Celebrity Health

Ryan Phillippe is back to walking the walk -- with some assistance -- but he's definitely not talking the talk when it comes to his legal battle with ex-gf, Elsie Hewitt.

We got Ryan Wednesday at LAX, where he was expertly speed crutching his way to TSA -- and giving us an update on his recovery from what he initially called a "freak accident." You'll recall, TMZ later found out Ryan's leg was crushed by a UTV.

Paige VanZant says she'll NEVER drop down to fight at 115 lbs ever again -- and says these pics prove just how brutal the weight cut can be.

The UFC star has previously told Ariel Helwani about how she was "killing" herself to make weight for her last few fights -- and claimed she even passed out in her bathroom during the process.

The bathroom photo she posted on Wednesday appears to be from the incident she referenced on the show. She also posted a pre-fight bikini pic where she looks emaciated.

"Never again. 125 is my division! I will take over," Paige commented.

VanZant says weight cutting has affected her overall health -- and has vowed not to go down that road ever again.

The UFC has recently created a women's 125 pound division -- and Paige says her next fight will be at that weight ... a much healthier weight for her.

12:05 PM PT -- An MGM Resorts spokesperson also tells us:

“The tragic incident that took place on October 1st was a meticulously planned, evil senseless act. As our company and city work through the healing process, our primary focus and concern is taking actions to support the victims and their families, our guests and employees and cooperating with law enforcement ... Out of respect for the victims we are not going to try this case in the public domain and we will give our response through the appropriate legal channels.”

12:00 PM PT-- A rep for Live Nation tells us, "We continue to be devastated by the tragedy at the Route 91 Festival, heartbroken for the victims, their families and the countless people forever impacted by this senseless act of violence and are cooperating fully with the active FBI investigation. We are, however, unable to comment specifically on pending litigation."

One of the Las Vegas shooting victims has filed the first lawsuit against Stephen Paddock's estate along with MGM Resorts and Live Nation, claiming they're all to blame for her life-threatening injuries.

Paige Gasper, a 21-year-old from CA, filed the suit in Clark County, Nevada ... and in the docs she says the venue and promoter are just as responsible as Paddock because they failed to properly protect concertgoers from mortal danger.

Gasper says she was struck by a bullet that entered her right underarm, cut across her right breast, shattered her ribs and lacerated her liver before exiting her body. She says the bullet incapacitated her, and fleeing concertgoers ended up trampling her, which she partly blames on Live Nation for having an inadequate exit plan.

A Good Samaritan eventually picked her up and put her on a flatbed truck with other victims, and they were raced to a hospital. Gasper is also suing the manufacturers of bump stocks, which helped turn Paddock's semi-automatic rifle into a near fully-automatic weapon.

We've reached out to MGM and Live Nation, so far no word back.

UNLV hockey assistant coach Nick Robone has been released from the hospital ... one week after getting shot in the chest during the massacre in Vegas.

The 28-year-old -- who was hit with a bullet that barely missed his lung -- released a statement Tuesday thanking hospital staffers, friends and family for helping during his recovery.

"You've all shown me a sense of compassion that I'll be spending the rest of my life (hopefully much longer now) repaying. I'm excited to back in the community helping any way I can."

Robone's brother Anthony -- a paramedic -- was with Nick at the concert and dragged him to safety. He treated Nick on the scene and helped keep him alive until help arrived.

BTW, one of Nick's friends started a GoFundMe page to raise money for medical costs and it's already at $65k.

Nick posted a message saying, "Ok, you'll be seeing me around now. THANK YOU, for being my staple during all this. Look forward to helping others now. #VegasStrong."

Ralphie May was in absolutely no condition to meet fans after his final performance, but somehow managed to do just that ... hours before his death.

The comedian was scheduled to do a meet-and-greet after his final show Thursday at Harrah's in Las Vegas around midnight. Problem was ... Ralphie already showed signs of his deteriorating condition -- no color in his face and glassy eyes.

During the show, we're told Ralphie talked a lot about how he'd been suffering from pneumonia, which clearly had taken its toll -- he couldn't make it up a ramp, forcing him to meet fans backstage.

