TV

Billy Bush thinks T.J. Holmes and Amy Robach clearly have something good between them, not just romantically but from a business standpoint ... so maybe a new show should be in their future -- so says Bush, who had a walk in the same shoes a few years ago.

We got the "Extra" host at LAX Thursday, and he says it's a shame they got the boot from ABC.

Billy might be the perfect person to give advice to T.J. and Amy ... as you know, NBC's "Today" pulled the plug on him back in 2016 after an infamous video/audio leaked of him and Donald Trump from back in 2005 -- laughing on a hot mic while Trump bragged about groping women.

Our photog asked Billy if he's learned his lesson about talking on a hot mic -- remember he was dragged for joking about Kendall Jenner's Halloween costume -- one where she dressed up as Jessie from "Toy Story" and there were "a lot of woodies," according to him.

Billy is unbothered, saying he will stay true to himself, whatever people think, and he clearly believes lots of folks in this country share that point of view.

Matthew Lawerence and Chilli are hot and heavy, and they don't care who knows it ...as evidenced by their emphatic PDA at a Los Angeles airport.

Matthew was spotted at LAX Tuesday and he was clearly on boyfriend duty, as he waited to pick up his TLC girlfriend and all her luggage ... before greeting her with a long hug and kiss on the lips.

After a warm embrace, the "Boy Meets World" star opened her door before hopping in the driver's seat ... but the loving didn't stop there.

The two couldn't seem to keep their hands off one another... exchanging more hugs and kisses once inside his car.

TMZ broke the story ... Matthew and Chilli officially started dating right before Thanksgiving, and they spent the holidays together in Atlanta, where ML met her family. Chilli has also met Matthew's fam and they had nothing but good things to say about her.

You'll recall, the actor recently told us his gf was "one of the most spectacular people" he's ever known ... so we know the huge smiles on their faces during the airport pickup were as genuine as can be.

The Weeknd's new HBO show is getting dragged after a report suggested the production is in shambles -- but sources tell TMZ things are actually quite the opposite, and Abel's actually quite pleased.

Production sources for "The Idol" -- which has been a work in progress for nearly 2 years now -- tell TMZ that the Rolling Stone story that came out Wednesday about "Euphoria" creator Sam Levinson's involvement is not a fair representation of how the lead star of the series feels ... which we're told is optimistic and grateful.

Our sources tell us that nobody who talked to RS -- upwards of 13 sources, they claim -- has seen the final product ... despite reports of reshoots involving oversexualized and/or "torture porn" scenes featuring Lily-Rose Depp and Abel, among other cast members.

In other words, we're told to suggest these scenes are going to make it in the final cut is misleading.

Fact is ... we're told Levinson was brought on to replace OG director Amy Seimetz for a reason -- and that he has crafted an adult story with mature elements ... what Abel and show creators had envisioned from the beginning.

Our sources say The Weeknd and others felt the show was not in a good place before SL came aboard to "right the ship" -- which we're told a majority of the cast/crew feel he did with success, despite how edgy some of the material they may have shot has been thus far.

As RS notes in their piece, Levinson completely redid Amy's work ... bringing on new actors -- like Dan Levy, Hank Azaria and Jennie from BLACKPINK -- spliced in a new script with a new angle and employed a more robust shooting schedule too ... which our sources insist have elevated the art and which will make for a better product when it finally hits the service.

There's also a major misconception, we're told, about an alleged notion that Weeknd felt the OG version of "The Idol" was too focused on a female perspective ... which is something that was floated in Rolling Stone. We're told he doesn't feel that way at all -- if anything, the whole show is about a woman who wants to control her own narrative in showbiz.

Another thing ... our sources say the claim that the budget hit close to $80 million is "nowhere near" accurate. In other words, the reshoots weren't that expensive.

As for Lily-Rose, she says ... "Sam is, for so many reasons, the best director I have ever worked with. Never have I felt more supported or respected in a creative space, my input and opinions more valued. Working with Sam is a true collaboration in every way - it matters to him, more than anything, not only what his actors think about the work, but how we feel performing it. He hires people whose work he esteems and has always created an environment in which I felt seen, heard, and appreciated." That backs The Weeknd's view.

HBO themselves have weighed in too, confirming the original direction "The Idol" was going in wasn't up to their standards, and that they're happy with where Levinson's taken it so far.

The Internet thinks Selena Gomez has been in a 'Mean Girls' tiff with Hailey Bieber and Kylie Jenner -- causing her to temporarily shut down her social media ... but it doesn't seem to have affected her mood in real life ... a really good one, it would appear.

