Health

Look out, Bronny James' college opponents -- LeBron says you'll be going up against a guy with just as much athleticism as he had during his rookie year in the NBA ... so says the King himself.

The Los Angeles Lakers superstar's praise came after one X user shared his assessment of the 19-year-old USC freshman while sharing his rim-shaking highlights on Tuesday ... claiming, "Too (sic) say Bronny just as athletic or if not more than Bron was at his age isn’t wild! He’s doing this at 6'2" not 6'8" 🤷🏾‍♂️."

LBJ got wind of the post ... and he couldn't agree more.

"Exactly!!!" the four-time NBA champ replied ... claiming anyone who says otherwise doesn't know what they're talking about.

"He's definitely just as if not right there at his age. The casuals just like to argue about 💩 they literally don’t know about."

Even though it's coming from his own father, it's high praise ... considering LeBron burst onto the NBA scene as an 18-year-old phenom -- eventually earning Rookie of the Year honors after averaging 20.9 points, 5.5 rebounds and 5.9 assists.

Bronny is hoping to get back on the court soon after suffering cardiac arrest earlier this year ... and while he's got big shoes to fill following his pops' footsteps, mock drafts have him being an NBA talent next year.

Mary Lou Retton -- an Olympic gold-winning gymnast  -- is currently fighting for her life in the ICU ... this according to her daughter, who says her mom is battling a rare form of pneumonia.

McKenna Kelley shared the sad news on Tuesday via her Instagram story with a photo of a SpotFund account that she started for Retton's medical costs.

"Please help my mom continue to fight," Kelley said in the post.

The fundraiser says the 55-year-old former athlete is unable to breathe on her own due to the rare form of pneumonia.

"Out of respect for her and her privacy, I will not disclose all details," Keller said on the page. "However, I will disclose that she not insured."

"We ask that if you could help in any way, that 1) you PRAY! and 2) if you could help us with finances for the hospital bill."

Kelley added, "ANYTHING, absolutely anything, would be so helpful for my family and my mom. Thank y’all so very much!"

The fundraiser has a goal of $50k and as of Tuesday, over 79 donors have contributed.

"If anyone can WIN we know it’s YOU! GEAUX MARYLOU!" one fan said on the page. "We are praying hard for you from La!"

Retton was a massive star in gymnastics ... in fact, she made history as the first American woman to win the all-around gold in the 1984 Olympics. She also won two silvers and bronzes that same year.

After retiring, she was inducted into the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame in 1997 and was the first woman to be selected into the Houston Sports Hall of Fame in 2020.

Mary Lou Retton —una gimnasta ganadora del oro olímpico— está actualmente luchando por su vida en la UCI, esto de acuerdo a su hija, quien dice que su madre está luchando contra una forma rara de neumonía.

McKenna Kelley compartió la triste noticia el martes a través de su historia de Instagram con una foto de una cuenta SpotFund que ella comenzó para los gastos médicos de Retton.

"Por favor, ayuden a mi mamá a seguir luchando", dijo Kelley en el post.

La recaudación de fondos dice que la ex atleta de 55 años no puede respirar por sí misma debido a la rara forma de neumonía.

"Por respeto a ella y a su privacidad, no revelaré todos los detalles", dijo Keller en la página. "Sin embargo, revelaré que ella no tiene seguro".

"Les pedimos que si pueden ayudar de alguna manera, que 1) ¡OREN! y 2) si pueden ayudarnos con las finanzas para la factura del hospital".

Kelley añadió: "CUALQUIER cosa, absolutamente cualquier cosa, sería de gran ayuda para mi familia y mi madre. Muchísimas gracias a todos".

La recaudación de fondos tiene una meta de $50k, y hasta el martes, más de 79 donantes han contribuido.

"¡Si alguien puede GANAR sabemos que eres TÚ! GEAUX MARYLOU!", dijo un fan en la página. "¡Estamos rezando mucho por ti desde Los Ángeles!".

Retton era una reconocida estrella en la gimnasia, de hecho, hizo historia como la primera mujer estadounidense en ganar el oro en los Juegos Olímpicos de 1984. También ganó dos medallas de plata y bronce ese mismo año.

Después de retirarse, fue incluida en el Salón Internacional de la Fama de la Gimnasia en 1997 y fue la primera mujer en ser seleccionada en el Salón de la Fama de los Deportes de Houston en 2020.

Barry Melrose -- considered by many to be the best NHL analyst on television -- has sadly been diagnosed with Parkinson's ... and he'll now be stepping away from his role at ESPN while he battles the disease.

Longtime ESPN personality John Buccigross just made the heartbreaking announcement minutes ago on X ... revealing Melrose will be off camera and spending time with his family for the foreseeable future.

