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Willie Garson -- famous for his role in the "Sex and the City" series and movies -- has died ... according to his close friends.

"Bosch" star Titus Welliver broke the news of Willie's passing with a post that said, "There are no words. I love you dear brother. We are fewer," and he attached a photo of Willie.

Willie's fellow actor and friend Rob Morrow also posted a tribute.

Sources connected to the 'SATC' star tell us he'd been battling cancer, though we've not confirmed it as his cause of death.

Willie was a fan fave from the hit HBO series ... playing Sarah Jessica Parker's male BFF, Stanford Blatch -- a gay socialite who Carrie Bradshaw often called "Stanny."

He didn't appear in every episode, but for the 27 he did pop up for over the course of 6 years ... his scenes were always memorable.

Willie was also in both 'SATC' movies ... and he's at least slated to appear with SJP and co. in "And Just Like That..." -- the new HBO Max series. We know he shot scenes in NYC this summer with Sarah Jessica and Mario Cantone.

WG's roles went well beyond 'SATC' though -- he's been in tons of shows and movies throughout his career ... including stuff like "White Collar," "Hawaii Five-0," "Quantum Leap," "Girl Meets World," "Mr. Belvedere," "Just Shoot Me!" "Big Mouth," "Supergirl," and many, many more.

He's got a total of 170 acting credits to his name, dating back to the '80s.

Willie was 57. He leaves behind his son, Nathen.

Mama June's estranged BF appears to finally be getting the help he needs ... 'cause we've learned he's checked into rehab.

According to new legal docs, obtained by TMZ, Geno Doak was hospitalized in Fort Pierce, Florida earlier this month. It's unclear why he landed in the hospital, but we do know doctors there referred him to a recovery center in South Carolina, and he checked into that facility on Monday.

In the docs, the director of the center says Geno will be a resident in the long-term intensive program and be required to make a minimum of a 120-day commitment. But, he also has the option to stay for up to a year if necessary.

The program is designed to help individuals develop their capacity for a healthy transition to sober living ... and all residents are required to eventually seek employment and are encouraged to assume responsibility of themselves and their recovery.

The documents were filed to loop in the judge from Geno's crack cocaine case. As we reported ... Mama June and Geno were both busted outside an Alabama gas station back in March 2019 and charged with felony drug possession.

While their relationship status had remained unclear for months, it was back in August when June announced Geno was no longer a part of her life, so many fans assumed they split.

Geno was sentenced to 16 months in Macon County Community Corrections. He wasn't going to physically be behind bars, but had to follow a set of rules.

For instance, he was supposed to relocate from Florida to Alabama within 30 to 45 days of his July sentencing date ... but he failed to do so.

Tarek El Moussa has COVID-19, which means his TV show is pausing production, but it's also making waves for his fiancee, Heather Rae Young's hit show on Netflix.

The HGTV star's rep tells TMZ ... Tarek came back with a positive result recently, and after consulting with his doc -- he's decided to quarantine and take a break from filming his series, 'Flipping 101.' After his quarantine period, he'll return to the show.

We're told Tarek will quarantine with Heather, who hasn't tested positive, but will also be taking a break from "Selling Sunset." BTW, they're both fully vaccinated -- and the rep says Tarek isn't experiencing any symptoms at the moment.

Production sources say filming for 'SS' was halted this past Friday -- and that everything is going on standby out of an abundance of caution. Both stars want to do things as safely and responsibly as possible.

There's also this ... we're told there's suspicion Tarek's result was a false positive. We're told he's had multiple negative tests since the positive one, but has stepped back from production ... just to ensure everyone around him remains healthy.

The 50th anniversary of the Congressional Black Caucus was off the hook, thanks to the host -- Vice President Kamala Harris -- and her menu did not disappoint ... not by a longshot!!!

We got Congressman Gregory Meeks on the Hill Monday, and he could not be prouder of the event ... an event hosted by a former CBC member at the Naval Observatory, the Vice President's residence. Meeks says it's significant because the Veep understands the issues that top the CBC's agenda.

Now, as for the meal ... well, Meeks says it was amazing -- hors d'oeuvres, fish tacos, lamb, avocado rolls, and on and on.

Patty Perez -- AKA, "Goddess Patty," who made a memorable cameo in a 'Jackass' film -- has died ... TMZ has learned.

The actress and Internet sensation's daughter, Priscilla, tells us ... Patty passed away last Friday at a hospital in Reno, where she lived -- and where she was being treated for complications related to her type 1 diabetes, which she'd been dealing with since birth. BTW, this wasn't COVID-related

Priscilla says her mom's kidneys were failing -- the result of a lifelong struggle with her health and weight that she'd endured for years and years.

