Influencers

TikToker VonViddy has taken his own life ... and his final video to fans is haunting, all about the ups and downs of his life -- talking about how he hopes to be remembered.

Von, whose real name is Joe Muchlinski, died Monday after "losing his long battle to mental illness" ... according to his sister, Martha.

In his final video, posted Sunday, Joe talks about the type of guy he wants to be remembered as, citing his music and comedy as a couple of strong points in his life. He also highlights some of his struggles -- saying he doesn't want folks to remember him "as an addict and an alcoholic who put his family through hell."

He ends his final TikTok by saying how thankful he is for the opportunities he's had over the years ... noting he has an abundance of peace and love for his fans.

Folks in both Joe and Martha's comment sections are sharing their grief for the loss of Joe after Martha's sad news -- one wrote, "Von Viddy we love you. Thank you for all of the laughs. Truly heartbreaking 💔."

Joe garnered over 170k followers and 8.7 million likes on TikTok, sharing his original music and comedy bits since 2020.

He was 32.

RIP.

YouTuber Fousey had a frightening interaction with cops while live streaming ... cussing out officers and being taken in for a mental health evaluation.

Fousey was streaming on Kick Tuesday night at the InterContinental Miami hotel -- you can hear him screaming at a police dispatcher on the phone as someone from his team tries to get him to calm down.

Fousey tells the dispatcher someone's been harassing him, or possibly even threatening to kill him ... and in an attempt to get cops to hurry to his hotel room, he tells them he has a gun pointed at his head and is begging officers to speed over there.

Cops eventually arrive and end up cuffing Fousey after all the ruckus -- and as he calls them "dumb as f***."

Miami PD tells TMZ ... cops did not arrest Fousey, but determined he needed to be brought to the hospital for a mental health evaluation. Sources close to the situation tell us he's been the victim of constant harassment, threats, and swatting -- and it's taken its toll.

The claim of constant harassment seems to be supported, as at least one other streamer was live around the same time and calling the cops on Fousey -- telling dispatch he's armed.

For those unaware, Fousey's fans have been concerned about his mental health lately ... after freaking out when he said the n-word on a live stream marathon earlier this month while rapping along to J. Cole's "Love Yourz."

He claimed it was an accident, and sat down with us on the "TMZ Verified" Podcast, telling us all the reasons why he deeply regretted saying the racial slur.

He also told his followers earlier this month he was going to go to the doctor after his close friends and family wanted him to get a mental health evaluation.

IShowSpeed made his return to YouTube on Friday ... and the popular streamer got real about his infamous wardrobe malfunction -- begging his viewers to stop trolling him over the incident.

Speed was emotional as he got back in front of the camera -- initially going berserk on those incessantly calling him "IShowMeat" ... before calming down and speaking from the heart.

"This is truly an embarrassing f***ing moment for me," said Speed -- who has more than 19 million followers on the platform. "Lately these past days and hours, I've been suffering very mentally, bro. Genuinely, bro."

"At the end of the day, I'm still a human being, bro, and one of my worst fears that I never even wanted to happen."

"This depressing, bro," he added. "You guys don't know the feeling, bro, what I'm feeling right now."

Speed says his viewers can keep mocking him all they want ... but they're missing the bigger picture, as he has younger siblings who found out about the incident.

"Sometimes I ask why this s*** happen."

Despite Speed's pleas, his chat was flooded with steak emojis and other comments throughout his stream ... and at one point, he left the camera to compose himself.

As he tried to go about his gaming, Speed was bombarded with even more trolls as he got on Roblox ... and while some people had encouraging words, he explained there's no one who has been through the same thing.

TMZ Sports broke the story -- Speed was NOT banned from YouTube following the incident ... as the platform told us he would be able to return to streaming despite it all.

As for how his penis got exposed to begin with, Speed explained he didn't have any clean underwear ... so there's that.

Lil Tay is in line for a comeback on the heels of her death hoax ... because there have been significant developments in her mother's custody battle with Tay's dad.

Angela Tian's attorneys Lorne MacLean, K.C., and Fraser MacLean, tell TMZ ... the viral star's father, Christopher Hope, has been ordered to cough up approximately $275,000 in back child support, dating all the way back to 2014.

We're told he'll also have to continue to pay monthly child support going forward -- Tay's only 14.

What's more, the lawyers say Angela has sole decision-making power, Tay's primary residence is now with her mother and she has court authorization to relocate with Tay outside of Vancouver, if she chooses.

Remember, it was Christopher who got a court order in 2018, requiring Tay to leave L.A., return to Vancouver and stop making online content. Now, Angela's lawyers are saying that's changed ... they say the court's orders will help Tay advance her career.

