King parties amid split rumors

TONGUES began to wag this week after Larry King celebrated his 84th birthday without his wife, Shawn, amid reports that their 20-year marriage is on the rocks.

But Larry tells us that while the legendary broadcaster did have a birthday dinner Monday with his brother’s widow and a longtime pal in New York, Shawn joined him Tuesday night for a big family celebration in LA instead.

Larry — who turned 84 last Sunday — flew into New York early last week for the International Emmys at the Hilton in Midtown, and we’re told that Shawn had been scheduled to join him but instead canceled at the last minute with a sinus infection.

When Larry celebrated his big day with dinner at BLT Steak with sister-in-law Ellen Zeiger — the widow of his recently deceased brother, Marty Zieger — and the author Herb Cohen, family sources whispered to Page Six that Shawn skipped the celebration and that they were skeptical about her “sinus” excuse.

But Larry assures Page Six that Shawn did indeed stay home because she was sick and that they celebrated together with a big dinner at the Palm in Beverly Hills, Calif., Tuesday night with around 16 family members, some of whom had flown in from Florida for the occasion.

The celebration comes amid a tumultuous time for the couple, who have been married for two decades. Multiple publications — including Page Six — have reported that the pair have come close to divorce in recent months, in part because of Shawn’s 2016 affair with publicspeaking coach Richard Greene.

On Monday, while presenting the documentary International Emmy, Larry discussed his famous 1994 interview with Marlon Brando. According to the Hollywood Reporter, King said, “At the end of that interview, Marlon Brando kissed me on the lips,” and added, “I’d never been kissed on the lips by a man up until that moment, and [I’ve] got to tell you the truth tonight: I can’t stop thinking about it.”