The actress/singer was all smiles Tuesday while on the set for her hit Hulu show 'Only Murders in the Building' -- where she was seen coming out of her trailer in Manhattan with adoring fans on hand who were dying for selfies ... something SG was happy to oblige.

She looks pretty radiant here, and that's significant ... because for the past 4-5 days or so, she and her ex-BF's now-wife (Hailey) appear to have been trading barbs online -- with none other than Kylie getting in on it, who appears to be on Hailey's side in a war of pettiness.

Here's the deal ... Selena posted a goofy video last week  showing off her eyebrows, where she said she'd over-laminated, this in an attempt to praise Bella Hadid ... whom she was sorta over-gushing about. Kylie appeared to have responded shortly thereafter ... with this.

KJ threw up a photo of her face -- with a caption reading, "this was an accident???" next to her eyebrows, which many took as a shot at Selena in, perhaps, being attention-seeking.

After that, Kylie posted yet another photo ... this time showing a screengrab of a FT call she was having with Hailey -- and both of them focusing the frame on their eyebrows ... again being perceived as a shot at Selena, only this time with Hailey directly getting in the mix.

The Internet was having a field day -- with TikTokers making tons of analysis videos breaking down the purported feud -- and Kylie finally responded ... saying it was BS, to which Selena also responded in agreement. So, issue resolved ... right??? WRONG! SG wasn't done yet.

It seems Selena had a bit more to say about Hailey in particular ... commenting on an old, resurfaced clip of Hailey making a gagging reaction at the mention of Taylor Swift (Selena's BFF) and Selena responding, "So sorry, my best friend is and continues to be one of the best in the game." On the surface, it sounds like she wanted the final word on it all.

Of course, Selena responding just fueled the speculation about bad blood -- a la Justin Bieber and their messy history, etc. -- at which point Selena said she was hitting pause.

Selena took to TikTok in the past couple days to say she was deactivating her social accounts for a bit, adding that she was "too old" for this ... but not really explaining in detail what "this" was. It doesn't take a rocket scientist though -- either she's actually tired of HB/KJ's antics ... and/or the Internet fanning the flames of a possible beef between them.

Jon Stewart still can't believe the vitriol that's been spewed at him since he publicly embraced the coronavirus lab leak theory on network TV -- this in the wake of the U.S. government saying it might be legit, but he's far from gloating.

The former 'Daily Show' host discussed the new Energy Dept. findings during the latest episode of his Apple TV+ show. ICYMI, the feds investigation showed COVID-19 might have, in fact, been started and disseminated from a Wuhan lab.

Jon raised that theory during an appearance on Stephen Colbert's show back in 2021 where he ran with what he saw as simply common sense -- namely, the notion the Wuhan Virology Lab might be tied to the start of the pandemic.

JS got slammed for that take ... and now, in reflection, he says he was alarmed by just how tribal the country had become -- politically and otherwise -- and it was evidenced in the sheer amount of rage and hate he got from people he once thought loved him.

He's not necessarily taking a victory lap here, but does hope we can take a lesson from this.

In his view, keep an open mind on things ... especially when, at face value, they make sense. Jon believes that approach is key in navigating modern-world problems -- and he adds, outright censorship is just wrong.

Giannis Antetokounmpo took some big-time shots at Luka Doncic, Nikola Jokic and Kevin Durant on Monday -- and while they were totally scripted and not his words ... it was hilarious to hear the 2-time MVP talk-trash nonetheless!

The Milwaukee Bucks superstar's "roast" of his peers all went down on "The Daily Show" ... when host Hasan Minhaj wanted to get Giannis out of his ultra-nice-guy role and into villain mode.

Minhaj queued up some scorching burns for Giannis to read out loud ... and while the basketball player didn't quite get through the one about Doncic, he certainly delivered on the other two.

"Joker," the Greek Freak read off a teleprompter, "how are you going to make it through the Finals when you look like you can barely make it through a Burger King drive-through."

Giannis tried to then compliment the Denver Nuggets center -- before Minhaj interrupted ... and then made him go after KD.

"You keep joining these super teams to win an NBA title," Antetokounmpo said. "How about we work out together sometime so I can teach you how to carry your own team."

Yeeeeesh.

Of course, Antetokounmpo didn't last long in the character ... 'cause then he proceeded to shower Durant with praise, before refusing to even remotely come close to saying a negative word about LeBron James.

Prince Harry is gearing up to get even more of his chest -- yes, there's more, apparently -- by sitting down with a renowned trauma expert, and the whole thing will be live streamed.

