Reality TV

Here's a new one.

UNLV quarterback Max Gilliam is apologizing for eating sushi off a naked model's body in an episode of "Below Deck" ... with his coach saying the incident made the football program look bad.

The 23-year-old shot the risqué scene for the Bravo reality show back in the spring ... but it didn't air until November.

During his episode, Gilliam and his girlfriend join two other couples on a boat in Antigua as they dine on raw fish served off a nearly-naked female model, who was paid to be there.

In fact, the model said on the show, "This is the funnest job ever!"

So, what's the problem if a bunch of consenting adults did something legal with another consenting adult?

Seems UNLV's head football coach, Marcus Arroyo, felt it was a bad look for the program ... a program that's currently 0-5 and straight trash.

In fact, Coach Arroyo even issued a statement saying UNLV players -- especially seniors -- "must recognize that when we go out in public we’re representing this team, this university and the alumni and fanbase."

He added, "How we conduct ourselves in public is just as important as how we do on the field."

So, Gilliam apologized ...

"I would like to apologize for my poor judgment while on the TV show 'Below Deck' and acknowledge that I have made a mistake that I will learn from," the QB said in a statement.

"While it was not my idea nor any of my friends' ideas to eat sushi off of a model, I should have exercised better judgment and declined the idea immediately when it was brought up by the producers."

"This is not a reflection of my character or the way I was raised nor a reflection of the culture of UNLV football."

The senior QB has played in each game for the 0-5 Rebels ... and says he "would like to humbly move past this and focus my time and energy on our game against the University of Hawaii this weekend."

Braunwyn Windham-Burke is beyond happy in her new relationship -- and totally down for major PDA -- after becoming the first real housewife to come out as lesbian.

Sources close to Braunwyn tell TMZ ... the 'Real Housewives of Orange County' star met her girlfriend, Kris, on a dating app back in September and instantly hit it off, and they have been seeing each other romantically ever since.

We got pics of Braunwyn and Kris on a date last month, before Cali went back into lockdown, and they were all over each other during a lunch date at Conservatory in West Hollywood.

Hot and heavy as they are ... our sources say you won't see the relationship covered in season 15 of 'RHOC,' because Kris came into the picture after they were done filming.

As you know ... Braunwyn came out this week, telling GLAAD she's finally feeling comfortable with her truth.

Braunwyn's still married to her husband, Sean Burke, and says they have no plans to divorce after 20 years of marriage. They have 7 children together, including 20-year-old Bella, 18-year-old Rowan, 15-year-old Jacob, 7-year-old twins Caden and Curran, 4-year-old Koa and 2-year-old Hazel.

Our sources say Braunwyn's younger kids don't really understand she's dating Kris, and think she's just Mom's friend -- but the older kids know the deal.

Jax Taylor and his wife are out of a job ... the costars have been canned from "Vanderpump Rules."

Jax and Brittany Cartwright announced Friday they'd been given the ax ... and honchos at Bravo confirm the couple won't be returning to the show.

Jax was one of the reality show's OG cast members, carving out a bigger role over the past 8 seasons, and Brittany has been featured for the last 5 seasons.

While Jax and Brittany's fates are sealed, the future of 'Vanderpump Rules' as a whole is unclear, because restaurants in Los Angeles are still shuttered due to the worsening pandemic.

Sources close to production tell us execs haven't yet determined when the show will return.

Jax and Brittany are the latest 'VR' stars to be shown the door ... as we reported, back in June the show 86'd Stassi Schroeder, Max Boyens, Brett Caprioni and Kristen Doute ... due to racist behavior and comments that came to light.

The Kardashians are getting outdoorsy ... with a rustically elegant alpine estate.

Sources tell TMZ ... the fam bam stayed at this stunning cabin in Lake Tahoe for a few days, and they brought company too. We're told a production crew was also there to document what will eventually air in the final season of 'KUWTK.'

