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The niece of Glenda Cleveland -- Jeffrey Dahmer's neighbor played by Niecy Nash in the Netflix series -- says the show's brought nothing but trauma to the victims' families, and a physical memorial would only make things worse.

Nicole Childress tells TMZ ... a potential memorial dedicated to Dahmer's victims would just be too tragic for the families. She even notes she's avoided local spots related to his killing spree at all costs until recently.

As we reported, there's been a recent swell of support for building a tribute in Milwaukee ... where Dahmer lived and killed most of his victims.

Mayor Cavalier Johnson is on board with the concept of honoring the victims in some way, but he's worried a memorial might be viewed as a shrine that would draw fans of the murderer.

She's echoing what other relatives of victims have said -- the Netflix series is opening up old wounds for the people who simply don't want to revisit the heinous case.

Nicole also believes racism definitely played a big part in Dahmer's killings getting overlooked -- something former Milwaukee D.A. Michael McCann, who personally prosecuted Dahmer, has denied.

'SNL' created a game show around the Adam Levine/Armie Hammer DM scandals ... and gotta say -- pretty funny.

Miles Teller did the honors of hosting the show, and did double duty as a game show host for "Send Something Normal" -- a game where contestants respond to DMs they get on Insta.

Mind you ... if a contestant sends a "normal" response -- they win $100 MILLION!!!

Well, the contestants did not fare well ... Adam Levine (played hysterically by Mikey Day) broke out the lotion, Armie Hammer backslid, and even Neil DeGrasse Tyson couldn't help himself!

Now cast member Bowen Yang seemed to have it in the bag, because he said he's gay and presumably was not tempted to cross the line. But a certain singer changed all that.

Roy Wood Jr. could soon get a serious promotion over at Comedy Central ... we're told he's in the running to take over for Trevor Noah as the next host on "The Daily Show."

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ that Comedy Central executives view Roy as someone who could potentially become the next face of 'TDS' ... for several reasons.

Roy joined the show in 2015, the same year Trevor took over for Jon Stewart as host, and he's since become one of the show's most recognizable faces, not to mention one of their leading correspondents.

With that in mind, we're told CC execs view Roy as a natural fit to be promoted to host ... and there's precedent, as the show promoted from within when Trevor took the reins from Jon.

Our sources say Roy's contract is also coming up for renewal, and CC execs are anxious he may leave the show because Roy is in demand on the stand-up circuit and he's also gaining popularity from recent outside projects like "Confess, Fletch."

We're told CC wants to make sure Roy stays with the network, and promoting him to host could be the best way to keep him around.

Our sources say CC execs have made it clear to Roy they want to meet with him to discuss his future as his contract renewal looms ... but he's NOT been personally told he's even a candidate to replace Trevor.

The process of picking a successor, we're told, is in the infancy stage ... and there's talk the next host could well be a woman. Again, we're told no decisions have been made.

As we reported ... Trevor announced he was leaving the show on Thursday night's episode, with a CC source telling us TN felt the daily show was too much of a grind after 7 years at the helm.

It's interesting ... Trevor mentioned Roy by name at the opening of his farewell speech, saying Roy reminded him the other day Noah's 7-year anniversary was fast approaching.

Still, we're told it's unclear if Roy knew Trevor was leaving the show before the sudden announcement.

Bill Maher made a pretty compelling case that lots of rules against consensual sex in the workplace are not only ridiculous ... they're harmful.

The "Real Time" host challenged companies that require immediate notification if 2 employees are banging and prohibit sexual relationships between supervisors and their subordinates.

He concedes, if there's a workplace relationship between a superior and a subordinate, it should be watched ... but not banned.

As Bill says, work is where most people spend most of their waking hours, and that's also where they get to know people ... and sometimes they catch feelings and even fall in love.

He ticks off a list of people who have been fired for their consensual relationships. He points to former CNN honcho Jeff Zucker, who was fired for having a consensual relationship with a 49-year-old CNN executive -- as if the company needed to tell the 49-year-old exec it wasn't right because of a power imbalance, even though she didn't think it was a problem.

How 'bout this point he raises ... if these rules were in place back in the day, Barack and Michelle Obama wouldn't be married. He was a summer associate at a law firm and she was his supervisor.  Bill says she was literally banging the intern, and good for them!

He point out the hypocrisy ... Harry Styles and Olivia Wilde hooked up during the shooting of "Don't Worry Darling," and when you shoot a movie a director is not only boss, she's God.

Trevor Noah has just rocked cable news and news itself ... he's leaving his gig on Comedy Central.

