Drugs & Alcohol

Jim Tom Hedrick of "Moonshiners" has died ... TMZ has confirmed.

A family member of JT's tells us he passed away Wednesday morning in Robbinsville, NC -- although the exact circumstances are unclear. What we do know, per the relative, is that JT had kidney cancer and was receiving dialysis for a long time.

We're told Jim was in a nursing home for the last year, and photos of him in a hospital bed had been posted in recent months.

A statement from Sugarlands Distilling Co reads, "Jim Tom dedicated much of his life to the art of moonshining, becoming a legend in Appalachia along the way. Jim Tom’s well-earned reputation as one of the most skilled moonshiners in the South earned him a role on the hit television program Moonshiners, where his colorful personality endeared Jim Tom to the hearts of millions."

SDC goes on to say Jim Tom was one of the veteran moonshiners in the area who embraced them when they opened their doors ... and his stamp of approval went a long way.

Jim Tom appeared on several seasons of the long-running Discovery reality series -- which chronicles moonshiners running their illegal booze biz all throughout the Appalachian mountains. He joined during Season 2 in 2012 and stuck around through 2017.

He was known for his unique personality and manners of speaking -- not to mention his storytelling and, of course, his pristine skill at making homemade alcohol out in nature.

He was 82.

Lamar Odom's keeping it in the family ... he hired his son and daughter to work for his substance abuse treatment company, and he treated them to a company getaway.

Sources close to Lamar tell TMZ ... he's focused on strengthening his bond with his kids, and that includes getting his son, LJ, and daughter, Destiny, jobs at Odom Recovery Group.

Lamar's son is a marketing consultant ... we're told he's basically been mirroring Lamar, learning the ins and outs of the company so he can be Lamar's backup when needed.

Meanwhile, Lamar's daughter is a client representative ... she's responsible for taking down patients' information and making sure they're all set up when they start their recovery journeys. We're told both kids even participated in a commercial for the company, which will air on Hulu in various locations.

In recognition of their hard work on the job, we're told Lamar took his newest employees on a little vacation in Orange County, spending a few nights at an oceanfront property in Newport Beach.

Not a bad work perk!!!

The job opportunities and company vacations are all part of Lamar's attempt to reconnect with his kids ... and we're also told they've all been living under the same roof since the end of May.

Lamar definitely needs the help at his company ... Odom Recovery Group keeps expanding, he's added 14 new rehab centers to his portfolio and it's all hands on deck at work, with his baby mama Liza also helping out on the job.

Ex-NFL star Ricky Williams says the league is moving in the right direction by loosening its stance on cannabis in recent years ... but tells TMZ Sports he's hoping Roger Goodell's organization goes one step further by allowing teams to treat players with marijuana after games.

Ricky -- who was suspended five times and missed a chunk of his career for violating the league's substance abuse policy -- believes society is going through a big transformation when it comes to accepting the benefits of cannabis and psychedelics ... and he's hoping the NFL follows suit.

FYI -- the NFL changed its marijuana policy in 2021 ... electing to only test players once a year and handing down less punishment if someone is popped for the drug.

Ricky is thrilled with the league's changed stance on cannabis but feels it would have great benefits for players if they were encouraged to use marijuana instead of pills during recovery.

"I think the next step, though, is at the end of a game, if we're on the plane ride home, the trainer is walking down the aisle and has two capsule cases -- one of Ambien, and the other one of Vicodin," Williams said. "And he's walking down the aisle and saying, 'Do you need any of this, do you need any of this?'"

"And the truth is, for football players, we do need something because it hurts, and you're all revved up and it's hard to calm down go to sleep. And I'd love to see cannabis as being one of those things that the trainer is walking down the aisle and offering to those players."

Ricky -- who legally changed his name to Errick Miron recently -- has been an advocate for the cause for decades ... and is outspoken on the positive effects cannabis had on his mental health throughout his career.

Now, Ricky's own lifestyle brand, "Highsman," is going strong ... and he said the whole experience has been nothing but positive.

Smash Mouth's lead singer, Steve Harwell, has died ... TMZ has learned.

The rock band's longtime frontman -- who was one of the original founding members dating back to 1994 -- passed away Monday morning at his home in Boise, Idaho as a result of liver failure -- this according to his manager.

We're told he was surrounded by family and friends and passed peacefully and comfortably.

TMZ broke the story ... Steve had been in hospice and was given only days to live this past weekend. As such, he was receiving end-of-life care at home with friends/family. We'd been told he succumbed to his health battles over alcohol abuse, among other ailments.

Remember, SH announced he was retiring from performing a couple years ago following a show in which he was found to have been slurring his words and acting erratic onstage.

