court matters

Nelly's rape accuser files lawsuit, rapper says it's a shakedown

The woman who claimed Nelly raped her in Seattle earlier this year has filed a lawsuit against the rapper for sexual assault and defamation.

The lawsuit comes after prosecutors already dropped the criminal case against Nelly because the woman, Monique Greene, refused to testify. According to her new lawsuit, obtained by TMZ, Monique said she couldn't "stand up against a celebrity and that the criminal system would fail her."

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Nelly's team has vigorously maintained that he is innocent and that this is nothing more than a shakedown for money and notoriety.

In her new paperwork, Monique claims she met Nelly on Oct. 6 at a Seattle nightclub where he performed. After the show, she hung out with the rapper and his entourage when he invited her to his tour bus, which was parked in a Walmart parking lot. Once onboard, she and Nelly went to the back to the bus, where she claims he made her watch him perform sexual acts on himself. She then says she had sex with him against her will, all without wearing protection.

She also said that Nelly kicked her out of the bus afterward and threw a $100 bill at her, TMZ says.

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In her court filing, she says Nelly taunted her while she called 911 and an Uber. After speaking to police, she says that she taken to a medical center and completed a rape kit.

Nelly was arrested, but released. He has said that he intends to countersue Monique for defamation.

After the new lawsuit was filed, Nelly's attorney, Scott Rosenblum, told TMZ, "It comes as no surprise that Ms. Green filed a lawsuit against Nelly seeking money after we announced our intention to hold her accountable. We always believed her accusation was motivated by greed."

Bestie Pride

Selena Gomez celebrates Taylor Swift's new version of 'Fearless': 'So proud of you'

As Taylor Swift's fans catapulted the hashtag #Taylor'sVersion to the No. 1 Twitter trends spot following the release of her new version of "Love Story" last week, her bestie, Selena Gomez, was among the Swifties cheering for the singer on Instagram.

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Taylor announced on Thursday, Feb. 11, that a newly re-recorded version of "Love Story," from her 2008 album, "Fearless," was the first track being made available to fans ahead of April 9, when she's due to release, "Fearless: Taylor's Version," a 26-song take on the original. The release launches Taylor's campaign to re-record her first six albums after her nemesis, Scooter Braun, bought and later sold the rights to them via her old label, Big Machine Records.

"SO proud of you, as always Tay…," Selena shared on her Instagram Story, urging her followers to, "LISTEN to THIS album."

The new versions of Taylor music, for which she will own her own masters via Republic Records, will all come with a "Taylor's Version" subtitle, presumably to underscore the fact that she's reclaimed the music while helping fans differentiate between the two.

"Fearless" first came out around the time Taylor and Selena were becoming good friends in 2008, when they were both dating members of the Jonas Brothers, according to the Daily Mail.

"I always gravitated towards 'Fearless' because I think that, as an album, it was a real coming-of-age," Taylor recently told Republic Records / MCA Nashville. "And I look back on that album and it fills me with such pride, and it was an album about hope, and lessons learned, and the effervescence of teenage youth and all that."

Taylor previously said she fought for access to the masters for her work before Scooter swooped in and snapped them up in June 2019 when he acquired Big Machine Records, reportedly for $300 million. According to Variety, Taylor's six albums were worth $140 million at that time.

Calling Braun a "bully" and an example of "toxic white male privilege," Taylor said of the sale: "This just happened to me without my approval, consultation or consent. After I was denied the chance to purchase my music outright, my entire catalog was sold to Scooter Braun's Ithaca Holdings in a deal that I'm told was funded by the Soros family, 23 Capital and that Carlyle Group. Yet, to this day, none of these investors have bothered to contact me or my team directly — to perform their due diligence on their investment. On their investment in me. To ask how I might feel about the new owner of my art, the music I wrote, the videos I created, photos of me, my handwriting, my album designs.

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"The fact is that private equity enabled this man to think, according to his own social media post, that he could 'buy me.' But I'm obviously not going willingly."

Her contract allowed her to re-record the music from the albums beginning last year, which she has set out to do.

Scooter sold the master rights to Taylor's first six albums last fall in a deal Variety reported at the time was "viewed as a big win for the pop manager," who "profited handsomely from his investment" in Taylor's work.

mad tweet

Khloe Kardashian angrily responds after fan asks Jordyn Woods question

Khloe Kardashian is lashing out at a fan who asked if Kylie Jenner is "allowed" to reconcile her friendship with former BFF Jordyn Woods.

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Kylie and Jordyn were once inseparable and even lived together. However, she was blacklisted from the Kardashian-Jenner troupe in early 2019 after Tristan Thompson, then Khloe's boyfriend, was accused of cheating on the mother of one with Jordyn.

