TV

Bob Odenkirk's back to his usual self ... he's hilarious and back to work!!!

The "Better Call Saul" star just revealed he's back on the set a little over a month after suffering a heart attack while filming in New Mexico. He said, "So happy to be here and living this specific life surrounded by such good people."

Then, a little self-deprecating humor: "BTW this is makeup pro Cheri Montesanto making me not ugly for shooting!" 😅

We broke the story ... Bob collapsed while filming on the set of his show back in July. He was rushed to the hospital and later learned the emergency was a "heart-related" incident.

Bob later said he had actually suffered "a small heart attack." He said he would be okay thanks to the doctors who knew how to fix the blockage without surgery. He had said he would take a beat to recover and be back soon.

It was scary for a while. Remember, he was not conscious during his initial hours in an Albuquerque hospital before he eventually woke up. His good pal and "Breaking Bad" star Bryan Cranston was among the many celebs who asked fans to send good thoughts and prayers Bob's way.

Michael K. Williams' name will live on in the form of a law aiming to reduce mass incarceration ... if a Brooklyn politician has her way.

New York State Assemblymember Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn -- who reps Michael's home neighborhood of East Flatbush -- tells TMZ ... she and her team are working with the ACLU to propose a bill in his honor that would help lower the state's prison population.

We're told the bill will specifically focus on the youth and Black and Latino individuals who make up a disproportionate amount of inmates -- something that was very important to the actor, who was the ACLU ambassador for ending mass incarceration.

Hermelyn adds that she plans to meet with Michael's family about the bill when the timing is right ... fully understanding that they're recovering from a tragic loss right now.

There's more being done to remember "The Wire" star -- Hermelyn says prior to his death, Michael was working with her husband, Edu, and actor Jamie Hector (Marlo on "The Wire") on a back-to-school event where supplies will be distributed to Flatbush kids and parents.

The event is on Sept. 12, and we're told this will now be an annual event in remembrance of Michael.

Hermelyn tells us in light of Michael's passing, and in honor of him, she will continue to fight for arts and cultural programming funds in East Flatbush, and also for at-risk youth across the state.

Big Ed's had to go through some tumultuous times on reality TV to get there, but it looks like it's all worth it -- he's engaged to his girlfriend, Liz.

The former "90 Day Fiance" star and his GF were out at a nightclub last week in Santa Barbara, CA ... and Liz was flaunting a big rock on her wedding ring finger.

We're told they confirmed with folks there that they were getting married, and Big Ed was introducing Liz to people as his "beautiful fiancee."

If you aren't familiar ... Ed and Rose were the surprise breakout couple of '90 Day Fiance' in early 2020, but his controversial treatment of her ended with a breakup and an eventual apology from him.

Then, Big Ed met Liz and the 2 were featured on "90 Day: The Single Life" ... but their volatile relationship also ended with a split. They've clearly reconciled since then though ... and are getting hitched.

Mel C is here to tell us what we really, really want -- and that would be ... that she's joining "Dancing With the Stars," so things are sure to get sporty!

The Spice Girls singer was spotted wearing a visor on her way to the ABC Studios lot Tuesday to get ready for some two-steppin' for the upcoming 30th season of 'DWTS.'

She's a great addition to a lineup that's full of celebs from this day and age, and even before. As we've reported, Mel's joining the likes of "90210" star Brian Austin Green, NBA star Iman Shumpert and his wife, Teyana Taylor ... as well as Lori Loughlin's daughter, Olivia Jade, and even 'RHOA' star Kenya Moore -- just to name a few.

Of course, JoJo Siwa is also gonna be busting a move -- and she'll be doing it with a female pro partner, the first time that's been attempted during the series' tenure.

As for MC here -- she's actually the third Spice Girls member to be featured on the hit show. Mel B did it first back in 2007 -- placing 2nd alongside Maksim Chmerkovskiy -- and then Baby Spice (Emma Bunton) beamed in with some words of encouragement a couple years ago.

John Feal gets choked up just thinking about the upcoming 20th anniversary of the World Trade Center attacks ... because 9/11 survivors and first responders are still dying in droves.

John, who lost his foot working as a demolition supervisor at Ground Zero, joined us on "TMZ Live" Tuesday and got emotional thinking about how he'll mark the anniversary come Saturday.

