WEEKEND TV : Comedy Clubs and Russian History

A little comedy, the Gulf War and a fictionalized biography of a famed figure in Russian history highlight the weekend television schedule.

“Comedy on the Road,” airing tonight on A&E; at 7 p.m. and again at 11 p.m., is a new weekly show hosted by John Byner that travels to comedy clubs around the country to witness stand-up routines from established and rising young comedians.

While the regular news and talk shows will discuss the latest developments in the war with Iraq, PBS presents “The Gulf: Portrait of the War Zone” Sunday at 7 p.m. (50), 8 p.m. (15). The program is an update of a 1984 “Nature” segment that focused on the effect of the Iran-Iraq war on the fragile environment of the region. It will air Monday on Channel 28 at 8 p.m.

The first of the two-part made-for-cable miniseries, “Young Catherine,” begins on TNT Sunday at 5 p.m. with a repeat at 7 p.m. Starring Vanessa Redgrave and Julia Ormond, this 18th-Century saga, filmed in the Soviet Union, recounts the story of Catherine the Great, “mother of all the Russias.” It concludes Monday at 5 p.m. and again at 7 p.m.

Other weekend shows include:

TODAY Boris Yeltsin, president of the Russian Republic, is interviewed on “Evans & Novak,” 9:30 a.m. and 9:30 p.m. CNN. . . .

Secretary of Defense Dick Cheney discusses the Gulf War on “Newsmaker Saturday,” 10:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. CNN. . . .

Richard Allen, former national security adviser, joins “The Capital Gang” in a look at the latest Gulf War developments, 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. CNN. . . .

Civilian damage from the air war and press-military relations are the topics on “John McLaughlin’s One on One,” 2 p.m. (28). . . .

“Bridging the Gulf” examines the politics behind the war, 2:30 p.m. (28).

SUNDAY Wahid Boctor, of Arab-American Television, and Ilham Al-Sarras, from the the Iraqi Peace and Justice Committee, guest on “News Conference,” 6:30 a.m. (4). . . .

“Sunday Today” reports on war humor, a teen-oriented Southern California newspaper and selling a home in a recession, 7 a.m. (4)(36)(39). . . .

“Newsmaker Sunday” airs at 7:30 a.m. CNN. . . .

“Sunday Morning” reports on impact of war and recession on an Alabama town, a country veterinarian and the cast of “Mule Bone,” a play opening in New York this week, 7:30 a.m. (2)(8). . . .

“Meet the Press” airs at 8:30 a.m. (4)(36)(39). . . .

“The McLaughlin Group” talks about Iraq’s proposal to withdraw from Kuwait and the war’s aftermath, 9 a.m. (4), 5:30 p.m. (50). . . .

“The West” checks out flashover fires, sex-change surgery and Willie Nelson, 9:30 a.m. (4), 5 p.m. (36). . . .

Norman Augustine, Chairman and CEO of Martin Marietta Corp. guests on “Business World” at 9:30 a.m. (7). . . .

“This Week With David Brinkley” follows at 10 a.m. with Defense Secretary Dick Cheney and Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Arens as guests, (7)(10), 3 p.m. (3)(42). . . .

“American Interests” examines whether Cadillac can beat back the challenge of Japanese luxury cars, 10 a.m. (28). . . .

Art Torres and Gloria Molina, candidates for the L.A. County Board of Supervisors, are interviewed on “Midday Sunday,” 11 a.m. (11). . . .

“Signs of the Times” examines the effectiveness of teachers, parents and administrators sharing the decision-making power in schools, 11:30 a.m. (11). . . .

“60 Minutes” reports on a confessed murderer who wants to be executed but whose lawyers won’t let him, a failed Colorado housing development and a TV experiment in a rural English village, 7 p.m. (2)(8). . . .

“Real Life With Jane Pauley” looks at women who care for both their parents and their children, 8 p.m. (4)(36)(39). . . .

“Expose” investigates medical insurance fraud and governmental infighting that resulted in U.S. technology winding up in Iraq,8:30 p.m. (4)(36)(39). . . .

“Jesse Jackson” examines sex education, 11:30 p.m. (8), midnight (9). . . .

“Face the Nation” airs at 1 a.m. (2).