'Once Upon A Time' Actor Chris Gauthier Dead at 48

Chris Gauthier -- known for shows like "Once Upon A Time" and "Smallville" -- has died ... his agency confirmed in a statement.

The actor reportedly passed away suddenly Friday after recently falling ill with TriStar Appearances/Event Horizon Talent lamenting his loss to TVLine.

Tristar's Chad Colvin wrote in a Facebook post that Gauthier was the very definition of a character actor ... not an actor with a name one might know, but one whose sheer presence in a show or movie could pique the interest of any audience.

Gauthier appeared in a number of popular projects over the years including "A Series of Unfortunate Events," "iZombie," "Psych," "Supernatural," "Smallville," "Watchmen," "Agent Cody Banks," "Little Man," "Freddy vs. Jason" -- and a whole lot more.

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He was perhaps best known for his role in the TV show science-fiction show "Eureka" where he played gourmet chef Vincent in 67 episodes, and later as Mr. Smee -- Captain Hook's first mate in the ABC drama "Once Upon A Time."

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In fact, his 'OUAT' costar Colin O'Donoghue, who played Captain Hook in the series, also posted a touching tribute to Chris ... saying he was the real captain all along.

Chris is survived by his wife Erin and their two children.

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He was 48.

RIP

Britney Spears Thanks Janet Jackson on Social Media ... Shot at Justin Timberlake???

Britney Spears is showing some love to the great Janet Jackson on Instagram ... while her feud with Justin Timberlake rages on.

The singer-songwriter wrote a loving tribute to JJ in a since deleted Instagram post, thanking Janet for breathing continued life into her dreams while saying she's always looked up to her.

She wrote the emotional message on a screengrab of Jackson' self-titled album, "Janet" released back in 1993.

While it might have just been an innocuous tribute post to another music legend, Britney's got some common ground with Janet ... in that Justin Timberlake won't apologize to either of them.

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Remember ... during a show in New York City at the end of last month, Justin told the crowd he was going to apologize to "absolutely f***ing nobody" before singing "Cry Me A River" -- a clear dig at Brit, but Janet fans assumed that meant her as well.

Justin and Janet will be forever linked for their fateful 2004 Super Bowl Halftime show where Justin ripped Jackson's costume revealing one of her breasts to the crowd -- something he chalked up to an accident at the time.

However, he apologized to both Britney and Janet back in 2021 ... after the documentary "Framing Britney Spears" aired on Hulu, saying he had inadvertently benefited from misogynistic institutions and felt he needed to say sorry for that.

Of course, Britney and Justin have been on especially bad terms after the fake-out apology ... with Spears basically calling Timberlake a crybaby in a basketball-related post.

Maybe Britney's trying to collect allies in her war with JT ... or maybe she's just sending love to a fellow artist.

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Either way, Britney's post certainly got fans' eyebrows raised.

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Stay tuned ...

Cam Newton Dragged Into Brawl ... Fight at 7v7 Football Event

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Cam Newton appeared to get in a fight with a group of guys recently ... and it was all caught on video.

The former NFL quarterback's right in the middle of a group of guys who have jumped on him, and he's trying to hold them back without swinging back.

As they spun around, another man in a white t-shirt came up and threw a punch at Cam, a blow that appeared to make contact with someone.

Ultimately, Cam fended off these people long enough to receive help from others -- including a police officer who came in and backed several individuals away from Newton.

There's not a lot of context about what started the brawl which seems to have taken place at the B.E.S.T. Academy 6-12 in Atlanta.

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It seems Cam was there for an event put on by his foundation C1N, a 7v7 league that plays tournaments all across the country.

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Another angle of the brawl shows a couple of the guys shoving Cam around before the group goes flying off into an area covered by trees -- but, outside of that, it's unclear what might've set off such an explosive situation.

We've reached out to Cam's camp and Atlanta police ... so far no word back.

We covered it all on the latest episode of The TMZ Podcast, available on all podcast platforms.

Chuck Liddell UFC Champ Overboard!!! ... Falls Off Lambo Yacht

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Chuck Liddell went for a swim in San Diego over the weekend ... though he didn't do it voluntarily, instead slipping off a boat into the bay!

