Paying sources for stories? So not kosher at newspapers of record, but it's standard practice in the tabloid biz, no matter how many denials editors deliver.

But a tabloid other than OK! owning up to it? Psshaw. Until, that is, Star's Candace Trunzo owned up to it.

"We do pay for information," she says. "I make no qualms about it. I think all the celebrity magazines do it." They've even started printing the 800 number for a tip line, like TMZ.com does, with promises of $100 or more for information. (To the half dozen tabloid veterans who've spoken to us on the issue, it's generally accepted knowledge that TMZ pays for information. TMZ denies the charge. Like People, they're a Time Warner company, and paying sources would violate policy..)

It's all part of Candace's plan to re-supermarket-ize Star — an about-face to its mission not so long ago to glossy it up. And given Trunzo's tightknit relationship with AMI cousin National Enquirer, and its editor David Perel, the process is probably further along than you think.

Worth noting is that when Bonnie Fuller took over at the tabloid after reigning over Us Weekly, she insisted the magazine would differentiate itself from the other newsstand garbage, even though it was widely suspected scoops were still paid for under her watch.

So what's the big deal about paying for information?

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After months of flagging circulation over at Star magazine, EIC Candace Trunzo has finally (and rather belatedly) jumped into action, poaching three upper level In Touch staffers (reporter Cristina Everett, senior editor Casey Brennan and news editor Aaron Rasmussen) within the last week in an ongoing effort to streamline the tabloid and leave the Bauer pub with a senior writing staff comprised primarily of interns.

And while we're vaguely curious to see whether Star's new makeover has any effect on its sales numbers, we're also interested to see whether In Touch can rebuild some of its earlier momentum, or whether this will hamper their ability to reproduce the same Brad and Angelina cover story week, after week, after week.

Rate-base misser Candace Trunzo has just lost her right-hand gal. We hear yesterday was the last day for Jocelyn Vena (pictured, left) as assistant to the Star EIC. Where's she off to? OK! magazine, to be a reporter instead of a gopher. As one source puts it, Jocelyn is a "sweet girl and very normal." Oh, and ever since she landed next to Candace's desk when former boss Joe Dolce took off, she's been looking for a way out.

Perhaps that's why she was listed on Facebook as "very excited" on Tuesday evening?

Whoops-a-doozie! Pseudo-homophobic Star
magazine missed its 1.5 million rate base for the first half the year — and has Ron Burkle target American Media Inc. wondering whether they should drop it to 1.2 million. Meanwhile, the tab that usually sells upwards of 800k on the newsstand has only been averaging about 600k under new EIC Candace Trunzo. Which begs the question: Can we get Bonnie back to do another one of those blog-a-zine issues? Or maybe they should just follow this one's model and go with the gay-baiting angle.

Candace Trunzo is pissing off more than Janice Min: Now she's culling rancor among the gays. The new-ish Star EIC is getting gay blog flack for calling this (promotional stunt) kiss between Kevin James and Adam Sander "not normal." Just like her lezzy haircut. [Queerty]

Bonnie Fuller is getting the blunt end of the Shar Jackson sword, we're hearing.

Shar is said to be furious with the AMI editorial director over Star magazine's claims that she's is carrying a third child for Kevin Federline. She swears the rumors are false, and that they're damaging her children. Which means she's out for a payday (we're assuming), lawyering up and saying she "stand[s] by my truth by offering you an EPT test if you stand by yours and reveal your 'source' to me."

Only problem is: Bonnie is on holiday. She's in the Canadian Martimes with her family, we're told, and had nothing to do with the Shar rumors.

Rather, it's current Star EIC Candace Trunzo (and National Enquirer chief David Perel, if our source's calculations are right) who's behind the Shar pregnancy claims — and the push to blame Bonnie for any falsehoods.

Bonnie, meanwhile, hasn't had much control of the tabloid since Candace took over.

So redirect your nasty, Ms. Jackson.

Told you we were headed down a slippery slope. When Janice Min began carrying out the Jann Wenner-ordered "Fake News" hatchet jobs that we've grown so fond of, we knew it was only a matter of time before the tabs fought back. Up first is Star, which retaliated this afternoon with the web story "US Magazine's Twisted Double Life!."

The beef centers around Us' June 11 cover story "Inside Shiloh's World: The secret home life of a daddy's girl and the surprising truth about Mom," which gave readers the idea that the Wenner weekly had uncovered untold scores of uber-exclusive details of what it's like to live with Brad and Angelina as your parents.

