This image was lost some time after publication.

In today's "Lowdown" column., flacks for both George Clooney and Brad Pitt both openly question the veracity of a tip that NY Daily News JV gossip Lloyd Grove received from his favorite Italian ferry operator. Clooney, they assert, will not be playing host to Pitt and Angelina Jolie's nonexistent secret Lake Como nuptial celebration:

...Lake Como boat driver Sergio Luoni - who works for Clooney when not ferrying guests at the posh Villa d'Este hotel near Clooney's waterfront estate - confided to an undercover Lowdown spy that the actor has advised him to keep Nov. 20-22 open so he can be ready to transport wedding guests to and from the Brangelina celebrations.

Attempts to reach Luoni in northern Italy yesterday were unsuccessful. [...]

Yesterday, Clooney's PR rep, Stan Rosenfield, issued a challenge to Lowdown: "I look forward to reading your column on Nov. 23, when you can factually reveal to your readers just how reliable a source you have."

Pitt's flack, Cindy Guagenti, chimed in: "So not true. This is an old rumor, as you know."

As for Luoni, Guagenti added: "Maybe's Sergio's a liar."

We love it when publicists get sassy with the tabloids! If Grove doesn't give up on Deep Boat and let this one go, Rosenfield and Guagenti might send a stronger denial by filling tomorrow's Lowdown gift basket with actual bullshit.