Celebrity Health

Un jugador de póquer que mintió acerca de tener cáncer terminal para recaudar fondos y así poder entrar en el mayor evento de la Serie Mundial de Poker, ahora está pidiendo disculpas: "Lo que hice estuvo mal", confesó.

Rob Mercer, de 37 años y oriundo de Vallejo, California, inventó la historia en junio, según informa Las Vegas Review-Journal, en un intento desesperado por reunir los 10.000 dólares que necesitaba para participar en el evento de póquer más prestigioso del mundo, que se celebra en julio en Las Vegas.

Mercer creó un GoFundMe con la esperanza de reunir el dinero en efectivo, y conmovió a tantos, que recaudó entre $30.000 y $50.000, lo que le permitió comprar la entrada.

Sin embargo, el Review-Journal informa que varios miembros de la comunidad del póquer sospecharon de Mercer por la forma en que había actuado en el evento. Al parecer, había dado respuestas vagas a preguntas sobre su enfermedad y tampoco había compartido pruebas concretas de su supuesto diagnóstico de cáncer terminal de colon.

El medio también informa que varias personas lo vieron apostando en un casino, y cuando  le preguntaron por eso ... se dice que estuvo a la defensiva.

Finalmente, Mercer confesó todo, al Review-Journal el martes: "No debería haberle dicho a la gente que tengo cáncer de colon. Lo hice de forma improvisada cuando alguien me preguntó qué tipo de cáncer tenía".

Mercer, sin embargo, dijo que su historia no carecía al menos de cierto mérito. Dijo que cree que sí tiene cáncer de mama no diagnosticado, y que se inventó la historia del cáncer de colon porque estaba avergonzado de decir que se estaba tratando con una enfermedad tan poco frecuente en hombres.

"Sí mentí sobre tener cáncer de colon", dijo Mercer, que terminó siendo eliminado del evento pronto. "No tengo cáncer de colon. Usé eso para cubrir mi situación".

Mercer dijo que como sí cree que tiene cáncer de mama, no tiene intenciones de devolver el dinero que obtuvo a través de su GoFundMe.

En cuanto a su futuro en las mesas de póquer, le dijo al Review-Journal que ha dejado de jugar debido a "su deteriorada salud". Además le dijo al medio que ahora pasa alrededor de 18 horas al día en la cama.

A poker player who lied about having terminal cancer in order to raise funds to get into the World Series of Poker Main Event is now apologizing for his fib ... saying this week, "What I did was wrong."

Rob Mercer -- a 37-year-old Vallejo, Calif. native -- came up with the tale back in June, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, in an effort to gather the $10,000 he needed to buy in to the world's most prestigious poker event in July in Las Vegas.

Mercer created a GoFundMe with the hopes of gathering the cash -- and it touched so many, it reportedly led to him earning between $30,000 and $50,000 ... allowing him entry into the tournament.

But, the Review-Journal reports several in the poker community became suspicious of Mercer over the way he had acted at the event. Mercer had reportedly provided vague responses to questions about his illness and failed to share concrete proof of his alleged terminal colon cancer diagnosis as well.

The outlet also reports several people saw him gambling in a casino, and when he was approached about the poor optics of that ... he was said to have been defensive.

Eventually, Mercer fessed up about everything, telling the Review-Journal on Tuesday, "I shouldn't have told people I have colon cancer. I did that just as a spur-of-the-moment thing when someone asked me what kind of cancer I had."

Mercer, however, said his story wasn't without at least some merit. He told the outlet he believes he does have undiagnosed breast cancer -- and he made up the colon cancer story because he was embarrassed to say he was dealing with a disease not as commonly found in men.

"I did lie about having colon cancer," said Mercer, who ended up getting eliminated from the Main Event early on. "I don't have colon cancer. I used that to cover my situation."

Mercer said due to his belief that he does have breast cancer, he has no intentions of returning the money he obtained through his GoFundMe.

As for his future on poker tables, Mercer told the Review-Journal he has quit playing due to "his deteriorating health." He told the news organization that he now spends around 18 hours a day in bed.

Jennifer Garner moved hearts this week after trying to give a homeless man the shoes off her feet -- unquestionably a sweet move, and one we've actually seen several celebs make during L.A.'s unprecedented crisis.

