Evel Knievel dies at 69

In case you haven't read it elsewhere:

Robert Craig "Evel" Knievel, the world famous motorcycle stunt rider who lived in the Clearwater area, died today at 69.

Knievel's death was confirmed by his granddaughter, Krysten Knievel. He had been in failing health for years, suffering from diabetes and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, an incurable condition that scarred his lungs.

Knievel had undergone a liver transplant in 1999 after nearly dying of hepatitis C, likely contracted through a blood transfusion after one of his bone-shattering spills.

Read the rest at the Breaking News blog or on www.tampabay.com.

[Photo: AP]

Megan Gale, Armie Hammer to star in 'JLA'

The blogosphere is spinning out names for leads in the upcoming Justice League of America flick, with Ain’t It Cool News saying Aussie model Megan Gale (right) will be playing Wonder Woman. You’d remember her from ... well ... apparently her naked pictures on the Internet. And also a bit part as a secretary in Stealth. Okay then.

Also from the movie world, Armie Hammer (his actual, SAG-registered name) will play Batman. We last saw Hammer just last week as the drug-dealing pre-med student on Desperate Housewives. We guess being 6-foot-5 and having a weird name makes you qualified to play the Dark Knight. JLA’s box-office receipts will be measurable in nickels at this rate.

[Photo: Getty Images]

Charlie Crist's new girl has expensive tastes

And speaking of Page Six, our own governor Charlie Crist makes the sleaze sheet with the Post’s report that he’s dating Carole Rome, who is currently divorcing Bluestar Jets CEO Todd Rome.

“They met about four months ago and have been together ever since,” spies said. “Carole has been living on Fisher Island since she left Todd in July, and Charlie takes her to Miami Heat games.” St. Pete's own also rented out an “estate” in Southampton last August so his new girl could be closer to her kids, the paper says.

The Post warns Uncle Charlie, however, that friends said the reason Carole left Todd is because he “put a cap on her bank account” when he realized “he could no longer afford his wife’s spending habits.” And you think there’s going to be serious property tax reform?

[Photo: AP]

Between Nehru jackets and parachute pants ...

From Learning2Share, we come across this collection of fashions from the '70s, straight from the pages of Ebony magazine, ca. 1970-76.

This king-collared shirt for a mere $16.95 gives you a little taste, but nothing can top the platform shoes and leisure shirts you'll find in the above link.

We know the '70s came back in a big way recently, but this should serve as a history lesson that lest we learn our past, we are doomed to repeat it.

BREAKING NEWS: Tila Tequila may not be bi

Apparently the New York Post’s Page Six just learned the term “MySpace bisexual,” because they’re all over the news that A Shot of Love with Tila Tequila is fake. Well doy.

“Tila has and has had a boyfriend for over a year, and she’s not really bi,” a source informs the paper. “She’s made out with some girls in her past, as all girls have, but she is not bi at all.” This is obviously a reputable source, because of course all girls have made out with each other.

But don’t think the trashfest is going to be renewed for another season, because Tila has a boyfriend (whom she refuses to leave) “who’s like five years older than her. This is a massive scam ... That’s why they are not continuing with the show, because she won’t dump him.”

Once again, we’re floored to learn that reality TV might not be real — almost as floored as we were to find out this show was even being made in the first place.

[Photo: Getty Images]

Suri Cruise has better shoes than you

Lest you forget Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes have more money than half of Europe, OK! says faboo shoe designer Christian Louboutin has designed custom shoes for Suri Cruise. That’s right, the master of the red-soled slingback has made shoes for a girl who’s not even 2 yet, taking a mold of her feet and hand-crafting a pair. “She’ll be the youngest client,” a source told the mag. We should hope so ... what’s next? $750 booties for newborns?

[Photo: Getty Images]

GyllenSpoon might have joined Mile High Club

Reese Witherspoon and Jake Gyllenhaal decided skip the in-flight movie to find different entertainment for themselves on a recent trip from Frankfurt, Germany, to L.A., Star says. A source who apparently knows everything said the couple boarded a Lufthansa flight separately, but didn’t take too long to cozy up together.

“Reese and Jake kissed and cuddled together under a blanket in her recliner seat in the back row,” the spy says. But then Witherspoon (who was just named the Hollywood Reporter's highest-earning actress at $15- to $20-million per pic) headed to the lavatory, with Jake not far behind. “I started timing them — they were together in there for 11 minutes,” the mag’s sleuth says, reporting Gyllenhaal returned first, followed by Reese a minute or two later.

“When they each walked by, it seemed like everyone in their entourage took pains to look away. Jake worked on his laptop, and then he and Reese took a nap side by side.” With the way airlines operate these days, The Juice* wouldn’t be surprised to find a surcharge for joining the Mile High Club added to their credit cards.

[Photo: Getty Images]

Jessica Simpson is single and so, so lonely

Here’s a little blue news to start your day: Jessica Simpson is lonely and wishes she hadn’t divorced Nick Lachey. “There are definitely parts of her that regret breaking up with Nick now,” a friend tells Us Weekly. Awww.

Apparently she spent what would have been her fifth anniversary “looking through old photo albums that she made when she was with Nick,” another source said. “... She said she was just being ‘girlie,’ but she was definitely somber.”

And while she dated John Mayer for a spell and is rumored to be dating Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo, a third genius pal says “Jessica thought she would be with someone right by now.” Makes you pine for the days when buffalo wings were your biggest hangup, don’t it, Jess?

[Photo: Getty Images]

Akon faces silly charges for beating up child

Do you out there in Juice*land remember how Akon was performing in upstate New York and threw a kid in to the crowd? We’ll give you a minute, since it was waaay back in June. ...

Apparently the boy tossed a pretzel onto the stage during the show and Akon called him up, ridiculing him and starting a new Olympic sport — Angry-Teenager Humiliation — by hoisting him up and giving him the heave-ho (watch video above). Finally, justice is, uh, sorta being served.

The Poughkeepsie Journal says local cops are charging the rapper with endangering the welfare of a minor and second-degree harassment, both misdemeanors and both not the assault charges The Juice* thinks he probably should have gotten.

The move is the result of a second fan who complained she suffered a concussion when the human shot put hit her in the head. Akon is due in court in Fishkill, N.Y., on Monday, but judicial fairness has already left town.

Scientologists celebrate Christmas for charity

Never let it be said the Church of Scientology doesn’t do it’s part for charity this time of year. Its Celebrity Centre in Hollywood is presenting Christmas Stories XV Friday and Saturday to raise money for the Hollywood Police Activites League’s annual Christmas party for underprivileged kids and its other youth programs.

Actors and actresses like Kirstie Alley, Kelly Preston, Anne Archer, Michael Pena, Jenna Elfman, That 70s Show’s Danny Masterson, Traffic’s Erika Christensen, Malcolm in the Middle’s Christopher Masterson and 24’s Marisol Nichols all will be performing skits and telling Christmas stories. We'll lay off the jokes just this once -- the show can’t be all that bad if it’s in its 15th year and has raised about $205,000, can it?