Rosie O'Donnell and her spouse, Kelli Carpenter, have "issues" to work through, but they have not split up, Rosie tells USA Today.

Rosie broke down in tears when discussing Kelli and their children: Parker, 14, Chelsea, 12, and Blake, 9, all adopted, and Vivienne, 6, whom Carpenter carried to term. The couple married in San Francisco in '04.

O'Donnell hints there is marital unhappiness. "Marriage is very, very hard," she says. She denies a report in that Delphic oracle of celeb dish, the National Enquirer, that Kelli moved out of the house over the summer.

Lil Wayne pleads guilty

Award-winning rapper Lil Wayne pleaded guilty in a New York court yesterday to attempted weapon possession stemming from an '07 arrest when a gun was found in his tour bus.

LW faced a jail sentence of up to 3 1/2 years. His plea deal carries a lighter sentence, most likely one year. He'll be back in court in February for sentencing.

Mistrial declared in Travolta case

Bahamian Supreme Court Justice Anita Allen on Wednesday declared a mistrial in the trial of former Sen. Pleasant Bridgewater and ambulance driver Tarino Lightbourne, who are accused of trying to extort $25 mil from John Travolta.

Allen cited juror misconduct, which was discovered when a local politician declared that one of the defendants had been acquitted - before the jury came in with a verdict.

"We are disappointed to hear about the alleged juror misconduct," Travolta's rep tells Entertainment Tonight. "Mr. Travolta has and will continue to cooperate with the Bahamian authorities." No retrial date announced yet.

Psycho is, psycho does

Seems Christian Bale had a model for the murdering maniac he played in American Psycho. Director Mary Herron tells BlackBook it all came together when Bale watched a little TV: "One day he called me and he had been watching Tom Cruise on David Letterman, and he just had this very intense friendliness with nothing behind the eyes, and he was really taken with this energy." Always knew Tom was an inspirational dude.

Nicole Richie's new fashion line

Women's Wear Daily says reality-star-turned-populist-couturiere Nicole Richie will release the follow-up to her smash hit fashion collection, House of Harlow 1960. Winter Kate (the two middle names of NR's daughter, Harlow) features pieces from Nicole's own wardrobe: "tops, vests, and bed jackets in . . . vintage-inspired silk, crepe, and chiffon," WWD says. Look for 'em in February.

Nicole Richie's new baby line

Is there's no end to her artistic and biological fecundity? Nicole, 28, shares her latest creation, 6-week-old Sparrow James Midnight Madden, in a People mag pictorial. "I couldn't be happier," says Nicole, who shows off SJMM with her hub, Good Charlotte front man Joel Madden.

Kim: I, too, shall pass away

Old age, decrepitude, and death come to us all. Even the world's greatest will one day pass. Even Kim Kardashian. "I'm not going to lie. I woke up this morning feeling a little old!" Kim tells People on the occasion of her 29th b'day. "It's my last year in my 20s."

Taylor Swift to conquer Philly

Berks County, Pa., native Taylor Swift, 19, will play the Wachovia Center March 18 and 19. Tix range from $25 to $69.50 and go on sale today at 10 a.m. Info: 1-800-298-4200 or www.ComcastTIX.com.

Kidman on media violence