asterisk users - Dec 2005 - Zombie AGI processes in FC2 / 1.2 Beta 1 under l oad

I have an extremely simple AGI script like this:

#!/bin/bash
ISODATE=`date -iso-8601=seconds`
echo "SET VARIABLE ISODATE \"$ISODATE\""

The script's intent is to return the current date and time back to Asterisk
in an ISO format as a variable. It works fine. Calling the script from
Asterisk returns the variable correctly. 

Under load (> a dozen or so concurrent calls) the script still works but it
tends to zombie. Sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn't. I've seen some
background:

http://lists.digium.com/pipermail/asterisk-users/2003-August/017310.html

http://lists.digium.com/pipermail/asterisk-users/2003-August/017202.html

But this is FC2, latest SMP kernel / 1.2 Beta 1 . The zombies build up and
appear not to affect call quality but I'd like to eliminate them. Anyone
have any tips? tia