honoluluadvertiser.com

Sponsored by:

Comment, blog & share photos

Log in | Become a member
The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Friday, December 30, 2005

Clark has New Year's Eve competition

By Mike Hughes
Gannett News Service

NEW YEAR'S EVE LINEUP

  • 10 p.m., ABC (breaking for local news, 11-11:35 p.m.): Dick Clark and Ryan Seacrest, co-host. Mariah Carey (live), Hilary Duff, Sugarland, Sean Paul, Chris Brown, Pussycat Dolls, Bangles, 311, 3 Doors Down

  • 10:30 p.m., MTV: Video jockeys host. Kanye West, Shakira, Common, Adam Levine, Fall Out Boy, Young Jeezy, All-American Rejects

  • 11 p.m., Fox: Regis Philbin hosts. Carrie Underwood, Nick Cannon, John O'Hurley, Tyler Hilton

  • 11:30 p.m., NBC: Carson Daly hosts. Mary J. Blige performs live.

  • spacer spacer

    For decades, television's New Year's Eve seemed as unchanging as Dick Clark's visage.

    "American Idol" host Ryan Seacrest recalls years of parties, always with Clark on a TV in the background. "How do you know it's midnight without the show?" Seacrest asked.

    But the New Year's Eve tradition will see a number of changes tomorrow, including:

  • Clark's return, after a stroke kept him off-camera for more than a year. "He wants this to be the coming-out party," said Paul Shefrin, his longtime publicist.

  • Seacrest joining Clark in the ABC telecasts, possibly setting him up to be Clark's successor.

  • Late-night talkshow host Carson Daly countering with his own show on NBC, after merely doing a preview show in 2004. "Last year was kind of the triple-A (minor leagues)," Daly said. "We're ready for the big time."

  • Regis Philbin — who filled in for Clark last year — taking over at Fox. Over on MTV (Daly's former turf), video jockeys will be in charge.

  • And one of the biggest changes — dueling divas performing live at Times Square.

    For ABC, that's Mariah Carey, fresh from receiving eight Grammy Award nominations. "She's the biggest star of the year," Seacrest said.

    And for NBC, it's Mary J. Blige. She's the sole musical guest, in what Daly sees as a key change. "It seems like every (show) is a giant mish-mash of prepackaged things," he said.

    That's the format 76-year-old Clark invented 33 years ago. He worked live from Times Square; a party was taped long before, in Hollywood. Cutting between tape and live, he could have a big show without paying New Year's Eve prices.

    Daly gets his chance this year because New Year's Eve falls on a Saturday. (Most years, "The Tonight Show" does its own countdown on NBC.) He decided to divert from the usual formula and go live.

    The show will include two performances by Blige, along with Times Square coverage from comedian Wanda Sykes. News anchor Brian Williams and hip-hop mogul P. Diddy will have brief commentaries.

    Daly said working live has become natural for him. "MTV was such a great training for me. I did (live interviews) with everyone from Michael Jackson to Madonna."

    Still he has nothing against Clark's approach. "I just think the world of (him)," Daly said. "The rich history of this evening is important to me."

    Reports have varied on just how far along Clark's recovery is. Those involved insist he's ready to work.

    "He's excited, he's motivated," said Larry Klein, longtime producer of the show.

    No one is denying the possibility that Seacrest may take over Clark's on-camera chores some- day. The two have much in common: They're short, telegenic men who talk easily and seem endlessly enthusiastic. Seacrest may be the only person who does even more shows than Clark, Klein said.