Except, argues Star: "US Weekly's revelations about Jolie-Pitt's "secret home life" aren't so secret after all. In fact, most of the article has been recycled from TV interviews and other magazines, including Reader's Digest, U.K.'s Elle and Glamour!"

Oooh, unsourced recycled reporting!

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The tales from American Media Inc.'s bloodshed this week have been pouring in — and there's plenty to sift over. With cuts at Star in the 10-20 range, there's plenty of folks willing to share war stories of their own and of now-former colleagues. As you'll recall from when we broke rumors of the staff slash, among the axings were exec editor Jon Auerbach, film and television critic Marshall Fine, and in-house publicist Kate Ottenberg.

Most staffers were let go the lazy way: as a group, with HR vice prez Daniel Rotstein leading the parade. Says one witness: "Most of the editorial people were let go at the same time in the conference room," says a witness. "So basically, they had like 10 people in there and were like, 'You're all fired.'" Ouchy.

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Just after we went to press with our item about Star and the National Enquirer teaming up to deliver a monster "How Anna Nicole Smith died" story, a well-placed insider informed us that this was certainly not Bonnie Fuller's doing.

In fact, the tabs' editorial director isn't even in the office — she's in Utah, we're told, where she has a home. (Update: An AMI insider chimes in to say Bonnie is in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, not Utah.)

So how'd all this teamwork come about? It was a team up between a pair of AMI veterans: new Star chieftess Candace Trunzo and her former boss, NE editor David Perel. If Fuller had been around, it's likely this group effort never would've happened, or at least never would have been publicized so widely.

"Bonnie has been shoved to the background," says our insider. "Candace has officially taken over."

Meanwhile, we're hearing that Bonnie has added Hearst to her roster of jumping possibilities. While it's been rumored that she wanted to launch a TMZ competitor, or even join TMZ, an insider tattles that she and Hearst scheduled a meeting (that might have already taken place) to discuss her coming on board. Hearst is said to be "very interested" in Fuller. So much so that they'll offer her, oh, we don't know, Marie Claire?

Contrary to what David Pecker might actually think, this press release is not doing good things for him. From the just-issued missive by American Media Inc.:

WORLD EXCLUSIVE: STAR MAGAZINE AND NATIONAL ENQUIRER SOLVE ANNA NICOLE’S MYSTERIOUS DEATH

Star magazine and the National Enquirer have demonstrated the strength in combining newsgathering resources under Enquirer editor-in-chief David Perel, who also leads Star’s West Coast news operations and newly appointed Star editor-in-chief Candace Trunzo. Just days before the medical examiner will announce the cause of death, Star and the Enquirer’s joint reporting reveals that the former Playmate died with a toxic level of the sleeping medication chloral hydrate in her system. Also, contrary to speculation, tests show she did not have methadone or any other painkilling drug in her system at the time of her death.

So, Star and the National Enquirer had to team up to put this one together? Granted, the release sounds as if Perel wrote it himself – it's time to stir things up, Candace! – but it points out the obvious flaws in The Case For Two Tabloids: If these rags are doing each other's homework, why keep them both around when those outrageous printing costs get in the way of paring down billions in debt?

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Though he was expected to make an exit at the end of the month, it looks like Joe Dolce is staying on at Star. The outgoing EIC signed a consulting gig with boss David Pecker, "which effectively turns him into the Friday and Monday editor of the Star in New York," reports Keith Kelly. All of which means, of course, that he'll be in the office when new chieftess Candace Trunzo starts rearing her head on April 1.

Bonnie Fuller, meanwhile, continues insisting she's hanging on the reigns of the AMI tabloid, contrary to popular rumor. And advice.

As we were the first to suggest, Globe editor Candace Trunzo is taking over where Joe Dolce is leaving off at Star. Joe exits at the end of March. Candace's first day as Bonnie Fuller's Hovering-Over-Desk-mate is April 1.

Calling Clay Aiken a faggot? April 2.

The email to staff from AMI chief David Pecker, after the jump.

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Could the next editor of Star be … the current editor of The Globe?

Her name is Candace Trunzo, and you might remember her as the woman who had no problem putting Kobe Bryant's accuser on the cover of her tabloid.

An American Media insider tells us Trunzo is in town from Boca Raton and making the rounds in the New York office. Not that her presence is a declaration that she's taking over for current Star EIC Joe Dolce, who's expected to exit next month. But it does have staffers suspicious — and one insider suggests Trunzo taking over is a definite possibiliy.

Or, with all those rumors of Star closing up shop and moving back to Boca (or not), Trunzo could merely be on a talent hunting mission — just like the one National Enquirer editor David Perel is rumored to be taking soon.