Celebrity Health

Pfizer is in inevitable competition with the other drug companies that are developing COVID vaccines, and it's apparently trying to get a jump on its competitors with a new catchphrase.

The pharmaceutical giant filed docs this week to lock up the rights to the phrase, "Science will make the breakthrough." The phrase will be used in several initiatives, including marketing vaccines.

As we get closer to mass inoculation, the drug companies that are able to market COVID vaccines will have to make the case ... they should be the first choice, and good marketing becomes essential.

And remember, this is not a one-time deal. Everyone will have to periodically get re-inoculated ... ultimately it will go direct to consumer, so marketing will be essential.

While a rep for the company wouldn't say exactly what the campaign would look like, they did tell us, "We plan to use the phrase in our corporate campaign as a continuation of our 'Science Will Win' digital ads.”

As you know ... it was almost exactly a month ago when Pfizer gave the world a figurative booster shot by announcing it had developed a coronavirus vaccine that was more than 90 percent effective.

That number went up even higher -- closer to 95 percent -- after a phase 3 study concluded, and the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine has already begun to be administered to at-risk folks in England.

Pfizer's mission statement says its purpose is to "deliver breakthroughs that change patients’ lives" ... so they must be feeling themselves right now.

Dr. Anthony Fauci wants Black Americans skeptical about the COVID-19 vaccines to know a Black woman was at the forefront of creating one of them ... so fear not.

The nation's leading infectious disease expert spoke Tuesday at an event hosted by the National Urban League and, while discussing racism in medical research and how it's created mistrust ... Fauci put a spotlight on the contributions of Black scientists in the historic development of COVID vaccines ... most notably Dr. Kizzmekia Corbett.

While it might have sounded awkward, Fauci was simply addressing the elephant in the room -- a new study shows only 14% of African-Americans trust the vaccine will be safe and only 18% trust it'll be effective. That's alarming, considering a large portion of the country needs to get vaccinated in order to beat the virus which has disproportionally affected people of color.

Corbett's a pretty big deal in the medical research world. She's the lead scientist for coronavirus vaccine research at Fauci's National Institute of Health. She was also part of the team that worked with Moderna to develop its vaccine that's expected to get emergency use authorization from the FDA and be rolled out later this month.

Ohio State vs. Michigan is officially off -- after the Wolverines announced their COVID situation is so bad, they can't field a team to play this weekend.

The #4 ranked undefeated Buckeyes were scheduled to host the 2-4 Wolverines in The Game on Saturday -- one of the most anticipated rivalries in college football and really, all of sports.

But, the Michigan football program has been badly impacted by the pandemic -- and the school says it can't pull together enough healthy players to take the field on Saturday.

"The number of positive tests has continued to trend in an upward direction over the last 7 days," Michigan AD Warde Manuel said Tuesday.

"We have not been cleared to participate in practice at this time. Unfortunately, we will not be able to field a team due to COVID-19 positives and the associated quarantining required of close contacted individuals."

"This decision is disappointing for our team and coaches but their health and safety is paramount, and it will always come first in our decision making."

Michigan also canceled last week's game against Maryland after at least 12 members of the program tested positive for COVID.

The situation is especially bad for Ohio State which is still in the college football playoff hunt.

They need to schedule another opponent ASAP -- and hopefully against a top opponent -- if they want to qualify for the post-season.

The NCAA says teams have to have at least 6 wins to be bowl eligible -- and OSU is currently 5-0.

One potential matchup could be Texas A&M ... since their game against Ole Miss was scraped because Ole Miss couldn't field a team.

Texas A&M is also 7-1 and ranked #5 in the country.

Ohio State has won 8 in a row against Michigan -- with Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh 0-5 against his rivals.

The first Ohio State vs. Michigan football game took place in 1897 -- and it's been a heated rivalry ever since.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is opening up about his personal health struggles -- revealing he's had TWO bouts with cancer AND a major heart surgery.

The 73-year-old NBA legend spells it all out in an essay for WebMD in which he argues about racial inequality with the current health care system in the U.S.

In his article, KAJ goes into detail about his own health issues -- admitting his fame and wealth have given him advantages that "many others in the Black community do not have."

As Kareem points out ... "I’ve been fortunate because my celebrity has brought me enough financial security to receive excellent medical attention."

"No one wants an NBA legend dying on their watch. Imagine the Yelp reviews."

In his article, Kareem says he was diagnosed with leukemia in 2008 -- but doesn't specify when he battled prostate cancer or underwent heart surgery.