Lending a hand to people in need has actually been an ongoing tradition in Hollywood for years ... as we've seen some very famous faces recently demonstrate their generosity.

Take, for example, Denzel Washington ... who, just a few years ago, went out of his way to help an unsheltered man on the streets of L.A., this at the height of the pandemic in May 2020.

This gentleman was apparently having an episode in West Hollywood, and Denzel came over to comfort him as police eventually arrived and got a handle on things. Even while officers were talking to the man, DW stuck around and provided him comfort. It was quite something.

A year prior, Lil Pump was doing his own food giveaway just in time for the holidays ... handing out tons of corndogs to folks who were on the street and hungry.

BTW ... Pump was doing this on Skid Row in DTLA -- one of the most heavily populated areas for unhoused folks in the city.

Jeremy Renner, too, has proven to have a charitable spirit ... he once took his daughter with him to hand out jackets, blankets and food to homeless people in Reno, NV.

At the time, JR did this right around Thanksgiving -- setting a good example for his kid.

Speaking of Turkey Day ... it's become a little bit of a give-back pastime over the years for celebs to team up with the L.A. Mission to dish out hot meals to the needy. There've been several stars who've partaken in this ... Danny Trejo, Emmy Rossum, Kevin Hart and Lisa Rinna, just to name a few.

There's even been some community service from controversial A-listers, like Kanye West.

Before he was persona non grata in Hollywood -- as a result of antisemitic remarks he spewed last year -- the dude was prominently kind to people less fortunate.

There's that memorable time he was handing out cash and Yeezys to one homeless man, in particular, in his own home city of Chicago -- back before he and Adidas split up -- and you could tell it meant a lot to this fella that he was gifting them for free.

Jennifer Garner conmovió algunos corazones esta semana después de intentar quitarle los zapatos a un hombre sin hogar, y aunque fue un acto muy dulce de su parte, está lejos de ser la única estrella dispuesta a ayudar a los demás.

Darle una mano a las personas que más lo necesitan es en realidad una tradición en Hollywood desde hace algunos años. Solo recientemente, hemos visto algunas de las caras más famosas del negocio haciendo demostraciones notables de generosidad.

Tomemos, por ejemplo, a Denzel Washington que hace apenas unos años se desvió de su camino para ayudar a un hombre que estaba en las calles de Los Ángeles. Esto, en medio del apogeo de la pandemia en mayo de 2020.

Al parecer, este señor estaba teniendo un episodio en West Hollywood y Denzel se acercó a consolarlo mientras la policía llegaba a controlar la situación. Incluso, mientras los agentes hablaban con el hombre, el actor se quedó cerca a su lado y le proporcionó consuelo. Fue todo un acontecimiento.

Un año antes, Lil Pump hizo su propia donación de alimentos, justo a tiempo para las fiestas, compartiendo una tonelada de corndogs a la gente que estaba en la calle.

Por cierto, Bomba estaba haciendo esto en Skid Row en Downtown Los Angeles, una de las zonas con mayor población de personas sin hogar en la ciudad.

Jeremy Renner, también ha demostrado tener un espíritu caritativo. Una vez llevó a su hija con él para repartir chaquetas, mantas y alimentos a las personas en Reno, NV.

En esa oportunidad, era cerca de Acción de Gracias y quiso dar un buen ejemplo a su hijo.

Hablando del Día de Acción de Gracias, esta fecha se ha convertido un poco en pasatiempo de retribución para las celebridades en los últimos años, quienes se han unido para repartir comidas calientes a los necesitados. Han sido varias las estrellas que han participado en estas iniciativas: desde Danny Trejo, Emmy Rossum, Kevin Hart a Lisa Rinna, sólo para nombrar unos pocos.

Incluso ha habido polémicas entre los A-listers, como es el caso de Kanye West.

Antes de que fuera persona non grata en Hollywood, como resultado de los comentarios antisemitas que vomitó el año pasado, el tipo era en realidad bastante amable con las personas que eran menos afortunadas.

