Rene Kirby, actor who danced alongside Gwyneth Paltrow in 'Shallow Hal,' dead at 70
According to an official obituary, Kirby died in his native Burlington, Vermont, "following a short illness." Kirby was born with spina bifida, a condition that occurs when the spine or spinal cord doesn't form properly, according to the Mayo Clinic. It can result in a variety of symptoms, including numbness, leg paralysis and back pain.
Rock star Ozzy Osbourne dies at 76, weeks after final Black Sabbath show
Kirby, who for many years worked at tech giant IBM, and then later as a motivational speaker, had only a short stint on the big screen, also starring in 2003's "Stuck on You," and an episode of the television program "Carnivàle."
He is most famed, though, for his role in "Shallow Hal," the Farrelly brothers' 2001 comedy romance, which cast Kirby as Walt, who, alongside stars Gwenyth Paltrow and Jack Black, danced with crutches, embodying the film's "seeing beyond appearances" sentiment.
Malcolm-Jamal Warner, who starred as Theo on 'Cosby Show,' dies in drowning at 54
The movie, which became a cult classic to some and an example of poor movie judgment to others, saw Black fall in love with Paltrow for her inner beauty, rather than her outward looks. In the film, Paltrow donned a "fat suit," a choice she later voiced regret over.
Kirby, though onscreen for only short clips of the movie, brought an enthusiasm and joy to the big screen.
Kirby is survived by his mother, Janet; brothers, Ric, Daryl and Jon, and sisters Donna, Cheryl and Jean, as well as several cousins, nieces, nephews and great nieces and nephews.
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Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Birmingham tributes to Ozzy Osbourne will be taken down and given to his family
Tributes left for Ozzy Osbourne in his home city of Birmingham are to be taken down and given to the late star's family. Birmingham City Council has started the process of removing thousands of tributes in honour of the Black Sabbath rocker following his death last month at the age of 76. Fans had flocked to the city to pay their respects to Ozzy as flowers, keepsake items and handwritten notes were left at Black Sabbath Bridge - a spot that marks the Paranoid band's formation. The council says that the tributes will be preserved at a secure location before being passed on to Ozzy's loved ones. It stated: "In due course, they will be passed on the Osbourne family, so they may keep them as a lasting reminder of the public's affection and support." A concert ticket from 1995 featured among the tributes, which also included artwork and beer cans. Kate Brazier, head of city centre events at the council, said: "We've found all sorts - artwork, cans of beer and candles. We've found a box of tea with a message that says, 'Just in case you can't find a cuppa in heaven.' "But for me, the one that stands out the most is (the concert ticket) that someone's left a message on. It probably meant a lot to someone at one point in their life." Ozzy's family viewed the tributes during his funeral procession in the city last week and said they were "deeply moved" by the affection the public had for the Prince of Darkness - who had played his final gig with Black Sabbath at Birmingham's Villa Park stadium just 17 days prior to his death. A statement read: "We are deeply moved by the heartfelt tributes that have been placed at the Black Sabbath Bridge and at the Black Sabbath mural on Navigation Street in recent days. "These expressions of remembrance reflect the profound impact that Ozzy had on the city and its people, as well as fans from around the world - BIRMINGHAM FOREVER!" Lord Mayor of Birmingham Zafar Iqbal said: "We understand how important it is for the community to have a space to grieve and celebrate Ozzy's legacy. "We know fans will continue to pay their respects at the Black Sabbath Bridge and the mural on Navigation Street, as well as visiting the Ozzy exhibition."
New York Post
2 hours ago
- New York Post
Rod Stewart sparks backlash with ‘disrespectful' AI-generated Ozzy Osbourne tribute
Foolish Behaviour. Rod Stewart is facing scrutiny for paying tribute to the late Ozzy Osbourne with an AI-generated clip at one of his recent concerts. The video from the 'Maggie May' singer's show on Friday, August, 1, was captured by a concertgoer and showed footage of Osbourne celebrating in Heaven with other deceased music legends like Michael Jackson, Tina Turner, Prince, Kurt Cobain, Bob Marley, Amy Winehouse and George Michael as Stewart's 1988 hit 'Forever Young' played in the background. Advertisement 12 Rod Stewart's AI-generated video showed Ozzy Osbourne with several fallen stars. iamsloanesteel/Instagram 12 Ozzy Osbourne and Prince both appeared in the AI-generated video. iamsloanesteel/Instagram AI-generated images of Whitney Houston, Tupac Shakur, Freddie Mercury, Aaliyah and XXXTentacion also appeared in the clip. Advertisement Osbourne appeared smiling with Turner as the Queen of Rock 'n' Roll held onto a selfie stick. In another part of the footage, the late Black Sabbath rocker held the selfie stick as he posed with several of the other late legends. 'Yes the rumors are true: I went to a Rod Stewart concert last night (lol) and witnessed man made horrors beyond my comprehension. Ozzy Osbourne with a selfie stick in heaven smiling with Tina Turner, Bob Marley, Prince, and…XXXTentacion,' the audience member captioned the video. 12 The Black Sabbath frontman was also seen smiling alongside Michael Jackson, who died in 2009. iamsloanesteel/Instagram 12 The rocker was also shown in Heaven with the Queen of Rock 'n' Roll Tina Turner. iamsloanesteel/Instagram Advertisement The concertgoer continued to express their distaste for the tribute, writing over the clip, 'This is the craziest most disrespectful s–t I ever saw in my LIFE!!!' 