Celebrity Death

President Trump just officially tapped his pick for the next Supreme Court justice to replace the late Ruth Bader Ginsburg ... Judge Amy Coney Barrett.

The Prez nominated the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals judge Saturday, just over a week after RBG passed away from cancer. Barrett, a Trump appointee to the Circuit Court, was a Notre Dame law professor. He dished out her bona fides and respectable resume while naming her as his nominee, while also calling on the Senate to do their duty.

Barrett began her remarks by praising the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg for her laudatory and consequential life. She noted RBG smashed many glass ceilings.  And, she had words about her mentor -- the late Justice Antonin Scalia -- and how he helped shape her vision of the law and how he taught her about collegiality even with people who are polar opposites.

Barrett said she'd learned a lot from Scalia and promised -- if confirmed -- to uphold the letter of the law as written, without any personal bias or otherwise. She also thanked her husband and her 7 kids, all of whom eventually came up on stage to pose for a photo op with the First Family.

Some more background on Barrett ... she is a die-hard conservative justice, who is a deeply religious, practicing Catholic. She's opposed to abortion, but has said she thinks Roe vs. Wade is more likely to be reimagined than overruled. In common parlance, reimagined means whittling away at the precedent.

Trump urged the public and the media to refrain from personal or partisan attacks against Judge Barrett, with a nod to how nasty and contentious Justice Kavanaugh's confirmation was. Trump went on to praise Justice Ginsburg, and explained why Barrett was the best choice to replace her.

If she's confirmed by the Senate -- which is highly likely -- the Supreme Court will have a solid 6-3 majority. The stakes are enormous, with abortion rights, health care, LGBTQ rights and voting rights on the chopping block.

Barrett has long been considered for a Supreme Court seat with Trump in office ... she was on the shortlist to replace Anthony Kennedy when he retired in 2018, a seat that is now occupied by Justice Brett Kavanaugh.

It's interesting ... when Trump filled Kennedy's seat, he reportedly informed advisors he was "saving" Barrett just in case RBG left SCOTUS during his presidency.

Barrett graduated from Notre Dame School of Law. She was in private practice before becoming a law professor at George Washington University and then Notre Dame.

Barrett has been serving on the Chicago-based 7th Circuit Court of Appeals since 2017. She's ruled on a pair of abortion-related cases, both times in favor of restrictions on access to abortion.

One key issue she's made herself perfectly clear on is the Affordable Care Act, arguing the birth control mandate is unconstitutional and the ACA overall is an overreach and abuse of Congressional power.

Ruth Bader Ginsburg's longtime trainer said goodbye to the late Supreme Court Justice with an ode to their notorious workouts ... doing push-ups in front of her casket.

Bryant Johnson dropped down and gave RBG 3 push-ups as he paid his respects before her casket Friday, which is lying in state in the U.S. Capitol.

It was a powerful moment ... and Bryant said farewell by doing the exercise in a full suit, though he made it look easy. It's not.

As you know ... Ruth was famous for her rigorous workout routine, which helped keep her working on SCOTUS until she was 87. RBG even invited Stephen Colbert to D.C. to show him how she kept fit in the gym, and Bryant was right by her side during the 'Late Show' segment.

Legendary skater Keith Hufnagel -- one of the most influential skateboarders of all time -- passed away earlier this week at the age of 46.

Hufnagel had been battling brain cancer for the past 2 and a half years ... and fought to beat his original diagnosis.

Hufnagel -- who was born in NYC in 1974 -- had a massive impact on the East Coast skating scene in the '90s ... and beyond.

In addition to being a badass on the board, Hufnagel was also the founder of the immensely popular and important skate shop, HUF Worldwide.

"Keith loved skateboarding and the culture around it," the brand said Thursday. "He did things his way and did them for the right reasons. He inspired so many of us across the globe."

"But above anything else, Keith loved and supported the people around him. He would do anything for his friends, family and children. He passionately wanted to see others succeed. And we all loved him for it."

The skate legend is recognized as a streetwear and sneaker icon.

