The Tennessean from Nashville, Tennessee • Page 33

Abby. Comics. Crossword Horoscope 4J-D Section tv 4-d THURSDAY, Dec. 22, 1983 IHIost Debbie Alan lis Heady Talk lown' Debut iSh v' -MX- -'Villa Dove Candle, Villa Candle Lamp and Villa Potpourri, all from Elizabeth Arden's "Roma Al Fresco" Christmas collection. Cosmetic Counters Offer Last-Minute Gift Solutions By DIANE BARTLEY It's tough for a TV person to be off the air, but Channel 5's Debbie Alan said she's learned something about herself in the past three months.

She "can live without television" but she sure does miss it. And she can't wait to get back in front of the camera, this time as WTVF-Channel 5's host on its new and yet-to-debut morning show, tentatively titled "Talk of the Town." FOR THE PAST four months Alan has been working behind-the-scenes at the station, as "Talk of the Town" went through several format changes. Although she admits she's "a little disappointed" about the delayed start, she said the extra time has been spent well, getting to know her new town. Alan, 26, came to Channel 5 Sept. 1, and the story of her "discovery" and subsequent recruitment is an interesting one.

Sometime last summer, just as the station was beginning to toss around the idea of a local -orning show, general manager Tom Ervin spotted Alan on of all places a muscular dystrophy telethon tape. As "PM Magazine" reporter for WRCB-TV in Chattanooga, Alan was active in her station's MD telethon, and one of the spots she did for the show was used to demonstrate to other stations across the country an "effective appeal" for the Muscular Dystrophy Association. AS ONE of 10 children, including a handicapped brother, Alan said she was particularly moved by the plight of MD victims and shed some very real tears during the telethon. Apparently something in that short on-camera appearance caught Ervin's eye, and he soon contacted her about coming to work for Channel 5. "My goal isn't to be Barbara Walters," Alan said, "but I did want to go to a larger market-just because of the quality.

I wanted to come where they could do things really well." 1 As host of 5's new morning show, which is still at least six weeks from premiering, Alan said she'll' also get" to "strech" herself. After attending Tennessee Temple College in Chattanooga, Alan dropped out to work as full-time weathercaster at local TV station at WDEF. From there she moved across town to do weather and then "PM Magazine." "DOING A live talk show will be different," she admitted. "And it was a big move for me, but the folks at Channel 5 have made me feel really at home." Alan seems to be the sort of person who fit in easily wherever she goes, however. Those telethon tears will probably not be seen again laughter, and even giggles, seem to come much easier, and 1 fS Staff photo by Nancy Rhoda Debbie Alan, host of Channel 5's yet-to-debut morning show, shares a quiet moment at home with her husband Bruce, formerly a youth pastor in Chattanooga, and their pet cock-a-poodle, Sugar Free.

I A crystal glass with a metalized gold lid holds a candle scented with Halston Night. By GLORIA BALLARD Tennessean Fashion Editor "The last minute is, finally, just about here. There is no longer a way to put off buying gifts for those hard-to-shop-for people on your list, and the mad dash to the department stores is about to begin. Fortunately, the department stores offer that last-minute shopper's salvation, the cosmetics counter. And, as usual, cosmetic companies and fragrance manufacturers are offering their wide selection of special edition holiday gifts.

MANY OF THE holiday items make perfect gifts for the home. Germaine Monteil, for instance, has a collection of snowy white-with-country-flowers porcelain pieces filled with scented candles or heart-shaped soaps that make charming gifts for the powder room or bedroom, or even a country kitchen. flowered cache filled with soap hearts, a hurricane lamp with scented candle, and a traditional pitcher and basin are all filled with the fragrance of Germaine Monteil's Royal Secret. Other containers hold the fragrance of Galore. Elizabeth Arden offers a festive array of fragrance-filled porcelains, earthenware and terra cotta pieces in their "Roma Al Fresco" collection for this season.

