Celebrity Death

The National Transportation Safety Board will formally announce Tuesday the probable cause of the helicopter crash that killed Kobe Bryant and eight others.

Investigators have been working the case for more than a year ... but the NTSB says it will formally announce its findings at a virtual board meeting that will be live-streamed to the public on Feb. 9.

In the days following the crash, the NTSB said preliminary findings showed no outward evidence of engine failure.

Months later, NTSB officials said the pilot, Ara Zobayan, may have been disoriented when the aircraft was caught in deep fog.

The NTSB said in June it found evidence showing Zobayan thought he was ascending over the fog, when in reality, the helicopter was going downward.

Autopsy results showed Zobayan was NOT on alcohol or drugs at the time of the crash ... and NTSB investigators said Zobayan’s girlfriend told them he was in great shape before the accident.

Unclear if there's new evidence to refute the earlier theory, but it seems likely to us the NTSB will confirm its earlier findings.

Along with Kobe and Zobayan, seven others -- including Kobe's daughter, Gianna, and friends Alyssa Altobelli, Keri Altobelli, John Altobelli, Christina Mauser, Payton Chester and Sarah Chester -- perished in the Jan. 26, 2020 crash.

Dustin Diamond was working on a "Saved by the Bell" reboot of his own before he got sick and tragically passed ... bringing back Screech's sidekick for a series of insurance ads.

Dustin's friend, Dan Block of Insurance King, tells TMZ ... they've been working on building their very own Kevin -- Screech's A.I. creation on the original series -- over the past year.

We're told the plan was to shoot a series of commercials with Dustin and Kevin ... where he introduces the robot he built to help save money on car insurance.

Dustin did a bunch of ads for Insurance King already over the years, but this was going to be a new campaign. Sadly, he got sick and passed away before the robot was complete and filming was set to begin.

On the bright side ... Dan says the robot will be complete in the next week, and he wants to offer it to "Saved by the Bell" producers to use in the reboot.

As we've told you ... despite Dustin's desire to be included in the 'SBTB' reboot, he was never asked to join the cast for season 1. However, his rep tells us they were in talks with producers in November 2020 about possibly reviving some Screech storylines for future episodes.

Hal Holbrook -- the longtime, award-winning actor known for playing Mark Twain for more than 60 years -- has died ... TMZ has learned.

Hal's son, David, tells us ... his father passed away of old age at his Beverly Hills home on January 23. We're told he had a number of medical conditions and was having trouble swallowing, but he did not have COVID-19 ... it was simply his time.

Holbrook's career began in the '50s when he developed and starred in the one-man stage show, "Mark Twain Tonight!" which earned him critical acclaim. He would go on to win the Tony for Best Actor in 1966, get his first Emmy nom in 1967, and played the famous American novelist for more than 6 decades ... and in over 2,200 shows.

Playing historical figures on stage -- along with TV and movies -- was a staple for Hal. Throughout his career, he also performed as Abraham Lincoln -- which won him an Emmy in 1976 for the miniseries, "Lincoln" -- and John Adams in the 1984 miniseries, "George Washington."

Most famously though ... Hal gained international stardom for playing Deep Throat in the 1976 classic, "All the President's Men," in which he uttered the famous phrase, "Just follow the money."

Holbrook more recently played Republican congressman Francis Preston Blair in Steven Spielberg's "Lincoln" as well.

Along with all his historical roles, Hal also racked up 12 Emmy nominations and 5 wins. He was married to Dixie Carter until her death in 2010, and had a recurring role on her hit show, "Designing Women." He also directed a handful of episodes.

Hal also appeared in popular TV shows "Evening Shade," and "The West Wing" and starred on both "The Event" and "Sons of Anarchy" when he was in his 80s.

Then, in 2008 at age 82, he became the oldest person ever nominated for an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor at the time ... for his role in 2008's "Into the Wild."

Holbrook's other notable credits over the years include the miniseries "North and South," and films such as "Julia," "The Fog," "Wall Street," "The Firm," "Hercules" and "Men of Honor."

Hal was 95.

Famed P.I. Jack Palladino has died from the grave injuries he suffered during an attempted robbery in his San Francisco neighborhood.

Palladino never regained consciousness after being attacked by 2 would-be robbers Friday and falling and hitting his head on the pavement. His attorney, Mel Honowitz, says Jack died Monday around noon after being taken off life support the day before.

As we reported ... Jack's family says he went outside Friday evening to snap photos of people he believed were making trouble in his neighborhood, and they attacked him and tried to steal his camera.