Jordyn claimed Tristan kissed her at a party and she didn't kiss back. Still, the family quickly cut ties with her but eventually forgave Tristan. He and Khloe are back together. 

This week, in response to a preview of the "Keeping Up with the Kardashians" final season, a fan tweeted, "So…is Kylie allowed to be friends with Jordan again?" 

Khloe saw the comment and fumed. 

"I'm so sick and tired of this narrative that I control my sister or I dictate who she chooses to surround herself with. Never once have I ever and I mean EVER told my sister who she can be friends with. She is an adult, who can do whatever she wants to do," the reality TV star said, according to a screen grab from Comments By Celebs. "I will support her in anything and everything she wants to do! I love my sister unconditionally! That means regardless of who she chooses to be friends with, I will always love, respect and value my sister unconditionally!! She is my life partner and I will always respect what she chooses."

She added, "By the way, I have no ill feelings towards ANYONE!!! Truly. My heart carries no hatred at all. Unless you actually know what you're talking about, respectfully, SHUT THE F— UP!"

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In the aforementioned preview clip, Tristan speaks to Kim Kardashian about his relationship with Khloe

"She's carrying a suitcase of other people's opinions and thoughts," he said, adding, "You're never gonna get to the finish line if you're trying to always please the masses. You just gotta live for yourself."

Drunken stories

Jennifer Love Hewitt recalls 'super drunk' night with Betty White

Jennifer Love Hewitt is opening up about the time she thought she was going to kill Betty White during a boozy night.

While appearing on "The Drew Barrymore Show," JLH spoke about her deep friendship with the 99-year-old icon and included a story about them getting "super drunk" together.

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"One of the only times that I've been, like, super drunk was with Betty in public and she veered off into a bush and I thought, 'Oh my gosh, I am going to kill the national treasure Betty White,'" Jennifer joked. "Then she loves to end her nights with you by eating gummy bears."

"She's everything you want her to be and more," JLH added. "She's the best and I just love her to pieces."

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The "I Know What You Did Last Summer" star offered more information about the "Golden Girl."

"Pizza and vodka are her favorites," Jennifer said. "She also loves hot dogs and she cheats at Scrabble horribly, but she's Betty White so you just let her win."

The women previously starred in the 2011 Hallmark film "The Lost Valentine."

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Last month, many of Hollywood's biggest names heaped praise on Betty on her 99th birthday. Ellen DeGeneres called Betty "a miracle in every way." Former President Bill Clinton called her "a national treasure." Some even argued that her birthday, Jan. 17, should be declared a national holiday.

Betty kept her humor on her big day, saying in a statement, "Since I am turning 99, I can stay up as late as I want without asking permission!"

Investigation

Cops planning to speak to Marilyn Manson accuser: Report

One of Marilyn Manson's accusers is going to sit down with police to discuss abuse allegations — a meeting that could have far-reaching implications.

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TMZ reported that the FBI looked into the barrage of complaints against the shock rocker, and passed the information along to Los Angeles police. Whether federal authorities are still involved isn't known. Likewise, the identity of the accuser that is meeting with authorities isn't publicly known.

Still, TMZ said any police action against the singer isn't imminent, as the purpose of the meeting is to simply "determine if a crime was committed" and "if it falls under their jurisdiction and if it warrants further investigation."

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Marilyn's personal life was put under a microscope on Feb. 1 after his ex-fiance, Evan Rachel Wood, accused him of abuse in an Instagram post.

"The name of my abuser is Brian Warner, also known to the world as Marilyn Manson," the "Westworld" actress wrote. "He started grooming me when I was a teenager and horrifically abused me for years. I was brainwashed and manipulated into submission. I am done living in fear of retaliation, slander, or blackmail." 

She continued, "I am here to expose this dangerous man and call out the many industries that have enabled him, before he ruins any more lives. I stand with the many victims who will no longer be silent." 

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Evan and Marilyn dated in 2007 when she was 19 and he was 38. They got engaged in 2010, but split later that year. 

The actress had previously claimed before Congress that she was a victim of abuse, but she never named her alleged accuser until now (although, based on her timeline, many suspected she was accusing Marilyn).

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After Evan's post, several women — including "Game of Thrones" actress Esmé Bianco — came forward with abuse allegations. 

Following the accusations, the singer denied the abuse and contended that they were "horrible distortions of reality." He added, "My intimate relationships have always been entirely consensual with like-minded partners." 

The damage was done though. Just hours after Evan's post, Loma Vista Recordings dropped the shock rocker from its roster. On Feb 2, his talent agency, CAA, also cut ties with him. His longtime manager also stepped away. 

