Clout: As Rendell's days as governor wane, is ace talent agent Ari Emanuel part his exit strategy?

IS GOV. RENDELL going Hollywood when he leaves the state payroll in two months?

Rendell declined yesterday to comment on a rumor that he is hiring Ari Emanuel, the so-called "super-agent" who leads William Morris Endeavor Entertainment in Beverly Hills, to manage his postgovernment career.

Rendell, who already does a postgame show for Comcast SportsNet after every Eagles game, spent hours appearing on cable news programs before and after the Nov. 2 general election.

Asked this week if he plans to increase his television workload, Rendell laughed and said: "It depends on who wants to pay me."

Rendell seems to have a real knack for political sparring in the partisan prime-time cable shows, especially on Fox News.

WME Entertainment did not respond to a request for comment about Rendell yesterday.

An agent could help Rendell market and promote the autobiography he has been working on. Rendell this week said he still hasn't picked a title for the tome.

Emanuel would be an interesting pick for Rendell, based on their shared political ties.

Emanuel has hosted major fundraisers for Democratic candidates. And his brother, Rahm Emanuel, was an Illinois congressman and then President Obama's chief of staff and is now running for mayor of Chicago.

And let's face it - Rendell and the Emanuel brothers are both known as men with tempers who, from time to time, use colorful language.

The character Ari Gold on HBO's "Entourage," played by Jeremy Piven, is based on Ari Emanuel.

WMA Entertainment has represented former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and former U.S. Sen. Fred

Thompsom, a former "Law & Order" actor who ran for president.

The agent talk came up on the day after the general election, when Rendell appeared on CNBC's Squawk Box program.

Host Carl Quintanilla wrapped up Rendell's appearance by saying: "The governor has got a new agent, one of the best in the business. I think we'll be seeing a lot more of him too." Rendell didn't take the bait, signing off with a "Good to see you."

Beyond the book and TV work, Rendell this week said he also plans to spend more time on Building America's Future, a bipartisan coalition focused on infrastructure that he founded with New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.

"This nation needs to do something about its physical infrastructure," Rendell said. "If it doesn't, we'll become a second-rate economic power. If it doesn't, you'll see more and more bridges collapse and more and more accidents on roads. You'll see congestion just grow until it chokes us."

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