TV

2023 was a year of highs and lows ... and unfortunately, some of the lowest points came from the world's biggest stars tragically losing their lives -- many of whom died way too soon.

Matthew Perry shocked the globe when he was found unresponsive in his hot tub in October ... as did Sinead O'Connor, who was found at her flat in South London at the end of July.

25-year-old "Euphoria" star Angus Cloud was found dead at his family's home in Oakland, CA, also at the end of July ... not long after the actor lost his father. The coroner said he died of an accidental overdose of fentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamine.

Tina Turner, known as the "Queen of Rock 'n' Roll," died at 83 years old back in May after battling a "long illness" regarding her kidneys ... and the singer opened up about regretting not taking better care of her kidneys in the months before she passed.

79-year-old Jerry Springer died at his Illinois home in April after his battle with pancreatic cancer -- something he kept out of the public eye. A rep for Springer's family told us he was sick for months, and kept the illness close to not worry others.

Paul Reubens, known to so many as Pee-wee Herman, died at the age of 70 in July ... and he also privately battled cancer for years. In an apology to fans written before he died, Paul said, "I have loved you all so much and enjoyed making art for you."

Others who are gone but certainly not forgotten include Jacky Oh!, Bob Barker, Jimmy Buffett, Raquel Welch, Heather Armstrong, Alan Arkin, Andrea Evans, Tony Bennett, Clarence Avant, and Diane Feinstein.

RIP

Jussie Smollett's legal troubles are far from over ... but it looks as though he's working overtime to get his career back on track.

The troubled actor was seen reuniting with "Empire" showrunner Brett Mahoney ... with the duo sharing a hug Thursday outside Crossroads Kitchen in Los Angeles.

The sighting triggered speculation of a possible future collab ... though any TV comeback is realistically a long way off for Jussie as he deals with his personal and legal worries.

Sources told us just before Xmas ... Jussie was still in the midst of a rehab stint for substance abuse ... after checking himself into an outpatient facility in back in October.

He recently lost his appeal after being convicted for lying to cops about the fake Chicago hate crime attack back in 2019.

Jussie's lawyers say they'll continue their fight in the Illinois Supreme Court, although there's no guarantee the Court will hear the case.

If the Court turns thumbs down on hearing the case, Jussie could return to jail as soon as January to complete his 150 day sentence ... he's only served 6 days.

Don Lemon says the most detrimental presidential candidate Americans could elect isn't Donald Trump ... but rather Nikki Haley.

The former CNN host joined us Friday on "TMZ Live," and said he thinks there's good reason to sound an alarm on Haley's campaign ... saying she's a more dangerous candidate than Trump.

Don says it's a case of the devil you know versus the devil you don't ... calling out Haley for being unclear on her views, flip-flopping on Trump's insurrection and ripping her track record on abortion and racism.

The way Don sees it ... we've already survived one Trump presidency, and Haley presents a new set of unknowns that might end up being worse than anything Trump ever did.

It's another shot at Haley from Don ... as we reported, he blasted her on social media Thursday for leaving slavery out of her answer on the cause of the Civil War.

Haley's apologized and asked for grace, something Don says is hypocritical.

Remember, Don and Nikki had beef when he was at CNN ... he called her past her prime, and says she showed him no grace for his poor choice of words ... which he's said was just a prime case of misspeaking on live television.

Don's speaking out on political issues for the first time since leaving his post at CNN ... and he says he can finally speak his mind about all candidates, including Republicans.

While he says he doesn't want Trump back in office, and Haley might be worse ... he tells us why Chris Christie is earning his respect, even though he disagrees with most of his policies.

Don Lemon dice que el candidato presidencial más perjudicial que los estadounidenses podrían elegir no es Donald Trump, sino más bien Nikki Haley.

El ex presentador de CNN se unió a nosotros el viernes en "TMZ Live" y nos dijo que hay buenas razones para hacer sonar las alarmas con la campaña de Haley, diciendo que ella es una candidata más peligrosa que Trump

Don dice que es un caso de diablo conocido a diablo por conocer, y critica a Haley por no ser claro respecto a sus puntos de vista, por cambiar de opinión sobre la insurrección de Trump y por su historial sobre el aborto y el racismo.

