Two steps to making gossip queen Cindy Adams squirm in the latter part of her career:

1. If you're Adams, you publish an item reporting that 'D.C. Madam" Deborah Jeane Palfrey is dumping her criminal lawyer, former Monica Lewinsky attorney Preston Burton. Because, you see, only Palfrey, her lawyers and the prosecution knew that at the time.

2. If you're the lawyers involved in the case, you attempt to deliver Adams a subpoena at work. (Also subpoenaed: ABC's Brian Ross and The Smoking Gun's Bill Bastone)

We'll let Radar take it from here:

When a server attempted to deliver Adams's subpoena at work on Monday, Radar has learned, Adams hid behind building security. She has told acquaintances that she has never been issued a subpoena, adding that she "doesn't know what the hell this all means," a source says. She's also asked one of Rupert Murdoch's attorneys to help protect her from making a court appearance. The subpoena calls for her to appear for a deposition on October 5, just eight days from now. [...] The aging gossip gal, who could be jailed if she refuses to reveal her source, claims she doesn't know who leaked the secret info. "When questioned about the publication of the 'under seal' information, Ms. Adams had a bout of selective amnesia," Palfrey tells Radar. "When pressed about such an improbability and, more importantly, any notes or records she had to support her remarks, Ms. Adams incredulously stated she had none."

(Image via New Yorker)