Celebrity Death

Stephen "tWitch" Boss' widow says some of her kids still don't understand their father is never coming home ... a question that gets asked a lot in the aftermath of death.

Allison Holker Boss sat down for a televised interview with "Today," in which Hoda Kotb got her to open up about how she and her family are coping with tWitch's passing ... which happened just before the holidays, when he took his own life.

As you can imagine, it's emotional ... but one of the more heartbreaking moments comes when Hoda asks her about the three children she shared with tWitch.

They had a 14-year-old, a 7-year-old and a 3-year-old ... Allison says at the younger ones, Maddox and Zaia, still can't comprehend their dad is gone forever -- asking their mom if he'll eventually come home.

Allison says the conversations she's had with them these past several months are something she doesn't wish on anybody.

She also talks about the stigma of mental health -- a hurdle tWitch was privately battling. She wishes he would've felt comfortable to share his struggles.

As we reported ... tWitch left a suicide note alluding to past challenges, but Allison now says there was no outward indication she saw to suggest he was struggling or considering suicide.

Eileen Saki, known for her work as bar owner Rosie on "M*A*S*H," has died ... TMZ has learned.

Family sources tell TMZ Eileen passed away Monday in Los Angeles, following a battle with cancer.

Fans remember Eileen as Rosie on a handful of episodes of the Korean War-era sitcom -- she was the owner of the self-titled "Rosie's Bar," a local spot for G.I.'s to take a load off. Eileen took over as Rosie following 2 previous actresses.

Some might also remember Eileen as Dr. Fujimoto from 1984's "Splash" with Tom Hanks ... and also had roles in "CHiPs" and Mel Brooks' "History of the World: Part I."

Eileen's career spanned decades, as she most recently had an appearance a few months ago in an ad for Uber Eats, getting some help crossing the street from L.A. Rams' defensive tackle, Aaron Donald.

Eileen's survived by her husband, Bob Borgen.

She was 79.

The cause of death for D.H. Peligro, longtime drummer for the Dead Kennedys, is now confirmed to be an overdose of a particular combo of narcotics that's all too familiar these days.

According to the autopsy report obtained by TMZ ... DH, full name Darren Henley, died due to "combined effects of fentanyl and heroin." It says he also suffered from non-small cell lung cancer, but the medical examiner's pointing toward the combination of drugs as the official cause.

The report also mentions he had a history of drug and alcohol abuse.

As we reported, paramedics responded to D.H.'s home in the San Fernando Valley in October after his landlord discovered Henley in a bathroom. He was later pronounced dead on the scene.

His bandmates first said they thought he died after accidentally falling and hitting his head, although, at the time, our law enforcement sources told us it was more mysterious ... and the recent docs say he didn't have any traumatic injuries, such as a head wound.

Jerry Springer was laid to rest in a private ceremony this weekend among family and friends, with plans in place for a public celebration of life in the near future ... TMZ has learned.

Sources with direct knowledge tell us the legendary talk show host -- who died last week after a battle with pancreatic cancer -- was buried Sunday in a suburb of Chicago. We're told there was a relatively small group of people in attendance for the ceremony.

We're told the burial also entailed a religious service -- which our sources say followed traditional Jewish customs.

It might sound like a modest send-off for the late, great Springer -- but our sources assure us his fans will get their own chance to say goodbye as well in the near future. We're told a tribute is being planned -- which, for now, is scheduled to go down on May 16 in Cincinnati.

Our sources tell us it'll be a free ticketed event open to the general public. Right now, organizers are planning how many people can attend -- for now, we're told they're anticipating letting around 500 people inside the venue.

As for what folks can expect during this upcoming ceremony ... our sources say it'll be a good overview of his life and legacy in and out of work -- which touched communities from all walks of life, from politics to entertainment and just about everything in between.

We're also told some famous faces are expected to roll through, but the list is still being worked on. Our sources say videos will be played, guest speakers will talk and music will be performed -- so it's gonna be a big deal. We're told the plan is to stream this as well.

While there'll, no doubt, be a celeb factor at the public service -- we're told the main focus here will be on normies being able to get in and bid Springer a proper farewell. Our sources say more details are forthcoming and that tickets are going to be made available soon.

Jerry Springer and his family chose to keep his cancer battle hidden from the public so his health struggle wouldn't become a burden to many of those who cared so deeply about him ... TMZ has learned.

Jene Galvin, a rep for the Springer family, tells us Jerry was sick for months, running through a series of tests, but only recently found out just how dire his pancreatic cancer diagnosis actually was.

Galvin says Jerry's always been a fairly private person, but he and his family thought it was especially important to keep his cancer private, as they didn't want to worry other people. Instead, Jerry's family shifted their entire focus to aiding with his care, which became extremely time-consuming.

