Celebrity Health

Laurel Griggs, a 13-year-old actress on the rise with credits that include 'SNL' and a Tony Award-winning Broadway play, is dead.

The cause of death is unknown and something of a mystery. She died on November 5 but the death didn't surface until this weekend. No cause of death was revealed.

Laurel made her Broadway debut in 2013 at age 6 as Polly in "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" opposite Scarlett Johansson. She's best known for her role in "Once" ... which she performed for 17 months between 2013 and 2015. "Once" also won a Tony.

Laurel made appearances on 2 episodes of 'SNL' and also on Amazon's "Cafe Society" alongside Steve Carell.

Actress Eliza Holland Madore, who played Ivanka in "Once" expressed her heartbreak ... "I am deeply saddened by the sudden loss of one of my Ivanka sisters. Laurel - you were always smiling and always made other people laugh,”

Madore went on ... “I’m so incredibly grateful that I got to know you. You will never be forgotten, and we will never stop loving you. Everybody in the Once Family is going to keep you alive through us. R.I.P. My heart goes to her family.”

Laurel was 13. RIP.

NASCAR driver Angela Ruch will be competing in the most important race of her career next weekend ... and it all has to do with her awesome truck design and the story behind it!

The man who designed the wrap for her #44 truck is her nephew, 19-year-old Eric Erdman, who was diagnosed with advanced brain cancer in 2016.

The condition is terminal -- but Erdman has made the decision to use whatever time he has left to help children battling similar obstacles.

His story is incredible ... and he talks about his life experience in the video below.

Erdman created his own foundation, Give a Child a Voice, to help children dealing with tough medical conditions, bullying and abuse. Through his organization, Erdman has helped renovate several local gyms because he feels physical activity has helped him through the dark times.

Which brings us back to NASCAR Truck Series driver Angela Ruch ... who takes the track for the Ford EcoBoost 200 NASCAR Race in Miami on Nov. 15.

Ruch tells TMZ Sports she wants to do everything she can to help Erdman and his organization -- so she gave him carte blanche to design the wrap for her truck.

Erdman's goal is to raise $300k as part of his "Give a Child a Voice Fitness Center Give-A-Way" (click here for the GoFundMe page) ... and Ruch feels the exposure at the NASCAR race will go a long way.

TMZ Sports spoke with Eric about his aunt getting involved, and he couldn't be more grateful for the gesture.

"It's amazing. I'm shocked and I love her so much," Eric tells us.

"Don't tell my other aunts, but she might be my favorite just to tell you straight," he joked. "It's truly phenomenal what my Aunt Angela's doing, it's unbelievable. I'm speechless."

Doctors told Eric back in August he has 6 months to live ... but says his diagnosis won't keep him from helping as many people as possible.

"Some people may say 'Cancer, it's awful'. I get that. But, my life, cancer has been the best thing to ever happen to me."

Angela tells us she's honored to be able to use her platform to share his message -- saying, "For me, to be able to support Eric in any way, shape or form that I possibly can, I'm all about."

"I'm so thankful and honored that Eric would even look to me to begin this opportunity to even put his logo on the truck at Homestead. I'm so proud of that young man and words cannot describe the tone that he's setting for so many kids growing up."

Angela says she plans to continue to help Eric every step of the way ...even after the checkered flag is waved.

Dr. Oz says he wants to help Sterling Shepard figure out what's wrong with his brain ... but he's warning the New York Giants star retirement might be his recommendation.

Sterling has been held out of Big Blue's last four games because of complications with a concussion ... and his head coach, Pat Shurmur, just called it a "serious injury" this week.

When we got Dr. Oz out in NYC on Thursday ... he offered to lend the receiver a hand -- saying he wants to conduct some tests on the 26-year-old to see if he's legitimately okay.

"If Sterling Shepard's brain is still functioning as a young man's should, then I'm fine with it," Dr. Oz says. "If it's not, he should be reconsidering returning to the gridiron."

Dr. Oz says he has a battery of tests he's personally used to make sure his own brain was okay after his football career at Harvard ... and he tells us he'd love to use the same exercises on Shepard as well.

