RIP

Carol Channing, one of the most iconic actresses who owned Broadway when she starred in "Hello, Dolly!" ... has died.

The actress passed at her home in Rancho Mirage, CA near Palm Springs early Tuesday AM.

Channing was not only a huge hit on B-Way, she was a movie star to boot. Her movie credits include "Thoroughly Modern Millie," for which she was nominated for an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress.

BTW ... she was the first featured solo artist to sing at a Super Bowl ... Super Bowl IV back in '70.

She's a member of the Grammy Hall of Fame and snagged a Tony Lifetime Achievement Award. Channing was also extremely active with the AIDS and Actors' Fund.

There is a hilarious story that went around back in the day about Carol ... she was in a stall in a women's restroom on Broadway when an actress walked in and heard Carol, in her distinctive voice, mutter, "Corn? I don't remember eating corn." Her publicist, Harlan Boll, tells TMZ it never happened, but "Carol loved the story. She laughed her ass off!"

Channing was hilarious, with a super distinctive voice that made her a favorite for TV talk shows.

Back in 2007, Channing worked with the LAPD to locate her legendary "Diamond Dress" after it was stolen by a pedestrian outside of her hotel in Hollywood.

Channing never bashed the thief publicly, instead she had compassion for the suspect -- telling TMZ at the time "he must be awfully hungry to do such a thing."

Cops eventually located the dress and returned it to Carol, who later donated it to the Smithsonian where it was exhibited along with her 1964 Tony Award for "Hello Dolly."

Her rep says "It is so very hard to see the final curtain lower on a woman who has been a daily part of my life for more than a third of it. We supported each other, cried with each other, argued with each other, but always ended up laughing with each other."

Carol was 97.

RIP

"The Bachelor" contestant Cristy Caserta died as a result of an enlarged heart and an overactive thyroid ... TMZ has learned.

According to the autopsy report, obtained by TMZ, Caserta's cause of death was cardiomegaly and hyperthyroidism. As we reported ... Caserta was only 38 when she died suddenly back in October after suffering an apparent seizure.

She was attending a class at a school in Sunrise, FL when she just fell forward at the desk where she was sitting. Caserta went into cardiac arrest and was shortly thereafter pronounced dead.

Steve Buscemi's wife died earlier this week and a moving funeral was held at their NYC home ... TMZ has learned.

We're told Jo Andres died either last Monday or over last weekend. On Monday, friends and family began arriving at their Brooklyn home. It appears the funeral service -- at the home -- was held last Tuesday and the burial was Wednesday.

We're told there were around 20 people at the service, including Steve's co-star from "The Big Lebowski" John Turturro and Aida Turturro from "The Sopranos." Steve's brother Michael and Steve's son Lucian were also there.

FDNY blocked off the street Wednesday as the wicker casket was removed from the home. As you know, Buscemi was a volunteer FDNY firefighter on 911.

The company that showed up to do the prep work for the funeral specializes in home funerals and "natural burials" ... where the body is not embalmed and typically the final resting place is in a "natural setting." Everything is biodegradable and one of the purposes is to preserve the environment.

Steve and Jo were married for 30 years. They had a son, Lucian, who's 29.

We do not know the cause of death.

Jo was 65.

3:55 PM -- The first photo of Jayme has surfaced ... showing her smiling with her aunt and godmother, Jennifer Naiberg Smith. As we told you ... they were reunited this afternoon at the hospital where Jayme was being evaluated.

1:57 PM -- Officials say cops recovered a shotgun consistent with what was used at the scene of the homicide. Cops say Patterson -- who shaved his head after allegedly killing Jayme's parents to hide from cops -- shot the door open.

Cops say Patterson had a small connection to Jayme's parents -- working at the same turkey processing plant as them for one day three years ago -- and he intentionally went looking for her. Cops say it's unclear right now why Patterson targeted Jayme. Patterson will make his first court appearance Monday in Barron County court.

Officials added Jayme was reunited with her aunt at the hospital Friday afternoon. She'll be reunited with her family later this evening.

8:07 AM -- Officials have identified the kidnapper as 21-year-old Jake Thomas Patterson. He's been charged with 2 counts of first-degree homicide for the killing of Jayme's parents and 1 count of kidnapping. Patterson's being held in Barron County jail. Authorities say Jake had no criminal history and had no connection to the Closs family.

Officials say it's unclear how Jayme escaped her captor but added she perfectly described one of Patterson's vehicles, which helped cops quickly spot his car. Cops pulled Patterson over and arrested him without incident.

A 13-year-old girl who went missing 3 months ago after her parents were murdered was miraculously found alive ... and her captor is now in police custody.

