Having second-guessed his nearly disastrous decision to squeeze into a spandex battlesuit (as Oscar-poisonous as a latex fatsuit) and climb into the Wrestlemania ring, Mickey Rourke is now onto stop #2 of his redemption tour:

Making peace with Sean Penn:

MICKEY Rourke and Sean Penn seem to have smoked a peace pipe. Penn was said to be furious after Rourke - in line for an Oscar for his turn in "The Wrestler" - called Penn a "homophobe" and an "average" actor following Penn's performance in "Milk." But the two were at the Sunset Tower hotel pool Monday afternoon having drinks together. A spy said, "Mickey had his little Chihuahua with him for moral support - he looked a little nervous around Sean. Everyone knows Sean can hold a grudge. It was weird, though - some guy they both knew came over with a video camera and started recording them."

Defamer has obtained the footage. What follows is a transcript of the last minutes of the exchange:
Sean: So what's the dog's name?
Mickey: Jaws. I call him Jaws because when I rescued him, I went to give him a kiss and he gave me two stitches in the face. But I took him anyway. You gotta give 'em hope.
Sean: I see what you did there...He was a broken down peace of carne asada.
[They laugh. Long pause]
Mickey: Yeah, so, that stuff...about you being a homophone.
Sean: A homophobe.
Mickey: Yeah. That was just trash talk, you know. Keep the fight interestin'. I was just thinking about that all-night poker game at Pat Hingle's house. When you called Timothy Hutton a flouncy ballsucker.
Sean: I said that?
Mickey: I'm pretty sure you did. I was pretty coked up at the time.
[Jaws starts whimpering.]
Mickey: And the stuff about you being a mediocre actor. I didn't really mean that. Except I Am Sam. That was just embarrassing to watch. I mean, c'mon, have you actually sat down and wa—
[Jaws urinates in Mickey's lap.]
Mickey: JAWS! Not again, Jaws. Jesus Christ. Sean, could you be a pal and put some ice cubes in a napkin and pass it over here?
[Sean makes a check-signing gesture at a passing server.]

[Photo: AP]

• NO HARD FEELINGS [NY Post]

Contact information for this author is not available.