Trevor made the announcement Thursday, telling the audience his 7-year tenure is coming to an end ... and he made the announcement on his 7-year anniversary.

A Comedy Central source tells TMZ ... his decision has to do with his schedule, which is hardcore crazy ... and it's just too much of a grind for him to do a daily show.

Comedy Central says, "We are grateful to Trevor for our amazing partnership over the past seven years. As we look ahead, we're excited for the next chapter in the 25+ year history of 'The Daily Show.'"

It's unclear when Trevor will leave the show ... our Comedy Central source says Trevor and the CC team are working together on "a timeline for his departure."

TN has hosted "The Daily Show" since 2015, taking over for longtime host Jon Stewart on the satirical news program.

During his time as host, Trevor won a Primetime Emmy Award ... and was nominated for a bunch of other awards.

In 2017, Trevor extended his contract with Comedy Central through 2022 ... and now he's leaving altogether.

It will be interesting to see who Comedy Central tabs as the next 'Daily Show' host ... but one thing is for sure, they will have some big shoes to fill.

Chris D'Elia's been accused of threatening to share intimate videos of a woman in a new restraining order, but not only does the comedian claim he's never met his accuser, he says she's also been sending him threatening audio and text messages since earlier this year.

TMZ has obtained the docs, filed by Caroline Schmitz in L.A., in which she claims she and D'Elia met back in 2017 when she was working as a comedian. Schmitz says she and Chris hooked up several times, and then heard from him again when he contacted her through OnlyFans in May.

As for the communications on OnlyFans, Schmitz says a profile -- who she believes D'Elia was behind -- threatened to post intimate videos she'd recorded and told her she needed to get out of Los Angeles.

Schmitz says she believes D'Elia was behind the OF account because she, "recognized his style of writing." She also says she believes Chris hacked her phone.

D'Elia's attorney, Andrew Brettler, tells TMZ, "These accusations are as fantastical as they are defamatory. Chris has never met this person. But over the last year, she has sent him increasingly disturbing text and audio messages, including making threats against him and his family. If anyone is going to get a restraining order here, it’s going to be Chris.”

We've obtained some of the many messages Chris says Schmitz sent to him through Instagram where you hear a woman rambling at times about being a stripper. He also says she messaged him, "Have me killed or leave me the f*** alone - I'd die to get the hell away from your evil ass."

"Futurama" fans will still be able to hear Coolio featured on their favorite show -- the late rapper recorded segments for the animated series before his death -- giving show creatives a chance to give Coolio, and his character, a proper send-off.

David X. Cohen, Executive Producer of "Futurama," tells TMZ he was shocked to hear about Coolio's passing, especially because he recorded lines for their upcoming season just weeks before.

For those unaware, Coolio's appeared in a few episodes of the show in the past, playing Kwanzaa-bot -- a counterpart to Chanukah Zombie and Santa Claus Robot. His first appearance was way back in 2001.

David says the rapper looked and sounded great as always when laying down his lines ... even taking over the recording session by producing tracks on the fly for the episode.

The "Futurama" team is going to dedicate his episode to him and feature Coolio rapping over the closing credits so they can give him "the best send-off we can."

David adds, "Coolio was one of my favorite guests. He was always totally upbeat and genuinely enjoyed coming in to record as his character Kwanzaa-bot." David says Coolio also shared he had picked up a new hobby during the pandemic ... sewing!

Carole Baskin's thrilled to announce all of her big cats are in good shape after Hurricane Ian -- and she credits that to staying 2 steps ahead of the storm, something the lions and tigers can feel coming ... in the air, as they say.

Carole joined "TMZ Live" Thursday to give us a tour of her Big Cat Rescue outside Tampa. The 'Tiger King' star says she prepares for hurricanes and tornados year-round, so they are ready to shelter in place when this kinda weather hits.

Carole told us her 45 big cats have plenty of places on the grounds to keep safe ... even if they experience 6+ feet of storm surge flooding!!!

While Ian wreaked havoc across much of Florida, it didn't get that bad at her sanctuary last night. She says in the past, the tigers sometimes seem to sense there's a weather emergency coming ... and take steps to keep themselves safe.

Carole says they have lots of protocols and measures in place for the animals when the wind gets over a certain speed.

As we reported ... Carole's 21 bobcats, 8 tigers, 6 servals, jaguar, leopard (and others) rode out the hurricane, while some of her other animals -- like chickens -- have been temporarily moved to a different sanctuary.

