Even After Friend’s Death, A Spade Remains A Spade

For once, David Spade had something good to say about someone. Of course, that someone - Chris Farley - is dead.

And, truth be told, he started out complaining to Rolling Stone magazine about the number of hangers-on that his “Tommy Boy” and “Black Sheep” co-star attracted over the last years of his life.

Still, Spade contended, his last months with the late comedian “were all good. He wasn’t high. He wasn’t drinking. It was all Diet Cokes and laughing.”

“Chris tried so hard to get everyone to like him,” he said. “Meanwhile, the truth was that everyone already liked him too much.”

As for why he didn’t attend Farley’s funeral, Spade said, “I couldn’t have gone into a room where Chris was in a box.”

Loose talk

Ethan Hawke on why you never see him and pregnant girlfriend Uma Thurman together: “Uma was on the cover of Rolling Stone when she was 17. She knows exactly how to handle publicity.”

And Jerry Springer sends his very best condolences

Oprah Winfrey turns 44 today.

Our forecast: rocky times are surely ahead

Sharon Stone not only has a new beau, but he’s a newspaper guy and there’s word out that they’re getting married. The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that Stone and San Franciscan Phil Bronstein will make the announcement on Valentine’s Day.

Have no fear, someone will certainly show him the money

Here’s a surprising development: John Grisham’s new novel is expected as soon as next week. The only thing more surprising than the book’s scheduled two million press run is the fact that it involves a lawyer. Variety describes the plot as “‘Jerry Maguire’ meets ‘The Rainmaker.”’

So, which one is the Okie from Muskogee?

Ain’t no love lost between Merle Haggard and his oldest son. The country singer obtained a restraining order requiring Marty Haggard to stay at least 100 yards away from the elder Haggard and his new family. The court was responding to “a continuous barrage of threats,” Haggard said, including the son’s boast that he will see his father “dead within a year.”

Turns out, Saturday night is for shopping

Responding to news that pop singer Elton John is nearly broke after going on a recent $850,000 spending spree, a source told the London Mirror, “For Elton, when the going gets tough, the tough go shopping.”

Yeah, he’s a little bit country, she’s a little bit rock ‘n’ roll

And, finally, comes the sad news that new-age musician Yanni, 43, is no longer the man in the life of Linda Evans, 55. The two mutually announced that “we feel our lives are moving in different directions.”

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: 2 Photos

The following fields overflowed: CREDIT = Compiled by staff writer Dan Webster