James Gandolfini would rather not be drawn into political discussions. But if you ask him politely, he will offer a succinct opinion on America's continued military commitment in Iraq.

"We should s— or get off the pot," the man who plays the Soprano gang's chief policy-shaper told us Tuesday night.

This was at the premiere of "Alive Day Memories," the powerful HBO documentary in which Gandolfini interviews 10 young U.S. soldiers and Marines who left limbs, eyes and bits of their sanity in Iraq.

Much as he sounds like Tony Soprano, Gandolfini disagrees with his character on a number of issues.

Tony once expressed his admiration for our vice president's Halliburton cronyism by endorsing "**** Cheney for President … of the [bleeping] universe!"

Privately, Gandolfini is said to be no fan of Cheney and the President he serves. And while Tony didn't want his son, A.J., enlisting in the service, Gandolfini has said Congress should "reinstate the draft, send 500,000 troops and finish it.

"I don't want to sound condescending," he said at his movie's screening, "but our country is at war. Let's find out who really wants to end it."

Asked if he thinks Bush 's "surge" is working, he put a finger to his lips. "I'm not going there," he said. "I don't want to come down one way or the other."

What he wants to do is let the G.I.s tell their stories, which have some parts that are tough to watch.

"All I ask is that people spend 15 minutes in their living room with some men and women who spent nine months in hell," said Gandolfini, whose film crew was barred from Walter Reed shortly before the scandal on poor care erupted at the military hospital.

Taking a bow from their sacrifice at the screening were many of the movie's heroes, who each received a $4,500 Kobold watch from Gandolfini. Also there were directors Jon Alpert and Ellen Goosenberg Kent, HBO exec Sheila Nevins, portrait photographer Timothy Greenfield-Sanders and "Sopranos" vets Tony Sirico, Aida Turturro, Steve Buscemi, Edie Falco and Steve Schirripa.

P.S.: Michael Imperioli phoned in his regrets, feeling shaken up after the pipe bomb that exploded outside his W. 29th St. theater, Studio Dante, earlier the same day. "I'm hoping it was some random thing," he told us yesterday. He plans to go on with the show. His next production, Sam Marks ' dark Borscht Belt comedy "The Joke," is due to open Oct. 17.


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Sean (Diddy) Combs denied fathering a baby with an Atlanta woman when we called about it months ago. Now, his ex-girlfriend Kim Porter says not only is it true, but it was a major reason she left him.

The music and fashion mogul was apparently desperate to keep Porter in the dark about the other pregnancy while she herself was pregnant with the couple's twins. Word was he paid the other mother a million dollars in hush money — pocket change to the Bad Boy Records and Sean John clothing company founder.

When Essence magazine reporter Jeannine Amber said to the beauty, "Speaking of being faithful, there have been rumors about Sean and a baby in Atlanta ... Is this why you left the relationship?" Porter admitted, "That definitely was part of it."

It's posted on Essence.com, with more to come when the October issue hits stands next week.

Combs' rep did not comment by deadline. In fairness to him, he's always been supportive to all of his children, including paying $21,000 a month to Misa Hylton-Brim to support their 13-year-old son, Justin.

Porter, who was with Diddy for 12 years and who also raised two sons with him, moved out to L.A. in July with the boys and the 6-month-old girls. She called her best friends when Diddy was out of town, and they helped her take the cars and every stick of furniture, not leaving a dust devil behind, according to Essence.

"I did have my little party-packing crew, yes, I did! I wanted to be dramatic. I wanted him to know I wasn't breaking up with him for two weeks or maybe leaving for two days. If I pack up everything — twins and all — it means I'm out!"

Still, it's amicable for the sake of the kids. Porter was at Diddy's white party last weekend in the Hamptons. He probably didn't know about the Essence article, in which she concludes: "He's not ready to get married. When I get married, I want to stay married. I want both parties to be on the same page at the same time, and to leave a certain type of behavior behind. That's a commitment I don't think he's ready for."

That's an understatement. Just days after the babies were born around Christmas, Combs hooked up with Sienna Miller.

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Many Hispanic women are conflicted about their bodies, Daisy Fuentes claims in Fitness mag. "There's a part of you that really wants to embrace your curves, then there's society saying no one likes curves." The fit Fuentes will be in Central Park at 8 a.m. Saturday for the Fitness Mind, Body, Spirit charity run (see nyrr.org). Editor Denise Brodey will give Daisy a $10,000 check for Girls on the Run, which teaches 'tweens the benefit of running.