His passing marks a tragic day for Smash Mouth fans -- of which there are many. His band skyrocketed to fame in the late '90s and early 2000s, on account of their album "Astro Lounge" ... which featured some of their most famous songs, like "All Star."

Of course, their involvement in the "Shrek" film put them on another level of fame -- as did their cover of The Monkees' hit song "I'm a Believer." Around this time, they were huge. Other notable tracks that Steve contributed to ... "Walkin' On the Sun," "Then the Morning Comes," "Can't Get Enough of You Baby," "Pacific Coast Party" and "Why Can't We Be Friends."

Steve dealt with hardships through much of his life -- his infant son died at only 6 months due to leukemia -- and he himself had been diagnosed with illnesses over the years too.

Despite this, he carried on with a smile and did what he loved in music and performing ... bringing joy to many, many listeners throughout his career. Steve was only 56.

Pour out a margarita for Jimmy Buffett, the legendary musician is dead.

The "Margaritaville" singer died Saturday surrounded by his friends, family, music and dogs, according to an announcement posted on his website.

The statement read ... "He lived his life like a song till the very last breath and will be missed beyond measure by so many."

We're told Jimmy had been sick for a while, and he was recently receiving hospice care.

As we reported ... Jimmy was forced to cancel a May show in South Carolina after being hospitalized at the last minute for an issue requiring "immediate attention."

The idol of all parrot heads everywhere, Jimmy was also forced to cancel a ton of gigs in 2022 because of health issues and a different hospital stay. He played Jazz Fest in New Orleans in May 2022 but had not been on stage a lot since.

In addition to "Margaritaville," Jimmy's been cranking out hits since the 1970s with classic tunes like "Come Monday," "Cheeseburger in Paradise," "Volcano," "A Pirate Looks at Forty," "Fins," "Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes" and "Why Don't We Get Drunk" ... just to name a few.

JB also collaborated with Alan Jackson for another huge hit folks love listening to when they pour a drink ... "It's Five O'Clock Somewhere."

Jimmy's brand reached way beyond music and his huge concert following ... he was also the face of the hotel and restaurant chain Margaritaville, and he even turned the experience into a cruise line.

Jimmy was 76.

RIP

Hulk Hogan is runnin' wild on his latest fitness journey ... saying this week he's now abstained from alcohol for eight months -- and it's done his body so good, he's down 40-plus pounds!!

The Hulkster joined Harvey and Charles on "TMZ Live" to break down his latest plan to get fit ... and he said it all started back on New Year's -- when he "got sick and tired of being sick and tired of myself."

Initially, the WWE Hall of Famer wanted it to just be a simple booze break ... but it's now spiraled into nearly a full year without a sip of liquor -- and he couldn't be happier about it.

"It changed everything," Hulk said of how his body responded to the new diet. "I wasn't eating late at night -- I wasn't eating junk food anymore. I dropped like 40 pounds right away."

Hulk said his alcohol consumption had gotten pretty bad just before he quit ... saying it'd lead to wild binge-eating moments that were taking a toll on his physique -- and his joints.

Now, however, the 70-year-old said he's feeling so good ... he's having a much easier time keeping up with his 45-year-old fiancé, Sky Daily.

Hulk isn't sure how much longer he'll be booze-free -- he said he could see himself grabbing drinks again socially one day -- but he told Harvey and Charles he'll never go back to the way things were.

It was complete chaos at the scene just seconds after Robert Quinn allegedly crashed his truck into four cars in a South Carolina neighborhood ... with one woman screaming at the ex-NFL star, claiming he had hit her.

The alleged incident all unfolded on Aug. 15 in Summerville ... when, according to a 911 call obtained by TMZ Sports, Quinn and a woman were arguing about the vehicles he had been accused of running into.

You can hear in the background of the police audio ... a woman was yelling at a man appearing to be Quinn, demanding he get off her property.

When dispatch asked what was going on ... the caller said, "My mom's talking to the guy that did it and he's like a little too close to her" -- but a short time later, things seemed to turn violent.

In the background of the call, a woman can be heard shouting, "You just hit me!" -- with dispatch quickly adding, "Male just hit the complainant's mother."

Despite the apparent physical confrontation, you can hear in the audio a verbal one still continued, with Quinn seemingly offering to buy the woman two new cars.

"Is he offering to buy your mom two cars?" dispatch asked the caller.

"He just totaled two of our cars just now," the caller responded. "And my neighbor's car, and my other neighbor's car. He just hit four cars."

The caller then added, "He pushed my mom in the head, he hit her in the head."

Later, the caller said of Quinn ... "He's acting like he's drunk. I think he's been drinking or something else."

