ZZ Top Bassist Dusty Hill Dead at 72

UPDATE

1:10 PM PT -- Though Dusty wasn't supposed to play ... the band has canceled its show that was scheduled for Wednesday night in Simpsonville, SC.

ZZ Top's longtime bassist, Dusty Hill, has died ... TMZ has learned.

Dusty passed away at his home in Houston, TX -- this according to his bandmates, Billy Gibbons and Frank Beard.

They write, "We are saddened by the news today that our Compadre, Dusty Hill, has passed away in his sleep at home in Houston, TX. We, along with legions of ZZ Top fans around the world, will miss your steadfast presence, your good nature and enduring commitment to providing that monumental bottom to the 'Top'. We will forever be connected to that "Blues Shuffle in C." The boys add, "You will be missed greatly, amigo."

Unclear if Dusty's death is in any way related to another health scare he recently suffered -- namely, a hip injury that the band said he had to address in the past week or so, forcing him to bow out of a string of shows across the U.S. with his bandmates.

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ZZT addressed the setback on Facebook not too long ago, writing ... "The members of ZZ Top, Billy, and Frank, would like to share that Dusty, their fearless Bass player, is on a short detour back to Texas, to address a hip issue. They await a speedy recovery and have him back pronto." They replaced Dusty with Elwood Francis ... who's been playing in his stead.

The group has yet to speak on Dusty's passing. They have a show scheduled for Wednesday night in Simpsonville, SC -- but something tells us that'll be canceled in light of this tragic news.

Dusty is one of the original founding members of ZZ Top -- serving as their lead bass player and secondary lead vocalist since they launched the rock band in 1969. He's also one half of the two famous bearded, sunglass-wearing men who help make up the trio ... with Billy obviously being the other.

They initially started as a blues-y act, but they eventually adopted a traditional rock sound ... which they stuck with and helped them launch into the mainstream in the '70s and well into the '80s as well. ZZ Top has churned out a whopping 15 albums over their storied career ... and are well-decorated for it, too -- serving as pillars of the genre for decades.

On top of being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, ZZ Top has been honored and recognized by different music organizations, especially in their home state of Texas. They've had wild success commercially too ... with several of their records having gone gold, platinum, multi-platinum and even one diamond offering in 1983's iconic "Eliminator."

That one produced perhaps their biggest hit to date, "Gimme All Your Lovin'," as well as others like "Sharp Dressed Man," "Legs," "Got Me Under Pressure" and more.

Despite not having made a new album since 2012, ZZ Top -- including Dusty himself, who's taken to the stage countless times over the years -- has continued to tour and entertain audiences around the world.

8/13/19
LIVING THE DOC
TMZ.com

We last talked to Dusty and Billy on 'TMZ Live' back in 2019, when they were fresh off of a press run promoting a documentary covering their lives and careers. Ever the humorists, the fellas were cracking jokes about what they had (or hadn't, rather) seen just yet as far as cuts.

Dusty's finals words in our clip are quite timely right now -- he told us he'd "lived it" as far as what the doc covered, so seeing an early version didn't make much of a difference for them.

Lived he did, indeed. Dusty was 72.

RIP

Originally Published -- 11:38 AM PT

Netflix, Google & FB drop the hammer on the unvaccinated

Those who are unvaccinated and want to continue working at Netflix, Facebook or Google in the near future better roll up their sleeves ... and get the jab, 'cause it'll be mandatory.

The news that all 3 media behemoths would be requiring COVID vaccines for in-office/on-set work came down Wednesday. Google's CEO, Sundar Pichai, reportedly sent an email to employees, saying they were delaying their full office return to October 18, due to the recent Delta spikes.

He also noted, however, that anyone coming back to work in the office after that would have to be inoculated, and show proof. It's unclear if Google will continue to let employees work from home part-time -- something they said they'd allow back in December ... with workers required to come in at least 3 days a week once things were totally back to normal.

Facebook came out and said they'd be doing the same soon -- confirming that employees looking to come work at U.S. offices going forward would need to prove they've gotten a shot ... while also offering a small concession for those who don't get vaxxed, saying medical and/or other reasons will be considered and evaluated as they navigate a way forward.

