Comedy

Anthony Anderson is backing Dave Chappelle's decision to turn down an honor from his high school alma mater, which was all set to name a building after him.

We got AA at LAX Tuesday, and he thinks Dave's spot on by turning thumbs down on plastering the building -- the Duke Ellington School of the Arts -- with his moniker. After some controversy, the school was ready to put Dave's name right in the front, but Monday night he opted for a different name ... the Theater for Artistic Freedom and Expression.

Anthony believes Dave's a pioneer in the world of free speech, especially for comedians. Anthony acknowledges ... everyone's got their own opinion and some disagree with what Dave says, and that's ok.

While addressing the crowd Monday, Dave referenced the backlash from students over his special 'The Closer' ... and said it really hurt him.

Three Pittsburgh Pirates staffers looked more like "The Three Stooges" on Monday night ... because they failed to corral a squirrel that had gotten loose in the outfield during a game -- and it was comical.

The little critter jetted out into left field during the second inning of the Buccos' game against the Chicago Cubs ... and a short time later, Pirates officials apparently thought it'd be good to send three guys out with a bucket, a towel and a net to get it away from players.

Turns out ... that was not a great idea.

Check out video from the game's broadcast, the trio hilariously tried everything they could to capture the squirrel -- but the animal juked them at every turn.

Eventually, the squirrel grew tired of making the guys look silly -- and bolted through a fence.

The scene was so hysterical, the MLB even had some fun with it ... tweeting out, "sandy cheeks wildin."

Dave Chappelle's alma mater is paying tribute to him by renaming a building in his honor ... just months after he got heckled on campus during the transgender controversy.

Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington D.C. is set to rename its performance theater after its most noted alumni ... the school says it's honoring Dave because of his "ongoing commitment and service to the school."

As we reported, Dave paid a visit to his old high school back in November, while he was taking heat for his jokes about the transgender community.

Things got heated when he invited students who disagreed to speak during an assembly. One student stepped up and called him a bigot, adding, "I'm 16 and I think you're childish." Some students wanted the school to reverse its decision over naming the building after him.

Dave challenged both his supporters and his opponents -- asking both sides to raise money for the school, and if the opponents raised more money, he'd gladly forego the honor of having the building renamed.

As it turns out, his supporters raised the most money so the building will be called the Dave Chappelle Theatre.

Chris Rock is in good company these days, taking in a baseball game with Lake Bell.

The comedian and actress were in a box together Monday night at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, watching a Cardinals game. They were spotted by eagle-eyed fans, who got them on camera together at different points in the evening ... including in this video, obtained by TMZ.

No signs of PDA, but they were definitely sitting together ... and seemed interested in maintaining a relatively low profile. We're told Chris did an on-camera interview at one point, and LB stepped away so she wouldn't be seen in the shot.

Chris has been performing comedy shows there lately, and it seems Lake is along for the ride. They're both single, and relatively fresh off of long-term marriages in recent years.

It's been about 3 months since CR got smacked across the face by Will Smith, and by all accounts ... he's doing just fine. Not only has he continued to work, but he now seems to have a new lady friend (maybe).

David Koechner looked a bit like a deer in headlights during his latest DUI bust -- one that couldn't stand up all that straight ... at least based on this police body cam footage.

The "Anchorman" star's run-in with cops in Ohio earlier this month can now be seen on video obtained by TMZ ... and in it, you see him bombing -- according to police -- some field sobriety tests after he's pulled over on the road.

The cop who ends up running the show actually has a funny little "I know you" encounter when he realizes who Koechner is, but it doesn't seem like he's too star-struck -- because he proceeds, trying to get a read on whether DK had one too many.

After going through the gauntlet of drunk exams, the cop ends up putting David in handcuffs -- telling him he's under arrest ... with the actor admitting this is his 2nd in 6 months.

We're told Koechner was arrested, processed at the station, and then eventually released with a court summons. The summons dings him on 3 separate counts ... driving while impaired, refusal to submit for a breathalyzer or urine sample and driving on a suspended license.

Before Ric Flair doles out one last ass whoopin', the WWE legend's gonna take a few (verbal) jabs from Mike Tyson -- 'cause TMZ Sports has learned Iron Mike will be one of the celebs roasting Nature Boy this summer!

We're told 55-year-old Tyson has signed on to be part of the roast of 73-year-old Flair ... going down July 29 in Nashville, TN ... in front of over 1,000 fans!

Ric and Mike -- two of the absolute greatest in their respective fields -- aren't just buddies, they're also business partners.

In fact, Mike's "Tyson 2.0" cannabis company recently struck a deal with "Ric Flair Drip" ... and the men will be selling different marijuana products (think edibles, etc.)

And, Tyson won't be alone in roasting the 16x world champ ... Starrcast, the company behind the event, tells us they're in the process of locking down other celebs and wrestlers for the roast.

If Ric makes it through the roast, two nights later he's scheduled to wrestle in the final match of his incredible career. His opponent is still being sorted out.

