Coronavirus

Ryan Seacrest says it's gonna take major adjustments, but "American Idol" will deliver all the show's usual elements ... while keeping everyone involved safe.

Ryan joined us on Tuesday's "TMZ Live" from his home studio in L.A. -- where he's been doing "Live with Kelly and Ryan," his radio shows and, of course, pushing forward on the upcoming 'Idol' season.

BTW, you can tell he's working from home ... 'cause this ain't the Seacrest 'do you're used to seeing.

The magic of modern technology has worked wonders, so far, but Ryan told us he and the other 'Idol' honchos are still sorting out how to pull off what would normally be live episodes. He says the end goal is giving the audience what it expects ... singers' performances, judges' comments and fan voting.

We broke the story ... 'Idol' producers tried for as long as they could to find a way to produce the show in studio, but ultimately decided it can't be done for health and safety reasons.

Kris and Kylie Jenner want to do everything they can to make sure those battling coronavirus stay protected ... they're donating hand sanitizer to healthcare employees on the front line.

Kylie and Kris are teaming up with COTY -- the majority stakeholder for Kylie Cosmetics and Kylie Skin -- to produce hand sanitizers for hospitals in Southern California. The product will then be donated to workers taking on the public health crisis. We're told each bottle contains a special message, "Dedicated to first responders working to support our communities."

Kylie and Kim Kardashian West have already each pledged $1 million to coronavirus relief efforts ... and both sisters have urged their followers to take warnings seriously and to stay home.

Kylie was asked by the Surgeon General to spread the message to her more than 160 million followers ... and obliged.

R. Kelly's firing back at prosecutors who say he shouldn't get released early due to coronavirus risks -- arguing prison is a petri dish, and insisting he can't properly prep for trial from jail.

The singer's legal team filed a reply to the feds' response to Kelly's original motion last week, in which they asked a judge to let R. Kelly out of jail on bond ... mainly because he feared coming down with COVID-19.

Uncle Sam's responded ... R. Kelly isn't old enough (65 or older) to be considered high-risk. They also said a recent surgery he had doesn't make him more susceptible to the virus. On top of all that, the feds say R. Kelly's been provided with plenty of soap and cleaning supplies.

Kelly claims that's not the case, especially for other inmates to whom he might be exposed. The feds say MCC Chicago is up to snuff with CDC guidelines and adds that no one at the jail has tested positive.

R. Kelly's attorney, Steven Greenberg, isn't buying prosecutors' logic. In the new docs he says prison is basically a breeding ground for bacteria, and it's only a matter of time before someone gets the virus and spreads it like wildfire.

He also says his client is being deprived of his right to prep for trial because he can't meet face-to-face with his lawyers. MCC Chicago's banned all visitors due to the pandemic. Greenberg says inmates there are fighting for phone time, and they're having a hard time getting ahold of him.

'Tiger King' star Joe Exotic isn't able to enjoy his newfound celebrity status as a free man, but he's making the most of it behind bars ... or at least he was, until he got quarantined.

Sources close to the convicted former Oklahoma zoo owner and tiger breeder tell TMZ ... he was ecstatic last week -- despite his incarceration -- about all the popularity he's gained since the Netflix docuseries premiered.

We're told he's been receiving a ton of mail in prison, and he's replied to at least 200 emails ... with plenty more waiting in his inbox.

Our sources say he had to hit pause on basking in the glory, though ... because he just got transferred from a county jail that's been holding him to a federal facility ... the FMC Fort Worth prison in Texas.

The good news -- Joe apparently requested the transfer because the prison is a nicer facility than where he's been. The bad news is the prison immediately put him in quarantine as an intake safety precaution due to the coronavirus.

We're told this means he's unable to make any calls or check emails for the duration of his 14-day quarantine stint, and as anyone who's seen 'Tiger King' knows ... Joe's not big on being alone.

Our sources say he's champing at the bit to contact the outside world, and thank folks for making him feel loved again.

