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It's no secret Matthew Perry loved pickleball ... but now we're learning the game also helped him tremendously in his recovery from drug abuse.

The "Friends" actor played pickleball religiously at Riviera Country Club near his L.A. area home -- and he even had a personal coach, Matt Manasse.

Manasse told People magazine ... Perry used the game as a tool to keep him away from drugs and on the straight and narrow.

"He thought it was something that could help in his recovery and he was doing an awesome job," Manasse said.

Manasse noted Perry was so passionate about the game he would play five times a week and talk incessantly about it.

"[Perry] got so much better, always made everyone laugh," Manasse said, adding, "He was competitive, not in a bad way at all. He loved it. When he hit an unbelievable shot, he would tell you about it for days."

Manasse also described Perry as a caring person who was always trying to help others, especially recovering addicts by introducing them to pickleball at Riviera.

TMZ broke the story ... Perry, 54, apparently drowned in his jacuzzi Saturday after playing 2 hours of pickleball at the country club. We're told he was in good spirits during the game.

Later that afternoon, his assistant returned to his house after running errands and discovered Perry was unresponsive. The assistant called 911, Perry's mother and one of his siblings, as well as another person.

Law enforcement tells us ... authorities discovered anti-depressants, anti-anxiety drugs and a COPD drug inside Perry's house. COPD refers to Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, which is often used to treat emphysema or chronic bronchitis. Perry smoked cigarettes during his life.

Mary Lou Retton is opening up about her battle with pneumonia for the first time since she contracted the illness earlier this month ... and she says while she is recovering, she's not totally out of the woods yet.

In a statement posted to her Instagram page on Monday afternoon, the Olympic legend thanked her followers for all of their support ... but added that her recovery from the ailment is moving at a snail's pace.

"I'm beyond blessed to have the opportunity to make this statement," the 55-year-old said. "I am overwhelmed with all the love and support from the world as I fight. I am forever grateful to you all!"

"I'm with family continuing to slowly recover and staying very positive as I know this recovery is a long and slow process," she added. "I appreciate everyone's respect of my privacy at this time."

Retton was diagnosed with a rare form of pneumonia at the beginning of October ... and ended up in the ICU over it all.

During her multiple-day stay at the hospital, her family revealed she suffered a "scary setback" ... and at times, things seemed dire. Thankfully, however, Retton was able to fight through it all ... and returned home to recover last week.

In her statement Monday, she promised to reveal more about her fight at a later time.

"I love you all," she wrote.

Shani Louk, the Israeli festivalgoer who was kidnapped by Hamas terrorists, has died ... this according to Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The MFA said Monday it's "devastated" to have confirmed the death of the 23-year-old German-Israeli -- adding, "Our hearts are broken 💔. May her memory be a blessing."

In a disturbing detail, Isaac Herzog, the President of Israel, reportedly told a German newspaper Shani was beheaded.

As we reported, Shani was attending the Supernova festival on October 7 near the Gaza Strip -- the same day Hamas began attacking, opening fire on those in the crowd with guns and rockets and kidnapping dozens of the concertgoers.

Video from just before the attacks showed her dancing and having fun on the festival grounds ... but what came after was nothing short of horror -- being stripped naked and paraded in the back of a pickup truck while Hamas terrorists spat on her.

Shani's mother, Ricarda, was pleading for anyone with info about her daughter to come forward, and later said she'd gotten word from an unnamed Palestinian that she was alive, and allegedly getting treated at a Gaza hospital.

It's unclear if her death happened before or after that report of her alleged treatment while the hands of Hamas.

Shani's boyfriend, Orión Hernández Radoux, was also with her at the festival ... and chilling texts written in Arabic like, "Liberate Palestine," "God damn you," and "I spit on you," were sent to contacts in his phone after the attack.

Shani was just 23.

Charlie Puth took time out of his latest concert to pay tribute to the late Matthew Perry ... performing the iconic "Friends" theme song, followed by one of his own touching hits.

The singer took a detour during his concert in Australia over the weekend to play a piano rendition of "I'll Be There For You," the main track for Perry's hit TV show.

It's a pretty emotional moment, and the entire crowd joins Charlie in singing the world-famous song. It got even more bittersweet when he transitioned into his 2015 hit, "See You Again" -- paying more homage to the actor.

TMZ broke the story, Matthew was found unresponsive Saturday in his jacuzzi by his assistant, whom Perry sent out to pick up a new iPhone and prescription glasses for him.