TMZ has obtained video of Chuck hanging around on a Lamborghini yacht, talking expressively with a couple dudes and seemingly leaning forward to show them a move with his fist balled.

Unfortunately, seems like CL didn't quite have his sea legs underneath him 'cause he started to fall backward -- and Chuck's companions weren't looking toward him, so they weren't able to stop his descent.

Liddell made a big splash into the water, and the alarm bells sounded with the whole crew kicking into rescue mode to drag Chuck back on board.

The yacht's owner, Ace Rogers, jumps off the back and swims toward Chuck helping him back up. He's got guys pulling on his arms while another supports his back as a little dog looks on.

It takes a while for his buddies to pull him back up onto the deck -- Chuck's a pretty big dude -- but ultimately they dragged him up out of the water.

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Acting like the champ he is ... Chuck -- who was a special guest for the Digital Mastery Mastermind event over the weekend -- just kept on vibing into the evening, eyewitnesses say he had food delivered to the Lambo yacht.

He also waved hello to a collection of fans -- though he didn't leave the boat for the rest of the night.

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So it seems like Chuck's alright after his fall ... but, we've reached out to him to check in. So far no word back.

UFC Fight Night 237 Fight Breaks Out Ringside ... Fan Knocked Out!!!

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UFC Fight Night 237 saw some big names throw down in Mexico City ... but the biggest knockout of the night may have actually happened outside the Octagon.

Video of a brawl breaking out in the crowd during the big event Saturday night is going viral online ... with a huge group of men grabbing each other by the shirt and throwing punches, essentially turning the crowd into a mosh pit.

Right in the middle of the melee ... one of the biggest knockouts in UFC history -- if you can count a fight going down in the stands that is.

Check out the vid ... a man in a black shirt throws a vicious left hook against his unsuspecting victim, and the guy's body basically goes limp as he hits the concrete canvas.

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The fight sorta cools off after the KO ... with guys on both sides holding people back -- though they don't look like security guards per se.

In fact, it seems like security took forever to respond -- just check out the multiple angles of the fight that go on for a while ... and UFC prez Dana White even expressed his shock at the lack of a security presence.

White said he stood there watching the fight for a while, just waiting for security to come in and handle the fight ... but they seemed to just let it go until it ended.

DW's clear though -- he doesn't feel it reflects poorly on the UFC ... even if it was one of the craziest things he's ever seen, he said.

BTW ... several fights actually went down in the ring too with Brandon Royval defeating Brandon Moreno to launch himself back into UFC Flyweight title contention.

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A pretty successful night in UFC ... even if some fans got a closer look at the action than they were expecting.

Shane Gillis Back on 'SNL' After Firing ... Doesn't Tone Down Jokes

Shane Gillis finally took the "Saturday Night Live" stage more than four years after being hired then fired from SNL before his first episode ... and fans are pretty split on his hosting performance.

The comedian stepped out centerstage of Studio 8H in New York City to host the legendary sketch show, and he barely addressed the scandal that got him fired back in 2019 ... instead launching into material that drew the ire of some fans.

SG started, "Most of you probably have no idea who I am. I was fired from this show a while ago. Don't look that up, please. If you don't know who I am, please don't Google that."

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And, then he just moved on -- not addressing or apologizing for comments he made back in 2018 about Asian-American people that got him axed.

Instead, Shane decided to launch into a whole new set of jokes that seemingly alienated part of his audience.

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He performed several minutes on Down Syndrome before using a pair of words pejoratively which have become taboo in recent years. You can check out the clip for yourself to hear what Gillis said.

Shane seemed to feel the tension in the room, mentioning multiple times that he thought certain jokes would get bigger laughs and adding he could see people clearly not enjoying his set.

He performed in a few noteworthy sketches BTW ... one parodying Donald Trump's new golden sneakers and another alongside cast member Bowen Yang -- the first full-time Asian American on the show who was vocal when Shane was fired.

As for fan reactions ... they're pretty split. Just look up Gillis' name on X. Some people are obviously calling Gillis out for his non-PC comments while others are saying they loved his irreverent set.

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Seems like only one way to settle this ... let us know what you think below!

Shane Gillis' Monologue Was ...

