Bob Saget Dead at 65

UPDATE

5:59 PM PT -- Bob's longtime friend and costar John Stamos just tweeted the following, "I am broken. I am gutted.  I am in complete and utter shock.  I will never ever have another friend like him.  I love you so much Bobby."

UPDATE

5:03 PM PT -- The Orange County Sheriff's Office tells us, "We have no information on cause of death, and detectives have found no signs of foul play or drug use in this case." They note, "the Medical Examiner’s Office will make the final call on the cause and manner of death."

Bob Saget has died at the age of 65 ... TMZ has learned.

Multiple sources connected to the iconic comedian and actor -- most famous for his starring role as Danny Tanner in 'Full House' -- tell us he passed away Sunday at the Ritz-Carlton in Orlando.

The Sheriff's Department and the fire department responded to the hotel around 4 PM ET ... after hotel security had found Bob in his room. We're told he was pronounced dead on the scene, but the circumstances of his death are still unclear.

Bob's been touring the country lately, hitting a lot of destinations throughout the state of Florida, including in Orlando, which got started in September and was supposed to take him through May.

On Saturday night, he was in Jacksonville doing a show at the Ponte Vedra Concert Hall ... where he actually shouted out the crowd early Sunday morning.

Saget wrote, "Loved tonight’s show @PV_ConcertHall in Jacksonville. Appreciative audience. Thanks again to @RealTimWilkins for opening. I had no idea I did a 2 hr set tonight. I’m happily addicted again to this shit. Check http://BobSaget.com for my dates in 2022."

Saget played the patriarch on the hit ABC sitcom for almost 10 years, landing the lead star role in 1987 and finishing out its first iteration in '95 -- opposite stars John Stamos, Dave Coulier, of course ... not to mention his TV daughters, Candace Cameron, Jodie Sweetin as well as Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, who swapped the duties of portraying Michelle.

While his turn as the quintessential family man is what a lot of people will remember him for -- truth is, Saget was a pretty raunchy guy ... especially in his stand-up comedy. BS's comedy contributions were put on full display in his memorable Comedy Central roast ... where a ton of his longtime comic buddies tore him a new one, kiddingly and with love.

He proved to be a good sport ... taking shots from the likes of Gilbert Gottfried, Norm Macdonald, Greg Giraldo, Jon Lovitz, Jeff Ross, Brian Posehn and others. He even had some jokes of his own to fire off ... making for perhaps one of the most memorable roasts in the Comedy Central vault -- speaking to Saget's influence on the craft.

In addition to his stand-up and 'Full House' fame ... Saget will also be remembered as a fan fave on "America's Funniest Home Videos," of which he served as host from '89 to '97, running concurrently with his time/tone on 'FH.' Speaking of Mr. Tanner ... he reprised his role for Netflix's reboot of the franchise, "Fuller House," which ran for 4 years and ended in 2020.

Bob's other notable acting credits include ... a recurring role on 'Entourage,' in which he played a zany version of himself, the narrator's voice of 'How I Met Your Mother,' another sitcom he starred in called 'Raising Dad,' one of the penguins in "Farce of the Penguins," the lead in "Surviving Suburbia," and a standout cameo in 'Half Baked' as a recovering crack head ... among many, many other appearances on film and television over the years.

Lately, he's been getting back to his roots with a podcast series called "Bob Saget's Here for You," and was even featured as one of the celebrity guests on the "Masked Singer" not too long ago.

The last time we got him out was in late 2019, when he was laughing it up with fans and paps outside of Craig's in West Hollywood ... while also taking photos and signing autographs.

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LAST TIME WE SAW HIM...
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He wished Jeff Ross a happy 41st birthday, and seemed to be in really good spirits.

Bob is survived by his wife, Kelly Rizzo, and 3 children.

RIP

Originally Published -- 4:28 PM PT

Bob Saget Poignant Tribute to Betty White ... Days Before His Death

In a sad coincidence, many of the things being said about Bob Saget today are the same things he said about Betty White as he honored the late comedic actress ... just days before he died in an Orlando hotel.