Law enforcement sources told us first responders didn't find any illegal drugs in his home, but did find anti-depressants, anti-anxiety meds, and a COPD drug.

Looks like Taylor Swift & Travis Kelce are dominating the Halloween game this season, much to the surprise of no one ... appearing as skeletons on front lawns everywhere.

The spooky version of the couple has been popping up across the country, as made apparent from the viral vids online ... one shows Travis and a whole lotta versions of Taylor in her Halloween Era -- paying homage to the singer's multiple looks in her "Eras" tour concerts.

One fan also had a bunch of different Taylors out front, with a skeleton Travis cheering them on in a folding chair on the sidelines.

They're all pretty creative, TBH ... one display was done up to look just like a private concert -- with the decorator even taking over the local airwaves, so anyone that drives by can listen along with the undead crowd!

As you know, Taylor and Travis are the talk of the town right now, with their romance in full swing ... so the pop-ups don't seem that far outta left field. Folks have even been dressing up as the iconic duo over Halloweekend, as expected.

A mob of angry, antisemitic protestors stormed a Russian airport tarmac to decry a flight touching down from Israel -- and the whole thing proved to be incredibly dangerous.

This wild scene unfolded Sunday in the city of Makhachkala -- which is the capital of a predominantly Muslim region in Russia known as the Dagestan region ... and where a massive crowd literally broke into Makhachkala Uytash Airport and bombarded the runway.

The reason we know they're antisemitic as opposed to just being anti-Israel -- several of the mob members were carrying signs that explicitly called out Jews ... in a hateful way.

One sign reportedly read, "We are against Jewish refugees" and another "There is no place for child killers in Dagestan." These folks weren't just there to peacefully demonstrate either -- apparently, they surrounded the plane once it landed ... and were itching for violence.

The situation was so volatile, that the pilot and crew refused to let anyone off ... basically waiting for airport security and local police to deal with them, which they eventually did. There were clashes with authorities and the protesters ... and left at least 10 people injured.

Unclear how many arrests came from this ... but the airport was finally able to resume operations on Monday. In the meantime, other flights had to be diverted -- the airport was inaccessible. The Kremlin says Putin was being briefed on the matter as it was happening.

Russian state media chalked it up to people who "gathered to oppose the Palestinian-Israel conflict" -- but this clearly was far beyond that and descended into something very ugly.

Former NHL player Adam Johnson tragically died this weekend after his neck was slashed by a skate blade during a game on Saturday.

He was just 29 years old.

Johnson was playing in an Elite Ice Hockey League game for the Nottingham Panthers in England when the horrifying moment happened.

As the ex-Pittsburgh Penguins center was taking the puck across the blue line, an opposing player on the Sheffield Steelers kicked his skate into the air and struck Johnson in the throat area. Johnson was rushed off the ice and received immediate treatment ... but he later succumbed to his injuries.

South Yorkshire Police said officers were on the scene and are currently investigating "the circumstances surrounding the incident."

"We would encourage the public to avoid speculation regarding the incident while we continue our enquiries," the SYP said.

The Panthers, meanwhile, called the moment "a freak accident" ... adding that they're "truly devastated" over it all.

"The Panthers would like to send our thoughts and condolences to Adam's family, his partner and all his friends at this extremely difficult time," the team said. "Everyone at the club including players, staff, management and ownership are heartbroken at the news of Adam's passing."

Johnson played for the Penguins in the 2018 and 2019 seasons -- logging a goal and three assists in 13 games. He went on to play professionally overseas ... and had just signed on to skate for the Panthers this season.

"The Pittsburgh Penguins join the entire hockey world in mourning the loss of Adam Johnson, whose life tragically ended far too soon," the Penguins said in a statement Sunday. "We offer our deepest condolences to Adam's family and friends, as well as all of Adam's past and present teammates and coaches. Adam will always be a part of the Penguins family. It was our honor to watch him fulfill his dream of playing in the National Hockey League."

The Panthers announced Sunday their game against the Glasgow Clan on Tuesday has been postponed in the wake of Johnson's death. Further changes to the schedule were being considered, the team added.

Kim Kardashian's underwear line just teamed up with a huge partner -- it's none other than the freaking NBA -- to be the official underwear of the league.

The announcement came Monday ... SKIMS is now officially collaborating with the National Basketball Association, and the team-up goes well beyond just the men's league -- SKIMS is gonna sprinkled into the WNBA and USA Basketball as well for this.

Their new venture is part of a multi-year deal, and is a huge win for Kim -- as this'll give SKIMS a whole new level of exposure.

