Celebrity Death

The Grove honored Kobe, Gigi Bryant and the 7 other lives lost in a tragic helicopter crash by doing something it had never done in its 18-year history ... shutting off its famed rooftop sign and blasting a special lights tribute.

The famed L.A. mall beamed 9 rays of light Monday as the sun set ... and they joined together as one in the heavens to honor the victims from the January helicopter crash. Billionaire real estate developer Rick Caruso, who owns The Grove, said it's the first time The Grove has EVER turned off its famous Grove sign.

L.A. and the rest of the world said one last goodbye to the NBA legend and Gigi on Monday in front of a packed Staples Center crowd. We got Caruso leaving Craig's later that night and he said the tribute was a one-night event.

Caruso also tells us how he got the idea to honor the victims. Our guy asks Caruso if The Grove will erect a Kobe statue ... and Caruso's response should come as no surprise.

BTW ... Kobe was no stranger to The Grove. He'd drop into the mall's famed Nike store every now and then. He also had a meet and greet at the mall's Barnes & Noble when he was there to promote his book "The Mamba Mentality: How I Play" in 2018.

Vanessa Bryant has just sued the company that owned the doomed helicopter that crashed, killing Kobe, Gigi and 7 others ... claiming the aircraft should never have been placed in the peril it was in before the Jan. 26 accident.

The lawsuit alleges Island Express was only allowed to fly under visual flight rules, and the conditions the day of the crash were not conducive for such flying. As we reported, the fog was extremely low and the pilot was in blinding conditions before the mishap.

The lawsuit also says the pilot was going 180 miles per hour in the heavy fog in a steep decline in the moments before it crashed in Calabasas, CA.

The lawsuit claims the pilot failed to properly monitor and assess the weather prior to takeoff, failed to obtain proper weather data prior to the flight, failed to abort the flight when he knew of the cloudy condition, failed to maintain control of the helicopter and failed to avoid "natural obstacles" in the flight path.

The suit says Island Express engaged in unnecessary and needlessly risky means of transportation under the circumstances.

The suit also asks for damages for "pre-impact" terror -- damages for the emotional trauma Kobe and Gigi suffered as the pilot struggled to get out of the clouds before the crash.

The lawsuit also says the pilot, Ara George Zobayan, was disciplined in 2015 for violating the visual flight rule minimums by flying into an airspace of reduced visibility.

The lawsuit also claims the helicopter was not safe, although it doesn't say what was unsafe. It could be the basis for the claim is that the helicopter was not certified to fly in bad weather.

The lawsuit does not list an amount of damages sought, but Vanessa is asking for punitive damages, claiming the pilot and Island Express were reckless, and the damages could be untold millions.

The suit seeks damages for loss of love, affection, care, society, service, comfort, support, right to support, companionship, solace or moral support and expectations of future support and counseling. The suit also seeks money for loss of financial support and for burial and funeral expenses.

Thousands of Kobe and Gianna Bryant mourners are just hours away from packing Staples Center for a ceremony celebrating the Mamba and Mambacita's lives ... and TMZ Sports will live stream all of it.

The event is expected to be incredibly moving and emotional. As we reported, the demand to attend the memorial was unprecedented.

THOUSANDS of people applied for tickets -- more than 88,000 just in the first 5 hours.

The Staples Center only holds 20,000 ... and many of those tickets had already been accounted for with Kobe's family, friends and the NBA community.

We're told officials wrestled with the idea of moving the event to the L.A. Coliseum -- which seats closer to 80,000 people -- before ultimately settling on Staples. After all, it's where Kobe played for 20 years and became a beloved figure in Los Angeles and around the world.

Tributes are popping up all over the city. Check out this mural in the Hollywood-area near The Grove.

We're told just like Michael Jackson and Nipsey Hussle's memorials -- which were also held at Staples -- streets around the building will be closed off for security and traffic control.

Law enforcement is urging fans without tickets to stay home and watch the broadcast on TV or online. The ceremony will NOT be broadcast on the screens outside Staples.

It's unclear who will speak at the memorial ... with dozens of people close to Kobe and Gigi wanting to take the mic to say kind words about the Lakers legend and his daughter.

We broke the story, Bryant and his daughter were 2 of 9 people who tragically lost their lives in a helicopter crash on Jan. 26.