Desde la perspectiva de Don, ya sobrevivimos a una presidencia de Trump y Haley presenta un nuevo conjunto de incógnitas que podrían terminar siendo peor que cualquier cosa que Trump haya hecho.

Este es otro tiro de Don hacia Haley, como informamos, el presentador la atacó en las redes el jueves por dejar la esclavitud fuera de su respuesta sobre la causa de la Guerra Civil.

Haley se disculpó y pidió comprensión, algo que Don considera hipócrita.

Recuerden, Don y Nikki tuvieron problemas cuando él estaba en CNN. Don le dijo que había pasado su mejor momento.

Don está hablando sobre temas políticos por primera vez desde que dejó su puesto en CNN. Dice que finalmente puede decir lo que piensa de los candidatos, incluidos los republicanos.

Aunque dice que no quiere Trump de nuevo en el cargo, y que Haley podría ser peor, nos explica por qué Chris Christie se está ganando su respeto, a pesar de que no está de acuerdo con la mayoría de sus políticas.

Pete Davidson reapareció por primera vez desde que misteriosamente se desconectó de un montón de sus espectáculos de comedia con su novia Madelyn Cline a su lado.

Tenemos imágenes de la pareja en Bobo's Café en Somers, Nueva York, el jueves después del mediodía, la ex estrella de SNL y la actriz de "Outer Banks" fueron vistos hojeando el menú después de entrar.

Nos dicen que Pete es un habitual en el lugar y en esta ocasión, pidió un helado matcha latte y fumó un cigarrillo fuera mientras esperaba su bebida.

Las cosas van en serio entre Pete y Madelyn después de que comenzaron a salir en septiembre, aunque dado el historial del cómico de aventuras de corta duración con mujeres famosas, solo el tiempo dirá si su romance dura.

Su salida de bajo perfil se produce después de que Pete canceló una serie de espectáculos del 26 de diciembre al 4 de enero debido a "circunstancias imprevistas" con los fans decepcionados, prometió un reembolso completo dentro de los 30 días del espectáculo.

Pete Davidson resurfaced for the first time since mysteriously pulling the plug on a bunch of his comedy shows ... he's out in public with GF Madelyn Cline by his side.

TMZ obtained video of the couple at Bobo's Café in Somers, NYC, on Thursday ... where the ex-SNL star and "Outer Banks" actress were seen perusing the menu and ordering drinks.

We're told Pete's a regular at the place -- and on this occasion, he ordered an iced matcha latte before smoking a cigarette outside while waiting for his drink.

Things are evidently going strong between Pete and Madelyn ... they began dating in September, though given the comic's track record of short-lived flings with famous women, only time will tell how long their romance lasts. This is the first time they have been spotted together since an SNL after-party in October.

Pete and Madelyn's low-key outing comes after Pete canceled a string of shows from Dec. 26 to Jan. 4 due to "unforeseen circumstances" ... with disappointed fans being promised refunds ASAP.

La estrella de "Bling Empire" Jessey Lee acaba de anotarse una gran victoria legal sobre su ex esposa. Ella lo acusó de abusar de ella y sus hijos, pero la solicitud de una orden de restricción ha sido desestimada.

De acuerdo con nuevos documentos legales obtenidos por TMZ, la solicitud de Crystal Hoang Lee de una orden de restricción contra Jessey ha sido desestimada.

TMZ publicó la historia, la ex esposa de Jessey presentó una orden judicial de protección contra él a principios de este mes, entregando impactantes acusaciones de violencia contra él.

Crystal, que una vez estuvo casada con Jessey y tiene dos hijos con él, afirmó que golpeó a uno de sus hijos porque el niño no se iba a dormir. También le acusó de haberle provocado un aborto involuntario, pero sus documentos no entraban en más detalles sobre esa acusación. Al final, el juez desestimó todas las acusaciones por falta de pruebas.

