The New Shows

Meet the Veep (Sun. 5:30 p.m., NBCTV) helps reduce the ranks of unemployed Democrats by paying ex-Vice President Alben Barkley a reported $2,500 a week for 15 minutes of his time. With the assistance of 72-year-old Newsman Earl Godwin, 75-year-old Barkley fills his show with political anecdotes, sidelights on such personages as Franklin Roosevelt ("He went back to the horse & buggy days in his shaving--he used a straight-edged razor"), and cheery comment on world affairs ("I think Korea is tragic but not insoluble"). For his first show, Barkley won high praise from Comic Jack Benny ("I think Barkley is naturally funny"). The Veep is ready to accept commercial sponsorship if he can find a sponsor who measures up to "the dignity of the position I held."

Private Secretary (Sun. 7:30 p.m., CBS-TV) enters hoydenish Ann (Maisie) Sothern in the situation-comedy sweepstakes but, like many another imitator of I Love Lucy, it suffers from a feeble script. As secretary to a high-minded theatrical agent, Ann is shown masterminding his affairs, settling his domestic problems and using the wisecracks that TV seems to think make up the language of U.S. business. Most televiewers will find the comedy situations every bit as familiar and repetitive as the Lucky Strike commercials.

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