Kareem says he's also "lucky" one of his sons is an orthopedic surgeon and another is a hospital administrator ... which means, "Dad gets to nag them for medical advice whenever he wants."

As for the racial issues with health care, Kareem says Black Americans are "most in need of medical services" but "they actually receive the lowest level."

Kareem says the issue of insufficient health care for Black people is a "more insidious and damaging threat" to the community than police brutality.

He points out the COVID-19 pandemic as an example ... claiming the death rate among Black people is 3.6 times higher than white people.

Part of that reason, KAJ says, is the underlying conditions Black people experience due to the systemic racism that still exists today.

"Having lesser education, and less financial resources, means less opportunity to compete for higher education, which means less opportunity for better paying jobs."

The solution?? Abdul-Jabbar says we must continue to fight systemic racism on a daily basis ... and not let the foot off the gas.

Gayle King says the fact our top former leaders in the U.S. are willing to get a COVID-19 vaccination -- with the world watching -- should be all the proof people need to feel reassured.

We got the CBS News anchor leaving the studio Tuesday in NYC, where we asked what she made of the fact that the 3 most recent former Presidents (plus soon-to-be-former Prez Trump) have said they're willing to get a COVID vaccine live on camera.

She says she's all for it -- anything that gets people to trust the vaccine, in her mind, is a good thing ... and what better way to convince folks than to get a bunch of Commanders in Chief to partake?

We asked if Gayle would be open to having one administered to herself on her own show, and if she'd be courageous enough to take a gamble. The veteran interviewer flipped it on our guy, and asked an even more poignant question ... about bravery and the COVID-19 vaccines. Well played, GK!

The Trump campaign's "star witness" about alleged voter fraud denies she was boozing before her now-infamous testimony ... which is always a great sign it went well.

Melissa Carone has spoken out about last week's Michigan hearing led by Trump lawyers Rudy Giuliani and Jenna Ellis, in which Melissa stole the show with her unfounded claims and unhinged behavior.

At one point, Giuliani even appeared to try to reel her in -- to no avail -- and people speculated she might have been intoxicated.

Carone insists she wasn't though, telling "Inside Edition" she'd go under oath to prove it. She says that's just her personality, and even though she's been widely mocked for it -- including on 'SNL' -- she seems cool with it.

What's not cool is that despite Giuliani being hospitalized for COVID-19 after the public hearing, and Ellis also testing positive, Carone's refusing to quarantine ... even though she sat right next to them without a mask.

This defies a local county order that anyone in direct contact with someone who tests positive for coronavirus must quarantine ... but Carone doesn't seem to care.

Lamar Jackson says coronavirus hit him hard as an NFL linebacker ... telling reporters Tuesday night he was sick as a dog with COVID and he "wouldn't wish that on nobody."

The league's reigning MVP was diagnosed around Thanksgiving after displaying some symptoms ... and when Jackson was asked about his ensuing battle with the virus, the QB said it was all rough.

In fact, the 23-year-old Ravens star says he's STILL having a hard time tasting and smelling things.

"I had flu-like symptoms," LJ said after dominating the Cowboys, 34-17 ... "I guess my sense of taste and smell is going to come back sooner or later."

"But, I'm good now. I wouldn't wish that on nobody, though. It's not good to have."

Jackson took about two weeks to beat the virus ... and based on his play against Dallas on Tuesday -- it doesn't seem it should affect his game too much going forward.

LJ scored 3 touchdowns in the Ravens' rout ... and ran for 94 yards on just 13 carries.

Russia's vodka industry is taking a major hit -- leaders over there are telling citizens to lay off the sauce when they get the coronavirus vaccine.

Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova says Russians who receive the Sputnik V vaccine -- which is administered in 2 phases 21 days apart -- must abstain from alcohol for 42 days ... because it's an immunosuppressant.

That's not all -- Russians planning to get the vaccine are also supposed to give up drinking 2 weeks before their first injection. So, that's about 2 months of sobriety for people living in the nation known to be one of the world's leading alcohol consumers.

Anna Popova, head of Russia’s consumer watchdog agency, says beer and liquor are a strain on the body, adding ... "If we want to stay healthy and have a strong immune response, don’t drink alcohol." Smoking cigarettes is also being discouraged.

So far, Russian officials estimate 100,000 have received the Sputnik V vaccine.

There won't be a revenge game OR a comeback season for Dez Bryant ... the Ravens WR just quit the remainder of the 2020-21 campaign after testing positive for COVID-19 minutes before kickoff against the Cowboys.