Bob reflected on the decades he'd been connected to Betty -- from the first time he saw her perform to hanging out with her -- in an IG post from December 31, the day she passed.

He wrote, "I had a small peek into what a remarkable talent and human being Betty was."

He also joked about one time when they were sipping Bloody Mary's on an ABC Jet ... "We had been laughing for hours -- I looked into her eyes and faux romantically said, 'How ‘bout it, Betty, you and me in the bathroom? Mile High Club?' She answered me before I had a chance to finish the invite -- 'Of course.'"

And, it seems eerie now, but Bob ended the post with some words on the afterlife ... "I don’t know what happens when we die, but if Betty says you get to be with the love of your life, then I happily defer to Betty on this."

TMZ broke the story ... the "Full House" star died Sunday at the age of 65. He was found unresponsive in his room at the Ritz-Carlton in Orlando. There were no signs of drug use or foul play, according to detectives.

For almost 10 years, Saget starred as Tanner on the hit ABC sitcom "Full House" ... and he also famously hosted "American's Funniest Home Videos" from '89 to '97.

Bob's death came 10 days after Betty's, who was just a few weeks shy of her 100th birthday, and was beloved around the world for her career ... most prominently as a star on "The Golden Girls" and the "The Mary Tyler Moore Show."

Now, both actors will be remembered for their impact on American television and, of course, the time they spent making others laugh.

LAPD Saves Pilot from Plane Wreck ... Moments Before Train Crash!!!

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JUST IN TIME

A pilot is lucky to be alive after some quick-thinking LAPD officers pulled him from train tracks just moments before an oncoming train collided with his downed plane.

The pilot made an emergency landing Sunday in the valley, which of course triggered a police and fire response. Thankfully for the pilot, officers were on the scene just in time to save his life.

You can see in the body cam video, the pilot was stunned, and almost totally out of it ... but officers were able to pull him out just seconds before the collision between the plane and commuter train.

The 4 officers being hailed as heroes are Damien Castro, Christopher Aboyte, Robert Sherock and Sgt. Joseph Cavestany.

LAPD tweeted, "Foothill Division Officers displayed heroism and quick action by saving the life of a pilot who made an emergency landing on the railroad tracks at San Fernando Rd. and Osborne St., just before an oncoming train collided with the aircraft."

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According to the Federal Aviation Administration, the plane went down around 2:10 PM just moments after it took off from Whiteman Airport ... and the train crashed into the plane around 2:15 PM, according to body cam footage from police.

The pilot was alone in the plane during the time of the crash. Apparently, the plane landed near an LAPD station, and officers were able to get to the scene immediately and pull the pilot out of the plane and onto the pavement.

Thankfully, the pilot is expected to make a full recovery.

Lana Del Rey Gets Restraining Order Against Alleged Stalker ... She Crashed My Pad 3 Different Times!!!

Lana Del Rey has an alleged stalker on her hands -- one whom she claims has come to her home on THREE different occasions over the last month ... and now a judge had ordered some protection.

The singer filed for and was granted a temporary restraining order this past week in L.A. County, where she claims a woman by the name of Janeen Lee Stratton -- who apparently also goes by the nickname "America" -- has been harassing her in very scary fashion.

According to court docs, obtained by TMZ, Lana and her legal team say this lady has been blowing up LDR's professional associates, including managers, with demands to meet her in person -- because she believes she's Lana's muse ... and not just that, but she thinks Lana communicates with her via song and/or dreams.

Eventually, Lana's management responded via text message ... telling Ms. Stratton to get lost, noting Lana did NOT know her, nor did she want to meet.

That led to a freaky retort from Stratton, at least according to Lana and co. -- the woman allegedly replied, "I want to make a scene. Because guess what?! I don't go away easy."

Per the legal paperwork, not only did Stratton not go away ... she allegedly landed on Lana's front doorstep here in L.A. last month, somehow tracking down her private residence and jumping the fence to get in, where she was eventually met by Lana's security.

