Comedy

Bob Saget's friends and family say he was his normal, happy and joking self in the days leading up to his death ... and allegations he was complaining about being sick with long-term COVID before his last show just don't add up.

We spoke with one of Bob's best friends, who was in touch with the comedian almost daily, and tells us Saget never mentioned feeling off or that he was still battling the after-effects of COVID. Not only that, we're told the friend, who saw Bob regularly, said he never exhibited symptoms of being sick either.

Not only that -- the Saget family attorney tells us Bob's wife, Kelly Rizzo, spoke to Bob the day he died -- and he never mentioned being sick or having hearing issues.

Of course, this goes against what the showrunner at the venue where Bob last performed told investigators in an interview after his death. The woman claimed Bob had mentioned he hadn't been feeling well -- battling the after-effects of COVID-19, including hearing issues and a sore throat.

There was also the valet driver at The Ritz where Bob died, who told investigators he was in good spirits, didn't appear to have suffered any head trauma, and kept his balance without issue. A photo the valet took with Bob showed him to be perfectly fine as well.

Canadian-American actor Harland Williams was in his mid-30s when he blazed the role of Kenny Davis -- the high school teacher who goes to jail after accidentally killing a cop's horse -- in the classic stoner comedy "Half Baked."

Also featured in the film were actors Dave Chappelle playing Sir Smoke-a-Lot, Jim Breuer as Brian, and Guillermo Díaz as Scarface. Other notable stars included Snoop Dogg, Stephen Baldwin and Jon Stewart.

24 years later, Harland continues to bring the laughs with his stand-up comedy and his wacky IG antics ... like taking his Instagram followers on his shopping trips to IKEA.

Bob Saget was not feeling well the night he went into his hotel room and ended up dying -- at least that's what one of the last people to speak with him is claiming.

A showrunner who works at the Ponte Vedra Concert Hall -- where Bob's last show took place before he booked it to Orlando that fateful night -- told investigators Bob had disclosed to her and other stage crew that he wasn't well health-wise preshow.

The woman, whose name is Rosalie Cocci, said Bob had told them he was battling long-term COVID, and it had taken a toll on his body.

As far as what he was dealing with specifically ... the woman told cops Bob mentioned his hearing was off and he was constantly asking them to turn everything up.

In addition to hearing trouble, Cocci went on to explain Bob had said he was sick the day before, and his throat was sore ... she added he seemed to be "talking himself up" to get ready for his stand-up performance ... which he ultimately did.

In the end, Cocci says she and the crew were surprised he knocked it out of the park when push came to shove -- despite his earlier complaints, they say he didn't miss a beat and put on a great show, as if nothing was wrong.

If it's true that his hearing was off, that could cause balance issues ... it's unclear what exactly caused Bob's fatal brain bleed ... but a problem with balance could result in a fall or misjudging distance.

Now Bob's family tells TMZ, they don't believe he had long-term COVID, because he had only come down with the virus 2 weeks earlier and he never complained of hearing problems.

As you know, the authorities have said Bob bumped his head somehow while he was in his hotel room later that night -- and ended up dying as a result of a major brain bleed.

Miami Hurricanes head coach Jim Larrañaga not only saved the world from a shirtless Charles Barkley ... but then clowned Chuck during his post-game presser.

Yes, not all heroes wear capes.

It all started when Barkley, known for his larger-than-life personality as a commentator, joked he would take off his shirt if his alma mater, Auburn, beat the Hurricanes last night.

Jim got wind of Chuck's comments, and after knocking off Barkley's old school, had a hilarious reaction to it.

“I listened to Charles Barkley tell the CBS crew that if Auburn won, he’d take off his shirt. And, I thought to myself, no one wants to see that, Chuck," Larrañaga said.

Of course, Barkley has ties to Auburn -- he played for the Tigers for three years averaging 14.1 points per game -- so, it's safe to say he was a bit biased in his prediction.

But, Auburn was 7.5 point favorite over Miami, so Barkley, like most people, was stunned when the Hurricanes easily handled Auburn.

Miami dominated the Tigers, 79-61, to advance to the Sweet 16 ... and it seems coach Larrañaga and his team played with extra motivation thanks to Chuck.