Palladino's family says he refused to let go, but fell in the process. However, his photographs may have helped police track down the 2 suspects it arrested Sunday for his attack -- 23-year-old Tyjone Flournoy and 24-year-old Lawrence Thomas.

Flournoy and Thomas were booked for attempted robbery and assault with a deadly weapon, but now that Palladino has died ... they may be facing a felony murder charge.

Jack started his career as a P.I. in the '70s, but became one of the premier names in the biz in the '80s ... and worked a bunch of high-profile cases in the '90s.

Those included investigating the extra-marital affair allegations against Bill Clinton in 1992, the cause of death of Kurt Cobain in 1994, and repping a 14-year-old boy in his civil, molestation lawsuit against Michael Jackson.

Jack was 76.

RIP

Dustin Diamond -- best known for playing the lovable Samuel "Screech" Powers on the hit NBC sitcom, "Saved by the Bell" -- has died ... TMZ has learned.

A rep for Dustin tells us he died Monday morning. His condition had greatly declined since last week, and he was taken off of breathing machines in an attempt to get him to hospice care. His GF was by his side when he passed away, and we're told he did not suffer.

Dustin's death comes just a couple weeks after completing his first round of chemo after he was diagnosed with stage 4 small cell carcinoma ... which is commonly referred to as lung cancer. We were told the cancer started somewhere in Dustin's body and metastasized in his lungs.

He was initially hospitalized in Florida in January after feeling pain all over his body and a general sense of unease. Unfortunately for the kid star ... it turned out to be cancer.

Dustin, of course, is famous for playing Screech on four seasons of "Saved by the Bell" as Zack Morris' (Mark-Paul Gosselaar) nerdy sidekick who struggled to get any of Lisa Turtle's (Lark Voorhies) love and affection.

After the kids graduated from Bayside HS ... the show got a short-lived spinoff with "Saved by the Bell: The College Years." There was also "Saved by the Bell: The New Class" ... in which Dustin appeared as Screech from season 2 to 7 as Mr. Belding's assistant.

Dustin wasn't recast for the reboot of the show on Peacock. Back in January 2020, we talked to him about why he wasn't signed on for the new project. The short answer ... he didn't know why but argued for Screech's reprisal.

Dustin would appear in tons of other roles ... including as the groom in 98 Degrees' music video for their 1999 hit track, "I Do (Cherish You)." He also appeared in 2 episodes of "The Wonder Years." He became infamous for directing his own sex tape in 2006 but later admitted to Oprah Winfrey it wasn't him ... but a stunt double.

He also appeared in tons of reality shows ... including "Celebrity Boxing 2" and "Celebrity Fit Club" where he didn't make too many friends after becoming confrontational with numerous cast members.

There were other stunts too that pivoted his career from a beloved child actor to a controversial celebrity. Like when Dustin was supposed to fight the so-called angry bagel guy, Chris Morgan, before CM pulled out of the fight.

But, through it all ... Dustin got tons of love from fans and friends alike, including Insurance King president and CEO Dan Block, who wrapped NASCAR driver Josh Bilicki's car in Dustin's honor.

Dustin's team says they're aware his name is not necessarily the most reputable due to his history of mishaps, but they want the public to understand "he was not intentionally malevolent."

His team adds that he went through a great deal of turmoil in his life, but he was always "a humorous and high-spirited individual whose greatest passion was to make others laugh."

Dustin was 44.

Sophie, one of the most important forces in electronic pop music, has tragically died.

Her reps say ... "Tragically our beautiful Sophie passed away this morning after a terrible accident," explaining, "True to her spirituality she had climbed up to watch the full moon and accidentally slipped and fell."

Sophie became famous in 2013, with the release of "Bipp." She followed that up in 2015 with a number of super-popular singles on Product.

She got a Grammy nom for best dance/electronic album with "Oil of Every Pearl's Un-Insides." One reviewer called the album a combination of "terror, sadness and pleasure."

Sophie was transgender and talked about her journey in 2018, saying, "Transness is taking control to bring your body more in line with your soul and spirit so the two aren't fighting against each other and struggling to survive." She went on to say, "It means you're not a mother or a father -- you're an individual who's looking at the world and feeling the world."

Sophie also co-wrote Madonna's, "Bitch I'm Madonna" in 2015. She also collabed with A.G. Cook, Charli XCX and Vince Staples.

Sophie was 34.

Cicely Tyson, who forged a path for scores of Black actors on Broadway and in Hollywood, has died.

Tyson was a force in entertainment for decades, but in her early years she had few role models because there were few people of color who were at the top of the Hollywood game.

She won 2 Emmys for Lead Actress in 1974, for "The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman." The year before she was nominated for the Best Actress Oscar for the movie "Sounder."

