There’s no doubt whatever that the 2016 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (HBO, 8 p.m.) is is the weakest yet, with Steve Miller, Chicago and Deep Purple. The achievements of songwriter and producer Bert Berns is the most interesting thing heard all night, and though many people still question whether hip hop should even be part of the proceeds, the appearance of N.W.A. adds the most rock ’n’ roll spirit to the sprawling thing, that doesn’t seem to have been edited much at all (so there’s a lot of acceptance speeches).
Though it was just taped April 8, it seems outdated since its “In Memoriam” section and its live performances, which salute David Bowie and Glen Frey, ignores Prince until the closing credits puts up the “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” solo.
What was once the most entertaining night of the year by CSPAN is now being glommed on by cable news network who are now attracted to its confluence of political and entertainment worlds in The 2016 White House Correspondents Dinner (CSPAN, 6 p.m.; CNN, 7 p.m.; MSNBC, 9 p.m.).
Larry Wilmore is a good choice to headline the event; he’s a standout among late night political comics with “The Nightly Show.” But as sharp as he’ll probably be, it will be tough to match the mic-dropping performance of Barack Obama, doing his last performance of his two terms.
It’s not the only Presidential entertainment tonight, oddly, with a prime time “Jazz at the White House” (ABC, 8 p.m.) celebrating International Jazz Day with a concert featuring Aretha Franklin, Al Jarreau, Chick Corea, Sting, Herbie Hancock, Pat Metheny and Esperanza Spalding.
It’s more patriotic than the special that follows, “Marvel’s Captain America: 75 Heroic Years” (ABC, 9 p.m.) which is more a movie tie-in.
There’s primetime Saturday night boxing (Fox, 8 p.m.) with Andre Berto vs. Victor Ortiz in a welterweight bout.
If you haven’t had enough of this guy, “Chris Hardwick: Uncomfortable” (Comedy Central, 10 p.m.) is a new standup special from San Francisco.
The murders of two teenage girls on the same beach six years apart is investigated on “48 Hours” (CBS, 10 p.m.).
“Oprah: Where Are They Now?” (OWN, 10 p.m.) unearths the stars of “Here Comes Honey Boo Boo.”
Was there a “Poltergeist” curse? It is considered on “Case Closed with AJ Benza” (Reelz, 10 p.m.).
The made for TV “Seduced” (Lifetime, 8 p.m.) is about a man who use dating ads as a way to rob victims.
Stanley Cup playoffs move to network TV with Islanders at Tampa Bay (NBC, 3 p.m.) and Pittsburgh at Washington (NBC, 8 p.m.).
In the NBA playoffs, it’s Oklahoma City at San Antonio (TNT, 8:30 p.m.) in game one of the second round.
Baseball includes Atlanta at Cubs (MLB, 2 p.m.), San Francisco at Mets (Fox Sports 1, 4 p.m.) and Yankees at Boston (MLB, 7 p.m.).
And this is going on: The NFL Draft (ESPN, noon) in its fourth through seventh rounds.
Sarah Jarosz and Milk Carton Kids play a 2014 rerun of “Austin City Limits” (PBS, 11 p.m.).
The repeat that would have been on last week, when it was pre-empted by a Prince salute, is on tonight on “Saturday Night Live” (NBC, 11:30 p.m.), with Peter Dinklage hosting and Gwen Stefani musical guest.