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The new 'Halloween' flick features a frighteningly inspired performance from James Jude Courtney, who leaned on an old friend/real-life murderer to pick up tips on playing the legendary villain behind the mask.

The "Halloween Kills" star joined us Tuesday on "TMZ Live" to reveal part of his process to portray Michael Myers -- something James has done more than anyone else -- and it was downright chilling.

He told us he prepped for one of his very first killer roles by living in a psych ward with paranoid schizophrenics who had killed people ... but that's just the tip of the iceberg.

Later in his career, James says he lived with a guy who had done hard time for murders -- he'd been a hitman -- but apparently wanted to moonlight as an acting coach.

James told us his killer roommate actually critiqued one of his movies, and told him how to make his character more believable, more realistic. That sounds great for James' acting career, but there's still the matter of actually LIVING under the same roof as a cold-blooded killer!!!

Wendy Williams is stepping away from her show after experiencing "serious complications" as a direct result of Graves' Disease and her thyroid condition.

"The Wendy Williams Show" announced Tuesday that while Wendy's making progress ... she's not 100% ready to return to her hosting duties due to her immune system disorder. Wendy continues to be under medical supervision and meets with her medical team on a daily basis.

That being said ... the show says it's been determined more time is needed before Wendy's able to return.

In the interim, the popular daytime program will start airing original shows on Monday ... "with an exciting lineup of guest hosts and panels to be announced shortly."

A statement from the show added, "Wendy is a valued and stalwart member of the Debmar-Mercury family and has been so for 12 years. We want her health to be her top priority. As soon as she's ready, she will be back in her treasured purple chair."

As we previously reported ... Wendy was taken to a hospital for a psychiatric evaluation. We were told she was voluntarily admitted to an NYC hospital last month. On top of all of that, Wendy also had COVID but, thankfully, she was asymptomatic.

Wendy's 13th season was set to premiere Sept. 20, and while the new season will kick off in less than a week ... it's clear now Wendy won't be taking part for the time being.

Smash Mouth's lead singer is calling it quits after his shot at one final show went off the rails ... because he says health challenges have become too much for him.

Steve Harwell tells TMZ he's retiring, saying ... "Ever since I was a kid, I dreamed of being a Rockstar performing in front of sold-out arenas and have been so fortunate to live out that dream. To my bandmates, it’s been an honor performing with you all these years and I can’t think of anyone else I would have rather gone on this wild journey with."

His decision comes after video of the band's performance this weekend in upstate New York went viral due to Steve's behavior on stage ... in which he slurred his words, yelled at the audience and at times seemed completely disassociated with the event.

A source close to the band tells us ... Steve knew it was time to hang it up after the show, because it's impossible for him to keep performing as his health continues to deteriorate.

We're told he was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy 8 years ago, which has led to other medical setbacks like heart failure and Wernicke's encephalopathy ... a condition that impacts his motor functions, including speech and memory. He's also battled substance abuse over the years, which is further contributing to his health crisis.

Our sources say Steve was going through an episode during the live show, and it greatly impacted how he felt, at times not even understanding his surroundings.

Steve says ... "To our loyal and amazing fans, thank you, all of this was possible because of you. I’ve tried so hard to power through my physical and mental health issues, and to play in front of you one last time, but I just wasn't able to."

He adds that he's incredibly grateful to everyone who's contributed to Smash Mouth's success over the years, and to "those who have kept 'All Star' relevant as one of the top memes on the internet today."

Steve concludes, "I cannot wait to see what Smash Mouth accomplishes next and am looking forward to counting myself as one of the band’s newest fans."

Tim McGraw's sending a pretty menacing message to his fans -- boo me, and I'm gonna get in your face, which is exactly what he did to a couple ... bringing his concert to a grinding halt.

TMZ's obtained video of the tense confrontation that went down at Tim's show Saturday night at the Nugget Event Center in Reno, Nevada. We're told he was performing "Just to See You Smile" when fans noticed something was amiss.

Some folks in the crowd thought his voice sounded off, but also ... he forgot some of the lyrics. You can see at first Tim waves off the criticism, but then he seemed triggered ... as he stood up, stuck out his chest and stared down the hecklers.

The country star asked the hecklers why they were mocking him, and essentially told them, if ya don't like it, just leave -- but that wasn't enough. Tim jumped off the stage, and got in the couple's face. It's unclear what was said, but it is 100% clear Tim wasn't happy.

Some people in the audience were pissed too, because they wanted Tim to continue the show.

