Celebrity Health

Andre Rush's been a White House chef and successful author, but now he's dedicating himself to connecting with fellow veterans to reduce that community's alarming suicide rate.

Andre joined us Tuesday on "TMZ Live" to talk about his work with the BourBiz Network ... a nonprofit that aims to help military vets adapt and thrive in the civilian world. He's so committed to this mission that he starts each day with an incredible physical feat.

You've probably heard the sobering statistic -- 22 vets die by suicide every day ... and Andre says that's why he's made it a point to do 2,222 push-ups every day as a show of support, and to remind himself why his mission is so necessary.

He told us how long this takes him, and let's just say no one could ever question his dedication. Andre says the outpouring of support and appreciation he gets at speaking engagements makes it all worthwhile.

Andre served his time in the US army in the '90s and during the Iraq war. Eventually, he worked his way to the White House as a chef ... and has since had a successful career.

Right now, he's filming a new cooking show called "Chef In the City," and while he didn't want to give up all the details just yet ... he dished up a great tease for us.

As for his work with BourBiz ... Andre says his ultimate goal is to give vets resources and educate them about post-military challenges and mental health.

The author of "Call Me Chef, Dammit!: A Veteran’s Journey from the Rural South to the White House” knows what he speaks.

Brian Robinson is back at the Commanders' facility for the first time since Sunday's shooting -- and he's clearly pumped to return to work, flashing a huge smile while laughing with his coaches.

The star rookie sported a big wrap on his right knee and needed crutches to get around -- but in video and pics shared by Washington, you can see he was thrilled to be there.

Robinson even brought Oreos "to fulfill his rookie duties of getting snacks for the RB room," the team said.

"Boy, let me tell ya," Commanders running backs coach Randy Jordan said after seeing Robinson in the facility's lobby, "you're a sight for sore eyes!"

Ron Rivera also gave Robinson a big hug -- and after the head coach asked him if he was doing well, the 23-year-old said, "It's good to be back in the building, for real."

As we reported, Robinson was struck by gunfire in the glute and his lower leg at around 5:30 p.m. in D.C. on Sunday after authorities say two people tried to rob him at gunpoint.

Robinson required surgery to fix the damage caused by bullets -- but both he and Rivera have said the recovery process has gone smoothly since.

Deion Sanders says his JSU football team and the university is in crisis mode right now ... after flooding in the area caused the city of Jackson to be without clean running water.

"We hit with a little crisis in the city of Jackson," the Hall of Famer said on Tuesday.

"We don't have water. Water means we don’t have air conditioning. Can’t use toilets. We don’t have water, therefore we don’t have ice, which pretty much places a burden on the program."

The whole problem is a result of the severe damage to the city's major water pump -- a complication of the Pearl River flooding this week, according to Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves.

This will leave 180,000 people without clean running water -- including JSU students -- who, according to the university, will "pivot to virtual instruction for the remainder of the week."

But, Sanders is going to do everything he can for the Tigers ... starting off with getting them into a hotel.

"I gotta get these kids off campus -- the ones that live on campus, the ones that live in the city of Jackson -- into a hotel and accommodate them so that they can shower properly and take care of their needs," Sanders said.

"Make sure all of our kids are fed, all of our kids have the necessities of life for the next several days, until this crisis resides."

The NFL legend will also try to find a location for the Tigers football team so they can practice for their Florida A&M game on Sunday in Miami Gardens.

Despite it all, Prime is remaining positive.

"The devil is a lie. You ain’t gon’ get us today."

Governor Reeves also declared a state of emergency and says the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency will help distribute drinking and non-drinking water to residents with the National Guard.

Amazing news ... Easton Oliverson -- the Little League World Series player who was injured in a fall from his bunk bed earlier this month -- is now heading home back to Utah after successful skull surgery last week, and he's clearly in great spirits!

The Oliverson family announced on Monday they're finally leaving Pennsylvania a little over two weeks after the pitcher/outfielder was initially hurt ... and it's obvious Easton is pumped.

Oliverson flashed a big smile in a video message posted to his social media page Tuesday, where he thanked all of his followers for their support and prayers.

Oliverson is expected to head back to Salt Lake City at some point later Tuesday -- and his family thanked hospital staffers for everything they did in the fight to save the Little Leaguer's life.

"While this is a great step forward, it’s bittersweet leaving behind the people that have put their heart and souls into Easton’s recovery," the family said.

