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Diddy's ready to get down to recruiting in the ATL for his "Making the Band" reboot ... and he's relying on some serious hometown talent to help him get it done.

Production sources tell TMZ ... the music mogul's locked down Quavo, Monica and 112 to serve as advisers when 'MTB' kicks off its official open casting call Friday in Atlanta's famed Center Stage Theater.

And, get this ... Quality Control Music honchos Pierre "Pee" Thomas and Kevin "Coach K" Lee -- who claim Cardi B and Migos, among others, to their label -- have also signed on to help Diddy find the next R&B supergroup.

The casting call goes from 10 AM to 6 PM ... with invitation-only callbacks slated to go down Saturday. The casting call will eventually make its way to Houston, Charlotte and NYC.

And, speaking of Charlotte ... DaBaby's lending Diddy a hand in his hometown. He's already signed up to help there. The show returns to MTV later this year.

As we reported ... Diddy made a surprise announcement back in July 2019 about a possible "Making the Band" reboot. He had some doubts but ultimately forged ahead. And there's been no shortage of former 'MTB' stars wanting to get back in the game.

Rabid fans of "Love is Blind" practically BEGGED the star, Mark Cuevas, to dump his ruthless fiancee on the show ... but he couldn't let her go and his reason kinda makes sense.

BTW ... SPOILERS AHEAD!!!

We got Mark out Thursday in Atlanta and asked him what pretty much every fan of the hit Netflix series has been asking since Jessica Batten dumped him at the altar: why didn't HE dump her way before that after she put him through hell?!?!

Mark tells us the connection he made with Jessica was pretty deep, beyond what fans even saw on the show. The idea of losing that connection, he said, is what made it so hard to kick her to the curb. Heck, he even gave her one of his grandmother's bracelets. Don't worry, he got it back.

For the uninitiated ... the show features singles who get to know each other by talking through a wall inside a pod. If they make a connection, they can only meet face-to-face if they agree to get engaged and they immediately begin planning the wedding.

Mark and Jessica got off to a strong start but Messica -- as fans dubbed her -- became the villain when she two-timed Mark and started talking to Matt Barnett, who hinted he'd propose to Jessica ... but backed out.

Eventually, Mark proposed to Jessica, but the wheels quickly fell off ... capped by Jessica's drunken confession about the other guy, and her jilting Mark.

But, watch the vid, Mark tells us why he'll always have love for Jessica -- but he plays it pretty coy when we ask if he's dating anyone else these days.

Offset's officially following the lead of his wife -- he's adding actor to his resume ... along with hip-hop star.

The Migos rapper's set to make his acting debut on "NCIS: Los Angeles" and TMZ got a sneak peek. Offset plays the role of an undercover CIA agent being approached by the show's stars -- Chris O'Donnell and LL Cool J -- to save a special agent who's been captured.

Gotta say, it's pretty solid ... much like Cardi B's Hollywood debut last year in "Hustlers."

As an added bonus, Offset's guest spot will feature the world premiere of his new track, "Danger" .... which you can hear in the clip.

According to a behind-the-scenes vid ... LL says Offset hit him up about getting involved with the hit CBS show and he helped him get going, but Offset did the rest.

They say the role is significant because it's not the normal rapper-turned-actor typecast situation ... and it's clear they're pretty stoked about that.

Pete Davidson is taking a brand new swipe at Louis C.K., claiming he's a mean dude who treats young comics poorly and adds ... it's been "amazing" to watch his career crumble.

The 'SNL' star spoke with Charlamagne tha God about his upcoming comedy special on Netflix, which includes a pretty vicious shot at Louis -- Pete flat-out calls him a "piece of sh*t."

Now, PD admits his animosity stems from C.K. allegedly trying to get Pete fired from 'SNL' for smoking too much weed. He claims Louis tried to rat him out -- but beyond that, he says Louis is simply "not a nice guy."

Pete thinks his point is supported by how shunned C.K. was in the comedy community after he admitted years of sexual misconduct and abuse of his power.

Interesting to note ... Louis C.K. has been making a comeback of sorts recently, and briefly addressed his #MeToo scandal during a series of shows in Phoenix this past weekend. Not that we think that's gonna change Pete's opinion.

