THE OTHER STUFF . . .
Philly better not boo this Santa ... Meek Mill's doing right by the city of Brotherly Love and spreading cheer early to a bunch of kids just in time for back to school. Meek Mill's teaming up with Puma, sports apparel Fanatics, United Legwear and Philly's luxury store Milano Di Rogue to donate more than 6,000 backpacks to students in the city. We're told there will be 3 types of backpacks -- for elementary kids, middle school and high school students. The kiddos get pencil sharpeners, rulers, glue sticks and crayons -- while it's dry erase markers, notebooks and pens for high schoolers. Meek tells TMZ he knows firsthand what it's like for families to struggle financially around back-to-school time. He says, "Those memories stay with me and that's why I'm committed to giving back to families in my hometown, putting smiles on kids' faces and helping them start the school year on the right note with the right supplies." And, get this ... we're told Meek's gonna surprise some kids Wednesday to personally hand-deliver the loot. Little advice for him though -- do NOT wear a Santa hat! That's risky biz in Philly. (TMZ)
How You Can See Meghan Markle's Wedding Gown and Tiara in Person. If you weren't able to fly to England for Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's wedding, here's your chance to get up close and personal... to their clothing. Kensington Palace has announced the newlywed's attire from their May 19 nuptials will be displayed at Windsor Castle as part of the "A Royal Wedding: The Duke and Duchess Of Sussex." The Duchess' now-iconic Givenchy gown will be featured alongside the five meter long gown with designs of flora from all 53 countries in the Commonwealth, including the California poppy. Her boat-neck style, silk dress was designed by Clare Waight Keller for the main ceremony, after which she changed into a Stella McCartney gown for the reception. And in other exciting news, "Queen Mary's 1932 diamond and platinum bandeau tiara, lent to Meghan by the Queen for the star-studded ceremony, will be on public display for the first time." While Meghan's gown will be the original dress she wore when she said, "I Do," the wedding ensemble Harry wore will be a copy. However, the uniform is a near match, with the Palace revealing, "The specially commissioned frockcoat uniform of the Blues and Royals was made by Dege & Skinner and paired with a pair of trousers made of blue and black wool barathea." Anglophiles itching to see the royal clothing in the flesh can attend the exhibit at Windsor Castle from October 26 to January 6, and at Holyrood Palace from June 14 to October 6 next year. (Eonline)
Hershey Felder tells the story of Irving Berlin in one-man show. Hershey Felder, award winner, music virtuoso, is doing 10 weeks at 59E59. A one-man show on Irving Berlin. "Berlin stuck his famous patriotic song 'God Bless America' in a trunk with other unused material. He wrote it during the First World War, and nobody was interested in it. When Kate Smith needed something for Armistice Day 1938, he dug it out, changed one line and that was it. "He never made one cent from it. In 1893, arriving at Ellis Island a Russian immigrant, he saw Lady Liberty, understood the freedom this great country gave him, and donated that song's royalties in perpetuity to Scouts of America. "He wrote late at night 'sweating, leaving droplets of blood,' he said, creating those great songs 'Always,' 'Blue Skies,' 'Alexander's Ragtime Band,' 'There's No Business-Like Show Business,' 'Puttin' on the Ritz.' He didn't write at the piano. He'd hum. Assistants then sketched it out, and he'd make harmonies. "The end of his life, 1989, was unhappy. Prone to depression, when something went wrong he'd say, 'I'm done' and close up. Angry, depressed, a recluse. Near the end, he shut his Beekman Place house, wouldn't go for walks or attend his daughter's wedding. "Elvis was a mitigating factor. He recorded 'White Christmas' without contacting Berlin. Everyone everywhere played it. With hips and hair, he bastardized this song, which was important to Irving Berlin, who became infuriated. He couldn't accommodate rock 'n' roll, and Elvis represented the world in which he'd been important for 60 years and was now passing him by. "A supreme patriot, this 'land that I love' was deeply personal to Irving Berlin. Too many changes happening in this country. He couldn't stand it." Much like what's happening today. (PageSix)
