VegasBeat — Timothy McDarrah: Fund-raiser does a bunny hop

Saturday, Aug. 23, 2003 | 1:40 a.m.

VegasBeat appears Sunday through Friday in the Las Vegas Sun. Timothy McDarrah can be reached at tim@lasvegassun.com or at (702) 259-4096.

Apparently, someone thought it was a conflict of interest.

The Playboy magazine 50th anniversary festivities are scheduled for the weekend of Sept. 20 at the Palms. There will be model searches, lingerie shows, racy video screenings and a concert by Kid Rock.

Also initially scheduled at the Palms that weekend was the Generic Black and White Ball, a fund-raiser for Aid for AIDS of Nevada (AFAN). But the event has been moved up to Sept. 6.

"Actually, it was not such a bad pairing of events," said Stephanie Wilson, a spokeswoman for the AFAN soiree. "After all, both groups encourage safe sex."

The AFAN theme is black-and-white television, and there will be "salutes" to such generally black-and-white shows as as "I Dream of Jeannie," "Bewitched" and "The Price is Right," which is now in color (except for Bob Barker's hair).

The after-party is called The Lucille Ball. Admission is $35, or the equivalent in nonperishable foods or a Sam's Club gift card. For tickets and information, call (702) 382-AFAN.

Latin lothario Ricky Martin might perform at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace in September, possibly with Celine Dion. The soap opera actor-turned-top-selling singer ("Livin' La Vida Loca") made the winner's presentation during the German edition of "Star Search" last week. According to a VegasBeat reader who was there, Martin "was talking about performing with Celine in Vegas in September."

Calls to their various reps were not immediately returned Friday.

KMZQ 100.5-FM (Lite FM) celebrated 20 years on the air Friday.

Original DJ Ron Kirsh joined the current morning team of Tom & Melanie for the on-air celebration. They spoke to a wide variety of entertainers and local pols, including Frankie Valli, Dion, Robin Leach, Gary Waddell, Rita Rudner and Shelley Berkley.

The Joseph Bernard Acting Studio on East Patrick Lane periodically does live performances of classic films. In the past, the From Screen to Stage program has included everything from "All About Eve" to "Casablanca."

The next free showcase takes place Wednesday and Thursday at 7:30 p.m. Call 795-0487 for times and an exact schedule of the films to be dramatized.

MTV recently asked Bally's/Paris Las Vegas oddsmaker Johnny Avello to post numbers on its premier event, the MTV Video Music Awards, which take place Aug. 28 at Radio City Music Hall in New York. Avello tells VegasBeat he has not heard most of the songs -- not Eminem's "Lose Yourself," which is his Best Video favorite, nor 50 Cent, the overwhelming favorite for Best New Artist in a Video category with "In Da Club," nor Justin Timberlake, Avello's favorite in Best Dance Video for "Rock Your Body."

"I came up with the odds the same way as for the other 'for entertainment purposes only' events where we post odds -- like the Academy Awards. I base it on public response to the songs, what some of the industry publications are saying, and my secret panel of experts," Avello said.

Avello has set odds for a dozen categories.

For the full rundown, go to mtv.com.

A Las Vegas company is preparing to sell, over the Internet, single strands of Elvis Presley's hair for $99 apiece.

A company called Forever Treasures acquired a jar of the King's cuts from Linda Schiefer, the next-door neighbor of Homer "Gill" Gilleland, a Presley family friend and well-known to Elvis cognoscenti as the official barber of the Presley family.

"Every time he would cut Elvis' hair, he would roll it up in a towel and save it," according to Schiefer. In November 2002 she sold her collection to Forever Treasures, according to spokeswoman Kimberley McGee.

The Mason jar full of his dark locks sold for $115,000, Forbes magazine reported. Now, says McGee, the company is searching for an acceptable Web address for selling the hair, which will be sold in a frame with a certificate of authenticity.

McGee said the hair was authenticated by John Reznikoff of University Archives, "the foremost authority in the certification of American collectibles."

Comedic Brett Butler is back on tour and coming to Las Vegas.

The former "Grace Under Fire" star was off the pop culture radar for several years as she battled an admitted problem with prescription drugs.

Her 18-and-over show comes to the Monte Carlo Sept. 5 and Sept. 6.

What was the top-grossing large arena in the United States for the first six months of 2003?

New York's Madison Square Garden? Nope. The Staples Center in Los Angeles? Nah. Chicago's United Center? Uh-uh.

According to Billboard Magazine, it was the Thomas & Mack Center.

Despite the absence of a professional major league sports team (or maybe because of that?) the Paradise Road facility grossed $19,722,169 through June 30, the magazine reported.

Among the events it housed were the John Ruiz/Roy Jones Jr. championship fight, a series of sold-out Phish concerts and the Las Vegas Gladiators Arena Football League team.

"It is an honor to have our building ranked with the top facilities in the nation," the arena's executive director, Daren Libonati, said. "We were extremely busy with a variety of events and hope to continue providing diverse programming for Las Vegas."