It’s official!  The adoption has gone through and Madonna is in the process of arranging a private jet to bring three-year-old Malawi orphan Mercy to her new home in New York.  She will join her new brother David, also a native of Malawi, as well as big brother Rocco and big, bushy-browed sister, Lourdes.

Madonna’s attorney confirmed it.  “It’s the early hours in New York now but my client has been awake all night waiting for this.  She was ecstatic when I broke the news to her. She said, ‘Thank heavens.’ ”

I suspect that Madonna probably said something more along the lines of, “Wow, that was expensive!” or “Congratulations.  You get to keep your job.”

Isn’t Mady the drama queen child on Jon & Kate Plus 8?  I don’t have any personal experience in dealing with dramatic children, but I imagine that it would be difficult to handle.

Even so, I still have a little compassion for bratty children especially when they are dehydrated.  I feel so sorry for this kid as she asks her mother for water and Kate drinks water in front of her and then puts the bottle away.  No wonder these kids resent the cameras.  They’re thirsty!

Doesn’t this clip just show you a little bit of what type of mother Kate really is?  Just…mean.

Have I mentioned that every time I ship a package to Italy, it doesn’t reach its intended recipient?  I don’t know what it is about corrupt Italian officials, but apparently the inconsistencies extend to their law enforcement as well.

George Clooney, who has an amazing villa in northern Italy, was pulled over by cops while riding his motorcycle in Lake Como this week.  What was the violation?  Not speeding.  Not an expired registration.  Just general hotness.  Click here for pictures of George doing pics and autographs with the polizia that stopped him.

There is no better way to start a Friday than with a fierce dose of Bai Ling.  As she joins the ranks of Jessica Biel and Lindsay Lohan as a member of the “Remind Me Again Why You’re Famous” club, let’s enjoy the rest of the marginally famous people who attended last night’s 37th Annual AFI Lifetime Achievement Awards.

A couple observations I’d like to share:  1)  The years and white zinfandel have not been kind to Kathleen Turner.  2)  The years and pills have not been kind to Melanie Griffith. 3)  I think it’s really nice that Christopher Lloyd brought his granddaughter to this event.  Except that’s his date.  4)  I think Matthew McConaughey got some free samples of Sevin Nyne and used them.  All at once.  5)  Catherine Zeta-Jones is hot.  Period.  6)  My life goal remains unfulfilled — just once, I want to see Eric McCormack look genuinely happy and not look like he’s doing me a big flipping favor by appearing on the red carpet.  And still, I wait.

The National Enquirer print edition has released the three-page medical report detailing the events that unfolded the day John Travolta’s son Jett passed away. 

You know, I normally find released documentation of this nature, especially when a child is involved, as beyond exploitative.  What I do appreciate, however, is John Travolta’s admission that Jett was, in fact, autistic.  Without getting all anti-Jenny McCarthy on y’all, this is a cause that is near and dear to my heart. 

Autism exists.  It isn’t something to be ashamed of, or to lie about.  There are so many therapies and programs available to autistic children that assist in making their world feel more manageable, so I really struggled with the Travolta’s years-long denial of their son’s condition.  They are high-profile celebrities that could do so much to educate and support this cause.  Quite frankly, denying the existence of autism — which is the Scientologist’s stance on the subject — just feels like my own kid isn’t being acknowledged.

Now that this has become public, I have no idea how this is going to sit with his pals, Kirstie Alley and Tom Cruise.

I know we’re all Carrie Prejeaned out; I’m going to try and make this my last piece on the disgraced beauty queen — well, until she’s caught with a high-profile, married politician at Chateau Marmont.

Anyway, I love that the Miss California US Pageant Director is on all the talk shows and on the Internet, being totally candid about what a wench Miss California really was.  He even released an entire email exchange between the two, which you can read here.

And she still thinks she was axed because of the whole gay thing…