RIP

Mick Brigden, a mainstay in the music industry whose work included tour manager for the Rolling Stones and Bob Dylan, has died.

Mick's wife says her husband was digging a grave for their dog at their home in Santa Rosa, CA when he suffered a medical emergency and was rushed to a hospital, where he died.

The cause of death has not been disclosed.

Mick began his career as a concert promoter and worked with Van Morrison, Joe Satriani, Humble Pie, Peter Frampton and Carlos Santana. He was one of the founders of Wolfgang Records, which released multiple albums by Eddie Money, including his first, self-titled album in 1977.

Outside of music management, Brigden had a passion for winemaking, supplying grapes grown in his Northern California vineyard to make an exclusive Owl Ridge cabernet.

This has been a rough period for the Stones and Stones fans. Charlie Watts, the group's one-and-only drummer for 6 decades, died last month.

As for Brigden ... he's survived by his wife of 34 years, Julia, son Jack, stepdaughter Jessica and grandson David.

Mick was 73.

RIP

Andre Royo -- one of Michael K. Williams' co-stars on "The Wire" -- says the entire 'Wire' family is feeling the loss ... but he's encouraging people to keep spreading the late actor's positivity.

Andre -- who played the drug addict and informant "Bubbles" on the popular HBO series -- was out in NYC Friday when he reflected on Michael's life ... saying he was someone who cared about everybody.

Royo tells us Williams' death was a stunner, but he hopes people will rally together to keep his name alive, remember his work, and shine his light ... because his former co-star was a great person, and clearly left a major impact.

As we reported ... Williams -- who played the beloved character Omar on "The Wire" before going on to star on several other hit shows -- was found dead Monday of an apparent overdose in his Brooklyn apartment.

Art Metrano -- the stand-up comedian known for his role in the "Police Academy" sequels -- has died of natural causes ... according to his family.

Art's son, Harry, tells TMZ ... his father passed at his home Wednesday in Aventura, Florida. Harry says he didn't just lose his dad, but also his best friend and mentor. He adds ... "He was and will always be the toughest man I know. I have never met someone who has overcome more adversities than him."

Metrano's career began in the '60s but skyrocketed in the '70s thanks to his performance on "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson," in which he performed as The Great Metrano ... a hilarious magic act spoof.

From there, the Brooklyn native began working nightclubs all over the country and performing on famous variety shows like "The Dean Martin Show" and "Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In."

He made it to the big screen in 1972's "The Heartbreak Kid" and played DaVinci in Mel Brooks' "History of the World: Part I," and would go on to star as Uncle Rico on "Joanie Loves Chachi."

A couple years later, Art landed perhaps his most famous role in the second and third "Police Academy" films ... as the boss, Ernie Mauser.

Sadly, at the height of his career in 1989, Metrano suffered a severe spinal injury that left him paralyzed. However, he made a remarkable recovery and turned his triumph over adversity into a one-man stage show, "Metrano’s Accidental Comedy" ... in which he emerged from a wheelchair to take a few steps.

Art continued acting until 2001, with his more recent credits including "Party of Five," "How Stella Got Her Groove Back" and "Chicago Hope."

Metrano was 84.

L.A. Clippers rookie Brandon Boston Jr. is paying tribute to his friend Terrence Clarke in an amazing way ... by getting a tattoo in honor of his teammate.

Boston and Clarke were inseparable as freshmen at the University of Kentucky this past season ... before both hoopers took their talents to the pro level and entered the 2021 NBA Draft.

However, Clarke was killed in a car accident in Los Angeles on April 22 -- three months before the draft -- and Boston had been training with him prior to the tragedy.

Boston decided to carry Clarke's legacy with him for the rest of his life ... and this week, he got a special ink job to honor his beloved friend.

The rookie guard shared the tribute on Wednesday --with tat artist Wix Tatts immortalizing Clarke's UK basketball photo on the lower left part of his leg ... featuring "TC World" under the image.

The finished product got Clarke's mother's stamp of approval ... with Osmine saying, "This is what you call real love."

"This tattoo is really amazing BJ!"

Many have paid tribute to the 19-year-old since the tragedy -- including NBA commissioner Adam Silver, who selected Clarke as an honorary pick in the 2021 draft.

Logan Williams -- best known for his role on the CW series "The Flash" -- died from a fentanyl OD.

