Singer Bobby Short dies

New York — Bobby Short, the suave, tuxedoed cabaret singer who epitomized Manhattan glamour and sophistication with renderings of the great American songbook, died Monday, a spokeswoman said. He was 80.

Short died of leukemia at New York Presbyterian Hospital, said Virginia Wicks, a Los Angeles-based publicist.

Calling Short “an American treasure,” Cafe Carlyle, the nightclub at the Carlyle Hotel where Short was an institution since 1968, said it would close Monday in homage to the musician who helped make it famous.

As times changed and popular music shifted from Sinatra to Springsteen to Snoop Dogg, Short, a three-time Grammy nominee, remained irrevocably devoted to the “great American songbook” — songs by Cole Porter, Duke Ellington, the Gershwins, Billy Strayhorn and Harold Arlen.

Camilla Parker Bowles destined to be queen

London — In the latest twist in a royal wedding saga that has been full of flip-flops, the British government revealed Monday that like it or not, Britons will have to get used to Queen Camilla.

That’s because Camilla Parker Bowles will, by law, automatically become queen when Prince Charles is crowned.

While the public has come around to supporting the marriage, opinion polls still show strong opposition to Parker Bowles taking the title of queen.

But any attempt to change the rules to bow to popular sentiment would be exceedingly difficult: It would require not only a new law in Britain, but also legislative changes in 15 other nations where the British monarch is head of state.

Sharpton to invest in hip-hop music

New York — The Rev. Al Sharpton, who is campaigning against violence in rap music, plans to buy stock in record companies that produce hip-hop and then become vocal as a stockholder.

“I don’t think too many CEOs want to see me come into his stockholders’ meeting to say they’re not doing enough to stop the violence,” Sharpton told the Daily News for Monday editions. Sharpton didn’t name the companies or say how much stock he plans to buy.

He also plans to put pressure on the Federal Communications Commission.

“I do not understand how the FCC can make a lot of noise around Janet Jackson and that case with Howard Stern, but has not said anything about a pattern of shooting and other violence at radio stations,” Sharpton said.

He was referring to last month’s shooting of a member of The Game’s entourage at the WQHT-FM studios while the rapper’s former mentor, 50 Cent, was being interviewed.

‘Rocky’ to induct Hulk Hogan into Hall of Fame

New York — And in this corner … Hulk Hogan.

Sylvester Stallone, star of the “Rocky” and “Rambo” films, will induct Hogan into the WWE Hall of Fame in an April 2 ceremony in Los Angeles, World Wrestling Entertainment announced Monday. Stallone also is co-host with real-life champ Sugar Ray Leonard of “The Contender,” NBC’s new reality boxing series.

Hogan played Thunderlips in 1982’s “Rocky III,” starring and directed by Stallone.

Birthdays

Actress Reese Witherspoon is 29. USA Today founder Allen H. Neuharth is 81. Actor William Shatner is 74. Composer Andrew Lloyd Webber is 57. Sportscaster Bob Costas is 53. Actress Lena Olin is 50.