Jayme Closs was found in the rural town of Gordon, Wisconsin (population less than 1,000) after escaping from a cabin and pleading with a neighbor walking her dog for help. According to reports ... Jayme was malnourished and disheveled ... wearing dirty clothes and shoes too big for her.

The dog walker then frantically knocked on a neighbor's door telling him to call 911. Minutes later, a large police presence descended on the suspect and arrested him. Authorities have not named the suspect.

Jayme was reported missing back on October 15 after her parents -- James and Denise Closs -- were found shot to death in their Barron, Wisconsin home ... about 65 miles south of where Jayme was found. Cops believe Jayme was home when her parents were murdered.

Officials say they received thousands of tips, watched dozens of surveillance videos and thousands volunteered for a massive ground search ... but she never turned up.

After calling 911, the neighbor offered Jayme food and water but she declined. She was taken to a hospital where she was evaluated and has since been reunited with family.

Elizabeth Smart -- who also escaped her captors after she was kidnapped in 2002 -- called Jayme a "brave, strong and powerful survivor." Smart added, "No matter what may unfold in her story let’s all try to remember that this young woman has SURVIVED and whatever other details may surface the most important will still remain that she is alive."

Verne Troyer had a sizeable collection of celebrity memorabilia and just under $80,000 in cash when he died ... TMZ has learned.

The final appraisal on Verne's estate came in at $139,283.16 ... according to docs, obtained by TMZ. His attorney submitted the estimated value this week to the probate in L.A. County.

The docs show Verne had $21,000 worth of autographed memorabilia. There's no detail about the merchandise. He also had $78,283 in the bank.

We also know Verne was riding in style before he died in April 2018. The docs say he had a 2015 Audi S4 with only 3,490 miles on it -- guess he wasn't making a lot of road trips. The whip's valued at $38k. He also had a couple thousand bucks in furniture and personal belongings.

Why are so many people smiling at "Mean" Gene Okerlund's memorial event in Florida on Wednesday??? BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT MEAN GENE WOULDA WANTED!!

Tons of wrestling stars from years past -- from Diamond Dallas Page to one of the Nasty Boys -- gathered in Sarasota, FL to honor the late wrestling announcer.

Gene's wife Jeanne -- along with their children -- was at the event where friends and family members told stories about the greatest WWE voice of all time.

Among the guests ... The Killer Bees (B. Brian Blair and Jim Brunzell), Brian Knobbs (of the Nasty Boys), Greg Gagne, Dave Hero and former WWE ref Mike White.

WWE execs Kevin Dunn and Kerwin Silfies were also in attendance.

We spoke with DDP who tells us everyone had a great time honoring the late, great "Mean" Gene -- who's widely regarded as one of the nicest guys in the history of the biz.

Okerlund passed away on January 2. He was 76.

Shaquille O'Neal says the shooting death of 7-year-old Jazmine Barnes is such a sad tragedy, he couldn't imagine the family having to raise money for the funeral ... and that's why he stepped in.

"With something that terrible to have happened, I don't want people to have to worry about trying to raise a few thousand to pay for a funeral," Shaq explained.

As we previously reported, huge stars like Shaq and Houston Texans WR DeAndre Hopkins opened their wallets to help out Jazmine's family after she was senselessly shot and killed during a morning drive with her family.

Jazmine -- along with her mother and sisters -- were going on a coffee run in Houston around 7 AM on Dec. 30 when two men in a pickup truck pulled up next to the car and opened fire.

Jazmine was killed. Her mother was shot but survived. Her sisters were wounded by shattered glass.

Jazmine was laid to rest on Tuesday at the Community of Faith Church in Houston in front of roughly 1,000 mourners.

Cops have arrested the two suspects.

By the way, this isn't the first time Shaq has reached into his pockets to help a family in need -- we've covered a bunch of stories over the years featuring the ex-NBA star using his own funds to help people.

It helps that he reportedly made more than $280 mil during his NBA career -- but also, he continues to work his ass off.

In fact, Shaq recently signed a deal to become the global ambassador for Zyppah -- a product that helps people who suffer from sleep apnea.

L.A. Chargers defensive lineman Brandon Mebane rejoined his team Wednesday after taking time off to be with his hospital-stricken infant daughter, who passed away last week.

While still in the womb back in July, Mebane's daughter, Makenna, was diagnosed with a heart defect as a result of a chromosomal condition called trisomy 13.

The family moved to Omaha, Nebraska where Mebane's wife, Amena, and unborn child could be treated by doctors who specialized in the condition.

Makenna was born more than 1 month premature in November and later developed an intestinal infection known as Necrotizing Enterocolitis (also known as NEC) -- a fast-striking, devastating condition that can be fatal if not caught and treated immediately.

