TV

Tawny Kitaen, the actress who starred in "Bachelor Party" and whose personal life was filled with radical ups and downs, has died ... TMZ has learned.

Kitaen died in Newport Beach Friday. The coroner has yet to determine cause of death.

Kitaen, whose credits include 'The Perils of Gwendoline' and "After Midnight," was a precocious child who got the showbiz bug at 14, when she saw Peter Frampton at Balboa Stadium in San Diego. She got a backstage pass and saw the All-Access VIP treatment Peter's GF, Penny, received, and that was it. She was hooked.

Tawny started out on a game show back in 1976 -- "To Tell the Truth." She migrated into movies and achieved some success with her roles, especially "Bachelor Party."

And, Tawny famously was featured in some music videos, notably Whitesnake's "Is This Love," and "Here I Go Again."

Kitaen dated Ratt guitarist Robbin Crosby while she was still in high school and even followed his band to L.A. in the late '70s. She was featured on the album cover of the band's album "Out of the Cellar" and their debut EP "Ratt."

Tawny's personal life was rocky. She married Whitesnake's lead singer, David Coverdale, back in 1989, but the marriage only lasted 2 years.  She went on to marry baseball star Chuck Finley -- with whom she had 2 daughters -- and the end of that relationship proved disastrous.  Finley claimed she repeatedly kicked him in the face with her high heels and she was charged with domestic violence. Those charges were later dismissed. He filed for divorce 3 days later.

She also had substance abuse issues and was arrested for drug possession and DUI ... which was well-chronicled in the media.

Tawny was 59.

RIP

Bill Maher scoffs at Republican claims the 2020 election was stolen, but he himself is leveling claims the Republicans are actually the thieves ... because he says they've stolen all the fun from Democrats.

The 'Real Time' maestro made it clear -- he's pissed off the drugs and sex that used to be associated with the Dems have somehow been co-opted by Trump's party. Matt Gaetz is someone who particularly sticks in Maher's craw. Frankly, Bill seems enraged.

But, as usual, Bill had a deeper point that goes beyond hedonism. He groused, "Once upon the time, the right were the ones offended by everything. They were the party of speech codes and blacklists and moral panics and demanding some TV show had to go.”

But, he says, the tables have turned ... "Well, now that's us. We're the fun-suckers now. We suck the fun out of everything: Halloween, the Oscars, childhood, Twitter, comedy. It's like woke kids on campus decided to be all the worst parts of a Southern Baptist."

Then he called for party introspection ... "If Democrats had always policed morality as hard as they do now, they'd be down a lot of heroes. No FDR, JFK, RFK, LBJ, Clinton, Martin Luther King. Democrats are now the party that can't tell the difference between Anthony Weiner and Al Franken."

He zeroed in on former U.S. Rep. Katie Hill, who had a bright career but resigned when it came out she was in a throuple and someone leaked nude photos of her holding a bong. Bill says Dems couldn't handle it ... "That was too much for our puritanical Democratic Party."

Jay-Z could be in the process of starting his own production company ... at least it seems that way based on the trademark application his company has filed.

According to legal docs, obtained by TMZ, Hova's company, S. Carter Enterprises, filed to trademark "2/J" on May 3 for "entertainment services in the nature of creation, development, and production" of television programming, TV series, movies and similar projects.

Too early to tell, but it sure seems like Jay's laying the groundwork to start a production co.

It would be rather fitting if Jay-Z, a music and business mogul, starts his own production company. He's already made a fortune on his own cognac with D'Usse, the streaming service Tidal and, of course, his massively successful entertainment firm, Roc Nation. And, just last year, he launched his own premium cannabis brand, Monogram.

Jay would be following in the footsteps of entertainment moguls who have their own production companies ... like Spike Lee's 40 Acres, Adam Sandler's Happy Madison Productions and LeBron James' SpringHill Company, which reportedly has already amassed an impressive portfolio of deals and partnerships in the media world.

Here it is ... your first chance to judge Elon Musk's "Saturday Night Live" hosting skills, and he's leaning into the idea it could be total chaos. Or, just another 'SNL.'