Vanessa Bryant, who is expected to attend the event, said of the losses just days after the tragedy, "We are completely devastated by the sudden loss of my adoring husband, Kobe -- the amazing father of our children; and my beautiful, sweet Gianna -- a loving, thoughtful, and wonderful daughter, and amazing sister to Natalia, Bianka, and Capri."

The memorial stream will begin at 9:00 AM PT.

Katherine Johnson -- the mathematician portrayed by Taraji P. Henson in the Oscar-nominated film "Hidden Figures" -- has died.

NASA announced the pioneering figure died Monday. It was her groundbreaking math work that helped calculate the trajectories for Alan Shepard's history-making journey in space. She was also the one who gave the go-ahead for John Glenn's mission into orbit.

Johnson, who was initially rejected by NASA when she first applied, was tasked by Glenn to check the computer's work by redoing all the math done by a computer that had been programmed with the orbital equations that would control the trajectory of the capsule in Glenn's Friendship 7 mission.

And, as part of the pre-flight checklist, Glenn asked engineers to "get the girl" to run the same numbers through the same equations that had been programmed into the computer ... by hand. Glenn famously said, "If she says they're good then I'm ready to go." The mission went on without a hitch.

"Hidden Figures" was released in 2016 to much acclaim. It earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Picture. Octavia Spencer was also nominated for Best Supporting Actress. Johnson was honored at the 2017 Oscars.

Johnson, who retired in 1986 from NASA, authored or co-authored 26 research projects. She recalled her greatest contribution to space exploration the calculations that helped with Project Apollo's Lunar Lander -- the moon-orbiting Command Service Module.

She was born on August 26, 1918, in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia. She was famous before even her NASA days ... she was one of 3 black students handpicked to integrate West Virginia's graduate school. Johnson graduated from West Virginia State College in 1937 ... earning degrees in mathematics and French.

Johnson arrived at NASA before it was known by those letters. She started at NACA (National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics) in 1953. It became NASA five years later.

In 2015 and at 97 years of age, President Barack Obama awarded Johnson the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

She was 101.

RIP

Drew Carey's still reeling over the murder of his ex-fiancee, Amie Harwick, who he's calling a "beautiful person who didn't deserve to die like she did" ... in his first heartbreaking public tribute to her.

Carey opened up about Harwick on his weekly SiriusXM show, calling his engagement to her the "best relationship of my life." "The Price is Right" host got very emotional talking about his love for Amie -- even after their breakup -- and the special connection they had over music.

He shared a special setlist for his radio show ... one he'd made specifically for her. It included "Can't Take My Eyes Off You" and "Dedicated to the One I Love."

Drew also touched on Amie's alleged murderer, saying she was killed by an ex-boyfriend who had been stalking her for about 10 years ... even when she was in a relationship with Carey. He says Harwick's ex "finally got her."

As you know ... Gareth Pursehouse has been arrested and charged with Harwick's murder. Cops say he attacked her in her home, causing her to fall to her death from a third-story balcony. Harwick had filed for restraining orders against him nearly a decade ago, but it's believed he may have had contact with her at a recent work event.

Carey ended his tribute to Harwick by thanking musicians who touch people like him and Amie, and saying "I loved her very much." He then played his setlist for her and says he might not be back on the radio program for a while as he recovers from the tragedy.

John 'Sonny' Franzese, Sr., an Italian-American mobster who served as a Colombo crime family underboss and even had his finger in the movie biz ... is dead.

Franzese was an organized crime wheeler and dealer for decades, but he also dabbled in film. Franzese helped finance the '72 iconic porn flick, "Deep Throat." BTW ... it cost $22k to produce and grossed as much as $50 million. He also helped finance "The Texas Chain Saw Massacre."

Sonny served as an underboss of the Colombo family from 1964 to 1967, when he was sentenced to 50 years for bank robbery. He was paroled in '78 but prison became a revolving door. He went back and forth 6 times for crimes that included extortion.

He may have done worse ... in 2006, he talked about techniques for mob murders with a man who turned out to be a secret government informant who was wired. One of the things he said ... he put nail polish on his fingertips before murdering someone to avoid leaving fingerprints at the scene of the crime ... of course, to blunt DNA testing.

Interesting fact ... His son, John Franzese, Jr., testified against him in one of the trials. It marked the first time the son of a New York mobster turned state's evidence on his dad.

Sonny died in a nursing home in upstate New York. One of his daughters was by his side when he passed. We're told he died of natural causes.

