WHO’S THE MONSTER?

In Pennsylvania, Lee McPhatter Jr., 22, was found kicking and punching Jennie McNelis, 22, a theme park employee dressed as Cookie Monster, knocking her to the ground in front of his 3-year-old because the character wouldn’t pose for a photo. After attacking Cookie Monster he was convicted of assault, disorderly conduct and harassment and sentenced to one year of probation and ordered to take an anger-management class. The girl, Mina, testified, “Cookie pushed me in the face.”

DENIRO MADE ME DO IT!

Joseph Manuella, 51, a former city firefighter who strikingly resembles Robert DeNiro, was arrested and charged with criminal impersonation of the movie star, DeNiro’s lawyer said. Manuella, of Paramus, New Jersey, a stunt double for DeNiro in “The Fan” and “Great Expectations,” allegedly had a Visa card under the actor’s name and passed around 8”x10” glossy photos with the actor’s name and forged autographs. His impersonation landed him free meals, accommodations, women, and almost a movie deal. Manuella was caught when authorities hired him to appear as a DeNiro look-a-like - but instead had a limo waiting to deliver the alleged imposter directly to State Police Headquarters.

IT MAKES CENTS!

James Lundy III, 26, a habitual traffic offender, decided to carry $1,050 in penny rolls into the St. Lucie County courthouse on Tuesday. He said, “I felt abused by the system,” and unfairly treated during a traffic stop, so he decided to express his anger by hauling 105,000 pennies in 17 cloth sacks into a courtroom to pay his fine.

OOPS AGAIN?

In Bloomington, Illinois, a prisoner was released from the McLean County Jail. The only problem was that they released the wrong prisoner - for the second time in the last three months. Timothy Koch, 50, charged with aggravated battery and assault, was released on bond instead of Timothy Koche, 20. It took authorities five hours to discover the mistake. Koch was arrested in Texas more than a month later and returned to jail.

MIDGET MADNESS

After getting drunk on a flight from Madrid, Jorge Rodero Valero, a midget performer who has worked with comic impersonator Julio Zavala, pleaded innocent Thursday to interfering with a flight crew. He was confronted after he was found smoking and later wrote a note to the pilot saying, “For American Airlines: I had a smoke in the bathroom and feel like doing it again.” When a flight officer spoke to him about the note, Rodero reportedly said, “Anything is possible. I can hurt you right now with a wood knife.” Rodero was never seen with a knife on the flight, but FBI agents found a 2-inch penknife on his belt after landing at Miami International Airport. He is currently awaiting trial with no bond. - Compiled by Venus & JB