Es memorable la vez en que estuvo entregando dinero en efectivo y Yeezys a un hombre en su propia ciudad natal, en Chicago. Esto, antes de que él y Adidas se separaran, y se podría decir que significaba mucho para este hombre que estuviera regalando todo.

The fan who died at the Patriots game on Sunday was involved in a physical altercation prior to his death, and now officials are reviewing video footage of the incident to determine what happened.

The Norfolk District Attorney's office tells TMZ Sports "Our investigation has included numerous law enforcement interviews and the examination of multiple angles of video capturing the scuffle prior to Mr. Dale Mooney's collapse during the Sunday night game at Gillette Stadium."

Officials tell us they conducted a preliminary autopsy which pointed to a medical issue, as opposed to a traumatic injury as a possible factor in the death. A final determination hasn't yet been made.

As we previously reported, 53-year-old Dale Mooney, who was at the Patriots vs. Dolphins game, was rushed to a local hospital after what was initially classified as an "apparent medical event."

He was pronounced dead at the medical facility.

Following the tragic news, videos of the incident surfaced online appearing to show a man in a Dolphins jersey striking a fellow spectator, presumed to be Mooney.

El hincha que murió en el juego de los Patriotas el domingo pasado estuvo involucrado en un altercado físico antes de su muerte, y ahora los funcionarios están revisando las imágenes del incidente para determinar que sucedió exactamente.

La oficina del Fiscal del Distrito de Norfolk le dijo a TMZ Sports: "Nuestra investigación ha incluido numerosas entrevistas con las fuerzas del orden y el examen de múltiples ángulos de video que capturan la pelea antes del colapso del Sr. Dale Mooney durante el partido del domingo por la noche en el Gillette Stadium".

Los funcionarios nos dicen que llevaron a cabo una autopsia preliminar que apunta a un problema médico, en lugar de una lesión traumática como posible factor de muerte. Aún no se ha tomado una decisión definitiva.

Como informamos anteriormente, Dale Mooney, de 53 años, que estaba en el partido de los Patriots contra los Dolphins, fue trasladado a un hospital local después de lo que fue clasificado inicialmente como un "aparente evento médico".

Fue declarado muerto en el centro médico.

Tras la trágica noticia, aparecieron videos del incidente que parecían mostrar a un hombre con una camiseta de los Dolphins golpeando a un espectador, presumiblemente, Mooney.

LSU safety Greg Brooks -- a starter on the Tigers' defense -- underwent emergency surgery on Friday to remove a large brain tumor.

Thankfully, according to a statement released by his family on Wednesday morning, the procedure was successful -- though the football player and his loved ones are now anxiously waiting on biopsy results.

"Greg continues to fight," Brooks' family said in their statement, "and we await further clarity on the extent of that battle."

"His incredible strength of character gives us confidence, but we also know that he needs our support now more than ever. Please keep Greg and our family in your prayers."

Brooks missed the Tigers' win over Mississippi State on Saturday while recovering from the surgery. Head coach Brian Kelly said Monday his absence was due to a "medical emergency" -- though he didn't elaborate on the issue. He added at the time there was no timetable for a return for the defensive back.

Brooks started his collegiate career at Arkansas in 2019 but transferred to LSU after three season. He played in 14 games for the Tigers in 2022, piling up 66 tackles and two interceptions.

Khloe Kardashian ha decidido abrir las puertas de su vida privada, particularmente para contarnos de su experiencia con el cáncer de piel y las secuelas y cicatrices que le dejó.

La menor de las hermanas Kardashian publicó varias fotos en las redes sociales el martes que documentan la eliminación de algunos melanomas en la mejilla que, según ella explica, le han dejado una hendidura en su rostro, algo que ella muestra con orgullo.

Khloe compartió orgullosamente el nombre del doctor que la ayudó: "Para aquellos que no saben que pasé un susto con un cáncer de piel en mi cara. Mi ángel @garthfischermd es en quien confié para extirpar el tumor. El Dr. Fischer está fuera de este mundo ¡Fabuloso!".

Y continuó diciendo que el equipo médico no sólo eliminó completamente el cáncer, sino que se aseguró de dejar la menor cicatriz posible, algo que Khloe agradece muchísimo.