Netflix implemented something similar this week as well. They reportedly told their in-house production teams and partners that folks working in "Zone A" -- which encompasses actors and those in close proximity to them -- would be required to be vaxxed up.

They seem to be the first studio to draw a hard line in the sand on this issue -- and other studios may follow suit now that they've taken this uncertain first step.

Netflix's regular employees, meanwhile, have by and large been WFH during the pandemic -- something their CEO, Reed Hastings, has suggested he hates ... and wants to put an end to as soon as a majority of his workforce is vaccinated. He called WFH a "pure negative."

It's an interesting move on everyone's part -- more and more companies seemed inclined to mandate the jab as time goes on ... which is bad news for anti-vaxxers.

Chrishell Stause I'm Dating Jason Oppenheim!!!

Chrishell Stause just went public with her new relationship ... and it turns out she's dating her boss, Jason Oppenheim.

The "Selling Sunset" star just posted a ton of pics with Jason from what appears to be a romantic getaway with the "Selling Sunset" cast to Capri, Italy ... and there are a few shots of Chrishell and Jason planting kisses on each other.

Chrishell captioned her photo dump "The JLo effect" ... a nod to Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck, who were just flaunting their romance -- very publicly -- in Capri as well.

Jason's brother, Brett Oppenheim, already commented on the post, telling his "Selling Sunset" co-star... "Love you Chrishell. Thank you for making my brother happy." Jason added a "❤️" emoji comment too.

The relationship dynamic's kinda interesting ... Chrishell works for The Oppenheim Group, a real estate company founded by her new boo -- so, you've gotta figure this relationship won't sit well with some of the other agents.

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Jason is at least the second boyfriend for Chrishell since her divorce from Justin Hartley ... as we first told you, she was dating 'DWTS' star Keo Motsepe for about 3 months before a mutual split.

Justin's moved on too ... he wasted little time getting married, tying the knot with Sofia Pernas in May, less than 3 months after his divorce from Chrishell was finalized.

Dominique Dawes I sympathize with simone biles ... Tons of Pressure Around Her

BEARING THE WEIGHT OF THE WORLD
TMZ.com

Simone Biles pulling out of the Olympics for her own well-being is totally understandable, that is -- if you take into account the pressure around her, and what she's survived ... so says Dominique Dawes.

The legendary gymnast -- who hit the mat as part of Team USA's gold medal-winning 'Magnificent Seven' in '96 -- came on "TMZ Live" Wednesday to talk about Simone's stunning decision to forgo competing in the all-around competition later this week ... and give up defending her gold.

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It may have come as a shocker to many, but Dominique tells us she gets it ... and that her heart goes out to Simone for toughing it out as long as she has.

Check out what Dominique says Simone has been dealing with, expectation-wise, for quite some time now. As she goes down the list, ya realize ... SB truly had the weight of the world on her shoulders -- as she alluded to on IG -- especially ahead of the women's gymnastics events in Tokyo, which is off to a shaky start for the Americans.

There's one other major factor that some perhaps forgot about, which Dominique thinks may have played a role here -- namely, the fact Simone is the last Larry Nassar survivor still out there competing, and all the pressure, direct or indirect, stemming from that alone.

Of course, there's also the social media aspect that athletes today have to face ... something she says she didn't have to process when she was in her heyday, but which can get ugly fast if one focuses on the negativity online.

Dominique's got some advice for that ... fellow Olympians would be wise to heed it for these games.

'Arthur' PBS Show Ending After 25 Seasons

"Arthur" -- the longest-running children's animated series in U.S. TV history -- is coming to an end. And it begs a question ... Hey, what gives?!

Carol Greenwald, executive producer of the PBS kids show, confirmed in an email to IGN that "the winter of 2022, the 25th and final season of Arthur will debut." For what it's worth ... she also said the production company and PBS KIDS will "work together on additional Arthur content, sharing the lessons of Arthur and his friends in new ways." Streaming, anyone?

