Celebrity Health

THIS IS AWESOME, BABY!!!

Dick Vitale just announced he's returning to the broadcast booth next week after doctors gave him the green light to call college basketball games again between his chemotherapy treatments.

Vitale is slated to provide color commentary for the huge UCLA vs. Gonzaga game on Nov. 23 in Las Vegas ... and in an emotional video that he posted on Friday, he said he's PUMPED for the night.

"I'm on cloud nine right now," the 82-year-old said ... "I can't wait. Tuesday night, I will do my first game, and what a game to do! No. 1 Gonzaga versus No. 2 UCLA."

"There's nothing that will be better medicine than sitting at courtside, meeting all my buddies down there, having a blast."

As we previously reported, the legendary broadcaster was diagnosed with lymphoma in October -- just months after surviving a battle with melanoma.

Dickie V said part of his treatments to beat the disease would be six months of chemo -- and he had hoped he could call games during the treatments.

Now that Vitale -- who just had a chemo treatment earlier this week -- is able to do that, he said it's provided him a big boost.

"It's going to be special, special for me," Vitale said. "The best medicine that I could receive."

Vitale -- who's been calling games since the 1970s -- also thanked his family, friends, coworkers and fans for sending prayers and giving him strength.

Witnessing Young Dolph's murder at close range is having a powerful and painful impact on employees at the Memphis cookie shop ... but their bosses are doing what they can to support them.

As you know, the rapper was gunned down at Makeda's Cookies, and store owners Maurice and Pamela Hill tell us the 3 staffers working during Wednesday's shooting are traumatized, distraught and in disbelief.

Maurice and Pamela say the impacted employees will be allowed to take time off until they feel good enough to return, and in the meantime, they will remain on the payroll.

We're told none of the folks working in the store were hurt in the shooting -- strong evidence Dolph was targeted by the gunman -- and the Hills are grieving and praying for his family.

Maurice says Dolph -- a frequent customer and advocate for Makeda's -- had come inside to buy cookies and was on his phone when the 2 gunmen pulled up and started shooting.

As we reported ... cops have released surveillance footage of the gunmen and the getaway car -- a light-colored Mercedes-Benz -- but no arrests have been made.

There's a makeshift memorial outside the store, which is now boarded up ... and Pamela says they're not sure when they will reopen. They're taking time to let the community grieve.

It might be a while before things get back to business as usual. As we reported, there was another shooting Thursday -- not far from the store -- which sent mourners scurrying from the makeshift memorial to Dolph.

Joe Exotic is going across several state lines as he continues to battle an "aggressive cancer," and while he's still in federal custody ... his new home will help cope with his condition.

Federal prison officials tell us Joe was transferred from FMC Fort Worth, TX to FMC Butner in North Carolina Tuesday. According to its website, Butner provides "extensive medical services" with a full hospital and cancer treatment facilities.

As we reported, Joe recently had a biopsy performed on his prostate which revealed an "aggressive cancer." It was late summer when Joe said he was "ready to die" after believing the cancer had spread to his pelvis and to his stomach.

The transfer just happens to come the same week "Tiger King 2" dropped on Netflix. Joe appears in the new season from behind bars, desperate to get out.

It's currently unclear what type of cancer treatments he'll undergo. Bernie Madoff, who suffered from kidney disease, was an inmate at FMC Butner before his death in April 2021.

Antonio Brown is calling BS on his former chef ... saying he did NOT submit a fake COVID vaccine card to the NFL.

The chef, Steven Ruiz, told the Tampa Bay Times Brown sought and then obtained the fraudulent paper back in July ... but a rep for Brown says it's just flat-out not true.

In a statement to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, Brown's attorney, Sean Burstyn, said the Tampa Bay Buccaneers receiver is, in fact, vaccinated -- and does, in fact, have valid paperwork.

"Be like Antonio brown and get the vaccine," Rapoport says Burstyn told him.

Ruiz had told the Times that he had a text message exchange from Brown's girlfriend, Cydney Moreau, that helped prove the case against Brown.

In the messages, which Ruiz says were sent on July 2 -- less than a month before the Bucs opened training camp this summer -- Ruiz says Moreau told him Brown was searching for bogus cards.

"Can you get the covid cards," Ruiz claims Moreau said.

"I can try," Ruiz responded.

"JNJ shot," Ruiz said Moreau added. "Ab said he will give you $500."

Ruiz claims Brown was looking for a Johnson & Johnson version because it's just one shot -- and therefore would be less paperwork and much easier to sneak past NFL officials.

Ruiz says he was unable to get AB the card ... but he claims Brown was able to land fake ones for himself and Moreau a few weeks later nonetheless.

Ruiz says Brown actually showed him the fake papers ... and said Brown's trainer, Alex Guerrero, was the one who ultimately submitted AB's paperwork to the team (though Ruiz says he believes Guerrero did not know it was a fake).

