TV

"Jeopardy!" ignored the recommendations of Alex Trebek when it came to picking a new host, and one of the people he picked is now talking about it.

CNN's Laura Coates was someone Alex thought was up to the task. TMZ interviewed Alex for an episode of "OBJECTified" back in 2018, and he said, referring to Coates, "There is an attorney, Laura Coates, she's African American and she appears on some of the cable news shows from time to time. Very bright, very personable."

Well, Coates appeared on 'Tamron Hall' and said she was thrilled beyond words, and decided to make her own luck by calling the show and putting her name in the hat. She says, "I asked for the opportunity. I was told 'no.'"

And, Alex had a second pick ... Alex Faust, the L.A. Kings play-by-play announcer. He too, was not invited to try out.

As for Laura, she was thrilled to hear Alex picked her, saying, "I thought, 'My God. This person that I have watched my whole life really, even knows my name let alone thinks that I would be worthy enough to fill his shoes which frankly can't be filled.'"

She also said she reached out to Alex when he was bravely fighting pancreatic cancer.

Leiomy Maldonado is very happy to see a trans woman rocking the house on "Jeopardy!" ... saying the visibility it offers the community is priceless.

We got the famous dancer/model Monday at LAX and asked about Amy Schneider's hot streak right now on the quiz show -- she's currently the third-winningest contestant ever with 33 consecutive victories and she's the most accomplished female player ever.

Leiomy, who's transgender herself, says she fully supports Amy gunning for the crown ... especially on a show like "Jeopardy!" which has somewhat of an older fanbase.

Check it out ... she says Amy's presence there, in and of itself, is opening doors and probably opening minds too. If anything, Amy's hot streak is likely winning over folks on just merit alone -- trivia fanatics can't deny a sharp mind when they see one, and Amy's smarts speak for themselves.

When we point out trans people are popping up on more mainstream platforms lately, LM points out this group has been around for a long time -- but agrees that getting a spotlight in 2022 shows just how far society has come in addressing the topic.

Of course, not everyone has welcomed Amy with open arms. She's made it clear during her historic run that she's gotten tons of messages from people telling her she's really a man.

During NYE -- right when she was in the thick of her streak -- Amy tweeted ... "I’d like to thank all the people who have taken the time, during this busy holiday season, to reach out and explain to me that, actually, I’m a man. Every single one of you is the first person ever to make that very clever point, which had never once before crossed my mind 🙏."

Betty White was all smiles just days before she died, as seen in a newly revealed photo ... one of the last ones to document her life, in fact.

The late actress' assistant took to Facebook Monday with a post in honor of what would've been Betty's 100th birthday, and she threw up the pic of Betty she says was snapped 11 days before BW passed away on NYE.

The caption reads, "Hello Everyone! It’s Kiersten. Betty’s Assistant. On this special day, I wanted to share this photo of Betty. It was taken on 12/20/21."

Kiersten adds, "I believe it’s one of the last photos of her. She was radiant and beautiful and as happy as ever. Thanks to all of you who are doing kind things today and every day to make the world a better place ❤️"

If her date is correct, that would mean this was captured just a few days before Betty suffered a stroke, which is what ultimately led to her death nearly a week later, per the L.A. County Medical Examiner.

It's a pretty insightful snapshot if you think about it, as it seems to be one of the final times Betty appeared on camera. Funny enough, the very next day ... Betty is said to have filmed a little thank-you for fans as part of the new movie 'Betty White: A Celebration.'

The flick, which hits theaters on Monday, is a highlight reel of her life -- and the director, Steven Boettcher, said Betty recorded her message 10 days before passing on the 31st.

Jamie Lynn Spears took a hard pass on doing a nationwide tour to promote her new book ... because she's not in it for the money ... so say sources connected to her.

Our sources say Britney's little sis was approached about doing a book tour but she was adamant it wasn't for her.

It's a departure from how most celebs do business ... they usually trek across the country promoting their books, encouraging folks to buy and doing meet-and-greets at book stores.

The sources say Jamie Lynn didn't write her book, "Things I Should Have Said," to make a killing. Instead, they say she wrote it to address her past, heal from it and move on.

We're told, "a portion" of the proceeds will go to a number of charities. They won't say which charities because Jamie Lynn tried to donate profits from the book to a charity last October, but the charity rejected her gesture because of all the backlash. So, our sources say Jamie Lynn doesn't want to name the charities this time around, to avoid a similar outcome.

