RIP

The artwork on Stefon Diggs' cleats knows no bounds, evidenced in his latest offering ... a tribute to the late Betty White.

The Buffalo Bills wide receiver honored the iconic actress Sunday with a pair of pregame footwear that featured BW's likeness, plus a famous song attributed to her as well. You can see a cartoon rendering of Betty throwing up the 'rock on' hand sign ... while smirking.

On the other cleat, the words "Thank You For Being a Friend" are emblazoned -- obviously a nod to the 'Golden Girls' theme song of the same name. The artwork was done by footwear designer Mache, who's famous for doing these mockups for athletes, especially Stefon.

No word if these babies made it on the gridiron or not -- SD usually flashes his custom cleats before kickoff, and then changes into what he'll actually wear for the game. But, it's not unheard of for him to rock tribute cleats on the field, like he did for Michael K. Williams.

Anyway, it's clear Betty left her mark on Stefon ... who proved himself to be a fan with a tweet he sent on the day she passed. He simply wrote, "Rip Betty White" ... and now, his love for her comes full circle.

We broke the story ... Betty died on New Year's Eve, not far from what would've been her 100th birthday this month.

A horrendous tragedy unfolded in Brazil Saturday, after a massive rock formation came loose over a lake, careening into the water ... killing at least 7 people.

The video is terrifying ... literally, a side of a mountain cascaded down onto 4 boats in Minas Gerais. You hear boaters scream in disbelief, as the rock formation makes contact with the boats, hurling them into the air. Two of the 4 boats hit sank.

The collapse was thunderous ... as thousands of pounds of rock and debris hit the water. It's all the more horrifying that it was by all accounts a serene day and you see the boaters relaxing and enjoying themselves until disaster suddenly struck.

In addition to the dead, around 30 people were injured.

There were heavy rains in the area, and authorities are now speculating the torrent of water may have been the cause of the mountain collapse.

Sinead O'Connor's son has died, according to police ... it appears he took his own life, and Sinead is clearly angry at people who were in charge of taking care of the teen.

17-year-old Shane O'Connor apparently was on suicide watch in an Irish hospital just one day before he took his own life, but someone was able to leave. Sinead wrote the day before Shane's body was found, "Like, how has a seventeen-year-old traumatised young person WHO WAS ON SUICIDE WATCH in Tallaght Hospital's Lynn Ward been able to go missing???"

She went on ... "Hospital of course so far refusing to take any responsibility. Anything happens to my son on their watch? Lawsuits."

Police in Ireland issued this statement ... "Following the recovery of a body in the Bray area of Wicklow on Friday, 7th January 2022, a Missing Person Appeal in respect of Shane O’Connor, 17 years, has been stood down."

Sinead's rep confirmed her son's death, and she posted the tragic news as well, saying, "My beautiful son, Nevi'im Nesta Ali Shane O’Connor, the very light of my life, decided to end his earthly struggle today and is now with God."

She goes on ... "May he rest in peace and may no one follow his example. My baby. I love you so much. Please be at peace:"

Police had been looking for Shane since Thursday, with Sinead pleading in a tweet, "Shane, your life is precious. God didn't chisel that beautiful smile on your beautiful face for nothing."

Her pleas got more desperate ... "This is a message for my son, Shane. Shane, it's not funny any more all this going missing. You are scaring the crap out of me. Could you please do the right thing and present yourself at a Gardai station. If you are with Shane please call the Gardai for his safety ... My world would collapse without you. You are my heart. Please don't stop it from beating. Please don't harm yourself. Go to the Gardai and let's get you to hospital."

The news has devastated the 55-year-old singer, who referenced a Bob Marley song ... "This is for my Shaney. The light of my life. The lamp of my soul. My blue-eye baby. You will always be my light. We will always be together. No boundary can separate us."

Shane's father is Donal Lunny, an Irish folk musician. He and Sinead are no longer together.

Shane was 17.

Affion Crockett is remembering late actor Sidney Poitier as a "king" ... and thanking him for kicking open the door and paving the way for Black entertainers.

We got the comedian at LAX and asked how he's remembering Sidney ... and Affion says he wouldn't have a platform today without Poitier changing the landscape of how Hollywood viewed Black men.

Affion says Sidney was more than a trailblazer ... also remembering him as a prolific actor and orator, and marveling at the way he carried himself and represented his craft.

As we reported ... Sidney died at the age of 94, and tons of tributes are pouring in for the first Black man to win an Oscar for Best Actor.

