DATE: Thursday, July 3, 1997                TAG: 9707020092

SECTION: DAILY BREAK             PAGE: E1   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: LARRY BONKO

                                            LENGTH:   86 lines

BEST IDEA FOR FILLING THE SLOT BETWEEN ``SEINFELD'' AND ``ER'': AN OLD ``SEINFELD''

WHAT A DUNCE I am. I've been looking for something to do between 9:30 and 10 on Thursday nights - between ``Seinfeld'' and ``ER'' - when the answer has been staring me in the face.

It's as obvious as the blinking clock on my VCR.

What to do between ``Seinfeld'' and ``ER,'' when NBC tosses the dreadful ``Suddenly Susan'' at us? Tape a ``Seinfeld'' rerun on WTKR at 7:30, pop it into the VCR at 9:30 and have back-to-back Jerry, George, Kramer and Elaine until ``ER'' signs on.

Beautiful.

What didn't I think of that?

It was Lee Johnson's idea. He lives in Norfolk. It was also Douglas Glenn's idea. He works in Virginia Beach.

Both entered sweepstakes in which I offered prizes for the best suggestions on what to do with that 30-minute gap between ``Seinfeld'' and ``ER.'' Said Glenn in his fax, ``I solve the gap problem by taping the 7:30 `Seinfeld' on Channel 3, replaying same at 9:30 to maintain the must-see spirit of the evening.''

To you, Douglas Glenn, goes an official ``Seinfeld'' yo-yo.

Johnson will receive a ``Frasier'' Frisbee.

The third-best suggestion came from Mary W. Evans in Virginia Beach, who wants me to use the time between ``Seinfeld'' and ``ER'' to start a Bill Clinton Fund for Insolvent Presidents. The man is up to his eyebrows in legal bills.

``By starting the fund you would restore some of the dignity of the Oval Office while performing a noble deed. TV tells us that Clinton is among the brokest of broke blokes,'' Evans writes.

To her goes the ``Mad About You'' bouncing Baby Buchman beach ball. It will be the talk of the Oceanfront, Mary.

About 150 readers wrote, faxed or called to help me get over the 9:30 hump with many suggesting I read or make a quick telephone call. ``Reach for Time or Reader's Digest,'' says Geri M. Frank of Portsmouth. From Carol Hayes, Virginia Beach: ``Call a friend or relative long-distance when the rates are cheaper.''

Other readers, including Nancy S. Taylor of Gettysburg, Pa., who's been vacationing on the Outer Banks, sent in a handful of ideas. ``Do light stretching exercises, fold laundry, walk the dog, pack the kids' lunches or lay out your clothes for work the next day.''

Among the suggestions from Sonja Mortensen in Chesapeake: Scrub away the ring around the bathtub, bake cookies, plan a fantasy trip you can't afford, vacuum hard-to-reach places or just sit and stare into empty space, which is better than watching what's on NBC at 9:30.

Laurie Zinni in Chesapeake sees 9:30 p.m. on Thursday night as a good time to give yourself a manicure. ``Or you could put on a 30-minute workout tape to keep in shape and out of the ER,'' she said.

Catch up on e-mail, suggests Joyce Saxon in Gates County, N.C. Asks Dana Davenport in Suffolk: ``Why not organize your sock drawer, clean out the fish tank, browse through catalogs or change the bed linen?''

Lunette Smith in Chesapeake asks if I've considered cutting off the TV at 9:30 and listening to a half hour of gospel music on the radio. Good idea. Cindy Bulloch in Virginia Beach figures that 30 minutes is just about the right amount of time to catch up on my Bible reading. That would make me a born-again couch potato.

Several readers, including Vicki Umphlett, Anne T. Jeffords and Opal E. Goodman (age 84, she writes), urge me to get another Siamese cat to replace the one who died just shy of his 18th birthday. I used the half hour between ``Seinfeld'' and ``ER'' to brush him.

Another cat? I don't know about that. I get attached to pets, and then they die. Why should I put myself through that again?

Ron Mack in Norfolk was among the readers who think it's cool between 9:30 and 10 to stoke up on calories - head for the kitchen, brew up hot chocolate, pop some corn and get ready for ``ER'' at 10.

``Come back to the TV refreshed,'' Mack said.

To Mack goes a bag of in-flight peanuts from the last episode of ``Wings.''

From another reader comes this suggestion: In the 30 minutes between ``Seinfeld'' and ``ER,'' take time to compose a letter to the NBC bosses asking for better programming at 9:30 on Thursday night. That's a very good idea, Connie Kaiser of the Eastern Shore.

Next season, NBC at 9:30 slips in a new sitcom (``Veronica's Closet'') in which Kirstie Alley stars. I expect to see a preview tape shortly. You'll be the first to know if Alley's show is must-see TV.

Or if it's a cue for me to clean the coils in the back of my refrigerator between 9:30 and 10 come next fall. ILLUSTRATION: Color photo

NBC

You can keep the ``Seinfeld'' gang on tape for viewing when needed.

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