Patty lived her life out loud despite her health concerns. She ended up becoming featured in 'Jackass 2' back in 2006, as well as "Jackass 2.5" the following year -- portraying herself in a hilarious skit they filmed with Jason Acuna, AKA Wee Man ... and gaining notoriety from it.

It was a segment of the film that they called "Magic Trick" in which they'd make WM disappear. The means for that, as it turned out, was having Patty jump onto him while lying on a bed ... and her body practically enveloped him. Johnny Knoxville shows up at the end, cracking up and asking where Wee Man went -- it's pretty hilarious.

Patty went on to star in one episode of "My Big Fat Fetish" ... where they showcased her sitting on guys who wanted to pay for that type of pleasure. There are other clips of her on the Internet, in which everyday activities are seen as a struggle for her.

Her family has set up a GoFundMe to help cover funeral and other expenses -- for now, they have a $6,000 goal. Priscilla also tells us, "We want to express our immense gratitude for the love and kindness everyone has shown to our mom." She adds, "Being able to entertain and bring light and happiness to people was the highlight of her life. She was so proud of the work she did in the film industry."

Patty's survived by her four children, her mother and her grandchildren. She was 57.

The guys from Right Said Fred have NO hard feelings about Drake sampling "I'm Too Sexy" -- in fact, they want to thank him for bringing their song back into the limelight.

If ya weren't aware ... Drake's "Way 2 Sexy" from his latest album, "Certified Lover Boy," samples the smash 1991 hit from the English band, which still consists of brothers Fred and Richard Fairbrass.

The Right Said Fred bros tell TMZ ... they were well aware of Drake's track -- which also features Future and Young Thug -- and were credited as co-writers, so any fans thinking 'Lover Boy' ripped them off can chill.

They say they heard Drake's song when it was a work in progress and absolutely loved it ... adding they appreciate the rapper's talent, creativity and sense of humor in his videos.

Fred and Richard believe "Way 2 Sexy" will remain popular and replayed for years to come ... much like their OG hit.

The guys say they've already seen a nice spike in their music sales since Drake's album dropped. They haven't spoken to him yet, but tell us they plan to invite him to dinner to celebrate their shared success.

Michael K. Williams' family is convinced a posthumous Oscar and Emmy is in the cards ... based on not-yet-released projects he starred in before his tragic passing.

Dominic Dupont, Michael's nephew, tells TMZ ... while the family's bummed Michael didn't win Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series for "Lovecraft Country," they're hopeful a few upcoming projects could clinch him the coveted gold statues.

For starters, Dominic points to two upcoming films Michael starred in ... the Indi thriller "892" and Civil War-era drama "Surrounded." Dominic hasn't screened either film but believes the flicks give Michael a chance for an Oscar. As for why Dominic feels this way ... he says it's because Michael had the unparalleled ability to bring characters to life.

As for a future Emmy ... Dominic says his role in season 2 of the Vice TV docuseries "Black Market" could sway voters. Dominic, who traveled with Michael during the filming of "Black Market," says after 5 Emmy nominations ... everything teed up for an Emmy win next year.

Dominic says everyone at the Emmys was gracious to him and his wife ... and that they felt Michael's energy in the room. Dominic tells us Billy Porter and Jurnee Smollett greeted him and his family and expressed their sympathy ... while also making it clear they wanted Michael's legacy to live on.

We caught up with Dominic after the Emmys and he told us he was bummed his uncle didn't get an Emmy (it went to Tobias Menzies for his portrayal of Prince Phillip in "The Crown"), but he told us he very much appreciated Kerry Washington's gesture in honoring him onstage.

Oscar De La Hoya is gunning for a fight with one of the greatest boxers of all-time, Floyd Mayweather, telling TMZ Sports he's got $100 MILLION for Money if he accepts.

And, he wants to fight this year.

We got 48-year-old De La Hoya leaving Rossoblu in L.A. with girlfriend Holly Sonders ... and we asked the boxing legend how he felt after being hospitalized with COVID.

"5 days of hell" is how ODLH described the virus ... but what he really wanted to talk about was returning to the ring.

"You know who I'm gonna call out for my next fight? Floyd Mayweather."

And, that's when Oscar threw out the crazy lucrative proposal, saying ... "I'll offer Floyd Mayweather $100 million."

