Jimmy Buffett Dead at 76 Suffered From Skin Cancer

UPDATE

8:57 AM PT -- Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... Jimmy was diagnosed with skin cancer 4 years ago that turned into lymphoma, and we're told that was the cause of death. As one close friend put it, "He lived his life in the sun, literally and figuratively." Jimmy began receiving hospice care last Monday and there was an outpouring of love from friends and family. We're told a week ago Sir Paul McCartney came to Jimmy's house and sang to Jimmy's family.

Pour out a margarita for Jimmy Buffett, the legendary musician is dead.

The "Margaritaville" singer died Saturday surrounded by his friends, family, music and dogs, according to an announcement posted on his website.

The statement read ... "He lived his life like a song till the very last breath and will be missed beyond measure by so many."

We're told Jimmy had been sick for a while, and he was recently receiving hospice care.

As we reported ... Jimmy was forced to cancel a May show in South Carolina after being hospitalized at the last minute for an issue requiring "immediate attention."

The idol of all parrot heads everywhere, Jimmy was also forced to cancel a ton of gigs in 2022 because of health issues and a different hospital stay. He played Jazz Fest in New Orleans in May 2022 but had not been on stage a lot since.

In addition to "Margaritaville," Jimmy's been cranking out hits since the 1970s with classic tunes like "Come Monday," "Cheeseburger in Paradise," "Volcano," "A Pirate Looks at Forty," "Fins," "Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes" and "Why Don't We Get Drunk" ... just to name a few.

JB also collaborated with Alan Jackson for another huge hit folks love listening to when they pour a drink ... "It's Five O'Clock Somewhere."

Jimmy's brand reached way beyond music and his huge concert following ... he was also the face of the hotel and restaurant chain Margaritaville, and he even turned the experience into a cruise line.

Jimmy was 76.

RIP

Originally Published -- 1:32 AM PT

Mohamed Al-Fayed Dead at 94 Son Dodi, Princess Diana Killed In Famous Crash

Mohamed Al-Fayed -- who verbally attacked the Royal Family after his son Dodi was famously killed with Princess Diana in a 1997 car crash -- has died.

The billionaire business magnate passed away Wednesday -- exactly one day before the 26th Anniversary of the fatal accident in London on August 31, 1997. Dodi and Diana were in a Mercedes and being pursued at high speeds by paparazzi when the tragedy occurred. Their bodyguard survived though their driver was also killed.

Al-Fayed's family issued a statement Friday, confirming his death due to old age.

In 2021, Forbes listed his net worth at $1.8 billion, which he amassed from his lucrative businesses, such as Harrods Department Store, Punch Magazine and Kurt Geiger shoes and accessories. He also owned major real estate properties at 75 Rockefeller Plaza in Manhattan and the Hyde Park Residence apartments in London.

But Al-Fayed was perhaps better known for hurling vitriol at the Royal Family after his son's deadly car wreck. For example, Al-Fayed called the royals a "Dracula family" while attending the 2008 inquest into Diana’s death.

In court, Al-Fayed vowed to find evidence contradicting the official police narrative that Dodi and Diana were killed in a tragic accident, instead of being murdered as some people believed. He also promised to stay the course "until I die," even if it meant losing “everything to find the truth.”

As a result, the British royals dropped Al-Fayed like a bad habit. Their strained relationship was showcased last year in the fifth season of “The Crown."

Al-Fayed was 94.

RIP

Bob Barker PETA Asks L.A. To Honor Bob Barker ... On Sunset Blvd.!!!

Bob Barker's animal rights legacy is something PETA wants to honor with a street name change on the most iconic boulevard in L.A. ... which could actually happen!

A rep for PETA tells TMZ ... they've made an official request with the City of Los Angeles for an honorary add-on to Sunset Blvd. -- to pay tribute the late 'Price Is Right' host, who just died last weekend.

Don't worry ... this isn't as wacky as it sounds. PETA assures us this would only be a minor change, and it wouldn't even require the removal of an actual "Sunset Blvd." sign hanging from street lights.

Basically what we're talking about is a second sign -- under one of the Sunset Blvd. signs -- that would read "Bob Barker Blvd." The PETA rep says they'd love to have this on their block on Sunset.

There's also this ... PETA tells us they've actually taken steps to make this happen. They've contacted City Councilmember Hugo Soto-Martinez, who reps their area. We're told PETA brass and Soto-Martinez's staff are scheduled to meet in the coming weeks.

PETA says they're pushing this because Bob actually made a generous donation way back when that allowed them to open this L.A.-based office, and they wanna return the favor.

