'The Little Mermaid' Samuel E. Wright Dead at 74 ... Was Voice of Sebastian

Samuel E. Wright -- known by millions as the voice of Sebastian the crab in "The Little Mermaid" -- has died ... TMZ has learned.

Wright's hometown of Montgomery, New York broke the sad news on Facebook, saying ... "Sam was an inspiration to us all and along with his family established the Hudson Valley Conservatory."

The Town of Montgomery did not mention a cause of death, but added ... "On top of his passion for the arts and his love for his family, Sam was most known for walking into a room and simply providing PURE JOY to those he interacted with. He loved to entertain, he loved to make people smile and laugh and he loved to love."

All of those characteristics were on full display when he brought to life one of the most beloved characters from the legendary 1989 Disney film. Voicing Sebastian, Sam was responsible for singing 2 of its most popular songs -- both Oscar-nominated -- "Under the Sea" and "Kiss the Girl" ... the former won for Original Song.

Sam continued to work with Disney as the voice of Sebastian in "The Little Mermaid" sequels and a TV series, and also lent his voice in the 2000 movie, "Dinosaur."

Before his voice made him famous, Wright worked for more than a decade as an actor with roles on "Enos," "All My Children" and "The Cosby Show." He also costarred with Forest Whitaker in the underrated Clint Eastwood film, "Bird."

Wright was also known for his theater work, appearing in musicals like "Jesus Christ Superstar," "Pippin" and for originating the part of Mufasa for the Tony-award winning 'Lion King' musical.

He was 74.

RIP

COVID-19 Vaccine William Shakespeare Dies ... First Man to Get Vaccinated

William Shakespeare, the one famous for the COVID-19 vaccine, is dead ... 5 months after getting inoculated. The other Shakespeare's dead too, but you knew that.

The 81-year-old Englishman -- who went by Bill, btw -- died Thursday of an illness, which the BBC reports was unrelated to the vaccine.

As we reported, Bill was the first man, outside of clinical trials, to get the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine back in December when mass vaccinations began in England.

Jayne Innes, one of Bill's friends and local politicians, wants folks to honor him by getting vaccinated too. Innes says the "best tribute to Bill is to have the jab."

Bill got his shot at University Hospital Coventry, about 20 miles from Stratford-upon-Avon, the birthplace of the OG Shakespeare. He was an inpatient in the hospital's frailty ward when he got the vaccine.

Bill's shots followed 90-year-old Margaret Keenan's, the first person in the world to get jabbed. By all accounts, she's still fine and dandy.

If you're curious, that other Shakespeare -- the playwright guy -- died at the relatively young age of 52 ... back in 1616.

Ruth Bader Ginsburg Leaves Most Everything to Kids And Housekeeper Too!!!

Ruth Bader Ginsburg gave everything she had in her possession to her children and, interestingly enough, one of her trusted longtime employees ... TMZ has learned.

We've obtained a copy of the late Supreme Court Justice's will ... and it lays it out in precise detail who's getting what from her near $6 million estate. According to the docs, RBG is leaving the majority of her personal effects to her 2 kids, Jane and James Ginsburg, who she also made executors of her will.

Per the will, her personal property includes -- but isn't limited to -- any cars, furniture, books, art, sculptures, paintings, photographs, silver, porcelain, jewelry and clothes in her possession ... and all that stuff is lumped together and valued at $250,000.

She has other personal property that's worth about $5.5 million -- but there's no breakdown of what exactly that entails.

As for the third person in her life to receive a cut ... her housekeeper, Elizabeth Salas, to whom Justice Ginsburg left a cool $40,000 in cash. She was incredibly close to RBG, and even sat next to Biden when the Justice lay in state at the Capitol Rotunda last year. She reportedly worked for RBG for 22 years.

Keep in mind -- what's listed here is simply RBG's probate estate ... we don't know if she had other assets in a private trust separately.

She was 87 when she passed.

RIP

WWE's Alexa Bliss Beloved Pet Pig Dies Claims Vets Refused to Treat Him

WWE superstar Alexa Bliss is mourning the death of her pet pig, Larry-Steve -- claiming the animal died in severe pain after multiple veterinarians turned them away because he was just too big.

Bliss had raised Larry-Steve since birth back in 2017 -- and loved him like a member of the family at her home in the Orlando area. He evolved into a social media star who racked up nearly 90,000 followers on Instagram.

But, tragedy struck on Monday -- when Bliss says she noticed Larry had become extremely ill and it was clear he was suffering.

"Larry is very ill, can’t move or walk. In a lot of pain," Bliss said ... "His usual pig vet said she is not comfortable treating him in his current condition."

