RIP

Principal Joe Louis Clark, whose tough-as-nails approach was the subject of the movie "Lean on Me," has died.

Joe's family says he passed away Tuesday at home in Gainesville, FL after a long battle with an undisclosed illness. He was surrounded by family members, but will also be mourned by hundreds, if not thousands, of graduates from his time as a legendary principal in Northern New Jersey.

Morgan Freeman played Joe in the 1989 film which chronicled his hard-nosed efforts to improve Eastside High School in Paterson, NJ. The school was described as crime and drug-ridden when Joe took over as principal there in 1983.

The former Army Reserve sergeant and drill instructor took no crap from the student body, and once expelled 300 kids in one day for fighting, vandalism, abusing teachers and drugs.

The image of Joe roaming school hallways with a bullhorn and baseball bat wasn't just something Hollywood cooked up for Freeman's role ... it's how Joe rolled in real life.

His style earned him national headlines and made him controversial ... critics felt he was way too aggressive, but his admirers pointed to positive results at the school.

Joe was 82.

A Russian sumo wrestler who used to be known as the "world's heaviest boy" has reportedly died at a very young age ... this after years of concern about his extreme weight.

Dzhambulat Khatokhov recently passed away, per Betal Gubzhev -- president of Sumo and Mass Wrestling Federation in Kabardino-Balkaria ... that's where Khatokhov had lived and grew up wrestling. A cause of death is unknown, but word is he'd lately had kidney problems.

The guy was a worldwide phenomenon for a couple reasons -- for one, he competed on the mat, but also other strength challenges (like arm wrestling) and proved to be successful at a young age. Second ... he was absolutely enormous size-wise, especially for his age.

At birth, reports say he only weighed in at around 6 lbs -- but by his first birthday ... he already clocked in at over 28 pounds and continued growing heavier and heavier. By the time he was nine, they say he weighed well over 300 pounds.

Khatokhov became the subject of much speculation, and the focus of several documentaries over the course of his life. Different experts examined him, and most expressed worry his life expectancy would be drastically shorter than normal kids his age.

You might think there was some sort of genetic defect he was dealing with that was causing his excessive weight gain and growth, but according to his mom there was nothing doctors could find to explain it.

She reportedly said this is just how God made her boy, and she, apparently, believed he was fully healthy.

Khatokhov was just 21.

'Deadliest Catch' star Nick McGlashan appears to have died from some sort of drug overdose ... according to police investigating his death.

Law enforcement sources tell us Nashville PD got a call to a Holiday Inn outside Nashville Sunday afternoon. We're told Nick had been discovered unresponsive in his room by a friend. We're told the evidence at the scene "indicated the possibility of drug involvement."

Authorities still need to wait for the results from a toxicology test before making a final ruling on Nick's cause of death.

McGlashan was a prominent figure on the show ... making appearances from 2013-2020. He started fishing at a young age, just 13, and made his way up to captaining boats like the Cape Caution and Summer Bay -- but he battled addiction with drugs and alcohol along the way.

Nick McGlashan, a 7th generation fisherman who starred in "Deadliest Catch," has died ... TMZ has learned.

The Medical Examiner and family tell TMZ ... Nick passed away Sunday in Nashville. The cause of death has not been determined.

Nick appeared on the show for years ... from 2013 - 2020, in 78 episodes.

Nick's family has a storied tale of the sea. His great uncle worked on the first boat in the U.S. crab industry. Two of his aunts were crabbers ... one of who was lost at sea after the boat sank.

As for Nick ... he started crabbing at age 13. Nick quickly earned his stripes and up piloting the Cape Caution ... eventually upgrading to the Summer Bay.

Nick was an unrelenting figure on the boat. Nothing could stop him ... not pain, nothing. He never gave up ... even when the boat had perilous mechanical problems.

He struggled for years with addiction to alcohol and drugs ... it got bad enough he was suspended from part of Season 13 and ended up in rehab. It got so bad he said he was drinking a half-gallon of vodka and shooting up with one gram of meth and 2 grams of heroin in a single day. He tried hard to stay sober and said he was trying to inspire others to get clean.

The show has had its share of tragedies. We broke the story ... deckhand Mahlon Reyes died back in August after suffering a heart attack.

Nick was 33.

Hall of Fame pitcher Phil Niekro -- famous for his wicked knuckleball that allowed him to pitch as an older guy -- has died.

The Atlanta Braves made the announcement Sunday, saying Niekro passed away Saturday in his sleep at his home in the ATL suburb of Flowery Branch. They say he'd been battling cancer for a while.