Lo que sigue es una revelación honesta, en la que cuenta que tenía una pequeña "mancha" en la cara, que terminó en una cirugía que incluyó algunos puntos y cuidados. Ella muestra todo y dice que prefiere lidiar con una ligera hendidura en su rostro que con el cáncer.

La abolladura que queda en ese lugar, dice Khloe es el pequeño precio que tuvo que pagar por su salud. Y escribe: "Definitivamente no me quejo, porque prefiero tener una hendidura que un melanoma. Estoy tan increíblemente agradecida de todos los médicos que me ayudaron y me siguen ayudando en mi viaje con el cáncer de piel."

Al parecer hubo más trabajo, incluso después de su operación. Khloe dice que consiguió retocar su mejilla con la aprobación de su médico y parece bastante feliz con los resultados.

Khloe Kardashian is peeling back the curtain on her private life -- opening up on her skin cancer journey ... and showing the aftermath, battle scars, and all.

The youngest Kardashian sister posted several photos on social media Tuesday that documented the removal of some melanoma on her cheek -- which she says has now left an indentation ... something she bares proudly.

KK shouts out the doc who worked on this for her, writing ... "For those who do not know I had a skin cancer scare on my face. My angel @garthfischermd is who I trusted with removing the tumor. Dr Fischer is out of this world Fabulous!"

She goes on to say that the medical team not only completely removed the cancer, but made sure to leave as little scarring as possible -- which Khloe is clearly appreciative of.

What follows is an honest revelation of where Khloe was -- with a small "spec" of melanoma on her face -- and where she ended up afterward ... which included some gnarly stitches. She shows it all, saying she'd rather deal with a slight ding in the armor than freaking cancer.

Khloe says the depression that remains in that spot is a small price to pay for her health. She writes, "I am definitely not complaining because I would rather have an indentation than melanoma any day. I am so incredibly grateful to all the doctors who helped and continue to help me with my skin cancer journey."

There was more work done, apparently, even after her operation ... Khloe says she got her cheek filled with her doctor's approval, and she seems pretty happy with the results.

The reason Khloe is even posting this is to raise awareness. In her posts, she encourages folks to get themselves checked out early and often ... and not to be ashamed.

Dartmouth football head coach Buddy Teevens has tragically passed away from injuries he suffered in a bicycle accident six months ago, his family announced Tuesday.

He was 66 years old.

"Our family is heartbroken to inform you that our beloved 'coach' has peacefully passed away surrounded by family," Teevens' loved ones said in a statement. "We are confident and take comfort in the fact that he passed away knowing how much he was loved and admired."

Teevens -- the winningest coach in Big Green history -- was hit by a pickup truck in Florida back in March ... and the collision was so bad, doctors had to amputate his right leg. His family said he also suffered spinal cord injuries in the crash as well.

Assistant Sammy McCorkle was named interim head coach while Teevens attempted to recover.

"This is tragic news for Dartmouth and the entire football world," Dartmouth leaders said in a statement Tuesday night. "Buddy not only was synonymous with Dartmouth football, he was a beloved coach and an innovative, inspirational leader who helped shape the lives of generations of students."

The school added that McCorkle informed the football team of Teevens' passing Tuesday evening and ensured players "that they have the support and resources they need as they process such devastating news."

Teevens -- who played quarterback at Dartmouth in the late 1970s -- was first named Big Green head coach in 1987 ... and following five years on the Dartmouth sidelines, he took gigs at Tulane, Illinois, Florida and Stanford, before returning to his alma mater in 2005.

Teevens went on to pile up a 117-101-2 career record at the school ... gaining fame nationally for his efforts to limit his players' risk for concussions.

Teevens opted to do away with full-contact practices to keep his players safe ... and he also played a pivotal role in the creation of the Mobile Virtual Player, a bot college and NFL teams use to hone their tackling craft.

His tactics were so innovative, Roger Goodell recognized him as "a leader in making our game safer through breakthrough innovations" at the 2023 NFL Draft.

Teevens will be honored with a moment of silence before Dartmouth's game Saturday against Lehigh.

Deion Sanders' run at Colorado won't be interrupted by just any old school with a bag of cash ... no, according to Buffs legend Chad Brown, only a "true blue blood" will be able to pull Coach Prime from Boulder.

