Comedy

'SNL' opened Saturday night with a blistering skit about 3 extreme Republicans running for high office -- Herschel Walker, Dr. Oz and Kari Lake.

Oz is stoked about the "Pennsylvania Phillies" World Series bid ... of course, playing off his carpetbagging status.

Walker, well, he answers the alleged abortion hypocrisy with 1 word -- gas.

And Kari Lake -- well, she makes it clear ... if people vote for her, they won't have to vote in another election.

As you probably know, all 3 candidates are gaining ground in their races, and although 'SNL' is clearly mocking them ... the underlying message isn't far from reality, and that reality seems to be resonating with a growing number of voters.

We'll know in a little more than a week. Then immediately get ready for the 2024 Presidential campaign.

Leslie Jordan will be gracing the silver screen one last time ... because the last film he ever starred in is on its way to being completed.

Writer and director Tracy Pellegrino tells TMZ ... "Strangers in a Strange Land," Leslie's last listed film credit in post-production, is a small independent film made up of several shorts that focuses on foreigners around the world getting into hilarious situations due to their confusion and language barriers -- and it's the L.A. portion of the film where Leslie shines.

Leslie plays a southerner in Los Angeles who tries to help give directions to a Russian man at a bus stop ... someone he finds VERY attractive.

The humor is right up Leslie's alley, and that tracks -- we're told Tracy and her husband, Mark, wrote the part with him in mind ... totally unaware if Leslie would even sign on for the project. Tracy knew Leslie for more than 20 years.

Tracy says the movie was filmed over a long period of time -- it was shot in Paris, Cannes, Rome, Düsseldorf, London, Brooklyn and L.A. She says Leslie's part was shot around 2017. There is no release date yet for the film.

SNL's Chris Redd was leveled by a single punch in front of about a dozen shocked onlookers outside the Comedy Cellar in NYC, and the SCARY attack was caught on video.

Newly released surveillance footage from the club, obtained by NBC News, shows the exact moment an assailant threw a crushing blow to the face of the comedian, knocking Redd clear off his feet. You can see Chris writhing in pain after the punch.

Redd was on his way inside the venue for his late-night act Wednesday, but he had to take a detour to the hospital for his badly injured nose. Redd's performance was canceled, but, thankfully, he's going to be OK as he nurses two black eyes and a gash to his nose.

TMZ broke the story ... Redd drove up to the Comedy Cellar in Greenwich Village and got out of his vehicle only to be attacked by the assailant. The suspect, who was apparently wearing brass knuckles and a security guard uniform, then ran off. Police do not have a motive for the assault, though the attacker grabbed his chain, it broke into pieces and was recovered.

The attacker who clocked 'SNL' alum Chris Redd in the face was wearing brass knuckles ... and there were two men involved in Wednesday's brazen New York City attack.

Sources connected to Chris tell TMZ ...  the attack left Chris with two black eyes and a huge gash on his nose, which required stitches. He was hospitalized after the attack and released shortly thereafter.

As TMZ reported ... both men were dressed as security guards and had masks covering their faces. We're told the attacker who approached Chris and hit him with brass knuckles was a heavyset man ... the other man was standing across the street, appearing to case the area.

Chris, we're told, was not able to identify anything about either suspect. Nevertheless, we're told he's meeting with cops who've gathered surveillance footage, with the hope of getting a lead -- if not from the images of the 2 men, possibly from their method of escape, be it on foot or in a vehicle.

Surveillance video could be key to cracking the case. Even if the 2 assailants ran for blocks, cops could piece together their movements with various surveillance cams.

You may recall ... in the Jussie Smollett case, cops used surveillance videos to track down the Osundairo brothers, who ran from the scene for blocks and then hopped in an Uber.

TMZ broke the story ... Chris had his Greg Yuna chain snatched off in the attack, but he was able to recover the bling, although it was in pieces. It can be easily restored.

'SNL' alum Chris Redd was in no laughing mood in NYC Wednesday night ... the comedian got slugged in the face by some random dude and was rushed to the hospital, but, thankfully, he's gonna be OK!!!

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... Chris drove up to the Comedy Cellar in Greenwich Village around 9:40 PM and got out of a vehicle when all hell broke loose.

