Fishbowl D.C. scooped even the Washington Post's own gossip columnists on word that Brad Pitt was reportedly visiting the paper's newsroom this afternoon.

Says a Postie: "since word got out, female producers from network news shops are clamoring to stop by and just pay a "visit" to the newsroom to see friends they've never visited before in the newsroom."

Patrick Gavin says Pitt was there consulting with Post editor R.B. Brenner in preparation for his upcoming movie, Burn After Reading a Coen brothers movie that also stars George Clooney -- but we have to think that can't be right, and that Pitt is actually consulting with Brenner about another upcoming role, as an investigative reporter in State of Play, which is scheduled to begin filming here in Washington in November.

State of Play is based on an acclaimed BBC mini-series by the same name, and follows the story of a reporter (Pitt) who finds himself investigating the suspicious death of a young woman who worked for his best friend, a U.S. Congressman (to be played by Edward Norton). If you've never seen it, the original series by writer Paul Abbott is well worth tracking down on DVD -- we can only hope the Hollywood version holds up to its high standard. We can also only assume there will be plenty more Brad (and Ed) sightings later this fall.

UPDATE: Here's the official Post story, complete with photo, and here's Howard Kurtz's curmudgeony response to all the fuss.