Celebrity Death

10:45 AM PT -- We're told Okerlund passed away early Wednesday morning. Cause of death is still unclear. Working on it.

8:59 AM PT -- We just spoke with Diamond Dallas Page who praised Okerlund as one of the greatest people in the industry.

Page got emotional as he reflected on Okerlund's life and says he will be missed by all.

"Mean" Gene Okerlund -- the most famous announcer in the history of pro wrestling -- has died, WWE has confirmed. He was 76.

Vince McMahon's company issued a statement saying, "WWE is saddened to learn that WWE Hall of Famer Gene Okerlund, the most recognizable interviewer in sports-entertainment history, has passed away at age 76."

Hulk Hogan also commented ... saying, "Mean Gene I love you my brother."

Unclear how he died, but Okerlund had health problems dating back years. He had 2 kidney transplants -- the first one in 1995 and the second in 2004.

Okerlund started as a radio DJ back in Nebraska before taking a job with the American Wrestling Association in 1970.

He moved to WWF in the early '80s and WRESTLED -- famously pinning Mr. Fuji in a tag team match with Hulk Hogan in 1984.

Okerlund was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2006 by Hulk Hogan.

Among his many highlights, Okerlund sang the national anthem at Wrestlemania I back in 1985.

His interviews were legendary -- standing face to face with guys like Andre the Giant, Ultimate Warrior, Ricky Steamboat and others ... and getting the best out of these guys.

He was beloved in wrestling circles for decades. In fact, he served as the best man at The Iron Sheik's wedding!

As for his nickname, Jesse "The Body" Ventura is credited with the name "Mean" Gene.

The tributes from WWE stars are already pouring in ...

Ric Flair -- One Of My Closest Friends Since 1972 Until This Very Sad Day In 2019. Not Only The Greatest Voice And Personality In The History Of Announcing, But A Man Who Touched Everyone’s Life Who Were Fortunate Enough To Know Him. Rest In Peace Knowing No One Will Ever Replace You.

Seth Rollins -- Super bummed about Mean Gene. Literally JUST sat down last week to do an interview about his legacy. He was the most iconic backstage interviewer in wrestling history in my opinion. #RIPMeanGene

Charlotte Flair -- Goodbye, old friend. Thank you for the memories

Stephanie McMahon -- Gene Okerlund was an incredibly rare talent. He made everything and everyone better. #ThankYouMeanGene for all the incredible memories. Our condolences to his family and loved ones.

Ted DiBiase -- WWE universe has lost one of its greatest announcers and truly one of the nicest guys you’d ever know. “Mean” Gene Okerlund, RIP my friend

Stone Cold Steve Austin -- "Just heard Mean Gene Okerlund has passed away. As an interviewer, pitch man, announcer, or host, he was untouchable. Simply the best. Total professional with quick wit, sarcasm, humor, and that golden voice."

Triple H -- "A voice and sound track to an entire era of our industry. He was the star of some of @WWE’s most memorable segments. “Mean Gene” was beloved by all who got to work with him. Our thoughts are with his family at this difficult time."

Big E -- "Mean Gene was the voice of millions of childhoods. Mine certainly. An honor to meet him. Condolences to his family."

Mustafa Ali -- "The voice of my youth. Condolences to his friends and family."

Ligero -- "Extremely sad news to hear of the unfortunate passing of Mean Gene Okerlund. One of the most iconic interviewers and personalities of my childhood, and one of the very best in the business."

Charles Robinson (famous WWE ref) -- "So sad to hear of the passing of one of the greatest voices in wrestling. Mean Gene you will be missed and we will continue to love you. What a true class act. I am very fortunate to work with you."

Bully Ray -- "RIP “Mean” Gene. Thanks for the memories and being a Gentleman. God Bless."

Kevin Owens -- Mean Gene was universally loved by everyone I’ve met that knew him.

Very few people can say that their work will forever be appreciated and remembered. Very few can legitimately claim to be legends in their field.

Those things can undoubtedly be said about him.

Matt Hardy -- RIP to an absolute legend of our industry, @TheGeneOkerlund. "Mean Gene" was incredible in many roles, as he wore many hats throughout his iconic career in pro wrestling. My thoughts are with his family & friends today.

Kurt Angle -- Very seldom does an interviewer become just as popular, and at times even more popular than the superstars he/she interviews. Gene Okerlund was that person. Im saddened to hear of Gene’s passing. It was an honor to know you Gene!

Mac Miller's still making a difference -- his charity foundation's quickly approaching a million bucks in money raised to help kids in his hometown ... TMZ has learned.

