Not the E.N.D. for Fergie

Hubby Duhamel's in doghouse despite denying affair

Even though Josh Duhamel has denied the National Enquirer story he had a fling with a stripper, I've learned wife Fergie doesn't believe him.

Yet, despite that, a source close to the Black Eyed Peas superstar tells me the singer is sticking with her marriage to the "Transformers" star for now. ''[Fergie's] been around musicians for too long. She understands show business marriages are not like other people's,'' my source says.

That said, the couple reportedly did have ''a very intense and heated'' chat about the situation. ''He's definitely in the doghouse,'' said the Black Eyed Peas insider.

''But Fergie's hanging in there -- at least for the time being. She was fully aware of Josh's reputation as a ladies' man when she hooked up with him.''

SIMPSON'S SAGA: Close friends and associates of both Ashlee Simpson-Wentz and hubby Pete Wentz are dishing a lot of dirt. The singer and actress reportedly is so deeply depressed about her firing from ''Melrose Place,'' she's virtually lost her appetite and is beginning to drop ''a serious amount of weight -- and she's thin to begin with,'' says a North Shore family friend.

• While several ''Melrose Place'' sources insist new cast member Heather Locklear did not have Simpson fired, ''she isn't exactly heartbroken over it. ... Heather thinks there are several far better young actresses in our cast,'' a show staffer said Monday.

• As for Simpson-Wentz, the firing did come as a shock, seeing as she thought "she was in fine shape with the producers,'' added the source.

•Meanwhile, husband Pete's frequent absences from the homefront -- even when he's not working -- have friends of the couple wondering if rumors of marital trouble could be true, despite denials from spokesfolks for both Wentz and wife.

RIHANNA SPEAKS OUT: Diane Sawyer has snared the first exclusive with Rihanna -- set to air Thursday on ''Good Morning America.'' The music superstar will tell her side of the story -- including her beating by ex-boyfriend Chris Brown last February, leading to his sentencing to community labor, domestic violence counseling and five years probation.

CORRECTION: Oops! The correct date for 50 Cent's appearance at Macy's State Street store is Monday. The rap superstar will be there at noon promoting his new fragrance.

WEIGHTY ISSUE: Jim Carrey and girlfriend and South Side native Jenny McCarthy are chortling over those stories Carrey has ''let himself go,'' and is packing on the pounds.

Of course he is! As correctly noted by evilbeetgossip.com, the actor is bulking up to play Curly in the upcoming Three Stooges flick. (To see the plumped-up Carrey, check out his photo on Page 28.)

TWILIGHT TIPS: ''Twilight'' and ''New Moon'' star Ashley Greene (''Alice Cullen'') will make appearances at Hollywood Blvd. and Hollywood Palms Cinema on opening weekend of ''New Moon'' -- Nov. 20-22. ... In the new Vanity Fair, ''Twilight'' superstar Robert Pattinson again denies a romance with co-star Kristen Stewart, stressing she's just a good friend who impresses him as ''someone who is genuinely indifferent to the whole spectacle'' of the ''Twilight'' phenomenon.

SEEN ON SCENE: While in town promoting his upcoming ''Armored,'' actor Columbus Short was spied checking out Michael Jackson's ''This Is It" at AMC River East. ... Christie Hefner lunched at Japonais where (separately) Kenny ''Babyface'' Edmonds dined, before heading out to party at the Underground. ... Tony winner and dance legend Ann Reinking dined with Thodos Dance Chicago founder Melissa Thodos at Mon Ami Gabi in Lincoln Park -- while here prepping Thodos' dancers for the premiere of ''Fosse Trilogy,'' three rarely performed Bob Fosse works, at the North Shore Center in Skokie (Nov. 13) and Harris Theatre (Nov. 28). ... Foreigner's Kelly Hansen, Michael Bluestein and Brian Tichy were front 'n' center at Angels & Kings' live-band karaoke Halloween costume bash. ... Music was also in the air at Manor on Halloween as singer-songwriter Montell Jordan performed, including his hit, ''This Is How We Do It.''