Since then, Marilyn has reportedly hired 24/7 bodyguards to protect him in the wake of the accusations. 

Money matters

Drea de Matteo reveals her meager salary on 'The Sopranos'

Although "The Sopranos" was one of the biggest TV series of its generation, one of its notable stars says she hardly struck it rich on the mobster show.

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In a chat with Page Six, Drea de Matteo spoke of her paltry earnings during her early years on the HBO series.

"I never really made an intense amount of money," she said, claiming she only made $500 an episode during the first season. 

Drea, who played Adriana La Cerva on "The Sopranos," indicated that her pay increased as her character became more integral, especially during seasons 2 through 5.

"Then I made a couple of thousand and then probably by the end is when I started making series quotes but that money came and went immediately," she said. "I didn't spend enough time on the show to really make money."

Drea was also quick to point out that the cast doesn't make residuals from the series.

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After leaving "The Sopranos," Drea went on to work opposite Matt LeBlanc on the "Friends" spinoff "Joey."

"I was petrified of the sitcom format because I didn't think I could measure up," she said. "Matt's a comedic genius and as much as my character on 'The Sopranos' was funny, I'd never worked in that format before with a live audience and things changing by the second."

These days, Drea is hosting a podcast and launching a new wine. She also has an Amazon Prime show coming out and is working on a new film with Kevin Bacon.

"I never prayed for money, I always prayed for health and wellbeing and happiness but never for finances," she said. "This year I'm going to be praying for everyone's health plus a little bit of financial help!"

getting real

Former Bachelor reveals he lost 30 pounds during season due to parasite

Ben Higgins was dropping pounds about as fast as he was dropping girlfriends while appearing on "The Bachelor" in 2016.

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In a new interview, the fan favorite Bachelor said he lost 30 pounds while filming his season due to a stomach parasite he contracted just before leading the show.

"The craziest thing that ever happened to me on this franchise, which I can speak to you openly [about] now, is I had a massive parasite the whole time I was on the show," he said during an appearance on Fubo Sports' "Drinks With Binks." "I was in Honduras — which is a country I love — for a wedding. I get a parasite in my gut. It hits me the week that filming starts."

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Ben said producers wanted him to keep the internal issue under wraps, forcing him to fib about his weight loss.

"It was blamed on being stressed and anxious," he said. "You can't really share this after the show because that isn't a great look for 'The Bachelor,' it's not a great look for the contestants. It's not a great look for the show that I was sick the whole time."

Ben, 31, said he would often feel ill during romantic scenes and was forced to run away from the women.

"That's the craziest story that I've kind of kept hidden," he said.

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Ben ended up getting engaged to Lauren Bushnell at the end of the show, but they split a year later. She is currently pregnant and married to country singer Chris Lane. Ben, meanwhile, is engaged to Jessica Clarke.

rainforest rescue

Ashley Judd posts images after shattering leg in rainforest

Ashley Judd is sharing more about her "harrowing" experience in the Congo rainforest in painstaking detail.

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Last week, the actress revealed that she shattered her leg and nearly lost it after something fell on it. On Feb. 16, she posted several Instagram images that showed her being carried out of the jungle via a hammock and driven out on a scooter. It took her more than two days to get professional medical help.

"Friends. Without my Congolese brothers and sisters, my internal bleeding would have likely killed me, and I would have lost my leg," she said on social media. "I wake up weeping in gratitude, deeply moved by each person who contributed something life giving and spirit salving during my grueling 55 hour odyssey."

Ashley went on to share the names of the men and women who helped her.

"Dieumerci stretched out his leg and put it under my grossly misshapen left leg to try to keep it still. It was broken in four places and had nerve damage. Dieumerci ("Thanks be to God") remained seated, without fidgeting or flinching, for 5 hours on the rain forest floor. He was with me in my primal pain. He was my witness," she wrote. "Papa Jean: it took 5 hours, but eventually he found me, wretched and wild on the ground, and calmly assessed my broken leg. He told me what he had to do. I bit a stick. I held onto Maud. And Papa Jean, with certainty began to manipulate and adjust my broken bones back into something like a position I could be transported in, while I screamed and writhed. How he did that so methodically while I was like an animal is beyond me. He saved me. The six men who carefully moved me into the hammock with as little jostling as possible, who then walked for 3 hours over rough terrain carrying me out. Heroes."

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The two-time Golden Globe nominee also named two other men.

