Celebrity Death

DMX's fiancee just told the world ... the late rapper was her everything, and she's grateful for the time they had.

Desiree Lindstrom just posted, "The first night we met and you held me close. I knew I would never let go. I was lost in you and nothing else mattered. My best friend, my baby, my love...truly my everything. Thank you for us. Thank you for Exodus. Thank you God for Earl Simmons...forever X."

Desiree also got a tattoo as an homage to her late fiance, which says, "Dog Love" which sits over a large "X."

DMX and Desiree had a 4-year-old son, Exodus. As we reported, she was devastated by the passing of X.

One of the sweetest videos we've seen was when DMX proposed to Desiree back in 2019. What made it especially interesting ... he proposed the same day they had broken up, but she said "yes!"  The proposal went down at Exodus' 3rd birthday party at Sky Zone.

TMZ broke the story ... DMX died earlier this month at age 50 after OD'ing at home and suffering a heart attack. He was hospitalized for a week and ultimately his body functions failed.

DMX fans who were looking forward to him performing at a Texas bar next month will still get to enjoy his music ... because the venue's turning the rapper's scheduled concert into a tribute show.

Justin -- the owner of the Wildcatter Saloon in Katy -- tells TMZ ... he and his team took DMX's death really hard because they grew up loving his music, and booking him was a long time in the making.

X was set to play at the venue on May 29, but Justin says the Wildcatter's now going to make the event a memorial concert to honor him.

We're told the tribute show will feature the same opening acts who were booked for DMX -- Tone Royal, a hip-hop artist who's a huge DMX fan ... and hip-hop/rock band Coozablack & Sin City.

Justin says both openers have a few DMX cover songs ready to go on their setlists to kick off the show ... but he's still in need of a headliner.

The bar owner tells us he wants it to be someone who was close with DMX to make the night more personal and special for fans, and some potential names are Busta Rhymes, Trae the Truth, and a long shot ... Snoop Dogg.

As we reported ... DMX died on April 9 at age 50 after suffering an overdose the week prior, which resulted in him losing oxygen to his brain for nearly 30 minutes.

Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh and late husband of Queen Elizabeth II, is being laid to rest in an emotional farewell, with clear signs of Royal Family tension.

The ceremony was held against the backdrop of a bright and early Saturday morning across the pond at Windsor Castle ... where Philip's life, service and loyalty to the Queen is being celebrated. As expected, Harry and William were separated as they walked into the church.

QE2's husband of 73 years has been lying in repose at the castle's private chapel -- and today his coffin will be transported to St. George’s Chapel, where he'll be laid to rest in the Royal Vault.

The coffin was flanked by 9 members of the Royal family, including his grandsons Prince William and Prince Harry.

Of course, all eyes were on Harry to see how he interacted with his brother, his father, Prince Charles, and others because this is their first public interaction since Harry and Meghan Markle's Oprah interview ... where they accused members of the Royal family of racism.

After the ceremony, the brothers were spotted chatting and walking around the grounds of Windsor Castle.

While Harry flew in from California for the ceremony, Meghan did not get medical clearance to travel as she's pregnant with their second child.

As for Prince Philip, his coffin will be loaded into the back of a Land Rover he himself customized into a hearse, and the procession will pass by roads lined with military personnel saluting his naval service.

Felix Silla, who famously played the mysterious and hairy Cousin Itt on "The Addams Family," is dead after a battle with pancreatic cancer.

Felix died Friday afternoon in Las Vegas ... according to Gil Gerard, Felix's co-star on the old NBC series "Buck Rogers in the 25th Century."

Gil says he's sad to see his friend lose his cancer battle, but says he's glad Felix is no longer suffering.

Although we never saw his face on the show ... Felix was extremely well known for playing the mumbling Cousin Itt on the 1960s sitcom. For the young 'uns... he dressed in sunglasses, a bowler hat and a hairpiece covering his entire body. The audience never understood what he was saying, but members of the Addams Family did.

Silla also didn't get any face time as Buck Rogers' robot sidekick Twiki, or as a hang-gliding Ewok in "Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi" ... but folks knew him because he stood barely 4 feet tall and weighed about 70 pounds.

Felix did have at least one famous role where he actually showed his mug ... in 1975 he shaved his head to play the villainous Litvak in "The Maltese Falcon" sequel "The Black Bird."

Born and raised in Italy, Felix moved to the United States way back in 1955 and toured around with Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, working for several years as a tumbler and trapeze artist before landing in Hollywood in 1962 as a stuntman.

Felix did stunt work on "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial," "Batman Returns," and "Poltergeist," among other films ... and also appeared in the OG "Planet of the Apes" and "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom."

Silla was 84, and is survived by his wife of more than 55 years, Sue, and their children, Bonnie and Michael.

