Alex Trebek Hometown Planning Huge Homage

The answer to "Who is Alex Trebek?" is not a short one, but the good folks of Greater Sudbury, Ontario want it to be known he's their hometown hero ... in the form of a memorial.

We broke the story ... the iconic "Jeopardy!" host died Sunday morning after battling pancreatic cancer. The Canadian city where he was born and raised is honoring him by flying flags outside its City Hall at half-staff and creating a virtual condolences book where residents can leave messages for the Trebek family.

Brian Bigger, Mayor of Greater Sudbury, tells TMZ they want to honor him in a much bigger way ... and there are already a few leading ideas on how to do so.

Mayor Bigger says proposals on social media include some type of public work of art -- either erecting a statue of Alex or putting up a mural -- or ... possibly linking Trebek to Sudbury's public library set to be built over the next few years.

The Mayor says the library idea makes a lot of sense considering the TV legend was so involved in education, but he makes it clear ... this is just wishful thinking at this point.

Bigger tells us nothing has been decided -- this is just preliminary planning -- but he will bring the ideas to the next City Council meeting to get the ball rolling.

Mayor Bigger adds that Trebek's family should have a say in the matter, but he's waiting to reach out to them so they have the proper time to grieve first.

Alex met with the mayor during his last visit to Sudbury in 2015, and Bigger says he was very interested in growth and development in the community ... and it's no surprise he's beloved there.

The same goes for Canada as a whole. Get this -- Alex was honored with a key to the city of Ottawa in 2016 and received the Order of Canada, the country's highest civilian honor, in 2017.

So, Greater Sudbury has to step their game up ... and it sure seems like they will.

Giuliani's 'Four Seasons' Presser Porn Shop Next Door is Pissed ... You Cost Us Good $$$!!!

Rudy Giuliani's impromptu Philly news conference at the Four Seasons -- the landscaping company, not the hotel -- gave an adjacent sex shop a raw deal ... and it's none too pleased.

An employee named Jacob at Fantasy Island Book Store -- an adult entertainment shop a couple of buildings over from Four Seasons -- tells TMZ ... Giuliani's Saturday event cost him and his partners some good cash.

He says they opened at 9 AM and by 10:30 AM, their parking lot was swarmed by Giuliani and his posse ... plus all the media/security tagging along to see what he was going to say about President Trump and the election.

With all the hubbub and cameras, Jacob says customers were spooked and couldn't get to Fantasy Island's front door.

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CLAIMING FRAUD
Right Side Broadcasting Network

He says they didn't get any warning about Rudy's plans, and it sounds like Four Seasons wasn't given notice either ... although it's reaped some benefit, selling out merchandise after becoming Giuliani's backdrop.

No such luck for Fantasy Island.

Jacob says all they got was a flood of phone calls from reporters asking if Giuliani swung by the adult store. That's a "no" ... BTW.

He adds ... a check from Giuliani for a few hundred bucks would make things right. Let's just hope he's not holding his breath for that.

Beyonce New Collab with Peloton ... Perfect Timing!!!

Beyonce and Peloton have teamed up on a multi-year deal that will bring a series of themed workouts paying homage to historically black colleges and universities ... and the timing couldn't be better.

Playing off "Homecoming" -- her iconic Coachella concert film -- Beyonce's helped create cycling, running, strength, boot camp, yoga and meditation classes with Peloton to commemorate the annual fall Homecoming season at HBCUs. The singer was already the most requested artist among the fitness company's 3.6 million members, so the collab makes total sense.

In addition ... Bey and Peloton are gifting 2-year digital memberships to students at 10 different HBCUs, which provide access to the fitness classes through the Peloton App that can be used with or without equipment.

Along with the big partnership coming during homecoming season, the timing's also huge for the company ... in the stock market. As you may know, Peloton use has surged during the pandemic, but its shares took a hit Monday with the announcement of the Pfizer vaccine ... dropping 20 percent.

With the Beyonce news, shares jumped as much as 7 percent early Tuesday.