Canada's BC Coroners Service says the 16-year-old Logan died from an "unintentional illicit drug toxicity (fentanyl)." The manner of his death has been listed as "accidental."

According to the coroner's report, obtained by the NY Post, Logan "struggled with mental health concerns and had a history of consuming illicit substances." And three months before his death, Logan was reportedly unresponsive after consuming substances, though the report wasn't specific.

Logan was later resuscitated and diagnosed with a significant brain injury that messed with his ability to function.

Logan, who played a teenage Barry Allen on the CW series, died back on April 1, 2020 in Burnaby, British Columbia. The day he died, the coroner says Logan left a residential care home and was reported missing. Once Logan returned he appeared agitated and under the influence. He went to bed to sleep it off ... and staff checked on him hourly. But, when staff went to wake him up he was unresponsive.

Kate Quigley's gonna be okay after overdosing in L.A. with friends ... an incident that left 2 of her fellow comedians and another woman dead.

The model/comedian revealed she's on the mend, saying ... "I'm still healing physically & mentally. But reading all the positive messages from u guys is makin me cry tnight."

She added she's grateful for all the support and love, and it's helping her recover in the hospital ... slowly but surely.

We broke the story ... Quigley was at a get-together last weekend in the Venice neighborhood where 3 people -- comedian Fuquan Johnson, comedian Rico Angeli and Natalie Williamson -- all died of suspected accidental fentanyl ODs.

Kate was also hospitalized in critical condition, but she's stable now and says she's getting a little stronger every day.

"You come at the king, you best not miss."

Baltimore Orioles announcer Kevin Brown had an awesome tribute to the late Michael K. Williams on Tuesday ... by reciting one of the actor's most iconic lines while making a home run call.

Of course, MKW's Omar Little from "The Wire" is widely considered one of the best characters in TV history ... with plenty of classic dialogue that has lived on long after the show ended in 2008.

Since the hit drama was set and shot in Baltimore, Brown let out one of his favorite Omar phrases after O's outfielder, Austin Hays, hit a dinger in the bottom of the third inning ... and the moment will give you chills.

Brown also tweeted about Williams' tragic death on Monday ... saying, "'The Wire' is one of the things that's made me fall in love with Baltimore."

"It was my saving grace during the first few months of COVID last year. And, nobody on-screen could match Omar's presence."

"The best performance on the best narrative TV show of my lifetime. I'm gutted."'

FYI -- Hays is in the middle of a hot streak ... he's had a hit in 14 straight games.

Williams was a huge sports fan himself ... and was often spotted at New York Knicks games over the years.

Tiffany Haddish is really going through it, grieving the loss of her friends, Fuquan Johnson and Michael K. Williams -- and while she's sending love to their families, she's also hoping others learn from their tragic deaths.

We got the comedian/actress leaving Jimmy Kimmel's show Tuesday, where she recounted some stories about both Fu and Mike -- both of whom she was close with, and whose deaths rocked her this weekend.

When we pointed out some staggering drug epidemic stats -- which might've been overshadowed by the pandemic for the past year-plus -- Tiffany got emotional remembering her friends and peers.

Tiff also expressed shock about their drug use ... she seemed genuinely surprised at how widespread the opioid crisis has become. So, we asked what, if any, wisdom should be gained from what her friends' struggles -- especially with fentanyl running rampant in the streets.

Her response is straight-forward ... with a Tiffany twist. Of course, she suggests those battling addiction "find another way," but she even had some suggestions.

Tiffany admits she has no idea what it feels like to take hardcore narcotics, but she says the better alternative is to find some more natural highs in life.

Sam 'Bam' Cunningham, former USC and New England Patriots star running back, and one of the forces behind the integration of college football in the 1970s, passed away on Tuesday.

He was 71 years old.

Cunningham -- older brother of longtime NFL QB, Randall Cunningham -- starred at the University of Southern California in the early '70s. He was a consensus All-American in 1972 ... the year he helped USC go undefeated and win a National Championship.

But, more important than the accolades was Cunningham's impact on the game. He's credited with helping diversify the Alabama football team -- under legendary coach Bear Bryant -- and college football as a whole.

As a sophomore in 1970, Sam led USC's all-Black backfield in Birmingham ... routing 'Bama 42-21. Cunningham ran for 135 yards and scored 2 touchdowns.

