The Reliable Source is back, under the stewardship of Amy Argetsinger and Roxanne Roberts . Appearing in the Style section on Tuesdays through Fridays and Sundays, The Reliable Source brings you gossip from across the region and around the world -- candid looks at the lives and loves and hijinks of all your favorite bold-faced names, be they congressmen or millionaires, ballplayers or newsbabes, nightlife divas or master thespians, DJs or gadflies, has-beens or will-bes.

Argetsinger and Roberts are online each Wednesday at Noon ET to discuss your favorite gossip, what you thought about their recent columns or who you want to see them writing about in future ones.

Reliable Source Columns

Argetsinger is a veteran of all leafy-green, protein-rich sections like Metro and National while Roberts brought you the champagne and bon-bons of Style's society beat.

A transcript follows.

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Amy Argetsinger: Good morning all! Big week for news, what with TomKat's surprising appearance at Six Flags and FedEx Field, the rift at Inn at Little Washington, a barrage of stars red-carpeting around town, from Kevin Costner, Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore, to Daphne Zuniga, Ernie Hudson and Clancy Brown. Oh, and it turns out that the girl who kisses Ashton in his new movie? Is from Arlington and U.Va. Lots of other stuff too but I forget... Looking forward to your questions!

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Washington, D.C.: Is Dan Snyder a scientologist? How does he get so cozy with Cruise all of a sudden?

Amy Argetsinger: Dan Snyder is not a Scientologist. He became friends with Tom Cruise the old-fashioned way -- by showering him with $$$. As you may recall, Cruise had an ugly split with Paramount a couple weeks ago (he sez he quit, they say he was fired) and promptly rebounded by announcing that he was going to run his own production company with help of our own 'Skins owner, who will write him a multi-million-dollar check every year.

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Kensington, Md.: Hey, two C1s in two days. Nice work!

I was kind of surprised that the restaurant was named in that Sunday feature piece about the normal home life of a Redskins star (sorry, forgot his name). I would imagine that the normal dinner out for players may be disrupted by autograph seekers and boyfriend hunters.

washingtonpost.com: The Humdrum Life of a Star Post, Sept. 11, 2006

Amy Argetsinger: Hey, thanks!.... As for that story -- the first in a series of stories about the off-field lives of the Redskins -- I don't think it's such a big deal that they named the restaurant (Sweetwater Tavern)... For one, we're generally not in the business of concealing information like that. The Post might withhold the exact address of a public figure but we're not going to withhold the name of his hangouts (isn't that what our column is all about?)... And secondly, the whole point of the story is that this Redskin, Renaldo Wynn, manages to have a fairly normal life in D.C., virtually unrecognized -- heck, you can't even remember his name! So I think he's safe for now...

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Georgetown: We were out of town this past weekend, so we missed the columns from Friday through Sunday, sorry. Did Costner and Kutcher go out anywhere while they were in town? And what did you guys personally think of "The Guardian"?

Amy Argetsinger: You know, I don't think we heard of any sightings -- got the feeling they may have been holed up in their hotels rooms for the brief 36 hours or so that they were here doing publicity... I didn't stick around for the movie -- had to write the item on deadline instead...

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Federalville, Va.: When I saw the front page of the paper Tuesday morning... was this chat last week... clearly one of your posters knew and was trying to tell you that TomKat was going to be at the game. And we readers (posters? peanuts?) saw it first here.

Amy Argetsinger: That's right, there were murmurings about whether Tom would start coming to games in this chat last week. Hmmm. You think our chatter knew what was up? Why can't people be more direct -- say, drop us a line at reliablesource@washpost.com tipping us off to stuff like this? Happily another in-the-loop reader dropped us a line about Tom's impending visit early Monday, enabling us to get news of his FedEx appearance up on the web before the game.

Everyone get that? That's reliablesource@washpost.com

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Winchester, Va.: RE: new baby for Britney and KFed...Where do we start a national petition for that guy to get a vasectomy? Or maybe he's way ahead of us and is planning one anyway...

Amy Argetsinger: He is one fertile young man, isn't he? A potential public health menace. I plan to wrap myself in Saran if I ever even need to be in the room with him.

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Washington: Can't the owners of the Inn at Little Washington resolve their differences without an ugly public mess? Haven't they worked together as businessmen for nearly 30 years?