"I've worked with Barry at ESPN for over a quarter century," Buccigross said. "Cold beers and hearty laughs in smokey cigar bars. A razor sharp wit, he was always early & looked like a million bucks. I love him. I'll miss him."

"Wayne Gretzky on a life dedicated to hockey," he added.

Melrose both played and coached in the NHL for years ... before he began breaking down games for ESPN beginning in 1996. He took a brief hiatus from the network to coach the Lightning, but returned a short time later.

He's since become a mainstay on NHL broadcasts -- so much so, commissioner Gary Bettman said Tuesday, "Hockey on ESPN won't be the same without him."

"Barry's gigantic personality and trademark style have made our game bigger, more exciting and more entertaining," Bettman said.

"His love for hockey is obvious and infectious. And it is impossible to have a conversation with him without a smile on your face."

Aaron Rodgers wants to settle his back-and-forth with "Mr. Pfizer" once and for all ... proposing a star-studded Covid-19 debate with Travis Kelce -- and he wants Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and Dr. Fauci to get involved!!

As we previously reported, AR8 and the Kansas City Chiefs superstar have been sending playful jabs toward each other over the past week ... ever since the New York Jets coined his new nickname for Kelce on "The Pat McAfee Show."

Rodgers returned for his weekly appearance with McAfee on Tuesday ... and he responded to Kelce claiming the two were in a "vax war."

"This ain't a war, homie," Rodgers told McAfee minutes ago. "This is just conversation. But if you want to have some sort of duel, debate, have me on the podcast, come on the show. Let's have a conversation."

The four-time MVP added he wants both sides to pick some backup help for the potential hash-out sesh ... revealing he wants RFK Jr. in his corner, and Kelce can choose Fauci or "some other pharmacrat" as his support.

Of course, a potential debate would surely be popcorn-worthy -- Rodgers and RFK Jr. have been outspoken against the Covid-19 vax, and Kelce and Fauci are strong proponents of getting the jab.

Barry Melrose —considerado por muchos como el mejor analista de la NHL en la televisión— ha sido tristemente diagnosticado con Parkinson y se alejará de ESPN mientras lucha contra la enfermedad.

John Buccigross, personalidad de ESPN desde hace mucho tiempo, acaba de hacer el desgarrador anuncio hace unos minutos en X, revelando que Melrose estará fuera de las cámaras y pasará tiempo con su familia en el futuro inmediato.

"He trabajado con Barry en ESPN durante más de un cuarto de siglo", dijo Buccigross. "Cervezas frías y carcajadas en bares llenos de humo. Ingenioso, siempre llegaba a tiempo y es sin duda un gran tipo. Lo quiero y lo voy a extrañar".

"Wayne Gretzky en una vida dedicada al hockey", añadió.

Melrose jugó y entrenó en la NHL durante años, antes de empezar a desglosar partidos para ESPN a partir de 1996. Hizo una breve pausa en la cadena para entrenar a los Lightning, pero regresó poco después.

Desde entonces se ha convertido en un pilar de las transmisiones de la NHL, tanto así, que el comisionado Gary Bettman dijo el martes: "Hockey en ESPN no será lo mismo sin él".

"La gigantesca personalidad de Barry y su estilo característico han hecho nuestro juego más grande, más emocionante y más entretenido", dijo Bettman.

"Su amor por el hockey es obvio y contagioso. Y es imposible mantener una conversación con él sin una sonrisa en la cara".

Aaron Rodgers quiere zanjar de una vez por todas su tira y afloja con el "Sr. Pfizer" proponiendo un debate estelar sobre la vacuna Covid-19 con Travis Kelce ¡y quiere que participen Robert F. Kennedy Jr. y el Dr. Fauci!

Como informamos anteriormente, AR8 y la superestrella de los Kansas City Chiefs han estado enviándose mensajes el uno al otro durante la semana pasada, desde que los Jets de Nueva York acuñaran su nuevo apodo para Kelce en "The Pat McAfee Show".

Rodgers regresó para su aparición semanal con McAfee el martes y le respondió a Kelce afirmando que los dos estaban en una "guerra de vacunas".

"Esto no es una guerra, homie", dijo Rodgers a McAfee hace minutos. "Esto es solo una conversación. Pero si quieres tener algún tipo debate, recíbeme en el podcast o ven al programa. Tengamos una conversación".

El cuatro veces MVP agregó que quiere que ambas partes elijan alguna ayuda de respaldo para el potencial debate, revelando que quiere a RFK Jr. en su esquina y que Kelce puede elegir a Fauci o a algún otro "vacuna lover" como su apoyo.

Rodgers y RFK Jr. se han mostrado abiertamente en contra de la vacuna Covid-19 mientras que Kelce y Fauci son firmes defensores de la misma.

Bob Costas is apparently just as good in life-or-death situations as he is in the broadcasting booth ... 'cause he recently saved a restaurant-goer from choking.

