Monday, April 12, 2004 | 10:08 a.m.
Some of the things that happen in Las Vegas ... well, you can't make this stuff up.
Check this out: Longtime local pawn shop owner Jim Reid is selling, on the Internet auction site eBay, five rare films of old Beatles concerts and interview footage of John, Paul, George and Ringo.
Where'd he get 'em? The goods were brought into his store and pawned by Stella Kim, a longtime lady friend and neighbor of Joseph Jackson, Michael Jackson's father. It seems they were part of the booty acquired by the controversial pop superstar when he bought the rights to the Beatles catalog several years ago.
Reid has owned the tapes for three years, obtaining ownership after Kim's pawn ticket expired. He would not tell us how much he had given to Kim when she pawned the items, and said he had no idea why she needed the money and didn't know why she never returned to claim her lot.
Exactly why Jackson gave them to Kim is not clear. A message left for the Jackson family patriarch was not returned Sunday, and Kim, who lives in Las Vegas, was not reachable.
VegasBeat was invited to see the rare footage last week at the home of state Sen. Sandra Tiffany, who is advising Reid on how to manage ownership of the tapes.
The first one we screened was a beginning-to-end performance of the Fab Four's historic Aug. 15, 1965, concert at Shea Stadium. Also included is footage of Ed Sullivan introducing them, and opening act Brenda Holloway at the concert.
The other concert footage includes gigs in Tokyo and Washington, D.C.
Some segments are grainier than others and the technology used to record the concerts is a far cry from current standards.
Tiffany said the footage had been authenticated by Sheila Johnson, an official at the Beatles Story, a Liverpool museum devoted to the hometown band.
"This is amazing. I feel like I am back in junior high school again," Tiffany exclaimed at one point while watching the old concert footage and mouthing every word to every song.
Bids on the footage, eBay item No. 3286318202, started at $100,000 when the items were posted over the weekend. The online auction runs through April 19.
Meet Sinatra
Tickets remain available for the Friday night reception and dinner at the Godt-Cleary Gallery (Mandalay Place) for the opening of an exhibition of Frank Sinatra's artwork and memorabilia.
The fascinating exhibit, which we saw over the weekend, includes not only a dozen works painted by Ol' Blue Eyes himself, but work by others that he had on his walls, and such artifacts as a pair of authentic Sinatra golf shoes.
Barbara Sinatra is hosting the event, and there are some familiar names (including some decidedly un-Vegas ones) on the RSVP list.
Among Sinatra's friends who are expected to the attend: "M*A*S*H" creator Larry Gelbart, comedy legend Dick Van Dyke, Veronique Peck (Gregory Peck's widow), George Schlatter, Jerry Vale, Angie Dickinson, Tony Danza and author David McClintick.
Such Vegas folk as Wayne Newton, Steve Wynn, Tim Poster, Tom Breitling, First Fridays founder Naomi Arin, Kirk Kerkorian, and Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gorme are also expected.
Proceeds from the 6 p.m. reception and 8 p.m. dinner go to the Barbara Sinatra Children's Center. Call the gallery at (702) 632-9378 for tickets and more information.
Dark sign
For at least the last nine days, the famous "Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas Nevada" sign at the south end of the Strip has not been illuminated at night.
We called the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority on Sunday, and they referred us to YESCO -- the Young Electric Sign Co., which the LVCVA said is responsible for the upkeep and maintenance of the historic sign.
We tried it, but because it was Easter, no one was available. Maybe someone can eventually shed some light on this.
Ronn rules
Having this pesky day job, it is hard for us to get out and see some of the afternoon shows in Las Vegas.
However, because Little VegasBeat -- our son Teddy, 9 -- was off from school for spring break last week, we decided to check out a daytime offering.
We went to see comedy ventriloquist Ronn Lucas at The Rio. Frankly, with not-too-subtle references to masturbation, and jokes about Ted Kennedy and alcoholism, the show could easily be an evening option.
Overall, though, it is refreshing how an entertainer can hold an audience mesmerized for 90 minutes without any backup dancers, and without a band, fancy lights, a giant video screen or naked women.
It's just Lucas and a puppet. By the end of the show it is just Lucas talking to his hand, which has through the power of imagination been transformed into a separate being.
Bravo.
Changes
The host of the new "Neon Nights" show at Boulder Station that we reported about on Sunday, Jay Leno impersonator Marcel Forestieri, is out.
He'll be replaced by longtime Vegas entertainer and TV host Tony Sacca.
Also, crooner Steven David is out. The rest of the show -- performers Michael Cagle, Paull Casas, Laurence T., Rusty and Genevieve -- remains intact.
It plays at the Railhead at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday nights.
VegasBits
Fight fans: Ringside fans at the Wladimir Klitschko vs. Lamon Brewster fight Saturday night at Mandalay Bay included Drew Carey, Wesley Snipes, Mike Tyson, Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley, Mario Lopez and "Las Vegas" star Josh Duhamel ...
Same old: Michael Flatley, his father and two friends had dinner Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights at Charlie Palmer Steak (Four Seasons) ...
Ready: Ring announcer Michael Buffer ("Llllllet's get rrready to rrrumble...) had dinner Saturday at Aureole (Mandalay Bay) ...
Fun: "Days of Our Lives" actress Kirsten Storms celebrated her birthday at the Palms this weekend. Among her group was former co-star Alexis Thorpe.
Sun wires
Sense of humor: It was inevitable: Janet Jackson spoofing her infamous wardrobe malfunction by flashing a heavily pixillated breast on "Saturday Night Live." Jackson portrayed national security adviser Condoleezza Rice opening her blouse at the Sept. 11 commission hearings, in an opening skit on the comedy show.
The skit showed Vice President Dick Cheney, played by Darrell Hammond, suggesting Rice "flash a boob" to distract the public from her testimony.
"Just one headlight, real quick," he said. "It does two things. You win over the liberals, plus, it's a distraction for the press. I guarantee that's going to be the headline, not the bin Laden thing."
Jackson, as Rice, huffily refuses.
"I am not a prude, sir, but this hearing is not the forum for that kind of lewd conduct," she said. "There are other forums, like pay television or national sporting championships."
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