On another note -- although not a positive one -- Pete also talked about possibly leaving 'SNL,' saying ... "I personally think I should be done with that show because they make fun of me on it. I’m like, cold open, political punchlines. I’m like, weekend update jokes."

He says he's outgrown the gig and added, “I have a weird feeling in that building where I don’t know whose team they’re playing for really, if I’m the joke or I’m in on the joke.”

Dustin Diamond's pleading his case to the makers of the "Saved by the Bell" reboot, saying his character is synonymous with the show ... and he hopes his former castmates band together to make it happen.

The man who played Screech in every episode of the popular teen sitcom and its spin-offs isn't shy about letting us know that fact ... and he believes it's a major reason why he should be included in the reboot, which will star alums Mario Lopez and Elizabeth Berkley.

It's unclear what other former cast members might make an appearance -- both Mark-Paul Gosselaar and Tiffani Thiessen have yet to confirm a return -- but Diamond's pretty clear he's not one of them ... at least not yet.

Dustin -- who's made headlines the past several years for his criminal case and other unpleasant reasons -- suggests his snubbing is like that idiom about cutting off one's nose ... or something like that. Basically, he thinks it's unfair ... and the wrong move.

Screech also believes everyone involved in the OG 'SBTB' should show some solidarity and demand all the staples -- Zack Morris, Kelly Kapowski, etc. -- be brought back for the reboot ... otherwise, it's missing something.

He even has an idea of what Screech's storyline should be, and we gotta say ... it makes sense. Zoinks!

The monster is back in Jesse James' garage ... he's returning to reality TV after a 14-year hiatus with a reboot of his hit show.

Jesse is coming back to Discovery Channel with a brand new season of "Monster Garage" ... and he's coming in hot too. We're told the garage will be filled with upgrades, including some cutting-edge technology ... and a renewed passion for creating mind-blowing vehicles.

In the 14 years since "Monster Garage" ended, Jesse's been traveling the world, expanding his skill set in forging and blacksmith work -- learning from some of the best in the biz -- and now he's ready to unleash his new talents.

The first run of "Monster Garage" went like this -- Jesse and his 5-person team would modify vehicles into multi-tasking machines. For instance, there was a PT Cruiser that doubled as a wood chipper, a school bus that turned into a pontoon boat, and a police car that could morph into a donut shop.

It was cool stuff back then, but now Jesse says he's excited to step back into the garage to push the limits even more by showing what his team can do when they refuse to quit.

The reboot premieres later this year ... get ya popcorn ready!!!

Dr. Phil has his own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame now, and he's using the momentous occasion to thank some, and stick it to others ... including his own father!!!

The famed TV doctor was honored Friday by the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, not only for all the years starring on his daytime talk show ... but for the many other hats in entertainment he wears, as well.

Dr. Phil says he obviously didn't get all this success by himself -- he specifically thanked his wife of nearly 44 years, Robin, numerous times -- and wished he could share the star with many others. Ya gotta see it though, 'cause of course he said it in a way only Phil could.

It wouldn't be a Dr. Phil speech, though, if he didn't share a story. This one was a shout-out to people who doubted him along the way, and he didn't hesitate to call out his dad. It's a mic drop moment, for sure.

The ceremony also featured speeches by Tyler Perry and country singer Ronnie Dunn. Tyler dropped a pretty solid joke ... as his most famous character.

Vinny from "Jersey Shore" sure is a tease, but luckily for the ladies -- and fellas -- out there, he aims to please ... 'cause he's returning to his Chippendales gig to quench everyone's thirst.

The self-proclaimed Keto Guido will embark on a 7-week engagement beginning April 24 through June 7 at the Rio All-Suites Hotel and Casino. He'll perform 3 nights a week during that run ... and it's easy to see why they've scheduled him for multiple nights a week.

The self-proclaimed Keto Guido has been great for Chippendales' bottom line after not one but TWO sold-out engagements in 2019. Since his first performance, Chippendales has seen huge demand for him to return.

You'll recall Vinny let it all hang out in May 2019 in a steamy shower scene. He returned for a 6-week engagement later that summer. And, not long after he got Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino to get onstage himself ... but only as a judge. Baby steps.