After the game, Barkley was a good sport about Larrañaga's pot shot ... and even heaped praise on Jim for the way the Hurricanes beat up on his Tigers.

We also got video of the Hurricanes arriving back in Florida thanks to our intern, Ryan, and the scene on the ground in Miami was pretty incredible.

A group of passionate fans was there to greet coach as early as 2:15 AM ... and coach spent time high-fiving students as they chanted "It's great to be a Miami Hurricane."

Gabriel Iglesias is helping to make the life of one fan who recently suffered a serious injury much easier ... by reaching into his wallet to help buy a much needed device.

Nick Weaver tells TMZ ... he recently reached out to the comedian on social media, sharing his story, and asking to help contribute to a GoFundMe with an $8,000 goal to buy a prosthetic leg.

On Thursday, much to Nick's surprise, a $5,000 donation come in from Gabriel ... hitting the fundraiser's target.

After donating, Gabriel reposted the link online, joking, "Just paid off his leg. Make sure he doesn’t miss my show." A few months ago, celebrity jeweler Ben Baller also donated $2K to Nick's cause, saying "thank you for being part of the BTB army!"

Nick says back in August 2021, he got into a dispute with his brother over some money owed ... and his brother allegedly ran him over with a car. He lost his leg as a result of the incident after surgeries were unsuccessful in saving it.

'SNL' managed to walk the line Saturday night, with a hilarious cold open about TikTokers making the trek to 1600 Pennsylvania Ave., advising the Prez on how to fight the Russians.

The premise -- President Biden meets TikTok stars in the Oval for a brainstorming meeting on how to fight the Russian disinformation campaign and Putin himself.  After all, these are influencers, so maybe they can influence the right folks.

It's actually a real thing ... White House officials briefed 30 social media influencers this week about the Russian invasion.

Well, in the skit, a CW actress goes all AnnaLynne McCord and suggests the best way to tame Putin is with a poem.

Not to be outdone, another TikToker suggests the solution is a prank ... throwing Putin down a flight of stairs.

Another influencer seems to swing far right, as she suggests Hunter Biden started the war.

There's a hysterical mix-up when a dude named Charles D'Amelio said he didn't know why he was there, but he assumed they meant to invite Charli. Honest mistake ... on his way out he asked if there were any extra stimi checks.

And then the influencer with the plunger ... you just gotta watch it. Super funny.

Katt Williams pulled the plug early on his Nashville show Saturday night, after the venue received a bomb threat.

Katt was in Tennessee for his "World War III" Tour -- yeah, we get that it's jarring -- when 10 minutes before it was supposed to end someone on the crew told him about the threat.

Williams had to make a tough decision ... tell the crowd about the threat or just end the show and let them naturally walk out.

You gotta think Astroworld was on his mind ... worrying that full disclosure might result in a stampede, so Katt just left the stage without saying why. The venue was cleared without incident.

Security took it seriously enough that they escorted Katt off stage and hustled him out of there. Katt left the venue without drama.

There had been rumors of some sort of threat online ... both a bomb threat and a gun threat.

The fans apparently learned of the threat after the fact. One tweeted, "Just left Katt Williams' show in Nashville, where security escorted him off stage mid-joke. Then the lights came on and everyone was told to leave."

Comedian Jordan Carlos sees no problem making jokes about the tragedy in Ukraine ... but he says there's a delicate balance, with some lines that cannot be crossed.

We got Jordan at LAX and asked about some jokes he made when a woman in the audience at one of his gigs brought up Ukraine.

Jordan made some jokes about some folks online who are obsessed with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky ... saying he's hot.

Jordan says comedy helps the audience escape the woes of the real world, so he indulged with a few Zelensky jokes.

Is Johnny Football BACK?!?!?!

He very well could be ... 'cause TMZ Sports has learned former Heisman winner Johnny Manziel is currently in talks with Fan Controlled Football to make a return to the gridiron!!

29-year-old Manziel was one of the most notable players in the FCF's inaugural season ... suiting up under center for the Zappers for three games.

Our sources feel confident Manziel will be back in season two ... at least for a few games.

But, here's where it gets interesting -- we're told Johnny would NOT be returning to the Zaps for the upcoming season ... as he's dying to play for Druski's new team.

