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Are infotainment junkies souring on Harry Knowles, the self-proclaimed ''Father Geek'' behind movie-gossip site Ain't It Cool News (aint-it-cool-news.com)? Knowles' own message boards lambasted him over -- get this -- journalistic ethics in response to an alleged Star Wars: Episode II scoop posted June 4. His report, prefaced by a disclaimer that his source was new and untested, included the claim that Gabriel Byrne had been cast as a Jedi; not only did many readers find the ''news'' dubious, but some accused Knowles of cribbing the rumor from Star Wars fan sites -- or even just plain making it up. Said one visitor to ad-supported AICN: ''Whether [AICN was] actually fooled by it, or just posted it because anything Star Wars gets hits, it's a complete waste of server space.'' A much angrier rant read: ''A -- hole, we're putting food on YOUR table by coming here.'' Knowles denies stealing or lying, saying that a recent surge in juicy Star Wars rumors has made it difficult to separate the bona fide from the bunk. With negotiations for a big financing deal in the works, is Harry feeling pressure? ''Not really,'' he says. ''If I don't have stories for a day, I don't have stories for a day.'' Still, change may be afoot: In a massive June 7 post responding to criticisms of his scoop-gathering methods by Patrick Sauriol of rival site Coming Attractions (corona.bc.ca/films), Knowles proposed a summit meeting to hammer out a common code of conduct, Citizen Kane-style. As they used to say in old media: Stay tuned.
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