Scottish singer Lulu, who sang the huge, hit, title song for one of Sidney Poitier's most famous movies, is reflecting on his death ... and thanking him for inspiring her.

Lulu tells TMZ ... Sidney was "my friend, my teacher, my inspiration."

She famously sang the theme song for Sidney's 1967 movie, "To Sir, With Love." The film was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Original Score written from a motion picture or TV show.

Sidney starred in the film, alongside Christian Roberts, Judy Geeson, Suzy Kendall ... and Lulu!

Lulu also tells us the movie, "rises above the fray and leads by example," ... comparing it to the way Sidney lead his life. She says SP empowered and educated those around him, so they could choose to follow his lead.

Remember ... Sidney is credited with breaking barriers in Hollywood for Black celebrities ... and Lulu clearly was moved by working with him.

A Connecticut high school hockey player tragically died after suffering injuries during a game on Thursday, police confirmed to TMZ Sports.

The incident happened during a contest between St. Luke's and Brunswick School in Greenwich ... when the Greenwich Police Department says a player fell to the ice.

According to police captain Mark Zuccerella, an opponent, who was unable to stop, collided with the player while he was down -- causing serious injuries.

The player was then taken to a nearby hospital ... but, sadly, according to Zuccerella, he died.

Mark Davis, the Head of School at St. Luke's, said in a statement to TMZ Sports on Friday that the program is mourning. Davis did not reveal the name of the student.

"Yesterday, we lost a precious young man in a tragic accident," Davis said. "Both St. Luke’s School and Brunswick School are in shock as we work to support our students and families."

Davis added, "St. Luke’s singular focus at this moment is to care for our devastated community."

The Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference says it, too, is devastated by the unfortunate incident ... adding, "our thoughts and prayers are with all impacted by this tragedy."

Sidney Poitier, the actor and activist who broke color barriers in Hollywood and starred in some of the most iconic movies ever made, has died.

The office of the Bahamian Minister of Foreign Affairs has confirmed Sidney's death to TMZ ... however, the circumstances surrounding his passing are not yet known, nor do we know where he died.

Poitier was the first black man to win an Oscar for Best Actor for his starring role in "Lilies of the Field" in 1963.

Sidney's roles are legendary ... starring as Mark Thackeray in "To Sir With Love," and Detective Virgil Tibbs in "In the Heat of the Night" in 1967. You know, he delivered the famous line, "They call me Mr. Tibbs."

He also starred in "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner," also released in 1967.

Just think about that ... all 3 incredible movies were released the same year.

Poitier was a tireless civil rights activist ... he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2009 by President Obama for his work.

Poitier, who is a dual citizen of the U.S. and the Bahamas, served from 1997-2007 as Bahamian Ambassador to Japan.

Poitier is survived by his wife of 45 years, Joanna and 6 daughters.

Sidney was 94.

Drakeo the Ruler's family says it can't afford to bury him in a coffin ... so they're asking a court to give them access to his coffers.

According to new legal docs obtained by TMZ ... the rapper's mother says she just can't foot the bill for his funeral, which she is pegging at just under $52,000. She'd like to cover it with money from Drakeo's estate, but she can't access his assets without a court order.

In the docs, Drakeo's mom says her late son's assets should be at least $2 million, and she's asking the court to let her dip into those funds to say goodbye to her son with a proper burial. She adds ... the memorial she's planning will be full of "dignity, style and grace."

As we reported, Drakeo was fatally stabbed in the neck last month while backstage at the Once Upon A Time in L.A. festival.

Peter Bogdanovich -- the filmmaker behind big movies like "The Last Picture Show" and "What's Up, Doc?" -- has died.

Peter passed away Thursday at his home in Los Angeles as a result of natural causes ... his daughter, Antonia Bogdanovich, told The Hollywood Reporter.

PB vaulted to fame when he directed the critically-acclaimed 1971 black-and-white classic, 'Last Picture Show,' which earned 8 Oscar nominations ... including one for best director. He also famously directed movies like "Mask" and "Paper Moon" plus "Daisy Miller" and there's even a musical on his Hollywood resume, "At Long Last Love."

While he was known for his work behind the camera, Peter also appeared on-screen ... most notably in a recurring role playing Dr. Melfi's therapist, Elliot Kupferberg, on "The Sopranos."

Peter was twice married, but both marriages ended in divorce, he was known for dating 'Last Picture' star Cybill Shepherd, and also Dorothy Stratten ... back in 1980 when the Playboy Playmate was infamously murdered by her estranged husband.

At the time of the murder, Peter railed against Playboy founder Hugh Hefner, blaming Hef and the "Playboy sex factory" for Dorothy's demise.

