Comedy

English actress and model Vanessa Angel was 29 years old when she was cast to play the role of Claudia -- the beautiful and funny girlfriend who hilariously schemes her way to winning lots of money -- in the comedy film "Kingpin" back in 1996.

Woody Harrelson starred as the kid who was raised to bowl before his hand is injured in a match, Roy, Bill Murray as the hustler and cocky bowler willing to do whatever it takes to win, Ernie and Randy Quaid as the Amish farmer who keeps his bowling talents hidden from his family, Ishmael.

YouTube star Colleen Ballinger, best known for her Internet character Miranda Sings, is denying grooming allegations against her with a song ... and for some folks, it's falling flat.

Colleen picked up a ukulele and recorded a 10-minute video where she sings about the disturbing claims against her being nothing but gossip and lies.

In case you missed it ... Colleen's been accused of grooming a teenage boy, who grew up to be YouTube star Adam McIntyre. She broke her silence Wednesday with her singing video.

Colleen says her team strongly advised her not to say what she wants to say, but she says that doesn't mean she can't sing about her reaction ... so here we are.

In the song, Colleen puts it bluntly, "The only thing I've ever groomed is my two Persian cats."

She adds ... "I'm not a groomer, just a loser / who didn't understand I shouldn't respond to fans / and I'm not a predator even a lot of you think so / because five years ago I made a fart joke."

Colleen's song isn't going over so well online ... folks are blasting her on social media, with some fans telling her this wasn't the right way to address the serious allegations.

Pete Davidson has entered rehab  ... and we're told his mental health has everything to do with it.

TMZ has confirmed, Pete's now in rehab due to his recent struggles with his mental health, according to sources familiar.

We're told he suffers from borderline personality disorder and PTSD. Page Six was the first to report the news.

A close friend of Pete's tells us his girlfriend, Chase Sui Wonders, and his other friends are rallying behind him and are by his side ... telling us Pete periodically checks himself in to work on these issues and better himself.

Pete's been a bit of an open book when it comes to his battle with his mental health ... often laying it all out there during his 'Weekend Update' segments on the long-running variety series.

He also got candid during a 2021 "Actors on Actors" Variety interview -- telling Glenn Close he felt like the weight of the world was lifted off his shoulders when he was diagnosed with BPD.

TMZ broke the story, PETA recently came after Pete for buying a dog from a pet store instead of getting it from a shelter ... and he fired back with an extremely rough, emotional voice mail, listing off the reasons why he had to get the pup through that route.

Roseanne Barr is taking a lot of heat for seemingly denying the Holocaust ... but her son says her controversial podcast comments are being taken out of context, and she was just being sarcastic.

Here's the deal ... Roseanne went on Theo Von's podcast, "This Past Weekend," and a clip from their conversation is going viral, with folks accusing her of being antisemitic.

In the clip, which Roseanne's son says lacks context, she says ... "And, that is the truth. And, nobody died in the Holocaust either. That's the truth. It should happen. Six million Jews should die right now cause they cause all the problems in the world. But, it never happened."

Roseanne goes on to say she is Jewish. Leading up to her Holocaust remarks, Roseanne is talking to Theo about how people believe things that aren't true, like the 2020 election being fixed.

The comedian's son, Jake Pentland, tells TMZ ... "We are embarrassed that people are stupid enough not to recognize Roseanne is being sarcastic."

Theo is also defending Roseanne ... quote tweeting the viral clip and saying, "This Roseanne Barr clip was sarcasm folks. A clip taken out of a long sarcastic rant she had during our chat. Can we not recognize sarcasm anymore?"

Roseanne's son also says anyone who watched or listed to the full podcast knows it was sarcasm, telling us ... "We think it's funny that people are so stupid. Let's stop doing this clickbait s***, we need to focus on big problems in America. Focusing on out-of-context clips is what morons do."

GLC is looking back fondly at his time spent filming Kanye West's attempted HBO series ... despite the fact it never saw the light of day.

The Chicago rapper checked in with TMZ Hip Hop amid this week's puzzling leak of Ye's "Curb Your Enthusiasm"-style comedy, which was called, "A Little Inappropriate."

