Humor

This year's Golden Globes host, Jerrod Carmichael, garnered gasps when he mentioned Whitney Houston's death during the show -- something the estate was equally shocked by.

Pat Houston -- Whitney's longtime manager and sister-in-law -- tells TMZ through a rep ... "The Whitney Houston Estate is disappointed in the joke, and felt it was in poor taste." Pat is the sole executor of the estate, BTW ... so she controls all things Whitney-related.

As for whether Carmichael's joke was alerted to anyone connected to Whitney prior to Tuesday's broadcast -- sources with direct knowledge tell us nobody was given a heads-up.

It's unclear if anyone at NBC knew JC was going to mention Whitney during his hosting gig -- in the moment, his remark seemed off the cuff ... and it very well may have been.

In case you missed it ... after the Globes came back from commercial break at one point, Carmichael said he had been asked to shout out the venue, after which he quipped ... "So, we are here, live, from the hotel that killed Whitney Houston, the Beverly Hilton."

Of course, he's referring to the fact Whitney overdosed in one of the hotel rooms back in 2012. Some folks laughed, but a lot more seemed taken aback and others even groaned.

It was just one of the controversial moments from Jerrod -- another came when he mentioned Shelly Miscavige ... a high-ranking Scientologist who's been out of public view for years.

Eddie Murphy is a stand-up comedian, first and foremost, which is why he was able to deliver wisdom and a huge laugh to the Golden Globes audience ... while reliving Will Smith slapping Chris Rock.

Eddie graciously accepted the Cecil B. DeMille Award for lifetime achievement Tuesday night at the Golden Globes Awards -- he really did thank almost every huge producer and director he worked with over his 40+ years in showbiz, but like we said ... he's a comedian, so he spiced up the speech with humor.

He wrapped up with a piece of advice to folks looking to achieve success and make it in Hollywood -- "I want to let you know that there is a definitive blueprint that you can follow to achieve success, prosperity, longevity and peace of mind. It's very simple, it's three things."

The first 2 drew plenty of laughs -- pay your taxes and mind your business -- but you've gotta watch the clip for #3, which brought down the house.

Even Will and Jada Pinkett Smith would have to laugh at the line and Eddie's delivery. Hell, Chris Rock would love it too.

In case you were living under a rock this year ... Will shocked the world by slapping Chris Rock right in the face during the Academy Awards after he'd made a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith's bald head.

Jennifer Coolidge was very thankful to win a Golden Globe Tuesday night -- so much so, in fact, that she drops a few F-bombs and some other fun words to get her point across.

The actress got onstage to accept her statuette for Best Supporting Actress in a Limited Series for her role as Tanya in Season 2 of "The White Lotus" ... and it seems she was the crowd favorite to win, because it sounded like folks in the audience were really happy.

Ditto for JC, who immediately got some laughs after putting the Globe down on the ground ... and then going on a profanity-laced spiel that went left, right and everywhere in between.

At the core of her speech, Jennifer made it clear that she was very grateful to have been given a second lease on life when it comes to her career -- because, for a long time, she says she felt like her time in Hollywood had fizzled out ... only to see it get revived.

You could tell how much the win meant for her ... and it's well-deserved. Her portrayal as Tanya has been a hit on 'WL' for two seasons now, and she's very much been the talk of the town when it comes to awards season. That's how much people loved her character.

Jen ended with a heap of praise on 'White Lotus' creator Mike White ... and a few more expletives for good measure. The music started to play her off, and she got a big applause.

Good to see Jen back in the mix at an elite level -- and we're happy she's getting invited to parties again. She seems like she'd be a hoot at any get-together!

Jerrod Carmichael says he's hosting the Golden Globes because he just so happens to be a Black comedian ... making fun of the diversity scandal that tarnished the awards show.

The 80th Golden Globes are underway on NBC live from the Beverly Hilton and Jerrod just gave his opening monologue, where he addressed the massive elephant in the room ... the diversity controversy involving the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, which hands out the awards.

Jerrod addressed the topic head-on... refusing to call the HFPA racist, but pointing out there wasn't a Black member in the group until George Floyd died.

Remember ... the Golden Globes did not air last year after NBC called out the HFPA for a lack of diversity within the organization ... and the hosts of the 2021 show, Tina Fey and Amy Poehler, took some shots at the HFPA too.

Jerrod then took a seat on the stage steps and told the crowded room of celebs how he was offered the job ... joking that one moment he was making tea at home and the next he was being "invited to be the Black face of an embattled white organization. Life comes at you fast!'"

