The Bachelorette

Former "Bachelorette" contestant Kasey Kahl won't have to cozy up to a prison cellmate -- he was just sentenced to 3 years probation for a huge bar brawl in Fresno last year.

Kahl struck a sweet deal in the case, agreeing to plead no contest to one felony assault charge ... while another assault charge was dropped.

As we previously reported ... Kahl was arrested for bashing a man and his girlfriend in the face during a fight outside Club Habanos in Fresno back in January 2012.

Will you accept this cardboard box?

Former "Bachelorette" star Jillian Harris did on Thursday and spent the chilly night on the streets of Vancouver to help raise awareness and money for homeless youth.

As TMZ reported earlier, the 32-year-old had vowed to tough it out in just a sleeping bag to raise $11K for the nonprofit organization Covenant House.

Ex "Bachelorette" Jillian Harris is moving into a cardboard box, in the brutal cold of Canada -- and while the economy does suck that much -- Jillian's actually choosing to do this for charity.

Jillian -- who was on Season 5 of the ABC show -- tells TMZ she's going to spend a night on the streets of Vancouver with nothing more than a sleeping bag and a piece of cardboard.

Jillian lives in Vancouver and is teaming up with Covenant House to raise awareness (and money) for homeless youth there because she says "it's heartbreaking to think about all the kids and families" who don't have roofs over their heads as winter approaches.

The event goes down Nov. 15th when the forecast calls for 36 degrees, 10% chance of rain -- and a 100% chance of freezing your ass off.

The rule is ... PLAY IT AS IT LIES ... and that's exactly what ex-"Bachelorette" star Jillian Harris did earlier this month when her golf cart rolled into a freaking water hazard -- and she DOVE IN AFTER IT.

And the waterlogged aftermath was all caught on tape.

Sources tell TMZ, Jillian and her friends were participating in a charity golf tournament in West Kelowna, British Columbia when Jillian fell out of her golf cart.

According to sources, her friend jumped out to help Jillian, but forgot to put on the parking brake -- so the golf cart rolled into a water hazard.

Jillian quickly dove in after it to save their stuff ... but it was already too late -- so Jillian did what anyone else would do in that situation, and shotgunned a beer.

A judge says "The Bachelor" doesn't have to cast African-Americans -- so it's time to celebrate ... if you're a Black man. Seriously, who wants to deal with 25 women constantly fighting and bitching?

A judge has THROWN OUT a lawsuit that two black men filed against "The Bachelor" ... in which they claimed they were rejected from the show based on the color of their skin.

In the original suit, the men pointed out that every bachelor in the show's history has been white -- and claim producers intentionally stayed away from people of color because they feared an interracial relationship would alienate the show's "predominantly white viewership."

But a Tennessee judge has officially dismissed the case -- citing the 1st Amendment (Freedom of Speech) ... and explaining that the court cannot tell TV producers ... or movie producers ... or playwrights ... how to cast a production.

In fact, the judge explains that Freedom of Speech is why "The Cosby Show" could have an all-black cast ... why "Jersey Shore" can cast all-Italians ... and why "Shahs of Sunset" can cast all-Persians.

Courtney Robertson is about $80k lighter today -- because "The Bachelor" winner finally returned her diamond engagement ring to its rightful owner ... and photogs caught every glorious moment of it.

Robertson -- who called it quits with "Bachelor" Ben Flajnik last week -- hit up a Neil Lane jewelry store in L.A. Sunday to say sayonara to the 3-carat rock.

We're told the ring ended up back at Neil Lane since "Bachelors" and "Bachelorettes" don't foot the bill for their own marital swag -- i.e. when the relationship goes away, so does the bling.

But Court's not shedding too many tears over the loss (of the ring or Ben) -- considering she was recently seen sucking face with "Bachelorette" cast-off Arie Luyendyk Jr.

Ah, love.

Courtney Robertson is one helluva rebounder ... 'cause days after she split from "Bachelor" Ben Flajnik ... she was TOTALLY MAKING OUT with one of the rejects from "The Bachelorette."

TMZ obtained pics of Courtney sucking face with Arie Luyendyk Jr. -- who took 2nd place on last season's "Bachelorette" when he was shot down by Emily Maynard.

Of course, Courtney was SUPPOSED to marry Ben after he picked her on the "Bachelor" finale earlier this year ... but they split last week claiming things just weren't working out.

But it didn't take long for Court to move on ... 'cause Thursday night, she and Arie had dinner together at the fancy Quiessence Restaurant in Phoenix -- and we're told they were all over each other the whole time.

"Bachelorette" star Kasey Kahl has just been released from jail -- telling TMZ, he was NOT under the influence of paint thinners during a bar fight back in January ... and he never laid his hand on a woman.

TMZ broke the story ... 29-year-old Kahl was jailed this morning in Orange County, CA after prosecutors filed several felony charges against the reality star. It all stems from a nightclub brawl that took place on January 15th, in which Kahl allegedly beat up a man and his GF while drunk and high on drugs.

But on his way out of the slammer moments ago, Kahl denied all the allegations -- telling TMZ, he's never huffed paint in his life ... "I've never even smoked marijuana."

Kahl says cops never took a blood test or alcohol test or anything to prove he was under the influence -- so the allegations are BS.

As for allegations he beat up two people that night ... Kahl insists he was punched first and only got physical to defend himself.

Former "Bachelorette" star Kasey Kahl is back behind bars ... after being charged with multiple felonies for allegedly attacking two people at a nightclub earlier this year ... while under the influence of a paint thinner.

TMZ has learned ... months after the incident, prosecutors decided there was enough evidence to charge Kahl with felony assault for allegedly beating up a man and a woman on January 15.