The following year, Alabama's squad featured Black players (they won the National Championship). The USC-Bama game the previous year was said to have expedited the integration in the south.

After leaving Southern Cali, Cunningham was drafted by the New England Patriots with the 11th overall pick in the 1973 NFL Draft.

Bam played 9 seasons for the Pats ... before hanging up his pads in 1982.

He finished his career with 5,453 rushing yards and 43 rushing TDs.

In 2010, he was inducted into the Patriots Hall of Fame ... and was also named a member of the team's 50th Anniversary squad.

Pats owner Robert Kraft weighed in on Cunningham's passing, saying ... “We are deeply saddened to learn of yet another loss to the Patriots family this week and our hearts ache for Sam Cunningham’s family and all who are mourning his passing today.”

The other former Pat that Kraft is talking about is David Patten ... a 3x Super Bowl champ who died at the age of 47 on Thursday night following a motorcycle accident.

Tupac Shakur's "murder car" can be yours for the taking -- if you're into macabre stuff -- but it won't be cheap ... you'll need damn near $2 mil in cash to claim this ride.

This 1996 BMW 750IL is the same one Pac was riding in, while Suge Knight drove, 25 years ago today in Las Vegas. The rapper was shot Sept. 7, 1996, and eventually died in a hospital from his injuries.

The bullet holes from that fateful night have been repaired, and word is that it's been restored to its original condition. Now, the price -- a whopping $1.7 million! So yeah, this is definitely for the diehard and very wealthy Tupac fans.

The car is for sale and on display at the Celebrity Cars Las Vegas showroom -- not too far from where the fatal shooting went down.

Pac and Suge had stopped at a traffic light following a Mike Tyson fight ... when another vehicle pulled up alongside them and opened fire, hitting Pac multiple times while only grazing Suge.

"Intervention" host Ken Seeley says fentanyl-laced drugs are contributing greatly to the epidemic of overdoses, and the recent deaths of 3 comedians prove dealers are playing a dangerous game.

The renowned addiction specialist told us on Tuesday's "TMZ Live" ... fentanyl played a huge role in the U.S. recording nearly 100k drug overdose deaths in 2020 alone.

Ken says fentanyl is a powerful drug that elicits a high so intense, users crave it. Essentially, he says dealers are using it to turn unwitting customers into full-blown addicts. Many users have no clue their drug of choice -- be it cocaine or heroin -- is laced with the fentanyl.

The problem is obvious ... all too often, instead of getting hooked, users are overdosing and dying.

As we reported ... comedian Fuquan Johnson was among 3 dead after an apparent overdose. Our sources say cocaine laced with fentanyl appears to be what they ingested.

Then there's "The Wire" and "Boardwalk Empire" star Michael K. Williams, who died Monday after an apparent overdose. Law enforcement sources tell TMZ cops are trying to locate the drug dealer who supplied the narcotics found at the actor's home.

Michael K. Williams' death of an apparent drug overdose has triggered a criminal investigation ... because law enforcement sources tell TMZ cops are trying to locate the drug dealer.

Our law enforcement sources say NYPD detectives are conducting an investigation into the origin of the narcotics cops found at the site of the actor's death over the weekend ... which we're told are believed to be heroin-based.

As we reported ... Michael was found dead in his Brooklyn apartment, and authorities found drug paraphernalia. An official autopsy has yet to be conducted ... but we're told drugs seem to be at play. A toxicology report should provide answers, but that could be weeks away.

A relative found Michael after not hearing from him for a few days ... and once he was discovered, a swarm of NY officials descended on his Brooklyn high-rise.

Michael, of course, had a prolific career ... and might perhaps be best known for his award-winning role as Omar in "The Wire." He also starred in "Boardwalk Empire," "12 Years a Slave" and "Lovecraft County." He was working up until recently ... with a few projects in the can, and a handful of others released in the past year or so.

He was 54.

Erik Cowie -- one of the zookeepers featured on "Tiger King" -- has died ... TMZ has learned.

Law enforcement sources tell us Cowie's body was found Friday in NYC. We're told a friend found him face down in the bedroom of a residence. Unclear if it was his or theirs ... but he was a long way from Oklahoma, where he'd worked and lived in recent years.

