It could be the title of a new game show on WNYC-TV: "Who wants to be the Public Advocate?"

Unfortunately, unlike the popular ABC show that everyone wants to be on, this show would have a very quiet runway, according to local political insiders.

In what once appeared to be a growing field of candidates, the count is winnowing as the dust settles on the Rudy Giuliani political shuffle. Now that it appears that Mark Green will remain Public Advocate until Nov. 2001, antsy local pols are starting to wonder whether it’s worth waiting around for the largely titular position.

Upper West Side insiders say that Assemblymember Scott Stringer is already eyeing the Manhattan Borough President position if current Beep Virginia Fields decides to run for Comptroller in 2001.

Also, downtown Manhattan Councilmember Kathryn Freed, who like Stringer was an unofficial candidate for Public Advocate, is said to be more interested in the Beep slot if it becomes available. Betsy Gotbaum, former Parks Commish and current head of the New-York Historical Society, is also said to be less eager to run for the Advocate spot.

So, who’s left? Councilmem-ber Stephen DiBrienza of Brooklyn and perhaps term-limited Queens Beep Claire Shulman. As Regis would say, is "this your final answer?"

The punch line to the joke going around now is something like, "Didn’t they suspect something when their family guest list overlapped as much as it did?"

It refers to the next "other woman" that Gotham reporters are determined to crack — Regina Peruggi, whom Rudy Giuliani married on October 26, 1968. She was also his second cousin. Peruggi has been more than tight-lipped about her time with Hizzoner, her childhood sweetheart.

Meanwhile, Hillary Clinton staffers have had a decision made for them. If things got especially nasty during her race with Rudy, Dem campers were said to be sifting through suggestions for the best way to draw attention to Giuliani’s professed ignorance of the closeness of their kinship.

Looks like the only dogs at the Democratic National Convention this year will be either on the platform, or in buns. In an effort to spruce up LA for the Dem Convention in August, city animal officials have ordered a roundup of stray dogs and plan to euthanize more dogs to relieve crowded kennels, Lala land officials say. "We have reached a period where the animal population is simply out of control," said city counsel Glenn Barr. Animal rights activists are outraged by the plan.

"This is slaughter," said Laura Heisen of Agoura, a volunteer at the Los Angeles Animal Services East Valley kennel. "I believe that we do have a big problem with pack dogs in some parts of the city, but what they’re doing is not going to solve the problem. They just want to make things nice for the reporters and the politicians for the Convention." Not to be callous or anything, but anything that can be done to make L.A. nicer for reporters is appreciated.

Yoko Ono probably doesn’t vote Republican that often, but she still doesn’t know how her name found its way onto last week’s Art for Hillary 2000 event at Larry Gogosian’s East Side gallery. The theme was definitely green – as in money. The fundraiser for Ms. Clinton’s Senate run was the most successful to date, according to the campaign, raising nearly $1.5 million.

Most of the cash came from selling off specially donated works of art — but nothing from Ono, although her name was listed on the invitations and she was supposed to donate a piece of her own art. "All we can say is that there was never a commitment from this office," said a spokesman at Studio One (Ono lives at One W. 72nd St. — the Dakota – and that’s how folks in her house answer the phone.)

Among those who did contribute art for the sale were Chuck Close, Frank Stella, Jenny Holzer, George Condo, Louise Bourgeoise and Eric Fischl.

Ono is known for her avant garde warblings, but has also worked as a visual artist. A Hillary staffer refused to say anything negative about the possible snub, obviously hoping for some future collaboration between the candidate and Ono’s fame, money and drawing power.