He ultimately addressed this head-on, telling the crowd he'd been shooting the "Yellowstone" prequel, "1883" for 48 hours straight. His point being ... forgive me if I forget a word or two.

Chris Pearson's death was the result of someone losing it on him for being loud and disruptive in his apartment complex in the middle of the night ... sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ.

Our sources say the former "Ex on the Beach" star was down in the pool area with his girlfriend, making a lot of noise around 2 AM Sunday.  We're told Chris was yelling ... it's unclear at who, but it pissed off the other residents who were trying to sleep.

We're told Chris ignored everyone, but then someone on one of the balconies amped things up and was yelling hard at Chris, who in turn started screaming back at the guy. Our sources say Chris went inside the building to confront the guy ... and that's when he was fatally stabbed in the area around his heart.

Our sources say the guy who stabbed him fled before authorities arrived.

As we first told you ... Chris was rushed to a hospital, but died around 3:30 AM from his injuries.

According to our sources ... Chris was not normally a confrontational guy, but that wasn't the case during the incident.

Law enforcement sources tell us ... cops are investigating and looking for witnesses and videos that may help them figure out what went down, but so far no arrests have been made. Our law enforcement sources say cops are confident they'll catch the guy.

Chuck Liddell was arrested early Monday morning for domestic violence ... and the UFC legend is currently sitting in a Los Angeles jail cell.

TMZ Sports has learned the L.A. Sherriff's Department received a call about a fight at a Liddell's Hidden Hills home. When cops arrived, they investigated ... and determined the 51-year-old former fighter was involved in a verbal argument that turned physical.

We're told the alleged victim is Liddell's wife. She did not require medical attention.

Chuck was taken to jail ... where bail was set at $20,000. He's listed at 6'2" and 240 pounds on his booking sheet.

Of course, Liddell -- AKA The Iceman -- was once one of the UFC's biggest stars and best fighters in his heyday ... with wins over Tito Ortiz, Vitor Belfort, Randy Couture and Alistair Overeem.

Liddell last fought Ortiz in 2018 ... and last year, said he was retiring for the time being.

Liddell has stayed in the fighting scene in retirement ... recently serving as referee for the Aaron Carter vs. Lamar Odom Celebrity Boxing match.

Story developing ...

Cardi B was bumpin' and grindin' all over her man at her 29th birthday party, and then he paid her back ... with a new home!!!

Offset revealed Cardi's bday present in the middle of her star-studded party Monday night at L.A. River Studios -- he bought her a house ... with a damn pool on the roof.

The Migos rapper got on the mic and unveiled his gift with a video presentation, saying he wanted to get her something extra special after the big year they just had ... including the birth of their son last month.

It sounds like Cardi's new crib is in the Dominican Republic -- her family's homeland -- and it looks like Offset found a nice, secluded spot surrounded by palm trees.

Cardi's party was rocking all night, with a Caribbean "dancehall" theme that had everyone in attendance movin'. Just some of the big names celebrating with them included Tiffany Haddish, Teyana Taylor, 2 Chainz, Lizzo, Snoop Dogg, Taraji P. Henson, Chance the Rapper, Winnie Harlow, Karrueche Tran, PnB Rock, Anitta, Larsa Pippen and Trey Songz.

The dinner menu was also straight outta the islands -- jerk chicken, oxtail, rice and plantains to go with all the tequila and vodka cocktails.

Kim Kardashian's in the middle of some O.J. Simpson and Nicole Brown family drama ... and it's all because of what Nicole's sister views as a "distasteful" joke in Kim's 'SNL' monologue.

Tanya Brown, sister of Simpson's late ex-wife, tells TMZ ... Kim's O.J. cracks were in "poor taste" and Nicole's death should not be portrayed as a joke.

As you know, Kim hosted 'SNL' and her monologue featured a few O.J. jokes ... leading with a line about her father, Robert, one of O.J.'s defense attorneys, introducing her to her first Black person. She invited the audience to take a "stab in the dark" who that is -- referencing the gruesome manner in which Nicole and Ron Goldman were slain.

Tanya says the jokes were "beyond inappropriate and insensitive" and she's questioning just how much the Kardashian's actually cared about Nicole.

The fact is Kris Jenner was one of Nicole's close friends, but the way Tanya sees it ... Kim should have pushed back or refused to do the jokes, assuming 'SNL' writers came up with the bit.

Tanya herself has done that -- she says she once stormed out of a scheduled appearance on "The Meredith Vieira Show" when she was told, at the last moment, jurors from the murder trial would also be on the show.