Anyway ... sad to see "Arthur" go away on the small screen. The kids show debuted on PBS back in 1996 and produced over 240 episodes. The show's based on Marc Brown's "Arthur Adventure" book series.

The series -- which in its long run hauled in 4 Emmys and a Peabody Award -- tackled tons of social issues between family and friends in the fictional town of Elwood City.

Most recently, Arthur's longtime classroom teacher, Mr. Ratburn, married a guy in the season 22 debut. No question about it ... the theme was a monumental moment in TV history.

The children's TV show also forever etched its name in pop culture lore thanks to the memorable memes that bridge generations.

Nobody will ever forget Arthur's hilarious "clenched fist" meme. And, of course, D.W. Read's fence meme. Classics.

Bob Odenkirk Bryan Cranston Asks for Positive Thoughts & Prayers ... After 'Better Call Saul' Collapse

UPDATE

8:14 AM PT -- 7/28 "Breaking Bad" star Bryan Cranston is asking fans to send good thoughts and prayers Bob's way, saying, "Today I woke up to news that has made me anxious all morning. My friend, Bob Odenkirk collapsed last night on the set of Better Call Saul."

UPDATE

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UPDATE

He continues, "He is in the hospital in Albuquerque and receiving the medical attention he needs but his condition is not known to the public as yet. Please take a moment in your day today to think about him and send positive thoughts and prayers his way, thank you."

UPDATE

8:32 PM PT -- We were previously told Odenkirk collapsed while shooting in L.A., but a source close to the actor now tells us it happened while shooting in New Mexico.

Bob Odenkirk was rushed to the hospital after collapsing on the set of his show "Better Call Saul" ... and is still receiving medical care.

Production sources tell TMZ Odenkirk and cast were shooting in New Mexico Tuesday when the incident happened. We're told Odenkirk went down, and was immediately surrounded by crew members who called an ambulance.

We're told it's unclear if he was conscious when he was transported, but a source close to Odenkirk tells us he is still in the hospital under the care of doctors.

Odenkirk became a household name when he played attorney Saul Goodman on "Breaking Bad." "Better Call Saul" -- a spinoff of "Breaking Bad" -- is currently shooting its 6th and final season. No word on how far along Odenkirk and team are in finishing it up or if his medical situation will delay production in any capacity.

Originally Published -- 7/27 7:27 PM PT

Lindsie Chrisley Files For Divorce ... And I Want Child Support!!!

Lindsie Chrisley is waving the white flag on her marriage with Will Campbell ... she filed for divorce and is demanding child support.

Todd Chrisley's daughter filed divorce docs Monday in Georgia, claiming her 9-year marriage to Will is "irretrievably broken." According to the docs, obtained by TMZ, Lindsie is demanding temporary and permanent child support for their 9-year-old son, Jackson.

In the docs, Lindsie says she and her estranged husband "are currently separated are living in bona fide state of separation" ... and she says she wants a shared parenting plan for their kid.

Lindsie and Will got hitched back on January 3, 2012 after a few years of dating.

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She announced the split Tuesday on social media, saying the decision to end their marriage was "mutual" and adding ... "While one door closes, another opens."

CONFIRMING THE INTERACTION

It's been a busy week for Lindsie ... as we first told you, she had the cops called on her after allegedly throwing a drink at one of her brother's friends over the weekend in Atlanta.

Deshaun Watson Hits Texans Practice ... As Sexual Misconduct Probe Continues

BACK IN ACTION
@sarahbarshop

A sexual misconduct investigation is NOT keeping Deshaun Watson away from the Texans practice field ... the star QB worked out with his Houston team Wednesday, seemingly unbothered by it all.

Cameras captured the 25-year-old hitting Texans practice in full workout gear ... throwing passes, participating in drills and running around without any issues whatsoever.

It's unclear, though, what the Texans' plan for Watson is going forward ... the team's general manager, Nick Caserio, dodged questions about the QB's status before he hit the field Wednesday.

Caserio declined to say how much Watson would do, if he was the team's starter, if he'd be traded, or how a criminal investigation into Watson plays into all of the above.