Ya might see that title as foreshadowing, considering Ye's remarks in recent years.

GLC tells us they shot 'Inappropriate' back in 2007, and filming the pilot episode broadened his horizons and gave him a Hollywood crash course -- he found himself doing improv alongside JB Smoove and Kym Whitley and his homie Don C.

Of course, the show didn't make the cut -- HBO pulled it after seeing the pilot episode -- but GLC openly admits some of the acting just wasn't good enough to carry on the HBO legacy.

GLC notes the GOOD Music crew was more in its music bag at the time.

Ye had just delivered his first 2 blockbuster albums "The College Dropout" and "Late Registration" -- GLC exclusively featured on both projects, giving him a claim to fame that still lasts today!!!

Earlier in the year, GLC and Wiz Khalifa linked up for the cross-promotional weed anthem "Kush and P" ... a spotlight for Wiz's "KK" and GLC's "Cronja" cannabis brands.

Adam Sandler congratulated Happy Gilmore on his big golf news this week -- and no, this ain't a joke.

As it turns out, there's a young guy who actually goes by the same name as the famed Sandler movie character -- and yes ... the dude knows a thing or two about swinging clubs. Happy is a high school golfer, but on Friday -- he announced the next chapter of his career.

Happy took to Twitter and wrote, "I am very excited to announce that I have committed to continue my academic and golf career at Ball State University. I am very grateful for the opportunity Coach Fleck has given me! I would like to thank my family, my friends and coaches who push me everyday!"

Seems like somebody notified AS about the surreal development, and he responded. Adam quote-tweeted this and wrote, "Go get em Happy. Pulling for you." HG replied to that, saying ... "my life is complete." BTW, the "Happy Gilmore" jokes didn't end there though.

An account identifying itself as the "real" Shooter McGavin -- Happy's archnemesis in the movie -- responded to Happy's declaration as well, dropping a line from the film ... in true Shooter fashion.

Now, there doesn't appear to be much film on this kid ... so there's no telling how good he is. However, it looks like he's an avid golfer and has even attempted at getting in some pro tourneys. If he's going to school to continue playing the game -- he's gotta be kinda decent.

One last thing worth mentioning ... Happy isn't this guy's real name. He was born as a "Landon" -- but started going by Happy at a young age once he took up golf.

He definitely milks this whole thing too ... his Twitter bio says, "yes i can do 'the happy gilmore' swing" -- presumably, that means he can drive the hell out of the thing/go long.

Deon Cole won't let fame and notoriety for his less humorous roles kill his comedy drive ... even though he's getting plenty of acclaim for his new dramatic project.

We caught the comedian ahead of the premiere of his new BET+ series "Average Joe" ... which has already been drawing comparisons to "Ozark" for its dark, suburban storyline.

Deon tells us turning over a new leaf in his career doesn't mean he's burning down the forest he built on stand-up comedy -- that's still his bread and butter, and he says don't expect him to bite his tongue in future comedy bits.

He says he learned from Tom Hanks secondhand and credits his cast -- which includes Tammy Townsend, Malcolm Barrett and Michael Trucco -- for elevating his drama chops.

But Deon also tells us the series' directors saw the depth of his acting ability, and gave him the shot of a lifetime!!!

A comedian's relatively mild joke about the missing Malaysia Airlines flight has landed her in hot water -- so much so, in fact, she's now worried about being apprehended internationally.

Jocelyn Chia, who has both Singaporean and American citizenship, is in the crosshairs of the Malaysian government right now ... this following a joke she cracked at a comedy club in NYC way back in April, referencing the doomed 2014 flight that was never found.

Her quip about it was honestly not even all that scathing or insensitive -- at least to Americans, but the Malaysian government apparently feels very differently ... to the point where it's now calling for her arrest and extradition to face potential criminal charges.

As insane as that sounds, it's true -- Malaysian officials have asked Interpol to help track down and haul in Chia so she can answer for what they call violations of online content laws they have ... which, for whatever reason, they believe can be applied to her -- even though she's not a Malaysian citizen. On its face, it would seem they don't have jurisdiction.

