Celebrity Death

Vanessa Bryant is honoring Kobe Bryant on his 43rd birthday by posting a heartfelt message to her late husband ... saying she will love him forever.

The tributes have been pouring in for the NBA legend on Monday ... with the Lakers, Carmelo Anthony, Russell Wilson and more sharing messages of love.

Vanessa shared a picture of the couple kissing and posing with the Larry O'Brien trophy after winning one of his 5 championships on Instagram just minutes ago ... saying, "Happy birthday, Papi. Te Amo por siempre. Amor Eterno. ❤️💔 43."

Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, passed away in a tragic helicopter crash in January 2020 ... and Vanessa has previously opened up on the "unimaginable" pain she's gone through since the accident.

"Lying in bed crying isn't going to change the fact that my family will never be the same again," Vanessa told People.com back in March ... "But getting out of bed and pushing forward is going to make the day better for my girls and for me. So that's what I do."

Former NHL winger Jimmy Hayes -- who played for several teams including the Chicago Blackhawks -- has died ... his alma mater, Boston College, announced on Monday.

He was just 31 years old.

No other details surrounding the former NHL player's death were given.

"Boston College Hockey is heartbroken over the passing of Jimmy Hayes," B.C. officials said in a statement. "Our thoughts and prayers go out to the entire Hayes family."

Hayes -- who was picked in the second round of the 2008 NHL Entry Draft -- made his NHL debut with the Blackhawks in 2011.

He went on to play 7 seasons in the league ... logging ice time for the 'Hawks, Panthers, Bruins and Devils. He finished his career with 54 total goals scored.

Hayes' younger brother, Kevin Hayes, is currently a member of the Philadelphia Flyers.

#RIP

Hate it or love it, The Game says people gotta respect Anderson .Paak's strong conviction to put the kibosh on any posthumous albums ... so much so he got his dying wish tattooed on his arm. And, Game's game as far as the sentiment goes ... sort of.

We got the "Wouldn't Get Far" rapper leaving Maxfield L.A. on Thursday and wondered if he'd seen .Paak's tat. Not only has Game seen it ... he LOVED it, adding he 100% agrees with .Paak's stance. More on that in a bit.

But, ICYMI ... .Paak posted on his Instagram Story a new tattoo on his forearm that read, "When I'm gone please don't release any posthumous albums or songs with my name attached. Those were just demos and never intended to be heard by the public."

Anderson's rep confirmed the tat's real ... though it's unclear if the text is included in .Paak's will. Either way ... .Paak's crystal clear about how he wants his music treated after he's gone.

The Game says you gotta respect the decision because you have to respect the artistry. Game says he gets it because he too doesn't want his stuff out there when he's gone because, as he put it, "people always f*** the vision up."

It seems Game's wishes are crystal clear ... that is until the rapper caves and spits a list of producers he says he'd be okay with if they wanted to work on one of his posthumous albums.

Don Everly, the last remaining member of The Everly Brothers -- the duo that had a profound influence on numerous groups including The Beatles -- has died.

Don passed away Saturday at his home in Nashville. The cause of death is not yet known.

The Everly Brothers had a string of huge hits, beginning with "Bye Bye Love" in 1957, and then "All I Have to Do Is Dream," "When Will I Be Loved," "Wake Up Little Susie," "Cathy's Clown," and more.

Don and Phil had flawless harmony, and it not only resonated with consumers, it became a template for numerous bands and groups, including The Beatles, The Mamas and the Papas,  Simon and Garfunkel, the Hollies, and more.

Phil died in 2014 of pulmonary disease.

The Everly Bros. toured with the likes of Chuck Berry, Buddy Holly and many other early rockers who cemented the genre.

The duo was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame back in 1986 ... well deserved.

His family said, "Don lived by what he felt in his heart. Don expressed his appreciation for the ability to live his dreams … with his soulmate and wife, Adela, and sharing the music that made him an Everly Brother."

Don is survived by his wife, his mother and his 4 children.

He was 84.

Jessie Woo's on the rise as a singer and comedian on "Wild 'N Out," and this Whitney Houston bit she did will either make her way more popular, or draw a ton of hate ... just depends.

So, the segment tasked comedians on the show with creating outgoing voice messages impersonating famous people, and Jessie arguably drew the short straw by getting Whitney.