Mandy Moore is remembering her late ex-boyfriend Adam "DJ AM" Goldstein nine years after his shocking death. Moore, 34, posted a picture of Goldstein posing in a t-shirt on Instagram, Monday, and captioned the intimate image, "9 years. I miss you every day, Adam. #djam." Goldstein was found dead at age 36 in his New York City apartment in August 28, 2009. He died of a drug overdose, according to CNN. Moore and Goldstein, who had known each other for years, started dating in early 2007 after reconnecting at a New Year's Eve party in Miami. "It's really new. They're in the beginning stages of getting to know each other," a source told PEOPLE at the time. "They're very into each other. It's very sweet." Their breakup -- two months later in March 2007 -- "was mutual," an insider told PEOPLE. Moore and Goldstein remained friends despite the split though. In fact, in 2008, Moore flew to the Joseph Still Burn Center in Augusta, Georgia, to see Goldstein after he survived a deadly plane crash with Travis Barker. Following Goldstein's 2009 death, his former fiancee Nicole Richie, and his friends Lindsay Lohan, Samantha Ronson, Eric Dane and Rebecca Gayheart all attended his memorial at the Hollywood Palladium. Moore has posted about Goldstein -- who worked as a deejay -- in the past. In 2015, she wrote, "This guy. One of a kind. Been on my mind a lot lately... I can still hear your laugh and oh man, I miss your hugs more than anything. Nearly 6 years and I'm still at a loss... " At the time of Goldstein's death, Moore told TMZ in a statement that she was "absolutely heartbroken." "For those of us lucky enough to have known him, Adam radiated a contagious exuberance for life and also personified the very definition of a true friend. To say that he will be missed beyond words is an understatement. My heart goes out to his loved ones." (People)
Celebs now go crazy when naming their kids. Once names were Stanley, Seymour, Betty, Mabel, Milton, Myron, Mildred, Marvin, Minnie, Irving, Ira, Harold, Harry, Hazel, Herbert, Herman, Joan, Jean, Frances, Flo, Lillian, Victor, Edith, Dominick, Doris, Arthur, Dorothy, Mo, Clara, Gertrude, Victor, Elsie. Now? Hayden Panettiere's daughter? Kaya. Kim's kids -- Saint, North and Chicago. Lucky they weren't hipped on Pennsylvania or they could've labelled the kid Pottstown. Indiana's the child of Casey Affleck. Gwyneth has Apple. Sean Penn's got Hopper. Beyonce -- Blue Ivy. Dream is Rob Kardashian's baby. George Lucas is daddy to Everest. Jessica Alba picked -- ready? -- Honor. David Arquette -- Coco. DJ Khaled, who has enough initials to pick something else, went for Asahd. Gwen Stefani's son? Apollo. Kylie Jenner? Stormi. Cardi B? Kulture. Penn Jillette? Zolten. Spencer Pratt's son -- Gunner. Toni Braxton -- Denim. Ashlee Simpson -- Bronx. We're lucky. Could've been Spuyten Duyvil. Sam Worthington's son's Rocket. Elle Macpherson -- Aurelius. (PageSix)
Jimmy Fallon pays for strangers' $1K dinner tab in the Hamptons. Jimmy Fallon generously paid some strangers' $1,000-plus dinner tab at Il Mulino in the Hamptons on Monday. A Page Six tipster said Fallon was at dinner with his wife, Nancy Juvonen, when he approached a table of four nearby. "He said he appreciated how happy" the group looked "and how they were 'enjoying each other's company,'" the source said. "He said the 'good vibe' made him happy and he wanted to pay for dinner." After the group said their thanks, Fallon and Juvonen took off. (PageSix)
Meghan Markle's on-screen dad shades her real father. Meghan Markle's father, Thomas Markle, can't seem to stop running his mouth to the media about the Duchess of Sussex, but the actor who played her father on "Suits" demonstrated quite a bit more discretion. "If you care about Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, then that should be the first and foremost in your mind before you say anything," "Suits" actor Wendell Pierce told the UK's Telegraph. "If you love your daughter, just love your daughter. It's not for public consumption." Pierce was one of the few "Suits" stars who didn't attend Meghan's wedding to Prince Harry, but he reminisced about a sweet moment he shared with Meghan when they were filming her on-screen wedding for the series. "We had a moment I cherish," said the 54-year-old, who played Robert Zane. "I was sitting with Meghan in her wedding dress, as we waited for a set-up. We were alone. I said to her, 'Your life is going to change. It's going to be amazing and I'm very happy for you, but I want you to know that I'm your friend, and no matter where you are or what's going on -- if the fishbowl that you're in ever starts getting to you -- you can call me.'" Thomas claims he hasn't spoken to Meghan, 37, since he was busted for staging paparazzi photos ahead of her wedding in May -- which he missed due to a reported heart attack. Last week, Thomas compared the secrecy of Kensington Palace to that of the Church of Scientology. He previously claimed that Meghan was "faking her smile" in public outings with the royal family and admitted to hanging up on Harry when the ginger prince reportedly warned him that the press would "eat him alive." Thomas then lamented that he has no way of getting in touch with Meghan and that she changed her phone number. (PageSix)