As for the councilman ... his office confirms they are indeed meeting PETA soon and will seriously consider its request -- but warns even a small change like this is hard to pull off.

Gil Brandt Legendary Cowboys Scout Dead At 91

Legendary Dallas Cowboys scout Gil Brandt -- who helped America's Team draft Troy Aikman and Roger Staubach -- has died ... Jerry Jones announced.

According to the Pro Football Hall of Fame ... the former talent evaluator passed on Thursday morning.

He was 91 years old.

"We are so deeply saddened by the passing of Gil Brandt – a true icon and pioneer of our sport," Jones said in a statement. "Gil was at the very core of the early success of the Dallas Cowboys and continued to serve as a great ambassador for the organization for decades beyond that."

Brandt joined the Cowboys in their inaugural season in 1960 -- and helped the team select its first-ever draft pick ... Hall of Famer Bob Lilly.

He would go on to work for the org. for nearly 30 years ... drafting legendary players like Staubach, Aikman, Rayfield Wright and Bob Hayes.

Brandt became known for his implementation of computers and psychological tests to grade prospects ... and his systems ultimately led to the creation of the now-famous NFL Scouting Combine.

Following his departure from the Cowboys after the 1989 season ... he would go on to be a key contributor and draft analyst for NFL.com.

"His dedication to, and passion for, this game left a lasting impact on generations of Hall of Fame players and coaches," Jones said. "There are very few people that have been able to have the kind of generational impact that he did. Gil was as dedicated to growing this league and sport as anyone ever was, and we are all grateful and better for it."

RIP.

NFL's Caleb Farley 911 Callers Panicked After Home Explosion ... 'Sounded Like A Bomb!!!'

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The explosion at Caleb Farley's home that took the life of the NFL player's father was so mortifying ... multiple people phoned cops in a panic, saying it "sounded like a bomb" had gone off in the neighborhood.

TMZ Sports has obtained several 911 calls from the night Farley's residence in Mooresville, N.C. blew up without a moment's warning ... and you can hear in the audio, people were terrified.

One caller told dispatch that the explosion was so loud, it woke them up ... and rattled their doors and windows.

"I'm telling you," the caller said, "it went off. You could feel it. Then it rippled all through. It sounded like thunder coming through."

Another person who had dialed 911 urged first responders to arrive quickly ... saying the blast was so violent, "I thought somebody was actually kicking my door in."

As we previously reported, Farley's home exploded just around midnight on Aug. 22. The Tennessee Titans cornerback's dad, Robert Farley, was found deceased in the rubble. Another man was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Farley emotionally remembered his father as "a stand-up guy" in the hours after the tragedy. He sadly buried the 61-year-old at a funeral over the weekend.

Stan Van Gundy Magic Players Reunite For Coach ... After Wife's Death

Stan Van Gundy is getting a ton of support from his Orlando Magic family after the loss of his beloved wife ... with a ton of former players and staffers coming together to visit the coach -- including Dwight Howard, Vince Carter and Patrick Ewing.

Marcin Gortat -- who played center on the Magic from 2007 to 2010 -- shared a photo of the crew with Van Gundy on his Instagram just days after Kim suddenly passed away at the age of 61.

Several stars smiled as they posed with coach ... with the big man explaining the meeting was all about SVG.

"We all came out to support our leader and one of the best coaches in history of the game," Gortat said." Coach Stan Van Gundy. #nba #family #orlando #florida."

Howard -- who played under Van Gundy for five seasons -- penned an emotional Instagram post when Kim passed away ... saying he would always be there for him.

"We've been through it all, and these are the times that we need each other the most. My deepest condolences, thoughts, and prayers go out to you from the bottom of my heart," Howard said.

"I want you to know that myself and everyone from our Orlando team loves you and has your back through this time!"

"Mrs. Kim will forever be missed, but rest easy knowing we got him from here on out."

Amy Sedaris Called Out for MJ Birthday Post ... 'Let's Not Glorify Him'

Amy Sedaris celebrated Michael Jackson on his birthday this week -- but some aren't happy about her giving him a shout-out ... proving he's still divisive, even today.

The actress threw up a major bday tribute to the late entertainer Tuesday, which marked what would've been his 65th birthday if he was still alive. She attached a bunch of MJ clips, showing off his talent and iconic cultural moments in showbiz ... including music videos.

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She wrote, "On what would've been his 65th birthday, let's all groove to some of the timeless music that @michaeljackson made." Amy also added the hashtag #heavenlybirthday.

Celebrate Jackson's Birthday?

Clearly, she's a fan of the guy -- at least on the professional front -- and felt it was appropriate to honor him 14 years after his death ... but many of her followers were pissed.