The Duke of Sussex has an appointment with Dr. Gabor Maté this Saturday, and royal watchers can pay to get a front-row seat to what's billed as an "intimate conversation," and can even ask questions in real-time according to "Spare" publisher Random House. The event tickets come with a copy of Harry's memoir.

Maté says the stream will dive deep into the importance of personal healing and touch on the impact of emotional loss. The doctor hopes the session with Harry can spark an open discussion about mental health for everyone.

Harry's spoken at length about his mental health in his book, and in "The Me You Can't See," the Apple TV+ series he co-produced with Oprah Winfrey.

FYI -- Maté's background is in dealing with childhood development, trauma and its potential lifelong impacts on physical and mental health. So, right up Prince Harry's alley ... considering the tragic loss of his mother, Princess Diana.

The doctor's also been a big promoter of the plant-based psychedelic ayahuasca as an alternative way to treat addiction, although he's faced some backlash due to it being an illegal practice in Canada.

Just as the theme song mentioned, your friends will be there for you, which is exactly why Courteney Cox had her closest gal pals from "Friends" by her side while getting honored in Hollywood.

Courteney was gifted her star on the Walk of Fame Monday, and costars Jennifer Aniston and Lisa Kudrow were in attendance for the big day -- gracing her and the audience with a fantastic joint speech all about Courteney.

The 2 compared their decades-long friendship to sisters, with Jennifer joking that 30 years since they first met must be a typo -- and no, it isn't.

Jennifer added Courteney has also been an "inclusive, warm, loving" person, noting she was pretty nervous when she first met her -- considering herself a "huge fan." Lisa even hilariously called Courteney the only person in the cast that was famous.

Lisa lovingly mentioned Courteney was the reason the ensemble was so tight all those years ... the star of honor also spoke about her time on the hit sitcom, saying everyone went through so much together -- adding there was no jealousy, only support.

Hayden Panettiere has broken her silence on the death of her younger brother, Jansen, thanking everyone for their love and also revealing how they're told he died.

In a statement to ABC News Monday, the Panettiere family says, "Though it offers little solace, the Medical Examiner reported Jansen’s sudden passing was due to cardiomegaly (enlarged heart), coupled with aortic valve complications."

They continue, "We sincerely appreciate the outpouring of love and support towards our family as we navigate this unthinkable loss, and ask that we be gifted our privacy during this time of mourning," the family said. "We love you so much Jansen and you will be in our hearts forever."

TMZ broke the story, Panettiere was found dead inside his apartment in Nyack last weekend. According to a police report, obtained by TMZ, the 28-year-old's friends became alarmed after he no-showed a business meeting.

Jansen's friends raced over to this apartment, found him unresponsive in a chair and started CPR, but it was too late.

Jennifer Coolidge gave a tearful speech accepting SAG's Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor award for "White Lotus," confessing a lie her otherwise honest father once told was the inspiration for her career.

JC is collecting more hardware than ACE this year, and each time she wins she gives a memorable speech, and this was no exception.

The 61-year-old explained how her parents were honest to a fault ... she was sobbing so hard, it was hard to know where the story was going. But she explained her dad told a lie that proved to be life-changing for her.

It was simple ... telling the school principal she was ill when she was not. The purpose ... her dad wanted Jen to experience the Charlie Chaplin film festival, and, as she said, "I swear to God, seeing Charlie Chaplin for the first time, and having that experience - it's my love of film, it's my love of actors, all of that came from my first grade."

Christina Applegate was a standout at the SAG Awards Sunday ... not because of her nomination --- but because of her courage.

The awesome actress -- if you have any doubts, watch "Dead to Me" -- is dealing with her multiple sclerosis diagnosis, and showed up with a cane with a powerful message.

As she entered the Fairmont Century Plaza in Century City, CA with her 12-year-old daughter Sadie, she was clutching a cane with the initials, "FU MS."

Christina was up for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series ... she said earlier this month it likely would be "my last awards show as an actor probably, so it's kind of a big deal."

As we reported, Christina revealed her multiple sclerosis diagnosis back in 2021 ... calling it a "strange journey," but one she's on with the support of others that share her condition.

She also dragged the disease late last year when she got her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame -- flashing her painted nails with "FU MS" emblazoned on them.

Unfortunately, Christina didn't take home gold at the SAG Awards, but the outpouring of support she's been receiving has been heartwarming.

This year's SAG Awards ceremony was big -- not just for the winners and, of course, movie and TV fans ... but for all the nominees and presenters who had the most fun away from the broadcast's cameras!