Dakota and Elle Fanning's Parents Finalize Their Divorce After 25 Years of Marriage. Dakota and Elle Fanning's parents are officially divorced after over 25 years of marriage. Steven and Heather Fanning's "marital or domestic partnership status is terminated and the parties are restored to the status of single persons," according to court documents obtained by PEOPLE and first reported by The Blast on Tuesday. "Irreconcilable differences have arisen between the parties which led to the irremediable breakdown of the marriage, making it impossible for the parties to live together as husband and wife," the documents stated. The pair's divorce was finalized on Aug. 24. Steven and Heather, both 51, are not seeking spousal support, according to the documents. However, the paperwork does show the former couple has a "marital settlement agreement" outside of the documents, which may indicate how they privately handled the division of their assets, including property. Steven first filed for divorce in 2016 but the couple later reconciled, according to The Blast, which also reported that he filed for the second time in January. Steven and Heather will not be collecting child support as Dakota is 24 years old, and Elle is 20. Dakota and Elle Fanning have yet to publicly address their parents' split. Reps for both actresses did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment. Meanwhile, the Fanning sisters have busy schedules with their acting careers as of late. Elle is currently filming Maleficent 2, the sequel to her blockbuster 2014 movie also starring Angelina Jolie. She will be reprising her role as Princess Aurora. In May, Elle shared a photo from her time on set. "It's bring your mom to work day on the #Maleficent2set!!!!!" Elle captioned the selfie of her and Jolie, 43, together in costume. Meanwhile, Dakota has found success on the small screen with TNT's The Alienist, which premiered in January. Dakota plays Sara Howard, a woman who works at the police station in New York City in 1896. Howard is investigating the case of a serial killer targeting young boys. "I think what drew me to this character that I play, she's the first female to work for the police department that has more of a role than someone who cleans," Dakota previously told PEOPLE. "And it's funny because the time that it takes place, it's kind of coming up on a new age for America and things are changing [like they are now], so it's like getting to do the 1896 version of that," she added. (People)
Vulture picked over the bones of Aziz Ansari's stand-up routine -- then circled back. The New York magazine site posted a story, "What Aziz Ansari Covered in One of His First Shows Post #MeToo Allegations," describing at length a number of jokes the "Master of None" star made at recent Wisconsin shows. Then, surprisingly, it took down all of Ansari's material, posting a note saying that the story had included content that the site didn't have "permission" to publish, and changing the headline to "The Scene Inside One of Aziz Ansari's Recent Shows." Then the story was changed yet again, amending the editor's note to read, "We don't want to give away the guy's whole set, so it has since been removed." Even more surprisingly, we're told the site made the changes of its own accord, and that Ansari didn't ask it to ax the jokes. A Vulture rep told us, "We recognize that's a sensitive issue for performing comedians and chose to take out his jokes so as not to spoil the integrity of his act." In January, an unnamed photographer accused Ansari of making her feel "pressured" into sex. Ansari said he believed it was consensual. (Page Six)
Kate Middleton founded an alcohol society at University for the best possible reason. She's more like us than we first thought... Just when we thought we couldn't love the Duchess of Cambridge and her perfectly placed hair any more, she's stunned us once again. Turns out, despite being a member of the Royal Family, Kate actually set up a society at St Andrews University in Scotland while she studied there... and it was dedicated to alcohol. However, she actually did it for #GirlPower and not just because she loves a cheeky glass of wine, as a lot of the societies at her university didn't allow women to join (including a lot of drinking clubs). Drinking societies are a little different there and were more of a place to socialize with friends, as opposed to overdoing it every night. They were like secret clubs where people could socialize, and only as recently as five years ago have women being allowed to join them. "She co-founded a girls' drinking society, 'annoyed that the old ones excluded women. But no one remembers her getting very drunk." Feminist AF AND can drink without embarrassing herself? Cheers to that! (British Glamour)
Louis C.K. has every right to return to standup comedy, with one major caveat ... something that was missing from his surprise set in NYC ... according to a fellow comedian. Melinda Hill's response to Louis' Sunday night appearance included #MeTooSoon ... and the hashtag has caught fire during the debate about the disgraced comedian. Still, Melinda tells us she's actually not against C.K. getting back onstage. She even understands his desire to perform again, but believes he needs to do more penance before peers and fans fully accept him back into the fold. Melinda says Louis' statement -- admitting the sexual misconduct allegations were true -- was missing a simple, "I'm sorry." He reportedly did not say those words Sunday night at the Comedy Cellar, either -- and she says she wants to hear that first. C.K. showing up unannounced at the club also doesn't sit well with Melinda. Check out her metaphor about sneaky behavior. It's relevant because at least one audience member complained about feeling "ambushed" ... according to the club. (TMZ)
