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Today's NY Times again draws embattled Paramount emperor Brad Grey into the Anthony Pellicano Wiretapping Trial of the Century, reporting that the "first direct evidence" of how the eavesdroppingest PI in Hollywood used his illicitly gained information to benefit his clients has been introduced in the case—in this instance, how wiretapped conversations between screenwriter Bo Zenga and his lawyer may have helped Grey's attorney defend against Zenga's suit. (We're not even going to bother to explain, especially when the Times so helpfully put together this handsome chart.)

In other, necessarily connected Brad Grey news, writer Toby Young passes along a "rumor circulating in New York and Los Angeles" that's the nuttiest Paramount-related gossip that we've heard: that Young's former boss, Vanity Fair editor and longtime Friend of Hollywood Graydon Carter may take over the studio. The whispered arguments for Carter, according to Young:

1. Brad Grey s position looks increasingly untenable. There s another front page story in the New York Times today linking him with Anthony Pellicano and, at this rate, it s not a question of if he goes, but when.

2. The Board of Paramount will want to move the story on as soon as they give Grey his marching orders and what better way to do that than to choose someone completely unexpected to succeed him? In Hollywood, Graydon s appointment will be almost as big a talking point as Brad Grey s dismissal.

3. There have been plenty of previous rumours about Graydon s imminent departure, but they ve lacked plausibility because, after all, why would he voluntarily give up such a great job? That isn t a factor here because being head of Paramount is self-evidently a better job than editing Vanity Fair.

4. Okay, Graydon has no experience of running a Hollywood studio, but, then, neither did Brad Grey. Admittedly, that may be an argument for replacing Grey with an industry veteran— a safe pair of hands —but maybe not. Graydon has a good relationship with the talent and he knows a thing or two about packaging.

5. April Fool s Day is still one week away.

If throwing extravagant Oscar parties and having lots of well-connected friends is all it takes to get a name injected into the Paramount succession rumor mill, we officially declare Elton John to be our dark-horse candidate to step in should Grey vacate his post. He'd be way more fun than Carter.