RIP

"The Sopranos" actor Paul Herman has died ... and on his 76th birthday, no less.

Paul's former "Sopranos" castmate, Michael Imperioli, confirmed his death in an Instagram post calling Paul a great dude and "one hell of an actor".

He continued ... “Paulie lived around the corner from me the last few years and I am glad we got to spend some time together before he left us. I’ll miss him. Lots of love to his family, friends and community of actors and filmmakers.”

No cause of death has been disclosed yet.

Paul was well-known for his role as Peter "Beansie" Gaeta, who was a drug dealer turned Pizza shop owner on the HBO hit drama.

Herman will also be remembered for his notable roles in many other films, including "The Irishman" and "Goodfellas" ... clearly he was in with Martin Scorsese.

He also starred in "Silver Linings Playbook" and "American Hustle" ... both directed by David O. Russell.

Aside from all his big acting gigs, Paul and his brother Charlie ran a popular cafe in Manhattan that was frequented by actors, gangsters, dancers and even FBI agents in the '90s.

Paul was 76.

One of the first people on the scene of the Henry Ruggs crash is providing new, horrifying details of the wreck ... saying he thought the NFL star was dead after he saw the football player "dangling" from his car in the moments after the accident.

Tony Rodriguez -- who was driving on Rainbow Road with a friend in Las Vegas just moments after Ruggs slammed his Corvette into Tina Tintor's Rav4 there back in November 2021 -- recounted the terrifying specifics of the night recently to Sports Illustrated.

Rodriguez told SI reporter Jeff Pearlman that as he approached the two wrecked vehicles just seconds after the collision -- he stopped at Ruggs' car first ... and noticed the former Las Vegas Raider was halfway ejected from his sports car.

Rodriguez said Ruggs' lower body was still in the ride, but his torso was "dangling" outside of it. He said he was going to tell Ruggs' girlfriend, who was a passenger in the Corvette, to leave him be, but said she had already begun pulling the wide receiver out.

"She grabbed him and pulled him fully out," Rodriguez said. "I have no idea who he is. I don't care about football. Never heard of Henry Ruggs. But, I didn't see no life in his body."

"I thought he was dead."

Rodriguez said he and his friend then quickly turned to Tintor's vehicle -- and tried their hardest to get her and her dog, Max, out of the burning car.

Rodriguez said he got a hammer from his truck and tried to break her free -- and even though others arrived to help, none could get her out.

Officials later determined Tintor died inside the car from thermal injuries. She was just 23 years old.

Ruggs, meanwhile, suffered injuries in the crash, but is expected to make a full recovery. He's since been hit with five charges -- including four felonies -- for his alleged role in the crash.

The teenager who fell to his death in an Orlando amusement park was wearing a safety harness that was still locked after the tragedy ... according to Florida officials.

The new detail comes from an accident report that claims 14-year-old Tyre Sampson came out of his seat when "magnets engaged" during the free-fall ride's rapid descent. Here's the puzzling part ... Florida officials say Tyre was wearing his safety harness and it "was still in a down and locked position when the ride stopped."

The report, first obtained by People, says Tyre died from "multiple injuries and trauma."

As we previously reported, the terrifying incident happened last week when the Missouri teen fell from the "Orlando Free-Fall" ride, which stands 430 ft. tall.

The ride, which just opened in December, reportedly plummets at 75 mph.

Tyre's family has reportedly raised concerns he was too big for the ride ... or so they believe after checking the ride's safety manual.

The show will not go on for the Foo Fighters after Taylor Hawkins' death ... not for now, at least.

The band just announced it's pulling the plug on its current tour, saying ... "It is with great sadness that Foo Fighters confirm the cancellation of all upcoming tour dates in light of the staggering loss of our brother Taylor Hawkins. We're sorry for and share in the disappointment that we won't be seeing one another as planned."

The band had more than 50 shows scheduled for the rest of 2022 -- with dates through The United States, Canada, France, The UK, Australia and others.

The announcement comes 5 days after Taylor was found dead in his Bogota, Colombia hotel room. Dave Grohl and co. had been touring South America, headlining several Lollapalooza festivals around the continent.

As we reported, they returned to L.A. over the weekend ... when they'd been scheduled to play Lollapalooza Brazil. We didn't know when, or if, they'd feel ready to return to the road, but they're putting an end to any speculation.

The band says this isn't the time to worry about their next concert ... "Instead, let's take this time to grieve, to heal, to pull our loved ones close, and to appreciate all the music and memories we've made together."

Ottawa Senators owner Eugene Melnyk has died from an illness, the NHL team announced on Monday night. He was just 62 years old.

According to the hockey club, Melnyk passed away following a battle with an undisclosed disease. The team noted he fought the illness "with determination and courage."