Sonny was dubbed "The nodfather" for falling asleep during one of his trials.

When he was released for the last time in June 2017, he was the oldest federal inmate in the U.S. at age 100.

Franzese was born in Naples, Italy in 1917. He and his family moved to NYC when he was a child. He had 8 kids and 18 grandchildren.

B. Smith, a groundbreaking model, restaurant owner and lifestyle guru, died Saturday night ... according to her husband.

Dan Gasby announced her death, saying, "It is with great sadness that my daughter Dana and I announce the passing of my wife, Barbara Elaine Smith." He says she passed peacefully at 10:50 PM Saturday at their home on Long Island after having battled Alzheimer's Disease for several years.

B. started her career in the 1960s as a model who was signed to Wilhelmina modeling agency. In 1976, she became the first black woman featured on a cover of Mademoiselle.

She went on to open 3 of her popular B. Smith restaurants in New York City, on Long Island and also in Washington, D.C.

B. landed her own cooking and lifestyle show in 1997 when "B. Smith with Style" debuted.

She and Dan married in 1992 and she became a stepmother to his daughter from a previous relationship.

B. was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's disease in 2013. You might recall, Dan faced some criticism in 2018 when he went public with the fact he had a girlfriend who was living with him and helping care for his ailing wife.

Dan thanked the hospice caregivers who "helped us make B. comfortable in her final days." He added, "Heaven is shining even brighter now that it is graced with B.'s dazzling and unforgettable smile."

B. was 70.

Pop Smoke's loved ones will be gathering this weekend to remember him, say some prayers and grieve together ... TMZ has learned.

Sources close to the rapper's family tell us ... they are taking care of some final formal business, but will be transporting his body back to New York soon.

We're told a private event for family and close friends only is scheduled for Sunday at a church in his hometown of Brooklyn. It's a prayer and grief service, but not his final memorial service or burial ... that will be held at a later date.

We broke the story ... Pop Smoke's family is reeling after his tragic death, and desperately seeking answers. They've been heavily involved in the investigation process and we're told they'll continue to be as much as possible back in NYC.

Along with dealing with law enforcement, our sources say the family's also been handling a lot of the rapper's music business with his label and his lawyers in L.A. ... but they're ready to get out of California and bring their son home.

As you know ... Pop Smoke was shot and killed Wednesday morning in what initially appeared to be a home invasion in the Hollywood Hills. However, we've learned surveillance video suggests his murder was a target hit and not a robbery gone wrong.

'Mad' Mike Hughes is believed to possibly be dead after launching himself in the air with a self-made rocket that crash-landed -- and it was captured on camera.

The well-known daredevil and amateur rocket-engineer was doing a rocket launch Saturday in what appears to be near Barstow, CA -- where a reporter says Mike propelled himself into the air with a "self-made steam-powered rocket" and then crash-landed into the ground.

The reporter, Justin Chapman, adds, "Very likely did not survive." He tells TMZ ... Mike is confirmed to be dead there on the ground as well.

In the video, you see a parachute fly out of the rocket, but it doesn't appear anyone is using it. The presumption, for now, is that Mike might've stayed in the rocket as it ascended hundreds of feet into the air.

Mike's rep, Darren Shuster, tells TMZ he was NOT at the launch Saturday, but does believe his longtime client to be deceased based on what he's seen and heard. Darren says Mike was a "one-of-a-kind" adding, "When God made Mike he broke the mold. The man was the real deal and lived to push the edge. He wouldn’t have gone out any other way! RIP"

For Saturday's experiments, Mike is said to have been attempting to get as close to space from Earth as possible -- otherwise known as the Karman line, about 62 miles above Earth's surface -- without the use of advanced tech you might find at NASA or SpaceX.

Much more tragic, Mike seemed pretty stoked for the launch this weekend. He posted a video describing his rocket, where it would go down and what he was aiming to achieve. BTW, he was a big flat-earth believer -- and a doc was even made about him trying to prove it.

We've reached out to the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Dept. for comment ... so far, no word back. However, we were told by a dispatcher at the Victor Valley Sheriff's Station that a call for service had been placed Saturday out of Barstow -- the nature of which is unclear.

Mike was 64. RIP

As cops try to figure out who targeted Pop Smoke for death ... we know the rapper shut down one of his own performances just days before his murder out of concern there were gang members in the audience.

