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Markie Post, who became a big star and household name with "Night Court," has died.

Markie passed on Saturday after battling cancer for nearly 4 years.

Post, who also starred in "The Fall Guy" and "Hearts Afire," has an Alex Trebek connection ... she was an associate producer on his show, "Double Dare." She also appeared as the card dealer on "Card Sharks."

"Night Court" was her breakout role, playing public defender Christine Sullivan on the hit show that ran from 1985 to 1992.

She later appeared on "The Love Boat," "Fantasy Island," "Cheers" and "The A-Team."

Markie pressed on with her career, even during her cancer battle. She did a Lifetime XMAS movie, "Four Christmases and a Wedding" in between chemo treatments.

Her family said, “But for us, our pride is in who she was in addition to acting; a person who made elaborate cakes for friends, sewed curtains for first apartments and showed us how to be kind, loving and forgiving in an often harsh world."

Markie is survived by her husband, Michael Ross, and daughters Kate Armstrong, an actress, and Daisy Schoenborn.

Markie was 70.

The owner of the 2-year-old emotional support dog who died while traveling with Hawaiian Airlines believes his pup may have suffered a very painful death ... and he wants authorities to investigate.

The dog, a pit bull named Louis, had a body temperature of 107 degrees and his right paw was bloody with nails worn down to the quick ... according to the necropsy results, obtained by TMZ. For reference, normal body temp for dogs is around 101 or 102.

The owner, Dr. Randall Carpio, says the findings lead him to believe Louis died from heat exhaustion or heat stroke. He also claims the necropsy is missing key details surrounding the death.

He says Hawaiian Airlines ordered the testing while keeping him in the dark about Louis' death.

TMZ broke the story ... Louis died July 21 while traveling from Kona to Honolulu, but Randall says the airline gave him no explanation why.

The dog owner's attorney, Evan Oshan, filed a complaint with the Hawaiian Humane Society, claiming the airline isn't being transparent, and called on the state to investigate. He says the complaint was also sent to the Hawaii Attorney General's office.

In the complaint, obtained by TMZ, Randall says Louis was given a clean bill of health 48 hours before the journey ... and he claims airline agents told him the pup died in the animal holding facility at the Honolulu airport during a layover.

He recently received the dog's ashes and toys, but, obviously, he's looking for more answers.

Mally Mall's slated to begin his 33-month prison term next week, but he'd like a little more time before he has to check in ... because he says he needs to undergo a medical procedure first.

According to new legal docs, obtained by TMZ ... the hip-hop producer -- who pled guilty in late 2019 to running an illegal prostitution service out of Las Vegas -- has discovered a mass on his thigh that will require a CT scan and biopsy to determine if it's cancerous.

Mall says the mass will need to be removed in the next month or so whether it's malignant or not, so he's asking the judge to push his August 13 date to surrender to the Bureau of Prisons back 3 months ... to November 12.

There's more though -- according to the docs ... after Mall received his 33-month sentence in May, he was designated to serve his time in a medium-security facility, which he calls "unexpected."

So, along with using the next 3 months to resolve medical issues ... Mall also says he needs some extra time to seek a potential re-designation to another prison.

The Saints won't have to wait long to replace Drew Brees with another Hall of Fame QB ... 'cause will Will Blackmon tells TMZ Sports Aaron Rodgers is heading to New Orleans next season.

"Next year," Blackmon said, "Aaron Rodgers will be a New Orleans Saint."

Blackmon's prediction is a bold one ... but it's not necessarily uninformed -- you'll recall, the former NFL defensive back was teammates with Aaron in Green Bay from 2006 through 2009.

And, Will tells us he still has a good relationship with Aaron ... and it wouldn't surprise him if the Green Bay signal-caller ended up under center for Sean Payton in 2022, given all of the drama Rodgers has gone through with the Packers this offseason.

"I can see Aaron Rodgers being a New Orleans Saint next year," Blackmon said.

Of course, Jameis Winston is N.O.'s starter this year ... but Blackmon doesn't appear to be sure the former #1 overall draft pick will do enough to prove he should get a second year in that role.

Blackmon says cutting down the interceptions -- particularly with a depleted wide receiver group in New Orleans -- might be just too difficult for Jameis ... opening the door for a run at Rodgers.

