As I’ve mentioned before, our photo agencies have been (for lack of a better explanation) at the wrong place and the wrong time lately where Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes are concerned. So instead of merely recycling photos from a few weeks ago (and I’ve done that too at the bottom of this post), here’s a replay of Tom showing off his “impeccable father” skills with Suri during last December’s photo-op extravaganza that was part of his MI4 promotion. I’ll bet Katie’s sure glad to be off the hook for future endeavors of the sort, right? He must be so exhausting.

Now onto the story at hand. As Kaiser recently reported, Tom has been shopping for NYC real estate so that he can be a “New Yorker” just like Katie. Kaiser theorized that Tom’s never been a New York-type of dude to begin with, so perhaps this is all about “the new Tom.” Indeed, I agree that such a move is a very press-friendly one, but Tom has now apparently decided to get away from the city. He’s reportedly coming close to settling upon a home in nearby Greenwich, Connecticut, and the house that he likes the best so far is actually one that was once home to Mel Gibson. Seems like bad juju, right? Well, Tom has the protection of Xenu on his side at least. And he may very well love the paps (because he can’t stop waving and smiling at them) and invite tabloid reporters for a swim, but also got his alleged desire for “privacy” to protect. Are you rolling your eyes yet?

Tom Cruise must read the Daily News.

According to an informed source in Connecticut, the Mission: Impossible star checked out the former home of Mel Gibson in exclusive Greenwich late last week. His visit coincided with our own Jason Sheftell’s recommendation in the July 29 News that Cruise tour the palatial pad.

The estate, which Gibson bought in 1994 with his ex-wife Robyn and sold in 2010 for a reported $24 million, is available for a whopping $32.995 million.

Cruise has been scouring the tristate area for a large home where he can have privacy while visiting daughter Suri. “He wants something extremely secluded where Suri can play without paparazzi watching,” a source told Sheftell.

Gibson’s former home, known as the Old Mill Farm estate, came on the market May 10 and sits on 75 acres. It was built in 1926 and has plenty of amenities to keep father and daughter entertained during their time together.

On top of the Tudor-style manor, a 15,800-square-foot house, there’s a large pool, tennis courts, horse stables, manicured gardens, water fountains, a hedge maze and a giant, life-size chess set. It’s the largest estate available in Greenwich.

While our source says Cruise was not head over heels in love with Old Mill Farm, its most attractive feature mirrored that of other properties he surveyed around Greenwich: “It’s a totally secure property,” a real estate insider told us. “It’s on a road in Greenwich that you would never even know what’s behind the fence.”

Cruise checked out several other exclusive listings in the town that were “all huge estates. All of the homes he looked at had gates and had really long driveways,” says our source. “Privacy was one of the really big things for him.”

[From NY Daily News]

Yeah, I get it. Tom probably does enjoy his privacy while he’s not promoting one of two things: (1) His latest movie; or (2) His status as the best dad ever. The thing is, he does both of those two things with such great frequency these days that he might as well give up the jig, you know? Tom should admit that he necessarily basks in the glow of the paps and their cameras, but he wants to have it both ways. I suppose at his income bracket, he can afford both worlds though.

By the way, here’s that photo (via bystander Alex Feoli’s Instagram) of Tom with Suri at Disney World. I’ll never get tired of giggling over those lifts. Why make them so white and so obvious? That crazy Tom.

Photos courtesy of Fame/Flynet, Pacific Coast News, Instagram, and WENN