Health

Tom Brokaw got a very rude awakening on the first day of the 2020s ... but it ultimately saved his life.

The former "NBC Nightly News" anchor and his wife awoke to a blaze in their Upper East Side building Wednesday morning, which was reportedly 2 floors above their 12th-floor apartment.

Brokaw tells The Post he and his wife were "very, very fortunate" to escape the fire, and he heaps praise on the FDNY for putting it out and getting everyone to safety.

He says their dogs woke them up a bit after midnight and when they went to the hallway, firefighters were on their way to fight the blaze ... which was really scary.

Overall, 100 firefighters were called to the scene and were able to get it under control by 2:30 AM. The fire resulted in one minor injury, and a civilian and 5 firefighters were taken to a hospital for non-life threatening injuries ... according to FDNY.

Ricki Lake's goal in 2020 and beyond is to be free and real -- starting with her hair, which has been a major source of pain in her life ... but she vows no more.

The "Hairspray" star and former talk show host just revealed her new buzz-cut hairdo, and the story that goes with it is both heart-wrenching and inspiring.

Ricki starts with the good news -- her haircut isn't a sign that she's sick or suffering through a mid-life crisis or a mental breakdown, but she has been suffering ... through decades of hair loss.

Lake says the struggle has been "debilitating, embarrassing, painful, scary, depressing, lonely" and adds ... "There have been a few times where I have even felt suicidal over it. Almost no one in my life knew the level of deep pain and trauma I was experiencing."

She says her hair loss began with her role in the 1988 film due to all the treatments and teasing of her locks, but over the years it was due to many other factors -- dieting, dyes, genetics, stress, hormonal birth control, pregnancies and so on.

Ricki says she's tried everything to restore her hair but it hasn't worked, so instead of going through the emotional pain over and over again ... she decided to set herself free.

She says, "I buzzed my hair off and it feels so good!"

The American star of the Australian reality show, "Bride and Prejudice," is dead.

26-year-old Micah Downey died suddenly Saturday -- it appears he died in the U.S. The cause of death has not been revealed.

Micah was engaged to Milly Johnson. The premise of the show is following couples planning on tying the knot when their families disapprove.

As for Micah and Milly, she's pregnant with their second child but said back in November they had broken up. There were reports -- unconfirmed -- that the relationship fell apart because of his alleged drug addiction.

Milly posted, "It is so sad & unbelievably surreal that i am making this post ... I am struggling to put into words how sad & heartbreaking this is. I just hope he is at peace wherever he is & that he will always be watching over his babies."

She ended by writing, "A bad, bad dream ... I can't believe you're not here. Rest in Peace, Micah."

You're looking at Terrelle Pryor -- BALLING OUT OF HIS MIND -- just 4 weeks after he was stabbed in the chest and nearly bled to death!!!

LOOK AT THIS!!! Dude recovers faster than Wolverine!!!!

The 30-year-old NFL wideout -- who says he flatlined TWICE after the Nov. 30 incident -- hit up Jeanette High School in Pennsylvania on Tuesday for some pick-up hoops ... and good god.

He was dribbling, shooting, jumping, moving ... it's unreal.

As we previously reported, Pryor lost 3.5 liters of blood and was within "minutes" of dying after he was stabbed in his Pittsburgh-area apartment during a scuffle with his girlfriend, Shalaya Briston.

Pryor's attorney says the knife plunged "very deep" into Terrelle's body above his left pec and JUST missed a major artery ... but still hit a big vain.

It took 30 staples to close the wound -- but T.P. clearly feels fine now.

What's interesting ... before the stabbing, Pryor was still very actively trying to get on an NFL roster (he was cut by the Jaguars in August).

Jeffrey Davies -- who played Kelly Leak in the 2005 comedy "Bad News Bears" -- is fighting like hell to regain function after a terrifying accident left him nearly paralyzed.

According to law enforcement, Davies was riding a motorcycle close to midnight back in May, when he lost control at the center of an intersection and was thrown from the bike.

Jeffrey's Mom, Kim, says her son was rushed to Orlando Medical Center after suffering a serious head injury that required surgery. During surgery, we're told, doctors had to partially remove Jeffrey's skull to relieve pressure in his brain.

