Page 18 THE VILLADOM TIMES IV • November 27, 2013 DVD releases (continued from Restaurant page) content. The only extra on this DVD release is a making-of featurette. “Here’s Edie: The Edie Adams Television Collection” (MVD Visual) is a four-DVD set featuring digital transfers from original two-inch videotapes of the entire 1962-64 run of 21 episodes. After the sudden passing of her hus- band, Ernie Kovacs, in January 1962, Adams starred in her own ABC variety show, showcasing her many talents. She hosted, sang, danced, acted, did comedy, and produced her own show. Guest stars included jazz greats Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Stan Getz, Lionel Hampton, Woody Herman, and Al Hirt. Popular vocalists included Sammy Davis Jr., Bobby Darin, and Johnny Mathis. Among the featured comedians were Bob Hope, Rowan & Martin, Soupy Sales, Buddy Hackett, and Terry Thomas. Other guests included song satirist Allan Sherman, Spike Jones, Peter Falk, Zsa Zsa Gabor, and Andre Previn. The set also has Adams’ musical numbers from numerous Kovacs shows of the 1950s with introductions by Kovacs himself, and her famous Muriel Cigar commercials. “The Carol Burnett Show: Christmas with Carol” (Star Vista) contains two complete holiday episodes from Bur- nett’s long-running CBS variety show, one from 1974 and one from 1977. Burnett never did a full hour-long Christ- mas special during her tenure at the network, but celebrated the holidays in seasonal sketches. They include a Grin- chy segment of “The Family,” in which Eunice’s younger brother (Alan Alda) and Mama (Vicki Lawrence) arrive, and a sketch in which Mr. Tudball (Tim Conway) and the slow-moving secretary Mrs. Wiggins (Burnett) awkwardly observe the mistletoe tradition and get more into the holi- day spirit with every glass of champagne. There are songs by Carol and bonus sketches such as “Christmas Quarrel” with Carol and Sid Caesar; “Charwoman: Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” “The Twelve Days of Christmas,” and “Q & A with Jonathan Winters.” “Applause” (Kino Lorber) is the story of recovering alcoholic stage actress Thea Barfoed (Paprika Steen). Having divorced her husband, Christian (Michael Falch), and relinquished custody of their two boys during her heavy drinking days, Thea wants to start over. As her past alcohol use and indiscretions still haunt her, the prospect of a new beginning seems bleak. She uses her charm and manipula- tion to convince her ex-husband that she is fully recovered and capable of being a good mother. However, she hasn’t completely convinced herself. On stage, Thea plays the binge-drinking Martha in Edward Albee’s “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” Her stage character bears a striking resemblance to her personal life. This is a showcase role for Steen, who can be ferocious in her emotional portrayal. Steen actually performed the Edward Albee play, so she knows how to convey Martha’s multi-faceted personality, and the “life imitates art” theme offers intriguing parallels between Martha and Thea. (continued on page 20)