The private compound's pretty damn breathtaking. It features a main residence and a guest house ... with a whopping 17 bedrooms and 18 bathrooms. The house is 17,000 square feet strong. The pad's even got a name -- the Gunbarrel Lodge -- after the Heavenly Ski Resort adjacent to the 15-acre property.

The scenic driveway takes guests to a hillside perch, which leads into a grand porte-cochere entry. The house has phenomenal lake views and a huge deck for chilling and sunbathing.

The decor includes melded timbers and rugged reclaimed materials -- like masterful stonework -- that seamlessly create an indoor/outdoor flow.

When the Kardashians recently pranked some of their family members and close friends -- including Justin Bieber, Dave Chappelle, David Grutman and Travis Scott -- one of the pad's stone beams and walls was prominently featured in the background.

Whitney Collings -- one of the early members of TV's "Bad Girls Club" -- has died ... TMZ has learned.

Whitney's mom revealed the sad news on Facebook, writing ... "I am completely broken and will never get over this. Life is so unfair. She was kind with a big heart."

We don't yet know what caused Whitney's death, but we're told she passed Thursday morning in a hospital near Boston ... her hometown. The medical examiner currently has Whtiney's case and will determine the cause and manner of her death.

Being from Boston was a big part of her persona on 'BGC' back in 2008-09 when she appeared on Season 3 of the show ... as you can see.

She was only 21 when she was on the reality series, and was known as a straight-shooter with a temper ... but also for her sense of humor.

However, her time as a "bad girl" was cut short after she was kicked out of the house due to a physical altercation.

We're told Whitney was 33.

The COVID concerns pausing production on "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" run way deeper than an infected crew member ... we've learned several cast members also have the virus.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... Kyle Richards, Kathy Hilton and Dorit Kemsley have also tested positive for COVID-19. We're told they are all recovering at home and none of the women had serious symptoms.

The series started filming its new season toward the end of October, and our sources say there were safety protocols in place including testing and temperature checks ... but that couldn't stop a COVID outbreak from impacting production.

As you know ... 'RHOBH' shut down production last week after a crew member tested positive for the virus. Turns out even if the crew member was COVID-free, production would have shut down because nearly half the stars contracted the virus.

Our sources say Kyle, Kathy and Dorit did not contract COVID on set, but Kathy and Kyle were hanging out together -- after all, they're sisters -- and Dorit was along for the ride.

"Jersey Shore" stars Snooki and Deena are getting dragged into a food fight, but not in the cafeteria, this one's in court and it's all over their meatball merch.

The Meatball Shop just filed a lawsuit against Snooki and Deena, claiming the duo's meatball merch is full of the New York sandwich shop's trademarks.

As "Jersey Shore" fans surely remember ... Snooki and Deena call themselves the meatballs on the reality show, and now they're using the moniker to sell shirts and hoodies on the Internet.

According to the lawsuit, obtained by TMZ, The Meatball Shop claims Snooki and Deena straight-up jacked the store's swag and slapped it on a bunch of merchandise ... totally ignoring the restaurant's cease and desist letter.

The Meatball Shop is no fan of Snooki and Deena's side hustle ... in the docs, they say the reality stars' merch is ruining their brand's good name.

Times are tough for "90 Day Fiancé" star Jon Walters ... so he's making extra Christmas cash as Santa Claus.

Check out Jon's brand-new look for his Santa side hustle ... as you can see, he dyed his beard white and he's hawking video messages from jolly old Saint Nick ... for a price.

Jon's selling his Santa videos on Direct Me, a social media platform connecting celebs with fans ... it's kinda like Cameo. He's marketing video calls for $75, but if you don't wanna stick around for a chat he'll personalize a message for only $35.

And, here's a big plot twist -- this particular Santa isn't just a giver, he's happy to take too. He's seeking cash gifts of $12, $25, $50 and $100. Christmas 2020 ... kinda figures.

Kamal "Chance" Givens is taking a page from Michael Corleone in explaining why he was MIA from a reunion show with Tiffany "New York" Pollard ... it's not personal, it's strictly business.