DMX will be honored by his family, friends, loved ones and fans in one of the premier entertainment venues in the country -- the Barclays Center, TMZ has learned.

X's public memorial will be held on Saturday, April 24 at the arena in Brooklyn ... X's former manager, Steve Rifkind, tells TMZ. We're told the event's final logistics are still being figured out -- including how many people will be allowed inside and how ticketing will work -- limited capacity will obviously be in effect because of COVID.

DMX's family and more direct contacts will then attend a more private funeral service at a church in the NYC area on Sunday, April 25.

TMZ broke the story, Yonkers' Mayor, Mike Spano, welcomed the idea of the family using Yonkers Raceway for the service ... X grew up in the city. Nonetheless, there are still plans for DMX to be remembered there, Spano told us they've considered possible plans for a statue or street name.

DMX hit the Barclays Center stage in June 2019 in what would be one of his final big shows during the Masters of Ceremony event.

Helen McCrory -- best known for playing Aunt Polly on "Peaky Blinders" -- has died of cancer ... according to her husband, "Billions" star Damian Lewis.

Lewis announced his wife's death on Twitter, saying ... "I'm heartbroken to announce that after an heroic battle with cancer, the beautiful and mighty woman that is Helen McCrory has died peacefully at home, surrounded by a wave of love from family and friends."

He adds ... "She died as she lived. Fearlessly. God we love her and we know how lucky we are to have had her in our lives. She blazed so brightly. Go now, Little One, into the air, and thank you."

Along with starring as the matriarch of the gangster Shelby family on 'Blinders,' McCrory played Narcissa Malfoy in 3 "Harry Potter" films.

She also had roles in the HBO series "His Dark Materials" and the Showtime horror show, "Penny Dreadful."

Helen also appeared in several popular movies since her acting career began in the early '90s, such as "Skyfall," "The Queen" and "The Count of Monte Cristo."

McCrory and Lewis wed in 2007 and have a daughter and son together, both teenagers.

She was 52.

"KOBE!!!!!"

That's how LPGA Tour star Jessica Korda celebrated an amazing chip shot on the golf course Wednesday ... and it was AWESOME!!

The 28-year-old was up near the green for her 3rd shot on the 17th hole during her 1st round at the Lotte Championship in Hawaii ... when she straight-up dunked her ball into the cup on the fly!!

Check out the clip ... the stroke was incredible -- her ball landed in the center of the hole from about 30 yards away -- giving her an eagle!!!

The best part? Korda celebrated immediately after the shot hit the plastic, flicking her wrist and yelling out, "Kobe!"

Of course, the celebration has been around for YEARS ... who hasn't thrown a ball of socks into a laundry basket and yelled out the NBA legend's name???

But, it's taken on a whole new meaning since Kobe Bryant tragically passed away last year ... and it's pretty incredible to see the honor still going on to this day.

Bernie Madoff -- the one-time Wall Street financial adviser turned massive convicted fraudster -- died in prison ... TMZ has confirmed.

The Federal Bureau of Prisons -- the agency that oversaw Madoff while behind bars -- says he passed Wednesday while in custody at a federal facility in North Carolina. Federal law enforcement sources confirm Madoff died of natural causes and said it was not covid-19 related.

The man had been serving a 150-year sentence following his 2009 criminal case and subsequent conviction. Last year, he'd complained of health issues that he claimed were costing him his life ... specifically, Madoff said he was experiencing terminal kidney failure.

A judge shot down Madoff's request to be sprung from prison early, even under compassionate release grounds that Madoff was trying to invoke in his filing.

Of course, his lifetime sentence was imposed after a long-running Ponzi scheme he'd been operating for years finally came to light in late 2008 ... this after he'd lost billions of dollars from investors he'd swindled over several years, and the feds caught wind of the operation.

The scheme itself is quite complex -- but it essentially boiled down to Madoff taking cash (A LOT of it, BTW) from thousands of investors, via his securities firm, and depositing that money into a bank account ... which he ultimately used to pay off other investors.

He passed his investment strategy off as legit, and on the surface ... appeared to be making steady gains. But, upon a deeper dive, it was clear Madoff's numbers just weren't adding up -- something he was able to cloak for quite a long time ... that is, until the 2008 market downturn, which bulldozed his house of cards -- as he simply didn't have the funds a lot of his partners were asking for (and assuming he had at the ready).  Many people who trusted Madoff lost their life savings.

Madoff ended up pleading guilty to 11 federal felony counts -- including securities fraud, wire fraud and a whole lot more ... but the fact he played ball from the outset didn't help him much in the way of leniency. He got the book thrown at him with a massive sentence, plus a requirement to forfeit billions of dollars in assets he and his family held.

