TV

Eric McCormack says Whoopi Goldberg went too far by equating his call for a list of people attending a Trump fundraiser to McCarthyism -- but he still wants to know who's giving big bucks to the Prez.

The "Will & Grace" star was at LAX Wednesday when he responded to the backlash he's been getting ... and said his words were misconstrued, and he's absolutely not trying to start another blacklist in Hollywood.

Eric explains it like this -- his original tweet was meant to be a call for transparency so HE can know where Trump's major donations come from ... for his own personal benefit.

He suggests if he knows who's spending money to help POTUS, he'll know not to spend his own time and money with those people. Eric notes it's a free country ... other people are free to make their own choices.

Whoopi wasn't really buying this reasoning earlier this week on "The View," though. She blasted the actor for going after people because he doesn't like who they voted for, adding ... "We can talk about issues and stuff, but we don't print out lists."

She went on to imply what Eric -- and his costar, Debra Messing, who had a similar tweet -- was doing was akin to what went down in the U.S. in the 1950s.

Speaking of Messing ... the President has locked in on her as his punching bag regarding the blacklist accusations, instead of McCormack.

Hurricane Dorian's decimation of the Bahamas is igniting the generosity of the masses -- and showcasing the power of social media.

The very simple -- yet clearly effective -- "Pray for Bahamas" post spread like fire on Instagram following the Category 5 hurricane crushing the string of islands. DJ Khaled himself and "Insecure" actress Amanda Seales were among a number of celebs who reposted to their millions of followers.

It seems that's when that confounding IG algorithm got busy ... leading to a flyer posted by Smiles Trust Inc. -- a grassroots group spearheading relief efforts -- then going viral.

The org's flyer, posted Monday, listed items the island nation desperately needs. When IG users started reposting both the "Pray for Bahamas" post AND the Smiles Trust list -- the group was almost instantly inundated with TONS of donations.

Smiles Trust tells us in just 2 days ... it raised more than $34k and counting. What's more ... we're told around 2,000 of EACH item listed on the flyer came pouring into the group. Nice!!!

Smiles Trust got so much attention, we're told its website crashed on Tuesday. There are now at LEAST 50 pallets worth of supplies ready to go ... hopefully by next week.

As you know, Hurricane Dorian killed at least 20 people in the Bahamas and reduced houses, hospitals and harbors to rubble. Basic necessities like fresh water, food and medical care are almost nonexistent right now.

The group is now working on setting up 20 drop-off sites for anyone who wants to donate to the cause.

Ohio-born A.J. Langer is best known for her role as the out of control best friend, Rayanne Graff, in the short-lived television teen drama "My So-Called Life" between 1994 and 1995.

A.J. Langer was cast on the ABC show alongside stars like Wilson Cruz as the gay best friend, Enrique "Rickie" Vasquez, Jared Leto as the bad boy and love interest, Jordan Catalano, and of course Claire Danes as the Liberty High School sophomore ... and narrator ... Angela Chase.

Langer was also in other television shows like "Coach," "Seinfeld" and "Touched by an Angel."

Bam Margera's sit-down with Dr. Phil proved to be even more explosive than previously believed ... and it was Bam's mom who dished some tough love.

TMZ's obtained a clip of the episode Dr. Phil shot during his one-on-one session with the "Jackass" star ... and it's pretty evident why Bam needed professional help. Bam lashed out at his wife, Nikki, and also his mom ... who participated remotely.

Watch, Bam dropped the words no mother wants to hear after she told him he's addicted to drama.

As we reported ... Bam went public with his struggles a month ago, practically begging Dr. Phil for help and the doc obliged. After this emotional 3-hour session, Dr. Phil -- who recorded without a studio audience -- convinced Bam to head to rehab.

Since then, Bam's had some hiccups on his road to recovery -- he left rehab and ended up at a bar, before giving it another shot ... at a different treatment center. His most recent attempt has gone smoother ... aside from a trip to the hospital to treat swelling in his body.