Of course, things might be different for Joe once he's able to return to his emails ... thanks to an outtake of him ranting about not being able to say the n-word while shooting his old online reality series.

Chris Cuomo's spent plenty of time talking about coronavirus on CNN, and now he's got a first-person account of what it's really like ... because he has the virus.

Chris says he's tested positive for COVID-19 ... but so far CNN says he's feeling well and will continue to anchor his prime-time show from his home.

Cuomo says he's been exposed to people in recent days who have also been diagnosed with COVID-19, and he's worried about spreading it to his kids and wife, Cristina.

Chris says he's quarantining in his basement, where he'll continue anchoring his show. He already anchored from home Monday and interviewed his brother, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo.

Gov. Cuomo just addressed his brother's diagnosis at Tuesday's coronavirus briefing ... saying the virus doesn't care how rich, powerful, young or old you are. Andrew says Chris is gonna be fine, but there's a lesson in it for everyone.

CNN says Chris was last at its NYC offices Friday and he's the third case of coronavirus at the network's Hudson Yards workspace. As you know, New York is considered the epicenter of the outbreak in the States.

Chris says he had symptoms associated with COVID-19 -- fever, chills and shortness of breath -- but he's staying positive, vowing the country will beat the virus by remaining smart, tough and united.

Andy Cohen is over the coronavirus and out of quarantine, which means he can finally see his son again ... and their reunion was quite a moment.

The "Watch What Happens Live" host shared a happy photo Tuesday morning of himself hanging out with his boy, Benjamin, and says ... "I’ve hosted reunions for years, but yesterday’s was the best one yet."

The father-son reunion happened 10 days after Andy announced he had tested positive for COVID-19. As we reported ... he said he began feeling ill as he was already self-quarantining.

Cohen was among a first wave of celebs to reveal they'd contracted the virus -- along with Idris Elba and Colton Underwood -- revealing their diagnoses about a week after Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson.

If you thought "Three Billy Goats Gruff" was an enchanting fairy tale, you ain't seen nothing yet ... a small community in Wales has got that beat by the dozens.

Once upon a time, a virus took over the world and forced everyone inside for a long while. The city of Llandudno in the British land of Wales was no exception to the rule, and not a soul wandered its streets for weeks ... leaving the town barren and in relative silence.

The local mountain goat gang caught wind of the abandonment, and decided to try their hand at taking over the joint ... slowly but surely flocking and having their run of the place, without a human in sight to stop them.

The more goats that joined the herd, the more they were left to do their own bidding, and eventually ... the entire town was inundated with horns and lots of baaahhs.

The local townsfolk couldn't do a thing but watch intently from indoors. "Will we ever go outside again?" wondered Papa. "Doubtful," replied Mama. "The 'rona's got our goat for now."

The end ... or is it???

Golfers in Arizona can still get their hacks in amid stay-at-home orders ... the state has declared the sport essential -- and some residents are PISSED over the exception.

Officials laid down the new rules in the Grand Canyon State this week ... forcing Arizonans to shelter in place unless they had good reason to leave -- like for jobs or essential activities.

In the order, they deem golf -- along with walking, hiking, running and biking -- as essential exercises ... and some feel that ain't helping stop the spread of coronavirus one bit.

Of course, while on the links, it's pretty easy to social distance ... but there are definite problem areas at the golf facilities nonetheless.

Practice greens, ranges and the starting area can all get backed up with people ... and we're told some residents in Arizona are seeing their golf-course-lined neighborhoods turn into gathering areas as well.

It'll be interesting to see if Arizona maintains the sport as essential ... remember, California initially kept its courses open during stay-at-home orders before shutting them down just days later.

The coronavirus pandemic's not just forcing people to stay home ... it's also keeping children from finding their forever homes.

Leaders of several L.A.-based nonprofit organizations supporting adoptive and foster families, tell TMZ ... essentially, the entire adoption system in the city is at a standstill. They say it's happening in many other parts of the country too.