That said, she'll still pocket some of the proceeds, but the sources insist that's not the motivating factor.

As you know, some excerpts are already being ripped by Britney ... with Jamie Lynn's older sister repeatedly lashing out on social media.

Britney's upset both by Jamie Lynn's interview on "Nightline" and a passage in the book where JLS claims Britney once locked them both in a room with a knife.

We're told Jamie Lynn is not shocked by Britney's reaction, because she knows her sister better than anyone and was prepared for such reactions from Britney and others.

Our sources say Jamie Lynn feels it's her story to tell ... and it's important to address what she lived through so she can move forward.

Pete Davidson has been a walking billboard recently, for a sandwich shop in downtown L.A. ... and while he's getting no coins, he's showing lotsa love to the deli and its owners.

The folks at Uncle Paulie's Deli tell TMZ ... Pete doesn't have a stake in Uncle Paulie's, he's just good pals with Paulie, with something in common ... they're both from New York.

Pete was rockin' an Uncle Paulie's hat this week at the Knicks game.

The deli definitely appreciates the support from Pete ... fact is, he's the most famous walking sandwich board in America, and the publicity is worth a fortune.

The Knicks game wasn't a one-off. Pete recently wore a Paulie's hoodie and hat at Nobu in Malibu ... oh, and he ran into Martha Stewart and they posed for a photo.

It's good/great timing ... the deli's opening 2 new shops in L.A. in the next month ... one on W 3rd St., and another in Studio City.

Maya Angelou's son is applauding Whoopi Goldberg for fighting to get his famous mother on paper money ... and he wants Ida B. Wells to get the next honor.

Here's the deal ... the U.S. Mint is now circulating an Angelou quarter, but Whoopi used her "View" platform, pushing to honor Black women with paper money instead of just coins.

Maya's son, Guy Johnson, tells TMZ ... he's grateful his mother is being featured on the quarter, and while he understands others are beating the drum to get her on the $20 bill, he's reminding folks change is almost always incremental.

Guy admits he would have loved to see his mother on the $10 bill, or the $20 or the $100 ... but he says America is only a couple years post-Trump ... and Maya would still see her quarter as a wonderful honor.

Maya's son says the famous poet would have this message ... keep pressing forward, because there's a path to go before justice is applied equally in America.

Whoopi mentioned the ongoing battle to get Harriet Tubman on the 20, and Guy says Ida B. Wells should get her proper due with recognition on paper money as well.

Guy says he approved the final image -- showing Maya spreading her arms with a bird, a nod to her famous "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings."

Bob Saget was a reservoir of goodwill, and it showed Friday at his funeral, where so many people wanted to attend that the cemetery staff had to bring out folding chairs to handle the overflow.

As we reported, Bob's funeral is being held at Mt. Sinai Memorial Park Cemetery in the Hollywood Hills. We were told earlier today the service would be small -- around 50 people -- but turns out it's way bigger. At least 300 people were there to pay their respects.

The pallbearers were John Mayer, John Stamos, Norman Lear, Dave Coulier, Jeff Ross, Ted Sarandos and Steve Hale.

Others who turned out ... Jodie Sweetin, Candace Cameron Bure, Dave Chappelle, Kathy Griffin, Chris Rock, Seth Green, Judd Apatow, among many more.

Of course, Bob's family was there, along with so many friends whose lives Bob touched.

There was a gaggle of expensive cars outside the chapel, and the photos paint a picture of grief in the wake of Bob's death.

Bob Saget will be laid to rest Friday ... and his family and some of his closest friends will be on hand ... TMZ has learned.

The service and burial will be held at Mt. Sinai Memorial Park Cemetery in L.A. We're told it will be a small service, with only family and close friends.

We're told there will be a reception at Jeff Franklin's house ... Jeff is the creator of "Full House."

Bob was Jewish and in the Jewish religion a service and burial quickly follows death.

We're told there will be a larger memorial to follow, though a date has not been picked.

It's a damn shame "Black-ish" is ending, because it sounds like Michelle Obama could have a permanent role on the hit show ... if you ask Marsai Martin, anyway.

The 17-year-old actress/director/entrepreneur and, as it turns out, interior designer ... was beaming about getting to work with the former First Lady on the episode which aired last week. Thursday on "TMZ Live" she told us it had long been a dream of hers, and other cast members, to get Michelle on set.

It's been said meeting your heroes can be disappointing, but Marsai says getting camera time with MO in the final season of "Black-ish" was a "surreal" dream come true.

