The special network programming that winds up November sweeps may seem more suited for Memorial Day than impending Thanksgiving.
Networks are putting their money on prime time specials on dead pop stars. Michael Jackson next week, and tonight, Whitney Houston.
“We Will Always Love You: A Grammy Salute to Whitney Houston” (CBS, 10 p.m.) features performances from Celine Dion, Jennifer Hudson, Usher, Yolanda Adams and CeCe Winans with appearances from Halle Berry (pictured at right), Taraji P. Henson, LL Cool J and Britney Spears. That’s right: No Bobby Brown. But there will be a lot of clips of Miss Houston from her career.
A winner is announced on the 19th cycle of “America’s Next Top Model” (The CW, 8 p.m.). It’s between Kiara Belen, 22, of Las Vegas, Laura James, 21, of Cambridge, N.Y, and Leila Goldkuhl, 20, of Framingham, Mass., who was eliminated in week five but returned to the show in a twist three weeks ago. It’s followed by a look back at highlights of the college edition season at 9 p.m.
“Real Time with Bill Maher” (HBO, 10 p.m.) winds up its season with a show that includes David Frum, Michael Moore, Ana Navarro and Eric Idle.
A Southern cuisine joint in Pittsburgh gets the Gordon Ramsay treatment on “Kitchen Nightmares” (Fox, 8 p.m.).
The president of Cinnabon returns to the front line, trying to show employees how to make their buns more fattening on a new “Undercover Boss” (CBS, 8 p.m.).
A rapper (Tavie McCoy) wants to record one of Reba’s songs on “Malibu Country” (ABC, 8:30 p.m.). (It’s a comedy).
“A Fringe event” is just the kind of thing you’d expect on “Fringe” (Fox, 9 p.m.).
No Lindsay Lohan interview with Barbara Walters tonight on “20/20” (ABC, 10 p.m.) — she decided to go on the “Today” show instead. So they talk about restaurants.
A screening of the epic “Lawrence of Arabia” (TCM, 8 p.m.) is followed by a special featuring its star taped earlier this year, “Peter O’Toole: Live from the TCM Classic Film Festival” (TCM, midnight).
It’s followed by Luis Bunuel’s comic take “Simon of the Desert” (TCM, 1 a.m.), and later, the star-studded horror film “The Manitou” (TCM, 2 a.m.) with Tony Curtis, Stella Stevens, Ann Sothern, Burgess Meredith and “See No Evil” (TCM, 4 a.m.) with Mia Farrow.
In NBA action, it’s Jazz at 76ers (ESPN, 7 p.m.) and Knicks at Grizzlies (ESPN, 9:30 p.m.).
Lots of college basketball in many tournaments: Oklahoma State vs. Tennessee (ESPNU, 10:30 a.m.), Colorado vs. Baylor (ESPNU, 12:30 p.m.), Illinois-Chicago vs. New Mexico (CBS Sports, 4 p.m.), Alabama vs. Villanova/Purdue (ESPNU, 5 p.m.), Connecticut vs. Wake Forest (CBS Sports, 6:30 p.m.), BYU vs. Florida State (truTV, 7 p.m.), North Carolina at Long Beach State (ESPN, 11 p.m.).
Daytime Talk
Kelly & Michael: Zooey Deschanel, Jason Cameron & Tony Siragusa. The View: Sally Field, Oliver Stone, Susan Boyle, Jay Mohr. The Talk: Rob Reiner, Kat Cole, Chi-Lan Lieu. Katie Couric: Dr. Phil McGraw. Ellen DeGeneres: Vanessa Williams, Jason Aldean.
Late Talk
David Letterman: Dr. Phil McGraw, carmen Lynch, Divine Fits. Jay Leno: Chris Matthews, Keegan-Michael Key & Jordan Peele, the Mowgli’s. Jimmy Kimmel: David Letterman, Vampire Weekend (rerun). Jimmy Fallon: Helen Mirren, Carson Daly, Reggie Fils- Aime, Miguel. Craig Ferguson: James Spader, Cynthia Littleton. Carson Daly: Chris Elliott, the Jezabels (rerun). Tavis Smiley: Sally Field. Chelsea Handler: Hayden Panettiere, Brad Wollack, Ingrid Haas, Ross Mathews (rerun).