TMZ Live

A decorated 40-year veteran is opening up about how combat missions forever changed his brain function, and he says his experience is a cautionary tale for all service members and the doctors who treat them.

We talked to General Gregg F. Martin Tuesday on "TMZ Live" about his just-released memoir, "Bipolar General: My Forever War with Mental Illness" ... which chronicles his personal battle. As he explains -- bipolar disorder can actually develop over time.

Conventional wisdom is bipolarity is something you inherit, but Gen. Martin says it's not that simple. He says doctors told him the gene for bipolar disorder was dormant in his brain, until the stressors of repeated combat missions in Iraq triggered it.

The General says his manic episodes were devastating ... and, in some cases, he literally thought he was Superman. It wasn't until he was diagnosed as bipolar, 11 years after leaving Iraq, that he got on the right meds and learned how combat impacts the brain's biochemistry.

Gen. Martin says he's not alone -- far too many vets in this country have gone through the same situation ... but he adds the Veterans' Affairs Department is aware, and on the lookout for symptoms of bipolar disorder among combat troops.

He's hoping his story brings the issue to the forefront and destigmatizes the topic of mental health within the military.

Living Colour guitarist Vernon Reid says Jann Wenner's comments about Black and female artists don't come as a total shock to him -- and he's calling on some white rock legends to speak out, but only if they keep it real.

Vernon joined us Monday on "TMZ Live," telling us why the Rolling Stone co-founder calling some iconic Black and female artists inarticulate was "staggering, but not surprising at all."

Keep in mind, Wenner was referring to people like Stevie Wonder, Joni Mitchell and Grace Slick.

If anything, Vernon's glad Wenner put, in his opinion, his true self out there for all to see.

Maybe the more shocking part is that Vernon says thoughts and feelings like Wenner's are not new to the music industry -- it's just rare for anyone to say it out loud.

TMZ broke the story ... Wenner was kicked out of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's Board of Directors after sharing his controversial thoughts in an interview with the NYT -- discussing his upcoming book, "The Masters," which highlights his interviews with 7 white, male artists.

In Vernon's opinion, folks in the book like Bruce Springsteen and Bono should speak out about Wenner's comments, on one condition -- that it comes from the heart, rather than issuing performative statements for PR purposes.

Several dozen cardiac arrest survivors are recalling eerily similar and bizarre experiences while dying -- and an author, who herself clinically died, is revealing her own encounter with the other side.

Author Mary Curran Hackett joined us Friday on "TMZ Live," recalling 1 of many cardiac arrests she says she's suffered over the years ... this one in 2004, when she flatlined in a hospital, and had a literal out-of-body experience.

During the ordeal, Mary says she felt calm while essentially being tapped into everything happening around her body -- from feeling the anxiety rising in her nurses' blood pressure, to seeing doctors leave another room in the hospital to come to hers.

According to Mary, she was fully aware during the minutes that her heart stopped but was seeing everything from a new perspective ... adding she felt at peace before being sucked back into her body.

Mary believes there are loads of unanswered questions about this fascinating and terrifying moment in people's lives, which is why she's working with Dr. Sam Parnia on his study of cardiac arrest survivors.

Bill Maher is taking it on the chin for bringing back 'Real Time' in the middle of the writers strike ... with one Writers Guild leader insisting Bill's misguided move won't weaken the union's labor stoppage.

WGA negotiating committee member Greg Iwinski joined us Tuesday on "TMZ Live" to push back against Bill's assertion that bringing back his show was necessary to help non-union staff members who are also feeling a severe financial crunch due to the strike.

Greg says Bill is not facing the same economic pressure as most crew members in Hollywood ... and he says he hasn't seen or heard of Bill helping the 'Real Time' crew pay for rent or groceries during the nearly 5-month-long strike.

Actually, Bill says he has provided "some assistance" to his staff ... but adds, some of them are still struggling, and that's why he's returning without his writers.

Meanwhile, Greg says the union is hustling -- with financial backing from some A-list celebs -- to support everyone affected by the strikes, including crew members who aren't writers ... and he rattled off several of those efforts.

His overall point is ... Bill could join those efforts, instead of crossing the picket line.