There's a handful of naysayers who don't approve of Amy giving Mike the spotlight ... and, yes, it all has to do with his controversial history of being accused of sexually abusing minors -- something MJ denied throughout his life, and for which he was famously acquitted.

Still, that doesn't mean people are over it ... and they let Amy know in her comments. One person wrote, "Let's not glorify him anymore." Another chimed in, saying ... "We still out here celebrating pedophiles, smh." Even Bravo's Andy Cohen commented, writing ... "Oops!"

Now, Amy doesn't appear to have responded to any of these folks ... but the fact a good amount of people are responding this way is a testament to an unspoken rule among A-listers in Hollywood -- don't talk about Michael, and just leave it to the normies. FWIW, Mike has many, many defenders online ... but not very many who are notable public figures.

Fact is, high-visibility stars tend not to address the topic one way, or another these days -- and it seems obvious why ... there are still countless individuals who believe all his accusers.

Seeing how Amy is bucking that trend and giving him love regardless is interesting ... she seems able to separate the art from the artist -- that, or she believes he's innocent, period.

The abuse allegations persist in 2023 ... namely, through the claims of Wade Robson and James Safechuck, who are pushing lawsuits through the CA court system.

Thanks to an appeals court, they'll now have their allegations heard anew by a judge ... this after both suits were initially tossed. Wade and James are going after MJ's companies ... claiming they had a duty to protect them as kids.

Paris Jackson Ripped by Fans for No MJ Birthday Post ... I've Gotten Death Threats

Paris Jackson is defending herself after not wishing her dad, Michael Jackson, a happy birthday on social media -- a choice that has some fans telling her to kill herself.

The singer did post Tuesday -- which would've been MJ's 65th birthday -- about the extreme reaction of fans, saying some had been coming after her all day for not paying tribute to her pops online, which she thinks is ridiculous.

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CELEBRATE HOW HE'D WANT

She says her dad was never into birthday celebrations, and he'd go to great lengths to keep his big day a secret ... but despite her honoring MJ's past wishes over the years, Paris points out the drastic things she's been hit with when she doesn't post about him on his birthday.

FYI, Paris goes on to share a clip from her concert on Tuesday, where she actually paid tribute to Michael with the crowd ... before reminding her followers big celebrations are something he was totally against.

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As we reported, actress Amy Sedaris caught flack for honoring Michael online for his birthday -- with many commenters taking anger in the fact that she's paying tribute to a singer who had a controversial past of allegedly sexually abusing minors.

Seems like folks are gettin' mad whether you post about MJ or not.

Travis Scott I'm Going All Over For 'Utopia' Tour ... But I'm Not Doing Houston

Travis Scott is ready for a nationwide tour performing his new album ... and he's making a couple tour stops in Texas, with one notable exception ... Houston.

The rapper just announced dates and cities for his upcoming "Utopia" tour, and he's got shows in almost every major American market, except for the place where his infamous Astroworld concert left 10 dead and dozens injured.

Travis going with a full tour -- 26 stops in the U.S. plus two in Canada -- makes it seem like he's not sweating Astroworld all that much ... but it's interesting he's skipping Houston in favor of two other shows in Texas, performing in Austin and Dallas instead.

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NAVIGATING THROUGH THE CROWD
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Of course, a grand jury in Houston recently decided against indicting Travis on criminal charges for the deadly November 2021 concert in H-Town.

Travis is still facing some civil lawsuits in Houston over Astroworld, and with that in mind it seems his hometown is not safe territory ... at least for this tour.

The Houston omission is pretty glaring, though ... and it's the subject of a lot of comments on Travis' social media post announcing the tour.

Bob Barker Watched 'Two & a Half Men' in Final Days ... Bulk of Estate to Be Donated to 40+ Nonprofits

Bob Barker was still a big TV man during his final chapter, and now that he's gone -- his legacy lives on in a massive donation to 501(c)(3)s ... TMZ has learned.

The "Price is Right" host's longtime rep, Roger Neal, tells us Bob spent quite a bit of time checking out the tube in his last days of life ... including a lot of reruns of "Two and a Half Men" -- which, to people around him, reminded them Bob still had his sense of humor.

We're told Bob would also check out new episodes of his old show every now and then, and always thought Drew Carey had done well to carry on the torch after his retirement.

Now, as for what's going to happen to Bob's estate in the wake of his passing ... we're told a majority of it is going to be divvied up and donated to a number of causes he was passionate about, especially as it pertains to animals and vets.

