John Katsilometes on Bob Dole headlining at Artemus Ham Hall

Thursday, March 9, 2006 | 7:18 a.m.

To pull from Norm MacDonald's memorable impression on "Saturday Night Live," Bob Dole says Bob Dole wants to play Las Vegas. And by golly Bob Dole is going to get Bob Dole's wish.

On April 17 the decorated war hero, former U.S. senator, national candidate for president and vice president, and, yes, Viagra pitchman, is scheduled to be the featured speaker at the Barrick Lecture Series at UNLV's Artemus Ham Hall.

Dole, the respected Republican from Kansas who ran for vice president in 1976 and president in 1996, will take the stage at 7 p.m. His appearance is in line with a list of distinguished Barrick lecturers that includes speakers ranging from former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev to documentary filmmaker Ken Burns.

Dole's could be one of the more interesting, and funny, lectures in the Barrick series. His career of public service dates to World War II (where he earned two Purple Hearts and a Bronze Star with oak leaf cluster) and his appearances on "The Daily Show With Jon Stewart" were an ideal forum for his sharp sense of humor.

Still to be announced by the school is when tickets for Dole's appearance (they are free) will be made available to the public.

NoteMart

What's up, Dogg? The program for the Nightclub & Bar Convention & Trade Show (aka "The Show,") which wrapped up Wednesday at the Las Vegas Convention Center and various hotels, listed Snoop Dogg as the headliner for the Coors Light Elevation Party at Club Rio.

Um, no. Not in today's rap-sensitive climate at Las Vegas venues. We'd sooner see Elvis himself performing at the Rio than Snoop Dogg. Here's what I can tell you about the Coors show:

Snoop Dogg did not perform at the Rio on Wednesday; Blues Traveler (with a noticeably slimmed-down John Popper out front) was a late replacement. Snoop, under contract by Coors, did get paid but was nowhere to be found (except for in the program) after the company swapped artists.

For months rap, specifically gangster rap, has been targeted by Sheriff Bill Young and the state Gaming Control Board, who have responded to a series of rap-related shootings in the Las Vegas Valley by pressuring casinos to stop booking gangster rap acts. ...

More Rio: Former Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jerome Bettis was spotted in the crowd for the Blues Traveler show. Not everyone knew who Bettis was (he donned a Detroit Tigers hat, button-down shirt, jeans and no Steelers gear) but at his size - and this guy is built like a truck - you knew he had to be someone ...

Long goodbye: In a statement released Tuesday, Nevada Public Radio said founding president and general manager Lamar Marchese had announced he would be stepping down by the end of March - March 2007.

On Wednesday, Marchese said he is giving the lengthy notice so the NPR search committee (of which he's a member) can conduct a national search. That search will include an interview with KNPR 88.9-FM and KCEP 88.1-FM director of programming/assistant general manager Flo Rogers, who is already an announced candidate ...

When are you gonna come down?: On nights when good-time act Zowie Bowie is not performing (and toweling off, we can presume), Rocks Lounge at the soon-to-be opened Red Rock Resort will feature longtime Vegas tribute act Yellow Brick Road.

YBR frontman Brody Dolyniuk said the band will play Wednesdays beginning April 26. YBR formed in 1997 and plays a wide assortment of classic rock (kind of like the program list at KKLZ 96.7-FM come to life). Zowie Bowie is set to perform Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays starting with the resort's opening on April 18 ...

Adam has 'em: The nationally syndicated "Adam Carolla Show" is taping a segment at the Palms from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. today. The program will air live on KXTE 107.5-FM ("Xtreme Radio") and be replayed on Friday from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m., its usual time slot.

Carolla's scheduled guests include 2004 NASCAR champ Kurt Busch, rock bands Puddle of Mudd and Van Stone, comic magician Penn Jillette, Palms owner George Maloof, motocross champ and tattoo aficionado Carey Hart and Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman. Landing the reclusive Goodman is a particularly impressive "get" for the program ...

For fin fans: The Silverton ended its "mermaid" show, "Azure," on Monday. The reason given is the attraction is not in the hotel's expansion plans, not because it ... tanked ...

Headline of the week: We don't do this often, or ever, but this descriptive headline appeared last week in the Reno Gazette-Journal: "Musical 'Urinetown' takes a whiz on big business" ...

Roger, Wilco: Spotted Wednesday at a Del Taco drive-thru, a dark-green Oldsmobile Silhouette minivan with the license plate RGRWLCO. Also, readers are almost unanimous that BNKEPT on the green Rolls Royce, reported this week, means the person driving is "being kept," a kept mate, spouse or significant other. One guy did say it meant "bank empty."