RIP

Alex Trebek was mysteriously dissed by the Grammys, because they declined to give him a nomination for his memoir, despite the publisher submitting his name for consideration.

Alex's book -- "The Answer is ... Reflections on My Life" -- was actually nominated in the category of Best Spoken Word Album. The publisher, Simon & Schuster, submitted Alex and Ken Jennings for the award -- they each voiced the book, but Alex was overlooked. Only Ken got a nom.

Ken Jennings even said, "This should 100% be Alex's Grammy nomination. He wrote the book and reads much of the audio book! Who do I speak to about this?"

Sources familiar with the situation tell TMZ, Simon & Schuster do not understand why Alex was not nominated and they are contacting the Grammys for answers.

David Dinkins, New York City's first Black mayor, has died.

Dinkins passed away Monday night at his home in New York City of apparent natural causes. He died less than 2 months after his wife, Joyce, passed away.

Dinkins beat longtime Mayor Ed Koch in 1989 but then lost after his first term to Rudy Giuliani in 1993. He won the '89 election with a pledge for racial healing.

He was passionate about equality, saying he was the mayor of every New Yorker, adding, "We are all foot soldiers on the march to freedom."

The former Mayor referred to the people of his fair city as a "gorgeous mosaic." He worked hard to tamp down the racial tensions, especially in multicultural neighborhoods. He fought for better housing, health care and was always available to hear the voices of people who traditionally were never heard.

Dinkins, the son of a barber, served as a Marine in the Korean War. He held a variety of positions in NYC government before becoming Mayor, including Assemblyman, President of the Board of Elections, City Clerk and Manhattan Borough President.

Giuliani, who defeated Dinkins, said Dinkins gave "a great deal of his life in service to our great City."

Dinkins was 93.

"Jeopardy!" will have a series of interim guest hosts following Alex Trebek's passing and first up is the show's 'Greatest of All Time' ... Ken Jennings.

Sony Pictures announced the move Monday to make the fan-favorite the first guest host. More guests will be announced in the weeks to come but for now, it's Ken first up at the podium.

Mike Richards, the show's executive producer, said the franchise "will honor Alex's legacy by continuing to produce the game he loved with smart contestants and challenging clues." He added, "By bringing in familiar guest hosts for the foreseeable future, our goal is to create a sense of community and continuity for our viewers."

Ken also chimed in after the news was announced ... fittingly saying, "there will only ever be one Alex Trebek."

Alex died a few weeks ago after battling stage 4 pancreatic cancer -- but all-new episodes with him hosting will continue to air until Christmas Day ... and "best of" episodes will air until December 28.

Ken's first taping will come on November 30 when the show resumes production. He's already etched his name in "Jeopardy!" lore thanks to his 74-game winning streak. Ken also took home an all-time record in regular-season play with a whopping $2.52 million in earnings -- and earlier this year he won the 'Greatest of All Time' tournament.

John Gilbert Getty -- one of the heirs to the Getty fortune -- has died.

Law enforcement sources tell us ... John passed away Friday in San Antonio, this after he was discovered unresponsive in a hotel room. We're told no foul play is suspected at this point, and the cause of death is pending an autopsy.

The family broke the news through a rep, saying ... "With a heavy heart, Gordon Getty announces the death of his son, John Gilbert Getty." The spokesperson adds, "John was a talented musician who loved rock and roll. He will be deeply missed."

John's other brother, Andrew, died in 2015 from meth intoxication ... and his own, mother, Ann, died from a heart attack just this past September.

John Gilbert was one of several descendants of J. Paul Getty -- the oilman whose art collection served as the basis for the Getty Museum in L.A. Not too much is known about JG other than the fact he bounced around in L.A. ... jumping from one multi-million-dollar home to the next, and that he was apparently pals with Gov. Gavin Newsom.

The Getty family fortune is estimated to be north of $5 billion these days -- and there are still several living heirs between children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

John Gilbert is survived by his daughter, Ivy Getty, and his brothers, Peter and Billy.

He was 52.

