Celebrity Death

NFL reporter Chris Mortensen, who covered football for decades and was one of the most recognizable reporters on TV, is dead.

Chris died Sunday morning according to his longtime employer, ESPN. The cause of death is unclear.

Mortensen was a staple of ESPN's coverage of the NFL for decades ... most famous for his TV segments, dubbed the Mort Report.

Chris was often featured on ESPN's "Sunday NFL Countdown," "SportsCenter" and "Monday Night Football" ... in addition to writing and doing radio hits at ESPN.

Mortensen had to step away from TV in 2016, when he revealed he was battling stage 4 throat cancer. He ultimately returned to work at ESPN, but in September 2023 he retired from the network.

"Mort was widely respected as an industry pioneer and universally beloved as a supportive, hard-working teammate," ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro says. "He covered the NFL with extraordinary skill and passion, and was at the top of his field for decades. He will truly be missed by colleagues and fans, and our hearts and thoughts are with his loved ones."

Chris was 72.

El reportero de la NFL Chris Mortensen -que cubrió el fútbol americano durante décadas y fue uno de los reporteros más reconocidos de la televisión- ha muerto.

Chris falleció el domingo por la mañana, según informó su antiguo empleador, ESPN. La causa de muerte no está clara.

Mortensen fue un elemento básico de la cobertura de ESPN de la NFL durante décadas, más famoso por sus segmentos de televisión, apodado el Informe Mort.

Chris apareció a menudo en ESPN "Sunday NFL Countdown", "SportsCenter" y "Monday Night Football", además de escribir y hacer éxitos de radio en ESPN.

Mortensen tuvo que alejarse de la televisión en 2016, cuando reveló que estaba luchando contra un cáncer de garganta en fase cuatro. Finalmente, volvió a trabajar en ESPN, pero en septiembre de 2023 se retiró de la cadena.

"Mort era ampliamente respetado como un pionero de la industria y universalmente querido como un compañero de equipo solidario y trabajador", dice el presidente de ESPN, Jimmy Pitaro, y agrega: "Cubrió la NFL con extraordinaria habilidad y pasión, y estuvo en la cima de su campo durante décadas. Sus colegas y aficionados le echarán mucho de menos, y nuestros corazones y pensamientos están con sus seres queridos".

Chris tenía 72 años.

Mark Dodson, the actor who gave voice to some of the little creatures in "Gremlins," has died ... TMZ has learned.

The voice actor also brought to life characters for "Star Wars: Return of the Jedi," "Day of the Dead" and countless video games -- and still made appearances at fan conferences. In fact, Mark's daughter tells TMZ he died while in Evansville, Indiana, to attend Horror Con.

She says Mark had flown to Indiana for the event, and checked into his hotel ... and that's where he suffered a "massive heart attack" while sleeping.

Dodson's first big break in Hollywood came in 1983 -- he was the voice of Salacious Crumb, the little creature with the high-pitched voice that was always seated dangerously close to Jabba the Hut in 'Return of the Jedi.'

And, as it turned out, 'Star Wars' opened the door for another iconic role the next year.

In "Gremlins," Mark was the voice of Mogwai ... and, inadvertently, had kids everywhere -- who saw the movie in 1984 -- imitating his voice.

Mark worked continuously for several decades in film, video games, radio and commercials. As his rep tells us, Mark added "his unique voice and sound to each character and script he touched."

His daughter, Ciara, says Mark "never ceased making me proud" and his legacy will live on through his grandchildren and her.

Mark Dodson, el actor que le dio voz a algunas de las pequeñas criaturas en "Gremlins", ha muerto, TMZ ha indagado.

El actor de doblaje también dio vida a personajes de "Star Wars: El Retorno del Jedi", "El Día de los Muertos" e innumerables videojuegos, y todavía hacía apariciones en conferencias de fans. De hecho, la hija de Mark le dice a TMZ que murió mientras estaba en Evansville, Indiana, para asistir a Horror Con.

Ella dice que Mark había volado a Indiana para el evento y se registró en su hotel, que es donde sufrió un "ataque masivo al corazón" mientras dormía.

La primera gran oportunidad de Dodson en Hollywood llegó en 1983, cuando hizo la voz de Salacious Crumb, la pequeña criatura de voz aguda que siempre estaba sentado peligrosamente cerca de Jabba the Hut en "El Retorno del Jedi".

Al año siguiente, "La guerra de las galaxias" le abrió las puertas a otro papel icónico.

En "Gremlins", Mark fue la voz de Mogwai, y sin querer, hizo que los niños de todo el mundo en 1984 imitaran su voz.

Mark trabajó ininterrumpidamente durante varias décadas en cine, videojuegos, radio y anuncios publicitarios. Como nos dice su representante, Mark añadía "su voz y sonidos únicos a cada personaje y guion que tocaba".

Su hija, Ciara, dijo: "Nunca dejó de hacerme sentir orgullosa" y sé que su legado perdurará a través de sus nietos y su trabajo.

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 +.