She wishes Kim had a similar reaction to the 'SNL' lines.

It's somehow getting worse for Jon Gruden, because his emails don't just include racist language ... now there's a report he also used homophobic slurs aimed at Roger Goodell.

Gruden, who already apologized for a racially insensitive email he fired off in 2011, reportedly referred to the NFL Commissioner as a "f*****" and "clueless anti-football p****" ... according to emails obtained by The New York Times.

Gruden also reportedly wrote Goodell should not have pressured former NFL coach, Jeff Fisher, to draft "queers" in 2014 ... referencing Michael Sam, the first openly gay player drafted into the NFL.

The alleged homophobic language might not sit well in Gruden's locker room ... he's currently the coach of the Las Vegas Raiders, who have defensive lineman Carl Nassib on the roster, the first active player who is openly gay.

According to The New York Times, Gruden fired off the emails from 2010 to 2018, when he was out of pro football and working as an analyst for "Monday Night Football" on ESPN.

Gruden reportedly aimed homophobic slurs at Goodell in several instances, as well as using other offensive language to describe NFL owners, coaches and media.

Even Barack Obama and Joe Biden were reportedly mentioned in Gruden's emails ... with Gruden ripping Obama during his 2012 re-election campaign and referring to Biden as a "nervous clueless p****."

As we reported ... Gruden's been on the hot seat since a 2011 email was uncovered, where he says NFL Players Association president, DeMaurice Smith, had "lips the size of Michelin tires."

Gruden apologized for the racist email a second time Sunday, after his team lost to the Chicago Bears, saying he doesn't "have an ounce of racism in me."

The new report also says Gruden mocked Caitlyn Jenner in his emails, after she received an award from ESPN in 2015 following her transition.

Gruden's currently in the 4th year of a 10-year, $100 million contract to coach the Raiders ... and it's unclear if he faces any discipline.

Fuquan Johnson may very well be alive today if there was an effective way to screen drugs he took for fentanyl -- and it's something that shouldn't be ignored ... so says his own mom.

The comedian's mother, Paulene Johnson, tells TMZ ... she's 100% in favor of fentanyl strips being used, and firmly believes her son might still be breathing right now if he had access to some on the night he and two others overdosed and perished from fentanyl-laced cocaine.

We should note, Paulene is NOT advocating for recreational drug use -- even telling us she wasn't aware Fuquan partook himself beyond weed -- but she acknowledges the reality ... that people are going to dabble, and if so -- why not be safe about it?

She believes folks who do hard drugs are stuck between a rock and a hard place in an OD sitch ... fearful of incriminating themselves by calling cops. With that said, Paulene says fentanyl strips could be a good alternative for users looking to avoid that entire scene.

Paulene says parties need to be made safer by any means necessary -- and if fentanyl strips are a viable option to prevent deaths, she's all for it.

As she sadly notes to us ... she buried her son last month, and shouldn't have had to.

TMZ broke the story ... Fuquan was one of three comedians who OD'd and died at a party in Venice -- this after cops believe they ingested coke laced with the deadly opioid. Kate Quigley, the 4th comedian who also overdosed, survived the ordeal ... and is on the road to recovery.

"Squid Game" is Netflix's surprising, massively successful survival drama out of Korea, but its popularity could pay dividends for people in India too.

Geoffrey Giuliano -- the actor who plays 'VIP 4' on the hit series -- tells TMZ ... he's planning to auction off the robe he wore on the show, as well as his copy of a "Squid Game" script and storyboard, to raise money for widows and children living in West Bengal.

Geoffrey says his auction will be held by a memorabilia dealer in North Carolina, and all the proceeds from it will go to the organization Sri Radhe International.

The actor says he doesn't usually hold on to scripts, but he happened to for "Squid Game" ... and he also asked to keep his robe because he liked it.

Seems like a shrewd move, but Geoffrey points out that nobody knew how big the series would become. Still, he hit the jackpot.

Giuliano tells us he hasn't set a date for the auction yet, but when the bidding starts he expects to see six figures for the robe and at least $10k for the script.

Tyson Fury, 2-time heavyweight champion of the world, undefeated (31-0-1) with wins over Deontay Wilder (twice) and Wladimir Klitschko ... the greatest heavyweight ever?!?

Hell no, according to Oscar De La Hoya ... who, standing with his girlfriend Holly Sonders, tells TMZ Sports the Gypsy King is certainly one of the greatest of this generation -- but not the best ever.

