Taking Names

Just for men

It was guys’ night out at New York’s 10ak Friday as John Mayer celebrated his 32nd birthday - sans a date, DenverPost.com reports.

Despite his reputation for having prominent girlfriends - including recent ex Jennifer Aniston, with whom he reportedly has remained friends - the singer was joined only by pals Jeremy Piven, “Saturday Night Live” star Seth Meyers and Stephen Dorff, the New York Post reported.

Mr. Mayer did, however, share his cake with model Paige Butcher, who also was celebrating her birthday.

Love on the rocks?

Rosie O’Donnell and longtime partner Kelli Carpenter are having “issues,” the New York Daily News reports.

Rumors that the relationship is on the rocks began after Miss O’Donnell posted cryptic messages on her personal blog about the difficulties of marriage and the fact that she wasn’t aware Miss Carpenter had a Facebook page until a reader asked her about it. A story on Radaronline.com says Miss Carpenter has reportedly moved into the couple’s Manhattan condo with their youngest child. According to the Web site’s sources, Miss O’Donnell’s mood swings caused the split.

Miss O’Donnell and Miss Carpenter were married in a non-state-recognized ceremony in San Francisco in 2004 and have three adopted children - Parker, 14; Chelsea, 12; and Blake, 9 - as well as daughter Vivienne, 6, to whom Miss Carpenter gave birth after artificial insemination.

In an interview Tuesday with USA Today, Miss O’Donnell, 47, responded to questions about the status of her five-year marriage.

“We are a family. We will remain a family forever. And we are working on our issues,” the comic-actress was quoted as saying.

Phillips benched

ESPN analyst Steve Phillips was given “an extended leave of absence” by the 24-hour sports network Wednesday after having a fling with a 22-year-old production assistant -who, after being dumped, taunted his wife with “Fatal Attraction”-like actions, the New York Post reports.

According to the newspaper, the production assistant, Brooke Hundley, reportedly made phone calls and penned a letter to Mr. Phillips’ wife, Marni, that bragged about her affair with Mr. Phillips. The letter also took pot shots at the Phillips’ “loveless marriage.”

“I am deeply sorry that I have put my family and colleagues through this. It is a personal matter that I will not comment on further,” Mr. Phillips said. “I have, however, asked for a leave of absence to address this with my family and to avoid any unnecessary distractions through the balance of the baseball playoffs.”

On Wednesday, the New York Post reported that 46-year-old Mr. Phillips - formerly the New York Mets general manager, whose tenure with the team was rocked by admissions of infidelity - confessed to his wife and local police that he had slept with Miss Hundley several times this past summer before dumping her.

In retaliation, the young woman repeatedly phoned Mrs. Phillips, saying, “We both can’t have him!” a police report claims.

Miss Hundley’s actions - including accidentally smashing her car into a stone column while speeding away from the Phillips’ home after leaving the letter - terrified the family, according to the Wilton, Conn., police report.