'Star Trek' & Marvel Actor Kenneth Mitchell Dead at 49 ... Lengthy Battle w/ ALS

Kenneth Mitchell -- who starred in a 'Star Trek' television show and Marvel movie -- has died, according to a statement from his family.

The actor passed away Saturday his family announced via his Instagram account ... remembering him as not only a decorated actor but also a dedicated family man.

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His family says he passed away after a battle with ALS that began more than five years ago saying he believed each day was a gift despite the difficulties he faced with his illness.

Mitchell appeared in a number of movies and television shows over the years including "Nancy Drew," "The Astronauts Wives Club," "NCIS," "Castle," "Criminal Minds," and "Grey's Anatomy."

His breakout role came back in 2006 when he received a starring part in the show "Jericho." Mitchell appeared in 27 of the show's 29 episodes during its two-season run.

More recently, Mitchell made the jump into the science-fiction realm ... appearing as Carol Danvers' father Joe in the 2019 Marvel hit "Captain Marvel" and appearing in a number of roles for the Paramount+ original "Star Trek: Discovery."

Mitchell is survived by his wife Susan, kids Lilah and Kallum, his parents, siblings and numerous nieces and nephews. The family's asking people to donate to ALS research in his memory.

Kenneth was 49.

RIP

Travis and Patrick Belting Out 'We Are The Champions' in Vegas!!!

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Travis Kelce and Patrick Mahomes kept the party going Saturday night in Vegas, hitting up XS nightclub at Wynn Las Vegas with their team as they belted out Queen's "We Are the Champions."

The group partied their faces off with the help of EDM star Marshmello. Travis is up on stage as he and some other guys sprayed the crowd with champagne as everyone went nuts.

It was pretty intense ... Travis was covered in sweat, at times wiping his head with a towel.

Of course, Marshmello played "Love Story" as an homage to Travis's relationship with Taylor Swift, and Trav knew the drill ... jumping and singing along.

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But the real moment was when Travis, Patrick and co. belted out "We Are The Champions," as everyone in the joint just lost it.

Earlier in the day, Travis and Patrick, along with other teammates, hit up LAVO at The Palazzo for a brunch party ... and party they did!

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Travis is really racking up the miles, returning from Sydney where he went to the zoo with his GF and then hit up her show.

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What's so remarkable ... the Aussies aren't into American football, but Travis walked in like a superstar and the crowd went wild for him.

Party on!!!

Wendy Williams Lifetime Show Highlights Struggles, Excessive Drinking

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Wendy Williams has really gone through it, and it's more than apparent in the new Lifetime doc that just aired.

The 59-year-old former talk show host has been diagnosed with aphasia and dementia ... the same diagnosis as Bruce Willis. In the doc, it's clear Wendy has alcohol issues, downing an entire bottle of vodka.

The show highlights the effects of the disease, showing erratic behavior and frequent outbursts at her staff.

One of the most heartbreaking parts of the doc ... there were moments where Wendy is aware she is dealing with an illness that is beyond her control, and it all feels hopeless.

The drinking was a big issue in the show, with her manager expressing concern that he doesn't know how to get her off the bottle.

It's clear from the doc Wendy is well down the road of cognitive decline.

The show chronicles the progression of the disease, with her driver talking about what he saw as Wendy lost her ability to function.

The show was filmed from August, 2022 to April, 2023.

A judge has created a guardianship over Wendy's finances, although the documents are sealed, so no details.

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Part 2 of the Lifetime show airs Sunday.

Travis Kelce & Patrick Mahomes Super Bowl Party In Vegas Rocks the House

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Travis Kelce and Patrick Mahomes threw a rager in Vegas to celebrate their 2024 Super Bowl victory AGAIN – and it was nothing less than spectacular the second time around!!!

The Kansas City Chiefs standouts showed up with their friends and teammates at LAVO Las Vegas' "Party Brunch" Saturday afternoon – and they were all treated like royalty right from the jump. As you know, the Chiefs held their first Super Bowl bash at Sin City's Zouk nightclub 2 weeks ago after they beat the San Francisco 49ers in the big game.

With Travis and Patrick leading the way, the players were escorted into a roped off section of the club for their VIP soiree at LAVO.