As for the Queen, she says she's been a Peloton member for years and is excited to partner with a company providing an innovative way for all people to "be the best versions of themselves."

She adds ... "I'm proud to celebrate the students at HBCUs with this donation, to encourage them to find and embrace their own wellness regimens."

Jonathan Rhys Meyers Busted for DUI ... After Crashing Car in Malibu

Jonathan Rhys Meyers might be dealing with some old demons again ... because he just got busted for DUI.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... cops got a call about a solo, minor car accident Sunday in Malibu around 5:00 PM. We're told when cops showed up at the scene, they noticed Jonathan showing signs of being intoxicated. It's unclear what led to the solo crash ... but cops ultimately gave Jonathan a field sobriety test, which we’re told he bombed.

Jonathan, whom cops say blew well past the legal limit, was arrested for misdemeanor DUI and currently remains behind bars. The actor has had a long history of substance abuse and has been to rehab several times.

As we reported, a little over 2 years ago ... Jonathan had been drinking before going on an expletive-laced tirade directed at his wife while on board an American Airlines flight.

We've reached out to Jonathan's rep for comment, so far no word back.

RuPaul I'm a Chia Pet!!!

RuPaul is ready to transform into a new look, although ... this one's gonna require a lot of growth.

The famous drag queen and host of "RuPaul's Drag Race" is now getting his famous mug molded into a Chia Pet ... just like Barack Obama and Bob Ross before him.

Yes, Chia Ru starts out bald -- just like its inspiration -- gone bald, but we're told it'll only take a couple of weeks before it's rocking a full head of very green hair. For best results, give it lots of attitude ... talking to plants helps 'em grow.

The terracotta figurine goes for $24.99 as an exclusive launch on Loot Crate ... and Ru says his Chia Pet is "the perfect metaphor for life -- to grow you must tend to your garden and love yourself."

Well said, Ru.

Kobe Bryant Childhood Home Sells For $810k ... Hoop Included!!!

Kobe Bryant's childhood home in Pennsylvania -- where the late basketball legend spent countless hours working on his skills -- has just sold for $810k, TMZ Sports has learned.

The Black Mamba lived in the 5-bed, 3 1/2-bath, Philadelphia-area home during his teenage years ... when he quickly became one of the best hoopers in the country, leading his Lower Merion HS team to a state title in 1996.

The Bryant family parted ways with the home in 2008 ... and it hit the market again this past September for $899k.

According to records, the home closed on Nov. 6 ... and sold for $810k. David Wyher and TJ Sokso of Compass represented the listing.

Of course, $810k is a pretty symbolic number -- Kobe's forever tied to #81 after his iconic 81-point performance against the Toronto Raptors on Jan 22, 2006.

The home is beautiful, but the most sentimental part has to be the hoop ... which is the same one Bryant used before becoming one of the best players to ever pick up a ball.

Unclear on what the buyer plans to do with the hoop ... but it's gotta be worth a fortune -- Kobe memorabilia like his Lakers championship rings to game-worn shoes and autographed hardwood from his last NBA game have sold for huge numbers at auctions since his death.

Bryant and his daughter, Gianna, were among 9 killed in a helicopter crash in Jan. 2020.

No word on who bought the iconic home ... but one thing's for sure -- they *had* to know the significance of the place.

RIP

Guess Who This Happy Kid Turned Into!

Before this sweetheart in stripes was making America fall in love with her talent, she was just another posin' princess growing up in Phoenix, Arizona.

This grinning girl stole the hearts of everyone in America when she competed in one of the most popular singing competitions on television at the time. Even after the successful ABC shows' reboot in 2018, this little lady remains the youngest person to take home first place at the age of 17.

She has since continued to take her career one step at a time by performing hit songs and even dabbling in acting as well.

Can you guess who she is?

Alex Trebek 'He Will Forever Be An Inspiration' ... 'Jeopardy!' Pays Tribute

Alex Trebek is getting a bittersweet send-off from the game show that made him famous ... "Jeopardy!" just said goodbye to the late host with a touching tribute.