She says, "I am incredibly proud of SKIMS partnership with the NBA, as it is a reflection of SKIMS growing influence on culture. Together, SKIMS and the NBA will connect people of all backgrounds through fashion, sport, and talent, and I look forward to seeing the partnership thrive."

The NBA's commish, Adam Silver, is excited too, adding, "SKIMS has quickly become one of our most culturally-influential brands. We look forward to bringing NBA fans and SKIMS users unique experiences, new offerings and premium products through our partnership."

Now, in terms of what they're actually going to do together ... it's a little ambiguous at this point. Silver says fans will start to see SKIMS pop up in creative ways at league events going forward -- including the All-Star Game, in-season tournaments and probably the playoffs.

Basically, get ready to see SKIMS signage all over the place at basketball stadiums and beyond ... you'll likely see some players wearing the gear, too.

Of course, this comes on the heels of KK launching her men's line -- which has been a record-setting bestseller on the digital marketplace ... and which actually roped in some high-profile athletes, such as Neymar Jr., Nick Bosa and even OKC's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

Hank Azaria is remembering his old friend Matthew Perry -- reflecting on their long relationship ... and revealing how the late actor introduced him to sobriety.

The famed "Simpsons" voice actor -- who actually guest starred opposite MP on "Friends" for a handful of episodes -- posted a lengthy video over the weekend in which he spoke on Matt's sudden passing ... and noted how heartbreaking it was, seeing how close they'd been.

Hank says his history with Matt goes way back -- apparently, they acted in a pilot together for a series that never got picked up ... and they were good buds from day one in showbiz.

He also says Matthew was the one who first brought him to an AA meeting -- something he says he wishes Matt would've stuck with himself ... pointing out the guy suffered a lot with addiction over the years, something that became crystal clear to Hank in Perry's memoir.

HA has a lot of kind words here for Matt ... and it's touching to hear him reminisce. He says he felt he lost his pal to drugs and alcohol a long time ago -- but that doesn't make his death any more difficult than it has been. That feeling, undoubtedly, is shared by others.

TMZ broke the story ... Perry died at an L.A.-area home Saturday after an apparent drowning during the day. We're told he was found unresponsive in a hot tub on the property.

There are still a lot of details that remain to be seen surrounding the exact circumstances of this tragedy ... which is evident in the fact that L.A. County Coroner aren't ready to rule on an official cause of death just yet. There were no illicit drugs found at the house, though several prescriptions were located inside. The Coroner has performed toxicology tests, but results won't be in for at least 6 weeks.

Screw diplomacy, Gov. Gavin Newsom is playing to win ... even if he's gotta mow down a grade school kid on a basketball court, during what's supposed to be a diplomatic visit to China!!!

No, it wasn't intentional, but the Guv really did put a hurting on the tyke while playing a little pickup hoops at a public school in Beijing. It all played out like an 'SNL' skit -- Newsom showing off by spinning the ball on his finger, and then dribbling and spinning toward the hoop.

Problem is ... Newsom tried to put down his best Kobe Bryant-esque move, but ended up stumbling, and crashing right into a kid! They both slammed to the ground, but looks like a "no blood, no foul" situation.

The Governor gave the kid a few playful slaps on the back, everyone laughed and they got up uninjured.

Kevin Brennan -- a former 'SNL' writer and comedian -- is making light of Matthew Perry's passing in a real ugly way ... which may speak to why he isn't more successful in showbiz.

Kevin -- who had a 2-year stint writing for the famed sketch comedy show way back when, and who was once a rising comic -- took to Twitter this weekend after news of Perry's death broke ... and posted an incredibly insensitive message mocking the late 'Friends' actor.

He wrote, "DROWNED IN A HOT TUB. HAHAHAHA" ... this while linking back to our story.

The tweet wasn't viewed by very many people -- KB only has about 5,900 followers or so anyway -- but it certainly left a bad taste in the mouths of folks who did see it ... with many people calling him out in the comments and bashing him for making a joke out of it.

While Kevin isn't nearly as relevant as he was in the '90s/early 2000s ... he still has a famous connection to mainstream Hollywood through his younger brother Neal Brennan -- from whom he's estranged. Neal, of course, is the co-creator/writer of 'Chappelle's Show.'

Neal and Kevin had a falling out years ago -- and the younger sibling went on to forge a solid path for himself. Neal's written for tons of shows, and even has his own Netflix comedy special now ... whereas Kevin hosts a pretty obscure podcast, and does gigs here and there.

