Today marks the beginning of, perhaps, a new era: the NY Daily News has set up Rush and Molloy's bitchy Australian gossip-boy Ben Widdicombe with his own weekend column. And just a few weeks ago, the NY Post launched their own weekend gossip column, hostessed by the even-younger-than-Ben Elisa Lipsky-Karasz.

Just like that, a new generation of gossip columnists are unleashed. You decide: is this coincidence the free tabloid market in action, or is it a carefully schemed bit of faux-competition, a calculated frisson of two gossip frenemies in action?
Elisa Lipsky-Karasz [NYP]
Extra, extra! [Michael Musto]