Bursting with energy and talent, John Leguizamo is also quite under-employed. Why else would his stage triumphs all be autobiographical one-man shows? His latest, “Ghetto Klown” (HBO, 10 p.m.), is his fifth such effort — after “Mambo Mouth,” “Spic-O-Rama,” “Freak” and “Sexaholic…A Love Story,” he now has one now for nearly every decade of his life. And I can’t say what it covers that its five predecessors do not.
But he sticks to his strengths – imitating others, crafting stories, dropping celebrity names and keeping up that energy — in a way that is entertaining and compelling. It’s a piece, directed by Fisher Stevens, that has been well honed as well, after several versions and a national tour.
Some people don’t look at themselves enough, this guy does just the opposite. Luckilly, most of the time it’s fun to watch.
“Sorority Surrogate” (Lifetime, 8 p.m.) is a new TV movie starring Cassie Steele as a college girl who agrees to be a surrogate mother for a couple who then die in a car crash. Then the crazy grandmother comes after her.
With Florence in upheaval, “Da Vinci’s Demons” (Starz, 9 p.m.) begins its second season with Riario continuing to find the Book of Leaves.
A newspaper boy is murdered on “Ripper Street” (BBC America, 9 p.m.), which is going too far.
The President himself has famously recently dissed it, but here’s “The Hangover Part III” (HBO, 8:15 p.m.) making its cable debut. Elsewhere, “Jack the Giant Slayer” (Cinemax, 10 p.m.) follows “Seven White and the Huntsman” (Cinemax, 7:45 p.m.), fairy tales not for children.
If you don’t want to goout to see the new one, here’s the 2011 Jason Segel “The Muppets” (Disney, 8 p.m.).
Lady Gaga’s new video gets a showcase just before the “Dateline Saturday Night Mystery” (NBC, 8 p.m.).
Today’s March madness begins with Pittsburgh vs. Florida (CBS, 12:15 p.m.) and continuing with Saint Louis vs. Louisville (CBS, 2:45 p.m.), Texas vs. Michigan (CBS, 5:15 p.m.), North Dakota State vs.San Diego State (TNT, 6:10 p.m.), Dayton vs. Syracuse (TBS, 7:10 p.m.), Oregon vs. Wisconsin (CBS, 7:45 p.m.), Harvard vs. Michigan State (TNT, 8:40 p.m.) and Connecticut vs. Villanova (TBS, 9:40 p.m.).
The women’s NCAA basketball tournament is just starting, but its games are all bunched up in “wraparound coverage,” which means you don’t know what you’re going to see. It’s all on ESPN2, but at 11 a.m., it might be Winthrop vs. Duke , Wright State at Kentucky, Florida Gulf Coast vs. Oklahoma State or Arizona State vs. Vanderbilt. At 1:30 p.m., it switches between Robert Morris vs. Notre Dame, Akron at Purdue, Oklahoma vs. DePaul, and Chattanooga vs. Syracuse. Things stagger a bit after that with Northwestern State at Tennessee (ESPN2, 4 p.m.) followed by Fresno State vs. Nebraska (ESPN2, 4:15 p.m.), and between Fordham vs. California and Florida State at Iowa State. Then it’s Western Kentucky at Baylor (6:30 p.m.) opposite at 6:40 p.m., South Dakota vs. Stanford, BYU vs. North Carolina State and Southern Cal vs. St. John’s.
Men’s NIT action comes early: Louisiana Tech at Georgia (ESPN, 11 a.m.).
Hockey action includes Tampa Bay at Pittsburgh (NHL, 1 p.m.) and Montreal at Toronto (NHL, 7 p.m.). In basketball, San Antonio at Golden State (NBA, 10:30 p.m.).
Spring baseball includes Yankees vs. Twins (MLB, 1 p.m.) and Rangers vs. Royals (NLB, 4 p.m.).
Esperanza Spalding plays a replay of “Austin City Limits” (PBS, 9 p.m., check local listings).
Jonah Hill hosts a rerun of “Saturday Night Live” (NBC, 11:30 p.m.) with Bastille as musical guest.