Bliss added, "Most vets are not comfortable treating pigs. If anyone knows of a pig vet please let me know."

Bliss says she ended up reaching out to 13 different animal doctors but couldn't find anyone close to care for Larry.

"Unfortunately in the state that Larry’s in right now there’s absolutely no way we are going to be able to transport him. He is in too much pain and weak."

Bliss says some vets hung up on claiming they only treat pigs "up to a certain weight" ... and Larry was just too big.

Later that day, Alexa had to leave for work to shoot "Monday Night Raw" -- but left him in the care of her family while she spoke with him on speakerphone.

"It is heartbreaking that all I can do is just listen to him squeal in pain and no one will come help. No one will even just come and give him pain meds to help take care of his pain."

Sadly, Larry ultimately passed away early Tuesday morning.

Alexa posted a message on IG noting he died on the day before his 4th birthday.

"This morning Larry-Steve gained his Angel wings," Bliss said ... "I’m so sorry we couldn’t find you the help you needed in time."

"Some people didn’t agree to help you. But I want you to know Larry, YOUR LIFE MATTERED. We are completely heartbroken."

RIP, Larry-Steve.

'The Office' Actor Mark York Dead at 55

UPDATE

7:41 AM PT -- 5/25 -- Mark's dad, Glenn, tells TMZ his son had developed some sort of infection in his body which took a turn for the worse during a recent visit to see his mom. Glenn says Mark suffered a medical emergency during the trip and passed away on the way to the hospital.

Mark York -- best known for playing Billy Merchant in the early goings of "The Office" -- has died following an illness.

The actor died last week at Miami Valley Hospital in Ohio. His death came quickly after the illness surfaced, but the exact cause of death has not been disclosed.

York grew up in Ohio, but left for California to pursue acting ... he eventually landed small TV roles such as "CSI: New York" in 2004 and "Fighting Words" in 2007, but undoubtedly his most memorable gig was playing Billy Merchant in seasons 1 and 2 of "The Office."

Mark, a paraplegic since 1988, had some memorable moments on the show, but his funniest came in season 2, episode 14 in "The Injury" episode ... where Mark's character is brought in for Michael Scott's disability-awareness meeting.

More recently ... Mark had been working as an inventor and had recently secured 2 patents for his inventions. He was an avid Cincinnati Reds, Kentucky Wildcats basketball and Ohio State football fan.

He's survived by his brother, mother and father.

Mark was 55.

RIP

Originally Published -- 5/24 4:12 PM PT

Legendary Hip-Hop Photog Chi Modu Died From Cancer ... Was Recently Diagnosed

UPDATE

5:34 PM PT -- 5/24 -- Chi died from cancer ... according to his family. We're told he died last week and the cancer was only recently diagnosed.

UPDATE

Chi's family is also remembering him as a revolutionary thinker, visionary and a man of great character. They say a memorial service is being planned and details will be released soon.

Chi Modu -- one of the most famous photographers in hip-hop history, documenting iconic shots from the 1990s -- has died.

An Instagram post announcing the sad news went up Saturday, with a caption that read ... "Our hearts are broken... We continue the fight ©💪🏾 The family request privacy at this time 📷." It was accompanied by a photo of him and his lifespan in years, 1966-2021.

The details surrounding his death weren't released.

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Chi had snapped one of the most memorable batches of photos as it pertains to music -- shooting a variety of rappers in the '90s, which went on to grace the covers of memorable albums, as well as T-shirts and stills for years to come.

He's perhaps best known for photographing Prodigy and Havoc of Mobb Deep for the cover of their 1995 album, 'The Infamous' ... but he might be just as known for his black and white photo of a shirtless Tupac, with his hands up near his head and cigarette smoke blowing.

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There are countless other legendary artists in his repertoire, including The Notorious B.I.G., Snoop Dogg, Nas, Diddy, LL Cool J, Wu-Tang Clan, Eazy-E, Ice Cube, Mary J. Blige, Busta Rhymes, Dr. Dre, Ice-T, Run-DMC, Q-Tip, Gang Starr, Geto Boyz, Redman, Dead Prez, Eminem, Fat Joe, Kris Kross, Mac Miller, Ty Dolla $ign, Common and Flavor Flav.

The list can go on forever -- but bottom line ... your favorite rapper has probably been shot at one point or another by Chi ... whose work is well-documented and seriously unmatched.

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The guy started at The Source and was pretty much tasked with getting in with these acts that were bubbling at the time ... and sure enough, they gave him unprecedented access to document their work, lifestyles and their most intimate moments. All the photos made for sick shots, which goes without saying.

