Coronavirus

A diehard Orioles fan who's in the hospital battling COVID cried tears of joy watching John Means' no-hitter Wednesday ... and video from the ICU room will hit ya right in the feels.

Sports-talk host Josh Graham shared the emotional footage from his father on Wednesday evening ... saying, "There’s no sports team my dad loves more than the Orioles."

"While he fights COVID in a Raleigh ICU, he just watched John Means toss the O’s first no-hitter since 1969. He just sent me this and now I’m an emotional wreck."

The video is awesome, Josh's dad filmed himself in tears while watching Means celebrate his incredible game.

In the clip, Josh's dad continuously praised Means for the effort ... saying several times out loud, "He did it!" and "Thank God!"

Means was RIDICULOUS against the Mariners on Wednesday ... he struck out 12 batters in the complete-game shutout -- logging the first no-no for the Orioles in 52 years.

And, the game clearly inspired Josh's father ... 'cause Josh said it brightened up the guy's day and recovery process for sure.

"After Means’ no-no, he’s been talking trash with his doctor, a Yankee fan, and showing off his Orioles mask this morning," Josh said Thursday.

"He’s been overwhelmed by the amount of reaction and support he’s seen on social media. Thank you to everyone who’s reached out to check in."

Clemson football player Justin Foster is now back to being a Tiger ... the defensive end says he's unretiring after learning his health complications due to COVID-19 are subsiding.

The senior -- an honorable mention All-ACC player during his last full season in 2019 -- was diagnosed with coronavirus in August 2020, and he says it wiped him out.

Foster explained because of his history with asthma and allergies, COVID did a number on him ... and it forced him to miss the entire 2020 season.

Foster actually retired from football in February over it all ... saying he was still having breathing problems and a "severe difficulty" performing physically.

"While my situation has improved," Foster wrote in a statement on Feb. 24, "I am not in a position now, nor do I see that position soon, to step back on the field."

But, Foster said in a statement Wednesday he's now doing MUCH better ... and says doctors have ensured him he should be back to 100% in a matter of weeks.

“For me, the decision came when I went to Duke a couple weeks ago and the doctor was positive on me recovering in the near future,” Foster said.

"In the next month or two, she thought I’d recover enough to compete at the college level, and she motivated me and said that if I wanted to play again, she’d encourage me to and support me and she would do the best she could to get me back healthy."

Foster added, "She believed that I will be healthy and, for me, that was a big stepping stone."

Dabo Swinney -- who said in February he believed Foster had NFL potential -- was thrilled to welcome the guy back to the team, saying, "He’s a great leader with great experience and a really talented football player."

Pfizer is pledging to donate thousands of doses of its COVID vaccine to inoculate Olympic athletes in the hopes of saving the Games ... this, in the wake of a new movement in Japan to call the whole thing off.

The pharmaceutical company -- along with its German partner, BioNTech SE -- announced Thursday its plan to get the vaccine to all athletes participating in the 2020 Olympics and Paralympics.

Vaccinations would begin ASAP in the hopes all athletes would receive their 2nd of 2 doses BEFORE they arrived in Tokyo for the Games, which are set to kick off on July 23.

FYI, the CDC website suggests a 21-day interval between the 1st and 2nd doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.

The issue ... the AP reports a new petition picking up steam in Japan calling for the games to be canceled out of fear of an outbreak,

The petition, which sports the headline, "Cancel the Tokyo Olympics to Protect Our Lives," reportedly already picked up tens of thousands of signatures in just a few short days.

The concern, obviously, is people flying in from all parts of the world could turn the Games into a super-spreader event and lead to a spike in COVID infections and deaths.

The Pfizer vaccine effort -- if effective -- should help ease those concerns ... but it all boils down to the athletes actually taking the shot.

IOC President Thomas Bach commented on the Pfizer donation -- saying it's "another tool in our toolbox of measures to help make the Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020 safe and secure for all participants."

Theater fans rejoice ... Broadway is set to reopen at 100 percent capacity on September 14 after a year and a half closure, so says New York Governor Andrew Cuomo.