En su solicitud de orden de alejamiento, Crystal también acusó a Jessey de golpearla, de abandonar a su familia para irse a jugar y de desarraigar a los niños. Debemos mencionar que un juez de Texas ya le había concedido la custodia temporal completa a Jessy antes de que Crystal solicitara la TRO.

El juez denegó la solicitud de Crystal de una orden de restricción temporal y fijó una audiencia para la semana pasada y ahora el juez la ha desestimado por completo.

"Bling Empire" star Jessey Lee just scored a huge legal victory over his ex-wife... she accused him of abusing her and their kids, but her request for a restraining has been tossed.

According to new legal docs, obtained by TMZ, Crystal Hoang Lee's request for a restraining order against Jessey has been dismissed.

TMZ broke the story ... Jessey's ex-wife filed for court-ordered protection from him earlier this month, leveling shocking allegations of violence against him.

Crystal, who was once married to Jessey and has 2 children with him, claimed he hit one of their kids because the child wouldn't go to sleep. She also accused him of causing her to suffer a miscarriage, but her docs didn't go into further detail on that allegation. In the end, the judge dismissed all allegations for lack of evidence.

In her restraining order request, Crystal also accused Jessey of hitting her, leaving their family to go off and gamble, and uprooting the kids. We should mention, a Texas judge had already awarded temporary full custody to Jessy before Crystal even filed for the TRO.

The judge denied Crystal's request for a TRO and set a hearing for last week ... and now the judge has dismissed it altogether.

Lance Bass tiene buenas noticias para los fanáticos de *NSYNC, diciendo que hay discusiones acerca de una reunión.

Lance dice que Justin Timberlake, Joey Fatone, JC Chasez y Chris Kirkpatrick están hablando de hacer un regreso y Lance espera darle a los fans de *NSYNC buenas noticias en algún momento.

El miembro de la boy band insinuó la posible reunión durante una reciente aparición en el programa de juegos en línea mensual —"Rent Free"— que se juega en la aplicación Bilt Rewards.

Pero cuando el fundador y CEO de Bilt Rewards —Ankur Jain— suplicó que su regreso fuera tan pronto como el 1 de enero, Lance  hizo una pausa diciendo: "Danos un poco más de tiempo".

Sin embargo, fuentes con conocimiento directo le dicen a TMZ que todavía no hay conversaciones oficiales o planes para que *NSYNC se reúna a pesar de las palabras de Lance.

Nuestras fuentes añaden que no hay posibilidad de una gira, álbum o residencia próximamente.

A pesar de la incertidumbre, una reunión de *NSYNC sería un gran éxito, sobre todo después de la enorme recepción a su regreso a los VMA en septiembre.

Lance Bass is saying hi, hi, hi to an *NSYNC reunion ... he says there's discussions about getting the band back together.

Lance says Justin Timberlake, Joey Fatone, JC Chasez and Chris Kirkpatrick are talking about making a comeback ... and Lance is hoping to give *NSYNC fans good news at some point.

The boy band member hinted at the potential reunion during a recent appearance on the monthly online game show "Rent Free" which is played in the Bilt Rewards app.

But, when Bilt Rewards founder and CEO Ankur Jain pleaded for their return to be as early as January 1, Lance pumped the brakes ... saying, "Give us a little more time than that."

However, sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ there are still no official talks or plans for *NSYNC to reunite ... despite what Lance is saying here.

Our sources add there's no possibility of a tour, album, or residency happening anytime soon either.

Despite the uncertainty, an *NYSNC reunion would be a huge hit ... especially after the enormous reception to their VMA comeback in September.

Danny Masterson está teniendo un cambio de escenario, pues el actor acaba de ser trasladado a la prisión estatal y TMZ tiene el primer vistazo de su ficha policial.

Acabamos de obtener la foto y la estrella de "That '70s Show" no se ve muy contento. El pelo y la barba de Danny lucen desordenados, él tiene la boca cerrada y no esboza ninguna sonrisa.