"THANK YOU to each and every individual at Geisinger Hospital who played a role in taking care of, and saving our boy.🤍"

An outing on the course quickly turned into a trip to the emergency room for one L.A. golfer this past weekend -- after he was drilled in the forehead by an errant tee shot.

The wild -- and scary! -- scene went down at a Par 3 course in the City of Angels on Saturday ... when Vinny Bonavia was standing on the ninth hole's tee box.

Bonavia says some other golfers were on hole #1 just a few yards away, and suddenly, one of them smashed their tee shot right at him.

"They yelled fore and shot one over us," he said. "Then minutes later -- no fore this time -- this absolute missile clocks me from the SAME DUDE."

Video, taken by Bonavia's playing partner, shows the ball hit him square in the noggin -- causing him to bleed profusely.

The damage was so bad, he actually had to seek medical attention -- eventually needing seven stitches to close the wound.

Bonavia was in good spirits about it all afterward, saying he was fine, and adding that the guy who hit him did apologize.

"I appreciate everyone's concern," he said.

As for the man who needs some serious work on his game -- Bonavia said he's hopeful the dude's playing partners never let him live the shot down.

Washington Commanders running back Brian Robinson was released from the hospital on Monday -- one day after being shot during an armed robbery attempt in Washington, D.C.

As we previously reported, 23-year-old Robinson was struck by two bullets in the glute and lower leg, when two suspects attempted to rob him just several miles from his home stadium.

Robinson was treated on scene by paramedics and ultimately transported to the hospital, where he remained stable.

Commanders head coach Ron Rivera visited Brian at the hospital in the immediate aftermath of the incident ... and said Brian was in "good spirits."

Rivera spoke with reporters on Monday, and while he didn't specify when the NFL rookie will hit the field this season, he did say, "It'll just be a matter of time before he's back out here."

"There is no timeline, but as I said, everything was very positive," Rivera said.

And, sure enough ... later that day Robinson was released from a local hospital, and now begins the rehab process, with the hope of getting back on the field ASAP.

Robinson -- who was selected out of Alabama by the Commanders in the third round of the 2022 NFL draft -- posted on social media Tuesday, "Shake back. See ya'll soon."

The Metropolitan Police Department in D.C. has released photos of the suspects and the vehicle involved in the shooting.

John Wall is opening up about the toughest experiences he's faced over the past two years ... admitting he had suicidal thoughts after dealing with a series of career-altering injuries and trying to cope with losing loved ones in his family.

The new Clippers point guard opened up in a recent interview, where he got candid about some of the things that have been plaguing him mentally as he battled his way back on the court.

"Darkest place I ever been," Wall said. "At one point in time, I thought about committing suicide. My mom being sick. My mom passing. My grandma passed a year later."

Wall -- who ruptured his Achilles tendon in 2019 -- said seeing his mother take her last breath was tough to overcome, especially amid the COVID pandemic.

The former Wizards star expressed the losses of his mother and grandmother weighed heavy on his heart and mind ... and not playing basketball had him contemplating ending his life.

Thankfully, John says he was able to overcome his mental demons and get back on the right track -- both physically and mentally -- with help from therapy.

"Find a therapist," Wall said. "You know a lot of people think, 'I don't need help. I can get it through it at any time.' But, you got to be true to yourself and find out what's best for you.

"And I did that."

Ultimately, Wall thinks the adversity he endured has made him a stronger person, father, and player, and he feels equipped to tackle any problems life throws at him.

"If I can get through this, I can get through anything in life," Wall said. "I don't think a lot of people could get through what I went through."

Neena Pacholke -- a former point guard for the USF women's basketball team -- was found dead this weekend after reportedly making suicidal statements ... police tell TMZ Sports.

She was just 27 years old.

A spokesperson for the Wausau Police Department tells us officers were dispatched to a home in Wausau on Saturday morning for a welfare check. When they arrived, they said they received no answer at the door.

Eventually, officers made their way into the residence and found Pacholke deceased. "Foul play is not suspected," the spokesperson said.

Pacholke's sister told the Tampa Bay Times the former basketball player died by suicide.

Pacholke starred on the court at Freedom H.S. in Tampa -- before eventually making her way to USF, where she lettered from 2013 to 2016.

She later worked as a morning anchor for News 9 in Wisconsin.