Neal says a bulk of Bob's assets will be dispersed among over 40 different animal rights orgs and military nonprofits -- including the DonkeyLand Rescue in Riverside, CA, the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society ... as well as a bird conservatory.

Some of the estate's assets are also going toward the United Activists for Animal Rights charity -- which BB's girlfriend, Nancy, leads as President. We're told she did well taking care of him over the past year ... making sure he was attended to round-the-clock.

Neal says Bob left Nancy in charge of pretty much everything -- noting he enjoyed life and lived in the moment. Bob was 99.

RIP

'Bachelorette' Contestant Dead at 36 ... Days After Posting About Depression & Anxiety

'Bachelorette' contestant Josh Seiter, who was always open and honest about his struggles with mental health has died.

A statement posted to Josh's Instagram Monday reads, "It is with an extremely heavy heart that we share the tragic news of Joshua's unexpected passing. As all who knew him can attest, Joshua was an incredibly bright light in an increasingly dim world."

They continue, "His fearless voice and indomitable spirit helped thousands of people in their darkest moments feel just a little less alone. Although our heartache at Joshua's passing pains us beyond measure, we find comfort knowing that he is finally at peace."

The statement does not reveal Joshua's cause of death but includes a phone number for people to call who may be experiencing a mental health crisis.

Josh has always posted about his issues with mental health, and just 4 days ago posted a photo smiling with the caption, "Surviving depression and anxiety one day at a time with a smile."

He's been extremely open and honest about his struggles over the years, at one point taking to social media to write, "I’m Josh Seiter, and I’m a suicide attempt survivor. I battle OCD, Bipolar Depression, and GAD, but I refuse to give up. What did you survive?"

Josh appeared on Kaitlyn Bristowe's season of "The Bachelorette" back in 2015, and was eliminated on week 1.

Josh was 36.

If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org.

UNC Shooting Students Leap From Building After Shots Ring Out ... Alleged Gunman In Custody

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Students at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill resorted to climbing out of windows and jumping out of buildings after bullets started flying on campus.

In new video from Monday's deadly school shooting, you see college students fleeing a building through an open window ... dropping their book bags to the ground and then jumping to safety.

Amid spreading reports of an active shooter on campus, the students are left to climb out a window and onto a ledge, where they take a few steps to find a soft spot to land ... jumping down into some bushes.

The university shots were fired inside a chemistry lab Monday afternoon around 1 PM and the suspect, Tailei Qi, a UNC doctoral student, was taken into custody around 2:30 PM after a faculty member was shot dead.

Campus police say there is no longer an immediate threat ... and the video shows just how scary the situation was as it unfolded.

Bray Wyatt Died During Nap ... Wasn't Wearing Doctor-Recommended Heart Defibrillator

WWE superstar Bray Wyatt experienced a series of heart complications in the months leading up to his death, and a doctor-recommended heart defibrillator was not with him when they found his body ... TMZ has learned.

According to law enforcement records, obtained by TMZ, Wyatt -- real name Windham Rotunda -- told his girlfriend he was going to take a nap Thursday, and she became concerned when she heard his alarm going off about an hour later without stopping.

The report says Windham was discovered in his bed, not breathing, and was turning blue. Windham's girlfriend called 911, as her mother attempted CPR ... but he was later pronounced dead at the hospital.

Cops spoke with Windham's immediate family members who said he had COVID in March 2023 and developed heart complications -- causing him to have a "weak lower part of his heart."

In fact, just a week before he died, Windham was hospitalized for a heart issue. He had a follow-up appointment with doctors the morning he died and was advised to continue to wear an external heart defibrillator -- a device designed to treat people experiencing sudden cardiac arrest.

Though it's not known if the device would have saved his life, investigators determined Windham was not wearing the defib at the time of his death ... they later located it inside his vehicle parked in the driveway.

He was only 36.

DC Comics Harley Quinn Voice Actress Arleen Sorkin Dead at 67

Arleen Sorkin, a veteran actor who was the OG voice of DC Comics' Harley Quinn, has died.

The 67-year-old reported had been suffering from various health issues that benched her from acting over the last few years.

Arleen played the Harley role in 1992 for "Batman the Animated Series," and she was only supposed to be in one show, but her run got extended multiple times.  She also played Harley Quinn in various video games and animated movies.

In addition to her work as Harley Quinn, she played Calliope Jones on NBC's "Days of Our Lives."

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DC honcho James Gunn praised Arleen ... “Rest in Peace, Arleen Sorkin, the incredibly talented original voice of Harley Quinn, who helped to create the character so many of us love. Love to her family and friends.”

