Celebrity Health

Jerry Springer and his family chose to keep his cancer battle hidden from the public so his health struggle wouldn't become a burden to many of those who cared so deeply about him ... TMZ has learned.

Jene Galvin, a rep for the Springer family, tells us Jerry was sick for months, running through a series of tests, but only recently found out just how dire his pancreatic cancer diagnosis actually was.

Galvin says Jerry's always been a fairly private person, but he and his family thought it was especially important to keep his cancer private, as they didn't want to worry other people. Instead, Jerry's family shifted their entire focus to aiding with his care, which became extremely time-consuming.

We're told Jerry knew his time was limited -- given the severity and type of cancer -- so he made a point to spend as much time with his loved ones as possible.

Jene says there was only a small circle of people outside of family -- including Jene and Jerry's friend Louis Beck -- who knew about the cancer.

As we first told you, Jerry's longtime friend and partner on TV, Steve Wilkos, told us he and Jerry shared a cigar and some memories about a month ago. Steve says he had no idea Jerry was sick, but looking back on the moment -- he believes it was Jerry's way of saying goodbye.

While Jene tells us Jerry had not designated a specific organization he wanted fans to donate to after his death, he believes a place like The Pancreatic Cancer Action Network is doing good work toward finding a cure.

Post Malone is tired of people tying his recent weight loss to the result of drug use ... instead, attributing his new svelte look to performing and choosing a healthier lifestyle amid his "dad-life."

The rapper took to Instagram to address the issue Thursday while on tour in Europe, assuring his concerned fans that he's NOT hooked on narcotics.

Post wrote, "I’m having a lot of fun performing, and have never felt healthier. i guess dad life kicked in and i decided to kick soda, and start eating better so i can be around for a long time for this little angel."

He continued, "Next up is smokes and brews, but i like to consider myself a patient man… lol!"

Of course, Post was responding to rumors on social media suggesting he was taking illegal substances. One Twitter user stated that Post "doesn't look well" and thought that drugs might be "taking a toll on him."

Another person tweeted, "Is Post Malone on drugs? How did he lose all that weight? I’m worried."

This isn't the first time Post addressed his noticeable weight loss. You might recall back in February, we reported that Post insisted his slender figure was due to a happy and healthy lifestyle.

In his IG message, Post also said he's been in the studio working on new music that he's excited to release to his fans and thanking them for their support.

Lamar Odom is reaching out his hand to Bam Margera in the midst of all his substance abuse and legal problems, saying he's more than happy to help, free of charge, if the reality star allows it.

We caught up with the former NBA star in Manhattan Beach, CA and he offered some advice for the former "Jackass" star ... hours after Bam turned himself in to PA cops for allegedly assaulting his brother.

Lamar says, his first piece of advice is for Bam to lean into religion -- if it's something in his life -- to help him during his troubles. LO also personally invited BM to one of the 3 wellness centers he co-owns and operates, called Odom Wellness Treatment Centers, to address substance and drug abuse problems ... reminding us, he's been through it too.

As we reported, Bam surrendered Thursday to face charges in Pennsylvania for allegedly attacking his brother, Jess, last weekend. Cops say he threatened to put a bullet in Jess' head before going on the run. Bam denies that's how the story unfolded.

Regardless, he's been dealing with a ton of issues lately -- most of them seemingly tied to his addiction and mental health issues.

As we reported, the 2-time NBA champ acquired 3 rehab centers in Southern California and is now on a mission to help others in need. You'll recall, LO overdosed at a Nevada brothel in 2015 and suffered kidney failure, heart attacks, and several strokes ... but he's been able to turn his life around.

Lamar says he's welcoming Bam with open arms if, and only if, he wants the help. He left off with a simple message to BM ... "I love him and just stay strong."

Steve Wilkos is opening up about his final time seeing Jerry Springer -- a night they both got very emotional -- but he says his dear friend never let on that he was battling cancer.

Steve, who spent 10 seasons working on "The Jerry Springer Show" from '94 to '07, joined "TMZ Live" Thursday ... after news broke his longtime boss and close pal passed away.

He says he and Jerry just hung out about a month ago, and while Jerry didn't mention his pancreatic cancer diagnosis ... Steve says he might have "been saying goodbye to me." He told us Jerry "hugged me like he never hugged me before," and they reminisced about the good old times ... something they rarely ever did.

As we reported, Jerry died at the age of 79, Thursday at his home in the Chicago area, and will forever be remembered for his bombastic talk show -- which ran for 27 years and eventually helped Steve start his very own show.