"The entire team here at News 9 are absolutely devastated by the loss as we know so many others are as well," reps for the station said in a statement Sunday. "Neena loved this community and the people who lived here. She was a kind person with a big heart and a contagious smile and we will miss her greatly."

Pacholke's sister added in an interview with the Tampa Bay Times, "She just radiated love and positivity, and she just cared so much about pouring into other people, and always put other people first. I think she did that at the expense of not caring about herself."

Russ' announcement he's canceling his European tour to take a mental health break prompted a lot of concern from his famous friends -- but one famous foe, Lil Pump, is using it to reignite their beef.

Over the weekend, Russ posted a bunch of shots of himself in Montenegro taking what he called a "pre-tour vacation" ... jet-skiing, sightseeing and taking pics with fans.

However, less than 24 hours later, Russ explained his mental health is in no state to carry out a full tour.

Nicki Minaj, The Game and Blxst all showed love, letting Russ know they support his decision. Lil Pump decided, instead, to go left and ripped Russ.

The "Gucci Gang" rapper has been running around Japan lately, and during his plane ride home, he basically insinuated that Russ was too soft to hit the road.

Russ and Pump have been trading shots for years ... with Russ famously calling out Pump and other younger artists for promoting drug use and "buffooning" in hip hop.

Although Russ didn't respond to Pump directly, he did address the notion he should've powered through the tour ... telling German fans in Stuttgart that ignoring his mental health for the past 6 years is exactly what got him into this predicament.

Brian Robinson is speaking out for the first time since he was horrifyingly shot in D.C. on Sunday -- saying on Monday he underwent surgery for his injuries ... and, thankfully, it all "went well."

The Washington Commanders tailback, who was hit by bullets in what appeared to be a robbery attempt less than 24 hours ago, posted the positive message on his social media page.

In the note, he said he was thankful for everyone's prayers ... and added, "God is great!"

Commanders head coach Ron Rivera, meanwhile, also provided some good news on the 23-year-old ... saying to media members on Monday morning, "The doctors were very positive with him, and he was very positive as well."

Robinson, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, was struck in the glute and the lower leg in the incident. Rivera said there's currently no timetable for a return to the field for the football player.

"He's doing well," Rivera said. "It'll just be a matter of time before he's back out here. There is no timeline, but as I said, everything was very positive."

The Commanders took the former Alabama star in the third round of this year's NFL draft. He was having a huge preseason before the shooting -- with some suggesting he could have been the team's starting running back when it kicks off its season next month.

"The Sopranos" actor and broadway legend Robert "Bob" LuPone has died.

The Tony-nominated actor passed following a 3-year battle with pancreatic cancer, according to his rep.

The MCC Theater, an off-broadway space Bob founded, released a statement, saying he "lived fearlessly and with great curiosity, good humor, a boundless passion for connection, and a whole lot of heart. We will miss him deeply and always."

Fans of "The Sopranos" will remember his work as Dr. Bruce Cusamano -- the family physician and next-door neighbor to Tony. He also starred in "Sex and the City," "Guiding Light," and "All My Children," for which he got a Daytime Emmy nom.

Bob, the brother of Patti LuPone, was born in 1946 in Brooklyn -- he graduated from Juilliard School in '68 with a degree in dance. His Broadway debut was the same year, in a production of Noel Coward’s "Sweet Potato."

He later was nominated for a Tony award for his work in the original run of "A Chorus Line" ... even convincing the director to play the role of Zach after the original cast member left the show. He received a best-featured actor Tony nomination for the role.

Bob is survived by his wife Virginia, his son Orlando, his sister Patti, and his brother, William.

He was 76.

Samantha Diaz, the winner of "American Idol" in 2020, has been hospitalized with what appears to be a serious illness, but it seems she's on the upswing.

Samatha, who goes by "Just Sam," had posted a scale with the caption, "100lbs is crazyyy ... I seriously need help."

On Friday she seemed to be saying the situation is being handled ... "I'm grateful for the prayers everyone. I'm doing much better now."

The hospitalization news came Wednesday, when she said on Instagram, "Thank you to everyone that checked on me. I am ALIVE and out of the hospital."

AEW star Darby Allin says moments before he drove a Jeep 96 feet over his home and into trailers, legendary stunt performer Travis Pastrana gave him a scary warning -- you're gonna break your back, dude!!!

