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Anita Pointer, one of the founders of the iconic group bearing her name, has died.

Anita's rep tells TMZ ... her death was the result of a "somewhat lengthy and heroic battle with cancer." We're told she died peacefully at home Saturday, surrounded by her family.

The Pointer Sisters formed in the late '60s after Anita quit her job as a secretary and formed the soon-to-be-famous group with her sisters Bonnie, June and Ruth.

They became one of the most popular groups in the '70s, with iconic hit after hit.

To name a few ... "I'm So Excited," "Jump," "Slow Hand," "Fire," "He's So Shy," and "Neutron Dance." If you haven't heard all these songs, you should take a listen, because they're awesome.

The group won Grammys and many other awards, and they were the first African American group to perform at the Grand Ole Opry.

Anita's sister and group member Ruth, along with brothers Aaron and Fritz, said,  "While we are deeply saddened by the loss of Anita, we are comforted in knowing she is now with her daughter, Jada and her sisters June & Bonnie and at peace."

They went on ...  "She was the one that kept all of us close and together for so long. Her love of our family will live on in each of us. Please respect our privacy during this period of grief and loss. Heaven is a more loving beautiful place with Anita there."

Bryan Kohberger seems inclined not to fight Idaho authorities wanting him in their jurisdiction ASAP -- but sounds confident he'll beat the charges ... according to his lawyer.

Jason LaBar -- Kohberger's extradition hearing attorney -- tells TMZ his client is, for now, likely to waive his right to have his looming transportation back to ID heard in front of a judge ... which, if it holds true, would mean Kohberger will get shipped back Latah County this upcoming week without any further delay -- where he'd be expected to enter a plea.

While LaBar notes Kohberger has neither denied or admitted to the charges against him -- implicitly or explicitly -- he did say his client told him he felt he would be exonerated, which obviously suggests he believes he's innocent.

We're told Kohberger and his parents are shocked by his arrest -- telling us their home in PA was descended upon by feds very early Friday morning ... where they were surrounded by law enforcement and instructed to comply, which LaBar says Kohberger did without issue.

Part of the reason Kohberger might wanna get this over with quickly has to do with the fact he told his attorney he wasn't on the run. On the contrary, LaBar says Kohberger relayed that he and his father drove a white Hyundai from Washington -- where Bryan currently attends university -- back to PA on Dec. 18 ... a plan they'd apparently had all along.

The implication ... Kohberger was neither in hiding nor fleeing, as the murders occurred in mid-November. Remember, though ... Kohberger was within a stone's throw from the University of Idaho during this time -- pursuing a graduate's degree in criminology at Washington State University -- so this supposedly chill father-son road trip doesn't really clear him one way or another. It simply explains his movements during the holidays.

Of course, Kohberger has time to change his mind on the extradition hearing -- which could jam things up. Otherwise, court proceedings will begin and prosecutors will have to show their cards on what exactly they have that implicates him as the quadruple murderer.

There have been reports saying Kohberger has been getting surveilled for a while now, and that the feds were tracking his whereabouts these past few weeks. Also, the word is that the police have DNA evidence -- putting him at the scene of the crime -- and a match on the Hyundai seen in the area that night ... which they've reportedly traced to Kohberger.

Nick Cannon has words for anyone who thinks he's had too many kids ... "My body, My choice!"

Nick appeared on CNN's NYE show and the ever-inquisitive Andy Cohen asked him if he'd consider getting a vasectomy. Nick's response was essentially ... not anyone's biz but mine.

Andy pressed the father of 12 ... "Do you want to hit 20?"

Nick was honest, even if the answer wasn't especially satisfying ... "Clearly, I don't have a plan. That should've been clear from the jump."

As we reported, Nick welcomed baby #12 last month. Another great name -- Halo, the little girl he had with Alyssa Scott.

A month before that, Nick welcomed another baby girl, Beautiful Zeppelin with Abby De La Rosa. And in September, he welcomed son Rise Messiah with Brittany Bell.

Two weeks before Rise was born, Nick welcomed daughter Onyx Ice with LaNisha Cole, a 'Price is Right' model.

And in June, he and Bre Tiesi welcomed their first child together, Legendary.

Jennifer Lopez rang in the new year in traditional fashion, sippin' the bubbly as the clock struck 12, and she was not alone.

Tons of celebs put on their Saturday/Sunday finest and mugged for the cam.  Khloe Kardashian rocked 2023 shades, in case anyone forgot what year we were entering.