The Braves heaped praise on Phil ... "Knucksie was woven into the Braves fabric, first in Milwaukee and then in Atlanta. Phil baffled batters on the field and later was always the first to join in our community activities." They add that he was a longtime presence in their clubhouse and community for years to come after finally retiring from baseball in 1987.

Niekro was one of the rare knuckleball pitchers who could seemingly wield an uncontrollable and unpredictable pitch ... a rare skill that helped him stay on the mound well into his 40s, which isn't all that common in baseball (for pitchers, anyway). And, yes, his stuff was nasty.

He had a cumulative ERA of 3.35 over the course of his 23-year career, with a total of 3,342 strikeouts and a win record of 318. Phil got his start in the big leagues with the Braves in '64 and played for them until 1983, at which he began to bounce around a few different teams.

The man played for the Yankees, the Indians, the Blue Jays ... and finally, circled back to his first love and ended his career in Atlanta. During his final outing on September 27, he received a massive standing ovation from the crowd as he bid them and baseball adieu.

Phil was a five-time gold glove winner and a five-time all-star, plus the recipient of tons of other accolades ... including the MLB ERA leader at one point, the National League strikeout leader and more. PN was inducted into the MLB HOF in 1997 as fifth ballot candidate.

He's survived by his wife, Nancy, his three sons and grandchildren. He was 81.

A Utah football star is dead after accidentally shooting himself.

Ty Jordan, a freshman running back at the University of Utah, died early Saturday ... reportedly the result of an accidental shooting.

Cops responded to a call from someone who reported a gunshot victim. He was rushed to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead. Authorities believe the shooting was accidental.

Head Coach Kyle Whittingham said Saturday, "Words cannot express the devastation and heartache that our team is feeling right now upon learning of the tragic death of our teammate and brother, Ty Jordan. Ty's personality and smile were infectious and he made a huge impact on our program in the short time he was with us." The Coach adds ... "All of us in the Utah Football Family want to say we love you Ty and may you rest in peace."

Jordan was the 2020 Pac-12 Offensive Freshman Player of the Year, after rushing for 597 yards and scoring 6 touchdowns.

The 2020 Pac-12 Offensive Freshman Player of the Year allegedly died overnight in an ‘accidental shooting’ while in Texas.

Jordan was 19.

RIP

It took 10 days -- TEN DAYS -- but finally, the United Airlines passenger who hovered over a dying, COVID-infected man for 45 minutes administering CPR has been contacted that he was exposed to the virus.

Tony Aldapa tells TMZ, he got a call late Thursday from the L.A. County Dept. of Public Health ... informing him what we've been telling and showing for a week -- that the passenger he was trying to save had the virus and died shortly after the plane made an emergency landing.

It's a scary case of buck-passing. Despite the fact the COVID-positive man had lost his sense of taste and smell and had trouble breathing -- something his wife blurted out during the in-flight emergency -- United did not notify any of the passengers they might have been exposed.

A United spokesperson told us it wasn't their job to notify passengers. Instead, the airline gave its flight manifest to the CDC, telling us that agency would contact passengers.

Then the CDC told us they were passing the information along to local health officials. Finally, 10 days after exposure ... Tony was notified.

Tony, an EMT, had some COVID-like symptoms but tested negative and is feeling better.

A Columbus cop shot and killed an African-American man in his own garage ... and it all happened in 10 seconds.

Cops were responding to a non-emergency call ... someone reported a guy inside a car, turning the ignition on and off.

When officers arrived, they noticed the garage of 47-year-old Andre Maurice Hill was open. and Hill came out.

You don't hear the first 60 seconds of audio ... the cop's bodycam wasn't turned on. The cops shined their flashlights on Hill, who turned around and held his cellphone high in the air, almost to say he was not armed. They shot Hill, then ordered him to roll over on his stomach. He was unable to do anything but moan because he had been fatally shot. He died a short time later.

Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther says he was outraged by the shooting and demanded that the officer who shot Hill be fired. The Mayor was not just outraged at the shooting cop. He said he noted the bodycam video shows none of the officers jumped to give Hill any first aid ... no compression on the wound to stop the bleeding, no CPR. Columbus, Ohio police.

The police report does not go into any detail about the shooting other than to say, "Officer discharged his firearm upon confronting Mr. Hill. Mr. Hill did not survive his injuries."

Mountain guitarist and co-founder Leslie West has died.

