Dustin Hoffman's grandson AUGUSTUS is at the centre of a ratings debate - the newborn's parents are at odds over whether or not they should circumcise him.

Hoffman's daughter JENNA and her husband SEAMUS welcomed their son into the world just three weeks ago, and he's already the subject of an ongoing debate which is even starting to involve other actors.

The screen star says, "I don't wanna invade the privacy of my half-Jewish daughter and her Irish husband, but there is a controversy between them in terms of circumcision.

"Sometimes they say someone shouldn't be circumcised because it's more natural and they should be circumcised because of hygiene. But the argument against that is if you wanna clean under your nails you don't cut your nails off!

"I was talking to Larry David about this, because one of the things in favour of not circumcising is that the foreskin covers the sensitivity of the nerve endings... I said it might make it less sensitive. Larry David, who is circumcised, says, 'Less sensitive? If it was any more sensitive I'd have a heart attack!'"

23/12/2004 21:52