Marlon Wayans has a simple response to Louis C.K. easing back into the comedy scene after admitting to sexual misconduct less than a year ago ... good. The "Naked" star and comedian was hangin' outside Madeo Tuesday night when our photog asked what seems to have been on mostly everyone's minds this week, especially in the stand-up world ... was it too soon for Louis to come back? Marlon doesn't think so. He believes there's such a thing as "comedy jail" -- when funny people go astray. Some comedians have to do time in the joint -- some for life, others for less ... all depending on the offensive offense. Marlon also mentions something that another comedian, Melinda Hill, told us -- that comics need to get onstage so they can work out their demons. When it comes to Louis ... Marlon thinks the dude's eligible for comedy parole. (TMZ)
Louis C.K.'s surprise return to stand-up -- to the delight of some and dismay of others -- has full support from some very important people in the comedy world ... the guys running the clubs. TMZ's learned several comedy hot spots in NYC would gladly welcome Louis back, despite his fall from grace last year after he copped to sexual misconduct. Louis Faranda, talent exec of Carolines on Broadway, tells us ... the comedian is like a son to him -- they personally go back to the beginning of C.K.'s career -- and he's a longtime friend of the club. Faranda adds ... "We all make bad mistakes in life and everyone deserves the right to be forgiven ... I totally understand the plight of the women he offended, [but] I also love Louie C.K. and CANNOT turn my back to him ever!!" Likewise -- Al Martin, owner of Broadway Comedy Club and Greenwich Village Comedy Club, says ... "Everyone is entitled to a second chance. I would book Louis." C.K. has performed at his clubs in the past. Bill Boggs, officer of the Friars Club, tells us it would also have Louis back. Boggs says, "We were repulsed by his actions and there's no question about that," but he gives C.K. the benefit of the doubt that he's learned from his mistakes. "We can't punish people for the rest of their lives; we can't assume they haven't learned. People can grow and change." These clubs are not alone. We broke the story ... fellow comedians like Marlon Wayans are glad Louis is back onstage, with Marlon telling us he feels C.K. did his time in "comedy jail." Other comedians, though -- like Melinda Hill -- feel C.K. needs to fully apologize and make amends for his wrongdoing before he returns to the mic. Melinda says Louis is "spearheading the #MeTooSoon movement." C.K. showed up unannounced at the Comedy Cellar in Manhattan Sunday night and did a surprise set ... after going MIA for about 9 months following a public admission of using his power to masturbate in front of women without their consent. Clearly, many fans of Louis are down with his return ... but many others aren't ready for the redemption tour. (TMZ)
Conor McGregor told Floyd Mayweather he can take that olive branch he offered and shove it ... saying, "There is no peace here, kid." Remember ... Floyd gushed over McGregor to TMZ Sports on Monday, calling the Irish fighter a "warrior" and even inviting him to train for the Khabib fight at the Mayweather Boxing Club in Vegas. But Conor clearly wants no part of that ... declining Floyd's offer on Tuesday with a fat middle finger. "F*ck the Mayweathers, except Senior and Roger," Conor said. "There is no peace here, kid. Step up or step down." Floyd responded to Conor's tweet later Tuesday night by posting a pic from the fight ... saying "Easiest 9 figures I ever made!" Obviously ... there's still bad blood on Conor's end from when the two fought in the boxing ring last August. McGregor lost ... and then had to deal with Floyd's trash talk over their Forbes List rankings (Floyd #1, Conor #4) a few months later. Seems like there's really only one way to settle this for good ... REMATCH!!! (TMZ)
Michigan Senator Debbie Stabenow has one busy -- and bittersweet -- weekend ahead of her. Debbie plans to attend services for Aretha Franklin in Detroit AND John McCain in Washington D.C. -- all in about 48 hours. The Senator tells us it's going to be an incredible few days paying tribute to 2 extremely influential and powerful people. She's not the only politician pulling double duty ... former President Clinton is also jetting to Michigan and the Capitol to pay respects. The Queen of Soul has a star-studded tribute concert Thursday ahead of her Friday funeral. McCain has memorial and funeral services in D.C. starting Friday and will be laid to rest on Sunday at the U.S. Naval Academy Cemetery in Annapolis, Maryland. Aretha and John died this month after battles with cancer. Aretha was 76. John was 81. (TMZ)