We got him out late last week -- during a lunch outing with his sponsor -- and he looked great, telling us his treatment's going well, and some special friends still have his back.

Aaron Paul went all out celebrating 40 years of life ... living it up for two weeks at a posh beachside resort in the Dominican Republic with his wife and Bryan Cranston!!!

The "Breaking Bad" star rang in the big 4-0 in the DR ... and he spared no expense, staying in a suite at The Ani Resort that goes for $25,000 a night. Aaron shacked up for 12 nights, dropping $300k just for his lodging!!!

Aaron was rolling deep ... he had his better half with him, plus his family and close friends, including Bryan. We're told the "Breaking Bad" costars spent their time sipping their new Mezcal that just launched, Dos Hombres.

Rum's usually what you think of when you picture a boozy drink on a Caribbean beach ... but when you've got your own liquor brand, you play by your own rules!!!

Aaron and co. had a rocking time ... soaking in all the resort and island have to offer ... infinity pools, perfect weather, soft sands, amazing food, crystal-clear seas ... the whole shebang.

Blowout birthday parties are kinda Aaron's thing ... when his wife turned 30 back in 2016, Aaron rented out a massive private villa in Thailand just for the 2 of them.

Trey Songz should NOT feel butt hurt after 50 Cent replaced Trey's track as the show's opening theme song ... so says "Power" star Larenz Tate.

We got Larenz out Monday at LAX and we wanted to get his take on the drama surrounding the theme song. ICYMI ... 50 replaced the original theme song -- "Big Rich Town" featuring Joe -- with a remix featuring Trey Songz and A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie.

Long story short ... fans went absolutely berserk. Things got so heated ... thousands of fans flooded 50's Instagram page to bitch about the move and demand the rapper reverse course and switch it back to the original theme track. Comedian Affion Crockett posted a video saying, "50 you owe me $100,000 for my emotional f***ing investment. It's been five years with the [same] theme song...go back to the original f***ing song."

This season's second episode aired Sunday and fans were STILL listening the Trey Songz version. 50 took to Instagram and said, "My IG has been disabled because I’m tired of ya mouth. I don’t like the shit you been saying to me about the theme song. So I’m gone for the weekend. I’ll change it next week. Leave me alone fool."

Word.

Pete Davidson's bumpy week appears to be going a lot smoother now that he's out of the States and in Italy with Margaret Qualley ... whom he's supposedly dating.

The 'SNL' star was leaving a hotel in Venice Sunday night alongside Margaret -- who's there for the Venice Film Festival, which debuted her new flick, "Seberg," Friday. Pete was at the screening too -- sitting behind Margaret -- but they didn't walk the red carpet together.

Well, they weren't shy stepping out together here as rumors swirl about their relationship. Word around town is they're an item -- have been for a minute now, apparently.

Remember, Pete's last flame, Kate Beckinsale, was spotted smooching another dude way back in June. So, if these two are, in fact, dating ... it would be safe to assume things got started right around then. Whether it's stand-up woes or women ... never a dull moment.

BTW, if Margaret looks familiar to you, it's probably 'cause you've seen her in few notable things over the past couple years or so -- including a prominent role in Tarantino's 'Once Upon a Time.' She's the Manson Family chick who invites Brad Pitt to the ranch.

She was also in HBO's "The Leftovers" in 2017 -- playing Justin Theroux's daughter -- and she was recently nominated for an Emmy for her role in FX's "Fosse/Verdon."

The "Beverly Hills, 90210" reboot has been on the air for about a month now, and it looks like the big reunion is continuing off-screen with a revived pop-up from the show.

'90210' stars Brian Austin Green, Ian Ziering and Joe E. Tata were among some of the actors who showed up Friday to a Johnny Rockets in L.A. that had been transformed into the Peach Pit -- the same after-school hangout from the show, with the fictional owner to boot.

Looks like they did a pretty intricate job at reimagining the joint ... the menus were changed and everything, and even some of the grub appeared to be Peach Pit specials.