Folks at The Mac Miller Circles Fund tell us ... donations have been pouring in from the late rapper's fans and the total is up to around $350,000. The cash will be used to provide programs and opportunities to underserved youth in the Pittsburgh area, "helping them recognize their full potential through exploration in the arts and community building."

Add that money to proceeds from the October 31 tribute concert for Mac -- which we're told is expected to be another $350k -- and the Circles Fund's hauled in $700k since his death.

As we reported ... the tribute show, "Mac Miller: A Celebration of Life," went down at L.A.'s Greek Theatre and featured performances by artists -- and some of Miller's closest friends -- like Chance the Rapper, Travis Scott, SZA and John Mayer.

We broke the story ... Mac died from an overdose in September. According to the toxicology report, it was the result of "mixed drug toxicity" -- specifically fentanyl and cocaine. The Coroner ruled his death accidental.

Mac was 26.

3:35 PM PT -- David Bennett of Thav Gross P.C., attorney for Franklin's Estate, says the Estate disputes the claim as Aretha paid off the vast majority of her debt before she died. He says, "The Estate is diligently working to resolve any remaining issues."

When Aretha Franklin died in August she left behind a legacy as the undisputed "Queen of Soul" ... and also a huge debt to Uncle Sam.

According to legal docs obtained by TMZ ... the IRS claims Franklin owes more than $6.3 MILLION in back taxes from 2012 to 2018, and an additional $1.5 mil in penalties.

One of Aretha's former lawyers tells us the massive tax lien is the result of several audits over the last 6 years. The weird thing ... one of the years in question is listed as 2018, and that tax year is not over.

We broke the story ... the "Respect" singer's being dogged in death by more than just the tax man -- her lawyer also filed docs in October demanding the estate pony up nearly $54k to cover bills dating back 6 years.

There's also a new lien filed by a publishing company that wants $136,000 for royalties in connection with the 1973 song "Angel."

Say a little prayer for the person managing her finances.

Frank Adonis -- best known for his roles in some of Martin Scorsese's most famous films -- died after a long battle with various health issues ... TMZ has learned.

According to his wife, Denise ... the veteran actor died Wednesday night in Las Vegas. She tells us he'd been sick for a couple years, mostly kidney problems. We're told he'd been on dialysis and was on a ventilator for the past 9 days, but they waited until after Christmas to take him off it.

She adds ... "He will be missed. He was a great father and an amazing husband. He helped all his friends he could. Great writer, director and actor. He was my best friend."

Adonis had a long career in Hollywood with 40 credits to his name, including the role of Anthony Stabile in the classic 1990 mafia film, "Goodfellas."

Frank's also known for his roles in Scorsese's other legendary movies -- "Raging Bull" and "Casino." In addition, he appeared in a bunch of other popular flicks, including "Wall Street," "True Romance" and "Ace Ventura: Pet Detective."

He is survived by his wife and their 2 children, and another daughter from a previous marriage

Frank was 83.

The house of All That Remains guitarist Oli Herbert -- located on the property where he was mysteriously found dead -- might be on the foreclosure market soon.

As we reported ... the body of the heavy metal band's co-founder was discovered in a pond near his Connecticut home on October 16. Cops were dispatched to his residence after his wife reported him missing, and after searching the area ... found Herbert reportedly facedown in inches deep water at the edge of the pond.

According to reports ... the rocker hadn't paid the mortgage on his $132k home months before his death and, in June, docs were filed as a notice of foreclosure. Herbert didn't contest it, and last week attorneys for the mortgage company filed docs to immediately repossess the home.

His wife, Elizabeth, reportedly still lives there.

Herbert's death was ruled "undetermined" by the state's Chief Medical Examiner, who said it would remain that way unless new information is revealed.

Cops are still investigating.

Herbert was one of the founders of ATR and was their lead guitarist for 20 years at the time of his death. The band announced they'd likely name his permanent replacement in 2019.

Oli was 44.

Diddy and his daughters posed for a super sweet pic, showing the strength of their family bond in the wake of the terrible tragedy that befell them.

Diddy and 12-year-old twins Jessie James and D'Lila Star mugged for the camera. Diddy's words ... "L O V E MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU AND YOURS."

TMZ broke the story ... the twins' mom, 47-year-old Kim Porter, died last month at her L.A. home. She had been battling the flu, although cause of death is still pending.

Avicii's entire fortune will go to his parents -- who stand to inherit upwards of $25 million after his suicide.