Donald Trump learned what a red card was for on Tuesday ... and POTUS waited about 2 seconds to use it on the White House reporters! The playful ejections all went down in the Oval Office, where D.T. played host to FIFA president Gianni Infantino for a celebration of North America landing the 2026 World Cup. Gianni gifted #45 with his own personalized futbol jersey ... and then brought out the referee cards -- and the exchange that ensued between the two was as hilarious as it was predictable. "In soccer, we have referees. And they have cards," Infantino explained. "Yellow cards and red cards. Yellow card is a warning, and when you want to kick out someone, this one right here." Trump couldn't grab the red card fast enough ... nearly chucking it at the media assembled in the Oval Office!! Good times. (TMZ)
How You Can See Meghan Markle's Wedding Gown and Tiara in Person. If you weren't able to fly to England for Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's wedding, here's your chance to get up close and personal... to their clothing. Kensington Palace has announced the newlywed's attire from their May 19 nuptials will be displayed at Windsor Castle as part of the "A Royal Wedding: The Duke and Duchess Of Sussex." The Duchess' now-iconic Givenchy gown will be featured alongside the five meter long gown with designs of flora from all 53 countries in the Commonwealth, including the California poppy. Her boat-neck style, silk dress was designed by Clare Waight Keller for the main ceremony, after which she changed into a Stella McCartney gown for the reception. And in other exciting news, "Queen Mary's 1932 diamond and platinum bandeau tiara, lent to Meghan by the Queen for the star-studded ceremony, will be on public display for the first time." While Meghan's gown will be the original dress she wore when she said, "I Do," the wedding ensemble Harry wore will be a copy. However, the uniform is a near match, with the Palace revealing, "The specially commissioned frockcoat uniform of the Blues and Royals was made by Dege & Skinner and paired with a pair of trousers made of blue and black wool barathea." Anglophiles itching to see the royal clothing in the flesh can attend the exhibit at Windsor Castle from October 26 to January 6, and at Holyrood Palace from June 14 to October 6 next year. (Eonline)
Hershey Felder tells the story of Irving Berlin in one-man show. Hershey Felder, award winner, music virtuoso, is doing 10 weeks at 59E59. A one-man show on Irving Berlin. "Berlin stuck his famous patriotic song 'God Bless America' in a trunk with other unused material. He wrote it during the First World War, and nobody was interested in it. When Kate Smith needed something for Armistice Day 1938, he dug it out, changed one line and that was it. "He never made one cent from it. In 1893, arriving at Ellis Island a Russian immigrant, he saw Lady Liberty, understood the freedom this great country gave him, and donated that song's royalties in perpetuity to Scouts of America. "He wrote late at night 'sweating, leaving droplets of blood,' he said, creating those great songs 'Always,' 'Blue Skies,' 'Alexander's Ragtime Band,' 'There's No Business-Like Show Business,' 'Puttin' on the Ritz.' He didn't write at the piano. He'd hum. Assistants then sketched it out, and he'd make harmonies. "The end of his life, 1989, was unhappy. Prone to depression, when something went wrong he'd say, 'I'm done' and close up. Angry, depressed, a recluse. Near the end, he shut his Beekman Place house, wouldn't go for walks or attend his daughter's wedding. "Elvis was a mitigating factor. He recorded 'White Christmas' without contacting Berlin. Everyone everywhere played it. With hips and hair, he bastardized this song, which was important to Irving Berlin, who became infuriated. He couldn't accommodate rock 'n' roll, and Elvis represented the world in which he'd been important for 60 years and was now passing him by. "A supreme patriot, this 'land that I love' was deeply personal to Irving Berlin. Too many changes happening in this country. He couldn't stand it." Much like what's happening today. (PageSix)
Mandy Moore is remembering her late ex-boyfriend Adam "DJ AM" Goldstein nine years after his shocking death. Moore, 34, posted a picture of Goldstein posing in a t-shirt on Instagram, Monday, and captioned the intimate image, "9 years. I miss you every day, Adam. #djam." Goldstein was found dead at age 36 in his New York City apartment in August 28, 2009. He died of a drug overdose, according to CNN. Moore and Goldstein, who had known each other for years, started dating in early 2007 after reconnecting at a New Year's Eve party in Miami. "It's really new. They're in the beginning stages of getting to know each other," a source told PEOPLE at the time. "They're very into each other. It's very sweet." Their breakup -- two months later in March 2007 -- "was mutual," an insider told PEOPLE. Moore and Goldstein remained friends despite the split though. In fact, in 2008, Moore flew to the Joseph Still Burn Center in Augusta, Georgia, to see Goldstein after he survived a deadly plane crash with Travis Barker. Following Goldstein's 2009 death, his former fiancee Nicole Richie, and his friends Lindsay Lohan, Samantha Ronson, Eric Dane and Rebecca Gayheart all attended his memorial at the Hollywood Palladium. Moore has posted about Goldstein -- who worked as a deejay -- in the past. In 2015, she wrote, "This guy. One of a kind. Been on my mind a lot lately... I can still hear your laugh and oh man, I miss your hugs more than anything. Nearly 6 years and I'm still at a loss... " At the time of Goldstein's death, Moore told TMZ in a statement that she was "absolutely heartbroken." "For those of us lucky enough to have known him, Adam radiated a contagious exuberance for life and also personified the very definition of a true friend. To say that he will be missed beyond words is an understatement. My heart goes out to his loved ones." (People)