Angela tells us this is a HUGE win for Tay and her, saying the extended custody battle has put them "in a constant state of severe depression." She says Christopher's "disgusting financial motivation" has been a massive weight she's glad is finally lifted.

She continues, "I have been financially ruined fighting for my daughter’s rights and freedom which should have never been taken away to begin with. We have won our case in court and my children and I can finally move on from this nightmare. My daughter can pursue and achieve her dreams on her own terms, and we are finally a happy family again, together."

As we reported, Angela and Christopher had widely different ideas for Tay's career back when she reached the peak of her viral fame, when she was just 8.

Christopher said he wanted a more traditional career path -- stuff like singing and acting. But, with her mom at the helm, Lil Tay might be back online in no time.

TMZ broke the story, news of Tay's death -- posted on her IG last week -- wasn't true at all ... and we were told her account was taken over by someone else. A spokesperson for Meta confirmed it had indeed helped Tay regain control of her account.

We've reached out to Christopher for comment about the custody changes, but he said he had no comment.

We covered Lil Tay's custody drama on the latest episode of the TMZ Verified podcast, available on all podcast platforms.

Heidi Klum's daughter definitely got it from her mama ... looking absolutely stunning in a skimpy swimsuit as she vacations on her father's luxury yacht.

Leni Klum slipped into a tiny blue and orange bikini Wednesday for a boat day in the South of France with her biological dad, ex-Formula One team manager Flavio Briatore.

As you can see, the 19-year-old model has curves for days, proving those Klum genes are strong!!!

When Leni wasn't working on her tan or generally looking hot as hell, she was jumping off the boat into the beautiful blue Mediterranean water ... and it seems everyone on board was having a blast.

Leni being on Flavio's boat is notable too, and not just because of her swimwear.

Heidi's eldest did not have her biological dad in her life for much of her upbringing, though they reconnected a few years back and from the looks of this outing ... they're getting along well.

Mom being one of the most famous and successful models ever means Leni's got some big ... shoes to fill.

Popular gamer and internet personality IShowSpeed showed a lot more than speed during his recent YouTube live stream ... accidentally exposing his junk in front of thousands of viewers.

The super-famous streamer -- who has 19.4 million subscribers on the platform alone -- was playing "Five Nights at Freddy's," when he decided to stand up and thrust in front of the camera as the character "Chica" appeared on screen.

"Oh, Chica, I miss you," Speed -- real name Darren Watkins Jr. -- seemingly said during the stream. "I'm about to f*** you, Chica. Oh s***, this d*** up in you, baby."

But during his excitement, Speed's penis slipped through his shorts ... and he was immediately horrified.

"Oh my God, oh my God," Speed said before appearing to cut the stream short.

It could be bad news for Speed -- YouTube has strict guidelines regarding nudity ... and he could face banishment from the platform depending on how the company interprets the mishap.

As of this post, his account is still live ... but his stream was removed from his page.

The timing is pretty crazy -- Speed just made his big return to streaming after taking a few weeks off to deal with a medical emergency involving his eye.

We've reached out to Speed and YouTube for comment.

Canelo Alvarez says Jake Paul needs to come back down to earth ... praising the Problem Child for what he's been doing in the boxing ring, but making it clear he's got no shot against him in a professional fight.

The 26-year-old former Disney star has been calling out the champ for years -- most recently, Jake said he had his sights set on Canelo after defeating Nate Diaz via unanimous decision earlier this month.

Alvarez -- who initially ripped the Paul bros for having a "lack of respect" for the fight game in an interview with TMZ Sports back in December 2020 -- has since warmed up to the social media superstars getting into boxing ... but when asked if Jake could ever get to his level, Canelo said it's time for a reality check.

"My level is other level," Canelo told Mirror Fighting this week. "But look, I think he needs to enjoy what he's doing, and that's it."

"He needs to calm down and start calling out people with other levels. I think he needs to focus on what he's doing. He's doing good things."

Canelo added Jake should stick to guys like Nate ... saying, "he needs to enjoy that."

Canelo also addressed getting called out by Conor McGregor ... and it sounds like he, too, won't get his wish -- at least for now.

Tan Mom is throwing her hat in the ring to become the next U.S. Senator from the state of Florida.

Patricia Krentcil, the government name we assume she'd use in D.C., filed paperwork Monday with the Federal Elections Commission to officially run for U.S. Senate in 2024.

Tan Mom's Senate campaign comes on the heels of her latest reality TV show, "Tan to 10," a docuseries following her attempt to quit tanning as part of what she calls an "extreme life makeover."