Now, the Peach Pit pop-up isn't entirely new -- the gang did the same thing earlier last month ahead of the debut of their new spin-off, 'BH90210,' which stars much of the OG cast.

This time, Brian and co. ran it back as part of a special event for a live episode of his podcast, "...with Brian Austin Green," which he recorded at Torrance High School (the filming site from way back in the '90s). The proceeds they raised this weekend was donated to charity in honor of Luke Perry -- who died this year before the new show launched.

Seems like the Peach Pit experience went off without a hitch. Here's hoping someone had a Made-to-Order-by-McKay burger to bring it all home.

Nina Dobrev had two things on her mind while splashing around with her new(ish) boyfriend in the Pacific -- shoulder rides, and launch angles.

The former 'Vampire Diaries' star hit the beach Saturday with her man, Grant Mellon, where they got in lots of PDA, both in and out of the ocean. Nina mounted Grant's shoulders at one point, almost like they were ramping up for a game of chicken.

Turns out, Nina was actually getting ready to have her beau launch her into the air ... where she would attempt a backflip, and then land safely in the waves. Classic beach trick.

When they were back on shore, Grant and Nina showed some more traditional affection ... sharing a kiss and embracing each other for love and tenderness.

The couple has reportedly been together since at least March of this year, possibly even earlier than that. They've been spotted out together a lot over summer, including a trip to Cannes.

BTW, Nina's in this new flick called "Lucky Day" -- which drops later this month. Fitting, 'cause that's gotta be what Grant's thinkin' all the time when he's with her. That's a safe bet.

Dog The Bounty Hunter is still hurting months after losing his beloved wife -- not to mention all the other unfortunate events that happened soon after ... but he's got a plan to move forward.

We got Dog out Thursday in NYC and asked him how he's doing these days. He didn't cover up the pain ... Dog says each day is a challenge. He described how he's feeling using a 1 to 10 scale. It's a struggle, for sure.

Dog says he's relying on friends and family as he continues reeling from losing his wife, Beth Chapman to cancer back in June. Adding insult to injury ... crooks broke into Dog's shop not long after, and he suspects it's an inside job. Then there's the scam Dog nearly got wrapped up in. Yes, it's been a rough 2019.

But, there's a new case that fell on Dog's lap and he's more than ready to pounce. He says getting back in on the action will really help him grieve. Sounds like a solid plan.

Mama June was living in such squalor before fleeing her house, it had to be totally gutted by the new owner ... and we've got pics of the shocking conditions.

Neighborhood sources tell us there's been constant demolition at June's house over the last week to clear it out. You can see from the pics ... everything from the kitchen to the bathrooms and bedrooms has been torn apart. Some rooms are stripped down to the drywall and subflooring.

Our sources say a family with 4 children is getting ready to move into the house, and it was so filthy they've decided to rip it up and start all over.

TMZ broke the story ... June and her boyfriend, Geno, recently left the Hampton, GA home and have plans to buy an RV and tour the country.

As a result, her daughter, Alana -- aka Honey Boo Boo -- is now living with her big sister, Pumpkin.

Alana turned 14 on Wednesday, but it doesn't appear June was part of the celebration. June's family issued her an ultimatum last month, choose Geno or Alana. So far, she's sticking with her BF.

Valerie Harper -- who starred on the classic sitcoms including "The Mary Tyler Moore Show," "Rhoda" and "Valerie" -- is dead.

Valerie died Friday morning ... and while a cause of death has not been released, she's had tons of health issues over the years.

Harper was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2009 and then, after beating that, announced in 2013 she had terminal brain cancer.

Doctors said she only had three months to live after the brain cancer diagnosis, but she responded well to treatment and actually competed on "Dancing With the Stars" later that year.

As we reported ... Valerie was rushed to a hospital in 2015 after suffering a medical emergency during a performance of a musical in Maine.

Valerie was born in New York and she enjoyed a successful career on Broadway before she landed the role of Rhoda on "The Mary Tyler Moore Show," which then led to the spin-off show "Rhoda."

She came back to television several years later on the show "Valerie," but left after two seasons.