"Good Times" star Ja'Net DuBois appeared in good spirits -- and more importantly, healthy -- just a couple weeks before suddenly dying.

We got this photo of Ja'Net posing with "Good Times" costars Jimmie Walker, Johnny Brown, Bern Nadette Stanis and Ralph Carter -- all 5 of whom showed up together on Feb. 1 at the Los Angeles Marriott at the Burbank Airport for a scheduled meet and greet with fans.

The group talked with longtime viewers, took photos and signed autographs. As you can see, Ja'Net seemed perfectly fine with the rest of the TV stars. In good enough health, anyway, to walk around and pose for at least a couple shots -- if not more.

Just a little more than 2 weeks later, she was found unresponsive at her Glendale, CA home -- where her family says she died in her sleep unexpectedly. We're told there were no known ailments or illnesses she was battling prior to her passing ... it just happened.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... Ja'Net died of natural causes, plain and simple. The fact she was up and smiling just days earlier makes her loss all the more tragic.  It's interesting ... we're told there will be NO autopsy, despite the puzzling nature of her death.

As you might know, she had a hand in some iconic shows besides "Good Times" -- serving as the gorgeous voice that greeted viewers in the opening song, "Movin' On Up," on "The Jeffersons," as well as voicing Mrs. Avery on "The PJs" for all 43 episodes.

She was 74.

RIP

Chris Harrison isn't one to discriminate when it comes to love, which applies to age too -- 'cause he all but confirms producers are bringing senior citizens into the 'Bachelor' fold.

We got the longtime host of the ABC dating series Tuesday at LAX and asked him about this casting call one the supervising producers posted in search of men and women aged 65 and older who are in their "Golden Years" ... and who won't fall over and die on camera.

Chris definitely won't deny they got something cooking in the kitchen -- if anything, his coy response pretty much guarantees they're working on it ... and for good reason too.

Apparently, one of the biggest questions/requests Chris gets asked about all the time is from the elderly community ... who say they want a shot at love too! Awwwww!!! Wait, what about Fantasy Suites and stuff, you may ask??? Chris has an answer for us on that as well.

Long story short ... love is love, whether it's brought on chemically or not. Bring what you need to get it on, ya old farts! Kidding.

As for this rumor about Peter ending up with 'Bachelor' producer Julie LaPlaca at the end of this current season --  which appears to be true -- Chris won't shoot that down either.

Ja'Net DuBois -- one of the main characters on "Good Times" -- died Monday ... TMZ has learned.

Ja'Net played the Evans family's sassy neighbor Willona Woods on the classic '70s TV series. Her family tells us ... Ja'Net died unexpectedly in her sleep overnight at her home in Glendale, CA.

We're told Ja'Net hadn't complained of any specific ailments recently, and appeared to be in good health to those around her. She even attended a fan event in Hollywood a couple weeks ago.

Ja'Net might be most famous for "Good Times," but she also composed and sang the theme song, "Movin' On Up," for "The Jeffersons" -- so, she should also be remembered for her voice.

She appeared in tons of movies over the years, including "I'm Gonna Git You Sucka", "Tropic Thunder" and "Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle."

Ja'Net's acting career began on Broadway, where she was cast in a number of plays including "Golden Boy" with Sammy Davis Jr. and Louis Gossett Jr. -- plus "A Raisin In The Sun."

She also won two Emmy awards for her voice-over work on "The PJs."

Ja'Net is survived by her 3 children.

Jason Davis' death has authorities thinking he might've overdosed on heroin -- a drug he'd been addicted to in the past and once kicked ... TMZ has learned.

Law enforcement sources familiar with the investigation tell us ... Jason was found unresponsive in his bathroom Sunday morning around 10:30 AM. We're told there were items nearby that were consistent with heroin or opioid use -- including burnt tin foil and other paraphernalia.

An official cause has yet to be determined -- we're told an autopsy and toxicology analysis still needs to be conducted, but for now ... authorities are treating his death as a possible OD.

It makes the situation all the more tragic, as Jason had battled addiction ... and in 2011, he was even arrested and charged for allegedly having heroin on him.

