Yo, mon, Bob Marley honored with parasite

IF THIS HAD HAPPENED 40 years ago, instead of Tuff Gong, Bob Marley may have been nicknamed Barnacle Bob.

A tiny bloodsucking parasite that infests fish on Caribbean coral reefs has been named after the Jamaican reggae icon.

Arkansas State University marine biologist Paul Sikkel discovered the parasite a decade ago. But it was only recently that he named it "Gnathia marleyi" as an homage to the singer.

Sikkel says he named the Virgin Island-dwelling crustacean out of "respect and admiration" for Marley, who died in 1981.

DreamWorks, the studio that created "Shrek" and "Madagascar," announced Wednesday that it is getting into the amusement-park business at a vacant megamall in the Meadowlands.

DreamWorks Animation CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg, in a joint statement with the mall developer, said the American Dream mall in East Rutherford, 10 miles west of New York City off the Jersey Turnpike, would create "a unique and innovative family entertainment experience."

A projected opening is in 2014.

Plans for the mall include an indoor ice rink, ski and snowboard park, water park, movie theaters, restaurants, retail stores and a performance theater. But when it comes to that space, the best laid plans …

The long-gestating project has been a white elephant that Gov. Chris Christie has said made it one of America's ugliest buildings.

Crazy: The overall project has already received about $1.2 billion worth of subsidies, tax breaks and exceptions.

Crazier: The New York Jets and New York Giants, who play in the stadium adjacent to the project, have sued to block it.

Craziest: The football teams say that if the project reached its projected annual attendance of 55 million visitors, it would create a "transportation nightmare."

On the Turnpike? Come on.

Developers contend that their latest plans would actually ease traffic by providing things for fans to do after games rather than having to drive straight home.

In other stalled-development plans, a company seeking to turn Wayne Newton's Las Vegas estate into a tourist attraction told Clark County District Judge Elizabeth Gonzalez that it wants to borrow $1 million for upkeep of the "Danke Schoen" crooner's 51 Arabian horses.

But Gonzalez decided not to give her backing to the loan, saying she hadn't had time to fully review it.

Newton lawyer J. Stephen Peek welcomed the decision, the Las Vegas Sun reported. He said Newton's developer partners would have used the judge's endorsement of the loan to push Newton and his wife off the 40-acre property.

Developer Steven Kennedy bought Newton's sprawling compound for $19.5 million in June 2010 with the intent of building the Newtons a new $2 million home on the grounds and converting the gold-trimmed main house into a public "Graceland West" venue.

His attorney, Doreen Hartwell, alleged Tuesday that the Newtons "took the $19.5 million and then basically hunkered down in the mansion."

The project was supposed to have opened in February 2011, but Newton still lives in the main house with his wife, Kathleen McCrone Newton, and their 10-year-old daughter.

A "Graceland" for Wayne Newton? Has the whole world gone nuts?

TATTBITS

Courtney Love's publicist, Steve Honig, is disputing claims by the rocker's former assistant, Jessica Labrie, that she is owed unpaid wages and was subjected to unethical requests.

"The allegations are completely unfounded and are being made with malice by a disgruntled former employee," Honig said in a statement.

Alas, it's not difficult to imagine Courtney wouldn't be a joy to work for.

Zsa Zsa Gabor's husband will serve as her temporary conservator under an agreement reached with the ailing actress' daughter and approved by a judge Wednesday.

Attorneys announced a settlement between Frederic von Anhalt, Gabor's husband of 25 years, and her daughter Constance Francesca Hilton during a hearing. Superior Court Judge Reva Goetz approved the provisions, which call for financial oversight by several attorneys and allow Hilton to visit with her mother weekly.

Von Anhalt declared "Victory!" outside the courthouse.

Look up Pyrrhic victory.

An effort to cancel a strip-club performance by "Octomom" Nadya Suleman has been denied by Florida judge Timothy McCarthy.

McCarthy has ruled against holding an emergency hearing requested by T's Lounge in West Palm Beach, saying the situation does not "constitute a legal emergency."

Octo had signed a contract to dance topless at T's this week but later backed out in favor of the Playhouse Gentleman's Club in Hollywood.

Can you blame her for wanting to shake her tatas around gentlemen?

What the heck is going on in North Korea?

First Kim Jong Un was seen at a show with unlicensed Disney characters, and now state TV on Wednesday ran taped footage of the young leader at a concert that played a rendition of the famous "Rocky" theme song and showed clips of Rocky pounding his Cold War rival Ivan Drago.

Lastly, happy 60th birthday to "Singin' in the Rain," (with apologies to Fred Astaire & Ginger Rogers) the best movie-musical ever made. It screens at area theaters Thursday night for one night only.