In the first promos for his gig, the Tesla and SpaceX founder is kinda acknowledging all the buzz about him being the show's first controversial host in quite some time. As the polarizing figure himself puts it ... he's a "wild card" who could do just about anything.

Musical guest Miley Cyrus was by his side, but cast star Cecily Strong delivered the punchlines with a reminder their moms will be in the audience because it's a Mother's Day show.

In a second spot, Elon brags about SpaceX's most recent successful rocket launch ... and again, Cecily gets the punchline about doing her laundry. Pretty standard 'SNL' stuff.

Of course, a lot of people -- 'SNL' fans and even some cast members -- have expressed disapproval of one of the richest people in the world, who's not an entertainer, hosting.

However, other SNL stars like Pete Davidson and Michael Che have publicly supported Musk hosting and claim there's no issue among the cast ... and SNL alum Conan O'Brien told us this week that it's pretty common for non-professional comedians like Elon to end up being the best hosts.

Los Angeles local Emily Schulman was only 8 years old when she shot to stardom after she landed the role of the curious little girl next door, Harriet Brindle -- who was always getting in the family's business and even fancied Jamie -- in the robotic '80s family sitcom "Small Wonder."

Emily shared the small screen with some iconic actors including Dick Christie and Marla Pennington as the parents, Ted and Joan Lawson, Jerry Supiran as the older brother, Jamie Lawson ... and of course Tiffany Brissette as the adorable android, Voice Input Child Identicant ... also known as Vicki.

Conan O'Brien says non-professional comedians like Elon Musk make perfect 'SNL' hosts ... and funny ones too, so he says viewers might be pleasantly surprised.

We got Conan Wednesday on his way out of the famous L.A. diner Swingers, and he gave us some insight on what Elon and the 'SNL' cast are going through right now. Remember, he was a writer on the show from 1988 to 1991. He revealed it's actually the non-comedians he considered "dream guests" back in the day when he was one of the show's writers.

Conan tells us the fact Elon isn't a comedian or an actor makes him a dream guest -- or at least it did back in his day. Not buying it? Well, watch the clip ... Conan explains his "fish outta water" theory for getting big laughs in sketches.

Our photog tried to get him to suggest some new material for Elon, but Conan's no fool ... and we can't afford his rate.

As for some 'SNL' cast members publicly grousing about Lorne Michaels' decision to have Elon host this weekend -- Conan says a lot sure has changed since his time there.

BTW, we also got Pete Davidson arriving at Rockefeller Center and the funny man sang Elon's praises. Seems he wasn't one of the cast members pissed about working with Elon.

Pick a winner, Shaq!!

The NBA legend had a massive bat in the cave while working the desk for "NBA on TNT" on Wednesday ... and decided to go mining for the nose gold live on-air!!!

Shaq, along with Candace Parker, Dwyane Wade and Adam Lefkoe were wrapping up coverage on the Clippers vs. Raptors game ... when a giant green boulder rolled out of O'Neal's nostril.

Shaq's co-hosts tried to signal to the Big Man to wipe his face -- but O'Neal wasn't taking the hint ... and viewers started tweeting about the boogie during the show!!

Finally, the crew just TOLD Shaq to get rid of it -- and the moment he realizes he's been boogying down on-air is hilarious!

"That was the biggest booger I have ever seen in my entire life," Lefkoe told Shaq.

D-Wade pulled out a giant roll of paper towels and told Shaq there's no way in hell a typical Kleenex could handle that job!

Candace was DYING laughing!!!

"I didn't even know it was there," Shaq said ... "Y'all got me!"

Anna Nicole Smith's daughter Dannielynn Birkhead not only looks like her late mom, she's also getting the same attention from Hollywood ... but she keeps passing on movie and modeling offers.

Dannielynn's dad, Larry Birkhead, tells TMZ ... the 14-year-old's been offered a bunch of acting and modeling jobs over the years, but Dannielynn is simply not interested.

Larry says last week, before Dannielynn bore a striking resemblance to her mom at the Kentucky Derby, he got a call asking if they wanted to be in an upcoming horror film. They haven't officially declined the offer, but it sounds like they will -- Larry says acting just isn't Dannielynn's thing.