Doctors treated Makenna for weeks -- and Mebane used the team owner's private jet to travel to the last 2 regular season games when Makenna's health seemed to be stabilizing.

But unfortunately, her health took a turn for the worse earlier this month and she passed away on January 3.

Obviously, Mebane is devastated -- but says he plans to play in the Chargers' playoff game against the New England Patriots this weekend.

Brandon Church -- the late brother of country star Eric Church -- died as a result of chronic alcoholism ... TMZ has learned.

According to the autopsy report obtained by TMZ ... Brandon had a clinical history of alcohol withdrawal-induced seizure disorder -- meaning he had a history of binge drinking and trying to quit ... which would trigger a seizure.

As we reported ... Brandon suffered 2 seizures when he died last June in Granite Falls, North Carolina. The second seizure -- suffered while he was on his way to the hospital -- appears to have sent him into cardiac arrest.

According to the autopsy, the alcohol abuse also caused a thickening of his heart, coronary artery disease and liver damage. The family has set up a Scholarship Memorial Fund, which has already raised more than $45k. The family asks that donations to the fund be sent in lieu of flowers.

1:20 PM PT -- Despite initial local reports, we're told the Mary B II boat involved in this tragedy was never featured on 'Dungeon Cove,' nor were the crew members who died.

However, this dangerous stretch of sea is the subject of the 'Deadliest Catch' spin-off series.

A rep for Discovery tells us ... "We are deeply saddened by the news as we feel part of the crabbing community. Our thoughts and prayers go out to their families and the entire community during this difficult time."

A sea vessel featured on "Deadliest Catch: Dungeon Cove" capsized in treacherous waters, tragically killing 3 fishermen ... according to reports.

The U.S. Coast Guard was escorting the Mary B II commercial crab boat Tuesday night around 10 PM off the coast of Newport, Oregon. The boat capsized during the escort in 12 to 14-foot seas while crossing Yaquina Bay bar and there was an immediate rescue effort.

Sadly, the Coast Guard was unable to save the 3 crew members onboard. KGW8 reports the bodies of 2 of the 3 fishermen were recovered, but the third is still trapped inside the sunken boat.

The Mary B II was featured on the Discovery show, and the premise of 'Dungeon Cove' revolves around the danger of crossing the Newport bar with a full load of crab ... which is apparently what led to this accident.

Originally Published -- 8:03 AM PST

Charging into the ring in a "Mean Gene-O-Mania" shirt, Hulk Hogan grabbed the mic on 'Raw' Monday night, and gave a 5-minute tribute to his longtime friend, "Mean" Gene Okerlund.

"You know something guys, I came out here wide open tonight in character because that's exactly the way 'Mean' Gene woulda wanted it," Hogan told the crowd at the Amway Center in Orlando.

"I want to let all you guys know, 'Mean' Gene loved entertaining, and he loved entertaining everybody here in the WWE universe."

"I love you, 'Mean' Gene. I miss you."

The crowd began to chant, "Thank You, 'Mean' Gene" ... Hulk stopped his rant to listen.

That's when Hulk began shouting out other fallen WWE superstars -- saying Gene is no doubt in heaven orchestrating a tag match with Macho Man Randy Savage and Ultimate Warrior taking on Rowdy Roddy Piper and Mr. Perfect ... with Andre the Giant as the guest ref.

Hogan closed out his tribute with a trademark Hoganism ...

"Whatcha gonna do when 'Mean' Gene-O-Mania runs wild on you, brother?"

'Mean' Gene passed away on January 2 after battling health issues for months. He was 76.

R.I.P.

Hulkamania is about run wild on 'Monday Night Raw' ... for the first time in years.

The WWE legend, Hulk Hogan, will return to 'Raw' on Monday to honor his good friend "Mean" Gene Okerlund, who passed away Wednesday morning.

Hulk and Gene were great friends for decades -- their interviews were classic. Hulk tweeted about Okerlund after his passing saying the guy was "the best partner I ever had."

"We never rehearsed or did anything scripted from a writer. Gene would ask me, 'Hey big man what do u want to do?' I would always answer 'just follow you brother' and it worked from 1980 - 2017. RIP my brother HH."

Unclear exactly how the tribute will play out -- but expect it to be emotional.

As we previously reported, Gene's health went into decline roughly a month ago when he suffered injuries due to a fall at his Florida home.

He was transferred to a nursing home, but was never able to recover.

Okerlund passed away Wednesday morning with his wife, Jeanne, at his side.

He was 76.

"Mean" Gene Okerlund was seriously injured during a nasty fall back in December ... triggering a rapid decline in his health that ultimately led to his death, his son tells TMZ Sports.

