EVERYBODY LOVES NEW YORK CITY SITCOM STAR TO DONATE CD EARNINGS.

Byline: David Kronke Television Writer

The Sunday before his new comedy compact disc, ``Live at Carnegie Hall,'' hit stores, Ray Romano was less than sanguine over its impending release.

Though he had participated in ``America: A Tribute to Heroes,'' the telethon benefit for survivors and families of victims of the Sept. 11 attack on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, he yearned to contribute more. At the same time, he scarcely felt that doing the obligatory promotional circuit for his CD was appropriate.

He solved both problems with a stroke of Solomonic genius: All Romano's earnings from the CD will go to New York relief funds.

``I just felt so sad for New York,'' Romano said in an interview at the Universal City Hilton on Friday. ``I know the whole country is affected, but I'm focusing on New York. I'm from there. It's the reason I have this. New York was my mentor. It taught me everything I need to know about comedy and stand-up. It was my classroom every night for 12 years. People in New York, the energy of New York - the spirit was telling me what was and wasn't funny.

``And here I am in sunny L.A. with the big house and the money. I didn't want to desert New York. I was there at the time (of the attack). I was very glad I was there, just to walk around the city and do whatever little help we could do.

``And so, thinking about the CD and Carnegie Hall and New York City - it was right there in front of me. I wanted to do something financially substantial, and I thought this was perfect: It's tied into New York. And I was happy to go out and push it if the more sales it makes, the more it helps.''

``Live at Carnegie Hall'' features Romano's easygoing, mildly neurotic takes on family life: ``My favorite part of newborns is you can take their pulse just by looking at their heads.'' He also delivers a great riff on snacks with the fat substitute Olestra: ``I read the label: 'May cause intestinal cramping and anal leakage.' Just how good are these chips? That's got to be the best chip in the universe if I have to change clothes to eat it. Who reads that label and goes, 'Oh, that'll be great for the party?' The tobacco companies look at it and go: At least we're not that; say what you want about tobacco, nobody's leaking here.''

Romano's material boasts a timelessness and universality that are particularly appropriate in this time of heightened sensitivity.

``Everybody's sensitive,'' he said about his feelings after the attack. ``A lot of comedians are going to have to change their material, but I'm in pretty good shape. I was at a benefit with Dennis Miller and thought I've got it easy. Look at Dennis Miller. What is he going to have to do?''

The entire cast and many executive producers of ``Everybody Loves Raymond'' were in New York on Sept. 11. Returning to Los Angeles took on something of a surreal air.

``Brad Garrett (who plays Raymond's brother Robert) and I are both kind of bad fliers anyway,'' Romano said, adding that he suggested riding a bus after a booking for private planes fell through. ``And when the bus finally came, everybody was like, really, get on a bus? And Brad and I were the only ones. There were four of us on a rock-tour-type bus. And by the time we got to Tennessee, we thought, we've made a horrible mistake.'' Eventually, Romano chartered a private plane the rests of the way home.

Though ``Everybody Loves Raymond'' has entered its sixth year - generally considered the season most series begin to lose their creative spark - the notoriously picky Romano says he's surprised how the series has maintained its quality this season.

``I'm really surprised how much I like the stories, the first few we've done,'' he said. ``When you do a show every week, you're not going to like them all, and you're not going to be excited by them all. There's a percentage you're going to like, there's a percentage you're going to hate, and there's a percentage right in the middle. And I've been surprised. I thought this is year six, man; we're really going to start to struggle. I'm signed for seven (seasons) now, and I'd say it's 50-50 that we'll go longer (than that).''

In the meantime, Romano must contend with his appearances in the tabloids, though, given his stature as a family man on a family sitcom, the escapades tend to be significantly more banal than those of many of his celebrity peers. ``A couple of weeks ago it was (claimed) I had an allergic reaction to a peanut and had to be rushed to a hospital,'' the allergy-free Romano recalled. ``I called up Sean Penn and said I know what you're going through, man!''

``EVERYBODY LOVES RAYMOND''

What: Hit sitcom about the close-knit if eternally cranky Barone family.

The stars: Ray Romano, Patricia Heaton, Peter Boyle, Doris Roberts, Brad Garrett.

Where: CBS (Channel 2).

When: 9 p.m. Mondays.

CAPTION(S):

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Photo:

Peter Boyle hugs Ray Romano, right, who plays his son in the CBS sitcom ``Everybody Loves Raymond.''