Lana and her attorneys allege the guards found Stratton who they say admitted to having a couple of pocket knives on her, this while she apparently told them she'd driven for hundreds of miles for a chance to meet the star. Of course, she was given the boot, but that didn't keep her away for long ... so says LDR.

Lana claims she returned to the property, not once ... but TWICE more just earlier this month, right around New Year's, and was kicked out each time. Now, Lana says she fears for her safety ... and needs a court-ordered forcefield to keep this person at arm's length.

That apparently was a compelling enough tale for the judge … who granted Lana's request for a TRO, which states Stratton has to steer clear of LDR ... both in person and in all forms of communication.

A hearing for a permanent restraining order is scheduled for later this month.

Pete Davidson Bob Saget Helped Me Through Rough Mental Struggles

Tributes have been pouring in about Bob Saget, and how he touched so many lives, but few are as poignant as Pete Davidson's .. who says Bob stepped up for him during some pretty dark times.

Pete does not hop on social media -- period, but he made an exception for Bob, whom he called "one of the nicest men on the planet."

Pete wrote, "When I was younger and several times throughout our friendship he helped me get through some rough mental health stuff."

But, it wasn't just a "Hey, how ya doin'" call. Pete says Bob was genuinely concerned and wanted to help ... "He stayed on the phone with my mom for hours trying to help in anyway he can -- connecting us with doctors and new things we can try. He would check in on me and make sure I was okay."

It's one of a slew of tributes to Bob. TMZ broke the story, he died Sunday in an Orlando hotel room at age 65.

Pete ended this way ... "I love you Bob. It was an honor to know you.  Thank you for your kindness and friendship. My condolences to the family."

Bob Saget Life & Career in Retrospect ... After Sudden Death

Bob Saget's death is spurring a dissection of his life -- and it's clear ... the guy lived it to the fullest, especially on a professional level.

The comedian got his start in showbiz doing stand-up comedy at a young age, and after moving to L.A. as an adult ... he eventually landed a gig on CBS' 'The Morning Program' ... which was supposed to compete with NBC's 'Today Show' and ABC's 'Good Morning America' ... and which eventually became 'CBS This Morning.'

Bob did comedy routines during his short stint there, and before long ... he was cast as Danny Tanner in ABC's new sitcom 'Full House,' which launched him into full-blown stardom.

He played the widowed father of 3 young girls, and got help raising them in San Francisco from good friends played by John Stamos (Uncle Jesse) and Dave Coulier (Joey Gladstone). His TV kids were played by Candace Cameron Bure, Jodie Sweetin and Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen.

'Full House' became a smash hit on the network, and ran for a total of 8 seasons through 1995. At the same time, Bob landed yet another job when he was tapped as the first host for 'America's Funniest Home Videos' in 1989. BS served as the MC for several seasons until he passed the baton in '97, 2 years after 'Full House' went off the air.

It was during this run in the '90s that Bob became one of "America's dads" ... due to his wholesome persona on camera, and actually playing a well-to-do father on television.

Of course, Bob in real life was anything but squeaky clean ... his stand-up act was known to be pretty raunchy. Going into the 2000s, Bob sorta revamped his image a bit, churning out movies and series that reflected his more adult comedy,

That was especially true of his directorial debut in the film "Dirty Work," starring his friend/fellow comedian Norm Macdonald and "Howard Stern Show" staple Artie Lange.

Novak Djokovic Set Free In Australia ... Wins Visa Appeal Case

Novak Djokovic has just been set free Down Under -- a judge ruled in his favor in his visa appeal case, clearing the way for the tennis star to compete in the Australian Open next week.

Djokovic had been in a quarantine hotel in Melbourne the last few nights ... after Australian government officials canceled his visa shortly after his arrival in the country last Wednesday.

Authorities argued Djokovic did not meet the proper requirements to be formally granted an exemption to Australia's strict COVID-19 vaccination rules.

