Posted Feb 10th 2010 12:09AM by TMZ Staff
Captain Phil Harris -- star of Discovery Channel's "Deadliest Catch" -- died about an hour ago ... sources tell TMZ.
Harris was hospitalized a few weeks ago after sufferring a stroke while unloading crabs. He had been doing better until the sudden turn.
Captain Harris died in a hospital in Alaska. He was 53.
Harris' kids, Jake and Josh, tell TMZ, "It is with great sadness that we say goodbye to our dad, Captain Phil Harris. Dad has always been a fighter and continued to be until the end. For us and the crew, he was someone who never backed down. We will remember and celebrate that strength. Thanks to everyone for their thoughts and prayers."
Story developing
Filed under: R.I.P.
Posted Feb 10th 2010 12:08AM by TMZ Staff
The following story is all about Kobe Bryant and boobies -- allegedly.
Kobe is the poster boy on a flier touting him as the host of a party at NBA All-Star Weekend in Dallas. The catch --- the party is being thrown by Show Magazine -- a men's publication featuring scantily clad and topless women.
So why would Kobe -- who dodged a career-ending bullet in 2003 -- make a move that could potentially sully his resurrected image?
Kobe's camp isn't talking -- but reps from the magazine and the club where the party is set to go down each insist Kobe negotiated a fee and put his Hancock on a contract.
The owner of Show Magazine also claims he had to have the flier approved by the NBA before he could start distributing it around town.
As for the sexy models -- we're told some of the girls from the magazine will be appearing at the party in "sexy outfits."
So we gotta ask ...
Filed under: TMZ Sports
Posted Feb 10th 2010 12:07AM by TMZ Staff
Beau MacMillan -- one of the stars of Food Network's "Worst Cooks in America" -- was arrested in Arizona on Sunday for an outstanding warrant, but according to Beau ... it's all just a big misunderstanding.
Beau tells TMZ he was pulled over on Sunday in Scottsdale for failing to come to a complete stop at a red light, when cops noticed he had a warrant out for his arrest.
Turns out Beau was busted by a traffic enforcement camera back in January -- but he claims he never got the ticket in the mail because he just moved in to a new house.
Beau says he was in New York filming promos for the Food Network when he unknowingly missed his court date on January 20 -- so a misdemeanor warrant was issued for his arrest for failure to appear.
Beau says he was booked for the warrant and released within 20 minutes, and said, "You gotta keep it in under 55 in Arizona."
Beau's arrest was first reported by Scottsdale Arizona News.
Filed under: Celebrity Justice
Posted Feb 10th 2010 12:05AM by TMZ Staff
Snooki's new "Guido Juicehead" is even greasier than anyone she met on the "Jersey Shore" -- dude used to oil himself up for bodybuilding competitions.
But when Snook's new BF Emilio wasn't posing down in his man-panties -- dude found other ways to keep himself occupied ... like beer bongs and body paint.
Filed under: Photo Galleries, Jersey Shore
Posted Feb 10th 2010 12:04AM by TMZ Staff
Victoria's Secret model Adriana Lima is now available as a stripper -- or at least that's what one exotic dancer delivery company wanted you to think.
A company called Hard Bodies Strippers started using an old photo of the lingerie model in their new Super Bowl themed advertisement -- and surprise, surprise ... she didn't sign off on it.
It appears Lima was just used for game day promos -- her image no longer appears on the company's site.
No comment from Lima's people.
Filed under: Celebrity Justice, Hot Bodies, Exclusives
Posted Feb 10th 2010 12:03AM by TMZ Staff
Chico Bouchikhi -- a co-founder of The Gipsy Kings -- just scheduled a showdown against the guy who's allegedly been impersonating him around the country ... and it involves a whole lot of resentment and flamenco music.
Here's the deal: The real Bouchikhi (left) scheduled a performance for Thursday in Miami -- the very same night his alleged imposter Chico Castillo (right) is slated to perform just 9 miles away.
The super feud has been escalating since December when Bouchikhi filed a lawsuit against Castillo for trademark infringement and fraud -- after Castillo allegedly traveled around the world impersonating him on stage and in television interviews.