Cops eventually arrived on the scene ... but, according to police documents, officers say the ex-Dallas Cowboys pass rusher bolted from the area before they could question him. They added that following a search of Quinn's wrecked vehicle, they discovered a "partially empty bottle" of Crown Royal Apple whiskey on the passenger side floorboard.

Ultimately, Quinn -- a current free agent -- turned himself in later in the week... and was hit with seven total charges stemming from the incident -- including hit-and-run and assault.

Coi Leray is clearly still irked over her size being used as a punchline on Latto's hit song, and she's doing some punching of her own via her new track!!

On Wednesday, Coi dropped her new 5-track "Blue Moon" EP to celebrate tonight's "supermoon" phenomenon ... and used the first single, "Isabel Marant," to light up Latto in the chorus, "Hop up on that couch and roll up Latto out the bag.”

Coi was directly responding to Latto's lyrics, "Smokin' on that gas, blunt big as Coi Leray" ... from her song, "Put It On Da Floor" earlier this year.

Latto replaced the verse on her now platinum remix with Cardi B and even showed Coi love during her Coachella set -- which Coi appeared to accept at the time.

Now that Coi's flipped the script, let's see how long Latto let's the blunt metaphor go before responding.

Coi also took a swipe at her ex Trippie Redd on the track, rapping how the industry “tried to count me out, and now I'm big as Trippie Redd!!!"

Coi and Trippie dated back in 2019, and their relationship ended with Trippie making a diss song named after her on his album.

Max Verstappen's Hungarian Grand Prix trophy has been made whole again -- the F1 superstar was gifted a fixed award after it was destroyed during a post-race champagne celebration last month ... and he's not letting his buddy Lando Norris come near it!!

The 25-year-old Red Bull driver showed off his repaired keepsake in a selfie with the culprit on Tuesday ... and both guys joked about the mishap after Max was reunited with his prize.

""Fantastic, it's in one piece!!" Max said.

"Don't let me touch it," the McLaren star joked ... to which Max responded, "Yeah, Lando's not allowed to touch it."

Of course, Lando knocked Max's trophy off a ledge as the podium finishers celebrated with bottles of bubbly after the July 23 race ... and after he initially joked it off, he later apologized for the accident.

"I obviously had no intention in ever doing such a thing," Lando said days after the race. "I know how much it means to the Hungarians and part of their culture and so forth ... and I did apologize to Max."

Polo G and Trench Baby's arrests ended with them both getting booked for crimes -- the rapper for gun possession and his brother for robbery.

LAPD says Wednesday's raid at Polo's house was in response to a report from August 15, which alleged Trench Baby robbed a man in Granada Hills during a music video shoot.

The alleged victim arrived on location to film the video, and cops say Trench Baby drew a handgun with an extended magazine, demanding the man empty his pockets and wire money to him into another account.

According to cops, Trench Baby and the alleged victim had a prior working relationship. When officers made the arrest, they say they found a small baggy of unknown drugs on Trench's person during a pre-booking search.

Polo was booked for illegal possession of the short-barreled rifle, and cops say numerous firearms were recovered during the raid.

As we told you earlier, the Chicago-born brothers were released on bond early Thursday but were then promptly arrested by Burbank PD for a separate incident.

TikToker VonViddy has taken his own life ... and his final video to fans is haunting, all about the ups and downs of his life -- talking about how he hopes to be remembered.

Von, whose real name is Joe Muchlinski, died Monday after "losing his long battle to mental illness" ... according to his sister, Martha.

In his final video, posted Sunday, Joe talks about the type of guy he wants to be remembered as, citing his music and comedy as a couple of strong points in his life. He also highlights some of his struggles -- saying he doesn't want folks to remember him "as an addict and an alcoholic who put his family through hell."

He ends his final TikTok by saying how thankful he is for the opportunities he's had over the years ... noting he has an abundance of peace and love for his fans.

Folks in both Joe and Martha's comment sections are sharing their grief for the loss of Joe after Martha's sad news -- one wrote, "Von Viddy we love you. Thank you for all of the laughs. Truly heartbreaking 💔."

Joe garnered over 170k followers and 8.7 million likes on TikTok, sharing his original music and comedy bits since 2020.

He was 32.

RIP.

Dallas Cowboys pass rusher Sam Williams has found himself in trouble with the law yet again ... the 24-year-old was arrested in Texas over the weekend -- the second time cops have accused him of wrongdoing in the last year.

According to a Frisco Police Dept. spokesperson, Williams was taken into custody on Sunday  ... and booked on charges of possession of a controlled substance and unlawful carrying of a weapon.

Further details surrounding the arrest were not made immediately available.