TMZ broke the story ... Ralphie got back to a friend's house last Friday around 1 AM, and it was the last time anyone saw him before an assistant discovered his body just after noon.

Ralphie died of cardiac arrest. He was 45.

TMZ has obtained Tom Petty's death certificate -- which does not identify his official cause of death.

The document, filed with L.A. County, says Petty passed away at 8:43 PM on Oct. 2 at UCLA Santa Monica.

The certificate lists the immediate cause of death as "deferred" -- which could mean officials are still waiting for autopsy results.

Here's what else is listed on the certificate:

-- Marital status: Married to Dana Marie York

-- Full Name: Thomas Earl Petty

-- Education: High school graduate

-- He lived in Malibu for 43 years

-- Race: Caucasian

-- Career: Songwriter & musician who worked in the field for 40 years

As we first reported ... Tom was rushed to the hospital after he'd gone into full cardiac arrest and was found unconscious and not breathing. He was eventually taken off life support, and died last Monday.

He was 66.

Usher has just doubled down on his defense in the Georgia herpes lawsuit ... when you have sex, you assume the risk of STDs.

The singer just filed legal docs disputing the claims of Laura Helm, in which she scoffs at the notion she assumed the risk of contracting genital herpes by having sex with him. She says in her lawsuit she contracted the STD from Usher.

He says, "With a one in six chance that any given partner could have genital herpes, [she] assumed the risk of contracting an STD each and every time she chose to have unprotected sex with a casual, consensual partner."

As we reported, Helm told a friend 2 days before filing the lawsuit each time she had sex with Usher he used a condom, but the lawsuit claims on one occasion the sex was unprotected.

Ralphie May was found in the bedroom of a private residence, and there was no point in trying to revive him ... he was already dead.

TMZ broke the story ... Ralphie May died Friday from cardiac arrest after battling pneumonia for 6 weeks.

As we reported, Ralphie had performed at Harrah's the night before and afterward went to a private residence. He was in a bedroom -- presumably sleeping -- and was found Friday just after 1 PM.

Paramedics showed but Ralphie wasn't taken to a hospital. He was pronounced dead at 1:28 PM.

The coroner is now investigating, but by all accounts Ralphie died of a massive heart attack.

Ralphie May was so sick a couple weeks before he died that he was forced to call in for a radio interview instead of being in studio ... and he sounded awful.

The comedian's interview with Albuquerque's "Carlos & Kiki in the Morning" from September 22 is telling -- he reveals he's been battling bronchitis for several days and is completely worn down. Still, he tells them he fought through it and did 8 shows in 6 days ... despite struggling to walk.

Ralphie's poor health didn't stop him from doing what he always did best during the call, though -- cracking jokes.

We broke the story ... May died of cardiac arrest Friday at a private residence in Vegas. He was 45.

1:50 PM PT -- TMZ has learned Ralphie died at a private residence in Vegas Friday morning. We're told he had been battling pneumonia for 6 weeks and died of cardiac arrest. According to his rep, someone in the residence discovered his body.

He had performed Thursday night at Harrah's in Vegas.

Comedian Ralphie May died Friday at the age of 45 ... TMZ has learned.

Ralphie had been battling pneumonia over the last week, but kept performing his scheduled gigs in Las Vegas.

Ralphie's stand-up comedy career took off after he finished second on "Last Comic Standing" in 2003. Since then he's had several televised comedy specials -- mostly on Netflix and Comedy Central -- and he's continued touring, almost nonstop, around the country.

His manager, Judi Marmel, tells us, "As his manager and his friend, I will miss his laugh, his generosity to fellow comedians, his trademark orneriness, and his enormous love of life. He left us entirely too soon -- and we can only wonder where his comedy might have taken all of us. We send our love to his family, his fans, and all the comics who shared stages with him across the country."

In 2015 he and his wife Lahna Turner, also a comedian, filed for divorce. Ralphie was devastated by the split and the ensuing custody battle over their 2 kids, April June May and August James May.

Carson Kressley says gays check every applicable box when it comes to donating blood ... and that's why it's time to change the law restricting them from doing so.

