Celebrity Death

Lou Diamond Phillips is remembering Malcolm-Jamal Warner as a dear friend ... telling us the late 'Cosby Show' star was a kind and sweet man.

We got Lou in New York City on Thursday and our photog asked him about Ozzy Osbourne's death ... and after praising the late Black Sabbath rocker for being on the cutting edge of media, he revealed his friendship with Malcolm-Jamal.

Lou says he and MJW used to hang out ... telling us the guy "just generated love" and characterizing his death as a big shock and a huge loss.

"Food Network" celebrity chef Anne Burrell took her own life ... TMZ has confirmed.

The NYC Office of Chief Medical Examiner says the official manner of death was suicide and the cause of death was "acute intoxication due to the combined effects of diphenhydramine, ethanol, cetirizine, and amphetamine."

As we reported, Anne was found unresponsive in her Brooklyn home last month after EMS personnel got a call for a woman in need of assistance. Paramedics could not revive Burrell and she was declared dead.

Malcolm-Jamal Warner's life left a profound impact on those around him -- something "The Breakfast Club" can attest to ... the late 'Cosby Show' actor was their current studio's first guest!!!

TMZ Hip Hop caught up with Charlamagne Tha God and Jess Hilarious in the wake of the sad aftermath ... MJW's body was returned to Los Angeles this week after he drowned while on a family vacation in Costa Rica.

Charlamagne and Jess agree "The Cosby Show" was an important part of African-Americans' upbringings ... but they echo the fact that "Theo Huxtable" was a fictional character and MJW had real-life messages about his actual family, brotherhood and positivity.

Brooke Hogan is telling people close to her she's grateful she had one final chance to tell father Hulk Hogan she loved him, even if they were estranged in his final years ... TMZ has learned.

Sources close to Brooke tell TMZ … she learned of her dad's death Thursday morning when her brother, Nick, texted her husband to share the news. We're told the father-daughter relationship had been fractured for some time -- the result of a culmination of issues over the years and how Hulk treated Brooke.

Our sources say the last time they spoke was two weeks before Hulk married Sky Daily in September 2023. During that final phone call, we're told Brooke expressed deep love and concern for her father, telling him she didn't think he should still be working so hard given his declining health.

Famed jazz musician Chuck Mangione is dead ... TMZ has confirmed.

The flugelhorn and trumpet player died this week at his home in Rochester, New York ... according to his manager. We're told Chuck died from natural causes.

Chuck won two Grammy Awards over his legendary career ... the first in 1977 for best instrumental composition and the second in 1979 for best pop instrumental performance.

Hulk Hogan's former close friend Bubba the Love Sponge is mourning the death of the beloved wrestling star ... saying he has some regrets about their rocky history.

Bubba tells TMZ ... "I’m heartbroken to hear of Terry’s passing. As everyone knows we had our issues and those issues were mostly my fault. I loved him as a friend while he was with us, and will continue to love his memory as a friend going forward."

The famous radio DJ goes on to say, "I’m saddened that I will never be able to tell him how sorry I am for the way I handled things that created the rift between us. I miss my friend and hope he rests in peace."

11:20 AM PT -- Vince McMahon -- who made WWE what it is today -- released a statement ... saying, "The world lost a treasure today."

"Hulk Hogan was the greatest WWE Superstar of ALL TIME, someone who was loved and admired around the world," he said on X. "He was a trailblazer, the first performer who transitioned from being a wrestling star into a global phenomenon."

"His grit and unbridled thirst for success were unparalleled -- and made him the consummate performer. He gave everything he had to the audience whom he appreciated, respected and loved."

"He leaves us with one of his favorite expressions, 'Train, take your vitamins and say your prayers.' Today, we pray for him."

11:00 AM PT -- The sad news has made its way to the Oval Office ... with President Donald Trump reflecting on his "great friend," Hulk Hogan.

"Hulk Hogan was MAGA all the way -- Strong, tough, smart, but with the biggest heart," Trump said on Truth Social. "He gave an absolutely electric speech at the Republican National Convention, that was one of the highlights of the entire week."

"He entertained fans from all over the World, and the cultural impact he had was massive. To his wife, Sky, and family, we give our warmest best wishes and love. Hulk Hogan will be greatly missed!"

Hollywood and the sports world are mourning the sudden death of Hulk Hogan, who passed away Thursday after going into cardiac arrest at his Florida home.

Leading the tributes pouring in across social media is the WWE, which says they're "saddened" by the loss of "one of pop culture's most recognizable figures." As you know, the legendary athlete brought WWE into the mainstream back in 1985 during the first WrestleMania.

Sylvester Stallone -- who starred in 'Rocky III" alongside HH -- posted on IG Thursday, saying, "He was absolutely wonderful and his amazing skill made Rocky three incredibly special. My heart breaks."

Ric Flair spoke with TMZ about Hulk Hogan in the minutes after the wrestling legend's death ... and he got super emotional remembering his good friend.

The Nature Boy sat down with Harvey Levin shortly after Hulk died of cardiac arrest in Florida ... and he immediately broke down in tears.

Flair told us he had just talked with Hulk's former manager, Jimmy Hart, on Wednesday ... and Hart ensured Hogan "was fine."

Ozzy Osbourne was cheerful as he enjoyed breakfast with his family at home in England in what appears to be the last publicly posted footage of him just days before his death.

His daughter Kelly Osbourne shared the clip on her Instagram Story on Sunday -- the Black Sabbath icon can be seen sitting at a table scrolling on his iPad at his mansion in Buckinghamshire as Kelly playfully commands him to greet everyone.

Ozzy -- dressed in a black tee and headphones -- dutifully responds with an enthusiastic "Good morning!"