As we reported ... Bill announced Wednesday his show is returning later this month without writers, saying it was time to bring non-union folks back to work -- and the WGA quickly responded with plans to picket outside Bill's show.

While Greg's taking a pretty diplomatic approach here, actress Ellen Barkin had plenty of expletives for Bill when our photog got her in the Big Apple.

Bill's been critical of the strike recently and even called for California Governor Gavin Newsom to step in and do something to bring an end to the stalemate.

Bill Maher está recibiendo algunos golpes por traer de vuelta su programa 'Real Time' en medio de la huelga de escritores. No obstante, un líder del Gremio de Escritores insiste en que la medida equivocada de Bill no debilitará el paro laboral del sindicato.

Greg Iwinski, miembro del comité negociador del WGA, se unió a nosotros el martes en "TMZ Live" para rebatir la afirmación de Bill de que traer de vuelta su programa era necesario para ayudar a los miembros del personal no sindicalizados que también están sintiendo una grave crisis financiera debido a la huelga.

Greg dice que Bill no se enfrenta a la misma presión económica que la mayoría de los miembros de Hollywood y que no ha visto ni oído hablar de Bill ayudando al personal de 'Real Time' a pagar su alquiler o sus comestibles en los casi 5 meses que van.

En realidad, Bill dice que ha proporcionado "alguna ayuda" a su personal, pero que algunos de ellos todavía están luchando, y es por eso que está regresando sin sus escritores.

Mientras tanto, Greg dice que el sindicato se está esforzando -con el apoyo financiero de algunas celebridades de primera fila- para apoyar a todos los afectados, incluidos los miembros del equipo que no son guionistas, y enumeró varios de esos esfuerzos.

Su punto general es que Bill podría unirse a esos esfuerzos, en lugar de cruzar la línea de la huelga.

Como informamos, Bill anunció el miércoles que su programa volverá a finales de este mes sin guionistas, argumentando que ya era momento de traer a la gente no sindicalizada de vuelta al trabajo. El sindicato de escritores respondió rápidamente con algunos planes para hacer huelgas fuera del programa de Bill.

Mientras que Greg está tomando un enfoque bastante diplomático aquí, la actriz Ellen Barkin disparó un montón de improperios para Bill cuando nuestro fotógrafo la encontró en la Gran Manzana.

Bill ha criticado recientemente la huelga e incluso ha pedido al gobernador de California, Gavin Newsom, que intervenga y haga algo para poner fin al estancamiento.

Andrew Yang says voters are disenchanted about President Joe Biden battling Donald Trump in an election day rematch ... which is why he wants to see the other Democrat candidates get some shine.

The former presidential candidate was on "TMZ Live" Wednesday, talking about why he wants Biden to go toe-to-toe in a debate with the 2 Dem challengers -- RFK Jr. and Marianne Williamson.

The way Andrew sees it, another round of 2020's political battle isn't what Americans want, especially with JB and DT both getting up in age. Hence, his push to shake things up.

As we reported, Williamson claims she's getting iced out of network and cable news outlets amid her campaign. For now, she's wisely relying on TikTok to spread word and help her cause.

Andrew says some news organizations are told to not give a spotlight to folks like Williamson or RFK Jr., but he's adamant the fair way to handle things is to give them a platform, too -- especially since they're polling higher than some Republican candidates.

BTW, Andrew left the Democratic party in 2021 and created the Forward Party, a centrist political organization that has been trying to make strides at the local level. His org already declared it won't be putting up a presidential candidate for 2024.

El hombre que se escapó de la cárcel en Pennsylvania y que actualmente está en la carrera no es el Robin Hood de la gente, y probablemente lo capturen pronto. Esas son las palabras de un ex U.S. Marshal.

Hablamos con Art Roderick el martes en "TMZ Live" y le preguntamos al veterano oficial— que ha trabajado en casos como este con anterioridad— si Danelo Cavalcante está preparado para eludir a las autoridades para siempre, teniendo en cuenta que ha estado sin capturar durante casi 2 semanas.

Roderick cree que el fugitivo será llevado ante la justicia, sin embargo, reconoce que las cosas están empezando a verse un poco complicadas teniendo en cuenta que su ubicación está en constante cambio. Además, la única forma de hacer el seguimiento es por medio de la gente que lo ha visto y pronosticando a donde se dirige.