The 32-year-old vet documented the bizarre chain of events on Twitter minutes ago ... saying he was warming up for Tuesday night's game when he was pulled off the field for a coronavirus test -- and it came back positive.

"Tell me why they pull me from warming up so I can go get tested... my s**t come back positive," Dez tweeted. "I tested positive for Covid WTF."

"The crazy thing is i have the same damn routine.... this s**t do not make sense to me."

It's already been a tough road back to the gridiron for the former All-Pro receiver -- he suffered an Achilles injury in his first practice with the New Orleans Saints in 2018 ... and was hoping to make an impact in Baltimore.

So far, he's had 3 game appearances and 4 receptions for 28 yards for the Ravens.

And, that may be all he'll rack up for the season ... 'cause Dez just tweeted he's done.

Taylor Swift is lending a much-needed hand to a couple of mothers struggling financially due to the coronavirus pandemic ... just in time for the holidays.

The singer donated $13,000 apiece to 2 moms who have fallen on hard times, and whose stories were featured in a recent article about the millions of Americans who are unemployed, or behind on their rent and utilities.

The women -- Nikki Cornwell from Nashville and Shelbie Selewski from Michigan -- both received a generous donation from Taylor on their GoFundMe pages ... along with a personal note of encouragement.

Taylor wrote to Nikki ... "I read about you in the Washington Post and thought it was really brave of you to share your story. I'm so sorry for everything you've had to go through this year and wanted to send you this gift, from one Nashville girl to another."

Shelbie's message says ... "I'm sending you this gift after reading about you in the Washington Post. No one should have to feel the kind of stress that's been put on you. I hope you and your beautiful family have a great holiday season."

Both women have suffered both medical and financial hardships this year and say they are in danger of being kicked out of their homes if they don't catch up on bills.

Sadly, there are millions more in the U.S. who are also in dire straits, and without another government stimulus for support ... are feeling helpless.

Mass coronavirus vaccination efforts are underway in England, and some guy named William Shakespeare was one of the first to get it ... which has to be some sorta good sign, right?

The 81-year-old man -- yes, that's really his name -- got a shot of the newly approved coronavirus vaccine Tuesday. Bill got the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine at University Hospital Coventry ... which happens to be about 20 miles from Stratford-Upon-Avon, the birthplace of the OG Shakespeare.

As amusing as his name is ... ol' Shakespeare will only hold the title of first man to get the COVID-19 vaccine (outside of clinical trials) -- but the first person to get it is actually 90-year-old Margaret Keenan ... who kicked off the country's largest-ever immunization program.

The grandmother received a round of applause Tuesday morning from the nurses and medical staff at the university hospital as she returned to her ward after receiving the shot.

Of course, with the internet being what it is ... clever folks began to ask -- If Keenan was vaccine patient 1A, would that make Shakespeare 2B or not 2B?

As we've reported ... trial results in America are very encouraging as well, and vaccinations are set to begin soon, once the FDA approval process is done.

Lewis Hamilton is kickin' COVID's ass ... the Formula 1 superstar revealed Tuesday he's "feeling great" after his diagnosis, and he's now hopeful he'll be able to return to the racetrack this weekend.

"I woke up today feeling great," Hamilton said in a video message. "Got my first workout in."

The 35-year-old was diagnosed with coronavirus last week after he said he woke up and experienced "mild symptoms."

He immediately went into self-isolation and was forced out of last weekend's Sakhir Grand Prix in Bahrain -- something he says was VERY tough on him.

"It's definitely been one of the hardest weeks that I’ve had for some time," Hamilton said.

Fortunately, Lewis says he's now on the mend ... and is gunning to race at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 2020 on Sunday.

"I just wanted to send you guys a message of positivity, let you know that I’m OK," Hamilton said. "And thank every single one of you for sending the amazing messages and videos. And I really, really appreciate it."

Chuck Yeager, the pilot known as "the fastest man alive" for being first to break the sound barrier, has died.

Chuck's wife, Victoria, says he passed Monday night after "an incredible life well lived." She says he will be known as "America’s greatest Pilot, & a legacy of strength, adventure, & patriotism will be remembered forever."

According to John Nicoletti, Yeager's friend and ground crew chief, Chuck had several health challenges in recent years and had a fall that led to further complications. Nicoletti says he died at an L.A. hospital, though he lived in Northern Cal.

Yeager broke the sound barrier in October 1947 when he tested the X-1 jet ... though the public didn't know about it until the following year. His incredible feat came after he became a WWII hero as a fighter pilot stationed in England.

