Celebrity Death

The wife of late actor-comedian Richard Lewis is breaking her silence and giving thanks to his flood of supporters and well-wishers.

Joyce Lapinsky posted a message on X, showing her gratitude to everyone who sent in "loving tributes" after Richard passed away this week at his L.A. home. On Friday, she said Richard would have been "beyond thrilled and so touched, as am I."

Joyce asked Richard's fans who want to make donations in his memory to send their money to the charity, Comedy Gives Back, or another non-profit of their choice.

As we reported ... The "Curb Your Enthusiasm" star died Tuesday night after suffering a heart attack. Music icon Bette Midler was one of the first people to go on social media to celebrate Richard's life and career. This was followed by a stream of other celebs, such as Ben Stiller, Albert Brooks and his 'Curb' costar Larry David.

Last year, Richard announced he was suffering from Parkinson's disease after he retired from doing stand-up comedy. He said his litany of other health issues culminated in his Parkinson's diagnosis and he was managing it all with medication.

Fashion icon Iris Apfel -- famous for her quirky outfits and unique looks -- has died.

The style icon passed away Friday at her home in Palm Beach, Fla ... this according to her reps. An official cause of death wasn't announced -- but the assumption is that she died of old age via natural causes.

A socialite from New York, Iris became a fashion icon in her 80s and 90s ... affectionately calling herself a "geriatric starlet." Iris' style was an eclectic mix ... combining haute couture, vintage hippy-inspired looks, bohemian styles and super bright colors.

Iris was a fixture on the fashion scene, often rubbing elbows with celebs at big-time events ... wearing her trademark circular glasses. She was also ever-present and always relevant ... considered one of the most photographed women in fashion history.

A jack of all trades, Iris was a professor, brand ambassador, interior designer, textile guru and, later in life, a social media star. She was quite accomplished too ... having done White House restoration work for nine presidents in her lifetime -- so yeah, she'd worked a lot.

Iris enjoyed a long and full life ... just yesterday, she celebrated her latest birthday, putting her a couple years over the 100-year mark.

Tommy Hilfiger is remembering Iris as "a world-famous fashion icon because of her incredible talent not only as an artist, but as an influencer."

Hilfiger adds ... "She has had an amazing effect on so many people with her huge heart and magic touch with everyone she meets. She will go down in history as an innovator and a leader in the world of textiles, style and innovation!"

Iris is survived by her caregivers, Jennifer and Juliet, her agent Lori Sale, her lawyer Emerson E. Burns and her friends and family. She was 102.

Richard Lewis, actor de "Curb Your Enthusiasm", ha muerto... TMZ ha confirmado.

El comediante y actor -que protagonizó junto a Larry David el exitoso programa de HBO- falleció el martes por la noche, con Bette Midler siendo una de las primeras personas que lo señaló el miércoles. Ella no dio muchos detalles, simplemente escribió: "En una nota triste, el gran Richard Lewis ha muerto".

Según su representante, murió de un ataque al corazón en su casa de Los Ángeles.

Es un giro impactante para los fans de la querida estrella ya que había estado luchando públicamente con la enfermedad de Parkinson, la cual anunció el año pasado.

En su anuncio, Richard señaló que en realidad había planeado retirarse de la comedia hace unos años debido a una serie de problemas de salud - que culminaron con su diagnóstico de Parkinson. En aquel momento dijo que se encontraba bien y que estaba tomando la medicación adecuada para controlarlo.

Parecía estar relativamente bien de salud a pesar de su diagnóstico de Parkinson. La enfermedad no había llegado a un punto en el que fuera visiblemente un obstáculo para él o su capacidad para actuar, incluido su papel recurrente como su yo ficticio en "CYE". No está claro si el diagnóstico influyó en su fallecimiento.

Richard fue un habitual de la serie desde el principio, interpretando al mejor amigo de Larry, con quien a menudo discutía. Por supuesto, Richard también fue un cómico condecorado.

La última vez que Richard fue visto en público fue junto a su esposa, Joyce Lapinsky. Ella parecía estar ayudándole a caminar, mientras paseaban por Beverly Hills.

Le sobrevive su esposa. Richard tenía 76 años.