Mark Hamill who worked with Arleen on the DC franchise and played the Joker, also had high praise for the actress ... "Devastated to learn we’ve lost the brilliant Arleen Sorkin. Not just a wonderful talent, but a truly wonderful person. I’m grateful not only to have worked with her, but to have been her friend. 🙏 Sending my heartfelt condolences to her family & loved ones"

Arleen was 67. RIP

Olympic Figure Skater Alexandra Paul Dies in Horrific Car Crash

Alexandra Paul, former Canadian Olympic figure skater, died in a horrific car crash.

The multi-vehicle accident occurred near Toronto this past Tuesday. The collision occurred when a semi-truck plowed into a line of cars stopped at a construction zone.

Her baby boy was in the car and taken to a hospital for what was described as non-life-threatening injuries.

Three others were hurt, including one man who was injured seriously enough to be airlifted to a trauma center.

The 31-year-old figure skater was married to her dance partner, Mitchell Islam. They were incredibly successful, winning numerous medals, including 3 for the Canadian Championship.

The pair also competed in the 2014 Olympics. Alexandra retired from skating in 2016 and became a lawyer in 2021.

A GoFundMe has been established for Alexandra and Mitchell's son.

'The Price is Right' Bob Barker Dead at 99

update

12:09 PM PT -- CBS just spoke on Bob Barker's passing, saying ... "We lost a beloved member of the CBS family today with the passing of Bob Barker. During his 35 years as host of THE PRICE IS RIGHT, Bob made countless people’s dreams come true and everyone feel like a winner when they were called to ‘come on down.’ In addition to his legendary 50-year career in broadcasting, Bob will be remembered as a dedicated animal rights activist. Daytime television has lost one of its most iconic stars."

10:42 AM PT -- PETA -- with whom Barker had been involved for years in an advocacy role -- just sang his praises in the wake of the tragic news, telling TMZ, "Bob's influence on the entertainment industry is indisputable, but what mattered to him most was using his voice and prominent position to protect animals. Of course, everyone is familiar with his "spay and neuter your pets" sign-off on The Price Is Right—a show where he refused to allow fur prizes—but he was also one of the first stars to go vegetarian, more than 30 years ago.

"He joined PETA in urging families to stay away from SeaWorld, demanded the closure of cruel bear pits masquerading as tourist attractions, implored Hollywood to take action to protect animals used in film and TV, and, as a Navy veteran, called for the end of military medical drills on live animals.

"His generous donation allowed PETA to open its West Coast headquarters, the Bob Barker Building, in 2012, and it stands as a testament to his legacy and profound commitment to making the world a kinder place. To us—and to so many animals around the world—Bob will always be a national animal rights treasure."

Bob Barker, the iconic American game show host and animal rights activist, has died ... TMZ has learned.

Barker died peacefully at his home Saturday morning in L.A. His rep tells TMZ Bob died of natural causes.

The longtime host of "The Price Is Right" actually got his start in game shows after legendary producer Ralph Edwards discovered him while listening to Bob's radio show and hired him for TV.

Barker started off hosting the iconic hit, "Truth or Consequences" back in 1956, on which he starred until 1975. He also hosted a number of other game shows and programs over the years, including "Dream Girl of '67," "Tattletales," 'Miss Universe,' and most famously ... "The Price is Right," which he produced and hosted until 2007.

Drew Carey took over as host, and the show continues to be extremely popular to this day.

Barker has appeared in a number of other TV shows and films over the years, oftentimes starring as himself. He got into a fight with Adam Sandler in "Happy Gilmore," stood in as Neil Patrick Harris' would-be biological father in "How I Met Your Mother," and played himself in lots of other shows like "Futurama," "Spongebob," "The Nanny," "Martial Law" and many others.

He had several minor bouts of skin cancer over the years, and suffered a nasty fall in in 2015 and 2017 that sent him to the ER. He fell again in 2019, and was treated once more at the hospital. On top of that, he was transported by ambulance twice in 2018 for back issues.

Safe to say, he's had a lot of health scares over the years, especially of late. Of course, when the pandemic hit in 2020 ... we checked in with him to see how we was dealing -- and were pleasantly surprised to learn he was taking it in stride. Self-isolating wasn't a problem.

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We last saw him out in the streets of Hollywood back in 2016, when he was complaining to us about a bad foot he was dealing with. We chopped it up with him about TV, residuals, his basketball-playing days, and ... a potential Sandler rematch. He was such a good sport and a sweet guy.

Bob's wife, Dorothy Jos, died of lung cancer in 1981. They had no children, and he never remarried. Bob does, however, have extended family that have helped care for him in his later years.

Bob was 99. RIP.

Originally Published -- 9:33 AM PT