Celebrity Death

Kim Kardashian is honoring the later Thierry Mugler ... the designer who's played a big part in her fashion looks over the years.

Kim broke her silence Monday ... finally reacting publicly to Thierry's sudden death over the weekend. She posted a bunch of pics showing a number of different fits that were Mugler designs, and wrote, "Manfred Thierry Mugler 💔 My heart breaks. There’s no one like you! Your vision, your transformations, your magic! I am so honored to have known you, spent time with you and be a muse for you."

She added, "I will never forget our time together around the world and learning from the master himself on what couture really meant!"

And finally, Kim finishes by saying ... "You always said beauty will save the world - and you really believed it was a better place because of the beauty all around! Thank you for the beauty. I love you so much."

As we reported, the 73-year-old French designer died this weekend unexpectedly ... shocking the fashion world and beyond.

Thierry Mugler -- an iconic French fashion designer -- has died ... this according to his team.

An Instagram on Mugler's official page went up Sunday with the tragic news. It was a photo of nothing but a blank square, with the caption ... "#RIP We are devastated to announce the passing of Mr Manfred Thierry Mugler on Sunday January 23rd 2022. May his soul Rest In Peace." The same message was repeated in French as well.

No word on a cause of death, but his passing seems sudden and unexpected -- as he didn't appear to be ill or battling any known ailments.

As you can imagine, the tributes started to pour almost instantly ... especially from folks in the fashion world, who knew Mugler well from his decades-long work and influence in the industry.

It goes without saying ... Mugler has dressed some of the biggest names in the game, including Kim Kardashian -- whom he actually graced with an outfit of his during the 2019 Met Gala, this after he'd officially retired -- plus a plethora of other models and stars.

His extravagant designs have been fan-faves among celebs like Lady Gaga, Cardi B, Jerry Hall, Beyonce, Katy Perry, Rihanna, David Bowie, George Michael, Linda Evangelista, Demi Moore, Megan Fox, Miley Cyrus, Madonna, Cindy Crawford, Tyra Banks, Sharon Stone, Diana Ross, Nicole Kidman, Reese Witherspoon, Robin Wright, Bella Hadid ... and many others.

All of them have donned Mugler-designed getups at one point or another, be it on the red carpet, on the runway ... or on stage. The guy's work touched at least 3 different decades of fashion -- and he was absolutely beloved among Hollywood's finest.

In addition to his clothing contributions, Mugler also left his mark in the fragrance biz ... with a diverse line of perfumes that are still best sellers to this day.

He was 73.

Regina King's only son has tragically died.

Ian Alexander Jr. took his own life Wednesday, according to law enforcement, the day he turned 26.

Ian is the son of Ian Alexander Sr., who married Regina in 1997. They were together 10 years before divorcing.

Regina said, "Our family is devastated at the deepest level by the loss of Ian. He is such a bright light who cared so deeply about the happiness of others. Our family asks for respectful consideration during this private time. Thank you."

Regina and her son would sometimes walk the red carpet together for events and it was apparent how proud she was of him.

As for tributes ... they are cascading in ... "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" star Garcelle Beauvais said, "My heart breaks for you @ReginaKing Ian was sweet & kind."

Marc Lamont Hill echoed that ... "Sending all of my love and condolences to Regina King. I pray that she's surrounded by love and healing energy."

Ian once said of Regina, "She's just a super mom. She doesn't really let bad workdays or anything come back and ruin the time that we have. It's really awesome to have a mother who I can enjoy spending time with."

When Regina turned 50 in 2021, Ian posted this on Instagram ... "Happy birthday to my co, so extremely proud of you and inspired by your love, artistry and gangsta. To be able to watch you take this lifetime by its neck and make it yours is something i will forever be grateful for. But to have you as my mother is the greatest gift I could ask for. To be all that you are while always having the time to be there, love and support me unconditionally is truly remarkable. The whole marvel universe ain't got s*** on you, your the real superhero! Love you mom! This day and everyday YO DAY!!"

And ... just a couple of months before he died, Ian posted a throwback pic of him, his mom and a friend, with the caption ... "My joys 🥰."

Ian was 26.

Meat Loaf would stick to the old adage of the show must go on, and Caleb Johnson -- who sings in the late rocker's band -- says that's exactly what the Neverland Express plans to do.

The season 13 'American Idol' champ is doing his best to fill Meat's shoes on the BAT tour, and he tells TMZ ... he's confident the boss wouldn't want them to quit just because he's no longer here.