Tyson started her career as a model in NYC. She was on the covers of Ebony, Jet, Harper's Bazaar and Vogue. Still, her mom was none too pleased, telling her she couldn't live in the family house if she pursued entertainment. Her mom didn't speak to her for several years.

Younger audiences would know Cicely from "The Help" and "Fried Green Tomatoes."

She also made her mark on Broadway and won a Tony for Best Actress in a Play in 2013's "The Trip to Bountiful." That made her the oldest recipient ever of a Best Actress Tony.

President Obama bestowed a Presidential Medal of Freedom award to Tyson in 2016, saying, "Cicely made a conscious decision not just to say lines, but to speak out. Cicely's convictions and grace have helped for us to see the dignity of every beautiful member of the American family -- and she's just gorgeous."

Earlier in her career, Cicely starred in a play called "The Blacks." It was an off-Broadway play in the '60s and some of her co-stars were Maya Angelou, James Earl Jones and Louis Gossett Jr.

Cicely was 96.

John Gilbert Getty -- one of the heirs to the Getty fortune -- died from complications related to a fentanyl overdose ... TMZ has learned.

The Bexar County Medical Examiner's Office in Texas tells TMZ ... John died of cardiomyopathy and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease -- heart disease and COPD, in layman's terms -- complicated by fentanyl toxicity.

The M.E. also says the overdose was accidental.

As we reported ... John died back in November after he was found unresponsive in a San Antonio hotel room.

It was a tumultuous 2020 for the Getty family. Just 2 months before John died ... his mother, Ann, died from a heart attack. John's other brother, Andrew, died in 2015 from meth intoxication.

John Gilbert, of course, was one of several descendants of J. Paul Getty -- the oilman whose art collection was central to the famed Getty Museum in Los Angeles.

Hank Aaron's closest friends and teammates joined to pay their respects to the late baseball legend on Tuesday ... with the Atlanta Braves hosting an emotional memorial service.

Hammerin' Hank -- who famously finished his career with 755 home runs -- died last Friday of natural causes.

Names like Chipper Jones, MLB commissioner Rob Manfred and Marquis Grissom spoke at the ceremony in person.

Chipper told the story about how Hank told the Braves to draft him back in the day.

"Y'all better draft that Jones boy. I'll never forget that," Jones regaled ... "That comment must carry some weight."

Jones added, "I respected the man so much. I wouldn't want to disappoint him or his family."

Rob Manfred explained why it was destiny for Hank to break Babe Ruth's career home run record.

"Just like Jackie Robinson was the perfect person to change our game forever, Hank Aaron was the perfect person to see the historic moment he created in 1974."

Other stars like John Smoltz, Tom Glavine, Dusty Baker, Dale Murphy, Freddie Freeman and more paid tribute via pre-recorded videos.

Glavine said, "We've all seen the movie 'Field of Dreams' ... if there is a baseball team in heaven, they just picked up one heck of a clean-up hitter."

"I miss my baby girl and Kob-Kob so much."

That's Vanessa Bryant remembering Kobe Bryant and Gianna on the 1 year anniversary of their tragic deaths ... while publicly pondering why such a horrible thing could happen to such "beautiful, kind and amazing human beings."

Kobe and Gianna -- along with 7 others -- passed away in a helicopter crash in Calabasas on January 26, 2020.  Kobe was 41. Gianna was only 13.

So, on January 26, 2021 ... Vanessa posted an emotional letter penned by one of Gianna's best friends, Aubrey Callaghan.

"If I ever become a mom, I hope my daughter turns out exactly as yours did," Aubrey wrote to Vanessa ... "She was kind, caring and endlessly polite."

She continued, "I am so, so blessed I got to have time with your angel of a daughter, and thank you for giving me that chance."

Aubrey also praised Gigi as a fierce and talented competitor on the basketball court -- and yeah, she was right!!

Vanessa responded to Aubrey ... saying, "I love you Aubz (as my Gigi would call you)."

"Thank you so much for beautifully sharing some of your memories of my Gigi with me and allowing me to share them here on my ig."

She concluded her post with something most people are still trying to wrap their heads around -- "I will never understand why/how this tragedy could’ve happened to such beautiful, kind and amazing human beings."

"It still doesn’t seem real."

She concluded with a message to her husband ...

"Kob, we did it right. Gigi, you still make mommy proud. I love you! #PlayGigisWay #Mambacita#Mamba #DaddysGirl #GirlDad."

RIP Kobe, Gigi, Alyssa Altobelli, Keri Altobelli, John Altobelli, Christina Mauser, Payton Chester, Sarah Chester and Ara Zobayan.

