When rocker Ozzy Osbourne and his wife Sharon took in a teenager whose penniless single mom died of the same cancer that Sharon eventually beat, the family reached its popularity peak.

That was 2002.

The kid, Robert Marcato, turned overnight star on the granddaddy of all celebrity reality shows, MTV’s The Osbournes. Quickly, the 18-year-old “Baby Osbourne” became one of the new additions to the Los Angeles wet-behind-the-ears-celebrity circles that already included Paris Hilton but also Kelly and Jack Osbourne, the couple’s youngest children.

“He’s an Osbourne now,” Sharon told me at the time she took him out of the two-bedroom apartment he shared with his dying mom and to the Osbournes’ Beverly Hills mansion. “I’ll take care of him like I would my own baby.”

By year’s end, it was Osbourne time on the cover of People, and Marcato was interviewed by Barbara Walters on 20/20.

But this is 2008. And the limelight has long faded. And the Osbournes moved back to England.

Now, the clock has run out on Marcato’s Cinderella moment.

(Read more…)

“His poor mother must be spinning in her grave! She tried so hard to raise him right.”

That’s pop-trash culture standout Rick Salomon’s 78-year-old cousin in Juno Beach, Alice Koffler, describing how actress Pam Anderson’s mother-in-law would feel about “Ricky” marrying her.

“Are you kiddin’ me?” Cousin Alice told Page 2.1. “I don’t know what he sees in that trashy woman (Anderson). The kid (Salomon) is nuts. She must have some money, or he wouldn’t be with her.

“Ricky doesn’t have a talent. No job. But when he smiles, boy, he’s cute as a button!”

If his cuz sounded slightly ticked off this week, it’s because she saw that Salomon, 39, is described in published reports as the son of a Warner Bros. honcho.

And then, with Pamela Anderson all over the tube during the weekend when she made appearances in Miami and Fort Lauderdale, Koffler said she couldn’t contain herself.

“He’s the son of a New Jersey real estate broker named Bob,” Koffler said, “and his mom, Gloria, died of cancer when he was 10.”

Koffler said Salomon left home as a teen and moved in with the family of his sister and his niece, Eyes Wide Shut actress Leelee Sobiesky.

Salomon and former Baywatch babe Anderson, 40, were hitched in October. She filed for divorce 10 weeks later, patched things up, then showed up in SoFla alone, fueling beliefs that the divorce may be “back on.”

It’s Anderson’s third go at Holy Matrimony, after rockers Tommy Lee and Kid Rock.

Salomon’s only claim-to-fame, meanwhile, is the women he associates with and his standing in their shadows on red carpets. There was a rocky marriage to Beverly Hills 90210 cutie Shannen Doherty. And then there was his sex tape with Paris Hilton, 1 Night in Paris.

“Trust me, he’s not from money like he tells those people in Los Angeles,” Cousin Alice said. “His real family doesn’t want to know him anymore.”

Photos: See more from VIP opening party

“I’m so f…… happy right now, I’m f…… speechless, West Palm Beach!

“Keep drinking! Keep partying! We’re f….. open.”

With this somewhat eloquent speech, Motley Crue frontman Vince Neil declared “in business” Dr. Feelgood’s, the newest nightclub in Clematis’ entertainment district in downtown West Palm.

Pandemonium erupted, with scantily-clad bartenders pouring booze while gyrating on top of their counters, frat boys pumping their fists in the air and well-dressed locals politely applauding.

And party they did, well into Wednesday morning — under the watchful eye of a nice decorative touch, an 8-foot movie snake exhaling smoke over the dance floor. Neil hopped on stage for Crue tunes that include Smokin’ In The Boys Room.

Nearly a year in the making — something Neil ragged about recently in an interview with Page 2.1 when he compared WPB’s cumbersome permitting process to the two months flat it took him to open a new store in Vegas — Dr. Feelgood’s features everything one would want to see in a rock’n’roll bar.

There’re some of Neil’s Harley-Davidsons, and Playboy playmates to ride them. There are concert-used Crue guitars, platinum albums and band-related murals.

For those who can’t take the decibels — just ask City Commish Bill Moss, who didn’t stay long — there’s always the beer pub atmosphere in the back of the split-level joint.

Nearly 700 showed for the invitation-only VIP premiere, which preceded Saturday’s public opening. That shindig will close Clematis after dark and features a free Neil performance.

While the hard-rocking lead singer poured some of his own money into the venture, the joint is the brainchild of local nightlife entrepreneur Rodney Mayo and Cleve Mash. Some cash also came in from former Miami Dolphins offensive tackle Todd Wade, former Florida Gator southpaw quarterback Bob Hewko and Nick Fazio Jr., son of the famous golf course designer.

“We sent out 1,000 invitations,” Mayo said. “I figured that with free booze until 11 p.m., we’d get a few people.”

Whether is was the vodka or a nice appearance paycheck, retired NBA star Dennis Rodman materialized in the hastily set-up VIP room. He was accosted by WPB Mayor Lois Frankel.

“You played ball, you used to wrestle, what are you up to now,” the 5-foot-something Frankel asked.

“I’m all about love now, Mama,” Rodman said. “I’m a businessman.”

“You selling earrings,” said Frankel, noticing Rodman’s numerous piercings.

When Rodman then told her he now lives in Aventura, Frankel seemed disappointed.

“Why don’t you move here. We need more people like you here,” she said, causing Rodman and his entourage to launch into hyena-like giggles.

The once-successful rapper and recent reality TV star Vanilla Ice and his body guard partied alongside former Dolphins QB Jay Fiedler and former Marlins catcher Darren Daulton. Also there, Erica Chevillar, the former West Boca High teacher who made national news last year when she quit after her students found pictures of her in the skimpy on the Internet.

The Boss is off-the-hook — but it cost him.

Rocker Bruce Springsteen reportedly paid $200,000 to an Olympic equestrian to settle a recent lawsuit. The singer was accused of reneging on a contract to buy a $850,000 horse for his daughter, Jessica (with daddy Bruce in photo above, left).

Neither the Loxahatchee horseman, Todd Minikus, (right) nor Springsteen are talking, since the settlement is supposed to be confidential. But a source close to the settlement negotiations said: “Seems to me that Bruce Springsteen doesn’t have much of a stomach for a legal battle. He’s not a fighter. Settlement negotiations started folding the day after the suit was filed.”

The 45-year-old Minikus, who’s well-known enough in the horsey business to have a saddle named after him, filed against the New Jersey musical icon Oct. 3. Minikus accused The Boss of getting “cold feet” while having his 10-year-old gelding, Pavarotti, under contract.

The horse was to help celebrity spawn Jessica Springsteen, 15, achieve her aspiration of becoming a world-class equestrian. After putting down a $25,000 deposit July 16, Springsteen and wife Patti Scialfa were to transfer ownership of their $200,000 mare Scarlett to Minikus, then plunk down $650,000.

According to court papers, only the deposit had been made by the Aug. 24 contract deadline.

Why wouldn’t the Springsteens go through with it? Pav had a poor showing during the Brazil-hosted Pam American games. In one round, Pav refused an obstacle and caused two downed rails. In another, Minikus landed the horse into water and was thrown off.

Court documents show the Springsteens told Minikus after the games that the horse wasn’t the right one for Jessica.

Springsteen and Scialfa are expected to arrive in Wellington later this month to watch Jessica compete for two months. They make their home in a rented mansion at the heart of the gated Equestrian Club Estates in Wellington.