Roxanne Roberts: I'm sure they tried, but things got messy. They have, indeed, been together for three decades---first romantically, and then as business partners when they started the Inn in 1978 and worked side by side for many, many years. Their personal relationship fell apart a few years ago, but they continued to run the business as partners. Something happened in the last year, and now they're divorcing and divided up the assets. Divorces are never easy.

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Hello: Why was Jamie Foxx in D.C. Sept. 11?

Amy Argetsinger: Jamie Foxx cut quite a swath through town this weekend with all the Congressional Black Caucus parties and afterparties, and then he stuck around to sit in Dan Snyder's box (with his "Collateral" co-star -- whatshisname again?)... We were just wondering yesterday why he STILL appeared to be lingering in our fine city -- and now comes news that he may be filming a movie around here. For more details, see tomorrow's column -- 35 cents at your news stand, or free at washingtonpost.com/reliablesource

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Amy Argetsinger: Confidential to Leesburg with the charming celeb sighting.... we're getting some more details, but we REALLY want to hear about yours! Drop us a line (please please please) at reliablesource@washpost.com and lets trade news...

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Saran Wrap: Apparently doesn't work according to the movie "Must Love Dogs."

Amy Argetsinger: Huh. Never saw that.

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College Park, Md.: I felt as though I needed a magic decoder ring to read the item today on the Inn at Little Washington.

When you talk about the two men's "personal relationship" having ended a while ago -- are you saying the former co-owners were at one point romantic partners? Why did you feel you couldn't say that straight out (as it were)? Why resort to code, forcing the reader to read between the lines?

My cynical take: You (or your editors) didn't want to offend your more conservative readers If so, that's misguided: the idea of a gay couple isn't very outre anymore.

washingtonpost.com: Big Breakup Brews Between Inn Owners at Little Washington (Post, Sept. 13, 2006)

Roxanne Roberts: Sorry if you took offense at the wording. I thought the item was pretty clear----yes, the two men had a romantic relationship and are now going through the equivalent of a personal and business divorce.

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Virginia: Latest on the death of Anna Nicole Smith's son? How bizarre and tragic. Normally, we'd be looking for the name to be announced and the pictures to be in "US" or something.

Roxanne Roberts: The whole thing is very, very sad. The police are investigating the death, and when there's more to report, we'll write about it.

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Annapolis, Md.: The Baltimore Sun is saying that the Wire has just been renewed for a fifth season. Is that true? Please say yes.

washingtonpost.com: Its 4th season just begun, 'The Wire' gets OK for 5th (Baltimore Sun, Sept. 13, 2006)

Amy Argetsinger: Rock on! That is fantastic news -- thanks for sending that my way, hadn't seen that, but if the Sun is reporting it I have no doubt... I just spoke to David Simon a couple days ago, and he thought a decision would come later in the month -- but he was also optimistic that the buzz about the show was finally catching on, thanks to DVD and HBO On Demand.

Seriously, everyone should watch this show. Don't let that critical acclaim scare you away - it's not just a gritty, hyper-realistic drama about the decline of an inner city, it's also hilarious in unexpected ways.

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Justin Timberlake in Va. Beach: Thanks for the quote in the column, but what I want to know is if anyone actually saw Justin Timberlake when he was spending all this time in Virginia Beach? And, did he notice that Va. Beach has things like Oceana Naval Air Station, tourist locations, the Va. Marine Science Museum and an ocean? Where did he stay? Although I do think it rather humorous that he would mix his music in the same town with Pat Robertson.

washingtonpost.com: "I find it funny that we created such a club-friendly record in such a desolate area of the world. . . . It's nothing but strip malls and Chick-fil-A's. There's, like, one club in the whole Virginia Beach area. . . . It allowed us the opportunity to really lock ourselves in the studio and just create."

Justin Timberlake , on producing his new album in the Old Dominion, during a conference call with reporters Monday.

Amy Argetsinger: Yo, is Virginia Beach in the house? Let us know if you saw JT...

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Suri: I'm sorry to say, I'm over Suri. She's a very cute baby, but if she's not an alien, I just don't need to know any more.

All I'll say is this: Best wishes growing up, little girl. You'll need all the luck you can get.

Amy Argetsinger: Amen to that.

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Harrisburg, Pa.: Who is the father of Anna Nicole Smith's new baby?

Better yet, who is the father of Suri Cruise?!

Amy Argetsinger: Anna Nicole Smith has not publicly disclosed the name of her babydaddy...

