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We hear that Hollywood reporter Sharon Waxman, who's been based in Los Angeles for years (before her stint at the Times, she wrote for the Washington Post from the West Coast), will definitely be joining Joe "Private Dancer" Sexton's Metro desk when her book leave is over later this year. (Until now, Sexton had not committed to taking her on.) We've heard (from a single source) that Waxman will be on the religion beat. Her current editor, Culture honcho Sam Sifton, said he wouldn't comment on personnel matters, to us "or to anyone else." Waxman responded via email from Cairo, where she is doing research on her book: "I have no comment because Gawker has not shown itself to function by accepted journalistic rules."

Sifton inherited Waxman when he took over Culture at the Times; she was hired by Jodi Kantor, then the editor of Arts & Leisure, and Jodi's then-boss, Steve Erlanger, in October 2003.

It's unusual for a reporter with Waxman's experience and contacts, as well as family attachments in Los Angeles, to be recalled to New York. (Other examples are welcome—drop us a line.)

"She was hoping to get something else on the culture desk, but Sifton wanted her out of there," said the source. "For awhile she thought she could get something from [Styles editor] Trip Gabriel, but those are really coveted jobs. Trip was very diplomatic and said there are no jobs."