'Rod Stewart really thought this was a brilliant idea. 😑,' one person responded to the footage. 'I've seen some s—ty AI visuals in concerts but this is a new low. We truly are in the end times,' another replied. Several people insisted that Prince would be the most upset about his image being used for the AI video. 12 The AI-generated clip also showed Ozzy Osbourne with the late Amy Winehouse. iamsloanesteel/Instagram Advertisement 12 Rod Stewart has not responded to the backlash.'Weekend at Bernie's vibes. Prince didn't even want his music on Spotify and changed his name to a Symbol to protect his intellectual property I'm 100% sure he wouldn't have signed off on Rod Stuart Puppeteering his face for this tacky 💩,' someone wrote, while a second commented, 'Prince would beat rod stewart with hammers if he knew about this.' Prince changed his name to the unpronounceable symbol in 1993, with many speculating it was a ploy to get out of his contract with his longtime label, Warner Bros. Records. The 'Purple Rain' singer, who died in 2016 at age 57, was then referred to as the 'Artist Formerly Known as Prince.' The Post has reached out to Stewart and Osbourne's rep for comment. 12 Ozzy Osbourne died on July 22 at age 76. Amy Harris/Invision/AP 12 Getty Images 12 Thousands gathered for his funeral procession in the rocker's hometown of Birmingham, England, on July 30. REUTERS The Prince of Darkness died on July 22 at age 76 following a series of health ailments, including a Parkinson's diagnosis. Advertisement 'It is with more sadness than mere words can convey that we have to report that our beloved Ozzy Osbourne has passed away this morning,' the statement obtained by The Post from his wife, Sharon Osbourne, and four of his other children, Kelly, Jack, Aimee and Louis, read. 'He was with his family and surrounded by love. We ask everyone to respect our family privacy at this time,' his loved ones concluded. 12 His wife, Sharon Osbourne, and their three children Jack, Kelly and Aimee attended the procession. Anita Maric / SWNS 12 His loved ones sobbed as they paid homage to the late Prince of Darkness. REUTERS Advertisement Following his passing, Stewart took to social media and wrote, 'Bye, bye Ozzy. Sleep well, my friend. I'll see you up there — later rather than sooner.' His wife, Sharon, 72, sobbed alongside their three children, Aimee, 41, Kelly, 40, and Jack, 39, as thousands gathered in the rocker's hometown of Birmingham, England, for his funeral procession on July 30. The 'Mama, I'm Coming Home' singer was laid to rest the next day by the lake at his home in Buckinghamshire following his private funeral, attended by fellow rockers, including his Black Sabbath bandmates, Marilyn Manson, White Zombie frontman Rob Zombie and Slipknot frontman Corey Taylor. 12 Ozzy Osbourne was laid to rest the following day on July 31. Advertisement On Monday, Kelly shared a heartfelt message to fans, thanking them for their support while giving an update on how her family is coping after losing its patriarch. 'Grief is a strange thing — it sneaks up on your in waves,' she said in part. 'I will not be OK for a while — but knowing my family are not alone in our pain makes a difference.'
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Birmingham tributes to Ozzy Osbourne will be taken down and given to his family
Tributes left for Ozzy Osbourne in his home city of Birmingham are to be taken down and given to the late star's family. Birmingham City Council has started the process of removing thousands of tributes in honour of the Black Sabbath rocker following his death last month at the age of 76. Fans had flocked to the city to pay their respects to Ozzy as flowers, keepsake items and handwritten notes were left at Black Sabbath Bridge - a spot that marks the Paranoid band's formation. The council says that the tributes will be preserved at a secure location before being passed on to Ozzy's loved ones. It stated: "In due course, they will be passed on the Osbourne family, so they may keep them as a lasting reminder of the public's affection and support." A concert ticket from 1995 featured among the tributes, which also included artwork and beer cans. Kate Brazier, head of city centre events at the council, said: "We've found all sorts - artwork, cans of beer and candles. We've found a box of tea with a message that says, 'Just in case you can't find a cuppa in heaven.' "But for me, the one that stands out the most is (the concert ticket) that someone's left a message on. It probably meant a lot to someone at one point in their life." Ozzy's family viewed the tributes during his funeral procession in the city last week and said they were "deeply moved" by the affection the public had for the Prince of Darkness - who had played his final gig with Black Sabbath at Birmingham's Villa Park stadium just 17 days prior to his death. A statement read: "We are deeply moved by the heartfelt tributes that have been placed at the Black Sabbath Bridge and at the Black Sabbath mural on Navigation Street in recent days. "These expressions of remembrance reflect the profound impact that Ozzy had on the city and its people, as well as fans from around the world - BIRMINGHAM FOREVER!" Lord Mayor of Birmingham Zafar Iqbal said: "We understand how important it is for the community to have a space to grieve and celebrate Ozzy's legacy. "We know fans will continue to pay their respects at the Black Sabbath Bridge and the mural on Navigation Street, as well as visiting the Ozzy exhibition."