Bad Bunny stripped it all down to the essentials ... partying with a red solo cup.

David Beckham and fam celebrated with fireworks, while Gwyneth Paltrow escaped L.A.'s cement jungle for a tropical vacay with her brood.

Courteney Cox got all sentimental, planting a big smooch on BF Johnny McDaid, and Nick Carter dined with friends at Carbone in Vegas.

There were more ... Kylie and Kendall Jenner grabbed some grub with pals Hailey Bieber and Stassie Karanikolaou in Aspen after a day of skiing.

Jeremiah Green, co-founder and drummer for Modest Mouse, has died just days after the band announced he was battling stage 4 cancer.

The group made the announcement on New Year's Eve, saying ... "I don’t know a way to ease into this: Today we lost our dear friend Jeremiah. He laid down to rest and simply faded out. I’d like to say a bunch of pretty words right now, but it just isn’t the time. These will come later, and from many people. Please appreciate all the love you give, get, have given, and will get. Above all, Jeremiah was about love. We love you."

As we reported, Jeremiah was in treatment for cancer and all indications were it was going well. The band had asked fans to think of Jeremiah because they felt the positive energy would work.

Jeremiah and Isaac Brock found the group in 1992 and for the most part -- except for a short break in 2003 -- Green stayed in the band.

He was listed as #37 of the top 50 best rock drummers by Stylus Mag.

The band had success ... it was nominated for Best Alternative Music Album at the Grammys in 2005.

Modest Mouse released 7 albums, including "This Is a Long Drive for Someone With Nothing to Think About." Music aside, it's one of the best titles ever! Some of their songs, including, "Lampshades on Fire," "Float On," "Ocean Breathes Salty," and "Dashboard" were especially popular.

Ice Cube says he's never giving up on the fight to obtain the rights to his beloved "Friday" franchise -- but won't go to court to get the job done.

TMZ Hip Hop recently caught the legendary rapper outside of Dash Radio, asking him about his struggle to own "Friday" and about any potential spin-off opportunities for the franchise.

Cube, clearly amused by the question, reminded us the contracts he's got with Warner Bros for the film have a ton of fine print -- including that using the same characters in any capacity on a new project wouldn't fly.

Cube has been pushing to get the rights back from WB for years now ... and it's been an uphill battle. Several original cast members like Tommy Lister Jr. and Anthony Johnson have passed away and Cube recently scoffed at the suggestion from Mike Tyson to buy his own rights back.

"Supernatural" star Jim Beaver apparently wants to move back in with his estranged wife, but there's a problem ... she says he wants to bring his adult daughter with him and it's a recipe for disaster.

The TV actor's estranged wife, actress and singer Sarah Spiegel, says she's been living in the couple's Studio City home during the divorce ... but in new legal docs, obtained by TMZ, Sarah claims Jim recently told her he's moving back and plans to bring his 21-year-old daughter Madeline in tow ... and now Sarah wants a court to step in and stop it.

The reason ... Sarah claims Madeline's had beef with her for years ... ever since Madeline returned home from college back in 2019 to find Sarah had cleaned out her room, triggering what she says was a temper tantrum.

Sarah says Madeline seemed "totally unhinged" ... screaming and pounding her fists against the wall ... and ever since, Sarah claims she's been afraid Madeline might physically harm her.

In the docs, Sarah says Jim even rented an apartment for his daughter during the pandemic, rather than have them all live under the same roof in 2020 when Madeline's college shifted away from in-person learning.

Sarah says she eventually tried to give Madeline another chance after college graduation, but says it was a mistake to think they could all live under one roof. Sarah claims when Madeline came home after finishing school at the end of 2021, she would start screaming at her out of nowhere, slamming doors, throwing tantrums and threatening suicide.

TMZ broke the story ... Jim filed for divorce August 25, listing August 14 as the date of separation. Sarah says Jim left the home August 11 and she's been living there alone ever since.

Sarah claims Jim recently told her he and Madeline would be moving back in ... so she beelined it to court this month and filed for a temporary restraining order against Jim's daughter, asking the judge to block Madeline from moving back in.

In the docs, Sarah says she's afraid of what Madeline might do if she moves back in ... and she wants the court to step in and protect her from what she thinks will be "unwarranted abusive behavior" by Madeline.

Henry Winkler tells TMZ Sports he and Patrick Mahomes do, indeed, have a genuine bromance going on ... and he said it's blossomed so much in the past few weeks -- they're actually going to do dinner soon!!!

