Reality TV

Tyra Sanchez -- the retired drag queen who won season 2 of "RuPaul's Drag Race" -- got busted for spray-painting graffiti in ATL.

Tyra was arrested Thursday and is facing one count of criminal damage to property. According to Atlanta PD ... officers responded to a vandalism call around 10:30 AM at an apartment complex.

The security guard there told cops someone spray-painted "Don't Move Here Ever" on the side of the building, and another witness said they saw the suspect in the act of tagging the wall.

The cops were able to locate and ID the suspect -- who turned out to be Sanchez -- and hauled him off to the Fulton County Jail.

Sources close to the situation tell us ... Tyra, whose government name is James William Ross, lives at the complex he allegedly tagged. We're told he hasn't paid rent in months and is considered a squatter at this point.

Along with winning season 2 of 'Drag Race,' Tyra was well-known for being a drag impersonator of Beyonce ... but retired from the game back in March.

The newest season of "Temptation Island" will test more than the strength of the couples' relationships ... it's going to test them for coronavirus, and frequently.

The risque reality show is making its way to Hawaii this weekend, as the cast and crew's preparing to film for the next 2 months at the Andaz Maui at Wailea Resort in the midst of the pandemic. Maui's Mayor, Michael Victorino, made the announcement, but he's far from thrilled.

The mayor says he's not keen on about 100 people setting up shop on his island for a TV production, but it was approved by the State Filming Commission, and he's hopeful all the necessary COVID-19 protocols set by Gov. David Ige will be followed.

Victorino says the cast and crew will operate in a bubble-like atmosphere at the Andaz resort and be constantly monitored by medical professionals, but he's still not happy, and adds ... "If anything does go wrong, we will shut it down as quickly as possible."

The mayor says the only reason he's not pushing harder to put the kibosh on the show is because it's providing employment to the hotel workers who've been out of a job for 4 or 5 months.

This will be the 6th season of "Temptation Island" if it makes it through filming ... the third of the revamped version on USA Network.

Chi Chi DeVayne -- a fan favorite on "RuPaul's Drag Race" who competed on 'All-Stars' as well -- has died after recently being admitted to the hospital for pneumonia.

According to Chi Chi's family, the famed drag queen died Thursday morning at a hospital. Just days ago, Chi Chi shared a video from a hospital room saying they were "currently battling pneumonia" and asking for prayers.

DeVayne was also hospitalized in mid-July for apparent kidney failure related to scleroderma, an autoimmune disease the 'Drag Race' star was diagnosed with in 2018.

While undergoing dialysis treatment, Chi Chi wrote ... "I let it go too long without going to the doctor and these are the consequences."

Chi Chi, whose real name was Zavion Davenport, was a standout on season 8 of 'Drag Race' in 2016 and went on to finish in fourth place. Chi Chi later returned for the third season of RuPaul's 'All Stars' competition in early 2018 and placed eighth.

RuPaul says he's heartbroken over Chi Chi's passing, but "grateful that we got to experience her kind and beautiful soul." He adds ... "She will be dearly missed, but never forgotten. May her generous and loving spirit shine down on us all."

Chi Chi was 34.

Luann de Lesseps admits staying sober is a challenge -- especially under pandemic lockdowns -- but she says it's put her in a better headspace to cope during trying times.

"The Real Housewives of New York City" star joined "TMZ Live" Thursday to chat about her ongoing sobriety and what she's been doing to help her along ... including yoga, meditation, and making "diva" music.

Luann understands why studies show alcohol use is way up since the pandemic began in March -- people turn to booze to ease pain -- but she says, for her, it only raised her anxiety level ... something no one needs more of these days.

In fact, the 'RHONY' star says sobriety has her feeling like she has control of her life again, and she's expressing that with a new song ... "Viva La Diva."

Luann shared a preview of her latest single which drops Friday -- which makes it clear she's proud to let her diva flag fly.

Gucci Mane's giving a first look at his first child with Keyshia Ka'oir ... from inside her belly.

The rapper shared a couple sonograms from his wife's recent ultrasound exam, captioning the pics ... "My baby otw."

Gucci's clearly still beaming with fatherly pride after announcing last week that he and Keyshia are expecting their first kid together. He posted a photo of her in lingerie flaunting her baby bump and said ... "My wife pregnant my life is great."

The rapper has a 12-year-old son with his ex and Keyshia has 3 children from a previous relationship, so their big blended family's about to get bigger.

As you may recall ... the couple wed in 2017 in a star-studded, million-dollar affair all on BET's dime. It was all part of a 10-episode reality series about their nuptials called 'The Mane Event.'

Stassi Schroeder might be done at Bravo after her despicable behavior against a woman of color, but she's not done with Hollywood yet ... TMZ has learned.

Sources tell TMZ ... the ex-'Vanderpump Rules' star has been in talks with producers from Evolution Media -- the production company that shoots and edits 'VR' for Bravo. We're told nothing concrete is in place yet, but there's interest on both sides to work on future projects.

The only problem for Stassi ... our sources say she's still on contract with Bravo for the next 6 months, which means she can't hop on another network or another show until then.