As for some prescriptions he'd currently recommend to Sterling? Dr. Oz says the receiver needs to chow down on fish, walnuts and avocados to keep his brain strong.

Miley Cyrus had more issues with her throat than just her inflamed tonsils -- her vocal cords were also jacked up, requiring her to go under the knife ... TMZ has confirmed

Sources close to Miley tell TMZ ... Miley was recently hospitalized and underwent vocal cord surgery for an unspecified issue she was experiencing -- something she supposedly had been dealing with for years without realizing it. She's out of the hospital now, and on the mend.

Now, as she heals, Miley will apparently have to put a sock in it, per doctors' orders. Her recovery process will include several weeks of silence. Mind you, Miley had already noted she was on "vocal rest" following her tonsillitis procedure from last month.

Now, it looks like we won't be hearing her voice for a little while as she gets back to 100%. Our sources say Miley is expected to get back to singing early next year.

The most recent hospital visit comes just weeks after she had surgery for another throat-related problem ... tonsillitis. Based on Cody's IG story post -- which he labeled with "success" -- it would appear the vocal cord procedure went well ... and these 2 are still going strong.

Remember, she also had Cody to lean on when she got back from the hospital the first time ... and it doesn't seem much has changed in that department.

Kevin Hart is recovering so well from his car crash .... he's now hitting the town!!!

Kevin and his wife, Eniko, rolled up to Mr. Chow Friday night in Bev Hills for a little grub. You wouldn't know he suffered grizzly back injuries from the accident back in September.

Kevin underwent surgery for 3 fractures, went to a live-in rehab facility for a while and then began intensive rehab at home. Nevertheless, he's made remarkable progress.

Kevin's even gone back to work -- not fully, but still ... he's done promotional shoots for 'Jumanji' and is keeping the schedule he set before the accident. We're told he has downtime so he's not missing any shoots.

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.

The first real-life cowboy who held a Marlboro cigarette in his hand, and played the role of the "Marlboro Man" -- even though he wasn't a smoker -- has died.

Robert Norris, who played the advertising icon for a dozen years, reportedly died last Sunday at his ranch in Colorado Springs.

As the story goes, ad execs noticed Norris in a newspaper photo with his longtime friend -- an actor by the name of John Wayne -- and tracked him down at his 63,000-acre ranch in Colorado.

They thought he was perfect for the rugged, genuine cowboy character, and according to a friend ... he did it as a favor. This was in the '60s, and Bob appeared in magazines, commercials and billboards for the cigarette company for the next 12 years.

Strangely enough, Norris never smoked in his life, and he eventually quit the campaign because he thought he was setting a bad example for children.

Robert was a popular figure in his hometown, known for being a philanthropist and businessman along with a rancher. He was also actively involved in helping several rodeo organizations.

He's survived by his 2 sons and 2 daughters. His wife passed in 2016 at age 88.

Norris was 90 ... so saying no to cigs seemed to serve him well.

RIP

Dr. Oz has some breaking news for T.I. -- while most are blasting his method of checking his daughter's virginity as abusive, the good doc says it's also ineffective ... and there's a much better way.

We got Oz Thursday outside NBC's 30 Rock studios, where he gave us a medical take on T.I. saying he's been taking his now 18-year-old daughter, Deyjah, to the gynecologist for years ... to make sure her hymen is intact.

He explained exactly why -- anatomically-speaking -- T.I. would be highly disappointed to know the hymen doesn't guarantee what he thinks it does. We're guessing the knowledge the Doc drops here will benefit a lot of people ... not just Tip.

Oz suggests a different approach that would get the rapper far more accurate information about his daughter -- and it's got nothing to do with an OB/GYN.

As we reported, the backlash against T.I. has been so overwhelming. Nazanin and Nadia -- the hosts of the 'Ladies Like Us' podcast where he made the remarks -- made the decision to delete the episode.

Texas Longhorns star Andrew Jones picked up right where he left off nearly 2 years ago ... balling out in his first game with significant minutes since battling leukemia.

The 21-year-old was leading the team in points when he was diagnosed with cancer in January 2018. He underwent several rounds of treatment ... and was adamant he would return to the hardwood.