Richard Lewis, famous from "Curb Your Enthusiasm," has died ... TMZ has confirmed.

The comedian and actor -- who starred opposite Larry David on his hit HBO show -- passed away Tuesday night ... with Bette Midler being one of the first people who noted it Wednesday. She didn't provide much detail, simply writing, "On a sad note, the great Richard Lewis has died."

According to his rep -- he died from a heart attack at his home in L.A.

It's a shocking turn of events for fans of the beloved 'Curb' star -- as he'd been publicly battling with Parkinson's disease lately ... which he announced he'd been diagnosed with last year.

In his announcement, Richard noted that he'd actually planned on retiring from comedy a few years ago due to a number of health issues -- which all culminated with his Parkinson's diagnosis. He said at the time he was okay and was taking the right medication to manage it.

He appeared relatively okay health-wise despite his Parkinson's diagnosis. The disease hadn't reached a point where it was visibly hindering him or his ability to perform, including his recurring role as his fictional self on 'CYE.' It's unclear if his diagnosis played any part in his passing.

Richard was a regular on the long-running series since the beginning ... playing Larry's best friend, with whom he'd often squabble. Of course, Richard was also a decorated comic.

The last time Richard was seen out in public was actually alongside his wife, Joyce Lapinsky. She appeared to be helping him walk -- as they were out and about in Beverly Hills.

He's survived by his wife. Richard was 76.

WWE legend Virgil -- famous for being the "Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase's personal bodyguard and assistant -- has died, his family announced Wednesday. He was just 61 years old.

Virgil -- real name Michael Jones -- dealt with serious health issues in recent years ... including several strokes and a dementia diagnosis.

Jones made his wrestling debut in 1985 ... and would go on to compete for promotions like Championship Wrestling Association, where he won the heavyweight title, as well as tag team championship with Rocky Johnson.

He then moved to the WWE, where he gained popularity alongside DiBiase ... often carrying his money and protecting him from opponents -- before eventually turning on him at Summerslam 1991 and defeating him at WrestleMania VII.

After a brief stint with the National Wrestling Conference, Jones debuted with WCW under the name Vincent, becoming a member of nWo as the head of security.

He'd continue to work with Hulk Hogan and other notable stars before his departure in 1999.

Jones briefly returned to WWE in 2010 as Ted DiBiase Jr.'s bodyguard ... and went on to make several appearances as Soul Train Jones in AEW.

Those close to Jones say he passed away peacefully at the hospital.

WWE released a statement on Jones' death ... saying, "WWE is saddened to learn that Michael Jones, known to WWE fans as Virgil, has passed away."

"WWE extends its condolences to Jones' family, friends and fans."

La leyenda de la WWE Virgil -famoso por ser el guardaespaldas personal y asistente del "Hombre del Millón de Dólares" Ted DiBiase- ha muerto, anunció su familia el miércoles. Solo tenía 61 años.

Virgil, cuyo nombre real era Michael Jones, tuvo graves problemas de salud en los últimos años, entre ellos varios derrames cerebrales y un diagnóstico de demencia.

Jones hizo su debut en la lucha libre en 1985 y llegó a competir en la Championship Wrestling Association, donde ganó el título de peso pesado, así como el campeonato por equipos con Rocky Johnson.

Luego se trasladó a la WWE, donde ganó popularidad junto a DiBiase, a menudo llevando su dinero y protegiéndolo de sus oponentes, antes de volverse contra él en Summerslam 1991 y derrotándolo en WrestleMania VII.

Tras un breve paso por la National Wrestling Conference, Jones debutó en la WCW con el nombre de Vincent, convirtiéndose en miembro de nWo como jefe de seguridad.

Siguió trabajando con Hulk Hogan y otras estrellas notables antes de su marcha en 1999.

Jones regresó brevemente a la WWE en 2010 como guardaespaldas de Ted DiBiase Jr y pasó a hacer varias apariciones como Soul Train Jones en AEW.

Las personas cercanas a Jones dicen que falleció en paz en el hospital.

WWE emitió un comunicado sobre la muerte de Jones diciendo: "WWE se entristece al saber que Michael Jones, conocido por los fans de la WWE como Virgil, ha fallecido".