Here's the deal ... Tiffany ripped Chance for blowing off "I Love New York Reunited" this week, saying it felt like he "s*** on the whole reunion show." Some of her former suitors questioned Chance's manhood and called him a coward.

But, Chance's camp says he was simply too busy to make time for the reunion because he's got his hands full with his own dating show, "One Mo' Chance," and a new movie role.

Fact is ... Chance doesn't really need Tiffany to be famous anymore, unlike some of the guys taking shots at him for not showing up.

Chance isn't sinking to their level either ... his reps say he's wishing Tiffany the best on her recent engagement. He's happy Tiffany finally found her match, and they will stay friends for life.

We're told Tiffany and Chance haven't spoken since the reunion and Chance understands why she's pissed. Chance also appeared on the OG show with his brother, who died 5 years ago, and we're told he did not want to go down that emotional rollercoaster reliving that time and loss of his brother.

"The Real Housewives of Atlanta" is known for some steamy scenes, but apparently season 13 gets so wild ... one woman's walking away mid-season.

Tanya Sam -- who's not an official Housewife but a "friend" of the show -- has officially bailed on filming the rest of the current season ... production sources tell TMZ.

As for why ... well, we're told it revolves around Cynthia Bailey's bachelorette party and what Tanya and Porsha Williams did with a male stripper while cameras were rolling ... and what they may or may not have done when cameras shut down.

Our sources say Tanya's not happy about the alleged stripper sex incident being so heavily promoted for the upcoming season, so she stopped filming about halfway through.

We're told she had other issues too -- like her relationship with her fiance and his alleged cheating taking center stage on season 12 -- but the stripper scandal was the last straw.

Our sources say she hasn't officially quit 'RHOA,' but she's done for the new season ... so viewers will notice her drop out after a few episodes.

We're also told that as of right now, Tanya's so ticked off she's not even considering doing the reunion show when the season wraps up.

Clare Crawley and Dale Moss are already engaged, but they're taking their relationship to new heights by spending a holiday with each other's families ... despite cheating rumors.

Sources close to "The Bachelorette" couple tell TMZ ... they're ignoring claims that Dale stepped out on Clare ... they'll spend their first Thanksgiving together on the West Coast.

We're told Dale flew to Sacramento to meet Clare, and they'll be heading down to San Diego to feast on turkey, stuffing and pumpkin pie with family and friends on both sides.

Our sources say they place no stock in recent reports alleging Dale was kissing women in NYC last week.

ICYMI ... Dale -- a former football player turned model -- was photographed walking around the city with a few models last week after they worked a Hugo Boss event together.

They got drinks afterward, and that's when the rumor mill churned out talk that he was seen smooching on women. They say it's absolutely untrue ... one of the women Dale was hanging with is married, and the other has a boyfriend.

Regardless, Clare was unfazed by the gossip and met up with Dale in his hometown in South Dakota a few days later. She shared a romantic pic of the meetup.

Our sources say they plan to split their time between Sacramento and NYC due to their jobs.

As you know ... Clare's time as 'Bachelorette' was unprecedented, as she and Dale hit it off so intensely he proposed to her just days into filming her season. She said yes, and as of now ... we're told there's still no trouble in paradise.

The "thirsty bitches" are back!!! Netflix has given "Selling Sunset" the green light for seasons 4-5 ... and even though stars Brett Oppenheim and Davina Potratz left the brokerage firm for greener pastures, cameras will still be rolling on their pretty mugs.

Production sources tell TMZ ... Brett and Davina will be part of the hit series when season 4 filming gets underway in Spring 2021 despite Brett leaving the family biz to start his own shop and Davina bolting last month to rival Douglas Elliman in Beverly Hills.

It's unclear if cameras will be following them inside their new joints but one thing's for sure ... our sources say cameras will continue to follow their storylines, which is mostly tame when it comes to Brett but definitely fiery -- and even catty -- as it relates to Davina. For the newbies ... she's usually the center of the drama revolving the gorgeous real estate agents, but the drama -- and the fake drama alike -- is definitely NOT exclusive to Davina.