En cuanto a dónde está siendo alojado, Danny se registró el miércoles en la Prisión Estatal North Kern State en Delano, California, cerca de 143 millas al norte de Los Ángeles.

Las nuevas instalaciones de Danny son las mismas del rapero Tory Lanez, quien ha estado encerrado allí desde septiembre. Aunque su sentencia es mucho más corta que la de Danny.

Recuerden, Masterson fue condenado a 30 años tras las rejas en septiembre, después de haber sido declarado culpable de dos cargos de violación forzada.

Antes de la prisión estatal, Danny estuvo detenido en la Cárcel Central de Hombres del Condado de Los Ángeles.

Como informamos en su momento, al principio Masterson se mantuvo fuera de la zona de reos generales a la espera de su sentencia. Permaneció en la misma zona que otros reclusos de alto perfil del pasado, como Suge Knight y O.J. Simpson.

Tras su condena, la esposa de Danny y actriz, Bijou Phillips, le pidió el divorcio. Él acordó que Bijou tuviera la custodia completa de su hija de 9 años.

Ustedes recordarán que Masterson fue acusado de violación en 2020. Las presuntas víctimas alegaban que los incidentes habían ocurrido entre 2001 y 2003, justo en el medio de su trabajo en "That '70s Show".

Danny ha mantenido que es inocente, alegando que los incidentes fueron completamente consensuados.

Danny Masterson is getting a change of scenery ... he was just transferred to state prison and TMZ has the first look at his first mug shot.

We just obtained the pic ... and the "That '70s Show" star looks none too pleased. Danny's hair and beard look messy, and he's keeping his mouth shut, and not cracking a smile.

As for where Danny is being housed, he checked in Wednesday at North Kern State Prison in Delano, CA ... about 143 miles north of Los Angeles.

Danny's new digs are the same prison where rapper Tory Lanez is behind bars. Tory's been locked up there since September, but his sentence is a lot shorter than Danny's.

Remember ... Masterson was sentenced to 30 years to life behind bars back in September, after being convicted on two counts of forcible rape.

Before state prison, Danny was being held in L.A. County Men's Central Jail.

As we first reported, Masterson was kept out of general population while awaiting sentencing ... staying in the same area as other high-profile inmates from the past, like Suge Knight and O.J. Simpson.

Following his conviction, Danny's actress wife, Bijou Phillips, filed for divorce ... and he agreed Bijou should have full custody of their 9-year-old daughter.

You'll recall, Masterson was charged with rape back in 2020, with the alleged victims claiming the incidents went down between 2001 and 2003 -- smack in the middle of his work on "That '70s Show."

Danny's maintained his innocence ... claiming the incidents were completely consensual.

Tom Smothers -- one half of the famous singing comedy team the "Smothers Brothers" -- has died.

In a statement released Wednesday, Dick Smothers announced his brother's passing, saying Tom died at home as a result of cancer.

Dick went on to say “Tom was not only the loving older brother that everyone would want in their life, he was a one-of-a-kind creative partner."

Continuing, Dick said, “I am forever grateful to have spent a lifetime together with him, on and off stage, for over 60 years."

Dick ended with, "Our relationship was like a good marriage – the longer we were together, the more we loved and respected one another. We were truly blessed.”

In the late '50s, early 1960s, Tom and Dick often appeared on TV variety shows and released popular albums of their stage performances. In 1967, they finally landed their own variety show, "The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour," which instantly became one of the most hotly debated TV programs during the Vietnam War period.

The "Smothers Brothers" got canceled decades before cancellation became a thing. Tommy became super political when the show was in its second season, railing with satire against the Vietnam War. The Bros were especially critical of then-President Lyndon B. Johnson.

On one show Tommy looked straight into the camera and said, "Okay, all you guys in Vietnam, come on home."

During one episode, Harry Belafonte sang, "Don't Stop the Carnival," and the backdrop on stage were images of the 1968 Democratic Convention in Chicago, where then-Mayor Richard Daley ordered law enforcement to beat Vietnam protesters in the streets.

