Lamar Odom’s best friend died from flesh-eating infection, not OD: Report

Lamar Odom’s best friend and reported drug buddy, Jamie Sangouthai, did not die from a drug overdose as initially suspected, but of a fast-moving flesh-eating disease associated with intravenous drug use, reports TMZ.

Following an initial report from TMZ, the LA County Coroner’s Office confirmed that 37-year-old Sangouthai died Sunday from a rare flesh-eating disease caused by injections from dirty needles.

According to the coroner, the exact term for this type of bacterial skin infection is “necrotizing fasciitis,” which was caused by chronic intravenous drug use.

Sangouthai — whose struggle with drugs was featured on the E! spinoff “Khloe and Lamar” with the former NBA star — went to the hospital for his infected arm, but this type of infection spreads rapidly and often becomes life-threatening in a very short amount of time.

Bruce Jenner involved in fatal California car crash: Report

Bruce Jenner was involved in a fatal multi-car collision in Malibu, CA. on Saturday. One person was killed in the crash and eight others were injured, reported the N.Y. Post. 

Jenner, a reality TV star and 1976 Olympic gold medalist, is reportedly in the midst of a sex change procedure. Jenner claims he was being chased by five paparazzi vehicles when the wreck occurred on the Pacific Coast Highway, said law enforcement sources.

@TMZ Bruce Jenner in bad accident on PCH in Malibu. He's aight, but others involved not so much. #tmz #BruceJenner pic.twitter.com/cf2KDLgK9J
— Fernando (@unclenandough) February 7, 2015

Via The Post:

Jenner’s vehicle reportedly rear-ended a white Lexus driven by a woman. That woman’s car spun into oncoming traffic. The impact killed the woman, said the sources. Jenner’s blue Cadillac Escalade suffered damage to its front. A black Hummer was also damaged.

The accident happened shortly after noon.

Jenner’s Escalade was towing an off-road dune buggy, said witness Keoni Picerno.

“He was up walking around, and he returned to his car once he realized the severity of the accident,” Picerno told The Post.

Jenner was still at the scene at about 1:30 p.m. California time, when a rescue helicopter took away one victim of the crash.

Lamar Odom packing on the pounds during divorce proceedings (PHOTO)

Lamar Odom might have shed tons of publicity-hungry Armenians after separating from reality show star Khloe Kardashian, but it looks like the former NBA star has been packing on the pounds since the divorce proceedings have begun.

Odom is a far cry — well maybe a few tears — from his slim playing days with the Lakers — when he and his fame-starved ex-wife were the picture of camera-ready happiness.

Now it appears the stress of his pending divorce with Kardashian is getting to him after Odom was spotted sporting a noticeably larger gut on Saturday, reported the Daily Mail.

The Mail wrote:

Although he was coming back from a workout in Sherman Oaks, the 6 ft, 10 in basketball player appeared to be heavier around his mid-section compared to his normally much- leaner frame.

As he walked, he looked tired and out of breath.

Carrying a couple of sweatshirts over his left shoulder, the 34-year-old was wearing a blue long-sleeve shirt, which was tucked into a pair of shorts. 

After battling a reportedly out-of-control drug addiction, Odom is apparently feeling the strain of his on-going, public divorce from his ex-wife. Kardashian is reportedly frustrated with him as he continues to drag his feet when it comes to signing divorce papers almost five months after she filed to dissolve their marriage.

In May, Khloe tweeted: "It still hurts... Maybe it always will."

While Lamar is yet to move on in the relationship department, he signed with the New York Knicks in April — a suspect deal that was seemingly made more out of compassion than necessity by his former coach and new Knicks president Phil Jackson.

Khloe Kardashian rebounding from Lamar Odom with Matt Kemp: Report

It didn't take long for Khloe Kardashian to rebound from her troubled marriage to Lamar Odom and find some new pro-sports chum to feed her reality show.

The 29-year-old reality star is apparently in the early stages of a new relationship with Los Angeles Dodgers star Matt Kemp, according to RadarOnline.

The pair were spotted on Friday going to the gym, with Kemp driving his car and Kardashian following in her own white SUV.

Matt drove at a steady, slow pace, perhaps so Kardashian wouldn't be left behind at a stop light. Kardashian kept her eyes hidden behind large-frame sunglasses and just seemed to focus on the road ahead.

A short while later, she pulled into the gym parking lot and walked to the entrance separately while covering her face with her camouflage backpack and her beige designer handbag.

Awww... courtship Beverly Hills style.

Kardashian's  romance with Rihanna's ex has reportedly been in swing for some time though, according to Radar.