Djokovic, though, argued he did meet all the criteria ... saying he had been infected with COVID last month and therefore did not need to be vaccinated.

At a visa appeal hearing in an Australian courtroom on Monday -- a judge overturned the government's decision, pointing out that the 34-year-old had received vaccine exemption status from Tennis Australia and two medical panels prior to his arrival.

"The point I’m somewhat agitated about is what more could this man have done?" the judge said in the courtroom.

The judge's decision now paves the way for Djokovic to compete in The Open, which begins on Jan. 17.

"I'm pleased and grateful that the Judge overturned my visa cancellation," Djokovic said in a statement on Twitter following the decision. "Despite all that has happened, I want to stay and try to compete @AustralianOpen."

"I remain focused on that. I flew here to play at one of the most important events we have in front of the amazing fans."

There could still be more hurdles for Djokovic to leap ... Australian authorities have suggested they could still cancel his visa once again.

If that does happen, and Djokovic is deported, he could be faced with a 3-year ban from the country.

It remains unclear what the likelihood of a second cancellation is.

Djokovic, meanwhile, has won the Australian Open for 3 straight years.

Britney Spears Ex Jason Pleads Guilty to Stalking ... Now On Probation

Britney Spears may be a free woman, but that's not the case for her ex Jason Alexander ... he's been tethered to probation after pleading guilty to stalking, TMZ has learned.

According to the Franklin Police Department, Jason was arrested on Dec. 30 and taken to the Williamson County Jail in Tennessee. He was eventually charged with violation of a protective order and aggravated stalking.

District Attorney General Kim Helper tells TMZ ... Jason pled guilty to misdemeanor stalking on Jan. 4 and was given 11 months, 29 days of probation. As part of the deal, he'll have to undergo a mental health screening and submit to random drug screenings.

Helper added Alexander won't be allowed to have any contact with the female victim. The nature of their relationship is unclear.

As you might recall, Britney and Jason dated back in '04. They abruptly got married in Vegas ... but that lasted all of 55 hours and the marriage was annulled shortly thereafter.

Jason later claimed Britney's team forced them to end the relationship and made it hard for the two to communicate afterward ... and while she seems to be in a better place these days, Jason's clearly struggling.

Last January, he was hit with a DUI and other charges related to drug possession ... later in August, he was arrested for trespassing into a "non-secure" area at a Nashville airport.

Hopefully, things turn around for him in '22.

Kristina Pink Sideline Reporter Lands Face-First On Court ... After Slipping On Water

Sideline reporter Kristina Pink needed to be helped off the Crypto.com Arena floor on Sunday ... after she slipped on water and fell HARD following a postgame interview.

Pink had just finished up a post-win chat with L.A. shooting guard Amir Coffey, when she lost her balance and went crashing to the floor.

Pink horrifyingly landed on the court face-first ... and the thud of her fall could be heard loud and clear on broadcast microphones.

Somehow, though, Pink avoided serious injuries in the tumble ... writing on her social media page after the game that she's expected to be fine.

"For everyone asking, I’m ok," said Pink, who does games for NFL on Fox in addition to her role with the Clippers. "There was water on the court... Appreciate all the messages."

Glad to hear she's okay ... that fall was gnarly.

Kendall Jenner Alleged Trespasser Arrested, Released ... She Gets Protection

UPDATE

5:28 PM PT -- 1/11 -- Kendall is getting court-ordered protection from her alleged trespasser ... according to online records.

UPDATE

KJ beelined it to a court Tuesday and filed for a temporary restraining order against  Babcock ... and a judge signed off on it. He's now required to stay away from Kendall until Feb. 1, when he has a court hearing.

Kendall Jenner has a new issue with a man attempting to get onto her property, and while he was arrested ... he's already back on the streets, as it's becoming more and more challenging for cops to keep people safe.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ 31-year-old Arnold Babcock was stopped inside Kendall's gated community earlier this week by security. He claimed he was looking for Kendall, and we're told it's not the first time he'd been in the area trying to find her.