The Fonz broke down the improbable friendship for us out at Il Pastaio recently ... explaining the whole thing actually started when he praised the Chiefs star during an interview on "The Rich Eisen Show" some six months ago.

Winkler called Mahomes one of his "heroes" ... and gushed over the QB's talent. A few months later, the 27-year-old signal-caller heard the kind words -- and invited him out to the Chiefs vs. Chargers game in LA.

Winkler ended up coming -- and the two shared an amazing moment in the pregame at SoFi Stadium. And, the 77-year-old acting legend tells us they've remained tight ever since.

In fact, Winkler not only said he's planning on hosting Mahomes for a chicken-stuffed-with-ricotta dinner night -- he told us he actually got a gift for the quarterback's newborn baby boy too!!

As for when the dinner date will go down ... Winkler said it'll have to be at least sometime next month -- because, "I'm going to let him play in the Super Bowl and win first."

With it officially being a new year, the stars are manifesting all things 2023, and at the top of their resolutions lists is getting their health and fitness on. Safe to say ... 2023's motto is 'health is wealth,' so get after it and make this new year yours!

Up in the gym ... NBA player Klay Thompson slipped out of his jersey and threw on some gym attire during his time off the court. Kate Upton also worked on her fitness regime and picked up some iron and to no one's surprise, Dwayne Johnson looked swole AF and Rock-ed a pair of short shorts.

Khloe Kardashian is all about prioritizing her mental health and fitness and showed off her Klassic Kardashian Kurves ... rowing right into the new year!

And, Chris Pratt got his blood pumping with the assistance of celebrity fitness trainer Simon Waterson and made sure to snap the sweaty proof ... pics or it didn't happen, right?!

Underneath this magical snowflake is a Broadway star with a wickedly amazing voice, and just because it's been a minute since she's sung with her green face ... there's no question she still knows how to bust out her singing pipes and let it go!

She may do everything in her power to avoid building a snowman, but she knows firsthand what it means to persevere, be courageous and not sweat the small stuff. Besides, John Travolta's introduction of her back in 2014 'never bothered her anyway.'

Catherine Hicks is shutting down any notion of a "7th Heaven" reunion, reboot or remake ... saying far too much has changed, and it just wouldn't be the same. Unless ...

We'll get to her one caveat, but when we caught up with Catherine in Bev Hills, we raised the issue of a possible second coming for her hit family drama.

She pretty quickly shot down any hope of it happening ... pointing to the fact the kids from the show have all grown up. She also made it clear she doesn't act anymore. Instead, she's focusing on being a mom in real life, not just one on screen.

As for her on-screen hubby, Stephen Collins, he'd definitely be out because he's "gone" ... as Catherine very gently put it.

Remember, TMZ got audio back in 2014 of Collins confessing to his then-wife Faye Grant he molested and/or exposed himself to 3 girls between the ages of 11 and 13. He ended up not being prosecuted due to the statute of limitations ... but his marriage went up in flames, and he fled Hollywood.

The last time we talked to Catherine, she talked about forgiveness and being open to the idea of a reunion with the disgraced actor -- but, now it sounds like all those ships have sailed for her.

It's a new year and Katherine Heigl's looks prove she knows how to get after it!

Here is a 33-year-old version of the stunning actress looking Hollywood-glam-ready at the premiere of "New Year's Eve" at the Chinese Theatre in Hollywood back in 2011 (left). Heigl joined Michelle Pfeiffer, Zac Efron, Robert De Niro and countless others for this holiday film.

And, 11 years later this edgy momma recently kept her short 'do very much alive as she departed the ABC studios in New York City (right). She may have hung up her Izzie Stevens scrubs, but Katherine definitely went out of 2022 with a bang!

Happy New Year!

The question is ...

President Biden might be feeling joke-y about a would-be reelection campaign -- but that's only because the decision has reportedly been made ... apparently, he's running again.

JB was down in the U.S. Virgin Islands Friday ahead of the new year, and when a crush of reporters peppered him with questions about officially throwing his hat in the ring for 2024 -- something he's said he intends to do, but noting he still needed to talk it over with family.

Those talks were supposed to happen around this time of the year, which is why his response down St. Croix is interesting ... Joe sure seems to be in good spirits about the prospect of gunning for POTUS again, so much so that he's oozing with sarcasm.

Check it out ... the Prez says he wasn't aware there's an election coming up, obviously kidding. His grin is pretty telling though -- because it's backed by what CNN's Kevin Liptak says is a firm yes from Joe's camp. Namely, Joe Biden is, in fact, going to enter the race.