Our sources say there's nothing suspicious about the death at this point, and no drugs were found on the scene, though a toxicology test will likely still be performed.

The guy made several appearances in Netflix's hit show from last year as one of Joe Exotic's longtime animal caretakers. In fact, he's often cited as the head keeper of JE's big cats ... and even stuck around to work at the GW Zoo even after Joe got thrown into prison.

Speaking of that ... Cowie testified against Joe -- saying he'd seen Joe order some of the zoo animals to be shot and killed -- which contributed to his conviction.

Cowie said before showing up on Joe's doorstep, he was apparently "at the end of (his) rope" ... admitting to a one-time drinking problem, but denying any other drug use or addiction, despite his appearance.

People speculated Cowie might've used meth due to his bad teeth, but he shot that down and attributed it to old age. Funny enough, he got those chompers fixed up nice post-"Tiger King."

Like many other "Tiger King" stars ... Cowie had run into some legal trouble. Earlier this year, he got busted for DUI in Oklahoma following a car accident. He pleaded guilty and was supposed to be sentenced shortly thereafter.

However, he never showed up to court, so an arrest warrant was issued. It was unclear where he'd gone, but obviously he landed in the Big Apple.

Erik was 53.

RIP

"The Whitest Kids U Know" star Trevor Moore appears to have fallen to his death from an upstairs balcony at his home ... at least that's what the police investigation's turned up so far.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... police and fire responded around 2:30 AM on Aug. 7 for a medical emergency at Trevor's home in L.A., where he was found unresponsive in the backyard and pronounced dead by paramedics.

We're told cops believe the comedic actor fell from the upstairs balcony, suffering head trauma when he landed -- however, it's unclear if he fell accidentally or intentionally jumped.

There was no suicide note found, but alcohol might have contributed -- we're told empty bottles were found in Trevor's house.

We're told the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner is still waiting on toxicology reports and will make the final determination on Trevor's cause of death.

Trevor, famous for co-founding the sketch comedy group "The Whitest Kids U Know," was 41.

Michael K. Williams -- best known for his breakout role as Omar Little on "The Wire" -- is dead from a suspected drug overdose ... TMZ has learned.

According to law enforcement sources ... Williams was found dead in his Brooklyn apartment Monday after a relative hadn't heard from him in a couple days and went to check on him.

We're told the actor was found in the living room of his home, and drug paraphernalia was on a table nearby ... suggesting he may have died from an OD. NY Post first reported the death.

After years of minor roles on TV and movies, Williams became a household name as Omar -- the gritty, streetwise and homosexual criminal on HBO's "The Wire" ... earning him critical acclaim and adoration from fans.

Williams would go on to star in several other hit HBO series' -- like "Boardwalk Empire," "The Night Of" and more recently "Lovecraft Country" -- as well as movies like "12 Years a Slave" and "Assassin's Creed."

One of the actor's trademarks was his signature facial scar -- the result of a bar fight he got involved in on his 25th birthday that almost killed him. According to Williams ... the scar helped to launch his acting career, leading to calls to do music videos and some minor work playing a thug in TV shows.

Williams was a 5-time Emmy nominee, and when we last saw him we had a good convo about his nom for 'Lovecraft.'

He is survived by his son, Elijah.

Williams was 54.

RIP

Hugh Jackman's dad has passed, and making it even tougher ... it happened on Australian Father's Day.

Hugh made the announcement about his father, Christopher John Jackman ... "In the early hours of Father’s Day (AU), my Dad peacefully passed away. And whilst there is deep sadness, I’m filled with such gratitude and love. My Dad was, in a word, extraordinary. He devoted his life to his family, his work and his faith. I pray he’s now at peace with God."

Jackman returned to Australia from New York in June.

Hugh and his 2 brothers, Ian and Ralph, were raised by Christopher in Sydney. Jackman was 8 when his mom left for her home country of England ... leaving Christopher as a single dad to care for his kids.

The divorce split the children ... Hugh's sisters, Zoe and Sonya, went to England to live with their mom while the boys stayed behind. Hugh said it was tough ... "It was traumatic. I thought she was probably going to come back. And then it sort of dragged on and on."

Jackman said she never came back, and he only saw his mom once a year after that.

Hugh and his mom re-established their relationship many years later. He posts pics of them together at various events.

Christopher was 84.