JC says he called up one of his friends for advice about taking the gig, and when he told her he was being paid $500,000, he got his answer.

Jared Jeffries' made over $40 million in the NBA, but proving everyone loves something for free ... the retired NBA vet won a brand new compact car on "The Price Is Right," and his reaction was priceless!!

The former #11 overall pick and Washington Wizards forward appeared on the famous game show (it aired Monday morning) where he was a contestant in the "One Away" game -- the goal being to correctly identify the cost of a car.

You can clearly see Jeffries was anxious before the last two numbers were revealed ... but when he realized he won, he went nuts!

"What a good win!" comedian and host Drew Carey said, "What a good win to start the show! Way to go!"

JJ hilariously gallops over to his car -- which looks to be a new 2023 Toyota -- and he's ecstatic.

"Yes!' Jeffries cheered with the crowd.

Of course, Jeffries certainly has a car or two ... since the 41-year-old made a fortune during his 11 seasons in the NBA. In addition to his time in D.C., JJ also played for the Knicks, Rockets and Blazers. Jared scored over 3,000 points and grabbed over 2,500 rebounds.

"Stranger Things" star Noah Schnapp has come out as gay.

The 18-year-old made the announcement Thursday on TikTok with a video of himself and text that reads, "When I finally told my friends and family I was gay after being scared in the closet for 18 years and all they said was 'we know.'"

Interestingly enough, he also included the caption, "I guess I'm more similar to will than I thought."

Schnapp plays Will Byers on "Stranger Things" and fan speculation over the years has been that the character is gay, as it's clear he has a thing for Mike Wheeler on the show ... so it seems Schnapp is also confirming the fan theory.

Schnapp and his "Stranger Things" costar Millie Bobby Brown are super close -- the two hang out all the time and have appeared on late-night talk shows together over the years.

Dave Chappelle got into the b-boy spirit for his arrival in Ghana on Tuesday ... letting off a few pop-lock moves as African dancers sent by the Diaspora Affairs at the office of the President greeted him personally!!!

The comedic genius looked genuinely happy from the warm cultural welcome ... puffing on a cig as he took the moment in.

Chance The Rapper and Vic Mensa are spearheading their Black Star Line Festival in Ghana this week, and Dave's joining in for the upcoming conversation with Chance ahead of the round of performances.

Chance, Vic, Erykah Badu, T-Pain, Jeremih, Sarkodie, Tobe Nwigwe, and several others will perform on Saturday, January 6, inside Accra’s historic Black Star Square.

Black Star rapper Talib Kweli also landed in the Motherland with Dave and thanked Chance and Vic ... which could be telling.

While there aren't any Mos Def sightings reported just yet ... it would almost be criminal for Black Star not to perform at the inaugural Black Star Line fest!!!

Nick Cannon has words for anyone who thinks he's had too many kids ... "My body, My choice!"

Nick appeared on CNN's NYE show and the ever-inquisitive Andy Cohen asked him if he'd consider getting a vasectomy. Nick's response was essentially ... not anyone's biz but mine.

Andy pressed the father of 12 ... "Do you want to hit 20?"

Nick was honest, even if the answer wasn't especially satisfying ... "Clearly, I don't have a plan. That should've been clear from the jump."

As we reported, Nick welcomed baby #12 last month. Another great name -- Halo, the little girl he had with Alyssa Scott.

A month before that, Nick welcomed another baby girl, Beautiful Zeppelin with Abby De La Rosa. And in September, he welcomed son Rise Messiah with Brittany Bell.

Two weeks before Rise was born, Nick welcomed daughter Onyx Ice with LaNisha Cole, a 'Price is Right' model.

And in June, he and Bre Tiesi welcomed their first child together, Legendary.

Funnyman Jeff Ross may have inadvertently contributed to a Texas inmate's death sentence ... and now, the guy's attorneys are asking the Supreme Court to overturn the sentence.

Here's the rub ... attorneys for Gabriel Hall are petitioning the U.S. Supreme Court to review the convicted killer's capital punishment sentence, which was based in part on jokes Ross and Hall made to each other ... during the comedian's 2015 TV special.

During the trial, prosecutors used Ross' show as evidence against Hall, which eventually lead to his conviction and subsequent death sentence.

The taped special was shot at the Detention Center where Hall was awaiting trial in TX back in '15 ... it was filmed shortly before Hall's conviction for the murder of a man named Edwin Shaar.

