Disney

If you've lost one or more friends down the Disney+ wormhole today, here's why -- how freakin' adorable is baby Yoda??? Or terrifying ... depends on your perspective.

Yes, the infant/future Jedi master ... is just one of the 'Star Wars' characters introduced in "The Mandalorian," the new Jon Favreau directed series that debuted when Disney launched its stupidly hyped streaming service at midnight.

Look around you ... more people out "sick" from work? Here's why -- the service gives fans instant access to, not only 'Mandalorian,' but ALL VII 'Star Wars' episodes, ALL the Marvel Cinematic Universe movies and TV shows today, and of course ALL of Disney and Pixar's smash hit animated movies.

That's right ... now you can hear "Let It Go" on repeat for $6.99/month. Sorry.

Of course, that all assumes you can login to the service. Disney+ soft-launched in the U.S., Canada and The Netherlands ... but many users (check your social media) are complaining about connectivity issues.

Bummer for Ralph of "Wreck-It Ralph" fame -- he pulled the short straw to get the honor of greeting users who couldn't log in to the service.

Still, the positive buzz is definitely outweighing the negative, so far.

Just ask longtime character actor Brian Posehn (you know that face) who totally geeked out binging 'Mandalorian' overnight. Looks like he scored an uncredited cameo in it, too! The Force is strong with this one.

Pat Sajak is on the road to recovery after undergoing surgery for a blocked intestine ... opening the door for Vanna White to host "Wheel of Fortune."

Production sources tell TMZ ... Pat is going to be sidelined for two weeks, during which Vanna will fill his shoes on the hosting front.

"Wheel of Fortune" is currently shooting Disney Week at its Los Angeles studio ... and our production sources tell us the person turning the letters will have mouse ears ... in case you can't figure it out, we're talking Mickey Mouse!!!

The show announced it canceled its Thursday taping because Pat went under the knife, and taping resumed Friday with Vanna stepping in as host. Sajak is said to be resting comfortably and looking forward to getting back on the job.

Pat's been the host of "Wheel of Fortune" -- the longest-running syndicated game show in the country -- since 1982, and Vanna's been turning the letters since then as well.

'Wheel' and "Jeopardy" are owned by the same company and are 2 of the most successful shows in TV syndication. Pat's now laid up, and Alex Trebek is battling pancreatic cancer and is undergoing a second round of chemo, though he has not missed a show.

Maryland-born actress Kimberly J. Brown was only 14 years old when she took on the role of the witch in training, Marnie Piper -- who leaves the mortal world with her siblings to battle the evil warlock, Kalabar -- in the OG 1998 Disney Channel spooky movie, "Halloweentown."

Kimberly J. Brown was cast alongside some other young actors including Joey Zimmerman as the middle sibling and bus-hopping brother, Dylan Piper, and Emily Roeske as the youngest sister and tagalong troublemaker, Sophie Piper.

Brown was also in the cinematic sequels including "Halloweentown II: Kalabar's Revenge" and "Halloweentown High," but was ultimately replaced by Sara Paxton in the 2006 final film "Return To Halloweentown."

"Halloween is cool."

You know Marvel's "X-Men" as defenders of justice, but a TV show -- in Hungary of all places -- claims Wolverine and co. are guilty of stealing the theme song to their hit cartoon.

A guy named Zoltan Krisko is suing every media giant you can imagine -- Marvel, Disney, FOX, Apple, Amazon and more -- claiming the TV execs behind the animated series from the '90s jacked the intro music from an even older show ... called "Linda."

Bear with us ... "Linda" aired in Hungary from 1984 to 1991, and according to a lawsuit filed by Krisko it was a hit cop comedy/thriller. Hey, genres are different over there.

Anyway, Krisko says he manages the estate of a Hungarian composer named Gyorgy Vukan, who created and copyrighted the "Linda" theme song in 1983. Krisko says it sounds exactly like the tune the "X-Men" cartoon used years later.

Olivia Jade is no Dumbo ... she's detached herself from all the college drama by goofing around with her boyfriend and her buds at Disneyland.

Olivia and crew hit up Star Wars Galaxy's Edge Friday, smooching with her BF, and she looked like she didn't have a care in the world ... and she may have good reason.

Mama Lori Loughlin and papa Mossimo Giannulli got some good news Friday, when prosecutors all but folded like cheap suits in Felicity Huffman's college admissions scandal case ... recommending just 1 month in jail.

What prosecutors said was revealing. They had lots of tough language about rich people cutting corners, but in the end they said it doesn't matter how much time rich people serve ... just that they serve some time. Even they don't believe that.

BTW ... Felicity's asking for no time behind bars, and she might get what she's after because our sources say the probation department which prepared a sentencing report would be fine with that.

Disney's new Tramp, in the upcoming live-action remake of "Lady and the Tramp," didn't slum it for too long before catching his big break ... we've learned the pup went from kill shelter to shelter before becoming a huge movie star.