"WWE extiende sus condolencias a la familia, amigos y fans de Jones".

Buddy Duress, best known for starring opposite Robert Pattinson in the Safdie Brothers hit "Good Time," has died ... according to his brother.

Christopher Stathis confirmed the news to People Tuesday saying Buddy died back in November ... a death Christopher attributes to cardiac arrest brought on by drugs.

Duress has several credits on IMDb including "Person to Person," "The Great Darkened Days," "Beware of Dog," "Flinch," "Funny Pages" and "Heaven Knows What."

Buddy dealt with drug abuse and legal issues for much of his adult life it seems. He met director Josh Safdie after his release from NYC's Rikers Island prison -- where he did time for drug charges -- and filmed his part in "Heaven Knows What."

After that, he was rearrested for not going to rehab.

Josh and his brother Benny Safdie asked Buddy to journal his experiences in prison -- which partly served as a basis for "Good Time" according to the Los Angeles Times.

It appears Buddy still has 2 more projects set to be released posthumously ... "Mass State Lottery" and a short film called "Skull" should be coming out over the course of the next year.

He is survived by Christopher and his mother Jo-Anne.

Buddy was 38.

La cuenta de X de Mathew Perry fue hackeada por estafadores que intentaban llevar a cabo un esquema de donación de criptomonedas a través de un sitio web fraudulento... esto según la misma fundación.

Un enlace que se anunció recientemente cuado la dirección de los posibles donantes para hacer contribuciones a la fundación del actor fallecido, en realidad los llevaba a un sitio falso, pero la Fundación de Matthew Perry no ha perdido el tiempo llamando a la estafa como totalmente falso, mientras que obtener el control de sus redes sociales de nuevo.

Escribieron en Insta el lunes: "Hemos recibido informes de que la página oficial X de Matthew ha sido hackeada y está dirigiendo a los usuarios a un sitio fraudulento que solicita donaciones a través de criptomoneda". Esto a modo de aviso para que la gente no caiga en la trampa.

También aclararon que MatthewPerryFoundation.org era el único sitio legítimo asociado con la fundación y que NO se debe confiar o donar a ningún otro.

En cuanto a los estafadores detrás del post fraudulento, su identidad sigue siendo un misterio y tampoco se sabe en este momento cuántas personas podrían haber donado a través del enlace y cuánto podrían haber perdido. El post en cuestión ha sido retirado de X.

La Fundación Matthew Perry fue creada para proporcionar apoyo a aquellos que luchan contra la adicción, una causa que estaba cerca del corazón del difunto actor.

Compartió con valentía sus propias luchas contra el alcohol y la adicción a los opioides, incluso documentando con franqueza su propio viaje de sobriedad en sus memorias de 2022, "Amigos, amantes y la gran cosa terrible".

TMZ publicó la historia. Perry murió el pasado mes de octubre después de que su asistente encontró su cuerpo flotando en una bañera de hidromasaje en su casa del área de Los Ángeles.

Mathew Perry's X account was hacked by scammers trying to pull off a sneaky crypto donation scheme through a fraudulent website ... this according to his foundation.

A link that was recently advertised as directing would-be donors to make contributions to the late actor's foundation actually led them to a copycat site -- but The Matthew Perry Foundation has wasted no time calling out the scam as totally bogus, while gaining control of his socials again.

They wrote on IG Monday ... "We have received reports that Matthew's official X page has been hacked and is directing users to a fraudulent site soliciting donations via cryptocurrency" ... going on to urge people not to fall for the trap by sharing the fake social media post.

They also clarified that MatthewPerryFoundation.org was the only legitimate site associated with the foundation -- and that any others should NOT be trusted or donated to.

As for the scammers behind the fraudulent post, their identity remains a mystery for now ... and it's also not known at this point how many people might've donated through the bunk link and how much they might've lost. The post in question has been taken down from X.

The Matthew Perry Foundation was set up in MP's name to provide support to those battling addiction, a cause that was close to the late actor's heart.

He bravely shared his own struggles with alcohol and opioid addiction, even candidly documenting his own sobriety journey in his 2022 memoir, "Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing."