"Jeopardy!" executive producer Mike Richards honored Alex before Monday night's episode, pausing to remember Trebek as an inspiring figure and thanking him for everything he did for the show during his long run as host.

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REMEMBERING ALEX TREBEK
Jeopardy!

Mike said Alex "will forever be an inspiration for his constant desire to learn, his kindness and for his love of his family."

As we first told you ... Alex, who was battling stage 4 pancreatic cancer, passed away at his home Sunday morning, surrounded by family and friends.

Alex's death was an enormous loss for "Jeopardy!" staff and crew, as well as his family and millions of fans, Mike said, adding Alex "loved this show and everything it stood for."

Mike reminded viewers Alex was in the studio taping "Jeopardy!" only two weeks ago in October, and Alex hosted episodes that will air through Christmas day.

Before the camera panned to an empty game show stage for a moment of silence, Richards once again thanked Alex on behalf of everyone at the show and his fans.

Travis Scott McDonald's Action Figure $55K Resale ... He Gifts One to Fan Battling Cancer

UPDATE

7:08 PM PT -- A rep for Travis tells us he also gifted one of the super-rare action figures to a fan who is battling cancer and recently got out of the hospital. However, the young fan tells us he didn't list his action figure for sale.

UPDATE

There's a limited edition Travis Scott McDonald's action figure on the resale market ... and it's gonna cost you a lot more than his $6 signature meal.

Here's the deal ... someone who scored the super-rare figurine from Travis' collab with Mickey D's is looking to sell the action figure on reseller marketplace StockX for a cool $55,000 ... and that's not a typo.

The action figure depicts the rapper holding a McDonald's tray with his Travis Scott Meal -- a $6 deal that comes with a Quarter Pounder with cheese and bacon, medium fries with BBQ sauce and a Sprite.

The rare figurine was given out to a handful of lucky folks via sweepstakes ... and McDonald's says the figurines are handcrafted and numbered.

Fans have already shown an appetite for all things Travis and McDonald's ... his meal has been super popular at McD's locations across the nation, with some stores running low on ingredients after its launch, and Travis also released an extremely popular merch line with everything from chicken nugget-shaped pillows to t-shirts.

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McMOBBED

The craze started with a bang too ... with Travis getting mobbed by a huge crowd when he showed up to celebrate the launch at a McDonald's in Downey, CA.

Travis and Mickey D's got fined $200 each for the mass gathering, which, like his $6 meal, pales in comparison to the action figure's $55,000 asking price.

Trump Rally Driver Allegedly Crashes Car ... MAGA Bros Rough Him Up

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THE CRASH AFTERMATH
@ab3anater / Instagram

Joe Biden has his work cut out for him unifying the country ... a driver allegedly crashed a car at a Trump rally, and video shows the President's supporters beating his ass.

Here's the deal ... police in Santa Maria, CA say a 20-year-old driver was cited for crashing into cars near a pro-Trump demonstration Sunday, and witnesses detained him at the scene until officers arrived.

Cops say the driver was antagonizing folks who were participating in the rally, and was throwing objects. Police say he then drove through an intersection without yielding, crossing through the rally before hitting a vehicle.

Video from the scene shows a group of people detaining a man in the middle of the street, applying what appears to be a chokehold and pinning him down while telling him, "Welcome to MAGA country." Footage also shows a heavily damaged car rolled onto its side.

Police say the man -- Jacob Garza -- was given a misdemeanor citation for reckless driving causing injury, and there is an ongoing investigation for battery.

Phil Collins' Ex-Wife He Promised Half of the Mansion ... And Reeked Like Hell!!!

Phil Collins' ex says he's going back on his word to give her 50-50 ownership of the home he's now trying to evict her from, and she's saying he became a filthy mess along the way.

Orianne Cevey filed new docs in the ongoing legal battle between her and her famous musician ex-hubby -- who's trying to boot her from their Florida mansion. In her response, obtained by TMZ, Orianne claims Phil made a deal with her that she says he's now trying to back out on.