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The LG House in Malibu played host to a has-been bash for VH1 Celebreality stars — and Andy **** was the life of the party. "Andy came over to give Scott Baio a kiss on the lips," said an eyewitness. Baio's girlfriend, Renee, was visibly upset and told the comic to "stop kissing my man!" Later, a girl accused **** of harassing her, prompting security to escort **** out as Amy Winehouse 's "Rehab" played in the background. Maybe Andy should take the hint?

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The official line is "wait and see," but multiple sources say ballyhooed David Beckham won't be back on the soccer field this season.

The British soccer star and his team, the L.A. Galaxy, have switched to damage control mode, say insiders.

"He won't recover until the end of the season. It's an unfortunate situation for sure," says a West Coast source. Beckham seriously injured his right knee on Aug. 29, following ongoing problems with his left ankle.

"They haven't decided how to proceed," another source, who spoke to Beckham last week, tells us. "There is so much at stake here. However, he is doing well and in great spirits. He can't wait to heal and be back in top form. This injury is a misery to him."

The reported $250 million contract that brought Beckham to the U.S. is looking like the worst deal since that guy who bought London Bridge for Lake Havasu, Ariz. (According to legend, the developer thought he was getting the more famous Tower Bridge.)

ESPN soccer analyst Tommy Smyth, who has interviewed Beckham twice, tells us: "Even if [Beckham] were to recover, he would only be available to play 15 or 20 minutes of a 90-minute game. He would need a tremendous amount of training to get back into game form."

Beckham's rep says: "It's too early to determine exactly when he'll be back, but at the moment he is undergoing daily treatment for his injury, and is progressing well."

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Thanks for everything, Julie Newmar!

Catwoman herself is in town for Fashion Week. And she tells me she helped design the iconic outfit her character wore in the '60s "Batman" series.

"We turned the Lurex inside out, laid it on the floor and cut an S-shape in it," she recalled. "That's how we got the curves."

Newmar, wearing a self-designed white gauze top and matching skirt, came with local dandy Patrick McDonald to the Van Cleef & Arpels party Tuesday night.

"The Catwoman costume is actually going to the Smithsonian next year," she said.

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Shaquille O'Neal wants his wife's finances investigated, he said in divorce papers filed Tuesday. But one of the "other women" in his life remembers him as being very generous.

"On the first date, he gave me $10,000," Karinne Steffans told us yesterday. The infamous "Video Vixen" said she had a relationship with O'Neal after he became engaged to his soon-to-be-
ex-wife, Shaunie.

"Over four months, [he spent] more than $40,000 on me, as far as I can remember."

In "Confessions of a Video Vixen," the video dancer dished on her romances with Shaq and other celebs, including Jay-Z, Ja Rule, Ice-T, Bobby Brown and Usher.

Which makes it awkward when she runs into the wives — like she did with Mrs. O'Neal in July.

"Just recently at the ESPY awards," she chuckled, "we both had the same hairstyle and everything."


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TWO days after announcing her split with Heath Ledger, a chic Michelle Williams strutted her stuff at Park Slope watering hole Union Hall. The stunning mother of 23-month- old daughter Matilda sported super high heels for a night out with the girls Sunday. "She looked gorgeous with her sleek bob and seemed happy," said one onlooker. "She was definitely showing it off."

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GET ready to see a lot more of Maddox Jolie Pitt - and his famous parents - around Manhattan. The charming little urchin who kick-started the Angelina Jolie adoption addiction started classes this week at the Lycee Francais de New York on the Upper East Side. His movie-star parents showed up at the East 75th Street campus - an $18,000-a-year private school where lessons are taught in French - on Tuesday for their oldest child's first day, a source told The Post's Jennifer Fermino. "They were just like normal parents," said the snitch. Except better-looking, of course. Jolie recently told reporters she wanted to move around a lot so the kids could escape the media attention, but it appears they're putting down roots in New York. The ever-expanding brood has been logging some serious time at the Upper West Side condo that Jolie has owned for years, according to another source. And Papa Pitt took Maddox, a Derek Jeter fan, to the Yankees' game on Tuesday night.