His photojournalism went beyond just hip-hop, BTW -- Chi traveled the world and snapped a wealth of pics in countries all over Asia, the Middle East and Africa. Chi's contribution to photography and music culture is unparalleled ... and his death is, frankly, shocking.

He was only 54.

RIP

Originally Published -- 5/22 2:59 PM PT

Ultra-Marathon Tragedy 21 Runners Dead In China After Being Trapped In Freezing Cold Hail Storm

Terrible news out of China ... where 21 elite athletes died during a 62-mile, ultra-marathon race when the group got caught in a freezing storm that appeared out of nowhere.

The event -- known as the Huanghe Shilin Mountain Marathon -- began Saturday morning when the weather was sunny and nice.

Most of the 172 runners had anticipated normal weather conditions and showed up to the race in shorts and t-shirts, typical running garb.

But, things took a sudden turn just after noon around the Yellow River Stone Forest -- when a freezing cold storm moved in, punishing the runners with a barrage of hailstones, rain and icy winds.

MAY 2021
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Some of the athletes reportedly recognized the deadly conditions and tried to seek shelter ... others apparently tried to push through it (remember, these athletes are some of the toughest people in the world).

According to reports, some of the runners began experiencing hypothermia -- and eventually, the organizers pulled the plug on the race.

Realizing the situation was turning deadly, a 1,200 person search party was dispatched to locate and rescue all of the athletes. Officials also used thermal-imaging drones to find the participants ... but it proved to be too late.

In total, 21 runners died from the weather. At least 8 more were hospitalized.

One of the dead has been identified as 31-year-old Liang Jing -- one of the top ultra-marathon runners in the world. He's survived by his wife and newborn baby.

Another victim is Huang Guanjun -- who won the marathon for hearing-impaired athletes at the 2019 National Paralympic Games in China.

RIP

Univ. of Cincinnati Bearcats Soccer Player Ally Sidloski Dead at 21 ... After Drowning Accident

Tragedy out of Ohio ... where the University of Cincinnati has confirmed soccer player Ally Sidloski died in a drowning incident over the weekend.

She was only 21.

Sidloski -- a high school star with tons of potential -- had been hanging out at East Fork Lake in Ohio on Saturday when something went terribly wrong.

According to FOX19, Sidloski had been spotted hanging onto a swim platform of a boat -- but ultimately couldn't safely get out of the water.

Her body was found early Sunday morning. Officials say she was not wearing a life jacket.

UC officials confirmed her passing -- and head coach Neil Stafford remembered her as a great player, student and person.

"I am absolutely crushed for the Sidloski Family, our soccer team and the University," Stafford said.

"There's no words for dealing with a tragedy on this scale. Ally was such a pillar of everything that's right about our program. A great student, gritty and resilient player and a phenomenal human being – this is an immeasurable and unspeakable loss."

"Our hearts go out to her family and friends and we will lift them up with our fond memories of Ally."

During her high school career at Strongsville HS, Sidloski was a 3-time All-Greater Cleveland Conference selection.

She made her debut for the UC Bearcats in 2019 -- though she missed the 2020 season due to injury.

In the classroom, the University says Sidloski had earned a 4.0 GPA during multiple semesters -- and received Academic All-AAC honors following the 2019 season.

RIP

Paul Mooney Eddie Murphy, Tiffany Haddish, Kevin Hart All Invited for Tribute Show

Paul Mooney made the Laugh Factory in Hollywood practically his second home ... so it's only fitting to have a tribute there ... and comedy royalty's expected to attend.

Jamie Masada, the owner and founder of the iconic comedy club, tells TMZ ... a special show will go down in honor of Paul Thursday at 3 PM. Eddie Murphy and Kevin Hart are among the many who have been contacted to attend. We're told Tiffany Haddish is not able to attend because of work but will send in a special video tribute to be played during the event.

Paul's twin sons -- comedians Dwayne and Daryl -- will also be there ... with the list of special guests expected only to grow.

Jamie says he envisions guests doing a little stand-up (duh), sharing their best Paul Mooney stories and more.

Paul was a regular at the famed Hollywood location. In fact ... Jamie tells us he still remembers Paul being one of the very first comedians on opening night in 1979.

Paul, of course, was vocal about the Black Lives Matter movement ... and he always found hilarious, yet enlightening, ways to weave the movement into his set. After all ... he had been advocating on behalf of his community over the course of his 40-plus years on stage.

We're told there were instances back in the day when other clubs wouldn't let Paul perform his material because of his race. But, the Laugh Factory always gave him a platform.

The comedy club's the latest to honor Paul. As we first reported ... the City of Oakland -- where he was raised and sadly died -- plans to honor him as well.