Cuomo just made the surprise announcement days after revealing Broadway was not in the state's May 19 reopening plan. He'd stated theaters would need more time to properly get folks back in seats due to the logistics of producing shows at the venues ... but now he says they'll be back in business before fall.

By Sept. 14, it will be 18 full months after Broadway shut down on March 12, 2020 as the coronavirus pandemic became a harsh reality in America.

Both Gov. Cuomo and The Broadway League had previously targeted September as the reopening month ... but now there's an official date.

Nothing says things are getting back to normal in the U.S. like a packed concert in Los Angeles ... where Prince Harry helped drive home the point of the night: ending the worldwide pandemic.

The visual is a little jarring at first -- thousands of people, all fully vaccinated, gathered Sunday night at SoFi Stadium for Global Citizen’s "Vax LIVE: The Concert to Reunite the World" charity show. The Duke of Sussex got a huge ovation as he delivered an impassioned speech about everyone working together in this "defining moment" to end wipe out COVID-19.

Harry and Meghan Markle are serving as campaign chairs for Vax Live, and teamed up with some huge musical acts to put on the free charity concert for 47,000. Some of the performers included Foo Fighters, Eddie Vedder, J Balvin, H.E.R. and Jennifer Lopez ... who was joined on stage by her fully-vaxxed mom for a loving embrace.

Harry, making his first appearance back in America since Prince Philip's funeral in England -- told the crowd, "Tonight is a celebration of each of you here, the vaccinated frontline workers in the audience and the millions of frontline heroes around the world."

President Biden also addressed the audience -- via recorded message -- and other special guest speakers included Ben Affleck, Chrissy Teigen, Jimmy Kimmel, Sean Penn and David Letterman.

The waterworks are in full force at Disneyland, which is looking like the most emotional place on Earth as its gates swing open for the first time since the yearlong coronavirus closure.

The Mouse House is operating at limited capacity Friday, welcoming back Disney fans after shutting down the theme park for an unprecedented 412 days ... and even face masks can't hide the joy folks are feeling.

Lots of tears are flowing on Main Street as masked up cast members usher in the first guests of the COVID era. Disney fans lined up in the wee hours Friday morning, champing at the bit to get back into the park ... and you can see some guests literally ran through the park entrance.

Heck, there were even 2 park goers embracing for a masked kiss, clearly going for the 2021 version of the famous "kissing sailor" from VJ Day in 1945.

Disney honcho Bob Iger was on hand for the big day too ... elbow bumping employees.

It's a much different scene from Disney's first reopening in California back in July, when Downtown Disneyland in Anaheim was a madhouse with virtually no social distancing.

Looks like folks are following Mickey's rules so far ... but Disneyland might need to break out some tissue boxes to go with the new hand sanitizer stations.

Joe Rogan's walking back his COVID-19 comments suggesting young, healthy people don't need to get vaccinated, and he wants to make it clear he's not a doctor, not an anti-vaxxer ... but he IS a "f***ing moron."

The immensely popular podcast host and UFC commentator addressed the backlash he got this week on Thursday's episode of "The Joe Rogan Experience," saying ... "I am not an anti-vaxx person. In fact, I said I believe they are safe and I encourage many people to take them."

Rogan explained that he felt if you're a young healthy person, you don't need it -- something widely refuted by experts like Dr. Anthony Fauci -- but Joe now concedes what he said was misguided amid the pandemic.

Joe says ... "Their argument was you need it for other people. That makes more sense, but that's a different argument. That's a different conversation." He later repeated it makes sense to consider other people's health and safety.

He went on to blame media "clickbait" for blowing the whole thing out of proportion, but added ... "I'm not a doctor. I am a f***ing moron. And, I'm a cage-fighting commentator who's a dirty standup comedian ... I'm not a respected source of information even for me."

Kyle Pitts and Mac Jones will have personal spots to chill while they wait to hear their names called at the NFL Draft on Thursday ... with the league hooking up all the prospects and their families with their very own backstage pods!!

... and it's all in the name of COVID-19 awareness!!

Of course, the 2021 draft in Cleveland is going to look a LOT different this year ... with players, families and fans returning to the event after COVID-19 forced the 2020 draft to go totally virtual.

