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Some of the biggest names in music have started to trickle in for this year's MTV VMAs, and we've got all the arrivals from the pink carpet.

The Prudential Center in Newark, NJ looks more like Hollywood -- with massive stars pulling up like Megan Thee Stallion, who's set to take the stage with Cardi B later in the night to perform their brand-new hit, "Bongos."

Saweetie was lookin' pretty in pink while stepping into the stadium, and MTV's iconic Moon-person mascot even pulled up to the shindig with a snazzy bowtie! Demi Lovato also hit the carpet looking sleek in black.

As you know, artists like Miley Cyrus, Olivia Rodrigo, Taylor Swift, and Sam Smith are all dukin' it out tonight for a coveted Moonperson statue ... with many of them covering multiple categories.

It's been a female-dominated year for the VMAs -- Artist of the Year nominations went to ladies only, like Beyoncé and Shakira, while Ed Sheeran is the only guy gunning for Best Pop ... going up against singers like Pink and Dua Lipa.

BTW, there are 16 tracks up for the Song of Summer category this year, with 3 of them being from the "Barbie" movie -- go figure.

As we reported, *NSYNC is gettin' the boy band back together for a reunion at tonight's award show -- 3 members have been spotted in NYC over the last couple of days, and JC Chasez was pictured riding in a private jet.

A source connected to the group told us they'll be presenting only, and not singing one of their hits ... but it's gonna be an epic reunion nonetheless.

Speaking of performances, the ceiling will likely be blown off tonight with folks like Doja Cat, Nicki Minaj -- also the emcee for this year's event -- and Måneskin ... not to mention loads more musical acts as the night goes on.

There's also slated to be a big medley honoring 50 years of hip-hop -- similar to the huge performance at The Grammys -- featuring D.M.C., Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, LL Cool J, and more.

*NSYNC diehards are convinced a reunion is afoot after spotting a few members in the Big Apple -- and TMZ knows the band will be front and center during the show.

Justin Timberlake, Joey Fatone and Lance Bass were all photographed in and around NYC over the past 48 hours -- JT hit up the US Open, Joey was spotted roaming the streets/posing with fans and Lance got snapped grabbing drinks in Manhattan.

In addition to these sightings ... JC Chasez was pictured riding in a private jet -- through a recent social media post from his manager -- although it's unclear where exactly he was flying to.

The one person who has yet to be shot in public is Chris Kirkpatrick ... but he did post a 9/11 tribute Monday, and threw up a NYFD firetruck. Unclear if he took it himself though.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... the group will be presenting during the show Tuesday at the Prudential Center in New Jersey. We do not know if they will also perform.

Of course, another clue of a reunion ... a track that's been teased through Justin's latest 'Trolls' movie -- which has the first letter of their band name and a catchy whistling tune ... although the full song has yet to be released/named.

The guys haven't performed together since the 2013 VMAs -- so a reunion now would be timely ... a 10-year anniversary. They haven't released new music since the early 2000s.

Lord knows their day-ones have been craving a reunion for a long, long time now.

The big award show is only hours away, so we'll see if the iconic boy band is ready to join forces. A lot has changed since they last rocked a major stage -- here's hoping they still got the juice!

7:39 AM PT -- Una fuente conectada con el grupo nos dice que no habrá una actuación, los chicos sólo estarán presentando.

Los incondicionales de *NSYNC están convencidos de que hay una reunión en marcha después de ver a algunos miembros en la Gran Manzana y TMZ sabe que la banda estará al frente y al centro durante el show.

Justin Timberlake, Joey Fatone y Lance Bass fueron fotografiados en los alrededores de Nueva York durante las últimas 48 horas. JT fue al US Open, Joey fue visto vagando por las calles posando con los fans y Lance fue fotografiado tomando unas copas en Manhattan.

Además de estos avistamientos, JC Chasez fue fotografiado montando un jet privado y pudimos ver las fotos a través de un reciente post en las redes sociales de su manager, aunque no está claro dónde exactamente estaba volando.

El único integrante que aún no ha sido fotografiado en público es Chris Kirkpatrick, pero publicó un homenaje 9/11 lunes y gestionó un camión de bomberos NYFD. Aunque no está claro si él mismo iba abordo.

Fuentes directas le informan a TMZ que el grupo se presentará durante el show del martes en el Prudential Center de Nueva Jersey. No sabemos si también actuarán.