Speaking of the ladies ... Christine Quinn -- who back in September referred to the cast as "thirsty bitches" -- and the rest of the gang are all back. We're told Christine, Chrishell Stause, Mary Fitzgerald, Maya Vander, Heather Rae Young and Amanza Smith ... along with Jason Oppenheim and Mary's beau, Romain Bonnet, all finalized their deals last week.

A "Wipeout" contestant is dead after being hospitalized following a go at the obstacle course ... TMZ has learned.

Production sources tell TMZ ... a male contestant needed medical attention Wednesday after completing the course, and he was tended to by on-site emergency personnel who then called paramedics.

We're told the contestant was taken to a hospital, where he later died.

Our law enforcement sources tell us they got a cardiac arrest call just before noon Wednesday, and medics on set had already started using a defibrillator on the contestant, who was experiencing chest pains after completing the course.

We're told there are precautions and safeguards in place on set. For example, every 'Wipeout' contestant undergoes medical exams before participating. There are also 2 paramedics on-site, plus a safety producer and paramedic coordinator.

'Wipeout' is getting an upcoming reboot on TBS after originally airing on ABC from 2008 to 2014, and TBS tells us ... "We are devastated to have learned of his passing and our deepest sympathy goes out to the family."

The production company, Endemol Shine North America, says ... "We offer our heartfelt condolences to the family and our thoughts are with them at this time."

Joe Exotic's team is so confident the 'Tiger King' star will be pardoned by President Trump, they've got a stretch limo waiting to scoop him up from prison!!!

The Tiger Team leader, Eric Love, tells TMZ ... Joe's legal team received several calls from Washington D.C. Tuesday regarding his pardon, and the team is feeling really good about Joe's chances of getting out from behind bars.

In fact, Eric tells us the Tiger Team already entered an agreement with a limo company out of Dallas, and they're keeping a Dodge Ram pickup truck stretch limo on standby 24/7 so it's ready just in case Joe gets sprung from prison.

Check out the gallery ... the stretch limo comes with all the bells and whistles, and it looks like it's ready for a massive celebration. Yeah, this would make for one helluva ride home from prison.

TMZ broke the story ... Joe's 257-page case argues several reasons why Trump should pardon him from his 22-year murder-for-hire sentence, even claiming Joe was sexually assaulted behind bars.

Joe and the Tiger Team are up against the clock though ... Trump doesn't have much time left in office.

Toccara Jones has no problem with Pope Francis double-tapping a pic of a bootylicious model -- allegedly -- and thinks all clergy should be free to explore their feelings ... like a certain rapper.

The former "America's Next Top Model" star had a good time with us poking fun at the Pope over his official Instagram account appearing to 'like' model Natalia Garibotto's racy photo.

Toccara thinks the Supreme Pontiff was liking a lot more than Natalia's Catholic school-themed attire ... she says he was down with the thiccness.

In that way, the popular plus-sized model tells us His Holiness has a lot in common with Drake ... who's also known to go double-tapping on big booties.

Ben Watkins, famous for competing in "MasterChef Junior," is dead after a battle with cancer.

Ben, who was undergoing treatment for an extremely rare form of cancer at Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, died Monday ... according to his family.

He was diagnosed with a soft tissue tumor when he was only 13 years old, and the family says doctors told them Ben was 1 of only 6 people in the entire world diagnosed with the rare illness called Angiomatoid Fibrous Histiocytoma.

An aspiring chef, Ben used to cook and man the front counter at Big Ben's Bodacious BBQ and Delicatessen in Gary, Indiana. with his late parents, who died 3 years ago in a murder-suicide. Ben's grandma and uncle remembered him as "the strongest person we've ever known."

Ben competed in season 6 of the Gordon Ramsay-hosted cooking competition show, "MasterChef Junior," when he was only 11 years old and quickly became a fan-favorite.

Gordon and Ben's former "MasterChef Junior" competitors sent him a special video earlier this year when he was battling cancer, letting him know they were praying for him and helping raise donations for a GoFundMe, which is now a memorial fund.

Ben was 14.