USA Skateboarding released a statement on KH's death, saying ... "We are devastated to hear that Keith Hufnagel has passed away. His impact on skateboarding, both on his board and off it as a designer, brand owner/founder and friend will live forever. Rest in peace, Keith"

Keith is survived by his wife, Mariellen ... and their children.

Now this is cool -- a moving Chadwick Boseman mural, showing the late Marvel star giving the Wakanda salute to an adoring young fan wearing a "Black Panther" mask.

The powerful artwork by Nikkolas Smith was unveiled Thursday in Downtown Disney outside Disneyland in Anaheim ... and it's a fitting tribute to Chadwick's legacy in a number of ways.

Nikkolas calls the mural his "King Chad" tribute and says ... "It is a full circle moment for me: my final two projects as a Disney Imagineer last summer were working on the Children’s Hospital project and the Avengers Campus."

The child in the mural appears to be wearing a hospital gown. As you know, Chadwick spent a lot of time visiting young cancer patients, even as he silently battled colon cancer.

Nikkolas adds, "To millions of kids, T'Challa was a legend larger than life, and there was no one more worthy to fill those shoes than Chadwick Boseman."

Since his death last month, Chadwick's continued to inspire fans ... especially kids who've been moved to create their own tributes to their hero, and this new mural captures that spirit.

Like Nikkolas says ... "This one is special."

President Trump is getting blatantly, and loudly, disrespected for his attempt to pay his respects to Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg ... and the chants he heard have a familiar ring.

First Lady Melania Trump and the President -- who was actually wearing a face mask -- went to the Supreme Court Thursday morning during the public viewing of flag-draped RBG's casket. Moments after the crowd of mourners saw him, a chorus of boos rained down on Trump.

Then came the repeated chant of "Vote him out!!!" In what Trump's opponents would call poetic justice ... the chant was done to the same cadence of the "lock her up" chants Trump himself has encouraged for years about Hillary Clinton.

The president didn't visibly react to the crowd's vitriol ... but there's no doubt he heard it, and he couldn't be too shocked.

Remember, POTUS has claimed RBG's reported dying wish -- to have her successor picked by whoever wins the presidential election -- was not real, and just propaganda created by the Democrats. BTW, Trump's said he'll nominate RBG's successor on Saturday.

So, yeah ... he had to know the boos would be coming.

WWE icon Joseph Laurinaitis, AKA Road Warrior Animal, died Tuesday night of natural causes ... TMZ Sports has confirmed. He was 60 years old.

Law enforcement tells us, the wrestling legend -- who was one half of the famous Road Warriors tag team -- passed away at Tan-Tar-A Resort in Osage Beach, MO.

We're told cops received a call at around 11:49 PM from Laurinaitis' wife ... but when deputies arrived on scene -- emergency personnel had already declared the ex-wrestler deceased.

Laurinaitis is considered one of the best in-ring performers of all-time -- he wrestled for most of his WWE career with Road Warrior Hawk and won multiple tag team championships as The Road Warriors/Legion of Doom.

He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2011.

"RIP Animal,love you my brother," Hulk Hogan said in a statement Wednesday morning. "I know you and Hawk have a lot of unfinished business to take care of! God speed and blessings to your beautiful family,one love4Life."

Laurinaitis' son, James Laurinaitis, was a superstar linebacker at Ohio State who was picked in the 2nd-round of the 2009 NFL Draft by the Rams.

Joseph, meanwhile, was known for his face paint and spiked shoulder pads ... as well as his imposing frame -- he was 6-foot-2, 300-plus pounds.

As a team with Road Warrior Hawk (who died of a heart attack in 2003) ... Laurinaitis famously headlined several HUGE WWE events.

RIP

Ruth Bader Ginsburg is lying in repose in the house where she left a remarkable imprint -- and the accolades were spectacular.

RBG's casket was carried into the Great Hall in the Supreme Court building as her current and former law clerks lined the steps of the building and then entered to pay respects.

Her casket was placed on the Lincoln Catafalque ... a distinct honor that is reserved for very special American dignitaries. She's the first woman and the first Jewish person ever to rest on the Catafalque.

Chief Justice Roberts spoke to the crowd, as the remaining 7 justices looked on.  He talked about her precision in writing her opinions, her brilliance, and her collegiality.