The whole team let loose, lapping up the loud DJ music, table dancers, full bottle service and scantily clad servers passing out liquor shots.

TMZ obtained this exclusive video of all the fun Travis and Patrick were having with their boys.

Check it out ... Travis, with a big smile on his face, was holding two bottle of Ace of Spades champagne, passing one of them to a buddy. Then Travis started grooving and mouthing the words to the song being played by the DJ.

At another point, Travis and Patrick were in the middle of a crowd, singing Neil Diamond's hit, "Sweet Caroline." Travis was hopping up and down with a bunch of other people before turning to Patrick and giving him a handshake.

Of course, Travis has a lot to be happy about. Before returning to Vegas, the Chiefs tight end spent two nights with GF Taylor Swift ... where, by the way, fans treated him like a rock star.

The lovebirds spent time at the zoo in between Taylor's concerts in Sydney, Australia. Travis attended Friday's show, where Taylor changed the lyrics to "Karma," to show her devotion.

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Life is good for Taylor and Travis.

SAG Awards Splashy After-party ... 'Oppenheimer,' 'The Bear' Win Big

"Oppenheimer" snagged 3 big trophies Saturday night at the SAG Awards, and a ton of stars were there to celebrate at the afterparty.

The party went down at the Chateau Marmont on the Sunset Strip. On hand ... Jennifer Aniston, Fran Drescher, Melissa McCarthy, Jason Sudeikis, Glen Powell, Bryan Cranston, Laverne Cox, Michael Cera, Casey Affleck, Chase Crawford, Nicholas Braun, Alan Ruck and a bunch others.

BTW ... Jen Aniston turned heads with a new, short hairdo... courtesy of the man who made "The Rachel" famous -- Chris McMillan.

As for the awards, "Oppenheimer" won for Best Cast, Best Actor, Cillian Murphy, and Best Supporting Actor, Robert Downey, Jr.

"Succession" won for Best Dramatic Cast, and Pedro Pascal won for "Best Male Actor in a Drama Series" for "The Last of Us."

"The Bear" took home honors for "Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series." Jeremy Allen White and Ayo Edebiri won for their performances.

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Oscars are in 2 weeks, and the SAG Awards hint at what might go down.

TAYLOR SWIFT & TRAVIS KELCE Beware of Speed Bumps Ahead!!!

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Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce are the epitome of the ultimate modern-day fairytale ... but they aren't immune to challenges -- starting with insane schedules.

We're diving deep into a solid relationship that could hit speed bumps in "TMZ Investigates: Taylor & Travis: Ultimate Love Story," airing Monday on FOX at 9/8c on Fox.

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Dr Phil kicks it off ... telling us the biggest threat to the pop idol and the NFL star is their jam-packed schedules ... not allowing them to spend enough quality time together.

'Millionaire Matchmaker' star Patti Stanger adds their long-distance romance is a challenge. She says the little things couples do together will be few and far between, with Taylor touring the world and Travis with his own peripatetic career.

There's also the obvious lack of privacy, which is often a major reason for Hollywood couples calling it quits. Taylor's been in the spotlight since forever, so she's kinda used to it. But Travis Kelce? He's already experienced the shocking lack of privacy since he began dating her.

"Shark Tank" star Mark Cuban raises the privacy point ... saying privacy for them is truly out the window.

"TMZ Investigates: Taylor & Travis: Ultimate Love Story" premieres Monday, February 26 9/8c on FOX and the next day on Hulu.

'Ted Lasso' Stars Tuxedos On For Soccer Match ... Before Walking SAG Red Carpet

Jason Sudeikis and Brendan Hunt have their priorities in order ... hanging out "Ted Lasso" style before rolling up to the SAG Awards by hitting a pro soccer match.

The actors pulled up to MLS team LAFC's home BMO Stadium to watch the Los Angeles-based team take on the Seattle Sounders hours before one of the biggest nights in movies and television kicked off.

No time to go home and change between the events ... JS and BH hit the game in their awards show best, trading in their kits for tuxedos.

Check out the pic ... the guys looked dapper as they watched the home team take the W 2-1 before making the short trip to the Shrine Auditorium and Expo Hall.