According to the Supreme Court petition, obtained by TMZ, Ross and Hall had a wide-ranging convo that was aired AS A PART of "Jeff Ross Roasts Criminals: Live At Brazos County Jail." The chat lasted 17 minutes with the comedian repeatedly mocking the guy's appearance and joking about his race. During the exchange, Hall made a series of jokes which prosecutors used during the penalty phase which, they said, showed Hall had "a lack of remorse for having committed capital murder." As a result, Hall's lawyers say, the jury voted to put Hall to death.

In their legal docs, Hall's lawyers say that before the Ross special was taped, they sent the Brazos County Sheriff a letter of "no contact" ... asking the deputies to prohibit anyone from talking to Hall without their permission. Clearly, that didn't happen.

The latest TikTok trend is all about tuggin' on family members' heartstrings, announcing the fake death of a beloved celeb ... and while the reactions are pretty hilarious, the viral clips have been met with some "bah humbugs" online.

The trend's picked up some serious steam on social media -- especially as families reconnect for the holidays, and what better way to pass the time than by (falsely) announcing the death of George Clooney or Kris Jenner ... right??

Gotta admit, there are some funny reactions in the mix ... from blood-curdling screams to almost reaching tears, it really goes to show just how much these stars mean to people.

While TikTokers are gettin' a good laugh, the joke ain't landing with some ... because a good chunk of the comments sections on these clips are filled with people calling the prank "unsettling."

Some are even blasting the younger generation for making light of the death of a celeb, even with their passing being untrue ... one even commented on a post, "This is so sick."

A local Iowa news broadcaster was EXTREMELY bent out of shape over his assignment -- covering the blizzard -- and he let his bosses know on live TV -- and it's hilarious.

KWWL reporter Mark Woodley was dispatched onto the snow-covered streets in Waterloo, IA, during Thursday's hours-long morning show. Right from the get-go, Woodley had a 'tude, snarkily delivering a weather report about the sub-zero temps.

He kicked things off this way ..."I normally do sports, uh, everything is canceled here for the next couple of days so what better time to ask the sports guy to come in about five hours earlier than he would normally wake up and go stand out in the wind and the snow and the cold and tell other people not to do the same."

It gets funnier ... Woodley joked that a co-worker named Clint cut a better deal because he's allowed to stay warm in the Storm Chaser vehicle. "I feel like Clint got the better end of that deal. That thing's heated. The outdoors currently is not heated."

Woodley also cracked this doozy ... "This is a really long show. Tune in for the next couple hours to watch me progressively get crankier and crankier."

He wasn't done yet ... "I've got good news and I've got bad news. The good news is that I can still feel my face. The bad news is I kind of wish I couldn't."

Hours later, Woodley couldn't take it anymore and addressed the TV host named Ryan, who was enjoying the warm studio ... "Can I go back to my regular job? I'm pretty sure Ryan that you guys added an extra hour to this show because somebody likes torturing me."

One thing's for sure ... Woodley should try stand-up comedy -- after he warms up with some hot chocolate.

Apparently nothing is off limits when it comes to Shannon Sharpe's trash talking -- not even Deion Sanders' horrifying foot ailments -- 'cause the Broncos legend roasted the hell out of Prime's amputated toes this week.

Shannon took his "Club Shay Shay" podcast on the road to Boulder, Colorado, to visit the new Buffs head coach ... and the jokes started flying almost immediately after he saw that Deion's foot was missing two of its toes.

"Man, where the big toe!?" Shannon asked Prime as the NFL legend was getting his surgically-repaired foot massaged. "I thought you was magic or something! I thought you was just hiding it!"

Sanders, who lost the toes back in the spring following complications from foot surgery, took the jabs in stride ... laughing as Sharpe continuously threw barb after barb after barb.

"So no more sandals -- no flip-flops for you, huh?!?" Sharpe said ... before adding later, "One thing about my homeboy, he's going to be eight toes down for you!"

The two though, did share some serious moments about the injury ... with Deion explaining it all actually really sucks. The former Dallas Cowboys star said he needs to get the foot massaged two or three times a day, and he's still taking multiple pills to manage the pain.

"I think it's my new normal," Sanders said.

No, the San Francisco 49ers rookies were not stuck with a whopping $332,000 tab after a team dinner last week -- so says star defensive lineman Arik Armstead ... who insists the whole thing was just harmless fun.