Ya gotta see the joy on her face as she describes the experience, but we think she summed it up perfectly when she said it "felt like [Michelle] was an auntie" by the time they finished shooting the episode.

Btw, the show's got more big names lined up for its final episodes ... including Simone Biles, Magic Johnson and Babyface.

Fans have watched Marsai grow up on camera -- she started her role as "Diane" when she was only 9 -- and now she's got real pull in Hollywood ... enough to launch her own reality show.

It's called "Remix My Space with Marsai Martin" and it taps into her passion for design ... as we mentioned earlier.

On the show, she picks teenagers who've made an impact in their communities, and surprises them with personalized, stylish full bedroom makeovers. It's debuting Saturday on Discovery+.

Jamie Lynn Spears says she has always loved her sister, Britney, and can't understand how that relationship deteriorated.

Britney's younger sister appeared Wednesday on "Good Morning America" ... hawking her book, "Things I Should Have Said," about her family. Jamie Lynn said she's happy the conservatorship ended, but bobbed and weaved when it came to how she felt about the conservatorship during the 13 years it was in place.

She said when the conservatorship was first put in place she didn't understand it and was dealing with other issues ... specifically, she was 17 and having a baby.

But, she said she understands as little about the conservatorship now as she did when it fired up ... which is odd since the saga lasted so long. She says she took no part in the conservatorship during its entire run.

From her vantage point, she says she was helping Britney, and, according to her, the help was welcomed. She says Britney asked her to make sure her 2 boys got what they needed.

One thing she addressed squarely ... Britney's comment to the court that everyone in their family -- including Jamie Lynn -- profited off Britney during the conservatorship. Jamie Lynn says she did not, but then offered that there may have been a "misunderstanding." Britney has gone after Jamie Lynn for remixing some of her songs, but she says it was meant as a tribute, not a money move.

She says she's happy the conservatorship is over because it caused so much family discord.

As for Britney, well she intimated in a post Tuesday night ... 2 can play that game, as in writing a book.

There's a new tribute to Betty White in town, but this one isn't just about honoring Betty ... it's about promoting the cause closest to her heart.

Corie Mattie is responsible for the new mural that's been installed on L.A.'s famed Melrose Ave. She says the piece took her roughly 15 hours to complete and includes the mission statement ... "Be More Like Betty."

Even cooler is the fact it's got a way for you to do just that.

Corie added a QR code on the mural which fans can scan to donate directly to wagmorpets ... an org supporting dog rescues. She tells us, Betty "loved animals so I thought it would be a good idea if people wanted to pose in front of it, this will go directly to [the] nonprofit."

The artist just figured the tribute was the perfect gift back to Betty ... who famously donated to and supported animal rescues for years. Corie's mural is right in line with a movement Betty's fans have started online with the #BettyWhiteChallenge.

The hashtag encourages people to donate to their local rescues and animal shelters.

As far as the mural itself... Mattie told us she felt Betty was the epitome of a "perfect human" who was way ahead of her time in promoting a more inclusive world. She says that's why she included the line, "Be More Like Betty."

BTK killer Dennis Rader might consider himself a good person deep down -- but his appetite for grisly tales behind bars might suggest otherwise.

The infamous murderer -- who brutally took the lives of 10 people between ‘74 and ‘91 -- dishes on his favorite reading materials in some of his handwritten letters ... and his selections are pretty dark.

The correspondence, obtained by TMZ, date back to 2012 ... and in one letter Rader describes his day-to-day life in prison and the fact he was deep into a popular book that had been adapted for the big screen the previous year -- Stieg Larsson’s “The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo.”

If you’re not familiar, it’s a very violent story ... chock full of murders and torture (and even rape) including one killing eerily similar to what Rader is said to have done to at least one of his victims -- tying them up and hanging their bodies in the air.

The weird reads don’t stop there -- Rader goes on to confess in his letters that he was also enjoying another book called “The Fear Index,” which is rife with murder. Like we said, he may think he’s a sweet, wholesome guy with some murderous slip-ups here and there -- but that's not at all reflected in the literature he was devouring, almost exclusively, behind bars.

There’s a lot more revealed in Rader’s letters ... like the fact he misses the smell and taste of a fresh-off-the-grill steak, one from Peter Luger’s specifically. Also, he’s a homebody ... writing he doesn’t go out to the prison yard much.