Legal docs in his native Sweden reveal ... because the DJ was single at the time of his death and he left no will ... his mom and dad -- Anki Liden and Klas Bergling -- will inherit the massive amount of money he left behind. His accumulated wealth of 231 million Swedish Krone rounds out to roughly $25.5 mil.

We broke the story ... Avicii killed himself with a shard of broken glass this past April in the Middle Eastern country of Oman. There are conflicting accounts on where exactly he cut himself to bleed out, but we're told it was either his neck or wrist.

Avicii's parents released a statement shortly after his death that seemed to confirm heir son committed suicide, saying in part ... "He could not go on any longer. He wanted to find peace."

He was 28. RIP

The death of Penny Marshall -- a beloved actor and HUGE sports fan -- rocked the athletic world Tuesday ... with teams and athletes alike mourning her passing.

The L.A. Clippers -- one of Penny's favorite teams -- posted they were "deeply saddened" to learn "a resilient pioneer with legendary talent" had died.

The Globetrotters, meanwhile, posted an old pic of Penny and the team, saying, "RIP to a long-time friend of the Globetrotters, Penny Marshall."

The MLB and the Baseball Hall of Fame also paid tribute to the "A League Of Their Own" director ... with the MLB saying, "We join the baseball community in mourning the passing of Penny Marshall."

Individual athletes expressed their remorse ... with athletes like Michael Strahan, Isiah Thomas, Mark Jackson and even Donyell Marshall taking to Twitter to pay tribute.

"R.I.P Penny Marshall," Donyell wrote ... "Still remember when you asked me for my game Jersey. You said you would go around telling people I was your nephew. We always talked before and after games when we played against the Lakers."

Legendary NBA forward Vince Carter added, "RiP to my friend the great Penny Marshall. You will be missed!!!"

Penny was 75.

William "Willbilly" Hathaway -- a featured cast member on National Geographic's "Wicked Tuna" -- has died after he was involved in a fatal car crash over the weekend.

According to local reports, Hathaway died Saturday in Salisbury, Maryland after he reportedly swerved off a remote countryside road into a ditch. Reports say Hathaway's wife told police her husband had called shortly after the accident saying he was okay, adding that someone had cut him off.

When paramedics arrived, however, he was unconscious and slumped over the center console. Hathaway was later pronounced dead after being transported to a nearby hospital. A Facebook fundraising page has been created to help support his widowed wife and newborn daughter.

As of Monday, a reported $47,500 out of $250k had been raised.

Hathaway was part of the fishing crew on the Ocean City-based Foolish Pleasures vessel, which was featured on "Wicked Tuna: Outer Banks."

The last surviving member of LFO wants to keep the late Devin Lima's legacy alive ... and he can think of nothing better than to publish previously unreleased music just in time for the holidays.

Brad Fischetti tells TMZ ... he just released "Xiles Xmas" and "Hip Hop Reindeers." The 'Reindeers' track is a tribute to all the artists who influenced LFO over the years -- from Snoop Dogg and Andre 3000 to Jay-Z, Biggie Smalls and Tupac. Meanwhile, 'Xiles' pulls at the heartstrings -- it's about spending Christmas alone while missing that special someone.

BTW ... both tracks are also gonna be available on iTunes and Spotify.

Brad says releasing the tracks fulfilled 2 purposes ... for starters, he and Devin talked about releasing the track shortly before Devin passed away after losing his battle with stage 4 cancer. Secondly, Brad felt it's a great way to remember his pal.

Check out the vid ... Brad says Devin's fingerprints are all over the new tracks. And, it's unclear what's next for LFO -- Brad says the group is gone as we know it since former lead singer, Rich Cronin, died in 2010. Nevertheless, he's optimistic the new music will set the band's legacy in stone.

Australia just lost a true legend ... Roger the ripped kangaroo has died at 12 years old.

Roger -- AKA Kangaroo Jacked -- lit the internet on fire back in 2015 after pics of him crushing a metal bucket with his hands went viral.

The 6'7", 200-lb. 'roo was living at the Kangaroo Sanctuary in Australia ... and his videos and pictures showing off his Schwarzenegger-esque physique were a big hit on the web.

"Sadly Roger has passed away of old age," owner Chris Barnes announced on Facebook. "He lived a lovely long life and was loved by millions around the world."

Barnes rescued and raised Roger as a joey after his mother was killed in a car accident ... and in 2016 announced the kangaroo was dealing with arthritis and vision loss.

"We will always love you and miss you Roger"

12:40 PM PT -- Venezuelan authorities believe Valbuena and Castillo may have been victims of robbers who throw rocks onto roads to cause cars to crash and then steal from people inside the vehicle.