TMZ broke the story ... "Friends" star Perry died last October after his assistant found his body floating in a hot tub at his L.A. area home.

Madonna is nixing a photo of Luther Vandross from the AIDS tribute she puts on during her "Celebration" tour .... because, as his estate has clarified, he shouldn't be there at all.

The Material Girl has made a point to pay tribute to her late friends and famous peers -- including Herb Ritts, Freddie Mercury, and Keith Haring, all of whom died from AIDS-related complications -- with a photo montage amid her performance of "Live to Tell."

During Saturday night's tribute at Madge's Sacramento concert, a photo of the late soul singer was included -- despite the R&B singer's 2005 death previously being attributed to complications from a prior stroke.

In fact ... Luther was actually defensive about this rumor about him while he was alive ... once even going after a British magazine back that tried to pin his weight loss in the mid-80s to the virus. So yeah, it's a sensitive topic.

While Luther's camp acknowledged Madonna's effort to honor those who've lost their lives to AIDS ... they emphasized to Page Six that the late soul singer was never diagnosed with AIDS or the HIV Virus, and it sounds like Luther's estate kindly asked her to exclude him.

Madonna has since scrapped the photo from the tribute ... after Luther's estate reached out to her management team, so all's well that ends well. Seems like an innocent mistake.

For those wondering ... Luther's sexuality has long been speculated on -- but he never came out as anything other than heterosexual ... although, close friends of his have commented on this in the years since and suggested he may have been part of the LGBTQ+ community.

Wrestling legend Ole Anderson -- who helped form The Four Horsemen in the 1980s -- has died at 81 years old.

The WWE confirmed the sad news Monday evening ... remembering him in a statement as "a prolific and decorated tag team wrestler" who had a "hard-nosed style and gruff demeanor."

"WWE extends its condolences to Anderson's family, friends, and fans," the org. added.

A cause of death was not revealed.

Anderson -- real name Alan Rogowski -- began his wrestling career in the '60s ... but really made his mark in the squared circle in the 1980s.

He, Ric Flair, Arn Anderson and Tully Blanchard created the heel stable The Four Horsemen .... and the quartet eventually went on to have legendary matches across multiple promotions against some of the most iconic wrestlers of all-time.

After news of his death broke, Flair said in a post on X that Ole helped launch his career.

"I Will Be Grateful Forever For You Giving Me The Opportunity To Become Who I Am Today," Flair wrote. "We Didn’t Always Agree With Each Other, But The Honest To God Truth Is You & Gene Started Me. Rest In Peace My Friend!"

In addition to his time on the mat, Anderson also worked as a manager, promoter and even an exec in the wrestling world.

"AEW and the wrestling world mourn the passing of the legendary Ole Anderson," All Elite Wrestling officials said in a statement Monday night. "Our thoughts are with his family, his friends and his fans."

Madonna ha eliminado una foto de Luther Vandross del homenaje que tenía que ver con el sida durante su gira "Celebration", porque, según han aclarado sus representantes, él no debería estar allí.

La diva ha querido rendirle homenaje a sus difuntos amigos y compañeros famosos -incluyendo a Herb Ritts, Freddie Mercury y Keith Haring, todos ellos fallecidos por complicaciones relacionadas con el sida- con un montaje fotográfico en medio de su actuación de "Live to Tell".

Durante el homenaje del sábado por la noche en el concierto en Sacramento, se incluyó una foto del fallecido cantante de soul a pesar de que la muerte del cantante de R & B en 2005 se le atribuyó previamente a complicaciones de un derrame cerebral previo.

De hecho, Luther estaba a la defensiva sobre este rumor, sobre mientras estaba vivo. Una vez incluso se quejó con una revista británica que trató de relacionar su pérdida de peso a mediados de los años 80 al virus. Así que sí, es un tema delicado.

Mientras que el campamento de Luther reconoció el esfuerzo de Madonna para honrar a aquellos que han perdido sus vidas a causa del sida, hicieron hincapié en Page Six que el fallecido cantante de soul nunca fue diagnosticado con el virus y parece que los representantes de Luther amablemente pidieron que lo excluyeran.