Tragedy in Italy Cable Car Plunges to Ground Killing 13

UPDATE

9:20 AM PT -- According to most recent reports, 13 people have been killed and 2 children are seriously injured from the accident.

There was a horrific cable car accident in Italy Sunday ... and at least 8 people died.

The car -- which connects Italy's Maggiore Lake with a nearby mountain, careened to the ground.

The car takes tourists from the town of Stresa up 1400 meters above sea level to Mottarone Mountain. The ride is supposed to take 20 minutes.

There was a frantic rescue attempt which included 2 helicopter ambulances to take the injured to a local hospital.

The car that plunged to the ground carried 11 people, 2 of which were children. The children survived and were taken to the hospital. So far, authorities have not said what caused the cable car to plunge to the ground. Authorities offered no additional details. We don't know if the entire lift operation was halted, but that's typically what happens after such an accident.

The tragedy has several layers. As the world escapes the grip of the pandemic, people are traveling at a fever pitch, and that's why the mountain was so crowded with tourists ... people who were held up for more than a year ... looking for some enjoyment that turned to tragedy in an instant.

Originally published -- 5:16 AM PT

Prince Harry I Drank, Did Drugs to Numb Pain of Mom's Death ... Reveals in New Doc

Prince Harry's still dealing with the trauma of his mother, Princess Diana's fatal car crash when he was 12 -- but says therapy's brought him a long way since his days of partying hard to mask his pain.

The Duke of Sussex opens up about his own mental health battle in the series he co-created with Oprah -- "The Me You Can't See -- and he takes viewers back to 1997 when he and his brother, Prince William, were in shock after their mother's death.

Prince Harry says he felt "outside of my body" and struggled processing what happened, but his feelings turned to anger over Di getting no justice. He says, "Nothing came from that. The same people who chased her into the tunnel, photographed her dying on the backseat of that car."

Though he was having a very hard time, Harry claims his calls for help within the Royal Family were met with "total silence" ... and he was expected to carry on. Eventually, he says he just stopped thinking about it because it only made him sad.

Remember, Harry's already said Prince Charles' parenting caused him serious trauma -- and, as a result, royal aides have reportedly suggested Harry should be stripped of all his titles.

This all led to a period of hard-partying from the ages of 28 to 32, which Harry calls "a nightmare time in my life." He tells Oprah he was drinking a week's worth of alcohol on some nights to mask his pain, and was willing to take drugs to make him feel less like he was feeling.

3/7/21
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Harry also talks about his relationship with Meghan Markle, who he says first encouraged him to seek therapy about 4 years ago. He says, "I knew that if I didn't do therapy and fix myself, that I was going to lose this woman who I could see spending the rest of my life with."

Meghan, of course, has detailed her own mental health struggles, and Harry talks about the scary night she expressed suicidal thoughts to him while pregnant with Archie ... something they first revealed during their CBS interview with Oprah.

Harry shares his pain in the first ep of the docuseries, which premiered Thursday on Apple TV+. Along with Harry and Oprah, the series features other celebs -- like NBA star DeMar DeRozan, Glenn Close and Lady Gaga -- talking about their mental health.

Prince William & Prince Harry Go Off on BBC for '95 Diana Interview ... Probe Calls Network 'Deceitful'

Prince William and his brother Prince Harry are finally on the same page about something -- condemning the BBC for the way it treated their mother ... specifically regarding her now infamous 1995 TV interview.

The Royal bros both made strong comments Thursday after an independent investigation into Princess Diana's explosive sit-down with BBC journalist Martin Bashir nearly 3 decades ago determined he and the network engaged in "deceitful behavior" and dishonest tactics to persuade her to do it.

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William blasted the BBC, saying ... "the deceitful way the interview was obtained substantially influenced what my mother said," and he blames it for his parents' relationship falling apart.

He also added, "BBC’s failures contributed significantly to her fear, paranoia and isolation that I remember from those final years with her."

During the interview -- a huge get for Bashir and the BBC -- Diana notoriously stated that "there were three of us in this marriage" ... referring to Prince Charles’ relationship with Camilla Parker-Bowles, and her account of the marriage failing was watched by millions.

Prince Harry went further than his big bro, ripping not just the BBC, but British media in general and laying her death at their feet -- "The ripple effect of a culture of exploitation and unethical practices ultimately took her life."

He adds that he's deeply concerned that the practices used in 1995 are even worse, and more widespread, today.

As for what sparked the BBC inquiry -- Diana’s brother, Charles Spencer, recently accused Bashir of using false documents and trickery to gain access to the princess, and the retired judge who was appointed to handle the investigation confirmed those allegations were true.