Of course, adoption is a lengthy legal process to begin with, but we're told court closures are making it downright agonizing. Case in point, a family just one hearing away from finalizing an adoption might now have to wait several months.

As we reported, the L.A. courts are near-paralyzed -- you can't even enter the downtown courthouse to file a lawsuit. Instead, one court staffer is posted up outside to receive documents.

Foster children are also in limbo due to a recent court order in L.A. banning face-to-face visitations with their biological parents. The order's intent is to prevent the spread of the virus, but the problem is those visits increase the likelihood parents can reunite with their kids. That's simply not happening now.

Likewise, an executive with Alliance for Children’s Rights tells TMZ ... one of its main initiatives is putting together "Adoption Days" -- a day where courtrooms are solely devoted to expediting adoptions out of foster care and into permanent homes.

The next one's scheduled for May 15, but we're told it will likely be postponed by the pandemic.

Rich Valenza, executive director of Raise a Child, says the court delays could have a psychological impact on kids because, "They might be wrongfully blaming themselves for these changes, which they had no impact on."

Even though virtual meetings between foster parents and kids are possible ... an exec from Children's Action Network says, "Foster parents can have limited resources, and you can't assume they have the tools to move into this essential virtual universe."

Dr. James Andrews -- the most famous surgeon for athletes in the United States -- says he will NOT perform Tommy John operations on MLBers during the coronavirus pandemic.

The Boston Globe reports the decision was made this month after Florida's governor prohibited elective procedures in the state in order to free up medical staffers and equipment to help aid in COVID-19 relief efforts.

Of course, it's a hot-button topic ... because MLB players all over are arguing the surgery is, in fact, essential for them.

Remember, Mets star Noah Syndergaard was heavily criticized for getting his UCL repaired at the Hospital for Special Surgery in West Palm Beach, FL last week.

Boston Red Sox ace Chris Sale also faced similar heat when he got his surgery done Monday by Dr. Neal ElAttrache in L.A.

But, Dr. ElAttrache said in an interview with the San Francisco Chronicle last week, "I know that I’m going to get criticized for taking care of these kinds of guys, but it’s essential to their livelihoods."

Phillies stud reliever Seranthony Dominguez, meanwhile, is currently in limbo with all the drama going down ... the pitcher reportedly needs TJ surgery, but Pennsylvania -- like Florida -- isn't permitting elective procedures during the pandemic.

In the meantime, Dominguez has reportedly flown back home to the Dominican Republic, further delaying the procedure and possibly putting even his 2021 season in jeopardy now.

As for Dr. James Andrews -- who actually examined Dominguez's elbow last year -- he seems steadfast in his decision to not go forward with the surgeries until Florida's order is lifted.

'Star Wars' actor Andrew Jack, who was also a dialect coach to the stars, has died from the coronavirus ... TMZ has learned.

Andrew's rep, Jill McCullough, tells us her client passed away Tuesday morning at a hospital outside of London as a result of complications he'd developed from COVID-19.

Jill says Andrew's wife couldn't be there for her husband because she herself is in quarantine in Australia -- and there may not be a way to accommodate a proper funeral due to conditions created by the global pandemic.

Andrew was still very much active and working up until a few weeks ago -- most notably, he was hired as the dialect coach on the new 'Batman' movie starring Robert Pattinson. That production was shut down less than a month ago.

His biggest claim to fame -- aside from teaching countless actors different accents and dialects over the years on blockbuster films -- might be the 'Star Wars' franchise itself. He acted in some of the latest installments, and also served as the dialect coach.

So, in other words, the reason British John Boyega pulled off such a convincing American accent as Finn is probably due, in part, to Andrew.

He served as the dialect coach on "Avengers: Endgame," 'Robin Hood,' 'Sherlock Holmes,' "Alien v. Predator," "Lord of the Rings," "Die Another Day," "Eastern Promises," "Captain America," "Men in Black: International" and on and on and on.