There are some strict protocols in place -- attendees in the stands will have to be FULLY vaccinated ... and any other fans enjoying the festivities will be required to wear masks at all times (except for drinking and eating).

Folks will also have to remain 6 feet apart, which will be no problem for the 12 prospects in town for the big night ... thanks to the backstage pods.

The NFL shared a glimpse of what they look like Thursday morning ... showing off Jones' pod, which includes a widescreen TV, tables and multiple couches.

Remember, the draft usually features all the big names and their families lined up at tables throughout the venue ... but the pandemic is forcing everyone to be as separated as possible.

It looks like a great spot to kick back and relax ... but we're sure there won't be too much partying until AFTER the fellas hear commish Roger Goodell say their names.

FYI, Trevor Lawrence and Justin Fields will NOT get to have their own dope pods -- they decided to enjoy their big moment elsewhere.

Tekashi 6ix9ine's baby mama flew down to Colombia for a little mommy makeover but it came at a high cost ... in the form of a severe reaction.

69's baby mama, Sara Molina, had gone through a bout of depression from being holed up at her house during the pandemic ... according to her manager. So, she went down to Colombia for a little pick-me-up in the form of a Brazilian butt lift and a 360 liposuction.

Thing is ... after Dr. Humberto Peña performed the 5-hour surgeries over the weekend, Sara, who has Multiple sclerosis, had a severe MS flare-up hours after the surgery ... her entire body was racked with pain.

We're told Sara was given nausea medicine but doctors also removed a pain pump that had been placed under the skin of her abdomen to funnel medication directly to the source of the pain. We're told this helped, but she still has big issues. She can't even lie flat.

Sara now rests in a special recliner and although she's still experiencing pain ... we're told she's recovering at the posh Lluxe Recovery facility in Colombia until mid-May.

Vice President Kamala Harris and Speaker Nancy Pelosi just made history before President Biden's first address to Congress ... celebrating the moment with a super cool elbow bump!!!

It's the first time in our nation's history two women are flanking an American president inside the House Chamber ... and Kamala and Nancy marked the occasion in style.

The mutual respect didn't stop with the iconic elbow bump, Kamala and Nancy also shook hands, even though they aren't supposed to get so close due to coronavirus protocols.

But, hey, this is a huge deal, so it's easy to understand how they could get caught up in the moment.

And, this is super interesting ... the two women who just made history tonight are not only both from Cali, they're both from the Bay Area. As Pelosi said today, there must be something in the water!

Get ready to see the elbow bump in history books one day, but in the meantime, we're sure it will get the meme and GIF treatment.

Just as Tommy "Tiny" Lister's loved ones suspected, he did have COVID-19 at the time of his death ... but the L.A. County Medical Examiner says that's not what caused his death.

According to his autopsy, the "Friday" star died of hypertensive and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease ... commonly called heart disease.

In the docs, obtained by TMZ, the ME also says a nasal swab came back positive for COVID-19 ... and notes Tommy had fluid in his chest when he died. Additionally, he had an enlarged heart with high blood pressure, poor circulation in his legs and coronary artery disease.

TMZ broke the story ... the 62-year-old actor died suddenly last year at his L.A.-area home. Paramedics responded, but he was pronounced dead at the scene.

Joe Rogan's suggestion that young people don't need to get the vaccine isn't sitting well with Dr. Anthony Fauci, who says that's a totally selfish approach to battling a pandemic.

The Spotify podcaster got a lot of backlash this week for saying folks in their 20s aren't susceptible to serious illness if they get infected ... and adding that he'd tell them not to get vaccinated.

Fauci was on NBC Today and fired back at Rogan's remarks ... saying the guy is simply wrong. He notes that while, yes, younger people aren't as likely to get deathly ill from COVID ... that's not really the point.

He says those people can still contract it -- even without showing symptoms -- and give it to someone else, who might be more prone to getting sick ... and possibly even dying. So, in other words, Fauci says it's a me vs. the world mentality -- and a selfish notion to avoid getting vaccinated just because you think you're healthy and would be fine without it.