For her impression, Jessie did new lyrics for "I Will Always Love You," and really got the crowd going at first. Hey, she's got a good voice, but as she cruised into the crescendo of the song's chorus ... Jessie dropped a bomb by cutting the song short and saying, "I'm dead," and walking off.

The crowd was stunned, so it begs the question ... too soon???

Whitney died of accidental drowning with heart disease and cocaine use listed as contributing factors. in February 2012, and, online at least, opinions seem split on whether joking about it should be off-limits.

Many on social media are calling out Jessie's joke for being "lazy," "insensitive," "offensive" and "disrespectful." Others, however, find it hilarious, with one person saying they laugh every time they watch ... even though they're a Whitney fan.

Worth noting -- Jessie posted a tribute to Whitney on her Instagram a few days ago, for what would have been the late singer's 58th birthday. She's really got the pipes to pull it off, too!

Legendary college football coach Bobby Bowden is being remembered with a public tribute on Friday ... with a Lie In Honor at the Florida State Capitol.

Coach Bowden's casket arrived via motorcade at the state Capitol in Tallahassee early Friday morning ... which was placed and covered in roses.

Family and fans have showed up to pay their respects ... including Gov. Ron DeSantis, who ordered flags to be at half-staff at state and local government buildings.

This is part of a 3-day service for Bowden -- he will also receive a tribute at the Moore Athletic Center at FSU’s Doak Campbell Stadium.

A funeral will be held at FSU's Tucker Civic on Saturday, which will be open to the public and available to watch on live stream ... and Sunday, Bowden's service will be held at Reid Chapel on Samford University's campus.

The private burial will follow in Trussville, Alabama -- Bowden's home state.

As we previously reported, Bowden died on August 8 at the age of 91 -- his son, Terry, stating, "My father passed away peacefully early this morning with all six of his children and my mother here by his side."

Terry said a month prior that his father was battling pancreatic cancer.

Track star Cameron Burrell -- the godson of legendary sprinter Carl Lewis -- died by suicide, TMZ Sports has learned.

Records show the 26-year-old's manner of death was ruled a suicide after his body was inspected by the medical examiner this week. The cause of death was listed as a "gunshot wound of the head."

Records also show Burrell passed away in a Houston, Texas parking garage.

As we previously reported, Burrell tragically died on Monday ... with his family and his alma mater, the Univ. of Houston, announcing they were devastated by the news.

"We are going through profound sorrow and ask that all of our friends, extended University of Houston family and the track and field community in the U.S. and abroad allow us to gather with our closest family and friends," Burrell's father, Leroy Burrell, said on Tuesday.

"We are profoundly grief-stricken, and thank everyone for the outpouring of prayers and support. We will forward more information when it is available.”

Cameron was one of the best sprinters on the planet ... starring at the Univ. of Houston, where he won the 100-meter championship in 2018.

Cameron also anchored Houston's 4x100-meter relay team, and was a three-time NCAA All-American in multiple events.

Dustin Diamond's presence will be felt over and over and over this weekend ... 'cause a NASCAR sponsor's ready to unveil his special stock car honoring the late actor.

Dan Block, the president of Insurance King, has chosen this Sunday's NASCAR Cup Series Verizon 200 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway as the race where he'll unveil a tribute to his late friend.

The No. 52 car -- driven by Josh Bilicki -- is paying homage to Dustin and his Screech Powers character from "Saved by the Bell." We're told Block's bringing Dustin's best friend and his girlfriend as special guests.

The car itself will be wrapped Thursday and TMZ's obtained a rendering of what the final product will look like during the 82-lap race. Bilicki's race suit will also have Dustin's full name along with the years of his birth and death.

As we reported ... Dustin died in February after battling stage 4 lung cancer. Just days after he had revealed his diagnosis, Block planned to wrap Bilicki's car as a "get well" pick me up for Dustin. That initial rendering has been altered since Dustin passed.

Block and Dustin were very close friends, and Dustin starred in several Insurance King commercials.

In this spot, Dustin speeds past a cop who pulls him over and asks how he can afford car insurance with so many speeding tickets. He hits him with, "C'mon. I'm saved by the king."

"Jeopardy!" has a surprising 2-part answer for who will permanently replace the legendary Alex Trebek for hosting duties -- Mike Richards, as expected ... AND Mayim Bialik!!!

