WILLIE BROWN is running for governor. But not of California. He's running for governor of Nevada. Yep. ... A knockout blonde -- she's a kind of social worker, a private sector social worker -- had lunch with him the other day at Le Central and she drafted Willie into the race. It's one of those ideas that comes about on a sultry August dog day, when San Francisco seems all hot and bothered. ...

    The social worker's name is Sunset. She's not from The Sunset. Her name is Sunset. Sunset Thomas. She represents a fine old Nevada institution called the Moonlite Bunny Ranch, just outside Carson City.

    Sunset and her boss, Dennis Hof, the owner of the Moonlite Bunny Ranch, are always on the go to advance the cause of their ranch, which, let's face it, is a brothel, and their industry, which is legalized prostitution. Well, it's a kind of social work, isn't it? ... Needless to say, Willie always has time for progressive social thinking, especially when uttered by a gorgeous blonde. So he and Wilkes Bashford and a few chums had lunch with Sunset and Hof right in the open at Table One at Le Central.

    The Nevadans told the story of their reformist stew: At the Bunny Ranch, the ladies, not the house, negotiate the price with the customer. And the ladies don't have to -- in the parlance of the trade -- "party with a guy" if they don't like him. ... This is a 21st-century brothel. Jesse Ventura is a former customer of the Bunny Ranch, and it's the house policy to give a 99 percent discount to elected officials. Talk about public-spirited! Grateful for the mayor's time, rosy Sunset presented him with a terrycloth bathrobe embroidered with "The Mayor -- Moonlite Bunny Ranch." But what could the mayor of San Francisco do for Sunset?

    "Mayor," pleaded Sunset, whose career and fortunes are always under threat from the less advanced factions of the Nevada polity, "would you run for governor of the One Sound State?" The mayor, touched by the emissaries of the progressive portion of the electorate of far distant Lyon County, Nev., retorted, "What's the residency requirement?" "Six weeks," exclaimed Hof.

    No sooner did this happen, but that one of Willie's bodyguards appeared tableside with the mayoral cellphone. "It's the governor, mayor," the cop said. "The man is psychic," said Willie. "Just think of running for governor, no matter what state, and Gray Davis is on the phone." But Gray was calling about other business.

    Willie promised to think about the idea, and Sunset blushed her thanks. Over the next couple of days, Willie, who loves Las Vegas, mulled the notion. Counselors pointed out to him that being governor of Nevada (or "Las Vegas & Backyard," which is how Willie views Nevada) would be a lot more fun for a larger-than-life figure like himself than being state senator from The Sunset! He could be governor of Sunset! ... And so the dice are cast. If you look for Willie Brown today in City Hall or his usual Friday haunts, you will not find him there. He has gone to Las Vegas. And not just to see Sunset. ...

    Hey, Sharon Stone's getting around. She was seen last week in Miami at the deco White Law Hotel, which is all white aluminum and patent leather. She was chilling in hot South Beach. Now she's in a hot job up in cold Canada. That's great that's she working. She's shooting a flick with Dennis Quaid titled "Cold Creek Manor." Sharon's semi-popular real-life hubby, Phil Bronstein, meanwhile, stays at home, working at the Junior Paper, where things aren't so great. The "At Work" section of the Sunday sheet has been killed because of a shortage of help-wanted ads. Junior Paper insiders say the low circulation, evening edition "PM Chronicle" is living through its last hours. ...

    J.T. Leroy, the 22-year-old cult novelist of the Tenderloin, has sold his book, "The Heart is Deceitful Above All Things," to deceitful Hollywood. No word on price. Asia Argento will adapt, direct and star. ... Political milestone: At press time Thursday, Robert Barnes, longtime political consultant and major figure in local wars, was gravely ill in Davies Medical Center. ... Memo to SFFD Chief Mario Trevino, who used to be chief of the Las Vegas Fire Department: Regarding your general order, issued July 31, banning off-duty firefighters from using parking spaces at SFFD HQ for personal parking during Giants games. It's been flouted at the first possible opportunity. A rowful of cars with SFFD placards was illegally parked there Wednesday night. ...

    The magnificent San Franciscans: Here's Bobby Bonds on his situation, after emergency surgery July 13 to remove a tumor from his kidney. "Right now, I feel really good. I can't do anything. I can't pick up anything that weighs more than eight pounds. I can't stretch. I can't run. I can do whatever I want, but I can't do nothing." ...