Another sign Dannielynn's not seriously considering the offers pouring in from movie producers and major corporations asking her to be in films and advertisements ... dad says she doesn't even have a manager or modeling portfolio.

As you know ... Dannielynn gets compared to Anna Nicole everywhere she goes, but her dad says it can get tiring even though she takes it as a compliment. He says Dannielynn just wants to be her own person, not her mom.

Larry tells us he's not sure if the offers are related to Dannielynn's resemblance to her mom, or the fact she's Anna Nicole's daughter ... but she's turning them down all the same.

Although a future in Hollywood is there for the taking, Larry says the high school freshman is focused on getting her homework done, and she's interested in art, animation and drawing. Dad says she flashed acting talent in a school play a few years back, but decided to step away from theater.

Brooklyn born actor Carl Anthony Payne II has taken on a bunch of awesome television roles throughout his killer career but was only 23 years old when he landed the most notable role as the kooky character Cole Brown -- who is best friends with the title character and the boyfriend to Shanise McGillicuddy -- on the iconic '90s television comedy "Martin."

Carl Anthony Payne II shared the small screen with some epic actors including Tisha Campbell as the gorgeous love of Martin's life, Gina Waters, Thomas Mikal Ford as the wise friend, Tommy Strawn  ... and of course Martin Lawrence as Martin Payne, Sheneneh Jenkins, 'Ol Otis and Mama Payne.

Well this is kinda awkward -- it's just 7 days until curtain call for Elon Musk and the 'SNL' team, and he's out here openly brainstorming skits on Twitter, which screams ... unprepared.

The Tesla CEO took to Twitter Saturday -- a full week before he's set to host in NYC --- and he was actually fielding ideas from randos about good sketches he and the cast could do. He might just be screwing around ... OR, maybe he has no idea what's actually in store.

Here are just a few possibilities he's kicking around between himself and his followers -- he suggested "Woke James Bond," "Irony Man" (who defeats villains using the power of irony), "Baby Shark Tank" (self-explanatory) ... and he even entertained a Dogecoin idea.

Someone suggested he do a riff on the 'The Godfather' ... and spin it like the Dogefather, which he's been nicknamed for helping catapult the cryptocurrency into the mainstream.

Elon simply responded ... "Definitely."

Again, it's likely Elon's just joshing around and simply teasing his appearance altogether. However, another scenario exists ... that the 'SNL' team might not have filled him in entirely as to what skits are in play (yet), which isn't all that crazy considering the bad blood that's been brewing since the announcement.

If you haven't heard, a few cast members publicly decried Elon being tapped as host -- namely, Bowen Yang and Aidy Bryant ... who didn't seem to dig the idea of cozying up to Elon. Yang openly mocked a tweet Elon posted, which said, "Let's find out just how live Saturday Night Live is" ... to which Yang responded, "what the f*** does this even mean?"

Bryant was a little more subtle ... posting a quote from Bernie Sanders about the incredibly wealthy class in this country -- to which Elon belongs. He's a multi-billionaire these days.

Olympia Dukakis -- the Oscar-winning actress best known for her role in 'Moonstruck' -- has died ... this according to her family.

Her brother, Apollo, broke the sad news Saturday ... taking to Facebook to update fans that his sister had passed in New York City. He adds, "After many months of failing health she is finally at peace and with her Louis." Her husband, Louis, died in 2018.

Dukakis is perhaps most remembered for her turn as Cher's mother in the 1987 rom-com -- in which she played a wise-cracking matriarch who dealt with her daughter's relationship woes ... and those of her own as well.

She'd starred in countless other movies and shows over the years too -- most notably, 'Steel Magnolias,' all of the 'Look Who's Talking' movies, 'Mr. Holland's Opus,' 'Working Girl,' 'Over the Hill,' 'Mafia!' 'In the Land of Women,' 'The Cemetery Club,' 'Charlie's War,' and countless others. Dukakis was known for her comedic chops ... but she could do drama just as well.

Her television career was perhaps just as prolific ... Dukakis has appeared on a number of hit shows over the years, including "Search for Tomorrow," "Tales of the City," "Touched By an Angel," "The Simpsons," "Center of the Universe," "Frasier," "Joan of Arc," "Bored to Death," "Law & Order," "Sex & Violence," "Forgive Me," "TripTank," "Switch" and more.