Instead, Caleb says Meat Loaf's band will keep plugging along with their Music of Meat Loaf shows ... and they're planning some tributes to the man behind the music.

Caleb got Meat Loaf's blessing a few years back to become the lead singer for Neverland Express ... and they've been touring since 2018, with Meat Loaf even joining them on stage last year during a show in Nashville.

As you know ... Meat Loaf died Thursday night after falling critically ill with COVID.

It's a sad moment for the rock world, but Caleb says the band plans to take the stage for its next scheduled show Feb. 4 in Uncasville, CT ... because that's what Meat Loaf would have wanted.

Still, Caleb admits he will be feeling the pressure to keep Meat's legacy alive ... explaining why it's so hard to sing the man's famous rock tunes.

Meat Loaf deserves a heap of honors, so a very famous pizza joint is heaping a ton of meatloaf on its pies to celebrate the singer/actor's life.

Mulberry Pizza in Bev Hills -- owned by Richie Palmer (ex-hubby of Raquel Welch) -- is making a special pizza Monday to honor Meat Loaf.

Richie is a huge Meat Loaf fan -- his jam is "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" -- and he tells us it's the least he can do.

The pie looks delish -- it's got meatloaf, of course, basil, cheese and some spices.

Richie put a sign outside one of his Bev Hills locations that says, "Monday in honor of Meat Loaf, meatloaf pizza slice! RIP."

Steroids contributed to the shocking and sudden death of bodybuilder George Peterson ... autopsy results, obtained by TMZ Sports, revealed.

In the documents, officials say Peterson died due to "sudden cardiac dysrhythmia due to hypertensive cardiovascular disease." They note in the docs that "anabolic steroid use" was a contributing factor.

Officials ruled the manner of death as "natural."

He was just 37 years old.

As we previously reported, Peterson -- aka "Da Bull" -- was found dead in October in Orlando ... just before he was set to compete in a top bodybuilding competition.

His coach and close friend Justin Miller said at the time Peterson was in great spirits just before his death, saying the bodybuilder was pumped for the show.

But, tragically, Miller said he found Peterson face down on the floor of his hotel room before the bodybuilder was able to compete. Medical personnel was unable to save him, Miller said.

Peterson was a star on the bodybuilding circuit ... he won the Classic Physique competition at the 2019 Arnold Classic and competed in the Olympia four times.

Byron Allen says losing Louie Anderson so closely on the heels of Bob Saget's death is a tremendous gut punch to comedians ... who were more like family than co-workers.

The TV mogul, who bonded with Louie over several decades, joined us on "TMZ Live" to take us behind the scenes of their most recent gig together ... the Byron-produced game show, "Funny You Should Ask."

Byron says Louie lived to make everyone laugh -- even when cameras weren't rolling -- and always preached kindness above all else.

There was one thing that especially stood out for Byron, though... he says every time they wrapped up their show, Louie would give him a hug and say "I love you. He would say goodbye to us as if it was the last time we were going to see him."

As we reported, Anderson died Friday morning after battling lymphoma -- and Byron explained why we've heard so many celebs -- especially comedians -- gushing about Louie and Bob.

He told us they're a tight-knit group, really a family, because they all came up together -- more than 40 years ago -- when no one knew their names.

To celebrate her 100th birthday, Betty White's sent a final message, thanking fans for all their love and support over the years.

The video was supposed to go out on Jan 17, which would've been Betty's 100th bday. BW used the opportunity to thank fans for all the money and donations raised for animals through the #BettyWhiteChallenge. In the post, the beloved actress sits in a chair and shares her last words of love and gratitude.

The posthumous post says she would never have imagined such an outpouring of love, and she would be extremely grateful to everyone ... if she were here to see it. The post ended by saying "I think it’s appropriate to post today as a thanks from Betty and the animals."

TMZ broke the story ... the adored actress and comedian died at her home just weeks before her birthday ... she had the longest-running career of any woman in television.

Louie Anderson's death has one of his comedy peers remembering what's now an incredibly poignant moment ... when Louie and Bob Saget came together with their friend Gilbert Gottfried.

All 3 comedians posed together in a photo Gilbert posted Friday morning ... reacting to the loss of both men in such a short period. Gilbert said, "This photo is very sad now. RIP Bob Saget and RIP Louie Anderson. Both good friends that will be missed."

It's unclear where and when they snapped the shot -- which shows Bob holding up a phone to take a selfie with his pals. Very meta.

