TV

Marshawn Lynch wasn't the only one caught on TV droppin' F-bombs this week ... 'cause broadcast mics picked up an NHL player's "F*** you!" during a game Wednesday -- and it was LOUD.

The cussing was captured during the first period of the Philadelphia Flyers' tilt with the Edmonton Oilers ... and it could be heard crystal clear on television.

No word yet on who unleashed the profane remark ... but it appeared to happen because of an on-ice collision between a Flyers player and an Oilers player.

Shortly after the two guys got tangled up ... the F-bomb could be heard in the arena -- and it didn't take long for social media to notice it, and laugh about it.

Of course, it's the second time this week the F-word has made it on national airwaves ... with Lynch saying "what the f***" on ESPN's "Monday Night Football" Manningcast on Monday.

The national anthem has been used to protest against injustice, but Keke Palmer took it as an opportunity to honor her ancestors ... telling TMZ Sports she sang the "Star-Spangled Banner" at the World Series to show respect for those who came before her.

The anthem has been quite the hot topic in recent years ... from Colin Kaepernick's kneeling protest to lyrics mentioning slavery in the third verse.

We spoke with the 28-year-old singer/actress fresh off her anthem performance prior to Game 1 in Houston on Tuesday ... and she said taking part in the tradition was an easy decision.

"I just feel like my ancestors built this country," Palmer told us at LAX on Wednesday.

"So, I show love for their lives that were taken. I stand on this ground because they couldn't stand in certain places."

"For me, that's what it's about, you know, they built the country. They deserve their respect."

Palmer -- who's been a strong advocate for social justice -- says the gig was incredible despite the controversy around the song ... and also served as a special way to honor her grandma, who recently passed away.

Things are getting tenser than a lethal game of Red Light, Green Light -- "Squid Game" creator Hwang Dong-hyuk heard LeBron James bashing the show's ending loud and clear ... and fired back by clowning his panned 'Space Jam' movie!!

James was heavily critical of the Netflix series' final scene ... discussing his dissatisfaction with Anthony Davis in front of reporters after a preseason game earlier this month (don't worry, we won't spoil it here ... but seriously, why haven't you watched yet?!?)

Hwang was asked about James' review in a recent interview with The Guardian ... and his response is clearly dissing the King's recent "Space Jam: A New Legacy" flick, which currently has a 26% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

"Have you seen Space Jam 2?" Hwang asked in response to James' comments.

"LeBron James is cool and can say what he wants. I respect that. I'm very thankful he watched the whole series."

So, will Hwang roll out an alternate ending to appease James' critique??? Don't hold your breath.

"But I wouldn't change my ending," he added. "That's my ending. If he has his own ending that would satisfy him, maybe he could make his own sequel. I'll check it out and maybe send him a message saying, 'I liked your whole show, except the ending.'"

Stu Billett -- the mastermind who created "The People's Court" and birthed the whole genre of courtroom TV shows -- has died.

Stu died Friday in Los Angeles as a result of natural causes ... according to reps for 'People's Court.' He was surrounded by family when he passed.

Billett dreamed up 'TPC' back in 1981, and while it was a big TV ratings winner, it was much more than that ... as it became a pop culture phenomenon.

The show's OG judge, Joseph Wapner, became a catchphrase when Dustin Hoffman's character in "Rain Man" obsessed over 'People's Court' ... continually counting down, "15 minutes to Wapner."

The show also spawned countless satirical takes over the years on 'SNL' -- the most recent one featured Kim Kardashian playing her older sister in "The People's Kourt."

The OG 'People's Court' ran from 1981 to 1993 ... first with Wapner as the star. It was rebooted in 1997 with former NYC Mayor Ed Koch as the judge, then Judge Judy's husband, Jerry Sheindlin, took on the role and finally Judge Marilyn Milian took the bench ... and the show's still going strong.

Stu, who won 4 Daytime Emmy awards for his work as the show's executive producer, served in the military -- as a U.S. Marine -- before getting into TV as a producer's assistant on several shows.

He's being remembered by his 'TPC' family as "a kind and remarkable man who made a great impact on the lives of so many people, and he will be missed tremendously."

Stu is survived by his wife of more than 40 years and his children and grandkids.

He was 85.

James Michael Tyler -- famous for playing Gunther on "Friends" -- has died.

The actor's rep tells TMZ ... JMT passed away peacefully Sunday morning at his home in L.A. -- this after battling stage 4 prostate cancer.