Celebs now go crazy when naming their kids. Once names were Stanley, Seymour, Betty, Mabel, Milton, Myron, Mildred, Marvin, Minnie, Irving, Ira, Harold, Harry, Hazel, Herbert, Herman, Joan, Jean, Frances, Flo, Lillian, Victor, Edith, Dominick, Doris, Arthur, Dorothy, Mo, Clara, Gertrude, Victor, Elsie. Now? Hayden Panettiere's daughter? Kaya. Kim's kids -- Saint, North and Chicago. Lucky they weren't hipped on Pennsylvania or they could've labelled the kid Pottstown. Indiana's the child of Casey Affleck. Gwyneth has Apple. Sean Penn's got Hopper. Beyonce -- Blue Ivy. Dream is Rob Kardashian's baby. George Lucas is daddy to Everest. Jessica Alba picked -- ready? -- Honor. David Arquette -- Coco. DJ Khaled, who has enough initials to pick something else, went for Asahd. Gwen Stefani's son? Apollo. Kylie Jenner? Stormi. Cardi B? Kulture. Penn Jillette? Zolten. Spencer Pratt's son -- Gunner. Toni Braxton -- Denim. Ashlee Simpson -- Bronx. We're lucky. Could've been Spuyten Duyvil. Sam Worthington's son's Rocket. Elle Macpherson -- Aurelius. (PageSix)
Jimmy Fallon pays for strangers' $1K dinner tab in the Hamptons. Jimmy Fallon generously paid some strangers' $1,000-plus dinner tab at Il Mulino in the Hamptons on Monday. A Page Six tipster said Fallon was at dinner with his wife, Nancy Juvonen, when he approached a table of four nearby. "He said he appreciated how happy" the group looked "and how they were 'enjoying each other's company,'" the source said. "He said the 'good vibe' made him happy and he wanted to pay for dinner." After the group said their thanks, Fallon and Juvonen took off. (PageSix)
Meghan Markle's on-screen dad shades her real father. Meghan Markle's father, Thomas Markle, can't seem to stop running his mouth to the media about the Duchess of Sussex, but the actor who played her father on "Suits" demonstrated quite a bit more discretion. "If you care about Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, then that should be the first and foremost in your mind before you say anything," "Suits" actor Wendell Pierce told the UK's Telegraph. "If you love your daughter, just love your daughter. It's not for public consumption." Pierce was one of the few "Suits" stars who didn't attend Meghan's wedding to Prince Harry, but he reminisced about a sweet moment he shared with Meghan when they were filming her on-screen wedding for the series. "We had a moment I cherish," said the 54-year-old, who played Robert Zane. "I was sitting with Meghan in her wedding dress, as we waited for a set-up. We were alone. I said to her, 'Your life is going to change. It's going to be amazing and I'm very happy for you, but I want you to know that I'm your friend, and no matter where you are or what's going on -- if the fishbowl that you're in ever starts getting to you -- you can call me.'" Thomas claims he hasn't spoken to Meghan, 37, since he was busted for staging paparazzi photos ahead of her wedding in May -- which he missed due to a reported heart attack. Last week, Thomas compared the secrecy of Kensington Palace to that of the Church of Scientology. He previously claimed that Meghan was "faking her smile" in public outings with the royal family and admitted to hanging up on Harry when the ginger prince reportedly warned him that the press would "eat him alive." Thomas then lamented that he has no way of getting in touch with Meghan and that she changed her phone number. (PageSix)
Dakota and Elle Fanning's Parents Finalize Their Divorce After 25 Years of Marriage. Dakota and Elle Fanning's parents are officially divorced after over 25 years of marriage. Steven and Heather Fanning's "marital or domestic partnership status is terminated and the parties are restored to the status of single persons," according to court documents obtained by PEOPLE and first reported by The Blast on Tuesday. "Irreconcilable differences have arisen between the parties which led to the irremediable breakdown of the marriage, making it impossible for the parties to live together as husband and wife," the documents stated. The pair's divorce was finalized on Aug. 24. Steven and Heather, both 51, are not seeking spousal support, according to the documents. However, the paperwork does show the former couple has a "marital settlement agreement" outside of the documents, which may indicate how they privately handled the division of their assets, including property. Steven first filed for divorce in 2016 but the couple later reconciled, according to The Blast, which also reported that he filed for the second time in January. Steven and Heather