Page Six: The Director's Cut

In a bit of a thematic departure, yesterday's Page Six led off with an item sourced not to a Bungalow 8 patron or a Hollywood publicist but to a "disgruntled" government employee in the city comptroller's office.

What it lacked in glamor, the item made up in sting: the employee, via e-mail, accused several aides by name of forging their time sheets -- a criminal act.

The piece included a response from Comptroller Bill Thompson's spokesman, Jeff Simmons:

"Your information is factually inaccurate . . . We ensure that employees account for their time," the statement, which Simmons sent via email, began.

But what words did Page Six elide with those three dots?

"And flat-out defamatory," according to a copy of Simmons's email to Page Six's Chris Wilson, which Jeff provided upon request.

Simmons declined to comment on the likelihood of a libel suit.