Por supuesto, otra pista de una reunión ... una pista que se ha burlado a través de la última película de Justin 'Trolls' - que tiene la primera letra de su nombre de la banda y una melodía pegadiza silbido ... aunque la canción completa aún no ha sido puesto en libertad / nombre

Los chicos no han actuado juntos desde los VMA 2013, por lo que una reunión sería oportuna para celebrar un aniversario de 10 años. No han lanzado nueva música desde principios de la década de 2000.

Todo el mundo sabe que sus compañeros han estado anhelando una reunión durante mucho, mucho tiempo.

Sólo faltan unas horas para la gran entrega de premios así que veremos si la icónica boy band está lista para unir fuerzas. Las cosas han cambiado mucho desde la última vez que actuaron en un gran escenario ¡esperemos que aún les quede cuerda para rato!

Erica Mena says she's sorry for calling her reality show costar a monkey -- but she insists there was no racism behind the insult.

The ex-'Love & Hip Hop' star -- who was booted from the show for hurling the word -- tells TMZ ... "I deeply regret my insensitive comment and want to humbly apologize to anybody I hurt or offended by my thoughtlessness. My choice of words was wrong, and I take full responsibility for what I said."

She adds, "I am committed to listening to the voices of those affected and will work toward making amends. As a woman of color and the mother of two black children, I want to make it clear that my use of that word was not in any way racially driven."

Erica ends with this ... "That said, I do understand the gravity of what I said and want to use my platform to promote inclusivity and equality."

Worth noting, Erica identifies as an Afro-Latina -- with Dominican and Puerto Rican roots.

You'll recall ... Erica was cut loose from 'L&HH: Atlanta' after MTV aired the controversial episode in question -- in which EM and Spice got into a heated argument, which erupted into a fight ... and where Erica invoked the term "monkey" while she was lashing out.

That ugly moment came on the heels of yet another ... an Atlanta-area arrest that saw Erica get booked on a number of charges, including allegedly attacking a police officer.

Now that Erica's apologized, do you think she should be allowed back on 'L&HH'? Sound off by answering the question in our game below.

Barbara Evans is concerned for the well-being of her grandson -- who she had custody of for more than a decade -- and believes Jenelle Evans' decision to take him off ADHD meds might have led to his runaway incident.

Barbara tells TMZ 14-year-old Jace was put on the medication 7 years ago, and was regularly seeing a behavior specialist ... which had seemingly been working well for the teen.

However, Barbara says when Jenelle regained custody of Jace, back in March, Jenelle not only took him off the medication, but also ended his sessions with the behaviorist.

Jenelle denies part of Barbara's claim though, telling us, "Barbara has not been in contact with Jace since Monday. I have cut off contact with her as of 3 weeks ago. Barbara doesn't have any idea what is going on inside my home. Jace had a therapist appointment today on zoom at 10:30am … she hasn't even attempted to speak to Jace directly."

It's not clear if Jenelle booked the therapist appointment as a result of Jace's runaway, or if it was already planned.

TMZ broke the story, cops in North Carolina put out a runaway bulletin Tuesday for Jace after he took off from school. Luckily, he was found safe hours later, but the situation was scary for all involved.

Jenelle told us, "Jace, got in trouble at school, we decided to take his phone away and that's when he decided to run off, Jace is a good kid and we're not dealing with anything that most families don't deal with while raising children."

Barbara says Jenelle's not talking to her, so she doesn't have any more info about why her grandson ran off -- but she squarely blames his issues at school on the lack of medication and therapy.

Sammi Sweetheart may have hung up her "Gym, Tan, and Laundry" bag for over a decade, but she's making her big return to the "Jersey Shore," and it now lies on you to step under the lights and find the discreet switch-ups in the two images!

Looking extra sweet in her strappy sandals, the reality star recently accompanied Snooki, Jwoww -- and the rest of the fist-pumpin' squad in New York City to promote the new season of "Jersey Shore." Have you come ready to find the minor changes?

“I'm the sweetest bitch you'll ever meet!"

Horrifying details surrounding the arrest of "Teen Mom 2" star Nathan Griffith ... allegedly strangling his own sister before making suicidal statements.

According to the police report, obtained by TMZ, Griffith's sister called Vegas cops Wednesday night to report the incident. Officers say when they arrived, Nathan was outside the home yelling, saying he never touched his sister ... he also allegedly smelled like booze.

However, when cops made contact with Griffith's sister, they observed visible red marks on her neck and redness on her eyelids -- indicative of someone who had been strangled.