The infamous "rookie dinner" has been a tradition in the NFL for years ... with players eating like kings for a night, and then either making it seem like the first-year pros will be left with the massive check ... or, in some cases, actually forcing them to cough up the dough.

A clip of the 49ers' most recent installment to the hazing went viral on Monday ... when 2022 second-round pick Drake Jackson posted the wild totals after the fancy meal, showing all the young athletes in disbelief over the damage.

Of course, a closer look at the receipt reveals clear signs of it being fake ... with ridiculous upcharges, gratuity and fees attached to the tab, and only about $7,500 in actual food.

As the clip continued to spread on social media, Armstead went to Twitter to make sure everyone knew the vets aren't the worst teammates on the planet.

"Y’all silly if you thought a dinner can cost 300k," Arik said. "It was a prank. The waitress went overboard. The dinner was 7500 me and 2 other vets gave 1k towards it. The rooks split 4500."

"We had a great time too," he added. "I had good vets as a young player I would never do a rookie like that."

Sounds like Jackson and the rooks got off easy ... 'cause Chargers legend LaDainian Tomlinson told us back in 2018 he had to shell out $18k to feed his teammates when he first got into the league.

Donald Trump's getting jabbed over his digital trading cards -- the folks behind Amazon Prime's "The Boys" are taking his idea and turning it into satirical gold.

The Twitter account for Vought International -- the media conglomerate on the TV show that uses superhumans for profit -- posted its version of expensive cards Thursday, not coincidentally, just as Trump unveiled his $99 self-portraits.

The "company" promoted the Homelander-themed collection, writing, "Celebrate our greatest hero's life and crimefighting career by owning an authentic and non-fungible JPEG of him. Buy now for 777 VoughtCoin while you still can!"

In case you missed it, Vought's referring to Trump's NFT announcement ... showing off a ton of edited pics of him in a wide variety of action scenarios.

You can imagine, the Internet's having a field day ... and "The Boys" crew decided to join the fun.

One of Trump's trading cards showed him as a superhero, which looked like an obvious play off the TV show's Homelander character -- and probably prompted 'Boys' creators to drop their mock NFT.

This was bound to happen ... 'Boys' executive producer Eric Kripke's been very open about the fact they based Homelander on Trump -- something fans of the show have clearly seen.

The series revolves around a company with an endless amount of power that subliminally runs the world -- and draws direct parallels to the battle between woke folks and conservatives.

Jay Leno is breaking down the car fire that sent him to a burn unit with second- and third-degree burns ... and he's pretty cool when talking about the fiery episode.

The comedian sat down for an interview with NBC News' Hoda Kotb and told her how some mechanical work on one of his vintage cars turned ugly in the blink of an eye.

Jay says he was in his Burbank garage last month working on a 1907 White Steam Car, trying to unclog a fuel line. He says he told his friend, Dave Killackey, to blow some air through the fuel line when suddenly he was hit with a face full of gas ... and it only got worse from there.

Jay says his face caught fire when the car's pilot light ignited the fuel ... and he yelled to his friend, "I'm on fire."

Fortunately, Jay says Dave was Johnny on the spot ... pulling him out of harm's way and jumping on top of him to smother the fire.

Jay's back to business as usual already ... he's pretty casual in recalling the scary situation ... which jives with how he's been since the accident, like when he went back to the same garage just 10 days after the incident and was cracking jokes to photogs.

The "Jay Leno's Garage" host canceled some gigs while he was in the hospital but when he was released from the burn center he went right back to what he does best ... making folks laugh, even at his own expense, returning to his weekly Sunday night gig in Hermosa Beach.

San Fran's boo-fest for Elon Musk at Dave Chappelle's show is not the takeaway from that night ... not for Symba, who says the Twitter CEO was all fun and games when they linked backstage!!!

TMZ Hip Hop caught up with the budding Bay Area rapper after he snapped a flick with Elon ... and he says the billionaire mogul wasn't rattled by the crowd's response, even if his defensive tweet following the viral moment made it seem like it.

Symba is very familiar with the Chase Center hallways -- he performed during the Golden State Warriors' December 10 victory against the Boston Celtics, and tells us he's gotten cool with Draymond Green, Steph Curry and Klay Thompson ... and he's in awe of their basketball IQ.

Likewise, Symba's been flashing his talents ... making waves early this year opposite DJ Drama with their joint mixtape "Results Take Time" -- and he told us they're already working together on a follow-up.