will not be collecting child support as Dakota is 24 years old, and Elle is 20. Dakota and Elle Fanning have yet to publicly address their parents' split. Reps for both actresses did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment. Meanwhile, the Fanning sisters have busy schedules with their acting careers as of late. Elle is currently filming Maleficent 2, the sequel to her blockbuster 2014 movie also starring Angelina Jolie. She will be reprising her role as Princess Aurora. In May, Elle shared a photo from her time on set. "It's bring your mom to work day on the #Maleficent2set!!!!!" Elle captioned the selfie of her and Jolie, 43, together in costume. Meanwhile, Dakota has found success on the small screen with TNT's The Alienist, which premiered in January. Dakota plays Sara Howard, a woman who works at the police station in New York City in 1896. Howard is investigating the case of a serial killer targeting young boys. "I think what drew me to this character that I play, she's the first female to work for the police department that has more of a role than someone who cleans," Dakota previously told PEOPLE. "And it's funny because the time that it takes place, it's kind of coming up on a new age for America and things are changing [like they are now], so it's like getting to do the 1896 version of that," she added. (People)
Vulture picked over the bones of Aziz Ansari's stand-up routine -- then circled back. The New York magazine site posted a story, "What Aziz Ansari Covered in One of His First Shows Post #MeToo Allegations," describing at length a number of jokes the "Master of None" star made at recent Wisconsin shows. Then, surprisingly, it took down all of Ansari's material, posting a note saying that the story had included content that the site didn't have "permission" to publish, and changing the headline to "The Scene Inside One of Aziz Ansari's Recent Shows." Then the story was changed yet again, amending the editor's note to read, "We don't want to give away the guy's whole set, so it has since been removed." Even more surprisingly, we're told the site made the changes of its own accord, and that Ansari didn't ask it to ax the jokes. A Vulture rep told us, "We recognize that's a sensitive issue for performing comedians and chose to take out his jokes so as not to spoil the integrity of his act." In January, an unnamed photographer accused Ansari of making her feel "pressured" into sex. Ansari said he believed it was consensual. (Page Six)
Kate Middleton founded an alcohol society at University for the best possible reason. She's more like us than we first thought... Just when we thought we couldn't love the Duchess of Cambridge and her perfectly placed hair any more, she's stunned us once again. Turns out, despite being a member of the Royal Family, Kate actually set up a society at St Andrews University in Scotland while she studied there... and it was dedicated to alcohol. However, she actually did it for #GirlPower and not just because she loves a cheeky glass of wine, as a lot of the societies at her university didn't allow women to join (including a lot of drinking clubs). Drinking societies are a little different there and were more of a place to socialize with friends, as opposed to overdoing it every night. They were like secret clubs where people could socialize, and only as recently as five years ago have women being allowed to join them. "She co-founded a girls' drinking society, 'annoyed that the old ones excluded women. But no one remembers her getting very drunk." Feminist AF AND can drink without embarrassing herself? Cheers to that! (British Glamour)
Louis C.K. has every right to return to standup comedy, with one major caveat ... something that was missing from his surprise set in NYC ... according to a fellow comedian. Melinda Hill's response to Louis' Sunday night appearance included #MeTooSoon ... and the hashtag has caught fire during the debate about the disgraced comedian. Still, Melinda tells us she's actually not against C.K. getting back onstage. She even understands his desire to perform again, but believes he needs to do more penance before peers and fans fully accept him back into the fold. Melinda says Louis' statement -- admitting the sexual misconduct allegations were true -- was missing a simple, "I'm sorry." He reportedly did not say those words Sunday night at the Comedy Cellar, either -- and she says she wants to hear that first. C.K. showing up unannounced at the club also doesn't sit well with Melinda. Check out her metaphor about sneaky behavior. It's relevant because at least one audience member complained about feeling "ambushed" ... according to the club. (TMZ)
Marlon Wayans has a simple response to Louis C.K. easing back into the comedy scene after admitting to sexual misconduct less than a year ago ... good. The "Naked" star and comedian was hangin' outside Madeo Tuesday night when our photog asked what seems to have been on mostly everyone's minds this week, especially in the stand-up world ... was it too soon for Louis to come back? Marlon doesn't think so. He believes there's such a thing as "comedy jail" -- when funny people go astray. Some comedians have to do time in the joint -- some for life, others for less ... all depending on the offensive offense. Marlon also mentions something that another comedian, Melinda Hill, told us -- that comics need to get onstage so they can work out their demons. When it comes to Louis ... Marlon thinks the dude's eligible for comedy parole. (TMZ)
