Don Lemon CNN Return Wouldn't Be Surprise After Chris Licht Firing

Don Lemon might be able to make a return to CNN after the firing of former CEO Chris Licht ... as folks in Don's world would not be surprised if the network reaches out in the near future.

Sources familiar tell TMZ ... the potential reversal of fortune wouldn't be shocking due to the well-documented and long-standing tensions between Chris and Don.

As we reported, Chris took over as CNN's head honcho in May 2022 and clashed with Don many times about things Don said on-air, as well as an outfit choice Don made for the premiere of "CNN This Morning."

You'll recall, Don claimed he was completely blindsided by his April termination after 17 years with CNN, coyly saying ... "It is clear that there are some larger issues at play."

Many insiders saw that as a not-so-subtle way of saying Licht was fighting for his own job. Obviously, it's been less than a day since his ouster, so none of the execs at CNN have reached out to Don or his people just yet.

What's more, Amy Entelis, CNN's Executive VP for Talent and Content Development, has been tapped as one of the network's interim leaders, and she's someone Don's been close with for nearly 15 years.

Meanwhile, Don's doing exactly what he said he would ... taking the summer off from work, but we're told he's still entertaining all meetings, and is open to hearing out all options.

Never say never.

Nicki Minaj Sued Over Damaged Bling ... She Denies It

Nicki Minaj is being dragged to court over some alleged unpaid bills for custom jewelry ... but her attorney says she's not responsible, and claims the jeweler is just using her for publicity.

The rapper is being sued by a West Hollywood jeweler who claims they loaned out some bling to the rapper -- a pretty standard transaction for celebs, but the jeweler claims some of those pieces came back damaged ... which is not standard.

According to a new lawsuit, obtained by TMZ, Nicki's stylist Brett Alan Nelson signed a contract with Roseark jewelry store, with Roseark agreeing to loan Nicki jewelry for a public appearance.

The store claims the contract called for Brett to return the bling within a week and pay for any damages the jewelry might incur under his watch.

In the docs, Roseark claims Nicki's stylist failed to return 66 pieces of jewelry by the agreed upon deadline, and, when Brett finally forked over the bling, there was noticeable damage to a set of earrings and a leaf ring.

A source close to Nicki tells us ... everything was returned on time as promised and it was only after items were in the jeweler's possession for some time that the store complained about a missing stone.

The jewelry store says it sent invoices to Brett for the damage, which it says totals $26,239.50 plus interest. The folks at Roseark claim they haven't gotten paid, despite their repeated attempts to collect.

So, Roseark is suing Nicki and her stylist for the money ... even though it appears Nikki never had any direct dealings with the jeweler.

In fact, Nicki's attorney, Jordan Siev, tells TMZ ... "We have not been presented with any evidence that any of the jewelry at issue was damaged by Nicki. This lawsuit appears to be nothing more than an ordinary insurance claim by the jeweler designed to generate publicity for itself and extract a payment to which it is not entitled. We will defend the lawsuit vigorously."

We covered it all in a recent episode of The TMZ Podcast, available on all podcast platforms.

IG Model Liziane Gutierrez Small Dog Maced, Hospitalized During Vegas Burglary

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BRAZEN BREAK-IN
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Instagram model Liziane Gutierrez and her 10-lb pooch fell victim to some nasty crooks who not only broke into her home but decided they also needed to mace the pup in the process.

Check out the video, obtained by TMZ, showing 3 men break into Liziane's Vegas home Thursday night through a back door. You see her maltese, Duchess, approach the intruders in a friendly manner only to be blasted with pepper spray.

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From there, the men rush upstairs and into Liziane's bedroom, ransacking her closet and making away with Gucci bags, a Rolex, a gold chain and designer sneakers.

Thankfully, Liziane was at the gym at the time of the incident ... but she tells us the men made away with over $50K in luxury goods. She called the cops as soon as she got home.

As for Duchess, she was taken to the vet -- given a bunch of baths and some medication for her lungs and eyes -- we're told she's still having a tough time recovering and isn't yet back to 100% ... though things are looking good.

Cops tell us the incident is still under investigation, and no arrests have been made.

The Game, Dom Kennedy Helping Start Summer Hoops League ... Benefitting College Players

College hoopers looking for a place to showcase their skills this summer just got some great news ... The Game, Dom Kennedy and a host of other hip hop stars are helping to start a new basketball league in L.A.!!

