Justin Hartley Texted Chrishell About Divorce ... Claims 'Selling Sunset' Star

Justin Hartley cold-heartedly fired off a text to Chrishell Stause about filing for divorce ... so claims the "Selling Sunset" star.

Chrishell broke down telling co-star Mary Fitzgerald about exactly how she found out the "This Is Us" star wanted out of their marriage. It's pretty heartbreaking ... Chrishell choked back tears before revealing, "I found out because he texted me that we were filed [for divorce]."

The actress/real estate agent says at first she thought Justin was joking but pretty quickly reality set in ... adding that "45 minutes later the world knew." TMZ broke the story ... Justin filed for divorce in November 2019 after 2 years of marriage. She later strongly hinted she was blindsided by the news ... and now we know why.

Chrishell says she spoke to Justin after he dropped the bombshell on her but that was the end of their communication. She was clearly distraught ... saying even though they were only married for 2 years they were together for 6 years. She said if this is what Justin really wanted "there are better ways to go about it."

The Netflix hit "Selling Sunset" premieres season 3 beginning Friday ... and the season's storyline largely centers around the sudden end of Chrishell and Justin's marriage.

That's playing out pretty publicly -- Justin's moved on and has been photographed getting cozy with a new GF.

'Audrie & Daisy' Daisy Coleman Dead at 23 by Suicide

Daisy Coleman -- one of the teenage girls featured in "Audrie & Daisy," the Netflix documentary about multiple rape cases -- has died by suicide ... according to her mother.

Daisy's mom, Melinda, says her daughter took her own life Tuesday night. Her body was discovered after Melinda called the police to do a welfare check.

Melinda says ... "She was my best friend and amazing daughter. I think she had to make it seem like I could live without her. I can’t. I wish I could have taken the pain from her!"

Daisy was 14 years old in January 2012 when she was allegedly raped at a Missouri house party after being plied with alcohol ... though no one was ever convicted.

The 2016 Netflix doc followed Daisy and members of her family as they dealt with the trauma of her alleged assault, and the hostile reaction of their community.

Daisy's mom says, "She never recovered from what those boys did to her and it’s just not fair. My baby girl is gone." The family coped with another tragedy just last year when Daisy's younger brother was killed in a car accident.

"Audrie & Daisy" also focused on the sexual assault of Audrie Pott in September 2012 in California. Audrie died by suicide 10 days later.

Following her rape case, Daisy co-founded the organization SafeBAE with the mission of ending sexual assault among middle and high school students and helping survivors. The org says it is devastated by her death and has "suffered an irreplaceable loss."

Daisy was 23.

RIP

Dave Chappelle Hanging with Letterman ... For Netflix & Comedy Show!!!

Here's Dave Chappelle hanging with David Letterman in Chappelle's hometown for what looks like a new episode of Letterman's show ... and possibly for one of Dave's socially-distanced comedy shows.

The two comedy giants shared a laugh and a cup of coffee Wednesday in Yellow Springs, Ohio, sitting on a bench outside Dark Star Books and Comics. You don't see this every day.

Chappelle and Letterman, who had a Chappelle-branded face mask hanging off his ear, were followed by a big camera crew -- which seems to indicate they're shooting an episode of Letterman's interview show, "My Next Guest Needs No Introduction."

However, Chappelle's been doing socially-distanced comedy -- which he's dubbed 'Chappelle Summer Camp' -- and Letterman popped up there too. It's unclear if Letterman actually did a little standup.

Chris Rock's already flown in for one of Chappelle's shows, which have featured Jon Stewart, Jon Hamm, Tiffany Haddish, Michael Che, Erykah Badu, Common, Donnell Rawlings, Talib Kweli and Michelle Wolf.

In any event, whatever Chappelle and Letterman are cooking up, it's sure to be funny!!!

Stay tuned.

'Tiger King' Zookeeper Erik Cowie Gets Pearly Whites!!!