Jones briefly made 2 appearances last season, but proved he was officially BACK in Tuesday night's season opener against Northern Colorado ... dropping 20 points in 29 minutes in UT's win.

Not only was it a great performance ... it was Jones' CAREER HIGH!!!

The story is incredible ... but Jones said after the game he wasn't letting the big moment affect his play.

"I didn't know what to expect. It was a great feeling to be back out there," Jones said. "I didn't have any jitters. I wasn't nervous.''

Horns coach Shaka Smart also spoke about Andrew's strength after the game, saying "I'm happy for Andrew. I'm happy for his family."

"Sometimes in life, when you are dealt a tough hand, it's really about how you respond. He was the best offensive player on the floor. He played with great energy. He played with an aggressive, confident and loose mindset.''

Steve Aoki's latest collab is his sweetest one yet ... because it provided some serious inspiration to a Wish Kid who wants to be a DJ when he grows up too.

Aoki invited 6-year-old Jamar -- who goes by his nickname, DJ Masterpiece -- to visit his Las Vegas home for a playdate and a piano duet ... along with a private tour of his mansion and some fun in Aoki's Playhouse.

Thanks to the Kids Wish Network -- a charity that grants wishes to children with life-threatening illnesses -- Jamar and his family were flown to Vegas to spend some time with Steve ... and the aspiring DJ definitely learned a thing or 2 from the famous one.

The new pals also signed each other's custom matching DJ Masterpiece t-shirts, and Jamar got to let loose in Aoki's fun home gym ... equipped with a floor trampoline for some leaps into a massive foam pit.

We're told Steve also had some Aoki swag for Jamar and his family, and he's got a big surprise in store for DJ Masterpiece to encourage his love of music ... and it's certain to make the kid happy.

We ran into Tyler after the race, and he gave us the scoop on what exactly happened out there.

Watch ... Tyler chalks up his cramping to training -- or a lack thereof. Fortunately, he's got a solution for the next marathon he runs, where he says he'll be better prepared.

Tyler Cameron is living proof that no matter how in shape you might be ... a marathon can still kick your ass.

Gigi Hadid and Hannah Brown's ex-lover was among 50,000 people or so to run the New York City Marathon Sunday -- and probably among half who cramped up along the way. TMZ got this video of the model limping his way to one of the barricades in clear pain.

We're told this was shot about midway through the 26.2-mile trek throughout the city. Looks like Tyler's leg might've given out on him ... it happens, marathons are brutal.

Now here's the kicker ... Tyler ended up finishing the race, and in pretty good time too!!! We searched him on the official New York Road Runners' tracking system, and it looks like TC topped out at 4 hours, 39 minutes and 54 seconds -- an average of 10:40 minutes a mile.

Tyler was on a good 9-11 minute/mile pace until about mile 19, when he clocked in 13:39 -- and then dipping again at mile 22 at about 15:40. He picked it up at the end though, finishing mile 26 with an average speed of 11:08. Cramps be damned, he toughed it out.

Oddly enough, the guy hasn't posted a celebratory photo or vid of himself getting across the finish line ... even though he put up a before-photo. Modest much???

Glen "Big Baby" Davis says Zion Williamson needs to lose weight ASAP ... 'cause he tells TMZ Sports being the same size as the Pelicans star cost him his NBA career!

"That’s one of the reasons why I stopped playing was because of my weight," Glen says.

Davis says he was just too damn heavy during his playing days at around 289 pounds ... and blames the weight for 2015 ankle and foot issues that ultimately ended his NBA career.

Now, he's sending a warning to Zion -- who's listed height and weight (6'7", 285) is nearly identical to Davis' when he was playing -- saying Williamson's gotta drop some pounds.

"He has to get his weight under control," Glen says.

Zion is apparently already feeling the effects of being too big ... he's missing the first few weeks of New Orleans' season with a knee injury that some are sayin' happened because of his size.

The good news for Williamson? Davis says Zion is going to be just fine as soon as he gets down to a weight his body can truly support consistently.

"He might have to lose some muscle mass, but other that, he should be OK."

By the way, we also showed Davis the rumored new Celtics' alternate uniforms ... and ya gotta hear him hilariously crap all over the threads!!!

