Tattle | Don Imus rips Rutgers women hoopsters

OVER THE past 30 years of morning radio, misanthropic

Don Imus

has said so many offensive things, they're like white noise.

Imus discussing blacks, Catholics, Jews, old people, himself, etc., has the rancor of Rush Limbaugh talking about liberals. If you're a fan of the show, there should be no surprises.

For some reason, perhaps because NBC Web sites are flogging the story (Imus appears on MSNBC), his latest over-the-top comment, referring to the Rutgers women's basketball team as "nappy-headed hos," is angering the handful of people who take the guy seriously.

On his radio show yesterday, Imus compared the "rough girls from Rutgers. They got tattoos," to the Tennessee girls, who "all looked cute."

The show's exec producer, Bernard McGuirk, then chimed in a more insensitive comment.

Imus said people should relax and not worry about "some idiot comment meant to be amusing."

"We agree with Mr. Imus that this was, in his own words, an 'idiot comment,' " said a Rutgers spokesperson. "We are very proud of the success of the Rutgers women's basketball team. Coach Stringer and the Rutgers players are outstanding ambassadors for this great institution."

Tattbitapalooza

* A group of schoolkids in Tobac-

coville, N.C. set up a lemonade stand (in Lemonadeville, kids sell cigarettes) near George Clooney's "Leatherheads" movie set. Clooney paid $20 for his lemonade, which 10-year-old Carter, 6-year-old Chandler and 5-year-old Chase Fontaine were selling for 25 cents.

The boys' mother, Courtney Fontaine, shamefully trying to undercut her own children, offered Clooney the lemonade for free - he had posed for pictures.

But Clooney insisted on paying. Before long, Carter made a sign that read, "George Clooney was here!" and planted it by the road.

* Erwin Arnada, editor-in-chief of Playboy Indonesia, was acquitted yesterday of charges that he violated the Muslim nation's indecency laws by publishing pics of scantily clothed women.

Arnada had faced a maximum of nearly three years in prison in a case closely watched by strict Muslims, who have loudly protested since the toned-down version of the mag hit Indonesian newsstands a year ago.

"This is a bitter pill," said one overreacting demonstrator. "Do we have to wait until our wives and daughters are raped?"

Note to Tattle: Forget the job

as editor of Hustler Indonesia.

* Whitney Houston's 14-year

marriage to Bobby Brown will officially end this month, and she will get custody of their teenage daughter, Bobbi Kristina, a judge ruled Wednesday.

The singer dabbed her eyes with a tissue as Orange County (Calif.) Judge Franz E. Miller ruled that the divorce will become final April 24. Brown did not attend the hearing.

Houston testified that she did not need spousal or child support and that Bobbi Kristina could not depend on Brown.

"He's unreliable," Houston told the judge. "If he says he's going to come, sometimes he does. Usually he doesn't."

Just another glimpse into their marital woes.

* It's not easy seeing Rickie Lee Jones: The snows of Valentine's Day forced the first cancellation. Now, mmm . . . spring fever seems to have canceled the makeup date at the Keswick Theatre in Glenside. Tickets are refundable at place of purchase.

* Billy B. Coker, the man police say was shot and wounded by country singer Billy Joe Shaver, told officers that the attack had been unprovoked, and witnesses support his account. Shaver said it was self-defense.

One witness said Shaver followed the victim out of Papa Joe's Texas Saloon in Lorena, Texas, on Saturday night and asked, "Where do you want it?"

Even though Coker didn't want it anywhere, Billy Joe shot him in the face.

Although a close Shaver, Coker wasn't seriously injured.

* Did Scarlett Johansson have

a fling with Justin Timberlake? She's not saying.

"We live in a world today where if two people are single - and one's a guy and one's a girl and they're both famous - you're going to be linked with somebody," Scarlett tells Seventeen magazine.

"If it's somebody one week, it's going to be somebody else the next week. It's either me or Jessica Biel," she says.

Scarlett, you can read our mind.

* TMZ.com says Britney Spears

and Kevin Federline are so eager to cut their ties, they've dropped the price on their 9,200-square- foot Malibu mansion.

It's yours now for slightly under $12 million.

* Life and Style Weekly, mean-

while, reports Britney has fallen hard for singer Howie Day.

"Britney just lights up and seems back to her old self when she talks to Howie or tells people about him," said an anonymous blabbermouth. "She thinks he's very talented, and says he's the best kisser ever!"

That's ever.

Britney met Howie at the Promises Rehab Center.

Oh, yeah, that's going to last.

* In Touch magazine says Lind-

say Lohan wants to do a biopic about Princess Diana.

And she wants to play Diana.

Just when you start to think the rehab worked . . .

* Us Weekly says Jennifer Ani-ston has been set up on a blind date with 32-year-old film financier Ryan Kavanaugh.

Cradle robber.

An anonymous source told Us, "It was a test-run just to get her out with someone.

"It was a business dinner. He's extremely wealthy. He could definitely help Jen finance projects."

That's not a date, it's a meeting.

Besides, how could anyone have a blind date with Aniston?

"Uh, I have brown hair and glasses and will be wearing a tan blazer. How will I recognize you?"

"I'll be the woman who's Jennifer Aniston." *

Daily News wire services and bang-showbiz.com contributed to this report.

E-mail gensleh@phillynews.com