Movies

Martin Short's fans are coming to his defense on social media after he was skewered as a "desperately unfunny" comedian in a recent op-ed.

All the drama started Friday when Dan Kois published an opinion piece for Slate, calling into question Short's talents as a funnyman to the point of what many might interpret as being rude.

Kois wrote, "He (Short) would do anything, anything, for a laugh" ... "I find Martin Short's whole schtick exhausting, sweaty and desperately unfunny."

Continuing his takedown, Kois said ... "Every time he dresses up in a silly outfit or says something outrageous or mugs for the audience, I want to shout at the screen: 'Why are you being like this?'"

Kois also attacked Short's hugely popular TV show, "Only Murders In The Building," co-starring Selena Gomez and Steve Martin. Even though the series received Emmy nominations, Kois still thinks Short's character is not funny.

And the criticism went on and on and on.

But a lot of people disagreed with Kois and took to social media to show their support for Short, while posting clips of his best moments.

One fan wrote on X, "There's literally nothing that's not funny about martin short i dont understand this."

Another devotee said, "Martin Short has been hysterical since I was born lol."

Amanda Bynes appears to be starting a new chapter in life, one that does not include heart-shaped tattoos on her face ... because the one she's had is getting nixed.

Check out the side-by-side -- the thin heart under her eye is a lot more faded than it once was. Of course, you can still see it, but most tattoo removals require more than one session ... and they fade away during the process.

BTW, Amanda and her vanishing ink were out Wednesday in L.A., where she was also rocking some platinum blonde hair.

As we reported, Amanda was placed on a couple of 5150 holds this year -- once after roaming the streets naked.

She checked herself into an Orange County mental health treatment center at the beginning of July, just a week after leaving an LA-area facility.

Our sources say she liked the latest center, specifically because she could be around a medical team, therapists and other patients as opposed to being on her own.

We got videos of Amanda out shopping and running errands in Orange County at the end of last month, marking the first time she was seen in public since checking into the facility there.

It's red hot in here, so loosen up your buttons and come ready to sip up the discreet changes in these two shots of Megan Fox and Machine Gun Kelly! And, whether or not you're vibing with Meg's new 'do and MGK's punk-rock edge ... well that's too bad, because RED-y or not ... here they come!

Sporting major cuteness and coolness, the couple were recently hand-locked during an outing in NYC's trendy neighborhood of Tribeca. Can you see through all the dopeness and find the differences?

The house where Jamie Lee Curtis' character from "Halloween" once lived is up for sale ... and a true horror fan can get the keys -- if they have a decent chunk of change to spend.

The L.A.-area property is the fictional Haddonfield, Illinois home of teenager Laurie Strode, and can be yours for $1.8 million. Fans of the flick will recognize the house from the scene where she sat on the front stoop holding a pumpkin.

The home's been in the fam for generations, long before filming began in 1978. The seller's granddad planted an avocado tree on the property that's been there since the '40s.

It's been carved up into 3-units, so whoever buys it can pocket some rental income.

The area is being revitalized ... a nearby school is being repurposed with shops, restaurants and even a live music venue.

And just like that, another school year has commenced, but before the kiddos head off to greet their new teachers and classmates, their famous 'rents savored the moment with a click and a pic of their little scholars!

The school bells are ringing and Jessica Alba planted a big ole kiss on her son, Hayes, before heading into class, Khloe Kardashian snapped a pic on True Thompson's first day of kindergarten and (a now empty-nester) Michael Strahan dropped off his youngest, Sophia, at Duke University.

Danny Masterson had 2 of his "That '70s Show" costars in his corner ahead of his sentencing ... Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis wrote letters of support for the actor.

The letters, obtained by Tony Ortega, were sent to Judge Olmedo before Masterson received his 30-year to life sentence in L.A. -- and both outlined the long-running friendship they've shared with the actor, going back to them working together on the sitcom.