His family says ... "The world knew him as Gunther (the seventh "Friend"), from the hit series "Friends," but Michael’s loved ones knew him as an actor, musician, cancer-awareness advocate, and loving husband."

They add, "Michael loved live music, cheering on his Clemson Tigers, and would often find himself in fun and unplanned adventures. If you met him once you made a friend for life."

James first revealed his cancer diagnosis earlier this year -- which stunned fans, as he'd just appeared in the reunion special and made no mention of it. He later clarified why he hadn't gone public at that time -- saying he didn't wanna be a downer for the special moment.

He was first diagnosed with cancer in 2018, and kept it private for 3 years.

James has acted in several big shows over the course of his career -- including "Sabrina the Teenage Witch," "Scrubs," "Modern Music," "Just Shoot Me!" and others ... but his biggest claim to fame is the long-running sitcom, where he played a worker at the Central Perk cafe.

He starred in 150 episodes of "Friends" over the course of its 10-year run ... and is absolutely beloved by the fan base. James is survived by his wife, Jennifer Carno.

James Michael Tyler was 59.

Robert Woods is ready to unleash a power and a force that you've never seen before -- the Los Angeles Rams receiver just copped these amazing custom cleats featuring the Blue Power Ranger!!!

TMZ Sports has learned, the wideout wanted to add to his royal blue custom cleat collection ... so he hit up his go-to guy, artist Joe Castro, for the job.

Castro tells us Woods is a huge Power Rangers fan and asked for his new joints to feature the classic '90s TV show -- so it was a no-brainer to go with the Blue Ranger!

And, they're Morphenomenal!!!

Castro says it only took 5 hours to complete the blue and white kicks featuring the detailed action superhero in full gear.

It also has the Blue Ranger's Triceratops Dinozard symbol ... and, for those who don't remember, that's their robot that carries them into battle.

Woods has been going off the last two weeks -- he logged in a total of 181 receiving yards and 1 TD for Week 5 & 6.

Lori Loughlin is back in front of the camera since getting out of prison -- doing work on a network you may have never heard of ... until now!

The former 'Full House' star and Hallmark Channel darling is acting in her first TV show since the college admission scandal ... which implicated Lori and her husband, Mossimo Giannulli - both whom eventually pleaded guilty and served time behind bars.

The dust has mostly settled on that front -- and, so, here's a first look at Lori getting back to normal with the upcoming holiday series "When Hope Calls: A Country Christmas" ... a 2-part premiere that'll be airing on the GAC Family network in December.

This series is a spinoff of Lori's old Hallmark show, "When Calls the Heart," and she's reprising her longtime role of Abigail Stanton. The difference now ... this new show is NOT on Hallmark and was picked up by GAC, which is a lot like THC in the content department.

You'll recall ... Lori got dropped by Hallmark on the heels of being charged in the college admission scandal in 2019 -- and they made it quite clear she wasn't welcome back.

With that said, it's bizarre that a Hallmark-linked show got greenlit elsewhere ... with Lori's character being brought back, and folks making the Hallmark connection. Still, it's not technically being carried on their airwaves -- maybe they think their hands are clean. 🤷🏽‍♂️

In any case ... she's not the only one getting a second chance -- Felicity Huffman, too, is going back to work. She's set to star in a comedy series on none other than ABC.

Bill Maher unsurprisingly leaned in hard Friday night, defending Dave Chappelle, saying embracing Dave's latest Netflix special does not make someone transphobic.

The "Real Time" host was jawboning with Andrew Yang and NYT opinion writer John McWhorter, and on this one, all 3 were in lockstep ... all saying they support the LGBTQ community but also standing firm on Dave's right of commentary.

Maher's central point -- there is not one true opinion about anything, and he referenced the view of one of those outraged by Chappelle ... someone who said there are not two sides to this controversy.

Maher didn't mention Chappelle said he's open to having a conversation with members of the trans community to hear them out. The reality is this ... some people in the trans community are not only hurt by Chappelle's "The Closer" ... they believe it engenders hatred and even violence.

Yang chimed in with this ... it's a comedian's job to entertain and to make us think, but goes on to suggest no one believes the role of a comedian is to tell us what and how to think. Some members of the trans community, however, say whether a comedian tells people what to think or not ... they still have an influence.

