Begorrah! Leprechaun theme park for Jackson?

Looks like Michael Jackson has taken a liking to the wee folk of Ireland.

The “Thriller” singer, who left the U.S. for the Mideast following his acquittal on sex charges, has been spending time on the Emerald Isle recently, and is looking into buying an estate there — possibly a castle — according to reports.

What’s more, he’s supposedly interested in opening up a leprechaun-inspired theme park.

“Michael is deadly serious about this idea,” a source told Ireland’s Daily Mirror. “He loves the whole idea of leprechauns and the magic and myths of Ireland. It would cost around 500 million Euros [about $635 million] to do. He’s always wanted to open his own theme park and he thinks Ireland is the perfect place and it will all be built around the leprechaun theme.”

The cash-strapped singer reportedly is meeting with businessmen to raise money for the park.

There are regular sightings of the reclusive singer in Ireland, and one newspaper there has set up a Wacko Watch Hotline for readers to phone in sightings.

Dine with Daisy Duke
Is Joe Simpson cashing in on his daughter’s name — and curves — with a restaurant chain?

Jessica Simpson’s manager-dad is hoping to hook up with Caesars Palace in Las Vegas to open the first in a series of Hooters-like barbecue restaurants called Daisy Dukes — named after his daughter’s cut-off-wearing character in “The Dukes of Hazzard,” according to Life & Style Weekly.

Jessica Simpson’s rep denies the story, but L&S claims that’s because her dad is making the plans without her knowledge.

“Joe’s going to make a lot of money from this,” a source told the mag, “and he didn’t even ask Jessica!”

Notes from all over
Thousands of fans of Duane “Dog” Chapman are petitioning Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, urging him to stop the bounty hunter from being extradited to Mexico. Dog was arrested earlier this month for the 2003 capture of Max Factor heir Andrew Luster in Mexico, where bounty hunting is illegal. . . . Erik Estrada was spotted going into an L.A. dermatologist’s office who specializes in Botox.  . . . Beyoncé Knowles has created an alter ego named Sasha, and she turns to Sasha when her own ego gets a tad fragile. “When I feel uncomfortable about something, I tell myself, ‘I’m Sasha, I’m a diva, I’m fierce, I can do it.’ And then I can,” Knowles tells Blender. “Sometimes when Beyoncé slips through, I’m like ‘Hold up, come back!’ Sasha protects me. It’s a good way to keep sane.”

Jeannette Walls Delivers the Scoop Mondays through Thursdays on MSNBC.com