Tichina Arnold says she split from her husband at the beginning of 2016 following his sex tape scandal with another woman ... but she's just now pulling the trigger on officially ending her marriage.

According to new legal docs, obtained by TMZ ... "The Neighborhood" and "Martin" star filed for divorce from Rico Hines this week, citing the usual irreconcilable differences.

What's unusual, however, is the timing of this divorce -- Tichina lists the separation date as January 12, 2016 ... about 3-and-a-half years after they wed in 2012.

If you don't recall ... the actress announced she was divorcing Rico back then, and memorably claimed it was due to discovering he made a sex tape with another woman.

Hines is a longtime basketball coach, currently on the staff of the Sacramento Kings.

Kerri Walsh is serving up major good looks!

Here is a 25-year-old version of the professional beach volleyball player showing off her winning looks while receiving a gold medal at the Summer Olympic Games in Athens, Greece back in 2004 (left). Walsh has a total of three Olympic gold medal wins that were won alongside her partner, Misty May-Treanor.

And, 17 years later ... The now 42-year-old is still heavily involved in the sport. Since the retirement of her long-time playing partner, May-Treanor, Walsh has been working alongside Brooke Sweat. Walsh is also a mother-of-three and she was recently seen posting pics of her glowing good looks on her Instagram (right).

Going down in history!

The question is ...

This week's Summer Hot Shots comes from the scorching drylands of Palm Springs where model Bayleigh Amethyst broke out a sunny orange swimsuit and raised the desert temps to new heights!

When the influencer isn't creating her own heatwave in the Coachella Valley for her Instagram and TikTok followers ... Bayleigh spends her time doing yoga, hangs with her hubby and gives lots of love to her pups Gigi and Velvet.

Bae-leigh!

We are continuing to whip up our Summer Hot Shots for 2021 from a distance and have collaborated with some mind-melting hotties from around the world for your viewing pleasure!

Barack Obama's attitude toward his mega birthday bash -- which still looks pretty mega at this point -- seems to pretty much be ... forrrrrreeeeeget about it.

The ex-Prez was seen playing a round of golf Saturday on Martha's Vineyard with pals, not too far from where he'll be holding his big shindig later tonight -- which is still expected to host scores of people ... this in spite of him claiming to have scaled it back.

The apparent contradiction to his announced plans doesn't seem to be bothering BO one bit, though -- 'cause the dude was all smiles on the links.

Check out these pics of 44 fore-ing it up in grey, and taking some big swings on the fairway -- he looks about as polished as ever ... even when he shanks one, which he didn't appear to do a whole lot of here. Looks like he was mindful of blisters, too ... wearing bandages on his gloveless hand.

These are the same good-time vibes we saw at last night's leadup to the party -- where a crap ton of people (upwards of 300, we're told) came out for a pre-game of sorts ... laughing it up at a house Barry seems to have rented for the festivities. This, in addition to the giant tent he has on standby for the night of, we might add.

After a raucous night of fun, it would seem Barack had energy and then some for a game.

As we've reported ... people on the island are pissed over the multi-night gatherings for a number of reasons -- not the least of which include roads being blocked off for locals.

NASA says it needs some guinea pigs to test out what life on Mars would be like for a year -- right here at home -- and they're asking for regular Earthlings to help out.

The space agency put out a want ad this week, asking for "healthy, motivated" U.S. citizens and/or permanent residents to sign up and volunteer for a year-long simulated experience ... which will apparently put 4 lucky participants together in a 3D printed bunker-like environment.

NASA has an idea of what the fake 1,700 square-foot Mars fort (of sorts) will look like ... something like what you see above.

Anyway, sounds like they're going to be doing a few of these "missions" -- with the first set to begin in Fall 2022 and take place at NASA’s Johnson Space Center, where they'll recreate Mars conditions and put these folks through different tests ... for, like, research and whatnot.

Some of the things one might expect to be dealing with while there ... handling resource limitations, equipment failure and other environmental stressors. There's also the strong possibility NASA will make you go through simulated spacewalks, scientific research, use of virtual reality and robotic controls and "exchanging communications" ... as they put it. 👀

There might be some pay, it seems ... but the amount isn't specified in NASA's press release. But, still, it's kinda cool ... right??? BTW, we know we said ordinary people are wanted -- but that's isn't entirely true ... NASA is seeking the best and the brightest for these simulations.