The program is called the Real Run College Basketball Summer League -- and it's all slated to begin on June 17 ... and run until August 13.

It'll feature both women's and men's basketball players ... and ex-NBA player Pooh Jeter, who's partnering up with Real Run founder Deanthony Langston, tells TMZ Sports he's hoping it'll change countless lives.

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Jeter explained ... the league will not only offer high-level games for college players, but rappers like Game, Dom Kennedy, BlueBucks Clan and G PERICO will all be in charge of teams -- and will help provide athletes a bridge from sports to musical culture in addition to on-court competition.

"A lot of the rappers was like, 'This is something amazing,'" said Jeter, an L.A. native who played for the Sacramento Kings in 2010. "'This is something we can change the game with.'"

Jeter says college basketball stars like Boogie Ellis and JuJu Watkins have already planned to play ... and he's hoping it will all eventually inspire other musicians to join in too.

"I would love for Diddy and Snoop or whoever!" Jeter said. "If you from L.A., show up, and let's do something amazing for our community."

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A WHOLE PACKAGE
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In addition to it all, Jeter -- who also owns an L.A. sneaker store called Laced -- said participants in the league can also take part in a nine-week virtual learning program with NBA execs and others that will help them learn about mental health, finance, media, fashion, music, real estate, marketing and more.

SHEIN Removes Fake Jordan 11s ... Blames Third-Party Sellers

SHEIN is taking swift action after being accused of selling knockoff Jordan 11s on its site this week ... with the company telling TMZ Sports the product has been wiped from its store.

The Chinese-based online fast fashion retailer recently featured athletic kicks described as "professional basketball sports shoes for men" ... which were selling for $49.99.

However, the shoes looked just like the Air Jordan 11s (which come with a $225 retail price tag) ... all the way down to the patent leather mudguard. The only key difference?? The obvious absence of the iconic Jumpman logo.

Sneakerheads got wind of the bootleg kicks ... and quickly went to social media to call SHEIN out for the item.

One person joked on Twitter saying, "SHEIN got space jam 11s y’all better get y’all a pair" while another person tweeted, "Fordan 11s to go with my Fucci bag and Folex watch."

We reached out to Shein about the matter ... and the company is placing the blame on an outside retailer.

"SHEIN takes all claims of infringement seriously and we have removed the product in question," a spokesperson said Wednesday.

"Third-party sellers are required to comply with our SHEIN Marketplace policies and certify their products do not infringe IP."

It's not the only issue the company has -- the site also appears to have bootleg versions of the MSCHF Big Red Boots, Yeezys, Balenciaga, and more.

But based on SHEIN's statement, it sounds like that won't be the case for long.

Offset Swings Into 'Spider-Man' Premiere ... Lookin' 'Bad' with 3 Sons!!!

Offset is back on dad duty for a big movie premiere -- which is starting to become a cool family tradition -- only this time, he was inspired by MJ's style.

The rapper brought his 3 sons to the 'Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse' premiere Tuesday night in L.A. -- and from 20-month-old, Wave, whom he had with Cardi B, to 13-year-old Jordan Cephus and 8-year-old Kody Cephus, from previous relationships .. the whole fam was decked out in red and black.

Offset set the tone with a Michael Jackson-inspired outfit -- a red and black leather getup straight out of the King of Pop's "Bad" era -- and the kids were also on theme, and everyone had their shades on too. Quite the family portrait!

Remember, Offset did exactly this earlier this month, when he brought his 2 young daughters to the premiere of the live-action 'Little Mermaid' -- the girls were dressed like princesses and he was a prince.

It's funny, Offset's jacket that night was also giving MJ vibes.

Anyhoo ... the guy definitely knows what gets his kids excited. Well done, Papa Bear!

Kanye West Wife Goes Full On Disguise-Mode ... Covers Face with Wrap

Kanye West's wife, Bianca Censori, is apparently over having her photo taken in public ... opting for a full headwrap during an outing with her famous hubby.

Kanye and Bianca were spotted out Monday leaving Edition Hotel in West Hollywood after noshing on the hotel's rooftop ... though you gotta assume Censori pulled down the disguise to get some grub.

Ye rocked a Berlin T-shirt with his signature sock/shoe combo. Bianca, on the other hand, wore a headwrap to totally cover her face with a sweatshirt and leggings.

It's not the first time Bianca has opted for a headwrap ... last week, the pair wore similar outfits, Bianca chose a tank top and nearly-sheer leggings.