"Of all-time? All-time? So, you're disrespecting Muhammad Ali?" the former 6 weight class world champ fired back at our guy.

FYI, 6'3" Ali finished his legendary career with a 56-5 record ... with wins over George Foreman, Sonny Liston (twice), Joe Frazier (twice), and Ken Norton (twice).

For what it's worth, just minutes later, Ali's grandson, pro fighter Nico Ali Walsh told us Fury was a top 5 heavyweight ... and a bout between TF and his grandpa would be the greatest fight ever.

So, maybe not that crazy of a question.

Even if De La Hoya isn't ready to put Fury above Ali ... he still believes the trilogy fight was incredible.

"I thought it was a beautiful fight. I'm happy that Tyson and the Bronze Bomber gave us an amazing performance," Oscar said.

"I promoted the Bronze Bomber for 40 fights, and he always had a heart. So, I'm glad that they gave us a beautiful fight."

Before this pigtail princess was inspiring audiences and changing the world, she was just another cute kid smiling for her school picture in Kosciusko, Mississippi.

This little lady is best known for her huge success as a daytime talk show host … where she would give away massive prizes to her studio audience. As a beloved philanthropist, she's made impacts across the world with her charitable scholarships and nonprofit organizations.

That's not all ... this celebrity superstar has also graced the big screen with her powerful roles in film.

You get a guess! And, you get a guess!

Dave Chappelle is now the great emancipator of comedians thanks to his latest Netflix special -- so says Damon Wayans, who drew a parallel to slavery while praising Dave.

We ran into the comic and actor Monday at LAX and got his take on Dave's standup special, 'The Closer' ... which is STILL being hotly debated nearly a week after its release. As for where Damon lands ... count him as firmly in Chappelle's camp.

You gotta watch how DW breaks this down for us ... saying Dave "freed the slaves" as it pertains to other comics who might be fearful to speak on certain subjects in a PC/woke culture world.

He also goes on to call him the van Gogh of the comedy game -- saying he cut off his ear, in a sacrificial sense, to let the others know ... you can still joke, be yourself and operate without fear of being canceled. Or at least, you should be able to in Damon's view.

Our photog asks about the actual content of the special -- namely, the jokes that have deeply offended folks in the LGBT community (especially transgender people) but Dame won't touch on that.

Adele has to be the first person to ever say this -- she's grateful for the outrageous home prices in Los Angeles, saying London is impossibly expensive ... even for her!!!

The singer told British Vogue the cost of London real estate is the reason why she moved across the pond to the U.S. -- which sounds outlandish to us here in the Thirty Mile Zone, because L.A. has some of the most high-priced homes in America.

But, Adele says she can't afford anything in London that's similar to what she has stateside. She told the mag she's already invested more than $30 million on 3 properties in the Hidden Valley section of Beverly Hills.

If you're doing the math, that's $30 mil for more than 18,000 square feet of living space -- or an average of more than $1,600/sq. foot!!!

As we reported ... Adele's first home purchase was a $9.5 million pad in 2016, and in 2019 she bought the place next door for $10.65 million -- then completed the trifecta this year with a $10 mil purchase adjacent to her other 2 cribs.

The 15-time Grammy winner hails from London, but in addition to the difference in real estate prices, Adele says she wanted to live somewhere with "fresh air and somewhere I could see the sky."

Tyga and his girlfriend got into it after she showed up at his home screaming in the middle of the night, and now she's accusing him of domestic violence ... TMZ has learned.

According to a source very close to the rapper ... his ex-GF, Camaryn Swanson, came over to his home around 3 AM after he told her not to, and she was at his front door, shouting at the top of her lungs.

We're told Tyga, and other family members in his home felt Camaryn appeared to be under the influence. Still, he still let her inside to talk, and the yelling continued.

Our law enforcement sources say Camaryn claims Tyga put his hands on her during the argument. Afterward, her mother came to pick her up, and then Camaryn called cops to report the alleged incident.

We're told responding officers saw "visible marks" on her, and they took a report for felony domestic violence. Tyga has not been arrested. Police went to his home Monday morning, but he refused to speak with them. Instead, we're told he will go to LAPD Tuesday morning to tell his side of the story.

Tyga and Camaryn reportedly began dating in early 2021, and went Instagram official in March. It's unclear when they broke up, but we're told it happened prior to her showing up Monday morning at his home.

We've reached out to Tyga's camp, but no word back.