For years now, John's stood shoulder to shoulder with Jon Stewart as they battled with Congress to fund medical benefits for first responders through 2090 -- so naturally, he says he'll take time to remember all the 9/11 victims and also the first responders who continue to die as a result of contaminants they were exposed to in lower Manhattan.

He also knows he'll have to fake a few smiles for TV cameras, but says mostly it will be a lot of hugging and crying.

It's no wonder he's already shedding tears ... John's efforts as an advocate got Congress to pass the WTC 9/11 Victims Compensation Fund, and he created one of the first 9/11 responders memorials. Now, he's got a new documentary coming out Thursday on Discovery+, "No Responders Left Behind."

Michael K. Williams' death of an apparent drug overdose has triggered a criminal investigation ... because law enforcement sources tell TMZ cops are trying to locate the drug dealer.

Our law enforcement sources say NYPD detectives are conducting an investigation into the origin of the narcotics cops found at the site of the actor's death over the weekend ... which we're told are believed to be heroin-based.

As we reported ... Michael was found dead in his Brooklyn apartment, and authorities found drug paraphernalia. An official autopsy has yet to be conducted ... but we're told drugs seem to be at play. A toxicology report should provide answers, but that could be weeks away.

A relative found Michael after not hearing from him for a few days ... and once he was discovered, a swarm of NY officials descended on his Brooklyn high-rise.

Michael, of course, had a prolific career ... and might perhaps be best known for his award-winning role as Omar in "The Wire." He also starred in "Boardwalk Empire," "12 Years a Slave" and "Lovecraft County." He was working up until recently ... with a few projects in the can, and a handful of others released in the past year or so.

He was 54.

Paul Pierce is NOT sorry for posting a bunch of booty-shakin' women on his Instagram Live earlier this year ... saying he was just having some harmless adult fun.

The 43-year-old NBA legend posted a kinda NSFW video from inside a friend's home after a night of drinking and smoking back in April ... showing a group of barely-clothed ladies twerking and dancing.

The video went viral on social media ... and ESPN parted ways with The Truth shortly after.

Now, Pierce is opening up on the days following the incident ... saying his agent recommended he apologize -- in case it would affect Hall of Fame voting -- but he elected not to.

"Come on, I didn’t do anything illegal," Pierce told Sports Illustrated. “These motherf***ers in the Hall of Fame, some did [cocaine], f***ing battery. What the f*** did I do? I was just having a good time."

"All the people coming after me, half you motherf***ers do the same s***. You’re just hiding it. And, you all are married while you’re doing it. I’m divorced. I’m retired. I’m having fun."

Of course, the vid had zero impact on getting Pierce into the Hall -- he's set to be enshrined alongside Chris Bosh and Chris Webber this weekend -- but if it did, he says it would have been "the biggest stiff job in Hall of Fame history."

Pierce had previously told us he's poised to make a BIG comeback ... but as for now, he's remained off the TV.

Erik Cowie -- one of the zookeepers featured on "Tiger King" -- has died ... TMZ has learned.

Law enforcement sources tell us Cowie's body was found Friday in NYC. We're told a friend found him face down in the bedroom of a residence. Unclear if it was his or theirs ... but he was a long way from Oklahoma, where he'd worked and lived in recent years.

Our sources say there's nothing suspicious about the death at this point, and no drugs were found on the scene, though a toxicology test will likely still be performed.

The guy made several appearances in Netflix's hit show from last year as one of Joe Exotic's longtime animal caretakers. In fact, he's often cited as the head keeper of JE's big cats ... and even stuck around to work at the GW Zoo even after Joe got thrown into prison.

Speaking of that ... Cowie testified against Joe -- saying he'd seen Joe order some of the zoo animals to be shot and killed -- which contributed to his conviction.

Cowie said before showing up on Joe's doorstep, he was apparently "at the end of (his) rope" ... admitting to a one-time drinking problem, but denying any other drug use or addiction, despite his appearance.

People speculated Cowie might've used meth due to his bad teeth, but he shot that down and attributed it to old age. Funny enough, he got those chompers fixed up nice post-"Tiger King."

Like many other "Tiger King" stars ... Cowie had run into some legal trouble. Earlier this year, he got busted for DUI in Oklahoma following a car accident. He pleaded guilty and was supposed to be sentenced shortly thereafter.

