Alabama A&M's Medrick Burnett Jr. Still Alive Despite School's Death Announcement

Alabama A&M football player Medrick Burnett Jr. is still alive and remains hospitalized with a head injury he sustained in a game last month ... this after the university announced he had passed away at 20 years old.

Alabama A&M tells TMZ Sports ... "We retract the news of the passing of Medrick Burnette Jr, that was originally advised by an immediate family member on Tuesday evening. Our staff acted accordingly to the wishes of the family member to inform the A&M community and beyond of this unfortunate occurrence."

"Upon hearing from a representative from UAB hospital this afternoon, we learned that he remains alive. We express our immediate regret for disseminating false information however, we hold complete joy in knowing that Medrick remains in stable condition."

Peanut the Squirrel Owners To Sue State of New York for Squirrelly Conduct

Peanut the Squirrel's owners are gearing up for an upcoming legal battle ... filing an official notice of their intention to sue the State of New York for the death of their beloved pet.

Mark Longo and Daniela Bittner filed a notice of their intention to make a claim against the government for the death of Peanut and their raccoon, Fred ... alleging unlawful search and seizure, violation of freedom of speech, and other due process violations.

Longo and Bittner say the incident was the result of negligence, carelessness, and recklessness by the state of NY and its agents ... saying they may have violated due process laws by not revealing to a judge their intention to kill the animals after raiding Longo and Bittner's home.

John Amos Celebs, Family Say Goodbye ... Emotional Memorial Service

John Amos is getting a grand sendoff ... in the form of an emotional memorial service ... with a solid turnout from Hollywood.

The "Good Times" star was remembered by his family and famous friends Saturday during a service in East Orange, NJ ... with performances by R&B artist Monifah, gospel singer Karen Poole, and platinum producer Tone "TL" Cross.

John's former "Good Times" castmates, BernNaddette Stanis and Ralph Carter, were among the speakers.

Liam Payne Prosecutors Lay Out Why They Accused His Friend of Abandonment

Liam Payne's good friend who Buenos Aires authorities want to prosecute for "abandonment" knew Liam had fallen off the wagon but still left him alone ... so claim prosecutors in an official document obtained by TMZ.

Roger Nores had been extremely close to Liam in the last months of his life. The 2 traveled to Argentina together, but Liam stayed in the CasaSur Hotel alone and Roger stayed elsewhere.

According to the docs, Liam's dad was interviewed by authorities and said in May 2024, Roger volunteered to take over Liam's care and arrange to put him in rehab. The docs say Liam's father said it was critical that Liam always stayed busy and was never alone.

'Airplane!' and 'Naked Gun' Creator Jim Abrahams Dead at 80

Jim Abrahams -- one of the creators behind classic comedies like "Airplane!" and 'The Naked Gun' -- has died.

The writer, producer and director died early Tuesday morning at his home in Santa Monica ... according to his son, Joseph.

We're told Jim had been battling leukemia for 20 years, and the cancer was a contributing factor in his death. His son says Jim was in remission at one point during his cancer battle, but the disease came back and he was always battling the cancer.

Liam Payne Died As He Tried to Escape from Hotel Balcony ... Sources Say Hotel is to Blame

Liam Payne was trying to escape from his hotel when he fell to his death, and the hotel knew he was threatening to use the balcony as the means to escape, but left him by himself ... this according to witnesses, the police report, a 911 call and surveillance video.

Here's what we know. Liam hated being locked up in hotel rooms ... something he had to deal with during his time in One Direction. He had used the balcony escape plan before, most recently in mid-September, when sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... Liam's bodyguard was concerned he might have been on a drug binge and forced him inside a room in a Florida rental house. Liam escaped from a balcony, using a garden hose to reach the ground.

Look at the surveillance screenshots from the CasaSur Palermo Hotel in Buenos Aires. Liam, who was disruptive in the lobby and clearly under the influence, is splayed out as 3 hotel workers carry him to his room, minutes before he fell to his death. Liam is clearly conscious -- although we blurred his face, he is holding his head upright.

'Slumber Party Massacre' Star Michael Villella Dead at 84

Michael Villella, the star who famously played Russ Thorn in the 1982 horror film "The Slumber Party Massacre" has died ... TMZ has confirmed.

Michael's daughter, Chloe, tells TMZ ... he passed away on Saturday afternoon due to multiple organ failure after spending over a month in the hospital.

Chloe Villella posted a tribute on Facebook Saturday with the caption ... "May you rest in peace daddy ♥️💋."

While best known for his work as Russ Thorn, Michael also starred in "Love Letters," "Wild Orchid II: Two Shades of Blue" and "Gotham."

Chuck Woolery Dead at 83 ... Legendary Game Show Host

Legendary game show host Chuck Woolery -- best known for being the first host of "Wheel of Fortune" -- has passed away ... TMZ has confirmed.

Chuck was also the host of the wildly successful dating show, "Love Connection," for a dozen years.

Chuck's longtime friend and podcast cohost Mark Young tells TMZ ... Chuck was home in Texas with his wife when she said he wasn't feeling well and went to lie down.