UPDATE

3:28 PM PT -- We spoke with the folks over at Done In One who tell us THEY were the ones to first reach out to Erik. They first got in touch with Jeff and Lauren, who set up the connection with Cowie. We're told Lowe handled Erik's flight to Florida ... but the plan from the beginning was to give Erik the new chompers for free.

Erik Cowie, one of the ''Tiger King' stars who you saw caring for the zoo's animals, has a nice new set of chompers -- a gift from the man in charge, Jeff Lowe.

Sources close to the GW Exotic Animal Park in Oklahoma tell TMZ ... though Erik interacts with the public daily -- leading tours and answering questions about all the animals -- he has a hard time connecting with people, because he's always been self-conscious about his smile and felt bad about his teeth.

We're told Jeff and his wife Lauren wanted to do something nice for Erik -- who's still the head zookeeper like he was for Joe Exotic -- for all the hard work he does at the park.

So, our sources say Jeff surprised Erik and flew him down to Florida, where he'd arranged for him to get permanent teeth implants installed at Done In One ... which does the job in 48 hours.

We're told the dental center got his mouth all fixed up, and even decided the procedure was on the house. As you can see, Erik's one happy customer.

As you may recall ... Cowie was a sympathetic character in the 'Tiger King' docuseries, as he seemed greatly impacted by Joe's alleged mistreatment of animals. He later testified at his trial that Joe killed older tigers to make space for new animals, and expressed guilt he couldn't do anything to stop it.

Erik's also on record saying he doesn't believe Joe should get out of prison.

BTW, Erik's not the first 'Tiger King' star to get new teeth ... Exotic's ex-husband John Finlay blazed that trail months ago, and almost looked like a whole new person afterward.

Originally Published -- 7/30 9:31 AM PT

Carole Baskin's Rescue Org Jeff Lowe's Defying Court Order Over Zoo ... He Pushes Back Against 'Impossible' Demands

Carole Baskin's rescue org says Jeff Lowe is not being a cool cat or kitten when it comes to obeying a court order over Joe Exotic's old zoo ... and she wants a judge to step in.

According to legal docs obtained by TMZ, Big Cat Rescue claims Jeff is not complying with the court order from June, when a judge granted the rescue org control of the exotic animal park.

In the docs, Carole's org says Jeff is blowing off payments due under the order... including missing a June deadline to hand over certain insurance paperwork, and isn't forking over payments that were supposed to begin in July. The org wants him found in contempt of court.

According to the docs, the org also claims Jeff's funneling money from the zoo into his own separate company, and the org rips him for filming reality shows on the property instead of complying with the court order.

The two sides had a contempt hearing set for this week, but Jeff said he couldn't show up due to health issues ... and a judge agreed to reschedule the hearing. We're told Jeff missed the hearing because he thought he contracted the coronavirus -- 2 tests eventually came back negative for COVID-19 -- and he remains ill and will continue to quarantine as a precaution.

Jeff Lowe
CAROLE WON FAIR AND SQUARE
TMZ.com

Sources close to Jeff tell TMZ ... the order was handed over to Jeff's attorneys the day it was issued, and the demands were impossible to meet ... making it more likely Jeff could get charged with contempt. His camp thinks that was Carole's intention.

Sources say the org is demanding Jeff take out a $5 million insurance policy on the zoo for the next two months, but we're told Jeff feels Carole knows that's impossible to obtain.

Our sources say Jeff is NOT in contempt currently, and lawyers for both parties are close to a resolution.

'Unsolved Mysteries' Case Alonzo Brooks' Mom Confident ... His Killer Will Be Caught

The death of Alonzo Brooks is still a mystery, but his mom believes the cold case is heating up and they're close to getting some real answers ... thanks in large part to the national attention it just received.

Maria Ramirez
THE TIME IS RIGHT
TMZ.com

Maria Ramirez tells TMZ ... as bittersweet as it may be, the timing of the pandemic, along with the story of her son's murder featured on the rebooted "Unsolved Mysteries" series on Netflix, has been beneficial to the investigation.