The centerpiece of the discussion is about people on both sides feeling like there's only one side to any argument. McWhorter, who wrote the book, 'Woke Racism,' suggests this type of thinking has become a religion of intolerance. He also says believing in the notion of absolute right or wrong is simplistic, childlike thinking.

Peter Scolari, who famously co-starred alongside Tom Hanks in the sitcom "Bosom Buddies," is dead, following an extended cancer battle.

Peter's reps announced he died early Friday ... he'd been diagnosed with cancer 2 years ago, but it seems he kept that news private.

The ABC sitcom "Bosom Buddies" put Peter and Tom on the map when it came out in 1980, and they remained close friends throughout their lives. Peter went on to costar on "Newhart" and, most recently, played Lena Dunham's dad on "Girls." He won his first Emmy in 2016 for that role.

On their hit show, Hanks and Scolari played 2 single men who dressed like and pretended to be women so they could live together in an NYC apartment. Yeah, the plot doesn't exactly hold up to today's standards.

Peter also had roles in "Murphy Brown," "The West Wing," "ER," and "Ally McBeal." He also found success in several Broadway plays, including "Hairspray" and "Wicked."

He's survived by his wife and their 4 children.

Peter was 66.

Shar Jackson's full up on chills, screams and terror for this Halloween after observing -- and surviving -- a real-life exorcism inside one of Hollywood's most infamous haunted homes.

The former "Moesha" star signed on for the experience, which was filmed for a special called, "Celebrity Exorcism." Shar was joined by "Full House" star Jodie Sweetin, ex-NBA star Metta World Peace ... and an actual exorcist.

The foursome went inside L.A.'s Rosenheim Mansion, where "American Horror Story" famously filmed. Shar told us on "TMZ Live," they actually had to get training before entering the home ... which has a dark history of murder, suicide and torture.

Yes, there's apparently a supernatural boot camp, which Shar says was intended to steady their nerves before the exorcism. It's pretty debatable whether the training did a damn thing, based on what Shar says here.

We know this ... never count on a 6'7" NBA champ to protect you from spirits or demons. Check out Shar's account of what went down in the mansion. Sorry, Metta ... some ghost stories just gotta be told!!!

The same thing that's hurt Kate Beckinsale's career is helping Ross Butler's take off in Hollywood, and that thing is ... brain power!!! Lots of it.

We got the "13 Reasons Why" and "Riverdale" star Thursday at LAX, and considering his collegiate history, he's the perfect person to address Kate's recent reveal about her high IQ.

ICYMI ... KB told Howard Stern her intelligence has hurt her career. She wasn't specific about why, but added that doctors have said she'd be much happier if she were less brilliant.

Well, Ross -- who studied biomolecular and chemical engineering -- says he's had a much different experience. Check out his explanation for why his smarts are making him a better actor. BTW, it's not like he's playing brilliant scientists on camera.

The heartthrob also opened up about another hot topic ... his dancing session with "Outer Banks" star Madelyn Cline! Y'know, the one that had everyone thinking she'd broken up with her costar Chase Stokes?

Jon Stewart has a message for everyone pissed off at Dave Chappelle -- he's asking them to pay attention to what's in his friend's heart ... as much as what comes out of his mouth.

We got Jon as he was leaving Capitol Hill, and asked for his take on the beef between Chappelle and Netflix employees who staged a walkout Wednesday. Jon thinks there's clearly been a miscommunication, and seemed confident both sides will squash the feud ... once they start talking.

The reason he's confident? Well, Jon -- who, ICYMI, is a close friend of Dave's -- says, "I know his intention is never hurtful. He's not that kinda person."

TMZ broke the story ... Dave's team says he's ready and willing to sit down with Netflix employees who are protesting their company continuing to stream "The Closer," Dave's latest standup special. One of those employees, Ashlee Marie Preston, claimed Dave had rejected a meeting ... but Dave's camp says he's totally down for it.

Speaking of people with good intentions ... Jon was in D.C. to continue lobbying lawmakers to approve medical benefits for military veterans who were exposed to toxic burn pits.

Meghan McCain is pissing off some of her old bosses with her scathing assessment of her tortured time on "The View" -- because they believe it's the exact opposite of how she's framing things.

Sources close to the production tell TMZ ... ABC honchos are furious about Meghan's new memoir, and the subsequent interviews she's recently done -- characterizing "The View" as a toxic work environment, full of coworkers/cohosts who despised her.

