Gossip / Rumors

Joe Manganiello and Caitlin O'Connor are talking about starting a family, but that's not the only reason they're together ... despite how Sofia Vergara feels about her ex-husband.

Sources close to the couple tell TMZ … Sofia's claims about Joe divorcing her because she wouldn't have children, negatively followed him to his new relationship with Caitlin.

We're told the Joe/Sofia narrative that's out there is fueling internet trolls to attack Caitlin on social media ... blasting Joe's actress girlfriend as "only a babymaker."

Joe Manganiello's calling BS on his ex-wife Sofia Vergara's claim they split after 7 years of marriage because he wanted kids and she didn’t ... saying that's simply not why they split.

The actor insists Sofia's take -- which she floated through media interviews post-divorce -- isn't true ... telling Men's Journal they actually had deep talks about starting a family right from the start, but he made it clear to her if she was done having kids, he'd understand.

Joe says they even tried for kids during the first year and a half of their marriage -- and still ... he swore he wouldn’t bail if things didn’t work out -- and he says he stuck to that promise.

Jax Taylor isn't mixing business with pleasure -- he's navigating his separation from his estranged wife Brittany Cartwright before diving back into the dating pool.

We caught up with "The Valley" star at LAX, and he says with everything going on in his life right now ... the only thing occupying his mind is his family 'cause he hasn't seen them for weeks due to work events.

When it comes to women throwing themselves at him and all the female admiration he can get at these work events, Jax just chalks it up to meeting enthusiastic fans.

Frankie Grande is jumping to Ariana Grande's defense over some viral cannibalism claims on TikTok -- all cooked up to scare fans away from buying her concert tickets.

Ariana's big bro took to X Thursday to fire at fans spreading rumors that cops found human remains in his sister's starter house years ago ... cackling over the crazy claims.

If you haven't seen the original TikTok, check it out ... it's a social media user making the claims without providing any sort of evidence to back up the point -- but, some people took it as fact and started pushing the rumor anyway.

2:14 PM PT -- Wehry is maintaining his innocence ... but is now asking MLE to adjust his score back to 46.75 dogs over the fact he touched an opponent's plates, which "gives the appearance or possibility of impropriety," he told the Post.

Competitive eater Nick Wehry -- husband of women's champ Miki Sudo -- is facing bombshell allegations stemming from this year's hot dog contest ... being accused of cheating to increase his end result.

This year's fourth-place finisher was initially handed a score of 46.75 tube steaks eaten at Thursday's Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest at Coney Island ... but after a recount, his total was changed to 51.75.

As we previously reported, Patrick Bertoletti won the Joey Chestnut-less outing after downing 58 weenies.

Jennifer Lopez seems to be sending a message to husband Ben Affleck amid their marital woes and looming divorce ... at least based on the content of a song she just posted.

Here's the deal ... J Lo's most recent Instagram posts and stories are all about her 2021 song "Cambia El Paso" ... a track about embracing change and leaving a romantic partner.

Jen posted snippets of the music video, plus some behind-the-scenes footage on Sunday ... and now fans are reading way into it because of the lyrics.

Kim Zolciak and Chet Hanks never left the friend zone while filming the new season of 'Surreal Life' ... despite a recent trailer suggesting otherwise.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... the Bravo personality and Tom Hanks' son did NOT hook up during their time in the 'The Surreal Life' house -- though some people in the cast did feel the pair had sexual chemistry.

Still, we're told nothing physical occurred between Kim and Chet ... even though MTV's first look for "Surreal Life: Villa of Secrets" showed the 2 contestants embracing in a bedroom with the lights off.

Jennifer Lopez is sending mixed signals about the state of her marriage to Ben Affleck ... as she's once again wearing her wedding ring.

ICYMI ... the singer ditched her green diamond sparkler for an Instagram video promoting her JLO Beauty brand this week ... and instead, chose to rock diamond earrings and stacked silver rings on her right hand.

J Lo may've spotted the chatter about the status of her wedding ring ... as she stepped out Thursday morning and noticeably chose to wear the impressive diamond.

A photo of Karen Read's attorney Alan Jackson embracing her tightly from behind is as innocent as her fans believe she is in her murder case ... at least according to people in Karen's inner circle.

The photo, taken outside a Smith & Wollensky restaurant in Boston, has created a big stir around the high-profile case since it was taken on June 27. The jury was in the middle of deliberating ... deciding whether Karen had indeed murdered her police officer boyfriend John O'Keefe.

But, a source close to Karen tells TMZ ... the image is being taken out of context, as it was actually an innocent moment of celebration -- and there was "nothing to this other than goofing around."

Jennifer Lopez is missing a key accessory in a social media upload ... further fueling the chatter she and husband Ben Affleck are headed for divorce.

J Lo is noticeably not wearing the green diamond ring Ben proposed with in 2022 as she promotes JLO Beauty's Ultimate Body Kit and Complexion Booster on Instagram.

It's not like Jennifer is without jewelry in the clip ... watch the vid, as she's clearly wearing stacked rings on her right hand and diamond earrings to round out her summery look of shorts and a halter top.

Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck are reportedly parting ways with some of their shared belongings while also trying to unload their marital home ... all as they remain living separately.

The apparently estranged couple's selling pieces of art they had inside the $60 million Bev Hills abode where they used to live together, according to Page Six.

Ben and J Lo listed art and some other unspecified pieces earlier in June, and according to the report they've had some nibbles from collectors who've already taken a peek at the goods.

We have a possible new couple alert from across the pond ... because we just got photos of Paul Mescal on a date with Gracie Abrams.

Check it out ... the Irish star and the "us." singer are sitting at a tiny table together inside a packed restaurant for what appears to be a dinner date.

Folks who were there say Paul and Gracie broke bread at BRAT Restaurant in London, where they ordered a bunch of small sharing plates.

Kenya Moore is speaking out amid the news she isn't returning for the remainder of "The Real Housewives of Atlanta" season 16 ... assuring her fans she's doing just fine.

The Bravo personality took to Instagram Wednesday, hinting the full story behind her suspension and exit from the new season of 'RHOA' may not be out there. As Kenya put it ... she is grateful for fans' support but noted her "conscience is clean" amid the drama.

She continued ... "So many false claims hiding behind anonymous sources. All this conversation and no facts being reported. If a claim or source was valid, would they need to hide?"

Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick is flat-out denying he called a woman the N-word while a member of the Duke men's basketball team ... saying the interaction simply never happened.

Halleemah Nash -- an author, speaker, and Duke alum -- dropped the bombshell allegation on social media on Tuesday ... claiming, "I've only been called the N word to my face by a white man once in my life and it was on the campus of Duke University while I was doing work with the basketball team."

"And today he was named the new head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers. What a world."

Dr Disrespect is opening up on allegations he inappropriately messaged a minor several years ago -- leading to his ban from Twitch in 2020 -- with the streaming superstar admitting he did communicate with an underage person, but he's adamant "nothing illegal happened."

The conversation in question went down in 2017, and the ban was four years ago, but the story gained traction again this week ... when a former Twitch employee finally revealed the alleged reason Disrespect, who at one point was one of the most popular streamers on the platform, was booted.

"He got banned because he got caught sexting a minor in the then existing Twitch whispers product," the employee claimed. "He was trying to meet up with her at TwitchCon. The powers that could be read in plain text. Case closed, gang."