Sideshow: Bristol scoffs at Levi's bid

Oh, it's a nasty, strange business, politics is. For evidence, we need only turn our eyes north to Alaska, where young Bristol Palin has aimed withering words of scorn, biting as the tundra wind, at the political ambitions of ex-swain Levi Johnston, 20, father of her 19-month-old son, Tripp. Levi, whose 15 minutes cannot be up too soon, has announced a plan to run in 2012 for mayor of Wasilla, launching pad for the career of his almost-mother-in-law, Sarah Palin. "I never knew he had political aspirations," Bristol, 19, icily informs Us Weekly. "I'm glad that Levi has not given up on completing his education and is looking for steady employment." That zinger evidently refers to Johnston's proposed reality TV show, Loving Levi: The Road to the Mayor's Office, and his rep's announcement that Levi, a high school dropout, is "going to take political college courses" and "really deal with the issues."

Eccentric character actor Rip Torn has been acting like an eccentric character.

Torn, 79, is in trouble in Connecticut, where he has been accused of breaking into a bank in January while drunk and armed, clearly no way to end an evening of merriment. Litchfield Superior Court Judge James Ginocchio on Wednesday turned down Torn's request for assignment to a probation program that would have cleared his record upon completion. Instead, the judge allowed the criminal charges against the Emmy-winning thesp to stand.

Torn has pleaded not guilty to the charges, which include trespassing, carrying a weapon while intoxicated, carrying a weapon without a permit, and criminal mischief.

Torn allegedly broke into the Salisbury, Conn., bank branch after hours because he mistook the building, which looks like a house, for his nearby home. He had a blood-alcohol content of 0.203 - about 21/2 times the legal limit - two hours after he was arrested, according to court records. His lawyer says Torn can't remember what happened.

The judge noted pointedly that Torn already was in a court-ordered alcohol education program, stemming from a drunk driving charge, at the time of the bank incident. That charge was later dismissed.

Since January, Torn has been going for more counseling, attended Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, and gotten rid of his guns, says his lawyer.

Revel recuses