Basically, Orianne says that in 2015 ... she and Phil rekindled their relationship, and she claims Phil told her that if she divorced her then-husband, Charles Alami, and relinquished her stake in their $20 million estate on Sunset Island in Miami ... he'd give her a 50% stake in their new pad.

Orianne says she agreed and did exactly that -- even moving back in with Phil and their kids and snapping up a massive property in Miami Beach that she says she made her own over the past 5 years.

After a while though, Orianne says things went south ... as she claims Phil became a hermit and completely secluded himself from the world. She also says he lost his musical talents and began abusing pain killers -- and adding insult to injury ... she says he stank.

Orianne mentions a very detailed state of squalor she says Phil allowed himself to fall into -- claiming he stopped brushing his teeth and refused to shower for damn near a year, from 2019 to 2020. Orianne says his stench became unbearable and that by 2019, he was incapable of having sex. She claims "Philips stench became so pervasive that he became a hermit, refusing to interact personally with any people."

As to the meat of the issue -- Orianne is sticking to her story, that Phil promised her half of the home, and is now trying to jettison her without honoring the deal.

The stench of relationships ... it's in the air tonight.

Syracuse's Jim Boeheim Sued Over 2019 Fatal Car Crash

The family of the man who was struck and killed by Jim Boeheim in a tragic 2019 car crash is now suing the hoops coach ... claiming the Syracuse legend was responsible for the man’s death.

It's all in a new lawsuit obtained by TMZ Sports ... in which Jorge Jiminez's family is going after Boeheim after they say the 75-year-old coach is to blame for Jiminez's death.

In the suit, Jiminez's family says Boeheim "was travelling at a high rate of speed and/or was otherwise negligent in the operation of the vehicle" ... which they claim led to the tragedy.

As we previously reported, Boeheim was on his way home from dinner on Feb. 20, 2019 at around 11 PM when cops say he encountered a disabled vehicle in the middle of Route 690 in the City of Syracuse.

Cops say when Boeheim swerved to dodge the car ... he accidentally struck and killed Jiminez, who had just exited the broken down ride.

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AT THE SCENE OF THE CRASH
TMZSports.com

Cops launched an investigation into the incident ... and while they ultimately found Boeheim was going 11 MPH over the 55 MPH speed limit prior to the wreck -- they classified it all as a "tragic accident" and declined to move forward with charges.

Now though, Jiminez's family clearly wants Boeheim to pay up for his role in the incident ... suing both the coach and Syracuse University for unspecified damages.

Neither the school nor Boeheim commented on the lawsuit Monday.

In a statement shortly after the crash, Boeheim had said he was "heartbroken" over Jiminez's death ... adding, "Juli and I extend our deepest sympathies to the Jimenez family."

'Survivor' & 'Big Brother' Reality Show Casts Changing ... 50% People of Color!!!

CBS has heard the calls for more diversity on its hit reality shows ... and it's making a pledge to make it happen.

The network says its unscripted shows -- including the uber-popular "Survivor," "Big Brother" and "Love Island" -- will have casts at least 50 percent Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) beginning with the 2021-22 season.

In addition, CBS vows to commit at least 25 percent of its annual unscripted development budget to projects created or co-created by minorities ... and set a target of 40 percent BIPOC representation in the writers' rooms next year too.

CBS Entertainment Group President & CEO George Cheeks says ... "The reality TV genre is an area that’s especially underrepresented, and needs to be more inclusive across development, casting, production and all phases of storytelling."

Cheeks says the network's diversity pledge is just the first step in discovering new voices for content, and it goes hand-in-hand with a production partnership with the NAACP as well.

As you may know ... CBS has come under fire for racial controversies on its reality programs in recent years, especially with "Big Brother." Houseguests were slammed for making a racially-charged joke about a fellow Asian houseguest in July 2019, and there was an n-word controversy the year before.

Likewise, "Survivor" has taken heat for many years for a lack of diversity among its casts ... and alleged favoritism of white players over minority players.

CBS says its sights are set on changing all of that.