It's been over 7 months since the accident but Jeffrey's still in major recovery mode. He's had to learn how to talk and walk. Jeffrey -- the local troublemaker/superstar baseball player in the film starring Billy Bob Thorton -- requires speech and occupational therapy plus tons of medical supplies. Reliable transportation's also an issue since he's confined to a wheelchair.

DMX looked right at home -- taking the stage and putting on a hell of a show -- just months after announcing he was checking himself into rehab and investing in his own future.

DMX hit Hakkasan Las Vegas Nightclub Sunday night where he performed a string of his biggest hits for fans. We're told he arrived around 2 AM with a small crew -- including his new fiancee -- and seemed fresh and energetic to mix with the crowd.

Our club sources say DMX sipped on water and smoked cigarettes before he hit the stage ... and was happy to take photos with fans.

X played all the hits, including "Ruff Ryders' Anthem," "Where The Hood At?" and "X Gon' Give It To Ya."

Harvey Weinstein's embroiled in multiple court cases that could land him in prison, so maybe it's not surprising he's focusing on the simple things in life ... like a bowl or 2 of ice cream.

The former movie mogul was at the Molly Pitcher Inn in Red Bank, New Jersey Saturday looking low-key in a grey hoodie. He sat alone, eating not one but 2 ice cream sundaes as he perused some paperwork.

An eyewitness tells us Weinstein used a walker as he got to his feet and left. A source close to Weinstein tells us he was at the hotel for a vacation and to get some rest and relaxation.

TMZ broke the story ... Weinstein got back surgery earlier this month, a procedure called a bilateral laminectomy. We're told the whole thing lasted around 3 hours. The surgery -- better known as decompression surgery -- enlarges the spinal canal to relieve pressure on the spinal cord or nerves.

As we reported ... Harvey could barely walk on his own when he got to court just days before his surgery ... we're told the hope is he'll be fully recovered in a few more weeks.

French Montana has lots to celebrate ... he's lucky to be alive after his big hospital scare, so what better way to show gratitude than to buy yourself a $1.5 million whip!!!

French got a brand new blue Bugatti delivered to his pad in Vegas Sunday night. We're told it was transported by Wires Only Luxury Car Dealer in L.A. ... using a special truck to protect it from scratches or other damage.

Our sources say French wanted the Bugatti in time for New Year's Eve to celebrate the year ahead and, presumably, the fact that he ended the year on 2 feet.

TMZ broke the story ... French was hospitalized in November after experiencing intense stomach pain and an elevated heart rate. He spent nearly 2 weeks in the hospital -- mostly in the ICU -- before being released.

While our French sources say doctors could never nail down a cause, French says he believes the medical emergency was caused by partying way too hard -- 4 countries in 4 days.

Twin brothers who starred in TLC's "My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding" are dead after an apparent joint suicide.

The 32-year-old siblings, Bill and Joe Smith, were found hanging in a tree in Sevenoaks, England ... this according to law enforcement.

"Celebrity Big Brother" winner Paddy Doherty confirmed the news on Facebook, calling it a "terrible, terrible tragedy," adding, "I'm very sorry for their troubles from the bottom of my heart. May God look after them, may God have mercy on them, they are two angels, harmless, they were unbelievable."

Bill and Joe starred in the 3rd season of the hit show. When they started they were 24 years old and working as gardeners.

"My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding" followed the lives of and traditions of Irish traveler families for 3 seasons from 2011 to 2015.

Authorities continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the deaths, but cops seem confident they were suicides.

Just 'cause pro gamers compete from comfy chairs doesn't mean they can't get hurt ... so says the FaZe Clan co-owner, Apex, who tells TMZ Sports video game injuries are a real thing!!

"I've heard of career-ending hand surgeries, for sure," Apex told us out in Hollywood on Monday.

"People get carpal tunnel. I don't get that into it, thankfully. But, some people legit stretch their hands, they do a whole thing of warm-ups to make sure they don't."

Apex even says one of his gamers had to sit out several months due to injury and couldn't play!!

And, just like other pro sports leagues, Apex says teams are hiring psychologists to help with the pressure of competing ... and FaZe Clan may follow suit.

Zac Efron has broken his silence about a rumored illness that apparently almost had him on his death bed -- and he says it's true, but that he's all better now.