Magic Johnson also weighed in on Tuesday morning -- saying, "Thank you God for allowing me enjoy Kobe Bryant for 20 years as a great basketball player, athlete, husband, father, philanthropist, mentor & teacher of the game to many men & women of all ages, best friend to Rob Pelinka, & brother to [Jeanie Buss]."

It's been 365 days since Kobe Bryant tragically passed away ... but Byron Scott's still nowhere close to moving on -- telling TMZ Sports, "I still think about him every day."

The former NBA star was very tight with the Mamba -- Byron played with Kobe AND coached him -- and he says getting through the tragedy has been hard as hell.

"There's two people that passed away in my life," Byron said. "My mom, who I think about all the time, and 'Showboat.' I think about him every day."

Scott explained, "It's something about him that, in my life, every day something brings me back to a memory of KB."

Byron says from when he met Kobe as a 17-year-old, to coaching him with the Lakers in his late 30s -- Bryant inspired him in nearly every way.

"I was just blessed to be able to be around him," said Byron, who added Kobe was "an unbelievable person."

As we reported, 41-year-old Bryant died along with his daughter, Gianna, and seven others in a helicopter crash one year ago today.

The NBA world has paid homage to the legend in nearly every way since the wreck -- with stars like LeBron James and Anthony Davis getting Kobe tribute tattoos, and others, like Charles Barkley and J.R. Smith, remembering him publicly in recent days.

Byron says the legacy Kobe left behind is unquestioned ... telling us he believes the former Lakers superstar is firmly in the conversation for greatest basketball player of all time.

Kyrie Irving is honoring the late Kobe Bryant before taking the court Monday night ... wearing the Lakers legend's iconic #8 jersey ahead of the 1-year anniversary of his death.

KAI and the Black Mamba built a strong relationship over the years ... with the 5-time champ serving as a mentor for the young superstar.

With Tuesday marking one year since the Bryant's tragic death, the Brooklyn Nets guard wanted to make sure he did something Kobe-related with his wardrobe choice.

"You know who I was rockin’ tonight," Irving said as he entered Barclays Center to face off against the Miami Heat ... showing off the Purple & Gold threads.

The players may decide to pay homage to Kobe, but teams and the NBA reportedly will not officially address the anniversary per the family's request, according to reporter Jason Dumas.

Lakers star Anthony Davis spoke about how emotional the next few days will be ... saying, "As we approach his 1-year anniversary, it saddens our hearts to actually come to the realization that he's gone."

"I know I still have trouble with it, you still just can't believe it."

LeBron James added ... "There's a lot of things that die in this world, but legends never die." James said "And he's exactly that."

RIP

Officials DO NOT believe the COVID-19 vaccination played any role in Hank Aaron's death based on a preliminary investigation -- this according to the Fulton County Medical Examiner's office.

The 86-year-old MLB legend and his wife received the first of 2 vaccine doses at the Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta on Jan. 4. Hank died just a few weeks later on Jan. 22.

Some had concerns the vaccine may have been a factor in the slugger's death -- but a rep for the FCME tells TMZ Sports it appears Hank died of natural causes unrelated to the COVID shot.

As we previously reported, Hank -- along with other prominent Black leaders -- decided to get the shot in front of the media in hopes of showing others in the community that the vaccine is safe.

One of the people who got vaccinated with Aaron is Ambassador Andrew Young -- who told KSDK in Atlanta the MLB legend "never had any reaction" to the shot before his death.

"I talked to the fella who was his driver," Young told KSDK ... "And I said, 'Was Hank feeling any discomfort or any problem over the last few days?' And he said, 'No.'"

We're told Aaron's primary doctor will ultimately sign off on cause of the death on Hank's death certificate -- but so far, there does not appear to any evidence showing a link to the COVID vaccine.

Aaron -- one of the greatest baseball players of all time -- raved about the vaccine in the days after the shot ... telling AP, "[It] makes me feel wonderful. I don’t have any qualms about it at all."

"I feel quite proud of myself for doing something like this. ... It’s just a small thing that can help zillions of people in this country."

Hank Aaron's life has been celebrated by some of the most famous and powerful people on Earth -- including President Biden, President Barack Obama, Magic Johnson, Mike Trout, Barry Bonds and more.

J.R. Smith is opening up about Kobe Bryant -- just before the 1 year anniversary of Mamba's death -- explaining why Kobe made him a better person and basketball player.

"Took these days for granted," Smith said about a photo of the two playing each other back in the day ... "Thought i was really going to play against you forever."