However, he never showed up to court, so an arrest warrant was issued. It was unclear where he'd gone, but obviously he landed in the Big Apple.

Erik was 53.

RIP

Tributes for Michael K. Williams are pouring in from the sports world after his shocking death Monday morning ... with star athletes and pro teams honoring the late actor on social media.

Dwayne Johnson -- who worked with Williams in the 2013 film "Snitch" -- penned an emotional message on Instagram ... saying, "You’ll be missed, brother."

"A real pleasure to work with you and call you a friend. Strength, mana & love to your family during this very difficult and heartbreaking time. Go rest high."

Ex-NFL receiver Victor Cruz posted a shot with the actor at a previous event -- "Rest easy my brother. One of the most positive human beings I ever met."

Chad 'Ochocinco' Johnson also paid tribute with an old photo of them together ... saying, "R.I.P. @bkbmg".

Tennessee Titans receiver A.J. Brown used a famous quote from "The Wire" to honor the Williams' role as Omar Little ... saying, "'Omar is coming.' Rest in peace."

Even racecar driver Lewis Hamilton paid tribute -- "Sorry to hear the news. My prayers and thoughts go out to his family. Bless your spirit."

The NBA community also showed love -- the New York Knicks posted a photo of the Brooklyn native courtside in MSG ... saying, "Rest in Peace. We send our deepest condolences to the family of Michael K. Williams."

"A true New Yorker and a friend to The Garden and Garden of Dreams."

NBA's Jamal Crawford said, "RIP Michael K. Williams . Prayers to his family."

"Life is short…Tell those you love, you love them. Try to be a good example. Help someone along the way on your own journey.."

As we previously reported, the 54-year-old actor was found dead by a relative in his Brooklyn apartment on Monday in a suspected drug overdose.

Besides his iconic role as Omar in "The Wire," he was in several TV shows and films ... including "12 Years a Slave," "Assassin's Creed" and "The Gambler."

Andrea Constand is breaking her silence over the release of Bill Cosby -- and her first reaction is utter disgust over what she calls a screwed-up criminal justice system.

She spoke to NBC in an exclusive sit-down -- the first she's given since Cosby was sprung from prison 2 months ago -- and makes it pretty clear ... she's not happy about him getting to walk free over a deal he struck years ago, which the State Supreme Court honored.

Constand calls it a "back door deal" that she can't believe the court honored and the D.A. should've considered pursuing charges against BC anew ... saying she's shocked and disappointed.

As for the man himself ... Constand says she finds the fact that he's roaming free horrid, because there was enough there to put him away based on her testimony -- evidenced in the conviction itself. With that said, she says she doesn't regret anything ... even now. She says it was worth it.

She goes on to label him a "violent predator" who's been let back into society, and says anyone giving him a platform oughta be ashamed. Constand notes Cosby hasn't shown remorse, which he himself has said he won't do -- ever since first being locked up in 2018.

Nevada native Meaghan Martin was only 15 years old when she was cast as the popular girl with some serious attitude, Tess Tyler, who bullies the new girl and creates havoc around the song-filled summer camp -- in the 2008 Disney Channel movie "Camp Rock" and the 2010 follow-up film "Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam."

Meaghan Martin shared the rockin' movie with some up-and-coming celebs including Joe Jonas as the vocal dreamboat, Shane Gray, Alyson Stoner as the summer friend, Caitlyn Gellar ... and of course Demi Lovato as the outsider at camp, Mitchie Torres.

The Food Network wants to make it clear ... it has NO relationship anymore with the former FN host who went on a rant over the Texas anti-abortion law and the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to punt.

Josh Denny -- a comedian who hosted Food Network's "Ginormous Food," and has described himself as a "canceled" comedian -- went on a tear over the Texas law, telling women to "calm down." He also took issue that most women would have no idea they were pregnant in the first 6 weeks, saying in disgusting fashion ... "Only whores wouldn't know for 6 weeks."

People on social media tore into Denny, who responded with this ... “Your freedom to be offended is commensurate to my freedom to offend you.”

Willard Scott -- the iconic "TODAY" show weatherman who preceded the Al Roker era -- has died.