FWIW, Evolution produces a ton of shows for a bunch of different companies -- so if they do something with Stassi down the line, it wouldn't have to be tied to Bravo. Good thing, since Bravo wants nothing to do with Stassi after firing her and Kristen Doute for racist behavior toward Faith Stowers ... a former 'VR' cast member.

Stassi apologized for that, and we're told she's ready to move on to new opportunities ... if one presents itself.

Another thing we're also hearing about Stassi's business opportunities ... they're not confined to on-camera duty.

Jesse Goins -- best known for appearing on the Discovery show "Gold Rush: Dave Turin's Lost Mine" -- has died.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... Jesse was on set in Colorado Tuesday night during filming. His job on the show is to work in the gold room, where he separates and cleans the gold. We're told someone from the crew found him unconscious just outside the gold room. A medic on-site administered CPR and EMTs then arrived and rushed Jesse to the hospital, but efforts to revive him proved unsuccessful.

We're told it appeared to those on the scene ... Jesse suffered a heart attack, although the exact cause of death has yet to be confirmed.

Jesse's brother, Larry, posted on Facebook saying, "Heaven will never be the same!! My brother Jesse went home to be with his Father, Lord and Savior. He will be missed dearly. Love you brother."

'Lost Mine' premiered in March 2019 and took place near Prescott Valley, Arizona. The second season kicked off earlier this year from February to April and largely centered in Marysville, Montana.

Jesse appeared in 15 episodes of the "Gold Rush" series spinoff. In 'Dave Turin's Lost Mine' ... Jesse worked alongside Turin as they visited abandoned gold mines around the western U.S. They then decided which mine they'd get up and start running again ... in the hopes of turning a profit.

Jesse, who was 60, leaves behind a wife.

Jim Belushi's enjoying his own summer of love ... he's skinny dipping on the regular and growing legal marijuana!!!

We got a hilarious clip from the actor's new show on Discovery Channel, "Growing Belushi," which gives some insight into his daily grind on his cannabis farm in the Pacific Northwest ... lots of swimming in the buff!

Jim's also got a chicken lady on his 93-acre farm -- this just keeps getting better and better -- and she shares his hilarious disclaimer for anyone who is not down with naked river dives.

Check it out ... Jim's giving a whole new meaning to Southern Oregon's Rogue River.

"Welcome to Sweetie Pie's" star Miss Robbie is dealing with a new family shocker tied to the murder of her grandson -- cops have arrested her own son for an alleged murder-for-hire plot straight outta "Dateline."

Miss Robbie's son, and costar on the OWN show, James Timothy Norman was busted by feds for his alleged role in the 2016 shooting death of Andre Montgomery ... his nephew and Miss Robbie's grandchild.

According to docs, prosecutors say Norman -- who owns Sweetie Pie's restaurant -- took out a $450k life insurance policy on his nephew back in 2014 ... and then worked with a woman named Terica Ellis to allegedly pull off the murder. The feds claim they communicated on burner phones in the days leading up to the killing in St. Louis.

In docs, obtained by TMZ, prosecutors claim Ellis got Andre's location the day of the murder ... then placed a call to Norman. Shortly after that, on March 14, 2016 ... Montgomery was shot at killed, and the feds claim they ping'd Ellis' phone near the scene of the crime.

Immediately after Montgomery's murder ... Ellis allegedly called Norman, left town and deposited $9k in cash into various bank accounts. Prosecutors say Norman then contacted the life insurance company in an attempt to collect on the policy.

Ellis is facing the same murder-for-hire conspiracy charge as Norman.

Joe Exotic still has Carole Baskin on his mind, even from behind bars ... and wants to get involved in the renewed search to find her missing millionaire husband.

TMZ's learned the 'Tiger King' star wants to jump right into the newly launched push to find out what the hell happened to Don Lewis when he went missing way back in 1997 ... and Don's family is welcoming his assistance.

The day after Don's 3 daughters held their news conference announcing a new lawsuit against Baskin and a fresh investigation, Joe reached out offering info from his prior investigations into Carole ... according to John Phillips, the lawyer for Don’s family.

We're told Don's daughters were down to work with Joe, and right now the plan is for him to speak to their lawyer to figure out what, if any, useful info he has for the investigation.

The family announced a $100,000 reward for info that leads them to Don, and as 'Tiger King' fans know ... Joe dedicated years of his life trying to dig up dirt on Carole, as he thinks she played a role in Don's disappearance.

Don disappeared on August 18, 1997, after leaving his Tampa home ... and some folks allege Carole fed him to her tigers. She's denied all the allegations.

Luke Gulbranson -- who stirred up drama on the Bravo reality series "Summer House" -- is making the most of a his failed engagement, and helping a great cause in the process.

Luke partnered up with the folks over at IDoNowIDont.com -- the name says it all, really -- to sell an engagement ring he bought for an ex-GF before he was on the show. Fans know he brought up that 3-year relationship and the engagement ring frequently ... and it's kinda why things never took off Hannah Berner in the house.