Pop was scheduled to play the Kings Theatre in Brooklyn last Sunday night, but took to Instagram just before the show to cancel. Pop blamed it on cops, saying, "Unfortunately NYPD wouldn't let me perform."

Our law enforcement sources say it wasn't the NYPD that shut the show down ... they say the decision was made by Pop himself. The rapper was out on bail in a federal car theft case and was ordered to stay away from gang members, so cops say canceling the show was really self-preservation.

There's been a buzz in L.A. among Pop's circle that gang members might be behind his murder. The fact that Pop himself had concerns about gang members was something that has not escaped the attention of police.

TMZ broke the story -- the feds busted Pop last month for allegedly transporting a stolen Rolls-Royce -- and that's why he was on bail.

As we first reported ... Pop Smoke's death appears to be a targeted hit based on accounts by those who saw surveillance footage from outside the Hollywood Hills home where he was gunned down.

Pop Smoke's tragic death came as a devastating shock to his family ... who are now heavily involved in trying to solve the who, what, why and how of the rapper's murder.

Family sources tell TMZ ... Pop Smoke's loved ones, who live in NYC, beelined it to the airport to fly to LAX and headed to the hospital after getting word he'd been shot.

We're told the family is at a loss trying to understand what happened -- nothing makes sense to them.

Our family sources say they had no clue that Pop Smoke had any enemies in L.A. They also don't believe someone would have followed him from New York to L.A. Since he spent so much time on the East Coast, if someone there wanted to harm him, they would have done it there.

Our sources say family members have personally questioned friends and witnesses, who were at the Hollywood Hills house before the shooting, to try to gather evidence ... and they want to see security footage.

We broke the story ... surveillance video suggests Pop Smoke's murder was a target hit and not a robbery gone wrong, a notion with which the family is struggling.

As far as the family knows, Smoke was in L.A. to focus on promoting his new mixtape which had just dropped, and to relax a bit before going on tour in March.

As we reported, he was killed Wednesday morning after multiple shots were fired inside his home and they only struck Pop Smoke, who was rushed to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center where he was pronounced dead.

Our sources say just like law enforcement ... the rapper's family is in full investigation mode, and won't stop until they get some answers.

Lauren London's making it perfectly clear she's NOT dating Diddy or anyone else for that matter ... 'cause it'll be her and Nipsey Hussle 'til the end of time.

Lauren took to Instagram Thursday and posted a picture of the late rapper and captioned it "Still His! King Ermias! Never Forget!" And, for those who didn't get the message the first time she took it a step further and said, "Stop f***ing playing with me and my name. Now let me get back to healing."

The actress felt compelled to quash rumors she and Diddy are dating after Diddy reportedly posted -- and then deleted -- a couple of black and white pics of him and Lauren.

Diddy initially captioned the Instagram pics "#lostfiles ... @laurenlondon❤️." The pics, BTW, were taken at Jay-Z's Roc Nation Pre-Grammy brunch last month. Reports started to surface not long after speculating Diddy and Lauren were a thing. But, Lauren's not about to have it.

She also posted on her Instagram Story to make it crystal clear ... it's her and Nipsey forever.

For the record, Diddy eventually re-posted his pic with Lauren on his Instagram Story and captioned it "More Lost Files ... Me & My Sister @laurenlondon at the @rocnation brunch."

Sy Sperling -- the founder and president of Hair Club for Men known for his TV commercials in the '80s and '90s -- has died in Florida.

Sperling died in Boca Raton after a lengthy illness ... according to his spokeswoman, Terri Lynn.

Sy's career path began being forged in the late '60s when he was a balding swimming pool salesman in New York City who'd grown tired of wearing toupees.

So, he took $10k in credit card debt to open a Madison Avenue salon and used a hair weaving technique he learned from a stylist to implement a system where a nylon mesh cap was glued to a person's scalp ... allowing their hair to grow through it, then additional matching hair purchased from women was woven into the mesh.

Sounds pretty odd, but business took off ... just not to the point where Sperling wanted it to be. Enter, the TV commercials.

Sy began advertising his hair replacement system on TV and went national in 1982, with spots running 400 times daily on late-night TV. They reportedly cost $12 million a year but generated 10,000 calls a month.

The ads featured before-and-after photos of happy customers, but ended with Sperling himself proclaiming ... "I'm not only the Hair Club president, but I'm also a client." They became a cultural phenomenon almost instantly.