Alonzo's mother says it got so many viewers -- along with so much interest and support -- because of the current situation in the country ... and she has faith it's going to lead to cracking the case and providing her with some closure.

As we reported ... there have already been some major developments this week in the murder case. Brooks' body was exhumed in Topeka, KS as tips have continued to pour in.

Alonzo was found dead in a creek in May 2004, about a month after he went missing, after attending a party in La Cygne, KS, at which he was one of only a few Black people.

Law enforcement had no suspects or solid answers for the family and the case went cold until the FBI reopened it this month. It's now calling Alonzo's death a hate crime ... offering a $100k reward for info leading to an arrest.

Maria strongly believes that's going to happen soon ... and thanks the makers of "Unsolved Mysteries" for the big assist.

Rob Gronkowski Freaks Out Over 'Outer Banks' ... I Binged In 2 Days!!!

Rob Gronkowski says he's all about that POGUE LIFE ... 'cause the NFL superstar is coming clean about his newest addiction -- Netflix's hit show "Outer Banks."

For those who haven't heard, the new series hit the streaming service earlier this year and quickly became the #1 show on the platform.

The show covers a dude named John B. and his friends in Outer Banks, NC ... who go on a hunt for treasure. It's a bit more complex than that ... but if you want, check the trailer.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers TE is one of the millions of viewers who quickly became hooked on the show ... crashing his S.I. Swim model girlfriend Camille Kostek's interview to rave about his obsession.

"Outer Banks ... best show ever!" Gronk told Barstool Sports' Chicks In The Office. "I love John B! ... "They need season 2 to come out."

"We watched season 1 in the first 2 days and then when it ended we were all mad, we were like, dang it!"

BTW -- yes, the ending will most definitely piss you off ... and as of right now, Netflix hasn't confirmed a follow-up season.

It's probably good for Gronk that he's done with the show -- now he can refocus on gearing up for his big NFL comeback with old teammate Tom Brady.

Although Gronk says he loves John B, he definitely gives off Kook vibes.

If you don't know what that means, watch the show already.

'Tiger King' Zoo Report Says Animals Weak & Neglected ... Jeff Lowe Refutes 'Overzealous' USDA Inspection

There's rampant animal mistreatment at the 'Tiger King' zoo -- this according to federal authorities -- but Jeff Lowe says the findings are misleading and unfair.

The USDA recently completed an investigation into the GW Exotic Animal Park in Oklahoma, and faulted the zoo for not providing proper veterinary care for the lions, tigers and bears. Lowe calls BS on the USDA's report, though ... and claims it's out to get him.

Here's some of what inspectors found according to the report -- a 16-week-old lion cub named Nala was lethargic, depressed, and so thin she wouldn't get up from a sitting position even after prompting. The cub was immediately removed from the park and taken to a vet.

Lowe claims Nala was actually rescued from Tim Stark -- who was also featured on the 'Tiger King' series -- and the zoo spent a fortune trying to nurse her and others back to health.

Other examples of neglect -- according to the report -- include 2 geriatric wolves suffering from arthritis. The USDA says the zoo was "not following the instructions of the veterinarian to provide medication and bedding for the wolves."

The inspectors also say there was also a grizzly bear found to be extremely thin and a black bear that appeared to be underweight ... and both bears reportedly exhibited heightened aggression.

But, Jeff claims the report doesn't acknowledge that "many of the animals that we house here are at the end of their lives and suffer from arthritis and do lose some weight toward the end of their days."

He insists the wolves are receiving treatment and the bears are in their proper weight class, and claims they were recently deemed in good shape by local authorities and the Dept. of Fish & Wildlife.

Finally, the USDA claims the charred remains of a 17-year-old tigon, along with a dead tiger, were discovered in a large pile of primarily wood debris in the back of the park. The report says, "There is a foul odor of decomposing flesh and many flies are present on the boards and surrounding areas."

