Zacharie Clements could be just the thing for those who are feeling trapped in the long northern winter. The veteran speaker brings his one-man show -- a combination of stand-up comedy and motivational presentation -- to television for the first time in a one-hour production called "Smile...Things Could Be Worse." Clements, a resident of Charlotte, Vt., travels extensively, speaking to educators and business people. His TV special, taped recently in Burlington, is aimed at a wider audience -- anyone who could use a laugh and a little help coping with a complex world. As the title suggests, Clements uses humor to get his listeners past the point of feeling sorry for themselves and to the point of making positive changes in their lives. An orphan raised by his Italian grandparents in a tough neighborhood, Clements weaves in stories about the "good old days," admitting that they weren't always so good. yet he finds in traditional values an antidote for the stresses of the '90s. The core of Clements' message is the importance of a positive self-image. Whether speaking to primary school teachers, salespeople, or bankers; he urges his audiences to develop the positive personal relationships he believes are the foundation of professional success. Clements, who was a classroom teacher for many years and professor at the University of Vermont for 13 years, began his speaking career focusing on educators. A decade ago, he branched out to business audiences, and now numbers Fortune 500 firms among his clients. The program is funded by IBM and the Howard Bank. Additional funding was was provided by First Nationwide Bank.