The Madoff Victim Fund was established not too long after his conviction -- and has racked up just a fraction of the money owed to investors, less than $3 billion among tens of thousands of investors.

Madoff's downfall has been depicted and covered in countless TV shows, movies and documentaries -- but most recently, a full-blown TV biopic of sorts was made with Robert De Niro playing Madoff, which was dubbed "Wizard of Lies." It premiered on HBO in 2017.

Madoff was 82.

Bobby Brown is steadfast in his belief that his ex-wife, Whitney Houston, and their daughter, Bobbi Kristina, died in similar ways because the same person was responsible for both of their deaths.

Bobby put the blame squarely on the late Nick Gordon -- Bobbi Kristina's boyfriend at the time of her death -- during the new episode of "Red Table Talk." He tells Jada Pinkett Smith and co. that he believes Nick supplied Whitney and Bobbi with the drugs that ultimately killed them.

It's been known for many years that Bobbi Kristina's family suspected Gordon killed her -- and Nick was found legally liable for her death in civil court -- but when Bobby was asked if he thinks Gordon killed Whitney too, he replied ... "I believe so."

Bobby points out that Nick was the only person present for both Whitney and Bobbi's situations -- they both overdosed in bathtubs ... Whitney in 2012 and Bobbi in 2015.

He claims Nick was the kind of guy who provided party favors, and it's clear Bobby thinks that's why his ex-wife and daughter are gone.

It should be noted ... cops investigated Gordon in connection with Bobbi's death for years, but he was never charged. He was never a known suspect in Whitney's death.

It's a beautiful day to move into the neighborhood Mr. Rogers called home ... or at least that should be the pitch to sell Fred Rogers' old crib in Pittsburgh.

The home where the late TV host once lived is for sale at a cool $855k ... and, boy is it rich with history. Fred and his wife, Joanne, lived there from the late 1950s until the early 1960s. In fact, the listing includes a birth announcement for the couple's youngest son, John -- the published article serving as proof they really did live there.

And, get this ... according to Pittsburgh Next, which first reported the listing, previous neighbors recalled how Mister Rogers would do puppet shows for the kiddos who lived in the neighborhood.

The house is 3,693 square feet ... featuring 5 bedrooms and 4 bathrooms, and was built in 1921. It also has 2 fireplaces and a pretty awesome library.

"A year ago my life was forever changed. To the most beautiful woman I will ever know, I love you more than life itself."

Karl-Anthony Towns is remembering his late mother on the one-year anniversary of her death ... and his tribute is incredibly moving.

Jackie tragically passed away on April 13, 2020 after a lengthy battle with the coronavirus ... which included being placed in a medically induced coma.

KAT reflected on the impact she left on his life Tuesday ... remembering the loving woman who helped raise him to be the man he is today.

"Every day I miss you more and more, but your endless love and unforgettable memories are what keeps me going," Towns said on Instagram.

"One day, we will walk side by side again but until that beautiful day, I will continue to hold down the amazing family you made."

Towns recently stepped away from the Minnesota Timberwolves to be with his family during the difficult time ... and he will miss the team's Tuesday matchup against the Brooklyn Nets.

The team honored Jackie on Sunday with a reserved courtside seat ... draped in a custom #32 jersey and flowers.

Towns' girlfriend, Jordyn Woods, also paid tribute to Jackie -- gifting KAT an amazing portrait of his mom.

KAT continued ... "I can never replace you in this family, but I will try my best every day."

DMX's family is NOT strapped for cash, and is NOT asking the public to chip in for burial expenses -- and if you see anything online saying otherwise ... it's total bunk.

X's direct family members tell TMZ ... there's been a lot of unfounded rumors circulating after DMX's death last week, including a particularly absurd one -- namely, that his inner circle is raising money to help pay for his upcoming funeral.

This one's pretty easy to throw water on, because we're told family members are absolutely not raising money, and they actually want the public to know any campaigns suggesting the contrary are completely bogus, and not connected to the fam at all.

The family says it's aware there is any number of flat-out scammers out there soliciting money in X's name ... and they just want fans to be wary.

Here's another thing folks should be on the lookout for ... our sources say X's family is also NOT selling any DMX merch at this time, so if you're seeing stuff hitting the market now -- his family didn't authorize it, and they're not profiting from it.

One last wild theory that's been floating around -- you might've heard Jay-Z and Beyonce bought DMX's masters for a cool $10 mil with the idea of making sure his kids can reap the profits down the line. Yeah, the family's also setting that record straight, and ... it's BS.

The family says X's masters aren't in play with Jay and Bey at all. Yes, some are still under Def Jam control -- but not owned by Jay outright.