Harper also won four Emmys and one Golden Globe for her various roles.

Valerie was 80.

Judge Mathis denies spitting on a parking valet, despite the valet's accusations ... well we got the video, and you can judge for yourself.

Security cam footage of the incident -- obtained by TMZ -- shows the TV judge looking like a spitfire as he approaches a vehicle with the valet sitting inside. As we've told you ... the guy had Mathis' keys in his pocket, which kept him from retrieving his Rolls-Royce. Mathis says he waited a full 40 minutes.

You see hizzoner storming at the car and leaning in to berate the valet, and after a couple seconds ... lunges his head forward into the car window. This is when the valet alleges Mathis hocked a loogie right in his face.

Spit or no spit -- it's difficult to tell, even with the video zoomed in and slow-moed -- Mathis sticks around to yell and point at the valet a little more ... and makes one more mini-lunge toward him before a man comes and pulls him away.

We broke the story ... the valet claims the judge actually spit on him twice -- the second launch ended up on his shirt -- and he now wants a DNA test to prove his point. He also claims to have witnesses who can confirm the spit attack.

Judge Mathis denies launching any spit at the valet, and he gave us the reason for his frustration -- a long, long wait.

Debbie Allen says Lara Spencer made lemonade out of her lemon of a joke about Prince George liking ballet ... but now it's time for everyone to grow up when it comes to guys dancing.

The dance legend was at LAX when we asked about Lara's on-air apology for making fun of Prince William and Kate Middleton's son ... she applauds her for having the courage to own up to her mistake.

Debbie says the ordeal highlights a bigger issue -- there should be no shame for men in the dance game. Allen wants folks to educate themselves and gives a great example of a legendary man who took dance to broaden his horizons and inspire creativity.

Debbie suggests, if it worked for that guy ... we should all take note.

As for Spencer's blunder, Allen's not going to hold it against her ... even if other big names in the dance community -- notably Abby Lee Miller -- are less forgiving.

Andy Richter and his actress wife are a done deal ... officially ... he just filed for divorce.

Andy filed for divorce from Sarah Thyre Thursday ... according to legal docs obtained by TMZ.

Best known as Conan O'Brien's sidekick on all three of his late night shows, Andy got hitched to Sarah way back in the day in 1996 ... and the former couple had two kids together, an 18-year-old son, William, and a 13-year-old daughter, Mercy.

Andy and Sarah called it quits earlier this year in April after over two decades of marriage ... with Andy saying their "marriage has reached its completion."

The split was pretty amicable ... Andy and Sarah said they would "always maintain a loving friendship and parenting partnership."

Andy and Sarah first met in 1991, during the production of "The Real Live Brady Bunch" ... and over the years they both appeared alongside one another on Comedy Central's "Upright Citizens Brigade" as well as "Late Night with Conan O'Brien."

Story developing ... 

Wendy Williams is letting her inner bachelorette out of the cage ... and that means partying in Miami this Labor Day Weekend on a girls trip with Tamar Braxton and NeNe Leakes!!!

Sources close to the beloved talk show host tell TMZ ... Wendy wants to keep the party going no matter what her haters think about her because the single life is just too good right now ... which is why she's flying south to Florida to let the good times roll.

Here's what we're told Wendy has in store for her girls while they're in Miami ... a nonstop celebration packed with yacht parties and club hopping.

Our sources say it's the second time Wendy's heading down to FL since divorcing Kevin Hunter ... but this trip is all about TURNING UP!!!

Wendy's been a party animal of late ... living it up with Rick Ross and Meek Mill at a New York City club, plus a Cali vacation that ended with her bringing a young hunk home for fancy dinners and shopping sprees.

If it sounds like a new Wendy at age 55 ... that's because it is. We're told she feels like she did back in the day when she was single, only this time she has the means to have a better time. You get the picture, right?

Wendy's full empty-nesting -- she's kicked Kevin aside and sent their kid off to college, so it's  time to spread her wings. We're told don't be surprised if she keeps the party going until next month when her show returns.