'Friends' Actor Mike Hagerty Dead at 67
Mike Hagerty, a character actor famous for his work on "Friends" and "Somebody Somewhere," is dead.
Mike died Thursday in Los Angeles, according to his 'Somebody' co-star Bridget Everett. The cause of death is unclear.
Everett's remembering Mike as a beloved character actor and devoted husband, saying she "loved Mike the instant I met him. He was so special. Warm, funny, never met a stranger."
Mike's most known for his recurring role as building superintendent Mr. Treeger on "Friends" ... most notably in the season 4 episode, "The One With the Ballroom Dancing," where Joey reluctantly agrees to be his dance partner after Rachel and Monica are threatened with eviction.
Mike appeared on a ton of TV shows over the years ... including "Boston Legal," "Brooklyn Nine-Nine," "Cheers," "Community," "CSI," "Curb Your Enthusiasm," "Entourage," "ER," "Ghost Whisperer," "Glee," "The Goldbergs," "Grey's Anatomy," "Happy Endings," "Medium," "The Mindy Project," "Mob City," "Monk," "Seinfeld," "Shameless," "The Wayans Bros." and "Wonder Years."
He was also a series regular for two seasons of FOX's "The George Carlin Show" and one season of HBO's "Lucky Louie."
Recently, Mike starred in HBO's "Somebody Somewhere" with Everett, playing her character's father, Ed Miller.
Mike, who grew up in Chicago, is survived by his wife, Mary Kathryn. He was 67.
RIP
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'LEAVE IT TO BEAVER' Tony Dow Diagnosed With Cancer
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Tony Dow, the former child star who starred in the famous sitcom, "Leave It to Beaver," has been diagnosed with cancer.
Tony and his wife, Lauren, shared the health news Thursday ... announcing his diagnosis and saying they are heartbroken.
The couple did not specify the type of cancer Tony is battling, but they are thanking fans in advance for prayers.
It's another big health issue for Tony ... as we first reported, he was hospitalized back in August with pneumonia, which the family told us was not COVID related.
77-year-old Tony is most famous for playing Beaver's older brother, Wally Cleaver, during the sitcom's entire run on TV from 1957 to 1963 ... appearing in all 234 episodes.
He also played Wally in various 'Beaver' revivals and spinoffs in later years ... and starred in shows including "The Greatest Show on Earth" and "Never Too Young."
Tony's regarded as one of Hollywood's good guys ... here's hoping he can beat this thing.
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'The Masked Singer' Hydra's Head Had to Be Sawed-Off ... To Reveal Penn & Teller!!!
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No magic tricks necessary for Penn & Teller's big unmasking moment on "The Masked Singer" -- instead, it was a laborious process full of panic and mayhem!!!
Our sources say when the legendary comedy duo was revealed as the celebs inside the Hydra costume, stagehands had an issue deconstructing the costume at the moment of truth.
We're told it was a chaotic scene backstage, with folks scrambling to figure out what to do, and in the end ... the costume department made a very last-minute decision to completely cut off the middle head of the three-headed costume.
Our sources say the head was literally sawed-off ... and it basically ruined the costume.
Besides hacking off the head, we're told the costume department accidentally sliced a wire cutting off all the electricity used for Hydra ... making the eyeballs that once lit up completely useless.
Now, all this drama mostly played out off-screen when Penn & Teller were revealed earlier this season -- and our sources say producers panicked when they saw the head being sliced off. Despite the big reveal, they still had more filming to do with the costume -- like reshoots, promos and cutaway camera angles.
Fortunately, the wardrobe department's really handy with superglue -- we're told they meticulously pieced together Hydra's head, and it actually worked!!!
Make sure to check out this season of "The Masked Singer" on FOX!
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BRIAN DUNKLEMAN Glad I Didn't Kill Myself After 'Idol' ... 'Letting Go of the Anger'
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Brian Dunkleman says he was "suicide adjacent" after quitting his hosting gig on "American Idol" ... but looking back, he says his fears and depression were unnecessary, and he's finally in a great place.
Brian, who co-hosted with Ryan Seacrest in season 1, joined us on "TMZ Live" Wednesday and told us why he was in such a dark place when he left the smash hit show, and why he later found out things weren't as grim as he originally thought.