Other than his father, Steve says no one had a bigger impact on his life than Jerry. He credits JS for giving him his career ... and even his wife!

Steve was a retired cop when he was hired, in 1994, as a security guard for the 'Springer Show.' His immense popularity there led to him launching "The Steve Wilkos Show" in 2007, and is now in its 16th season.

Through all the ups and downs, Steve says Jerry was always in his corner, and even at their last get together last month ...he believed his good friend would outlive him.

Jerry Springer, one of the most influential and controversial figures in TV history, has died ... TMZ has confirmed.

Jerry hosted the smash hit syndicated talk show "The Jerry Springer Show" for 27 years ... and it was never a boring moment on the raucous and wild show -- which was known for its outrageous guests who usually got into crazy fights as the audience cheered, "Jerry, Jerry, Jerry, Jerry!"

A family spokesperson says Jerry was battling a "brief illness." Our sources tell us it was pancreatic cancer that was diagnosed a few months ago, and this week he took a turn for the worse.

The spokesperson says he died Thursday morning, peacefully at his home in the Chicago area.

Before TV, he was a politician who ran a failed campaign for U.S. Congress in 1970, got elected to Cincinnati's City Council in 1971 ... and became the city's mayor in 1977. He served one term.

But, Springer became a worldwide sensation with his show ... which debuted in 1991. Most people won't remember this, but when he started Jerry's show focused on political issues. Of course, it eventually became the exact opposite ... and a ratings smash.

Jerry's show was so popular in the late '90s, it even topped Oprah Winfrey's in several cities. 'Springer' finally went off the air in 2018.

He made one more run in TV, with his courtroom show, "Judge Jerry," which ran for 3 seasons.

Jerry's last TV appearance came last season on "The Masked Singer" ... where he performed as "The Beetle," singing a Frank Sinatra classic.

We're told his cancer battle got much worse about a month ago, and he finally had to stop working. He had been hosting a folk music show on a local radio station in Cincinnati.

He's survived by his daughter Katie Springer and his older sister Evelyn.

Jerry was 79. RIP

Toni Braxton wants to share her survivor's story after recently undergoing lifesaving surgery to unblock a main heart artery ... because she learned important lessons about taking care of your body.

TMZ Hip Hop caught the R&B legend Wednesday in NYC ... and she was simply grateful to be out and about after her procedure last September. She recently revealed doctors found an 80% blockage in her main coronary artery, which could've led to a fatal heart attack.

Toni tells us she can't tour or sing like she wants to at the moment, but she's slowly getting reacquainted with the studio and promises she'll be back at full strength for her next live shows.

It's been a little over a year since Toni's sister, Traci, passed away from cancer ... and Toni tells us she took the loss so hard, she let her own medical checkups slip.

She's urging fans to pay attention when your body's talking to you and stay up-to-date with doctor visits.

Fat Joe is fed up with the medical industry duping its patients into paying unfair prices ... personally flying himself from NYC to Washington D.C. to do something about it!!!

TMZ Hip Hop linked with the Don Cartagena as he visited Capitol Hill to rep "Power to the Patients" ... the nonprofit that targets and tackles hidden healthcare fees.

As we told you earlier this week, Joe will be in town through the weekend alongside Busta Rhymes, French Montana and Rick Ross for a special PTTP-helmed concert to bring awareness to the millionaire CEOs of nonprofit orgs. and other associated horseradish ... but today, he was all bars without the beat!!!

We also caught Joe's speech as he addressed the crowd as a proud Bronx native but lashed out at the economic forces that hold Black and Brown people back ... comparing their cries for help as effective as a "dog barking at the moon."

NASCAR Cup Series driver Alex Bowman suffered a fractured vertebra in a horrifying car accident at a sprint car race this week ... and now, he'll be sidelined for up to a month.

The scary incident took place in the opening heat of a race in the High Limit Sprint Car Series in West Burlington, Iowa. Bowman -- in the #55 car -- collided with Conner Morrell after hitting his rear tire -- resulting in both cars flying through the air.

Looking like a scene out of an action movie, both cars suffered significant damage. Somehow, both drivers got out of their vehicles and were able to walk away. But unfortunately for Bowman, he later discovered he had a fractured vertebra.

In a statement released via his Twitter, Bowman said he is feeling okay and is focused on healing and resting to ensure he can return to the race track ASAP.

"Being out of the car is never an update any driver wants to make," Bowman said. "I’ll be doing everything I can at home to help ensure my recovery is as quick as possible to get back in the 48 car soon."