"Didier drove the motorbike. I sat facing backwards, his back my backrest. When I would begin to slump, to pass out, he would call to me to re-set my position to lean on him," she said. "Maradona rode on the very back of the motorbike, i faced him. He held my broken leg under the heel and I held the shattered top part together with my two hands. Together we did this for 6 hours on an irregular, rutted and pocked dirt road that has gullies for rain run off during the rainy season. Maradona was the only person to come forward to volunteer for this task. We have a nice friendship, discussing the pros and cons of polygamy and monogamy." 

The women who were involved, Ashley said, "held" her and "blessed" her.

formerly friends

Larsa Pippen shades ex-BFF Kim Kardashian

Larsa Pippen is opening up about her falling out with former BFF Kim Kardashian West, and she even issued a thinly-veiled warning for the reality TV star.

During a chat with the Hollywood Unlocked podcast, the influencer said of Kim, "Some people value men over friends."

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"I don't know if you call it 'betrayed," Larsa said. "Things happened… and our relationship had gotten to a place that was just a weird, ugly place. I never thought it would happen."

She added, "I love them. We had an issue, or issues. We had a falling out… but I'm not gonna be petty or immature. If they come for me then… karma's a b—–."

Last summer, fans began noticing that Larsa, who was once a constant presence in Kardashian land, was suddenly absent from their lives. The entire family also unfollowed her on Instagram

Around that time, a source told E! News that the Kardashian family felt Larsa had "toxic energy." Larsa countered this week, "I mean, I don't know. I feel like… everyone normally say I have the best energy. The best vibes."

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The stories peddled in the media after the social media activity, she said, were hurtful. Now on the opposite side of the famous family, Larsa can somewhat sympathize with Kylie Jenner's former BFF Jordyn Woods, who the Kardashian clan blacklisted after she and Tristan Thompson, Khloe Kardashian's boyfriend, shared a kiss at a party in 2019. At that time, Larsa was a Kardashian loyalist.

"I think she [Jordyn] took a beating. She took a beating and [Tristan] got forgiven. What the hell?," Larsa said. "I feel like my lesson was people that you go to bat for, don't expect will go to back for you. I had to learn that the hard way because I was a very loyal friend."

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Scotty Pippen's ex had previously pointed the finger at some of the men in the Kardashian women's lives as the instigators of the rift. 

While chatting with Hollywood Raw last year, she said Kim's husband, Kanye West, would call her all the time in the middle of the evening when he was "in his feelings." Eventually Larsa said she blocked him and Kanye turned on her. Then, she says the Kardashian women followed suit. 

"[Kanye] has literally brainwashed the whole family into thinking I don't even know what. I don't even know," she said. "He talks so much about me being this and that and this and that."

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There were also rumors that Larsa tried to seduce Travis Scott, the father of Kylie's daughter, Stormi. Larsa vehemently denies those rumors.

"I feel like I ran into Travis Scott one night at a club and Travis called Kylie and said that I was hitting on him. That never happened," she told Hollywood Raw. "So, then they were like, 'Kanye says she's this and then she was hitting on Travis.' By the way that never happened. I left with the same people I came with. That never freaking happened. Was he delusional?… It never happened. I would never do that, I would never in a billion years do that."

Together again

Clare Crawley and Dale Moss spotted together in Florida

Nearly a month after Clare Crawley and Dale Moss split up, there's speculation that they've reconciled.

On Feb. 16, the former "The Bachelorette" couple was spotted together in Venice, Florida. Reality Steve shared a fan video and pictures that clearly show Dale and Clare at a crosswalk. 

Both Dale and Clare seemed to be all smiles while together under the Florida sunshine.

The sighting is bound to send Bachelor Nation into overdrive. On Jan. 19, Dale formally announced on Instagram that he and the former Bachelorette had broken up —this, after one of the fastest on-screen romances of all time. 

"I wanted share with you all that Clare and I have decided to go our separate ways. We appreciate the love and support we've received from so many people, but this is the healthiest decision for both of us at this time," he wrote. "We strongly believe in leading with love and always remaining true to oneself – something our families have taught and instilled in us throughout our lives. We only hope the best things for one another."

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After the split, Clare said she was in a "dark place" and took a jab at Dale's statement, insinuating that it was anything but mutual.

"I was made aware of a 'mutual' statement at the same time you all were, so I've needed some time to really digest this," she wrote on Instagram. "Speaking for myself, my intentions with this relationship have always been very clear, so the truth is I am crushed. This was not what I expected or hoped for and am still trying to process this."

The duo met over the summer while filming "The Bachelorette" in a bubble environment. The moment Clare met Dale, she mentioned that he was "husband" material. She then continued to fall hard for Dale, essentially snubbing the other guys vying for her heart in order to focus entirely on him. After just three weeks of filming, Clare left the show with Dale by her side. She was replaced by Tayshia Adams.