During the course of the war, he flew 64 missions and shot down 13 German planes ... and was shot down once himself over France in 1944, but evaded capture.

Yeager returned to America in 1945 and married his first wife, Glennis, for whom he named several of his planes ... including his famous sound-barrier-breaking X-1, Glamorous Glennis.

Yeager's spectacular achievement went down over Rogers Dry Lake in Southern California. The X-1 reached Mach 1.06 or 700 mph, making him the first man to travel faster than the speed of sound and earning him the title of "Fastest Man Alive."

Yeager would go on to continue breaking records and performing in airshows, and his legacy was captured in Tom Wolfe's book "The Right Stuff," which became the 1983 hit movie.

Chuck was also a valued adviser for the government and aerospace industry and received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from Ronald Reagan in 1985.

Twelve years later, at age 74, he commemorated the 50th anniversary of his historic X-1 flight by flying in an F-15 Eagle.

Yeager was 97.

Rick Ross says he's been exactly where millions of Americans are today -- avoiding doctor visits due to lack of healthcare -- which is why he's backing an affordable new option.

Da Boss and healthcare vet/entrepreneur Tommy Duncan joined us on "TMZ Live" to discuss their telehealth app, Jetdoc ... and reveal why the music mogul jumped into healthcare. Rick told us part of it is personal, and part of is addressing what's become an obvious need.

As you know, the COVID-19 pandemic forced clinics/hospitals to pivot and rethink how doctors can treat and diagnose patients during lockdowns. As a result, nearly 25 million people used a telehealth service between March and October, and the vast majority of them were satisfied with the service.

Enter Rick Ross and Tommy, who've both coped with serious health issues -- Rick's battled seizures, and Tommy suffered a stroke at just 30 years old. Still, the rapper says he knows all too well that people who don't have access to health insurance avoid getting medical care ... and he wants to change that.

The duo told us Jetdoc, available for download on Google Play and the App Store, is incredibly reasonable at just $20 for the first virtual urgent care visit or $10 a month for an unlimited membership.

Scary scene in Pittsburgh ... blood POURED out of Alex Smith's shin after he was stepped on by a teammate -- but, thankfully, it was NOT the QB's surgically repaired leg, and he was able to return to the game.

Smith dropped back for a pass late in the 2nd quarter of Washington's game against the Steelers on Monday ... when one of his lineman slashed his shin with a cleat.

The video of the injury was WILD ... blood was coming out of Smith's leg so fast, it soaked through his sock and gushed onto his foot.

Not wanting to miss any game action ... Smith just had team trainers tape up the wound -- AND THEN HE CAME BACK IN!!!

Alex was able to lead his team down the field for a field goal just before the half ... and he's now in the locker room getting treatment.

Of course, the whole scene was pretty terrifying at first ... because it looked like the injury might have occurred on the same leg Smith had previously broken back in 2018.

Fortunately, Smith avoided any kind of repeat scenario ... and he appears poised to try to lead WFT to a comeback win over the Steelers in the second half.

He's gone viral for a violent body slam KO finish ... but UFC fighter Jordan Leavitt felt horrible afterward and says the move should be outlawed from MMA.

The 25-year-old -- nicknamed The Monkey King -- was taking on 37-year-old Matt Wiman on Saturday when Leavitt picked up his opponent and slammed him into unconsciousness just 22 seconds into the 1st round.

Wiman's body went stiff -- and it was pretty scary to watch as medical personnel raced into the octagon to tend to him.

Leavitt tells TMZ Sports ... he's happy he won the match but hates the manner in which he got his W.

"I think slams are ugly and I think they’re dangerous," Leavitt tells us.

"I would have preferred to have won in any other way. I’m happy -- I mean it's a highlight and it's good for my career and notoriety -- but that's not the way I wanted it to be."

Leavitt says he tried to ensure Wiman landed on the side of his head instead of the back -- but it still looked pretty nasty.

The move is legal -- but Leavitt says he would be in full support of banning slams from the sport.

"I also 100% agree that I feel like the sport would be a much safer, artful thing if slams like that weren’t allowed."

"But, when you’re out there, when you’re in that cage you have to decide, 'Am going to pay rent tonight? Or am I going to have to downgrade to my house, and have to put my family in an unstable position?'"

"I feel like any person what do what I did in that situation. And, I did what I have to do."

Leavitt says he spoke with Wiman's wife after the match -- and apologized for the way the fight ended ... but there were no hard feelings on her end.

"She just said it's the fight game, it happens."