Roberts joked about the famous picture of Ruth and Antonin Scalia -- her close friend and ideological rival -- as they rode an elephant in India. People asked Ruth why she was sitting on the back of the elephant, behind Scalia. Her answer -- weight distribution.

Justice Ginsburg's casket will remain at the Supreme Court most of the day Wednesday and Thursday and there is a public viewing between 11 AM and 10 PM -- so as many people can come by and pay their respects. Normally, people would be allowed in -- like they were for Justice Antonin Scalia -- but the pandemic doesn't allow for that.

President Trump has indicated he will visit the Supreme Court building over the next couple days as well ... despite recently mocking her dying wish and suggesting it was faked.

There's more news about the Justice being honored -- her body will actually lie in state Friday at the U.S. Capitol, where her casket will be placed in National Statuary Hall. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says there'll also be a formal ceremony for invited guests only.

RBG will be the first woman and Jew to lie in state in the Capitol Rotunda.

She passed away last Friday after a battle with pancreatic cancer.

She was 87.

RIP

Chicago Bears legend Gale Sayers has died after a lengthy battle with dementia ... the Pro Football Hall of Fame announced Wednesday.

He was 77 years old.

Sayers -- despite only playing in 68 career games due to various injuries -- is considered one of the greatest running backs of all-time.

He made the All-Pro team FIVE times and was selected to the Hall of Fame on the first ballot in 1977 ... and, at 34 years old, is still the youngest person to ever be inducted.

HOF President and CEO David Baker said Wednesday the death rocked the football world ... adding, "The entire Pro Football Hall of Fame family mourns the passing of Gale."

"Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife, Ardie, and their entire family. We will forever keep his legacy alive to serve as inspiration for future generations. The Hall of Fame flag will fly at half-staff until he is laid to rest."

Gale was diagnosed with dementia several years ago ... and his condition had deteriorated so much, his wife, Ardie, said last year Gale was struggling to move and speak.

Sayers, though, famously made an appearance at the Bears100 celebration last summer ... and the ovation he got at the event appeared to move him to tears.

In his 7-year career, Gale rushed for 4,956 yards and scored 56 career touchdowns.

Sayers also gained fame for his friendship with Brian Piccolo -- which was documented in the award-winning movie, "Brian's Song."

Gale and Brian became pals while teammates with the Bears ... and after Piccolo was diagnosed with cancer, Sayers stayed by his side until Brian's tragic death in 1970.

Sayers -- who was played in the movie by Billy Dee Williams -- had often called Piccolo one of the best men he'd ever known.

RIP

Vanessa Bryant is revealing some of the most cherished items she's collected over the years ... showing off her incredible keepsakes from Kobe's life.

Vanessa -- who proudly calls herself a "hoarder wife" -- shared some of her favorite items ... including Kobe's high school jersey and warmups, which she says their family did not get back until 2013.

"The fact that this was auctioned off and my husband had to buy this and more back is so sad," Vanessa said. "Glad we have it back."

Among the other items include the Adidas shoes Kobe wore during his first championship run with the Lakers ... as well as his champagne-soaked locker room shirt and shorts after winning the title in 2001.

"I keep EVERYTHING for my baby and our girls," Vanessa added.

Bryant also shared pics of Kobe's All-Star jerseys and autographed basketballs from the NBA events ... and his Lakers jacket from his "teenage years."

We know what you're thinking -- collectors would salivate over the idea of getting their hands on these items ... but it's clear they'll NEVER be for sale.

Tommy DeVito -- one of the original members of the iconic Doo-Wop group, The Four Seasons -- has died from coronavirus.

'Casino' actor Alfredo Nittoli confirmed the news Tuesday in a Facebook post, saying Tommy had died Monday night at a Vegas area hospital, where he'd recently been admitted after contracting COVID-19.

Nittoli says Tommy's daughter, Darcel, informed him of Tommy's passing, and went on to say that there'd be a service held soon in his native New Jersey.