Dicho esto, Roderick confía en que Cavalcante será detenido y que es sólo cuestión de tiempo.

Por supuesto, el último desarrollo es preocupante, Cavalcante se robó un rifle de una casa en un pequeño pueblo de Pensilvania. Así que ahora está armado y es peligroso, lo que sin duda complica las cosas.

Roderick reconoce la gravedad de la situación, pero confía en que este tipo no quiere hacerle daño a nadie, lo más probable es que esté intentando huir del país.

A la pregunta de si los lugareños podrían aceptar su historia de bandido en la línea de los antihéroes estadounidenses como D.B. Cooper, Roderick responde que la gente de la zona sabe muy bien que no es un buen tipo y no lo aceptarán.

The man who escaped prison in Pennsylvania -- and who's currently on the run -- ain't no Robin Hood of the people, and he'll likely be caught soon ... so says a former U.S. Marshal.

We talked to Art Roderick Tuesday on "TMZ Live" and asked the veteran law enforcement official -- who's worked on cases like this one before -- if Danelo Cavalcante is primed to elude the authorities for good, considering he's gone uncaptured for almost 2 weeks.

Roderick tells us he does believe this fugitive will be brought to justice eventually, however ... he does acknowledge it's starting to look a little murky considering their ever-changing perimeters based on where this guy is spotted and where he might realistically be heading.

With that said ... Roderick is confident Cavalcante is going to be apprehended, and that it's just a matter of time.

Of course, the latest development is a concerning one -- Cavalcante snagged a rifle from someone's home in a small PA town. So, now, he's armed and dangerous ... which certainly ups the ante.

Roderick acknowledges the severity of the situation, but says he's confident this guy probably isn't out to hurt anyone -- in all likelihood, he's probably trying to flee the country.

On the question of whether locals might embrace his bandit-esque story -- in the vein of American antiheroes like D.B. Cooper -- Roderick halts that notion in its tracks, saying people in that area know damn well this isn't a good guy, and will not embrace him.

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.

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.

Hulk Hogan is runnin' wild on his latest fitness journey ... saying this week he's now abstained from alcohol for eight months -- and it's done his body so good, he's down 40-plus pounds!!

The Hulkster joined Harvey and Charles on "TMZ Live" to break down his latest plan to get fit ... and he said it all started back on New Year's -- when he "got sick and tired of being sick and tired of myself."

Initially, the WWE Hall of Famer wanted it to just be a simple booze break ... but it's now spiraled into nearly a full year without a sip of liquor -- and he couldn't be happier about it.

"It changed everything," Hulk said of how his body responded to the new diet. "I wasn't eating late at night -- I wasn't eating junk food anymore. I dropped like 40 pounds right away."

Hulk said his alcohol consumption had gotten pretty bad just before he quit ... saying it'd lead to wild binge-eating moments that were taking a toll on his physique -- and his joints.

Now, however, the 70-year-old said he's feeling so good ... he's having a much easier time keeping up with his 45-year-old fiancé, Sky Daily.

Hulk isn't sure how much longer he'll be booze-free -- he said he could see himself grabbing drinks again socially one day -- but he told Harvey and Charles he'll never go back to the way things were.

Rapper Hi-Rez, who created the now-viral Donald Trump AI rap track, says he had no political agenda while making the former prez's out-of-prison song ... he just wants to put a smile on people's faces.

Hi-Rez joined us on "TMZ Live" Thursday, taking us through the process of making "Donald Trump - First Day Out" -- something he put up online for fun after Trump's mug shot made the news. The song has become a hit, charting #2 on iTunes with north of 3 million views.

In case you didn't know, rappers who get out of jail often put out a "first day out" song, talking about where they're at after becoming free once again ... and when his buddy suggested Trump would be a perfect subject, Rez jumped right to the AI tools to start cookin'.

He tells us he wrote the song in half an hour with no political bend -- his mission was actually bringing the warring sides of America together for a laugh.

Josh Seiter says he didn't correct the fake death post about him for a full 18 hours because his priority was figuring out who hacked into his Instagram account ... it's all very puzzling.