'Scooby-Doo' Co-Creator Ken Spears Dead at 82

"Scooby-Doo" co-creator Ken Spears has died ... less than 3 months after his animation partner also passed away.

Spears reportedly died Friday after complications related to dementia. His son, Kevin, told Variety, "Ken will forever be remembered for his wit, his story-telling, his loyalty to family, and his strong work ethic."

Kevin added, "Ken has not only made a lasting impression on his family, but he has touched the lives of many as co-creator of ‘Scooby-Doo.’ Ken has been a role model for us throughout his life and he will continue to live on in our hearts."

As we reported ... Ken's animation partner, Joe Ruby, died of natural causes back in August. Ken and Joe, both of whom worked for the famed Hanna-Barbera Productions, also created the popular series "Dynomutt" and "Jabberjaw." But, undoubtedly they were most famously known for creating 'Scooby.'

The popular animated series first aired on CBS in 1969 ... with Joe and Ken writing the first 5 episodes ... then editing and supervising the rest of that inaugural series. 'Scooby' aired until 1976, but there have been TONS of spin-offs, reboots and movies.

Ken -- born on March 12, 1938 -- grew up in L.A. and would end up befriending the son of William Hanna. Ken ultimately got hired at Hanna-Barbera in 1959 as a sound editor. It was during his time there when he met Joe ... turning a working relationship into a lifelong partnership.

Ken and Joe supervised CBS' Saturday morning cartoons lineup in the early 1970s. They were tasked with the same role at ABC. The duo created their own production company and produced a slew of animated series such as "Superman" and "Alvin and the Chipmunks" among others.

Ken wasn't limited to just cartoons either. He was also a story consultant for the 1974 TV series, "Planet of the Apes."

Ken is survived by his 2 sons, 5 grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren.

RIP

Prof. Peter Hotez Pfizer Vaccine is Good News, But ... Don't Pop the Bubbly Yet!!!

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PLENTY LEFT TO DO
TMZ.com

Buzzkill alert -- Dr. Peter Hotez is serving up a test tube full of very cautious optimism about Pfizer's huge coronavirus vaccine announcement.

The renowned vaccine expert joined "TMZ Live" Monday to explain exactly what it means for you, IF Pfizer's vaccine really can be 90% effective in preventing coronavirus infections.

First of all ... Professor Hotez -- who is the Co-Director of Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development as well as the Dean of National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine -- points out all the promising information is from a company press release, and other scientists -- outside of Pfizer -- haven't had a chance to confirm the data.

Assuming it is accurate, he says we're now in uncharted territory for a vaccine in terms of the technology, and there are many other complicated variables in producing and distributing it to the population. For instance, it needs to be stored at -94 degrees Fahrenheit!!! No simple task for your average drugstore.

Nevertheless, Hotez is mostly positive about Pfizer's news, and also about the possibility we'll have another vaccine to tag-team this pandemic ... and get us back to our "normal" lives.

Viral 'Dreams' Skateboarder Gets Engaged!!!

Congrats are in order for the Fleetwood Mac "Dreams" skateboarder -- Nathan Apodaca popped the question to his girlfriend, and she said YES!!!

Sources close to the couple tell TMZ ... Nathan proposed to his girlfriend, Estela Chavez, Saturday night in Las Vegas, dropping to one knee at the Nobu Hotel inside Caesars Palace.

As you can see, Nathan's fiancée has a shiny, new diamond engagement ring, which we're told is 3 carats and valued at a cool $22,000.

BTW ... we're told Nathan got the ring from Angel City Jewelers in Los Angeles.

Our sources say Nathan and Estela have been together for 14 months, and they met at the potato factory where he works back home in Idaho.

It's been a whirlwind couple months for Nathan ... he quickly shot to fame after posting a video of him drinking juice and vibing to Fleetwood Mac on his skateboard ... and now he's making tons of money from his merch, commercial appearances and Halloween costume!

Nathan's really living the American dream ... and we're told he's planning to marry Estela in December, just in time for the holidays!

Old news is old news!
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