Brown tells TMZ Sports ... he was initially concerned that smaller schools across the country might be able to sway Deion to leave Colorado if they could simply offer him more money than CU. But, after Sanders' noisy 3-0 start to this season ... Brown's now sure there's only a handful of universities in the nation who can grab the coach's ear at this point.

"As this season has gone along," Brown said, "with the amount of interest that has come to Colorado, and the elevation of the Colorado program, I think the number of schools that he would leave for becomes smaller and smaller and smaller."

Brown said he thinks only storied programs like Michigan, Ohio State, Alabama or Florida State have a chance at Sanders now.

Even still ... Brown, a former four-year starter at CU, says Deion would be a ways away from making that jump -- telling us he thinks the coach will be at CU for at least as long as Shedeur Sanders is eligible to play there.

As for the Henry Blackburn vs. Travis Hunter drama that unfolded after a late hit over the weekend ... the former star linebacker tells us he thinks the CSU defensive back's maneuver was a dirty one -- though he was adamant it did not deserve threats from pissed off fans.

Eric Clapton and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. consider themselves rebels in their respective fields -- but those worlds collided in a big way this week in an effort to raise cash ... and a lot of it.

The rocker performed at a private show Monday night in L.A. -- where EC plugged in his amp and started strumming at a ritzy estate in Brentwood. No word on who exactly hosted -- but it sounds like the place was packed ... 'cause the show raised $2.2 million.

Mind you, this was definitely a political thing ... namely, raising money for RFK Jr.'s presidential campaign -- and Eric was the leading talent and, apparently, the big draw.

Tickets for this event were damn pricey -- starting on the low end at $3,300 just for entry and going as high as $6,600 for a little facetime with the candidate himself. Unclear how exactly the ticket sale tiers played out ... but clearly, enough people showed up to 7 figures.

We're told that of the money raised -- $1 million went straight to Kennedy's campaign, and the other $1.2 million went toward a PAC that's supporting him.

RFK Jr. was grateful for Eric's help in all this, saying ... "I am deeply grateful to Eric Clapton for bringing his musical artistry and rebellious spirit to my gathering."

He added ... "I sometimes think that in our divided society, it is music rather than any kind of intellectual agreement that has the most potential to bring us together again. Eric sings from the depths of the human condition. If he sees in me the possibility of bringing unity to our country, it is only possible because artists like him invoke a buried faith in the limitless power of human beings to overcome any obstacle."

Eric Clapton y Robert F. Kennedy Jr. se consideran rebeldes en sus respectivos mundos, pero esas órbitas colisionaron a lo grande esta semana en un esfuerzo por recaudar dinero ... y vaya que funcionó.

El rockero actuó en un espectáculo privado el lunes por la noche en Los Ángeles, en donde conectó su amplificador y comenzó a rasguear su guitarra en una lujosa finca de Brentwood. No se sabe exactamente quién fue el anfitrión, pero parece que el lugar estaba llenísimo... porque el espectáculo recaudó nada más ni nada menos que 2,2 millones de dólares.

Eso sí, el concierto fue celebrado para fines puramente políticos, a saber, la recaudación de dinero para la campaña presidencial de RFK Jr., en donde Eric era el plato fuerte.

Las entradas para el evento eran muy, muy caras, desde 3.300 hasta los 6.600 dólares por ver al candidato en persona. No está claro cómo funcionaron exactamente las ventas, pero está claro que se presentaron suficientes personas como para llegar a las 7 cifras.

Nos dicen que del dinero recaudado  $1 millón fue directamente a la campaña de Kennedy, y los otros $1,2 millones a un comité político que lo apoya.

RFK Jr. agradeció la ayuda de Eric en todo esto, diciendo: "Estoy profundamente agradecido a Eric Clapton por traer su arte musical y su espíritu rebelde a este evento".

Y agregó: "A veces pienso que en nuestra sociedad dividida, es la música, más que cualquier otro tipo de acuerdo intelectual, la que tiene más potencial para unirnos de nuevo. Eric canta desde lo más profundo de lo humano. Si ve en mí la posibilidad de traer la unidad a nuestro país, solo es posible porque artistas como él invocan una fe férrea en el poder ilimitado de los seres humanos para superar cualquier obstáculo."

