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Show ( SoopWhifl ) Talk, game shows deep in the heart of Texas' r Elizabeth Allen By Connie Passalacqua Daytime drama fans who are purists frequently forget that soap operas are not the only kind of programming program-ming offered up daily by the three TV networks. Both talk shows and game shows have their own legions of fans. This month, "Texas," the soap opera, r has been attempting to incorporate elements of both other kinds of programs pro-grams into its plotlines. For the past few months, most of the action on Texas Tex-as has begun to focus on the front and backstage doings at KVIK, a Houston . TV station owned by Vicky Bellman (Elizabeth Allen) . Hayseed ex-con Billy Joe Wright (John McCafferty) became an overnight star hosting his own talk show, "The Billy Joe Show." Because he was such a hit, Vicky offered him a new show, "Texas Tall Tales," which would be a combination combina-tion game and talk show. Billy Joe's nervous breakdown break-down on screen was the ) perfect opportunity for KVIK's obnoxious and vicious gossip columnist Stella Stanton (played by 3 -,t real-life former ;talk;'''show host Virginia Graham) to usurp his position soon afterward. "Texas" taped nine seg- H ments of its "Texas Tall Tales" during one day in September into which are being spliced into its epi-i- sodes during' the entire month of October. Celebri ty guests on the segments include Dick Cavett, Jayne Meadows, Kaye Ballard, Phyllis Diller, comedian Rip Taylor, former Herman's Hermit Peter Noone and Willard Scott, weatherman on NBC's "Today." "Contestants," who were picked from the studio stu-dio audience were, in reality, reali-ty, actors and their parts in the show were scripted by . the show's writers. However, Howev-er, the segments featuring interviews with the celebrity guests were all improvised by them and Miss Graham. Miss Graham does admirable admira-ble ad-libs with' all the celebrities, but the highlight V. of 'the series is her interview with former talk-show host Dick Cavett. After trading quips and insults for four minutes, Cavett 'asks Miss Graham "Where'd you get such a fast tongue?" Answers Miss Graham: "My mother nursed me until I was 12." 1982 Compulog |