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A Pie in the Face of Comedy: So Long, Soupy Sales

Count your legends while they last.

Iconic funnyman Soupy Sales (totally not his real name), perhaps best known for the thousands of pies he took to the face during his 30-plus years on TV and radio, died Thursday at a hospice in the Bronx. He was 83 and had been in bad health for some time, according to longtime friend and former manager Dave Usher.

The rubberfaced slapstick specialist, whom Howard Stern has namechecked as one of his comedic heroes, started hosting the kids show Lunch With Soupy Sales in the 1959, a combination of puppetry, skits and physical comedy that usually resulted in Sales being hit with a pie in the face.

Just as Sesame Street transcends age groups, Sales made his kids show adult friendly by featuring celebs like Tony Curtis and Shirley MacLaine and any other good-natured star willing to take a pie to the punim.

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Patrick Swayze Getting a Studio Send-Off

Patrick Swayze Mike Marsland/Getty Images

Patrick Swayze will be getting a real Hollywood send-off this weekend. 

Two weeks after fans were able to bid farewell at a public event in Lake Lure, N.C., where Dirty Dancing was filmed, a private memorial for the fallen star is scheduled for Sunday at Sony Studios in Culver City, Calif.

Mourners are being asked that in lieu of flowers they donate to either the Patrick Swayze Pancreas Cancer Research Fund or Stand Up to Cancer, the organization that benefited from a multinetwork, star-studded telethon last September. Swayze was one of the featured speakers.

Dancing With the Stars had a tribute to Swayze last week, with Cheryl Burke and Tony Dovolani recreating Dirty Dancing's famed last dance, lift included.

The actor died Sept. 14 at 57 after a 20-month battle with pancreatic cancer. His remains were cremated, but there was no word on if his wife of 34 years, Lisa Niemi, had yet selected a final resting place for the ashes.

In another excerpt from his new memoir, Time of My Life, Swayze characterized fighting cancer as "the most challenging, eye-opening battle I've ever had."

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Remember some of Swayze's finest celluloid moments in our tribute gallery.

Keanu Reeves: Patrick Swayze Lived Life, Jumped Out of Planes "With an Open Heart"

Patrick Swayze, Point Break Courtesy of Fox

You never forget the costar you have to jump out of an airplane with.

"There was some skydiving sequences in this film we did together and as filming was going on it came to be that Patrick was jumping out of airplanes all the time," recalled Keanu Reeves, who was referring to a little cult-classic caper flick by the name of Point Break, in which he played an FBI agent opposite Patrick Swayze's bank-robbing surfer.

"I think he had over 30 jumps during the course of filming and so the production served him with a cease and desist which he listened to until they got to Hawaii."

Swayze died Monday after a nearly two-year battle with pancreatic cancer. Until he got sick, the 57-year-old star of action and/or movement-packed movies such as Roadhouse and Dirty Dancing was known for his exceptional fitness and physical grace.

While shooting Point Break, Reeves continued, Swayze not only jumped out of planes, but "he did the flips and falling to the ground and he did it with an open heart."

"He was a beautiful person, an artist. Patrick, he just wanted to experience life and for his work he wanted to take the opportunity of the film and it gave him that sense. I can say what I know that he lived life to the fullest. My sympathies and condolences go out to his friends and family."

A fitting tribute, indeed.

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Remember some of Patrick Swayze's best movie moments in our tribute gallery.

Michael Jackson's Family Doesn't Appreciate View From the Top

Janet Jackson, Randy Jackson, Jackie Jackson Harrison Funk/The Jackson Family via Getty Images

Wait, so the Jackson family didn't want Michael Jackson's elegant, star-packed interment service caught on tape?

Not according to Randy Jackson.

In a statement released this afternoon, the King of Pop's youngest brother says that he is extremely disappointed that there was such an intrusive media presence at Forest Lawn last night, where Michael was laid to rest within the cemetery's Grand Mausoleum.

Not including the cameramen who were allowed to be there, of course.

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Kelly Preston "Still Deeply in the Process of Healing" After Losing Son

Kelly Preston, Jett Travolta Courtesy of Travolta Family

For Kelly Preston, it's "just too soon" to publicly speak about the tragic death of her son, Jett Travolta.

Preston was scheduled to break her silence at the California Governor's Conference for Women hosted by Maria Shriver in October, but on Friday Preston reached out to People with an emotional statement explaining her cancellation:

"It is with my sincere apologies that I must pull out from speaking at [the] conference. I am sorry, but I truly believed that I could do it," stated the grieving mother. "Otherwise I never would have said that I could. But I am still deeply in the process of healing, and it's just too soon." 

Preston had planned on hosting a panel titled "Grief & Resilience," but Shriver whole-heartedly stands behind Preston's choice in her own statement:

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Travis Barker Will "Never Forget" His "Brother" DJ AM

travis parker, dj am Michael Loccisano/Getty for Bragman Nyman & Cafarelli

After forming an unimaginable bond over their survival of the harrowing plane crash that claimed the lives of four people last September, Travis Barker is speaking about his grief over losing his close friend, DJ AM

"Rest In Peace my brother, this really f---s me up," Barker tweeted earlier this evening. "I'll never forget everything we've been thru and every time i play the drums i'll think of you. U were an amazing friend/DJ/human being."

