People

By Rebecca Winters Keegan

WARREN'S MERGER

Just because a guy is frugal, bespectacled and leery of tech stocks doesn't mean he isn't a playa. WARREN BUFFETT, 76, the world's second-richest man, just married ASTRID MENKS, 60, at his daughter's Omaha, Neb., home. That's no big surprise: they have been together for decades. The odd thing is Buffett was married to his first wife until her death in 2004, and she approved of his relationship with Menks (she introduced them). After the 15-min. civil ceremony, the wedding party dined at a seafood place. And, since you can't put a price-to-earnings on happiness, shares of Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway rose 0.3%.

Q&A JIMMY KIMMEL

The host of Jimmy Kimmel Live, now in its fourth season, has a special Sept. 13 plus a new game show, Set for Life, on ABC.

How is late-night TV changing in the age of YouTube and TiVo?

It's less special. There are seven late-night talk shows, so it's not what it was as far as clout. And people know if something great happens, they'll get to see it. So there's less urgency to watch.

How do you keep up the Every-man appeal when you're rich?

I never felt like the Everyman. I felt like the smart-ass outsider. I still have guys over to watch football on Sunday. I do have a butler. P. Diddy had a butler who carried an umbrella over his head, and I thought, I'd love to have a butler. He waters my tomatoes. He's putting my home movies on DVD.

Be careful with the home videos.

Oh, I don't have any of those. I'm smart and unattractive enough not to tape myself nude.

Do you and your girlfriend, comic Sarah Silverman, have rules for including each other in your acts?

I do. She feels free to say whatever she wants. She's like, "People know it's not really about you." No, people don't know. I tell her I have a show millions of people watch every night, if you want to get into this war that no one can win.

Would you ever be roasted at the Friars Club?

If it was just my friends and my enemies doing the roasting.

Enemies?

Kids from my block, a teacher here or there. Fred Savage was mad at me for a while.

It took me months to figure out Deal or No Deal. Will I get your new game show?

The game show is impossible to explain. But it's dramatic. Unfortunately I think it's gonna be a hit, and I'll wind up killing myself.

Your schedule can't leave much time for your passion, Wiffleball.

I have time for nothing. When I was 17, I thought, If I ever get rich, I'll build a Wiffle dome. Of course, I now realize it'd cost $5 million and I'd be a mockery.

WHO NEEDS A PUBLICIST?

BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN announced on his website that he and wife PATTI SCIALFA, despite rumors, are not splitting up. Celebs are using the Net to share all sorts of news, including:

BIRTH ANNOUNCEMENTS

Actor-director JON FAVREAU heralded the birth of his third child on his MySpace blog myspace.com/jonfavreau) "Her name is Brighton Rose Favreau and she's doing great." Now if he'd blog on friend Vince Vaughn's love life, his hits would soar.

WEDDING ANNOUNCEMENTS

In her online diary Pamelaanderson.com) ex-Baywatch babe PAMELA ANDERSON revealed "Yes. I'm finally getting remarried" to ex-boyfriend, singer Kid Rock. She later posted several wedding photos, some of which, shockingly, bordered on tasteful.

RANDOM SPIRITUAL ANNOUNCEMENTS

In the Stream of Consciousness part of BRITNEY SPEARS' site Britneyspears.com) the pop star said Kabbalah helped her "clear all the negative energy." Later she wrote, "My baby is my religion." Let's hope she's also converted to orthodox car seats.

AN NBA STAR'S CHEAP KICKS

Usually, outfitting a kid with the same sneakers as a pro athlete costs enough to blow the whole back-to-school shopping budget. But thanks to New York Knicks guard STEPHON MARBURY, some NBA-grade shoes now retail for less than a decent backpack. Families are lining up around the block for Marbury's new signature Starbury One basketball shoes, which, at $15 a pair at discount apparel store Steve & Barry's, are vastly cheaper than Michael Jordan's $175 sneaks or Kobe Bryant's $130 ones. And Marbury, who grew up in N.Y.'s Coney Island in a family that struggled to make ends meet, is putting his arches where his name is. The athlete plans to wear the shoes for the whole upcoming NBA season. He also has a clothing line. Now if he can only come up with an $8,000 Escalade ...