Carole Baskin has no choice but to shelter in place as Hurricane Ian passes over her Florida sanctuary ... because places like hotels aren't down to take on 45 big cats onto their property.

Carole tells TMZ ... her 21 bobcats, 8 tigers, 6 servals, jaguar and leopard -- just to name a few -- are staying put and riding out this hurricane ... some of the other animals like chickens have been moved to a different sanctuary for the time being.

She's been working with her husband and volunteers this past week to protect them from the storm -- Carole says they've built structures, chopped down branches that could pose a threat, and loaded sandbags throughout her property.

People have donated equipment and chainsaws to help with the prep, and they've been able to collect generators and gas in case the power goes out. They also have a big propane tank just in case -- that'll help with the food prep for the cats.

The famous house from "Stranger Things" has a new owner who's going to bring in new tenants ... 'cause it's been sold, and is about to become a cash cow.

Of course, we're talking about the Byers' house -- where Winona Ryder and her onscreen sons lived for the early part of the series, and which featured some iconic scenes. Katie Siplon of TriCounty Real Estate in Savannah, GA tells TMZ ... it's been snatched up by one of her clients.

We're told the guy who bought it isn't famous, dude's an investor, and as soon as he heard the Byers' home was for sale in Georgia ... he told Siplon to pounce.

And get it she did -- Siplon says they made a cash offer, above the $300k asking price. The house only spent a week on the open market.

As for what this new owner plans to do with the property -- which is relatively modest and just 1,846 square feet on 6 acres of land -- we're told he's actually doing what investors do best ... make money. Siplon tells us it's being turned into a top-of-the-line Airbnb.

The new owner, we're told plans to recreate the Byers' home from the show to a T ... with different parts of the house made to look like "The Upside Down."

They also plan to recreate other places and scenes from the series on the six acres of land.

Siplon says they're trying to get something up and running by Halloween, and they're hopeful super fans come flocking to rent this thing for a good, long while. Let's be honest, y'know they will.

The prosecutor who put Jeffrey Dahmer behind bars is pushing back against the narrative Netflix puts forth in its new show -- namely, that cops ignored obvious clues because the case involved gay and/or Black people.

Former Milwaukee D.A. Michael McCann -- who personally prosecuted Dahmer in the '90s -- tells TMZ ... the notion that MPD officers turned a blind eye to Dahmer's victims because of their race or sexual orientation is ludicrous, despite what "Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story" portrays.

The true crime drama is getting a lot of buzz right now, and while McCann says he hasn't seen it yet ... he's aware of how Netflix and co. are playing things -- very anti-cop and leaning into perceived racial and homophobic bias throughout the episodes.

McCann is flatly denying that characterization, saying neither race nor sexual orientation had influenced how police investigated Dahmer. He insists if they'd known they had a serial killer in their midst, they would've moved in immediately to put a stop to it ... regardless of the victims' backgrounds.

He explains Dahmer's M.O. simply didn't allow for them to discover the truth any sooner than they did in 1991 -- when one of his victims escaped and brought cops to Dahmer's apartment.

McCann notes Dahmer didn't leave a lot of obvious evidence lying around, and covered his tracks well.

He also thinks there's something to the fact that Dahmer's victims were men -- saying women who went missing back then were investigated by assuming the worst. On racism and homophobia generally, he acknowledges it's been a problem historically in law enforcement ... but is still adamant that it played no role in how officers went about handling Dahmer.

Of course, not everyone will buy what McCann's selling here ... especially seeing how Glenda Cleveland -- played by Niecy Nash -- alerted Milwaukee PD to Dahmer's behavior many times before he was eventually captured. Many suspect cops wrote her off because she was Black.

Katie Couric, a TV icon, is battling breast cancer.

The 65-year-old former "Today" show anchor just revealed she was diagnosed in June. Cancer is no stranger to Katie ... she lost her first husband, Jay Monahan, to colon cancer in 1998. Her sister died from pancreatic cancer and her mother-in-law died from ovarian cancer. She said, "My mood quickly shifted from disbelief to resignation. Given my family's history of cancer, why would I be spared? My reaction went from, "Why me? to Why not me?"

Katie said, "Every two minutes, a woman is diagnosed with breast cancer in the United States. On June 21st, I became one of them. As we approach #BreastCancerAwarenessMonth, I wanted to share my personal story with you all and encourage you to get screened and understand that you may fall into a category of women who needs more than a mammogram."

She went on to describe her struggle ... "I felt sick and the room started to spin. I was in the middle of an open office, so I walked to a corner and spoke quietly, my mouth unable to keep up with the questions swirling in my head."