Bowman -- whose first cup series came in 2014 at the Daytona 500 -- has won seven races in the series. He has also raced in the NASCAR Xfinity Series and the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.

No word on Conner Morrell's status following the crash ... but being able to walk away from a scary scene like this at least inspires confidence that Morrell will be good in the long run.

James Brolin is giving the recipe for success in his 25-year-year marriage to the great Barbra Streisand -- getting surprisingly candid about what works ... and what doesn't!

We got the actor -- who's Josh Brolin's dad, and a well-established celeb in his own right -- while he was outside of the ABC Studios in NYC Wednesday ... where he was signing autographs and, apparently, feeling pretty chatty about his personal life.

Our photog asked if he had advice for people on how to keep a good thing going in the relationship department -- and James has an answer ... essentially, it amounts to therapy.

Check out how he describes it for himself ... JB says, sometimes, you need a third party to help break up the log jam a husband and wife might experience. So, in his experience, it makes sense to get somebody in on the conversation ... whether it's a pro or not.

There's a couple other X factors that'll keep a marriage together, according to James -- which amounts to a little give and take in picking your battles ... and shared waterworks.

Boston Celtics exec Heather Walker -- who had worked for the NBA org. for nearly two decades -- has tragically died after a battle with brain cancer, her friends and family announced Wednesday.

She was 52 years old.

In a statement that Walker's loved ones posted on her Move 4 Heather Facebook page, they wrote that Walker "isn't fighting anymore and can finally rest."

"She is with so many who have gone before her that I'm sure she was welcomed with open arms," they added.

Heather, who joined the Celtics org. in 2006 and later became the team's vice president of public relations, was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive form of brain cancer called glioblastoma in 2021.

While she continued to work for the Celtics, she was a huge advocate for brain cancer research, and eventually started the Heather Walker Fund for Glioblastoma Research at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, where she had been receiving treatment.

The Celtics called the news of her passing Wednesday devastating.

"We will miss her for her energy, the joy, and laughter that followed her everywhere she went," the team said in a statement, "and we are grateful for everything she provided her Celtics family and the countless people that she positively impacted along the way."

They added, "She will remain part of our fabric for as long as the Celtics go on."

Drake Bell looks to be in a bad place -- inhaling from a balloon that appears to be filled with nitrous oxide ... a troubling move that comes amid some tumultuous weeks for him.

The former child star was sitting in his car Tuesday outside of his L.A. home sucking on a fully inflated balloon. In one of the photos, you can see a cannister of some sort -- which resembles a typical nitrous oxide container.

Of course, huffing nitrous is a dangerous but popular method of getting high -- a few seconds of euphoria and head rush -- without using hard drugs.

BTW ... this is not Drake's first rodeo with nitrous oxide -- he was pictured doing the exact same thing back in December, and, in that instance his young son was in the car too.

And yes, inhaling nitrous oxide without a medical professional's supervision or guidance is, indeed, bad for one's health.

As we reported ... Drake's clearly been going through it of late. He told Twitter users last week that he was contemplating suicide after the trolling and attacks over his child endangerment conviction in 2021 -- which has led to people labeling him a "pedophile."

On top of that ... his wife filed for divorce just a couple days prior, this after he was reported missing in Florida -- only to pop up on the radar again in what turned out be a false alarm.

We know Drake has been thrust into a child custody battle with his now-estranged wife -- and, apparently, it's gotten so ugly behind the scenes ... he's been sending scary messages to his family that made them worry for his safety and his life.

The guy's had a lot of ups and downs in recent years -- everything from a choppy music career to even more legal issues like a DUI bust and bankruptcy.

As we reported, family members called police a couple weeks ago, because they were so worried about Drake. These images won't ease those concerns.

"Big Brother" alums Memphis Garrett and Christmas Abbott were involved in a wild fight outside their Florida bar with a couple of upset patrons ... and the vicious beatdown was caught on video.

The whole thing went down in January outside their Ft. Lauderdale spot, No Man's Land. As for what sparked the violence ... one source tells us the couple walked inside and asked for drinks, but Memphis told them they were closed, and when they refused to leave things got heated.

However, a different source -- who was inside the bar -- tells us the couple wasn't in the establishment, and the fighting all started and ended outside.

Memphis and Christmas' attorney, Brian Karpf, says Memphis was attacked by the guy.

Karpf says Christmas -- who was awaiting surgery for a neck injury -- tried to pull Memphis away but got hit by the other woman. You see a bartender trying to break things up.

Christmas says she called the cops and filed a report because the couple continued to throw things at the windows and wouldn't leave. According to her attorney, she opted to not press charges but got assurance the couple would not return.