We're told there are many points of dissent -- for instance, ABC execs say the notion Meghan left on her own volition is wrong, and ditto for her claim everybody except her was oozing toxicity.

Our sources tell us Meghan was essentially forced out of her role after an internal investigation into the environment she describes -- which we're told was, in fact, real ... but mostly due to Meghan's behavior on and off camera, not her coworkers' -- other way around.

Our sources say new ABC chief, Kim Godwin, did a thorough investigation -- meeting with key stakeholders of the show, like talent and producers -- and in the end, we're told she found Meghan was the source of a lot of the in-fighting that ultimately played out on the show ... something Godwin had to address head-on in an emergency Zoom meeting.

Those on-camera blow-ups are well-documented, and even though a lot of the hosts are often seen bickering ... we're told many at ABC feel Meghan was, more often than not, the instigator of these arguments -- or she was the one who kept them going longer.

We should say, however, there are some execs at ABC who have confided in TMZ, telling us the environment was hostile and the bullying is what led to McCain's exit ... so clearly, not all honchos feel the same way.

As for her departure ... our sources didn't have details on the negotiations behind the exit, but we're told the bottom line is it wasn't simply her decision after hitting a breaking point. The network was ready to move on too.

Of course, we're told this was a long time coming ... as many at ABC apparently felt the old boss, James Goldston, didn't have the stones to give MM the boot earlier, because he allegedly feared a conservative backlash.

Now that Meghan's gone ... our sources say the mood on set is way better, and people at home can see it for themselves. The temperature in the room, we're told, has lowered. Not just that, but the ratings are steady ... with the show remaining #1 on daytime TV.

Mel Gibson will star in the new "John Wick" TV series -- a controversial casting that left even the franchise's own creator in shock, but the guy's still willing to let it be ... for now.

Screenwriter Derek Kolstad -- who penned the initial "John Wick" movie, and contributed to the other 2 installments, tells TMZ ... like many others who heard the Gibson news this week, he too was surprised by the decision -- adding he had no idea it was coming.

Kolstad says that even though his creator status earns him an executive producer credit on the show -- which will be a prequel titled, "The Continental," the name of the hitman hotel in the flicks -- he hasn't been in on the creative process playing out behind the scenes, including casting.

Despite being in the dark, DK tells us he's willing to give the guy a shot, and will watch the series with naked eyes.

As for why Mel deserves a chance here ... well, Kolstad tells us he simply doesn't believe in canceling someone over previous mistakes -- of which, Gibson's had several.

Fact is, Gibson was never canceled -- despite the anti-Semitic moments and alleged domestic violence, he's been acting and directing for years now ... even after the scandals.

Still, the Twitter mob is pissed he's been tapped to carry the flag for a mega-franchise like "John Wick" ... especially in 2021, where folks are getting called out for lesser transgressions than Gibson's old messiness.

Get ready for some history to be made on "The Masked Singer" ... because there's going to be two celebs in the same costume, and we're told they have quite a history between them.

For the first time on the FOX competition show, there will be a double-faced costume with two people inside the same mask ... and they're set to debut on 'Masked Singer' as the beachball.

Production sources tell TMZ ... the two celebs hiding out underneath the beachball haven't always seen eye to eye, so it sounds like there could be some drama on tap.

And, get this ... our sources say the celebs making up the first-ever wild card duet have combined for a pretty up-and-down past few years ... which could make things super interesting.

The big question, aside from their true identity, will there be another public blowup between them?!?

Sara Gilbert and Linda Perry's split is finally official -- because a court has signed off on everything ... including what happens with their kid.

According to legal docs, obtained by TMZ, the former couple's legal separation became official last week, and it looks like a pretty clean break ... with the couple agreeing on a 50/50 split on custody.

As you know, Sara and Linda have a 6-year-old son together, Rhodes, and they will have joint physical and legal custody ... so, both will continue to weigh in on various decisions, such as school and medical issues.

Day-to-day decisions over the boy's well-being will be the responsibility of the parent he's with at any given time. Neither of them will pay child support to the other -- they're both very successful, after all.

When it comes to how they're going to be splitting up their property and other assets ... there's a separate agreement, but those details aren't public.

Sara and Linda got hitched in 2014, with SG giving birth to Rhodes in 2015. She's got 2 other children from previous relationships. Sara created and co-hosted "The Talk" for years, and has since gone on to star in the "Roseanne" spinoff, "The Conners."