Speaking of what he calls his “cave” ... other writings from BTK paint a peculiar lifestyle, in which he says he sleeps on the floor, uses his bed as a desk, guzzles cold coffee throughout the day ... and even bird watches as a hobby. On the fitness front ... Rader says he tries exercising daily, by either running in place and/or doing multiple sets of push-ups.

DR also fancies himself an artist of sorts -- his letters are packed with sketches and doodles ... some of which you can look at above.

Jeremy Piven is having a hard time grasping the fact he'll never see Bob Saget again ... telling us he'd just reached out to his friend and former costar days before his sudden death.

We got the 'Entourage' star leaving The Henry Monday in L.A., and asked how he will remember Saget, who once worked with him on the hit HBO series.

Jeremy says Bob was a rare breed in comedy ... a sweet, kind man who also had a serious edge to his humor, and never felt too big to mentor others.

TMZ broke the story ... Bob was found dead Sunday in the Orlando Ritz-Carlton hotel, the day after performing about 2 hours away in Jacksonville.

Jeremy says it's all very surreal because he had just tried to get in contact with Bob a few days ago, but had not heard back from him. You can see it in the video, he's still struggling to wrap his head around the loss.

Bob was 65, but Jeremy says he had a "vibrant spirit" ... telling us it's making his death even more shocking and confusing. As for the torrent of love and support from people in show biz -- Jeremy says it's proof of Bob's real impact on fellow celebs.

Los Angeles local Mary Page Keller was only 25 years old when she landed the starring role of the catering cutie Laura Kelly -- who shares the show with her on-screen boyfriend and writer Ben Coleman -- on the late '80s TGIF television show "Duet."

MPK continued her role as Laura after "Duet" was spun into another American sitcom "Open House" where she was newly single and third-wheeling it with Alison LaPlaca as Linda Phillips and Chris Lemmon as Richard Phillips.

Keller continues to act and can be spotted on more recent shows like "Pretty Little Liars" and "Hart Of Dixie."

Bob Saget's family was desperately trying to get a hold of him, not knowing he'd died in his hotel room -- and cops are now painting a more complete picture of what they found there.

An Orange County Sheriff's Deputy noted in his official report that Bob was discovered by a Ritz-Carlton Hotel security staffer who'd been sent to the room on the Saget family's request ... after they'd made several unsuccessful attempts to reach him Sunday.

In the docs, obtained by TMZ, the deputy notes this staffer knocked on Bob's door multiple times before going in around 4 PM ET ... only to find all the lights off. Upon entering the bedroom, they found Bob lying face-up on the bed, with his left arm across his chest and right on the bed.

The staffer says he was cold to the touch ... and when they checked for signs of breathing or a pulse, none was detected.

Upon arriving, EMS personnel pronounced Bob dead on the scene.

Another interesting tidbit, the Ritz was able to pinpoint that Bob had last entered the room at 2:17 AM. He was scheduled to check out later that same day. He tweeted this message and photo shortly before that, at 12:42 AM, showing himself onstage in Jacksonville ... about a 2-hour drive from Orlando.

The deputy points out there were no signs of foul play or trauma. Bob's next of kin was listed as his wife, Kelly Rizzo, who was notified about his death.

Betty White died from a stroke ... a stroke she suffered nearly a week before she passed ... TMZ has learned.

Betty's cause of death is listed as a cerebrovascular accident, according to her death certificate, which is a loss of blood flow to part of the brain, resulting in brain tissue damage.

It's interesting ... the certificate, obtained by TMZ, says Betty suffered the stroke 6 days before her death.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... Betty was alert and coherent after the stroke, and she died peacefully in her sleep at home.

A cerebrovascular accident can be caused by blood clots or broken blood vessels in the brain.

TMZ broke the story ... Betty passed away at her home on the final morning of 2021 ... less than 3 weeks before she would have celebrated her 100th birthday.

Betty's birthday -- January 17 -- will still see the debut of a movie honoring the milestone, "Betty White: 100 Years Young -- A Birthday Celebration" ... and it features tons of stars, including Ryan Reynolds, Tina Fey, Robert Redford, Lin Manuel-Miranda, Clint Eastwood, Morgan Freeman, Jay Leno, Carol Burnett, Craig Ferguson, Jimmy Kimmel, Valerie Bertinelli, James Corden, Wendy Malick and Jennifer Love Hewitt.

Meanwhile, in her Illinois hometown, Jan. 17 will be a celebration dubbed "Betty White Day."