Patricia says she forged a bond with the LGBTQ+ community during her life makeover and she wants to use those connections to spark change in Washington D.C. with her Senate bid.

Tan Mom -- a frequent guest on "The Howard Stern Show" -- is going up against incumbent Senator Rick Scott, so she's fighting an uphill battle here ... but she's already launched her campaign website and is running as a Republican based out of Boca Raton, naming her producers Gregg Maliff and Adam Barta as her campaign managers.

A single mother to 5 children, Tan Mom says her campaign platforms include LGBTQ+ equality and bringing diversity back to the classrooms -- both hot-button issues in the Sunshine State -- and she's aiming to connect with voters during a slew of upcoming community appearances,

Tan Mom tells TMZ ... "I know that I am different. And I have suffered for it. But us all being different is what makes this country so amazing and unique."

Lil Tay really did have her Instagram compromised by someone who used the page to falsely claim she was dead ... Meta tells us they helped get the account back in her hands.

There's been serious doubts about the social media personality's story after it turned out this week's shocking news of her death was all a hoax ... but a spokesperson for Meta says Lil Tay is being truthful about not being able to access her IG.

Remember ... Lil Tay's fake death was announced Wednesday morning on her Instagram ... with the statement saying her "sudden and tragic passing" was an "unbearable loss," and claiming her family was in complete shock.

It appears the alleged hackers didn't stop at a social media announcement ... before the ominous post Wednesday, TMZ was contacted by someone claiming to be a rep for Lil Tay's family with a full press release and said she and her brother had died at their mother's home in Vancouver.

But, when TMZ contacted police in the Vancouver area as well as family members, everyone was totally in the dark.

Lil Tay's family gave us a statement from her Thursday, which said she was very much alive and that, "My Instagram account was compromised by a 3rd party and used to spread jarring misinformation and rumors regarding me, to the point that even my name was wrong."

Tay also thanked Meta for helping to get her Instagram account back, and the phony death statement has since been scrubbed.

A Meta company spokesman confirmed Tay's account, telling us they did help her get her IG back from the hacker.

It will be interesting to see if Lil Tay becomes more active on IG now ... she hasn't posted since June 2018, despite having over 3.5 million followers.

Social media personality Lil Tay is very much still alive -- claiming her Instagram account was compromised -- and used to spread "jarring misinformation" about her and her brother's death.

In a statement provided to TMZ from Tay's family, she tells TMZ, "I want to make it clear that my brother and I are safe and alive, but I’m completely heartbroken, and struggling to even find the right words to say. It’s been a very traumatizing 24 hours. All day yesterday, I was bombarded with endless heartbreaking and tearful phone calls from loved ones all while trying to sort out this mess."

She also says, "My Instagram account was compromised by a 3rd party and used to spread jarring misinformation and rumors regarding me, to the point that even my name was wrong. My legal name is Tay Tian, not "Claire Hope"."

Tay thanks Meta for helping to get her Instagram account back, and the phony death statement has been removed.

What's still unclear is why it took Tay 24 hours to get word out she's alive, especially because she says she was aware her account was hacked ... and was getting phone calls about her "death."

On Wednesday, TMZ contacted police in the Vancouver area as well as family members who were totally in the dark, and knew nothing of her passing. Now we know why.

Tay's fake death was announced Wednesday morning on her Instagram ... the statement said her "sudden and tragic passing" is an "unbearable loss," adding her family is in complete shock.

The statement also claimed her brother died, "Her brother's passing adds an even more unimaginable depth to our grief."

Lil Tay got her fame as the "World's Youngest Flexer" that rapped and showed off a lavish lifestyle across social media. She's garnered 3.2 million followers on Instagram, but hadn't posted on the account since 2018.

You'll recall, Tay was caught in the middle of a nasty custody battle between her parents, Angela Tian and Christopher Hope -- one we were told had been going on in court since 2018, around the same time the influencer went radio silent online.

TikTok star "Uncle Chris" -- famous for the Yeet Baby videos -- is getting treatment in a mental health facility after a difficult several months ... which all led up to his alleged disappearance.

As we reported, Chris Rooney's family went to the cops last week after they couldn't get in touch and feared the worst. A short time later, officers told us Chris had been located safe, but it was unclear what led up to his family's report.

Now, Rooney's family is explaining what happened behind the scenes, saying, "As many of you know, his life the last 6 months has been nothing short of difficult. What you all witnessed leading up to his disappearance was all of his emotions coming to a head."

Those following along with Chris' life likely knew he had recently separated from his wife -- at times talking about it on social media.