Kemp had been in a sort of career slump of late but now we're talking about going from All-Star girlfriend to batting below the Mendoza Line.

Kardashian and Kemp both attended the John Legend show at LA's Nokia Theatre in December. And then on Monday, they were both at Jay Z's concert in LA, which Radar claims that Odom also attended separately but the out-of-work NBA star didn't speak to his estranged wife.

The news of the romance comes on the same day — Friday — that Kardashian filed for divorce from Odom in Los Angeles Superior Court, citing irreconcilable differences.

Kardashian, who has retained power attorney Laura Wasser, doesn't want spousal support and requests that Lamar not be granted it either.

The couple, who were married on September 27, 2009, have an 'ironclad' prenup that should make division of assets fairly easy.

Lamar Odom raps about doing drugs and cheating on wife (VIDEO)

It looks like Lamar Odom's highly-publicized drug problem is only getting worse — at least that's how it looks in this video — shot this month and obtained by TMZ — showing the former NBA player shirtless and incoherently rapping with some other dude.

The totally out-of-it Odom talks about drugs, making money without the NBA, and cheating on his wife Khloe Kardashian in what has to the most damning evidence that this guy needs real help for his drug addiction — and fast.

In the embarrassing "rap" video, Odom mumbles about making money off his fragrance "Unbreakable," and how he smokes drugs to make "the pain go away." He even drops brother-in-law Kanye West's name.

But in the incriminating part — Lamar raps, "And when Khloe's out of town / I still be on the DL." His friend then follows up, "You know what it is / We the QU [Queens] pimps / Ask any of these shorties / We ran through their cribs."

In other words: when his wife is away, Lamar will play.

As TMZ reported, Lamar's currently training hard in Rhode Island, trying to get back in shape for the NBA — but drugs are still obviously a big part of his life.

It's pretty hard to watch this video without cringing.

Lamar Odom and Khloe Kardashian secretly selling family home: Report

It's looks like time is winding down for the marriage of Lamar Odom and Khloe Kardashian who are secretly selling their Los Angeles mansion, according to TMZ.

Real estate sources tell the gossip site that Kardashian has given several San Fernando Valley realtors a pocket listing — meaning the house will not appear in the multiple listing service —  in order to sell the house without much fanfare and to keep gawkers from getting inside.  Any prospective buyer must pre-qualify before seeing the house, meaning they must have enough cash to buy the place.  

The former NBA star and his reality show wife want a cool $4 mil for the house.  They paid $3.95 million in 2009.

TMZ's sources say the missus is the driving force behind the sale, telling realtors she wants to "start fresh and move on."

Title to the house is held in both Khloe and Lamar's names.

As TMZ first reported, Khloe intends to divorce Lamar, but no documents have been prepared or filed because she knows he's in a fragile state and doesn't want to push him over the edge while his drug addiction is still in check.

Phil Jackson blames Kardashians for Lamar Odom's problems (VIDEO)

Phil Jackson says he's concerned about Lamar Odom and his life after basketball. And thinks he knows the root of the struggling NBA player's troubles as he tries to come back from addiction.

"We thought the Kardashian arrangement, or marriage, was a terrific thing for him because it's a family, a structure, something that would give him support," the  Hall of Fame coach said on "The Seth Davis Show," referring to Odom's marriage to Khloe Kardashian.

"Maybe it wasn't," he continued. "Basically, I think he's thrown his cell phone away ... went into hibernation."

"We're very concerned about him," Jackson said. "But I understand things are looking up ... so I'm really hopefully that will happen. Basketball has been his life and without it, it's a very destructive course."

The first part of the interview ran on Oct. 28; the second is scheduled to go live Friday via the website Campusinsiders.com.

Lamar Odom flies to NYC for meetings with NBA executives: Report

Even after Lamar Odom's reported crack addiction and recent DUI charge, it sounds like the NBA is willing to take another chance on the former Sixth Man of the Year.

Odom flew to New York Wednesday to meet with executives from several NBA teams, reports TMZ, and he's carrying what he claims is proof that he's clean and sober, sources connected the troubled player told the gossip site.

According to TMZ, Odom tested negative for blood and urine tests for drugs and supposedly brought the results with him to New York as evidence. 

Odom has reportedly been in private talks with the executives and potentially wants to make a deal. He also planned to visit his family to get away from the "negative energy" surrounding him in LA.

This is consistent with what other sources have told TMZ about his time with the Kardashians on Tuesday. They said Odom was lucid and showed no signs of being under the influence of drugs.

Teams like the Los Angeles Lakers and the Los Angeles Clippers were once interested in Odom, but when his personal problems became public, they stepped away from signing him.