The band dropped the sad news ... "With a heavy heart, we are saddened to hear about the passing of #Dean Artist and part of the Dean family, Leslie West. [He was] legendary and one of a kind. Rest In Peace."

Leslie went into cardiac arrest at his Florida home and died Monday.

Tributes are pouring in, from the likes of Geezer Butler, Peter Frampton, Tom Morello and Joe Satriani.

West was considered top of the game on guitar ... and he was in awesome company during his heyday ... his contemporaries included Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page and Eddie Van Halen.

Leslie was born in '45 in Hackensack, NJ. His first professional band was the Vagrants, which he started ... it was a reasonably successful soul band in the '60s.

In '69, Leslie co-founded Mountain. The group's big break was performing at Woodstock their first year as a band, and it instantly cemented their status.

He's best known for his vocals on the song "Mississippi Queen."

Here's how Leslie described "Mississippi Queen" ... "[it] had just everything you need to make it a winner. You’ve got the cowbell, the riff is pretty damn good, and it sounds incredible. It feels like it wants to jump out of your car radio. To me, it sounds like a big, thick milkshake. It’s rich and chocolatey. Who doesn’t love that?”

Leslie had his health struggles. His leg was amputated in 2011 ... the result of complications from diabetes.

West is survived by his wife, Jenni. He was 75.

John "Ecstasy" Fletcher, who co-founded the legendary hip-hop group Whodini and was known for rocking a Zorro hat like no other, has died.

John's death was announced Wednesday by Questlove, who remembers Fletcher as a "legendary and a pivotal member of one of the most legendary groups in hip-hop."

John was living in the Atlanta area, and his passing has come as a huge shock to close friends. So far, no cause of death has been announced by the family.

Together with Jalil Hutchins, John formed Whodini in Brooklyn way back in 1982 before DJ Grandmaster Dee joined in 1986 to form an iconic trio.

Whodini churned out a bunch of albums and hits, including "Freaks Come Out at Night," "Friends" and "The Haunted House of Rock."

The group earned the Hip Hop Icon Award at the 3rd Annual Black Music Honors in 2018 ... and Ice Cube's "Friday" movies often referenced Whodini songs like 'Friends' and 'Freaks.'

John, who provided the vocals with Jalil, was known for his trademark hat which helped him become one of rap's first sex symbols.

Whodini, managed by Russell Simmons during their 80s heyday, was one of the earliest acts to combine rap with rock, and they were the first to perform live with b-boy dancers. Their sound heavily influenced the launch of the New Jack Swing sound.

John's death is sending shockwaves through the music industry, with many artists posting pictures of him and sharing memories.

Cube thanked him for "showing us how to do it" and Jermaine Dupri says, "Ex you know I love you thank you for every word, every conversation, every good time."

Rapper Q-Tip remembered John as "one of the most under appreciated voices in hip hop" and LL Cool J says he's "one of the most important people in this culture to me.

Chuck D's also paying homage ... recalling the time John mentored him in the summer of 1987 and was always there to reassure him advice and tips.

Ecstasy was 56.

The family of a Southern California man who died in police custody is calling the deputies who arrested him murderers ... and they're going to sue over his death.

Ernie Serrano's family and their attorneys, Humberto Guizar and Christian Contreras, announced legal action Wednesday against the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department, claiming the 33-year-old's death amounts to murder and the officers killed him with a smile on their faces.

As we reported ... Ernie died last week after he was busted for assault with a deadly weapon following an alleged incident that required police assistance at a Stater Bros. supermarket in Jurupa Valley ... a fatal interaction with sheriffs that saw Ernie battered and bloodied before becoming unresponsive.

The family's legal team isn't buying the preliminary autopsy report -- concluding Ernie's death was the result of acute methamphetamine intoxication. Guizar claims body cam video shows he died from asphyxiation, so they want the officers charged with homicide.

Ernie's sister says even if he was on drugs ... he didn't deserve to die.

RCSD says they got calls from Stater Bros. about a man refusing to leave the store, but Serrano's attorneys claim the allegations aren't true and they're going to sue the grocery store as well.

Dr. Susan Moore is dead from COVID-19 after claiming she was mistreated at an Indiana hospital simply because of the color of her skin.

Dr. Moore, who is Black, died Sunday ... according to her family.

Dr. Moore, a physician herself, was diagnosed with COVID-19 back on Nov. 29 and was hospitalized at Indiana University Health North Hospital in Carmel, where she claimed hospital staff made her beg for a CT scan and meds.

Dr. Moore posted video earlier this month claiming doctors at IU Health tried sending her home despite her positive COVID diagnosis ... and she said hospital staff made her feel like a drug addict even though they knew she was a physician.