The community security detained Babcock until cops came, who then arrested him for trespassing. However, he was released a short time later without being charged.

Our law enforcement sources say L.A. County D.A. George Gascon's office rarely files charges on trespassing cases, which is increasingly frustrating to cops.

We're told the rank and file feel that without charges or consequences ... suspects have more of an incentive to commit crimes again.

The D.A. tells TMZ ... "Our office charges trespassing cases when appropriate based on the totality of the circumstances."

It's not the first, second or even tenth time a member of the Kardashian/Jenner family has had to deal with men attempting to get in their homes or on their property.

As we reported, it was back in March when a man jumped in Kendall's pool naked before he was arrested -- and just last month a man was arrested near Kylie's home trying to make contact.

Babcock is still under investigation for his other alleged incidents involving Kendall.

Originally Published -- 1/10 12:50 AM PT

Jake Paul Challenged To Fight By Bola Osundairo 'I'm Coming After You!'

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Bola Osundairo -- one of the brothers at the center of the Jussie Smollett scandal -- has a message for Jake Paul ... think you can fight?? Well, I'm coming for your ass!!

TMZ Sports talks to Abimbola -- aka Bola -- about his burgeoning boxing career ... when the conversation turned to The Problem Child.

"Kick rocks. More like the great white hype. And I want you Jake Paul, and I'm coming after you. And we're gonna wipe the hype."

Osundairo then had a message for Paul.

"Quit running. It's time for you to face a boxer. I'm not too advanced, you probably started before me. So we probably have the same amount of experience. What are you running from?"

He also took a shot at the opponents Jake's beaten.

"Stop going after old washed-up UFC fighters. They're not boxers. They don't want to box you. Leave them alone."

Of course, Bola and his brother became overnight celebs after admitting Smollett paid them to carry out the hoax attack in Chicago back in 2019.

That's about when Bola got into the sport of boxing ... and he's no joke in the ring.

Team USA Boxing ranks him the #1 86 kg (189 lbs.) fighter in their rankings. He also told us he recently fought 4 nights in a row, winning all the by unanimous decision.

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But, the 24-year-old YouTuber turned undefeated boxer -- who just brutally KO'd Tyron Woodley -- isn't the only one on Bola's hit list. He's also got his eyes on a couple of other well-known fighters.

"We'll fight Tommy Fury. We'll fight Julio Cesar Chavez. Anderson Silva. See I'm naming real boxers, or people who actually do stuff in boxing. We'll fight any of them."

"And eventually down the line. We're gonna fight Canelo."

Guess Who This Baby Belle Turned Into!

Before this baby belle was wowing audiences with her thrilling performances on television, she was just another rose-worthy runt cheesing big for the camera in Spokane, Washington.

This wide-grinning girl has made an impact in the acting world with her powerful performances on screen ... she has been featured on some of the most popular streaming series including "The Handmaid's Tale" and "Sharp Objects."

Most recently, she took on the role of a privileged college student in the popular HBO mystery "Euphoria" which just premiered its second season.

Can you guess who she is?

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez I Caught 'Rona ... After Maskless Miami Trip

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez probably regrets heading down to Florida last week -- because she just caught a case of coronavirus a full 7 days later ... and is apparently hurting.

The New York congresswoman announced Sunday that she'd come down with 'rona, saying she's received a positive test result -- but not really saying when exactly. She says she IS experiencing symptoms ... and is now recovering at home.

Her office's statement notes AOC is double vaccinated, and that she received her booster shot in the fall. And for good measure, she encourages everyone to get vaccinated and to follow all CDC guidelines.

That last part is catching a little bit of backlash at the moment ... seeing how the Representative was just down in the Sunshine State for New Year's with her boyfriend, where she appeared to be mostly maskless ... while hobnobbing with kinda big crowds, which included the likes of Billy Porter, among others at a drag show brunch event.

Granted, a lot of the photos and video of her in Miami (sans a mask) are outside -- which, by traditional wisdom at this point, seems to help.