Peter was 82.

Bobbi Kristina Brown's old townhome in Atlanta, Georgia -- where she overdosed in the bathtub and later died -- has sold, TMZ has learned.

The 3-bedroom 4-bath pad was previously owned by Bobbi's mom, Whitney Houston, and was first listed for $599,000. The property was taken off the market in 2020, but listed again in November for $715,000 ... and sold for $715,100.

It was January 2015 when Bobbi Kristina was found facedown in the bathtub by then-boyfriend Nick Gordon. She was placed in a medically-induced coma for almost 7 months before she died. The medical examiner listed her cause of death as "immersion associated with drug intoxication." Gordon was found civilly liable for her death but was never charged. He died of a heroin overdose in 2020.

Keller Williams Realty agent Jill Rice tells TMZ, a lot of potential buyers knew the home's history, which scared some off -- but it clearly didn't matter to the buyers -- who pulled the trigger after deciding the great neighborhood and townhouse's look outweighed the negatives.

The townhouse is tucked away in a 24/7 gated community and features about 2,600 sq. ft. of living space. It's got a gourmet kitchen, a huge master suite with a fireplace and 2 guest suites with private baths.

There's been a break in the investigation into Young Dolph's death  ... law enforcement says a suspect has been identified and is wanted for murder.

The U.S. Marshals, Memphis Police Department and Tennessee Bureau of Investigation say one of the suspects is a 23-year-old man named Justin Johnson.

Authorities released a mug shot of the suspect Wednesday and say Johnson is wanted for a slew of charges, including first-degree murder.

According to his social media page, Johnson appears to be a local rapper who goes by the name StraightDrop. His page is flooded with pics of himself flaunting clothes, money and expensive cars.

Law enforcement says Johnson is on the TBI Most Wanted list, has ties to organized crime and should be considered armed and dangerous ... and there's a combined reward of up to $15,000 for information leading to his capture.

As we reported ... Young Dolph was gunned down in November while he was inside a cookie shop in Memphis, and 2 masked gunmen were caught on surveillance footage before fleeing in a getaway car.

The feds allege Johnson shot Young Dolph to death ... and they say he also has an outstanding warrant for violating his federal supervised release from a separate weapons offense.

Former MLB pitcher Jim Corsi passed away early Tuesday morning after a battle with liver and colon cancer. He was 60 years old.

The sad news comes just one day after an interview was released ... where Jim said, "I'm at peace. I know if I die, I'm going to a better place," according to Steve Burton of WBZ TV.

On Tuesday, Burton confirmed Corsi passed away overnight with his family at his side.

In the interview that aired Monday, Corsi -- who had been battling Stage IV liver cancer and terminal colon cancer -- urged people to stay on top of their health, something he wished he did a better job of in his younger years.

"I made a mistake when I was younger by not getting a colonoscopy," Corsi said.

"I was a professional athlete and thought I was invincible, strong. You’re not. Cancer is not prejudice to anybody."

But, despite his bout with cancer, Jim still managed to walk his daughter down the aisle during her wedding in October 2020 ... a moment he said he'll never forget.

Corsi -- who was drafted by the Yankees in 1982 -- played for five different teams ... but he spent most of his time in the big leagues with the A's and Red Sox.

During his MLB career, Corsi posted a career ERA of 3.25 and a 22-24 overall record as a relief pitcher.

Betty White's life and career won't just be celebrated in one corner of Illinois -- the village where she was born is creating a full-on holiday to honor the late actress ... TMZ has learned.

"Betty White Day" will be recognized in Betty's hometown on January 17, which would have been her 100th birthday.

The president of the Village of Oak Park, Vicki Scaman, tells TMZ ... despite moving to California as an infant, OP residents have been grateful that over the course of her life Betty spoke very highly of Oak Park. She continued to visit relatives there years after heading west.

We're told that since she passed away, folks in Oak Park have been vocal about wanting to honor Betty, and that surely will be happening now. A few days before Betty's birthday, Village Prez Scaman will read a proclamation for "Betty White Day" during a memorial for community members in Oak Park.

For Betty's special day, the Oak Park small business community is banding together to offer discounts to customers and "Betty White specials." For example, Mickey's Restaurant will be offering a special consisting of a hotdog, fries, and diet coke -- one of Betty's favorite meals, and Turano Bakery is planning to make a giant birthday cake. Scaman tells us cutouts of Betty will cover walls in the downtown area.