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Gossip and Rumors = Social Commentary: This news about the Inn at Little Washington proves two things. First, we should go ahead and legalize gay marriage, because we all know how to deal with nasty, messy divorces. There is a well established process for everyone, and participants and observers both know their roles. Then we wouldn't have to get confused when gay couples break up their romances and business partnerships, because we would all know exactly how it goes.

Second, whether or not you are gay, if you are going into business with someone, the law provides many ways for you to plan for a breakup. Use them now so you won't be sorry later.

Amy Argetsinger: Interesting points, thanks.

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Loudoun County, Va.: So, Paris Hilton and DUI. ... I was offended by Mel Gibson, but I find Paris's comments that inferred her DUI is "no big deal" to be really scary. Why hasn't there been more public commentary on that? I mean, aren't people terrified that she takes drinking and driving so casually? Maybe we need a national update about where she's driving on any given day so we can stay out of her way!

Roxanne Roberts: Sorry to say it may, in fact, be "No big deal" for our party girl. Even if officials come down hard, she's unlikely to spend any time in jail---and can always find someone to drive her from club to club. It's unlikely to hurt her reputation, because part of her schtick is giggling through life. Careless to a fault, I think, and clueless.

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Herndon, Va.: are there any pictures available of Paris dressed as Alice -n- Wonderland, blending in with all the wait staff? The idea warms the cockles of my heart.

Amy Argetsinger: The chatter is referring to British tabloid reports that Virgin tycoon Richard Branson threw a Mad Hatter-themed 21st birthday for his son, and that when he heard Paris Hilton intended to steal the show with an Alice costume, he ordered all 60 waitresses to dress as Alice as well.

A lot of things about that story don't make sense -- Is it really that outrageous that a young woman would pick Alice as her costume for an Alice-in-Wonderland party? Would a host truly find that so offensive that he'd seek to humiliate an invited guest? -- but whatever...

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Chicago: Ooooh, I'm mad. I grew up in Virginia Beach and I know for a fact that there are TWO clubs there. I was going to buy Justin's album but now? What gives with celebs trashing places that aren't LA or NY?

Gotta go eat my Chic-Fil-A sandwich now.

Amy Argetsinger: Mmmmmm, Chick-fil-A...

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Silver Spring, Md.: Never thought I'd say (or type) these words: I feel so, so terrible for Anna Nicole Smith. What an awful thing to go through. I don't care how insanely large a fortune you're inheriting, nobody can deal with giving birth, recovering from that, and losing a child all at once.

Roxanne Roberts: Me, too, and I'm sure the entire story of her son and her mothering skills (or lack thereof) will be dissected in the tabloids since authorities are calling the cause of death "unnatural."

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Washington, D.C.: So, the adorable (and smart and qualified, but, so cute!) Sam Brooks lost in the Ward 3 primary. What's his story? Single? If so, I volunteer to soothe his hurt feelings after his loss. And did I mention, so cute!?

Amy Argetsinger: Sam Brooks is indeed single; our able City Desk colleagues, however, were not able to report out anything about his dating life in the half-hour deadline we just now gave them. We do hear, though, that he's pals with this season's other campaign hottie, Fenty spokesman Alec Evans and that both were seen casing the young hipster landscape at City Paper's Xmas party last year. So you might have a chance!

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Washington, D.C.: I was lucky enough to be at the game on Monday night (non-season ticket holder that I am) and did not know that TomKat was there until my Mom called after our first (and only!) touchdown, so I missed seeing a million times during the game!

So, my question is -- did he cheer? Just sit there? I mean, Dan Snyder can get into the games, especially close ones (with super bad calls in the fourth quarter!) like this one! Just curious because I don't see Tom as a big football fan (which is why I think that I should be invited to the owner's box sometimes, because I will jump around (and even on a couch!) to cheer for my team!)

Roxanne Roberts: I watched the game on ESPN, and Tom was sitting next to Dan everytime the cameras cut to the owners box. But I'm told he did cheer in the appropriate places, although word is he's not a huge football fan.

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Baltimore: Re Costner being in D.C.: Is it true that he actually went up to cars tied up in traffic on Connecticut Avenue (because of the premier of "The Guardian") and apologized to drivers for delaying them? That's simply amazing behavior!

But it dovetails with a scene I witnessed some years ago at the Four Seasons in Beverly Hills when, while getting into a cab, I saw an exotic sportscar pull up in the driveway and the staff literally sprint forward in one unit. Then I saw Costner get out of the car and the cabbie said, "Sure, they all came running. He's a great guy. And the best tipper in L.A."