Zayn Malik Tributes Liam Payne at Show ... Fans Sobbing as 'Stardust' Plays

Zayn Malik's tribute to Liam Payne left the crowd at his concert a mess ... sharing a powerful message to his deceased One Direction bandmate -- and, the sobs were audible.

The singer-songwriter took the stage in Leeds, England Saturday ... his first show since Liam passed away after falling from his balcony at a hotel in Argentina in mid-October.

While most of the show seems to have been a pretty standard Zayn concert, it ended with a huge blue screen adorned with Liam's name, year of birth and death, followed by "Love You Bro" and a red heart emoji.

Mac Miller Alleged Drug Dealer Sprung From Fed Prison ... After Being Charged In His Death

One of the three men charged with selling the drugs that killed rapper Mac Miller has been released from federal prison, TMZ has learned.

According to a rep for the Bureau of Prisons ... Cameron James Pettit was sprung from the Federal Correctional Institution Mendota, California, on October 11 after he was arrested in 2019 and charged with conspiring to distribute controlled substances resulting in death. His two co-defendants, Stephen Walter, and Ryan Reavis, were also busted and indicted on the same federal charges.

Under a plea agreement with prosecutors, Walter and Reavis each copped to one count of distribution of fentanyl and were sentenced to around 17 years and 11 years behind bars, respectively.

Juice WRLD Fans No Partying For Us ... With This Horrendous Album Cover

Juice WRLD fans are ready to start a riot over their late hero's new album cover ... and not in a good way!!!

On Tuesday, Juice WRLD's label unveiled the cover art for his third posthumous project, "The Party Never Ends," through a collaboration with the massive audience of "Fortnite."

The cover is said to be drawn by renowned Japanese artist Takashi Murakami of Kanye West's "Graduation" fame ... but fans wondered if they were they were being trolled after first review.

Is The Album Art Disrespectful?

The album kicked off last week with Nicki Minaj and Juice's newest collab and there was also a special listening at ComplexCon.

The 999 generation would hear none of it ... accusing the alien-looking Juice of being a disrespect to his legacy, saying he would have never approved of the shoddy art.

Of course, Juice WRLD's breakout debut album "Goodbye & Good Riddance" also featured cartoony artwork, so there's a chance fans are just being touchy.

This December will mark the 5th anniversary of his passing from an accidental drug overdose.

'TARZAN' STAR RON ELY CAUSE OF DEATH REVEALED

Ron Ely -- star of the 1960s TV show -- "Tarzan" died from a heart issue ... TMZ has learned.

According to the death certificate, obtained by TMZ, Ron's official cause of death is listed as "end-stage heart disease."

End-stage heart disease is the most severe form of heart disease, occurring when the heart is too weak to pump blood effectively, and patients with the disease generally only live 6 to 12 months ... according to Massachusetts General Hospital.

Liam Payne's Funeral Coffin Arrives At London Church ... Harry Styles, One Direction Members Attend

Harry Styles and members of One Direction arrived at a London-area church on Wednesday to say their goodbyes to Liam Payne ... just over a month after the singer's death.

The private service is taking place at St. Mary's Church in Amersham -- not far from Wolverhampton, the city near Birmingham where he was born.

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Liam's coffin arrived in a horse-drawn carriage carrying floral tributes spelling out "Daddy" and "Son." Another floral display showed a bowling ball crashing through pins ... reportedly a nod to the star's love of the game.

CARTOON VOICE ACTOR Dan Hennessey Dead at 82

Dan Hennessey, a veteran Canadian voice actor behind many iconic cartoon characters, has died, TMZ has learned.

Dan's family tells TMZ ... he died Wednesday at home in his sleep from complications associated with Parkinson's disease.

You’ve definitely heard his voice at some point -- he voiced Chief Quimby on "Inspector Gadget," George Raccoon on "The Raccoons," Father Bear on "Little Bear" and Braveheart on "The Care Bears."

Gene Wilder Bel Air Home Price Slashed by $3.5M!!! Buyer Must Preserve Legacy

Gene Wilder’s Bel Air home just had its price slashed by $3.5M, now sitting at a still-eye-watering $9.5M ... with a requirement that the future buyer must preserve the property's legacy.

The listing agent, Drew Meyers of Westside Estate Agency, tells TMZ the previous owner -- Elon Musk -- tacked on a restrictive covenant to the sale to preserve the historic nature of the property ... meaning the house that was originally listed in August for just under $13M can't be torn down.

Drew adds ... "A house of this significance should never be torn down. It should be restored and brought back to life while maintaining its beautiful soul. We want to make sure it’s sold to someone who appreciates its timelessness.”

'Golden State' Rapper Saafir Dies At 54 Eulogized By Close Pal Xzibit

Trailblazing West Coast rapper Saafir has died, according to his former groupmate Xzibit, who carried the weight of the world breaking the tough news to fans on Tuesday.

Xzibit says Saafir passed away at 8:45 AM today, and our sources tell us he died in his Oakland hometown.

The Bay Area staple had been pestered by health problems for years -- he even had a cancerous tumor removed from his spine -- and he eventually started using a wheelchair.

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