THE OTHER STUFF . . .

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry should have no problem becoming self-sufficient ... because there are huge sums to be made for speaking engagements and book deals. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex would easily command upwards of $500,000 each to speak in front of crowds ... according to folks who help celebs get such deals. Lots of famous folks get paid huge sums to speak, and Meghan and Harry are obviously in demand. GDA Speakers, whose clients include Nicole Kidman and Diane Keaton, predicts baby Archie's parents could do a lot of business speaking in front of non-profit and volunteer-based organizations, and they'd get more than the standard $200,000 to $300,000 going to most celebs. Meghan and Harry could make even more by putting their names on a book ... celebrity and sports agent Darren Prince tells TMZ, the former Royals could easily bank an $8M to $10M advance on a book deal. The final amount could be even higher because we're told the $8-10 mil figure would essentially be a starting off point. If Meghan and Harry go down the book publishing road ... we're told they would trigger a massive bidding war, with the winner cutting the biggest check they've likely ever written. Meghan and Harry's story is one-of-a-kind ... but the real moneymaker, we're told, would be an unprecedented Royal biography or tell-all from an actual Royal. Meghan and Harry would command a fortune, even surpassing Michelle Obama's highly lucrative book. The numbers stay the same for joint speaking appearances ... we're told Harry and Meghan would collect a cool $1 million as a pair. The prices will go up, we're told if they speak longer and add Q&As and meet and greets. It's an insane amount of money, but we're told Harry and Meghan wouldn't shock anyone by donating the cash to charity ... after all, it's what most celebs, do ... and this couple is known for its big deeds. (TMZ)

Kobe Bryant had already made plans for his daughter, Gianna -- AKA GiGi -- to follow in his legendary footsteps by filing to trademark her very own hoops nickname. TMZ Sports obtained the paperwork Kobe filed for "Mambacita" on Dec. 30, 2019. Of course, the name is both a tip of the hat to GiGi's father -- the Black Mamba -- and also to her own growing prowess on the hardcourt. According to the docs ... the plan was to put "Mambacita" on all sorts of sportswear -- shirts, shorts, hats, jerseys, sweatpants, sweatshirts and hoodies. Kobe had started referring to his 13-year-old daughter by that handle on social media. In fact, one such post, back in November, is eerily poignant today. Kobe praised GiGi's offense, and also the defense of Alyssa Altobelli. Alyssa, her mother and father -- Keri and John Altobelli -- all perished on the chopper Sunday. Alyssa, like GiGi, was a star player at Kobe's Mamba Academy. Kobe ended the post by shouting out the "familiar fade" shot by his beloved daughter ... "#Mambacita." (TMZ)

Lana Del Rey purchased her Grammy awards dress from an actual mall & is joined by her police officer BF. We stan Lana Del Rey loves a vintage look whether that is in her songs or when it comes to her red-carpet style and her ensemble for Sunday night's Grammy Award 2020 was no exception. Deciding to avoid her usual waves, the brunette swept her hair into a chic up-do with a centre parting. Of course, in a nod to her obsession with the 1960s, the singer who was nominated for Album of the Year, for Norman F***ing Rockwell! finished the look with a strong flick of black eyeliner. But it's her story of how she found her dress that makes Lana Del Rey's Grammy's red carpet look the most relatable. Speaking to Entertainment Tonight on the red carpet she said, "I was at the Mall and I saw this, and I loved it." Speaking of the silver flor length dress, Lana continued to say, "It was last minute. but I loved it," but was unable to identify the brand. We love how relatable this story this. Lana Del Rey also decided to use the Grammy Awards red carpet to make her public debut with her new boyfriend, Sean Larkin who is a full-time police officer in Tulsa, Oklahoma. For the occasion he slipped out of his Police officer uniform in favor of a black tuxedo. Speaking on the red-carpet Lana joked she was matching her silver dress with his silver hair. Previously she described her new boyfriend as "a good cop who sees both sides of things," to the Los Angeles Times. The couple went Instagram official in December last year and she said Sunday night she was, "very happy." After losing out to Billie Eilish in the Album of the Year, Lana seems to have the prize she really wants, a hot cop on her arm and a cracking dress from the mall. Go on gurl. (British Glamour)

LeBron James and the Lakers In Tears As They Arrive Back in L.A. Following Kobe Bryant's Death. The Lakers are mourning the devastating loss of one of their own. On Sunday, the L.A.-based NBA team were headed back home from Philadelphia when they received news their former teammate Kobe Bryant had tragically passed away following a helicopter accident. Understandably, the players were in shock and seen visibly upset as they exited their flight. An emotional LeBron James immediately hugged a woman before walking off on his own, wiping away the flood tears. The sudden death comes just one day after LeBron passed Kobe, a.k.a. Mamba, on the all-time scoring list, an achievement Kobe was more than happy to celebrate. "Continuing to move the game forward @KingJames," the 41-year-old tweeted just hours before the fatal crash. "Much respect my brother #33644." (This would, unfortunately, be his final post on the social media site.) For his part, LeBron idolized the legend, looking up to him throughout his childhood and career. "Seeing him come straight out of high school, he is someone that I used as inspiration," he recently told ESPN. "I used it as motivation. He helped me before he even knew of me because of what he was able to do." At around 9:47 a.m. local time, the retired superstar's helicopter crashed into a hillside in Calabasas, Calif., killing all nine passengers on board. Among the victims was his 13-year-old daughter Gianna Bryant. According to TMZ, the father-daughter duo were reportedly on their way to Mamba Academy for a basketball practice, which is near the Thousand Oaks and Calabasas area in Los Angeles. He is survived by wife Vanessa Bryant and his three daughters Natalia, 17, Bianka, 3, and Capri, 7 months. Shortly after news broke, friends, family and fans took to social media to pay tribute to one of the greats. "Kobe was a legend on the court and just getting started in what would have been just as meaningful a second act," Barack Obama wrote. "To lose Gianna is even more heartbreaking to us as parents. Michelle and I send love and prayers to Vanessa and the entire Bryant family on an unthinkable day." Kobe's former teammate Shaquille O'Neal cannot believe this is his new reality. "Words can't describe the pain I'm feeling," he wrote in a tribute. "I loved Kobe. He was like a little brother to me. We used to talk often, and I will miss those conversations very much. He was a fierce competitor, one of the greats of the game and a creative force. Kobe was also an amazing dad who loved his family deeply -- and took great pride in his daughter's love for the game of basketball." Our thoughts are with Kobe's loved ones during this devastating time. (Eonline)