The ex-'Queer Eye' star was in Bev Hills and told us he's proud of his pal, Lance Bass, taking a stand on the issue of gay men donating blood. Carson's on board with Lance's movement, but had a little more to say.

He laid out everything the gay community has to offer blood donation centers ... besides blood. For Carson, changing the FDA regulations will be a serious win-win-win!!!

DMX is handling his legal business and his diet like a grown ass man after going to rehab.

We got X Thursday outside court in NYC, where he had a hearing on his tax evasion case. Afterward, he basically confirmed what his lawyer told us last month -- he put on about 40 lbs. while getting treatment, and plans to continue for another month.

Gotta say, he looks good compared to a couple months ago when he was significantly thinner. Sounds like he feels the same way.

As for what he's bulking up on? DMX trusts in the Cap'n!

Lance Bass is making an impassioned plea to the FDA to end its longstanding restrictions on gay men donating blood ... saying his blood is no different from that of straight donors.

Lance told us it's a travesty gay men can't donate if they've had sex within 12 months -- especially after tragedies like the Las Vegas massacre. He added ... there's clearly a need, and the only possible reason to stick with the policy is to discriminate against the gay community.

He said so with much fewer words though. Two letters to be exact.

Lance says if America won't come to its senses on gun control, maybe it can at least remove the stigma about gay blood. He's not mincing words either, and directly calls out the American Red Cross.

Another singer, Jeffree Star, was at LAX when he echoed Lance's feelings, telling us, saving lives should outweigh bigotry.

Matt Hughes was on the verge of tears returning to the hospital where he battled for his life ... as 2 ICU nurses were honored for their care of the UFC legend.

On Tuesday, Ashley Hull and Megan Simpson of HSHS St. John's Hospital in Springfield, Illinois received the DAISY Award -- which recognizes extraordinary efforts in their field.

Hughes faced long odds of recovering from a deadly car wreck in June ... but Ashley and Megan worked tirelessly to bring him back to health after he sustained serious head trauma.

"They are masters of their craft and the most caring nurses I have ever encountered," Hughes' best friend Tony Zucca said at the ceremony.

The nurses spoke about how proud they were of Hughes ... which was incredibly moving for the longtime UFC champ and his family.

"We believed wholeheartedly that Matt would wake up," Ashley said. "He beat the odds and won the biggest fight of his life."

Hughes still has a ways to go, but he's already able to walk ... and even practice jiu-jitsu!

Hugh Hefner truly did have a ride or die by his side in Crystal Harris ... a pleasant surprise to family and friends initially skeptical of the 31-year-old's motives.

Playboy sources tell TMZ ... Crystal surprised the hell outta a lot of people when she stood by Hef's side in his declining years as he got older and became more frail. They actually called Crystal -- who at 26 married Hef in 2012 -- a pillar of strength.

Case in point ... Crystal was at Hef's doctor's appointments and the architect behind game and movie nights to keep his spirits high. When Hef was placed on bed rest, Crystal constantly was by his side.

The family initially was concerned that as Hef got older she wouldn't be there to support him, but she flipped the script with her attentiveness, and we're told the family's immensely grateful for her vigilance.

It's no wonder Hef wanted to take care of Crystal with a sick pad and $5 million long before his death ... she proved herself early on and remained a constant until Hef died peacefully last week.

He was 91. #RIP

Hugh Hefner didn't just sexy up the women in Playboy, he also saved their lives, according to ex-girlfriend Cristal Camden ... who credits Hef with curing her bulimia.

Cristal dated Hef for about a year after they met in 2003. She was bulimic at the time, but kept her illness a secret. She eventually moved into the Bunny House across from the Playboy Mansion and word got around about her illness.

Hef confronted Cristal about her eating disorder during one of his movie nights.

From the way Cristal describes Hef's intervention, you can tell it made a huge impact on her life. She says she went to treatment for 8 months before returning to the House all on Hef's dime.

She's had it under control ever since, and doesn't think she'd be around had Hef not intervened. As previously reported, Hefner passed away at the age of 91 last week.