Odom —who has refused to enter rehab — was told by the interested parties they could meet, provided he could show he was clean. The purpose of the trip is to possibly strike a deal.

Sadly, this wouldn't be the first time Odom said he was done with drugs and ready to restart his NBA career.

Kris Humphries puts Kim Kardashian's $2 million engagement ring up for auction: Report

A sparkling engagement ring matching the description of Kim Kardashian's symbol of marriage has been listed in an auction called "Magnificent Jewels" that’s slated for Oct. 15 at Christie’s in Manhattan, according to RumorFix.com. The high-end auction house declined to name NBA player Kris Humphries —Kardashian’s ex-husband — as the seller, saying only that "a gentleman" was behind the listing.

The former Brooklyn Net and current Boston Celtics' forward presented Kim K with the ring on her reality show Keeping Up With The Kardashians.  Their August 2011 wedding was featured in two separate and highly viewed E! specials and lasted a whole 72 days. Their divorce came a few months later.

After filing for divorce, 32-year-old Kardashian wanted to keep the ring but Humphries sought the jewel’s return as part of his fraud claim.

The Lorraine Schwartz design features a 16-karat emerald cut center stone flanked by 1.8-karat trapezoid side diamonds — in case you are in the market for some tainted bling.

The ring goes on view Oct. 11 at Christie’s in Rockefeller Center and is expected to fetch only about $500 K.

Giants new LB Keith Rivers picks up woman in ER

Manhattan's Roosevelt Hospital was the site of another sports star sighting yesterday.  After Detroit Tigers outfielder Delmon Young finished detoxing  before his Friday morning arrest for assault,  New York Giants newest linebacker Keith Rivers was spotted carrying a sick female friend out of the mid-town hospital after a night of clubbing with Reggie Bush.

The New York Post reported that after sober-looking Rivers arrived at the hospital at 9:30 a.m. yesterday, he gave his name to security, walked inside and left with the woman.

Roosevelt is the same hospital where a "highly intoxicated" Young was treated early Friday morning after he went on his anti-Semitic rage and pushed some guy outside the Hilton hotel.

That same morning, at about 10:30 a.m., Rivers— who told reporters Young was not the reason he was there— was seen leaving the hospital with an attractive brunette in her mid-20's.  She was wearing high heels and a short skirt which looked like the the same clothes she was wearing the night before.

The unidentified young woman appeared haggard and her make-up smeared after a rough night.  Rivers protectively put his arm around her and walked here down the street said The Post.

When asked if he had seen Young in the ER, Rivers replied, "I am dealing with my own problems."  Then he and the woman jumped into a cab and sped away.

It seems like they all speed away.

A few hours earlier Rivers and a group of his friends had met up with Bush at celebrity hangout Lavo.  Both guys played football together at USC.

Bush and Rivers— who did not appear to be drinking— hung out at the club until 3 a.m. at tables near Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck.  Luck was reportedly celebrating being the No. 1 pick of the NFL Draft on Thursday night.

Welcome to New York City Keith and watch out for Kardashians.

Olivia Munn Is New York Rangers Good Luck Charm

A New York Ranger dating a model or actress is nothing new in the city, but center Brad Richards might have just landed himself a keeper in Olivia Munn.  At least Rangers fans hope so.

Munn has been linked to Richards since November and since then has been a regular in the stands while the team has gone on a torrid hot streak.  They now find themselves at first place in the NHL's Eastern Conference.

The pretty Maxim model and actress was spotted at Madison Square Garden again during Monday night's 3-0 win against the Islanders.  Following the game, she was seen being high-fived and thanked by Rangers fans in the stands, according to the New York Post.

Richards and Munn have been spotted getting cozy all over Manhattan and reportedly spent Christmas Eve together.

According to the Post, the couple go to trendy hot spots together and were seen "laughing a lot and very affectionate."

The victory against the Islanders was the Rangers (22-8-4) fifth straight and they have improved to 11-3-2 at home this season.  They remain one point ahead of the Boston Bruins.

Richards has 12 goals and 14 assists in 34 games this year.

For now at least Ranger fans can call Munn their lucky charm and be thankful she isn't a Kardashian.

A Kardashian Could Do Brian Cashman's Job

The New York Yankees insist they are not in any sort of panic mode after finishing out of the money in the Cliff Lee sweepstakes.  After coming up with zilch at the Winter Meetings in Orlando, the Yankees GM, Brian Cashman, immediately went out and made a couple of moves;  signing two players with a history of injuries--catcher Russell Martin and pitcher Mark Prior.

