Preview ’92 : Special Occasions : Tribute or comedy, concert or politics, broadcast and cable plan for the unusual

Look for specials this TV season with themes of comedy and politics

Awards

Lorianne Crook and Charlie Chase host the “CMA Awards Preview ‘92,” Sept. 26, The Nashville Network.

“The 26th Annual Country Music Association Awards” will be broadcast from the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Sept. 30, CBS.

“The 15th Annual Kennedy Center Honors: A Celebration of the Performing Arts,” December, CBS.

Comedy

“Tom Arnold: The Naked Truth 2,” Sunday, HBO.

“The Comedy Store 20th Anniversary Special” will feature a look at the history of the club and some never-before-seen performances by some of the biggest names in comedy, Sept. 24, NBC.

Narrated by Tom Smothers, “Jack Benny: Comedy in Bloom” offers clips and reminiscences, Oct. 5, HBO.

“HBO 20th Anniversary Special,” with original material and on-camera interviews, stars Billy Crystal, Robin Williams and Whoopi Goldberg, October, CBS.

“The Selling of Vince D’Angelo,” a half-hour parody about a New Jersey mobster (Danny De Vito) running for the U.S. Senate. Rhea Perlman co-stars, October, Showtime.

“Joan Rivers: Abroad in London” has a cameo appearance by Dame Edna, October, Showtime.

“Saturday Night Live Political Special” is a comic look at the elections, Nov. 1, NBC.

Don Rickles hosts “Showtime Comedy Club All-Stars VI,” which will showcase five rising stand-up comics, November, Showtime.

“A Louie Anderson Special,” November, Showtime.

“The Carol Burnett 25th Anniversary” will feature the original cast from “The Carol Burnett Show” for a variety show and clip retrospective, November, CBS.

“HBO Comedy Hour: Robert Klein,” November, HBO.

“Dame Edna’s Hollywood” will feature Burt Reynolds, Barry Manilow, Sean Young and Doc Severinsen, NBC.

A “Spinal Tap Reunion” is planned, NBC.

Dance

“Alice--The National Ballet of Canada” features the National Ballet of Canada in Glen Tetley’s ballet inspired by Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland, December, Bravo.

Documentary

“Seize the Power: A Lifetime Challenge to the Women of America,” a live two-hour show hosted by Lynn Sherr, examines the status of women in the upcoming election, Tuesday, Lifetime.

“Voices of the Electorate: The African-American Voter” (Sept. 20 on KCET, KVCR and KPBS; Sept. 22 on KOCE) and “Voices of the Electorate: The Hispanic-American Voter” (Sept. 21 on KCET, KVCR, and KPBS; Sept. 23 on KOCE) chronicles how minority voters view candidate interest in their issue.

“The Making of Sgt. Pepper,” Sept. 27, the Disney Channel.

“Rolling Stone 25th Anniversary Special,” Nov. 18, MTV.

“Alive: Twenty Years Later” recounts the story of 16 people who survived 10 weeks on an Andes mountain peak after a 1972 plane crash, November/December, CBS.

Directed by actress Lee Grant, “Women on Trial” is about bitter divorce and child-custody cases, HBO.

“A Word From Our Sponsor” features the best award-winning ads of the previous year, plus the greatest commercials of all time, culled from 50,000 ads in the archives of The New York Ad Club, NBC.

Family

“The Miss America Pageant,” hosted by Regis Philbin and Kathie Lee Gifford, airs from Atlantic City, Saturday, NBC.

“Cartoon Madness: The Fantastic Max Fleischer Cartoons” features the work of the legendary animation pioneer, creator of “Betty Boop,” “Popeye” and “Superman,” as well “Koko,” the first animated character to interact with live actors, Oct. 27, A&E.;

“The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade,” Nov. 26, NBC.

“The 17th Annual All-New Circus of the Stars and Side Show,” Nov. 26, CBS.

“The CBS All-American Thanksgiving Day Parade” will air on Thanksgiving Day, CBS.

“Hollywood Christmas Parade,” Nov. 29, KTLA.

“The King Orange Jamboree Parade,” Dec. 31, NBC.

“Christmas in Washington” brings forth the President and First Lady and an invited audience of dignitaries as a benefit for the Children’s Hospital, NBC.

Music

“Miles and Friends” from La Grande Halle in Paris, is one of the last concerts by the late trumpeter Miles Davis. Musicians include Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea, Wayne Shorter, Bill Evans, Al Foster, John Scofield, Dave Holland and Darryl Jones, Sept. 28, Bravo.

“The Michael Bolton Special” includes songs from his soon-to-be-released album, as well as glimpses of his personal life and professional career, late October, NBC.

“Guns N’ Roses Concert,” four hours of highlights from “Guns N’ Roses Invade Paris!,” will also include performances by Aerosmith and Soundgarden, Nov. 3, MTV.

“Paul McCartney: Get Back,” a concert, November, the Disney Channel.

“Columbia Records Celebrates the Music of Bob Dylan,” filmed at Madison Square Garden, $19.95, pay-per-view.

Sports

“Connors vs. Navratilova: Battle of Champions,” Jimmy Connors plays Martina Navratilovain best two-out-of-three match, Sept. 25, $24.95, pay-per-view.

Hosted by George Foreman, “Lords of the Ring” takes a historical look at the ring’s most exciting and devastating fighters, December, HBO.

Talk

“Phil Donahue’s 25th Anniversary Special” Nov. 16, NBC.

Telethon

“Unfinished Stories IV” commemorates World AIDS Day, Dec. 1, Bravo.

Theater

Jeremy Irons stars in “The Dream,” adapted from Dostoevsky’s short story “The Dream of a Ridiculous Man,” Dec. 12, Bravo.

Variety

“Hats Off to Minnie: America Honors Minnie Pearl” is a music and comedy special taped at Nashville’s Grand Ole Opry and hosted by Barbara Mandrell. Guests include Reba McEntire, Johnny Cash, Jay Leno, Emmylou Harris, Burt Reynolds, Dolly Parton and Pee-Wee Herman, as well as President George Bush and Ronald Reagan, Oct. 26, The Nashville Network.

“Ladies of Country Music” chronicles the evolution of women in country music, November, CBS.

BOLTON: TAMMY LECHNER