Lowe did not address the dead animals, but maintains the GW Zoo has weekly vet visits and prior to this report ... received 5 clean inspections from the USDA.

He tells us he thinks the 'Tiger King' documentary painted a poor picture of the zoo. Lowe claims all of the incidents listed by the USDA in its June 22 report have since been corrected.

As we reported ... a whistleblower's photos of lions suffering from flystrike in June were released to PETA, who sounded the alarm and got authorities involved.

'Unsolved Mysteries' Case Alonzo Brooks' Body Exhumed ... As Cops Get More Tips

The grave of Alonzo Brooks -- who was mysteriously found dead after a 2004 party in Kansas -- has been dug up on the heels of "Unsolved Mysteries" bringing new attention to the cold case.

Alonzo's body was exhumed Tuesday morning in Topeka after the FBI recently reopened the case. The new Netflix series covered Alonzo's disappearance and death -- and his family says tips have been coming in since the new docuseries dropped.

For those who haven't seen it ... 23-year-old Alonzo went to a party in La Cygne, KS in April 2004 with some friends, where he was believed to be one of few black people. Witnesses described the crowd as mostly white, redneck and racist types.

His friend says Alonzo nearly got into a fight with one guy over a girl -- but still stayed at the party, even after his friends left. He never made it back home.

The following day, Brooks' boots and hat were found across the road from the house party property. However, his body wasn't discovered until May 1, 2004 in a nearby creek.

Initial medical reports listed his death as inconclusive due to the advanced decomposition of the body, and authorities were left with little concrete evidence. However, those close to him were certain he did not commit suicide or accidentally drown ... they believed he was murdered.

The FBI is now calling his death a hate crime and has also offered a $100k reward for information leading to an arrest. Based on the exhuming of Alonzo's body, first reported by KSNT, there may be some serious progress in the case.

'Tiger King' Zoo Cadaver Dogs Back on Site ... Jeff Lowe's Dead Serious

Joe Exotic's old 'Tiger King' zoo might have human remains buried there after all -- at least that's what Jeff Lowe thinks -- and some cadaver dogs are allegedly pointing there.

Sources familiar with the situation tell TMZ ... Jeff contacted the same company that visited the GW Exotic Animal Park a couple weeks back for a second opinion, and this time FOUR cadaver dogs came and gave a positive alert.

We're told the hounds -- 4 different dogs at 4 different times -- picked up the scent of human remains ... once again, by the alligator pit.

Our sources say the company swears by the accuracy of its dogs and believes the local sheriff's deputies didn't take this seriously earlier in the month, and handled the excavation incorrectly to boot.

We broke the story ... 2 cadaver dogs were previously brought to the zoo as part of an episode of Zak Bagans' "Ghost Adventures" and picked up a scent near the same gator pit.

However, law enforcement found no human remains -- just some animal bones that appeared to be the skeleton of small animal with a tail -- and considered the matter closed.

Our sources say Jeff and co. want officials to come by again for a more thorough investigation ... because the cadaver dog owners are doggone serious something's up.

As we reported, sources connected to Joe say he scattered ashes from several bodies on the property -- because the people who died wanted it that way -- but that's it.

Always some drama at the 'Tiger King' zoo.

Carole Baskin Happy Bday Vid So Cringeworthy ... Sorry Fiddy!!!

Carole Baskin
IN DA CAMEO CLUB
Cameo

Carole Baskin ... what the fudge is this??

The 'Tiger King' star's been cashing in doing Cameo vids for a bit now, but her latest submission -- a birthday shout-out to a fan named Charlotte -- is ... well, priceless.

Carole -- joined by her husband Howard -- kicks off the video message with her tagline, "Hey all you cool cats and kittens," before saying they're "here with the crip mates" to wish Charlotte a happy bday.

And, then it gets REALLY interesting.

Watch for yourself ... pretty sure 50 Cent's "In Da Club" has never been done like this. And it probably shouldn't be ever again.

Carole charges $199 per Cameo request ... worth every penny??