Cops say Nathan's sister was scared and frantic as she described what happened -- alleging Nathan got pissed when she called him out for his aggressive past with his family and significant others.

The sister says Nathan grabbed her by the throat, pushed her down onto the kitchen floor and got on top of her -- releasing his grip at times to give her some oxygen before tightening his grip again -- while allegedly stating, "You're going to submit to me."

The claims and evidence were good enough for officers ... who arrested Nathan for battery by strangulation.

However, they say during transport Nathan was banging his head into a rear window and making suicidal statements ... and screaming and yelling while he was booked.

Nathan and Jenelle Evans have one child together, a son, but called off their engagement years ago.

Before this pretty ballerina in her white tutu turned into a television personality and actress, she was just exploring the concrete jungle with her three younger siblings, rehearsing for her dance recitals and growing up in Brooklyn, New York.

Kicking off her career in radio, she landed as a host on MTV's "Total Request Live" aka "TRL" during the early 2000s. She's also acted in movies like "Two Can Play That Game" with Vivica A. Fox and Gabrielle Union ... as well as "Think Like A Man" with Kevin Hart.

Need one more clue? Just ask her bestie Kim Kardashian!

Before this kid in his bow tie and suspenders was heading "back to the beach," he was just a little guy taking his Big Bird stuffed animal wherever he went... and skimboarding and skateboarding in Southern California.

If you were an MTV viewer during the early 2000s, you definitely would have seen this SoCal bro hitting the beaches of Laguna and goofing around with his high school buddies, and he definitely knew how to run the local surf shop!

Need one more clue? Perhaps you watched him alongside Sophia Bush on "One Tree Hill."

Behind this altered image is a Dallas, Texas native who started his first band back when he was fresh out of high school, and even though he's toned down his spikey hair over the years, he's now rockin' a pink-slick 'do!

This guitar-playing-guy first became popular in the early 2000s ... you may have jammed out to his hit song, "On The Way Down" back in '04 or perhaps saw him make a cameo on MTV's "The Ashlee Simpson Show" ... can you guess the star behind the scrambled pic?

The MTV Movie & TV Awards are going on without a host ... and now there won't be a live audience anymore either.

The upcoming award show, set to air Sunday on a bunch of TV channels, is pivoting away from a live audience ... according to Paramount Global exec Bruce Gillmer.

Bruce, who is also executive producing the award show, tells TMZ ... "As we carefully navigate how best to deliver the fan first awards show we envisioned that our team has worked so hard to create, we're pivoting away from a live event that still enables us to produce a memorable night full of exclusive sneak peaks, irreverent categories our audience has come to expect, and countless moments that will both surprise and delight as we honor the best of film and TV over the past year."

The change comes on the heels of Drew Barrymore bowing out as host in a show of solidarity with striking Hollywood writers.

Sources at MTV tell TMZ ... the show is not live, but it's still happening, there just won't be a live audience.

The 2023 MTV Movie & TV Awards are scheduled to air Sunday at 8 PM ET on MTV ... with simulcasts on BET, BET Her, Comedy Central, CMT, Logo, MTV2, Nickelodeon, Paramount Network, Pop, TV Land and VH1.

Sammi 'Sweetheart' Giancola's grand entrance back to the "Jersey Shore" fam is about to go public ... and the moment is just as big as you'd expect!!!

Fans have long awaited Sammi's return and we've got a first look at how it went down when she showed up, without warning for the OG cast and others, on "Jersey Shore: Family Vacation."

The teaser for the 2nd half of season 6 starts with Ronnie Ortiz-Magro -- Sammi's ex-bf -- talking to The Situation about coming back, then it cuts to Sammi's strolling into the house ... leaving Pauly D, JWoww, Snooki and Vinny in complete shock!

Some of 'em were speechless with their jaws on the floor ... while Pauly D said, "Is this real? Are you a hologram? Is this AI?"

As we reported, Sammi's comeback was a well-kept secret ... producers kept the cast in the dark in order to capture this awesome moment fans are finally getting to see.

As you know, It's been over a decade since she's worked on anything "Jersey Shore"-related, ... she was the only OG cast member not to return to 'Family Vacation'.

Most folks suspected she didn't sign on for 'Family Vacation' because of her past with Ronnie ... whom she dated on and off throughout the original series. He ended up stepping away from the show indefinitely 2 years ago.