Tom Sandoval is ripping anyone doubting the sincerity of Raquel Leviss' mental health treatments ... he says she's really getting help and isn't in some swanky resort.

The "Vanderpump Rules" star called out a couple former castmates by name Tuesday, tearing into Peter Madrigal and Dayna Kathan for casting doubt on Raquel's whereabouts.

Tom was in Van Nuys and grew agitated when paparazzi asked him if he had seen Raquel in Arizona ... Tom says she's in a mental health facility that doesn't allow visitors or phones.

There's been speculation online Raquel is really at a Miraval Resort and & Spa location in Arizona ... but Tom says that's all BS and he seems peeved by all the rumors.

Tom says he went to a resort for some R&R and solo time in the wake of the "Scandoval," but he's adamant Raquel isn't living it up in a posh resort and is truly getting the help she needs.

Remember ... Tom blasted Miraval last week after the resort's social media team played into the speculation that he was going to be there, possibly to see Raquel.

Tom and Raquel have been getting tons of backlash since their cheating scandal rocked the show and blew up his 9-year relationship with Ariana Madix ... and they've both been struggling to keep their sanity, with Raquel seeking treatment as a result of the fallout.

Flo Rida failed to physically appear in NYC Family Court Tuesday, instead opting to attend virtually ... and that move did not go over well with the judge.

The "Good Feeling" rapper was previously ordered to pay 100% of the medical bills, education, and child support for Zohar, his 6-year-old son with his ex, Alexis Adams.

Flo recently won a huge $82.5 million award in an energy drink lawsuit ... and Alexis requested the judge order him to set aside $400k in a bank account to pay various expenses for their special-needs son.

Zohar is autistic and suffers from a rare disorder known as hydrocephalus. He also recently suffered a near-death experience when he accidentally fell 5 stories from his mother's New Jersey apartment on March 4.

While Alexis was able to make her case to the judge, Flo Rida didn't get that chance. We're told the judge wouldn't allow him to testify over Zoom.

Alexis claims Flo stopped paying the insurance at this crucial time, forcing her to file for Medicaid and Department of Education funding to cover Zohar's bills.

Alexis's attorney Dror Bikel tells TMZ... “He just got an $80 million judgment and his child is on Medicaid, it’s outrageous.”

She claims Flo has never even met Zohar, and all his social media postings such as Zohar "getting the best medical care" are all for show.

Edmonton Oilers star Evander Kane says a number of Kings supporters turned a dream trip into a complete nightmare for a young fan last week ... accusing L.A. backers of harassing and spitting on her jersey during a Stanley Cup playoff game.

Evander shared the allegations via social media ... saying 10-year-old Cecily Eklund -- who is battling cancer -- was singled out for wearing a Kane jersey during Game 3 of the Kings vs. Oilers series at Crypto.com Arena on Friday.

"I'm disgusted and appalled at what happened to this amazing little girl in the stands and in a women's restroom where she was harassed for wearing her jersey and was spit on by a LA fan for doing so," Kane said.

"This type of behavior is gross and unacceptable."

Kane went on to call the alleged conduct "pathetic" -- especially considering Cecily is a young warrior going through challenging times.

What makes things even worse -- Kane later shared a follow-up from someone DEFENDING Kings fans over the whole thing ... stating the awful human beings behind the alleged hateful actions had no other choice because he's "such a f***in scum bag."

"You make us spit on kids for being a dirty mother f***er," the user added.

Evander and Cecily have been tight for some time now -- the two met through the Ben Stelter Fund, which helps young kids battling illness have once-in-a-lifetime experiences.

Michael Blackson is rejecting Desiigner's "mental health" apology/explanation for his recent indecent exposure charges -- instead, he thinks it's simply a sign American culture is too soft!

On Tuesday, Desiigner posted a video of himself bumping a new tune while claiming he was moments from checking himself into a treatment facility as the aftermath of his bizarre Delta flight unfolds.

TMZ Hip Hop broke the story, Desiigner is charged with indecent exposure for masturbating in plain sight of multiple flight attendants during a flight from Tokyo to Minneapolis. The FBI says he was even armed with a jar of Vaseline.

Michael thinks Desiigner used mental health as a cop-out for his horniness after he got busted and compared American culture to his native homeland of Africa ... a place he says everything gets blamed on the devil!!!

We recently spoke to G Perico, who doesn't have a dog in the fight in the convo, but unlike Michael, says he can see obvious mental health issues in Desiigner's sitch and wished him well.