He also talked about wanting to get rid of the ring, and it's finally happening. The Tiffany & Co. round solitaire diamond is just under 1 carat, and set in 18k white and yellow gold. It retails for $11,500 but, get this ... the starting bid at IDoNowIDont starts at $5,000. Potential bargain!!!

We're told Luke and the jewelry site will donate a percentage of the proceeds to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, a non-profit that's been dedicated to fighting blood cancer since 1949.

So, why L&LS? Luke's mother is currently battling Leukemia and he wants to share his gratitude to the group and its incredible work around the world.

Ronnie Ortiz-Magro and his ex Jen Harley might seem like they're giving their toxic relationship another shot, but their friends can breathe easy ... instead of reuniting, they're being responsible adults.

The "Jersey Shore" star was out and about with Jen and their daughter, Ariana, Wednesday in Huntington Beach, but we've learned it's not a sign of a rekindled romance. Sources close to the former couple tell TMZ ... Ronnie and Jen are having family outings from time to time now, but only for Ariana.

We're told they took the last few months to get in a good place as co-parents and friends, and they've figured out it's healthier for the entire family to remain friendly and support their kid.

Ronnie had a restraining order against Jen, but it was dissolved in May after they came to a mutual agreement they no longer need it ... according to court docs.

As you know ... Ronnie and Jen have been to hell and back when it comes to their romantic relationship, which friends urged them to end long ago when things started getting violent.

He recently copped a plea deal in their domestic violence case -- and, for now, they're making the co-parenting thing work too.

Steve-O's up to his old tricks, and though his latest stunt isn't his gnarliest ... it's pretty damn funny.

The 'Jackass' star attached himself to a Hollywood billboard Thursday morning with the help of a bunch of black tape, in what he believed was a super safe publicity stunt rigged by professionals.

As you can see ... Steve-O was covered from his chest to his knees in the duct tape, leaving his arms free to take a selfie for social media -- after all, the whole point of this was to promote his new special.

We got him while he was plastered up there, and he told us he was wearing a diaper underneath. He also confessed he wasn't sure his stunt was legal ... but said he rented the billboard, and just wanted to make people laugh.

The prankster claimed there was zero chance he'd fall while pumping up his upcoming special ... it's called "Gnarly," btw, and we have no doubt the title fits.

Steve-O hoped to not use up any city resources getting him down, but despite his wishes ... the L.A. Fire Dept. showed up rather quickly to get him down safely.

The case of Carole Baskin's disappeared husband, Don Lewis, is going the route of 'Don't F**k with Cats' -- with an online group claiming it's dug up a massive, and crappy, clue about where his body might be.

Jack Smith -- the spokesman now repping Don's family -- tells us he and a group of internet sleuths joined forces earlier this year after the premiere of 'Tiger King' and formed a Facebook group to search for the truth about Don's still-unsolved disappearance in 1997.

Welp, we're told the group believes it discovered a new lead, tied to an existing theory about Don -- namely, that he was allegedly buried on his and Carole's animal sanctuary property under a septic tank system.

According to Jack ... the research team has obtained the actual receipts and permit paperwork for the septic tank's installation. Carole has publicly acknowledged two septic tanks -- one that she claims was installed well before Don's disappearance, and another installed well afterward.

BUT, if you believe what Jack and co. claim these receipts show ... a septic tank system was, in fact, worked on and installed right around the time of Don's disappearance ... 23 years ago this month.

They claim the receipts show a permit to install the septic tank was pulled on August 4, 1997, and that work on such a system was completed by or before the 15th later that same month, with a mound of dirt delivered to Carole's address the day prior.

So, what does that all mean??? According to Don's family and this crack Facebook team of investigators, it points to the possibility that Carole wasn't truthful with her timeline ... and that Don may very well be under the ground, like Joe Exotic himself suggested in the docuseries.

We're told the group will turn this finding and others they claim to have over to the cops, in hopes of cracking the case wide open again.

We've reached out to Carole about the group's new findings ... so far, no word back.

The "Big Brother" house bathroom got an extreme makeover for season 22 ... houseguests are keeping their tushies clean thanks to a couple of new bidets!!!

The toilet paper alternative was installed at the behest of houseguest Kaysar Ridha. We're told Kaysar asked production for a bidet in order to come on the show.

While it might sound like a request outta left field, we're told Kaysar uses a bidet for religious reasons as a devout Muslim.

FYI ... Islam teaches the body's condition affects the spirit's condition, so it's essential to be clean all the time -- especially before praying. This is why bidets and lotas, a round pot filled with water, are common in Muslim countries ... impeccable hygiene is a must.

On the "Big Brother" house live feed, Kaysar's already had some potty talk with fellow houseguests Kevin and Tyler, and it sounds like the bidet is a big hit!!!

No, duh!

Ty Ruff, famous for competing on a bunch of MTV reality shows, got busted for DUI in Los Angeles early Tuesday morning ... TMZ has learned.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... cops pulled over Ty around 2:30 AM after officers say they observed his 2011 Mercedes Benz swerving over traffic lines and doing about 20 MPH over the posted speed limit.

Our sources say Ty bombed field sobriety tests and was well over the legal limit with a 0.12 BAC. He was arrested for misdemeanor DUI, and released without bail a few hours later.