Still ... considering AOC has been a strong proponent of strict 'rona protocols, many found it interesting she'd fled to a state whose governor she's been critical of in his handling of COVID.

Rep. Ocasio-Cortez is far from the first member of Congress to contract COVID -- Sens. Warren and Booker also announced they'd tested positive not too long ago.

Seems to be spreading in the halls there in D.C.

New York City Massive Bronx Apartment Fire ... Kills 17, Including Children

An inferno engulfed a 19-story apartment building in New York City's Bronx borough, leaving 17 people dead ... including a reported 8 children.

The fire went down Sunday at the Twin Park apartments, with authorities saying the flames appear to have originated from a duplex between the second and third floors ... which quickly spread throughout the rest of the structure.

At least 200 firefighters responded to the scene in what ended up being categorized as a five-alarm blaze ... as they bravely ascended the edifice any way they could to get people out, including via ladders along the walls and into open windows.

Tons of video were captured of the horrific scene ... some of which showed firefighters lowering people down ladders and to safety. Still, the damage was devastating.

More than 5 dozen people are reported to have been injured in the fire, including 13 who are said to have been in critical condition. Most of the victims are suffering from severe smoke inhalation ... this according to FDNY officials.

Newly elected Mayor Eric Adams says it's one of the worst fires in NYC history ... and it's now being compared to the Happy Land social club fire of 1990, which took the lives of 87 people.

No word on what may have caused this to begin with ... that's currently under investigation. With that said, fire officials told local media that it doesn't appear to be suspicious in origin.

The death toll of at least 17 was confirmed by the Mayor's office, and the number of kids who died was reported by AP, citing anonymous sources who were familiar with the figures.

Buffalo Bills WR Stefon Diggs ... Honors Betty White with Cleats!!!

The artwork on Stefon Diggs' cleats knows no bounds, evidenced in his latest offering ... a tribute to the late Betty White.

The Buffalo Bills wide receiver honored the iconic actress Sunday with a pair of pregame footwear that featured BW's likeness, plus a famous song attributed to her as well. You can see a cartoon rendering of Betty throwing up the 'rock on' hand sign ... while smirking.

Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media.

On the other cleat, the words "Thank You For Being a Friend" are emblazoned -- obviously a nod to the 'Golden Girls' theme song of the same name. The artwork was done by footwear designer Mache, who's famous for doing these mockups for athletes, especially Stefon.

No word if these babies made it on the gridiron or not -- SD usually flashes his custom cleats before kickoff, and then changes into what he'll actually wear for the game. But, it's not unheard of for him to rock tribute cleats on the field, like he did for Michael K. Williams.

Anyway, it's clear Betty left her mark on Stefon ... who proved himself to be a fan with a tweet he sent on the day she passed. He simply wrote, "Rip Betty White" ... and now, his love for her comes full circle.

We broke the story ... Betty died on New Year's Eve, not far from what would've been her 100th birthday this month.

She was 99. RIP

Coronavirus Cyprus Scientist Claims There's a 'Deltacron' Variant!!!

Two of the most prominent strains of COVID have reportedly fused together in what sounds like a science fiction flick gone wrong -- churning out a mutated baby called ... "Deltacron."

Leondios Kostrikis -- a professor of biological sciences at the University of Cyprus and head of the Laboratory of Biotechnology and Molecular Virology there -- told local media this week that his team had discovered what they believe to be a new variant.

The way he describes it ... "omicron-like genetic signatures within the delta genomes," which essentially means there are traces of both strains within this new monstrosity.

Kostrikis says they've identified only 25 or so cases thus far in people, with a majority of them befalling folks who were hospitalized for COVID. Their findings are being sent to GISAID, which is the leading international database for all things 'rona, to be studied further.

While it might sound pretty scary, Kostrikis says we shouldn't freak just yet ... because he truly believes it's just a bug that'll probably fall to the wayside. He explains, "We will see in the future if this strain is more pathological or more contagious or if it will prevail," adding that he thinks regular omicron will displace it in the end.

Here's hoping he's right!!!