'Tiger King' Zoo Remains Not Human ... It's Got a Tail!!!

UPDATE

8:03 PM PT -- Law enforcement sources tell us no human remains were found. They did uncover some animal bones that appear to be the skeleton of small animal with a tail.

UPDATE

Law enforcement considers the matter closed, and have left the premises.

Something's rotten at the original "Tiger King" zoo, now owned by Jeff Lowe -- 2 cadaver dogs have zeroed in on what their trainer believes are human remains ... TMZ has learned.

We're told the dogs were brought in as part of an episode of Zak Bagans' "Ghost Adventures." Our sources say the dogs picked up the scent Thursday ... in the alligator pit.

The local sheriff's deputies are on the scene right now, and we're told they're currently discussing a method to determine if remains are there ... and, if so, how to dig them up safely.

The zoo, in Wynnewood, Oklahoma, was originally Joe Exotic's baby ... before he partnered with Jeff, and then got convicted in federal court for murder-for-hire and various animal abuse charges. He's currently serving a 22 year sentence.

Sources connected with Joe tell TMZ ... Joe has said there are ashes of 4 people buried on the property as a memorial --  people who chose to make the zoo their final resting place. The sources did not identify whose ashes were there.

Originally Published -- 4:48 PM PT

'The Baby-Sitter's Club' Reboot It Pays To Watch Babies ... Try $15k Per Episode!!!

These babysitters are making some serious loot ... 3 of the stars of "The Baby-Sitters Club" reboot are getting huge paydays!!!

14-year-old actresses Shay Rudolph, Sophie Grace and Xochitl Gomez are making quite the bundle to look after babies and hang out with their BFFs on Netflix's new adaption of Ann M. Martin’s coming-of-age novels.

According to the girls' minors contracts -- obtained by TMZ -- Shay, Sophie and Xochitl are each raking in a cool $15,000 per episode for the first season.

Shay, who plays Stacey McGill, and Sophie, who plays Kristy Thomas, are getting paid for 9 episodes in the 10-episode season ... so they're each earning a pretty hefty $135,000 overall. Pretty good babysitting gig.

Xochitl, who plays Dawn Shaefer, is getting paid for 7 episodes ... so she's taking home $105,000. Still, not bad.

If the reboot gets picked up for more seasons, the teen stars are in line for even bigger paychecks. The trio would each earn $16,500 per episode in the 2nd season, $18,150 per episode in the 3rd, $19,965 per episode in the 4th and $21,961.50 per episode if it goes all the way to a 5th season.

This is the babysitting club you want to be in!!!

Netflix's 'Unsolved Mysteries' Hot New Tips Flooding In ... Alonzo Brooks Case Could Crack 1st

Netflix's revival of "Unsolved Mysteries" might need to change its name to "Case Closed" -- because the team's getting inundated with new leads that may very well crack some of these cases.

The show's original creator, Terry Dunn Meurer, is once again heading up the rebooted series ... and she tells TMZ that skyrocketing popularity and renewed interest has yielded some actual tips she and her team believe could lead to more clues -- or, in some cases, arrests.

Terry says 'Unsolved' has received upwards of 1,500 tips over their 6 new episodes up on the streaming service -- and of those ... she tells us about 50 were flagged as possibly legit and forwarded to the appropriate law enforcement agencies.

And, get this ... she says the one that is most likely to get buttoned up first is the case of Alonzo Brooks ... who disappeared from a Kansas party in the early 2000s.

If you're unfamiliar ... 22-year-old Alonzo and a group of friends went to a party in rural Kansas, where he ended up being the only black guy there among what's described as a bunch of rednecks and cowboy types ... with one of whom he almost fought.

His pals eventually dispersed -- and Alonzo never made it home. A month later, his body was found in a creek. He'd been murdered.

The killing was considered a hate crime, but investigators could never link it to anyone -- the case went unsolved for years. Terry, however, says that could change soon -- as her crew has forwarded names to the FBI ... which recently reopened his case.