And clearly, there's a lot in store -- hence Ronnie talking about his potential return. Remember, we got pics of Ronnie talking to producers while filming at the Margaritaville Resort in Orlando, and we know Sammi was there too.

Drew Barrymore is going on strike ... she's backing out from hosting duties for the upcoming MTV Movie & TV Awards to show solidarity with the writers fighting for better pay.

The actress was supposed to host this weekend's award show, but announced Thursday she was pulling out.

Drew explained her decision in a statement to Deadline, saying ... "I have listened to the writers, and in order to truly respect them, I will pivot from hosting the MTV Movie & TV Awards live in solidarity with the strike.

She continues ... "Everything we celebrate and honor about movies and television is born out of their creation. And until a solution is reached, I am choosing to wait but I’ll be watching from home and hope you will join me."

As you know ... the Writers Guild of America started striking earlier this week, with writers going up against major studios for a bigger slice of the pie.

Drew's set to host next year's award show, and Deadline reports MTV is not going to replace her this weekend, instead opting to go without a host this year due to the strike.

The producers who put on the MTV Movie & TV Awards also sent a statement to Deadline, saying ... "We understand and deeply respect her decision. She's a legend – as a host and a fan – and we are excited to welcome her back in 2024."

TV personality and author Jen Bunney, who now goes by her married name, Jennifer Dunphy, was just 21 years old when she first appeared on MTV's hit show "The Hills" back in 2007.

Bunney contributed to the series' drama along with Lauren Conrad as the fashion student who journeyed from Laguna Beach to Los Angeles, Heidi Montag as Lauren's (ex) bestie and party girl ... and of course Kristin Cavallari, the bubbly blonde who never shied away from confrontation.

Jen also made appearances with LC on "Laguna Beach" back in her teen years and is spilling all the tea in her new book, "Don’t Tell Me What to Do: The Secret Guide to Unlocking Your Power, Potential, and Purpose."

Pauly Paul, one of the stars of MTV's "Siesta Key" series, is on the wrong side of the law after cops say he was speeding around South Florida while extremely drunk.

According to police docs obtained by TMZ, Paul was behind the wheel of a Mercedes going 74 MPH in a 40 MPH zone Sunday in Sarasota when a police officer spotted him.

Cops say Paul slowed down at one point, but put the pedal to the metal once more before an officer finally managed to pull him over with 2 passengers in his car.

The officer says he could immediately tell Paul was under the influence -- he allegedly displayed all the classic symptoms ... reeked of booze, bloodshot eyes and slurred speech.

Not just that, Paul allegedly stumbled out of the car, was unsteady on his feet ... and the officer smelled marijuana in the car.

Despite all that, the officer says Paul made a bold prediction that he would beat the field sobriety test, claiming he'd only had 2 drinks at a friend's house. Paul posted a video that day showing himself taking a shot ... unclear if he included that in the 2 drink estimate.

Anyway, you know how this ends ... cops say Paul failed the sobriety tests, and he was arrested for DUI. He got a breathalyzer test at the station, and police say he blew between .151 and .157, just under the .08 legal limit.

"Jersey Shore" stars Ronnie and Sammi were in one of reality TV's most toxic relationships, one that forced her away from the cast for years ... and now the two are shockingly back under the same roof.

We got pics of Ronnie at Margaritaville Resort in Orlando Friday -- the same hotel Sammi, Snooki, The Situation, JWoww, Pauly D, Vinny and Deena are all shacked up to shoot the new season of "Jersey Shore: Family Vacation."

Ronnie's presence is surprising for a multitude of reasons, including the fact Ronnie hasn't been a full-time cast member for several years after stepping away from the show following a string of arrests and domestic violence issues with his ex-girlfriend and mother of his child, Jenn Harley.

Of course, it's also surprising to see him reuniting with everyone while Sammi is around, as she's chosen to steer clear of him for years. Sammi was the only OG cast member who did not return for 'Family Vacation' in 2018 and many speculated she only returned now because Ronnie was no longer in the picture.

It's still unclear if Ronnie and Sammi will shoot any scenes face-to-face or if they'll do parts separately with the other cast, but we do know Sammi's boyfriend is also on the trip ... so it's absolutely not a rekindling type of thing.

Ronnie and Sammi dated off and on through the first 6 seasons of "Jersey Shore" and their fights were explosive -- with furniture thrown from balconies, and one instance where Sammi punched Ronnie in the face.