Eddie Van Halen loved living life in the fast lane, and now you can too ... his custom Ferrari race car is going up for grabs soon, but ya gotta have deep pockets.

The iconic guitarist used to race his brother, Alex Van Halen, in his 2000 Ferrari 550. The 6-speed race car is decked out with custom racing seats and comes with the original registration in Eddie's name.

Eddie's old Ferrari is hitting the auction block at GottaHaveRockandRoll.com and it sounds like it's still in racing condition ... the auction house says the whip was recently serviced by a top Ferrari mechanic and Eddie always maintained and treated it with care. Plus, it's only got 28,000 miles.

The bidding starts Wednesday and runs through Dec. 4 and the Ferrari's expected to go for between $250,000 and $350,000.

There's a bunch of Van Halen memorabilia going up for sale in the same auction ... including a concert ticket, album sleeve and CD insert signed by Eddie, Alex, Michael Anthony and David Lee Roth, plus a guitar pick Eddie used on stage.

Eddie's Ferrari is the big-ticket ... so click through the gallery to check out his custom ride.

Patrick Quinn -- who co-created the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge -- has died.

Quinn passed away Sunday after a 7-year-long battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis -- also known as Lou Gehrig's disease -- this according to his official Facebook page.

A remembrance post read, "It is with great sadness that we must share the passing of Patrick early this morning.  He was a blessing to us all in so many ways.  We will always remember him for his inspiration and courage in his tireless fight against ALS."

Pat's involvement with the IBC is tied to his pal, Peter Frates, who was widely seen as the face/inspiration behind the challenge and why it went viral. Had it not been for PQ catching wind of a similar challenge happening earlier in 2014 and then linking it directly to ALS while spreading the word ... Frates might've never blown up.

Together, the two of them formally affiliated the challenge with ALS -- which took off all over the world and went on to raise significant awareness about the disease ... not to mention money. As of late, the Ice Bucket Challenge has helped raise upwards of $250 million to help study and, hopefully, eradicate the ailment.

As we reported, Frates -- who also had ALS -- died quite young as well at the age of 34 just last year. His Fenway Park video was the spark plug that made everyone jump on the challenge in August 2014 -- which also spurred folks to challenge other people as a result.

Celebs have also taken up the challenge over the years -- folks like David Spade, Charlie Sheen, Kim K, Ellen and others. Then-President Barack Obama rejected the challenge ... but opted to donate instead, which is probably worth more anyway.

As for Quinn, he was only 37 years old.

Prince William and Kate Middleton's beloved dog, Lupo, has died ... a dog that was responsible for choosing the name of the future King of England.

The couple announced the sad news, saying, "Very sadly last weekend our dear dog, Lupo, passed away. He has been at the heart of our family for the past nine years and we will miss him so much."

Lupo, an English Cocker Spaniel, has been the face of the breed for several years and is responsible for the gain in the breed's popularity across the pond.

The pooch is the offspring of a dog owned by Kate's parents ... and Lupo was happily adopted by William.

Lupo, which means wolf in Italian, is responsible for Prince George ... well, sort of. Back when Kate was pregnant, she and William reportedly wrote a bunch of names on paper, which were strewn across their floor. They turned Lupo loose to see which piece of paper he would tap ... sure enough, it was the one bearing the name George.

Lupo was 9.

One of Kenny Rogers' longtime friends did NOT know when to fold 'em, because he allegedly produced an unauthorized DVD of Kenny's farewell tour ... and now his estate is suing.

The estate claims Kelly Junkermann, an employee and friend, went rogue after he recorded Kenny's last tour and tried to release a DVD called "Kenny Rogers -- The Gambler's Last Deal."

According to legal docs, obtained by TMZ, the estate claims Junkermann convinced the singer to let him shoot the farewell tour -- but Kenny made it crystal clear the footage would be for Kenny's personal use only ... and NOT for commercial release.

The estate claims Junkermann ignored that condition and went ahead and made a DVD filled with "priceless and irreplaceable audio, video, photographic and audiovisual content that were compiled over the course of Kenny Rogers' decades-long career."