As you know, the two are known to push boundaries when it comes to fashion ... the head mask was Ye's signature in the past.

Remember, Ye and Bianca both rocked them at the Fear of God fashion show, last month.

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We gotta say, the wraps are a full 180 from Bianca's latest fashion campaign where she went completely nude modeling a look from designer Mowalola Ogunlesi ... with only a black square material covering her boobs, vagina, and a black cross on her butt crack.

'Succession' Finale Roman Roy's $13 Tee-Shirt Sells Out At Walmart

"Succession" fans have created their own memorabilia, now that the series has come to an end ... flocking to Walmart to buy the same T-shirt actor Kieran Culkin wore in the finale.

Here's the deal ... the final episode of the hit drama dropped Sunday, and in the show, Roman Roy, played by Kieran, rocks a baby blue tee with stripes on the sleeve ... a complete switch-up from his usual look, and it started to go viral.

Lo and behold, fans quickly found the same $13 shirt in the kid's section at Walmart and began to buy them like crazy! They are now practically sold out in all sizes ... so, good luck getting one now.

Of course, fans all over are talking about the HBO series. You'll recall, Sarah Snook -- who played Shiv -- gave fans a glimpse of her new bundle of joy while posting the top of her baby's head and thanking fans, as the finale aired in the background.

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It was a sweet moment for "Succession" fans, who hopped in the comments to congratulate her on the show and giving birth ... especially since her pregnancy was worked into the script.

It's definitely the end of an era, but at least some folks got their hands on something that will last forever!

Jennifer Hudson's Bag Designer Sonique Defends Her After Thrift Bag Find

Jennifer Hudson's definitely ruffled some feathers with the revelation a luxury bag gifted to her, by a rising Black designer, is now in a thrift store -- but even the designer insists haters should lay off the singer.

Sonique Saturday tells TMZ ... Jennifer is completely good in her book. In fact, she's urging folks to cut her some slack and stop attacking her online.

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ICYMI, J Hud came under fire when a video started making the rounds -- it showed a woman who found one of Sonique's bags at a thrift store. It had clearly been gifted to Jennifer because there was a special note to her inside.

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FABULOUS FIND
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Folks on social media were quick to jump down Jennifer's throat ... calling her out for discarding the Black woman-owned brand.

However, Sonique tells us everyone else is taking the viral video out of context. She explains the bag is from 2014, and Hudson's team actually paid for it. They gifted it to her to celebrate one of her many career accomplishments -- so, it wasn't a freebie that Jennifer callously discarded.

She's not even sure Jennifer ever got the bag and has no idea how it ended up in a thrift shop. Regardless, she says she wants to use this opportunity as leverage with the "Spotlight" singer and to highlight Black-owned businesses.

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All in all, Sonique's grateful folks defended her brand -- but it's a little misplaced, once you understand the full story.

Billie Eilish To the 'Bozos' Saying I Sold Out ... I'm a Nuanced Lady, Bub!!!

Billie Eilish has mostly ditched the tomboy style that she got famous with, and is dressing more like a grown-ass, sexy woman ... something her haters can't deal with, it seems.

The pop star addressed this ongoing annoyance head-on this weekend with some telling Instagram posts that dove into what she makes of a select few saying she's a "sellout" for switching up her style and looking more lady-like as she gets older. Her message ... get bent.

Actually, she had a bit more to say about it ... and she got pretty deep in her dissection.

In since-deleted IG Stories -- featuring close-up shots of her mug -- Billie wrote, "i spent the first 5 years of my career getting absolutely obliterated by you fools for being boy ish and dressing how i did & constantly being told i'd be hotter if i acted like a woman."

She goes on, "and now when i feel comfortable enough to wear anything remotely feminine or fitting, i CHANGED and am a sellout ... and 'what happened to her' oMg iT's nOt thE sAmE biLlie she's just like the rest blah blah ..." BE adds, "you guys are true idiots LOL."

Billie hits her point home ... "i can be BOTH you f***ing bozos. LET WOMEN EXIST!" She also threw up extra IG posts for good measure, noting femininity in and of itself doesn't equal weakness ... and that women just *might* want to express themselves differently at different times for a variety of reasons. In other words, she ain't a one-trick fashion pony.

It's unclear what exactly may have sparked Billie's latest thoughts on this -- she's addressed the same thing in the past many times over -- but it could be a recent IG where she's showing off some skin. She's been doing that quite a bit lately ... landing major fashion magazine covers and rocking a variety of outfits she hasn't traditionally been known to wear.

