TV

Allison Holker, the widow of Stephen 'tWitch' Boss, posted an emotional video about her late husband.

Allison thanked fans -- of whom there are millions -- for their love and support, acknowledging, "It has been very challenging and emotional, but you guys have brought so much hope and inspiration to us by sharing stories and memories and moments and different ways that Stephen impacted your life."

She went on ... "He lived his life from love, and he made you feel a certain way. My family and I have always said that we wanted to make sure that our purpose was looked out by bringing joy to people."

Allison seemed overcome by the emotional reactions to her husband's death. TMZ broke the story ... tWitch took his own life in December at age 40.

Her message comes a week after the memorial to her husband, which was held in L.A.  Ellen DeGeneres was on hand, as were cast members from "So You Think You Can Dance."

Ellen posted a video Saturday as an homage to tWitch ... with highlights from his time on her show.

Allison has started an organization to promote mental health awareness.

Judd Apatow hilariously mocked the DGA Awards Saturday night and the actors who were part of it ... it's really funny!

Apatow hosted the 75th awards ceremony, but it wasn't broadcast anywhere -- no video at all.  He groused the damn show wasn't even on the radio ...“This show is being live-streamed to the back of this room. This show is so irrelevant, it’s shocking Elon Musk hasn’t bought it yet.”

Apatow lasered in on Austin Butler, who had said he had trouble shaking the Elvis twang.  Judd warned the world ... Austin's next role could be the lead in "The Jerry Lewis Story."

And then there was Tom Cruise, who famously does his own stunts even though he's north of 60. Judd said, “Tell Tom that Thelma and Louise didn’t exactly jump over the cliff themselves. Tom, have you heard of CGI?”

But he wasn't done, suggesting Tom's stunts have the markings of a Scientology ad.

And then there's this ... “I believe our friend Aubrey Plaza is here. I can’t believe you have a worse seat than Fkboy Island. You gotta talk to your publicist.”

Judd then referenced his famous daughter ... “Sam Levinson is here tonight. He’s the writer-director-creator of Euphoria. My daughter Maude is on that show. It’s very successful. My only frustration, I kind of want her to have a baby. She said, ‘dad, I play a 16-year-old on a high school TV show.’ I’ve seen the show. I don’t think it would be that weird to have a little crack baby on that show. Your baby can play the crack baby, a two-salary situation on that show.”

You can count Bob West, the original voice of Barney, among the minority who are feeling the reimagined purple dinosaur, and he tells us the new -- let's say more energized -- look is exactly what the franchise needs.

Bob, who became the voice of Barney way back in 1988, tells TMZ ... it's really exciting to see Barney making a comeback after 14 years off the grid, and the friendly dino's spruced-up image fits with the times.

Of course, Bob's reaction is a far cry from the popular sentiment being shared online ... with most folks dragging the rebooted Barney all over social media.

But Bob, who voiced Barney on "Barney & Friends" on PBS from 1992 to 2000, says the franchise needed fresh programming and a fresh image ... and he's excited to see what the future holds for the new Barney.

Mattel says the new show won't debut until next year, and Bob tells us he's hoping to voice the character again ... he even did the classic voice for us, and he's still got it down! He hasn't been contacted or spoken to anyone from the production yet, but he'd love to chat with 'em if the role's still open.

Bob says there's a balance between honoring tradition and bringing Barney up to date ... and he thinks his voice work could bridge that gap.

It's funny ... Bob says lots of parents who introduce their kids to the OG Barney hire him to send Barney voice messages to their kids, but all they have to show their children are old VHS tapes and grainy footage.

Frankie Muniz landed quite a bit higher than just the middle in his big race car driver debut ... nearly cracking the top 10 at a semi-pro series that was all gas, no brakes.

The actor-turned-driver raced in the ARCA Menards Series Saturday at the Daytona International Speedway down in Florida -- marking his first time revving up among other professionals. It was an 80-lap journey, with around 40 drivers going round and around.

Muniz placed 11th overall when it was all said and done ... and the final lap proved to be quite dramatic, with Frankie climbing back from 12th place. Even before that, though, he was doing incredibly well ... cracking the top 10 several times throughout the course.

Frankie himself detailed the ride, saying he was ecstatic and proud of himself for being able to rank as high as he did ... pointing out that at one point, he was 24th place.

He writes, "Holy moly!!! That was the most insane thing I've ever done. Got up into the top  3 before getting turned and causing damage. Went to the back and went from 24th to 11th in the final 2 laps. I'm so grateful to my team and @hairclub and sponsors for making my dream a reality!"