The ex-'Bachelorette' star appeared on "TMZ Live" Wednesday and we peppered him with questions about the long, long period of radio silence ... both from him and his family.

Josh says he was trying to manage a ton of texts and calls from concerned friends/family, which raises the question ... why didn't someone he called tell media outlets -- including TMZ -- the death post was a hoax?

Fact is ... we called Josh just after the death announcement was posted, but didn't get a call back until the next day. We also called family members, and they either hung up or said "no comment."

He recognizes he's going to get scrutinized, but he says he handled it the best way he knew how and is standing firm -- he was hacked.

Vivek Ramaswamy is calling for peaceful protests if Donald Trump is tried and convicted in any of his 4 criminal cases because he says he firmly believes violence is not the answer.

The 2024 Republican Presidential candidate joined us Monday on "TMZ Live" and we asked if he would publicly discourage and denounce violent protests in the wake of a potential Trump loss in court -- a scenario lots of folks fear could happen.

Vivek, who emerged victorious in the first GOP debate, says peaceful demonstrations and self-expression are a core part of American life ... but he says he's dead set against violence in this country.

That's in line with his publicly stated view of the Jan. 6 insurrection.

The businessman-turned-politician says Trump's actions that fateful day were a "very bad decision," but he's not sure it rises to the level of a crime. That might seem like a backpedal from him ripping Trump's Jan. 6 behavior as "abhorrent" in his book, "Woke, Inc." ... but Ramaswamy says both statements can be true.

Vivek's also called Trump the best president in the 21st century, and yet, he told us would not be Trump's vice president ... if Trump wins the GOP nomination instead of him.

The conversation also features Vivek's thoughts, or lack thereof, on the strikes in Hollywood ... which he says don't have much of an impact on Americans by and large, so he hasn't given the issue much thought.

Vivek also touches on racism, white supremacy and discrimination ... and there's a pretty healthy debate.

Tan Mom Patricia Krentcil's run for the U.S. Senate is all about fixing healthcare, fighting for drag queens and, in general, having compassion for your fellow Americans ... principles she's laying out in her first campaign ad.

In the video, obtained by TMZ, Patricia lets Florida voters know she's changed a lot over the past decade, much like the rest of the country ... and says losing her husband to cancer and being in a medically induced coma opened her eyes to the Medicare and Medicaid struggles of millions of Americans.

On top of that, Patricia says she knows what it's like to look different -- saying drag queens shouldn't be targeted and harassed for being who they are.

She goes on to add they can be amazing role models for kids ... a pretty unique platform for any GOP candidate, these days.

As a mother of 5 kids growing up in a divided country, Patricia thinks she's more than qualified to tackle the nation's hot-button issues.

While Patricia's running as a Republican with views far left of most Republicans -- she joined us last week on "TMZ Live" to fill us in on her reasoning for choosing that party.

Calling it a comeback is an understatement, but Fyre Fest founder Billy McFarland is actually selling out tickets for a sequel to that infamous flop ... and he's telling us how he's pulling it off.

McFarland joined us Tuesday on "TMZ Live," revealing the first round of FYRE Festival II pre-sale tickets were scooped up quickly ... and, interestingly, Billy thinks all the buzz around his 2017 tropical failure is driving curiosity and interest around his second attempt.

He tells us why the "no publicity is bad publicity" model really works in his favor. BTW, folks who've already purchased tix, dropped $500 bucks without knowing the exact location or which artists will perform!!!

Billy also chats with us about how the hell he found backers for Fyre Festival II ... saying it wasn't until a Broadway production company supported a musical based on the first Fyre that financiers got interested in his return to live events.

You'll recall, Billy teased the new festival last October -- about 6 months after he served 4 years in prison for wire fraud related to the OG Fyre Fest disaster.

Months after the teaser, Billy reunited with Andy King -- the guy who famously revealed Billy asked him to give oral sex to a customs officer to get shipments of bottled of water -- and they sold grilled cheeses in NYC to raise money for Bahamas workers who still haven't been paid from Fyre.

Billy says he won't be doing as much at next year's festival, but he's at least secured one job -- cookin' up those infamous cheese sandwiches with Andy!