Paparazzi Photo

Robin Roberts -- who came out yesterday -- has been open about her sexuality for years ... she just didn't feel the need to go public until now.

Sources close to Robin tell TMZ ... everyone in her life -- both personally and professionally -- knew she was gay and in a 10-year relationship with Amber Laign. The 2 of them met in San Francisco through mutual friends.

Amber is a massage therapist who specializes in helping people with injuries.

As for their relationship ... our sources say Amber was utterly devoted to Robin when she went through both of her illnesses -- breast cancer in 2007 and Myelodysplastic Syndrome in 2012. Robin was extremely ill and we're told Amber was her rock.

As for why Robin came out yesterday ... we're told she never felt the need to tell the world, but at the end of such a difficult year she wanted to acknowledge what Amber did for her.

The car goes for around 42k ... it's been available in Europe since November.

Take that Volt drivers!

Mystery solved. The dude is Miley's assistant, Cheyne Thomas. He's also the Dirty Santa on whom Miley was twerking.

Miley Cyrus may have a new guy ... or at least a new guy for the evening.

We got pics of Miley at the opening of Beacher's Madhouse in Vegas after Britney's big opening ... which Miley also attended.

Miley wasn't coy about it ... she clearly wanted everyone to see.

We're trying to figure out who the dude is ... he looks familiar. If anyone has a clue, please send it to us in our contact us box. It's the same guy in both photos ... even though it doesn't look like it.

This is Nicole Minetti ... one of the women convicted of wrangling up prostitutes for disgraced Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi ... and by the looks of these pics, you'd never guess she'd recently been sentenced to 5 YEARS IN PRISON.

According to Italian officials, Minetti was one of the key people who supplied the hookers to Berlusconi's legendary "Bunga Bunga" parties. She's been sentenced to 5 years in the big house ... but that's on hold 'cause she's appealing the case.

In the meantime, Minetti's passing the time by romping around the beaches of Miami in a thong ... just like she did on Christmas day. Which begs the question ... how the hell did she get in the country after she's been convicted???

Gabrielle Union -- the future Mrs. Dwyane Wade -- took her brand new million dollar 8.5 carat diamond ring out in public yesterday ... but not without some serious hired muscle to keep it safe.

Gabby and Ring arrived to the Staples Center in L.A. ... flanked by private security ... to watch their man dominate the Kobe Bryant-less Lakers.

Funny, Kobe knows a little something about expensive jewelry ... in fact, he may have bought the most expensive ring out of ALL the NBA players ($4 million) .. except his wasn't a "Will You Marry Me" diamond -- it was a "FORGIVE ME!" diamond.

So, we sorta freaked out at the office this morning when we saw THIS PHOTO of "Big Bang Theory" star Kaley Cuoco wearing a shirt that appears to be straight out of the Paula Deen collection!!!

Then we saw the other photo ... and all was right in the world again.

Merry Christmas.

Reese Witherspoon is in the holiday spirit ... celebrating with her hubby with a little vino and then driving off into the sunset.

Reese and Jim Toth hit up the outdoor patio at Gjelina in Venice over the weekend. A source connected to Reese says she had a glass of wine with an early dinner and then walked around the area XMAS shopping for "several hours," and then got behind the wheel and drove home.

As you recall, Reese and Jim famously got arrested in Atlanta after a drunken night out on the town. Jim was busted for DUI. Reese was arrested for disorderly conduct.

"Dancing" does a body good ... and Audrina Patridge and Cheryl Burke are the proof.

The ladies are both in Hawaii (on separate vacations) ... flaunting their incredible "Dancing with the Stars" physiques on the beach ... and it's NICE!

Still, we gotta ask ...

Barron Hilton is still going through the healing process -- after some guy smashed his face in during a coke-fueled party in Miami earlier this month -- showing off his scabby battle wounds Thursday in Hawaii.

Barron surfaced in Maui with his GF -- 4,600 miles from the crime scene -- wearing sunglasses ... and some baby scars above his nose and his eyes. A little Neosporin would go a long way.

As we reported, Barron got his ass handed to him by one of Lindsay Lohan's friends during a mansion party in Miami. Barron blamed Lindsay for orchestrating the attack, but the guy who punched him says Lindsay's innocent ... he punched Barron all on his own.

One of Justin Bieber's bodyguards roughed up a photog last night at an IHOP in Encino, CA ... and the pap has filed a battery report with cops ... according to law enforcement sources.

TMZ has learned ... the photog says he was trying to take pictures of Bieber in the pancake shop, but took a potty break, and that's where the alleged battery went down.

The photog says he was injured slightly.

'Tis the season to get your jollies ... and you can thank Victoria's Secret angel Alessandra Ambrosio, who stripped down to some red hot Rudolph-themed lingerie on a beach in L.A. yesterday.

Paul Walker's family -- and Tyrese -- said their final goodbye to the actor on a Santa Barbara beach.

Paul's dad, his 15-year-old daughter Meadow, Paul's brother and others were there celebrating Paul's life by enjoying a beautiful SoCal day -- playing football on the sand and hanging out.

Tyrese -- who co-starred with Walker in the "Fast & Furious" franchise -- was also present.

A bunch of people wore Viking hats -- not sure of the significance.

Wanna feel bad about yourselves this holiday season ... then check out the couple that never ages and the daughter who looks exactly like her beautiful mom.

Cindy Crawford, hubby Rande Gerber and their daughter Kaia were tooling around the Farmer's Market in Malibu Sunday.

-- Cindy looks as good as she did 20 years ago

-- Rande probably still gets carded at the bars he owns

-- Kaia is going to make millions modeling

Kanye hit up Baskin Robbins in West Hollywood Thursday (pictured above) donning his usual unhappy gaze ... but moments later, a true Christmas miracle occurred.

As shocking as it sounds -- a look of pure joy spread across Kanye's face just seconds after licking the cone ... something that hasn't been seen in ages.

Mark Wahlberg is still feeling the pain after putting his neck on the line while filming "Transformers: Age of Extinction" back in October -- stepping out in Hollywood Wednesday with a neck brace.

Wahlberg didn't hurt his neck while performing some awesome stunt. The actor claims he woke up one morning while filming in Hong Kong ... and his neck just started hurting ... he doesn't know exactly why.

We're told Wahlberg's docs think the brace will help his recovery.

Keep your head up.

Paul Walker's family is making plans for a proper funeral ... touring the grounds of a famous L.A. cemetery looking for a suitable burial plot.

Walker was killed 11 days ago when a Porsche Carrera GT driven by buddy Roger Rodas slammed into a pole and exploded in flames.

Walker's dad, Paul Sr., and other family members went to Forest Lawn Cemetery today to finalize plans and choose a final resting place.

We're told the Walkers are planning a small funeral -- mostly family -- but it will also include cast and crew from the "Fast & Furious" movies.

No word on when the funeral will be held.