Celebrity Health

Cuba Gooding Jr. is doing his part to lift the spirits of the brave women fighting COVID-19 on the frontlines ... with an uplifting song and tale of his own perseverance.

The "Jerry Maguire" star serenaded the nurses at 2 of the biggest medical facilities in Anaheim, the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak in Orange County ... singing a song he learned as a youngster in church.

Cuba ditched his mask to sing and tell an inspiring story of his own trials and tribulations in the Anaheim area ... recalling the time he was so down on his luck he was homeless and living in a shelter.

The actor says the community in Anaheim and nearby Tustin rallied around him when he was struggling ... and he says the good folks in Orange County will always have the nurse's backs.

Even Wolfgang Puck is not immune to the devastating toll the pandemic is taking on the restaurant biz -- his D.C. eatery is closing for good after 13 years.

The Source By Wolfgang Puck is reportedly closing permanently due to financial challenges brought on by the novel coronavirus. It's an unceremonious end to the modern Asian restaurant that served as the celebrity chef's first foray into the nation's capital.

The Source dished out meals to tourists and locals from its location underneath the Newseum. Their hot pots and izakaya also attracted a power crowd of celebs and politicians.

The restaurant was forced to furlough workers back in March, when the district banned dine-in service to limit the spread of COVID-19. Now, the landlord says there is no path to a successful return under new coronavirus restrictions.

The closure could be a bad omen for other popular restaurants across the country ... especially those in high rent locations. If the pandemic can force one of the world's most famous chefs to shutter his doors, no restaurateur should feel safe.

Don't stick a fork in Wolfgang's D.C. game just yet -- his high-end steakhouse in Georgetown, CUT, is looking forward to fully reopening.

Starting at middle linebacker for the West Virginia Mountaineers .... 76-year-old university president E. Gordon Gee!!!

The WVU president is adamant fans WILL have college football this season ... even if it means he's gotta take the field himself.

"We are gonna play football in the fall, I really do believe that," Gee told WOWK 13 in WV.

"Even if I have to suit up and I got my ankles taped, I'm ready to go in."

Of course -- or at least we HOPE -- Gee is joking about playing (after all, the NCAA would throw a fit) ... but the prez gets real about the possibility of teams taking the field in a few months, despite the COVID-19 pandemic.

"I think, again, with everything ... we're going to do it -- based upon what is safe, what is healthy for our fans, what is healthy for our student-athletes but I do believe that we will play football."

It's an optimistic perspective ... but it's not a totally popular one. Remember, Kirk Herbstreit said he'd be SHOCKED if there was any college or NFL action in 2020 ... and he's not alone.

The deadly pandemic is doing nothing to shut down the unsafe, breeding grounds for disease that are wet markets ... they're still operating all across Asia, and in the U.S. for that matter.

This shocking new footage from PETA was shot at blood-soaked wet markets in China, Indonesia, Vietnam, Cambodia, the Philippines and Thailand ... and it shows the filthy conditions where live dogs, bats, monkeys, snakes, civets, birds, cats, rabbits, ducks and chickens are bought and sold.

As you can see ... a wet market in Indonesia keeps bats, civets, monkeys, birds, rabbits and cats in cages covered with layers of feces and rotten food. One rabbit even convulses and dies right in front of the camera.

Bats have been linked to COVID-19 -- some scientists say the animals are at the center of the outbreak -- and civets have been linked to SARS.

In Thailand, ducks and chickens are crammed into cages wing-to-wing ... and in the Philippines, wet market workers casually wear sandals as they walk across blood-soaked floors to slice up pigs and birds with their bare hands.

Meanwhile, in Vietnam, a counter near living animals is stacked high with the cooked dog heads and other body parts of the poor pooches.

One image is constant across these Asian wet markets ... the floors are covered with blood, guts and water.

It's not just an issue in Asia ... as we've reported, wet markets also exist here in New York, California and Texas.

PETA is using this shocking new footage to call upon the World Health Organization to urge the shutdown of live-animal markets across the globe, including those still operating here in the States.

Four of the biggest names in pro golf are gearing up for a 2-on-2 skins game in Florida this weekend ... and IT WILL AIR ON LIVE TV!!

YES, PRO GOLF IS BACK ... SORTA!!!

Rory McIlroy and Dustin Johnson will take on Rickie Fowler and Matt Wolff on Sunday at the legendary Seminole Golf Club in Juno Beach ... with all of the winnings going to charity.

Of course, with the COVID-19 pandemic in full swing, there will be social distancing protocols in place ... no caddies and no carts!

The event, called the "TaylorMade Driving Relief" competition -- airing on NBC and The Golf Channel -- will follow the classic "Skins" format.

In other words, each hole is played separately -- with a cash prize for each hole. If there is a tie on a hole, the "skin" is carried over to the next one (and the next and the next and so on) until someone wins.

The first 6 holes will be worth $50,000 each. The next 10 holes will be worth $100,000, the 17th hole will be worth $200,000, and the final hole will be worth $500,000.

Each team will also begin with $500,000.

McIlroy and Johnson will play for the American Nurses Foundation, and Fowler and Wolff will play for the CDC Foundation, according to Golf.com.

Good luck!!

Channing Tatum needed to get tested for COVID-19 after his 40th birthday to make sure he was in good health and eliminate any risk of spreading it to his ex-wife, Jenna Dewan, and their daughter.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... Channing recently volunteered to get tested for COVID-19 after his ex-wife, Jenna Dewan, raised some concerns about him possibly being exposed -- this following a little birthday get-together he hosted in late April.