Amy Argetsinger: It's probably true -- from my vantage point (stuck between the metal railings along the red carpet, TV crews on either side of me) I couldn't maneuver around to monitor him closely as he made his way through traffic, but spectators said that he was signing autographs up there and he did strike everyone as gracious.

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Washington, D.C.: I was looking at magazine covers and something really strange jumped out - Suri looks like a baby version of Maggie Gylenhall (or however you spell her last name).

Amy Argetsinger: Gyllenhaal.

Yeah, I can sorta see that. Not as much as she looks like Bjork, though. And before you all get all wound up -- we LIKE Bjork! That's not an insult! It's not like we're saying "She looks like she's going to show up at the Oscars in thirty years wearing a dress made out of a stuffed swan." We're just sayin' -- she kinda looks like Bjork.

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Bowie, Md.: How did the Snyder/Cruise lovefest get to Six Flags and the football game? I would assume for the latter, they took his helicopter to avoid the traffic.

Amy Argetsinger: Ah, we answered this question in today's column -- anyone read it? We hear that Snyder sometimes helicopters, but this week anyway everyone limo'd. Snyder didn't have traffic issues since he got there early, but TomKat & Co., traveling with Tanya Snyder, did indeed enjoy some gridlock.

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Washington, D.C.: Did either of you ladies read the Vanity Fair article on the Cruise family? It was pure fluff. I normally expect some type of journalism from VF, but to paint Tom and Katie like innocent victims is laughable. Weren't they recently shoving their relationship down our throats with all of their PDA? To then suddenly shun the media when they decided it was too much is pretty silly.

Amy Argetsinger: VF has some great journalism but never in their movie-star cover stories...

Roxanne Roberts: Ah, the pain of being a celebrity. Everyone wants good press; no one wants bad press. Somehow the fact that the two are flip sides of the same coin escapes most of the stars, who are always SHOCKED when their massive fame includes uninvited coverage of their personal lives. You can have privacy or you can pose for a 22-page photo spread but no one---even Tom Cruise---can do both.

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Paris DUI: Was her BAC really .08 or whatever horribly low number was given? I just can't imagine her limiting herself to one of anything.

Amy Argetsinger: .08 is horribly low? Not in the eyes of Johnny Law.

Roxanne Roberts: Odd, given that one version of her story includes dinner just before the incident. I'm guessing, given her height and weight, that it would take at least about three strong ones to meet .08---the number released by police.

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Littleton, Colo.: Regarding Paris Hilton: Although she doesn't NEED to make money, her own corporate "business" is HER. Unfortunately, I think that speaks volumes about the American consumer-market.

Roxanne Roberts: Our bad. We have no one to blame but ourselves.

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Va. Beach: I didn't see JT when I was there last weekend, but I did see all the strip malls. Most of the time you can't tell where you are, because it looks exactly the same as the place you were: tacky and boring. Sure, Oceana is there, but in my book, military bases don't count as major entertainment centers. Ditto for tourist destinations. There is some kind of attitude down there that nightclubs are bad, so the best you can find is a hoppin' Ruby Tuesdays....

Amy Argetsinger: And some really bangin' Applebees, I hope?

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Carrboro, N.C.: Didn't get to watch "The View" since day two of Rosie. Does Barbara still look incredibly uncomfortable? Is Rosie still trying to make sure she talks the most?

Amy Argetsinger: Haven't been able to watch it closely but it does seem like the other ladies are pushing back a little more, getting accustomed to life with a new Alpha Girl. It's not bad television that way...

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Washington, D.C.: Suri's wearing a wig, right? How does an infant have hair like Marv Albert?

Amy Argetsinger: Actually, a friend's baby came out that way -- full-head of hair, and admittedly it is kind of startling, that infant-with-a-wig look.

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New York, N.Y.: What's Wilmer Valderamma doing these days, and how soon before we see him on the "Surreal Life"?

Amy Argetsinger: Good news! Our able host informs us that Wilmer will be in the movie version of "Fast Food Nation."

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Arlington, Va.: Yeah, I'm sure that JT would be real interested in hanging out at the Oceana Naval Air Station. I'm not a celeb and even that sounds incredibly boring to me. Why are people so defensive about their towns? If JT doesn't like VB who really cares?

I also never understood why people are so desperate for other people to love D.C.

Amy Argetsinger: Are they?

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Rockville, Md:. Justin Timberlake is from Maryland. Perhaps his comment was just another round in the Md. vs. Va. rivalry.