TMZ Sports spoke with Allin right after he pulled off the insane, death-defying stunt ... and the 29-year-old told us Pastrana -- who set the whole thing up -- gave him some chilling parting words.

"Travis Pastrana helped set it up," Darby said. "And he's like from Nitro Circus, [the] first-ever double backflip. He's a wild man. So he helped set it up."

"And he straight up told me like before I went, 'There's a good chance you're going to break your back doing this.'"

Allin told us the stunt was far more dangerous than he initially led on -- 'cause his car was missing some VERY key parts!!

"I was terrified because when I got the stunt car, it didn't have any brakes, and it didn't have a speedometer," Allin said. "So, I was just like, 'Alright, here we go, dude.' I literally didn't know how fast I was going."

"If I got scared and decided to pull out at the last minute, I couldn't because I had no brakes," Allin said. "So, I just winged it."

Darby said the experts told him to go 36 MPH during the stunt, but because he was without brakes or a speedometer, he couldn't tell how fast he was going.

DA says he lost track of where he was while flying through the air, but the moment he hit the trailers, he immediately told his AEW boss Tony Khan, who was on FaceTime with him for the entire stunt -- "I can make it Wednesday."

Allin's pulled off a lot of wild stunts in the ring ... but he describes this one as a "totally different feeling."

Little League World Series player Easton Oliverson has taken yet another huge step toward a full recovery from his terrifying bunk bed fall ... his family just announced he underwent successful skull surgery Friday morning.

Oliverson's relatives shared a picture of the 12-year-old -- who suffered severe injuries in a near-fatal fall in the Williamsport dormitory on Aug. 14 -- showing the little boy resting comfortably in his hospital bed after doctors replaced a piece of his skull that they initially removed following his accident.

"This sweet boy is out of surgery.🤍," the family said in a caption on the photo. "We couldn’t be any more thrilled to let everyone know that his surgery went perfect."

Oliverson's family also said in the social media post that doctors "are very happy with the outcome" -- adding that Easton would be staying the night in the PICU for observations.

"THANK YOU for the thoughts, prayers, and messages concerning this procedure," they said. "Easton, his parents, and our entire family will be forever grateful 🤍💙"

"We are so grateful."

Easton has slowly but surely recovered since he needed emergency surgery earlier this month ... taking his first bites of food and his first steps just days after suffering the injuries.

He's even been spotted playing catch with stuffed animals in his hospital room.

Easton's family said Thursday they anticipate him returning home to Utah soon "if he continues to work hard and listen to his doctors."

French Montana recently hit a big milestone with his song, "Unforgettable," but the artist isn't focused on that -- he's laser-focused on helping addicts by providing them with the privacy and help they need to recover.

French joined "TMZ Live" Friday ... talking about his partnership with Guardian Recovery Group to form NAQI Healthcare -- it's aimed at expanding access to in-home and private detox services to privacy-sensitive clients.

He's lost people over the years to addiction, in particular, his pal Mac Miller ... and doesn't want anyone to feel shame by seeking help before it's too late.

NAQI is offering up help in Florida, NY, and Cali, and will soon expand nationwide. The company's also donating a percentage of profits to MusiCares -- a charity that offers health, finance and rehab resources to musicians.

FYI -- French got his diamond-certified plaque for "Unforgettable" Wednesday ... not only is he the first African-born artist to go diamond (10 million units moved), but he's also the first artist from the South Bronx to hit the mark!!!

French is leveling up his rap stock even more with a joint album with Kodak Black and an upcoming doc in which Drake will serve as the executive producer.

Charlie Sheen has decided to settle his lawsuit with an ex-girlfriend who claimed he exposed her to HIV ... putting to bed the case that's been simmering for years.

Legal docs, obtained by TMZ, show the stipulation was filed Wednesday in L.A. County Superior Court ... the actor agreed to settle with the woman for $120K -- which will be paid to her in $10K monthly installments over the next year.

As we reported back in 2017, the woman, who filed as Jane Doe, claimed she met the "confidential male defendant" and they quickly began having sex -- eventually unprotected sex -- according to the lawsuit.

She never mentioned him by name in the initial docs, but she did note the person she was suing announced his HIV status on national TV on November 17, 2015. That's the day Sheen went on "Today" and told his story, so she wasn't doing much to conceal his identity.

She claimed he dismissively told her to take pills to prevent transmission, but told her to not believe "the convenient rumors of the medical community," saying, "You don't need to be on all that f****** s***."