The actor posted the message Sunday, writing ... "Very thankful to everyone who has reached out. I did get sick in Papua New Guinea but I bounced back quick and finished an amazing 3 weeks in P.N.G." He continued, "I’m home for the holidays with my friends and family. Thanks for all the love and concern, see you in 2020!"

The update comes amid reports he'd recently come down with typhoid or another bacteria-related sickness while filming his new Quibi show overseas, which required him to be airlifted to an airport in Australia, and then transported to a hospital from there.

According to local outlets, he was released and cleared to travel back to the U.S. on Christmas Eve. On Saturday, he surfaced in L.A. looking relatively healthy with a shopping bag in hand. It's crazy ... typhoid can be fatal if not treated correctly. Definitely scary.

Ron Perlman was the driver of the out-of-control truck plowing through an indie movie set, injuring crew members and nearly setting the entire area ablaze ... and TMZ has the video.

Multiple sources tell TMZ ... the "Hellboy" star is behind the wheel in the footage, which shows a truck barreling into the camera department and video village tent on the set of "The Last Victim" last month at the Okanagan Indian Band in British Columbia.

Our sources say Ron, who stars as the local sheriff in the neo-western, ran over several propane heaters in the tent, where the script supervisor, director and producer were hanging out, wedging the heaters under the truck. We're told the heaters were lit, and it sounds like a miracle the propane didn't ignite!!!

We first reported on the scary car crash earlier this month, which left one person with a minor foot injury, but at the time it wasn't clear who was driving ... and now we know it was Ron.

Jennifer Lopez is taking no days off for the holidays ... looking absolutely stunning before hitting the gym on Christmas Eve.

Check out these pics of J Lo strolling into her Tuesday workout in Miami ... she's got her rocking bod on full display in skintight spandex, and she's feeling the Xmas spirit with her red gym attire.

J Lo's got the kind of booty Santa would love to see on his lap ... yes, Alex Rodriguez is one lucky man.

Here's Magic Johnson saying what ALL basketball fans are thinking ... WE WANT ZION!!

Of course, Zion Williamson has missed his entire NBA rookie season thanks to a meniscus tear in his right knee. The New Orleans Pelicans star underwent surgery about 9 weeks ago, but he's far from game-ready.

Magic's good pal Stephen A. Smith recently suggested Zion sit out the rest of the season and focus on his recovery ... so when we saw Johnson leaving Avra in Bev Hills, we asked his thoughts on the situation.

"We don't know the extent of his injury," Magic said ... "Whatever is good for him. I'm sure [Zion's team] will make a good decision."

"We wanna see him on the court but if it's better for him to sit out, then maybe he do that. If he wants to come back, then come back!"

The bottom line for Magic ... "The league misses him. We love seeing his talent because we think he's really gonna be a star in our league."

"Bachelor in Paradise" star Dean Michael Unglert got his Christmas miracle ... he wasn't more seriously injured during a Swiss Alps ski accident.

Talk about a glass half full ... Dean suffered a dislocated hip and fractured femur and he had 4 screws and a plate implanted in his leg.

Dean said afterward, "All my life I’ve dreamt about skiing the Swiss Alps. how could you not? they’re huge and beautiful and have some of the best snow in the world. today, however, was not my day. i was sending just a liiiiitle too hard and took a nasty spill which ultimately put me here. and since this is probably going to be the only pic i get in switzerland."

He says he was laying on the mountain injured for an hour before he was able to flag someone down for help. But, once rescuers spotted him, he was airborne and in surgery in less than an hour.

You can take David Arquette out of the wrestling ring ... but you can't take the wrestler outta David Arquette ... 'cause he tells TMZ Sports he's BACK for another brawl!!!

It's no secret the actor loves to get his ass beat ... remember when he got in a nasty, bloody beatdown back in 2018?? He went on to continue to get his ass beat repeatedly in 2019.

But, DA ain't afraid to get back to business ... telling us he's got an epic "bar wrestling" fight going down on New Year's Eve to end his year on a high note!!

"I'm ready for some 2020," Arquette says. "I'm sick of this 2019. 2019 was bad. I almost died twice in 2019."

Like we said ... dude REALLY gets his ass kicked.

But, this time around he says he's facing off against Joey Ryan and Colt Cabana ... and his tag team partner is RJ City. So ... maybe this time he'll deliver the beating??