Remember, De La Hoya hasn't fought since losing to Manny Pacquiao in 2008 ... but was scheduled to return to the ring against Vitor Belfort earlier this month -- before he came down with COVID.

As for 44-year-old Floyd, he's been far more active. His last pro fight was against Conor McGregor in 2017, but he's had several exhibition fights since, including a June 2021 scrap against Logan Paul.

Of course, boxing fans will know Oscar and Floyd -- who had 10 division titles between them -- fought back in 2007 ... in one of the biggest fights of the decade. Mayweather defeated De La Hoya via a split decision.

Seth Rogen's rant suggesting the Emmys broke COVID safety rules is misguided ... at least according to the L.A. County Department of Health, which is refuting some of his comments.

The Health Dept. tells TMZ ... yes, the current mandate in L.A. requires everyone to wear a mask indoors -- whether vaccinated or unvaccinated -- but it also says exceptions are made for film, TV and music productions.

The county says the Emmy Awards qualify as a TV production, and all the people appearing on the show are considered performers ... so masks were not a must for attendees.

Additionally, the Dept. of Health says there were extra safety modifications in place for the event. Yes, everyone had to be fully vaxxed ... but they also had to have a verified negative COVID test within 48 hours of the show. Crew members were either fully vaccinated or recently tested as well.

Overall, the Public Health office says the Emmys reached out to share its safety protocols and they "exceeded the baseline requirements for television and film productions."

Still, Rogen's speech during the ceremony was about more than just the optics of all the maskless celebs sitting close to one another. He also claimed Emmy officials promised them the show would be outdoors, and it wasn't.

AJ McLean says postponing the Backstreet Boys' upcoming Vegas residency was the right thing to do for 2 good reasons ... the pandemic and their international fans.

The BSB singer joined "TMZ Live" Monday -- along with NSYNC's Joey Fatone -- and explained it was only right to push his group's Vegas residency until 2022, because a lot of fans from outside the U.S. still can't travel here.

The 'Boys were slated to begin their residency in November at Zappos Theater inside Planet Hollywood. They were also set to simultaneously drop their first-ever Christmas album. AJ says the residency and the album, which is still in the works, go hand in hand ... and it's why the album release was also delayed.

That being said ... AJ, Joey and others are still slated to perform this upcoming weekend in Miami at Fountainbleu for its 90's Pool Party. We had to ask ... why still move forward with that, while delaying the residency? AJ gave us the deets.

It ain't Ja'Marr Chase, Trevor Lawrence or Kyle Pitts ... no, the best rookie in the NFL at this point is Dallas Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons -- so says Michael Irvin.

The Playmaker made the claim to TMZ Sports out in NYC on Monday -- just one day after Parsons terrorized the Chargers in Dallas' 20-17 win.

"Baddest boy out there, Micah Parsons!" Irvin said. "Bad boy. God Almighty, that man a bad boy!"

"Right now he is [the NFL's best rookie]!"

Of course, it ain't exactly a hot take ... Parsons -- the #12 pick in April's NFL draft -- has nine total tackles, 1 sack and 1 pass breakup in the first two games of the season so far.

He's also played both defensive end AND linebacker ... leading some experts to call the ex-Penn State star the Cowboys' best defensive player.

Roman Reigns is only hours away from a rare appearance on WWE's Raw -- reigniting a new rivalry with The New Day and The Bloodline -- and Kofi Kingston says it's gonna be crazzzy!!

TMZ Sports talked to Kingston Monday afternoon ... and we asked the former WWE Champion about Roman Reigns, Jey & Jimmy Uso taking on KK, Xavier Woods and newly crowned WWE Champion, Big E.

"Big E is the WWE champion right now. Roman Reigns the Universal Champion. And we're getting to see the two people are at the top of our industry go toe-to-toe, not to mention with the Uso's and myself and Woods going at it 1 more time, as we have all grown. That in and of itself is gonna be well worth the price of admission," Kofi says.

Of course, The Uso's and The New Day have history ... as did The New Day and The Shield.

But, if you're looking for a lot of trash talk, this ain't the clip for you ... 'cause Kofi says the men have brought out the absolute best in each other over the years.

"[The Bloodline] are the best versions of themselves right now, and then you have [The New Day], probably the strongest bond in the history of WWE," Kofi says.

"I don't know if there's ever been a stronger bond than us. And all the things we've been able to do, and now we are back together, and we're doing it at a high level."

Two great tag teams clashing at the height of their powers.

We also talked to Kingston about watching his best friend, E, beat Bobby Lashley and take his belt ... a very anxious moment for Kofi.

