Tattle: TLC's 'Sister Wives' sparks bigamy probe in Utah

IN A CASE of life imitating art, TLC has taken the success of HBO's fictional "Big Love" and launched "Sister Wives," a reality show about a real polygamist and his family.

The show is set in Utah. Duh!

After only one episode, it's already making headlines, and not because 41-year-old ad salesman Kody Brown has four wives, 13 children and three stepchildren.

No, it's because the show caught the attention of Utah law enforcement and triggered a bigamy investigation.

Kody is legally married only to Meri Paul, but he also calls Janelle, Christine and Robyn his spouses. The three stepchildren are from Robyn's previous relationship.

(Note to Kody: Call them mistresses and this will all go away.)

The family issued a statement in response to the investigation (because when you do reality TV, you stop speaking and start issuing statements): "When we decided to do this show, we knew there would be risks. But for the sake of our family, and most importantly, our kids, we felt it was a risk worth taking."

The Browns have said they hoped that the show's peek into their lives would help broaden the public's understanding of plural families.

The public doesn't seem to care when Hef lives with three women.

Although polygamy once was a common practice in the Mormon religion, the modern Mormon church (there's an oxymormon) excommunicates members found engaged in the practice.

Still, an estimated 38,000 self-described fundamentalist Mormons continue to believe and/or practice polygamy, believing it brings exaltation in heaven.

So once again, the fundamentalists bring the crazy.

Although it is rarely prosecuted, bigamy is a third-degree felony in Utah, punishable by a prison term of up to five years.

On the bright side, however, a number of women schedule conjugal visits.

Under the law, a person can be found guilty of bigamy through cohabitation, not just legal marriage contracts - which seems kind of nutty. Isn't the whole point of the "sanctity" of marriage that people actually be married?

Local police said the evidence gathered from the probe will be turned over to the Utah County Attorney's Office, in Provo, for possible prosecution.

It was in 2001 that Utah last prosecuted a polygamist for bigamy. Oddly enough, they're not prosecuted for polygamy. Once you have more than one wife, the rest are sort of legal throw-ins.

The Utah Attorney General's Office often investigates the state's secretive polygamous communities, but focuses on cases involving allegations of abuse, sexual assault and fraud, not bigamy.

"It has been our office's position not to pursue cases of bigamy between consenting adults," spokesman Scott Troxel said yesterday. "We want to use our resources wisely."

* In other reality-TV news, Jennifer Masche, mother of the sextuplets in the WE TV series "Raising Sextuplets," has filed for legal separation from her husband, Bryan, in Arizona.

Jennifer wants sole custody of the children.

Tattbits

* Jeffrey Jones, who played the principal in "Ferris Bueller's Day Off," will serve three years of probation after pleading guilty to failing to update his sex-offender-registry info.

Jones' registration was required because he pleaded no contest in 2003 to employing a teen boy to pose for explicit pics.

* The nominees for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2011 are Alice Cooper, the Beastie Boys, Bon Jovi, Chic, Neil Diamond, Donovan, Dr. John, the J. Geils Band, LL Cool J, Darlene Love, Laura Nyro, Donna Summer, Joe Tex, Tom Waits, and Chuck Willis.

How could Neil Diamond not be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame? After a 45-year career, of course his live shows have become a bit of a Vegas pastiche of his former self, and yes, he has a lot of schmaltzy ballads, but "Holly Holy," "Brother Love's Traveling Salvation Show" and "Cherry Cherry" are more rock than a lot of acts already in the Hall.

* Kid Cudi has pleaded guilty in NYC to misdemeanor possession of a controlled substance. The Manhattan D.A.'s Office said yesterday that the charge will be dismissed if Cudi stays out of trouble for six months and serves two days of community service.

* Middle Jonas brother Joe Jonas has announced plans to become a solo artist. According to E! News, Joe is hoping to release his debut solo album in early 2011.

We're telling you now because by then no one will care.

* The Hollywood Reporter says

Ben Affleck ("The Town") is out as possible director of the new Superman movie (it would have been cool to hear Clark Kent talk with a Boston accent) and Darren Aronofsky ("The Wrestler," "Black Swan") has become a favorite (which could make for one weird movie). Other directors on producer Christopher Nolan's short list include Duncan Jones ("Moon"), Jonathan Liebesman ("Battle: Los Angeles"), Matt Reeves ("Cloverfield," this Friday's "Let Me In"), Tony Scott ("Man on Fire," "Top Gun") and Zack Snyder ("300," "Watchmen").

* After two weeks of low ratings,

Fox's "Lone Star" has been dispatched to Hiatusville, Texas. Two wives, two viewers.

* The Hollywood Reporter didn't tell us about Bluewater Productions' December comic book about Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg (subject of "The Social Network"). That's because the comic was written by Daily News comics guy Jerome Maida. Jerome's last bio comic for Bluewater was about Sen. Al Franken.

* Hallmark says a greeting card using Paris Hilton's "that's hot" catchphrase and image was meant as a parody. But Paris, who'd trademarked "That's hot," didn't laugh and sued for a half-million dollars. A spokeswoman for Hallmark said yesterday that the company and Paris reached an undisclosed settlement. Hallmark has also put the kibosh on a new Paris card. Whenever you open it a little bag of white powder falls out.

Daily News wire services contributed to this report.

E-mail gensleh@phillynews.com