She's gotten a lot of praise for embracing new looks ... which was jarring at first, for some, considering how strongly tied her brand/artist identity was with her oversized, wacky clothes.

Billie's also aged and matured -- both physically and artistically -- right before our eyes over the years ... going from a teen goth pop queen to a nuanced, Grammy-winning musician with a ton of accolades/collaborations. So, even in that sense -- she's changed quite a bit.

Of course, that ain't a bad thing ... despite what her "day 1s" might think. Deal with it. 😎

Roger Waters Blasts Critics Over Nazi Costume ... 'I'm No Fascist!!!'

Roger Waters is clapping back at criticism over the Nazi-themed getup he wore during two recent Berlin concerts ... insisting he's not a fascist.

The rock star took to Twitter Friday, posting a lengthy statement detailing his defense of his Gestapo-like appearance during his May 17 and May 18 performances.

Berlin Police have opened a criminal investigation to see if Waters' outfit -- a black trench coat with a red armband -- incited the crowd by glorifying Nazis and, therefore, disturbed the peace. Waters was flanked by men dressed as Nazi stormtroopers firing toy machine guns.

Waters now says his critics have launched "bad faith attacks" designed to "smear and silence" him because they don't agree with his political and moral views.

He says his performances were trying to convey the opposite message in the fight against "fascism, injustice, and bigotry in all its forms." He claims Nazi-infused imagery has been woven into his music since the release of the 1979 record, Pink Floyd's “The Wall."

Waters went on to say he has spent his life condemning authoritarianism and oppression and reminded everyone his parents battled the Nazis in World War II. He noted his father died making the ultimate sacrifice.

In Germany, it's against the law to publicly display Nazi symbolism and to downplay the Holocaust or commit acts of antisemitism. But the Berlin authorities will have to consider artistic freedom in determining whether Waters committed a crime.

Target Pride Collection Brand Says Items Yanked From Stores ... 'Due To Threats From Domestic Terrorists'

One of the brands who created some of Target's Pride collection says their items have been yanked from brick-and-mortar stores ... and they're blaming "threats from domestic terrorists."

The brand, Ash+Chess, says the majority of their products have been removed from Target stores following backlash.

The New York-based brand, which says it is "queer + trans owned," says it's saddened by what's going down at some Target stores ... where folks are destroying Pride displays.

Ash+Chess says ... "Emotionally, we do not currently have the bandwidth to comment further on this. We appreciate your support and love. Queer and trans people exist in the past, present, and future, and we are stronger together. We love you all."

While Target apparently yanked the brand's products from storefronts, the collection is still available online as of this post.

Some of the Pride items from Ash+Chess include beanies, cards, shirts, shorts, sweatshirts, hoodies, posters and calendars ... and they mostly celebrate being queer and trans.

As you know, there's a boycott targeting the nationwide chain over its decision to feature LGBTQ apparel and other items, a boycott that's cost Target $9 billion and counting.

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Target employees are being harassed and people are up in arms ... and some folks are taking the hatred too far.

Target Protester Destroys Target Sign ... The Hatred is Palpable

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TEARING UP TARGET

Here's how insane the culture wars have gotten ... people are now vandalizing Target stores and destroying Pride signs, and that's not all.

A guy named Ethan Schmidt, a radically right-wing internet personality, paid a visit to a Target store and ripped down a "#TakePride" sign around an LGBTQ clothes rack.

His anger and hatred are palpable in the video.

Target has been just that -- a target for featuring LGBTQ apparel and other items. In addition to the boycott which has already cost the chain $9 billion, employees have been harassed. That led to a decision to move some of the LGBTQ items, which infuriated people from the community. It's the proverbial rock-and-a-hard place.

There have been other, more subtle gestures, like someone who left a case of Bud Light next to an LGBTQ display.

Now there are folks attacking the store for not having a display honoring the military on Memorial Day. One of the protesters proclaimed, "You're going to go down like Budweiser."

As the United States is on the brink of financial calamity, gun violence is destroying thousands of lives a year, and the world feels on the brink of war ... the big issue for some in the United States is rainbow lunch boxes.

Lady Gaga Pops Up In L.A. Bar To Hang With Friends ... Puts On A Little Show

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DANCING QUEEN
TMZ.com

Lady Gaga made a surprise appearance at an L.A. bar recently, looking ever the stunning starlet she is and putting on a performance for the patrons.