"From our perspective," the Houston exec said, "it's a day-to-day endeavor."

The NFL said Tuesday it's placing "no restrictions" on Watson yet ... even though more than 20 female massage therapists have accused him of crossing the line during what were supposed to be routine rubdown sessions.

Twenty-two women have sued the quarterback ... and Watson's attorney says 10 women have filed criminal complaints against Deshaun as well.

Both police and the NFL say they're investigating it all.

Watson has denied the allegations ... and his reps have said any sexual encounters he had with female masseuses were entirely consensual.

It's unclear if Watson -- who has asked for a trade out of Houston -- has any plans to play for the Texans in either preseason or regular-season games this year.

Kelly Clarkson Will pay her Ex $200k/month ... In Temporary Support

Kelly Clarkson will be coughing up almost a quarter of a million dollars every 30 days to her ex-husband in the fallout of their divorce, at least for now ... TMZ has learned.

The judge in her divorce recently signed off on docs formalizing the temporary spousal and child support Kelly will pay Brandon Blackstock -- it's nearly $200k/mo. according to the docs. We're told the ruling actually happened in April, and it merely formalized what Kelly had already been paying her ex since she filed for divorce last June.

According to the docs, Brandon will get $150k in spousal support and $45,601 for their 2 kids. Hard to think of that huge amount as a discount for Kelly, however ... Brandon had requested $436k per month. So, with that in mind, it's a bit of a win for KC.

She does also have to fork over a one-time $1.25 million payment to cover Brandon's attorney fees.

Once the divorce is settled, we're told Brandon will only get 2 more years of spousal support, based on the length of their marriage. The unresolved issue is their prenup. If the judge determines it's valid, all those support numbers go out the window, and Brandon will get whatever is spelled out in the prenup.

Kelly was also awarded primary custody of their children -- 6-year-old River and 4-year-old Remy -- a little while back.

So, she gets the kids too, most of the time ... even though she's still gotta shell out on their behalf even when they're not seeing him in Montana.

Capitol Riot Hearings Ofc. Fanone Shares Vile Voicemail ... 'I Wish They Woulda Killed All of You!!!'

THE HATEFUL VOICEMAIL

Officer Michael Fanone says his testimony for Congress is triggering the hell out of someone who left him a vile voicemail ... filled with hate speech and wishing death on him and other police officers.

The Washington D.C. police officer says this message was waiting for him after he testified Tuesday on Capitol Hill, and it's clear the person was watching him on TV at the time. The caller said, "You want an Emmy, an Oscar? What are you trying to go for here, man? You're so full of s**t you little f****t f**ker."

Typically, we would censor much of this recording, but we think it's important to hear the venom this caller spewed. His disgusting rant continued with ... "How about all the scummy Black f**king scum for 2 years destroying our cities and burning 'em?"

Fanone has been outspoken about the violence that rioters unleashed on him and other officers during the Jan. 6 riot -- but the caller thinks they got off easy. He added, "That was s**t on the God damn Capitol. I wish they woulda killed all you scumbags. They stole the election from Trump and you know that, you scumbag."

VIOLENTLY ATTACKED
C-SPAN

Fanone is one of several officers who testified this week for the Jan. 6 insurrection hearing convened by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Reacting to the voicemail, Fanone told CNN, "This is what happens to people that tell the truth in Trump's America."

Despite the epithet-laced voicemail he received, Fanone's testimony clearly had an impact on Congress. Shortly after the House hearing, the Senate Appropriations Committee approved $2.1 billion to shore up security at the U.S. Capitol.

'Sex and the City' Star John Corbett Selling My Big Fat WeHo Condo ... for a Cool $1.31 Mil!!!

John Corbett's got a condo on the market that's been Aiden Shaw tested and Carrie Bradshaw approved.

The "Sex and the City" star has listed his WeHo condo for a cool $1,311,600. It's in the luxurious Empire West high rise building and the unit's on the seventh floor. So, talk about views.