Melnyk -- a billionaire who made his fortune, in part, in the pharmaceutical and medical sales industry -- bought the Senators back in 2003 for $92 million ... and quickly found success.

The team made the Stanley Cup Final in 2007 -- and is now, according to Forbes, worth around half a billion dollars.

"While successful in business, it was our game and his Senators that he was most passionate about," NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said in a statement Monday following the owner's death. "Eugene was often outspoken but he maintained an unwavering commitment to the game and his roots and he loved nothing more than donning a Senators sweater and cheering on his beloved team."

"On behalf of the entire National Hockey League," Bettman continued, "I extend my deepest sympathies to Eugene’s daughters, Anna and Olivia, his extended family, and all those who benefited from his generosity."

NHL star and Senators team captain Brady Tkachuk also mourned the loss of Melnyk on Monday ... saying in a tweet, "The Ottawa community will miss you greatly."

In addition to his role as the Senators honcho, Melnyk was also successful in the horse-racing world ... with many of his horses winning coveted titles in Canada.

Francis Ford Coppola's making his 'Godfather' family whole again with his Oscars speech -- but never-before-seen, and pretty damn epic, telegrams reveal just how heated his war was with the late Robert Evans.

TMZ obtained these messages sent between Coppola and then-Paramount Studios honcho Evans way back in 1983 ... and the vitriol explains why it wasn't until last night that FFC buried the hatchet.

The famed filmmaker celebrated the 50th anniversary of "The Godfather" last night with Al Pacino and Robert De Niro by his side -- and, for the first time in public, thanked Evans for shepherding the film 'Godfather' at Paramount.

Their feud began after the original's 1972 release, but 11 years later they were still raging at each other -- and Francis fired off this telegram, saying things like, "Your stupid blabbing about cutting The Godfather comes back to me and angers me for its ridiculous pomposity."

He added, "You did nothing on The Godfather other than annoy me and slow it down ... You have double crossed me for the last time. If you want a PR war or any kind of war, no one is better at it than me."

The battle was, at least partly, about creative credit and Evans didn't hesitate to respond in kind, saying ... "I cannot imagine what prompted this venomous diatribe. I am both annoyed and exacerbated by your fallacious accusations, when all I do is praise your extraordinary talents as a filmmaker."

And, Evans really got personal with this ... "I can not conceive what motivated your malicious thoughts, but if they are a reflection of your hostility, I bear great sympathy and concern for your apparent paranoid-schizophrenic behavior. However, dear Francis, do not mistake my kindness for weakness."

As for how these telegrams are coming to light ... hyper-successful celeb real estate titan Kurt Rapaport was close with Evans, and before his 2019 death, he gave a bunch of memorabilia to Kurt.

Talk about hidden treasures -- the telegrams were inside one of the boxes of Evans' stuff.

While it's unclear if Evans and Coppola ever patched things up, privately -- the fact is, FFC never publicly gave him his flowers, so it was a huge moment of peacemaking.

Dave Grohl and his band returned to L.A. from Bogota ... after the sudden death of their drummer and beloved friend, Taylor Hawkins.

Dave, along with Pat Smear, Chris Shiflett, Rami Jaffee, Samantha Sidley and crew were visibly emotional after touching down. Dave hugged a man who looks like their manager, John Silva.

As we reported, Taylor was found dead in a hotel room Friday ... the group was in San Paulo to play Lollapalooza Sunday. Based on preliminary findings, it appears Taylor may have OD'd on 10 different drugs, including opioids.

Among the drugs in his system .... Tricyclic, antidepressants and benzodiazepines. An official cause of death has not been determined.

Less than a week before he died, Grohl told a massive crowd at Lollapalooza Argentina in Buenos Aires how incredible Taylor was ... best drummer in the biz, Dave bragged. He then had Taylor come center stage to both sing and show off his fly outfit.

The death of Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins is a huge loss in the music industry, but it's personal for Dave Grohl and the other band members, and that was more than evident by this video shot less than a week before Taylor died.

The vid was shot March 20, at Lollapalooza Argentina in Buenos Aires. The scene is incredible ... thousands of fans -- as far as the eye can see -- packed into the Hipodromo de San Isidro to watch the Foo Fighters' 2-hour performance.

Dave spends some time telling the crowd how awesome Taylor is ... right down to his fancy pants.  He then invites his drummer -- whom Dave calls the best in the music biz -- front and center to sing. But, before he does, Taylor clearly shows his affection for Grohl.

As we reported, the Foo Fighters were supposed to wrap up the South American leg of their tour Sunday in Sao Paulo, but on Friday Taylor was found dead in a hotel room.