Louis C.K.'s surprise return to stand-up -- to the delight of some and dismay of others -- has full support from some very important people in the comedy world ... the guys running the clubs. TMZ's learned several comedy hot spots in NYC would gladly welcome Louis back, despite his fall from grace last year after he copped to sexual misconduct. Louis Faranda, talent exec of Carolines on Broadway, tells us ... the comedian is like a son to him -- they personally go back to the beginning of C.K.'s career -- and he's a longtime friend of the club. Faranda adds ... "We all make bad mistakes in life and everyone deserves the right to be forgiven ... I totally understand the plight of the women he offended, [but] I also love Louie C.K. and CANNOT turn my back to him ever!!" Likewise -- Al Martin, owner of Broadway Comedy Club and Greenwich Village Comedy Club, says ... "Everyone is entitled to a second chance. I would book Louis." C.K. has performed at his clubs in the past. Bill Boggs, officer of the Friars Club, tells us it would also have Louis back. Boggs says, "We were repulsed by his actions and there's no question about that," but he gives C.K. the benefit of the doubt that he's learned from his mistakes. "We can't punish people for the rest of their lives; we can't assume they haven't learned. People can grow and change." These clubs are not alone. We broke the story ... fellow comedians like Marlon Wayans are glad Louis is back onstage, with Marlon telling us he feels C.K. did his time in "comedy jail." Other comedians, though -- like Melinda Hill -- feel C.K. needs to fully apologize and make amends for his wrongdoing before he returns to the mic. Melinda says Louis is "spearheading the #MeTooSoon movement." C.K. showed up unannounced at the Comedy Cellar in Manhattan Sunday night and did a surprise set ... after going MIA for about 9 months following a public admission of using his power to masturbate in front of women without their consent. Clearly, many fans of Louis are down with his return ... but many others aren't ready for the redemption tour. (TMZ)
Conor McGregor told Floyd Mayweather he can take that olive branch he offered and shove it ... saying, "There is no peace here, kid." Remember ... Floyd gushed over McGregor to TMZ Sports on Monday, calling the Irish fighter a "warrior" and even inviting him to train for the Khabib fight at the Mayweather Boxing Club in Vegas. But Conor clearly wants no part of that ... declining Floyd's offer on Tuesday with a fat middle finger. "F*ck the Mayweathers, except Senior and Roger," Conor said. "There is no peace here, kid. Step up or step down." Floyd responded to Conor's tweet later Tuesday night by posting a pic from the fight ... saying "Easiest 9 figures I ever made!" Obviously ... there's still bad blood on Conor's end from when the two fought in the boxing ring last August. McGregor lost ... and then had to deal with Floyd's trash talk over their Forbes List rankings (Floyd #1, Conor #4) a few months later. Seems like there's really only one way to settle this for good ... REMATCH!!! (TMZ)
Michigan Senator Debbie Stabenow has one busy -- and bittersweet -- weekend ahead of her. Debbie plans to attend services for Aretha Franklin in Detroit AND John McCain in Washington D.C. -- all in about 48 hours. The Senator tells us it's going to be an incredible few days paying tribute to 2 extremely influential and powerful people. She's not the only politician pulling double duty ... former President Clinton is also jetting to Michigan and the Capitol to pay respects. The Queen of Soul has a star-studded tribute concert Thursday ahead of her Friday funeral. McCain has memorial and funeral services in D.C. starting Friday and will be laid to rest on Sunday at the U.S. Naval Academy Cemetery in Annapolis, Maryland. Aretha and John died this month after battles with cancer. Aretha was 76. John was 81. (TMZ)
Donald Trump learned what a red card was for on Tuesday ... and POTUS waited about 2 seconds to use it on the White House reporters! The playful ejections all went down in the Oval Office, where D.T. played host to FIFA president Gianni Infantino for a celebration of North America landing the 2026 World Cup. Gianni gifted #45 with his own personalized futbol jersey ... and then brought out the referee cards -- and the exchange that ensued between the two was as hilarious as it was predictable. "In soccer, we have referees. And they have cards," Infantino explained. "Yellow cards and red cards. Yellow card is a warning, and when you want to kick out someone, this one right here." Trump couldn't grab the red card fast enough ... nearly chucking it at the media assembled in the Oval Office!! Good times. (TMZ)
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