It should be noted Ruiz has issues with Brown, with the chef claiming the two had a falling out over $10,000 that Ruiz says Brown never paid him.

Reps for the Bucs have yet to comment on the situation.

Brown, meanwhile, did miss Tampa's Week 3 game earlier this season due to COVID ... but recovered and played in the following three games before an ankle injury on Oct. 14 put him on the shelf.

Conor McGregor claims it wasn't Dustin Poirier who gruesomely broke his leg during their trilogy fight ... 'cause the limb was "severely damaged" heading into the scrap.

The 33-year-old former UFC double champ made the declaration in a series of tweets on Wednesday ... saying he knew the leg may give out, but he decided to continue with the fight despite the serious injury.

"In my last camp I’d a severely damaged left leg. Many of my sessions consisted of starting in open guard bottom. And staying there. Full rounds remaining on bottom. I was beating people up until they backed away from me. It then translated to the fight. True story," McGregor fired on Twitter.

In fact, Conor says he didn't have a big reaction to the painful break -- unlike Chris Weidman and Anderson Silva -- because he was well aware the leg may snap during the UFC 264 fight on July 10.

"Same leg, same spot. I attribute it to why I wasn’t in as much shock as Chris/Anderson where. I knew something may happen in advance. Chris was upset with my quote. Felt I was aiming at him. I was not. If any constellation to my reaction, It was because id a heads up it may snap."

McGregor is very much down the road to recovery ... and it's evident he's beginning to plot his return to the Octagon.

But, who will he fight?? Poirier for a 4th time? Max Holloway rematch (McGregor beat him in 2013)? Nate Diaz trilogy?

Whoever it is ... The Notorious says he'll be back and better than ever!

Rockmond Dunbar is OUT as an original cast member on "9-1-1" ... and it's all because of the TV show's COVID-19 vaccine mandate.

Rockmond, who plays Michael Grant on the FOX drama, saw his character suddenly written off in this week's episode.

Produced by Disney TV Studios 20th Television, the show reportedly requires all actors to be inoculated against the coronavirus ... and Rockmond was denied vaccine exemptions.

Rockmond explained his departure in a statement to Deadline, saying ... "I applied for religious and medical accommodations pursuant to the law and unfortunately was denied by my employer."

He adds ... "My sincerely held beliefs and private medical history are very intimate and personal aspects of my life that I do not publicly discuss and have no desire to start now."

Rockmond also told the outlet while he enjoyed his 5 seasons on "9-1-1" his acting gig comes second to his role as a husband and father to his 4 kids, and he's looking forward to what's next for him and wishing everyone on the show the best.

Amazing news from Asia Durr -- the New York Liberty guard just announced that she got the green light to return to the court ... after missing two WNBA seasons due to COVID-related symptoms.

"I have been cleared to play basketball! Yeaaah! Let's go!!!" Durr said on her IG live on Monday.

Remember, Durr -- the #2 overall pick in the 2019 draft -- was diagnosed with COVID in June 2020 ... and was sidelined for the entire 2020 season.

And, she had serious health issues ... saying on HBO's "Real Sports" earlier this year she lost 32 pounds and major lung problems due to the virus.

The symptoms didn't go away and the 24-year-old also missed the entire 2021 season ... but after an extensive amount of testing, AD is officially good to go for 2022.

"I will be training every single day to play next year. I'm officially cleared to work out," Durr said.

"Man I remember when I was so sick, bro. I remember praying and asking God for this day like 'God, if I can just see one more if I can play again'. Literally."

Her prayers were answered ... and AD gives big credit to her family and fiancée, Ashley, for helping her get through it all -- getting tears in her eyes as she thanked them.

"God has really blessed me with a strong support system. I feel like if I didn't have them, I don't know where I would have been. I'm getting choked up talking about it, for real."

Several WNBA stars like Sabrina Ionescu congratulated Durr on her recovery -- as well as NBA star Donovan Mitchell, saying "YESSSSIRRRRRRR"

Durr was drafted by the NY Liberty in 2019 after four seasons with the Louisville Cardinals, where she was a 2-time ACC Player of the Year.

In the 2019 season, she averaged 9.7 points per game with a 46% shooting percentage.

Miles Teller feels a little bullied by Taylor Swift fans who called him out for shooting a music video with TS and allegedly risking her well-being by being unvaxxed ... but Miles is calling BS.

Miles had a starring role in Taylor's video, "I Bet You Think About Me," with Blake Lively behind the cam in her directorial debut. Swift's fans were apoplectic ... one saying, "Why are so many people happy that Miles Teller is in the music video when he is a selfish jerk that isn't vaccinated?" Another groused, "Why would Taylor use Miles Teller? Isn't that dude a big anti-vaxxer who caused a movie set to be shut down because he refused to get vaccinated and then got f***ing COVID?"

