Paramount Head Gone in Pellicano Scandal?

Hollywood- EMBATTLED Paramount chief Brad Grey's days seem to be numbered, and speculation on a possible replacement for him is running rampant.

Hollywood insiders are now referring to Grey as the "temporary" head of the studio in the wake of the Anthony Pellicano scandal. Grey has been questioned by the FBI in the ongoing wiretap investigation, although it is unclear whether he condoned Pellicano's alleged use of illegal eavesdropping on his behalf.

Whether he's ultimately charged with anything or not, the negative press coverage might be Grey's undoing. He has been less than candid about his ties to Pellicano. "It's a public company, and they just can't afford all the bad publicity," says one insider.

There's a buzz that Vanity Fair Editor Graydon Carter has spoken to Grey's boss, Viacom President and CEO Tom Freston, about the job, but he'd be a long shot due to his lack of studio experience. A Vanity Fair rep denied any discussion took place.

But Carter has some experience in Hollywood. He produced a movie about Robert Evans and helped bring "A Beautiful Mind" to the big screen, a role for which he received a much-discussed fee.

Carter's former staffer Toby Young - whose own forays into the shark-infested waters of Hollywood are chronicled in his upcoming memoir, "The Sound of No Hands Clapping" - was the first to relay the buzz about the Paramount possibility.

"One of the occupational hazards of being the editor of Vanity Fair for 10 years is that you end up wanting to become the type of person featured in the magazine's pages," Young tells us. "It happened to Tina Brown, and now it's happening to Graydon."

In 2001, Carter got chummy with both Freston and Grey on a trip to Cuba where they had dinner with Fidel Castro. Now observers are waiting to see how Vanity Fair covers the Pellicano affair.

A damaging story in the magazine could well be the nail in Grey's coffin. Vanity Fair does not comment on stories it may or may not be working on.

While Carter's name may be in play, other insiders say it's more likely the gig will go to former Universal Pictures Chairman Stacey Snider, who's due to start as CEO at Paramount-owned DreamWorks SKG on April 10. Some say Snider was brought over to Paramount specifically to replace Grey should the need arise.