KEY POINTS:
All is not well in Croc Man Steve Irwin's menagerie.
Irwin's father, Bob, has reportedly quit his job at Australia Zoo after dedicating more than 36 years of his working life to his son's legacy.
In a move that most construe as a direct snub to daughter-in-law Terri, Bob has now vowed to keep his son's dream alive "elsewhere".
News of his resignation broke yesterday after a letter on his behalf was reportedly sent to Australia's Sunday Herald Sun.
In Bob's 300 word letter he thanks zoo staff, Animal Hospital workers, Wildlife Warriors and "all of Steve's friends out there" - but pointedly neglects to mention Steve's widow Teri who has a great degree of control over the Zoo and is the mother of Bob's grandchildren Bindi and Bob.
Bob's departure does little to quell rumours of an escalating rift in the Irwin family over disagreements on treatment of staff and the commercial direction of the world-famous Australian Zoo.
Sources also state that disgruntled employees were up in arms over the fact that Bob had apparently been banned from the Zoo after an alleged argument with Terri.
Bob's statement to the Sunday Herald Sun intimates that he is angry that the zoo had refused to make his resignation public on Friday, instead sending out words "that were not his".
The zoo veteran says he will continue "Steve's dream" at a new property he has bought near Kingaroy, 209km northwest of Brisbane.
Bob says: "You may rest assured that Judy (Bob's partner) and I will continue with Steve's dream, with the passion and commitment he would expect," he said.
Terri, Zoo director Wes Mannion and family manager John Stainton have refused to comment.
The official statement from the zoo simply reads: "Bob is a gentleman of retirement age and we fully support and love him dearly... These rumours (of a rift) need to end in respect to the Irwin family."
Meanwhile, Terri and the Zoo could be facing a tax investigation in the wake of multi-million dollar civil lawsuits against them, news reports claim.
This is incredibly sad.
We're often instilled with the misconception that a death brings people together and tightens the familial bond. It's not always the case.
Death can often lead to fragmentation.
Whatever their differences are, I hope they sort them out. Keep it together, folks.
Source: TMZ.com, news.com.au
What a mistake
Ooops! Even more skeletons are coming out of the Spears' closet.
Some old timer related to Britney, her uncle in fact, is now claiming that Jamie Lynn was an accident, much like the unborn child she's yet to pop.
The unnamed uncle, who reportedly lives in a camper van (read trailer park trash) says Britney's father Jamie was shocked when he found out that his wife Lynne was up the duff, especially considering the fact he'd had a vasectomy.
He said: "Jamie got awfully mad. He said it couldn't be his."
Click here to read more about the repulsive rednecks here.
Cha-cha chat
Actress Kate Beckinsale is not ashamed to say she's in love with her vagina.
In an interview with Allure magazine, she says:
"I've only ever had about three boyfriends. Only a handful of people have seen into the Pharaoh's Tomb!"
And when asked what her best feature is, she says: "My best feature is unfortunately a private matter, although I'm told it is spectacular. But you can't really walk it down the red carpet. What can I say?"
After a fit of giggles, Beckinsale then enlightened the gob smacked interviewer by silently mouthing the words.
Classy lady. That's way below the belt. I feel nauseous...
No blame here
The two doctors under investigation from the federal Drug Enforcement Agency over Heath Ledger's death have been cleared of any prescribing wrongdoing.
News emerged on Thursday that the two docs were in the process of being interviewed by authorities after their names were found on pill bottles in Ledger's New York apartment.
The New York Post reports that the doctors were found to have followed the correct protocol in prescribing the medications.
Bye bye, pooches
Pointless socialite Paris Hilton has decided to ditch some of her pet dogs after falling foul of the Los Angeles Department of Animal Services.
The idiot had landed herself in hot water after publicly declaring on TV chat show Ellen a few weeks ago that she owned a brood of 17 dogs, which is illegal in the US unless you're a professional breeder.
She tells E! online, "Some of my dogs had puppies, so I gave some of them away to people I really know and trust.
"I gave some to my stylist and to a few of my best friends, so now I'm down to 10."
Barking.
Timberlake's celluloid turd
There's only one redeeming feature about Justin Timberlake's cameo role in Mike Myers' new movie The Love Guru: the fact that he's wearing Speedos.
Showing off his comedic "talents" and buff booty, along with a seriously dodgy moustache and exaggerated French accent, Timberlake looks every part the 70s porn star.
