Aussie Swindler Accused of Cheers-ing His Way Into Ladies' Pants

More breaking news from Australia, where the entertainment-industry action is so hot right now that people will do just about anything to break in. Take Brenton Jarrett, an industrious 38-year-old bloke whose impersonations of Skeet Ulrich and Johnny Depp's brother have gotten him into various mix-ups with the law over the years. Now police say he's back as Joshua Hitchcock -- grandson of Alfred (whose only child, as it happens, turns 82 this year) and mastermind of a fake Cheers remake that's a better aphrodisiac than you might think.

According to law enforcement sources (and the two women who will actually admit going to bed with this guy), Jarrett used the pretense of casting for a Melbourne-set version of the hit comedy in order to meet more than 60 women. In fact, his pseudocompany Hitchcock Media International placed three bogus ads for three different projects on casting Web sites; obviously the prospect of going where everybody knows your name still packs the same arousing punch it did 20 years ago.

Jarrett appears to be on the lam now, so be vigilant, Australia! Especially you, ladies: If you're going to give it up for some guy shabbily ripping off Hitchcock, make it Birdemic director James Nguyen. At least he's sort of earned it.

· Showbiz fraud plotted for sex [The Age]