The early evidence, according to authorities in Colombia, is that Taylor may have OD'd ... they say 10 different substances were found in his system, including opioids, tricyclic, antidepressants and benzodiazepines.

The investigation is ongoing, but it appears drugs were a factor.

Some early clues have surfaced in the death investigation into what killed Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins ... investigators say tests show drugs were in his system.

In a release from the Attorney General's Office in Bogotá, Colombia, officials say a toxicology test taken from Hawkin's urine revealed 10 different substances -- including opioids, tricyclic antidepressants and benzodiazepines.

Investigators say they will continue to work on Hawkins' case ... but obviously, the drug test is telling.

As we reported, Hawkins -- who first found fame as the drummer for Alanis Morissette -- before joining Foo and even starting his own band, was found dead Friday in a hotel room.

A post from the Foo Fighters read, "The Foo Fighters family is devastated by the tragic and untimely loss of our beloved Taylor Hawkins. His musical spirit and infectious laughter will live on with all of us forever."

Hawkins, Dave Grohl and other members of the band were in Colombia for several shows at the time of his death.

Taylor was open about his previous struggles with substance abuse, surviving a heroin OD back in 2001.

As if the death of Tyre Sampson, the 14-year-old who died on an Orlando amusement park ride, wasn't tragic enough ... we've learned the boy had a promising future ahead of him.

Tyre was a gifted athlete with the potential to earn a scholarship to a Division 1 football program ... that's the insight from Brandon Gregory, a football coach at East St. Louis High School, where Tyre was set to play ball this fall.

While he was only in 8th grade, we're told Tyre was already working out with the varsity team at East St. Louis, and had caught Gregory's eye as the school's defensive coordinator.

As you can see, Tyre's a pretty big kid for a middle schooler, and he played on the offensive line.

Gregory says all the coaches and players on the team noticed Tyre's strong work ethic, noting he always stayed late to improve his game. The varsity coaching staff considered him a potential starter going into his freshman year, and one who'd be a key part of the team for years to come.

We're told Tyre -- who teammates called Big Tick -- worked out with the varsity team as recently as Tuesday, before heading down to Florida with a fellow 8th grader and teammate.

As we reported ... Tyre died Thursday night at Orlando's ICON Park. He fell to his death from a ride towering 430 feet in the air.

Taylor Hawkins, the drummer for the Foo Fighters, Alanis Morissette and his own band, is dead.

The Foo Fighters announced his death with a post that reads, in part, "The Foo Fighters family is devastated by the tragic and untimely loss of our beloved Taylor Hawkins. His musical spirit and infectious laughter will live on with all of us forever."

The band is in Bogota, Colombia where they were scheduled to play Friday ... and that is reportedly where Taylor died. So far, there are no further details about where or how he passed away.

Taylor's last performance was at Lalapalooza in Argentina this month. He did not appear to have any health issues while rocking the set.

Taylor had substance abuse issues in the past, and actually survived a 2001 heroin overdose.

Along with Dave Grohl, Taylor was the most recognizable face of the Foo Fighters, which he joined in 1997. Just last year, he and the group were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Prior to joining FF, he'd been the touring drummer for Alanis and also for Sass Jordan.

As the band noted, Taylor was such a cool outgoing guy -- with fans, and even the media. The last time we got him out was last September in NYC, where he was having some fun with autograph seekers and his bandmates.

While he's remained with FF, Taylor also started his own side project ... a band called Taylor Hawkins and the Coattail Riders.

Taylor and his wife Alison have 3 children -- son Oliver Shane and daughters Annabelle and Everleigh. The band's statement adds, "Our hearts go out to his wife, children and family."

Taylor and his Foo Fighter bandmates were supposed to headline Lollapalooza Brazil on Sunday night. Obviously, that gig is now up in the air.

Taylor was 50.

RIP

Shad Gaspard, the former WWE Superstar who died while saving his son, will be honored posthumously with the 2022 Warrior Award at this year's WWE Hall of Fame ceremony in Dallas, nearly two years after the tragic incident.

The former wrestler will be recognized for his heroic efforts ... and will receive one of WWE's most prestigious awards during WrestleMania weekend.

The Warrior Award was introduced in 2015 -- it was named after WWE Hall of Famer, Ultimate Warrior -- and is presented to an individual who has exhibited unwavering strength and perseverance.

The award is reserved for an individual who lives life with the courage and compassion that embodies the indomitable spirit of the Ultimate Warrior, one of the most popular wrestlers to step foot in a ring.

39-year-old Gaspard personified those traits ... especially in the waning moments of his life.

As we previously reported, the wrestler was swimming with his 10-year-old son near Venice Beach in L.A. when a strong rip current engulfed the two.

Lifeguards were able to locate Gaspard and his son, but he told them to focus on getting his son to shore safely. When help returned, it was tragically too late for Shad.

