Today is the day to try, really hard.

Mrs. Zulkey.com, who is actually my mother, and not me (as some apparently believe), is ready to give you advice in the '06. Send her a question.

In case you aren't an avid reader of the gossip columns, Lloyd Grove is a columnist for the New York Daily News. One of his New Years traditions that I like is that at the beginning of each year, he banishes one name from his column. Last year, it was Paris Hilton, and this year, it's Brad Pitt. Grove says that it's "a ritual of culture-cleansing and cobweb-clearing," and then give some very convincing items about why he won't write about Brad anymore (although I was sort of hoping he might at least bring back Paris for the next year.)

In a shameless act of imitation, I, too, will be purging one name from my site for the year. However, it will be no human: it will be King Kong.

No, I don't mean the movie "King Kong." I mean the monkey that played the titular character in the movie "King Kong," aka King Kong. Here is why:

First, I'm sick of hearing his name. And while I haven't seen his movie, I hear that it's not doing as well at the box offices as people had expected. Which are fine reasons for banishment already. Moreover, though:

• The gorilla is on okay actor. It sounds like he was believable in "King Kong." But would it kill him to show a little range? Is beating his chest and swinging around all he can do?|
  
  
• He's kind of ugly-looking. I know he does it for some people, but not me.
  
  
• The gorilla is self-centered. Not once on "King Kong" press junkets did he discuss what it was like to work with Peter Jackson or Naomi Watts.
  
  
• He copies the looks and interests of each of his romantic attachments. Whether he's dating Gwyneth Paltrow, Jennifer Aniston or that chimp from the Bronx Zoo, there is is, constantly aping away.

Thus, King Kong, I banish thee. Good luck in the future.