Yaracuy governor Julio León Heredia announced 4 suspects have been arrested after they were found with the players' belongings.

MLB infielders Luis Valbuena and Jose Castillo were killed in a car crash in Venezuela on Thursday ... after a car they were riding in veered off the road.

According to local reports ... 33-year-old Valbuena and Castillo, 37, were leaving their Venezuelan league game with Cardenales de Lara in Yaracuy when their driver either hit or swerved to avoid a rock ... and drove off the road.

The man driving the car was the chauffeur of their teammate, Carlos Rivero -- who survived the crash.

Photos of the accident have surfaced ... showing the van totally damaged and flipped on its side.

Valbuena -- who most recently played for the Angels this past season -- has been in the majors since 2008 ... and has also played for the Astros, Cubs, Indians and Mariners.

Valbuena hit 25 home runs with Houston in 2015.

Castillo played 5 seasons in the MLB with the Pirates, Giants and Astros.

The MLB released a statement Friday morning, saying, "We are saddened by the tragic news that Luis Valbuena and former major leaguer José Castillo have died in a car accident."

#RIP

Another reason for Mac Miller's fans to celebrate his life and music -- the late rapper just got his first ever Grammy nomination.

The Recording Academy announced Friday morning Mac Miller's "Swimming" is nominated for rap album of the year. The album's got hefty competition ... going up against Cardi B (Invasion of Privacy), Nipsey Hussle (Victory Lap), Pusha T (Daytona) and Travis Scott (Astroworld).

"Swimming" peaked at no. 3 on the Billboard charts when it was released back in August. It returned to the top 10 following his death in September.

TMZ broke the story ... Mac died from an accidental overdose.

"Swimming" got rave reviews, including from Rolling Stone which said Mac revealed "himself to be a sympathetic, even winning presence."

BTW, Mac wasn't the only artist to earn a posthumous nomination. Chris Cornell -- nominated 4 previous times -- is up for best rock performance. Chris died by suicide in May.

Stephen Hillenburg -- the creator of the hit Nickelodeon show "SpongeBob SquarePants" -- officially died of heart failure as a result of his ALS, but the more interesting tidbit ... his remains were scattered at sea -- and you gotta hope he'll rest in Bikini Bottom.

According to Hillenburg's death certificate -- obtained by TMZ -- the animator's immediate cause of death was cardiopulmonary failure due to ALS -- the diagnosis which he publicly revealed in 2017. The document also reveals that Hillenburg was cremated and his ashes were scattered at sea -- at least 500 yards off the coast of California, to be more specific.

As we reported ... Hillenburg died late last month after battling the fatal disease for more than a year. Nickelodeon called him "a beloved friend and long-time creative partner" and praised his seminal work on 'SBSP' as "a reminder of the value of optimism, friendship and the limitless power of imagination."

You can clearly tell just how much George H.W. Bush was liked and respected simply by the incredible number of celebs who turned out for the late President's funeral in the Lone Star State.

Reba McEntire sang "The Lord's Prayer" and The Oak Ridge Boys gave a powerful rendition of "Amazing Grace" during the funeral services Thursday at St. Martin's Episcopal Church in Houston.

Everything's bigger in Texas, including Houston sports stars -- past and present -- who turned out to say goodbye to 41 ... former Rockets centers Yao Ming and Dikembe Mutombo towered over the crowd, while Texans defensive lineman J.J. Watt brought the muscle with Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Naturally, Chuck Norris was there, and legendary Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda made the trek from Los Angeles.

George H.W. Bush's state funeral just wrapped up at the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C. ... where his son -- 43rd President George W. Bush -- was brought to tears eulogizing his late father and former POTUS.

Dubya delivered an incredibly emotional tribute to his dad, which ended with him choking up and having to step back from the lectern. It was a powerful moment, and fellow mourners gave 43 a big round of applause as he went back to his seat.

Presidential funerals are always extraordinary for the rare gathering of ex-Presidents. Trump, Obama, Clinton and Carter are all there ... and seated RIGHT next to each other.

Trump's attendance was not initially a lock, but he reportedly decided to attend after discussions with the Bush family, and getting assurances he wouldn't be bad-mouthed. Interesting to note, this is the first time Hillary Clinton and Trump will be in the same space since the election.

Also, Michelle Obama wrote in her new book she would never forgive Donald Trump for sparking the birther movement. Sooo ... tense moments.

The former President's body has been lying in State at the Capitol since Monday ... and a steady stream of dignitaries, politicians and celebrities have shown up to pay respects.