The way Brian tells it ... he was left twisting in the wind without a contract after season 1, and started abusing drugs and alcohol because he was severely depressed.
Brian feared he made a massive mistake when he quit the show to pursue an acting career, and the decision haunted him for years -- Howard Stern famously compared him to Pete Best, who left the Beatles before the band got huge.
But, BD says when he co-hosted the 'Idol' series finale (on FOX, anyway) back in 2016, he ran into one of his former bosses, and learned the network was going to drop him for season 2, anyway ... a huge weight lifted from his shoulders.
Now, Brian says he's cleaned up his act, he's doing standup comedy and improv, and he thanks his new documentary on Amazon Prime, "Dunkleman," for helping him heal from past traumas ... which, as he explained to us, go way beyond 'Idol.'
Now, he's not only glad he never followed through with his darkest thoughts, but he also has an important message for anyone fighting to overcome depression.
Great to see Brian bouncing back
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Ray J Kim K Sex Tape 'Leak' Concocted ... Me, Her & Kris Involved
Ray J is speaking his truth about his ex, Kim Kardashian -- and that would be ... the infamous sex tape "leak" that put her on the map wasn't an accident at all, but a planned event and the Kardashians were in on it.
The singer spilled the alleged beans to DailyMail.com -- telling the outlet he's furious the Kardashians have essentially accused him of holding an unreleased sex tape over their heads ... and that he was the one who leaked the OG tape in the first place.
He insists the truth is the exact opposite -- namely, that the "leak" wasn't that at all ... but a systematic deal brokered between himself, Kim and Kris Jenner and Vivid Entertainment.
Here's how it allegedly went down, according to Ray J ... he says that while he and Kim were dating, he jokingly floated the idea of putting out a sex tape of theirs in the wake of Paris Hilton's video leaking -- which elevated her status and celebrity.
While he claims he didn't really mean it, Ray alleges Kim jumped on the idea ... going to her mom, talking it out and then getting the wheels in motion on the whole thing, which he says he was not really privy to until it came to signing away the rights.
Ray says he and Kim both signed a contract, and the rest is history.
The clip that Ray J is referring to where Kim talks about Kanye retrieving the hard drive pic.twitter.com/A0o3n6eDpP
— Masters Of The Underground (@MastersOfTheUG) April 29, 2022 @MastersOfTheUG
Here's the fascinating thing ... the guy claims all the original sex tape footage -- including a SECOND one he says they shot in Santa Barbara that is unreleased thus far -- has always been in Kim's possession ... in a Nike shoebox under her bed.
Ray claims he's never been in possession of any copies, and that he's been fuming over the fact the Kardashians have made it seem of late he had more footage and that he was on the verge of releasing it. He did, in fact, give Kanye West a computer and hard drive with some personal content between him and Kim ... but argues there was nothing explicit on it.
#TheKardashians #Kardashians #Kardashiansonhulu s1e3
— RealityStella (@realitystella) April 28, 2022 @realitystella
It is good to see Kanye back on the show……can you stay?
And thanks for solving the mystery of why you were traveling in Coach 👏👏👏 pic.twitter.com/K2o9c07sfI
One other thing ... it sounds like the Kardashians themselves might've triggered his rage here with their new Hulu series. In one of the first few episodes, Kim and co. apparently joke about Ray putting a dildo in her butt, which he's irate over ... saying they made him look bad.
It'll be interesting to see how the Kardashians respond, especially since Kris/Kim have long denied being involved in the release of the tape ... despite most people not believing them.
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'Toddlers and Tiaras' Kailia Posey Died by Suicide Family of 16-Year-Old Says
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"Toddlers and Tiaras" star Kailia Posey tragically took her own life at the age of just 16, her family says, in a gut-wrenching statement.
Posey's family tells TMZ, "Although she was an accomplished teenager with a bright future ahead of her, unfortunately in one impetuous moment, she made the rash decision to end her earthly life."
The family is devastated, listing everything Kailia had ahead of her and her accomplishments during her 16 years, saying, "She won countless crowns & trophies after competing on the pageant circuit her entire life ... Her highly acclaimed talent as a contortionist had already led to professional touring job offers, and she had recently been selected to be a cheerleader at her high school next fall.