The celebration will continue with a Betty White mural contest, in which the winning mural will be painted downtown. And, there's a bonus ... most everyone in town will already be off from work as BWD happens to fall on a national holiday -- MLK Jr. Day -- this year.

A Southwest passenger says the airline is at fault after her dog wasn't able to breathe in his carrier and suffered a tragic death during a flight.

The 3-year-old French bulldog, named Charlie, was a comfort pet and a paying passenger that had been flying in a dog carrier on a SW flight last month to Pennsylvania.

Charlie's companion Courtney tells us the dog started having breathing problems during a connecting flight of their Dec. 21 journey. She claims when she tried to open the carrier or take Charlie out, an airline attendant refused to allow it and threatened to turn the plane around, or Courtney would face other consequences.

Courtney says it was "brutal," and claims Charlie had been otherwise healthy. She believes he overheated and suffered heatstroke and seizure due to the temperature on her first flight -- although, we're told a necropsy has not been done to confirm that.

She claims she had asked an attendant on that first flight to turn up the AC to cool down Charlie. During the connecting flight, she claims she tried explaining he would die if he continued to have trouble breathing ... but wasn't allowed to help him as he moaned for air.

As a result, she's alleging the Southwest staff "let him die." Courtney is an X-ray technician who says she'd been traveling around the U.S. to help Covid patients, and Charlie was her support animal.

Courtney's lawyer Evan Oshan tells TMZ his client was only offered a ticket refund, but now wants to sue for the loss of Charlie and for pain and suffering. She also wants the flight attendant fired.

The gym formerly known as Mamba Sports Academy is suing the company that owned the doomed helicopter in the Kobe Bryant crash ... claiming the copter co. should be forced to pay over $100K in costs related to the death of one of the passengers on board.

It's all spelled out in new court documents, obtained by TMZ Sports, in which an insurance company and the gym now known as Sports Academy are suing Island Express.

In the docs, the Academy and the insurance co. claim that because Christina Mauser -- a girls basketball coach -- was employed by the gym at the time of her death in the crash ... they paid "death benefits and burial expenses" to her family that exceeded $127,000.

In the docs, the plaintiffs argue that Island Express should be on the hook for that bill ... claiming the crash and Mauser's subsequent death were the result of the helicopter company's negligence.

The plaintiffs are asking for a reimbursement of the amounts already paid plus any additional workers' comp payments that may come due in the future.

As we previously reported, Mauser and eight others -- including Kobe and Gigi Bryant -- died in the helicopter crash in January 2020.

After a lengthy investigation, NTSB officials concluded that the crash likely happened due to a multitude of reasons, including, "Island Express Helicopter Inc.'s inadequate review and oversight of its safety management processes."

Jody "Babydol" Gibson -- a former madam who operated a massive network of prostitutes in Hollywood throughout the '80s and '90s -- has died ... TMZ has learned.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... cops got a call Sunday from a family member and responded to Jody's Yucca Valley home around 11 AM, and she was pronounced dead on the scene. We're told she appears to have died in her sleep, and no foul play is suspected.

Eric Markel, her husband of 12 years, confirmed her death, and told us Jody's death is a bit of a mystery -- he explains she was not battling any known illness, but she had suffered dramatic weight loss of late. He says she'd dropped down to about 87 pounds.

Markel believes it's highly relevant that they were in the middle of a nasty lawsuit regarding the sale of their home -- he told us he thinks she died of "exhaustion" from the turmoil.

Gibson, infamously known as "Sasha of the Valley," did prison time in the early 2000s after being convicted of felony pimping in L.A. -- with prosecutors at the time alleging she ran one of the biggest escort services in town ... something JG herself eventually copped to in books and otherwise. She's said to have had upwards of 300 women working for her.

Babydol was sentenced to 3 years behind bars after going to trial but ended up just doing 2. Her trial had Hollywood buzzing because her black book allegedly listed several big-name celebs -- from sports, politics and entertainment -- as clients.

Her life story is pretty fascinating ... she came to L.A. in the early '80s seeking stardom via a music and modeling career -- with the latter taking off first and becoming her main bread and butter.

Soon, an agency she'd started began turning into an upscale hooking hot spot.

While she was running that biz, Jody had a couple of on-camera appearances ... showing up in a B-movie horror flick called "Evil Laugh," and a guest spot on the talk show "Up All Night." Later, she was featured a handful of times on "Larry King Live," "The Playboy Morning Show" and other one-off variety shows/docs.

Over the course of her life, Jody was not shy about sharing her journey ... and ended up becoming somewhat of a beloved pop culture icon. She was 64.