The BBC has publicly accepted the findings, admitted to its failures, and sent a written apology to the royal family.

Paul Mooney Oakland Officials Aim to Honor Him ... With Hometown Tribute

Paul Mooney's death has created some urgency on the part of the Oakland City Council to figure out how to honor the comedic legend ... but TMZ's learned the idea for a tribute was hatched even before he passed away.

Several officials in Oakland -- where Mooney was raised and sadly died -- tell us the topic is already on the agenda for the June 1 City Council meeting.

The councilmembers we spoke with say some of the ideas for honoring Paul's life include an annual or regularly scheduled comedy event that puts the spotlight on Oaktown's best up-and-coming comedians ... following the path Mooney trailblazed.

There are also talks of creating a plaque with his face on it to be displayed somewhere in the Black Arts District ... or developing a college scholarship fund in his name.

The city officials tell us they also want to hear from Oakland citizens about what they want for a Mooney tribute ... something Councilmember Loren Taylor says has been discussed in his district well before the comedic legend died.

That's because they all believe Mooney's legacy is more than comedy -- he also provided insight into social issues and politics.

As we reported ... Paul died at his Oakland home Wednesday morning after suffering a heart attack.

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TMZ.com

Tributes from the comedy world and folks in Hollywood have been pouring in -- most notably Dave Chappelle told us he'll see to it that people don't forget about the legend that was Paul Mooney.

Diego Maradona 7 People Charged With Homicide ... After Shocking Investigation

Bombshell news out of Argentina where SEVEN people have been charged with homicide in the death of soccer legend Diego Maradona.

Maradona passed away back in November from heart failure -- just 2 weeks after undergoing brain surgery. He was only 60.

The Maradona family had suspected there was something fishy behind his death -- which led to a special investigation into the situation.

Police in Argentina raided the house and private clinic of Dr. Leopoldo Luque (the surgeon who performed the brain operation) in the days following Maradona's death -- and clearly, they believe they found enough evidence to prove criminal wrongdoing.

Now, prosecutors in San Isidro, Argentino have announced 7 people -- including Dr. Luque -- have been charged with "simple homicide with eventual intent," according to ESPN.

The other 6 people facing charges include Maradona's psychiatrist Agustina Cosachov -- along with 2 nurses and other medical professionals.

If convicted, they each face up to 25 years in prison.

According to reports, prosecutors believe there is evidence showing Maradona received insufficient medical care following the brain surgery.

In other words, they believe Maradona's death could have been prevented had the medical team performed their jobs correctly.

It's unclear WHY prosecutors believe the medical team, failed to perform their duties -- some have suggested a nefarious motive.

The case is scheduled to go in front of a judge on May 31 -- and the world will be watching.

L.A. County to Vanessa Bryant You're Putting Deputies At Risk!!! In Kobe Crash Photo Case

Los Angeles County is calling out Vanessa Bryant ... claiming she's subjecting Sheriff's deputies to harassment by revealing their names in the lawsuit she filed over photos taken at the Kobe helicopter crash site.

According to new legal docs, obtained by TMZ, attorneys for L.A. County say Kobe Bryant's widow is aggressively conducting a "fishing expedition that is taking first responders away from their jobs." The County is referring to the fact Vanessa posted the names of 4 deputies who allegedly took pics of remains.

As we reported ... she won a legal battle in March to obtain the names of the deputies and promptly put 'em on blast on her IG.

In the docs, L.A. County attorneys say Vanessa is going too far with a "straightforward case" ... and her social media posts are exposing the deputies to threats.

Remember, Vanessa filed suit back in September against the L.A. County Sheriff's Department after learning deputies had taken, and shared, pics amid the wreckage of the helicopter that crashed killing Kobe, their daughter Gianna and 7 others.

Dave Chappelle on Paul Mooney He's Sorely Missed, Wildly Remembered ... I'll See To That!!!

WE LOST A GREAT ONE
TMZ.com

Dave Chappelle says Paul Mooney's legacy as one of the best comedians to ever do it will live forever ... and he's going to make sure it happens

We got Dave at the Soho Grand Hotel in New York City Wednesday and asked him about Paul's passing. The two were very tight, working closely together on "Chappelle's Show."

Dave says Paul's death is a tough one, and he's remembering him as one of the G.O.A.T.s of comedy ... rattling off Mooney's list of accomplishments with Richard Pryor and others.

As we reported ... Paul suffered a heart attack and died Wednesday morning at his home in Oakland after paramedics tried unsuccessfully to revive him.

Dave says Paul "will be sorely missed and wildly remembered" ... and he'll personally make sure folks won't ever forget the comedic legend.

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