Amazing Johnathan is leaving the Sahara at the end of the year.

Two sources confirmed on Tuesday that the Sahara had surveillance cameras installed about two years ago in the dressing room of headliner Amazing Johnathan.

The hidden cameras were put in shortly after a small fire broke out in the comedy magician's dressing room in May 2005, said the sources, who worked on the Sahara's surveillance staff.

Management "went on a witch hunt," said one of the sources. The fire occurred about a week after Amazing Johnathan opened at the Sahara.

After four months, the cameras were removed from the dressing room and another room, when "they couldn't find anything to use against him," said a source.

Three female employees associated with Amazing Johnathan's show routinely used the dressing room, where two spy cameras were installed, I'm told. One camera was disguised as a sprinkler head over the door, and the other was in a vent above the dressing room table, the original sources said.

The surveillance cameras ran 24 hours a day and could be viewed by anyone who accessed the surveillance area, the sources said. Surveillance staffers were concerned, but "people wanted to keep their jobs," said a source.

Al Hummel, the Sahara's chief executive, and John Morocco, director of operations, did not respond to interview requests by deadline.

Reached by telephone, Amazing Johnathan issued a "no comment" and said he was talking to an attorney. He did acknowledge he found "random holes" during a check of the dressing room.

The comedian recently announced plans to leave the Sahara at the end of the year because of a heart condition.

The Sahara was recently sold to Los Angeles-based SBE Entertainment Group, which is acquiring the property in partnership with San Francisco-based Stockbridge Real Estate Funds.

TOM JONES DOES IT AGAIN

Tom Jones put on another late, late, late show early Tuesday, after dropping into Bobby Capozzoli's De Stefano's Italian Restaurant at Pecos and Tropicana.

The MGM Grand headliner showed up at 11 p.m. with a large group, and the party was on.

Jones shared the stage until 4 a.m. with pal Cook E. Jarr, Frank Sinatra imitators Larry Liso and Gary Anthony and others.

Jones' drop-in performances have become legendary. He's closed down Capozzolli's on Maryland Parkway and performed until the wee hours at The Manhattan and Casa Di Amore, formerly owned by Bobby Capozzoli, a longtime friend of Jones.

THE SCENE AND HEARD

More on the upcoming upper management moves with MGM Mirage, mentioned here in Tuesday's column: I'm told an announcement is anticipated this week that the company is creating a third division for expansion into noncasino hotel development. The deals in the Middle East and China will tap some local talent and create upper-level reshuffling. ...

MTV "Spring Break" will be shooting inside Steve Wyrick's Triq Nightclub After Hours from midnight to 9 a.m. Saturday. ...

It's jazz night at Bootlegger Bistro, with Gus Mancuso and Joe Lano teaming up tonight.

SIGHTINGS

NFL quarterback brothers Peyton Manning and Eli Manning, having a late dinner Monday at Stack restaurant (Mirage). ... Riviera headliner Frank Marino, filming a segment at Hash House a Go Go on Tuesday for his upcoming reality show on the Vegas Entertainment Network.

THE PUNCH LINE

"Vice President Cheney tripped today. Luckily Scooter Libby was there to take the fall." -- Jay Leno

Norm Clarke can be reached at 383-0244 or norm@reviewjournal.com. Find additional sightings and more online at www.normclarke.com.