During the race, Frankie was getting props from the broadcasters for avoiding what could've been a major accident ... so, yeah, he was hanging tough with the best of them out there.

FM has been racing for years now, but it wasn't until recently that he decided to pursue it full-time ... forgoing his acting career, for now, and opting for the smell of burned rubber instead.

We actually talked to him last month about his foray into a whole new industry, and he made it clear to us that he was over the moon about the opportunity, and planned to take it seriously. Considering how well he's done for his first official outing, probably even more so.

An incredible clip of Bruce Willis has come back to light after his recent dementia diagnosis ... one where he says there's nothing in this world that can keep him down.

The video comes from his 2018 Comedy Central roast ... hilariously digging at everything that's "attacked him" over the years -- from terrorists to male pattern baldness and divorce lawyers, but nothing's stopped him because he's "Bruce f***ing Willis."

He also settled the score on whether "Die Hard" is a Christmas movie -- thank God.

It's a fantastic speech ... one his adoring fans started sharing on social media shortly after his daughter Rumer broke the news his aphasia has progressed to frontotemporal dementia ... commonly known as FTD.

As we reported, she said the diagnosis was a painful one, but called it "a relief" for the family to finally have some sort of answer ... adding "challenges with communication are just one symptom of the disease Bruce faces."

Bruce's other daughter Scout shared her feelings Thursday night after the news broke -- saying she's "emotionally tired and a bit overwhelmed," but thankful for everyone who has shown support.

Bam Margera's wife says a specific incident triggered her to file for separation ... and we're told it was Bam spending time with their son while, she believes, he was under the influence.

Nikki Margera's attorney David Glass tells TMZ ... her recent filing came after the 'Jackass' star visited their 5-year-old, Phoenix, while Nikki was present.

We're told she thinks Bam wasn't sober -- despite him claiming he was -- and she says he was acting inappropriately.

David says after the visit she made the hard choice, after years of trying to help Bam, that she needed to protect herself and their son.

TMZ broke the story ... Nicole filed Wednesday, citing irreconcilable differences. She's asking for legal and physical custody over Phoenix, as well as spousal support.

As you know, Bam's been publicly battling substance abuse ... with Steve-O, his friend and 'Jackass' castmate, bracing for his death.

Bam also caused some controversy after claiming Priscilla Presley gifted him items from Elvis' wardrobe -- something Priscilla's denying.

Kash Doll is defending La La Anthony's portrayal of Markisha Taylor in 50 Cent's hit series "BMF," despite fan uproar that La La's character now looks like a bona fide cradle robber!!!

Fans have been livid this season seeing the adult Markisha interact with Terry Flenory (played by actor Da'Vinchi) ... because his character is still in high school.

To make matters worse, OG trap queen Tonesa Welch also ripped the character -- and the casting -- as it appears Markisha is loosely based on the role Tonesa held during the real-life BMF glory days.

The Detroit rapper linked with TMZ Hip Hop this week during her NYC promo run, and reminded us of "BMF's" disclaimer at the top of each show ... some of it's true and some of it ain't!!!

Kash plays Monique ... the linchpin of the love triangle between herself and warring lead characters "Big Meech" and "Lamar."

Kash is also back on her rapping steez -- after having a baby boy about a year ago -- thanks to her new DJ Drama-led project, "Back On Dexter: A Gangsta Grillz Mixtape."

The 11-track effort finds KD flexing Detroit-isms with the likes of Sada Baby, Babyface Ray, Payroll Giovanni, Peezy and more.

Lance Gross has no problem with Idris Elba refusing to call himself a "Black actor" ... and while he isn't necessarily hopping on that train, he's definitely not down with labels.

We got LG out in L.A. Thursday and got his thoughts on the whole "Black actor" discussion ... sparked by Idris declaring he no longer wants to be described that way because he feels it puts him in a box.

Lance tells us, he totally understands Idris' point, and said his personal stance is pretty similar -- "I'm an actor first, who happens to be Black." Basically, he's not parading the term either.

He also says he makes a point to tell his team to seek out roles that aren't written just for Black folks, and that means he gets the "best of both worlds".

For Lance, it's all about doing the job well, rather than talking about his race.

Idris initially made his remarks while talking to Esquire UK ... but he's since doubled down on social media, despite drawing mixed feelings from fans.

One user fired back, "You only became as popular as you are because of BLACK AMERICANS, but instead of using your platform to speak UP for US, you promote acceptance of the status quo. I am DISGUSTED with you. Then again, Black Americans have historically been the ONLY group with BACKBONE."