Miles decided to shut them all up, saying, "Hey guys, I don’t usually feel the need to address rumors on here but I am vaccinated and have been for a while. The only thing I’m anti is hate."

Rumors had surfaced back in September, when Teller was shooting "The Offer," a series about the making of "The Godfather." Production was shut down after someone tested positive for COVID, and several media outlets claimed it was Miles, citing a source on the set. Teller's publicist said the reports were bogus, but never addressed who caught the virus.

Tiger Woods has ditched the crutches and the walking aids ... but the golf superstar still has a noticeable limp in his gait -- new video shows.

Woods was spotted arriving at a hotel in Los Angeles on Sunday night ... and you can see in footage, his surgically repaired leg is still clearly far from 100 percent.

Woods walked gingerly as he headed out of his car and upstairs into the L.A. venue ... all while his leg was still encased in a compression sleeve.

As we previously reported, Woods seriously injured his right leg in a car crash in the Los Angeles area back on Feb. 23 -- and needed a rod, screws and pins to repair the damage.

Woods has made slow and steady progress since the surgery -- using crutches for months, before eventually putting his full body weight on the leg recently.

Tiger has been seen walking around golf courses following his son, Charlie ... though it's unclear if Woods has even remotely attempted a swing since the accident.

Former MLB shortstop Julio Lugo -- who played in the Big Leagues for 12 years -- reportedly died on Monday.

He was just 45 years old.

ESPN's Enrique Rosas said Lugo's family confirmed the death, explaining they believe the ex-baseball player suffered a heart attack.

No further details surrounding the death have been given.

Lugo -- who was set to celebrate his 46th birthday on Tuesday -- was drafted by the Houston Astros in 1994 and eventually played in the MLB from 2000-2011.

The infielder played for seven teams -- the Astros, Rays, Dodgers, Red Sox, Cardinals, Orioles and Braves -- but he was most known for his time in Boston.

After signing a four-year, $36 million contract with the Sox in 2006 -- he went on to help the team win the 2007 World Series.

Lugo logged 1,279 hits in his career ... and finished with 198 steals and a batting average of .269.

The death is the second tragic one in the MLB in less than two weeks ... former Mets reliever Pedro Feliciano also passed away at age 45 just 8 days ago.

The "Rust" film worker who suffered horrific injuries from a spider bite on the job won't need to have his arm amputated ... and it sounds like he's going to get some workers' comp.

The film worker, Jason Miller, tells TMZ ... his left arm will be saved despite the grizzly photos of his severe reaction to a bite from a venomous brown recluse spider, which bit him while he was breaking down the movie set.

Jason, who is diabetic, says he underwent invasive surgery where doctors removed a bunch of muscle and skin from his left arm, but he's responding well to treatment and surgeries, so amputation is being ruled out after initial concerns he might lose his arm.

He says "Rust" should be held accountable for the poisonous spider bite in the wake of the fatal shooting of Halyna Hutchins ... and the wheels are in motion for him to get workers' compensation.

Jason claims he was getting dodged by folks at "Rust" after reaching out 6 times about workers' comp, but now his attorneys say they are working with the movie's insurance company to get him paid for his troubles.

While Jason says he greatly appreciates the wave of public support, with over $13K donated to his GoFundMe, he insists what happened to him was a freak accident ... and he wants the focus on Halyna Hutchins because he thinks her shooting death could have been avoided.

The 9-year-old boy who was trampled at Astroworld Fest and left fighting for his life has sadly died from his injuries -- making him the 10th death from the festival.

Ezra Blount passed away Sunday at Texas Children's Hospital, after being on life support since Friday, November 5, when he was among the hundreds who were injured during Travis Scott's headlining show.

The family's attorney, Ben Crump, tells TMZ, "The Blount family tonight is grieving the incomprehensible loss of their precious young son. This should not have been the outcome of taking their son to a concert, what should have been a joyful celebration. Ezra's death is absolutely heartbreaking. We are committed to seeking answers and justice for the Blount family. But tonight we stand in solidarity with the family, in grief, and in prayer."

The kid was in attendance with his father, who's reported to have lifted his son up onto his shoulders once the crowd surge became unbearable. Unfortunately, Ezra's father passed out during the ordeal ... leaving young Ezra to fall to the ground during the chaos ... and be subjected to being crushed on by the panicked crowd around them.

He sustained serious bodily harm -- ones that left him with severe swelling of the brain and internal bleeding ... and since then, his family has been hoping he'd be able to recover.

Ezra's grandfather gave a heartbreaking interview to ABC13 in Houston ... recounting his son and grandson's harrowing experience at the festival. He didn't seem to lay much blame at Travis' feet, per se -- but rather, said police and security should've stepped in.