We got into some of that strange rationale with Chia Monday on "TMZ Live," and she told us she's genuinely concerned about law enforcement snatching her overseas and dragging her to Malaysia.

While Chia normally just worries about her material being funny, she now says she has another thing to consider while performing comedy -- especially internationally -- and that would be ... potential capture. Indeed, it's the stuff of nightmares and movies.

YouTube star Colleen Ballinger, best known for her Internet character Miranda Sings, is not just catching flak over a resurfaced clip from one of her shows ... she's also losing deals.

TMZ has learned at least two companies who pay for ads on Colleen's podcast have pulled their sponsorships, and it may just be the tip of the iceberg.

Here's the deal ... Colleen is under fire for a viral clip from one of her old comedy shows, which features her calling a young fan up to the stage for an embarrassing fart stunt.

In the resurfaced footage, Colleen spreads the young fan's legs as she lies on her back on stage ... and then a fart noise blares over the speakers.

A woman who says she is the girl in the video is now speaking out ... she says she was only a teenager at the time and rips Colleen for embarrassing and traumatizing her.

She's also taken heat for asking a young fan to pretend to give birth, and for other crude comments at her shows toward minors.

Some of Colleen's podcast sponsors have taken notice and taken action ... skincare company OneSkin tells us they severed ties with Colleen, saying ... "We were made aware of this previously and have decided to cease the relationship completely. This behavior is appalling and we do not condone or support it in any form."

Another advertiser, healthcare marketplace Zocdoc, says they will no longer run ads on her podcast.

Before this sun-kissed kid floating through life turned into a notable comedian and a talk show host, he was just splashing away the summer break, riding bikes with his sis and growing up in Saugerties, New York.

If you didn't watch him on "Saturday Night Live," you may have seen him in films like "Taxi" with Queen Latifah or "Fever Pitch" with Drew Barrymore. He's also one of the most popular late-night talk show hosts out there!

Need one more hint? He filmed a cameo for the movie "Almost Famous" back in 2000.

Marlon Wayans is letting off more steam after his beef with a United Airlines gate agent ... saying the company needs to do better in addressing future issues with passengers.

The actor/comedian joined us on "TMZ Live" Monday -- outside a Delta terminal -- and shared the details of his recent airline incident when he got kicked off his flight and hit with a citation.

Marlon tells the whole thing wasn't his fault ... saying the agent had an attitude with him from the jump, and it only escalated. Wayans said he had 3 bags, and was asked to consolidate them to two, once he did that, Marlon tells us the gate agent then told him he needed to check a bag ... which caused him to get upset.

Marlon says United did reach out to him -- behind the scenes -- but it was only to stand behind their policy ... which he says was insult to injury.

TMZ broke the story ... MW got into it with a gate agent for UA Friday, as he was trying to fly out of Denver. A spokesperson for Denver PD told us, they gave him a citation for disturbing the peace after hearing both sides.

Marlon Wayans says he's not to blame for missing his upcoming show after an issue with United Airlines, but apparently, the cops think differently ... because he's been hit with a citation for the incident.

A spokesperson for the Denver PD tells us Wayans got into it with a gate agent for the airline Friday as he was trying to fly out of the Mile High City. Cops say they spoke to all parties involved -- including Wayans -- and slapped him with a citation for disturbing the peace.

We spoke with a witness who tells us Wayans was pissed he had to check a bag during boarding, allegedly slamming his ticket on the counter and then proceeding to board the plane. The witness says the gate agent tried to stop Wayans, but he couldn't, so he called security.

However, a source close to Marlon says he was first told he had to consolidate his bag and then being told he had to check the bag altogether.

We're told about 30 minutes later, Wayans was escorted off the plane ... and that's the time when cops got involved. We got video of Marlon leaving the ticketing counter looking pissed.

As for Marlon, he took to Twitter to air his grievances with the airline, tweeting, "If this is how United treats their first class customers.... I'd rather fly any competitor coach. Sorry KC I'm gonna miss tonight's shows due to a United gate agent who probably hated white chicks."

For those not following along, "White Chicks" is a movie he and his brother, Shawn, starred in back in 2004.

