Tattle: Jimmy Fallon gets his college degree

IF YOU WATCHED the end of "Saturday Night Live" this weekend, you saw Jimmy Fallon (returning to his old stomping grounds as host of "The Barry Gibb Talk Show") holding up a diploma.

It took him long enough, but Saturday Fallon became a college graduate, 14 years after he left the College of St. Rose in Albany, N.Y., one semester short of graduation, to pursue his career. In picking up his degree in communications - a good major for a talk-show host - Fallon also spoke to fellow grads.

"There's always going to be someone out there like that movie critic, who doesn't believe in you or who thinks your head is too big or you're not smart enough or whatever," Fallon told them. "But those are the people you need to ignore, and those are the times you need to just keep doing what you love doing." Fallon earned his degree after presenting officials with a portfolio of his work in TV and film, so he didn't even have to do any extra homework.

* Speaking of "SNL," host Justin Timberlake's versatility brings the best out of the writers and cast. If anyone can resurrect the prime time sketch-variety show, it's Timberlake.

* In other higher education news, Dolly Parton received an honorary doctorate of humane and musical letters from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville.

"Just think, I am Dr. Dolly!" she said Friday.

"So when people say something about 'Double-D,'" she added, "they will be thinking of something entirely different."

Dolly, a Tennessee native, is well-known for her philanthropy. Her Imagination Library sends a book to about 500,000 children each month from birth until they start school.

* Chalk up another honor for Oprah:

She received an honorary doctorate of humane letters from Duke yesterday when she gave the commencement address.

During her 25-minute speech, Oprah told the 4,400 graduates and their guests that "one of the best ways to enhance your own life is to enhance somebody else's" and to "stand proudly in your own shoes while you help others stand in theirs."

Oprah had a personal connection with Duke's class of 2009. Her godson, William Bumpus, son of BFF, Gayle King, was among the grads.

"Will never wants people to know he knows me," Oprah joked. "I'm like his crazy aunt that they let out at commencements."

Don't label me that way

If you want to stay on T.I.'s record label, Grand Hustle Records, don't snitch.

Billboard.com reports that before he heads to the slammer on federal weapons charges, T.I. (aka Clifford Harris) has booted fellow rapper Alfamega from his label after SmokingGun.com reported that Alfamega was a DEA informant during a trial of a heroin trafficker.

"Even though all our artists and employees are asked by us to be honest and open about their past history, at no time did Alfa disclose to me or Grand Hustle what has now appeared in the media," T.I. said during an interview on Atlanta's 107.9 FM. "He essentially deceived us by failing to fully disclose the truth about his past, and there is no place in our organization for dishonest and misleading behavior."

* Billboard.com also reports that Ashanti is going to need to find a new label, but not because she's a stoolie. "Our relationship has run its course. We're in two totally different places," said Murder Inc. boss Irv Gotti. "We don't really speak or talk and it's sad, but in another way, it's like its all good . . . She needs some guidance, but she's not thinking that and honestly, I'm going to drop her."

Tattbits

* Amy Winehouse was forced to cut short a gig in St. Lucia Friday due to heavy rain.

This is a new out for Amy who previously had to cut short her shows due to heavy drugs.

* A civil jury in California says Snoop Dogg didn't hit a man who came up on stage during a 2005 concert near Seattle.

Snoop wasn't in court Friday when the jury cleared him of assault and battery. The jury did find that Richard Monroe Jr. suffered serious injuries during the concert and awarded him $449,400 in damages to be paid by Snoop's Doggystyle Records, rapper Soopafly and others.

Monroe wanted $22 million.

* Long Island investigators said no one has been cleared in a fire that razed 50 Cent's mansion.

This may come as news to 50 Cent (aka Curtis Jackson), as he posted on his site, Thisis50.com, that he is no longer a suspect. *

Daily News wire services contributed to this report.

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