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are getting the "South Park" treatment ... the show rips Harry's new book, labels Meghan an "Instagram-loving bitch" and calls them out as hypocrites.

The latest "South Park" episode aired Wednesday night on Comedy Central and it rips Harry and Meghan to shreds ... starting out by accusing them of not caring much about the death of Harry's grandmother, Queen Elizabeth.

It only gets worse from there ... the skit features Harry and Meghan going on a Canadian talk show, walking out with picket signs demanding privacy before telling the host they're thrilled to be on TV.

Harry's called out for his new memoir, "Spare" ... the "South Park" version is dubbed "Waaagh" and the joke is Harry's whining about growing up in the United Kingdom as a prince.

Meghan's spoof cuts in to say the book was her idea because the Royal Family is "stupid" and so are journalists ... and then Harry's called out for essentially being a journalist with his book.

Trey Parker and Matt Stone also take aim at Harry and Meghan's privacy demands ... pointing out she has no problem doing TV shows, magazine covers and running in celebrity circles ... landing more punches by having Harry say "My Instagram-loving bitch wife has always wanted her privacy."

The skit ends with the couple storming off the set, saying they're leaving to find some quiet place to live like normal folks ... before cutting to a private jet.

Ryan Seacrest is somewhat shockingly leaving the gig that propelled him from the West Coast to the East Coast -- "Live with Kelly and Ryan."

RS made the announcement Thursday on the show, saying he'll be packing it in at the end of the season ... presumably in May.

Sources connected to Seacrest tell TMZ ... Ryan only planned to stay for 3 years and actually went well beyond that, but he has plenty on his plate to keep him busy.

We're told Seacrest will probably move back to L.A., at least part-time, although he sold his Beverly Hills estate back in November for around $51 million.

Unlike Michael Strahan's departure from 'Live,' Ryan's is all kumbaya. He said on the show, "Working alongside Kelly over the past 6 years has been a dream job and one of the highlights of my career. She has been an amazing partner, friend and confidant."

Seacrest said on Instagram, "I'll be transitioning out of Live this Spring to shoot the 21st season of American Idol in L.A., continue my radio show on KIIS-FM and Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin Eve, and focus my summers on opening three more Ryan Seacrest Foundation Studios in pediatric hospitals across the country."

There's something else ... sources close to Ryan say he's in hook, line and sinker with olive oil. He owns property that produces it, and it's a passion that aligns with his passion for food.

"All American"s send off of Taye Diggs' titular character came as a shock to many, with some expressing serious anger online ... but long-running castmate, Bre Z is breaking down the meaning behind the loss of Coach Baker -- and why her character hasn't gotten the boot yet.

We got Bre Z, known for playing Coop on the CW series, at H. Lorenzo in WeHo Tuesday ... saying there's an incredible writing team behind the show, and the loss of Coach Baker is going to open up even more great storytelling post-death.

ICYMI, Monday's episode was a massive shocker ... and despite Taye previously talking about his decision to leave the series, it was never specified how his character would go out. The show even teased a life-changing episode ahead of Monday's big reveal.

Fans online were FURIOUS over the loss of Taye's character -- with some calling the death premature and nonsense ... some even flooded Taye's IG comments with major concern.

Some folks even said Coop should've been the one to go instead ... we talk to Bre Z about that too, but she doesn't think she's goin' anywhere.

FYI -- Taye thanked his fans for all their support after the episode aired, shouting out his cast for their "energy and unrivaled talent."

Forbes' list of the 10 highest-paid entertainers in 2022 includes filmmakers, musicians, TV creators and more -- collectively earning about $1.35 billion -- and, if there's one theme, it's that longevity pays off big time in show biz!!!

Topping the list is the rock band Genesis ... bringing in a whopping $230M. The frontman Phil Collins and the rest of the group sold their catalog back in September for a reported $300 million.

Forbes says the $70 mil difference represents fees to managers, agents and lawyers. They get ya coming and going.

Coming in a close second is Sting, earning $210M. Last year, he also sold his music catalog and his band's, The Police, and also got about $300M for all those hit songs.

Guess he paid his lawyers more than Genesis.

On the younger side ... 53-year-old TV/film mogul Tyler Perry came in at number 3, pocketing an estimated $175M from all his projects and his huge studio in Atlanta.

Others in the top 10 include ... "South Park" creators, Trey Parker and Matt Stone, who came in at number 4 ahead of "The Simpsons" creators James L. Brooks and Matt Groening.

Brad Pitt is number 6 collecting $100M ... just ahead of the Rolling Stones, who at their advanced ages still earned $98 mil last year off a European tour.