Bob Saget's close friends say they've been overwhelmed by the reaction of fans since losing him earlier this year -- and now they're giving back to those fans with a special tribute.

Lori Loughlin, who rarely does public appearances these days, joined John Stamos, John Mayer and Jeff Ross for an Instagram Live chat about their dearly departed pal, and Lori opened up about what she calls the "most touching part" of their mourning process.

She talked about strangers telling her how sorry they are for her loss, but also sharing how much Bob meant to them. She said, he "was everyone's dad, a part of everyone's childhood."

The 4 of them were chatting about the new Netflix special, "Dirty Daddy: The Bob Saget Tribute." It was recorded at the Comedy Store in WeHo at the end of January, and Mayer said it was "the first time we'd gotten together where our heads had started to grow around this new reality."

He also described it as "this great moment between acceptance, but still being in a lot of pain."

The tribute show also features Jim Carrey, Chris Rock and several other of Bob's famous friends.

Jeff said, "[Bob] always wanted a Netflix special," Ross, 56, said at one point during the live stream. "I don't think anyone's funeral has been on TV since Lady Diana died, so the fact that it's happening now for Bob is kinda bittersweet, but I think he'd be proud of it."

"Anchorman" star David Koechner has been busted again for drinking and driving -- this time while away from home on tour.

According to online records, Koechner was nabbed in Southern Ohio just before 2 AM on June 4 for operating a vehicle under the influence. A law enforcement source tells us a State Trooper noticed Koechner swerve, pulled him over, and allegedly smelled alcohol on his breath.

Koechner received a ticket for the offense, and is scheduled to appear in court next month.

As for why he was in Ohio -- Koechner's on tour -- and hosted "The Office" trivia night later that day in Ironton. Koechner played the character Todd Packer on the show.

It's not the first time this year he's been busted for drinking and driving. The actor and comedian was charged with DUI and hit and run following a New Year's Eve arrest in Los Angeles. During that incident, cops say, he blew two tires before stopping and blew a .13 BAC in the field and a .12 once back at the station.

Dave Chappelle is giving back following his weekend performance in Buffalo, NY ... making what will be a sizeable donation to families of victims who were killed in that city's recent mass shooting.

Chappelle hit the stage Sunday at the Shea's Performing Arts Center, and we've confirmed he's giving all the money from his ticket sales back to the Buffalo community directly affected by the May 14 tragedy.

It's a 3,000-seat venue, so the final check Dave cuts for the families should be impressive. The decision to do the stand-up gig in Buffalo was last minute -- Dave announced it on Wednesday and the tickets sold out within an hour.

As we've reported, at least 10 people were killed, most of whom were Black ... after a man opened fire with a semi-automatic weapon at a Tops Friendly Market grocery store.

The 18-year-old gunman drove several hours across NY state to the predominately African-American neighborhood. He not only went live on social media during the attack, but beforehand he'd posted a manifesto declaring himself a white supremacist.

Steve Harvey didn't wait too long to start crackin' jokes about his daughter's breakup with Michael B. Jordan ... and admits he might've learned a new way to avoid another costly divorce.

Steve talked about his daughter Lori Harvey parting ways with MBJ on his morning show Monday ... and can't help himself from getting in a laughing mood while doing so.

He says his kids are teaching him to "get out early" from relationships ... and even thinks a breakup on social media is the way to go -- citing court costs as a dealbreaker. Don't forget, the guy's been divorced 2 times, and had quite the fight in court back in 2018.

Steve's ex-wife Mary sued him for $60M over mental anguish, saying she was suicidal in the wake of their 2005 divorce. The judge just threw out her case, because it belonged in front of a judge in Texas ... where the divorce was handled.

As we reported, Michael and Lori reportedly split after being together for over a year ... the reason is still unknown, but the two hadn't posted about each other online in months.

Howie Mandel's partnering with a unique tech company that's making life a lot easier for a germaphobe like himself -- instead of showing up in person, he can be displayed anywhere ... as a hologram in a box.

To quote Howie, now he's "the Jew in the box!!!" That's his funny take on his new gig, but more technically, he's been named an advisor for Proto Inc. ... inventors of the world’s first 4K, volumetric, self-contained holoportation machine.

The video gives you a better idea of how it works, and Howie's already having tons of fun!

On top of keeping away from germs, he also sees it as a great way to work more efficiently -- this tech makes it possible for him to do stand-up at multiple venues, all in real-time.

Proto's been in the game since 2019 and has seen a ton of celebs use their hologram tech. Diddy wasn't able to be at his son's 23rd birthday party last year, so the company hooked him up with a box and the ability to virtually wish him a happy birthday.

Country star Walker Hayes was even able to play some of his hits live for a crowd, thanks to Proto.

Kathy Griffin is taking low-blow shots at Johnny Depp -- beyond believing Amber Heard ... she thinks he's far from the dreamboat he once was, focusing on his looks.