Al himself confirmed the news this weekend, taking to IG with an honorary post for Willard and writing ... "We lost a beloved member of our @todayshow family this morning. Willard Scott passed peacefully at the age of 87 surrounded by family, including his daughters Sally and Mary and his lovely wife, Paris."

AR adds, "He was truly my second dad and am where I am today because of his generous spirit. Willard was a man of his times, the ultimate broadcaster. There will never be anyone quite like him."

Willard started at "TODAY" in 1980, and became famous for his jovial anchoring -- be it during a weather segment, or any other special event he ended up hosting for NBC thereafter. The dude's antics were hilarious -- he'd dress up in crazy costumes, joke around like crazy on the air (and during MOTS interviews) ... and was just an overall hoot of a personality.

He's also perhaps best remembered for wishing Americans a Happy 100th Birthday in an ongoing Smucker's segment ... in which he'd feature different centennials who hit the milestone. Willard also hosted some of America's most memorable celebratory moments -- covering presidential inaugurations, holiday parades and parties, expos and more.

He was pretty much the Al Roker of his day, and did indeed pass on the baton when he retired from anchoring in the mid-to-late '90s. Still, they remained great friends ... and Al credits him as his mentor.

BTW, Willard also had quite the history in clowning around -- literally. He played the very first incarnation of Ronald McDonald in TV ads during the '60s, and even had a turn at playing Bozo the Clown too. Dude was just an all-around joy-spreader -- from start to finish.

He's survived by his wife, Paris Keena, and his children. Willard was 87.

Bette Midler has a solution to get Texas legislators to reverse course on their anti-abortion law -- just stop banging them ... as in, women should.

The actress tweeted out her thoughts for the proposed plan earlier this week, writing, "I suggest that all women refuse to have sex with men until they are guaranteed the right to choose by Congress."

In other words, a sex strike -- which is so simple (yet effective) that it might actually work! At least, that seems to be the consensus online ... folks are giving Bette props for coming up with such a devious plot, and some even be down to get started right away.

On the other hand, there are some who are pointing out some flaws in her logic here ... for a variety of reasons. For one, liberal women not doing it with dudes -- presumably conservative ones who might support the law -- is probably already happening anyway.

More importantly, as one Twitter user aptly noted, it's counterintuitive to withhold something like that just to get a point across ... because, yes, women like sex too. Who knew?!?

Of course, BM was probably half-joking with the sex suggestion -- but one thing she's definitely not kidding around with is how serious this issue is for her ... and millions of other ladies. Her follow-up tweets since then reflect as much -- she's very outspoken on it all.

She wrote this just yesterday, "This isn't about guns, speech, money or war. It's about women, their lives, their bodies and their autonomy. That's what allowed the court to do shoddy work, with careless disregard, because who's going to stop it?"

Kaley Cuoco and her husband are breaking up after only 3 years of marriage ... and they say it's because they're going in opposite directions in life.

The actress and her hubby, Karl Cook, announced the split Friday in a joint statement to TMZ, saying ... "Despite a deep love and respect for one another, we have realized that our current paths have taken us in opposite directions."

The former couple adds ... "There is no anger or animosity, quite the contrary. We have made this decision together through an immense amount of respect and consideration for one another."

As we reported ... Kaley and Karl tied the knot back in the summer of 2018, getting hitched at a horse stable in San Diego. They met at a horse show in 2016 and started dating, and by 2017 Karl popped the question.

Kaley and Karl did not have any children, and this was her second marriage. She was previously married to professional tennis player Ryan Sweeting, and they didn't have children either.

Kyle Brandt says '80s and '90s nostalgists are going to love the new "Frogger" game show ... because it brings the classic arcade game to life, kinda like "Wreck-It Ralph."

Kyle -- host of NFL Network's "Good Morning Football" show -- joined us on "TMZ Live" and downloaded us on the new game show he's hosting with Damon Wayans Jr.

It sounds super cool ... contestants basically get sucked inside the game, and they try to win a cash prize by navigating obstacles straight out of the timeless Konami game.

Naturally, competitors have to dodge traffic and cross over water ... and the winner gets a cool $100,000 and the title of "America's finest Frogger."

"Frogger" debuts on Peacock Sept. 9 and Kyle says the game show's a mix of sports, drama, comedy, nostalgia and even a bit of romance between him and Damon.