The 1,607-square-foot condo has 1 bedroom, 2 bathrooms and plenty of space to store tons of shoes ... if you're a Carrie-in-training. It also has lots of old Hollywood charm and great views of Tinseltown.

The new owner of this condo is getting the full VIP service. The building offers round-the-clock full service ... from 24-hour valet parking and concierge to a sick gym and private tennis courts. There's also a jaw-dropping rooftop deck with a brand new swimming pool, lounge beds and breathtaking 360 views.

And, for those who wanna take a stroll in and around Hollywood, the condo's just a stone's throw away from some of the best joints WeHo has to offer.

The listing's held by Justin Alexander of Compass.

Simone Biles Withdraws From All-Around Final To Focus On Mental Health

Simone Biles will not be defending her gold medal in the all-around final at the Tokyo Games -- the Olympics superstar has backed out of the competition to continue to focus on her mental health.

24-year-old Biles -- who withdrew from the team finals on Tuesday -- underwent further medical evaluation following the event ... and it was determined it was best she sat out Thursday's finals, USA Gymnastics said in a statement.

Biles was the heavy favorite to win the event ... which would have secured the 5th gold medal of her career.

It may not be the end of Biles' Olympic run, however -- there's still a chance she returns to compete in the individual events next week ... but the team says it all depends on the results of her daily evaluations.

"We wholeheartedly support Simone's decision and applaud her bravery in prioritizing her well-being," USAG said. "Her courage shows, yet again, why she is a role model for so many."

Biles absolutely crushed the competition at the 2016 Rio Games ... posting a 62.366 score, with teammate Aly Raisman taking silver with a 60.607.

Jade Carey -- who placed 9th in qualifiers -- will be Biles' replacement.

Tory Lanez Rolling Loud Cameo May Have Violated Order ... To Stay Away from Megan Thee Stallion!!!

DaBaby's controversial Rolling Loud performance continues to stir up trouble -- not just for him, but also for his surprise special guest ... Tory Lanez.

ICYMI, DaBaby went out of his way to do a big reveal of Lanez Saturday night during his set at the hip hop festival in Miami, but a lot of fans weren't happy about it ... because Megan Thee Stallion performed on the same stage right before the duo.

Tory's accused of shooting Megan in the foot last summer, and Rolling Loud sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... she and her team at the festival were very upset about him appearing on stage with DaBaby less than an hour after she finished her set.

That's because a judge issued a protective order following the alleged shooting incident, requiring Tory to stay at least 100 yards away from Megan ... and we're told she was still backstage when he took the stage with DaBaby.

Even worse, our sources say Megan's camp is miffed DaBaby performed one of her songs on which he's featured -- "Cash Sh**" -- right before bringing out Lanez. We're told those close to MTS feel this was a giant "f you" to her ... mocking her and the ongoing criminal case with Tory and, in a way, menacing her.

7/24/21
CROWD PLEASER
Rolling Loud

Our sources say after the elaborate reveal of Lanez went down -- and of course, after DaBaby also went on a homophobic rant during his set -- Miami PD were contacted about the possible violation of Megan's protective order ... and the L.A. County D.A.'s office was also informed.

A source close to Tory tells us he never saw Meg at the festival nor do they believe he ever got physically close to her.

We've reached out to Megan's camp, but no word back so far. We've also reached out to law enforcement about the potential violation ... no word back as well.

Chris harrison no hard feelings on 'bachelor' exit ... My Mondays Are Mine!!!

7/27/21
FEELIN' FREE
TMZ.com

Chris Harrison doesn't seem to be holding a grudge after he was cut loose from "The Bachelor" -- if anything ... the dude's let it all go, and looks happier than ever.

We got the franchise's longtime host out Tuesday night leaving The Gallery restaurant in Westlake Village, with his GF, Lauren Zima, in tow. They were hand-in-hand ... and some congratulations were in order, 'cause CH had just turned 50 the previous day.

He tells us they were, indeed, out keeping the festivities going ... and when we asked how he was doing following his abrupt exit from 'Bachelor' nation, he seemed to have processed it and let it go.