Thus far, X has been honored in a few unofficial ways since his passing -- fans created a makeshift memorial outside the hospital he was being treated, and there was also a prayer vigil held a few days before he died.

DMX is forever inscribed on the flesh of the woman he was set to marry before his untimely death -- because she got some new ink to honor him ... and it's right up his doggone alley.

Desiree Lindstrom -- who was engaged to X, and birthed his 15th child -- actually enlisted the services of a famous tattoo artist in NY to show her love for her late fiance in endearing terms ... hitting up one-time 'Black Ink Crew' star Krystal Kills for the custom job.

As you can see, Desiree got "Dog Love" written on her forearm ... with a big X underneath it. The meaning might seem self-explanatory -- if you know DMX, you know canines were a big part of his artistic aesthetic -- but this wording is actually a bit more personal than that.

We're told Desiree got "Dog Love" etched in for 2 reasons -- one, it's something X himself used to say. Second, our sources say Desiree considers a dog's love to be unconditional, much like X's. BTW, she got this done Friday night ... not too long after he passed.

As we reported ... X died after his organs started failing and brain function never returned.

Desiree was on hand with their young son, Exodus, for one of the vigils held for X right outside the hospital -- part of the outpouring of fan love for him during his final days.

"The Sopranos" actor Joseph Siravo, the actor who played Tony Soprano’s father in several flash-back scenes, has died.

Siravo succumbed to cancer after a long fight with the disease. One of his co-stars, Garry Pastore, broke the news ... “RIP my dear friend, who fought an incredible fight. I will miss you. See you on the other side.” The actor Kelli O’Hara also honored Siravo, noting on Twitter that “the stage and screen and I will miss you.”

Siravo was an accomplished actor with numerous credits, but the fan-favorite was clearly Johnny Boy on "The Sopranos." He appeared in dream scenes in 5 of the episodes.

He also starred in FX's "The People v. OJ Simpson:  American Crime Story" -- he played Fred Goldman, Ron's father.

Joe's credits include "For Life," "New Amsterdam," "Blue Bloods," "Third Watch," "Law & Order" and many others.

He also appeared in numerous movies, including "Maid in Manhattan," "Shark Tale" and "Motherless in Brooklyn."

Joe's 'Sopranos' co-star, Michael Imperioli, said, "His performance [as] Johnny Boy Soprano was spot on and he also made a perfect John Gotti in Nick Sandow's "The Wannabe. In my opinion, he was the best of all the actors who've played the Teflon Don."

Joe is survived by his daughter, son-in-law, sister and 2 brothers.

Joe was 66.

Swizz Beatz eulogized his old friend and music partner, DMX ... saying he lived to help others and made their pain his.

Swizz, who collabed with X on "Ruff Ryders" ... recorded a moving tribute to his longtime friend, calling him a prophet ... a unique individual who never flashed the trappings of wealth because that wasn't important to him. Swizz says X's purpose in life was to comfort people, despite his own, unrelenting pain.

He says DMX suffered every single day from the time they met. And, Swizz says there's a reason ... "He took everybody's pain and made it his."

The tribute is heartbreaking -- Swizz says, "He would go to jail to escape his pain. That's how much pain my brother had every day... He would win an award an American Music Award, you name it and didn’t understand why he deserved it because he knew and he felt that other people deserved it more than him. He never lived for hisself."

And, there's this ... Swizz says DMX never sold out, not even close -- "Everybody threw millions of dollars. You could not buy DMX. You couldn’t buy him, he was never for sale. His loyalty for who he loved was never for sale. His family was never for sale. His integrity was never for sale. You might learn something from him. He taught me a lot."

Swizz says he cried 50 times before delivering his message ... a message to a man who was a true humanitarian. And, unlike many celebs, "He did more charity than probably every artist I know. The only difference with his charity was he never talked about it."

And, Swizz ends by saying he's comforted to know DMX's pain is gone forever and he's at peace.

DMX was a man of many passions, and one of them was watching "The Golden Girls" reruns ... according to Gabrielle Union's hilarious, resurfaced anecdote.

Union was filming an episode of the popular food show "Hot Ones" back in 2017, when she told host Sean Evans that a "real fun fact" about the rapper is he used to love laughing along with Blanche, Rose, Dorothy and Sophia.

She claims she learned this while working with DMX on the set of the 2003 film "Cradle 2 the Grave." Union says there was a dog-biting incident with one of the PAs, so she was tasked with going to get the rapper because she's a dog person.

But, instead of coming right out, DMX would apparently invite her in for a drink and to join him in watching the popular '80s sitcom ... exclaiming, "This s**t is funny!"

Union says he would then "laugh hysterically" at the show as they enjoyed a drink ... and sounds like Gabrielle was a pal and a confidant.