We haven't seen any confirming reports mirroring what Liptak's saying here -- but if true, it's obviously huge. There's been rumblings within the Democratic Party that top dogs want Joe to bow out and let someone younger take a crack at a presidential campaign against Trump.

Joe's first two years in office have been somewhat of a mixed bag (some good and bad) but if he is actually joining the fray again, that means he's confident he's got a shot.

Angela Bassett's son pulled a pretty mean prank on his mom to cap off the year -- telling her Michael B. Jordan had just died (not true) ... but he realized it wasn't a good idea.

The actress' 16-year-old, Slater, posted a since-deleted video to his TikTok account this weekend ... a quick 20-second clip showing him break some would-be tragic news to AB -- namely, that another one of her "Black Panther" costars had passed away.

He's obviously trying to get a crazy reaction out of Angela, and boy does he get it ... you see his mom freaking out, saying "no" repeatedly as she approaches to see what he's seeing.

It sounds like Slater might've said he was joking in the clip, and we don't get to see what Angela's reaction is once she realizes the death story is fake. But, we imagine it wasn't great ... because, like we said, Slater took the video down -- but he's getting dragged regardless.

His video was captured by folks and is spreading like wildfire on social media ... and the consensus seems to be -- dude, how could you do that to your mom?!? Even as a prank.

Of course, Angela has already experienced tremendous loss on this front with the passing of Chadwick Boseman. As everyone knows, both Chadwick and Michael starred in the original "Black Panther" ... and the latter made a cameo in the recent sequel. So, they're all tight.

Neither Angela nor Slater have addressed the joke-gone-wrong since it went up. But, in light of the backlash, it's probably best to leave these fake death announcements in 2022.

Lord knows we already got our fair share of real deaths this year, especially in these last few days. Considering everything the 'BP' family has gone through, something like this would be way too much.

A valuable lesson learned, indeed.

A woman who says she knew the Idaho quadruple murder suspect as a teen claims she once saw him try to break a window ... and that he'd developed a mean streak as he aged.

Bryan Kohberger allegedly attempted to punch through an "unbreakable" glass window a salesman was showing his neighbor -- this while he was over at their house visiting with their kids ... according to their mother, who tells TMZ she saw this as a sign of aggression.

The woman, who's staying anonymous, says her 2 kids grew up with Kohberger in Effort, PA in the 2010s -- explaining he was mostly quiet up until around 2017, when she claims she saw him change into a bully toward her kids ... although, she says she never saw him get physical with them. Still, she insists there were troubling signs ... especially in this instance.

She tells us Kohberger wasn't able to break the glass, but the fact he attempted to on the spot shocked her. It also aligned with what she says she saw as a dark side starting to emerge in him ... also around the time when she claims she heard he started using heroin.

The woman tells us she and her daughter ran into Kohberger at a wedding some years ago, and that he told them he'd gotten clean. In light of the news about his arrest, however, the woman says she was shocked ... realizing he might not have been who he told her he was.

As you know ... Kohberger was taken into custody Friday in his home state of Pennsylvania. Authorities in Idaho say they believe they have their man, and that he acted alone. He's expected to be extradited this week and to enter a plea on first-degree murder charges.

Ryan Seacrest will be sober as a bat when the clock strikes midnight later this evening -- a rule he's imposing on himself amid CNN's widely-reported alcohol ban for their NYE hosts.

We ran into the 'AI' alum Saturday on the streets of NYC -- this as he was getting ready to go through the marathon that is his annual gig with ABC ... namely, emceeing "Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve" and helping Disney ring in 2023, which he's done for a while now.

Of course ... we had to ask the guy about his drinking regimen for the night, especially after he publicly sided with CNN brass this week about limiting the network's on-air boozing.

In light of that, Ryan tells us he won't be imbibing heavily while working. In fact, he says he's gonna save the good stuff 'til well after 12:00 AM, presumably when he's off camera. It's interesting he says that ... it would seem Ryan firmly believes in keeping things professional.

It's a bit ambiguous whether that's a shot at Anderson Cooper/Andy Cohen and the rest of the CNN team -- who have a rep for downing shots during their broadcast -- but when we asked RS if there was any shade ... he suggested it was all love for everyone in his position.

While Ryan will be steering clear of booze through most of tonight, all eyes will be on CNN to see if they follow the orders they've been given ... or if they cut loose like years past.