We're told a man, apparently wearing a security guard uniform, ran up to Chris and clocked him in the face, bloodying his nose.

Cops were on patrol in the area and quickly responded to the scene, but the assailant had already run off. Police don't know the motive for the alleged assault.

People gathered around to assist Chris -- as you see in video obtained by TMZ. Blood was on the sidewalk and several steps leading down to the Comedy Cellar. Chris was scheduled to perform there Wednesday night.

He was taken to Bellevue Hospital in Manhattan, where he was treated and released.

Leslie Jordan was a treasure to folks in Chattanooga, Tennessee, his hometown ... and now the city plans to honor the late actor, and it's working with his family to make it happen.

Leslie, who died Tuesday in Los Angeles, is being remembered as "one of the cherished sons of Chattanooga," according to a rep for the city ... who also tells TMZ, Leslie brought joy to the community for many years.

We're told one of Leslie's family members reached out to the city about securing a facility to honor his memory. The city is now partnering with Leslie's fam to make it happen, by finding a venue for a memorial service and making sure to pick a date that works well for Leslie's loved ones.

Chattanooga, we're told, is also open to other ideas on how to best remember Leslie -- some of the ideas being kicked around include renaming a street or building in his honor but we're told the final call will be up to his family.

The rep tells us Chattanooga Mayor Tim Kelly knew Leslie since they were teenagers, when they worked together at a local restaurant ... so his ties to the city run deep.

We're told Leslie made sure to return to Chattanooga to participate in civic events and volunteer with local charities even after his Hollywood success.

TMZ broke the story ... Leslie was driving his BMW in Hollywood when investigators believe he suffered a medical emergency and crashed into the side of a building.

He was on his way to the "Call Me Kat" set for filming, and we're told he had been complaining recently about shortness of breath.

Back in Chattanooga, we're told folks are still in mourning ... and the city is trying to balance showing respect for Leslie's family with being responsive to community members who want to celebrate him.

Leslie's also going to be honored in West Hollywood, where he frequented restaurants and coffee shops. We're told the WeHo city council will adjourn in Leslie's honor at their next meeting.

Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker have a new place to call home ... and it just so happens to be the same beach house Conan O'Brien sold earlier this month.

The keys to Conan's former Carpinteria home are now in the hands of Kourtney and Travis ... as we reported, the comedian got an offer for the place a couple of weeks ago -- turns out the rockin' couple was the ones behind the sale.

We're told they bought the pad -- which was listed for $16.5 million -- for $14.5 mil, so yeah ... they got a sweet deal!

For those unaware, Conan was on the hunt for a buyer since July ... the 2,142-square-foot property is just steps from the sand, and he originally bought it back in 2015 for $7.9M.

The home has panoramic ocean, Channel Island and coastline views. There's also a spacious deck to take in those Pacific sunsets.

For the salt lifers ... there's an outdoor shower and storage area for surf and paddle boards ... essentials for life at the beach.

For those of you not in SoCal, Carpinteria is just south of Santa Barbara ... which is, obviously, a sentimental spot for Kourtney and Travis because they got engaged there.

Leslie Jordan, the beloved actor and comedian has died.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ Jordan was driving in Hollywood Monday morning when it's suspected he suffered some sort of medical emergency and crashed his BMW into the side of a building.

Leslie was famous for his work on popular TV shows like "Will & Grace," "Hearts Afire," "The Cool Kids," "Call Me Kat" and "American Horror Story."

LJ became a social media sensation during the pandemic, with his silly video posts helping him skyrocket from about 80,000 Instagram followers to a whopping 5.8 million. He told us on "TMZ Live" his secret was just being himself -- a silly, funny, goofy, happy-go-lucky senior citizen.

Following his viral pandemic fame, Leslie appeared on CNN's New Year's Eve 2021 countdown, ringing in 2022 with Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen.

Leslie also acted in movies, including ... "The Help" and "Ski Patrol" and he made guest appearances in tons of TV shows like "Murphy Brown," "Ugly Betty," and "Boston Public."

On Sunday, Leslie posted a video on Instagram of himself singing a hymn.