After the charges were filed, a judge issued a warrant for his arrest ... and this morning, cops took the 29-year-old into custody ... and booked him into a jail in Orange County, CA.

According to legal documents, officials believe Kahl was drunk and on drugs when he attacked a man named Richard Cheney outside of Club Habano's nightclub in Fresno ... and then bashed Richard's GF in the face.

Kahl has been charged with 2 counts of felony assault, 1 count of battery with serious bodily injury and 1 count of public intoxication.

According to documents, officials believe Kahl was under the influence of both alcohol and a drug called toluene at the time of the attack ... an inhalant associated with paint thinners.

Kasey's reps have previously claimed the reality star is innocent -- and accused the alleged victims of antagonizing him in an effort to get their "15 minutes of fame."

If convicted on all 4 felony charges -- Kahl faces up to 8 years in prison.

Law enforcement sources tell us ... there was an error on the charging document ... and it should NOT have stated that Kahl was suspected of being under the influence of toluene.

The producers of "The Bachelor" and "The Bachelorette" are responsible for encouraging racism across the country by refusing to cast black people in the shows' central roles -- this according to a new class action lawsuit.

Christopher Johnson and Nathaniel Claybrooks filed the lawsuit today in Tennessee federal court against the shows' producers -- claiming they both auditioned for "The Bachelor" in Nashville in August 2011 ... but were brazenly denied based solely on the color of their skin.

Christopher and Nathaniel claim producers were afraid to cast them for fear of alienating "the show's majority-white viewership."

As a result, the guys claim producers are teaching the public how to be racist -- by demonstrating preferences for white relationships over non-white and interracial relationships.

They might have a point too ... because the show has never once cast a person of color -- black, Asian, Latino, whatever -- in the central role as Bachelor or Bachelorette.

"Bachelor" creator Michael Fleiss has even acknowledged the problem -- stating long before the lawsuit was filed ... "We always want to cast for ethnic diversity. It's just that for whatever reason, they don't come forward. I wish they would."

Chris and Nathaniel are now demanding a change in "Bachelor" policy -- requiring producers to "consider persons of color as finalists for the role of the Bachelor and the Bachelorette."

"The Bachelor" and "The Bachelorette" are about to get a thorny rose -- in the form of a lawsuit.

We're told the 2 plaintiffs -- both African Americans -- went to a Nashville hotel to audition for the role of bachelor. Christopher Johnson -- an aspiring NFL player -- claims when he arrived a producer asked him what he was doing there.

Johnson and the other plaintiff, Nathaniel Claybrooks, both say they were taken to the side of the room and left out of the normal audition process. Neither was called back, and they believe it's because of their race.

They will be filing a class action lawsuit in federal court Wednesday AM. We're told ABC, Warner Horizon Television, Next Entertainment, NZK Productions and creator Mike Fleiss, will all be sued.

While her ex-boyfriend Kasey Kahl deals with the aftermath of his drunk-and-disorderly arrest -- Vienna Girardi hung out in a bikini with her other ex-boyfriend Jake Pavelka Lee Smith in Miami on Tuesday.

In case you forgot -- Vienna stormed off "Relationship Rehab" last month, where she was hammering out issues with Kahl. Vienna was pissed because producers blindsided her with a surprise sit-down with Lee, an ex at the time.

But now, sources close to the couple tell us Vienna and Lee have since been talking and working on their relationship.

Fun fact: Lee was also the guy that allegedly sent Vienna flirty emails back when she was engaged to "Bachelor" Jake Pavelka.

Former "Bachelorette" star Kasey Kahl is adamant ... the couple he brawled with inside a Fresno nightclub are just a couple of "Jersey Shore" wannabes bent on attaining their 15 minutes of fame.

Kahl's rep has released a NEW statement in the wake of an explosive police report, in which an allegedly intoxicated Kahl is accused of beating up a 25-year-old named Richard Chaney ... and smashing the dude's GF in the face at a Fresno nightclub this weekend.

Team Kahl says ... "As Kasey is in the public eye, it is not unlikely that we would not be surprised if these persons bent on attaining their 15 minutes of fame, while intoxicated and perhaps fueled by jealousy, will antagonize and attack stars such as Kasey in a 'Jersey Shore' type brawl given the opportunity."

He adds, "These persons wanted their 15 minutes, which they received, and now those 15 minutes are over."

Former "Bachelorette" star Kasey Kahl smashed a woman in the face at a Fresno nightclub, giving her a bloody nose ... this according to the alleged victim ... though Kasey claims it was all in self-defense.

TMZ broke the story ... Kahl was arrested early Sunday morning for drunk and disorderly conduct at Club Habano's nightclub.

According to the police report, obtained by TMZ, Kahl was accused of attacking a man named Richard Chaney outside the club ... and then smashing Chaney's girlfriend in the face when she tried to break up the fight.

"Bachelorette" star Kasey Kahl was arrested Sunday morning in Fresno, CA -- hometown of Kevin Federline -- after cops say he was drunk and disorderly at a nightclub ... TMZ has learned.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... Kahl -- who recently appeared on "Bachelor Pad" -- was allegedly involved in an incident at a place called Club Habanos. So far, it's unclear exactly what Kahl is accused of doing wrong.

Kahl was booked at a nearby police station -- where he took one of the prettiest mug shots we've ever seen and was released a few hours later.

Kahl just finished taping the inaugural season of VH1's upcoming "Relationship Rehab" with former GF Vienna Girardi.

4:25 PM PST: A rep for Kahl tells us, "Kasey and his friends were hanging out outside of the club where police officers allegedly thought they were being too loud. Kasey, along with a couple friends, were taken to the police station, but were released a couple hours later. No charges were or have been filed against him."