The two venues are right around the corner from one another ... so no need for the dynamic duo to worry about missing the beginning of the show.

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In fact, they both even had time to walk the red carpet ... and Jason was in his seat when the winner of Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series was announced -- an award he was up for.

Unfortunately, Sudeikis lost to Jeremy Allen White ... but he seemed completely fine with the L, laughing it off with costar and fellow nominee Brett Goldstein.

'PAWN STARS' RICK HARRISON SHOW WON'T ADDRESS LATE SON'S DEATH

Rick Harrison's late son Adam won't be discussed on the new season of "Pawn Stars" ... TMZ has learned.

A Harrison family spokesperson tells us ... with Rick personally addressing Adam's tragic passing last month, there will be no further comment in future episodes. Also, Adam wasn't a cast member of the show.

We're told the Harrison family are keeping themselves busy amid the unfathomable tragedy ... and have started filming new episodes this month.

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Adam -- one of Rick's three boys -- helped out at the World Famous Gold & Silver Pawn Shop back in the day, despite not being featured on the show.

TMZ broke the story ... Adam died from a fentanyl overdose last month, with Rick posting an emotional IG tribute saying, "You will always be in my heart! I love you Adam. 💔"

Rick attributed his son's death to fentanyl freely flowing across the border, emphasizing to us the urgent need to address this crisis in our country.

The Harrison family has since established an education fund for Adam's son ... after being inundated with pleas from people asking how they can show support.

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As for now, "Pawn Stars" will stick to business as usual, as the Harrison family copes during this difficult time.

Ex-NFLer Blake Proehl I'd Take A Grammy Over Super Bowl ... Amid 'Idol' Run

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Former Minnesota Vikings receiver Blake Proehl is going all-in on his music career ... and he's so serious about the new endeavor, he tells TMZ Sports he'd take a Grammy over a Super Bowl win!!

The 25-year-old blew the "American Idol" judges away during his audition on the 22nd season of the singing show ... even bringing Katy Perry to tears as he earned a golden ticket to Hollywood.

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We caught up with Proehl fresh off the emotional performance ... and he said it's still hard to wrap his head around the fact it actually happened, but he hopes his journey inspires others to follow their dreams -- even if they lack experience or confidence in taking a leap of faith.

Of course, Proehl spent a few years in the NFL ... but he fell back in love with music when he was sidelined following an injury in 2021.

The time away from the field led to his decision to leave football in the past -- despite having opportunities to continue his career -- and now, it's full steam ahead in entertainment.

Proehl explained he understands the risk of switching professions -- especially considering it's rare to make it big in music -- but all that mattered was that he was doing what he loved.

Proehl added his old self would be shocked to see how everything changed so quickly ... but he wouldn't change a thing.

Matisyahu Jewish People Will 'F***ing Win' Conflict ... Performs on H'wood Street

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Matisyahu's fed up with the lack of concern for the hostages in Gaza ... going on an expletive-filled tirade against perceived antisemitic behavior.

We caught up with the singer-songwriter Tuesday when he decided to busk on the street for the first time in 25 years ... belting out songs in the cold on the heels of venues canceling his shows.

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Remember ... we spoke to Matis last week after his shows in Tucson, Arizona and Santa Fe, New Mexico were canceled because of last-minute safety concerns. Matisyahu was convinced both cancellations were the result of his views on the war in Gaza.

Clearly, Matis is tired of relying on venues and decided to take his music to the street ... saying he just wants to share his message of "love" with audiences.

Despite saying love's his purpose, Matisyahu admits he's also upset with the situation in the Middle East -- and his feelings of love quickly manifested into a diatribe on double standards.

Matis focused on the hostages in Gaza and slammed people who don't seem super concerned about them. He's got a theory on why this is ... chalking up the apathy to antisemitism.

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Matisyahu fired off a list of other moments in history where Jewish people faced hardship and overcame ... before firing off the rallying cry, "We will f***ing win."

He followed all this up with a performance of "No Woman, No Cry" -- the hit song popularized by Bob Marley -- belting out the song with electric guitar accompaniment.

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Seems like Matis is turning the world into his concert hall ... so, maybe do a double-take next time you're walking by a street performer.