Like we said ... Ezra had been hospitalized since the horrific event, and was eventually placed in a medically induced coma -- with the hope that he would be able to heal enough to gain consciousness again ... but that never happened.

As we reported ... civil rights attorney Ben Crump was hired by the family and already filed a lawsuit alleging negligence on the parts of multiple parties -- including Travis himself, Live Nation and others involved in organizing the festival.

Crump said, "This young child and his family will face life-altering trauma from this day forward, a reality that nobody expects when they buy concert tickets."

Even if Naomi Osaka's return to tennis means more competition for Serena Williams ... the G.O.A.T. tells TMZ Sports she's still stoked for the 24-year-old's comeback!!!

"Oh my goodness," the tennis legend said out in Beverly Hills. "It's gonna be amazing. I can't wait."

Osaka has been away from the game for months -- dealing with mental health issues -- but she just recently returned to the practice court and was all smiles while out there.

Osaka made it appear like a return to competition was close ... 'cause she showed a zoomed-in shot of a tennis ball that featured the Australian Open's logo on it (which would mean she'd be back by January).

Even if that means Serena will have to beat Naomi for a title (Osaka has beaten Serena 3 out of the 5 times they've played) ... it ain't hard to see she's glad the competition is back -- and healthy.

We also asked Serena about the upcoming movie, "King Richard," a biopic about the Williams sisters' father, Richard Williams -- and she promised it would be a great flick.

"It's a story of inspiration," she said. "It's totally inspiring. I love it."

SZA wasn't about to relive Astroworld Fest all over again -- which is why she brought her latest concert to a dead halt ... just to make sure a fan who'd passed out was okay.

The singer was performing in Salt Lake City Thursday at the Union Event Center -- when at some point during the show ... she pumped the brakes on everything after noticing someone had apparently fainted out in the audience, and may have needed help.

This video was captured by a TikTok user and posted the next day ... and it shows SZA addressing what happened just last weekend in Houston, where she performed earlier in the day ... before mass casualties started to go down during Travis Scott's headlining set.

SZA says people passing out in crowds is quite common -- but what is abnormal is people dying ... and she says that's gotta change going forward, starting right then and there.

She actually forces stagehands to bring out water to the person in distress, and anyone else who may need to rehydrate. In a second video ... SZA starts to get flustered when nobody working in the venue promptly attends to the person who'd fallen unconscious -- and the crowd is fully behind her in her indignation.

It's pretty astonishing to see ... and as SZA alludes to herself, it may start to become the norm at live shows going forward, regardless of the crowd size. She seems to be saying that the artist should take responsibility if they see something ... and ditto for concert-goers.

As we reported ... a total of 9 people have died since the concert last Friday -- with one more on life support right now ... 9-year-old Ezra Blount, who was trampled in the chaos.

Sounds like SZA is putting her foot down on fans walking the line of life and death on her watch ... and won't let people fall victim to that, not as long as she can help it.

Mr. T seems to be going from the A-Team to the B-Team in this pandemic -- and "B" is for booster shot ... something the man says he's now happily been injected with.

The actor announced Saturday that he'd been inoculated anew with a new round of the vaccine -- taking to Twitter to write ... "I am Blessed and I am Thankful. I just got my Booster Vaccination shot. My arm is a little sore but no pain. I Pity Pain! Thanks again to all the Doctors and Nurses…"

He adds, "Even though I am fully vaccinated, I will still wear my mask and keep my distance, thank you. #SaturdayThoughts."

Now, there are two very different reactions to Mr. T coming out as pro-vaxx -- a good handful of folks are praising him, of course, and calling him a true inspiration and hero ... like he portrayed on screen for so many years (minus that one time from "Rocky III").

Even guys like Dan Rather are singing T's praises for putting out a good message.

Then again ... there are others responding far differently -- suggesting Mr. T is acting as a proxy for the U.S. government to push the vaccine, aka propaganda ... a term we've been seeing a lot lately from folks on the right, including politicians like Ted Cruz.

You'll remember ... Senator Cruz slammed Big Bird, of all people puppets, after the Sesame Street denizen announced he, too, had been vaccinated -- which ticked off Cruz to no end.

Queen Elizabeth continues to struggle with medical woes ... this time it's a sprained back that has sidelined her from a big event.

The Queen was MIA from the Remembrance Sunday service ... which honors Britain's war dead.

The Palace said it was "with great regret" the Queen couldn't show for the service. It would have been her first public appearance since her mysterious hospitalization a few weeks back.

As for Remembrance Sunday ... it's especially meaningful to Q.E. because she served in WWII as an army driver.

It's unclear if the Queen has fully recovered from whatever landed her in the hospital. She had canceled her appearance at the U.N. Climate Summit ... instead appearing via video.