Ashton says, "Danny has been nothing but a positive influence on me. He's an extraordinarily honest and intentional human being." He goes on to gush over Masterson's ability to be there for him over the years, citing Masterson as the reason why he never slipped into the "typical Hollywood life of drugs."

He even recalls a time when Masterson came to a random woman's defense as she was getting berated by her boyfriend at a pizza parlor, ending the letter by saying, "having his daughter raised without a present father would [be] a tertiary injustice in and of itself."

Mila echoed Ashton's claims, adding it has been a "privilege" to be a part of Masterson's life ... and saying his role as a dad and husband has been "nothing short of extraordinary."

As we reported, Masterson was sentenced to three decades behind bars on Thursday for his two rape convictions.

His team told us they spotted "a number of significant evidentiary and constitutional issues" in the trial and will be bringing up these arguments on appeal. We also learned he's being watched like a hawk while locked up for signs of mental distress.

We covered the story on the latest episode of The TMZ Podcast, available on all podcast platforms.

Do you believe 30 years is a fair sentence for Danny Masterson? Sound off by answering the question in our game below.

Las cartas —obtenidas por Tony Ortega— fueron enviadas al juez Olmedo antes de que Masterson recibiera su sentencia de 30 años a cadena perpetua en Los Ángeles. Ambos destacaron la larga amistad que han compartido con el actor, la cual se remonta a cuando trabajaban juntos en la comedia.

Ashton dice: "Danny no ha sido más que una influencia positiva para mí. Es un ser humano extraordinariamente honesto y bien intencionado". Continúa elogiando la capacidad de Masterson para estar a su lado a lo largo de los años, citando a Masterson como la razón por la que nunca cayó en la "típica vida de drogas de Hollywood".

Incluso recuerda una ocasión en la que Masterson salió en defensa de una mujer cualquiera que estaba siendo reprendida por su novio en una pizzería, y termina la carta diciendo que "criar a su hija sin un padre presente sería una injusticia terciaria".

Mila hizo eco de las afirmaciones de Ashton añadiendo que ha sido un "privilegio" ser parte de la vida de Masterson, y diciendo que su papel como padre y esposo ha sido "nada menos que extraordinario."

Como informamos, Masterson fue sentenciado a tres décadas tras las rejas el jueves por sus dos condenas por violación.

Su equipo nos dijo que habían detectado "una serie de importantes problemas constitucionales y de pruebas" en el juicio y que plantearán estos argumentos en la apelación. También nos enteramos de que está siendo vigilado como un halcón mientras está encerrado para detectar signos de estrés mental.

Sylvester Stallone met one of his biggest fans during a family trip to the Vatican ... the Pope!!!

The 'Rocky' star spent his Friday touring Vatican City, and was actually granted an audience with Pope Francis, who went full fanboy ... telling Sly it's an honor to meet him because he grew up watching the actor's movies.

The video of their interaction is awesome -- Sly was bold enough to shadowbox the Pope, who even threw a few left hooks himself. Seriously, it's almost like the Pope is more thrilled about the meeting than Stallone.

The whole thing was a family affair ... Sly also introduced the Pope to his wife, Jennifer Flavin, and their three daughters, Sophia, Scarlet and Sistine. You'd think the pontiff might have been impressed by Sistine's name, but was more focused on the movie star of his younger years.

Sly went to the Vatican last September too, when he got to hold the keys that open every door in Vatican City, including the Sistine Chapel, and this time he got to meet His Holiness.

Al Pacino and Noor Alfallah have called it quits after more than a year of dating ... and now they're in court trying to iron out child custody issues.

Alfallah got the ball rolling, filing a petition in L.A. Superior Court in which she asks a judge for full physical custody of their 3-month-old son, Roman Alfallah Pacino.

In the docs, Alfallah says Pacino should have reasonable visitation with Roman and joint legal custody, which means both parents would have a say in major decisions impacting the child from education to medical needs.

Alfallah also attached a Voluntary Declaration of Parentage to her petition, proving she and Pacino are the mother and father of Roman.

