Once, it was the most reliable spot for political humor each year. But nowadays, political humor overflows late night every night of the week. And the 2019 White House Correspondents Dinner (CSPAN, CNN, 10 p.m.) has moved from sharp-tongued sets by Larry Wilmore, Hassan Minhaj and Michelle Wolf (to name the last three headliners) to one by a historian, Ron Chernow. He’s the author of the Hamilton biography that was turned into a musical; but there will be no tunes in his address (and probably no jokes). Still, a history lecture is par for CSPAN on a Saturday night; I don’t know what CNN thinks it’s still doing there though.
The current President is the only on who has never gone to the dinner; this year, he’s also insisting nobody from his staff attend either.
They’ll be happier to stay at home to watch the second “Not the White House Correspondents’ Dinner” put on by “Full Frontal with Samantha Bee” (TBS, 10 p.m.). Taped Friday night in D.C., it includes a Bee monologue and some skits and awards to TV journalists, with appearances from celebrities ranging from Bradley Whitford to Robert De Niro.
A second season starts for “The Son” (AMC, 10 p.m), based on Phillipp Meyer’s sprawling family novel. The TV adaptation starring pierce Brosnan begins on two fronts, during a Comanche raid into Mexico in 1852 and as the business grows in 1915.
A former victim hosts a new show about another kidnapped kid “Smart Justice: The Jayme Closs Case” (Lifetime, 8 p.m.). If you’ve forgotten her story, the new show is preceded by “I Am Elizabeth Smart” (Lifetime, 6 p.m.).
Twin sisters trade master bedrooms on “Trading Spaces” (TLC, 8 p.m.).
On “Nate and Jeremiah by Design” (TLC, 9 pm.), a couple wants a kitchen big enough for Sunday dinners.
A restaurant in Costa Mesa, Calif., gets Robert irvine’s help on “Restaurant: Impossible” (Food, 9 p.m.).
“20/20” (ABC, 10 p.m.) looks into fentanyl, the drug that killed Prince.
“48 Hours” (CBS, 10 p.m.) looks into a teen’s suicide in which a friend was charged with murder.
A hotel owner is kidnapped on “Ransom” (CBS, 8 p.m.).
In the Best of the Essentials series on Turner Classic Movies, Alec Baldwin introduces “Cat People” (8 p.m.) and William Friedkin presents “2001: A Space Odyssey” (9:30 p.m.). The noir at 12 o’clock is the 1951 remake of “M” (12:45 a.m.). Then comes two romances, “Crossing Delancey” (2:30 a.m.) and “Cousin, Cousine” (4:15 a.m.).
NBA playoffs have Game 1 of the second round with Philadelphia at Toronto (TNT, 7:30 p.m.) and the determining Game 7 of first round foe, San Antonio at Denver (TNT, 10 p.m.).
Second round Stanley Cup playoff games have Dallas at St. Louis (NBC, 3 p.m.) and Columbus at Boston (NBC, 8 p.m.).
Baseball has Cincinnati at St. Louis (MLB, 2 p.m.), Cleveland at Houston (Fox Sports 1, 4 p.m.) and Milwaukee at Mets (Fox Sports 1, 7 p.m.).
The NFL Draft (ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, NFL, noon) drags on, from round four to seven.
Auto racing has the Talladega 300 (Fox Sports 1, 1 p.m.) and the AMA Supercross: New York City (NBC Sports, 5 p.m.).
Track and field has Penn Relays (NBC Sports, 12:30 p.m.) and Drake Relays (NBC Sports, 3 p.m.).
Men’s college lacrosse has St. John’s at Georgetown (CBS Sports, noon), Virginia vs. North Carolina (ESPNU, 2 p.m.) and Duke vs. Notre Dame (ESPNU, 4:30 p.m.).
College baseball includes Oklahoma State at Texas Tech (ESPNU, 8:30 p.m.).
College softball has Georgia at South Carolina (ESPN2, noon), Florida at Auburn (ESPN2, 2 p.m.) and Kentucky at Alabama (ESPNU, 6:30 p.m.).
Father John Misty and Th Black Angels play an “Austin City Limits” (PBS, 11 p.m., check local listings) from 2017.
“Saturday Night Live” (NBC, 11:30 p.m.) is a rerun of the recent one with Kit Harington and Sara Bareilles.