The iconic game show announced Wednesday morning it will have 2 hosts for the first time in its long history ... Richards, Executive Producer of the show, will handle the daily duties of the syndicated program, while Bialik will host "Jeopardy!" primetime and spin-off specials.

Daily Beast first broke the news.

As we reported ... Richards was revealed to be the frontrunner recently after guest-hosting in February and crushing it. He's also hosted other game shows before -- "Divided" and "The Pyramid" for Sony Pictures’ GSN cabler -- and has produced more than 4,000 hours of game shows.

Bialik was one of several celeb guest hosts who filled in this year -- along with Ken Jennings, Aaron Rodgers, LeVar Burton, Anderson Cooper, Katie Couric, George Stephanopoulos and many others -- after the final Alex Trebek episodes aired.

Trebek was the "Jeopardy!" host for 36 years before he died, but it looks like the new era is officially set to begin ... or new eras, we should say.

Hockey Hall of Famer Tony Esposito -- one of greatest goalies EVER -- died Tuesday after a battle with pancreatic cancer ... NHL officials confirmed.

He was 78 years old.

"The hockey world will miss him greatly," NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said in a statement. "The NHL family extends its deepest sympathies to his wife, Marilyn, sons Mark [Kim] and Jason, and grandchildren Lauren and Kamryn."

Esposito joined the Chicago Blackhawks in 1969 and went on to star for the team for 15 years -- winning the Vezina Trophy three times.

Esposito -- whose brother, Phil Esposito, was also a mega-NHL star -- was named an All-Star five times ... and finished his career with a 418-302 record and a 2.93 goals against average.

He was eventually inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1988.

"It is a sad day for the Blackhawks and all of hockey," said the Blackhawks, who have already retired Esposito's #35 jersey. "But, with his wonderful family, let us celebrate a life well lived."

"Tony Esposito's banner will be part of the United Center forever, as will his legacy as a superstar, on and off the ice."

Track star Cameron Burrell -- former NCAA champion and godson of the legendary Carl Lewis -- passed away at the age of 26 years old, his family announced Tuesday.

Burrell was a star at the University of Houston ... capturing the 100m championship in 2018. CB also anchored Houston's 4x100m relay team. Bottom line, he was the fastest college athlete in the U.S.

CB was also 3x NCAA All-American in multiple events ... and held an NCAA record in the 4x100m relay.

Cameron's dad, Leroy Burrell, announced the devastating news through the U of Houston, saying ... "My family is extremely saddened with the loss of our son, Cameron, last night."

"We are going through profound sorrow and ask that all of our friends, extended University of Houston family and the track and field community in the U.S. and abroad allow us to gather with our closest family and friends."

"We are profoundly grief-stricken, and thank everyone for the outpouring of prayers and support. We will forward more information when it is available.”

Cameron was following in his dad Leroy's footsteps ... who was a former world record holder in the 100m and gold medalist at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics in the 4x100m relay.

Burrell's godfather was legendary track star, 9x Olympic gold medalist, Carl Lewis.

The circumstances surrounding Cameron's death are currently unclear ... but medical records show the place of death as a "parking garage."

Dog the Bounty Hunter's gearing up to wed his fiancee very soon, and he doesn't feel bad about remarrying anymore following the death of his wife, Beth ... because God approves.

Dog just revealed his major life news on the podcast, "Two Guys from Hollywood," telling the cohosts his wedding to Francie Frane is scheduled to go down September 2 ... and the venue's more expensive than he'd like!!!

As we reported ... Dog and Francie got engaged in May 2020 -- 10 months after Beth died of cancer -- and Francie also lost her spouse to cancer shortly before Dog did.

The couple is obviously still going strong, and Dog says though he initially felt uneasy about getting remarried after losing Beth ... that all changed when he read some scripture.

Dog says he found a passage in The Bible that says, "God does not want a man to be alone, that he knows we need a companion, whether we're man or woman."

Now, that doesn't sound like an exact Old Testament quote -- we think he's referring to Genesis 2:18 -- but you get the idea.

Paul Walker's only child, Meadow, is now engaged nearly 8 years after his death.

The 22-year-old model made the announcement not-so-subtly on IG Monday with a quick, fun video of her in a pool somewhere in the desert. She flashes the giant rock on that finger ... and flirtatiously floats away from the cameraman, presumably her fiancé.