Amy Argetsinger: I think he's from Tennessee, actually; don't know of any Maryland connex but I'm sure someone will educate me otherwise if there are any...

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Re: The Inn: In your story, why didn't you say they had a romantic relationship? You called it "personal," which seems like a pretty weenie way of describing a couple that's been together for a couple of decades. I can't imagine describing a hetero couple--Goldie and Kurt, say--as having a "personal" relationship and expecting readers to just get the gist.

Amy Argetsinger: See a similar question, answered above. C'mon, sometimes a deadline word choice is just a deadline word choice, and it seems like everyone here got it.

And heck, can anyone ever really know another couple well enough to know if their love life is *truly* romantic?

Roxanne Roberts: Here, language fails us. There is not a perfect word for their relationship. "Lovers" seems like Too Much Information, "marriage" could not be used, and "partners" would have been confusing given the business side of the story. I figured are readers are sophisticated enough to get the point. And frankly, I'd have many of the same problems describing a Goldie-Kurt split. "Longtime companion?" Yuch. "Boyfriend, girlfriend." Nah. Even "romantic partner" sound a little forced. Suggestions?

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Sterling, Va.: Do you think that the lack luster turnout of MI-3 is enough of an explanation for the split between Tom and Paramount? I mean, I think Tom is pretty disgusting for a variety of reasons, but he's still something of a cultural icon and he's probably still got some major money-making years in him regardless of couches and insane statements about how insanity is all in your vitamin-deficient head. Certainly studios keep other morally repugnant stars in their stable, why did Tom get the chop?

Amy Argetsinger: I think it's a combination of all of those things -- the lackluster performance of MI3 was viewed as the potential beginning of a downward slope, what with Cruise's dramatically dropping approval ratings. And there are larger forces at work as well, with studios deciding that stars don't really make or break a movie so why spend so much on them? And Tom Cruise was costing them a lot...

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New York, N.Y.: Meredith Viera is quoted saying she felt "like it's the first day of school and I'm sitting next to the cutest guy." Why are grown women acting so much like dumb teenagers these days? People like her make it OK for my 38-year-old friend to wear pigtails. It's not OK.

Amy Argetsinger: Hey, good point. You're onto something...

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McLean, Va.: So if Snyder funds Tom, and I despise Tom, how can I cheer on the 'Skins and still feel good about myself in the morning?

Amy Argetsinger: Uh,I don't know -- cut back on your visits to the Largo Six Flags?

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Lincoln Park: So, any reports yet on how Britney has failed as a mother with baby No. 2? (Who cares about name, weight, hair color, etc.? We just want to know how she is already stunting his growth and undermining his life expectancy.)

Roxanne Roberts: Can we wait for the official announcement before we start trashing Britney again? Latest update from AP: "The baby boy was delivered around 2 a.m. at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Us Weekly reported on its Web site Wednesday, citing an unnamed family source. The child was delivered by a scheduled Cesarean section procedure, People.com reported. The newborn's name wasn't immediately released. Spears' New York-based publicist, Leslie Sloane Zelnik, did not return a call to the Associated Press seeking comments."

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Washington, D.C.: According to the MNF commentators, Cruise is a huge football fan.

Roxanne Roberts: Good to know. Go Skins!

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Amy Argetsinger: Confidential to Leesburg -- the one writing us about the Hollywood celeb who was kind to your husband's middle-school student -- yes, YOU'RE the one we're talking to. You tell us your stories and we'll tell you ours -- reliablesource@washpost.com . This could be a nice column item, which is why we're not posting your question. Drop us an e-mail please.

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Silver Spring, Md.: Justin's from Memphis or thereabouts. Not Maryland.

washingtonpost.com: IMDB says Memphis. Also, look at his hair in that photo.

Amy Argetsinger: Goodness! That is vintage JT. N'Sync in da house!

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grew up here: I'm not desperate for other people to love D.C., but I'm so happy when they do! And it kind of hurts my feelings when they complain about it.

Amy Argetsinger: I hear ya -- especially since so much of the complaining seems to involve how D.C. compares poorly next to NYC, which is a pretty narrow frame of reference...

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Roxanne Roberts: Ah, another hour flew by, and we've barely touched all the Tom and Britney comments. So many questions, so little time. Keep those tips coming to reliablesource@washpost.com, and we'll hunt them down like a drunk celebrity in a weaving Mercedes. Same time, next week.

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