Here is a humdinger of a bit of gossip actual confirmed news: Liz Smith, octogenarian gossip queen of New York, has been dropped as a New York Post columnist. Sad, but expected.

Col Allan cited the economy when he told her he wouldn't be renewing her contract:

"Like so many other newspapers around the nation, we are buffeted by unprecedented economic gales," Col Allan, the editor in chief of The Post, told Ms. Smith in a Feb. 9 letter that said he was not renewing the contract for what he called her "legendary column."

Well, it's been clear for a while that Col Allan and Liz Smith didn't care for each other. We saw this coming months ago. But it's still a sad thing. The batty lady is irrepresible, though! She's over at her womanly site, Wowowow.com, still writing about various and sundry topics, such as what a jerk Col Allan is. So you can find her right here, on the internet.

We'll be right there with you Liz! [City Room; Pic via]

UPDATE: NYP flack Steven Rubenstein sends us this additional statement from Col Allan: "The Post is grateful to have been able to publish Liz Smith's legendary column for so many years. We wish her the very best for the future."

Send an email to Hamilton Nolan, the author of this post, at Hamilton@gawker.com.