Here's another thing -- one uber-popular installment in the new 'Unsolved' series chronicles the supposed suicide of Rey Rivera ... whom many fans speculate might have planned and carried out his own death after the '90s flick, "The Game," and its famous rooftop jump scene.

Rey mentioned the movie in a goodbye letter, which is why sleuths have been running wild with the theory. Terry says neither she nor Rey's wife, Allison, believe there's any truth to that. They maintain he was murdered and it was made to seem like he killed himself.

'365 Days' Star Michele Morrone Lands 6-Figure Modeling Gig ... With Guess By Marciano

Michele Morrone is quickly learning it pays to be tall, dark and handsome ... the "365 Days" star just scored his first big-time modeling gig, which comes with a fat payday!!!

Famous fashion designer Paul Marciano tells TMZ ... Michele just signed a deal to be the next male model for a couple holiday campaigns this year with Marciano and Guess by Marciano.

Paul says Michele, fresh off his stunning performance as Massimo in Netflix's No. 1 movie, will start shooting the campaign next week at a lavish villa in Lake Como, Italy.

We're told Michele's shoot will include 2 female models ... and he'll be modeling dressy clothing items -- fine menswear only for his debut with the company.

No surprise, but we're told Paul's wife gave a big thumbs up when he flew to meet MM in Switzerland to negotiate the deal. She's a fan after seeing '365.'

Our sources say Michele scored a 6-figure deal ... which will have him doing photoshoots, social media obligations, public appearances and possibly a runway show. And yes, he is getting paid more than the average male model -- thanks to his smash hit movie role.

Here's how quickly the guy's life is changing ... Michele told Paul that before his big movie break, he was making $600 a month as a gardener and was prepared to go back to the low-paying job if needed.

That same day, Michele went to a Marciano fashion show and impressed everyone with the way he worked the room. A few hours later the deal was sealed.

Gardening's gonna have to wait.

Carole Baskin Ca$h Me On Cameo But Missing Husband Topic's Off-Limits!!!

Carole Baskin's is making a FORTUNE recording personalized messages, but fact of the matter is she's also left TONS of dough on the table ... 'cause she's turned down lots of requests from people who want her to talk about her missing and presumed dead husband.

Carole tells TMZ ... she's gotten over 600 Cameo requests so far, but along the way, she's had to decline requests from people who are trying to get her to talk about the fate of her missing husband.

She tells us, "I decline their requests to say things that would make fun of my husband's disappearance because that was such a tragic time in my life, and in that of those who loved him."

Joe Exotic's nemesis from the hit Netflix docuseries, 'Tiger King,' tells us she doesn't think the people making those requests are doing it to be mean spirited, but regardless of how long it's been, talking about her missing husband's a sore subject.

As we've reported ... Jack "Don" Lewis hasn't been seen since August 18, 1997. It's still an active cold case even though he was declared legally dead 5 years after his disappearance. Nobody was charged in his death ... but theories have been spinning like crazy since 'Tiger King' aired, with hardcore Joe Exotic fans pointing the finger at Carole. She's repeatedly denied having anything to do with Don's disappearance or death.

The sheriff in charge of the investigation has told TMZ he knows Don is dead and believes there reason to be suspicious of Carole, although he says she's not a suspect at this time.

Carole Baskin
THE ROUGH CUT
CAMEO

That, apparently, hasn't stopped people from not only asking Carole -- who charges $200 per request -- to talk about her missing husband but also editing Cameo videos to make it seem like she's incriminating herself. TBH, the videos are terribly edited. Watch for yourself. A Cameo video talking about someone saying "I do" for their wedding was edited to make it seem like she admitted guilt in Don's demise.

BTW, if ya saw her Cameo videos when she debuted on the platform last week, you may have noticed some of the bizarre videos that literally made no sense. Carole's got an explanation: "People ask me to say some really bizarre things that are clearly inside jokes for them and their friends, so I do, with the exception of saying things that I found to be hurtful in the 'Tiger King' series."

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