In fact, Johnny went to Instagram early Friday morning to express his interest in joining the comedian's squad ... saying, "Only coming out of retirement for @Druski2Funny and Shoulda Been Athletics."

We broke the story -- Druski was announced as the newest owner of the defending champion Wild Aces earlier this week ... name-dropping Manziel as one of the main reasons he decided to get involved in the league.

It would be a full-circle moment for Druski ... and considering how passionate he is about the team, he's gotta be stoked about the possibility of having Manziel on board.

Jon Stewart is blown away by what he's seeing in Ukraine ... first by Volodymyr Zelensky's remarkable leadership, and second by seeing war play out in real-time on social media.

We got the former 'Daily Show' host Wednesday on Capitol Hill and asked him about the Russian invasion and what he's seeing from his fellow comic, who is now leading Ukraine.

Jon says comedians are usually not the most courageous bunch  ... which is what makes Zelensky's strong leadership in the face of the massive Russian army so impressive.

The Russians have the military advantage, at least on paper, and are bombing the crap out of Ukraine ... and Jon says it's remarkable to see Zelensky and his people holding it together in the face of danger.

Jon also says it's unfathomable to see the real cost of war unfold on TikTok, pointing out it's a lot more intense than the old WWII footage, and offers this sobering point ... we're not that far away from the grand mistakes of the past.

There's a new team owner in the Fan Controlled Football league ... and it's none other than comedian and internet superstar Druski!!

TMZ Sports has learned ... Drew Desbordes and Altered State Machine are joining NFL star Austin Ekeler and the Bachelorette franchise's Rachel Lindsay as owners of the Wild Aces -- the reigning champs from FCF's inaugural season.

Of course, the FCF is an indoor football league completely controlled by fans ... with teams owned by names like Marshawn Lynch, Quavo and more.

We spoke with Druski about the major business move ... and while he's known for being a funny guy, he makes it clear he's taking his new position seriously.

"With ownership comes a lot of equity," he says. "I'm bringing some special talent to this year's league."

In fact, Druski says he's hearing legends like Terrell Owens and Michael Vick could suit up for the FCF next season ... and he's had talks with league owners about the possibility.

"This is a real possible thing."

Druski says he's met with players on the Wild Aces -- which will be going through a rebrand, BTW -- and their reaction to his appearance was overwhelmingly positive.

But don't get it twisted -- Druski says he's getting involved to WIN ... and will stop at nothing to prevent his team from losing.

"Before I joined the team, they already won the championship last year," he says. "Not to bandwagon, but we all about Ws, we're all about wins, baby."

Comedian Russell Peters tied the knot in a big way ... inviting almost 300 guests, many of them big-time celebs -- including his announcer, first dance singer and officiant.

Russell and his bride, Ali, had their big day at the Ritz Carlton in Dana Point, CA ... and the event last Sunday looked like it was a "who's who" from the music, comedy and sports worlds.

For starters, Cedric The Entertainer led through their "I dos" as he conducted the ceremony, and, of course, got a few laughs in the process.

R&B great Deborah Cox sang the bride and groom's first dance song, Chic's Nile Rodgers made a special appearance and UFC announcer Bruce Buffer introduced Russell and Ali as they entered the reception!

As for the faces in the crowd celebrating with them -- Raekwon from Wu-Tang Clan, Big Daddy Kane, DJ Scratch, Melle Mel, and Luenell were all there and having a blast.

One of those "ya had to be there" kind of nights!

Russell and Ali got married just before sunset on a bluff overlooking the ocean -- a picture-perfect scene -- and the party went late into the night with loads of dancing, food and a retro candy station to keep up everyone's dance floor energy.

Netflix is turning the page from Dave Chappelle's 'Closer' controversy by staying in business ... with Dave Chappelle, and rolling out new comedy specials with his fingerprint all over 'em.

Dave and the streaming platform announced a new standup comedy series Friday called, "Chappelle's Home Team" ... which will focus on comics handpicked by DC himself. The first of 4 episodes are set to drop February 28, featuring Earthquake.

Remember, Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos refused to remove "The Closer" last year when LGBTQ groups, and others, accused Chappelle of transphobia and staged several protests at Netflix HQ.

