Basketball Wives

There's some bad blood on VH1's Basketball Wives. Shocking, we know.

This runs a little deeper than your run-of-the-mill cat fight, however. Cast members Meeka Claxton and Tami Roman decided to settle their differences at a nightclub the old-fashioned way: With fists of fury!

The slugfest went down in Rome, Italy.

Meeka Claxton (left) and Tami Roman (right) have been on frigid terms for months now, with Meeka accused of creating animosity among the cast.

Meeka denies the accusations ... but during a recent taping at some nightclub in Rome, Tami decided to confront her rival with a knuckle sandwich.

Who even writes that? We do, apparently. Stupid word choice aside, a full on brawl broke out and ended with Meeka Claxton drilled in the mouth.

No one was seriously injured, but between this and Ronnie pounding The Situation, Italy is gaining a reputation as THE D-list reality star fight locale.

[Photos: VH1]

Sources say Evelyn Lozada is quitting Basketball Wives.

And it's not because she's actually engaged to a football player.

According to TMZ, Lozada believes producers committed an intentional foul against her by divulging sensitive information regarding an illicit relationship from her past.

No word yet from Evelyn, but insiders claim she has already sent producers a scathing email because she thinks they revealed this affair tidbit solely to incite a confrontation between her and another woman on the show. Weird. That doesn't sound like a reality TV trick at all!

In other Basketball Wives news, it now appears as though Allison Mathis will NOT be replacing Royce Reed after all.

UPDATE: Evelyn is reportedly demanding $20,000 per episode or she's gone.

Goodbye Royce Reed, hello Allison Mathis?

Sources connected with VH1's Basketball Wives tell TMZ that Chris Bosh's baby mama is likely to replace Dwight Howard's baby mama on this mis-named reality show.

Mathis reportedly underwent a rigorous, three-round interview process before landing the gig. But producers decided she was worthy of a spot on season three due to her baby-related baggage:

In 2009, Allison engaged in a lengthy paternity payment battle with the Miami Heat power forward. It grew ugly at times, but was actually handled in a far more mature manner than the way in which LeBron James spurned the Cavs.

Shaquille O'Neal is not happy.

The Diesel and his attorney fired off a heated letter to VH1 demanding they halt production on Basketball Wives, which features his estranged wife.

He believes Shaunie O'Neal is out for "televised revenge." Revenge for what?

Infidelity, probably. Dude supposedly got around like a record.

Shaq is threatening legal action should "any further episodes of Basketball Wives which make any reference to Mr. O'Neal" air. On what grounds?

Because Shaunie signed a confidentiality agreement at some point in their marriage, Shaq says, so if she starts spilling secrets on-air, it's so on.

Shaquille and Shaunie O'Neal in happier times.

Sources say that while the Basketball Wives premiere made no slanderous claims against Shaq, the second episode might make it to air following this letter.

Hmm.

The Cleveland Cavaliers center and rotund NBA legend has been linked to, among other women, mistress Vanessa Lopez, who is suing him for harassment.

She and Shaunie are actually teaming up against him as the latter seeks a fat settlement in their impending divorce. There's no telling what she knows.

Those Shaq text messages may be the tip of the iceberg. We can only hope. There's got to be dirtier stuff than that. Basketball Wives, come through!

Say this about VH1 programming: it isn't trying to fool anyone.

As much as we adore Chris Harris and can't wait to see Jake Pavelka as The Bachelor (debuting January 4 on ABC!), most reality TV fare of this nature is grating and insulting in its supposed portrayal of love.

There is a reason, after all, why the aforementioned program is zero for 13 in its attempts to actually mate a couple for life.

That's why we find VH1's reality shows so comforting: they are complete and utter nonsense; they know it; and they embrace it.

Two upcoming series, announced this week by the network, are perfect examples:

1. Basketball Wives will follow the lives of current and former squeezes of such professional players as Shaquille O’Neal (pictured), Eric Williams, Antoine Walker, Jermaine O’Neal and Udonis Haslem. Shockingly, Dwight Howard's baby mama, Royce Lyndsay Reed, was not asked to appear.
2. Secrets of Aspen will explore the pampered world of six women and one man that reside in Aspen, Colorado; known "as a playground for the rich and famous," according to VH1.

Shaquille who?!? The reality TV world awaits the debut of Shaunie O'Neal.