The Secret Service was called in to retrieve Jimmy Buffett's cellphone from a busboy after police were told it contained the private numbers of Buffett's high-profile politico pals like Bill Clinton, Al Gore and Jimmy Carter.

The singer left his $500 Ericsson mobile outside Cuban eatery Brisa Atlantica in Delray Beach, Fla., on May 29, the Palm Beach Post reports, where busboy Jason Martin, 22, picked it up. The phone's memory card stored numbers for Clinton, Gore, Carter, George Clooney, Harrison Ford, Michael Douglas, Bill Gates and Clint Black, Martin claims.

"We were sitting around smoking weed and strolling down the list on Jimmy's phone, going 'Wow!' ," Martin told the Florida paper. He claims he didn't call any of the numbers, but according to a police report, Clinton received a number of crank calls. Martin may be telling tales, though. Clinton's rep told Page Six, "Whatever number was in there, it wasn't President Clinton's." Clooney's rep said, "George doesn't even know Jimmy Buffett. If he did have a number, it would have to be for George's office. He hasn't gotten any suspicious calls."

The day after Martin found the Ericsson mobile, one of Buffett's staffers called the phone, which Martin answered. "He said I was a thief and a liar," Martin told the paper. "Then I called [Buffett's wife] Jane's number, and she was nasty to me. So I told them I wouldn't give it back." Buffett offered Martin a $200 reward, but he wouldn't bite. So the singer called the Cuban eatery's owner, Israel Torres, who fired Martin and called police.

The cops alerted the Secret Service when Martin told them that the two ex-presidents were in Buffett's phone book. Martin gave the phone back when the authorities dropped by, but he kept the memory card. "It's a person's worst nightmare," Buffett said. "I had probably left the phone on the restaurant table, but I got it back."

--Looks like Jimmy had one too many margaritas. :)

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Posted by Lawren at June 9, 2005 07:53 AM

You Said

Aha! Maybe the secret service will help me find my cell phone, which I lost this past Saturday.

And this joker kept the memory card? How did the SS not get that back from him?

Says: Kelly at June 9, 2005 01:14 PM

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