Sarandos said the company fully supported all comedians' right to express themselves ... and stood by Dave. The new specials are proof positive of that continued partnership, which has been extremely profitable for both parties.

He's released 10 standup specials on Netflix since 2016 and, by some reports, has made north of $200 mil.

Bob Saget's death is creating a mystery for many experts, who wonder how he suffered such a severe skull fracture ... and what exactly he hit -- but authorities are firm on what didn't happen, and they think the injury was caused by something connected to the bed.

As we've reported, Bob died from a brain bleed after hitting his head on something. Sources with direct knowledge of the investigation tell us the Medical Examiner and police are clear there was no foul play, and they're certain the blow to his head had to happen in the hotel.

We're told the injury to his head was severe enough that they're sure he could not have made the 2-hour drive from Jacksonville to the Ritz-Carlton in Orlando.

But, here's the mystery ... some medical experts say the skull fracture is consistent with being hit by a bat, or falling as far as 30 feet. Obviously, that kind of fall didn't happen, but as for Bob being struck -- we're told the electronic front door lock to his hotel room shows no one else entered the room. Once Bob entered, the next time the door opened was when hotel staff found him in the afternoon.

Our sources say the authorities say it's most likely Bob struck a portion of the bed's headboard that is not padded. We're told it's wood, and the best guess is he hit his head. Since he was under the covers, they believe he quickly lost consciousness. What's interesting ... although authorities on the scene felt the headboard scenario was the most likely, the Medical Examiner never mentioned it.

Rather, the M.E. theorizes it was an "unwitnessed fall backwards."

We're told the authorities who discovered Bob's body did not see a bruise on his head. We're told the bruise was only discovered during the autopsy.

Saget's family has filed a lawsuit in Orange County, Florida to block the release of photos from the hotel room -- because under Florida law police could go public with the images.

Bob Saget died from blunt force trauma to the head ... this according to the Orange County Florida Medical Examiner.

TMZ has obtained the conclusions from the M.E., who said, "It is my opinion that the death of Mr. Saget was the result of blunt head trauma. His injuries were most likely incurred from an unwitnessed fall."

TMZ broke the story Wednesday ... sources with knowledge tell us he went to sleep after hitting his head and never woke up, dying from a brain bleed.

The M.E. went on to say, "A toxicology analysis did not reveal any illicit drugs or toxins. The manner of death is accident."

We broke the story ... Bob was found dead in his hotel room at the Ritz-Carlton in Orlando earlier this month, and the original operating theory was he died of either stroke or a heart attack.

We've been told authorities don't know what object Bob hit with his head, but the back of his head featured an obvious bruise ... and officials think Bob didn't know how badly he was injured.

Bob was buried at Mt. Sinai Memorial Park Cemetery in the Hollywood Hills.

Bob's family says ... "As we continue to mourn together, we ask everyone to remember the love and laughter that Bob brought to this world, and the lessons he taught us all: to be kind to everyone, to let the people you love know you love them, and to face difficult times with hugs and laughter."

Dave Chappelle's raging at local politicians -- who he calls "clowns" -- in his Ohio hometown over a proposed housing development, and after threatening to nix his own biz there ... he's won a small victory.

The Yellow Springs Village Council voted this week to approve a 53-acre residential housing plan. That vote came after a Monday evening council meeting where the public was invited to comment and Dave came in with guns blazing.

He told the council, in no uncertain terms, he did NOT want them to move forward with the project, and he said he'd pull his own business venture -- a planned restaurant/comedy club called the Firehouse Eatery -- out of Yellow Springs.

Dave said he isn’t bluffing, and hurled some choice insults while he was at it.

So, although the council approved the development, it rejected a part of the plan that included affordable housing. There are reports Dave opposed that specific part of the development, but his rep Carla Sims tells TMZ ... "Dave Chappelle didn't kill affordable housing. Concerned residents and a responding Village Council 'killed' a half-baked plan which never actually offered affordable housing."

She flat out says Dave is not opposed to affordable housing, but he is against the "poorly vetted, cookie-cutter, sprawl-style development deal." She also claims the proposed residential development was only reserving 3 out of 143 lots for "future" affordable housing.

The real issue for Dave -- who frequently speaks out at village discussions -- is he, and many other locals, don't want their rural village to turn into a bustling suburb.