They took on other issues as well, but it was too hot for CBS. The network pulled the plug in 1969 at the end of season 3. People in the anti-war movement, along with free speech advocates, were outraged.

Tommy and Dick sued CBS for breach of contract and they eventually got $775,000. The 'SBCH' came back for a short-lived revival in 1988 but ended after one season

Think Dixie Chicks, but 40 years earlier.

One of the biggest "Jeopardy!" champs of all time says the show is in good hands with Ken Jennings ... but he doesn't want Mayim Bialik to vanish completely.

We got Austin Rogers -- who went on a major hot streak in 2017 -- at Gaf East, a bar he just bought in New York City, and we asked him about Mayim announcing her exit as one of the "Jeopardy!" hosts.

Austin says the show will be just fine with Ken taking on an even larger role. Ken's become synonymous with "Jeopardy!" and AR feels he's a big enough name now to soften the blow of Mayim's departure.

Another "Jeopardy!" champ, Amy Schneider agrees ... telling us Ken is the right choice for the everyday hosting gig, in part because he's a big hit with the contestants.

While Mayim says Sony brass told her she won't be hosting the syndicated daily show, the studio is leaving the door open for her to host special episodes ... like "Celebrity Jeopardy" and other primetime tournaments -- and Austin explains why she's a good fit there.

TMZ broke the story ... Mayim's absence during the writers' strike made Sony execs realize they didn't need 2 hosts, and ultimately her loss was Ken's gain.

Austin says Mayim was still right to stand in solidarity with the writers, and he hopes she remains involved ... even if it's not on a daily basis.

4:58 PM PT -- Charlie Sheen's neighbor, Electra Schrock, pleaded not guilty in Tuesday's arraignment ... and the court issued a criminal protective order, which requires her to completely stay away from the actor and his residence.

Charlie Sheen's neighbor has officially been charged with a felony after the cops accused her of trying to strangle the actor.

The Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office charged Electra Schrock with one count of assault by means of force likely to produce great bodily injury -- and she's now being held on $75,000 bail, pending her arraignment.

TMZ broke the story … cops were called to Charlie's L.A. apartment last Wednesday after he called 911 to report that Schrock barged into his home and attacked him when he answered her knock on his door.

Law enforcement sources tell us ... Shrock ripped Charlie's shirt and attempted to strangle him before she returned to her own apartment on a higher floor.

Given the two are neighbors, police didn't have a tough time tracking down Shrock and arresting her. She was then booked into the L.A. County jail.

This may not have been the first time Shrock had a run-in with Charlie, who allegedly told officers the assault suspect recently squirted a sticky substance on his car.

Big Ang's famous Staten Island mural is no more, but the late "Mob Wives" star's sister is vowing to find a new place for a piece of art to honor Ang.

Janine Detore tells TMZ ... her landlord covered the larger-than-life tribute to Ang that had been on the side of her store -- Country Mouse Boutique -- following a dispute over some unpaid bills.

Janine says the turmoil started in September when she underwent tests for some health issues ... and doctors ended up telling her she has severe allergies to mold.

She says the docs suggested checking her store for mold to see if anything in the building was making her sick ... so, earlier this month, she paid someone to do just that.

Janine says she gave her landlord a heads up and got a text back, saying, "Just to let you know, this is coming down" -- referring to the mural.

We're told tensions escalated ... especially 'cause Janine admits she owes $27,000 in back rent. She's convinced the mural cover-up, which Janine says left her granddaughter in tears, was retaliation.

Janine tells us she's committed to finding a new location for the mural ... remaining adamant the city deserves another one, 'cause Ang did a lot for Staten Island.

We spoke to the landlord, who told TMZ a different story ... saying he tried to fix a broken boiler at the store last month, but she wouldn't let his contractors inside. He says when he told Janine she could fix it, and he'd reimburse her, she refused.

The landlord claims she's taking advantage of him and not paying her rent -- adding he thinks she's using the mural cover-up as a publicity stunt.