Not only that, Kailia's family says she had a love for aviation, and had plans to continue to work in the entertainment industry while pursuing her goal of a commercial pilot's license.
TMZ broke the story, the 16-year-old who first found fame on the popular TLC show -- even becoming a popular GIF as 'Grinning Girl' -- died Monday in Washington. At the time, her mom posted, "I don't have words or any thoughts. A beautiful baby girl is gone. Please give us privacy as we mourn the loss of Kailia. My baby forever".
Her family has set up a fund, at the Whatcom Community Foundation in her name with the goal of providing resources to help students in crisis.
If you or someone you know is thinking of suicide, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-TALK.
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'RHONY' Alum Jill Zarin Haven't Heard from Producers About Throwback Show But, Don't Count Me Out Yet!!!
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'RHONY' alum Jill Zarin isn't fretting that she hasn't gotten a call for the 'RHONY' throwback series ... she says even if she's shut out, she's grateful for everything the network has done for her.
We got the former NY housewife at LAX, Tuesday, and asked how she feels about the new series "RHONY: Throwback" that's in the works ... which will feature some of the OG New York women.
Jill tells us, she hasn't heard from producers but she's not worried because she doesn't think anyone has gotten a call, at least not yet. She thinks Bravo execs are focused on rebooting and recasting for the original 'RHONY.'
Of course, this is very different in tone from former 'Real Housewives of Atlanta' star, NeNe Leakes, who just filed a lawsuit in federal court ... accusing 'RHOA' producers of ignoring her complaints about years of alleged racist remarks directed her way by a fellow cast member Kim Zolciak-Biermann.
She also claims Bravo execs blacklisted her ... making it hard to take legal action sooner and making it hard to find work.
When it comes to NeNe's situation, Jill says she's personally never witnessed this kind of behavior from Bravo ... but she was quick to say she doesn't walk in NeNe's shoes.
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'Toddlers and Tiaras' Star Kailia Posey Dead at 16
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"Toddlers and Tiaras" star, Kailia Posey, has died at the age of 16.
Her mom shared the tragic news in a FB post ... "I don't have words or any thoughts. A beautiful baby girl is gone. Please give us privacy as we mourn the loss of Kailia. My baby forever".
As of now, it's unclear what lead to her death ... but there are reports, she may have been involved in some sort of incident in Washington.
You might recall Kailia as a young star on TLC's "Toddlers and Tiaras". The show ran from 2009 to 2013 and covered the lives of families as they prepped their children to compete in beauty pageants.
She became popular as an online GIF after her time on the show as the "grinning girl" ... an image that's still used a lot today in online forums.
She was pegged as a natural talent ... winning several competitions. From the looks of her Instagram, she continued to compete over the years.
Kailia was not only a competitor ... she was a sister and a daughter.
RIP
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Wendy Williams Says She'll Be Back on TV Very Soon ... Out & About for Met Gala
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Wendy Williams is doubling down on her return to TV -- vowing she'll be back on the air later this year ... this while partying it up during the Met Gala.
The longtime host -- who's been MIA from her program for about a year due to health issues -- was painting the town red Monday night in NYC with Jason Lee ... where she hit the Standard Hotel for an after-party hosted by Cardi B.
Speaking of red, her dress was quite the sight ... but check out the quick convo we snuck in as she was entering the building. Our photog asks if Wendy is, indeed, going to take the reins on 'The Wendy Williams Show' again -- and sure enough ... she tells us she will.
February 2022
Watch to see what her timeline is ... sounds like WW is eyeing a fall lineup, but the details are still a bit hazy. Of course, Sherri Shepherd has permanently replaced Wendy ... so it's unlikely the OG will return to that show.
In any case, it's great to see her in such high spirits -- as you know, she's been dealing with a lot lately beyond just her medical care ... Wendy's in a financial battle, of sorts, but she put on a happy face for us here.
The last time we saw her was at Newark Airport where she appeared to be en route to Miami. She was walking around on her own then, and once again ... she's back on her feet.
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Jason Oppenheim I Didn't Fake Phone Call On the Show ... And, Here's My Proof!!!