DeVito was one of the founding members of The Four Seasons, along with Frankie Valli, his brother, Nick, and Hank Majewski. Before the Seasons, they were originally known as the Variety Trio, but evolved to The Variatones after adding Frankie, and later went as the Four Lovers before eventually settling on the Four Seasons. Obviously, the last one stuck.

The group had a lot of misfires in their early days -- but after some members fell off and others were added (with Frankie and Tommy remaining as part of the core) the Four Seasons finally found success with their single, "Sherry," and later ... "Big Girls Don't Cry," "Dawn," "Walk Like a Man" and many others.

The Four Seasons went on to churn out hit after hit throughout the '60s, and were going to toe-to-toe with the Beach Boys as far as chart-topping songs at the time in their respective genres. Tommy stayed with the group until 1970.

Of course, the Four Seasons and their story went on to be cemented in pop culture history with the 'Jersey Boys' play, and afterward ... a film of the same name. He, along with other members of TFS over time, was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990.

Tommy was 92.

Vanessa Bryant is suing the L.A. County Sheriff and his department, claiming they caused her severe emotional distress ... when deputies allegedly took personal cellphone photos of the bodies of Kobe and Gigi Bryant at the scene of the helicopter crash that took their lives.

According to the lawsuit, obtained by TMZ, "no fewer than 8 sheriff's deputies at the crash site, pulled out their personal cell phones and snapped photos of the dead children, parents and coaches. The deputies took these photos for their own personal gratification."

The lawsuit goes onto allege the photos were the subject of conversation within the sheriff's dept ... with deputies showing their colleagues the pictures that had no investigative purpose.

The lawsuit notes how the photos were exposed ... when a deputy was at a bar and showed the photos to a woman he was trying to impress. The bartender heard the conversation, blew the whistle and called the sheriff's department.

Vanessa says in the suit ... that's when Sheriff Villanueva tried to cover it all up by going to the Sheriff's substation that responded to the crash and telling deputies if they deleted the photos they would not face discipline. The suit claims the purpose of his talk was destruction of evidence.  The lawsuit claims Villanueva did not tell the families about the photos and they only learned of it in the media when the story broke that deputies took the photos.

The lawsuit claims the Sheriff never gave the family straight answers and now Vanessa is in constant fear the photos will leak ... "Ms. Bryant feels ill at the thought of strangers gawking at images of her deceased husband and child, and she lives in fear that she or her children will one day confront horrific images of their loved ones online."

The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages, including punitive damages.

We reached out to the Sheriff's Dept. ... so far, no word back.

Jackie Stallone, the famed celeb astrologer and Sly's mother, has died ... TMZ has learned.

Jackie recently passed away ... according to sources with direct knowledge. The exact circumstances surrounding her death are still unclear.

Mrs. Stallone was a renaissance woman, to say the least -- well-regarded as an astrologer, dancer and even women's wrestling promoter. Not to mention being the mother of 3 famous children ... Sylvester, singer Frank Stallone and late actress Toni D'Alto, whom she had with Anthony Filiti.

Jackie actually helped kick-start the original "GLOW" wrestling program back in the '80s ... serving as a manager and promoter for the league, which of course would later be portrayed in the hit Netflix show of the same name. Mama Stallone was one of several ring handles she had.

She was also a famous astrologer, making a number of TV appearances throughout the '90s, and, yes ... she had her own psychic hotline. Jackie is also credited with coining the phrase and practice of rumpology ... which is like reading someone's palm, but reading other parts of their body, like moles and whatnot.

Jackie was a reality TV star in her own right -- she appeared on at least a couple seasons of 'Celebrity Big Brother' in the UK, and her persona had been parodied throughout the years, including on "Saturday Night Live."

Ever the character, she was very much active in her later years ... posting a bunch of workout videos of herself doing cardio, plyometrics and even some dancing in studios.

Jackie is survived by her two sons, as well as several grandchildren.

President Trump's suggesting Ruth Bader Ginsburg's dying wish to not be replaced until after the election isn't real, but rather a political ploy whipped up by Democrats.

Trump made a routine pit stop on "Fox & Friends" Monday morning, and was asked about RBG telling her granddaughter -- reportedly while on her death bed -- that her wish is for the next elected President to choose her successor on the Supreme Court.