Back in Hollywood, another guy who's been around forever, James Cameron -- now one of the highest-grossing directors of all time -- earned at least $95M from the "Avatar: The Way of the Water" flick.

Now for some youth -- Taylor Swift, who's the only woman in the top 10, made $92 million to put her at number 9, and Bad Bunny collected around $88 million from his massive tour.

Jennifer Coolidge told cops she had an unwelcome visitor takin' a stroll on her property ... and we're told there's now an investigation for the trespass.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... JC noticed the unknown man last month while reviewing security tapes -- which apparently show him walking up to her L.A. area home.

We're told the man tried to open Jennifer's security gate -- to no avail -- which is when he jumped over the gate and continued to walk around her property before eventually taking off.

Police were called and a trespassing report was taken. The man in question may have just been transient in the area. No arrests have been made, at least not yet.

We've reached out to Jennifer's people for comment ... so far, no word back.

Doesn't sound like the man got close enough to actually take anything ... but as you know, she could've had her recently acquired Golden Globe on her mantle, after her hilarious F-bomb-filled acceptance speech back in January.

Austin Majors, who made his mark as a child star on the hugely successful "NYPD Blue" has died ... TMZ has learned.

Austin died Saturday night while staying at a homeless housing facility in Los Angeles.

A source with direct knowledge of the circumstances surrounding his death tells us there's no foul play suspected ... but it is believed he may have ingested a fatal amount of fentanyl. We're told an autopsy is set to be completed Monday, with final toxicology results expected in the next few months.

Austin's family issued a statement on his death, telling us he, “Was a loving, artistic, brilliant, and kind human being. Austin took great joy and pride in his acting career. He was an active Eagle Scout and graduated Salutatorian in High School. He went on to graduate from USC’s School of Cinematic Arts with a passion of directing and music producing."

The statement continues, "Austin’s younger sister, Kali, says her fondest memories with Austin were growing up on set with him, volunteering at events with “Kids With a Cause”, and backpacking together. Austin was the kind of son, brother, grandson, and nephew that made us proud and we will miss him deeply forever.”

Austin will best be remembered for his role as Theo Sipowicz for 7 seasons on "NYPD Blue." Theo was the son of the show's main character, Detective Andy Sipowicz, played by actor Dennis Franz.

There was a controversial scene from the show involving Austin back in 2003 when his character walked in on a naked Charlotte Ross in the restroom before she was about to shower.

The scene led to a ton of complaints against ABC and resulted in a $1.4 million fine from The FCC.

Austin took home some hardware during his career as well -- taking home the Young Artist Award for Best Performance in a Television Series in 2002 for "NYPD Blue". He was also nominated for Best Performance in a Voice-Over Role for his work on "Treasure Planet" the following year.

He also worked on other projects, including, "An Accidental Christmas", "Volare", and the 2000s show "According to Jim".

He was just 27.

The Super Bowl gets some of the best commercials of the year, but one was a little too good ... because it had millions of viewers losing their minds, thinking they were missing the big game!!!

The Tubi commercial aired during Sunday night's big game and if you missed it -- consider yourself lucky 'cause it had households across the country reaching for their remotes and freaking out.

The ad, officially called "Interface Interruption", featured Fox sports commentators Kevin Burkhardt and Greg Olsen -- y'know the guys calling the actual Super Bowl -- so, most fans figured they were really welcoming everyone back from a commercial break.

But then, while the 2 guys were talking, the screen looked like someone was messing around with the remote and scrolled to the Tubi app to watch "Mr. & Mrs. Smith".

Of course, the ad made fans everywhere think someone in their house was fumbling with the remote to watch the flick during the intense Super Bowl game😂

By the end, you could tell it was just an ad for the streaming service (owned by FOX, BTW) -- not some kid sitting on the remote -- and fans were returned to the real game with Kevin and Greg really calling the action.

If you're lookin' to add something unique to your "Breaking Bad" collection, these screen-worn tighty-whities might be up your alley ... because they're hitting the auction block along with a bunch of other sweet pieces of memorabilia.

Propstore, one of the biggest film and TV entertainment memorabilia auction specialists, is auctioning off the iconic undergarments ... worn by the meth-making family man himself, Walter White -- iconically played by Bryan Cranston.

The all-white briefs are expected to fetch around $5K  ... but it's not the only recognizable piece in the mix.

The event's full of high-ticket items -- like a pair of production-made diary pages from "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade," showing off a map that led Indy to the Holy Grail. The target for this is around $6K.

Also on the block are some fabulous dresses from "Dancing with the Stars" ... one worn by Lisa Rinna and another by Pamela Anderson.