Check out the video, obtained by TMZ, which shows Gaga sporting a chic dress, stylish black coat and 10-inch platform heels while hanging out with friends at a table at Laurel Tavern in Studio City.

We're told the iconic singer/actress seemed happy and relaxed as she chilled with her group of gals, chatting and yukking it up with them.

Our sources say Gaga's security team was stationed around the saloon, keeping a close eye on her ... sure nobody bothered her.

After a few hours, Gaga decided it was time to exit so she got up from the table and started hugging her girls while saying goodbye for the night.

That's when she also got into full Gaga mode and started dancing to a song playing over the bar's speakers.

In the clip, Gaga does a few moves for the crowd, who cheer her on, shouting, "Get it, girl" and "We love you, Gaga."

Gaga then left the joint.

Ja Morant Nike Releases New Shoes Despite Gun Video Backlash ... Sell Out In Minutes

Nike might not be distancing itself from Ja Morant over his recent gun-flashing incident after all -- the shoe giant just released his latest signature sneaker on Thursday ... and it sold out in minutes.

The scheduled Ja 1 "Hunger" colorway drop was seemingly up in the air after Nike erased all his shoes off its site last week ... which led to speculation about whether the brand was potentially going to suspend the sale -- or even its relationship with the All-Star guard altogether -- due to his off-court issues.

Luckily for sneakerheads, the kicks still dropped on Nike's SNKRS app ... and quick-acting fans were able to purchase them for $110 before they sold out, as reports claim there was an incredibly small supply.

Despite all the controversy, the shoes were clearly a hot commodity ... with a ton of people going to Twitter to express their frustrations over missing out on the drop.

In fact, one fan tweeted a photo claiming their size was sold out within three seconds of launching on the app.

Of course, hopeful buyers can always go to reseller sites like GOAT and StockX ... but they'll end up paying a bit more than the retail price. Right now, the shoes are selling for around $200.

Nike has been radio silent following Ja's second video ... which is a stark contrast from the Swoosh's statement in support of its athlete following his initial incident in March.

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CAUGHT RED-HANDED
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Ja signed a multi-year deal with Nike in 2019 ... and was introduced as its first Gen Z signature athlete.

The drop doesn't necessarily mean the brand is going to completely ignore the most recent incident ... but a breakup à la Kyrie Irving seems much less likely.

Tom Petty Family Says Auction Items Are Stolen!!!

UPDATE

2:40 PM PT -- Mark S. Zaid, an attorney for RR, tells us, "RR Auction has been cooperating with the Petty family from the moment they reached out to us just days ago and will happily continue to do so without unnecessary hostile threats of litigation. We take theft allegations such as these very seriously. Indeed, in the years I have represented the company, we have never failed to reach an amicable resolution when on the rare occasion items presented by our consignors turned out to have provenance concerns."

UPDATE

He says, "We continue to diligently investigate this situation and have requested the Petty family to cooperate with us as well. That said, we also take seriously any defamatory allegations against our company, which has developed a stellar reputation over the last half-a-century of auctions, many of which are often in the news."

Tom Petty's family is ripping the auction house that's selling his wardrobe to the highest bidder ... claiming the items are stolen!!!

The late singer's family tells TMZ ... "We believe RR Auction, headquartered in Boston, is offering stolen Tom Petty memorabilia with a completely false provenance inaccurate to fact and in complete denial of clear evidence they have been presented. They will not disclose the cosigner who has provided these items or how they were acquired. But they are clearly stolen, there is no other word for it."

As we first reported ... RR Auction says the items are from Tom's former home in Encino, CA and the collection includes hats, jackets, shirts, shoes and more.

Tom's family is "pursuing swift legal action" against the auction house ... their goal being to get Tom's gear returned to the family.

The Pettys also say they firmly believe the auction items have "been outright stolen from a secured archive based on prior knowledge, staff observations and documentation."

RR Auction is already auctioning the items off, but the bidding doesn't end until June 22 ... so it seems like there is time for this to be resolved.

In the meantime, Tom's family is asking fans and collectors to "refrain from participating in this auction until the matter is settled to avoid getting further involved in this legal action."

Bottom line for the Pettys ... "These items have irreplaceable sentimental and educational value for the family and legacy of Tom Petty and we look forward to their safe return."

We reached out to RR Auction ... so far no word back.

Originally Published -- 1:47 PM PT