Sideshow: He's royally ticked at queen's visit

Queen Elizabeth II's historic visit this week to the Republic of Ireland has been condemned by one of Europe's most respected philosophers, political leaders and vegetarians ("Meat Is Murder," dude!), the dapper Oscar Wilde-an depressive, Morrissey.

  The Smiths alum, who was born in England to Irish parents (thus his single, "Irish Blood, English Heart"), has unleashed a rabid diatribe against the queen in the webzine Hot Press (www.hotpress.com).

"The very existence of the Queen and her now enormous family . . . is entirely against any notion of democracy," says the dyed-in-the-wool republican. "For a broad historical view of what the Queen is . . . examine [Libyan leader Moammar] Gadhafi or [former former Egyptian boss of bosses Hosni] Mubarak." Yikes!

Fox 29's chief meteorologist, John Bolaris, 53, is suing American Express in Philadelphia Common Pleas Court, claiming that the credit card company refuses to clear more than $43,000 worth of fraudulent charges made on his card by a group of con artists in Miami who have since been arrested by the FBI.

Bolaris' Center City lawyer, Richard L. DeSipio, says AmEx, which offers fraud protection services, should have called to check with Bolaris when more than $43,000 was charged on his card at the Caviar Bar in Miami over a 21/2-hour period spread over two nights.

DeSipio says AmEx wasn't suspicious even after it was sent copies of the receipts itemizing "outrageous charges [including several] $2,000 charges for bottles of $400 champagne."

Adds DeSipio, "You have to be an absolute idiot not to see there was something wrong."

DeSipio says Bolaris was incensed that AmEx still refused to acknowledge the charges were fraudulent after several people who operated the Caviar Bar were arrested by the FBI on charges of defrauding the TV journalist and dozens of other cardholders.

Bolaris' suit seeks restoration of the $43,000 and unspecified damages. Calls to American Express for comment were not returned by deadline.

Newt Gingrich, who last week signed up to compete in next year's race for the presidency (or was it The Amazing Race?), won't have Tiffany's vote.

Politico.com reports that the former House Speaker and Fox News pundit and his wife, Callista Gingrich, had a $500,000 debt on their Tiffany's revolving charge account (store credit card) in 2005 and 2006.

Worse, they may still owe some or all of it. Gingrich's rep declined to comment to Politico.

Excuse our ignorance of the good life, but what on Earth could the couple have been buying at the store?

Jerry Lewis, 85, says he is retiring from the Muscular Dystrophy Association Labor Day telethon after its next telecast on Sept. 4. He'll say farewell by performing "You'll Never Walk Alone."

The telethon started in 1966 at a single New York channel and raised $1 mil, says the L.A. Times. Last year it raked in $59 mil.

Glee warbler Matthew Morrison has canceled his June 27 concert at the Mann Center. Tix will be refunded at point of purchase. MM is joining the New Kids on the Block/Backstreet Boys tour, which hits Atlantic City July 29 and Hershey July 30. (The New Kids play the Wells Fargo Center June 5, with Jordin Sparks as opener.)

 France's Nicolas Sarkozy will be bouncing a baby on his knees in no time. The French prez's pa, Pal, tells German newspaper Der Bild that France's first lady, Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, is pregnant with the couple's first baby. Rumors had been circulating for weeks.

Director Sam Raimi's Oz, a 3-D remake of an obscure 1939 art film called The Wizard of Oz, has found its good witch. Variety says Michelle Williams will play Glinda in the pic, which costars James Franco, Rachel Weisz, and Mila Kunis

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Ralph Macchio has done his last dance, leaving football star Hines Ward and actresses Kirstie Alley and Chelsea Kane to compete for the Dancing With the Stars title. The 49-year-old actor was eliminated Tuesday from the ABC show. The finalists will each perform two dances on Monday's episode. A champ will be crowned Tuesday.

"There are no rules when it comes to love," declares singer and sage Taylor Swift in a chat with In Style mag. Swift, who is all of 21, knows a lot about love, having previously romanced John Mayer, Jake Gyllenhaal, Taylor Lautner, and Joe Jonas

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"I just try to let love surprise me," she says, "because you never know who you're going to fall in love with" - guess so, as long as they're hot, young, well-paid and very famous.

Bradley Cooper wasn't always celebrated for his masculinity. "When I was a kid," he tells Ellen DeGeneres, "I was always mistaken for a girl." Ellen chimed in with "that's because you're so pretty. Which is a good thing. It all worked out for you." We at "SideShow" can relate!