Trump says he doubts if Ginsburg -- who died Friday due to complications of metastatic pancreatic cancer -- actually said those words, and instead speculates the "dying wish" was written by either Rep. Adam Schiff, Sen. Chuck Schumer or Rep. Nancy Pelosi.

Ultimately, "maybe she did, and maybe she didn't," is the best Trump can offer as proof that RBG's dying wish is illegitimate ... and moved on to telling the Fox News crew he plans to move quickly in replacing her.

As we reported ... Judge Amy Coney Barrett has emerged as a frontrunner to fill RBG's vacant seat, which would give conservatives a 6-3 majority on the High Court.

Pamela Hutchinson -- one of the singers of the iconic family music group, The Emotions -- has died.

The official Facebook page for the R&B group -- comprised of three Hutchinson sisters -- made the announcement Sunday, saying Pam passed away Friday ... going on to explain she succumbed to health issues she'd been battling for years.

They add, "Now our beautiful sister will sing amongst the angels in heaven in perfect peace. During this time, the family kindly asks for fans and friends to respect our privacy. We appreciate all kind words, photos, and videos you may want to post for our beloved Pamela and of course your loving prayers."

Of Pam, the group also says ... "A life so beautifully lived deserves to be beautifully remembered. We love you, Pamela!"

Pam was the youngest of the famous trio -- her older sister, Wanda and Sheila are a good 5 to 7 years older than her ... which might have to do with the fact that Pam actually replaced the other original sister, Jeanette. Despite their age differences, The Emotions left their mark in music history ... of course, with a major contribution of Pamela as one their key singers.

The group got its start in the '60s, but skyrocketed to mainstream fame in the 1970s with a string of hits that landed on the Billboard charts. They're perhaps best known for their single "Best of My Love," but they also have a legendary collab with Earth, Wind and Fire.

The girls served as the backup singers for "Boogie Wonderland" -- a gig that landed them a Grammy nomination in 1979 ... this after they'd already won one a couple years prior. Over the span of their multi-decade career, they cranked out 9 albums ... 2 of which achieved were certified gold, and one platinum. The Emotions pumped out countless singles too.

The United States Supreme Court is temporarily the backdrop for a stunning memorial to the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

Flowers, American flags and messages of condolence filled the area around the Courthouse steps as a steady stream of people came to pay their respects. Some folks wept as other sat silently or prayed.

Senator Elizabeth Warren spoke Saturday night on High Court steps, leading the crowd in a chant honoring RBG ... "I will fight!"

That fight is quickly becoming the centerpiece of the 2020 election. Trump says he will nominate someone -- he says probably a woman -- sometime this coming week. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has already vowed to ramrod it through the Senate, much to the outrage of Democrats and some Republicans. As you know, McConnell and co. blocked President Obama's nomination 11 months before his term ended, saying it was appropriate to wait for the next President. One thing's clear ... politics reigns over consistency.

If Trump gets his nominee confirmed, the Court would tilt right by a 6-3 margin, affecting everything from abortion to immigration, from health care to all issues of equality.

Ozzy Osbourne and Uriah Heep drummer Lee Kerslake has died after a long battle with cancer.

One of Lee's bandmates from Uriah Heep broke the news Saturday, saying, "It's with the heaviest of hearts that I share with you that Lee Kerslake, my friend of 55 years and the best drummer I ever played with, lost his battle with cancer at 03:30 this morning."

Lee played with Ozzy's band in 1980 and '81. He played on Ozzy's first 2 solo albums -- "Blizzard of Ozz" and "Diary of a Madman." He also appeared in the 1987 Tribute Live album.

Kerslake's struggle with illness was long and hard. He dropped out of Uriah Heep in 2018 ... 4 years after getting a prostate cancer diagnosis back. His last performance was in London, when he appeared to join the group for "Lady In Black."

After Kerslake revealed 2 years ago his prostate cancer was terminal and had spread to various organs, Ozzy sent him platinum records for "Blizzard of Ozz" and "Diary of a Madman." Kerslake had said he wanted them, and Ozzy fulfilled his wish.