As we reported, Louie passed away Friday morning in Las Vegas, where he'd been battling lymphoma. Bob died on Jan. 9 in his Orlando hotel room ... a few hours after doing standup in Jacksonville.

Louie actually appeared on Bob's podcast last May, and they shared some old stories from their gigs at L.A.'s legendary venue, The Comedy Store.

Iconic comedian Louie Anderson has died, after a battle with blood cancer ... TMZ has learned.

As we previously reported, Anderson had been battling this aggressive cancer. And, while it's not clear when he was diagnosed, the "Coming to America" star was recently being treated for Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma in a Vegas hospital.

Unfortunately, he lost that battle Friday morning ... according to his publicist.

Throughout his career of over 30 years, the 3-time Emmy Award winner became known as one of America's most beloved comics ... He was named “One of 100 Greatest Stand-Up Comedians of All Time” by Comedy Central.

Louie made his network debut as a stand-up comedian on "The Tonight Show" back in 1984. And since then, he has become a household name, acting in lots of TV shows and movies ... like "Baskets" and "Coming to America" to name a few.

Louie also made a name for himself, by touring and doing his own specials and sitcoms. He was shown to turn the ups and downs of his childhood into laughter.

Just last year, Anderson made headlines when he opened up about his weight loss journey and losing 30 to 40 pounds during the pandemic ... which, he says was a result of intermittent fasting.

Louie continued to tour worldwide before being hospitalized ... doing what he does best, making others laugh. His legacy will surely live on.

He was 68.

Meat Loaf -- the singer with some monstrous hits -- has died at the age of 74.

The singer's manager, Michael Greene, confirmed Meat Loaf died Thursday night. Sources with knowledge tell TMZ ... he was supposed to attend a business dinner earlier this week for a show he's working on -- "I'd Do Anything for Love" -- but the dinner was canceled because he became seriously ill with COVID. Sources tell us that his condition quickly became critical.

Our sources say Meat Loaf has been outspoken about COVID, railing with folks in Australia recently about vaccine mandates. We do not know if he was vaccinated.

Greene added that Meat Loaf's wife and 2 daughters were by his side when he passed away.

Meat Loaf was one of the greatest rock singers of all time. His 1977 "Bat Out of Hell" album sold an astounding 65 million copies. That album produced several hits, including "Two Out of Three Ain't Bad," which charted at #11 on Billboard.

Meat Loaf followed up with a sequel years later -- "Bat Out of Hell II: Back Into Hell" - which produced a number 1 hit, "I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That)." He won a Grammy for Best Solo Rock Vocal Performance.

Meat Loaf also appeared in a ton of movies and TV shows, including "The Rocky Horror Picture Show," "Spice World: The Movie" and "Fight Club" He also performed in the musical "Hair," both on and off-Broadway.

His real name was Marvin Lee Aday. As for how he acquired the name of a delicious meal ... his football coach named him Meat Loaf because of his weight. His first band was called Meat Loaf Soul.

Now get this ... his first album was a duet with a singer named Stoney and it was released on Motown.

Meat Loaf appeared on "TMZ Live" back in 2014, promoting his new show in Vegas.

We last got Meat Loaf in NYC back in 2019, where he told us why his stage name should appeal to vegetarians and vegans alike.

Kelly Rizzo has no regrets about what she and Bob Saget discussed very shortly before he passed away in an Orlando hotel room, and says their final chat was totally representative of Bob's entire life.

Bob's widow told Hoda Kotb on "Today" she felt she'd finally reached a point where she was all cried out about her husband's sudden death -- and yet, moments later she broke down talking about how deeply Bob loved her and everyone in his life.

Kelly sobbed as she recalled his routine during road trips -- "Every time he would be out of town he would always try to ... he would work so hard, and he loved to sleep in, but when he was away, he would still go to bed at 2 and wake up at 4" to ensure he could get home on the first flight.

As we've reported, that's exactly what Bob intended to do after checking into the Ritz-Carlton around 2 AM on January 9. He was scheduled to fly home to Kelly early that Sunday, but when Kelly didn't hear from him, she notified the hotel ... and a staffer found him unresponsive around 4 PM.

We know Bob had spoken to Kelly after his final show, Saturday night in Jacksonville. She says, "It was all 'I love you so much.' I think I said, 'I love you dearly,' and then he said, 'I love you endlessly,' and then I said, 'I can't wait to see you tomorrow.' It was just all love."

Kelly told Hoda that final convo is pretty much how they always spoke to each other -- she says Bob was all about loving the people in his life, and letting them know about it.