It is a collection, says Elizabeth Arden, that "celebrates the spirit and style of Rome." "THE COMPANY also introduces a new fragrance for the home, called Villa Potpourri, which combines spices, oranges, carnation, rose and woodsy fragrances to enhance bedroom, bath, living room, kitchen, or even an outdoor patio. It is presented in room spray, potpourri, candle, and candle lamp forms decorated in a lively tables are the most whimsical ney to a French Chateau," filled with some of the company's most popular fragrances. YOUTH-DEW is available if a collection of Royal Chateau Porcelains, blue and white "collectibles" that combine Neoclassic and Empire themes. The scent of Cinnabar comes in solid perfume compacts topped with tiny, detailed cat and rabbit sculptures. Cachepot candles in ceramic hold the fragrance of Aliage, and boutique items, candles, and solid perfume compacts come filled with the scent of Estee.

Halston offers a crystal container with a candle scented with Halston Night, and another set of crystal candles to diffuse the Halston Classic fragrance throughout the home. And The Perfumers Workshop Ltd. offers a boxful of silk-like rose petals, sprinkled with the fragrance of Tea Rose, to use as potpourri to fill a room with fragrance or to add a pleasant scent to closets or drawers. Ch. 39 Plans Christmas Launch While Ch.

30 Nips at Its Heels the outgoing brunette seems to take an interest in others instead of herself. But behind the" cute and bubbly exterior is a "gutsy and adventurous" woman who would like to get beyond fluff on "Talk of the' Town" and move into some rather serious topics, like divorce and medical advice. SHE SAID she's already proven she can be the result of two "PM Magazine" assignments designed to end her giggly image. One took her rappelling off the side of Lookout Mountain; for the other, she leaped out of a plane. The parachuting was scary, she said, but she knew she couldn't let down the photographer (who was already getting motion sickness).

So she pulled out all the old acting skills that had once tempted her to be a movie star, and pretended the cloud far below was a "nice -soft patch of grass." Luckily her parachute opened. signal. And for those persons subscribing to Viacom Cablevision, the station should come in crystal clear on Viacom's Channel 31. Viacom general manager Jim Stewart said yesterday he plans to carry the station beginning with its sign-on Sunday morning. CHRISTMAS programming, ranging from religious shows to Santa's Hollywood Christmas parade and "Miracle on 34th Street," will fill most of Channel 39's first on-air day, Anneke said.

"And then on Monday," he added, "I'm going to turn the station over to the kids." "Popeye," "I Love Lucy," cartoons, and "all kinds of family shows" will flow across the airwaves, including the movie "Doctor Doolittle" at 7 p.m. Definite formats are still being developed, he added, and the first week's schedule may be a little "loose." But staffers are working around the clock to get everything in place, and Anneke, who excitedly said his adrenalin is flowing, promises from now on "it's just going to be go-go-go." "Commercials be damned," he said. "We're going to get on the air." THE COMPETITION, meanwhile, is nipping at Anneke's heels. At Television Corporation Stations (abbreviated TVX) offices in Virginia Beach, McDonald said his company has been quietly ordering equipment and signing a con CBS News on Ch. Nothing should surprise Nashville TV viewers.

Not even when Channel 2 general manager Art Elliott, says he's "one phone call away" from airing CBS's "Sunday Morning" with Charles Kuratt on Nashville's ABC station. KURALTS SHOW isn't carried by Nashville's CBS station, Channel 5, so Elliott asked permission to carry it on Channel 2. Apparently all concerned parties have agreed, and Elliott said the 45-minute weekly news magazine is set to begin airing Sunday, Jan. 1 at 8 a.m. "It's a beautiful show," Elliott said simply.

"It's a show I'd like to run." Arbitron Ratings It hardly ever happens, but it did this time. The Arbitron rat- (Turntopagell-D) tract for 15,000 square feet of office and studio space at Third Avenue South and Peabody. Although McDonald said the "official" launch date is still April 1, he quickly added that equipment is arriving ahead of schedule, the tower is already on-site in Northwest Nashville and its concrete base poured, and installers will begin erecting it after Christmas holidays. "We could be on as soon as Feb. 15," he said, then paused.