JR, meanwhile, doesn't seem to have been down with a lot of the COVID protocols that were rolled out over the last year, and has often questioned the legitimacy of CDC guidelines. He's also entertained conspiracy theories and speculation over COVID ... without any expertise on the matter.

Caleb Farley -- a former Va. Tech star who's expected to be a top 20 pick in the NFL Draft on Thursday -- has tested positive for COVID and has now been barred from the league's official party.

The DB's agent, Drew Rosenhaus, made the announcement in a statement to Pro Football Talk on Wednesday ... saying the 22-year-old is feeling fine, but will now not attend the NFL's in-person draft event in Cleveland this week.

"Caleb Farley tested positive for Covid 19 yesterday on a test administered by the NFL," Rosenhaus said.

"He is totally asymptomatic and feels completely normal. However, he won’t be allowed to attend the draft in Cleveland."

Farley had been just 1 of 13 former college football stars scheduled to be in Ohio for the annual selection process ... so it's obviously a big bummer for the CB.

But, Farley's draft night should still be a memorable one nonetheless -- he's been projected by draft experts to possibly go as high as #9 overall to the Denver Broncos.

Farley -- who opted to sit out the 2020 season over COVID concerns -- played in 23 games in his 2-year career at Virginia Tech, logging six total interceptions.

Kenny Chesney is hoping to get back to performing massive stadium concerts in the near future ... and says he's looking to the NFL to come up with a COVID-conscious blueprint.

"We're watching really closely what the NFL is going to do this year," Chesney told Brett Favre on the Hall of Famer's "Bolling With Favre" podcast this month.

"We're watching really closely to what the NFL does and how many people they allow in there and I think that's going to allow us to see what we're going to do in 2022."

Chesney says he and his band have no plans to tour this summer ... but he's anticipating putting together shows that'll stop at plenty of NFL stadiums in '22.

He explained to Favre that he's going to watch how the NFL handles attendance ... and could potentially mimic the same regulations when he's ready to return to the big stage.

"We all got our fingers crossed that we're going to be able to go with no restrictions -- with a lot of people in there," Chesney says.

Chesney added he's foaming at the mouth to get back to playing, telling Favre, "I can tell you that I have really missed it. I missed the energy."

As for how the conversation with Favre all came about ... it turns out, Brett is actually a HUGE country music fan who's been buds with KC for a long time.

In fact, Favre told a funny Chesney story about how he was once on the singer's tour bus with Vince Vaughn when the thing caught on fire!

Trey Songz will not face criminal charges for his violent altercation with cops at an NFL playoff game ... TMZ has learned.

The Prosecutor's Office for Jackson County, MO tells us they have decided to decline filing charges against the singer, citing insufficient evidence.

We broke the story ... Trey was arrested back in January at a Kansas City Chiefs home playoff game, with video showing what looked like a violent dust-up with a police officer.

The incident started when Songz allegedly refused to wear a mask inside Arrowhead Stadium, despite coronavirus protocols in place at the game.

As we told you, Trey was arrested for trespassing and resisting arrest -- both misdemeanors -- and for assaulting a police officer, a low-grade felony.

The footage police released appeared to show Trey throwing the first punch during his interaction with police, but his camp claimed the officer had it out for him before the brawl. In any event, no charges are being filed in the case.

Jon Taffer says things are looking up after the pandemic decimated Vegas ... but he's not focusing on the world-famous strip, he says it's all about helping the little guys.

The "Bar Rescue" star joined us Tuesday on "TMZ Live" and told us why the smaller joints catering to Sin City locals need his help, and why business that survived coronavirus closures and restrictions could soon cash in big time.

Jon says the upcoming season of "Bar Rescue" is all about Vegas, because the City had one of the country's highest unemployment rates during the height of the pandemic ... with the hospitality industry taking the brunt.

The way Jon sees it ... major hotels and businesses on the strip will be just fine, but the bars targeting locals off the strip are in need of rescuing, and he's ready to get to work.

Lots of folks think of buffets when they think of Vegas, and Jon says those are coming back to life too ... with vaccines playing a key role.