He's worked with Viggo Mortensen, Christian Bale, Robert Downey, Jr. and so many other A-list actors -- and was a master of Chinese and Japanese dialects too. In other words ... he had a ton of range during his 30-plus year career.

Andrew was 76.

RIP

Trader Joe's just ripped a page out of Costco's playbook ... it's drawing a line in the sand on refunds due to the coronavirus.

The popular grocery store chain has instituted a new company-wide return policy ... "Due to the current circumstances we are unable to accept returns on overbought products. Thank you." This sign was posted at a SoCal location.

So, what does that mean? For example, if ya bought a food item like a bag of chips and it tastes awful, you can return it. But, if ya bought 18 packs of chips and wanna return them 'cause you were hoarding, the company's now saying no dice.

The new policy is a big about-face from its regular return policy loved by all loyal customers -- full refunds with no questions asked when you bring a receipt.

The move comes just a little over a week after Costco implemented a "no refunds" policy on some of the more popular items that have been flying off the shelves since the rise of the coronavirus ... from toilet paper and hand sanitizer to wipes and Lysol.

Trader Joe's, like many grocery stores, has gone to great lengths to keep its employees and customers safe. TJ is also asking its customers NOT to bring their own reusable bags in an effort to stem the spread of the virus. They've also instructed customers to remain at a distance while employees bag customers' groceries to limit the amount of interaction.

#StaySafe

Ronald Reagan's Presidential Library and Museum is losing hundreds of thousands during the pandemic lockdown -- so it wants the public to extend a helping hand ... filled with cash, preferably.

It's a pretty sad situation, actually -- a letter was recently sent to all museum members, asking for some help during the coronavirus-mandated shutdown. The Library's doors have been closed since March 13.

The letter, obtained by TMZ, says it bluntly -- the library is bleeding cash daily, about $150k per week.

Give it a read ... the library's executive director, John Heubusch, says without its usual flow of visitors and revenue from ticket sales and on-site vendors ... it just can't stay afloat for much longer.

The library, which notes it receives zero federal funding, says any size donation from members would be greatly appreciated right now.

They're serious about all donations being helpful -- the low-end suggested pledges are $10, $15 and $20.

Katherine Schwarzenegger is just one of many Angelenos up in arms over the amount of people at a local farmer's market -- and she's asking the Mayor to step in and shut it down.

Kat, along with several other people, tagged and responded to Mayor Eric Garcetti's message to citizens Sunday ... pointing out just how packed the Brentwood Farmer's Market was this morning, with not too many people practicing social distancing at all.

The photos circulating online are stunning -- you'd never guess anyone was under quarantine or safer-at-home orders ... it looks like a regular weekend in L.A., even though it really isn't. KS wrote, "The farmers market in Brentwood still being open seems like a huge issue when it comes to social gatherings 👏🏽" The implication ... please put a stop to this, Mister Mayor.

What's crazy is that cops in and around L.A. have, in fact, been issuing tickets to people who brazenly get too close to other people in public. We spoke with someone who was stopped by LAPD cops outside a Silverlake Starbucks in the L.A. area who said she was told she was getting a $400 ticket for being too close to another customer. When she told cops it was her roommate, they gave her a warning. That said, it begs a serious question.

Why are events like this allowed to go on if they will put people in harm's way? Sure, food is sold here -- which seems to fall under the essential business criteria -- but in reality, the photo makes it clear -- this is insanely dangerous.

It's especially weird, because Brentwood is extremely liberal, and most people presumably would be listening to Dr. Fauci rather than Donald Trump. But, by squeezing into such a small space, they're acting like Trumpers.

The LAPD tells us they didn't get any calls complaining about the market, but they say they're on their way out to the market now. They told us their job is to educate and keep people apart, not to ticket.

There seems to be a disconnect because there is a law on the books that says it's a misdemeanor punishable by fine or imprisonment to violate the social distancing rules.