Kevin Hart must enjoy living dangerously, 'cause he's already getting into another muscle car similar to the one that nearly killed him ... seemingly without a safety harness, at that.

The comedian was out at a shopping plaza Saturday in Calabasas with a friend, where it looks like he was sent out to make a food run. He ran into a pap on the way out -- walking on his own two feet, no less, and looking pretty solid -- and gave the guy a health update.

Kevin says he's grateful to be alive, and that he'll be getting back to work slow and steady ... seems he's in no rush to get on the grind again, enjoying time with his fam.

Then comes a pretty eyebrow raising moment ... Kevin walks to his car -- a 1969 Camaro, he tells the photog -- and gets in the driver's seat ... and then pulls away like it's nothing.

Even more troubling ... it doesn't clearly look like he pulls a shoulder harness over himself, at least from the angle we're seeing here -- which is a straight-on shot through the windshield. We looked into it, and shoulder belts were a rarity in the '69 model. Lap belts were there, but not all these old cars had the newly-enforced safety harness all cars have today.

Obviously, this is a big deal for a couple different reasons. The fact that Kevin's driving at all should be a little worrying, but driving another souped-up oldie like this might as well be a death wish, considering what he just went through about a month ago with the crash.

Remember, Kevin's 1970 Plymouth Barracuda also didn't have safety harnesses. Had they been there ... we're told it could've helped alleviate the injuries Kevin and co. endured.

Rob Kardashian looks great ... and this picture proves he's turned things around.

Kylie posted this pic of her, Rob and Kendall, with the caption, "5am birthday adventures with my two fav people." Kendall's 24th birthday is Sunday.

As we reported, Rob's emerged from what seemed like self-imposed captivity for a long time. Check out the pic below, where Rob is posing with Kris Jenner. He's Papa Troll Doll, and she's in Dia de los Muertos gear ... in case you can't translate, it means Day of the Dead.

He showed up at Delilah nightclub in WeHo earlier this week celebrating Halloween with other members of fam along with friends. Before hitting up Delilah he was a karaoke bar -- Blind Dragon -- so he's hitting the town again.

There was a lot of buzz when Rob put his arm around Kylie's BFF, Stassi, but we're told they're just friends.

We're guessing we may see Rob again tonight for Kendall's official 24th.

Famous Dex went down in the middle of a club performance, and appeared to suffer a seizure.

The rapper was onstage for a gig at 1 OAK in WeHo in the early morning hours of Friday when we're told he fainted ... and video shows a couple of guys cradling him by his legs and shoulders as he shakes.

The L.A. Country Fire Department tells TMZ ... it received a call about a person who had suffered a seizure at the club a little before 2 AM. They arrived minutes later, but never transported the patient to the hospital.

We're told the people who rushed to Dex's aid carried him backstage, but it's unclear if they had medical training. It's also unclear why he wasn't taken to a hospital. We've also reached out to the rapper's team ... no word back, so far.

Nearly a year ago, Famous Dex fans were worried about his health when he passed out in the middle of a livestream. We were told at the time he was working to kick drugs after the incident.

It's a real miracle nobody from the band Crazy Town was seriously hurt after its tour van crashed head-on with a moose ... and images of the aftermath are chilling.

The band tells TMZ ... frontman Seth Binzer, guitarist Elias Tannous and drummer Roland Banks were among the passengers in a van driving down Route 17 in Ontario, Canada just after midnight Thursday when, all of a sudden, it collided with a female moose.

You can see from the video the front side of the van is completely demolished ... with the moose leaving a massive dent -- hood, grill and windshield crushed -- after making impact.

We're told the band escaped serious injuries, but you can see how dazed they were in the seconds after the crash. They were treated by paramedics for cuts and bruises. As for the moose ... unfortunately, it died on impact. This time of year, moose are in heat and these kinds of accidents are sad but common in Canada.

In fact, the band -- best known for its 2000 mega-hit, "Butterfly" -- told us the tow truck company said this was the 5th moose this month alone to be struck by a vehicle on the road.

The only saving grace for the band is probably that they struck a female moose. They're enormous, no doubt ... but full-grown males are much bigger.

Crazy Town eventually hopped into a new van to continue its tour across Canada.