Watch this clip ... Chris seems at peace with the way things turned out, and one reason lies in the fact that he can have one of his crucial weekdays back to himself for once in nearly 20 years. That's a good thing for him in 2021, 'cause the big 5-0 landed on said day.

After some pleasantries, our photog got right into the heavy ... namely, by asking if Chris felt any type of way now that Matt James ended up staying with Rachael Kirkconnell in the end anyway -- this after she was accused of racism and he lost his job for defending her.

It's the million-dollar question that everyone has for Chris ... but check out how he answered it with us. No harm, no foul, it would appear -- he wishes the couple all the best and says it's all water under a bridge.

Of course, we also had to ask if he was up to date with this season of 'Bachelorette' -- which has gotten terrible ratings -- and the 2 new hosts who are tag-teaming things. Chris may be gone, but he's keeping tabs.

'Tic Tac' UFO Video Military Pilot Who Filmed Famed Tic Tac Sighting ... Sits Down for 1st Camera Interview

ONLY ONE LOGICAL EXPLANATION
Jeremy Corbell

It's been nearly two decades since military aviator Chad Underwood filmed the "Tic Tac" UFO sighting ... but for the first time EVER he's breaking his silence in front of a camera.

Underwood's highly-anticipated interview will go down Wednesday at noon PT on Jeremy Corbell's YouTube show "Extraordinary Beliefs." The video -- filmed in November 2004 off the coast of San Diego -- was captured off the left wing of Chad's F/A-18 Super Hornet.

The sighting and filming is considered one of the most famous and important videos in UFO history ... largely because a military officer filmed it during an official flight-training exercise. The video was also famously declassified by the Pentagon in 2017.

The video shows an object go from 80,000 feet to sea level in less than a second and a half ... the forces of which human engineering and, for that matter, humans cannot withstand. The object had no wings, no obvious propulsion system and no exhaust.

Underwood, at the time a Navy Weapon Systems Officer on the elite squadron dubbed Black Aces, will offer insight into his encounter with the UFO. He'll also clarify many details the public has been wanting to hear ... as in, the footage he shot is only the beginning.

The half-hour interview will cover a myriad of subjects ... like the origin of the name "Tic Tac" UFO. He'll also talk about behavioral sightings and if his kids ask him about alien encounters.

As we previously reported ... the Pentagon released a 9-page report last month in what was supposed to offer insight on a rash of recent UAP (unidentified aerial phenomena) sightings.

Instead, the report turned out to be a nothing burger ... 'cause the Office of the Director of National Intelligence only noted that 143 of the 144 flying objects spotted since 2004 remain unexplained.

Maybe Underwood's got more answers.

Celeb Dermatologist, Dr. Khadavi Being Investigated By Medical Board After Homophobic Rant

7/7/21
DISTURBING THREATS
TMZ.com

Celebrity dermatologist Dr. Alex Khadavi is under investigation by a governing body of medical professionals ... following his homophobic rant.

A spox for the Medical Board of California tells TMZ ... they're aware of Dr. Khadavi's recent episode and are reviewing it to see if any disciplinary action is warranted.

As for what that punishment could include ... the board wouldn't speak specifically to Khadavi's case, but did say the range of possibilities include everything from public reprimand to license revocation when it comes to violating the standards of patient care. Of course, Khadavi's incident didn't involve patient care, but was disturbing nonetheless.

The Board also pointed out Dr. Khadavi has no record of discipline on his license at this time.

As we reported ... Khadavi was caught on camera having a meltdown in the lobby of his apartment complex -- where he made homophobic comments, including using the f-word. He appeared to be fuming over a couple of neighbors.

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The neighbors -- a gay couple -- filed for a restraining order over this ... claiming they'd been told Khadavi had made mention of wanting to kill them, and that he also allegedly once flashed a gun at the concierge, seemingly to show he was packing and meant business.

Seeing how threats of violence have been alleged -- there's a criminal side to this story too. In the fallout from this rant from earlier this month, law enforcement sources tell TMZ an investigation is already underway, and cops are deciding if charges will be sent to the D.A.

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