Ronnie Ortiz-Magro's baby mama, Jen Harley, is turning her passion into a full-time gig ... because she's officially licensed to sell houses!!! Jen just got her real estate license in Nevada, according to legal docs obtained by TMZ, and she's joining the team at Realty One Group in Las Vegas. Sources close to Jen tell TMZ ... she caught the real estate bug after making some extra cash helping agents flip her own homes, and decided she wanted to take real estate classes and pursue a career in the biz. Jen's been around the game for a while ... we're told she's owned 6 homes in her life and got a thrill out of buying and selling each property. Now she can pocket some commissions!!! In addition to being licensed in Nevada, we're told Jen wants to eventually get a license in Cali, and she has a house in escrow in Florida she's hoping to turn into an Airbnb. As you know ... Ronnie and Jen are selling their Las Vegas home after listing it 3 months ago. Jen only got her real estate license in January, so she didn't land that listing. Probably for the best, considering their track record. (TMZ)

The Ramsey family firmly believes in the mantra "never say never." Twenty-three years after the death of JonBenet Ramsey, her half-brother, John Andrew Ramsey, and late detective Lou Smit's daughter Cindy Marra believe they can still crack the case. "We have the killer's DNA ... so that's hugely important and will ultimately solve this crime," John Andrew, 43, says in episode 5 of the "Killing of JonBenet: The Final Suspects" podcast. "There are additional items that should be tested given today's new technology for additional samples. And then ... the advent of using genealogy to identify a killer is hugely promising, and that technology will only get better." John Andrew notes that DNA technology has made "leaps and bounds in improvement" since his half-sister was found dead at the age of 6 in December 1996. "So, in my mind, if it's not today, it's tomorrow. We're going to crack this," he says. "I'm absolutely confident in that." Marra has an equally positive mindset about the investigation, which her late father led for many years. She and her husband, Kat Marra, along with a man named Jameson have a treasure trove of files sourced from the Ramsey family and Smit, who died from colon cancer in 2010. "[Lou] used an Excel spreadsheet and it has information in there about the evidence, about the people who had any kind of connection to the Ramsey case -- whether it be neighbors, people who phoned in tips, sex offenders that were in the area at the time -- they're all on a list," Cindy says. "And on that list, it shows whether the police took their DNA, whether they took their blood, their saliva, fingerprints, handwriting samples. It has information." She adds, "We feel confident that the name of the killer is on that list." JonBenet's autopsy report stated that she died from asphyxia by strangulation and also had craniocerebral trauma at the time of her death. The late child beauty queen's parents, John and the late Patsy Ramsey, were initially investigated as suspects but later cleared by DNA results. The case remains unsolved, and the Boulder Police Department in Colorado still has an open investigation. If you have information that could help investigators and the Ramseys identify JonBenet's killer, please email tips@justiceforjonbenet.com. (US Weekly)

Nicki Minaj's brother was just sentenced to 25 years to life in prison following the guilty verdict in his child rape trial. Judge Robert McDonald sentenced Jelani Maraj in a New York court Monday ... several months after the verdict been reached. As we reported ... Maraj was found guilty of predatory sexual assault against a child and endangering the welfare of a child in a trial that lasted less than 3 weeks. At the time of the verdict, the Nassau County D.A. told us, "We hope that today's verdict will help the family in the healing process." Back in 2017, Nicki visited her brother while he was locked up. We were told she only went to support her mother. TMZ broke the story ... Nicki never testified during the trial -- despite claims made by her brother's defense team that she would. (TMZ)

Lee Harvey Oswald -- the man some believe acted alone in assassinating President John F. Kennedy -- never cashed his final paycheck ... on account of being dead, we're assuming. Oswald's check from the Texas School Book Depository is now up for auction ... and it's likely to fetch a lot more money than what it was originally worth to him. It was issued to Oswald on December 3, 1963 -- 11 days after he killed JFK, and 9 days after he was shot and killed by Jack Ruby. As you can see, it's handwritten other than the stamped amount of "$43 and 37 cts" and includes a note at the bottom left that reads, "4 Days. Lee Harvey Oswald for Nov '63." This implies he was paid for 4 days that week, but not a fifth day ... possibly Friday, November 22, the date of the assassination. Of course, Oswald was seen working at the book depository that morning ... before climbing into a 6th-floor window, and taking aim at Kennedy's motorcade in Daley Plaza. Oswald fired 3 shots at 12:30 PM. The check ended up in the possession of Marina Oswald's lawyer, John Thorne. He apparently paid Lee's wife the cash in order to keep the check, which he obviously realized would become historic memorabilia. When Thorne died, it was transferred to his widow ... who's passed it along to Heritage Auctions to put it on the block. We're told it could haul in thousands, as it's comparable to checks signed by John Wilkes Booth ... which can sell for up to $10k. The auction's scheduled for February 22-23, and will also include Oswald's high school yearbook and a photo of him getting shot by Ruby. (TMZ)

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