"And no later than March 1." A general manager, John Walser, formerly general sales manager for TVX-owned WJTM-TV in Greensboro. N.C., will report to work Dec 27, joined by operations manager Jenny Zoeller (now program manager at TVX's Memphis station), and traffic manager Diane HinnanL Chief engineer Carl Wolf, also formerly with TVX's WMKW in Memphis, is already at work, McDonald said. "BUT WE'RE looking for all kinds of folks, and we'd like to hire in Nashville," McDonald said, adding that the station is interested in hearing from prospective employees. Needed are "probably 20 to 25 people," ranging from engineers and technicians to office staff, sales people and computer operators. Interested persons should write to: General Manager John Walser, WCAY-Channel 30.

P.O. 2-1933. Nashville, Temt 37202. pieces. There is a tomato candle, a grape pomander, an eggplant, a pear pomander, and a beribboned bunch of asparagus, all filled with fragrance products.

This year's fragrance gifts from Estee Lauder include a collection of items called "A Christmas Jour-blue, green, orange and yellow floral" Al Fresco" motif. The ceramics in the collection are paired with other Elizabeth Arden fragrances, including Blue Grass and Memoire Cherie, and are designed so that the user can enjoy the scent now and adapt the container to other practical uses later. THE TERRA COTTA collection, for instance, includes an ornate cornucopia, a stately rooster and a vine motif jar, each of which can be transformed into a service piece or cheerful decoration for the kitchen or dining room. There is also a terra cotta cherub that has special holiday appeal. Handpainted earthenware vessels in the shapes of fruits or vege- At Wit's End "YOU BOUGHT that at a half-price sale at Penney's after Christmas.

I was with you. Besides you dont crochet" "No matter," I said. "Oh, and look at this little Mexican hat with Felice Navidad. Call your father. This will stir up a lot of memories for him." My husband appeared.

"I wont say anything," I teased. "Just tell me what this reminds you of." He looked blank. "Mazatlan, 1976. Remember, I wanted something for my Memory Tree?" THAT'S RIGHT." he said, "And you had the Green Apple Two-Step so bad you get out of bed." "I got that Mexican hat at a restaurant in LA," said my son. Memories Hang on Each By DIANE BARTLEY If all goes as scheduled, Santa will deliver something "extra" for Middle Tennesseans Christmas morning.

It won't be under the tree, but on their TV sets: the new UHF station, WFYZ-Channel 39. AND JUST when the wonder of a second independent station is beginning to set TV viewers' eyes all aglow, owners of a third station, Nashville's WCAY-Channel 30, announced yesterday they've moved up their scheduled mid-April launch and now plan a "Valentine's Day" gift to the city. "We're aggressive folks," said Tim McDonald, president of the Television Corporation Stations chain which owns Channel 30. "We'd like to be there." Meanwhile, all systems are "go" for a Christmas morning launch for Channel 39, according to general manager Carlo Anneke. ANNEXE; WHO said last week he was hoping for a Christmas weekend premiere for his new station, said yesterday he plans to "rev up" the transmitter Friday, let it "cook" Saturday and begin sending out the first programming at 7:30 a.m.

Sunday morning. The station, although based in Murfreesboro, will be transmitting from a tower in Gladeville, and Anneke predicts most Na.sh-villians will be able to receive its Ornament "It used to have a swizzle stick on it" As I rummaged through the tissue, I carefully unwrapped a little rag doll. "Get Betsy," I shouted, "She'll never believe this." "That's cute," she said, "Where did you get it?" "Surely you jest," I said, "Why that's one of the first dolls I bought you." "COULDVT be. It has all the eyes and there's no fear on its face. All of mine ran away from home." It took me a couple of hours to put on the little sleds, the mice dressed in red, the bread-dough figures and the wreaths made of leaves and berries and to recall the stories behind each and every one.

Memories they can't take thai away from me. Or can they? By ERMA BOMBECK We call our Christmas tree a "Memory Tree." Each and every ornament on it has a special meaning to someone in our family and every year we unwrap them one by one and together gather these precious moments around us like spirited fireflies. Last night as we lovingly placed each bauble on the tree we could again remember. "LOOK AT this," I said, holding a miniature pie tin with a crayoned picture of the Christ child with a message, Oh Come Holy Spit" on it "How old was Andy when he did this? Three? Four?" "He was 15 years old, mom. He didn't spell 'spirit' until the year he learned how to drive." "And look at this dear little snowman with the crocheted hat and scarf.

I made that when I was in the hospital with Matt".