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Jason Oppenheim is shooting down haters who say he faked a phone call on "Selling Sunset" ... and, he's got some pretty compelling proof to back it up.
We caught up with Jason, Tuesday at Sunset Plaza and asked him about what some 'Selling' fans saw as a fake phone call during a new episode. And, let's be clear ... although the screen showed his camera app, instead of the phone app (usually visible when you're on the phone), Jason says, he was in fact talking to a client.
Of course, we didn't let him go without showing some kinda proof.
So, we had him call a friend and show us the screen on his phone. Watch the video and see for yourself what happened.
ICYMI, folks on social media raised an eyebrow after they spotted Jason placing a call during season 5 of the Netflix hits series. While he appeared to be talking, the phone screen said otherwise, and doubters thought they'd busted JO being phony ... pun not intended, we swear.
The Twitter mob came for him, insisting Jason was faking the whole convo.
Well, now he's cleared the air, or at least, provided some evidence to support his side of the story.
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SUGAR BEAR Possible Gum Cancer??? Discovered By Dentist
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Sugar Bear's makeover could be life-changing in more ways than one ... because a dentist discovered what appears to be a type of cancer in his mouth.
A rep for Suge tells TMZ ... the reality TV star is undergoing a full makeover in Los Angeles, and when he went to a dentist Thursday to get new teeth, the dentist found what looks like possible cancer of the lower gums.
We're told the signs of potential cancer include multiple white spots on Sugar Bear's gums.
Sugar Bear was a chewing tobacco enthusiast for at least a dozen years, which we're told ended up rotting his teeth and may have now caused far greater damage.
Sugar Bear, who is the father to Honey Boo Boo and was once engaged to Mama June, was getting a makeover after finalizing a divorce ... we're told he wants to be new and improved for potential suitors now that he's single. SB recently turned 50 and wanted to boost his confidence as well.
We're told Sugar Bear's self-esteem was on the rise after he started the makeover, which also included a hair transplant, Botox, filler, liposuction, tummy tuck, a new haircut and a fresh shave ... but now the potential cancer discovery has his him gutted.
Sugar Bear's going to see a cancer specialist, and in the meantime, his new teeth from Dr. Tania Farshi are on hold.
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Kylie Jenner I Gained 60 and Lost 40 ... Candid About Post-Pregnancy Struggles
Kylie Jenner has been something of an open book about her post-pregnancy the second time around, revealing her mental struggles and now her weight.
Kylie says she gained 60 lbs during her recent pregnancy and is not going crazy to lose the weight. She says she's taking her time and has already dropped 40 lbs.
As for how she's doing it ... walking and pilates seem to be doing the trick.
Kylie posted, "Gained 60lbs again this pregnancy." She's essentially saying that's what she gained the first time around with Stormi, but in 2018 she had posted she gained 40 lbs, so the "again" comment is a bit confusing.
Kylie has said she struggled hard with postpartum since the February birth, both mentally and physically ... "I just want to say to my postpartum moms that postpartum has not been easy. It's not been easy, it's very hard, This experience for me, personally, has been a little harder than with my daughter."
She went on ... "It's not easy mentally, physically, spiritually ... it's just crazy. I didn't want to just get back to life without saying that because I think we can look on the Internet and for other moms going through it right now, we can go on the Internet and it might look a lot easier for other people and, like, the pressure on us, but it hasn't been easy for me."
She's now back on the treadmill and seems at least on the surface to be in a better headspace, but she's making it clear ... it's been tough.
BTW ... we still don't know the name of Kylie and Travis Scott's son ... they named him Wolf at birth, but decided fairly quickly it just didn't fit so they 86'd it. They haven't revealed the kid's new John Hancock.
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Andy Cohen Surprise, I'm a Dad Again!!!
Andy Cohen is now a very proud father of two ... revealing to the world he's got a brand new baby girl.
Cohen went to Instagram Friday to introduce baby Lucy, saying, "HERE’S LUCY!!!!! Meet my daughter, Lucy Eve Cohen! She’s 8 pounds 13 oz and was born at 5:13 pm in New York City!!!"
He continues, "Her big brother can’t wait to meet her! Thank you to my rock star surrogate (ALL surrogates are rockstars, by the way) and everyone who helped make this miracle happen. I’m so happy."
