Muckraking Sites Spar Over John Mayer's Booty

Star challenges TMZ and loses

John Mayer likes publicity -- even if it leaves him $25,000 poorer.

The musician, legendary player and over-exposed Twitter head challenged TMZ to find his mug shot from a 2001 arrest in Atlanta -- pledging to donate $25,000 to charity if the muckraking gossip site produced the photo.

In the tweet, Mayer, 31, calls out TMZ's beverage sipping honcho by name.

"If Harvey Levin at TMZ can produce my mugshot, I will donate 25k to the charity of his choice," he tweeted, according to the N.Y. Daily News. "Who else is in? Harvey is Freedom of Information Act King."

Turns out The Smoking Gun was also watching.

TSG beat TMZ to the punch, posting Mayer's arrest photo several minutes ahead of the celebrity rag -- then bragging about it.

While TMZ claimed it had exclusively dug up the mug shot, which was taken after Mayer was nabbed for driving with a suspended license in Atlanta, it had to eventually concede defeat to its bounty hunting competitor, TSG.

Mayer tweeted that he'll divy up the 25k between Pet Orphans and Ace of Hearts, two pet charities.

"Well done, TMZ. But the real winners today are the puppies. Proof of payment on the way..." he wrote.

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