Monte, the 2-year-old terrier mix had a rough start to life. He was on the verge of being euthanized at a kill shelter before the folks at HALO Animal Rescue in Phoenix scooped him up, saving him from death.

So, now's the terrier's big break ... Mark Forbes, the animal trainer for "Lady and the Tramp," was on the hunt for a scruffy canine, and Monte must have worked his magic at HALO because the trainer saw potential ... a potential movie star!!!

Forbes adopted Monte -- after the pooch spent just 7 days at HALO -- trained him well, and Disney execs fell in love ... i.e., Monte nailed the audition.

Good on the folks at HALO, because they wanted to make sure Monte didn't become one of the has-beens that litter the streets of Hollywood. The org made Forbes promise Monte would become a family pet once filming was over.

Forbes agreed, and he now lives with the fam and even has a newborn baby and pet raccoon to keep him company.

Monte's making his film debut on the new Disney+ streaming service this November ... and HALO hopes his story will lead to more adoptions for dogs in shelters across the globe.

Desmond Howard learned a new rule in 2019 -- you can't quote Dave Chappelle as much as we used to ... especially on a Disney-owned network, at a Disney-owned park.

The former Heisman winner and NFL kick returner -- who's since become a TV analyst -- was on ESPN Saturday talkin' college football with Rece Davis and other broadcasters ... when he invoked a line from an old "Chappelle's Show" skit that caught immediate backlash.

The line -- in response to Rece asking if his alma mater, University of Michigan, could beat Ohio State -- went like this ... "Is Desmond Howard gonna have to choke a bitch?"

Funny, right? WRONG!!! At least that's what a ton of people watching had to say about it soon after. And, apparently, the ESPN honchos thought so too ... 'cause Des apologized.

He came back on the air later and flat-out said sorry if he offended anybody.

Des also tweeted about the incident, saying he didn't realize the joke was so obscure. Of course, he's referring to the line Wayne Brady dropped on a classic 'CS' episode, when he poses the same question to a prostitute during a 'Training Day'-esqe sketch.

Des later posted a clip that aired on ESPN in 2014, in which a commentator also made reference to the famous line. Problem is ... it's 2019, not 2014 -- and definitely not 2004. Also, Des works for ESPN (which Disney owns) and he said this at Disney World. Bad mix!!!

To make matters even more murky, Wayne Brady himself responded to the incident, showing support to Des and thanking him for the fandom. But, Wayne also said, "Choke who you wanna choke, have fun, and I'm a big fan of yours too." That raised eyebrows as well.

Bradley Cooper is enjoying single-dad life -- just check out that stache! -- which means his daughter is absolutely enjoying dad-taking-me-to-Disneyland life!!!

The actor was out with 2-year-old, Lea, Friday at the Happiest Place on Earth, and the toddler brought that title to life with her grin as she and Brad went from ride to ride. Looks like he recruited other grown-ups for the trip too -- a possible nanny was tagging along.

No sign of Irina Shayk here though -- must not be her weekend with the kid.

Anyway, Lea tried her hand on a merry-go-round, the Story Book Land Canal Boats, Dumbo the Flying Elephant ... and, of course, a classic shoulder mount on pops himself.

Meanwhile, Brad and some of the adults he brought with him ended up park jumping at one point -- 'cause he was in the front car of the new Incredicoaster (formerly California Screamin') at California Adventure with a woman who was joining him and Lea for the day.

Lea's too small for that ride ... she  must've been hangin' at Pixar Park or something.

The late Stan Lee -- who co-created 'Spider-Man' -- would've been happy over the news that Sony pumped the brakes on giving Disney control of his character ... so says his daughter.

Sony's move to limit control over 'Spider-Man' -- and potentially remove the superhero entirely from Disney's Marvel Comic Universe -- is one that was necessary and something Stan would have appreciated ... so says his daughter, Joan Celia (JC) Lee.

ICYMI ... reports surfaced Tuesday that Sony and Disney reached a standstill in negotiating Spidey's future under Disney's umbrella, including any 'Avengers' spin-offs/sequels. Insiders told Deadline it was all about money ... Disney wanted a 50/50 stake in 'Spider-Man'-related revenue, and also wanted Marvel honcho Kevin Feige to be the guiding hand.

Welp, Sony was reportedly not too down with that -- they own the rights to 'Spider-Man,' and until now had partnered with Disney to crank out these last few films. That's all over now.

As for how the Lees feel about it, JC tells us ... "Marvel and Disney seeking total control of my father's creations must be checked and balanced by others who, while still seeking to profit, have genuine respect for Stan Lee and his legacy." AKA ... cameos don't cut it.

She goes on ... "Whether it's Sony or someone else's, the continued evolution of Stan's characters and his legacy deserves multiple points of view."

“When my father died, no one from Marvel or Disney reached out to me. From day one, they have commoditized my father’s work and never shown him or his legacy any respect or decency.”

JC's parting words ... "In the end, no one could have treated my father worse than Marvel and Disney's executives."