Our boots on the ground just spotted House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Rev. Al Sharpton who are both staying at area hotels.

Barack Obama's 60th birthday party kicked off Friday night at a resort near his home in Martha's Vineyard, and if the pre-party is any indication, the real party Saturday night will be way bigger than previously thought.

Judging from photos on a balcony, there was quite the crowd Friday ... it seems at the very least dozens of people showed up.

Residents on Martha's Vineyard tell TMZ, the Island is crawling with guests who will be attending the formal party inside a tent on the Obama's estate, and that includes a bunch of celebs including John Legend, Chrissy Teigen, Don Cheadle, Tom Hanks, Rita Wilson, Kim Fields, Dwayne Wade and Gabrielle Union. Others expected to attend are Jay-Z and Beyonce, George Clooney and Stephen Colbert.

It's unclear how many people will attend the big party tonight, but residents say it's way bigger than an intimate family and close friends soiree. Based on the number of people who have descended on the Island, residents think several hundred people may show.

Although the Obamas are loved by many on Martha's Vineyard, some residents are angry that their Island has been upended by the party. They say Secret Service has been ordering people around and blocking roads. They're also concerned about the Delta variant ... which has become an issue in Massachusetts as well as everywhere else in the country.

Tonight should be interesting.

An American Airlines pilot is upset his photo was used in a story about a pilot who went off the rails during an announcement to passengers revealing he had been molested as a child.

The audio is alarming ... passengers listened as the pilot explained how his life spiraled out of control and how he became a sex addict with encounters with both men and women. It sounds like he's pushing religion in the audio, but it's not clear. It's a deeply disturbing video ... a pilot seemingly unhinged, on a plane full of passengers.

Several blogs posted the audio with a photo of a pilot ... a black bar covering a portion of his face. The American Airlines pilot in the photo is Rodrigo Ribeiro. It's clear to anyone who knows Rodrigo ... it's a photo of him. Problem is ... he was NOT the pilot who made the announcement.

American Airlines owns the photo which it had posted several years before, celebrating Pride month.

Rodrigo was understandably upset ... being a pilot is a reputationally-based job ... in other words, reputation is everything, and if Rodrigo's fellow pilots and bosses think he was the one who made the announcement, it could derail his career.

Rodrigo says he worked with American to help him get the photo removed from the blogs, but it lingered there for days. People he knew were getting in touch with him, asking if he was OK and if there was anything they could do to help him.

The photo was finally removed Saturday from at least one of the blogs, and Rodrigo wants people to know -- it wasn't him on that audio.

American Airlines tells TMZ the pilot who made the announcement was in uniform but not flying the plane that day. The airline says he got on a mic and began speaking. The airline says the story was posted on a number of blogs and it has tried to get it taken down.

O.J. Simpson has some cajones on him -- saying with a seemingly straight face that he won't return to Los Angeles out of fear of running into the actual person who murdered his ex-wife.

The disgraced ex-NFL'er -- who was acquitted for the murders of Nicole Brown and Ron Goldman, but found liable in a civil suit shortly thereafter -- dished his thoughts on visiting the City of Angels anew in a wide-ranging interview with The Athletic ... and he says he doesn't entertain it for one very specific, ass-backward reason.

O.J. is quoted as saying ... "I have trouble with L.A.," going on to add, "People may think this is self-serving, but I might be sitting next to whoever did it. I really don’t know who did this."

That's pretty much what his hesitation boils down to -- that he might, perhaps, end up running into the "real" murderer ... and maybe get murdered himself. At least that's how it sounds on its face here. BTW, O.J. had more to say on the so-called one who got away.

He says, "I figured eventually somebody would confess to something, you know? I had one suspect I told my lawyers to look at. I still think he might be involved, but I can’t talk about it." O.J. also feels he lives a "good life" now in Vegas -- despite what people may think.

While O.J. was limited to just Nevada after getting parole, it appears the guy's been given a longer leash over time -- with reports saying he's gone to Florida of late to visit his kids, with permission from his P.O., of course. So, it does seem he could come to L.A. if he wanted.

