. What's unclear is why Alexander chose to pull this stunt four days after two NYPD officers were assassinated. Not a bright move.

Kim Kardashian and Kanye West don't see bedrooms and bathrooms in their new mansion ... they see dollar signs ... and that's why they're going to sell it and officially enter the house-flipping market.

Kim and Kanye bought an $11 million mansion in Bel Air last year and did a major redo. Their plan going in was to live in it, but sources connected with the couple tell us ... they've been told they could make millions if they sell it so, like Ellen, they're saying 'Why not?"

But this won't just be a one off. We're told Kim and Kanye enjoyed the renovation process so much they've decided to make it a side business. Their plan is to renovate several houses/estates a year.

As for why they think they have what it takes ... actually, their angle is that they know the best people in various fields of home renovation -- architects, landscapers, interior designers, etc.

As for their living situation ... we're told Kim and Kanye are happy living with Kris Jenner for now. Plenty of space, and a built-in babysitter.

At least one half of Ellen Degeneres' fave pre-teen duo is set to make big money -- as in the $400,000 neighborhood -- and it's all laid out in her first movie contract.

Sophia Grace and Rosie -- who first shot to fame singing with Nicki Minaj on Ellen's show -- just released their first movie, and since they're minors ... their contracts have to be filed with the court.

TMZ obtained a copy of Sophia Grace's five picture deal, and the 11-year-old is making bank! She got $50,000 for the direct-to-video release, "Sophia Grace & Rosie's Royal Adventure."

And Sophia's definitely rooting for sequels -- 'cause she will earn $75K per film if producers shoot 2nd and 3rd installments. Then it's off to SIX-FIGURE territory ... $100K each for #4 and #5 in the series!

We don't know the figures on cousin Rosie's deal, but she's definitely signed for the sequels. Always good to have your name in the title.

The singing, dancing and chattering cousins who have become famous on Ellen DeGeneres' show are making some serious pocket money -- at least for a kid.

Ten-year-old Sophia Grace Brownlee and 6-year-old Rosie McClelland are rakin' in the cash by acting in a new Nickelodeon show, "Sam & Cat."

Each little one will score $2,119.70 plus a $1,000 travel stipend, according to their minor's contracts which were filed with the court and obtained by TMZ.

The girls got their big break when Sophia Grace posted a video of herself singing on YouTube with Rosie ... it got Ellen's attention and hey ... they're now in Justin Bieber territory!

It beats selling lemonade.

The world's largest record companies are banding together to sue the Ellen DeGeneres show -- claiming producers owe them big for their songs that were played on the show.

It's all over the "dance" portion of Ellen's show -- according to a lawsuit filed Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Nashville, record execs claim they have never received a single penny for the hundreds of songs Ellen's danced to over the years.

The people behind the "Ellen" show say DeGeneres had nothing to with the case adding, "This matter does not involve our host, Ellen DeGeneres , who as everyone knows is a huge music enthusiast and advocate, and had no knowledge of issues regarding the use of music in the show."

Scott Rowe, spokesman for the show's Telepictures Productions, wrote in an e-mailed statement that the company has been working with the record labels for months to resolve the issue and remains willing to resolve it on "amicable and reasonable terms."

Well, she's gone and done it. Ellen's gonna get hitched.

A spy in the audience of this afternoon's taping of the "Ellen DeGeneres Show" tells us that after Ellen mentioned today's California Supreme Court ruling striking down the state's ban on gay marriage, she surprised everyone and announced that she was going to tie the knot with longtime girlfriend, actress Portia de Rossi.

Portia was in the crowd and after she made the announcement, the studio audience went wild, giving the two a huge standing O.