We're told Jerry knew his time was limited -- given the severity and type of cancer -- so he made a point to spend as much time with his loved ones as possible.

Jene says there was only a small circle of people outside of family -- including Jene and Jerry's friend Louis Beck -- who knew about the cancer.

As we first told you, Jerry's longtime friend and partner on TV, Steve Wilkos, told us he and Jerry shared a cigar and some memories about a month ago. Steve says he had no idea Jerry was sick, but looking back on the moment -- he believes it was Jerry's way of saying goodbye.

While Jene tells us Jerry had not designated a specific organization he wanted fans to donate to after his death, he believes a place like The Pancreatic Cancer Action Network is doing good work toward finding a cure.

Jerry Springer, one of the most influential and controversial figures in TV history, has died ... TMZ has confirmed.

Jerry hosted the smash hit syndicated talk show "The Jerry Springer Show" for 27 years ... and it was never a boring moment on the raucous and wild show -- which was known for its outrageous guests who usually got into crazy fights as the audience cheered, "Jerry, Jerry, Jerry, Jerry!"

A family spokesperson says Jerry was battling a "brief illness." Our sources tell us it was pancreatic cancer that was diagnosed a few months ago, and this week he took a turn for the worse.

The spokesperson says he died Thursday morning, peacefully at his home in the Chicago area.

Before TV, he was a politician who ran a failed campaign for U.S. Congress in 1970, got elected to Cincinnati's City Council in 1971 ... and became the city's mayor in 1977. He served one term.

But, Springer became a worldwide sensation with his show ... which debuted in 1991. Most people won't remember this, but when he started Jerry's show focused on political issues. Of course, it eventually became the exact opposite ... and a ratings smash.

Jerry's show was so popular in the late '90s, it even topped Oprah Winfrey's in several cities. 'Springer' finally went off the air in 2018.

He made one more run in TV, with his courtroom show, "Judge Jerry," which ran for 3 seasons.

Jerry's last TV appearance came last season on "The Masked Singer" ... where he performed as "The Beetle," singing a Frank Sinatra classic.

We're told his cancer battle got much worse about a month ago, and he finally had to stop working. He had been hosting a folk music show on a local radio station in Cincinnati.

He's survived by his daughter Katie Springer and his older sister Evelyn.

Jerry was 79. RIP

Jerry Springer's death is sending shockwaves through the daytime TV industry ... with tributes pouring in from other talk show hosts who knew Jerry well.

Maury Povich tells TMZ ... "I am shocked and saddened by Jerry's passing. He was a friend and colleague. He was in his own way a unique showman. I will miss him."

Ricki Lake tells us she loved Jerry and was sad to hear he died, and she's remembering him as "a mensch and a friend."

Ricki adds, "I always loved his final thought at the end of his crazy show. My favorite memory of him was when he and I battled it out on Rap Battle. He was hilarious and he beat my a**. Jerry Springer will be missed."

Sally Jessy tells TMZ ... "I'm extremely sad at the news of Jerry Springer's passing. He was a bright, funny man whom I considered to be a friend. He will be missed."

Even Jerry's former industry "rivals" are giving it up ... with Geraldo Rivera telling us they actually had a friendship off camera despite competing for ratings on daytime TV back in the day.

Geraldo says Oprah was the catalyst who brought him and Jerry together ... though it had been a few years since he last spoke to Jerry and didn't know he was battling cancer.

Despite their competing shows, Geraldo says he and Jerry were "in it together" and always supported one another no matter what ... and he tells us why "The Jerry Springer Show" is still culturally significant.

Jerry Springer will always be remembered for the outlandish topics and wild guests on his talk show, but 9 years ago he made one major change in how he addressed transgender issues on that program.

Jerry's awakening came back in 2014, when he was a guest on "TMZ Live" ... we'd invited him on our show to discuss the backlash he and his producers were getting at the time. "The Jerry Springer Show" had aired an episode entitled, "Tr***ies Twerk It Out," and the LGBTQ community was outraged.

We asked the host about using the t-word, and he told us he'd "just been educated" on the subject. The clip is super interesting ... Jerry said, "I'm not interested in offending people" -- which, in and of itself, might surprise longtime 'Springer Show' critics and fans.

Jerry vowed he'd stop using that term on all future shows. Now, we can't confirm it was never used again, but watch the clip ... he seemed totally earnest in his plan to ban it.

Side note: apologies for that 2014 video quality -- Wi-Fi just wasn't what it is today. Hell, we were only on iPhone 5 back then!!!

Tyler, the Creator is telling fans to enjoy his tunes while he's alive and well, because when he dies ... his music will officially stop.