Tank is ecstatic that his early tunes are finally seeing the light of day, officially, alongside Aaliyah's catalog ... this in spite of the drama behind the scenes.

The R&B crooner broke down what this moment means for him Saturday morning when we ran into him at LAX, and he said it quite succinctly ... not only is this a re-introduction to fans (new and old) but it's also an opportunity to make up for lost time ... financially.

Check out his response ... Tank makes no bones about the fact that he's missed out on a lot of dough over the years considering his first 3 albums weren't streaming or on digital platforms. He's not sour over it, but notes a wrong is finally being righted ... and he's glad.

As for Aaliyah's music, and her family's apparent opposition to it being released without their blessing ... Tank says he understands, but that it's perhaps a blessing in disguise -- as he notes, as so many others have, that a whole new generation will get to know her anew.

That acrimony aside, Tank's just happy people will finally get schooled on late '90s/early 2000s R&B ... a chapter from which he DID exist pre-2010 -- and cranked out great music.

Dennis "D.T." Thomas -- Kool & The Gang's longtime saxophone player -- has died.

The band announced the news Saturday, saying he passed away peacefully at his home in New Jersey. No cause of death was revealed.

They had kind words for their dear friend, though, writing ... "An original member of Kool & The Gang, Dennis was known as the quintessential cool cat in the group, loved for his hip clothes and hats, and his laid-back demeanor."

K&TG added this ... "A huge personality while also an extremely private person, Dennis was the alto saxophone player, flutist, percussionist as well as master of ceremonies at the band’s shows." They went on to discuss some of his greatest moments with Kool and co., including his prologue solo on their '71 hit "Who's Gonna Take the Weight."

Another fun fact -- the dude was actually their stylist, so says the band. Apparently, he crunched numbers for them too -- they say, "In the band’s early days, Dennis also served as the 'budget hawk,' carrying the group’s earnings in a paper bag in the bell of his horn."

Like they mentioned, Dennis was a founding member ... having helped form the band in the '60s, and staying with them ever since. He's been along for the ride through five decades plus.

D.T. was one of three founding members still alive before today -- now, there are only 2. He was 70.

You've heard of people falsifying their vaccine cards to avoid having to get the jab -- but here's another example of the same exact thing ... in the opposite direction.

The AP reports that a small handful of Americans have been caught red-handed trying to lie about their vaccination status -- this in order to receive a third booster shot before it's officially approved by Uncle Sam ... all because they're freaked out about the rising variants.

In one instance, a 26-year-old grad student named Gina Welch admitted to the AP that she'd successfully gotten her third booster already ... by simply going to a clinic and telling 'em it was her first. Her rationale boils down to ... I've done the research and I'm sick of waiting.

It's unclear if the healthcare system/her insurance company has caught on over the discrepancy yet -- but even if they have, it's too late by now ... Welch was able to prance in and get the damn thing without much checking or hassle, it seems. Ditto for at least 900 others in the country, who appear to have already triple-dipped for inoculation, so says AP.

It would appear some folks -- a vast minority at this point -- are fed up with having to respond to government entities ... which admittedly move slow on this sorta thing. That's pretty ballsy -- but it's also incredibly telling ... for a multitude of reasons, really.

For one, our own healthcare experts -- including Dr. Fauci -- have, indeed, said that a booster will likely be needed in the future to ward off Delta, Lambda and all these other COVID variants that are springing up ... and they're even working on rolling that out for the elderly and immuno-compromised right now. 'Til then, the rest of us gotta get in line.

Tinashe is fully Team Britney ... something she made crystal clear to our photog Friday night in Hollywood.

The singer was leaving TAO when we asked about Brit ... and there's a special reason. The 2 collabed on a 2016 song, "Slumber Party." What's interesting, the song was recorded in the middle of Britney's conservatorship.

Tinashe made it clear ... she'd love to do another collab with Britney, and sent her love through our camera lens.

She's clearly on the Free Britney train, though she didn't get specific. As we reported, the battle over the conservatorship is heating up, with Jamie Spears filing legal docs Friday saying Britney's own personal conservator, Jodi Montgomery, said she was concerned about the singer's mental health and even talked to him about a possible 5150 involuntary psychiatric hold.