She went on to request the legendary actor pay for all of her attorney fees and other legal costs. Child support payments were not addressed in the court filing, but it's almost certainly going to become an issue.

The sudden turn in their relationship -- which began in April 2022 -- stands in stark contrast to where they were just a few months ago.

TMZ broke the story in June ... 83-year-old Pacino became a daddy after 29-year-old Alfallah gave birth to their son at Cedars-Sinai Hospital in L.A. The two were ecstatic over their new bundle of enjoy, hitting the town for a celebration dinner at Sunset Tower in West Hollywood.

Now, the celebration is over, and a new reality has set in.

Bill Maher is wondering why California's Governor is standing on the sidelines during Hollywood's economy-crushing labor disputes, and he's calling on Gavin Newsom to help hammer out a deal.

The 'Real Time' host joined us on "TMZ Live" and we asked him about the strike that's put his, and every other TV host's, staffs out of work for months now. Bill says this should be Gov. Newsom's time to shine by getting both sides in a room to find a quicker path to ending the work stoppage.

He also pointed out the obvious -- showbiz is one of California's biggest industries, so Gov. Newsom absolutely has a vested interest in fixing it.

Now, Bill says he is supportive of the writers -- hell, he IS one, and says he's not shooting his show out of solidarity -- but he also tells us some of the union demands get under his skin ... and lays out exactly why.

The HBO host also has strong thoughts on what's going on at college campuses around the country ... explaining why he's not surprised Harvard was just ranked the worst school for free speech.

Bill says it's part of an ever-growing echo chamber of sorts, calling it an extension of what has been playing out at corporate media outlets for decades, but he's got some solutions.

As always, Bill is equal parts funny, practical and blunt, and he's got a lot to say before he heads out to the MGM Grand in Las Vegas for a series of standup shows on Sept. 15-16 and Nov. 3-4.

Joe Jonas made a point to mention he was the one taking care of his daughters in filing for divorce from Sophie Turner ... providing more evidence of that with a breakfast date.

The singer was in dad mode Wednesday at Sweet Butter Kitchen in L.A. with his little ones -- 3-year-old Willa and her 1-year-old sister -- along with another friend who was helping to take care of the girls.

Joe kept a happy face for the kiddos, making them smile and trading high-fives as everyone ate and chatted. In other words, the 34-year-old certainly didn't look like he was in the middle of a divorce.

As you know, Joe filed for divorce from Sophie Tuesday, asking for joint custody of their kids. The docs said Joe wants a judge to establish a parenting plan that sets up frequent contact between him and Sophie.

TMZ broke the story, the couple's relationship had been rough for at least 6 months due to their different lifestyles -- we learned through multiple sources in contact with Joe that he saw something on a Ring camera that made him realize he should pull the plug.

Lil Rel Howery says an ill-timed trip to the men's room almost spoiled his marriage proposal during Beyoncé's concert ... and he's thanking her for stalling long enough for him to pop the question.

The comedian joined us Wednesday on "TMZ Live" and told us all about how his engagement went down ... and why nature called at the most inopportune time.

Lil Rel proposed to his GF Dannella Lane at Beyonce's concert Monday night at SoFi Stadium, and he says Jay-Z and Beyoncé's mom, Tina Knowles, advised him to do it when she sang "Love On Top" ... and they arranged to get the moment on the stadium's big screen.

It's funny, Lil Rel says he was waiting for the song for so long, he finally needed to break the seal ... and as soon as he got to the bathroom, "Love On Top" started playing.

Lil Rel says he finished his biz, and rushed back to his woman ... but he couldn't find their seats!!!

With the clock literally ticking, Lil Rel says he had to go back out and retrace his steps, and when he finally got back to his seats a cameraman was waiting ... and Beyoncé was motioning for him to get on with the proposal because she was dragging out the song. 😂

It all worked out, since Dannella said "Yes," and he tells us how the plan to propose really came together at the last minute. As for whether Bey's forgiven his tardiness ... we'll let him tell it.