That would be one Louis Thornton-Allan -- apparently an actor himself -- whom she just went Instagram official with last month. It's unclear how long they've been romantically involved before that ... but in any case, it looks like they're ready to walk down the aisle together.

Besides the obvious celebratory sentiment, the other feeling here is ... man, does time fly. It seems just like yesterday when she was 14, right around the time her dad tragically died in a car accident in 2013.

Of course, they were close ... and Paul's death was hard on Meadow. But, she's carried on well -- and has even shown up to a few of 'Fast & Furious' premieres since his passing. She continues to hype up PW's legacy to this day ... always promoting 'Fast' content, too.

BTW, Louis seems to have popped the question here on a special day in and of itself -- seems today's the birthday of a family member of his ... possibly his pops, 'cause he gave him a shoutout online -- in addition to posting more about his and Meadow's baecation.

Prince Andrew sexually abused a teenage girl he met through Jeffrey Epstein ... this according to a new lawsuit.

Queen Elizabeth's son is being sued for sexual assault in federal court by Virginia Roberts Giuffre, who claims she was a victim of Epstein's sex trafficking scheme for powerful men, including Prince Andrew.

According to the suit, obtained by TMZ, Andrew is accused of sexually abusing Giuffre in NYC when she was a minor ... at the invitation of Epstein and his alleged co-conspirator, Ghislaine Maxwell.

Giuffre claims she was only 17 years old when Prince Andrew committed sexual assault and battery against her ... and she says the alleged abuse left her with severe and lasting emotional distress.

As we reported ... Prince Andrew was not cooperative with FBI and federal prosecutors in 2019 and 2020, when law enforcement was looking to talk to him about Epstein.

In the wake of Epstein's arrest and death in his jail cell, Prince Andrew went on "BBC Newsnight" and claimed he couldn't remember meeting Giuffre, despite a 2001 photograph where he's apparently posing with her.

Prince Andrew resigned from all public roles in May 2020 over his ties to Epstein.

Richard Donner -- the legendary director of "Superman," "Lethal Weapon" and many other famous films -- suffered from heart disease and died of heart failure ... according to his death certificate.

The document says Donner died at his home in West Hollywood on the morning of July 5, and the immediate cause of death is listed as cardiopulmonary failure.

The death certificate lists atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease as an underlying cause of his passing, as well.

On a lighter note ... according to the document, Donner was a film director for 65 years, meaning he started his iconic career in the late '50s.

As we told you ... Donner was one of the most beloved figures in Hollywood who got his big break with 1976's "The Omen," which led to the 'Superman' and 'Lethal Weapon' franchises.

He's also known for flicks like "Ladyhawke," "The Goonies," "Scrooged" and "Conspiracy Theory."

Prosecutors have just revealed more stunning allegations against Terry Kennedy ... saying they believe the skateboarding star became enraged for "no apparent reason" before committing murder.

The DuPage County State's Attorney's Office made the announcement in a statement to TMZ Sports on Monday ... shedding more light on the alleged incident that resulted in the death of 23-year-old Josiah Kassahun.

Prosecutors say that on July 27, at around 11:05 a.m., Kennedy, his ex-girlfriend, and Kassahun checked out of a Comfort Suites Motel in Oakbrook Terrace, Ill. and began walking toward Kennedy's ex's car.

But, while on the walk, officials say Kennedy got upset for "no apparent reason."

Prosecutors say Kassahun tried to calm the 36-year-old skateboarding star down ... but that's when Kennedy allegedly punched the man in the face, causing him to fall to the ground and strike his head on the pavement.

Officials say Kennedy then kicked Kassahun in the torso ... before leaving the area in his ex's car.

As we previously reported, Kassahun died four days later from his injuries ... and Kennedy was ultimately charged with first-degree murder.

Prosecutors say Kennedy had a bond hearing Monday morning and his bail was set at $1 million. He's due back in court later this month for his arraignment.

"I would also like to extend my sincere condolences to Mr. Kassahun’s family and friends as they cope with this terrible tragedy," Oakbrook Terrace Chief of Police Casey Calvello said.

"I know that nothing will bring Josiah back, but I hope that the charges brought against the defendant offer some measure of comfort to his loved ones."