Those charges were eventually dropped after he completed a drug diversion program. About a year before that, he'd been featured on "Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew," where he attempted to get clean. We got him on camera around the time his criminal case was being worked on, and he talked sobriety with us -- saying at the time he'd been off drugs for almost a week.

Jason went on to cofound a charity called Cure Addiction Now, which he's said to have been heavily involved with running.

Jason was most known in Hollywood as the voice of Mikey Blumberg on the long-running Disney Channel show, "Recess." He'd acted in several other movies and shows as well.

The guy was just 35.

RIP.

Kellye Nakahara, who played Lieutenant Nurse Kellye on "M*A*S*H," has died ... TMZ has learned.

Kellye died Sunday after a short battle with cancer. Her family was with her when she died at the family home in Pasadena ... this according to a family member. We're told she went peacefully.

Kellye, who was born on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, actually moved to San Francisco as a young adult not to pursue acting but rather a career in art.

She was on "M*A*S*H" for the entire run of the show. In case you didn't know ... "M*A*S*H" was considered one of the best shows ever produced on TV. It still lives in reruns and syndication.

She also appeared in the films, "Clue" in 1985 and "Black Day Blue Night."

She married David Wallett in 1968 and they had 2 kids. She also has 2 grandchildren.

Kellye was an accomplished artist who was awesome with watercolors. She loved making Xmas ornaments and one even hung in the White House. She and her husband were active supporters of the Ronald McDonald House.

Kellye was 72.

"Two and a Half Men" fans will be shocked to hear their beloved Berta almost died from an illness recently that had her in the ICU for an extended stay -- but the good news is she's getting better.

Conchata Ferrell was hospitalized this past December in Charleston, West Virginia -- where she'd been hanging out at her vacation home since Thanksgiving. We're told in early December, she came down with something leaving her feeling weak and frail -- which turned out to be a kidney infection that spread and began contaminating her blood.

Conchata was in the ICU for at least a couple weeks while doctors worked to treat her, and just this past January ... we're told she was finally released and put into transitional care.

She was recovering at her Charleston home for the rest of the month, going through physical therapy with nurses several times a day. We're told Conchata was bedridden and couldn't even walk until recently -- now, she's back in L.A. and on her own two feet once more.

Conchata tells TMZ ... she's really not too sure how she contracted the infection, as she's not really one to get sick all that often. That said, she tells us her family was with her through every step of the process and traveled out of state to see her on at least 6 occasions.

Her husband, Arnie, was by her side too ... working tirelessly every day to make sure Conchata was okay. According to her, Arnie hasn't taken care of anything a day in his life ... but was there for her when she needed him. They don't say "in sickness" for nothing!

As for the future, we're told Conchata wants to get back into acting ASAP -- but she's still a got some recovering to do until then. Feel better, CF ... helluva trooper if there ever was one.

Jason "Gummi Bear" Davis -- who voiced Mikey Blumberg on "Recess" for years -- has reportedly died.

The voice actor -- who's also the grandson of the late Hollywood billionaire mogul Marvin Davis and Barbara Davis -- passed away Sunday in Los Angeles ... according to a family statement provided to THR. The circumstances around his death are unclear for now.

Jason's mother, Nancy Rickel, tells the outlet ... "I am so heartbroken to share the saddest news of my life that my son Jason Davis passed away this morning in Los Angeles."

She goes on to add, "Jason had a true heart of gold with such a zest for life. He was such a caring soul to everybody who ever knew him. He loved his friends and his family above all else. We ask for privacy as we take time to grieve this most devastating loss."

Jason had struggled with addiction in the past, appearing on "Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew" in 2010. Since then, however, he was said to have been working on his recovery and even co-founded a charity called Cure Addiction Now. He was heavily involved in running it.

When it comes to acting, Jason had starred in several other shows and movies besides "Recess" -- for which he served as the voice of Mikey since the '90s and in pretty much all the spin-off movies that followed. He also made appearances in "7th Heaven," "Roseanne," "Dave's World," "Beverly Hills Ninja," "Rush Hour," "Mafia!," "The Bathroom Diaries," "The Locusts," "The Crude Oasis" and more.

He's survived by his parents and his four siblings.

Jason was 35.