Madonna ha eliminado desde entonces la foto del homenaje, después de que la gente de Luther se pusiera en contacto con su equipo de gestión, así que todo terminó bien. Parece que solo fue un error inocente.

Para aquellos que se lo están preguntando... La sexualidad de Luther ha sido durante mucho tiempo motivo de especulación, pero siempre se mostró heterosexual, aunque amigos cercanos han emitido comentarios que podrían vincularlo con la comunidad LGBTQ +.

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.

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."

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.

He was 48.

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.

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.

Former Houston Rockets guard Robert Reid, an NBA star who spent 13 years in the league, died earlier this week following a battle with cancer.

Reid was 68 years old ... and had been battling an illness, according to the Houston Chronicle.

The Rockets announced the sad news on Tuesday, writing, "The Fertitta Family and the Houston Rockets are deeply saddened by the passing of former player, Robert Reid, whose contributions were instrumental in guiding the Houston Rockets to their first two NBA Finals appearances in 1980-81 and 1985-86."

Reid, a 6'8" guard/forward who was a second-round draft pick in 1977, averaged 11.4 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 1.1 blocks a game during his NBA career -- 10 seasons of which were spent in Houston, just a few hours from where he grew up in San Antonio, TX.

He also played for the Charlotte Hornets, Portland Trail Blazers, and Philadelphia 76ers.

Reid, who was teammates with the legendary Moses Malone, scored 10,448 points in 919 NBA games.

Current Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta also reacted to news of Reid's death, saying ... "It is with great sorrow that my family and I received the news of the passing of Rockets legend, Robert Reid. I have had the privilege of knowing Robert for over 40 years, and his presence always brought joy and positivity to any room he entered."

Reid was 68.

Tony Ganios -- famous from "Porky's" and a ton of other cult classic films -- has died.

The actor's fiancée, Amanda, tells us Tony passed away Sunday at a NY hospital -- this after he was taken in on Saturday and was found to have been suffering a severe spinal cord infection. We're told he went into surgery, but suffered a fatal heart attack the following day as he was recovering.

Amanda says Tony was on his way to a dialysis treatment Sunday morning when he went into cardiac arrest ... and we're told he was experiencing organ failure too. Amanda says his death came so suddenly, and she's absolutely shattered right now ... explaining they were just planning their wedding last week. They'd been together for a couple for at least 9 years.

She posted a sweet tribute to Tony online, writing ... "The last words we said to each other were "I love you." Love is an understatement. You are everything to me.  My heart, my soul and my best friend. #I love you #tonyganios."

Tony will best be remembered for his lead role in the 1981 film, which went down as a fan-fave sex comedy flick and developed a cult following. "Porky's" also went on to churn out several sequels ... including "Porky's II: The Next Day" and "Porky's Revenge!" -- both of which he starred in.

Of course, fans know him as Meat Tuperello ... one of the guys trying to lose their V-cards at a brothel, and who ended up playing peeping Toms. The shower scene from the movie is probably one of the most iconic in the raunchy comedy category of movies.

While "Porky's" was arguably his biggest flick/franchise ... Tony was in a handful of other memorable films as well -- including 1979's "The Wanderers," in which he played Perry.

Other movies of his include "Back Roads," "Continental Divide," "Body Rock," "Die Hard 2," "Rising Sun," "The Taking of Beverly Hills" and more. TG had been in shows as well -- such as "The Ring of the Musketeers," "Wiseguy," "The Equalizer" and "Scarecrow and Mrs. King."

He appears to have left showbiz behind in the '90s ... but he certainly left his mark on pop culture. In fact, film producer Sean Clark had some kind words for Tony upon hearing about his passing.

SC wrote, "Sad to hear of the passing of Tony Gainos aka Meat from Porky's This photo is from 20 years ago with Tony and Porky's co-star Scott Colomby Although I had many business conversations with him over the years I would not say he was a friend."

He adds, "I did not know him well at all. However he was a nice guy and it's a shame he passed just 2 weeks away from the big Porky's reunion at Cult Classics Weekend in Bastrop TX in which he was supposed to attend. So with that said I'm sorry for OUR loss."

Amanda tells TMZ Tony had been working and active in the final years of his life. He was 64.