The film looks totally crap, but who cares?
See for yourselves here.
Not Desperate enough
Julianne More won't be joining those menstrual ladies on Wisteria Lane after all.
Reports surfaced last week that stated the Hannibal star was set to join the cast of Desperate Housewives for at least three episodes.
But now Moore has dismissed the rumours and says there's no truth to the reports.
Moore's representative Stephen Huvane tells America's OK! magazine, "Julianne will NOT be on Desperate Housewives."
How could Hugh?
Do we really need to see Lindsay Lohan in the buff again? Enough already.
My moles tell me that dirty birdy Hugh Hefner is now interested in getting the desperate star to disrobe for his porn bible Playboy.
The ageing vile of Viagra is no doubt waving loads of cash in Lohan's path and hoping that she'll take five from her highly successful movie career and show him her map of Tasmania.
Heffner was reportedly very impressed with Lohan's recent Monroe-esque spread for New York magazine, and now wants Li Lo to show even more (what, her intestines?) for Playboy.
Sticking to the Monroe theme, word has it that the Heff wants Li Lo to recreate Monroe's legendary nude swimming pool scene from her never-released film Something's Got To Give.
Frenemies
Looks like the feud between Kate Moss and Sienna Miller is over.
Truthfully, I don't think they ever fell out anyway. Their "feud" was manufactured by their reps to keep them in the news.
Wino black and blue
Judging by these recent pics of Amy Winehouse, I'd say the singer's having a swell of a time (boom boom!) at the moment.
Tongues have been wagging every since she was spotted sporting a heavily bruised and swollen cheek last week.
Was it an everlasting gobstopper, or is the jazz pixie taking a stab at irony and placing her tongue firmly in cheek because she knows how ridiculous she looks?
No, apparently Wino is suffering from some form of strange skin infection.
Amy's rep says: "Amy has been diagnosed with impetigo - which she has been told can be highly contagious. Because of that she's been put on antibiotics and may have to stay home alone for the next few days."
Source: showbizspy.com
Car crash TV
You've got to hand it to the Yanks - when it comes to trash TV, they're light years ahead of any civilized nation.
Here's a clip from a show called Moment of Truth, a new game show where gullible contestants willingly answer deep and intimate questions about themselves and their relationships - while hooked up to a lie detector.
The results are of the variety that make you squirm and be thankful that you're on the other side of the screen. And not American.
Madonna single 'leaks'
Yawn. Madonna's hotly-anticipated new single, 4 Minutes to Save the World has "leaked" on the net. Again.
But this time it wasn't the song's producer (apparently) who flouted the Queen of Pop's wishes and set the music free.
No, it was some obscure French radio station.
Click here to hear the new single.
And the verdict?
Me no like. As an ardent Madonna fan, I'm hugely disappointed, and here's why:
Madge barely sings on the track - this track's all about the hugely overrated Justin Timberlake.
It's all style and production over substance
For someone who claims to "never repeat herself", Madge seems to have amnesia - the track sounds like a hybrid from her other album cast-offs.
What do you think?
This just in...
Colin Ferrell
Irish actor Colin "bit of rough" Farrell has admitted to GQ magazine that he likes nothing better than to strip naked, smear honey all over himself and steam it up with a load of manly strangers.
He said, "There's something very basic about rubbing honey on your skin and going steaming with a bunch of strange Russian men."
Read more here.
Jack the vote
Hilary Clinton has a new admirer - Jack Nicholson.
The US democratic presidential candidate has Nicholson's seal of approval, as this YouTube video demonstrates.
Jam-packed with a montage of his most memorable screen moments, Nicholson's official endorsement of Clinton will no doubt be music to her ears.
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Fast gossip
Give me five minutes and I'll tell you everything...
* Nicky Hilton is scarily skinny: Dlisted
* The rumors are true: Celebslam
* Jennifer Lopez spent over a million to give birth: Hollywood Rag
* Paris Hilton topless in 944: thegrumpiest
* Brad Pitt got a crew cut: Celebitchy
* Sienna Miller without makeup: CB
* Tilda Swinton shows off her new Oscar: PB
* Mary-Kate Olsen looks like an idiot: YH
* Lindsay Lohan didn't get paid to do her nude shoot: Egotastic
* Another shirtless wonder: Dlisted
* Kelly Osbourne headed to rehab? Bitten and Bound
* nzherald.co.nz is not responsible for the content of external websites.