When Dr. Moore finally got a CT scan, she claims doctors discovered damage to her lungs ... but she says that didn't stop them from withholding pain medication for hours on end.

Dr. Moore believed she would have received better treatment if she were white. BTW ... she didn't buy a nurse's story about marching with the Black Lives Matter movement.

Now, she's dead at 52.

We reached out to IU Health. So far, no word back.

RIP

Stella Tennant, famous for her modeling work with designers including Karl Lagerfeld and Versace, is dead.

The British model's family says she died Tuesday, and they're remembering her as "a wonderful woman and an inspiration to us all."

The family has not disclosed the cause of death.

Stella forged a name for herself in the early 1990s, walking the runways for Karl and Versace, and gracing the covers of Harper's Bazaar and Vogue.

She first appeared in British Vogue back in 1993 when she was 22, going on to work with other big designers including Burberry, Calvin Klein, Alexander McQueen and Jean Paul Gaultier.

When the Summer Olympics came to London in 2012, Stella starred in the closing ceremony alongside Naomi Campbell and Kate Moss.

She also had royal blood ... she's the granddaughter of Deborah Mitford and Andrew Cavendish, the 11th Duke of Devonshire.

Stella was 50.

The United Airlines passenger who fell ill on a flight last week and died did indeed have coronavirus ... yet United has not notified passengers they may be at risk for COVID.

The Jefferson Parish Coroner's Office in Louisiana released the passenger's cause of death -- he died from acute respiratory failure and COVID-19. The passenger -- a 69-year-old Los Angeleno -- died at a New Orleans hospital following an emergency landing.

As TMZ reported, the passenger's wife was overheard telling people on the plane that her husband had COVID symptoms, including a loss of taste and smell as well as shortness of breath. It appears the man did not tell the truth before boarding when asked if he had COVID symptoms.

One of the passengers on the flight -- EMT Tony Aldapa -- administered CPR for 45 minutes before the plane landed. He says United contacted him a few days ago and said it was turning the flight manifest over to the CDC and they would either get in touch with him or he could call them.

The incident occurred 8 days ago, and Tony says although he's had symptoms he tested negative as recently as Monday. He's getting another test today.

We've spoken with other passengers who say they have still not been contacted by anyone about the flight or the danger of contracting COVID onboard.

Pro Football Hall of Famer Kevin Greene -- one of the most feared pass rushers EVER -- has died, the HOF confirmed Monday afternoon.

He was only 58-years-old.

"The entire Pro Football Hall of Fame family mourns the passing of Kevin Greene," HOF President and CEO David Baker said. "I regarded him as a personal friend and a true Hall of Famer in every sense. He possessed the most incredible can-do attitude of anyone I ever met."

"He was a great player, but more than that, he was a great man. Our thoughts and prayers are with Kevin's wife, Tara, and their entire family. We will forever keep his legacy alive to serve as inspiration for future generations. The Hall of Fame flag will be flown at half-staff in Kevin's memory."

No cause of death was given.

Greene was a monster in the NFL for 14 years from 1985 to 1999 ... piling up 160 total sacks for the Rams, Steelers, Panthers and 49ers.

The Auburn legend -- who was picked in the 5th round by the Rams in the '85 NFL Draft -- earned 5 Pro Bowl honors, 2 All-Pro nods and 1 NFL Defensive MVP award in his career.

He was inducted into the Hall of Fame alongside legends like Brett Favre, Orlando Pace and Marvin Harrison in 2016.

KG also gained fame in the wrestling world ... making some notable appearances in the WCW in the late 1990s.

Ahmaud Arbery's mom will spend Christmas Day like she has for years ... devoted to her son, Ahmaud Arbery ... only this time, her connection is a visit to his gravesite.

Wanda Cooper Jones tells TMZ ... the family plans to visit Ahmaud's resting place right outside Waynesboro, GA and pay their respects to him on Christmas Day. But first, Wanda says the family -- including folks from out of state -- will get together at her mom's house in Waynesboro to reminisce about the good times they shared with Ahmaud.

She says this Christmas, no doubt, will feel different and sadder without Ahmaud. She says, "It's going to be hard. I'm trying to prepare myself in the best way by continuing to attend events in his honor, but it's just going to be hard that day."

Wanda tells us the family will honor Ahmaud during the family dinner. Wanda's mom is cooking his favorite family recipe: southern butter beans. Wanda says Ahmaud would gobble them up every year -- it was his favorite dish.