The famed drummer recently reunited with his longtime band Blink 182 and is currently on tour with the group. Blink is scheduled to take the stage in Hartford, Conn. tonight, but Travis went on to write about the difficulty of their impending show. "Don't know how i am gonna play 2night but i am for AM," read Barker's emotion-filled tweet. "My brother is gone.i love u and miss u, i'll never forget all the good times we had."

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Mandy Moore "Absolutely Devastated" By DJ AM's Death; More Celeb Reactions to The Loss

DJ AM, Mandy Moore Angela Weiss/Getty Images

Hollywood is still reeling from the unexpected and tragic loss of go-to music man, DJ AM, and more of Adam Goldstein's celeb pals are speaking out about his sudden death.

DJ AM's former girlfriend Mandy Moore released a statement Saturday afternoon saying that she is "absolutely heartbroken."

Remembering her ex, Moore continued: "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." The two dated in 2007 and rekindled their romance shortly after AM's horrific plane crash late last year.

Fellow celeb DJ Samantha Ronson echoed the sentiments of many, first tweeting: "Waiting for someone to say this isn't true." Shortly after confirmation of the death, Ronson posted a picture of AM and her hugely successful DJ brother, Mark Ronson, saying: "I still don't have the words- but these 2 taught me everything."

AM's close friend and addiction specialist Dr. Drew Pinsky is also speaking out about what may have caused the death of the late star...

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Celebs Respond En Masse to DJ AM's Death; "He Struggled With Pain," Friend Says

DJ AM (Adam Goldstein) Charley Gallay/Getty Images

From Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan to Ryan Seacrest and John Mayer, the celebs who knew DJ AM (or at least just dug his vibe) immediately took to their Twitter accounts upon hearing of his sudden death at age 36.

"Nononononono what?????" went the first obviously shocked tweet from Lindsay Lohan, whose ex, Samantha Ronson, was close pals with AM.

"I can't believe this.. i'm in shock. why? why? r.i.p. adam," the starlet wrote.

Added Hilton, whose onetime BFF, Nicole Richie, was engaged to AM, wrote: "Adam and I were friends since I was 15. He had a heart of gold and was one of the kindest, funniest and most talented men I have ever met...It's so hard to accept that I'm not going to be able to see him or talk to him again. There are no right words for this, I feel so sad. :("

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La Toya's Tribute to Michael Helps Heal the World

Michael Jackson, La Toya Jackson Jeffrey Mayer/Getty Images

La Toya Jackson didn't get to share her musical ode to childhood memories with her brother, Michael. Instead, she's doing the next best thing—sharing it with a cause close to her brother's heart.

All proceeds from La Toya's single, "Home," will go to one of the King of Pop's pet charities, AIDS Project Los Angeles, which provides an extensive array of services for people living with HIV and AIDS.

La Toya had originally planned to release a different single to tease her upcoming album, but after Michael's death on June 25, her label approached her about turning "Home" into a tribute.

"We felt that to move forward releasing La Toya's album as planned without recognizing Michael's tragic passing was inappropriate," Bungalo Records president Paul Ring said.

The song, released by Ja-Tail Records and Bungalo/Universal and now featuring a specific shout-out to Jackson (aka "Joker," his childhood nickname), hit iTunes today, and you can sneak a listen right here, as well.

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To go with La Toya's song, check out the many other ways people have been mourning Michael Jackson.

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George Clooney: Good Night and Thank You, Walter

George Clooney image.net

George Clooney, the unofficial spokesman for everything, was among the first to pay tribute to that other great voice of a generation, Walter Cronkite.

"He was the most important voice in our lives for thirty years," the Oscar winner, who delved into the history of the CBS newsroom when he directed and costarred in Good Night and Good Luck, said in a statement Friday night. 

"And that voice made people reach for the stars. I hate the world without Walter Cronkite. "

A strong sentiment, one echoed by many.

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World Music Awards Flash Back to Jackson

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It's not just Michael Jackson's legacy that will live on. Thanks to the magic of reruns, his performances will, too.

Following on the heels of Fox's Jackson-centric repeat of American Idol Monday, MyNetworkTV tonight is devoting its primetime hours to an encore airing of the 2006 World Music Awards.

In addition to an appearance and performance by the superstar himself, the show provided the first—and possibly, thanks to Jay-Z, only—televised tribute Chris Brown performed for the King of Pop.

During the show, which also honored the 25th anniversary of "Thriller," Jackson was awarded the Diamond Award for his unrivalled contribution to the music industry and even closed the show by performing, alongside a choir of fans, "We Are the World."

Catch more highlights from the show after the jump.

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Broadway's Dimming, Final Film a "Fitting Tribute" to Natasha Richardson

The bright lights of Broadway went dark for a full minute Thursday night in honor of the passing of Natasha Richardson. Her husband, Liam Neeson, sister Joely Richardson and mother Vanessa Redgrave, attended the moving tribute and watched as all the theater marquees went black.

A handful of the famous couple's celebrity pals—including Sarah Jessica Parker, Matthew Broderick, Ron Rifkin and Ralph Fiennes—attended the homage to pay their respects.

Meanwhile, as Richardson's friends and colleagues expressed their feelings of loss, speculation arose over when the actress' final film, The Wildest Dream, would reach theaters...

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The Big Picture

See Eric Bana On Chelsea Lately Tonight at 10:30 PM Only on E! Entertainment Television

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