It was a who's who at the Fairmont Century Plaza in Century City, CA Sunday night ... with the likes of Brendan Fraser, Michelle Yeoh, Jamie Lee Curtis, Jennifer Coolidge and many more showing up for their nominations -- some of whom left with new hardware.

James Marsden was all smiles backstage at the prestigious event ... the "Dead to Me" actor presented the award with Jenny Slate for Drama Series Ensemble, going to "The White Lotus."

Cara Delevingne, Aubrey Plaza and Ariana DeBose were quite the gal pals during the commercial breaks -- and Aubrey joined her "White Lotus" cast later in the night, winning the Drama Series Ensemble award.

For celebs, the fun was just starting when the show ended -- a huge crowd stuck around for People's after-party Gala with big names like Tobey Maguire, Quinta Brunson, and Laura Linney hangin' out through the night.

Not only is "The Last of Us" drawing big TV ratings and buzz, it's now getting praise from menstrual cup companies for promoting the product and boosting sales.

No big spoiler's here, but if you missed last week's episode ... you didn't see the main character, Ellie, getting gifted a menstrual cup. At first, Ellie, who was born in a post-apocalyptical world seems a bit confused, but then she gets excited once she realizes what it is ... saying "gross" with a smile on her face.

While the scene was quick, fans hopped online to celebrate the significance of bringing women's health to the forefront and showing off a reusable alternative to tampons and pads.

A rep for The Flex Co., which makes menstrual cups, tells TMZ they saw a 400% increase in sales in the 2 days after the episode aired on HBO, a testament to media's "unparalleled power to destigmatize periods."

Over at Cora Life, another menstrual cup producer, a rep says they're thrilled to see a sustainable menstrual care product make it on such a high-profile show ... and they've also seen a slight uptick in orders.

Worth noting, 'Last of Us' didn't depict a specific brand, but obviously, it's prompted consumers to research them.

Lena Cup is also getting more hits -- a rep says the market was "energized" by the HBO shoutout, and they're all hoping the scene normalizes gifting menstrual cups.

Woody Harrelson raised more than a few eyebrows during his "Saturday Night Live" appearance ... this after the actor went all conspiratorial on COVID vaccines ... something he's done before.

Harrelson leaned in on COVID as this week's SNL host, delivering a rambling opening monologue about smoking a joint and parking himself against a tree in Central Park while reading the "craziest script."

After 6 minutes, Woody got to the point, and it was sumpin' ...“So the movie goes like this: The biggest drug cartels in the world get together and buy up all the media and all the politicians and force all the people in the world to stay locked in their homes. And people can only come out if they take the cartel’s drugs and keep taking them over and over.”

He wrapped it up this way ...“I threw the script away. I mean, who was going to believe that crazy idea? Being forced to do drugs? I do that voluntarily all day.”

Social media wasn't amused. TV producer, Lee Goldberg tweeted, “Thank you, @nbcsnl, for Woody Harrelson’s insipid anti-vax monologue.”

A second person wrote, "That's NOT COOL! I lost the best mother figure to me & my sister that we had who died only 4hrs after contracting the f***ing virus!"

Another person chimed in, "This Guy IS a joke."

Nick Cannon says it's not up to him how many kids he ends up having ... he's leaving it to a higher power.

Nick told "Entertainment Tonight," "God decides when we're done, but I definitely got my hands full." The father of 12 says his procreating prowess could last for decades ... "And I'm so focused. I'm locked in. But, when I'm 85, you never know I might [have more]."

His latest addition is Halo Marie ... the proud mom being Alyssa Scott.

And, of course, there's Legendary, Rise, Onyx, Golden, Powerful, Zion, Zillion, Beautiful Zeppelin, Moroccan and Monroe ... hard to keep track.

Matthew Lawrence is praising his new girlfriend ... telling us TLC's Chilli is "one of the most spectacular people" he's ever known.

We got the "Boy Meets World" star Thursday at Nesmon Cafe and Boutique in Sherman Oaks, CA, and our photog asked him if going Instagram official with the singer has changed their relationship dynamic.

Matthew says he and Chilli have agreed to keep their romance private, but that doesn't mean he can't talk about how great a partner she is ... saying he's never met anyone quite like her.

TMZ broke the story ... Matthew and Chilli started officially dating right before Thanksgiving, spending the holidays together in Atlanta, where ML met her family.

Chilli's since met Matthew's relatives, including his famous brothers, and they had nothing but praise for her as well ... telling us she makes Matthew really happy, and that's all that matters.

Remember, Chilli is Matthew's first serious relationship in the wake of his divorce from "Dancing with the Stars" pro, Cheryl Burke. They started hanging out in the summer, going on vacation together in Hawaii and hit it off.