In fact, she says she marveled at how he found the time to talk to everyone and tell everybody that he loved them ... all the time. When you see Kelly talking about Bob and how deeply he cared about his friends, it's easy to understand the outpouring of love we've seen for him since his death.

The creator of "Full House" is selling his house for a fortune ... and it's got a lot of history to it.

Real estate sources tell TMZ ... sitcom creator Jeff Franklin is moving on and is inviting buyers who are interested to make an offer ... buyers, that is, who have $85 mil to spend.

The house sits on the land where the Manson Family slaughtered Sharon Tate, Abigail Folger, Steven Parent, Wojciech Frykowski and Jay Sebring back in 1969. The house was razed in 1994 and a new mansion was built in its place.

There's more recent history ... Jeff hosted the reception at his home for Bob Saget's family after his funeral last week.

The home is 21,000-square feet with 9 bedrooms and 19 bathrooms and sits on 3-acres, with a jetliner view of the city.

The modern estate is decked out with a movie theater, spa, gym, hair salon, billiards room and a bar ... and the backyard features a 75-yard pool with 3 waterfalls, 2 Jacuzzis, a 35-foot water slide, swim-up bar, private grotto, koi pond, lazy river, cabana, BBQ area and fire pits.

Oh and we didn't mention the detached guest house and an underground garage with room for 16 cars.

The highly-anticipated Nike X Louis Vuitton "Air Force 1" shoes -- which were created by the late fashion designer Virgil Abloh -- are hitting the auction block ... and for a good cause.

Sotheby's is auctioning 200 pairs of the limited-edition sneaker -- created by Virgil for the Louis Vuitton Spring-Summer 2022 collection -- in an exclusive colorway.

The auction marks the first-ever release of the Louis Vuitton and Nike Air Force 1 ... which Abloh worked on before he passed away.

Each pair -- ranging in sizes 5-18 -- will be sold with an orange Taurillon Monogram leather Louis Vuitton pilot case ... which is exclusive to this specific auction.

Of course, the Nike Air Force 1 sneaker -- which was designed in 1982 -- is one of the most iconic sneakers ever ... with cultural relevance especially in major cities like New York.

The collab between the fashion icon and sneaker conglomerate Nike makes this particular sneaker one of the most coveted items on the market ... and a unique moment in fashion history.

The online sale will run through Feb. 9 ... and proceeds from the auction will benefit Abloh's "Post-Modern" Scholarship Fund.

Tanya Roberts home has officially hit the market ... almost a year to the day of the actress' untimely death.

The 4 bedroom 3.5 bath home is listed at $2.999 million and tucked away in Hollywood Hills. The pad has plenty to offer in the views department, with a good look at both the canyon and DTLA.

Tanya used to totally zen-out on the property's 1.15 acres -- complete with a bridge and koi pond -- and there are hiking trails nearby, where she used to take her dogs daily.

Mark Cianciulli from The CREM Group has the listing.

Tanya died unexpectedly on January 4, 2021, after first collapsing at the home. We were told doctors believed a UTI that spread into her bloodstream is what caused the medical complications that eventually killed her.

Gaspard Ulliel -- a well-known French actor and face of Chanel -- has died ... this according to his agent.

The sad news comes after word of Ulliel's involvement in a serious skiing accident in the Alps Tuesday, which left him hospitalized in Grenoble. He's said to have collided with another skier on the slopes, and suffered a devastating blow to his skull ... needing a helicopter transport.

While Ulliel was a bona fide star in his homeland, he was pretty prominent here in the States as well ... especially among horror fans, who might recognize him as a young Hannibal Lecter in the 2007 flick 'Hannibal Rising.'

He's also notable for portraying fashion mogul Yves Saint Laurent in the biopic 'Saint Laurent,' as well as for roles over the years in projects like 'A Very Long Engagement,' 'It's Only the End of the World,' 'The Art of Love,' 'The Dancer' 'Twice Upon a Time,' 'One Nation One King' ... and many other films and TV shows, a majority of which were French.

Ulliel was also on the come-up in the Marvel world ... he's reportedly set to play the big bad guy in the upcoming 'Moon Knight' series opposite Oscar Isaac, which is currently in post-production. In addition to his on-camera work, Ulliel dabbled in the fashion and fragrance world too -- he's been the face of a men's Chanel commercial, plugging Bleu de Chanel.

He's survived by his partner, Gaëlle Piétri, and one child. Ulliel was 37.