Drew Barrymore's alleged stalker, a man named Chad Michael Busto, now has a warrant out for his arrest after failing to show up to get a GPS monitor from authorities.

Southampton Town Justice Court Clerk Heather Drapal tells TMZ ... a judge has issued a bench warrant for Busto in connection with last month's case when Busto was arrested after cops say he showed up uninvited to her Hamptons home.

We're told Busto was set to get fitted for a GPS monitor by cops but never showed ... so now police are looking to apprehend him again.

As we reported, cops say Busto went house-to-house in her Hamptons neighborhood a couple of weeks ago, eventually finding her $6 million property and walking onto some steps outside before he was cuffed. We're told Drew wasn't home at the time.

Of course, that arrest came just 2 days after video showed Busto rushing the stage during a 92NY interview she was holding with singer/actress Reneé Rapp. You can hear him demanding to see Drew and claiming she knew who he was.

Gary Busey was chased down by a woman who claims he rear-ended her car in Malibu and then just beat it ... and she's got some hardcore receipts in the form of video.

The woman tells TMZ ... she was driving down PCH Wednesday and Busey whipped out of a shopping center, slamming into her back bumper. Rather than pulling over, she says Busey fled the scene.

She went into hot pursuit mode, following him on PCH, and that's where the video begins. She screams at him that he rear-ended her, but Busey blows her off and keeps driving.

The woman follows Busey to a parking lot outside a restaurant, where she's just incredulous ... schooling him on the law requiring him to stay put and exchange information.

Busey's response was, to say the least, unsatisfactory. He simply told her, "I'm private."

He does volunteer his insurance carrier is Progressive, but that's about it. Busey drives away as the woman is screaming at him.

Here's the thing. She obviously doesn't have video of the crash, but his reaction is more than telling. Plus, you see the damage on her car and his as well.

Law enforcement tells TMZ ... the woman filed a hit-and-run report and detectives will investigate. BTW, leaving the scene of a car accident that results in property damage or injury is a crime.

"Brady Bunch" movie star Olivia Hack claims her boyfriend's estranged wife is "unhinged" ... and now she's getting court-ordered protection.

Olivia beelined it to court recently and filed for a temporary restraining order against a woman named Sabine Spekreijse, whom she claims got physical with her during an August incident.

In the docs, obtained by TMZ, Olivia says she was over at her boyfriend Paul Hogan's place when Sabine showed up and started screaming obscenities at them. Olivia says the alleged behavior "could only be described as unhinged."

Olivia claims Sabine sat down next to her on the sofa, digging her fingernails into her thigh as hard as she could, leaving a cut and scratches. Olivia says she didn't fight back out of fear of provoking Sabine, who she says is way bigger than her at 6'1".

The actress, who played Cindy Brady in the "Brady Bunch" movies, says she called police, but Sabine left before cops arrived. She claims Sabine came back the next morning, banging on the door until they told her to leave.

Olivia also claims Sabine calls her boyfriend relentlessly when they are together, even though she says they've been separated for 3 years.

Ashley Tisdale is getting dragged into court over a car crash she allegedly caused ... but her team is calling BS.

According to legal docs, obtained by TMZ, a woman named Lina Gonzales is suing the actress for injuries she claims she suffered from the accident that occurred in September of last year. As a result of the crash, Lina alleges she's suffered wage loss, medical expenses ... and, interestingly, loss of love and protection -- now seeking damages from a judge.

Her attorney, Michael R. Parker, tells TMZ ... the accident went down as Lina was driving on Hollywood Blvd., waiting for her turn to make a left in the left turn lane. However, while waiting, he alleges Ashley changed lanes and collided with Lina's car.

According to Parker, it didn't end there ... he says Lina told him Ashley made a big fuss about the situation and even allegedly called her names.

Lina's attorney says the accident caused her severe neck and back injuries ... and to make matters worse, she's facing roughly $140k in medical expenses. Parker says he made a demand $600k to Tisdale ... but it was rejected, hence this new lawsuit.