"I feel like I was wayyy more nervous for E in this situation than I was for myself a couple years ago. But I look over at E in gorilla [position] and he's just like cool as a cucumber, at least on the outside, not nervous at all."

George Holliday -- the man who filmed Rodney King's beating at the hands of the LAPD in the '90s, which eventually triggered the L.A. Riot -- has died after contracting COVID-19.

Holliday passed away Sunday while hospitalized in Simi Valley, CA where he'd been since mid-August -- this according to one of his close friends and his business partner. We're told he'd been bedridden with pneumonia, and finally succumbed to the virus after a few weeks. We're told he wasn't vaccinated.

There's also this ... people close to George tell us that he was on a ventilator the last few days of his life. We're told when he was first admitted, he had an oxygen tube, but his condition worsened and eventually, he was put on the ventilator.

We're told he was plagued with blood clots and internal bleeding toward the end. His outgoing voicemail referenced he was in the hospital with COVID.

Holliday's claim to fame is the historic and horrific video he captured in 1991 ... which showed 4 LAPD cops swinging batons down on a cowering King, who was trying to protect himself from the blows.

If not for Holliday's quick and decisive move to start recording the madness from his apartment balcony across the way ... it's almost certain no one would've caught wind of what had been done to King that night in March of '91.

The tape ended up as the impetus for bringing charges against 4 officers -- all of whom ended up being acquitted in criminal court ... a decision that sparked the 1992 L.A. riots.

Businesses were destroyed, cars and property were set ablaze ... and people were outright fighting with law enforcement on the streets for nearly a week straight -- resulting in more than a billion dollars in damages.

King did end up winning a civil lawsuit ... and was awarded $4 million.

Holliday put his infamous video camera up for auction just last year -- with a starting bid at nearly a quarter of a million dollars. He said it had come to symbolize more than he could ever imagine, especially in the wake of George Floyd.

He was 61.

Kylie Jenner and Travis Scott were back in his hometown this weekend for family fun ... showing their daughter some lions and tigers and ... elephants.

The couple took their 3-year-old girl Stormi to the Houston Zoo Sunday for several hours. We're told they hit up all the big attractions, checked out the giraffes and seals ... and visited the elephant exhibit as well.

Of course, the family was flanked by private security guards with golf carts all day ... including when Stormi took a ride on the carousel.

As we've reported, these outings are nothing new for Kylie and Travis, who love taking Stormi to amusement parks and pumpkin patches and all that good stuff. They've always kept that up, even when they had split as a couple.

"Tiger King" zookeeper Erik Cowie's body was not picked up by Jeff Lowe as planned ... instead, someone claiming to be Erik's relative got the remains from the medical examiner.

Jeff tells TMZ … he and his wife Lauren were notified this week someone claiming to be Erik's family member claimed the remains, and they are scrapping their plans to have him cremated and spread his ashes at their Oklahoma zoo.

As we first told you ... Jeff was under the impression Erik didn't have a family and his remains might go unclaimed, so Jeff was ready to step in so Cowie's body wouldn't be dumped into a mass grave without a proper send-off.

Now, Jeff says he heard Erik had 2 children ... but he says he didn't think either would have come forward because the kids were estranged from their dad.

A spokesperson for the NYC Medical Examiner's Office confirmed to TMZ ... a family member claimed Cowie's remains, although the M.E. did not say who.

As we reported ... Jeff and Lauren were planning to have a big memorial service for Erik, but now they're switching gears to a small get-together with staff at the zoo instead of a public sendoff.

Jeff says he doesn't want to steal any thunder from Erik's family, which might have their own service.

When the Foo Fighters roll outta NYC, Taylor Hawkins' pockets are gonna be a little bit fatter because he's struck a deal -- a not-so lucrative one -- with autograph seekers.

We caught the drummer as the band was leaving their hotel, and witnessed some cold hard capitalism going down as a handful of guys moved in for Taylor's signature. This was no free-for-all, though -- in fact, it kinda sounded like an auction.

You gotta see it ... autograph seekers start shouting out dollar amounts to get Taylor's attention. Someone offered $40, and TH beelined for him, and signed a photo. We know what you're thinking -- why the hell does a rock star need the few extra bucks???

Well, we put that question to Taylor, and he explained ... it's all about avoiding ATMs and keeping his wife happy. Smart man!

He says there's no going rate, BTW ... seems like he'll take whatever they offer, as long as it's legal tender. Taylor jokingly tried to school guitarist Pat Smear on the art of the deal too -- he needs the help.