What's more ... the estate claims Junkermann made repeated requests for approval to use the content, but was repeatedly denied verbally and in writing. The estate is adamant Junkermann knew he had no right to go forward, but still struck a deal with a distributor.

Earlier this year, the estate says it blocked the release of the DVD but it cost nearly $290k in legal fees to get it done. So, they're suing for damages and for an injunction blocking Junkermann's DVD from ever coming out. They say it's not up to Kenny's standards and would damage his brand.

The "Double Fantasy" album John Lennon signed for Mark David Chapman hours before Chapman assassinated him is hitting the auction block ... and is expected to haul in up to 2 million bucks.

The macabre piece of rock 'n' roll history features Lennon's signature in blue ink on the album cover art ... a photo of Lennon and Yoko Ono. He signed his name on Yoko's neck along with his "1980" inscription.

"Double Fantasy" was the fifth album released by John and Yoko, and was released the month before he was shot and killed on December 8, 1980, as he was walking into his home at The Dakota in NYC.

Chapman had waited outside the building with a copy of the album to score Lennon's autograph around 5:50 PM as he and Yoko were on their way to a studio. Chapman was still waiting at 10:50 PM when the couple returned ... and shot Lennon four times in the back.

As you can see ... there are other markings on the front and back of the album. Those were made by law enforcement, as it was a key piece of police evidence from the scene of the crime. Chapman had put the album in one of the planters outside The Dakota after Lennon signed it.

When cops arrived, Chapman was found casually reading a copy of "The Catcher in the Rye," and told police he killed Lennon because he was so famous. The murderer was recently denied parole for the 11th time.

A "Wipeout" contestant is dead after being hospitalized following a go at the obstacle course ... TMZ has learned.

Production sources tell TMZ ... a male contestant needed medical attention Wednesday after completing the course, and he was tended to by on-site emergency personnel who then called paramedics.

We're told the contestant was taken to a hospital, where he later died.

Our law enforcement sources tell us they got a cardiac arrest call just before noon Wednesday, and medics on set had already started using a defibrillator on the contestant, who was experiencing chest pains after completing the course.

We're told there are precautions and safeguards in place on set. For example, every 'Wipeout' contestant undergoes medical exams before participating. There are also 2 paramedics on-site, plus a safety producer and paramedic coordinator.

'Wipeout' is getting an upcoming reboot on TBS after originally airing on ABC from 2008 to 2014, and TBS tells us ... "We are devastated to have learned of his passing and our deepest sympathy goes out to the family."

The production company, Endemol Shine North America, says ... "We offer our heartfelt condolences to the family and our thoughts are with them at this time."

Rapper Mo3's alleged killer was captured on surveillance footage carrying a gun as he appears to run away from the murder scene.

The Dallas Police Department released the picture late Thursday night in hopes the public can help them identify the male suspect, whom cops say was seen driving in a possible 2014 or 2015 black Chevy Camaro.

Cops are asking anyone with information to contact the Dallas Police Homicide Unit. TMZ broke the story ... Mo3 was being tailed moments before he was shot and killed in his hometown.

The rapper had left a friend's house before he noticed he was being followed from the home to a gas station.

The chase ended up on the I-35 and, in an attempt to lose the other vehicle, Mo3 tried to get around traffic but ended up crashing. We're told Mo3 got out of his car and ran for his life before he was gunned down in broad daylight.

Gordon Ramsay did more than send "MasterChef Junior" star Ben Watkins well wishes when he was battling an extremely rare cancer ... he tried to help him get the best treatment possible too.

The TV chef quietly donated $50,000 to Ben in August to help cover the medical costs associated with his battle with cancer ... according to sources close to the situation.

This was right around the time Ramsay and Ben's fellow season 6 competitors sent him a heart-warming video, letting him know they were praying for him and helping raise money with a GoFundMe.

It's no secret Ramsay and the 'MasterChef' community were very fond of the 14-year-old, and we're told the reality cooking show is currently trying to come up with a way to honor him after his passing. Also, that GoFundMe is now at over $200k, and will be used to support his family.