The last time we saw Leslie out in public was pretty recently ... our photogs got him just last month, gauging his reaction to Elton John and Britney Spears releasing a new song together.

Leslie was 67.

RIP

Peyton and Eli Manning, along with Steelers legend Jerome Bettis, did their very best impression of Egon, Ray, Winston and Peter ... going to The Bus' alma mater, the University of Notre Dame, searching for a ghost in a hilarious Ghostbusters skit!

The three NFL legends came together for a special Halloween mashup episode of Peyton's Place and Eli's Place on ESPN+ (produced by Omaha Productions) -- where they became parapsychologists from the classic ghost-chasing movie -- and headed to South Bend, Indiana on the hunt for the ghost of George Gipp.

Gipp was an ND running back under Knute Rockne between 1917 and 1920. You may not recognize the name "George Gipp," but you've heard the phrase ... "win one for the Gipper." George is the Gipper.

In 1925, GG was sick and on his deathbed, when he famously delivered this line to his coach, telling him to use it to motivate the players.

"I've got to go, Rock. It's all right. I'm not afraid. Sometime Rock, when the team is up against it, when things are wrong and the breaks are beating the boys, ask them to go in there with all they've got and win just one for the Gipper. I don't know where I'll be then, Rock. But I'll know about it, and I'll be happy."

In the skit, Peyton, Eli and Jerome head for campus in the Ghostbusters' Ectomobile ... all while rocking the GB iconic jumpsuits.

Bettis wasn't feelin' the threads at first ... but Eli had a hilarious response for the former Notre Dame star.

"What?!" Eli said, "Did you think we'd be wearing a crop top or something?"

Peyton also jokes about Eli losing his spot on the ManningCast to Bill Murray -- who played Dr. Peter Venkman in the Ghostbusters movies.

Andy Dick is facing a felony burglary charge in California after getting arrested yet again ... this time cops say he was stealing power tools from someone's garage.

The Santa Barbara Police Department tells TMZ ... officers busted Andy on Oct. 13, after responding to a report of a burglary in progress at a home.

Andy had removed several power tools from a home under construction, according to cops ... and they say they caught him red-handed trying to flee the property. The homeowner told police they don't know Andy, and he definitely didn't have permission to be there.

Since then, the Santa Barbara County D.A. has charged Andy with first-degree residential burglary, and he's pled not guilty -- however, one week later, he's still locked up.

Interestingly enough, Dick posted a video from inside an abandoned house just last week ... so it's possible it's the same one he was busted inside.

We're told he is in the Santa Barbara County Jail waiting for someone to bond him out. His bail was set at $50K.

It's the second arrest for Andy in the last 6 months ... as we first told you, he was busted in May and accused of sexual battery and the arrest was live-streamed.

The woman who accused Chris D'Elia of threatening to share intimate videos of her just took an 'L' ... a judge denied her request for court-ordered protection from the comedian.

D'Elia maintained from the beginning, he'd never met her Caroline Schmitz -- and Schmitz had threatened him and his family on multiple occasions through messages on social media ... yet she was the one who filed a restraining order against him.

Chris was in court Wednesday with his attorney Andrew Brettler -- Schmitz was a no-show -- and the judge denied the request for a permanent restraining order.

TMZ broke the story ... Schmitz was originally granted a temporary restraining order against Chris last month, claiming they met back in 2017 and hooked up several times. She says from there, Chris allegedly contacted her on OnlyFans in May, threatening to post intimate videos she'd recorded and telling her she needed to leave Los Angeles.

James Corden has at least 2 NYC restaurant owners in his corner ... they say he's been a model customer, despite some alleged nasty behavior at other establishments.

While James was briefly banned at Big Apple hotspot Balthazar, the owner of some of NYC's top restaurants tells us JC was always super polite and cordial at his restaurants.

Stratis Morfogen has opened 40 restaurants over the years in New York, and he says James is one of the most pleasant and funny guys he's ever served -- to the point where Stratis says he can't even imagine James being mean.

When Stratis hosted and catered a 2018 post-Grammys event for Bruno Mars and Atlantic Records at his Brooklyn Chop House restaurant, he says James was there singing songs with bartenders and yukking it up with staffers at the bar. He also notes James was a gracious tipper.