The Golf Wang curator was explaining this tidbit to the crowd last night during his Estate Sale Show at The El Rey in Los Angeles.

Tyler just dropped a deluxe edition of his Grammy Award-winning album "Call Me If You Get Lost" that featured 8 previously unreleased songs ... and told fans he felt the songs were too good to sit in the vault.

The veteran rapper felt it best he let go of the tracks now because he says his living will prohibits his music from being posthumously released ... especially with "random" artists he wouldn't ever collaborate with while he was alive!!!

Fact is, deceased artists have proven to be cash cows over the years. So, whoever's distributing Tyler's music can't be thrilled with his will ... not that anyone's rushing him to the grave.

Len Goodman, the popular longtime judge on "Dancing With The Stars," has died, his manager confirmed.

Goodman passed away Saturday in a hospice center in Kent, England after a battle with bone cancer, according to the British Broadcasting Corporation.

His manager, Jackie Gill, announced his death Monday morning, saying in a statement that Goodman was "a much loved husband, father and grandfather who will be sorely missed by family, friends and all who knew him."

A once professional ballroom dancer, Goodman served as a 'DWTS' judge from 2005 to 2022 and was known for his wry humor. He acted as head judge in the 2005 season. From 2004 to 2016, he was the top judge on the British adaption of the show called "Strictly Come Dancing."

Friends and family took to social media to remember Goodman.

TV personality Piers Morgan tweeted a photo of himself with Goodman and a caption that read, "Always had a laugh with Len, and swapped a few strong opinions. A quintessential Londoner and a top bloke."

BBC Director-General Tim Davie tweeted that Goodman "appealed to all ages and felt like a member of everyone's family."

Goodman was 78.

Quavo's latest IG caption angered fans who jumped to the conclusion he was taking shots at Offset's new tattoo honoring Takeoff ... but his mother is setting the record straight.

On Thursday, Quavo amassed thousands of comments with a photo shoot atop a giant military aircraft and wrote, "Rocket Power It’s In You Not On You! 👑 #RocketPower🚀."

Many fans took the "not on you" quip as a slight towards the full-back portrait ink Offset debuted last week -- but Quavo's mother/Takeoff's grandmother is assuring fans the line is a quote taken from the late rapper's legacy.

That said, it's not like the remaining Migos members have given fans a ton of reasons to believe they're going to be cool with each other going forward.

Aaron Carter's cause of death -- drowning as a result of being under the influence -- doesn't add up for his fiancée, which is why she wants a second opinion as to how he died.

Melanie Martin -- who shares a child with Aaron -- tells TMZ ... she's not satisfied with the findings of the L.A. County Coroner's Office -- which ruled Aaron's death an accident based on an autopsy following his sudden death last year.

The reason ... she says there are still elements surrounding the circumstances of his passing that don't quite make sense to her -- like the fact he was partially clothed in the bathtub when his body was found ... suggesting to her he was lucid before he died ... which could point to someone else being involved.

Another thing ... there was mention in Aaron's autopsy of a small abrasion on his left eyebrow and another one at the base of his septum. MM tells us that's a red flag to her and a sign of a possible struggle.

Because of these lingering doubts -- which Melanie says she and her son are entitled to have addressed -- she's mulling over the possibility of having Aaron's case examined a second time by a private investigator and medical professional ... only this time, private ones hired by the family.

Melanie also says she wants the additional investigation to give her peace of mind and closure ... as she believes Aaron himself would want no stone unturned.

Here's the reality ... Melanie tells us she simply isn't sure if she'll be able to pull the resources together to do it all. As you might imagine, it's very expensive, and she says she's not equipped at the moment to get it done. Still ... she's considering her options.

Fact is, Melanie is on the same train as Aaron's mother, Jane Carter -- who recently told us the death scene photos that surfaced screamed foul play ... a theory she doesn't think investigators looked into seriously enough.

Melanie says she's even tried doing a little investigating on her own -- going door-to-door for surveillance footage ... but coming up empty. She tells us she wants the homeless housekeeper who was staying with him to get a second look by cops ... not to mention drug dealers she claims had it out for Aaron, and who might've been supplying him.

K-pop star Moonbin, of the popular boy band Astro, has died.

Astro's label Fantagio shared the tragic news with fans Wednesday ... saying the singer "left us and became a star in the sky." The company says it's "deeply mourning" the shocking death alongside his family, droves of fans, and fellow artists.

Fantagio says the family will hold a private funeral with close family, friends, and colleagues.

An official cause of death has yet to be revealed, but South Korean police reportedly found him dead in his apartment in Gangnam-gu, Seoul after allegedly not showing for a recent rehearsal.

Fans of Moonbin know he started working as a model in 2004 when he was just a child ... then transitioned into acting, first grabbing a role in 2009 on the Korean drama "Boys over Flowers."