Some context ... Channing had turned 40 on April 26, and he and five of his closest buddies -- whom we're told were all safely quarantining on their own before rolling through -- hung out for his 40th to do a little dirt biking at his personal ranch. No harm, no foul, right?

Welp, not exactly ... we're told Jenna caught wind and expressed concerns Channing could've been exposed and put their daughter, Everly -- who goes back and forth between mom and dad -- as well as for Jenna herself, at risk. Jenna's also got a new baby at home.

We're told Channing understood the concern and decided to get tested on his own. After a few days of waiting for results -- during which Everly stayed a few extra days with Jenna -- Channing got an answer ... negative.

Our sources say since then, Channing has made up the time he lost ... and the former couple are back on their regular custody schedule, and everything's going off without a hitch. Now, that's how you successfully co-parent!

A three Michelin star restaurant in Virginia has come up with one helluva model to provide social distancing while also helping you avoid that lonely feeling.

The Inn at Little Washington -- about 70 miles outside Washington, D.C. -- is gonna deploy mannequins to fill in the joint. It won't be weird or anything though for customers ... 'cause they're life-size mannequins. Think of it as dining with a really boring friend.

Oh, but the mannequins will be decked out in 1940s era clothing to recreate America's post-World War II celebrations. Ok, that's a little weird.

The move from chef Patrick O'Connell comes after a mandate to cap restaurant capacity at 50% in an effort to keep diners properly social distanced -- but appearances clearly matter to O'Connell.

He's been working with Shirlington's Signature Theater to get the mannequins. And, get this ... when the restaurant opens on May 29 servers will be instructed to pour the mannequins wine and ask them about their evening ... according to the Washingtonian.

So, why the stunt? O'Connell told the outlet, "I think it would do people a world of good to reduce their anxiety level when they come out to a place which is still unaffected, because if you watch your television, you think that there isn't such a place under a bubble."

BTW, the chef has also created custom-made masks with Marilyn Monroe smiles and George Washington chins. The move perhaps shouldn't come as a surprise. For starters, O'Connell reportedly majored in drama in college.

The restaurant also boasts that dining at its joint "has been likened to a performance with the guest always playing the star role."

The company's a little stiff, but ya get a good show! Life's about compromises.

Beaches in Los Angeles County are back in biz, and folks are taking advantage right away in the sand and surf -- but some kinds of fun are still off-limits.

After 6 weeks away, a steady stream of people headed to the beaches in Malibu, Santa Monica and Manhattan Beach throughout the day Wednesday, and, so far, Dr. Anthony Fauci would be happy.

It seems social distancing guidelines are being followed, at least for now.

Of course, it might not be easy to stay 6-feet away from someone in the water ... but swimming and surfing are allowed for this phase of reopening, as the city attempts to ease stay-at-home orders.

Other approved beach activities include walking, running and other exercises ... as long as you wear a face-covering out of the water and around others, and physical distancing is maintained.

What's out -- sitting, lounging or sunbathing ... gathering under canopies or picnicking on blankets, coolers, and group activities like beach volleyball. Also, beach parking lots, bike paths, piers and boardwalks are still closed.

Despite the limitations, it seems people are eager to get back to the beach for whatever fun in the sun they can get after nearly 2 months on lockdown.

Health experts have said outdoor activity is actually good for fending off COVID-19 ... as long as people are safe and smart about it.

Shaquille O'Neal just surprised a group of NJ doctors and nurses with some Diesel-sized motivation -- FaceTiming an entire ICU unit to praise them for heroic work during the coronavirus.

Here's how it went down ... Brianna Vasquez -- a patient care technician at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in Somerville, NJ -- reached out to Shaq via DMs and explained how much her "ICU family" adored the NBA legend for having a big heart.

Vasquez asked Shaq if he'd be down to FaceTime her co-workers to uplift their spirits ... and on Tuesday, he delivered!!!

"I know you guys are working hard, I know you guys are tired," Shaq said in the video. "I just want to say I appreciate all you guys and keep up the good work and please keep being safe."

"I know you guys don't get a lot of appreciation but I appreciate everything you guys do. You guys have a great night and keep saving lives."

The video is awesome ... and all the docs and nurses loved every second of it.

Vasquez thanked Shaq for the kind gesture afterward, saying "Because of you, there was happiness, smiles, and tears of joy throughout the unit."

The Hollywood Bowl is going silent for its entire summer season -- for the first time in the iconic venue's nearly 100 year history. Thanks a lot, coronavirus.

The Los Angeles Philharmonic Association, which manages the Bowl, announced Wednesday there will be no summer concerts due to the pandemic.

It's pretty miraculous, in a sad way ... the Hollywood Bowl has never gone more than 2 weeks without a live performance during the last 100 summers. Let that sink in.

The Bowl has been shut down since last month ... with no end in sight.

The music never stopped at the Hollywood Bowl during other times of crisis -- World War I and II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War and even the Great Depression -- but COVID-19 is a different beast.

Heck, even floods, fires and riots couldn't stop the bands from playing on ... but those weren't respiratory pandemics. The scrapped season is also gonna do a number on the L.A. Phil's bottom line ... the orchestra says it's facing an $80 million budget shortfall.

The Bowl's been in business since 1916, when it attracted its first crowd for a community theater rendition of Shakespeare's "Julius Caesar."