James is also being defended by famed restaurateur Todd English ... who tells us every time he's served Corden, the comedian's been "absolutely lovely" to everyone in the joint.

Todd, who's been the head chef at Tony Awards afterparties, says James was always "incredibly personable" to him and his staff who traveled from Todd English's Olives in Las Vegas.

As we reported, James was called out this week by Balthazar owner Keith McNally, who accused Corden of being a "cretin of a man" for what he claims was abhorrent behavior at his highly acclaimed establishment.

McNally initially banned James from the restaurant, but says Corden called him up and apologized ... and the ban's since been lifted.

Stratis tells us he was shocked McNally would rip James on social media, because he says he's never heard any of his restaurateur friends talk about James in a negative light.

'SNL's cold open Saturday night was a hilarious gag on the January 6th Committee's closing arguments, but one line produced a gasp from the audience -- when 'Donald Trump' asked someone during the insurrection if the rioters made good on their threat to hang Mike Pence.

The casting was fantastic ... from Kenan Thompson who played Chairman Bennie Thompson, who introduced "a team of monotone nerds to do a PowerPoint."

'Liz Cheney' explained she's as tough as she is because she has "Big Dick Cheney energy!"

Then 'Rep. Jamie Raskin' read from the ominous message board with questions the day of the attempted coup, including ... "Is there a shuttle from LaQuinta Inn to coup?" and "Am I at wrong Washington? I see space needle."

Maybe the most hilarious part was video of the Capitol bunker, where 'Nancy Pelosi' and 'Chuck Schumer' were hunkered down. Pelosi -- played remarkably by Chloe Fineman -- was a bad ass, while Schumer was obsessed with getting lunch and sucking up to Pence!

Conan O'Brien can break out the bubbly ... because he just accepted an offer on his oceanfront home.

Conan's been on the hunt for a buyer since July. He had listed the property in Carpinteria, CA, just south of Santa Barbara, for $16,500,000.

Conan's 2,142 square foot pad is just steps from the sand ... it underwent an extensive remodel after he and his wife Liza bought it back in 2015 -- at the time they plunked down $7.9M for the property.

The house has panoramic ocean, island and coastline views ... there's a large deck with a built-in BBQ, plus a sunset view deck with private stairs down to the beach.

The main house has two bedrooms, a gym and a detached, 2-bedroom guest house with a wraparound deck. The garage has a Tesla charging station too!

For those salt lifers ... there's an outdoor shower and storage area for surf and paddle boards ... essentials for life at the beach.

Conan and Liza are upgrading in the same area, reportedly plunking down $23M.

Actor Ray Buffer is being accused by a San Diego comic book store of stealing some pricey comics ... and the store says security footage appears to show him stuffing 'em up his shirt.

Southern California Comics in San Diego alleges it has Ray on video stealing $600 worth of comic books, and the store filed a police report with SDPD and is handing over evidence to police, including their security footage.

SDPD tells TMZ police took a report for petty theft and are investigating the incident.

The comic book store says it got even more evidence -- which it will be turning over to police -- after warning other stores about Ray in a Facebook post before he had been identified.

The owners tell us Metropolis Comics in L.A. sent them some eerily similar security footage from when Ray was there. In that video, the owner confronts him after seeing him pull the same move, and this time he puts the comics back and leaves as the owner threatens to call police.

Ray, who has appeared in TV shows like "ER" and "Curb Your Enthusiasm," deleted all of his social media accounts after the comic book store posted the video online.

Bookstores are always on edge about this kind of theft, because some comics are worth a lot of money -- we've reported about rare comics getting auctioned off for large sums. That's why most stores have such great security cameras.

'SNL' decided to tap into all the s**t that's going down in the U S of A with a game show called, "So You Think You Won’t Snap."

The game is all about temptation ... hurling problematic news stories to mild-mannered, chill contestants and seeing if they reach a breaking point ... and there are stakes!

Contestants who are off the bottle are challenged with a big glass of wine. A flight attendant becomes a potential human punching bag, and a hot iron sits on a table ready to scorch a man's face. In other words, high stakes.

Watch for yourself ... from Biden to Kanye and everything in between -- it's just too much to bare.