Sink your teeth into this -- Ozzy Osbourne’s infamous bat-biting moment just got a jaw-dropping twist ... 'cause TMZ’s learned it took some fang-tastic bite power to rip that poor critter’s head clean off.

Kathryn Slater -- marketing & PR queen at Bat Conservation International in Austin -- tells TMZ that Ozzy likely worked his jaw strength over time to chomp through a bat’s muscle, tissue, and bone. But in the heat of the moment -- fueled by pure rockstar adrenaline -- Ozzy made it look freakishly easy.

Ozzy’s boundary-pushing stage stunt back in '82 has long been etched in rock ’n’ roll infamy -- and while the Prince of Darkness rushed straight to the hospital for a rabies shot, Kathryn is quick to clear up the myth ... most bats aren’t rabid, so Ozzy probably didn’t need to freak out over a fang-filled encore.

Stevie Wonder is feeling the weight of losing Malcolm-Jamal Warner, telling TMZ that while he’s kept relatively quiet about the tragedy so far, it doesn’t mean his heart isn’t hurting.

We caught up with the icon leaving lunch in Brentwood on Wednesday, where he shared that he didn’t just remember Warner from "The Cosby Show," but as a fellow musician, he shared a Grammy with after teaming up on "Jesus Children of America" to raise money for Sandy Hook victims.

Stevie spoke about how important Warner’s truth-telling spirit was, especially in a world that often gets lost in lies -- adding he hoped his legacy inspires a new generation of voices to keep pushing things forward.

Malcolm-Jamal Warner's passing in late July 2025 resulted in an outpouring of support for his family, as well as tributes to the late star of "The Cosby Show."

The thing is, the actor specifically spoke about how he wanted to be remembered on an episode of the "Hot & Bothered" podcast, which was released almost two months prior to his death.

We're going to take a look at what the performer said in the sit-down and examine how he wanted his legacy to be perceived by his fans and loved ones.

Warner's main concern regarding his legacy wasn't his list of roles or the accolades he earned along the way -- he just wanted people to think of him as a decent human being.

The actor said there was a "part of me" he figured would be remembered by the people he left behind who knew "that I was a good person."

Warner then spoke about a discussion he had with his father, who acknowledged his professional achievements before telling him he felt "the most proud" about his son learning how to carry himself in a respectable manner.

The performer claimed, despite all the conflict he'd seen in his life, he still believed it was "possible to maintain your soul and be a good person."

Warner acknowledged he would likely be remembered by many for his role in "The Cosby Show," which he understood had a lasting impact on generations of fans.

The actor also said his own mother had spoken to him about the impact his portrayal of Theo Huxtable would have on his life and told him, "Mr. [Bill] Cosby gave you immortality."

Warner claimed he was still "working through" the impression he had left following the show's conclusion before expressing he'd accomplished more than enough outside of "The Cosby Show" to leave behind a lasting image on his friends and family members.

The performer stated he had "another lane of legacy that I get to leave" due to leading "this full life after that show."

Part of the podcast was dedicated to discussing grief and how to move through it, and Warner opened up about watching his grandfather pass away when he was just 15 years old.

The performer recalled how he "literally watched him take his last breath," and claimed he was able to see what he described as the "peace that comes over" dying individuals in his grandfather's face.

While Warner admitted he "was sad and all of that" and described the experience as "emotional," he said part of accepting death was realizing the potential to leave a positive legacy behind.

He then spoke about how deceased individuals who were remembered as "good people" were "being rewarded" in a certain way.

We revealed Warner passed away at the age of 54 while vacationing with his daughter in Costa Rica.

Local police reported the actor was caught in a strong current while swimming at a beach in the coastal town of Limon and drowned, with the official cause of death being asphyxia, according to ABC News.

The actor's death was met with much sympathy from his fans, including Ice Cube, who told us Warner brought "realness" to television through his work in "The Cosby Show."

Drake didn't hesitate to pay homage to Ozzy Osbourne -- who died yesterday, smack-dab in the middle of the "$ome $exy $ongs 4 U" tour's UK leg!!! 😵‍💫

The Canadian megastar read the room and opened his show Wednesday inside Birmingham's Utilita Arena with the sounds of Black Sabbath's iconic "Iron Man" jam blaring through the speakers.

Drake was also among the mourners visiting Black Sabbath Bridge ... which flooded with treasure troves after Ozzy's death went public -- and he didn't come ill-prepared.

The Costa Rican beach where Malcolm-Jamal Warner tragically drowned was clearly marked with bold warning signs about rip currents and high drowning risks ... TMZ has learned.

We've obtained photos showing multiple signs posted at the beach's main entry point -- including warnings of a "high risk for drowning" and notices that "rip currents here all year."

One sign even advises that only advanced surfers should enter the water, underscoring how treacherous the conditions can be.

Ozzy Osbourne's monthly Spotify listeners count has exploded following the singer's death.

On Tuesday, the "Crazy Train" hitmaker boasted just under 12.4 million listeners, and that number has ballooned to more than 14 million.

Same magic for Black Sabbath -- the band Ozzy founded had 19.8 million listeners as the news of his death rocked the world ... and that has risen to 20.9 million.

Ozzy Osbourne's sudden death sent shockwaves across the rock 'n roll industry, but hip hop legend Trick Daddy is mourning the loss all the same.

Trick Daddy tells TMZ Hip Hop ... "The iconic legend will be truly missed, especially by me -- a young, Black man out of the ghetto of Miami -- by giving the clearance to sample his 'Crazy Train' masterpiece!"

It's true ... Jim Jonsin and Bigg D crunked up Ozzy's 1980 "Crazy Train" in 2004 for Trick, Lil Jon and Twista to create a calamity of a track -- "Let's Go" -- that would go on to become a global stadium and movie, TV and commercial soundtrack for years.