TMZ spoke to Chico B.'s rep, who told us Bouchikhi purposely wanted to perform a concert close to Castillo's show, "So that the public knows the real founding member of The Gipsy Kings."
Awww snap.
Filed under: Music, Exclusives
Posted Feb 10th 2010 12:02AM by TMZ Staff
Vinny from "Jersey Shore" just seriously upped his guido street cred -- because the guy just got inked with some impressive Sicilian themed body art.
TMZ has obtained pics of the new tattoo Vinny was branded with last week -- which we're told took the "Jersey" boy and his tattoo artist 10 hours to come up with.
The new tattoo features a symbol based off the Sicilian Trinacria -- a symbol of the Italian island -- and a statue of an angel.
Shockingly, there's no barbed wire anywhere in Vinny's new tat.
Filed under: TV, Hot Bodies, Exclusives, Jersey Shore
Posted Feb 10th 2010 12:01AM by TMZ Staff
In the '80s, Keren Woodward (left), Sara Dallin (center) and Siobhan Fahey (right) became famous as Bananarama with hits like "Cruel Summer," "Venus" and "I Heard a Rumour." Guess what some of them look like now!
Filed under: Music, Beauty, 'Memba Them?!
Posted Feb 10th 2010 12:00AM by TMZ Staff
Here's former model turned actress Famke Janssen at some event in NYC (left) -- and Season Two contestant on "RuPaul's Drag Race" Nicole Paige Brooks (right).
Only one of them is an "X-Men."
We're just sayin'.
Filed under: We're Just Sayin'
Posted Feb 9th 2010 9:20PM by TMZ Staff
Lawyers for Michael Jackson's estate have fired back at Joe Jackson's request for MJ's medical records in order for Joe to sue a news outlet over death photos.
Joe claims a published photo of an already dead Michael Jackson is an invasion of the family's privacy. As we first reported, although Joe didn't name the news outlet, "Entertainment Tonight" aired a photo of Jackson -- whom paramedics believed was already dead -- as he was taken into an ambulance from his home.
Joe's lawyer, Brian Oxman, asked the judge last Friday to dislodge MJ's UCLA medical records so he can prepare the lawsuit.
But in papers filed today, estate lawyer Howard Weitzman claims Oxman is all wet -- that Oxman misstated the law in legal docs and that UCLA medical records are totally irrelevant to a death photo lawsuit.
Weitzman also claims the physician/patient privilege prohibits the estate from anteing up the med records.
Filed under: Celebrity Justice, Michael Jackson
Posted Feb 9th 2010 8:50PM by TMZ Staff
Tila Tequila just called L.A.'s finest after allegedly eyeballing a stalker outside her San Fernando Valley house.
Tila says a stranger in a gray car was parked outside her house -- someone she claims has been there off and on for the past two weeks.
Three LAPD patrol cars arrived at Tila's house but cops saw no one matching the description.
Filed under: Celebrity Justice
Posted Feb 9th 2010 7:33PM by TMZ Staff
Jay Leno just permanently turned off the lights to his primetime NBC talk show -- but not before Donald Trump stepped in to officially fire his ass.
TMZ infiltrated the taping of the final "Jay Leno Show" -- where just moments ago, Jay was doing a satellite bit with Donald Trump. At the end of the bit, His Hairness sent Jay on his way the only way he knows how -- "You're Fired!"
We're told everyone laughed -- including Jay.
Wonder what Conan thinks?
Filed under: TV, Exclusives, Jay Leno
Posted Feb 9th 2010 7:30PM by TMZ Staff
Good news ladies... Hugh Hefner is going to be a single man ... soon.
TMZ has obtained legal docs making his divorce from Kimberly Hefner official on March 11.
Sources tell us the couple has come to terms on a property settlement which is confidential.
The 83-year-old filed for divorce last September, although he separated from Kimberly in 1998.
Hugh didn't file for divorce earlier because he struck a deal and paid Kimberly a fixed sum and let her live in the house adjacent to the Playboy Mansion.
Kimberly filed a $5 million lawsuit against Hef last August after Hef sold the house and didn't give her profits. He claims he's paid her nearly $12 million since they separated.
The couple married in 1989 and have two adult sons.
Filed under: Celebrity Justice, Dirty Divorces, Playboy, Exclusives