A rep for Costas says the Hall of Fame play-by-play man was out grabbing a bite to eat when he noticed a fellow diner gasping for air -- so he raced in to help out.

According to the rep, the 71-year-old performed the Heimlich maneuver ... saving the person's life. But, afterward, he made it clear he wasn't looking for accolades.

"Bob doesn’t think this was that big of a deal," the rep told Page Six.

"He really feels he did what just about anyone else would do in a similar situation."

Bob Costas es tan bueno en situaciones de vida o muerte como lo es en la cabina de transmisión. Recientemente le salvó la vida a una persona en un restaurante.

Un representante de Costas dice que el hombre del Salón de la Fama estaba comiendo algo cuando vio a un comensal atorado con su comida, así que corrió a ayudar.

Según el representante, el hombre de 71 años realizó la maniobra de Heimlich salvando la vida de la persona. Costas dejó claro que no buscaba elogios.

"Bob no cree que fuera para tanto", dijo el representante a Page Six.

"Realmente siente que hizo lo que casi cualquier otra persona haría en una situación similar".

Mario Lopez is pissed that the Golden State is focusing on healthier candy instead of other issues he finds far more pressing -- and he's letting his followers know about it publicly.

The longtime 'Extra' host fumed over Governor Gavin Newsom recently signing AB 418 into law -- which has become known as the "Skittles ban" ... although that's a little misleading over what this actually requires in California going forward.

Essentially, the law requires companies selling food in the state to remove certain additives ... which CA now deems harmful. One of the big-ticket chemicals being targeted is Red Dye 3 -- prominently found in Skittles -- and corporations have until 2027 to get their act together.

That's not how it's been advertised though -- many are falsely peddling this new law as an outright ban of Skittles, and it seems ML got ticked off over a social media headline.

He writes, "Crime is through the roof, worst drug epidemic ever & homelessness at an all time high in CA… Let’s focus on Skittles." Mario's criticism actually got a lot of praise in the comments, with folks saying he was right to point out the priorities seem out of whack.

Others, however, noted that this is actually a good thing ... and will help keep Californians safer in the long run. There've been a number of concerns over these now-banned additives in food -- which were never approved by the FDA, to begin with -- including cancer fears.

So, in other words ... Mario can still have his Skittles if he wants 'em -- not that he looks like he eats much of them, anyway. Tasting the rainbow ain't going anywhere!

Do you think Gov. Newsom's new 'Skittles ban' is a good idea? Vote below.

Mario Lopez está furioso con que California se esté centrando en tener dulces más saludables en lugar de preocuparse por otros temas mucho más urgentes, y se lo está haciendo saber públicamente a sus seguidores.

El presentador de "Extra" echó humo sobre el gobernador Gavin Newsom, quien recientemente firmó la ley AB 418, conocida como la "prohibición de Skittles", aunque esto es un poco engañoso sobre lo que realmente significará la ley para California en el futuro.

En esencia, la ley obliga a las empresas que venden alimentos en el estado a eliminar ciertos aditivos que California considera perjudiciales. Uno de los grandes productos químicos en la mira es Red Dye 3, prominentemente encontrado en Skittles, y las corporaciones tienen hasta 2027 para ponerse las pilas.

Sin embargo, no es así como se ha anunciado: muchos están vendiendo falsamente esta nueva ley como una prohibición total de los Skittles, y parece que Mario Lopez se enfadó por un titular en las redes sociales.

El presentador escribió: "El crimen está por las nubes, la peor epidemia de drogas de la historia y la falta de vivienda en su punto más alto en California. Centrémonos en los Skittles". La crítica de Mario recibió muchos elogios en los comentarios, pues muchas personas le encontraron razón al señalar que las prioridades parecen estar fuera de lugar.

Otros, sin embargo, señalaron que en realidad esto es algo bueno y que ayudará a mantener a los californianos más seguros en el futuro. Ha habido una serie de preocupaciones sobre estos aditivos ahora prohibidos en los alimentos, para empezar, el hecho de que nunca fueron aprobados por la FDA y también los temores de cáncer.

Shannon Beador is getting herself some treatment after her recent DUI bust ... but it's not preventing her from going on tour with her fellow 'Housewives of Orange County' castmates.

Sources close to Shannon tell TMZ ... she is taking responsibility and accountability for her arrest and is currently enrolled in an outpatient behavioral wellness program with an alcohol component.

We're told Shannon still plans on participating in her upcoming 'Tres Amigas' comedy shows with Tamra Judge and Vicki Gunvalson -- and although alcohol's been a big part of their act ... Shannon won't be drinking, and they're adjusting the show to focus more on their friendship.

TMZ broke the story ... Shannon was arrested last month over what cops say was a wild ride in her car that ended with her slamming into someone's Newport Beach home, damaging a concrete planter and nearly crashing through the front door.