Katie underwent surgery back in July. She started radiation treatment early this month.

Actor Robert Cormier, best known for his portrayal of Finn Cotter in "Heartland," died last week after an apparent fall, this according to his family.

His sister, Stephanie, told the Hollywood Reporter that Robert passed away Friday in an Ontario, CA, hospital from injuries he suffered during the fall. No official cause of death has been released.

An online obit described Robert as an "athlete, an actor, and a great brother" who loved to help others and always wanted to achieve more. It ended with ... "Rob's memory will live on through his passion for art and film."

Growing up in Toronto, Robert would tell his dad to call him "Robbie Van Damme" after his favorite actor, Jean-Claude Van Damme. Robert was a bartender before he got his big break in TV, landing roles in "Heartland," "Ransom," "American Gods" and "Designated Survivor." He also made a splash as Kit Jennings in the popular Netflix series "Slasher."

UPtv — which streams episodes of Heartland — released a statement on IG, calling Robert "an amazing talent, gone too soon," next to a photo of him with costar Amber Mitchell.

The network added ... "We are deeply saddened to learn of his passing. Our sincere condolences go out to his friends, family, and co-workers."

Robert is survived by his parents, Robert and Lisa, and 3 sisters Brittany, Krystal and Stephanie.

He was 33.

A Michigan radio host was murdered Friday after he and his family were savagely attacked in their home by a guest who then tried to kill himself, this according to local reports.

WWJ 950 overnight anchor Jim Matthews was with his girlfriend and 2 children in their Detroit-area condo around noon when they allegedly invited over a man who lives across the street. Neighbors had seen the man with Matthews' girlfriend in the past.

What happened next was still under investigation ... but Matthew's girlfriend and his 5-year-old daughter made it out of the condo alive and flagged down someone driving by. His girlfriend had been stabbed several times and his daughter was injured as well.

After the driver called 911, Chesterfield Township officers responded to the apartment and had to force their way inside, finding Matthews dead. His 10-year-old boy was discovered bound and beaten inside a closet.

What's more ... police went to the basement where they encountered the suspect -- who was overdosing on heroin after sustaining self-inflicted wounds.

Matthews' girlfriend and son were listed in critical condition at the hospital. His daughter was in stable condition.

The suspect was given Narcan to save his life. He, too, was hospitalized in stable condition.

As for Matthews, WWJ Newsradio 950 issued a statement ... “There have been many tears shed in our newsroom today and Jim will be greatly missed. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Jim’s family and friends during this difficult time.”

Authorities did not release a motive and were weighing criminal charges.

"Real Housewives" star Meghan King and "Bachelorette" alum Mike Johnson appear to be getting really cozy ... enjoying each other's company at a popular strip club.

Meghan and Mike hit up Crazy Horse 3 in Las Vegas Thursday night, a source at the club tells us the two arrived hand in hand for the Local Love 2.0 party, which always attracts some big attention.

You can see from the video, the two were ALL over each other all night long -- they even snuck off to a VIP table at one point while Meghan spent some time on Mike's lap.

They also took some time to enjoy the dancers ... grabbing a money gun and spraying the dancers down with some cheddar at one point.

They left together around 1 AM, holding hands on the way out.

Sources close to the two are denying an actual fling, though -- telling TMZ they went to the club as part of her podcast they are doing together -- claiming there's nothing romantic going on between them, just good friends working together.

While they might not be official, they're clearly having some fun together -- Meghan posted about who she "found" in Vegas that night ... calling Mike, "my new fave."

Bob Saget's famous friends are picking up where he left off, raising seven figures for a cause near and dear to his heart ... scleroderma research.

John Mayer, Jimmy Kimmel and Jeff Ross took over hosting duties for their late friend Wednesday at an annual fundraiser for the Scleroderma Research Foundation, with the event raising $1.2 million for crucial research.

Bob hosted SRF's signature event, "Cool Comedy • Hot Cuisine," for 30 years before his death ... and this year's fundraiser featured a special video tribute to Bob, presented by John Stamos and Mike Binder.

Dave Chappelle showed up to the Beverly Wilshire for a surprise performance, even sharing a personal video message he got from Bob before he passed. Bill Burr joined Dave on stage for a couple jokes too.

And, Lori Loughlin was also in attendance at the event.

Other celeb performers included comedy sets from Howie Mandel and Kevin Nealon, plus a musical number from Mayer. Joel McHale led the live auction.

Attendees plunked down $500 just to get inside the building ... and they chowed down on a sit-down dinner curated by celeb chef Susan Feniger.