While the Yankees claim they are looking past Lee's back-door move to the Philadelphia Phillies, they do seem to be a little desperate.  Cashman has gone from waving a blank check at Lee to Plan B.  "Plan B is patience," Cashman said yesterday.  Everyone assumed Plan B was acquiring outfielder Carl Crawford.  Didn't he end up in Boston?

Cashman spent a couple of weeks waving a wad of cash in the face of his desired off-season pick-up, Lee, who couldn't be bought.  One of the Kardashian brats could have done the same thing--only they usually get the bling they want.

The Yankees and Cashman have become so accustomed to whipping out the checkbook and getting who they want, wheeling-and-dealing are never an option.  Cashman just wrote a check and pulled A-Rod, Mark Teixeira and CC Sabathia off the rack.  Being spurned is never in the equation.  Just like the K girls.

Cashman, the Steve Carrel lookalike, sometimes looked like he was playing some sort of bumbling Michael Scott in the Yankees "Front Office" this off-season.  Cashman's sit-commish negotiations with Derek Jeter made it look the relationship between Michael and Dwight look healthy.  It caused the face of the Yankees to actually question the allegiance of his beloved Yankees.

Then in the next off-season episode, Cashman had a business dinner with Carl Crawford.  He must have had corn in his teeth because the outfielder signed with the Red Sox two days later.

The GM's last off-season storyline continued with Michael... I mean Cashman watching Lee flee back to the Phillies while all the baseball pundits all but had the lefthander posing for a Monument Park plaque.

Now Cashman has to get his hands dirty by making a big-time trade--something it seems like he's done once in the past decade--the Curtis Granderson swap last year--then go to Plan P.

Plan P is getting Andy Pettitte to stop pulling his annual Brett Favre imitation and come back for one more year.  Cashman keeps speaking of patience and it could end up being a profitable virtue for Pettitte.  If the Yankee free-agent had signed a couple of weeks ago, when Lee looked like a slam dunk for the Yankees, he would have had to fight for every penny in his contract.  Now he knows Cashman has Lee's offer of $148 million still in hand and an ineffective A.J. Burnett as the number 3 starter.  Can any one say leverage?

"The one thing the Boss taught me is you have to get in the arena and fight, " said the Yankee GM.  "We will engage the remaining free agents and trade market and pursue what interests us at the level that we feel  appropriate," he continued. 

What is appropriate is another reliable starter and the only way to get one now is by wheeling and dealing.  After Sabathia and Phil Hughes, his rotation is fragile--even if it is bolstered with the 39 year-old Pettitte. Rounding out the rotation with Sergio Mitre and Ivan Nova is risky at best.  Prior, who was signed to a minor league deal and hasn't pitched since 2006, will go straight to the bullpen.

After  wooing Pettitte, Cashman will realistically target former Cy Young winner, Zach Greinke.  The Kansas City Royal, who has admitted to past anxiety problems may come at a high cost and there is speculation he could be a bad fit in the Bronx.  Yankee fans have seen stronger players wilt under the New York media glare before.

There is talk about jumping in on the Tampa Bay fire sale and trading for Matt Garza as well as making an offer to the Florida Marlins for Josh Johnson and the possibility of a face-saving shot at Seattle Mariners Cy Young winner, Felix Hernandez.  Beyond that, the pickings are slim--an injured Brandon Webb and ex-Yankee flame-out, Carl Pavano. Webb hasn't thrown since 2008 and Pavano already knows what it's like to be run out of the city.

The final Yankees option is waiting for the July 31 trading deadline because most of the pitchers named are in the middle of their contracts and teams would be asking too much right now.  Their prices might come down in mid-season.

For now, if Cashman wants to prove he's more than a Chloe or Kim with a checkbook jiggling through an off-season designer sale, he would make a move for Hernandez--even if it means parting with his prize catching prospect Jesus Montero.  Yankee fans have been hearing about Montero for years and well...where is he?!  Reality check.  The Yankees have three regular starting players they have brought up since 2005--four if you count Joba.

Cashman keeps harping about his young pitchers, Manuel Banuelos and Dellin Betances, down in Single-A and how the Yankees must nurture them to be championship players.  Sounds like trade bait to me.  It's Cashman's version of the Joba Rules and looked what that pitcher has produced.

Seeing Hernandez in pinstripes would be a bigger deal than getting the 32 year-old Lee and make Cashman look like John Wayne and George Steinbrenner combined.  The only question remains is if the Mariners are willing to trade their current ace for future stars?

Cashman should make an offer to the Mariners.  He has trade bait and $148 million.  I wonder what the Kardashian girls could do with that kind of cash?