We spoke with Todd Okerlund who says Okerlund suffered multiple broken ribs during the fall at his Florida home and was treated at a hospital in Sarasota.

Todd says Okerlund had been in frail health for a while but the fall clearly made things much worse.

Just 4 days before his death, Gene was admitted to a nursing home .... but he began to have trouble breathing and was rushed to a hospital on Wednesday where he ultimately passed away with his wife, Jeanne, by his side.

Todd tells us ... the family has been touched by all of the support for his father. Todd also says Gene LOVED his career and would have done it for free.

"Mean" Gene is a WWE Hall of Famer who was a key part of the company's success -- with legendary interviews with Hulk Hogan, Andre the Giant, "Macho Man" Randy Savage and more.

Vince McMahon also issued a statement on Okerlund ... saying, "It was impossible not to crack a smile whenever 'Mean' Gene Okerlund entered a room. He was the voice behind so many of WWE’s most iconic and entertaining moments, and the WWE family will miss him immensely."

Gene was 76.

R.I.P.

11:30 AM PT-- Hopkins just spoke with reporters about the decision to help Jazmine's family ... saying, "The city of Houston is always supportive of me, of this team, so I felt in my heart it's only right that I give back to those who are down."

"It's a tough situation for that to happen."

Houston Texans superstar wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins says every penny from his NFL Wild Card round playoff paycheck will go to the family of a 7-year-old girl who was gunned down this weekend on a Texas highway.

Jazmine Barnes was killed around 7 AM on Sunday morning when a man in a red pickup truck pulled up next to the family car and opened fire for no apparent reason. The family was going on an early morning coffee run at the time of the incident.

Jazmine's mother, LaPorsha Washington, was also struck in the attack -- but she survived. Jazmine's 3 sisters were also in the car during the shooting and suffered cuts from shattered glass.

A manhunt is now underway in Texas -- the suspect has been described as a white man with a beard who appears to be in his 40s.

Officials say it doesn't appear the family did anything to provoke the driver.

Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said, "There was nothing to indicate that the family did anything wrong in any way ... They were simply just driving along the service road when this happened to them."

Clearly, the story has resonated with Hopkins -- who said, "When I see Jazmine Barnes' face, I see my own daughter."

"I'm pledging my playoff check this week to help her family with funeral costs and to support @shaunking @SherriffED_HCSO @SylvesterTurner in bringing this man to justice. On Saturday, I will be playing in your honor, Jazmine."

Social activist Shaun King has announced a $100,000 reward is being offered for info that leads to the arrest of the killer.

Daryl Dragon, "The Captain" of singing duo Captain and Tennille, died early Wednesday morning ... and love really did keep them together to the very end.

Daryl's publicist says the musician died of renal failure in Arizona, and was in hospice care at the time.

Daryl and Toni Tennille were famous for cranking out huge hits in the '70s, including "Do That to Me One More Time," "Muskrat Love" and "Love Will Keep Us Together." The duo was actually a couple -- they married in 1975. They landed their own TV variety show the next year.

Although they divorced in 2014, they remained friends ... and Toni was by his side when he died. As TMZ first reported ... their divorce docs made specific mention about their health insurance coverage. In 2009, she said Daryl was suffering from Parkinson's Disease. Daryl was blindsided by Toni's filing ... and told us they were still living together at the time.

In a statement, Toni says Daryl "was a brilliant musician with many friends who loved him greatly. I was at my most creative in my life, when I was with him."

Daryl was 76.

4:15 PM -- HBO tells us they had scheduled Bob to part of season 10 of 'Curb,' but his health prevented it.

Larry David says, “Never have I seen an actor enjoy a role the way Bob did playing 'Marty Funkhouser' on 'Curb.' It was an amazing, unforgettable experience knowing and working with him. There was no one like him, as he told us again and again. We’re all in a state of shock.”

Bob Einstein, the Emmy-winning actor from "Curb Your Enthusiasm" and creator of Super Dave Osborne, died Wednesday from cancer.

Bob had recently been diagnosed, and he died at his home in Indian Wells, CA.

He famously played Larry David's pal, Marty Funkhouser, on 'Curb,' but he was a very successful comedy writer before that -- winning Emmy awards for being a writer on "The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour" back in the '70s and for producing Dick Van Dyke's "Van Dyke and Company."

Bob's character, Super Dave, pulled crazy stunts decades before "Jackass" even existed -- but he would always hilariously fail. Super Dave had his own show on Showtime in the late '80s and early '90s.

Bob didn't start out in showbiz -- standing 6'4", he played college hoops at Chapman University and then got into advertising. He was "discovered" in the comedy world by Tom Smothers who saw Bob on a local cable show.

His younger brother is actor and director Albert Brooks. Deadline first reported Bob's passing.