The company's now simply referred to as Hair Club and began offering services for women in 1995. Sy retired in 2000 after selling the company for $45 mil. It's helped more than 600,000 clients restore their hair over the years.

Sperling is survived by his wife and 2 kids.

He was 78.

Pop Smoke's death wasn't a robbery gone wrong ... it was a targeted hit ... and that conclusion is supported by surveillance video.

People who have seen the surveillance footage from outside the Hollywood Hills home where Pop was killed Wednesday morning tell us ... you see 4 men approach the home at around 4:30 AM and sneak around back.

A couple minutes pass before 3 of the 4 walk back up the side of the home to the front. The 4th apparently walked in the backdoor but no camera was trained on it. The next time you see the man, he exits through the front door of the house.

As we reported, multiple shots were fired inside the home and they only struck Pop Smoke, who was rushed to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center where he was pronounced dead.

At first, it seemed like it might have been a robbery because the rapper posted a photo earlier in the day of a bunch of gifts ... one of which had his home address emblazoned on it. He also posted another pic hours before the shooting of himself and a friend in a car ... the friend is holding an enormous amount of cash.

But, here's the thing. The folks who have seen the surveillance video tell us the person inside the house -- presumably the shooter -- did not carry anything out. Given that he shot someone, it's doubtful he would take the time to stuff items in his pocket.

Pop Smoke was only 20 and already making a name for himself in music. His song, "Welcome to the Party" was remixed by Nicki Minaj and he appeared on Travis Scott's latest project "JACKBOYS." His mix tape charted #7 Tuesday on the Billboard 200.

A former pro-Australian rugby player murdered his wife and 3 young children in an apparent murder-suicide ... according to law enforcement officials in Australia.

42-year-old Rowan Baxter -- who played for the New Zealand Warriors in the National Rugby League (NRL) -- was found in his car early Wednesday morning along with his wife, 2 young daughters and his son. The kids were aged 6, 4 and 3.

Officials believe Baxter doused the car with gasoline and set it on fire. Witnesses say they saw Baxter's wife trying to escape the car while yelling, "He's poured petrol on me."

Emergency responders raced to the scene -- and Baxter's wife was transported to a nearby hospital ... but she ultimately succumbed to her injuries. Emergency responders also reportedly tried to revive Rowan, but he was declared dead.

Police say Rowan's wife had been driving the car and he was sitting in the front passenger seat.

A Good Samaritan who tried to help the family was also hospitalized with facial burns, according to local media.

Scott Morrison -- the Prime Minister of Australia -- has issued a statement about the situation saying, "My heart goes out to the families and community going through this tragic time and the emergency responders confronting what would be a shattering scene."

Rowan and his wife had been running a fitness company called Integr8 in Brisbane. They reportedly separated late last year and were trying to hammer out custody arrangements.

Baxter stayed around the game after his playing career was over, working as a fitness coach for teams in NRL, Super Rugby and the Australian Football League.

"Good Times" star Ja'Net DuBois appeared in good spirits -- and more importantly, healthy -- just a couple weeks before suddenly dying.

We got this photo of Ja'Net posing with "Good Times" costars Jimmie Walker, Johnny Brown, Bern Nadette Stanis and Ralph Carter -- all 5 of whom showed up together on Feb. 1 at the Los Angeles Marriott at the Burbank Airport for a scheduled meet and greet with fans.

The group talked with longtime viewers, took photos and signed autographs. As you can see, Ja'Net seemed perfectly fine with the rest of the TV stars. In good enough health, anyway, to walk around and pose for at least a couple shots -- if not more.

Just a little more than 2 weeks later, she was found unresponsive at her Glendale, CA home -- where her family says she died in her sleep unexpectedly. We're told there were no known ailments or illnesses she was battling prior to her passing ... it just happened.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... Ja'Net died of natural causes, plain and simple. The fact she was up and smiling just days earlier makes her loss all the more tragic.  It's interesting ... we're told there will be NO autopsy, despite the puzzling nature of her death.

As you might know, she had a hand in some iconic shows besides "Good Times" -- serving as the gorgeous voice that greeted viewers in the opening song, "Movin' On Up," on "The Jeffersons," as well as voicing Mrs. Avery on "The PJs" for all 43 episodes.

She was 74.

RIP