He then debuted with Astro in 2016 with 5 others -- MJ, Jinjin, Rocky, Cha Eun-woo, and Yoon San-ha. They went on to come out with some hits, including "Candy Sugar Pop" and "Baby." Rocky left the K-pop group in late February of this year.

Moonbin took a brief pause from the band in 2019 due to health-related reasons but made his return the following year. The group had a concert scheduled for mid-May, but that's reportedly been canceled.

He was only 25.

Keith Nale, a two-time contestant on the "Survivor" TV series, has died after a bout with cancer.

His wife, Dana, tells TMZ ... Keith passed away Tuesday in his home in Keithville, Louisiana after he discovered that he had the disease in January. Dana said it was unclear what type of cancer he had.

His presence will definitely be missed. Keith was beloved by his fellow contestants from the "Survivor" franchise, whose producers isolate a group of strangers on an island where they compete in endurance challenges to avoid elimination through voting until one person is left victorious.

Keith and his son, Wes, appeared on 2014's "Survivor: San Juan del Sur," where Keith reached the final four competition before getting the boot. The following year, Keith returned to an alternate version of the show — Survivor: Cambodia — where he nearly made it to the finals again, but he got voted off.

Some of Keith's fellow contestants paid homage to him on social media.

Jeremy Collins, who won "Survivor: Cambodia" in 2015, tweeted his condolences to Keith's family, noting that he and Keith were both firefighters by trade.

Ex-contestant Kelley Wentworth recalled that Keith had the "purest heart" and a good sense of humor when everyone really needed some laughs.

ET was first to report his death.

Keith was 62.

Aaron Carter took prescription pills and huffed before his death, according to the autopsy results ... TMZ has learned.

The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner says its findings show Aaron drowned in the bathtub of his Lancaster home, but he took alprazolam -- generic Xanax -- and inhaled compressed difluoroethane ... which is the propellant used in cans of compressed air.

The report says he became "incapacitated while in the bathtub due to the effects" of the drugs and the huffing ... and, ultimately, he slipped under the water and drowned. Aaron's death is officially ruled accidental.

TMZ broke the story -- Aaron was found dead last November. Aaron's family claimed the coroner had told them there was no water found in his lungs, and they believed he had died of a drug overdose.

According to the autopsy report, there were multiple cans of Surf Onn compressed air found in A bathroom and bedroom. Additionally, authorities found several prescription bottles in the home.

Several clothing items were found near the bathtub -- including a beanie, sweatshirt and pants. A nozzle tip to one of the compressed air cans was found in a front pocket of that sweatshirt.

Aaron's fiancée, Melanie Martin, told us she thought drugs were what killed him -- you'll recall, he had a serious substance abuse problem in the years leading up to his death. As we previously reported, cops found cans of compressed air and prescription pills in Aaron's bedroom and bathroom.

Melanie told us there was a text exchange on Aaron's phone, saying he owed someone $800 for an unknown substance ... submitting the exchange to authorities for further investigation.

His mom, Jane, revealed a series of photos in early March from Aaron's bathroom the day he was found, believing it wasn't an overdose -- instead, calling it a crime scene and speculating that her son may have been a victim of foul play.

Jane said she had support from Aaron's family and friends to put the pics out there, wanting to bring the spotlight back to the case.

We covered it all in the recent episode of The TMZ Podcast, available on all podcast platforms!

Chris Smith -- a former NFL defensive end who was playing in the XFL this season -- has passed away, according to his agent. He was only 31.

NFL agent Drew Rosenhaus confirmed the devastating news via Twitter on Tuesday, sending condolences to his family, friends, and loved ones.

"Rest in Peace Chris," Rosenhaus tweeted. "We will miss you."

Details surrounding his passing are unknown at this time.

Several tributes from fans and athletes were shared on social media after the announcement, including Buffalo Bills' Shaq Lawson who tweeted, "Man prayers up for Chris Smith family."

"This one hurts."

Cleveland Browns star David Njoku said the death of Smith is heartbreaking as he was a "hometown hero" and had "such a kind soul."

Smith was a fifth-round pick in the 2014 NFL Draft after spending four seasons with the Arkansas Razorbacks where he was named Second-team All-SEC.

The North Carolina native played for the Jaguars, Bengals, Browns, Panthers, Raiders, Ravens, and Texans during his 8-year NFL career. He had 80 total tackles, 11 sacks, and 4 forced fumbles.

During the 2018-19 season with the Browns, Smith's girlfriend and mother of his daughter, Petara Cordero, was tragically killed after she was struck by a passing car after getting out of Chris's car.

Smith was starting a new career in the XFL and just signed with the Seattle Sea Dragons on March 9.

R.I.P.