Ouch!!!

What do you get a billionaire like Mark Cuban? A healthy snack, for starters.

The "Shark Tank" star and Dallas Mavericks owner hit up The Happiest Place on Earth Wednesday and took a break from milling around with the summertime masses to chow on some popcorn and down some bottled agua.

Mark was there with his wife, Tiffany, and their 3 kids -- Alexis, Alyssa and Jake. The Cuban fam was joined by some friends as they hit up the Indiana Jones Adventure and the all-new Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge.

Looks like the billionaire's in fully vacay mode. Just a couple of days ago, he went on a fishing trip with his son.

BTW ... the Cubans looove them some Mickey. They were also at Disneyland and California Adventure Park less than a month ago.

Macaulay Culkin's joining the chorus of fans roasting Disney for its plan to reboot the classic "Home Alone" franchise ... with a harsh and hilarious reality check.

The OG Kevin McCallister just shared a photo on his Instagram of himself looking bloated and disheveled in his undies ... sitting on an old couch, plate of food in hand, Chinese takeout strewn about and laptop on his lap.

Or, in his own words ... representing what an updated "Home Alone" would actually look like.

Macaulay's had a pretty good sense of humor about reprising his iconic Christmas movie role that launched him into superstardom way back in 1990 ... including this ad for Google this past holiday season.

Clearly, he couldn't resist another parody ... and even kept a touch of the holiday spirit with that snowman pillow in the background.

In case you missed it ... Disney's CEO Bob Iger announced Tuesday the company's plan to reboot several famous Fox franchises it recently acquired. Along with Culkin's smash hit, Iger says it's rebooting "Cheaper by the Dozen," "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" and "Night at the Museum."

It was probably inevitable, but to many fans it's a terrible idea, and can best be described with the same word Kevin used for Buzz's girlfriend -- Woof!!!

Ryan Seacrest was weirdly left out of Disney's press release announcing a new season of "American Idol" -- but we've learned he's not out, just delayed with the Mouse House ... on account of what looks like a massive new deal.

Our Disney sources tell TMZ ... Ryan will likely return as host for a third season of 'AI' on ABC, as its longtime host. The reason the deal hasn't been signed ... he's currently in talks with Disney honchos for a huge contract that goes way beyond 'A.I.' and "Live with Kelly and Ryan."

We're told the new deal encompasses what he's doing now, but includes a massive production deal for new TV shows, produced through his production company.

Interesting ... at the same time, the ABC bigwigs were announced Monday that Katy Perry, Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie were coming back to 'Idol' for season 3, Ryan was spotted leaving Marea restaurant in NYC with Disney TV Chairman Peter Rice.

You'll recall ... Ryan ended up landing around $15 million from Disney with his current contract.  Our Disney sources say this is a much sweeter deal.

"Descendants 3" star China Anne McClain grew up with her costar and BFF Cameron Boyce, and says his death hit her like a ton of bricks, because almost no one knew he was suffering from epilepsy.

China was on "TMZ Live" Friday to talk about Cameron and Friday's Disney Channel debut of his final movie, 'D3.' She says the premiere comes with mixed emotions on the heels of her dear friend passing. It was obvious she's still processing the loss.

She says only Cameron's family knew about his condition, and despite the fact she knew him for 10 years -- and starred in 4 movies with him -- she had "no idea."

She broke down as she explained how the simplest things remind her of Cam and sometimes send her on a roller coaster of emotions. China says she's even caught herself picking up the phone to text Cameron.

She says she still hasn't seen "Descendants 3," and confesses she's not sure she'll be able to make it through the whole thing when she finally does watch.

As we reported ... Disney canceled a red carpet event in Cameron's honor after he died last month in his sleep. The studio also made a donation to the Thirst Project ... a nonprofit close to Cameron.

Cameron Boyce suffered a sudden, unexpected death due to epilepsy ... according to the Medical Examiner, confirming what we already knew about the young Disney superstar.

The L.A. County M.E.'s report also says Cameron did not have any drugs or alcohol in his system ... except for Keppra -- which is an epilepsy medication.

We broke the story ... Cameron's offical cause of death was deferred on his death certificate until the medical examiner's office could complete its investigation. The report says the 20-year-old developed non-traumatic epilepsy about 3 years ago ... and had "several major seizures" over the years.

As we told you, despite suffering epileptic seizures for a long time ... Cameron was able to achieve great acting success in both TV and in movies. The M.E.'s report says his seizures typically occurred months apart.

Boyce suffered the fatal seizure on July 6 and died in his sleep. Our sources told us his roommate found him unresponsive, and when paramedics arrived they could not revive him. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Cameron's death led to heartfelt tributes from many celebrities, including Michelle Obama, who said, "not only did he have incredible talent, but also an incredible heart."

His family says his spirit will live on through "the kindness and compassion of all who knew and loved him." It's already evident -- the actor's favorite charity has raised thousands since his death in his honor ... with some help from his movie dad, Adam Sandler.