The 24-year-old had just played in the Cowboys' preseason game on Saturday night against the Seahawks in Seattle ... and he shined, recording a sack and two tackles. He was also seen participating in Dallas' training camp practice on Tuesday -- a day after their off-day Monday.

The Cowboys, according to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, were aware of the arrest.

Williams has been previously accused of wrongdoing in December 2022, when authorities alleged he drove recklessly before crashing his Corvette in Plano.

Chrisean Rock is setting the internet ablaze, because she blazed up while pregnant ... and while many fans are up in arms about the baby's safety, others are actually supporting her right to light up.

On Sunday, social media users debated a recent clip from Chrisean and Blueface's reality show "Crazy In Love" ... where the two are having a mild disagreement as Chrisean blows billows of smoke in the kitchen.

Blueface seemed more concerned about money, informing Chrisean she did not accumulate $10 million in her last round of paydays -- but plenty of viewers expressed concern for the unborn child, and launched into anti-Chrisean tirades.

The CDC strongly advises against smoking while pregnant, but her actions aren't illegal and Chrisean still had some folks supporting her.

As fans argued amongst themselves, Blueface and Chrisean were able to squash their immediate differences to attend Jason Lee's birthday party Sunday night in Los Angeles.

It's been a couple days since Kid Rock was spotted sipping a Bud Light -- and the reactions across Twitter have been just as unhinged as you'd expect ... with people weighing in on both sides.

For starters, accounts that usually push conservative views seem to feel betrayed in a sense ... some writing, "TREASON" another wrote, "I am STRONGLY against CANCEL CULTURE but I am calling for a boycott of all Kid Rock products until further notice."

Others simply seem to be in disbelief, "C'mon Kid Rock, what are we doing?"

However, some on the right are still sticking with their guy, announcing, "I will ALWAYS stand with Kid Rock! If you’ve already had many non-woke beers, it is easy to be tricked into drinking a woke Bud Light by accident. Give Kid a break. He’s fighting hard for our freedom!"

Of course, the images have also been met with plenty of humor and memes as well, one account writing, "Damn, never thought I’d have to give Kid Rock the Bud Light treatment but here we are. Just shot up all my Kid Rock vinyl and CDs. I loved Kid Rock, but I hope Kid Woke goes broke."

TMZ broke the story, the Trump fanatic was spotted drinking a Bud Light at a concert in Nashville last week.

The scenario seemed almost impossible a few months back when KR uploaded himself shooting up a bunch of cases of the beer, exclaiming, "F*** Bud Light and f*** Anheuser Busch" after trans influencer Dylan Mulvaney published an ad-spot with the company.

Jimmy Graham's NFL comeback has hit a roadblock -- the New Orleans Saints tight end was arrested on suspicion of being under the influence of a controlled substance Friday night ... after cops say they saw him wandering in traffic.

TMZ Sports has learned ... law enforcement responded to a call for a suspicious person acting erratically near a Southern California resort.

At the scene, cops claim they witnessed Graham walking in the streets ... and they attempted to arrest him, but he resisted.

The 36-year-old was eventually taken into custody for suspicion of being under the influence of a controlled substance and resisting, delaying and obstructing a police officer -- both misdemeanors.

Graham has since been released. The incident is currently under investigation.

FYI -- the Saints are in town in preparation for their preseason matchup against the Chargers on Sunday ... and spent part of their training camp in joint practice with their upcoming opponent earlier this week.

In fact, Graham commented on a video of him chatting with his former quarterback, Drew Brees, during Friday's practice at Jack Hammett Sports Complex in Costa Mesa.

Graham has played for the Saints, Seattle Seahawks, Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears over the course of his 12-year career ... and is slated to return this season after sitting out the 2022 campaign.

He signed a one-year deal to return to New Orleans in July.

Graham has 713 career catches, 8,506 receiving yards and 85 touchdowns. He is a five-time Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro.

We're reached out to the Saints and the NFL ... so far, no word back.

The Drake concert was far from a drag, but NBA superstar Kevin Durant was spotted taking one at the rapper's big show on Wednesday ... blowing smoke in the air right from his VIP seats.

TMZ Sports has obtained video of the Phoenix Suns hooper vibin' out at the 6 God's "It's All A Blur" tour stop at KIA Forum ... and he appeared to be locked in on the performance.

Now, it's unclear which of God's Plants K.D. was enjoying ... but we have our guess, considering the two-time champion was at the forefront of getting cannabis removed from the NBA's banned substances list.

In fact, Durant even admitted commissioner Adam Silver could smell weed on him when they met on the matter ... claiming he didn't have to do much persuading, as they were both on the same page.