Surveillance footage of Shannon's alleged drunken night shows her zipping through a residential area before crashing into the property.

Remember, cops on the scene say they found Shannon pretending to walk her dog before they booked her on 2 misdemeanors ... DUI alcohol plus hit-and-run.

Some football fans are convinced Travis Kelce went down with an injury Sunday all because Taylor Swift wasn't in the crowd.

In case ya missed it, TK lost his footing on Sunday while the Kansas City Chiefs were up against the Minnesota Vikings ... injuring his ankle after catching a short pass from QB Patrick Mahomes.

While Travis later returned -- and even secured a touchdown -- fans couldn't help but point out Taylor's absence as the reason why he got hurt mid-game.

Folks online chimed in on the so-called "Taylor Swift Curse," with some even calling her impact on Travis the new Madden curse -- a reference to the bad luck that would come to the player who ends up on the cover of the Madden video game each year.

BTW, Swifties quickly came to Taylor's defense, saying the singer wasn't to blame for Travis' ankle mishap ... claiming the artificial turf might've been the culprit instead.

That seemed to get sports fans back on board with Taylor's impact -- with some hoping the uproar would result in the removal of artificial turf on the field.

Britney Spears once again appears to have injured herself in the wake of her troubling knife dance videos -- this time, it's one of her extremities that looks to have been cut.

The pop star posted and deleted this video over the weekend ... which depicts her twirling around in her home like usual -- only this time, she's got her right index finger bandaged up. She's certainly not hiding the injury ... prominently flashing it in her routine.

Like we said, this clip got thrown up on her official IG account ... and it was quickly removed, but not before eagle-eyed fans spotted it and screen-recorded too. In its place is a separate dance video that shows BS dancing with no bandage in sight -- and seemingly fine.

Of course, the fact she seems to have outed herself here -- having experienced another apparent cut -- is deeply concerning after her recent knife prop fascination ... which looks real, despite what she's insisted (namely, that the blades are fake).

Remember ... just a couple of weeks ago, she posted other dance videos that appeared to feature even more injuries, including some on her leg, her arm and her hip. Now, a diced finger?

There's been no explanation from Britney on this newest dance vid ... but her loyal fan base continues to express apprehension over her state of being. Some say she doesn't look well.

Britney Spears se ha lesionado una vez más a raíz de sus polémicos y arriesgados bailes con cuchillos. Esta vez, es una de sus extremidades la que parece haber sido cortada.

La estrella del pop publicó y borró un video durante el fin de semana que la mostraba bailando en su casa como de costumbre, solo que esta vez se podía apreciar que su dedo índice derecho estaba vendado. Claramente no estaba ocultando la lesión y se podía ver fácilmente durante su rutina.

Este clip fue lanzado en su cuenta oficial de IG y fue retirado rápidamente, pero no antes de que los fans con ojos de águila lo vieran y lo grabaran también. En su lugar, hay un video de baile distinto que muestra a Britney bailando sin vendajes y aparentemente bien.

El hecho de que ella haya borrado un video luego de aparecer con vendajes es bastante preocupante, sobre todo luego de la reciente polémica de su baile con cuchillos que pese a que ella dijo que eran falsos, la verdad es que se ven bastante reales (al igual que las heridas).

Recordemos que hace solo un par de semanas, publicó otros videos de baile que parecían presentar aún más lesiones, incluyendo algunas en la pierna, el brazo y la cadera. Ahora, ¿un dedo cortado?

No ha habido ninguna explicación de Britney sobre este nuevo video, pero su fiel base de fans sigue expresando preocupación por su estado de salud. Algunos dicen que ella no se ve bien.

Travis Kelce is taking Aaron Rodgers' playful diss in stride ... admitting he thought it was actually funny when the Jets superstar referred to him as "Mr. Pfizer" earlier this week -- but doubling down on his decision to be a vaccine spokesperson.

Kelce addressed AR8's recent comments on the "Pat McAfee Show" with reporters on Friday ... cracking a few jokes of his own as he discussed the whole ordeal.

"I thought it was pretty good," Kelce said at the Chiefs' facility. "I mean, with the 'stache right now, I look like a guy named Mr. Pfizer. Who knew I'd get into a vax war with Aaron Rodgers, man. Mr. Pfizer versus the Johnson & Johnson family over there."

Of course, Kelce is referring to Jets owner Woody Johnson, who is an heir to the Johnson & Johnson pharmaceutical company.

TK then got real for a second ... explaining his reason for getting the jab.

"I got it because of, you know, keeping myself safe, keeping my family safe, the people in this building. So yeah, I stand by 1000%. Fully comfortable with him calling me Mr. Pfizer."

Kelce -- who celebrated his 34th birthday on Thursday -- was also asked about his recent romance with Taylor Swift and the hype around it ... and he knows he brought all the attention on himself.