Justin’s just not in mood

Not since the horrifying dismemberment of The Monkees has there been such a body blow to the art of pop music. According to People magazine, master vocalist and stage sensation Justin Timberlake has told the other members of boybandom’s greatest gift to humanity, “N Sync, that he will not contribute to their next album.

“Justin said he’s not in the mood,” an unnamed source tells the magazine. Tragic words that will live forever in infamy. Without Justin, we ask, can the other boys match the quality of the band’s previous gems? Will they even try? No one knows.

Meanwhile, in a desperate attempt to avert widespread panic, a representative for “N Sync’s label, Jive, issues some jive: “There’s no album scheduled for this year from either “N Sync, Justin Timberlake or JC Chasez. The group is still together.”

Kilborn calling it a night

Craig Kilborn is dumping you. It’s not your fault, he says. But he’s gotta go.

Yep, CBS’ loutishly handsome talking blond coiffure is pulling the plug on his “Late Late Show,” Variety says. (Expect his adieu within a month.)

“It was easily the greatest job I’ve had, and CBS was very generous in their offer to re-sign me,” Kilborn said with unusual modesty and tact. “I can now focus on writing and producing different television projects.”

This means the world will soon be deprived of some of TV’s greatest images: Craig caressing his own hair in that narcissistic-yet-lovable way of his; Craig blowing sensual kisses at the camera.

No one could ever replace those blond locks, but wags are already conjecturing that rival late-night talker Conan O’Brien might take over the “Late Late” mantle when his NBC contract is up in December ‘05. And, like Craig, Conan does have a distinctive coif.

Canoodling with celebs

Who’s cuddling whom this week, America? Likeable semi-hunk Jake Gyllenhaal is not wasting much time mourning over his split-up with “Spider-Man” sweetie Kirsten Dunst.

According to Star mag, the 23-year-old was spied sharing sushi in Lalaland with the very cuddly actress and sometime singer, Jennifer Love Hewitt, who’s two years older. An unnamed source tells Star the duo shared dessert (proof of a hot romance if we’ve ever heard of one). And they were very flirty the whole night.

The New York Post says that the Nick Carter-less Paris Hilton is making time with rock’s ultimate mimbo, Fred Durst. The celebutante and the hopelessly inarticulate Limp Bizkit-er were “all over each other” (according to unnamed sources) at an L.A. party to introduce a line of sneakers. They seem to have a lot of parties over there.

BLING TO CALL HER OWN: Rapper Lil’ Kim, whose real name is Kimberly Jones, displays a watch she designed as part of the “Royalty by Lil’ Kim” line during a news conference in New York on Monday. The watch collection ranges in price from $1,800 to $3,500 with diamond bezels weighing 1.75 to 2.25 carats. – AP photo

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