And, it wasn't the first time Gaspard acted courageously. In 2016, Shad foiled an attempted armed robbery at a gas station. He joined the TMZ Sports TV show shortly after to explain his heroics.

Gaspard made his WWE debut in 2006 ... where he was one-half of the famous tag team, Cryme Time, alongside his partner JTG.

Shad's death reverberated with many WWE superstars from Triple H and The Rock, who praised their former contemporary for being a great human being.

Shad's wife, Siliana Gaspard, will accept the award with their son on his behalf.

There was a horrendous accident at a Florida amusement park that left a child dead, and sadly it's yet another case of the fact ... these rides are not risk-free.

A 14-year-old boy was riding the "Orlando Free-Fall" at ICON Park Thursday when he fell to the ground and died.

The apex of the ride stands at 430 feet ... the park boasts the world's tallest freestanding drop tower.

An eyewitness told Fox News 35 ... "At first we thought it was a piece of the ride or whatever until we got a little closer and it was a person laying on the ground. Everyone was just panicking and screaming."

The ride is a new edition ... it opened in December. The way it works ... once the chairs reach the top, they hurl toward earth at 75 mph.

Police are investigating.

New footage from inside a bombed Ukrainian theater has been released, and the images are horrendous ... showing the high level of destruction from the point of view of refugees attempting to escape.

The man filming the aftermath of the Mariupol shelling describes the clip, saying he, and others, were on the first floor when the bombs hit, and luckily they weren't injured ... but many are likely under the massive rubble, as it's where most go to get water.

The City Council of Mariupol announced on local news, "There is information, based on eyewitnesses, that about 300 people died in the Drama Theater in Mariupol as a result of a bombing by Russian aircraft."

They say it isn't certain how many escaped the rubble, but according to those that were inside the building during the attack, the casualty count is high.

As we reported, an airstrike hit the center of the theater last Wednesday, where up to 1,300 refugees were taking cover from Russian shelling ... the location was being used as one of the main shelters in the city.

Ukrainians even wrote the Russian word for "children" on the street in front of the building -- signaling to attackers in the sky to avoid the theater. That did not happen.

The City Council said the bombers were strategic, knowing exactly what they were hitting.

Petro Andriushchenko -- adviser to Mariupol's mayor -- said an estimated 200 people survived the shelling. Hundreds are still missing.

Essentials like water, electricity, and gas have been cut off from the city, and bodies are being left in the streets because it's too dangerous to go out and clean up.

Bob Saget's fans will finally be able to see the touching, and sometimes hilarious, tribute his close friends put together for him -- and the list of celebs who memorialized him is seriously impressive.

Mike Binder, one of Bob's best friends, was the brains behind January's event at The Comedy Store in West Hollywood, and he says it's coming to Netflix in June.

Mike made the announcement on the Dystopia Tonight! with John Poveromo podcast, and says he hooked Netflix when he showed a video of the star-studded event to the platform's head of comedy.

It's pretty easy to see why they decided to buy it as a stand-alone special. Mike shared one clip featuring Jim Carrey, Chris Rock, John Stamos, Jeff Ross and John Mayer.

The guys were jamming a bluesy tribute, and you gotta see the punchline Rock dropped!

There were only a limited number of Comedy Store tickets made available to the public, so very few fans have seen this ... another reason Netflix locked it up.

Mike says Carrey's appearance, in particular, is pretty special because these days he frequents The Store ... but usually just hangs backstage.

Cheslie Kryst's suicide is changing the way the Miss USA pageant supports contestants ... and there's a new emphasis on mental health.

Contestants who are currently competing are now getting access to mental health workshops ... Crystle Stewart, Prez of the Miss USA org tells TMZ.

There's lots of mental stress that goes into the Miss USA pageants, which Crystle says can lead to anxiety and depression ... and the new workshops pair the contestants with psychiatrists and mental health experts.

Crystle says it's all being done through her organization, the Crystle Stewart Foundation, and she says the workshops will help the ladies prepare to be on stage and in the public eye, teach them coping mechanisms for when they feel anxious or overwhelmed, and show them how to avoid a state of depression if they don't win.

It's interesting ... Crystle says the mental health services will be just as important for winners as for those who don't take home the crown. She says the Miss USA winners almost have more stress, because they're immediately uprooted to Los Angeles, thrown into the Miss Universe competition and become overnight celebrities ... all of which require tons of mental prep.

It could be a life-saving addition to the Miss USA operation ... as we reported, Cheslie died by suicide earlier this year, and her mom said the 2019 Miss USA champion suffered from depression.

Crystle says Cheslie's death struck the pageant world really hard, and made her speed up the process to provide contestants with mental health resources.