As we reported ... Ben died Monday from Angiomatoid Fibrous Histiocytoma. He was diagnosed when he was 13, about 2 years after he competed on the Ramsay-hosted show and quickly became a fan favorite.

Bobby Brown Jr. was not feeling well in the days leading up to his death and he was experiencing flu-like symptoms ... according to his family.

We broke the story ... Bobby Brown's son was found Wednesday in his L.A.-area home, and cops told us they believed there was no foul play involved.

A source connected to the family tells TMZ Bobby Jr. did not have COVID.

Bobby tells us, "Please keep my family in your prayers at this time. Losing my son at this point in our lives has devastated my family. There are no words to explain the pain.”

The Brown family says they will let authorities conduct an investigation into his death, and Bobby's asking for prayers. He says his son's death has devastated the family and there's no words to explain the pain.

Alex Trebek's heroism has never been more evident than it will be on tonight's episode of "Jeopardy!" -- it features a bittersweet message he made just for this day.

When the late host recorded the episode airing Thursday night he opened it by recognizing World Pancreatic Cancer Day ... but didn't make it about himself. Instead, Alex urged his audience to be wary of symptoms and get tested.

What's remarkable about his heartfelt plea isn't just the content, but it's clear from the raspiness in Alex's voice how much he was struggling at the time the episode was shot.

TMZ broke the story ... Alex died earlier this month after his long battle with stage-4 pancreatic cancer, but continued working up until about 10 days before he passed. The episodes he recorded will run through Christmas Day.

Bobby Brown has lost another child ... his son, Bobby Brown Jr., has died.

A source close to the family tells TMZ Bobby Jr. was found dead Wednesday in his home in the L.A. area. Police are still at the house, and our sources tell us, at this point, they do not believe there was foul play involved.

It's another horrific tragedy for the singer and his family to endure. Bobby Jr.'s half-sister, Bobbi Kristina, died when she was just 22 years old after she was found lifeless in the bathtub of her Georgia home.

She was on life support for several months before she passed in July 2015. The coroner determined Bobbi Kristina's cause of death was drowning in the tub while she had toxic levels of cocaine and alcohol in her system.

It was an eerily similar death to her mother, Whitney Houston, who had died 3 years earlier from an accidental overdose while in a bathtub at the Beverly Hilton Hotel.

Jr. is one of Bobby's seven children. He was 13 when he, along with Bobbi Kristina, appeared on the family's short-lived Bravo reality show, "Being Bobby Brown."

His mother is Kim Ward, who Bobby dated off and on for 11 years before he got engaged to Whitney.

Bobby Jr. was only 28.

RIP

A Tyson Foods plant in Iowa had no regard for coronavirus safety, and managers even wagered on how many employees would get the virus ... according to a lawsuit filed by a deceased worker's son.

Oscar Fernandez is suing the food giant and several high-ranking officials, claiming his dad, Isidro -- who died April 26 -- was infected with COVID-19 along with 1,000 other employees because the Waterloo facility did not take proper precautions.

Fernandez claims Tyson required employees to work long hours in cramped conditions despite a coronavirus outbreak, failed to provide sufficient PPE and did not implement proper social distancing measures.

Most shockingly, according to the suit ... the Waterloo plant manager organized a cash buy-in, winner-take-all betting pool for supervisors and managers to bet on how many employees would test positive for the virus.

Fernandez repeatedly claims high-ranking Tyson officials pressured workers to keep working no matter what -- and even lobbied government officials to help keep the plant open -- despite 2 dozen employees being admitted to the emergency room in April and the plant temporarily shutting down.

Tyson is being sued for fraudulent misrepresentations, gross negligence and wanton disregard for worker safety.

The company has denied many of the allegations, although their comments have not specifically addressed the alleged betting pool.

Tyson says ... "We're saddened by the loss of any Tyson team member and sympathize with their families. Our top priority is the health and safety of our workers and we've implemented a host of protective measures at Waterloo and our other facilities that meet or exceed CDC and OSHA guidance for preventing Covid-19."