Then came the personal message to his friend ...

"Appreciate the competitive nature you brought out in me, sh*t can’t lie i ain’t know i had some of this shit till you [handed] out them ass whoopings an i had to figure it out."

"The game misses your avatar but we all know your soul is all around it. Miss you."

Kobe -- along with his daughter Gianna and 7 other people -- passed away in a helicopter crash on January 26, 2020.

After Kobe's death, Smith joined the Lakers -- and back in August, he told the media how the team kept Bryant's memory alive.

"His name comes up every single day," Smith said at the time ... "We chant his name after every break, after every huddle."

"We always speak of his memory. We speak of his mindset, how we can attach that to our team as individuals to collectively come together for this one common goal that we’re all trying to strive to get."

Charlie Balducci -- best known for his time on the MTV reality show, "True Life" -- died from a drug overdose ... TMZ has learned.

The New York City Medical Examiner's Office tells TMZ ... Charlie's cause of death is acute intoxication by the combined effects of oxycodone, hydrocodone and alprazolam. The manner of his death has been ruled accidental.

TMZ broke the story ... Balducci was found unresponsive in his bed back in July and paramedics pronounced him dead at the scene. When we spoke to his mom, she told us his death came unexpectedly since he hadn't exhibited any kind of sickness.

For the non-hardcore reality TV aficionados out there ... Balducci is known as a trailblazer of sorts in the reality TV world after appearing in "True Life: I'm Getting Married." He allowed MTV cameras to follow him for 4 months before marrying Sabrina ... which ultimately produced one of the most infamous rants ever caught on TV.

Larry King -- the legendary TV and radio host who conducted more than 30,000 interviews in a storied 60-year career -- has died.

King died at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center early Saturday ... this, according to Ora Media, the media company Larry co-founded.

Larry was diagnosed with COVID-19 over the holidays, and was hospitalized in the ICU at one point, but had recently been moved to a regular hospital room, and was breathing on his own. Things took a turn, and King died Saturday morning.

Larry -- government name Lawrence Harvey Zeiger -- started his career in radio as a disc jockey at WAHR-AM in Miami ... after officially changing his last name to King.

His voice would ultimately land him jobs at radio stations across America before finding fame with "The Larry King Show." The nationally-syndicated late-night radio talk show debuted in 1978 across 28 cities ... and in just 5 short years the show was heard in 118 cities.

Larry's career catapulted to the big time when, in 1985, "Larry King Live" premiered on the fledgling CNN. He interviewed just about every iconic figure ... from Sir Paul McCartney, John F. Kennedy Jr. and Marlon Brando (they kissed on the lips in 1994) to Presidents Gerald Ford, Bill Clinton and Barack Obama. Larry also interviewed Vladimir Putin.

Larry was a unique talent and an incredible interviewer who made his craft look effortless. He was completely absorbed in conversations with his guests, and he did something that escapes many other interviewers -- HE LISTENED. Larry wasn't thinking about his next question -- he was always in the moment. And something else ... he never asked long questions just to hear himself talk. His questions were short, and almost always on point.

The popular late-night TV show aired its last episode on December 16, 2010 ... becoming CNN's most-watched and longest-running program. But, he didn't exactly go away quietly ... Larry's one-man comedy show "Larry King: Stand Up" debuted 4 months later. He also started "Larry King Now" ... an online series that later migrated to Russian-owned news channel, RT.

Larry loved getting married almost as much as doing interviews -- he did it 8 times ... to Freda Miller (1952), Annette Kaye (1961), Alene Akins (1961), Mickey Sutphin (1963), Alene again (1967), Sharon Lepore (1976), Julie Alexander (1989) and Shawn (1997). He filed for divorce from Shawn in 2019.

The last time we saw Larry was in February 2020, when he mused on the upcoming Dodgers season. The Brooklyn native and lifelong Dodgers fan watched them win their first World Series in 32 years after the COVID-shorted 2020 season.

Larry -- who published more than 20 books and had a USA Today column for decades -- coped with various ailments throughout his life ... mostly heart problems. He suffered several heart attacks and, in 1987, had quintuple bypass surgery. In fact, Larry married his most recent wife, Shawn King, at UCLA Medical Center where he was being treated for chest pains.

Larry tied the knot with Shawn just before undergoing heart surgery.

Just this past July, Larry's son Andy King, 65, unexpectedly passed away of a heart attack in late July, while his daughter Chaia King, 52, died just weeks later from lung cancer.

Larry's survived by 5 children ... Cannon, Chance, Danny, Kelly and Larry Jr. He was 87, and what an accomplished and full 87 years they were.