Paul McCartney yesterday confirmed that he will perform a Sept. 25 concert in Tel Aviv, 43 years after a pesky gov official, Education Ministry director Yaakov Sarid, banned Sir Paul's legendary band, the Beatles, from performing in Israel lest they corrupt the nation's youth.

But is that what really happened?

Sarid's son, Yossi Sarid, a journalist and former member of parliament, writes in the daily Haaretz that his father, who died in 1976, had nothing to do with the decision. Jokingly calling the false story "a Zionist urban legend," Yossi explained that the controversy arose as the result of a feud between two concert promoters. Apparently, when one of them, Yaakov Uri, booked the Beatles show, his rival, Giora Godik, used his gov sources to sink the deal. Yossi said the false story gained traction because of his own political career. Haaretz reports that Israeli music critic Yoav Kutner backs up Yossi's story.

007 goes coffee-table

Sean Connery unveiled his long-anticipated memoirs, Being a Scot, on his 78th birthday Monday, at the Edinburgh International Book Festival.

And, alas, as previously reported, the tome, which has been described by Reuters as "a coffee-table book," contains nary a sex scene, salacious rumor or innuendo.

Cowritten with Scottish filmmaker Murray Grigor, the book follows Connery's life journey from a milk delivery boy to a sailor with the Royal Navy, an art college model, bodybuilder, professional soccer player (well, almost), and finally an actor. But there's very little about Connery's inner life or his love life.

Knight arrested for assault

Marion "Suge" Knight, 43, was arrested yesterday in Las Vegas and charged with assault with a deadly weapon and various drug charges. Police say they were responding to a domestic violence call when they found Knight standing over his unnamed girlfriend brandishing a knife. Police say he was in possession of hydrocodone and Ecstasy. Lawyers for Knight, who cofounded Death Row Records, have declined to comment.

Drug bust for Mackenzie Phillips

One Day at a Time star Mackenzie Phillips, who has long struggled with drug and alcohol addiction, was arrested yesterday at Los Angeles International Airport for allegedly trying to bring heroin and cocaine aboard an airliner, E!Online and People.com report.

Phillips, 48, who was fired from One Day because of drug-related problems, has blamed those problems on the influence of her father, Mamas & the Papas founder John Phillips. She has yet to comment on the arrest.

Nicollette is single again

Nicollette Sheridan, 44, and Michael Bolton, 55, have ended their second go-round at the happily-ever-after. A rep for the Desperate Housewives star says the breakup was amicable.

Bolton, who emotes soft-rock ballads to death with gruesome earnestness, first hooked up with Sheridan in '92. The couple broke it off five years later, only to resume their passion in '05. They have been engaged since March '06.

Neil tries to make it right

Singer Neil Diamond, 67, has apologized for performing at his Monday concert in Columbus, Ohio, with a raspy voice.

Diamond, who was diagnosed with acute laryngitis after the concert, has offered concertgoers a refund. And he has rescheduled two concerts this week in Green Bay, Wis., and St. Louis.

Diamond's apology appears in a witty note on his Web site (www.neildiamond.com) that plays with the lyrics of the song "Play Me."

"Dear Fans in Columbus, I haven't let you down before and I won't let you down now," Diamond writes. "Until you hear from me again remember, You are the sun, I am the moon. You are the words. I am the tune. Forgive me. I love you."

And don't call him stupid

It's touching, really: Ozzy Osbourne's 22-year-old tyke, Jack Osbourne, has come to his dad's defense, telling the world that despite his behavior on MTV's reality show The Osbournes, Osbourne père is not stupid.

"I think The Osbournes, to a degree, tarnished the public's perception of my dad as a bit of a senile, funny, bumbling guy," Jack tells Rolling Stone. Jack said he plans to show a different side of his dad in a documentary he began shooting in January.

"My dad's not an idiot - he's nothing short of a genius, in my opinion," Osbourne fils says. "He does have huge flaws, and we're trying to really paint an honest picture of that."

Darabont to shoot in Philly

Frank Darabont, Oscar-nominated director of The Green Mile and The Shawshank Redemption, has announced that he will shoot his next flick, the crime thriller Law Abiding Citizen, entirely in Philly. According to a statement from the Greater Philadelphia Film Office, the film is about "a psychopathic mastermind who orchestrates a series of ingenious murders . . . all from inside his prison cell." Gerard Butler will star as the prosecutor who sent the dastardly villain (whose role will be cast next week) behind bars. Looking for work on the shoot, which begins in October and runs through the end of the year? Visit www.film.org.

Paula, Simon react to Kara

Oh happy days! It looks as if the old guard at American Idol is warming up to the show's newly named fourth judge, Kara DioGuardi.

Paula Abdul is overjoyed. "It's already a big happy family," she says. "We are so happy to have her," she says. (It doesn't take much to tickle the joy centers in Paula's brain.)

Darth Vader, on the other hand, was a tad more, um, nasty 'n' sarcastic.

"We had a picnic last night. I wore jammies and the girls wore negligees and we kind of broke the ice," said Simon Cowell as he exhaled in that terrifying way he exhales. "We had cake until 2 in the morning."

We think DioGuardi is in shock. "You were nice to me," she told Cowell after their first tête-à-tête. "You were actually OK."

We honor thee, Stiller

Actor-director Ben Stiller will be honored at the Museum of the Moving Image's 24th annual black-tie dinner, Nov. 12 at Cipriani 42nd Street in New York.

"Ben Stiller is one of the great talents of American entertainment: a memorable actor, an accomplished director and writer, an Emmy Award winner and an innovative producer," museum director Rochelle Slovin said. Last year's gala event was held in honor of Tom Cruise.

'Mamma Mia!' sing-along

Starting tomorrow, you can see the movie musical Mamma Mia! in a sing-along version available at select theaters across the country, including seven participating theaters in our area. Info: www.mammamiamovie.com.

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Contact "SideShow" at sideshow@phillynews.com.

This column contains information from Web sites and Inquirer wire services.