Lucy comes as a surprise to the public, as it hadn't been reported Andy was expecting another kid. It was back in August when he revealed he was open to the idea of having another, but didn't divulge much else.
Andy has a 3-year-old son, Benjamin, who he welcomed early 2019 ... and has raved about being a dad ever since.
Congrats to the whole fam!!!
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'Little Women: Atlanta' Ms. Juicy Baby Hospitalized In The ICU
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Ms. Juicy Baby, star of "Little Women: Atlanta," is currently hospitalized in the ICU ... this according to her agency.
Reps for the Meme Agency, which represents Ms. Juicy Baby, tell TMZ ... she's stabilized in the ICU and her family is thankful for the fans' well-wishes -- they're asking supporters to keep her in their thoughts.
The cause of her hospitalization is currently unknown, but production sources tell TMZ, over the last 2 years, Ms. Juicy had been focusing on her health ... working out and eating healthy. The sources say as far as they know she had no serious health issues.
The self-appointed Queen of Atlanta took the reality series by storm with her catchphrases like "Jesus Take the Wheel," and "It's Ms. Juicy Baby." Her viral moments have blown up online, with countless memes being created from her famous clips.
As you know, a big brawl went down in February of 2020 with cast members Amanda and Andrea ganging up on Abria ... Ms. Juicy tried to act as the peacemaker, but that went to hell pretty fast.
She ended up getting sent to the hospital as a bloody mess with a big gash -- she needed some stitches and a CAT scan. The fight appeared as part of the show the following year.
Ms. Juicy was close friends with Ashley "Minnie" Ross, who tragically died in a car crash in 2020 ... Minnie was 34 years old.
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James Corden Addresses 'Late Late' Leave in Emotional Monologue
James Corden delivered a tearful monologue Thursday night on "The Late Late Show," talking about the beginning of the end of his long-running show.
James got his audience excited, telling them he signed a new contract, before flipping to the bad side of that coin -- as we reported, it'll be his final year with James at the helm.
While fighting back tears, he said the show changed his life ... he never saw a talk show as a final destination for him, and believes next year will be a great time for him to move on.
This is one of the hardest decisions James has had to make ... but he reassured the crowd the end is farther away than it feels -- the 'Late Late' team is determined to make this the best year they've ever had.
As we reported, James announced his departure hours before his show. He confessed leaving had been on his mind for a while -- CBS honchos were gunning for a 3-year extension on his contract, but the host agreed to only 1.
.@JKCorden Congratulations, James, on what will be eight incredible years at CBS. 12:30 won’t be the same without you. But looking forward to your exciting adventures as the new Doctor Who! pic.twitter.com/MGW0J9t0qe
— Stephen Colbert (@StephenAtHome) April 28, 2022 @StephenAtHome
Following his announcement, Corden's fellow late-night star, Stephen Colbert, gave his comrade a sweet send-off on Twitter, while joking about his next onscreen job.
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'Selling Sunset's Mary Fitzgerald Christine Quinn's COVID Claims are BS!!! She's No Good For The Office
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"Selling Sunset" star Mary Fitzgerald has had it with co-star Christine Quinn's lies and drama, and her COVID cry is the nail in the coffin.
We got Mary outside The Oppenheim Group office Wednesday ... and she's convinced Christine's recent COVID reveal -- which she says caused her to miss the reunion show -- is just a shady way to back out last-minute and avoid facing her fellow castmates.
Mary says the cast tested twice before the Sunday taping ... and according to Mary, Christine came back negative both times. Mind you, the last test was on Friday, but Christine says the next day she tested positive.
While Christine is undeniably an important character on the show, Mary admits it hasn't been pleasant to work with her in the office.
We also got Christine's boss, Jason Oppenheim, outside the office, but mum's the word on his thoughts about the COVID drama.
He wants everyone to be a team player and show up for filming, but he gets the other side of the coin -- Christine's been going through a lot with almost every cast member ganging up on her.
As we reported, Christine was on a film set 3 days after the reunion taping ... after her rep told us about Saturday's positive test. The CDC recommends 5 days of quarantine after a positive COVID test.