It bears repeating ... Neal is NOT close to Kevin -- and based on interviews NB has done of late, where he was asked about his relationship with Kevin ... you can tell it's a sensitive topic. Based on this reaction to Perry alone, you'll see their personalities are very different.

So, of course, Kevin's crude remarks here are in no way a reflection of Neal -- who, as far as we can tell, minds his business and focuses on his work ... and who doesn't seem to have talked about Perry or 'Friends,' for that matter, very much at all publicly.

Kevin appears to still fancy himself standup-adjacent -- regularly commenting on mainstream comedians that Neal undoubtedly rubs shoulders with ... although, what he pulled here is far from a laughing matter. Neal doesn't seem to have reacted to his brother's post.

With antisemitism on the rise, many Jewish Americans and Israelis in Los Angeles are taking steps to protect themselves and their families ... and some are turning to firearms.

Eric Fletcher, a manager for Burbank Ammo and Guns, tells TMZ ... the shop has recently seen a huge influx of Jewish Americans and Israelis who are buying guns for the first time.

We're told many of the first-time gun owners are women, and sometimes entire families are coming to the gun shop together.

The numbers are staggering ... the manager says this month alone the store has processed 194 firearm safety certificate tests and counting, compared to just 45 in October 2022, and the manager estimates 75% of the folks coming in now are Jewish Americans or Israelis.

The safety tests are required for anyone buying a gun for the first time ... so the numbers represent first-time gun buyers.

At Burbank Ammo and Guns, handguns are the most popular firearm purchased ... and we're told stock is running low and the shop is doing its best to keep up with increased demand.

While there's a war between Israel and Hamas a world away, in America there's been a recent wave of attacks on the Jewish community. According to the advocacy group Anti-Defamation League, antisemitic incidents in the U.S. have risen by almost 400% since Hamas attacked Israel.

The woman everyone called "Gorilla Glue Girl" -- after going viral for dangerously trading hairspray for the adhesive -- has big news, but it ain't another sticky fiasco ... she's engaged!

Tessica Brown tells TMZ ... she said "yes" to her boyfriend of over 2 years, Brymon Brocks. They first met at her dad's church and, clearly, hit it off.

We're told Brymon proposed to Tessica at her home in Violet, Louisiana on her birthday earlier this month ... and they're both extremely happy for the next chapter in their lives.

Who can forget Tessica's infamous moment in 2021 when she dropped jaws on TikTok ... saying her hair was rock solid for a month after using Gorilla Glue.

She told us at the time she was embarrassed and stressed over the whole thing and checked into an ER for help -- eventually needing surgical repairs on her scalp.

Congrats on the engagement, Tessica ... just make sure you hire someone to do your hair on the day of the wedding -- no more DIY disasters!!!

Just five months into hanging up her golf spikes, Michelle Wie West is admitting to TMZ Sports there's at least a modicum of a chance she unretires at some point in the future.

"Never say never," she said out at LAX this week.

Then again, Wie West -- who called it a career in July following this year's U.S. Women's Open -- said she believes she's almost certainly done for good.

As for what she's been up to in retirement ... Wie West said golf is still part of her weekly routine -- it's just nowhere near what it used to be when she was a phenom hunting for major championships.

"I definitely don't practice, that's for sure," she said with a smile. "I just play."

Wie West says she's also been doing a little gardening ... and being a mom to her daughter.

And, if you thought any relaxation was involved now that her time on pro greens is over ... she said that's simply not the case, hilariously telling us, "I'm a mom -- I don't relax!"

Barbie is all the rage this Halloween and lots of folks are sure to be pretty in pink for costume parties ... but celebs have been dressing as the famous doll for years.

There are countless versions of Barbie ... and Halloween bashes in Hollywood have basically seen them all ... so let's take a stroll down memory lane and look back at some of the highlights.

Paris Hilton, Hailey Bieber and Nicki Minaj have all dressed up as Barbie ... and the costume evolution is pretty amazing.

Paris went with a tulle dress, matching headband and Barbie sash. Hailey opted for an '80s look and Nicki went designer with some Louis Vuitton and some Barbie bling.

Rita Ora once accessorized with a tiara and a white dog ... to go along with some see-through bottoms ... you could say she's putting the hot in hot pink.

Rebel Wilson put her twist on a Barbie costume last year for the Casamigos Halloween party in Beverly Hills ... dressing up like a doll in its Mattel packaging.

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