Marlon, who was set to perform Friday night at Kansas City Improv, says the whole ordeal has forced him to miss his show, writing, "It's not my fault blame the gate agent and United Airlines can't believe how they allow their first class customers to be treated this way. I need corporate to reach out DM me. this agent was rude."

A source tells us Marlon was eventually able to get out of Denver on another airline.

Actor and comedian, Mike Batayeh, who "Breaking Bad" fans came to know as the manager at Gustavo's infamous laundromat has died ... TMZ has learned.

Mike's family tells us Batayeh died June 1 in his sleep of a heart attack while home in Michigan. His sister Diane says his death was very sudden, as he didn't have a history of heart issues.

A family statement about his passing reads, "He will be greatly missed by those who loved him and his great ability to bring laughter and joy to so many."

Mike appeared on 3 episodes from 2011 to 2012 on the award-winning AMC hit as Dennis Markowski, the manager of Lavandería Brillante industrial laundromat.

The laundromat, owned by Gustavo Fring served as a disguise for the meth lab where Bryan Cranston's Walter White and Aaron Paul's Jesse Pinkman turned out tons of product.

Apart from his work on "Breaking Bad," Mike was a successful comedian, traveling the globe and did voicework as well as made appearances on "The Bernie Mac Show," "Boy Meets World" and "CSI: Miami."

Mike is survived by 5 sisters, and tons of nephews and nieces ... we're told everyone is devastated.

He was only 52.

Eric André has a brand new look after shedding 40 pounds, and while he's opening up about all his sacrifices to get a ripped body ... he's less than thrilled with the process.

The comedian says he went from 213 pounds to 173 pounds, and less than 9% body fat over the span of 6 months! Impressive, no doubt, but Eric told GQ, it the changes he had to make weren't worth the end result.

He's definitely, at least partially, joking ... saying things like, "There is a reason skinny people are bitches and fat people are jolly" -- and adding, "Skinny people have f**king attitudes because they’re f**king starving."

At one point he frankly said, "I say stay fat. If you’re fat or chubby, stay that way. I felt great ... but it wasn't worth cutting out French fries."

So, why the hell did he go through with it? Eric says suffered through "boring" foods and cut out boozing with friends ... so he could slim down for the new season of "The Eric André Show," which premiered Sunday.

On his IG, he reflected on all the major diet and lifestyle changes he's made ... saying, "I'll never do a body modification again! That shit was brutal for both season."

Doja Cat looks like she's the woman in J.Cyrus' life ... because they're down in Mexico together, making out on a yacht.

The "Woman" singer slipped into a super skimpy orange bikini Thursday in Los Cabos and packed on the PDA during a day on the water.

Doja showed off her curves and her pearly whites ... busting out a huge smile on the boat, where she stayed cool with an ice cold beverage ... which is super important on a hot Cabo day.

She soaked up the sun, and sucked face with J.Cyrus, who dabbles in comedy, music and acting.

When they weren't kissing or laying out on the yacht, Doja Cat and J.Cyrus were tooling around together on a jet ski ... he was at the controls, and she was holding on tight.

Check out the gallery ... Doja Cat is showing us why Cabo is a favorite destination for celebs looking to have a little fun in the sun.

Chris Rock may have fallen victim to one of the oldest prowler plays in the book -- we're told the comedian called the cops to report a peeping Tom with a camera right outside his window.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... Chris called 911 Sunday night from his NYC home -- in the SoHo neighborhood of Manhattan -- to say a guy was lurking just outside of his apartment ... on his freaking fire escape!!!

We're told NYPD raced over, but that when they got there ... the suspect was nowhere to be found, having fled after Chris spotted him. Our sources say the dude jumped down to the ground, only to hop into a white Mercedes ... making a clean getaway. Indeed, it sounds like something straight out of the movies.

The weirdest part -- our sources say Chris reported the man appeared to have a camera, and that he seemed to be attempting to either film or snap pics of CR. At least that's how it came across to Chris, anyway.

Our sources say cops took a report and that the case is under investigation.

While most of the trespassing stories we hear about when it comes to A-list celebs tend to happen in L.A. -- this is just a friendly reminder that these freaky incidents go down in the Big Apple as well. Taylor Swift, unfortunately, knows that phenomenon all too well.