What's more, his family says, "Prior to his disappearance he had seen the movie "Sound of Freedom," and like many others, he was sick to his core over it. This prompted him to post links to raise money for the cause of ending child sex trafficking. To many of you this may have seemed odd, but he genuinely wanted and still wants to help this cause."

Chris's family says he wasn't acting like himself, and when they couldn't get in touch with him, they feared the worst ... calling the police to make a missing person's report.

Thankfully, they learned he was in the mental health facility several hours later -- where he remains -- and is getting the treatment he needs.

Chris also released a statement, saying, "Unfortunately, there was nothing anyone could do to help me. It is something that I have to work on and am going to make it my life's mission to not only get myself healthy but also others. If there is one thing I have learned during this time, there are a lot of hurting people in this world and I am going to do everything I can to help them."

TikTok star Lexy Burke and her country singer hubby Austin Burke are super shaken after a bullet ripped through their Tennessee home.

Austin tells TMZ ... he was sitting on his couch Sunday night while Lexy was upstairs taking a bath when they both heard gunshots ... and then they felt their house rattle.

He says they checked their surveillance cameras and heard a gun being loaded, cocked, and fired. He called police, who came and quickly discovered a bullet hole in the home's exterior.

TMZ obtained a photo of the bullet hole ... as well as home security footage in which you hear the gun discharge. You can't see who fired the shot in the video.

Police in Nashville tell TMZ ... officers responded to the couple's home over the weekend for a shots fired report. We're told no arrests have been made and the case remains under investigation.

Austin tells us it's "incredibly unsettling" knowing someone fired a gun at their home in the middle of the night with his pregnant wife inside. He has no idea who did it.

Twitch Streamer Kai Cenat took to the streets of NYC, hoping to put on a huge giveaway ... but it resulted in all-out pandemonium, and him getting hauled off by cops.

It all went down at Union Square Park on Friday, where Kai and fellow streamer Fanum said they were giving away things like PS5 consoles and gift cards. The whole thing was set to start at 4 PM, but the mayhem broke out around 3:30.

The NYPD said thousands of people were at Union Square, and officers flocked to the scene in an attempt to break up the gigantic crowd. Kai and other people in the crowd were taken into custody at some point during the mess.

Clips from inside the madness have been circulating online, showing people getting attacked, garbage flying, and even some folks on top of a gazebo. It looks like a majority of the people in the swarm are pretty young, too.

For those unaware, Kai is one of the biggest streamers on Twitch, garnering 6.5M on the platform -- and another 5.5M on Instagram alone.

YouTube star Fousey says the first thing that went through his mind after using a racial slur while rapping along to a J. Cole song was having to move back in with his mom ... telling us he worried he would be canceled.

Fousey sat down on the "TMZ Verified" Podcast and told us he regrets singing the n-word on a live stream ... saying it was an honest mistake and explaining why he feared the gaffe would cost him his bread and butter.

As you may know, Fousey is currently on a live stream marathon and earlier this month he went viral for using the racial slur while singing along to J. Cole's "Love Yourz."

Fousey says J. Cole is his favorite rapper and he normally substitutes the n-word for similar-sounding words ... insisting it's not in his character to use the slur, even with rap lyrics.

After the tongue slip, Fousey punched his bed in disgust ... and he says he couldn't stop thinking about being canceled and having to call his mom and tell her what happened, fearing the worst.

A scary few hours for the family of TikTok personality "Uncle Chris" -- famous for his Yeet Baby videos -- as his family reported him missing to cops.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ Chris Rooney's family made a missing person's report for the social media star Thursday with cops in Virginia after they couldn't get in touch. It's unclear why his family felt they needed to escalate the incident to police ... but clearly, something happened to cause them concern.

From there ... the message of Rooney's alleged disappearance spread across various social media platforms, with his family and friends desperate to get in touch.

After several hours, our law enforcement sources tell us Chris made contact with the police to let them know of his whereabouts and to report he was safe.

No word on whether or not he's been reunited with his family or what happened in the days and hours leading up to his alleged disappearance.

Chris, along with his niece and nephew, has become very popular on TikTok -- amassing more than 5 million followers -- mostly for videos of the tots trying to fill cups with large containers of various liquids.

Before this Philippines native in his sweater vest and bowtie turned into a beauty influencer and social media personality, he was just playing sports like volleyball, track and soccer ... and growing up in Hawaii.

Getting his start on Vine and YouTube, he would later create meme-worthy content with vlogs and beauty tutorials, and his success has been featured in several magazines ... not to mention gracing the covers of Forbes and Vogue. Both Talia Joy and Patrick Starr are two of his biggest inspirations.

Need one more clue? He had his own reality show on MTV.