Dukakis had won and been nominated for Golden Globes and Emmys ... this on top of her Oscar win in '88. Even before her on-screen success, Dukakis was a decorated stage performer ... having performed in over 100 productions, including both Broadway and off-Broadway shows.

Of course, she's also former Presidential candidate Michael Dukakis' cousin -- so her family name is incredibly famous.

She's survived by her 3 children and siblings. Olympia was 89.

RIP

We don't post jokes on TMZ, but this one is so frickin' hilarious we made an exception.

Bill Maher was on his game per usual Friday night, and he riffed on a story about a school kid's science project designed to answer the question ... "Does your cat's butthole really touch all the surfaces in your home?"

Kaeden Griffin, a 6th grader from Tennessee, and his mom -- who was homeschooling the boy -- decided to crack the case by putting red lipstick on the buttholes of their 2 felines. The cats went here and there in the house and mother and son chronicled their results.

In case you're wondering ... long and medium-haired cats made no butthole contact with soft or hard surfaces, but the buttholes of short-haired cats never touched hard services. Sounds like a smear campaign if you ask us.

Anyway ... Bill's take on 'Real Time' is just hysterical. Watch and laugh your ass off.

Chris Clanton -- known for his recurring role on HBO's iconic hit, "The Wire" -- was shot in Baltimore ... TMZ has learned.

A spokesperson for the Baltimore Police Dept. tells TMZ ... cops are investigating a shooting that occurred Thursday around 7 PM, and a 35-year-old man suffered a gunshot wound to the ear. We're told medics responded and took the victim to a hospital for treatment.

It's unclear what led to the shooting or if Chris was even the target, but the good news is ... we know he's already been discharged from the hospital.

The shooting remains under investigation and cops urge anyone with information to call Northeast District Shooting detectives or Baltimore's Metro Crime Stoppers tip line.

Dr. Drew got way more than he bargained for Thursday night at a world-famous Brooklyn steakhouse ... his meal was interrupted by gunshots.

The famous doc joined "TMZ Live" Friday and told a crazy story about finally getting a reservation at Peter Luger Steakhouse where he, his wife and friends chowed down on what he said were incredible steaks.

But then ... the sound of gunfire. Someone who was dining outside had beef with another table. The guy pulled out a gun and fired several times, missing the other patrons but striking 2 bystanders on the street.

What followed is terrifying ... Drew and Co., who were dining inside, huddled in a corner with other diners, not knowing if this was the beginning of yet another mass shooting. The waiters were true heroes, standing tall and protecting their customers.

When the drama ended, they all went back to their meals, and Drew tipped handsomely ... both for the meal service and the security they received from the waiters.

Michael Blackson says he's a big fan of actors wearing fat suits -- like Sarah Paulson is to play Linda Tripp -- and he's got a message for folks who think Hollywood's too fatphobic.

We got the comedian at LAX and asked him about the controversy on the set of "Impeachment: American Crime Story," where Sarah's use of a fat suit is triggering critics.

Michael says he's all for Hollywood using fat suits ... and he thinks it would be hilarious to take the skinniest person in the world and make them fat.

One problem with Michael's take ... 'American Crime Story' isn't exactly looking for laughs.

As we reported ... Sarah's slipping her slim figure into a fat suit to get in character as Tripp, and a lot of people on social media, and in Hollywood, think Ryan Murphy and his team should've cast a bigger actor ... one who wouldn't need prosthetic assistance.

Michael says the outrage is way overblown, because as he tells our photog ... "let the skinny guys get some work!!!"

New Jersey native J.D. Roth (real name John David Weinroth) became a big name in the '90s after he hosted a bunch of great television shows including the kid's game show Fox's "Fun House," the go-to video game show "GamePro TV" and the short-lived dating show "Double Up."

After his stint as a host, Roth made some major moves to working behind the camera and is credited with producing some big-time shows including "The Biggest Loser," "Bar Rescue" and "Beauty and the Geek."

He's now a husband, father of two sons and even an author!