The comedian went on the offensive this week -- shortly after the pro-Depp verdict came down in Virginia -- during an appearance on "Just Ask The Question with Brian Karem" ... where she hurled a lot of insults at JD and his legion of fanboys (and girls).

Specifically, she made fun of his appearance ... likening him to Trump, and saying he resembled a "bloated booze bag" these days -- despite what his supporters might think.

KG also commented on his voice and manner of speaking ... saying it was such a phony act, and that she's shocked anyone is buying it -- even invoking Kanye West during his wire days. The host agrees, saying he sounds sorta British ... even though he's from Kentucky.

Kathy wasn't done there though ... she went on to express direct support for Amber, saying she 100% bought her story of alleged abuse -- despite a jury saying otherwise -- and even followed in Amber's footsteps by dredging up supposed old rumors about Johnny.

She mentions Kate Moss (who denied any abuse at the hands of JD) ... and even Winona Ryder. Her theory -- which sounds totally speculative -- is that ... these other ladies are, perhaps, afraid of being "Amber Heard'd" and therefore won't speak out against him.

We'll let Kathy speak for herself here ... but let's just say she's certainly catching backlash because of this, from both Depp "stans" and beyond.

Bill Maher knows America has a ton of problems, but the biggest might be we've all become so f***ing stupid ... and that's the real existential threat to this country.

It starts out hilarious ... listening to our youngins whose ignorance is just mind-blowing -- the first person to walk on the sun is a dude named Lance. The biggest city in the world is Asia ... no, it's Europe.

As for how we got this dumb, well the 'Real Time' host says schools and politicians are to blame because they're all so caught up in causes, they've abandoned education.

As for how this becomes an existential threat ... well, the captains of our ship are politicians, who now get elected with ads that are ridiculous and demagogic. Bill plays a bunch of them and the candidates all sound just wretched ... yet that's the drill for getting elected. As he says, the end of each ad should say, "I approved this message, you dumb f***s!"

You gotta see the ad for Marjorie Taylor Greene ... and all the other candidates who think they can win by shooting guns and obliterating cars and bottles of Bud.

Point is ... this is what gets people elected, and exactly who are these people? They're the ones who are guiding our nation and setting policy.

Kim Kardashian and Pete Davidson are more than ready to show the world -- they're in love.

They posted vid Sunday ... matching from head to toe. They both have bleached their hair blonde and are decked out in black outfits. And, then ... they kiss for all to see. And, then show a little tongue!

Most people thought this would be a short-term, rebound relationship for Kim, however, it's clearly anything but. They did a photoshoot together last week and they're now fixtures in each other's lives.

This is all going down in L.A. Pete, a lifelong New Yorker, is spending a lot of time on the West Coast, and he seems poised to move out here permanently after his exit from 'SNL.'

Kim's no longer walking on eggshells over all the Kanye drama. She even lashed out at him on her Hulu show, essentially saying she made a mistake protecting Ye at the expense of her family.

Pete Davidson has ventured West -- no, not THAT West -- after his exit from 'SNL.'

Pete's back in L.A. with GF Kim Kardashian. Kim was doing a photo shoot for SKIMS at her office — and Pete was hanging out.

Pete was decked out in a shower cap -- covering his bleached mane -- while KK rocked a pretty snazzy bodysuit.

The decks are now cleared for Pete to move to L.A. He hasn't said where he'll land, but he wants to do more movies so the City of Angels seems to be the place that makes the most sense.

Also, it's now undeniable -- his relationship with Kim is super serious, so enough of the bicoastal crap already.

If Pete does move to L.A. ... it's unclear where he'll live, but he DOES have options.

Tracy Morgan got a rare, high honor Friday night ... a coveted Friars Club award, and he did not miss an opportunity to tell a couple of hilarious jokes about his near-death experience.

Tracy received the Icon Award in NYC, where 500 people showed up to honor the comedian. Among them ... Sherri Shepherd, JB Smoove, Chris Kattan, Allan Houston, Obi Toppin, Immanuel Quickley, Paul Shaffer, Ben Vereen, Bill Boggs, Carol Alt, Joe Piscopo, Geraldo Rivera, NYC Mayor Eric Adams, Vincent Pastore, Brian Quinn, Joe Gatto, Rudy Giuliani and Anthony Weiner.

NYC Mayor Adams presented TM with a framed document declaring May 26, 2022, as Tracy Morgan Day. Friars Club President, Arthur Aidala, honored Tracy with an Icon Award trophy.

His speech was great! As you know, Tracy was in a limo that was hit by a truck and it was touch-and-go for a while ... Tracy's rehab was arduous and long, but he bounced back, clearly NOT losing his sense of humor.

He explained when you fall down, you have to get right back up, unless you're hit by a truck and then you just lay there and wait for a lawyer!!!

The gala event was held at the Ziegfeld Ballroom in Midtown on Thursday night.

Not many celebs have received the award ... among them -- Sinatra, Cary Grant, Robert De Niro and Tom Cruise. The award's only been bestowed 9 times in the history of Friars.

The event also honored Betty White and Bob Saget.