Un veterano condecorado con 40 años de experiencia nos cuenta cómo las misiones de combate cambiaron para siempre su función cerebral y afirma que su experiencia es un cuento con moraleja para todos los miembros de las fuerzas armadas y los médicos que los tratan.

Hablamos con el general Gregg F. Martin el martes en "TMZ Live" sobre sus memorias recién publicadas, "General Bipolar: My Forever War with Mental Illness" que narra su batalla personal. Como él explica, el trastorno bipolar en realidad puede desarrollarse con el tiempo.

La creencia generalizada es que la bipolaridad se hereda, pero el general Martin dice que no es tan sencillo. Dice que los médicos le dijeron que el gen del trastorno bipolar estaba latente en su cerebro hasta que las tensiones de las repetidas misiones de combate en Irak lo desencadenaron.

El General dice que sus episodios maníacos eran devastadores, y en algunos casos se creía literalmente Superman. No fue hasta que fue diagnosticado como bipolar 11 años después de salir de Irak que consiguió en los medicamentos adecuados y aprendió cómo el combate afecta a la bioquímica del cerebro.

El general Martin dice que no está solo. Muchos veteranos de este país han pasado por la misma situación, pero añade que el Departamento de Asuntos de los Veteranos es consciente y está atento a los síntomas del trastorno bipolar entre las tropas de combate.

Espera que su historia saque a la luz el problema y desestigmatice el tema de la salud mental en el ejército.

A decorated 40-year veteran is opening up about how combat missions forever changed his brain function, and he says his experience is a cautionary tale for all service members and the doctors who treat them.

We talked to General Gregg F. Martin Tuesday on "TMZ Live" about his just-released memoir, "Bipolar General: My Forever War with Mental Illness" ... which chronicles his personal battle. As he explains -- bipolar disorder can actually develop over time.

Conventional wisdom is bipolarity is something you inherit, but Gen. Martin says it's not that simple. He says doctors told him the gene for bipolar disorder was dormant in his brain, until the stressors of repeated combat missions in Iraq triggered it.

The General says his manic episodes were devastating ... and, in some cases, he literally thought he was Superman. It wasn't until he was diagnosed as bipolar, 11 years after leaving Iraq, that he got on the right meds and learned how combat impacts the brain's biochemistry.

Gen. Martin says he's not alone -- far too many vets in this country have gone through the same situation ... but he adds the Veterans' Affairs Department is aware, and on the lookout for symptoms of bipolar disorder among combat troops.

He's hoping his story brings the issue to the forefront and destigmatizes the topic of mental health within the military.

Fans are outraged to the point of sending Henry Blackburn and his family death threats, but Colorado star Travis Hunter is vouching for the Colorado State player ... saying the late hit that resulted in his injury is all part of the sport.

The star receiver/cornerback gave his opinion on the controversial play in the CSU vs. Colorado game last Saturday ... which caused many, including LeBron James, to voice their disproval.

Hunter disagrees with the backlash ... saying he personally doesn't have an issue with what happened during the game.

"It’s football at the end of the day," the 20-year-old said about the play on Monday. "Stuff like that gonna happen. He did what he was supposed to do. It's football."

Despite Hunter being ok with the tackle, the collision has him sidelined him for the next three games against No. 10 Oregon, No. 5 USC and Arizona State with a lacerated liver.

Hunter said he is staying positive through it all ... admitting he was willing to continue playing through the pain.

"Just gotta get up and fight again -- that's what I tried to do," Hunter said.

"Good thing the doctors stopped me because if there was no doctors there I'd still be out there playing."

Blackburn -- who was recently named a team captain -- has yet to address the incident, but Rams athletic director Joe Parker said the defensive back never "intended to put anyone in harm’s way on the football field."

Blackburn and his family are also receiving serious threats due to his hit on Hunter ... and Colorado State University Police told us they're taking the messages seriously.

"CSUPD is aware of death threats against CSU football player Henry Blackburn, and the investigation is ongoing," a university police spokesperson told us on Monday.

"The police department will continue to monitor the situation, and the university is actively supporting the player and his family."